Money Issues For Vietnam Tourists

When you are traveling in Vietnam, local money might be a big issue. If you make payments at Vietnam hotels or big restaurants or supermarkets, it is very easy as most of them accept US dollars or credit cards. However, if you want to put your finger on some street food or buy local products from small shops or taking a public bus, not having local money can be very inconvenient.

Vietnamese currency is called Vietnam Dong and abbreviated as VND. Notes are available in 12 paper denominations, of which the most commonly used are 10.000VND, 20.000VND, 50.000VND, 100.000 VND, 200.000 VND and 500.000VND.  You can find out more about Vietnam banknotes and coins here: State Bank of Vietnam. Beside VND, US dollar is widely accepted.

 

 

Vietnam banknotes

 

Traveler’s Check

Traveler’s check is a good way to carry money around Vietnam because the exchange rate is fixed and it can be replaced in case of lost or stolen. Checks can also be easily exchangeable in banks.

Credit Card

Most major credit cards such as Visa, Master card and American Express are very usefully in the big cities and some tourist sites too. Those cards can be used in the most mid range to the high-end class hotels and some luxury restaurants. You can also get the cash advances from ATMs of the almost Vietnamese banks especially Vietcombank.
Banks in Vietnam has developed a large number of ATM networks but it is not recommended to trust completely in ATM because sometimes you cannot get cash from them especially during lunar New Year. Furthermore, many shops and restaurants don’t accept credit cards as a payment method.

Currency Regulations

You can bring as much as money to Vietnam as you can. There is no limit on amount of foreign currency by tourist but you must declare to the customs. At this time, the minimum amount of money for declaration is 7000$.

Source: vietnam-culture.com

Indugle in the authentic taste of Ha Noi

Tourists visiting Hanoi often find Hanoi traditional food a thrill experience. You can try Hanoi food at most Hanoi hotel, however, it would be much more appealing to do this at a Hanoian setup restaurant where you can get a glimpse at the old Hanoi as well as tasting it. Dining with my family at the small Hanoian restaurant 1946 was a memorable experience and one I look forward to enjoying again soon.

Vintage hospitality

Upon telling everyone a story about the upcoming celebratory events to take place as the city turns 1000 years old, my grandfather said: “You think Ha Noi is beautiful now, you should have seen it in 1946.” I asked him what 1946 had been like and he offered his personal opinion: “You should have seen the wild lotus on Hoan Kiem Lake, or the Red River flowing right through the city, or storks flying over the sky in the afternoon. And most importantly, you should have seen the people.” He spoke about how much more elegant and classy the old Hanoians were, how everything was an art, and how delicious the food was. My grandfather told his story while we waited for our food to arrive, which I’ve waited with much anticipation as I was very hungry by that point. After 15 minutes of conversation, our food was ready.

Piping hot: The grilled pipefish is served hot with a savoury sauce. The meat is juicy and tasty.

We ordered a variety of a la carte dishes and were most impressed with the roasted field crab. The presentation was so brilliant that I felt it should just be looked at and not eaten. It was enough food for 5 people. After admiring the dish, we decided to dig in. It tasted extraordinary. The crab itself was very small. The legs were brittle and they dissolved as soon as we bit into them. I was surprised that the body of the crab was not very crispy. In fact, it was firm, juicy and delicious. I’ve tried that particular dish many times at other restaurants and the crab bodies have always been crunchy and tasty but nothing like the ones at 1946. I asked the staff if I could sneak a peek at the recipe but, of course, it was a secret. The manager was, however, intrigued by my interest in the dish and came over to talk with us.

It turned out that every dish in the restaurant was a signature dish, each with its own story. Take the very simple roasted peanuts for example: these are not normal peanuts. They are transported from the central province of Nghe An and they have a distinctively red hued peel. Each nut was small and sweet. The peanuts are roasted with a bit of fish sauce and salt and are perfect to nibble on if you just want to have a snack while enjoying some beers.

“Why doesn’t everything come from the city of Ha Noi? I thought this was a Hanoian restaurant,” my younger brother asked the manager. The manager replied that Ha Noi’s culture has always been one that reflects many cultures. Once upon a time, when the city consisted of only the Hanoi Old Quarter, Ha Noi was technically a big market, with each street acting as a specialized spot for certain types of goods. People from all over the country came to Ha Noi to do business, bringing with them the culture and the food from their homeland, which created the diversification of the gourmet culture.

“We are just trying to create a glimpse of the old Ha Noi, but an authentic one, since we love this city so much,” the manager said, “We spent months developing the menu and practically years to make the recipes right.”

Then he told us about the weeks they spent working on the supposedly simple dua muoi (pickle), how they couldn’t feel their teeth after many hours of tasting. At the moment, we all had a bite of the dish and found it very tasty, light, aromatic, crunchy and amazingly sweet.

“We are not trying to make complicated dishes, which is typical of many restaurants these days. Staying authentic is much more difficult, yet more fun, I think”, the wise manager said. “You can find the exact same dishes as Old Hanoians had on their tables here”.

Our family found the manager’s stories delightful and were then even more thrilled to finish our meal. Every dish was a common Hanoian dish but tasted very different and much better than usual. In the middle of the dining table we had a simmering pot of doc mung (Indian taro) and pork ribs soup. It came with a portion of vermicelli that was too small for our table of five. The sweet and sour soup was rich in flavors and aroma, and it was funny to see my little brother slurping it with great joy.

We also ordered a dish of grilled ca chia voi (pipefish), a species that can only be found in the deep sea of Nghe An. The fish was lean and its meat was firm and tasty. It came with a special sauce made with lime juice, salt, sugar, chilli and prawn powder. The combination was fantastic.

I grabbed the menu and was instantly amused. The menu comes both Vietnamese and English. However, the Vietnamese version is much more detailed than the latter since the person who wrote the menu added a little story about the dishes. The stories are interesting but I did not love reading such a wordy menu.

I also saw that many dishes on the menu require ingredients from provinces very far away, most of which I’d never heard of. I was amazed that they used such ingredients and still had reasonable prices.

The room was small but the chairs were comfortable, and there was a hint of lemongrass and lime in the air, which brought an amazing freshness to the atmosphere. I could see that the owner thought about the decor, but maybe not hard enough because the walls were a bit too dingy for my taste.

I noticed that a lot of the customers were Japanese, who are known for their scrutiny and pickiness. They all seemed satisfied with their orders, though, which was enough validation for me.

A four-course dinner for five cost only VND600,000, which is very reasonable because we were all very full at the end of the meal.

“Everyone can go to an art gallery but not everyone can enjoy the art,” my grandfather said. “This place offers the art of gourmet, not a quick bite, so it might not satisfy everybody. But I think that if you are visiting Ha Noi, you should definitely check out 1946 and I suggest bringing a local friend because very few staff members speak English. Bon appetit!

Source: VNS

Air, Road, Sea, Rail – Getting To Vietnam

Whether you’re in Australia, America or China, if you’re heading to Vietnam for a holiday, it’s now as easy as ever to arrive by road, rail or air. Here are your options:

ROAD

From Cambodia: There is a road crossing at Moc Bai (Tay Ninh province 80km from Saigon) connecting Phnom Penh in Cambodia with Saigon. Several companies now operate a direct bus service between the two cities, departing each city early morning. There is also a crossing into Vietnam via Chau Doc (245 km from Saigon) that is passable boat. Boats leave Phnom Penh (daily) in the early afternoon arriving in Chau Doc (Vietnam) around 6pm. The return journey departs early the next morning. Buses connect Chau Doc to Ho Chi Minh City (7hrs)

From Laos: There is a road crossing at Lao Bao in Quang Tri Province, about 160km northwest of Hue, connecting Savannakhet with Central Vietnam. Another road into Vietnam is via Cau Treo, Ha Tinh Province. Numerous travel companies run bus services for travellers, times vary.

From China: There are 03 roads crossing at Ha Khau (Lao Cai Province), Dong Dang (Lang Son Province) and Mong Cai (Quang Ninh Province). These borders may close at time, with out warning. BOAT There are no normal sea crossings into Vietnam although an increasing number of cruise liners sail into Vietnamese waters. The only other international connection by boat is the Mekong River crossing from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc (see above).

TRAIN

There are international rail connections between China and Vietnam. One from Peking via Nanning, crossing at Lang Son and one from Kunming that travels via Lao Cai, both services terminate in Hanoi.

AIR

Vietnam currently has three international airports:

· Noi Bai serving Hanoi and the north

· Danang International Airport serving the central provinces

· Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City serving the south.

The national carrier, Vietnam Airlines, has services connecting the USA, UK, Australia, Europe and many Asia countries to Vietnam. An increasing number of international carriers also fly to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Low cost airline such as, Tiger Air and Air Asia, have flights from as low as $25USD/exl taxes from Bangkok/Singapore to Hanoi/HCMC.

When departing Vietnam, all visitors must pay $14USD for departure tax. This is payable at the airport, after check in.

NOTE: The above information can change at anytime, without warning. It is recommended that you seek up to date information regarding borders, travel, costs etc before you travel.

(source: http://www.hotelsbycity.net/blog)

Get Vietnam visa from Beijing (China)

For those who reside or stay in Beijing (China) at the time of waiting for the visa to Vietnam, there are two ways to get Vietnam visa, through Vietnam Embassy in Beijing (China), or get Visa on Arrival via online service:

Get Vietnam Visa through Vietnam Embassy in Beijing (China)

* Issuing unit: Vietnamese Embassy in Beijing (China)
* Processing time: 3 to 5 working days
* Processing fee: 50 – 85 USD/person
* Additional fee: Postal cost
* With Passport requirement
* How to get it? You reach this Embassy in person and follow the required procedures.

Sam Son beach

Sam Son beach, Thanh Hoa

Sam Son is only two and a half hour drive from Hanoi on the way to the South. The beach is exceptional with its natural beauty and unspoiled charm.

Sam Son Beach is 16 km from the city of Thanh Hoa. This is a wonderful seaside resort which the French began exploiting in 1906. It soon became a famous spot of the then-Indochine. A number of decades ago, many holiday villas were sonstructed here. Sam Son has a lot of beauty spot such as : the “Trong Mai” Mountain, the “Doc Cuoc” Temple, and “Co Tien” Moutain…

Ethnic data: Viet/Kinh, Dao, Hmong, Lao, Lu, Muong, Red Thai, Thai, Tho.
Districts/wards: Bim Son, Ba Thuoc, Cam Thuy, Dong Son, Ha Trung, Hau Loc, Hoang Hoa, Lang Chanh, Muong Lat, Nga Son, Ngoc Lac, Nhu Thanh, Nhu Xuan, Nong Cong, Quan Hoa, Quan Son, Quang Xuong, Sam Son, Thach Thanh, Thieu Hoa, Tho Xuan, Thuong Xuan, Tinh Gia, Trieu Son, Vinh Loc, Yen Dinh.

Description:
Thanh Hoa is located at the head of the narrow waste that connects with the \’head\’ of northern VirtNam. It is bordered on the north by Son La, Hoa Binh and Ninh Binh; on the south by Nghe An; on the east by the coast of the South China Sea; on the west by the Laos border.

Economy:
Forestry, marine resources and minerals.

Natural beauty sights:
Sam Son Resort with wide, smooth beaches lapped by emerald waters (2), and a view of the Truong Le Mountain.

Markets:
Nga Son Mat Market, Thanh Hoa; Flower Garden Market, Le Van Phuong Street, Lam Son, Thanh Hoa

Transport:
Thanh Hoa is 153 kilometres south of Ha Noi; 139 kilometres north of Vinh; 502 kilometres north of Hue; 16 kilometres west of Sam Son Beach. Thanh Hoa is serviced by rail and road.

Rail:
Thanh Hoa is a scheduled stop for Express Trains.

Car/Bus
Services from Ha Noi’s Southern Bus Station are scheduled every four hours en route to Ninh Binh, Vinh and other destinations on National Highway 1

Tips and Things to remember Before You Go to Vietnam

Source: Vietnam Travel Tips

Packing tips for traveling to Vietnam:

Bring as little as possible, Vietnam has pretty much anything you can find back home.

Necessary documents: your passport and visa (with their copies); 2 photos (3cmx4cm), tour dossier (tour itinerary, address of travel agent or travel company operator, contact number… ) and others (if needed).

Cash in US$5’s, US$10’s, US$20’s and US$100’s (US dollars are commonly acceptable)

All the soaps and smellies are cheap and plentiful, and clothing, shoes and backpacks are all manufactured in Vietnam and available at a fraction of the price in the West. Tampons are available in all major towns and cities, but not in more remote areas.

A Swiss-army knife or equivalent come in handy, but you don’t need 27 separate functions, just one blade and an opener. A torch (flashlight) and compass are also useful.

Other handy things to bring are: name cards, as Vietnamese deal them out like a deck of cards; ear plugs to block the ever-present noise; a universal plug adaptor; a rain cover for the backpack; a sweater for the highlands and air-con bus trips; mosquito repellent to keep the bugs at bay; and a folding umbrella if you plan to visit during the rainy season (July and August are the wettest months).

The secret of successful packing: plastic bags – not only do they keep things separate and clean, but also dry. That means a lot at the end of a long, wet day.

Frequent Questions to answer:

What credit cards do I need to take with me?
Take your major credit cards, such as, Visa, Master Card and American Express.
Make sure they are really credit cards and not just debit cards with a credit card company’s logo on them. Many locations require a credit card and will not accept a debit card, so they may have limited use on your travel.
Leave all your local store credit cards in a secure location at home; there will be no need to carry them with you.

Why should I contact my credit card companies before I leave?
You want to notify them of your trip. They may delay you if they are unaware you are traveling. The unfamiliar spending patterns might cause them to suspect that the card is being used fraudulently and delay your approvals.
They will be able to explain many of the services that they can provide while you are on your trip.
How can my credit card company help prepare me for my trip?
You can arrange to pay bills that will come due while you are gone.
They will be aware that you will be making charges from another country.
They will be able to give you an idea of how acceptable their credit card is in that particular country.
They can verify acceptance at certain foreign locations.
They’ll be able to see if your PIN number will work in the countries you are visiting. They can also issue you another PIN number if your current PIN is unacceptable to the foreign bank’s system.
They can explain cash advance, ATM, foreign purchase and foreign exchange rate policies and fees.
They can explain any services they offer, such as, extra insurance for your rental car, luggage or purchases. Make sure the coverage offered extends outside the United States and will be valid in all the countries where you’ll be traveling. Also, be sure to note any other exceptions.
They may need to give you another phone number to call in case you need to reach them. The 800 number listed on the back of your card may not work from foreign locations.
You can find out if they charge a currency conversion fee, so you can find the most economical card on which to place your foreign purchases.

Should I use my ATM card while traveling?
Yes, you’ll have access to cash during your trip so you won’t have to take as much cash with you and using your ATM card can also be a good way to get cash in foreign countries.
The ATM will issue money in local currency.
You should exchange at the bank’s wholesale exchange rate. You may still want to shop around to different banks since some will charge a high usage fee for their ATMs. Although, even high ATM fees may be less than others will charge for currency exchanges.
Don’t wait until you’re out of money to go to an ATM, the machines can run out of money or break down.

What should I know about using travelers checks?
If the particular brand of travelers checks are accepted in the country you’ll be visiting.
How widely they are accepted within the countries you’ll be visiting.
Any fees for purchasing and using the travelers checks.
The travelers check company’s loss, replacement and refund policies.

How can I protect my travelers checks while traveling?
Take the same precautions you would to protect your cash. Be sure to learn and follow the procedures required if you lose your travelers checks. You’ll also need to make copies of your travelers checks before you go and keep separate from them the following information.
The serial numbers of the travelers checks.
The denomination of the travelers checks.
The date and location of their purchase.
The phone number to call to report them missing.

Visiting Vietnam is an eye-opening experience

Written by Lewis Kalmbach

People always contrast north Louisiana and south Louisiana as opposites. The same can be said for Vietnam. In the north, I found Hanoi (perched on the banks of the Red River!) to be a bit cold and suspicious, but in Saigon, I was received differently.

The city of Saigon now is called Ho Chi Minh City, or HCMC, after the beloved leader of “the people.” While the name is used interchangeably, the historic downtown area, where most tourists and businessmen stay, is still called Saigon.

Cu Chi tunnel
Lewis Kalmbach descends into one of the tunnels at Cu Chi outside Saigon. Note the tunnel’s width
For Asia, Saigon is a relatively young city founded only in the mid-18th century as a Chinese port. Situated on the Saigon River, it became a secure and logical trading post for goods shipped from India and China on their way to Europe. Americans, however, know it best for playing a major role in the Vietnam War as the stronghold of the South.

After the war, Saigon fell into despair. In the early 1990s, western investors flocked to the city but pulled out a few years later due bureaucratic bullying. Today, the Asian powerhouse economies of China and Korea are making for a brighter future in Saigon.

The tree-lined Don Khoi is the Rodeo Drive of Saigon and will most likely be near your hotel. Here you’ll find some of the best shopping, dining and nightlife in Asia. Make time for an ice cream break here. I have never seen such clever creations made from cones, sprinkles and exotic flavors of ice cream and sorbets. Plan to spend a whopping 75 cents.

The museums were quite interesting with much memorabilia from the war. More remarkable, though, was the Reunification Palace. Designed as the home for former president Ngo Dinh Diem, the U.S.-backed leader of Vietnam until his untimely assassination — this building is symbolic for its role in the fall of Saigon. It was here the tanks of the North Vietnamese breached the gates and hung their victory flag from the balcony.

The best part about this building is the architecture. A fan of the mid-century style, this iconic ’60s monstrosity was virtually left untouched inside and out. What I mean to say is all of the furniture and equipment still is there just beyond the velvet ropes. It was like being at Graceland with the outlandish furniture and fabrics of the day. One easily can imagine heads of state (and Dean Martin) gathering for cocktails in the swanky parlors and billiard room. The map room was massive and had a Dr. Strangelove aura about it.

Forty miles outside of HCMC, I found one of the most indelible experiences on my adventure. The Cu Chi Tunnels lie at the end of the Ho Chi Minh Trail and served as the base for attacking Saigon. It was here the U.S. carpet-bombed the region, which forced the residents to literally go underground. A vast network of narrow tunnels stretched as far as Cambodia and featured meeting rooms, kitchens and triage units.

The guided tour starts with a campy war-era propaganda film that references us as “those red-hot American devils.” Next there are simulations of gory booby traps and guerrilla snares that are as gruesome as any Wes Craven horror flick. Grab a real AK-47 at the shooting range where for $1 a bullet you can play soldier. Finally, at one of the tunnels, tourists are encouraged to crawl through these very claustrophobic passages to gain appreciation for the ingenuity of these clever people. After emerging from these dark, dank and earthy tunnels, my guide kicked a few leaves around only to expose three very large scorpions.

I must confess I have newfound respect for our brave men and women who had to serve in the Vietnam War. Once on this foreign turf, I could see how we lost. We were simply not prepared for the cunning of the Vietnamese and their perilous terrain. Can the same be said for Iraq? I hope not.

TRAVEL TIP
When visiting Southeast Asia, only book your initial round-trip flight from the U.S. Once in your gateway city, there are many more flight options at cheaper prices than can be bought in advance from the States. Also, consider Manila, Philippines, as your gateway. There are three nonstops daily from the West Coast. The national carrier, Philippine Airlines, was less than half the price of flying directly to Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City. While the service is not as stellar as the legendary Thai Airways or even Cathay Pacific, it still was better than most U.S. carriers, especially in business class. My round-trip business class was only $1,900! Check philippineairlines.com for special deals.

Well, that wraps up Southeast Asia. While I did most of my site-seeing in the big cities, I would revisit all of these countries to explore the coastlines and backwoods. Thank you for following these top-of-mind ramblings. I hope I provided some new insight into this rich region and that you will start planing your own adventure today.

Safe travels.

Source: www.shreveporttimes.com

Travel Tips for Vietnam

By Lori Fleening

Lori Fleening traveled to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in early 2003. In this helpful list of tips she shares some of my thoughts on travel in the hopes that they may help others who are traveling for their adoptions.

1) The Baby Bjorn carrier is great! My precious little angel is teeny tiny (8.5 lbs. at 2 months) and she loved it! I think we will use it a lot when we get home.

2) We stayed at the Rex Hotel in a suite — it was great! They were very attentive to our every need and was very helpful with things for the baby. I would recommend a suite as opposed to a regular room because you will have much more room. The “baby cot” takes up a lot of room, but with a suite, you have plenty of room to move around and a separate seating area. If you get a suite facing the street, you will have to deal with the street noise, which was very loud almost 24/7. If you get a suite on the inside of the hotel, you will have to deal with the noise from the weddings. But the weddings end by 9:00 p.m. We’re going to try an inside suite for our next trip.

3) We used the Internet in the hotel quite a bit until we discovered the Internet cafe in the Saigon Center, just a few blocks from the Rex. It is very nice and very cheap. It is on the second floor of the Saigon Center.

4) We flew Continental from Houston to Tokyo and loved it! It was a Boeing 777 airplane, and the seats were very nice and the service was great. We will be flying Eva Evergreen Deluxe for our second trip, but I would highly recommend Continental, especially for your first trip.

5) We flew Japan Air and All Nippon for the leg from Tokyo to HCMC and then HCMC to Tokyo. While both were good airlines, I would recommend All Nippon over Japan Air. The plane was bigger and nicer. But I can’t complain about either airline.

6) We had about a 10-hour layover in Tokyo on the return trip home (we didn’t have the baby — this was my first trip). The Tokyo airport has “day rooms” that you can rent for a very reasonable price. We rented a room for $7 an hour (for 2 people) that had two double beds and a bathroom complete with shower. The single rooms are even cheaper. We were able to sleep a couple of hours and clean up. Then they have a lounge area that has recliners that you can rest in. It was a very nice way to spend a long lay over and not have to leave the airport. I would highly recommend this if you have an extended layover in Tokyo and don’t want to leave the airport.

7) Pack light! I don’t know how many times I have heard people say this, but it is so true! I didn’t take too many clothes, but took too much stuff that I didn’t use. You can buy just about anything you need in HCMC, so you don’t have to carry it over. However, I am still going to take most of my meds. with me.

8) Clothing — It was so weird to go from freezing cold weather to 90+ degrees and extreme humidity. We were so hot! A few suggestions for cool clothing: I took loose cotton pants with a drawstring at the waist. These were very comfortable to wear. I also had some Cool Max shirts from Travel Smith. They are more expensive, but they really do make a difference. And you can wash them out overnight and they will be dry by the next morning.

I also had a vest that was invaluable. It is a fairly plain vest that buttons down the front with pockets on each side. In one of the pockets is an invisible pocket with a zipper where I kept my money when I went to the market. It was very easy to unzip it and get out what money I needed, even with a sweet little baby strapped to my chest! I felt secure carrying my money there. I also got it from Travel Smith.

I also had a split skirt that had an invisible pocket in it. It was very light-weight and cool to wear. Again, I got it at Travel Smith. They are online at http://www.travelsmith.com.

9) I am having an ao dai made for me and my sweet baby girl at the Saigon Center. There is a department store on the second floor and one of the ladies there is making me an ao dai for the G&R ceremony. It was very reasonable — $20 for me and one for my baby. And I’m a big woman — 5’10″, size 14.

10) Backpacks are great for the plane and the airport. However, don’t get it so full that it is too heavy. I think I was carrying at least 30 pounds on my back (no joke!) and it wasn’t fun running through the airport with it on my back!

11) When you leave Vietnam, you must pay an airport tax of $12 per person. You can pay in American dollars or Vietnamese dong. Just be prepared to pay this because you can’t get out unless you do.

12) We took lots of comfort foods — cookies, crackers, etc. You can buy this kind of stuff in the supermarket in the Saigon Center, but it was nice to have without going to the store.

13) Long distance calling — you can call direct from the hotel … it’s not cheap, but it does work easily. We may try to investigate other solutions a little further.

14) I wore a security pouch around my neck and around my waist — I would highly recommend this. It takes a little getting used to having something around your neck and waist, but I felt better about carrying large amounts of cash, passport, etc. in a more secure place.

15) Our hotel (The Rex Hotel) had a safe in the room that was great. We were able to leave our plane tickets, passports, money, etc. in there and not worry about them.

16) About your passport — we were told that once we got to Vietnam and checked into our hotel to leave our passport locked in the safe at the hotel. You need to carry a copy of your passport with you at all times, but it is best to leave the original in a locked safe. There will be times that you need it to do your paperwork, but it is safer if you don’t carry it around with you all of the time.

17) Before you land in Vietnam, you will have to fill out immigration papers on the airplane. These are very important. The flight attendants were very helpful in helping us to fill them out. When you go through immigration at the airport (a very serious event), you will be given a yellow copy of your immigration paperwork. YOU MUST KEEP THIS PAPER IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF THE COUNTRY. This made me more nervous than losing my passport. You need to keep this yellow immigration slip with your passport in the locked safe. You must have it to leave the country.

18) It is important to stay hydrated — drink lots of bottled water. It is very accessible for a very cheap price.

19) Take lots of $1 bills. They will come in very handy. You can usually pay the taxi driver with dollars. Also, a lot of the vendors in the market with take dollars. It’s just handy to have them.

20) The hot tea at breakfast is wonderful! I cannot tell you how wonderful the tea is in Vietnam! We brought some back, so I can enjoy it here back in the States.

21) If you are craving American food (we were not very adventurous eaters) the Paris Deli in the Saigon Center is a good place to go. You can get hamburgers, sandwiches, etc. there. Also, the Rex Hotel restaurant serves great macaroni and cheese! Talk about comfort food!

22) Don’t think twice about buying something you see if you like it. Everything is so inexpensive. You will regret it later if you see something and don’t buy it. I bought several things for my sweet baby girl as she grows up. Just remember that you have to get it home! My suitcase had a “heavy” tag on it when I got home — it weighed 68 lbs. and I was allowed 70 lbs.!

23) Take an extra duffle bag or suitcase for all of those treasures. You can also buy luggage fairly inexpensively over there, also.

24) Take lots of pictures and videos. The only way I am surviving right now without my sweet baby girl is by looking at her pictures and watching the video of her every day, sometimes more than once! I miss her so much … I just can’t wait to get back to her!

25) Take warm clothes for the baby while you are in the hotel. You will definitely want to use the air conditioning, and sometimes it is hard to control where it is blowing. Make sure you have enough warm sleepers, blankets, etc.

26) Have your pictures developed in Vietnam. It is much cheaper than here. And you get to look at all those wonderful pictures!

Well, I guess I’ll stop for now. This turned out to be a lot longer than I meant for it to be. I hope some of this is helpful for you!

Read more: http://www.adoptvietnam.org/travel/index.htm