What to pack?

tintinmiami2013 wrote:

All,

Appreciated if you guys can give some input on what are things that are necessary to pack when you moved to Vietnam?

I obviously know that I need to bring my passport, birth certificate, Social security card, driver license, other important documents, credit cards, money, mobile phone, clothes, and laptop.  Are there any other suggestions?  Please help

Tin Tin

You will need to bring a very good sense of humour, also bring a good tolerance for negotiating around many rude, bad mannered people, ( Native and Foreign ), a good crash helmet, reputable health and accident insurance, mirrored sunglasses, ( so you can stare back and not be so obvious about it ),  also a thick skin could come in handy.  Welcome to VN.

Bluenz,

Appreciate your sense of humor (Sorry US spelling). 

Hope you are enjoying yourself in VN.

- Tin Tin

A real chamois cloth (Wal Mart) has them and they make great sweat rags. Also, Milky Way candy bars...many many.

I second that u bring a foreign helmet cause the vn helmets are crap>.<
I would bring a second cheap mobile phone cause imo its too dangerous walking with ur iphone or samsung galaxy. And a lot of patience
Also get to know the process of exchanging your driver licence cause International isnt valid here:( Which means u need copies of you passport, your driver licence, 4 x (3x4) photos and a notarized and translated copy of ur dl...

Enjoy Vietnam its such a wonderful country

missmae wrote:

I second that u bring a foreign helmet cause the vn helmets are crap>.<
I would bring a second cheap mobile phone cause imo its too dangerous walking with ur iphone or samsung galaxy. And a lot of patience
Also get to know the process of exchanging your driver licence cause International isnt valid here:( Which means u need copies of you passport, your driver licence, 4 x (3x4) photos and a notarized and translated copy of ur dl...

Enjoy Vietnam its such a wonderful country

Or just buy a cheap 3G Smart phone here, for 2 mil, you can get a Q Smart , with GPS, 2 sim cards, wifi hotspot, ( I use as wifi for  laptop ), I've been using mine for 6 mths, no probs, except camera quality isn't the greatest.

Of course bring your complete personal documents necessary. Make sure you have more than enough money in your pocket!

Bring your greatest smile, patience and yes, sense of humor.

I agree with others, if you plan to drive a motorbike, bring your own helmet.

Enjoy your stay here in Vietnam!!!

vnescape wrote:

A real chamois cloth (Wal Mart) has them and they make great sweat rags. Also, Milky Way candy bars...many many.

Good tip on the chocolate since genuine US quality chocolate is much appreciated over the local chalky type.  However, be aware of the HEAT here that will melt chocolate and the last thing  you want is runny brown liquid all over your suitcase - and it kinda makes messes up your gift because nobody wants a melted candy bar.

missmae wrote:

I second that u bring a foreign helmet cause the vn helmets are crap>.<
I would bring a second cheap mobile phone cause imo its too dangerous walking with ur iphone or samsung galaxy. And a lot of patience
Also get to know the process of exchanging your driver licence cause International isnt valid here:( Which means u need copies of you passport, your driver licence, 4 x (3x4) photos and a notarized and translated copy of ur dl...

Enjoy Vietnam its such a wonderful country

Yep, iPhones, iPads, are easy targets for iThieves.  Even if you're sitting at a iCafe, an iSnatcher can quickly iGrab and iGo.  By the time you've recovered from being iSlapped, the iAssailant has left on the iMotorbike.

tintinmiami2013 wrote:

All,

Appreciated if you guys can give some input on what are things that are necessary to pack when you moved to Vietnam?

I obviously know that I need to bring my passport, birth certificate, Social security card, driver license, other important documents, medicine, credit cards, money, mobile phone, clothes, and laptop.  Are there any other suggestions?  Please help

Tin Tin

You just covered all the essentials on what to bring.  Here's my tip on how to bring it:

Travel light.  Assume your check-in luggage will be lost (worst case scenario) so therefore put all your essentials into two carry-on baggages. one a medium laptop size case that has a good across the shoulder strap...don't buy a cheap plastic clippy strap...get the medal kind.  In this pack your "brain gear" - laptop, documents, medicine, etc...

The other piece of luggage, pack your "brawn gear" - clothes, shampoo, gifts and stuff to take care of your physical body in a camping style hiking over-sized backpack. 



In your check-in luggage, you can bring stuff that is non-essential and will only inconvenience you if it gets lost.  These items can be replaced locally.  So additional clothes, the motorcycle helmet (be sure you find a cheap/ugly looking functional helmet as anything expensive will get stolen over here), towels, additional gifts, a good pair of Levi Jeans (for riding the motorbike), a suit and shoes.

For your traveling fashion, you should wear loose comfortable clothes, that is on the "semi-formal" level.  A good pair of khakis, button up shirt, with a blazer/windbraker, and comfortable shoes.  You will sit a long time.   

As a carry on, avoid the "wheelie" luggage since they are totally useless on Việt Nam's lack of concrete sidewalks.  The hiker's backpack lets you go mobile everywhere in the country after you get here.  The wheelie luggage is only usable when traveling via airports and as a check-in luggage carrier. 

You should also buy a "loop wallet" or a hidden travel's wallet like this one to carry your passport, large chunks of money, and other ID cards.

 

The loop wallet goes inside your pants and is a big pick-pocket deterrent.  Nobody's going to go down your pants undetected to steal your Ben Franklins.

You buy these at the traveler's section of WalMart for about 20 bucks.  Very good usage at busy airports as well as everyday use when in Việt Nam.  Many wise ladies already sew inside pockets in their pants to keep their money. 

This is in addition to the regular wallet where you just keep a small amount of cash for daily use.  If this gets pick-pocketed, you only lose your coffee money.

One final tip.  Exchange only 50 bucks worth of Vietnamese money when you get to the airport...because the rates are jacked up to cover the high rent the kiosks have to pay the airport.  50 bucks is enough to get you a taxi ride to go to nearest bank to convert the rest of your cash into local currency.

Good luck and hope to meet you when you arrive in-country.

Tran Hung Dao wrote:

tintinmiami2013 wrote:

All,

Appreciated if you guys can give some input on what are things that are necessary to pack when you moved to Vietnam?

I obviously know that I need to bring my passport, birth certificate, Social security card, driver license, other important documents, medicine, credit cards, money, mobile phone, clothes, and laptop.  Are there any other suggestions?  Please help

Tin Tin

You just covered all the essentials on what to bring.  Here's my tip on how to bring it:

Travel light.  Assume your check-in luggage will be lost (worst case scenario) so therefore put all your essentials into two carry-on baggages. one a medium laptop size case that has a good across the shoulder strap...don't buy a cheap plastic clippy strap...get the medal kind.  In this pack your "brain gear" - laptop, documents, medicine, etc...

The other piece of luggage, pack your "brawn gear" - clothes, shampoo, gifts and stuff to take care of your physical body in a camping style hiking over-sized backpack. 

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51swt6Afy4L.jpg

In your check-in luggage, you can bring stuff that is non-essential and will only inconvenience you if it gets lost.  These items can be replaced locally.  So additional clothes, the motorcycle helmet (be sure you find a cheap/ugly looking functional helmet as anything expensive will get stolen over here), towels, additional gifts, a good pair of Levi Jeans (for riding the motorbike), a suit and shoes.

For your traveling fashion, you should wear loose comfortable clothes, that is on the "semi-formal" level.  A good pair of khakis, button up shirt, with a blazer/windbraker, and comfortable shoes.  You will sit a long time.   

As a carry on, avoid the "wheelie" luggage since they are totally useless on Việt Nam's lack of concrete sidewalks.  The hiker's backpack lets you go mobile everywhere in the country after you get here.  The wheelie luggage is only usable when traveling via airports and as a check-in luggage carrier. 

You should also buy a "loop wallet" or a hidden travel's wallet like this one to carry your passport, large chunks of money, and other ID cards.

http://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/ca … 1236_g.jpg 

The loop wallet goes inside your pants and is a big pick-pocket deterrent.  Nobody's going to go down your pants undetected to steal your Ben Franklins.

You buy these at the traveler's section of WalMart for about 20 bucks.  Very good usage at busy airports as well as everyday use when in Việt Nam.  Many wise ladies already sew inside pockets in their pants to keep their money. 

This is in addition to the regular wallet where you just keep a small amount of cash for daily use.  If this gets pick-pocketed, you only lose your coffee money.

One final tip.  Exchange only 50 bucks worth of Vietnamese money when you get to the airport...because the rates are jacked up to cover the high rent the kiosks have to pay the airport.  50 bucks is enough to get you a taxi ride to go to nearest bank to convert the rest of your cash into local currency.

Good luck and hope to meet you when you arrive in-country.

I have one backpack that is also my laptop bag and one wheeled bag. I disagree with you on the wheeled bags, I use mine everywhere. The exchange rate at the airport is actually not so bad now and I usually exchange money and hire taxi inside the airport. I think i paid 125,000 for taxi to the ferry station and  by the meter it usually runs around 200,00

Socks and jocks.

vnescape wrote:

A real chamois cloth (Wal Mart) has them and they make great sweat rags. Also, Milky Way candy bars...many many.

Last time I brought Reese's Peanut Butter and Oh Henry. Melted nuts lol. Was a big hit.

I wear prescription transition glasses. It goes dark when sunny and clear when not. Confuses the locals.

Good thing I'm heading back to Toronto before I head to Vietnam. Will pick up my 3 quarter helmet that I haven't worn for over 3 years. Think will leave the full face home though it will make a great smog mask.

I don't know what else to bring other than new underwears.

TinTin, since this thread will be of interest to those who don't speak Vietnamese: Bring a pocket Vietnamese phrase book with you, something like Lonely Planet's. Also, a good pocket dictionary helps: Not sure where I picked up mine but it is Periplus's Pocket Vietnamese Dictionary, a slim little volume. You can of course get Vietnamese - English and English Vietnamese dictionaries rather cheap in Vietnam, but they tend to be backpack sized rather than pocket sized and are not thematically arranged.

I have digital ones on all my devices.  Much faster to use, just beware compound words.

One thing to pack: regular Listerine.  NOBODY here carries the unflavored kind, only the inferior colored ones, and I'm pretty sure some of it is counterfeit.  I see ants in the sink.

I'd rather pay four times as much elsewhere than spend a dime at WalMart.

http://www.salon.com/2013/11/29/breakin … _wal_mart/

My fellow Americans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl … FFqUdToBGc

ChrisFox wrote:

One thing to pack: regular Listerine.  NOBODY here carries the unflavored kind, only the inferior colored ones, and I'm pretty sure some of it is counterfeit.  I see ants in the sink.

oh, might be the reason why i see ants (sometimes) in the sink.