Visitors to Vietnam are required to have a valid passport as well as a visa, which is issued by Vietnamese embassies, consulates, and even some tourism offices and airlines. Prices and processing time vary according to region. The price in 2010 is $85 in Washington, D.C. Visas for tourists are good for 30 days and can be extended after arriving in Vietnam. If you want to visit nearby countries such as Laos and Cambodia, a double-entry visa is required. Business visas are usually valid for six months and several entries and require sponsorship by Vietnamese company. You can request a visa form by sending an SASE to Visa Section, Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to one of the addresses below in the United States.
Consulate General
1700 California St., Suite 475
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-922-1577
1233 20th St. NW, Ste 400
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-861-2293
November through January are considered to be the most comfortable and mildest times of year as far as weather is concerned although most of the hotels and attractions in Vietnam are air-conditioned. The rainy season occurs in July and August, with cooler weather and heavy rains. Tet, the Chinese New Year, is a heavy time of travel. The date varies year to year, but is usually in February. Most businesses close, and a lot of Vietnamese return to their villages, making Saigon less enjoyable for tourists, so this time of year should probably be avoided unless you plan to stay with a Vietnamese family.
Vaccinations are not required when visiting Vietnam, but meet with your doctor or visit a medical clinic about any preparations regarding your health you may need to make. For instance, you may opt for cholera, typhoid fever, and tetanus vaccines. If you plan on heading outside of the city of Saigon, you may want to get an anti-malaria drug. It may also be a good idea to get a prescription for Ciprofloxacin or other diarrhea-treating antibiotic, just in case. If you take a regular prescription, then bring them with you in your carry-on luggage, just in case your luggage gets lost. Although most pharmacies in Vietnam don't require a prescription, they don't have as wide a variety of pharmaceuticals as some other countries do.
The official currency of Vietnam is the dong, which has no coins, only bills, the smallest of which is worth a quarter of a U.S. penny. You should expect to get between 10,000 and 13,000 dong for each U.S. dollar. The unofficial currency of Vietnam, however, is the U.S. dollar, so you'll be able to use dollars as well as dong, separately or together, at many major shopping centers, hotels, and restaurants in Saigon. Just make sure your dollar bills are clean looking, which will result in them being accepted more readily. You'll be able to exchange traveler's checks and currency at most banks although some charge a costly commission. Most businesses and hotels don't accept traveler's checks.
Because Saigon's weather is warm and humid most of the year, make sure to bring lightweight and cooler clothes. According to VietnamOnline.com, shorts are considered to be inappropriate and will make you stand out as a tourist in most of Vietnam's cities. A jacket or coat may be necessary just in case of cool weather or rain. If you'll be visiting Saigon on business, bring professional business attire, including jackets and ties, which are always appropriate for business people, no matter what the weather is like. Bring your passport and visa as well as photocopies of them and cash in American dollars, preferably in 20-and 100-dollar bills, an umbrella if you'll be visiting during the rainy season in July and August, and a money belt, a safe place to store your cash and other small personal belongings.
