Bongtours

13/02/2025

5 Things You Should Know When Visiting Vietnam

Vietnam recently become a new attractive travel destination in Southeast Asia. It is a captivating and charming country that has a lot to offer for travelers. But to travel to Vietnam like a local, you need to know some insider tips that will help you avoid common pitfalls and discover hidden gems. Here are 50 insider tips for traveling to Vietnam that will make your trip unforgettable.

In 2018, Vietnam welcomed 15,497,791 foreign visitors. With pretty big population of 97 million people of 54 tribes all over the country, majority is Viet people and the rest living up the central highland and mountains area of North West Vietnam.

Though many westerners still see Vietnam through the lens of war, in reality, it is a country filled with captivating natural beauty and of course, tranquil village life. The rainforest and highlands areas of Vietnam are far from being devastated. Its beaches and islands are among the most beautiful and wildest in Southeast Asia while its specialties or cuisine may be the healthiest and delicious you will ever know. After a long of war, today, the graceful S-shaped country is really an outstanding destination for tourists worldwide.

A Travel Map of Vietnam

Vietnam stretches the length of the Indochinese peninsula, covering a surface area of about 128,000 square miles. Nature, culture and history are abundant throughout this ancient land. If you are planning to visit Vietnam, it’s a good idea to prepare yourself in advance to help the trip go more smoothly. To help make things a bit easier, we’ve prepared 50 tips to help introduce first time visitors to Vietnam. Don’t pack your luggage until you read the whole article below!

1. When is the best time to visit Vietnam?
Photo of D**g Kinh Nghia Thuc Square in Hanoi seen from above before a rain

The first thing you should take into consideration when planning a trip to Vietnam are the seasons. Vietnam has a tropical monsoon climate, and the weather can vary greatly from the north to south. If you want to enjoy mild and dry weather, the best time to visit Vietnam is from November to April. This is when the country experiences the least amount of rain and the temperatures are comfortable. However, this is also the peak season for tourism, so you may encounter higher prices and more crowds.

The southern part of Vietnam experiences it’s dry season typically from December to May, wet season is from May to November; and the northern area of Vietnam experiences four seasons: Spring: February – April, Summer: May- July, Fall: August – October and Winter: November – January.

Of course, the weather in Vietnam is always changeable, so be sure to bring raincoats, sweaters and other layered items, hats and sunglasses.

2. Which language is widely spoken in Vietnam?
What kind of language the local use

The short answer is Vietnamese but the history behind it is quite interesting.

Vietnamese, formerly known as Annamese, is the official language of Vietnam. The Vietnamese language is spoken by roughly 59 million people worldwide. Additionally, it is also spoken by a number of people overseas. Many of the ethnic minorities as well as neighboring countries like Thailand, Cambodia and Laos use Vietnamese as their second language.

The Vietnamese alphabet uses a version of the Latin alphabet. It uses the all the letters of the ISO Basic Latin Alphabet expect for F, J, W, and Z (which are only found in loanwords).

If you’re worried about communicating, not to worry! English speakers can be found in most of the touristic areas and in major cities but when venturing out of these areas, very few speak English, and the older generation might also speak French.

3. Do I need Visa to Vietnam.

Most visitors to Vietnam do require a visa to enter the country. Check your local consulate or online for current rules.

Visas are exempted for the citizens of the countries listed below:
– Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos (30-day visa).
– Brunei, Myanmar (14-day visa).
– Philippines (21-day visa).
– Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Russia, Denmark and Finland (15-day visa; required to hold a passport valid for at least 6 months on arrival and also must make 30 day pause between two arrivals).
– United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain (15-day visa)
– Belarus (15-day visa. This visa waiver is valid until 30 June 2020).
– Kyrgyzstan (30-day visa).
– Chilean citizens holding valid diplomatic passports are exempt from visa requirements (90 days).
– Citizens of China, Cuba and North Korea holding normal passports endorsed “for public affairs” do not require a visa for Vietnam.
– APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Holders from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies are exempted to stay within 60 days without visa.
– Those who directly visit Phu Quoc Island without a visa for up to 30 days. Foreigners and Vietnamese nationals bearing foreign passports who enter Vietnam through an international border gate and then travel to Phu Quoc Island and stay in Phu Quoc less than 30 days will also be granted Vietnam visa exemption. After arriving in Phu Quoc Island, if visitors want to travel to other localities or stay in the island for more than 15 days, the immigration department will be responsible for issuing visas right on the spot.

If you are staying somewhere like a private home or an alternate accommodation, the owner of the house will know how to arrange the visa with immigration.

4. Local Currency VND

The Vietnamese D**g or VND is the currency in Vietnam. For current exchange rates, check the internet for accurate and up to date information. Make sure to always double check the denomination of bills you are paying with as some look very similar in color, (namely the 500,000 and 20,000 VND notes). It’s best to keep smaller change and bills handy to make paying for things much easier.

5. Time Zone
Use time zone in Vietnam

Vietnam sits in the time zone of UTC + 7 hours. This is the same time zone as Bangkok and other Indochinese countries.

11/02/2025

Vietnamese cuisine culture encompasses an enormous range of cakes with different styles and flavors. Although all kinds of cakes, pies, savory pastries, crepes, bread, and things of the sorts, are called “Banh” in Vietnamese, the translation of any of these foods alone cannot explain fully and exactly the immense diversity of this special Vietnamese food item.

Crispy Vietnamese pancakes, a traditional Vietnamese dish, are not only an indispensable part of people’s daily meals but also a symbol of the country’s typical culinary culture. The basic ingredients of crispy Vietnamese pancakes include rice flour, coconut milk, green beans, pork or shrimp, and raw vegetables such as cilantro, basil, and broccoli. Combining these ingredients to create a liquid mixture and then pouring it into the hot pan, creating a thin, crispy, and fragrant layer of cake, is the secret to creating the distinctive flavor of crispy Vietnamese pancakes.

The style and preparation of crispy Vietnamese pancakes may vary depending on the region, but what remains constant is the diversity and appeal of this dish. In the Central region, crispy Vietnamese pancakes are often enjoyed with raw vegetables and sweet and sour fish sauce, while in the South, adding raw vegetables such as bean sprouts, lettuce, and green bananas to crispy Vietnamese pancakes creates a unique flavor and freshness.

In addition to being delicious and attractive, crispy Vietnamese pancakes also carry profound cultural meanings. Making and enjoying crispy Vietnamese pancakes is often an opportunity for family and friends to gather, bond and share life stories. The crispy Vietnamese pancake also often appears during festivals and parties, serving as a symbol of unity and happiness.

10/02/2025

Living in a culture of wet rice civilization, Vietnamese has a deep connection with nature and to them, besides the buffalo, chicken is one of the six most familiar animals (including: chicken, pig, goat, buffalo, and horse).
Vietnamese believe that feet of the chosen c**k (the one offered to Gods at New Year Eve) will let them know about the coming year of each generation in the family.

It requires an old and experienced person to read the message from a pair of c**k’s feet, but in general, nice yellow feet with clustered claws are good. As according to ancient people’s explanation, “chicken use 3 claws to dig land to find food, 4 claws to fight against enemies. When a chicken clusters its claws, it shows the voluntary dedication”.
Chicken feet which inform good signs will be hung on the kitchen’s roof till the next New Year Eve, in the hope to bring about good luck for the family in the new year.

06/10/2022

06/10/2022

06/10/2022

vietnam food

06/10/2022

Hoi An in Vietnam

10/09/2022

TASTE VIETNAM

09/09/2022

World's biggest cave is even bigger than we thought

One of the world's most precious natural wonders, Son Doong was inadvertently discovered by Vietnam resident Ho Khanh in 1990.
After the BCRA explored and measured the cave, they proclaimed it the largest in the world in 2010 -- so big that you could fit a New York City block with 40-story skyscrapers inside it.
Within the immense limestone cavern, there are various microclimates and diverse scenery including two jungles, made possible by dolines -- openings created by collapsed ceilings -- where sunlight streams in.