This year in May and June, I did my first solo backpacking trip. For 5 weeks, I was traveling solo in Vietnam, going from North to South. It was an incredible experience! I was able to see so many stunning places, meet so many interesting people, and get to know a culture very different from my own. However, before the trip I was pretty nervous. There were times when I was wondering if maybe this whole plan of doing solo female travel in Vietnam was a bit too big for me.
As a woman traveling alone I was mostly concerned about issues of safety. I was also worried about maybe feeling lonely during the 5 weeks of traveling by myself. And I was wondering if I would be able to manage the organization of transport and activities, etc. However, now I can say that everything was much easier than I expected it to be, and that I didn’t face any major hiccups on the way. So, let me tell you what I learned about solo female travel in Vietnam during my trip, and give you some tips which will make your life easier.
My Experience with Solo Female Travel in Vietnam
Safety
Like I said, I personally experienced solo female travel in Vietnam as way easier than expected. Vietnam is very safe and is generally considered one of the best places to travel solo as a woman. I felt very safe during the majority of my trip with only very few exceptions. These were mostly caused by motorcycle taxi drivers being a little bit too pushy and not accepting that I did not want to drive with them.
In these situations, try to stay polite and tell them very clearly that you don’t need a ride or already have a Grab booked (the southeast Asian version of Uber). I would generally advise you to only go with established taxi companies or Grab, and not just accept a ride on the street. Unofficial taxis can sometimes have manipulated meters. And I even heard of people getting robbed by fake motorcycle taxis in Hoi An after a night out.
However, petty crime is pretty much the only form of crime you will need to worry about while traveling in Vietnam. Violent crime is pretty much non-existent. So, if you follow some basic safety rules, you can minimize the risk of getting robbed by a lot. These include not flashing out large amounts of cash, going with established taxi companies, and using a waist bag for your most important belongings.
Making Friends
Making friends while traveling solo is just super easy! So, I did not actually end up feeling lonely at all during my trip, since I met people in literally every city I went to. It is just so incredibly easy to connect to other solo travelers, since they are all in the same position as you. Most of the hostels I stayed in had a bar or a common area or organized activities. This made it super easy to connect to other backpackers. But I also met people during tours, in the bus, and even in cafés.
I also had a lot of nice encounters with locals. For example with a five-year-old girl and her mother at Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, where the girl started a conversation with me in almost perfect English. Or when sharing a cabin in a night train from Ninh Binh to Hue with a Vietnamese family, and sharing candy with them in the morning.
Accommodation
While solo traveling in Vietnam, I slept mostly in hostels. This is also what I would recommend if you would like to meet other travelers. The rooms are also much more comfortable than the rooms of other hostels I stayed in before. In most of them, the beds have curtains. This little bit of extra privacy is just such a huge game changer!
However, the prices in Vietnam are so cheap that you can also easily get you own room if dorms are not your thing. I did that a few times when my social battery was running low. And I managed to get my own room for only 8€ a night! Prices are a bit higher in the bigger cities though. So if you are on a budget, I would recommend doing dorms in Hanoi, Hoi An and Ho-Chi-Minh City and saving the hotel rooms for the other places. You can easily find lots of hostel rooms on Hostelworld, or on Booking.com. On Booking.com you will also find many cheap hotels where you’ll have your own room.
(Vegetarian) Food
The Vietnamese Food is truly amazing! It has so many rich flavors and spices. My personal favorites were Pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup, and Banh mi, a relic from the French colonial times. It is essentially a baguette with different fillings, like meat, or tofu, or egg, with some vegetables and a spicy sauce. The spring rolls and summer rolls are also amazing, just like the Vietnamese pancake. It is made from rice flower, and fried until it’s crispy.
As a vegetarian, I have to say that it wasn’t always easy to find vegetarian food in every place in Vietnam. In the bigger cities like Hanoi, Hoi An and Ho-Chi-Minh-City, it’s generally easier. They even have many fully vegetarian/vegan restaurants.
In smaller and less touristy places, it can be a bit harder to find something. I still remember walking through the streets of Quy Nhon and having to ask at three different places, until one of them said they could cook something vegetarian for me. However, if you are not very picky and don’t mind just eating noodles with soy sauce every now and then, it’s not really a problem. And for all of the amazing dishes I mentioned earlier, there also exist vegetarian options.
But I also wasn’t being super strict when it came to the fish sauce, which the Vietnamese like to put in pretty much everything (and I have to say, it tastes very good). If, however, you would not like to eat fish sauce, you should specify that when ordering something vegetarian.
Tip: You also have to try the Vietnamese coffee specialities, such as egg coffee, salt coffee and coconut coffee.
Transportation
In the bigger cities, there is public transport available. However, I actually never used it, because I was walking the short distances and took a Grab for the longer ones. It was simply so cheap and also reliable. What I realized though, was that the sidewalks in Vietnam are not really intended for walking on. It’s mostly a place for street vendors to display their products, for people to eat, or for people to place their scooters on. Also, you might get a curious look or two while walking, since that is not really the norm in Vietnam. However, I like exploring a city by walking around, so I did not really mind.
Bus
When it comes to traveling longer distances in Vietnam, the best option, in my opinion, is the bus. Apart from being the most economic option, the buses are also quite comfortable. Most of them are sleeper buses, even the ones that drive during the day. That means you can lie down and stretch your legs on the way. However, for very tall people it might not be as comfortable, since the leg space is limited. If you are on a schedule, taking the bus at night can be a good option. I did that a few times, but I have to say, don’t expect to get too much sleep. Some of the bus drivers drive quite fast, so sometimes you can get tossed around in your seat. However, it saves time, plus the money for a hostel.
Train
There is also the option of taking the train between cities. However, that is typically more expensive. And while you can mostly still get a bus ticket the same day, the train you will have to reserve a few days in advance. Nevertheless, if you want to sleep, the train is a bit more comfortable than the bus. I took the train from Ninh Binh to Hue, since it was a 12-hour drive, and I wanted to be more comfortable. When booking, you can decide if you want to book a seat or a bed. The best option to book a bus or train is on 12go.asia. Or you can also ask in your hostel if they can book a ticket for you. Sometimes that can be cheaper.
Plane
Of course, you can also take the plane for longer distances. I personally did not do that, because after taking two long distance flights to get to Vietnam, I tried to keep my further emissions to a minimum. Also, I find it more exciting to travel slow, since you see more of the country that way. However, if you don’t have much time in Vietnam, but would still like to see as much as possible, flying might be necessary. There are airports in Hanoi, Da Nang (close to Hoi An), Na Trang, and Ho-Chi-Minh-City.
12 Tips For Making Solo Female Travel in Vietnam Easier and Safer
1. Use Grab Instead of Walking in the Evening
As already mentioned, Grab is super cheap, so you will probably be able to get a ride home for as little as 1€. So, during your solo travel in Asia, Grab will probably become your best friend. And even though I personally perceived Vietnam as a pretty safe place, even at night, it is still better to not take the risk, and just get a Grab.
2. Only Use Official Taxi Companies or Grab
One of the biggest mistakes you can make during your solo female travel in Vietnam is accepting a ride from someone who doesn’t belong to an official taxi company or Grab. I have heard of multiple people who got robbed that way. I would advise to never accept a ride from someone who comes up to you, even if they claim they belong to an official company. By ordering a taxi/Grab yourself, you can be sure that they actually belong to a legit company and won’t scam you.
3. Use Insect Repellent
Malaria is almost non-existent in Vietnam, but it’s still better to protect yourself by avoiding mosquito bites. For this, you can use an insect repellent, especially while being in rural areas. Wearing long sleeves and light colors gives additional protection.
4. Get Your Vaccines
There are no mandatory vaccines for Vietnam. However, it is still a good idea to make an appointment with a specialized doctor. You should have all the standart vaccinations. And if you are traveling for a longer time, it is recommended to get vaccinated against Hepatitis, Typhoid, Rabies, and Japanese Encephalitis.
5. Dress According to Local Culture
In Vietnamese culture, it is normal to not show a lot of skin. While this is not super strict, and many travelers also wear short clothing, it is still nice to respect the local culture. You can just opt for thin linen clothing, this way you will also not get too warm. Long and thin clothing will also give you a better protection against mosquitos.
6. Buy a Sim Card
A sim card helps you to stay connected with other people, even when traveling alone. It also makes it easier to order a Grab, look for directions, or look for places to eat. I also personally felt better knowing that I could reach out to someone in case I need help. A working sim just makes your life so much easier while solo traveling.
I got myself an e-sim, which you can already buy online before departing. Once you arrive, it easily activates itself when you turn off your flight mode. Personally, I find that so much easier than having to look for a sim after arriving. I got my e-sim from Nomad. However, the e-sims don’t include phone calls. So if that is something you need, you might want to get a physical card.
7. Eat Street Food
This might seem counter intuitive, since many people believe street food places to be less hygienic than restaurants. However, while I luckily did not get food poisoning myself, I heard from other people that they got food poisoning from eating in western restaurants in Vietnam. And this also makes sense, since there are a lot more people eating in street food places. So, the food is generally fresher compared to restaurants where only a handful of people go to eat every day. Also, the Vietnamese street food places are just so much more authentic and cheaper. I have had some really good meals for less than 2€. If you see many locals eating in a specific place, you can assume that it’s safe to eat there.
8. Don’t Drink Tap Water
The tap water in Vietnam is not drinkable, so you will likely have to opt for buying water bottles. But always having to buy water can be annoying, and also produces quite a lot of trash. So luckily, there are also a few other possibilities. A lot of accommodations have a tank with filtered water somewhere, where you can fill your bottle. Or they might have a water boiler, which you can use to boil the tap water, and make it drinkable that way. Or you might want to invest in a water bottle with an integrated filter. These can be a bit more expensive, but especially if you are traveling often or for a longer time period, they can be worth it.
9. Regularly Update Family or Friends on Your Location
It’s always good to have people know where you are at the moment. This way they know you are doing fine and won’t have to worry. And you will also feel safer when someone knows where you are. You can either agree to update your family/friends every few days or every time you reach a new location.
10. Don’t just Tell Everybody that You Are Traveling Alone
I’m not saying you should lie to everybody you meet on the way. Of course, you can tell the other backpackers you meet in the hostel, etc., that you are traveling alone. But does your taxi driver have to know? Probably not. So, in case of doubt, just say you are traveling with your family or friends. Of course, most people don’t have bad intentions, but it’s better to be safe.
11. Use a Waist Bag Instead of a Backpack
As already mentioned, petty crime is pretty much the only form of crime you will have to worry about while traveling in Vietnam. To also minimize the risk of petty crime, it is advisable to carry your most important belongings in a waist bag. There you can easily reach them, and you would immediately notice if someone would try to take something. A backpack, on the other hand, is not ideal, because you wouldn’t necessarily notice if someone takes something.
12. Stay Cool when Dealing with Street Vendors
One of the things that made me the most insecure while solo backpacking in Vietnam were the vendors, which can be quite pushy sometimes. Which I can understand, since a lot of people make their living by selling their products to tourists. This is also why I would encourage you to spend some money in small businesses and with street vendors.
However, the budget of most backpackers is of course also not unlimited. If you are not interested, just politely say no and keep walking. If you are interested, however, you should know that in a lot of small businesses and street shops, it’s normal to bargain for the price. I personally found this a little bit tricky, but eventually I managed to bargain for some Mangosteen that I bought in a market. You can always try to go down to 75% or sometimes even 50% of the price that is first suggested.
Conclusion
Traveling solo for the first time can be scary, and especially as women we are often told that it is too dangerous. However, if you follow some basic rules, solo female travel in Vietnam is actually very safe, even for your first solo trip. There is almost no crime, plus they have a pretty well-established backpacker route down the country, where you will meet lots of other travelers. Plus, Vietnam just has so much to offer, from food, to landscapes, to the culture. You will most definitely fall in love with this beautiful country. Happy traveling!