What are the symbols of Vietnam? The conical hat, betel nuts, buffaloes, bamboo, water puppets, the colorful language, bicycle-powered cyclos, pavement tea stores and abundant variety of street foods, traditional folk songs, or the national costume? All are images taken away by visitors when they leave the country, but in the truth there’s much more to learn and discover in a country where traditions date back more than 4000 years.

GEOGRAPHY

Vietnam is bordered by Cambodia, Laos and China and stretches for more than 1600km along the eastern coast of the IndochinesePeninsula. The varied terrain offers everything from tropical forest in the northern mountain ranges to sunny coastal stretches in the country’s central provinces to wide river flats in the south.

 

CLIMATE

The country’s climate offers the traveler both wet and dry seasons all year around. When one region is in its wet season, the other is likely to be in its cold, dry season and vice-versa. In the south, the wet season last from May through to November. Showers at this time of the year are usually brief and limited to the afternoons. Along the central coast, the dry season lasts from June through to October, while in the north visitors are often surprised by the four quite distinct seasons, with typhoons from July to August and cool dry weather through December.

 

WHEN TO GO

Travelers destined for the north should time their visit between October and December or March and April, the months between the summer’s heat and humidity and the cold, misty drizzle of the winter. During the summer, lower temperatures make Hà Noi somewhat more bearable than the rural areas of the Red River Delta. Along the northern coast, September-December and March-April are the most advisable periods during which to visit, since errant tropical storms are less likely after October. Farther down the coast, especially from Hue on south, visits are most pleasant between February and May, due to the reversal of the wet season. The central highlands are best visited during the dry season between December and April, although the later you go, the hotter it gets; the same applies to Ho Chí Minh City (HCMC) and the Mekong Delta.

 

PEOPLE

Vietnam has a population of 80 million, 85% of which are ethnic Vietnamese or ‘Kinh’. The remaining 15% is comprised of ethnic-Chinese, Khmers, Chams or members of more than 60 ethnic minority peoples living in the mountainous regions of central and northern Vietnam. The largest ethnic minority groups are the Tay, the White Thai, the Black Thai and the H'mong. These groups display similar rural and agricultural lifestyles, but have different languages, dress, cultures and physical features.

 

RELIGION

There is more 60% Vietnam population entering Buddhism religion and 10% is Catholic. Other religions include Protestantism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, Hinduism and Caodaism.

 

LIFESTYLES

Hanoi : A typical Hanoi’s day starts early at about 5.00 am but the city does sleep with most stores and street stalls packing up between 10am – 7pm. Hanoi people are known for their elegant, reserved and traditional ways and for ingrained family values. You won’t find as many beggars as you will in the South of Vietnam, but expect to be plagued by postcard sellers and shoeshine boys around Hoan Kiem lake, in the heart of Hanoi.

Hue : Hue is quite and peaceful, the people friendly, gentle and elegant. Hue women are said to be the most gentle of all of Vietnam.

Danang: Danang was once the beach side R&R resort for American soldiers and as such has quite a developed infrastructure with many wide, busy thoroughfares. The streets are noisy, crowed and rather dusty with very little vegetation. The best way to travel around the city is by car or motorbike. You can hire boats along the Han River.

Ho Chi Minh City : The Saigon people are a particularly friendly people. They are considered more board-minded than their northern counterparts, more modern but yet not quite as sophisticated as those in Hanoi.

 

LANGUAGE
Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam but there are various dialects spoken by hill tribe people in remote areas. Leaning foreign languages, particularly English and French, is currently in vogue among young people in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Da Nang and other cities. 

 

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

 

January 1 - Western New Year's Day 

* January or February - Tet; Vietnamese and Chinese New Year celebration; this most important Vietnamese festivity of the whole year is celebrated an entire week from the first to the seventh day of the new year according to the traditional moon calendar; as the celebration depends on the phases of the moon, not the sun, it is celebrated on different dates of the Western calendar; traditionally, during the Tet days large amounts of food are consumed, because the Tet days are considered an omen for the course of the entire year; the belief is that if you eat a lot during the Tet days, there will be enough food during the whole year. 

* February 3 - Founding Day of the Communist Party of Vietnam; national holiday 

* April 30 - Liberation Day of South Vietnam and Saigon; national holiday 

* May 1 - Labor Day; national holiday 

* May 19 - Ho Chi Minh's birthday; national holiday 

* September 2 - National Holiday 

* September - Trung Thu - autumn celebration at which children parade through the streets with lanterns; for this celebration moon cakes are baked; moveable holiday, as it depends on the moon calendar. 

 

VIETNAM TIME

Office hours GMT plus 7 hours

 

Government offices are open from 8.00 a.m. to 17.00 p.m. (with a one-hour lunch break) from Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday are holidays. In local regions, offices are open from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and 13:00 p.m. to 17:00 p.m.

Banks are open from 7:30 a.m. or 8:00 a.m. to 15:30 p.m. Banks are closed on Saturday afternoons and Sundays.

Private shops are open from 8:00 or 8:30 a.m. to 21:00 p.m. or 22:00 p.m.

 

SunViet Travel’s working hour : from 8:00 am to 17:00 pm (with a hour for lunch break about 12:00 pm to 13:00 pm) during weekday (from Monday to Saturday).

 

On Sundays and Public Holidays, Our staffs are on call 24-hours a day, seven days a week to help and solve any problem or emergency arise.

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