Where should you go first in Vietnam - What About Vietnam S6-E8

Where do you even begin with a country like Vietnam?

It’s one of the most common questions I’m asked… and one of the hardest to answer simply.

Because Vietnam isn’t just one destination.
It’s a country of contrasts — north to south — where each region offers a completely different experience.

In this episode, I take a step back from listing places… and instead guide you through a smarter way to think about your starting point.

Because the real question isn’t just where you should go first —
it’s how you want to experience Vietnam.

What You’ll Discover in This Episode

• Why there is no single “best” place to start in Vietnam
• The key differences between North, Central and South Vietnam
• How your travel style should shape your own answer to this question
• Why trying to “see it all” can work against you
• How to match your time frame with the right regional approach
• The importance of pacing, connection, and flow in your trip

Essentially we take your desired experience of the country and match it to where you should visit first. Let me take you through that in this show.

If this question has been sitting in the back of your mind… this episode will help you move forward with confidence.

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Transcript

Kerry Newsome: Xin chào and welcome. This is What About Vietnam? I'm Kerry Newsome coming to you from Vietnam, where things are as vibrant and dynamic as ever. After five years of conversations, stories and real traveler experiences, and more recently being recognized here in Vietnam for the work I do, I decided I wanted to sharpen the focus. This series is simple. One question at a time. The ones travelers are really asking right now. So without further ado, let's get into today's question. Where should you go first in Vietnam? Ho, ho, ho. Oh my gosh. That's a tough one. So I've had to step back from that question and kind of Analyze it from a different perspective and ask you to just work with me on this one because it'll help you make the decision and make it simple for you because there's actually no simple answer because Vietnam isn't just one destination. It's long, it's diverse, And every region feels completely different. Even the weather, even the food is different from the north to the south. So when people ask me, where should you go first? What they're really asking is, where do I begin without getting it wrong? And the good news is there's actually no wrong place to start. But, there's always a but, isn't there? There is a right place for you. So instead of trying to give you a list of places, I'm going to give you a way to think about it. Because the real question isn't where should I go first? Trust me, just work with me. It's what kind of experience do I want to have first? And once you know that, the answer becomes much clearer. I can only give you the benefit of my experiences and that of the travellers and the traveller stories on the podcast over the years. But suffice to say, it's the experience you want to have that will help you determine where you should visit first and then the pathway from there. If you're someone who wants depth, contrast and a real sense of discovery, like age, I mean, you can feel it in the buildings, you can feel it in the alleyways. then starting in the north of Vietnam might be right for you. This is where you'll find Hanoi as probably a kick-off point for that. It's busy, it's chaotic, full of life, and for many people, that's their first real introduction to Vietnam. But it does have a sense of history and age to it, that if you are a culture buff, a history buff, a person who's willing to, you know, walk the streets, go down those alleys that you probably wouldn't go in any other country and really discover then this could be the first place that you should spend some time. And your pathway from there may be Halong Bay or Lanhar Bay with those incredible limestone karsts rising out of the water. And then further north again, more history, but more beauty. Mountains, rice terraces, ethnic communities, places like Sapa or Hazang or Mukhang Chai or Fulong, like the North has a scenic beauty in my opinion that is unrivaled. 

And I think for you as a person who is looking for that scenic rural escape, for that diversification of communities and localities and people, languages, even food and that deep sense of culture, then I'm going to steer you to Hanoi. You're going to feel like you're discovering something that time almost has forgotten. It's It's such a rare thing to talk about and it's so hard to talk about because there's very few places left in the world that have that sense that they haven't been commercialized. There's, you know, people that are still living as if they've lived for hundreds of years still doing daily tasks, living in the same habitats that they have, sharing the same kinds of foods with family and stick to their traditions. It's truly amazing and I think Hanoi and beyond in the north could be the pathway for that first city and leap off point if that sense of depth is what you're really looking for. It's it's a rewarding place to start. 

If, on the other hand, you're looking for something that feels a bit more balanced, then I think you should consider central Vietnam. It's often where I guide people to begin. This is where you have places like Hoi An, which many people fall in love with for its charm, its walkability, its flat, I mean, the old town itself is really only about two kilometers. It's got a wonderful diversity of food. And it's just, it's just the way life feels there. It's got a prettiness to it. The old city. charms you with its lanterns, it's got the river that goes through. I'm not going to lie, over the years it's become quite bustling, quite jostled with so many tourists that do come here. Maybe I'm doing too good a job, people, in bringing you here. But I think Hoi An still has enough room in it, especially if you expand your horizons beyond the old town itself and look at, you know, Cua Dai Beach, An Bang and kind of outer areas. You'll really find some sweet spots out there that you can take in the place and relax and really enjoy it. You've got Da Nang close by with beautiful beaches and probably a more modern feel, a more modern vibe. So, you know, if that's your thing, if you really would like to, you know, have the variable between Da Nang and Hoi An, you're talking 30 minutes. So you can get that balance and mix it up. So, you know, you've got old town, but you've got then some modernization in Da Nang and, you know, great craft beers along the way. Sticking to Central, you've got Hue, if you want some history and a deeper look into Vietnam's imperial past. Remember, you haven't left Central Vietnam for this. So we're talking three cities. We're talking Da Nang, Hoi An and Hue. Vietnam Central district is kind of the easier area. It's less paced. It's less full throttle. It's just got enough variance. So if you want also a holiday that encompasses some nice luxury hotels, you know, a mix of boutique, you want to bring your kids, you want days by the pool, you want cool, interesting, fun things to do that you can manage children with, they're going to really love the Central District. 

So for a first time visitor to Asia or simply, you know, you want a trip to feel relaxed, this is often the best place or set of places to start. 

Then of course we have the South. And this is where you'll find Ho Chi Minh City, still often called Saigon. And it's fast, it's energetic and constantly moving. It has a vibrancy also that is hard to explain, but it's modern, it's coming of age. There's lots of construction going on. There's lots of change going on in that city. It's very westernized in lots of areas. You've still got some, you know, district in the outer districts, you know, out to five to 10, et cetera, way, way less westernized. And in fact, you'd probably struggle to get many people that could speak English in those areas. But in your districts 1, 2, 3, which are the most popular districts for first-time travelers, and I'm putting you in that category as we're talking about your first visit to Vietnam, that Saigon will, it'll have a hubba hubba about it. And it does draw people back because it's got that excitement level. So if you're really wanting Vietnamese feel of business, food, rooftop bars, cafes, it's all happening there. And your pathway from there would probably be, you know, the Mekong Delta. Kanto, you know, you would get to experience some of the Mekong's life and the people that live in those areas, the villages. You know, some of it is going to feel like it's done for you, for tourists, and in some cases that's right. It is. But it's still going to give you a taste of what life was like in those jungles and in those areas to know, you know, just how Vietnam has evolved, how it's grown and how it's continuing to evolve. It's got tradition, but it's got more history to do with hardship. You know, the war and the jungles that I guess we epitomize with war, you're going to see, you know, the Coochee tunnels and those kinds of places. So if it's history and it's a walk down those memory lanes that you'd like to, you've either read about or heard about, or actually had some active involvement, or you're bringing back a family member to rediscover these areas. You know, the South has got a lot to tell, a big story to tell. So, but Saigon, you know, a flip of the coin and you're with a high energy, foodie, sense of movement place. Starting in the South can feel very exciting. So, when you step back and you look at it, there is no single best place to start in Vietnam, only the place that matches you best. And this is where I think people can get stuck, trying to see everything, do everything, and fit it all in. But Vietnam isn't really a destination I think you should rush. It's one you experience in layers. If I were to simplify it for you, if you have around 10 days, focus on one region. You know we've just talked about the three main regions. I think pick the region which sits well with you. sits with your tastes, with the interests that you have, the experiences that you want to have, the discoveries that you want to have, things you want to find out about that you've always wanted to know. Focus on that one region because those 10 days will just go in a flash. If you have a couple of weeks, you can probably comfortably experience two regions. You know, and once again, I put it to travellers, do you want to be moving every day? Do you want to think about, well, it's going to take you four hours to get to this destination, which is half your day already gone. So you've got one night. and you've got another night, but then you're moving again. Have you really experienced that place the way you wanted to? Have you had time to kind of muse? Have you had time to chill out in it? Or is it starting to just feel like, you know, a place in your rear view mirror and you're just blinking through it? I really don't encourage those experiences, but I do understand that people have time limits. So that's why getting back to this focus on what's important for you, what experiences do you want to have? What joy do you want to get out of this trip? Let's focus on that and then it's easy to find the places that should appear on your first to do and then the pathway on from there. Always think about space, time to breathe. Planning is really important when this kind of challenge comes in. You know, when you've got three weeks, you can really start to spread your wings a little bit. You can start to see the full picture of the country. When I know and I'm talking to someone who's got three to four weeks, I know that they really want a mix of experiences. They're not dead set on one. So time kind of equals the experience as well. So if you've got three to four weeks, you know, you can definitely really start in any one of those regions. But you're probably going to be fully aware that you're going to come into the main cities if you're coming by air. So if you're coming into Hanoi or Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City. So once again, you know, where you kick off from is usually where you land in. So from there, don't spend too much time in that city that you fly into. If it's not your gig, if it's not your thing, you know, move to the other regions which have sparked your interest, which I hope this podcast has sparked your interest in knowing more about. And I've done many episodes on, you know, the north and the south and the central areas, the main cities. And, you know, travellers will speak to you very honestly and openly in those episodes about what you can expect to see and do. So don't feel stuck, you know, one place to the other, you know, by train. Train is probably the slowest way to get from A to B. But for some people, they just love it. And, you know, everyone's different. So every experience is different. But if you're running out of time or short of time, you know, a flight from Saigon right at the bottom to the north in Hanoi, you know, is an hour and a half. So, you know, two hours, it's not a killer. And you've got then time left in the day to still experience and do other things. So three to four weeks is the real gem, if you can get it. But if you can't, try and think about that 10 days, maybe focus one region, two weeks, comfortably two. And then if you've got three to four weeks, you can go a little bit further. So in closing, I know I'm probably not giving you that look, you should definitely go to Saigon first or you should definitely go to Hue or you should definitely go to Phong Nha or, you know, like I really want you to think about that question back to yourself about what do you want to get out of this trip? What do you want to experience? Believe it or not, I still hear some people who don't have a good experience of Vietnam. And I can't help but feel that they have maybe set themselves up for failure because they've tried to do too much or they've picked places that don't match the experience that they wanted to have. You know, they're going, you know, I'm in Hawaii. It's it's June, July. It's 40 degrees. Like if I see another pagoda, I'm just going to go spare. This is not really what I signed up for. The kids are driving us crazy. We should have picked such and such. So I think, you know, while I'm kind of answering a question with a question, which is, I know something that not everybody's a fan of, I think it is a kind of a subtle way to get you to give it the attention that it deserves, to be mindful about it, because it will matter when you're over here, because Vietnam's just got so much to offer. You don't want to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

So if you're still sitting there wondering where to start, take a moment. Think about the kind of trip you want to have. Do a little bit of research. Put some plans in place. Get some advice. And come and visit Vietnam the way you want to visit it. Your pace, your way, your time. I hope I've been helpful in helping you decide where to start and I hope you continue to enjoy Series 6 as we continue with One Question at a Time.