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Getting
Around Vietnam - Travel Around
Air
With more limited time, flights
present the best option to hop
between the further apart
destinations in the north, south and
central areas of Vietnam.
Vietnam Airlines (VN) has daily
flights between Ho Chi Minh City,
Hanoi, Da Nang, Hue, and Nha Trang.
Regular flights are also provided
between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City
to Dalat, Buon Ma Thuot, Hai Phong,
Na San, Phu Quoc, Qui Nhon, Pleiku,
and Vinh.
Pacific Airlines offers domestic
flights between major cities as well
as travel routes to Bangkok and
Taipei at a generally lower rate
than Vietnam Airlines.
Sea/River
A local area network operates
between ports. Cruise services are
available. Contact the Embassy for
information prior to departure.
Simple water-means of transportation
are widely used among Southern
Provinces, while canoes are used to
travel within bays and islands along
the coast.
Road
Trains are also quite popular,
especially overnight trains in a
soft sleeper. Vietnam’s
Reunification Express runs the
entire coast between Hanoi and HCMC,
with stops along the way in Hue,
Danang and Nha Trang. In addition,
the train is the main way to get
between Hanoi and Sapa in the north.
Traffic drives on the right. There
is a reasonable road network.
However, roads are often in poor
condition and may be inaccessible
during the rainy season. Driving in
Vietnam can be a harrowing
experience as the normal rules of
highway discipline are not followed
by most drivers.
Taxis
When taking a Taxi use one of the
main companies such as Vinataxi
(bright yellow) or Mai Linh (white
and green), and you shouldn’t have a
problem. Make sure you have the
address written down, as most
drivers won’t speak English and
Vietnamese is notoriously hard to
pronunce. Don’t use smaller,
unmarked taxis, this is where you
encounter difficulties.
Cyclos
Agree on the price before you
depart. Cyclo journeys should cost
around 20,000 VND an hour.
Driving on your own:
Chauffeur-driven cars are available
for hire. Motorbikes are for rent in
major cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi
Minh City and Dalat. You can buy one
at very low price in any of these
cities.
Documentation: An International
Driving Permit and a test (taken in
Vietnam) are mandatory before
driving. However, foreigners’
motorbike- licenses are hardly
checked by the police
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