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It's useful for visitors to know about
heath and safety, wearing, drinking, shopping, film and developing,
telecommunications, and other notices when traveling in Vietnam |
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It's useful for visitors to know about heath and safety, wearing,
drinking, film and developing, shopping, telecommunications, and other
notices when traveling in Vietnam
Health and safety:
Bring your own medicine and prescription drugs. When it comes to inoculations, be conservative and be thorough.
1. Water: Remember to drink a lot of non-alcoholic liquids; it's easy
to dehydrate in Vietnam's hot climate. In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City,
ice is generally fine. Chlorinated tap water should be well boiled (20
minutes to kill amoebic cysts) before drinking. In other areas, stick
to bottled water and avoid ice.
2. Food: Vegetables should be peeled, thoroughly cleaned and preferably
cooked. All meats and fish should be well cooked. To be safe, peel your
own fruit. Yogurt, if refrigerated, is generally fine but avoid fresh
milk and be wary of other non-sealed dairy products, especially
home-made ice cream. Err on the side of caution; if you are unsure,
avoid it.
3. Malaria: Malaria is not a problem in big cities, but care should be
taken in rural areas, especially in the rainy season when mosquitoes
breed. If spending time in the countryside (below 1,200 meters),
contact a doctor about anti-malarial drugs. Try to avoid getting
bitten, cover up after dark, wear repellent, burn mosquito coils and
sleep under a net.
4. Diarrhea: This malady is common. If it occurs, maintain a diet of bland foods of fluids only. If severe, consult a physician.
5. Pharmacies: Many of the drugs sold in small pharmacies are copies of
have expired. Stick to reputable Pharmacy that is easy to find in main
cities around Vietnam. Have immunizations updated for tetanus,
diphtheria, meningitis, gamma globulin and polio. You might want
insurance that provides medical evacuation in the event of a serious
emergency.
Vietnam is a relatively safe country to visit. As a global rule, never
leave your belongings unattended and always maintain eye contact or a
firm grip on cameras and shoulder bags. Avoid cyclos late at night and
choose reliable metered taxi companies.
Wearing:
Appropriate dress differs from North to South. Southern Vietnam is
tropical year round and people dress comfortably and casually.
Lightweight cotton and wool fabrics will be comfortable at any time of
year. While they may resist wrinkles, synthetics and are blends
miserably hot. Generally, short pants are inappropriate anywhere but a
beach resort or a farm and you will look like a foolish tourist on the
streets of most cities. Jeans are almost always fashionable except for
business occasions.
Winter (November through April) can be cool in Hanoi, and a coat may be
necessary. Dress here is a bit more formal and somber than the
fashionable South. If traveling on business, jackets and ties are
usually appropriate, regardless of the weather. Saigon’s business
community is very image oriented. It’s alright to ask your business
partners here what kind of attire is appropriate and expected.
Remember that Vietnam is a tropical country. Most of the year is warm
and humid. If you are not used to tropical weather, be prepared to
shower and change your clothes two or three times a day. During rainy
season in Saigon the rain is often short (20-30 minutes) and some times
quite sudden. Practically every hotel in Vietnam has laundry service,
which is usually quite inexpensive.
Drinking:
Bottled water and mineral water are obtainable at any shops in most
cities. It is advisable to drink boiled water and not to drink ice and
tap water. The most reliable local brand is LA VIE (Don’t confuse them
with the imitations such as La Ville or La Vierge), Aquafina of Pepsi
and real Evian also available at many shops.
Film and developing:
Fresh negative film is widely available. Popular brands are Kodak,
Fuji, Agfa and Konica. Memory cards for digital camera could be found
easily, but be careful with its quality. Image printing from both
negative film and digital file are obtainable in cities and towns. The
tourists say that the negative film is cheaper than abroad.
One-hour service photo shops have become ubiquitous in places where
tourists abound. Positive film can be developed only in Saigon and
Hanoi. Most reliable and centered-located Film developing shops are 19
Nguyen Cau – Ba Trieu St. and Photocen – 77 Ly Thuong Kiet in Hanoi and
Shops on Nguyen Hue Blvd., District 1 in Saigon.
Shopping:
The following items are quite unique and have good quality:
1. Carved wooden furniture, fine lacquer ware (these can be shipped home upon request).
2. Traditional Vietnamese hand-made silk, linen and cotton dresses, kimonos, embroideries, etc.
3. Simulated antiques, ceramics, old watches or Zippo lighters, etc.
4. Copies of famous paintings.
Telecommunication:
Telephone: Most hotels now have IDD phones in rooms and it is
possible to send faxes from hotels and post offices although these
services are expensive. It may not always be possible to make
international calls in remote areas. If you have worldwide coverage,
you can bring your own mobile phone and use it to make domestic or
international calls. Check with your mobile phone provider for the
costs before using it abroad - it may be expensive.
Internet: Major hotels have Business Centers with PCs connected
to the Internet. Some of them have wireless broadband access in rooms
or public areas. Cyber cafes are becoming popular and are easily found
in major towns and cities. Prices are reasonable, usually below US $1
per hour. In many Internet cafes, you can buy pre-paid international
phone cards to dial from a computer to a landline or mobile phone
worldwide. Most Internet cafes are equipped with webcams, headsets and
microphones.
Mail: Postcards are sold at all main tourist sites and stamps
are available from post offices and some hotel reception desks. A
postcard to Europe costs 9,000 VND to send and takes up to two weeks to
reach the country of destination.
Notes: If Internet connections at hotels are vital for you
during your visit to Vietnam, please advise your travel consultant.
Travel will provide you with the names and contact details of all
hotels you will be staying in, should you need to be contacted while on
tour.
Other tips:
Taxi: Taxis with meters are available in big cities. The current
price is about US$ 0.5 per kilometer. Most metered taxi drivers can
speak a little English.
Business hours: (GMT + 7)
Offices: 07:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 01:00 p.m. to 04:30 p.m., closed on Saturday and Sundays
Banks: 08:00 AM to 03:00 PM, closed on Friday afternoons, Saturday and Sunday.
Electrical current: 110-220 volts A.C.
Tipping: Tipping is not obligatory in Vietnam; however, if you
meet with exceptional services or kindness, a tip is always
appreciated. A tip for good service might be about 5% of the bill.
Bargaining: It’s a way of life in much of South East Asia. In
Vietnam shops don't have fixed prices so the shop keeper will start
with a high price which you are then expected to bargain down until you
reach a fair price. Bargaining should always be relaxed and can be a
lot of fun but you should remember that it is considered disrespectful
to agree a price but then walk away.
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