Dos and Don'ts in Vietnam

Vietnam is a friendly and safe place to travel. Vietnamese people are very gracious, polite and generous and will make every effort to make customers feel comfortable. Here are some general advices on things to do and not to do Vietnam as:

Do and do not in Vietnam

Bargaining and shopping

Bargaining is a culture in the small retail business in Vietnam. If you look at any items without listed prices when you go shopping, salespeople often ask you 10% - 20% higher than actual price. Be ingenious and skillful when buying favorite items and keep in mind the following tips:

• Some stores display "fixed price", which means you will not have to bargain! However, there are many places you can still bargain for discounts such as: markets, stalls, souvenir shops, etc. You should always keep a friendly attitude. Bargaining is sometimes a fun experience, not a battle, and leaves both parties satisfied.

• You may need to make a reference and consider carefully before buying valuable items such as jewelry, gem or camera. With such valuables, you should buy at big and prestigious stores with clear warranty.

Currency exchange

• You can easily exchange currency in places like: the reception in the hotel or the surrounding banks.

• Visa, American Express Cards, Master Card and JCB are accepted in many places such as: hotels, restaurants, tourist centers, shops, supermarkets and ticket office.

• Most foreign currencies can be exchanged into Vietnam Dong, especially U.S. dollars. Many restaurants give you the bills in even U.S. dollars. However, you should still use Vietnam Dong for easy shopping for souvenirs or enjoying the delicious food on the street vendors.

Dress code

• Vietnamese dress style is quite casual and simple. Unless you want to dress for dinner in a luxurious hotel, opulent places, normally you should not wear smart dress and accessories.

• Always keeping awareness when you visit a family, a locality or a religious place such as temple/ pagoda. There, you need to leave shoes at the door before entering, never wear shorts, dresses or skirts with low-neck line and bare shoulder. Because this is considered to be extremely crude and offensive.

Gift giving

• If you are invited to Vietnamese home, you should give small gifts for women, children or the elderly of the house to show your respect. They may be cosmetics, clothing or flowers, and fruits and wrapped in Nice and colorful paper.

• Avoid using black color, daisy when you visit them because it represents bad luck.

Language and expressiveness

Expressiveness and language of Vietnamese people are very rich, you can sometimes cause misunderstanding. Many Vietnamese do not speak English well; they somehow can listen to you, smile and nod. It really is their friendly gesture, but it does not mean that they fully understand what you mean. When you need to demonstrate your language without an interpreter, you should use pen and paper.

Public behavior

• Handshake is the most common form when you want to greet someone.

• Avoid excessively intimate actions and feelings for the opposite sex at public

• Do not touch someone's head

• Do not put anything over someone's head.

• Do not touch the shoulder of anyone.

• Do not touch a strange opposite sex.

Safety

• Really pay attention to your valuable items such as jewelry, money and passport

• Always leave cash, airline tickets, passport, copy of your ID card, original documents and other valuable in thehotels safety deposit facility

• Never bring too much cash with you when you go out to avoid pickpockets. You should leave your passport in the hotel. Your pocket and cameras should be kept in font.

Transportation

In major cities, you will often experience traffic jam during rush hours. Sometimes, you can see the drivers on the streets of Vietnam as circus artists. Please keep in mind the following points:

• Always drive on the right of the road in Vietnam

• Always wear a helmet when driving motorbike

• Should not use public transport during rush hours because it is not needed. It would be inconvenient and a waste of your time.

Note: The best way to travel Vietnam is to book Vietnam airlines to ensure high quality services.