ROAD
From Cambodia: There is a road crossing at Moc Bai (Tay Ninh province 80km from Saigon) connecting Phnom Penh in Cambodia with Saigon. The new crossing into Cambodia via Chau Doc (245 km from Saigon) is passable either by boat or road.
From Laos: There is a road crossing at Lao Bao in Quang Tri Province, about 160km north of Hue, connecting Savannakhet with Central Vietnam. Another road into Vietnam is via Cau Treo, Ha Tinh Province.
From China: There are 03 roads crossing at Ha Khau (Lao Cai Province), Dong Dang (Lang Son Province) and Mong Cai (Quang Ninh Province
SEA
There are no normal sea crossings into Vietnam although an increasing number of cruise liners sail into Vietnamese waters. The only other international connection by boat is the Mekong River crossing from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh
TRAIN
There is an international rail connection between China and Vietnam, from Peking via Nanning to Hanoi crossing at Lang Son and from Kunming to Hanoi via Lao Cai.
AIR
Vietnam currently has three international airports: Noi Bai serving Hanoi in the north, Danang International Airport serving the central provinces and Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City serving the south.
Available flights to Bangkok, Singapore, Paris, Hong Kong, Seoul, Sydney, Berlin, Jakarta, Manila, Taipei, Guangzhou, Vientiane, Amsterdam, Moscow, Frankfurt, Kuala Lumpur, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Dubai, Osaka, Kaohsiung, and Phnom Penh.

HANOI PEACE TOUR – VIETNAM TOUR OPERATOR
45A Tran Phu – Hanoi – Vietnam
TEL: (84.4) 9263914 / 5682115
FAX : (84.4) 5682126
Hotline : 0904288795
Email : hanoipeacetour@yahoo.com / vietnamtourism04@vnn.vn
http://WWW.HANOIPEACETOUR.VN
http://WWW.HANOIPEACETOUR.COM
http://www.vietnamhotelindex.com
http://www.halongbayvietnam.org
http://www.sapavietnam.org
http://www.hoianvietnam.org
http://www.sapatours.org

ROAD
From Cambodia: There is a road crossing at Moc Bai (Tay Ninh province 80km from Saigon) connecting Phnom Penh in Cambodia with Saigon. The new crossing into Cambodia via Chau Doc (245 km from Saigon) is passable either by boat or road.
From Laos: There is a road crossing at Lao Bao in Quang Tri Province, about 160km north of Hue, connecting Savannakhet with Central Vietnam. Another road into Vietnam is via Cau Treo, Ha Tinh Province.
From China: There are 03 roads crossing at Ha Khau (Lao Cai Province), Dong Dang (Lang Son Province) and Mong Cai (Quang Ninh Province
SEA
There are no normal sea crossings into Vietnam although an increasing number of cruise liners sail into Vietnamese waters. The only other international connection by boat is the Mekong River crossing from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh
TRAIN
There is an international rail connection between China and Vietnam, from Peking via Nanning to Hanoi crossing at Lang Son and from Kunming to Hanoi via Lao Cai.
AIR
Vietnam currently has three international airports: Noi Bai serving Hanoi in the north, Danang International Airport serving the central provinces and Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City serving the south.
Available flights to Bangkok, Singapore, Paris, Hong Kong, Seoul, Sydney, Berlin, Jakarta, Manila, Taipei, Guangzhou, Vientiane, Amsterdam, Moscow, Frankfurt, Kuala Lumpur, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Dubai, Osaka, Kaohsiung, and Phnom Penh.
HANOIPEACETOUR – VIETNAM TOUR OPERATOR
www.hanoipeacetour.vn
www.vietnamhotelindex.com
www.halongbayvietnam.org
www.hoianvietnam.org
www.sapatour.org

Since last year, I have heard of several people making good money working in the travel industry as a home based online travel agent. The good news is that you can, too. In fact it’s easy! These people have done it honestly, legally and ethically with the proper guidance of knowing all the details in this new online career. Once you know the basic steps then you can start making real money.

There are two options to start with and those are; either to be a part timer in the first 3 months, giving you time to become more acquainted with the business flow of being an online travel agent from actual transactions and later dedicating yourself full time to your new career.

Then, there are those that start straight away as full timers and are now successfully supporting themselves and their loved ones. The fun part is that they started seeing the world together with their family, something that may have been just a dream when they were still in those clerical jobs. Their often find that their entire lifestyle has dramatically changed in just a short period of time.

In definition, a home-based online travel agent markets travel products offered by travel companies and suppliers that has a vast inventory of vacation package deals. The position is often referred to as “independent sales representatives." “Independent" due to the fact that you are not working inside an office space of a travel company whose products you represent.

As an independent travel agent, you may deal directly with a travel supplier or through a middleman (host agency). Because you are not an employee from any of them, you are not on their payroll list or have employee benefits.

The bottom line here is that you make your own money and get paid through commissions on whatever travel products that you can sell and there is no limit to the income you want to generate from your own time table (weekly or monthly sales). These is achieved by negotiating your own commission level or get the best offered commission package from either the host agency or the travel supplier of your choice. Earning capacity is generally unlimited from commissions and it will steadily increase as you grow your network.
To gauge your success as an online travel agent is easy! When you sell more, you earn more, sell less and you earn less.

Important advice here is that when you are independent and on your own, remember that you should never be completely alone and do all of the work with no support. There are travel suppliers who offer great packages for independent travel agents that are all automated and can mean easier work for you, giving you more time to focus on expanding your client listings. Remember that you must constantly work with others who have all the resources that will help provide the best service to your clients. To have a good understanding of what I am saying here, check out this travel supplier, http://www.personaltravelgroup.com. and you will see the difference!

Personal Travel Group offer full professional support to all of their agents and their motto is “We do the work – you make the money!” You don’t need qualifications and they pay out 70% of the available commission! It’s the best one I’ve seen – check it out for yourself…

This blog is full of information for a person looking to visit Vietnam.
www.owee58.com

How far is that from Hanoi to Halong Bay?

HaLong Bay is located 170 km away from Hanoi, this would take you about 3 – 3.5 hours on bus transfer to Halong city, bus trip normally leaves Hanoi by 8.30 am.
We will be hitting the road for Halong Bay through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta and the scenery of rice fields, water buffalo and everyday Vietnamese village life.

What do we have to bring with us to the boat?

Passport
Sun cream, insect repellent
Small changes for buying drinks on boat
Swim-suit and changes
Your own towels (though we have towels available)
Good camera with lots of films or memory space
A sense of adventures
When is the best time to visit Halong?

Summer is a good time to cruise on Halong Bay but the best time of year is during the spring or fall. Because the bay is situated in the northern part of the country, it can get colder in the fall and winter, and though you won’t see extremes such as blizzards, it’s still a lousy place to be when it gets cold.

Tip: You should bring a swim suit with you, night’s swim in the phosphorescent water is also very nice (must be before your drinks)

How if the weather turns very bad?

Origin Travel often see the weather forecast, if the weather turns bad, we have to call our clients to inform the situation whether it’s safe to go. Same with Halong Bay, we work closely with our captains and will inform you before you leave Hanoi to Halong Bay so that you do not waste the day traveling on road.
If the weather turns bad while you are cruising, we could anchor our junk at the hidden places, this is normally safe and Origin has not witnessed any bad weather that we have to hide in a cave.

Is one day trip to Halong Bay worth to visit?

Halong Bay is so beautiful that one could not miss; though 3 hours drive each way is a bit long for somebody. You will get about 4 hours on Original cruise, which is just enough for you to get an overview of what is Halong. We suggest that you drive to Halong city and sleep in the hotel the night before, so you would have a longer time on the Bay, more cruise, more caves, and more swimming.

Tip: To see Halong and its all, you should plan a 2 days trip with Origin Vietnam. Please contact Origin Vietnam travel consultants to know more about this.

Can we travel from Hai Phong to Halong?

Yes, you can! If you are already there in Hai Phong, you can call Originvietnam to have a car and guide pick you up from there and drive to , which should be less than 1,5 hours.
Or you can plan a trip with Origin from Hanoi to Hai Phong city, do the sightseeing, spend the night there then move onto Halong on the next morning.

Tip: There is a good road linking Hai Phong and Cat Ba island (South of Halong Bay), you could also travel with Original Vietnam via this way, then have our junk welcome you on Cat Ba port to visit Lan Ha bay and Halong Bay.

Do you have life jackets on boat?

Yes, that is one requirement for any boat/junk in Halong Bay.

Tip: If you do not see this when boarding the junk, please ask for the instruction from the crew member or our captain.

What do we have to bring with us to the boat?

Yes you do have to bring it with you on boat and please provide us your full names, gender, passport number, visa expire date before your departure to Halong Bay.

Tip: Each boat/junk has it own safety box, please do leave your valuable belongings in this safety box so that you can have more fun visiting cave, swimming…

What kind of boat do you use?

There are many types of boats/junks in Halong Bay, we often use the small Chinese wooden junks for your private tours that combine classic beauty with modern comfort. These junks for overnight trip is often with very fine cabins, one restaurant and a very spacious top deck area with reclining chairs for you to enjoy Halong and the sound of silence.

What kind of food on boat in Halong Bay?

Most of the meals offered with seafood as Halong Bay specialty is seafood; there is lots of sea dishes combined with traditional Vietnamese food, I’m sure you will like the food on boat, if you are allergic with seafood, please inform your meal preference to our tour operator before your departure to Halong Bay.

How about seasick on boat?

If you look on Vietnam map, you will see Halong lies on the Tonkin Gulf with lots of island that made up Halong Bay. With its calm water, Halong Bay really acts as a shield that stops all the violent wave, so it’s hard to get sea sick in Halong Bay.
Only some of the routes that the junks cruise can be close to open sea that the junk was swinging up and down. But once the junk was surrounded by Halong Bay unique limestone islands, it became stable again.

Tip: When the junk gets swinging, do not walk around on boat to avoid seasick.

Where does the boat anchor at night time?

Afternoon cruise to see the hidden wonders of Halong Bay, Origin ’s captain will find a suitable place (within the allowance areas) to anchor for the night, this place is normally inside the very calm bay surrounded by the islands.

Tip: Before we drop the anchor for the night, you will probably see the sunset so get your camera ready to take these wonderful moments.

Can we sleep outside on the top deck of the boat?

Yes, it is very nice to sleep outside there on the top-deck but please check this with our tour guide or the junk’s captain if the weather is fine to sleep outside. To note that we have very fine cabins designed with comforts of everything needed for a good sleep: natural rubber mattress, blanket, feather pillows and mosquito net and we can not bring this outside for you.

Tip: That night we all stayed up drinking talking about home and watching the shooting stars from the top deck. It was a wonderful time!

if you have any further question please mail us, We will answer to you by email then we’ll up date for the other travellers.
mail:info@originvietnam.com
http://www.originvietnam.com

There are no good or bad seasons to visit Vietnam. When one region is cold, or steamy hot, there is always somewhere else that is sunny and warm. The south has two seasons: the wet (May to November, wettest from June to August) and the dry (December to April). The hottest and most humid time is from the end of February to May. The central coast is dry from June to October.
The north has two seasons: cool, damp winters (November to April) and hot summers (May to October). The highland areas are significantly cooler than the lowlands, and temperatures can get down to freezing in winter. There is the possibility of typhoons between July and November, affecting the north and central areas. Travelers should take the Tet new-year festival (late January or early February) into account when planning a trip. Travel (including international travel) becomes very difficult, hotels are full and many services close down for at least a week and possibly a lot longer.
Visa:
Most visitors to Vietnam need a visa to enter the country. Visas are exempted for the citizens of the countries which have signed a bilateral visa exemption agreement with Vietnam. Tourist visas may be valid for 15 to 30 days.
Tourist visas can only be obtained in Vietnamese embassies or consulates abroad. You can only get a visa at the border gates if you are invitees of some Vietnamese government organisation. To apply for a visa, the requirements are as follows:
Entry permit form (which can vary from one Vietnamese embassies or consulate abroad to another) – There are two categories of this form: for foreigners and for Vietnamese overseas..
Original passport
Visa fee
You should send your application, photos and passport to the Vietnamese embassy or consulate which is most convenient to your location. If you require, the reply will be returned by post (you must provide stamped envelopes with your name and address).
It is easier to get your visa from a Vietnamese travel agency. The necessary information to the travel agency includes:
* Full name
Birthday and place of birth
Nationality
Job
Number of your passport
Entry and exit dates
Country you plan to receive your entry visa from the Vietnamese embassies or consulates

Vietnamese overseas are required to provide more information:
* Year and reason to leave Vietnam
Leave Vietnam by means
Full names and addresses of relations in Vietnam

Visa extension: this service is available at all travel agencies.
Visas are exempted for the citizens of the countries, which have signed a bilateral visa exemption agreement with Vietnam, including Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Laos. Vietnam also made a unilateral decision on visa exemption for citizens of Japan and Korea.
Viet Value Travel will be happy to arrange Visa applications on personal contact with the company at additional expense. Please contact us for further details.
Currency:
The currency of Vietnam is the dong (VND). Notes are available in paper denominations of 500,000; 100,000; 50,000; 20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 1,000, 500, 200 and 100 VND, and also in metal denomination of 5,000; 2,000; 1,000; 500; 200 d. Throughout the country, American dollars are widely accepted. However, the bills must be relatively new with no markings or tears. Several big cities use Euro currency. Traveler’s cheques are easily exchangeable in banks. Credit cards are becoming more popular, especially in the major hotels and restaurants of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Ive got two weeks on a small budget and want to see beaches, go shopping and see beautiful scenery.Have you got any suggestions?Ive never been there before.

There is a wide range of activities that we have participated in. Some of our guests have gone out in the fields and actually got into the mud and planted rice. Others, have befriended one of the young women and was taken to her house to have tea. Sometimes the guest are up for some more trekking and we go for a short walk in the mountains. And, others prefer to just sit and relax. Helping out with the cooking and some of the chores is encouraged so that you can get a better understanding of local life.

The people at the homestay are quite shy. Especially with their English. They can speak a little English and actually it is enough to have a conversation. Although, they do need some encouragement. We ask you to be active in communicating with the family, askin them questions about their lives. They are always happy to answer, often showing you and getting you involved in order for you to better understand.
(Source: www.footprintsvietnam.com)

Vietnam is a friendly and safe place to travel with the hidden charm. But each country have special different, Vietnam too. Different about culture, history and style life… With a sprinkling of common sense, your trip should be smooth and trouble free. Do not be overly paranoid though. Generally, Vietnamese people are very appreciative if they see you trying to abide by the customs, and very forgiving if you get it wrong or forget. If you make the effort, you will be rewarded. With a cool head and sensible planning, one can avoid these problems.

• Greetings are no different to western countries, there are no cultural formalities that as a foreigner you would be expected to know or practice.
• Vietnamese dress conservatively. Not only for the prevailing weather, but also not to cause offence to the local people. Despite the heat, it’s best not to show off too much skin. If you do, especially girls, you’ll only draw stares from the locals. Vietnamese have conservative dress codes, and it is only in larger cities that these codes are a little more relaxed. Do not wear revealing clothing.
• Dress well when visiting pagodas. No shorts or tatty beer t-shirts. Shoes are fine, and rarely will you have to remove them. If unsure, just follow what the locals do.
• Drink plenty of bottled water, especially when walking around sightseeing. No need to carry huge bottles around with you, a vendor is never far away and no doubt they will find you before you find them. During the summer months you should be drinking a minimum of two liters per day. If you drink tea, coffee & alcohol you should increase you water intake accordingly as these will help to dehydrate you.
• Travel with recommend tour agencies. Even if you plan to buy tickets when in country, research your journey a little first on the Internet. A good resource is Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree Forum, where fellow tourists discuss travel in Vietnam. This way you avoid unreliable tour agencies and badly run hotels.
• Store your cash, credit cards, airline tickets and other valuables in a safe place. Most 4-star hotels have in-room safes, otherwise ask the reception to keep your valuable things in their deposit facility.
• Take a hotel business card from the reception desk before venturing out from your hotel. This will make your return to the hotel in a taxi or cyclo much easier.
• Carry a roll of toilet paper in your daypack on long excursions from your base hotel. You never know when you might need it!
• If invited into a home, always remove your shoes at the front door when entering.
• Ask for permission when taking a photograph of someone. If they indicate that they do not want you to, then abide by their wishes.
• DO NOT offer money or push the issue.
• Check on your first day whether you need to reconfirm your next flight, if so do it then. Some airlines do not require this anymore but it is still worthwhile calling them so that they at least have your contact details, in case the flight is delayed or whatever.