{"id":123,"date":"2026-04-05T18:44:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T09:44:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vietgil.com\/?p=123"},"modified":"2026-06-01T20:24:36","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T11:24:36","slug":"vietnam-travel-advantages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vietgil.com\/en\/vietnam-travel-advantages\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Reasons to Recommend a Trip to Vietnam \u2014 The Real Charms Told by a Guide Who Lived There for 10 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When I first came to Vietnam, I intended to stay for only a few days. 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. Every year, I receive inquiries from Korea asking for travel recommendations for Vietnam. They ask where to go and why Vietnam. This is an article answering those questions with ten years of experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is Europe, there is Japan, and there is Thailand. The reason why it must be Vietnam among those options\u2014I have summarized this not from a tourism agency promotional material, but from the honest perspective of someone who has lived in this country for 10 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although I have divided it into five parts, as you read on, you will realize that they eventually converge for a single reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reason to Recommend a Trip to Vietnam 1 \u2014 It\u2019s a completely different world, just a five-hour flight away.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The flight from Incheon to Hanoi takes four and a half hours. It takes less than four hours to Da Nang. The time difference is only two hours, so your body adjusts from the day of arrival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the moment you step out of the airport, a completely different world unfolds. The sound of motorcycles, the smell of pho, and unfamiliar characters. Even if you fly to Europe for over ten hours, you often end up spending three days adjusting to jet lag. Japan is close, but the cost is higher than expected. Vietnam is a country where you can experience the most unfamiliar sensations with just a short flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even a five-day itinerary can be a fully packed experience. The shorter the trip, the more precious travel time feels. Vietnam gives that wasted time back to the trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are three faces in one country<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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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 a boat through 3,000 islands. In Ninh Binh, you row through limestone cliffs on the river. These three places can each be reached within five hours by car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to see many different sides of Vietnam in a single trip, the perfect country for the ambitious traveler. In the North alone, Hanoi, Sapa, Ha Long Bay, and Ninh Binh\u2014completely different landscapes\u2014are all possible within a week. Complete map of Northern Vietnam travel<\/a>If you figure that out first, it becomes much easier to plan the route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food becomes a journey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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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. A local, having just gotten off work, sits beside me and finishes the same bowl. That moment was not just a meal. It was a time to understand Hanoi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 a country of endless possibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are a traveler who has spent 30,000 won on a single meal in Europe, you learn in Vietnam that a 2,000 won street meal is more memorable than any fine dining experience. Regarding Vietnamese food culture... Vietnam Tourism Authority Official Website<\/a>You can also check regional food information at [location].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are still some areas that are not fully polished.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vietnam, especially the North, is still different. If you enter a village on the outskirts of Sapa, there are children seeing Korean travelers for the first time. Fishermen eating breakfast on fishing 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having lived here for 10 years, I am watching that unpolished side gradually disappear. Accommodation facilities are appearing in the ethnic minority villages in the north, and package tours have started to arrive. That is why I think now is the perfect time to travel to Northern Vietnam. Five years from now, the same village will be different from what it is today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you would like to hike Northern Vietnam via routes not covered by tour packages, please contact us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n \ud83d\udc49 Inquire about Tours<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Cost expands the scope of travel.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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In Europe, covering accommodation, meals, and transportation costs at least 200,000 won per day. Japan is also more expensive than expected now that the recent weakness of the yen has subsided. Vietnam is different. A decent hotel in Hanoi costs just 50,000 won per night, and even eating three meals at local restaurants costs less than 20,000 won.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2014spending 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the same budget, you can stay longer and experience more in Vietnam. This is not a simple comparison; it means the density of the travel experience changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vietnam travel recommendations ultimately boil down to a single reason.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next installment covers Sapa, the starting point of a trip to Northern Vietnam. It is a story about trekking with ethnic minorities in a mountain village 1,500 meters above sea level. Sapa Travel Guide Part 1<\/a>It is helpful to read it in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n \ud83d\udc49 Consult on Hanoi, Sapa, and Ha Long Bay Private Tours<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The author resides in Ha Long Bay and works as a tour guide, operates a travel agency, and engages in local investment. For private tour consultations and travel inquiries, please use the 'Tour Inquiry' option in the top menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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