Vietnam
Destinations & Activities
Ho Chi Minh City
Hoi An
Hue’s Imperial City
Hanoi
Motorbiking the Hai Van Pass
Caving in Phong Nha
Vietnam Facts
Currency: Vietnamese dong (exchange rate)
Language: Vietnamese
Population: 92.7 million
Fun fact: Vietnam’s biodiversity is nothing to scoff at…the small country is home to 16% of the world’s species.
Basic phrases:
- Hi: Chào. (chow)
- Bye: Tạm biệt (tam byet)
- Please: Làm ơn. (lam uhhn)
- Thank you: Cảm ơn. (gauhm uhhn)
- Yes: Dạ (Northern : zah, Southern : yah)
- No: Không. (kaumng)
- I’m sorry: Xin lỗi. (sin loy)
- Where’s the bathroom?: Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu?
- Do you speak English?: Biết nói tiếng Anh không? (byet noy tyeng ang kaumng)
Visa Requirements
(via travel.state.gov)
You must have a valid passport and a visa (or pre-approval for a visa on arrival) to enter Vietnam. Your passport must be valid for six months beyond your planned stay, and you must have at least one blank visa page. Visit the Embassy of Vietnam website for the most current information. If you arrive in Vietnam without an appropriate visa (which could be an e-visa) or pre-approval for a visa on arrival, you will be denied entry.
I used vietnam-visa.com to get a visa approval letter from the Vietnam Immigration Department, which I brought, along with an attached passport photo, and $25 in cash, to the airport to retrieve my visa. It is cheaper and quicker (only 4-48 hours approval time) than getting a visa before arrival at the embassy.
