Vietnam

Vietnam at a Glance

Language

The main language spoken is Vietnamese (which is unlike any language but has similarities to Chinese, French, and Khmer). Vietnamese is a tonal language with six different tones. That means that words can be spelt exactly the same but are pronounced differently based on the accent used, corresponding to a different tone. English is somewhat widely spoken, but more so in bigger cities, tourist areas, and by younger people.

Population

Vietnam has a population of over 98 million, with high population density in large cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Currency

The official currency of Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong (VND).

1 USD= 25,000 VND (Vietnamese Dong).

Best ATMs to use

Citibank ATMs allow you to take 8 Million VND, which can help minimise fees. However, there are only Citibank ATMs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. In all other cities, HSBC or Agribank have the lowest fees in relation to their withdrawal limit.

Best Simcard for travel

Viettel and Vinaphone are the two most popular tourist SIM card providers, as they have the best coverage and affordable prices. You can buy SIM cards at the airport, but you will get a better price and data options at a Viettel store (stores are in all cities).

Weather

Vietnam is a very long country with three main regions with distinct climates. Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, The Mekong Delta, Dalat, Mui Ne, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc) has a tropical climate with a wet season from May to November and a dry season from December to April. Central Vietnam (Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang, Quy Nhon and Phong Nha) is also a tropical climate with wet season running from September to January and dry season running from February to August. Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Sapa, Ha Giang, Ninh Binh, Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island) is not tropical and experiences all four seasons. Winter months are from December to January, and Summer is from June to August. In winter, parts of northern Vietnam can experience snow and heavy fog.

Explore Vietnam Travel Guides