Vietnam

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Vietnam Cruising Guide

An online cruising guide for yachts sailing to Vietnam.

Vietnam
Vietnam map.png Map - click for larger view
Vietnam flag.png
Flag
Capital: Hanoi
World icon.png 21°2′N, 105°51′E
Language: Vietnamese
Currency: Dong (VND)
Timezone: UTC+7
More notes about the country
Small info.png Latest News
Content - news items, etc.

Overview

Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in South East Asia. With an estimated 90.0 million inhabitants as of 2013, it is the world's 13th-most-populous country, and the eighth-most-populous Asian country.

Cruising the region

Vietnam remains one of the most difficult countries in South East Asia to visit, mostly due to heavy handed beaurocracy that treats sailing yachts under the same regulations as international cargo vessels and passenger liners -- meaning reams of paperwork, extended processing times and expensive fees.

Things are beginning to open up, however, and a marina has just commenced construction near Nha Trang with the possibility of simpler and cheaper entrance paperwork.

There used to be a Sunsail base in Nha Trang but it closed in 2009 due to difficulties with the local authorities. Currently, the closest you get to sailing in Vietnam is hiring a hobie cat off the beach at Nha Trang.

Climate & Weather

Charts

See South China Sea Charts.

The USA charting agencies may have paper charts of the Vietnam coast including inland waterways. They may be quite old.

Be aware of depths around the mouth of the Mekong Delta as the Mekong River carries quite a bit of silt down river, which moves the land area around considerably (up to 800m per year). Navigation buoys are generally reasonably accurate.

Electronic charts such as C-MAP may cover the Vietnam coast but the accuracy may be doubtful in some areas. See Charts.

Local Radio Nets

Submit details of Cruiser's Nets and VHF operating/calling channels here.

Arrival/Departure procedures

It is currently necessary to have a shipping agent if entering Vietnam. Some of the following can be contacted:

Falcon Shipping Co

26 Hai Phong Street
Da Nang
Tel:0084-511-892145 (office) / 0084-511-887611 (Mr. Van Vui)
125 Hong Bang Street
Nha Trang
Tel:0084 58-514.641
[email protected]
Mr. Nguyen Chau, cell: 0084- 913.462.233
Also Mr. Huynh Chien, cell: 0084-905.256.433

Sailing Center Vietnam

http://www.sailing.vn/index.php/en/contact-scv.html

Ruurd van Putten has claimed via email to be able to act as a shipping agent for visiting yachts.

http://www.sailing.vn/index.php/en/yacht-services/yacht-agency.html

Saigon Tourist Services

http://www.saigontourist.net/ -- may also be able to help out.

Visas

Visas for arrival into Vietnam by land (or water) need to be obtained in advance. Visas on arrival are only available when arriving at one of the country's international airports.

Contact your local Vietnam embassy or consulate for details. For example Vietnam Embassy in the USA.

There are many organisations offering Vietnam visas on line, however it's not possible to use that type of visa when arriving by land or sea into Vietnam.

It may be possible to obtain a visa for Vietnam at a nearby country, e.g. Thailand, Cambodia or Malaysia where there are Vietnam embassies.

Visas for visitors are available for 30 or 90 day stays and involve a fee but are not expensive.

Health & Security

Submit any health warnings/information and any security details here.

Ports & Popular Stops

With coastline stretching from the Gulf of Tonkin in the north, the East Sea / South China Sea in the center and the Gulf of Thailand in the south west, Vietnam has a large number of potential cruising stops. However to this date cruisers have been successful in entering only three ports -- Da Nang, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Attempts to enter at Hai Phong in the north or other ports have been unsuccessful when tried.

There is a current marina development near Nha Trang, and rumours of a marina to be developed on Phu Quoc Island in the Gulf of Thailand.

The Paracel Islands and the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea should probably be considered off limits to cruisers due to territorial disputes in the area involving Vietnam, China and the Philippines.

Da Nang

It may be possible to enter here -- one vessel has done so in the past. As with all ports in Vietnam, a shipping agent will be required.

Nha Trang

Nha Trang, in all of the coastal towns of Vietnam at this time, has the most experience with cruising yachts.

See Nha Trang and Ana Marina.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh), formerly named Saigon (Vietnamese: Sài Gòn), is the largest city in Vietnam. It was once known as Prey Nokor, an important Khmer sea port prior to annexation by the Vietnamese in the 17th century. It is known to all of its inhabitants as Saigon (or Sài Gòn) -- although the name Ho Chi Minh City is the official name it is mostly used by northern Vietnamese and not Saigon people themselves.

See Ho Chi Minh City

Offshore Islands

Cruiser's Friends

  • Allan Goodman based in Nha Trang operates a superyacht agency. His various web sites all use the term "billionaire" when referring to yacht owners, giving the impression that he is unable or unwilling to assist anyone without considerable funds.
  • Focus Sailing based in Nha Trang is involved with the construction of Ana Marina and advertises that it has the only yacht available for charter in Vietnam -- a Corsair Trimaran.
  • Sailing Center Vietnam also advertises that it has the only yacht available for charter in Vietnam -- also a Corsair Trimaran.

References & Publications

  • Andy Dowden & Bill O’Leary, Southeast Asia Pilot, Image Asia, ISBN 9749499808 Formerly known as The Andaman Sea Pilot, a very well documented sea pilot issued by Image Asia Events Co., Ltd in Phuket. Lots of anchorages reaching from Darwin to Andaman Islands, with detailed drawings of heaps of anchorages. More details on the website http://www.southeastasiapilot.com/

Links to Forum Discussions

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

External Links


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SailorSmiley.gifContributors to this page

Names: MMNETSEA, TaoJones, Lighthouse, Haiqu, Delatbabel


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