Clothes

Vietnam is a tropical country, the light clothes are recommended. In the Southern the weather is hot during all the year, while in the Northern, it is cold in winter and humidity is 70%, a jacket or a sweater is essential, however, you should not prepare kilos of warm clothes, you will be able to buy easily in the stores: good quality and cheap. Correct clothes at the entry of the respectful places such as: pagodas, temples and mausoleums are recommended

Currency
Dong (VND) is the national currency of Vietnam. For the first arrival in Vietnam, you will have the impression to be a millionaire by having tickets with many zeros after the figures. But by consulting the official rates at Vietcombank www.vietcombank.com.vn you will understand that all Vietnamese is millionaires in dong! There are parts of 500 dongs, 1000 dongs, 2000 dongs and 5000 dongs. Attention to the colors of the tickets which are more or less similar: 500 dongs, 1000 dongs, 2000 dongs, 5000 dongs, 10 000 dongs, 20 000 dongs, 50 000 dongs, 100 000 dongs, 500 000 dongs.

The traveller’s cheques, credit cards (American Express train, Visa, Eurocard, Mastercard, JCB Card...) are convertible in dong. The credit cards can be used in shops, hotels and large restaurants.

Change: we advise you to change your currencies (dollars or euros) gradually and to always keep on you small cuts of 10 or 20 US $ (in breakdown service). We advise you to change preferably in the banks rather in the hotels (only for the breakdown service and with small sums). Before leaving Vietnam, you can change the last dongs at the exchange offices of the airport.

Accommodation

The hotels spring up like mushrooms after the opening of the economy especially in the large cities: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city, Hoi An, Hue, Nha Trang, Dalat. They belong to the two systems: of State and Private. The services of the hotels of State are average and the prices are innegociables. Contrary, the hotels and guest houses do not cease improving the services and their price is negotiable by vital competition. The prices are very varied according to the categories of the hotels and the rooms (standard, superior and deluxe). In comparison with some countries of the South East Asia: Thailand, Cambodia or Malaysia, Vietnam is an expensive country for who wants to stay very comfortably. For more detailed information on the hotels: tariffs, descriptions, please consult our page "Hotels".

Please give us your whises, on the purpose of making the reservation d’hôtels before your departure at least two weeks or a month to obtain a room during the tourist season (from October to April).

Homestays: These residences are limited to the some principal cities, this mode makes it possible however to discover Vietnam in an original way by sharing the life and the culture of your hosts.