Mistakes I made visiting Vietnam for the first time

I spent almost three weeks traveling through Vietnam and loved the landscapes, food, and friendly people, but I also made a handful of mistakes that could have been avoided with a bit more planning. I didn’t learn enough about local customs before I left. I didn’t realize pointing with a finger is seen as impolite and that people often gesture with the whole hand, and I wish I had learned a few basic Vietnamese phrases to show respect and make simple interactions easier.

I tried to fit too many stops into one trip. I thought nearly three weeks would be enough to see Hanoi, Hạ Long Bay, Hội An, Ho Chi Minh City, and other places, but Vietnam is deceptively large; long journeys, from a 16-hour overnight train to full-day bus trips, ate up a lot of time.

Next time I would concentrate on a few regions and spend more time in each. I also packed poorly for varying climates and wasn’t prepared for how much I’d sweat, so I needed more breathable fabrics, layers, and extra outfits.

Vietnam, Hanoi; Ha Long Bay; Hoi An; Ho Chi Minh City

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