Vietnam is a great destination. The visa application process is one of the trickier ones. Start your application and we’ll tell you if you are among the lucky ones who don’t need a visa, or… the lucky ones who have a Chimp to help them
Vietnam allows visas on arrival, but those are quite expensive and require some complicated preparations. E Visas are much simpler and cheaper!
The E Visa can allow you single or multiple entry and is valid for either 30 or 90 days. We know that’s never enough for a good adventure, but once there, travelers can extend it. LINK
You can expect your visa to be ready within 3 working days if you meet Vietnam’s adventure standards, of course. All you’ll need is a printer with some ink and a blank sheet of paper.
Our friends in Vietnam are a bit peculiar and will be checking your visa before boarding your plane. Make sure you leave enough time for your visa to be ready before then, and not your arrival. Us Chimps advise applying as early as possible to make sure no one gets in your adventure’s way! Who knows you might be applying during the lunar new year and that’s a no-no time for getting a visa. Don’t wait too long.
We’ll ask your port of entry in your E Visa application. The visa will be valid only there, so make sure you know exactly where you’ll be entering Viet Nam, and be sure to apply for a new E Visa if you decide to change your entry point.
Of course you need a valid Passport expiring in no less than 6 months after leaving Viet Nam, but you know that. Oh! And make sure you have at least one free page in it - we’ll have to put that visa somewhere after all.
Travelers apply for a Vietnamese visa without our help, but keep in mind it is more complicated than you expect and you might end up thinking you have a valid visa, when in fact they won’t let you board your plane and ruin your trip. One of our Chimps found the hard way and had to purchase new plane tickets, book new lodgings and miss good moments. We know what it’s like, so Chimps advise- let us help you.
Anyways! Here’s some fun and useful things to know before visiting
When to visit…
Vietnam is pretty safe, and the people are quite honest and open hearted. If you apply some common sense everything will be fine.
Most people will know enough English to help you out, but not much more. Download one of the many translation apps on your phone, to help you out, it’s the 21st century!
Ho Chi Minh, locally known as Saigon is one of the two nightlife capitals of SouthEast Asia. If there's a party on your mind - you’ll find it here. Da Nang is THE place to go for diving and beaches, but there’s much more. Marble mountain, Hoi An, Lady Budha to name a few. A chimp we know found Da Nang’s sea food scene to be the best in Viet Nam. Words can’t describe the beauty of Ha Long bay - google it. Take a boat tour and be amazed, but a chimp would advise you to try Lang Ha bay just next door, it’s beauty is equal, but much less tourists will get in your way of experiencing it. Some call The nature around Ninh Binh Ha Long on land … and with good reason, us chimps definitely recommend visiting, but perhaps using Tam Coc as your base.
Paying for things
Bring US Dollars and make sure the notes are new and don’t have too much ruffles or tears on them. While people will mostly accept those USD, we advise to exchange them for Vietnamese Dong at the currency exchange offices that are all around. Many of them might look dodgy, but don’t worry, looks can be deceiving just check the exchange rate online beforehand.
Cash is king- credit and debit cards are often not accepted, and when they are you’ll find a 3% surcharge for using that plastic. Always have some cash on you! You can withdraw cash from ATMs of course, but there are limits and nasty charges - here’s a list of the better ATMs you can use ….
And a final word - don’t cram too much of Vietnam in too little time, there’s a lot to see and chances are one trip is not enough, but if you’re like us - you’ll definitely be coming back for the parts you left out.