You can find some useful information for your trip here. (Dec. 6, 2008)

Visa

Overseas participants entering Vietnam should possess a passport with valid visa which can be obtained at the Vietnamese Embassies or Consulates in the corresponding countries. Visas are exempted for the citizens of the countries, which have signed a bilateral visa exemption agreement with Vietnam, including Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Laos. Vietnam also made a unilateral decision on visa exemption for the Japanese and Korean
 citizens for short visits within 15 days. Please click here for information in detail

International flights

There are international flights operated by Vietnam Airlines and other airline agencies to Hanoi from many countries such as Australia, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Korea, Russia, Taiwan, U.A.E/Emirates, and Southeast Asian countries. To date, Vietnam Airlines is reaching 24 international destinations worldwide with its fleet of 36 modern airplanes.

Please see the flight schedule of Vietnam Airlines. Useful information on flights to Hanoi can be seen at many websites, such as Yahoo Travel, or the websites of other airline agencies including Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Air France, and so forth.

Getting to downtown

Airport Taxis charge a flat rate of US$ 15 (one-way) for cars from Noi Bai Airport to central Hanoi. The drive takes about 45 minutes. A minibus makes the trip for US$ 4 per person.

Official invitation letters

The Local Chair will be pleased to send an invitation letter to any scientist upon written request. It must be understood that these letters are only intended to help participants to obtain a visa or to raise travel funds and do not commit the Local Chair to any financial obligation

Currency and banks

The official unit of currency in Vietnam is the VND. Most banks are opened from 8am to 11:30am. Some are open from 1pm to 5pm.

ATM & credicard

Major credit cards are now accepted in most tourist destinations and many banks can organise cash advances for Visa and MasterCard, usually at a rate of 3% commission. Some travellers cafes provide this service at higher rates, but they operate daily -banks usually close weekends. 24-hr ATM's, dispensing Dong only, are available at: ANZ Bank, Vietcombank - Most branches nationwide.

Electricity

Electrical power in Vietnam is supplied at 220 volts, 50 Hz. It may be useful to bring along a plug converter and a 220/110 volts transformer

Climate

The following table shows the basic weather information of Hanoi.

Current weather conditions & travel forecast for Hanoi, Vietnam can be seen on the above websites.