skigirl74

Hello All---My husband and I are considering a trip to Vietnam in Nov 07. We are thinking of the following trip schedule--Hanoi (on Hilton points) 4-5 days, Halong Bay overnight on a junk, and then 4-5 days Phu Quoc.

I am a Vietnam novice and was wondering about the following: I know to get to Phu Quoc, I would have to travel back to Hanoi from Halong Bay to fly down to Phu Quoc. Is this "wasting" too much time just traveling and flying? We have stingy American vacation time and want to maximize our limited trip days. Has anyone been to Phu Quoc? What is your honest opinion? From a logistical perspective, if anyone has alternative suggestions to Phu Quoc, it is much appreciated. My husband and I are in our early thirties and usually like a mix of city and beach and or/adventure. However, I should caveat that by saying at the end of an adventure day we like to come back to a very comfy hotel and good food.

Thanks in advance and happy travels to all.......

cruisinred

I'm not familiar with Phu Quoc, but for the best beach experience in Vietnam check out the Evason Hideaway in Nha Trang. It was beautiful and luxurious, in an eco/robinson curusoe kind of way.
Definitely expensive, but worth the splurge.

Hanoielegancehotel

Hi friends,

We imagine your initial itinerary is: Hanoi - Halong Bay - Hanoi - Saigon - Phu Quoc.

1. Hanoi is the base for all tours in the North (including Hanoi's vicinity, Halong Bay, Sapa, Hoa Lu Tam Coc...). We must start and end all trips at Hanoi.

2. From Hanoi, fly to Saigon and then to Phu Quoc Island (no direct flight from Hanoi - Phu Quoc). So it is definitely not wasting much time just traveling & flying.

If you look for another option, Nha Trang & Mui Ne (Phan Thiet) is recommended. You can fly to Nha Trang (beach city), stay there 1 night & go to Mui Ne, Phan Thiet.

Contact us at www.hanoielegancehotel.com if you need further info.

Good luck,

Bisbee

Phu Quoc is nice. You'll need to fly to HCMC, then Phu Quoc though. November is the end of the monsoon season in S Vietnam, so weather s/b improving there. Try La Veranda for a hotel choice. www.laverandaresort.com

5 Days in Hanoi seems like to many to me. You might consider adding a 2nd night to Ha Long Bay or, since you need to fly to HCMC, spend 2 nights there. Just a thought.

MrAOK

With a limited amount of time, there are some other choices that are somewhat more convenient though the beaches aren't as nice.

I'd definitely consider taking in Hue, Hoi An and/or Na Tron (however it's spelled) as an alternative to the island.

The opera hilton is a nice hotel, but there are smaller alternatives that i liked better, notably the church hotel

Robbietravels

I'd also put in a vote for Hue and Ho An. From Saigon you can be driven to Mui Ne beach. Count on four hours due to heavy Saigon traffic; if light traffic and luck, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. We stayed at the Victoria in beachfront villa #25 --lovely room. We spent three days doing nothing; it made the trip home and re-entry much easier. The food at the Victoria Phan Thiet was so good (and my husband so reluctant to leave his chaise lounge on the beach just in front of our room) that we had all our meals there. The staff aren't quite up to the highest international standards but are friendly and local and eager to please.

Bisbee

It is also possible to take the train to Phan Thiet/Mui Ne. Leaves at 7am and arrives about 11:30am. Cost for A/C car with assigned seats is 60,000VND. From Phan Thiet, a quick 10 minute taxi ride will have you at the Victoria.

jeanfromboston

We absolutely loved Phu Quoc, stayed 4 nights. Go now, as it has been mentioned in the Herald Tribune and Conde Nast Traveler as the next big beach resort. We stayed at Mai House in one of their wonderful bungalows ($45 with cooked to order breakfast)and ate there several nights, as the food was so good. We mostly walked on the beach, but also took a tour of the island on the back of motorbikes. It's a great place with wonderful sunsets.

Kathie

In November, Hue and Hoi An will be VERY wet. There are heavy rains at that time, and fooding with loss of life opne out of every three years in November in that area.

I loved Hanoi, and 5 days seem like just enough (we spent a week) to me. There is lots to do and see (and we didn't even go visit Uncle Ho).

Kathie

At home now, I'm laughing over my typos (that will teach me to respond too quickly to a post!)

Obviously, that should be "flooding with loss of life one out of every three years."

jodo

We agree with Kathie...5 days lets you walk through the park around the Lake (our favorite local people watching place. When we were there last year, there were just a few tourists...mostly locals; children playing, old men sitting, lovers snuggling.) As much a I loved Hue, I can't imagine it in the rainy season. (it rains alot there, and the misty rain is sweet in its own way... but I wouldn't want to be there in constant downpours.

Clausy

We spent 4 nights in Phu Quoc in November 2005. OK weather - a mixture of sun and heavy rain, very nice and quiet beaches, lousy diving. Main town is close to most hotels and nice to wander around - well, once perhaps. Our hotel was called the Saigon (I think it was one of the government run hotels). It was OK, nothing special, but I'm not sure there is anything special on the island. One of the closest to town. US$70 a night.

We found the best part of our two week stay in Vietnam was our tour of the Delta (though we spent 2 nights in some well dodgy hotels - no one spoke English and folks looked at us as if we were from Mars). This was beautiful, interesting and exceptionally photogenic. We also loved the time we spent in Hoi An (3 nights), where we had great weather but probably got lucky.

Warning, Hanoi in November can be very cold - we had to buy warmer clothes whilst there - not easy if you're a tallish westerner. Pack a jumper (sweater).

babbylou

So glad for some Vietnam talk...exactly what I "tuned in" for! We are leaving Monday! (two weeks in Vietnam,then 4 in Cambodia). I've got my coolest cottons/linens packed, mostly skirts 'cause I like em...now I read that it may rain a lot and synthetics might be better for quick dry.
Also still deciding on shoes, besides Chaco sandals. Canvas Keds OK? Running shoes better? Anyone been there in February? Will go from Hanoi (cool) along coast to HCMC,and do Halong Bay overnight, Hue, Hoi An, Nah Tran Bch, Danang, Chu Chi Tunnels,the usual.
All suggestions welcome!

Kathie

Do check www.weatherbase.com for weather info at each of the places you'll be staying.

SaraJane

If you can go to Sapa, we loved it. I live in Hanoi and find that three days is plenty in Hanoi, there is not much to see. Halong is a good choice but Sapa is another world.

Syl

Kathie,
Thanks for the weather warning as I've been planning a Nov. trip as well & will not go then,obviously.Which is the ideal month to tour Vietnam, Luang Prabang & Siem Reap???

Kathie

Syl, take a look at each location you want to visit in weatherbase. November is a great time to vist Luang Prabang, SIem Reap and northern VN, it's just central VN that has torrential rains. I'd suggest that you go in November and do the three locations that have good weather, then you can plan a trip at another time to take in destinations that don't work in November. Spring is better in cental VN, but Cambodia will be "hell hot."

mrwunrfl

I spent 4 nights at the Hilton Hanoi Opera last November on points.

The HHO is a very good use of HHonors points. When they raised the points requirements for most of the Hilton properties last June they actually lowered the cost, in points, of the Hilton in Hanoi.

The weather in Hanoi, at the beginning of November was very pleasant. It was warm enough to go swimming at Halong Bay.

I think 4 day/4 night stay was the right amount of time but Bisbee's idea of spending a second night at Halong Bay (or one night on a boat and a second night on Cat Ba) is a great idea. After an overnight trip to Halong Bay you can return to Hanoi and go directly to the airport. It is less than three hours from Halong Bay to Hanoi. In theory, you could fly out of Haiphong, but the schedule would be more limited.

Syl

Kathie,
It seems like January is the best month for weather all around. As per 62 degrees average in Hanoi, that's hot compared to what we experience in Montreal in Jan.

Kathie

If you have the option to travel in January instead, it's a good idea. It is high season, so make sure you make your reservations well in advance.