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Airport tax |
Does it have any airport departure tax in Vietnam? |
Yes, an international departure tax is payable by all travelers leaving Vietnam. It is not included in the price of your flight ticket and must be purchased at the airport before departure. |
How much for departure tax? |
- 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
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Do we pay for departure tax of domestic flights?
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No, Domestic flights are not subject to airport tax. It is already included in the price of your ticket |
Notes |
- You can purchase your international departure tax in US$ or in Vietnamese Dong.
- Airport tax is subject to change without prior notice.
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Getting there |
How can I get to Vietnam by air? |
- There are three international airports in Vietnam; Ho Chi Minh City's (Saigon) Tan Son Nhat Airport is Vietnam's busiest international air hub, followed by Hanoi's Noi Bai Airpot. A few international flights also serve Danang.
- Internal flight coverage is pretty good in Vietnam with frequent flights to many cities. The price is reasonable and airfare can be altered without any difficulty
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| Other means of transportation? |
There are currently six border crossings for travelers coming to Vietnam, but more may open soon. |
| How get into Vietnam from China? |
There is a twice-weekly international train between Beijing and Hanoi |
| How get into Vietnam from Cambodia? |
If you travel from Phnom Penh by speedboat, you will enter Vietnam at Chau Doc, in the Mekong Delta area. If you arrive from Cambodia by road into Ho Chi Minh City, you will enter Vietnam at Moc Bai, which connects Vietnam’s Tay Ninh Province
with Cambodia’s Svay Rieng Province. |
| How get into Vietnam from Laos: |
If you travel from Laos by road via Savannakhet and Sepon, you will get to
Vietnam by the Lao Bao (Vietnam) border crossing. This crossing links Laos to central
Vietnam (Danang and Dong Ha). If you travel from Vientiane, you will cross Lak Sao
before entering Vietnam by Cau Treo border crossing in Ha Tinh Province (Vietnam).
Nam Can border crossing connects Nghe An Province (Vietnam) and Xieng Khuang
Province (Laos). |
Health |
Do I need to have any vaccinations to enter Vietnam?
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If you take culture tour and stay mainly in the city, no need the extra vaccination but for safety reason and for your health guarantee you better consult your doctor before traveling. |
Money - Currency |
What is the local currency in Vietnam?
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The Vietnamese currency is the Vietnamese dong (VND). It is non-convertible, and is currently trading at approximately 29,000 VND to £1.00 GBP and 16,000 VND to $1.00 USD. The largest denomination of notes in general circulation is the 500,000 VND, worth about £17.50 GBP or $31.50 USD. The rate of inflation against the dollar is low.
Coins have recently been introduced as an alternative for low-value notes, but they are not popular.
Exchange rates are more or less the same in banks and currency exchange points, and slightly higher in licensed gold shops.
In the cities and tourist centres, US dollars are usually acceptable in shops, restaurants and hotels, but not by street traders, 'cyclo' drivers and so on. You should make sure that you are familiar with the exchange rate and know in advance how much you need to pay and how much change to expect.
The main trap for tourists is paying inflated prices when unfamiliar with the system and the currency. It’s probably easier to change your money into local currency and concentrate on getting used to it. Trying to pay in dollars gets complicated – with such large numbers, the conversion is tricky unless you're a whiz with a calculator.
ATMs are now commonplace in the cities, and nearly all accept the main credit cards. Travellers’ cheques can be exchanged for local currency, but are hardly ever acceptable in lieu of cash or credit cards. |
| Is it better to use Vietnamese Dongs or US Dollars? |
For everyday expenses, we recommend carrying a mix of US Dollars and VND in cash.
For larger items or when the exchange rate works in your favour, use US Dollars.
For cyclos, local food stalls and small purchases, it’s best to use VND.
In either case, make sure you always have a stock of small notes so that you don’t have to
worry about change. |
Are Travellers’ Cheques accepted in Vietnam?
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Banks such as CitiBank, ANZ Bank. HSBC and Vietcombank can change
your Travellers’ Cheques for VND or US Dollars but a commission applies (1% to 2%).
Very few shops, hotels or restaurants accept Travellers’ Cheques.
NOTE: Travellers’ Cheques can be difficult to change outside of the major cities. |
Where can I withdraw cash?
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ATMs for withdrawal of Vietnamese Dong are available in major airports, hotels,
towns and capitals of provinces throughout Vietnam. Most ATMs have an English language
version. Ask your tour guide for help when you need to locate an ATM. |
Can I use a credit card to get cash in Vietnam? |
Yes, but it gets more difficult the further you are from the cities. Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City and other centres have ATMs that accept the main cards, but only dispense local currency. Be warned that all credit card transactions in Vietnam are subject to a 3% surcharge (3.9% for Amex). |
What is the exchange rate for Vietnamese Dong (VND)?
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Commission rates are slightly lower if changing Travellers’ Cheques into Vietnamese
Dongs rather than US Dollars. Vietcombank does not charge commission when changing
US Dollars cash into Dong, though some banks do. You receive a slightly better exchange
rate for $100 and $50 notes than for smaller denominations. When cashing Travellers’
Cheques you may be asked for your passport.
You can check real-time official exchange rates with the combination of a currencies
converter anytime. |
Safety |
How safe is Vietnam?
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In a word, you are probably safer anywhere in Vietnam than you are in most American Cities. In Vietnam, if natives are convicted of a crime like shoplifting it is an automatic three year prison sentence. With that kind of a consequence, stealing and petty crime are almost unheard of. It simply is not worth taking the chance. Furthermore, Communist prisons are not as user friendly as American prisons or so they tell me.
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Telecommunications |
How can I get in touch with my family, workplace and friends?
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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?
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It is GMT + 7 |
Transportation |
Can I rent a car and drive myself? |
Vietnamese law does not allow foreigners to rent and drive a car. It is highly advisable to
rent a car with a driver who knows the roads and can speak Vietnamese in case of any
problems. Traffic and roads conditions may be very different to what you are used to. |
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Can the driver speak English and act as a guide? |
No, he cannot. In Vietnam, drivers are just drivers. Tour guides need to be licensed by
the National Tourism Authority. Tour guides are the only persons legally entitled to escort
tourists. Indochina Travel Service specialists in arranging tours with private drivers and
qualified professional tour guides. |
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Can I rent a bike and ride myself? |
Yes, you can buy/rent bike easily and ride it yourself in Vietnam. However, please
remember the traffic and roads conditions may be very different to what you are used to.
Only young team is recommended for bike riding in Vietnam. |
Visas |
Who need Visa to Vietnam ? |
Only citizens of certain countries can visit Vietnam without an entry visa (valid for visit within 30 days). Those countries include: most Asean countries, Korea, Japan & Scandinavians (2005). All other citizens are required to get an entry visa before departure (visa issued prior to departure by Vietnamese consulates or embassies) or a pre-approved entry visa (visa is issued on arrival at Vietnam’s International Airports) supplied before arrival in Vietnam. |
How long is a tourist visa to Vietnam valid?
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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 |
| Do I need to get a tourist visa for Vietnam? |
Most visitors to Vietnam require a visa to enter the country. Since the 1st of May 2005, nationals from Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland travelling to Vietnam and staying for 15 days or less no longer need to apply for entry visas, provided that their passports are valid for at least three months and they can show their return ticket. Those who wish to stay longer than 15 days will need to apply for a visa. |
| Do I need a visa to enter Vietnam? How does it work? |
Visa in hand prior to your trip is important. Except Scandinavian countries and some ASEAN nations that have visa exempt, all others must have it. There are always two ways of doing this ie Visa On Arrival and Visa Arrangement. For more details, please read our visa service page |
What are the immigration procedures on entering Vietnam?
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On entering Vietnam, all visitors must complete an entry/exit form including a customs
declaration (white/yellow colour). It is important that the bottom copy (yellow sheet) of this form is kept safe with your passport while in Vietnam and is presented to the
customs and immigration officials on departure. |
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. |
When is the best season to travel to Vietnam?
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Vietnam stretches 3200km along the coast. The weather is varying from region to region but generally in the south from Nha Trang to Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta, sunshine and hot throughout the year. There are only 2 seasons, rainy season and dry season but in the north and the central, there are four season: spring, summer, fall and winter. From November to March is winter in the north and the central. The average temperature during winter is from 6o C degree to 20o C. |
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