Characteristic: Phu Quoc, the largest island in Vietnam, is also part of an archipelago consisting of 22 islands and islets. The island covers an area of 585km2 and is 50km long. 

Phu Quoc Island covers an area of 567sq.km (about 62km long and between 3km and 28km wide), and its population is approximately 85,000 (in 2001).

Phu Quoc is called the island of “99 mountains” because of its many sandstone chains gradually descending from the north to the south. The longest one is Ham Ninh which stretches for 30 km along the eastern edge with its highest peak called Mt. Chua (603m).

Phu Quoc has a monsoon sub-equatorial climate. There are two seasons in the year: the rainy season (October only) and the dry season (November to September). The average annual rainfall is 2,879 m and the average temperature is 27oC. Trips to Phu Quoc can be made all year round, but the best time is dry season when the sky is always sunny, clear and blue

Phu Quoc is also called the Emerald Island because of its natural treasures and infinite tourism potential. The island is well known for its high-quality fish sauce; Phu Quoc fish sauce smells particularly good since it is made from a small fish, ca com, with a high level of protein. The island produces 6 million liters of fish sauce every year.

Phu Quoc Island has many harbors such as An Thoi and Hon Thom where international and domestic ships anchor. Also, there are several historical sites on the island: National Hero Nguyen Trung Truc’s military base, King Gia Long relics from the time he spent on the island, and Phu Quoc Prison.

Off the coast of the island emerges a group of 105 islands of all sizes. Some of them are densely inhabited such as Hon Tre and Kien Hai, 25km from Rach Gia. Visitors can spend time on the beach or hike while observing the wild animals.

It is possible to reach the island by either plane or boat from Rach Gia, Ho Chi Minh City (40minutes, by plane), Ha Tien (8 hours, by boat).  

Cycling

For distances near and far, cycling is an excellent way to experience Vietnam. A bicycle can be rented in most tourist centres for around US$1 a day.

The flatlands of the Mekong Delta region are an ideal place for a long-distance ride through the back roads. The entire coastal route along Hwy 1 is an alluring achievement, but the insane traffic makes it tough going and dangerous. Better is the new inland trunk road Hwy 14, also known as the Ho Chi Minh Rd, which offers stunning scenery and little traffic.

North of the old Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), cycling is a bad idea in the winter months, particularly if heading from south to north, thanks to the massive monsoon winds, which blow from the north.

For some laughs, as well as the lowdown on cycling in Vietnam, visit the website www.mrpumpy.net.

Diving & Snorkelling

The most popular scuba-diving area in 5 Vietnam is around Nha Trang.There are several reputable dive operators here, whose equipment and training is up lo international standards. It is also possible to hire snorkelling gear and scuba equipment at several beach resorts along the coast, including Ca Na and China Reach. Phu Quoc Island has ihe potential to be the next big thing in underwater exploration, bu! there are no dive operators on the island just yet.

Golf

Mark Twain once said that playing golf was “a waste of a good walk” and apparently Ho Chi Minh agreed with him. Times have changed and government officials can often be seen fraternising on the fairways.

All over East Asia playing golf wins considerable points in the “face game”, even if you never hit a ball. For maximum snob value you need to join a country club, and in Vietnam memberships start at around US$20,000. Most golf clubs will allow you to simply pay a guest fee.

The best golf courses in Vietnam are located in Dalat and Phan Thiet, but there are also courses in and around Hanoi and HCMC.

For information about golf package deals visit www.vietnamgolfresorts.com.

Kayaking

Kayaking has taken off around Halong Bay in the past few years, following in the fool-steps of Krabi in Thailand. Several companies offer kayaking itineraries around the majestic limestone pinnacles, including overnights on islands in the bay.

Motorbiking

Motorbiking Vietnam’s ‘deep north’ is unforgettable. For those seeking true adventure there is no better way to go. If you are not confident riding a motorbike, it’s comparatively cheap to hire someone lo drive it for you. Four-wheel-drive trips in the north are also highly recommended, though the mobility of two wheels is unrivalled.

Rock Climbing

Well, it’s still early days, hut with the sheer range ol limestone karsl.s found up and down the country, it is only a matter of time before the word gets out. For now, it is likely to be Halong Bay that emerges as the premier spot, but in time Ninh Binh  and Phong Nha could offer some competition.
                          

Surfing & Windsurfing

Surfing and windsurfing have only recently arrived on the scene, but they are quickly catching on. The best place to practice these pursuits is at Mui Ne Beach, but experienced surfers head for China Beach in Danang.

Trekking

Vietnam offers some excellent trekking opportunities, notably in its growing array of national parks and nature reserves. There are ample opportunities to hike to minority villages in the northwest, northeast and central highlands regions. Anything is possible, from half-day hikes to a six-day ascent of Fansipan, Vietnam’s highest mountain. The best bases from which to arrange treks are Sapa, Bac Ha  and Cat Ba, all in northern Vietnam; Bach Ma National Park in central Vietnam; and Cat Tien and Yok Don National Parks in the south. Tour operators in Hanoi and HCMC offer a variety of programmes that feature hiking and trekking.

Bear in mind that you may need to arrange special permits, especially if you want to spend the night in remote mountain villages where there are no hotels.

Offices, museums and many shops open between 7am and 8am and close between 4pm and 5pm. Post offices keep longer hours and are generally open from 6.30am to 9pm. Banks are generally open from Sam to 11.30am and 1pm to 4pm during the week and Sam to 11.30am on Saturday.

Most government offices are open on Saturday until noon but are closed on Sunday. Most museums are closed on Monday while temples and pagodas arc usually open every day from around Sam to 9pm.

Many of the small privately owned shops, restaurants and street stalls stay open seven days a week, often until late at night.

Lunch is taken very seriously and virtually everything shuts down between noon and 1.30pm. Government workers tend to take longer breaks, so figure on getting nothing done between 11.30am and 2pm.

Beggar Fatigue

This is the face of poverty. How do you deal with these situations? If you’re like most of us, not very well. Taking the matter into your own hands by giving out money or gifts to people on the streets can camore damage than good. The more people are given hand-outs, the more reliant and attracted to life on the streets they become. When money is tight, people recognise that life on the streets is no longer so fruitful. This will hopefully discourage parents and “leaders” forcing children and beggars onto the streets.

One way to contribute and help improve the situation is to invest just a few hours to find out about local organisations that work with disadvantaged people; these groups are far more likely to make sure contributions are used in the most effective way possible to help those who need it.

However, if you want to do something on the spot, at least avoid giving money or anything that can be sold. The elderly and the young are easily controlled and are ideal begging tools.

So if you are going to give something directly to a beggar, it’s better to give food than money; take them to a market or stall and buy them a nutritious meal or some fruit to be sure they are the only beneficiaries.

Noise

Not just any noise, but a whole lot of noises that just never seem to stop. At night there is most often a competing cacophony from motorbikes, discos, cafes, video arcades, karaoke lounges and restaurants; if your hotel is near any or all of these, it may be difficult to sleep.

Fortunately most noise subsides around 10pm or 11pm, as few places stay open much later than that. Unfortunately, however, Vietnamese are up and about from around 5am onwards. This not only means that traffic noise starts early, but you may be woken up by the crackle of loud speakers as the Voice of Vietnam cranks into life at 5am in small towns. It’s worth trying to get a room at the back of a hotel.

One last thing…don’t forget the earplugs!

Scams

Con artists and thieves are always seeking new tricks to sepal ate naive tourists from their money and are becoming more savvy in their ways. We can’t warn you about every trick you might encounter, so maintain a healthy scepticism and be prepared to argue when unnecessary demands are made for your money.

Beware of a motorbike-rental scam that some travellers have encountered in HCMC. Rent a motorbike and the owner supplies an excellent lock, insisting you it. What he doesn’t tell you is that he has another key and that somebody will follow you and “steal” the bike at the first opportunity. You then have to pay for a new bike.

More common is when your motorbike won’t start after you parked it in a “safe” area with a guard. But yes, the guard knows somebody who can repair your bike. The mechanic shows up and quickly reinstalls the parts they removed earlier and the bike works again. That will be US$10, please.

Beware of massage boys who, after a price has been agreed upon, try to extort money from you afterwards by threatening to the police on you (these threats are generally empty ones).

Despite an array of scams, however, it is important to keep in mind the Vietnamese are not always out to get you. One concerning trend we’re noticing in Vietnam, relative to neighbouring countries such as Cambodia and Laos, is a general lack of trust in the locals on the part of foreigners. Try to differentiate between who is good and bad and not close yourself off to every person you encounter.

This is not always an easy thing to do. Even one of the original authors of this book, a veteran travel writer and Vietnam hand, was duped by a long-time Vietnamese friend who, unbeknown to him, had tried to collect fees from hotels and ri-otaurants that wished to be included in this guide!

One final word of advice: we’re seeing an awful lot of travellers in Vietnam with their noses dug too deep inside guidebooks. The paranoia people develop from being hassled so much seems to result in many refusing to believe anyone if it’s “not in the book”. For better or worse, often it’s not. Try to keep an open mind, be aware of what can happen and what things “should” cost, and then this information in conjunction with your own better judgment.

Sea Creatures

If you plan to spend your time swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving, familiarise yourself with the various hazards. The list of dangerous creatures that are found in seas off Vietnam is extensive and includes sharks, jellyfish, stonefish, scorpion fish, sea snakes and stingrays. However, there is little cafor alarm as most of these creatures avoid humans, or humans avoid them, so the number of people injured or killed is fairly small.

Jellyfish tend to travel in groups, so as long as you look before you leap into the sea, avoiding them should not be too hard. Stonefish, scorpion fish and stingrays tend to hang out in shallow water along the ocean floor and can be very difficult to see. One way to protect against these nasties is to wear shoes in the sea.

Theft

The Vietnamese are convinced that their cities are full of criminals. Street crime is common place in HCMC and Nha Trang, but it doesn’t hurt to keep the antennae up wherever you are.

HCMC is the place to really keep your wits about you. Don’t have anything dangling from your body that you are not ready to part with, including bags and jewellery, which might tempt a robber. Keep an eye out for drive-by thieves on motorbikes - they specialise in snatching handbags and cameras from tourists on foot and riding cycles in the city.

Pickpocketing, which often involves kids, women with babies and newspaper vendors, is also a serious problem, especially in the tourist areas of HCMC. Many of the street kids, adorable as they may be, are very skilled at liberating people from their wallets.

Avoid putting things down while you’re eating, or at least take the precaution of fastening these items to your seat with a strap or chain. Remember, any luggage thai you leave unattended for even a moment may grow legs and vanish.

There are also “taxi girls” (sometimes transvestites) who approach Western men, give them a big hug, sometimes more, and ask if they’d like “a good time”. Then they suddenly change their mind and depart, along with a wristwatch and wallet.

We have also had reports of people being drugged and robbed on long-distance buses. It usually starts with a friendly passenger offering a free Coke, which turns out to be a chloral-hydrate cocktail. You wake up hours later to find your valuables and new-found “friend” gone.

Despite all this, don’t be overly paranoid. Although crime certainly exists and you need to be aware of it, theft in Vietnam does not seem to be any worse than what you’d expect anywhere else. Don’t assume -  that everyone’s a thief - most Vietnamese are poor, but honest.

Undetonated Explosives

Four armies expended untold energy and resources for more than three decades mining, booby-trapping, rocketing, strafing, mortaring and bombarding wide areas of Vietnam. When the fighting stopped most of this ordnance remained exactly where it had landed or been laid; American estimates at the end of the war placed the quantity of unexploded ordnance at 150,000 tonnes.

Since 1975 about 40,000 Vietnamese have been maimed or killed by this leftover ordnance. While cities, cultivated areas and well-travelled rural roads and paths are safe for travel, straying from these areas could land you in the middle of a minefield that is completely unmarked.

Never touch any rockets, artillery shells, mortars, mines or other relics of war you may come across. Such objects can remain lethal for decades. And don’t climb inside bomb craters - you never know what un-detonated explosive device is at the bottom.

Talking about budget, we mean guest-houses or hotels where the majority of rooms cost less than US$15. These are usually family-run guesthouses, mini-hotels or, traditionally the least-appealing choice, government-run guesthouses that time forgot. Budget rooms generally come well equipped for the money, so don’t be surprised to find air-con, hot water and a TV for less than 30 bucks.

Moving on to mid-range, you’re looking at the US$15 to US$50 range, which buys some pretty tasty extras in Vietnam. At the lower end of this bracket, many of the hotels are similar to budget hotels but with bigger rooms or balconies. Flash a bit more cash and three-star touches are available, like access to a swimming pool and a hairdryer hidden away somewhere.

At the top end are a host of international-standard hotels and resorts that charge from US$50 a room to US$500 a suite. Some of these are fairly faceless business hotels, while others ooze opulence or resonate with history. There are some real bargains when compared with the Hong Kongs and Singa-pores of this world, so if you fancy indulging yourself, Vietnam is a good place to do it. Most hotels at the top end levy a tax of 10% and a service charge of 5%, displayed as ++ (“plus plus”) on the bill.

Peak tourist demand for hotel rooms comes at Christmas and New Year, when prices may rise by as much as 25%. There is also a surge in many cities during Tet, when half of Vietnam is on the move. Try and make a reservation at these times so as not to gel caught out. During quiet periods it is often possible to negotiate a discount, whether by email in advance or over the counter on arrival, as there is now a surplus of hotel beds in many destinations.

Passports are almost always requested on arrival at a hotel. It is not absolutely essential to hand over your actual passport, but at the very least you need to hand over a photocopy of the passport details, visa and departure card. Most people end up handing over their passports, but make sure il comes back with the yellow departure card.

Accommodation prices listed are high-season prices for rooms with attached bathroom, unless stated otherwise. An icon is included if air-con is available, otherwise, assume that a fan will be provided.
                             

Camping

Perhaps becaso many Vietnamese spent much of the war years living in tents, as either soldiers or refugees, camping is not the popular pastime it is in the West.

Some innovative private travel agencies in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and Hanoi offer organised camping trips to national parks, plus camping out in beauty spots like Halong Bay. See under Travel Agencies in Hanoi and HCMC.

Guesthouses & Hotels

Many of the large hotels (khach san) and guesthouses (nha khach or nha nghi) are government-owned or joint ventures. There has also been a mushrooming of mini-hotels -small, smart private hotels that represent good value for money. The international hotel chains are now well represented in Hanoi and HCMC.

There is considerable confusion over the terms “singles”, “doubles”, “double occupancy” and “twins”, so let’s the record straight here. A single contains one bed, even if two people sleep in it. If there are two beds in the room, that is a twin, even if only one person occupies it. If two people stay in the same room, that is double occupancy. In some hotels “doubles” means twin beds, while in others it means double occupancy.

While many of the newer hotels have lifts, older hotels often don’t and the cheapest rooms are at the end of several flights of stairs. It’s a win-win situation: cheaper rooms, a bit of exercise and better views!

Many hotels post a small sign warning guests not to leave cameras, passports and other valuables in the room. Most places have a safety deposit system of some kind, but if leaving cash (not recommended) or travellers cheques, be sure to seal the loot in an envelope and have it counter-signed by staff.

Special prayers are held at Vietnamese and Chinese pagodas when the moon is full or just the thinnest sliver. Many Buddhists eat only vegetarian food on these days, which, according to the Chinese lunar calendar, fall on the 14th and 15th days of the month and from the last day of the month t6 the first day of the next month.

Tet (Tet Nguyen Dan): The Big One! The Vietnamese Lunar New Year is Christmas, New Year and birthdays all rolled into one. Lasting from the first to seventh days of the first moon, the, Tet Festival falls in late January or early February.

Holiday of the Dead (Thanh Minh): It’s time to honour the ancestors with a visit to graves of deceased relatives. Fifth day of the third moon.

Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment and Death: A big celebration at Buddhist temples and pagodas with lively processions. Eighth day of the fourth moon.

Summer Solstice Day (Tiet Doan Ngo): Keep the epidemics at bay with offerings to the spirits, ghosts and the 6od of Death. Fifth day of the fifth moon.

Wandering Souls Day (Trung Nguyen: Second in the pecking order to Tet, offerings are made for the wandering souls of the forgotten dead. Fifteenth day of the seventh moon.

Mid-Autumn Festival (Trung Thu): A fine time for foodies with moon cakes of sticky rice filled with lotus seeds, watermelon seeds, peanuts, the yolks of duck eggs, raisins and other treats. Fifteenth day of the eighth moon.

Confucius’ Birthday: Happy birthday to China’s leading philosophical export. Twenty-eighth day of the ninth moon.

One of the delights of visiting Vietnam is the cuisine, and there are said to be about 500 traditional dishes. Eating is such an integral part of the culture that a time-honoured Vietnamese proverb, “hoc an, hoc noi”, dictates that people should “learn to eat before learning to speak”.

Vietnamese cuisine is the sum of many parts. Vietnam has an enviable natural prosperity, and the cooking techniques showcase the bounty from land and sea to great advantage. Colonialism and foreign influences led to a marrying of techniques and ingredients.

Famous dishes such as pho and fresh spring rolls are but the tip of a gastronomic iceberg. In addition to a myriad of foods and preparations, there is a staggering number of sauces and dips limited only by the imagination of each cook. If cooking were painting, Vietnam would have one of the world’s most colourful palettes. The Vietnamese themselves have no culinary inhibitions and are always willing to try something new. When you combine the two, nothing is ruled out.

STAPLES & SPECIALITIES

From the land comes rice, and from the sea and waterways fresh fish for nuoc mam (fish sauce). Together they form the bedrock of Vietnamese cuisine. In supporting roles are the myriad pungent roots, leafy herbs and aromatic tubers, which give Vietnamese salads, snacks, soups and stews their distinctive fragrance and kick. But there are constants: for the Vietnamese cook, freshness and a balanced combination of flavours and textures are paramount.

Pho

You can have pho (rice noodles) everywhere in Vietnam, but it is almost a cult in Hanoi. This full and balanced meal in a bowl will cost you less than 10,000d. In Ihe north the people eat it at any time of day or night, while in the south it’s popular for breakfast. It is artistry, practicality and economy.

Com

Vietnamese have a reverence for corn (rice). It is the “staff of life”, not only at the table but in the economy and culture. Rice can be made into almost anything - wrappers, wine and noodles. Bank trang (rice paper) is something of a misnomer. This stuff is not very good for writing on, but is very good for eating. People il to wrap Vietnamese spring rolls.

Vegetarian cookery uses a lot of glutinous rice, gao nep, a “sticky rice” with a slightly sweet flavour when cooked. Stuffed with mung-bean paste or other savouries, it is the backbone of a variety of rice cakes.

Nem

One of the most popular dishes is nem (Vietnamese spring rolls) which are known as cha gio in the south and nem Sai Gon or nem ran in the north. They are made of rice paper, and are rilled with minced pork, crab, vermicelli, onion, mushroom and eggs. Nem ran are vegetable spring rolls.

A variation on the theme are the delicious larger “fresh” spring rolls called banh trang in the south and banh da in the north. With these you , put the ingredients together yourself and roll your own. The outer shell is a translucent rice crepe.

Herbs & Spices

While rice and nuoc mam define Vietnamese “food”, it is spices that define Vietnamese “cuisine” - the study, practice and development of the kitchen arts. There could be no pho bo without them, just plain beef noodle soup, and nothing to wax rhapsodic about.

Fruits & Vegetables

After rice, fruits and vegetables make up the bulk of the Vietnamese diet. If given the choice of abandoning vegetables or abandoning meat, virtually all Vietnamese would eschew flesh and keep the vegies. And they would not be the inveterate snackers and grazers thai they are were it not for the gift of fruit.

Fish, Meat & Fowl

Thanks to Vietnam’s long coastline, seafood has always been a major source of protein. Crabs, prawns, shrimps, cuttlefish, clams, eel, shellfish and many species of fin fish can be found up and down the coast. For seafood lovers a coastal culinary cruise is one of the highlights of a trip through Vietnam.

In Vietnam chickens, as well as other fowl, are produced in barnyards where they grow up fit, happy and tasty. Beef tends to be expensive as there is not much suitable land for cattle to graze. It can be tough but usually has a good flavour. Pork is one of the favourite meats. Frogs’ legs are good but lamb and mutton arc rarely seen. Chinese-style sausages are common in the markets. Then there are those, shall we say, “unusual” meats (see the boxed text “Travel Your Tastebuds).

Desserts

Do ngot (Vietnamese sweets) and do trang mieng (desserts) are popular everywhere, and are especially prevalent during festivals, when danh (traditional cakes) come in a wide variety of shapes and flavours.

NUOC MAM

Nuoc mam is the one ingredient that is quintessentially Vietnamese and it lends a distinctive character to Vietnamese cooking. The sauce is made by fermenting highly salted fish in large ceramic vats for four to 12 months. Connoisseurs insist the high-grade rocket fuel has a much milder aroma than the cheaper variety, though most foreigners will find it hard to tell the difference. It is very often used as a dipping sauce, and takes the place of salt on a Western table. It can be mixed with garlic, chilli, sugar, vinegar and fresh lime to make the dipping sauce nuoc chom. Insist on the real thing (rather than the lighter stuff) - you will not have been to Vietnam otherwise.

If nuoc mam isn’t strong enough for you, try mam tom a powerful shrimp paste that American soldiers sometimes called “Viet Cong tear gas”. It’s often served with dog meat - foreigners generally find it far more revolting than the dog itself.

TRAVEL YOUR TASTEBUDS

No matter what part of the world you come from, if you travel much in Vietnam you are going to encounter food that to you might seem unusual. The fiercely omnivorous Vietnamese find nothing strange in eating insects, algae, offal or fish bladders. They’ll feast on the flesh of dogs, they’ll eat a crocodile, or a dish of cock’s testicles. They’ll kill a venomous snake before your eyes, cut out its still-beating heart, feed it to you with a cup of the serpent’s blood to wash it down, and say it increases your potency. They’ll slay a monkey and then barbecue it at your tableside.

To the Vietnamese there is nothing “strange” about anything that will sustain the body. To them a food is either wholesome or it isn’t; it’s nutritious or it isn’t; it tastes good or it doesn’t. And that’s all they worry about. They’ll try anything once, even Kentucky Fried Chicken.

During your travels, avoid eating endangered species, as this will only further endanger them. If you are keen for some canine chow, or keen to avoid it, look out for the words thit cho in the north, thit cay in the south.

We Dare You! The Top Five

1.Crickets 2.Dog 3.Duck embryo 4.Field mouse 5.King cobra

Regional Specialities

For such a long country, the way that the people treat their produce is bound to differ according to where they are. Northern food displays a Chinese heritage, but in the south, where the weather is more tropical, the dishes have a more aromatic, spicy nose. In the middle lies Hue, the home of Vietnamese imperial cooking, which features a range of sophisticated, refined dishes designed to tempt jaded royal appetites of yore.

THE NORTH

We are forever thankful to the capital for pho, but there are other tasty teasers in the north. Banh cuon (rice rolls) are produced everywhere in Vietnam, but those that are made in Hanoi have special characteristics, with wrappings as thin as a sheet of paper.

In Hanoi there is a type of oc (snail) living in ponds and lakes that grows to the size of a golf ball, has a streaked colour and, while chewy, is very tasty. Bun oc are boiled snails dipped in nuoc cham.

THE CENTRE

Emperor Tu Duc was a demanding diner, but Hue should be thankful as his legacy is some of the best food in Vietnam.

Appearance is very important, not only in the of colour and the arrangement of food on the plate, bul also in the manner of serving. The menu for an imperial-style banquet today, whether in a fine restaurant or hotel banquet room or even a private home, might include up to a dozen dishes.

Hoi An is best known for cao lau (doughy flat noodles mixed with croutons, bean sprouts and greens and topped off with pork slices). Word has it among foreign tourists that true cao lau can only be made from water drawn from the Ba Le Well, and that you can taste the difference if someone tries to sneak a bastardised version by you.

THE SOUTH

With the cultivation of a greater range of tropical and temperate fruits and vegetables, and more varieties of spice, the south favours spicy dishes. Curries have been around since earliest times, although - unlike the Indian originals - they are not hot but aromatic, influenced by Cambodia. Almost anything cooked in coconut milk is a typical southern dish.

Now that Ho Chi Minh has been canonised (against his wishes), his picture is on every banknote. Coins have recently come into circulation, including 500d, 1000d and 5000d. The second currency is the US dollar and that needs no introduction.

The dong has experienced its ups and downs. The late 1990s Asian economic clisis, which wreaked severe havoc on the regional currencies, caused the dong to lose about 15% of its US-dollar value. Since then the dong has slowly weakened, but is pretty stable at around 16,000d to the US dollar.

Where prices are quoted in dong, we quote them in this book in dong. Likewise, when prices are quoted in dollars, we follow suit. While this may seem inconsistent, this is the way it’s done in Vietnam and the sooner you get used to thinking comparatively in dong and dollars, the easier your travels will be.

ATMs

It used to be just a couple of foreign banks in Hanoi and HCMC that offered ATMs, but Vietnamese banks have now got into this game in a big way. Vietcombank has the best network in the country, including most of the major tourist destinations and all the big cities. Every branch stocks a useful leaflet with a list of their nationwide ATMs. Withdrawals are issued in dong, and there is a daily limit of 2,000,000d (about US$125). Cash advances for larger amounts of dong, as well as US dollars, can be arranged over the counter during office hours.

Black Market

The black market is Vielnam’s unofficial banking system that is almost everywhere and operates quite openly. Private individuals and some shops and restaurants will exchange US dollars for dong and vice versa. While the practice is technically illegal, law enforcement is virtually nonexistent. Ironically, black market exchange rates arc usually worse than the official exchange rates, so the only advantage is the convenience of changing money when and where you like.

If people approach you on the street with offers to change money al rates better than the official one, you can rest assured that you are being up for a rip-off. Don’t even think about trying it! Remember, if an offer seems too good to he true, thal’s becait probably is.

Cash

Most major currencies can be exchanged al leading bunks in Vietnam, but away from the tourist centres the US dollar remains king. Vietcomhank is the most organised of the local banks for changing cash and can deal with euros, pounds and pretty much anything else you are packing. The US dollar exchange rate worsens the further you get from the tourist trail, so stock up on dong if you are heading mto remote areas.

The relatively low value of Vietnamese banknotes means that almost any currency exchange will leave you with piles of banknotes to count; changing US$100 will make you an instant millionaire! In small town it can be difficult to get change for the larger notes, so keep a stack of smaller bills handy.

It’s a good idea to check that any big dollar bills you take do not have any small tears or look too tatty, as no-one will want to touch them in Vietnam.

You cannot legally take the dong out of Vietnam but you can reconvert reasonable amounts of it into dollars on departure.

Credit Cards

Visa, MasterCard and JCB cards are now widely acceptable in all major cities and many tourist centres. However, a 3% commission charge on every transaction is pretty common; check first, as some charge higher commission than others. Some merchants also accept Amex, but the surcharge is typically 4%. Better hotels and restaurants do not usually slap on an additional charge.

Getting a cash advance from Visa, Master Card and JCB is possible at Vietcombank in most cities, as well as at some foreign banks in HCMC and Hanoi. Banks generally charge a 3% commission for this service. This is handy if you want to get out large sums, as the ATMs have low daily limits.

Tipping

Tipping is not expected in Vietnam, but it is enormously appreciated. For a person who earns US$50 per month, a US$1 tip is ahoul half a day’s wages. Upmarket hotels and some restaurants may levy a 5% service charge, but this may not make it to the staff. 11 you slay a couple of days in tlie same hotel, try and remember to tip the staff who clean your room.

You should also consider tipping drivers and guides - after all, the time they spend on the road with you means time away from home and family. Typically, travellers on minibus tours will pool together to collect a communal tip to be split between the guide and driver. About US$1 per day (per tourist) is standard.

It is considered proper to make a small donation at the end of a visit to a pagoda, especially if a monk has shown you around; most pagodas have contribution boxes for this purpose.

Travellers Cheques

It is wise not to rely entirely on travellers cheques by keeping a reasonable stash of US dollars on hand. Travellers cheques can only be exchanged at authorised foreign-exchange banks, but these aren’t found throughout Vietnam. Strangely, there are no banks at most of the land border crossings. The only way to change money at these places is on the black market.

If you only have travellers cheques, stock up on US dollars at a bank, which will usually charge anywhere from 1.25% to 3% commission to change them into cash. Vietcombank charges no commission for exchanging travellers cheques for dong.

If your travellers cheques are in currencies other than US dollars, they may be useless beyond the major cities. Hefty commissions are the norm if they can be exchanged at all.

Ban Do also publishes reasonable tourist maps of HCMC, Hanoi, Danang, Hue and a few other cities. Unfortunately, maps of smaller towns are practically nonexistent. Most of the listings mags produced in Vietnam have good city maps of Hanoi and HCMC, and there are a couple of good hand-drawn 3D maps of Hue and Sapa available from Covit, a local publisher.

Vietnamese street names are preceded with the words Pho, Duong and Dai Lo - on the maps in this book, they appear respectively as P, Đ and ĐL.

The following are public holidays in Vietnam:

- New Year’s Day (Tet Duong Lich) 1 January

- Anniversary of the Founding of the Vietnamese

- Communist Party (Thanh Lap Dang CSVN) 3 February - the date the party was founded in 1930.

- Liberation Day (Saigon Giai Phong) 30 April – the date on which Saigon surrendered is commemorated nationwide as Liberation Day.

- International Workers’ Day (Quoc Te Lao Dong) 1May

- Ho Chi Minh’s Birthday (Sinh Nhat Bac Ho)-19 May

- Buddha’s Birthday (Phat Dan) Eighth day of the fourth moon (usually June).

- National Day (Quoc Khanh) 2 September - commemorates the Declaration of Independence by Ho Chi Minh in 1945.

- Christmas Day (Giang Sinh) 25 December