The Essential Facts

Visas

Getting a visa is one of the most important things you will need to organize before you embark on your Saigon travel experience.

Having said that, some people from some countries are lucky and can enter Vietnam without a visa, and if you are from one of the countries listed below then you don't need a visa,

• Thailand - 30 days
• Indonesia - 30 days
• Singapore - 30 days
• Malaysia - 30 days
• Philippines - 30 days
• Lao - 30 days
• Kingdom of Brunei Darussalam - 30 days
• Japan - 15 days
• South Korea - 15 days

• Sweden - 15 days
• Denmark - 15 days
• Finland - 15 days
• Norway - 15 days

For everyone else, you will have to go through the process of getting a visa from your nearest Vietnam embassy or consulate, preferably six months before you leave.

1 - For a Tourist Visa you need to take the following,

• Original passport
• One visa application form
• One 2x2 passport-size photography stapled or glued to the application form
• Visa fee

2 - If you are applying for a Business Visa you must also obtain approval through your sponsor in Vietnam. The Consulate General will issue your visa only upon approval by authorities in Vietnam.

3- You can obtain a Visa on Arrival if you enter the country by air. The entry visa will be stamped on your passport when you arrive. However you will need to get an Approval Letter from the Vietnam Department of Immigration before hand. This takes two or three days and can often be arranged through travel agencies.

4 - You can get Visa Extensions relatively easily through most travel agencies.

Here is the link for the Vietnam Embassy in America, which provides useful information on visa regulations,

Link - Vietnam Embassy USA

Safety and Travel

Saigon is as safe as any big city can be, and more than likely you will not have any problems during your stay.

But having said that, it always pays to be careful, so here are some security issues you might want to be aware off when you visit Saigon.

•  Always keep your money close to your body to help avoid petty theft. Even then you still need to be careful, there are stories of thieves who have cut open a person's bag or trouser pocket with a knife in an attempt to steal a person's money. You need to be especially careful in congested areas such as markets.

•  Another technique that thieves use, is to drive past on motorbikes and snatch pursues from people walking on the footpath. If your handbag can fit over your head and shoulders then you should wear it like that, as this makes it more difficult for thieves to snatch your purse.

•  Also, never leave any valuables in any luggage that you check in at the counter when you go to the airport, or in any bags that you put on a bus or in a train. When they transfer you luggage from the check-in-counter to the plane, this gives time for the baggage handlers to open your bags and look for any valuables.

•  Try to avoid leaving valuable items in your hotel room unless they are in a hotel safe.

•  Always carry photocopies of your passport, credit card numbers, and airline tickets, and keep these copies in a safe place separate from the originals if possible.

Health and Travel

You definitely should discuss your travel plans and personal health with a health-care provider before traveling to Vietnam. Some of the highly recommended vaccinations when traveling to Vietnam include,

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Japanese encephalitis
• Rabies
• Typhoid

You will need to have these shots 4 to 6 weeks before your trip to allow the shots to take affect, so try not to leave it to the last minute!

But even if you do leave it late, you should still visit your doctor to gain information and get the shots that you still can.

Emergency Numbers Saigon

• Police - 113
• Fire Service – 114
• Ambulance – 115
• Directory Assistance – 116
• International Operator - 110
• Franco-Vietnamese Hospital Accident & Emergency number is – (08) 411 3500

Health Services

Alain Carpentier Foundation-IMC – Heart Institute: 24 hour emergency
520 Nguyen Tri Phuong, Dist 10,
HCMC
Tel: (08)865 4025

Colombia Asia Saigon: 24 hour emergency
08 Alexandere de Rhodes, Dist 1
HCMC
Tel: (08)823 8888

Franco-Vietnamese Hospital
6 Nguyen Luong Bang, Tan Phu Ward, Dist 7,
HCMC
Tel: (08)411 3333

International SOS: 24 hour emergency
65 Nguyen Du, Dist 1,
HCMC
Tel: (08)829 8424/ 829 8520

ATMs

You can use ATMs in Saigon to withdrawal money from most international banks, but you should check the fees associated with these international transactions before you leave your home country. The maximum you can withdrawal in one transaction is generally 2 million dong. Click here to see a list of ATM addresses.

Alcohol and Drugs

Vietnam has no legal minimum drinking age. But culturally speaking, it is not considered appropriate for a good Vietnamese girl to drink alcohol.

This is changing slightly though as the younger generation of Vietnamese girls tend to see social drinking as more socially acceptable. Men on the other hand often enjoy a drink or two with friends at the local Bia Hoi after work or on the weekend.

Drugs in Vietnam are prohibited, and Vietnam has some of the harshest drug trafficking penalties in the world. If you are caught with 600 grams of heroin or 20 grams of opium you can be sentenced to death.

In December 2007 alone, Vietnam sentenced 43 drug smugglers to death. Drugs and trafficking are not something that the Vietnamese authorities take lightly.