Capital: Hanoi. Time: GMT + 7. Tel. Code: 00 84 . Official Language: Vietnamese is the official language. English, French, Chinese and occasionally Russian and German are spoken. Currency: New Dông (D). Notes are in denominations of D100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5000, 2000, 1000, 500, 200 and 100. Coins are not used. Electricity: 220/110 volts AC, 50Hz; plugs are mostly flat pin. Religion: Buddhist majority. There are also Taoist, Confucian, Hoa Hao, Caodaist and Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) minorities.
Climate
Climate: Because of its geography, the climate in Vietnam varies greatly from north to south. Tropical monsoons occur from May to October. It is almost totally dry throughout the rest of the year
Required clothing: : Tropicals and washable cottons are worn all year. Rainwear is essential during the rainy season.
Airports
Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) at Noi Bai is 45km (28 miles) north of Hanoi. The airport has basic facilities. Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) is 7km (4.5 miles) from Ho Chi Minh City. Buses and metered taxis are available.
Departure tax: US$12 (Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi) and US$8 (Da Nang), payable in US Dollars or New Dông.