6. Issues to mind during your trip
Beware of strong (or even not so strong) sun,
especially if you are not used to it – you can burn or get heat stroke before you know it. Carry a hat and sunscreen in your daypack and remember to reapply the lotion after you have been swimming. Also drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration in hot climates.
Beware of thieves
As any country in this world, tourists should beware of thieves. In Vietnam, bus, crowded streets, festivals, exhibitions, etc. are normally ideal places for thieves to “do business”. Thus, be very careful with your precious stuff.
45 minutes to enter Vietnam
It might take 45 minutes to clear customs to enter Vietnam. You have to give the Vietnamese authorities full points for thoroughness. Each counter is manned by 2 officers. The procedure is very tough and requires time for careful double check. So brace yourself for a long wait, just in case.
Do not drink too much fruit wine
One of the few pitfalls of TM Brother's boat tour in Nha Trang was drinking a wee bit too much of the free homemade fruit wine. The fruit wine at small vendor shops are not of good quality, so don’t drink it too much.
Quang Ngai police
If you are in Quang Ngai, you may be caught by the local police for a perhaps long while. Here are a couple of advice in case you are arrested by them:
1/ If you know a bit of Vietnamese, forget it all, if you have a language book, don't show it.
2/ Always have some cigarettes with you to offer to relax the atmosphere.
3/ Smile even if you are frightened.
Mosquito bites
are the cause of most tropical diseases, so dress to avoid getting bitten – wear long pants and long sleeves, especially at dusk. Use mosquito repellent on any exposed skin, and sleep under a mosquito net if one is provided (or travel with your own if you are camping or staying in remote areas).
Immunizations and Malaria Medications
Before heading to South East Asia be sure to check with the Center for Disease Control or your local health department on recommended immunizations and Malaria Medications. Do this at least a month before you are scheduled to leave.
For the average traveler to Vietnam the current recommendations by the CDC are immunizations for Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid and Tetanus. If your traveling for over a month or working with animals or small children there are additional recommendations. The CDC link for SE Asia is http://www.cdc.gov/travel/seasia.htm.
The Malaria medication they are currently recommending for SE Asia is Mefloquine.
Make sure you bring any prescription medication you need as well as insect repellent.
Don't Drink the tap Water or Eat the Ice
The tap water is NOT safe to drink, except for those at the airport, big hotels & restaurants. Drink sterilized one or buy bottled water (making sure the seal on the bottle is intact). Be sure to use bottled water for even everything, including brushing your teeth. Don’t assume Fruit Juices are made with bottled water – ASK before sipping to avoid Montezuma’s revenge.
Food
Beware of dishes that include uncooked produce (salads, fresh fruit and vegetables). Fruits that can be peeled (bananas, mangoes, etc) are generally safe to eat. Beware of frozen foods that may have been thawed and refrozen, and of undercooked meat, fish or poultry. When eating at food stalls, use your best judgment: if the food or preparation area looks dodgy, don't even consider eating it. If you are unfortunate enough to get diarrhea, the basic rule is stop eating and drink plenty of (bottled) water for a few days until it has passed.
Peel it, or Boil it
The Vietnamese still use human waste to fertilize their crops so the general rule when your in Vietnam is Peel it, or Boil it.
Sanitation in Vietnam has come a long way from a few years ago, but still, you should be as careful as possible.
No glove, no love
If romance happens along the way, practice safe sex. HIV/AIDS are quite widespread here. That means using a condom – and it's best to bring one from home, or else you can buy at the locality, so it's safe for you.
Xe om / Honda om - motorbike taxi's, Saigon
It’s better to catch a metered taxi when late at night, particularly in Saigon, as the Xe om/ Honda om (motorbike taxi) here at night features some issues. Normally, the drivers may take you around and around, until late and stop where you require. And, they would charge you extra for riding around to find a (maybe) nearby place!
Rush Motorcyclists
One of the most familiar sights in Vietnam is a road packed with noisy little motorbikes, often carrying whole families. They seem impervious to danger. Motorbikes, with tiny babies wedged between mother and father, weave between cars and buses and ride head on into traffic on the wrong side of the road.
Be warned, it is quite commonplace for motorbikes to turn into the wrong lane, which if you are attempting to walk across the road at the same time, can really catch you by surprise.
Weather changing from North to South…
SAPA
A cool retreat from Hanoi’s torrid summer temperatures and the closest you can get to seeing a few fleeting flakes of snow in winter.
DON’T forget your sweater, even summer nights can get cool up there. January and February are the coldest months with a sight chance of seeing snow. The best time to visit is from March to May, or September to mid-December, although autumn is much rainier.
HANOI
Hanoi has 4 distinct seasons with a hot and humid summer where temperatures can reach 40oC and a surprisingly cold and humid winter that can chill the bones of even snow-loving Northerners. Granted, the temperature rarely drops below 8oC or 10oC but with a constant drizzle, a sauna-high hiumidity index and grey skies, it turns unheated cement houses into freezer-like boxes, and gets most resident expatriates writing home for their favourite long-johns, wolly hats and duffel coats. Mid-January to mid-March can be quite depressing with a near total absence of sunshine and a fine drizzle called rain dust by Vietnamese. The most pleasant seasons are spring (March-April) and autumn (October-December). July and August boast about 340mm of rain per month compared to a low of 22-35mm for December to February.
HALONG BAY
No doubt you may want to go and discover this extraordinary UNESCO World Heritage site. The best times to visit the bay are Spring and Autumn. During the summer months, occasional devastating typhoons sweep across the northern coastline.
VINH
Granted, this city is not a favourite of most travel guide writers, but weather-wise, it does have one important asset: its beaches boast the best wind conditions of the country. Who knows, in a few years it might become a windsurfer’s and kite-surfer’s paradise.
HUE
Hue must have meant rain in some ancient dialect… your memories of the Imperial City will probably include a few heavy showers or never-ending drizzle. At the first signs of rainfall, an umbrella is probably a wise investment.
DON’T wait for the rains to stop before you go out and explore the city’s beauties unless you plan to settle there permanently. More scientifically, annual rainfall averages 2,890 mm, compared to about 2,000 mm for most of the country.
DA NANG
Even if only a short distance from Hue, Da Nang seems to be spared some of the heavy rainfall of is sister city. An umbrella is nevertheless a most useful article… for rain or sunshine.
DA LAT
Developed by the French as an escape from Hochiminh City’s heat, Da Lat is always surprisingly and pleasantly cool in summer, especially after sunset. Temperatures never exceed 20oC, hence its other name: the city of eternal spring.
DON’T forget a sweater, even in summer. Nights can be quite cool, especially on a motorbike. As for winter, temperatures can drop to 10oC.
NHA TRANG
This is beach-bum country where parasols and deckchairs sprout from the white sand under feathery coconut trees nodding in a fresh ocean breeze.
HOCHIMINH CITY
The biggest city in Vietnam is under a typical dry/monsoon temperature regime, with a rainy season from May to November and a dry season from December to April. Temperatures barely fluctuate between an average of 32oC during the winter months. Don’t be misled by the term dry season. The average humidity is 80 percent. As for the rainy season, it is characterized by daily short but heavy downpours. Monthly averages are above 300mm of rain from June to September with January to March being the driest months with about 3 to 15mm.
CAN THO
The sun shines all year round in the Mekong River Delta and there are no winters. However, the region is flood-prone, especially between August and October when the mighty Mekong bursts its banks to inundate the fertile delta.
Matters from North to South…
Hanoi’s Travel Issues
Architecture: Old Quarter
All the area around Hoam Kiem Lake is kown as "Old Quarter" and is a charming noisy narrow alley in which you can easily get lost....
In fact, the best way to know the place is to get lost in it!! When you are completely lost, you just hail a motorbike and tell him to take you to your hotel or so. You will find many old shops, souvenirs, restaurants... here.
The red bridge
This small bridge in the middle of the Hoan Kiem Lake joins the banks of the lake to the central island where you can find the Ngoc Son Temple.
It has a certain "japanese" flavour, and gives some excellent photograph opportunities, with that brigh red colour reflecting over the quiet waters of the lake...
Water Puppets
This unique puppet show was first showed in North Vietnam, and the best place to see it is at the Municipal Theatre here in Hanoi.
It is performed at a small pool inside the theatre, from behind a curtain. From there, with long bamboo sticks that go under the water (not visible) they move the puppets from below, making them look as if they were floating on the water.
Everything is in Vietnamese, but as the stories (rural scenes) are so simple and graphical, it is easy to understand it and is a gorgeous & colorful show. There are peasants, brides, fishes, dragons (that spit fireworks!), cats, tortoises...
At the background, there is a local music group that plays traditional music. The show takes about 1 hour.
Snack around
The best thing about Hanoi is snacking around. The food is great, there're lots of things to try and it's cheap. Have fun! All good travelers know there is something of an order effect with regard to how one perceives a particular country. After visiting some countries around, you would find in this country some unique features when coming here.
CNN Coverage & KFC
You may have read that one cannot get any international news on the local televisions, but it’s so wrong. Even a little minibudget hotel actually has CNN coverage! Though McDonalds have not arrived in Hanoi, KFC shops are available almost everywhere here.
Arround the City: Wake up and Smell the Coffee/Cafe Culture
On the streets, whether day or night, you may find pockets of people sitting around enjoying their cup of freshly brewed Vietnamese coffee. Even when it passes midnight, on a deserted street within the Old Quarter, you can still see young people seated on low stools sipping coffee, smoking and chatting quietly.
How tourists love Vietnamese Coffee is the Arabica Beans which are grown in the highlands are hand - roasted with butter and afterwards a touch of vanilla is thrown in. The coffee is strong and robust with a slight bitter aftertaste that lingers on your tongue. Quite delicious when drunk with a spoonful of thick, creamy, sweet condensed milk. You will miss it!
Hanoi Traffic
In Hanoi, the motorbikes overwhelm you with their sheer numbers. They are the kings of the road and it is the cars that need to “tread” cautiously among them. For the young men taking their girls out, the bikes were obviously ideal for hugging in public.
Crossing a busy road, cutting through a seemingly endless stream of bikes is hair-raising as the bikes weave around you at speed.
At this T- junction, you may have to stand for a while, when you can watch seasoned Hanoi bikers & cyclists cut across oncoming traffic of other bikes and bicycles with serene ease.
Keep walking
One thing you will notice the very first day in Hanoi is people do not pay any attention to pedestrians. So, you have to follow some very simple rules if you even hope to cross a street. First, be aggressive. There is always someone on a motorcycle in front of you and you just have to get out in the street and stake your claim. Second, do not stop. This only confuses the drivers. They are quite adept at weaving around pedestrians if you keep walking at an even pace. I rarely saw any accidents so don’t sweat it too much.
Traffic Side-step!
One of the biggest dangers around Hanoi comes in the form of two wheels. It doesn't matter whether they are bicycles, scooters or mopeds, there's thousands of them! The roads in Hanoi can be anything from wide to narrow but they always seem to manage to get a least 2 lanes of traffic on each side.
There are very, very few traffic lights or pedestrian crossings so to get anywhere you simply have to grin, bear it and walk like a local - I'm walking here, this is my road and I own it.
Step out with logic and confidence (not directly in front of a moving vehicle) and simply walk! Two-wheeled vehicles will work their way around you or simply slow up so long as you walk with confidence!
Food & Fruits!
Food and fruits here are delicious, yet also risky. So, remember not to eat and drink on the streets or at small eating shops. Eating chicken or ducks may be risky. Be sure to peel them and remove any parts that may be bad for your health. Drinking may be risky, too: Often the ice cubes used are made of water that has not been boiled. A different kind of "danger" is the fact that when eating in non-touristy restaurants you won't find an English menu. In case you don't like dog meat, for instance, avoid Thit Cho. Vietnamese people eat many animals that are not common in the Western cuisine, so be prepared! Thus, in all, choose a good restaurant recommended by your travel agency or hotels!
Hochiminh City Tips
Local Life: Local fruits
You will find many strange local fruits here: lychee, papaya, jackfruit? But the weirdest of them all was the DURIAN, a very large fruit, the size of a football ball, all covered with sharp spikes. It is said to be the tastiest of all but it doesn’t smell good at all!! It is said it would be impossible to remain in a bus all after one of these durians has been opened inside.
Useful tips: Bring US Dollars
Most of the vendors we ran across really like you to pay in US dollars. It appears that US dollars are in fact, the underground currency around Vietnam. Be careful about exchanging too much cash for Vietnamese Dong.
Now, that doesn't mean it isn't fun to get some. How often do you get to hold 20,000 of any kind of money! But, make your exchanges in small amounts.
Thieves & Beggers
This is not really a big problem especially if you keep your backpack locked but be careful of these innocent cuties, especially, if you're a Caucasian. Vietnamese children will usually target you and badger you to buy postcards, hats, little grasshoppers made from grass, etc. It's very difficult to refuse them. But giving money to one will encourage the rest to swarm to you like bees to honey. Also, do take note that while you are paying attention to one cute child, another could be helping himself to your wallet when you're not watching!
Traffic: Gridlock Traffic Conditions
They say a picture speaks a thousand words so here it is. Now, imagine that you are trying to cross this road. It’d be best for you to walk slowly and carefully and let the vehicles avoid yourself.
Ice and water
Though you might have heard some say it’d be better not to have ice here, yet, don't worry! Except for a few dodgy street vendors, everywhere does sell clean ice. The drinking ice is transported a lot more safely.
Tap water on the other hand is very much to be avoided, accepted for brushing teeth, but if there is a heavy down pour avoid this as well (especially in Hanoi or smaller cities). The fresh water and sewer systems have a tendency to mix if it floods.
Hue Tips
The rain in Vietnam falls mainly in Hue
Hue is one of the wettest cities in Vietnam, with annual rainfall of around 3,000mm. The wettest months are September and October, when there can be flooding. The best time to go, if you want to stay dry, is from February to April.
Have a pair of shoes for a good grip!
If you plan to visit Hue between Dec and Mar, do expect that the grounds to be wet as this is also the monsoon season. Not to worry too much, you won't be totally drenched as the rain is light.
However, do note that the ground would be wet. Hue is unlike the major cities like Singapore or Bangkok, the grounds are generally made of soil where it would turn muddy after a downpour. You need to be cautious if you are cruising along the Perfume Pagoda as you need to do a bit of "jumping" at the moorings.
In addition, the grounds at the royal tombs are covered with moss too. So, it may be slippery for walking. Hence, it does help if you have a pair of walking shoes with good grip. One thing to note, the weather is cool - which makes the visit pleasant!
Boat sightseeing with a local
If you intend to go for a boat sightseeing, be cautious when hiring a local to be your tour guide. Some like to take advantage of strange guests to earn as much as possible. So, if possible, don’t use this kind of service!
Hoi An Tips
Foreign Exchange in Hoi An
For currency usage, it is advisable to bring US currency to Hoi An. US currency is widely accepted at all places in Hoi An. Yet it would be a good idea to change some of the currency to Vietnamese dong (VND). Do remember that the local authority is also encouraging the locals to use VND. With VND, there is also more room for bargain!
In Hoi An, it is easy to find banks everywhere. Rates are much better in banks as compared to hotels. In Hoi An, other currencies are accepted at banks - GBR, THB, SGD, AUD, etc. Do not try to change too much VND at one go - remember that you cannot use VND elsewhere!
4-sight tour ticket
The standard way of seeing Hoi An's sights involves buying a 4-sight tour ticket (around US$5). This ticket allows you to enter four places, picking one place from each of: 3 museums, 3 assembly halls, 4 traditional houses and the Japanese Bridge.
The Japanese Bridge is a public road and no ticket is necessary, but it's on the list anyway. It is possible to see a traditional house without the ticket by paying about 10,000VND to the house owner, though some will charge more. To enter more than one place from each group, show the used ticket and pay an extra 10,000VND.
Easy Walking - Get a Map
The old town of Hoi An is relatively easy to walk. Also, map of Hoi An is easily available in all hotels. Do get a copy and start your walking adventure in Hoi An!
Do note that a number of roads within the Old Town are closed to motorcars. This makes walking easy for many people.
Excuse me! This is Hoi An
For those who have visited Melaka (Malaysia), you may be mistaken that houses at Hoi An to be of Melaka. In fact, the only similarities are they are old & gone through the war torn period. If you're into architecture, some of the older structures will sure make you are spending hours observing structural details of these building. Remember, this is a UNESCO Heritage site, there must have been some reason why they are put in the list.
Be VERY careful in the Markets
The Market Place is always crowded and colorful. Though it’s not quite a safe place with several thieves (like in many other markets in this world), it has a lot interesting things to see and buy. So, the only thing to notice is that on deciding to visit the market, go with some local or a professional guide.
Tout Infestation
Hoi An is, for good reason, a tourist magnet. Since Vietnam has a landmass roughly equal to New Zealand, but with 16 times the population, locals tend to converge on tourism hotspots.
There's only 75,000 inhabitants of Hoi An, but the volume of tourists has created a high tout density in town. Since there is so much competition among the motorbike drivers, silk shop advertisers, market vendors, lighter hawkers, sunglass sellers, tour leaders, restaurant promoters, marijuana dealers, prostitute peddlers, and any other kind of enterprising local, the touts tend to be more aggressive than in other parts of Vietnam. At times, walking around Hoi An feels like using a computer that's been infected with pop-up ads.
Da Nang Tips
Tropical fruit
Like everywhere in Vietnam (even in the airport), you can find a lot of people selling tropical fruits. The most interesting one is the big orange. Others are just normal food as durian, lychee, manggis, rambutan, etc. All are fresh and extremely delicious!
Not too touristy
da nang is not as too touristy as hoi an.
the city is by the sea and you hardly find any souvenir there. but da nang is bigger than hoi an. you can find supermarket, international airport and university.
and unlike hoi an, most of the building is new.
from furama resort there's a shuttle bus going to da nang everyday and it's free.
3% commission!
If you would like to change your money at Danang International Airport, remember that there is a 3% commission surcharge!
Nha Trang Tips
You don't have to move a muscle
It's like staying at a 5-star resort and being waited on hand and foot.
You would spend the whole day on the beach and find that there’s no need to leave. You can buy anything on the beach from fresh fruit for breakfast to freshly prepared crayfish and prawns for lunch, cold drinks, cigarettes, T-shirts, postcards and even English novels.
Nice people
Receiving a gift from someone who can at least afford it means so much. But you may experience this in here if you do something good to a poor person. People here are very nice and possessing very kind and polite gestures.
I want a house boat, don't you?
There are many house boats along the shores of Nha Trang. Many fishermen make their homes here. They take out smaller round boats to make their catch, then return back to these humble abodes.
Lunch
Crayfish from the vendors on the beach is worth trying for your lunch. Some tourists who might have got sick of seafood, but surprisingly do not when having this here. It’s delicious, and served with a very strange but very nice sauce to dip the meat in.
Booze Cruise
An alternative to scuba diving is a cruise around some of Nha Trang's nearby islands. Boats depart in the morning for full day on the ocean. Fare includes lunch, some cheap wine, and snorkeling equipment. You can sign up for a cruise at almost any hotel in Nha Trang. The fare is only around $10.
Lying on the Beach
If you're going to be travelling from North to South, or vice-versa, Nha Trang is a nice place to stop and relax. The beaches are empty during the day. Some locals may think dark complexions are unattractive, so they generally hide from the sun. You can avoid this though, by going to the Rainbow Bar. They offer free beach chairs in an area barred from sellers so you can rest in peace.
Scuba Diving
Whether you're a beginner or an expert, there are plenty of dive companies in Nha Trang to serve you. If you're an experienced diver, Nha Trang might be a bit boring as there isn't a whole lot of coral. Fishermen have destroyed a lot of it with dynamite fishing. However, you may still want to go for it to put another notch in your belt. Nha Trang is a great place to learn how to dive. It's much better than learning in a pool, but not so great that you feel like your missing out on something when you're busy doing drills. Most dive centers offer all levels of PADI certification.
Hot Sands & Bikinis
Sand particles in Nha Trang beach are quite big & they can be quite hot especially around 11:30-14:00. Remember to bring along water sport foot wear (like Nike ACG).
Books for sale
Somewhere people may disturb your lunch or supper trying to sell souvenirs, lottery tickets or plain and simple beg. The Nha Trang variant is selling books. The locals will go buy a range of books at the local bookstore, then selling them through to the tourists. In case you like reading, this will be a wonderful way to buy books. But don't panic: there will be a variation, because you'll also be able to buy candy, cigarettes and so on.
Mosquitos
Beware of mosquitos here, particularly at Sailing club. Even you are covered, you still probably be bit. So be prepared with anti-mosquito gel or the like before using this entertainment kind.
Beach antics
Be careful on the beach at night. Not that you are in much physical danger but as one party going Norwegian found out, if you pass out drunk on the beach, you are likely to wake up sans cash and wallet!
Train station taxis
As with any other city, don't take any taxis right at the train station. They will overcharge you as compared to the normal rate. Just walk down a few blocks and catch a taxi on the street. Don't negotiate any price, just point to the meter and tell them to turn it on.
Hot sun
Being at the sea of Nha Trang, you will feel relatively cool compared to other towns and cities in Vietnam. Make sure you put on lots of sunblock!
Beware of thieves!
Normal thieves, or stealing from prostitution, etc. sometimes appear in this city. So, if you are travelling alone, just be more careful!
Double check local mineral water
Don’t buy a bottle of mineral water from a street vendor, as you may receive some counterfeit. So be check what you have bought before you leave.
Da Lat Tips
Postcard
At this time, postcard shops are not yet available here. So if you like to buy and send postcards of Dalat to your friends, remember to bring some from Hochiminh City to Dalat.
Dress Warmly
Most people here dress warmly though out the day, especially at night. Some parents will put some kind of head gear for their kids when they go out to night market. Room temperature is always 10-degree while air conditioning controls shows 16-degree. So remember to dress warmly!
Local coffee – a surprise!
The service of local coffee is unique and come with small serving. First-timers will find it strange that the waiter/ waitress is serving you an empty glass. Yet soon you will find out that coffee level will slowly rise to almost half coffee glass.
It normally takes about 2 minutes to get your perfect cup of local brewed coffee. Please add water if you find the coffee a bit too strong.
The stainless steel container serves together, your empty coffee cup acts as filter and somewhat similar to Kopi-Tiam cloths filter.
Spice up your life!
Vietnamese food is not actually hot, but the regular chili sauce is twice as hot as those that you can find in Malaysia. In Da Lat, people consume more chilies than those in Hanoi & Saigon, particularly when you eat noodles.
Pine Forest
Due to the high altitude and cooler climate, pine forest can be considered as native and most prominent plants at this highlands setting.
The sound of the wind cutting through those pine needles can be quite soothing at times. But it may sound scary at night.
Beef Noodles
The beef rice noodles are common food source for locals, especially for breakfast.
It is quite delicious after adding the chilies and fish sauce. Vegetable, lime, mints and bean sprouts are served generously although the noodles itself is inexpensive.
It's Cold in the Clouds
As a hill town, Da Lat has plenty of sights for the family. Easy access from Saigon and a choice of hotels for Backpackers or Family. A large market and a lake. There's even a copy of the Eiffel Tower.
There are plenty of eating places and sights to see outside the town and I would suggest strongly trying the 'restaurant' on top of the market for the local food.
The French Architecture is outstanding and if you want to look at a cloud first-hand, take an oxygen mask and head for the top of the hill. Photos to come...