millie2112

I am going to book a trip to Vietnam in th next few days for an end of October Holiday.. flying out on 26th of October. I live in Melbourne Australia and have been checking out the airfares. I will book on Vietnam Airlines as it seems to be the better option.

I am conflicted about where to go. This is my first time and I really do want to do all the touristy things. It will be myself (62) and my husband(69), both fit and active and well travelled in Asia.

these are my ideas.
Option 1: 4 days in HCMC , 7 days in Hoi An staying at the beach and doing day trips to surrounding areas.
Option 2: 4 days HCMC, 4 days Hoi An, 4 days Hanoi.

wondering if Option 2 will be too rushed for us given we have to go back to an airport every 3 days.

also any comments re my hotel choices
HCMC : Au Lac Charner Hotel
Hoi An : Boutique Hotel Hoi An
Hanoi: Not sure

I was going to do day trips using Hotel services. Or does anyone have any recomendation on tour companies to use for day trips.

any advice would be appreciated.

thanks Millie

crellston

We flew Vietnam Airways form London to Sydney via Hanoi and Saigon . The flight from and to London was ok as it was on a newer aircraft but the leg between Vietnam an oz was not so good. You are correct though, they do offer some cracking deals at the moment.

Saigon and Hanoi both offer a huge amount to do. On balance, I would be inclined to spend slightly more time in Hanoi, not because of any particular preference, it just has more sights to see. OTOH Saigon makes it very easy to explore the Mekong delta for a couple of days.

The weather however, could be an issue for you . October sees mixed weather in both Hanoi and Saigon but later in the month will likely see bluer skies and less rain. We were in Hanoi the first week of October last year and the weather wasn't great, number of typhoons travelling up the coast with some heavy rain on the week we were there. In central Vietnam, Hoi An and Hue is the height of the rainy season, often with storms and floods. You may be lucky but forewarned is forearmed.

Weather aside, we are very slow travellers and have spent weeks at time in these places but for a first taste of Vietnam I think three locations is good. You can mitigate the loss of "usable" time by taking early flights etc so as not tow waste a whole day. Even taking and overnight train can work if you are up for a mini adventure.

Some more detail on that and our travels in Vietnam on our blog @ https://accidentalnomads.com/category/vietnam/

I dont know those hotels you mention but if I get moment I will check them out. In Hanoi we stayed at La Siesta Premium Hang Be a nice mid range place and were very happy with our choice

millie2112

thank you so much for your reply. I am looking at trains now. And will have a read of your blog. Very excited to be going and am trying to do as much research as possible.
The weather being an issue is something I have not really considered.

laurieco

Oh millie, there are always things we neglect to consider. I failed to consider, didn't even think of it, that I would be in Vietnam during Tet.

I'm glad that crellston has posted on this thread for you. He gives great advice. I always look for his posts. I will say that I like your option 2. You get three wonderful places and enough time to relax a bit. I think Saigon, Hanoi and Hoi An are places that everyone should get to.

DinHo

Option 2 looks better!
Plan B in case of bad weather in Danang/ Hoian at that time is add those days to North.

millie2112

Thank you all.. Option 2 it is. I have booked and paid for my airfare.. easy peasy on line with Vietnam airlines.

crellston

You are very welcome Millie. Ask away if you have any questions. Vietnam is a wonderful country , amazing landscapes, great people and the food is IMHO the best in Asia. I am sure you will have a wonderful time

laurieco

That’s great millie! I’m so excited for you. I think it’s safe to predict that you’ll fall in love with the country and one trip there will not be enough.

conchuthongphai

greAT,

crellston

Thank you for your insightful contribution.

CounterClifton

I'd likely choose option 2, but that's to our tastes.

Absolutely fell in love with Hanoi. We were there 6 days in total and could have stayed longer. Not particularly seeking out sights even, though we visited a few. Just taking walks through "laneways" , taking a day trip, etc. It's an interesting mixture of old and new; traditional, colonial, and modern; with lots of leafy areas to check out. And the fooooood!

Hoi An is beautifully restored in the historic center but to us, our 2.5 days staying in that area felt a lot like staying inside a museum or small theme park. Very nice and certainly looks the part but if I'm honest, not as atmospheric as we'd have thought from having seen photos beforehand. Almost everything inside the area is a t-shirt shop or ice cream parlour or gallery, all with carefully matching themed signs. Good tourism services but fairly devoid of life outside one's fellow tourists, hospitality workers and a few touts near the bridge trying to sell lanterns and glow sticks. I went out to the My Son ruins early one morning (peaceful) and we took cooking classes in the afternoons. The remaining time seemed more than we needed to look around the historic town itself and we found ourselves going over the same ground again. But then, we're not beach or shopping people so those things would add time. There were a *lot* of huge hotel-resorts going up along the beach from DaNang to Hoi An.

Editing to Add: I see now that you've already decided. (Reminder to self to read threads and not just the original question.) Hope you have lots of fun and escape this Melbourne cold! VN easily became our favourite country for all the above mentioned reasons. So friendly, beautiful, such good food. I have to agree -- it's greAT! lol

millie2112

Thank you so muc CC.. It just makes me all the more happier that I booked. We were tossing up between Japan and Vietnam. Although Japan will be next year.

hungten

Note that in October, central Vietnam may have storms. October weather in Hanoi is very pleasant and worth experiencing

HappyTrvlr

millie, in Hanoi else enjoyed our stay at the Sofitel Metropole Hotel. It is located in the embassy area, good dining. We had a wonderful experience staying there.

millie2112

thank you Happy Trvlr, that looks like a great hotel. I will investigate.
I have booked Imperial Boutique Hotel which is on the other side in the 'old quarter', which I am a bit iffy about.

and, I know that end of Oct/Nov the weather in the middle of Vietnam may be a problem, so will organise a Plan B.