How is traveling with children in Vietnam

Vietnam is a big country, with a population of over 90 million no wonder the streets in big cities like Hanoi or Sai Gon are always busy, and traffic in these cities are pretty crazy. Therefore we would like to share some experience when you are on a family holiday to Vietnam with children.

Traveling with children in Vietnam is easy and safe. A lot of families have traveled Vietnam and returned home with their backpack full of experiences. Through children's clothes, Vietnam is completely enchanting. The streets are colorful, the markets store on exotic fruits a lot, but also crazy fish and food that may reap a few "ahhh" along the way, the girls love to look at the shops with beautiful, colorful dresses, whereas the war story is fascinating the boys, especially the museum with tanks and weapons. You can take sailing trips with quality cruisers or small local wooden boats, and you can ride through the countryside by train. Your kids will experience it all as an adventure.

In Vietnam's big cities with children
When you travel to Vietnam, you typically land in one of the country's two largest airports located in Hanoi (North Vietnam) or Ho Chi Minh (South Vietnam). Both cities are surprisingly family-friendly, although at the same time they are big and hectic. In Vietnam, they understand how to combine the hectic big wave with idyllic breathtaking holes in the form of parks and natural areas. It is often of great benefit and pleasure for families traveling with kids in Vietnam.

Hanoi is a big city for relaxation. Traffic can be chaotic, but on the other side of the road you can always find green surroundings in one of Hanoi's many parks. Here time is slower and life is going at a more fun pace.

In the parks there are many activities for both children and adults. For example, if you visit the northern end of Hoan Kiem Lake, the Water Puppet Theater is quite popular. Here the puppetry artists stand in water and carry the dolls with many bamboo rods. In Hanoi's botanical garden you can enjoy the park on the back of a swan, which in fact is a pedal. For the active family there is the possibility to rent roller skates, participate in yoga or other fun physicians and activities in the parks.

Ho Chi Minh is even bigger than Hanoi. Here you can take the kids to one of Vietnam's most famous markets, the Ben Thanh market. You can find everything from clothes, electronic gadgets, toys and honey in this market. The children will be bound by the colors, the mica, the sounds, the odors and the light. It's a really sensational experience for the whole family.

South Vietnam, where Ho Chi Minh city is located, is generally a bit warmer than North Vietnam. It may be nice to be cooled down sometimes, and a popular place for families with children is Dam Sen Water Park, located in the south of Ho Chi Minh. It is a pleasure for the whole family as the waterfront has both a huge jacuzzi and large waterslides.

Vietnam's war story can be violent, but it can also be fascinating, especially for the boys who think military vehicles and weapons are cool. Not far from Ho Chi Minh lies the Cu Chi tunnels, which were excavated by the communists during the Vietnam War. This is a major attraction in Vietnam, which you can easily bring the children to. You have the opportunity to see and experience on your own body how it feels like climbing in the claustrophobic tunnels.

Mountain hiking in North Vietnam with children
If you are considering traveling with the kids north to Sapa and the surrounding small mountain villages, you might want to consider it an extra time. It's a time-consuming and a bit of a matter of traveling for children, but it can be done. However please consider taking children under 5 years due to the long train journey.

You will expect a travel time of 8 hours by train. There are various trains that run from Hanoi to Sapa, and it is smart to book a car to the family in good time. We recommend that you and your family book a private car, so you can get some sleep on your trip. The cabin is often a little primitive, but it has the most necessary beds, a small table with a lamp and large windows that allow you to enjoy the beautiful landscape you pass along.

When booking accommodation in or around Sapa, it is important to inform the hotel that you wish to pick up from the train when you arrive. Likewise, you should also ask them to transfer back to the train when the trip goes back to Hanoi. For distances in North Vietnam, what you think a small walk, can prove to be several miles away. Keep that in mind when you're on adventure in North Vietnam. This is also one of the reasons you need to have a local guide with you if you want to wander.

Swimming in Vietnam with children
Vietnam can easily be a beach holiday destination. A short distance from Hanoi is the popular Halong Bay, and we can recommend you to book a boat trip to the beautiful bay along with the children. In the bay you sail around between huge limestone cliffs in emerald green water. In several places you can jump in the water and get cooled. It is a good idea to book one of the sailing trips that allow you to land on the paradise beaches, especially if you have smaller children. Here you can play in the sand or try activities such as kayaking.

Vietnam also has good beaches if you move towards Central and South such as Nha Trang or Phu Quoc island. Here you can swim and snorkel all day long.

5 child-friendly beaches in Vietnam:
- Whale Island next to Nha Trang (Central Vietnam)
- My Khe Beach at Da Nang (Central Vietnam)
- Doc Lec Beach Nha Trang (Central Vietnam)
- Phu Quoc Islands Many Beaches (South Vietnam)
- Con Dao Islands Many Beaches (South Vietnam)

10 practical advice
When planning a trip to Vietnam with children, we would recommend you the following:
- Make sure to book all hotels from home, so you are sure that there is room at the child-friendly hotels. In high season you may risk being taken. Budget hotels are not necessarily so good when traveling with children.
- Book also transfer from airport to hotel from home. Vietnamese taxi drivers can be cheaty and find ways to drive you to lure you to other hotels and attractions that they get money for. It would be best for you traveling with children to spend as little time in traffic as possible.
- Prepare your children for hot weather in Vietnam and that it is normal to sweat. Remember to bring sunscreen with a high factor and like a hat so the children do not get burned in the scalp.
- Take care of the children in traffic. Make sure your children keep an adult in their hand and always go inside.
- Have cleaning cloths and disinfectant liquid in the bag and be sure to clean the hands and face of the children a few times a day. Good hygiene ensures that you do not get sick of the bacteria you encounter in Vietnam, and your body may not be used to.
- Do not drink the water from the roosters. Buy plenty of bottled water so you always have one by hand.
- Bring mosquito spray and ointment to insect bites to avoid infections if the children are scratching their mosquito bites.
- Remember to take one thing at a time and do not pack the day with too many activities. It is nice to be able to break down in the parks - and with children it is also nice to be impulsive if they see something on the road that they think is exciting.

We hope you have had the courage to travel with children to Vietnam.

The country is definitely a good family destination, and generally the Vietnamese have great love for children. You will find that they come and greet the children, clap them on their heads and maybe hug them. It is totally innocent and common kindness for the locals in Vietnam. You'll get a really good treatment when you're out with the kids in Vietnam.