“Last October, I spent nearly a month exploring Vietnam and was in awe of the country’s surreal landscapes, amazing food, and kind people,” American tourist Gentry Hale told Business Insider .
From kayaking in Ha Long Bay to exploring the lantern-lit streets of Hoi An, every moment was amazing. However, despite her love for the trip, she also encountered mistakes along the way.
American female tourist on the train street in Hanoi PHOTO: GENTRY HALE
Here are four mistakes Gentry Hale made that, in retrospect, she says, could have been easily avoided with proper preparation:
First, not fully understanding the customs
Vietnam’s beautiful and friendly culture was one of the highlights of the trip, but she admitted that she hadn’t done enough research on local customs.
“For example, I didn’t realize that pointing with your fingers is considered impolite in Vietnam and that locals often use their whole hands to gesture,” she wrote.
Also, while Google Translate is helpful, it would be nice to learn some basic Vietnamese words and phrases before arriving. While many of the locals she encountered spoke some English, they seemed to appreciate it when visitors could ask simple questions and share greetings in Vietnamese.
Scenery in Hue PHOTO: CLEMENT LEONARD
Second, choosing too many stops in one trip
Before arriving, she thought she would have nearly 3 weeks to see everything on her list: Hanoi , Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City and some other places in the Central region.
“What I didn’t realise was that Vietnam is huge and that although it looks like a narrow strip of land on the map, it can take hours – even days – to get from one place to another. I spent more time travelling than I wanted, from 16-hour overnight trains to all-day buses, which ate up a lot of my time.
So if I could do it again, I would focus on a few areas and spend more time in each area instead of trying to see every place on my list,” she emphasized.
Due to unforeseen time constraints, there were many things on her wish list that she did not have the chance to do, such as riding a motorbike in the Ha Giang loop in the Northwest.
She regrets not having ridden a motorbike to explore the Ha Giang loop. PHOTO: GENTRY HALE
Third, not bringing the right gear
Vietnam’s climate can vary depending on where you live, something she learned the hard way.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t check the weather forecast for each city carefully before leaving home so I didn’t pack my suitcase accordingly.
For example, I started my trip in Ho Chi Minh City in early October, which felt like a sauna due to the high temperature and humidity. However, two weeks later, I was in Hanoi, where the weather was cooler and there was more rain,” said Gentry Hale.
After hiking through the woods, exploring caves, and strolling the streets, she wished she had brought more breathable clothing.
She made a mistake by not thoroughly researching the weather in different regions of Vietnam. PHOTO: VITHUN KHAMSONG
Although most of the hotels she stayed at offered laundry services, there weren’t enough options to accommodate her desire to change her clothes.
“If you plan to visit Vietnam, I recommend bringing cool, light, layered clothes in case the weather changes, and a spare outfit in case you sweat faster than expected,” she shares.
Fourth, don’t know how to bargain
“One of my favourite things about Vietnam is wandering through the bustling markets. I picked up designer silk dresses in Hoi An, bought handmade leather goods in Hanoi and sampled some of the best food I’ve ever had at street stalls.
I loved going to the market but then realized I was paying too much for items, especially early in the trip,” she said.
While bargaining is a common part of market culture in Vietnam, it’s not something she would normally do back home.
Hale learned how to bargain when shopping in Vietnam. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
At first, she was also unsure of how much some things typically cost in this area, so she found it easiest to avoid negotiating and just pay whatever the seller asked.
“As my travels continued and I became more confident, I started asking for lower prices or package deals and realized that haggling wasn’t as big of an issue. Vendors were used to it and I could work with them to make smarter purchases.
Maybe I could have saved some money if I had approached this buying culture sooner.”
Source: thanhnien.vn
Source: Vietnam Insider