Options
Money
Question for the travelers on the Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand Tour. We usually get some foreign money before we travel to other countries, and we buy the money through Bank of America. We are running into problems for this tour. Any advice from past travelers?
0
Comments
Best deal is to get it at an atm at the airport after you land. You don't need a lot of vietnam dong. We got $100 worth and it was enough for miscellaneous purchases.
PS It's a great trip
I got some Vietnamese dongs and Cambodian riels at my local TD Bank before leaving the US for my Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos trip in 2019.
Thank you PF606590 and MCD.
When I was in Vietnam - admittedly, a long time ago - no one referred to Vietnamese money as Dong, although that's what it offcially was. On the paper money, it said "Dong". But people, both Vietnamese and American, always referred to it as Piaster, abbreviated as "P". So if you asked a Vietnamese seller for a price, they might answer "400 P". Then you started to negotiate.
For those who have been there recently, do the Vietnamese in Saigon refer to their money as "Dong" or "P"?
I realize it's officially "Dong". I'm asking what term Saigon people use when they talk about Vietnamese money.
We were there in 2022, they used Dong
I never talked to anyone in Vietnam about what they called their money!
Have a wonderful trip! Hopefully your TD is Larry.
I read that Larry retired.
Really, say it isn’t true!
You would most likely encounter the name of the currency when you dealt with a merchant who was willing to take a variety of currencies. In that case, you might get a quote something like "5 dollars US or 120,000P". Or 5 dollars US or 120,000 Dong".
When I was there, they would always use "P" when quoting a price in Vietnamese money.
That didn't happen for me, either. I don't recall seeing any Ps (but that doesn't meant that they weren't there). I didn't buy much. I think that I bought all of my souvenirs at a place that Tauck stopped for a rest stop, and probably just used a credit card. There was a huge shop offering all types of things. I bought lacquerware, scarves and my favorite souvenir -- a needlepoint depiction of women in traditional garb, including conical hats, carrying baskets of flowers. It will go to my daughter after I'm gone.
I also recall that large shop at a rest stop and bought several things. There were nice shops in Hoi An too
I like the pottery and lacquerware.
I had a manicure this morning at a salon owned and operated by a Vietnamese couple. The proper term for their currency is 'dong tien.' None, including the Vietnamese women who work there, ever heard of a 'P' designator after the currency amount.
Thanks for checking for me. Piaster was what the French used when they were there and the Vietnamese in the south kept the term. But that was a long time ago.
The winners always get to tell the story ... and, I guess, name the currency!
Okay, one more money question. Back when I was in Vietnam, the exchange rate for US dollars was 400 Dong to $1.00US. Today, it looks like it's 24,000 Dong to $1.00US. When the Vietnamese quote a price in Dong, do they say 120,000 Dong for something that's about $5.00US? Or do they have some shorthand, like 120 Dong (thousand)?
kfnknfzk said the term was Dong tien. Does tien mean 1,000? If so, they would say 120 Dong tien for 120,000 Dong.
I’m sure we used dollars when we were there. We go again in April so I will report back.