Why does everyone love Vietnam? (And I do too.)

During my travels around the world, the most common ('Cảm ơn' is 'Thank you' in Vietnamese by the way) sentiment I hear from people about their favourite country in Asia is Vietnam. Thailand is also a frequent number one answer, but Vietnam seems to be the winner for most travellers. And I can absolutely understand why. Maybe I was enchanted by the buzzing atmosphere across the whole country as we welcomed the Year of the Fire Horse, but it honestly felt like a dream.

1. It is very easy to travel around, but take a breath at the airport.
   
   The first time I visited Vietnam in January 2025, I landed in Ho Chi Minh and then took a cheap flight to Hanoi. I only had a week before my flight back to London, and I think that is a good way to get a taste of Vietnam if you do not have much time.
   
   However, prepare for an extraordinarily long queue at the airport as passport control is manual and painfully slow. Treat it as an extension of your plane journey: have a fun snack, continue watching your TV show, and video call your friend to show them how busy this airport is. You will be in line for an hour or two, so just embrace it and it will all be worth it once you get your delicious bowl of pho.
   
   Because Vietnam is quite long and thin, it is quite convenient to explore for any traveller. You can simply jump on a stunning train ride from north to south, stopping over in a few locations to get an amazing glimpse of the country. And that is exactly what I did when I visited again in January 2026. Having a few weeks to plan for, I started in Da Nang, then set off to Hue, Phong Nha, Quy Nhon, and finished in Ho Chi Minh. I essentially travelled by train a little bit to the north and then back all the way down south. I booked the tickets online in advance, which was relatively easy, and I used some of the late night longer journeys as an overnight stay in a hotel. To be honest, even though I had a bed, a pillow and a blanket, I was not able to sleep at all, but if you are someone who is able to doze off on a train, it might be worth checking out. Sleep or no sleep, it is still a good money-saving hack.
   
   For the day journeys, the views from the train are truly breathtaking and I loved looking out of the window at all this beautiful nature. There is something relaxing about going somewhere on a train as you can chat to fellow passengers, still have access to the internet to plan your next moves, and are not at the mercy of the bus driver to use a toilet at the next pit stop.
   
   Bike rental is very quick and easy, but in the same breath I must stress that the only bad thing I can say about Vietnam is… driving there feels insane. I am not sure what kind of logic applies to the roads there, but it is definitely not safe, and you have to look everywhere (including the sky) before you choose to join the traffic as a pedestrian. Also, from the driver's perspective, remember that a flashing indicator is just a suggestion - it does not mean that the car in front of you will be turning in that direction. Observe where the vehicle turns and go slow. Definitely wear a helmet, and you should be fine.
2. Vietnam has everything: waterfalls, jungles, vibrant cities, quiet forests, beaches, temples, lots of history…
   
   The possibilities of what you can do in Vietnam are almost endless. It is a truly unique place with lots of different terrains and climates. I recommend always checking the best time to visit various parts of Vietnam as the weather is significantly different depending on where you are going. For example, when I arrived in Hanoi in January, it turned out to be peak burning season, meaning that the pollution levels were extremely high and I could literally taste the smoke in the air. A much better time to visit is between September and November, which I have marked on my calendar so I can explore it better next time.
   
   Ho Chi Minh is a hot and busy city with lots of shops, restaurants and cafes. It offers the best food in the country. If you fancy a bit of a history lesson, you can go on a tour to Cu Chi tunnels and learn about the Vietnam War.
   
   Hanoi is crazy hectic and loud with lots of vehicles on the road. I was not a fan, but I do want to visit it again in a nicer season when the pollution levels are not as high.
   
   Da Nang is stunning, right next to the sea with a lovely beach and lots of cute cafes you can relax at or work from. It is a short trip to Hoi An, where you can admire the 15th-century trading port, a UNESCO heritage site. During your bike rides around the area, you can see many old and unique cemeteries that are a blend of different religions.
   
   Hue makes you feel like you have been transported to an ancient town. You are continuously surrounded by such outstanding architecture as if you are in a story. It was the most magical place I have visited in Vietnam. I was amazed by walking around Tu Duc Tomb and Huyen Tran Princess Temple. The city is crossed by The Perfume River and genuinely smells lovely.
   
   Phong Nha is a place full of adventure around the gorgeous mountains, valleys, rivers and caves. It is incredibly green and lush, and the water looks serenely blue. You can go on many beautiful hikes and let your mind rest simply admiring the trees around you. I visited Paradise Cave, which was extraordinarily vast and amazingly maintained.
   
   Quy Nhon offers different beaches, which, to be honest, can be a bit of a gamble. Ky Co Beach used to be a free, but now charges for entry, so I did not end up going there. Quy Hoa Beach (secluded with no cafes nearby) and The Thon Beach (more crowded and good for walking) are among the nicest. When you visit Thap Doi Towers, you can actually see them quite well from the outside, but you can also pay a fee to get close to them to take some photos. Going to Vung Chua Mountain is a really fun expedition. You need a bike to help you get halfway and then you can hike the rest of the journey. The road is quite rough with lots of stones and larger rocks, so make sure to go slow. The view at the top is very pretty overlooking the city, and you can check out some abandoned tunnels built during the Cold War. There are no guides and this site is not maintained, so it feels like a real adventure out of Indiana Jones. Just be mindful of animals that might be residing in the tunnels like snakes, centipedes (the bites are extremely painful), scorpions, spiders and bats… So if you are like me, you might want to admire the tunnels from a distance.
3. Food is just so good! Especially as a vegetarian, I felt like I could relax and simply enjoy most of the dishes, which is not the case in so many countries.
   
   I will caveat that with ensuring you ask about fish sauce if you are ordering at a non-vegetarian restaurant, but most of the time, it is pretty smooth sailing. There are copious amounts of vegetarian-friendly places to choose from with many protein-rich meals on the menu, so you will be happily full in Vietnam. Even as a meat-eater, you can dine in fantastic Michelin Guide restaurants and try many flavoursome dishes. Most food comes with a side salad and a little bowl of soup, so you are definitely getting a variety of different plants daily.
   
   Some key things to try in Vietnam are:
   
   -- Vietnamese pancake (Bánh xèo) - crispy and warm, filled with beans and protein. You can cut it up with scissors and roll it into a summer roll with lettuce and tapioca sheets, then you dip it into a sauce.
   
   -- Dumplings - soft and warm, usually packaged in banana leaf with many different fillings. I recommend you try them all: Bánh Nậm, Bánh bột lọc, Bánh Giò…
   
   -- Phở - soft and hot, and will uplift your spirit. Maybe it is my Polish background, but I love a soup, and I truly feel understood in Vietnam, where a side soup is usually served with most meals.
   
   -- Spring rolls - you can order them hot and fried (Chả giò) or cold and un-fried (Gỏi cuốn), and both options are delicious. Again, with so many different fillings you can try many variations.
   
   -- Vietnamese coffee (Cà phê trứng) or hot chocolate - served with an egg custard. The taste is rich and the drink itself makes a lot of sense as protein and fat in the egg protect your stomach from the acidity that the coffee causes.
   
   -- Chè bà ba - it will probably be the most satisfying dessert you will try if you like coconut milk. It is served in a bowl with your choice of multiple toppings like taro, cassava, tapioca pearls, and flan pudding, covered in sweet coconut milk with a side of ice.
   
   And yes, I did try durian, and for me it is a hard no. When I first put it in my mouth, I thought for a second that it is not that bad, but then the flavour of rotten meat started growing on my tongue and I spat it out. I could taste it for a long time afterwards and was traumatised by this event. It took a lot of eating chè for me to get over it.
   
   People have said that the reason they like durian is because it reminds them of their childhood. I can understand how growing up in close proximity to durian trees and being surrounded by the smell of this fruit can make you feel nostalgic. I guess this could be similar to pickled herring, a Polish delicacy.
4. For a tourist, Vietnam is incredibly affordable compared to other countries.
   
   Accommodation is cheap and of good quality. You can get an apartment with a kitchen for a very reasonable price, which is handy for a quick breakfast or a hot drink before you head out for a day of exploration.
   
   Same goes for internal flights, trains, cabs and bike rentals. Food is also reasonably priced in most restaurants and cafes too, and it is of fantastic quality.
   
   Because most retail brands have their production lines in Vietnam, you can buy great dupes for a fraction of the price here. I particularly recommend looking at outdoor or sport labels, but honestly, you can get pretty much anything here. Of course, beware that people will tell you it is the real brand, but if you just google the official stores, you will be able to verify that it probably is not.
   
   I found that some tours were a bit more pricey, and entry fees to certain tourist attractions can be high, so be mindful of that and do your research.
5. Vietnam is remarkably safe and welcoming.
   
   Vietnam has a strong community culture, and I was shocked to see that people leave their front doors wide open. I do not think that I have ever witnessed this before. You often find that Vietnamese people live in multigenerational households and have a strong tradition of helping the elderly. I did see some people living a bit rough, but it was a rare occurrence.
   
   Other than that, Vietnam felt safe for me and the locals were exceptionally friendly and helpful when I approached them with my language translation app. Younger people usually speak some English, but I found translating things in the app made things so much easier. I always suggest learning a couple of words in the local language as I found that it always makes people happy to hear their mother tongue.
   
   Lots of visitors travel solo in Vietnam, especially many women that I chatted to, and I think I would feel comfortable doing so too. I would love to spend some more time there to explore new areas and definitely revisit central Vietnam. In strange ways, being there reminded me of good aspects of living in Poland. Maybe it is the soup, or maybe it is the old soul essence that the whole country seems to radiate.
   
   I will end this love letter by recommending Vietnam as the first country you visit in Asia if you have not been to this continent before. It is a great and unique introduction to this part of the world. I really hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.