Ha Hien Hotel v Saigon Mini Hotel

I cant decide between these two hotels. Saigon Mini Hotel has great reviews but Jason from JasonSSS believes the location lets it down. The location of Ha Hien seems to be good but I believe noisy. Some good and some not so good reports about this hotel. Im not looking for anything flash just clean with good breakfast and in a good location. Any tips on what rooms to request and how bad the noise is or other tips would be appreciated.

Tom

Ha Hien Hotel v Saigon Mini Hotel

Dear Tom,

if you stay at the Ha Hien hotel on the higher floor like 8th and 9th and at the back ( Ben Thanh market and city view), there is no noise

The recommended rooms : 905, 906 or 805, 806 are great choice. The hotel manager offers only 41 USD for Deluxe double or twin bed room this year due to the decline of tourists and global financial crisis.

Last year my guests paid 50 USD

If you want a soft bed,please ask the staff to put one blanket under the bed sheet

If you have nothing to do, just look through the window, you will have a great motorbike show there

Jason SSS

Ha Hien Hotel v Saigon Mini Hotel

Thanks Jason youve been a great help. Would they discount further for a 5 night stay. More only concern was a few negative reports on tripadvisor about Ha Hein.

Tom

Dear Tom,

Saigon Mini hotel is cheaper Ha Hien, of course Ha Hien is better location. I know that Saigon Mini hotel offer 34 USD for superior room. They also going to open new one in Dist 7 with more than 40 room.

I love SG MIni hotel. Good luck

Dent

Dear Tom,

I will ask the hotel manager to give you more discount due to your 5 day stay

Best regards

Jason SSS

I will also be staying for a week Jason. Are you a tour guide in vietnam? I will be there from Sunday night June 14 to early morning June 20. I have family that live there, however I want to tour the city and sight see this time around, as I am going for vacation not to visit family. Maybe you could help me out.

Dear tripinchak

You are warmly welcome to HCMC . I will ask the hotel manager to offer you another nice discount since you will be staying at the Ha Hien hotel for a week.

By the way , how many rooms will you need ?

More questtions are welcome

Best regards

Jason SSS

Trip Report: 30 days in Vietnam part 1

Hi,

my husband %26amp; I just got back from a 30 day trip in Vietnam, we had a great time while we were there. I have to say, I am glad to be back in the US where people are driving on the side that they are suppose to and traffic is somewhat orderly. Our itinerary:

HCMC 7 nights:

Hanoi 2 nights

Sapa 1 night

Halong Bay (on Bhaya junk) 1 night

Hoi An 2 nights

Hue 2 nights

HCMC 1 night

Can Tho 1 night

HCMC 1 night

Dalat 3 night

Nha Trang 3 nights

HCMC 2 nights

Okay, this is what we did, we basically had 4 weeks. so we left week 1 and week 4 open and did a 14 day tour in the middle. We used Tonkin travel based on the recommendations of other reviewers on this forum %26amp; they did an excellent job. All in all I was happy with their service.

Okay the first 7 nights we booked ourselves thru expedia. We stayed at Park Hyatt Saigon. We were there for the Tet festival. It was really neat. It was very festive with all the flowers, we saw the dragon dance %26amp; parade. It went on for 3 days after Tet, on the 4th day is when they cleaned up all the flowers %26amp; business as usual. A lot of the restaurants were closed the first 3 days of tet. We pretty much walked everywhere from the Park Hyatt,walked to Ben Thanh Market, we saw a comedy at the opera House (in vietnamese only). We took a little boat tour on the Saigon river, it came with a seafood buffet, food was good %26amp; it was cheap. taxis are amazingly cheap in vietnam. We took the Petro Express to Vung Tau. The seafood is good, although, you get bombarded with vendors on the beach. I don%26#39;t think tourists will like Vung Tau very much.we took the boat back to saigon the next day.

We pretty much just explored saigon on our own.

We took a flight to Hanoi (start of tour). I don%26#39;t really care for Hanoi itself, the people in general aren%26#39;t very friedly and the traffic is just very chaotic. It is very stressful just walking around in Hanoi %26amp; they drive a lot closer to you than they do in HCMC. We also got harrassed by this cyclo driver, he kept following us from store to store for a couple of blocks, so my husband told me to go into a store %26amp; shop while he wait outside to call a cab. Not all of Hanoi was bad though. I thought the Tran Quoc Pagoda was nice%26amp; the temple of Literature %26amp; Ethnology museum was nice. We saw the water puppet show, it was neat. we took a drive to Ninh Binh (100 km) its kind of a long drive but I thought it was worth it. we went on a small boat thru this river %26amp; saw people working on the rice paddies, went thru the grottoes of Tam Coc Caves, it was really neat that area is called the ';HaLong of land'; b/c you have the large limestones like Ha Long Bay except its on land.

we then took an overnight train to Sapa (booked a private cabin-strongly recommend)

the scenery in Sapa is absolutely AMAZING. It is just very different from anything I%26#39;ve ever seen. When we were there it was foggy, but I think the fog kind of made it look even better (more mystical)

So we went trekking in Sapa. Hmong people are very friendly and the children are just absolutely adorable. We have so many kids come up to us trying to sell and they will ask ';please buy one for me'; and they are very persistent too. Its not recommended to buy from the children, b/c if they see that they can make money selling stuff, they won%26#39;t want to go to school. It was just really hard to tell them no, b/c they are just so cute! We did bring some toys to pass out to the kids that we saw along the way %26amp; it was just overwhelming to see their cute little faces light up to get a simple toy like a ball or toy car. alright, I am getting tired now, so I will have to pick this up at another time. I hope you guys enjoyed this or hope its somewhat helpful to those who are planning a trip to vietnam.

Trip Report: 30 days in Vietnam part 1

I read with interest your great report. I look forward to hearing the rest.

I am going to Hanoi (Sofitel Metrople)

Halong Bay (either Bhaya, Emeraude or Ginger or Jasmine (the last 2 seem to have the best rate)

Hue- Le Residence

and Hoi An- The Nam Hai.

I actually am not doing HCMC. Most people I know prefered Hanoi, but I see you did not. I will probably due HCMC and Siem Reap on another trip.

I look forward to hearing about Halong,Hue and Hoi An from you.

Trip Report: 30 days in Vietnam part 1

I forgot I am also going to Sapa overnight Victoria train.

Please Help - vung tau, nha trang or mui ne????????????????

hi

my husband and i will be travelling to vietnam in september, we will be stopping over in hong kong for 3 nights, then flying into hcmc for 3 nights, we are then looking to move onto a beach resort for 7 nights, which is within driving distance (taxi) from hcmc, we have narrowed it down to

- vung tau

- nha trang

-mui ne

we are not sure which area to stay, we are looking for a lively resort that has lots of shops, restaurants, and things to do, any recommendations?

thank you in advance

Please Help - vung tau, nha trang or mui ne????????????????

You are looking for a beach resort. The best destinatin is Nha Trang. Has a nice, clean municipal beach. Also gives you the option to take a boat to one of the islands which also have great beaches. Lots of tours and activities available. There are a lot more resturants and nightlife there as well. That would be my pick out of the three you listed.

Please Help - vung tau, nha trang or mui ne????????????????

We have stayed all 3 places you mentioned and I also say Nha Trang is the better for your requirements.

Vung Tau is an appalling place, avoid like the plague. I don%26#39;t personally like Nha Trang but it does have plenty to do. My choice would be Mui Ne - the beach is quiet and peaceful and you won%26#39;t get hassled (unlike Nha Trang), there are plenty of bars %26amp; restaurants, and there are plenty of good cycling/motorbiking trips in the nearby area.

Hi,

I have just returned from a 30 day trip in Vietnam %26amp; have stayed 3 nights in Nha Trang %26amp; 1 night in Vung Tau. I don%26#39; think tourists will like Vung Tau, the beaches there are really dirty. I agree with the rest of the reviewers, If you are looking for a beach resort Nha Trang would be the place to go. good luck w/ your planning %26amp; Enjoy your trip.

Visit Hanoi

Hi there,

I will be in Hanoi for a few days in a an organized trip on next march.

Normally I prefere to escape from the tourist traps because I like to talk with locals, without having the sense that they just want to sell me something or just a tip.

I would like to have typical food and handicrafts.

I think I will have some hours left, so where should I go to eat and shopping ?

Of course I should visit some markets, where are they, name and what I can find on them ?

Thank you

Visit Hanoi

There are some beautiful sites near Hanoi that are not touristy, depends on how long you have, 2 days is good to visit some villages near Hoa Binh.

Check out for a custom tour with Footprint Travel in Hanoi, they offer off-road travel.

Happy travel.

Visit Hanoi

Hi

Welcone to Vietnam

In Hanoi, there are thousand of shops where you can go for shopping. Famous is Hanoi old quater with 36 trading street and where places Dong Xuan Market.

For handicraft, you can hire a taxi to Bat trang village for pottery or Van phuc village for silk

Beside, tour in Hanoi around Hanoi Old Quater, you can visit: Ba Dinh sqaure include Ho Chi Minh Maulem, his residence and one pillar pagoda, then Temple of literarure, plenty of Museum: Art, Army, Ethnology, history, Army....

ve nice trip in Vietnam

RGDs

Khanh-Vietcrane

elizabeth arden

Vietnam Visa for Canadians

Just a bit of info for any Canadians travelling to Vietnam.

The visa is easy. Go to www.vietnamembassy-canada.ca

and follow the rules.

I sent the form with picture glued in place, a money order for $79.00 (always call the embassy for the current fee), my passport and a prepaid return courrier envelope. I sent it priority courrier on Monday and received it back by Friday of the same week. Thay are very efficient.

PW

Vietnam Visa for Canadians

Oh,

Visa on arrival often cheaper,

Only usd 15/application fee %26amp; usd 25/guest pay at the airport for custom on arrival

Total: usd 40/guest for single entry valid 1 month

Vietnam Visa for Canadians

TF, this visa package is made from home and OP buy the comfort, worry-free for it. Anyway, CAN $79 is of similar to US$ 62 which is a good deal.

Paddle, welcome to Vietnam!

I want to fly to vietnam from bangkok next week. U r saying that if i have a passport and a onward ticket, i can just land there and get my visa and be on my way? Do i need any photos or anything like that?

No, you need a letter from a registered agent confirming that you have applied for visa on arrival, which you have to pay for, and you take the letter, your passport, two passport photos of yourself and $25 in clean, crisp American bills (no other payment acceptable, not credit card or anything else) to the Visa on Arrival counter at the airport.

York Foodie has taken the words right out of my mouth. lol. All you have to to is following his instruction.

Ok thanks. What is a registered agent? Travel agent? How much should that cost more or less? Thanks for the info.

What is a registered agent? Travel agent? How much should that cost more or less? Thanks for the info.

throw your request to some agents and see how they get back to you with price quoted. Beside the fixed $25 stamping at the immigration, service fee for visa-upon arrival is around $7 to $15.

natural hair

Is it as beautiful as they say?

We are thinking of travelling through Vietnam ending up in Phu Quoc. If someone has been there recently, can they give me the lowdown. Is it still beautiful or has it been ruined? Thanks!

Is it as beautiful as they say?

Hello,

We were there in November and it is as beautiful as they say, but the developers are moving in. It%26#39;s still pretty quiet, local villages, small stalls, etc. Long Beach has resorts all along it, but not over crowded or anything. The only thing that troubled us was the rubbish in some spots.

Read more in the Phu Quoc forum, check out the trip reports and also see photos (go to the Phu Quoc Island Overview and click on the View Photos link on the top right).

Any questions, just ask.

- k

Is it as beautiful as they say?

I was just there in November, as well. It is truly beautiful and a great place to just go and relax and enjoy the sand and warm water. Great little places to eat and great places to stay right on the water. Unlike many posters I never saw any garbage. If you have the time and want to get away from the craziness of the other Vietnam cities..it%26#39;s definitely worth a visit!

As what one travel magazine mentnioned, Phu Quoc is like Phuket in the early 80%26#39;s, dirt roads and simple village life, deserted beaches .... but not for long....

I was there in december and its very nice, i didnt think it was busy at all,well it never felt over crowded, a very nice retreat, i didnt notice too much rubbish either, you could see some building but not toooo much. For me it was nicer than mui ne.

have to agree with all these folks. we just returned a few days ago, and it was beautiful and still very rustic, especially once you get away from long beach and head north or south on a motorbike.

the beaches are really lovely, but we did notice some trash too. plastic bags and the like. still it was only in spots.

it was a fantastic way to end our trip through vietnam. i doubt you would be disappointed!

I agree. We were there and thought the beach off of Mango Bay Resort was great. we also visited South

beach and it was also very nice. There were some jellyfish! Purple looking ones. No garbage to speak of at both places.

We were there last June and practically had the whole beach to ourselves. The only down turn was a lot of restaurants on the beach were not open. Would go back at this time again just to have the peacefulness.

First Time VIsitor to Vietnam - Need Advice

Hi All. We are currently planning a holiday to Vietnam late 09 (possibly early next year).

There will be two couples, both of which have one child each (5yr girl and 10yr boy).

We are looking for things to do and places to stay that are child friendly and have things for the kids to do.

Our flight will land in Ho Chi Minh City and from there ... who knows!

So I am asking for advice and tips for things to do as well as places (outside of Ho Chi Minh also) and hotels to stay at. We are not looking for 5 star or anything extravagent. Just clean and tidy, close to where the tourists hang out!! Day trip ideas would be awesome also!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

First Time VIsitor to Vietnam - Need Advice

Hi, I would recommend Jason SSS, as guide to the Mekong. We had a 2d/1n tour with him last year....he was so good that we have booked him again for this July! Very good with kids, his van is a 16 seater so plenty of room to stretch out, plays DVD%26#39;s to keep the kids entertained as it is a 3hr+ journey to Can Tho, has a great little mini bar that is included in the cost of the tour. I highly recommend him. If you are at all interested do a search...there are lots of posts about him.

We also did a $5 Sinh cafe tour to Cu chi tunnels...was ok but the bus was chockas full and you could%26#39;nt hear the guide when at the tunnels as everyone pushes in to get closer. You get what you pay for I spose!

We stayed at the AnAn hotel in Saigon last year. This year because of the spiral of the Aussie dollar we are staying a little cheaper at the Blue River Hotel. This hotel also has great reviews.

Spend time doing hotel searches etc on TA, there is lots of information.

regards

Tracey

First Time VIsitor to Vietnam - Need Advice

Hi,

I just got back from vietnam. how long are you planning on staying in Vietnam?

In HCMC you can stay at Equatorial for about $130 USD

I don%26#39;t know what your budget is but you can take a flight to Nha Trang %26amp; stay at the Vin Pearl (there%26#39;s lots of things for kids to do there) its no Disney land, but they do have an amusement park %26amp; water park there %26amp; the beach is really nice. It is on an island..so you get to the hotel by cable car or boat. If you don%26#39;t mind that..I think the kids will like Vin Pearl.

Hi

I have just come back from an 8 day private tour in Hanoi - I went with my parents (70 and 64), sister (38) and two children (5 and 3).

I organised a private tour with Vietnamstay / Aurora travel - they were superb. It was just us on the tour - no one else - we had a fantastic van/vehicle with a wonderful guide. Because it was just us on the tour we could tailor it to our needs and it was really flexible.

It wasn%26#39;t expensive, they also offer tours from Ho Chi Minh City. You should email them, tell them how many days it would be for and ask them for their advice. They offer 3*, 4* and 5* options so they will have something to suit you I%26#39;m sure.

Please email me if you want to know anything else,

Kind Regards,

Nicole

(Australian living in Singapore)

Hi, my daughter 8 and myself went to Vietnam last year in April. We did a two week family holiday with Intrepid and both had a great time. Went from Hanoi to Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi an, Nha trang and Saigon.What ever you decide you%26#39;ll have a great time we loved it.