Health

The first biggest risk to your health in Vietnam is drinking too much alcohol which is usually really really  cheap.
The next biggest risk to your health in Vietnam is the traffic.
Crossing the road can be deadly not to mention stressful. In a quiet town, hiring a motorbike might be a fun way to spend a day, but in a busy city don’t even think about it unless you are an experienced rider and have your will in order just in case.
Don’t drink the tap water in Vietnam, always drink bottled water which is available everywhere. It is safe to drink ice, a law was passed recently making it compulsory to serve ice made from drink water only, and apparently everybody obeys as they don’t wish to be fined.
It is safe to eat salads in clean looking restaurants. Clean looking roadside stalls are safe, cheap and delicious. Food poisoning is a risk- meat is often not refrigerated while it is on sale or being transported. If you eat in popular places with lots of customers and a high turnover of food you should be ok.
Malaria has been largely eradicated from most of Vietnam in recent years; all urban areas are malaria free. The Red River delta and the coastal plains of central Vietnam north of Nha Trang are also malaria free. There may be some risk of malaria in rural areas and particularly in the southernmost provinces Ca Mau and Bac Lieu. Seek advice especially if you are travelling to remote areas.
Dengue fever is transmitted by mosquitoes that bite during the day. Travelers to Vietnam are not at a high risk for catching the disease but to be on the safe side, avoid mosquito bites day and night.
Ask your hotel to recommend a doctor if you need one. Pharmacies are well stocked and easy to find.  There are good hospitals and doctors in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh with modern facilities to handle most emergencies, and medical treatment is a fraction of the cost of what you would pay in any Western country. If you need a dentist in Vietnam, ask an embassy or up market hotel to recommend a good one, or wait until you are in Bangkok where dentists are inexpensive and have very high standards.