A ravishing coastline of more than 3,000km, mighty emerald-green chains of mountains, breathtaking national parks, dynamic cities, outstanding cultural and culinary interests, Viet Nam has it all!

Coming to Viet Nam to awake your senses, to begin your true journey and adventure- challenge yourselves in a dynamic and young city- Ho Chi Minh in its crisscrossed traffic and legendary land of Cu Chi- a so-called underground city in the American war, then bewitch yourself with canal and watery life on unique floating markets in the Mekong Delta or Nine- Dragon river as we name it. Test your bravery trekking overnight in the National Park Nam Cat Tien....Leave it all behind to reach one of the most beautiful beaches in the world- Nha Trang. Freely immerse yourselves in the vast turquoise sea water at Phu Quoc and Con Dao islands. Meditate in peace on the ancient and pensive town of Hoi An and Hue- with glistening lanterns and where time seems to pause. Astonish yourself in the breathtaking moments seeing thousands of limestones islands in Ha Long Bay. Slalom through the majestic inland karst mountains of Cao Bang. Hike mountain tracks and explore trial villages near Sapa and Bac Ha. Your journey would be incomplete missing Ha Noi- the capital of Viet Nam with more than one-thousand- year of cultural establishment.
Coming to Vietnam to bewitch the hidden but sexy charm of ao dai and conical hats, to smell an unforgettable smell of nuoc mam and to feel secure and happy at naive smiles of Vietnamese.

LANGUAGE

Speaking languages:

● Official language: Vietnamese.

● Foreign languages: English, French, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean..., which are taught at schools and foreign language centers.

● The most popular foreign language: English and Chinese, which can be found easily on street billboards, hotels, restaurants and menus in big cities such as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh and growing tourist places such as Da Nang or Nha Trang.

● The most popular languages for tourist guides: English, Chinese, French, Russian and Japanese.

Dialects

Vietnamese is spoken differently depending on geographic location. Each region and province has its distinct dialect. Even though grammatical differences are negligible, Vietnamese varies greatly in tone, accents and even vocabulary. The Hanoi accent is considered the “standard” Vietnamese.

Tones

Vietnamese seems complicated to foreigners because it is mono syllabic and has six different tones. Hence, sounds that are slightly different will have totally different meaning. The 6 tones of Vietnamese are:

Level: ma (ghost)

High rising: má (mother, used in the South)

Low falling: mà (but)

Dipping- rising: mả (tomb)

High rising glottalized: mã (horse)

Low glottalized: mạ (young rice plant)

Common Phrases

Hello

Goodbye

Thank you

I (don’t) understand

How much is it?

Yes

Xin chào

Tạm biệt

Cám ơn

Tôi (không) hiểu

Bao nhiêu vậy?

Vâng (North)/Dạ (South)

Không

CURRENCY

● Official currency in Vietnam: dong, mostly in POLYMER NOTES (in which includes notes of: VND 500,000; 200,000; 100,000; 50,000; 20,000; 10,000; 5,000; 2,000; 1,000; 500; 200 and 100)

● Cheques with value as Vietnamese dong include: VND 1,000,000 and 500,000.

METHOD OF PAYMENT

● Direct payment of cash is most popular in Cambodia. Other methods of payment are not accepted in small shops, restaurants and markets..

● Major credit cards (Visa, Master Charge and to some extent American Express) are increasingly being used, especially in big cities and tourist places, but only in restaurants, hotels or big shopping malls with a transactional fee (3%-5%).

● Traveler’s cheques are an easy method of carrying money around, and can be cashed at big banks.

ATM MACHINES

For those hesitant to carry a large amount of cash around, ATMs (automatic teller machines) have become increasingly popular in Vietnam (mostly in cities) and have attracted many foreign visitors.

Most banks offer this service and the registration for an account is simple and fast. All ATMs are locally interconnected.

VND and USD can be withdrawn from ATM

EXCHANGE MONEY
You can exchange your money at the airport before leaving, or at banks and official exchange centers in Vietnam. It is strongly recommended that you do not exchange money in the black market or in street..

TIME & WORKING HOURS

Banks	08-11:30AM & 01-04PM – Mon.-Fri.
	08-11:30AM – Sat.
Bars	05PM or 06PM-Midnight or 01AM
Businesses & Shops	07AM or 08AM-05PM or 06PM – Mon-Sat.; Most also open no Sun.
International restaurants	11AM-02PM & 05PM or 06PM-10PM or 11PM
Local restaurants	06AM-09PM
Supermarkets	10AM-10PM
Temples & Pagodas	5AM-09PM

TIMEZONE GMT+7

TELEPHONE

Emergency telephone numbers and area codes of Cambodia as following:

All regular phone numbers have an area code followed by a seven or eight digit number.

Police	113	HCMC code	08	Hoi An (Quang Nam) code	510	Ha Noi code	04
Fire service	114	Phan Thiet (Ninh Thuan) code	68	Da Nang code	511	Sapa (Lao Cai) code	20
Ambulance	115	Nha Trang code	58	Hue (Thua Thien) code	54	Cao Bang	26
Country code	84	Phu Quoc (Kien Giang) code	77	Hai Phong code	31	Ninh Binh code	30
Directory assistance	1080	Qui Nhon (Binh Dinh) code	56	Ha Long (Quang Ninh) code	33	Dien Bien Phu code	230

INTERNET

- Vietnam is the fastest growing internet market in Southeast Asia with over 35% of households plugged in to a fast internet connection and well-equipped with ADSL. 3G is widely available in Vietnam but the cost is a little high. Major hotels through the country have Business Centers with PCs connected to the Internet, for free.

- Wifi is freely available in all hotels, restaurants, cafes and even local noodle shops in most major cities of Vietnam. Just ask for the password.

- Facebook is expanding rapidly in Vietnam. There are nearly 10 million users, 70% of those are under 25. Although the social networking site is occasionally blocked by most ISPs for political reasons, you may be able to use a proxy server to gain access

TRANSPORTATION

Major airlines flying to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi include:

Aeroflot	Air France	All Nippon Airways
Asiana Airlines	Cathay Pacific	China Airlines
China Southern Airlines	Emirates	Eva Air
Garuda Indonesia	Japan Airlines	Korean Air
Lao Airlines	Lufthansa	Malaysian Airlines
Pacific Airlines	Philippines Airlines	Qantas
Shanghai Airlines	Singapore Airlines	Thai Airways Intl.
Tiger Airways	United Airlines	Uzbekistan Airlines
Vietnam Airlines

Most of Asian countries, including China, Japan, Korea, and Russia have direct flights to and from Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi.

Other means of transportation

- From adjacent countries such as Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and China, tourists can travel to Vietnam by coach. Contact the local coach companies for more information.

Many tourists enjoy the sea voyage, especially those departing from Japan, America, as well as Europe.

Each means of transportation has its pros and cons, please review them carefully before investing your budget.

- While in VN

● Motorbikes are the most popular transport means for local people.

● Taxi is the most preferred by tourists for their own safety, but it is rather expensive.

● Bicycles are also preferred for independent travelers in their adventure tours.

● Coaches are popular for intercity travels.

PUBLIC HOLLIDAYS

New Year’s Day (Tet Duong Lich)	Jan 01
Tet (Tet Nguyen Dan)	01 January Lasting from the 01st to 07th days of the 01st Lunar month
Hung King Ceremony	March 10 (Lunar month)
Liberation Day	April 30
Labor’s Day	May 01
Independence Day	Sep 02
Christmas Day	Dec 24

GENERAL CONSULATE IN VIET NAM
Embassy of Algeria in Hanoi, Vietnam
13 Phan Chu Trinh
Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (844) 38253865
(844) 39332151
Fax: (844) 38260830
Email: ambalghanoi@ambalgvn.org.vn

Embassy of Argentina in Hanoi, Vietnam
360 Kim Ma Street
Daeha Business Centre
BA Dinh District
Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (84.4) 38315262 / 38315263
Fax: (84.4) 38315577 / 38315288
Website: http://www.embargentina.org.vn
Email: embarg@hn.vnn.vn

Australian Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam
8 Dao Tan Street
Ba Dinh District
Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: +84-4 3774 0100
Fax: +84-4 3774 0111
Website: http://www.vietnam.embassy.gov.au/
Office Hours: The Embassy is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday except for public holidays.

Australian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
5th Floor, The Landmark Building
5B Ton Duc Thang, District 1
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: +84-8 3521 8100
Fax: +84-8 3521 8101
Website: http://www.hcmc.vietnam.embassy.gov.au/
Office Hours: The Consulate General is open from 8:30am to 12:00pm and from 1:00pm to 5.00 pm Mondays to Fridays except for public holidays.
Details: Relocation of Australian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City The Australian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City will be relocating to a new Chancery from 15 December 2011. To facilitate the relocation, the Australian Consulate-General will be closed from Monday 12 December 2011 to Wednesday 14 December 2011 inclusive. The Australian Consulate-General will resume its operation on Thursday 15 December 2011 for normal business at: Australian Consulate-General Address: Vincom Centre, 20/F 47 Ly Tu Trong Street Ben Nghe Ward, District 1 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Telephone: (84-8) 3521 8100 Fascimile: (84-8) 3521 8101 If you require urgent consular assistance during the office closure from 12-14 December 2011, please contact the Australian Embassy in Hanoi on (84-4) 3774 0100. For further information please visit the website www.hcmc.vietnam.embassy.gov.au.

Embassy of Austria in Hanoi, Vietnam
c/o 'Prime Center'
53, Quang Trung, 8. Floor
Hai Ba Trung District
Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (+84/4) 3943 3050-3
(+84/4) 3943 3051 (Amt)
Fax: (+84/4) 3943 3055
Website: http://www.aussenministerium.at/hanoi
Email: hanoi-ob@bmeia.gv.at

Embassy of the People's Republic of Bangladesh in Hanoi
Villa # D6B-05, Vuon Dao
Compound, Subway #675, Lac Long Quan
Road, Tay Ho District,
Hanoi, Vietnam.
City: Hanoi
Phone: +84-4-3771-6625, +84-4-3771-7829 (PABX)
Fax: +84-4-3771-6628
Email: bdoothn@netnam.org.vn

Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Viet Nam, Hanoi,
Tay Ho District,
To Ngoc Van Road, 66
City: Hanoi
Phone: + (84 4) 37 19 29 74 (reception)
Fax: + (84 4) 37 19 71 25 (office)
Website: http://www.vietnam.belembassy.org/
Email: vietnam@belembassy.org
Office Hours: 8:30 12:00, 14:00 18:30, Monday - Friday

Embassy of Belgium in Hanoi, Vietnam
Hanoi Towers - 9th floor
49 Hai Ba Trung
Hoan Kiem District - Hanoi
City: Hanoi
Phone: + (84) (4) 3 934.61.77/78
Telephone + (84) (4) 3 934.61.79/80/81
Fax: + (84) (4) 3 934.61.83
Website: http://www.diplomatie.be/hanoi
Email: hanoi@diplobel.be,hanoi.consul@diplobel.be,hanoi@diplobel.fed.be
Office Hours: From Monday to Friday : 8:30 am to 12:00 am and 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm

Honorary Consulate of Belgium in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
The Manor GBLK 5 A
91 Nguyen Huu Canh - Ward 22
Binh Thanh District
Ho Chi Minh Ville
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: + (84) (8) 3 512.79.68
Fax: + (84) (8) 3 512.79.69
Email: consubel.hcm@diplobel.be,consubel@hcm.vnn.vn

Embassy of Brazil in Vietnam
14, THUY KHUE STREET - villa D-6/7
Tay Ho District
Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (844) 843-0817/2544
Fax: (844) 843-2542
Email: vetbrem@netnam.org.vn,ambviet@netnam.org.vn

Embassy of Brunei Darussalam in Vietnam
Villa No 8 and 9
Van Phuc Diplomatik Quarter
44/8 and 44/9 Van Bao Street
Ba Dinh District
Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (+84) 4 943 5249 / (+84) 4 943 5250
Fax: (+84) 4 943 5201
Email: hanoi.vietnam@mfa.gov.bn
Office Hours: Monday to Friday 0830 to 1630 Friday : 0830-1200hrs and 1430-1630hrs

Bulgarian Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam
5 Nui Truc Str.
Van Phuc, P.O.Box 10
City: Hanoi
Phone: (0084 4) 38-45-29-08
Fax: (0084 4) 38-46-08-56
Email: bgremb@fpt.vn

Embassy of Cambodia in Hanoi, Vietnam
71A,Tran Hung Dao St. Hanoi S.R. Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (844) 942 4789 / 942 4788
Fax: (844) 942 3225
Email: camemb.vnm@mfa.gov.kh

Cambodian Consulate in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
No. 41, Phung Khac Khoan,
Hochiminh City, S.R.Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: (848) 829 2751
Fax: (848) 8222773
Email: camcg.hcm@mfa.gov.kh

Embassy of Canada in Hanoi, Vietnam
31 Hung Vuong Street
Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: +84 (4) 734 5000
Fax: +84 (4) 734 5049
Website: http://www.international.gc.ca/vietnam
Email: hanoi@international.gc.ca
Office Hours: Monday to Thursday - 8:00 - 12:00 and 13:00 - 17:00 Friday8:00 - 13:30

Consulate General of Canada in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
9th Floor, The Metropolitan
235 Dong Khoi Street, District 1
Ho Chi Minh City
City: Ho Chi Minh City
Phone: (011 84 8) 827-9899
Fax: (011 84 8) 827-9935
Website: http://www.international.gc.ca/vietnam
Email: hochi@international.gc.ca

Embassy of Chile in Hanoi, Vietnam
Suite 1201-1203, 12 th floor
2 Ngo Quyen Street, Tung Shing Square Building
Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
City: Hanoi
Phone: 84 (4) 9351147
84 (4) 9351148
Fax: 84 (4) 9351150
Email: embajada1@chile.org.vn

Honoray Consulate of Chile in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
79/2/1 Phanke Binh
Dakao, Distrit.1
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: 84-8-9102108
84-8-9102903
Fax: 84-8-9102904
Email: chileconsul@hcmc.netnam.vn

Chinese Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
39 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, District 1
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: 00848-8292457
Fax: 00848-8295009
00848-8231142
Email: chinaconsul_hcm_vn@mfa.gov.cn

Chinese Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam
46 Hoang Dieu Road
City: Hanoi
Phone: + 844 8453736
Fax: + 844 8232826
Website: http://vn.china-embassy.org/eng/
Email: chinaemb_vn@mfa.gov.cn

Embassy of Cuba in Hanoi, Vietnam
65 A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem
B.P. 79, Hanoi
Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (844) 942 4775
(884) 942 5070-71
Fax: (844) 942 2426
Email: embacuba@fpt.vn

Cuban Consulate in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Phung Khac Khoan Q 1,° No. 45
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: (848) 08 829 7350
Fax: (848) 08 829 5293
Email: cubacons@hcmc.netnam.vn

Embassy of the Czech Republic in Hanoi, Vietnam
13 Chu Van An
Hanoi, Socialist Republic of Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (+84-4) 38454131-2
Fax: (+84-4) 38233996
Website: http://www.mzv.cz/hanoi
Email: hanoi@embassy.mzv.cz
Office Hours: Mon.- Fri. 08.00 - 12.00, 12.30 - 16.30

Honorary Consulate of the Czech Republic in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
28 Mac Dinh Chi, Quan 1
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: 00848/38290585
Fax: 00848/38226043
Email: HoChiMinh@honorary.mzv.cz,hoavienbia@vnn.vn
Office Hours: Monday - Friday 09.00 - 11.00, 14.00 - 16.00

Honorary Consulate of the Czech Republic in Haipong, Vietnam
2 Pham Minh Duc,
Ngo Quyen Dist., Hai Phong
City: Haipong
Phone: 008431/3836539
Fax: 008431/3737618
Email: haiphong@honorary.mzv.cz,chaugiang.hp@hn.vnn.vn
Office Hours: Monday - Friday 07.30 - 11.30 a 13.30 - 17.00

Royal Danish Embassy in Vietnam
19 Dien Bien Phu Street
City: Hanoi
Phone: (+84) (4) 8231888
Fax: (+84) (4) 8231999
Website: http://www.ambhanoi.um.dk
Email: hanamb@um.dk
Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 8.30-16.30, Friday 8.30-15.00

Royal Danish Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
20 Phung Khac Khoan St.
District 1
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: 84.8.8228289, 8228290
Fax: 84.8.8224888
Email: Consuldk@hcmc.netnam.vn

Embassy of Egypt in Vietnam
63 To Ngec, Quang An Ward Tay Ho, Hanoi
City: Hanoi
Phone: (00844) 8294999 - 8294996
Fax: (00844) 8294997

Embassy of Finland in Hanoi, Vietnam
Embassy of Finland
Central Building
31 Hai Ba Trung
Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: + 84 4 826 6788
Fax: + 84 4 826 6766
Email: sanomat.han@formin.fi
Office Hours: Customer Service: Mon-Thu 8.00-12.00 and 13.00-17.00, Fri 8.00-13.00 Visa section: Mon-Fri 9.00-12.00

Honorary Consulate General of Finland in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
203 Dong Khoi, Suite #206
1st District Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: (84) 8 8272 029
Fax: (84) 8 8 234 436
Email: tuanphung@vci-legal.com

Embassy of France in Hanoi, Vietnam
57 Tran Hung Dao - Hanoi
City: Hanoi
Phone: [84] (4) 944 57 00
Fax: [84] (4) 944 57 17
Website: http://www.ambafrance-vn.org/
Email: ambafrance.hanoi@diplomatie.gouv.fr

Consulate General of France in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
27 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai
BP 307 - Q. 1 - Ho Chi Minh Ville
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: [84] (8) 35 20 68 00
Fax: [84] (8) 35 20 68 19
Website: http://www.consulfrance-hcm.org/
Email: info@consulfrance-hcm.org

German Embassy in Vietnam
29, Tran Phu, Hanoi
City: Hanoi
Phone: (0084 4) 38 43 02 45, 38 43 02 46, 38 45 38 36, 38 45 38 37
Fax: 84 4 845 38 38
Website: http://www.hanoi.diplo.de/
Email: info@hanoi.diplo.de

Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ho Chi Minh
126 Nguyen Dinh Chieu - Q. 3
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: (0084 8) 38 29 19 67
Fax: (0084 8) 38 23 19 19
Website: http://www.ho-chi-minh-stadt.diplo.de/
Email: info@ho-chi-minh-stadt.diplo.de
Office Hours: Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 11.00 am

Embassy of Greece in Hanoi
28 Thanh Nien Road , Ba Dinh, Hanoi
City: Hanoi
Phone: (008443) 7152254
Fax: (008443)7152253
Email: gremb.han@mfa.gr , grcon.han@mfa.gr

Royal Danish Embassy in Vietnam
19 Dien Bien Phu Street
Hanoi
City: Hanoi
Phone: +84 4 823 18 88
Fax: +84 4 823 19 99
Website: http://www.ambhanoi.um.dk
Email: hanamb@um.dk
Office Hours: Monday - Thursday: 8.30 am - 4.30 pm. Friday: 8.30 am - 12.30 pm.
Details: The Faroe Islands and Greenland are part of the Kingdom of Denmark. As a main principle, the Danish Constitution stipulates that the foreign and security interests for all parts of the Kingdom of Denmark are the responsibility of the Danish government.

Embassy of Hungary in Hanoi, Vietnam
360 Kim Ma Street, Daeha Business Center, 12th Floor Hanoi
City: Hanoi
Phone: 4-7715714
Fax: 4-7715716

Consulate of Iceland in Vietnam
18 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
City: Hanoi
Phone: (4) 936 6868
Fax: (4) 936 5431
Email: thamhv@oceanbank.vn

Consulate of Iceland in Vietnam
80 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q1, Ho Chi Minh City
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: (88) 274 462
Fax: (88) 274 461
Email: van-phuoc@hcm.vnn.vn

Indian Embassy in Vietnam
58-60, Tran
Hung Dao
City: Hanoi
Phone: 00-84-4-8244989, 82444990
Fax: 00-84-4-8244998
Email: India@netnam.org.vn

Honorary Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
55-Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street
District 3
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: (+84) 8-38237047
Fax: (+84) 8-9307495
Email: cons.hcm@mea.gov.in

Embassy of Indonesia in Hanoi, Vietnam
50, Ngo Quyen Street
Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (84-4) 825-6316, 825-3353, 825-7969
Fax: (84-4) 825-9274
Website: http://www.indonesia-hanoi.org.vn
Email: komhan@hn.vnn.vn

Consulate General of Indonesia in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
18, Phung Khac Khoan Street
Dist. 1 Chi Minh City, Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: 84-8) 825-1888, 825-1889
Fax: (84-8) 829-9493
Email: indochmc@hcm.fpt.vn

Embassy of The Republic of Iraq in Vietnam
Phone: 00844 - 9424141
Fax: 00844 - 9424055
Email: hanemb@iraqmofamail.net

Embassy of Ireland in Vietnam
Vincom City Towers [8F]
191 Ba Trieu Street
Hai Ba Trung District
City: Hanoi
Phone: 00 84 4 3974 3291
Fax: 00 84 4 3974 3295
Website: http://www.embassyofireland.vn
Email: irishembassyhanoi@dfanet.ie
Details: Ambassador - designate: H.E. Maeve Collins PA to Ambassador Collins: Claire Coughlan Deputy Head of Mission: Bob Patterson Head of Development: Garvan McCann Development Specialist: Mags Gaynor

Embassy of Israel in Hanoi, Vietnam
68 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street
Ba Dinh District
Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: 00-84-4-8433140/1/2
Fax: 00-84-4-8435760
Website: http://hanoi.mfa.gov.il
Email: info@hanoi.mfa.gov.il
Office Hours: 09.00 - 16.00 Monday-Thursday 09-00 - 14.00 Friday

Italian Embassy in Vietnam
9, Le Phung Hieu Street
Hanoi
City: Hanoi
Phone: 84 4 825 6256
Fax: 84 4 826 7602
Website: http://www.embitalyvietnam.org
Email: embitaly@embitaly.org.vn

Embassy of Japan in Vietnam
27 Lieu Giai , Ba Dinh District
Hanoi
City: Hanoi
Phone: (84-4)3846-3000
Fax: (84-4)3846-3043
Website: http://www.vn.emb-japan.go.jp/
Email: soumuhan@vnn.vn
Details: Monday to Friday From 8:30 to 5:15 Open time (Consular Section) 8:30~12:00 13:30~17:00

Consulate-General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
13-17 Nguyen Hue, District 1
Ho Chi Minh City
City: Ho Chi Minh City
Phone: (84-8)8225314
Fax: (84-8)8225316
Website: http://www.hcmcgj.vn.emb-japan.go.jp/
Email: ryoujikan@vietnam-japan.net

Embassy of the Lao PDR in Hanoi, Vietnam
22 Rue Tran Bing Trong
Hanoi, S.R Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (844) 942 9746, 942 4576, 942 2735
Fax: (+84 4) 822-8414

Consulate General of the Lao PDR in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
93 Pasteur St, District l
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: (+84 8) 829-7667or 829-9275
Fax: (+84 8) 829-9272

Consulate General of the Lao PDR in Danang, Vietnam
12 Tran Quy-Cap
Danang, S.R. Vietnam
City: Danang
Phone: (+84 51) 821-208
Fax: (+84 51) 822-628

Consulate of the People's Democratic Republic of Laos
40 Quang Trung Street
Hanoi
Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (+84-4) 8252588
Fax: (+84-4) 8228414

Embassy of Malysia in Hanoi, Vietnam
43 - 45 Dien Bien Phu Street,
Ba Dinh District,
Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: 84-4-734 38 36 / 84-4-734 38 49
Fax: 84-4-734 3832
Website: http://www.kln.gov.my/perwakilan/hanoi
Email: malhanoi@kln.gov.my
Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8.00 am to 4.30 pm

Consulate General of Malaysia, Ho Chi Minh City
1208 Me Linh Point Tower
No. 2, Ngo Duc Ke Street, Distric 1
Ho Chi Minh City
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh City
Phone: 84-8-829 9023
Fax: 84-8-829 9027
Website: http://www.kln.gov.my/perwakilan/hochiminh
Email: malhcminh@kln.gov.my
Office Hours: Monday - Friday

Embassy of Mexico in Hanoi, Vietnam
14 Thuy Khue T-11, Hanoi,
República Socialista de Viet Nam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (844) 847-0948
Fax: (844) 847-0949
Website: http://www.sre.gob.mx/acerca/directorio/embajadas/vietnam.htm
Email: embvietnam@sre.gob.mx

Embassy of Mongolia in Hanoi, Vietnam
Van Phuc Diplomatic Quarter
Villa 6 Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: 0084-4-38453009
Fax: 0084-4-38454954
Website: http://http://mongembhanoi.com/
Email: hanoi@mfat.gov.mn
Office Hours: Mon - Fri. 0800 - 1200 1400 - 1700

Embassy of Morocco in Hanoi, Vietnam
M. EL HOUCINE FARDANI CHANCELLERIE:
CHU VAN AN,
BA DINH, HANOI
City: Hanoi
Phone: 00 (84) 47 34 55 86 /or 00 (84) 47 34 55 87
Fax: 00 (84) 47 34 55 89
Email: embamaroc-hanoi@vnn.vn

Embassy of Myanmar in Hanoi, Vietnam
A-3 (101-104), Vanphuc Diplomatic Quarters
Kim MA St.
City: Hanoi
Phone: (84-4) 845 3369, 823 2056
Fax: (84-4) 845 2404
Email: mevhan@fpt.vn

Consulate General of the Netherlands in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Saigon Tower, suite 901
29 Le Duan Boulevard,
District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: +84 8 8235932/33
Fax: +84 8 8235934 or +84 8 8241402
Website: http://www.mfa.nl/hcm-en
Email: hcm@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy Hanoi, Vietnam
Daeha Office Tower,
6th floor
360 Kim Ma Street,
Ba Dinh, Hanoi
City: Hanoi
Phone: 84 4 8315650
Fax: 84 4 8315655
Website: http://www.netherlands-embassy.org.vn/
Email: han@minbuza.nl

Embassy of New Zealand in Hanoi, Vietnam
Level 5 63 Ly Thai To Street
City: Hanoi
Phone: (+ 84 4) 824 1481
Fax: (+ 84 4) 824 1480
Email: nzembhan@fpt.vn

Royal Norwegian Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam
10th Floor, Block B, Vincom City Towers,
191 Ba Trieu Street
City: Hanoi
Phone: +84 4 3974 8900
Fax: +84 4 3974 3301
Website: http://www.norway.org.vn/
Email: emb.hanoi@mfa.no
Office Hours: Opening hours: 08:30 - 12:00 and 13:00 - 16:30 Monday - Friday

Royal Norwegian Consulate, Ho Chi Minh
Somerset Chancellor Court, 5th Floor
21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street
District 1,
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: +84 8 3822 1696
Fax: +84 8 3827 2696
Website: http://www.norway.org.vn/Embassy/Consulate-HCMC/
Email: norcons@hcm.fpt.vn
Office Hours: Opening hours: 08:30-11:30 and 13:30-16:30 Monday - Friday Visa section: Visitor's hours: 08:30-11:30 Monday - Friday Telephone enquiries: 13:30-15:00 Monday - Friday
Details: Honorary Consul: Mr. Arild Haugan

Embassy of Pakistan in Hanoi, Vietnam
Villa 44/2, Van Bao Street
Van Phuc Diplomatic Compound
Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (+84-4) 37262251
Fax: (+84-4) 37262253
Website: http://www.mofa.gov.pk/vietnam/default.aspx
Email: parep-hanoi@hn.vnn.vn , parepvietnam@yahoo.com
Office Hours: 09:00AM - 5:00 PM (Mon - Fri)

Palestine Embassy in Vietnam
PO Box 73
City: Hanoi
Phone: 840408522947/8524013
Fax: 84-4-9349696
Email: palineembassy@gmail.com

Embassy of the Philippines in Hanoi, Vietnam
27-B Tran Hung Dao St.
Hanoi, Socialist Republic of Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (00844) 943-7873/ 3849/ 4493 / 7948 / 9826
Fax: (00844) 943-5760
Website: http://www.hanoipe.org
Email: hnpe2000@gmail.com; consular_philembassyhanoi@yahoo.com

Consulate General of the Philippines
40-5 Pham Viet Chanh St., Ward 19
Binh Thanh District
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: +84 8 3518 0045
Fax: +84 8 3518 0047
Website: http://-
Email: philippineconsulate-hcm@fmc.com.vn
Office Hours: Office hours: 8:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. Days open: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday

Polish Embassy in Vietnam
3 Chua Mot Cot
City: Hanoi
Phone: +84.4.3845.2027
Fax: +84.4.3823.6914
Website: http://www.hanoi.polemb.net/
Email: hanoi.amb.sekretariat@msz.gov.pl

Embassy of Romania in Hanoi, Vietnam
5 Le Hong Phong Street
City: Hanoi
Phone: (00) (84) (4) 8452014
Fax: (00) (84) (4) 8430922
Email: romambhan@fpt.vn

Embassy of Russia in Hanoi, Vietnam
191, La Thanh street, Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: +84 4 833-6991, 833-6992
Fax: +84 4 833-6995
Website: http://www.vietnam.mid.ru
Email: moscow-vietnam@yandex.ru, moscow.vietnam@hn.vnn.vn

Embassy of Singapore in Hanoi, Vietnam
No. 41 & 43 Tran Phu Street
Hanoi
Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: + 84-4-38489168 (Main line)
Fax: + 84-4-38489178
Website: http://www.mfa.gov.sg/hanoi
Email: singemb_han@sgmfa.gov.sg
Office Hours: Mon - Fri 9.00 am to 12.00 noon Sat , Sun & Public Holidays - Closed

General Consulate of Singapore in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
The Saigon Centre, Level 8
65 Le Loi Boulevard, District 1
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: (84-8) 8225174
Fax: (84-8) 39142938
Website: http://www.mfa.gov.sg/hochiminhcity
Email: singcg_hcm@sgmfa.gov.sg
Office Hours: Mon - Fri 8.30 am to 12.30 pm 1.30 pm to 5.00 pm Sat & Sun - Closed
Details: The emergency contact number for Singaporeans who need urgent consular services is +84-903113500 (if dialed outside Vietnam) or 0903113500 (if dialed within Vietnam).

Embassy of Slovakia in Ha Noi, Vietnam
6B Le Hong Phong Str.
City: Ha Noi
Phone: (84-4) 845 4334-5
Fax: (84-4) 845 4145
Website: http://http://www.mzv.sk/HANOI
Email: emb.hanoi@mzv.sk

Embassy of South Africa in Hanoi, Vietnam
3rd Floor, Central Building
31 Hai Ba Trung Street
City: Hanoi
Phone: +84-4-9362000 /+84-4-9362003
Fax: +84-4-9361991
Email: admin.hanoi@foreign.gov.za

Embassy of The Republic of Korea in Hanoi, Vietnam
4 th Fl., Dae Ha Business Center,
Kim Ma Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: (84-4) 831 5111/6
Fax: (84-4) 831 5117
Email: korembviet@mofat.go.kr

Embassy of Spain in Ha Noi, Vietnam
15th Fl. Dacha Business Center
360 Kim Ma Str
City: Ha Noi
Phone: +84-4-771-5207 / +84-4-771-5209
Fax: +84-4-771-5206
Website: http://www.maec.es/subwebs/Embajadas/Hanoi/es/home/Paginas/home_Hanoi.aspx
Email: embespvn@fpt.vn, embespvn@mail.mae.es

Embassy of Sweden in Hanoi, Vietnam
2, Nui Truc Street
Khu Ba Dinh District Hanoi
Viet Nam
City: Hanoi
Phone: +84 (4) 726 04 00
Fax: +84 (4) 823 21 95
Website: http://www.swedenabroad.com/hanoi
Email: ambassaden.hanoi@sida.se
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9 to 11 a.m. Visa (applications and processing): Monday-Friday 9 to 11 a.m.

Honorary Consulate of Sweden, Ho Chi Minh-staden
8A/11D1 Thai Van Lung, 5th Floor
District 1
Ho Chi Minh City
Viet Nam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: +84 (8) 823 68 00-2
Fax: +84 (8) 823 68 17
Website: http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/5616/a/20794/l/en/pd/5616
Email: consulate-sweden@hcm.vnn.vn
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 12 noon

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hanoi, Vietnam
5th Floor HITC Building,
239 Xuan Thuy Street
Cau Giay District
Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: 002-844-833-5501
Fax: (002-844) 833-5508
Website: http://www.teco.org.vn
Email: tecohn@netnam.vn

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
336 Nguyen Tri Phuong St., Dist.10
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh City
Phone: (002-848) 834-6264~7
Fax: (002-848) 834-6260
Email: suggest@tecohcm.org.vn

Royal Thai Consulate-General, Vietnam
77 Tran Quoc Thao Street
District 3
Ho Chi Minh City
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: (848) 932-7637-8
Fax: (848) 932-6002
Website: http://www.thaiconsulatehochiminh.com:8080/
Email: thai@thaiconsulatehochiminh.com
Office Hours: Office Hours Monday to Friday ( except official holiday ) 13.30-17.00 hrs. (08.30-12.00 hrs) Visa Section 13.30

Embassy of Thailand in Vietnam
Royal Thai Embassy
63-65 Hoang Dieu Street
Hanoi
City: Hanoi
Phone: (84-4) 823-5092 to 93
Fax: (84-4) 823-5088, 733-1326
Email: thaihan@mfa.go.th, thaiemhn@netnam.org.vn

Embassy of Turkey in Vietnam
4 Da Tuong Str., 4th Fl., North Star Bldg.
City: Ha Noi
Phone: +84-4 822-2460
Fax: +84-4 822-2458
Email: turkeyhn@fpt.vn

Embassy of Ukraine in Vietnam
6, Le Hong Phong Street Ba Dinh District
City: Hanoi
Phone: +84-4-37344484 / +84-4-37344492
Fax: 84-4-37344497
Website: http://www.mfa.gov.ua/vietnam
Email: emb_vn@mfa.gov.ua / ukraine@hn.vnn.vn
Office Hours: 8:30 - 12:00,14:00 - 17:30

General Consulate of Ukraine in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
4/4 Hoang Viet Street
Tan Bonh District
City: Ho-Chi- Minh- City
Phone: (+84-8) 8222490
Fax: (+84-8) 8250559

British Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam
Central Building
31 Hai Ba Trung Street
Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: + (84) (4) 9360500/+ (84) (4) 9360550 / 46
Fax: + (84) (4) 9360551 (for Embassy in general)
Website: http://www.uk-vietnam.org/
Email: behanoi@hn.vnn.vn
Office Hours: 08:30-12:30 / 13:30-16:30 (Local time) 01:30-05:30 / 06:30-09:30 (GMT)

American Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam
The American Center 1st Floor, Rose Garden Tower
170 Ngoc Khanh Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
City: Hanoi
Phone: 844-3850-5000
Fax: 844-3850-5048
Website: http://vietnam.usembassy.gov/
Email: hanoiac@state.gov
Office Hours: Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

Consulate General of the United States in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
4 Le Duan Blvd., District 1
Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam
City: Ho Chi Minh
Phone: + 84-8-3520-4200
Fax: +84-8-3520-4244
Website: http://hochiminh.usconsulate.gov/contact.html
Email: hcmcinfo@state.gov

WEATHER SUMMARY

Vietnam has a remarkably diverse climate because of its wide range of latitudes and altitudes. Although the entire country lies in the tropics and subtropics, local conditions vary from frosty winters in the far northern hills to year-round, sub-equatorial warmth in the Mekong Delta. Because one-third of Vietnam is over 500m above sea level, much of the country enjoys a subtropical or -above 2000m-temperate climate. So that there are no good or bad seasons for visiting Vietnam. When one region is wet, cold or hot and steamy, there is always somewhere else that is sunny and pleasantly warm.

	Wet season	Dry season	Summer	Winter
The South - Ho Chi Minh city - Nam Cat Tien National Park - The Mekong Delta - Phu Quoc Island	May - Nov (Average: 27⁰C) - Heavy but short-lived downpours almost every afternoon	Dec - Apr (Average: 35⁰C) - Hot and humid - Hardly find any rains during this season
Central Viet Nam - Phan Thiet - Nha Trang - Hoi An - Da Nang - Hue - Quang Binh			April - Oct (Average: 36⁰C) (Ha Tinh- Quang Nam) Sunshine and blue skies all the way Jan - Aug (Nha Trang) Dec - Mar (Da lat)	Nov - March cold and wet, accompanied by fog and drizzle on highland
The North - Ha Noi - Ha Long - Sapa - Mai Chau - Ninh Binh			May - Oct Occasional and devastating typhoons occurs	Nov - Apr Cold and wet

TEMPERATURE

Month	North (Ha Noi-Ha Long- Sapa)	Centre (Hue-DN- H.An)	South (HCMC-Mekong Delta)
	Av.Temp (C)	Av.Temp (C)	Av.Temp (C)
January	17	22	27
February	18	22	28
March	20	24	29
April	24	27	30
May	28	29	29
June	30	30	29
July	30	30	28
August	29	28	28
September	28	26	27
October	26	24	27
November	22	22	27
December	19	21	27

BEST TIME TO GO

HA NOI: The best time to visit Hanoi is around September to November or from March to April for their milder temperatures and pleasant weather.

HCMC:The best time to visit is during the dry season from December and April, although the coolest months are October through December.

SAPA: For the most pleasant weather, the best times to visit Sapa is March and May or mid-September to early December. If possible, it is recommended to go to Sapa during the week, since the weekend markets can be more crowded with tourists.

HA LONG: It is possible to visit Ha Long Bay year-round, with the best time to visit from October through April, During the summer months from May to September, temperatures rise and storms are more likely during the rainy season.

HOI AN: February and April are among the best time to visit Hoi an when rainfall is low and temperatures are pleasant. If you can, visit to Hoi An for the full moon during on the 14th day of each Lunar month when the town becomes the stage for traditional songs, dancing, games and food, with lanterns lining all of the streets.

HUE: From March to August will be the best time to visit Hue, especially between March and April when the temperature is more pleasant,

NHA TRANG: The best time to visit Nha Trang would probably be March or April.

DA LAT: The best time to travel to DL is from November to March, when the air is fresh and cool.

FESTIVALS & EVENTS

	The South	The Center	The North
January/ February	Lunar New Year (This is the most important festival in Vietnam when all the far- away members come back home for a family reunion)	Lunar New Year (This is the most important festival in Vietnam when all the far- away members come back home for a family reunion)	Lunar New Year (This is the most important festival in Vietnam when all the far- away members come back home for a family reunion)
February	Nui Ba Den festival (Tay Ninh) (This is a chance to pay worship to a lady who preferred death by throwing herself off a cliff to dishonour by kidnappers)		Lim festival (Ha Noi) (Very special folk song performances in which skilled male and female singers exchange their conversations by music any where possible- in pagodas, on hills or on boats....)
March			Huong Tich festival (69km south of Ha Noi) (Huong Son is considered as Buddha’s Heaven- a sacred cave where people come to pray for happiness and prosperity. Visitors come here not only for religious reasons, but for enjoying numerous beautiful natural landscapes).
April	Hung King festival (This festival is time for Vietnamese to show their love, respect and pride to Hung Kings- those who constructed the country and taught Vietnamese how to grow rice and make food from it. A lot of interesting activities are carried out during this time)	Whale (Nghinh Ong) festival (Quang Nam- Đa Nang) (This is the festival for fishermen to show their respect and worship to Whales- who are considered as ONG (MR), a sacred title for animals, as WHALES are like deities sent from Heaven to help them when they are in danger off the sea)	Hung King festival (originated in Phú Thọ Province) (This festival is time for Vietnamese to show their love, respect and pride to Hung Kings- those who constructed the country and taught Vietnamese how to grow rice and make food from it. A lot of interesting activities are carried out during this time)
		Elephant Race festival (Daklak Province) (This is the time to show the bravery and skills in hunting and taming wild animals, especially elephants to make them work and serve the Minority people).
May	Ba Chua Xu festival (Chau Doc) (As in one of the legends, Lady Chua Xu is Mrs Chau Thi Te- the wife of Thoai Ngoc Hau- a very high-ranking officer under Nguyen Dynasty. She swore to erect a temple when the canal, whose construction claimed many lives, was completed, but she died before being able to carry out her oath, so the husband implemented her plan by building the Temple of Lady Chua Xu).		Giong festival (Ha Noi) (The date commemorates Saint Giong who defeated the An invaders. In order to show their gratitude to the hero of Giong Village who sacrificed his life to fight invaders, the people proclaimed him Saint Giong)
June		Tra Co Village festival (Quang Ninh) (This festival is held in memory of the establishment of the ancient fishing village, which founded 600 years ago)
July
August		Hon Chen festival (Hue) (The Hon Chen Temple Festival includes performances filled with imperial characters. Actors and actresses dress in clothes with splendid turbans and tunics that look like princes and princesses of the Nguyen dynasty. These shows take place in the natural settings of mountains, hills, and rivers. This Antique Museum of Nature shows flags, fans, hammocks, umbrellas, weapons, and offerings)..
September			Do Son Buffalo Fighting festival (Hai Phong) (This is a traditional festival that is attached to a Water God worshipping ceremony and the "Hien Sinh" custom. The most typical reason for the ceremony is to express the martial spirit of the local people in Do Son, Hai phong).
	Mid-Autumn festival (Originated from China but now very popular in Vietnam, this is a very interesting festival, especially for children. It is when the moon is fullest, the farm work is at rest and the weather is fresh and cool, it is time to relax and worship the Moon Genie who brings romantic and peaceful light to the world...Unicorn and Lion dances are performed wonderfully and always cheerfully expected).
October	Oc Om Boc festival (Khmer Minority people) (This is a religious festival and time for the Kh’mer minority people to worship the Moon God, who brings about good crops, provides abundant fish in the rivers, and maintains the health of human beings,		Keo Pagoda festival (Thai Binh Province) (The festival is held to worship Buddhist Duong Khong Lo- who was originally a fisherman, then entered religion and attained Nirvana. He knew magic and once came to the capital to cure King Ly Thanh Tong so he was honored as the teacher of princes. He had Nghiem Quang Pagoda built and later renamed it Than Quang (Keo Pagoda).
November	Ghe Ngo festival (Khmer Minority people) (This is a kind of New Year Tet for Khmer people. Villagers gather in the grounds of their local pagoda, in a treeless area. The moon is invited to watch the ceremonies, which begin with the construction of a bamboo archway, decorated with leaves and flowers. Beneath this arch stands a table on which villagers place offerings of bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, cassava and, most importantly, new sticky rice).
December	Christmas Day	Christmas Day	Christmas Day

Travel is not just about visiting, It’s about experiencing. Try to get beneath the skin of the country: this can take any shapes or forms. It might be a culinary adventure or a walk on the wild side. It could be a cultural encounter or perhaps spiritual enlightenment.
The followings are some suggested tips:

DOs
1. Cross the road in a busy city like a local, one step at a time
2. Delve into the bustling markets, the life-blood of every community
3. Meet the minorities, a multicolored mosaic of mountain people
4. Play tram phan tram (100%) or bottoms up with the local in a backstreet bar
5. See the sunrise over the East Sea from a beautiful beach
6. Sunset floating through Ha Long Bay
7. Turn down the volume and meander down the Mekong by sampan
8. Wander through the emerald-green paddy fields to discover rural Vietnam.
9. Tipping: It is customary, though not compulsory, to tip tour guides and drivers at the end of tours. Hotel porters and restaurant waiters should also be tipped.
10. Respect local dress standards: shorts to the knees, women’s tops covering the shoulder, particularly at religious sites. Always remove your shoes before entering a temple. Nude sunbathing is considered totally inappropriate, even on beaches.
11. The traditional Vietnamese form of greeting is to press your hands together in front of your body and bow slightly. These days, the Western customs of shaking hands has almost completely taken over.
12. Keep your cash, credit cards, airline tickets and other valuables in a safe place.

DON'Ts
1. Antiques are easy to buy in Viet Nam but it’s not allowed to bring out of Viet Nam.
2. Like the Chinese & Japanese, Vietnamese strictly maintain clean floors and it’s usual to remove shoes when entering somebody’s home. It’s rude to point the bottom of your feet towards other people. Never, ever point your feet towards anything sacred, such as a Buddha image.
3.As a form of respect to elderly or other esteemed people, such as monks, take off your hat and bow your head politely when addressing them. In Asia, the head is the symbolic highest point – never pat or touch an adult on the head.
4. Don't show much money, jewelry, or expensive belongings while walking around in big cities or even when you take a ride by motorbike taxi (xe ôm) which may attract the pick-pockets.
5. Don’t eat much raw vegetable and don’t drink ice not from a good source of water.
6. Don’t drink water from the tap
7. Leaving a pair of chopsticks sitting vertically in a rice bowl looks very much like the incense sticks that are burned for the dead. This is a powerful sign and is not appreciated in Asia.
8. Don’t bring a lot to Vietnam! As Vietnam has pretty much anything you can find back home but at lower prices. All the soaps are cheap & plentiful, and clothing, shoes & backpacks are all manufactured in Vietnam & available at a snip.
9. Don’t miss Vietnamese food
10. Do not exchange money on the street.
11. Don’t wear singlets, shorts, skirts or dresses, or revealing clothes to temples or pagodas.

THE SOUTH

Ho Chi Minh City seems never to sleep. It is the most dynamic city of Vietnam, and the Pearl of the Far East. There are new sky rise buildings with modern architecture. There are also street markets, where bargains are struck and deals are done; the pavement cafes, where stereo speakers fill the surroundings streets with a melodious thumping beat; and the sleek new cafes and pubs, where tourists freely chat over beer, pretzels, coffee and croissants....HCMC seems to have it all.

The best time to visit HCMC is during the dry season from December and April, although the coolest months are October through December.

Places of interest	Entertainment	Top eats and drinks
Notre Dame Cathedral	Water puppet shows	Phở bò
Vietnam Historical Museum	Fashion shows	Bún bò (Beef rice noodle)
City Committee House	Cabarets	Cơm tấm (Cooked broken rice)
Ben Thanh Market	Ben Thanh market	Gỏi cuốn (Spring rolls)
Cho Lon	Dinner cruises	Cánh gà chiên nước mắm (chicken wings fried with nuoc mam)
War Remnant Museum		Rau muống (water spinach)
Opera Theatre		Lẩu (hotpot/steampot)
Reunification Palace		Bia hơi (Lager beer) Bia tươi (fresh beer)
Municipal Post Office		Home-made wines
		Highland coffee (Cafe Trung Nguyên)

CU CHI TUNNELS - GREAT CAO DAI HOLY SEE

(70 km from the HCMC)
Cu Chi, a 4-floor tunnels with a length of over 250 km, used to be called an underground city, where Viet Cong lived, hid and fought in the American war. This tunnel network and its history has made this land legendary. It would be incomplete for your adventure without squeezing yourself into the “door” down to the tunnel and crawling along it.

Places of interest	Entertainment	Top eats and drinks
The Great Caodai Holy See in Tay Ninh	Attending Noon ceremony of Caodaism	Rice pancake
A “Glimpse of Vietnam” Village	A “Glimpse of Vietnam” Village	Shrimp salt
Cu Chi Tunnels		Cassava
Ben Duoc		Banh canh (pasta soup)
Ben Dinh

THE MEKONG DELTA
(from 70km from HCMC)
The Mekong Delta- the southernmost region of Vietnam- is pancake flat but lusciously green and beautiful. It was formed by sediment deposited by the Mekong River (or Nine-Dragons River as it is usually called in Vietnam). The land of the Mekong Delta is renowned for its richness and almost half of it is under cultivation. It is known as Vietnam’s “rice basket”, as this land produces enough rice to feed the entire country. with a sizeable surplus.

Places of interest	Entertainment	Top eats and drinks
My Tho central market	Visiting floating markets	Fresh seafood, especially fish, “Elephant- ear fish”
Vinh Trang Pagoda	Boat tours visiting fruit orchards and traditional craft villages	Hotpots with most kinds of fish and aromatic herbs
Cồn Phụng (Bến Tre)	Boating	-Tropical fresh/dried fruits of all kinds
Trúc Giang Lake	Fishing	Coconuts
Bird Sanctuary	Squid catching	Rice pancake
Cai Be floating market	Attending cooking class and self cooking	….............
Cái Mây village	Đờn ca tài tử (Traditional folk music)	…..............
Dong Hoa HIep Island	….............
The ancient house of Marguerite Duras, the writer of “The Lover” in Sa Đéc	…..............
Sa Đéc Flower garden- the homeland of hundreds of uncanny flowers and strange herbs
The “Tiger Island” in Long Xuyên

PHU QUOC ISLAND

(500 km from HCMC- best travel by air - 1 hour)
(120 km from Kien Giang- best travel by air - 25 minutes, by high speed canoe: 2.5hour)
Phu Quoc - a tear-shaped island in the Gulf of Thailand, with a length of 48 km and an area of 1,320 square km, is ringed with some of the most incredibly beautiful and pristine beaches. Fantastic views of marine life, tranquil and pure environment, transparent blue-green waters,...are all to attract tourists and pull them back many other times.

Leave all the worries and stress behind to immerse yourselves in this wonderful worldly paradise.

Places of interest	Entertainment	Top eats and drinks
Coconut Tree Prison	Boat rides, snorkeling, scuba diving...	Clay pot , hot pot meals
Sao Beach	Fishing/ Squid catching	Enjoying fresh seafood at night market
Long Beach	Visiting factories producing “nuoc mam”	Nuoc mam
Pearl Fam	Massage at seashore	Fish salads
Sung Hung, Su Muon Pagoda	…............
Ham Ninh fishing village	…............
Jungle trekking
Phu Quoc former prison
Doi Moi islet

THE CENTRE

PHAN THIET

(197 km from HCMC)

This beach city, built along both banks of the Phan Thiet River and the Muong Man River, is not only very beautiful with long ribbons of glorious sand dunes, turquoise water and thick groves of coco palms, but also still very pristine with unspoilt beaches and islands for you to explore.

On the contrary with those serene places, there are a wide range of modern resorts and restaurants offering you numerous kinds of accommodation and seafood at very affordable prices. Enjoying your life sipping home-made wines with fresh seafood and contemplating spectacular sunsets on those romantic beaches.

Places of interest	Entertainment	Top eats and drinks
Fairy Spring (Suoi Tien)	Boat rides, snorkeling, scuba diving...	Fresh seafood
Ganh Son	Fishing/ Squid catching	Fish salads
Cu Lao Cau	Visiting factories producing “nuoc mam”	Fish hotpots
Rang Beach	Massage at seashore	Banh canh cha ca (pasta cooked with minced and boiled fish)
Mui Ne Beach	Boat rides, snorkeling, scuba diving...	Banh can (clay pan cakes with seafood stuffing)
Red Sand Dunes	Fishing/ Squid catching	Barbecued squid teeth
Hon Rom	Visiting factories producing “nuoc mam”
Lotus Lake	Massage at seashore
Hon Ghenh	…...........	Rice pancakes grilled with mam ruoc
Hon Ba Island	…...........	Home-made wines
Phu Quy Island
Ta Cu Mountain Pagoda
Hang Pagoda
Co Thach (7-color stones)
Ke Ga Lighthouse
Cham Tower (Poshanu Tower)
Van Thuy Tu Palace
Duc Thanh School- where Mr Ho Chi Minh used to teach before coming to Saigon

BUON MA THUOT

(489 km from HCMC- best travel by air: 1.5hours)
If beaches are not your cup of tea, then this city of mountains, waterfalls and lakes is completely appropriate for those who like the feelings of adventuring and conquering. Trekking on mountains, kayaking crossing waterfalls or riding elephants through cold and deep water of lakes should be always in your must-do list. More than that, you can feast your eyes on vast green coffee plantations, giving a hand in catching and taming giant elephants of M’nong ethnic people or chilling yourselves visiting sacred Cemetery of Ede tribe. Ancient wooden houses-on-stilt shouldn’t be missing for those who love exploring particular architecture and style of particular ethnic minority people.

What Buon Ma Thuot lacks in eating options, it makes up for with coffee. It's the cash crop of the region, and the locals here are justifiably proud of its high quality. It's almost impossible to get a bad cup of coffee here, and no one would even think of serving you Nescafe or G7 unless you specifically asked for it. The coffee is incredibly rich and smooth, with subtle hints of chocolate.

Places of interest	Entertainment	Top eats and drinks
Yok Don National Park	Enjoying Highland coffee, artichoke and other dried herbal plants	Wild animal meat
Ethnographic Museum	Handicraft wooden souvenir shopping	Excellent coffee
Sacred Cemetery of Ede Tribe	Trekking, walking, kayaking	Bia hoi, bia tuoi
Dray Sap waterfall	Gong performance	Ruou can (traditionally made wines in huge pots)
Don Village	Elephant races
Lak Lake

DA LAT

(310 km from HCMC)
A city of thousands flowers, A paradise of Love, A Miniature Paris....are just some of the names to call this romantic highland city. Located 1475m above the sea level, Da Lat has a very favorable climate that seems make a day 4 seasons. Lakes, waterfalls, ever-green forests and gardens, together with park-like environment all year round make this city one of the most delightful cities in all of Vietnam.
Favourable climate makes favorable crops of veggies, fruits as well as people. Mild and friendly pinky-cheeked girls and ladies with their smiling faces and skillfully knit products attract anyone who has sense of art and a romantic heart.

Places of interest	Entertainment	Top eats and drinks
Da Lat market	Enjoying various fresh fruits (especially strawberries) and dried fruits of all kinds	Fresh veggies
Xuan Huong Lake	Artichoke and other herbal dried plants	Fresh and dried fruits
Minh Tam flower garden	Hiking, cycling, trekking	Dau hu (soya pudding)
Pine tree forests	Horse riding	Fruit jams of all kinds (apples, peaches, strawberries, pineapples, grapes, etc)
Waterfalls	Golf	Coffee
Valley of Love	Boat riding	Hot soya, peanut, sesame milks
Hang Nga Guesthouse & Art Gallery
Bao Dai’s Summer Palace
Truc Lam Monastery
Linh Son pagoda
Chicken Church
Domain de Marie Convent

NHA TRANG
(447 km from HCMC)
Nha Trang is an indisputably beautiful city bordered by mountains, with the beach tracing an impressive long swoop along a bay dotted with islands. No wonder why Nha Trang has just been recognized as one of the most beautiful bays in the world.
Nha Trang has a split personality. One part takes the form of a smaller Da Nang– a bustling Vietnamese city humming with commerce but blessed with access to a beautiful beach, while the other one is a Western resort town encompassing several blocks of hotels, tourist shops, bars and international restaurants. Entering this sheltered enclave you could be anywhere in the world, if it weren’t for the constant hassling from xe om drivers, many of whom seem to moonlight as pimps and dealers.
Nha Trang offers plenty to keep tourists occupied – from island-hopping boat trips and scuba diving, to mud baths and historic sites. But the main attraction for most visitors is lounging around on deck chairs at a beachfront bar and drinking cocktails in comfort, or taking a cyclo ride along the beach to breathe the fresh air from the sea, feasting on beautiful sceneries along the way or tasting excellent seafood in this seafood haven.

Places of interest	Entertainment	Top eats and drinks
Tri Nguyen Aquarium	Thung Chai Basket Boats	Fresh seafood
Gravel Bank	Boat trips	Fish hotpots
Islands (Hon Mun, Hon Mot, Hon Chong, Con Se Tre....)	Snorkeling, Scuba diving	Fish salads
Po Nagar Cham Towers	Fishing	Bun cha ca (rice noodle with minced and boiled fish)
Pasteur Institute	Canoeing, kayaking	Banh canh cha ca (thick pasta soup with minced and boiled fish)
Oceanographic Institute	Canoeing, kayaking	Nem nuong (grilled pork sausages)
Long Son Pagoda	Wine drinking on the surface of the sea
Nha Trang Cathedral	Music performance on board
Bao Dai’s Villas
Vinpearl land

HOI AN
(931 km from HCMC)
Hoi An- also known as Faifo- used to be one of the South-East Asia’s major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, is now a picturesque riverside town and the most enchanting place on the coast and is one city worth lingering in. More than any other place in Vietnam, Hoi An retains a sense of history which grows on you the more you explore it.
Hoi An, which was recognized as the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, has just been voted as the leading beautiful and peaceful city among over 970 nominated cities in the world by the UK Wanderlust Magazine. This is especially true on ‘Hoi An Legendary Night’. Every month on the full moon, motorbikes are banned from the Old Town, which is transformed into a magical land of silk lanterns, traditional food, song and dance, and games in the streets.There are not sufficient words and better way to describe about this ancient city than exploring it on your own and feel it yourself.

Places of interest	Entertainment	Top eats and drinks
Japanese Covered Bridge	Being a local person for 1 day in Tra Que vegetable planting village	Mi quang
Tan Ky ancient house	Being a fisherman/ a carpenter.... for 1 day	Cao lau
Tra Que Vegetable planting village	Cyclo/ Bike riding	Bun cha ca (Rice noodle with minced and steamed fish)
Hoi An Silk Village	Boat self-riding in flooding seasons	Hen (mussels),
Traditional trade villages (carpentry, clay pot making, material weaving...)	Exploring the ancient architectures of ancient houses	Fresh seafood
Chinese Communal Halls	Enjoying seafood on beaches	Fresh fish
Chuc Thanh, Phuoc Lam pagodas		Fresh vegetables from Tra Que
Cu Lao Cham		Coconuts
My Son Holy land		Jelly fish/ Jelly fish salads

HUE
(135 km from Hoi An)
Hue- a quiet and ancient city located by the romantic Huong River, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage in 1993, and now still keeps that reputation. Traditionally, Hue has been one of Vietnam’s main cultural, religious and educational centres. Today, its main attractions are the splendid tombs of the Nguyen Emperors, several notable pagodas...., and the remains of the Citadel. Hue women are no doubt renowned for their gentle beauty, charm and courtesy. Hue is a perfect location to explore the cultural heart and soul of the Vietnamese people while still having easy access to some beautiful beaches. Also, Hue cuisine can hardly beaten by anyone anywhere else.

Places of interest	Entertainment	Top eats and drinks
Citadels: Gia Long, Minh Mạng, Thiệu Trị, Tự Đức, Đồng Khánh, Dục Đức, Khải Định	Listening to traditional royal music (Nhã nhạc) on river	A wide variety of local food (bánh nậm, bánh bèo, bánh bột lọc- rice cakes in different shapes with different stuff)...
Ngo Mon Gate	Bars	Bún bò (rice noodle with pork and pig trotters)...
Thai Hoa Palace	Bike rides, cyclo rides, boat rides	Chè (sweet bean soups)....
Halls of Mandarins		Home-made wines
Forbidden Purple city		Fresh beer
Tinh Tam lake, Tang Tau lake...
Thien Mu Pagoda
Notre Dame Cathedral

HA NOI
Hanoi- the capital of Vietnam, is a city of lakes, shaded boulevards and verdant public parks. This is a city where the exotic chic of oldAsia blends with the dynamic face of newAsia, where the medieval and modern co-exist. A city with a blend of Parisian grace and Asian pace, an architectural museum piece evolving in harmony with its 4000-year history, rather than bulldozing through like many of the region’s capitals. Hanoi is where imagination becomes reality.

Places of interest	Entertainment	Top eats and drinks
Lakes: Sword lake, West lake, Truc Bach lake...	Cyclo rides	Phở (rice noodle eaten with beef or chicken)
Temples: Ngoc Son, Temple of Literature, Hai Ba Trung temple...	Boat rides on lakes	Bún chả Ha noi (rice noodle eaten with mince and fried fish)
Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House	Golf	Cốm
36 Old Quarter	Water puppet shows	Bánh cuốn (rice-flour rolls wrapped around minced mushrooms and pork)
….....................	….............	Nem cua be (these flaky, deep-fried spring rolls are shaped like a square. What’s inside is equally surprising: ground crab, pork, mushrooms and more. Eat them with fresh herbs and lettuce, which ably cut through the greasiness)
…....................	….............	Bia tươi

HA LONG BAY
(340 km from Ha Noi capital)
Ha Long has an interesting legend about the name itself. Ha Long means “descending dragons”. The legend is that, “Once upon a time, soon after the Việt people established their country, invaders came. The Jade Emperor sent Mother Dragon and her Child Dragons down to earth to help the Việt people fight against their enemy. Right at the time invaders’ boats were rushing to the shore, the dragons landed down on earth. The dragons immediately sent out from their mouths a lot of pearls, which then turned into thousands of stone islands emerging in the sea like great walls challenging the invaders’ boats. The fast boats couldn’t manage to stop and crashed into the islands and into each other and broke into pieces.

After the victory, Mother Dragon and Child Dragons didn’t return Heaven but stayed on earth at the place where the battle had occurred. The location Mother Dragon landed is nowadays Hạ Long Bay and where Child Dragons descended is now Bái Tử Long. The dragons’ tails waving the water created Long Vĩ (present Trà Cổ peninsula) and formed a fine sand beach over ten kilometers long”.
Legend is still a legend. The truth is Ha Long with its magnificent and wowed natural beauty, has been recognized one of the 7 natural wonders of the World.

Places of interest	Entertainment	Top eats and drinks
Grottoes: Hang Đầu Gỗ (Grotto of Wooden Stakes) Cave of Marbles Drum grotto Grotto of Bo Nau	Boat rides	Fried fresh seafood, seafood hotpot (shrimps, oysters, cuttlefish....)
Islands: Cat Ba Tuan Chau Van Đồn	Kayaking	Spring rolls (seafood stuff)
Cat Ba National Park	Helicopter rides	BBQ on beaches
Beaches: Cat Co 1 &2	Swimming	Western style dishes
Bai Tu Long Bay	Camping
Tra Co Peninsula

SAPA
(380 km from Ha Noi capital)
Sapa- the premier destination of north-west Vietnam- lies in a beautiful valley at the height of 1600m and very close to the border of China. The whole area is spectacular, full of colorful minority people and frequently shrouded in mist. This beautiful mountainous city is famous for both its fine, rugged scenery and also its rich cultural diversity. H’mong ang Dzao minority people- the largest and most colorful ethnic groups in the region are an interesting part of your visit that can’t be missed to have a complete trip to this highland.

Places of interest	Entertainment	Top eats and drinks
Saturday market	BIke rides	“Cap nach” Pigs (kind of piglet)
Bac Ha market on Sunday	Trekking	Chinese Black Mushrooms
Coc Ly Tuesday market	Homestay	Pau Play Day Cake
Ham Rong Mountain	Camping/Picnic	Fructus Crataegi Wine
Silver Waterfall,		Khang Gai Dried Meat
Rattan Bridge		Grilled corn
Bamboo Forest		Beer
Ta Phin Cave
Lao Chai - Ta Van and Giang Ta Chai village Su Pan Village, Y Linh Ho Village Muong Hoa Valley.

For entry formalities, traveler’s passport must be valid for at least 06 months prior to the date of arrival into Vietnam. Vietravel will arrange the application for entry visa of foreign travelers whose tour reservation and full payment are already confirmed

PROCEDURE FOR VIETNAM ENTRY VISA:

Information needed to get a Visa

Please kindly provide us with the right information as followed:

- Full name shown in your passport and the passport number.

- 02 passport photos (04x06) to be shown to the Immigration Officer at Vietnam’s Airport upon arrival.

- Date of birth (please write the month in word), sex and nationality.

- Date of arrival and departure from Vietnam

Visa upon arrival : you will get the Visa upon your arrival at the Airport.

- Firstly, we apply for the Letter of Visa Approval, whose copy will be sent to you.

- You will need this to get on flights in Vietnam. Upon arrival at Vietnam’s Airport, you should submit this copy to the Immigration Officer.

- Pay 25USD/PAX and get the visa within 5 minutes.

Visa at Vietnam’s Embassy

- Firstly, we apply for the Letter of Visa Approval.

- After receiving it, we will send the original Letter to the Embassy and send you a scanned copy through e-mail (so that you can print it out with the red stamp).

- Then you can bring the copy to our Embassy to get the Visa.

Warning: you can get this Visa whenever you like but it is not very comfortable for you to do this way. You will have to go to a Vietnam Embassy to apply for the Visa and the Embassy usually keeps your passport from 03 days to a week.

Visa Validity

The visa we apply for you is a tourist visa with maximum validity of 01 month. However, you can extend the Visa when you are in Vietnam.

TIME FOR GETTING VISA

Visa Upon Arrival	04 working days since we receive the necessary information
Visa at Embassy	07 working days since we receive the necessary information.

Ho Chi Minh city is not a paradise for shopping lovers like Hong Kong and Singapore, but markets and commercial centres here can offer a wide variety of things that you can hardly find anywhere else.

HO CHI MINH CITY

Categories	Map & Locations	Address
Fabric Silk	Ben Thanh Market Tan Dinh Market An Dong Market Khai Silk	Ben Thanh ward, Dist. 1 298 Hai Ba Trung, Dist. 1 66 An duong Vuong, Dist. 5 57A Tháp Mười, Dist. 6 107 Dong Khoi, Dist. 1
Handicraft	Blue Space Gallery Vinh Loi Gallery	1A Le Thi Hong Gam Dist. 1 41 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, Dist 3.
Shopping Center	Saigon Square TAX Commercial center Diamond Plaza	77-89 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Dist. 1 135 Nguyen Hue, Ben Nghe ward, Dist. 1 34 Le Duan, Dist. 1

PHU QUOC

Categories	Locations	Address
Jewelry	Phu Quoc Pearls	Long Beach
Handicraft	Phu Quoc Crafts	109 Nguyen Trung Truc, Duong Dong ward
Fish Sauce	Fish Sauce Factory	30 Thang 4 St, Phu Quoc
Night market & Seafood	Dinh Cau Night Market	Vo Thi Sau street

NHA TRANG

Categories	Locations	Address
Clothing	Kim Quang	Next to Sailing Club, Tran Phu St.
Arts & Crafts	XQ	64 Tran Phu, Nha Trang city
Shopping Center	Nhatrang Center	20 Tran Phu, Nha Trang city
Salanganes Nest	248 Thong Nhat Shop	248 Thong Nhat, Nha Trang city
Local specialties & Shopping	Dam Market	Nguyen Thai Hoc St., Nha Trang city

HA NOI

Categorie	Locations	Address
Clothing	Kenly Silk Coco Silk	108 Pho Hang Gai Old Quarter 37A Van Mieu, Dong Da
Souvenirs	Life Photo Gallery Hanoi Gallery	39 Pho Trang Tien 110 Pho Hang Bac
Arts & Crafts	Hieu Phuc Loi Ha Gallery	2B Pho Ta Hien Old Quarter 18 Pho Hang Trong, Nha Tho Area
Antiques	Nguyen Frères 54 Traditions Gallery	5 Pho Hai Ba Trung 30 Pho Hang Bun, Truc Bach
Shopping Center	Night Market	From Pho Hang Giay to Pho Hang Dao
Book	Infostones Bookshop	41 Pho Trang Tien
Ceramic art	Bat Trang Village	Bat Trang village, Gia Lam, Ha Noi

HOI AN

Hoi An is so well-known with its skillful handicrafts, especially lanterns. Even out of expectation is clothes that can be made within only 3-4 hours. Just take a city tour and your new clothes are ready there for you to bring home.

Categories	Locations	Address
Clothing Silk Lanterns	A Dong Silk Hoi An Cloth Market Faifoo	40 Le Loi, Hoi An Tran Phu St., Hoi An Tran Hung Dao, St., Hoi An Tran Phu St., Le Loi St., An Hoi village
Arts & Crafts	Art Galleries	Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St., Hoi An
Books	Khai Tri	52 Le Loi, Hoi An
Jewelry	Lotus Jewelry	100 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Hoi An
Ceramic Art	Ceramics Shops	Bach Dang St., Hoi An
Lacquer Paintings	Lily Shop	Phan Boi Chau St.

DA LAT
Don’t miss any hand-made woolen items and souvenirs made from flowers. They are just wonderful to touch, to feel and to hold them for your own.

Categorie	Locations	Address
Woolen sweaters	Night Market	From Hoa Binh Area to Dalat Market
Arts & Crafts	XQ Historical Village	258 Mai Anh Dao St. , Dalat City
Jams	Dalat Market	Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St.
Tea & Coffee	Le Ky Store	21 Hoa Binh Area, Dalat
Artichoke Products	Dalat Market Dat Viet Store	Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St. 1C Nguyen Khuyen, Dalat

HUE

Categories	Locations	Address
Handicrafts	Spiral Foundation Healing the Wounded Heart Center	23 Vo thi Sau St.
Hue traditional foods	Dong Ba Market	Tran Hung Dao St.
Conical hats		Da Le village, Phu Cam village.
Books	Phu Xuan Bookstore	131 Tran Hung Dao St.

SAPA

Categories	Locations	Address
Brocatelle clothing	Bac Ha kermes Coc Ly kermes	Bac Ha, Lao Cai Bac Ha, Lao Cai
Herbal medicines	Bac Ha kermes Coc Ly kermes	Bac Ha, Lao Cai Bac Ha, Lao Cai

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