Visa & arrival
Unless you are a citizen of an ASEAN country, you will need a visa to enter Vietnam. The visa application can be easily done online, after which you can pick up your visa upon arrival at the airport.
- Go to www.vietnam-visa.org
- Check out the visa requirement for your nationality
- Apply for a 1-month single entry visa
- Click on SECURE ONLINE APPLICATION and pay the $20 processing fee
- Fill out the required details on the form
- Make sure your date of arrival is the same (or a few days earlier) as your airline tickets
- Select “vacation” or “friend visit” as purpose
- Select Hanoi as port of entry (unless you booked flights otherwise
You should receive a letter of approval via email, which you need to print out and bring with you. Upon arrival at Hanoi airport, you will see the “visa on arrival” booth in the arrival hall. Bring one passport picture just in case you need to fill out another form (this procedure might be obsolete by April).
PLEASE NOTE: BRING $25 USD CASH to pay for the visa on arrival at the airport. There is no other way to pay for the visa and the ATM machines are all outside the arrival hall.
That’s it! For more details, see the FAQ page.
Cash, taxis and arrival at hotel
After you exit the arrival hall, you can get a public taxi right outside at the curb. Do not take any of the offers given you by the taxi drivers, just go directly to the taxi company handlers at the curb side. There are several official taxi companies with sign boards that list their prices, about $15 USD to the city (I usually use Noibai Taxi, see photo). You can pay in USD or in VND (Vietnam Dong). Tell the taxi company that you are going to the Hanoi Club on Westlake, they should all know it. (If not, the address is 76 Yen Phu.)
If you wish to get the local currency right away, there are numerous ATM machines in the main arrival hall after you exit customs. The current exchange rate is about 21.000 VND for $1 USD. However, you can get VND from the ATM at the hotel later on as well. You will need local currency to pay for taxis and other local purchases (you can exchange USD cash at the hotel, though at a higher rate).
Welcome & registration 3PM Monday
After you get settled in your room, you can use any of the facilities the hotel has to offer (sauna, gym, swimming pool, driving range, etc.). At 3PM we will be hosting a welcome reception and registration table in the lobby or near the function room (look for our MICN banner). Please join us to casually meet with our team and other attendees before the evening banquet.
