Thứ Hai, 29 tháng 10, 2018
1. When is the best time to go to Vietnam?
Travelers can visit Vietnam any time of the year, with no notable "off-season". The best places for beach going tends to vary throughout the year based on what the weather is doing. The wet season typically spans from May to September, though visitors are still able to visit most areas. In the northern regions average temperatures range from 17-22 C (62-71 F) during the cool and dry winter time from November through April, and can get as low as 10 C in the far north mountainous regions. Temperatures range from 25 to 35 C (77 - 95 F) in the south year-round and only sees slight variation between dry season and wet season (which runs from May to November).
2. What are the accommodations like?
In each location, we strive to use charming accommodations that are locally owned and characteristic of the area. These range from charming, family-run bed & breakfasts to luxurious, boutique hotels. Most accommodations have private baths, hot water and clean, comfortable rooms except in instances where noted, such as a homestay or village hiking trip. We strive to also find hotels in good locations, whether that be walking distance to main attractions, or out of the city if it is consistently noisy. Larger hotels are used in metropolitan areas as typically these are the only available options.
3. Do I need a converter/adapter for the electricity?
Vietnam generally uses 220 volt, 50hz electricity. They use types A, C, and G power sockets. It is recommended to bring a converter or to purchase one upon arrival. One will likely be needed to adapt the plug shape for any device you bring. Some hotels provide converters, but it is best to bring your own.
4. Are meals included?
Most meals are included for yourselves as well as your guide. You will need help translating the menus, and thus the guide will typically eat with you unless you specify a different arrangement. Occasionally meals will be up to you, particularly when you are in a larger city with many restaurant options that cater to tourists. Your guide is happy to give you restaurant recommendations for those meals on your own.
5. What are the tour guides like?
Our tour leaders are exceptional! They are fluent in English and Vietnamese, and some speak other ethnic minority languages as well. Our tour leaders all hold a guide certification from the Vietnam Tourism Authority, which is required to guide tours. Also, they are all trained in First Aid. Many were born and raised in the local areas where they guide and are among the very best guides available in each region. Some specialize in specific adventure activities as well, such as hiking. All of our tour leaders treat our travelers like friends, showing visitors both the major highlights and the local treasures.
6. What type of transportation is used?
Our Vietnam tours utilize a variety of transportation including private vans/cars, internal flights, yacht, train, etc. We use a mix of private/public transportation to provide travelers with the safest and most efficient transit in each area. Occasionally, we may include non-typical transportation modes (tuk-tuk, bicycle, kayak, motorboat, etc.) for short distances to give travelers a sense of local flavor. Each tour itinerary page has a description of the transportation included on that tour. If you have additional questions, just ask!
7. What type of food is typical of Vietnam?
Vietnamese cuisine is quite varied, having had many external influences over the years that have created an interesting mix of cooking methods and ingredients. Heavy Chinese influence in the north has led to a variety of stir fries and wok-based meals. In the south where a larger variety of crops are grown, grilled and fresh vegetables are more common with sauces added in. French presence in the recent past has led to the assimilation of French cuisine influence, and is often attributed with pho noodle soup's rise to popularity. Most meals include rice, as well as fish sauce which is a popular condiment added to almost every meal throughout the country.
8. Are these trips suitable for kids?
Yes! Many Vietnam tours are family friendly or can be changed and customized to fit a variety of interests and ages. Some tours minimize travel and drive times and maximize in-country activity that will keep younger minds engaged. Your Trip Planner can help advise you in this respect.
9. What is the typical age range on the Vietnam tours?
Typically, ages range from 25 to 65, however we have seen children as young as 6 and the "young at heart" as old as 90 on our trips!
10. Are these trips a good choice for solo travelers?
Absolutely! Our Vietnam tours tend to attract a great mix of solo travelers, families, friends, etc. We can often match you up with another group traveling on one of the set tours, or one with a more customized twist so long as it lines up with your dates and budget. Solo travelers should also take a look at our exclusive Solo Traveler Departures.
11. Do tour rates include international flights?
Tour rates do not include international flights. We find that it is usually less expensive for travelers to book these separately and this also allows you the flexibility to choose the schedule and routing that is most convenient for you. You can purchase international flights on your own, or we can certainly help you arrange these flights with an airfare consolidator who specializes in international flights.
12. How do I get to the hotel from the airport when I arrive?
A driver will be there to greet you at your arriving airport holding a sign with your last name on it. He will take you to your hotel the first night. You can opt to take a taxi transfer on your own, though we do not advise it. Many taxi drivers do not speak English. If you choose to take a taxi, be aware of the meter as drivers have a button they can push to raise the price.
13. Are there any discounts available?
Absolutely! We offer select trip discounts periodically throughout the year. Check out our Travel Discounts page for the latest offers and on-going discounts.
14. How much should I budget for tips?
Tips are not required on any of our tours. However, it is customary to offer a small tip for exceptional service. For a full day tour, we recommend $8-$10 per day for your guide and $4-$5 per day for a driver is common. Other travelers opt to bring small gifts from their home to give to service providers along the way.
15. How far in advance should I book?
You can book your Vietnam tour at any time and generally the earlier you book, the better. Booking early (3 months or more recommended, 6 months in advance for peak season dates) is especially important for travelers visiting during the height of the high season to ensure that first choice hotels are still available. Further, we usually recommend that you wait to book your international flights until after your tour is confirmed. The sooner that we arrange your tour, the sooner that you can take advantage of flight deals as they become available. We are often able to accommodate last minute travelers as well (some even departing in less than one week!!), so give us a call and we will do our best! For last minute bookings, it helps to be flexible and organized. Your first choice hotel may not be available for your selected dates, but your trip planner can recommend some other similar options that would be equally interesting!
16. Are tour dates flexible?
YES. Please contact us if you are not able to travel on the set departure dates listed online. Most tours can be arranged on alternative departure dates for a minimum of two travelers as long as hotels and a guide are available.
17. Can I extend or change my stay?
Absolutely! Give us a call for suggestions in the region. We can easily arrange for extensions to other Southeast Asia destinations such as neighboring Cambodia, Thailand or Laos. Let us know how you would like to customize your trip and we will do our best to accommodate you.
18. What should I pack?
You will receive a detailed packing list after you book your tour. Since the climate varies depending upon locations and season, it is difficult to offer many generalizations. Comfort is the rule and fancy clothes are not necessary for any of our Vietnam tours.
19. How safe is Vietnam?
Vietnam is a relatively safe country both in the rural countryside as well as in larger cities. As always, travelers need to be aware of their surroundings and use common sense when venturing out at night, but crime rates in general are very low, particularly against tourists. The most common issue reported are pickpockets when visiting crowded marketplaces or shopping areas. Be wise and keep your possessions hidden under your top layer of clothing to prevent anything from being stolen. Also, please be aware of metering tricks that taxi drivers try to pull on tourists.
20. Is the water safe to drink?
The tap water is generally NOT safe to drink anywhere in Vietnam. Bottled water is readily available at tourist sites, hotels, & restaurants, and hot water (boiled to make it safe) or tea is generally offered with a meal at a restaurant. Travelers can also use bottled water when brushing your teeth for extra precaution.
21. Can I use US dollars or do I need local currency? What is the local currency, exchange rate, etc.?
Generally USD is not accepted in most establishments in Vietnam outside of main cities. Vietnamese Dong (VND) is the only way to pay in Vietnam. Upon arrival, you should plan to exchange your money at a bank. The airports and hotels generally will give you a worse exchange rate. Check out a currency converter such as, www.oanda.com/currency/converter/, for the latest exchange rates.
22. Should I bring cash or Traveler's checks? Are ATMs available? Can I use credit cards?
Credit Cards are widely accepted in larger cities, but traveler's checks are not. Cash is required for travel to more rural areas and can be easily obtained at ATMs in larger cities.
23. Can I use my cell phone?
Yes, so long as your carrier has not locked your phone and it is possible to operate on their network. You should contact your phone carrier to find out if your phone will work properly. Another option is to buy a local SIM card once you are in Vietnam if you do have an unlocked phone. It is advised to also double check your international calling rates with your provider.
24. Do I need a visa/passport?
US citizens do need a Vietnam visa but do not necessarily need to apply for it in advance, though that is an option. A visa upon arrival option is also available for US citizens, but you need to obtain a Welcome Letter for this process which you can do ONLY at HCMC airport or Hanoi airport. Travelers are not allowed onto a plane to Vietnam without either a visa OR an invitation letter stating you can receive a visa upon arrival to Vietnam. Adventure Life can provide that letter for a small service charge, so please ask your Trip Planner if you need one written. Travelers will need a passport valid for at least 6 months after they depart. Non-US citizens are advised to contact their local consulate for entry requirements.
25. What immunizations are recommended/required?
No immunizations are currently required for visiting Vietnam. A yellow fever vaccination is required if you are arriving from another country with risk of yellow fever. This vaccination, which is valid for 10 years, must be administered at least 10 days before your arrival in the destination with yellow fever risk. Travelers must bring along their International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) as proof of vaccination. Hepatitis A and Typhoid are recommended. Hepatitis B, Japanese Encephalitis, Malaria, and Rabies preventatives are also loosely recommended depending on where you plan to travel in Vietnam. For the most current information, please consult your doctor and/or check out the Center for Disease Control web-site.
26. What time zone is Vietnam?
Vietnam is in the Indochina Time Zone, or UTC+07:00.
Ancient History
Vietnam has one of the oldest and most continuous histories of any nation. The area has been inhabited by some of the world's earliest societies. The needs to control flooding along the Red River and fight off invaders caused the inhabitants to form one cohesive government early on in 2879 BC. The region's elongated and unique topography allowed the successful defense of its borders from invaders over the centuries until it fell to Chinese control for 1100 years. During this time of Chinese influence, much of the native Vietnamese culture and heritage was lost or absorbed. During this same period of time, the Funanese and Cham civilizations also thrived in Vietnam.
In the 10th century, native Vietnamese people began to take back and re-established a sovereign state. Ngo Quyen was the first King of Vietnam, reigning from 939-944. Then began a 1,000 year period of reigning dynasties which advanced the accomplishments of the independent nation once again. At various times during these dynastic periods, Vietnam succumbed to civil wars and interventions by the Mongols, Chams, Manchus, Dutch, French and Americans. The Ming Empire conquered the country for a while before native Vietnamese regained their sovereignty. However, the French Empire reduced Vietnam to a form of a puppet state of the French Empire for the next 100 years. This period was then followed by the occupation of the Japanese Empire.
Modern History
At the start of the 20th century, the ruling French found themselves consistently fighting over various factions to try gaining popularity and win back Vietnam. The French response to many of these citizen uprisings was to either exile or execute their leaders in order to keep them from gaining traction. With the growing influences of communism and Marxism in the region, three different communist groups also formed. However, these were eventually stamped down by the French. During World War II, Japan invaded Indochina and kept the ruling Vichy French administration in place as a puppet government. During this time, a man by the name of Ho Chi Minh began the Viet Minh Front in the northern Vietnam. This group was dominated by Communists whose goal was to regain Vietnam's independence.
With the end of WWII and the age of colonialism coming to an end, Ho Chi Minh declared the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) and held the position of Chairman. In 1946, Vietnam held its first national elections which was won by the Viet Minh, and a new constitution was drafted. The situation was still precarious, with French and British attempts to assist the non-communist parties within Vietnam's borders in resisting the spread of the Viet Minh control. The Viet Minh still retained control, but failed to secure a peace deal with France. Full scale war broke out in 1946 as a result. France fashioned the State of Vietnam in the south allowing local leadership to institute its own semi-independent government.
The Geneva Convention caused France to relinquish final control of all its colonies, leaving Vietnam as an officially divided nation. With the launch of a land reform campaign in the North that left tens of thousands of people massacred (mostly wealthy landowners and farmers), full scale war once again broke out between the North Viet Minh (Viet Cong) forces and the South. Thus began the second Indochina war, with North Vietnam Communist forces backed (by the Soviet Union) fighting against the South Vietnam Republic (backed by the United States). With the official end of the war in 1973 and the withdrawal of US troops, the North did not abide by the peace deal to hold elections to peacefully reunify the country. Instead, the North attacked the capital city of Saigon in South Vietnam in 1975. The city was then renamed Ho Chi Minh City in honor of the late leader who had died in 1969. The war was then officially over. The final death toll stood somewhere between 800,000 and 3.1 million with thousands more crippled by the effects of Agent Orange and napalm.
Post-war Vietnam was plagued by economic and social woes. The two factions were still not coming to a reunified state, and millions of people were imprisoned for their views. To top off the economic woes, the Khmer empire from Cambodia began to attack, followed by a Vietnamese counter. This was followed by an invasion from China, which did not like Vietnamese policies nor the fact that the Soviet Union was such a close ally. Post-war sanctions and re-education efforts, such as forced cooperatives for farming, further pushed Vietnam's economy down until it finally collapsed in the 1980’s. Seeing that its policies were not pragmatic or helpful, a series of more progressive leaders began to move Vietnam toward gradual change in the opposite direction. They worked to combine divergent views of pragmatists and communist traditionalists. In the 1990’s, private farms and plots were allowed, and the re-education efforts and cooperative push from the government were discontinued. The economy then began to turn around and diplomatic and trade channels with western nations were re-opened.
Vietnam has one of the oldest and most continuous histories of any nation. The area has been inhabited by some of the world's earliest societies. The needs to control flooding along the Red River and fight off invaders caused the inhabitants to form one cohesive government early on in 2879 BC. The region's elongated and unique topography allowed the successful defense of its borders from invaders over the centuries until it fell to Chinese control for 1100 years. During this time of Chinese influence, much of the native Vietnamese culture and heritage was lost or absorbed. During this same period of time, the Funanese and Cham civilizations also thrived in Vietnam.
In the 10th century, native Vietnamese people began to take back and re-established a sovereign state. Ngo Quyen was the first King of Vietnam, reigning from 939-944. Then began a 1,000 year period of reigning dynasties which advanced the accomplishments of the independent nation once again. At various times during these dynastic periods, Vietnam succumbed to civil wars and interventions by the Mongols, Chams, Manchus, Dutch, French and Americans. The Ming Empire conquered the country for a while before native Vietnamese regained their sovereignty. However, the French Empire reduced Vietnam to a form of a puppet state of the French Empire for the next 100 years. This period was then followed by the occupation of the Japanese Empire.
Modern History
At the start of the 20th century, the ruling French found themselves consistently fighting over various factions to try gaining popularity and win back Vietnam. The French response to many of these citizen uprisings was to either exile or execute their leaders in order to keep them from gaining traction. With the growing influences of communism and Marxism in the region, three different communist groups also formed. However, these were eventually stamped down by the French. During World War II, Japan invaded Indochina and kept the ruling Vichy French administration in place as a puppet government. During this time, a man by the name of Ho Chi Minh began the Viet Minh Front in the northern Vietnam. This group was dominated by Communists whose goal was to regain Vietnam's independence.
With the end of WWII and the age of colonialism coming to an end, Ho Chi Minh declared the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) and held the position of Chairman. In 1946, Vietnam held its first national elections which was won by the Viet Minh, and a new constitution was drafted. The situation was still precarious, with French and British attempts to assist the non-communist parties within Vietnam's borders in resisting the spread of the Viet Minh control. The Viet Minh still retained control, but failed to secure a peace deal with France. Full scale war broke out in 1946 as a result. France fashioned the State of Vietnam in the south allowing local leadership to institute its own semi-independent government.
The Geneva Convention caused France to relinquish final control of all its colonies, leaving Vietnam as an officially divided nation. With the launch of a land reform campaign in the North that left tens of thousands of people massacred (mostly wealthy landowners and farmers), full scale war once again broke out between the North Viet Minh (Viet Cong) forces and the South. Thus began the second Indochina war, with North Vietnam Communist forces backed (by the Soviet Union) fighting against the South Vietnam Republic (backed by the United States). With the official end of the war in 1973 and the withdrawal of US troops, the North did not abide by the peace deal to hold elections to peacefully reunify the country. Instead, the North attacked the capital city of Saigon in South Vietnam in 1975. The city was then renamed Ho Chi Minh City in honor of the late leader who had died in 1969. The war was then officially over. The final death toll stood somewhere between 800,000 and 3.1 million with thousands more crippled by the effects of Agent Orange and napalm.
Post-war Vietnam was plagued by economic and social woes. The two factions were still not coming to a reunified state, and millions of people were imprisoned for their views. To top off the economic woes, the Khmer empire from Cambodia began to attack, followed by a Vietnamese counter. This was followed by an invasion from China, which did not like Vietnamese policies nor the fact that the Soviet Union was such a close ally. Post-war sanctions and re-education efforts, such as forced cooperatives for farming, further pushed Vietnam's economy down until it finally collapsed in the 1980’s. Seeing that its policies were not pragmatic or helpful, a series of more progressive leaders began to move Vietnam toward gradual change in the opposite direction. They worked to combine divergent views of pragmatists and communist traditionalists. In the 1990’s, private farms and plots were allowed, and the re-education efforts and cooperative push from the government were discontinued. The economy then began to turn around and diplomatic and trade channels with western nations were re-opened.
Here’s the scene. The Hai Van Pass, which crosses coastal mountains between Hue and Danang, forms a natural barrier across Vietnam’s tiny waist. Its strategic importance through centuries of conflict is signified by the various fortifications that mark the summit – including a concrete pillbox from the Vietnam War.
On my last visit to Vietnam, we stopped on the top of the pass to enjoy the stupendous views of jungle-clad mountains sloping to the misty ocean. I was taking pictures when I noticed a couple preparing to assault the pillbox. They weren’t in combat fatigues, however. They were bride and groom, she in a pink chiffon dress and high heels.
Using a ladder, they clambered on to the circular roof of the pillbox and posed for a photographer standing below. It was a lovely vignette that said much about modern Vietnam: how far it has come in the 40 years since the end of a conflict that claimed millions of Vietnamese lives and obliterated infrastructure and landscape alike; how dynamic and optimistic its people have become.
When organised tourism from the West started in the Nineties the war was a focal point – the Cu Chi tunnels, in which the Viet Cong hid out, near Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) were a major draw. But the war is now a distant event for the Vietnamese, the majority of whom were born after hostilities ended.
When you arrive in the capital Hanoi, for example, I’m suggesting you head straight out of the city and into tranquil countryside to recover from the flight. Two days later, back in Hanoi, take a city tour with an experienced local guide who will show you the traditional sights, including the Temple of Literature.
From Hanoi the fantastical natural beauty of Halong Bay – karst limestone peaks rising from a shimmering sea – is a compulsory part of any trip.
For linking your stops and for day tours, hiring a car and driver (speaking some English) is not prohibitively expensive. Expect to pay around £50 a day, bookable through hotels.
A revelatory tour of the former no-man’s-land of the Vietnam War, the De-Militarised Zone (DMZ) includes my alternative to the Cu Chi tunnels, the more accessible underground village of Vinh Moc. On my visit the man who showed me around (by hand gestures as he was mute) had been born in one of the tunnels during the war – an unforgettable meeting.
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