There's no denying that a family vacation to Vietnam is an experience filled with amazing nature, epic beauty, and mouth-watering delicacies.

From the Halong beach and the beautiful Sam Mountain to trekking in Sapa, exploring the artificial artistry of the temples, riding the Alpine coaster to the famous Dasara Waterfall, and the delicious street foods, Vietnam has a lot to offer you and your family.

Your family will either love or hate Vietnam, but they'll likely fall in love with the country due to its rich natural environment and tourist attraction centers.

Now that your family has decided to ditch the cool indoor life and explore the beauty of Vietnam, we've compiled a complete guide for your travel. From the fun activities to the right accommodation, you must visit places about how to keep your kids healthy. This guide contains all that will make your family vacation to Vietnam much easier.

Let's go!

Should You Hire a Travel Agent to Plan Your Vacation to Vietnam?

A question asked by most families intending to go on vacation to Vietnam is whether to hire a travel agent or not. We suggest you hire a travel agent like Vivutravel to help you coordinate your trip.

This will save you a lot of time and prevent you from making costly mistakes. Since it's a family vacation, there are a lot of things to put into consideration, especially as kids would like to enjoy most of their time. Working with a Vivutravel agent will keep you and your kids happy throughout your stay in Vietnam as they'll help you plan activities that appeal to both the young and older ones.

However, planning your trip with a travel agent doesn't mean you should leave It all to them. They can't know the kind of activities and places you and your family would love to explore, so make sure you have a big say on your vacation planning.

The Best Places to Visit In Vietnam With Your Family

Vietnam has a lot of tourist attraction centers where families can easily become overwhelmed with what to put on their itinerary.

It can be quite expensive and stressful to visit all the cities in Vietnam. It's recommended for families in a certain region to explore either North, Central, or South Vietnam.

Whichever region you choose, you'll have more than enough places to visit and countless activities to make your trip a memorable one. However, if you're a good budget and enough time, you can explore from North (Hanoi) to South (Ho Chi Minh).

The Northern Part of Vietnam is a remote region that contains the most breathtaking scenery in Vietnam. It's populated with amazing mosaics of ethnic minorities. In the Northwest, you'll find the country's highest mountain, Mount Fan Si Pan rising enormously from the Red River Valley. Within its shadows lies the popular Sa Pa, a base for trekking through greenery scenery to some isolated minority towns.

Let's not forget that the North is the home to Vietnam's capital city, Hanoi. The culturally diverse region is home to stunning rice terraces and amazing bays. From the chaotic Highland to the hill tribes, North Vietnam surely has all to offer you and your family.

In the far south of Vietnam, you'll find the popular Mekong Delta market, floating markets, Buddhist temples, and stilt houses. It's the home to Vietnam's most popular and busiest city - Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), previously known as Saigon.

You can start your South Vietnam itinerary by exploring Ho Chi Minh City, then look at the way of life in the Mekong Delta. Then visit the temples of Sam mountain and end up enjoying the fresh air at the tropical shores of Phu Quoc.

Whether you choose to explore the North, South, or both, here are the top 5 places your family should visit:

1. Hanoi

Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam. It's an old peaceful city with thousands of year's history. Visiting Hanoi with your family is a great opportunity to explore the amazing history and beautiful culture of this graceful city.
It's where you'll find the most fantastic art galleries, lakes, parklands, and the quaint little colonial center.

In the center of Hanoi sits the legendary Hoan Kiem Lake, surrounded by street performers and many great places to eat.

The kids would love to watch the traditional Vietnamese water puppet show. The history of Vietnam's puppetry originates in the rice fields around Hanoi. The puppetry is believed to be passed from father to son over generations.

Visiting the museum of Ethnology will give your family an idea of all the minority groups in Vietnam, their amazing costumes, and artifacts.

Parents can also take their kids to the Bat Trang Pottery Village to watch how the locals make famous pottery and ceramic products and even make their own. There are also a lot of parks and indoor play centers for your kids to enjoy in Hanoi.

2. Halong Bay

Here's where you'll enjoy a true scene of nature. Filled by deep green waters that are encircled by great rock formations filled with hidden caves, Halong Bay is a place for boat tours and cave exploration for your family.

The place contains many limestone islands outside the waters, giving it a mixture of outdoor activity and relaxation. Have a good time on the stunning limestone island around the Bay of Descending Dragon while your kids enjoy swimming in calm waters and cave tours.

You can also visit the local fishers living in floating villages in the middle of the ocean to give your kids a view of a different culture.

3. Da Nang

Da Nang is a modern coastal city in Vietnam, with a lot to offer you and your family - from delicious foods to breathtaking street activities and peaceful beaches.

The best time to visit this city is between February and April when the weather is chilly. There is a lot of beautiful accommodation for families in Da Nang resort that comes at a budget-friendly price.

Get lost in Da Nang's downtown area to explore the local market, and let the kids watch the Dragon Bridge Performance while you stroll on the romantic love bridge.

Take trips to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites like My Son Sanctuary and the Hoi An ancient town. If you're a lover of outdoor activities, the best thing to do in Da Nang is to explore its beautiful beaches.

4. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Ho Chi Minh (HMCM) is Vietnam's most popular and busiest city. There are millions of things happening at once in this chaotic city - from bustling transportation and busy markets to street foods and street performances; Saigon is a great place for a family adventure.

Many wear-related tourist centers would be interesting to the kids. The Cu Chi tunnels are underground tunnels used by soldiers to hide and communicate during wars. A tour of this tunnel will be an educational and exciting journey for the family.

The Den Sen Water Park and Suoi Tien Amusement Park are great places for families to bond by playing many interesting games.

Before you leave Ho Chi Minh, visit China Town for a buzz of activities, numerous towns,  and the bustling Binh Tay market.

5. Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta has a rich and complicated history, delicious cuisine, and amazing traditions. Its locals are friendly and known for telling tourists amazing stories about Vietnam.

There are a lot of activities - kayaking, cycling, snorkeling, and hiking to give your teenagers a good time.

You can explore the river bank gardens or visit one of the coconut candies or rice noodle farms.

6. Sapa

This lovely town blessed with cool climate all year round and the beautiful mountains, amazing valleys of rice terraced fileds as well as many different ethnic villages that make Sapa the best places in Vietnam for family to enjoy a walking tour to experiece the beautiful landscapes as well as learn about unique culture and life of the local.

7. Ninh Binh

Known as Ha Long bay on the rice paddy fields, Ninh Binh is like a peaceful countryside to enjoy great trip through amazing caves, climb up "Mua" mountain, visit one of the biggest pagodas in Vietnam or cycle around to experiece people's everyday life. For a family tour in Ninh Binh, don't forget to choose a homestay or hotel that has a swimming pool.

8. Da Lat

Da Lat is named as the city of love and flowers. Like Sapa, Da Lat is blessed with cool climate all year round. A family trip in Da Lat is a perfect idea for relaxation during your Vietnam family tour. Again, Da Lat offers some interesting places for kids to enjoy such as " the cazy house", the clay house, valey of love...

Top 10 activities for the kids when in Vietnam

When you're on a family vacation in Vietnam, make sure your kids explore these activities:

●    Lantern Making in Hoi An
●    Going into the Cu Chi Tunnels
●    Cooking Class and Farming Tour in Hoi An
●    Boat cruise on perfume river
●    Shopping on floating markets
●    Riding the Fansipan cable car, Phu Quoc cable car or Sun World Ba Na Hills
●    Boat trip in Ninh Binh at Tam Coc or Trang An
●    Experience the walking streets in Hanoi
●    Walking in Muong Hoa valley in Sapa

What to Eat When Vietnam With Family

Food is an important thing to put into consideration when traveling, especially with the kids. When in Vietnam, you don't worry about eating as they have a diverse cuisine that even the pickiest kid will find a good option.

Vietnam Street Food

The country has a wide range of tasty street foods that are very flavorful. Eating on the street in Vietnam is as entertaining as it's tasty. These foods are mostly served together with smoothies or freshly squeezed fruit juices.

If your kids are picky about food, be rest assured that Vietnam has a wide range of street food that isn't so strange and not quite different from what you'll find in an Asian Restaurant in your country.

There's cơm chiên (fried rice), Mì quảng (Colorful Noodle), Gỏi cuốn ( spring rolls), Pho Noodle soup, xúc xích (hot dogs), and other kid-friendly street foods that your children would love.

Vietnam Restaurant Food

If your family aren't good fans of Vietnamese street food, there's no need to worry. There are a lot of restaurants in Vietnam that offer the nation diverse cuisines.

If you're in Hanoi, you can try some Indian food and try the popular Texas-style barbecue in Ho Chi Minh. Whichever type of food you want, you'll likely find it in the big cities of Vietnam.

Also, most restaurants in tourist areas have western snacks like pizza, burgers, steak, and other chops for families who want to mix Vietnamese food with western cuisine.

5 Tips for Travelling to Vietnam with Family

These five tips will help ensure you and your family have a great time and a memorable experience in Southeast Asia.

Create a Vietnam Itinerary and Use a Tour Agent That Specialises in Family Travels

Do a little research about destinations and the best time to visit. Working with a tour agent like Vivutravel will help you create a perfect itinerary with the right locations for sightseeing that will be a good experience for all family members and not budget-breaking.

It's also recommended you include the older kids when planning. While the younger kids can contend with swimming and indoor parks, teenagers would be hungry for more adventure. Ask them what they would prefer, a visit to a local or floating market, cooking classes on Cat Ba island, or a boat tour on the Mekong Delta.
Pack Enough Masks and Hand Sanitisers

Make sure your kids wear face masks wherever they're going. This not only ensures they stay safe from COVID-19 but also reduces exposure to the dust street of Vietnam, which your kids might not find pleasing, especially if you're from a not-so-dusty country.

Also, take your hand sanitizer in cities, rural areas, and local shops where soaps may not be available.

Get Your Sunscreen

Most parts of Vietnam have a tropical climate with warm temperatures year-round. That makes traveling to the country with kids easy - there's no need to pack heavy sweaters and jackets.

However, the sun can be scorching, especially in the North. Therefore when going on a boat cruise in Halong Bay, Kayaking, or on a boat ride on the Perfume River, make sure you take your hat and sunscreen along.

Avoid Tap Water

When in Vietnam, avoid drinking tap water, even in big cities like Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. Consider buying drinking water to avoid heavy metals, bacteria, and other contaminants that can make you fall sick. Ensure you tell your children this, especially if they're used to taking tap water at home.

Book Accommodation in Advance

Looking for a hotel only when you've arrived can be stressful, especially if your family aren't fans of that adventure. Consider booking accommodation in advance, especially in remote areas of Vietnam.

While it can be difficult to book accommodation in these areas online, having the VivuTravel tour agent can help you!

Wrap up

With the right planning and guidance, a visit to Vietnam will be a lifelong memory for your family. From the busy streets, delicious foods, and tranquil beaches to friendly locals, Vietnam is a city worth visiting.