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Airport Tax
All passengers leaving on international
flights have to pay a departure tax of US$14 when leaving from Hanoi , US$12
from Ho Chi Minh City and US$9 from Danang.
Electricity
Ask first. Electricity in Ho Chi Minh
City is rated at either 220 or 110 volts, with the former starting to be
the norm in most cities. The most common power points are two-pin; both
round and flat prongs are equally common.
Food and Drink
It is said that the three great cuisines
of Việt Nam come from Hà Nôi, Huế and Sài Gòn. All three bodies
of cookery have evolved through the centuries as products of climate, local
ingredients, and the influence of Việt Nam 's neighboring cultures and
many invaders.
Although Vietnamese cuisine is distinctly
different from any other, the Chinese and the French have had, by far, the
biggest impact on both classic cooking and everyday meals. Chopsticks and
the wok were introduced by the Chinese. The French brought pastries, breads,
pate and coffee, all of which have been cleverly hybridized by Vietnamese
to suit their own tastes.
The flavors of Vietnamese cooking are
vivid and sometimes spicy. If you love food, expect to yearn for the tastes
and smells of Việt Nam long after you return home. Most Vietnamese cuisine
is fresh and light, with a greater emphasis on fresh vegetables than on
meat.
With over 2,000 miles of coastline,
seafood is an important staple everywhere here.
Money Matters
Currency
The Vietnamese dong (pronounced dom) is
the national currency. US Dollars are also in use, but at the time of
writing most transactions are carried out in dong. US$1 is roughly
equivalent to about 15,000, 16,000 dong but the currency is subject
to fluctuation. Notes are in denominations of 100, 200, 500, 1000,
2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000 and 500,000. There are
coins in circulation.
Credit Cards and Travelers Cheques
Visa, Amex,
JCB and Master card are accepted at some banks and most large hotels. You
will seldom be able to shop or pay in restaurants with credit cards. Travelers
cheques, preferably in US dollars, can be easily cashed at banks, hotels
and some travel agents.
Money Changers
Street money changers have all but
disappeared. Don't deal with them if you do meet them: they have a bad reputation
for cheating. Branches of the Vietcom bank, large hotels and most shops will
change money for you at the correct exchange rate.
Price Differences
Because of low
income levels among the Vietnamese, a state subsidy scheme for Vietnamese
nationals has given rise to a two-tiered price system for some goods and
services, setting one price for nationals and another for foreigners. Vietnam
Airlines, for example, has separate published price lists for nationals
and foreigners. Hotel rooms are subject to the same pricing system but there
is little you can do about this.
Passports and visas
You will need
a visa to enter Vietnam , issued for 1 or 3 months usually. Apply well in
advance either at a Vietnamese embassy or through a travel agent with 4
passport-sized photographs, a valid passport and the appropriate fee (which
varies from country to country). Alternatively, fax a travel agent in Vietnam
and ask them to arrange a letter of invitation. This way, you can pick up
your visa either from the embassy of the country you're at or at the airport
when you arrive in Vietnam . You will need to state your port of entry prior
to arrival, and this cannot be changed.
Visas can be extended by 15 days at
a time, up to a maximum of 3 months and are processed by local travel agents
in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi for a fee of US$25 (one month) or US&150 (3
months). If you leave the country and wish to return without reapplying
for a new visa you will need a re-entry visa. Apply before you leave from
one of the local travel agents.
Time
Vietnam is 7 hours ahead of Greenwich
Mean Time. The entire country operates under the same time zone.
Tipping
With the advent of tourism, the practice
of tipping is just beginning in Vietnam . Tip sparingly and only where it
is deserved. Ten percent will suffice. It is increasingly common to tip
guides, drivers, waiters and masseurs.
Travel
within Viet Nam
While there is an extensive network
of trains and buses within Việt Nam, it is easier and more comfortable
to fly. Vietnam Airlines and pacific Air serve just about every major city
between Hồ Chí Minh City and Hà Nội, including, Đà Nẵng, Đà
Lạt, Huế, and Nha Trang.
Vaccinations
No vaccinations
are mandatory but local medical authorities recommend protection against
polio, diphtheria, typhoid, tetanus, hepatitis A and B, and Japanese encephalitis
. For travelers spending much time in the countryside, anti-malaria pills
are recommended and you should take precautions not to get bitten. Repellents
and mosquito nets are necessary.
What to leave at home
The Socialist Republic of Việt Nam
is understandably very particular about the things that it will allow visitors
to bring into the country. Explosives, firearms, seditious propaganda, or
items that are culturally offensive are positively forbidden. Culturally
offensive material includes books and magazines that customs officials may
determine to be dangerous, including books or magazines with nudity.
For some inexplicable reason, the software
rule does not appear to apply to notebook computers. Video cameras, blank
tape, portable CD players, and CDs do not appear to pose a problem to Customs
officials. However, you should assume that any of these items must be declared
and may be subject to confiscation.
Illegal drugs of any kind are
absolutely forbidden and possessing them could cost your life
. Leave your pot, poppers, and nose candy at home.
What to take with you
Appropriate dress differs from North
to South. Southern Việt Nam is tropical year round and people dress comfortably
and casually. Light-weight cotton and wool fabrics will be comfortable at
any time of year. While they may resist wrinkles, synthetics and are blends
miserably hot. Generally, short pants are inappropriate anywhere but a beach
resort or a farm and you will look like a foolish tourist on the streets
of most cities. Jeans are almost always fashionable except for business
occasions.
Winter (November through April) can
be cool in Hà Nội, and a coat may be necessary. Dress here is a bit more
formal and somber than the fashionable South.
If traveling on business, jackets and
ties are usually appropriate, regardless of the weather. HCMC's business
community is very image oriented. It's all right to ask your business partners
here what kind of attire is appropriate.
Remember that Việt Nam is a tropical
country. Most of the year it is warm and humid. If you are not used to tropical
weather, be prepared to shower and change your clothes two or three times
a day. Practically every hotel in Việt Nam has a laundry service, which
is usually quite inexpensive.
When to go
There is probably no such thing
as a bad time to visit Vietnam, although weather is usually a factor
for most visitors. Most hotels and tourist places are air conditioned, so
it does not matter much anyway.
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