FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Discovers Vietnam

Pre-departure Information

Family and Friends Discovers Vietnam Pre-departure Information

Clothing and Equipment Whilst we are travelling you are responsible for your own luggage at all times. Therefore it is important that

your luggage is light enough so that you can comfortably move it around. The following list is a suggested

guide as to the items which should make up your luggage.

Clothing:

1 Thongs

1 General purpose shoes

6 Underwear/Socks (wash these in the

shower as you go)

1 Jeans

1 Swimmers

3 Shorts/skirts

1 Hat

6 Shirts

1 Sweater

1 Rash Shirt

Toiletries:

• Toothbrush

• Toothpaste

• MouthWash

• Deodorant

Due to the heightened security at International

airport all of the above should be packed in your

main suitcase. If you intend to have any liquids,

gels or foams in your carry-on luggage they must

be in a container less than 100ml, which must

then be placed in a clear plastic bag.

Please do not have any aerosols in your carry on

luggage.

Personal First Aid:

• Imodium or Gastro-Stop (anti-diarrheal)

• Gastrolyte (replaces lost minerals and salt

should you get a dose of traveller’s belly!)

• Insect Repellent (Look for a brand that

contains DEET)

• Sun block (for body and also a sun block

stick for lips)

• Panadol and Throat Lozenges

• Aquim or Dettol hand sanitizer (rinse-free

anti-bacterial hand wash)

Equipment:

1 Suitcase/duffle bag (max weight of 30kg). You

are also allowed one item of hand luggage and

this can weigh no more than 7kg.

Please note: On domestic flights within Vietnam,

liquid bottles are not permitted in your carry-on

baggage.

1 Backpack – for day trips.

Miscellaneous:

• Small towel. As your group will be staying

overnight in homestays, a small bath towel will

be necessary

• Pillowcase (optional). Pillows will be provided

however you may feel more comfortable with

your own pillowcase.

• Sleeping bag liner (optional). Blankets will be

provided however you may feel more

comfortable with a liner. Keep in mind these are

also readily available in Vietnam and are in

comparison quite cheap so you may want to

purchase this during your trip.

• Sunglasses (It is strongly recommended that any

student who relies on lenses or glasses for safe

clear vision should bring a pair of serviceable

glasses in addition to contact lenses).

• Wet Ones (especially useful if you are required to

use a public restroom)

• Money belt (optional). As long as you are careful

with your money and are not intending on

carrying large amounts of cash around with you

a money belt is not really necessary. The cost of

living in Vietnam is relatively cheap so each day

the bulk of your money should be left in the hotel

safe and you should be carrying a minimum

amount of cash around with you.

Family and Friends Discovers Vietnam Pre-departure Information

Passports, Phones and cameras

It is important that you never leave your

personal possessions unattended.

Passports:

Your passport is the most valuable item which

you will have on tour. You must know where it

is at all times and when not required you will be

instructed to leave it at the hotel in the safety of

the provided lock boxes.

Phones:

Within your itinerary we have provided all the

hotel names and contact numbers. We suggest

that mum and/or dad purchase an international

calling card for Vietnam so that they can call you

at any time you are in your hotel. An average $10

calling card should provide about 90 minutes of

talk time. If you are bringing a mobile phone that

is set up for international roam you may SMS

your room number once you arrive at each hotel

to your parents so that when they call the hotel

they can be put straight through to your room.

Alternatively, local sim cards are available from

$5 AUD, this will avoid any surprises from

telephone companies back home.

In addition to the above we encourage all

students to set up skype or viber or any other

calling app which relies on internet use. All our

hotels have access to computers and wifi which

you will all be able to use.

Note: Vietnam international calling code: +84

(if dialing from a home phone dial 0011 84 . . .)

Spending Money

It is important that you never leave your personal

possessions unattended.

The currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong.

The current exchange rate is approximately $1

AUS = 16 000 VND.

The main expenses whilst you are overseas will be

snacks, drinks during meals and any souvenirs

which you intend to purchase.

While overseas tipping is a nice gesture, we

recommend approximately $5 per day be left aside

just to say thank you to your guides, bus drivers

etc.

For those who are bringing ATM cards, there are

teller machines throughout the city areas and you

will be able to withdraw local currency straight

from these machines. Just ensure that your banks

ATM card is compatible with overseas teller

machines.

Family and Friends Discovers Vietnam Pre-departure Information

Photography:

Vietnam will provide many opportunities for

unique photography. However, there are a number

of principles we recommend you adhere to:

• Ask permission before taking photographs and

respect a refusal.

• Follow signs and regulations when taking

photos of government buildings or

installations. Vietnam is still run by a

communist government. If a government

soldier or security personnel takes your

camera you may not get it back.

• Do not pester men and women in traditional

ethnic dress for the ‘perfect shot’. Be

respectful if they say no or shy away.

Food and drink Do not drink tap water in Vietnam. Bottled water is

readily available for about $A0.50 per bottle. All

meals included in the tour are from good, reputable

tourist restaurants so have a go and sample the

food. Vietnamese cuisine has been described as a

gastronomic delight, most made using fresh local

ingredients and traditional cooking techniques.

Please note: Drinks are not included in meal

packages and need to be purchased separately,

however Vietnam School Tours does supply bottled

water on buses.

Toilet facilities

All hotels we use have bathrooms with Western-

style toilets but you may find Asian-style

('squat') toilets in public facilities at some tourist

sites and in some restaurants – toilet paper is

NOT supplied (we strongly recommend that you

carry a box of ‘wet ones’ with you on your day

trips). At the main tourist sites toilets charge a

small entry fee (usually less than 2000 VND/10

cents).

Dress Code We recommend that loose comfortable walking

clothes be worn most days. Respect the culture and

try to avoid wearing clothes which are too

revealing, in certain tourist sites such as some

government sites and pagodas shorts worn above

the knees and old worn t-shirts will not be

permitted.

Electricity

Most of the hotels will have universal

plugs while others will

have the typical 2-pin

sockets.

2-pin sockets will require

an adapter which most

hotels will be able to

provide.

Family and Friends Discovers Vietnam Pre-departure Information

Shopping Tips Prices in government and large department stores are usually fixed. When shopping at roadside souvenir

stalls and in free markets extensive bargaining is expected. As a guide start at less than half the asked price

and work your way up.

and work your way up.

1. Don’t buy everything in the first day or two.

2. Don’t feel obligated to shop. You’ll often find

several shop assistants trying to help you

make a purchase at the shop. This doesn’t

mean you have to buy; it’s OK to say no, or

just to look.

3. Bargaining is a national pastime in Vietnam

so you will find that most retailers except for

department stores will be prepared to

bargain.

4. At Ben Thanh Market the outside isles have

workers wearing blue uniforms, these are

government run market stores so you will not

be able to bargain

5. Keep your belongings safe! Vietnam is

regarded as a safe place to travel but it is

always wise to follow normal precautions.

Always be conscious of your valuables in

crowds and in public places. Do not carry

valuables in backpacks or leave your luggage

unprotected.

6. If unsure how much something is, ask them for

the price in Australian dollars. Most vendors

will know the current exchange rate.

Family and Friends Discovers Vietnam Pre-departure Information

Address: Vietnam School Tours Pty Ltd PO Box 2373 Carlingford Court NSW 2118

Website: http://vietnamschooltours.com.au

Email: info@vietnamschooltours.com.au

Facebook: www.facebook.com/VietnamSchoolTours

Phone: +61 2 8812 3243