Vietnam Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors: Best time to go & where to start

Happy New Year everyone! New year, new travel plans! I thought this is a perfect moment to start a new series about my homeland: Vietnam. Many of my international friends know Vietnam through the war, but Vietnam has much more to offer: diverse landscapes, from vibrant cities, lush mountainous landscape to coastal cities; incredible food; deep history, and a warmth that stays with you long after you leave.

Planning a trip to Vietnam can feel overwhelming. When is the best time to visit? Where should you go ? And how much time do you need? As a Vietnamese, I often see my international friends struggle with the same questions. In this post, I’ll share a practical, honest Vietnam travel guide: when to go, where to start, and how to plan a trip that fits your travel style.

Ha Long Bay - UNESCO World Heritage

Why visit Vietnam? Beyond war history and traffic chaos

Vietnam is a country full of contrast, shaped by its long, stretchy geography. From north to south, west to east, the landscape changes constantly: From the buzzing, vibrant cities to lush green landscape and rice fields. Travel a little further and suddenly you’re surrounded by the sea. The scenery and the rhythm of life shifts quickly, which makes traveling here feel constantly fresh.

Then there's food, a way to bring people together. In Vietnam we don't ask: How are you? We asked: Have you eaten yet? It is a simple question and may sound strange in other culture, but in Vietnam it shows care to people. Food is how love is shown. People assume Vietnamese food is spicy like in neighboring countries, but it’s actually incredibly fresh, balanced and deep flavoured. Dishes are built around fresh herbs and vegetables, gathered from gardens, mountains, and nearby ponds.

Eating in Vietnam is rarely a solo experience. Dishes are shared, tables are crowded, and time slows down. It’s very common to be invited into someone’s home for dinner, where dishes keep appearing and no one lets you leave hungry.

Hospitality here is effortless and sincere. You might stumble upon neighbors singing karaoke on the street, laughing loudly, inviting you to join. These moments that feel spontaneous, unplanned, and deeply human, despite language barriers.

Vietnam doesn’t just offer places to see. It offers moments to be part of.

When to visit Vietnam? Best time and when to avoid

Answer: It depends. Vietnam is long and narrow, which means the weather can be completely different between the North, Central, and South, sometimes on the same day. So instead of asking “When is the best time to visit Vietnam?”, a better question is:

Where do you want to go and what kind of trip do you want?

One quick rule of thumb before we dive in: the South is warm year-round, while the North has four real seasons (yes, it can get surprisingly cold in winter, temperature can drop to below 10 degrees in the mountainous areas like Sapa). Central Vietnam sits somewhere in between. Below is my honest take.

Mar – Apr – (early May)	Best overall. Not too hot, less rainy, and works well whether you’re doing cities, nature, or a mix in all regions. It is the spring season so you will see lot of blossoms in the north.
Jun – Jul – Aug	Expect high heat + humidity. In the South, this is also monsoon season (rain is often intense but can be short). I personally avoid travelling to Vietnam in the summer.
Sep - Oct	Transition months, softer weather but high chance of floods and typhoons, especially in the Central.
Nov – Dec	Dry, cooler, easy to travel
Jan - Feb	Cultural highlight, but closures and crowded, expensive transport cost due to Lunar New Year.

If you want to experience Tết (Lunar New Year), my suggestion is: arrive before Tết, travel a bit first, then stay in one place during the holiday and enjoy the atmosphere instead of rushing around.

Cherry blossom (typical flower for Lunar New Year). This signals spring has arrived!

Where to travel: Building your Vietnam itinerary

This is usually where people get overwhelmed. Vietnam looks small on the map, but traveling from north to south takes time. To properly travel the whole country, I would recommend 3 weeks.

So instead of asking “How do I see everything?”, a better starting point is:

Do you want cities or nature? Fast-paced or slow? One region, or squeeze everything in on go?

Each region has its own beauty. I’ll share a quick overview here, and we’ll deep-dive into each one in the next posts.

The North: Nature, culture and food

This is where you’ll find mountains, rice terraces, and the most dramatic seasonal changes. Traveling in the North requires patience, distances feel longer, especially on mountain roads, but the scenery is absolutely worth it.

And of course, we can’t talk about the North without mentioning Ha Noi — the heart of Vietnamese culture and one of the best food scenes in the country. A few highlights to visit in this region:

• Ha Noi, the capital of Vietnam

• Ha Giang: Beautiful moutain pass

• Sapa

• Ninh Binh

• Ha Long

  
  

Central Vietnam: Balance and ease

Once you move into Central Vietnam, it becomes much easier to combine history, food, and beaches even if you don’t have much time. Distances are shorter, and there are many residential cities where you can slow down, avoid the hassle, and really dive into local life.

At the same time, Central Vietnam is also home to some of the country’s most well-known historical and coastal destinations.

• Hue

• Da Nang & Hoi An

• Nha Trang

• Da Lat

The South: Energy and movement

The South is fast-paced and energetic. Food is diverse, bold, and constantly evolving, and it’s often the easiest introduction to Vietnam’s rhythm. You can mix busy city life with short trips to nearby nature, rivers, or beaches.

• Sai Gon (Ho Chi Minh city)

• Mekong Delta

• Phu Quoc island

As a Vietnamese, I’ve always felt the South can feel a bit closer to a Western lifestyle than the North and I think history plays a role in that. You might notice it in the city rhythm, the openness, and how people socialize. If you’re visiting Vietnam for the first time and want something that feels lively but easier to ease into, the South is a great starting point.

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My final recommendation

If this is your first trip,

• Pick max 2 regions to travel

• Choose 2–3 bases to stay

• Leave space for rest, wandering, and unexpected moments

You’ll enjoy it more and you’ll have a reason to come back.

So now you're sold, but what to expect day-to-day? In the next post, I’ll share what daily life in Vietnam actually feels like: the good, the chaotic, and the things guidebooks don’t tell you.