Going to Vietnam and Cambodia Jan 2 for 21 days. Anyone use driver/car for travel in Nam? Did you arrange on your own when you got there or through agency in U.S. or Nam? Cost of driver/car per day? We have a rate of $83 per day for car, driver, fuel, his hotels. Seem reasonable or should we keep searching? Would it be too risky to arrive in Saigon and try to find our own driver/car? Also, with traveling South/North Nam and into Cambodia, is Japanese encephalitis a cause for concern in January?

The Vietnamese call it Vietnam.

and Saigon is now call Ho Chi Minh city.

It is officially HCMC, but everyone I met called their city Saigon.

Vietnam Railways calls it Saigon too - actually Sai Gon, as Vietnamese words only have one syllable - so the country is properly Viet Nam and the capital Ha Noi. I think the inner core of the city is considered to be Sai Gon, and the whole conurbation HCMC.

I just returned last week from 19 days in Vietnam and Cambodia. Although we booked our trip through a travel agent in HCMC, I did get the sense that the cost of driver and car were similar to what Healthone was quoted. I doubt you will do better with lot of searching. And I don't think it is worth trying to save $5 a day and getting someone with a lousy car, poor language skills and crummy customor service.

Normally, I don't think you would have any trouble finding a driver/car after arriving in Saigon. BUT you are going during Tet, which is the busiest travel time in Vietnam.

If you are staying at a major hotel your concierge should be able to connect you with a car and driver. (Be ready for heavy traffic in Saigon). But if you are going to have a single driver for the entire 21 days, and don't want to be stuck with a lemon, I'd arrange in advance.(We had four different guides, which we met at each airport).

I didn't hear a peep about Japanese encephalitis when we were there. If you seach the US Center for Disease Control that may give you an idea.

There is a cholera outbreak in Hanoi right now...not a big concern for most tourists and their levels of hygiene, but now might not be the best time to buy food from a street vendor in Hanoi!

On the subject of exact names, I think thursdaysd got it right in that post.

and Bangkok is actually Krung Thep!

The OP will not be in Vietnam during TET. TET doesn't start until the first full week in February.

Dear Healthone,
we are going to Vietnam end of April and are looking for a car and driver. Who did you book with and were you happy with them? I contacted 2 agencies and they both are much higher than what you wrote.
I'd appreciate a reply. Thank you.
Emmalein