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| Vietnam: Weather | Map | Tours | History | Photo Gallery |
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| Vietnam Packing List and Guide |
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General
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| Biking in Da Nang |
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It’s unlikely that any two people traveling to Vietnam would want to use exactly the same packing list. Some would be perfectly comfortable with little more than a swimsuit, some sandals, and a couple of T-shirts, while others might have a forty-pound case of photographic equipment or dive gear. We’ve put together some suggestions to help you make a start. |
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Bear in mind to take your passport, flight tickets, credit cards/cash/travellers cheques (take several modes of payment in case the ATM swallows your card etc.), travel insurance, and a minimal amount of clothes and toiletries. And you'll probably want to take non-essential luxury items like Ipod and Camera, to while away long bus or train journeys (the 36 hour train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City), and make the experience more memorable. |
| What to Bring with you to Vietnam |
Items that we suggest you bring depending on the season.
Vietnam has 3 regions, the North, Centre and South. Each of the regions has distinct climates.
The north is hot and extremely humid and receives heavy rain from June – August. Winter is from November until March and is cool and damp.
The mountain areas of the north including Sapa and Mai Chau, can be extremely cold during winter although they do not receive snow.
The center is warm throughout the year and the rainy season occurs from August or September until December. The centre often receives storms or typhoons during October and November.
The south has 2 seasons, one dry and the other wet.
The wet season last from June until October, but the summer storms rarely last more than a few hours.
Given the above weather information, please consider the items you will bring with you to Vietnam. This list should be used as a guide only and is not an exhaustive list. |
| Clothing |
| Please note most Vietnamese still dress modestly and out of respect for the culture you should dress conservatively ( no sleeveless/ halter neck tops, shorts other than for the beach, should not reach below the knee). |
| Packing List |
Personal clothing items, toiletries, medication
Sunhat
Sarong (to cover your shoulders should you enter temples or pagodas)
Sunscreen
Insect repellant
Light weight clothing for the summer months
Warm clothing for winter in Hanoi and in mountainous areas
Camera with film
Small daypack for day trips and overnight trip to Halong Bay
Appropriate shoes for trekking, cycling or walking in caves (Halong Bay)
Sleeping sheet for train travel (can also be bought in Vietnam)
Ear plugs and sleep mask (for train journeys)
Water bottle and helmet (for cycling trips only).
Please note: Domestic airlines do impose restrictions on baggage at approx 20kg maximum, so travel lightly where possible. Also the trains cabins and boat cabins on Halong Bay have limited space so consider this when packing. Soft luggage is recommended. |
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| Plan checklist |
General
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| Bus in Vietnam |
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This Vietnam tour planning checklist is made up of “touchstones” rather than “mileposts.” As you start planning your trip, as you explore the various aspects of the trip you will back and forth among items 1 through 5. When item 6 is complete the rest of the checklist should smoothly fall into place. |
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- Explore possible dates
- Decide on your time table and destinations (Itinerary) as well as activities (Tour Plan).
- Check weather for destinations on these dates.
- Investigate air fare alternatives. Tripology.
- If necessary adjust Tour Plan to meet air fare results.
- Book airline tickets.
- Get passport (allow 6 weeks) or check passport of validity for travel dates.
- Get visa(s) (allow 2 weeks).
- List hotel alternatives with prices.
Request recommendations from experienced Travel Agents.
- Create personal packing list with Carry-On size bag and Day Pack in mind.
(See Packing List and Guide)
- Purchase luggage (if necessary).
Do a test “pack” as early as possible to allow time for any item or weight adjustments.
- Confirm any reservations you have made before you depart.
- Get on the plane. |
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| Get there and away |
Getting to and from Vietnam
Most travelers land in Vietnam in either Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City or Danang and then make their way up or down the coast, with the choice of travel method depending both on budgets and the amount of time. |
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By plane
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| Vietnam Airlines |
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Vietnam has three international airports at Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang. Most of flights to Vietnam are non-direct and transit via Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Taipei.
Airlines flying to Vietnam includes: |
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| Airlines flying to Vietnam includes: |
| Aeroflot (Hanoi) |
Air Asia (Hanoi)
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Air China (Ho Chi Minh City)
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Air France (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
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ANA (Ho Chi Minh City)
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Asiana (Ho Chi Minh City)
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Bangkok Airways (Ho Chi Minh City)
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| Cathay Pacific (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City) |
China Airlines (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
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China Eastern (Ho Chi Minh City)
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China Southern (Hanoi)
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Delta Airlines from late 2007 (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
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EVA Air (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
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Hong Kong Airlines (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
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JAL (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
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Jetstar (Ho Chi Minh City)
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Korean Air (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
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Lao Airlines (Hanoi)
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Lufthansa (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
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Malaysia Airlines (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
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| PB Air (Da Nang) |
Philippine Airlines (Ho Chi Minh City)
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Qantas (Ho Chi Minh City)
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Qatar Airlines (Ho Chi Minh City)
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Royal Brunei Airlines (Ho Chi Minh City)
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Silk Air (Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
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| Singapore Airlines (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City) |
THAI (Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
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Tiger Airways (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
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Transaero (Ho Chi Minh City)
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United (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
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| Vladivostok Air (Hanoi) |
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By train
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| Train in Vietnam |
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From Beijing and Kunming, visitors can catch a train to Hanoi crossing the border at Dong Dang. Due to landslides, the train between Kunming - Hanoi has been termintated for safety.
Border crossings from |
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Cambodia via the following borders
* Bavet - Moc Bai
* Kaam Samnor - Vinh Xuong
(in some guidebooks as Tonle Mekong. Near Chau Doc in Vietnam)
* Phnom Den - Tinh Bien
* Xa Xia, Vietnam/Prek Chak, Cambodia
(Ha Tien crossing, Cambodian Visas not available) |
China via the following borders
* Dongxing - Mong Cai
(by road; onward travel Mong Cai to Ha Long by sea or by road)
* Hekou - Lao Cai
(by road and/or rail, but no international passenger train services)
* Youyi Guan - Huu Nghi Quan
(Friendship Pass - by road and/or rail)
Laos via the following borders
* Donsavanh - Lao Bao
* Kaew Neua - Cau Treo (Keo Nua Pass)
* Nam Can
* Tay Trang |
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| Getting around Vietnam |
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| Taxi in Vietnam |
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Cyclos
Known elsewhere as rickshaws or pedicabs, the cyclo's design slightly varies according to what part of the country on is in. These are a fixture in all major and minor cities in Vietnam. Cyclos should be booked through your tour company or through the doorman or concierge of your hotel. Any trip to Vietnam without riding a cyclo is a trip deprived.
"Xe Om"
This term literally means to "hug the motorbike." Xe Om drivers (motorbike taxis) peruse the streets in the cities and in the countryside looking for fares. An excellent and ready means of transportation only for the very brave hearted. How to hail a Xe Om: extend arm and hand directly outward; flutter your wrist as if waving goodbye to someone . . . this will hail the first available Xe Om . . . or perhaps even a mob of them.
Taxis
Perhaps the best taxi service in the world exists in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; the taxis are new, reliable and economical. Always take a metered taxi. Some taxi companies:
Saigon
• Deluxe Taxi – 3 8 26 26 26
• M.Taxi - 3 8 222 666
• Saigon Taxi – 3 8 23 23 23 Hanoi
• Mai Linh Taxi – 04 3 8222 666
City Buses
None.
Cars and Vans
Late model Toyota, Honda, GM, Ford, Mercedes Benz cars and vans are available for hire (with driver) through your travel tour company or your hotel. Self-driven rental cars are not recommended for the rules of the road are entirely different from North America.
Bicycles
Not recommended for Saigon but for the more calm and quaint streets of Mekong Delta, Vung Tau, Mui Ne, Da Lat, Komtum, Pleiku, Buon Me Thuot, Nha Trang, Hue, Hoi An, Ha Noi they are strongly recommended. Bicycle rentals can be made through your travel tour company or through the concierge or front desk of your hotel.
Motorbikes
Motorbikes are available for rent but are strongly not recommended. They are well worthy of watching for their amazing feats. A terrific book "Bikes of Burden" by Hans Kemp displays Vietnamese motorbike ingenuity at its very best. www.bikes-of-burden.com |
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| Vietnam weather- Best time to travel |
| Weather |
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| North Vietnam |
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North, Central and South of Vietnam has it own weather patterns and different rainy seasons. Therefore, there will be no bad nor best time to visit Vietnam, it mostly depends on what you'd like to see and when you have time to go.
November through January and April through June are among the most popular months for visitors travel to Vietnam. Since this is the high season for visit Vietnam, hotels, trains, and flights tend to get booked up, and the prices for hotels often increase.
Vietnam weather by month
Vietnam weather in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December.
Vietnam weather by city:
Hanoi weather
Ho Chi Minh City weather
Sapa weather
Halong bay weather
Hoi an weather
Hue weather
Nha Trang weather
Dalat weather |
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| Money and costs |
| Dong |
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| Vietnamese dong (VND) |
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The currency of Vietnam is the "Dong" issued in the following denominations:
• 200d
• 500d
• 1000d
• 2000d
• 5000d
• 10,000d
• 20,000d
• 50,000d
• 100,000d
• 500,000d.
Recommended Currency for Spending:
Vietnamese Dong. Spending in other currencies, including the USD, often results in "rounding off" to your disadvantage.
Exchange Rates
Please go to http://www.oanda.com for current Dong exchange rates. At the moment of this printing 1USD = 17,810d, and 1 EUR = 25,607d (on 20-July-2009)
Convertible Currencies
All major currencies including the sterling, the Yen, the Canadian dollar, the Euro and the U.S. dollar are convertible. It is recommended you exchange your currency at hotel for better exchange rate, especially at big hotels.
Credit Cards
Major credit cards (Visa, Master Charge and to a lesser extent American Express) are finally beginning to find wider usage in Vietnam as more and more establishments accept them; in major cities nearly all major and mid-level hotels, restaurants and major travelers shops now accept credit cards. Except for the higher end hotels most establishments charge a three-percent transaction fee; some establishments charge a five-percent surcharge.
ATM Machines
ATM machines have arrived in Vietnam. ATMs are located in many places in Hanoi and HCMC, for ANZ visa ATMs: 14 Le Thai To Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi and 11 Me Linh Square, district 1, HCMC.
Traveler's Cheques
Cheques denominated in most major currencies are accepted in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City but USD is the preferred currency. Traveler's cheques issued by Visa, Master Charge and American Express are the most widely accepted. Outside of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City it is often difficult to redeem traveler's cheques. The purchase receipt and the traveler's cheques numbers should be kept separately from the traveler's cheques in the event of loss. A redemption fee of up to four-percent is charged. Passport ID is required for redemption.
Price Guide
Bottled water: 0.3 US$
(Recommendation: Aquafina and La Vie brand for mineral water)
A bowl of Pho: 3.00 US$
Local beer or Bia Hoi : 0.3 US$
Short taxi ride 5.00 US$
Restaurant meal: US$ 3.00-10.00
Internet access per hour: US$ 0.20-0.50
Short cyclo ride: US$ 0.50 |
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| Vietnam visa information |
| Visa |
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| Vietnam visa |
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Most visitors to Vietnam will need a valid visa in order to enter Vietnam except citizens of Japan, South Korea, Scandinavian countries, and certain ASEAN countries. It is now easy to get your visa either by visiting Vietnamese embassy in your country or applying for a convenient visa on arrival.
Check www.vn.embassyinformation.com for a list of Vietnam embassies.
A few locations follow.
Australia
Tel: 02-6290-1549;
www.au.vnembassy.org;
6 Timbarra Crescent, O’Maley, ACT 2606
Canada
Tel: 613-236-0772;
Web: www.vietnamembassy-canada.ca
Address: 470 Wilbrod St, Ottawa
UK
Tel: 171-937-1912;
E-mail: vp@dsqvnlondon.demon.co.uk
Address: Victoria Rd 12-14, London W8 5RD
USA
Tel: 202-861-0737;
Web: www.vietnamembassy-usa.org
Address: 1233 20 St NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036
Allow us to help you with your visa to Vietnam if necessary.
Email us: tony@indochinas.com |
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| Return to Vietnam attractions |
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