Everything You Need To Know Before Traveling To Vietnam 2023

Vietnam can be divided into 3 main regions, North, Central & South. Each section can easily take a week or more to explore, especially if you really want to get to know the areas and not have to rush from one place to the next. It is recommended to explore either the North or the South, but if you are like us and simply want a little bit of everything then keep reading. There are many ways to travel the length of Vietnam. Depending on your time schedule you can travel either by train, bus or plane. Since we were traveling through Southeast Asia for 4 months in total we always opted for the most affordable route in order to stay within our daily budget.

Keep in mind that this is Asia we are talking about, so getting from A to B always takes longer than expected, especially when you travel by land and public transportation. Flying might be faster and more reliable but takes out all the fun, since this is where the best travel stories are made. We are going to go into a few different methods of travel we recommend, but to be completely up to date with the latest and best ways of getting around Vietnam, I always recommend getting in touch with your hotel prior to your arrival.

If there is one piece of advice I can give when choosing your Open Bus Ticket is to Do Your Research. With over 25 different bus companies to choose from, your ride may be great, horrible, or anything in between. It is rather difficult to recommend the best Open Bus Ticket companies since it often is a hit or miss. All the buses we rode in were decent, but some seemed to be in better condition than others. We used Sinh Cafe Open Bus and we had the best experience one can have traveling over 10 hours in a sleeper bus, with a bus driver who hardly spoke any English, a rather tight sleeping space, never-ending blasting AC and 30 other strangers.

The Open Bus Ticket comes with a lot of benefits but there are a few downsides. The most notable is once you've bought your Open Bus Ticket, you will have to finish your journey all the way to Ho Chi Minh City with the very bus operator you bought your ticket with from day one. This is why choosing a decent bus company at the beginning makes a lot of sense. In general, any bus from a decent bus company will stop at the following cities: Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Phong Nha - Hue - Da Nang - Hoi An - Nha Trang - Da Lat - Mui Ne - Ho Chi Minh City. Depending on the cities you want to visit you can skip some and just remain on the bus until you've reached your desired destination. Be aware that most routes are overnight sleeper buses due to the long distances. Some advice for those thinking about traveling via sleeper bus through Vietnam and Southeast Asia in general:

• Pack wisely: There is not much storage space on the buses. Bring only your essentials and valuables such as passport, money, electronics and snacks, the store everything else in the luggage compartment below the bus.
• You're hot and you're cold: Temperatures on the bus can vary dramatically so be prepared. Sleeper buses are known to get extra cold at night since they love their AC, so make sure to wear layers because the blankets that are usually provided are not very thick.

For more information about the Open Bus tickets and where to purchase them check out Vietnam Local Bus. They are a leading travel company in Southeast Asia and they offer assistance with booking all kinds of bus tickets within Vietnam as well as outside of Vietnam. You can choose your route and book your open bus ticket directly over their website.

Trains in Vietnam are cheap, convenient, and surprisingly comfortable. The Vietnam Railways' system is pretty connected, the Reunification Line stops at almost all of the major tourist destinations such as: Vinh - Hue - Da Nang (to get to Hoi An) - Nha Trang - Binh Thuan (to get to Phan Thiet and Mui Ne) - Ho Chi Minh City You can purchase your tickets either online or at any railway station in the country. Tickets can be purchased up to 2 months in advance, however exact dates are required. The Vietnam Railway does not offer “open tickets" like we recommended above, so this is great For online bookings, we recommend to book either via 12go Asia Train or Vietnam Railways.

When traveling by train through Vietnam you can choose between a seat or a sleeper (with our without air-conditioning). A sleeper is a seat that turns into a bed at night and if you choose this option, usually you can book your ticket for First Class sleeper trains also known as soft sleepers or Second Class sleepers also known as hard sleeper:

• First Class Sleeper: Choose between VIP soft sleepers with 2 berth compartments or the ordinary soft sleepers with 4-berth compartments featuring 2 upper and 2 lower berths.
• Second Class Sleeper: The hard sleeper usually comes usually with 6 berths, 2 lower, 2 middle and 2 upper.

While there is no such thing as local trains or tourist trains, some routes offer more luxurious carriages run by a private company, which are added to the standard Vietnam Railways trains. A popular route is from Hanoi to Sapa. Sleeper trains are the best choice for long-distance train travel in Vietnam and throughout Southeast Asian in general. You not only save money, but you also save daylight and you can use your precious days exploring the incredible sights of Vietnam instead of traveling.

If you are interested in traveling to the Northern Highlands, then we recommend taking the train. This route is arguably the most popular Vietnam train ride amongst international tourists. The town of Sapa does not have its own train station. The closest railway station to the hill station of Sapa is Lao Cai, but there are plenty of buses and taxis going to Sapa from Lao Cai which is around 40 km away. As explained above, besides the public trains, it is also possible to book your train ride via a private company. Many private companies offer more luxurious train rides, meaning cleaner, smoother, and overall more enjoyable trips, and the route from Hanoi to Lao Cai is known for it.

The Victoria Express Train is one of the most luxurious trains connecting Hanoi to Lao Cai. The train is open to everyone, both in house guests of the Victoria Hotel and Resort in Sapa as well as non-in house guests. The train runs daily, except for Saturdays. The benefit of taking the Victoria Express Train is that passengers have exclusive access to the Victoria Express Lounge to check-in, which includes Wi-Fi, snacks, and light refreshments. The Victoria Hotel and Resort in Sapa offers great promotional packages. This includes roundtrip train tickets, a shuttle bus transfer between Lao Cai Railway Station and the Vicotria in Sapa, a private half-day tour, and much more. The normal train ticket does not include the transfer from Lao Cai to Victoria Hotel and Resort in Sapa but a pick up can easily be arranged by the resort. The Victoria Express Train is one of the more expensive options, but the experience is one of a kind. There is no need to worry if the Victoria Express Train is out of your budget. There is a multitude of “luxury” trains offering comparable prices and services. Now it is up to you to pick your favorite and one that fits your budget. Here are a few others you can choose from: Sapaly Express, Chapa Express, Dream Express, Fanxipan Express, Livitrans Express, King Express, and Orient Express. A great place to book your ticket and compare prices is at Vietnam Railways.