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E-Visa Guide Visa

The Savvy Local Friend

Experience Vietnam with Local Confidence

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Everything you need before you land.

An independent inbound portal that removes the friction around E-Visas, connectivity, local currency, transport and airport scams.

Journey reel

Six places that stay with you.

From the karst bays of the North to the floating markets of the Mekong. Scroll the reel, region by region.

  1. North
    01 Hanoi Old Quarter Guild streets, egg coffee at dawn and motorbikes in every direction.
  2. North
    02 Ha Long Bay Around 1,600 limestone islands rising from jade water. Stay a night on board.
  3. North
    03 Sapa Terraces Rice terraces stepped into the mountains, greenest from June to September.
  4. Central
    04 Hoi An Ancient Town Silk lanterns over the Thu Bon River every evening. Go after sunset.
  5. South
    05 Mekong Delta The floating market at Cai Rang starts before sunrise. Book the early boat.
  6. South
    06 Phu Quoc Island Sunset beaches on the Gulf of Thailand, calmest from November to April.

Reunification Express

Hanoi to Saigon, drawn as you scroll.

Rail distance 0 / 1,726 km

Leg 1/4 · ≈ 13 h overnight

Hanoi → Hue

Board the evening sleeper and wake up to rice fields and the Perfume River.

Typical SE-series train times. Check the current timetable before you book.

  1. Hanoi to Hue, 688 km, ≈ 13 h overnight. Board the evening sleeper and wake up to rice fields and the Perfume River.
  2. Hue to Da Nang, 103 km, ≈ 2.5 h. The line climbs the Hai Van Pass along the cliffs. Heading south, sit on the left for the sea.
  3. Da Nang to Nha Trang, 524 km, ≈ 9.5 h. Hop off for Hoi An, 30 km from Da Nang, then roll south past Quy Nhon to the bay of Nha Trang.
  4. Nha Trang to Saigon, 411 km, ≈ 8 h. Dragon-fruit farms around Phan Thiet, then the long arrival into Ho Chi Minh City.
HANOI HUE DA NANG NHA TRANG SAIGON

Interactive Regional Guide

Explore Vietnam by Region

Hover or tap a region on the map to see weather, budget and top destinations.

North Vietnam

Karst mountains, ancient traditions and pho heritage

Seasonality
Best: Oct – Apr (cool, dry winters)
Est. daily budget
$35 – $65 / day

Pillar destinations

  • Hanoi Old Quarter
  • Ha Long Bay Cruise
  • Sapa Terraces & Ha Giang Loop
  • Ninh Binh Tam Coc

Savvy insider tip

Take the overnight sleeper bus or train from Hanoi to Sapa or Ha Giang to save a night of hotel costs.

Money in Vietnam

Currency & Money Calculator

1 USD = 25,822 VND
Rates updated 24 Oct 2026 · Rates by Exchange Rate API

Instant conversion

Equivalent in Vietnam dong

2,582,200 ₫

Local cash tip: Cash is king at street food stalls and local markets. ATMs (VPBank, TPBank, BIDV) typically allow single withdrawals of 2,000,000 – 5,000,000 VND (about $80 – $200).

What can this buy in Vietnam?

Based on 100 USD (~2,582,200 ₫)

  • Street banh mi ~30,000 ₫ 86.1×
  • Bowl of pho ~50,000 ₫ 51.6×
  • Egg coffee in Hanoi ~40,000 ₫ 64.6×
  • 1-day motorbike rental ~150,000 ₫ 17.2×
  • SIM card (30-day 4G) ~250,000 ₫ 10.3×

Connectivity

Online before the baggage belt.

  1. Install an eSIM before you fly

    Buy a Vietnam data eSIM at home and activate it on landing. Check that your phone is carrier-unlocked first.

  2. Or buy a SIM at arrivals

    Viettel, Vinaphone and Mobifone run kiosks after customs. Your passport is required for registration.

  3. Budget about 250,000 ₫

    A 30-day 4G plan with generous data costs around this much. Grab, maps and translation all need data.

Checked October 2026

Official E-Visa Step by Step

Open the official portal
  1. 01

    Prepare photo & passport scan

    An ICAO-compliant photo (4×6 cm) and a clear scan of the bio page, with the passport valid for 6+ months.

    Official requirement

  2. 02

    Fill in the official portal

    Submit your details on evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn. Double-check the order of given name and surname.

    Official requirement

  3. 03

    Pay the fee online

    USD 25 for a single entry or USD 50 for multiple entries, valid up to 90 days, paid by card.

    Official requirement

  4. 04

    Track & download the PDF

    Use your registration code after 3–5 working days. Print an A4 copy for immigration.

    Official requirement

Only apply on evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn. Look-alike sites charge several times the government fee.

Tourist advisory notice

Common Scams & How to Avoid Them

  • Fake visa websites

    Third-party agencies charge $100+ for the standard $25 visa. Always use the official .gov.vn domain.

  • Unmetered airport taxis

    Unregulated drivers near baggage claim quote up to 5× the fare. Book via Grab or the official Vinasun / Mai Linh counters.

  • Rigged cyclo prices

    Agree on the TOTAL price, in writing, before getting into a cyclo in Hanoi or Hoi An.

Plan with a local

Tell us when you land.

Send your dates and the regions you want to see. A local editor replies with a suggested route, a daily budget and the scams to watch for on that route.

Countdown to Tết 2027 (Lunar New Year)

--Days
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Many shops and buses pause for 3–5 days around Tết. Book transport early.