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Customs regulations
On entering Vietnam, all visitors must fill in a entry/exit form including a customs declaration and show their luggage to customs officials upon request. There are no limited amounts of foreign currency, objects made of gold, silver, precious metals and gemstones or plated with silver or gold but visitors must declare these in detail on the customs forms.
Airport Tax
International flights: None Domestic flights: None
Currency
The currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong (abbreviated "D" or VND) although US Dollars are widely accepted. Bank notes are 200 VND, 500 VND, 1000 VND, 2,000 VND, 5,000 VND, 10,000 VND, 20,000 VND, 50,000 VND, 100,000 VND, and 500,000 VND.
The rate of exchange at updating time is approximately 15.900 VND to one US. Dollar (to view current exchange rate: www.vietcombank.com.vn).
Credit cards are generally only accepted in major cities. Visitors are recommended to carry US Dollar in small denominations. Travelers can change their money for Vietnamese Dong (VND) at banks, hotels, restaurants and jewelry shops throughout the country. There are some ATM machines appearing in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Travelers cheques can be be exchanged at banks and some exchange bureaus but can be difficult to change outside of the major cities.
Currency Converter
Link
to:
http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic
Business hours (GMT + 7 hours)
Office hours: Monday to Friday from 07:30 AM or 08:00 AM to 04:30 PM or 05:00 PM. Some offices also open in Saturday morning. Banks hours: Monday to Friday from 08:00 AM to 03:00 PM
World time
http://www.worldtimeserver.com/current_time_in_VN.aspx
Language
Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam but there are various dialects spoken by hill tribe people in remote areas. Learning foreign languages , particularly English and French, is currently in vogue among young people in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Da Nang and other cities.
Public Holidays & Festivals
Weather
Vietnam shares borders with Cambodia, Laos and China, and features 3,200 km of coastline bordering the Eastern Sea. With an area of 332,000 square km, Vietnam’s topography varies from coastal plains to mountain ranges. Vietnam stretches over 1,800 km from north to south ; therefore weather patterns in the principle cities are very different.
Asia Weather
Link to: http://www.weatherhub.com/global/asia.htm
Medical Care
Emergency Contacts
Clothing
Appropriate dress differs from North to South. Southern Vietnam is tropical year round and people dress comfortably and casually. Lightweight 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 Hanoi, 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. Saigon’s business community is very image oriented. It’s alright to ask your business partners here what kind of attire is appropriate and expected.
Remember that Vietnam 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. During rainy season in Saigon the rain is often short (20-30 minutes) and some times quite sudden. Practically every hotel in Vietnam has laundry service, which is usually quite inexpensive.
Internet
Cyber cafes are becoming popular in the major cities in Vietnam. All hotels offer the internet services.
Tipping
In Vietnam, tipping for good services is widely practiced and always appreciated. It is customary, though not compulsory, to tip tour guides and drivers at the end of a tour. In hotel and stations, porters should also be tipped ( Porters, VND 10,000 – 15,000 (1 USD) per bag). In Hotel and restaurant, services charges show on bill.
Useful Links
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