What it’s like to visit Vietnam right now

Walking around Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake, one of the Vietnamese capital’s most famous sights, there’s a moment that stops me in my tracks.

After two years of closed international borders and social distancing, a multi-discipline street dance festival is unfolding on the road just ahead.

Gathered around 10 energetic hip-hop performers is a crowd numbering in the hundreds, all packed shoulder-to-shoulder to get the clearest view. The majority of them wear masks, a notable few do not.

An open-air dance competition takes place during the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi.

It’s been far too long since I’ve been part of a scene like this. The energy is infectious.

Looking around the throng of onlookers and nearby troupes doing last-minute rehearsal before taking the stage – the ‘bad boys’ in leather jackets, the ruby-skirted flamenco dancers – it feels like the last two years haven’t happened, that life in Vietnam has simply continued on as it always has.

The streets are quieter, yet tourism is showing welcome signs of return.

But that wasn’t the case, with strict lockdowns touching every corner of the country. Vietnam has since reopened to international tourists. It's also dropped pre-arrival testing requirements as of May 15, though Smartraveller advises some airlines may still insist on a negative test. 

I’ve been in Vietnam for a few days now, after flying Vietnamese carrier Bamboo Airways from Sydney to Ho Chi Minh City, and then onwards to ancient Hanoi in the country’s north. I’m relishing the opportunity to be back at last.

Crowds stroll around Hanoi's Hoan Kiem Lake, many wearing masks.

Having fallen in love with Vietnam, its food and people on previous trips, I’d been curious what it would be like post-pandemic. Would the relentless hum of scooters and packed markets that engulfed your senses remain, or would it be a shadow of itself, forever changed?

My questions were answered minutes after stepping outside Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport. Thick and tropical heat, a cacophony of car horns and scooters, and that unmistakable aroma of Southeast Asia slapped me out of my travel daze. It was glorious.

The streets of Ho Chi Minh City remain a dizzying, thrilling sight to behold.

Exploring on foot, it felt as if life had indeed returned to normal, with some slight changes.

Face masks are the new norm

Once only worn when sick or riding a scooter (exhaust fumes are nobody’s friend), face masks are currently mandated to be worn whenever out in public. This includes visiting markets and on public transport. However, penalties are no longer applied if you're not wearing them. 

That said, the majority of people still firmly adhere to the rule. It's become a habit for many now, with locals often reminding travellers to put their mask on. It's polite to do so. 

A man rides a scooter amid the rice fields of Hanoi.

New starts and a life on hold

In the tourist mecca of Halong City – gateway to UNESCO listed Halong Bay – in the far north, it was much the same, though it was clear not everything had emerged unscathed.

Many employed in the tourism industry returned to family businesses during the pandemic.

The hundreds of overnight junk cruises that once departed and returned each day are mostly dormant, moored at the harbours waiting for the day they can splutter back into life.

Vinayak ‘Vinny’ Razdan is the Hotel Manager of FLC Grand Halong Bay, a colossal five star hotel and golf course perched on a hill overlooking the region’s famous islands. When it was forced to close in March 2020, many of its 750 staff were suddenly without jobs or security.

FLC Grand Halong is an opulent five star hotel towering high above Halong City.

FLC Hotels and Resorts is part of the FLC Group, the parent company of Bamboo Airways.

“People did what they had to survive at the time,” Razdan explains. “Many staff returned to their hometowns, they became fishermen or they worked with their families in the field; others became delivery drivers for businesses offering takeaway food only.”

Razdan remained at the hotel, with an eventual rebound in domestic tourism allowing many staff to slip back into their previous roles. Some chose to remain on their newfound career paths. 

The view from the 12th hole at FLC Halong Bay Golf Club is truly spectacular.

Now, as international visitors slowly trickle in, Razdan and the community are hoping the worst days are now behind them, with the country at last able to rebuild its battered tourism industry.

The roads less travelled are in

Vietnam is home to more than 96 million people, with an estimated 18 million overseas tourists visiting annually pre-pandemic. Tourism accounted for almost 10 percent of its GDP in 2019.

Western travellers are currently few and far between, yet those who are here feel incredibly fortunate.

The delicious scent of satays roasting over charcoal calls out like a siren song.

After two years considering our impact on the planet, many feel there’s now a chance to ‘do things differently’ this time around, to give back to the locals more than we take, and to fully immerse ourselves in and embrace the culture, not impose our own.

There’s also a call to share the love in an effort to limit the effects of over tourism, visiting destinations beyond the classic meccas of Halong Bay, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City.

Colourful fishing boats anchored at Nhon Ly, a small fishing village near Quy Nhon.

Quy Nhon in Binh Dinh Province – midway between the tourist draw cards of Nha Trang and Da Nang – is one of the lesser-known cities hoping to capitalise on that mindset, particularly with direct flights from the international hubs of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Dating from the 11th century, the city was built on fishing and agriculture (the fleet of vibrant, circular fishing baskets is a captivating sight to behold) although it was briefly used as an American Air Force base, with the former runway now incorporated into the main street.

A Nhon Ly fisherman skilfully pulls in his net aboard a coracle boat.

There are two FLC hotels in the city – the impressive 1,008-room FLC Grand Quy Nhon and FLC City Beach Quy Nhon – both focused on domestic guests at present, yet hoping curious Westerners will also be drawn to its beautiful beaches and bustling marketplaces.

Other noted destinations include Ninh Binh, home to soaring limestone mountains (much like those found in Halong Bay) jutting out of lush, green rice fields below; and Da Lat, described as ‘a little slice of Paris’ and home to a myriad of stunning waterfalls and lakes.

FLC Grand Quy Nhon is the most luxurious hotel in the emerging holiday destination.

With an extensive airline network throughout the country, it’s easy to venture out and explore.

A moment on the lips worth travelling for

Back in Ho Chi Minh City, life continues to flow like the traffic that fills its streets – it’s both organised yet chaotic, a well-oiled machine that has weathered countless storms over the centuries. The pandemic was just a blip, and it’s already putting those days behind it.

The bustling marketplaces that travellers adore are still in full swing.

Shopping and street food have long been its most alluring drawcards, together with the French Colonial architecture like Ho Chi Minh City Post Office and Cathedral. That hasn’t changed.

Ubiquitous stainless steel trolleys can still be found lining the streets, all dishing up abundant bánh mì, mouth-watering pho bò (beef pho) and delicious goi cuon (fresh springs rolls).

A Vietnamese stall holder poses for a photo, before replacing her mask once again.

Above all, it’s the locals who remain Vietnam’s greatest treasure.

Just like the rest of the world, they’ve all done it tough in recent years, but they’re still smiling, still warm and inviting, always eager to share their culture. And, they’re ready to welcome us back – right now.

The author travelled as a guest of Bamboo Airways.