Travelling to Vietnam

Visa

Foreigners cannot enter Vietnam without a visa. If you require a visa for Business with us then we will arrange this for you through our fast track service within 5 working days. contact us here

Maps

Our offices in Ho Chi Minh are in District 4.Ho Chi Minh Map Our office in Han noi is in Bach Mai Hanoi Map

Customs and Immigration

On arrival in Vietnam, you must complete white and blue duplicate arrival-depature forms. The blue copy is to be kept with your passport at all times. Hotels, guest houses and private hosts must register overnight guests with the local police and these blue forms are essential for this purpose.

Incoming visitors must also fill out duplicate yellow and white customs declairation forms. The yellow copy is to remain with your passport until depature. Don't lose it!

Customs demands that you declare foreign currency in excess of US$ 7,000, gold and jewellery not for personal use and video tapes. Duty free allowances are 200 cigarettes, two litres of alcohol, and perfume and jewellery for personal use.

Banned Material

Vietnam has strict laws on bringing in anti-goveronment literature, pornography, fireams and weapons. CDs and tapes are often retained for screening, but will be returned after a few days. It is illegal to remove antiques from Vietnam. When buying handicrafts, especially those that look old, ask the retailer for a receipt and declaration that the item may be exported.

Airfares information

List of airlines which fly to HCMC from London

Cathay Pacific (via Hong Kong)
Thai Airways (via Bangkok)
Malaysia Airlines (via Kuala Lumpur)
Singapore Airlines (via Singapore)
British Airways (via Bangkok/Hong Kong)
Qantas (via Bangkok/Hong Kong)

All include 1 transfer each way. There are no direct flights from London to HCMC.

Airfare prices vary throughout the year but are approximately £700 - £800 for economy return fares.

Airport taxes

International Flights: 14 USD from Hanoi / 12 USD from Ho Chi Minh City Domestic Flights: 2 USD (approx).

Weather

Hanoi and the north of Vietnam have a distinct winter and summer season with the mainly dry winter lasting from November through to April with average temperatures of 18-20ºC. Summer lasts from May to October and is hot and humid with temperatures around 30ºC. Hue and Danang in the center of the country have very hot, dry weather from February to August with temperatures reaching the mid 30s-Celsius, but can experience some quite heavy rainfall between September and January.

Ho Chi Minh City and the south have a hot, dry season from December till April with average temperatures around 28ºC and a rainy season lasting from May through till November. It rarely rains for long periods even in the rainy season with most rain coming in short, heavy bursts.

Registration

Hotels and private hosts must register your presence with the police. You will be expected to hand over your passport, along with your visa number. A handy tip is to photocopy your passport details several times and then hand this copy in instead of your original visa.

Health

No vaccinations are required except for yellow fever if you are coming from an area where the disease is present. However visitors should be inoculated against typhoid, cholera, hepatitis A & B, tetanus and polio. Malaria is present in most of the region and it is advisable to take precautions especially if traveling off the beaten track. Medical facilities are rather limited in all countries and it is essential to take out a good medical insurance policy before traveling in case evacuation is needed.

Post and Telecommunications

Post Services
A regular international post service is available.
In addition, there are some new specialized services:

- Express Mail Service (EMS). The domestic EMS ensures that letters and small parcels are delivered within 24-48 hours. International EMS is associated with nearly 30 countries worldwide, with a delivery time ranging from 2 to 10 days.

Air mail and small parcels, however, must be subject to additional charges.

- Express money transfer. Money is delivered to the receiver within 24 hours.
- Flower delivery can be ordered by telephone. This service delivers messages such as greetings or condolences, together with flowers, money, or goods (allowed in circulation) to the receiver by request of the sender.

Telecommunicational Services

Telephone
- International long-distance calls (direct). To make an international direct dial (IDD) call, you must first dial the international prefix (00) followed by the country code, area code, and the local number. In case you fail to contact the required number, dial 110 for the operator's help.

- Domestic long-distance calls. To place a domestic long-distance call, you must first dial the national trunk prefix (01) followed by the area code and local number. If you fail to get the required number, dial 101 for the operator's help.

Facsimile (Fax)

Fax machines are quickly proliferating in Vietnam. Public and registered fax machines are available in hotels, businesses, and public offices.

Also available are local and international phonecards, mobile phone, paging, and data base netlink services.

- The "108" enquiries service is for enquiries by phone on socioeconomic and cultural information.
- This service also runs an advertisements and business self introduction scheme.

Currency

The currency issued by the Vietnam State Bank is the dong (abbreviated "d" or VND) which is used uniformly throughout the country.

Traveller's cheques and credit cards (American Express, Visa, Mastercard) are exchanged for Vietnamese dong in banks. Cards can be used in travel agencies, hotels, and major restaurants. US currency is exchanged for Vietnamese dong and treasury notes in banks, exchange bureaus, hotels, and jewellery shops. The exchange rate always changes. When leaving the country, remaining Vietnamese currency can be exchanged for US dollars at the exchange bureau at the airport.

Vietnam Time (GMT plus 7 hours)

Office hours
All Government offices are opened from 7.30 a.m. to 16.30 p.m.(with a one-hour lunch break) from Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday are holiday.

In local regions, offices are opened from 7:00 am to 11:00 p.m. and from 13:00p.m. to 17:00 p.m. Banks are opened from 7:30 or 8:00 a.m. to 15:30p.m. Banks are closed on Saturday afternoons and Sundays.

Private shops are opened from 8:00 or 8:30 a.m. to 21:00 or 22:00 p.m.

Language

Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam. Learning foreign languages, such as: English, Fench, Chinese is implemented widely and particularly in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Da Nang.

Tourist guides can speak English, French, Russian, Chinese and Japanese.

Public Holidays

Sunday is a holiday for all state Institutions. There are also 8 other holiday each year:

Holiday
January 1	New Year's Day, (one day-holiday)
April 30	Saigon Liberation Day, (oneday-holiday)
May 1	International Labour Day, (one-day holiday)
September 2	National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, (one-day holiday)

Vietnam Traditional Lunar New Year Festival - Tet Nguyen Dan: (Four-days holiday). It often fails in January or February. The holiday begins on the eve and the first three days of a Lunar New Year

Emergency Telephone Numbers

- Police	113
- Fire Brigade	114
- Ambulance	115
- International Direct Dialing Access Code	00
- National Domestic Direct Dialing Access Code	0
- Long Distance Domestic telephone service	101
- Directory assistance for long distant domestic telephone service	102
- Operator-assisted long distance domestic telephone service	103
- International telephone service	110
- International telephone service rate	112
- International telephone service inquires	113
- Phone number inquires	116
- Time inquires	117
- Ring back test	118
- Advice on telephone repairs	119
- Information about society, economy, culture.	1080
- Consultation in areas of labour, health, jobs, law, informatic, psychology	1088

Legal Disclaimer

All information given is subject to change and should be confirmed with your embassy in Vietnam.

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