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Tips
for Vietnam
Contents:
Tips for
the Traveler
Visas Health Issues and Risks
Time
Electricity,
Weights and Measures
At a Glance...
Capital City
People
Climate
Language
Religion
Government
Helpful
Tidbits...
Links... |
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Tips
for the Traveler |
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Visas : |
Passports should be valid for a
minimum of 1 month from your date of arrival. Visas are
necessary for any stay longer then 24 hours. They last
one month and can be extended at a price. |
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Health
issues and risks: |
Bilharzias, cholera, dengue fever,
hepatitis, Japanese encephalitis, malaria, plague, polio,
rabies, tuberculosis, schistosomiasis and typhoid. A
yellow fever certificate is required if you are traveling from infected areas. All water should be
regarded as being potentially contaminated. Water used
for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have
first been boiled or otherwise sterilized. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned
milk is available and is advised, but make sure that it
is reconstituted with pure water. Avoid dairy products
that are likely to have been made from unboiled milk.
Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot.
Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk.
Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled. |
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Time: |
GMT+7 |
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Electricity: |
110-220V, 50Hz |
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Weights
& Measures: |
Metric |
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At
a Glance... |
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Capital
City: |
Hanoi |
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People: |
Ethnic divisions: 85-90% Vietnamese,
3% Chinese, other ethnic minorities include Muong, Thai,
Meo, Khmer, Man, Cham and various mountain dwellers. |
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Climate: |
It's hot all year round, never
dropping to below 15 degrees Celsius. Dry, except the
monsoon season from May to October. |
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Language: |
Vietnamese, French, Chinese, English
and local dialects. |
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Religion: |
Predominantly Buddhist; Muslim,
Confucian, Taoist, Hoa Hoa, Christian and Caodaist
minorities. |
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Government: |
Socialist republic with one
legislative house. |
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Helpful
Tidbits... |
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Until recently, many up market
hotels insisted that you pay in US$, but now all
businesses (except Vietnam Airlines) must accept payment
in dong. In practice, many still display their prices in
US$. It's advisable to bring US$ travelers' checks and
a little US$ cash. |
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It's a good idea to
bring a small calculator with you for currency
conversions, unless you're the kind of person who can
divide or multiply numbers by 11,000 in your head. |
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Government-run
hotels and tourist restaurants usually add a 10% service
charge to bills so there's no need to tip. Leaving a
small tip in other restaurants will be greatly
appreciated by the staff. You should consider tipping
hired drivers and guides, and it's polite to leave a
small donation at the end of a visit to a pagoda. |
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Bargaining is
commonplace but should be engaged in with a smile and
considered a form of social discourse rather than a
matter of life and death. |
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Travelers should
take the Tet new-year festival (late January or early
February) into account when planning a trip. Travel (including
international travel) becomes very difficult, hotels are
full and many services close down for at least a week and
possibly a lot longer. |
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Ramshackle, slow and
hugely overcrowded buses run just about everywhere in the
country, at rock-bottom fares. Bus travel is definitely
uncomfortable and frustrating, but if you treat it as a
social function rather than a means of getting from A to
B, you should survive with your sanity intact. Most long-distance
buses leave early in the morning, so it's a good idea to
buy your ticket the night before. Train travel can be
even slower than bus travel, but it is more relaxed and
you're likely to have decent legroom. |
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Public minibuses
suffer the same drawbacks as public buses. The
alternative, used by many foreigners, is to charter a
minibus. They cost more but they are much more
comfortable. |
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Vietnamese often
have a fondness for beer. It is possible to get both
local and imported brands. When in Hanoi it is worth
trying the local draught beer available at street stalls.
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Avoid shorts if
possible as they are usually only worn by children.
Footwear should be removed when entering Buddhist pagodas.
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Handshaking and a vocal greeting is
normal. Vietnamese people should not be touched on the
head. |
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Links |
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Travel
Diseases |
- a helpful guide to all
travel diseases |
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Vietnam Tourism |
- the Vietnamese Tourism Board
Homepage |
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Destination Vietnam |
- articles on traveling in Vietnam,
tips and the local culture |
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Vietnam Internet
Travel Guide |
- a comprehensive guide the places
and traveling in Vietnam |
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Vietnam Now |
- a guide for the independent traveler and backpackers |
