| Vietnam ((vi)Việt Nam) | |
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| Flag | |
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| Information | |
| Capital city | Hanoi (Hà Nội) |
|---|---|
| Area | 331 000 km² |
| Population | 88 000 000 hab. (2010) |
| Density | 265,86 inhab./km² |
| Form of State | Unitary state |
| Cash | đồng (VND) |
| Electricity | 220 V/50 Hz, American plug in the south, European in the north |
| Telephone prefix | 84 |
| Internet suffix | .vn |
| Flow direction | Right-hand drive |
| Spindle | UTC 7 |
| Location | |
 16 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ N 108 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ E | |
| Official site | |
| Touristic site | |
the Vietnam is a country ofSouth East Asia, border of the China north of Laos to the west, from Cambodia to the southwest and bordered by the Gulf of Tonkin and the China Sea to the east.
Understand
Geography
Spanning over 331 688 km2, Vietnam, Viet Nam - "the South of the Viets", can be divided into three regions, corresponding to the old historical regions: the South (Cochinchina), the Center (Annam), and the North (Tonkin). The country is very mountainous (80% of its surface) and has large areas of tropical forests (42%).
South, capital Ho Chi Minh City (ex-Saigon), is divided between the rice fields of the Mekong Delta and the mountains often covered with jungle, especially on the Cambodian border. The delta (40 000 km2) is less than 10 foot above sea level and is crisscrossed by rivers and canals. The sediments brought by the river are such that the delta advances from 60 to 80 meters per year. It is a region of rice fields and orchards.
The center, capital Da Nang, includes highlands populated by minorities, a jagged coast with many beaches (Hội An, Nha Trang, Mui Ne) and three main historical sites: the old (2200 years old) city of Hội An, the Cham ruins of My Son, and the ancient capital of Hue, with its citadel and imperial tombs.
The North, capital Hanoi, which is also that of Vietnam, consists of a wide plain formed by the delta of the Red River (15 000 km2) and higher and higher mountains, dotted with small valleys and culminating in 3 143 m at Mount Fan Si Pan. The entire region along the Chinese border is a breathtaking shambles of mountains and karst peaks. It is in the North that there are two unique sites in the world: Halong Bay, in 160 km east of Hanoi, and terrestrial Along Bay from Tam Coc to 100 km South.
Weather
Due to the differences in latitude and the very marked relief, the climate varies considerably from north to south, with also a marked difference between the coasts and the mountainous interior:
The North :
- Perfect climate in October-November and April-June: temperatures between 21 ° C and 28 ° C. The best time to visit the North, although may be subject to frequent short rains.
- December to March: Winter can be sunny, but is cold, especially in January and February, where there can also be thick fogs. To count 15 ° C To 18 ° C in the delta, 5 ° C To 12 ° C in the mountains (in January and February, it can be 0 ° C at night in Sa Pa). Winter clothes essential.
- July-late September is the “summer” season, with temperatures of 30 ° C To 40 ° C and, in July, heavy rains, but usually brief in the late afternoon or at night.
The center :
- February-May is the best period, the worst being from September to November (heavy rains; typhoons in September and especially October during which Hội An is often completely inundated). The climate is much cooler on the Hauts Plateaux (Dalat, Ban Mê Thuôt) than on the coast.
- Dalat, to 1 500 m altitude, enjoys an excellent climate all year round, with all the same "a little wool" essential in the morning and in the evening in winter
South :
Temperatures vary less than in the rest of the country:
- December-April: the best season, February being the driest month of the year and March and April the two hottest months (35 ° C on average).
- July-September: the worst period, hot and very humid, with almost daily rains, but generally at the end of the afternoon, and sometimes brutal floods of the Mekong and its tributaries between mid-August and mid-September.
Story
A rich and complex history strewn with wars.
In the north, the first verified element (in Chinese archives) is that of the existence of a great state Yue, the name given to the Chinese to their "barbarians", that is to say to the non-Han Chinese, between Shanghai and Canton, during the era of the Warring States (5th BC). In 221 BC, the Chinese kingdom of Se-Tchuan pushes the Yue to the south, therefore to Tonkin, and ends up invading it. The first Chinese prefect of the region founded on his own account a first Viet kingdom, which he baptized Nam Vietnam, ("The South of the Viets"). In 111 BC, the Chinese invaded this kingdom, the beginning of a Chinese occupation that will last ten centuries. In the Center reign the Cham, Indonesians, of the great kingdom of Champa, driven out by the Viets in 1471 and in the South, it is the great kingdom of Fu Nan, which also covers present-day Cambodia. These two kingdoms plus that of the Khmers and that of Java are perpetually at war between them (the Indonesians will push as far as Siam and Laos and the Cham as far as Angkor).
From there, the history of Vietnam is a perpetual struggle to repel the Chinese and then Mongol invaders, and a slow "nibbling" of all Vietnam by the Viets, started under the first dynasty, that of the Ngo (939- 967), followed by Dinh (939-967) and Lê Anterior (980-1009), founded by King Lê Hoàn, who pushes the Chinese back to the north and seizes the Cham kingdom up to the Cloud Pass (north of Danang). It was then the Tran (1225-1400), who were mainly occupied in repelling the Mongol invasions; a period of anarchy; the dynasty of Lê Posteriors (1428-1528), which ended the conquest of the kingdom of Champa in 1471; two minor dynasties (Macs and Lê, but very weakened), and a terrible revolt, that of Tây Son (1776-1792), at the end of which Nguyen Anh was proclaimed emperor in 1802 under the name of Gia Long and settles its capital in Hue; it was the Nguyen dynasty, which ended in 1946 with the abdication of the last emperor, Bao Dai.
Europeans came from XVIe century, with the Portuguese settled in 1516 in Hội An, in 35 km south of Danang, where they founded a port, Fai Fo; the other colonizers are very "busy" elsewhere: the Dutch in Indonesia, the French and English in India. However, from the start there were very active missionaries in Vietnam, especially French ones, including the Jesuit Alexander of Rhodes, who invented the what ngu , the writing of Vietnamese in the Roman alphabet, and Bishop Pineau de Béhaine, who helped Gia Long unify Vietnam and become emperor. Gia Long's successor, Minh Mang, worried about the activities of French missionaries, isolates the country and persecutes Christians, a policy continued by his son Tu Duc. After many adventures, the French control the South, then seize the North, and the protectorate is established on , recognized by China in 1885.
French colonization, author of remarkable achievements, including railways and plantations, still sees periodic regional revolts drowned in an iron fist. In 1904, Japan's victory over Russia made Asian nationalists understand that Westerners could be defeated. In 1917, it is the installation of communism in Russia. The Viet Minh can begin!
Born in 1890 in the north of Annam (current province of Ngê An), a perpetual cradle of revolutionaries, Ho Chi Minh published in 1919 in Paris a manifesto for the establishment of democracy in Annam under the name of Nguyên le Patriote (Nguyên Ai Quôc). In 1920, coming to the Congress of the Socialist Party in Tours to claim the independence of Vietnam, he joined the French Communist Party, one of its first members, then moved to China; in 1930, with the help of Mao, he founded the Indochinese Communist Party (PCI) then, in 1941, the "League for the Independence of Vietnam" (Việt Nam Độc lập Đồng minh Hội - Viêt Minh). In 1941, he returned to Vietnam and took the name of Ho Chi Minh ("Uncle of the enlightened will") in 1942. In 1943, the Viet Minh controlled the Northeast province (Cao Bang and Thay Nguyen) ; in March 1945, the Japanese organized the massacre of French troops in revenge for their near defeat. After their surrender, the Viet Minh returned to Hanoi, where Ho Chi Minh proclaimed independence on September 2.
At the end of 1945, General Leclerc regained control of the South, and that of the North in 1946. The , the French government recognizes the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, but within the framework of the French Union and with the question of the reunification of the 3 regions North, Center and South submitted to a subsequent referendum, which the Viet Minh ultimately refuses during final negotiations at Fontainebleau ((). It is the inevitable war, which began in Haiphong on November 19, where minor incidents are magnified on both sides and culminate in a French repression that kills thousands.
After a guerrilla war without great danger to French interests, a thunderclap occurs: the troops of Mao Tse Tung, arriving at the Chinese border, equip and train the Viet Minh, whose divisions General Giap multiply. Feeling strong enough, in October he attacked the French evacuating Cao Bang around the Dong Khé post, on the famous Colonial Road No 4 (RC 4). It's a disaster: 3000 dead and 5000 wounded on the French side and, in panic, the evacuation of Langson and Hoa Binh. The situation was saved by the arrival of General de Lattre de Tassigny (whose only son was killed in Ninh Binh in 1951), but we can write that the death knell for the French presence sounded . The war continued, but unsuccessful, and ended with the defeat of Ðiện Biên Phủ le .
The Geneva agreements, signed on , establish the partition of Vietnam between the communist north up to the 17th parallel (north of Hue) and the rest of the country still under French control, with elections planned throughout the country to establish or not reunification. But the Americans, who have gradually eliminated the French, install a Catholic and fiercely anti-communist president, Ngô Dinh Diêm, who organizes rigged elections (99.2% of "YES"!) Establishing the Republic of South Vietnam. If he was of integrity, his family was much less, which installed a system of widespread corruption. If we add the persecution of the Buddhists (this is the time of the bonzes who immolate themselves in flaming gasoline), we understand that the guerrillas of the communist rebels, the Viet Cong, are spreading every day. Unable to repel it, Diem called more and more on American advisers, then on troops, the first of which landed in Danang in March 1965; they will be 543,000 in 1969, in vain: declared "practically vanquished" in 1968, the Viet Cong launched the Tet offensive throughout South Vietnam, an offensive repulsed by American troops, but which made Washington understand that they are fighting for a lost cause (mainly through the appalling corruption that reigned in the South). The Americans began the bombardment of the North in 1973, but without result, and their troops evacuated the country in 1973. At the beginning of 1975, the North Vietnamese troops entered the Center; it is the debacle of the South Vietnamese and the North Vietnamese arrive in Saigon on .
Wars over? No ! In 1979, exasperated by the abuses committed by the Khmer Rouge in the border area, Vietnamese troops invaded Cambodia and drove them out. Allies of the Khmer Rouge, the Chinese invaded northern Vietnam by surprise, and were driven back after two months less 50,000 men and more than 400 tanks. It is the end of the many wars in Vietnam.
After a very difficult period which saw the flight of many citizens (among others the famous "Boat People"), and the slowing down of Russian aid after the collapse of the Russian "empire", the government established a policy openness, especially economic, which has borne fruit since 1990, with remarkable economic development.
Population and religion
Vietnam has over 90 million inhabitants. 86% of the population is Viet (Kinh), concentrated in deltas, coastal plains, and large cities. The remainder is made up of 12% of 54 ethnic minorities (H’mong, Thais, Dao, etc.), living mainly in the mountains and small inland plains, and who fiercely keep all their traditions. There are also 2% Chinese.
Many religions coexist in Vietnam, from Buddhism to Confucianism and Catholicism (8% of the population), Taoism, animism (among the hill tribes), and some Muslims among the Chams of the Cambodian border. Religious or not, Vietnamese all practice ancestor worship, and seeing a crucifix above an ancestor altar is no rarity.
Holidays and public holidays
A very industrious people, the Vietnamese have very few vacations. The biggest is the Tet (New Year) feast. It takes place on the day of the first new moon, in the middle of the period between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, between January 21 and February 20. The festivities last from the first day of the year to the third, but more and more Vietnamese leave a week before and return a week after Tet Day. It is not a Western New Year celebration, but a family celebration, which explains why the big cities are deserted, the majority of their inhabitants going to the provinces to visit the family. Few public demonstrations. Problem for tourists: all public transport is full, some (for example last year the Hue-Hanoi trains) being even closed to tourists. The other "big" holiday is May 1 (3-4 days of holiday ).
Many local festivals, especially among minorities, but the dates are published in lunar months, so difficult to determine, and only the most famous are announced. In fact, the big local "festival" is the big weekly market, on Saturdays and especially on Sunday mornings. It is not only an opportunity to buy and sell, but to meet between villages. The most famous is the Fleuris h'mong market in Bac Ha, on the Chinese border (Sunday morning from 6 h - 13 h).
Regions
Traditionally, Vietnam is divided into 3 regions: the North, Hanoi capital, mainly mountainous apart from the Red River delta, the second most populous delta in the world after that of Bangladesh; the famous Halong Bay is on the north coast; the Center, Hue capital, with an interior of high plateaus; the South, the capital Ho Chi Minh City, which essentially consists of the Mekong Delta and its many tributaries. It should be noted that the climate is very different from one region to another.
The coasts can be seen as a separate region, although the Vietnamese do not. We then have 4 regions:
.png/400px-Vietnam_Regions_Map_(fr).png) Vietnam Map |
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Cities
- Hanoi – The political capital
- Cần Thơ – Main city of the Mekong Delta; floating markets on the Mekong Delta, including Cai Rang
- Đà Lạt – Small mountain town, the French favorite resort of Saigon during colonial times. A true museum of Art Deco architecture.
- Da Nang – Third largest city in the center of the country and in full economic development centered around its large deep-water port.
- Ðiện Biên Phủ – The capital of the Thai country, seat of the final battle and the defeat of the French against the Viet Minh during the Indochina War in May 1954.
- Haiphong – Port city.
- Huê – Former imperial capital of the last dynasty of the emperors of Vietnam, that of the Nguyen.
- Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) – the largest city and the economic capital of the country.
- Hội An – Historic old town and large tourist center.
- Nha trang – Large seaside resort.
- Sa Pa – the great center of trekking in Vietnam (highest point of the region: Mount Fan Xi Pan 3 150 m), populated mainly by the Black H'mong and Red Dao minorities.
Other destinations
- The Halong Bay To 170 km east of Hanoi,
- The Halong bay on land around Ninh Bình (Tam Cốc-Bích Động cave) at 120 km south of Hanoi
- The Mai Chau valley To 4 h drive northwest of Hanoi
- The Ban Gioc Falls north of Cao Bang, the most spectacular in Vietnam
- the Ba Be lake To 4 h drive northeast of Hanoi
- The national park of Phong Nha-Ke Bang (the most beautiful caves in Vietnam) between Hanoi and Hue
- The island of Phu Quoc and the islands Con Dao off the south coast
To go
Vietnam has very strict laws regarding the entry into the country of hostile government literature, pornography, firearms and explosives. CDs and cassettes can be confiscated for verification but will be returned after a few days. It is illegal to take antiques out of Vietnam. When purchasing crafts, and especially any item that looks old, ask the seller for a receipt, along with a statement that the item is eligible for export.
Formalities
There are 4 types of tourist visas: 1 month and 3 months single entry, one month and 3 months multiple entries. Vietnam has more complicated visa requirements than in Cambodia and Laos: - If you are arriving by land (eg bus or boat Phnom Penh-Chau Doc), a visa in advance is required, to be taken at a consulate - If you are arriving through an international airport (HCMC, Danang and Hanoi) you can obtain a visa on arrival provided you have an invitation letter from Immigration, which is easily obtained online by the intermediary of a Vietnamese agency; this letter is presented to immigration on arrival and the visa given immediately. More and more tourists are choosing this solution, which is cheaper than the visa in advance (in 2013: 45 $ for 1 month and 3 months an entry, 65 $ for 1 month multiple entries and 95 $ for 3 months multiple entries - Invitation letter 15 $ for 1 to 5 people)
Between the and , passport holders of the Colombia, of the'Germany, of the France, of the'Spain andItaly will not need a visa for stays of up to 15 days. For more than 15 days, you should always apply for a visa before your arrival, which you can apply for at the Vietnamese embassy in your country.
If you plan to arrive in Vietnam by an international flight to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang, a legitimate alternative to obtaining a visa through the Embassy of Vietnam, in your own country or another, is to take a visa on arrival (VOA), very simple and cheaper. Once issued, this visa is exactly the same as a visa issued by the Vietnamese embassy or consulate, with the same limitations and conditions attached to its use.
The VOA is not a full visa: First, you employ a local travel agent (before your arrival) for an official visa approval letter on arrival. The fees charged by agents for this service vary from 9 $ and more, depending on the type of visa. Then you need to pay the visa fee at the airport (45 $ US visa for one month (30 days) or 3 months (90 days) of single entry, 65 $ US for the less than 30 days multi-entry visa, US $ 95 for the one month (30 days) or 3 months (90 days) multi-entry visa).
- Vietnam
- Visa exemption for 30 days
- Visa exemption for 21 days
- Visa exemption for 15 days
- Visa exemption for 14 days
- Visa exemption for passports approved for public affairs
- Visa required
By plane
Several companies serve Vietnam from Europe:
- Aeroflot
- Air France
- Cathay pacific
- Continental Airlines
- China Airlines
- Eva air
- Malaysia Airlines
- Qatar Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- United Airlines
- Vietnam Airlines
All flights are generally made with a connection at the hub (crossroads or hub) of the company (eg Kuala Lumpur for Malaysia Airlines or Hong Kong for Cathay Pacific). Direct flights sometimes have a stopover of less than an hour which does not always require getting off the plane and luggage is not unloaded, which limits the inconvenience.
On a boat
Many luxury cruise ships call at the ports of Da Nang and Nha Trang, and even less regularly in Ho Chi Minh City.
By train
By bus
By car or motorbike
It is illegal for a non-Vietnamese to drive a car or a motorbike in Vietnam unless he resides there, which is why there are no car rental companies without a driver in the country; on the other hand, although it is forbidden to drive a motorbike, it is tolerated and rental companies abound; problem: you must return the bike to its starting point, which limits the possibilities to loops. For the car, it is possible for a foreign tourist to obtain a temporary permit, but this involves administrative procedures to be checked with a consulate. You also need a customs clearance book. If you are towing a trailer with a different registration, another copy of the same document is required.
Circulate
By train
The trains do not go fast, given the condition of the tracks. There is a line that connects Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, but you should not be in a hurry, as the journey is about two days for a distance of 1 500 km. This line is called "Reunification Train" or in English "Reunification Express". The slowness of the journey is explained in particular by the dilapidated nature of the track and the rolling stock still dating from the French occupation, but also by the fact that it is a single track which only allows trains to cross. 'at the train station. Occasional derailments further increase the journey time. In spite of everything, the tourist must take this line, by sections, which is worth the detour, in particular for passages on stone viaducts. From Hanoi, this line continues east to the large port of Haiphong and north to Langson, one of the three gateways to China (the other two being Mon Cai north of Haiphong Bay). Along and Lao Cai to enter Southeast China).
There is also a line that connects Hanoi to Lao Cai at the Chinese border (approx. 8 h path). Night trains (departure to 21 h 30, arrival Lao Cai around 5 h 30) are very popular with many tourists going for trekking in the famous resort of Sa Pa (34 km west of Sa Pa - 1 h transfer), as well as by those who want to visit Southeast China (Yunnan and Sichuan). Curiously, behind the same Diesel locomotive are hung the cars of each operator, all independent, ranging from basic hard berths to superior cars like Sapaly or Livitrans; Please note that the Victoria luxury train, the only one with a bar-restaurant and two-cabin berths, is reserved for guests of the Victoria Sa Pa hotel.
For long distances, many tourists use the night trains: be careful, the beds are available in hard or soft beds; the "hard" really are and there are six berths per cabin instead of four in soft berths; needless to say that you have to ask for soft bunks!
By bus
Several companies (TM Brothers, Hanh Café, ...) offer "open-bus" tickets in the main cities of Vietnam. It is therefore possible to cross Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City for about 22 $ by making stops in interesting cities: Ninh Binh, Đồng Hới, Hué, Danang, Hội An, Nha Trang, Dalat, Mui Ne. With the "open bus" principle, you can stay as many days as you want in these stopover towns. Tickets are generally valid for two months. Just call the company the day before and they will pick you up from your hotel directly. The "open-bus tickets" are generally reserved for tourists, and have air conditioning.
Crossing the country by local bus is permitted, but expect some difficulty. Buses are often overcrowded. They can be expected on the side of the road, but in this case you will be asked in 90% of cases a price significantly higher than what the Vietnamese pay. At night, they will not stop, even with your most insistent posturing, because the drivers will be afraid of an armed robbery. One should also consider the fact that, except for modern mainline buses, local buses and minibuses are built for Vietnamese, usually small in size, so little leg room for a Westerner.
It will therefore be more judicious to look for the bus station, and to buy your ticket at the counter. You will even have to try to get there the day before to find the schedules for the next day. But the bus station is often located outside the city, so you will need to take a motorcycle taxi to get there. However, it is very difficult to explain to the driver that we are looking for this one. And since we do not know how far it is exactly, it is impossible to negotiate a good price. Once there, a few insistent Vietnamese will try to prevent you from reaching the ticket office. They will try at all costs to get you on their bus in order to directly pocket the money for the ticket, and it will always be more expensive than at the ticket office. Another problem: when your bag is on the roof and it starts to rain.
However, traveling by local bus does not have all drawbacks. We share the life of Vietnamese who turn out to be quite nice, while away from tourists. The locals are warm: they won't hesitate to sleep on your shoulder. You will be able to transport goods like chickens or bags of rice without anyone seeing anything wrong. And it is also possible to have your motorcycle transported on the roof, something completely impossible with the "open-buses". You can even come across quite comfortable buses, but you have to be lucky. The Vietnamese have not yet understood that you should not open the window with the air conditioning.
By car or motorbike
Road signs meet international standards. However, the signs in and at the exit of the big cities are most of the time absent!
However, beware of the local driving style which is quite perilous not to say suicidal! The most glaring example is that of overtaking where many motorists take an extra line, which gives no less than three vehicles driving in the same direction. In cities, it is very common to run red lights or go up a street in the wrong direction. The right-hand priority, if it exists (?), It is never respected.Warning: the vehicle in front of you has all the rights, 3/4 of the motorcycles do not have mirrors, which are not compulsory , and car drivers rarely use them, so always watch them carefully.
In the event of an accident, it is recommended to call the police so that they can draw up an accident report themselves. Be aware that the blame usually rests with foreigners who are said to be richer than the locals.
Speed limits:
- Route: 80 km / h (70 km / h if of 3.5 tons and / or with trailer ...) (60 km / h on a motorcycle...)
- City : 30 km / h
And beware, the police are now equipped with radars, even in villages far from the main roads. If you are stopped for speeding, you must then "negotiate".
By plane
It is possible to buy plane tickets to travel between the main cities of Vietnam. The service is quick and inexpensive. The plane also allows you to keep your energies to visit the most interesting.
To speak
the Vietnamese is a tonal monosyllabic language, which makes it particularly difficult for French speakers to learn and speak. The same syllable can have up to six distinct tones, with which are associated as many different meanings.
The oldest Vietnamese still speak a little French, sometimes extremely well. However, among younger generations, even though French is taught in school, theEnglish has become the preferred language. Since 2005, young people have also been learning Mandarin ; courses abound at Ho Chi Minh City.
However, the traveler will be able to learn a few words of Vietnamese and establish a dialogue with the Vietnamese. Indeed, if you cannot pronounce the words exactly, the context helps a lot.
If you speak English, talk to young people, who are learning it at school. In fact, many will approach you in the streets to chat with you and improve the language.
So, it is advisable to go to Vietnam not only for its scenery but for its people. No need to go to them: they will go to you, to sell you something, but sometimes to speak French or English and especially to get to know you.
Say at least "Hello" (Chào) and thank you (Cám on, pronounced Cam on) in Vietnamese, you will make friends with them for life!
To buy
The currency is the dong (đồng), its ISO 4217 code is VND and the abbreviation of đồng is ₫. In January 2013, one euro corresponded to approximately 27,000 dong, and a dollar to 21,000 dong. You can also pay in dollars, a little less often in euros, for services like bus trips, hotel rooms, etc. But to eat (you can eat very well in a street restaurant for 30-50,000 dong), to market and to haggle, it is much better to use Vietnamese currency.
There are banknotes of 200 ₫, 500 ₫, 1000 ₫, 2000 ₫, 5000 ₫, 10,000 ₫, 20,000 ₫, 50,000 ₫, 100,000 ₫, 200,000 ₫ and 500,000 ₫ and coins of 200 ₫, 500 ₫, 1000 ₫, 2000 ₫ and 5000 ₫.
| Current VND exchange rate | |
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Vietnam has suffered from terrible inflation for several years; 25% en 2010, 17 en 2011, 22 en 2012, avec des augmentations brutales en avril 2011, le gouvernement a augmenté l'essence de 50% et, en 2012, les transports publics avions inclus de 15-20%).
Retraits dans les distributeurs automatiques de billets et frais prélevés
- ACB Bank
- Agribank : frais de 22 000 VND par retrait (plafond de retrait : 3 000 000 VND)
- ANZ
- BIDV
- Citibank
- Sacombank
- SHB : frais de 55 000 VND pour un retrait de 3 000 000 VND
- Vietcombank
- Vietinbank
Eat
La cuisine vietnamienne est délicieuse. Beaucoup de plats contiennent du nuoc mam, une sauce de poissons, qui est très forte dégustée seule, mais excellente dans les plats. La ville de Huê, dans le centre du pays, mérite trois étoiles au niveau culinaire. Ancienne cité impériale, son excellence se retrouve encore aujourd'hui dans sa cuisine, dénommée "Cuisine impériale". Hội An est également un grand centre gastronomique, ainsi que certains sites bien déterminés, par example l'île de Cat Ba dans la baie d'Along, réputée pour l'excellence de sa cuisine de produits de la mer.Pour les routards, d'innombrables petites échopes peuplent les rues et il est possible de manger pour 30-50 000 dongs (1 à 2 €) un bol de Pho (soupe traditionnelle aux nouilles de riz et viande) ou un petit repas avec riz et accompagnement. Et en plus c'est bon !
Banh cong
Voici quelques adresses pour déguster des bánh cống (des beignets garnis de crevettes) :
- les restaurants de trottoir de Sóc Trāng, le long de la Route Nationale No. 1, en direction de la province de Bạc Liėu ;
- les restaurants Cô Út Nguyễn Trãi, No 86/38 rue Lý Tự Trọng et rue Trần Phú, dans la ville de Cần Thơ, de la province de Cần Thơ ;
- on peut trouver des bánh cống de Saïgon un peu partout, par exemple dans les gargottes des rues Nguyễn Du, Trần Khắc Chân du district 1, rue Lý Thường Kiệt du district Gò Vấp.
Cơm tấm
the cơm tấm est un plat de riz concassé garni de viande. On peut en trouver pour 15 000 à 20 000 dongs (1 €).Voici quelques adresses pour déguster le cơm tấm (du riz concassé garni) :
- Cơm Tấm Diễm Thúy dans le district Châu Thành et Oanh du district Cái Bè de la province Tiền Giang ;
- dans le quartier des rues Phạm Ngũ Lảo et Bùi viện, à Ho Chi Minh City ;
- Cơm tấm Bụi (de 35 000 - 60 000 dongs), Thuận Kiều, Cali et Nguyễn Văn Cừ (de 70 000 - 120 000 dongs) à Ho Chi Minh City.
Have a drink / Go out
La bière fraîche bia hơi est la meilleure que l'on puisse trouver au Viêt Nam. Elle est fabriquée localement, et la pinte se vend à 8000 dongs le verre. On peut également boire des bières en bouteille, étrangères comme la fameuse Tiger (bière de Singapour), ou vietnamiennes (Hanoi, Saigon, BGI, Larue...). Il est strictement interdit de boire de l'alcool dans la rue.
La loi ordonne de fermer tous les bars, restaurants, discos, etc. To 22 h 30. Toutefois, depuis 2 ans, la loi n'a pas changé mais de plus en plus d'établissements restent ouverts plus tard, notamment à Hanoi et Saigon.
Extrêmement peu de criminalité au Viêt Nam, un des pays les plus sûrs du monde, car la police est féroce avec les criminels. Par contre, attention aux pickpockets, surtout dans les marchés de nuit ; ne jamais marcher avec un sac en bandoulière dans le dos.
Housing
L'hôtellerie vietnamienne se développe à une vitesse record pour suivre le nombre grandissant des touristes. On peut donc trouver maintenant d'excellents établissements allant de l'auberge de jeunesse au 5 étoiles, le tout à des prix défiant toute concurrence comparés aux prix occidentaux. À noter que la quasi-totalité des hôtels ont un bureau Excursions. Les maisons d'hôtes sont de plus en plus populaires auprès des touristes, et se multiplient donc également.
Cheap
Dans les grands centres touristiques, les dortoirs pour routards se multiplient. Compter 5-6 $ le lit dans un bon "Backpackers Hostel" (ils sont connus sous ce vocable, l'équivalent de "Auberge de jeunesse").
Les petits hôtels bon marché s'appellent des Nha Ngi ("Maison Repos"). Ils vont de très bien à horrible, donc il faut bien vérifier lequel vous sélectionnez. Eviter les nha ngi fréquentées par les locaux, qui sont extrêmement bruyants même à 5 h 30, et dont beaucoup sont mal tenues. Vous pouvez très bien vous loger pour 8 à 12 US$ dans tout le Viêt Nam. Parfois vous y trouverez des perles d'hôtels avec des hôteliers sympathiques. Le tourisme se développant très vite, beaucoup de ces établissements ont maintenant le confort occidental (salle de bain privée, télévision, Internet, etc.). Il est toutefois conseillé de visiter votre chambre avant d'y poser vos valises, ce qu'on vous proposera d'ailleurs fréquemment. La quasi-totalité ne servent que les petits déjeuners.
Plus cher
Excellents 3 étoiles un peu partout, à des prix raisonnables (30-45 $). Nombreux dans les grands centres touristiques, ils le sont beaucoup moins (ou absents) dans des sites touristiques moins fréquentés.
4 et 5 étoiles
Présents dans les grands centres touristiques, très rares ailleurs : dans tout le nord du Viêt Nam, à part un dans la baie d'Along terrestre de Ninh Binh et le Victoria à Sa Pa, il n'y en a qu'à Hanoi, dont le célèbre Sofitel Métropole, un joyau d'Art Déco. Les prix sont raisonnables comparés à ceux qui se pratiquent en Occident.
Les maisons d'hôtes
De plus en plus nombreuses, car elles sont devenues très populaires parmi les touristes. Le meilleur moyen d'avoir un contact avec les locaux ! On en trouve - peu - dans les grands centres touristiques (à Hanoi par exemple, ce sont de petits immeubles, mais on peut tout de même prendre ses repas avec la famille en table d'hôtes) ; elles sont surtout en province, notamment chez les minorités. Ces dernières sont très simples : dortoir, douche (pas toujours) et toilettes communes ; en revanche, on y mange souvent bien (le plus souvent avec la famille) et on ne peut pas trouver plus authentique. Dans certains villages très visités par les touristes, comme celui de Ban Lac à côté de Mai Chau ou celui de Pac Ngoi sur le lac Babe, la majorité des maisons ont été transformées en maisons d'hôtes. Compter 5-6 $ par personne pour le lit, 2 $ petit-déjeuner, 5-7 $ déjeuner et diner. Les treks de plusieurs jours incluent toutes les nuits en maison d'hôtes.
To learn
To work
S'installer au Viêt Nam pour y travailler n'est pas chose facile, à moins d'y être envoyé par une société. Contrairement à la Thailand, où on peut facilement être par exemple professeur sans permis de travail (mais il faut alors faire le "visa run" tous les mois au Cambodge, ce qui devient fastidieux), les autorités vietnamiennes sont très pointilleuses sur le sujet : il faut
- Trouver un emploi
- Obtenir de votre employeur un contrat de travail
- Demander un permis de travail (300 $ en 2013 - Valable 2 ans) et un visa business (110 $ en 2013 - Renouvelable tous les ans) aux autorités, ce qui est assez compliqué, car il y a beaucoup de documents à fournir, qui doivent être traduits en vietnamien et certifiés , et les nombreux formulaires à remplir ne sont qu'en vietnamien ; pour le permis, il faut passer une visite médicale complète, qui n'est pas bon marché (150-200 $ en 2013). Il est donc préférable d'engager un avocat vietnamien pour s'y retrouver.
Volunteering
Le voyageur qui souhaite découvrir le Vietnam autrement via son secteur associatif peut rejoindre une association locale pour y être bénévole. Il est assez complexe de trouver soi-même une association locale active dans le domaine qui vous intéresse si vous ne parlez pas le vietnamien et si vous n’êtes pas sur place. Beaucoup d'associations sont de petites tailles et ont rarement un site web.Par contre, il existe des associations de volontariat international officielles qui font le lien entre le secteur associatif local et les volontaires internationaux. Attention aux arnaques sur le web, il existe de très nombreux sites web d'entreprises de volontourisme américaines ou européennes qui se font passer pour des ONG et qui facturent leurs services très chers : comptez plus de 2000 euros pour 15 jours alors que le secteur associatif ne demande rarement plus de 400 euros par mois (soutient au projet, logement et nourriture compris). Quelques associations officielles:
- Solidarité Jeunesses Vietnam , e-mail : [email protected]
- Service Volontaire International France & Belgique (SVI) Bruxelles, Lille,
32 2 888 67 13 (Belgique), 33 9 80 13 05 13 (France), fax : 32 67 85 79 50, e-mail : [email protected] 
Mon.- Fri. : 10 h 30 - 18 h 30. 
free. – Organisation de jeunesse et de volontariat international non lucrative
Mon.- Fri. : 
free- VPV
- United Nations Vietnam
Communicate
De très nombreux cybercafés, à l'accès plus ou moins rapide, sont à votre disposition pour des tarifs très avantageux. Cela varie de 2000 à 4000 dongs de l'heure. Dans les quartiers touristiques vous paierez 6000 dongs. Auparavant, chaque courriel qui sortait du pays était systématiquement contrôlé par les autorités vietnamiennes. Ils auraient bien du mal à faire cela de nos jours.
La plupart des hôtels ont maintenant un ou plusieurs ordis à la disposition gratuite des clients dans le lobby. Dans les petits hôtels bon marché, ils sont assez souvent bourrés de virus ou ce sont de vielles machines super-lentes.
Une particularité du Viêt Nam est que l'accès à Yahoo est toujours plus rapide que celui à Hotmail. Les soirs de weekend, les cybercafés sont envahis par des hordes d'adolescents, adeptes de chat (clavardage) ou de jeux en lignes ultra bruyants. La bande passante s'en fait ressentir, et l'Internet est toujours plus lent le week-end. L'Internet dans certaines régions, notamment au centre du pays, peut s'avérer très lent.
Certains jeunes curieux viendront observer ce que vous faites derrière votre épaule. Il faut s'y habituer. De toute manière, ils ne comprennent pas le français (en général).
En ce qui concerne le téléphone, il faut aller à la poste. Pour téléphoner en Europe, il faut compter environ 13 000 dongs la minute. Dans les grandes villes, vous pourrez trouver le téléphone par Internet à des prix nettement plus raisonnables : 2000 dongs la minute pour un appel vers un fixe en Europe.
Security
 | Emergency telephone number: Police :112 Ambulance:115 Firefighter :114 |
Il est communément reconnu que voyager au Viêt Nam ne comporte pas de risques majeurs.La situation politique et économique y est stable, le niveau de criminalité est faible et les diverses ethnies cohabitent en paix. Il n’existe aucun conflit religieux, celles-ci se respectent pour créer de nouvelles croyances tel que le caodaïsme.Le Viêt Nam a récemment été élu la destination la plus sûre du monde. On peut s’y promener en toute quiétude à toute heure du jour et de la nuit. Même si le pays est encore marqué par la pauvreté, celle-ci n’est pas synonyme d’insécurité ou de délinquance. La plupart des voyageurs estiment que c’est un pays facile à parcourir où l’on rencontre relativement peu de désagréments.
Government travel advice
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Belgium (Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) 
Canada (Government of Canada) 
France (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 
Swiss (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs)
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Health
Si vous êtes à Hanoï ou Saigon, l'hôpital français est vraiment très bien, hygiène parfaite, médecins et chirurgiens français, et la plupart des infirmières parlent le français. Par contre, dans l'ensemble, le service de santé vietnamien n'est pas développé, malgré une forte présence des dispensaires dans les villages reculés, par manque de personnels qualifiés et d'équipements modernes pour traiter les maladies graves.
Plus généralement au Viêt Nam, les médicaments se vendent à l'unité sans aucune ordonnance ( les pharmaciens vous demandent quelques descriptions de votre problème de santé avant de vous conseiller des médicaments correspondant) dans les pharmacies et en cas de "tourista", une ou deux pilules suffisent. Vous pouvez aussi vendre vos médicaments inutilisés dans presque toutes les petites pharmacies. Il faut faire attention aux faux médicaments qui sont omniprésents dans ces pharmacies locales. Donc il est bien conseillé de prendre votre propre trousse de pharmacie. Pour trouver des bons médicaments, il faut bien en noter les noms. On ne trouve peut-être pas exactement les mêmes mais ceux de même famille.
Encore un truc à savoir, les Vietnamiens sont très forts pour les lunettes ! Vous pouvez acheter une paire de lunettes à votre vue pour moins de 30 ou 40 US$ et le tout en 15 min (test de vue compris). Excellents dentistes, et au 10e du prix que ceux pratiqués en France !
Tenez bien en compte avant de partir que le Vietnam est un pays tropical (sauf le Nord) et peut signifier grand soleil, forte humidité, risques de maladies tropicales, toutefois rares ; certaines zones isolées comme les jungles du Centre et de la frontière cambodgienne au sud sont encore sujettes à la malaria et la dengue, mais un bon aérosol ou lotion anti-moustique est tout ce qu'il vous faut (à amener de préférence, car difficile à trouver dans le pays - ce qui prouve bien que les moustiques ne sont pas un problème - et cher).
Respect
Comme partout en Asie, nombreuses règles de politesse et de bonne conduite. Parmi celles-ci, les 2 plus strictes sont : on ne se promène pas dans les rues torse nu (ou en "petite tenue" chez les femmes), et on enlève ses chaussures en entrant dans une maison (mais pas dans une pagode, contrairement à la règle très stricte en Thaïlande). On ne pointe jamais du doigt ; en position assise, on ne pointe jamais ses pieds vers un vietnamien (les pieds sont impurs); on ne touche pas les cheveux des enfants ; on ne s'énerve pas (les vietnamiens le font entre eux, mais c'est mal vu de la part des étrangers et de plus, on "perd la face", très important en Asie) ; on n'entre pas chez quelqu'un sans être invité, même en trek chez les minorités ; on apporte un petit cadeau (sac de thé, boite de biscuits, etc. mais pas de vin, que les Vietnamiens n'aiment pas) si on est invité chez un particulier (ils n'ouvrent pas le cadeau devant vous par crainte de montrer leur déception s'il ne leur plait pas) ; les femmes doivent couvrir leurs épaules et bras pour rentrer dans une pagode (on ne vous refoulera pas comme en Thaïlande, mais on n'en pensera pas moins !) ; on ne boit pas d'alcool, bière comprise, dans la rue.
