Where would you like to visit Vietnam - Hanoi Or Ho Chi Minh City?
By: Daniel Conlan (from UK)
If you are considering moving to Vietnam you will probably find yourself choosing between staying in Hanoi, the capital located in the north of the country, or Ho Chi Minh City(HCMC) the cultural and economic capital of the south. While both cities are bustling and vibrant, filled with great street food and beautiful boutiques, they are very different, and where you decide to stay will affect how quickly you settle in and begin to love Vietnam!
Things to do
Both cities are absolutely jam-packed with things to do. HCMC is the party city of Vietnam, so if you love a night on the town that's where you need to go! From the rooftop bars to wild nightclubs, late night eating and shopping, if you like to be out till the sun comes up, HCMC is the city for you. Hanoi is the more family-friendly city. At the weekend they have begun closing the streets off to cars around Hoàn Kiếm Lake throngs of people around the lake, the atmosphere is fantastic with families out, bars and restaurants full, and street performers lining the street. There are plenty of places for late night drinks around the city but things tend to shut earlier than HCMC and parts of the city will feel eerily quiet after 11 pm.
Culturally there is an abundance of things to do in both cities. The history of Vietnam is so deep and rich that there are great museums, galleries, and monuments in both cities. Hanoi, in my opinion, has greater museums, including the Vietnamese Women's Museum and the Hanoi Police Museum and many more! It is also the capital and while you can’t visit most of the government ministries you can drive by them and they are usually lit up at night and this produces an awe-inspiring view.
HCMC is not without its own share of museums, including the famous War Remnants Museum an absolute must see. HCMC also has a huge variety of restaurants from all over the world, providing you with Italian, Indian and even Mexican food so whatever your taste is you will be well served.
Shopping in both cities is great. The young people of Vietnam are particularly fashion conscious and there are a great many designers that have their own boutiques in both cities. The shops are beautifully laid out and if you're a fashionista you will be in love! If you are a slave to the big brands you will be well served by both cities.
Hanoi has some massive indoor markets, such as the Dong Xuan Market, that you can lose yourself in for a day, haggling over all manner of goods.
It also has to be said that Hanoi has some absolutely beautiful parks and lakes, great to sit and relax with a traditional Vietnamese drip coffee.
Weather
The weather in both cities will take some getting used to. HCMC weather is hot, year-round usually around 30C and it can be extremely humid and rainy. It’s often joked that there is four season in HCMC wet, very wet, very very wet, and you get the point.
There is more variety in Hanoi’s weather and it is generally cooler. Expect humid summers and dry cold winters in Hanoi.
Cost of Living
Depending on where you are coming from, you will probably find the cost of living in Vietnam to be very cheap indeed, however living in Hanoi and HCMC it is where you will find things to be at their most expensive.
Food in both cities is very cheap, with a typical meal costing $2 at one of the street restaurants you will find all over both cities. Eating out is cheaper, quicker and probably tastier than eating in, and it is so much part of why people love this city, so you will find yourself doing this more often than not.
Apartment rental will be one of your main expenses in either city, you can typically expect to pay more in HCMC, according to numbeo.com you will pay $350 for a 1 bedroom apartment in Hanoi compared to $530 for a comparative place in HCMC.
Most other expenses are similar some activities like the cinema and gym membership will be cheaper in HCMC.
Note: Wages are relatively higher in HCMC, so you will need to weigh up what works out best.
So there we have it, this is just some information to get you started on deciding what city suits you better. We would say that if you are more family oriented the city of Hanoi is the place for you, on account of the cheaper rent for a bigger apartment and more family-friendly options for entertainment. If your young, enjoy shopping and a late night then HCMC is probably more your speed. Whatever you do, do your research and get booked because we can’t wait to see you!
Are you a UK citizen and heading to Vietnam?
If you are from the UK and heading to Vietnam, there are a number of options to obtaining a visa.
Recent changes in the law means that you may be exempt from needing a visa. My recent trip to Vietnam was to visit friends If your stay is under 15 days you are exempt from getting a visa, simply show up with your passport and a flight ticket showing that you will be leaving in under 15 days and on you go. A word of caution, some of the border security have a better understanding of the new visa laws than others and it took some explaining to the person that checked me into my flight when departing and to the border security. For a hassle free trip it may well be best to get a one month tourist visa.
If you are staying for longer you can either get, a tourist visa or you may be coming to work and thus your choices are different. Check with your countries Vietnamese Embassy or we can help you at https://www.visa-vietnam.org/
