🛵 Vietnam

Official government travel advice

Advice changes quickly. Check it before you travel and again before you leave.

Costs

Prices here are about 29% of US prices (World Bank, 2024). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.

Practical information

Entry

Short visits are visa-free for most ASEAN citizens, and the official site shows the number of days allowed. Many other nationalities need an e-visa; it is available to all nationalities, for up to 90 days, with single or multiple entry, and applications should be made only on the official site. An online arrival declaration has been introduced in Vietnam, so look up the current requirement on the official immigration site before flying.

Vietnam e-Visa - Immigration Department OfficialThe only official e-visa site.
Vietnam Tourism OfficialOfficial tourism site.

Culture - take note

Elders and modesty are both valued in Vietnamese culture. Pagodas, temples and Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum call for respectful dress (no shorts, no hats, silence). Do not touch anyone's head, and do not point with a finger. Cross the road slowly and steadily, because traffic is intense. In markets, bargaining is normal, done with a smile. Do not criticise the government in public. Tourist areas welcome a tip, though it is not required.

Emergency

Police 113. Ambulance 115. Fire 114.

Good to know

Cards, cash machines, exchange

The currency is the dong. Vietnam's national tourism site says hotels, tour operators, restaurants and grocery stores generally accept international cards, cash is common for small purchases, and cash machines are widely available. It suggests using them rather than exchange counters. Canadian advice warns that card and cash machine fraud is frequent, and UK advice says to change money only at official counters with a clear sign.

Source: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism: Plan your trip (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Source: Government of Canada travel advice: Vietnam (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Source: UK FCDO travel advice: Vietnam, safety and security (checked 4 Nov 2026)

Local laws and customs

Drugs, vapes, ID and photos

Both UK and Canadian advice say vapes and e-cigarettes are banned and describe drug penalties as severe, with the death penalty possible. UK advice says police may drug-test people at private homes or parties. Visitors must always carry photo ID; a printed copy of the passport photo page and visa is accepted, says UK advice. Photographing sensitive sites such as military areas is prohibited, and gambling outside licensed casinos is illegal, per Canadian advice. UK advice says same-sex activity carries no criminal penalties.

Source: UK FCDO travel advice: Vietnam, safety and security (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Source: Government of Canada travel advice: Vietnam (checked 4 Nov 2026)

Taxis and scams

Official taxis in Vietnam

Rigged meters, overcharging, and confusion over currency and fixed prices are the taxi problems visitors meet, according to Vietnam's national tourism authority, which names Mai Linh and Vinasun as companies with sealed meters that can be found at airport taxi bays. Canada's travel advice is to use only official taxis or trusted apps, to confirm the fare beforehand or insist that the meter is used, and to check the licence plate and who the driver is before getting in.

Source: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism: Health and safety (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Source: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism: A traveller's guide to Vietnam's airports (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Source: Government of Canada travel advice: Vietnam (checked 4 Nov 2026)

Taxi apps in Vietnam

Grab and XanhSM are named by UK travel advice as official taxi-hailing apps that supply licensed cabs; it cautions against people who wrongly say they work for these companies, and says the whole journey should be ordered through the app. Be is also listed among the apps by Vietnam's tourism authority, which notes that they need a Vietnamese SIM card.

Source: UK FCDO travel advice: Vietnam, safety and security (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Source: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism: Frequently asked questions (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Source: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism: A traveller's guide to Vietnam's airports (checked 4 Nov 2026)

Transfers, money and bar bills

Free bus transfers to hotels offered at airports and stations may be scams unless arranged in advance, says UK travel advice, which also says money should be changed only at official exchange counters displaying a clear sign, since changing it elsewhere is illegal. Canada's advice says customers who were intoxicated have been overcharged in some bars and nightclubs, and suggests avoiding a credit card in small establishments.

Source: UK FCDO travel advice: Vietnam, safety and security (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Source: Government of Canada travel advice: Vietnam (checked 4 Nov 2026)

Who can help

local government

Police emergency number 113

Helps with: Emergency numbers on Vietnam's official tourism site: 113 for the police, 114 for the fire brigade and 115 for an ambulance.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Vietnam, including visitors, who needs the police urgently.

Phone: 113

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Ambulance emergency number 115

Helps with: Ambulance number listed with the police (113) and fire brigade (114) numbers on Vietnam's official tourism site.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Vietnam, including visitors, who needs an ambulance.

Phone: 115

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) - vietnam.travel

Helps with: The national tourism authority. Its official website vietnam.travel carries trip-planning information, including the emergency numbers. No visitor helpline was shown on the pages read.

Who qualifies: Anyone planning or taking a trip to Vietnam.

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

ngo

Vietnam Red Cross Society

Helps with: Vietnam's national Red Cross society. Its headquarters is in Hanoi, with a southern representative office in Ho Chi Minh City; its contact page gives phone and email.

Who qualifies: People in Vietnam seeking help from the Red Cross, including disaster relief.

Phone: 024 38 224 030

Email: [email protected]

Address: 82 Nguyen Du Street, Cua Nam Ward, Hanoi

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

un agency

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Viet Nam

Helps with: The UN migration agency, with a main office in Hanoi and a sub-office in Ho Chi Minh City. It works on migration management, crisis response and international cooperation.

Who qualifies: Migrants and migration-affected people in Vietnam. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.

Phone: +84 24 38 500 100

Email: [email protected]

Address: Green One-UN House, 304 Kim Ma Street, Ngoc Ha Ward, Hanoi

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

embassy

Foreign embassies and consulates in Vietnam (foreign ministry directory)

Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The foreign ministry runs a searchable directory page titled Foreign Representative Agencies in Vietnam; its entries did not load when read.

Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy or consulate.

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Tourist Information and Support Station, Ho Chi Minh City

Helps with: The city's official tourist information point at 23/9 Park, open daily 08:00 to 20:30. It gives travel advice and maps, and takes safety concerns. Hotline 1087 is described as free tourist support, 24/7.

Who qualifies: Visitors to Ho Chi Minh City.

Phone: +84 28 3920 3040

Email: [email protected]

Address: 23/9 Park, corner of Pham Ngu Lao and De Tham streets, Ho Chi Minh City

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism - visitor support line

Helps with: The Visit HCMC site lists a visitor support hotline: dial 1022 and choose extension 8. It also gives the Department of Tourism's office address.

Who qualifies: Visitors to Ho Chi Minh City needing tourism support.

Address: 201 Vo Thi Sau Street, Xuan Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Ha Long Tourism information centre (Quang Ninh Tourism Promotion Centre)

Helps with: Tourist information run by the Quang Ninh provincial investment, trade and tourism promotion centre. The site lists a contact line for tourist support, Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm.

Who qualifies: Visitors to Ha Long Bay and Quang Ninh province.

Phone: 0203 3628 862

Address: Floor 2, Inter-agency Building No. 4, Ha Long Ward, Quang Ninh

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04