Vietnam should be on the top of everyone’s travel list. It’s that simple. With its dramatic landscapes, fascinating history, epic food and pulsating energy, Vietnam travel will electrify all of your senses and seize you from all angles. Vietnam is at once crazy and serene, thrilling and relaxing.
There are endless reasons to hop on a flight to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City and travel down or up this amazing country by train, plane, bus or — the preferred method of transport — motorbike. If you need persuading, here are 21 reasons to fall head over heels in love with Vietnam:
1/ Delicious and Healthy Food
There is more to discovering a country than just viewing its scenery and visiting its historical sites, and that way is through its food. No one can say they have visited Vietnam until they have sampled some Pho Ga (traditional chicken noodle soup) and Pho Cuon (fresh spring rolls) and Bun Cha (grilled pork with noodles) in a small alley in Ha Noi, or Banh Xeo (Vietnamese pancakes) and Banh Mi (bread sandwiches) in Saigon. Each region has a specialty, and they are all delicious!
In particular, the street food is the most fun in Vietnam, you will really be fascinated by it. The best place to eat in Vietnam is on little, plastic stools on the sidewalk. Whether it’s noodle soups, like the iconic pho or bun ca (the fish and pork-based soup garnished with dill pictured here), or bun cha — char-grilled pork served over rice noodles with herbs and dipping sauces — the street food in Vietnam is nothing short of amazing. At any hour of the day, you’ll find Vietnamese people of all ages congregating under market awnings or outside store fronts, chowing down and enjoying each other’s company. Eating on the street is by far the most exciting — and accessible — way to truly experience daily life in Vietnam, and it’s also where you’ll find the best food.
2/ Best coffee in the world
A trip to Vietnam will not be perfect if you ignore Vietnamese Coffee. The second largest coffee exporter worldwide, Vietnam boasts an excellent coffee culture in the green tea continent. Black coffee, coffee with condensed milk, coffee with coconut milk, coffee with egg yolk, coffee with yoghurt; try it all.
3/ Fresh fruit
Tropical fruit is not to be missed while in Vietnam travel. Fans of watermelon, pineapple, banana, mango, and mandarin will certainly find paradise here, as well as discovering new, strange, spiky types that they might have never seen before. Fruit is sold everywhere in the markets, on the sidewalks, or in the mall, and is always fresh and cheap.
4/ Fascinating history
Vietnam’s history is tumultuous and complex, the country having been occupied and divided by various countries for decades. Colonial influences are visible everywhere, from the architecture to the food and the coffee. The aftermath of the Vietnam War is apparent too — in the museums and monuments but also in the faces and stories of survivors and the overwhelmingly young population. Interwoven with our own history, Vietnam’s past is not only fascinating, it’s also important to learn about.
5/ Many traditional festivals all year round
Thanks to a long history and tradition influenced by Buddhism, many Vietnamese special festivals are organised throughout the year. The most important festival is the Lunar New Year – it’s the time for family reunions. On these days, Northern people make “chung” cakes, while Southern people cook “tet” cake with the hope for a good new year. In Hai Phong, bullfighting festival is very famous to locals, in which the winning buffalo will be sacrificed for the village deity. On Vietnam’s 2/9 National Day, foreign tourists can follow the parade in many parts of the country.
6/ Markets
Markets in Vietnam may not be cavernous underground worlds of stunning rock formations and skyscraper high stalagmites, but they can be cavernous worlds unto themselves. Markets like this one in Danang sell everything from fabric for clothing to dried baby shrimp. Needless to say, you can get lost exploring the rows for hours. They’re most active in the early morning and late evening, when the temperature cools down a bit and shoppers come out. During the middle of the day, you might find shopkeepers taking a nap in front of their stalls. When we say you could spend all day in these markets, we seriously mean it.
7/ Ethnic monirities
Vietnam has a population of nearly 93 million, which is climbing every year. And around 20% of this is attributed to the 54 recognized ethnic minority groups, with the majority of the groups located in the Northern areas of Vietnam, such as the provinces of Ha Giang, Lao Cai, and Cao Bang. Visiting the northern regions of Vietnam is a great way to witness first-hand the way of life in these small communities. It is also a great opportunity to see something different from your everyday life, and, if you plan it right, to participate in traditional festivals, love markets, and kermises!
8/ Breathtaking landscapes
Unlike touristy Thailand, Vietnam is still an “off-the beaten track” destination, with many hidden gems to offer travelers if they know where to look. Part of this allure comes from Vietnam’s breathtaking landscapes. From the far North to the deep South, there are so many opportunities to drop your jaw. Besides the magical Ha Long Bay, majestic Hue, and romantic, charming Hoi An, there are other must-see destinations to consider when planning your adventure. Keep in mind the unexplored Ha Giang in the Northwest corner of Vietnam, home to Vietnam’s highest mountain pass, Ma Pi Leng, amazing you with its Karst plateaus, deep green valleys, winding roads, steep mountains and fittingly named panoramic views, such as “Heaven’s Gate”, while Da Lat is too cute to miss with all of its French styled villas bordering pine forests and strawberry gardens. Or who can forget the largest known cave passage in the world, only discovered in 2009, the Son Doong Cave in Central Vietnam? Vietnam is also the top choice for those in love with white sandy beaches, turquoise waters and sunshine. Several of the world’s top beaches like Da Nang, Nha Trang, Mui Ne, Quy Nhon, and Lang Co are located here, with many other undiscovered beaches safe for swimming just waiting for you to find them!
9/ Halong Bay
Speaking of vistas, Halong Bay, the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Gulf of Tonkin, is every bit as spectacular as people say. It IS worth the roughly four hour drive from Hanoi, and it IS worth fighting the swarms of tourists to see. The bay used to be littered with a lot more trash, but with recent clean-up efforts, it’s much better these days. The 1,600 islands jut out of the sea, seemingly one on top of the other, creating a dramatic scape of mountains, sea and sky.
10/ Sapa
Sapa, a hill station in the Northwest of Vietnam, is one of the country’s most stunning areas. Its dramatic rice terraces and surrounding peaks make this mountainous area well worth the short trip from Hanoi. You can take an overnight train from Hanoi to Sapa, which makes it a popular destination on the tourist circuit.
11/ Beautiful beasches
While Thailand or the Philippines are popular for beach holidays, Vietnam’s tropical beaches are far less acknowledged. But once found out they will no doubt get the same levels of tourism; go before they are discovered.
12/ The People Are Super Friendly
Like many other neighboring countries in Southeast Asia, Vietnam is also famous for its precious “asset” which is the friendliness and hospitality of Vietnamese people. In every destination, you will always be greeted with a friendly smile and helped whenever you need. For instance, Hue locals are famous for their elegance, while Hoi An people are well known with their honesty. If you have a chance to visit Mekong Delta, you will be impressed by the sincerity and enthusiasm of the people living in this river region.
13/ Ideal place for off-the-beaten-track travel experiences
Vietnam offers unique and off-the-beaten-track travel styles, which can satisfy the diverse needs of all travelers. From visiting and exploring daily life of ethnic minorities in northern mountains, rock climbing in Cat Ba island near Halong Bay, to capturing the sunrise in Hoi An or sand sliding in Mui Ne, Vietnam gives you chances to creatively enjoy the country’s beauty in your very own way.
14/ Easy to apply for visa
Foreign visitors can easily apply for a visa at the Vietnam Embassy in their countries, with a fast and simple procedure. It takes around only 1 week for the result after you submit visa application to Vietnam Embassy. Alternatively, you can let Buffalo Tours take care of this process for you when you book a tour package with us.
15/ Reasonable Cost
The Vietnamese Dong, yes go ahead and laugh, has a currency exchange rate with the US Dollar so good that it’ll make you laugh. Usually the change rate hovers around $1 gets you 20,000 Vietnamese Dong. Yes, twenty thousand. In the total four months I spent living abroad in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), I don’t think I spent more than $700. The US Dollar is just so valuable over there. A good night out at a bar could cost you just $2, a 45-minute cab ride just $7, a used motorbike will ring you up $200. I went out to eat almost three times a day, every day and would spend sometimes no more than $25. A fully custom-made, tailored suit from the bustling Ben Thanh market will set you back $30 while a trip on the city’s bus system just a few cents. The only things you’ll need to take into consideration are the international flights to-and-from Vietnam. That’ll cost you a few paychecks. But trust me, it’s absolutely worth it.
Enough reasons to convince you to travel to Vietnam yet? Let our Vietnamese travel experts inspire you even more on a customised trip to Vietnam.
