Why
Travel to Vietnam?
This
is increasingly one of the great winter-sun destinations - a Southeast Asian country that is
rich in culture, has some excellent beaches, delicious (and healthy) cuisine, friendly
people (who don't mind mentioning the war) and irresistible shopping,
but many fewer visitors than, for example, Thailand.
The French colonial cities of Hanoi (aka Ha Noi) and Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) are interesting
and lively while the four UNESCO World Heritage Sites offer world-class ancient ruins.
And by the way, Vietnam does not look anything like most of the
post-war movies which were damp, dark, dirty, dangerous and shot
in the Philippines, Thailand and California!
Downsides
- War relics can be depressing, though the Vietnamese have
closed the book on that era of superpower stupidity and readily
accept Americans and French in their country.
- Traffic is chaotic but the worst urban problem is air and noise pollution
caused by motorcycles and uncontrolled light industry.
- Untidy, dirty, tangled streets can be tiresome.
- Theft is a common problem, especially in the cities where motorcycle-taxis
have a particularly bad reputation.
- Due to the country's long, thin form, domestic transport is lengthy
and slow, unless you go by plane.
'In
Japan people drive on the left. In China people drive on the right. In
Vietnam it doesn't matter.'
P.J.O'Rourke, All the trouble in the world.
Climate
Best:
Nov-April. Relatively cool and dry in most areas, but can
be cold, damp and foggy Feb-April in the north, e.g. Hanoi or Sapa.
Worst: May-Sept. Hot, humid, mosquito invasion, with the possibility of typhoons
(violent rain storms).
Beware of floods in Mekong Delta in September.
Plan ahead if you wish to holiday during the Tet New Year Festival
(late Jan - early Feb), it can be a problem getting accommodation
and transport.
Length
of stay:
Minimum worthwhile stay, not incl. flights: 5 days to see Ho Chi Minh
City (Saigon), Halong bay, Hoi An/My Son, Hué and Hanoi.
Recommended: 13-16 days: Hanoi 2 days, Halong Bay 1 day, Hué
1 day, Ho Chi Minh City/the Mekong Delta 2 days, Hoi An/My Son 2
days, Da Lat 2 days, Sapa, 2-3 days, beaches 2-3 days.
Main attractions
See Vietnam
Highlights Guide for a guide to the best destinations in Vietnam, whether it's cities,
beaches, temples or hiking.
Activities
Traditional Dance: Folk music,
singing and dancing in traditional costumes. The best location is
at the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) in Hanoi. Daily performances.
Water Puppetry: Wooden puppets act
local legends on the surface of a shallow pool; this form of entertainment originated in North
Vietnam. The main venue is in Hanoi; it's a bit repetitive and touristy.
Cycling: The county's flat and reasonably
traffic-free off-highway roads are ideal for long-distance biking. Bicycles are widely available for hire.
Hiking and walking: Try Terraced rice paddies
and hills around Sapa in Lao Cai provinces, the highland region
around Da Lat, Cat Ba Island National Park in Halong Bay, and the tropical
forest of Cuc Phuong National Park, 140 km from Hanoi. Guides can be hired locally.
Wildlife: Little but bird watching on Cat Ba Island (no cats!) in Halong Bay, and the Mekong Delta
(Cao Lanh, Long Xuyen bird sanctuaries).
Swimming: Most Vietnamese beaches are uncrowded, safe and pleasant for swimming though we don't know any especially good snorkel or dive locations.
Resorts provide marine equipment according to local needs.
Kite surfing: Mui Ne Beach gets good
wind throughout the year and is a world class venue. An excellent
kite school is based at Mui Ne Sailing Club.
Caving: The best place to go is Pong
Nha river caves, near Dong Hoi, Cu Chi tunnels, 35 km from Ho Chi
Minh City, or Vinh Moc.
Boat trips: Halong Bay, Nha Trang Bay,
Mekong Delta, Saigon River (an alternative way to see the city of
Saigon.
War Sightseeing: Cu Chi tunnels in the outskirts of
Saigon and around Hanoi.
Cooking courses: Available through
agencies.
Spa/
massage/ beauty treatments:
Be pampered, healed and refreshed with herbal baths/saunas, facial
treatment or body/foot massage. Clean, relaxed, elegant salons can
be found easily in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi or any beach resorts at reasonable
price.
Festivals:
As the country is mainly Buddhist most festivals are according to
a lunar calendar which changes every year.
late Jan-early Feb, Tet (New Year) Festival, nationwide, one week.
The most important annual event of the country and a wild and noisy
time.
February 1 - April 30, (mid-March for the main event), Perfume Pagoda
Festival, Vietnam's longest festival, a pilgrimage to Huong Pagoda,
one of the holiest places in the country. In Huong Son village.
early April, Thanh Minh (Holiday of the Dead), visiting cemeteries
and temples to pray for the souls of deceased relatives.
June, Tiet Doan Ngo, Summer Solstice Day.
Mid-August, Trung Nguyen (Wandering Souls Day), inviting the souls
of ancestors back to their families. Various towns and dates.
Food:
The local cuisine is light, fresh, inexpensive, diverse and delightful. It's
less spicy than Thai food, and less oily than Chinese.
Fresh ingredients are always used with lots of herbs. The fish sauce
'Nuoc-mam' is deservedly famous.
Street food, especially Pho (noodle soup, in beef or chicken form) is definitely worth trying
for seasoned travellers.
Each region has its own speciality - dog meat in the suburbs of
Hanoi for instance. Excellent seafood is served everywhere, while
Chinese or French influenced food is widely available, particularly
in Hanoi and Saigon. Tourists will also enjoy fine local
coffee and Asia's best French bread.
Cafe culture is well established, especially in Hanoi.
Shopping:
Vietnam produces fabulous handicrafts and artefacts, which are colourful,
sometimes kitsch, fine quality and reasonably priced.
Hanoi and Saigon are loaded with boutiques and bric-a-brac shops.
Local markets are good places to get souvenirs, but strangely the
prices are not necessarily cheaper than the expensive-looking boutiques
so shop around.
Beautiful beads and silk, particularly Aodai (traditional clothes)
and shoes, are especially attractive, as are lacquerware and wooden
dinnerware.
'Bat trang' ceramics are also popular.
Shopping tours by 'cyclo' (cycle taxi) can be arranged.
Good value souvenirs: the market in Ha Long town, opposite the Heritage Halong Hotel, is the place to buy souvenirs of anywhere in Vietnam at bargain prices, especially if you haggle a little.
Money:
Vietnamese currency, the Dong, is unsellable outside the country so be conservative about how much you acquire from ATMs or banks unless you want a fat, useless wad when you leave.
US dollars, small bills, are very useful in Vietnam as well as most other SE Asia destinations, so bring a discreet stash to support your Dong management.
Visas in 2013
Visas are required by citizens of USA, Canada, UK, EU and most other countries with the exception of Scandinavia, Russia and most Southeast Asian countries.
Process:
-
apply for the visa beforehand from an embassy in your country.
- obtain a Letter of Approval in order to get a visa on arrival at an airport.
The 'Visa approval Letter' is a letter issued by Vietnam Immigration Department that allows you to enter and exit Vietnam for a given time period. With the approval letter, you can pick up your visa upon arrival at one of the three international airports in Vietnam - Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.
The letter should be sent within two or three days of application.
Confused? Consult a travel agent or check/request a Letter of Approval/Visa Order at myvietnamvisa.
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