Ursula

Planning a Vietnam trip for next year. What is the best time to go there? Intending to travel from North (Hanoi) via Hue to South (Saigon) for about three weeks. Thanks in advance for any advice.

natasha

December and January should be good months to travel to VN. It's usually be nice and cool. <BR>

Ursula

Natasha thanks. <BR> <BR>Unfortunately, I won't be able to travel that early in the year, but rather in March. Heat is not that much of a problem. <BR>Plan to add one week in a Thailand beach resort to recover from Vietnam trip either in Hua Hin or Phuket. We'll see. <BR>Greetings from Switzerland.

fiona

sorry I can't help Ursula. When you DO go please let us know about your trip. Vietnam is somewhere I've been thinking about. I would love to hear your views!!

Ursula

Fiona: It looks as it will be April 2002. Doing some research now. Apparently, one should go before tourist invasions destroy all authenticity! Maybe, it's even too late for some places. Sure, I will let you know, once been there. But it's still a looong way to go!

fiona

I have also heard that a visit to Vietnam should be done sooner rather than later. Unfortunately I won't manage next year as we already have 2 holidays booked but would be looking at it the following year. A friend of mine went several years ago and although she is very well travelled this was one of her favourite places. she loved the people and found the war museums and the tunnels fascinating. It wasn't really the type of holiday to go on if you just want some R and R though.

Ursula

Fiona: "R and R"??? I do not have a single clue, what is meant with that? Can you explain, please. Thanks. <BR> <BR>Oh, wait, maybe it's "rest and relax"?? <BR> <BR>Well, I know it won't be THAT, that's why one other week in Thailand... ;-) is planned. In my opinion, a good solution, even if the jetlag will still be there when getting home to Europe.

fiona

Yes you guessed correctly.Sorry, it's obviously just a British phrase!!!Next summer we are going to Hong Kong and Bangkok and have chosen Koh Samui for our R and R!!

Ursula

Thanks over the Channel, Fiona. <BR> <BR>Yes, after Bangkok and Hongkong, you will definitely need to R+R too. I do love both those cities, but find HK much easier to get around. I am sure you will be happy with Koh Samui to recover. Not yet been there, just Phuket and Hua Hin.

John G

Fiona: We here in the US use the term R&R all the time. I think Ursula is German. Ursala: I had also planned to go to Vietnam in either April or early May or 2002. I also wanted to spend a few days in Cambodia. I haven't started planning yet, probably in January. Wouldn't it be funny if we were there at the same time?

mari

i'm from hawaii, and i lived in ho chi minh city from 1996 to 2000, and the heat in april and may was miserable. it's the hottest time of year, the time just before rainy season, when the heat builds and builds under heavy skies w/o relief. u will be sopping from place to place. actually, i found the period between tet (sometime in late jan-early feb) and may to be maddeningly scorching. <BR> <BR>i know there isn't much flexibility in the vacation schedules of those who've posted here, but if u don't mind a little rain, then i think october-early january is more pleasant. in terms of the best fruit selection, tho, u can't beat july, when u'll find all sorts of mangoes, lychee, longan, mangosteen, dragonfruit, durian, rambutan--in addition to the year-round varieties of bananas and papayas. after rainy season begins, there are usually brief showers daily (not a problem but a blessing, in my opinion) that help to manage the heat. and the rain makes for lovely lighting and scenery, as it does everywhere.

Ursula

Mari: Yes, you are correct, Saigon will be hot, but further north, it will be ok, I think. We plan to stay just for a short time in the very south. <BR>As you might figure out, holiday schedules are sometimes difficult to fit with everything, esp. if you want to leave for at least 3 weeks. <BR>John: Yes, it would indeed be fun to be there at the same time. Let's wait and see how things develop.

mari

hi ursula-- <BR> <BR>in february, i thought hanoi was freezing (it was probably just brisk). in july, it was more furnace-like than saigon. it's a strange feature of the weather in vn that in the summer, hanoi gets hotter than saigon. in may? i don't know, but it sounds like u have a great attitude. if it does get too hot, just do what the vnese do--stay indoors during the hottest part of the day and have a nap after lunch.

texasgirl

Mari, we're going to vietnam the first two weeks in january _ staying south mostly, from ho chi minh to hue//hoi an and mekong delta. The weather sounded perfect but now I'm worried the northernmost part of the trip might be cold? (I'd much rather have hot-hot than cold) <BR>And Ursula, we are planning now, so we may run into some of the same questions, maybe we can pool information! (and of course, we will answer questions when we get back.)

John G

Well, if it is going to be miserably hot, like Mari said, in April and May then Im not going. I went to India this past May and it was 117 in some spots! I will never go through that again. Maybe I can go in March, who knows. Oh, Ursala, I said it would be FUNNY if we were in Vietnam at the same time, not FUN. I wasn't trying to hook up with you as I have my lover traveling with me.

Ursula

John: Hm, It's ok. Did not feel any hooking up and as a matter of fact do not look for it either. ;-) <BR>Please forgive if I got something wrong. My first language is (Swiss) German and "FUNNY" and "FUN" is the same thing, isn't it? Or is there something I didn't get? <BR>PS: Where did you travel in India? Rajasthan or Kerala? Loved Rajasthan a couple of years ago and would love to visit Kerala sometime.

mari

john g-- <BR> <BR>india gets MUCH hotter than vn, one of the reasons i cd never bring myself to go. in may in ho chi minh city i think u're looking at mid-90s w/ fair humidity, which feels very hot to me bc where i'm from, 87 degrees is a nice day and 90 is a heat wave. <BR> <BR>jacky-- <BR> <BR>yes, in january hanoi will be cold, but not cold enough to snow, if that helps. depending on what climate u're used to, a sweater and windbreaker shd suffice. i read somewhere that the AVERAGE temp in hanoi in january is 16 celsius.

JOhn G

Ursula: I was in Jaipur, Delhi, Agra, and Varanasi--also went to Nepal. I enjoyed my trip very much except for the horrible heat. PS When I said funny, I meant "strange." Like if I was there and you were there visiting and I passed you by on the street and didn't know it.