Vietnam for Digital Nomads: Visas, Cities and What I Learned

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Vietnam has given me some of the biggest moments of my nomad life. I met my business partner on the roof of a five storey hostel in Hanoi. I met a friend I later rented a house with in Lombok. And I escaped some corrupt guards in a cave, deep underground. That last one I do not recommend.

Here is what Vietnam is like for digital nomads, and what to check before you go.

Why Vietnam works

• Energy. Big cities full of cafes, ideas and people building things.
• Variety. Cities, mountains, beaches and countryside in one long country.
• People. Hostels and coworking spaces full of travellers and remote workers. My guide to working from hostels explains why that matters.
• Food. Enough said.

Time zone and clients

Vietnam is seven hours ahead of London in winter and six in summer. That suits clients in Asia and Australia, and gives you a quiet morning before Europe wakes up. Clients in the USA mean late nights or very early calls. My guide to digital nomad time zones shows how to plan around it.

Entry rules: check the official sources

At the time of writing, gov.uk’s Vietnam entry requirements say British visitors:

• Can stay up to 45 days without a visa for tourism or business. Check the date on your entry stamp before you leave the airport, because immigration will not change it later.
• Can apply for an evisa for up to 90 days with multiple entries. It restricts you to the entry and exit points you choose when you apply.
• Must leave and re enter to start an evisa they got while already in Vietnam.
• Must enter and exit with the same passport, valid for six months, with two blank pages and no damage.
• Need the right visa or work permit to work in Vietnam.

Apply only through the official Vietnamese evisa site. Other nationalities have different rules, so check with the Vietnamese embassy. And read my guide to visa runs before you plan to reset your days.

Getting around

Vietnam is long, so plan your route with fewer, longer stops. Domestic flights, night buses and trains link the main cities. A slow route with a few bases beats racing from one end to the other. Read why slow travel works better for remote work.

Many travellers ride scooters and motorbikes. Traffic in the cities is intense. Only ride if you have the right licence, wear a helmet and know what your insurance says first. My guide to whether travel insurance covers scooters explains the details.

Health cover in Vietnam

Busy roads, heat, food you have never tried and long trips between cities. Have cover in place before you land.

I use Genki. Genki Traveler covers unexpected illness and injury worldwide for up to 12 months, and you can sign up even if you are already in Vietnam. There is a €50 deductible per case. Check your price on Genki, and check TravelHealthPro for vaccines before you go. My guide to what to do if you get sick or injured abroad covers the rest.

Is Vietnam right for you?

If you want energy, community and great food at a fair cost, Vietnam is hard to beat. Go up to the hostel roof. You never know who you will meet there.

Photo by Silver Ringvee on Unsplash.