I stayed in vietnam for 3 weeks in november 2025, here are my travel notes.

Vietnam Travel Notes (Simple & Practical)

🇻🇳 Regions

South: Ho Chi Minh City, Mui Ne

Central: Da Nang, Hoi An, Ba Na Hills

North: Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Sapa

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General Tips

• Get a Viettel SIM (best coverage).

• Currency exchange:

  • Take a little at airport to reach city.

  • Best rates → massage parlors, gold/jewelry shops, travel agents.

• If veg, ask for "vegan, no egg". They add eggs in many dishes.

• Install Grab (Uber + Swiggy).

• Install HappyCow (veg/vegan spots).

• Install Google Translate (English isn't widely spoken).

• Must-try foods:

  • Banh Mi

  • Pho

  • Fresh spring rolls

  • Vietnamese pancake (Bánh xèo)

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🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)

Stay: District 1

Things to do:

• War Remnants Museum

• Cu Chi Tunnels

• Independence Palace

• Café Apartment (egg coffee @ 21 Grams, 4th floor)

• Union Square walk

• Saigon Post Office

• Book Street

• Ben Thanh Market

• Mekong Delta Day Trip

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🏖️ Mui Ne

Chill beach town with dunes and relaxed vibes.

Activities:

• Sunrise half-day dunes tour

• Red + White Sand Dunes

• Fairy Stream

• Fishermen's Village

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🌊 Da Nang

• Marble Mountain

• My Khe Beach

Hoi An

• Night boat ride

• Lantern market

• Hoi An Ancient Town

• Cham Islands (snorkeling)

Ba Na Hills (Day Trip)

• Reach early (crowds later)

• Golden Bridge

• Dragon Bridge show (Da Nang, weekends)

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🏙️ Hanoi

Stay: Old Quarter

Vibe: Best cafés + cheap Michelin spots

Things to do:

• Beer Street

• Hoan Kiem Lake (Fri–Sun: night market)

• Water Puppet Show

• Train Street (Café Van — check train timings)

• Hoa Lo Prison

• Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

• Museum of Ethnology / Women's Museum

• Pizza 4P's

• MyKingdom for LEGO

Cafés:

• Note Coffee

• Café Giang

• Hidden Gem Café

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⛵ Lan Ha Bay / Halong Bay (Day or Overnight Cruise)

Lan Ha = quieter, better.

Most cruises include:

• Halong Bay sailing

• Cat Ba Island

• Kayaking

• Lunch + transfers

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🏔️ Sapa

Hill station vibes, rice terraces, lakes.

Things to do:

• Fansipan (cable car)

• Moana Viewpoint

• Silver & Love Waterfalls

• Alpine Coaster

• Cat Cat Village / Ta Van Village

• Village trek (~10 km across 3 villages)

• Fansipan Trek (hard, full day)

• Walk around Sapa Lake