Yes, you do need travel insurance for Vietnam. Vietnam is a safe country to travel to, but travel insurance covers you for the unexpected. If you find yourself needing medical care, missing a flight or having lost something you’ll be pleased that your travel insurance was in place.
If you are traveling to Vietnam, there are some things that you need to be aware of;
- Petty theft and bag snatching is a problem in the more touristy areas so you will need to be vigilant.
- The main tourist scams are by local travel agents. Always get a personal recommendation before booking particularly where Ha Long Bay is concerned. You may also want to consider booking a Ha Long Bay tour online from a reputable provider where you can check previous customer reviews
- Vietnam’s traffic accident rates are very high; consider if two wheels are really worth it. See our comprehensive four part guide to riding a bike in Vietnam.
Besides those specifics, the usual rules apply; be aware of your surroundings, watch where you are walking – potholes and uneven ground are common, take care to prevent mosquito bites, and keep your head when out at night.
Vietnam Holiday Essentials
- Where To Stay In Vietnam: See our guides for the best areas and the best hotels to stay in capital city Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
- Things To Do In Vietnam: Book online from huge lists of activities in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Nha Trang, and more.
- Flights To Vietnam: Find the cheapest tickets and check times to Ho Chi Minh City or the capital Hanoi from dozens of airlines.
- Vietnam Airport Transfers: Book a convenient airport transfer for hassle-free arrival at your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi.
- Vietnam Itineraries: Make the most of your trip with our 1-week and 2-week Vietnam itineraries, and our extensive guides for how to spend 2 weeks in Thailand and Vietnam and 2 weeks in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
- Vietnam Packing List: Don’t forget any of the essentials with our comprehensive Packing List For Vietnam.
Be Covered For Medical Treatment
- Medical treatment in Vietnam is expensive, and accidents do happen; should you be in a situation where you need help the last thing you want to worry about is how to pay for it.
- Contracting dengue and malaria is a risk and can require costly hospital treatment.
- Infections, sickness, and diarrhea can cause problems when traveling, and you would be wise to be covered should you need help for these conditions.
Be Covered For Emergency Medical Situations
- In some instances, visitors need to be evacuated to Bangkok or Singapore in order to get treatment. If you don’t have insurance cover, the cost of medical evacuation is huge and, if you need to get there, the consequences of not having the money could be dire.
Be Covered For Loss Of Possessions
- Petty theft is a reality of travel and while insurance won’t stop it happening, it will help lessen the blow should you fall victim to an opportunist.
- Lost or delayed baggage is a headache, being covered for this eventuality lightens the load.
Be Covered For Missed Or Delayed Flights
- Canceled flights cost money to replace, and the knock-on effect of missing connecting travel can be a nightmare. Having peace of mind that your travel insurance will help with the extra expense takes some of the stress from the situation.
Be Covered If You Need To Cancel Your Trip
- There are any number of reasons you might need to cancel your trip, political instability, natural disasters, and ill health. It’s good to know that you have support should you need it.
Hopefully, your trip to Vietnam goes without a hitch, and we sincerely hope you never need your coverage, but travel without it and you could risk more than the cost of the policy. Make sure you have travel insurance for Vietnam.