How to travel to Vietnam from the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Mexico and Ireland

Travel to Vietnam from the USA

Most Americans reach Vietnam with one connection in an Asian hub such as Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok or Manila, or via a Gulf hub from the east coast. Some airlines have flown direct between the US west coast and Ho Chi Minh City at times; check current schedules. The main arrival airports are Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City, Noi Bai in Hanoi and Da Nang.

Flight time: roughly 15–17 hours non-stop from the west coast when a direct flight runs, and often 20–26 hours or more with a connection, longer from the east coast.

Entry for US citizens

Vietnam's entry rules have changed in recent years. US passport holders have usually needed a visa, and the simplest route for most is the official e-visa at evisa.gov.vn, which can be issued for up to 90 days. Do not assume older advice still applies: check travel.state.gov and the official portal before you book, and make sure every detail on the e-visa matches your passport exactly.

Time difference

Vietnam is on UTC+7 all year. It is 11 hours ahead of New York in the US summer and 12 hours ahead in winter, and 14 or 15 hours ahead of Los Angeles.

Tips for the trip

You lose a day crossing the date line, and many connections arrive late at night. Choose a connection that lands in daylight if you can, and if your trip runs north to south, book into Hanoi and out of Ho Chi Minh City on one ticket.

Travel to Vietnam from the UK

Some airlines have flown direct from London to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City at times, and these are worth checking for your dates. Otherwise, the usual routes connect through a Gulf hub such as Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi, or through Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong. Check current schedules.

Flight time: roughly 12–13.5 hours non-stop from London, and often 16–20 hours with a connection.

Entry for UK citizens

The UK has been on Vietnam's list of countries whose citizens can enter visa-free for a limited period, but the list and the number of days have changed more than once, and some exemptions have been temporary. If you plan to stay longer than the visa-free period, or the exemption has changed, use the official e-visa at evisa.gov.vn. Check gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/vietnam shortly before you travel, and make sure your passport has enough validity left.

Time difference

Vietnam is 6 hours ahead of the UK during British Summer Time and 7 hours ahead in the UK winter.

Tips for the trip

Overnight flights from London usually land in the afternoon or evening. Many UK travellers combine Vietnam with Cambodia or Laos; if you leave Vietnam and come back, check whether you need a multiple-entry e-visa rather than relying on a visa-free entry.

Travel to Vietnam from Canada

Some airlines have flown direct between Vancouver and Ho Chi Minh City at times. Most Canadians connect through an Asian hub such as Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei or Hong Kong, or through a US city; from eastern Canada, routes via Europe or the Gulf are also common. Check current schedules.

Flight time: roughly 14–16 hours non-stop from Vancouver when a direct flight runs, and often 20–26 hours with a connection from Toronto or Montreal.

Entry for Canadian citizens

Canadian passport holders have usually needed a visa for Vietnam, and most use the official e-visa at evisa.gov.vn, which can cover stays of up to 90 days. Rules have changed in recent years, so check travel.gc.ca and the official portal before you book. Apply only through the official government site.

Time difference

Vietnam is 11 hours ahead of Toronto and Montreal in the Canadian summer and 12 hours ahead in winter, and 14 or 15 hours ahead of Vancouver.

Tips for the trip

Allow a few working days for the e-visa, and more before busy periods such as Tet, the Lunar New Year. Print a copy of the e-visa as well as saving it on your phone. If you arrive on a late connection, book your first night near the airport or with a reliable pick-up.

Travel to Vietnam from Australia

Australia has the easiest long-haul access to Vietnam on this list. Some airlines fly direct from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide to Ho Chi Minh City, and some also to Hanoi; low-cost carriers have added routes at times. Connections through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok are common alternatives. Check current schedules.

Flight time: roughly 8.5–9.5 hours from Sydney or Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City, about 6–7 hours from Perth, and a little longer to Hanoi.

Entry for Australian citizens

Australian passport holders have usually needed a visa for Vietnam, and most use the official e-visa at evisa.gov.vn. Rules have changed several times, so check smartraveller.gov.au and the official portal before you travel, and avoid look-alike e-visa websites that charge extra.

Time difference

Vietnam is 3 hours behind Sydney and Melbourne in the Australian winter and 4 hours behind during Australian daylight saving time. It is 1 hour behind Perth.

Tips for the trip

With a short time difference and daytime flights available, Vietnam works well even for a two-week holiday from Australia. Many flights land in the evening; Ho Chi Minh City's airport is inside the city, which makes late arrivals easier than in Hanoi, where the airport is further out.

Travel to Vietnam from Mexico

There are no regular direct flights between Mexico and Vietnam. The usual routes connect through a US west coast city, through Tokyo or Seoul, or through Europe or the Gulf. Many journeys involve two connections. Check current schedules and choose a route with reasonable layovers.

Flight time: roughly 24–32 hours in total from Mexico City, depending on the route and connections.

Entry for Mexican citizens

Mexican passport holders have usually needed a visa for Vietnam, and the official e-visa at evisa.gov.vn is open to all nationalities. Rules change, so check the portal, the Vietnamese embassy in Mexico and gob.mx/sre before booking. If you connect through the US, Canada or another country, check the transit documents you need there too.

Time difference

Vietnam is 13 hours ahead of Mexico City all year, since neither changes its clocks, and 12 hours ahead of Cancún.

Tips for the trip

This is the longest journey on this page, so plan two nights to recover before a group trip starts, or break the trip with a stopover in Tokyo, Seoul or another hub. English is common in tourist areas of Vietnam, but Spanish is rarely spoken; a translation app with offline Vietnamese helps with taxis and menus.

Travel to Vietnam from Ireland

There are no regular direct flights from Ireland to Vietnam. Most routes connect through a Gulf hub such as Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi, or through London, another European hub or a Southeast Asian hub such as Bangkok or Singapore. Check current schedules and leave enough time for connections.

Flight time: roughly 16–20 hours in total, depending on the connection.

Entry for Irish citizens

Whether Irish passport holders can enter Vietnam visa-free depends on Vietnam's current exemption list, which has changed more than once. If Ireland is not on it at the time of your trip, or you want a longer stay, use the official e-visa at evisa.gov.vn. Check dfa.ie/travel and the official portal before you book.

Time difference

Vietnam is 6 hours ahead of Ireland in the Irish summer and 7 hours ahead in winter.

Tips for the trip

Connecting via a Gulf hub often gives a good daytime arrival in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Many Irish travellers spend three or four weeks in Southeast Asia; if you add Cambodia, Laos or Thailand, check each country's entry rules separately and whether you need a multiple-entry visa to return to Vietnam. Keep a printed copy of your e-visa or entry details, as phones can run out of battery after a long journey.

Arriving in Vietnam solo: airports, night arrivals and meeting your group

Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi is roughly 45–60 minutes by road from the Old Quarter. Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City is inside the city, usually 20–45 minutes from District 1 depending on traffic. Da Nang Airport is close to the city centre and about 30–45 minutes from Hoi An. All three have airport buses, official taxi ranks and ride-hailing pick-up areas.

Getting a ride safely

Use the official taxi queue, a ride-hailing app that shows the price before you book, or a pick-up arranged by your accommodation. Ignore drivers who approach you inside the terminal. Keep the hotel address on your phone in Vietnamese.

Arriving at night

Many international flights land late. A pre-booked pick-up is the calmest option when you are alone. Hanoi's Old Quarter and Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 stay lively into the night, but streets can be dark around some guesthouses; ask your accommodation to wait up if reception is not 24 hours.

First steps at the airport

• Have your e-visa printout or visa-free details ready, plus your onward ticket.
• Withdraw a small amount of dong from a bank ATM; amounts have many zeros, so double-check.
• Buy a local SIM or eSIM; you will need your passport.

Joining a group trip on arrival

Groups usually meet at a hotel in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City in the evening. Confirm the meeting point, whether a transfer is included and the plan if your flight is late. Arriving a day early lets you get over the flight and try street food at your own pace before the group starts.

Best time to fly to Vietnam from the northern and southern hemisphere

Because the north, centre and south have different weather, the best time to fly depends on your route. For a full north-to-south trip, March to April and the early part of autumn are often the best compromise. These months suit travellers from the USA, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Mexico who want to avoid the busiest home holiday periods.

From the southern hemisphere

For Australians, the Australian winter (June to August) is a popular time to escape south, and it suits the central coast beaches, though the north is hot and humid and the south has afternoon rain. The Australian summer holidays bring the dry season to the south, but the north is cool and often grey.

Busy periods

Tet, the Lunar New Year, in late January or February is the busiest time of the year: domestic flights and trains sell out and some places close. Vietnamese summer holidays from June to August also fill beach towns. If you fly near Tet, book everything early, including internal flights.

Jet lag tips

• From the Americas, the time difference is close to half a day; move your sleep gradually before leaving and sleep on the plane during Vietnamese night time.
• From Europe, overnight flights work well: stay awake until the local evening on arrival.
• From Australia, the gap is only a few hours, so jet lag is mild.
• Early mornings are the best time in Vietnam anyway: join the exercise groups around Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi.

Combine Vietnam with Morocco

Vietnam and Morocco are far apart, so combining them means a long flight rather than a short hop. There are no direct flights; the usual routes connect through a Gulf hub or a European hub such as Paris, and the total journey is often 18 hours or more. Check current schedules.

The most practical way to see both is on a longer trip that passes through Europe or the Gulf anyway. A traveller from the UK or Ireland, for example, might do Morocco on one trip, since it is a short flight from home, and Vietnam on another. Travellers from the Americas or Australia on a career break or round-the-world ticket sometimes add Morocco on the way through Europe after Southeast Asia.

The pairing works because the experiences are so different: street food, rice terraces and limestone bays in Vietnam, and medinas, mountains and desert in Morocco. Morocco is around 6 hours behind Vietnam, and its best seasons are spring and autumn, which partly overlap with Vietnam's. Check Morocco's entry rules for your passport separately.