Can anyone recommend things to pack for a year in Hanoi, Vietnam?

Question

I'm going to Vietnam for at least a year. I will be renting a house and working there. I've been to Vietnam for several months before but was hoping some people who live/lived there could give me some advice on what to take that I wouldn't be able to get and would come in handy there. And does anyone know if you still can't get tampons there? thanks!!

Answer 1

pack only your favorite things, dont bring large expensive electronic equiptment [ ive known people to have trouble getting it through custons].. EVERTHING  you need can be purchased there, EVERTHING !.. [unless you are a very big westerner].... i dont know anything about "tampons" but i do know viet namese woman are very sophisticated so i wouldnt worry too much about that either.. bring a cpl of boxes ???... anyway "when in rome...." dont bring the west with you ... enjoi the expierience of "living vietnamese" for 1 year of your life !... HOWEVER i never go to viet nam without a good supply of antiboitics and cold medicine.. i'm sure you doctor will help you out with this..

Answer 2

I haven't been to Hanoi but I'm sure it is quite cold during winter.  I would recommend buying a coat at least.  Regarding tampons, I'm sure they would carry this item at any big supermarket/department store  since I'm sure they carry anything you can think of right now in Hanoi.  I hope this help.  Have a great stay in Hanoi.

Answer 3

I lived in Ha Noi for two months, and prepared myself very well for the lengthy stay there. Here’s what you will need:

Laptop Computer

Make sure you get a decent laptop and some additional electronics that will be necessary for you to maintain your technology and connectivity there. Computers and other electronics are available in Vietnam, but the quality is terrible and the price isn't all that great either. Your laptop is irreplaceable in Vietnam because of the quality if products sold in the U.S.

Make sure the laptop is rugged and can take a beating both physically and electronically. The AC power in Vietnam is renowned for instability, brown outs and black outs. This will destroy your computer and other electronics if it is not good quality. The best way to find this out to talk to a technician at Fry's or Circuit City and ask their opinion of which brand and model is the best. The one they repair the least is the one you want. Load as much RAM into the computer as you can afford. Make sure it’s loaded with the latest Microsoft Office and take the original CD’s with you.

Make sure the laptop has wireless network installed or obtain a wireless network card if it doesn’t come installed. Make sure the power supply is capable of handling 220 VAC 50 hz.

Other Electronics

Get a couple good plug adapters. Here’s a link to the one I recommend:

http://www.apc.com/resource/include/tech...

Get a good power converter that will convert to 110 VAC.

Get a wireless router. Either Linksys or Netgear have models usually on sale for about $50 at most electronic stores.  

Get a digital camera that is easy to carry around.

If you want to make a few extra Dong right after you arrive in Vietnam, consider bringing a used, not too old but running laptop, RAM, I-pods or other popular small electronics with you. The Viets there will pay a premium for quality electronics from the U.S., and you could make enough to live off of for a couple months.

You can sell your laptop and the electronics you have left when you are ready to leave Vietnam for the same price same price as you bought it for or more. The best place to pawn off your equipment is on the electronics street, which is about two blocks South of Hoan Kiem Lake.  You will be there long enough to find someone who will pay you the best price for what you have. Try to take the original boxes with you to add more sales value.

OTC Medicines

Bring whatever you can to fix an upset stomach. Pepto Bismol, Tums, Alka Seltzer, etc. are hard to come by in Hanoi, and you will need it for the first couple weeks while your system is adjusting to the lack of sanitary conditions there. Also bring stuff for common ailments, such as for colds and flu. Stock up on Benadryl enough to survive for the year that you’re there. Bring a lot of insect repellent.

Again, if you want to make a few Dong right away, bring American made cosmetics with you. $2 American made facial blush can get $20 - $30 in Hanoi. Big Lots are a good source for there. Find an upscale beauty salon to peddle these off to when you get to Hanoi.  

Vaccinations

Make sure your vaccinations are up to date, especially flu, tetanus and hepatitis. Rick M will point out that the malaria pills can do more harm than good, and I agree with him. I strongly urge you to get your hepatitis vaccinations. That will keep you from getting too sick from eating the food there.

American Chocolates and Candies

Kids (and everyone else) there love American chocolates and candies. You will make immediate lifelong friends that will do everything they can to protect you while there for just a couple of Hershey bars. Big Lots is a good source for this too.

Learning Vietnamese

If you don’t speak Vietnamese, I would recommend getting the Pimsler’s Vietnamese course. It’s all on audio CD, which makes it easy to study virtually anywhere and especially during the 18 –20 hour flight to get to Hanoi.

Don’t Bring Clothing and Shoes…

Bring enough clothing and a couple pairs of shoes to survive for a few days and but what you need there. Clothing, shoes and virtually everything else is very cheap there, so it does no good to load your luggage with that stuff.

Bring a Smile

You already know that the Vietnamese are the friendliest people in the world. A rule of thumb that I use is “A Smile Will Get You a Mile…”

Good luck to you, and have a great time!