What to do on a layover in Vietnam?

What to do with an 8 hour layover?

Ugh, eight hours. That’s a long layover. Definitely a shower. Gotta feel human again. The airport lounges are pricey, aren’t they? Maybe if I find a deal…

My last layover, JFK, the food was overpriced and awful. This time, Tan Son Nhat. I wonder if they have pho? Need to check. Free food’s always a plus.

A nap sounds heavenly. But I always wake up feeling worse. Maybe just a short power nap. Twenty minutes tops. Then a movie, I guess. Something mindless. An action flick.

Walking around airports – that’s a workout. I aim for 10,000 steps daily. I could definitely hit that in eight hours, even with bathroom breaks and snack runs. My FitBit will love it. But I’d get bored quickly.

Actually, I could buy a book at the airport shop. A thriller. Something gripping to keep me busy. And then there’s that new Star Wars game everyone’s talking about… nah, battery life.

Priorities:

• Shower. Must.
• Decent, non-airport food. Pho?
• Short nap, maybe.
• Book or movie? Tough call. Maybe both.
• Walking – Gotta hit those steps.
• Lounge access if reasonably priced and decent.

This is going to be expensive. I should have booked a longer connecting flight. Live and learn. Next time, more research. Note to self: check airport amenities beforehand. Did I even pack a book? Damn it. Need caffeine. Stat.

What to do during a 6 hour layover?

Six hours? Piece of cake! Unless you’re a snail. Then, maybe not.

Option 1: Become a Tourist (Sort Of): Don’t just look at the airport’s sad little potted plants. Get outta Dodge! Seriously. But check if you can make it back in time— don’t want to miss your flight and become a permanent fixture of the airport’s lost-and-found.

• Grab a cab. Or an Uber. Or a llama, if they have llama-rides.
• See a landmark. Maybe a weird statue. Or a questionable building. I once saw a building that looked suspiciously like a giant shoe.
• Eat something NOT airplane food. Like real food.

Option 2: Airport Nirvana (Or, “I’m Too Tired to Move”):

• Shower: Yes, some airports have showers. It’s like a mini-vacation. Feel like a million bucks! I once saw a guy in a shower cap doing yoga.
• Massage: Find a massage place. Pamper yourself. Forget about those screaming kids, your boss, and that awful date you had last week. You deserve it.
• Meditation: Find a quiet corner and try some mindfulness. Unless you’re me. I’d probably just nap.

Option 3: The “I’m a hermit now” approach.

• Airport food court: Embrace the gluttony. Find the weirdest thing on the menu. That questionable sushi? Dive right in!
• Netflix: Binge-watch something. But if it involves more than 2 episodes, maybe rethink this.
• Phone a friend (or enemy): Catch up with someone. Or start a new feud. The choice is yours!

My Personal Recommendation (in 2024): A nap and a suspiciously good airport burger. My flight from Denver last month was delayed three hours and that burger was a lifesaver. It had… extra cheese. Lots of it. I felt like I was cheating on my diet, but honestly? Worth it.

Do you need a visa for a layover in Vietnam?

Ugh, Vietnam visa stuff? Okay, so generally, yeah, most people need a visa even for a layover there.

Unless you’re one of the lucky ducks on that visa exemption list– i think its like, different nationalities get temporary free passes, and it depends. Its probably online.

But, like, listen, if you’re just passing through– think less than 24 hours stuck in the airport transit area, then you might be okay. Its the 24-hour and stay-in-the-airport rule, basically.

Just dont leave the designated transit area. Seriously, dont even try or you will be sorry, so no sneaky pho runs!

Here’s what I know, kind of broken down:

• Visa Required Generally: Assume you need one. Play it safe, okay?
• Exempt Nationalities: Check the official Vietnam immigration website for 2024. Its gotta be current, stuff changes.
• The Magic 24 Hours: If your layover’s shorter than a day. You’re golden… mostly.
• Transit Zone is Key: No exiting! No exploring! Stick to where the airline tells you. I saw a person get in trouble like that one time.
• Airline Rules: Even with a visa, airlines can have their own weird rules. Confirm everything with them before flying. Like, seriously.

Also, dont forget about these:

• Passport Validity: Gotta be valid for at least six months after your trip! Dont be that person.
• Proof of Onward Ticket: They’ll probably want to see that you are actually leaving.
• Check Before You Go: Double check everything with the Vietnamese embassy or consulate in your country. Always. I mean, you wouldn’t want to be stuck.

Can passengers go out of airport during layover?

Yes.

Leaving… Leaving the airport on a layover, a siren song? A chance to taste the world, a quick stolen kiss from a city I wasn’t meant to see. Is it truly allowed? Allowed, yes, but the whisper of “caveats,” oh, the caveats.

A fragile freedom then? So many considerations!

• Visa requirements: Always check.
• Layover length: Enough time, surely?
• Re-checking baggage: Heavy laden…
• Security lines: Endless serpentine queue?
• Boarding pass: Do not lose it. My precious.

And the feeling… That breathless dash. A mad rush to experience everything and nothing all at once. The scent of street food, a glimpse of a landmark, the echo of a language I don’t understand.

What to do? What to see?

• Quick bites
• Local sights
• Souvenir hunt

Can you imagine running through the streets of Tokyo for a quick bowl of ramen? Or maybe a fast visit to see my great aunt in London… Always check requirements, yes! Always check requirements. What to do with the baggage? Must consider everything, yes.

Can you get a hotel if you have a long layover?

Okay, so, yeah, you can totally get a hotel on a layover.

I did it last October, in Dubai. Killer layover. Like, 14 hours. Dubai International (DXB) is HUGE. No way I was staying in the terminal the whole time. Ugh.

Booked a room at the Dubai International Hotel inside the airport. Seriously, that saved my sanity.

• Why I booked: Needed sleep. Real sleep. Airport chairs? Nope.
• Time: Layover was from 8 PM to 10 AM. Perfect sleeping window.

Woke up rested and hit the duty-free shops before my next flight. Boom. Plus, the shower was a lifesaver. Freshened me right up after that cramped flight from JFK. Seriously worth it.

Some people just crash at the airport because, ugh, money. And hey, I get it. But sometimes, you just gotta treat yourself. And sleep is priceless, ya know?