Vietnam-Info. Please!
 

When is the best time to visit Vietnam? Our itinerary will include stops at Hanoi,Halong Bay,Hoi An, Danang,Hue, Mekong River,Ho Chi Minh City? Also, what medical precautions should be taken? Finally, any tips on crime, ripoffs,visa's needed, and are bicycle taxis OK to take? Thanks alot.

Don't know the best time to visit Vietnam. I am going end of Sept-mid-Oct. Your itinerary looks limilar to mine! You DO need a visa. You need to specify where you plan to enter the country and where you will depart. The visa is good for 30 days, so specify which 30 days you want. Easy to get. I simply went to the consulate in San Francisco (when I was there on holiday last week) and gave it to them and they sent it back. Otherwise, you can send it to DC or contact a tour company to take care of it. <BR> <BR>I have heard that crime is very low and that all the hype you are reading is really an exageration. (Much safer than we are here in the US) <BR> <BR>That is all I know. Good luck and have fun. <BR>

I don't know the best time to go to Vietnam, but I do know that May and June are EXTREMELY hot, so would avoid those months. You can now get a visa for Vietnam (and Laos and Cambodia at their respective international airports) at the international airports, saving a lot of money and effort in the USA. Take malaria tablets faithfully and drink purified water; otherwise, V. seems to be a healthy place to visit, although you must be very careful of traffic. There is a lot of crime (muggings) in Saigon, but other parts of the country are relatively free of it. I did hear of a scam in Hanoi where people want foreigners to exchange US$ for Vietnamese dong at a far better rate than they can get elsewhere (the dollars are then sold to Chinese at the nearby Vietnamese-Chinese border), but only the outside bills of these big wads of currency are whatever they purport to be (all the supposed thousands of dong inside are little or fake bills). One nice thing about travel in Vietnam is that the US $ is interchangeable everywhere with the Vietnamese dong, which is a good thing because it is often difficult to exchange travelers cheques for dong (there isn't a bank on every corner, as in the US). Admittedly, the rate for dollars is unfavorable when you do it this way, but, at least, you are never caught in a bind with no way to pay for a meal or an item. Take lots of US cash in small bills. As for the bicycle taxis, they are fine to take, but agree first on the price and resign yourself to paying double what a local would pay. P P.S. I was in Vietnam just two months ago.

Remember to bring a few extra passport photos with you because you will need to submit one or two at the immigration counter. If you don't have your own photos, they will take instant ones for you and it's not worth it. I mean, it's relatively cheap but you don't have to pay that kind of price at home. Also, you will save some time. <BR> <BR>I don't know when is the best time to visit Vietnam. I was there in December and the weather was beautiful. Hanoi is a lot cooler than HCM City. It got quite chilly in the night and we needed light sweaters. HCM is very hot and humid! <BR> <BR>Yes, do bring a lot of $1 bills. There are a lot of souvenier shops and a lot of things cost $1 or $2. Tips are around $1 or $2 too. Bicycle taxis are cheap and safe to take, just check the prices first. I don't remember how much they are but it's always wise to check with the doormen at the hotel. <BR> <BR>Last but not least, enjoy the food!!!!! The food is really great and cheap!!!! You can have a great dinner for two for $25 without wine at a good restaurant! <BR> <BR>Have fun!!!

Phil - We are currently finalising our Vietnam visit. All of your questions can be answered by reading the Lonely Planet Vietnam guide and visiting the web site. The LP web site also connects to the major Vietnam focused sites. Have a great time !!

I don't think you have to worry much about serious crime in Vietnam, but be very careful about petty theft. I had several smaller items stolen and compared notes with many other travelers who had similar experiences. The worst was at Marble Mountain, where I set my Lonely Planet guide outside a small cave entrance for approximately two minutes while I scrambled up a few feet to see if the cave went anywhere. There was no one in sight when I did this, but when I came out, the guidebook was gone. I was unable to replace it until I got to Hanoi. Annoying stuff like that. <BR> <BR>

hi there <BR>I was born there and best time to go Vn in November and December, the weather cool and no rain <BR>watch out pick pocket in saigon and Ha Noi. <BR>Take Cab is better, charge by km