AIRPORT TAX Airport departure tax for international flights currentlyis:
US$ 14 from Hanoi
US$ 8 from Danang
US$ 12 from Ho Chi Minh Cityuntil April 13, 2006
US$ 14 from Ho Chi Minh Cityeffective April 14, 2006
The departure airport tax may be paid in local currency or in US Dollars.
Airport departure tax for domestic flights isincluded in the airfare.
CLIMATE Vietnam sharesborders with Cambodia, Laos and China,and features 3,200 km of coastline bordering the Eastern Sea.With an area of 332,000 square km, Vietnam's topography varies fromcoastal plains to mountain ranges.
Vietnam stretchesover 1,800 km from north to south; therefore weather patterns in the principlecities are very different.
North: Winter lasts from November to April, withtemperatures averaging 10 - 16C, fog and drizzle in January - March.
Summer begins in May and lasts until October, with an averagetemperature of 30C, heavy rainfall and the occasional violent typhoon.
Center: Central Vietnamexperiences a transitional climate, with heavy rainfalls between November andDecember and dry, hot summer months.
South: Temperatures are fairly constant through theyear; 25C - 30C. Seasons are determined by the rains - the dry season runs fromNovember to April and the wet season from May to October. The hottest period isMarch and April. Typhoons are quite common in coastal areas between July andNovember.
Highland areas: In thehill resorts of Dalat (1,500 m), Buon Me Thuot and Sapa, nights are coolthroughout the year, and in the winter months, October to March, it can bedistinctly chilly with temperatures falling to 0C. Even in the hottest monthsof March and April the temperature rarely exceeds 26C.
CUSTOMS AND FORMALITIES Top All visitors to Vietnammust fill in declaration forms and show their luggage to customs officials onrequest. Visitors can bring with them unlimited amounts of foreign currency,objects made of gold, silver, precious metals and gemstones or plated withsilver or gold, all of which must be declared in detail on the customs forms.Commercial Video films and printed materials that are considered offensive arenormally confiscated and sent to Ministry of Culture for inspection. Goods prohibited to import: weapons, ammunition,explosives, military technical equipment, drugs, toxic chemicals, debauched andreactionary products, firecrackers of all kinds, toys with negative impacts onthe dignity education, social security and safety, cigarettes beyond thestipulated quantity, etc. Goods prohibited to export: weapons,ammunition, explosives, military technical equipment, antiques, drugs, toxicchemicals, wild animals, rare and precious animals and plants, documentsrelated to the national security,etc. CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE The local currency is the Dong (abbreviated "d" or VND). Banknotes are 500d, 1000d, 2,000d, 5,000d, 10,000d, 20,000d, 50,000d, 100,000d& 500,000d. Coins include 200d, 500d, 1000d, 2000d & 5000d. Theexchange rate (as of July 2008) is approximately Dong 16.850 to one US. Dollar. Money and travelers cheques, particularly U.S. Dollars, can be exchangedat banks, hotels and authorized money- exchangers. It is advisable to carryU.S. Dollar bills in small denominations. Credit cards are generally only accepted in major hotels, and in someup-market shops and restaurants in major cities. ATM facilities are readily available now in major cities.
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS Top If flights are required in your itinerary they are in coach class,unless specified otherwise. Flight timings quoted are local and are subject tochange. Domestic flights require a check-in, 1-hour prior to the flightdeparture. Carry on luggage is limited to one piece plus a camera. All “carry-on” hand luggage must have luggage tags which are provided bythe airlines when passengers check in at airports for their flights. Securityregulations at airports are strict. Passengers are required to identify theirchecked luggage after they have passed through security check points in theairport. This identification process is done before boarding your flight.Appropriate announcements may or may not be made for this procedure. In economy class air travel baggage allowance is 20kg per person. Excess baggage may be subject to overweight charges by the airline. We cannotbe held responsible for the loss or damage to passenger’s belongings. Domesticflights are prone to last minute schedule changes and cancellation without ANYadvance notice.
FOOD Vietnam hasabundant food supplies and an elaborate cuisine. Cooking is seen as an art andsome Vietnamese dishes have achieved international fame, including suchtraditional dishes as noodle soup (pho), pork sausage (gio lua), spring rolls(nem ran), and fish balls (cha ca). In addition to Vietnamese food, the largerhotels also serve a wide variety of Continental and Chinese cuisine. In thesmaller cities, when the hotels only have one restaurant, ordering a-la-cartemay involve a slight wait, consequently it is advised that you take advantageof the large and diverse buffets available at these hotels to minimize anydelay. Never drink water from the hotel tap, no matter what category of hotelyou are staying in. Bottled mineral water is available at all hotels throughoutVietnam. Do not have any ice in your drinks as this is often made from water that hasnot been purified.
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS Top No actual vaccinations are officially required. Visitors are advised tocheck with their doctor or travel immunization clinic regarding theadvisability of inoculation against typhoid, tetanus, hepatitis A & B andMalaria. Those visitors taking medicine for certain conditions such as diabetesor heart problems should make sure that they carry these medications in theirhand luggage at all times in case the main luggage should be delayed. It is recommended that all travellers take out comprehensive PersonalTravel Insurance to cover personal belongings, in case of accident or illnessetc.
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS Vietnam has threeInternational Airports :Hanoi/ Noi Bai, Ho Chi Minh City / Tan Son Nhat andDanang / DanangAirport. Cities with directs flight to Hanoi / Noi Bai Airport areBangkok, Beijing, Frankfurt Guang Zhou, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Kunming,Moscow, Paris, Siem Reap, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, Vientiane and Seoul. Airlines currently serving Hanoi : Aeroflot (SU), Air France(AF), All Nippon Airways (NH), Asiana Airlines (OZ), Cathay Pacific Airways(CX), China Airlines (CI), China Southern Airlines (CZ), Eva Air (BR), JapanAirlines (JL), Korean Air (KE), Malaysia Airlines (MH), Lao Airlines (QV),Singapore Airlines (SQ), Thai Airways (TG), Tiger Airways (TR), Uni Air (B7),Vietnam Airlines (VN). Cities with directs flight to Ho Chi Minh City / Tan Son Nhat Airport areBandar Seri Begawan (Brumai), Bangkok, Frankfurt, Fukuoka, Guang Zhou, HongKong, Kaohsiung, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Melbourne, Moscow, Osaka, Paris, PhnomPenh, San Francisco, Seoul, Siem Reap, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo, andVientiane. Airlines currently serving Ho Chi Minh City: Aeroflot(SU), Air France (AF), All Nippon Airways (NH), Asiana Airlines (OZ), CathayPacific Airways (CX), China Airlines (CI), China Southern Airlines (CZ), EvaAir (BR), Japan Airlines (JP), Korean Air (KE), Lufthansa German Airlines (LH),Malaysia Airlines (MH), Pacific Airlines (BL), Philippine Airlines (PR),Singapore Airlines (SQ), Shanghai Airlines (FM), Thai Airways (TG), TigerAirways (TR), Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA),United Airlines (UA), VietnamAirlines (VN). Cities with directs flight to Danang/ DanangAirport are Bangkok, Singapore. Airlines currently serving Danang: PB Air (PB); Silk Air(MI).
INTERNET Top Vietnam joinedthe global computer age and internet-service providers are currently operatingin most of the Cities. You can access the internet through hotels, Cyber Cafés& Internet/Computer Service Centers. Following are internet addresses withrelevant information on Vietnam: VietnamDevelopment Gateway | http://www.vietnamgateway.org/ | Ministry of Foreign Affairs | http://www.mofa.gov.vn/en | Vietnam News | http://vietnamnews.com.vn/ | VietnamNational Administration of Tourism | http://www.vietnamtourism.com/ | VietnamAirlines | http://www.vietnamairlines.com/ |
LANGUAGE Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam. Learning foreignlanguages, particularly English, is currently popular among young people in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Danang and othercities. Tourist guides are available for English, French, German, Spanish,Italian, Chinese, Japanese and Russian speakers.
LOCAL TIME & WORKING HOURS Local time is GMT + 7 hours.
Governmental agencies work Monday to Friday from 7:30 hrs to 16:30 hrs (excluding one-hour lunch) and are closedSaturday and Sunday.
Banks are open Monday to Friday from 7:30 hrs or 8:00to 11.30 hrs and from 13:00hrs to 16:00 hrs and areclosed Saturday and Sunday.
Private shops are open from 8:00or 8:30 hrs to 21:00 or 11:00 hrs.
OVERLAND TRAVEL Top The road system in Vietnamis reasonable in the main urban cities. The drives through the countryside canbe a wonderful sightseeing experience. However, it must be noted that the roadsare narrow and some may be poorly paved when outside the main cities, and as aconsequence the drives can be rough and difficult at times. The journey timings described in your itinerary are based on the usualamount of time a particular journey will take. However, please appreciatethat not all roads can be checked for their condition throughout the year. Most cars used are manufactured locally by Toyota, Honda and Ford and are for the mostpart comfortable and ideally suited to local roads. Smoking is not permitted inany vehicle, under any conditions. There is ample opportunity to smoke duringphotographic, luncheon and sightseeing stops. If you decide to leave the hotel and go out on your own, there arevarious means of transport that you may like to take such as taxis or “cyclos”.If taking a taxi or “cyclo”, insist on the meter being switched on before youbegin your journey. Due to an effort to stop pollution, most “cyclos” arepedaled as opposed to motor. It is suggested that you carry the name of yourdestination or hotel written in local language in the event your driver doesnot understand English. The staff at your hotel can assist you in thisregard. Border crossing into Vietnamis possible from China, Laos and Cambodia. Tourists can pass bordersat the following checkpoints :
 Vietnam side /Chinaside
Huu Nghi (Lang Son province)/ Pinxiang (Guangxi province)
Lao Cai (Lao Cai province)/ Hekou (Yunnan province)
Mong Cai(Quang Ninh province) / Dongxin (Guangxi province)
From Laos :Vietnamside / Laosside
Tay Trang ( west of Dien Bien Phu valley / Muang Mai - PhongsalyProvince
Na Meo ( Thanh Hoa province ) / Nam Sooy - HuaphanhProvince
Nam Can ( Nghe An province ) / NamKhan - XiengKhouangProvince
Cau Treo ( Ha Tinh province ) / Nam Pao - BolikhamxayProvince
Cha Lo ( Quang Binh province ) / Naphao / KhammouaneProvince
Lao Bao ( Quang Tri province ) / Lao Bao - SavannakhetProvince
From Cambodia :Vietnamside / Cambodiaside
Moc Bai (Tay Ninh province)/ Bavet (Svay Reang province)
Tinh Bien (An Giang province) / Phnom Den (Takeo province)
Xa Mat (Tay Ninh province) /Trapeang Plong (Kampong Cham province)
Vinh Xuong - by Boat (ChauDoc province) / Kaom Samnoar (Kandal province)
PASSPORT AND VISAS Top Travellers to Vietnamare required to hold a passport valid for at least six (06) months beyond thecompletion of their visit and must contain a valid visa. If tourist visas areto be obtained via Inserimex Travel, the following personal datamust be supplied to us at least 2 (two) weeks before travel to Vietnam:
full nameas per passport
passport number, date of issue and expiry date
date and place of birth
occupation and nationality Visas are usually issued by the Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok or in the passengers’ home country(against the visa’s approval number), which require the original passport, and2 photos and for 2 (two) full working days in order to issue a visa stamp. Visas can also be obtained upon arrival at Hanoi,Ho Chi Minh Cityand Danang airports, in which case the stamping fee will be quoted separately.Apart from required details above we further need arrival/departure date andflight information. Inserimex Travelwill send aconfirmation letter to show to airport staff at the departing airport,confirming that clients will get the visa on arrival. Visas can only berequested via Inserimex Travelin connection with the booking of travelarrangements to Vietnam. Visa exemption :
Not more than 30 days: forcitizens of Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Not more than 15 days: forcitizens of Denmark, Finland, Japan,Norway, South Korea and Sweden.
Hotels might reserve the right to keep travel documents overnight at thereception for registration purpose.
POST AND COMMUNICATIONS Top A regular international post service is available. In addition ExpressMail Service (EMS) is available to more than 50 countries worldwide with adelivery time of 2 to 10 days. Vietnam has highinternational telephone charges. It is important to check the exact amount withthe hotel before making a call, as hotel surcharges are often imposed. VOIP calls which help reduce call charges (for most of Internationalcalls from any destination within Vietnam and for domestic callsbetween the main cities of the country) are now available as well pre-paidinternet & mobile card can be bought in the major cities.
SHOPPING Foreign visitors to Vietnamhave the opportunity to buy souvenirs made of rattan, gold, silver and stone.There is a diverse range of products, from woodenwares such as wooden buttonsor sindora beds to lacquer paintings, bowls and chopsticks, bamboo screens and stone tea sets. Woven tapestries, “tho cam” handbags and other handicrafts are produced by the traditionalskills of the women of ethnic minorities in such rural regions in the north as Sapa,Mai Chau and Dien Bien.
SOME FACTS ON VIETNAM Vietnam,officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, covers an area of 332,000 squarekilometers. It shares common borders with China,Laos, and Cambodia. With a population of morethan 80 million, it is the most densely populated country in SoutheastAsia. The vast majority of the population is Vietnamese. Otherethnic groups include Chinese, Muong, Thai, Meo, Khmer, Man and Cham. Vietnam'stopography varies from low, flat delta in the south and north to hilly,mountainous terrain in the central, far north and northwest. Three-quarters of Vietnamis hilly or mountainous. Hanoi is the capital,and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)is the largest city in the country. Vietnam, once aforbidden country for tourists, now attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors(with numbers increasing) every year. Rich culture, strong tradition, and apatriotic people characterize this fascinating country. This exotic destinationoffers such wonders as magical islands set in pristine waters as well as historicand cultural sites like temples, pagodas and churches. Traveling to Vietnamwill be an unforgettable experience and will leave visitors deeply impressed.
TIPPING Tipping is widely practiced and expected | Porters : | USD 0.5-1.0 per bag | | Waiters in restaurants: | 5-10% of total bill | | Taxi drivers : | 10% of total bill | | Tour guides : | USD 10- 25 per guide per day | | Drivers : | USD 7-15 per driver/per day |
All of the above information is accurate at the time of publication |
