Visiting Vietnam: 8 Tips for Family Travelers

Visiting a foreign country is a thrill, but going abroad with your family is a totally different case. Besides enjoying the trip yourself, you also have to look after everyone’s needs and keep them comfortable.

Customize Your Family Tour HERE

To your relief, Vietnam is a fabulous country that welcomes families, with friendly people, great food and plenty to see. With a little preparation using the tips below, you and your family can simply enjoy the trip.

Make an itinerary plan for family members

This point is essential, but it’s often neglected by whoever is leading the trip (usually a parent). You might think: why should I tell my family the plan if I’m handling the whole itinerary? Can’t they just follow me? Here’s why.

First of all, getting your kids and parents involved shows them respect: they know where they will go and can share their own ideas with you. That way the trip isn’t led by a single person but by the whole family. Furthermore, if something unexpected happens during the trip, everyone knows the plan and can help deal with it.

Communication really matters

You Might Also Like: Vietnam Travel Guide: Top 5 Places you Must Go in the City

As we mention in point 1, gathering family and talking about your family travel is absolutely important, because the trip is about bringing the family closer, not just about what the organizer wants to see in Vietnam.

As a result,  why not collect ideas from family members, and arrange them into a schedule. For example, kids may be fond of playing with water at Dam Sen Water Park, Saigon(Ho Chi Minh City), while the elderly prefer Vietnamese local cuisine. Finding a way to meet everyone’s needs is an art.

Take care of your belongings

Keeping an eye on your belongings lowers the risk of theft, which could spoil the mood of the whole trip. Vietnamese people are friendly and kind to visitors, but no matter where you go, always

keep your eyes peeled. In busy places, hold phones and bags on the side away from the road, as bag snatching from motorbikes happens in the big cities. Even at the airport, while you go to get some food, remind your kids not to leave their bags unattended. 

Prepare passports’ copies

When visiting foreign countries, the passport is the document that proves your personal identification. Losing a passport causes a lot of problems, so make paper copies and keep photos of everyone’s passports and visas on your phone as a backup.

Don't forget to bring medicine 

Some of your family members might suffer from potential diseases, the elderly in particular, so when packing up, remember to make a checklist to make sure that everyone brings their medicine in the bags. In Vietnam you may struggle with the language barrier, and explaining a medical condition at a pharmacy can be tough.

Make good use of your luggage

It's believed that going abroad with family is extremely tough when it comes to packing; in fact, you have to be concerned about what kids and the elder might demand during the journey. At the same time, you don’t want to pay excess baggage fees before the holiday has even started. So pack smart and keep your luggage light. Perhaps, you could categorize belongings from their size and usage, and put them at the right place. For example, rolling up clothes and underwear do help; also, don't place much stuff into plastic and then throw it into luggage, because that would waste some room. 

Bring a portable phone charger 

Foreign countries mean somewhere new to you, so finding the way for destinations is totally challenging, especially traveling with family members.

As a reminder, don't ignore this tip: charge your phone and devices once arriving at the hotel, and carry a power bank so your phone is always ready for maps and keeping in touch. 

Photos with a family matter. Be patient

Don't Forget to Check Out: 4 Tips for Finding Vegetarian and Vegan Food in Vietnam

Taking pictures fills your family trip with memories to look back on. But whoever is in charge of the arrangements, usually a parent, can be so busy handling things that it’s hard to relax, smile and be patient when taking photos.

Remember to remind yourself, chill out, and let your brain refreshed for a minute, and get back to delightful family travel. You spend money on joy and priceless reunion with family at several amazing tourist spots. Don't let temper spoil it.