Packing can either be a fun activity or very stressful. If you are planning on traveling to Vietnam for a long term, you have even more things to think about. There are some factors to think of such as which season are you going to travel during, do you want to pack as lightly as possible and what are you planning on doing in Vietnam?
But first, you need to apply for a Vietnam visa before you start packing. This is perhaps the most important thing to remember since you will be denied entry to the country if you fail to present a valid visa. Some countries are allowed to stay in Vietnam for up to 15 days visa free, but if you are unsure if your country is on the list, contact your embassy. You can apply for a visa in three different ways: Visa on Arrival, E-Visa or go to your nearest Vietnam Embassy or Consulate. The E-Visa is only eligible for certain countries, but the Visa on Arrival is just as good of an option and can also be applied for online.
Vietnam visa on arrival desk in Da Nang city
Most people tend to go to Vietnam during the warmer periods so this list will take that into consideration. So, let’s take a look at some of the essential things you need to bring for your vacation in Vietnam:
- Sunscreen – This is incredibly important since the sun is strong and you will most likely spend some time on the beach during your holidays. Better to be safe than sorry. Buy no less than 30 SPF and remember to reapply after 2 hours or so.
- Medicine – Some basic medicine is always good to bring such as aspirin, diarrhea remedies and upset stomach medicine. If you get a cold, it’s also good to bring throat infection medicine.
- First Aid Kit – Always good to bring with you, no matter where you go on holidays. Your feet will thank you when you can put bandaids on those blisters.
- Quick Dry Towel – You don’t want to put a wet towel in your backpack amongst your clothes. Instead, invest in a towel which dries quickly so you don’t need to worry about this problem.
- Clothes – Pack lightly. You probably don’t need 20% of what you’ll pack so make sure you pack smart if you don’t want to go carry a heavy luggage. Basic items such as t-shirts, shorts, dresses, at least one pair of long pants and a warm sweater is always advisable. If you are planning on heading north during the winter months, you’ll notice that it can get very cold at night. If you know for certain you’re going somewhere cold, bring a warm hat and a scarf too. Something that’s also very good to bring is a rain coat. Even if it’s not raining, it’ll protect you from the wind.
- Bikini Wear – You’ll need at least 2 so you can change every once in a while.
- Footwear – If you’re planning on being on the beach for most of your vacation, pack sandals and flip flops. It’s always good to have 2 pairs if your feet gets blisters or get uncomfortable after a while. Then you can just change to the other pair. If you’re a trekker, bring sport shoes. There’s usually no need to bring heavy hiking shoes and these will only make your luggage so much heavier.
- Electronics – You’ll need to bring a universal power adapter. Consider investing on a good phone case for your phone as well. If you’re not a digital nomad, don’t bring your computer with you. Don’t spend all your time in front of a computer on your holidays. If you love reading, bring Kindle with you. This way you don’t have to bring heavy books.
- Portable Phone Charger – These days, we use our phone for everything. Whether it’s for checking Google Maps, Instagram, or we simply want to search for something, we are on our phones. A lot. This means your battery might die while you’re out exploring, so bring a portable phone charger to make sure that you won’t run out of battery.
- Bug Repellent – Do. Not. Forget. This. The mosquitos can be ruthless in Vietnam and sometimes the only way to protect yourself is by having bug repellent. It’s worth it.
So there you have it – the most important things you should remember to pack for Vietnam. Of course you can add a few things here and there, but try to pack as lightly as possible. If you do forget something, you can always buy it there. Now – start packing!
