Vietnam

Americans have obvious reason to be curious about Vietnam, and most return from their visits stirred by the beauty of the landscape and the generosity of their hosts. Hotels and resorts in Vietnam have attained a commendable level of excellence, but they haven’t ascended to the highest international standards. As long as you don’t expect the equivalents of Phuket’s Amanpuri or the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok, you are likely to be pleasantly surprised. Hanoi is an unexpectedly gracious French colonial city, with tree-lined boulevards and fine neoclassical buildings.

CLIMATE: In the north, May-September is the hot and humid rainy season, with daytime temperatures cooling to the upper 60s in winter. In the south, the rainy season is May-October, though daytime temperatures average 88-95 F all year. The best compromise for a north-south visit is fall, preferably November.

TIME: 12 hours ahead of New York (EST).

CURRENCY: Vietnamese dong (VND). Fluctuating rate valued at VND20,619 = US$1.00 as of January 2013. Note: One of our suggested hotels quotes rates in US$.

U.S. EMBASSY: Hanoi, Tel. 4-3850-5000. Ho Chi Minh City consulate, Tel. 8-3520-4200.

DIRECT DIAL CODES: To phone hotels in Vietnam, dial 011 (international access) + 84 (Vietnam code) + city code and local numbers in listings.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Passport (valid for six months beyond end of stay) and visa. Visit travel.state.gov, and for travelers’ health information, cdc.gov

GENERAL INFORMATION: Visit vietnamtourism.com before your trip.