Visa for China and VietNam..best method?
Dec 23rd, 2007, 01:44 PM
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Visa for China and VietNam..best method?
After a lot of switching back and forth between South America and Australia we have ended up and confirmed, for many diverse reasons, a trip in February 2009 which includes Shanghai, a cruise to various ports including there in VietNam, a stop in Hong Kong and Bangkok, and a termination with a few more days landside in Singapore.
My understanding is that we will, as US citizens,need visas for China and VietNam; haven't researched Singapore yet.
We live in the Washington, DC, area where both China and VN maintain embassies.
On the net i see a lot of ads for the "best way" to get visas..usually through some tour agency.
My inclination is to do it all here at home.
Any thoughts or contrary suggestions would be appreciated.
My understanding is that we will, as US citizens,need visas for China and VietNam; haven't researched Singapore yet.
We live in the Washington, DC, area where both China and VN maintain embassies.
On the net i see a lot of ads for the "best way" to get visas..usually through some tour agency.
My inclination is to do it all here at home.
Any thoughts or contrary suggestions would be appreciated.
Jan 6th, 2008, 09:59 PM
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I would be a little wary of a cruise to many of these destinations. For Vietnam, you may be several hours drive each way from the port and places that you want to visit, and if you are only in port for 9 hours or so, this will be quite difficult. For Bangkok, you are about 2 hours each way from the city with out traffic, and given it's really bad traffic, "seeing" the city will be quite difficult if again you only have 8-10 hours. And there is no way to really see or appreciate Bangkok in one day in any event. Even with no traffic you are talking at least 4 hours in a car for the day. You really don't need the hassle of that, IMO. Also, you would not get a chance to have dinner in one of the great restaurants, and experience things like sunrise on the river and watching the lights come up over the city someplace like the fabulous Sirocco rooftop bar.
Shanghai in February is going to be very cold so bear that in mind, and again is hard to "see" it in one day. You may be lucky and berth right at the Bund, or you may berth an hour's drive out. I am not sure I would want to be out waters in February going from Shangahi to Hong Kong, could be rough will definitely be cool to cold. Feb is not really a great month weather-wise here in Hong Kong either, it is better than March, but tends to be cool to cold, foggy a bit damp and just not that pleasant. See weatherbase.com for temps. You will also have missed Chinese New Year which is end Jan 2009.
IMO a cruise is not really a good way to "see" SE Asia. Other than Hong Kong and Singapore, and Shanghai if you are lucky, the ports are too far from the main cities. Read the material put out by the cruise line very carefully. You should find out what port you are docking at for each city on the itin. For Saigon, if it is Vung Tau port, that is 2.5 hours from the city, if it is Phu My it is 1.5 hours. (Some ships dock very close to central Saigon at Nha Rong passenger terminal, however.) I understand that for Hanoi, most ships dock at Hong Gai, which is 3.5 hours away. (I know that the Regent Mariner docks at Hong Gai for example.) All this could make a huge difference in whether you decide to go into Saigon or Hanoi at all, or use alternate transportation. For example, Vung Tau is in the Mekong Delta and does have a lot to see and do in its own right, and I know that the Regent offers a helicopter option to get to Hanoi from Hong Gai to save the drive. The cruise line should be able to tell you where they expect to dock in each place on the itinerary, and the distance in miles from each major city. (They may not want to, but they should be able to do this.) Note that distance in miles won't always tell you how long the trip will take, but will at least give you an idea if you are anywhere close. The drives are not necessarily uninteresting, they usually offer a lot of local colour, but to do a very long round trip in one day would not necessarily be that interesting or fun, IMO.
Finally, a lot of this trip is on the open sea and in waters that are frankly not that pretty or scenic. It is nothing like the Amalfi coast with the amazing coastline, or Greece or Tahiti with azure waters and little deserted islands. The exception is the trip up the Gulf of Thailand to Bangkok which has some pretty island areas, however you are coming just at the end of the rainy season there so you may encounter more rain than you would want.
Shanghai in February is going to be very cold so bear that in mind, and again is hard to "see" it in one day. You may be lucky and berth right at the Bund, or you may berth an hour's drive out. I am not sure I would want to be out waters in February going from Shangahi to Hong Kong, could be rough will definitely be cool to cold. Feb is not really a great month weather-wise here in Hong Kong either, it is better than March, but tends to be cool to cold, foggy a bit damp and just not that pleasant. See weatherbase.com for temps. You will also have missed Chinese New Year which is end Jan 2009.
IMO a cruise is not really a good way to "see" SE Asia. Other than Hong Kong and Singapore, and Shanghai if you are lucky, the ports are too far from the main cities. Read the material put out by the cruise line very carefully. You should find out what port you are docking at for each city on the itin. For Saigon, if it is Vung Tau port, that is 2.5 hours from the city, if it is Phu My it is 1.5 hours. (Some ships dock very close to central Saigon at Nha Rong passenger terminal, however.) I understand that for Hanoi, most ships dock at Hong Gai, which is 3.5 hours away. (I know that the Regent Mariner docks at Hong Gai for example.) All this could make a huge difference in whether you decide to go into Saigon or Hanoi at all, or use alternate transportation. For example, Vung Tau is in the Mekong Delta and does have a lot to see and do in its own right, and I know that the Regent offers a helicopter option to get to Hanoi from Hong Gai to save the drive. The cruise line should be able to tell you where they expect to dock in each place on the itinerary, and the distance in miles from each major city. (They may not want to, but they should be able to do this.) Note that distance in miles won't always tell you how long the trip will take, but will at least give you an idea if you are anywhere close. The drives are not necessarily uninteresting, they usually offer a lot of local colour, but to do a very long round trip in one day would not necessarily be that interesting or fun, IMO.
Finally, a lot of this trip is on the open sea and in waters that are frankly not that pretty or scenic. It is nothing like the Amalfi coast with the amazing coastline, or Greece or Tahiti with azure waters and little deserted islands. The exception is the trip up the Gulf of Thailand to Bangkok which has some pretty island areas, however you are coming just at the end of the rainy season there so you may encounter more rain than you would want.
