It is already a couple of months since we first heard about COVID-19, now it is spreading all over the world and by the time I write this, some countries already figured out how to slow down the pace. It is certainly a difficult and stressful time for people around the world, probably the most disruptive and challenging that we have ever faced in our lives. Apparently, tourism and travel are mostly affected by this pandemic when countries are closing their borders; people have been canceling their trips and do not know when they should plan again. But we always keep looking to the brighter side when it is soon over and travelers start to pack up. Don’t think too much about where to go, because here below I will show you why you should travel to Vietnam after the COVID-19 crisis.
Vietnam is a safe country
According to the latest update on 11th May, Vietnam has 288 confirmed cases in which 249 people have recovered and discharged from hospitals, other patients are getting better and no death at all. It results from the quick and proactive reaction also the preparation for necessary actions from our Government. Many travelers who already infected without knowing about it, entered Vietnam, be treated, and came back home healthy.
Road-related deaths kill more people than the disease in Vietnam. Additionally, 14,000 annual traffic fatalities occur on the motorbike. Most of our guests who book the Vietnam package tour have been using our private van/minivan with our experienced drivers – some have been serving guests for more than 10 years.
The little crime that exists generally in the form of pick-pocketing, prostitution, or illegal drug use, but the levels of these crimes remain relatively low compared to other regions of the world.
Vietnam visa is like a piece of cake
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam continually proposed a 15-day Vietnam visa exemption for citizens of 5 European countries which are the UK, Spain, France, Italy, and Germany. Their next visit must be 30 days after their last enter to Vietnam.
For people from other countries, no worry at all, it is really easy to obtain your Vietnam visa in either of 2 ways: visa on arrival and E-Visa.
With the visa on arrival, the application covers 3 simple steps as follows:
- Applicants need to access to the website of a Vietnam visa center, and register in advance by completing an online form, and making payment of service fee to such center;
- After a certain period of time, normally 2 working days, they will receive a visa approval letter via email;
- Then they will use the letter to pick up the stamped visa at the landing airport. They also have to pay the stamping fee at this time.
For the electronic visa, it takes 3 working days for processing, costs US$25 and is granted for single entry visits for a maximum of 30 days to nationals of the 80 eligible countries. You can see the detailed guidelines on this Government official website: https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/trang-chu-ttdt. When you arrive in Vietnam, you do not need to pay any other visa costs and it also saves your time at the airport as well thus it recently is the preference of several tourists.
Vietnam is beautiful!
No one comes back home without tons of amazing photos of Vietnam’s beautiful nature. We have almost every kind of natural landscapes, from the towering mountain ranges, the lush forests & national parks, the terraced rice fields, the biggest natural caves, thousands of stunning waterfalls, lakes, rivers, sand dunes and the long coastlines with multiple lovely beaches, etc.
It also comes with the architecture which you can find in the Hanoi Old Quarter, Hoi An ancient town, My Son Sanctuary, etc. or a lot of Buddist temples from north to south.
The culture
Vietnamese culture is unique and very much alive daily. If you travel to Vietnam during the Tet holiday (Lunar new year), you can easily encounter a Vietnamese woman wearing Ao dai – our traditional customs. Coming to every monument or temple, you will hear about the rituals, the folk tales which express our belief. More interesting, you can have lunch at a local home and witness how we prepare food for a simple family meal, how to start the meal, how to share food or how we worship our family ancestors, etc.
With 54 ethnic groups who live in specific places, you have a lot of things to see while traveling, like the hill tribes in Sapa mountainous area, their colorful clothes, their traditional houses, their food, etc.
The cuisine
Vietnamese gastronomy is famous all over the world, sometimes it is the goal for some travelers. You might hear of Pho noodle, banh mi, fried spring rolls, sticky rice… – all signatures of Vietnam food.
What more cool is Vietnamese street food! From the main dishes to the snacks, you can easily find it on the streets of Hanoi, Hoi An, or Ho Chi Minh city. It feels just so right when you sit in a low chair waiting for your green papaya salad while surrounded by the local eaters.
Vietnamese coffee just tastes so good. Black coffee, with condensed milk, with coconut milk or egg coffee – those are must-try!
It is affordable
It is hard to find a place with all the above things yet the cheap price. Vietnam is one of a kind.
Hotels are from US$20 for a night if you are a backpacker, and from US$45 if you are looking for an upper 3-star hotel with the centrally located place. Street food is US$1-2 for a dish, and a full meal at the restaurant costs you US$10 per person. Transportation/taxis are everywhere at a reasonable rate.
Suggested Vietnam tours 2021
Daniel Nguyen – Travel Specialist
