TELEPHONE

To dial home from Vietnam, use the international access code 00, followed by the destination country code, area code and number you wish to dial.

For calls to Vietnam, the international dial code prefix may vary depending upon the country from which the call is made, but will be followed by Vietnam’s international number +84, followed by the Vietnamese area code and local number.

The main police emergency number is 113 which is free to call, and is suitable for use in all types of emergency. When dialling from a mobile phone, you will need to prefix this with the local area code where you are staying. Additional free to call numbers are 114 for fire emergencies and 115 for an ambulance.

When travelling with Haivenu, you will also always be provided with an emergency contact number to access our help and assistance.

For mobile handsets, consult your service provider in advance of departure to activate your handset for use in Vietnam and seek advice concerning roaming charges, which are, however, likely to be expensive.

If your phone is unlocked, another option is to buy a SIM card locally, from one of the three main networks, Viettel, Mobifone or Vinafone, which will work throughout Vietnam. The country has wide 3G coverage and signal problems are only likely to be encountered in remote mountainous areas. You can also purchase contract free handsets locally, though you will also need to purchase a SIM card.

INTERNET

Though some of the major international hotel brands still paddle against the modern tide, a great many hotels in Vietnam provide free Wi-Fi access, along with numerous bars, cafes and restaurants, airports, railway stations and some trains, as well as many other public spaces.

If you don’t have a computer, many hotels provide public use computers, and well as internet cafes and bars who charge for access, though it is not recommended to use such devices for financial transactions to avoid criminals accessing your most sensitive data.

The 3G network is well developed, and for mobile internet, buying a SIM locally provides a relatively cheap and reliable solution, with the added advantage of access to useful navigation and sightseeing apps.

Political censorship of Internet use exists in Vietnam, which is most manifested by the blocking of online published material deemed as critical to the authorities, and several bloggers have been arrested for their political comments. However, restrictions formerly applied to Facebook have been lifted, and the platform is now Vietnam’s most popular online media.

ELECTRICITY

The electricity supply in Vietnam is usually 220 Volts, at 50 HZ, though there are a very few rare exceptions of 110V / 50 HZ.

A useful visual reference guide to the full range of international plug and socket varieties can be found at http://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/, which describes the type system in use on this website.

As yet, there is no standardised socket system for Vietnam, and you will likely encounter different socket systems in hotels all over the country. The majority of connections are variants of two-pin outlets, most of which are round-pin (type C), though you will also encounter flat pin blade types (type A). There are also several three pin variants commonly found, being type B, type E and Type F, with some of the newer hotels also providing British style 3-pin connections (type G).

For this reason it is best either to carry a range of suitable adapters or invest in one of the new universal adapters with retractable pins, which are adaptable to differing formats. Usefully, some models also provide additional USB connections.

It is helpful to consider your likely needs in advance. If you will need to charge several items such as mobile phones, tablet computers, cameras etc, it may be worth bringing a multiple, preferably surge protected, outlet from your own country to avoid having to purchase several adapters, or to deal with a limited number of wall sockets.

In most cases, if your equipment normally runs on a 110 volt, 60 HZ supply, you will additionally need a portable transformer.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

Although the Vietnamese have a traditional system of weights and measures, the model in everyday use is the international metric system based on the metre and gram.

POSTAL SERVICES

Postal services are run by the state-operated Vietnam Post, with post offices being widespread throughout the country. Opening hours fluctuate, but services are generally available from 07:00 – 18:00 on weekdays and 08:00-12:00 at weekends.

Several international operators, such as TNT, DHL, UPS and Federal Express, also operate in Vietnam.

TIME ZONE

Vietnam's time zone is GMT+7, though it should be noted for calculation purposes that Vietnam does not operate a daylight saving mechanism.