Hanoi Travel Tips - How to Pack for Hanoi

Preparing for a trip has never been something so easy and packing can cause the greatest anxiety of all. If you're traveling to Hanoi, don’t worry! We are here to help you through this mess. Below are some of our tips about how to pack for Hanoi as well as suggested necessities that you may consider bringing along.

How to Pack for Hanoi – Necessities

1. Identification Documents

Since Visa and Passport are vital whenever you travel to a foreign country, please keep in mind that these documents must always be with you wherever you go, and you must pay close attention to keep it safe. You will never know if something happens and you will be required to claim your identity.

Another thing that you may need to prepare is scanning your identification documents and sending them to your email (in case you lose them). You must also have some emergency contacts in Vietnam with you, for example Vietnam Police Department (113), your tour agency, your tour guide, etc.

Visa and Passport are vital things to visit Hanoi

2. Money

Although in Hanoi, many places accept Dollars and Euros as well as credit cards, it is advisable that you should have an adequate amount of Vietnam Dong (VND) in hand. You can easily exchange your money into Vietnamese currency right at the airport or at your hotels. However, the rates here are quite high. Therefore, gold shops and banks are much more favorable.

Check out our recommendations for money exchange spots in Hanoi.

3. Sunscreen

Hanoi's summer can get exceptionally hot and humid. As a result, one essential item is sunscreen. In case you're traveling to Hanoi from May - July, it is advisable to put on sunscreen whenever leaving home to prevent yourself from ultraviolet rays and sunburn.

You aren’t able to survive the heat of Hanoi in the summer without sunscreen

Read more about The Best Time to Go to Hanoi

Recommended brands:

- Banana Boat Reef Friendly Sunscreen Spray

- Copperstone SPORT Sunscreen Spray

- Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen

4. Clothing

For the summer, the easiest tip of how to pack for Hanoi is packing a variety of cotton and linen materials. Going from place to place makes you sweat a lot, so these breathable types of cloth will help you fight against the heat. In the summer, heavy rain is supposed to pour down quite a lot, so preparing an umbrella or a rain poncho is recommended.

Since there are a host of magnificent temples and pagodas in Hanoi, don't forget to bring appropriate attire, which includes pants and shirts with sleeves. It is required that you wear formal clothing to religious places in Vietnam.

However, in the winter (from October - December), the temperature in Hanoi fluctuates quite a bit. It can fall down to 9 degrees this morning and rise up to 15 degrees the next day. That’s why you need to bring different types of coats in your suitcase. One really thick coat and three light jackets can be enough to keep you warm.

Choosing the right material will make your trip much easier

Check out Winter Clothes on Sales Online

5. A Bottle of Water

This is not just a travel-essential item but a necessity that you will have to bring whenever leaving home. Water can help your body to function well and stay hydrated going out for such a long time. Moreover, having your bottle will not only protect the environment but also be much more convenient.

Bottled water can be conveniently carried around and refilled

Recommended brands:

- Contigo Autoseal Water Bottle

- Brita Premium Filtering Water  Bottle

- Thermoflask Double Stainless Steel Water Bottle

6. Portable Charger

A portable charger is nothing unfamiliar if you are the one who prefers mobility to stationariness. You may have to use your phone for many purposes such as contacting people, capturing your trip, browsing the Internet, or finding ways on Maps. Hence, running out of battery is quite terrible, and a portable charger can solve this issue at once.

This is one of the quintessential items when traveling

Recommended brands:

- Anker PowerCore 10000

- RAVPower Portable Charger

- INIU Portable Charger

7. Medications

The sudden changes in your everyday diet and climate may cause some disorders to your health, so having some medicines in hand can never be too redundant. Some basics are antidiarrheal, antibiotics, disinfectant, a few bandaids,... If you have prescription medicines, ask your doctor to get an adequate amount throughout your trip.

Bring some typical medicines such as antidiarrheal or painkillers

What you should bring:

- Immodium

- Digestives

- First-aid kit

8. Mosquito Spray/Bug Repellent

Since Vietnam is a tropical country, it can turn your holiday into misery if your legs and arms are covered with mosquito’s bites. Try to bring along a mosquito spray and make sure that your body is protected against mosquitoes and bugs.

Mosquito spray is one of the most necessary items traveling to a tropical country like Vietnam

How to Pack for Hanoi - Avoid These Items

1. Illegal Drug/Chemicals/Weapons

Obviously, you are not allowed to bring any of those mentioned above to anywhere around the world, including Hanoi. You are supposed to know that the penalty will not be easy by any means.

2. Luxurious Items

Pickpockets and snatch thefts are common in Hanoi. Therefore, try to leave behind your exclusive or luxurious items to prevent them from being stolen while roaming on the streets.

Women, especially, need to be careful with their belongings and handbags.

3. Pornography

Pornography is still strictly prohibited in Vietnam, and you will face strict enforcement if you try to sell or possess pornography. Notably, your luggage will be checked at the airport, so please get rid of all pornography material before traveling to Vietnam.

4. Reactionary Documents

Since Vietnam’s history is long-standing and the Vietnamese people are very sensitive towards politics related topics, you are likely to face severe punishment if your luggage contains any materials that go against the current government.

How to Pack for Hanoi – Packing Tips

1. Make A List

Lists are notably important since they help us to keep track of everything that we need to do or prepare before our trips. Try to start writing your checklist one month before your trip. Therefore, it is much easier to add more things to it if you forget anything. What can be more pleasing than seeing your list completely crossed out or checked?

Try to arrange your list in a specific order, it may vary from urgency to importance or how easy one item is

2. Organize Your Outfits

It would be great if you can organize your outfits for each day of your trip beforehand. This definitely kills two birds with one stone. Firstly, organizing your daily clothing helps to make sure that you do not pack unnecessary items in your suitcase. Moreover, during the trip, you will not have to be nervous and think about what to wear in the morning. Eventually, this tip makes your trip much easier.

One more small tip for packing your clothes is rolling to keep them smooth and save space

3. Bring Your Backpack

Since Hanoi is a tropical country and there are many tourist attractions that you may want to explore, it is recommended that you should have your own travel backpack to carry most of your necessities for a day long but also assure mobility and balance for your shoulders.

Your shoulders will not ache so bad thanks to the evenly divided weight that backpacks bring

4. Prepare Some Zip Lock Bags

You can never underestimate the usage of zip lock bags. Although they seem to be a triviality that causes nearly nothing at all, zip lock bags are one of the most necessary travel-friendly items. These bags can give you a hand in organizing things such as medicine, liquids, dirty clothes, rubbish, and even important documents to keep them waterproof.

With the help of amazing bags, your packing will be much faster

Check prices and reviews of top hotels in Hanoi:

Summary on How to Pack for Hanoi

Traveling to a foreign country has never been so easy. Nonetheless, if you pack your luggage right, everything on your trip must go much smoother. Thus, take our blog on how to pack for Hanoi into consideration and write a checklist to make sure that your suitcase is fully packed.

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