susiesan

I have award tickets for a second visit to Vietnam, first trip was in 2004. We did the typical 2 week tour: Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, HCMC. We had a private tour with Griswalds Vietnamese Vacations and they made all the arrangements.

We will arrive Hanoi Feb. 21 @ 10:55pm and depart Hanoi March 8 @12:25AM. We have 14 full days in country. We will stay in the north and center this trip. The one thing I definitely want to do is visit the caves at Phong Na-Ke Bang, stay 2 nights here. We will fly to Dong Hoi from Hanoi to save time.

I am looking at itineraries that include the following:
option 1: train to Sapa, Bai Tu Long Bay cruise 2 nights, Ninh Binh/Mai Chau area 2-3 nights, Phong Na 2 nights, return to Hanoi for flight home.
option 2: train or drive to Sapa, 3-4 nights Ninh Binh/Mai Chau, 2 nights Phong Na, 2 -3 nights between Hue and Hoi An, return to Hanoi for flight home.

Not sure I want to take the overnight train to Sapa or whether February is even a good month to visit this area at all. Also am not sure about the Halong/Bai Tu Long Bay cruise as we did it last time. It looks to be very crowded and not such a good experience anymore. I will make some of the arrangements myself and will use one of the local agencies for short modules. I have been in touch with Ethnic travels, Griswalds, and Indochina Odyssey Tours and all have been responsive with good ideas.

So what do all of you who have been to Vietnam recently advise? I do have plenty of time to plan this all out and fine tune a plan as to the order of visiting the different locales.

thursdaysd

The train to/from Sapa was almost the worst night train I've ever taken, and I've taken a bunch. Seems there's now a bus option, but it takes 10 hours. Maybe a car and driver with a stop on the way?

I did think Sapa was worth the effort, at least if the clouds lifted.

adrianlopez

I think option 2 is better than 1 because Hue and Hoian are better than Bai Tu Long where you visit one time ago. From Hanoi to Sapa, you should book train to travel which is safer and better than bus or motobike but if you love advanture, you should rent motobike to travel. From Hue to Hoian spend 4hrs to transfer by bus and 2-3hrs by train but i recommend that you should book train with cheap cost and safer as well. Moreover, you should read more itinerary at Vietnam Tour Booking and Travelfish before booking or travelling.

susiesan

If I do take the train to Sapa I will book the 4 berth cabin for only 2 people. I don't mind paying extra. Some of the agencies have suggested driving to Sapa in stages with stops, but that would entail 6-8 hours in a car which I am trying to avoid.

No way would we travel by motorbike. We are in our 60's and will have luggage. I'm all to pay for flights and private cars with drivers where necessary. We are well past the backpacker stage of travel style. I don't need 5 star luxury, just clean, safe, and comfortable.

I visited Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island during the 2004 trip and was thinking Bai Tu Long Bay might be different. I also visited Hue and Hoi An in 2004 but I know both have changed a lot over the last 12 years.

thursdaysd

The problem with the night train was that it was incredibly noisy and incredibly jerky. I thought maybe they had coupled the carriage incorrectly! It was a bit better going back to Hanoi, not still not great.

susiesan

I've been reading some not very flattering opinions and reviews of the whole Sapa area. It seems to have become massively over touristy and a backpacker kind of place. I'm thinking whether I even want to visit this part of Vietnam especially since it takes to long to get to and is such an arduous uncomfortable trip. Too bad there is not an airport up north.

CaliforniaLady

Susiesan, I think you will enjoy Sapa as much as I did. I thought I remember from your previous posts that you do some hiking. With the right trail guide, you should have a nice experience.

Unlike thursday's experience. I actually liked the train. There are about three trains going there each evening, but individual companies rent out carriages. I chose Sapaly, because they have fewer cabins per carriage, hence they are larger. I actually slept most of the night both ways.

I used Sapa Sisters for engaging my guide. I was fortunate to get a guide who was one of the original four Hmong women, and once she saw that I respected her, she became quite chatty, and we had quite a cultural exchange. We hiked together for two days, and I preferred the second day when we went in a direction where there were no other tourists. You certainly could tell your guide not to take you in a crowded direction.

I have since hiked in Burma and Malaysia with local guides, and although they were really nice, they were men, so the conversations were not quite as "intimate" as I had with my Hmong guide. You should find it to be an incredible experience.