Use Travelers’ Cheque in Vietnam Light, comfortable, easy to launder clothing is recommended. The temperature during winter months in Hanoi and the rainy season in the central region can be cool; a sweater or light jacket can be handy. Good walking shoes and sandals that can be easily removed are recommended, especially when entering temples and people's homes. Credit cards in Vietnam Most credit cards are accepted in Vietnam. VISA and MASTERCARD are the most widely accepted. JCB and AMERICAN EXPRESS are also accepted in some outlets. Not all hotels, commercial centres, shops and restaurants accept credit cards. Check with the cashier whether card is accepted. Bear in mind that a surcharge usually applies for credit card purchases. VISA and Mastercard: 2.2 % surcharge JCB: 2.75% surcharge American Express: 4% surcharge NOTE: Surcharges can change without prior notice. Check the percentage charged before you buy. Cash in Vietnam Vietnamese, the official language, is a tonal language that can be compared to Chinese - Mandarin, but there are more tones. With each syllable, there are six different tones that can be used, which change the definition and it often makes it difficult for foreigners to pick up the language. There are other languages spoken as well such as Chinese, Khmer, Cham and other languages spoken by tribes inhabiting the mountainous regions. Although there are some similarities to Southeast Asian languages, such as Chinese, Vietnamese is thought to be a separate language group, although a member of the Austro-Asiatic language family. Vietnamese uses the Roman alphabet and accent marks to show tones. This system of writing called Quoc Ngu, was created by Catholic missionaries in the 17th century to translate the scriptures. Eventually this system, particularly after World War I, replaced one using Chinese characters (chu nom), which had been the unofficial written form used for centuries. Exchange rate Commission rates are slightly lower if changing Travellers’ Cheques into Vietnamese Dongs rather than US Dollars. Vietcombank does not charge commission when changing US Dollars cash into Dong, though some banks do. You receive a slightly better exchange rate for $100 and $50 notes than for smaller denominations. When cashing Travellers’ Cheques you may be asked for your passport. You can check real-time official exchange rates with the combination of a currencies converter anytime.