travel tips & guide

7/28/2019 Travel Tips & Guide

1/5

Travel Tips & Guide When Traveling to VietnamPrepared by Giang Nguyen

Travel Tips ~ Things to know and useful tips

Vietnamese people are very friendly, polite and generous. In general, we will make every effort to have

foreign guests feel comfortable. In the cities and countryside towns, do not be surprised to be invited into a

home to meet the family of someone you may have just met. These are the experiences that will enrich your

visit to Vietnam.

What to Bring when travel Vietnam

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 you'll need to survive for one month, and still have enough space for the things

you'll buy in Vietnam.

There is extensive black market for smuggled consumer goods in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, so do not

worry about running out of something.

Before you leave home complete the following checklist

Lightweight and quick dry clothing is most appropriate for the summer months and warmer clothing for

the winter months; sun hat; swimming costume.

Travel Documents: Passport, visa, travel insurance, air tickets, and itinerary.

Health requirements and travel insurance arranged.

Flashlight / torch, alarm clock, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, personal first aid kit, toiletries.

Money: US dollars or travelers cheques and / or credit card.

Raincoat and umbrella

Good hiking shoes and sandals.

Cable locks or padlock for luggage.

Business or name cards with your contact information and email.

What to wear in Vietnam

The main thing to consider is the weather, as it can be freezing cold in the Northern Mountain and at the

same time incredibly hot and humid on the Central Coast. If you are traveling in the North or the Central

Highlands during the winter months ( from November to March) 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 (from April to October), 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 or as an

official of any rank, make sure you are dressed appropriately.

Currency Exchange in Vietnam


2/5


3/5

Tipping

Tipping for good service is not expected but is always appreciated in these developing nations. It is

customary, though not compulsory, to tip tour guides and drivers at the end of a tour. Hotel and station

porters should also be tipped.

Vietnam Water

It is not advisable to drink tap water in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand or Myanmar but bottledmineral water is safe and available everywhere. Ice in drinks is generally okay in good standard hotels and

restaurants but it is best to avoid it on street stalls or in countryside areas.

Public Holidays

January 1: New Year's Day

January / February: Tet or Vietnamese New Year. The actual dates vary from year to year according to the

lunar calendar. Officially 3 days holiday but many businesses close down for a full week. This is the

busiest time of the year for traveling in Vietnam and hotels, flights and trains are often full.

April 30: Liberation of Saigon Day

May 1: International Labor Day

May 19: Birthday of Ho Chi Minh

September 2: National Day

AND below is a list of Do's and Donts to help you avoid some of the social taboos during your visit. Take

these into consideration and you will be rewarded with a culturally and socially enriching experience;

Business Hours

Offices are usually open from Monday to Friday from 7:30am or 8:00am until 5:00pm or 6:00pm and often

close for lunch between 11:30am and 1:30pm. Some offices also open Saturday morning. Shops open early

and close any time between 6:00pm and 10:00pm. Most shops are open 7 days a week.

Rules of the road when travel in Vietnam

1. Obey the road rules if you can work out what they are

2. Maintain direction no matter what

3. Remember the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

4. Expect the totally unexpected

5. Do not be surprised when a 10-metre boat slung on a pole between two motor cycles crosses the

expressway in front of you.

6. Do not be surprised if, despite bird flu, a flock of ducks suddenly fills the entire the highway

7. Do not be surprised if a laden bus (or anything else) comes at you on the wrong side of an

expressway.

Do's

ALWAYS drink plenty of bottled water. During the summer months you should be drinking a minimum of

2 liters per day. If you drink tea, coffee & alcohol you should increase you water intake accordingly as

these will dehydrate you.


4/5

Before venturing out from your hotel, ensure you have a hotel business card from the reception desk. This

will make your return to the hotel in a taxi or cyclo much easier.

For longer excursions from your base hotel, it is always a good idea to carry a roll of toilet paper in your

daypack. You never know when you will need it.

Always dress appropriately. Not only for the prevailing climatic conditions, but also not to cause offence to

the local people. Vietnamese have conservative dress codes and it is only in larger cities that these codes

are relaxed a little.

Always leave your excess cash, airline tickets, passports and valuables with the hotels safety deposit

facility.

Always be aware when entering someones home as at some homes it is a must to remove your shoes at the

front door.

Always ask his or her permission first when taking a photograph of someone. If they indicate that they do

not want you to, then abide by their wishes. DO NOT push the issue or offer money.

Don't

Never wear shorts, dresses or skirts, or tops with low-neck lines and bare shoulders to Temples and

Pagodas. To do this is considered extremely rude and offensive.

Never give your empty water bottles, sweets and candies to the local people when trekking through ethnic

minority villages. You cannot guarantee that the empty bottles will be disposed of in a correct manner andmost of these people do not have access to dental health. If you would like to give pens/paper, ask your

guide to introduce you to the local teacher and give them to the teacher for distribution.

Never sleep or sit with the soles of your feet pointing towards the family altar in someones house.

Never venture out from your hotel with more cash than you really need for that day. It is NOT something to

be paranoid about, simply do not make you a target for pickpockets or drive-by bag snatchers in the big

cities. Ho Chi Minh City seems to be a little worse than anywhere else in Vietnam is. On the whole it is one

of the safest countries you could wish to travel in.

Never lose your temper in public or when bargaining for a purchase. This is considered a serious loss of

face for both parties. Always maintain a cool and happy demeanor and you will be reciprocated with the

same.

Never try and take photographs of military installations or anything to do with the military. This can be

seen as a breach of national security.


5/5

Never take video cameras into the ethnic minority villages. They are considered to be too intrusive by

many local people.

Weather in Vietnam

Hanoi and the Northern Vietnam have a distinct winter and summer season with a dry winter lasting from

November to April with average temperatures of 18 - 20C. Summer lasts from May to October and is hot

and humid with temperatures around 30C.Hue and Danang in the center of the country have very hot, dry weather from February to August with

temperatures reaching the mid 30C, but can experience some quite heavy rainfall between September and

January.

Ho Chi Minh City and the south have a hot, dry season from December till April with average temperatures

around 28C and a rainy season lasting from May through till November. It rarely rains for long periods

even in the rainy season with most rain coming in short, heavy bursts.

HANOI (North) DANANG (Center) SAIGON (South)

Av. Temp

(Celsius)

Av. Rainfall

(mm)

Av. Temp

(Celsius)

Av. Rainfall

(mm)

Av. Temp

(Celsius)Av. Rainfall (mm)

May 28 196 29 47 29 221

Jun 30 239 30 42 29 330

Jul 30 323 30 99 28 315

Aug 29 343 30 117 28 269

Sep 28 254 28 447 27 335

Oct 26 99 26 530 27 269

Nov 22 43 25 221 27 114

Dec 19 20 23 209 27 56