Vietnam Family Travel Plans
Feb 17th, 2015, 04:28 PM
#41
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Lots of sights to see in Hanoi. I would definitely include:
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Stilt House
The Army Museum (near to the Mausoleum
The Temple of Literature
The Women's Museum
Spend a few hours getting lost in the old quarter - some nice restaurants there too.
A walk around Hoan Kiem Lake. Beautiful at night when lit up, also at dawn when it's misty and the Tai Chi ladies are in full swing.
The perfume pagoda makes a nice half day trip if you feel like a change from the city.
Some more detail on some of these and some photos are on our blog @
http://accidentalnomads.com
Have a great trip and do share your experiences here when you return.
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Stilt House
The Army Museum (near to the Mausoleum
The Temple of Literature
The Women's Museum
Spend a few hours getting lost in the old quarter - some nice restaurants there too.
A walk around Hoan Kiem Lake. Beautiful at night when lit up, also at dawn when it's misty and the Tai Chi ladies are in full swing.
The perfume pagoda makes a nice half day trip if you feel like a change from the city.
Some more detail on some of these and some photos are on our blog @
http://accidentalnomads.com
Have a great trip and do share your experiences here when you return.
Feb 22nd, 2015, 06:37 AM
#42
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Thanks CRELLSTON! Great blog. Do you have any insight on a day trip from either Hanoi or Hoi An where we can get a feel for the Village Tribes without going on a multiple day trip/overnight? This may be tough but would be worth it if possible to do in a day.
Also, I heard that a "SUPERHIGHWAY" was recently opened that allows a 4 hour drive from Hanoi to Sapa area. Thoughts?
Also, I heard that a "SUPERHIGHWAY" was recently opened that allows a 4 hour drive from Hanoi to Sapa area. Thoughts?
Feb 22nd, 2015, 11:26 PM
#43
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You are very welcome Geoff_Hensch. There aren't really any minority villages around Hoi An. The closest would be in the Central highlands and that is at least an overnight trek.
Closest to Hanoi would be Mai Chau. It was great 10'years ago but when we passed through this time we were quite shocked by how touristy it had gotten. When we first went there, there were two homestays in the village, now there are about 50! It could be done in a day as it is only a 3 hour drive each way and there are some delightful, unspoiled villages a couple of hours drive away. It really would be best to do an overnight trip if you can. You could always try emailing Ethnic Travel to seeif they have any ideas.
We spoke to people who had driven the new "superhighway" to Sapa with varied responses. Some said The bus companies advertised it as 4 hours but in fact it took 7. Others said that they took the bus because it said that it would use the highway and didn't - when it comes to buses in Vietnam - trust no one. Having been on numerous buses in the country, I would think twice about getting on one that went anywhere the mountains - our last driver spent most of his time watching movies on his iPad! Not great in delta, suicidal in the mountains.
You could try and source a private driver, but I recall hearing somewhere that car weren't allowed on the new road yet ( not sure if this is the case or not)
Closest to Hanoi would be Mai Chau. It was great 10'years ago but when we passed through this time we were quite shocked by how touristy it had gotten. When we first went there, there were two homestays in the village, now there are about 50! It could be done in a day as it is only a 3 hour drive each way and there are some delightful, unspoiled villages a couple of hours drive away. It really would be best to do an overnight trip if you can. You could always try emailing Ethnic Travel to seeif they have any ideas.
We spoke to people who had driven the new "superhighway" to Sapa with varied responses. Some said The bus companies advertised it as 4 hours but in fact it took 7. Others said that they took the bus because it said that it would use the highway and didn't - when it comes to buses in Vietnam - trust no one. Having been on numerous buses in the country, I would think twice about getting on one that went anywhere the mountains - our last driver spent most of his time watching movies on his iPad! Not great in delta, suicidal in the mountains.
You could try and source a private driver, but I recall hearing somewhere that car weren't allowed on the new road yet ( not sure if this is the case or not)
Mar 17th, 2015, 12:31 PM
#44
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While in Hanoi, we have a few day tours arranged that should be really nice and different. We are going to Ba Vi Mountain and Duong Lam Village Tour which is about 2 hours drive away from Hanoi and then to a Rice Paper Making Village called Tho Ha Village which is very unique and not touristic at all.
As you can imagine, being that we will be gone for these tours and out of Hanoi proper, we aren't leaving ourselves a lot of time to really "settle in" and explore Hanoi. AM I CRAZY or doing something different with my family? More different than taking the family to Vietnam that is.
As you can imagine, being that we will be gone for these tours and out of Hanoi proper, we aren't leaving ourselves a lot of time to really "settle in" and explore Hanoi. AM I CRAZY or doing something different with my family? More different than taking the family to Vietnam that is.
Mar 17th, 2015, 01:25 PM
#45
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What you choose to do in Hanoi is up to you. Be aware that there is a lot to do/see/expereince in Hanoi, so adjust your day trips to take that into consideration. We spent a week in Hanoi with just one day trip outside the city.
How much time will you have in Hanoi (not counting day trips)?
When you write "Rice Paper Making Village called Tho Ha Village which is very unique and not touristic at all" Who told you that? The tour company or a trusted friend? Expect that all such craft villages are simply selling opportunities. You may or may not be interested in the paper-making process, but make no mistake - you rebelling taken there in the hope that you will spend money.
In my decades of travel in SE Asia, I've seen a few craft village that were fascinating, most are simply glorified shopping stops. I never visit craft villages with a tour company - the company will be collecting commissions on everything you buy.
How much time will you have in Hanoi (not counting day trips)?
When you write "Rice Paper Making Village called Tho Ha Village which is very unique and not touristic at all" Who told you that? The tour company or a trusted friend? Expect that all such craft villages are simply selling opportunities. You may or may not be interested in the paper-making process, but make no mistake - you rebelling taken there in the hope that you will spend money.
In my decades of travel in SE Asia, I've seen a few craft village that were fascinating, most are simply glorified shopping stops. I never visit craft villages with a tour company - the company will be collecting commissions on everything you buy.
Mar 24th, 2015, 07:39 AM
#46
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Interesting comments Kathie, We booked our day tours outside Hanoi with our guide companies Vietnamstay and Buffalo Tours. Those 2 days are really our only two full days in or near Hanoi in addition to our pm arrival and 1/2 day prior to flying out. Therefore, most of our time in Hanoi is actually spent outside of Hanoi. I may want to change that by cancelling the 1/2 day trip to Tho Ha and explore Hanoi proper. Have three kids (ages 10,11 and 14) that I want to make sure stay engaged with the process of cultural immersion.
Mar 24th, 2015, 09:43 AM
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Kathie, Do you have any suggestions of things to do or see in Hanoi with 3 children aside from wandering? Wandering might be a fine option but museum touring is not something we typically enjoy.
Mar 24th, 2015, 10:52 AM
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Actually, the ethnographic museum might be just the thing for kids. It has traditional houses from several different ethnic groups, and is a very hands-on experience.
Walk together for a few blocks of old town - so much to see. Also, spend some time at the lake - a good place to interact with locals and a place for the kids to blow off extra energy.
Walk together for a few blocks of old town - so much to see. Also, spend some time at the lake - a good place to interact with locals and a place for the kids to blow off extra energy.
Mar 24th, 2015, 04:39 PM
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The Vietnam Military Museum may hold the attention of the kids for an a hour or so - lots of planes, tanks etc. Also close to the Ho Chi Minh complex and stilt house (probably less likely to hold their attention)
Hanoi is a fascinating place and I love the city having spent a lot of time there BUT the traffic is crazy and it takes a couple of days just to get used to crossing the road. With three children, I would be constantly on edge!
As Kathie says, Hoan Kiem lake is a relatively peaceful haven in the centre near the Old Quarter but there isn't a whole lot to keep children entertained. Nice to walk around at night when it is all lit up and at dawn when everyone is practicing Tai Chi. Traffic is a lot slower in the old quarter but it is heaving with people, locals and tourists alike.
It seems a shame to miss out on Hanoi as it is a wonderful city, but all things considered I think you are likely to get more of the "cultural immersion" you seek outside of the City. I would add that I do not know of either of the places you mention so have no way of knowing how touristy they may be. The only thing you can do is to explain VERY strongly to your operator what sort of experience you are looking for. We found Ethnic Travel to be very good in this respect but I am not sure if they are just geared up to provide longer trips.
Hanoi is a fascinating place and I love the city having spent a lot of time there BUT the traffic is crazy and it takes a couple of days just to get used to crossing the road. With three children, I would be constantly on edge!
As Kathie says, Hoan Kiem lake is a relatively peaceful haven in the centre near the Old Quarter but there isn't a whole lot to keep children entertained. Nice to walk around at night when it is all lit up and at dawn when everyone is practicing Tai Chi. Traffic is a lot slower in the old quarter but it is heaving with people, locals and tourists alike.
It seems a shame to miss out on Hanoi as it is a wonderful city, but all things considered I think you are likely to get more of the "cultural immersion" you seek outside of the City. I would add that I do not know of either of the places you mention so have no way of knowing how touristy they may be. The only thing you can do is to explain VERY strongly to your operator what sort of experience you are looking for. We found Ethnic Travel to be very good in this respect but I am not sure if they are just geared up to provide longer trips.
Sep 16th, 2015, 03:00 PM
#51
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Never wrote a follow up to our fabulous Vietnam Vacation. Truly amazing it was. We are now inspired to travel to distant destinations due to the success of this family vacation. Hoi An, Halong Bay, Hanoi were all awesome and seen at a reasonable pace.
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