Vietnam general

Population: 95 million

Capital City: Hanoi

People: 54 ethnic minorities

Language: Vietnamese

Currency: Vietnam Dong (VND)

Time Zone: GMT +7 Hours

International Dialing Code: +84

Lying on the eastern part of the Indochinese peninsula, Vietnam is a strip of land shaped like the letter “S” which borders China to the north, and Laos and Cambodia to the west. Its natural borders include the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest, and the South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin off her eastern shores. The country’s total length from north to south is 1,650km. Its width, stretching from east to west, is 600km at the widest point in the north, 400km in the south, and 50km at the narrowest part, in the center, in Quang Binh Province. The coastline is 3,260km long and the inland border is 4,510km. Vietnam is also a transport junction from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

I. PASSPORT

Passports should be valid for six months from the date of entry into Vietnam. We recommend you make a photocopy of your passport and keep it somewhere separate or scan it and keep it in an accessible email account.

PLEASE MAKE SURE NONE OF THE PAGES IN YOUR PASSPORT ARE TORN OFF OR MISSING AS YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE COUNTRY

II. VISA

Visitors must have a visa before entering Vietnam, and a visa on arrival can only be obtained with a letter of approval. A visa on arrival is granted to many nationalities for stays of 30 days or more. VAC Travel can arrange this for you. Otherwise, you must apply online or at the embassy for all 30-90-day single or multiple entry visas.

Some nationalities are eligible for visa exemption. Please click at https://www.vietnam-immigration.org.vn to see if you are exempted from a visa to Vietnam.

If you are not close to a Vietnamese Embassy to personally apply for your visa, please share with us and we will support you in getting the arrival visa at the international airport in Vietnam or you could get an E-visa online easily here at Vietnam evisa - National portal on Immigration.

WHAT WE NEED DOCUMENT FROM YOU.

- Send us your copied passport

- Send us your copied international Flights itinerary

After receiving your information above we will process the visa application. In 2-3 working days, we will send you our visa clearance letter by email. You will print out the letter and put it inside the passport to make sure you have the visa on arrival letter with you.

On the arrival date, you will show the visa on arrival letter and passport with 02 photos (4x6) and get your travel visa.

note. the stamped fee at the airport is 25 USD/per adult - You will pay directly at the airport.

- A visa on arrival may result in waiting in long lines to get your visa before you can move to the regular line to process your entry.

Contact us for the FASTRACK no LINE visa service at contact@vactravel.com to get the details to cost.

VISA Services.

– Business visas (multiple-entry visas) are available for 3- 6 months at a time.

– Rush visas can be processed within 12-24 hours within the working days prior to entering Vietnam.

III. PHONE & INTERNET SERVICES

The Vietnamese postal service is reliable and there are also courier services widely available. Do not put postcards into letterboxes. Please give them to your hotel to post or go to a post office.

Telephone connections to the rest of the world are widely available, however, they aren’t cheap. A Vietnamese SIM card is a less expensive way of calling other countries. However, your phone will need to be unlocked in order for it to work. 200,000VND ($10) worth of phone credit can last for up to 25 minutes to the US.

Internet access is available in all major hotels and Wi-Fi can be found in most cafes in developed areas.

IV. TRANSPORTATION

Vietnam is very advantageous for public Transportation, you could use The train system (from North to South) with sleeping cabin service, Grap car services are available, And private transportation for hire is very good - make sure you hire the private driver and car with the realiable travel company.

Crossing street in Vietnam is a big challenge, here is the tips.

At first, glance, crossing the road in Vietnam may seem impossible. Newcomers can spend a considerable amount of time trying to find a gap in the stream of motorcycles, only to be led across the road by a sympathetic local. After a bit of practice, most travelers realize it is much easier than it looks. There is a rhythm to Vietnamese traffic that, with a predictable stride and a bit of bravery, will flow around you like water as you cross to the other side unscathed.

V. TAXI

Taxis can be easily found in Vietnam’s major cities and are a popular means of transportation for visitors. The most reputable companies include Thanh Cong and Taxi Group in the north, and Vina Sun, Mai Linh in the south.

Motorbike taxis, or “xe oms” are not recommended for tourists. Pricing is unregulated and commutes are often dangerous. This mode of transport is not recommended by VAC Travel and there is no travel insurance policies with this option.

VI. WEATHER.

Vietnam lies in the Southeast Asia inter-tropical monsoon zone. There are neither good nor bad seasons to visit. When one region is wet, it is sunny and warm somewhere else. The average temperature ranges from 20°C/68°F to 32°C/90°F. The hottest seasons are March and April in the south (Ho Chi Minh City), and June and July in the north (Hanoi). The rainy season is from May to October in the south. The Central Highlands enjoys a milder climate year-round. Vietnam is a long and narrow country in a tropical region, and the climate can be different between Northern, Central, and Southern regions. Therefore, don’t expect the same weather while traveling in the country. You may have warm, beautiful weather in the South, but it can be cold in the Northern border regions, so please pack properly before traveling to Vietnam. 

VII. CLOTHING & MISCELLANEOUS

Know where you are traveling and the weather you should expect. Traveling to a tropical area you will expect to see mosquitoes, so bring some long-sleeved shirts and long pants for evenings.

Traveling to Asia it is frowned upon to wear shorts that are 6 in. above the knee, especially when visiting temples or places of worship. Wearing a dress is fine if you plan to dress lightly.

VIII. HOLIDAYS

There are many holidays in Vietnam, almost one for every occasion. Western holidays are celebrated in Vietnam but not as official national holidays.

TET: The Lunar New Year

The celebration of the Lunar New Year falls between January and February on the Western calendar and changeable date year after year.

Officially three days long, but Vietnamese will spend for weeks. It is a time for the spirits of ancestor's homes and makes temple pilgrimages. TET holiday is also a time for Family reunion to eat, drink, and cheer for the best of luck of the upcoming year.

We suggest you visit Vietnam before or after TET a week. Because of the actual date of the TET celebration, most stores and shops are closed and food prices are much higher than usual, and there are fewer choices of services.

IX. FOOD

Vietnamese cuisine is known for its fresh ingredients and healthy.

The national dish is pho, or noodle soup, spring rolls which is very popular on any menu at any restaurant, even small stores on the street.

X. HEALTH

Travelers are advised to be up-to-date on tetanus, typhoid, and polio immunizations. Bottled water is available throughout the country. Always keep hydrated as you are traveling in a warm humid region where you can lose fluids quickly from perspiration. There are still some issues regarding sanitation and tropical diseases, such as dengue fever in some periods of the year, but Vietnam is less susceptible to malaria due to the local government’s constant educational awareness of malaria prevention. Tap water is not potable anywhere but it’s safe for brushing teeth. Bottled water is abundant and can be purchased anywhere in the country (foreign and local brands). Avoid eating raw (uncooked) vegetables for the first 2 days until your body adjusts to local cuisine. In sit-down restaurants in larger cities like Hanoi and Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), food preparation is to world standards.

XI. SHOPPING

Vietnam is a shopper’s paradise. Here are a few tips before making purchases: Wood products are better purchased in the south, ceramics in the north. Fine handicrafts, embroidered articles, rattan and bamboo products, lacquerware, and marble carvings of high quality can also be found. Silk in Vietnam is of some of the highest quality in the world. Women and men can have clothing custom-tailored in a day or two. Jewelry can also be made to customer specifications. Precious stones should only be bought from the government jewelry company (SJC) as they have certification of origination, which you will need when you leave Vietnam and reenter your home country. Please let us know if you would like recommendations. If fine jewelry is too cheap to be true, then it’s too cheap to be true!

Negotiation is part of the culture in Asia, mostly in the markets or small shops (start at 20-30% below).   It can be fun to negotiate on items without a price tag. In the end, it comes down to what the seller is willing to sell and what the buyer is willing to pay, so don’t stress over good deals or bad deals.  But do be aware that precious stones should be purchased from a government-certified shop with the certification of authentication. 

XII. TRAVEL INSURANCE

Emergency Travel and health insurance are not included in our tour package. This is an important requirement when you travel with us for your safety and peace of mind in the unexpected event that you need urgent international standard care. You should buy travel insurance in your country as it will be more convenient for you to deal with any claims and adjustments upon your return home. AIG, Allianz, or John Hancock has good travel coverage and responds very quickly to emergencies. We do not endorse anyone travel insurance company but suggest you consider www.travelguard.com, as past clients of ours have had good experiences with them in times of need. Also, check with your insurance provider to see if they cover:

1. emergency evacuation during your travels, and
2. emergency airlift to an international hospital or provide professional medical care to transport you home. The cost alone for airlifting a person's home can cost up to the 100’s of thousands of USD. Travel more safely with fewer worries.

XIII. TIPPING

Tipping is always a sensitive matter for visitors to a country with different cultural expectations than the country you are from. You don’t want to over tip, but at the same time not under the tip. Some countries don’t accept tips. Our philosophy for tipping in Vietnam is, if someone had done a good job it’s always nice to acknowledge their service. Our friendly suggestions: Tipping 2 USD (50,000 VND) for hotel porters are welcomed. Tipping Guides (2 travelers): 15-20 USD/day; (4-6 travelers): 30-50 USD/day. Drivers (2 travelers): 10-15 USD/day; (4-6 travelers) 20 USD/day. Tipping is not expected but appreciated. Tip only if they’ve done a good job, and tip as you feel at the end of their service. Tipping in restaurants is not expected either but if the waiter provided good service, then you can leave a tip in the local currency of about 2 USD (50,000 VND).