milvally

Trying to decide between Ann and Tonkin Tours. We're a family of three adults traveling early next year. One company wants a good portion on deposit (1 yr. in advance).

Here is what we are considering: to ambitious?? We may start one week earlier or later due to Tet Festival.

Thanks~


Day 02 – Feb 15 Arrive Saigon (HCMC) Overnight Park Hyatt Majestic Riverside tower
Day 03 – Feb 16 Full day tour of Saigon. Overnight Park Hyatt Majestic Riverside tower
Day 04 – Feb 17 Depart for overnight visit to the Mekong Delta. Overnight at the Victoria Resort Cantho
Day 05 – Feb 18 Morning at the Cai Rang Floating market and back to Saigon for evening flight to Da Nang. Overnight Danang Liberty Heritage
Day 06 – Feb 19 Full day tour of Hoi An cooking class? Overnight Danang Heitage
Day 07 – Fe 20 Morning tour to My Son (about 2-3 hours) Overnight Danang (Nam Hai?)
Day 08 – Feb 21 Morning drive to Hue Forbidden City and Citadel. Overnight
La Residence
Day 09 – Feb 22 F tour of the Royal Tombs vehicle. the Dong Ba Market. Overnight Hue
Day 10 – Feb 23 Morning flight to Hanoi transfer to Mai Chau Overnight Mai Chau Lodge
Day 11 – Feb 24 tour of the hilltribe villages Overnigt Mai Chau Lodge
Day 12 – Feb 25 Transfer back to Hanoi. Afternoon tour. Overnight Sofitel Metropole Hotel Day 13 – Feb 26 Tour of Hanoi. Overnight Sofitel Metropole Hotel
Day 14 – Feb. 27 Drive to Halong Bay - private overnight junk charter. Overnight on a two bedroom luxury junk
Day 15 – Feb. 28 Morning and early afternoon on Halong Bay return to Hanoi
Day 16 – Mar 01 Fly home

sf7307

It's a lot, but it's well planned. The only thing I would change for certain -- I wouldn't even think of staying in DaNang. Stay in HoiAn, which is about 1/2 hour taxi ride from Danang airport.

thursdaysd

I would drop one night in Hoi An/Danang and give it to Hanoi, but I'm not a big Hoi An fan. Even so, I agree with sf7307 that it makes no sense to stay in Danang if what you want to do is visit Hoi An and My Son (just don't miss the museum).

Kathie

It depends on how you like to travel. It's logistically possible, but I'd hate this tour. You are on the move all the time, no chance to settle in and get a feel for the place and the people. Also, it appears you have guides with you all of the time. I find I have much more interaction with locals without a guide. I do use guides where I want one, but having a guide all the time is not for me.

If it were me - and it isn't - I'd go over this itinerary carefully and decide what the most important places/experiences are. I'd chose those, cut everything else. Many travel agents jam as much as they can into an itinerary so you'll feel you are getting your money's worth.

Also, I don't know where you are flying from, but you arrive one day and spend a full day touring the city the next. If you are doing a day for night switch and/or are not accustomed to the heat this will be awful. Also, have you ever been to SE Asia or is this new for you?

yestravel

Although well organized and hitting the major sites, I think its cramming way too much into too short of a time. I agree that I would not spend a night or any time in Danang other than to see the Champa Museum there. As sf pointed out its only a short taxi ride from the Danang airport to Hoi An which is a much more charming place than Danang. I think Hanoi is particularly short changed with less than 2 days there.

We were just in Saigon and the Mekong Delta the end of Feb. and the heat is a killer. We also hit really hot weather in Hue with it being 95+ one day. As mentioned the heat takes a lot out of you particularly pairing it with jet lag.

As an aside I worked with Tonkin in arranging our trip to VN and they worked out very well. We only used guides for portions of the trip. We did have one guide in the mountains who was not particularly great, but other than that the drivers and guides they arranged for us were very good. All arrangements went smoothly and they were a pleasure to deal with in planning the details of our trip.

crellston

All very nice places in your itinerary but way too much included in the time available. I would add a week to your time in Vietnam if you really want to include all of these sights.

There is no reason to stay in Da Nang except as a transit point (it looks like that is what your TO is suggesting). One option would be to arrive in Danang and get the train along China beach and through the Marble mountains to Hue - one of the great train rides in Asia. I would not bother with Hoi An but that is just my subjective view.

The delta can be done in a long day trip from Saigon and I would add any time saved to Hanoi where 4 or 5 days is about right. Impressive though Halong Bay undoubtedly is, it is way too touristy for my taste and too many touts. Asia is a place for slow travel where less really can be more.

crellston

milvally - one further thought - are you aware that the main Tet (new year) celebrations will take place for the Year of the Snake, Feb 9-12, 2013? We were in Vietnam for Tet a few years ago and found that many of the restaurants. sights etc. had closed for the hols as people returned to their villages from the cities for the celebrations (which can go on for a month). A plus is that places that were open were a lot quieter! If you have flexibility on dates you may wish to consider your dates.

yestravel

Usually I agree with crellston and have followed many of his great ideas for our trips, but I have to disagree on Halong Bay and Hoi An. Halong Bay is a unique environment and yes, its touristed for sure, but seeing the karst formations is special. We had an overcast cool, almost cold weather, and I still am glad we took the time to go. Try to use one of the junks that go to the lesser traveled bays. We were on the Dragon Pearl III and there were only 2-3 other boats where we were. They also run the smaller boat, Red Dragon, I think. As far as Hoi An goes, it's a delightful little town, quiet and easy to walk around with interesting architecture and seeing it at night with the lanterns aglow is very nice. We found it a welcome relief from the busy and noisy other areas in VN.

U could do the Delta in a very long day trip, but I wouldn't do that. I wasn't particularly interested in the Delta, but found it interesting and enjoyable.

travel2eat

Rule of thumb. If you are spending each night in a different city it is too much.
I also took a tour to Vietnam and it was jammed packed like yours.
It is exhausting getting on and off the vehicles to visit sites and take photos, etc. It is hot and it also rains a lot.
(Think being on rush tour in Europe)

Vietnam is very cheap and very beautiful. If you see it from your bus window you will regret it.

Hoi An where you will take your cooking class is a lovely river village. If you like seafood then by all means go on a luxury boat to Halong Bay. The meals and service were exquisite.
It is probably the only time you are going to get to relax on your tour.

A full day tour in either Hanoi or Saigon with a next day departure is a fail.
Not only is there so much to see you want to take it in.
Many activities take place at night.
Whether the puppet show, sipping a beer and enjoying a pho with locals or visiting the Saigon night market it is all about the evenings in Asia.

Also you want to enjoy your mornings.
The breakfast buffets are exquisite at the hotels as well as the eucalyptus steam rooms
and massages.
Pole-Pole!

Enjoy yourself! Vietnam with its French influence makes it a very special holiday.

travel2eat

When I first started traveling my first year and a half I did tours because I didn't know any better.
Sometimes I would skip a daily outing with them because I just wanted to sleep in and relax.

I did this in Vietnam. Tour was from Hanoi-Saigon.
By the time we checked into the Continental Hotel I wanted to relax.
Next day I skipped the biggest highlight (so I thought) the day trip to the Mekong.

Woke up had my breakfast and walked to the mall to grab a fresh kiwi juice and look for a driver.
Met a man and paid him 30 dollars for the day.
An hour later we were on our way to the Mekong.

I think it was like 3 hours.
On the way back home my driver invited me to a wedding.
Dropped me off at the hotel to freshen up and on the way we were!
Beautiful wedding and again what a feast of a meal.
10 courses of seafood and beer on ice!

Next door they were practicing for Chinese New Year and saw their whole performance, dragon dance and acrobatics included.
Having lived in Beijing I got teary eyed.

Afterwards, we went to Karaoke.

When I got back to the hotel my roomie was sleeping.
The next day at breakfast everyone was telling me how I missed out on the nut plantation.

I smiled and said, No I didn't!

We departed for Cambodia that morning and by the time we got to
Angkor Wat I was beat and ended up hiring my own driver.

I hired my own driver in Dalat as well.

You are not going to Nha Trang?
It is nice!

I did this for 5 years until I visited 100 countries.
Most of the countries I visited on rushed tours I returned as an independent.

I like tours but by allowing myself 1-2 days
pre/post tour stays it does make a world of difference.

milvally

Hi,

This the reason we all love the forum. Truely!!
Thank you for your suggestions and advise, it is easy to get caught up in planning. We live on the West Coast, I had a feeling this was over packed. Maybe it would make more sense to fly in/out of Hanoi and skip HCMC and the Delta. I want to maximize our time and yet enjoy, smell and experience our surroundings. Having to go in/out of Hanoi can eat up a fair amount of time..
Would this be better?
3-Hanoi (Majestic)
1-private junk Halong Bay (some kayaking)
1-back to Hanoi
3 Hoi An (Life Heritage) ..no Danang
2-Hue (La Residence)
2 Fly back to Hanoi then on to Mai Chau or spend night in Hanoi
1-Hanoi
Depart US

Most of the traveling my wife and I do is on our own. Our adult daughter wants to join us and thought a little structure would be nice.
Thank you again,

MV

yestravel

Yes, much better. I would try and go to Mai Chau. It's is truly beautiful and very different from the other places you will be visiting. U may even have a late night flight back to the US and that would give u the day to come back from Mai Chau and not stay again in Hanoi.

dgunbug

Perfect. I like this last itinerary.