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Vietnam: Agent Orange at Danang Airbase

By Mong Palatino Thuy Vu of Vietnam Reporting Project visited the Danang Airbase where Agent Orange was stored. Agent Orange is the highly toxic herbicide used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War

 

OneVietnam Network

By Mong Palatino The OneVietnam.org social network was launched this month to connect Vietnamese expats and young migrants to the culture and history of Vietnam.

 

Vietnam: Pale skin and beauty

By Mong Palatino Reacting to the uproar in India over a Facebook app which allows users to lighten their skin color, Andy Engelson observes that the idea of equating pale skin with beauty is also strong in Vietnam.

 

Vietnam: Understanding the Hanoi floods

By Mong Palatino Neil Nguyen, writing for Vietnam Talking Points, analyzes the flooding disasters in Vietnam, particularly in Hanoi.

 

Vietnam: U.S. and human rights

By Mong Palatino U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is in Hanoi this week for a regional meeting reminded Vietnam to address human rights issues. Reacting to this statement, Vietnam-based twitter user genericdude says, “I would like to see the US invite Vietnam to speak in the US and...

 

South Korea: A National Mourning on A Vietnamese Bride's Death

A young Vietnamese bride was killed by her Korean husband in Korea. Korean bloggers express their condolences to the tragic death of a young wife while urging the government to eradicate the human rights's blindspot, the foreign wives.

 

Accessing Facebook in Vietnam

By Mong Palatino The Vietnam Reform Party has uploaded a document giving instructions to internet users on how to access Facebook in Vietnam. There have been many instances when some websites, including Facebook, are blocked in Vietnam.

 

Vietnam: Proposed human rights agenda

By Mong Palatino The Vietnam Reform Party has advised U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who will visit Vietnam this week, to raise human rights issues with the Vietnam government. The group also highlighted the need to combat web censorship.

 

Vietnam: Music performance using traditional instruments

By Mong Palatino A video was uploaded in youtube featuring four performances on traditional instruments at the Vietnam Institute of Musicology in Hanoi

 

Vietnam: Power and water woes

By Mong Palatino SaigonNezumi is hoping that the monsoon rains would arrive soon to ease the power and water shortages in Vietnam. He notes that many buildings in Hanoi and Saigon now have gas powered generators.

 

Vietnam: Cat Cafe

By Mong Palatino Ailu Coffee Cat is a cafe shop in Hanoi intended for cat lovers. The young owner of the cafe promotes the shop through facebook.

 

Southeast Asia: Sex and web censorship

Regulating internet content today is viewed as an anti-democratic practice but Southeast Asian governments seem able to justify it by invoking the need to save the young from the scourge of indecent sexual behavior.

 

Vietnam: Online Film Festival

By Mong Palatino The Yxine Festival was launched as an online short film festival for Vietnamese independent film makers from all over the world.

 

Vietnam: Flood in Hanoi

By Mong Palatino Dan shares his experience during a recent flooding in Hanoi, Vietnam. Pictures of the flood are uploaded in VN Express.

 

Guide to Vietnamese Restaurant Menu

By Mong Palatino Viet World Kitchen provides a useful guide to understand Vietnamese restaurant menus

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.


Photo Gallery tips, do's and don't, culture, information, book, booking Section


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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Haiphong
 
Halonb Bay

Vietnam Hanoi

Ho Chi Minh City
 

Vietnam Hoian

Hue

vietnam, Laochai

Nhatrang

Phuquoc

Vietnam Sapa

Vietnam, Vinhlong

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