The official currency is the Vietnamese Dong (VND) although US dollars are still accepted. At the time of publishing the exchange rate is US$ 1 = 17,500 VND.

Traveler’s cheques can be cashed only at major banks and usually incur a 2 to 5% transaction fee.

Visa and Master cards are accepted now in most of hotels, restaurants and shops in main cities of Vietnam, but can also be subject to 2 to 3% transaction fees.

You can also get cash advances with your credit card either from automated teller machines (ATM) in the main tourists cities and hotels or from foreign exchange offices (subject to 2 to 3% transaction fees).

Vietnamese is the official language although English is increasingly spoken by younger Vietnamese in main cities. Some people and especially elderly still speak French, while middle-aged speak Russian.

Tipping is not mandatory although it is appreciated. Note that prices in hotels and restaurants usually include 10% for VAT and 5% for service charges.

It is advisable not to drink water from the tap unless it is boiled properly.

Telecommunications
International phone call charges from Vietnam have decreased tremendously over the past few years. Today through the services-call 171 or 178, cost of an international phone call is less than 0,75 USD/minute. There are numerous Internet cafés in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and most of the hotels and coffee shops in the downtown area offer free WIFI or internet access via cable for convenient phone call VoIP. Prepaid SIM Cards for cell phones can be easily purchased at convenient stores and shops.

No vaccination is required, but visitors are advised to receive inoculations against hepatitis A and B, typhoid and tetanus. Inoculation for yellow fever and tablets for malaria are not necessary although doctors still usually recommend them.

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have good hospitals staffed with foreign medical personnel, however for life threatening injury it can be necessary to be evacuated to Bangkok or Singapore and we therefore strongly recommend taking out medical travel insurance.

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Vietnam has 82,2 million inhabitants with an average density of 248 inhabitants/km2, reaching 1,000 in the Red River delta in the North.
88% of the population is Viet, 2% Chinese and 1.5% Khmer. Numerous ethnic minorities make up the rest of the population of Vietnam: Muong, Nung, Dao, Thai, Cham, Hmong and various mountain-dwellers.

The dominant religions are Buddhism (55% of the population) and Catholicism (8% to 10% of the population). Confucianism, Taoism, Hoa Hao, Muslim and Caodaism represent around 35% of the population.

Prices displayed are usually fixed, but in other cases, bargaining is a fact of life in Vietnam!

Vietnam is 7 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. It is the same time zone as Bangkok.

In Vietnam electric current is mostly 220V in main cities, although you can still find 110V in rural areas. Sockets are both round and flat types.