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Travellers notes
Travel advice while visiting Vietnam
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Take a hotel business card from
the reception desk before
venturing out from your hotel.
This will make your return to
the hotel in a taxi much easier.
-
Carry a roll of toilet paper in
your daypack on long excursions
from your hotel. You never know
when you might need it!
-
If invited into a home, always
remove your shoes at the front
door when entering.
-
Ask for permission when taking a
photograph of someone,
particularly in minority areas.
If they indicate that they do
not want you to, then abide by
their wishes. DO NOT offer money
or push the issue. Never take
video cameras into an ethnic
minority village. They are
considered to be too intrusive
by the local people.
-
Do not try to take photographs
of military installations or
anything to do with the
military. This can be seen as a
breach of national security.
-
Drink plenty of bottled water,
particularly during the summer
months. If you are not used to
travelling in a tropical climate
such as Vietnam you may not
notice the dehydration (darker
urine is a sign of dehydration).
If you drink tea, coffee &
alcohol you should increase you
water intake accordingly as
these will dehydrate you more.
-
Avoid giving the following items
to local people when trekking
through ethnic minority
villages:
-
Empty water bottles, since you
cannot guarantee that the empty
bottles will be disposed of in a
correct manner and sometimes
these are recycled and sold.
-
Sweets and candy, since people
have very limited access to
dental health.
-
Pens to the local people. If you
want to give pens, ask your
guide to introduce you to the
local teacher and donate them to
the whole community.
-
Do not offer money directly to
minority people, instead donate
to a local charity
-
Never sleep or sit with the
soles of your feet pointing
towards the family altar when in
someone’s house.
-
Never lose your temper in public
or when bargaining for a
purchase. This is considered a
serious loss of face for both
parties. Always maintain a cool
and happy demeanor and you will
be reciprocated with the same.
-
It's in your best interests not
to drink the tap water,
especially after flooding!
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Avoid cyclo ride after dark.
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When crossing the road,
especially in Ho Chi Minh city,
always keep looking to the left
and right and walk slowly!
Security advice for visiting Vietnam
Vietnam is generally one of the
safest countries you are likely to
visit, the government takes a very
strong view on ensuring the safety
of foreigners visiting Vietnam.
However Vietnam still has a very low
per capita income and like
everywhere people will take risks,
and generally most crime will occur
without your knowledge (i.e. pick
pocketing, hotel room theft) so
commonsense prevails.The most
noticeable day light robbery that
occurs right in front of your eyes,
will just be down to your lack of
bargaining skills. Here’s some
advice on avoiding the quiet crime
and keeping safe:
Prepare before your journey and
consider appropriate travel
insurance
-
Store your cash, credit cards,
airline tickets and other
valuables in a safe place. Most
mid range and top end hotels
have in-room safes, otherwise
ask the reception to keep your
valuable things in their deposit
facility (ask for a receipt of
you are extra concerned).
-
Leave your valuables behind
before a night out on the town,
or going to the beach.
-
Never carry more money than you
need when walking around the
streets and do not wear large
amounts of jewellery. There are
two reasons doing this:
-
It is considered impolite to
flaunt wealth in public;
-
It is more likely that you may
become a victim of a pickpocket
or drive-by bag snatcher.
-
Don't be paranoid about your
security, just be aware of your
surroundings.
What to wear
It’s worthwhile that you dress
appropriately, for both the weather,
and also not to cause offence to the
local people. Vietnamese have
conservative dress codes, and it is
only in larger cities that these
codes are a little more relaxed. Do
not wear revealing clothing.
Appropriate dress differs from North
to South. Southern Vietnam is
tropical year round and people dress
comfortably and casually.
Lightweight cotton and wool fabrics
will be comfortable at any time of
year. Synthetics may resist
wrinkles, but can be very warm to
wear. Generally, short pants are
more appropriate near the beach or a
farm, however tourists wearing
shorts in the cities are becoming
more acceptable, though long pants
and jeans are generally more
socially acceptable.
Don't wear singlets, shorts, dresses
or skirts, or tops with low-neck
lines and bare shoulders to Temples
and Pagodas. To do this is
considered extremely rude and
offensive. Dress modestly and
appropriately when visiting local
dwellings and religious sites, etc.
Winter in Hanoi (November through
April) can be cool, and a coat may
be necessary. Dress here is a bit
more formal than the fashionable
South. If travelling on business,
jackets and ties are usually
appropriate, regardless of the
weather. Remember that Vietnam is a
tropical country and most of the
year it is warm and humid, so if you
are not used to tropical weather, be
prepared to change your clothes two
or three times a day.
What to take
There are a few things you should
consider taking with you on your
travels:
A
map / guidebook
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Photocopies of your passport,
visa and possibly spare copies
of credit cards, licences and ID
cards in case your wallet is
lost or stolen
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Cash in US$ 20’s and $ 100’s,
and possibly smaller
denominations for emergencies
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A folding umbrella if planning
to visit during the rainy
season. The wettest months are
July and August.
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Zip lock bags. They are cheap,
disposable, and keep all kinds
of things fresh and dry.
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Hotel cards: You should keep
your hotel cards or brochures
help when trying to find your
way back or to show taxi
drivers.
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Business Cards. You will
discover that practically
everyone in Vietnam has a card
of some kind. The proper way to
offer your card is to hold it by
the corners with both hands.
Police
Phu Quoc District Police
Tel: 3846 051
Police (all Vietnam)
Tel: 113
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