Archive-name: travel/vietnam-guide/part1
Posting-Frequency: monthly

                                 VIETNAM

                         The Internet Travel Guide

                              Peter M. Geiser


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Contents
 
 Introduction
 Copyright (c) 1995, 1996

 1. General Overview
 1.1 Geographical Information
 1.2 Climate
 1.3 People
 1.4 Events
 1.5 Visa
 1.6 Embassies
 1.7 Border Crossing
 1.8 Money
 1.9 Economy
 1.10 Mail
 1.11 Telephone
 1.12 Acommodation, Hotels
 1.13 Food
 1.14 Health

 2. Transportation
 2.1 Flying
 2.2 Train
 2.3 Roads
 2.4 Bus
 2.5 Minibus
 2.6 Car
 2.7 Motorcycle
 2.8 Bicycles
 2.9 Cyclos
 2.10 Tours
 2.11 Guides
 2.12 Boats

 3. Places
     Hanoi
     Sapa
     Halong Bay
     Cat Ba Island
     Hoa Lu
     Ninh Binh
     Do Son
     Dong Ha
     Hue
     Danang
     Myson
     Hoi An
     Quang Ngai
     Nha Trang
     Phan Rang
     Dalat
     Central Highland
     An Khe
     Pleiku
     Kontum
     Ho Chi Minh City
     Saigon
     Cholon
     Around Ho Chi Minh City
     Tay Ninh
     Vung Tau
     Mekong Delta
     Mytho
     Vinh Long
     Cantho
     Long Xuyen
     Chau Doc
     Rach Gia
     Phu Quoc

 4. Literature and Additional Information
 4.1 Guidebooks
 4.2 Travellers Tales
 4.3 Language
 4.4 HistoricPolitical Books
 4.5 Novels
 4.6 Movies
 4.7 Internet

 A. Contributors

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The Internet Travel Guide
http://www-students.unisg.ch/~pgeiser/itg.htm
Copyright (c) 1995, 1996 Peter M. Geiser
Peter.Geiser@student.unisg.ch

Last change 15. October 1996.
Updates: FAQ: monthly, HTML: more often

Currently available in the series of the Internet Travel Guides:
Cambodia
China
Laos
Myanmar (Burma)
Sumatra
Switzerland
Tibet
Vietnam

**************************************************************************

INTRODUCTION

The main objective of this FAQ is to provide the reader with the newest
travel information available, like what is the current situation on visa,
where to stay and what prices are reasonable, etc. It is not a guide to
the Vietnamese culture or history (although I started to include some
information about those subjects as well), for these non-changing facts
are much more pleasantly presented in many good books (see the list in
section 4 in this FAQ). It is also not intended to be a political pamphlet
since politics is often a very opinionated subject. However, I started to
include some political facts where I felt it was appropriate.

Remember: Things change very fast, so by the time you get to Vietnam the
information in this FAQ may be outdated. If you encounter this, please
bear with me. Instead of being upset, rather share your experiences with
other people on the net. The next tourist will thank you if he or she can
rely on your new information. Also, if you find time during your travels
to write a postcard or a letter to me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Some paragraphs are led by the name of the author in brackets. This
doesn't mean that these are their only contributions, but rather that in
that case I chose to leave the words as the author wrote them, adding a
more personal note to the FAQ.


Answering questions

There are many people who send mail to ask me some questions. As much as
I like to answer as many questions as possible, my time is limited. I do
this work in my spare time, so I frequently answer the questions only
after a couple of days (or even weeks if I'm away for a while.) It also
happens that I cannot return an e-mail due to an invalid e-mail address.
Please be careful to include a valid e-mail address, or then ask me to
post the answer in rec.travel.asia.

This guide lives by being up-to-date. Since I cannot travel all the time,
I am glad to receive suggestions, contributions and comments. Any addition
is useful, regardless of the size.

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE

In accordance with the Bern convention, this document is copyrighted
worldwide. The information provided within this document is the property
of the original authors. The author especially reserves the right to the
exclusive use of the term "The Internet Travel Guide".

This document or parts thereof may NOT be sold for profit or included in
any commercial documents (e. g. books, esp. guide books, magazines,
CD-ROMs, WWW-pages, the Microsoft Network or any other form) without the
prior written permission of the copyright holder. This permission is valid
exactly for the agreed version (or if no version was stated at the
published version on the date of the agreement) at the time the permission
was granted; it does not cover future or any other versions. However,
following the common practice of the Internet, this document may be freely
redistributed without any modification whatsoever, including this
copyright notice.

If you as the reader has paid to get this document, please let me know. As
much as I would like I cannot give you back your money, but I can try to
put an end to the illegal stealing of other people's work.

**************************************************************************

The Internet Travel Guide
Copyright (c) 1995, 1996
http://www-students.unisg.ch/~pgeiser/itg.htm

Peter M. Geiser
Seeblickstr. 10
9010 St.Gallen
Switzerland

Peter.Geiser@student.unisg.ch

**************************************************************************

1. GENERAL OVERVIEW

1.1 GENERAL INFORMATION

Area          329566 km2
Capital       Hanoi
Borders       China (1281 km), Laos (1555 km) and Cambodia (982 km)
              coastline 3444 km (without islands)
Highest point Fansipan (near Sapa), 3143 m

Time          GMT plus seven hours

Measures      Metric
Electricity   mostly 220 V, 50 Hz, some 110 V, 50 Hz

Office Hours  Offices: Mo-Sa 7:30 - 16:30
              Banks: Mo-Sa 8:00 - 15:00

In the Web-version of the Internet Travel Guide at
http://www-students.unisg.ch/~pgeiser there would be a map right here.

There is a bigger, coloured map of Vietnam (1043 x 1513, 295k).

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1.2 CLIMATE

In the north, the rainy season is from August until November. Typhoons are
frequent, but not too much of a problem.

The north can be quite chilly in winter (Dec. - Feb.)

The climate in the Delta is sub-equatorial with two main seasons. The wet
season lasts from May to October with short downpours occurring almost
every day. The dry season lasts from November to April with the last three
months of this period being very hot and humid.

Annual rainfall for the South is approximately 80 inches (2,000
millimeters) while temperatures remain relatively constant - on average
between 77 and 95 degrees F (25-35 C). Between July and November, Vietnam
is hit by random, violent typhoons that develop off the coast in the South
China Sea. They typically hit the central and north coasts and have been
with increasing frequency over the past few years.

So, given a choice, when would you go to the Delta? There isn't a time
that is clearly preferred by travelers. For those who want to avoid
excessive heat, the rainy season would be your better choice. The air is
cooler and it is not as dusty as the dry season. However, if you do choose
this season, it would be best to go at the beginning. The Delta, being an
area of very low relief, often suffers from flooding at this time. In 1994
flooding was severe. Over 180 people died, 1 million people were
displaced, and a large percentage of the rice harvest was also wiped out.
In cases of flooding, sanitation can also be a problem.


Average temperature and rainfall

Hanoi

 Month       Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec

 High   C     20   20   23   27   32   33   32   32   31   29   26   22
        F     69   69   74   81   89   91   90   90   88   84   78   72

 Low    C     14   14   17   21   24   26   26   26   24   22   18   15
        F     57   58   63   69   75   78   78   78   76   71   65   59

 Water  C     23   22   23   24   26   28   29   29   29   28   26   24
        F     73   72   73   76   78   82   84   84   84   82   78   76

 Rain  mm     18   25   46   84  193  239  295  310  257  127   46   20
   inches    0.7  1.0  1.8  3.3  7.6  9.4 11.6 12.2 10.1  5.0  1.8  0.8

 h sun/day     2    2    1    3    4    5    5    4    5    5    3    3

 days rain     8   13   15   14   14   14   15   16   14    9    7    7

Danang

 Month       Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec

 High   C     24   26   28   31   33   34   34   34   32   29   27   25
        F     76   79   83   87   91   94   94   93   89   84   81   77

 Low    C     19   19   21   23   24   26   25   25   24   23   22   19
        F     66   67   70   74   76   78   77   77   75   73   71   67

 Rain  mm    112   38   23   28   64   76   84  117  373  584  368  224
   inches    4.4  1.5  0.9  1.1  2.5  3.0  3.3  4.6 14.7 23.0 14.5  8.8

Ho Chi Minh City

 Month       Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec

 High   C     32   33   34   33   33   32   32   32   31   31   31   31
        F     89   91   93   92   92   90   89   89   88   88   88   87

 Low    C     21   22   23   25   24   24   24   24   24   23   23   22
        F     70   71   74   77   76   75   75   75   75   74   73   71

 Water  C     27   27   27   28   29   30   30   29   29   29   29   28
        F     81   81   81   82   84   86   86   84   84   84   84   82

 Rain  mm     10    5   10   21  218  297  279  272  310  267  112   36
   inches    0.4  0.2  0.4  2.0  8.6 11.7 11.0 10.7 12.2 10.5  4.4  1.4

 h sun/day     6    8    7    7    5    5    4    5    5    5    5    6

 days rain     1    1    1    4   14   23   20   18   20   17   12    4
               9    5    3    3    5    5    6    5   15   18   13   16
               9    6    3    4    5    5    6    5   14   18   14   15

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1.3 PEOPLE

Population     73.1 mio (est. July 1994) (annual growth rate 1.78%)
               85% Vietnamese, 3% Chinese, Khmers, Chams, and members of
               54 minority groups.
               More than 60% are under 25.
               Life expectancy at birth is 65 years.
Languages      Official language is Vietnamese, a mix derived mostly of
               Mon-Khmer elements with some Tai and Chinese. The
               language is monosyllabic. Most minorities retain their
               language, like Chinese, and many Mon-Khmer and
               Malayo-Polynesian dialects. 
               Today's main foreign language, especially among the young,
               is English. Especially in the north, French and Russian is
               spoken.
Script         Based on Latin with accents. The script was developed by
               Alexander De Rhodes in the 19th century.
Literacy       88.6%
Religion       Mainly Buddhism, also Taoism, Confucianism, Hoa Hao,
               Caodaism, Islam and Christianity.

(Doug)
Most people in Vietnam, especially outside of the main cities, are very
poor. There is no doubt that travellers are seen as a potential source of
money, and Vietnamese are tenacious negotiators.

You will be frustrated at times in negotiating prices. You will feel like
you are being ripped off.

A couple of hints:

Bargain very agressively but keep it friendly. A smile in the middle of a
negotiation goes a long way. In some situations, gently touching the
person you are negotiating with (on the arm or hand) also helps to keep it
friendly. Accept that you are going to end up paying too much for some
things and try not to take it personally, it is not intended that way.

If the bargaining and rip-offs are starting to really get you down and you
are beginning to think that Vietnamese people are just are plain greedy,
try the following:

When negotiating the price of something, bargain very very agressively to
get the absolute lowest price possible, then when you are paying, give
them more than the agreed on price, smile and say thank you. Using this
technique I have had some wonderful conversations, been given gifts,
been invited to peoples homes for tea, made some very good friends, and
discovered that Vietnamese people are actually very generous.

(Anna, Feb 96) Last year while travelling, I had some unpleasant
experiences with 'greedy' Vietnamese, so I stopped moving around, learned
a couple of sentences of Vietnamese, had a wonderful time in Dalat and
made some really good Vietnamese friends who I came back to visit again
this year. Think twice before planning to travel all the way from Saigon
to Hanoi - you risk meeting only the unpleasant side of Vietnamese
tenacity and becoming one of those all-too-common travellers who didn't
have a good time in Vietnam. Vietnam is not the easiest country to visit,
but I found it very rewarding.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.4 EVENTS

January 1: Solar New Year.

Late January/early February: Tet Nguyen Dan, Lunar New Year (three days)

February 3: Founding of the Communist Party (Ngy thanh lap Dang Cong San
Viet Nam)

Between April 5 and 20: Thanh Minh (worship and renovation of the
dwellings of the dead)

April 30: Liberation of Saigon (Ngay Giai phong Sai Gon)

May 1: Labour Day (Ngay Quoc Te Lao Dong)

May 19: Ho Chi Minh's birthday (Ngay sinh Chu Tich Ho Chi Minh)

September 2: Day of the Nation: (Ngay Quoc Khanh); Ho Chi Minh's
declaration of freedom for Vietnam (Ngay Bac Ho Doc Ban Tuyen Ngon Doc
Lap); Ho Chi Minh Memorial Day (Ngay mat cua Bac Ho)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.5 VISA

To enter Vietnam you will need a visum. You will have to state both entry
and exit points when applying. It is normal procedure to enter the
airports of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, but you can list as many entry and
exit points as you like. If you want to enter or exit at another location
make sure that it is on the visum (and not only on your application.) When
I applied for my second visum in Vientiane, they forgot to enter Lao Bao,
so I had to go back and they changed it (just added Lao Bao in
handwriting, so it might even be possible you do it yourself in case of an
emergency).

In case you change your plans and want to change the entry or the exit
point, you just go to the immigration police. They will change the visa in
a day or two for a fee of USD 5.

Since mid of August 1995 the Vietnamese government no longer issues visa
extensions for tourists. However, this might soon be abolished again
(entry and exit date specified on the visa; you can enter later and leave
earlier; you cannot get the stay extended but you can have the dates
changed, still with a 30-day stay limit, by sending the visa back with a
USD 10 visa amendment fee, if your plans change after you get the visa.)
It seems to be possible to extend the visa in Ho-Chi-Minh-City for
VND 22000.

If you want to leave Vietnam for a short trip to another country (e.g.
Laos, see below), you'll need a second visa (there are no re-entry visas
anymore). The embassy of the other country issues a visa only if they have
received an official Visa Acceptance Note (VAN, cong dien) from the
Immigration Bureau in Vietnam. To get this VAN, you best go to a tourist
company in Vietnam already and apply for a second visa that you can get at
the embassy of the other country.


Note: There is an organisation, Asia Travel that collects data of
travellers. They write at several places on the net that for getting a
visa of Vietnam you have to submit information to them. This, of course,
is not true at all.

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1.6 EMBASSIES

VIETNAMESE EMBASSIES ABROAD

Australia
6 Timbarra Crescent, O'Malley, Canberra, ACT 2603, Tel (062) 866509

Cambodia
Son Ngoc Minh area, Phnom Penh, Tel 25481
The Vietnamese embassy in Phnom Penh issues visas for USD 55 within one
week. Changing the entrance point on a visa should cost USD 10. Some
travel agencies do it faster.

China
32 Guangua Lu, Jianguomenwai Dajie, Beijing, Tel 5321125

France
62 Rue Boileau, 75016 Paris, Tel 45245063, 45276255

Germany
Konstantinstrasse 37, 53179 Bonn, Tel (0228) 3570201
A visa from the embassy in Bonn costs DEM 148 (DEM 48 for the visa plus
DEM 100 "communication and service charge").

Great Britain
12-14 Victoria Road, London, W8 5RD, Tel 9371912

Hong Kong
Consulate: Wanchai Road (10/F, opposite Charterhouse Hotel) Hong Kong
In HongKong a visa valid for 30 days costs USD 50 and takes seven working
days. This applies to entry/exit Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City. Land crossings
are possible, but cost more and the visa takes longer.

Laos
1 Thanon That Luang Rd, Vientiane, Tel 413400, 413403, 413409
There are in fact two buidings belonging to the embassy. The first on 1
Thanon That Luang does not issue visas. Walk in the direction of That
Luang. The visa is a two or three buildings further on.
Since I was going to Laos and wanted to re-enter Vietnam I needed another
visa (there is no re-entry anymore the way Lonely Planet writes). I
applied for the visa in Hanoi (at Hanoi Youth Tourism Company, 14A Phan
Chu Trinh Str.) already (cost USD 20) and they sent a fax to the embassy
in Vientiane. There I spent a quarter of an hour altogether, filling in
another application form and paying another USD 25.

Mexico
Sierra Ventana 255, 11000 Mexico, DF, Tel 5401612

Sweden
"Oerby Slotsv"ag 26, 125 71 "Alvsl"o
It takes at least two weeks to get the visa. It costs 300 Kronar.

Switzerland
Ch. F. Lehmann 34, 1218 Grand-Saconnex, Tel (022) 798 24 85
After phoning the Vietnamese embassy in Switzerland they faxed me the
application form. I filled it in and sent it together with my passport and
a cheque over CHF 65 to the embassy. Nine days later I had it back in my
letter box, all done.

Thailand
83/1 Wireless Rd., Bangkok, Tel (02) 2517201, (02) 2515836
In Bangkok a visa costs 1200 Baht (USD 60) and takes 4 to 5 working days.
It seems possible to get the visa at the embassy, and certainly at one of
the many travel agencies. One of them (there are plenty of others, try
Khao San Road) is MK Ways, 57/11 Wireless Road (just south of Ploenchit),
Tel 254-7770, FAX 254-5583.

USA
Vietnam Liaison Office, 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 501, Washington DC,
20036, Tel (202) 861-0737, Fax (202) 861-0917
(Edward) For a 30-day  single-entry tourist visa, send:

(1) fee (check or money order payable to "Vietnam Liaison Office")
    USD 25 and documentation of sponsorship if you already have a sponsor
    in Vietnam
    USD 40 if you don't have a sponsor (most tourists)
    USD 25 additional rush charge if you need your visa in less than 2
    weeks processing time
    USD 15 Federal Express return fee (or Federal Express account number,
    or prepaid airbill from another courier service, or stamped Express
    mail reply envelope)

(2) 2 visa photos (color or balack and white)

(3) 1 copy of the page(s) of your passport with your photo, date of birth,
    passport number, and passport validity dates (on recent US passports
    this is all on one page). You do not need to send your actual
    passport, but they say that you can. (I'm not sure if they will stamp
    the visa in the passport, or whether they will issue a looseleaf visa
    even if they have the original passport; nobody I now has tried it.)

(4) 2 completed and signed copies of the visa application form (you can
    call or fax to request that a form be faxed to you, or get it from a
    travel agent).

Note: it is NOT necessary to have any evidence of tickets or reservations
to get a visa.

Send the above (by courier, Fedex, or Express Mail) to the address above.

It is hard to get through to the office on the phone. But if everything is
in order and you pay the rush fee they will issue your visa and send it
back the next business day after they receive it, sometimes even the same
day.


FOREIGN EMBASSIES IN VIETNAM

Many country start to have both, an embassy and a consulate in Vietnam.
Normally the embassy is in Hanoi (the capital) and the consulate in Ho
Chi Minh City.

Cambodia
Embassy    71 Tran Hung Dao St., Hanoi, Tel 853788
           office hours: Mo-Sa 8-11, 14-16
Consulate  41 Phung Khae Khon St., Ho Chi Minh City, Tel 892751 and
           892744, office hours: Mo-Sa 8-11, 14-16

China
Embassy    46 Hoang Dieu St., Tel 8253736, 8253737

France
Embassy    49 Ba Trieu St., Hanoi, Tel 8252719, 8254367, 8254368
Consulate  102 Hai Ba Trung St., District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Tel
           8297231, 8297235

Great Britain
Embassy    16 Ly Thuong Kiet St., Hanoi, Tel 8252349, 8252710

Indonesia
50 Pho Ngo Quyen, Hanoi, Tel 256316

Laos
Embassy    22 Tran Binh Trong St., Hanoi, Tel 8254576
Consulate  43 Phung Khac Koan St., District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Tel
           8292751, 8292744

Myanmar
Building No. A-3, Ground Floor, VanPhuc, Diplomatic Quarter, Hanoi,
Tel 8253369, Fax 8252404

Switzerland
77b Kim Ma St., Hanoi, Tel 8232019, Fax 8232045

Thailand
Embassy    Khu Trung Tu, E1, Hanoi, Tel 8256043, 8256053, 8262644
Consulate  77 Tran Quoc Thao St., District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

USA
7 Lang Ha, Hanoi, Tel 8350445, Fax 8350484

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1.7 BORDER CROSSING

The easiest way to cross the border is to fly. Currently there are two
entrance points, the airports Noi Bai (Hanoi) and Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi
Minh City). There is a USD 8 departure tax on international flights.

However, it is possible to enter and leave Vietnam by land.


Cambodia
If you already have a Cambodian visa, entering the country from Vietnam by
bus is easily the cheapest (US$10.00) way to get to Phnom Penh. For buses
to Cambodia, look at the section on buses.

Tourists crossing the border have had difficulties, so make sure your visa
allows you to exit Vietnam overland and you also have a Cambodian visa to
do the same; you can have your exit port changed to Moc Bai at the
immigration office in Saigon. Be prepared for at least an hour wait on
each side of the border. The bus arrives in Phnom Penh around 4:00 or
5:00 pm.


Laos
The border crossing at Lao Bao is possible, at least coming from Laos (see
my Laos FAQ). From the border to the bus station get on a motorbike. It
should cost around VND 4000. The ride takes only a couple of minutes.


China
It is possible to cross from /into China.

The two main border crossing points are Dong Dang (20 km north of Lang
Son) and Lao Cai.

Dong Dang is on the main line between Hanoi and Nanning (Gunagxi, China).
After you have taken the train to Dong Dang, take a motorbike to the
border (USD 2), cross the border, take a taxi to Ping Xiang (USD 5), and
from there the train to Nanning. If you don't have Dong Dang as exit
point, you'll have to pay USD 10.

Lao Cai is on the railway line between Hanoi and Kunming (Yunnan, China).
At Lao Cai, if you don't have Lao Cai as entry point on your visa, you'll
be asked to pay USD 40 (March 1995). Take a motorcycle to the town.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.8 MONEY

The currency is the Vietnamese Dong (VND). The New Dong equals 10 Hao or
100 Xu. Notes are available in denominations of VND 50000, 10000, 5000,
2000, 1000, 500 and 100. Coins do not exist any longer.

Exchange rate: 1 USD is around 11000 VND (May 95).
(Historical development: 10800 in Nov 1993, 10792 in Oct 1991, 8100 in
Jul 1991, 7280 in Dec 1990, 6193 in Oct 1990, 3996 in Mar 1990, 4505 in
Oct 1989)

There is no black market. In fact, until 1. October 94 it was perfectly
normal to charge prices in USD, and also to give change in USD. Since then
it is no longer legal to charge USD, but USD still is very much on its way
to become the main currency within Vietnam.

If bargaining do so in VND. Out of simplicity, many people (especially so
in the south) calculate the exchange rate at 10000 VND, so you save around
10%.

While it is illegal to import or export VND, other currencies up to the
amount of USD 3000 are free from declaration. Above that, you'll have to
declare it.

Bring clean bank notes for the north (Hanoi), dirty ones might be refused.

It seemed to me as if the Vietcom Bank offered the best rates and the
least commission and would even change banknotes that other banks would
not change anymore (dirty notes are a bit of a problem in the north.)
Bigger notes (USD 100) often get a better exchange rate than smaller ones.

Travellers Cheques are easily changeable at banks and money changers all
over the country. However I'm not sure about denominations other than USD.
Commissions are USD 1 for a USD 100 TC at Vietcom Bank, USD 2 at ANZ Bank
and USD 2 service charge at the Tan Son Nhut Airport.

You can get a cash advance on your credit card at Vietcom bank. Of
course, there is a 4% commission.

Many shops, upper-class restaurants and hotels now accept Visa, Eurocard
and American Express. If you plan to travel for less than the Western
prices, you should not rely on credit cards. At the places that accept
Western paying methods, Western prices are prevalent (and thus you are
massively overcharged compared with what you pay elsewhere.) Also, many
shops tend to hand over the commission of 5% to you, i.e. when it comes to
paying they will ask you to pay 5% more of the agreed (already high)
price.

There is a Visa office in Ho Chi Minh City.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.9 ECONOMY

GDP (1993)
average VND 1'660'000 (then USD 200)
Hanoi   VND 3'365'000 (then USD 400)
Saigon  VND 4'595'000 (then USD 550)

The richest part of the countryside is the south and the reftile Red River
Delta. The poorest is North Central Vietnam, between Hanoi and Hue with
around VND 1'000'000.

GDP growth was in 1994 around 9%.

The above GDP figures use official exchange rates. However, if you take
purchasing power the GDP is much higher (about 6 times) so that many
people are able to afford TVs, scooters and mobile telephones.

Employment by sector:
Agriculture                  73.1%
Industry and construction    13.4%
Services                      6.5%

Since 28th July 1995 Vietnam is a member of ASEAN (Association of
South-East Asian Nations.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.10 MAIL

Post offices are usually open from 8 am to 8 or 9 pm.

Postcards cost about VND 7000 to 8000 for a booklet of ten, obtainable at
the post office. Children also sell them, but more expensive. Don't be too
annoyed by them, if it saves you the trip to the post office it's probably
worth paying a couple dongs more.

A postcard to Europe/USA costs VND 5400, a letter VND 8400 (or more,
depending on the weight). They take about 2 weeks.

Parcel rates: (as of mid-October 1994)

up to 1 kg:   VND  95523
 1 -  3 kg:   VND 131070
 3 -  5 kg:   VND 170357
 5 - 10 kg:   VND 238258
10 - 15 kg:   VND 328829
15 - 20 kg:   VND 404544

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.11 TELEPHONE

Vietnams international dial code is 84.

Since 1st March 1996 the old telephone numbers have been expanded to meet
the growing number of subscribers. Simply add an 8 in front of the old
telephone number.

Some area codes (to dial you need the prefix 01):
Bai Chay             33
Buon Ma Thuot        50
Camau                78
Cantho               71
Chau Doc             76
Dalat                63
Danang               51
Dien Bien Phu        23
Dong Ha              53
Dong Hoi             52
Ha Tien              77
Haiphong             31
Hanamninh            35
Hanoi                 4
Ho Chi Minh City      8
Hoi An               51
Hue                  54
Khanh Hoa            58
Kontum               59
Lam Dong             63
Long Xuyen           76
Mytho                73
Nghe Tinh            38
Nha Trang            58
Phan Rang            62
Phan Thiet           62
Pleiku               59
Quang Ngai            5
Quang Ninh           33
Qui Nhon             56
Rach Gia              7
Tay Ninh              6
Thai Binh            38
Vinh                 38
Vinh Phu             21
Vinh Long            74
Vung Tau              6

It is very easy to phone inside Vietnam. Most hotels will let you make
local phone calls, many don't even charge you (don't exploit that, as a
polite person always offer them to pay the few Dongs!).

International phone calls are possible from many post offices. Typically
you give the number to the operator who will type the number for you and
direct you to a phone booth. It's in fact direct dialling with somebody
else doing the dialling for you. Normally you have to give them a deposit.

There is a telephone card, the UniphoneKad.

Many post offices and hotels nowadays have a fax.

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1.12 ACCOMMODATION, HOTELS

All over Vietnam the standard accommodation is the hotel. The prices
range from 3 or 4 USD for a room or a bed to several hundred dollars
for a suite in a luxury hotel. A typical hotel with a fan should cost
about USD 10. 

Generally, smaller hotels or mini hotels offer better rooms for much the
same price (or even cheaper) as bigger ones. And because people are
running there own business service is generally much better. You may get
anything at any time of the day (or the night). But remember: even though
the people are around 24 hours a day (they live in their working place)
doesn't mean that they don't enjoy a good night's rest. So don't disturb
them unnecessarily.

Make sure you agree upon the price for a room in advance. Oftentimes
somebody at a busstop tells you there is a cheap hotel that has rooms for
USD 6 and when you get to the hotel they give you a room. Unfortunately
the room that you get need not be the same USD 6 room, but a more
expensive one (which normally is actually better, so the price difference
is justified, it's just that they didn't tell you.)

It is possible to bargain down the price on the hotel. I heard of somone
that was able to get a room listed for USD 55 for USD 25. Vietnamese are
eager making money, and they try everything possible. Especially in the
hotel market where tourists (mainly the Americans) are used to pay quite a
lot of money they try to rip-off travellers with exorbitant rates. But
since competition is very stiff, they rather agree upon half the listed
rate (or even less) than have nothing at all.

There are government travel agencies like Vietnamtourist or Saigontourist
that book hotels all over Vietnam. This may help the more insecure
traveller since they know that they will get a room once they arrive at a
place. Of course, this service costs; only hotels of the upper price level
are offered, and of course you pay more for a hotel booked with these
travel agencies (in one instance it was USD 49 instead of USD 15!)

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1.13 FOOD

Eating in Vietnam ranges from the cheap noodle soup for a quarter of a
dollar eaten on the street to a banquet in one of the luxury hotels.
It seems that restaurants (except the ones in big hotels) have to close
at 23:30.

The most typical Vietnamese food is Pho, the noodle soup with meat in it.
It is very cheap (you can get a bowl for about VND 2000 - 3000) and
usually well spiced.

A legacy of the French are the small white bread leaves, resembling
baguettes. You can get them for as little as VND 500. Sometimes they are
combined with well spiced meat, vegetables and salad to form an excellent
sandwich.

Seafood: Along the coast you get excellent fresh seafood.

Snakes: In the Mekong delta you are able to get cheap snake. We bought
two snakes (one kilogram) and let them be prepared by the restaurant for
70000 VND. There were four of us eating, but it would have served five
as well.

Beer: There is bottled local beer as well as foreign beer. Some brands
are: Hanoi, Saigon (as well as some other cities), Tiger, Heinecken,
Guinness, one Laotian brand, as well as a variety of Chinese beer. Try
the draft, bia hoi, sold in big kegs.

Some typical prices (Jan 96):

cup of black coffee         VND  2000
coke                        VND  5000
bottle of beer (BGI/0.65l)  VND  9000
bottle of water             VND  8000
plate fried rice veg.       VND  4000
fried eggs with bread       VND  5000
pineapple, peeled           VND  2000
bananas (1 kg)              VND  2000
plate fried prawns          VND 20000
Vietnamese soup (Pho)       VND  5000
Spring rolls                VND  5000
coffee (100g)               VND  6000
tea (100g)                  VND  3000
local cigarettes (filter)   VND  2000
local cigarettes (no filter)VND   800

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1.14 HEALTH

This section only gives some small advice. You should certainly go to a
doctor to get the best possible advice, especially on vaccinations (which
may change over time).

Although Vietnam is not an especially dangerous place, it still poses many
health risks. Being aware of these risks greatly reduces the possibility
that you get ill. During the time I was in Vietnam I never encountered a
health problem. There are certain rules to follow, like not to drink tap
water, but generally it is no problem. Since the Vietnamese seem to be
aware of the threats to the health and since they are clean (especially
when dealing with food), it is no problem to eat and drink what they eat
and drink. In my opinion the biggest problem is that the stomach may have
troubles to get used to the change of diet.

If you do have troubles with your health, go to a doctor or to a pharmacy.
They are normally quite knowledgable (certainly more so than you if you
are not a doctor) and often have a relatively good selection of medicines
(both Asian and Western) that they sell. Of course selling is part of
their business, so make sure you know what they want to sell and that you
really need it. Check the expiry date! It is a good idea to carry your own
sterile needles and sutures.

Threats: AIDS, Malaria, rabies, hepatitis, dengue fever, typhoid,
tuberculosis and dioxins from Agent Orange.

Advisable vaccinations include polio, tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A,
rabies and meningities.

Althought AIDS is especially a problem with drug addicts, the number of
prostitutes with AIDS is rising sharply and will probably soon be the
biggest. Always use condoms, and remember to bring them from back home
where you can check the quality.

Malaria
Malaria (from French 'mal air', bad air) is an infection of the blood
caused by the bite of mosquitoes (Anopheles). The decay of the red blood
cells causes fever and eventually a lack of oxygen which can, in case of a
malaria cerebral, cause brain damage. Depending on the type of malaria
these fever shocks appear every three (malaria tertiana) or four (malaria
quartana) days. Death rate of malaria is less than 1%.
There have been many discussions on how to best deal with it and even
the doctors have not yet agreed on a single opinion.
There are two possibilities for prohylaxis. For a short stay (less than
one month) in a malaria endangered region, prophylaxis with Lariam, as
described by doctors, is recommended. This gives nearly 100% protection.
For longer trips, Lariam should not be used, since there are too many side
effects (such as liver problems). If you want to use a prophylactic at
all, use one on Chloroquin (several different brands) basis. Although
protection is only about 50 - 70%, it still reduces the effects of an
actual infection. 
The most important thing about malaria is to recognize it as such. Every
little health center with a microscope can make a reliable diagnose. If
you feel sick, have a check done. In case of a negative result, and you
keep feeling sick, then have the check re-done every three days. Use your
own, clean blood-sampling needles.
A special danger causes a malaria that develops at the same time as a flue
or a pneumonia, since it is often recognized too late.
Carry a treatment package with you (e.g. Lariam or Halfon) and use it
according to the instructions on the package slip once malaria has been
diagnosed. Do visit a doctor! Local treatments (mainly Cloroquine) are
made for the local population which is semi-immunized. These treatments
are often too weak for Western people. Somebody taking Lariam treatment
should always be watched by another person, because of the side-effects
(especially mental problems, depressions, nightmares, and higher
photo-sensitivity of the skin. There is even a small danger of suicide!) 
However, the most effective way to prevent malaria are mosquito repellent
(possibly with at least 20% DEET, or citronella.) Since mosquitoes are
only active after sundown and before sunset, make sure you wear clothes
that cover the skin and use a good mosquito net.
Malaria can break out up to three month after leaving the endangered
region. Take this into account if you become sick within this time and
have a malaria test made.

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The homepage of the Internet Travel Guides is at
http://www-students.unisg.ch/~pgeiser/itg.htm

Please send your comments, suggestions and contributions to the address
below. For questions, please see my note in the introduction.

e-mail:peter.geiser@student.unisg.ch

Peter M. Geiser
Seeblickstr. 10
9010 St. Gallen
Switzerland

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