"Without Ho Chi Minh there is no Vietnam. Without Vietnam there is no Ho
Chi Minh."
Vietnam (Cong hoa xa hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam) is the easternmost and major
country in Indochina. For a tourist, it can be divided into three major regions,
North, South and Centre. The Centre is visited only for trips longer than
8 nights.
Before Travel
Vietnam Visa process
Visa requirements
Flying In
The North is usually accessed through
Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport.
The Central region's main airport is the very modern
Da
Nang International Airport. The other (mainly) domestic airport in the
region is
Phu Bai Airport which is the access point for the historic city of
Hue.
The Southern region is best accessed from the busiest of all,
Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).
The country is S-shaped, and the distance from north to south is about 1,650km,
so distances are very great.
Da Nang is usually considered the main city in the central region, and specialises in MICE
Tourism. The now decrepit old aircraft hangers where sorties were flown from to
spray Agent Orange, can be viewed along the marina.
Land Transport
Distances can take a long time to travel by land, even by Sri Lankan
standards, except on the recently built expressways. The general speed limit is 40km in the city, 60km out
of the city, and 100kmh on designated expressways only. For self-drive
vehicles, please be mindful that there are many
police in and out of the city, and will fine the driver quite a large amount
(about $70) for speeding.
Best Times for a visit
The best times for a visit by Sri Lankans, when the weather is not too hot
would be either April (during the Avurudhu holidays), or in mid-September.
This time would be ideal to avoid the heavier monsoon weather.
August is not ideal because of the heat, and November (while being good
weather-wise) is not the best as it is off-season with many attractions
including the mausoleum being closed.
Major Sights
The major attraction in Vietnam is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of
Ha
Long Bay. This is 160km from Hanoi, which means that an overnight stay here
is mandatory for a comfortable, morning visit.
The north western hills has the city of
Sapa,
located 1,650m above sea level, which may be considered Vietnam's Nuwara Eliya.
In Ha
Noi city, the main attraction is the famous Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum,
Presidential Palace and museum, which is closed for two months during the year
(October-November),
when the body is under maintenance.
The beauty of the coastline and five hills of the central area near
Da
Nang is on a par with many fine beaches such as Krabi, Phuket and Langkawi.
Another historic and scenic spot is
Hue,
which is a central city which was the ancient capital. The highlight here is the
imposing
Imperial Citadel.
The centre also has the historic trading centre of Hoi An, where many hotels
have been built since the "opening" of the country in 1995.
The commercial capital of the country is
Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Sai Gon). The main sights here include the
Reunification Palace and the old centre, including Notre Dame Cathedral, the
Post Office and the Opera House.
Outside HCMC, the main attractions are the
Me Kong Delta area and the Viet Cong tunnel at the
Cu Chi
village.
Can I manage by myself if I am just Shopping?
In Vietnam, only Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and to a limited extent Hanoi seem
to be manageable for brand-name shopping and city sightseeing without a tour
guide. HCMC is a modern city, with a good taxi service and easy to read road
signage. Hanoi has limited shopping opportunities, though there are many
bargains to be found (through bargaining!) near the Hoan Kiem Lake, in the Hai
Ba Trưng urban district.
However, for tours out of the major cities such as Ha Long bay, the Me Kong
Delta and Cu Chi tunnels, in order to avoid the crowds before they arrive it is
best to take an organised tour, which strings together your itinerary in a series of fixed day
tours, which departs from a designated base.
Currency
The currency is the Vietnamese Dong (VND). The notes are in the
denominations 1000,2000,5000,10000,50000,100000,200000 and 500000. The latter
four are the most commonly used, due to their low value.
USD/VND>
middle exchange rate
Minimum Visits
Here are the minimum recommended visiting times, to see each part of the country
with a tour group. The hyperlinks give you direct access to articles on the
destinations.
North
Hanoi
2 nights
Halong Bay 1 night
Sapa
2 nights
Centre
Hue 2
nights
Danang
1 night
Hoi An
1 night
South
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC/Saigon) 2 nights
There are other major sights which are a little
out of the way.
Day Trips
Here are the major day trips that could form the essentials of your tour.
Me Kong Delta (from HCMC)
Cu Chi
Village and Tunnels (from HCMC)
Cao Dai Temple (from HCMC)