When Family Visits From Vietnam: Building the Right Itinerary

When parents, grandparents, or relatives visit Australia from Vietnam for the first time, the person living here usually wears several hats at once: tour guide, driver, interpreter, and planner. Making a visit like this genuinely comfortable — not just for the guests but for you too — calls for a different approach from when you travel on your own.

Understand expectations before you plan

The gap between expectation and reality is often the source of fatigue in these visits. A few things to talk through beforehand:

Visa duration: Your family will need a suitable visitor visa — the length of stay and number of entries depend on the individual case. Check the actual visa conditions on the official website of the Australian Department of Home Affairs. Plan around the time they are genuinely allowed to stay, not an ideal length.
Pace of travel: Older people tire more quickly, especially after a long flight and jet lag. A packed schedule suits young tourists but not grandparents.
Weather: Summer in Australia (especially the south) is much hotter than many parts of Vietnam, with high UV. Someone not used to harsh sun is prone to exhaustion.
What they actually want: Many older people do not need to see lots of tourist spots — they want to see your everyday life, eat with you, and spend time together.

The first two weeks: prioritise rest and settling in

The most common mistake is to cram the itinerary into the very first week. The flight from Vietnam to Australia is long, and jet lag takes a few days to recover from, especially for older people.

The first two weeks should focus on:

Resting and adjusting to the time zone
Exploring the area near where you live — parks, markets, supermarkets, the ordinary atmosphere
Eating comfortably — no need for special restaurants; home cooking is often what family likes best

Schedule longer trips (interstate or to remote areas) from the second or third week onwards, once they have settled into the rhythm.

Plan around mobility

Not every famous tourist spot suits everyone.

Questions to ask first:

How long can your family walk continuously without tiring?
Do they have joint problems, heart conditions, or a fear of heights?
Do they need a toilet nearby frequently?
Are they afraid of boats, cable cars, or winding mountain roads?

None of this means they cannot go anywhere — it just means you need to choose suitable spots and activities, rather than defaulting to a young tourist’s itinerary.

Usually suitable spots:

Flat coastlines with long sandy beaches — easy to get around, comfortable, impressive
Botanic gardens and city parks
Markets and shopping centres — older Vietnamese visitors often enjoy these
Suburbs with a Vietnamese community — familiar food, a comfortable feel

Spots to approach with caution:

Long, steep walking trails
Places with lots of stairs to climb
Places where you have to stand and wait a long time in the sun

Accommodation: stay at home or book a hotel?

This question is often more awkward than it appears.

Staying at your home: Closer, cheaper, and what many families want. But you need enough space — cramped sleeping or no private room can cause tension after a few weeks.

A hotel or Airbnb near your home: Gives the family their own space and lets them rest at their own pace. You can visit often without having to be together 24/7. A whole-property Airbnb near where you live is often a good balance for a long visit.

See the related guide on choosing accommodation when travelling in Australia: hotel, Airbnb, hostel, or caravan park.

Food and language

Food: People visiting from Vietnam often need rice every day to feel comfortable. Do not plan to eat out “to experience Australian cuisine” at every meal — it is best to have a kitchen and cook rice at least once a day. In major cities like Sydney and Melbourne, finding a Vietnamese restaurant is not hard.

Language: Most older people from Vietnam do not speak English. The reality is that you will need to interpret or accompany them in most situations outside the home. A few useful things:

Save the emergency number and your home address in their phone in Vietnamese
If they need to go to hospital, Australia has a telephone interpreting service for medical facilities
Write your home address on paper for them to carry when they go out alone

Health and insurance

Visitors on a tourist visa are usually not covered by Medicare — check the specific conditions of your family’s visa. Private medical costs in Australia can be very high if treatment is needed.

Help your family buy suitable travel insurance before they leave Vietnam. Read carefully what the policy covers — especially for older people or those with pre-existing conditions.

If a family member has a chronic condition (diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure), bring enough medication for the whole trip — and a little extra in case it runs long. Not every medication in Vietnam has the same brand name as in Australia.

When you still have to go to work

The reality is that most hosts have an ordinary job. A few things to help your family be comfortable at home while you are at work:

Stable wifi so they can watch films and make video calls home
Food on hand so they can cook for themselves
An area near home safe enough to walk around alone
Neighbours or Vietnamese friends nearby — if there are any, introduce them in advance so your family is not completely isolated

You do not need to take leave for the whole time they are here — but plan a few focused days off for the main trips, rather than spreading them thin.

If the visit lasts more than a month

A long visit needs a different pace from a short one. Do not try to keep every day filled with activities — you need some time with nothing planned for genuine rest.

Break the visit into blocks: a few days at home, a short trip, then back again. You do not need to plan the whole thing from the start — be flexible based on how the family feels once they have been here a week.

See the related guides on getting ready for your first trip to Australia and how to plan a weekend trip in Australia.