Welcome to Vietnam
Welcome to our blog series where we explore the incredible country of Vietnam! A place bursting with culture, history, and unforgettable scenery. Our journey through this country has been eye-opening, full of unexpected moments that made us see it in a whole new light.
It's not just about ticking off tourist spots. Vietnamβs energy, the kindness of its people, and the unique experiences weβve had along the way have made it a place we wonβt soon forget.
We started our journey in the south, and letβs just say it wasnβt quite what we expected at first. You know how people debate whether the north is better than the south? Well... weβll get into that as we go. All weβll say for now is that by the time we made it further north, our perspective shifted in ways we didnβt anticipate.
Stick around as we share our adventures, discoveries, and the surprises that Vietnam had in store for us!
Quick insights into Vietnam:
Capital city: Hanoi
Official Language: Vietnamese, but we noticed that English wasnβt widely spoken, especially in the south. It was a bit more common in the north, which helped us connect with locals as we travelled.
Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND). The Vietnamese Dong has one of the lowest values of any currency, so a meal costing about 50,000 VND is only around Β£1.50. Travel here, and you will become a millionaire, in Dong, of course!
Best time to visit: Spring (February to April) and Autumn (September to November), avoid visiting during the peak of the rainy season unless you're up for unpredictable weather!
Packing Essentials: Phone with offline Google Translate and a small pouch wallet to keep your cash organised.
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Top 5 Best Cities To Visit In Vietnam
Looking for the best cities to visit in Vietnam? From the picturesque streets of Hoi An to a stunning waterfall in Phu Quoc, thereβs a city for every kind of traveller. Curious about where to go in Vietnam? Keep reading to find out the top 5 cities you canβt miss!
Vietnam is an absolute dream destination, and picking where to visit can be tricky because itβs all amazing! After exploring this incredible country, weβve rounded up five of our favourite spots to help you plan your ultimate Vietnamese adventure. Whether you're into lantern-lit streets, caving, or just living up the beach vibes, these places are sure to leave you impressed.
1. Hoi An β A Charming Town Frozen In Time
Hoi An is one of those places that feels like itβs straight out of a fairytale. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, itβs a must-visit for its well-preserved ancient town and romantic riverside vibes. Famous for its lantern-lit streets and vibrant markets, youβre sure to fall in love with this city.
Donβt Miss:
Walking through the Old Town at night, illuminated by thousands of colourful lanterns.
Trying authentic Vietnamese dishes at the street food markets.
Taking a peaceful boat ride along the Thu Bon River and release a lantern into the water, a tradition said to bring good luck.
Why We Love It:
Hoi An is a mix of chilled-out beach vibes and a lively old town packed with charm. Itβs the perfect spot to slow down and enjoy the beauty of Vietnam.
2. Ninh Binh β Vietnamβs Hidden Gem
Imagine dramatic limestone cliffs, peaceful rivers, and beautiful greenery everywhere you look. Thatβs Ninh Binh for you. Itβs like Halong Bay, but on land and with way fewer tourists.
Donβt Miss:
Rowing through the otherworldly landscapes of Trang An or Tam Coc.
Hiking up to Hang Mua for epic views.
Checking out the ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda.
Why We Love It:
Ninh Binh is peaceful, stunning, and feels like a secret slice of heaven. Plus, itβs perfect if you want those dreamy Insta shots without as large crowds as youβd get in Halong Bay.
As we journey through Vietnam's top cities, staying connected is a must, whether it's navigating new streets, sharing your adventures, or just finding the best street food spots. Thatβs where iRoamly comes in to the rescue! Their travel eSIMs make it so easy to have fast and reliable data without any hassle.
If youβre planning your own Vietnamese adventure, we highly recommend giving iRoamly a go. Use our code iRoamlyCarma for 5% OFF your next travel eSIM and enjoy uninterrupted adventures!
3. Phu Quoc β Island Life At Its Best
Looking for white sandy beaches, turquoise waters, and a tropical vibe? Say hello to Phu Quoc. This island paradise is the ultimate spot to relax and work on that tan.
Donβt Miss:
Chilling at BΓ£i tαΊ―m Khem beach, itβs next-level stunning.
Take a short hike through the tropical forest to Suoi Tranh Waterfall, perfect for a refreshing dip or a quiet picnic.
Taking a ride on the Hon Thom cable car (longest cable car in the world!).
Why We Love It:
Itβs like a little slice of Bali but quieter and still super affordable. Phu Quoc is ideal for couples looking to mix adventure and pure relaxation.
4. Dα»ng VΔn (Phong Nha) β Cave Adventures Await
If adventure is your vibe, Dα»ng VΔn is your gateway to the epic Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. This place is all about insane caves, dense jungles, and untouched wildlife.
Donβt Miss:
Exploring the epic Son Doong Cave (itβs the biggest in the world, but you gotta have the budget).
Cycling through the peaceful town of Phong Nha.
Going on an fun but adventurous day at the Dark Cave, trust us, itβs worth it.
Why We Love It:
This is where the real adventure happens. Plus, Dα»ng VΔn is a wonderful city and beautifully located for your Phong Nha explorations.
5. Sapa β Rice Terraces And Mountain Paradise
Sapa is like stepping into a postcard. Itβs all rolling hills, epic rice terraces, and cool mountain air. If you love trekking and gorgeous views, this is your spot.
Donβt Miss:
Trekking through the Muong Hoa Valley, itβs unreal.
Visiting hill tribe villages and learning about local cultures.
Taking the cable car to Fansipan (the highest peak in Indochina!).
Why We Love It:
Sapa is peaceful, gorgeous, and gives you a glimpse into rural Vietnam. Itβs the perfect break from the crowded cities.
Which City Will You Explore First?
Vietnam has so much to offer, but these five cities (and their surroundings) are absolute must-visits. Whether youβre here for the beaches, mountains, or cultural gems, youβll find something unforgettable.
So, whatβs your favourite Vietnamese city? Let us know in the comments or tag us in your adventures, weβd love to see where your travels take you!
We hope you have an incredible time in Vietnam, see you in the next one. πβοΈ
Enjoyed this blog? Donβt forget to like, share and leave a comment!
Our Vietnam Videos
Best Way to Spend 24 Hours in Phu Quoc | Phu Quoc Island Water Park π»π³
We Didn't Expect This on Our First Day in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam π»π³
A Day in Vietnamβs Most Beautiful City: Hoi An π»π³
We Spent 12 Hours With Vietnamβs Largest Tribe: The Black Hmong
What is Like to Travel Around Phu Quoc Island by Motorbike π»π³ (Best Day in Vietnam)
Trying to Spend $10 in the World's Cheapest Country (We Were Shocked)
We Couldn't Believe What Happened to Us in Vietnam (Luck is NOT on our Side!)
BA NA HILLS DOESN'T WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS SECRET π»π³ (Golden Bridge, Da Nang)
SLEEPER TRAIN from Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang π»π³ What are Overnight Train's in Vietnam Like?
Staying at Phu Quoc's BEST Resort CHANGED OUR LIFE π»π³
It's the MOST EXPENSIVE Hotel We've Stayed in Vietnam (It Was a Surprise)
These Two Places Near Da Nang Changed Our Opinion on Vietnam π»π³
We Were WRONG About Beaches in Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam π»π³
NINH BINH π»π³ We Will NEVER Forget The MOST BEAUTIFUL City in Vietnam
TRANG AN, NINH BINH: WE CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS VIETNAM π»π³
Everything You Should Know Before Visiting Sapa, Vietnam π»π³
BEST Things To Do in Vietnam π»π³ Exploring the Phong Nha Cave System
An Apartment Booking Scam In Hanoi
Our Hanoi apartment booking nightmare β we thought weβd booked a chill, hassle-free apartment in Hanoi, but ended up caught in one of the cityβs classic booking scams, with unexpected costs, and Booking.com's surprising lack of accountability. Read on to learn from our experience and help other travellers avoid the same trap!
Our trip to Hanoi was supposed to be simple: arrive, check into our apartment, relax, and catch up on laundry after days of travel. But what happened instead was a storm of stress and frustration that left us exhausted and with a hole in our pockets. This isnβt just about the hassle we faced that night. Itβs about the weeks of trying to get answers after our trust in Booking.com completely fell apart.
Booking No. 1: Plumbing Problems And The Start Of Our Nightmare
After an amazing day exploring Ha Long Bay, we were excited to check into Sumitomo19 Serviced Apartments in Hanoi. But just around lunchtime on check-in day, we received a concerning message about βplumbing issuesβ. They offered a few alternatives, but none met our needs, particularly our preference for natural light. When we requested a cancellation, they promised to handle it βthe next day,β which immediately raised red flags. So, we started looking up potential scams in Hanoi and through research, we found out that this βplumbing issuesβ story is often a scam as hosts say theyβll cancel but then report a βno-show,β leaving you responsible for the full payment, which is part of the cancellation/ no-show policy. Having no luck resolving directly with the host as they were hostile (pun intended) and to avoid losing our money, we called Booking.comβs priority team, who assured us theyβd handle the cancellation within 30β45 minutes if the property didnβt respond. We waited, and waited, but the cancellation never came.
Booking No. 2: The Luxe Paradise That Was Anything But Luxe
After 60 minutes with no response, we had to find another place quickly. We secured an apartment at Luxe Paradise Residence on 535 Kim Ma, with confirmation and directions from the host. But when we arrived, we realised the listing was deceptive (pictures to follow). Instead of the bright one-bedroom apartment weβd booked, we were walking into a dark, windowless stuffy and mouldy ground-floor studio. There was even a back door that didnβt close properly, and our βviewβ was the pavement. Contacting the host didnβt help as they insisted that the ground-floor studio was our only option, so we had no choice but to leave and sit on the curb whilst dialling Booking.comβs support. Again.
Luxe Kimβs Bold Claims And Unanswered Questions
The situation with Luxe Paradise got even more frustrating not only because we could only communicate with the host by WhatsApp as they would not bother showing up to try and resolve the situation, but also when the host had the audacity to claim they made a mistake with our booking. If they had warned us that the apartment we booked was unavailable we would have looked for an alternative, instead we arrived to the place and it wasnβt until we complained that they admitted to the apartment not being available. Yet, while we were waiting for Booking.com to return our calls, we checked their platform and saw that the one-bedroom apartment we had booked still showed three available, which clearly was impossible. Despite providing screenshots as proof, Booking.com didnβt hold Luxe Kim accountable for this blatantly false advertisement.
The first 7 images below show what we were provided with when we arrived, and you can compare them with the remaining pictures of the 1-bedroom apartment we booked. Pretty hard to make a mistake and get the bookings confused, letβs be honest.
The Never-Ending Booking.com β30-Minute Waitsβ
At around 9 p.m., we called Booking.comβs priority support. The team tried calling the host, who strangely enough was unresponsive despite active WhatsApp messages to us. Booking.com said theyβd email the host, giving them another 30β45 minutes to respond, otherwise theyβd face consequences. So, we waited in the street, in the dark, dodging mosquitoes, and still, no resolution came. The so-called βpriority supportβ felt like a revolving door of agents asking the same questions over and over. There was no dedicated email for our issue, no assigned agent, just a new rep each time who seemed completely clueless. After an hour and a half of waiting on the street, we were still without a solution.
Waiting In The Dark: Our Night Of Frustration With Booking.com
At 10:17 p.m., after yet another dead-end conversation, we were exhausted and pretty angry. The latest agent promised theyβd send one last email, and call us back within 30 minutes. In the meantime as we discussed with the agent we would look for an alternative place to stay and thatβs when we found Marigold Hotel, which met our standards. It was clean, with breakfast included, and rated over 8 stars by guests, so we called Booking.com back since we hadnβt received any updates. We spoke with an agent who guaranteed that after another 30 minutes, where they would try ONE LAST TIME to contact Luxe Paradise, we could go ahead and book another hotel and submit receipts after our stay at Marigold to be compensated for our financial troubles and the huge inconvenience caused by the false advertisement (we have this conversation recorded). The agent even mentioned that after those 30 minutes, Booking.com would cancel the reservation from their end. You can probably guess how this turned out. Absolutely nothing happened!
With the clock ticking, we decided to book the hotel and taxi and stop getting played around by Booking and the host. It was already midnight, and we just wanted to sleep. We were lucky to check in at Marigold, because when we arrived, the gates were shut and locked tight with a chain! Thankfully, the security guard woke up and let us in.
Ghosted By Booking.com: The Ongoing Battle For Compensation
Weeks later, we are still waiting for a resolution. We sent countless messages to Booking.com, asking for the promised compensation for our new hotel booking, taxi fare, and even our laundry. But all we get are automated, generic responses from random agents. Despite explaining our situation multiple times, thereβs been zero accountability from Booking.com.
It feels like theyβre intentionally disregarding us. As frequent users of their service for almost all our bookings, weβve never faced such a headache before. This time, it feels like theyβre actively ignoring our issue and failing to provide even basic support. With no other option, weβre now seriously considering legal action. Even though we did not get charged the cancellation fee for either of the properties, we are not only fighting for our promised compensation but to hold Booking.com accountable for allowing shady practices on their platform.
At this point, itβs not even about the money. Itβs about the fact that weβre stuck dealing with the consequences of Booking.com not properly vetting the companies and individuals who host on their platform. Owners like Luxe Kim seem to get away with this stuff while weβre left to deal with the fallout.
Booking.com Support: A Disappointing Experience
Booking.comβs support system is a mess, every message goes to a different agent, every phone call leads to someone new, and no one seems to read the notes in full. Thereβs a complete lack of ownership; it feels like no one is truly assigned to our case, making us start from scratch each time. The absurdity of having to explain this whole story repeatedly has been beyond frustrating. In addition, we noticed that on the phone, the Booking agents will sweet talk you into feeling like they are on the case and will help you no matter what, but as soon as you hang up, itβs like the conversation never happened and you will never speak to the same person again. The messages on the app are even worse, no true support and they ended up deleting our chat where we explained everything multiple times.
What This Accommodation Nightmare Really Cost Us
After we moved, we ended up with extra charges, like taxi fares and laundry costs. We were looking to get reimbursed for a total of VND 3,908,419 (~Β£120.28). We sent over all the invoices for these added expenses as requested, expecting that Booking.com would fulfil their guarantee and take responsibility for the misleading listings that caused this mess. Honestly, if we hadnβt been promised compensation by the booking agent, we mightβve just stayed the night in that falsely advertised place. The host claimed we could switch to the one-bedroom apartment the next day. I wouldβve loved to see that, but who knowsmaybe that apartment was another huge letdown, or it didnβt even exist at all. I guess weβll never know! If we hadnβt been forced into wasting over three hours waiting around for the so-called support team, we wouldnβt have been penalised with a last-minute booking for a new hotel, which obviously came with surged prices at that time.
For all our troubles, weβre seeking a reimbursement of VND 3,908,419 (~Β£120.28) to cover:
Last minute booking of 4 nights at Marigold Hotel
Taxi fare from Luxe Paradise to Marigold
Laundry costs since we needed the apartment to wash our clothes in the first place and laundry at hotels are way more expensive
Do you think this is fair? We'd be interested to hear your opinion in the comments!
Things Weβve Learnt From This Nightmare
Skip the Apartments in Hanoi: Honestly, just avoid them. They can end up being a bigger headache than theyβre worth, and youβll probably be left wishing youβd chosen a different spot.
Donβt Get Fooled by High Ratings: Just because a place has a bunch of stars doesnβt mean itβs all that great. Some listings look fab but end up being major letdowns in reality.
Word of Caution on Ratings: We are travelling full-time now and noticed that some people can be super picky with their reviews. Weβve seen people give low ratings just because it rained during their stay! Seriously, how is that fair? So, make sure you read the reasons behind any low ratings, context is key.
Low Reviews Are Your New Best Friend: When searching for somewhere to stay, try filtering by the lowest reviews. Those lower scores can give you a clue on what to expect, the more recent the more helpful it will be.
No Reviews? Red Flag!: If a place has zero reviews, thatβs usually not a good sign. You probably donβt want to be the first one to test the waters.
Canβt Find It on the Map?: If youβre struggling to find a place on Google Maps, thatβs usually a big warning sign. It might not be as great as it looks, or it could be hiding something.
Big Cities Are Scam Central: We learned the hard way that scams tend to pop up more in busy cities like Hanoi compared to smaller towns.
Check for Recent Reviews: Look for the latest guest reviews, theyβll give you the freshest perspective on what to expect.
Share the Love (or the Horror Stories): Finally, donβt keep your travel narratives to yourself! Share your experiences with other travellers here so they can learn from your ups and downs.
A Message To Booking.com And Fellow Travellers
As full-time travellers and affiliates, weβve always relied on Booking.com for our trips. But after this experience, weβre left questioning that trust. Itβs not just about getting our money back, itβs about the principle. We feel let down by a platform that allows these types of misleading listings and scams to thrive without proper vetting of properties or accountability for their owners.
Our experience really shows how badly we need better processes and protections for customers. Booking.com has a responsibility to vet the properties they promote and they need to step up and take a closer look at how they manage their listings and support their users. False advertising shouldnβt be allowed, and itβs frustrating to see places like Luxe Paradise getting away with it while travellers like us end up suffering.
To all our fellow travellers, take our story as a heads-up! Always double-check those reviews, keep records and evidence, and be cautious about last-minute changes. Donβt get caught out by a few shiny reviews, do your homework before hitting that βbook nowβ button. And if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, donβt hesitate to push for what you deserve.
Weβre not just standing up for ourselves; weβre advocating for everyone who deserves better treatment while exploring the world. This is not the kind of service we should be accepting from a company weβve put our faith in. Letβs hold them accountable together!
Enjoyed this blog? Donβt forget to like, share and leave a comment!
Our Vietnam Videos
Best Way to Spend 24 Hours in Phu Quoc | Phu Quoc Island Water Park π»π³
We Didn't Expect This on Our First Day in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam π»π³
A Day in Vietnamβs Most Beautiful City: Hoi An π»π³
We Spent 12 Hours With Vietnamβs Largest Tribe: The Black Hmong
What is Like to Travel Around Phu Quoc Island by Motorbike π»π³ (Best Day in Vietnam)
Trying to Spend $10 in the World's Cheapest Country (We Were Shocked)
We Couldn't Believe What Happened to Us in Vietnam (Luck is NOT on our Side!)
BA NA HILLS DOESN'T WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS SECRET π»π³ (Golden Bridge, Da Nang)
SLEEPER TRAIN from Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang π»π³ What are Overnight Train's in Vietnam Like?
Staying at Phu Quoc's BEST Resort CHANGED OUR LIFE π»π³
It's the MOST EXPENSIVE Hotel We've Stayed in Vietnam (It Was a Surprise)
These Two Places Near Da Nang Changed Our Opinion on Vietnam π»π³
We Were WRONG About Beaches in Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam π»π³
NINH BINH π»π³ We Will NEVER Forget The MOST BEAUTIFUL City in Vietnam
TRANG AN, NINH BINH: WE CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS VIETNAM π»π³
Everything You Should Know Before Visiting Sapa, Vietnam π»π³
BEST Things To Do in Vietnam π»π³ Exploring the Phong Nha Cave System