For many foreign visitors, Vietnam’s appeal lies in both familiar experiences and new places to discover. Its diverse cities, cultural attractions, welcoming people and affordable travel give visitors plenty of reasons to return.
Personal connections are another draw.
Gabriel’s karaoke encounter happened during a week-long family holiday two years ago. His parents preferred a quieter experience, while he wanted to go out and meet people.
Joining the group gave him a chance to socialize despite the language barrier, and the ease of making friends remained one of his strongest impressions of Vietnam.
Gabriel and his German friend Marie began his second Vietnam trip in Hanoi this October and were preparing to travel by bus to Sa Pa, spend three days there and then continue to Ninh Binh.
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Gabriel and Marie enjoy a night out in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Photo by Read/Giang Huy |
That change of route illustrates how tourists can always find more of the country to explore.
Hanoi can serve as the starting point for embarking on that journey. Rough Guides describes the capital as a convenient base for visiting Sa Pa and the northern mountains, and suggests combining it with destinations including Ninh Binh and Ha Giang.
For Gabriel and Marie, variety also exists within Hanoi. They visited monuments during the day, enjoyed pho and banh mi, and went out to socialize in the evening. Moving between sightseeing, food and nightlife allowed them to experience several sides of the city without organizing their trip around a single interest.
Affordability made that freedom easier to enjoy. Gabriel, who had traveled elsewhere in Asia, appreciated being able to try different outings in Vietnam without spending heavily.
The same combination of choice and manageable costs also appeals to visitors traveling with children.
For Irene, 40, and her husband Ian, 69, who live in Australia, these factors have helped keep Vietnam on their travel plans. They have visited four times, bringing their three children on every trip.
Previous visits included Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang, with a cruise stop in the coastal city. Their current holiday began in Hanoi earlier this month, and they are now exploring other destinations in Vietnam.
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Irene’s family enjoys a meal in Hanoi. Photo by Read/Giang Huy |
Ian says: “It’s cheap. That’s why I like it.”
But there are admittedly practical difficulties for visitors.
Ian for instance says he has seen motorbikes driving through pedestrian areas and on sidewalks, and vehicles traveling in the wrong direction on one-way streets.
Despite such irritants, the family keeps coming back.
Each visit offers a chance to explore different cities and learn more about Vietnam’s history and culture. Temples, historic buildings and distinctive architecture particularly appeal to the adults, introducing them to traditions different from those they have encountered elsewhere.
For the children, zoos and aquariums offer other options. This variety allows the family to plan around different interests rather than expect everyone to enjoy the same activities.
Booking data from online travel platform Agoda in the first six months of this year ranked Vietnam third among Asian destinations for the rate of returning international visitors, behind only Japan and Thailand.
While many visitors return for another holiday, others find reasons to stay longer, building lives and personal connections in Vietnam.
For Camille Agsunod, a 28-year-old Filipino currently teaching at a private school in Hanoi, the Vietnam appeal has grown through everyday life.
Agsunod first came to the country in July this year. Work is a central reason for her continued stay, but exploring the city, enjoying local food, and getting to know people have given her reasons to appreciate the time beyond the classroom.
“There was a point when Hanoi stopped feeling like a temporary place and started feeling familiar,” she says.
The cultural character that draws Irene and Ian to different destinations is something Agsunod encounters in her daily surroundings. She appreciates how Hanoi continues to develop while local food, traditions, and historical character remain part of its everyday rhythm.
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A local helps two foreign visitors capture a moment in Hanoi. Photo by Read/Giang Huy |
Personal connections have deepened that appreciation.
“I have experienced kindness and friendliness from people here, and those small interactions make a foreign country feel less foreign,” she says.
“Vietnam is a country that deserves to be experienced slowly. The longer you stay, the more there is to appreciate.”