{"id":635,"date":"2021-11-09T10:28:20","date_gmt":"2021-11-09T03:28:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/?p=635"},"modified":"2023-08-18T16:50:07","modified_gmt":"2023-08-18T09:50:07","slug":"how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/","title":{"rendered":"How to avoid getting sick in Vietnam while traveling and eating"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_3106\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3106\" style=\"width: 665px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3106\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/travel-map1-588x275.jpg\" alt=\"How to avoid getting sick in Vietnam\" width=\"665\" height=\"311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/travel-map1-588x275.jpg 588w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/travel-map1-588x275-300x140.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3106\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">How to avoid getting sick in Vietnam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>One of the fastest ways to ruin a vacation is by falling sick!\u00a0 As a traveller in a new country, it can be difficult to know what to eat, what to drink, and how to go about your activities while staying as healthy as possible.\u00a0 Here are some great tips on how to stay healthy during your time in Vietnam.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_75 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/#Heres_How_to_Avoid_Getting_Sick_in_Vietnam\" >Here&#8217;s How to Avoid Getting Sick in Vietnam: &nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/#Table_of_Contents\" >Table of Contents:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/#FOOD_SAFETY\" >FOOD SAFETY &nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/#Tips_for_eating_safely_and_avoid_getting_sick_in_Vietnam\" >Tips for eating safely and avoid getting sick in Vietnam<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/#Street_Food_Vendors\" >Street Food Vendors &nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/#Street_Food_Tours\" >Street Food Tours<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/#WATER_SAFETY\" >WATER SAFETY\u00a0&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/#Is_the_water_and_ice_in_Vietnam_safe_to_drink\" >Is the water and ice in Vietnam safe to drink? &nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/#Brushing_Your_Teeth_With_Tap_Water_in_Vietnam\" >Brushing Your Teeth With Tap Water in Vietnam&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/#Air_Pollution\" >Air Pollution&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/#Sun_and_Heat\" >Sun and Heat&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/#Stray_Animals_and_Insects\" >Stray Animals and Insects &nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/#Where_to_get_medical_care_if_you_get_sick\" >Where to get medical care if you get sick&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/how-to-avoid-getting-sick-in-vietnam-while-eating-and-traveling\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Heres_How_to_Avoid_Getting_Sick_in_Vietnam\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #111111; font-family: roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 27px;\">Here&#8217;s How to Avoid Getting Sick in Vietnam: <span id=\"HTASIVN\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Table_of_Contents\"><\/span>Table of Contents:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>(Please click on the links below to jump directly to the topic you want to explore)<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#Fd\">Food Safety (Tips for eating street food, going on food tours)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#water\">Drinking water and Tap Water<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#pollution\">Air Pollution<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#SAI\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">Sun and Heat<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#SAs\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">Insects and stray animals<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#medical\">Where to get medical care<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FOOD_SAFETY\"><\/span><strong>FOOD SAFETY <span id=\"Fd\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3113\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3113\" style=\"width: 704px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3113\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/beef-pho.jpg\" alt=\"avoid getting sick in Vietnam,vietnam food safety,vietnam water safety\" width=\"704\" height=\"396\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/beef-pho.jpg 704w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/beef-pho-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3113\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pho (Beef noodle soup).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Food-borne illness is also a major concern for travelers. To avoid food poisoning, check the meal you are eating is hot and completely cooked! <a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/eating-gluten-free-and-other-food-restrictions-in-vietnam\/\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">Food restrictions <\/a>\u00a0are easily satisfied.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips_for_eating_safely_and_avoid_getting_sick_in_Vietnam\"><\/span><strong>Tips for eating safely and avoid getting sick in Vietnam<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Soup-like dishes are ubiquitous in Vietnamese cuisine so there are many opportunities to contract some sort of illness.\u00a0 Make sure that the bowl of Pho that you order is piping hot!<\/li>\n<li>Clean your cutlery. The air quality in Saigon is pretty bad, and dust settles on objects quickly because of it. You don&#8217;t need to give a deep cleaning to every chopstick or spoon you use for your meal, but its a good idea to give each of them a quick wipe with a napkin from the table in order to get rid of any dust on it.<\/li>\n<li>Eat only cooked foods and steer away from raw meats.\u00a0 Although many sushi restaurants will prepare the fish properly, it is not worth the risk if you are only here for a short time. You can try them in countries with a higher standard of hygiene in Asia such as Japan, Korean, etc<\/li>\n<li>Even eating salads and raw vegetables are not the best idea.\u00a0 Adding raw herbs to your hot pho is usually fine but again, you will have to use your judgment.\u00a0 Note that restaurants will flash boil the raw vegetables and herbs for you at your request.<\/li>\n<li>Be cautious of fruit &#8211; eat fruits that have an inedible skin (i.e. bananas, oranges, watermelon, etc.) and avoid fruits like apples and grapes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3114\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3114\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3114 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/trai-cay.jpg\" alt=\"Vietnamese fruits\" width=\"500\" height=\"271\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/trai-cay.jpg 500w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/trai-cay-300x163.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3114\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fruits in Vietnam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#HTASIVN\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">[Back to the content]<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Street_Food_Vendors\"><\/span><strong>Street Food Vendors <span id=\"SFd\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A lot of travelers ask about street food in Vietnam.\u00a0 Is it safe to eat?\u00a0 The answer is yes, but only if you use caution and common sense to suss out safe street food vendors.\u00a0Here are a few things to consider before you decide to eat at a street food stall.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The turnover and volume at the street stall is an important consideration.\u00a0 The more people who frequent a stall, the fresher the food will be.\u00a0 A lot of these stalls do not have a means for refrigeration so they seldom prepare food ahead of time.\u00a0 As an example, the stalls inside Ben Thanh market serve a very high volume of customers so a lot of their prepared food gets consumed on the day they make it.\u00a0 That is not to say that you will avoid getting sick but the risk is less.\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_637\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-637\" style=\"width: 889px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-637\" title=\"The street-food stalls in Ben Thanh \" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/ben-thanh-street-stalls-1024x717.jpg\" alt=\"The food stalls in Ben Thanh market\" width=\"889\" height=\"623\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/ben-thanh-street-stalls-1024x717.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/ben-thanh-street-stalls-300x210.jpg 300w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/ben-thanh-street-stalls-150x105.jpg 150w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/ben-thanh-street-stalls-400x280.jpg 400w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/ben-thanh-street-stalls.jpg 1510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 889px) 100vw, 889px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-637\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The street-food stalls in Ben Thanh market see hundreds of visitors a day so they tend to go through their food quite quickly in comparison to other street-food stalls in other areas.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>You can also observe the hygiene at the street stall you are considering.\u00a0 In many cases, you can see your plate being made and if it\u2019s not up to your standards, it is not worth the risk.<\/li>\n<li>Be observant of the vessels they use.\u00a0 If you see them wash the bowls or plates in tap water and they are still wet when putting your food in it, maybe this isn\u2019t the street stall for you.\u00a0 For this very reason, \u201cbanh mi\u201d (Vietnamese sandwich) is one the safest street stall foods you can eat because there are no vessels or utensils involved!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3116\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3116\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3116 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/175858_7.jpg\" alt=\"A Banh Mi vendor\" width=\"500\" height=\"334\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/175858_7.jpg 500w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/175858_7-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3116\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Banh Mi vendor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li>If you really want to <a href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/street-food-culture-in-saigon\/\">eat street-food<\/a> during your time in Vietnam, reviews from other travelers may be a good source &#8211; if many people go to a particular establishment and none of them has become ill, you probably won&#8217;t either!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Street_Food_Tours\"><\/span><strong>Street Food Tours<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>An easy way to eat safely while having a genuine urban Vietnamese culinary experience is a street food tour. Tours like <a href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/tours\/vietnam-food-tour.html\">The XO Foodie Tour<\/a> are run by street-smart locals who know every trick in the book when it comes to Vietnam food safety. The tour takes you to street food stalls and open-air restaurants where the food quality and safety procedures have been thoroughly scrutinized and held to high standards. It&#8217;s a bit more expensive than a self-guided street food adventure, but you don&#8217;t need to worry about locating good street food or practicing safety precautions &#8212; that&#8217;s being done for you!<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#HTASIVN\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">[Back to the content]<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WATER_SAFETY\"><\/span><strong>WATER SAFETY\u00a0<\/strong><strong><span id=\"water\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_the_water_and_ice_in_Vietnam_safe_to_drink\"><\/span><strong>Is the water and ice in Vietnam safe to drink? <span id=\"DW\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3108\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3108\" style=\"width: 353px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3108\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Lavie-500ml_1-1.jpg\" alt=\"Bottled water in Vietnam\" width=\"353\" height=\"362\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Lavie-500ml_1-1.jpg 500w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Lavie-500ml_1-1-292x300.jpg 292w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 353px) 100vw, 353px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3108\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bottled water in Vietnam.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As a traveler, water safety is a very serious issue.\u00a0 Like many other countries, Vietnam has an underdeveloped water treatment infrastructure in place.\u00a0 Contaminated water is a major source of illness so it\u2019s very important to understand what you are getting into.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>In Vietnam, <em>avoid tap water as much as possible and only drink bottled water<\/em>.\u00a0 Generally, even locals will avoid tap water and will drink boiled or filtered water at home.\u00a0 Bottled water is almost always available for sale at any local restaurants, hotels and convenience stores. Some brands that are popular and safe include Aquafina, Lavie, Vinh Hao, and Dasani.<\/li>\n<li>For a refreshing alternative to water, try Vietnamese iced tea (\u201ctra da\u201d, pronounced \u201ccha da\u201d), which is cold green tea with ice.\u00a0 Since it is a tea, it has been steeped in boiling water and then cooled, thereby killing any critters that may make you sick.\u00a0 Most locals will drink \u2018tra da\u2019 at restaurants over water simply because it\u2019s safe, more refreshing than lukewarm water, and cheaper than anything bottled!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3110\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3110\" style=\"width: 523px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3110\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/1476353970-thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"vietnamese iced tea (tra da)\" width=\"523\" height=\"392\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/1476353970-thumbnail.jpg 640w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/1476353970-thumbnail-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 523px) 100vw, 523px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3110\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Iced tea. Known as Tr\u00e0 \u0110\u00e1 in Vietnamese.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li>As for the ice, use your judgment.\u00a0 Yes, ice outside may not be safe because it may have been made with contaminated water.\u00a0 However, many restaurants buy ice from companies rather than manufacture it themselves, in which case it is quite safe. Many people, both locals, and foreigners, are able to enjoy drinks with ice in them without consequence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Brushing_Your_Teeth_With_Tap_Water_in_Vietnam\"><\/span><strong>Brushing Your Teeth With Tap Water in Vietnam<span id=\"TW\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3117\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3117\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3117 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/nuoc-nhiem-nitrit.jpg\" alt=\"drinking water in Vietnam\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/nuoc-nhiem-nitrit.jpg 600w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/nuoc-nhiem-nitrit-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3117\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brushing your teeth with tap water is only advised for long-term stays in Vietnam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">As trivial as it may sound, many people get concerned about how to brush their teeth and if tap water is safe for brushing.\u00a0 As we discussed earlier, tap water may be contaminated so it is not safe to ingest.\u00a0 Here are tips on how you can get out this everyday task and still stay safe.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>For extended stays, brushing your teeth with tap water is said to be a good way to get used to the local bacterial fauna.\u00a0 Many tourists brush their teeth with tap water successfully without getting sick.\u00a0 Again, this is only worth it if you will stay in Vietnam for a longer period of time.<\/li>\n<li>If you are in Vietnam for a short time, it is not worth getting sick so we would recommend using bottled water to brush or no water at all to brush your teeth. If you are unsure how to say it:\u00a0<strong><em>n\u01b0\u1edbc <\/em>(is water in Vietnamese)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>You may also want to check at the front desk of where you are staying because many of the higher end hotels have an internal filtration system.\u00a0 Keep in mind that the goal of this filtration is not to make the tap water safe for drinking but marginally better so that small tasks like brushing your teeth are hassle-free.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#HTASIVN\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">[Back to the content]<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Air_Pollution\"><\/span><strong>Air Pollution<\/strong><strong><span id=\"pollution\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Ho Chi Minh City is not overly polluted but you can still feel the difference in air quality when compared to other cities around the world.\u00a0 Protection against air pollution is a must when your body simply isn\u2019t accustomed to it.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you are spending a lot of time on a bike, you may want to don a mask to protect against dust and pollution.\u00a0 This is useful if you are going to spend several hours on a bike on a regular basis such as long rides across the country.\u00a0Make sure to obtain a good N94 filtered mask instead of one of the cheap ones sold on the side of the road. For shorter bike rides like on any of the tours offered by XO Tours, you will be just fine without one.<\/li>\n<li>Pollution and dust can also affect your eyes so definitely wear sunglasses or goggles on these long rides because your eyes can start to burn.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you try to avoid air pollution, you can always <a href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/2018\/03\/15\/saigon-day-trip-to-can-gio\/\" rel=\"\u201ddofollow&quot;\">escape for a day trip<\/a> to the nature of\u00a0Can Gio Mangrove &#8211; UNESCO Biosphere Reserves\u00a0for some green and peaceful environment. Another option is to getting away to these <a href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/2013\/08\/02\/cruising-the-coast-the-top-5-best-beach-destinations-in-vietnam\/\" rel=\"\u201ddofollow&quot;\">beautiful beaches around Vietnam<\/a><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_638\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-638\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-638 size-full\" title=\"Many motorbike riders\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/motorbike-masks-vietnam.jpg\" alt=\"motorbike riders wearing masks\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/motorbike-masks-vietnam.jpg 500w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/motorbike-masks-vietnam-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/motorbike-masks-vietnam-150x99.jpg 150w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/motorbike-masks-vietnam-400x266.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-638\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Many motorbike riders in Vietnam wear masks to protect against dust and pollution.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#HTASIVN\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">[Back to the content]<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sun_and_Heat\"><\/span><strong>Sun and Heat<span id=\"SAI\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>With much of Asia being in a tropical climate, it is important to consider sun protection in Vietnam.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The sun rays are very potent so please protect yourself with the use of a hat and strong sunscreen with good UV protection. Although sunscreen is available in Vietnam, it is not as widespread as you might think and the quality of the sunscreen that is available is very questionable. Best to bring some with you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3119\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3119\" style=\"width: 588px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3119\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/ee065acf57134f7e47d8fab8f5ee9eeenangnong_IDYC.jpg\" alt=\"Vietnamese motorbike drivers shielded from the sun\" width=\"588\" height=\"452\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/ee065acf57134f7e47d8fab8f5ee9eeenangnong_IDYC.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/ee065acf57134f7e47d8fab8f5ee9eeenangnong_IDYC-300x230.jpg 300w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/ee065acf57134f7e47d8fab8f5ee9eeenangnong_IDYC-768x590.jpg 768w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/ee065acf57134f7e47d8fab8f5ee9eeenangnong_IDYC-1024x786.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 588px) 100vw, 588px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3119\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vietnamese ladies cover their body to avoid sunlight.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sudden and extreme changes of temperature\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can temporarily weaken your immune system. Keep this in mind when entering or leaving air conditioned buildings, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Stay hydrated! Heatstroke is a very real danger for travelers not accustomed to a tropical climate. As a rule of thumb, take a swig or three from your water bottle every ten minutes. Luckily, that&#8217;s not hard in Vietnam, since almost every restaurant or convenience store on the street sells water bottles for very low prices.<\/li>\n<li>Keep your sodium levels up. The humidity in Vietnam means most travelers will be sweating profusely, and it is important to keep your body stocked with salt as well as water to sweat in a healthy way. There are lots of Vietnamese soup dishes that will help with this.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#HTASIVN\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">[Back to the content]<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stray_Animals_and_Insects\"><\/span><strong>Stray Animals and Insects <span id=\"SAs\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_639\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-639\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-639 size-full\" title=\"Stray animals\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/stray-dogs-vietnam.jpg\" alt=\"Stray animals in Vietnam\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/stray-dogs-vietnam.jpg 640w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/stray-dogs-vietnam-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/stray-dogs-vietnam-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/stray-dogs-vietnam-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-639\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stray animals are commonly found out and about on the streets, but it is best to not pet them or come into contact with them.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>One feature about Vietnam you may find different than other countries is the number of stray animals.\u00a0 As you travel around, you\u2019ll see dogs, cats, chickens and more.\u00a0 An incredibly important point for you to be aware of is that Vietnam is not a rabies-free country.\u00a0 Besides rabies, there are many diseases transmitted through animals. It is imperative that you do not touch or pet any of the stray animals, no matter how cute they are!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3121\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3121\" style=\"width: 628px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3121 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/sai-lam-khi-dung-binh-xit-con-trung.jpg\" alt=\"protection from mosquitoes in Vietnam\" width=\"628\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/sai-lam-khi-dung-binh-xit-con-trung.jpg 628w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/sai-lam-khi-dung-binh-xit-con-trung-300x201.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 628px) 100vw, 628px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3121\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">In rural Vietnam, DEET is a must.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As for insect-transmitted diseases, malaria and dengue fever are the two you should educate yourself about. In Vietnam, the prevalence of malaria is contained in rural areas but dengue fever is more common throughout the country.\u00a0 Both are transmitted by mosquitoes so an insect spray that contains DEET is a must!<\/p>\n<p>Since mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water, areas with ponds, canals, pools or fountains,\u00a0 that are not in use are likely to have a lot of bugs. It should go without saying that still water is not suitable for drinking or bathing, but it&#8217;s also a good idea to stay away from areas that have a lot of potential mosquito breeding grounds.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"_ps2id\" href=\"#HTASIVN\" data-ps2id-offset=\"\">[Back to the content]<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_to_get_medical_care_if_you_get_sick\"><\/span><strong>Where to get medical care if you get sick<\/strong><strong><span id=\"medical\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You should be fine if you follow the advice above, but there are a few more precautions you can take just in case.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Before you leave, make sure you&#8217;re up to date on your vaccinations. For more information about this, check out the &#8220;vaccinations&#8221; section of our <a href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/planning-a-trip-to-vietnam\/\">Illustrated Vietnam Travel Guide<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start taking Optibacs (a probiotic) a week before you leave. They will strengthen your immune system. Don\u2019t stop taking them until two weeks after you return.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Here are a few foreigner-friendly clinics\/hospitals in Vietnam you should go to if you experience anything more than a stomach ache, diarrhea, or a sore throat.<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-50\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-50\">\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hanoi<\/span><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hanoi French Hospital, International SOS, VINMEC International<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Danang\/Hoi An<\/span><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hoan My Da Nang Hospital, Family Hospital Da Nang<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saigon<\/span><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FV Hospital, International SOS, Hanh Phuc Hospital<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-50 from cache -->\n<p>It&#8217;s also a good idea to keep the number of your country&#8217;s embassy in the city on hand in case of emergencies.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion:<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>We hope you found the advice provided in this article useful! Most travelers to Vietnam never get sick so the advice we offer is meant to be precautionary and not scaremongering. Please also keep in mind that if there is a big difference in the time zone or change in temperature from where you&#8217;re from, your body may need time to adapt. We would recommend taking extra precautions at the start of your trip, in terms of the risk you take with food and also with the environment.<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One of the fastest ways to ruin a vacation is by falling sick!\u00a0 As a traveller in a new country, it can be difficult to know what to eat, what to drink, and how to go about your activities while staying as healthy as possible.\u00a0 Here are some great tips on how to stay healthy [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":3113,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"Vietnam food safety: How to avoid getting sick while traveling","_seopress_titles_desc":"Afraid of getting sick while traveling Vietnam? Navigate the country without fear following our best tips on Vietnam food safety","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[435,43,28],"tags":[21,110,111,112,113,114],"class_list":{"0":"post-635","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-featured","8":"category-all-about-food","9":"category-vietnam-travel-tips","10":"tag-street-food","11":"tag-drinking-water","12":"tag-bike-masks","13":"tag-dengue-fever","14":"tag-malaria","15":"tag-pollution"},"acf":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/635","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=635"}],"version-history":[{"count":62,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/635\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7721,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/635\/revisions\/7721"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=635"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=635"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=635"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}