Vietnam Tour Packages & Travel from South Africa

Flight routes

From South Africa to Vietnam, you can go by many airlines brand names to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

FLY FROM SOUTH AFRICA TO HANOI: Fly from Johannesburg to Hanoi is 16 hours 20 minutes; one stop flight time from JNB to HAN via HKG is 16 hours 20 minutes (Operated by Cathay Pacific). Quickest one-stop flight takes close to 17 hours. However, some airlines could take as long as 37 hours based on the stopover destination and waiting duration. Waiting time at intermediate airports could be anywhere between 1 hr to 20 hrs. Fly from Cape Town to Hanoi is 21 hours 20 minutes, one stop flight time from CPT to HAN via DOH is 21 hours 20 minutes (Operated by Qatar Airways), waiting time at stopover destination while flying from Cape Town to Hanoi is between 2 hours to 3 hours based on airline you choose.

FLY FROM SOUTH AFRICA TO VIETNAM, HO CHI MINH CITY: Flight time from Cape Town to Ho Chi Minh City is 19 hours 25 minutes, one stop flight time from CPT to SGN via DOH is 19 hours 25 minutes (Operated by Qatar Airways). Flight time from Johannesburg to Ho Chi Minh City is 16 hours 15 minutes; one stop flight time from JNB to SGN via SIN is 16 hours 15 minutes (Operated by Singapore Airlines).

Visa

Due to the requirement of Vietnam, South African citizens need a valid visa to enter Vietnam. Visitors can go to Vietnam Embassy in South Africa to get a visa or get the Visa Approval Letter in advance via a tour / travel company like us and pick up the Visa On Arrival at the airport in Vietnam. One important thing is that before you getting an application for Vietnam visa, you have to make sure that your passport validity is at least 6 months left and it must have an empty page for visa stamp. 

Travel tips

1. Getting to know about weather situation

The climate has a big influence on the trip of visitors. The weather condition in Vietnam changes a lot among different regions (the North, the Central, and the South). The first thing you should know is that Vietnam has high humidity even the temperature is not high. As a result, you should carry light clothing and bring a set of dry clothes to change when you get sweaty. Moreover, the rainfall happens in many times of the year, therefore, bring a raincoat is necessary.

2. Searching the exchange rates

Vietnamese currency is Vietnam dong (VND) and it is possible to use dollars or euro in the big cities or tourist areas. However, it is better to bring both local money and dollars so that you can use in any circumstance as well as avoid unfair exchange rates.

3. Learning how to bargain

Bargaining is a part of Vietnamese culture. In addition, local sellers often set the high price for foreign tourists. Therefore, possessing a bargaining skill is really beneficial if you want to buy some gifts for your friends and families. Remember that negotiating just works in the open market, not in the shopping malls.

4. Tasting local cuisine

A significant part of traveling is trying the local dishes. Vietnam is a world of cuisine, a place that visitors can find the food of many countries around the world. However, the local cuisine is the most distinctive one. Visitors can have a chance to try numerous kinds of food when visiting from the North to the South. Each region has its own way to cook and carry a unique taste. Some of the most famous dishes: Pho in 3 regions, spring rolls.

5. Get used to with traffic

The traffic on the road of Vietnam makes many visitors amazed at the first time. The number of motorbikes is huge with the endless operation on the road. Learn how to across the road is crucial for visitors to go for a walk around tourist attractions.

6. Respect local culture

Considering some acts before entering a country shows your respect to the culture of that country, Vietnam is not an exception. When visiting a religious site like pagoda or temple, remember to remove your hat, wear suitable clothes and do not point to the image of Buddha with your feet.

7. Preparing medical support

To avoid unexpected problems, you should bring some drugs with you during a long trip to another country. Vietnam is a developing country, thus, some medical facilities do not meet the international standards. In addition, you can waste time to find a good place to buy medicine since most of the doctors at the local areas cannot understand English.

8. Interact with the local people

Communicating with local people is the fastest way to understand the culture and lifestyle of a country. Going far away from the tourist sites, you can easily find a friendly local without begging you buy their products like people around famous attractions. Getting involved in local life will make your trips more memorable and meaningful.

Here are our suggestions for the Vietnam tours, Vietnam Cambodia tours and Southeast Asia tours for travelers from South Africa.