INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

Poster: here (2.5Mb).

Description: The conference aims to educate young researchers in Quantum Topology, discuss new developments in the area, and bring together different points of view of Geometry, Topology, Algebra and Quantum Field Theory.

Organizers: Do Ngoc Diep, Nguyen Viet Dung and Vu The Khoi, (Institute of Mathematics, VAST, Hanoi, Vietnam),  Stavros Garoufalidis and Thang Le (Georgia Tech).

Scientific Committee:

• C. Gordon, University of Texas, Austin.
• V. Jones, University of California, Berkeley.
• V. Turaev, University of Strasbourg.

Confirmed participants:

REGISTRATION

Please contact the organizers URGENTLY if you wish to attend the conference and your name is not in the list of participants yet.

A small registration fee ($100 or an equivalent amount in other currency, in cash, due on arrival) will be charged to the participants. This will cover the banquet,  lunches, and some other social activities, but not the hotel. This registration fee may be waived in some cases.

Abstract submission: Please submit your abstract to the Atlas

VISA INFORMATION

Most foreigners need a visa to enter Vietnam, except for citizens of the following countries (please confirm with the Vietnamese Embassy in your country):
* Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland: for visits of up to 15 days.
You can get either a tourist visa (by yourself) or a business visa (through us, we will handle most of the work).

I.                    Tourist visa: Apply in person (or by mail) at a Vietnamese consulate, filling in the application online. This kind of visa is easy to get. See http://www.vietnamconsulate-ca.org/vietnamvisa.htm. Many travel agency specialized in Vietnam travel can also handle visas for you.

II.                 Business visa: In general, business travellers should apply for a visa through the Vietnamese host. In our case, the organizers of the conference will apply for a visa approval for you at the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam. After that, the relevant Vietnamese embassy or consulate is informed of the approval by fax. You will be notified about the date of this fax as well as an approval number. You must then send (or bring in)  (1) your passport, (2) approval number and date of fax, and  (3) two passport photos, to the appropriate Vietnamese embassy or consulate to obtain your visa. In general, some visa fees are charged. If you want the organizers to apply for your visa approval, please send us (vtkhoi@math.ac.vn) your personal data: (1) Full name, (2) Date and place of birth, (3) Profession, (4) Passport number, (5) Date and place of issue and  date of expiry of your passport, (6) Nationality (original and present), (7) Date and point of entry to Vietnam, (8) Length of stay in Vietnam, (9) Which Vietnamese embassy or consulate do you want to obtain your visa from? Please also provide  the data of each  accompanying person. The procedure of visa application takes generally about 4 weeks.

HOTEL

By default, we will reserve rooms at the following hotel for most  participants:  Army Hotel, 33 C Pham Ngu Lao Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
http://www.vietnamstay.com/hotel/army/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g293924-d454987-Reviews-Army_Hotel-Hanoi.html

This hotel is situated in a quiet street in the center of Hanoi  (walking distance from many points of interest). It has a swimming pool (free access). The negotiated price is about $40-$50/day/single room including breakfast.

If you prefer to reserve a hotel by yourself, please send an email to Vu The Khoi to let him know that, so that or local organizers will not reserve a hotel for you ! Khoi's email is: vtkhoi@math.ac.vn

If you need a double room or a suite (for a family), or want to share a double room with another  participant, please also let us know!
We will shuttle service to take the participants from the hotel to the Institute and back every conference day.

If you prefer to look for a hotel by yourself, here are some possible places to start:

• http://www.hanoihotel.net/home/
• http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotels-g293924-Hanoi-Hotels.html
• http://www.vietnamstay.com/hotel/hanoi.htm

(Prices vary from under $10 to above $100 per night)

AIR TICKETS

Due to a significant increase of the number of tourists in Vietnam, it may be  very difficult to reserve plane tickets for the dates that you wish at a reasonable
price. So please book your tickets as soon as possible !

Hint: Don't trust online travel agencies for tickets to Vietnam, because
those online portals don't show "negotiated prices" and show only more expensive
prices in general. Instead, call a "brick and mortar" agency and ask for best prices.

In US: Tin nghia Travel / Amvico, Inc. 3523 Buford Hwy Ne Ste 201, Atlanta, GA 30329 

Tel. 404-315-1606, Fax.404-315-1607

In France, you may try these 2 agencies which are specialized in trips to Asia:

* Hit Voyages, 21 Rue des Bernardins - 75005 PARIS
Tel. : 01 43 54 17 17 - Fax : 01 43 25 22 16

* Ariane Tours, 5 square Dunois 75013 PARIS
Tel: 01 45 86 88 66 - Fax: 01 45 82 21 54

SOCIAL PROGRAM  includes:

·                A conference banquet.

·                Excursion of Hanoi: Wednesday (August 8) afternoon 14h-19h (visit of the Temple of Literature, "But Thap" Pagoda, etc.)

·                2-day excursion to Halong Bay: Saturday  - Sunday   (August 11-12). An additional fee of $100 will be charged to each participant of this excursion

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Main Sponsors: 

• Institute of Mathematics, VAST
• Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology
• Research Program on Mathematics, The International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP)
• Saigon CTT.
• Georgia Institute of Technology; Reserach Foundation.

TRANSPORTATION

From Noibai Airport to hotels:

If you confirm early enough about the flight and arrival time, we will pick you up at the Airport. In such case, the person who is responsible to meet you at the airport will bring a board with the title: “Quantum Topology”. Otherwise, you can take a taxi to your hotel. There are many taxi companies, but we strongly recommend  Airport Taxi. The cost is  about 15 USD from the airport to anywhere within Hanoi. To avoid unacceptable high prices, please do ask the taxi-driver about the price before agreeing to go with him.

Within Hanoi

There are many bus lines in Hanoi. The bus service is cheap (3000VND for one ride), although infrequent and often overcrowded. A nice way to go around in the city is to rent a pedicab or motorbike with driver. Negotiate a fare beforehand. Taxi is inexpensive, safe and comfortable. Flag fall is fixed at an amount (depending on taxi companies), which is the cost of the first  2 km, and then every kilometer thereafter costs another amount (about 8000 VND/km).

From hotel to school venue

The organizers will arrange shuttle to take you to the Institute everyday. But this is only done in the early morning (the beginning of each working day) and late afternoon (the end of each working day). Otherwise, taxi and motorbike are reasonable means of transport.

Weather

The climate in Hanoi  is tropical. August is hot and humid. During this period the temperature is between 25°C  and 35°C. Updated information can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=2219

Currency

Vietnamese currency unit is dong (abbreviated "đ" or VND). As of March 2007 the exchange rate is 16,000đ for 1 USD. Banknotes in denominations of 100đ, 200đ, 500đ, 1,000đ, 2,000đ, 5,000đ, 10,000đ, 20,000đ, 50,000đ, 100,000đ, 200,000đ and 500,000đ are presently in circulation. There are coins of denominations 200đ, 500đ, 1,000đ, 2,000đ, 5,000đ. Traveler's checks can be exchanged to Vietnamese dong only at authorized exchange banks. Credit cards (American Express, Visa, Master card) can be used in banks, travel agencies, hotels, and major restaurants. US dollars and some other currencies are exchanged to Vietnamese dong and treasury notes in banks, exchange bureaus, hotels, and jewelry shops.

• Vietnam Travel Guide
• City Guide 2
• City Guide 3