FAQs
Click these links to get the following Frequently Asked Questions about a trip to Vietnam answered. (Also see Highlights & Itinerary Planner for pre-trip dream fodder and details about plotting your way.)
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WHEN’S THE BEST TIME TO GO?
Because Vietnam is a thousand miles tall, climate changes by region and it’s impossible to find the perfect time for every place on top-to-bottom trip. But all things considered, curb months (March and April, September and October) are the best times to go. Not too hot, not too wet, not too busy. Peak season for domestic travelers is during Vietnamese New Year (late January or early February) and summer (July and August), when trains and planes get booked up many days in advance.
A few things to consider:
• Hanoi and the north can be quite damp and chilly in January and February (around the New Year), though if you don’t mind wearing a sweater on your tropical vacation it’s not always a bad thing.
• Rainy season can affect popular outdoor-oriented tours to the Mekong Delta (June to October), Hue’s Perfume River (heaviest from October to December), Halong Bay (November to March can be wet and cold), or Sapa (January and February are cold, July and August wet).
• The monsoon brings serious floods to places across the country, but – contrary to perception – it’s not nonstop rain for three or four months. In Saigon, for example, a sky-blackening, afternoon rain can come daily and drop for a full hour or two, then be followed with clear skies till the next day. With a little planning, and a poncho, it’s easy enough to get by.
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DO I NEED A VISA?
Almost definitely. Only a few nationalities coming on short-term visits (a couple weeks) don’t, including citizens of Japan, South Korea, Scandinavian countries, and certain ASEAN countries. Getting a single-entry, one-month visa requires some planning – you’ll need to fill out an application, send money orders for the process fees (about US$65 total) and send it in with your passport to the Vietnam embassy or consulate in your country. The process can take at least a week. It’s possible to get visas in Bangkok and Phnom Penh if you’re in the area already.
Check www.vn.embassyinformation.com for a list of Vietnam embassies. A few locations follow.
Australia (tel 02-6290-1549; www.au.vnembassy.org; 6 Timbarra Crescent, O’Maley, ACT 2606)
Canada (tel 613-236-0772; www.vietnamembassy-canada.ca; 470 Wilbrod St, Ottawa)
UK (tel 171-937-1912; vp@dsqvnlondon.demon.co.uk; Victoria Rd 12-14, London W8 5RD)
USA (tel 202-861-0737; www.vietnamembassy-usa.org; 1233 20 St NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036)
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SHOULD I TAKE A LOT OF CASH OR TRAVELER’S CHECKS?
Only if you want to. Getting money from abundant ATMs around Vietnam is really not a problem. I take about $150 in US cash in case of an emergency and no traveler’s checks. I’ll flag any towns that don’t have ATMs, and usually the ‘Basics’ sections of towns will include a few places to find a bank.
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DO VIETNAMESE PEOPLE LIKE AMERICANS?
As surprising as it may sound, Vietnam is not pre-occupied with the ‘American War,’ which ended over three decades ago. Part of it is simply a cultural way of looking at things, but also the fact that Vietnam has had two wars – not including the back-breaking one against poverty – since the last Americans pulled out of Saigon in 1975: against Pol Pot in Cambodia, and the Chinese over a border dispute. Many outsiders, particularly in the US, worry that the horrific images we see of the war is the only connection locals have with foreigners. It’s not so. The happiness locals show of seeing foreigners (including Americans) – in the north as well – can be a highlight to visiting Vietnam, and many US veterans have come back to spend extended time and live here. I cannot count the times I’ve told someone my nationality (American) and immediately received an ‘ahh… number one!’ and thumb’s up — 100% genuine or not, it sure makes you feel comfortable.
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IS IT SAFE?
Police and immigration hassle is way down from where it was a decade ago. Crime is limited to the occasional grab-and-run incidents that can occur in busy, touristy areas of Saigon, for example, by a couple guys (usually) on a motorbike. The key danger in Vietnam is traffic. The motorcycle mania of big cities, like Saigon, can be jarring and terrifying to experience for visitors, particularly first-time visitors. There is a method to the madness. Traffic (including street-crossing pedestrians), actually, flows not much differently than New York City, where lanes are rarely adhered to, and it’s key not to worry about what’s behind you or too far in front of you. The person behind you is responsible not to hit you if you need to turn. If you do drive, start slowly and never make too sudden of turns. It’s far easier, and more enjoyable, in rural areas.
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WILL I GET SICK?
Maybe. It’s happened to me a couple times, but considering I’ve spent a cumulative 20 months in Vietnam, it’s not a bad record. Traveler’s diarrhea can occur, but don’t be overly fearful of eating food from mom’n’pop stands; lack of refrigeration means almost everything is that-day fresh. Ice is a gray area, as tap water generally isn’t safe, though more and more places are making ice with filtered water. Perhaps shy away from iced coffees at highway restaurants or mom’n’pop places. Risk of malaria is possible, but not high, in the Mekong Delta – being more common in Ca Mau and Bac Lieu provinces (not featured in this guide). In my experience dehydration is more of a worry, but bottled water is available everywhere – even from the most out-of-the-way highway restaurants.
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