The local currency is Vietnamese Dong (VND) - and exchanging money is relatively easy in Ho Chi Minh City. There are ATMs everywhere, so you can use your card to withdraw cash, but bear in mind that because of the large denomination of the dong (starting from 500 Dong notes), ATMs tend to run out of money quite quickly. Credit and debit cards are accepted only at the big shopping malls and luxury hotels. As usual, make sure you notify your bank you will be abroad and make yourself aware of any fees you would be charged if using your cards abroad. US dollars are widely accepted, however get ready to get your change in Dong anyway. You can exchange money at the local banks, but you will get a slightly better rate if you do so at the exchange shops and gold dealers near Ban Thanh Market and Ho Chi Minh Square.The opening hours of shops in Ho Chi Minh city are generally from 8 am until as late as 10 pm Monday to Saturday, with many working Sundays as well. The banks and post offices are open from 8 am to 4 pm with a couple of hours lunch break Monday to Friday and are often open until midday on Saturday as well. The most major bank holiday in Ho Chi Minh City is the Vietnamese New Year – most outlets are closed for about a week in February. Do check for any other bank holidays around the time of travel. Tipping in Vietnam is not expected in general, but very much appreciated. The culture of tipping is growing in Vietnam, as is the flock of tourists, but still it’s not uncommon for your tip to be rejected. As confusing as it is, the chance of you being asked for more money for a tip is just as common. The services that Vietnamese tend to always tip are spa treatments, masseuses and hairdressers. For those services anything between 20,000 to 100,000 VND. Upscale spas would have service charges added to the bill, so have a look at it before you tip! Regarding restaurants, there might be service charges of 5-10% added to your bill. The extra money would hardly ever reach the serving staff, so if you have received great service, do tip your waiter personally 5-10% of the bill. You can round up the taxi fare, tip your tour guide the equivalent of 1-2 USD per person per day, tip the hotel bellhop 1-2 USD per bag, and your housekeeper 1-2 USD per day. Bear in mind that some luxury hotels would have a strict No Tipping policy. Do not feel obliged to tip if you have received bad service.The local language is Vietnamese. The younger people would speak some English, and the older generation is likely to speak some French.The local time in Ho Chi Minh City is GMT + 7 hours and the international dialling code is 00 84 8.