If you have time for only one country in Southeast Asia, I strongly recommend you Vietnam. With its excellent street food, long beach, minority hill tribes, cities and ancient monuments, beautiful hiking, unreal landscapes… Vietnam is a perfect holiday destination. But at the same time with these advantages, Vietnam his also deemed to be a difficult country to travel as its long coast with mountain and beach. The tip below will help you avoid the bed experiences when you visit this country as a backpacker.
Choose carefully destination.
One month in Vietnam going so fast as when you eat a bowl of Pho. Even when a month with 31 days, you must choose your destination in advance. The country is long and has a lot of transportation to connect the destinations and it takes plenty of time on route. In your Vietnam tour, you will come first to Hanoi or Sai Gon first, and be informed that you can live local and exotic and know about the cities in Vietnam in this two cities, Mui Ne, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang for beach, Hoi An, Hue for architecture and food, Sapa, Ha Giang, Mai Chau for beautiful landscapes and breathtaking sceney, Mu Cang Chai for the off the beaten trek. Don’t forget Halong bay as a Vietnam tour without Halong bay is not complete.
Avoid the bus “open tour”
Although these buses are easy, safe and cheap for backpackers, they limit your travel options as they take you only to major cities and tourist sites and take you as a tourist. So, if you are a backpacker in search of authentic experiences, forget it.
Eat street food
The street food in Vietnam is amazing and each city has its own specialty. For about 5 USD per day, you have tons of delicious food and really the experience of Vietnamese cuisine. In fact, during your Vietnam tour, eat also at the restaurant to see another way to taste in Vietnam but if you have a limited budget, take only the local cuisine in the street, in addition to eating food, try the “ Bia hoi” or cold beer, not expensive, refreshing and you have a place in the heart of local life.
Learn to say “No” in Vietnamese.
Say it when bus drivers try to charge you extra for the bags, when someone tries to move in a bad place, when hotels want to keep your passport overnight, actually when someone solicits you. Usually say “No” two or three times is a good trick to travel to Vietnam. Saying “No” does not “lose face”, especially because you are a stranger and if you smile, that’s better.
Always ask “How much”
Ask in advance the price and the sellers are not going to rip you off. It’s a part of life in Vietnam. Try to ask “how much” and bargain and it’s will be an experience in your Vietnam holiday.
Do not book tour/ excursions at your hotel
This often happens if you sleep in a hostel not expensive. They sell trips and excursions to unknown agents and earn commission on the sale. They are note travel agents. In most cases, the pub does not correspond to reality, even if the price seems “cheap”. You should wonder if something is cheap quality. Take an agency for an excursion.