Vietnam - Before you go
Highlights | Know before you go | Trips
VISAS
Visitors must obtain visa approval prior to entry. Mekong Journeys can
assist in arranging visas for visitors who book one of our trips. The
procedure will be as follows:
Passport details with arrival and departure dates are faxed or emailed
to Mekong Journeys no later than 21 days before passengers departure to
Vietnam.
Mekong Journeys submits details to operator in Hanoi who forwards details
to the Immigration Department.
The Immigration Department notifies of visa approval and sends a fax/telex
approval to the Embassy or Consulate in the country of visitors' residence.
Mekong Journeys sends a fax copy of the approval to the client.
Note: In some cases visitors can obtain a visa upon arrival in Vietnam.
However, we recommend this option only in case of emergency.
INFORMATION
Arrival in Vietnam:
All visitors must complete an Entry/exit Card. This should be submitted
together with passport and visa to the Immigration Department officials
at the point of entry. The Exit portion will be torn off and returned
to the visitor, who should retain this for presentation upon departure.
All visitors must complete a form titled Vietnam Visa Application. This
document must be completed for presentation to the Immigration Desk, together
with the visa, 2 passport photos and the Entry/exit Card.
All visitors must complete a Customs Declaration Form. Both the copy and
the original will be stamped. The original will be retained by the Customs
officers while the copy will be given back to the visitor, who must submit
it upon departure.
Airport Tax
International Airport tax: US$ 10
Domestic Airport Tax: US$ 1.5 (VND20,000)
MONEY
The official currency, the dong, is nonconvertible. The US dollar, preferably
crisp clean bills, is widely accepted among major shops and restaurants.
Travelers checks can be cashed at authorized foreign exchange outlets
and banks, and require presentation of passport. There is normally a 2
to 5 percent transaction fee for cashing travelers checks. Visa and Mastercard
are accepted in some of the bigger hotels and restaurants.
HEALTH
No vaccinations are officially required to visit Vietnam. However, visitors
are advised to have up-to-date inoculations for polio, meningitis, tuberculosis,
TABT (typhoid, paratyphoid A&B and tetanus), hepatitis A&B, and
Japanese encephalitis. Malaria is a mosquito-borne illness and is usually
not a problem in big cities but caution should be taken in rural areas,
especially during the rainy season when mosquitoes breed. The most frequent
vaccine-preventable infection in travelers is hepatitis A, which is transferred
through contaminated food and water. Hepatitis B, transmitted through
contact with infected blood or saliva, is of high incidence in Vietnam,
and tetanus remains a concern. The most common illness for travelers is
diarrhoea, which can be treated by maintaining a diet of bland foods or
fluids only.
Medical care facilities are limited to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, and
can be expensive for emergency care. Health and emergency medical insurance
is required for participation in all Mekong Journeys trips. Please
see booking terms and conditions for more information.
WEATHER
Weather is often a determining factor in travel planning. Since Vietnam
covers several climatic zones, the weather can change significantly traveling
north to south. Please contact us if you have any questions.
CLOTHING
Light, comfortable, easy to launder clothing is recommended. Winter months
in Hanoi and rainy season in the central region can get cool so a sweater
or light jacket will come in handy. Good walking shoes and sandals that
can be easily removed are recommended especially when entering temples
and people's homes.
FOOD
Rice and noodle dishes are the staple ingredients of Vietnamese food.
Fish, chicken, and/or pork dishes along with cooked vegetables and rice
form a typical meal. The dishes are usually not spicy and are accompanied
with a variety of condiments, including chili sauce, fish sauce or 'nuoc
mam' (smells like anchovies), and soy sauce. Vegetarians will have no
difficulty eating in Vietnam as fresh vegetables and fruits are in abundant
supply, in addition to a number of vegetarian restaurants. All fruits
and vegetables should be cooked or peeled. Drinking tap water or ice is
not recommended. Bottled water is readily available but remember to check
the seal for possible contamination.
PEOPLE
The majority of the population is comprised of the Viet or Kinh (85%)
people who speak the tonal Vietnamese language. The minority population
is made up of over 50 ethnic hilltribe people who mainly live in the central
and northern mountainous areas of the country. The best-known hilltribes
are the Tay, Hmong, Zao, White and Black Thai (both mainly from the north),
and the Hoa. Each hilltribe has its own unique customs and dialect and
some are able to speak Vietnamese.
LANGUAGE
Vietnamese is the national language. It is comprised of six tones. The
accents and some words are quite distinct among the three regions of North,
Central, and South. Today, English has replaced Russian and French as
the most studied language.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
The most important and widely-celebrated public holiday of the year is
Tet, the Lunar New Year, which coincides with the cycle of the moon. This
public holiday usually takes place in late January or early February and
lasts officially for three days, although many businesses are closed the
entire week. Other important public holidays include the Liberation of
Saigon (April 30), International Worker's Day (May 1), Ho Chi Minh's birthday
(May 19), and Vietnamese National Day (September 2).
SUGGESTED THINGS TO BRING
- Sunglasses
- Umbrella
- Binoculars
- Sun cream / block note book, pens, etc
- Sun Hat
- Reading materials
- Camera and plenty of films (slide film is quite rare)
- Mosquito repellent
LOCAL STANDARD TIME
Local times is 8 hrs ahead of GMT.
