If you are like me then Southeast Asia is definitely on your bucket list of places that you need to go. As a female solo traveler I am always looking for a way to get my budget to stretch farther. If you have to count your pennies then places like Vietnam are your dreams come true. While the flight over there can be a bit costly, and also long, when you get over there it is so easy for find cheap lodging, cheap food, and free activities. Here is my guide to Vietnam solo travel!
I will give you a basic outline for how you should plan your trip. I will also hit up some safety concerns and also things that you can do when you get there. Vietnam solo travel is such an attainable travel destination. I hope that I can inspire you to get there.
Planning your Vietnamese Solo Trip:
Check for weather patterns:
It is important that you pick the right time to travel. This greatly depends on what you want to accomplish. Southeast Asia has several times of the year where you should be concerned about the weather.
You may want to avoid going when it is at its hottest which is from May-October. November- April are the cooler months. At any time you will experience a combination of weather and rainfall but the rain season hits its peak during the months between June and August.
Pick the Location that you want to go to:
It’s important to pick the locations that you want to hit up early in the planning process. Vietnam is a vast country but some parts of it are harder to get to than cities like Hanoi. For instance, if you want to go to Con Dao Island then there are only two ways to reach it. This is by boat or by plane.
The boats are typically reserved for locals and can be absolutely packed. The flights are small plans that only travel on certain days. You will have to book your flight well in advance. You don’t want to arrive the day of to find that you can’t actually make it there.
Modes of transportation:
The next step is picking your mode of transportation. Do you want to rent a private car service? Are you flying everywhere? Do you want to rely on boats? How you travel is just as important as where you travel and Vietnam has a lot of options.
After you figure out where you want to go, you will have to figure out how you want to get there. Make sure that you research your options and find out what will work best for your budget.
I have found that Vietnam Airline is one of the more reliable services when you are traveling within Vietnam. It is more important that you pay for your tickets before you pick your lodging. Do lots of research and compare prices. Not only is this how you save money but you also want to know how much of your trip will be spent traveling versus how much of your time will be spent vacationing.
Lodging:
After you get the basic outline of your trip you can start to nail down what kind of lodging will fit into your budget. I personally love an Airbnb when it comes to SE Asia. This is mostly because you can get whole apartments for about $30-40 bucks a night.
If you are looking for a cheaper experience then you can always stay at a hostel. Not only will you be able to save money but it is a great opportunity to stay with fellow travelers who are moving through the area.
Of course there are hotels. You can find a nice one for about the same price as an Airbnb. If you have some extra money I would splurge for a night or two at a nice hotel. $100 in Vietnam for a hotel will take you so much further than anything that you will be able to find in America. Trust me.
Exchange your money before you go:
I don’t know how long it takes your bank to get foreign money but Chase often is tripping. It is reasonable to think that you can get around Vietnam for less that $50 a day while doing all the things. I personally would take an extra $30 or so dollars a day ($1 is about 23,000 Vietnamese Dong). This really depends on the amount of money that you are planning to spend. I have a habit of spending money on trinkets so I like to add some cushion.
I would suggest that you travel with your money before you go to the country. There are a few reasons for that. ATM machines don’t always work and when they do, they won’t give you a lot of money. More than likely you won’t be able to take more than $70-100. If you are paying those foreign ATM fees then it will eventually add up.
You can of course try to go to the official banks. They are only open Monday – Friday. You can also expect that the banks will close for an hour or more during the day for a lunch break. My suggestion is to avoid the hustle and instead exchange your money before you leave home.
Nail Down How You Plan to Communicate
I have a plan with Sprint. I get free text messaging and can call for free if I am connected to wifi. A different plan has never been a necessity for me. I have never felt the need to invest in an international data plan since I will wait until I get back to the hotel or airbnb before I upload pictures of try to get work done.
However if you are wanting something more extensive then you can always get a cheap phone and buy a sim card to go in it. Vietnam is known for having pretty quick internet compared to other counties.
You should be able to find an affordable plan to keep you happy. I definitely suggest you get the sim card if you are planning an extended stay. There are two different companies that are popular, they are called Mobifone and Vinafone.
Safety:
Vietnam has been known for as one of the safest destinations in Southeast Asia. There are still a few things that you should look out for:
- Vietnam is known to be one of the more conservative countries in Asia. If you are wearing what they consider to be skimpy clothing then you may find yourself being propositioned. In addition, some women have found it to be useful to wear a dummy wedding ring. If men think you are married then they will more than likely leave you alone.
- Pickpocketing is indeed a thing. I would suggest that you keep all of your stuff in your bag. Keep your bag close at all times. Avoid any of those gimmicky “phone on a string” or “keys on a string.” It is something that thieves look for in populated areas. Try to invest in an anti-theft backpack. They are life savers.
- Try not to take pictures in front of the military or the police. The military and police may try to force you to delete the pictures or even take your phone or camera.
- When you are in populated areas you want to look out for beggars and scams. They will try to target single females. This is especially the case if they person looks like they are a tourist.
- People live modestly in Vietnam. You don’t want to walk around flashing fancy jewelry or clothing. It will make you a target. Try to just follow the example of what the locals wear.
- If you can, put the originals of your important documents in a safe at your hospital or in a safe place that you can find. You don’t want people to try to keep your passport from you to get bribes or for your documents to be stolen.
- I would suggest that you wear a money belt on the inside of your clothes. This will help to prevent theft attempts.
- Traffic is insane. Be very careful when you are crossing the street. They often will use the sidewalk for motorbike parking.
- Wear a helmet if you are going to take a motorbike around or even a regular bicycle. Traffic fatalities are known for being high in Vietnam. Be safe out there.
- You will need a visa to be in Vietnam. My suggestion is to make sure that you have the visa before you even get to the country. You can get an E-visa and if you are planning to say longer than 30 days you can even find a site where you can get pre-approval for an extended visa. You are not required to pay the stamping fee if you get an E-visa.
Things to Keep in Mind:
- Southeast Asia has a lot of “squatty pottys.” Basically they are holes in the floor. You may also have to purchase or bring your own toilet paper. Traveling Black Spinster is warning you. I once found a squatty potty in Greece. I was less than amused.
- If you are looking to save time with your travel then I would suggest that you fly between Vietnamese destinations. A drive between Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi is about 30 hours. It’s easier to just fly unless what you want is 30 hour drive.
- The climate between the North and the South of Vietnam can differ drastically. I would research weather patterns before going and know what kind of activities you want to engage in.
- Vietnam has it’s own uber type of business. The company is called Grab. It may take a bit more time than hailing a taxi on the street but you won’t have to worry about price haggling.
Where to go and what to do:
Sapa:
Make sure that you have Vietnamese money. You will more than likely have to pay an entry cost to get into the village. This is a great place for backpacking. You will more than likely get there by overnight train or bus. You may even have time to cross the boarder and see a bit of China. Make sure that you pack light though. The primary way to travel in Sapa is motorbike which is not conducive to large amounts of luggage.
Hanoi:
Hanoi has several places that you can go. There is the Jade Mountain Temple, Hanoi Opera House, Saint Joseph Cathedral, and the Temple of Literature. There is of course more to see but the latter is a good place to start.
Ha Long Bay:
Ha Long Bay is one of the prettiest places that you can possibly go to in Vietnam. It happens to have a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered to be one of the modern wonders of the world. The only way to get there, in my opinion, is by boat. Definitely the best experience.
Hoi An:
If you are going to Hoi An then you are either going for the beach or because you want to see the ancient city. Hoi An is a great place to go if you want to take scenic boat rides. I also recommend that you buy a lantern if you have room in your luggage.
There you have it. My tips and tricks for Vietnam solo travel. Travel safe my friends.