Air access

Vietnam has three international airports: Hanoi (Noi Bai), Danang (Danang) and Saigon (Tan Son Nhat). Noi Bai Airport is 34 km from the downtown of Hanoi whilst Danang Airport and Tan Son Nhat Airport are almost in the centre of the cities.
 

Cities with directs flight to Hanoi/Noi Bai Airport are Bangkok, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Moscow, Nanning, Paris, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo and Vientiane.
Airline Companies currently serving in Hanoi are Aeroflot, All Nippon Airway, Air France, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Japan Airlines, Korean Air,  Laos Aviation, Malaysian Airlines, Pacific Airlines,  Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways and Vietnam Airlines. 

LCCs ( low cost carriers ) have flights to Hanoi is Air Asia and Nok Air, mainly serve en route Bangkok - Hanoi - Bangkok.

Cities with directs flight to Saigon /Tan Son Nhat Airport are Bangkok, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Moscow, Melbourne, Osaka, Paris, Phnom Penh, Seoul, Siem Reap, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo, Vienna, Vientiane and Zurich.
Airline Companies currently serving in Saigon are Aeroflot, All Nippon Airway, Air France, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Southern Airlines, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Lauda Air, Laos Aviation, Lufthansa, German Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Pacific Airlines, Royal Khmer Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Swissair, Thai Airways, Qatar Airways, and of course Vietnam Airlines.

LCCs ( low cost carriers ) have flights to Ho Chi Minh city is Tiger Airways with route Singapore - Ho Chi Minh - Singapore and Jetstar Airway with route Sydney - Hochiminh - Sydney

Domestic flights are served by Pacific Airlines and Vietnam Airlines (mainly).  Pacific Airlines recently has convert from mainstream airlines to LCC.

[See price and timetable of domestic flights]
 

Vietnam Airlines
Hanoi:  1 Quang Trung St., Hanoi, tel: (84) 4-8320 320
Saigon: 116-118 Nguyen Hue Blvd., tel: (84) 8-8292 118
 

Pacific Airlines
Hanoi: 152 Le Duan St., tel: (84) 4-5181 503
Saigon: 77 Le Thanh Ton St., District 1, tel: (84) 8-8231 285  

Airport tax: US$ 14 (international flight) and US$ 1.5 (domestic fight) for every passenger on every departure.

Overland
You can also get into Vietnam by land from China, Laos and Cambodia but the Visa must be indicated clearly by Vietnamese Embassies with one or two of the below Entry Points. Tourists can pass the border at the following Entry Points

From China:

Huu Nghi in Lang Son province, Northeast Vietnam - connect Guangzhi province, China.

Mong Cai in Quang Ninh province - Northeast Vietnam - connect Guangzhi province, China

Lao Cai in Lao Cai province - Northwest Vietnam - connect Yunnan province, China

From Laos:

• Tay Trang Border Gate in Dien Bien Province - Northeast Vietnam - connect to Phongsaly province, Laos.:

• Na Meo Border Gate in Thanh Hoa Province - north Centre of Vietnam - connect to Samnua province, Laos.

• Nam Can Border Gate in Nghe An Province - north Centre of Vietnam - connect to Xieng Khoang province Lao

•  Keo Nua ( Cau Treo ) Border Gate in Ha Tinh Province - north Centre of Vietnam

• Lao Bao Border Gate in Quang Tri Province - north Centre of Vietnam - connect to Savannakhet province Laos.

• Cha Lo Border Gate in Quang Binh Province - north Centre of Vietnam

• Po Y Border Gate in Kon Tum Province - Central highland of Vietnam - connect to Attapeu province, Laos.

From Cambodia:

• Le Thanh Border Gate in Gia Lai Province - Central highland of Vietnam - connect (Ratanakiri, Cambodia):

• Moc Bai Border Gate in Tay Ninh Province - South Vietnam

• Sa Mat Border Gate in Tay Ninh Province - South Vietnam

• Dinh Ba Border Gate in Dong Thap Province - South Vietnam - Mekong delta - connect Prey Veng, Cambodia.

• Tinh Bien Border Gate in An Giang Province - South Vietnam - Mekong delta

• Xa Xia Border Gate in Kien Giang Province - South Vietnam - Mekong delta -  connects Kampot province Cambodia

Entry formalities
Entry visas are obtainable at Vietnamese diplomatic missions and required for all visitors with valid passports irrespective of nationality. Please allow 3-7 days for processing. Travel permits are only required for trips to off-limit areas such as border provinces, military bases and remote islands.

Bilateral visa exemption agreement

• Citizens of Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Laos holding valid ordinary passports are exempt from visa requirements and are allowed to stay for not more than 30 days.

• French citizens holding valid diplomatic passports are exempt from visa requirements when visiting Vietnam and are allowed to stay for up 3 months at one time or on several visits within six months since their first immigration dates. Vietnamese citizens holding valid diplomatic passports also enjoy similar privileges.

• Citizens of Chile and Vietnam holding valid diplomatic or official passports from one of the two countries are exempt from needing entry, exit and transit visas in the other's territory and are allowed to stay for up 60 days on each visit.

Unilateral visa exemption agreement

• Visa with 30-day validity is exempted for officials from ASEAN secretariat holding different kinds of passports.

• Citizens of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Japan and South Korea holding different kinds of passports are exempt from visa requirements and are allowed to stay for not more than 15 days.

In case visa approval is arranged by Threeland Travel, we would like to offer you two ways to obtain visa: through Embassies & General Consulates of Vietnam  or on arrival

IMPORTANT: Please take a note that visa on arrival in Vietnam means visa stamped on arrival. Guests must get visa approval by Vietnam Immigration office in advance. Being misunderstood, many tourists must spend at least 1-2 day at entry gates to arrange the visa.

Customs regulations
Arriving in Vietnam, all visitors must fill in Declaration Forms and show their luggage to Customs Officials upon request. There are no limited amounts of foreign currency, objects made of gold, silver, precious metals and gemstones or plated with silver or gold but visitors must declare these in detail on the customs forms.

ENTRY: Tourists are authorized to bring in the following items duty-free: Cigarettes: 400 pieces; Cigars: 50-100; Tobacco: 500 gram; Liquor: 1.5l.

Personal effects of a reasonable quantity. Small gift items valued at not more than US$ 500.

Note: There is no limit to the amounts of cash, precious metals and gems people can bring in, but amounts of over US$ 7,000 must be declared.

It is prohibited for any visitor to bring into Vietnam the followings:

* Weapons, explosives and inflammable objects.
* Opium and other narcotics.
* Cultural materials unsuitable to Vietnamese society.

EXIT: Goods of commercial nature and articles of high value require export permits issued by the Customs Office. Antiques, some precious stones and animals listed in Vietnam's red-book may not be brought out of the country.

Climate

See VIETNAM in BRIEF

Health equipment
No actual vaccinations are officially required. Malaria prophylaxis is no longer recommended but visitors are advised to check with their doctors or travel immunization clinics regarding the advisability of inoculation against typhoid, tetanus, hepatitis A & B.