After researching flights, accommodations, visas, transport options inside the country, activities, etc., basically everything, I came to the conclusion that it’s too overwhelming for me. I’m taking a retired family friend with me, as he’s not bound by any schedule, so I don’t have to compromise on the length of the trip. Plus, he can drive, so we can rent a car and make the trip smoother. I’ve decided on Vietnam, by the way.
Yeah, that’s true.
Those are more general considerations rather than location-specific ones.
From what I’ve read, it’s legal for foreigners to drive in Vietnam with an IDP, but in practice most rental agencies won’t rent a car to foreigners unless you also hire a local chauffeur.
Just get a driver. I never drive in countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, etc. It’s a pain and drivers aren’t that expensive.