The traditional custom and
culture,normal life-style and recent
war relics have been all the attractions towards tourism.
You can enjoy many
magnificent places such as Halong Bay with wonderful grottoes, Hanoi
with historical scenic monuments, the national park of Cuc Phuong and
Cat Ba with many extinct flora and fauna, the historical old capital of
Hoa Lu, Hue with ancient architectures of temples, Danang with immense
mountain areas, Nha Trang beach with sparkling white sand, Dalat with
quaint highland fresh weather, Hochiminh City - renowned Saigonwith its
underground Cu Chi Tunnel and the scenic Mekong Delta.
All in all, travel to Vietnam is one of the most fascinating
place to visit in Asia.
The major religions in Vietnam are
Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Christianity, Islam Cao Dai, Hoa Hoa and
other indigenous beliefs.
Major languages are Vietnamese
(official), Chinese (Mandarin & Cantonese), French, English, Khmer
and other minority tribal language.
In 1867, the French
colonialists introduced Quoc Ngu into the educational system of Vietnam,
and not until early 20th century, Quoc Ngu became widely used among the Vietnamese.
Vietnam currency is
Dong comprising the following bank notes: 200d, 500d, 1000d,
2000d, 5000d, 10000d, 20000d, and 50000d.
Exchange rate in
1998 - 13,900 Dong / USD vs 11,100 Dong in 1995, 8,100 in
1991, and 13,500 in 2000.
1 January - Solar New Year's Day
Vietnamese
Traditional Lunar New Year's Festival or Tet Holidays. It is a 4-day
holiday (the last day of the Lunar year and the first three days of the
next). Tet is usually at the end of January or the beginning of February
of the Solar Calendar.
30 April - Anniversary of Saigon's Liberation Day
1 May - International Labor
Day
2 September - National Day of
Vietnam.
Business is conducted fairly
formally and lightweight clothes should be
worn. It is advisable for French-speaking delegates to attend meeting as
English may not be widely spoken. Social life is reasonably informal
& conservative sportswear is recommended. Alcohol is available and
smoking accepted.
Mosquitoes -
You should take preventive
measures against the mosquitoes as in any
tropical country such as wearing long sleeves and long pant,
especially
at dusk. Generally, the anti-malarial pills like Chloroquine and
Mefloquine are recommended, however if you were going to the
remote
area, then Doxycycline may be a better choice. Mosquitoes
repellent are
available locally and can help a lot from insect
disturbance.
Diarrhea -
The newly arrival visitors to
Vietnam can
be more prone to
diarrhea than
the local people. Bring along with you Imodium (or Lomotil) and
the Oral
Rehydration Salt (ORS) like Pedialyte can be a good idea in case
of mild
diarrhea. In severe case, consult a physician in Vietnam is the
only
alternative.
Rabies -
If you were bitten by dog, cat
or monkey,
try to
locate its owner so
that the animal can be tested. Vaccines should be taken in case of
doubt.
A drive from Tan
Son Nhat Airport to downtown Hochiminh costs about USD 10 by
airport
taxi.
Fresh, unexposed film is
available at
cheap price in Saigon.
Do not exchange money on
streets
Leave all valuables in hotel's
safe
box
Tourists should
check in at the airport 2 hours before taking an Vietnam
international
airport and 1 hour before domestic flight.
Visitors may
encounter difficulties exchanging other currencies. Traveler
cheques and
credit cards such as American Express, Visa and Master are not yet
widely accepted but can be used with banks, hotels, major
restaurants
and shops.
http://www.asia-discovery.com/Vietnam/travel.htm
