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Airport Tax
- Is there any airport departure tax in Vietnam?
  Yes, an international departure tax is payable by all travellers leaving Vietnam. It is not included in
  the price of your flight ticket and must be purchased at the airport before departure.
  
  In Ho Chi Minh City, the International departure tax is USD 12.
  In Hanoi, the International departure tax is USD 14.
  In Danang, the International departure tax is USD 12.
  
  Domestic flights are not subject to airport tax. It is already included in the price of your ticket.
  
  NOTE: You can purchase your international departure tax in US$ or in Vietnamese Dong.
  Airport tax is subject to change without prior notice.
Getting there
Health
- Do I need to have any vaccinations to enter Vietnam?
  No vaccinations are mandatory 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 travelling off the beaten track. Medical facilities are rather limited and
  it is essential to take out a good medical insurance policy before travelling in case evacuation
  is needed.
  
  NOTES: Consult your doctor for up-to-date information and prescriptions for vaccinations,
  anti-malarial tablets and any reasonably foreseeable illnesses whilst travelling in Vietnam.
  Some vaccination courses may need time to be completed. If you plan to take anti-malarial tablets,
  you usually need to start one week before arrival. We recommend that you carry a first
  aid kit as well as any personal medical requirements (including a spare pair of glasses).
Money - Currency
Safety
- How safe is Vietnam?
  Vietnam is a relatively safe country to visit. As a global rule, never leave your belongings
  unattended and always maintain eye contact or a firm grip on cameras and shoulder
  bags. Avoid cyclos late at night and choose reliable metered taxi companies. Ask your
  guide for advice on safety issues.
Telecommunications
- How can I get in touch with my family, workplace and friends?
  Telephone: Most hotels now have IDD phones in rooms and it is possible to send faxes
  from hotels and post offices although these services are expensive. It may not always be
  possible to make international calls in remote areas.
  If you have worldwide coverage, you can bring your own mobile phone and use it to
  make domestic or international calls. Check with your mobile phone provider for the
  costs before using it abroad - it may be expensive.
  
  Internet: Major hotels have Business Centres with PCs connected to the Internet. Some
  of them have wireless broadband access in rooms or public areas. Cyber cafes are
  becoming popular and are easily found in major towns and cities. Prices are reasonable,
  usually below US$1 per hour. In many Internet cafes, you can buy pre-paid international
  phone cards to dial from a computer to a landline or mobile phone worldwide. Most
  Internet cafes are equipped with webcams, headsets and microphones.
  
  Mail: Postcards are sold at all main tourist sites and stamps are available from post
  offices and some hotel reception desks. A postcard to Europe costs VND 9,000 to send
  and takes up to two weeks to reach the country of destination.
Time
- What is the time difference in Vietnam?
  It is GMT + 7
Transportation
Visas
Weather
- What is the weather like in Vietnam?
  Hanoi and the north of Vietnam have distinct winter and summer seasons. The mainly
  dry winter lasts from November to April with average temperatures of 18-20°C. Summer
  lasts from May to October and is hot and humid with temperatures around 30°C. Hue
  and Danang, in the centre of the country, have very hot, dry weather from February to
  August with temperatures reaching the mid 30's Celsius, but can experience some 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 28°C and a warm
  rainy season from May to November. In the rainy season, most rain comes in short,
  heavy bursts.
- When is the best season to travel to Vietnam?
  All year round is the good season somewhere!
  Vietnam stretches over 2000 km from North to South. The climate differs all year round
  from one region to another. The North can be chilly during winter months (December to
  March). North and Central Vietnam can encounter tropical storms and typhoons from
  October to January. Overall, the north of Vietnam experiences more marked seasons
  than the rest of the country with two distinct seasons: wet and dry. The South, including
  Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, benefits from sunshine and warm weather all
  year round. However, the rainy season lasts from May to November (with showers once
  or twice in general) and a dry season from December to April. The Central Highlands can
  be chilly. Nha Trang has warm – sometimes hot - weather all year round, with a rainy
  season from the end of September until December. Unless you intend to visit friends,
  relatives or your family, we do not recommend visiting Vietnam during the Lunar New
  Year, Tet holidays (Vietnamese New Year falls between late January and February). The
  Tet holiday is the most important period of the year for Vietnamese people who take
  time off to visit their families in the countryside. All hotels, buses, trains and flights are
  full, and there is almost no activity in the markets and shops. Some hotels and
  restaurants are under-staffed and in some cases the quality of the service may suffer.
  This period of reduced activity may last from a week before and a week after the Tet
  period. It is also impossible to get a “visa authorization letter” processed during this
  period.
  
  NOTE: As a reminder, the peak season lasts from October to May. To avoid
  disappointment because hotel rooms or domestic flights are fully booked, reserve your
  travel arrangements early. Contact us to discuss your travel plans.
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