Vietnam Packing List: Complete Guide on what to pack

We spent 2 weeks in Vietnam going to different parts of the country in the month of June. Vietnam is a long country and weather patterns vary as per region. But it is largely hot and humid so keep that in mind for Vietnam packing list. June is not the best season to visit Vietnam except for the Danang area where beach lovers can worship the sun. Read this guide on what to pack for Vietnam that requires few variations for different parts of the year.

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Travel Tips for Vietnam packing list

In countries with warm, tropical weather where rain may occur, light, loose clothes work best. For pleasant to cool evenings, you should bring layers that help you cover up. You will go through different weather patterns if your trip is across the country, so this wouldn’t be exactly light packing for an island.

Vietnam is not a conservative country so don’t shy away from shorts and T-shirts in the city or swimwear on the beach. But avoid wearing skimpy clothes in cities and rural areas: no showing cleavage, no overly short shorts, no topless beaches.

And make note to dress modestly while visiting religious sites. Make sure your legs are covered in a skirt or sarong or pants. Do take care to dress conservatively while visiting rural areas in Vietnam.

A rain jacket is a good idea, as it does rain during summer and autumn months. But it’s possible that many people coming from cooler climates feel warm and muggy in a rain jacket. A loose poncho might work better.

Since we are not backpackers and were taking domestic flights across the country, a suitcase with wheels worked best for us. Check out these options for purchase: Suitcase with wheels

A light day pack is good for city sightseeing and day trips. Browse through these options for Light Backpack for the day.

What to pack for 2 weeks in Vietnam

For a 2-week trip, you can pack clothes for a week or max 10 days. It is easy and not-too-expensive to do laundry in Vietnam. 

Clothing essentials for women

• Pack 7-8 underwear and 6-7 bras. Packing cubes are useful for inner wear to keep them separate. See options here for Packing cubes.
• I didn’t use socks during regular travel in Vietnam with my sandals, but you should pack 2 pairs of socks for certain activities like a cycling tour, short hikes.
• 7 assorted tops (including T-shirts, half sleeve tops)
• 3 or 4 travel bottoms (pants, capris, shorts, skirts)
• 2/3 dresses (we stayed at nice hotels including the Four Seasons Nam Hai in Danang and I wanted to change for dinner at times)
• Nightwear (pajamas or shorts, or whatever else you are comfortable in at night time)
• 1 swimsuit (I made good use of this at Danang beach resort and Con Dao islands)
• Beach cover up (a flowing dress works well for me)
• 1 cardigan or shawl (something to layer up if the evening gets cool)
• 1 pair of sandals (or flip-flops of you are more comfortable roaming in those)
• 1 pair of comfortable walking shoes (essential for long days of city sightseeing)
• Sunglasses
• A cap or hat for sun protection (this was much needed for sightseeing in Hue, Hoi An and Hanoi)
• 1 rain jacket or rain poncho. See options here for Rain Poncho for Women

Clothing essentials for men

• Pack 7-8 underwear
• 2 pairs of socks for certain activities like a cycling tour, short hikes
• 7 assorted shirts / T-shirts (make sure to pack a couple of nice shirts / T-shirts for dinner time)
• 3 or 4 travel bottoms (pants, shorts)
• Nightwear (pajamas, or shorts, whatever you are comfortable in at night time)
• 1 swim shorts 
• 1 light jacket (something to layer up if the evening gets cool)
• 1 pair of sandals (or flip-flops of you are more comfortable roaming in those)
• 1 pair of comfortable walking shoes (essential for city sightseeing)
• Sunglasses
• A cap or hat
• 1 rain jacket or rain poncho. Check out these Rain Poncho options for adults

Your hotel can provide you with a travel umbrella and bug spray, so I don’t think it’s essential to carry one if you are travelling in rainy season (from April to October).

Clothing essentials for young kids

• Pack 7-8 appropriate inner wear.
• 2 pairs of socks for certain activities like a cycling tour, short hikes.
• 7 assorted tops (including T-shirts, half sleeve tops)
• 4 or 5 travel bottoms (pants, capris, shorts, skirts as appropriate for boys or girls)
• 2/3 dresses for girls and nice T-shirts for boys
• Nightwear (pajamas or shorts, or whatever else they are comfortable in at night time)
• 2 swimsuits (my daughter spent enormous amount of time at the beach and in the pool, so 1 swim wear wouldn’t do)
• 1 light jacket (something to layer up if the evening gets cool)
• 1 pair of sandals
• 1 pair of comfortable walking shoes (essential for long days of city sightseeing)
• A cap or hat for sun protection
• 1 rain jacket or rain poncho.

Additional items to pack for Sapa and north areas in winter

It does get chilly in the evenings during December to February north of Hanoi. So make sure to carry –

• 1 Fleece jacket or sweater
• 2 pairs of warm socks
• 1 pair of Hiking shoes

Vietnam packing list:Toiletries and medication

A toiletry bag is needed to pack all this separately. See some of the options for travel: Toiletry Bag.

• Regular toiletries like toothbrush, toothpaste, contact lens kit, menstrual products, hair accessories, hair brush
• It is important to travel with deodorant and good quality sunscreen to a tropical country like Vietnam. 
• Remember if you are staying in nice hotels throughout your trip, shower soap / gel, shampoo, conditioner are all taken care of. But do carry them if you prefer your own brand.
• Prescription medication
• If you need allergy medication
• Mosquito repellent. (Vietnam has mosquitos so you will need to spray liberally just before dusk)
• I never bothered with a hand sanitiser pre-covid but take it everyhwere with me now.
• Some basic medicines like paracetamol and for stomach upset.
• I was traveling with my 6-year old daughter, so essential medication like paracetamol for kids, stomach bug, anti-itch cream for bug bites, band aids, pain killer appropriate for a kid, cough syrup was in my medicine kit.

Vietnam packing list: Electronics for Vietnam

• We now read books on kindle app on the ipad. So we carried our iPads. 
• Phone
• Also charging cables and travel adapter for the same. We use packing cubes for electronic items like chargers and cables to keep them separate. See options here for Packing cubes
• Portable power bank
• Camera. This has become redundant for me in most trips with photography limited to iPhone.

Non – essentials for Vietnam Trip

• If you are taking trains or overnights buses within Vietnam, a travel pillow would be useful.
• A quick-dry towel is useful especially if you have signed up for many adventure activities or if it rains.
• Water bottle. Avoid tap water in Vietnam. But you can easily fill your reusable water bottle from your hotel or a restaurant. See options for Water Bottle here.

Travel Essentials for Vietnam

Passport: Carry your valid passport that has at least 6 months of validity.

Visa: Most nationalities need a visa to enter Vietnam. It is best to arrange a Vietnam visa before you enter the country. It is easy to get a Vietnam Visa (single entry, 30-day validity) if you go directly to the official website.

Travel insurance: I would not recommend any trip to Vietnam without proper travel insurance. Carry a printed form with you.

Credit cards: Carry your credit cards to be used at all the hotels, hi-end restaurants and for pre-booked tours in Vietnam.

Cash: Cash is needed during your Vietnam trip. Whether it is for eating in small restaurants in Hoi An or buying a souvenir in Hanoi, you would need cash. There are plenty of ATMs in Vietnam, you have to make sure they accept Visa or Mastercard cards from foreign banks. 

Best places to visit in Vietnam

Vietnam has left its war-torn days in the past. You would have an amazing time visiting different places in this beautiful, long country.

For cultural immersion, there are mega cities of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh.

Sapa countryside has verdant rice fields and lovely rural vistas.

The historic towns of Hue and Hoi An are even better and make for fantastic day trips from Danang.

The karst seascape of Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I would recommend an overnight cruise to Halong and Bai Tu Long Bay.

For beach lovers, there are numerous options: Danang, the island of Phu Quoc, beach towns of Mue Ne and Nha Trang, and the isolated Con Dao islands. We spent 4 days at the fabulous Six Senses resort in Con Dao.

The far south of Vietnam offers Mekong Delta with its maze of waterways and chaotic floating markets.

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Have you visited Vietnam? What has been your favorite destination or experience there?

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