Airlines to Vietnam Aeroflot (airline code SU from  www.aeroflot.com ; from Moscow) Air Asia (airline code AK; www.airasia.com ; from Kuala Lumpur) Air France (airline code AF;  www.airfrance.fr ; from Paris) Asiana Airlines (airline code OZ; www.us.flyasiana.com ; from Seoul) Cathay Pacific (airline code CX; www.cathaypacific.com ; from Hong Kong) China Airlines (airline code CI; www.china-airlines.com ; from Taipei) China Southern Airlines (airline code CZ; www.cs-air.com ; from Guangzhou) Japan Airlines (airline code JL; www.jal.co.jp ; from Tokyo) Jetstar Asia (airline code 3K; www.jetstarasia.com ; from Singapore) Korean Air (airline code KE; www.koreanair.com ; from Seoul) Lao Airlines (airline code QV; www.laoairlines.com ; from Vientiane) Lufthansa (airline code LH; www.lufthansa.com ; from Frankfurt) Malaysia Airlines (airline code MY; www.malaysiaairlines.com ; from Kuala Lumpur) Philippine Airlines (airline code PR; www.philippineair.com ; from Manila) Qantas (airline code QF; www.qantas.com.au ; from Sydney & Melbourne) Singapore Airlines (airline code SQ; www.singaporeair.com ; from Singapore) Thai Airways (airline code TG; www.thaiair.com ; from Bangkok) Tiger Airways (airline code TR; www.tigerairways.com ; from Singapore) United Airlines (airline code UA; www.unitedairlines.com ; from Seattle) How to Get There It’s possible to enter Vietnam by train, plane, automobile and other forms of transport. Air is popular for those holidaying in Vietnam, while bus is the most common route for those traveling extensively in the region. Anyone planning on arriving from China should consider the spectacular train ride from Kunming in China’s Yunnan province to Hanoi (although there are currently no trains on the Chinese side: check for updates). Entering from Cambodia, the boat ride down the Mekong River from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc is memorable. Formalities at Vietnam’s international airports are generally smoother than at land borders, as the volume of traffic is greater. That said, crossing overland from Cambodia and China is now relatively stress-free. Crossing the border between Vietnam and Laos remains somewhat stressful. By Air Shop around and it is possible to find a good deal to Vietnam. If there are no obvious bargains to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, then consider buying a discounted ticket to Bangkok or Hong Kong and picking up a flight or traveling overland from Thailand on to Vietnam. Discounted flights are available into Viet­nam, but Vietnam Airlines will not allow foreign carriers to sell cheap outbound tickets from Vietnam. A ticket from Bangkok to Hanoi or HCMC costs almost half the price of a Vietnam Airlines’ flight, if it’s purchased in Bangkok. This also means that for anyone planning to purchase a long-haul flight in the region, Vietnam is not the place to do it with Bangkok just a short hop away. It’s hard to get reservations for flights to/from Vietnam during holidays, especially Tet, which falls between late January and mid-February. If you will be in Vietnam during Tet, make reservations well in advance or you may find yourself marooned in a regional airport along the way. The chaos begins a week before Tet and can last for about two weeks after it. Be aware that Vietnam is not the only country to celebrate the Lunar New Year, as it falls at the same time as Chinese New Year. Many people hit the road at this time, resulting in overbooked airlines, trains and hotels all over Asia. Water / River:  There is a river border crossing between Cambodia and Vietnam on the banks of the Mekong. Regular fast boats ply the route between Phnom Penh in Cambodia and Chau Doc in Vietnam, with a change at the Vinh Xuong–Kaam Samnor border. There are also two river boats running all the way to the temples of Angkor at Siem Reap in Cambodia.   Land / Border crossings It is essential to have a Vietnam visa before rocking up to the border, as they are not issued at land crossings. There are currently twelve international land borders: three each with Cambodia and China and six with Laos. We list the Vietnam side of the border first in the following country coverage. More are set to open during the lifetime of this book, so ask around in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) for the latest information. There are few legal money-changing facilities on the Vietnamese side of these crossings, so be sure to have some small-denomination US dollars handy. The black market is also an option for local currencies Vietnamese dong, Chinese Renminbi, Lao kip and Cambodian riel.   Vietnam: Vietnam Private Journeys | Vietnam Adventure Tours | Vietnam Cooking Tours | Cruises in Vietnam | Vietnam Honeymoon Tours | Vietnam Golf & Spa Tours | Vietnam City Stopovers   Myanmar: Myanmar Private Journeys | Myanmar Adventure Tours | River Cruises in Myanmar   Thailand: Thailand Private Journeys | Thailand Adventure Tours | Thailand Cooking Tours | River Cruises in Thailand | Thailand Honeymoon Tours | Thailand Golf Tours | Thailand City Stopovers   Laos: Laos Private Journeys | Laos Adventure Tours | Laos City Stopovers | River Cruises in Laos   Cambodia: Cambodia Private  Journeys | River Cruises in Cambodia | Cambodia Golf Tours