Solo Travelling in Vietnam

I've always wanted to go outside the country and see the world, but I wanted to be so rich I would not be pressured to come back to my old life. If I waited for this to happen, then I probably would not ever be able to get out. So last June, my good, enabler friend Rem and I booked a round trip flight to Ho Chi Minh for myself just because Cebu Pacific was on sale that day! I was thinking, duck it and just do it! Staying true to the #YOLO principle of my generation, we used my credit card and booked the flights without much research but with plenty of excitement since it will be my first time out of the country and alone too!

So there I finally have something to look forward to in October. Being the control freak that I am, I asked Rem to make me an excel sheet of all the places I've wanted to see, how much each of them will cost me, where I should be staying and the timetable I should keep. This is the part where I regret booking a round trip flight without doing research first. I mentally face slapped myself when I realised that geography and transportation need to be factored in when deciding how many days I should spend in one place to see everything I want to see because those places are not walking distance from each other.

We booked all tours in Klook and the accommodations in Agoda. Money spent, including on all flights, tours, bus fares between cities, and accommodations, was just under PHP25,000 (USD520). I spent more on the flights since I had to book my return flight twice. The actual total I spent on the whole eight-day trip, including taxi fares, emergency accommodation, food, souvenirs, tips, etc, was under PHP40,000 (USD832). I stopped counting money when I was there and was resolved to enjoy myself even if I'm left with a few thousand in my bank account when I get back home. I'm sure most travellers are wiser than me and more prepared.

Vietnam is a safe country, even for solo female travellers like me. But of course, vigilance and common sense should always be on top of mind, especially if you're alone in an unfamiliar foreign country. I can't remember an instance where I felt unsafe, except for that scam taxi ride when I first arrived in Hanoi. It was more of outrage really than feeling unsafe. Most locals in tourist districts are friendlier than residents in other parts of the cities. You can easily ask directions and recommendations from where you're staying. Klook, Agoda, Google Maps, WhatsApp, XE Currency Converter and Google had been my best friends during the entire trip.

I think the key to any vacation travel is to know where you want to go, what you want to see. This is especially true if you are on a tight timetable and budget. There were still many other places I wanted to see in Vietnam but I thought I needed at least three months to properly enjoy all those places. I settled with seeing a little bit of Ho Chi Minh, Hoi An, Hue and Hanoi. Here are all the places I was able to visit during my eight-day travel.

Day 1 - Backpacker Street, HCM

Mekong Delta (Vinh Trang Pagoda, Tortoise Island)

Cycling around the local village and fruit plantation

Can Tho City

Day 2 - Cai Rang Floating Market

Flight to Da Nang then to Hoi An

Day 3 - Cam Thanh Coconut Village

best food tour ever!

Hoi An Night Market

Day 4 - Ancient Cham ruins of My Son

Bus ride to Hue

Private motorcycle trip around Hue City

Day 5 - Thanh Toan Village

Khai Dinh's Royal Tomb

Huyen Tran Princess temple

Sleeper bus ride to Hanoi

Day 6 - Tran Quoc pagoda

Ho Chi Minh Complex

Temple of Literature

Bat Trang ceramics and pottery village

Ngoc Son temple

Old Quarter food tour

Day 7 - Ninh Binh

Dinh and Le temples

Tam Coc boat ride, cave exploration

Cycling around the local village

Hanoi Train Street

Day 8 - Ha Long Bay day tour

Thien Cung cave exploration

Old Quarter Friday nightlife

I may have gone to too many or too few places in those eight days. It all really depends on how you want to spend your precious time and money. Seasoned backpackers may raise an eyebrow at my budget and itinerary. As for me, I enjoyed even the flights and bus rides between cities. I've enjoyed Vietnamese coffee (three times a day), egg coffee, authentic pho, banh mi, other local dishes and delicacies. I've lost myself in Hue and the Old Quarter. I've gone cycling in the countryside, riding motorbikes around the cities and boating on beautiful rivers. I listened to stories from the locals, sat and drank coffee at a small cafe as I watch people pass by, met and shared stories from other solo travellers. It was also the first time I asked a guy out for a drink (nope—didn't work out).

I've had unexpected experiences and met different people — it was a truly glorious trip. I felt like a bird exploring the wide sky for the first time. I'd say Vietnam is one of the best destinations for solo travellers and adventure seekers. I hope to return with a bigger budget and longer timetable in the near future!