Voyage Vietnam MOTOTOURS ASIA | Useful informations about Vietnam

USEFUL INFORMATIONS

Vietnam's number of visitors for tourism and vacation has increased steadily over the past ten years. About 3.56 million international guests visited Vietnam in 2006, an increase of 3.7% from 2005. The country is investing capital into the coastal regions that are already popular for their beaches and boat tours. Hotel staff and tourism guides in these regions speak a good amount of English.
1. Passport and Visa
  - A valid passport and a visa are required of all foreigners visiting Vietnam. With very few exceptions, there is no such thing as a "visa on arrival." Visas are issued by Vietnamese embassies and consulates. Some overseas offices of Vietnamtourism are able to issue tourist visas.
  - Tourist visas are good for thirty days and may be extended after your arrival in Vietnam. Fees vary from embassy to embassy; about $50 in Bangkok and $85 in Washington, for example. A double entry visa is also available for tourists making side trips from Vietnam to destinations in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.
  - Do not complete your visa application until your travel plans are fairly firm. You are required to state your intended ports of arrival and departure (for example, arriving in Hanoi and departing from Ho Chi Minh City). Changing either of these upon or after your arrival could result in a mountain of red tape and extra expense. Submit your application along with two standard passport photos, your passport and the required fee.
  - Business visas are good for six months and provide for multiple entries. Sponsorship by a licensed Vietnamese enterprise is required. Your Vietnamese trade partner will provide you with the necessary details.

2. Formality immigration
  - You will receive a Vietnam IMMIGRATION /CUSTOMS form from the flight attendant. This is fairly self explanatory. DO NOT leave any blanks unless the question doesn’t apply to you. If you have any questions ask a fellow traveler or flight attendant. The last thing you want to do is get to the Vietnam immigration desk with an incomplete form. The official will probably have limited English language ability and there likely be a long line of travelers behind you. You don’t want to spend any more time at the desk than absolutely necessary.
  - When you get off the plane you will proceed to the immigration line. Be sure to get in the tourist line. Have your passport and other documents ready.
  - The Vietnam immigration officer will compare the visa stamped in your passport and the visa entered in the immigration information system. If you get a pre-approved visa from a service agency the procedure will be the same. He will stamp the visa in your passport and give you a white immigration card. This card is your official Vietnam travel/tourist permit. DO NOT LOSE THIS FORM! You must turn in this form when you leave the country.

3. Money
  - Dông (VND; symbol ₫). Notes are in denominations of ₫500,000, 200,000, 100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 2,000, 1,000, 500, 200 and 100. Coins are in denominations of ₫5,000, 2,000, 1,000 and 500.
  - The US Dollar is the most favoured foreign currency. Australian, British, Japanese, Singaporean and Thai currency, as well as the Euro, can usually be changed in the larger cities; great difficulty may be encountered in trying to exchange any other currencies. There is a commission charge for changing money in banks.

4. Weather
  - Vietnam is a country of southeast Asia, rather larger than Britain and about half the size of the state of Texas. Extending between 9° and 23° N, it lies entirely within the tropics. It has a long coastline on the Gulf of Tonkin and the South China Sea. On the landward side it borders China in the north and Laos and Cambodia in the west.
  - Like other countries of the region, it has a tropical monsoon climate dominated by south to southeasterly winds from May until September and northerly to northeasterly winds between October and April. There is a twice-yearly period of variable winds at the time of transition from the north to south monsoon.
  - In the north of Vietnam there are more cloudy days with occasional light rain during the period of the northeast monsoon. The south of the country is more likely to be dry and sunny at this time.
  - In the southern and central parts of Indo-China, temperatures remain high around the year, but in the north there is a definite cooler season as the north monsoon brings colder air from central China from time to time.

5. Health and Vaccinations
  - You may wish to consult with your doctor about what immunizations to receive before traveling to Vietnam. This might an opportunity to update your tetanus and diphtheria vaccinations; perhaps update your Hepatitis A and B, also. (Note that these are usually done in a sequence and six months are needed to have the complete series.) We will not be traveling through the rural south or the jungles of the highlands, so malaria medication is probably not necessary. (Currently there are no mandatory vaccinations for travelers entering Vietnam.)
  - Be sure to pack sufficient quantities of personal medication for the entire trip. An extra pair of prescription eyeglasses is also wise. Health insurance is strongly recommended. (Check with your insurance carrier; plus travel insurance for overseas trips is usually avaiable from your local travel agent.)
  - Don't drink the water! Vietnam is a developing country, and the tap water is not safe to drink. Our hotels will provide each room with bottled water (sometimes for an extra charge). Only drink this water, and be sure to only use the bottled water when you rinse your mouth after brushing your teeth. Our AV Travel Tour Guide will provide bottled water on the bus. Be cautious when ordering drinks (soda, beer, mixed drinks) at restaurants or bars. Be sure to ask for no ice, unless you are certain the establishment makes their ice from purified water. More than any infectious disease, the probability of sickness from unpurified water is very high. You may wish to ask your doctor for some strong stomach medication for any possible problem you may have on the trip.
  - Some of the tour sites have numerous steps and stairs. The tour is intended for those who have agile mobility and in strong health. If you have any questions about your physical capacity to be on this tour, please contact Rufino Zaragoza directly. (RufinoZ@yahoo.com) Also, let him know if you have any food allergies (fish, shellfish) or diet restrictions. (The Vietnamese menu has a consistent servings of seafood and fish, with some beef and chicken.)

6. Time zone
  - Standard time zone: UTC/GMT +7 hours.
  - No daylight saving time in 2008