Can you visit Vietnam and Cambodia on the same trip?

Yes, and it is one of the more common ways to do both. Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap is a short flight, which puts Angkor Wat within easy reach of a Vietnam itinerary, and there are also boat and road routes through the Mekong Delta. Allow around ten to twelve days for a combined trip: roughly a week in Vietnam and three to four days in Cambodia. Cambodia has its own visa requirement for Indian passports, so arrange both before you fly.

Is Vietnam safe for families and solo women travellers?

Vietnam is a well-travelled route and is generally considered safe for both, with the usual city precautions. The everyday risks are petty rather than serious: bag snatching from motorbikes in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and overcharging where prices are not displayed. Keep bags on the inside of the pavement, agree fares in advance or use Grab, and treat traffic with respect, because crossing a busy street is done by walking at a steady pace rather than waiting for a gap.

Can you use Indian rupees or Indian cards in Vietnam?

Indian rupees cannot be exchanged in Vietnam, so do not carry them expecting to convert. Bring US dollars to change, or withdraw Vietnamese dong from an ATM once you land, which is simpler and available in every city. Indian debit and credit cards work at ATMs and in hotels, malls and larger restaurants. Street food, markets and smaller places are cash only, so keep dong on you.

Is Vietnam good for a honeymoon?

It suits couples who want more than a beach. The three that do most of the work are a night on a Halong Bay cruise, Hoi An in the evening when the old town is lit by lanterns, and Phu Quoc for the beach end of the trip. Da Nang has the resort hotels. It costs less than the equivalent week in Bali or the Maldives, and it gives you a change of scene every few days rather than one place for a week.

What should you know about local customs in Vietnam?

A handshake is the normal greeting, including between men and women, and a slight nod with it is polite. Remove your shoes before entering a home and many temples, and cover shoulders and knees at religious sites. Do not stand chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice. Bargaining is expected in markets and not in shops with displayed prices, and it is done lightly. Tipping is not obligatory and is becoming common in hotels and larger restaurants.

Vietnam Travel Guide & Tourism (2026)

Vietnam Travel Packages

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6 Nights / 7 Days

7-Day Vietnam Highlights: Da Nang, Hanoi & Ha Long Bay

Hanoi(3N) → Danang(3N)

Sold By: Probesten Tours(4.8 )

₹43,500/person

11 Nights / 12 Days

12-Day Vietnam Highlights: Ho Chi Minh, Phu Quoc, Hanoi & Ha Long

Ho Chi Minh(3N) → Phu Quoc(2N) → Hanoi(3N) → Danang(3N)

Sold By: Probesten Tours(4.8 )

₹91,000/person

4 Nights / 5 Days

5-Day Phu Quoc Island Adventure With Island Hopping and Safari

Vietnam(4N)

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₹35,000/person

7 Nights / 8 Days

Vietnam Getaway with Overnight Cruise EX-BOM

Hanoi (1N) → Halong Bay (1N) → Hanoi (1N) → Danang (2N) &ra...

Sold By: Indivik Holidays(4.9 )

₹89,999/person

8 Nights / 9 Days

9-Day Vietnam Journey: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Da Nang, Phu Quoc Adventure

Hanoi(1N) → Halong Bay(1N) → Danang(3N) → Phu Quoc island(3N)

₹85,000/person

5 Nights / 6 Days

Enchanting Vietnam Escape

Hanoi(1N) → Halong Bay(1N) → Ho Chi Minh City(3N)

₹49,999/person

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Vietnam Travel Essentials

Region: Southeast Asia , Far East

Ideal Duration: 7 days for two regions, 10 to 12 days for all three

Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND)

Best Time: October to April, with good months somewhere year-round

Accommodation Cost (per night in USD):
Dorm bed: $5-15
Budget: $20-40
Mid-range: $50-80
Luxury: $100 and above

Budget for Food & Drinks (per day in USD):
Budget: $5-15
Mid-range: $20-40

Visa Policy for Indians: E-visa required, applied for online at evisa.gov.vn

Visa Policy for Other Nationals: Most nationalities need an e-visa; some exempt for short stays

Getting In Vietnam: Direct flights from seven Indian cities to Hanoi (HAN) and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN). Da Nang (DAD) and Phu Quoc (PQC) on connections. Read More

Getting Around Vietnam: Domestic flights between regions, Grab in cities, sleeper trains and buses between towns Read More

Tourist Places to Visit In Vietnam

Halong Bay

Hanoi

Hoi An

Da Nang

Phu Quoc

Ho Chi Minh City

All Tourist Places In Vietnam

Must Know Before You Travel to Vietnam

Money: Indian rupees cannot be exchanged in Vietnam. Carry US dollars, or withdraw dong from an ATM.
Tet: Vietnamese New Year is 17 February in 2026 and 6 February in 2027. Transport sells out, prices rise, and small businesses close for days.
Before you fly: Arriving passengers must complete a pre-arrival declaration at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn.

Vietnam Tourism

Vietnam packs more variety into one country than almost anywhere else in Southeast Asia. It runs 1,650 km down the coast, so a single trip can take you from the limestone bays and rice terraces of the north, through the lantern-lit heritage towns of the centre, to the beaches and river life of the south. Food is a reason to come on its own, and a week here costs less than the same week in most of the region.

The north is Hanoi, and Hanoi is the reason many people fall for Vietnam. It is a city of narrow streets, pavement kitchens and motorbikes, with a lake in the middle of it. Two hours east is Halong Bay, where close to two thousand limestone islands rise out of the water and most visitors stay a night on a cruise boat. North again, Sapa's rice terraces are cut into the hills in steps, and they turn gold before the harvest in late September and October.

The centre is the heritage stretch. Hoi An is a small riverside trading town where the old quarter runs on lantern light after dark. Hue was the imperial capital and still has the Citadel and the royal tombs along the river. Da Nang sits between the two with the beaches and the airport. Inland, the caves of Phong Nha-Ke Bang are among the largest in the world, and several of them are set up for ordinary visitors rather than expeditions.

The south is Ho Chi Minh City, which is faster, hotter and more commercial than Hanoi, and is the base for the Mekong Delta, where daily life happens on the water and the floating markets start before dawn. Phu Quoc, off the southern coast, is where most Vietnam beach holidays end up.

How it compares. Against Thailand, Vietnam gives you more variety in one trip and costs less on the ground, particularly for food and internal travel. Thailand is the easier first trip: Indians get visa-free entry, there are more flights, and Indian food is easier to find. Against Bali, which is one island, Vietnam is a country you move through rather than a place you settle into. If you want your first trip abroad to be simple, Thailand is the safer pick. If you want mountains, old towns, caves and beaches in the same week, Vietnam is the better country.

Seven days covers two of the three regions comfortably. Ten to twelve days covers all three without spending the trip in transit.

Best time to visit Vietnam

The best time to visit Vietnam is December to April, and February to April is when all three regions are reliably dry at once.Vietnam runs 1,650 km north to south and its three regions are on different calendars, so the real answer depends on where you are going.North (Hanoi, Halong Bay, Sapa): Octo... (Read More)

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Food in Vietnam, and eating vegetarian

Vietnamese food is lighter and less chilli-heavy than most Indian palates expect, built on herbs, rice noodles, broth and grilled meat. Pho is the one everyone knows, but banh mi, the baguette sandwich left behind by the French, and bun cha, grilled pork with cold noodles, are what people come back for. Eating on a plastic stool at a pavement kitchen is normal and is usually where the best version of any dish is.

Vegetarians do better in Vietnam than the menus first suggest. Look for the word chay, which means vegetarian, on a sign or a dish name. Vietnam has a long Buddhist vegetarian tradition, so quan chay restaurants exist in every city, portions are generous and they usually cost less than the meat version. Pho chay and banh mi chay are widely available.

The one thing to watch is fish sauce, which goes into a great deal of Vietnamese cooking including broths that look vegetarian. Say "an chay" to make it clear, and stick to chay kitchens if you are strict. Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang all have Indian restaurants if a week is too long without them.

Tap water is not for drinking. Bottled water is cheap and everywhere. Street food is generally safe where the stall is busy and the food is cooked in front of you.

North, centre or south: choosing your Vietnam

Vietnam is long and its three regions do not feel alike, so the first real decision is which of them you are going for.

The north suits people who want landscape and a city with character. Hanoi, Halong Bay, Ninh Binh and the Sapa terraces. It is the coolest part of the country and the only part with a real winter, and Halong Bay can be misty from December to February.

The centre suits people who want heritage and a beach in the same week. Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang and the Phong Nha caves sit close together, and the distances between them are short.

The south suits people who want warmth, a city that never slows down and time on the water. Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta and Phu Quoc.

Most seven-day trips take two regions, usually north and centre, or centre and south. Doing all three in a week means three internal flights and very little time standing still. Give that trip ten to twelve days.

What a week in Vietnam looks like

A realistic seven-day trip, and the shape most of our packages follow, is three nights in the north and three in the centre.

Days 1 to 3, Hanoi and Halong Bay. Two nights in Hanoi, walking the Old Quarter, eating on the street and seeing the lake and the Temple of Literature. One night on a Halong Bay cruise, which is the standard way to see it and includes meals and a kayak or a cave stop.

Days 4 to 7, Da Nang and Hoi An. An hour and a half by air from Hanoi. Beach time at Da Nang, the Marble Mountains, and two days in Hoi An for the old town, the tailors and the lantern-lit evenings. Hue and its Citadel are a half-day trip north if you want the history.

Add three to five days for the south and you get Ho Chi Minh City, a day on the Mekong and a stretch on Phu Quoc.

Internal flights are the reason this works. Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City takes about two hours in the air. The same journey by train is a 1,726 km run that takes upwards of thirty hours, which is a memorable thing to do for its own sake and a poor way to save time.

The experiences people build a trip around

A night on Halong Bay. Close to two thousand limestone islands, and the usual way to see them is an overnight cruise with kayaking and a cave stop built in. Boats vary more than anything else you will book in Vietnam, so this is the one to spend up on.

Hoi An after dark. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it runs on silk lantern light every evening. One night each lunar month the electric lights are switched off for a lantern festival. The date moves with the lunar calendar, so check it against your dates.

The Sapa terraces. Rice terraces cut into the hillsides in steps, at their best when they turn gold before the harvest in late September and October. Walks between villages are the point rather than the viewpoint.

The Phong Nha caves. Some of the largest cave systems on earth, in a national park in the centre of the country. Several are set up for ordinary visitors with walkways and lighting, so you do not need to be an expedition caver to see them.

The Mekong floating markets. Trade happens from boat to boat and starts before dawn, which is the only time worth going.

Coffee. Vietnam is one of the world's largest coffee producers and drinks it strong, iced and sweetened with condensed milk. Hanoi's egg coffee is the one to try.

Vietnam for families, couples and first-time travellers

Families. The centre is the easiest region with children. Da Nang and Hoi An are close together, the beach and the old town are twenty minutes apart, and there is little internal travel once you arrive. A Halong Bay cruise works well with older children and is harder with toddlers. Food is mild by default, and chay kitchens solve the vegetarian problem.

Couples. Hoi An in the evening and a night on Halong Bay are the two that do the most work. Phu Quoc is the beach end of a honeymoon itinerary and pairs naturally with Ho Chi Minh City.

First-time travellers abroad. Vietnam is straightforward once you land. Grab removes the language problem for taxis, ATMs are everywhere, and hotels are used to Indian travellers. The parts that need planning are the e-visa, which is done online before you fly, and crossing the road in Hanoi, which is done by walking slowly and steadily rather than waiting for a gap.

Solo travellers. Vietnam is a well-worn route with plenty of other travellers on it, and the usual city precautions apply, particularly with bags on motorbike-heavy streets.

Getting around Vietnam

Between regions, fly. Vietnam Airlines and VietJet run frequent domestic flights and the fares are low. Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City is about two hours, Hanoi to Da Nang about an hour and a half. Booking these in advance is what makes a seven-day trip cover two regions.

The train runs the length of the country on a 1,726 km line, with sleeper berths. End to end takes more than thirty hours. The stretch between Hue and Da Nang, over the Hai Van Pass, is the one worth doing for the coastline, and it takes about three hours.

In cities, Grab covers cars and motorbike taxis and settles the fare before you get in, which removes the haggling. Mai Linh and Vinasun are the metered taxi companies to trust.

Sleeper buses connect everywhere cheaply and are how budget travellers move between towns. They are berths rather than seats, and they are not for everyone.

Renting a motorbike is common among visitors but an Indian licence is not valid in Vietnam, and insurance will not cover you without the right permit.

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FAQs on Vietnam

How to reach Vietnam from India?

Vietnam is a direct flight from several Indian cities. VietJet Air, Vietnam Airlines, IndiGo and Air India fly non-stop to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Kochi, and the flight from Delhi takes roughly five hours. Vietnam has five international airports in all: Noi Bai in Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Cam Ranh for Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc. Da Nang and Phu Quoc are usually reached on a connection. Routes change every season, so check current schedules when you book.

Do Indians need a visa for Vietnam?

Yes. Indian passport holders need a visa for Vietnam, and the usual route is the e-visa, applied for online before you fly on the Vietnam Immigration Department own site at evisa.gov.vn. Since August 2023 the e-visa has been issued to all nationalities for single or multiple entry. Apply at least a week ahead, and check the current fee, validity and processing time on that site, because they change.

Is Vietnam cheaper than Thailand?

On the ground, yes, and the gap is widest on food and internal travel. A pavement meal, a domestic flight and a city taxi all cost less in Vietnam than the equivalent in Thailand. Hotels are close to level. Where Thailand wins is getting there: more flights from more Indian cities, often cheaper, and no visa to arrange. So a short Thailand trip can work out similar overall, while a week or longer in Vietnam usually costs less.

Vietnam or Thailand: which should you visit first?

Thailand is the easier first trip abroad. Indians get visa-free entry, there are more flights from more cities, and Indian food is easy to find. Vietnam asks for a little more: an e-visa arranged in advance, and a country you move through rather than settle into. What you get for that is more variety in one week, limestone bays, rice terraces, heritage towns, caves and beaches, at lower cost once you land. If you want simple, go to Thailand first. If you want range, go to Vietnam.

How many days do you need in Vietnam?

Seven days is the common trip and covers two of the three regions comfortably, usually north and centre or centre and south. Ten to twelve days covers all three without spending the trip in airports. Under five days, pick one region and stay in it.

When is the best time to visit Vietnam?

February to April, when all three regions are reliably dry at once. Vietnam runs 1,650 km north to south and the regions are on different calendars, so if you are going to one part the window is wider: October to April in the north, February to August through the centre, and December to April in the south. October and November are excellent in the north and the worst of the storm season on the central coast, so a full north to south trip in those months is a gamble.

Is it easy to find vegetarian food in Vietnam?

Easier than the menus suggest. The word to look for is chay, which means vegetarian. Vietnam has a long Buddhist vegetarian tradition, so quan chay restaurants exist in every city and usually cost less than the meat version, and pho chay and banh mi chay are widely available. The thing to watch is fish sauce, which goes into a lot of Vietnamese cooking including broths that look vegetarian, so say an chay when you order and stick to chay kitchens if you are strict. Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang all have Indian restaurants.

Vietnam Travel Guide