Is Vietnam Safe To Travel?

Vietnam is gradually gaining its position as one of the most popular destination for foreign travelers. Vietnam is famous for beautiful sceneries, delicious food, colorful history, as well as the low prices for services and products. However, due to its growing facilities and infrastructure and a communist political structure, certain visitors have their safety concerns before visiting the country. This blog post answers most of the frequently asked questions about safety in Vietnam so that you can travel confidently and enjoy your trip!

Is Vietnam Safe for Foreign Tourists?

In general, Vietnam is considered to be safe for tourists and guests. The official website of the UK government described most visits to Vietnam as ‘’trouble-free’’ and noted that there were extremely low rates of violent crimes against foreigners. As with any new destination, just using common sense on personal safety and belongings security while traveling will be useful in Vietnam. The violent crime rate is roughly similar to this of other countries in Southeast Asia including Thailand where the common incidents of thuggery like thefts include snatching items on bikes in towns and cities as opposed to actual attacks on foreigners.

The following cross-tabulation shows the population’s perception of whether the infrastructure is reliable for travelers or not.

Vietnam is a developing country and therefore individuals should not expect modern infrastructure as seen in the developed countries. Nonetheless, tourism plays a vital role in Vietnam’s economy; therefore, the government consistently invests in improving infrastructure, amenities, and attractions for tourists. They are well provided with plumbing, electricity, WiFi networks, and roads especially in the major cities and tourist congested zones. However, if you are traveling to rural areas and small towns, you are preparing to be inconvenienced by more power outages and uneven roads plus limited internet connection. Always carry a small flashlight, power pack for the devices, roll of tissue paper and hand sanitizer and be ready for changes! Generally speaking, the positive effects of observing rural Vietnam largely overshadow any potential nuisances.

Is Health and Medical Care Good?

There has been a significant improvement in the health sector in Vietnam over the past three decades. When it comes to their medical care and facilities, especially in the large cities such as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, they are more or less capable of dealing with most common incidences of injury or sickness and are at par with the neighboring countries. Those who have pre-existing medical conditions and are prone to such complications should purchase travel insurance and evacuation coverage and Pack enough doses of prescription drugs in their hand carry when they are flying into Vietnam. An especially alarming situation is the availability of prescription drugs for chronic diseases, which is not as stable as in developed countries. Like all tropical countries, be sure to use insect repellents laced with DEET, wear long sleeves/ pants, sleep under mosquito nets or air conditioned rooms, and get travel vaccines recommended for the trip.

Ease of mobility for a tourist in Vietnam.

Through tourism, development of transport infrastructure is being enhanced with new airports high ways and rail lines being built in Vietnam every year. Domestic flights with Vietnam Airlines and VietJet are cheap, making it easy to move between Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh city. There are night trains and buses to almost every place, which can be quite picturesque, for instance, Hanoi to Sapa. Transportation applications in areas with traffic congestion are convenient when it comes to moving around cities. For the most freedom to go where you want to go hire a motorbike or a car with an international drivers license. Facilities in navigation and road signs have enhanced in the recent past and this makes it very easy for one to travel independently. In the destinations, walking or, competing for a seat on an xe om, or ordering through the Grab app taxis will do you well. The daring ones should go for cyclo tour!

Safety Measures for Female Tourists in Vietnam

Although Vietnam is still a very paternalistic country, it is one of the most popular destinations for female tourists in recent years. Vietnam’s largest cities are Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh where there are many young expatriates who have been living in the country for over a decade now. This growth, in addition to the tourism industry addressing more diverse guests, has contributed to the normalization of unaccompanied foreign females to the point where their independent travel is considered to not raise much concern or prejudice. Nevertheless, as is the case in other Southeast Asian countries, females particularly the young ones below 30 years of age should expect to be harassed occasionally or receive undesirable glances particularly when moving off the highlighted tourist circuits. Practicing basic safety and adopting primary precautionary measures will facilitate an empowering, enjoyable solitary trip for a woman through Vietnam.

In conclusion, with the Vietnamese economy’s fast-growing and becoming more liberal, personal safety concerns can be said to be almost fully resolved. Car thefts are still a common occurrence so ensure you keep your car and its contents secure as you would while traveling. This means that with a little care on the roads, planning for a lack of continuous infrastructure in the countryside, observing basic hygiene to prevent catching infectious diseases and respecting local cultures, your trip to Vietnam will be safe, immensely enjoyable and unforgettable!

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