Travel information
Population:
Vietnam has a population of approximately 97 million people; of which 85 % Vietnamese, 3 % Chinese and hundred of thousands of Khmer, Cham and from the other sixty ethnic minorities. Most of these minorities
live in the mountains.
Ho Chi Minh city, the biggest city, is home to almost 10 million people.
Visa:
We can arrange your Visa for you. It is easy and fast and much cheaper then when you get the Visa in the country you live in.
Regarding to the Visa to Vietnam, which you receive on arrival, we will arrange for you a multiple Visa so you can leave Vietnam for Laos and Cambodia and then come back, by airplane, to Vietnam.
Please give us the following details:
- Full names with Gender:
- Date of Birth:
- Nationality:
- Occupancy (Career):
- Passport number:
- Expiry date (valid at least 6 months after leaving Vietnam):
- Place of Issue:
- Date of Arrival:
- Port of Arrival (Tan Son Nhat Airport in Saigon or Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi)
- Length of stay:
** Please scan your main page of your passport to us.
And two photos (size 4 X 6 centimeters)
**Also take four photos (size 4 X 6 centimeters)with you.
**Upon receiving the Tourist Order, we will submit all the details to the Immigration Office (I/O) to get the
Visa
Approval (this will takes about 1-2 days).
** If approved, the I/O will notify us by a document: "The Visa Approval".
** We will send you a copy of the Visa Approval (by email) to help you to book the air ticket and board the
airplane to Vietnam.
Please print this Approval letter.
The airlines will require you to show this Approval letter.
** Print and fill in the Entry Visa Form. You can do this already at home.
(At " Name, address of office, organization or full name, relation, address of your relatives to contact or visit
you" fill in the address of the (first) hotel you stay.
Present the Approval Letter, Passport, Photos and Entry Visa Form to the officer at the desk.
After one of the officers called your name pay for the Visa/Stamping Fee to get your Visa done.
Please check if all the information is correct on your Visa.
If you find out after the Passport control that there is something not correct on your Visa you can't change
it.
Then you have to apply for a new Visa.
Prices:
25 USD per person for the Visa Approval letter which we help you to get in advance.
You pay this fee at the hotel.
The fee 50 USD per person for the Visa stamp (Multiple) 3 months, you are kindly required to pay directly at the airport at the I/O representative
15 USD per person for the Visa Approval letter which we help you to get in advance.
You pay this fee at the hotel.
The fee 50 USD per person for the Visa stamp (Multiple) 1 month, you are kindly required to pay directly at the airport at the I/O representative
10USD per person for the Visa Approval letter which we help you to get in advance.
You pay this fee at the hotel.
The fee 25 USD per person for the Visa stamp (Single) 1 month, you are kindly required to pay directly at the airport at the I/O representative.
Please note that the fees are regularly updated here in Vietnam. If you are applying for an Approval letter/Visa on arrival, please check for the most recent fees.
If you want to go from Vietnam to Cambodia you need a Visa for Cambodia.
The fee for the Visa is $35.
If you go by bus from Ho Chi Minh City the bus company arrange everything for you.
Money:
The currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong. There are notes of: 200, 500,
1000, 2000, 5000, 10.000, 20.000, 50.000, 100.000, 200.000 and 500.000. Since a few years there are also coins. Be aware that these coins have the same value as the smallest notes. The rate of the Dong is at the moment around: 1 US dollar is 22.700 VN Dong and 1 Euro is 27.500 VN Dong.
In cities and in tourist areas you can pay with US dollars. But you will be charged less when you pay in VN Dong. In these cities and tourist areas you will find many ATM's. In rural areas it is sometimes difficult to find an ATM. Ensure that you have enough money with you. There are many exchange offices. And most of these exchange offices offer a good rate. At hotels, restaurants, Airline Company's and the (bigger) shops you can pay with your credit card, but you pay commission.
Hotels:
There are many hotels in Vietnam; from cheap to very expensive. For every traveler there is a hotel. The rate are mostly per room per night. If you check in you have to handover your passport. Officially by law the hotel has to keep your passport throughout your stay. You get your passport back when you check out. Keep a copy of your passport with you. If you take some one to your room, you have to check in this person as well. This person also has to handover his/her passport or ID.
Tips:
In the bigger hotels and better restaurants the service charge is mostly included in the bill. You are not obliged to give a tip, but if you tip for example the waiter or cleaning lady you will be rewarded with an extra big smile and extra service. If you have a tour by private driver and tour guide is normal to tip the driver at least $ 8, 00 per day and the tour guide at least $ 12, 00 per day.
When you take a (foot) massage or a pedicure/manicure be aware that the person that does the massage doesn't get any salary. The person lives on the tips.
A normal tip starts from 50.000 VND ($2.5).
Climate:
There is no good or bad travel period in Vietnam. If it is raining and cold in one region, another region will be dry and warm. In the South the dry season is from November until April, with temperatures of 35 C and higher from the end of February until May. The wet season is from May until October. Central Vietnam is dry from June until October. In the North the wet and cold season is from November until April. The dry season is from May until October. In the mountains is can be very cold; sometimes even below zero. The Typhoon season is from July until November, but only in Central and North Vietnam. Who travels during Tet (Lunar New Year) has to keep in mind that a lot of hotels and flights can be fully booked and other transportation can be limited. A lot of shops, banks and tourist attractions are closed during Tet.
Health:
Vaccinations are not necessary, but it's good to protect yourself against hepatitis A and B and tetanus and possibly malaria.
Especially when you travel through rural areas. Be careful with ice and water from the tap. It is better to use bottled water. Protect yourself against sexual transmittable diseases like HIV. In every city you will find many drugstores.
Behaviour:
Courtesy, even in a tricky situation, is the key word in Vietnam. Don't bring yourself or Vietnamese citizens in embarrassing situations. For example avoid questions that could be answered with NO. This is very embarrassing for Vietnamese people. If a Vietnamese doesn't give a straight answer or keeps silent, or start to talk about something else stop pushing. You already went too far. Don't pat a child on its head. The top of the head is the highest point of the body; the nearest part of the body to heaven. Vietnamese people believe that if you pat a child on the head the child stops growing. Don't show your foot sole. Don't wear singlets, shorts, dresses, skirts, or tops with low-neck lines and bare shoulders to temples and pagoda's. To do this it's considered extremely rude an offensive.
Voltage:
The voltage used in Vietnam is mostly 220 volts, 50 Hz. In some places they still use 110 volts. Plugs are either two flat-pin or the two round-pin type. Three rectangular blade plugs can be found in some of the newer hotels.
Communications:
The international country code is +84. The outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code. City/area codes are in use, e.g. Ha Noi (0)4 and Ho Chi Minh is (0)8. GSM 900 mobile networks cover the major urban areas. Internet cafe's are available in every big city. Many coffee shops have free wifi. And internet access is often available at post offices in rural areas.
Time difference:
The local time in Vietnam is GMT +7 throughout the year.
National holidays:
These are the National holidays, but there are also many religious holidays
typical for every province.
Population:
Vietnam has a population of approximately 97 million people; of which 85 % Vietnamese, 3 % Chinese and hundred of thousands of Khmer, Cham and from the other sixty ethnic minorities. Most of these minorities
live in the mountains.
Ho Chi Minh city, the biggest city, is home to almost 10 million people.
Visa:
We can arrange your Visa for you. It is easy and fast and much cheaper then when you get the Visa in the country you live in.
Regarding to the Visa to Vietnam, which you receive on arrival, we will arrange for you a multiple Visa so you can leave Vietnam for Laos and Cambodia and then come back, by airplane, to Vietnam.
Please give us the following details:
- Full names with Gender:
- Date of Birth:
- Nationality:
- Occupancy (Career):
- Passport number:
- Expiry date (valid at least 6 months after leaving Vietnam):
- Place of Issue:
- Date of Arrival:
- Port of Arrival (Tan Son Nhat Airport in Saigon or Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi)
- Length of stay:
** Please scan your main page of your passport to us.
And two photos (size 4 X 6 centimeters)
**Also take four photos (size 4 X 6 centimeters)with you.
**Upon receiving the Tourist Order, we will submit all the details to the Immigration Office (I/O) to get the
Visa
Approval (this will takes about 1-2 days).
** If approved, the I/O will notify us by a document: "The Visa Approval".
** We will send you a copy of the Visa Approval (by email) to help you to book the air ticket and board the
airplane to Vietnam.
Please print this Approval letter.
The airlines will require you to show this Approval letter.
** Print and fill in the Entry Visa Form. You can do this already at home.
(At " Name, address of office, organization or full name, relation, address of your relatives to contact or visit
you" fill in the address of the (first) hotel you stay.
Present the Approval Letter, Passport, Photos and Entry Visa Form to the officer at the desk.
After one of the officers called your name pay for the Visa/Stamping Fee to get your Visa done.
Please check if all the information is correct on your Visa.
If you find out after the Passport control that there is something not correct on your Visa you can't change
it.
Then you have to apply for a new Visa.
Prices:
25 USD per person for the Visa Approval letter which we help you to get in advance.
You pay this fee at the hotel.
The fee 50 USD per person for the Visa stamp (Multiple) 3 months, you are kindly required to pay directly at the airport at the I/O representative
15 USD per person for the Visa Approval letter which we help you to get in advance.
You pay this fee at the hotel.
The fee 50 USD per person for the Visa stamp (Multiple) 1 month, you are kindly required to pay directly at the airport at the I/O representative
10USD per person for the Visa Approval letter which we help you to get in advance.
You pay this fee at the hotel.
The fee 25 USD per person for the Visa stamp (Single) 1 month, you are kindly required to pay directly at the airport at the I/O representative.
Please note that the fees are regularly updated here in Vietnam. If you are applying for an Approval letter/Visa on arrival, please check for the most recent fees.
If you want to go from Vietnam to Cambodia you need a Visa for Cambodia.
The fee for the Visa is $35.
If you go by bus from Ho Chi Minh City the bus company arrange everything for you.
Money:
The currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong. There are notes of: 200, 500,
1000, 2000, 5000, 10.000, 20.000, 50.000, 100.000, 200.000 and 500.000. Since a few years there are also coins. Be aware that these coins have the same value as the smallest notes. The rate of the Dong is at the moment around: 1 US dollar is 22.700 VN Dong and 1 Euro is 27.500 VN Dong.
In cities and in tourist areas you can pay with US dollars. But you will be charged less when you pay in VN Dong. In these cities and tourist areas you will find many ATM's. In rural areas it is sometimes difficult to find an ATM. Ensure that you have enough money with you. There are many exchange offices. And most of these exchange offices offer a good rate. At hotels, restaurants, Airline Company's and the (bigger) shops you can pay with your credit card, but you pay commission.
Hotels:
There are many hotels in Vietnam; from cheap to very expensive. For every traveler there is a hotel. The rate are mostly per room per night. If you check in you have to handover your passport. Officially by law the hotel has to keep your passport throughout your stay. You get your passport back when you check out. Keep a copy of your passport with you. If you take some one to your room, you have to check in this person as well. This person also has to handover his/her passport or ID.
Tips:
In the bigger hotels and better restaurants the service charge is mostly included in the bill. You are not obliged to give a tip, but if you tip for example the waiter or cleaning lady you will be rewarded with an extra big smile and extra service. If you have a tour by private driver and tour guide is normal to tip the driver at least $ 8, 00 per day and the tour guide at least $ 12, 00 per day.
When you take a (foot) massage or a pedicure/manicure be aware that the person that does the massage doesn't get any salary. The person lives on the tips.
A normal tip starts from 50.000 VND ($2.5).
Climate:
There is no good or bad travel period in Vietnam. If it is raining and cold in one region, another region will be dry and warm. In the South the dry season is from November until April, with temperatures of 35 C and higher from the end of February until May. The wet season is from May until October. Central Vietnam is dry from June until October. In the North the wet and cold season is from November until April. The dry season is from May until October. In the mountains is can be very cold; sometimes even below zero. The Typhoon season is from July until November, but only in Central and North Vietnam. Who travels during Tet (Lunar New Year) has to keep in mind that a lot of hotels and flights can be fully booked and other transportation can be limited. A lot of shops, banks and tourist attractions are closed during Tet.
Health:
Vaccinations are not necessary, but it's good to protect yourself against hepatitis A and B and tetanus and possibly malaria.
Especially when you travel through rural areas. Be careful with ice and water from the tap. It is better to use bottled water. Protect yourself against sexual transmittable diseases like HIV. In every city you will find many drugstores.
Behaviour:
Courtesy, even in a tricky situation, is the key word in Vietnam. Don't bring yourself or Vietnamese citizens in embarrassing situations. For example avoid questions that could be answered with NO. This is very embarrassing for Vietnamese people. If a Vietnamese doesn't give a straight answer or keeps silent, or start to talk about something else stop pushing. You already went too far. Don't pat a child on its head. The top of the head is the highest point of the body; the nearest part of the body to heaven. Vietnamese people believe that if you pat a child on the head the child stops growing. Don't show your foot sole. Don't wear singlets, shorts, dresses, skirts, or tops with low-neck lines and bare shoulders to temples and pagoda's. To do this it's considered extremely rude an offensive.
Voltage:
The voltage used in Vietnam is mostly 220 volts, 50 Hz. In some places they still use 110 volts. Plugs are either two flat-pin or the two round-pin type. Three rectangular blade plugs can be found in some of the newer hotels.
Communications:
The international country code is +84. The outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code. City/area codes are in use, e.g. Ha Noi (0)4 and Ho Chi Minh is (0)8. GSM 900 mobile networks cover the major urban areas. Internet cafe's are available in every big city. Many coffee shops have free wifi. And internet access is often available at post offices in rural areas.
Time difference:
The local time in Vietnam is GMT +7 throughout the year.
National holidays:
- 1 January: New Year (Western New Year)
- January/February: Tet Festival (Lunar New Year)
- 3 February: Erection of the Vietnamese Peoples Communist Party
- April: Remembrance of the death of King Hung.
- 30 April: Reunification day/Liberation of Saigon in 1975
- 1 May: International Labour day
- 19 May: Birthday of Ho Chi Minh
- June: Birthday of Buddha (eight day of the fourth month)
- 2 September: Proclamation of the Peoples Republic of Vietnam in 1945
- 25 December: Christmas
These are the National holidays, but there are also many religious holidays
typical for every province.
