Climate:
Vietnam is located in both a tropical and a temperate zone. It is characterized by strong monsoon influences, but has a considerable amount of sun, a high rate of rainfall, and high humidity. Regions located near the tropics and in the mountainous regions are endowed with a temperate climate

Entry Requirements:
Most visitors to Vietnam need a visa to enter the country. Visas are exempted for the citizens of the countries, which have signed a bilateral or unilateral visa exemption agreement with Vietnam; tourist visa may be valid for 15 to 30 days.
Tourist visa can only be obtained in Vietnamese embassies, consulates abroad. Otherwise, you can get a visa at the border gates if you are invitees of some Vietnamese competent organs or you are traveling on a package tour organized by Vietnamese travel companies. To apply for a visa, the requirements are as follows:

• Entry permits form (which can vary from one Vietnamese embassies or consulate abroad to another) - There are two categories of this form: for foreigners and for Vietnamese overseas.
• Two photos (4cmx6cm or 3cmx4cm)
• Original passport
• Visa fee.

You should send your application and photos to a Vietnamese embassy or consulate abroad, which is most convenient to you. On your requirement, the reply will be returned by post (you must provide stamped envelopes with your name and address).

It is easier to get your visa from a Vietnamese travel agency. The necessary information to the travel agency includes:

• Full name
• Birthday and place of birth
• Nationality
• Job
• number of your passport
• Entry and exit dates
• Country you plan to receive your entry visa from the Vietnamese embassies or consulates

Vietnamese overseas are required to provide more information:

• Year and reason to leave Vietnam
• Leave Vietnam by means
• Full names and addresses of relations in Vietnam

Visa exemption:
- Not more than 30 days: for citizens of Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Laos.
- Not more than 15 days: for citizens of Japan and South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland.
(Vietnamese diplomatic and official passport holders are exempted from visa requirements to enter Japan).
 - French citizens holding valid diplomatic passports are exempt from visa requirements when visiting Vietnam and are allowed to stay for up 3 months at one time or on several visits within six months since their first immigration dates. Vietnamese citizens holding valid diplomatic passports also enjoy similar privileges.
- Citizens of Chile and Vietnam holding valid diplomatic or official passports from one of the two countries are exempt from needing entry, exit and transit visas in the other's territory and are allowed to stay for up 60 days on each visit

 Getting to town
Visitors can get a taxi, motorbike (xe om) from airports to the city centre. Apart from these means, in some big cities as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, visitors can get to the centre by bus or the easiest choice to move around is taxi
 
In Ho Chi Minh City- TAN SON NHAT Airport:
A metered cab from Tan Son Nhat Airport to downtown costs around VND 50,000. The trip takes about 20 minutes.
Airport taxes are no longer applied.

Currency
Vietnamese dong (VND) is the official currency in Vietnam
- Paper notes include: VND 500,000; 200,000; 100,000; 50,000; 20,000; 10,000; 5,000; 2,000; 1,000; 500; 200 and 100. Coins include VND 5,000; 2,000; 1,000; 500 and 200.

Cheques with value as Vietnamese dong include: VND 1,000,000 and 500,000.
- Foreign currencies and tourist cheques can be exchanged into Vietnamese Dong at banks or foreign exchange agencies.
- Credit cards are popularly used, especially in cities and big tourist centers.
Before leave Vietnam, Vietnamese dong can be changed into foreign currencies at the airport.

Exchange rate:
US1$ = VND15.900 (Approximate)

Business hours:
Governmental agencies work 8 hours/day from 7.30am to 4.30pm (excluding one-hour lunch). Saturday and Sunday are close
Banks are open from 7.30am or 8am to 11.30am and from 1pm to 4pm. Saturday and Sunday are close.
Private shops are open from 8am or 8.30am to 9pm or 10pm

Language:
Vietnamese is the official language.
Almost tourist guides speak languages: English, Chinese, French, Russian and Japanese

Utilities:
220 volts

Place of interest:
Dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by many locals. A full day city should star with bustling Chinatown and begins with a visit to the Thien Hau Temple, from here you can ask for a cyclo ride; the most appropriate and unusual way to explore Cholon, literally meaning 'big market' or you also can stretch down to Binh Tay Market. In the late afternoon start to visit the War Museum and the former Presidential Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Saigon Post Office( uniquely in Asia opening hours until 08:30pm), Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat), Continental Hotel, Opera House and City Hall. You can enjoy some wonderful ice cream at Fanny's, a quaint little parlour with a French atmosphere, before exploring the trendy boutiques on Ton That Thiep Street.

Things must do:

-Ordering custom-made clothes from the local tailor shop
-Taking a slow cyclo ride through the French Quarter of old Saigon
-Eating pho ga (chicken noodle soup) at a street side noodle stalls.
-Watching the traditional water - puppet performance in Ho Chi Minh History Museum(inside the Zoo)
-Drinking rice-wine
-Overnight in a home stay in the Mekong Delta's riverside orchards
-Bartering for a bargain at Saigon's largest market, Ben Thanh Market