Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea, referred to as East Sea, to the east. With a population of over 86 million, Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world.

The people of Vietnam regained independence and broke away from China in AD 938 after their victory at the battle of Bạch Đằng River. Successive dynasties flourished along with geographic and political expansion deeper into Southeast Asia, until it was colonized by the French in the mid-19th century. Efforts to resist the French eventually led to their expulsion from the country in the mid-20th century, leaving a nation divided politically into two countries. Fighting between the two sides continued during the Vietnam War, ending with a North Vietnamese victory in 1975.

Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam

Vietnam is a country in overdrive that’s a wonder to watch and sometimes overwhelming. Nearly mythical in the Western imagination thanks to a slew of American War movies, this is the place everyone will be asking about back home and you’ll have more than a few good stories to share.

The big cities feel like Wild West towns where the horses have been replaced by a stampede of motorbikes and everyone’s gunning to make a buck. Make no mistake, though, there’s plenty of peace and quiet here but unlike other places you have to seek it out.

The national parks are lightly visited, but are often only a few hours off the main tourist trail. Bach Ma National Park is a pristine mountain getaway near Hué, at the midpoint of many a traveller’s itinerary – in the words of the old Coca-Cola slogan, it’s the pause that refreshes. Think of the calm spots here as the sweetened condensed milk in an ice coffee so strong it would be illegal in other countries. Both are good by themselves, but together they’re even better.


People of Vietnam

Religion
Over the centuries, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism have fused with popular Chinese beliefs and ancient Vietnamese animism to form what’s collectively known as the Triple Religion (Tam Giao). Most Vietnamese people identify with this belief system, but if asked, they’ll usually say they’re Buddhist. Vietnam also has a significant percentage of Catholics (7% of the population).

Cash
The US dollar acts as a second local currency. Hotels, airlines and travel agencies all normally quote their prices in dollars, due in part to unwieldy Vietnamese prices (US$100 is around 1,600,000d). For this reason, we quote some prices in US dollars. For the best exchange rate, you should pay in dong.

Credit Cards
Visa, MasterCard and American Express (Amex) credit cards are accepted in most cities at a growing number of hotels, restaurants and shops. Getting cash advances on credit cards is also possible, but you’ll be charged between 1% and 5% commission.

Exchanging Money
If you need to exchange money after hours, jewellery shops will exchange US dollars at rates comparable to, or even slightly better than, the banks.

Exchange rates at the time of press were as follows:

Country Unit Dong (d)

Australia A$1 13,482
Cambodia 1000r 4012
Canada C$1 15,735
Euro zone €1 22, 425
Japan ¥100 14,072
Laos 1000 kip 1690
New Zealand NZ$1 11,417
Thailand 10B 5,054
UK UK£1 32,245
USA US$1 16,177

Travellers Cheques
Travellers cheques in US dollars can be exchanged for local dong at certain banks; Vietcombank is usually a safe bet, although staff will charge a commission of 1% if you exchange cheques for dong. Most hotels and airline offices will not accept travellers cheques.

The north-south divide lingers on. Southerners think people in the north are uptight and northerners think southerners aren’t serious enough and obsessed with business.

Arts
Water Puppetry
Vietnam’s ancient art of roi nuoc ( water puppetry ) originated in northern Vietnam at least 1000 years ago. Developed by rice farmers, the wooden puppets were manipulated by puppeteers using water-flooded rice paddies as their stage. Hanoi is the best place to see water-puppetry performances, which are accompanied by music played on traditional instruments.

Architecture
Most early Vietnamese buildings were made of wood and other materials that proved temporary in the tropical climate. The grand exception is the stunning towers built by Vietnam’s ancient Cham culture. These are most numerous in central Vietnam. The Cham ruins at My Son ( p867 ) are a major tourist draw.

Plenty of pagodas and temples founded hundreds of years ago are still functioning, but they have usually been rebuilt many times with little concern for the original.

The Lunar New Year ( Tet) is Vietnam’s most important annual festival. The Tet holiday officially lasts three days, but many Vietnamese take the following week off work, so hotels, trains and buses are booked solid – and most everything else shuts down. If visiting Vietnam during Tet, memorise this phrase: Chuc mung nam moi! (Happy New Year!). Smiles in response are guaranteed.

The 2nd day of the 1st month: Wrestling Festival in Lieu Doi, Nam Ha.

The 5th day of the 1st month: Festival of Dong Da hill, Hanoi: celebrate the anniversary of King Quang Trung's victory over 290,000 Qing invaders to liberate Thang Long (now Hanoi).

The 6th day of the 1st month: Festival of Eel-Catching in Pot in Ving Lac district, Vinh Phu province. This reflects the farmers' love for labor and the joy over bumper crops.

The 10th day of the 1st month: Festival in Trieu Khuc village, Hanoi. Cultural activities of a traditional handicraft village.

The 13th day of the 1st month: Lim Festival, Ha Bac. Festival of quan ho folk song singing. Boys and girls meet on river bank, on hill or in the yards of village's communal house and pagoda and exchange emotions.

The 15th day of the 1st month: Festival of Spring on Ba Den mountain.

The 15th of 2nd month (formal date): Festival of Huong Pagoda, Ha Tay: Traditional festival lasting over 2 months.
Spring festival of buffalo fighting in Tay Nguyen Highlands highlighting the martial spirit of the ethnic minority people.

The 10th day of the 3rd month: Festival of Hung Temple celebrating the death a anniversary of Kings Hung.

The 9th day of the 4th month: Giong Festival, Hanoi, commemorating Saint Giong, a legendary child hero who defeated foreign invasion and saved the nation.

The 26th day of the 4th month: Festival of Queen Su in Chau Doc.

The 5th day of the 5th month: Water Festival in Nha Trang. People in the city go to the beach and have a bath for health improvement.

The 16th day of the 6th month: Festival of Nghinh Ong in Tien Giang - Ben Tre.

The 30th day of the 7th month: Festival at Lang Ong, Ho Chi Minh City.

The 9th day of the 8th month: Buffalo fighting festival, Do Son, Hai Phong.

The 13th day of the 9th month:Festival of Keo Pagoda, Thai Binh. Traditional communal festival.

The 22nd day of the 11th month:Festival of Dong Quan in Chan Tien Pagoda, Hanoi.

Ref: http://www.iatatravelcentre.com/VN-Vietnam-customs-currency-airport-tax-regulations-details.htm

Though you’re probably not travelling on a shoestring in order to support your antique-collection mania, keep in mind that customs may seize suspected antiques or other ‘cultural treasures’, which cannot legally be taken out of Vietnam. If you do purchase authentic or reproduction antiques, be sure to get a receipt and a customs clearance form from the seller.

Weather Information for Hanoi

Weather Information for Ho Chi Minh City

Ref: http://www.worldweather.org
Remark: Climatological information is based on monthly averages for the 30-year period 1961-1990.

Vietnam is located in both a tropical and a temperate zone. It is characterized by a strong monsoon influence, a considerable amount of sunny days, and a high rate of rainfall and humidity.

North (from Hanoi to Sa Pa)
Summer in the north is from May to October where temperatures are in the mid 30° with occasional heavy rains. In the winter, temperatures average in the low teens from December to March. February and March can be damp with drizzling rain and overcast sky.

Central (from Nha Trang to Hue)
Weather patterns in this region can vary due to the Truong Son mountain range situated in the northwestern part of the country. Nha Trang has periods of rain from November to December. While Da Lat, located in the interior, is cooler than the coastal regions from November to March. Da Nang and Hue may experience some typhoon activity from mid October to mid December when it is cooler, overcast and drizzly.

South (from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet)
The south is hot year round and has a wet and dry season. The wet season is from May to October where there are daily downpours that are brief and predictable. Considering that temperatures average in the low 30° (Celsius), rain showers can be a blessing in disguise and provide relief to the sweltering heat. The dry season from November to April is generally sunny and humid and can be uncomfortable if no precautions are taken for sun protection.

Getting there

Air
Hanoi has fewer international flights than HCMC, but with a change of aircraft in Hong Kong or Bangkok you can get to either city. Danang international airport offers connections to Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore. Maximise your time and minimise cost and hassle by booking an open-jaw ticket – then you can fly into HCMC and out of Hanoi (or vice versa). These tickets save you from backtracking and are easily arranged in hubs such as Bangkok and Hong Kong.

Land
There are land-border crossing points from Vietnam into China ( p837 , p843 and p848 ), Laos and Cambodia; see p932 for a full list of border crossings for Laos and Cambodia. At the time of writing there was also word that a new border crossing between Vietnam and

Getting around

Open-Tour-Bus
For the cost of around US$23, the sold-everywhere open ticket can get you from HCMC to Hanoi at your own pace, sometimes even in air-conditioned comfort. Open-tour tickets entitle you to exit or board the bus at any city along its route without holding you to a fixed schedule. Confirm your seat the day before departure.

These tickets are inexpensive because they’re subsidised by an extensive commission culture. You’re never obligated to stay at the hotel you’ve been dropped at; if you don’t like it, find another.

Car & Motorcycle
Except for legal foreign residents, buying a motorbike for touring Vietnam is technically illegal. However, so far the authorities seem to be turning a blind eye to the practice. The big issue is what to do with the motorbike at trip’s end. Some sell it back to the shop they bought it from (for less than they paid, of course). Others sell it to another shop or to a foreigner travelling in the opposite direction. But, since buying a motorbike is illegal a crackdown could come at any time.