Before going to VietNam

Warm beaches, excellent hospitality, great scenery, exotic cultural experiences, historic sites, incredible food - Vietnam has it all. Among the most popular locations: Halong Bay, the country's many beaches, Ho Chi Minh City (which is still Saigon to residents in the south), the cities of Hueand Danang in the central coastal region, the mountain town of Da Lat, and the capital city, Hanoi.

Transportation 

The most common (and affordable) air route is Bangkok to Saigon. Tan Son Nhat International Airport is overused and surrounded by metro-Saigon, so there's no room to expand it. The government is looking at replacing it with a new airport about 30 miles outside of Saigon, in Dong Nai province. While taxis abound at Tan Son Nhat, at last report you could not rent a car at the airport. 

A number of border crossings allow over land entry into the country. Friendship Pass and Lao Cai crossings lead to Nanning and Kunming, respectively, in China. There are a number of border crossing points into Laos and Cambodia.

Weather in Vietnam

Vietnam is a mountainous land and this makes for cool temperatures in winter months. But temperatures in the south reach at least the mid-80F range all year. A winter monsoon brings cool, moist air to the northern part of the country (north of Cam Ranh) from October to March. From May to September the entire country is affected by a southern monsoon that brings warm air and rain. Temperatures in the winter in Hanoi can drop as low as the lower 40's (5C degrees) and northern Vietnam has four seasons (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall). In the south there are two seasons (Wet and Dry).

Health Issues in Vietnam

There are a number of health concerns you should be aware of in Vietnam. Among them: mosquito borne diseases like dengue fever and malaria; typhoid and hepatitis from unsanitary water or undercooked foods; and rabies. Tuberculosis is also a growing concern. And while sexually transmitted diseases (particularly HIV and AIDS) are more common in nearby Thailand, they do pose a risk in Vietnam.

Safety in Vietnam

Crime in large cities is a problem. Look out for pickpockets. Drive by motorcycle purse snatchings are among the most common crimes. If your purse, bag or camara can easily be torn from your hand at by someone going 15 or 20 miles per hour, chances are someone will try...

Visas, etc. 

The easiest place to get a visa for Vietnam is in Cambodia. Processing there usually take only one day. You DO NEED a visa to get into Vietnam. Tourist visas are good for 30-day and are single entry. If you expect to be in and out of the country more than once, you'll want to apply for a three month multiple entry visa