Hey friends! After visiting Vietnam on four separate occasions here is my honest advice on how I get ready for that trip. Hope this helps!~ Amber
CLOTHING: While working on construction projects I would recommend wearing as comfortable of clothing as possible- think of gym clothes, breathable clothing, sports bras. I wear comfortable and relaxed clothing the entire trip. For shoes I bring one pair each of tennis shoes, flip flops and keen's sandals. It is not necessary to bring clothing for every single day of your trip- the ladies are able to hand wash your clothing in Mai Chau.
CASH: Please bring money for souveniers, extra curricular activities outside of those provided, snacks, alcohol, etc. US dollars must be in good condition or they will not be accepted- cash cannot be torn, too old, or written on. You can also use an ATM to safely withdraw cash in country, but please notify your bank ahead of time that you will be traveling.
VISA: You will need to apply for a visa online before your trip. The website I use to apply for a visa is https://www.vietnam-visa.com/ . Currently the Vietnamese government is giving all Americans an automatic 1 year visa- there are no shorter visa options at this time.
IMMUNIZATIONS: Before my first Southeast Asia trip I made an appointment with a travel clinic to get all the immunizations they recommended. My first couple trips I also took the anti-malaria pills.
OUTLET CONVERTERS: Have never needed to use one in Vietnam.
OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER:
- sunscreen
- bug spray
- all paper printouts- printed copies of your visa paperwork, passport, airline schedule, reservations to have on hand for when you don't have internet access
- two prong headphone converter- necessary on about half of Asian airlines in order to use your headphones, only costs a few dollars
- swimsuit
- baby wipes
- snacks
- travel beauty products- I bring everything I need during the trip but don't worry if you forget something you can find replacements in Vietnam
- plastic bags/ ziplocks- every liquid I have is in several ziplocks and I pack my shoes in plastic bags so they don't make my other luggage smell
- any type of medication that you could possibly need- immodium!, allergy medicine, etc