Whether you are the motorbike, motorcycle and adventure tour rider or other kinds
of tourism customer, you should practice the ecotourism guidelines in Indochina.
Below advice is meant to help you have a perfect Vietnam travel.
DO'S
ALWAYS drink bottled water that is easily available everywhere in
Vietnam.
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.
Before venturing
out from your hotel, ensure you have a hotel
business card from the reception desk. This will make your return to
the hotel in a taxi or cyclo much easier.
For longer excursions
from your base hotel, it is always a good idea to
carry a roll of toilet paper in your daypack. You never know when you
will need it.
Always leave your
excess cash, airline tickets, passports and valuables
with the hotels safety deposit facility and carry photocopies of the
same.
Always dress appropriately.
Not only for the prevailing climatic
conditions, but also not to cause offence to the local people.
Vietnamese have
conservative dress codes and it is only in larger
cities that these codes are relaxed a little.
Dress discreetly
while entering temples and other religious places.
Always be aware
when entering someone’s home as at some homes
it is a must to remove your shoes at the front door.
Always ask before
taking close-ups or portraits. Respect those who
choose not to be photographed.
DON'T
NOT something
to be paranoid about, simply do not make yourself a target for
pickpockets or drive-by bag snatchers in the big cities.
Do not wear
large amounts of jewellery.
Don't be worry
about security, just be aware of your surroundings.
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 wear 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.
Do not give
anything to children as this practice encourages begging. Also, do not
give medicine to anyone but a doctor or a nurse.
Do not do drugs
in Vietnam. Drug tourism does damage.
Never take video
cameras into the ethnic minority villages. They are considered to
be too intrusive by the local people.
Never give your
empty water bottles, sweets and candies 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 most of these people
do not have access to dental health. If you would like to give pens/paper, ask do
not have access to dental health. If you would like to give pens/paper, ask your
guide to introduce you to the local teacher and give them to the teacher for
distribution.
Do not purchase
unique items such as books, antiques or family heirlooms that may
be irreplaceable.