What are the most important things to know before visiting Vietnam?

Vietnam is about 1,650 km long, so weather and the best season change from north to south, and going end to end means a two-hour flight or more than thirty hours by train. Hanoi is the capital, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city. Carry dong and some cash, drink bottled water, and check entry rules on the official portal.

Things to Know Before Visiting Vietnam (2026)

Every first-time visitor I talk to arrives with a list of a hundred tips. Most of it is noise. After several trips up and down this country, I think three ideas do almost all the work, and a handful of habits cover the rest. This page is the crossroads: one line per point, then a link to the article that goes deeper.

Vietnam is long, and it changes as you go south

The first thing to grasp is the shape. Vietnam stretches roughly 1,650 km from the Chinese border to the Mekong Delta, and it is narrow, so the map makes it look smaller than it is. From Hanoi in the north to Ho Chi Minh City in the south is a domestic flight of about two hours, or more than thirty hours on the Reunification Express. It is never a day trip, and I would not plan a week that treats it like one.

The country also changes character along the way. The north has four seasons, with cool grey winters and hot, humid summers. The centre is hot and dry for much of the year, then gets its rain and typhoons in autumn. The south has two seasons, dry and wet, and no winter at all. Our guide to the best time to visit Vietnam goes region by region.

Two consequences follow. First, there is no single best time to go. Roughly February to April works for most of the country at once; otherwise you choose a region and a season. Second, a short trip should not try to cover everything. If you are still deciding on length, read how many days to spend in Vietnam, and for the weather risks see the rainy season and typhoons.

Region	Best season	Watch out for
North (Hanoi, Ha Long, Sapa)	Autumn, October to November	Typhoons roughly July to September, cold winters
Centre (Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang)	Spring and summer	Rain and floods, most likely October to November
South (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta)	Dry season, roughly December to April	Afternoon downpours from May

Hanoi is the capital, Ho Chi Minh City is the biggest

The second idea is a small one that people still get wrong. Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City, which almost everyone still calls Saigon, is the largest city and the commercial centre, but it is not the capital. Hue was the imperial capital under the Nguyen dynasty until 1945 and is not the capital today.

This matters for planning, because the three cities are genuinely different places to start from. Hanoi is old, compact and moody. Ho Chi Minh City is faster, hotter and more modern. Hue is a quiet imperial city on the Perfume River. If you want to weigh the first two against each other, I wrote about it in Hanoi vs Ho Chi Minh City.

A few habits cover the rest

The third idea is that you only need a short list of reflexes. These are mine.

Money. The currency is the Vietnamese dong, quoted in big numbers: in 2026 it is roughly 28,000 VND to the euro and 26,000 to the US dollar, drifting slowly downward. Cash still matters for street food, markets and small cafes, while hotels, cruises and tours take cards. Dollars are not legal tender. For the money side, see is Vietnam expensive, whether you need cash and how much to tip.

Water. Tap water is not drinkable anywhere in the country. Bottled or filtered water is the norm, and nobody will think it odd. The full answer is in can you drink tap water in Vietnam.

Entry rules. Vietnam issues an e-visa valid up to 90 days to many nationalities and gives short visa exemptions to some others. These rules change, so I will not tell you what applies to you. Check the official immigration portal or your own government’s advice, then use our visa guide for the practical steps.

Tet. The lunar new year falls between late January and mid-February, on a different date each year. Many businesses shut for several days, buses and trains fill up, and prices climb. It can be a wonderful time to be there, but only if you plan for it. See Tet in Vietnam.

Language. Vietnamese is written in the Latin alphabet with diacritics. English is common in hotels, tour agencies and tourist restaurants, and much less so in the countryside. More in do people speak English in Vietnam.

The street. Traffic drives on the right and is dominated by motorbikes. The trick to crossing is to walk at a steady, predictable pace and let the riders flow around you. I explain it in how to cross the street in Vietnam.

What this means for your plan

Once you accept the length of the country, the plan nearly writes itself. Pick one or two regions, fly the long hops, and keep the rest for roads and boats. Our guide to domestic flights in Vietnam covers the air side, and train travel is worth reading if the coastal Hue to Da Nang stretch appeals.

In the north, a night on the water is hard to beat. A cruise such as the overnight cruise on quieter Lan Ha Bay is an easy way to see the karst without the crowds, and a small-group day trip from Hanoi to Ninh Binh shows the landscape around Trang An. In the city itself, I would book a private street food tour on the first evening, because a local guide makes the rest of your meals easier.

Frequently asked questions about visiting Vietnam for the first time

Is Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City the capital of Vietnam?

Hanoi is the capital. Ho Chi Minh City, still often called Saigon, is the largest city and the economic centre. Hue was the imperial capital until 1945.

How long does it take to get from north to south Vietnam?

A domestic flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City takes about two hours. The Reunification Express takes more than thirty hours end to end.

When is the best time to visit Vietnam?

There is no single best time. The north is best in autumn, the centre in spring and summer, and the south in the dry season from roughly December to April. February to April works for most of the country at once.

Do I need a visa for Vietnam?

It depends on your nationality and the rules change. Vietnam offers an e-visa of up to 90 days and visa exemptions for some countries. Always check the official immigration portal or your government’s travel advice.

Can I drink the tap water in Vietnam?

No. Use bottled or filtered water everywhere, including for brushing your teeth if you have a sensitive stomach.

Should I carry cash in Vietnam?

Yes. Hotels, cruises, tours and larger restaurants take cards, but street food, markets and small cafes mostly want cash in Vietnamese dong.

When is Tet and does it affect travel?

Tet, the lunar new year, falls between late January and mid-February on a different date each year. Many businesses close, transport books out and prices rise, so plan around it.