By aussiematesvietnam 
G’day, Vietnam! Discovering the Real Side of Southeast Asia’s Hidden Gem
Crikey, it’s been nearly two decades since Tracy and I packed our bags and made the leap from the sunburnt country to the lush landscapes of Vietnam. Looking back, those early days were a proper culture shock—pointing at food we couldn’t name, butchering the local lingo, and paying “special foreigner prices” that would make any true blue Aussie wince. But after calling this place home for almost 20 years, I reckon we’ve learned a thing or two about blending in with the locals.
The beauty of Vietnam isn’t just in those postcard-perfect rice terraces or the stunning Ha Long Bay that you’ve all seen on telly. Nah, the real magic happens when you ditch the tourist traps and experience Vietnam the way us locals do. Whether you’re planning your first trip over or coming back for another go, this guide will help you travel like you belong here—saving you a few dong and giving you stories worth sharing over a cold one back home.
[IMAGE:vietnamese-street-scene]
Master the Art of Vietnamese Transport
Forget those air-conditioned tour buses that shuttle you from one tourist hotspot to another. To really experience Vietnam like a local, you’ve got to embrace the chaos of Vietnamese transport—and trust me, it’s an adventure in itself!
When Tracy and I first arrived, we were gobsmacked by the sea of motorbikes flowing through the streets like water. Now, we can’t imagine getting around any other way. If you’re game, rent a motorbike for about 150,000 VND (roughly $10 AUD) per day. Just remember—traffic rules are more like “suggestions” here. Stay calm, go with the flow, and for Pete’s sake, wear a helmet!
Not ready to tackle the roads yourself? No worries. Grab bikes (Vietnam’s version of Uber) are dead easy to use and dirt cheap. Download the app before you arrive, link your credit card, and you’re sorted. A 10-minute ride might set you back 20,000 VND (about $1.30 AUD)—cheaper than a coffee back in Melbourne!
For longer journeys, the sleeper buses are a ripper option. Yeah, they’re designed for Vietnamese-sized people, so us taller Aussies might feel a bit cramped, but you’ll save a motza compared to domestic flights. Plus, you’ll arrive at your destination with a story or two. Tracy still laughs about the time we shared a bus with a bloke who brought his pet chicken along for the ride!
[IMAGE:motorbike-traffic]
Eat Where the Locals Eat
Listen here, if I could give you just one piece of advice, it would be this: if you see plastic chairs on the footpath and locals squatting over steaming bowls, pull up a seat. The best tucker in Vietnam isn’t found in fancy restaurants with English menus—it’s served streetside from humble carts and hole-in-the-wall joints.
After years of trial and error (and yes, the occasional upset stomach), Tracy and I have developed a fool-proof system for finding good street food:
- Look for queues of locals (not tourists) waiting their turn
- Check if the vendor specializes in just one or two dishes (a sign of mastery)
- Peek at how clean their operation is (busy is good, but clean is essential)
- Be brave and point if you don’t know the name (smile and nod enthusiastically)
Some of our favorite local brekkie spots serve up steaming bowls of phở for as little as 35,000 VND ($2.30 AUD). For lunch, hunt down a proper bánh mì—a French-Vietnamese fusion that puts our sandwiches to shame. And don’t get me started on the coffee! Vietnamese coffee is strong enough to put hairs on your chest, typically served with condensed milk that’ll satisfy even the sweetest tooth.
Fair dinkum, we had mates visit from Brisbane last year who were hesitant about street food. By the end of their trip, they were shoving elbows with locals at a tiny phở joint in Hanoi, slurping noodles and sweating through the chili with the best of them!
[IMAGE:street-food-vendor]
Speak the Lingo (Or At Least Give It a Crack)
Now, I’m not saying you need to be fluent in Vietnamese—heaven knows my pronunciation still gets laughs from the locals after all these years. But learning a few key phrases will earn you respect, better service, and often better prices.
Start with these basics:
- “Xin chào” (sin chow) = Hello
- “Cảm ơn” (cam un) = Thank you
- “Bao nhiêu?” (bow nyew) = How much?
- “Không, cảm ơn” (khom, cam un) = No, thank you (handy when touts are persistent)
- “Một, hai, ba” (moat, hai, ba) = One, two, three (useful for bargaining)
Tracy taught herself to count to ten in Vietnamese during our first month here, and you wouldn’t believe how much respect that earned her at the local markets. The vendors’ faces light up when foreigners make an effort with the language—it shows you respect their culture.
If you’re serious about getting by, download the Google Translate app and grab the Vietnamese language pack before you leave Australia. The camera translation feature has saved our bacon more times than I can count, especially when deciphering menus or street signs in smaller towns.
[IMAGE:language-translation]
Haggle Like You Mean It (But Know When to Stop)
Bargaining is part of the culture here, but there’s an art to it that many tourists never quite grasp. The secret? Making it a fun, friendly interaction rather than a tense standoff.
Tracy’s become a proper haggling legend over the years. Her approach is simple: start at about 40% of the initial asking price, but do it with a smile and a laugh. Never show too much interest in an item—that’s bargaining suicide. And remember, if you start the negotiation, be prepared to buy if they meet your price.
Keep in mind that not everything is negotiable. Street food, restaurants, and supermarkets have fixed prices. But markets, non-branded shops, and tourist souvenirs? Fair game, mate.
A quick yarn from our experience: Last year, Tracy fell in love with a handcrafted lantern in Hoi An. The starting price was 500,000 VND (about $33 AUD). She chatted with the seller about her techniques, complimented her work, then gently suggested 250,000 VND. They eventually settled on 300,000 VND with a smaller lantern thrown in for free. Both parties walked away happy—and that’s the goal of good haggling.
[IMAGE:market-haggling]
Dress for the Occasion (and the Climate)
Nothing screams “tourist” like inappropriate clobber. While Vietnam is generally relaxed about attire, there are some unspoken rules worth following if you want to blend in.
For everyday exploring, light, breathable clothing is your best mate in Vietnam’s humidity. Cotton shirts, linen pants or longer shorts, and comfortable walking shoes will serve you well. Ladies, pack a light scarf—it’s useful for covering shoulders when visiting temples or when the sun gets too intense.
Speaking of temples and pagodas, show respect by covering knees and shoulders. Tracy always keeps a light sarong in her day bag for impromptu temple visits. And fellas, yes, this applies to you too—those singlets and board shorts should stay at the beach.
One more thing: despite what you might think, the Vietnamese generally dress quite conservatively, particularly in rural areas. You’ll rarely see locals in revealing outfits, even in sweltering weather. Following suit helps you avoid unwanted attention and shows respect for local customs.
[IMAGE:appropriate-temple-attire]
Timing Is Everything: Beat the Crowds and the Heat
After two decades here, Tracy and I have our routines down pat—and they’re often the opposite of what tourists do. We rise with the sun to experience the cities as they wake up. Between 5:00-7:00 AM, you’ll find parks filled with locals doing tai chi, markets at their freshest, and streets relatively peaceful before the day’s chaos begins.
By mid-afternoon, when tour groups are battling the heat at crowded attractions, we’re having a siesta or a cold drink in an air-conditioned café. Then we head out again from 4:00 PM onwards when the temperature drops and the evening street food scene comes alive.
Apply this same thinking to popular tourist sites. Arrive at opening time or during local lunch hours (around 12:00-1:30 PM) when domestic tour groups often take their break. Tracy and I once had Hue’s Imperial City almost to ourselves by arriving at 7:30 AM, while by 10:00 AM it was swarming like Bondi on a summer weekend.
The Vietnamese rhythm of life is worth adopting—early to rise, afternoon rest, and making the most of those beautiful evenings.
[IMAGE:morning-market]
Connect with Locals Beyond the Tourist Bubble
The absolute highlight of living in Vietnam has been the friendships we’ve built with locals over the years. Vietnamese people are incredibly hospitable once you break through the initial commercial relationship many tourists never get past.
So how do you make these connections on a shorter trip? Here are some ripper ways we recommend to our visiting mates:
- Join a cooking class in someone’s home rather than a commercial kitchen
- Stay in family-run homestays instead of international hotel chains
- Visit local coffee shops where young Vietnamese hang out (they often want to practice English)
- Take part in community-based tourism initiatives in rural areas
- Use social apps like Couchsurfing or Meetup to find local events
One of our most memorable experiences was when Tracy and I got invited to a Vietnamese wedding after chatting with a young barista at our local coffee shop for just a few weeks. We showed up with no idea what to expect and ended up drinking rice wine with the grandfather of the bride until the wee hours. You just can’t plan those kinds of authentic experiences!
[IMAGE:vietnamese-homestay]
The Art of Getting Lost (Safely)
This might sound like a strange one, but some of our best discoveries have come from simply wandering without a plan. In Hanoi’s Old Quarter or Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1, put the map away and just explore the maze of alleys and side streets.
Of course, there’s a difference between adventurous wandering and being completely clueless. Tracy and I always make sure we have:
- The address of our accommodation written in Vietnamese
- A fully charged phone with a local SIM card
- Awareness of our surroundings and basic street layouts
- Knowledge of which areas might not be safe after dark
We discovered our favorite noodle shop in Saigon by getting thoroughly lost during our first month living here. We were hot, tired, and a bit cranky when we stumbled upon a tiny alley packed with locals slurping from bowls. Almost 20 years later, we still go back to that same spot whenever we’re in the area.
[IMAGE:hidden-alleyway]
Final Thoughts: Embrace the Chaos and Make It Your Own
Vietnam can be overwhelming at first blush—the noise, the traffic, the constant sensory overload. But that’s also what makes it utterly captivating.