What is the easiest way to get around Vietnam?

How to travel Vietnam without a tour?

Skip the tour. Vietnam’s yours. Airlines? Vietnam Airlines. Done. Trains hug the coast. Sleeper bus? Standard. Motorbike? Best. Bicycle? Real Vietnam. My ’97 Honda Win carried me from Hanoi to Saigon. No regrets.

• Flights: Vietnam Airlines dominates. Consider budget options like Vietjet, Jetstar Pacific.
• Rail: North-South route essential. Scenic, slow. Check Vietnam Railways.
• Buses: Sleeper buses ubiquitous. Futa Bus Lines, The Sinh Tourist popular choices.
• Motorbikes: Rent or buy. Easy, cheap. Sapa’s mountain roads? Epic. My personal favorite.
• Bicycles: Flat deltas ideal. Mekong Delta a prime example.
• Boats: Ha Long Bay, Mekong Delta. Cruises and ferries readily available.

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, by road, roughly 1700km. Took me 12 days. Explore the central highlands. Dalat, Nha Trang… they call to you. Do it.

How long does it take to travel through Vietnam?

Vietnam travel time? Ten days minimum. More is better.

• Northern loop: Hanoi, Sapa, Ha Long Bay. Five days. Intense.
• Central Vietnam: Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang. Four days. Relaxed pace.
• South: Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta. Three days. Bustling.

Twenty-one days? Luxury. Saw enough. Still, more to see.

Prioritize. Choose. Don’t try to do it all. That’s absurd.

My 2024 trip? Fourteen days. Perfectly adequate. Exhausting, though. Worth it.

Less time? Superficial. More time? Redundant. Unless you’re a dedicated scholar of rice paddies. Then, go nuts.

How do Vietnamese people get around?

Hanoi, sweltering July 2023. Sticky. Hot. My áo dài clung to me. Ugh. Trying to get to my friend’s cafe near Hoan Kiem Lake. Complete chaos. Motorbikes everywhere. Zipping. Honking. A symphony of near-misses. Crazy.

Grab bike. Best decision. Weaving through the madness. Like a video game. Driver, young guy, no helmet. Standard. Felt a bit uneasy but hey, when in Rome. Got there fast though.

My friend laughed. “Hanoi traffic,” she shrugged. “You get used to it.” Drank iced coffee. Strong. Sweet. Needed it after that ride. Much better than the bus. Packed. Slow.

• Motorbikes: Dominate. Everywhere. Families of four, no problem.
• Grab: Lifesaver. Bikes, cars. Use the app. Cheap.
• Taxis: Eh. Sometimes pricey. Negotiate! Vinasun or Mai Linh are decent.
• Buses: Okay for longer distances. Crowded. Local experience, I guess.
• Cyclos: Touristy. Fun for a short ride. Overpriced usually.
• Walking: Possible. But those crossings! Take your life in your hands. Seriously.

Later, Hoi An. Rented a bicycle. Much calmer. Cruising through the rice paddies. Peaceful. Completely different vibe. Saw water buffalo. So cool. Countryside is the way to go if you want to escape the chaos. But even there, motorbikes rule. Just fewer.

That crazy Hanoi traffic though. Never forget.

Is it safe to solo travel in Vietnam?

Vietnam. Safe enough. Skip street food. Pollution chokes. Hanoi, maybe. Da Nang, alright. South, less hassle. Watch your bag. Done.

• Safety: Generally safe, but petty theft exists. Be vigilant.
• Food: Restaurant quality varies. Stick to established places. Street food, risky.
• Air Quality: Major cities: bad air. Pack a mask. Consider air purifiers in hotels.
• Solo Travel (Female): Feasible. Standard precautions apply. Catcalling happens. Ignore it.
• Recommended Locations: Hoi An (ancient town), Sapa (mountain trekking), Phu Quoc (island).
• 2024 Update: Air quality initiatives underway. Food safety improving. Tourism rebounding. Prices rising.
• Personal Note: My ’23 trip? Smooth. No issues. Loved the coffee. Hated the traffic.

Is there taxi or Uber in Vietnam?

Sun bleeds across Hanoi. Dust motes dance. Grab. Green and white cars. A blur. Everywhere. Like fireflies. Phở steam rising. Motorcycle symphony. A river of sound. Lost in the flow. Fifty percent. Half a nation. Moving together. Grab. A pulse. Hanoi breathes. Saigon rushes. A different rhythm. Same app. Grab. Green. White. The hum of tires. The click of a phone. Destination. Arrived.

• Grab is dominant. Replaces Uber.
• ~50% of Vietnamese population uses Grab. High penetration.
• Southeast Asia-based. Not just Vietnam.
• Ride-hailing. Like Uber/Lyft. Cars and motorbikes.

Hot asphalt. Phone clutched. Thumb swiping. Another ride. Grab.