Planing a trip to Vietnam

I had taken a trip to Vietnam in April-May of last year. Vietnam, a country that has captured my heart with its stunning landscapes, rich culture, and delicious cuisine. As I wandered through the winding streets of Hanoi and Hoi An, I was struck by the energy and vibrancy of this vibrant nation. That is why I have decided to jot down my journey and share it with you. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or just starting to plan your first trip to Vietnam, I hope my stories and advice will inspire you to discover the wonders of this amazing place.

For most middle-class Indians traveling internationally is a dream. Ok, let me admit it was for me at least. I had been dreaming about getting a stamp on my passport for far too long. Now don’t judge me as a shallow person, I love exploring new places but you have to admit that the first stamp gives a different kind of satisfaction. So that makes our first international trip much more special.

Oh yes, you caught it, It was us. Guys, it was my honeymoon. I felt nervous, excited, and jittery all at the same time.Maybe those were wedding jitters but who knows 😛. Now I know you must be wondering why Vietnam for a Honeymoon when there are a lot of other destinations that most couples prefer to pick. But I would say Why Not Vietnam?

The country has it all.It has an ancient history, so you get to see the historical side.It has a diverse culture and natural landscapes for nature lovers. Don’t forget one of the most romantic cities in the world happens to be in Vietnam(You have to read my next blogs to know which one). And you know what the cherry on the top is “It is light on the pocket.” Yes, you can plan a very budget-friendly trip to Vietnam. You can experience the country’s beauty without burning a hole in your pocket.

Our heart was set on going to Vietnam even before we got engaged. But making it happen was not easy at all. Planning your first international trip amidst wedding preps can be quite overwhelming. But let me tell you this If We can do it you surely can.

Now comes the part of planning the whole trip. We went through multiple websites, resources on the internet, and travel planner apps. We talked to quite a few agents as well and to be honest they were also giving a good deal. So if you want to go via agents I would strongly recommend TripAdvisor. But as you might have guessed by now, we decided against it. We wanted to explore the country independently without any schedules at our convenience.

We faced multiple challenges, the first being that covid restrictions were not completely lifted by then. When we started planning, no direct flights were running between India and Vietnam. We were advised to wait for them to open but as soon as it was done prices skyrocketed. There was a time when we thought that we should drop the idea. But thankfully after trying again and again we got a good deal. Anyways, enough of my blabber, let’s see how we planned it all.

After deciding the destination, the first question that comes to anyone’s mind is how we can enter the country. How will we get a visa? The process to obtain a visa is very easy and hassle-free. You can apply for E-Visa which will allow you to stay for up to 30 days by filling in all the information in the link here. The cost of this is 25 USD which amounts to approx 2k as per today’s conversion rate and the best part is you will get your results in just 3 days(I got approval on the 2nd day itself :p).

We were jumping with joy once we got the visa approval. After that comes the most difficult part of searching and comparing the flights. We booked our round-trip tickets from Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi to Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi. Before booking the flight, always compare the prices on Skyscanner. It costed us around 65k for round trip and we booked almost a month in advance. We preferred a direct flight which took around 4 hrs.There were no other options in direct flights so we had to travel with VietJet Air and our experience was not very good. So if you are traveling with VietJet Air don’t forget to keep water and snacks with you as they don’t even serve free water on the flight.

Now coming to the itinerary of our trip. We didn’t plan all the minute details of our trip. We made an overview of the itinerary, spending 2 nights in Hanoi, 1 night in Halong, and 3 nights in Hoi An. We decided to go with the flow and decided to book tours, hotels, and domestic travel there itself. It can be a good thing but sometimes it can turn against you as well. So learning from my mistake I would strongly recommend booking tours and especially domestic travel tickets beforehand. 

We booked our stay in the Soleil Boutique Hotel. It cost us somewhere around 72 dollars. for two nights. It was located in the middle of the market and had a lot of places to eat. We roamed around in the night on the streets of Hanoi and saw the vibe of the place. The rooms were clean and okay in size with all the amenities. The best part was the pool and bar on the top floor. Although it was quite windy that day we still managed to enjoy the view of the market square from there. The only downside was that there was no view from the window so if you are a person who loves that like my husband you might not like it.

When all the bookings are done, the period of waiting gets started. To take your mind off the things what we can do is Shopping! Yay, the most exciting part for ladies, deciding their outfits. So let me tell you a little about the weather. We went there in May and the weather was quite pleasant. It was neither too hot nor too cold. Take whatever you like dresses, shorts, and jumpsuits. Along with all these pack one light jacket for traveling and in case it gets windy.

So to summarize, I would say that keep in mind these points:

1. Prefer Vietnam Airlines, and just in case you have to travel via VetJet Air don’t forget to keep water and food with you.
2. The food can be bland there so keep some Indian Snacks with you.
3. Book your domestic travel flight tickets in advance.
4. For mobile connection, you have two options: buy a sim card after going there or get your existing number recharged for an international plan. I would suggest doing the latter.
5. Get your water bottles refilled in the hotel itself if they are complementary and keep them with you as the restaurants also don’t serve free water like in India.
6. The main language spoken is Vietnamese. You will find a lot of people who don’t even speak English. So keep your Google Translator ready.
7. Exchange a minimum amount of currency at the airport as the exchange rate they give is less. You can exchange the rest in the city.
8. Download Grab App for taxis. It is cheaper.

I think this is all the information you need to start planning your trip. Keep coming back to read more about this trip in my later blogs.

Thanks for making it till here. Hope you enjoyed reading. Stay tuned for the rest of Vietnam journey.

See you soon!!