julies

This is our first trip to anywhere in Asia. We've done a ton of US to Europe travel so know how to plan for activities, traveling and jetlag there. But, that's typically only a 7 hour time difference for us. This will be 12 hours time difference and total travel time of 24 hours, which is about 4 or 5 hours more travel time than we've ever done before. On our European trips we always arrive in the early morning, and we keep going all day long until about 10:00 at night. Day 2 or 3 is generally when the fatigue hits us and we end up sleeping in late one morning.

This trip will be a late night arrival after a 24 hour session (including layovers) in coach. The only way we can sleep at all on planes is with drugs, and my husband refuses to try them (maybe with the long flight though this time).

A long lead up to my question. We are planning a bike trip in the Mekong Delta area of Vietnam. Our flight gets into Saigon (a city that has no real appeal to us at all) late at night. Would we be fools to just start the bike trip the next morning? Our other option is to spend a day in Saigon just wandering around and then start the trip the next day. What are your thoughts as someone who has made this long journey before? Thanks.

JamesA

Spend at least a day to relax, I am sure others will agree you are really missing something setting out thinking Ho Chi Minh City has no appeal.
Others will come in with suggestions for a relaxing and aclimatising way to spend perhaps the afternoon in HCMC after a long rest.

thursdaysd

I also have trouble sleeping on planes. Especially if you are traveling sardine class, I would recommend not heading straight for the delta. While I much prefer Hanoi to HCMC, there is still plenty to do there. Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum, Chinese temples in Cholon, Ben Thanh market. Lots of good food.... And if this is your first trip to Asia, just soaking up atmosphere.

cynstalker

I am one who is very bothered by jetlag, and so I vote for time to rest the next day (at a minimum!). We've done the long hauls to China, Australia and Africa - in business class - and I get absolutely wiped out by the journey. The last trip we took, we deliberately planned a long layover in LHR, so we could get a day room, take a shower and a 2 hour nap; that helped a lot. However, we were still exhausted by the time we got to our destination, and glad we didn't have anything major planned for the next couple of days.

I always tack on a couple of days to the beginning of our trips just for recovery - but you may not have that luxury, and it's hard to &quot;squander&quot; a precious vacation day just to recuperate. If possible, we do the things that aren't <b>really</b> special in the beginning, and save the things that are most important to us for later in the trip.

Hope you have a great trip!

<font color="green">Cyn</font>

pat

By the time I flew to Bangkok, I was ready for a meltdown I was so tired. I don`t sleep well on planes either. Yes, take a day to rest.

marya_

ANother NO to the idea of hitting the ground running. I strongly agree that the day of rest is called for in ANY event but particularly in light of the fact that this is a bike trip that you propose.

Once you start traveling to Asia, an airline trip to Europe will seem very manageable, by the way. The difference is quite dramatic.

Kathie

I seriously doubt you'll be ready to hit the ground running. Think about it, you'll be sleep deprived for at least 24 hours, you'll have a day for night switch... if you were staying home and someone forced you to stay up for 36 hours straight, then allowed you a few hours to sleep in a new environment, then put you on a bike at the time you are usually ready to go to sleep, how would you feel?

I also recommend aginast sleeping pills on planes - you increase your chances of DVT. Also, many of the sleepers have caused problems for people as people may look awake but do bizzare things or forget obvious things. When you read about people who have done really weird things on planes and were arrasted when the plane landed (or the pilot made an unscheduled stop to get them off) many of these people had taken ambien or a si,ilar drug for sleep, and often folled it with some alcohol.

julies

Yes, I think we've decided that we will need a day to recuperate. Thanks for the thoughts. We are dreading the idea of 14 hours in sardine class. I've taken Ambien for European flights several times and had no problems with it, so I'm not really that hesitant about the idea. I lknow it is a powerful drug; my doctor will only prescribe a few and as needed for these long flights.

kdk1965

Every time we come to home to Asia we have been travelling at least 24 hours. The next day we are worn out, and we need to relax.

When we went to Thailand last year from Korea we had a long travel day and then arrived very late. We hit Bangkok hard the next morning and it was a difficult day as a result.

My vote is a definite no.


Mary in Korea

shandy

As an Aussie, nearly everything is a long haul flight to us and trips of 24 hours or so not unusual. I don't sleep well and our flights always arrive early morning at our destination. I never have any trouble staying up all day until I fall asleep exhausted that night.

However, I definitely wouldn't try starting anything as physical as a bike tour on day one. If you are having real trouble with jet lag/exhaustion it will take you several days of your precious trip to recuperate. Spend the first day of your trip in Saigon. Even though you have no real interest it, I'm sure you will find enough to keep you occupied for just one day.

veracity

I took an Ambien, slept 10 hours on the plane and was still wiped when I got to Bangkok. Woke up the next morning still tired and only perked up because I was standing infront of Ankor Wat!

LeighTravelClub

You definitely need a day to re-charge your batteries. If you try and 'hit the ground running', you will probably regret doing so for the rest of your trip. The Cu Chi Tunnels, Reunification Palace, Cao Dai Temple, and Glac Lam Pagoda are all worth a visit whilst you are there.

mikemo

We took Ambien SFO-Beijing on Air China coach in Mar/Apr and got 8 hrs sleep. Missed two meals, so we were starving on arrival, but otherwise, ready to start our day.
Took Ambien again recently MEX-EZE and SCL-MEX: got our in flt business class meals and again slept about 8 hours each direction without any arrival problems.
M

julies

Mikemo--

You were in business class though. Even with Ambien those of us in sardine class don't fare so well.

mikemo

Not so, look at the Air China post.
Oh, Air China has better than most in foward coach in 747-400.
M

julies

I'll have to check out Korean Air. that'w who we are flying.

hotzim

Sleep in Saigon! We tried driving after an all night plane ride from Tahiti and my husband fell asleep at the wheel and we went off a cliff on I-5 and I spent a week in the hospital instead of touring CA. Also you will need all your wits about you on your bike as you will be joined by a zillion Vietnamese on motorbikes weaving in and out of traffic at ridiculous speeds. While Saigon is not a favorite of mine, take the time to rest up for your trip.

MichaelBKK

Aside from sleep deprivation, there's another point here nobody else seems to have mentioned: the heat. No matter what time of year you arrive, Saigon is almost certainly going to be hotter and more humid that where you're coming from. We're talking New Orleans in August hot and uncomfortable. Although the bike tour operators usually take this into account and keep things easy, it is going to take some time for you to adjust to the heat.

When traveling long distances west, I generally prefer not to sleep on the plane. As you've noted, you arrive at night, so by avoiding sleep during your flight you'll be ready for bed when you arrive and will find it easier to adjust to the drastic time change.

stlblew

I'm also taking my first trip to Asia (Vietnam) in Jan. I've flown to Europe (eastern, southern &amp; western) and arrived before noon but, after 8-12 hours of flying, I could still stay awake all day. This time the travel time is 19+ hours with one very long flight. I've never been able to sleep more than an hour on a plane and I'm flying econ. I'm going to ask my doctor for a couple of sleeping pills. I leave Seattle just after midnight so I think we'll be chasing the night for most of the flight.

kvf

Keep in nmind that thte cautions- against- Ambien like sleep drugs are because you tend to remain in the same, kness bent position without moving. Extended periods of bent, crammed knees and lack of foot/leg movement are key contributors to DVT. At the very minimum wear flight socks and walk every few hours then go back to your nest. DVT on APAC flights is very, very serious business and gets worse the older you get. I travel to APAC frequently for business and pleasure and know quite a few DVT victims.