GEOGRAPHY
Vietnam is located on the eastern seaboard of the lndochina peninsula. sharing common borders with China to the north, and Laos and Cambodia to the west. To the east and south lies the East Sea. Mountains and hills cover four-fifths of Vietnam’s territory with the Truong Son Range stretching over 1,400km. Mount Fansipan (3,143m) is the highest peak on mainland Southeast Asia. The most populated areas in Vietnam are the Red River Delta and the Mekong Delta, which feature fertile soil fed by a dense river network. The country has a long coastline of 3,260 km running from Mong Cai in the North to He Tien in the Southwest. Viet Nam’s territorial waters in the Eastern Sea extend to the East and Southeast, including the continental shelf, islands and archipelagoes. There is a group of around 3,000 islets belonging to Viet Nam in the Tonkin Gulf, including Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, Cat Hai, Cat Ba and Bach Long Vi Island. Farther in the Eastern Sea are Hoang Sa Archipelago (Paracel Islands) and Truong Sa Archipelago (Spratly Islands). To the West and the Southwest, there are groups of islands including Con Son, Phu Quoc and Tho Chu.
RESOURCES
Minerals: coal, iron, ‘aluminum, tin, and oil. Agricultural and forestry products: rice, maize, sweet potatoes, peanuts, soy beans, rubber, lacquer, coffee, tea, tobacco, cotton, coconut, sugar cane, jute, and tropical fruit.
CLIMATE
Vietnam’s climate varies a great deal from north to south. Northern Vietnam has four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. In the north. summers are warm, while winters are cool and misty. Southern Vietnam is warm all year-round, with temperatures typically varying by just three degrees Celsius. Tropical monsoons occur from May to November in the north and south, and from September to January in the Central Region.
PRICE GUIDE
In Vietnam, be prepared to bargain. To give you an idea of where to start, we suggest the following prlces:
TRANSPORT
Xe om (motorbike taxi): VND 10,000/km
Public bus: VND 7,000/ride
GROOMING
Shoeshine: VND 10,000/pair Hairwash: VND 25,000 Street Haircut: VND 30,000 Street-side laundry:
VND 10,000/item
RAIN GEAR
Plastic rain poncho: VND 5,000 for thin VND 50,000 for thick
KEY CONTACTS PHONE NUMBERS Country code: 84 Operator: 110 Police: 113
Fire: 114
Medical aid: 115 Enquiries: 116 Information: 1080
FOOD
Pho (beef noodle soup): VND 40.000/bowl
Banh mi (Vietnamese pork sandwich): VND 20,000/loaf Banana: VND 2,000/each
ADMINIS’I‘RA’I‘IVE DIVISIONS
Vietnam has 63 provinces. Including five municipalities (Hanoi. Ho Chi Minh City. Haiphong. Can Tho. Danang).
HISTORY
Vietnam’s history can roughly be divided into the following periods:
Pre-histouy: From circa 400,000 years (Paleolithic) to 4,000 years (Neolithic) ago, cultures in the area included Son VI, Hoa Binh, Bac Son. Ha _ Long, and H03 Loc.
Proto-history: According to legends, Vietnam originated in the seventh century BC when the Hung Kings founded Van Lang. In the third century BC, King An Duong Vuong named founded Au Lac and ruled until 179 B.C. Chinese Occupation: Vietnam was occupied by China from the first to the tenth century AD.
Monarchy: Kings reigned from 968 to 1945.
Independence: The Democratic Republic of Vietnam was founded after the 1945 August Revolution, when President Ho Chi Minh declared independence. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam has been the official name since 1976.
ETHNIC GROUPS
There are 54 ethnic groups living in Vietnam. The Viet (or Kinh).people account for 88% of Vietnam’s population and are mostly concentrated in the lowlands. Most of the country’s ethnic minority peoples live in mountainous areas. Major groups include the Tay; the Nung; the Thai; the Muong; the H’Mong; the D30; the H03; the Khmer; the Bahnar; thai and the Ehde.
RELIGIONS
Maior spiritual influences in Vietnam include
Buddhism. Taoism. Confucianism. and native
religions (Ancestor. Mother Goddess Worship).
Chn’stianity :3de in the late 18th century and
now has the second largest following. after
Buddhism. Other religions practiced include
Islam and C30 Dai, with higher concentrations in
the South. ,
VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE
AND SCRIPTS
More than 80% of the population speak Vietnamese (or Kinh), the national language. Ethnic minon‘ties have native languages. Three scripts have influenced Vietnam’s history: Han (classical Chinese) ideograms were used until the beginning of the 20th century. The Nom script. created between the 11th and 14th centuries, is based on the Han script. European missionaries in the 17th century used the Roman alphabet to I record the Vietnamese language and created Quoc Ngu script. After independence in 1945,
Quoc Ngu was developed and used as the 3A officiai national language. Wt sh! BUSINESS HOURS va Government offices and museums open early, 53 around 8am, and close between 4pm and 5pm. b; CURRENCY 1 The currency in Wetnam is the dong (VN D), p
which currently trades at about VND 23,300 to i the US dollar. Credit card acceptance, especially
for Visa, is spreading in higher-end hotels,
restaurants, and shops in big cities.
HOTELS AND REGISTRATION
There is a wide range of accommodation available in Vietnam’s major cities. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City feature a choice of five-star hotels, while guest houses and mini-hotels offer no-frills rooms for around VND 600.000. As hotels and private hosts must register your presence with the police, you’ll be expected to hand over your passport.
SAFETY
While Vietnam is one of the safest countries in Asia, you should take care with your possessions. Secure your valuables, documents, and credit cards in your hotel’s safe. If you choose to drive a motorbike or ride a bicycle. by law you must wear a helmet.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Many hotels, especially up-market ones, add extra fees. Check the rates before dialing. One Iong-distance service offers a flat fee of around VND 4,000 per minute to 50 countries. Faxes can be sent from hotels, business centers or post offices. Many free wifi spots can be found around Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, including hotels, cafe and restaurants.
TRAVEL
Tourist visas are generally valid for 30 days. Should you wish to extend your visa, order ticket please contact us.