By Joe, co-founder of Adventure After 30 | Last updated:
[06-11-2027]
The first time I went to Hanoi, I was in my early 20s and I spent three days there. I'd love to tell you I saw the Temple of Literature and ate my way round the Old Quarter. In reality, I spent those three days drinking and battling hangovers.
Like a lot of us in our 20s, I drank a lot, skipped the real stuff and got sucked into the tourist traps. I was probably too young to know what I liked, or to question what I actually wanted from a trip.
Travelling in your 30s is different. You know what you want, you've a bit more money, and you'd rather spend your annual leave on something real than lose half of it to a hangover. So if you're thinking about travelling Vietnam solo in your 30s, here's what I'd tell you, from someone who first backpacked the country in 2015 and went on to live there for over five years.
Is Vietnam good for solo travellers in their 30s?
Yes, it's one of the best countries in Asia to travel on your own. It's easy to get around, it's good value, and the food is made for eating solo. Pull up a plastic stool at a street stall, point at what the person next to you is having, and nobody will look twice at you eating alone.
People are friendly and curious, and there's a well-worn route from south to north, so you're never far from other travellers if you want company.
In saying that, Vietnam can be intense, especially at first. Hanoi alone has a population of nearly 9 million, more than the whole island of Ireland, and most of them seem to be on a scooter at any given moment. Navigating a city like that on your own is a lot. My advice is to get stuck in, be patient with yourself, and give it a couple of days. Hanoi is a city like no other, and once it clicks, it really clicks.
Is Vietnam safe for solo travellers?
For the most part, yes. Christine has travelled all over the world, and she'd put Vietnam up there with the safest countries she's been to, including as a woman travelling on her own.
You will get stares, especially outside the big cities. 99% of the time it's pure curiosity. Smile, say hello, and try a few words of Vietnamese. Locals will love you for it. A few to start with:
Xin chào (sin chow): hello
Chào em / chào anh / chào chị (chow em / chow ang / chow chee): a more casual hello, used the way locals say it. Em is for someone younger than you, anh for an older man and chị for an older woman. Get it right and you'll get a big smile back.
Cảm ơn (gahm un): thank you
Cho tôi... (chaw toy): can I have... Point at the menu and you're sorted. Cho tôi một bia (chaw toy mot bee-ah) gets you a beer.
Một, hai, ba, dzô! (mot, hai, ba, yo): one, two, three, cheers! You'll hear this a lot once the beers come out. We've a full guide on how to order a beer and say cheers like a local.
The real risks are the everyday kind. A few things worth knowing:
Crossing the road. Walk slowly and steadily, and don't stop or run. The scooters will flow around you. It feels wrong the first time, but it works. Slow and steady wins the race as they say.
Getting around. Use the Grab app for taxis and motorbike taxis so the price is fixed before you get in and it’s always safer this way especially for women!
Phones and bags. In Saigon especially, keep your phone away from the roadside when you're walking or sitting at a street cafe, as snatch thefts from passing scooters do happen (Like in any big city)
Agree prices first. For cyclos, boat rides or anything without a price on it, agree the cost before you start.
Nights out. The usual rules apply. Watch your drink, and know how you're getting home but for the most part the Viets will always help you, they are a special bunch of people.
Check the latest UK government (FCDO) or Irish government Vietnam travel advice before you go, too.
The part of solo travel nobody warns you about
Travelling on your own gives you freedom, but there's a flip side. On my first backpacking trip around Vietnam in 2015, I made some of my favourite travel memories. The thing is, most of them were just mine. There was nobody there who'd seen it too, nobody to bring it up with over a pint years later and say "do you remember that?" That's the bit I missed most.
There's the tiredness, too. When you're solo, every bus, every hotel and every plan is on you. In your 20s that's part of the adventure but in your 30s, after a year of work, you might want someone else to sort the logistics so you can enjoy the place.
And the bigger problem for a lot of us at this age is finding someone to go with in the first place. Your mates have kids, partners, mortgages or different budgets. The group chat goes quiet. That's a big part of why we started Adventure After 30.
The middle ground: go solo, travel together
Joining a small group trip gives you the freedom of going on your own, without being on your own. You turn up solo, a bit nervous, not knowing a single person. Two weeks later, you're saying goodbye to people who were there for all of it, from the sand dunes in Mui Ne to the last beers in Hanoi. They're the ones you'll be messaging years from now saying "do you remember that?", and quite possibly the ones you'll be planning your next trip with.
Here's how our Vietnam trip works if you're coming on your own:
Room sharing sorted. We pair you with a roommate of the same gender in a twin room as standard, so you're not paying extra for travelling alone. If you'd rather have your own space, you can pay a single supplement.
Meet the group before you fly. Everyone joins a WhatsApp group before the trip, so you'll know a few names and faces before you land.
Welcome dinner on night one. The ice is broken before you've even started.
Free time built in. You're not stuck with the group 24/7. There's time to wander off on your own, then catch up with everyone for dinner.
Christine or I are with you. One of us (sometimes both) travels with every group, alongside local guides, so there's always someone who knows the country inside out.
You can see the full route in our 13-day Vietnam south to north itinerary, and what the weather's like in our Vietnam in March weather guide.
Who travels with us?
Our trips are for people who are 30+, who still want proper adventure. Some come on their own, some bring a mate, and some come as a couple. Most have jobs they're not planning to quit, and they're using their annual leave for something bigger than a week by the pool.
What they have in common is that they're at the same stage of life. Nobody's trying to get you to do shots at 2am (unless you want to).
Solo travel in Vietnam: FAQs
Is it weird to join a group tour on your own in your 30s?
Not at all. Our trips are built with solo travellers in mind, and travelling on your own is one of the most common reasons people join a small group.
Do I have to share a room?
Only if you want to. We pair solo travellers with a roommate of the same gender in a twin room as standard, or you can pay a single supplement for your own room.
What if I'm an introvert?
You'll fit right in. There's free time on the trip, nobody will force you into anything, and plenty of people come to sit back and take it all in. Small groups are a lot easier than a big crowd.
Is Vietnam safe for solo female travellers?
Generally, yes. Christine rates it as one of the safest countries she's travelled. Take the same care you would anywhere, especially with your phone and bag in Saigon and on nights out.
Is Vietnam good for a first solo trip?
It's a great first choice, especially with a small group. You get the adventure of going somewhere new without having to plan every step yourself.
Come to Vietnam with us
If you've been waiting for your mates to be free, you could be waiting a while. Come on your own, and leave with a new crew.