Drinking water in Vietnam---tap of bottled?

We drank and also brushed our teeth with bottled water when we were in Cambodia and Vietnam this spring.

No way I'd let a drop of tap water in Vietnam in my mouth.

You might be just fine drinking gallons of tapwater there. But in many places it's a sure-fire way to get very, very sick. Why take the chance?

Anywhere in the "developing world" (which Vietnam is surely part of), any smart traveler needs to be careful about tapwater. My rules for water discipline in developing countries include:
- Drink only water (or soft drinks) from a sealed bottle (one that you open yourself).
- Brush your teeth with bottled water.
- Don't let water enter you mouth or nose while in the shower (this takes some concentration).
- Avoid ice in drinks (this depends where you are, but I'd definitely follow this guideline in Vietnam).
- Lots of rules about street food, uncooked veggies and fruit, too (but I don't want to bum you out completely all at once...).

Bottom line: No, I would not trust any tapwater in Vietnam. Stick to bottled water if you don't want to get sick.

Bottled water is advisable; if you find yourself thirsty and somewhere it's not readily available, boiled and filtered water is nước lọc (approximate pronunciation: nook lawp). Have a great trip!

Agree with previous posters. We were just in Vietnam this past winter, and it was much more polluted than I ever imagined it would be. When I asked one of the local young guides what the typical person in Vietnam worries about, without hesitation he said food poisoning and air pollution.....I would guess water also plays into that.

We were on a cruise (Silversea), so we brought our own bottled water on land from the ship. We did take a cooking class, but the facility was extremely sterile and practiced exceptional cleanliness......they provided bottled water, and we had no adverse impact from the food or the bottled water. But, when visiting a farmer's cottage, we just passed on the food/drink.

Re: the air pollution, you did not ask, but DO absolutely wear the little face mask filter type things that you will see most of the locals (except a lot of the young men who were smoking) wear. I wore mine anytime I sensed any level of air pollution, but my husband was not as diligent. When we got home, he had perhaps the worst sinus infection he has EVER had........in bed for a week, and his doctor prescribed some strong antibiotics when he did not appear to be getting better...those finally helped. I only had jet lag, so maybe wearing the mask helped. Before we purchase local fabric ones, I wore a very filtering white painter's mask. In one of my photos, my sisters said I Iooked like a bank robber...with the mask and big sunglasses and ballcap....LOL. (Maybe have your doctor prescribe some things for you to take on a just-in-case basis.)

Vietnam is an interesting place to visit........lots of modern rebuilding and lots of what we would consider very modest living. Do get into the markets to see how the typical food is stored (not refrigerated) and how the typical resident lives/shops.....far from what we are used to. There are posh resorts, but if you are staying in one, get out and see what life is really like. I am glad we went, but it will be a one-time thing for us.

David gave the right advice - don't ingest the water, including in the shower and teeth brushing. It isn't that it is dangerous, it just has different bacteria than you're used to. It is a very easy risk to mitigate, and given how long it takes to get there, worth the trouble. Bottled water is cheap and easily accessible, and hotels supply at least one bottle per person per day (check to make sure you aren't charged for extra). Use only bottled water that is obviously sealed (cap seal not broken).

I ate plenty of street foods and had no problems, but I may have a stronger stomach than most. Bring some over the counter meds in the off chance you have issues.

There is a great resource for information like this: CDC travelers to Vietnam This is where doctors go for their guidance. CDC monitors the world health situation for this purpose.

Pat,

You may find this helpful.....

• https://www.iamat.org/country/vietnam/food-and-water-safety

You may also want to have a look at some of the topics listed in the menu on the left side, describing some of the other health issues related to travel in Vietnam. It would be prudent to visit a travel medicine clinic well in advance of your trip, as some vaccines take a short time to take effect.

I drank only bottled water . . . well, coke too. It's cheap and available everywhere. I didn't eat street food in Vietnam, mostly because I eat vegetarian. I did eat lots of fresh pineapple from the fruit cart ladies. They take a whole pineapple and a small machete and pare and slice it on the spot, and give it to you in a plastic bag, untouched by any hands or tap water. I think mangos were prepared similarly but I stuck with the fruit I can't get at home.

If bottled water is not available, you may want to have something like this with you, for 'emergency' situations

https://www.amazon.com/Potable-Aqua-Water-Purification-Treatment/dp/B001949TKS/ref=asc_df_B001949TKS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167126940649&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10887506683606665508&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033269&hvtargid=pla-306395152071&psc=1

If bottled water is unavailable, there's almost always SOMETHING bottled available.

It may sound awful, but it is possible to brush your teeth with Coca cola - although I'm sure dental professionals would swoon at the idea - in a pinch you just have to make do with what's on hand. Traveling through Mexico for 3 months, living out of a VW camper, sometimes in remote areas, occasionally I had to improvise. Beer works better than Coca cola.

LOL, Good one David! After reading all the comments and checking out the suggested inks I have a better idea of what to expect. I had previously gone to the CDC site and have prepared with the suggested vaccinations. But now I have concerns about the street food. Everywhere I have read about the draws to our Vietnam the street food is one of the biggest. But now I am wondering if it is more of drawback. I have been looking forward to experiencing the street foods. Any advice on how to do so safely?

Thanks to all for taking the time to share your experiences!

Street food is a tough one.

The old axiom I grew up with about all produce in developing countries (in a restaurant or on the street) is: "Boil it, peel it, or forget it".

It's a good guide, but how long can one last while traveling without a salad? I suggest applying common sense: take a good look at the sanitation (or lack thereof) in evidence. Trust your gut (your gut has skin in the game). If things look very funky (in terms of cleanliness) then I move on, no matter how tempting it smells. Everyone needs to find their own standards.

As an example, in Thailand, there's wonderful street food. My wife will and does eat almost anything - but she's Thai. She grew up with all that bacteria. My system is much more vulnerable to microbes - a lot more! She will dive into a bowl of noodles anywhere, but when I look behind the counter and I see the used dishes just getting scraped off and then a very quick, very cursory dip in a tub of gray-ish dishwater followed by a quick wipe with a dish rag that looks filthy, and then the dish is returned to the "clean" pile that's used for serving up the next customer....that's when I just smile and order a Pepsi (in a sealed bottle, with a straw in a paper sleeve). I definitely miss some great food. But I also get to skip spending 3 days in the bathroom or layed out in a hammock (or a hospital).

Everyone's different. If you have limited experience overseas in developing countries, I suggest you should tend to be more careful than others who throw caution to the winds (especially if your trip is short and you can't afford to spend a day or two sick - being sick on a bus a really miserable way to travel).

Yes, starting point is to follow the US CDC Vietnam specific travel advisories on food and vaccinations.

We haven't experienced Vietnam but have been to China. I brought non-insulated metal flasks to China. Our Chinese hotels included hot pots for boiling tea water. I would boil tap water and let the boiled water cool in my metal flask. We used the boiled water supplemented bottled water for brushing and other oral uses.

Other alternatives are ultraviolet water purifiers such as the SteriPEN:
https://www.rei.com/search?q=ultraviolet+water+purifiers&pagesize=60

Ultraviolet UV-C light rays safely sterilize clear water by destroying
99.99% of protozoa, including Giardia, Cryptosporidia, bacteria and even viruses

Protects you from risks that cause botulism, cholera, dysentery and
typhoid, just to name a few

Restaurant food in Hanoi was very good and pretty cheap. In Saigon, prices seemed higher, but still very reasonable. Sticking to cooked food is probably a good idea. I bought fruit in the markets and washed and pared them in my hotel room.

Anywhere you go in Asia, drink bottled water.
Make sure that the bottles have not been re-filled! If you find complimentary water in a hotel room be very careful and confirm that it is properly sealed. In some places water bottles get re-filled by service staff...using tap water. Step out of the hotel and buy your own water!

Watch out for ice cubes! You are better off drinking warm drinks than risking the ice...

Some cafes have the habit of popping ice cubes into your beer glass, thinking that foreigners want their drink ice cold. Ice is water, and in smaller places may be at some risk. It is a terrible thing to do to beer anyhow. But one hot afternoon my beer arrived poured over ice. I was thirsty enough to risk it, kidding myself that the alcohol would act as a purifier. I was wrong, to my discomfort by the time the sun set.
"All of Asia" is too sweeping. I drink tap water in Singapore, and probably would in modern restaurants in Shanghai. Certainly in Japan, too.