trees speak vietnameese by https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6 en-us 2023-10-31 19:32:15 UTC 2024-05-19 20:19:07 UTC hello@padlet.com Vietnam is a very long, thin country. From the city of Hanoi in the north to Ho Chi Minh City in the south, the distance is over 1,000 miles and would take about 30 hours by car. panaintestefan https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771218330 2023-10-31 20:17:20 UTC https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771218330 Whether you’re visiting south, central, or northern Vietnam, you can expect a lot of heat and humidity. The climate of the entire country is considered to be mild tropical or subtropical. panaintestefan https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771220585 2023-10-31 20:20:27 UTC https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771220585 Overall, you can expect some rain in the summer and autumn months, especially if you are visiting Vietnam from July to November. And in the north, the temperatures can get quite cold during the winter months (December – February), with occasional snow in the mountains around Sapa. panaintestefan https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771220982 2023-10-31 20:21:02 UTC https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771220982 If you take a bus or the train, you may save a few dollars, but you’ll waste a ton of time covering these massive distances. Plus, you can find really inexpensive domestic flights, especially if you book ahead. Vietjet Air is a popular domestic carrier with inexpensive flights panaintestefan https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771221573 2023-10-31 20:21:51 UTC https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771221573 English is taught in schools in many countries in SE Asia, so locals tend to be multilingual. This is especially true of anyone working in shops, restaurants, hotels, or places that tourists frequent. And many people want to learn English as tourism is seen as a very lucrative profession. So getting around without a phrasebook or any basic conversational dialect is no problem. panaintestefan https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771223546 2023-10-31 20:24:32 UTC https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771223546 But in rural parts of Vietnam, many people do not speak any English at all. Or if they do, it is incredibly basic. Even at restaurants, shops, and some hotels, you may have a challenging time communicating to place an order or ask how much something costs panaintestefan https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771223779 2023-10-31 20:24:50 UTC https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771223779 The traffic in Vietnam is world-renowned for being insane. But not as much because of cars, more because of the thousands of motorbikes that dominate the roadways, weaving in and out of traffic. Walk signals and the white lines that generally indicate “pedestrian crossing” zones don’t hold much weight here. Motorbikes and cars will not stop for pedestrians unless they absolutely have to. panaintestefan https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771225109 2023-10-31 20:26:34 UTC https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771225109 You can find lovely boutique hotels in the $30-40 USD/night range and really comfy Airbnbs for around $20-25 USD/night. If you’re living in Vietnam long-term, you can rent an apartment or house for around $300-600/month. Trains and buses are quite affordable and comfortable. And if you use the Grab app instead of taxis, you’ll rarely pay more than a few dollars to get anywhere in the city. panaintestefan https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771227691 2023-10-31 20:29:45 UTC https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771227691 Food is quite cheap as well. If you don’t mind eating on tiny plastic stools, you can get a filling meal for around $2 USD. Even fancy meals rarely cost more than $20 USD per person. Domestic beer is generally less than $1 USD per can or bottle. And if you plan on shopping for souvenirs, you’ll be expected to haggle a bit on prices. Start by offering 50% of their asking price, and you’ll end up meeting somewhere in the middle. panaintestefan https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771228130 2023-10-31 20:30:22 UTC https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771228130 In December of 2007, Vietnam enacted a comprehensive mandatory helmet law to help to lessen the country’s traffic fatalities. Vietnam is the second-highest country in SE Asia for traffic fatalities with 24.5 per 100,000. And motorbikes are much more common than cars here, accounting for 95% of registered vehicles in the country. panaintestefan https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771230261 2023-10-31 20:33:11 UTC https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771230261 As a foreigner, you’ll be expected to wear one as well during your visit to Vietnam. And not just if/when you rent a motorbike, you’ll also need one if you take one of the many Grab bikes that dominate the roadways. But don’t worry, they’ll have an extra one for you to use. panaintestefan https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771231015 2023-10-31 20:34:13 UTC https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771231015 Speaking of Grab, you should plan on using this service rather than taxis. Grab is the Uber of SE Asia. Simply download the app and find a driver anytime you need a ride. Keep in mind it often takes longer than hailing a taxi, and the drivers occasionally cancel the ride, but it’s far easier than having to negotiate your taxi fare prior to departing. And it’s so much cheaper! panaintestefan https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771232090 2023-10-31 20:35:35 UTC https://padlet.com/panaintestefan/nfir8qwdcxovn7k6/wish/2771232090