What nobody tells you about visiting Vietnam

After a lot of research I thought I knew what to expect from Vietnam. Some things matched: Hội An Ancient Town is as spectacular as every review says, and Ho Chi Minh City has a genuine energy I'd read about. The bánh mì obsession is completely justified.

What I wasn't prepared for: warm and entrepreneurial people. That element genuinely surprised me and added something I hadn't seen in any review. Also: persistent street vendors. That part the reviews undersell. Overall a wonderful trip — just a more layered experience than I anticipated.