Vietnam quietly became one of the strongest nomad destinations in Asia when it opened a 90-day multiple-entry e-visa to every nationality in 2023. Before that it was a paperwork country; now it is one of the easiest. What you get for the money is remarkable: fibre internet that outperforms the Philippines and Indonesia, coffee culture that rivals anywhere on earth, a serviced-apartment market with cleaning and utilities bundled for USD 400-600, and food that costs USD 2 a meal and is genuinely excellent. Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang each offer a different version of the deal. The friction points are traffic that runs on its own logic, air quality that is poor in both major cities for months at a time, and a language that gives up nothing to English speakers.

• A 90-day multiple-entry e-visa is available to every nationality for around USD 25 to 50

• Fibre internet is fast and cheap, typically USD 8-12 a month for 150-300 Mbps

• Serviced apartments with cleaning, utilities and internet included run USD 400-600

• Cafe culture is the best in Asia for working, with speciality coffee at USD 1.50

• Da Nang combines a beach, a city and fibre internet at a price nowhere else matches

Vietnam's serviced apartment market is its hidden advantage: USD 450 typically buys a furnished studio with weekly cleaning, utilities, internet and a security desk, with no deposit games. Grab bike rides across town cost under USD 2, and a bowl of pho is USD 2.

Home fibre is remarkably cheap at USD 8-12 a month, and nearly every cafe has strong free Wi-Fi as a matter of course. The known weakness is undersea cable faults, which periodically slow international traffic for days at a time; a VPN sometimes helps route around it.

Vietnamese is genuinely difficult, with six tones and little English cognate vocabulary. Most nomads get by on Google Translate and goodwill.

Violent crime is rare. Bag snatching from motorbikes is the signature risk: keep your phone away from the roadside and never use it while walking near traffic. Never leave your passport as a rental deposit.

Grab bikes are the default way to move, cheap and fast through traffic. Xanh SM's electric taxis are a comfortable and quiet upgrade. Ho Chi Minh City's first metro line opened recently and Hanoi has two, but coverage is still limited. Crossing the road on foot requires walking slowly and predictably rather than waiting for a gap.

Tropical in the south, humid subtropical in the north

Vietnam is three climates in one country, so the best month depends entirely on where you are. Da Nang and Hoi An flood in October and November; the south is reliably warm all year.

The e-visa is open to all nationalities, gives 90 days with single or multiple entry, and costs USD 25 or USD 50. Around 25 nationalities also have visa exemption, mostly 45 days. Apply on evisa.gov.vn only; the many lookalike sites charge several times the official fee.

• Air quality in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is poor for months at a time, and Hanoi's winter is among the worst in Asia

• The e-visa gives no work rights; legal remote work needs a work permit and temporary residence card

• Traffic is dense and chaotic, and scooter accidents are the main injury risk

• English proficiency drops sharply outside expat districts

• Healthcare quality lags the region, and serious cases are often flown to Bangkok or Singapore

• Vietnam National e-Visa PortalVietnam Immigration Department2026-07-27

Last reviewed 2026-07-27