If you ask me if I recommend traveling to Vietnam, I would answer without hesitation that I do. When I first came to this country, I intended to return home once my work was finished.
However, ten years have passed. Now, I met my wife here, am raising two children, and drink coffee every morning while gazing at the sea of Ha Long Bay. Whenever someone asks me, “Why Vietnam?” I am always momentarily speechless. That is because there are simply too many reasons.
Choosing a travel destination is always a matter of choice. There is Europe, there is Japan, and there is Thailand.
Travel products too PackageThere is and there is individual travel.
Why it must be Vietnam among them — this article is my honest answer to that question.
1. It takes five hours — It feels like I’ve come a long way even though it’s close.
It takes four and a half hours by plane from Incheon to Hanoi, the capital of northern Vietnam. It takes less than four hours to Da Nang.
However, the moment you step out of the airport, a completely different world unfolds. The sound of motorcycles, the smell of pho, and unfamiliar text messages. Since the time difference is only two hours, your body adjusts from the very first day of arrival. In Europe, even if you fly for over ten hours, it is common to spend three days adjusting to the time difference.
The shorter the trip, the more precious the travel time feels. Vietnam gives that wasted time back to the trip. It is a country where even a five-day itinerary can be a fully packed experience.
2. There are three faces in one country
In Sapa, you clear the fog with ethnic minorities in the mountains 1,500 meters above sea level. Two days later, in Ha Long Bay, you navigate through 3,000 islands by boat. In Ninh Binh, you row through limestone cliffs on the river.
These three places can each be reached within five hours by car.
Thailand and Malaysia are also wonderful countries, but it is rare to find one like Vietnam where you can experience mountains, the sea, and fields within such close proximity. In Europe, you would have to cross three countries to experience a similar level of diversity.
If you want to see many different sides of a country in a single trip, Vietnam is a particularly good fit for greedy travelers.
3. Food Becomes a Journey
Six o'clock in the morning in Hanoi's Old Quarter. I sit on a low plastic chair and receive a bowl of hot pho. With a sip of the broth, I taste beef stock, star anise, and cinnamon all at once. Next to me sits a local who has just gotten off work and finishes the same bowl.
That moment was not a meal. It was a time to understand Hanoi.
Vietnamese food tastes different depending on the region, restaurant, and even household. Hanoi pho and Hoi An pho share the same name but are completely different dishes. For those who travel in pursuit of food, Vietnam is an endless country. A traveler who has spent 30,000 won on a single meal in Europe learns in Vietnam that a 2,000 won street meal is more memorable than any fine dining experience.
4. There are still areas that are not fully polished.
Bali is beautiful. However, it is also an island where everything, from the airport to the tourist attractions, is designed for the traveler. Bangkok is glamorous. But wherever you go, a Korean menu awaits.
Vietnam, especially the North, is still different.
If you enter the villages on the outskirts of Sapa, there are children seeing Korean travelers for the first time. The fishermen eating breakfast on their boats in Ha Long Bay have not yet learned how to sell smiles to tourists. That ruggedness is what makes it authentic. In the unrefined, there lies an unstaged life.
Having lived here for 10 years, I am watching that unpolished side gradually disappear. That is why I think now is the perfect time to travel to Northern Vietnam.
If you would like to be guided to places like this in person, we will take a route that is not covered by package tours.
Inquire about tours
5. Cost expands the scope of travel
In Europe, covering accommodation, meals, and transportation costs at least 200,000 won per day. In Japan as well, expenses are higher than expected recently as the weak yen has passed.
Vietnam is different. A night at a decent hotel in Hanoi costs just 50,000 won, and even eating three meals at local restaurants costs less than 20,000 won. With the same budget, you can stay longer and experience more in Vietnam.
What matters is not simply affordability. Lower costs broaden your options. Whether you extend your trip by an extra day, take a better cruise, or add a local cooking class—spending room in your budget leads to a more relaxed travel experience. It is not a trip to save money, but a trip to gain experiences without worrying about finances.
conclusion - The reason for recommending a trip to Vietnam is ultimately just one.
Close proximity, diverse nature, rich food culture, unspoiled, raw scenery, and a generous budget. I listed five things, but they all ultimately converge into one.
A trip to Vietnam is the kind of trip where, upon returning, you don't say "I had a good trip," but rather "Something seems to have changed.".
That is also the reason I have been living in this country for 10 years.
Vietnam Tourism BoardAccording to [source], Hanoi has relatively high price competitiveness among major cities in Southeast Asia.
If you want to experience Northern Vietnam that package tours don't show,
👉 Consult on local guide tours
✍️ About the Author
I reside in Ha Long Bay and simultaneously work as a tour guide, operate a travel agency, and make local investments.
For private tour consultations and travel inquiries, please use the '‘Tour Inquiry‘Please use '.