VISA
You should contact your nearest Vietnamese embassy or consulate office to obtain a business tour visa. This visa allows you to stay there for a while.
Land transport: Taxis are cheap in Vietnam but the language could be an issue because the drivers rarely speak English. However, you can also use your hotel pick and drop car services easily.
LANGUAGE
Vietnam’s national language is Vietnamese. English is increasingly spoken in the private sector. However, you should always consider whether you need a reliable and good interpreter for your business meetings, especially when dealing with government entities.
BUSINESS ETIQUETTE IN VIETNAM
Displaying good manners and treating people you meet with respect will take you a long way no matter where you are doing business. However, in Vietnam, it is nonetheless worth being aware of certain particular characteristics.
Attire: Generally, business attire is a suit and a tie for men and suit or dress for women. You can also try casuals for informal meetings.
Consensus: Decision-making by consensus is a strong element of Vietnamese social and political behavior. As a result, business decisions may take longer than you expect.
Face: As in many other Asian countries, Vietnamese place a great deal of importance on saving face. It is especially important never to cause a Vietnamese to lose face in front of others.
Meetings: If you are meeting with several Vietnamese business people at once, they will tend to sit on the opposite side of the table from you and/or your delegation. Note that the most important person is likely to be seated in the middle of the group, and may not enter the room until everyone else is present.
Names: The surname/family name of the Vietnamese is the first name listed, followed by the middle name and then the first name. However, Vietnamese are usually addressed by their “first name” (the one coming last) rather than their family name.
Smile: Many foreigners misunderstand the meaning of the smile to Vietnamese. While Vietnamese smile for all the same reasons as people of other nationalities, a smile can also convey nervousness, irritation or a simple lack of understanding.
ACCOMMODATION
Ho Chi Minh City have plenty of hotels but here I am going to share something unique for entrepreneurs and businesspersons, which you feel more convenient and comfortable for your business trip.
PepperHouse
PepperHouse was established to provide a space to stay and work in Ho Chi Minh City for the entrepreneur or businessperson who needs comfort and convenience during short stays on business trips or while starting up a new project or enterprise.
PepperHouse, while located in the heart of the main business district (District 1), occupies precious green space in front of a small park and next to the city’s largest zoo and botanical gardens. To make the most of the advantages of the beautiful natural view supplied by its environment, the architects decided to open the entire facade of the Pepper House using windows.
Inside, the 5-storey building is divided into three areas: The first floor is a reception lobby and coffee shop, the second and third floors are co-working spaces, while the fourth and fifth floors are high-end serviced apartments. All are fully decorated and stylishly comfortable, expressing the individuality of each space to match the guests. You can also book them on Airbnb.
SAFETY
While Vietnam is one of the safest countries in Asia, caution should be exercised if walking around the frenetic cities Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Pickpockets and bag snatchers are not unknown. Crossing the road in these cities is an interesting experience, given that there are few traffic lights and a multitude of motorbike riders. You’ll observe how the locals cross very slowly, giving the motorbikes the opportunity to avoid them!
RESTAURANTS
Vietnamese food has made a name for itself around the world. The country’s cities offer a wide array of high-quality international restaurants and all the hotels above have plenty of options in-house.
TIME/BUSINESS HOURS/PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Vietnam has a single time zone, seven hours ahead of GMT/UTC. Business hours tend to be 8am to 5pm with a one-hour lunch break.
The main public holiday period of the year is Tet, the weeklong lunar new year holiday in late January or early February. It is best to avoid business travel to Vietnam in this period. Other major public holidays are New Year’s Day (1 January), Liberation of South Vietnam Day (30 April), International Labor Day (1 May) and Vietnam’s National Day (1 September).
COMMUNICATIONS
Mobile phones: coverage in Vietnam’s urban centers is quite good. For visitors, roaming is an option (GSM only), or you can obtain a local SIM card easily and cheaply (ID is required). Local mobile phone tariffs are exceptionally low.
Internet: All good hotels provide high-speed internet and wifi.
I hope you like this useful guide, if you find it useful, please do share it with those are planning to do business trip to Vietnam. Stay tuned for more amazing travel related stuff.
