About
Vietnam
Vietnam is a country of great diversity with beautiful landscapes and a
vibrant traditional culture and lifestyle. Vietnam is located in the
center of Southeast Asia, lying in the eastern part of the Indochina
peninsula. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the
west, and the East Sea and Pacific Ocean to the southeast. Vietnam's coast
line is 3,260 km long and its inland border measures 4,510 km.
The
country's total length, from the northernmost point to the southernmost
point, is 1,650 km. Its width, stretching from east to west, is 600 km at
the widest point in the north, 400 km in the south, and 50 km at the
narrowest part in the Quang Binh province on the central coast. Vietnam is
also a transport junction from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
Travel Facts:
*
Visa
*
Currency
*
Arrival & Departure
*
Recommended Clothing
*
Language
*
Food
*
Weather
*
Health
*
TET (Lunar New Year)
*
Water & Electricty
* Telecommunications
*
Religion
1.Visa
A visa is
required to enter Vietnam. To obtain a visa, please contact
either the
Vietnam Consulate in San
Francisco, or
Vietnam Embassy in Washington D.C. for
further information. Please plan to send your application, original
passport and fees to either location at least 1 - 2 months prior to your
planned departure date.
All of our tour packages offer visa application
assistance.
2.Currency
Currency = dong
The exchange rate fluctuates often so to check the current rate, please go
to this website:
http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic
Traveler’s checks and cash can be
exchanged at a bank, through authorized exchange bureaus and at the hotel
reception desk. Government-run hotels and tourist restaurants usually add
a 10% service charge to bills so there's no need to tip. Leaving a small
tip in other restaurants will be greatly appreciated by the staff. You
should consider tipping hired drivers and guides, and it's polite to leave
a small donation at the end of a visit to a pagoda. Bargaining is
commonplace but should be engaged in with a smile and considered a form of
social discourse rather than a matter of life and death. It's a good idea
to bring a small calculator with you for currency conversions and for help
in bargaining.
3. Arrival & Departure
All
visitors must fill in an arrival form which has to be shown along with your
passport and visa to the Immigration booth and to the Customs officer. The
customs officer takes the
white portion and the yellow portion stays in the passport which will have to be
presented at the Immigration booth upon departure.
An
international airport tax of 14 USD has to be paid upon departure at
Hanoi/Noibai International Airport and 12 USD at HCM City/Tan Son Nhat
International airport.
4. Recommended Clothing
Cotton
and light clothing is recommended especially for summer months. However,
during the rainy season and winter, the northern and central region can get
quite cold. A sweater or a jacket is advisable. Walking shoes and sandals
are also useful. Note: Women (or men if applicable) should not wear short sleeve
blouses or T-shirts, shorts and miniskirts when visiting temples and
pagodas.
5. Language
Vietnamese
is a tonal language, which makes it a difficult language to speak
and understand for most
foreigners even though the Latin alphabet is used. Nowadays, the
younger generation living in big cities speak English while some older people
speak French, Russian and Chinese.
6. Food
Vietnamese cuisine uses the freshest ingredients and is quite healthy. The "Nuoc Mam" (Vietnamese fish sauce) is
commonly used in Vietnamese cuisine for dipping and/or seasoning.
Some typical Vietnamese dishes are the Phó, a rice noodle soup with beef
or chicken, deep-fried or fresh spring rolls stuffed with crab,
vegetables, pork or shrimp, delicious salads made with green papaya, lotus
stems, peanuts and shrimp.
A wide range of international restaurants, such as French, Spanish,
Italian, Indian, etc. can also be found in the larger cities.
7.Weather
When
one region is wet, cold or steamy hot, there is always somewhere else that
is sunny and warm. Basically, the south has two seasons: the wet (May to
November, wettest from June to August) and the dry (December to April).
The hottest and most humid time is from the end of February to May. The
central coast is dry from June to October. The north has two seasons:
cool, damp winters (November to April) and hot summers (May to October).
The highland areas are significantly cooler than the lowlands, and
temperatures can get down to freezing in winter. There is the possibility
of typhoons between July and November, affecting the north and central
areas.
8. Health
Immunization
is not required but physician consultation is recommended. Dengue fever,
hepatitis, malaria, rabies, typhoid, tuberculosis and a minor threat
(especially to pregnant women) of dioxins found in the defoliant Agent
Orange exists in rural areas.
9. Vietnamese New Year (TET)
One
of the most important holidays in Vietnam is TET, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. This
holiday usually takes place at the end of January or beginning of February
and most businesses close for a full week.
10. Water & Electricity
Drinking tap water in Vietnam is not recommended. Bottled
water is available everywhere. Ice cubes should be generally safe in
hotels and restaurants with western standards but should be avoided in
remote and country areas. In Vietnam, the power outlet is mainly 220
volts.
11.
Telecommunications
Internet cafes are found throughout the country in big and even
smaller cities. However, the speed of the connection may vary from one café to
another. Post offices and letterboxes are also easily accessible.
International calls can be made from hotels, main post offices and some
shops in bigger cities.
12. Religion
Vietnam is the cradle of Cadoism but
Buddhism is the main religion with some influences of Confucianism and Taoism.
However, there is also
a community of Catholics.
About Vietnam |
Classic Tours |
Center Tours |
Northern Tours | Southern
Tours |
Grand Tour |
Contact Us
TAF International, Inc. (TAF) specializes in travel to Vietnam and
can arrange all your tours, transportation and accommodations while you
are in Vietnam. General information on Vietnam and descriptions of places
of interest are listed on this website. Any of the tours listed can be
customized to fit your needs. Please contact us at any of the numbers
below for more information.
TAF International, Inc. ♦
3615 Harding Avenue, Suite 409 ♦ Honolulu, HI 96816
Phone: (808) 735-0238 ♦ Fax: (808) 734-2315 ♦ Email:
taf@tafinternational.com
