Is it safe to drink the tap water?

No. Always drink bottled or filtered water, even for brushing teeth if you have a sensitive stomach.

How do we get around cities with kids?

Download the 'Grab' app. It works like Uber/Lyft. It is cheap, safe, and saves you from negotiating taxi fares.

Planning a Smooth Family Trip to Vietnam

Focus on a North-to-South or South-to-North route covering three key regions over 14 days to minimize travel fatigue. Prioritize domestic flights between major hubs to save time and keep children from burning out on long bus or train rides.

Pick a single direction. Don't try to loop back. Start in Hanoi (North) and end in Ho Chi Minh City (South), or vice-versa. This saves you 15-20 hours of backtracking.
Book internal flights. Use Vietnam Airlines or Bamboo Airways for the long stretches (e.g., Hanoi to Da Nang). Tickets average $60-80 USD per person. It turns an 18-hour train ride into a 75-minute flight.
Schedule morning activity blocks. Plan your 'must-sees' for before 11:00 AM. Humidity is highest in the afternoons, and that is when kids (and adults) are most prone to meltdowns.
Build in 'do-nothing' half-days. Every 3 days, leave an entire afternoon free for swimming at the hotel pool. You cannot sustain a sightseeing pace with kids in the Vietnamese heat.

Is it safe to drink the tap water?: No. Always drink bottled or filtered water, even for brushing teeth if you have a sensitive stomach.
How do we get around cities with kids?: Download the 'Grab' app. It works like Uber/Lyft. It is cheap, safe, and saves you from negotiating taxi fares.