Vietnam

Quick Facts

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Local name

Việt Nam

Capital

Hanoi

Government

Communist State

Nationality

Vietnamese

Population

84 155 800^[1]

Languages

Vietnamese, English, French, Chinese, Khmer

Religions

Buddhism, Christianity (Catholic)

Currency

Vietnamese Dong (VND)

Calling Code

+84

Time Zone

UTC+7

Summer (DST)

Not observed

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Introduction

Rice Terrace @ Sapa

© All Rights Reserved mingtravel

The setting of the most protested and controversial war of the second half of the 20th century, Vietnam is once again hosting thousands of Americans - but this time they're armed with money, not guns. And they are not alone, as travellers from around the world are flocking to Vietnam. Perhaps partly due to the memory of the Vietnam War, travel in Vietnam is cheap and only just on its way into fruition. But change seems to occur at a rapid rate in Vietnam, as the country busily promotes its palette of offerings: a culture kept bravely alive through the nation's tumultuous past, hot white beaches, peaceful inland rainforests, picturesque rugged landscapes and, of course, a varied and delicious cuisine. In essence, Vietnam has all the delights one would expect of southeast Asia, at a better price.

Brief History

Geography

Vietnam is a long narrow country running along the Golf of Tonkin to the South China Sea. Once a traveler leaves the coast, the mountains, covered densely with jungle, begin. These mountains are home to many different minority groups that are completely different from the Vietnamese. Because the country is so long and narrow, when the weather is good in one half of the country it can be bad in the other half.

Vietnam shares international borders with Cambodia, Laos and China. It is very easy to cross over land with Cambodia and China in certain places. Although it is difficult and time consuming to cross overland to Laos, many people say it is worth it.

Regions

• Northern Vietnam - Hanoi, Halong Bay, Sapa, Lao Cai
• North Central Coast - Vinh
• Central Coast - Hue, Danang, Hoi An
• Central Highlands - Dalat
• South Central Coast - Nha Trang
• Southern Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City is the country's economic heartland
• Mekong Delta - Mytho, Cantho

Cities

• Hanoi - The capital
• Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
• Da Nang
• Hué
• Can Tho
• My Tho
• Ha Long
• Vinh
• Vung Tau
• Dalat - A wonderful hill town with a mild climate and nice pine forests.

Sights and Activities

Halong Bay

Halong Bay is located in the north of the country, along the coastline east of Hanoi. It is world famous for its spectacular scenery of grottoes and caves, forms the central zone of Halong Bay, which has is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Cu Chi Tunnels

The Cu Chi Tunnels are located near the town with the same name, about 40 kilometers north of Ho Chi Minh City. It is a large underground community made up of 250 km of tunnels and chambers below the city. Although they were used extensively during the Vietnam War in the sixties and seventies of the twentieth century to provide refuge and a defensive advantage over the American soldiers, the original tunnels were already being made during the French occupation about 30 years earlier.

Beachlife

Vietnam, especially the southern half, has some very fine beach resorts but along the entire coast you can find some perfect kilometers long white beaches, fringed with palms and the warm waters are pleasant to have a swim or at some cases go snorkkeling and diving. Nha Trang and Mui Ne are just a few options you can choose from. Con Dao Island and Phu Quoc Island south of Vietnam are perfect with nice beaches and coral reefs.

Sapa

Terraces in Sapa valley 2

© All Rights Reserved Wardsan

In the extreme north of the country, towards the border with China there are some great mountain landscapes to explore near Sapa. The scenery is outstanding with rice terraces clinging to the hills and with several minorities to be visited as well. Sapa itself is an picturesque village that lies on the Hoang Lien Son mountain range. Ethnic minorities to be visited in and around Sapa are Hmong and Dao to name just a few.

Other sights

• Hue - former home of Vietnam's emperors, Unesco listed.
• Hoi An - ancient port city, Unesco listed.
• Cao Dai Temple - near Tay Ninh
• My Son ruins - near Hoi An is an interesting ruined Kham city, Unesco listed.
• Central Highlands - rought mountain scenery and minority people near Kontum
• Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) - former border area of North and South Vietnam
• Motorbike Tour of Dalat - Located in the hills west of Ho Chi Minh City, Dalat is a pleasant city and the local Easy Riders offer great motorbike tours in the countryside allowing an amazing glimpse into the everyday life of the local Vietnamese.

Events and Festivals

• Tet Nguyen Dan, or simply Tet, celebrates the Vietnamese New Year and is the country's most popular holiday.

Weather

Getting There

By Plane

There are three international airports in Vietnam:

• Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN), serving Ho Chi Minh City
• Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), serving Hanoi
• Da Nang International Airport (DAD), serving Da Nang

Vietnam Airlines is the national airline. For Vietnam Airlines flights, in Hanoi call (04) 934 9660, in Ho Chi Minh City call (08) 832 0320. For other flights, call their airline office in Vietnam.

On international flights there is an airport tax of US$14. Children under two are exempt and the airport tax is included in the ticket price for domestic flights.

Lost & Found

• Noi Bai Airport: (04) 884-0008 or 886-5013
• Tan Son Nhat Airport: (08) 844-6665, ext. 7461

By Train

By Car

By Bus

Getting to Vietnam from China is relatively easy. The Friendship Gate border crossing is painless. From Nanning it is possible to catch a ride in a local bus or taxi cheaply and once through the gate, there are plenty of cheap transport options south into Vietnam.

Getting to Vietnam from Cambodia is an adventure worth considering. The most popular route is by bus through the north, but a more adventurous route is via Sihanoukville, along the coast. This way you have the opportunity to do a two or three day Mekong Delta trip, as a journey along the Mekong is a treat.

Like all good things though it comes at a cost - in this case not a financial one - rather one of sanity. You will probably stay at a border island called Ko Kong - a largely under developed sess pool of gambling, black markets and drugs. Keep your wits about you here and you'll be fine though.

Trips from Phnom Penh cost about USD20 and include bus sand boat transfers to Ho Chi Minh City for two or three days. The northern route is easier and can be arranged in Seap Reap. This is a cheaper options but the roads are terrible and the scenery not as good.

Come prepared with money at the border wherever you arrive or depart from as the money changers are known to pass on counterfeit currency. Examine all notes carefully, thankfully, the Vietnamese Dong is now plastic so it is much harder to copy - not so the Chinese Yuan.

By Boat

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

Most of the train lines built in Vietnam during the 19th century were destroyed either in World War II or by the Americans. The main rail line links Ho Chi Minh City with Hanoi and was built after the Vietnam War. Then there are two other rail lines branching from Hanoi, one to Sapa and the other to Halong Bay.

Reunification Line
After the Vietnam War was over the Vietnamese government quickly connected Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi with a rail line. The key word here is quickly. The line is single-track, meaning different trains have to take turns going north or south, or sometimes trains are stopped for hours so freight trains can go by. Also every passenger train starts and ends in either Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi. All these factors added together can make for massive delays that can be several hours. Therefore if train due in Hanoi at 5:00 am will more likely get in around 9:00 am.

By Car

By Bus

Open Bus Ticket
Throughout Vietnam the open bus ticket is a popular and cheap system of intercity bus travel. While local buses often run the intercity routes cheaper they are intended for locals and many inexperienced travellers may be overwhelmed.

The open bus system is sometimes referred to as a scam. Mainly because of poor expectation management on behalf of the traveller or how random it can be sometimes. Although the different open bus ticket companies are completely different therefore make sure to ask other travellers about which company to use.

In general for about $25 you can get a 7 stop open ticket on buses. This allows you to get on and off at the most popular Vietnam destinations. The stops are negotiable as is the price. It is essential that you are happy with the price you pay because the standards of the buses you will ride on will vary greatly depending on the day and the company. Expect a not air conditioned, stinky, local bus doing the normal intercity route and overcrowded, you won't be disappointed - if you get a classy superliner coach you will be happy.

Like most other tourist products in Vietnam, you don't always get what you pay for - be sceptical of touts offering airconditioning, big buses only and negotiate for the lowest price you can. Another perk of the open bus ticket is that the buses tend to pick up and drop off travellers in the touristy part cities. Travellers can also buy one stop tickets from open bus ticket vendors.

By Boat

Red Tape

Visitors from the following countries do not require a visa for tourism purposes for a limited period of stay.

• 30 days: Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand
• 15 days: Denmark, Finland, Japan, Norway, South Korea, Sweden

All other nationalities are required to obtain a tourist visa, which are generally valid for 30 days. Cost of tourist visa vary from one Vietnamese Embassy to another. When your passport is returned to you or your travel agent from the Vietnamese embassy, one application form with photo will be returned along with it. Keep the form, as you will be required to hand it at immigration upon arrival in Vietnam. If you misplace this form, you can complete a new form upon arrival – there are photo booths at the airport. Passports must be valid 6 months beyond the end of the trip.

For the adventurous travellers that do the crossing from Cambodia, visa support is provided very cheaply from the myriad of guesthouses in Phnom Penh. The processing time takes about three days or less.

Money

See also: Money Matters

The currency in Vietnam is the Dong (VND). The US dollar is also still widely accepted at hotels, but you should have local currency available for use anywhere else. Credit card acceptance is spreading in higher-end hotels, restaurants and shops in big cities, but outside of these cash is still by far preferable. Never change money on the streets from hustlers.

ATMs are a common site in most Vietnamese towns.^[2]

Work

Study

Language

Eat

Sleep

As hotels and private hosts must register your presence with the police, you’ll be expected to hand over your passport, along with your visa number and your yellow form upon checking in.

Drink

Health

See also: Travel Health

There are no specific health requirements for entry into Vietnam, however you should contact your local doctor for updated information if you are planning a trip. Some will recommend vaccinations and anti malaria prescriptions depending on where you are planning to travel to and from.

Safety

As in any country when travelling, keep a close eye on your belongings. Secure your valuables, documents and credit cards in your hotel safe or carry them close on your body if that is not possible. Beware of pickpockets, purse-snatchers and mobile phone thieves, especially in Ho Chi Minh City. If you choose to rent a motorbike or ride a bicycle, always wear a helmet.

The emergency telephone numbers are:

• 113 - Police
• 114 - Fire
• 115 - Medical

Keep Connected

Internet

High speed internet connections are plentiful throughout Vietnam, although naturally more so in the cities. Vietnam uses 220V electricity nationwide. In the South, outlets are often US-style flat pins. In the North, many outlets fit round pins. As the electrical current varies, use a surge protector when running sensitive electronic equipment like laptops.

Phone

International and domestic phone calls are available in almost every hotel or internet café. International phone charges are high in Vietnam and hotels often add a mark up fee so it is smart to always check the rates before dialing. Public phones require phone cards, which are available at post offices.

Some common and useful phone codes are:
International call prefix: 00
Operator: 110
Police: 113
Fire: 114
Assistance: 116
Information: 1080
Medical Aid: 115

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