Help with Vitenam itinerary
 

Hi guys

Partner and I are planning a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia in late March. Below is our tentative schedule. Please let us know if we are spending too many days at one location. Thanks for your help!!!

March 21, 2007 – Arrive in Hanoi

March 23, 2007 – Fly to Siem Reap

March 23, 2007 – Fly to Saigon

March 29, 2007 – Fly to Hoi An

April 1, 2007 – Fly back to Saigon and back home to Los Angeles.

2 ½ days in Hanoi
2 ½ days in Siem Reap
2 ½ days in Saigon
2 ½ days in Hoi An

P.S. is it cheaper to book Vietnam Airline tickets when we are over there?

oops sorry, i posted the wrong date for Saigon

March 21, 2007 – Arrive in Hanoi

March 23, 2007 – Fly to Siem Reap

March 26, 2007 – Fly to Saigon

March 29, 2007 – Fly to Hoi An

April 1, 2007 – Fly back to Saigon and back home to Los Angeles.

2 ½ days in Hanoi
2 ½ days in Siem Reap
2 ½ days in Saigon
2 ½ days in Hoi An

That looks like 1 day in Hanoi, maybe 1.5.

You'll need a multi-entry visa for VN.

You'll probably have to fly back to SGN on March 31. I would spend the night in HCMC the night before flying back to LAX.

2 1/2 days per location means you will spend way too much of your time transferring from one place to another, and not enough time actually experiencing the places you've chosen. Indeed, you arrive in Hanoi on March 21, you have a full day in Hanoi, then you fly to SR on March 23. You really have one full day in Hanoi. Your travel days will be taken up with checking out of one hotel, getting to the airport (it's an hour's drive in Hanoi) waiting around in the airport, flying, waiting in another airport, transport to your next hotel and checking in and getting settled. You will be lucky to get an hour or two to do something. I never count transit days in the time I have somewhere. And in Hoi An, your transit will be even longer, as you'll fly in an out of DaNang. Also, you will be adjusting to a 14 hour time difference.

Really, you should confine yourself to two locations if you want to see/do/expereince anything of the places you are visiting. If it were me, I'd opt for Hanoi and Siem Reap.

Just READING your itinerary made me weary! I agree with Kathie. I think you are trying to fit too many destinations into one short 11 day trip, especially since you will be jetlagged upon your arrival.

I have not visited Vietnam yet but I will be there in November for 10 days out of a 5 week trip. I will only choose 2-3 destinations in Northern Vietnam for my 10 night stay.

You amy want to reconsider, maybe leaving out Siem Reap and sticking to either northern or southern Vietnam.

IMO, you are travelling too many places in just a few days. I would suggest you leave Cambodia to another trip, and concentrate on Vietnam. For the amount of time you have I would suggest concentrating on either Hanoi or Saigon (hanoi is my preference) and Hoi An. If you chose Hanoi you could explore the city and take a trip to Sapa or Halong Bay before heading to Hoi An.

vietnamairline is not cheap, with some domestic flight, we have to use vietnam airlines. you'd book your return ticket from Los to VN in American, because the normal, the air ticket price for internation route in vietnam is so expensive.

Vietnam Airlines domestic flights are cheap. One way HCMC-Danang (Hoi An) should run you approx $54USD.

That looks more like being in transit for ten days than a holiday to me. 2.5 days in Hanoi won't give you enough time to see the big attractions in the north of Vietnam such as Halong Bay and Sapa. Siem Reap is also worth more time.

http://www.travelsinasia.com

You got very good advice above.

Your trip will feel like a 50/50 blend of transit time and tantalizing glimpses of places that you will not get to know in any meaningful way.

Also, delays will severely crimp your style, tilting the balance even more toward transit activities. In August, our flight from Hanoi to Siem Reap was delayed for many hours. Even though I eventually got seats for us on an earlier flight, we still spent hours in Hanoi's airport. You would be immensely frustrated unlike circumstances.

Sorry to be so blunt but we all want you to have a great experience.

Thank you guys for all the response, We will have to adjust our schedule to accommadate.