Vietnam. This nation in South East Asia captures the hearts of backpackers and travelers from around the world. Vietnam should be at the top of your list when you are contemplating your next travel destination. Here are the top 8 reasons to fall in love with Vietnam.
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8. History
Vietnam is a country that is no stranger to war. Civil wars, conflicts with Japan, France, China and the United States to name a few. Traveling throughout Vietnam means learning about the history that the nation has persevered through. There are museums, the Củ Chi tunnels, military tanks and helicopters left behind, visible health issues from exposure to Agent Orange, unexploded land mines and large bomb craters. A constant reminder of the troubled past and a constant history lesson told through the surroundings and the people.
Beyond the troubled past, Vietnam has a rich culture with Chinese and French influences. This is reflected in religion, literature, music, architecture, and cuisine. From ancient pagodas in Hue and the infamous bánh mì sandwich to numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the 15th-century trading port of Hội An, there’s an opportunity at every turn to learn about the history and fall in love with Vietnam.
7. Ease of Travel
The transportation in Vietnam is some of the best and easiest we have come across as backpackers traveling around the world. We spent 2+ months traveling in the country and it was a breeze. Whether it’s by motorbike, super comfortable sleeper buses, ferries, or hitchhiking in a van, getting from point A to point B is extremely easy in Vietnam.
In the days and weeks leading up to the Tết, the Vietnamese New Year, most Vietnamese people are traveling to spend the holiday with their family. With a population of close to 100 million people, this means a lot of people moving around. Even still, we found the transportation to be really efficient. If you hitch a ride during this time of year (late January to early February), this may mean a slower ETA, as you drop off and pick up traveling Vietnamese along the side of the road. Time to enjoy the slower pace and appreciate the traditions around you.
6. Cities
Sometimes you need a little hustle and bustle energy of a major city. Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, has a population of 8.4 million people. The city has lots to do and see and is always buzzing, literally as well with the sound of endless motorbikes. Crossing a busy intersection by foot is a challenge and adventure.
Tip: just start walking and don’t worry about the perceived chaos surrounding you. There’s beauty in the chaos. Motorbikes weave in and out through traffic seamlessly, avoiding all pedestrians as well. Even if you don’t understand how, you’ll see that it just works.
The other major city of Vietnam is the capital of Hanoi in the north. The Old Quarter in Hanoi is an interesting part of the city. Parts are like an open-air shopping mall. Different streets are like different aisles in a supermarket. One street is selling fabrics and garments, and the next street will be selling party and school supplies.
It’s a fascinating and fun city with some outstanding, cheap draft beer and unique cuisines. If smaller cities are more your style, there’s no shortage in Vietnam. Check out Nha Trang, Đà Lạt, Da Nang, Hue, Qui Nhơn and Hội An.
5. Nature
40% of Vietnam’s land is mountainous and this is especially evident in the northern parts of the country including Sapa and its famed rice terraces. A motorbike trip on the Ha Giang Loop is a popular ride with stunning, sweeping viewpoints. Looking for beaches? There’s the island of Phú Quốc and the sandy stretches of Mũi Né, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon & Da Nang. Mũi Né also has some impressive sand dunes. Looking for caves? Sơn Đoòng cave is the largest in the world! Da Lat is home to canyoning opportunities and the areas of Phong Nha and Ninh Binh are known for their wondrous landscapes and beautiful scenery.
The Mekong Delta Region is an incredible area for getting a glimpse of wildlife diversity, river trade routes, the country’s most important fishing region and agriculture beneficial to Vietnam’s economy. Last but certainly not least, Vietnam is home to one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of the World, Ha Long Bay. An incredible view with thousands of limestone karsts dispersed in the calm bay is sure to take your breath away. Nature is for sure one of the reasons to fall in love with Vietnam.
4. Coffee
Did you know that Vietnam is the 2nd largest producer and exporter of coffee in the world? This is for good reason, because their beans are top notch. The coffee is strong and tasty. You can’t go wrong whether you opt for an iced coffee or a hot cup with a metal drip filter. Either way is the perfect way to start the day. Skip the sugar and roll like the Vietnamese do, with sweetened condensed milk.
Hanoi is popular for its egg coffee variation. Chicken egg yolk is added, giving the coffee an egg nog type of consistency. Coffee can be had by a street vendor on the side of the road or in small cafes located abundantly throughout the country. If you’re a coffee-lover, you’ll fall in love with Vietnam and its delicious roasts.
3. Food
The food in Vietnam is phenomenal and earns a top 3 spot in the reasons to fall in love with Vietnam. The cuisine is known for being one of the healthiest in the world, with meals utilizing fresh ingredients, herbs, and little use of oil. Seafood, fish sauce, lemongrass, ginger, and basil are popular in many meals.
Street food reigns supreme here, with prominent dishes cooked and eaten on the street at incredibly affordable prices. You’ll see businessmen, families, tourists, and backpackers all eating in small plastic furniture with smiles on their faces.
Some of our favorite foods in Vietnam:
- Bánh mì – literally translates to “bread” and is a sandwich with origins tracing back to the French introducing the baguette to the Vietnamese. Includes cilantro, carrots, cucumbers, pate & pork belly, although many varieties exist.
- Cơm tấm – broken rice with grilled pork, an egg, cucumbers, fish sauce, and tomato served with a small bowl of broth with garlic chives.
- Phở – soup with rice noodles, herbs, and meat. (Bo – beef; Ga – Chicken; Heo – Pork;)
- Cao lầu – a specialty of Hoi An. Pork and greens with rice noodles in a broth. The rice noodles are soaked in lye water which gives them a unique texture, color, and flavor, and the main reason why you can only get this in Hoi An.
- Bún chả – specialty of Hanoi. Grilled pork, rice vermicelli noodles, herbs, and pickled vegetables with a broth consisting of diluted fish sauce with sugar, lemon juice, vinegar & crushed garlic. Out of this world! Bún Chả 34 (Bún Chả Tuyết) was our favorite.
2. Costs
Can you believe that Vietnam has so much to offer, and at one of the most affordable prices in the world? No joke. Price of Travel ranks Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hoi An as the 3 cheapest cities in the world! We spent 2+months in Vietnam exploring the beautiful country from the island of Phu Quoc in the south all the way up to Sapa near the Chinese border in the north.
We ended up spending $32.26 per day! Beers for $0.25. 1-hour massage for $8. Delicious meals range from $0.75 to $3. A hostel bed with free breakfast for $5 a night. It’s incredible quality at an unbelievably low cost.
1. People
And the #1 reason to fall in love with Vietnam, the PEOPLE. It’s the people that make Vietnam a special place. The people are happy, friendly and sharing. Locals will approach you in the streets to talk to you.
We cannot count the number of times people came up to us to say hello, even if that was the only word in English they knew. They were thrilled to see travelers visiting their country, their city, their village. The Vietnamese want to leave a good impression and want to share the great parts of their country with you. They want you to fall in love with Vietnam.
Locals gave us tips on areas to visit, places to see, things to do, and introduced us to new foods we may not have discovered on our own. We didn’t just cross paths with locals. We became friends and hung out with locals. On many occasions, Vietnamese people we had just met were offering us food, a drink, a seat and of course a cigarette within minutes. Sometimes we didn’t share a language. Other times we did. When we did share a language, the Vietnamese were just as curious about learning about us and our culture as we were about learning theirs.
A stranger on a hike may offer you mango and rice wine. Dudes excited about a local soccer match will want you to join them for the game and will share everything they have with you. A family during the Tet holiday will invite you into their home to sit on the floor and share food and beers while chanting the classic một, hai, ba, vô! (1,2,3 cheers! in Vietnamese; pronounce the vô as “yo!”)
A group of skateboarders will motion for you to join them at a city plaza. You’ll hang out for the night, and then be invited back for the next 3 nights to hang with them. N-rock will hook you up at his barbershop and won’t even accept your money. He doesn’t speak English, but he knew how to say “You my homie!”, to explain why we owed him nothing. Now you have Vietnamese friends. Traveling in Vietnam is an eye-opening experience. The people are so warm and how they interact with each other and with strangers is amazing. It’s almost as if the word stranger doesn’t exist in their vocabulary. You are just a friend they haven’t met yet.
The people of Vietnam value family, community, and education. Vietnamese are very hardworking and are always looking to build a better life for their families. You can see this throughout the nation, from the fast-paced cities and their vendors and business people to the countryside where you’ll see families working in rice fields and tending to their crops. Even to the youth working in hostels who are passionate about conversing, learning, having fun, and improving their English.
As Americans, we didn’t know what kind of sentiment to expect due to our nations’ complicated history with Vietnam. The Vietnamese set an amazing example of forgiveness and moving forward. They don’t hold resentment or bad feelings. We were always greeted with smiles, hugs, jokes and laughter when we told locals we were from the States. With about 70 percent of the population born after the war ended, Vietnam has a young population that is focused on continuing to improve their nation and their future.
The Bros are rooting for them, and we thank all the people of Vietnam who made our travels there so special. If everyone took a page out of their book, the world would be a better place. Hands down, the people are the #1 reason to fall in love with Vietnam.
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