Vietnam is one long road, and the people on it keep arriving at the same hostel as you.
Where it happens, along the route#
| Stop | The easy way in |
|---|---|
| Hanoi | Old Quarter hostels, beer corner at Ta Hien, a street-food tour |
| Ha Giang / Sapa | The loop or a trek: days with the same group |
| Ha Long / Lan Ha | A boat with twelve strangers |
| Ninh Binh | Bikes between the karsts |
| Hoi An | Cooking class, bicycle ride, lanterns at night |
| Da Nang | My Khe beach, the Hai Van Pass |
| Da Lat | Canyoning, the crazy house, the cool air |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Bui Vien hostels, Cu Chi tunnels tour, rooftop bars |
Online#
Post your trip on Roavi Community with your dates. Travellers heading to the same city in the next two weeks appear in the same place, and Local Friends can reply. How to find a travel buddy.
Safety with a new friend#
Your own money, your own room, your own motorbike decision (licence, helmet, insurance). Is Vietnam safe? and best time to visit Vietnam.
Vietnamese locals#
A Local Friend lives in the city and spends a few hours with you at a rate they set: the pho place, the hidden café, the beach locals use. Rent a friend in Vietnam and in Da Nang. If you're the local: how to earn as a Local Friend in Vietnam.
Post your trip and find people on your dates.
Open Roavi CommunityFrequently Asked Questions
Where do solo travellers meet in Vietnam?
Hostels in Hanoi's Old Quarter and Saigon's Bui Vien, the Ha Giang loop and Sapa treks, Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay boats, Hoi An cooking classes and bicycle rides, Da Lat canyoning, and the sleeper buses between them all.Is the Ha Giang loop good for meeting people?
The best thing in the country for it: three or four days on motorbikes (with easy-rider drivers if you don't ride) with the same group, sleeping in the same homestays. Groups form at Hanoi hostels.Is there an app to find a travel buddy in Vietnam?
Roavi Community lets you post a trip with your city and dates and see other travellers heading there in the next two weeks, plus Local Friends who live there. Backpacker Facebook groups for Vietnam are busy too.Is Vietnam safe for solo travellers?
Yes, with city sense: phone away on the street in Saigon, agreed prices for taxis and motorbikes, and real caution on a motorbike (the biggest risk by far). With a new travel buddy, your own money and room.North to south or south to north?
Either; most start in Hanoi so the Ha Giang loop comes first and the beaches come last. The direction doesn't matter for meeting people: everyone is on the same road.
This article was written with the help of AI and reviewed by the Roavi team.