Vietnam Currency...

[hippyhoppy]

The daughter is off to Vietnam for a few weeks, and whilst searching for currency I was told by NatWest that it is a 'closed' currency, ie not allowed in and out of the country.. but then the girl in M&S told me she had £50 of dong... how so if it's not allowed... and would she get into trouble if she had currency whilst wondering through customs...?

[Old_Geezer]

Only if caught.
£50 ? Hardly worth them worrying about, but it's at the risk of those who try.

[boxtops]

I've never been there so I don't know - but couldn't she just use her bank card when she gets to the airport, to draw out local currency there?

[ubasses]

http://www.iatatravelcentre.com/VN-Vietnam-customs-currency-airport-tax-regulations-details.htm

Scroll down the above link to the bit about currency. Does not appear to be a problem.

[Buenchico]

You're only required to declare the importation of Vietnamese currency to Customs staff if the amount exceeds 15 million dong:
http://vietnamtourism.com/e_pages/useful/useful.asp?uid=2335

[DTCwordfan]

You will need a wheelbarrow for the dong.......

[Peter Pedant]

There in 1999 and its not much changed I would think

Take sterling or dollars

most of the economy is dollarised ( ironic huh ?)
that is, a transaction is in dollars and the small change in dong ( under one dollar) . Fifteen y ago a bottle of water was a 1000 dong and by the time I left a month of so later it was 1500

yeah thinking back - I did everything either with a card or in dollars

[Bigfellah]

Check this website - http://www.bestforeignexchange.com/Exchange-rates-check-exchange-rates.php - this will give you the best exchange rate. Using a card at an airport upon arrival would be OK but the charges are fairly high and the exchange rate would not be a good one. Alternatively take US$ and convert to Dong over there.