Vietnam travel guide
Traveling to Vietnam with a Peanut or Seafood Allergy
Peanuts, fish sauce and shrimp paste are central to Vietnamese food. Which dishes are usually safe (including pho), which almost always contain peanuts, the northern and southern words to use, and what to do in an emergency.
Updated
Vietnam is harder than most destinations for a peanut or seafood allergy, but many people with both travel there successfully. Peanuts are a common topping and dipping-sauce base, fish sauce (nước mắm) is in nearly every savoury dish, and much of the best food is cooked at street stalls with one pan and one oil. The way through is to know which dishes are usually safe, use the right regional word, and carry your request in writing.
Usually lower risk, usually high risk
| Usually lower risk for peanut allergy | Usually contains peanuts |
|---|---|
| Phở (beef or chicken noodle soup) | Bún thịt nướng (grilled pork noodles) |
| Cơm tấm (broken rice with grilled pork) | Bún bò Nam Bộ |
| Bún chả (Hanoi grilled pork with noodles) | Gỏi cuốn dipping sauce |
| Bánh cuốn (steamed rice rolls) | Gỏi (salads) and nộm in the north |
| Cháo (rice porridge) | Mì Quảng (Hoi An noodles) |
| Xôi (sticky rice), chè (sweet soups), bánh tráng trộn |
“Lower risk” is not “safe.” Any of these can share a kitchen, an oil or a garnish tray with peanuts. Peanut oil is a common frying oil at stalls.
Does pho have peanuts?
A standard phở does not: broth, rice noodles, herbs and meat. The risks are the sauces on the table (hoisin usually contains soy and often sesame), chilli sauces with no label, and fried bread sticks (quẩy) from a shared fryer. Ask anyway: Phở có đậu phộng không?
Seafood and fish allergies
This is often harder than peanuts. Nước mắm (fish sauce) goes into marinades, dressings and the dipping sauce served with almost everything. Mắm tôm (fermented shrimp paste) comes with bún đậu mắm tôm in Hanoi and goes into bún riêu. Dried shrimp is pounded into many salads. If you react to fish or shellfish, ask for dishes seasoned with salt, and name both sauces on your card.
North and south say it differently
| North (Hanoi) | South (Ho Chi Minh City) | |
|---|---|---|
| Peanut | lạc | đậu phộng |
| Sesame | vừng | mè |
| “I’m allergic to peanuts” | Tôi bị dị ứng lạc. | Tôi bị dị ứng đậu phộng. |
Central Vietnam (Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An) understands both. Our Vietnamese allergy phrases page has more.
Medicine and emergencies
- Ambulance: 115. Outside the big cities, a taxi or Grab to the nearest hospital is often faster.
- International hospitals in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have English-speaking doctors; save the address of the nearest one before you need it.
- Adrenaline auto-injectors are not reliably sold in Vietnamese pharmacies. Bring enough for the trip, plus a spare.
Common questions
Can you travel to Vietnam with a peanut allergy?
Yes, with preparation. Choose dishes cooked to order, avoid unlabelled dipping sauces and sweets, and show a card in Vietnamese at every meal. Many travelers also eat more at hotel and sit-down restaurants than at stalls in the first few days, until they have a feel for local menus.
What does “đậu phộng” mean?
Peanut, in southern Vietnamese. In the north the word is lạc.
Is Vietnamese food safe for a sesame allergy?
Sesame is less central than peanuts, but it appears in rice crackers (bánh đa vừng), sweets, xôi toppings and some sauces. Use mè in the south and vừng in the north.
This page helps you communicate about a food allergy. It is not medical advice: follow your allergist’s plan, and always confirm ingredients with the restaurant or the label.
Keep reading
Allergy in Vietnamese: Peanut, Seafood and Fish Sauce Phrases
How to say “I’m allergic to peanuts” in Vietnamese (the word changes between Hanoi and Saigon), whether pho has peanuts, and the dishes and sauces that hide peanuts, shrimp and fish.
Vietnamese Food Allergy Card
Create a bilingual English–Vietnamese food allergy card for street stalls and restaurants across Vietnam.
Allergy in Thai: How to Say “I’m Allergic to Peanuts” in Thailand
The Thai words for allergy, peanut, cashew, shrimp paste and fish sauce, with phrases for street food stalls and restaurants. Why “thua” alone is not enough, and which dishes always contain peanuts.
Flying with a Peanut Allergy: What to Do Before, at and on the Plane
How to choose an airline, what to tell them and when, how to pre-board and wipe your seat, where to keep your epinephrine, and what to eat. Based on airline policies and on what actually lowers the risk of a reaction in flight.