When to go

There are no good or bad seasons to visit Vietnam. When one region is or cold, or steamy hot, here is always somewhere else that is sunny and warm. The south has two seasons: the wet (May to November, wettest from June to August) and the dry (December to April). The hottest and most humid time is from the end of February to May. The central coast is dry from June to October.

The north has two seasons: cool, damp winters (November to April) and hot summers (May to October). The highland areas are significantly cooler than the lowlands, and temperatures can get down to freezing in winter. There is the possibility of typhoons between July and November, affecting the north and central areas. Travelers should take the Tet new-year festival (late January or early February) into account when planning a trip. Travel (including international travel) becomes very difficult, hotels are full and many services close down for at least a week and possibly a lot longer.

What to wear

The main thing to consider is the weather, as it can be freezing cold in the mountainous North, and at the same time hot and humid on the Central Coast. If you are traveling in the North or the Central Highlands during the winter months definitely bring jeans and a warm coat or sweater. It seems that it is always raining somewhere in Vietnam, so lightweight rain gear is essential.

In the hot months, dress cool but conservative. Many Vietnamese cannot understand why foreigners insist on wearing shorts, tank tops and sleeveless T-shirts when they have the money to dress well. For the Vietnamese, appearance is very important, so if you are dealing with an official of any rank make sure you are dressed appropriately.

What to bring

It is best to travel light in Vietnam. One medium sized bag and a day pack will provide more than enough room to carry everything youll need to survive, and enough space for the things youll buy in Vietnam.

There are extensive black market for smuggled consumer goods in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, so donot worry about running out of something.

Health and Safety

Bring your own medicine and prescription drugs. When it comes to inoculations, be conservative and be thorough.

Water: Remember to drink a lot of non-alcoholic liquids, its easy to dehydrate in Vietnams hot climate. In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, ice is generally fine. Chlorinated tap water should be well boiled (20 minutes to kill amoebic cysts) before drinking. In other areas, stick to bottled water and avoid ice.
Food: Vegetables should be peeled, thoroughly cleaned and preferably cooked. All meats and fish should be well cooked. To be safe, peel your own fruit. Yogurt, if refrigerated, is generally fine but avoid fresh milk and be wary of other non-sealed dairy products, especially home-made ice cream. Err on the side of caution; if you are unsure, avoid it.
Malaria: Malaria is not a problem in big cities, but care should be taken in rural areas, especially in the rainy season when mosquitoes breed. If spending time in the countryside (below 1,200 meters), contact a doctor about anti-malarial drugs. Try to avoid getting bitten, cover up after dark, wear repellent, burn mosquito coils and sleep under a net.
Diarrhea: This malady is common. If it occurs, maintain a diet of bland foods of fluids only. If severe, consult a physician.
Pharmacies: Many of the drugs sold in small pharmacies are copies of have expired. Stick to reputable Pharmacy. (Call: 843-0748 Hanoi Family Practice, A1 Van Phuc, #109-112, Hanoi)
Have immunizations updated for tetanus, diphtheria, meningitis, gamma globulin and polio.
You might want insurance that provides medical evacuation in the event of a serious emergency.

Airport taxes

Domestic flights: VND 25,000
International flights: US$ 12
Kids under two exempt

Baggage claim

Keep your baggage claim stickers (stuck onto your tickets) in order to get your luggage out of the airport.

Entry Exit forms

Do NOT lose the yellow Entry / Exit Forms; you will need them when leaving the country.

Registration

Hotels and private hosts must register your presence with the police. You will be expected to hand over your passport, along with your visa number. A handy tip is to photocopy your passport details several times and then hand this copy in instead of your original visa.

Get your visa

Obtaining a single-entry, 30-days tourist visa is easy. For a business visa it is a little more complex. (And a little more expensive!) but youll have the advantage of a longer stay, either 3 or 6 months, and multiple entry. Both visas can usually be extended once in Vietnam. Just ring up Vietnam Embassy and request a visa application.

To obtain a business visa you must also include a visa authorization letter with you application. Your Vietnamese sponsor will submit a request to the Ministry of the Interior on your behalf. You must provide your sponsor with your full name, profession, expected date of arrival and passport information, including passport number, date of issue and expiration, date and place of birth. Upon approval, your sponsor will send a visa authorization letter to you.

You will receive your passport back with a visa stamped inside as well as one copy of your application and photo stapled to the page. When you enter the country the immigration officer will take this copy. Some travelers have been told they need to have additional pictures and copies of their visa application. Youre directed to a person with a polaroid camera who snaps the needed photos for US$2. You then get back in the immigration line.

Visa extensions can usually be obtained once in Vietnam. Youll see numerous travel agencies and hotels offering this service in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Rates vary, as does the official policy regarding extensions!

Electricity

The voltage in the cities and towns is generally 220V, 50 cycles, sometimes 110V in the rural areas. Electric sockets are standard European or American.

If you bring a computer to Vietnam, you must use a surge suppresser to protect your circuits. Large Taiwanese voltage regulators can be bought at computer stores in Vietnam to give greater protection.

It is a good idea to bring adapter plugs in case your plugs do not fit the sockets, which are sometimes two round pins, other times three pins. If you do not have the correct size plug, however, it is easy to by one at many markets or electronics stores. Batteries are available in the major cities.

Telecom

International phone charges are steep in Vietnam and many hotels, especially up-market ones, add extra fees. Check the rates. Faxes can be sent from hotels, business centers and post offices. Again, rates vary. To rent a mobile phone call 821-8465 in Hanoi or 824-2382 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Business hours

Government offices and museums open early, around 8 am, and close around 4.30 pm. Avoid doing business from 11.30 am to 2 pm, when people are either at lunch or half asleep.

Currency exchange

One could argue that the Vietnamese currency is really the US dollar, as dollars are readily accepted and prices are frequently quoted in dollars. One reason is that the largest bill in circulation is 500,000 VND (about US$ 35.00). Change five hundred dollars into dong and youll be carrying around a brick in your pocket!

US$ 1 =approximately 16,200 VND (05/08)

Note: In December, 2003, Vietnam introduced a new VND500,000 note and replaced the existing VND50,000 note with a new counterfeit proof polymer note. The central bank also reintroduced coins, last used in the early 1980s. The coins come in VND200, VND1000 and VND5000 denominations.

Travelers checks are not all that practical, they can be easily cashed at most banks but banks close at 4pm and arent open on weekends. Some upper scale hotels will change them but usually for guests only.

When you exchange money or cash travelers checks, youll be given a choice of whether you prefer dong or dollars. While they will gladly convert from dong to dollars, or vice-versa, you will usually lose 5-10% in the deal!

A couple years ago there were only 2 or 3 ATMs available in Hanoi, now they can be found in almost every bank as well as at the airport. The ANZ, Vietcom Bank and ACB machines all accept Interact, Cirrus, and Plus cards, as well as Visa and Mastercard, all despensing VND. There are now currency exchange counters at the airport in Hanoi. In HCMC, try Hong Kong Bank at 75 Pham Hong Thai or ANZ Bank at 11 Me Linh Square. In Hanoi try ANZ bank at 14 Le Thai To.

There is a black market but it is generally made up of tricksters who will try to trick travellers by confusing you with large amounts of different sized dong, better to stear clear.