Bargaining
Bargaining and bartering is part of the Vietnamese culture, especially in the local establishments. You can easily bring the price down if you know what you’re doing.
Currency
Vietnamese currency is called the dong and is difficult to exchange outside Vietnam. You can acquire denominations of bills ranging from 500 to at least 50, 0000 dong as well as coins ranging from 200 to 5000 dong. It is possible to use US currency in many shops since Vietnamese want to make a sale and it is best to check the exchange rate before and once entering into the country. In addition, it’s important to note that because of inflation and the recent world financial crises, the exchange rate between the dong and the dollar as well as other currencies that can also be used in the country could go up by the time you get there.
If you are planning to use traveler’s checks, they are widely accepted but might require a small fee which is why US cash or the Vietnam dong is recommended for travelers coming from European and other Asian countries.
Be sure to carry some coins and notes of the local currency. The local currency is known as Dong. As soon as you land in Hanoi or any other city of Vietnam , be sure to exchange your dollar to buy some VND or Dong. For every dollar, you would get 17000 Dongs in return indicating that the valuation of the Dong is pretty weak.
Climate
Depending on where you are and where you travel in Vietnam, the weather can vary, even if the weather is similar between seasons. Mostly, in all regions of the country, the weather is usually hot and dry from Mary to May/June with a rainy season from June/July to November. Weather from December to February is very cool and dry.
Culture and Holidays
Vietnam celebrates their holidays according to the Chinese Lunar calendar as well as government-regulated historical events. The biggest holiday is the Lunar or Chinese New Year which occurs between late January to early March (depending on when the moon falls) and is a time for families to get together and offer good wishes to each other. It is usually a 3-5 day holiday in which you can often find the city streets and highways full of people celebrating in all its pageantry. If you know a friend or have a family member from Vietnam, you are in luck and will learn much about Vietnamese culture. If not, be prepared to encounter a few headaches during this time of year.
Food and Drink
Vietnamese value food and become central in everyday life, during milestones, and especially during the holidays. Special dishes can be found during special events such as marriages or births as well as business deals and birthdays. The cuisine varies from region to region with specialties found in each ranging from the blandest to the spiciest. You can fin the most authentic on the street or in small restaurants in most major cities with most of them flavored with a special fish sauce and accompanied by vegetables, cilantro, basil and other aromatic herbs and spices. You can also find French and American-influenced specialties such as Banh mi Hanoi which is a French baguette sandwich made with a Vietnamese flare.
Drinking in Vietnam is said to be worth the experience. While the water might be somewhat safe, it might be best to drink bottled water or try the various other drinks that can be found in the country. Bia Hoa or gas beer (such as Tiger, Bai Saigon or 333) can be found throughout the country. Vietnamese rice alcohol, various red or white wines, and coconut wine are also other noteworthy wines. As for the non-alcoholic drinkers, coconut water, sugar cane juice, sinh to (specialized fresh fruit drink), and coffee can be found and drunk amongst the locals.
This is just a sliver of information that you can find on Vietnam. Make sure to check the links on information regarding the various cities and regions that you can visit while traveling the country.
Language
Vietnamese is the official language with a dialect in each region. It is written in the Western alphabet with accent marks. In addition, English is used by younger people and for foreigners living and/or traveling throughout the country; French is used by older Vietnamese who were educated in the French language; Cantonese is spoken throughout most of Ho Chi Minh City because of its ethnic Chinese community as well as Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Mandarin Chinese.
Tipping
This is not required or expected in Vietnam and is only required if you intend to stay in a luxury hotel.
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