At a Glance
Vietnam is in South-eastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia. Visitors to Vietnam can’t help but notice that the same names pop up again and again on the streets of every city and town. These are Vietnam’s national heroes who, over the last 2000 years, have led the country in its repeated expulsions of foreign invaders and whose exploits have inspired subsequent generations of patriots.

Currency
The first currency of Vietnam is the dong, which is abbreviated to ‘d’. Banknotes come in denominations of 500d, 1000d, 2000d, 5000d, 10,000d, 20,000d, 50,000d, 100,000d, 200,000d and 500,000d. Coins are also in circulation. The second currency is the US dollar.

Credit Cards
Visa, MasterCard and JCB cards are now widely accepted in all major cities and many tourist centres. However, a 3% commission charge on every transaction is pretty common; check first, as some charge higher commissions than others.

Tipping
Tipping is not expected in Vietnam, but it is enormously appreciated. For a person who earns US$100 per month, a US$1 tip is significant. Up market hotels and some restaurants may levy a 5% service charge, but this may not make it to the staff. If you stay a couple of days in the same hotel, try and remember to tip the staff who clean your room.

Bargaining
Some bargaining is essential in most tourist transactions. Remember that in Asia ‘saving face’ is important, so bargaining should be good-natured. Smile and don’t get angry or argue. In some cases you will be able to get a 50% discount or more, at other times this may only be 10%. And once the money is accepted, the deal is done.

Health & Safety Tips
Pack medications in their original, clearly labelled, containers. A signed and dated letter from your physician describing your medical conditions and medications, including generic names, is also a good idea. Consume only bottled water outside the hotel.

Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventative measures, immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas.

The World Health Organisaton provides information for travellers and also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while travelling overseas. We also recommend that you visit the Commonwealth Government website: www.smarttraveller.gov.au.

Insurance
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive insurance cover that will cover any overseas medical costs, before you depart.

Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you will be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel.

Driving
It is strongly recommended that Australians consider carefully whether they should drive motor vehicles or motorcycles in Vietnam as unfamiliarity with local driving conditions may result in serious injury, or a heavy compensation payment(s) as a result of any accident.

Dress
The dress code is casual; unless you wish to dress for dinner in the top hotels or restaurants then a smarter more stylish outfit is necessary. Vietnamese people are typically small and slight and clothes for purchase are often in small sizes. Linen is produced locally and silk garments are readily available either ready to wear or made to measure. Sun hats are necessary and can be bought cheaply. Light, strong shoes are adviseable but high heels are not.Walking shoes are essential as walking in rocky areas, steps, gangplanks can often be slippery. It’s respectful not to wear shorts or expose lots of flesh when visiting temples or pagodas, however, shorts and tee-shirts are OK in most tourist areas.

Weather
Vietnam is located in both a tropical and a temperate zone with good sunlight and a high rate of rainfall and high humidity. Regions located near the tropics have a temperate climate averaging from 22°C to 27°C. The colder season occurs generally from November to April and the warmer season from May to October, however, the weather is extremely variable.

Essential items

• Sun hat and Sunblock
• Raincoat
• Small umbrella
• Small Torch
• Insect repellant
• Hand sanitiser – about 50ml to 100ml
• Anti-bacterial wipes (useful at all times)
• Comfortable strong walking shoes