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 Absolute Vietnam
WELCOME TO VIETNAM
 Vietnam has a unique and rich civilization, spectacular scenery and highly cultured, cordial people. Most visitors to Vietnam are over-whelmed by the sublime beauty of the country's natural setting. They have their senses thrilled by all its sights, sounds, tastes and smells.
Visitors to Vietnam will be intrigued by its dynamic melding of traditional culture, its French-colonial past and communist legacy, and its current transition as a modern Asian power.
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ABOUT VIETNAM
Geography:
Vietnam lies in the eastern part of the Indochina Peninsula, bordered by China Laos and Cambodia. The country covers an area of 329,241 sq km and stretches on 1,650 km from north to south. Three quarters of the country is mountainous and hilly.  The highest peak, Mount Fansipan reaches 3,143 m high in the North-West of Vietnam. The Red River Delta in the north, and the Mekong Delta in the south are the most cultivated areas in the country. Almost the entire coastal strip is a patchwork of brilliant-green rice paddies tended by peasant women in conical hats. Vietnam's 3451 km coastline includes countless unspoiled beaches and a number of lagoons, which are shaded by coconut palms and casuarinas, or bounded by seemingly endless expanses of sand dunes or the rugged spurs of the Truong Son Mountain Range.
Climate:
Vietnam lies in the tropical and East Asian monsoon zone. The climate is determined by two monsoons. The rainy season, in summer lasts from May to October and the dry season, in winter, lasts from November to April. The average temperature in the North is around 13 to 17 Celsius degree in winter with occasional drizzling rains and ranges from 27 to 34 Celsius degree in summer. In southern Vietnam, the climate undergoes less variations with an average annual temperature about 27 Celsius degree. Vietnam has a remarkably diverse climate because of its wide range of latitudes and altitudes. It makes travelers' journey a great and unrepeated experience.
People:
Vietnam's population has exceeded 81 million, making it the 13th most populous country in the world. Vietnam is a young country, with an estimated 65% of the people under the age of 30. The population is made of 54 different ethnic groups. The largest group is the Viet (or Kinh), accounting for 80% of the whole population. They generally concentrate in the lowlands, while other minorities live in the highlands and the mountains.
There is no official religion in Vietnam, but Buddhism is relatively popular. Besides, most Vietnamese worship their ancestors. There are religions more specific to the southern regions of the country such as the Caodai Sect, the Hoa Hao Sect, and the Islam. Some of the Catholic churches and Buddhist pagodas constitute interesting tourist attractions.
Economy:
Vietnam is basically an agricultural country. Regaining from the war, after more than 15 years of economic reform, Vietnam has obtained amazing successes and significant improvements. The economical structure has experienced a lot of changes. The economic growth rate is one of the fastest of all nations over the world and Vietnam has reached many international essential standards. The young industry is prospering, and is attracting a lot of businessmen's eyes to invest in this potential and promising country. Emphasis is now put on scientific activities and the production needs are readjusted to fit this new model of economy. Vietnam is now carrying out an open-door policy to join the International market and become an industrialized and modernized country.
Culture:
The Vietnamese culture, endowed with a long and rich heritage, is deeply stamped with national pride. Vietnam is a country with a past as rich as the soil in the blazing green deltas. This past reads like a romantic legend, full of heroic struggles and astounding victories whereby this small country retained its culture, absorbing and adapting the strengths of its foes but never losing its traditions or sense of history. In Vietnam, traditions carry real meaning. Ancient heroes are still venerated at colorful temple festivals,  people honor their ancestors, and village elders teach values of hard work, hospitality, and filial loyalty. With 54 ethnic groups, most of whom live in remote areas and follow age-old customs. Vietnam offers unparalleled opportunities for cultural exploration.
Popular artistic forms include: traditional painting produced on frame-mounted silk; an eclectic array of theatre, puppetry, music and dance; religious sculpture; lacquer ware and ceramics.
Vietnamese cuisine is especially varied - there are said to be nearly 500 different traditional dishes that include exotic meats (but consider carefully before you eat a rare animal) and fantastic vegetarian creations (often prepared to replicate meat and fish dishes). However, the staple of Vietnamese cuisine is plain white rice dressed up with a plethora of vegetables, fish (which is common in Vietnam), meat, spices and sauces. Spring rolls, noodles and steamed rice dumplings are popular snacks, and the ubiquitous soups include eel and vermicelli, shredded chicken and bitter soups. Fruit is abundant; some of the more unusual ones include green dragon fruit, jujube, khaki, longan, mangosteen, three-seed cherry and water apple. Vietnamese coffee is very good; it's usually served very strong and very sweet.
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FACTS FOR TRAVELERS
When to Go?
There are no good or bad seasons to visit Vietnam. When one region is wet, cold or steamy hot, there is always somewhere else that is sunny and pleasant. Basically, the south has two seasons: the wet (May to November, wettest from June to August) and the dry (December to April). The hottest and most humid time is from the end of February to May. The central coast is dry from May to October and wet from December to February. The highland areas are significantly cooler than the lowlands, and temperatures can get down to freezing in winter. The north has two seasons: cool, damp winters (November to April) and hot summers (May to October). There is the possibility of typhoons between July and November, affecting the north and central areas.
Travelers should take the Tet New Year festival (late January or early February) into account when planning a trip. Travel (including international travel) becomes very difficult, hotels are full and many services close down for at least a week and possibly a lot longer.
Events
 Special prayers are held at Vietnamese and Chinese pagodas on days when the moon is either full or the merest sliver. Many Buddhists eat only vegetarian food on these days. Some of the major religious festivals follow a lunar calendar. They include: Tet or Lunar New Year (late January or early February), the most important festival of the year, which lasts a week (with rites beginning a week earlier), marking the new lunar year; Wandering Souls Day (Trung Nguyen), held on the fifteenth day of the seventh moon (August), the second-largest festival of the year, when offerings of food and gifts are given to the wandering souls of the forgotten dead; Tiet Doan Ngo (Summer Solstice Day) in June which sees the burning of human effigies to satisfy the need for souls to serve in the God of Death's army; and Holiday of the Dead (Thanh Minh) in April commemorating deceased relatives.
Public Holidays:
January 1: New Year's Day
February: Tet New Year (03 Days)
April 30: Saigon Liberation Day
May 1: International Labour Day
September 2: National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Currency:
The national currency is Vietnamese dong (VND). Notes are available in denominations of 100,000 VND, 50,000 VND, 20,000 VND, 10,000 VND, 5,000 VND, 2,000 VND, 1,000 VND and 500 VND. There are three kinds of treasury notes worth 500,000 VND, 1,000,000 VND and 5,000,000 VND.
Throughout the country, US dollars are widely accepted. However, the bills must be relatively new with no marking or tear. Travelers' cheque is easily exchanged in banks. Credit cards are becoming popular, especially in the major hotels and restaurants of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Telephone, Facsimile and Email:
The international phone code for Vietnam is 84. International calls and faxes are widely available at a post office or major hotels. Email and Internet services are available in most urban areas throughout the country. Dealing 0, followed by the area code and number, makes domestic long-distance calls. It is very easy to phone inside Vietnam. Most hotels will allow local phone calls free of charge.
Language:
Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam. Learning foreign languages, particularly English and French, is now in vogue among young people. Tourist guides speaking English, French, Russian, Chinese and Japanese are often available.
Electricity and Water Supply:
Voltage system: 220 volt
Tap water is already filtered and sterilized, but it should be boiled before drinking.
 Transportation:
Visitors can travel over Vietnam through various provinces and town either by air, by road, or by train. Domestic flights are available everyday. The train between Ho Chi Minh city and Hanoi stops at different stations and provides an exciting and unforgettable trip. The air-conditioned express trains take 32 hours to cover the distance. Cabs, motorcycles, and bicycles can be easily rented all over the country. The cyclo, a three-wheeled vehicle, is perfect for those who wish to move slowly and enjoy a city tour.
Airport:
International Airports: Noi Bai Airport (Hanoi), Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City) and Danang Airport (Danang)
Money & Costs:
Currency: Dong
Until recently, many high-class hotels insisted that you pay in US dollars, but now all businesses (except Vietnam Airlines) must accept payment in dong. In practice, many still display their prices in US dollars. It's advisable to bring traveler's checks in US dollars as well as a little US currency.
US dollars and travelers' cheques are your best bet. There are four ways to exchange currency: at a bank; through authorized exchange bureaus; at hotel reception desks; and on the black market. The best rates are offered by the banks, but the exchange bureaus are generally more conveniently located and have longer opening hours. The black market rate is worse than the legal exchange rate, so if you're offered better rates than a bank it's bound to be some sort of scam. Visa, MasterCard, American Express and JCB credit cards are accepted in the major cities and towns popular with tourists.
It's virtually impossible to exchange travelers' cheques outside the major cities and tourist areas. Visitors heading off the beaten track will either need to stock up on dong, or conduct a private cash transaction on the black market. It's a good idea to bring a small calculator with you for currency conversions, unless you're the kind of person who can divide or multiply by large numbers in your head.
Government-run hotels and tourist restaurants usually add a 5% service charge to bills so there's no need to tip (although staff may not get any of it). Leaving a small tip in other restaurants will be greatly appreciated by the staff. You should consider tipping hired drivers and guides, and it's polite to leave a small donation at the end of a visit to a pagoda. Bargaining is commonplace but should be engaged in with a smile and considered a form of social discourse rather than a matter of life and death.
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Vietnam Tours and Pricing | Tour Destinations | Traveling Information
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