Vietnam is full of life, colors, scents and a beautiful nature with mountains and green rice fields. An exciting history and culture with a welcoming people form the basis for an eventful trip in Vietnam.
On this page you will find practical information and facts about Vietnam.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT TRAVELING IN VIETNAM
Climate and best travel time
You can travel to Vietnam at any time of the year, but be prepared that the weather differs greatly between the different regions. In the south, the rainy season extends from May to November. The rest of the year is a dry period with slightly higher temperatures and higher humidity. In Ho Chi Minh City, the temperature is around 30 degrees all year round. In the north, the winter is relatively cold from December to March (down to 15 degrees in Hanoi) and it can get really cold in the mountains (night frost). During the summer from May to October, temperatures above 30 degrees and strong but short showers are not uncommon. The best seasons for hiking are spring and autumn. Central Vietnam often experiences typhoons and subsequent floods during the period October – November.
Our recommendations on when it is best to travel are based on how the weather has been during the previous year. The weather in Vietnam can be very changeable and unpredictable and therefore our recommendations are for guidance only.
Money
If you plan to cross the border into Vietnam by land, be sure to bring plenty of US dollars in cash – some in banknotes. The possibility of exchanging money legally at the border is limited. In the larger cities in Vietnam, you can withdraw money on your Visa card, but keep in mind that a local fee of 1-3 percent will be added. Bring US dollars in cash and any traveler’s checks in reserve.
Visa
conditions NOTE! The visa rules can be changed at short notice so We recommend that you check the current conditions at the country’s embassy or at The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website..
The following information may change.
Swedes no longer need a visa to Vietnam for trips shorter than 15 days. The visa waiver applies provided that your passport is valid for at least 90 days from the day of entry and that you have a valid return ticket / proof of departure within 15 days from the day of entry.
For stays longer than 14 days, a visa is required. You can apply for a visa from home via the Vietnamese Embassy in Stockholm, which can, among other things, issue a 30-day tourist visa. Please note that you will need to save a copy of your completed visa application with passport photo to be presented on arrival (in addition to the visa already issued in the passport). If you fly from Phu Quoc with a change in Hanoi or Saigon directly on the way home, special rules apply.
NB! Previously, it was necessary to indicate in the visa application exactly where you want to travel in and out of Vietnam. This is no longer necessary. We recommend that you write “International” under the heading “port of arrival / departure” so that you can change your travel plans freely if you wish.
Tips
In most countries, tips are part of the salaries of employees in the service industry. Therefore, it is good practice (and sometimes directly necessary) to give tips to, for example, cleaning staff, waiters, guides, drivers, etc. depending on the country you are visiting. Therefore, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with how much is normally given in tips and to whom before you embark on your journey. Find information on tips in Lonely Planet’s guidebooks.
Links
www.vietnamnews.net – English language website with news from Vietnam.
www.vietnamrailways.net – Vietnam Rail. Here you will find updated information on departure times for trains throughout Vietnam.
www.vietnamonline.com – useful in your planning of round trips in Vietnam. Description of cities and attractions.
FACTS
CAPITAL: HANOI
LANGUAGE: VIETNAMESE
CLIMATE: TROPICAL MONSOON CLIMATE
CURRENCY: DONG
RELIGION: BUDDHISM, CHRISTIANITY AND TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS
INFORMATION VIETNAM
Charming Vietnam
Vietnam is the country where karaoke is a folk sport and a music system is judged by how loud it sounds. City life takes place on the streets, where laughter from the small tea tables and the loud shoppers’ talk are mixed with the noise from the many scooters. In the middle of this charming and vibrant city life, you can also enjoy a café au lait at one of the old sidewalk cafés from the French colonial era.
Vietnam’s varied nature
If you go outside the big cities, the country offers nature experiences that are worthy of this s-shaped country’s slogan: The hidden charm. Although about three quarters of the country is covered by magnificent mountains, one can also enjoy endless sandy beaches and lush forests. The red delta in the north, the Mekong delta in the south, Ha Long Bay and endless rice fields, make Vietnam a unique experience of different types of nature just waiting to be explored and photographed.
With history as a travel company,
Landet also offers a journey back in history. Different countries and wars have left their mark on architecture, gastronomy and sights and therefore you always travel in Vietnam with history as a travel companion. Despite its brutal history, Vietnam has maintained both a traditional and a modern cultural life. Today, the many minority peoples live side by side in modern everyday life.
