vietnam travel tips for anyone planning on travel to vietnam

visa:

to enter vietnam you will need a visa. visa application forms now have the remark "all international border crossings of vietnam". this simplifies the application process since tourists no longer have to specify exactly where they are entering or leaving. you can extend your visa for usd 10.

there are multiple entry visa that are more expensive (usd 40 to usd 100). extending will cost usd 16. they is especially useful if you would like to make a side trip to, say, laos or cambodia.

having a valid visa seems not necessarily guarantee you swift entry into the country. i had reports that some foreigners had to go back and fill in another immigration form and attach another photograph. if you have no spare photograph, they will charge you usd 2 to take one.

the vietnam currency is the vietnamese dong (vnd). the new dong equals 10 hao or 100 xu. notes are available in denominations of vnd 100'000 (since 2001), 50'000, 20'000, 10'000, 5'000, 2'000, 1'000, 500, 200 and 100. coins are no longer used.

travelers cheques are easily changeable at banks and money changers all over the country.

electric current in vietnam is 220 volts.

tap water in urban areas in vietnam is chlorinated, but it is recommended that it should be boiled before drinking.

a regular international post service is available. in addition there are some new, special services: express mail service (ems). the domestic ems ensures that letters and small parcels are delivered within 24-48 hours. international ems has relations with nearly 30 countries world-wide, with a delivery time ranging from 2 to 10 days. air mail and small parcels must however be subject to additional charges. express money transfer is also available; money is delivered to the receiver within 24 hours.

the going rate all over vietnam is around 300 to 400 vnd per minute. however, the internet caf?es in some tourist spots seem to have teamed up to introduce new, outrageous rates. in hoi an, the new rate, which had been introduced in mid-may 2000, was 1500 vnd/minute. an alternative is the post office, which offers internet time at a rate of 320 vnd/minute. the internet is slow everywhere in vietnam and there seems to be no relationship whatsoever between the price and speed. stick with the cheap ones and try to log on during the quieter times of day.

most hotels in vietnam require that your passport be kept with the reception during your stay if you are paranoid about leaving your passport with hotel staff, bring (as you may not find a photocopy machine nearby) a photocopy of the original and hand that over. most hotels will accept photocopies as passport substitutes. on the other hand, it may be safer to leave your travel documents with the hotel reception if you intend to visit some unsafe locations.

are expensive when made from vietnam. every time you try to get a line they charge you $5, regardless of whether you get through or not.

shops are generally open from 7 or 8am to 11 or 11:30pm. some are open from 1 or 2pm to 4 or 5pm.

television and radio: vietnam tv broadcasts three channels throughout the country; satellite channels such as cnn are available in most hotels catering to foreigners. voice of vietnam radio broadcasts throughout the country; all provinces and cities have their own radio stations as well .