Visa for Vietnam

VestanPance

Most hotels can organise a car to pick you up.

In general for Vietnam even when you are out and about I'd tell you to use the two taxi companies I mentioned (Vinasun and Mai Linh) if you plan on getting a taxi. Taxi scams are very common, particularly in HCMC (most notably avoid the taxis parked outside Ben Thanh Market). Also avoid cyclo's like the plague. Once again these are almost always scams.

littlereddevil

Please read the trip advisor forums. There are so many scams in HCMC

dw85

Thanks for your help. We are flying to Hanoi so hopefully the queues wont be too bad. Im a little anxious as I will be single female for a few hours getting through this part as the rest of my group all arrive on a seperate flight.

Will give the VOA thing a go.
Doshwaster - Have a great trip! :beer:

bylromarha

Just got back on Sunday. The taxis are a nightmare and you can't always rely on the Mai Linh or Vinasun name. I had a fast Vinasun meter in HCMC (tried to charge 120000 for a 40000 trip), a Mai Linh guy who got lost in Hanoi looking for the main road my hotel was on. He drove round, wound down the window to ask for directions twice, and expected me to pay for his driving round and round. Our hotel recommended Group Taxis in Hanoi - one of them took me on a 10km trip for a 3km ride. Had I known on the way there it should have only been 3km, that would have been yet another taxi fair arguement.

If you're travelling to Halong Bay or anwhere within Vietnam, I can highly recommend HalongSapa Tours. They do free airport transfers to and from Hanoi airport if you book with them.

Can't advise on the VOA - we crossed overland, and got our visa in Phnom Penh.

Doshwaster

The main thing that is worrying me about Vietnam (5 weeks to go!) is the number of zeros on the banknotes. I just know at some point, probably after a few beers, I'm going to pay 10 times too much for something.

totallybored

Doshwaster wrote: »

The main thing that is worrying me about Vietnam (5 weeks to go!) is the number of zeros on the banknotes. I just know at some point, probably after a few beers, I'm going to pay 10 times too much for something.

I found you'll only pay too much for something when someone gives you the wrong price. You can cope with all the zeroes if everyone is honest and you can see the price. Unfortunately it gets tiring when someone tries to charge you 800,000 dong for a can of coke rather than 8,000.

dickydonkin

Doshwaster wrote: »

The main thing that is worrying me about Vietnam (5 weeks to go!) is the number of zeros on the banknotes. I just know at some point, probably after a few beers, I'm going to pay 10 times too much for something.

LOL......me too - but Mrs DD has far better eyesight and numerical skills than me so she dealt with the currency!! The first time in my life I could say I was a multi-millionaire!

In respect of the OP's question, I have used both VOA and applying via the embassy here in the UK, and both were fine.

Applying in the UK was more expensive, but passports were returned within a week.

VOA was at HCM airport and as someone alluded to upthread, many flights can arrive at the same time, however, despite a queue, we were processed in an hour and it looked as though the majority of the delays were due to passengers not having photographs and forms filled in correctly.

I was surprised that the immigration staff had a camera and took the photographs for the passengers who did not have them!

littlereddevil wrote: »

Please read the trip advisor forums. There are so many scams in HCMC

Yes, there are scammers in Vietnam, but London, Paris, Bangkok etc. also have their rougues who will attempt to fleece a tourist - just read up well on Vietnam and use common sense.

Enjoy your triP OP.

Doshwaster

dickydonkin wrote: »

I was surprised that the immigration staff had a camera and took the photographs for the passengers who did not have them!

When arriving in Phnom Penh in Cambodia, anyone without a photo were "fined" $2 and the immigration officer just took a photocopy of the photo in their passport.

Hardly seemed worth the cost and hassle of getting a passport photo in advance. Just pay the "fine".

Gavin83

I have to say I found Vietnam to be the worst country in South East Asia for scamming and most of that was from taxis. I've certainly been to worse countries elsewhere though. If you've ever been to India it'll be a breeze.

Doshwaster

Gavin83 wrote: »

I have to say I found Vietnam to be the worst country in South East Asia for scamming and most of that was from taxis. I've certainly been to worse countries elsewhere though. If you've ever been to India it'll be a breeze.

Thanks for the warning. What I liked about Cambodia is that the taxi drivers were (mostly) cheap and reliable. In Thailand I try to avoid using them as much as possible.

The first time I landed in India the taxi driver wanted US$20 (he thought I was American) for a 5 minute ride to the airport hotel! I told him where to stick it but it doesn't take many unwary travellers to pay for it to turn into a very profitable scam.