Travel to Vietnam!

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Travelling in Vietnam

If you've ever been interested in visiting Vietnam come along with us on our trip and enjoy the beauty, history and exotic timelessness of Vietnam.

We'll be updating this page with reviews, videos, photos, information and experiences from our travels so join us on our trip around the world and our exciting third stop, Vietnam!

General Information on Vietnam 

Vietnam (; ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (), is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea, referred to as East Sea (), to the east. With a population of over 86 million, Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world.

The people of Vietnam regained independence and broke away from China in AD 938 after their victory at the battle of B?ch ??ng River. Successive dynasties flourished along with geographic and political expansion deeper into Southeast Asia, until it was colonized by the French in the mid-19th century. Efforts to resist the French eventually led to their expulsion from the country in the mid-20th century, leaving a nation divided politically into two countries. Fighting between the two sides continued during the Vietnam War, ending with a North Vietnamese victory in 1975.

Emerging from this prolonged military engagement, the war-ravaged nation was politically isolated. The government's centrally planned economic decisions hindered post-war reconstruction and its treatment of the losing side engendered more resentment than reconciliation. In 1986, it instituted economic and political reforms and began a path towards international reintegration. By 2000, it had established diplomatic relations with most nations. Its economic growth had been among the highest in the world in the past decade. These efforts culminated in Vietnam joining the World Trade Organization in 2007 and its successful bid to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in 2008.

 

Karst Limestone Tower in Halong Bay, Vietnam

The Beauty of Halong Bay

Vietnamese Visa Information 

A visa is required to enter Vietnam unless you are a national of one of the following countries: Cambodia, China, Malaysia, Laos, Bulgaria, Cuba, Korea, Romania and the Philippines.

Tourist visas are valid for 15 or 30 days but can be extended for a fee at major cities. You will need to apply for your Vietnam visa before arriving in the country so if your travel plans are open ended or Vietnam is not your first stop you need to apply for your visa while on the road. Head to the nearest Vietnamese embassy and bring your passport, one passport sized photo and money to pay the fee. The fee may vary slightly based on what country you are applying in.

We applied for our visas while in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. The Vietnamese embassy is open 7 days a week but is closed for lunch from noon till 2pm. From what we have heard from other travellers this is the easiest and quickest place to get them. They cost $40USD for a 30 day visa and we received them in just 15 minutes!

Make sure you double check all visa requirements for your nationality as requirements may change on short notice. See the links below to get started.

Vietnam Visa Resources 

The Vietnam Government Website
Official Visa Information
Vietnam Embassy in Canada
Information for Canadians
Vietnam Embassy in the United States
Information for Americans

Recommended Hotels In Vietnam 

These are hotels that we have stayed at that we really enjoyed. If you are heading to the cities in Vietnam that we did you might want them check out.
Ho Chi Minh City - The Elios Hotel
A great hotel that was close to all the action in HCMC. The room was a little small but space is at a premium is this city so that's what we were expecting. Breakfast was included with the room and there were so many different dishes to choose from. The view from the roof top terrace was excellent.
Hue - The Victory Hotel
When we arrrived at this hotel we were treat to an upgrade to a suite which was very welcome after the 18 hour train ride. The room was huge and very well appointed, it even had it's own computer. The free breakfast wasn't that great, just an omelette and bread, but it was better than nothing. This hotel was a little out of the town center but taxis in Hue are cheap. Also, if you need snacks there is a great supermarket a couple blocks away that has a tasty deli in it.
Hanoi - Royal 1 Hotel
The Royal Hotel is in a great location near the gorgeous Hoan Kiem lake in the heart of the old quarter. There are many great restaurants near by and the water puppet theatre is also only a block away. The room was well furnished and fairly big with a great wifi connection.

Vote for your Favorite Vietnam Travel Guide 

Frommer's Vietnam: Including Angkor Wat (Frommer's Complete) by Sherisse Pham

Frommer's Vietnam: Including Angkor Wat (Frommer's Complete) by Sherisse Pham

Frommers Vietnam is an amazingly detailed guide th more...0 points

Vietnam (Country Guide) by Nick Ray

Vietnam (Country Guide) by Nick Ray

Discover Vietnam. Lie back on your very own junk a more...0 points

The Rough Guide to Vietnam 5 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) by Rough Guides

The Rough Guide to Vietnam 5 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) by Rough Guides

The Rough Guide to Vietnam is ideal for people who more...0 points

National Geographic Traveler: Vietnam (National Geographic Traveler) by James Sullivan

National Geographic Traveler: Vietnam (National Geographic Traveler) by James Sullivan

This authoritative guide to all the major sights y more...0 points

Talk to the Locals... 

Being able to say some basic words while in Vietnam can go a long way. If you can't find the words, a smile works well to.

Learning to speak a little Vietnamese will be very appreciated by any local you talk to. You'll be surprised how people will lighten up and try to help you out if you just give it a try.

Hello (generic) - Sin chow
Hello (to a female) - Chow-chee
Hello (to a male) - Chow-ahn
Thank you - Cahm uhn
Yes - Yah
No - Kong
Please help me - Sin jupe toy
I don't know - Toy kong beet?
How are you? - Kweh kong
Fine, thank you - Yah kweh cahm uhn

The translations are written phonetically and question marks have been put in so you have a better idea of the correct tone. For more practice or to learn more see the links and vietnamese language programs below.

Vietnamese Language Links 

Learning Vietnamese
Learning Vietnamese - a very brief text-only guide to some useful spoken Vietnamese phrases, phonetically spelled in English.
Learn Vietnamese
Interactive resources for Vietnamese language and culture offered by Center for Southeast Asian Studies and Northern Illinois University.
Online Vietnamese Listening Program
An online listening program for beginners of Vietnamese to practice pronounciation and get used to hearing the language.

Want to learn more? 

If you want to go beyond the basics of learning vietnamese check out these language programs from Amazon.

Vietnam Travel Videos 

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Vietnam Travel and Tourism

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226 Days in Vietnam - Lonely P...

Runtime: 9:18 | 73289 views | Comments

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Vietnam travel car and bike tr...

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The Latest Blog Posts on Vietnam Travel 

It's my birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Travel Blog
It's my birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!: Read the story and see photos of a visit to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam by TravelPod member freetofly.
Bikes & Puppets - Hanoi, Vietnam Travel Blog
Bikes & Puppets: Read the story and see photos of a visit to Hanoi, Vietnam by TravelPod member paulandvicki.
Vietnam travel, Vietnam adventures, Vietnam travel guide ...
ACTIVE TRAVEL VIETNAM. 31 Alley 4, Dang Van Ngu St., Hanoi. 367 Ngo Quyen St., Son Tra Dist., Da Nang. 50 Bis Co Bac St., Dist. 1, HCMC. Support number (24/7 service): (04) 3 573 8569. www.activetravelvietnam.com ...

Current Weather in Ho Chi Minh City 

Current weather conditions in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Local Pollen Reports

25°C (Feels like 27°C)

Last update: 12/7/09 9:30 PM Local Time

Humidity: 83%
Visibility: 10.0 km
Dew Point: 22°C
UV Index: 0 (Lawn and Garden Weather)
Barometer: 1011.9mm steady
Moon: Rush Hour Traffic
Wind: 13km/h From: Airport Conditions
powered by weather.com

Tonight


Low
Low: 22°C
Sunrise: 5:59 AM
Sunset: 5:30 PM
 

Tuesday
Dec 8 


N/A
High: 33°C
Low: 22°C
Sunrise: 6:00 AM
Sunset: 5:31 PM

Wednesday
Dec 9 


Partly Cloudy
High: 33°C
Low: 22°C
Sunrise: 6:00 AM
Sunset: 5:31 PM

Thursday
Dec 10 


Mostly Sunny
High: 33°C
Low: 21°C
Sunrise: 6:01 AM
Sunset: 5:32 PM

Book your trip to Vietnam! 

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Comments? Questions? 

Do you have a comment or question? Maybe you've been to Vietnam and have a suggestion for a attraction we just have to see, or hotel we have to stay at? We want to know!

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