Hanoi Packing List Tips by pez

Miscellaneous: Bring US dollars and plastic. Major hotels, banks (see ANZ near Hoan Kiem Lake), jewelry and gold shops all change money.

Freelance money changers descend on tourists all around the center of Hanoi...beware of them.

Current exchange rate is around 15,700 dong to the dollar, and informal exchange rates in restaurants, etc is about 15,000 per dollar.

Bring ATM cards for th best exchange rate. There are over 3000 ATMs everywhere in Hanoi. 3 years ago there was only 1!

Credit cards mainly at major hotels and restaurants.

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Miscellaneous: Bring you mobile phone if you plan on staying for a few weeks or more. For about 450,000 dong (about $30), you can get a chip to stick in your Tri-band GSM phone and you get 300,000 dong of credit, enough for light calling for a few weeks. International calls are expensive!! T-Mobile has a peering relationship with Vinaphone, so you can use T-Mobile when you're here--EXPENSIVE. Vinaphone and Mobiphone provide prepaid phone cards (w/SIM chip for your GSM phone)

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Website: http://www.gpc.vnn.vn/main_vinacard_e.htm

Miscellaneous: Want to know more about weather in Hanoi? Check out weatherbase.com for good info.

Hanoi is generally humid year-round. The best time to visit is October-March, when generally there is less rain and the temperatures are cool.

I think October and November are ideal: it's Fall in Hanoi, very comfortable.

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Website: http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=002884