For most, arriving in to a foreign country is the most daunting part of any journey. Stepping of the plane, being hassled through immigration and customs, only to be faced by hungry taxi drivers eager to have you as their fare! Sound familiar?

Well if you’re heading to the magical lands of Vietnam, arrival is easy. Here are a few pointers for travelers coming to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.

Visa

All visitors, except for some ASEAN countries, require an entry visa for Vietnam. Ask you local travel agent or Vietnamese Embassy for details. Tourist Visas are valid for 30 days, business visas for 6 months.

Arrival / Departure Form

You’ll get this on the plane. Fill in the form and hand it to the Customs Official when you arrive. They will give you the yellow page back, be sure to keep this. You MUST hand it in on departure.

Immigration

Officials will rarely smile, but don’t let this worry you! The process of getting your passport stamped for entry is easy. Simply line up with everyone else and wait your turn. Generally the official won’t talk to you, but they will have a good look at you. This is simply so they can check that you and your passport photo matches!

Customs

In both Hanoi and HCM City, custom is the last stage. You’ll be asked to place your bags on the x-ray machine and hand over the yellow Arrival Form. Once your bags have been checked, you’ll get the yellow form back and then, congratulations! Welcome to Vietnam.

Remember there are limitations on things you can bring into Vietnam such as currencies, alcohol, gold, foods, cigarettes etc. Check before departing. Vietnam still has the death penalty for drug related offences so DON’T try it!

Taxis

Hanoi - Noi Bai Taxis are located directly in front of the Arrival Hall. The journey into Hanoi takes approx 45mins and costs $10USD (fixed price). Noi Bai Taxis offer a professional service with modern air-con cars and good drivers. Most will NOT speak English, so write down your hotel address before leaving home.

Vietnam Airlines offers a mini-bus service ($2USD p/pax) from the airport to the Vietnam Office in central Hanoi. From there you will need another taxi or a good map to reach your chosen hotel.

HCM City – Not as organized as Hanoi, taxis will also be lined up at the Arrival Hall waiting to drive you into HCMC. Taxis should be metered and cost approx. 50,000VND ($3.50USD) for the 20 min drive.

In both Hanoi and HCMC, public buses can get you in town for around 3,000vnd (20 cents USD). The journey (1 ½ to Hanoi. 45mins in HCMC) can be a nightmare at peak times with buses extremely crowded. Timetables vary depending on the service your after.

Hotels

Due to local laws and regulations, hotel guests are required to leave their passports at the Hotel reception. Some hotels will accept photocopies. All guests are registered in the hotel log, which is then presented to the local authorities daily.

Note: All information in this article is subject to change at anytime. You should seek up to date information before you travel. Prices shown here can change weekly. Please use it as a guide only!