Vietnam Trip For 1 Month.......Recommendations?

[Troy Tempest]

Dear All,

 

I have a friend who lives in HCMC or as he and his VN wife still call it "Saigon"......She is from the South.

 

He has done some travelling and indeed at this moment is in Quy Nhon, but VN is so BIG and he is still working, that he has only been to a few destinations outside Saigon.

 

Quy Nhon .....Beach paradise, but I live on Samui and don't need that.

 

I am asking please for your recommendations from your visits to anywhere you have been that you Really Liked in Vietnam?

 

I have already seen loads of YouTube stuff about the usual tourist venues such as HCMC, Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, etc., but I am looking for more off the "Beaten Tracks"experience.

 

Obviously, I will be travelling with Marina so please....No Dumb Answers!...It gets on yer T!Ts after a while!

 

Love Troy and Marina xxx ????

 

 

 

 

[Lacessit]

Dalat in the mountains has a temperate climate, IIRC it's a magnet for birdwatchers ( feathered variety ).

 

The water puppet show in Hanoi is well worth seeing.

[hotandsticky]

Hoi An

 

Take in Da Nang nearby then fly to Dalat

[Troy Tempest]

8 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Dalat in the mountains has a temperate climate, IIRC it's a magnet for birdwatchers ( feathered variety ).

 

The water puppet show in Hanoi is well worth seeing.

Thanks Lacessit......Souds Great!......Like I said, we are looking for unusal stuff away from the Sheep!

[Troy Tempest]

4 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Hoi An

 

Take in Da Nang nearby then fly to Dalat

Thanks Mate!......But, I forgot to say that I plan to hire a car in Saigon and drive!

[Olmate]

2 minutes ago, Troy Tempest said:

Thanks Mate!......But, I forgot to say that I plan to hire a car and drive!

Best a driver too! 

[Tropicalevo]

22 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Dalat in the mountains has a temperate climate, IIRC it's a magnet for birdwatchers ( feathered variety ).

 

The water puppet show in Hanoi is well worth seeing.

The water puppet show is a must do. Unique.

 A car in the cities will be a challenge.

Good luck.

Hanoi is my favourite break away from Thailand.

[Troy Tempest]

5 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Best a driver too! 

I appreciate your comment I have been warned that VN driving is even worse than Thai Driving.....I know that is hard to "Fathom", but I have been driving in Thailand since 2006.....I like a challenge and so maybe it would be another stepup?

 

But, I also know that whilst it is CRAZY in the Cities, once you get out it is only about as bad as Thailand!

[Troy Tempest]

3 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

The water puppet show is a must do. Unique.

 A car in the cities will be a challenge.

Good luck.

Hanoi is my favourite break away from Thailand.

Thanks Mate...I do not plan to drive through many cities, but will need to get a car in Saigon and then I only need to get out.......

 

Planning on the first 3 days in Saigon.....Then Pick up a car at the Airport and down to Vung Tau....After that looking for suggestions.

[scubascuba3]

Halong Bay junk boat trip was the most memorable for me

[Troy Tempest]

7 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

ha   just came to post this as i volunteered for 6 weeks there--Bai xep actually but would go hang out in QN...had the whole beach to myself ........

Thanks!...My mate has sent me some pics....Looks GREAT!

[Troy Tempest]

9 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Halong Bay junk boat trip was the most memorable for me

Thanks Scuba, but from what I have heard it is massively overcrowded and the Cruises are Massively Over Priced?

 

Did you get a good deal?

 

[couchpotato]

SAPA in the North..can go by train from Hanoi (or drive). Great area--beautiful scenery.

HOI AN is lovely and agree with other posters on DALAT...and good roads around that area for driving.

I also enjoyed HUE.  The lake area (old town) in HANOI is excellent for walking around, and small quaint hotels to stay at.

[Troy Tempest]

13 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

I was at a GH called Haven...secluded beach in a village..next door was a 5 star resort

 

got best of both worlds   mountains and beach....cute gals who wanted to practice english and bahn mi's!!!!!!     

Thanks...Maybe I'll leave Marina on her "Sea Bed" for this trip?

[scubascuba3]

26 minutes ago, Troy Tempest said:

Thanks Scuba, but from what I have heard it is massively overcrowded and the Cruises are Massively Over Priced?

 

Did you get a good deal?

 

When i went wasn't too bad a price and wasn't over crowded so depends i guess, time of year etc. If it's too expensive don't go

[biervoormij]

I only did the tourist trail in Vietnam but the one place I visited that no one has talked about is Ninh Binh.  Hope you have a great trip and please update us when you return on what you found to be the highlights.

[Troy Tempest]

7 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

SAPA in the North..can go by train from Hanoi (or drive). Great area--beautiful scenery.

HOI AN is lovely and agree with other posters on DALAT...and good roads around that area for driving.

I also enjoyed HUE.  The lake area (old town) in HANOI is excellent for walking around, and small quaint hotels to stay at.

Thanks CP...Exactly the type of info I was looking for!

[Troy Tempest]

5 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

When i went wasn't too bad a price and wasn't over crowded so depends i guess, time of year etc. If it's too expensive don't go

Not really worried about the price, but from the YouTube vids I have seen it looks like what should be a paradise ruined by Tourism!

[Troy Tempest]

1 hour ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

win on the thunderbirds avatar btw!!!!

Thanks!...Actually it is from Stingray, but same producers.

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, Troy Tempest said:

Not really worried about the price, but from the YouTube vids I have seen it looks like what should be a paradise ruined by Tourism!

Don't forget, you are part of the tourism

[Troy Tempest]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Don't forget, you are part of the tourism

Oh Yeah! .....But, I have learned to put up with myself ....Well most of the time anyway.

 

At least I know who is "Pulling the Strings"!

 

[Troy Tempest]

3 hours ago, biervoormij said:

I only did the tourist trail in Vietnam but the one place I visited that no one has talked about is Ninh Binh.  Hope you have a great trip and please update us when you return on what you found to be the highlights.

Wow!.....Thank you so much....I had a look at Ninh Binh images....I will go there Deffo!

 

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&sca_esv=562326839&q=ninh+ninh&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwijyMe5qo6BAxV13AIHHQ4uC0wQ0pQJegQIDhAB&biw=1280&bih=539&dpr=1.5

 

[GregBow]

5 hours ago, Troy Tempest said:

Dear All,

 

I have a friend who lives in HCMC or as he and his VN wife still call it "Saigon"......She is from the South.

 

He has done some travelling and indeed at this moment is in Quy Nhon, but VN is so BIG and he is still working, that he has only been to a few destinations outside Saigon.

 

Quy Nhon .....Beach paradise, but I live on Samui and don't need that.

 

I am asking please for your recommendations from your visits to anywhere you have been that you Really Liked in Vietnam?

 

I have already seen loads of YouTube stuff about the usual tourist venues such as HCMC, Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, etc., but I am looking for more off the "Beaten Tracks"experience.

 

Obviously, I will be travelling with Marina so please....No Dumb Answers!...It gets on yer T!Ts after a while!

 

Love Troy and Marina xxx ????

 

 

 

 

Saigon to DaNang to Hue - Imperial Palace. Have a beer and feed at the DMZ bar would suggest Dalat and Pleiku if you can and just work your way round to Hanoi , Halong bay. Lao Cai / Sapa see the mountains and rice terraces.

Eat local foods all good. Enjoy and remember what side of the road you should legally be on - but locals may not, as per here watch out for unlit vehicles at night.

Enjoy 

[Troy Tempest]

1 minute ago, GregBow said:

Saigon to DaNang to Hue - Imperial Palace. Have a beer and feed at the DMZ bar would suggest Dalat and Pleiku if you can and just work your way round to Hanoi , Halong bay. Lao Cai / Sapa see the mountains and rice terraces.

Eat local foods all good. Enjoy and remember what side of the road you should legally be on - but locals may not, as per here watch out for unlit vehicles at night.

Enjoy 

Thanks GB....Checked them out on Google and all look Great.

 

Very good advice about driving.....I am English so used to driving on the left unlike most Thais (particularly when on motorbikes).

 

However, I have worked and driven in many countries that drive on the right including USA, many European and Middle East countries and somehow I have managed to live this long.....I have learned to drive Defensively wherever I am!

 

Also, I never drive at night (After Dark) in SEA if I can avoid it!

 

Except of course in Emergencies!

 

 

 

[biervoormij]

14 minutes ago, Troy Tempest said:

Wow!.....Thank you so much....I had a look at Ninh Binh images....I will go there Deffo!

 

You may want to look at Cat Ba island as a different approach to Halong Bay. I took a boat from Halong city through Halong Bay and it dropped me off at Cat Ba. I enjoyed 2 nights on the island and don't recall the island being really touristy. That was 15 years ago so no idea how it is now.

[Troy Tempest]

10 minutes ago, biervoormij said:

You may want to look at Cat Ba island as a different approach to Halong Bay. I took a boat from Halong city through Halong Bay and it dropped me off at Cat Ba. I enjoyed 2 nights on the island and don't recall the island being really touristy. That was 15 years ago so no idea how it is now.

Thanks for the tip....I like the sound of that!...

 

As you say it was 15 years ago and many places have changed, but i will take a look and report back in AF after my trip.

 

Of course I could have Googled Trip Advisor, Lonely Planet, etc., but I prefer to get information from Real People who have experienced places without any vested interest in promoting a place without trying to sell me something!

[scorecard]

4 hours ago, couchpotato said:

SAPA in the North..can go by train from Hanoi (or drive). Great area--beautiful scenery.

HOI AN is lovely and agree with other posters on DALAT...and good roads around that area for driving.

I also enjoyed HUE.  The lake area (old town) in HANOI is excellent for walking around, and small quaint hotels to stay at.

" The lake area (old town) in HANOI is excellent for walking around, and small quaint hotels to stay at."

 

Agree, and there's areas within the old quarter with wonderful old German, Dutch, French architecture, etc.

 

Very friendly helpful people, lots of English spoken.

[Troy Tempest]

23 minutes ago, scorecard said:

" The lake area (old town) in HANOI is excellent for walking around, and small quaint hotels to stay at."

 

Agree, and there's areas within the old quarter with wonderful old German, Dutch, French architecture, etc.

 

Very friendly helpful people, lots of English spoken.

Thank you SC....I have heard good and bad reports about Hanoi, but I believe the Architecture and Food in many parts is heavily influenced by the French Colonisation which should make for a very interesting visit, particularly for my GF who has never ventured outside Thailand.

 

She is from Sakon Nakhon and so could easily be mistaken for VN or Lao, but does not speak any languages other than Thai in Various Dialects and Broken English!

 

If we go somewhere where they may speak French or Viet-English I will have to translate for her for once, which should be a laugh! ????

[LALes]

The road from Danang to Hue over Hai Van Pass is spectacular.  Best way to do it is to drive.  Don't get into the tunnel that goes thru the mountain.  Take the old pass road if you can.  I did it in an old Russian Lada back in 1993, before the tunnel was built to accomodate heavy trucks and busses.  I'm not sure what the rules are about cars now.

[Kalorymetr]

Impossible to rent a legit car without a driver.