Vietnam travel guide

Short, practical guides to Vietnam, written by Flosa, a flower shop in Ho Chi Minh City. We buy our flowers in the market every morning, so the seasons are our daily business, and visitors ask us the same questions again and again. Here are the answers.

Guides

• Map of Vietnam’s 34 provinces

  Tap any of the 34 provinces for its sights, food, flower seasons and best months, and see which province Hoi An or Sa Pa belongs to now.

• When to visit Vietnam: weather by region and month

  Three climates, three rainy seasons: which months suit the north, the centre and the south, and what is in bloom.

• Vietnamese fruits: what to try, and when

  Dragon fruit, mangosteen, lychee, durian and more: the season for each, how to eat it, and what you can take home.

• What to buy in Vietnam: souvenirs worth bringing home

  Coffee, tea, an áo dài made to measure, lacquerware and silk: what to buy, where, and what to leave behind.

• The ao dai and other symbols of Vietnam

  The long silk tunic, the conical hat, the lotus, the dragon: what Vietnam’s symbols mean and where you will see them.

• Golf in Vietnam: the best courses, when to play and how to book

  About a hundred courses from Ha Long Bay to Ho Tram: the regions, the best months, caddies and tee times.

• Nightlife and bars in Vietnam: where to go, how to book and what to know

  Rooftops in Saigon, beer corners in Hanoi, how to toast, and the two rules to remember: 18 and never drive.

Before you go: visa, airports and staying in Vietnam

• Arriving in Vietnam: visa, e-visa and airports

  Who can enter visa-free, how to apply for an e-visa on the official website, and what happens between the plane and the arrivals hall.

• Tan Son Nhat airport, Ho Chi Minh City

  Terminals, getting into the city, live weather and rush hours.

• Noi Bai airport, Hanoi

  Terminals, getting into the city, live weather and rush hours.

• Temporary residence declaration

  Wherever you stay (hotel, landlord or host family), they must declare you to the police; ask them to confirm it was done.

• SIM cards, money and emergency numbers

  Verifying a local SIM in person, opening a bank account, and the free emergency numbers.

• Living in Vietnam

  Residence cards, work permits, driving and public holidays, for longer stays.

Vietnam at a glance

Capital

Hanoi. The largest city is Ho Chi Minh City, which most people still call Saigon.

Currency

The Vietnamese đồng (VND).

Flag

Red, with a five-pointed yellow star.

Time

GMT+7 all year, with no daylight saving.

Provinces

34 provinces and cities since the 2025 reorganisation: see the map.

Language

Vietnamese, written in the Latin alphabet with accents.

Flowers and gifts in Vietnam

• Vietnamese flower customs

  What to send for Tết, a funeral or a birthday, and what to avoid.

• The lotus, Vietnam’s national flower

  What it means, when it blooms and where to see it.

• Gift ideas for Vietnamese parents

  What parents and grandparents in Vietnam appreciate.

From a florist in Ho Chi Minh City

These guides are written by Flosa, a flower shop in Ho Chi Minh City. Celebrating something while you travel, such as a birthday, an anniversary or a proposal? We deliver flowers to hotels across Vietnam. Want to thank someone in Vietnam after you get home? You can send flowers to Vietnam from abroad.