Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Trip Report

I recently returned from a twelve day solo trip to Bangkok (3 nights) Siem Reap (2 nights) and Hanoi (5 nights). I learned a lot from this message board and wished to reciprocate. Before I start I should mention I retired three years ago and this is my third trip out of the USA; I am not an experienced world traveler but did do quite a bit of job related travel within the US before retiring.

I flew business class from LAX to BKK on China Airlines; there is very little leg room and the food is not very good. The return flight from HAN to LAX was also business class on EVA Air; there is a bit more leg room, I preferred EVA to China Airlines for that reason alone. The 14 1/2 hours from LAX to TPE is a killer.

In Bangkok I stayed at the Shangri-La which is a very nice hotel in a very convenient location. I did not stay in the Krungthep Wing but did use their concierge desk, where they are more understandable and more helpful. It was very convienient because to access the Skytrain Station and boat dock you have to exit the hotel through the Krungthep Wing; the closest ATM is also in that wing. The Grand Palace is really the main site to see; all the others (Jim Thompson House, Wat Arum, Wat Pho, Marble Temple, Vimaneck Palace all paled in comparison. The Syktrain system is very easy to use and very convenient to the Shangri-La. The Klong tour is interesting and worth the time; it is also relaxing and a nice break from visiting the Wats and Palaces. I had the opportunity to visit a shopping and bar area with a US expatriate who has lived in Bangkok for 24 years. Unfortunately, I didn't get to read Bangkok 8 until I was on my way back; I would have had a better understanding of what I was seeing if I had read the book prior. I did read Four Reigns prior to arriving and recommend both.
Language was a bit of a problem but everyone I encountered (except for taxi drivers) was helpful.
Bangkok was an interesting city and very different from anywhere else I have been; just not somewhere I'd go back to.

Siem Reap was reached via Bangkok Airway; the flight takes under an hour. The tickets for the Bangkok/Siem Reap and Siem Reap flights where purchased ahead of time using Eddie (thanks Kathie) at Seatours Travel. A copy of the e.ticket and invoice were waiting when I arrived at the Shangri-La. I enjoyed my three days/two nights in Siem Reap and for me the time was just right. My guide was arranged by Ponheary who was unavailable; I'm sorry I've lost his name; he was very knowledgeable of the history of the Angkor Wat area and expert at where photos should be shot for the best results. He was a little difficult to understand as were most of the Cambodians I came into contact with. I stayed at the FCC Angkor which is a very nice hotel; the manager of the restaurant is a very personable young man who had only been in the job a short time; he was French but was working in England when he was recruited by the owner of the FCC for the job here. I strongly recommend using a guide in Siem Reap; the information gained by having a local person to talk to is invaluable. One item I had not picked up on the forum is the 24USD departure tax when leaving Siem Reap.

I arrived in Hanoi on a Vietnam Airlines flight which took about an hour and a half and arrived around 8:00pm. My first two nights in Hanoi were spent at the Hilton; the day after I arrived I walked through the Old Market area and found the Tamarind Cafe and Handspan Tours for the Halong Bay cruise; they were very professional and very helpful finding a tour that suited me. I had not booked a hotel for my third day in Hanoi because I wasn't sure if I wanted to stay overnight on the boat. I opted for a personal day tour so the Handspan representative contacted the Horison Hotel to confirm they had a room available and that I would be arriving a day early; the guide and driver picked me up at the Hilton at 8:00am (I had checked out) we then drove to the Tamarind Cafe where they stored my bags. We then proceeded on the 3 1/2 hour ride to Halong Bay where the guide and I were the only people on the boat. The cruise lasts about four hours; lunch (this is the best food I had in Vietnam)is served during the cruise through Halong Bay to a large cave where we disembarked for a walk through the cave. Then the boat cruises back to the dock where the van was waiting; if I had wanted to swim I could have but kayaking didn't appear to be an option. Then the return ride to Hanoi, on which we were joined by the Captain of the boat who lived in a small town between Hanoi and Halong Bay; we were also joined by another guide who needed a lift back to Hanoi. The Halong Bay tour was the highlight of my Hanoi stay, mainly because it afforded an opportunity to speak at length with people who were more than willing to discuss any topic of interest. Also it was more of an exchange of information than just me asking questions and the guides answering; they asked almost as many questions as I did. It made for a very enjoyable day, with the 3 1/2 hour drive times and 4 our cruise time passing very quickly. Upon returning to Hanoi we picked up my luggage and proceeded to the Horison Hotel where I had booked my next three nights. The Horison seemed to cater more to Asian business travelers; if I had it to do over I would opt for the Sofitel Plaza. The reason I opted to change hotels is because I wanted to be within walking distance of the sites; the lake and old market on the first day; the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, home and museum on the third day;the Museum of Fine Arts (bought some original art work as Christmas gifts - thanks again Kathie) and the Temple of Literature on the fourth day. The time spent in Hanoi was about right; it could have been one day less but then it would have been rushed.
I'm still trying to figure out if the adventure is worth the long travel time to get there and back. By the way, when I approached people on the streets to confirm I was heading in the right direction; although they spoke no English at all and could only look at my map and try to interpret my hand gestures, all tried to help get me on the correct street. Having said all of this and as much as I found everyone so helpful and pleasant I couldn't help but notice how serious everyone on the streets looked; how few people were smiling; no one seemed to be having fun. It is a very different and unusual city.