The Ultimate Guide to Hoi An, Vietnam
Want to see what makes this off-the-beaten-path Vietnamese city so special? Here’s your ultimate guide to Hoi An, Vietnam.
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With its fascinating history, gorgeous landscapes, tasty food, and vibrant energy, Vietnam will awaken all your senses and pull you in from all angles. Visiting Vietnam feels like a trip you’ve never taken before—the best is to expect nothing and enjoy the thrill, serenity, and relaxation of it all.
I visited on my first solo trip back in 2011 and was fascinated by it all– the millions of scooters, the crowds in Hanoi, the delicious food, the majestic rice fields, Vietnamese coffee, ‘Happy Water’ and the friendly locals. I often miss the simple pleasure of pulling up a plastic stool and enjoying a cheap bowl of Phở in the center of a chaotic city square.
There’s no bad time to visit Vietnam! It all depends on what you want to experience while in the country.
March and April are generally the best months to visit, considering the lighter rainfall and pleasant temperatures! If you want to trek through the rice paddies in Sapa, August to December is an excellent time of year to go—temperatures will be warmer and you won’t have to worry about the thick fog blocking your view.
May to October is the country’s monsoon season, and while it is the wet season, it still can be an expensive time to visit. If you’re traveling to coastal destinations, you’ll need to book your accommodation a few months in advance due to summer tourism demands.
Check out The Best Time to Travel to Vietnam for complete details!
Language: The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese.
Currency: The currency of Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong.
Credit Cards and ATMs: You won’t have a problem finding ATMs in Vietnam’s big cities like Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. Most ATMs accept Visa cards, but you might struggle to find one that accepts Cirrus and Maestro.
Plugs: The plugs in Vietnam are types A, C, and F. The standard voltage is 220 V, and the standard frequency is 50Hz. I recommend buying a universal adapter (make sure it has surge protection) and using a converter for hairdryers and hot tools.
Safety: While backpacking through Vietnam, I didn’t feel unsafe, but I was told by hostel staff to be careful walking around with my phone out. In Ho Chi Minh, it’s not uncommon for people to ride up next to you on their bikes and grab your phone out of your hands.
Read my Important Safety Tips for Women Traveling in Vietnam for more tips!
You stand-out a lot as a POC in Asian countries. In Vietnam, the reactions from some locals were a bit upsetting. At a museum, a couple was pointing at me laughing, an elderly lady told me I was pretty despite being dark-skinned, and similar comments. My advice is to understand that people are just curious and perhaps ignorant but mostly mean no harm. Smile politely and focus on the epic adventure ahead!
I love SEA, especially Thailand and Vietnam. The one thing I struggled with in both countries was finding clothing stores that carried my size. Shopkeepers in Thailand would run up to me yelling “we don’t have clothes for you here, too big.” In Vietnam, I had more success because you can get a lot of clothing made in Hoi An. The tailors tend to giggle and laugh about the “amount of fabric needed.”
Want to see what makes this off-the-beaten-path Vietnamese city so special? Here’s your ultimate guide to Hoi An, Vietnam.
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