What should I expect on arrival / Hanoi /

Upon arrival to Vietnam International Airports (Hanoi, Da Nang or Hochiminh), you present all things in the prepared package (passport, visa approval letter, 2 passport sized photos 4x6cm, the entry-and-exit form and stamping fee) to the Immigration officer to get your visa stamped.

Here is a map of the Noi Bai / Hanoi Airport with the Visa area identified.

https://www.vietnam-immigration.org.vn/ … hanoi.html

You will have to ask THIGV what to call it - he is the self-proclaimed expert on this matter.

Thanks for the info!

It will be warm and humid probably. You'll get to baggage reclaim after immigration. Once you have your baggage, you will go through security again and they will x-ray your baggage again - or if they are really busy they may just wave you through.

Outside the airport, remember that as a sweaty foreigner you stick out like the backside of a female baboon in oestrus  and there may be the odd pick pocket about. Keep your bags close and your wallet, passport etc in a front pocket of your pants, or in a hidden zip up pocket

If going by taxi to your hotel, specify ONLY GREEN TAXIS from the MAI LINH taxi company OR WHITE TAXIS from the VINA SUN company. These two companies have uniformed drivers and are reasonable safe. Each vehicle from these two companies has a registered number painted on an oval background (as distinct from the vehicles registration plate).  The number will also be inside the vehicle, often on the back of the head rests. Take a pic of the number with your smart phone and then if you leave you umbrella, etc in the cab, the hotel staff can contact the cab company and get it back for you.

When walking around town remember that motorbikes will use the sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, travel the wrong way on one ways streets etc. And don't forget that motorbike riding bag snatchers are not unknown in Vietnam.

Apart from all that (most of which is common to big cities in any country), welcome to Vietnam and have a great time, its one of the best countries in the world to live.

schleger wrote:

What could go wrong?

There are no Vinasun taxis because it is very late. Wait awhile.

The taxi driver doesn't understand you because you didn't write down the address of your hotel.

You forget to withdraw VND from an ATM in the airport lobby to pay the taxi driver.

The ATM is broken. Oops.

The driver can't find the hotel, and your Google maps on your smartphone don't work because you didn't download an offline map of Hanoi.  (You don't need an unlocked smartphone, or buy a SIM card, for offline maps to work).

What could go wrong?

You check in to the Majestic hotel in Saigon and at 2 AM you find water dripping from the ceiling onto your bed.

You call reception and complain. They send a man to your room with the key to another room. The man gives you the key and disappears. No one offers to help you with your suitcases.

You pack and move to the other room which is on the same floor down the corridor.

On opening the new room door you are confronted with an elderly man sleeping in the bed.

Well it happened to me!

Oh and if you ask any question which the person you are talking to cant answer, he or she may waggle their right hand at just above shoulder height, whilst making the famous rictus grin.

This gesture can mean, variously:

1. I don't know.
2. I don't care.
3. I don't understand.
4. I don't speak English (German, Spanish, Serbo Croat, Pashto etc)
5. I'm not interested.
6.  I couldn't give a flying anal furunculosis.