My husband and I hope to spend a month in Vietnam, traveling by ourselves, and would like to hire a car and driver for the entire trip. Does anyone have recommendations for companies that have cars and drivers for hire? Thanks.

You could try Tonkin Travel. I used them for Sapa, and was satisfied, although I used trains and buses for the rest of Vietnam.

Vietnam is so easy to travel around on your own that I think hiring a driver the entire time would be a waste. We spent 3 1/2 weeks there and hired drivers on occasion as needed, using also planes and trains (train to Sapa, plane from HCMC to Hanoi and from Hanoi to DaNang). Are you certain you need a driver? Where do you intend to go?

I agree with dgunbug, hiring a driiver for the whole time would be a waste. Being a very long thin country, driving between the major centres would be a quite tedious affair. probably best to decide upon an outline of your trip and consider flying between at least some of the destinations or maybe using the trains or buses. You can then hire a driver as and when needed.

Over several trips to Vietnam the only places we felt we felt a car and driver to be essential for more than a day were on the Dien Bien Phu loop from Sapa to Hanoi (via the Mai Chau valley) and up to Ba Be lakes area (even these trips can be done onpublic transport if you have the time).

Such trips can easily be booked when you get there at far less cost than pre booking from outside of Vietnam. There are loads of operators in the old quarter in Hanoi although you do run the risk of encountering one of the many fake Sinh Cafes/Kangaroo Cafes etc... We managed to find the original and were happy with the result but some of the imitators provide a truly appalling service (allegedly!).

I have always found the following to be a great resource for planning a trip in SEA http://www.travelfish.org/country/vietnam
They do have some good downloadable travel guides on the site

Hi peripateticduo
i am definitely agree with some members here, that vietnam is easy country to get travel around by any kind of transportation means, i don't think it is good ideal to travel cross country by car all time, because vietnam's road are not good, pretty bumpy and it would be a little bordering as well. i would like to suggest you just hire a car and driver to travel around north west or northeast or event travel from west to east by car event those, you are still need to setup travel plan detail. i think from Hanoi travel down the south, you should take airplane to center land of vietnam, particularly Hue. If you love to travel by car again, you also can rent a car departure from Hoian, or Danang, travel up central highland where is less tourist and amazing natural landscape alternative with ethnic minority people's culture, from high mountain region traveling down to coastline for beach breaking. let say you can flight from Nha Trang to Saigon city,you take short excursion package to Mekong delta, the tunnel of Cu Chi...which is organized by local travel agent, easy to get done. that would be perfect travel, although it cost a little more than the set packages but it would great adventure exploration holiday in vietnam

Thanks to everyone for your advice. It all makes sense. I guess we need to focus on nailing down our itinerary and then use a car and driver for selected areas. Again, thanks.

I have been to Vietnam 3 times. I used someone to help me the first time which I think is great to have a car and driver. The people who helped me with this, airflights and hotels can be found on this website.
www.indochinatour.com. They will customize this trip anyway you like. We had 1 guide and driver in Saigon, another in Central Vietnam and another in Hanoi. We did not drive between these 3 locations,but took flights.
They are based in Olympia Washington. The wife is Vietnamese and the husband was a soldier for the USA in Vietnam.

Thanks maryanne1.

you probably would not want a car and driver in hanoi and HCMC and in hoi an i don't see use of one either...

flying between major cities, and hiring drivers there where necessary would be my choice..

We spent a month in Vietnam in 2005, going from north to south.

The ONLY time we hired a driver was to go from Hue to Hoi An.....with a stop in DaNang at the museum.

#1.....I'd go nuts with someone around every day. #2.......believe me: Vietnam is such an easy country to get around and you can make any arrangements when you are there.

Every wish for an enjoyable and memorable journey.

maryanne1, There was a typo in the link you listed. It should be http://www.indochinatours.com/AboutUs.cfm. We've started to speak with them and they seem great.