Family travel Vietnam: From the hills to the beaches and megacities.

Family travel in Vietnam is ideal. It’s exciting and different enough without feeling too far off the main tourist trail.

And Vietnam is huge! We knew that a month in Vietnam would give us a chance to really explore different parts of the country and culture, and were particularly excited by two parts in particular: meeting up with the grandmothers in Hanoi, and taking on the challenge of trekking with the kids in the hills of Sapa.

Here is everything you need to know for family travel in Vietnam.

• Family travel in Vietnam
• Visas
• Best time to visit
• Money
• SIM cards
• Ho Chi Minh
• Hanoi
• Hoi An
• Nha Trang
• Ha Long Bay
• Sa Pa
• Transport in Vietnam
• Accommodation

Family travel to Vietnam 

As a family travel destination Vietnam seems to have it all.  There are mountains for adventure seekers and beautiful beaches to relax on.  There are bustling iconic Asian markets and food that will have you wanting to try more – and more!  

It is an easy destination on the budget.  And Vietnamese people LOVE kids!

We had a fantastic month of family travel in Vietnam and rate Vietnam up there as one of our favourite destinations in Southeast Asia. 

Visa for Vietnam

Most nationalities need a visa for travel in Vietnam.  This includes travellers from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the USA and most of Europe.  However it is relatively straightforward to apply for an e-Visa for Vietnam. 

• Note: You can no longer obtain a Visa on Arrival (VOA).  If you need a Vietnam visa you need to have it before you travel. 

A single-entry e-Visa is available for 80 nationalities for stays of up to 30 days. 

The e-Visa costs USD $25. 

You can apply online for a visa approval letter.  You need to print the letter and take it with you on arrival to immigration in Vietnam.  

Apply for your visa from the Vietnam immigration website.

• Note: Some nationalities are exempt from obtaining a visa to visit Vietnam for stays of up to 15 days. Travellers from France, UK, Germany, Spain and Italy are exempt. 

Always check current visa requirements before traveling. 

Best time to visit Vietnam

There really is no wrong time to visit Vietnam!  Albeit the country is huge.  But it has a tropical monsoon climate which makes it ideal for family travel to Vietnam throughout most of the year.

There are two main monsoon seasons with the south monsoon from May to September and the Northeast monsoon October to April.  

So ultimately, deciding on the best time visit Vietnam depends on which part of the country you want to visit.  

For the north of Vietnam – Hanoi, Ha Long and Sapa – the best time to visit is from October to April when the weather is cooler and less humid.  (This is the best time for trekking!). 

Central Vietnam – Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An – is best from February to May when the rainfall is minimal and temperatures are warm without being too hot. 

In the South of Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong – is best for travel from December to April which avoids the monsoon season and showcases the best of Vietnams tropical climate. 

Currency, money and ATMs in Vietnam 

The currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese dong (code VND).

It is a currency with a LOT of zeros.  And because of inflation there are no coins in Vietnam anymore.

• Tip: Bank notes come in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10.000, 20.000, 50.000, 100.000, 200.000, and 500.000.

Mainstream hotels, large supermarkets and most tour operators will accept payment by foreign cards.  However, most tour operators charge 2-4% commission for payment by credit card. 

Smaller supermarket and markets operate on a cash-only basis. 

In the cities in Vietnam ATMs are plentiful.  The maximum withdrawal amount on ATM is between 2-5 million VND. 

• Tip: TpBank and VPBank are the most common ATMs to use in Vietnam. 

Getting a tourist SIM card in Vietnam

There are 3 main SIM Card providers in Vietnam:

• Viettel
• Vinaphone
• Mobifone

There are literally thousands of shops, local stores, and kiosks to purchase a tourist SIM card in Vietnam.   Some hotels in the larger cities even offer tourist SIM cards.  

However, the best place to purchase a Vietnamese SIM card is on arrival at the airport or at one of the official stores of the SIM network provider. 

It is easy to top up your prepaid tourist SIM card for Vietnam at any of the small kiosks and convenience stores all over the country. 

Ho Chi Minh City – Family travel to Vietnam

We had three days in Ho Chi Minh City which is a great – albeit B-U-S-Y – city to start for family travel in Vietnam.

There is much to see in HCMC (see below) but a highlight for us was a day trip on a tour to Cai Be and the Mekong River.

Cai Be and a day trip to the Mekong River

We booked a small group Mekong Delta tour to Cai Be and the surrounding villages via our hotel in Ho Chi Minh.

It was a fantastic day out!

We cycled along the riverside on the Mekong feeder rivers, and all cooked our own Bánh xèo pancakes for lunch. Highlights (aside from the food) was definitely the wet-market and floating river fruit stalls.

Walking through a new marketplace as a family traveling in Vietnam creates quite a commotion…

All the locals start smiling, pointing, beckoning, and calling out to two little blonde boys! Harry didn’t mind and was welcomed by the fishmonger who showed him his entire catch.

And Oscar, well he is still cross with me six hours later because I didn’t buy him any chicken legs or frogs…

Other things to do in Ho Chi Minh City 

In one of the busiest cities in Southeast Asia there is lots to explore!  

Arriving in HCMC is definitely a shock to the senses but a great start to leap into the adventure of family travel in Vietnam.

We really enjoyed a day trip to the Mekong River and recommend that as a great day out with kids. But there are lots of other sights to keep you busy with kids in Ho Chi Minh City!

• Ben Thanh Market: A timeless marketplace – BUSY – but an adventure in HCMC with kids. The market sells everything and has a delicious street food section.
• Notre Dame Cathedral: HCMC has its own Notre Dame! The twin-spired Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception dominates Dong Khoi Street; an otherwise peaceful oasis in the busy downtown area. It took nearly two decades to build from 1863 to 1880.
• Saigon Post Office: Opposite the cathedral is the general post office.  You can visit inside and check out the rows of Victorian era wooden phone booths, historic maps on the walls, and a huge portrait of Ho Chi Minh. 
• Chu Chi Tunnels: The Cu Chi District has over 250km of tunnels used by the Viet Cong to evade American and South Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War. 

Nha Trang – Family travel in Vietnam

Nha Trang is the most popular beach destination in Vietnam.

The city has a coastline of six kilometres that makes it popular for island hopping, diving, swimming or relaxing on the beach enjoying the sunshine and beautiful sunset. 

We didn’t quite know what to expect from Nha Trang as a destination for family travel in Vietnam but it was another great destination to ease us into Vietnamese culture and cuisine. (If ‘ease’ is the right word?). Easier than HCMC with kids perhaps!

Roadside stalls and ‘pho’ restaurants in Nha Trang

Pho is a Vietnamese soup and popular street food, consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat – usually beef or chicken.

It was a perfect introduction into Vietnamese cuisine for the kids as its gentle flavour is less overwhelming than some dishes (eg. chickens feet!). It ended up being Harry’s favourite dish of Vietnam!

Things to do in Nha Trang

• Nha Trang Markets: The city is full of bustling day and night markets with delicious Vietnamese street food and all kinds of wares for sale. 
• Nha Trang Beaches: The most famous beaches are Jungle Beach, Doc Let Beach, Nhu Tien Beach and Bai Dai Beach.
• Island Trip: Island hopping is one of the best things to do in Nha Trang with 19 islands to visit. The most famous are Mieu Island, Mun Island, Tam Island, Tre Island and Monkey Island.
• Ba Ho Waterfall: Three waterfalls on an easy walking track only 20 kilometres from Nha Trang. 
• Long Son Pagoda: A beautiful Buddhist temple and one of the main attractions of Nha Trang. 

There is something about the roadside tables and little plastic stools that give Southeast Asia a big part of the colours of the evening as the town comes to life! 

Hoi An – Family travel in Vietnam

We were slightly deterred by stories of tourist numbers in central Hoi An and knew we didn’t want to stay right in town for this reason.

Instead, we found a great little AirBnB on the riverside in Cam An and ended up spending a fantastic week hosted by a Vietnamese family with children a similar age to ours.

They took us crabbing one morning with their kids, and by sunrise we were there. We had a hilarious time trying to catch the little sand crabs, coaxing them out of the holes with a long piece of grass!

We borrowed bicycles and rode around the rice fields every afternoon exploring different lanes and paths through the villages.

About Hoi An and the kindness of strangers

On our second day in Hoi An we met Mai as we were riding through the rice paddies.

She and her husband invited us to their home, and took us back into the old city where we shared an amazing meal of real Vietnamese food.

We couldn’t communicate more than a few words of English. But with the help of Google translate we had one of the most memorable travel moments of our journey!

And Hoi An was definitely a memorable little town for people-meeting. Even down to the same friendly vendors each morning at the markets. It felt strangely normal each morning to hop on my bicycle with a small passenger and set off to buy fruit and veges for the day!

Some mornings we gave the boys 40,000VND (NZD$2.00) and let them go off to buy their favourite fruits. The markets here were small and they were happy and confident navigating with a bit more independence!

It may be that Hoi An is a popular tourist destination for international travellers. And albeit it does feel overwhelmingly filled with selfie-takers and Instagram photoshoots. But there is no doubt about it that it is a great destination for family travel in Vietnam.

Other things to do in Hoi An 

Hoi An and neighbouring Cam An is definitely a highlight of family travel in Vietnam.

There is plenty to do in both towns and lots of highlights that are great for travel in Vietnam with kids.

• Wander the old streets: This is what Hoi An is famous for! Take in all the beautiful yellow hues and river in the daytime and night.
• Quan Cong Temple: This stands out against the yellow buildings showing the influence of Chinese heritage in Hoi An. 
• Japanese Bridge: This is one of the iconic sights of Hoi An built in the late 16^th century. 
• Hoi A Night Market: Admire the glowing lanterns and get your fill of Vietnamese street food. This is a hit with kids and taste-wise a great way to introduce an exciting side of family travel in Vietnam!

Hanoi – Family travel in Vietnam

We were two months deep in full-time family travel ourselves. But both Gavin and I were about as excited as our child-selves with the arrival of both grandmothers, flying in to Hanoi to travel with us for a week!

Hanoi was a busy but great choice for a first destination to share extended family travel in Vietnam.

Other things to do in Hanoi 

A highlight of our extended family travel in Vietnam was the chance to explore Hanoi with the boys and grandmothers too!

In particular we enjoyed visiting the many markets, Hanoi Train Street and the water puppet theatre.

• Train Street: Situated between Le Duan and Kham Tien street in Hanoi’s Old Quarter this is a must-see in Hanoi. 
• Old Quarter: Comprised of 36 streets, this area has been home to artisans and craftsmen since the 15^thCentury.  Each street is named after the specific trade – from silver street to bamboo street, silk street to decoration street. 
• Water Puppet Theatre: Dating back to the 11th century, this is a unique evening out and insight into Vietnamese folklore. 
• Hoan Kiem Lake: Take a wander and watch locals practicing their daily exercise and Tai Chi routines in the gardens by the water’s edge.  
• Saint Joseph’s Cathedral: Also known as Hanoi Cathedral this was built on the site of the  Bao Thien Tower, the most famous landmark in the capital during the Ly Dynasty. 

Halong Bay

We did two trips in Halong Bay and loved it with the kids (and grandmothers). Ha Long Bay is on every Vietnamese brochure, but with good reason. It is a brilliant spot for family travel in Vietnam.

The first trip was a half day trip with our Mum’s and both boys. And then a seperate overnight trip for just Gavin and I (while the grandmothers babysat!).

• Tip: We booked our tours through Indochina Junk and they were great.

The tour even organised transport for us to and from Hanoi for both a day before the tours and for the day after our second one.

Other things to do in Ha Long Bay with kids

In Halong City we enjoyed the wet markets. We spent multiple visits discovering new aisles of sea creatures and stocking up on fruit to try and vegetables to cook in our apartment.

• Ha Long Bai Chay Market: A great insight into local culture with all the excitement and bustle of a typical South East Asian market. 
• Floating Fishing Villages: Fishing has long been a key livelihood for locals around Ha Long Bay. To stay close to their fishing stocks, generations of fishermen have built large floating villages in the bays. 
• Kayaking: Bai Tu Long Bay is a great option to explore by kayak with far less of the cruise boat traffic than Ha Long Bay gets daily. 
• Ti Top Island: Vang Trang Beach is Ti Top Island’s key attraction with water-sports facilities, swim gear rental, and a bar. You can go kayaking and parasailing around the island or climb 400 steps up to the top of Ti Top Mountain to enjoy the stunning view of the bay.

Sa Pa – Family travel in Vietnam

Sa Pa is a town in the Hoang Lien Son Mountains of northwestern Vietnam. It is most popular as a trekking base. And the town itself has beautiful views overlooking the terraced rice fields of the Muong Hoa Valley.

We wanted to try something different during our travels in Vietnam and booked a trek to do in the hills of Sapa.

I think we stood out as four rather overexcited, un-train-educated New Zealanders boarding the night train for Northern Vietnam!

I’m freely admitting our experience with the language of carriages, platforms, and sleeper berths is about as developed as our Vietnamese(!). But we muddled/navigated the railway station and were excitedly on our way to the north of Vietnam to go trekking in Sapa with the kids.

In Sapa, we spent two days trekking; choosing mid-range level tracks that challenged little legs just enough but meant they could complete each days walk with a huge sense of pride.

• Tip: We booked a trek through Sapa Sisters, and can’t recommend them enough!

We stayed the night at our guides house in one of the Hmong villages that dot the landscape and surrounding hills. And we all have fond memories of the kids spending the evening playing with the local children, hunting for tadpoles in the flooded rice fields!

Perhaps my parenting emotions were heightened up in the clouds, and my post-trek muscles may or may not have been secretly sore. But I felt so proud of these two little boys, trekking like troupers.

Other things to do in Sapa 

As well as trekking in Sapa with kids it is a unique place to explore in Vietnam. Plus it comes with the added altitude and slower (much) pace of life compared to the bustling megacities of the country!

• Fansipan Cable Car: Admire the views of the rice terraces and mountainous landscape from the cable car on Fanxipan Road. 
• Cat Cat Village: One of the oldest villages in Sapa region and home of the H’mong ethnic group.  See their amazing traditional practices of linen and cotton production and weaving. 
• Thac Bac Silver Waterfall: Only 12km from Sapa town centre and a short, easy walk to the beautiful Silver Waterfall. 
• Eat Vietnamese: And enjoy a beer above the clouds in Sapa!

One challenge in Vietnam?

No major challenges in particular (if you don’t count the challenge of finding coffee and/or milk that doesn’t already have sugar in it!).

But THIS, is a photo to remember the moment where, in the market meat section, Oscar stepped right into the drain full of guts…

Yup, the offal drain. 

Toes, shoe, foot, ankle; which he was totally unphased by (more interested in moving on to pick up a squid).

Some of the very kind stall vendors helped me scoop him up and ushered us through the pitch dark hallways (no power) to the toilet right at the back of the markets, and helped me wash his feet off.

Definitely one to top off our family travel in Vietnam memories!

Getting around Vietnam with kids

Transport around the country is one of those necessities turned adventure for family travel in Vietnam.

We enjoyed the adventure of the overnight train to Sapa. And we even got (almost) used to the chaos of seven million motorbikes in Ho Chi Minh City.

We had booked ahead to arrange transport to and from Halong Bay, and otherwise flew with domestic airlines between HCMC, Nha Trang and Da Nang. [My original plan was to overnight train between each of those. However, the pracitclaties of a late night boarding time, and pre-dawn arrival made it less appealing with the kids in tow, and more sense financially this time to grab the cheap flights].

Spot Gavin, being the first in the family to trial one of the Grab motorbike taxis around Ho Chi Minh. (Off on a very important errand to find a supermarket or minimart. One with some kind of recognisable and unsweetened coffee!).

How to get to Vietnam 

Vietnam has three main international airports at Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. There are also direct international flights to Nha Trang and Phu Quoc.

Popular connections traveling to Vietnam from Australia or New Zealand through Asia include Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Taipei, Seoul, and Hong Kong.  Traveling from Europe, Vietnam Airlines has direct flights to Paris and Frankfurt. 

Accommodation for family travel in Vietnam

Here is where we stayed in Vietnam.

• Ho Chi Minh City: Kiera Hotel [HCMC is BUSY! Good location, close to restaurants/convenience store].
• Nah Trang: AirBnB [we ended up on the 44th floor!].
• Hoi An/Cam An: AirBnB [the perfect location for us! Close to the river, beach, markets, convenience store, and rice fields. Thuong and her family welcomed us entirely into their home and shared all kinds of different experiences with us. Highly recommend as a base to explore Hoi An and surrounds]. This is one of our favourite places to recommend.
• Hanoi: Silk Queen Hotel[central location, spacious deluxe room, rooftop pool, huge breakfast].
• Hanoi: Hanoi Pho Hotel [great budget hotel; basic breakfast; 100m from train street. Five minutes walk to downtown Hanoi; one minute to convenience stores. Def request room with window! We stayed 4 nights].
• Sapa: Charming Sapa Hotel [great value; friendly staff; early check in; 10 minutes walk to centre of Sapa].

More useful links for your travels in Asia and beyond…

These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel. 

• Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally. 
• Hostelworld– The largest inventory of hostel accommodation in the world. 
• Skyscanner– This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.  
• GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
• SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country. 
• World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). 

Read more about travel in Asia

• The ultimate travel guide for Japan with kids.
• Fushimi Inari Shrine: Walking up Mount Inari.
• Taiwan with kids: A complete Travel Guide.
• Visiting Taroko Gorge, Taiwan.
• Taiwanese food: The real deal traveling in Taiwan.
• Visiting Busan’s Jagalchi Market, South Korea.
• Hong Kong: Mount Davis (accidentally) and the Monster Building.