How Do Backpackers Get Around Hcmc?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Book a dorm bed in a cheap hostel, stick to street food and markets, use public transportation, and take advantage of all the free or cheap activities in the city

. If you up your budget to around $35-40 a day, you can definitely book a double room, rent a motorbike to get around and spend a bit more on food and drinks.

How do you cross the street in Ho Chi Minh city?

  1. Enlist the help of a local. Vietnamese people are very friendly and most are more than happy to help you cross the road.
  2. Commit yourself. …
  3. Walk at an even pace and don’t dart through traffic. …
  4. Put your arm in the air. …
  5. Look out for buses and cars.

Is it safe to backpack in Vietnam?


Vietnam is an incredibly safe place to backpack and travel

– even if you’re traveling solo or even as a solo female traveler. There are some common scams around, like the motorbike scam where vendors try to charge you for damage to their bike, but for the most part, this is a safe place to travel.

How do you travel to backpackers in Vietnam?

  1. Find flights to Vietnam. Hotels in Vietnam.
  2. Book bus or train. Cheap hostels.
  3. Get Vietnam visa. Get travel insurance (with discount)

What is the best month to go to Vietnam?

While this variety makes Vietnam a year-round destination,

spring (March to April)

is typically the best time to visit the entire country, when days are generally pleasant, temperatures are moderate and rainfall is light.

Is Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi better?


Hanoi is better preserved

& has a lot more to see during the day; Saigon has friendlier people and much better nightlife & a wider choice of restaurants. Worth spending some time in both.

Do Vietnamese like American tourists?


Most of them are really polite and interested in our country

. Some even come here to express their regrets over the Vietnam War, so they try to be extra nice towards us.

What should I avoid in Vietnam?

  • Tap water. Might as well start with the obvious one. …
  • Strange meat. We don’t mean street meat, as street food in Vietnam is amazing. …
  • Roadside coffee. …
  • Uncooked vegetables. …
  • Raw blood pudding. …
  • Cold soups. …
  • Dog meat. …
  • Milk.

Is Vietnam friendly to American tourists?


Vietnam is a friendly and safe place to travel

. With a sprinkling of common sense, your trip should be smooth and trouble free. Tourists usually complain about over-aggressive street vendors, tour operators with a bad attitude and dangerous driving.

How do you get around in Vietnam?

The main transportation of Vietnam – you can use

airplane, train, bus/van, ferry, boat, taxi and motorbike

. The good thing is the price, and mostly it is very cheap (for a ticket/ride). Therefore, you don’t need to worry about spending too much money on travels between different places in Vietnam.

Is Vietnam expensive to visit?

Although Vietnam is getting more expensive every year,

it’s still a cheap country to visit

. Costs are comparable to Thailand and other nearby countries like Cambodia, although like with any country, certain things are either cheaper or more expensive in Vietnam than elsewhere.

How much do you need for a month in Vietnam?

Our rough estimate was a budget of around

US$ 3,000 (total for 2 people) for 30 days

. That worked out at US$ 50 per day per person, which is a comfortable amount for Vietnam and would allow us room for the occasional splurge. We break down our travel expenses into the following categories: Flights.

When should I avoid Vietnam?

When to avoid visiting Vietnam

Halong Bay: Avoid visiting

during rainy season (May – October) in the north, and in January

due to low visibility and cloud cover.

When should you not go to Vietnam?

March, April and May are the best times to visit Vietnam’s central highlands as conditions are a lot milder as opposed to the much more stifling heat suffered in the south of the country, where it can reach 40°C Tropical cyclones usually occur in the eastern coastal regions from around

May to November

, so travel to …

How long should you spend in Vietnam?

You should spend

at least two weeks

in Vietnam to enjoy the main sights, but if you also want to go more off the beaten path, three weeks would be ideal.

Was Hanoi bombed in the Vietnam War?


Beginning on December 18, American B-52s and fighter-bombers dropped over 20,000 tons of bombs on the cities of Hanoi and Haiphong

. The United States lost 15 of its giant B-52s and 11 other aircraft during the attacks. North Vietnam claimed that over 1,600 civilians were killed.

Can you drink the water in Hanoi?

If you run out of bottled water, in major cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Danang,

you can boil the tap water with an electric kettle. It is then safe enough to drink

. In rural areas, filter the water with a water filter machine or settling water in a clean container and then boil the filtered/settled water.

Is it safe to visit Hanoi?


Hanoi is generally a safe city

. Violent crime is rare, but lately, robberies, assaults, and harassments started occurring, often involving weapons. However, the most common risk for tourists remains petty crime such as pickpocketing, purse snatching, and valuables theft, usually not involving violence of any kind.

What is considered rude in Vietnam?


Palm down when you call someone over

The usual gesture to call people over — open hand, palm up — is considered rude in Vietnam. It’s how people call for dogs here. To show respect, point your palm face down instead. And you also shouldn’t call someone over when they’re older than you.

Is English widely spoken in Vietnam?


In tourist centres many Vietnamese will speak some English, but a lot will speak none

. In more remote areas, English speakers can be very rare. Some older Vietnamese will speak more French than English.

What are the disadvantages of living in Vietnam?

Pros Cons Great money saving opportunity Whilst everything seems affordable, there are so many temptations and it all adds up.

Do Vietnamese eat rats?

There are actually dozens of rat species, and

Vietnamese mostly eat two common ones: The rice field rat, which weighs up to half a pound, and the bandicoot rat, which can grow up to two pounds.

Are tattoos acceptable in Vietnam?

Although the stigma around tattoos in Vietnam has not totally disappeared, attitudes today are much more relaxed than in the past.

The tattoo industry is booming and safety standards are higher than ever

. Tattooed tourists certainly need not worry about visiting Vietnam, or having more ink done while they’re here.

How strict is Vietnam?

Laws in Vietnam

may not be as strict in other countries, but can be policed heavily

. Here’s what you need to know, to stay out of trouble with the law in Vietnam. The penalties for actions, which you might find over the top, are taken very seriously by locals.

Timothy Chehowski
Author
Timothy Chehowski
Timothy Chehowski is a travel writer and photographer with over 10 years of experience exploring the world. He has visited over 50 countries and has a passion for discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations and hidden gems. Juan's writing and photography have been featured in various travel publications.