Halong Bay in April!

Hello, knowing people!

We are planning to go to Vietnam this April. What kind of weather / visibility we%26#39;ll have in Halong Bay? Does it rains? Fogs? And if the timing is good enough, any recommendations on tour/junk ? We are not on a tight budget, but don%26#39;t want too expensive also... thinking about two nights (may be, one on a boat, one on island).

Thanks a lot.

Halong Bay in April!

Hi,I am from singapore and I have just got back from my Vietnam trip. It was fantastic.Ha Long bay was beautiful and we were lucky with the weather.

We stayed on the indochina sail, excellent!

April is beginning of rainy season as I remember our guide told us, but it normally doesn%26#39;t rain all day.

Two nights for Ha Long is fine, I would stay on the Junk both nights as it is so beautiful.

Good luck with your tour ahead,I love Viet nam.

Vicki

Halong Bay in April!

The weather is so nice in Halong in April, no rain, no fogs and has sunshine, wish you have a nice trip there.

There are a lots of nice junk/boat for overnight in Halong, Red Dragon Junk or Lagoon Junk is highly recommended.

We were in Halong Bay in April 2007. The weather was great - a bit misty, but I gather it%26#39;s always like that. We had no rain and it was warm enough to kayak and swim and sit on the deck at midnight sipping cognac and cocktails! Our vessel was ';Dragon%26#39;s Pearl'; which we thought was wonderful but I gather in the ensuing two years many more luxurious junks have been commissioned. We loved the whole experience but I feel the 2 day/1 night option is the better.

visa into laos?

hello,

looking for any info anyone has about obtaining a visa for laos coming overland from vietnam?? Heard today that there has been some tension between the 2 countries and that we should get visa before departing vietnam, that visa on arrival is difficult if not impossible?? if anyone has done recently was there a decent way to travel from hanoi?? Keenly waiting for reply... cheers:)

visa into laos?

me too. I am looking to go from hanoi to laos for a weekend. Not heard of the tensions but wondering where in hanoi to get a visa and how long it takes.

wireless network b and g

The mekong.. Book a tour or do it ourselves?

Hi,

Need a bit of help with our trip.

We plan on spending 3 nights in the area. Travelling by the express ferry from HCMC to Can Tho.

Then where to??

We would like to do a homestay in the area, but do we stay all the nights in Can tho %26amp; do some day trips, book an organised tour?, do a overnight cruise? I am lost.

When we leave Can Tho we will be flying to Ha noi, flight leaves at 1545.

Help please, my husband %26amp; I are travelling with our 8yr old son.

Thanks

The mekong.. Book a tour or do it ourselves?

off topic a little but on the river, if you go laos or area with mossies(most of coastal VN) take anti-malaria tabs. A good friend recently spent two weeks in hospital in london because of this! I%26#39;ve done the chinese side(lang cang he) without issues like that.

Good tailor?

Does anybody knows a good tailor for man and woman? is the materials good quality?

Currency exchange

I am going to HCMC and Hue next month.

Am I likely to get as good an exchange rate for stirling notes as for US$?

Currency exchange

I would say yes, no point is paying two lots of commission on conversion.

I am taking AUD dollars are exchange is not to good at all.

Currency exchange

I think the the real issue is how much do you lose in the exchange - ie the % difference between same worth in both countries. Use an ATM if you can. Gold(jewellery) dealers can exchange currrency but it is a free market for them...

if you convert sterling to usd in england you will lose. then you convert usd to dong in VN. you lose again. limit the conversions you make! do not use travelex etc. 8% min in my experience is the loss.

tanning sunscreen

Domestic fligths - How long in advance ?

Hello to everbody,

maybe you can tell me how long in advance it is necessary to book a domestic fligt. I noticed that the trip from Danang to Saigon takes 23 hours and so I think it is better to go by plane, but I have no idea how busy it is in november.

It would be great if you can give me an information.

Best regards

germanychris

Domestic fligths - How long in advance ?

Hi,

I think you should book righ now if you nmake sure your trip

VIetnam Airline will increase more than 11 USD for each ticket cause of gas %26amp; oil increasing

Good luck

Smartguilde

Domestic fligths - How long in advance ?

Dear Chris

From Danang to HCM by fly takes 1hours 45Munites

www.vietnamair.com.vn/default.aspx?tabid=101

Cheers

PacificHotelTravel

Can you book domestic flights before you arrive in Vietnam? It seems that the airline requires you to be in the country to book flights between cities in Vietnam. Anyone having other luck?

I can%26#39;t do it either. My travel agent said it had something to do with the international registration of the airports for the booking system.

However is is easy to get flights once here. You can do it just hours in advance. Except in the lead up to tet, which has now passed. The other day I booked an internal flight to HCM via an agent in VN about 4 hrs before the plane was leaving.

Hi There,

You can book with Jetsar.com online - bear in mind, the website is closed this weekend and will re-open on Monday - they are putting in a new system.The fares are very cheap, but, as yet, I don%26#39;t know how reliable they are eg. if they are on time. I would not risk a Jetstar flight, if you want to connect up with another Vietnam Airlines flight.

Cheers,

Sandy

And don%26#39;t rely on VN airlines either. Been bumped off their flight on the way to the airport, booked through qantas no less!!

Email Address

Does anybody have the email addresses for ';the Ritz hotel';, ';Win Hotel';, and ';tuang tran hotel';.

Thanks

Email Address

theritzhotel@gmail.com

try winhotel@yahoo.com

do you mean Thien Trang hotel? thientranghotel24@hotmail.com

or Tung Trang?

tungtranghotel@yahoo.com

xp

HCM in 2 1/2 days

We only have 2 1/2 days in HCM Feb 13-15. We are booked at Lavender Hotel across Ben Tanh Market, where we arrive mid afternoon on Feb 13.

We will go on the usual city tour (which is part of our tour package) on the morning of Feb 14. What places could we visit outside of the usual tour circuit in the afternoon?

We plan to visit the Cu Chi Tunnel on Feb 15. Is there any place you can recommend we go after the Cu Chi Tunnel? Is it good to combine Cu Chi with Mekong River?

Thanks for ur help in planning our HCM sojourn.

Weather at end of Sept. in Can Tho - itinerary suggestions

I was thinking about two nights in the Vinh Long-Can Tho area at the end of September. Is this a bad time of year to visit? Would I be better off spending more time elsewhere in Vietnam instead? Do you have any itinerary suggestions? I plan to arrive from HCMC by boat and to arrange for ground transportation once I get there.

Many thanks.

Weather at end of Sept. in Can Tho - itinerary suggestions

Good morning from Jason !

September is ok for you to visit Can Tho .

It is great that you will have 2 nights in Mekong Delta

Here is my suggestion :

Day 1 : You will go to My Tho city for boat trip and sampan tour, stay overnight at Ba Duc homestay. The house owner will show you how to make Vietnamese springrolls

Day 2 : You will leave Ba Duc house at 06:00 AM for sunrise Cai Be floating market trip, have a walking tour around local village and you will visit Cai Be mainland market. You will have great fun there. You will explore Cai Be town later after breakfast at Ba Duc home and you will go to other local house for home cooked lunch and then go to Can Tho to check in at Kim Tho hotel

Day 3 : You will wake up at 05:30 AM, go to Cai Rang floating market at 05:45 AM, arrive there at 06:30 AM, enjoy fresh pineapple. You will admire how the local people cut pineppale. You will go to Cai Rang mainland fish %26amp; rat market. Go back to hotel for breakfast. Take shuttle boat of Phu Sa to visit island for crocodile fishing and playing with monkey at large

You will go back to Can Tho for lunch at Sao Hom restaurant and head back to Saigon. On the way back to Saigon, you will ask your guide/ car driver to stop at Mekong Rest Stop in My Tho for toilet, for passing monkey bridge, for photos and for coffee

Best regards

Jason SSS

HCMC to Rach Gia

can anyone give me advise on the Mekong Delta. Am looking to go from HCMC to Rach Gia in a short space of time. 2 days if thats possible.i would of course like to take in some of the sites. what is the best way to do this. Private car?

Train Trip From Ho chi Minh to HAnoi

Has anyone done a train trip from HCM to Hanoi? I would like some suggestions or ideas and the cost?

Thanks

Train Trip From Ho chi Minh to HAnoi

The train is slow and a noisy if you hate the noise. It%26#39;s better to travel half way to Danang to visit Hoi An then again night train to Hanoi. The price is about 1,2 million Vietnam Dong for Saigon to Hanoi on the AC soft sleeper.

Train Trip From Ho chi Minh to HAnoi

Dear freddy,

Travelling by train sounds interesting, you can enjoy our scenery, definitely it will take 30 directly hours to complete the long distance by soft berth, costs around 75$ or hard seats is 38$.

You have some other ways by jetstar flight, costs about 80$ or open bus for each stops, lower than 55$

It depends your scheduled time %26amp; budget to carry out.

Do hope that you can find the best thing,

Have a nice vacation

Einstein

We travelled on the train HCMC to Hue. Best I can say is the toilets in our carriage stayed clean, if paperless. Slept very badly and arrived totally exhausted after over 20 hours on the train. No seats as such, just your bunk with an overhanging bunk; no food either (saw a ';menu'; but no food, and reports are that it%26#39;s not that flash anyway).

Between Danang (or Hue) and Hanoi, you have the option of the first class Livitrans train carriage on the SE1/SE2 - I paid $43. for Danang-Hanoi. Livitrans is the same company doing Hanoi-Lao Cai/Sapa - the benefit being a Western-standard carriage that is very clean and safe. I believe there is a similar first class train carriage between Saigon and Nha Trang. These are private carriages pulled by the famous Reunification Express trains.

tanning sunscreen

Need recommendation on good Ao Dai tailors in Hoi An

Hi, can anyone recommend a few good ao dai tailors in Hoi An? Can they make several in a couple of days and what is the average charge for tailoring since I will be providing my own fabric? Thank you.

Need recommendation on good Ao Dai tailors in Hoi An

Hi Jennifer,

I had an Ao Dai made at Mr Xe. Corner of Le Loi and Thai something something (can never remember that street name!!)

I think he out sourced it to a lady in another shop as I was wizzed off on a moto to get measured by her. He would recommend someone if you asked, or he would take it on and out source....

Either way it was stunning and well priced. I was there 2 full days and it was complete after 1 and a 1/2. I%26#39;m sure they could bang them out over a couple of days for you.

I used their silk, so I cannot help you with the second phase of your question unfortunately.

Snot

Need recommendation on good Ao Dai tailors in Hoi An

Thank you, Snot. I will check with Mr. Xe when I%26#39;m in Hoi An. I read alot of great reviews on Hoi An tailors, but none mentioned about ao dai tailors. Thanks for your recommendation.

Jennifer

black hair styles

Ho Chi Minh City in April

I%26#39;ll be in Ho Chi Minh City for 1st week in April.

What will the weather be like?

Thanks

Ho Chi Minh City in April

KJM,

April is a good time to go to Vietnam ---HCMC will be hot and humid-----Hanoi SHOULD be cooler, though one April there years ago , Hanoi had a heat wave. Tourism is starting to fall off then ---Central VN should be stable weatherwise and HOT!

If it does rain in the north, central and south, the skies drop 3 inches of rain in 20 minutes , then fine again!

plover

P.S. ---I am not a weather forecaster, but that is my experience every year for the last 10 years!

mr xe

What is his address please?

I have read very mixed views, some not so good and others say he is superb.

I have previously been happy with Yaly, but with the dollar the way it is, they might be a bit pricey. Also in my previous experience with Yaly, although I was happy with the end result, I had to go back for so many fittings. In some of the clothes you can see where they have been unpicked. I agree with another post that said they make very snug, they do indeed and I am not a big person. Another factor is I am on a tour and will only be in Hoi An 2 days. So I need a tailor that can get it right the first or second time.

Also recommended is B%26#39;Lan.

Which is your choice?

Many Thanks

mr xe

Mr Xe%26#39;s address is 71 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, on the corner of Le Loi. I was very happy with what he made for me - he%26#39;s very particular/fussy about the fit, and it is %26#39;snug%26#39;, but you%26#39;ve only got to ask for a bit more room and I%26#39;m sure he%26#39;ll co-operate. I think the problem with tailor-made articles in Vietnam can be the fabric, not so much the sewing ... I think if you go with the attitude that you%26#39;re not going to get a Chanel outfit for $10, then you%26#39;ll be right. Not sure if 1 night would be enough, but ask him. Sorry, I don%26#39;t have any experience with B%26#39;Lan.

mr xe

Thank you very much for the address.

I will be in Hoi An, 2 nights so hopefully I should be able to get something made. I had a coat in mind.

Ho Chi Minh, Chu Chi Tunnels, Mekong Delta, Angkor Wat-all?

I have about 4.5 days to be around Ho Chi Minh and I%26#39;m trying to figure out the logistics/possibilties of going to the tunnels, doing a boat cruise/overnight stay in the Mekong Delta AND going to Angkor Wat. Is it possible to go to Angkor Wat from HCMC stopping at the Chu Chi tunnels along the way? (Tours don%26#39;t seem to go that way.) Or are the tunnels a day trip, come back to HCMC then go to the Mekong Delta on the way to Angkor Wat? I prefer not to go to PP. Or should I just try and go the boat cruise/tour of Mekong AND tunnels and scratch Angkor Wat cause it be rtoo rushed? (Angkor Wat is lowest priority compared to other 2.) Do roads/boat/travel make doing these things possible? Or, upon getting to HCMC would a tour guide arrange this for me?

Ho Chi Minh, Chu Chi Tunnels, Mekong Delta, Angkor Wat-all?

You really don%26#39;t have time for Angkor Wat as well, in 4 1/2 days.

Cu Chi tunnels are to the north of HCMC, while the Meking Delta is to the south east, probably why the tours don%26#39;t go that way. Cu Chi tunnels would indeed be a day trip, possibly a half day trip if you had a private car and guide, and back into HCMC.

If you did continue on up the Mekong to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, you would be rushing about and not really have time to properly see anything. You also wouldn%26#39;t have time to get back to HCMC and would probably need to fly out of PP unless you wanted to go home in a very roundabout way (Air Asia, for instance, flies out of Siem Reap, but only to Malaysia). If you were to return to HCMC from Angkor Wat, you would need the much more expensive multi-entry visa, which for such a flying visit would be hard to justify, IMO.

Hanoi to HCMC

Hi all!

I am thinking of doing a Vietnam trip (Hanoi and HCMC) for about 9-10 days. My plan would be to go to Hanoi first, then to HCMC. If I were to go by air from Hanoi to HCMC, please advise if I should book from singapore, or over there? How much would it cost?

Hanoi to HCMC

book it here.Hanoi - hcm should be less tha 1.8 mill dong. $160 sing i think. my last flight a few days ago was 1.8m VN dong HCM - hanoi.

Hanoi to HCMC

i see...the only airlines available is vietnam air?

Perfect Itinerary? Please check :)

I am doing my research in the forum. I have about 12-15 days to go to Vietnam the beginning of May. Going to Sapa and Halong seems to have me in and out of Hanoi. Does this make sense. Since I am so close to Cambodia it is tempting to go for a couple days, BUT thinking of saving it for another trip. Here is what I thinking:

DAY 1-LAX- Singapore. One night in Singapore to break

flights up

Day 2- Singapore to Hanoi. Arrive mid day. Metrople

Day 3- Hanoi- Sofitel Metrople

Day 4- Leave Hanoi at night to Sapa. Victoria Train

Day 5- Sapa- either Victoria Sapa RESORT or Homestay

Day 6- Sapa- night train to Hanoi

Day 7- arrive Hanoi 6am. Overnight Sofitel Metrople

Day 8- Leave Hanoi morning for Halong Bay ship.

Valentine (Indochina Sails) or Emeraude

Day 9. Arrive Back in Hanoi- overnight again?

Day 10- Leave Hanoi morning to Hue-need a nice hotel

Day 11-Hue-Hoi An- or a 2nd night in Hue?

Day 12- Hoi An- nice hotel but not Nam Hai probably

too high

Day 13- Hoi An

Day 14- Hoi An

Day 15- Hoi An to Hanoi- overnight again for morning flight next day to LAX via Singapore.

I appreciate the help! I using mileage and have always wanted to fly Singapore Airlines. I can go First Class through Japan with less miles than the ALL Business non-stop flight from LAX. I hope saving Siem Reap is a good idea for another time.

Perfect Itinerary? Please check :)

Dear Mr RManning,

Your Itinerary as I think seem quite good. Here%26#39;s my offer for some accomodation in Hoi An, Hue

* Hue

1. La Residence hotel 4*

www.la-residence-hue.com

Rate: usd 145/double superior river view room/night (incl tax %26amp; breakfast)

2. Imperial hotel Hue 4.5*

www.imperial-hotel.com.vn

Rate: usd 135/deluxe double riverview room/night (incl tax %26amp; breakfast)

* Hoi An:

1. Life resort 4* http://www.life-resorts.com/--%26gt; for someone like the river than beach

Rate: usd 120/superior garden view/night

2. Victoria hoi an 4*

Rate: usd 130/sup riverview or seaside double room (incl tax %26amp; breakfast)

usd 180/double beach front/night

3. Palm garden resort 5*

www.palmgardenresort.com.vn

Rate: usd 109/sup seaview double/night

...

Hope this is helpful for you

Linh (ms)

Perfect Itinerary? Please check :)

Your itinerary is perfect, well balanced in places and not too much packing for places so save Cambodia for next trip as it%26#39;s still there.

Looks pretty good to me :-)

I%26#39;d be tempted to spend the second night in Hue so you can get a decent look around.

Have a look at the hotel reviews for help re hotels; we found that tariff isn%26#39;t necessarily a good guide- we had a perfectly nice room in Hue, about 3* (more than that is tinsel we don%26#39;t use anyway) for $15/double, breakfast included. And we loved the Ha An in Hoi An.

what the..

my itinerary would be:

sing - orchid towers. two days at least...every taxi driver knows it!!

hanoi -- go to the floating bars...

halong bay - cut the travel and go to king disco in haiphong. recover in war memorial park, weather is warming up - or stay in halong city. The travel is a killer.street beer is 3000 dong a schooner in haiphong. get absolutely wasted for 3 euro... 5 euro call an ambulance..spend the day in a trance.

Skip hanoi, travel to Hue from haiphong - 8 to 10 hrs by car.

From hue, da nang/hoi an just over two hours. see marble mt in Da Nang. hoi an sleepy but nice - travel to Da nang for action(zzz)

fly danang hanoi. back to floating bars..leave next day with good memories!

have fun!

Sorry, forgot to add - the tarriffs above are really high. I stay IC usually and in hanoi with club exec room (free cocktails and food for a few hours) it was 210USD ++ it is a seriuosly good hotel, Absolutely the best IC hotel i have stayed in!it is so far beyond the hotels mentioned above i cant believ what they are charging. stayed in deluxe suite, bosan hotel, hanoi 80 usd with bkfast. it is also very good, suprising for the price.

Thank you so kindly for your response and your suggestions. The Imperial Hotel in Hue looks great.

I was wondering if you know if it was possible to arrive from Sapa via the train at 6am in the morning and then take the shuttles that leave Hanoi at around 8am to meet the Halong Bay ships? I was going to spend the night in Hanoi and then leave the following morning, but if this is doable I would pefer this.

Thanks

Thank you so kindly for your response.

I was wondering if you know if it was possible to arrive from Sapa via the train at 6am in the morning and then take the shuttles that leave Hanoi at around 8am to meet the Halong Bay ships? I was going to spend the night in Hanoi and then leave the following morning, but if this is doable I would pefer this.

Thanks

Thank you so kindly for your response and your suggestions. The Hu An hotel in Hoi An looks great.

I was wondering if you know if it was possible to arrive from Sapa via the train at 6am in the morning and then take the shuttles that leave Hanoi at around 8am to meet the Halong Bay ships? I was going to spend the night in Hanoi and then leave the following morning, but if this is doable I would pefer this.

Thanks

Thanks for you response. The IC does look nice and might be a good choice in Hanoi.

I can%26#39;t see why you couldn%26#39;t go from the Lao Cai train to the Ha Long Bay shuttles. The train gets in around 4.30am-5am, depending on which one you are on, and the station is only about 5 minutes by taxi to the Old Quarter.

My suggestion:

Baggage space in the train and the junk will be limited, so pack a small bag and leave the rest of your luggage with the nice people at the Sofitel Metropole. Hotels in VN are generally very obliging about keeping luggage at no charge. When you get back from Sa Pa, head for the hotel, have a shower (none on the train) and possibly repack your bag with clean clothes for Ha Long Bay. Our hotel had a bathroom for the use of guests who weren%26#39;t staying overnight, the Metropole may have the same. Get picked up by the shuttle and off you go :-)

tanning sunscreen

AJAX in .net

Hanoi in April

I%26#39;ll be in Hanoi the first week of April.

What will the weather be like?

Will it be warm enough to go swimming in HaLong Bay?

Thanks

Hanoi in April

The weather is nice in the first week of April, it is suitable for your trip to Halong bay and to go swimming.

Hanoi in April

First week of April is still sort of cool, it%26#39;ll be still at about 25 - 30 Dc.

http://www.travelfish.org/vietnam-weather.php

Halong Bay cruise - reasonable luxury and price

Hi, everybody!

I%26#39;m seeking 2 nights (3 days) cruise (from Hanoi) and asking for advice:

I want to spend a cruise comfortable but not asking for especial ';luxury'; (no tuxedo for waiters). I also don%26#39;t want to spend a fortune on that (crisis, you know...). So:

- how much is supposed to cost for person?(we are 2)?

- is it better to book in advance(say, internet)?

- any recommendations (company, junk etc.)

Thanks.

Halong Bay cruise - reasonable luxury and price

- Lagoon Explorer junk is one option for your reference.

- Booking the service in advance is professional way to travel.

- Halong Junk Cruise is my recommendation for your trip.

Halong Bay cruise - reasonable luxury and price

There are so many offers but Red Dragon is recommended, think that Footprint has a better rate on this junk.

I %26#39;ve booked Pinta Cruise through their website for 2 of us. The price is US$209/p for 03 Days 2 nights, A friend recommended me to cruise with them and better to book directly.

You should try at columbuscruise.com.

Cheers.

Travel to Cambodia

I would like to travel from Phu Quoc Is by boat up into Cambodia - I will have my wife and two young children (10 and 7). What%26#39;s the best way to get from the island over to the border crossing to get on a boat? We don%26#39;t want to fly back into HCMC. I need to keep in mind that lengthy bus trips to the border would not be in the best interest of the kids, so if a stopover is required, so be it.

Thanks.

Phil (Australia)

Travel to Cambodia

You can easily go from Ha tien (border) to Phu Quoc.

Ha Tien is 2hrs drive from Kep and very good road.

You have a speed boat leaving every morning at 8AM from Ha tien and you will arrive to Phu Quoc at 9.30AM

Travel to Cambodia

Thanks John. Much appreciated. I assumed boat and car were the options. It was wishful thinking of a boat straight to Cambodia.

Any idea of the length of time by vehicle from Rach Gia to Chau Doc (border)? I%26#39;m keeping in mind the two kids might be bit over travelling if the ferry from PQ Is takes five hours. Thanks again.

We went from PP To phu quoc last June.

The car trip will take you at least 2 hours, the road is 2 way traffic and quite narrow.

The fast boat is not much more than a tinny that seats 14? with a canapy over the top I have a photo if you want to PM me and no toilets.

You do stop at the 2 border crossing and scramble up the banks and there are toilet.

We came across very heavy rain when we did the trip and it was a litte scarry as visability was 0 and there is a bit of large traffic on the river.

It was an experience and we did get to see a lot more of the country side.

I prebooked all of this through Sinhbalo travel and I was glad I did as there was not much English in this region They had a person on the boat from the vietnam border to where we got off the boat who then found our driver for us.He did single us out so I think he was there to look after us. A lot of younger backpackers were on the boat as well and they found this guy very handy to find out what was going on and how to get to there destination.

Agressive staff Camel Travel

We just arrived in Hue from Hanoi this morning by sleeperbus. We booked at a company named Camel Travel and our experience was so bad, that we decided to post a topic.

By entering the bus we we%26#39;re supposed to take off our shoes. No problem, but the way the lady grapped our ankles and shouted at us, was just rude. In our beds we dropped our bags in the hallway, because there was no other place to store them.

Then the driver or his helper brought two friends and, because the bus was fully booked, he decided to put them in the hallway. He threw our bags on our laps really hard, before I even realised what was happening. I asked him why he did that and he went very agressive and threw the bag another time.

One of us used the small holes on the end of the bed to stick your feet out for some extra space. The same man came by and just kicked the feet back in. Then there was an old man who peed in the hallway. We didn%26#39;t want to walk through it with our socks, so put our shoes on. Again there was shouting and they told us we had to put our shoes off again.

We arrived in Hue the next morning and found our luggage upside down on the pavement. No time for comment, the bus immediately drove away...

We slept really well, but if you have the choice, book (the same kind of bus) with another company!

Agressive staff Camel Travel

So, what is your problem? you only get treated the way you treat others....

Agressive staff Camel Travel

I prefer to book another kind of transport - Hanoi-Hue is well served by air and rail. I don%26#39;t mean to criticize, but I%26#39;ve never even heard of Camel - did you research them beforehand?

RenM, it sounds like you got the ';hump';

ally xxx

Another disgruntled customer:

www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa鈥?/a>

That is way ,this company did.I know the boss of this company when i spoke to her ,She was not nice boss,so i think the way she manages company the same

The boss is that so her staff is treating guests like sheeps, I have been once and have friends said the same, better to book train soft seat, you get what you pay for.

Special Places

I%26#39;m heading to Vietnam in September for five weeks with wife and two kids (10 and 7). My wife and I have been twice (1989 and 2000) for lengthy backpacking trips. We%26#39;ve covered pretty well everything and wanted to show the kids around. Any ';new'; places that travellers may have stumbled across that would be ';child-friendly'; ? Thanks. Phil.

Special Places

Hi Phil

I dont know whether what places/destinations including in the trip before.it%26#39;s better to advise what will you hope to enjoy now or you can give out what not involved before. It%26#39;s easier so that people can give recommendation...

Special Places

Hi Phil,

Five weeks is a long time to stay in one country only, you should combine your visit in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, it will be more interesting. And you can finish your trip by some relaxing days at a nice beach in Vietnam before your flight back home. I suggest you some nice places as below:

In Vietnam:

+ In North

- Hanoi 1 day

- Halong Bay 2 day with 1 night. Stay overnight on boat

- Tho Ho village 1 day or Duong Lam ancient village - outskirt of Hanoi city.

+ In Centre

- Dong Hoi, Phong Nha - Ke Bang

- Hue, Hoi An, Danang

- Qui Nhon

+ In South

- Nha Trang, Dalat, Sai Gon, Mekong (some cruise you can join in Mekong to Phnom Penh by cruise Toum Tiou. That is very interesting). Then you can continue to visit in Cambodia with Phnom Penh, Silhaloukville and Siem Reap..., and to Laos with Vientiane, and Luang Prabang and some other nice places.

Return to Sai Gon at the end of the trip, you can finish the trip at beach in the South of Vietnam such as Phan Thiet, Phu Quoc or Vung Tau.

End

Nania

Thanks for advice.

To briefly cover prior trips:-

northern main places eg Halong, Hanoi,

all down the east coast by bus and train to Vung Tau

Khe Sanh

Dalat

HCMC

I was hoping to find some ';new'; beaches or islands. We%26#39;re going to Phu Quoc and then over to Cambodia.

To give an idea how things may have changed since we first went to Vietnam, when we stayed at Lang Co the only accommodation was an old hut on top of a hill and you could only get to Lang Co on the back of a horse drawn wagon.

We%26#39;ll be sticking pretty close to the coast line.

Hopefully that may help. Thanks again for your advice.

easy hair and makeup ideas

Trekking in Sapa

Can anybody tell me about Trekking in Sapa?

We leave Melbourne next Friday 6th February and firstly fly into Hanoi but then catch the ET Pumpkin Train overnight to Sapa. We are doing the ET Pumpkin ';Visiting Traditional Market %26amp; Trekking'; which is 1 night in Sapa and two on train.

I don%26#39;t seem to be able to find out what fitness level you need to do the trekking - if anybody has done it, can they enlighten me as to how difficult it is. Thanks

Trekking in Sapa

Hi OzGreyNomads

Would say leisure walk for fews hours.

The beaten path is very easy to trek if it does not rain.

Any person that has done a reasonable amount of leisure walking(%26gt; 2 hours) is OK.

Trekking is easily arrange at Sapa itself.

Cheers

Trekking in Sapa

I imagine there are easy treks and then there are HARDER TREKS - depends where you go, mine was moderately difficult over rock, stream, mud, dung and trail. In this colder weather, I%26#39;d imagine it would be somewhat easier. Why aren%26#39;t you asking Pumpkin about the trek?

Thanks for your comments - very much appreciated.

Thanks for your comments. I have tried asking ET Pumpkin but all they do is tell me what is in the brochure, which doesn%26#39;t really clarify it for me - I think sometimes it is probably due to a language problem and they probably don%26#39;t understand what I%26#39;m asking them.

Hi OzGreyNomads,

You should ask Pumpkin whether any member of the staffs had done this trekking personally.???(refer to brochure????

It appear that they are only Postman to collect commission,unable to tell you the actual ground condition over there.

This is what going to happen%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;You will be handed over to some local staffs at Sapa upon arrival at Lai Cai rail station

Might of missed you but my son and I trekked back in June and it was mainly downhill. Weather was really warm but not unbearable and the guide lets you walk at your own pace.

Stunning scenery and worth the visit. You won%26#39;t be disappointed. Not sure about the weather this time of the year though, hope it is not too misty.

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From Hcmc to Mui ne

how to get From HCMC To MUI NE?

Flight arrival 12:30 on 01 mar.

asia discovery tours

We are looking at doing a tour with Asia Discovery Tours. We normally travel independently and after a guided tour to Egypt can see that the local operators are the ones who make or break the trip. Too much shopping etc. We definitely want an inclusive trip out of Australia so please no hints about the money saved by doing it yourself. The tour I`m looking at is Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Would be grateful for any feedback.

motor boat from vietnam to cambodia

some one suggested taking a motor boat from Vietnam to Cambodia......we are going mid july...ten of us. It is covered, is it too long? Is it fun? feedback greatly appreciated

motor boat from vietnam to cambodia

Hang Chau speedboat: ~ 25 US$ per person. Victoria speedboat: ~ 85 US$ per person. It%26#39;s covered and takes you about 5 hours.

Paradise Cruise Halong Bay

We are staying at the Hanoi Elegance 4 Hotel and they have offered to arrange a 3 day 2 night cruise on the Paradise junk. Has anyone cruised on this junk? How was the room food and service? Also, with 2 kids ages 10 and 12 would you recommend the 2 day or three day cruise?

Thanks,

Paradise Cruise Halong Bay

Memory from my inspection trip (2 months ago): Room was beautiful with traditional design and modern facillities. Food is good, not outstanding.

If you kids love kayaking - 3 days is better choice. If not, 2 days is OK.

Paradise Cruise Halong Bay

Thanks for the answer. From what I%26#39;ve been able to find the Paradise looks good, but not nearly as much information on it as the Red Dragon and Jasmine.

Paradise Cruise is new junk in Halong, I have heard something about it is not good, the staff is unprofessional. I suggest the Red Dragon junk or Lagoon Junk for your trip.

I booked Pinta Cruise for 03 Days, 2 nights which I were highly recommended by a friend, he spoke highly of this Junk and advised me should not miss it if I travel to Hanoi.

You should try their website for more details columbuscruise.com for your family.

Good luck.

Thanks for the web address. I will look into it. We are traveling with our two kids ages 10 and 12. I am trying to decide between the 2 and 3 day cruises. Since you went for 3 days, do you think that would be better?

Your kids are 10 %26amp; 12 ages, they can manage theirselves when staying aboard so you can book 3Ds/2Ns. I heard the Junk is good enough for your kids. So you should go ahead with this one.

Cheers.

service pin for my computer

Hanoi & Halong Bay

We%26#39;ll (5 adults, 1 child 4 years %26amp; 1 toddler 1+ years) be reaching Hanoi airport @ 13.10 on 25 Nov %26amp; leaving on 28 Nov @ 14.10.

Would like to stay a night on junk boat at Halong Bay. Is the food on Huong Hai junk good. Do they serve Vietnamese food. Can we add extra bed in the room.

Can anyone recommend itinerary in Hanoi for this short visit. Intend to rent a van for sighseeing in Hanoi on arrival day to maximise our time there.

Would like to stay at Old Quarters. Which hotel is recommended for short walking distance to good food %26amp; shopping. Budget around USD30 - USD60 per room.

Many thanks in advance.

Hanoi %26amp; Halong Bay

Hi hmsia

I hight recommend you go with Classic Sail, contract at ciaotravel@vnn.vn and ark for Suit Room with extra bed for free because your child 4-5 year.

tripadvisor.com/members-reviews/MarinaEdmonds They very enjoy in Hanoi Viet Anh hotel and halong bay with Calssic Sail.

Good Luck

Hanoi %26amp; Halong Bay

We need the extra bed for adult as we are 5 adults.

Hi Hmsia

You can send an email to ciaotravel@vnn.vn / Ms Ngoc can help you. She very helfull

www.ciaotravel.com.vn

Cheers

Most of the rooms on our junk were two-bunk ones so if they can fit in an extra bed I%26#39;d think it would be a small one for a child, rather than one big enough for an adult. So I%26#39;d think you might plan to have either two adults/one child in two rooms and one adult alone, or two adults, two adults and one child, and one adult and one child. If the children go free the first option would be cheaper, though you%26#39;d have to pay a single supplement for the single adult.

As to renting a van for sightseeing in Hanoi, you%26#39;ll need to hire a driver as well as non-VN aren%26#39;t allowed to drive in VN (and when you see the traffic you%26#39;ll know why ;-) ).

We stayed in the Golden Sun which was very conveniently located and only $32/night for two. There are lots of small hotels in the Old Quarter.

Hi Hmsia

High recommed the Classic Sail for Halong bay and Pacific Hotel 30 cuanam Str for Staying in hanoi

Good luck

Hi hmsia

I have been halong bay 2days - 1 night on the Classic Sail , i%26#39;ve book the trip at the Pacific Hotel where i was stay. I have a great trip in Halong with them. I highly recommend you the Pacific Hotel in Hanoi and Classic Sail for halong bay.

Good luck

Some of these posts look like a big scam. Some with different names but all joined Trip Advisor in August 2008. Also, why is the English so bad and the style so similar even though they%26#39;re all from different countries? All those %26#39;highly recommended%26#39; sayings. Looks suspicious to me. I suggest you contact Tonkin Travel that%26#39;s who I am using. At least they have been recommended by a lot of different people on different forums on Trip Advisor. Also, they%26#39;ve been very helpful, polite and efficient with me as I am organising a group going to Vietnam departing 11 September. Also look at the Trip Advisor rankings for the hotels. Hotel Elegance, Hanoi Paradise etc - all well recommended. Good luck.

Believe there is scam here. Tks for highlighting, LaleeNZ.

So, where are all real TA members. I need genuine advice.

Chau Doc Pier Cafe, Great View of Mekong River

Dear AlL TA guests

While you are in Chau Doc, please go to Chau Doc Pier Cafe, next to Victoria Chau Doc hotel for a drink. You will have a great view of Chau Giang floating fishing village and Mekong River

The drink here costs from 12.000 VND to 18.000 VND ( 1 USD more or less )

There is free wifi internet here for you to access internet and read TA forum

I am at Chau Doc now and have a mixed ice cream ( 18.000 VND) and use this cafe WIFI to go online

Have a great time there

Jason SSS

PS : You will go to Bay Bong restaurant for lunch and dinner. Great food but reasonable price

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Women's clothing: appropriateness/comfort (HCMC to Hanoi)

I%26#39;ve heard that women should be ';covered up'; when visiting the temples--are long skirts sufficient (calf-length) or must ankle-length pants be worn? What is the style of dress in HCMC/HoiAn/Hanoi? I don%26#39;t want to stick out or be disrespectful. Lastly, I plan on visiting beaches--i will (obv) bring a swimsuit, but it is a two-piece and I have visible tattoos--any thoughts? Also--(sorry)-- would I be okay wearing a dress OVER a swimsuit to a restaurant, were i to go right from the beach on phu quoc--or is it more ';upscale';?

THANKS MUCH!

Women's clothing: appropriateness/comfort (HCMC to Hanoi)

We found on the whole it%26#39;s pretty casual, though conservative, especially the older ladies. I would say the calf-length skirt would be fine (while shorts are not), but make sure your arms are covered by sleeves (even short sleeves) or a wrap. Thinking about it, it%26#39;s more bare shoulders than arms that are objected to in temples. I can%26#39;t see why you can%26#39;t wear a dress over bathers and don%26#39;t think two piece or tattoos is going to be an issue. ( I%26#39;m trying to imagine what an INvisible tattoo looks like ;-D)

Women's clothing: appropriateness/comfort (HCMC to Hanoi)

HAHAAA! Re: tattoos, I meant visible in the sense that one is on my ring finger, one on my wrist, and another covering an entire shoulder...so visible in the sense that my coworkers see a couple of them daily in general office attire...wasn%26#39;t sure if I should wear a ring over the finger or sleeves when I go out at night...many people in the US are weird about tattoos, esp on women, so I wasn%26#39;t sure what you thought about it over there :) Thanks so much for all the information...i%26#39;m finding it nauseating to pack!

I always carry a long sleeve voile shirt in my bag comes in handy. Usually only have shorts (not short shorts)and a singlet top on when I am travelling or touring.

I usually have a two piece on at the beach and just put a dress over the top or a sarong and singlet to go to a restaurant. In fact my whole attire for Phu quoc consistered of sarongs wrapped around as skirts and tops.Even at night.

THANK YOU! I appreciate your assistance.

I don’t think I saw 2 piece swim suits there. On the beach, local people wear regular pull over (T-shirts) with sleeve and long pants and hats. ROFL. I had a 1 piece swim suit. I looked too different from them so I wore short pants outside the swim suit ;-)

Phu Quoc Island has a lot Caucasians and I saw bikinis everyday.

weather hanoi

hi, can anyone advise what the weather like now in hanoi during the day and night and through next week. arrive this coming tuesday, should i bring some warmer clothing, heard it still quiet cold now. many thanks for your suggestion.

weather hanoi

its ok now, better than a couple of weeks ago. but as you are from sing bring some jumpers.

weather hanoi

It is very cool now from 18-27 c

hi, thanks for the info. cheers

Honeymoon Advice

Hi all,

I am planning my honeymoon and I have a week to either spend in:

-Phu Quoc

-Phan Tiet

-Nha Trang

Im unsure of which would be better to go. I would like a place that has crystal clear water.

Thankyou in advance =)

Honeymoon Advice

My vote goes to Phu Quoc.

Apart from the clear waters it also has lovely beaches, good choices of places to eat, a choice of accommodation to suit every taste and budget, sunsets the like of which you will remember forever and that romatic island feel about the place.

It is somewhat less developed than your other choices which for my money adds to the charm of the place and gives you further incentive to visit before it gets over run.

natural hair

Hanoi Hotels/hostels suggestions and itinerary

Hi all~

I have shortlisted the following hotels/hostels in Hanoi..please give me advice:

1)Little Hanoi Hotel

2) City gate Hotel

3)Astoria Hotel

4) Hanoi Elegance

Which one would be most recommended? Our budget is USD25 and below.

When we are in Hanoi, we are thinking of doing a Hanoi tour (Old quarter), and a Halong Bay and Cat Ba trip. Do we book this with the hotel that we are in? Basially, we only have around 4-5 days in Hanoi, and then go to HCMC for abt 3-4 days. The first day we arrive in Hanoi, it would be ard 12.30pm Hanoi time... any suggestions?

Vietnam, Tiger, Air Asia--timeliness, problems?

Can anyone share their experiences (pos or neg) with any of these airlines in terms of timeliness of flights, unexpected fees, lines etc--anything that would help ease airport travel welcome! Is it easy to navigate the airports if you speak english? (HKG, HAN,HCMC,DANANG,SIN)??

Vietnam, Tiger, Air Asia--timeliness, problems?

Flew many times with Air Asia but not any problems on timing.

Vietnam, Tiger, Air Asia--timeliness, problems?

We%26#39;ve flown many time with Tiger and never any problems. Tiger arrives at Terminal 3 in SIN and it is very small compared to others - no problems navigating it at all. Have been to HKG - which is very large airport - again no problems.

Lou

vietnam & cambodia photos

Hello,

We had an AMAZING time in Vietnam %26amp; Cambodia over the holidays...check out my new photo site - enjoy

smallwoodvietnamcambodia.photoworkshop.com/

thomas

vietnam %26amp; cambodia photos

Thomas, I loved your photo%26#39;s, thank you for sharing.

Chez

xx

vietnam %26amp; cambodia photos

You%26#39;ve well done,Thomas. Check my photoes, to see what I have from my old camera: www.xomnhiepanh.com/gallery.php鈥?/a>

So glad you liked my photos - I enjoyed looking at yours as well - Thank you for sharing [ it took me back to a wonderful time and other areas to visit ]

thomas

Thanks for photos sharing. They are all great, people and sights!

Great photos Thomas!!! Can%26#39;t wait to see for ourselves in less than 2 weeks!

Cheers

Vicki

Thank you, Thomas. Wonderful, evocative images.

We are off to VN again in 23 days - your photographs have really stimulated the appetite.

Fantastic - what areas will you be going to and where in Vietnam have you been before?

Stunning photos. Do you have an expensive fandangled camera?

Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D...after I reviewed it - held it in my hands - fell in love - then Konica/minolta stopped producing cameras altogether. I waited a while, became sad [looked hard for a low price] and bought another one. It%26#39;s nice to have two bodies [this way I can have a long lens on one - shorter or wide angle on another -or as a backup camera incase something goes wrong] I know there are better cameras [Canon or Nikon] but this one was the best at the time for me [it%26#39;s really important that it feels comfortable in your hands -the features maybe key but it must have that ease in the hand factor to get a fast good shot. Glad you like my stuff.

thomas

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Looking for restaurants serving Hue foods in HCMC

Please could you list all the places you eat Hue foods in HCMC?

Thank you.

Looking for restaurants serving Hue foods in HCMC

How are you Landie,

You can enjoy at Sen HUe restaurant at

48 Nguy峄卬 Hu峄? Q.1

Tel:(08) 3829 8934

or

1. Bun Bo Hue Dong Ba - Nguyen Du St

2. Hue restaurant - Cao Thang st, Nguyen Trai St, D1

Dent

Looking for restaurants serving Hue foods in HCMC

We tried the Bun Bo Hue 3A3 down near Bach Dang wharf area, I have to say we weren%26#39;t very immpressed. We%26#39;re fairly adventurous eaters (me even more so than my husband) but found most of the things we tried either bland or wierd. Something that tasted like Spam sausage rolls. Pork fresh spring rolls that were the tastiest, with a dipping sauce made of what seemed to be mashed bananas, chilli and peanuts (which I thought was OK and husband wouldn%26#39;t try). Some kind of dumpling which was advertised as containing pork, and maybe it did come from a pig, but had the flavour and texture of shaved gristle.

I%26#39;d like to give Hue food another try, but it wouldn%26#39;t be there.

Thank you travelind0chine and Yorkie.

Hi Landie, here is a Vietnamese website for all eateries and restaurant throughout Vietnam, by food categories:http://www.vnnavi.com/hcmc/huedishes.html

I am listing here the Hue restaurants in HCM city for you:

Nha Hang Dong Pho

57 H峄?Xu芒n H瓢啤ng, P.6, Q.3, TP. H峄?Ch铆 Minh.

Tel: (08) 9307665

Quan an KIm Long

80/68 Tr岷 Quang Di峄噓, Q.3, TP. H峄?Ch铆 Minh.

Tel: (08) 8436498

Quan bun bo Hue thanh Noi

47 Tr岷 Cao V芒n, Q.3, TP. H峄?Ch铆 Minh.

Tel: (08) 8299473

Bun bo Hue Dong Ba

110A Nguy峄卬 Du, P.B岷縩 Th脿nh, Q.1, TP. H峄?Ch铆 Minh.

Tel: (08)9125742-9024306

E-mail: bauesc@yahoo.com.vn

Website: www.bunbohuedongba.com

Nha hang Cung Dinh

146 Pasteur, Q.1, TP. H峄?Ch铆 Minh.

Tel: (08) 8292185 - 8393115

Enjoy

Thanks Moonnie for the website and thanks for the list.

Have you started packing yet? I took out a suitcase yesterday from the storeroom. It weighs 3kg. Another one weighs 5kg! I don鈥檛 know why I bought them hahahhahaha

Hi Landie, are you there yet. I will be leaving on Feb 15, but willbe spending 5 days in ChiangMai first. I just discovered that you are from Thailand. Great. What do you suggest for Thai food restaurant in Chaingmai? I used to go to Huyen Hen on Ratchmanka, but would like to know more places...can you suggest? Enjoy your trip and tell your story later! LOL

Landie,

There is a restaurant called Mi Tao at Hem So 6 Cach Mang Thang 8. It is in an alley right next to Ly Tu Trong across from Nguyen Trai St. ( It is in an area call Nga sau Phu Dong Thien Vuong. There is an statue there.) I will look for a phone number for you. It is cheap and pretty good.

Hi Moonnie, as we talked via PM before I read this post, I won鈥檛 bore you here again LOL.

Beachie,

Thanks a lot for the address. I saw the street in my map now. You don鈥檛 have to look for the phone number. They can鈥檛 understand me hahahahahha I will just walk there. Do they sell Hue foods too?

Landie,

They are from Hue. That is all they sell.

Beachbum from Seal Beach,

Have you tried the new Pho Restaurant in Seal Beach? How does it compare to HCMC?

sailing club mui ne

We are going to be staying at Sailing Club for a week at end of Feb, can anyone tell me please if rooms have hairdryers and tea/coffee making facilities. Thanks

sailing club mui ne

Have you tried sending an email to Sailing Club, I%26#39;m sure they would advise.

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Shipping back to US--post offices in VN??

Hi--Are the post offices in the following cities English-language friendly and easy to locate? Any ideas on general shipping rates? Or at least whether they%26#39;re exhorbitant? HCMC, HoiAn/Hue, Hanoi.

Thanks!

Shipping back to US--post offices in VN??

In Hanoi, come to Hanoi post, opposite Hoan Kiem lake. Cheaper to send from Hanoi.

Shipping back to US--post offices in VN??

I sent a parcel from HCMC using the regular service. The hotel staff gave me the address of that post office but I don鈥檛 remember where. I only know it was not the central post office. They offer packing service with a small fee. A lot more expensive if you use DHL, EMS, UPS, etc. I paid about 4 US$ for under half a kilogram.

They spoke English.

take your passport or photocopy of passport with you as well ( they need details for customs declaration) and dont pack anything before you get there as they need to sight goods before you pack - I had to itemise each item as well on customs declaration so allow a little bit fo time ( dont go in there expecting to be out in 15 mins)

Hi,

I also sent a package to Europe with normal post (ship) in Hanoi. It took 100 days to come to Europe.

It was about 1,5 kg and it was like 330.000 VND ( airmail would cost double). In Hanoi the lady was speaking a little bit english and it is true, you have to write everything down on the formular : what is inside, how much in USD....

In HCMC on the main post the lady speaks very good engish on the international counter. It takes some time but it is OK.

Looking for a beach to veg out

Hi guys will be travelling to Vietnam in May and am just starting the planning stage. I reside in the goldfields in WA and am missing the water. I have this idea of finding a nice beach to just veg out and enjoy the water for a week or so. Time is not an issue as I will have seven weeks to explore the country. Any ideas will be appreciated.

Looking for a beach to veg out

I recommend Phu Quoc island. A 45-min flight from Saigon, beautiful beaches, very peaceful, some great motorbiking routes around the island, great boat trips, %26amp; generally very relaxing. I usually stay at Beach Club resort.

Do you know anything about the following hotels?

Hanoi: Hoa Linh Hotel and Jasper Hotel; Hue: Holiday Hue and Orchid Hotel; Hoian: Sea View Hotel and The Light Hotel; HCMC: Spring Hotel and AandEm3 Hotel.

Do you know anything about the following hotels?

We did not stay at Spring hotel in Saigon, but we did check out the room. Location is very close to Ben Thanh Market in district 1, room is clean. Room%26#39;s size depend on what you get. They have three different price range.

I think there are a couple of reviews on the forum for Spring.

As for Aandem 3, I remember seeing an AandEm, nearby Ben Thanh Market, but I don%26#39;t remember which number is it.

Do you know anything about the following hotels?

I have posted a review of the Orchid hotel here:

tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g293926-d623鈥?/a>

Absolutely loved it

hi

Have stayed at the Spring 3 times and will return again in May. for the location a great price , good rooms, helpful staff and OK breakfast.

Spring Hotel ( Saigon) is very clean and centrally located. For US$ 20 its a great deal.

Holiday Hue is also great value. Highly recommended.

Ho Chi Minh

I have read various stories (good and v.bad) regarding bus trips from HCM to PP and then on to SR. Which is the best company to use? Do the buses have toilets on them? What should i expect to pay? Finally, how far in advance would i need to book for 2 seat?

Any help from someone who has been there and done it in recent months would be amazing as can%26#39;t decide whether to spend more on a flight if the journey is going to be horrendous by road.

Thanks in advance

Ho Chi Minh

Dear rogar,

You can trust Sapaco bus, I use their many times and no problem happen. check their web at sapacotourist.com

Good luck

Dent

Ho Chi Minh

Single woman travelled alone in December. Took bus Sapaco bus which leaves their office on Phan Ngu Lau at 7.00am to PP, takes about 5-6 hours depending on traffic. Get off bus at their office in PP (luggage comes off as well). Wait 15 mins and bus arrives for Siem Reap. Water and snack provided on buses, fairly comfortable, toilet on board just don%26#39;t book seats on back row of bus. Takes another 5-6 hours to Siem Reap. I must say the traffic was heavy at that time of the year. For the price I enjoyed the trip and would recommend, was a great way to see the countryside. Crossing the border was a breeze they did not even unload the luggage from the bus.

Bus courier collects your passport, Cambodian visa fee if you don%26#39;t already have one and then you stand in line and wait for your name to be called, took about 15-20 mins and we were on our way again.

Do these buses stop every few hours for full meals or is it just snacks? And what is an example of a snack?

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train direct to halong bay from hue??

As title says wondering please anyone if they have done this journey or know of ne info about?

Thank Arlia

train direct to halong bay from hue??

Looking at the railways information on the Vietnamourism website:

vietnamtourism.com/e_pages/useful/useful.asp

it looks like it%26#39;s not possible. Going by the timetables you have to take the Reunification express Hue to Ha Noi, then the Lao Cai train as far as Yen Vien (2 stops up), then the train to Halong.

Perhaps if you contact a travel agent in Viet Nam they can advise you differently.

train direct to halong bay from hue??

There is no direct train to Ha Long Bay from Hue.

If you are travelling on your own car to Halong, then you can use that car to go directly to Ninh Bin where you can catch the night train to Hue (this is to avoid going back to Hanoi).

Happy travel!

No train - the Ninh Binh route as rec above is best, but honestly, better to just go back to Hanoi and fly down to Hue if your budget allows. It%26#39;s such a quick flight as opposed to all night on the train.

graphics animation

Travel agents using the same name - need background info

While searching for a reliable travel agent in Hanoi, I came across 3 travel agents using the same name.

1) Sinh Cafe TRAVEL VIETNAM - 52 Luong Ngoc Quyen - website: http://www.sinhcafevn.com/

2) OPENTOUR JSC 鈥?SINHCAFE - 93 Hong Ha road, Ba Dinh Dist - websites: http://www.sinhcafe.com.vn/; www.opentour.com.vn/; www.vietnamhotels.vn/

3) Sinhcafe Travel Vietnam Opentour - 14 CUA BAC ST -websites: Http://www.vietnamopentour.com

http://www.sinhcafe.com

Can anyone tell me which of this agents are genuine and which are bogus. Are they all linked?

All feedback will be helpful. Thank you.

Travel agents using the same name - need background info

1) is true.

They have only one office in Hanoi which is at 52 Luong Ngoc Quyen.

Travel agents using the same name - need background info

Yes, that%26#39;s correct. The Luong Ngoc address with website of www.sinhcafevn.com is the correct mob.

We were in Hanoi January 2008 and we were very fortunate to stay at Golden Sun Hotel. Ms Moon and her staff are just so very wonderful that they will plan for you the very minute that u arrive at the airport till departure. I have checked around the Travel agents and read about the numerous remarks about them and in the end, we did all our bookings through Golden Sun Hotel. I have recommended them to many of my friends and they were full of praise for them. Location of Hotel is excellent. You should be able to read abt them in most Travel web sites. Ms Moon will reply to all email and every question is important to Ms Moon.

January 2008 Doreen is what Ms Moon calls me. All the very best.

http://www.goldensun-hotel.com/

Stick with Sinh Cafe - they%26#39;ve been around forever and do a great job.

Hanoi and HCMC

I%26#39;m traveling to Vietnam at the end of April. Do you know what the weather will feel like and what should I bring to wear? Cheers!!

Hanoi and HCMC

T-shirts will be good, kind of hot with the temperature is about 30 degree celsius, both of the city..

Transport from Airport to Old Quarter

My hotel did not provide free airport pickup. What public transport can i take from airport to old quarter??? Budget traveller, not so expensive please.

Transport from Airport to Old Quarter

Noi Bai int%26#39;l Airport: 40-50min. by car. Caution: Choose your transportation before you leave the terminal because you will be surrounded by drivers outside. Negotiate the price (prices ranged from $14 to $32.), make sure it includes the highway charge.

Hanoi Airport things are OK because there are 3 dedicated taxi ranks with fixed prices. Take one of the 3 official airport taxis at the organised rank outside the airport, %26amp; you%26#39;ll be OK. Hanoi airport is a lot better for taxis than the disgraceful mess at HCMC!

Only use a reputable taxi firm: Mai Linh or Vinataxi, also Hanoi taxi (Hanoitour taxi is also a branch of them) or Phu Dong taxi. Noi Bai taxi (tel 8868888):

15-seat mini bus of Vietnam Airlines: US$3 from the airport to Vietnam Airlines Head Office at No. 1 Quang Trung St. From there you can walk to the Old Quarter.

Public bus (no luggage %26amp; before 21:00 only): first you get bus No. 7 (yellow %26amp; red color) VND 5,000 from Noi Bai airport to Cau Giay, then change into bus No. 9 (VND 3,000) from Cau Giay to Bo Ho (Hoan Kiem lake in Hanoi center). From there you can walk to the Old Quarter. The total costs for both bus trips would be VND 8,000.

Transport from Airport to Old Quarter

hi tanhauser

do you know how much does it cost if we choose to take one of the reputable taxi from Hanoi airport.

just want to compare if it%26#39;s going to be about the same with what our hotel charges us for airport pick up (US$20)

thanks

Earlier this month my Wife and I were picked up from Ha Noi airport by a car supplied by The Golden Sun Hotel in the Old Quarter and we were charged USD15 there-fore I would suspect that a taxi should cost you no more than that. Hope this helps.

Can we use the Vietnam Airlines%26#39; mini bus if we are not their passenger? My hotel is offering the pick up with USD 15, is that reasonable?

^ Indo jangan pelit !

$15 - $20

Come on, the airport is quite far from the city.

Hotels seem to be offering free pickup if you stay two nights or more - might want to check that out. If not, VN Airline shuttle is the cheapest and best and no, you don%26#39;t have to be their passenger.

the price is USD12 per trip.

Use an agent or do it myself???

Arriving in Saigon in April for 3 weeks with Hubby, 2 kids 15 %26amp; 12 and parents (better not tell their ages). We plan to do the usual tourist stuff Hanoi/Sapa/Halong/Hue/Hoi An/Nahtrang/HCMC and are on a reasonably tight budget - no thanks to the fall of AUD. I suppose my question is, is it cheaper to organise tours thru sihn cafe/kangaroo cafe etc and do the leg work myself with emailing hotels etc or do I use a domestic travel agent? Any advice appreciated.

Use an agent or do it myself???

Hi ails711

It is extremely to DIY at the places you mentioned.

We normaly DIY at Vietnam and book/choose hotel online via trip advisor review on Hotel.

The local travel work quite late daily (9pm) for us to book the local tour upon arrival,just one evening notice is sufficient.

Cheers

Use an agent or do it myself???

April will be especially easy, and cheaper than high season. Sounds like you will need 2 rooms everywhere you go - it should also be quite fun with all that gang/never a dull moment! You%26#39;ll get the best bargains in the smaller towns like Sapa and Hoi An. Just do your homework before you go, and use good quality hotels and restaurants - need not be expensive places.

Thanks for your response, we are already on a count down and very excited. Hubby %26amp; I were in HMCM %26amp; Mui Ne last April and enjoyed it so much this time we decided to bring the family. So haven%26#39;t been to the North before. Should I be booking airfares eg HCMC/Hanoi and Hanoi/Hue now or when I arrive? Thought about doing the HMCM/Hanoi one now through Jetstar (looks about cheaper).

We have been there twice in April. With the kids and all you may want to consider hotels with a pool? April still has many tourists and I think better to have everything preboked. There are the school spring breaks and family%26#39;s vacations. Yes you can find 1 and 2 star hotel without pools easy.

Hi Ails711

We have just gone through the process of domestic travel agent vs DIY and the cost savings were significant plus we were able to tailor the trip more for the staisfaction of our daughters (10 %26amp; 12) by less travel jumps and less temples, less nightlife tourism ie only hanoi/halong, hoian beach resort(with country day trips) and HCM/mekong delta.

Cheers

hanoi hue flights in april appear to be getting tight on some days, esspecial the mid morning flight - best to pre-book unless u have flexibility in your schedule?

any ideas

Having read a few books, spent hours on here and the net, we think we have an outline plan, but could do with some additional advice.

We arrive in to HCMC and spend two nights, then thinking of getting the train up towards Hue. We want to travel but also relax a bit. Thought of heading to a few towns and renting mopeds to explore. We have 11 days before being due back in HCMC for our last night then flight home.

We werer thinking of 4 or 5 days around Hue, Danang and hoi an. See myson, Hue, the tunnels and see hoian beech area. then travel down to Nha trang for 6 days or so, maybe a few island trips, rent a bike and chill.

Have we missed anything? Can anyone screem a ';must see'; ?

Any thoughts on hotels, beaches or trips?

all comments appreciated

Glenn and Liz

any ideas

With that limited time frame, I%26#39;d do the following:

1 - immediately fly up to Hanoi after 1 day in Saigon

2 - spend at least 2 or 3 days in Hanoi (book Hanoikids)

3 - fly or train to Hue for a day or two

4 - hire a car to drive down to Hoi An with 2 or 3 stops enroute (Danang, China Beach, Marble Mt.)

5 - chill out in Hoi An for 4 days

6 - train down to Nha Trang via Danang, and chill out there until it%26#39;s time to return home via Saigon

any ideas

ggiven that we will have had 3 days in hong kong and 2 in macau, followed by 1 might in saigon, would you still say hanoi?

we think we may well be back in oct!

thanks for the ideas

which islands would you visit?

skin care products

a chance for revenge

Mekong Delta Tour - Jason Super Star Service!

Well... what can I say, if you are umming and ahhing about which tour to book out of the many thousands in Saigon... you need not look any further than Jason%26#39;s amazing tours! We booked the 1 day Mekong Delta tour with Jason for 2 February 2009 and it was the highlight of our trip! Jason gives you a truly memorable taste of Vietnam. Amongst many other things, we bought and tasted fresh watermelon at a floating market, walked through the rice fields, drove a boat along the Mekong and tasted some delicious Vietnamese lollies, tea and had a delicious traditional home cooked lunch.

Don%26#39;t bother going anywhere else. His tours are truly amazing! Thankyou Jason!

Mekong Delta Tour - Jason Super Star Service!

Thats great to hear that you had a great time with Jason. Can you tell us how large your group was and how old? This would give the other TA members an idea if this trip would be suitable for them.

Also how much did it cost?

I am also curious that this is your first item on TA, and your profile doesn%26#39;t say where you are from (no details at all).

If you had a great time in VN would you be able to put a complete JBR (Just back report) on TA??

Thanks

Lou

Mekong Delta Tour - Jason Super Star Service!

Hi Lou,

I am a bit of a novice at Tripadvisor (only discovered it just before I left for Vietnam), %26amp; am still travelling through Vietnam, hence I haven%26#39;t had an opportunity to put up my profile yet.

I went on Jason%26#39;s tour with my partner after discovering the recommendations on Trip Advisor. The cost was US$150 for the both of us (and there were only 2 of us on the tour). We are 23 %26amp; 25 yrs old, but I think the tour would suit most ages.

Will complete the rest of my details when I get back to Australia.

Cheers

Courtney

Thanks Courtney,

I am sorry if I put you off TA, by asking such pointed questions! There are many touts on these forums and lots of people put their one and only post up saying how fantastic this or that is - thus making those suspicious minds like mine go into overdrive!

I would be interested in hearing what else you have seen in VN on your trip.

Thanks

Lou

Travelers be aware Scam Taxi Noibai airport

The taxi driver was given the name and address of Elegance 2 which I have a reservation. When we arrived a guy met the taxi and said the hotel was full because of a big group and he would take me to Sun Flower Hotel at 32 Thuoc Bac Str.

I was checked in there and it did not seem to be the same standard as I had seen on the internet for Hanoi Elegance 2. I looked up Sun Flower Hotel on the internet and found 2 people saying they were scammed in the same way.

I called Elegance 2 to find out my room was available. A driver picked me up and all worked out.

Steven Friedlander

February 8, 2009

Travelers be aware Scam Taxi Noibai airport

You mean to say you didnt even step foot into Elegance 2 and agreed to be driven to Sun Flower ?

Travelers be aware Scam Taxi Noibai airport

Back in Hanoi and I find some of the same gimmicks still apply. Sad, really. Doesn%26#39;t sound like your taxi driver scammed you - govt has really been cracking down on this at least at the airport. If the man was waiting outside Elegance, sounds like they tried to move you to a different hotel and when you complained, they took you back to Elegance. Hotels used to shift customers here all the time, especially if they had already booked tours with someone else and I guess it%26#39;s still going on.

If you book an airport pick-up, the person from Hotel would show YOUR name, not the name of the hotel only. Then never trust a taxi driver who is approaching you and tells he%26#39;s from the hotel you have reserved (without showing the detail of your reservation).

To avoid being transferred to another hotel purposely by your hotel, when booking either pay the deposit or if not, use your company email (not free email like Yahoo, Live, Hotmail...). That%26#39;s because there are heaps of no-shows.

looking for nice hotel in HL

We are looking for a decent 5 star hotel in Halong for a couple of nights, prefer a nice view of the bay. Can you see grottos from the hotel room? The photos on virtualtourist.com look beautiful. Does Halong look the same as you see in photos? Suggestions and inputs from people who have stayed at the hotel only. No hearsay please. Thanks.

looking for nice hotel in HL

hi kitty ca

please look in your messages , i have sent you a private email.

thanks

batt

looking for nice hotel in HL

Hello kittyCa,

Its hardly to find good 5* in Halong bay, and have any hotel view to grottos, cause away about 30 minute to travel by board to get to grotto (2 cruise for u to chooce before on board: Thien Cung Grotto, Dau go, Sung Sot Grotto, Ti Top beach. Meanwhile you select your entry fee. ).

Along Bai Chay beach that spread out down, Post Hotel 3*, Halong Plaza 4* (both sea view, front of sea sight). Beside Mithrin Hotel 4* is also good to trying.

In my opinion, three is most to think about.

In good condition of weather, Halong Bay show you a maverllous marine landscape with green water mix up green little islands over the water surface. Green coral reef take part in to do this wonderfull ones.

Over one night on board, Emeraude Cruise, Huong Hai Junk, Bai Tho or more that you could see on the other subject in this forum

If you have some trouble in booking reservation, or even more and more, post your problem and I try my best to help you.

Nice vacation !!

Miss Hanoi

misshanoi, thx for your reply, have you stayed at Halong Plaza hotel?we are looking at Tuan chau resort. We heard that HLB is very touristy. Has anyone stayed at Halong plaza or Tuanchau resort?

hi kitty,

Tuan Chau resort is seem like to be not suitable. Dont much traveller give it a take care or very satisfactory with.

Just good for a walking around about 4 hours.

Miss Hanoi

I am writing a response to this thread because the ';Tuan Chau Resort'; does not have an entry on TripAdvisor.

I would highly recommend to TripAdvisor readers that they do not stay at this resort if they are considering a stopover in Halong City or Halong Bay.

We stayed in Tuan Chau as part of an organised tour (through Diethelm Travel). On booking this tour, we were forced to pay a significant surcharge for a ';Gala Dinner'; on New Years Eve. The ';gala dinner'; at the Tuan Chau Resort was nothing more than a karaoke evening, which seemed to be populated by drunken members of staff. The food served at this ';gala dinner'; was a self-service buffet and was quite possibly the worst food we have ever been served in a hotel.

The ';Tuan Chau'; on New Years Eve held many other (unpleasant) surprises for us:

- The resort is literally in the middle of a building site; we were woken at 5:30am by construction noise on New Years Day. Yes, that%26#39;s right. The resort is currently in the middle of a building site.

- Blocked shower

- No hot water for shower/bath

- Toilet not working

- Toiletries used by a previous guest

- Bathroom window and blinds covered in mould/mildew.

- None of the hotel staff had even a basic command of English

- We were also completely ignored by staff management when we attempted to explain our grievances

I offer this comment because I don%26#39;t want to see other traveller%26#39;s holidays ruined by staying in such an awful establishment.

P.

Highly recommend the Halong Plaza hotel for you, nice and cozy room, sea view, full equipment, friendly staff and delicious buffet breakfast.

TripAdvisor page now available for this so-called ';resort';:

tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g293923-d131554鈥?/a>

Four Days: Advice Needed

Hello! I have planned a trip to Southeast Asia including Vietnam. After leaving Ho Chi Minh City, I had planned to spend 2 days in Hoi An and 2 days in Hue before heading to Hanoi. I%26#39;m starting to think at this point in my trip I might want to spend more time in Hoi An because of what I%26#39;ve read on these forums, but I%26#39;ve also read that Hue is worth a look. Is it feasible for me to stay in Hoi An for the entire four days and take a day trip to Hue at some point?

Four Days: Advice Needed

It%26#39;s a little too far for a one-day roundtrip. I would hire a car in Hoi An, and just stop off in Hue on my way to Hanoi (complete the trip by air or first-class train/Livitrans).

Four Days: Advice Needed

That makes sense. Thank you for your advice!

Border crossing from Vietnam into Laos

Hi there,

I am traveling to Vietnam in a month and was after some information. Is it possible to cross into Southern Laos from Vietnam? I know there are border crossings further up north but my trip is originating in Ho Chi Minh and I was hoping to go North to Nha Trang, then from there head North West and cross into Laos. From there head South into Cambodia, onto Siem Reap, Phnom Penh then back to Ho Chi Minh.

Any information on any of this is much appreciated.

Thanks

isthismarriedmanjustflirting

The Camellia Mini Hotel

Does anyone have an email address for this hotel? Thank you.

The Camellia Mini Hotel

There%26#39;s a favorable review on Trip Advisor of this hotel...posted by JYoung of Clifton Park NY......Punching up on anywho.com/ for Clifton Park NY %26amp; J. Young, 6 or 7 people came up with their phone numbers given....kind of a lengthy process but maybe you%26#39;d want to phone some of them?? Lotsa luck

The Camellia Mini Hotel

I found a Camellia Webpage; so hope this helps you. http://www.camellia-hotels.com/frame.htm

We stayed at Phan Thai (part of the Camellia Hotel System) and we enjoyed our stay there. Good Luck.

It appears that this is now the Camellia Ha Noi Hotel (same address). That email is: camellia@camelliahanoihotel.com

skin care products

How long should be spend on the Delta?

Hi guys,

I %26#39;m heading to Vietnam mid Novmber for 16 nights. We are planning on spending our initial 2 days in HCM and then heading south to the M Delta. I know that the 1 and 2 day trips are really popular but we are hoping to spend a little longer there - perhaps 5 or 6 days. Do you think this is too long? Organised trips sound OK but I prefere to explore rather than be shown, is this advised? Home visits sound great to me but my partner is a little less enthusiastic about them, any experiences or recommendations? Recent trip experiences would be great to hear.

Thanks!

How long should be spend on the Delta?

Dear sgav1,

If you want to explore Mekong Delta, It will take you 3 days from Saigon to Can Tho to Chau Doc.

It also depends on how much you can afford to pay for this trip . Here we go with some suggestions :

If you have one day, you will explore My Tho islands ( 70 kms from Saigon , 5 hours trip ) or explore Cai Be Floating market ( 100 kms from Saigon, 8 hours ) or comebine Cai Be Floating market %26amp; My Tho islands ( 100 kms from Saigon, 10 hours )

If you have two days, you will explore Cai Be floating market for the first daym crossing the upper branch of Mekong Delta ( Song Tien ) and then arrive Can Tho after crossing the low branch of Mekong Delta ( Hau Giang ). You will observe the early Cai Rang Floating market for the second day. There are hundreds of hundreds of boats there

If you have 3 days, you will combine the third day Chau Doc with Cai Be Floating market %26amp; Can Tho floating market. From Chau Doc, you can take speed boat to arrive Phomphenh ( 5 hours )

If you have 4 days, you will combine Mekong 3 days with Rach Gia Ha Hien

If you have 5 or 6 days, you will comebine Mekong 4 days with Phu Quoc islands by speed boat ( 4-5 hours )

You can fly back from Saigon from Phu Quoc

Jason

How long should be spend on the Delta?

If you have 4 days, you will combine Mekong 3 days with Rach Gia Ha Tien

Hi Jason.

We are looking to do almost exactly the trip you mention in this post from Dec 15-21. Are you available?

Sgav1-

Did you end up doing this tour? Did you enjoy? Any recommendations?

cheers

Hi sgav1

did you come back from your trip to the mekong delta?

how was it? would you like to share your experience with us? thanks

Hi

My wife and I are travelling about Vietnam on our own during April 2009. We have 4 days including getting to and returning from the Mekong Delta from HCMC.

Besides the guide that writes in to this topic, are there any recommendations from travellers as to how to see the delta area on our own in the approx 4 days we have?

Thanks

Harvey

Hi, anyone has experience with Delta Adventure Tours or book tour thru Bich Duyen hotel(MeKong adventure tour)

Hi Jason,

I saw you wrote the following earlier:

If you have one day, you will explore My Tho islands ( 70 kms from Saigon , 5 hours trip ) or explore Cai Be Floating market ( 100 kms from Saigon, 8 hours ) or comebine Cai Be Floating market %26amp; My Tho islands ( 100 kms from Saigon, 10 hours )

I am looking at doing a one day trip to the Delta whilst visiting HCMC, can you please advise me the costs of the above trips and how i can book if i choose to? I would like to take the trip approx 23/24 March this year.

Thanks

Dear Rogar,

I am so sorry not to give you the tour cost here because It is against tripadvisor forum rule. I am not allowed to advertise here. I just help you get some information about Mekong Experience

Please read your PM

Best regards

Jason SSS

Internal airfares in Vietnam

This really is a response to FRMJ(Spain) who posed the question elsewhere on this site under a different subject.

For he and anyone else wanting an idea of fare prices for internal flights in Vietnam, check the following Vietnam Air website:

www.vietnamairlines.com/default.aspx?tabid=98

You have a choice of checking fares in English or Vietnamese, but not Spanish, I%26#39;m afraid.

Happy travelling!

Internal airfares in Vietnam

This link is no longer working, can anybody provide a working link of Vietnam Airlines with prices, I the company web, not a travel agency with markup.

Internal airfares in Vietnam

Hola TA readers,

Here is the official webpage of vietnamairlines in Germany, which includes information of both domestic and international fares. Please notice that the prices are quoted in euros, not USD.

http://www.vietnam-air.de/tarife2008/

The right link is this

http://www.vietnamairlines.com.vn/

what is the hang up about buying online; there a many reputable travel agents in VN who will book your flighs and organise your tickets for you - may will let you pay by credit card and paypal - it will cost you 3% more but depending on your card you%26#39;ll have the buyer protection of a charge back if the agent doesn%26#39;t deliver.

i suggest you use the airline online booking engine to check what the current fare and availability is, then contact the agent; you should expect to pay a premium over the website fare - consider what you think is reasonable and then go ahead if they quote u a fare in that range - personnaly i dont mind paying an extra 10 bucks - these days, all the tickets are e tickets so you%26#39;ll know straight away if your ticket has been issued and you can then check your booking online.

hope this helps.

having said all that, yes it would be nice for us if the VN airlines allowed us to book and pay from os but think of the impact on local employment and the package tour markets if they allowed this.

Don%26#39;t forget that Pacific also offers domestic flights -- and is a main reason that the fares are staying low overall.

www.budgetairlineguide.com/pacific-airlines

vietnam

Where can I go for beautiful beaches, scuba diving and yummy seafood?

I am looking for somewhere that is not commercial or touristy.

I%26#39;m also keen to stay in small guesthouses or huts on the beach rather than big internationanl hotels.

Can anyone recommend anywhere on the Vietnamese coast?

vietnam

Kitty,

Sounds like you want to go to one of the major cities like Nha Trang or Da Nang and visit some of the dive shops and ask around. You%26#39;ll find a friend shortly and they%26#39;ll tell you where to go and the best diving, that%26#39;s off the beaten track. There%26#39;s plenty of small guest houses everywhere in VN and small hotels also.

Drifter1dc

vietnam

I think Nha Trang is an ideal place to visit, hotels there quite cheap! or you can try Mui Ne Beach..