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National flag
Nationality
Official name: The Socialist Republic of Vietnam Population: 83,535,576 inhabitants with 54 ethnic groups Territory: 329,566 sq. km divided into 64 provinces & cities Capital: Hanoi
Climate
Vietnam has a tropical monsoon climate that varies significantly from the north to the south: There are four clear-cut seasons in the North of Vietnam while there are only dry and wet seasons in the South. Humidity varies from 82% to 89%. The average temperature changes from 20 to 27 degrees centigrade. Especially, the temperature is not higher than 22 degree centigrade in Dalat in summer and snow falls in Sapa in winter. Vietnam is long country from North to South with different geography and weather, so travelers can visit Vietnam all year round without many climatic disadvantages.
click below link for Forecast http://www.vnbaolut.com/index_en.html by Mr. Khanh Tien Tran - AMI Environmental
Public Holidays
January 01: New Year’s Day (one day) Traditional Lunar New Year Festival (TET): usually falls in January or February. The holidays are on the Eve and the first three days of the Lunar New Year. April 30: Liberation Day (one day) May 01: International Labor Day (one day) September 02: National Day (one day)
How to get in?
Wide choice of carriers:
Customs Regulations
ENTRY: Tourist are authorized to bring in the following items duty-free: Cigarettes: 400 – Cigars: 50-100 – Tobacco: 100 gr. – Liquor: 1.5l. Personal effects of a reasonable quantity. Small gift items valued at not more than US$ 500. NOTE: There is no limit to the amount of cash, previous metals and gems one can bring in, but amounts of over US$ 7000 must be declared. It is prohibited to bring the following into Vietnam: Weapons, explosives and inflammable objects. Opium and other narcotics. Cultural materials unsuitable to Vietnamese society. Video cassette are subject to inspection. EXIT: Goods of commercial nature and articles of high value require export permits issued by the Customs Office. Antiques, some precious stones and animals listed in Vietnam’s red-book may not be brought out of the country.
Currency
“DONG” is the Vietnamese currency. There are coins and notes used. The US dollar or Euro are widely accepted. The current official rate of exchange is VND 15,850 to one US dollar and VND 16000 to one Euro. Credit cards and traveler’s cheques are accepted at hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops.
Water
Bottled water is available at shops and restaurants in most cities. It is highly recommended to drink boiled or bottled water rather than tap water. Ice in big cities hotels and restaurants is generally safe, but otherwise should be avoided.
What to wear
Throughout the year, it is advisable to wear summer clothing: thin clothes in light color. In December and January, warm clothes are recommended for visits to the northern provinces and highlands. It is advisable to bring umbrellas or raincoats in the rainy (wet) season in the south.
Shopping
Superb and unique Vietnamese objects d’art: lacquer ware, conical hats, rattan and bamboo articles, bronze and wooden bric-a-bracs and ceramics. Special products of Vietnam: silk, embroideries, brocade and hand-woven items. Haute couture apparel.
Tips
Business hours: (GMT+7) Offices: 08:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. and 01:00 p.m. to 05:00 p.m. Most of offices closed on Saturday afternoon and Sundays. Banks: 08:00 a.m. to 03:00 p.m. Closed on Saturday afternoon and Sundays.
Electrical current: 110-220 volts A.C. Long distance calls can be made at post offices, hotels or telephone booths (phone cards are available at post offices). A tip for good service might be about 5% of the bill. No vaccinations are presently required. VAT (Value-added tax) of 10% is either included or added to all bills in Vietnam.
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