>> Something you should know before your arriving

VISA

Visa and work permit requirements change depending on your citizenship so check with the Vietnamese embassy before you travel.Your sponsoring agency will get you work permits and visas before you arrive. Those hoping to find a job after arriving will need to acquire a tourist visa and then their company will do the paperwork after employment. To facilitate this bring your original certificates from home. A police certificate from your home country is required and it’s not easy to get once you’re here.

A visa on arrival is possible but you must go through travel agents to have one waiting at the airport on your arrival. You will not be allowed on the plane if you don’t have a visa or fax proving your visa on arrival.

VACCINATIONS

Check with your doctor and get your shots before you arrive. It’s easy to get vaccinations here at reputable clinics when you need updates. (see health) Bring any special medicines and a prescription. Although the large clinics have supplies of medicines you will be busy for the first few months getting settled.

FAMILY

Your brother in law thinks you’re crackers ? Your mother is worried about the UXO situation (UneXploded Ordinance – aka  bombs) ? Your uncle won’t speak to you ? Don’t worry – they’ll come around. It can be wrenching, especially if you have children. Look on the bright side. You may be one in a million at home, but in Hanoi you’ll find similar minded people. If you have funds guaranteed (and even if you don’t) promise to return at a certain time or date and start planning a party. In fact it makes it easier for them – not you. Pass out your e-mail address and start a travel blog.

Children, like adults, react in different ways. Take time to help them research their new country. Let them say goodbye to all their friends and family. A small digital camera will allow them to keep photos of their favourite places and people. Resources can be found in most large city libraries or the web to ease the transition.

PACKING

Be merciless – the things you keep in storage – whether in mom’s garage or a ‘pay by the month’ place will lose their value over the years. Gift your friends, the local volunteer agency or have a garage sale.

 MEDICAL INSURANCE

Medical insurance is essential so check with your company or home medical insurer about extended coverage. The largest insurance company in Vietnam is Bao Viet. Their packages include ‘evacuation’ which covers your flight to Bangkok should you need special care. Their prices are reasonable and well worth the investment.

WHAT TO BRING

Original paperwork.

Police checks

Updated Drivers license

Photo copies of important documents:

Birth, adoption, marriage, divorce, medical info, tax details, education degrees, pet veterinary certificates, authenticity of antiques, passport, bank details

Special medicines and vitamins

Books for children. (although the Bookworm, 44 Chau Long, is a godsend for parents)

Large size clothes and shoes; they’re hard to find Photos or postcards of your home town – great conversation starters

>> Pho - A Delicious Noodle Soup of Viet Nam

No matter what time day or night, a steaming bowl of pho noodle soup is never hard to find in Vietnam. Just as pad thai in Thailand, pho is Vietnam's unofficial national dish exported with pride all over the world.

Pho consists of flat rice noodles in a light, meat-based broth. The dish is usually accompanied by basil, lime, chili, and other extras on the side so that eaters can season the soup to their own taste. The balanced tastes of sweet, salty, spicy, and citrus are highly contagious; pho usually becomes an instant favorite for anyone visiting Vietnam !


Eating Pho

Pronounced something like "fuuuh" with a drawn-out vowel, pho is difficult for Westerners to say correctly because of the tone. Luckily, pho is easier to eat than to pronounce. Traditionally, pho noodle soup was eaten by Vietnamese people for breakfast and sometimes lunch, however both locals and foreigners alike can be found hunched over steaming bowls of pho at street carts throughout the night.

Traditional Pho

Some squeamish eaters may balk at authentic pho which is made from beef bones, tendons, tripe (stomach), fat, and sometimes ox tail. Bones and lesser-quality cuts of meat are simmered for hours to produce the soup broth. With pho's popularity, many chain restaurants catering to tourists now omit ingredients that may frighten business away. Broth is commonly made from beef, pork, or chicken bones; only lean pieces of meat are added.

To keep up with the eating trends of tourists, vegetarian and tofu pho can now be found in big cities such as Hanoi, Hue, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Seasonings in Pho

The broth used in pho preparation is thin and light, with a slight flavor provided by cilantro, onion, ginger, and sometimes cinnamon. The key to enjoying a tasty bowl of pho is to toss in the ingredients given to customers on the side. Practices vary between eateries, but most include bean sprouts, basil leaves, hot peppers, green onions, and a lime wedge on the side. See this pho recipe for making your own Vietnamese noodle soup at home.

The History of Pho Noodle Soup

Despite its popularity, opinions differ about the origins of pho soup. Culinary experts generally agreed that the rice noodles were brought by Cantonese immigrants from Guandong province in Southern China. Some say the soup itself was influenced by the French during their colonization of Vietnam, however locals dispute this theory. The Vietnamese claim that pho originated in the Nam Dinh province just southwest of Hanoi and then spread to other parts of the country.



Refugees fleeing Vietnam in the 1970s carried pho to the West where it grew quickly in popularity. Even President Clinton enjoyed a bowl of pho during his historic visit to Vietnam at Pho 2000 - a small restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City.

Variations of Pho

Ingredients and styles of pho noodle soup vary by region throughout Vietnam. Ga typically means that the dish contains chicken; bo means the dish is prepared with beef.

Here are a few popular variants of Vietnamese pho soup:

Pho ga: chicken noodle soup

Pho bo: beef pho

Pho cay: spicy beef noodle soup

Pho bo vien: pho with beef meatballs

Pho tai: noodle soup with thin slices of rare beef fillet

Pho hai san: pho noodle soup with added seafood

Pho sach bo: traditional-style pho with added beef tripe

The ultimate pho dish - not for the faint of heart - is known as "specialty pho" or pho dac biet and contains every type of meat available in the restaurant including chicken hearts, liver, beef tripe, and tendons.