Shop Hours : Shops run from 7 or 8am to 11 or 11:30pm. Some are open from 1 or 2 pm to 4 or 5 pm.

Bank Hours : Most banks are open from 7 or 8am to 11 or 11:30pm. Some are open from 1 or 2 pm to 4 or 5 pm.

Holidays : 

January 1 : New Year Holiday

February 3 : Anniversary of the Foundation of the Communist Party of Vietnam. January/February - Tet (Tet Nguyen Dan). The most important Vietnamese annual festival. This marks the new lunar year and the advent of spring. This is a three-day holiday, usually at the end of January or the beginning of February (according to the solar calendar).

April 30 : Liberation Day, the day on which Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) fell to Hanoi in 1975. This holiday is commemorated nationwide.

May 19 : Birthday of President Ho Chi Minh 

September 2 : National Day of Vietnam

Time : Vietnam is 11 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and 14 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time.

Tipping : Tipping is not customary in Vietnam, but it is enormously appreciated. A 5-10% tip for a meal is a very small amount of money, but to the average Vietnamese, it could easily equal a day\'s wages. Avoid tipping too much, as it will set a precedent for others.

Restaurants : Government-run restaurants catering to tourists add a 10% service charge to the bill.

Taxis : Generous tips are not necessary. A small gratuity, however, is expected by cab drivers

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