VIETNAM TRAVEL GUIDE
Currency:
Although the Dong (VND) is the official currency, Vietnam also uses US dollars for almost everything. You can use USD in the shops in the big cities, restaurants or hotels and they accept both cash and credit card.
Electricity Socket:
In Vietnam the power sockets are of type A, C and D. The standard voltage is 110 / 220 V and the frequency is 50 H
Language:
The main language is Vietnamese. However, they are trying to study English which it’s getting popular in Vietnam, so you can be easily to communicate with the local people in the big cities. Vietnam is aiming to make English become the second language.
Visa:
A 30-day tourist visa is required for all visitors coming to Vietnam. You can obtain for the visa on arrival at international airport in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City with an approval letter required in advance. The visa cost depends on the nationality on passport. It’s an easy and fast way to travel to Vietnam. However, you’ll need to wait quite long at the airport for getting the visa.
You also can get the visa in advance at your hometown. For this way, you should make it as soon as possible before your trip.
Visitors with passports from the following countries do not require a visa for stays up to the days specified:
14 days - Brunei, Myanmar
15 days - Belarus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom (note: for France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK, the visa exemption program has been extended to June 30th 2018)
21 days - Philippines
30 days - Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan
90 days - Chile (note: from 11/08/2017)
All other nationalities will require a visa in advance to visit Vietnam.
Safety:
Vietnamese people are friendly and warmly welcome tourists coming from all over the world; Travelling in Vietnam is also safe and peaceful. Vietnam has international standard hospital so you can be fine to retreat here for any assistance.
Transportation:
Traveling to Vietnam by air or by land or by boat.
By air: Vietnam has four international airports in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City
By road: With many border crossing points with Laos, Cambodia and China is easily accessible by land. Visa is not available at the border crossings.
By boat: you can get to Vietnam by boat from Laos, and Cambodia. There is one border crossing for tourists on the Mekong River.
Public holidays
- New Year 1 January.
- Hùng Kings' Festival on the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month commemorating the first kings of Vietnam.
- Liberation Day on 30 April, marking the fall of Saigon in 1975.
- International Workers' Day 1 May, the traditional socialist labor day.
- National Day September.
- Lunar New Year
Getting around Laos:
You can travel by plan (Vietnam Airlines, Viet Jetair or Jetstar Pacific), by road, by train or by boat. Besides, you can rent the motorbike, Cyclo, bicycle, or bus for travelling insight Vietnam. There are many options to do in Vietnam:
- Take the motorbike adventure tours or motorbike sightseeing tours, street food on motorbike,
- Exploring the city on cycle
- Taking the overnight boat in Ha Long Bay – the Natural World Heritage sites
- Trekking, hiking in Sapa – the mountainous area by train or express busses
- Cruise trip in Mekong Delta are
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What to buy: Here are the top souvenirs in Vietnam that you may consider having one of them:
- Conical Hat / Straw Hat.
- Ao Dai – Vietnamese Traditional Dress.
- Silk.
- Handmade Vietnamese Embroidery.
- Guoc Moc.
- Musical Instruments.
- Hand Fan.
- Sand Paintings
- Bamboo Dragonfly
- Vietnamese Paintings
- Pop-Up Paper Cards
Foods and Drinks:
With unbelievable abundance of fresh vegetables, herbs, fish and seafood, Vietnam has a lot to offer.
- Noodle (Pho) - Vietnam's national dish is one of the most famous and popular foods for both local people and foreigners in Vietnam.
- Bun Cha, fresh spring rolls, French baguette stuffed with pâté, herbs and pickles, seafood
The legal purchasing age of alcoholic beverages is 18. However, there is no legal drinking age. Drinking in a Vietnamese bar is a great experience so don't miss out on Bia Hơi, (literally "air beer"), Microbreweries, wine and liquor. Vietnam has many types of tropical fresh fruits, so the fresh fruit juices are also popular such as fresh coconut, pineapple smoothie, avocado smoothie, orange juice…
Best time to visit Cambodia:
Vietnam is large enough to have several distinct climate zones.
The North has four distinct seasons, with a comparatively chilly winter, a hot and wet summer and pleasant spring (March-April) and autumn (October-December) seasons. However, in the Highlands both extremes are amplified, with occasional snow in the winter and temperatures hitting 40°C (104°F) in the summer.
In the Central regions the Hải Vân Pass separates two different weather patterns of the North starting in Lăng Cô (which is hotter in summer and cooler in winter) from the milder conditions South starting in Đà Nẵng. North East Monsoon conditions September - February with often strong winds, large sea swells and rain make this a miserable and difficult time to travel through Central Vietnam. Normally summers are hot and dry.
The South has three somewhat distinct seasons: hot and dry from March to May/June; rainy from June/July to November; and cool and dry from December to February. April is the hottest month, with mid-day temperatures of 33°C (91°F) or most days. During the rainy season, downpours can happen every afternoon, and occasional street flooding occurs. Temperatures range from stifling hot before a rainstorm to pleasantly cool afterwards. Mosquitoes are most numerous in the rainy season. December to February is the most pleasant time to visit, with cool evenings down to around 20° (68°F).
Where to go in Vietnam:
Beside of the adventure tours on motorbike, there are lots of options to do in Vietnam:
Take a cruise trip to visit Halong Bay and spend the night onboard for 1 or 2 nights.
Take a trip to Sapa by train and by road. For Sapa by train, take overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai, you will arrive Sapa in early morning, then ideally spend 2 days in Sapa. For Sapa by road, it takes about 5 hours to transfer between Hanoi and Sapa town.
Take a cooking class options in Hanoi, in Hoi An, and in Ho Chi Minh. Vietnamese cuisine is diverse and tasty and one of the many highlights of a visit to the country. You may take half day or full day cooking class.
Take a river cruise trip in Mekong. Start from Ho Chi Minh City, you may end the cruise at Vinh Long, at Can Tho, at Chau Doc, even end at Phnom Penh or end at Siem Riep.
Relaxing at the wonderful beaches in Vietnam such as Nha Trang, Mui Ne, Phu Quoc...
Cu Chi Tunnels is a must-visit in Ho Chi Minh City.
It's a new experience and off-the-beaten-track when you take a home-stay trip. Mai Chau Village, and home-stay in Mekong