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With its endless miles of pristine coastline, winding bays dotted with limestone karsts so beautiful they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and vibrant city breaks, Vietnam is currently a one of the most sought after destinations in Asia for Americans.
Last year alone, 17.6 million international visitors came to the Southeast Asian gem, a growth of 39.5% year-on-year, with as many as 780,000 tourists coming from the United States.
Based on the facts the country is expected to host a record number of 23 millionwith a record number of Americans about to make the Trans-Pacific journey.
What’s fascinating is that Vietnam isn’t exactly an accessible destination for American citizens: there’s a single direct flight offered from San Francisco, and round-trip fares aren’t exactly the cheapest, so why are Americans flocking there?
It’s time we take a look at it 5 of the most important reasons why:
Vietnam is Filthy Cheap
Whether you’re a backpacker traveling on a budget or a big spender used to Cancun prices, Vietnam will feel like a bargain to you.
For example, let’s look at Nha Trang: one of the country’s top resort destinations, with an average hotel price of $26 per night. $25 per day for mealsand just $13 for local transportation for a total one-week stay, priced at $347, according to Budget your trip.
In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest conurbation and most popular city trip, you’ll spend about $90 every day, including all costs from food to commuting and accommodation, and a total of $632 for the entire week.
It can be as cheap as $227 even if you don’t really care about luxury amenities and you’re not against night market deals when it comes to eating out.
Even this luxury mega resort on VVietnam’s turquoise blue central coast is a bargainwith cascading pools, extensive breakfast buffets and world-class spa facilities, which will cost you around $147 per night.
All in all, traveling through Vietnam will hardly be worth it, regardless of your travel style.
Look at all this amazing culture
After the tropical atmosphere at low rates, there is Vietnam unparalleled cultural offer.
From north to south, and along its strangely narrow central coast, sandwiched by neighboring Laos, this country is dotted with natural and man-made wonders, starting with Ha Long Bay, an area of outstanding beauty famous for its cruises and walks:
A 2-day, 5 star cruise around the emerald seas and rainforest islets of Ha Long will cost you $154.85, a private cabin and all meals included.
There is one in Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital beautiful, French-colonial district to explore, old trains rattling through impossibly narrow streets lined with cafes – make sure you don’t stick your head out the window if you plan on keeping it – and lush urban gardens.
Central Vietnam’s Bà Nà Hills, on the other hand, are a paradise for adventurers and nature lovers, with the Marble Mountains offering scenic routes, while the twin cities of Hue and Hoi An are open-air museums for culture vultures.
Hue is the former royal capital of Vietnam, home to well-preserved citadel with moatwhile Hoi An is a picturesque riverside settlement distinguished by its brightly colored buildings yellow facades and a multitude of Japanese and Chinese temples.
Of course, all the way south is the sprawling, bragging rights Ho Chi Minh City a high concentration of historical monumentsincluding the Independence Palace, a museum chronicling the reunification of Vietnam, and French-built structures, most notably Saigon’s Notre Dame Cathedral.
Incredible cuisine worth flying 14 hours for
Such as VN Express reportsVietnamese cuisine is an equally big draw for Americans crossing the Pacific on their way to Vietnam.
Popular dishes that have already had their international breakthrough and can now be found in most Western countries photo and rice paper spring rolls, to the lesser known, noodle-based and meat-heavy ones Cao lauor rice pancakes (Banh xeo), rest assured, your desires will be fulfilled.
There are countless foodie hotspots throughout the country, although we could argue that Hoi An has one of the best culinary landscapes, thanks in large part to its unique blend of French, Japanese and Chinese influences:
A local delicacy you must is to try Banh mia split mini baguette, French style, filled with crispy meat and vegetablesand in our humble opinion, Mrs. Khanh serves the best in town!
Make sure HOME Hanoi in Hanoi is on your list of places to check off:
If you’re worried about getting food poisoning from street vendors, this is a chic restaurant away from the hustle and bustle of the French Quarter, serving Vietnamese food in a Western style with an upscale twist.
The noodle soup, rich in broth and spices, is a good choice, and don’t forget to order some of their fried sandwicheswhich is definitely an improvement over the soggy, 20 cents or dollar you get from the curb.
According to Nguyen Huy Hoang, the CEO of travel platform Klook Vietnam, ‘If you ask ten foreign customers, nine will say they love Vietnamese cuisine after experiencing a food tour.‘
In that spirit, go ahead and reserve a spot on this autograph street food tasting from Ho Chi Minh City per enginefrom $30 per person – and hold on, because Vietnamese traffic is not for beginners.
This year there will be more direct flights!
Currently, the only direct flights between the United States and Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) depart from San Francisco International Airport (SAF), with one-way from $944.
That’s already a step forward from the pandemic years when all connections were cut off, but it’s still nowhere near connectivity could given the high demand for Vietnam vacations in the United States.
Of course, Americans can always find cheaper options to get to multiple destinations in Vietnam with a one-stop connection in larger Asian hubs, like Japan or Taiwan, but that’s far from convenient, especially when you consider the duration of the flights .
North Americans may soon see more options:
If reported by Simple Flying, Vietnam Airlines wants to expand this year in the North American market by adding three more cities to their flight map.
No details have been provided yet, although Vietnam Airlines has announced via their official LinkedIn page that Los Angeles, Seattle and Vancouver (in Canada) are being considered, with Ho Chi Minh City a destination, similar to San Francisco.
Los Angeles remains Vietnam’s largest North American market, with 261,000 round-trip passengers registered in the twelve months leading up to October 2024, as well as the US largest unserved long-distance market.
As far as we are concerned, this will happen sooner or later.
Minimal bureaucracy pending
Finally, Vietnam is a destination with little bureaucracy for Americans going to Asia, a continent where they will have to deal with stricter visa requirements and complicated entry forms.
Granted, it’s not visa-free: US citizens still need to apply for a digital permit to travel to Vietnam, but it’s incredibly easy to obtain and only costs $25.
There is no need to travel to a Vietnamese consulate in the United States or submit any physical documentation: the entire process takes place online and the Vietnam eVisa will be issued within a reasonable time after consideration.
The only recommendation is that you do this some time in advance, once you know your entry and exit dates from Vietnam, ashey may take several days to give you an answer, and the last thing you want is to show up at the airport only to be banned from boarding because you don’t have an eVisa.
Furthermore, no other formal procedures await Americans landing in Vietnam: no registration with the police and no useless immigration forms to fill out when checking into their accommodation.
Moreover, Vietnam recently extended the length of the eVisa in 2023 from 30 days to 3 monthsallowing American travelers to stay longer.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
