Most visitors to Vietnam will need a valid visa in order to enter Vietnam except citizens of Japan, South Korea, Scandinavian countries, and certain ASEAN countries. It is now easy to get your visa either by visiting Vietnamese embassy in your country or applying for a convenient visa on arrival

Major credit cards (Visa, MasterCharge and to a lesser extent American Express) are finally beginning to find wider usage in Vietnam as more and more establishments accept them; in major cities nearly all major and mid-level hotels, restaurants and major tourist shops now accept credit cards. Except for the higher end hotels most establishments charge a three-percent transaction fee; some establishments charge a five-percent surcharge.

Known elsewhere as rickshaws or pedicabs, the cyclo’s design slightly varies according to what part of the country on is in. These are a fixture in all major and minor cities in Vietnam. Cyclos should be booked through your tour company or through the doorman or concierge of your hotel. Any trip to Vietnam without riding a cyclo is a trip deprived.

Most tourists land in Vietnam in either Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City or Danang and then make their way up or down the coast, with the choice of travel method depending both on budgets and the amount of time.

It’s unlikely that any two people traveling to Vietnam would want to use exactly the same packing list. Some would be perfectly comfortable with little more than a swimsuit, some sandals, and a couple of T-shirts, while others might have a forty-pound case of photographic equipment or dive gear. We’ve put together some suggestions to help you make a start.