5 Reasons Why This Gorgeous Southeast Asian Country Is Surging In Popularity With American Travelers
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With its endless miles of unspoiled coastline, winding bays dotted with limestone karsts so beautiful they are UNESCO-listed, and vibrant city breaks, Vietnam is currently one of the most sought-after destinations in Asia for Americans.
Last year alone, 17.6 million international visitors landed in the Southeast Asian gem, a 39.5% growth year-on-year, with a sizable 780,000 tourists hailing from the United States.
Based on the data at hand, the country is expected to host a record-breaking 23 million, with a record-breaking number of Americans set to make the Trans-Pacific journey.
The fascinating bit is that Vietnam is not exactly an accessible destination for U.S. citizens: there is a single direct flight offered from San Francisco, and roundtrip fares aren’t exactly the cheapest, so why are Americans going there in droves?
It’s time we take a look into 5 of the main reasons why:
Vietnam Is Dirt Cheap
Whether you’re a backpacker traveling on a strict budget or a big spender used to Cancun prices, Vietnam will feel like a steal of a deal to you.
Let’s take a look at Nha Trang, for instance: one of the country’s top resort destinations, it has an average hotel rate of $26-per-night, $25 on meals daily, and only $13 on local transportation for a total week-long stay priced at $347, according to Budget Your Trip.
In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest conurbation and its most popular city break, you’ll be spending roughly $90 every day, all costs factored in, from food to commuting to accommodation, and an overall $632 for the entire week.
It might be as cheap as $227, even if you don’t really care for luxurious amenities and you’re not opposed to night market offers when it comes to dining out.
Even this luxurious mega-resort on Vietnam’s turquoise-watered central coast is a bargain, with cascading pools, sumptuous breakfast buffets, and world-class spa facilities setting you back by roughly $147 a night.
All in all, traveling around Vietnam will hardly break the bank, regardless of your traveling style.
Look At All This Amazing Culture
Second only to tropical vibes at inexpensive rates, there’s Vietnam’s unmatched cultural offer.
From North to South, and all along its oddly narrow central coast squeezed by neighboring Laos, this country is littered with natural and manmade wonders, starting with Ha Long Bay, an area of outstanding beauty famous for cruising and hikes:
A 2-day, 5-star cruise around Ha Long’s emerald seas and rain-forested islets will cost you $154.85, a private cabin, and all meals included.
In Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, there is a picture-perfect, French-colonial quarter to explore, old trains rattling down impossibly narrow streets lined with cafes––make sure you don’t stick your head out the window if you plan on keeping it––and lush urban gardens.
The Bà Nà hills in Central Vietnam, on the other hand, are a paradise for adventurers and nature enthusiasts, with the Marble Mountains offering scenic trails, whereas the sister cities of Hue and Hoi An are open-air museums for culture buffs.
Hue is Vietnam’s former royal capital, home to a well-preserved, moated citadel, while Hoi An is a picturesque riverside settlement distinguished by its brightly-painted jaune facades and a multitude of Japanese and Chinese temples.
Of course, to the very south, there’s a sprawling Ho Chi Minh City, boasting a high concentration of historical monuments, including Independence Palace, a museum chronicling the reunification of Vietnam, and French-built structures, most notably the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon.
Incredible Cuisine Worth Flying 14 Hours For
As VN Express reports, Vietnamese cuisine is an equally-big draw for Americans crossing the Pacific, headed for Vietnam.
From well-loved dishes that have already had their international breakthrough and can now be found in most Western countries, like pho and rice-paper spring rolls, to the lesser-known, noodle-based and meat-heavy Cao lau, or rice pancakes (Banh xeo), rest assured your cravings will be met.
There are countless foodie hotspots all over the country, though we would argue Hoi An has one of the best culinary landscapes, largely due to its unique blend of French, Japanese, and Chinese influences:
A local delicacy you must try is Banh mi, a split mini-baguette, French-style, stuffed with crispy meat and vegetables, and in our humble opinion, Madam Khanh serves the best ones in town!
In Hanoi, make sure HOME Hanoi is on your list of eateries to tick off:
If you’re anxious about getting food poisoning from street vendors, this is a posh restaurant away from the hustle and bustle of the French Quarter, serving Vietnamese food in a Western-style environment with a high-end twist.
The noodle soup, rich in broth and herbs, is a solid pick, and don’t forget to order some of their deep-fried rolls, which are definitely an improvement over the soggy, 20-cents or dollar ones you get from the curbside.
According to Nguyen Huy Hoang, the CEO of travel platform Klook Vietnam, ‘if you ask 10 foreign customers, nine say they love Vietnamese cuisine after experiencing a food tour.‘
In that spirit, go ahead and book a spot on this signature street food tasting tour of Ho Chi Minh City by motorbike, from $30 per person––and hold on for dear life as Vietnamese traffic is not for beginners.
More Nonstop Flights Coming This Year!
Currently, the only direct flights available between the United States and Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) depart from San Francisco International Airport (SAF), with one-way tickets starting from $944.
That’s already a step up from the pandemic years when all connections were severed, but it’s nowhere near where connectivity could be given the high demand for Vietnam vacations Stateside.
Of course, Americans can always find cheaper options going to multiple destinations in Vietnam with a one-stop connection in larger Asian hubs, like Japan or Taiwan, but it’s far from being convenient, especially when you take into account the duration of flights.
Soon enough, North Americans may be presented with more options:
As reported by Simple Flying, Vietnam Airlines is looking to expand in the North American market this year by adding three more cities to their flight map.
No details have been provided yet, though Vietnam Airlines has announced through their official LinkedIn page that Los Angeles, Seattle, and Vancouver (in Canada), are being considered, with Ho Chi Minh City as destination, similarly to San Francisco.
Los Angeles remains Vietnam’s largest North American market, with 261,000 roundtrip passengers recorded in the 12 months leading up to October 2024, as well as the States’ largest unserved long-haul market.
In our view, it’s bound to happen sooner or later.
Minimal Bureaucracy Awaiting
Finally, Vietnam is a low-bureaucracy destination for Americans going to Asia, a continent where they are faced with stricter visa requirements and complicated entry forms.
Granted, it’s not visa-free: U.S. citizens still need to apply for a digital permit to travel to Vietnam, but it’s incredibly easy to obtain, and it costs only US$25.
There is no need to travel to a Vietnamese consulate in the United States nor submit physical documentation: the entire process is online, and the Vietnamese eVisa is issued within a reasonable time following consideration.
The only recommendation is that you do it some time in advance, as soon as you know your entry and departure dates from Vietnam, as they may take several days to give you a response, and the last thing you want is to turn up at the airport only to be prohibited from boarding as you don’t have an eVisa.
Other than that, there are no other formal procedures awaiting Americans landing in Vietnam: no registration with the police and no useless immigration forms to fill out when checking in at their accommodation.
On top of that, back in 2023, Vietnam recently increased the length of the eVisa from 30 days to 3 months, allowing American travelers to stay longer.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.