Packing List For Vietnam 2026

✅ Preparing For Your Vietnam Trip

• Passport: Check your passport is valid for at least six months before your arrival date in Vietnam.

• Visa: Apply for a Vietnam visa online through the official government website at evisa.gov.vn. You’ll need to upload a digital copy of your passport and pay the visa fee during the application process. There are a lot of scammer websites that will get you a visa but charge you far more than needed — only use the official government evisa site.

• Budget: Plan your budget before you go. Figure out your flight and hotel costs with a quick look at Skyscanner.com and Booking.com. Look at 12Go for bus and train journey costs and durations. Check Travel Happy’s 1 Week Vietnam Itinerary and 2 Week Vietnam Itinerary pages with hotel suggestions for every budget. Also see our Quick Guides to Saigon, Hanoi, Halong Bay and How Much Money Do I Need For Vietnam. Or buy an actual guidebook like Lonely Planet Vietnam.

• Vietnam SIM card: Order a SIM card online and pick it up at the airport on arrival in Vietnam.

• Vaccinations: Check what vaccinations you need for Vietnam with your doctor. See Vietnam vaccination recommendations at CDC (USA) and Travel Health Pro (UK).

• Face mask: COVID is still very active in many countries and you may be required to wear an SFP2+ face mask on the plane and in some indoor spaces. It’s also a good idea to carry a small bottle of hand sanitiser when you travel.

• Cash: Get some US Dollars to use in Vietnam. The official currency is the Vietnamese Dong, but US Dollars are widely accepted and you can withdraw them from ATMs in Vietnam. Do not leave Vietnam with Dong in your wallet — you can’t exchange it outside the country. A travel wallet worn around your neck is a secure way to stash cash about your person.

• Cards: Check your debit and credit cards will work in Vietnam and notify your bank of your travel dates. VISA and Mastercard are widely accepted; American Express not so much. Bring more than one card as backup if you can.

• Card backup: Take photos with your phone of your passport data page and all your credit and debit cards — front and back — so you have the card details and emergency numbers if you lose them. Email them to a Gmail or other email online account so they’re accessible anywhere even if you lose your phone.

• Prescription medicines: Talk to your doctor ahead of time to get a supply that will last throughout your trip.

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.

📱 Electronics In Vietnam

• Universal power adapter: Vietnam uses a variety of 2- and 3-pin plug sockets so an adapter is essential. One with built-in surge protection is a good idea to avoid getting your gadgets fried.

• Vietnam eSIM card: eSims are the most convenient to go for sim cards – buy it direct on your phone with no installation or setup needed at the airport when you arrive. Much less hassle. It’s still easy to get a physical SIM card on arrival at the airport if you prefer. Free wifi is prevalent in tourist areas, but with SIMs so cheap and easy to set up, it’s a no-brainer.

• Charging cables: Remember to bring cables for your phone, laptop and camera, plus spare batteries if you’re planning heavy usage. A power bank is a good idea if you plan on heavy phone usage away from electricity supplies.

• Sturdy phone case: Invest in a rugged case to protect your phone from being dropped and generally banged around — Otterbox has saved many a phone. If you’re going near water, a waterproof case is also wise.

• Selfie stick: Now near-ubiquitous among travellers, these can make for some undeniably memorable photos. Just be careful not to whack anyone in the face with it.

• Photo backup: If you take lots of photos, back up frequently to the Cloud, your laptop, an iPad or an external drive.

• Kindle: Invaluable for long journeys — far lighter than real books and you can add to your library wherever you have internet. Great for history books about Vietnam, though stick to print versions of guidebooks — maps are unreadable on Kindle screens.

• Audiobooks: If you invest in noise-cancelling headphones, Audible is a great way to pass time on planes and trains. There’s a free trial with thousands of bestselling titles to access and download.

• Amazon Prime Video: Download TV shows and movies to your device and watch them anywhere without an internet connection — perfect for flights. There’s a 30-day free trial. Remember to download content before you leave as it’s usually not available in other countries.

🎒 What Luggage To Use In Vietnam?

• Backpack: Invest in a well-made backpack — if you need to economise, this is not the item on which to do it. Osprey brand is a solid choice in a variety of sizes. Remember to get a daypack too.

• Travel cubes: Use these to organise items in your backpack so you don’t have to empty the whole pack to find what you want.

• Luggage locks: Useful for peace of mind while your bags are away from you in transit. Get TSA-approved locks if you’re travelling in and out of the USA.

💊 Packing To Protect Your Health And Well Being

• Sunscreen: Essential, along with a hat and decent sunglasses that actually block UV light. Vietnamese sunlight can be quite vicious on your eyes, so spend the extra cash on proper UV protection.

• Toiletry bag: A decent organiser saves you from dumping everything on the floor every time you need something, and minimises the space it takes up in your backpack. The Magicdoor travel kit is a good, affordable example.

• Mosquito spray: Essential. Mosquitoes tend to be most active at dusk and they love bare flesh. Spray liberally every day and wear long trousers or skirts at the end of the day — keep your ankles covered too. Getting covered in bites early on can make your whole holiday miserable, so don’t underestimate this one.

• Diarrhoea remedies and upset stomach medicine: Usually caused by big changes in diet rather than food poisoning per se. One dose is usually enough to set you right — just stay away from super spicy food for a bit afterwards. Electrolytes are important if you’re in the sun for a while as you’ll sweat out salt and other minerals. Drink coconut water for natural electrolytes or Pocari Sweat or local brand Revive (all available in any Vietnam Circle K or GS-25).

• Painkillers: Useful for headaches and generally feeling under the weather. Make sure you stay fully hydrated — in a tropical country you should be drinking at least 2–3 litres of water a day. If you’re getting regular headaches and your pee is yellow, you’re dehydrated.

• Quick-dry towel: Super light and barely takes up any room, meaning you don’t have to rely on wherever you’re staying to provide a towel of whatever varying quality — or quite often no towel at all.

• Condoms: Everyone should carry protection for safe sex and fun holidays. Take care of yourself and your partner.

• First aid kit: You’ll want plasters for blisters and small cuts, plus disinfectant. In the tropics, small cuts can get infected quickly so clean and treat them immediately.

• Camping toilet paper: A godsend when you stumble into a toilet that’s lacking paper or not very sanitary. Hand sanitiser is also a good idea.

• Travel pillow: A good call if you’ll be doing a lot of moving around and need to catch up on sleep. Noise-cancelling headphones are an expensive but very worthwhile addition if you can afford them.

• Torch: A small but powerful torch that fits in your pocket is extremely useful after dark — not everywhere you go will have adequate street lighting. A personal attack alarm is a good idea for extra peace of mind.

🛡️ Travel Insurance For Vietnam

Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

👕 Clothes for Vietnam

Vietnam has distinct seasons and different climates in different locations. During summer — May to October — it’s hot and humid, but temperatures drop to 17–22°C during the cool season from November to April.

• Layers: Pack light and aim for items you can reuse — t-shirts, thin jumpers, baggy trousers and long skirts that let your skin breathe and keep flesh protected from mosquitoes.

• Moisture-wicking garments: Modern fabrics like UnderArmour are more effective than cotton or linen at beating the heat and staying dry rather than soaked in sweat — particularly for t-shirts, tops and underwear. Avoid denim or other heavy fabrics; they soak up sweat, get heavy, and don’t dry quickly.

• Underwear: Don’t skimp — wearing the same pair for more than one day makes you feel remarkably unpleasant. Moisture-wicking boxer shorts and ladies underwear will help you stay cool, especially as you’ll likely be doing a lot of walking. Laundry is cheap and plentiful in Vietnam.

• Swimwear: Essential if you’re hitting the beach. Take a couple of bikinis or board shorts so you can wash one and wear one. A sarong is a great addition for both men and women — useful as a cover-up, makeshift beach towel and pillow. Remember Vietnamese culture is quite conservative so don’t wander around in just your swimwear away from the beach.

• Lightweight hoodie: Essential for colder evenings and arctic air conditioning on flights and bus journeys. It doubles as a blanket and pillow, and combined with a baseball cap can keep rain out of your eyes if you’re caught in a downpour.

👟 Footwear for Vietnam

• Lightweight walking shoes: Sandals are popular but walking shoes let your feet breathe while keeping them more protected from the streets. Don’t bring your best trainers — your footwear is going to get banged up over the course of your trip.

• Flip flops: Get a cheap pair for the beach. Unless you’re a hardcore trekker, you probably don’t need heavy trekking boots for Vietnam — they’ll quickly become a pain to drag around.

• Evening shoes: Having a decent pair for going out at night is always useful — choose something comfortable as you may have to negotiate unexpected obstacles between bars and restaurants. Gents should note that shorts are not a good look at more upmarket places after dark.