USEFUL INFO VIETNAM
Practical information to organize the trip with details about the best period to go, necessary documents, how to get around and much more
WHEN TO GO to VIETNAM
Vietnam is part of the monsoon area of Southeast Asia. Temperatures are on average high throughout the year, reaching even 30 ° C. In the north, however, during the dry season between November and March it can get much colder.
In general, the best time to travel to Vietnam is between September and December and between March and April (source TuttoVietnam). For example, we were in October and we were very lucky; The days were very beautiful, hot but often very humid, especially in the Hanoi and Ninh Binh area.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS for VIETNAM
To enter Vietnam, you must have a passport with a residual validity of at least 6 months. Italian citizens who intend to travel to Vietnam for a maximum of 15 days do not need a visa. This is thanks to a provision currently valid until 30 June 2021. Anyone who enters Vietnam for a maximum stay of 15 days, regardless of the reason for the visit and the type of passport, is exempt from the visa. If after these 15 days you would like to return to Vietnam you will have to wait at least 30 days before being able to do so under the same conditions (single entry with a maximum duration of 15 days). If, on the other hand, you need to return before 30 days, you will need to apply for a visa. For further information in this regard, we recommend that you consult TuttoVietnam and the Farnesina website.
LOCAL CURRENCY in VIETNAM
The Vietnamese currency is the đồng. ATMs are quite common and you shouldn't have any problems withdrawing. But pay attention to the fees applied to each withdrawal. It is not uncommon to be able to change even in hotels. Here payments are generally accepted both in cash, often dollars and euros, and by card (credit or prepaid). In smaller structures or outside the big cities, on the other hand, we were asked to pay exclusively in cash. In street food places, bars or shops, if you pay by card, a commission of about 2% to 5% is often added. At the moment one euro is worth just under 26,000 dong ... get ready to have a wallet full of money!
HOW TO MOVE in VIETNAM
If you need to cover large distances in a short time, our advice is to book a low cost flight with Vietnam Airlines that connects the main cities of the country. A cheaper but much more time-consuming alternative is to rely on the night buses (we booked here), a must in Southeast Asia. A unique experience and basically not as uncomfortable as we expected. If you have time, give it a try!
Part of the charm of Vietnam is being able to travel around the countryside and rural villages by bicycle or scooter. Scooter rentals are widespread throughout the territory while for a bicycle you can often go directly to the hotel where you are staying.
To get around the chaotic traffic of the larger cities in the best possible way, we recommend instead relying on Grab, an application widespread throughout South-East Asia thanks to which you can book a passage safely and quickly (we we have always preferred to move by moped, but there are also rides available by car and, in the rest of Southeast Asia, also by Tuk-Tuk); just download the app on your mobile, associate your credit card and book the "Grab closest to you". If you do not have a credit card, you can easily pay in cash at the end of the journey. After the first time you will not be able to do without it!
LOCAL AGENCIES in VIETNAM
We often happen to rely on Local Agencies to do some small tours. It seems to us a good way to better discover the country we are visiting and above all to contribute to the local economy. Here we list some Agencies with which we have found ourselves very well and which offer a wide range of products.
Glory Legend Cruises for Halong Bay cruises
CHEAP CAR RENTAL in VIETNAM
To travel around Vietnam you need a rental car. We have chosen to rely on DiscoverCars.com, the best car rental website where you can search, compare and save up to 70%, a real bargain right? They will help you choose the perfect car for your next trip, without having surprises of car delivery surcharges, and where it suits you best. Then just download their App to manage your booking wherever you are.
TRAVEL INSURANCE for VIETNAM
Before any trip it is good to take out insurance to cover any inconveniences that could ruin the experience. We always rely on HeyMondo which allows you to choose the right insurance for every need. We recommend that you always protect yourself with health insurance and coverage for any cancellations, delays and, if you use them, for theft or breakage of electronic equipment. Medical treatment in the Vietnam can be very expensive.
You will get an immediate 5% discount
INTERNET & PHONE CALL in VIETNAM - eSIM CARD
How many times do we go abroad and the first thing we do is call home to say we have arrived. How often are we in a city on vacation and we need to find a place to eat using Google Maps or the internet. How many times do we need to send messages and photos on WhatsApp without spending a salary.
Tired of spending millions when abroad calling or using the internet?
Here is the SOLUTION we use: Holafly, a new technology with eSIM. Order your eSIM on the website and within minutes you will receive an email with a QR code. Just scan it and you'll be connected to the internet right away. You save time, stress and above all do something good for the environment by not having a physical SIM. If you are in a hurry and have to leave tomorrow and have not thought about the internet problem, you can solve it very quickly with this eSIM, and there is no problem that you could accidentally lose it or damage it while traveling. Most importantly, with the eSIM you don't have to change or remove your regular SIM card, you can leave it in the phone and use the eSIM instead of the physical one.
Don't waste time and above all don't spend millions, activate your Holafly eSim.
It is very easy, but how to do it? It only takes 3 steps and voila!
Holafly also offers data plans with unlimited data to many of the main destinations in the world: for example USA, Indonesia, Europe, Mexico, Thailand and many more.
This is a "new" technology and not all devices are compatible with it, but you can check which phones are already compatible with the eSIM at this link: https://esim.holafly.com/how-to/esim-phones.
You will get an immediate discount of 5% with the "WORLDMAPPERS" Discount Code
Watch here the Official Video • Vietnam
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