We'll be arriving in HCMC on 2/29. Looking for a middle range hotel. Any suggestions?

Also....heading north. How to travel? Mini bus. Any info on Vietnam most appreciated.

Try the New World.

And head north as fast as possible unless you're going out to the delta. HCMC was the least interesting place we visited in a three week trip to Vietnam in December.

We flew, it can be cheap depending on where you are going. And the roads can be terrible and very slow going.

We stayed at the Majestic Hotel in HCMC in January 2003. I booked through http://www.planetholiday.com/, we paid $71 per night including a great breakfast.

We flew between cities in Vietnam, as the roads can be pretty treacherous. We witnessed many accidents on our day trips. Flying is not too expensive, especially if you wait to book once you arrive in Vietnam. We didn't pay more than $60 per flight.

How easy is it to book flights out of Hanoi and HCMC? We're considering 2-3 wks in June or August and worry that if we wait to book inner flights there and to Ankor or Laos, that we'll end up waiting days for a flight.
Do you book directly with the airlines or a TA
suggestions please

We stayed at the Palace in Nguyen Hue St booked thru vietnamstay.com USD45 dble inc bfast. Vietnam airlines is in same street. Go in, take a ticket, wait and pay for air ticket anywhere. Travel agents are in most hotels or on each street. In Hanoi we booked via Dan Chu hotel's agent in the foyer Hanoi to Hue USD60. vietnamstay can do all for you (they cost a little more)and will meet at your hotel and you pay. Otherwise you can fax cr car details-costs 3-4% more though. Check with bangkok airlines if their USD285 travelpass from BKK to Luang Prabang/Danang/Siem Reap/BKK is still current-we saw it at their office in LP. Great value. email me if I can help further.