10 tips for Americans travelling Vietnam for the first time

By Danish Wadhwa

Vietnam is the country where you will find a rich cultural heritage and tremendous integrity. Every year, millions of travellers visit Vietnam to enjoy its beauty from all over the world.

If you are looking to travel to Vietnam for the first time from America, then, this article can help you. Because, in this article, we are going to discuss ten tips that Americans must know while travelling to Vietnam for the first time.
Let’s take a glance at these tips:

1. Every American is a millionaire here:

Almost every American that is visiting Vietnam is a millionaire.
1 USD= More than 23,000 VND
That means, 44 USD is approximately 1,000,000 VND

As Vietnam currency is not as strong as the dollar of the United States, you can visit entire Vietnam with a decent budget. The sellers in Vietnam do not accept the foreign currency, so make sure you are carrying local currency while shopping on the streets.
If we talk about the food prices, a simple noodle dish can be bought for 50,000 VND, which is equal to the $2.

2. Exchange your money at jewellery shops:

Most of the travellers who are from the America or any other part of the world make the mistake of exchanging money at the airport, but for getting better exchange rates, you can exchange the money in the jewellery and the gold shops.
Which card are you using Visa or Master?
Most of the ATMs in the country accept both these cards. So, without these cards, travelling to Vietnam can be very difficult for some travellers.
While withdrawing money, a local bank can limit your withdrawal limit. This limit is generally set to $100. That means you can only withdraw up to $100 from a local bank. That quite annoying, right?
You can use the Citi bank for withdrawing your money. You can withdraw $400 at a time at the Citi bank.

3. Learn Vietnam’s most popular local phrases:

While travelling in Vietnam, it can be best for you if you understand the local Vietnamese phrases. The national language of Vietnam is Vietnamese.
This language is quite challenging to understand and speak for Americans. The most exciting thing is that for speaking Vietnamese, the sound has to be made in the throat and not in the mouth.
Below are some local phrases that you can try to learn:
How much: (boy yew) Bao nhieu
Very costly: (Mac wa) Mac Qua!
Excuse me: (sin loy) Xin lỗi
Hello: (sin chow) Xin chào
You should be curious to learn the local Vietnamese language as it can teach you a lot of things.

4. Enjoy the fast Wi-Fi:

The Wi-Fi networks inside Vietnam are high-speed and can be easily accessed. It is ranked 63 on mobile internet speed and 68 in fixed broadband. So, while travelling, you can enjoy your favourite movie or browse the internet.
In Vietnam, 3G and 4G SIM cards are readily available. You can get a 3G SIM card for just $2 on the street shops.
You may find difficulty in having an internet connection while operating your SIM. But a local shopkeeper can easily set up a SIM card with the internet for you.
The Internet connection can slow down in stormy conditions. Otherwise, without any worries, you can keep in touch with your family or friends with superfast internet.

5. Food is excellent:

Food in Vietnam is amazing. Vietnamese cuisine has a rich history and cultural importance.
Many of the food types have their origin in the ancient wars. Such food had been prepared to give soldiers more energy and nutrition.

While roaming in Central Vietnam, you will discover many spicy recipes. The overall climate of Vietnam helps the soil to give more nutritional crops.
Let us have a closer look at some best dishes in Vietnam:
Bún Chả:
The first dish on our list is Bún Chả.
During the lunchtime, if you walk across the streets in the Hanoi, then you will quickly experience the smell of the Bún Chả. You can also enjoy this dish with your family.
Pho:
Pho is a breakfast food, and it is famous in entire Vietnam. It has been Vietnam’s best street food for the yeas. So, for breakfast, don’t forget to have the Pho.
Do you like coffee?
The coffee that you will find in Vietnam has its local touch. The super tasty coffee in Vietnam is considered as rocket fuel.

6. Avoid the local taxi:

Travelling in Vietnam can cost you a lot if you choose the local taxis over Uber. Because small taxi drivers are known for their aggressive behaviour and they charge a lot of money from foreign travellers.
Hence, always book a Grab for travelling from one part of a city to another. In some conditions, you may find that in the Urban areas Grab rides are not available.
In this case, you can rely on the Mai Linh and Vinasun to book your trips. Both of these companies are very reputed in the local market.

Small cyclo in Vietnam can give you comfort while travelling.

7. You must visit these places:

As you are travelling for the first time, you must visit the right places and destinations to get the most out of your Vietnam trip.
HCMC: Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) has gained a huge attraction from the tourist since previous years. In the HCMC, you can see the most developed part of the country as well as many skyscrapers.
Phu Quoc: Are you planning to visit a beach in Vietnam? Phu Quoc is the perfect destination for all beach lovers. On this beach, you can get many lavish and stunning natural views.

Dalat: For those of you who love hiking, rock climbing must consider visiting Dalat during your next Vietnam trip. In the Dalat, you will see a Europe like atmosphere containing green hills, lakes, waterfalls, etc.
The other places that you should visit are Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hanoi, Sapa, Ninh Binh, etc.

8. Vietnam is safe:

Vietnam is very safe to travel. As it is a developing country, government and local police always take the responsibly of keeping foreign travellers safe and secure.
Few cases have happened in which thieves had snatched the bags, laptops, or mobiles of travellers. So, while walking on the road, make sure you are not using mobile.

9. Travel via best airline:

While booking your ticket use tools like kiwi.com, skyscanner, and others for finding the affordable and perfect airline.
Most of the frequent travellers recommend flying with United Airlines, as they provide some of the best services. To know more about the United Airlines check-in process, visit their official website.
If you are thinking about train travel in Vietnam then, it is almost impossible. Most of the Vietnam rail tracks are in the non-working situation since the Vietnam war. Train travel is cheap, but slow.

10. Enjoy a motorbike ride:

In Vietnam, more than 45 million motorbikes are running every day. If you compare the number of motorcycles with the Vietnam population then, for every two people, one bike is there.
Riding on a motorbike gives you a real experience on the Vietnam road, and thus, you become part of Vietnam.

Final Words

Thus, we have discussed the ten tips that every American must know before travelling to Vietnam for the first time.
It is a beautiful country, and you should follow the above tips mentioned to have a memorable trip.