Vietnam: Pre-trip Information

Wander Across Vietnam
June 2019

It’s time to start preparing for the Vietnam adventure ahead! Please read the following information carefully and if you have any questions at all, just send them my way…


Passport:

You need a passport to travel to Vietnam! Your passport should be valid until at least January 2016 and it needs to have 3 full empty pages. If you don’t have a passport or you don’t have enough pages, please let me know and I’ll send you instructions for getting a new one in time for the tour.


Tourist Visa:

Vietnam – In order to enter Vietnam, every traveler must obtain a tourist visa in advance which you can arrange through the Vietnam Embassy. When applying for the visa, you must take special care to ensure that the date of entry you list on the application is not later than your actual arrival date or else the immigration officials will deny entry. You should request that your visa begins a few days prior to your actual arrival date.

In order to obtain your Vietnam tourist visa, please follow the instructions on the official Vietnam Embassy website:

http://vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular/visa-application-process

**Notes:

  1. When asked for your proposed address in Vietnam, you can enter the following:

Hotel Sen 2, 4 Thi Sách, Bến Nghé, 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam / Tel: +84 8 3824 1695

  1. You do not need to enter a ‘visa approval’ number if you plan to stay in Vietnam for less than 3 months.
  2. You can apply for the visa starting 6 months prior to your arrival date to Vietnam.
  3. If you have any questions during the application process, please let me know!

Packing:

You’ll receive more information about what to pack soon!


Travel/Health Insurance:

In order to participate in this tour, you will have to provide proof of travel insurance. Travel insurance is not expensive at all and it is absolutely worth it as you will be able to travel with the peace of mind that, in case something happens, you don’t have to worry about paying for any health care you may need while overseas. In my experience, the best travel insurance providers are Clements.com and WorldNomads.com, both of which offer great deals, high-quality customer service and reliable coverage.

You might also want to consider purchasing travel insurance that protects your possessions as well in case any of your travel gear/electronics are misplaced while overseas.


Arrival in Saigon:

I recommend that you arrive at least one day before the start of the trip (the trip starts on June 13th) in order to adjust and get over any jet lag ahead of time. If you do arrive early, I am able to book accommodation for you for those extra nights at the following rate (if you wish to find cheaper accommodation, let me know and I can recommend some options):

$40 USD per night – nice centrally-located budget hotel with good rooms and private bathroom, it’s the hotel where the group will stay once the tour begins

Once March comes around, I’ll send out a form asking for your arrival details and we can then organize any extra nights accommodation. The above is for informational purposes right now.


Airport Pickup:

If you wish to be picked up at the airport upon arrival, I can arrange that for you at a rate of $30 USD for one person or $20 per person for two or more people in one vehicle. With this option, there will be a driver waiting for you with a sign once you exit the airport in Saigon and he will take you straight into the city to the hotel. Again, you can let me know if you want this option when I send out the Arrival Details Form in March.


End of Tour:

The tour will come to an end in Hanoi, Vietnam on June 27th and from there, you will have a few options.

  1. For those who have signed up for the Halong Bay two-day extension, you will depart for that trip on the morning of June 27th and return to Hanoi on the evening of June 28th.
  2. If you wish to return to Saigon in order to catch a flight home, it is best to book a flight back to Saigon from Hanoi as inexpensive airfares for this route can usually be found quite easily. I can also organize train transportation for you, just keep in mind that the journey is approximately 32 hours.
  3. You can also arrange your return flight home from Hanoi.

And if you plan to return home right after the tour, I do recommend booking your return flight from Hanoi for June 27th or later (29th or later if you join the Halong Bay extension) or from Saigon for June 29th or later to ensure you have enough time to catch your flight.

If you need any extra nights accommodation in Hanoi once the tour ends, I can arrange that for you at the hotel where you will be staying during the Hanoi portion of the trip. The cost for these rooms is $45 USD per night, per room. (More details about this with the Travel Arrangements form that I’ll send out in March.)


That’s it for now…I hope you’re getting increasingly excited about the tour!  And I shall be in touch again soon with additional details about what to expect, what to pack, money matters and more!

Earl

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