Phong Nha Cave VietNam - Unesco World

Formed approximately 250 million years ago, give or take a few million years, Phong Nha Cave is the largest and most beautiful cave in Vietnam. Located in the village of Son Trach, 55km northwest of Dong Hoi, it was designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 2000.

It's remarkable for its thousands of metres of underground passageways and river caves filled with abundant stalactites and stalagmites. In November and December the river is prone to flooding and the underground cave may be closed.



In 1990, a British caving expedition explored 35km of the cave and made the first reliable map of Phong Nha's underground (and underwater) passageways. They discovered that the main cavern is nearly 8km long, with 14 other caves nearby.

Phong Nha means ‘Cave of Teeth’, but, unfortunately, the ‘teeth’ (or stalagmites) that were by the entrance are no longer there. Once you get further into the cave, it's mostly unspoiled. There's also a dry cave in the mountainside just above Phong Nha Cave. You can walk to it from the entrance to Phong Nha Cave (10 minutes) - look for the sign to Tien Son at the foot of the stairs.

The Chams used the cave's grottoes as Hindu sanctuaries in the 9th and 10th centuries; the remains of their altars and inscriptions are still here. Vietnamese Buddhists continue to venerate these sanctuaries, as they do other Cham religious sites.

More recently, this cave was used as a hospital and ammunition depot  during the American War. The entrance shows evidence of aerial attacks. That US war-planes spent considerable time bombing and strafing the Phong Nha area is really hardly surprising: this was one of the key entrance points to the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Some overgrown remains of the trail are still visible, though you'll need a guide to point them out to you.

You should he aware that Phong Nha is heavily visited by Vietnamese groups. The cave itself is fantastic, the experience less so. That is unless you like your World Heritage sites to incorporate litter, noise, people climbing on stalagmites and cigarette smoke in the underground caverns Of course these things are prohibited, but enforcement appears to be lax to say the least. Presumably these distractions can be avoided if you arrive early in the morning. The toilets might be less putrid then, too.

The Phong Nha Reception Department, an enormous complex in Son Trach village, organises tourist access to the cave. You buy your admission ticket here and organise a boat to take you to the cave. Boats seal about 10, so it's cheaper to share. The cave system is electrically lit, but you may want to bring a torch (flashlight), as some of the paths are poorly illuminated.

read more : things you need to know when traveling within vietnam

Vietnam Visa - Things you should know

Most visitors still need to apply for a Vietnamese visa in advance to enter the country. Vietnam visa is inexpensive in comparision to any other countries' visa fees ranging from US$45 - 85 if application is sent directly to the Embassy or US$25-55 if your visa has been pre-approved. A fairly convenient visa on arrival process has recently been introduced, but this requires a pre-arranged application to Hanoi Immigration Department and is generally helpful to nationals of countries without Vietnamese embassies. 

 Application to travel vietnam 

Read who need visa for the visa exemption information. 

Who need Visa to Vietnam? 
Only citizens of certain countries can visit Vietnam without an entry visa (valid for visit within 30 days). Those countries include: most Asean countries, Korea, Japan & Scandinavians (2005). All other citizens are required to get an entry visa before departure (visa issued prior to departure by Vietnamese consulates or embassies) or a pre-approved entry visa (visa is issued on arrival at Vietnam’s International Airports) supplied before arrival in Vietnam. 

VISA EXEMPTION INFORMATION 
- No visa required for travel less than 30 days: Citizens of Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Laos. 
- No visa required for travel less than 15 days: Citizens of Japan and South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland. 
- No visa required for travel less than 90 days or several visits within 6 months: Citizens of France holding valid diplomatic or official passports 

- No visa required for travel less than 60 days: Citizens of [updating] holding valid diplomatic or official passports. 
- No visa required for travel less than 60 days: APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Holders from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies 
- Special Phu Quoc Exception: Foreigners and Vietnamese nationals bearing foreign passports who enter Vietnam through an international border gate and then travel to Phu Quoc Island and stay in Phu Quoc less than 15 days will also be exempt from visa application. Passports must be valid for at least 45 days. After arriving in Phu Quoc Island, if visitors want to travel other localities or stay in the island for more than 15 days, the immigration department will be responsible for issuing visas right on the spot.
- No visa required for Japanese citizens who hold valid diplomatic or official passports 
When entering Vietnam to implement diplomatic or Government’s official tasks without concerning about the time of stay. For those who entering Vietnam not for the diplomatic tasks but hold valid diplomatic or official passports can be exempted from entry visa and permitted to stay within 90 days.using an international or local mobile phone. 
The cheapest way to make international phone calls is at any of the various Internet cafes around Vietnam, although the quality varies. Two options to save money when calling from a land line (for example, in your hotel) are to either dial 171 or 178 (and then 00) before the country code or to buy a prepaid 1719 phone cards from the post office (prices between 30,000 VND to 500,000 VND). 

Overseas Vietnamese visa exemption begins next month 

The certificate will be valid five years. 
To obtain the certificates, overseas Vietnamese are required to submit one of the three following documents at an official representative office in their country of residence: 
• a document (such as a birth certificate) from a Vietnamese agency that proves they are ethnically Vietnamese; 
• a guarantee by an overseas Vietnamese association based in the country in which they reside or by a Vietnamese citizen; or 
• a document from an authorized foreign agency certifying that they are ethnically Vietnamese. 
Husbands, wives and children of Vietnamese people living abroad will also need to submit documents that prove their relationship to the Vietnamese member of their immediate family. 
Expecting a rush on representative offices abroad, the government’s Committee for Overseas Vietnamese has sent 200,000 visa exemption certificates to Vietnamese embassies overseas. 
The move to exempt visas for overseas Vietnamese was announced by President Nguyen Minh Triet during his visit to the US in June. 
According to the Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, there are currently close to three million overseas Vietnamese, most of whom have settled in the US, France, Australia and Canada. Around 500,000 overseas Vietnamese visit Vietnam each year. 

Things you need to know when Travelling Within Vietnam

Vietnamese people are very gracious, polite, and generous and will 
make every effort to make guests feel comfortable. These are the experiences that will enrich your visit to Vietnam. 

Vietnam people and culture

DO 

* Store your cash, credit cards, airline tickets and other valuables in a safe place. Most 4-star hotels have in-room safes; otherwise ask the reception to keep your valuable things in their deposit facility. 
* Always be careful of the belongings you carry with you during your holiday. 
* Take care of all your valuables. Never leave your bags unattended 
* Vietnamese dress conservatively. Despite the heat, it’s best not to show off too much skin. If you do, especially girls, you’ll only draw stares from the locals. 
* Dress discreetly while entering temples and other religious places. 
* If invited into a home, always remove your shoes at the front door when entering. 
* Ask for permission when taking a photograph of someone. If they indicate that they do not want you to, then abide by their wishes. DO NOT offer money or push the issue. 
* Use waterproof sun cream if you plan to spend a good amount of time in the water when you travel to Vietnam. 
* Change money from a recognized moneychanger. 
* Indulge in some haggling while buying goods without price tags whenever you go shopping in Vietnam. 
* Travel with recommend tour agencies. Even if you plan to buy tickets when in country, research your journey a little first on the Internet. 

vietnam people and culture

"xe om" vietnam 

DON’T 

* Never carry more money than you need when walking around the streets. 
* Do not wear large amounts of jewelry. There are two reasons for not doing this: (1) It is considered impolite to flaunt wealth in public; (2) It is more likely that you may become a victim of a pickpocket or drive-by bag snatcher. 
* When taking a ride by motorbike taxi (xe om) make sure your bag, if any, is not on display or easy to grab. Bag snatches, although still rare, are probably the most likely crime a tourist would encounter, and it raises the probability immensely if you are tailing a camera or a laptop in the wind. 
* Don't wear singlet, shorts, dresses or skirts, or tops with low-neck lines and bare shoulders to Temples and Pagodas. To do this is considered extremely rude and offensive. 
* Avoid giving empty water bottles, sweets and candies or pens to the local people when trekking through ethnic minority villages. You cannot guarantee that the empty bottles will be disposed of in a correct manner, and the people have no access to dental health. If you want to give pens, ask your guide to introduce you to the local teacher and donate them to the whole community. 
* Never sleep or sit with the soles of your feet pointing towards the family altar when in someone’s house. 
* Do not try to take photographs of military installations or anything to do with the military. This can be seen as a breach of national security. Never take video cameras into the ethnic minority villages. They are considered to be too intrusive by the local people. 
* Physical displays of affection between lovers in public are frowned upon. That’s why you may come across couples holding hands but not hugging or kissing. 
* Losing your temper in Vietnam means a loss of face. Keep a cool head and remain polite, you’ll have a greater chance of getting what you want. 
* Remember, this is Vietnam, a developing country, and things don’t quite work as you are maybe used to. Don’t be paranoid about your safety; just be aware of your surroundings. 

The above advice is meant to help you have a perfect trip to Vietnam. 

Do not be overly paranoid though. Generally, Vietnamese people are very appreciative if they see you trying to abide by their customs, and very forgiving if you get it wrong or forget. If you make the effort, you will be rewarded. 

Vietnam Business Visa

Vietnam business visa on arrival
Vietnam business visa is normally valid for 3 – 6 months, and in some cases, you are entering Vietnam for just a few days for business purposes, you can also apply for a tourist visa instead as this makes no difference.

Do you need a sponsor?
Fortunately, no, with visa on arrival, sponsor is not required to apply for a 3 or 6 month visa. However, if you apply for a visa through Vietnamese embassy, they will ask you for a proof of sponsoring letter from Vietnam institutions.

Procedures:
Applying for a business visa is completely the same with a tourist visa, please see details here.
Is it possible to apply for a business visa for tourism purposes?
Yes, you can apply for a 3-6 month visas for both tourism and business purposes.

see more:  VIETNAM VISA ON ARRIVAL - BUSINESS & TOURIST

How to get Vietnam visa in UK?

The Vietnam Embassy in London is the only place in the UK that can issue a visa for Vietnam. But you can apply by post, using a form downloaded from the embassy website at the link below. 

You'll need to send: 
* your passport, which needs to be valid for at least a month after the visa will expire. 
* a passport photo of yourself taken in the last year
* the visa fee
* a self-addressed envelope (not stamped) for returning your documents 

Your documents will be returned from the embassy by Royal Mail special delivery. This is also the postal service you should use to send them -- it gives you not just a tracking number but insurance for your precious passport. 

They say it takes five days to process (plus posting times on either side) but even if you have more time than that, it makes sense to get the visa organised as soon as you can. There is an "express" option, which takes two days, but that costs extra. 
As for fees: they say that as they vary so much, you need to email the embassy's Consular department with your particular request: 
email  : sales@tuntravel.com 


Here's the link to the Vietnam embassy visa info page: 

VIETNAM VISA