Vietnam is one of the most intriguing travel destinations in Asia. The long period of warfare has very much shielded Vietnam from the rest of the world, and it is only in the last ten years that visitors are trickling back into the country. What is awaiting their discovery is a country that has been left behind by the rest of Asia, but is now economically propelling itself forward, oft times leapfrogging its slower neighbours.
The country of Vietnam is 331,690 square kilometers in size. It forms a long strip on the eastern coast of Indo-China, sharing border with China to the north, Laos to the northwest, and Cambodia to the southwest. The land has been inhabited for thousands of years, with evidence of human habitation going back to Paleolithic times. It has suffered successive invasion and occupation by foreign powers, chief among them China in the ancient times and France in more recent history.
The capital of Vietnam today is the city of Hanoi, also spelled Ha Noi. It is the second largest city in the country, and as with all major cities of Vietnam, is rapidly growing and developing.
Visitors to Vietnam focus on the major attractions around Hanoi, such as Halong Bay, Sapa, Perfume Pagoda and Tam Coc. Some venture further south, to explore ancient cities such as Hue, Hoi An, Dalat, as well as Ho Chi Minh City, the biggest city in Vietnam formerly known as Saigon.
In Vietnam Travel Guide, I want to provide you an overview of this remarkable country, and take you through to all the major cities as well as the lesser-known ones. I hope that this website will provide you with the necessary information to explore and enjoy Vietnam.
Vietnam Travel Information
Time Zone: 7 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Currency: dong
Language: Vietnamese. English gaining popularity as a language for tourism and commerce.
International Dialing Code: 84
Population: 84 million
Religion: Mahayana Buddhism (similar to China, but different from the Thailand, Laos and Cambodia), Catholic, Taoism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam.
Electricity: 220V 50 Hz
Electrical Outlet: two round pins, some times three round pins. If you bring a laptop, get a surge suppressor to guard against current fluctuations. (See details here: http://www.kropla.com/electric.htm)
Driving: On the right side of the road.
The following are public holidays observed in Vietnam:
New Year Day: 1 January
Tet (Lunar New Year): January/February, similar to Chinese New Year celebrated elsewhere.
Founding Day of the Coomunist Party of Vietnam: 3 February
Women's Day: 8 March
Youth Day: 28 March
Liberation of Saigon Day: 30 April
International Labour Day: 1 May
Victory Day: 7 May, commemorating the victory over France
Ho Chi Minh's Birthday: 19 May
Children's Day: 1 June
Memorial Day: 27 July
August 1945 Revolution Day: 19 August
National Day: 2 September
Teacher's Day: 20 November
Army Day: 22 December
Vietnam Hotels
It pays dividends to do a bit of homework before you book your accommodation in Vietnam. You will find that different Hotel Booking websites actually offer the same hotel room at different prices. Use this free Vietnam Hotel Search Engine to view prices of hotel rooms offered by different booking sites. It allows you to make an informed decision that ultimately saves you a lot of money.
If you are backpacking to Vietnam, you can view a big list of hostels in Vietnam with online booking facility.
Vietnam is composed of 58 provinces and 5 centrally governed cities.
Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province
Bac Giang Province
Bac Kan Province
Bac Ninh Province
Binh Dinh Province
Binh Duong Province
Binh Thuan Province
Cao Bang Province
Can Tho (city)
Da Nang (city)
Daklak Province
Dak Nong Province
Dien Bien Province
Dong Thap Province
Gia Lai Province
Ha Giang Province
Ha Nam Province
Hanoi (city)
Hai Duong Province
Hai Phong (city)
Ha Tinh Province
Hau Giang Province
Hoa Binh Province
Hung Yen Province
Khanh Hoa Province
Kien Giang Province
Kontum Province
Lai Chau Province
Lam Dong Province
Lao Cai Province
Long An Province
Long Son Province
Nghe An Province
Nam Dinh Province
Ninh Binh Province
Phu Tho Province
Phu Yen Province
Quang Binh Province
Quang Nam Province
Quang Ngai Province
Quang Ninh Province
Quang Tri Province
Soc Trang Province
Son La Province
Thai Binh Province
Thai Nguyen Province
Thanh Hoa Province
Thua Thien-Hue Province
Tien Giang Province
Tra Vinh Province
Tuyen Quang Province
Vinh Long Province
Vinh Phuc Province
Yen Bai Province
Compare Hotel Room Rates
Find the lowest price of hotel rooms from different Hotel Booking websites. Our free Hotel Search Engine lets you compare room rates from different booking sites. Just key in your visiting City. You'd be glad to do your homework!
AsiaExplorers is researched and written by Timothy Tye. Reasonable care is taken to check and verify the accuracy of the content. AsiaExplorers disclaims responsibility for any inconvenience, mishap, injury or death resulting from following the tips and advice provided directly or indirectly by this website. All pages may be printed out for your own personal, non-commercial use. Photographs not credited to a third party belong to Timothy Tye and may not be reused in any form unless you are first given permission. Write in to inquire if interested. Third party photographs are governed by their respective licenses. The author is a Christian. Click here if you are interested to know more about his Christian beliefs. To contact AsiaExplorers, use the following email address:
