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Important Notes For Visitors to Viet NamIMPORTANT NOTES FOR VISITORS TO VIETNAM We wish you a safe and enjoyable trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Visas & Entry Requirements Please note that entry to Vietnam may be refused if your passport has less than six months validity. Visitors from visa countries, or whose visits are longer than 15 days, or who require more than one entry into Vietnam, or are returning to Vietnam within less than three months from their previous visit must obtain a visa. Visas are usually valid for one month. You should check the visa validity and conditions carefully. There are fines and/or imprisonment if you overstay your visa. For further information, check with your nearest Vietnamese Embassy. You should retain the Arrival Departure Declaration on entry to Vietnam, as this is required for exit. If you lose this you are likely to be fined on departure. If you lose your passport or have overstayed you will need to apply for a new passport at your embassy in Vietnam; and apply for a new visa from the Immigration authorities in order to leave the country. This can only be done during working hours and usually takes five to ten working days. Travel Advice We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before traveling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. Please see: Travel Insurance. Climate & Clothing About Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh CityVietnam lies along the eastern coast of the Indochina Peninsula. It is a long and narrow country, over 1,600 kms in length covering an area of just under 330,000 square kilometers. The population of Vietnam is approximately 84 million. Ethnically, Vietnam is the most homogenous country of Southeast Asia. About 90% of the population are Vietnamese and there are more than 50 ethnic minorities. Altogether the country stretches for more than 1,650 kilometers from north to south. The coastline of Vietnam is about 3,000 kilometers long. Mountains and hills cover four-fifths of Vietnam’s territory with the Truong Son range stretching over 1,400km. Mount Fansipan (3,142m) is the highest peak in Southeast Asia. Ho Chi Minh City is located in the south-eastern region of Vietnam, 1,760 km (1,090 mi) south of Hanoi. The average elevation is 5 m (16 ft) above sea level for the city center and 16 m (52 ft) for the suburb areas. It borders Tây Ninh Province and Bình Dương Province to the north, Đồng Nai Province and Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu province to the east, Long An Province to the west, Tiền Giang Province and East Sea to the south with a coast 15 km (9 mi) long. The city covers an area of 2,095 km2 (809 sq mi or 0.63% of the surface of Vietnam), extending up to Củ Chi District (12 mi or 19 km from the Cambodian border) and down to Cần Giờ on the Eastern Sea. The distance from the northernmost point (Phú Mỹ Hưng Commune, Củ Chi District) to the southernmost one (Long Hòa Commune, Cần Giờ District) is 102 km (63 mi), and from the easternmost point (Long Bình ward, District Nine) to the westernmost one (Bình Chánh Commune, Bình Chánh District) is 47 km (29 mi). Due to its location on the Mekong Delta, the city is fringed by tidal flats that have been heavily modified for agriculture. Climate The city has a tropical climate, specifically tropical savanna, with a high average humidity of 78–82%. The year is divided into two distinct seasons. The rainy season, with an average rainfall of about 1,800 mm (71 in) annually (about 150 rainy days per year), usually lasts from May to November. The dry season lasts from December to April. The average temperature is 28°C (82°F), with little variation throughout the year. The highest temperature recorded was 40.0°C (104°F) in April while the lowest temperature recorded was 13.8°C (57°F) in January. On average, the city experiences between 2,400 and 2,700 hours of sunshine per year. Clothing requirements Cool clothes in natural fabrics or those designed to wick moisture are advised during the hotter months. Lightweight waterproof jackets are also very useful, as are shoes that can withstand heavy rain. Offices and restaurants are usually air-conditioned so a light jacket is useful even in summer. Men’s clothing: the Vietnamese tend to wear suits and ties for business, although a smart shirt and trousers will be suitable for less formal meetings and social events. In winter, Hanoi can be surprisingly cool, and you may well need a sweater and jacket. Women’s clothing: Vietnamese women tend to wear dresses for work, although smart trousers and skirts are also perfectly acceptable. In autumn and winter in Hanoi, you will need UK winter/spring weight clothes, including a jacket/raincoat, light sweaters and tights. Communication & Time Zones Business hours One legacy of the French in Vietnam is the long lunch hour often extending to two hours or more. Business hours tend to be 08.00 to 11.30 and 13.30 to 16.30, especially at government offices, although private companies and shops obviously open for longer hours. Telecommunications International phone call charges from Vietnam are among the highest in the world. It is therefore advisable to use Skype or similar. All international hotels offer Wi-Fi, usually free of charge. Mobile phone Sim cards are readily available and national calls reasonably priced. To save costs, you can press 171 or 178 before press 00 for calling out of Vietnam and for calling between cities in Vietnam. Example: 171 + 00 + country code + area code + Tel number 178 + 0 + area code + Tel number. Official language: Vietnamese is the official language in Vietnam. English use is becoming more prevalent in government and commerce. Local currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND) Time zone: UTC+07:00 CuisineVietnamese food is rightly famous worldwide and new local and international restaurants are opening up all the time so it’s best to ask friends or colleagues for advice on where to go. Use common sense when trying street food and avoid places where basic hygiene requirements do not seem to be met. ShoppingSaigon Centre, located in District 1, houses one of the city's largest shopping malls Some of the larger shopping malls and plazas opened recently include:
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