What to take with you
There are a
few things you should not travel without:
* A map,
certainly
* Photocopies of your passport and visa.
* Cash in US$ 20’s and $ 100’s.
* A folding umbrella if you plan to visit during the rainy
season. The wettest months are July and August.
* Zip lock bags. They are cheap, disposable, and keep all kinds
of things fresh and dry.
* Hotel cards: You should keep your hotel cards or brochures to
show people to get guidance in case of missing way back home.
* Business Cards. You will discover that practically everyone in
Vietnam has a calling card of some kinds. The proper way to
offer your card is to hold it by the corners with both hands.
What to wear
Appropriate
dress differs from North to South. Southern Vietnam is tropical
year round and people dress comfortably and casually.
Lightweight cotton and wool fabrics will be comfortable at any
time of year. While they may resist wrinkles, synthetics and are
blends miserably hot. Generally, short pants are inappropriate
anywhere but a beach resort or a farm and you will look like a
foolish tourist on the streets of most cities. Jeans are almost
always fashionable except for business occasions.
Winter (November through April)
can be cool in Hanoi, and a coat may be necessary. Dress here is
a bit more formal and somber than the fashionable South. If
traveling on business, jackets and ties are usually appropriate,
regardless of the weather. Saigon’s business community
is very image oriented. It’s alright to ask your business
partners here what kind of attire is appropriate and expected.
Remember that Vietnam
is a tropical country. Most of the year it is warm and humid. If
you are not used to tropical weather, be prepared to shower and
change your clothes two or three times a day. During rainy
season in Saigon the rain is often short (20-30
minutes) and some times quite sudden. Practically every hotel in
Vietnam has laundry service, which is usually quite inexpensive.
Currency
The currency
of Vietnam is "Dong" (abbreviated "d" or VND). Bank
coins are 200d, 500d, 1000d, 5000d. Bank notes are
1,000d; 2,000d; 5,000d; 10,000d; 20,000d; 50,000d, 100,000d,
200,000d and 500,000d. Unlike most of Vietnam's neighbouring countries, the
US Dollar is widely accepted. At this the official rate of
exchange is approximately VND 16,000 to USD 01.
Credit Cards
and Travellers' Cheques are accepted at most of hotels,
restaurants and souvenir shops but in major cities only.
Visitors are recommended to carry US Dollar in small notes.
Travelers can change their money for Vietnamese Dong (VND) at
banks, hotels and jewelry shops throughout the country.
Security
In big cities,
do not bring along anything valuable as you go shopping or
sightseeing on the street.
It is dispensable to give aims to beggars and to buy souvenirs
from street vendors.
Foreign currencies should be exchanged at banks, or authorized
exchange bureaus. Never exchange money on street.
Languages
Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam but there are
various dialects spoken by hill tribe people in remote areas.
Learning foreign languages, particularly English and
French, is currently in vogue among young people in Hanoi,
Saigon, Hue, Da
Nang and other cities. Guides and interpreters speaking English,
French, Japanese, German, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Russian
etc. are available from us.
[See also: Tour guide]
Drinking
Bottled water
and mineral water are obtainable at any shops in most cities. It
is advisable to drink boiled water and not to drink ice and tap
water. The most reliable local brand is LA VIE (Don’t confuse
them with the imitations such as La Ville or La Vierge).
Aquafina of Pepsi and real
Evian also available at many shops.
Film and developing
Fresh negative
film is widely available. Popular brands are Kodak, Fuji, Agfa
and Konica. Memory cards for digital camera could be found
easily, but be careful with its quality. Image printing from
both negative film or digital file are obtainable
in cities and towns. The tourists say that the negative film is cheaper than abroad.
One-hour service photo shops have become ubiquitous in places
where tourists abound. Positive film can be developed only in
Saigon and Hanoi. Most reliable and centered-located Film developing shops are
19 Nguyen Cau – Ba Trieu St. and Photocen – 77 Ly Thuong Kiet in
Hanoi and Shops on Nguyen Hue Blvd., District 1 in Saigon.
Shopping
The following items are quite unique and have good quality:
* Carved
wooden furniture, fine lacquerware (these can be shipped home
upon request).
* Traditional Vietnamese hand-made silk, linen and cotton
dresses, kimonos, embroideries, etc.
* Simulated antiques, ceramics, old watches or Zippo lighters,
etc.
* Copies of famous paintings.
Others
Taxi:
Taxis with meters are available in big cities. The current price
is about US$ 0.5 per kilometre. Most metered taxi drivers can
speak a little English.
Business hours:
(GMT + 7)
* Offices:
07:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 01:00 p.m. to 04:30 p.m., closed on
Saturday and Sundays
* Banks: 08:00 a.m to 03:00 p.m, closed on Friday afternoons,
Saturday and Sunday.
Electrical
current:
110-220 volts A.C.
Telephone:
Long distance calls should be made at post offices, hotels or
telephone booths (phone cards are available at post offices).
Normally, hotels will get 15-20% service charge of the bill.
Internet phone is an alternative choice and much cheaper, with
around 0,1USD/minute to Europe or America
Internet: Internet cafes
with ADSL can be found easily in Vietnam. Cost for an hour is
around 0,5US$.
Tip:
Tipping is not obligatory in Vietnam,
however,
if you meet with exceptional services or kindness, a tip is
always appreciated.
A tip for good
service might be about 5% of the bill.
Bargaining: Bargaining is a
way of life in much of South East Asia. In Vietnam shops don't
have fixed prices so the shop keeper will start with a high
price which you are then expected to bargain down until you
reach a fair price. Bargaining should always be relaxed and can
be a lot of fun but you should remember that it is considered
disrespectful to agree a price but then walk away.
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