Vietnam has a diverse climate, with different regions experiencing varying temperatures and weather conditions. It’s best to check the weather for your specific destination before you pack. In general, Vietnam is influenced by the monsoons: the south-west monsoon affects the country from May to October, and the northeast monsoon from October to April. The north of Vietnam is subtropical and has four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. The winter months can be cold and cloudy, especially in the mountainous areas. The center and south of Vietnam are tropical and have two seasons: dry and rainy. The dry season is usually hot and sunny, while the rainy season can bring heavy showers and thunderstorms. The average temperature in Vietnam ranges from 20°C to 30°C throughout the year, but it can vary significantly by latitude and longitude.

The official currency of Vietnam is the Vietnamese dong (VND). The dong comes in notes of 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000, 200,000, and 500,000. ATMs are widely available in cities and larger towns, and credit cards are accepted in many hotels, restaurants, and shops. It’s recommended to exchange money at official exchange offices or banks to avoid scams and counterfeit notes. US dollars are also accepted in some tourist areas, but it’s always best to have some dong on hand for smaller purchases and transactions.

The language of Vietnam is Vietnamese, which belongs to the Austro-Asiatic family and uses the Chu nom script. It is the national and official language of Vietnam, spoken by over 70 million people as their native language. Vietnamese has three main dialects: Northern (spoken in and around Hanoi), Central (spoken in Hue) and Southern (spoken in Ho Chi Minh City). Besides Vietnamese, there are also some minority languages spoken by different ethnic groups in Vietnam, such as Muong, Cham and Khmer