• Currency Exchange rate
• Vietnam current time
• Weather
• Useful tips

• American War
• Arts
• Colonial Time
• Culture
• Ethnic Minority
• Geography
• Government
• History
• Liberation Time
• Religion

• Kings’ Valley Corporation to build five-star resorts
• Nha Trang, attractive destination of yacht racers
• Cultural establishments in Hanoi attracts foreign visitors
• Vietnam, attractive destination of Europeans but lacks promotion
• US travel firms to survey Vietnam tourism

Comfortable lightweight clothing in natural fabrics such as cotton is most suitable for travelling in Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia & Laos. The dress code is fairly casual as in most parts of the tropics but it is advisable to cover arms and legs in the evenings against biting insects. A lightweight raincoat is a good idea in the rainy season. During the winter months warm clothing is needed for visiting the north of Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos. Visitors to Buddhist countries should not wear shorts, short skirts or other skimpy clothing when visiting religious buildings and shoes should be removed before entering a private home.

FOOD

The cuisine of Vietnam comes as a pleasant surprise to many visitors and is definitely a part of the Vietnam experience not to be missed. One of the characteristics of Vietnamese food is that it is always fresh being bought the same morning straight from the market. Food is usually prepared with a minimum of oil and served with the ubiquitous fish sauce called nuoc mam. Typical Vietnamese dishes you can expect to try include pho, a type of rice noodle soup eaten for breakfast, cha gio, deep-fried spring rolls and goi ngo sen, a delicious salad made with lotus stems, shrimps and peanuts. Due to the strong Buddhist influence in Vietnam, vegetarian food is widely available.

HEALTH

No vaccinations are required except for yellow fever if you are coming from an area where the disease is present. However visitors should be inoculated against typhoid, cholera, hepatitis A & B, tetanus and polio. Malaria is present in most of the region and it is advisable to take precautions especially if travelling off the beaten track. Medical facilities are rather limited in all countries and it is essential to take out a good medical insurance policy before travelling in case evacuation is needed.

HOURS OF BUSINESS

Offices are usually open from Monday to Friday from 07:30 or 08:00 until 17:00 or 18:00 and often close for lunch between 11:30 and 13:00. Some offices also open Saturday morning. Shops open early and close any time between 18:00 and 22:00. Most shops are open 7 days a week.

LANGUAGE

Because Vietnamese has six different tones, it is a difficult language for most foreigners to speak despite the fact that the Roman alphabet is used in modern Vietnamese. The same word can have six different meanings depending on the tone used to pronounce it. In the cities and larger towns English is becoming popular and is now spoken by many younger people while some of the older generation still speak fluent French. Russian and Chinese are also spoken by some people.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

January 1: New Year's Day
January/February: Tet or Vietnamese New Year.  
April 30: Liberation of Saigon Day
May 1: International Labour Day
September 2: National Day 

Souvenirs to look out for in Vietnam include lacquerware, silk, conical hats, woodcarvings, hill tribe fabrics and handicrafts, embroidery, marble, ceramics, silver jewellery, antique watches and paintings. Saigon and Hanoi have the best choice when it comes to shopping but Hoi An in the centre of Vietnam is also a very good place to hunt for bargains.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Most hotels now have IDD phones in rooms and it is possible to send faxes from hotels and post offices although be warned these services are expensive in all four countries. Away from the major cities it may not always be possible to make international calls. Cyber cafes are becoming popular in the major cities in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos (but not Myanmar) and many travellers now prefer to keep in touch by e-mail. Post cards can be bought at all the main tourist sites and stamps are available from post offices and some hotel reception desks. It is not permitted to bring mobile phones into Myanmar. Even if they are not connectable in Myanmar to international network such as GSM, they’ll be confiscated upon arrival at Yangon International Airport and released only upon departure.

TIPPING

Tipping for good service is not expected but is always appreciated in these developing nations. It is customary, though not compulsory, to tip tour guides and drivers at the end of a tour. Hotel and station porters should also be tipped.

WATER

It is not advisable to drink tap water in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos or Myanmar but bottled mineral water is safe and available everywhere. Ice in drinks is generally OK in good standard hotels and restaurants but it is best to avoid it on street stalls or in country areas.

Air access

This is the most convenient way to enter Vietnam. Formalities at Vietnam’s international airports are generally smoother than at land borders, as volume of traffic is greater.

Network of Airports in Vietnam

• For both International and Domestic flights: Noi Bai (35km northwest of Hanoi), Tan Son Nhat (in Ho Chi Minh City), Danang (in Danang city).
• For Domestic flights only (North to South): Muong Thanh (in Dien Bien), Son La (in Son La), Cat Bi (in Hai Phong), Vinh (in Nghe An), Phu Bai (in Hue), Pleiku (in Pleiku), Buon Ma Thuot (in Buon Ma Thuot), Cam Ranh (in Nha Trang), Dalat (in Dalat), Can Tho (in Can Tho) and Phu Quoc (in Phu Quoc island).

For international flights

Cities having direct flights to Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airport includes: Bangkok, Beijing, Franfurt, Fukuoka, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Kuala Lumpur, Kunming, Manila, Melbourne, Moscow, Osaka, Paris, Phnom Penh, Pusan, Seoul, Siem Reap, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo, Vientiane.
If entering through Danang airport, you can only fly from Bangkok.

If there’s no direct flight to Vietnam, the best way is taking a flight to Bangkok or Hong Kong and gets a connecting flight on arrival. You can either stay there several days for leisure (recommended for shopping) before flight to Vietnam. As they are two greatest hubs of Southeast Asia (many flights daily), you can depart at flexible time and have significant savings on ticket prices.

Below are some major airliners flying to and from Vietnam which you can search for information and reservation:

Domestic routes

Domestic flights are operated by Pacific Airlines (airline code: BL - www.pacificairlines.com.vn) and Vietnam Airlines (mostly), the state-owned flag carrier with modern fleet of Airbuses and Boeings. They offer a lot of daily flights and give many options for air travel throughout the country. But due to the low infrastructure, flights are always overbooked and cannot be reserved overseas. Cancellation and late flight are common.

As they’re our only choices in Vietnam, you’d better have a travel agent to book and secure domestic flights and keep informed on its status. Check the domestic flights here  Vietnam Airlines Timetable 2006

Ticket reconfirmation

Depended on airliners’ policy, when you are in Vietnam, you should reconfirm the tickets 48 hours or 24 hours prior departure time to avoid any delay or cancellation or unsecured seat (automatically cancelled by system). Please check with ticket seller whether your tickets are required to do or not. Reconfirmation can be done at any their booking offices in Vietnam. Normally, your travel agent in Vietnam will do it as it takes a bit time.

Vietnam Airlines
Hanoi: 1 Quang Trung Str., Hanoi, tel: (84-4) 832-0320
Saigon: 116-118 Nguyen Hue Blvd., tel: (84-8) 829-2118
 
Pacific Airlines
Hanoi: 152 Le Duan Str., tel: (84-4) 518-1503
Saigon: 77 Le Thanh Ton Str., District 1, tel: (84-8) 823-1285