Backpacking Vietnam

Vietnam has been a backpacking destination for a couple of decades now, and still it pulls in the backpackers looking for somewhere slightly more exotic than the tourist-packed beaches of Thailand, yet with the benefits of a tourist infrastructure.

Itineraries

The hardest thing when planning to go backpacking is often working out what places to visit and in what order to do so - your itinerary. Well this is not a problem when backpacking Vietnam! It's a long, thin country, so you have two choices: go from north-south, or south-north. If you start at the top of the country, you will typically arrive into Hanoi; if they south, then Ho Chi Minh City (better known to everyone from around the world and also the city's occupants as Saigon) . The typical itinerary involves heading along the coast in between these two regional capitals, stopping off at places of interest along the way.

Assuming you are travelling from north to south, here are some interesting places you might consider visiting on your trip, in order from north to south:

• Halong Bay - Home to huge limestone outcrops, the popular activity is to take a cruise from Halong Bay to Cat Ba island.
  
• Hanoi - the streets of the vibrant northern capital are constantly flowing with motorbikes. French colonial architecture and a million-and-one things to do makes it a place to linger.
• Vinh Moc - some touring of war sites is essential when visiting Vietnam. Vinh Moc is a village that was levelled to the ground and then rebuilt underground as a series of tunnels. A fascinating if claustrophobic visit!
  
• Hoi An - all places in Viet Nam seem to begin with the letter 'H'! Hoi An is the jewel of Vietnam, a charming, sleeping little old town where you can also get clothes and shoes tailored for you extremely cheaply.
• Nha Trang - famed for its beaches, Nha Trang is a developed yet fairly lazy beach resort at which you can hang out on the beach or do watersports.  It's also one of the cheapest places in the world to go scuba diving.
• Saigon - the southern capital lacks all of the charm of old Hanoi, but if you're hankering for all the trappings of a modern city, you'll find them here.
  

Backpacker accommodation in Vietnam normally consists of guesthouses, which are smaller, family-run places where backpackers congregate, or budget hotels. Prices do vary but the budget conscious will be glad to hear that rooms can be had in the $5-$10 range. Cleanliness does vary; when you are shown the room, do check for cockroaches!, and don't be afraid to ask to see another room. Often a hotel or guesthouse owner will try to palm you off with the worst room they currently have available.

Food

Vietnamese food is one of the country's greatest joys. Generally speaking, the dishes you'll eat will contain at least some fish sauce, so vegetarians might have a tough time of it finding a "clean" meal. Fresh vegetables do feature very much in the dishes as well, as do herbs, particularly lemongrass and mint.

Vietnamese spring rolls are commonly served as a starter. Unlike Chinese spring rolls, they are not deep fried, and packed with fresh vegetables they are absolutely divine! Vietnamese noodle soup, called pho, is a common hunger-zapper and can be bought inexpensively from tourist restaurants as well as at little stalls serving locals (for about a third of the price). Seafood is also a staple, what with most places in the country being within close proximity to the coast, and at places like Hoi An you will find opportunities to eat delicacies such as crab in tamarind sauce for ridiculously cheap prices (by Western standards). Don't worry about the waistline - enjoy what Vietnamese cuisine has to offer!

Getting Around

Vietnam has an extensive road network that is fairly well maintained by South East Asia standards. Bus companies ply the roads north and south, offering hop-on, hop-off services for backpackers. You buy one ticket that will take you from Hanoi to Saigon (or vice-versa) and can hop off along the way wherever you want, for however long you want. It's a good system but prices for bus tickets can vary, so shop around to compare prices as much as you can.

Train travel is also an intriguing option. The Reunification Express runs from Hanoi to Saigon. Built by the French, the railway is a slow option to travel through the country, giving you ample time to watch the scenery of rural Vietnam go by, something harder to see if you take the (faster) bus services.

Vietnam is a thriving destination bursting with life; its people are friendly, approachable and welcoming. They typically do not hold any grudges about the war, despite the fact that many people have a family member that was affected or killed during it. It's cheap, the weather is good, the food is outstanding and it's accessible yet still retains an exotic air of mystery. So what are you waiting for? Get reading more about the country, book that time off work and go!