Truemors
Business Hours
Government offices and museums open early, around 8am, and
close between 4pm and 5pm. Avoid doing business from 11.30am to 2pm, when
people are either at lunch or napping.
Currency
The currency in Vietnam is Dong (VND), which
currently trades at about 16,000 VND to 1 USD. US dollars remain widely
accepted at hotels, but you should have local currency for use in taxis and
shops.
Hotels &
Accommodation
There is a wide range of accommodation available in Vietnam’s major
cities. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city feature a choice of five-star
hotels, while guesthouses and mini-hotels offer no-frills rooms for around $10.
Safety
While Vietnam
is one of the safest countries in Asia, you
should take care with your own possessions. Secure your valuables, documents,
and credit card in safe. Beware of pockets, purse-snatchers, and mobile
thieves, especially in HCMC. If you choose to drive a motorbike or ride a bicycle,
always wear helmet.
Visas
Tourist visas are generally valid for 30 days. You should
wish to extend your visa, go to the immigration office at 40 Hang Bai Street, Hanoi.
Things you should
know
The most important thing is to make sure your Vietnam visa is
stamped with the correct dates and the correct entry and exit points. The
standard Vietnam
tourist visa is valid for a period of up to 30 days. If you’re going for less
than 30 days you can either specify the exact dates, but it is probably best to
ask for the maximum period to give yourself more flexibility. Processing
normally takes between a week and ten days (some embassies offer an express
service for an extra fee), but longer for overseas Vietnamese. To be on the
safe side, allow several weeks as mistakes are common and inexplicable delays
often occur.
When applying for a Vietnam
visa, in general you have to fill in two application forms and provide two
passport photos. One of these forms, with photo attached, will be returned to
you with your visa. For some odd reason many people throw this form away.
Don’t, because you’ll be asked to hand it in at immigration on arrival. If you
don't have it with you, blank copies are available at immigration. If you’ve
got a spare photo, all well and good. If not, you’ll have to engage the
services of a handy airport photographer for the princely sum of $2-5.
If you need to extend your stay for any reason, it is relatively easy to apply
for a visa renewal at present. Again this is handled by tour agents. The first
renewal costs around $25-30 (including a handling fee) and takes three working
days to process (please note that government offices are only open Monday to
Friday). The maximum period you can ask for is 30 days and it costs the same
whether you ask for 1 day or 30 days. A second 10-day extension is possible at
a cost of around $35-40. For this second extension you will be asked to show an
air ticket dated after the expiry of your visa.
Visas for those entering or exiting other than the airport
The standard entry and exit point is “Noi Bai/Tan Son Nhat”, ie. you can enter
and depart via either Hanoi
or HCMC airports. If you plan to enter via one of the land border crossings,
then you should specify the name of the crossing when you apply for your visa.
Check what you eventually get because some Vietnamese embassies seem reluctant
to issue anything other than the standard entry/exit points. If you can’t
persuade the embassy to give you the entry point you need, you could try getting
it changed in the neighboring country. If that fails and you turn up at the
border with the wrong entry point, you’ll either get sent back, or - more
likely - asked to pay a “fine” of maybe $40-50.
The same applies for exit points, though this is less of a problem as it’s
fairly easily to get them changed in Hanoi
or HCMC. Most registered travel agents, including the popular “travellers’
cafés”, can handle this for you - you can't go to the immigration police in
person. Rates vary (US$15-25), so shop around. It should take three or four
days to process.
Are there any other entry formalities?
On the plane you’ll be given an Arrival/Departure Card and a Baggage
Declaration form.
Hand in the completed Arrival/Departure Card with your passport and duplicate
visa application form at immigration in Vietnam. The Departure Card will be
returned to you. Keep this safely. You usually have to show it when checking
into hotels and will be asked for it in when you finally leave Vietnam.
You should list all valuable items on the Baggage Declaration form, such as
video cameras, portable computers and expensive jewellery. The duty-free
allowance is 200 cigarettes, 2 litres of alcohol plus perfume and jewellery for
personal use. You can take up to US $7000 into Vietnam in cash or travellers’
cheques; anything in excess of this sum has to be declared.
Hand the completed Baggage Declaration form to the customs official checking
your baggage, who will give you the yellow duplicate - again, keep this
carefully as it is required on final departure. (NB. You have to show your
baggage check when reclaiming your luggage at the airport on arrival; the stub
should be attached to either your airline ticket or boarding pass.)
Finally, it’s a good idea to make photocopies of your Departure Card and
Baggage Declaration form at your hotel and keep them separately, just in case
you lose the originals. They won’t be accepted in place of the real thing, but
may make things slightly easier.
Climate
Vietnam
has a particularly complicated climate and, like elsewhere in the world,
weather patterns have been changing over recent years. The situation described
below is therefore only an indication of the type of weather you can expect.
Northern Vietnam Climate
Starting in the north, autumn (September to December) is undoubtedly the most
pleasant season. At this time of year it’s generally warm (average temps above
20°C), dry and sunny in the delta, though you’ll need warm clothes up in the
mountains and on the waters of Ha Long Bay. Winter (December to February) can
be surprisingly bitter as cold air sweeps south from China bringing fine, persistent
mists and temperatures as low as 10°C. Things begin to warm up again in March,
which ushers in a period of good, spring weather before the summer heat begins
in earnest in May, closely followed by the rainy season in June. This
combination makes for hot, sticky weather which takes many people by surprise.
Temperatures, which can occasionally reach 40°C, average 30°C, while humidity
hovers around 70-75%. The rain comes in heavy downpours, causing frequent
flooding in Hanoi
and the delta. By mid September, however, the rains are petering out, and from
October onwards it’s perfect sightseeing weather.
Central Coast Vietnam Climate
The coastal region from Hanoi
south to Hué lies in the typhoon belt. Around Hué, typhoons seem most prevalent
in April and May, while further north the season generally lasts from July to
November. However, typhoons are incredibly difficult to predict and it really
is a matter of luck - or bad luck, rather - if you are caught. Flights are
usually only disrupted for a matter of hours, but in recent years the main road
and rail routes heading south have been cut by floods at least once during the
typhoon season. The good news is that they usually get everything moving again
incredibly quickly - within four or five days, depending on the severity of the
damage.
The central region of Vietnam
has a notoriously wet climate, particularly around Hué, where the annual
average rainfall is a generous 3m. The so-called “dry” season lasts from
February to May, though you’ll need an umbrella even then. After this it gets
wetter and hotter (av temps 30°C) until the rainy season begins in earnest in
September, gradually easing off from November through January. Winter
temperatures average a pleasant 20°C or above.
Southern Vietnam Climate
Southern Vietnam
is blessed with a more equitable - and predictable - climate. Here the dry
season lasts from December to late April/May, and the rains from May through
November. Most of the rain falls in brief afternoon downpours, so you can still
get out and about, though flooding can be a problem in the delta. Daytime
temperatures rarely fall below 20°C, occasionally reaching 40°C in the hottest
months (March to May). Once the rains start, humidity climbs to an enervating
80%.
Central Highland of Vietnam
Climate
The central highlands follow roughly the same weather pattern as the southern
delta. In the rainy season (May-November) roads are regularly washed out, but
it can also be very beautiful at this time, with tumbling rivers, waterfalls
and misty landscapes. You just have to build a bit more flexibility into your
schedule.
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