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Name: Vietnam
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Population 83,535,600
Capital City Hanoi (1.7 million)
Currency Dong (VND)
Languages Vietnamese (official), English, French, Chinese, Khmer,
others
National Day September 2
Religions none (80%), Buddhist (9.3%), others
Geographic Coordinates
Latitude/Longitude (Capital City)
21� 01' N, 105� 52' E
Relative Location Vietnam is in both the eastern and northern
hemispheres. It's positioned in Southeast Asia, a
recognized geographical region of the Asian continent. The country
is bordered by the Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Tonkin, Gulf of Thailand, South
China Sea, and the countries of China, Laos and Cambodia.
Land Statistics:
Coastline 2,140 miles (3,444 km)
Land Areas:
(land) 125,622 sq miles (325,360 sq km)
(water) 1,621 sq miles (4,200 sq km)
(TOTAL) 127,243 sq miles (329,560 sq km)
Landforms Vietnam is a country of tropical lowlands, rolling green hills, and
densely forested mountains. Low-level land covers about 20% of the
country.
The Red River delta is fronted by hills that rise
gently into the high mountains of the northwest; the Annam Highlands cover
much of the central landscape, and in the southern areas, the coastal
lowlands and Mekong River Delta merge.
A fertile and narrow coastal lowland extends south
from the Red River Delta to the Mekong Delta.
The Mekong Delta is a low-level plain, one inundated by hundreds of small
rivers and canals. Thick jungles and mangrove swamps cover the far-southern
areas of land.
The Red River (Song Hong), and the Mekong are the most significant rivers;
both have numerous tributaries, and the latter is certainly among the great
rivers of the world.
Highest Point Fan Si Pan - 10,315 ft. (3,144 m)
Lowest Point South China Sea - (0 ft.) (0 m)
Land Divisions 59 provinces and 5 municipalities; provinces include: An Giang, Bac Giang,
Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba
Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh
Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Dac
Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hau Giang,
Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien
Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang
Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh,
Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan,
Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang
Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua
Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh,
Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc and Yen Bai;
municipalities include: Can Tho, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh
Entering Vietnam
To
enter Vietnam, visitors must have a national passport and have an approved
travel visa from the Vietnamese Immigration Department. All passports and
travel documents must be endorsed for traveling in
Vietnam.
Visa
All
visitors are required to have a valid visa to enter Vietnam. A one-month
tourist visa is usually sufficient for most visitors though it is possible to
arrange 3-month and 6-month multiple entry visas for regular visitors. All
visitors must obtain visa approval from the Vietnamese Immigration Department
before a visa is issued.
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 centre 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.
Currency
The
currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong although US Dollars are accepted in many hotels, restaurants and shops. Banks
are open Monday to Friday and some are open Saturday morning. In the major
cities there are 'bureaux de change' and most
hotels will change US Dollars although for other currencies it is usually
necessary to visit a bank. Travelers cheques can be exchanged at
banks and some exchange bureaus but can be difficult to change outside of the
major cities. Visa Card and MasterCard are now accepted
in many hotels, restaurants and shops but US Dollars cash are still the most
reliable form of money to carry. There are ATM machines in Ho
Chi Minh City and Hanoi, but they are less available in more
remote areas.
Religion
Buddhism
is the dominant religion in Vietnam
usually combined with elements of Confucianism and
Taoism. About 10% of the country's population are
Catholic and there are also communities of Protestants and Muslims. Vietnam
is also home to a unique religion called Cao Dai, a religious cocktail of all
the world's major faiths.
Clothes
Comfortable
lightweight clothing in natural fabrics such as cotton is most suitable for
traveling in Vietnam
. The dress code is fairly
casual as in most parts of the tropics, but it is advisable to cover
arms and legs in the evenings against biting insects. A lightweight raincoat
is a good idea in the rainy season. During the winter months
warm clothing is needed for visiting the north of Vietnam.
Visitors to Buddhist countries should not wear shorts, short skirts or other
skimpy clothing when visiting religious buildings. Shoes should
be removed before entering a private home.
Electricity
The
predominant power supply in most locations is 220V, but in some areas 110V is also used.
Food & Water
The
cuisine of Vietnam comes
as a pleasant surprise to many visitors and is definitely a part of the Vietnam
experience not to be missed.
One of the characteristics of Vietnamese food is that it is
always fresh being bought the same morning straight from the market.
Food is usually prepared with a minimum of oil and served with the ubiquitous
fish sauce called "nuoc mam".
Typical Vietnamese dishes you can expect to try include
pho, a type of rice noodle soup eaten for breakfast, "cha gio", deep-fried spring rolls and "goi ngo sen",
a delicious salad made with lotus stems, shrimps and peanuts. Due to the strong
Buddhist influence in Vietnam
, vegetarian food is widely available.
It
is not advisable to drink tap water in Vietnam
but bottled mineral water is safe and available
everywhere. Ice in drinks is generally OK in good standard hotels and
restaurants but it is best to avoid it on street stalls or in country areas.
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.
Language
Since
the Vietnamese language has six different tones, it is difficult for most
foreigners to speak, despite the fact that the Roman alphabet is used in modern Vietnamese. The same word can have six
different meanings depending on the tone used to pronounce it. In the cities
and larger towns, English is becoming popular and is now spoken by many
younger people while some of the older generation still
speak fluent French. Russian and Chinese are also
spoken by some people.
Communications
Most
hotels now have IDD phones in rooms and it is
possible to send faxes from hotels and post offices, although be warned,
these services are expensive. Away from the major cities
it may not always be possible to make international calls. Cyber cafes are
becoming popular in the major cities in Vietnam
and many travelers now prefer to keep in touch by
e-mail. Post cards can be bought at all the main
tourist sites and stamps are available from post offices and some hotel
reception desks.
Shopping
Souvenirs
to look out for in Vietnam include lacquer ware, silk, conical hats,
woodcarvings, hill tribe fabrics and handicrafts, embroidery, marble,
ceramics, silver jewelry, antique watches and paintings. Ho
Chi Minh City and Hanoi have the
best choice when it comes to shopping but Hoi An in the centre of Vietnam
is also a very good place to hunt for bargains.
Hours of business
Offices
are usually open from Monday to Friday from 07:30 or 08:00 until 17:00 or
18:00 and often close for lunch between 11:30 and 13:00. Some offices also
open Saturday morning. Shops open early and close any time between 18:00 and
22:00. Most shops are open 7 days a week.
Tipping
Tipping
for good service is not expected but is always appreciated
in these developing nations. It is customary, though not compulsory, to tip
tour guides and drivers at the end of a tour. Hotel and station porters should also be tipped.
Public Holidays
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January 1
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New Year's Day
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January/ February
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Tet or Vietnamese New Year.
The actual dates vary from year to year according to the lunar calendar. Officially 3 days holiday but many businesses close down
for a full week. This is the busiest time of the year for traveling in Vietnam
and hotels, flights and trains are often full.
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April 30
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Liberation of Saigon Day
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May 1
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International Labor Day
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September 2
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National Day
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