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Visitors to Vietnam must obtain a visa from one of the Vietnamese diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the 13 visa-exempt countries or 80 countries eligible for electronic visas.

Visitors are allowed to get a visa on arrival upon filling in a simple form, on the condition that they have applied for the service online and enter Vietnam by air at one of the international airports in the country.

Travelers can get around Vietnam by plane, train, commercial passenger bus, public bus, car, motorbike, motorbike taxi, bicycle, cyclo, and boat.

Taxi fares in Vietnam usually start from VND12,000 (US$0.50) per kilometer. A round-trip taxi from Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport to the downtown area should cost VND120,000-190,000 ($5-8) and last from 30 to 50 minutes. An airport taxi ride from Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport to the city center is fixed at VND330,000 ($14) and may take you about 45 to 60 minutes, depending on traffic.
While you will find motorbike rental services in every city or even right at your hotel, travelers should be extremely careful if planning to travel by motorbike in Vietnam. Rental prices depend on the quality of the bike. On average, most bikes go for VND90,000-280,000 ($4-12) a day.

Northern Vietnam has four distinct seasons. During its winter months between December and February, it may dip down to 5-6 degrees Celsius occasionally, even below zero in mountainous areas. The summer months of June and July are hot, with daytime temperatures reaching 37 degrees Celsius. Drizzling rains and more pleasant temperatures come in fall, from August to November, and spring, from March to April.
Central Vietnam has warm temperatures all year round, with the hottest months coming in the middle of the year, and cooler, drier days prevailing from November to April.
Southern Vietnam has a dry season from November to April and a wet season from May to October.

Cash remains the best way for travelers to pay for things in Vietnam. Credit cards are accepted in many places in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; however, there is usually a charge associated with using them.

1. Tet (Lunar New Year) is the largest, most important festival in Vietnam when many people return home to celebrate the arrival of spring based on the Vietnamese lunar calendar with their families.
2. The Hue Festival is a famed biennial international event in the central province of Thua-Thien Hue with a host of alluring artistic and cultural activities provided by performers from Vietnam and many other countries.
3. The Hoi An Lantern Festival is probably one of Vietnam’s most famous and unique festivals. In the ancient city of Hoi An, they turn off the electricity on the 14th day of every lunar month when the moon is at its fullest and brightest. Then, colorful lanterns are lit to brighten up the city, giving visitors a sense of peace and nostalgia.
4. The Da Lat Flower Festival is a biennial event which honors flowers and horticulture in the namesake capital city of the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong. It is known for its luscious displays of locally-grown flowers that are a perfect backdrop for a photo shoot.
5. The Mid-Autumn Festival, or Tet Trung Thu in Vietnamese, also known in Vietnam as the Children’s Festival or Full Moon Festival, is observed on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month every year to celebrate the harvest season.

Even though Vietnam does not fare well in global rankings for Internet speed and access, Internet access is widely available and fast in big cities and near tourist attractions; however, it can be harder to locate a stable connection in some remote areas.

TAG: Vietnamese noodles

Vietnam cuisine: No matter what 'pho' you crave, try it and you’ll like it!

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