Vietnam
About
| The Vietnamese are friendly and extremely generous, and travelling the country is a real delight. The cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are both chaotic and captivating. Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum is a fascinating, if bizarre, place to visit. Join the queues to see the embalmed body of Vietnam's national hero. The highlands, a day's train ride north of Hanoi, is home to several hill tribes whose way of life has changed very little. The residents still wear colourful traditional costumes and offer an insight into a bygone time. The beaches of Vietnam are superb. Vung Tau, southeast of Ho Chi Minh City or Nha Trang have some superb snorkelling around the many offshore islands. And take the opportunity to slide down the sand dunes at Mui Ne. For anyone who likes handicrafts, Vietnam is heaven. Wooden water puppets, with ingenious mechanisms, silk, lacquerware, trinkets, clothes - including superb tailors - can be found even in the most remote areas, and everything's at bargain prices. |
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| Capital: | Hanoi (HAN) |
| Currency: | Dông (VND) |
| Language: | Vietnamese. English, French and Chinese may be spoken, especially in the tourist areas. |
| Dialling code from SA: | + 84 |
| Time Zones: | UTC/GMT +7 hours (5 hours ahead of South Africa) |
| Best Time to Go: | Spring (March-April) and Autumn (October-December) or year-round |
| Best For: | Religious Sites, Historical sites |
| Plugs: | Power supply in Vietnam is 220V/50Hz. Standard sockets are two-pin round plug. Most of hotels have both 220V and 110V power supply. |
| Drinking Water: | All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Milk is unpasteurised. Bottled water is available (ensure that the seal is unbroken). |
| Health: | In the main cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City the hospitals there are adequate and well-equipped medical facilities, however visitors are required to pay for these services immediately in cash. Comprehensive health insurance is recommended and should include emergency evacuation. |
| Customs: | Shorts should only be worn at the beach. Shoes should be removed before entering religious buildings and a donation should be left. Do not leave chopsticks standing upright in a bowl of rice, as it has death connotations. Clothing should be informal and discreet. |
| Local Offences / Laws: | There are restrictions on photography at ports and airports. |
| Travel Tips / Warnings: | Credit cards are increasingly accepted in the major cities, but it is recommended to carry cash when travelling outside of the cities. There are no ATM’s in rural areas. Pickpocketing and purse snatching is common in the main cities – avoid obvious displays of wealth and leave valuables in the hotel safe. |
| Duty Free: |
Alcohol and alcoholic drinks: 1.5 liters of alcohol over 220; 2 liters of alcohol below 220 alcohol; alcoholic drinks and beer: 3 liters. Cigarettes: 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars, 500g of tobacco threads Tea and Coffee: 5 kg of tea; 3 kg of coffee. Personal clothing and belongings: appropriate for visit purpose. |
| Prohibited Imports: | weapons, ammunition, explosives, inflammables, firecrackers of all sorts, opium and other narcotics, toxic chemicals, antiques, rare fauna and flora, documents related to national security, cultural items improper to Vietnamese traditions and customs, and toys that have negative effects on children’s education, etc. |
| Prohibited Exports: | All banned imports are also prohibited from being exported, as are antiques and endangered species. You must receive a permit from the state bank to export more than 300g of gold. |
Issuing Authorities
Embassy of Vietnam
87 Brooks Street, Brooklyn, Pretoria
Tel: 012 362 8119
E-mail: embassy@vietnam.co.za
Visas: visa@vietnam.co.za
Web: www.vietnam.co.za
Mon-Fri: 8:00 - 12:00
Public Holidays 2025: Jan 1, 28-31; Feb 1-2; Apr 7, 30; May 1; Sep 2
Public Holidays 2026: Jan 1; Feb 16-21; Apr 26, 30; May 1; Sep 2
Visa Requirements
Visas are required by SA passport holders
Applications may be done with the Embassy, or online at: evisa.gov.vn
EMBASSY APPLICATIONS:
- Approval Letter: travellers will need to work with an authorized travel agency in Vietnam, which will request an approval letter from the Immigration Department of Vietnam.
- Application form with 1 colour photo
- Original passport
- A copy of passport
- Flight booking
- House/hotel reservation/booking
- Visa fee
Once all the necessary documents are ready, travellers can submit their application for a visa at the embassy. Applications may also be submitted via courier.
EVISA APPLICATIONS:
- Photo of the person requesting an electronic visa (newly taken, photo size 4x6 cm, jpg, jpeg format, size <2MB, straight face, no hat, no glasses, formal clothes, white background)
- Passport data page image
- NB: Take note of your Evisa application code, as you will need this to search for your visa application status on the platform.
- If approved, the visa must be downloaded and printed, to be presented at Immigration.
Visa Processing Time
3 working days, excluding the posting time.
Visa Validity
Tourist: 30 day, single entry
Visa Cost
Embassy Application: Contact the embassy for fees.
E-visa fee: 25 USD for a single-entry visa / 50 USD for a multiple-entry visa. Evisa payment may take up to 2 hours to reflect.
SA Representative
SA Embassy:
Central Building 3rd Floor, 31 Hai Ba Trung Street, Hanoi
Tel: + (84-24) 3936 2000
E-mail: consular.hanoi@dirco.gov.za
Web: dirco1.azurewebsites.net/hanoi
Travel Health
| Compulsory: | Yellow Fever (Dependant on Country of Origin/Stopover) |
| Recommended Travel Vaccines: | Hepatitis A & B, Japanese Encephalitis (Not available in SA), Rabies, Typhoid, Tetanus, Polio |
| Malaria Risk |
