Vietnam food safety tips and recommendations

[mummarunner]

Can anyone who has been to Vietnam reassure me on food safety please? We are taking DC (12 and 14) in the Easter holidays and have a wonderful holiday planned out. It’s a bucket list destination for us and I know we are incredibly lucky to be going. However, I suffer with terrible holiday anxiety, and I am starting to worry irrationally about food poisoning/travellers diaorrhea. All the travel blogs I’m reading are so negative I am beginning to wonder if anyone has ever been to Vietnam and NOT suffered a dodgy tummy?!

I know all the precautions to take (look for busy places where locals eat, wipe cutlery, hand washing etc) but it seems that despite all this we will all end up on the Imodium at some point. And don’t get me started on worrying about us eating something dodgy the night before a 13 hour flight home 😱

Am I worrying unnecessarily? If anyone has any recommendations of places they’ve eaten that would be amazing. We are travelling north to south: Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay 2 night cruise, Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An. I honestly can’t wait but need to shift this fear otherwise I’m going to ruin the experience for everyone else. Thank you ☺️

I have heard good things about probiotics for gut health.

We went to Vietnam last year and didn’t have a single problem. We ate in restaurants and street food

The food in Vietnam is AMAZING. We had food that was incredible in local restaurants and street vendors from north to south. Our group was 15-82 and all OK. I’ve had travellers tummy in many countries, but not Vietnam.

One place in Hanoi I will find it was packed and cheap and the food was amazing.

Only eat freshly cooked local food. I was always fine. DH got very ill after ordering a sandwich.
If you want things like fresh fruit or sandwiches go to 7/11 or a proper cafe/restaurant as they are safely prepared. No fruit on the beach etc.

Thank you, exactly the reassuring positive stories I was hoping for to set my mind at ease. I am definitely watching too many travel influencers and reading too much into the comments. The food is such a big part of Vietnam I want to enjoy it!

Been to hue and hoi an and I had no issues. Hoi an is my favourite place ever! I got engaged there too. There was a place called morning glory and one called good morning Vietnam. If they're still about i recommend! Ones an Italian and ones a Vietnamese. Enjoy!

No problems taking my 10 and 13 year old last year to hoi an, halong, hanoi.We ate local foods in restaurants and there is often a McDonald’s in these places if it gets too ‘authentic’ …

Been twice and never had any issues with food in Vietnam (unlike other countries). Go to busy restaurants, bottled water and you'll be fine!

We spent 21 days there travelling for our honeymoon 9 years ago. The only dodgy stomach I had was from the airplane food on our way there (Emirates so not cheap!) The food there is incredible we ate lots of street food and in loads of different priced restaurants across the country. Enjoy… I’m so jealous and would love to go back.

I spent months travelling around Vietnam and ate anywhere and everywhere without really giving it a second thought. Stomach was completely fine. Go have fun (& chill out a bit!)

Thank you for your genuine replies and not laughing at me and my irrational fears (although I do know I need to chill out lol!). This is a trip of a lifetime and so much planning has gone into it, I’m cross with myself that my anxieties are taking over. Feeling a lot more positive again now, thank you all.

I can’t wait for Hoi An, it looks so beautiful. Lovely you have it as your special place!

Promise I will chill and relax!

I can’t wait to go and will absolutely be making the most of it 😀

It really is the trip of a lifetime. Have the most amazing time

We went by the following rules as suggested by a friend who lived there and were fine:
No ice in anything
Bottled water only, even to brush teeth
Didn't eat any raw vegetables
Ate only in restaurants with good reviews/many customers
No fast food places
No street food

Did a 3 week multi person tour a few years ago. It was great and I’d love to go back. Had taken the usual Imodium and Dioralyte but did not need them. One gentleman did have a mild dodgy tummy. Tour guide made him a fresh ginger and lemon tea and he was ok in about 6 hours. Go and enjoy the amazing country. Just be sensible as you would be anywhere else.

When I go to places like this I eat vegetarian as much as I can. Massively reduces the risk of getting ill. Avoid salads and pre-prepared fruit too,

I usually eat street food etc there and I've never been ill

I went to Vietnam independently, relatively recently (to most of the places you're going), and ate ALL the food! Restaurant food, street food, boat food, budget hotel breakfasts; all great, and no stomach issues at all.

I always travel with plenty of immodium, but didn't need to touch it there.

I did all those things, and not only lived, but remained perfectly stomach-healthy!

Never had any problems on any of my trips to Vietnam even when I ate a ‘local’ places. The food is fabulous and so is the coffee.

We travelled all around and none of us got ill (and I generally have a delicate stomach)! We avoided ice cream (as apparently that can harbor lots of bacteria) and were sensible with where we ate.

I did most of them too. Ice is fine - it’s all bought in. No iced coconut coffee without it! And what a shame to miss out on all the fresh fruits and salads. I did use bottled water to clean teeth though.