Travel Agent - November 10, 2008 - (Page 42)

DESTINATIONS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 The hotel’s Le Beaulieu restaurant has a 100-year-old history, as long as the hotel itself. In the 1950s, Graham Greene often dined at Le Beaulieu and could be found bending an elbow at the hotel bar, which is now named Le Club Bar. Le Beaulieu serves French cuisine in a setting that blends Indochine decor with French flair. The hotel also has a Vietnamese cuisine restaurant called Spices Garden. The general manager of Sofitel Metropole Hanoi is Kai Speth (011-84-4-826-6919, gm@ sofitelhanoi.vnn.vn). For questions or special requests, contact the hotel’s butler team (01184-4-826-6919, sofitelhanoi@hn.vnn.vn). I CONNECTING YOU Have clients traveling to Southeast Asia? Visit www. travelagentcentral.com/southeast-asia The Imperial Suite at the Sofitel Metropole RESOURCES Location: Vietnam occupies the eastern part of the Indochinese peninsula. China borders it to the north, and Laos and Cambodia to the west. English is widely spoken in tourist areas. French is a holdover from colonial days, and is still spoken by some older Vietnamese as a second language. Getting There: Most visitors arrive at the Noi Bai International Airport, about 22 miles (45-60 minutes) north of the city. Vietnam’s national carrier is Vietnam Airlines. There are no direct flights to Hanoi from the U.S. Carriers with flights to Vietnam include United Airlines, Bangkok Airways, Cathay Pacific, Garuda Indonesia, Lao Aviation, Malaysian Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways. Most carriers connect to Vietnam’s three International hubs via Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei or Seoul. Climate: The weather in the northern part of Vietnam is monsoonal, bringing a hot, rainy season from mid-May to mid-September and a warm, dry season from mid-October to mid-March. Occasional typhoons from May to January bring extensive flooding to the middle regions of Vietnam. Water: Drink bottled water. Time: Vietnam is 11 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. Tipping: Even though tipping is not standard practice in Vietnam, wait staff, porters, hotel maids and taxi drivers will appreciate a small tip. Entry Requirements: Residents of the U.S. need a passport and a prearranged visa to enter Vietnam. A tourist visa lasts for 30 days and costs $65. Visitors must submit an application, passport and passport photo. U.S. citizens can obtain a visa application from the Vietnam Embassy in Washington, D.C., online at www.vietnamembassy-usa.org or by calling 202-861-1297. Tour Operators: A partial list of tour operators with programs to Vietnam includes China Travel Service (U.S.A.) (www. chinatravelservice.com, 800-899-8618), Gate 1 Travel (www.gate1travel.com, 800-682-3333), Globus (www. globusjourneys.com, 866-755-8581), GTS Globotours (www. globotours.net, 800-988-4833), Orient Flexi-Pax Tours (www.orientflexipax.com, 800-545-5540), SITA World Tours (www.sitatours.com, 800-421-56430), Ritz Tours (www. ritztours.com, 800-900-2446) and Trafalgar Tours (www. trafalgar.com, 800-854-0103). Currency: The dong is the official currency in Vietnam; however, U.S. dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas. The exchange rate at press time is approximately 16,041 dong to US $1. Languages: The spoken and written language is Vietnamese. 42 | TravelAgent November 10, 2008 http://www.travelagentcentral.com/southeast-asia http://www.travelagentcentral.com/southeast-asia http://www.chinatravelservice.com http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org http://www.chinatravelservice.com http://www.gate1travel.com http://www.globusjourneys.com http://www.globusjourneys.com http://www.globotours.net http://www.globotours.net http://www.orientflexipax.com http://www.sitatours.com http://www.ritztours.com http://www.ritztours.com http://www.trafalgar.com http://www.trafalgar.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - November 10, 2008

Travel Agent - November 10, 2008 Reality Check Online Now Contents Contributors From the Editor Special Supplemement: Business & First Class Travel Specialist 2.0 Hawaii: Art Lovers will Appreciate the Islands’ Offerings Europe: Barcelona is Blooming with Terrific Hotels Pacific/Asia: French Colonial and Asian Styles Blend in Hanoi Alaska: Adventure Abounds In and Around Juneau Canada: Edmonton is Canada’s “Festival City” Las Vegas: Where to Find Inner Peace in Sin City Central & South America: Buenos Aires Brings European Flavor to Argentina Caribbean, The Bahamas & Bermuda: Romance and History Meet in St. Kitts The Slot Spot River Cruises: European Itineraries Offer Convenience and Value Cover Story: Selling Mexico Car Rentals: Tapping an Underappreciated Revenue Source Consortia Profile: Ensemble Travel Group Launches New Initiatives and Tools Luxury Travel Expo WESTA Offers Growth Opportunities for Agents Hawaii Gets New Inter-Island Service Caribbean, Mexico Ramp Up Resort Plans Classified Marketplace In the Spotlight Agent Access Editorial Index Advertising Index

Travel Agent - November 10, 2008

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