Vietnam has a tropical monsoon climate from May to September dominated by the south or southwesterly monsoon and the Northeast monsoon from October to April. Humidity averages 84% throughout the year. Annual rainfall  ranges from 1,200 to 3,000 millimeters and annual temperature varies from  50C to 370C.  In the North, Winter starts from at the end of November until at the end of February and Summer starts from May until September. In the southern Vietnam, the dry season lasts from December to late April or May and the rainy season is from May through to November. So the best time to travel to Vietnam from September to late April. 

Visa to Vietnam:
For information about visa requirements, kindly click here: Visa 

Geography:

Vietnam is located in the Southeast of Asia, bordered by the Gulf of Tonkin and the  South China Sea to the east, China to the North, Lao and Cambodia to the west and Gulf of Thailand in the South. Vietnam is long and narrow with an area of 330,363 square kilometers. Vietnam shares land borders with Laos (2,130km), China (1,281 km) and Cambodia (1,228km). 

Safety:
It is very safe to travel to Vietnam. We can say Vietnam is one of the safest destinations in the world to travel. Stable politics, pleasant people. Some small common sense tips you exercise: Do not return to your hotel too late, especially after mid-night. Do not  show off your precious things or your wealth such as jewelries, money, passports... to avoid pickpockets or robberies at crowed places such as inside markets. 

People: 
Vietnam’s population is around 86 million people and there are 54 ethnic groups nation wide. Vietnamese are the predominant ethnic group, constituting 85% to 90% of the population and Chinese account for 3%.  The Chinese usually live in the flat areas and along  our two largest river deltas,  the Red River and Mekong River Deltas.  Other indigenous groups including the H'mong, Thai, Cham Khmer and Mongtagnards generally live in the Central High lands and Far Northern area. 

Vaccinnations:
No vaccinations are required for Vietnam ( except yellow fever if you are coming directly from an area where the disease is endemic). But typhoid and hepatitis A vaccinations are recommended.  You should seek your doctor's advice before travel and  it  is suggested that you prepare a personal aid kit including such things as tablets for diarrhea and flu.... 

Clothing and Dress:
You should bring warm clothes for travel in the North area in Winter and light and comfortable clothes for the South and Summer such as trousers, skirts, and short pants. We would like to point out the importance of proper dress for certain places: No dresses, shorts, singlets, string tops or revealing clothing, glasses... should be worn to temples and pagodas and especially Hochiminh mausoleum. You should consult your guides suggestions before going into these places. There is no need to wear formal dress for eating out, as casual dress is appropriate  most everywhere.   You'll want to bring a  good pair of trekking shoes if you plan to trek in mountainous areas. For touring, just bring sandals and lightweight shoes that are comfortable. 

Water and Food:
You must not drink water from the tap, nor ice as it is not safe. Botled water is plentiful in Vietnam and there should be no difficulty finding it except on treks into the remote areas.  If you are in a very remote area and do not have bottled water, the water should be boiled.  Regarding food, the two most important precautions are to eat at places that are busy and look clean and to stick to fresh, thoroughly cooked foods.  Our specialties are Pho, Spring Rolls and Seafood.

Arrival to Vietnam:
On arrival at the airport or border immigration desk you will need the copy of your visa application form plus a completed Arrival and Departure Card. The Departure Card will be returned to you and it will generally  be required when registering at hotels.  You will  submit it when you leave the country. We suggest that you make make a photocopy of it. It wont be accepted in lieu of the original but may help streamline things in case of loss. 

Currency:
Vietnam’s unit of currency is the Dong which you will usually see abbreviated as “d”, or occasionally “VND”. There are note denominations of 200d, 500d, 1,000d, 2,000d, 5,000d, 10,000d, 20,000d, 50,000d, 100,000d and 500,000d. The State Bank also has launched coins in circulation: 200d, 500d, 1,000d, 2,000d and 5,000d.  American dollars and the Euro are widely accepted in Vietnam and you can pay for all services in those currencies or the Dong. At the time of this writing, the exchange rate is around to 26,000 VND for 1 EURO and 16,150 VND to 1 USD. 

Banks and Exchanges: 
Bank hours are from 8-11.00 am and from 1.00-3.30 pm.  There are numbers of banks in big cities such as  Vietcom bank, Sacombank, Incombank or Agribank or you can find some foreign banks like ANZ. The banks also have wide range of ATM machines nationwide that  you can withdraw cash 24/24. To exchange currencies or travelers' checks you should go to these banks nearest your hotel. Outside normal banking hours, you can exchange money at registered counters often located at  hotels and jewelry shops. Major Credit cards are accepted in major cities, tourist spots, at the top and  mid-level hotels, and at some large restaurants or shops. But be advised that you will have to pay some surcharge for payments with credit cards.    

Electricity:
The national electricity system is 220 volts. Connections are either a round two-pin plug or a flat two-pin plug. Beware if you are using electrical appliances and laptop computers, as there are power surges and frequent power cuts.

Photography: 

Police, amy, airports and military bases are prohibited photography. You should first ask permission before taking pictures of local people especially the old  ethnic people.

Films:
It is possible to purchase most basic film requirements throughout Vietnam including Fuji , Kodak and Konica 100, 200 & 400 ISO film and some professional standard in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city and Danang. Slide and APS film are also available in most places, however, for more specialized film it would be best to bring a supply with you. If you buy film in Vietnam check where it has been displayed in the shop (away from heat sources) and also check the expiration date before purchasing. Lithium batteries are easy to purchase in Hanoi. It is best that you bring extra batteries with you.

Unique Customs:
When you visit local families you will likely be invited to taste some tea or wine. Vietnamese people are very hospitable and they will  feel upset if you refuse their invitation to drink or eat with them.  When traveling in an ethnic area, you should  be advised by your guide regarding their customs to avoid troubles. For instance, when you see a signal (it could be a red cloth hanging on top of bamboo stick ) in front of Zay peole in Sapa, it means that they do not want any visit. 

Tipping:
Tipping is not our culture and this is the way you highly appreciate great services. Tipping for guides, drivers and porters is highly recommended. 

Holidays:
Our biggest holiday is Lunar New Year (4 days) and normally falls it in February. This is a great chance for all members of family to gather together and visit relatives, friends.... 
 

Language:
The main language is Vietnamese. Old people can often speak both French and English. English and French are widely spoken, especially by the younger generation. English is considered as one must- speak language in Vietnam now. Ethnic minorities often have  their own spoken and written languages, for example Thai, Muong....

Tele and Post Communications:
Tele and Post Communications have grown very rapidly in Vietnam and are better than other countries in Indochina.  Internet is easy to access and available throughout all cities. Internet cafes have sprouted like mushrooms and are very cheap,  at typically  3,000 VND/hour ( 20 cents/ hour). Most  hotels from 2 star to 5 star offer internet free of charge. Some deluxe and luxury hotels offer free wifi internet at the lobby or inside rooms.  It is also very fast and cheap to call in Vietnam and abroad. You can make calls at post offices or by mobile phone. Vietnam International Dialing Code: 84Outgoing international code: 00

Business hours: 
Most offices operate Monday thru Friday from 7.00 am until 5.00 pm and have 2 hours break for lunch (11.00 am-13.00 pm) and are closed on national holidays. Banks hours are from 8.00 am until 11.30 am and from 1.00 pm until 3.30 pm daily except weekend and public holidays. Most shops are open from 9.00 am until 9.00 pm daily except Lunar New Year.