Vietnam

Explore beautiful and intriguing places in Vietnam, from the vibrant Ho Chi Minh City and captivating Hanoi to the historic Hoi An with mouth-watering street food.

Vietnam is known for its rich history and culture, with influences from China, France, and other neighboring countries. Its long history of resistance against foreign domination, as well as its unique blend of indigenous and foreign cultures, has contributed to a distinct national identity. Vietnam’s vibrant cities, such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, are a blend of modernity and tradition, with buzzing markets, street food vendors, and historical landmarks like the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Temple of Literature.

Vietnam is also a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, with numerous opportunities for hiking, trekking, and exploring its diverse natural landscapes, including Ha Long Bay, the Mekong Delta, and the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. The country’s cuisine is also renowned, with its flavorful and fresh ingredients, from pho and banh mi to spring rolls and rice paper pancakes.

Despite being a developing country, Vietnam has made significant strides in recent years, with a growing economy and infrastructure improvements. It remains, however, a country with a complex political history and ongoing issues related to human rights and freedom of expression. Nevertheless, Vietnam continues to attract visitors from around the world, drawn by its unique blend of culture, history, and natural beauty.

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Culture

Vietnam’s history is one of war, colonisation and rebellion.
Occupied by China no fewer than four times, the Vietnamese managed to fight off the invaders just as often. At various points during these thousand years of imperial dynasties, Vietnam was ravaged and divided by civil wars and repeatedly attacked by the Songs, Mongols, Yuans, Chams, Mings, Dutch, Qings, French and the Americans. The victories mostly belonged to the Vietnamese but, even during the periods in history when Vietnam was independent, it was mostly a tributary state to China until the French colonisation. Vietnam’s last emperors were the Nguyễn Dynasty, who ruled from their capital at Hue from 1802 to 1945, although France exploited the succession crisis after the fall of Tự Đức to de facto colonise Vietnam after 1884. Both the Chinese occupation and French colonisation have left a lasting impact on Vietnamese culture, with Confucianism forming the basis of Vietnamese social etiquette, and the French leaving a lasting imprint on Vietnamese cuisine.

After a brief Japanese occupation in World War II, the Communist Viet Minh under the leadership of Hồ Chí Minh continued the insurgency against the French, with the last Emperor Bao Dai abdicating in 1945 and a proclamation of independence following soon after. The majority of French had left by 1945, but in 1946 they returned to continue the fight until their decisive defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. The Geneva Conference partitioned the country into two at the 17th parallel of latitude, with a Communist-led North and Ngo Dinh Diem declaring himself President of the Republic of Vietnam in the South.
Fighting between South Vietnam and the North Vietnamese backed Viet Cong escalated into what became known as the Vietnam War – although the Vietnamese officially refer to it as the American War. US economic and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the Southern Vietnam government, escalating into the dispatch of half a million American troops in 1966. What was supposed to be a quick and decisive action soon degenerated into a quagmire and US armed forces were only withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, on 30 April 1975, a North Vietnamese tank drove into the South’s Presidential Palace in Ho Chi Minh City and the war ended with the conquest of South Vietnam. An estimated 800,000 to 3 million Vietnamese and over 55 thousand Americans had been killed.

The Vietnam war was only one of many that the Vietnamese have fought, but it was the most brutal in its history.
Over two thirds of the current population was born after 1975. American tourists will receive a particularly friendly welcome in Vietnam, as many young Vietnamese ape American mores and venerate US pop culture

Climate

Vietnam is large enough to have several distinct climate zones.
The North has four distinct seasons, with a comparatively chilly winter (temperatures can dip below 15°C/59°F in Hanoi), a hot and wet summer and pleasant spring (March-April) and autumn (October-December) seasons. However, in the Highlands both extremes are amplified, with occasional snow in the winter and temperatures hitting 40°C (104°F) in the summer.
In the Central regions the Hai Van pass separates two different weather patterns of the North starting in Langco (which is hotter in summer and cooler in winter) from the milder conditions South starting in Danang. North East Monsoon conditions September – February with often strong winds, large sea swells and rain make this a miserable and difficult time to travel through Central Vietnam. Normally summers are hot and dry.
The South has three somewhat distinct seasons: hot and dry from March to May/June; rainy from June/July to November; and cool and dry from December to February. April is the hottest month, with mid-day temperatures of 33°C (91°F) or more most days. During the rainy season, downpours can happen every afternoon, and occasional street flooding occurs. Temperatures range from stifling hot before a rainstorm to pleasantly cool afterwards. Mosquitoes are most numerous in the rainy season. December to February is the most pleasant time to visit, with cool evenings down to around 20° (68°F)

Time & Date: GMT+7

Currency:
The đồng (/dɒŋ/; Vietnamese: [ˀɗɜwŋ͡m˨˩]; sign: ₫; code: VND) has been the currency of Vietnam since May 3, 1978. Issued by the State Bank of Vietnam, it is represented by the symbol “₫”. Formerly, it was subdivided into 10 hào, which was further subdivided into 10 xu, neither of which is now used. Since 2012 the use of coins has decreased greatly, and since 2014 coins are generally now not accepted in retail, but will still be accepted in some banks (not all).

Language:
Vietnamese /viˌɛtnəˈmiːz/ ( listen) (Tiếng Việt) is a Viet–Muong language that originated in the north of modern-day Vietnam, where it is the national and official language. It is the native language of the Vietnamese (Kinh) people, as well as a first or second language for the many ethnic minorities of Vietnam. As the result of Vietnamese emigration and cultural influence, Vietnamese speakers are found throughout the world, notably in East and Southeast Asia, North America, Australia and Western Europe. Vietnamese has also been officially recognized as a minority language in the Czech Republic.
It is part of the Austroasiatic language family of which it has by far the most speakers (several times as many as the other Austroasiatic languages combined).[6] Vietnamese vocabulary has borrowings from Chinese, and it formerly used a modified set of Chinese characters called chữ nôm given vernacular pronunciation. The Vietnamese alphabet (chữ quốc ngữ) in use today is a Latin alphabet with additional diacritics for tones and certain letters.

Travel Insurance:
When buying your travel insurance, always check the small print – some policies specifically exclude ‘dangerous activities’, which could be anything from scuba diving to horse riding. You should check whether the medical coverage is on a pay first, claim later basis and, more importantly, ensure that your medical coverage includes the cost of medical evacuation.

Visa:
Some nationalities need a visa in advance for all visits, some don’t. The standard length of stay for tourist visas is 30 days; for visa-exempt nationalities it is 15 days.
Types of Visas
The (very complicated) visa situation has recently changed for many nationalities, and is fluid – always check the latest regulations. The government has relaxed visa-exemption rules to include more countries and reduced visa fees in a bid to stimulate tourism.
Firstly, if you are staying more than 15 days and from a Western country, you’ll still need a visa (or approval letter from an agent) in advance. If your visit is less than 15 days, some nationalities are now visa-exempt.
Tourist visas are valid for either 30 days or 90 days. A single-entry 30-day visa costs US$20, a three-month multiple-entry visa is US$70.
Until recently there have been two methods of applying for a visa: via online visa agents, or via a Vietnamese embassy or consulate. That is changing as e-visas are rolled out for many visitors.

Visa on Arrival (VOA)
This is now the preferred method for most travellers arriving by air, since it’s cheaper, faster and you don’t have to part with your passport by posting it to an embassy. It can only be used if you are flying into any of Vietnam’s five international airports, not at land crossings. The process is straightforward: you fill out an online application form and pay the agency fee (around US$20). You’ll then receive by email a Visa on Arrival approval letter signed by Vietnamese immigration which you print out and show on arrival in a separate queue at customs, where you pay your visa stamping fee in US dollars, cash only. The single-entry stamping fee is US$25, a multiple-entry stamping fee is US$50. There is no additional visa fee

International Airports:
Tan Son Nhat International Airport
Da Nang International Airport (DAD)
Noi Bai International Airport
Phu Bai Airport
Cam Ranh International Airport
Phu Quoc international airport
Cat Bi International Airport
Can Tho International Airport
Chu Lai International Airport

Capital: Hanoi
Currency: Vietnamese dong
Population: 92.7 million
Official languages: Vietnamese

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