🇻🇳 How to Enter Vietnam Smoothly – And Start Slow

🇻🇳 How to Enter Vietnam Smoothly – And Start Slow
If we were sitting across from each other in a quiet café, and you told me you were flying to Vietnam next week…
I wouldn’t just give you a checklist.
I’d tell you how to land softly.

Because your first few hours in a new country set the tone for everything that comes after.

Let me walk you through it — slowly, gently — the way Vietnam invites you to arrive.

✈️ Visas & Entry – Keep It Simple
🛃 Do you need a visa?
Most travelers do. But the process is easier than it sounds.
You can apply online for an e-visa if you're from one of 80+ eligible countries.

Apply here: https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn
Cost: ~$25
Valid for: 30 days, single entry
Processing time: ~3 business days
📌 Real advice: Apply at least a week ahead. Print the PDF, twice. Airports still love paper. I remember printing mine at a tiny shop the night before my flight, in a rush. You don’t need that kind of stress.

🛬 Where to Land – and Why It Matters
Vietnam has three main international airports:

Airport                                    Best for…
Hanoi (HAN)                           Northern mountains & culture (Sapa, Ninh Binh)
Ho Chi Minh City (SGN)        Vibrant city life & Mekong Delta
Da Nang (DAD)                      A gentle coastal start (Hoi An, Hue)
✨ If you're unsure?
Start with Da Nang. The airport is small, the pace is slower, and the sea is nearby. It feels like a soft landing — not a sprint.

📶 What Happens After You Land
You’ll step off the plane into warm air.
Not hot — warm. Like the air’s been waiting for you.

After immigration and baggage claim (surprisingly smooth), you’ll face your first small choice: connect or disconnect.

📱 Get a SIM or eSIM
eSIM (recommended): Set it up before you arrive — I use Airalo or Nomad.
Physical SIM: Available at kiosks inside the airport (Viettel, MobiFone)
💡 Tiny comfort tip: With an eSIM, you’ll have data the second your plane touches down. No queuing, no stress.

🚗 Getting Into the City – Let It Be Easy
Don’t rush. Don’t try to save $3 and overwhelm yourself with local buses just yet.

Instead, choose one of these:

- Grab app (Vietnam’s Uber): Reliable, cashless
- Hotel pickup: Quiet, helpful, no surprises
- Private transfer: If you’re landing late or solo and tired
🧘‍♀️ One thing I always do: Book a simple hotel or homestay for the first night — somewhere walkable, with kind reviews. You don’t need “charming” right now. You need easy.

🧳 A Little Note on Baggage
Pack light, emotionally too.

You don’t need to know everything yet.
You don’t need to plan the whole month.
Let Vietnam unfold — not as a checklist, but as a conversation.

Unzip your bag. Take a breath. Step outside.

Maybe there’ll be street food. Maybe soft rain. Maybe just the hum of a scooter and someone smiling at you for no reason at all.

🌿 And Just Like That – You’ve Arrived
You crossed a border — but more importantly, you crossed into a different rhythm.

Let your shoulders drop. Let the day begin without a plan.
Vietnam doesn’t need you to be ready.
It just needs you to be here.

Welcome.

 
Next up:
📖 What to Pack for Vietnam – A Minimalist’s Guide by Region & Season