• Inspiration
  • Destinations
  • Places To Stay
  • Style & Culture
  • Food & Drink
  • Wellness & Spas
  • News & Advice
  • Partnerships
  • Traveller's Directory
  • Travel Tips
  • Competitions

This is officially the cheapest destination in the world in 2024

This is officially the cheapest destination in the world in 2024

By Connor Sturges

Five reasons you should visit Vietnam's most magical five-star hotel

Five reasons you should visit Vietnam's most magical five-star hotel 

10 cheapest nicest places to visit in Asia

10 cheapest nicest places to visit in Asia

By Ria Gupta

The best hotels in Vietnam

The best hotels in Vietnam

By Chris Schalkx

How I travel: Ellie Bamber reveals that overpacking might actually be a good thing

How I travel: Ellie Bamber reveals that overpacking might actually be a good thing

By Francesca Babb

Discover Vietnam’s lost paradise

Discover Vietnam’s lost paradise

First in: Regent Phu Quoc, Vietnam

First in: Regent Phu Quoc, Vietnam

A local's guide to Vietnam

A local's guide to Vietnam

By Rick Jordan

Zannier Hotels Bãi San Hô review: Vietnam's insider beach design hotel

Zannier Hotels Bãi San Hô review: Vietnam's insider beach design hotel

By Katie Lockhart

The best time to visit Vietnam

The best time to visit Vietnam

Four Seasons The Nam Hai, Vietnam: spa review

Four Seasons The Nam Hai, Vietnam: spa review

TIA Wellness, Vietnam: spa review

TIA Wellness, Vietnam: spa review

10 cool things to do in Da Nang

10 cool things to do in Da Nang

Amanoi, Vietnam

Amanoi, Vietnam

Totally amazing shops in Ho Chi Minh City

Totally amazing shops in Ho Chi Minh City

By Gemma Price

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Vietnam

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Vietnam

By Emma Strenner

BEST OF ALL WORLDS

BEST OF ALL WORLDS

By Gabrielle Nathan

Inside the world's largest cave

Inside the world's largest cave

By Condé Nast Traveller

Colonial Mekong cruising

Colonial Mekong cruising

By Peter Hughes

Sail Asia's Rivers in Style

Sail Asia's Rivers in Style

On Location: Rachael Leigh Cook Shares Her Vietnam Itinerary From ‘A Tourist’s Guide to Love’

On Location: Rachael Leigh Cook Shares Her Vietnam Itinerary From ‘A Tourist’s Guide to Love’

By Rachel Chang

A Journey Aboard This New Luxury Train Car Is the Best Way to See the Heart of Vietnam

A Journey Aboard This New Luxury Train Car Is the Best Way to See the Heart of Vietnam

By Michelle Jana Chan

Traveling to Vietnam Will Be Easier Than Ever Next Year, Thanks to These Airlines

Traveling to Vietnam Will Be Easier Than Ever Next Year, Thanks to These Airlines

By Jessica Puckett

A Local’s Guide to Vietnam

A Local’s Guide to Vietnam

By Rick Jordan

Why I'm Moving to the Country My Parents Fled Decades Ago

Why I'm Moving to the Country My Parents Fled Decades Ago

By Dan Q. Dao

Ho Chi Minh City: Where to Eat, Drink, Stay, and Play

Ho Chi Minh City: Where to Eat, Drink, Stay, and Play

By Marianna Cerini

How to Take Your Vietnam Trip to the Next Level

How to Take Your Vietnam Trip to the Next Level

By Peter Jon Lindberg

Hanoi, Time and Again

Hanoi, Time and Again

Flight Deal: U.S. to Vietnam from $484 Round-Trip

Flight Deal: U.S. to Vietnam from $484 Round-Trip

By Sebastian Modak

Flight Deal: U.S. to Vietnam from $515 Round-Trip

Flight Deal: U.S. to Vietnam from $515 Round-Trip

By Cynthia Drescher

Flight Deal: U.S. to Vietnam from $495 Round-Trip

Flight Deal: U.S. to Vietnam from $495 Round-Trip

When Obama Met Bourdain in Vietnam: Recap of 'Parts Unknown'

When Obama Met Bourdain in Vietnam: Recap of 'Parts Unknown'

By Betsy Blumenthal

Flight Deal: Fly U.S. to Vietnam for $500

Flight Deal: Fly U.S. to Vietnam for $500

By Meredith Carey

A Motorcycle Tour of Saigon's Best Street Eats

A Motorcycle Tour of Saigon's Best Street Eats

By Calder Quinn

The World's Largest Cave Could House a 40-Story Skyscraper

The World's Largest Cave Could House a 40-Story Skyscraper

By Ken Jennings

  • Thang Long - Hanoi
  • Overseas Vietnamese
  • Most Recent
  • Most Popular
  • Mobile Version
  • Party building
  • Dien Bien Phu Victory 70 years on
  • Human rights
  • Patriotic emulation
  • Green transition
  • Digital transformation
  • Climate change
  • Post-pandemic recovery

CNN releases “Why not Vietnam” video to promote Vietnam’s tourism

Related News

Hanoi to provide free wi-fi at tourist sites, vietnamese noodles named among asia’s best by cnn travel, cnn hails da lat as producer of best cheese in asia, life in vietnam gradually returns to normal: cnn.

CNN releases “Why not Vietnam” video to promote Vietnam’s tourism hinh anh 1

Quang Nam launches big tourism stimulation programme

Prime Minister meets Apple CEO

Prime Minister meets Apple CEO

VITM 2024 offers over 10,000 tourism products to visitors

VITM 2024 offers over 10,000 tourism products to visitors

Training human resources crucial for digital transformation

Training human resources crucial for digital transformation

Dien Bien Phu Victory: Eternal epic of heroism

Dien Bien Phu Victory: Eternal epic of heroism

You should also see.

Prime Minister pays tribute to legendary founders of Vietnam

Prime Minister pays tribute to legendary founders of Vietnam

Lang Son province seeks global status for local geopark

Lang Son province seeks global status for local geopark

Commemoration of Hung Kings - Gathering the spirit of patriotism

Infographic Commemoration of Hung Kings - Gathering the spirit of patriotism

PM attends ceremony to start work on Him Lam resistance centre renovation project

PM attends ceremony to start work on Him Lam resistance centre renovation project

CNN names Vietnamese dumpling among world’s tastiest

CNN names Vietnamese dumpling among world’s tastiest

Vietnam Airlines to double flight frequency for 70th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory

Vietnam Airlines to double flight frequency for 70th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory

Sun World Ba Na Hills - A fairyland in Da Nang

Sun World Ba Na Hills - A fairyland in Da Nang

Da Lat night train service offers unique tourist experience

Da Lat night train service offers unique tourist experience

“Golden” chance to start domestic tourism boom

“Golden” chance to start domestic tourism boom

You are using an outdated browser. Upgrade your browser today or install Google Chrome Frame to better experience this site.

Vietnam Traveler View

Travel health notices, vaccines and medicines, non-vaccine-preventable diseases, stay healthy and safe.

  • Packing List

After Your Trip

Map - Vietnam

There are no notices currently in effect for Vietnam.

⇧ Top

Check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor at least a month before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. If you or your doctor need help finding a location that provides certain vaccines or medicines, visit the Find a Clinic page.

Routine vaccines

Recommendations.

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include

  • Chickenpox (Varicella)
  • Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
  • Flu (influenza)
  • Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)

Immunization schedules

All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Please see  Your COVID-19 Vaccination  for more information. 

COVID-19 vaccine

Hepatitis A

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to Vietnam.

Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series.

Travelers allergic to a vaccine component or who are younger than 6 months should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given.

Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin.

Hepatitis A - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep A

Hepatitis B

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers of all ages traveling to Vietnam.

Hepatitis B - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep B

Japanese Encephalitis

Recommended for travelers who

  • Are moving to an area with Japanese encephalitis to live
  • Spend long periods of time, such as a month or more, in areas with Japanese encephalitis
  • Frequently travel to areas with Japanese encephalitis

Consider vaccination for travelers

  • Spending less than a month in areas with Japanese encephalitis but will be doing activities that increase risk of infection, such as visiting rural areas, hiking or camping, or staying in places without air conditioning, screens, or bed nets
  • Going to areas with Japanese encephalitis who are uncertain of their activities or how long they will be there

Not recommended for travelers planning short-term travel to urban areas or travel to areas with no clear Japanese encephalitis season. 

Japanese encephalitis - CDC Yellow Book

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine for US Children

CDC recommends that travelers going to certain areas of Vietnam take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. Talk to your doctor about which malaria medication you should take.

Find  country-specific information  about malaria.

Malaria - CDC Yellow Book

Considerations when choosing a drug for malaria prophylaxis (CDC Yellow Book)

Malaria information for Vietnam.

Cases of measles are on the rise worldwide. Travelers are at risk of measles if they have not been fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure, or have not had measles in the past, and travel internationally to areas where measles is spreading.

All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants 6–11 months, according to  CDC’s measles vaccination recommendations for international travel .

Measles (Rubeola) - CDC Yellow Book

Rabid dogs are commonly found in Vietnam. However, if you are bitten or scratched by a dog or other mammal while in Vietnam, rabies treatment is often available. 

Consider rabies vaccination before your trip if your activities mean you will be around dogs or wildlife.

Travelers more likely to encounter rabid animals include

  • Campers, adventure travelers, or cave explorers (spelunkers)
  • Veterinarians, animal handlers, field biologists, or laboratory workers handling animal specimens
  • Visitors to rural areas

Since children are more likely to be bitten or scratched by a dog or other animals, consider rabies vaccination for children traveling to Vietnam. 

Rabies - CDC Yellow Book

Recommended for most travelers, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas.

Typhoid - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Typhoid

  • Avoid contaminated water

Leptospirosis

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)

  • Touching urine or other body fluids from an animal infected with leptospirosis
  • Swimming or wading in urine-contaminated fresh water, or contact with urine-contaminated mud
  • Drinking water or eating food contaminated with animal urine
  • Avoid contaminated water and soil

Clinical Guidance

Schistosomiasis

  • Wading, swimming, bathing, or washing in contaminated freshwater streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, or untreated pools.

Avoid bug bites

Chikungunya

  • Mosquito bite
  • Avoid Bug Bites
  • Mosquito bite
  • An infected pregnant woman can spread it to her unborn baby

Airborne & droplet

Avian/bird flu.

  • Being around, touching, or working with infected poultry, such as visiting poultry farms or live-animal markets
  • Avoid domestic and wild poultry
  • Breathing in air or accidentally eating food contaminated with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents
  • Bite from an infected rodent
  • Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus (only occurs with Andes virus)
  • Avoid rodents and areas where they live
  • Avoid sick people

Tuberculosis (TB)

  • Breathe in TB bacteria that is in the air from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.

Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in Vietnam, so your behaviors are important.

Eat and drink safely

Food and water standards around the world vary based on the destination. Standards may also differ within a country and risk may change depending on activity type (e.g., hiking versus business trip). You can learn more about safe food and drink choices when traveling by accessing the resources below.

  • Choose Safe Food and Drinks When Traveling
  • Water Treatment Options When Hiking, Camping or Traveling
  • Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene | Healthy Water
  • Avoid Contaminated Water During Travel

You can also visit the Department of State Country Information Pages for additional information about food and water safety.

Prevent bug bites

Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in Vietnam. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.

What can I do to prevent bug bites?

  • Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
  • Use an appropriate insect repellent (see below).
  • Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
  • Stay and sleep in air-conditioned or screened rooms.
  • Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors.

What type of insect repellent should I use?

  • FOR PROTECTION AGAINST TICKS AND MOSQUITOES: Use a repellent that contains 20% or more DEET for protection that lasts up to several hours.
  • Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin)
  • Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD)
  • 2-undecanone
  • Always use insect repellent as directed.

What should I do if I am bitten by bugs?

  • Avoid scratching bug bites, and apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to reduce the itching.
  • Check your entire body for ticks after outdoor activity. Be sure to remove ticks properly.

What can I do to avoid bed bugs?

Although bed bugs do not carry disease, they are an annoyance. See our information page about avoiding bug bites for some easy tips to avoid them. For more information on bed bugs, see Bed Bugs .

For more detailed information on avoiding bug bites, see Avoid Bug Bites .

Some diseases in Vietnam—such as dengue, Zika, and filariasis—are spread by bugs and cannot be prevented with a vaccine. Follow the insect avoidance measures described above to prevent these and other illnesses.

Stay safe outdoors

If your travel plans in Vietnam include outdoor activities, take these steps to stay safe and healthy during your trip.

  • Stay alert to changing weather conditions and adjust your plans if conditions become unsafe.
  • Prepare for activities by wearing the right clothes and packing protective items, such as bug spray, sunscreen, and a basic first aid kit.
  • Consider learning basic first aid and CPR before travel. Bring a travel health kit with items appropriate for your activities.
  • If you are outside for many hours in heat, eat salty snacks and drink water to stay hydrated and replace salt lost through sweating.
  • Protect yourself from UV radiation : use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, wear protective clothing, and seek shade during the hottest time of day (10 a.m.–4 p.m.).
  • Be especially careful during summer months and at high elevation. Because sunlight reflects off snow, sand, and water, sun exposure may be increased during activities like skiing, swimming, and sailing.
  • Very cold temperatures can be dangerous. Dress in layers and cover heads, hands, and feet properly if you are visiting a cold location.

Stay safe around water

  • Swim only in designated swimming areas. Obey lifeguards and warning flags on beaches.
  • Practice safe boating—follow all boating safety laws, do not drink alcohol if driving a boat, and always wear a life jacket.
  • Do not dive into shallow water.
  • Do not swim in freshwater in developing areas or where sanitation is poor.
  • Avoid swallowing water when swimming. Untreated water can carry germs that make you sick.
  • To prevent infections, wear shoes on beaches where there may be animal waste.

Leptospirosis, a bacterial infection that can be spread in fresh water, is found in Vietnam. Avoid swimming in fresh, unchlorinated water, such as lakes, ponds, or rivers.

Keep away from animals

Most animals avoid people, but they may attack if they feel threatened, are protecting their young or territory, or if they are injured or ill. Animal bites and scratches can lead to serious diseases such as rabies.

Follow these tips to protect yourself:

  • Do not touch or feed any animals you do not know.
  • Do not allow animals to lick open wounds, and do not get animal saliva in your eyes or mouth.
  • Avoid rodents and their urine and feces.
  • Traveling pets should be supervised closely and not allowed to come in contact with local animals.
  • If you wake in a room with a bat, seek medical care immediately. Bat bites may be hard to see.

All animals can pose a threat, but be extra careful around dogs, bats, monkeys, sea animals such as jellyfish, and snakes. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, immediately:

  • Wash the wound with soap and clean water.
  • Go to a doctor right away.
  • Tell your doctor about your injury when you get back to the United States.

Consider buying medical evacuation insurance. Rabies is a deadly disease that must be treated quickly, and treatment may not be available in some countries.

Reduce your exposure to germs

Follow these tips to avoid getting sick or spreading illness to others while traveling:

  • Wash your hands often, especially before eating.
  • If soap and water aren’t available, clean hands with hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol).
  • Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you need to touch your face, make sure your hands are clean.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
  • Try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
  • If you are sick, stay home or in your hotel room, unless you need medical care.

Avoid sharing body fluids

Diseases can be spread through body fluids, such as saliva, blood, vomit, and semen.

Protect yourself:

  • Use latex condoms correctly.
  • Do not inject drugs.
  • Limit alcohol consumption. People take more risks when intoxicated.
  • Do not share needles or any devices that can break the skin. That includes needles for tattoos, piercings, and acupuncture.
  • If you receive medical or dental care, make sure the equipment is disinfected or sanitized.

Know how to get medical care while traveling

Plan for how you will get health care during your trip, should the need arise:

  • Carry a list of local doctors and hospitals at your destination.
  • Review your health insurance plan to determine what medical services it would cover during your trip. Consider purchasing travel health and medical evacuation insurance.
  • Carry a card that identifies, in the local language, your blood type, chronic conditions or serious allergies, and the generic names of any medications you take.
  • Some prescription drugs may be illegal in other countries. Call Vietnam’s embassy to verify that all of your prescription(s) are legal to bring with you.
  • Bring all the medicines (including over-the-counter medicines) you think you might need during your trip, including extra in case of travel delays. Ask your doctor to help you get prescriptions filled early if you need to.

Many foreign hospitals and clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission International. A list of accredited facilities is available at their website ( www.jointcommissioninternational.org ).

In some countries, medicine (prescription and over-the-counter) may be substandard or counterfeit. Bring the medicines you will need from the United States to avoid having to buy them at your destination.

Malaria is a risk in some parts of Vietnam. If you are going to a risk area, fill your malaria prescription before you leave, and take enough with you for the entire length of your trip. Follow your doctor’s instructions for taking the pills; some need to be started before you leave.

Select safe transportation

Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of healthy US citizens in foreign countries.

In many places cars, buses, large trucks, rickshaws, bikes, people on foot, and even animals share the same lanes of traffic, increasing the risk for crashes.

Be smart when you are traveling on foot.

  • Use sidewalks and marked crosswalks.
  • Pay attention to the traffic around you, especially in crowded areas.
  • Remember, people on foot do not always have the right of way in other countries.

Riding/Driving

Choose a safe vehicle.

  • Choose official taxis or public transportation, such as trains and buses.
  • Ride only in cars that have seatbelts.
  • Avoid overcrowded, overloaded, top-heavy buses and minivans.
  • Avoid riding on motorcycles or motorbikes, especially motorbike taxis. (Many crashes are caused by inexperienced motorbike drivers.)
  • Choose newer vehicles—they may have more safety features, such as airbags, and be more reliable.
  • Choose larger vehicles, which may provide more protection in crashes.

Think about the driver.

  • Do not drive after drinking alcohol or ride with someone who has been drinking.
  • Consider hiring a licensed, trained driver familiar with the area.
  • Arrange payment before departing.

Follow basic safety tips.

  • Wear a seatbelt at all times.
  • Sit in the back seat of cars and taxis.
  • When on motorbikes or bicycles, always wear a helmet. (Bring a helmet from home, if needed.)
  • Avoid driving at night; street lighting in certain parts of Vietnam may be poor.
  • Do not use a cell phone or text while driving (illegal in many countries).
  • Travel during daylight hours only, especially in rural areas.
  • If you choose to drive a vehicle in Vietnam, learn the local traffic laws and have the proper paperwork.
  • Get any driving permits and insurance you may need. Get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Carry the IDP and a US-issued driver's license at all times.
  • Check with your auto insurance policy's international coverage, and get more coverage if needed. Make sure you have liability insurance.
  • Avoid using local, unscheduled aircraft.
  • If possible, fly on larger planes (more than 30 seats); larger airplanes are more likely to have regular safety inspections.
  • Try to schedule flights during daylight hours and in good weather.

Medical Evacuation Insurance

If you are seriously injured, emergency care may not be available or may not meet US standards. Trauma care centers are uncommon outside urban areas. Having medical evacuation insurance can be helpful for these reasons.

Helpful Resources

Road Safety Overseas (Information from the US Department of State): Includes tips on driving in other countries, International Driving Permits, auto insurance, and other resources.

The Association for International Road Travel has country-specific Road Travel Reports available for most countries for a minimal fee.

For information traffic safety and road conditions in Vietnam, see Travel and Transportation on US Department of State's country-specific information for Vietnam .

Maintain personal security

Use the same common sense traveling overseas that you would at home, and always stay alert and aware of your surroundings.

Before you leave

  • Research your destination(s), including local laws, customs, and culture.
  • Monitor travel advisories and alerts and read travel tips from the US Department of State.
  • Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) .
  • Leave a copy of your itinerary, contact information, credit cards, and passport with someone at home.
  • Pack as light as possible, and leave at home any item you could not replace.

While at your destination(s)

  • Carry contact information for the nearest US embassy or consulate .
  • Carry a photocopy of your passport and entry stamp; leave the actual passport securely in your hotel.
  • Follow all local laws and social customs.
  • Do not wear expensive clothing or jewelry.
  • Always keep hotel doors locked, and store valuables in secure areas.
  • If possible, choose hotel rooms between the 2nd and 6th floors.

To call for emergency services while in Vietnam, dial 115 for an ambulance, 114 for the fire department, and 113 for the police. Write these numbers down to carry with you on your trip.

Learn as much as you can about Vietnam before you travel there. A good place to start is the country-specific information on Vietnam from the US Department of State

Healthy Travel Packing List

Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for Vietnam for a list of health-related items to consider packing for your trip. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.

Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?

It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries. Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.

If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to see a doctor. If you need help finding a travel medicine specialist, see Find a Clinic . Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.

If your doctor prescribed antimalarial medicine for your trip, keep taking the rest of your pills after you return home. If you stop taking your medicine too soon, you could still get sick.

Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. If you become ill with a fever either while traveling in a malaria-risk area or after you return home (for up to 1 year), you should seek immediate medical attention and should tell the doctor about your travel history.

For more information on what to do if you are sick after your trip, see Getting Sick after Travel .

Map Disclaimer - The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement are generally marked.

Other Destinations

If you need help finding travel information:

Message & data rates may apply. CDC Privacy Policy

File Formats Help:

  • Adobe PDF file
  • Microsoft PowerPoint file
  • Microsoft Word file
  • Microsoft Excel file
  • Audio/Video file
  • Apple Quicktime file
  • RealPlayer file
  • Zip Archive file

Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
  • Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
  • You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
  • CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website.
  • Monterey County
  • San Benito County
  • Santa Cruz County
  • Special Reports
  • California News
  • Entertainment
  • Interactive Radar
  • Local Forecast
  • Domenico’s Weather Cam
  • Waze Traffic
  • Las Olimpiadas
  • Entretenimiento
  • Programacion
  • T23 15 Aniversario
  • Local Politics
  • California Politics
  • Livestream Special Coverage
  • Livestream Newscasts
  • Must-See Video
  • Must-See Photo Galleries
  • Project Santa
  • House & Home
  • Business Matters
  • Safe at Home
  • Weekend Picks
  • 831LocalLinks
  • Central Coast Experts
  • Health Connections
  • Classroom Makeover – Help a Monterey County School Teacher Get Needed Supplies
  • Student of the Month
  • General Contest Rules
  • Central Coast Cheer
  • KION for Kids
  • Submit Tips, Pics and Video
  • Work for KION
  • Regional Careers
  • Fox Schedule
  • Advertise with NPG of Monterey/Salinas
  • Closed Captioning
  • Download Our Apps
  • EEO Public Filing
  • FCC Public File
  • Jobs & Internships
  • TV Listings

Iowa Vietnam vet seeking disability benefits dies before he can prove he fought in the war

cnn travel vietnam

By Todd Magel

Click here for updates on this story

    JASPER COUNTY, Iowa ( KCCI ) — A Jasper County Vietnam veteran recently died after the federal government said they had no record of his service, and therefore no veteran’s benefits for him.

“It was horribly frustrating,” said Lisa Van Ryswyk.

She and her siblings lost their father Ken Van Veen after he died from stomach cancer in March. He served in Vietnam in the mid-1960s.

When the 82-year-old Marine discovered he was sick last year, he reached out to the Veterans Administration for help with a disability claim. They denied the request, saying they had no record of his service.

“His country was not recognizing what he did, and … he even made the comment, ‘I guess I was never in that hellhole after all.’ You could just see it on his face. And it was horrifying to watch that,” said Van Ryswyk.

That’s when the family began fighting back.

“It is a fight for these veterans to get these benefits,” said Alyssa Wilson.

Wilson is the administrator of the Jasper County Veterans Affairs Department. She helped the family slog through months of filling out forms, ignoring repeated denials and contacting Iowa senators.

The family had all the paperwork and pictures to prove their father was a Vietnam vet. Finally, after he died, the VA discovered its mistake. It was too late.

“I started crying at my desk because I wish Mr. Van Veen’s story was rare. And it’s not,” said Wilson.

“When he came home from Vietnam, he was in the airport and told us about a time where he was spit on when he came back from Vietnam. And he kind of felt like that was happening again,” said Van Ryswyk.

In the end, Van Veen’s family says it’s not about the disability money; it’s about warning other families not to give up–and keep fighting for their veterans who served with honor.

“But there are so many veterans who need that money and really are counting on that. And if there is any way to try and make the process better, that’s really what we’d like to do or kind of as a legacy for Dad,” said Van Ryswyk.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Jump to comments ↓

' src=

CNN Newsource

Related articles.

cnn travel vietnam

‘It rocked our family’: Father speaks out after woman killed in Seminole County carjacking

James savage: marion county kidnapping suspect claims he saw ‘demons’ during 22-hour standoff.

A Kentucky veterans trip to the store ended up with him saving a friend's life.

Kentucky veteran saves friend’s life after he collapsed outside Walmart

First responders partner with louisville autism therapy center for autism awareness month.

KION 46 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here .

COMMENTS

  1. Vietnam Travel Guide

    CNN's Vietnam Travel Guide lets you explore the best things to do and places to stay, plus get insider tips, watch video and read riveting narratives.

  2. 30 of Vietnam's most beautiful places

    Here, we've curated 30 of our favorite corners, including the Thu Bon River, which flows through central Vietnam. Hang Son Doong: Discovered by a Vietnamese farmer in 1991, the 3-million-year-old ...

  3. 13 essential Vietnam experiences

    CNN —. When it comes to variety, Vietnam is in a league of its own. A trip to the capital, Hanoi, will be wildly different than modern Ho Chi Minh City, just as the lantern-lit streets of Hoi An ...

  4. Vietnam is planning high-speed rail connections with China

    Vietnam aims to start building two high-speed railway lines linking its capital Hanoi with China before 2030, the Ministry of Planning and Investment said. CNN values your feedback 1.

  5. Visiting Vietnam? Insiders share tips

    It's a fast-rising travel star in Asia. Vietnam insiders share tips on Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and natural attractions all over.

  6. Destination Vietnam

    About Destination Vietnam. Exploring the scenery, culture and food in one of Asia's most exciting destinations. Read CNN's sponsorships policy.

  7. Vietnam to fully reopen by June 2022

    Vietnam is planning to reopen key tourist destinations to vaccinated visitors from countries deemed a low COVID-19 risk from December, the government said on Wednesday, October 6, ahead of a full ...

  8. Vietnam by planes, trains, automobiles… and then some

    Halong Bay by plane and junk: Hai Au Airlines started operating Vietnam's first commercial seaplane service to Halong Bay out of Hanoi in the summer of 2014. Once there, travelers can spend a few ...

  9. Vietnam eyes full reopening to international tourists from next month

    Vietnam's tourism ministry on Tuesday proposed a full reopening of the country to foreign visitors and a lifting of nearly all travel restrictions from March 15, three months earlier than planned.

  10. Life after lockdown in Vietnam: This is what it's ...

    I arrived in Vietnam in January, before the first case hit Ho Chi Minh City, the first stop on my Vietnam trip. As I traveled north from Ho Chi Minh City to Danang, Hoi An, Hue, Tam Coc and ...

  11. Vietnam

    Thanks to new flights with Qatar Airways, Da Nang in Vietnam is on our hit list. One of the biggest cities in Vietnam, it's little known compared to the metropolises of Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, which means that many people just hop from one to the other, skipping everything in between. And yet the central coast's white-sand beaches, against ...

  12. Vietnam

    Find the latest stories about Vietnam, plus travel ideas, products, expert advice, and more from Condé Nast Traveler.

  13. CNN Travel

    Get travel tips and inspiration with insider guides, fascinating stories, video experiences and stunning photos.

  14. CNN releases "Why not Vietnam" video to promote Vietnam's tourism

    Hanoi (VNA) - A short video touting Vietnam as a must-see tourist destination of Asia was released on the US Cable News Network (CNN) on October 15. The 30-second video "Why not Vietnam ...

  15. Vietnam tycoon sentenced to death in $12 billion fraud case

    A court in Vietnam sentenced real estate tycoon Truong My Lan to death Thursday over her role in a 304 trillion dong ($12.5 billion) financial fraud case, the country's biggest on record, state ...

  16. Vietnam

    To call for emergency services while in Vietnam, dial 115 for an ambulance, 114 for the fire department, and 113 for the police. Write these numbers down to carry with you on your trip. Learn as much as you can about Vietnam before you travel there. A good place to start is the country-specific information on Vietnam from the US Department of ...

  17. Searing heat is back across Southeast Asia and it ...

    From Malaysia to Vietnam, Thailand to Singapore: Southeast Asia has seen temperatures reach unprecedented levels in recent weeks, with little respite in sight.

  18. Tycoon's death penalty in $12.5 billion fraud case highlights Vietnam's

    The death sentence handed to a real estate tycoon in a $12.5 billion financial fraud case is the latest punishment meted out by Vietnam in the Southeast Asian country's sweeping "blazing ...

  19. Vietnam's gorgeous and uncrowded coastal getaway

    Quy Nhon: Vietnam's coastal city is a short plane ride from Hanoi. Visitors to the area will be rewarded with the city's culturally rich charms. View photos from a gorgeous getaway along the coast ...

  20. Opinion: 'Civil War' is more than a reflection on America's divisions

    That's why so many American Vietnam movies take place on US soil. In "First Blood" (1982), an American veteran wages war on a rural US community, metaphorically bringing the war home.

  21. Bringing 'The Sympathizer' to life was going to be hard ...

    When Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell were initially approached to co-executive produce HBO's new Vietnam war-era spy thriller "The Sympathizer," they didn't immediately say yes.

  22. 'The Sympathizer' review: Robert Downey Jr. heads down the ...

    The fortuitous timing of having a series produced by and featuring newly minted Oscar-winner Robert Downey Jr. tumbles down a very strange rabbit hole in "The Sympathizer," a darkly satirical ...

  23. On board a US B-52 bomber mission to China's doorstep

    The Boeing B-52H Stratofortress is America's primary strategic bomber, taking part in every US war since Vietnam. CNN gained exclusive access to an epic flight on one of the venerable eight ...

  24. Iowa Vietnam vet seeking disability benefits dies before he can prove

    JASPER COUNTY, Iowa — A Jasper County Vietnam veteran recently died after the federal government said they had no record of his service, and therefore no veteran's benefits for him. "It was horribly frustrating," said Lisa Van Ryswyk. She and her siblings lost their father Ken Van Veen after he died from stomach cancer in March.

  25. Internet price hikes for low-income Americans could ...

    Tycoon's death penalty in $12.5 billion fraud case highlights Vietnam's corruption crisis US Steel's shareholders just voted to end more than a century of American ownership. It may not matter

  26. With inflation back up, the long-predicted storm ...

    Progress on inflation is moving in the wrong direction. The latest Consumer Price Index, released Wednesday, showed that annual inflation ticked up to 3.5% in March from 3.2% in February. That ...