Vietnam


15.01.96-12.02.97 Huu Nghii-Hanoi-Vinh-Dong Ha-Lao Bao  850 Km

Visa

You get a 1 month visa. If you want to enter and exit by land you have to say where already when you apply for the visa. Of course it costs an extra fee. The entry and exit dates are fix. It's not possible to extend the visa. If you get it in Hongkong, go to the consulate yourself, it's much cheaper than letting a agency do it. The border crossings were easy.

Money

1U$ = 11000 Dong In Hanoi some banks give cash from creditcards. Outside Hanoi I changed cash in jewellry shops.

Roads

The Highway No 1 runs along the coast from north to south. The road varies from very good to very bumpy, but it's always paved.

Traffic

Bad, much worse than in China. There is a lot of traffic. Many bicycles, scooters, trucks and buses.

Accomodation

It's hard to camp. People everywhere and if there where no people there was a wet ricefield. There aren't to many hotels as well. And they are quit expensive. I always paid at least 5$ for a double room with no toilet.

Food

Thanks to the french, there is wonderful bread in Vietnam. Fruits are available everywhere.

People

As in China you always have to bargain. They are curious too, and like to touch the bike. For the rest they were very friendly and very helpful. And they have a lot of humour, at least the people I spoke too.

Language

Roman script, so at least it's easy to read. I didn't learn much of the language itself. Still some people speak french, german or russian and more and more are learning english. An english teacher invited me to the dorm rooms of an english college. I was really impressed that the students spoke only english, even between themselves as long as I was there.

Bicycle

I didn't need anything, but I doubt if it would have been possible to find anything.

Dangers

Traffic and Malaria

 

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28.2.98/chs - picture by Christoph Sauser