Know before you go: Vietnam

Quick answer: Most Western passport holders can enter Vietnam either visa-free for up to 45 days or via a US$25 e-visa valid for 90 days, pay mainly in Vietnamese dong with cards accepted in cities, and the most comfortable months to visit are roughly October to April, though this varies by region; always verify entry rules on the official portals before you fly.

Visa & entry

Vietnam runs two separate entry systems, and mixing them up is the most common mistake travellers make. Unilateral exemptions are granted by Vietnam alone through time-limited government resolutions, covering 23 countries for 45 days, while bilateral exemptions come from treaties between two governments, mostly with neighbours, with stay length varying by country. The core 45-day unilateral list includes Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Russia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Belarus, and it was expanded in August 2025 to add Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic, and Slovenia, a policy effective from August 15, 2025, until the end of August 14, 2028.

For everyone else, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland are not on Vietnam’s visa exemption list, so citizens of these countries need a visa, and the simplest route is the e-visa: fully online, US$25, up to 90 days. Citizens of 80+ countries can apply online for a 90-day multiple-entry e-visa costing 25 USD, allowing multiple entries within that period. Processing is usually quick: the application process takes 3 to 5 working days, so apply well ahead of departure and only through the official government site, since dozens of unofficial websites copy the government portal’s design and charge $50–$100 for e-visas that cost only $25 on the official site, so always look for the .gov.vn domain.

Two universal rules apply regardless of visa type: your passport must be valid for at least six months from your date of entry, so check the expiry date and renew if needed, and you need at least two blank pages, free of stamps or visas from other countries, so it can be stamped on arrival. Airlines enforce this strictly: they may deny you boarding at your origin airport if you don’t meet this rule, and you may need to show a confirmed return ticket or a flight to a third country departing within your exemption period. Air travellers should also note a newer digital step: Vietnam’s Pre-Arrival Information Declaration, introduced during 2026, encourages foreign travellers to complete a declaration at certain airports, which can be completed within three days before arrival or on arrival, and doing it beforehand may reduce waiting time at immigration.

Confirm before you travel: exemption lists and stay lengths change with little notice, so cross-check your nationality on the official immigration and e-visa portals shortly before departure.

Getting around

Vietnam’s cities are increasingly connected by rail, but road transport and ride-hailing apps still do the heavy lifting. Ho Chi Minh City’s first metro line opened on 22 December 2024, running from Ben Thanh market to Suoi Tien park across 14 stations over 19.7 km, with a ticket costing 7,000–20,000 VND (about $0.30–0.80) and trains running 5:00–22:00 every 8–12 minutes. Hanoi also has an operating line, and with three lines now open between the two cities, authorities are pushing on with a faster rate of expansion, though a metro connection to Ho Chi Minh City’s airport is still only planned.

For point-to-point trips, ride-hailing apps dominate: Grab holds around 42% market share of urban ride-hailing, with Be at 32% and Xanh SM at 19%. Note that Grab requires a local SIM or a foreign number, so it helps to register before arriving if possible, and SIM cards cost roughly USD 3–8 at airports and convenience stores. Fares spike during rush hour: surge pricing during peak hours (7:30–9:00 AM and 5:00–7:00 PM) can increase fares by 200–300%.

For airport transfers, typical costs are: in Hanoi, Grab to the Old Quarter runs about 45 minutes for USD 10–15, while public bus 86 costs about USD 0.50 for a one-hour ride; in Ho Chi Minh City, Grab to District 1 takes 20–40 minutes depending on traffic for USD 4–8. For long-distance travel, options include domestic flights, sleeper trains, and sleeper buses; the historic 1,726-kilometer Reunification Express train connects Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. City buses are also useful and trackable via the free BusMap app, which is a free GPS-enabled navigation app providing live bus locations and arrival times in English, with more than 44 million downloads.

Money & costs

The official currency is the Vietnamese đồng (VND), and cash still rules daily life. Cash is king, especially for small purchases and in rural areas, but credit cards are increasingly accepted in cities and tourist spots. Roughly, 1 USD equals about 24,000–25,000 VND, though rates fluctuate, so check a live converter before your trip.

ATMs are plentiful: there are more than 21,000 ATMs across the country, and machines accepting international cards sit just outside arrival gates at all major airports, and are a common sight in Vietnamese cities. Expect per-transaction withdrawal caps of roughly 2 million VND (just under 100 dollars) to 3 million VND at local bank ATMs, and 5 million to 10 million VND at international bank ATMs, plus a local fee of around 20,000d (US$1) for cash withdrawals, on top of any charge your own bank levies.

Cards work well in mid-range and upscale settings: debit and credit cards like Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted in hotels or shopping malls, but you may be charged a 3–4% commission if paying with plastic. Street food, markets and small local eateries are cash-only in practice, so keep small VND notes on hand. Avoid exchanging money at the airport if you can help it, since these counters generally offer the weakest rates; city banks, jewellery/gold shops and ATMs are better value.

Best time to visit

Vietnam’s north-to-south length means there is no single “best” season, only a best season per region. The overall best time to visit Vietnam is between November and April when the entire country is dry and temperatures settle, though weather can vary wildly from one end of the country to the other.

In the north (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Sapa), winters from December to February are cold and dry, with overnight temperatures dipping to 4°C, summers from May to August are hot and humid, and spring (March–April) and autumn (September–November) bring warm, sunny days. In central Vietnam (Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An), the ideal period is February to August, with dry, sunny weather good for beaches and swimming, while October and November should be avoided due to heavy rains and occasional storms, and more broadly typhoon season generally runs from August to November. In the south (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Phu Quoc), the dry season from December to April brings low humidity, less rainfall, and excellent beach weather.

Emergencies & safety

Vietnam does not have a single 911-style number; instead it uses 113 for police, 114 for fire, 115 for medical emergencies, and 112 for search and rescue, with these hotlines available 24/7 nationwide. Be aware of the language barrier: official services 113, 114 and 115 operate 24/7 nationwide but function exclusively in Vietnamese, according to UK Foreign Office travel advice. In Ho Chi Minh City, a private bilingual option exists: 115 or *9999 for ambulance, the latter being a 911-style emergency medical response service in English and Vietnamese. Other useful numbers include 111 for the Child Protection Hotline.

Practical tips: to reach these numbers you generally need a SIM card from a Vietnamese carrier or an international SIM with roaming, so buy a local tourist SIM if your own doesn’t support roaming. Save your embassy’s 24-hour hotline too, and hotel front-desk staff can often help bridge language gaps or arrange transport to a reputable hospital for non-critical issues.

Official sources

• Vietnam e-Visa portal (Immigration Department)
• Vietnam National Authority of Tourism – Visa Requirements
• Vietnam Government Portal – Visa exemption policy
• Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railways (Metro Line 1 operator, HURC)
• Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Rules on visas, fares and transport routes change; always verify details on these official sites shortly before you travel.