I’m not going to lie—I went to Vietnam to shop and enjoy the sun. (I was hating the fashion and was ‘over’ the winter in Melbourne.) On top of that, I’d been working every weekend, teaching all week and most nights. Against my normal routine, I didn’t even do much research for this trip. I needed a vacation so badly that even though I wasn’t sure what I would get, I was ready for it.

The Fairy Stream

I LOVED it! The people, the colours, the landscape, the climate and the language (you can pick it up–get a phrasebook!) all make Vietnam a place I would readily go back to for a holiday. It was one of my best back-packing experiences and as a group, we had so much fun.

As a westerner, slight female, I generally felt safe (of course, I was extremely cautious about staying safe at all times and never did anything to invite danger).

If I were to go back, I would see Saigon and stay another week in Hoi An—definitely one of the best cities I have ever visited.

However, I think 8-10 days is  long enough (after 3 weeks, we were really really ready to head home). If you are looking for a bare-brass back-packing experience, it’s an amazing country. If you are going on an organised tour with a travel company–it’s an amazing country.

But if you are used to Western Comforts, there are some things you should keep in mind…