Vietnam - Travel Information

Population

86 Million

Language

Vietnamese; however French, English, Russian and Chinese are spoken

Climate

Tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March)

Country Area

Roughly 1.5 times the size of the State of Victoria

Visa Requirements

Visa is required for all foreign nationals

International Airports

Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang

Currency

Dong (VND or d),

Historic Exchange Rates $1AUD-VND: 13,300(2007), 12,030(2006), 12,020(2005)

Time Zone

GMT/UTC +07:00

Eating & Drinking

The most popular dishes are nema rán (spring rolls), bún thang (noodles with sliced pork, eggs, shredded  chicken and shrimp), shellfish steamed with ginger and sea crabs fried with salt. Imported and domestic beer is readily available in Vietnam. Rice wine is very popular.

Water

Avoid ice cubes and tap water even in cities.

Getting Around

Vietnamese; however French, English, Russian and Chinese are spoken

Plugs and Power

Electricity is mostly 220 volt 50Hz. Plugs tend to be type A  in the Southern Vietnam and type C  in the Northern Vietnam, Some new hotels have type G

Banks

Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 11.30 am and 1.00 pm to 4.30 pm
Banks are open Monday to Friday. Getting a cash advance from Vietcom Bank’s ATMs (as well as some foreign banks in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) are possible if your card is Cirrus and Maestro enabled.

Mobile Phone 

Roaming enabled mobiles will function in most of Vietnam. Network is GSM 900. Mobile phone renting is also an option.

Internet 

Email and internet facilities exist in many hotels. Some internet cafes are available in larger cities.

Phone Calls

Vietnam Country Code +84

International code to dial out is 011

011 + Country Code + City (if applicable) + Local number

Tipping

Tipping is not customary in Vietnam, but it is enormously appreciated. 

Dress Code

Modest dress is recommended in Vietnam

Clothing

Comfortable cotton clothing is recommended especially if you feel the heat. Laundry service is available at all hotels,  however if you want to save some costs, drip dry clothing is always good to bring along.