People and Language   Land & History   Climate & Weather   Currency   Time   Public Holidays   Internet & mobile phone

Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet) The Central Highlands The North West Vietnam

Visa   Arrival at Airport   Food and Drinks   Hospital & Emergency call   Embassies in Vietnam   Vietnamese Embassy abroad   Vietnam travel guide books

People and Language
Population of Socialist Republic of Viet nam is more than 78.5 million with urban population consisted of about 19.7%. There are 54 ethic minority groups inhabiting in Vietnam. The 'Kinh' people (or Viet) account for nearly 90% of the population. Major ethic minority groups include the Tay, Thai, Muong, H'mong, Dao and Khmer.
Vietnamese language is the main language. English, French and Russian can be communicated in the major city.

  Land & History
Vietnam land's has the S -shaped and the area are 329,600 Km2.  Vietnam has common borders in the North with China, East and Southeast with Laos and Cambodia. The West of Vietnam facing the Eastern sea (South China Sea). Vietnam's coastline is more than 3,260 kms in length. Vietnam land is very diverse with mountain, highland, deltas, rivers and forest. Hanoi is the capital and Hochiminh city is Vietnamese biggest city.

Climate
Vietnam has tropical climate, which is characterized by lots of sunshine, high rainfall, humidity with two distinguished seasons in general: the cold and dry one from November to April and the other hot and wet from May to October. The annual average temperature is from 22ºC to 27ºC. But weather usually different between North and South, between land and mountains. 

Currency
The currency is Dong (VND). Foreign currencies can be exchanged at the bank, exchange bureau or hotel reception desk. Travelers' cheque and most of Credit cards are accepted in the major cities. We are recommend you bring with you some cash.

Time
Time zone: GMT/UTC + 7 (the same zone with Thailand, Laos, Cambodia) 
Working days from Monday to Friday.
Office hour: Morning: 08h00 - 12h00; Afternoon: 13h00 - 16h30. 
Museums are usually closed on Monday but you can visit temples and pagodas every day. Opening hour for most restaurants and shops is at about 08h00 till 22h00.

Public Holidays
01 January: New Year's Day
Late January to mid-February: Vietnamese Lunar New Year ( 04 days off ).
30 April: Saigon Liberation Day and 01 May: International Workers' Day.
02 September: National Day.

Internet and mobile phone
Email & Internet:
E-mail and Internet services are available in most hotels and posts in Vietnam. The Cafe Internet also in service in the street of major cities. 
Mobile phone:
In Vietnam, GMS currently work partial only, so your mobile phone could be used here by roaming service. Another easily way is to rent a mobile phone and buy a pre-paid card. (This service is available at your hotel or at a Mobile Phone Service Center in the street.) Check here for more details.

Visa
The entry visas for most nationality are obtainable from a Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate. The process for the Vietnam visa usually take 4-10 working days. The validity of tourist visas is one month and extendable. Please read here for details.

Arrival at Airport
The Taxi price from Airport to city very depend on the distance from Airport to center of city.

City	Airport to City (km)	Taxi price (US$)
Hanoi -Noibai airport	35	15
Hochiminh city - Tansonnhat airport	05	5
Hue - Phubai airport	14	10

Airport tax and Customs declaration: click here

Food and Drinks
There are wide range of dishes in Vietnam, included popular nem (spring rolls), pho (Vietnamese noodle). They are eaten together with rice or noodle.  Only some foods are spicy. Vegetarian food, dietary dishes & western menu are also available at some restaurants. Variety of tropical fruits also available the whole year, change by seasons.

Imported beers and alcohols are available in the hotels or at shops. But there are many Vietnamese brands or country wines from rice.  If you are the one like to drink fresh water, use mineral water sealed in plastic bottles or boiled water. 

Hospitals and Emergency phone numbers:
Hanoi:

International SOS: 24 hour alarm center & medical emergency teams.  Add: 31 Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi Tel: 39340555  Fax:3 9340556

Vietnam International Hospital: 24 hour emergency clinic  Add: Phuong Mai road, Hanoi Tel: 5740740

Medex: 24 hour emergency (090401919) Add: A1 Van Phuc, Suite 109-112, Kim Ma. Hanoi Tel: 38430748  Fax: 38461750

Hochiminh city:

International SOS: 24 hour emergency Add: 65 Nguyen Du, Dist.1., Ho chi Minh city Tel: 38298424, 38298520 Fax: 38298551.

Alain Carpentier Foundation- IMC-Heart Institute: 24h emergency   Add: 520 Nguyen Tri Phuong, Dist.10, Ho chi Minh city  Tel: 38654025

Colombia Asia Saigon: 24 hour emergency Add: 8 Alexandere de Rhodes, Dist.1, Ho chi Minh city Tel: 38238455

Police: 113  Fire Brigade: 114  First Aid: 115

Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet)

As many TTers asked if they should visit Vietnam over Tet or not, what is the meaning of Tet, here is some information about our traditional customs:

The meaning of “Tet”

Similar to Christmas and (Solar) New Year celebrations, Tet is an occasion for family reunion and merriment after a long year of hard work. For an agrarian community like Vietnam, it is also a short rest period before the hustle and bustle of the coming-on spring harvest. People’s rejoicings also symbolize a warm welcome to the awakening of the mother-soil from her hibernation.

Tet’s customs

A crystallization of a curious mixture of the people’s superstitious beliefs and practical wisdom, Tet’s customs reflect the mentality of our people. The family’s altar must be painstakingly set up with an abundance of offerings perpetually aglow with candle light and wrapped in incense. Our ancestors’ manes are invited home to share with the living of the fruit of the family’s labors.

Luck money

As tokens of well-wishing intentions, some newly-issued bank notes in red envelops are given to children and teenagers on this occasion. Quite a few thrifty children will hoard them in brightly-painted piggy-banks to induce luck throughout the year.

Peach and plum boughs

Peach flowers (in North Vietnam) and plum flowers (in South Vietnam) brighten most living rooms during these days as the embodiment of youth and vitality and hope at the very beginning of a new and thus, hopefully propitious year ahead.

The Kitchen Gods

Residing under the same roof with mortals are 2 gods and 1 goddess who make up a family of their own as 2 husbands and a wife. This odd family pattern might have been conceived as a humorous criticism leveled at polygamy – a common practice in an agrarian society. The Kitchen Gods – as these family gods are called – are believed to be the household guardians protecting the family and keeping a record of its deeds, good and bad alike, to report annually to the Jade Emperor (the Asian counterpart of Greece’s Jupiter). They set off on their heaven-bound mission as early as the 23rd of the 12th lunar month so as to return to their hearth on the New Year’s Eve in time for resumption of their guardianship. On this occasion, householders never fail to burn a paper carp as a “means" of transportation for the gods.

Strings of fire-crackers

Exactly at the stroke of midnight of the New Year’s Eve, fire-crackers everywhere concurrently boom out the old year, warding off evil spirits and bad luck, and clearing the way for a warm welcome to the prosperous and fortunate new year.

(Now fire-crackers were banned, we enjoy the fireworks on the New Year’s Eve)

Red parallel scrolls

On red paper and in gilded characters (Sino or Sino-Vietnamese calligraphy) parallel scrolls are either hung on both sides of the ancestors’ altar, or pasted on the wall to express the owners’ wishes or aspirations for the new year.

Tet’s special foods

Special occasions call for special foods to celebrate. For Tet, a highly seasoned glutinous rice cake (“Banh Chung” in the North, and “Banh Tet” in the South) is a must for the new year feasts. Square in shape to represent our earth, this cake is to be accompanied by another kind of plain rice cake (called “Banh Day”) in round shape to suggest the universe. Even trivial things like foods and drinks are imbued with our ancestors’ cosmic concept.

Water melon

Water melon, which is said to date back to the Hung dynasty (the Hungs being the country’s founding fathers from its misty prehistory), is another must for desserts of the occasion. With its red (the color of good luck), sweet (the taste of success), and juicy (the sign of abundance) pulp, it heightens the merriment of the time.

Some taboos

Watch your language! – Bad, angry words are strictly prohibited for fear that they might bring bad luck throughout the new year. Oddly enough, even the names of some animals are taboos, such as monkey, dog…

Dust not, sweep not! Sweeping the floor, dusting furniture during the period from midnight of the New Year’s Eve to midnight of the New Year’s Day may bring poverty to the family, as money may take leave on the heels of the discarded rubbish.

Behave yourself! For at least 4 days of the New Year celebration, try to put on a smiling face, which happy appearance is most likely to bring good tidings to yourself and those who meet you as well.

Being the first visitor

It is widely believed that the first person to cross the threshold of your house at Tet can somehow determine how you will fare in the new year. Some people are welcome warmly as carriers of good luck while others are invariably stigmatized as unlucky creatures. This has resulted in some people going to great lengths to pre-arrange for the “right person” to be their first visitor of the year – by all standards a risky job indeed.

All in all, Tet is a time for the hard-working Vietnamese to forget – even temporarily – the harsh realities of life, and to give and receive joy and happiness. It is an invigorating break from the grey monotony of routine.

And it will certainly be observed as long as people are still sentient.

The Central Highlands

Some weeks ago I received an email from a Spanish girl, she said she wanted to visit the Central Highlands, but there's a very little information about this region. The same questions have been asked many times on the TT. Only one thread about the Central Highlands still remains here: see this link, especially post #7 made by Murwill16.

From Da Nang or Sai Gon you can fly to Pleiku or Buon Me Thuot with Vietnam Airlines. Some people on TT also travelled by motorbike from Hoi An to Da Lat but it takes more time and it's more expensive.

I'm looking forward to more reports from TTers about this region, and I hope some information I post below will help you understand a little bit about traditional customs in this special region.

***

Tay Nguyen (the Central Highlands) consists of Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Kon Tum, Gia Lai and Dak Nong provinces. The region is home to many ethnic minorities, they include M’Nong, E De, Gie Trieng, J’rai and K’ho.

Thinking of ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands might evoke images of their more famous customs and traditions – their dresses, dances, epics, gong beating performances and festivals.

Here is some typical cultural features of the Central Highlands:

Nha Rong (the large community hall on stilts): The biggest Nha Rong is 21m tall, located in Kon Klor Commune, Kon Tum province.

Nha Mo (grave house): it’s considered to be a place where the souls of the deceased rest according to the group’s ancient customs.

After the burial, family members erect a hut on the new grave as a shelter for the dead person under the ground. The hut, covered with iron sheets, leaves or tiles, is usually stocked with the deceased person’s belongings, such as water bottles, hammocks, pots, “gui” (bamboo baskets) and even statues.

2 or 3 years later, family members remove the make-shift hut and build a new larger wooden house in a ritual called “le bo ma” (grave-leaving ceremony). The ceremony is usually organized in the spring and is considered a festive day. Villagers gather at the cemetery grounds, and the family members bring offerings of food. After the offerings are presented to the deceased, villagers sing songs, dance and enjoy the food and drinks taken from the altar in the belief that the deceased returns to join the feast with them.

One of the main rituals in “le bo ma” is carving wooden statues which are then placed in front of the grave house, with a fence surrounds. The various statues, often resembling humans or animals, especially birds, are seen as original sculpture work of the people in the Central Highlands. However, after the “le bo ma”, relatives of the deceased no longer care for the grave, many statues and graves decay. When visiting Dak Lak museum you can see many grave house’s statues, or make excursion to grave houses to learn about the local culture.

Ruou can (rice wine): this rice wine can be found in any village in the Central Highlands. Compared to regular rice wine, “ruou can” is quite mild, with an alcohol content of 20% or so. Dark reddish brown in color, the liquor has a sweet flavor and a slightly spicy scent.

To make “ruou can”, the Ede, Bana and K’ho people use rice, glutinous rice, cassava or corn. The ingredients mixed with a type of leaf used as yeast are kept in a terra-cotta jar known as a “che” and fermented for a month. Usually the jars are buried deep in the earth for as long as possible until the liquid turns dense and yellow like honey. The only exception is wine made of cassave, which turns sour if kept too long.

But the most striking difference between “ruou can” and ordinary rice wine is the way in which “ruou can” is drunk. Rather than pour the liquor into cups, people insert long curved reeds, known as “can” into the jar.

Another major difference between the drinking cultures of the highlands and lowlands is that “ruou can” should always be drunk as a group, while plain rice wine is usually more of a solitary affair. After the first few rounds of strong wine are drunk, the jar is filled with fresh water until it is much weaker. Then it becomes even more communal as only one straw is used. “Ruou can” can be served with “ca dang”, a type of wild eggplant, broiled veal, or grilled chicken with chili salt.

Cong chieng (gongs): The “cong” has a knob on the surface and produces single, uniform sound, while the “chieng” is featureless but produces a wider range of notes. Gongs are an integral part of ethnic life in Vietnam and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. In the Central Highlands, they are known by family names such as Mother, Father and Older Sister.

There’s a combination called the “cong chieng” that can be used as a single instrument or as a set of 2 to 13 pieces, even up to 20, and each set can act as a solo instrument or as an orchestra. In some ethnic groups, only men are allowed to play gongs while in others both men and women play them. The Bana, E De, J’rai, Sedang, K’ho, Ma and other minority people of the Central Highlands view gongs as sacred instruments for worshipping, bereavement, weddings, celebrating the new year, a new house or new crop, or praying for good fortune and health.

*Elephant ride: * One place worth seeing is “Buon Don” (the village of Don), which is 40km from Buon Ma Thuot, the capital of Dak Lak. Located between the 2 branches of the Serepok River, “Buon Don” is home to the M’Nong, J’rai, Ede and other ethnic minorities. For 2 centuries, the village has been renowned throughout South East Asia as a land of elephant hunters and trainers. Hidden in the immense Yok Don jungle, “Buon Don” was marked on the map by the French as “the kingdom of elephants in Vietnam.”

A big festival of elephant racing is held every spring (this year it was Mar 26). Elephant racing is simlar to horse racing in many ways. Before a race, the mahouts ride their charges in a line around the impromptu arena and greet the thronging spectators. When the starting horn blasts, the riders urge their elephants on for the 1 to 2 km to the finishing line amid the exciting sounds of drums, gongs and cheers. At the end of the race, the winner raises its trunk to salute the crowd, parades its success while gently flapping the ears, and gets sticks of sugarcane from the spectators as a reward.

But the racing and the crowd’s antics are not the only entertaiment. In the days leading up to the festival, and on raceday itself, there are many games to join in or simply watch like tug-of-war, pulling heavy loads, running races, elephant hunting shows, and crossing the Seprepoc, the river of legend among the ethnic folk. And then the buffalo fighting on the afternoon of raceday. The carefully selected and well trained beasts, which are fed separately from the common herd, pass through several rituals before being paired off to rush at each other with gusto while the spectators shout and urge them on. The buffalo fighting is attached to worshiping the God of Water but it also expresses a martial spirit.

The North West Vietnam

The north west Vietnam is famous for picturesque mountain scenery and historic sites, especially Dien Bien Phu battle field where the French troops were defeated in May 1954, ending the Indochina wars which lasted almost 100 years. There are 21 ethnic minority groups living in this region, mainly H’mong, Day, Thai, Ha Nhi, Kho Mu etc.

In Dien Bien Phu you can visit the following sites:

- Former bunker headquarters of the French commander, De Castries
- Muong Thanh Bridge
- Him Lam Hill
- A1 Hill where Vietnamese soldiers detonated some 960kg of explosives to start the general attack in the Dien Bien Phu battle field, this is the most important defense hills for Muong Thanh
- D1 Hill now is located in the heart of Dien Bien Phu city
- Dien Bien Phu museum
- Pa Khoang lake by boat (600 ha) in Muang Phang commune
- Tham Bang cave
- Phieng Nam – Muong Phang primitive forest, there was a house made of bamboo and palm, and tunnels where General Vo Nguyen Giap used to live and command during the 56-day campaign
- Pathom cave at Pa Thom commune

Vietnam Airlines has daily flights Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu – Hanoi, however sometimes the airplanes cannot land as it’s too foggy. Flight Hanoi – Son La is temporarily suspended at present.

You can take a package tour or rent a car (with a local driver) and travel on your own. Russian jeep is cheap but it's hard to sit on a long distance. Japanese car like Land Cruiser is more expensive to rent, but it’s more comfortable and safe. The most challenging section is Pha Din pass (35km).

From Sapa (Lao Cai) back to Hanoi you can go by bus or by train. If you want to get from Sapa to Hanoi through the north west Vietnam, here is the route and distance:

Sapa – Lao Cai: 30km
Lao Cai – Lai Chau: 225km
Lai Chau – Dien Bien Phu: 105km
Dien Bien Phu – Son La: 166km
Son La – Hoa Binh (toward Mai Chau): 227km
Son La – Hanoi: 306km
(Dien Bien Phu – Hanoi: 472km)

Below is what "Hling" posted in 2006 about the NW route. He has contributed a lot of good info in TT. Thank you Hling and I hope you don't mind if I post here, so that you could share these great experiences with other TTers.

The whole loop is interesting. You can go Hanoi- Mai Chau- Moc Chau- Son La- Tuan Giao- Dien Bien Phu- Muong La (old name: Lai Chau)- Lai Chau (old name: Tam Duong)- Sapa.

If you have not been to Mai Chau, it's worth a night in the Thai village there. The trekking/ cycling
from the village is really beautiful. Just 22km from Mai Chau is Pu Luong which is very new place for
tourist, and the place offers great trekking through villages, rice terraces, limestone mountains,
streams...The drive from Mai Chau to Moc Chau is awsome too, ask your driver to drive in the OLD road
(pretty good though), the scenery is so beautiful. Stop in Thuan Chau on the way for the market. The best drive is from Lai Chau (old name: Tam Duong) to Sapa which you will go over Hoang Lien Son mountain range from the west to the east, it's the most beautiful mountain road in Vietnam. For the cost, it's about 250-280USD for a maximum 7 days loop. One night extra will cost 30 USD more without using the car or if you go not over 100km total.

***

Take the night train to Lao Cai and go directly to Sapa on Friday. Hang around or do trekking to the
villages. It's very easy to do by yourself to Cat Cat (Black H'mong village and waterfall), Lao Chai
(H'mong), Ta Van (Dzay), Ta Phin (Red Dzao). Further villages such as Giang Ta Chai, Ban Ho...it's better
to go by motobike or have a local guide with you. Two days in Sapa is great. If you are unsure about doing the treks by yourself, just book a local guide with your hotel.

To go further from Sapa towards Binh Lu and Tam Duong, it's best if you can take a jeep. If you are more than 2, it will not cost much. I guess it's 200USD maximum for the trip. You can find a driver at a house near Handspan office in Sapa. Do bargain. He doesn't speak English but there are many guys around who can help you. The couple there provide all jeeps, landcruisers.....for all hotels and tour companies in Sapa so you surely get better deal. To have a private jeep, it will be very flexible for you as you may want to stop on the way. Old landcruiser will be slightly more expensive. If you leave Sapa on Thursday or Sunday, do leave early (6 h) so you can see two markets in Binh Lu and Tam Duong. The logistic should be: Sapa- Binh Lu- Tam Duong (awsome drive- some very nice trekking in Tam Duong)- Lai Chau- Dien Bien Phu- Tuan Giao- Son La- Moc Chau- Mai Chau.

But the driving from Lai Chau to Dien Bien Phu is not nice and there are not many things to see in Dien
Bien Phu. I would go directly from Lai Chau to Tuan Giao by old National 6 road. Stay one extra day in Mai Chau is also great. Ban Lac is beautiful and very peaceful. Some walking around the villages are great. Pu Luong is also very nice which is 20km from Mai Chau and on the way to Na Meo.

If you want to go by public bus, you can go to Sapa bus station and ask for the bus to Lai Chau. Don't get off in Binh Lu as it will be difficult for you to go from Binh Lu to Tam Duong. If Sunday or Thursday, ask the driver to drop you at Tam Duong Dat market. See the market and walk/ mortobike (4-5km) to Tam Duong town. From Tam Duong, you can ask the hotel people to help to find the bus to Lai Chau or to Dien Bien Phu.

NOTE: The goverment has just changed the name of some towns in the Northwest. I used all the old names, the same as the names in the guide books that you may have.

But do ask for the new name:

Tam Duong: now called Lai Chau.
Lai Chau: now called Muong Lay.