The high season occurs between Summer and Winter. This is considered the dry season, when the country sees the least amount of rain, and the heat is not yet uncomfortable, making this period the best time to visit in terms of weather. The downside is the prices that tend to increase with the demand.

Personally, we recommend the months from February to April, which is slightly before the masses of tourist arrive. You can have a nice cost-benefit with a good weather and not a huge amount of tourists spoiling your experience.

Vietnam offers an array of ways to get around. You may favor flying straight from point to point, opt for motorbike rides, or take the overland routes of trains and buses, soaking in the sights across the way. Within the cities there are plenty of taxis, buses, and cycles; and out in the countryside, cycling is often a good choice.

For those short on time and that acknowledge the bad state of the roads in the country, using internal flights is a good and fast way to move. The flight prices are very reasonable, with 3 companies operating (Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet and Jetstar), you can save a lot of time if you only want to see the main spots.

Trains are an insightful and relaxing option to travel across the country. Averaging no more than 50km per hour, you will need a lot of time to go from one point to another. The network is managed by Vietnam Railways, and you can buy tickets at counters in Vietnam's train stations days or months in advance of your trip. They are also sold through many travel agencies and online through Vietnam's official train ticketing website.

If you intend on traveling from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City you can also opt for the Reunification Express. It’s a 36-hour scenic ride that makes stops in Hue, Danang, Nha Trang and Phan Thiet. Also, there are four seat possibilities to choose from: hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper, and soft sleeper. The cabins are divided into four berths with simple bedding provided.

If an adventure is what you seek, then buy a motorbike starting in either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City and drive to the other point. You will need almost a month to achieve this, and you will be taken off the beaten path to discover the true identity of the Vietnamese culture, it's truly and incredible experience. This is a very popular route made by many travelers, and they usually sell their motorbike at the end of the route to some other traveler ready to take on the challenge.

If you want a budget option for traveling there are buses connecting all cities.

Vietnam has a unique culture. The people here are still conservative and fairly tolerant, so it’s always the best practice to follow the rules and avoid some simple behaviors: Nudity is forbidden in all places, including beaches and in religious sites avoid showing much of the skin. Passing around cigarettes (to men only) is always appreciated in negotiations, bargaining and so forth.

The main language is Vietnamese. You can learn some important expressions that may be useful, like “thank you” or “please”. In the major cities and touristic spots English should be enough. However, sometimes it can be difficult to communicate with the locals due to language barriers. Always be patient and try to gesticulate, and keep a friendly expression.

Officially, homosexuality is still viewed as a “social evil”, in conjunction with drugs and prostitution. Nevertheless, there is no law explicitly banning homosexual activity and, as long as it is not practiced explicitly, it is largely ignored.

Prior to traveling to Vietnam, be sure to acquire a good insurance for your trip. You will be outside your home country, some of you in a place far away, and for any health related event or even the need to return home earlier could result in a big expense.

Personally we recommend the IATI insurances. We have already used it in a few trips and never had any kind of problems with the service.

Also, 1 or 2 months before your trip, you should consult your doctor or local travel clinic for the latest information on health risks in Vietnam and to get any vaccinations you may need. Usually, for Vietnam it is recommended the following vaccines:

• Typhoid Fever;
• Hepatitis A and B;
• Japanese Encephalitis (if traveling through rural areas and for more than a month).

• DEET based insect repellent - important to keep mosquitoes away;
• Paracetamol or Ibuprofen - for pain relief;
• Sunscreen - never underestimate the sun in Vietnam;
• Antihistamine - for allergy treatment;
• Anti-itch ointment - for example hydrocortisone;
• Diarrhea medication - for example Imodium;
• Bacitracin - for wound care.

Vietnam is a safe country for tourists, however petty theft is a common concern, mainly in the big cities. Abstain from using cameras and cell phones on busy streets and corners: most robberies are drive-by snatchings. When getting pictures on sidewalks, keep your camera close to your body and away from the flow of traffic.

When riding a motorbike, put your bags in the seat compartment or tie them in the front of the bike. If something gets stolen, unfortunately the law enforcements very rarely will recover your items.

For solo female travelers, Vietnam is usually a safe country. Still, you should take the typical precautions if you’re a woman traveling along, use taxis from a reputable agency and avoid being alone in the streets late.

When you’re planning a trip, it's important to find out if you need to secure a visa for travel to that country and how to get it. You can find here all the information that you need to know related to this topic.

Vietnam is not an expensive country to travel. Its unit of currency is the dong and you will find it abbreviated as “đ”, “d” or “VND”. American Dollar and Euro (in fewer places) can also be used, and it can be useful for large bills. Tipping is not usually expected by locals, but it’s always appreciated, with normal values of 10%.

Temple and pagodas are usually free, and for accommodation you will find a huge variety of options, from very cheap hostels and hotels to high-end accommodation. Daily expenses, admission charges to historic sites, food and drinks (particularly if you do as the locals do) are low, and it is almost always possible to bargain.

The electricity supply in Vietnam is 220 volts. Plugs normally have two round pins (European style), even though you may find some sockets accepting two flat pins and even some that take three pins. Power supplies can be erratic on the sticks, so be ready for cuts and surges.

In all the major cities and tourist centres, it’s usual that cafes and accommodations provide WiFi. Unfortunately, some of the top-end hotels still require a hefty fee for letting you go online.

What we recommend when you travel is to buy a SIM card locally. You can get one when at the airport or in the city centres. Always choose a major operator in order to get better signal, Viettel is a good option. If your phone is blocked, you can also opt to buy a cheap phone.