Travel Insurance for Vietnam

Travel Insurance for Vietnam
Travel & Safety Tips for Vietnam
Popular Vietnam Travel Destinations
Vietnam Embassy & Consulate Information

Do I Need Travel Insurance for Vietnam?

Vietnam recently suspended its travel medical insurance requirement. Previously those entering Vietnam were required to secure insurance with a minimum of $10,000 liability to assist in the event of any COVID-19 treatment. Despite the removal of mandatory coverage, we continue to recommend that travelers purchase travel insurance for Vietnam trips. International medical coverage may help visitors to the country protect against illness and injury while abroad, but addtional coverages like trip cancellation, baggage loss, and travel delay are also available. Typically these coverages are offered as a part of a comprehensive plan. If you are concerned about airline delays or disruptions, unforeseen weather events, sudden illness or injury while overseas, trip cancellation, or other travel mishaps, purchasing trip insurance for Vietnam may be right for you.

How Much is Travel Insurance to Vietnam?

The price of Vietnam travel protection can vary depending on the age, health status, and number of travelers being covered, as well as the duration of the trip and type of coverage.

As risk involved with the trip increases, prices may also increase. For example, a trip to Vietnam that lasts one week may cost less than a two-week trip, even if the type of coverage is the same, due to the extended length of the trip. Additionally, a traveler with pre-existing health conditions can usually expect to pay higher rates than a traveler who does not have any diagnosed pre-existing conditions.

What Does Travel Health Insurance for Vietnam Cover?

Each Vietnam travel medical plan varies just as each trip and traveler varies. A travel medical insurance plan for Vietnam can be purchased as a standalone plan or as a part of a comprehensive travel insurance plan. A comprehensive travel insurance policy offers coverage for various travel-related expenses, such as cancellation, lost baggage, or delays.

Some common coverages to consider for a trip to Vietnam include:

• Motorcycle/Motorbike travel insurance
• Coverage for pre-existing conditions (obtaining a waiver for the condition before traveling)
• Emergency Medical Evacuation
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment

Certain high-risk activities like rock climbing are not covered by all travel health insurance plans. For tourists who want to partake in such activities, it's highly recommended to add a hazardous sports rider to your Vietnam travel medical plan.

Before purchasing any travel medical coverage for Vietnam, it's recommended to contact your domestic health insurance provider to understand how your health insurance policy will cover you while traveling abroad. Some domestic health insurance plans can assist with circumstances like hospital stays overseas, while some do not offer international coverage. Getting those details first can help you understand what additional insurance you may need to fill in any gaps in your protection in Vietnam, as well as avoid paying for any excess services you wouldn't need.

Should I Get Travel Insurance for a Trip to Vietnam?

Travel insurance is recommended for all visitors to Vietnam. Travelers may consider a policy that includes travel-related coverages such as emergency medical treatment, delays, and lost or damaged baggage. To find the right coverage for your next trip and budget, it's recommended to compare different travel insurance plans and narrow it down by the criteria that suits your personal situation. InsureMyTrip offers a free quote process with unbiased results to assist you in your search for the best travel insurance for Vietnam.

Travel Tips & Safety for Vietnam

Money & Currency Exchange

The official currency of Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong (currency code: VND). During your trip, you can expect to see prices marked with the symbols ₫ or đ. Coins are rarely used in Vietnam, but they have been produced in values of 200₫, 500₫, 1,000₫, 2,000₫, 5,000₫. Vietnam’s color-coded banknotes are made from two distinct materials: 1,000₫, 2,000₫, and 5,000₫ notes are cotton, while notes with values of 10,000₫, 20,000₫, 50,000₫, 100,000₫, 200,000₫, and 500,000₫ are made from polymer. Seem like a lot of zeros? One running anecdote between travelers to Vietnam is about becoming an "instant millionaire" when holding the Vietnamese Dong.

Credit cards are generally only accepted at hotels and some restaurants. To make purchases elsewhere or ride a taxi, you’ll need to carry local currency. Exchange your home currency for Vietnamese Dong using an ATM, a money exchange desk at a hotel or airport, or a gold and jewelry shop in Vietnam. While money changing services at ATMs, hotels, and airports are convenient, the exchange rate isn’t the best and many of these services charge extra fees for the exchange. Most often, you can find the best exchange rates (and avoid hidden fees) by exchanging currency at a jewelry shop in Vietnam. Gold and jewelry shops can be found along many of the main streets of Vietnamese cities.

Transportation

Public transportation in Vietnam is readily available and always lively. For long-distance travel, domestic flights are the quickest way to reach your destination, while trains offer a slower but much more scenic ride. For reference, one of Vietnam’s most popular train routes between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City takes about 35 hours while its flight equivalent takes about 2 hours. Buses, taxis, and private rentals are great for exploring cities and rural locations alike. Buses are generally affordable and comfortable with air conditioning. Taxis and rideshare apps like Grab (Southeast Asia’s most popular Uber-equivalent) are particularly useful for traveling your own routes on your own time. In addition to private cars, it’s also common to hire and ride a motorcycle / motorbike in Vietnam. A motor service (xe ôm) is similar to a taxi, but instead of a car, you’ll ride on the back of a motorbike. If you’re confident about driving your own motorbike in Vietnam, you’ll likely need to own one first. Some travelers choose to buy a motorbike in Hanoi, ride it for a while, and sell it back in Ho Chi Minh City or vice versa.

Risk & Crime

Thanks to the country's relatively low crime rate and law-abiding citizens, Vietnam is considered a safe destination for travelers. However, petty crime like scamming, pickpocketing, bag snatching is somewhat common, especially near airports, seaports, and train stations. To combat this risk, keep your valuables hidden from sight and close to your body. Better yet, lock your items away in a security box like a hotel safe. Stay aware of your surroundings when using a phone or camera near streets, as drive-by theft by motorbike riders has also been reported. As for scams, never leave your money or credit card with a stranger no matter what they say. If taking a taxi in Vietnam, use reputable companies such as Mai Linh and Vinasun to lessen the chance of coming across a false meter.

While Vietnam's tropical climate attracts plenty of visitors, this type of weather also opens the door to natural disasters like typhoons and flooding. Heavy rain falls hardest during summer in Vietnam. If your trip is between May to October, keep an eye on local weather and news stations for the most up-to-date forecasts. It's also best to bring or buy sunscreen and bug-repellent for your trip. Apply sunscreen in the morning and during the day, then bug-repellent around sunset or when applicable. Whenever possible, avoid wild creatures in the jungle and other unregulated areas. Some of the safest and most effective ways to combat the heat in Vietnam are drinking bottled water and wearing light, airy clothing.

Top 15 Travel Destinations & Tourist Attractions in Vietnam

Favorite Flavors of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

When visiting Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam (also known as Saigon), there is so much to see, ranging from the French colonial architecture of the Saigon Central Post Office to Independence Palace and beyond. If you're going to have a truly authentic Vietnamese travel experience, though, you must make time to try the dishes that locals love. With that in mind, we've collected a brief list of some of the most popular flavors of Saigon to help you build the perfect gastronomic itinerary for your trip.

Pho

No conversation about the favorite flavors of Saigon is complete without mentioning pho. This dish is a classic noodle soup, traditionally consisting of a savory broth and either beef or chicken (pho bo or pho ga, respectively, but you may find vegetarian varieties or types with other meats). With herbs like cilantro the dish has a freshness to it, while peppers add heat and other vegetables offer texture and crunch. It's a must-try for travelers who want a dish they can personalize while still having an iconic Vietnamese meal.

Com Tam

Once seen as a meal only for the country's poorer population, com tam now tops the list of foods any tourist must try when visiting Ho Chi Minh City. The prime ingredients, broken rice grains, were once only used by farmers with limited resources. With time and resourcefulness, though, com tam has become a blend of texture and flavors that locals love nationwide. In addition to broken rice, com tam often contains grilled pork, fried egg, pickled vegetables, and fish sauce. Depending on how you want to customize it you could wind up having thit kho (caramelized pork belly) and even muoi tiêu (salt and pepper squid). No matter how you try com tam, you can't go wrong.

Banh Cuon

Last—but not least—on our list of the top flavors of Saigon is banh cuon, a dish of rice paper foils filled with savory ingredients. This one is a true, complex art, made by first pouring a thin, rice flour batter onto a cloth stretched over boiling water, which quickly steams the batter and transforms it into rice paper. Then, this delicate creation is filled with anything from chả lụa (Vietnamese pork sausage), nuac mam (a tangy fish sauce), and sliced vegetables that add crunch. You can enjoy them smaller and served with toppings like prawns (banh cuon Hanoi) or larger and filled with more ingredients (banh cuon mien Nam).

Perfectly Prepare for Your Culinary Ho Chi Minh City Trip with Travel Insurance

When visiting Vietnam, you should be focused on all the experiences your eyes and stomach can take in—not the obstacles that could disrupt your trip. That's the reason we recommend looking into Ho Chi Minh City travel insurance when planning your international adventure.

If you haven't purchased coverage like this before, you may be wondering why travel insurance is necessary for Ho Chi Minh City. The reason is that so much could happen, both good and…complicated. Should you run into flight delays or cancellations, lost or damaged luggage, or need medical attention, having the right travel insurance for your individual needs may be able to keep you financially protected.

To find travel insurance that's right for your Ho Chi Minh City trip, you can compare policy options on InsureMyTrip.com. As the world's first travel insurance comparison site, we are an unbiased resource that you can use to see quotes from top providers. You can also speak with our dedicated Customer Care team to learn about the nuances of different plans, answer your questions about why travel insurance may be beneficial, and more.

Begin your journey to being covered by starting a quote on our site. Then, enjoy your trip to Ho Chi Minh City.

U.S. / Vietnam Embassy and Consulate Locations

U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Vietnam

• Hanoi, Vietnam – U.S. Embassy
  7 Lang Ha Street
  Hanoi, Vietnam
  Phone: 84.24.3850.5000
• Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – U.S. Consulate General
  4 Le Duan Blvd., District 1
  Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  Phone: 84.28.3520.4200

Vietnamese Embassy and Consulate in USA

• Washington DC – Vietnamese Embassy
  1233 20th St NW, Suite 400
  Washington, DC 20036 United States
  Phone: 1.202.861.0737
• San Francisco, California — Vietnamese Consulate General
  1700 California St, Suite 430
  San Francisco, CA 94109 United States
  Phone: 1.415.922.1707
• Houston, Texas — Vietnamese Consulate General
  5251 Westheimer Road, Suite 1100
  Houston, TX 77056 United States
  Phone: 1.713.850.1233
• New York, New York — Vietnamese Permanent Mission to the UN
  866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 435
  New York, NY 10017 United States
  Phone: 1.212.644.0594