Why Travel To Vietnam

Capital:	Hanoi
Population:	91.7 million
Languages:	Vietnamese
Currency:	Dong (VND)
Time zone:	GMT +7
Electricity:	220V
Dialing Code:	+84

Over the last 2 decades Vietnam has emerged as a growing tourist destination with remarkable physical beauty, incredibly friendly people and value for money. There are some incredible caves including the world’s largest, Son Doong Cave for the adventurous Vietnam traveller. What you choose for your travels in Vietnam is up to you, whether an enchanting cruise through Halong Bay or along the Mekong Delta absorbing local life and traditions. Many travellers believe that Vietnam boasts the best food in South East Asia and it is certainly renowned for its exceptional cuisine, from street food to fine dining, beach restaurants and cooking schools. The food is a delicious fusion of influences including Chinese, Mongolian and Cambodian with a subtlety that perfectly reflects the beauty of this place.

1. Vietnamese People

Vietnam is a multi-ethnic country with 54 recognized distinct groups, each with its own language, lifestyle, and cultural heritage. The most prominent ethnic group is the Kinh people, comprising 86% of the population. Although geographically and linguistically labeled as Southeast Asians, long periods of Chinese domination and influence have placed the Kinh people culturally closer to East Asians. Other significant ethnic groups include the Tay, Thai, Muong, Khmer, Hoa, Nung and Hmong, residing mainly in the Northern highlands and the Cham, Chinese, inhabiting in the Southern provinces of the country, though none of these groups has a population over one million.

2. Religion

With ten million followers and 20,000 pagodas, Buddhism is undoubtedly the largest established religion, however Vietnam has a rich and wide variety of religions based on imported faiths and popular beliefs, with several indigenous groups embracing animism, theism and ancestor worship. Catholicism, introduced by European missionaries, is the second largest religion, with about six million followers, and more than 6,000 churches. Vietnam's indigenous religions, including the Cao Dai and Hoa Hao sects, have their holy sites in the city of Tay Ninh and the provinces of Chau Doc and An Giang in the Mekong Delta, and they peacefully coexist.

3. Social

The most appropriate manner of greeting is a gentle handshake and a smile. Though occasionally rigid, Vietnamese officials such as the police, appreciate being treated in a firm, yet diplomatic manner. It is best to deal with misunderstandings with patience and good humour. Local people who offer assistance appreciate small gifts such as cigarette lighters, pens, foreign cigarettes, liquor, perfume and even shampoo.

1. Domestic flights

Flying comes into its own on longer hauls, and can shave hours or even days off journeys – the two-hour flight between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, for instance, compares favourably with the thirty to forty hours you would spend on the train. Prices are reasonable, with Jetstar, VietJet Air and Vietnam Airlines offering flights to numerous destinations. Note that you will need your passport when taking internal flights.

2. Local Transport

Most common by far are motorbike taxis known as Xe Om. In the cities you will rarely be able to walk twenty yards without being offered a ride and prices tend to start at around VND10,000 for very short runs, though this goes up after dark. Xe Om have almost entirely replaced that quintessential Vietnamese mode of transport, the cyclo. These three-wheeled rickshaws comprising a “bucket” seat attached to the front of a bicycle can carry one person, or two people at a push, and are now only really found in tourist areas (though locals use them just as much as foreigners).

1. Luxury stay

Rooms at this level will be comfortable, reasonably spacious and well-appointed with decent furniture, air-conditioning, hot water, fridge, phone and satellite TV and are available in all but the most remote areas.

2. Mid- and upper-range accommodation

There are numerous hotels across the country in this category. Prices are very reasonable and most hotels are well appointed and comfortable. You should have no problem finding a room in the bigger towns, but be warned occupancy rates can vary and around the Tet period, with holiday destinations such as Nha Trang, fully booked.

3. Homestay

As Vietnam’s minority communities have become more exposed to tourism, staying in stilthouses or other village accommodation has become more feasible. In the north of the country, notably around Sa Pa and in the Mai Chau Valley, you can either take one of the tours out of Hanoi which includes a home-stay in one of the minority villages, or make your own arrangements when you get there. In the central highlands, the Pleiku and Kon Tum tourist offices can also arrange a stilthouse home-stay for you.  

1. What’s in Vietnamese Food

In the northern part of the country, due to the influence of neighbouring China, people tend to use more soy sauce than other parts, where fish sauce is more usual. Other common ingredients in Vietnamese cooking include black pepper (mainly in the north), hot chili, ginger, coconut milk, lime, lemon grass, tamarind and cane sugar, supplemented by asparagus and potatoes, courtesy of the French influence.

2. Eating Vietnamese Style

As in many countries in Asian, people tend to eat “family style”, sharing dishes. Each person has a plate or bowl with rice, then shares the bowls of food set in the middle of table.

3. Drinking Vietnamese Style

Green tea is the most common drink, and is offered as a courtesy to guests or visitors. The two most popular local beers are Saigon Export and Saigon Lager, but imported beers are available, at roughly double the price. Vietnam produces several varieties of rice wine, known as Ruou. Often, bottles of Ruou contain a pickled snake, the inclusion of which is thought to impart health-giving elements.

1. Health

Healthcare in Vietnam varies in quantity and quality. Big cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have very good private and state-owned hospitals and clinics, while it is often hard to find a doctor in rural areas. Vietnam is a tropical country, which entails many kinds of dangerous bacteria and insects. Mosquito repellents are essential. Malaria is uncommon and only found in some isolated locations in the central highlands, but Dengue Fever is widespread, particularly during the rainy season and is spread by a daytime mosquito.

2. Safety issues

Emergency contact number: Police (113) - Fire (114) - Ambulance (115) Vietnam is generally a safe place for tourists and pick-pocketing is reported to be decreasing significantly. If you are robbed, do not hesitate to contact the local police. Leave valuables and passports in your hotel and only take as much cash as you think you will need and it is sensible not to wear gold chains.

1. Spring festivals (Jan–April)

1. • Tet  - This is the most important date in the Vietnamese festival calendar and celebrates the Lunar New Year (Tet Nguyen Dan). After an initial jamboree, Tet is largely a family occasion when offices are shut, and many shops and restaurants close for the seven-day festival. Officially only the first four days are public holidays, though many people take the whole week.

2. Summer festivals (May–Aug)

1. • Phat Dan - Lanterns are hung outside the pagodas and Buddhist homes to commemorate Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and the attainment of Nirvana on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month; May.
   • Trang Nguyen (or Vu Lan) - The Day of Wandering Souls is the second most important festival after Tet. Offerings of food and clothes are made to comfort and nourish those unfortunate souls without a home, and all graves are cleaned.

3. Autumn festivals (Sept–Dec)

1. •  Kate Festival - The Cham New Year is celebrated in high style at Po Klong Garai and Po Re Me, both near Phan Rang.
   • Trung Thu - The mid-autumn festival, also known as Children’s Day, celebrates with dragon dances and children are given lanterns in the shape of stars, carp or dragons. Special cakes, banh trung thu, are eaten at this time of year. These are sticky rice cakes filled with lotus seeds, nuts and candied fruits and are either square like the earth (banh deo), or round like the moon (banh nuong) and contain the yolk of an egg.
   • Christmas - There midnight services at the cathedrals in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with much revelry in the streets. Christmas is becoming an increasingly popular festival even amongst non-believers.

1. Vietnamese dress conservatively. Despite the heat, it’s best not to show off too much skin. If you do, especially girls, you’ll only draw stares from the locals.
2. Dress appropriately when visiting pagodas. No shorts or tatty beer t-shirts. Shoes are fine, and rarely will you have to remove them. If unsure, just follow what the locals do.
3. Drink plenty of bottled water, especially when walking around sightseeing.
4. Keep your cash, credit cards, airline tickets and other valuables in a safe place.

1. Wear a lot of jewelry or take a bag with valuables.
2. When taking a ride by motorbike taxi (xe om) make sure your bag, if any, is not on display or easy to grab.
3. Don’t wear singlets, shorts, skirts or dresses, or revealing clothes to temples or pagodas.
4. Physical displays of affection between lovers in public are frowned upon.
5. Losing your temper in Vietnam means a loss of face. Keep a cool head and remain polite, you’ll have a greater chance of getting what you want.