[Explanation from an 8-year resident] The reality of water conditions for travel in Vietnam! What to do about brushing teeth, ice, and raw vegetables?
Hello! This is Meg from ít ít Việt Nam.
For those planning a trip to Vietnam, especially a first-time visit, one of the biggest concerns is likely the local "water situation," isn't it? When you search online, you'll find everything from extreme opinions like "never drink tap water" to "it was perfectly fine!" making it confusing to figure out what to do.
This time, based on our Instagram Reels video that went viral—"Our Family's Real Water Filter Situation After 8 Years of Living Here"—we will thoroughly explain the reality of water in Vietnam, including expert insights from former waterworks officials and the safety of "ice" and "fresh vegetables."
1. What's the deal with using tap water for brushing teeth and gargling?
To get straight to the point: the likelihood of getting an upset stomach or experiencing health issues immediately from using tap water for brushing your teeth is extremely low. However, for short-term travel, I think using bottled water is the safest option.
First, take a look at the shower filter we use in our bathroom.
It might surprise you, but this turns brown after just one month of use. People often think, "Boiling it in a kettle should be fine, right?" but while boiling can sterilize, it can't remove the rust and fine impurities in the water.
In fact, when I conducted a poll on Instagram asking, "What do you do about water for brushing your teeth?", the results were quite telling:
- Don't worry if it doesn't cause an upset stomach: 26%
- After seeing this filter... I'll use mineral water: 74%
Indeed, over 70% chose to use bottled water if the filter turned this color in a month.
Surprising Facts from a Former Ho Chi Minh Water Authority (SAWACO) Official
When I released this Reel, I received valuable comments from former waterworks officials and professionals!
- "Water treatment plants in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have adopted Japanese and Dutch technology, so the water quality upstream is as clean as in Japan."
- "The main water pipes are made of rust-proof reinforced plastic (HDPE)."
- "Even if there are invisible impurities, brushing your teeth won't cause an upset stomach."
In other words, Vietnam's tap water itself is not dirty. So why does the filter turn brown in one month? The correct understanding seems to be that rust and fine impurities get mixed in when the water passes through old pipes and rooftop water tanks that individual households and hotels have installed on their premises.
Conclusion: So what should tourists do?
The water is not dangerous enough to make you sick immediately. Therefore, if you are someone who thinks, "I don't mind it that much!", then using tap water is perfectly fine. However, if you are someone who thinks, "I want to reduce the risk of an upset stomach by even 1% and enjoy my overseas trip 120%!", then I recommend keeping the complimentary bottled water in your room for use at the sink.
2. Is the "ice" at cafes and restaurants safe? In fact, there are 5 blind spots to be more cautious about.
Vietnam is hot all year round, so cold drinks are truly delicious, aren't they? However, many people are surely worried, "Will the ice at cafes upset my stomach?"
To get straight to the point again, "the ice itself is generally safe. However, what you really need to be careful about is not the ice, but other menu items and the management of street stalls."
Ice is generally safe! But be a little careful in provincial cities.
You don't need to be overly afraid of the ice in general cafes and restaurants, as they procure safe ice (the kind with a hole in the middle) made by specialized suppliers.
However, if I were to add one point, it would be about "ice storage." While large cities like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have high turnover and are hygienic, if you go to a provincial city, the cleanliness and storage conditions of ice boxes can sometimes be a bit lower. A good rule of thumb is "it's fine in big cities, but be a little more cautious if you're going to the provinces."
What residents teach you! 5 blind spots that are frankly "more likely to cause problems than ice."
In fact, many people who get an upset stomach during their trip to Vietnam attribute it not to ice, but to "the hygienic conditions of the juice-making machines" or "room-temperature storage in the scorching sun."
Here are 5 menu items to be particularly cautious about:
① Smoothies (Sinh Tố)
Smoothies with plenty of tropical fruit are delicious, but in local shops, the "cleaning of blenders (juicers)" can be a bit lax. Old ingredients or liquid from previous batches can remain in the machine's crevices, spoil in the heat, and then mix into your drink, leading to an upset stomach surprisingly often.
② Sugarcane juice (Nước mía)
This immensely popular juice, pressed from sugarcane right on the spot. In reality, many shops don't clean their pressing machines for a long time. Sugarcane is very high in sugar, so it attracts insects easily. I've even seen rats scurrying on these machines late at night... If you're going to drink it, it's a golden rule to choose a shop where the machine and the vendor's hands look clean at a glance.
③ A surprising blind spot! Whipped cream in "salt coffee" and the like
While traditional Vietnamese condensed milk and the commonly used UHT milk (long-life milk) are less likely to spoil at room temperature, the whipped cream used in recently trendy "salt coffee" (Cà phê muối) is a different story! While it's usually not a problem in clean, air-conditioned cafes in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, if you order it at an open-air local shop in a provincial city, pay a little attention to how the cream is managed (e.g., if it's left out).
④ Street stall Bánh mì
Bánh mì, the national dish of Vietnam, is actually a food to watch out for, as "news of mass food poisoning outbreaks somewhere in the region appears every year." Especially for street stall Bánh mì, the ingredients like pâté, mayonnaise, and meat are often prepared in the morning and then stored at room temperature for many hours in the scorching sun without air conditioning. If you have a sensitive stomach, it's safer to avoid street stall Bánh mì in the evening or choose Bánh mì from established shops (storefronts).
⑤ Street-side cut fruit
Mangoes and watermelons sold in plastic containers are tempting, but they come with a double whammy: "it's unclear what kind of water they were washed with" and "they've been cut and left out in the hot sun for a long time." This makes them a hidden staple for travelers to get upset stomachs.
3. Is it okay to eat the large amounts of "fresh vegetables" served?
When you order pho or banh xeo, you get a heaping plate of herbs and fresh vegetables. I'll share my perspective, as someone who has lived here for 8 years, on the question: "If they're washed with unfiltered tap water, should I avoid eating them?"
In conclusion, I believe that "it's fine to eat them unless you have a particularly sensitive stomach. However, the real cause of an upset stomach is often not the water."
- Very little water remains on the vegetables: Even if they were washed with tap water, by the time they are served on the plate, the water has been thoroughly drained, and only a tiny amount of moisture will enter your mouth. Therefore, it's highly unlikely that the water itself will cause a problem.
- The real cause is "spoilage due to heat": Vietnam is a tropical country with consistently high temperatures. More often than not, the real reason for an upset stomach is not the water, but rather that "fresh vegetables were left at room temperature for a long time in the heat (allowing bacteria to proliferate) in a local shop without air conditioning, causing them to spoil."
Fresh vegetables at high-end restaurants and clean cafes are meticulously managed and safe, but if you feel that the vegetables at a local street stall look "a bit sad (wilted)," it might be a wise choice to refrain from eating them.
Summary: Having your own "standard of comfort" is most important.
I've talked about a lot, but Vietnamese food culture is truly rich and delicious. It would be a shame to become too nervous about "tap water = immediate danger!" and miss out on delicious food!
Knowing the facts, feel free to choose countermeasures that you feel comfortable with (like using bottled water for brushing your teeth) in your own style.
If you get tired from walking and shopping, please visit ít ít Việt Nam, right by Ben Thanh Market. We have a cool, air-conditioned store, adorable shopping spaces for children, and coloring pages waiting for you.
Take a break with some cold water and leisurely choose wonderful Vietnamese handcrafted goods to become cherished travel memories!
ít ít Việt Nam Physical Store Information 📍
Ho Chi Minh City Store: Right by Ben Thanh Market!
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📍3rd floor, 14 Đ. Nguyễn An Ninh, Bến Thành, Quận 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
→Google Map
⏰10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
🚶2-minute walk from Ben Thanh Market
💳Cash and credit cards accepted
Hoi An Store: Convenient for exploring the Old Town
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📍567 Đ. Hai Bà Trưng, Phường Minh An, Hội An, Quảng Nam
→Google Map
⏰10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
🚶Approx. 10-minute walk from Hoi An Japanese Bridge
💳Cash and credit cards accepted
- See the latest items on Instagram
👇 Check out the actual filter after one month of use and the Reel that this article is based on!
