|
Costs, money & banks |
Getting around |
Police, crime & harassment |
Useful tips |
Mike Spradbery's biking page » The FCO reports that continuing outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu) among poultry throughout Vietnam. According to the World Health Organisation, 4 new cases among humans were reported this month, bringing to 59 the total number of people affected in Vietnam since December 2004. 18 of these have been fatal. Outbreaks of avian flu in poultry have also occured in Cambodia, China, Laos and Thailand, amongst other SE Asian countries. Most cases of human infection are believed to result from direct contact with infected poultry; so far human-to-human transmission has been extremely rare. However, WHO is investigating the possibility of human-to-human transmission. You should avoid places where you may come into contact with poultry and exercise care when consuming poultry dishes. You are strongly advised to check the current situation before travelling and to seek expert medical advice. Regular updates and practical advice are available from WHO and the FCO. The FCO also reports that deaths from dengue fever are on the increase in Vietnam. The disease is common throughout Vietnam, but particularly in the southern Mekong delta. There is no vaccine. The best defence is to avoid mosquito bites during the day, especially just after dawn and just before dusk. The latest statistics indicate around 25,000 cases, of which 43 were fatal, in the first 6 months of 2004.
» Before making the trip, you may want to check with your banks and credit card company and inform them that you are making the trip and will be out of town from such to such. Tell them that you will be using their service from overseas also. I do not know about other banks, but as I have Wells Fargo, I need to go change the pin to have 4 digit PIN instead of 5 like before. The reason as explained by Wells Fargo is that ATM branches in Asia have tendency to use 4 digit PIN instead. Believe me, you do not want to find out that you got to the ATM, one that will take Cirrus logoed card, only to find out that your PIN does not work, and there is no way to change the PIN over the phone from another country.
» Vietnam's tourism law came into effect on January 1 2006. As a result the government is beginning to clamp down on tour companies and tour guides operating in Vietnam without a licence. When selecting a tour company, it's wise to check they've got all the requisite licences.
» Travel in style! A range of luxury rail tours are available with Franko's Vietnam Tours. Travel is in chartered VIP sleeping and dining carriages, plus a mix of 3, 4 and 5 star hotels at stop-over destinations.
» Most tour guides speak poor English and don't know anymore history than what is already in the Rough Guide. I initially rented a car and driver or sat on cramped tour buses. I quickly learned to ride a motorbike, though, and my problems were solved. The hotel clerks always drew me maps and wrote directions in Vietnamese. (This is just as good as the drivers you hire; I cannot count the amount of time hired drivers had to stop to ask directions.) Renting a motorbike provides flexibility, independence, and access to areas not usually traveled. You can travel the tour routes by buying their maps and simply riding on a motor bike - it's cheaper, faster, and more enjoyable.
» Mike Spradbery has put together some great tips for anyone thinking of cycling in Vietnam.
» Getting from Sai Gon to Da Lat: I hired a motorcycle rather than a moped because I don't get on well with the clutchless gear change. I like to have a clutch lever on the left side of the handlebars. The machine was only a 125cc but was reliable. We covered a distance of almost 1100 kilometres without mechanical problems. Unfortunately, I had never heard of the make Bonus before renting. Although reliable, I wouldn't rent one again. The Bonus is a Vietnamese make. The problem was that it was exceedingly slow. The slow pace must, at least in part, be attributable to the fact that it only had a 4 speed gearbox. I've owned 3 motorcycles (2 Hondas and 1 Yamaha) and they all had 5 speed gearboxes. I assumed that the Bonus would be the same - wrong!! Consequently, it took two days to ride from Sai Gon to Da Lat instead of one.
» The most common taxi scams are taking you the long way around or "modified" meters. Either way, there's little you can do if you don't know your way around. You must pay what's on the meter. One other common occurrence is the driver "not having enough change". This is common with cyclos and motorbike taxis, too. Always try to keep a supply of smaller notes on you.
» Before booking a group tour, it is worth checking the maximum number of people the tour will include and whether your group will be amalgamated with groups from other operators. Some cafes and tour agents put the maximum number of people on their coaches/boats in order to save money, while others stick to more reasonable group sizes. This obviusly makes a great deal of difference.
» Bus services are really good and very easy to use. Down South we used Kim's Cafe because they are a little less touristy - most tend to use Sinh so they go to less offbeat places. The longest trip is from Nha Trang to Hoi An (15 hrs I think) but we got the train - this is definately the way to go. It is really important that you get a soft berth sleeper though or else you will be squashed in with all the locals. We had four Aussies in ours and slept the whole way only to wake up in a new city. Our friends got the bus and said it was a hellish ride.
» Serious crime, thankfully, is rare. Petty crime, such as bag snatching, is rife in Ho Chi Minh City. In general women are targeted far more heavily than men. A few tips:
» Hoa Hong - The commission culture
Such circumstances flavour the Vietnam experience but travellers are advised to be wary and follow some basic guidelines:
» One trick that we learnt a little late, was that when anyone asks you (as a newcomer) how long you've been in Vietnam, to say that you've been there about 5 days already!
|