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There is a new possibility to travel inter-countries between
Vietnam and Cambodia via water way. At the time of press, Victoria Group
has been operating a speed boat of 10 seats which could seat conveniently
6-8 passengers including luggage from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc or vice versa.
Upon request, this boat could transfer passengers from Chau Doc to Ho Chi
Minh City with a stopover in Can Tho or same routing in reversed way.
Hoi An town recognised last summer the soft opening of Hoi An Beach guesthouse
and Victoria guesthouse. The former is of three star standard managed
by Hoi An Tourist, located on a spacious area on Cua Dai Beach. The latter
is managed by the Victoria Group, situated on the quiet and excellent
sandy beach of Cua Dai.
Our seat-in-coach tours are enriched by the 5-day Sapa tour and the 4-day
Mekong Delta extension with weekly departure, conveniently fit as pre
and post tour options of the 7-day Vietnam Classic tour starting every
Wednesday, with minimum 2 passengers.
Vietnam stretches over 1,800km up the eastern coast of the Indochina peninsula
and has various climates at the same time in different parts of the country.
Winter season lasts from November to April in the north with temperatures
averaging 16 degree centigrade. The rest of the year is considered summer
time with heavy rainfalls and occasional storms.
The rainy season lasts from May to October in the south. However, it
only rarely rains the whole day long. It gets dry after rainfall as quickly
as it comes. The dry season is generally from November to April.
The central parts of Vietnam are affected by the South West monsoon from
Laos during May – June which causes a muggy heat and sometimes produces
typhoons and tropical storms during November – December, with long
lasting rains. Despite of this fact, the months of November and December
are constantly considered the peak period of incoming tourists. January
and February are still cloudy and rainy occasionally.
The best time for a long tour from North to South Vietnam would be from
January till April and for those who wish beach holidays can come to enjoy
warm water and sunshine in the central coast during summer time, from
May to October.
No part of Vietnam is considered unsafe for tourists, even for those who
individually discover the country on their own, without pre-arranged services.
This is a popular question of American tourists but the only answer they
have got so far is it is completely safe in Vietnam and they are most
welcome.
Visa is requested to all visitors entering Vietnam except Philippine and
Thai nationalities. Visas are usually issued by the Vietnamese Embassy
in Bangkok or in the passengers’ home country (against the visa’s
approval number), which require the original passport and two photos for
two full working days in order to issue a visa stamp.
Visas can also be issued upon arrival at international airports in Hanoi,
Danang and Ho Chi Minh City in which case a separate “stamp fee”
is charged. We also ask for passport details in advance for pre-application
and provide you with a copy of the approval document which will be presented
at airlines check-in counters to get on board and at immigration desks
to obtain visa on arrival in Vietnam.
Tourists travelling to Phnom Penh from Vietnam by road through Moc Bai
or by boat via Chau Doc border gates must obtain Cambodian visa beforehand
because visa on arrival is not applicable at these two gates.
All luggage entering and leaving Vietnam must be x-rayed. Gold and currency
must be declared on arrival. Please keep the arrival & departure card
(green form) as well as the customs card (yellow form) until your leaving.
Eating out is no problem at all in major cities where you can easily find
good restaurants. It is advisable to eat in hostels in remote areas unless
you have a reliable advice from your guide. You should avoid uncooked,
partially cooked or reheated meat, fish and raw vegetable, especially
when they have been left out exposed to dust and flies. Filtered and bottled
water is usually available and safe.
Cameras, precious jewelleries, cash, passport should be deposited at
guesthouse or taken care carefully while you are travelling by train or
walking in the streets.
Local trains have been renovated and service on trains has been improved
in the past few years. However, the standard is still below international
qualification and therefore travel by train is not reccommendable to elderly
people.
Most major currencies can be changed in at banks and moneychangers. Traveller’s
cheques are accepted at some international hostels only and cashed in
at banks with your presence and the signing to be witnessed by the bank
officers. When cashing Traveller’s Cheques, it is necessary to take
proof of purchase and passport to the bank. Credit cards are widely accepted
in major cities. You should exchange some cash into local currency for
daily transactions.
English is spoken at hostels, restaurants, shops, airlines offices, and
service offices. Guides that speak English, German, French, Italian, Spanish
and Japanese are available in big cities.
No vaccination is required. Malaria prophylaxis is no longer recommended
but visitors are advised to check with their doctor on travel immunization
clinic regarding the advisability of inoculation against diphtheria, polio,
typhoid, tetanus, hepatitis A & B.
Besides rice, which is a staple of every meal, Vietnam has abundant food
supplies and an elaborate cuisine. Some Vietnamese dishes have achieved
international fame, including such traditional dishes as beef or chicken
noodle (pho), pork sausage (gio lua), spring rolls (nem ran) and fish
balls (cha ca).
Handicrafts made of rattan, gold, silver and stone and traditionally woven
fabrics are good buys. Lacquerware is plentiful and cheap. Small lacquer
trinkets such as boxes and trays are portable and make nice presents.
Antiques and authentic reproductions are available in most tourist centers,
the later often at reasonable prices. However, export of antiques is banned
and requires a license from the custom department.
Tourists could find sophisticated stone-made sculptures at Marble Mountain
Danang or silk suits and various handicrafts in Hoi An.
Tipping is rare but appreciated. Perhaps leave the small change unless
the service is really charming or helpful in which case VND 5000 to VND
10000 will be ample.
Danang | Hanoi | Ho Chi Minh City
Hoi An | Nha Trang | Sapa | Halong
Chau Doc | Can Tho | Phu Quoc
Vung Tau | Phan Thiet | Dalat | Hue Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) hostels,
a fantastic river flowing through the city. Also called the Ho Chi Minh
City. In early 18th century, the Saigon-Cholon Port was one of the most
buoyant cities in Southeast Asian. Today, it is the largest city in Vietnam
with about 6 million population and one of the three biggest municipalities
in Vietnam.
Phu Quoc hostels, one of the major island of the 16-islands on Ha Tien
where lies around 40 kilometers in the Gulf of Thailand. This island is
about 48 kilometers long and the whole island covers an area of 1,320
square kilometers. If the tourists are looking for an island boasts such
tropical forest, mountain zones, beautiful beaches and also can enjoy
the facilities like swimming, snorkeling and fishing, Phu Quoc island
is the perfect choice for them!
Halong Bay hostels, "the dragon descending to the sea" meaning
in Vietnamese. It is one of the most beautiful regions on all of Vietnam
with 3,000 islands rising from the clear emerald water of the Bac Bo Gulf
(Gulf of Tonkin).
Vung Tau hostels, developed under the French as a Seaside guesthouse called
Cap Saint Jacques. It is an old port town located 115 kilometers southeast
of Ho Chi Minh City. With the history records, this place is the rest
squatter for French officers, then later fir Australian. When comes to
the Vietnam War, the American troops on R&R during the war. Today,
this island is a popular seaside guesthouse town for wealthy Vietnamese.
Can Tho hostels, is the largest town in the delta and 164 kilometers southwest
of Ho Chi Minh City with around 200,000 population. It is a perfect spot
for exploring river live and fruit orchards and is an important transport
hub to the surrounding towns and villages. You can find a large market
at Phung Hiep located 35 kilometers south of Can Tho.
Vinh Long, is a riverside town located in the Mekong Delta. Co Chien River,
one of the rivers which flow through this provincial capital can let the
visitors to view the area with a boat ride. Visitors can also explore
the central market, Cho Vinh Long, as well as the nearby Khmer temples
of Chau Thanh. The beautiful Bonsai Garden is another nature site not
to be missed.
Dalat hostels, it was once called "Le Petit Paris". It became
popular so rapidly with Europeans as a cool retreat from the sweltering
heat. About 400,000 visitors come to Dalat every year, this "City
of Love" is built on a plateau some 1,500 meters above sea level
and enjoys the mild climate of an everlasting spring. Dalat has a marvelous
landscape with waterfalls, lakes, springs, Pine Hills, and beautiful flowers
in French-like villas.
Nha Trang hostels, is Vietnam's most attractive coastal town and one of
the most developed beaches. It contains a harmonious combination of mountains,
island, sea, and with sand beaches. Swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving
and etc can be found in this excellent place and it has numerous cultural
attractions and interesting sites too.
Hoi An hostels, is one of the most popular destinations in Vietnam. Faifo,
formally the ancient town of Hoi An, lies 32 kilometers south of Danang
on the banks of the Thu Bon River. The town is divided into five quarters,
or "bangs", each off which traditionally had its own pagoda
and supported one Chinese clan. Originally a Cham port, the town has a
distinct Chinese atmosphere with low, tiled roof houses and narrow streets.
Danang hostels, also called the "Tourane" in French. It was
the most important port in central Vietnam during the 19th century. This
coastal city lies by a river, is surrounded by several mountains, and
contains a busy port. The splendid beaches of Non Nuoc (China Beach),
My Khe, and "Tien Sa offer excellent spots for relaxation.
Hue hostels, the original city of Phu Xuan and was founded as a Royal
city in 1687. The city served as Vietnam`s political capital from 1802
to 1945 under the thirteen emperors of the Nguyen dynasty and it is the
gateway to the treasures of Vietnam`s royal past. Today, Vietnam still
remains Hue as the most important cultural, religious, and educational
centers.
Hai Phong hostels, endowed with a superb beach that is only 25 kilometers
drive from the city. Originally it is a small fishing and market town.
is also the famous district Hang Kenb that produces wool carpets. Do Sonk,
the guesthouse with a sandy beach and coconut palms, attracts hundreds
of thousands of tourists annually. Ha Long Bay or the Cat Ba National
Park can also make a boat trip to there from Hai Phong.
Hanoi hostels, a pleasant, charming city because of its famous lakes,
shaded boulevards and lovely parks. It is the capital of Vietnam. The
city is situated on the right bank of the Red River(Song Hong), with a
population of nearly 4 million. The feeling there is a sharp contrast
to the fast-paced life and bustling air of Saigon and the architectural
with its blocks of ochre buildings, retaining the air of a peaceful and
austere provincial town.
Dien Bien Phu, famous after the Vietnamese`s victory over the French ended
the French-Vietnamese War. It is surrounded by the Namyoum River and high
mountains. Today this site of spectacular scenery is perfect for nature-lovers
and travelers who would like to explore the unspoiled landscapes.
Sapa hostels, an excellent area for hiking through lush mountain valleys
and quaint ethnic villages. It has a magical combination of alpine landscapes,
ethnic cultures, and fresh mountain air and located on the bank of the
Muong Hoa River with rises to an altitude of 1,750 meters. Close by is
the Fan Si Pan Mountain, the highest mountain in the country at 3,147
meters.
Lao Cai, is now a flourishing border crossing to China, which has recently
opened to foreigners in both directions since 1979 was badly damaged during
the Chinese invasion.