Five Reasons You Should Visit Vietnam

Tropical, historic, and enticing, Vietnam is an unexpected holiday destination for everyone from backpackers to seasoned resort-goers. Here are five reasons that you should be booking your next holiday in Vietnam.

Food

For me, this can make or break a holiday experience. Food poisoning is the devil, but in all 5 months of living in Vietnam, I didn’t once get poisoned. And I ate street food nearly every day.

The street vendors will hand squeeze orange juice, freshly make a Banh Mi (the best baguette in existence), or even crack open a coconut for Kem Ly (coconut ice-cream with freshly shaved coconut).

Keep in mind that purchasing a drink in Saigon can lead to sugar overload. This goes for drinks like orange juice and coffee and can lead to a very exciting morning. Especially when you experience Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk for the first time.

Half the delight is watching the vendor miraculously put together your delicious food. And the experience doesn’t stop on the roadside.

You’ll find western cuisine, food from all over Asia, and even vegan restaurants plotted all throughout Saigon with impressive décor to match. Whatever your stomach is grumbling for, Vietnam can serve it.

During my time in Saigon I also learnt of a rare drink that only some cafes and smoothie bars can mix. They start with the sapodilla fruit (Sa Pô Chê in Vietnamese), blend with a little bit of condensed milk, and then add a shot of coffee. The fruit itself adds a beautiful natural sweetness making the drink like a light, caramel frappe.

History

Vietnam’s history overlaps with China, Cambodia, France, Japan, and, most recently, America. Learning about the history between France and Vietnam gives an understanding of cuisine like the Banh Mi, as well as the root cause of the Vietnam War (called the ‘American War’ in Vietnam).

It’s highly recommended that when visiting Saigon people visit the War Museum and the Cu Chi Tunnels.

The history is remarkable and heart-wrenching, a significant reminder of the atrocities of war. Although I couldn’t emotionally complete the whole museum visit, the historical understanding of the horrors and even its effects to this day are well worth the entry.

Although a more physical look into the environment the Vietnamese faced during the war, the Cu Chi tunnels are something that a family can attend. The tunnels are a fascinating network with narrow, shoebox entrances and turret peepholes that the enemy had no chance of finding.

The crawl space is tight, but if this 5’11” gal could get through, I’m sure you can too!

Low Expense

This is where you need to play the bartering game but also know how to avoid tourist traps. The Ben Thanh Market is a fun visit, but it will also suck naïve travellers in. Yours truly included. If you’re new to bartering, stick to the outer market ring where you can find fixed prices. If you’re eager to play the money game, then definitely dive into the narrow corridors of spices, coffee beans, and clothes.

Having the ability to speak some Southern Vietnamese will help you, especially when asking how much or Bao Nhiêu (bow new). From there, the stall person can communicate the price with a calculator and then you can trade numbers until you’re satisfied.

Before you go, be sure to know the conversion rate, know how much you’d pay at home, and then choose a figure on the item you like. You’re often looking at a possible 20% drop in the stated price, so start a little lower to meet the vendor in the middle.

But not every vendor is ready to barter like that. It’ll take a little practice, but you’ll soon learn to read your seller in whether they’ll budge. When the price is lower at the local’s markets, there’s no real reason to haggle anyway.

So, steer away from the touristy markets like Ben Thanh and Saigon Square. If you stay a little out of district one, put on your walking shoes and hit the streets. You’re more than likely to find where the locals shop and eat with a greater variety of items at lower prices.

If you want to make a trip of shopping at markets, then you cannot go passed the Mekong Delta experience. When your everyday convenience store can be found on a traditional Vietnamese boat, why wouldn’t you want to check it out?

High Expense

Then there is the high-expense, luxury travel destinations that Vietnam has to offer. The Vinpearl Luxury Landmark 81 is 461.15 metres tall, has 81 floors, and overlooks the Saigon River. Just getting to the lobby requires an ear-popping elevator ride.

All the hotel experiences are sky-high with an ice bar, gym, and an amazing breakfast view, while the cost of a night can be as low as $210.

But to get an even better deal, with drinks and breakfast included, keep an eye on Luxury Escapes. Especially for this next Vietnam holiday destination.

Sitting north of Saigon right beside the ocean is a place called The Anam. Another one of Luxury Escapes mega-deals, this resort has rooms and villas for travellers to stay in.

During my little escape, the resort package included breakfast, morning tea, high tea, and happy hour every day. The food was magnificent, and the scenery was to die for, but the biggest selling point was the people.

People

Even with all these experiences, it’s the citizens of Vietnam that truly sell the place. All you have to do is take the time to sit and talk with them.

Nearly every Vietnamese person I met knew some English, and the stories they’d tell me were remarkable. One lady ran her own fried chicken and chips stall from what seemed to be a garage. When we spoke, she told me about how she used to travel and even showed me her Taiwan driver’s license.

Another gentleman from Grab (Vietnam’s Uber) told me about how he learnt English by himself while being a security guard and how excited he was about his daughter’s education.

Even when I couldn’t communicate with someone, we would still find a way to laugh about this crazy white girl buying two cans of beer from an old lady’s narrow hallway.

There are stories to be made in Vietnam and even more to learn from its history. And that’s why you should make this tropical escape your next holiday adventure.

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