Geoff_Hersch

Spring Break 2015. Children 10,11 and 14 years old. Missing 3 days of school to travel 10 days "on the ground" to Vietnam. Itinerary plans in progress to include Hanoi (2 nights), Halong Bay on the "Treasure Junk" (2 nights), Hue (1), Hoi An (2), and fly out of Da Nang. Something like this. Any recommendations for travel with kids to this country and suggestions about food safety, etc. would be helpful. Thanks

Geoff_Hersch

I should also add that with five family members it is impossible to stay in one room. Especially in Vietnam it seems like we have to get two rooms at every destination. Suggestions as our proposed itinerary is nearing $18,000 including international airfare already.

Kathie

What is driving up the price of your trip? Hotels? The 2 night cruise? airfares?

A couple of thoughts: Most people who really like Halong Bay (which certainly isn;t everyone) say that two nights on the boat are not necessary. Most boats, in fact, simply do the same itinerary twice.

You say you have 10 days, but I count 7 nights - How many nights on the ground will you have?

I'd also cut the one night in Hue. One night somewhere is usually just that - no real time to see or do anything.

So I'd recommend something like: 3 nights Hanoi, 1 night Halong Bay, 3nights Hoi An if 7 nights is all you have. If you have more nights, then you'll have more flexibility.

Are you using a local agent to book hotels and transport?

Geoff_Hersch

So far I have a tentative rough itinerary with Audley Travel but I have not put any money down in the process. If we depart LAX on April 1st and return home on the 11th or 12th we should have 9-10 days on the ground.

We plan to fly into Hanoi and essentially stay in the northern half of the country to avoid the hotter South. Assuming that our first 2 nights are in Hanoi arriving on the 2nd, our itinerary currently looks like this from Audley Travel.

1st-Fly in Transit via Honk Kong
2nd-Hanoi- Arrive and Sofitel Legend Hotel
3rd-Hanoi- Sofitel Legend Hotel
4th- Ninh Binh- Emeralda Resort Hotel
5th- Ninh Binh- Emeralda Resort Hotel
6th- Dong Hoi- Sun Spa Resort
7th- Dong Hoi- Sun Spa Resort
8th- Hue- La Residencia Hotel and Spa
9th- Hoi An- Alma Courtyard
10th- Hoi An- Alma Courtyard
11th- Hoi An- Alma Courtyard
12th- Da Nang to LAX via Hong Kong

This seems like a crazy itinerary with too many locations. I honestly know nothing about Hue and Dong Hoi and certainly want to make sure that every stop has some interest for children as well. We heard from a few families that have traveled to Vietnam with children who both loved the 2 day Halong Bay Tresure Junk Cruise. Apparently, this one goes further our into the bay and away from a lot of the crowds that the typical Halong Cruises go to. Each of these two families thought the Halong Bay cruise was the highlight of their vacation.

Thinking that Hanoi for 2 nights, then Halong for 2 nights then Hoi An for 3 nights and one other location would be our max.

Following up on the cost of the trip, we do need 2 hotel rooms at each location which totally stinks and increases our cost. The airfare is about $1,000 pp.

thursdaysd

I would recommend more time in Hanoi. You can easily reduce your hotel costs, just sleep somewhere cheaper. You might look at the Elegance Hotels in Hanoi. Or see what is on offer on agoda.com or booking.com. Which guidebooks are you using?

Kathie

Audley Travel? Well, there is your problem. The way to make sure you way overpay for your trip is to use a travel agent based in the US or Europe. You want a local agent to make your arrangements. Even local agents will often put together an itinerary with too many locations - they think people will feel like they are getting more of their money by visiting so many places. Of course, you get less by moving around so much. Tonkin Travel, an agency in Hanoi can likely get you those hotels or equivalents for half the price.

And yes, you are moving around way too much. I'd stick with Hanoi (add some days here - it has so much to offer), Halong Bay and Hoi An... forget adding another location.

Geoff_Hersch

That's good advice. If I use a local, Vietnamese agency, will they be able to book both hotels and tours for us with good guides that will provide a fulfilling and safe experience? That is the key to us. I like the idea of Hanoi, Halong Bay and Hoi An. Check back soon upon updating my plans.

Geoff_Hersch

I would like to compare the same proposed itinerary from Audley to a few from in country companies. So far, I have requested pricing from Green Papaya, a local Hanoi company that my parents used two years ago. Any other companies you suggest? Thanks again.

Kathie

A local agency can book anything and everything you might want. I'm not sure where you want guides - in reality guides are not needed in the places you are going. And as far as getting good guides... all of the agencies use free-lancers so it isn't as if the agency likely knows the guide well. I don't usually use guides, but if I get somewhere and want a guide, I can always hire one on the spot. And you get a chance to interact briefly and ascertain their level of English proficiency. And when you pay them, you know the guide is agitating the money. Often agencies pay the guides half of what they collect from you to pay guides. For a foreign agency, expect the guide is getting 1/4 of what you paid. A foreign agency contracts out such services and adds their own fee, So if the service costs, say, $50, they add $50 as their own profit.

Tonkin is the agency most used by people here, but Vietnamstay also gets great reviews.

rhkkmk

I am working with Tonkin travel again for a second time. They will do anything you want.

I found Halong bay boring..

Hanoi is great... Take kids a couple of times on cyclos...

Stay in a cheaper hotel in Hanoi than Sofitel... Lots of international choices..

Stay at China beach in danang for all or part of your Hoi an time... Hyatt is my choice... They have apartments too.. Anantara in Hoi an is nice also

Geoff_Hersch

Interesting you say that about Halong Bay. I have heard it both ways. People either love it or find it quite boring. Interesting also that we have a boat and travel quite a bit on it in the summertime. I wonder if that would make it boring for us and that the people who like it are used to boating. I think the beauty of the surrounding areas itself, mixed with the floating markets and fishing villages, will make it nice and relaxing. Kayaking and some swim leisure should be nice for the kids no?

thursdaysd

I found the drive to and from Halong Bay a bit long, but at least one overnight is worthwhile. The scenery is great, and if you haven't seen floating villages before you may find them interesting - although they are working fishing villages, not "pretty".

Geoff_Hersch

The 4-5 hour drive to and from Halong Bay sounds very uninteresting to say the least. It has been suggested (by two families we know that did this) to do the 2 night Treasure Junk Halong Bay trip as it would give us more time to unwind and see the more remote areas of the bay. My parents, on the other hand, recently went to Vietnam (2013) and found Halong Bay to be their least favorite part of the vacation.

Geoff_Hersch

OK, We are getting pricing and varying itineraries from both Green Papaya, Handspan, and Vietnamstay Travel. Thinking of throwing in a short 2 night stay on the river Kwai floating hotels on the way into SE ASIA to start our trip. Am I crazy for even thinking this would be a good idea?

thursdaysd

You don't have enough time for Vietnam, why would you spend some of it elsewhere? If you want to sleep on water, do it on a boat on Halong Bay.

kmkrnn

Skip the river Kwai...you don't have enough time in Vietnam. River Kwai is sort of a nonevent for Americans.

dgunbug

I am also a big fan of the elegance hotel chain in Hanoi. They are located right in the heart of the down town area, are reasonably inexpensive and have amazing service. You cannot go wrong staying there.

We stayed two nights in Halong bay and found the second night to be a bit redundant although we didn't kayak or swim in the bay. Note - it was a bit dirty while we were there and there were many jelly fish that time of year. I found the drive to be quite boring and exhausting, although we enjoyed the scenery and the floating villages.

I don't think you will need a guide in any of the places you will be. It may be fun though to get in touch with the Hanoi kids, a college program where the students act as a tour guide for the day. The service is free and you feed them lunch and tip them or give them a small present afterward. This would be an ideal way for you and the kids to interact with a local person.

Kathie

Resist the impulse to add ANYTHING to your tin early, no matter how fabulous. The more stops you add, the less time you have to see/do/experience what you came for.

PA_Kathy

DH and I spent 2 weeks in Vietnam in December and had a wonderful time. We used Tonkin Travel to make travel and hotel reservations, and for guides/drivers where we wanted them. They were very responsive to our wishes.

We spent one night on Treasure Junk in Halong Bay - saw the floating village (almost empty, as we were told the gov't is trying to move people onto land) and a pearl farm...did not do the kayaking, but the young folks who did had a great time. One night was plenty for us -- but the long drive to and from Hanoi was, indeed, boring.

While the Sofital in Hanoi is lovely (we had lunch there one day) we stayed in the old quarter at a very nice, small hotel with fabulous service for about $68/night, including breakfast. We walked to the water puppet show one night - touristy, but the kids might enjoy it (we did.)

Oriental Central Hanoi hotel 3***
http://orientalcentralhotel.com/

As for River Kwai - we also went there on a day trip from Bangkok. DH, a real history buff, enjoyed it. I found it under-whelming. We did not stay overnight.

We loved VN. Have a great trip!

Geoff_Hersch

Looks like we are close to booking this vacation. New question: How is China Airlines? We found a nice fare with the option to book the "couch" which is basically 3 seats per two people and the seat converts into a bed. Not your traditional first or business class seat but the first 10 rows of economy coach offer this "bed" conversion. Any experience with this option or this airline?