%3Aformat(webp)%2Fday_detail%2Ffada0f04-47b8-4179-93ab-42e3a0bf8a29-fotor_creation_2025-08-20-1-.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
Vietnam rewards a little preparation. It is a long, narrow country that changes as you move down it — misty northern mountains, imperial cities, the humid sprawl of the Mekong — and it is changing fast.
This guide answers the practical questions UK travellers ask most before a trip to Vietnam, so you arrive feeling ready rather than uncertain.
If a question here is not covered, our team — part UK-based, part on the ground in Vietnam — is always happy to help.
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fday_detail%2F4de85746-ddb5-49b6-a434-a97905b876d5-peter-nguyen-soyzqjvctki-unsplash.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
Vietnam is a safe and welcoming country for travellers, with very little violent crime and a warm reception for visitors.
Two things take adjusting to. Bag-snatching from passing scooters does happen in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, so carry your bag on the inside of the pavement. And the traffic is a spectacle in itself: to cross the road you walk slowly and steadily and let the scooters flow around you. Do not stop, and do not run. Your guide will show you.
Standard travel sense still applies: keep your documents safe and take out travel insurance before you go.
British citizens currently benefit from a visa exemption for stays in Vietnam of up to 45 days. You will need a passport valid for at least six months.
Rules can change, and Vietnam's have changed more than most in recent years, so always confirm the latest requirements with the UK government's Vietnam travel advice and the Embassy of Vietnam in the UK before you travel. Different British nationality types, or longer stays for work or study, have different rules.
Vietnam stretches over 1,600km, so it never has one single season. Spring (February to April) and autumn (August to October) are the best all-round windows, when most of the country is pleasant at once.
Winter (November to January) - the north can be genuinely cold and misty; the south stays warm and dry.
Summer (May to August) - hot and humid, with heavy afternoon rain, though the northern mountains are at their greenest.
One candid note: there is no perfect month for the whole country at once. We will help you pick the window that suits the part of Vietnam you most want to see.
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fheader_media%2F84ac354d-e429-4095-a3ca-1558c101c9e1-fotor_creation_2025-08-20.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
Our Vietnam tours involve a moderate amount of walking, with some steps at pagodas and citadels, plus boats, cyclos and the occasional early start. Expect a few hours on your feet on a typical day, in warm and often humid air.
You do not need to be especially sporty, but you should be comfortable walking for a few hours and carrying a small day bag.
Trekking days in Sapa or Ha Giang are optional and noticeably harder — the paths are steep and often muddy.
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fhubspot_blogs%2F72927094560-PhoAsiaventura.png&w=1920&q=75)
Food is one of the great joys of Vietnam and often a highlight of the trip - pho at a plastic stool on a pavement, banh mi, fresh herbs with everything, and coffee strong enough to reset your day. Come with an open mind and an empty stomach.
An open heads-up: vegetarian food is widely available and Buddhist 'chay' cooking is excellent, but fish sauce is the default seasoning across the country and is easy to miss. Tell us your needs when you book and your guide will help throughout.
If you have a serious allergy you must tell us at the time of booking. We'll do everything we can, but cross-contamination can't be fully guaranteed in every kitchen, so please plan accordingly.
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fprofile-picture%2Fc24d01e8-e929-4364-955b-d75704701406-f50a8daf-e55a-4108-9cd1-b95dc0bf59f0-1e972575-6061-4402-a2e8-079408f39a99.jpeg&w=1920&q=75)
Plenty of our guests travel solo — a small group is one of the easiest, most sociable ways to see Vietnam on your own.
You can choose to share a room with another solo traveller of the same gender, or book a single room for an additional fee.
Our reviews are full of travellers who arrived alone and left with friends.
Currency is the Vietnamese dong (VND); carry cash for street food, markets and taxis
Cards work in hotels and city restaurants, and rather less well anywhere smaller
ATMs are common in towns and cities
A travel eSIM gives excellent, inexpensive coverage — Vietnam's mobile data is among the best in the region
Tipping is not traditional, but is increasingly welcomed for guides and drivers
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fprovider%2F85e84ad3-8eef-45cb-b993-7853fdb0a830-screenshot-2022-08-29-162807.png&w=1920&q=75)
Comfortable, well-located hotels with genuine local character — often family-run, and chosen for being in the old quarter rather than a mile from it.
On some trips you will spend a night aboard a boat on Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay, waking up among the limestone karsts. Cabins are compact, as cabins are.
Some itineraries include a homestay in the Mekong Delta or the northern highlands: simple, shared, sometimes a mattress on a raised floor, and for many people the night they remember most.
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fmedia-admin%2F9d49bb27-07b5-417a-ba92-099d62adfde3-craft-lady-vietnam.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
Getting there: Flights are around 12-13h direct to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, or longer with one stopover. See our recommendations.
Time difference: Vietnam is 6-7 hours ahead of the UK (7 in winter, 6 in summer); no daylight saving
Currency: Vietnamese dong (VND)
Plugs: Types A & C, 220V — bring an adapter
Language: Vietnamese; English is increasingly spoken in tourist areas
Best time to travel: spring (February to April) and autumn (August to October) — see our Vietnam tours
Our team can help with anything this guide did not cover.
Contact us
We’d love to hear from you. Please fill out this form.
All fields marked with (*) are mandatory.