Vietnam

Top 5 Orte

1. Ha Long Bay · Quang Ninh (from Hanoi)

   Thousands of limestone islands, usually seen on an overnight or day cruise.

2. Hoi An Ancient Town · Hoi An

   Well preserved trading port with lantern-lit streets, tailors and nearby beaches.

3. Hanoi Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake · Hanoi

   Dense historic streets, street food and the capital's main lake.

4. Hue Imperial City · Hue

   Citadel and royal tombs of the Nguyen dynasty along the Perfume River.

5. Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta · Ho Chi Minh City area

   War-era tunnel network and river life, both common day trips from Saigon.

Unterwegs vor Ort

• Fahrdienst-App

  Grab

  Cars, motorbike taxis (GrabBike) and food delivery in all major cities. Fixed price before booking; pay cash or card. The UK government recommends Grab or Xanh SM over street taxis.

• Fahrdienst-App

  Xanh SM

  Electric car and motorbike fleet run by Vingroup's GSM; drivers are employees. Often slightly cheaper than Grab with newer cars. Also has its own green taxis you can hail.

• Fahrdienst-App

  Be

  Vietnamese ride app, sometimes cheapest for motorbike rides; fewer English options.

• Taxi

  Mai Linh / Vinasun

  The more reputable metered taxi brands. Fake look-alike taxis exist, so check the name, logo and phone number exactly, or book in the company app.

• Öffentlicher Nahverkehr

  Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City Metro

  Hanoi has lines 2A and 3 (partial); Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh to Suoi Tien) opened in December 2024. Cheap but coverage is limited.

• Züge

  Vietnam Railways (Reunification Express)

  Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City via Hue and Da Nang. Sleeper berths are comfortable; book on the official railway site or reputable agents.

• Busse

  Sleeper and open tour buses

  Cheapest way between cities and to Sapa, Ha Giang and Ninh Binh. Book directly with the company where possible; hostels add markups.

Geld und Bargeld

Währung: VND · Vietnamese dong

Cash is king for street food, markets, small shops and tips. Cards work in hotels, malls and many mid-range restaurants, sometimes with a 2-3% surcharge. Notes have many zeros and the 10,000 and 100,000 (and 20,000 and 500,000) notes look alike: count carefully. Bank ATMs (Vietcombank, BIDV, TPBank and others) are widespread but fees and limits vary.

Wechselkurs nach VND prüfen

Trinkgeld

Tipping is not traditional in Vietnam and is never required, but it is increasingly common in tourist areas. Small tips for good service are appreciated: 5-10% in sit-down restaurants, or round up. Higher-end places may add a service charge.

Nützliche Sätze

• Tính tiền (tinh tien) The bill, please.
• Đã gồm phí phục vụ chưa? (da gom phi phuc vu chua?) Is the service charge included?
• Không cần thối lại (khong can thoi lai) Keep the change.

Umgangsformen

• Remove shoes before entering homes and some temples and pagodas; look for shoes left at the door.
• Cover shoulders and knees at temples, pagodas and Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, where silence and no photos are enforced.
• Use both hands or the right hand to pass or receive things, especially money and business cards.
• Do not stick chopsticks upright in rice; it is associated with funerals.
• Keep calm when negotiating or complaining; shouting causes loss of face and rarely helps.
• Bargaining is normal at markets and with cyclos; agree the exact price and currency before any service.
• Avoid criticising the government or politics in public.

Maschen und wie du damit umgehst

• Fake Grab driver at the airport

  Wo: Noi Bai (Hanoi) and Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City) airports

  So funktioniert’s: Someone shows a phone screen or claims to be your Grab, leads you to an unmarked car, cancels your booking and overcharges.

  So vermeidest du es: Check the plate, car and driver name in the app before getting in; only go to the car shown in the app.

• Cyclo price switch

  Wo: Hanoi Old Quarter, Ho Chi Minh City District 1

  So funktioniert’s: Driver agrees '100' for a ride, then insists at the end it meant 100 US dollars or 1,000,000 VND, sometimes with threats.

  So vermeidest du es: Write the full amount and currency down before starting, or book through a hotel or reputable operator.

• Shoe shine and shoulder pole photo trick

  Wo: Hanoi Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, Saigon backpacker areas

  So funktioniert’s: A shoe shiner pulls off your shoe and starts work, or a vendor puts a fruit pole on your shoulder for a photo, then demands far too much money.

  So vermeidest du es: Do not let anyone touch your shoes or put things on you; say 'Khong, cam on' and keep walking.

• Fake or rigged meter taxis

  Wo: Airports, bus stations and tourist areas

  So funktioniert’s: Look-alike taxis copy the colours and names of Mai Linh or Vinasun but use fast meters or demand fixed fares.

  So vermeidest du es: Use Grab, Xanh SM or book through the official company app; check spelling of the company name.

• Banknote switch

  Wo: Shops, taxis and markets

  So funktioniert’s: A seller claims you paid with a 10,000 VND note instead of 100,000, or 20,000 instead of 500,000, which look similar.

  So vermeidest du es: Count out notes slowly and say the amount aloud when paying.

• Motorbike rental damage and passport deposit

  Wo: Hanoi, Hoi An, Da Nang, beach towns

  So funktioniert’s: Rental shops keep your passport and claim damage on return.

  So vermeidest du es: Photograph the bike first and avoid leaving your passport as collateral where possible.

• Job offer trafficking

  Wo: Online job ads, Mekong region

  So funktioniert’s: Foreigners are lured with high-paid jobs, taken across borders, and forced into online scam work.

  So vermeidest du es: Check any job offer independently; be very wary of offers that pay for travel.

Sicherheit

• Bag and phone snatching by thieves on motorbikes is the most common crime in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Hold bags on the side away from traffic and do not use your phone at the curb.
• Pickpocketing increases around Christmas and Lunar New Year (Tet) and on overnight trains and buses.
• Traffic is heavy: cross streets at a slow, steady pace so riders can steer around you.
• Drink spiking and methanol poisoning have been reported, including in licensed bars. Buy your own drinks and avoid cheap spirits.
• Use Grab, Xanh SM or reputable taxis at night; assaults have been linked to unlicensed drivers.
• Motorbike riding needs a valid licence; most travel insurance does not cover unlicensed riders.

Wie verbreitet Englisch ist

Good in hotels, tour companies and tourist restaurants in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An and Da Nang; limited with older people, drivers and in rural areas. Ride apps and translation apps help a lot.

Quellen

• GOV.UK Foreign travel advice: Vietnam, safety and security
• Wikivoyage: Vietnam
• Vietnam Tourism: Do you tip at Vietnamese restaurants?
• Vietnam Tourism: Common scams in Vietnam
• Vietnam SIM: Grab, Xanh SM and Be compared

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