Go with a plan.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Vietnam
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go with a plan.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
The Fake Home Invitation
Strangers invite you to their home to meet family or offer advice, only to solicit money for a sick relative or present business deals once you arrive. Decline these invitations to avoid being pressured for financial support.
Taxi Luggage Theft
Drivers remove most bags from the trunk at your destination, then drive away with the remaining items while you are distracted with your rucksack. Ask your hotel to recommend reliable taxi companies.
Two-Tier Pricing
Vendors charge foreigners higher prices than locals based on perceived net worth. This practice is particularly emphatic in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City's Ben Thanh Market.
Coconut Photo Trap
Vendors offer you a carrying-stick for a photo, then open an unwanted coconut while you are distracted to force a sale. Do not pay more than two dollars for a coconut.
Airport SIM Overcharge
Vendors before immigration charge ten dollars for a SIM card. Purchase your SIM card at booths located after the immigration and baggage area for six dollars.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Dengue
- • Global Measles
Tap water safe to drink: No — bottled/filtered only
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Chikungunya, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Japanese Encephalitis, Malaria, Measles, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Visitors to Vietnam must obtain either an e-Visa or a visa in advance, unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Although there is no recent history of terrorism in Vietnam, attacks cannot be ruled out. Attacks could be indiscriminate including in places visited by foreign nationals. Stay aware of your surroundings, keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
Dress code
Respect local customs and dress in appropriate clothing when entering religious or cultural sites. This usually means covering your shoulders and knees. You’ll often see signs outside religious or cultural sites that tell you the dress code.
Source: UK FCDO →LGBT+ travellers
Vietnam is a generally tolerant and progressive place for LGBT+ travellers. There are no criminal penalties for same-sex sexual activity or changing gender. Same-sex marriage is not recognised in law. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →Right now
In the news the last few days
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Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers in Vietnam face specific risks related to theft and unpredictable encounters. While violent crime is not the standard experience, incidents involving firearms in private accommodations occur, highlighting the danger of encountering unstable individuals. Theft is a genuine concern, particularly regarding expensive camera equipment and electronics, which are targets for snatch-and-grab thieves who may cut straps to steal gear. Travelers should exercise caution with their belongings and remain aware of their surroundings, as even routine mistakes like approaching the wrong hotel room can escalate into life-threatening situations if the occupants are armed or paranoid.
“I've read that thieves will cut the strap and run off with it.
— r/travel
“In that instant, everything fell into place, and I had one of those classic my life flashed before me moments. Shit! I just accidentally tried to open someone else's door, and their first and only reaction was to shoot at the door.
— r/travel
“I'm guessing it was a very small hand gun. One easily concealable in a country like Vietnam, where it's very illegal to own firearms.
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
A / B / C / F · 220V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 113 / ambulance: 115 / fire: 114
Tipping
Tipping is not practised by the Vietnamese themselves and generally not expected, though tips will not be refused if offered. Some establishments which are used to serving Western tourists have come to expect tips, though it is still perfectly acceptable not to tip. In any case, the price quoted to you is often many times what locals will pay, so tipping can be considered unnecessary in most circu
SIM / Data
Mobile numbers in Vietnam must always be dialed with all 9 or 10 digits (including a "0" prefixing the "1nn" or "9nn" within Vietnam), no matter where they are being called from. The 1nn or 9nn is a mobile prefix, not an "area code", as such and the second and sometimes third digits (the nn part) denotes the original mobile network assigned. As is the case with most mobile numbers, they can also b
Cash vs. Card
Credit/debit cards are now accepted more and more around the country, especially where there is a lot of tourists present. Credit/debit card purchases are required by law to be charged in dong.
Zoom in
2 Vietnam cities on SKETCH.WORLD
Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.
Show the receipts (8 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- reddit — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09