A successful trip needs to be well-prepared, so we would like to give you some necessary information and useful advice for your trip.

What to buy in Vietnam 

wooden, stone, and bronze sculptures; and silver or fabric items, which can be easily found in the markets in Indochina. There are some “specialties,” such as, wooden puppets in Hanoi, cinnamon and coconut in Mekong Delta, Hue conical hats…

Drinks in Vietnam 

drinks in meals are not included in the whole trips, unless otherwise mentioned. It is about US $1-2 for a can of beer or a bottle of water, according to the standard of restaurants. Sometimes, you can find Australian or French wine; they are very expensive but not in good condition due to poor preservation.

Credit Cards In Vietnam

They are very convenient for paying but the fee is still fairly high. Besides, it consumes time to verify the card. However, the cards are accepted at almost every hotel and restaurant in the city centers.

Customs In Vietnam 

When reaching the customs counters, you will have to complete the customs declaration. Examination procedures are loose; take care of your luggage and customs declaration forms, which need to be presented at customs counters. You are allowed to bring foreign currencies, jewels… You have to fill in a form if you bring over US $5000 or the equivalent.

What Not To Bring

Weapons, flammable and explosive materials, illegal drugs, pornographic subjects or any anti-government propaganda-related items… When leaving Vietnam, you can take an unlimited quantity of souvenir items. You will have to pay tax for antiquities and show their receipts as required.

Water In Vietnam

You can take water from the tap, but the water is not disinfected, so you are advised to drink bottles of water. You can find the bottles in many shops outside hotels or restaurants. Please be sure that the bottles are fully covered.

Electricity In Vietnam

The standard household (hotel) electrical supply in Vietnam is 220 volts, 50 Hertz. The standard socket accepts a two-round-pin plug without a ground pin.

If your electric devices do not accept the same electrical supply, you can bring adapters or buy one in Vietnam. The adapters are not quite expensive in Vietnam.

Time In Vietnam

Time zone of Vietnam is +7. It is +7 hours and +6 hours' difference with London in winter and summertime, respectively.

Currency in Vietnam

Currency of Vietnam is the Dong, with the values 500 – 1,000 – 2,000 – 5,000 – 10,000 – 20,000 – 50,000 – 100,000 – 200,000 – 500,000. You should be careful of the color of the values, as their appearances look quite similar.

Checks and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Eurocard, American Express…) are widely accepted in the banks, jewelry shops, currencies exchange counters… US dollars and euros are the most popular ones. Before leaving Vietnam, you can exchange Dong to your currencies at the counters in the airports.

Sim Cards And Internet In Vietnam 

It is not free to make a call at your hotels, so the best way is to buy a sim card which is very cheap and convenient. You can buy sim card of big carriers such as, Viettel, Mobifone, and Vinaphone…

You can find internet at every hotel as well as at numerous coffee shops in the big cities.

Tips In Vietnam

Tips for drivers and guides are not included in the quotations. This amount depends on your service satisfaction.

Traffic System In Vietnam 

Exception to some places, traffic system generally is poor and under standard. The average speed is rarely over 40 km/h on the road. In the rainy seasons, speed will be slower and approaching some sightseeing places is more difficult.

Security In Vietnam 

Vietnam is considered one of the safest countries in the world. However, you should have a close look at your items when you are at train or bus stations, markets, harbors, bars… Do not bring jewelry items with you, and leave passports, air tickets, train tickets, and valuable items at the hotels. You are advised to have money belts. Remember to have a copy of your passport before going out.

Transportation In Vietnam

Airplanes

There are three big air firms in Vietnam, including Vietnam airlines and Vietjet air. Vietnam Airlines is a state firm that provides international and domestic flights, whereas Vietjet air and Jetstar are private ones serving domestic flights.

Bus

Vietnam has expanded the highway to provinces and cities. There are many buses from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh to other provinces and the service is improving gradually. Furthermore, taxis are also very popular in all cities and the cost seems to be reduced due to the competition. In Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, and other big cities, bus systems are very developed. Besides, you can travel around the center cities by bikes, cyclos and electric buses…

Train

Vietnam railway has been renovated and has recorded many significant changes and achievements. Thanks to the restructuring and reorganization of production, the railway’s service has made profits. The railway system is over 2,600km from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh and links with other Northern places.

Currently, traveling by train is now very comfortable and safe. The Thong Nhat (Reunification) train runs from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi and stops at some stations. Timetables are available at the train stations.

There are air conditioning systems and soft bunks or seats. Regarding soft bunk cabins, there are two types of cabins: 4 and 6 soft bunks. The price is also different between them.

Taxis In Vietnam

Taxis are very popular in the big cities. They offer the greatest speed and convenience, but they are also costly (they also offer the greatest likelihood of ripping you off). Bikes can be rented at hotels for as low as a dollar a day but can be very dangerous for travelers unused to Hanoi’s chaotic, anarchic traffic. 

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