Vietnam - September 2015
 

First trip Vietnam, but loads of other trips all over SEA.
Any comments welcomed...

Day 1: Arrive at 1250 HCMC with Qatar Airways
Day 2: HCMC
Day 3: Fly Vietjet to Dalat (50 minute flight)
Day 4: Dalat (Le Petit Paris and City of Eternal Spring))
Day 5: Dalat
Day 6: Dalat
Day 7: Dalat
Day 8: Fly Vietnam Airways to Da Nang (80 minute flight). Bus (60 minutes) to Hoi An
Day 9: Hoi An
Day10: Hoi An
Day 11: Hoi An
Day 12: Hoi An
Day 13: Hoi An
Day 14: Bus to Danang. Stay overnight
Day 15: Train to Hue (3 hours) - v.scenic
Day 16: Hue
Day 17: Hue
Day 18: Hue
Day 19: Train (sleeper?) to Nimh Binh
Day 19: Nimh Binh
Day 20: Nimh Binh
Day 21: Train to Hanoi (3 hours)
Day 22: Hanoi
Day 23: Hanoi
Day 24: Hanoi (possible Halong trip)
Day 25: Hanoi (possible Halong trip)
Day 26: Hanoi
Day 27: Fly Vietjet to HCMC. Overnight HCMC.
Day 28: Evening flight to London

Flights booked from LHR-SGN with Qatar Airways via Doha. Cheaper to fly into HCMC than to Hanoi.
Internal flights booked with Vietjet and Vietnam Airways. Inexpensive and website easy to use.
Visa on Arrival (US$10 for approval letter + US$45 on arrival for stamp).

That is a whole lot longer than I would want in Hoi An. Don't miss the museum in Danang.

Thanks. What in particular didn't you like about Hoi An?

If you do Halong, do more time in Hanoi. How about Sapa?

If you go to Halong, I'd add a day in Hanoi. I'd also add a day (or two!) in HCMC. Maybe remove those days from Hoi An? I believe the weather is also pretty bad in Hoi An that time of year.

Hoi An is attractive but very, very touristy. Great place if you want to have some clothes made, but there are better places if you want to feel like you're in Vietnam.

I would spend more time in Hanoi, and agree with posters above that you could cut time in Hoi An.

Sapa is very worthwhile as an alternative to Ha Long Bay. It's easy to book either of these trips only a few days in advance, you will have a better idea of the likely weather then.

In HCMC the War Remnants Museum was very moving for me.
Try all the street food !

FWIW I think you should add a day or two to Saigon, loads to see and some great food there. I would highly recommend 'Ms Yangs home stay. I would suggest a couple of days in the delta but not sure about the weather at that time of year.

Dalat is a good base for exploring the central highlands Buon Ma Thuot etc and some of the
montangnard Villages etc. but otherwise 4 days is too much.

As an alternative to flying Dalat to Danang, you could get the bus say to Nha Trang and the train from there. Good call on the Danang-Hue train ride. Great views IF the weather is kind.

I agree with thursdaysd re too much time in Hoi An. Quaint and pretty yes but overrun with tourists. A couple of days is enough unless you are looking for beach time. Apparently there is now a fee for entering the town!

Halong bay doesn't do it for me but many like it. Bali tu long is perhaps a quieter and better option.

Sapa is worth considering as is Ha Giang. If you are into trekking then you could combine Ninh Binh with a trek to some of the less visited villages. Great experience. We used Ethnic Travel in the old town.

Some more info and photos on our time there earlier this this year on our blog.

http://accidentalnomads.com/category/vietnam/

Craig, needmorevacation, thursdaysd, sartoric, and crellston. Thanks for all that, much appreciated.
We're committed as far as Day 8, but it's back to the drawing board with the rest of the trip.
Love your blog crellston, I think I'll be giving it a bit of attention.

I've discounted doing much travel by road, due to the horrendous accident statistics in Vietnam. We survived the Prithvi Highway in Nepal between Kathmandu and Pokhara in both directions last year. But journeys like that on roads like that certainly focus your mind. So even though the action and local life is at ground level and not 20,000 feet, there are times when the head must rule over the heart.

And after reading crellston's experience of long distances on Vietnam Railways I think we'll stick to relatively short rail trips like Danang to Hue, and between Nimh Binh and Hanoi.

I rather enjoyed the trains - aside from a truly horrendous night train to Sapa - but they didn't win any prizes for comfort. They were a good way to meet locals.

Surprised by the accident statistics. Looking at the city traffic, you expect an accident at any moment, but I never saw one. My first visit (2002) I took open tour buses south from Hue with a detour to Mui Ne and I don't remember the roads being that bad. Certainly nothing like Nepal.

I found travelling by road in Vietnam reasonably ok. Much better than in Cambodia where my wife actually got hit by a car!
The one exception in Vietnam was on a bus journey back to Saigon from Cantho. 10 mins into the journey the driver switches on his iPad and starts watching a movie whilst driving!!! Karma rules in Vietnam....

I enjoyed the train journey along the length of the Reunification Express, a long held ambition - I just didn't get any sleep! To be fair , I don't sleep that much anyway but the track and suspension in Vietnam are pretty rough to say the least so it doesn't make for a comfortable ride.

A couple of short trips in the main compartments is a great way to meet and speak with the local people, but you will usually have to make the first moves as they tend to be quite reserved. Once they get going, there is no stopping them!

LL Notwithstanding your comments re road travel, have you looked at Easy Riders around Dalat?

<<<LL Notwithstanding your comments re road travel, have you looked at Easy Riders around Dalat?>>>

I've never been on a motor bike! I got put off for life when my brother was a very lucky pillion-rider in a fatal accident a long time ago.

Easy Riders does look a great way to go though...

http://dalat-easyrider.com.vn/

Thanks again [and thursdaysd].

Saigon deserves more time.

Hi.

Congrats on your upcoming trip.

Like other travelers I think you have too much time in Hoi An, even if you were to love it. I stayed 4 nights at a beautiful beach resort and still wish I only had 2 nights. For me, I would have added the days to Hanoi or Luang Prabang where we also went. Hoi An was enchanting enough but not a relaxing place if that's what you want and not authentic enough if that is what you desire. Highlights were a few lovely meals and a cooking class. Disappointments was the beach, the tailor and the crowds. It was also unbearably hot.

However, I did love Ha Long Bay. Choose your junk wisely and choose your offered activities wisely too so you can slow down and relax on the beautiful bay to see the sights. For me it was well worth one night, especially since I had a few extra days in Hanoi.

Good luck.

One more thing, I'm jealous do your time in Dalat and can't wait to hear about it.

Why no HCMC? I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but I loved it and found it exciting, authentic and had some of the best meals on the trip. There are some unique historical sights as well, though not as beautiful as Hanoi. I was so pleased to have had 3 nights there.

Take care.

LL - I do see your point. I understand that Easy Riders will offer similar trips to their motorbike excursions by car if preferred. Dalat is ok for a day or two byputvthe best of the highland is to be found out in the countryside and villages.

Agree about less time in hoi an, although I found it charming. IMO two 1/2 days would be fine in hue. We loved sapa and did not consider the train to be horrendous. In fact, we were able to get a 4 person berth and slept fine. It isn't the smoothest of rides though!

Just came across a few cautionary newspaper articles...

- Speeding buses...

http://www.thanhniennews.com/society...nam-42810.html

- Afloat on Halang Bay...

http://www.thanhniennews.com/society...bay-42818.html

- Theft on tourist boats...

http://www.thanhniennews.com/society...oat-39876.html

and a good reason to keep your 'bling' out of sight..

http://www.thanhniennews.com/society...eet-42811.html

LL - the trains will be safer than the roads, but if you want first world safety standards you need to stay in the first world.