There is no neither ideal nor bad time to visit Vietnam as there are distinct regional weather variations between the Northern, Central and Southern regions.
January & February
The weather in north and along the coast of Vietnam in Jan and Feb is very comfortable, and among best months to travel of the year.
March, April and May
March/ April are pretty good too and less busy. It will start to rain more in May, but not all day. Phu Quoc Island is pretty pleasant up till September, when it rains all day. March is one of the best month to travel as it is one of the driest times of the year, although there can be occasional rain showers around Hue and Hoi An.
June-Aug
June-Aug are summer months and extremely hot in northern & central cities. It’s also the wet season in HCMC and the central highlands (and Phu Quoc in the south) and it’s the hottest time of year in Hanoi.
November & December
Nov and Dec are good months to visit Vietnam. not so cold in northern Vietnam at that time, Hanoi about 15-25oC, while Sapa about 10-20oC. The coldest months are Jan and Feb. Central and southern Vietnam are great at that time (except typhoon). The November visit was by far the most comfortable in terms of temperature and humidity (or lack of).
South Vietnam (HCMC and Mekong Delta, Can Tho, Chau Doc), the weather is fine, a little warmish and sticky, but not at all oppressive. No rain, only a few evening dry thunderstorms, very beautiful over the Mekong.
How much English is spoken in Vietnam?
As Vietnam continues to open up to the outside world more and more people are learning English. In our hotels, most staff members can speak moderate levels of English. However, on the streets and in local restaurants very few people can speak English and street signs and menus are mostly written in Vietnam characters. With the help of our local guides and tour leaders these communication problems are easily overcome.
What kinds of transport are used on tour?
For road journeys and inner city touring, air-conditioned car, van, coaches or mini-buses are generally used. These are new model, spacious, comfortable, well maintained, safe vehicles - good for small group travel. In cities and towns we use a combination of boats, bicycles, walking (where it is available in the programs). Domestic flights and trains are also involve in some tours.
What is train travel like in Vietnam?
The train trip is a local experience. Cabins are shared with other local passengers (unless private cabin is requested and all berths paid for). Communal rest rooms at either end of the carriages complete the local experience. Sheets and blankets are provided and are generally of good standard. Meals and drinks can be purchased on boar by complete Vietnamese food. Please note: porters are not always available at railway stations, so travellers must be prepared to carry their own luggage.
What type of restaurants and food will be available on tour?
Vietnamese cuisine incorporates a number of styles with each region having its own distinctive flavors. We endeavor to select restaurants that have a good balance of great food and atmosphere, good hygiene levels, and practical locations. Choose from a selection of seafood, chicken, beef, pork and vegetable dishes. International (Western) food is available on request at surcharge. There is now some Western cuisine available in most places we visit, including the hotels we use. However, international options are limited in more remote areas. Breakfast is included each day on our tours and is usually a mix of western buffet, continental and Vietnamese styles, though again, remote areas tend to provide more local dishes. Vegetarian food will find a reasonable selection of fresh foods and available on some our tours.
How much money will I spend per day touring?
The cost of travel in Vietnam varies from bargain basement to sky high, depending on taste and comfort. Approximately US$ 15 per person for day to day living. For around US$ 15 you will be able to buy lunch and dinner at good restaurants, as well as refreshments (non-alcoholic) during the day.
What is a package tour?
A Tour Package is a Vietnam trip which has been constructed by Vietnam Travel Depot and will include all the components to make your Vietnam visit an unforgettable experience as follows:
- Domestic fares including airfares, rail or road as specified in the tour
- Accommodation as specified
- Meals as specified
- Guide and driver
- Taxes and fees as specified
What should I do if I can not find my guide?
Upon your arrival:
Our guides will surely be waiting for you at the airport upon your arrival. However, if for some extraneous reason you cannot find our tour guide upon arriving at the airport, then please call our emergency number for help. It would be wise to keep a contact list with our office number on it in an accessible place in the unlikely event that you have a problem.
At scenic areas:
Some of the popular tourist spots in Vietnam can be crowded during the peak seasons and Vietnam's public holidays. Some guests may lose their guide in a crowd. When you find the guide is not with you and can not find him or her in the immediate area, please follow the following steps:
1. First of all, Don't Panic. Relax and breathe. Realize that your guide is not far away and he or she is actively looking for you. You will be found soon.
2. Secondly, stay where you are and let the guide find you. Do not move far away. This will ensure that you are found in a timely manner.
3. Lastly, if there seems to be a problem with your guide finding you, find the nearest phone and call our emergency number and your travel operator will help you to find the guide
What should I do if I lose my passport during my stay in Vietnam?
Always take best care of your passport! It will take at least 3-5 working days to get new passport and that you will delay or ruin your holiday when you are traveling among different cities in Vietnam. Always take a photocopy of your passport when you go out and leave your original passport in the hotel safety box.
If you do lose your passport, call your guide or travel operator for help and notify the local police station bureau (PSB) immediately where you lose it. The PSB will then issue you a proof of lost passport, with which, you need to go to the nearest embassy or consulate of your own country to apply for a new passport. To have the replacement, you will need to know all the information previously recorded and show identification and proof of citizenship. With the new passport issued, you can get a new Visa at Vietnam Immigration, so you can go on your trip or re-enter your country. Please note that in some cases, a replacement may take weeks to process, and it may be valid only for a limited time. So please take especial care of your passport in your journey.
What kind of shopping can I expect in Vietnam?
Besides all the sightseeing and activities, you may feel like doing some shopping. The following are some suggestions about shopping in Vietnam: It is better for you to buy goods at department stores and factories, where the quality of the goods can be guaranteed and you don’t have to worry about the things such as you may get the fake money back. It is better for you to buy local specialties in different cities rather than buy everything in one city. Please do not feel obligate to shop. In order to fulfill your needs to buy goods with Vietnamese characteristics as souvenirs and gifts, our guides may offer you shopping opportunities, but, sometimes, you may think you do not want to go at all, in this case, please do not feel embarrassed to tell our guides directly. And also in the shops, do not feel obligate to buy anything because the shop attendants are very kind to you. Ask your tour guides and shop attendants whether you can get some discounts before you pay for the goods, even over the counters in some department stores.
Can you offer us some safety tips for traveling in Vietnam?
Crime
Vietnam is very keen on bolstering foreign tourism: with severe punishments for crimes against tourists, violent crime against foreigners is rare. Nevertheless be alert in the big cities, especially Ho Chi Minh City, where teams on motorbikes drive by their victims to snatch bags, cameras, mobile phones, jewelry, etc. Carry bags on the side away from the street, use money belts, and let the hotel reception keep your valuables.
Also infamously common are thefts on popular beaches, like in the case of Nha Trang, where tourists get into the water for a swim to find out their day bag is gone when they’re back to the beach. Never leave your bag unguarded on beaches, and keep your eyes on it.
Prostitution
Prostitution is illegal in Vietnam and the age of consent is 18. Vietnam has laws on the books with penalties up to 20 years in prison for sexually exploiting women and children, and several other countries have laws that allow them to prosecute their own citizens who travel abroad to engage in sex with children.
On the road
Be careful! When traveling within the confines of the city it is fine, as speed is pretty tame. However, getting on the freeway is dangerous, there are a lot of traffic fatalities (average is 30 deaths a day) on the freeways in Vietnam, and some locals will not even venture on them, if not in a big vehicle (car or bus).
Taking a bicycle or motobike on the freeway is not advised. There are transport buses and tour buses that go about 80 km/hour that pay very little attention to what is going on around them (as is usually the way people adhere to traffic in Vietnam). This often leads to accidents, where frequently you will see many bodies lying on the road with a blanket over them and incense burning around them.
If you are in an accident you have to get yourself to the hospital. You have to call yourself or, if lucky, get someone to call for you. Local hospitals will not accept you unless they think you can pay the bill.
Crossing the road
The stakes are high: if you are to die in Vietnam, more than likely it will happen on the road - be it in a car or under one. Vietnamese cities are crowded, and the roads are absolutely packed. You will take your life into your own hands every time that you cross a busy street in any of Vietnam’s major cities.
Although some intersections in the main cities ( Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City) have traffic lights and many are patrolled by a police officer, most lights are either non-functional or ignored, and you are more likely to see a traffic officer sitting in the shade than directing traffic.
In most of the Western world, the trick is to avoid the cars. That’s simply not possible in Vietnam, as there are far too many cars, trucks (lorries or utes), motorbikes, cyclos and bicycles in far too little space. No, the trick in Vietnam is to enable the vehicles to avoid you.
This is managed by first picking a reasonable gap in the traffic (probably a smaller gap than you’d choose when jaywalking in, say London or Manhattan or Sydney), then walking slowly and predictably across the street while looking directly at the on-coming cars, motorcycles, cyclos and bicycles.
The predictability of your pace and path is the critical factor between life and death. Do not change direction or speed.
If you stop, retreat or try to dodge the vehicles, you are risking injury, and your possible misfortune will merely annoy a lot of commuters by snarling traffic even further. But if you step confidently and carefully, the drivers will see and smoothly avoid you - often with grace and a casual aplomb that’s initially bewildering to many panic-stricken Westerners. But remember, they do this all the time, every day…or they wouldn’t be alive themselves.
The simplest way to cross a busy street is to find a local and walk close to him or her, mirroring their path and pace. They know what they’re doing! And once you get the hang of it, it’s actually great fun to find yourself walking unafraid through a deadly sea of swarming vehicles and people, suddenly feeling like part of the normal flow in this otherwise foreign land - many visitors find waiting at traffic lights quite boring upon return to their home countries.
Nightlife
Vietnam has a great night life and is reasonably safe compared to many countries. However, Vietnam is like any country, so beware of petty crimes. As in most unfamiliar places, beware of punk looking teenagers and triads. Basically don’t go looking for trouble. Remember Vietnam is a partying country and though they are lenient towards foreigners you shouldn’t try your luck. Also, things tend to get a little bit empty at night, since there is a curfew for shops to close, which is usually around 10ish. Alleyways, which there are a lot of in Vietnam, are usually safe. Use common sense.
Wildlife
Unfortunately, much of Vietnam’s dangerous wildlife is severely endangered and very rarely seen. Tigers are so rare that the odds of seeing one are extremely low, even for people living in rural parts of the country. Crocodiles are virtually extinct in Vietnam- Saltwater crocodiles were once present in the Mekong Delta (up until 20 years ago) and in much of South Vietnam, but due to war, discrimination and habitat destruction they are rare and most likely extinct as a breeding species in Vietnam. Leopards, though more common than Tigers, are still very rare. Snakes are pretty much the only common animal that represents any substantial threat to humans. The Siamese crocodile is also very rare and is the only confirmed surviving crocodile species in Vietnam, but is not a big threat to humans.
What is the tipping practice in Vietnam?
In Vietnam, tipping for tour guides and drivers in recognition of their good service has become a common practice. Hotel bellboys and house keepers expect your tips as well. It is not customary to leave tips at hotel or local restaurants as the bill usually includes 10% service charge.
Vietnam Travel Depot does not include tipping in our quotation as tipping is a personal matter. If you don’t know what the proper amount for tipping would be, the following standard is for your reference:
If you are traveling in a small party like 2 to 5 members and touring within 2 to 5 days, We suggest approximately US $8 to US $10 /per guest per day as tips for tour guide and US $4 to US $5 for the driver and about US $2 to US $3 for hotel bellboys as a gratitude for their service.
But, for active tours like hiking, biking, rafting, we suggest you double the tipping.
If you are traveling in a party like 6 to 9 members and touring within 6 to 10 days , We suggest US $6 to US $8 /per guest per day as tips for the tour guide and US $3 to US $5 for the driver and about US $1 to US $2 for hotel bellboys as a gratitude for their service.
If you are traveling in a group with more than 10 people, We suggest US $3 to US $5 /per guest per day as tips for the tour guide and US $2 to US $3 for the driver and about US $3 to US $5 for hotel bellboys as a gratitude for their service.
The above is for your reference only, again tipping is a personal matter, you can always adjust the amount based on your satisfaction with the service you get from your tour guides, drivers, bellboys and so on.
How to use your mobile phones in Vietnam?
In Vietnam, mobile phones provided by Vinaphone, Viettel, Mobifone and some other state-owned companies, including:
- GSM: Vinaphone (code: 91), Mobiphone (code: 90), Viettel (code: 98);
- Using GSM 900/1800 with standard SIM card which is compatible with most of Asia, Europe and Australia, but not with North America;
- Phone number code: Network code + seven digits (e.g: 098.9992988)
Usually when you buy SIM card, no document is required but prepaid charge and you need to finish using that amount of prepaid charge before indicated date. You can buy charging card in amount from 50.000 VND to 500.000 VND to recharge in post offices, stores and newsstands easily.
How to get the internet access in Vietnam?
You can use the Internet service in the business center of the hotels; some rooms of certain hotels have the internet access, in which you can use your own computer. And internet cafes are a booming business in Vietnam and you should have no difficulty in finding one in cities, big or small, the charges in those internet cafes may be cheaper.
Can we take photos as we like in Vietnam?
You may photograph in most locations, except in most museums and military zones, while some institutions allow you to take photos if you pay a fee in advance. Do ask for permission first if you try to take photos of people closely.Color print film, memory stick for digital camera is widely available, especially in the medium-sized and big cities, black and white or slide film much less so. Video film can be found but not always readily.
Is the Public Facilities in Vietnam OK?
In Vietnam, most public toilets are squatting ones which can be found in commercial areas and are usually well-marked. If you need to answer the nature’s call, look for a "WC" sign which Vietnamese call is toilet. Some public toilets require a small fee, others are free. Most public toilets don’t supply toilet paper, so it is advisable to always carry some tissue paper with you at all times. If you can’t seem to find a washroom, try to find a fast food store, a shopping mall or decent hotels, where there is a clean washroom available.
What is the currency used in Vietnam and how to exchange it? The official currency in Vietnam is Đồng (abbreviated VND). The basic unit is the dong (also known as ‘đồng’)
Always try to change cash, traveler’s check at Vietcombank, the professional bank dealing with foreign currency in Vietnam. To change money in the local bank, you have to have your passport at hand. If you want to change money in a hotel, you usually have to be a guest there. Sometimes if you are not a guest in a hotel but need to change money there, you can just say a random room number, but this doesn’t always work.. Whenever you change the money, please keep the exchange receipts well in case you need to exchange back into the original currency upon your leaving from Vietnam.
You can use US dollars / Euros/ English pounds/ in the hotels to pay for the bill, in the friendship stores, to buy things from those vendors outside the scenic spots, to pay for any optional tours and to tip porters of the hotels, tour guides and drivers or whomever you want to tip. While you can not use US dollars or some other foreign currencies in department stores or small convenience stores, local restaurants, or if you try to buy things from street vendors.
Credit Cards
Major credit cards such as Visa, Master Card, Diner's Card, American Express and JCB can be used to purchase goods in large shopping malls and stores in the big and medium cities, to pay for hotel rooms and for meals in some of the fancier restaurants, and to buy plane tickets with them.
Note: If you are to travel to those small cities or even remote rural areas, only cash in VND can be used.
ATMS
In the main cities, especially in those tourist cities, there are ATM services available to withdraw money from ATMS, and in China you can only withdraw VND from ATMS, there is a maximum daily withdrawal limit.
