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Family With Children

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Family With Children

For traveling families, it’s all about spending quality time together. Away from the distractions of everyday life, devoid of high-school drama and pressures of work, it’s truly a golden opportunity to bond and become a tight-knit team.

Traveling with your whole family & children for the first time can be overwhelming and challenging, as we do speak out of experience with our 2 little ones (Sem & Levi) even we have years of experience to build the most amazing travel packages for everyone, but going with your own family is always challenging not matter how you have prepared. Even though it gets easier the more you do it, you’re going to run into a few challenges any time you travel with kids.


Travel can be an enlightening and eye-opening experience for children of all ages: there’s new foods, experiences and sights, not to mention quality family time. But traveling with children can also be an overwhelming proposition — unpredictable schedules, long packing lists and cranky kids are just a few of the challenges you may encounter along the way. But here we'll help you make traveling with kids a breeze. After all, you and your children should enjoy every moment seeing the world and create a lifetime of memories along the way. Isn’t that the point of travel in the first place?


Being prepared and knowing what you’re getting into are two of biggest things you can do to make family travel go smoothly, but there are lots of little things you can do to make your trip better too.

General Travel Tips

A group of children are sitting on the edge of a swimming pool.

Take it Slow and Leave Plenty of Time

Planning for extra time is exactly the opposite of what I do when I’m traveling alone. I typically leave so little time at my home airport that once I get through security and walk to my gate, I can usually get on the plane within 2 or 3 minutes. This is definitely not what you want to do if you are traveling with kids.

When traveling with your family, everything will take longer than you expect, including:
  • Checking in at the airport
  • Getting through security
  • Buying snacks and drinks
  • Boarding the plane
Be sure to get to the airport early and leave plenty of time for things to go wrong. You definitely don’t want to miss your flight because it took an extra 10 minutes to get your stroller and bottles through security. Then you are stuck at the airport waiting to be rescheduled with unhappy children. Trust me, that’s not fun!

Flying is just one example of taking it slow, though. Leaving extra time applies to all parts of your trip.
When you have the kids along for the trip, you may not be able to squeeze 4 museums, 3 restaurants, a walking tour, and a bike ride all in the same day.

Bottom Line:
Keep your schedule loose and leave plenty of room for adjustment. A flexible schedule will create less stress for you and your family and lead to a happier trip overall.

Don’t Overpack

Families have a tendency to pack everything kids use at home. Bringing familiar items will keep your routines consistent and you’ll be sure to have everything you need. Unfortunately, this is a terrible idea. At the end of a long travel day, there is a good chance you will end up carrying at least 1 kids, so you certainly don’t want to be carrying 100 pounds of luggage, too.

Instead, pack as little as possible. The act of traveling itself will mess with your home routines, so trying to preserve all of them isn’t going to work anyway. It will just lead to frustration and sore arms. The great part about traveling is everywhere you go, children live there. If you find you’re missing something you need, you can always buy it at your destination. You do need to be a bit careful with this rule when visiting less-developed countries, but most places you would take your kids will probably have the essentials you need to care for them.

Bottom Line:
The less you bring, the easier it is to pack, the less you have to carry, and the more room you have for souvenirs.

Pre-Book Everything You Can

Of course, you have your flights booked for your trip, but your pre-booking shouldn’t end there. You might be used to showing up at a destination, getting a feel for the town, and picking a place to stay. This doesn’t work with kids.

When you arrive in a new place, you’ll want to go straight to your lodging, drop off bags, and give kids a chance to rest if necessary. This is especially true if it’s been a long journey to get to your destination and especially in summer months in Vietnam it's very hot and the last thing you want when the kids are tired as yourself to find a accommodation last minute!

You should know where you’re staying before you arrive. If you want a bit of flexibility in location, book the first night or 2 ahead of time, and decide where to stay for the rest of the trip once you’re settled. Pre-booking doesn’t end with flights and lodging, either. Anything you can book ahead of time is 1 less thing you have to worry about while trying to keep your whole family fed, amused, and happy on your trip.

Great Advise:
In addition to lodging and flights, items you can book ahead of time include private, sightseeing tours, private guides, and tickets for museums, theme parks, and other attractions. Our team of Friends Travel Vietnam is happy to assist you with your questions or enquiries Book on forehand as you’re sure you will need ahead of time and you will have more time to relax and enjoy your destination when you get there.

Explain the Trip you are doing with the family

Introducing kids to the trip ahead of time is especially important for first-time travelers. Trust me it's alway our advies at Friends Travel Vietnam when we are discussing a travel package for our family bookings, when kids are uncomfortable, they aren’t happy. If there are too many new things going on, kids tend to get uncomfortable.

Going over an outline of the trip (story telling) and what will be happening can help kids understand their situation at each point in the trip. They will know what to expect next, and as a result, will be more comfortable with what’s going on around them.

Explaining the trip can include telling them what they can expect at the airport, on the plane, and once they arrive at your destination. Take this opportunity to go over your expectations for their behavior throughout the trip. Detail how they should act on planes, in hotels, and on tours.

Bottom Line:
Once your children understand what’s going on, they are less likely to ask for more questions while you’re trying to take care of travel logistics. They will be happier, more comfortable, and excited about what’s coming next, trigger them and get them involved..

Snacks, Snacks, Snacks

Hangry kids can take a fun family trip to miserable in a matter of minutes. I can’t emphasize this enough. Hunger can mean the difference between a happy family and cranky, hungry kids. Always have snacks available for your kids, also some moment to distract there attention!


You never know when the time between meals will get extended. It could be a delayed flight, unexpected traffic getting to your hotel, or a tour that takes a bit longer than you thought it would.  The food in Vietnam quite different than what your kids usually eat. They may happily order lunch and then eat 2 bites of it because it wasn’t what they were expecting. An hour or two later on your afternoon museum visit, you’ll have a hungry kid to deal with.


It doesn’t hurt to have snacks for you and other adults traveling with you as well. Adults can get just as hangry as kids ca n.


Bottom Line:

Prepare the mind of the kids for the adventure of the interesting new food discovery by story telling or perhaps watching some local food videos on YouTube about Vietnamese Food ., it's fun also to do!  Having a few small and easily transportable snacks with you at all times can keep everyone happy until you can refuel.

Pay Extra for Good Gear

You don’t need to have the best and most expensive version of everything. Buying quality gear means if it’s a little bit more for the stroller that folds up smaller, weighs half as much, and will still carry your child all over the city, and where you can hang stable a day-backpack on you should probably spend the extra money.

Very easy & popular are the baby or toddler backpack carriers
No matter how many bells and whistles your pushchair has there are still some places those wheels just won’t go, and for pre and early walkers you need a sensible carrying solution. Slings and standard baby carriers are ideal for short trips into town, but for longer treks across the countryside or epic holiday hikes you need the support and comfort of a backpack carrier.

Unsurprisingly, backpack carriers resemble a normal hiking backpack, but instead of main storage they have a forward-facing child seat with harness, and often feature a freestanding hinge base so you can stand it up on the ground, strap your child in and hoist it up onto your back.

Things to consider
The most important thing to consider before buying your carrier is safety & comfort for you and the little one. To use a backpack carrier, your child must be able to sit up unaided, and they are only usually recommended from six months of age upwards.

Backpack carriers feature a fully adjustable seat, so you can alter the height as your child grows, and they often come with stirrups so your little ones’ legs are supported too. They have a maximum load capacity, but they generally last until your child is about three years old, so they’re a great investment if you’re a family of walkers.

As well as your child’s comfort, you need to ensure you’re comfortable too. The weight of your backpack is obviously a key feature, as you will have to carry it, and your child, for a large amount of time. Most are heavier than ordinary baby carriers, as they are structured, with tough fabrics to withstand harsh outdoor conditions and they often feature a metal frame. Look for one with padded shoulder straps, lumbar support and a substantial pivoting waistband, as this will help to distribute the weight of your child and ensure carrying is easier to sustain for a long hike.

Most backpack carriers also feature adjustable back lengths and shoulder straps, so they can be swapped between different people. However, discuss your priorities (lightweight vs lots of storage, portable vs sturdy) before picking your carrier.

And remember, it will also replace your regular hiking backpack, so you’ll need to take a look at available storage to make sure there's enough space for nappies, food, water and other hiking essentials. For sure it will make things easier and you’ll use it a lot, it’s worth a greater investment.

Travel strollers
Travel strollers are easy to use and offer a comfortable and convenient seat for little legs on the go. With all the basics covered — seat, canopy, basket, and handles — most travel strollers are not designed to replace your super plush, designer brand travel system, but they will fold up small enough to fit in the trunk of your car or take on an airplane.

They should be affordable and convenient in order to be a must-have for any parent who likes to vacation with the family. A travel stroller offers everything you need when you are away from home.

Types of Strollers
As any new parent will quickly discover, there are tons of different kinds of strollers for moms and dads to choose from, you will find your way in here!

Advise:
You’ll be thankful for quality gear when you aren’t fighting to get a super-heavy bag in and out of a taxi at the end of a long day, with a nice good fold gear up small enough to fit in the trunk of your car or take on an airplane. With backpack carriers first practice on forehand before your holiday start with the little ones so the get used about sitting and being carried, in that way you discover also your fitness.

Ask for Child Discounts

With  Friends Travel Vietnam you don't have to be worried we always automatically apply our children discount policy, But during your traveling asking for child discounts can really save you a lot of money every time you travel. Some people have a tough time asking for discounts, but I promise, once you’ve done it a couple of times, it will be much easier and pays off! You want to travel without any hassle we have special Family packages in that way you can travel on the budget, please feel to contact us .


You’ll be shocked when you see how many places will give you a child discount when you’re traveling.

Ask for discounts on, transportation including buses and trains, private guides, tours, attraction entrance fees.


Sometimes you can find child pricing on the website of the company you’re dealing with, but just as often, there is no mention of a discount. Even when there’s nothing written, be sure to ask. A quick email ahead of time or a simple question when you’re buying tickets can save you as much as half of the cost when traveling.


Bottom Line:

You never know unless you ask. We’ve found that businesses are often willing to give us a discount for our kids when we are asked for it. If we hadn’t raised the question, we never would have known. It pains me to think of how much extra I’ve spent on trips when I didn’t think to ask for discounts for the kids.

Accept Things Will Go Wrong

We touched on this when we discussed leaving plenty of time for the unexpected when traveling with kids. This point can’t be overstated, so we’ll address it again.

When you travel with kids, THINGS. WILL. GO. WRONG. Maybe your little one has to go to the bathroom and you end up missing a bus. Maybe your son will leave his iPhone in a taxi in Hanoi with no way to get it back or your daughter lost here favorite doll. we will safe you the stories.  Maybe you plan a great restaurant for kids at your destination, only to arrive and find it closed for renovations. Of course traveling with Friends Travel Vietnam gives you less worries as we always 24/7 directly available for you an we are able to assist you when "thing will go wrong".

There’s really nothing you can do to avoid these situations. The sooner you accept the inevitable, the less stress you will feel when it happens.

Bottom Line:
Remember, travel is an adventure. Even if it has a few speed bumps, the experience you’re giving your kids is irreplaceable.

Safety and Security

A little boy looking out a window at an airport

Keep Track of Your Child

There’s nothing worse than that feeling you get when you don’t know exactly where your child is when you are traveling. It’s easy to get caught up in logistical problems, but you always need to make sure you have an eye on your kids. You never know when one might wander off to check out a cool view and then not be sure how to get back to you.

Keeping track of your child seems like it should be obvious, but it’s important enough to mention. No matter what you’re doing, whether things are going smoothly or you’re having a logistical nightmare, always make sure you know where your children are.

You’d be surprised how easy it is to get wrapped up in something like buying train tickets in another language. The next thing you know, your son or daughter has wandered over to the little shop at the train station to check out candy bars. If those candy bars are on the far side of a shelf and you can’t see your child, this could lead to a moment of panic.

If you’re traveling with another parent or adult, share duties. One person buys the tickets and the other watches the kids. If you’re traveling alone with the kids, be sure that they stay in view at all times. If necessary, hold their hands or have them sit in your line of sight. Even the most vigilant parent can lose track of children. If your children are prone to wandering off, consider given a mobile phone and purchase a local sim her in Vietnam, it's cheap & affordable. You can teach the kids in case to make a call and push out a location tracker and in this way you will let you track them to see exactly where they are.

Give Kids Your Contact Information

If a child gets lost despite your best efforts, you’ll want them to have your contact information.

Your contact information should include the following items for all of the adults on your trip so you have multiple opportunities for help locating your child. The easiest way is given them a mobile phone with a local Vietnamese Sim card, this is cheap &  affordable and comes stander with 4G network.

You text before going out t he following details are important to share with the kids:

 

  • Name
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Local address
  • It's also possible to share Friends Travel Vietnam hotline number Whatsapp +84904329289  

 

For young children, the best way to share contact information is with a note in one of their pockets. If they don’t have pockets, tie a little card to their belt loop or stick it in their shoe. Don’t be afraid to get creative, but in any case, make sure your child knows where to find it.


Help older kids memorize your phone number and email address . If they need the local address where you are staying, write it down for them or have them put the information on their phones. We all know a teenager isn’t going to go very far without his or her phone.

Travel With Basic Medicines

One of the easiest ways to ruin a day of travel or possibly an entire trip is to have a sick family member. It can be even worse if the whole family gets sick. Whether your child has an upset stomach from the bumpy bus ride to your destination, or you find a new kind of tree pollen you’re allergic to, you want to be prepared to make the sick family member feel better as quickly as possible.


It’s always a good idea to take a few over-the-counter medications your family might need while traveling. Over-the-counter medications may include:


  • Headache medicines
  • Allergy medicines
  • Medicine for upset stomachs
  • Motion sickness prevention medication
  • Other medication that might apply to your family or the specific trip


If anyone in your family is taking prescription medication, be sure to bring it along. Whenever possible, take your medications in their original packaging, especially prescription medications. If you can’t take the original package, take a copy of the prescription from your doctor so you can show exactly what your prescription is and why you have it for border crossings and if your luggage is searched.


Food poisson in Vietnam not to worry to much

In general I can share with you that Vietnam is great country to travel and has an amazing kitchen. We see less people getting an upset stomach or diarrhea problems of food or beverages. We really encourage to eat everywhere, the role we hold where it's busy by locals you will be fine! So let's run all the street food stalls! 


Tip!

When it's so hot, it's very inviting to drink cold beverages or ice cold water, please not by drinking a whole splash of ice drinks what might you think you cooling down your body. It's possible to get an upset stomach from it as it's just to cold for it and the stomach get upset! Be careful with drinking cold for the kids, as too much ice! 


Water, ice, drinking water & tap

We don't advise you to drink from the tap, but bottle water to drinks is okay. Bottled water available everywhere and the served ice cubes in your glass at the restaurants and stalls you don't have to worry about as the all come from the factory as purified ice cubes, and if an local store produce themselves it's also no problem as every local Vietnamese will boil the water carefully. 


Before your trip, check regulations for your destination and confirm you’re allowed to enter the country your medications without filling out additional paperwork or getting special permission.

Special Needs in Local Languages

A wooden cutting board topped with a variety of foods including fish , vegetables , nuts and bread.

Food Allergies can be quite serious and you definitely don’t want to have a problem with them when traveling. If you or someone in your family has an allergy, make sure you are ready to explain it while on your trip so you can avoid an unnecessary allergic reaction. 


If anyone in your family has special needs, be prepared to talk about them while you’re traveling. Things you should be able to explain include allergies, special diets (vegan, vegetarian, soy-free, gluten-free, etc.), and special physical or mental needs. Special needs might be straightforward for you to talk about and explain at home, but can be tricky if you’re traveling to another country and don’t speak the local language.


Aside from learning the local language, the best thing you can do is use an online translation service to print out explanations of your family’s needs in your destination’s local language.


You can make cards in both English and the local language. With cards, it will be easy for you to hand the cards to hotel staff, your waiter at a restaurant, or anyone else who needs to understand your special situation. With clear explanations, you can ensure your family gets the treatment you need and no one has to experience the discomfort of trying to explain a problem with hand motions or funny faces.

Friends Travel Vietnam has designed a special Food Allergy Card in English &Vietnamese, those are free and downloadable on our website, see the link below and if you are in special need please feel free to contact us for any assistance.

Read here:  Traveling with Food Allergies


Advise:

If you are traveling to several countries with different languages, you may need a few sets of cards. Make a set for each language. Just don’t hand out the wrong cards in the wrong country. A card with 2 different languages a person doesn’t speak isn’t going to help much.

Identification Documentation

When traveling with your family to Vietnam you need to know if there are any additional paperwork items you need to cross borders with children.


For Vietnam passports & visa are all you need to travel, however traveling to Vietnam require you to carry each child’s a passport with visa. 


Having the proper paperwork is especially crucial if you’re traveling without your child’s other parent or if you’re traveling with children who are not your own. In either of these cases, some countries may require that you have documentation to prove you have permission to travel with the child.


Required documentation include:


  • Copies of birth certificates
  • Notes from the child’s non-present parents
  • Documents will need to be notarized and available in both English and the Vietnamese language of your destination.


There’s a good chance you’ll never need to show the documentation mentioned above, even if it’s listed as required. I’ve traveled solo with my kids to countries that required specific parent permission forms from the other parent and never needed a copy of the form.


Important: Please note that an original birth certificate to prove that you are the child’s parents and have the right to leave or enter is not valid for Vietnam.

Advise: 

Don’t have your little one’s passport yet? Be sure you apply well in advance before your departing travel date.

Link:  Check here the Visa requirements for Vietnam


Bottom Line:

It’s always best to be prepared. If you have any issues during your trip and need an identification form, you certainly want to have it ready to hand over. 

Travel Entertainment

A red bucket with green sand castles in it on the beach

Bring Electronic Devices

When you’re traveling with kids, keeping them entertained is critical those days! It can make the difference between a great trip and a miserable one. One way to keep kids entertained while traveling is to let them use personal electronics during downtimes. Appropriate times to use electronics could be on flights, car rides, in long lines, or while waiting for performances.

Whether you use a tablet, a phone, or a video game system, your kids are sure to be amused. Even if your home is typically electronics-free or you limit electronics, traveling is a time when you may want to let those rules slide for the kids.

Some planes, trains, and buses have personal entertainment devices built-in. Sadly, some others don’t. Having a personal electronic device can keep kids quiet and happy for long periods of time, especially if they are a novelty.

If your kids are captivated by electronics, you may get some peace to enjoy on your own.

Advise:
Before you travel, make sure that you have plenty of apps, movies, music or TV shows downloaded and ready to use. You never know when you’ll be without Wi-Fi and it’s almost guaranteed your kids will desperately need a new app or episode when that happens.
In general I can share with you a simcard is cheap & affordable, you can make a wifi spot so the kids has acces and you will be on control of the time they spent on the internet. The internet is fast in Vietnam, you will be surprised and actually the network cover is almost 97% all over Vietnam. Beside of that, hotel & restaurant and others have free internet use, the kids will be smart and will discover that quickly!

Bring New Toys and Books

Small toys and books are great to bring on a trip for your kids. Brand new toys they haven’t seen before, or books that they haven’t read will get even more of their attention. A vacation doesn’t have to be like Christmas with a whole bunch of presents, but a few small items can make all the difference.

If you’re on an extended trip, think about buying small souvenirs at each stop. You kids will get new toys and other items that they will love and be excited about for the rest of the trip. You don’t necessarily have to travel with heavy paper books. Load some on electronic devices so if your kids have had enough game or movie time, they can read for a bit instead.

Bottom Line:
Even as an adult, I always make sure I have a new book or 2 downloaded to read when I go on a trip. Why wouldn’t I make sure my kids have the same thing available to them?

Pack Old Toys or Stuffed Animals

As cool as it is to get a new toy when traveling, too much new all at once can be overwhelming for some kids. If you think your child will be a bit anxious about the trip, be sure to bring along something comforting from home to help them relax. A comfort item can be a favorite stuffed animal, small blanket, favorite storybook, or their go-to items at home.

Carrying their favorite teddy bear along for the ride might help them get on that plane without worrying about where it’s going to take them or how they’re going to get there. If your child has an item they take everywhere with them when they’re at home, you don’t want to forget to pack it for your trip.

Bottom Line:
You don’t want to spend your whole vacation answering questions and dealing with complaints about why Tommy the stuffed turtle didn’t come along for the trip. Bring their absolute favorites with you!

Give Kids a Camera

A young boy is taking a picture with a camera in the woods.
Kids of all ages usually like to take pictures. Teens like to get artsy shots to share with their friends, and toddlers love to push the shutter button on your phone. Children are more engaged when they’re behind the lens.  As soon as your kids are responsible enough, get them a small camera to use on trips.

Your kid’s camera doesn’t have to be a fancy DSLR & I know a camera is a bit of old school, but trust me it's a complete different way to spent your time on with the kids. You can get them a durable point-and-shoot camera, or even let them use the camera on an old phone of yours. If they’re too young for their own camera, you can still let them take pictures with your help using your phone or a bigger camera that you hold while they snap photos.

Having a camera and trying to get the best photos will help your child focus more on the things they’re seeing all around them. It will help them see the beauty in the landscape, the amazing features in the architecture, and the details of the crowds and bustle of the city.

The photos they take will be great for showing friends and relatives when they get back home and for helping them remember the trip for years to come. Of course times are changing on the phones sometimes the functions quality are better, together with the editing options, so in that way on the phone is great to and share the pictures across the family members by app. For sur in this way it's more fun!

Of course we are touroperator and as we do a lot of family booking and getting involved closely with the kids, when we met on the office and get a bond in a short time. They share with us there amazing pictures during their trip via Whatsapp with us, it's really fun to see in real time the holiday we designed is a life in real time and it's fun to see and to chat with them.

Offer Travel Journals to Older Kids

A great way to get older kids to think more deeply about their trips is to get them a travel journal. Give them a journal and time each night to reflect on the day. Vietnam has a lot of very interesting history and the an amazing culture. Have them write down what they did that day, what they liked, and what they didn’t enjoy along with any general thoughts about the trip or the destination you are visiting.

Keeping a journal will help remember the trip in more detail once they return home and will also help them start to get a better idea of what types of things they like to do when traveling. This knowledge can help with planning future trips if there’s a consistent pattern in what your kids enjoy and don’t want to do.

The journal itself can be anything. It can be a small notebook or a binder. If your child prefers, it can be electronic, recorded on a phone or laptop that they brought along. If you can find a cool journal early in your trip, your child can get a neat souvenir and then have a perfect place to record their thoughts about the trip.

Traveling With Babies and Toddlers

A family is looking out of a window at an airplane flying overhead.

Bring Plenty of Diapers and Wipes

When starting traveling with babies or toddlers who aren’t potty trained yet, you should always bring far more diapers, pull-ups, and wipes than you ever think you’ll need. Even on a 1-hour flight or train ride, you might need to change your child 3, 4 times or more.

One thing you can be sure of is if you only bring 1 diaper, you will need 2. If you bring 2, you will need 3. We suggest you bring 2 or 3 times more than what you think you will need and a full pack of wipes. It doesn’t hurt to have a few extra diapers at the end of the flight, but it is awful to have too few.

The same thing goes for extra outfits. The moment you only bring a few diapers for a short flight is the same moment your baby will have an amazing explosion that will ruin their outfit and possibly yours. Always have an extra outfit for your child and a plastic bag (Ziploc preferably, to contain smells) to put the first outfit in until you can find a place to wash it.

In baby booming country like Vietnam, you don't have too worried about finding diaper or wipes you can purchase them almost at every corner in the big cities or bigger villages. Of course size matters with a different brand of diapers but staff in the shops are trained by looking at your child the will have the right pick! So you don't have to bring 2 suitcases with diapers & wipes with you to Vietnam.

Formula milk or baby food
Formula milk is widely available in Vietnam, so no worries about that. For baby food it's getting harder, it's available in this small jars but not everywhere. Although in Vietnam everywhere available is for the little ones the "Rice Soup" as this is the national baby food in Vietnam, you can ask your hotel or restaurant to take care about this, whether with vegetable & meat mashed up. So in that way you don't have to carry the whole supermarket on your trip!

Bring a Spare Outfit for You

When you’re traveling with babies & toddlers, always make sure you have an extra outfit packed (perhaps 2 easy ones) and accessible, not just for your baby, but for yourself. From diaper leaks to spit ups after a feeding, there are plenty of opportunities for a baby to ruin your shirt or pants too. You and your clothes become the backdrop for any extraneous fluids if you’re holding your child.

Trust me, I will save sharing the stories we have had with my wife Thao and the kids! It’s great if you can get your child into a clean diaper and new outfit. But the rest of that flight will be unpleasant for you if you have a soaked pair of pants or a dirty shirt.

Bottom Line:
Wet and smelly is no way to travel, for you or your child.

Pop Ears with Gum or Bottles

Babies, and often toddlers, have a hard time equalizing their ears on their own. Popping your ears can be necessary when taking off or landing on a plane, or even when changing elevation quickly on the ground. It’s also required when SCUBA diving, but your babies and toddlers probably aren’t going to be doing much diving on their own.

You want to be prepared to help young children equalize their ears. Feeding your baby during these times can help relieve the pressure. The sucking motion will help their ears equalize naturally. Feeding will also distract them from mild discomfort if their ears take a little extra time to equalize.

Gum can be a big help as soon as your kids are old enough to chew it without swallowing. The chewing motion can help their ears pop naturally as you change altitude.

Advise:
Ear pain due to elevation change is one of the main reasons babies cry on planes, so try out a bottle on your next flight and see if you can keep that from happening to your child.

Stroller vs. Sling

When traveling to cities in Vietnam with paved streets and sidewalks, taking a stroller along for the trip is a great idea. In other locations where the surface isn’t as smooth as the country side or Sapa, a sling or backpack might be more appropriate for carting around younger kids.

Please note , in Vietnam almost everything happens on the street and paved streets are a little bit to enthusiastic to say. In Vietnam you not really going to find any real pedestrian street free to walk, it will be blocked by motorbike, loads & signs it's all about finding your path throughout the streets in the city as it is.


The debate between traveling with a stroller or a sling depends on your personal preferences and those of your baby, but here are a couple of guidelines to help you decide what to bring with you on your next trip. We advise the wheels need to be bigger as the surface of the street are not smooth here in Vietnam and we need to cross a lot of obstacles.


Think about the weather. If you are headed to North of Vietnam during the winter period, keeping your baby close in a sling may help keep both you and your child warm while you are outside. But if you’re traveling to a warm location, having your baby pressed up against you may lead to a sweaty, uncomfortable mess, so a stroller might be a better option or a cotton sling is also quite cooling.


Consider the ground surfaces at your destination in Vietnam and the activities you want to do. A tour in an old, historic town of Hanoi might be lovely, but pushing a stroller over cobbled streets can be challenging, that's way we advise a stroller with bigger wheels. A sling or backpack will be the best option for that type of trip, or one where you’ll do hiking at your destination. If you plan to stay in a major city where the streets and sidewalks are in good shape, a stroller can be a great way to move your baby around as you explore.


There is no correct answer for every type of trip. Take a look at your plans and your destination and pick what you think will work best, you can also take them both as a sling is not taking so much space..


Bottom Line: 

Have the best of both worlds available by bringing a sling and a stroller on your next trip with a little one. Slings can be slipped in with your clothes and add almost no weight, and a travel stroller can fold down and be super light, too. If you take both, you can decide which is better to use on a day-to-day basis depending on your activity and the weather. My wife Thao and I found with traveling with a sling at the airport where we had the youngest one and Sem our son running around and traveling with luggage to most convent way as we had our hands free a bit more only with the security check at the airport it's always a hassle.

Flying With Kids

A young boy is looking out of an airplane window.
There’s nothing quite like the view out of an airplane window, but you’ll need more than that view to keep your kids happy through the flight. From toys and electronics to making sure you fly at the right time of day, there are lots of things you can do to make sure your flights with your kids go as smoothly as possible. A flight to Vietnam can be challenging as of course it depends from where you flying, but for most of us it's a long distance.

Strategically Plan Flight Times

For most destinations, there are several flight times throughout the day. Even if you need to make a connection, you probably still have a couple of options to choose from. The pricing differences on those flights could dictate which flight you choose, but if prices are close, you should look at the flight times and compare them to your kids’ schedules.

Your young kids probably have a set bedtime. How do you think it will go if you keep them up 3 hours past that time waiting to board a flight? Probably not too well. On the other hand, if you can get them on the plane for an overnight flight right around their bedtime, they might sleep for the whole flight. When picking flight times, you also want to look at nap times. Do your kids take a nap at the same time each day? Then you should be scheduling your flights so you aren’t either boarding or landing during that nap time.

Letting your children sleep when their bodies want to relax will make them cheerier when it’s time to fly and will make it easier for you to get them on and off the plane.

Advise:
If you can’t pick times that work with your kids’ sleep schedules, either make sure there’s plenty of time to rest before or after your flights or try to adjust their schedules as you get closer to the trip. Changing bedtimes or nap times by an hour or 2 in advance of your trip can make a world of difference when it comes time to fly.

Schedule Longer Layovers

When you travel by yourself, you might prefer to schedule the shortest layovers possible. I’ve jogged through the airport to make a connection on multiple occasions while traveling solo.

When you’re traveling with children, especially when they are young, you don’t want to cut it that close. Leaving plenty of time for your layovers means you can take care of everything your family needs and still have enough time to walk to the gate for your next flight casually. If somebody is hungry, you have time to sit down and eat. If the kids need to use the bathroom 3 different times, you have time for that too.
Remember flying is also a part of your holiday & fun and it doesn't start at your destination, so design this part also as a relaxation!

Bottom Line:
Long layovers mean a little bit more waiting, but they also mean a lot less stress by the time you get on the plane. Nobody is rushing, nothing gets left behind, and everyone in your family is ready to settle in for the ride to your next destination.

Minimize Waiting in Lines

Nobody likes lines, especially when they are long and slow moving. You don’t want to start off your family trip by waiting in long lines at the airport, so let’s look at what you can do to minimize how long you wait.

Long airport lines are typically at check-in/baggage drop, security, boarding, and border control. If you’re flying in a premium class, most of these lines are automatically reduced.

Premium passengers get their own line at check-in and baggage drop. Depending on the airport you’re flying out of, you may have an expedited security line as well. When it comes time to board, you’ll get to board first, giving you plenty of time to get settled and comfortable in your premium seats.

Premium classes include:
  • First class
  • Business class
  • Premium economy (select airlines)
Flying premium classes with your family is a great way to use your miles to make sure your travel is more comfortable, and you have a better chance of sleeping on long overnight flights than you would flying economy. If you want to use fewer miles or are buying cash tickets, you will probably be flying economy, so you can’t take advantage of premium passenger lines. 

Advise:
Even better than reducing the check-in/baggage drop line is skipping it altogether. You can do this by taking care of your check-in online the day before. Travel with only carry-on bags, especially for short trips with older kids.

Have Your Kids Carry Their Bags

A man holding a child 's hand while pulling a suitcase
Even small children can pull a wheeled carry-on. Having your kids share the load means less for you to carry when you travel. 
If you’re traveling with a baby or a very young child, they won’t be much help for hauling your family’s bags through the airport. But once your kids are walking well and a little bit older, they should be able to pull a rolling bag or carry a small backpack, especially as the carry there own stuff the wanted to take with them on their holiday to Vietnam.

As soon as you can get your kids carrying their luggage, travel with your family gets a lot easier. Even if you’re checking bags and need to help with the checked luggage, getting kids to take care of their carry-on bags filled with on-plane activities will lighten your load. Older kids and teens should easily be able to handle all of their luggage whether they have checked bags or not.

Don’t let your kids get used to you being their luggage service. Get them carrying what they can as soon as possible. Your kids will gain a bit of responsibility for your trip, and your back will thank you.

Advise:
Unless we are taking something unusually heavy and large like dive equipment or plan to bring home souvenirs like wine or other alcohol, we try to never check bags on our family trips. Our family travels with carry-on backpacks, and we have all been carrying our own for years. Doing this makes it easy to get through the airport, quick to get out at our destination, and keeps everyone in the family from overpacking.

Pack Comfortable Headphones

Most airlines with entertainment options will provide passengers with cheap headphones to enjoy the content. These headphones are usually free on mainline carriers and typically cost a few dollars on low-cost airlines.

It’s incredibly likely that your children will not be happy with the headphones the airline provides. They will be uncomfortable, too loud, too quiet, won’t stay in their ears, or don’t work the way your kids prefer.

Finding a pair of headphones that fit your child’s ears and are comfortable for long periods of time is something you should do well before your trip. Whether they’re watching in-flight movies, playing games on their electronics, or listening to music as they try to fall asleep, a comfortable set of headphones that keeps their sound private will make your kids and everyone around them happier.

Unless you’re flying in a premium cabin, never rely on the airline to provide headphones that will be comfortable for your kids. You will be disappointed.

Even if you’re flying in business or first class and will have use of their noise-canceling headphones, you should probably make sure your kids have headphones they like for times when they’re not on the plane. Bus rides, train rides, or even quiet time at your hotel are great times for your child to listen to music with their headphones.

At Your Destination

Schedule Downtime

The amount of downtime you need will vary significantly depending on the age of your kids. Infants and young toddlers probably need daily naps. Older kids may be able to power through a long day, but likely won’t be able to do that for several days in a row.

If your days are packed with activities when you go on vacation, even the adults could probably use a siesta by the second or third day. Scheduling downtime every day of your trip helps keep your family refreshed and ready to explore, and it keeps everyone happier throughout the trip.

Downtime doesn’t have to be a nap. It doesn’t even have to be back at your hotel or apartment. Your family’s downtime could be:
  • A few minutes of laying on the bed in your hotel
  • A slow stroll along around Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi city
  • A lovely iced coffee at one of the thousand Vietnamese coffeeshops
  • An hour reading books in the lounge area of you hotel or in your room
  • Anything that lets your family relax and reset
  • As you travel with your kids, you will quickly get an idea of what they need for downtime each day. Our advice is to make sure they get it.

If you need to push through and miss a rest one day, that won’t be too bad, but if you skip your downtime every day, you will find yourself paying for it by the end of your trip. The kids will be tired and cranky, and nobody will be having a good time. With so many years of experience we have at Friends Travel Vietnam I really need to rapid this, as when parents not taking care about this carefully you pay it back after a couple of days, for sure! 

Public Transit Amuses Kids

Public transit is fun for kids, but it amuses me too. My wife picks on me because when we travel to a new city, I always want to try all of the forms of public transit possible.

Vietnam has many many ways to move as: Trains, busses, taxis, Grabs, Easy Riders, motorbike taxis, boot rides, etc. Every type or public transit provides a whole new type of travel experience to go from A to B..

As amusing as this is for me, it will be great for your kids too, especially when trying out a new type of transportation that they haven’t been on before. Every new form of transit will give them a whole new view of the city. From what they see out of the windows to the people they see riding along with them, your kids will be able to experience the town just like the locals do.

Bottom Line:
Normally using public transit in major cities is often quicker and cheaper than taking taxis or private cars from place to place. However in Vietnam the public transportation isn't that much faster and most of the time is fully packed with local. You save some money and a bit of time, and your kids get to experience something new, those days going by Grab taxi is the most convenience & very affordable way and it's all done via an app where you easily can pay by credit card via de app.

 Let Older Kids Pick Activities

As your kids get older, they will probably want to have more of a say in what you do when you are on vacation in Vietnam. Let them!


Remember, this trip isn’t just for you. This trip is for your kids, too, and if there are things they’re interested in, you should make an extra effort to include them in your plans. Your children might not want to do a whole bunch of research about your destination, but if you give them some choices of places to see, they will often be happy to pick.


At Friends Travel Vietnam we use this technique to choose all sorts of activities via our website and our design your trip method  to collect all valuable information about your way of traveling and personal interest.  We advise to share your kids a list of 5 or 6 possibilities and tell them a bit about each one. Then they each get to pick a couple of the things they would most like to do.


With our digital itinerary (available on app & browser version what you can share with the family) where we build up your trip with us based on your personal interest and travel budget, it will have a great look and feel for the kids what is waiting them in advance. 


The kids’ choices and your choices usually combine for a great trip during which everyone in the family gets a little bit of what’s perfect for them. Your children will be more invested in the trip and more excited about what you’re doing if they have a say in choosing the places you see. It’s a great way to get them involved in planning starting at an early age.

Don’t Hotel Hop

Pick a place to stay and stick with it for a couple of days time you are in that area. Even if you have help from hotel staff, you don’t want to be packing and unpacking every day on your trip.  There is a tendency among those of us who maximize loyalty programs to stay at different hotels each night of a trip. There are many reasons for switching just as hotel brand promotions for rewards after a certain number of stays, limited award availability, or exploring the different hotels a city has to offer.


When you’re traveling with your family, do your best not to switch your lodging any more than you have to. If you’re going to a different part of the city or a different location altogether, obviously, you will have to change where you’re staying. However, if you’re staying in the same general area for your whole trip, you will be much happier if you stay at the same place for the entire time.


There’s a whole lot more to pack and unpack every time you move with kids. Kids are good at spreading their stuff around a hotel room, and you don’t want to be gathering everything up every day. You don’t want to have to bring your family back to the hotel every day to switch to a different place. Your time with your family is much better spent exploring your destination.


Finally, there is a certain level of comfort that your kids will develop with each place they stay. The longer they are there, the easier it will be to relax, fall asleep, or be content lounging in their favorite spot. 


Special attention to build your trip with us with traveling with your family.

At Friends Travel Vietnam we known how to advise for your holiday and with our special designed build your own trip form we are able with our experience and your sharing about your family situation and personal interest to build up and design your trip as you wish in the slow pace you prefer traveling with kids In the years we became experts in this as we are parents also ourselves.

Be Flexible

We’ll finish up this list of tips with another one of the most important things we can tell you. When you reach Vietnam as your destination, no matter how much you have planned for your time there, always remember to be flexible!

Things will go wrong, people will get cranky and need a rest, places will be closed, and everything will take more time than you expected. If you spend your trip stressed out about making it to the next thing on your list, that stress will work its way into every member of the family.

Instead, relax. Be flexible in your schedule. Keeping your family happy is the most essential part of any trip.

You will see a lot more here in Vietnam while you are there, but there is no way you can see everything. Pushing everyone to rush to see one more thing isn’t going to make the trip in Vietnam any better. Getting upset because you missed something isn’t going to help either.
I always say "Vietnam is real country to travel in!"

Bottom Line:
Be flexible, go with the flow, and have a great trip with your family & for any advise we ar right here for you!

Interesting blogs from Families with Children

Name of Blog Authors Name(s) Kids Blog link
World for a Girl Kirsty & Rhino 2 x Toddlers link
Mum on the Move Marianne Rogerso 2 x Toddlers link
Happiness Travels Here Kaylie 2 x Toddlers link
Kleine Globetrotter Marlieke Toddler link

Greeting fellow family travel bloggers of the world if you where traveling in Vietnam with your family please feel free to contact us. We are happy to share your link above on our website. If you are fellow bloggers to collaborate with us on our blog we are  looking for is guest contributors and if you wish I can also guest contribute on your blog!

Final Thoughts

The biggest tip we can give for traveling with kids is to stop putting it off and get out there and travel to Vietnam. Everything might not go according to plan, but your family will love seeing the world, and as you are planning your next trip here with us in Vietnam, before you know it we are seeing each other!.

Nothing opens children’s minds like new experiences, and you’ll get plenty of new experiences no matter where you travel in Vietnam. From food to transportation, architecture, and landscape, culture, everything you do will be exciting and new for your little ones, Friends Travel Vietnam has it all as you wish!

Be sure to use some of our tips from above to make your trip easier and more fun for everyone, and keep an eye out for more of our family travel pieces. Soon, we’ll get into the details of specific places to go, things to do, and some of the best travel products for you and your family. There’s lots more to come.

Which type of traveller are you?

At Friends Travel Vietnam we welcome travelers from all walks of life. Yet, we understand that each of you is unique. 

As for this question, we can be every kind of traveller, there are many different types of travel lovers out there and not one way is right or wrong. ď»ż

We always look forward to hearing from our customers!

You can contact us very easy at any time if you have any questions. We would like to hear from you.

Any Questions? We got the answers!

Read More about Destinations In Vietnam

We do More Crazy Stuff...

Experience an unforgettable escape in Vietnam and discover more what to do & how to get around, with our special "Destinations" section, or wonder around great detailed articles on our "Travel Blog", or you are more interested to find the right "Travel Package" for your group or family, perhaps you like Lego and would like to build your own holiday with our "Holiday Blocks" yourself, you like to know what great "Excursions & Tours" you can do together, or you sitting with your hands in your hair to find your way to your next destination but not sure which "Transportation" for sure jump on the backseat of the motorbike with our Easy Riders for the adventures travellers. You see it's enough to choose from for a successful Vietnam Holidays. No worries, we got you! 

Design your Family Trip in Vietnam with Friends Travel Vietnam 

Friends Travel Vietnam has been inspiring travellers with curious-minded love & passion for Vietnam since 2013. With our on-the-ground-secret destinations & our network of human-human partners and our passionate knowledge team of our "Real Local Travel Experts" on the office and in the field you can book unique, authentic experiences with ease. We’ll take you off the beaten path in no time as all you wish!  Let us us help you? We've done tons of homework & experiences just create the ultimate trip for you!  Just simple, all as you wish!“


This is what we do! Making your holiday dreams in Vietnam coming true with us! Is the excursion, tour or trip of your choice not listed? No worries, our Team of local destination experts will be happy to assist you.
Sidney and Thao Van Meenen
Owners & Founders

Friends Travel Vietnam

Dreaming of your very own adventure in Vietnam? 

We don’t blame you! Just don't follow the crowd - find your own path in with us in Vietnam for your next holiday. 

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