FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Hi,

Thank you for your question.

Frankly, there is no strict rule or code for gifts and presents when you are invited to enjoy a family meal in Vietnam. Without any wine or flower, the diner guests are still warmly welcomed by hospitable Vietnamese hosts.

However, fruit is always a nice gift and seems to be well received. So, you are highly recommended to pick up some nice fruits for the dessert. Besides, one could bring something nutritious for the elder, some alcohol, pastries for the family, or candy for the kids, though these gifts may make the dinner a lot more formal than it should.

You are also recommended to ask the host if there is anything you could help, and be willing to give them a hand in preparing the meal. Remember to wait for the oldest to eat first, ask once before the meal and once after your finish.

Enjoy the meal.

Read our Article "Visiting a Vietnamese Family" for more detailed insights. 

Question: Should I bargain at Ben Thanh Market?

Answer: Yes, you should. It may be your interesting experience with Vietnamese locals. If you do it well, you can pick up a few good bargains which are less than one third of the initial asking price. For example, if a seller says it costs 90,000 VND, you can bargain to get it for more or less 30,000 VND.

Question: We will visit Vietnam in February and we are wondering the best way to pay for anything. Should we use travelers check? ATMs?

Answer: You aren’t encouraged to use travelers cheques in Vietnam because it isn’t cheap and convenient at all. Perhaps the cheapest and most convenient way to get cash is to use a bank card or a certain credit card to take it out of an ATM. ATMs are now widely put everywhere in the country, so it is pretty convenient to get cash. Or, you can also bring cash along with you but please watch out pickpockets and bag snatchers.

Question: Hi, I and my wife would like to take a cruise in Halong Bay. We are wondering whether Halong Bay cruise is suitable for us - both are in our late 60’s? We wouldn’t be interested in activities like kayaking, climbing, or snorkeling.

Answer: A typical program of a Halong Bay cruise consists of many activities: energizing activities like climbing, kayaking, snorkeling; sightseeing tours to well-known attractions such as Surprising Cave, Floating Fishing Village, Pearl Farm; on-board activities like cooking demonstration, spa.... This means you have many options to enjoy Halong Bay cruise at leisure. If you don’t like kayaking, swimming or something else, you can sit on the boat, sip a cup of delicious cocktails, take a massage, or enjoy beautiful vistas of the Bay yourself .

However, please kindly be reminded that you should make clear with the cruise’s company or agent to ensure that they let you stay on board because some cruises off load you to other activities so that they can return to the pier to pick up new passengers.

Question: Should I visit Sapa in late-January and early-February?

Answer: It depends. You are advised to check the weather forecast before starting your trip because the weather is now unpredictable. However, normally, this is the time when Sapa is getting colder and colder. Snow often falls in Sapa in these months. So, if you can adapt to the freezing cold weather and love admiring snow in Sapa, go ahead! On the other hand, choose another time to visit the town.

Question: How to get from Hanoi to Sapa?

Answer: There is no nearby airport in Sapa or Lao Cai, therefore, the only way to get from Hanoi to Sapa is by road or by rail. For a safe and convenient journey, tourists should book overnight train, bus, or private car to arrive at the destination.

For those who want to enjoy the privacy, booking private car is the best choice for an ideal trip from Hanoi to Sapa. Of course, private car will cost you more than other public vehicles like bus or train.

As the service industry has begun to flourish in Vietnam, there are many options of overnight trains to meet foreigner’s requirements such as Orient Express, Sapaly Express, King Express, Victoria Express, and so forth. Generally, most of these trains are beautifully decorated and well-appointed with modern amenities to ensure guest’s comfort. The price fluctuates from US$ 35 to 180 depending on how luxury the train is.

In addition to overnight trains, buses are ideal options for budget travelers. The time of bus schedule is flexible and the price are more reasonable, more or less than US$15. Some reputable buses highly recommended for you are Bus Hung Thanh Sort Berth – WC, Sapa Express Bus, and Good Morning Sapa Bus.

For detailed information about bus and train services, you can visit https://www.hanoisapatrain.com/ticket.html

Yes. Vietnam is a country with full of photographic opportunities with such diverse landscape, beautiful coastline and mountain. However, please do note that photography in or near military installations, airports or similar locations is strictly prohibited. Anyone caught doing so will have the film, and possibly the camera or camcorder, confiscated and may be arrested.

It is difficult to choose the more attractive destination between Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island because each place has the unique points that the other place can have. However, Ha Long Bay is truly more worth-travelling than Cat Ba Island. The reason is that the number of attractions and tourism activities seems to be diverse than Cat Ba. In Cat Ba, the only things you can do are playing at the beaches, having a boat trip to some small islands in the area, visiting a national park and eating. There activities in Ha Long are more diverse, attractive and interesting than Cat Ba because there are more islands on the shore to visit, more beaches to play and more kinds of seafood to taste. From Ha Long you can also get around to visit other fascinating destinations in Quang Ninh province such as Yen Tu, Bai Chay beach, Van Don, Tuan Chau resort or Hoang Gia International Resort. Tourism activities in Ha Long are also more diverse with the more reasonable price than in Cat Ba Island.   

The weather in Vietnam in December is totally reverse between in the North and the South. The weather in the North at that time is extreme with freezing atmosphere and dry air in almost any place. The temperature in this month can go under 0oC in some place, and snow and ice can be seen in this area, mostly in Sapa, Moc Chau or Dong Van. This is not a good time to visit any destination in this region. Weather in December in the Middle and the South of Vietnam is different from the North with warmer, rainier and more pleasant climates. The temperature in this month is kept around 20-25oC, which are perfect to the foreigners to come to avoid the extreme winter in their home countries.

Normally you can bring any currency that you want to Vietnam, as long as you exchange that money into Vietnam Dong but USD is the most widely accepted one. You can also use USD or Euro to make payment in Vietnam, especially in hotel, restaurants or some shops in the tourists areas. 

To exchange you currency into Vietnam Dong, there are many ways for you to choose. The first way is to do it right at the airport when you land. You can also exchange currency in any bank in Hanoi, but ANZ bank or HSBC branch are recommended  as they are international banks with better customer service.

You should never exchange currency with the street vendors as their money might be not guaranteed in quality. About international credit card, you can use it in Vietnam to make payment, but there is only limited place, mostly big supermarkets, restaurants, hotel or malls accept this kind of payment. Therefore, prepare enough cash on your purse is more suitable in Hanoi than carry an credit card.