TIME DIFFERENCE
All of Vietnam is in the same time zone seven hours ahead of Greenwich meantime (GMT+7). There is no daylight savings so you don’t have to worry about changing your clocks around. Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam are all in the same time zone.
CLIMATE
Vietnam is similar to the rest of Southeast Asia and experiences a hot and humid tropical climate with two distinct seasons, wet and dry. The timing for these seasons depends on which part of the country you are in, north, central or south. Central Vietnam also has an annual Typhoon season in October/November. Temperatures vary throughout the country ranging from 5-10C in the north in December to 36-38C in the south in April.
CURRENCY
The official currency in Vietnam is Dong (VND). 1USD = 22,000VND. Most vendors will only accept Dong. In the larger cities USD is accepted but you will always lose out on the exchange rate. ATMs only issue VND.
SHOPPING
Expect to be constantly hassled in Vietnamese markets and to haggle aggressively if you want a good price. Here’s a tip - offer a vendor half what they are asking for and bargain up from there.
All large Vietnamese cities now have western style malls and supermarkets and you can purchase most of the items you can get back home. It is always a set price in these areas, no bargaining.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
You must have valid travel insurance to travel with Stray Asia.
HEALTH
Before travelling to Vietnam, you should visit a travel doctor for quality medical advice (we want you to be healthy and enjoy your trip with us). There are many diseases present in tropical climates that are transmitted by mosquitoes. It is possible to get dengue fever and malaria (remote countryside) from mosquitoes so we recommend you carry some strong (>30% DEET) insect repellent.
CHECK OUT OUR TRAVEL BLOG:
- Out of a diverse range of attractions, we've picked our top five reasons to visit Vietnam...any more and we'd never finish!
- Here are the 5 foods you must try on your visit to Vietnam