Lonely Planet Vietnam (Travel Guide)

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The important thing to remember is that how much you spend is largely within your own control. If you’re happy with a dorm bed, bus travel and street food dinners, the basic costs of living in Vietnam will not make a massive dent in your wallet.

With younger kids in your group, focus on more sedentary trips to the beach towns and islands. With older kids, you can push the envelope, dropping in historic cities and adventure activities on the water and inland in the hills. For all age groups, set aside several hours each day for relaxing – with the high humidity and summertime heat, wandering the streets can wear down even the most patient child. Where are the best spots in Vietnam for kids? Different bus companies offer different levels of comfort. At the top of the scale are deluxe sleeper services between major cities, with minimal stops en route. You’ll get a reclining seat or even a seat that converts into a horizontal bed, but you’ll need earplugs to sleep through the onboard karaoke sessions and screenings of music videos and martial arts films. Companies such as The Sinh Tourist and Mai Linh Express offer online booking. Where to try it: Served over thread-like bun noodles, bun cha is made from artfully seasoned barbecued pork patties; enjoy it at its best at Bun Cha 34 in Hanoi. Buns of all kinds, from Chinese bao to French baguettesHowever, the cave is rich in other forms of life. 'We have seen monkeys that are able to climb down 200m to visit the jungle within the cave where they collect snails,' says Limbert. 'We’ve also seen snakes and other animals including squirrels, rats, flying fox as well as birds and bats.' He and his team also discovered seven new species of fish, spider, scorpion, shrimp, wood lice and plankton – all of them completely white and without eyes, the evolutionary consequences of existing in complete darkness. Spring rolls – an umbrella term for various stuffings rolled inside rice paper shells – take a delectable variety of forms in Vietnam. You’ll find them crispy and fried in the north as nem ran ha noi. In the south goi cuon are soft and light, stuffed with shrimp, pork, fresh vegetables, and cold bun noodles. Where to try it: In Hanoi, be sure to sample bia hoi – a crisp, clean-tasting low-alcohol draft beer – at Bia Hoi Corner, at the junction of Luong Ngoc Quyen Street and Ta Hien Street. Vegans and vegetarians More comfortable than buses and cheaper than flights, train travel is another option for getting around Vietnam. A railway line spans the length of the country, following the coastline from HCMC all the way to Hanoi and beyond. It's a must for rail enthusiasts, with the ride considered amongst the most amazing train journeys in the world. Be aware of your surroundings Toolkit - all of the planning tools for solo travellers, LGBTQIA+ travellers, family travellers and accessible travel

Another treat is banh beo, steamed rice cakes topped with dried shrimp, green onion oil, and buttery croutons, with a fish sauce dressing (often sold by vendors who carry their wares on a traditional yoke). King of the rice pancakes in Vietnam is banh xeo, a crispy, savory delicacy made with rice flour and turmeric powder, stuffed with pork, prawns, and bean sprouts; banh khoai, the version served in Hue, is famous countrywide. Vietnam’s Nguyen Dynasty held court in Hue until 1945, and the city’s damaged but still impressive historic relics feel somehow closer to imperial China than to the rest of Southeast Asia. However, for many travelers, it’s all about the food. More than half of Vietnam's estimated 3000 local dishes are believed to have originated in Hue, from the vermicelli-noodle-based bun bo Hue and crispy banh khoai pancakes topped with shrimp and pork to canapé-like, soft-and-crunchy banh ram it dumplings. The lavish imperial cuisine known as am thuc cung dinh – created by the emperors’ loyal chefs – can still be sampled in some of Hue's top restaurants, such as Thin Gia Vien and Hoang Phu.Great for daytime journeys, “soft seats” are airplane-style chairs that recline, usually arranged in rows of four, with two chairs on either side of the aisle. “Hard seats” are essentially wooden benches; expect these carriages to be busy with locals and hazy with cigarette smoke. Use some clothes as an improvised cushion to avoid a bruised behind! Explore the planet's most surprising adventures with our weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox. The former capital of the Nguyen dynasty – which ruled over large parts of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in the 19th and 20th centuries – drips with imperial history, despite the ravages of US bombers during the American War. Much was lost in Hue, but the grandeur of dynastic Vietnam lives on in the Citadel and Imperial Enclosure, housing the emperor’s residence, temples, palaces and court. At one time, entering without permission would bring instant death. Just outside town are the tombs of Vietnam’s greatest emperors, resting serenely in green compounds beside the Perfume River. Another relic of royal rule is Hue’s imperial cuisine – arguably the finest in the country – try a spicy bowl of bun bo Hue (vermicelli noodle soup) or a crispy banh khoai pancake and you’ll see what we mean. Before the Hai Van Tunnel was completed in 2005, just the thought of enduring the hairpin turns and blind corners of the Hai Van Pass was enough to send shivers down the spines of bus passengers traveling between Danang and Hue. Now with significantly less car traffic, this short but stunning ride is a manageable, memorable trip even for the novice driver. More unusual rice-based dishes include banh can, which are tiny, waffle-like rice pancakes. Also, there are banh trang tron (literally, “mixed rice paper”), a student favorite made from a tantalizing blend of dry rice paper, shredded green mango, quail’s eggs, dried shrimp, fresh herbs, crispy shallots, and roasted peanuts. It’s tossed in a dressing of soy sauce, sate sauce, and kumquat juice.

Detour off the regular Vietnam tourist trail in Ba Be National Park, an essential destination for adventurous travelers, with towering limestone mountains, plunging valleys and evergreen forests. Waterfalls, caves and lakes combine in a landscape that sustains over 550 different plants and hundreds of different bird and animal species. Explore Ba Be’s natural spectacle by boat or on trekking and mountain-biking excursions, before relaxing and recharging in the rustic homestays and village guesthouses of the local Tay ethnic minority. Thuy Son Remember to plan for the weather. The summer heat and humidity can sap energy, and the heavy rain brought in by the southwest monsoon from May to September and the northeast monsoon from October to April can put a dampener on family fun. All this moisture is heaven for mosquitoes – use repellent with a high concentration of DEET (diethyltoluamide), and minimize exposed skin. If you’re short on time, domestic flights are a reasonably economical way to get from A to B in Vietnam, but you’ll be churning out extra carbon. Cancellations are common so avoid leaving a short gap between a domestic flight and an international connection (travel a day early if you can). Planning tip: If you visit Cat Ba Island, take time to explore the trails around Cat Ba National Park – if you trek with your own guide, it’s easy to leave the crowds behind. 4. Ho Chi Minh City A beach holiday is the obvious choice for babies and toddlers. Book into a resort and you can stop worrying about the crowds and traffic and concentrate on enjoying the warm weather and tropical mood. Phu Quoc is one dreamy choice, with excellent infrastructure, gorgeous beaches and resorts for all budgets. There are also toddler-friendly beach strips on the central coast between Danang and Nha Trang, but be cautious of currents. Hang out in Hanoi or HCMC

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Vietnam has a lively drinking culture and a long history of fermenting and distilling – but drinking and eating are usually separate activities. Beer drinking became hugely popular under French rule, and today, each region of the country produces its own lager beers, with Bia Saigon and 333 dominating the south, Huda selling well in Central Vietnam, and Bia Hanoi being the default in the north. Eating and drinking get the most out of your gastronomic experience as we reveal the regional dishes and drinks you have to try To answer in one word, a resounding yes. But good doesn’t always translate to easy. Vietnam’s fascinating cities, for example, have plenty to keep kids entertained, but you’ll have to balance this against alarming traffic, air pollution and the rapid onset of fatigue that comes with urban exploring.

If your teens love aquatic thrills, the beach strip at Mui Ne is Vietnam’s top hub for kitesurfing. There are several schools where you can learn as a family, with prime wind conditions in late October and April. Other watery diversions include sailing courses, stand-up paddleboarding, surfing classes and the mud spa and swimming pool complex on the hilltop. For teens who prefer pampering, there are plenty more spas along the beach strip. Enjoy the beach scene in Nha Trang Whether you have your heart set on learning to make prawn summer rolls in historic Hoi An or trekking from homestay to homestay in the lush hills west of Hanoi, here are the best things to do in Vietnam. 1. Embrace past and future Vietnam in historic HanoiThe former capital of South Vietnam may have changed its name from Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), but the past remains close to the surface, from the American War relics in the HCMC Museum and War Remnants Museum to the city’s elegant French-built mansions and civic buildings – many now housing museums, restaurants and boutique hotels.