Favorite cities in Vietnam?

[goreme]

Aside from HCMC, what are other cities in Vietnam worth considering for potential long-term stay(6mos+)?

[bendejo]

I admit that I do not like VN, but while there I visited a town called Da Lat. I think it's what the Brits in India days would have called a 'hill station.' It's not on the coast, the area is cool, lush and green outside of town. Seemed quite nice.

[pbay]

Hoi An is a very nice place to stay, small but has two beaches and a water quarter with bars and restaurants, not too far from Da Nang.

[lovetotravel]

Nha Trang seems to have quite a few expats. Da Lat is beautiful, but I think I'd get bored after a few weeks. Few foreigners there, not many places to shop, not much to do. But beautiful! I guess the same might be said for Hoi An?

Have you been in VN before?

[baywatch82]

Nha Trang.
Nice and very long beach.

Snorkeling all day trip with buffet lunch costs you about 300 baht.

You can find beer (beer Saigon) for about 20 baht in bars.

Good nightlife.

Cheap food. Buffet breakfast in some hotels for about 100 baht. Big baguette with meat and veggies for 20 baht on the street stalls.

Accommodation not expensive. I was staying in nice hotel close to the beach for 400 baht night.

And my favorite : hair cut - blow job shops. You can have the work done (not haircut) for 200 baht.

Great amusement park - Vinpearl - you can be there all day and use all rides, water park, shows etc for about 650 baht.

City is full of Russians, some people might not like it.

[goreme]

I admit that I do not like VN, but while there I visited a town called Da Lat. I think it's what the Brits in India days would have called a 'hill station.' It's not on the coast, the area is cool, lush and green outside of town. Seemed quite nice.

What do you dislike about Vietnam?

[goreme]

Nha Trang.

Nice and very long beach.

Snorkeling all day trip with buffet lunch costs you about 300 baht.

You can find beer (beer Saigon) for about 20 baht in bars.

Good nightlife.

Cheap food. Buffet breakfast in some hotels for about 100 baht. Big baguette with meat and veggies for 20 baht on the street stalls.

Accommodation not expensive. I was staying in nice hotel close to the beach for 400 baht night.

And my favorite : hair cut - blow job shops. You can have the work done (not haircut) for 200 baht.

Great amusement park - Vinpearl - you can be there all day and use all rides, water park, shows etc for about 650 baht.

City is full of Russians, some people might not like it.

Do they tend be loud, belligerent types creating a lot of drama?

[bendejo]

What do you dislike about Vietnam?

It's personal. Let's leave it at that.

[puck2]

I admit that I do not like VN, but while there I visited a town called Da Lat. I think it's what the Brits in India days would have called a 'hill station.' It's not on the coast, the area is cool, lush and green outside of town. Seemed quite nice.

• Don't miss the "crazy house" in Da Lat. Google "Da Lat crazy house". It's really a good value for every dollar you have to pay. Hang Na, the owner, is an interesting lady. Don't know if she is still there.
• Xuan Huong Lake
• Bao Dai's sommer palace

I liked Hanoi, too

• Hi Chi Min's Mausoleum
• Hoan Kiem Lake in the Center with it's turtle pagoda and - not far away - the old market
• Water Puppet Theater (a must !)
• Van Mieu (literature temple)
• Chua Mot Cot (one pillar pagoda)
• etc.

Hue, the old capital

• Thai Hoa Palace (of former emperors) with the Halls of the Mandarins
• by biycle out of Hue, Lang Tam, the tombs of former emperors

Sapa + mountain Fansipan near tothe Chinese boder in the North

[jollyrog]

What do you dislike about Vietnam?

It's personal. Let's leave it at that.

Damn car horns almost 24 hours.........2009 never got used to them.

Da Nang.......Down town or China Beach.....day trips South to Hoi An........North to Dong Ha overnite. If you rent motorcycles even more fun......like Chiang Mai on steroids (with horns). Good food and friendly people. Great RnR destination.

[Jimlove]

I like Hoi An with 2 great beaches - can drive to Da Nang in 30 min, also very nice Beach - take train to Hue, magnificent beautiful town - Da Lat beautiful green landscape

Cons : constant horns from cars and bikes ...

Pros : Everything else ... ½ l. Saigon Beer in restaurant 17B - Best food in the World (say my TW) and 50% of thai Price - Superior clean beaches, sunbed 30B, not the cesspools we see in Thailand ...

As Baywatch82 say the Hairsalons are not to get a haircut but for pleasure ... less than 50% of thai price and the VN-girls are IMO more sexy than thai-girls

Vietnam will no doubt be "the new Thailand", just a lot better ...

[rocketboybkk]

Really want to visit the 'Nam'

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lovetotravel]

I like Hoi An with 2 great beaches - can drive to Da Nang in 30 min, also very nice Beach - take train to Hue, magnificent beautiful town - Da Lat beautiful green landscape

Cons : constant horns from cars and bikes ...

Pros : Everything else ... ½ l. Saigon Beer in restaurant 17B - Best food in the World (say my TW) and 50% of thai Price - Superior clean beaches, sunbed 30B, not the cesspools we see in Thailand ...

As Baywatch82 say the Hairsalons are not to get a haircut but for pleasure ... less than 50% of thai price and the VN-girls are IMO more sexy than thai-girls

Vietnam will no doubt be "the new Thailand", just a lot better ...

Vietnam is the only country in the world where a scooter honked at me to get out of their way. While I was walking down the sidewalk!

Next trip, I'm going to bring that horn that connects to a can of compressed air so I can honk back! It does drive you crazy. Horrible drivers.

[JMWPACIFIC]

Hanoi is my favorite for vibrancy, easy to walk around, crowded with motorcycles but no maniacs drivers like TH. Nha Trang great for relaxing, beach, eating etc. but reportedly overrun with Russians since my last trip. Hoi An for total relaxation, quiet World Heritage site, great service and food.

[Spaniel]

I recommend Nha Trang.

[smokie36]

I found Hue very relaxing....not sure for six months worth though!

[goreme]

I like Hoi An with 2 great beaches - can drive to Da Nang in 30 min, also very nice Beach - take train to Hue, magnificent beautiful town - Da Lat beautiful green landscape

Cons : constant horns from cars and bikes ...

Pros : Everything else ... ½ l. Saigon Beer in restaurant 17B - Best food in the World (say my TW) and 50% of thai Price - Superior clean beaches, sunbed 30B, not the cesspools we see in Thailand ...

As Baywatch82 say the Hairsalons are not to get a haircut but for pleasure ... less than 50% of thai price and the VN-girls are IMO more sexy than thai-girls

Vietnam will no doubt be "the new Thailand", just a lot better ...

Vietnam is the only country in the world where a scooter honked at me to get out of their way. While I was walking down the sidewalk!

Next trip, I'm going to bring that horn that connects to a can of compressed air so I can honk back! It does drive you crazy. Horrible drivers.

The thing about scooters and other motor vehicles in much of SE Asia is that they are considered to have the right of way. When they honk, it's not out of aggression or to reprimand you but rather to warn that they're approaching.

As a pedestrian--and much slower moving object, it is up to you to look for gaps in the traffic making yourself clearly visible of your intentions. When you do this, other motorists will largely give you the right of way when they see which direction you're headed.

Note that despite the apparent chaos, the traffic flows and people by and large get where they need to go, with little to zero road rage or drama unlike many western countries (US/UK/AUS). So you need to get rid of the entitlement mentality of 'I have the right of way' so common in your home country.

[lovetotravel]

Understood, but it was a pedestrian only sidewalk with lots of people walking on it. NO other scooters. Except this one jerk who wanted to avoid a bit of traffic by going down the sidewalk and honking at everybody to get out of his way. LOL

[chuang]

Dalat Dalat Dalat...cool weather year round and traffic not like Hanoi/HCM....been there many times...better fly there than taking bus as it's slow and noisy....

[Spaniel]

I agree that Dalat is pretty nice (I first went there in 1969) But unless you're really looking for a slow paced place then I think most people will get bored after a month or two. Great pl;ace to visit for a few days.

[HarmonicaNomad]

I can highly recommend Da Nang.

I've lived here in Da Nang for over 1.5 years within the last 3 years (with an additional several months in Hanoi) and things have changed a lot during that period around here.

I absolutely love the Vietnamese people in Da Nang. My experience have been nothing but positive. As with everywhere, there is always the odd dumbass but I can't remember the last time I met one here.

I would recommend the beach area (My Khe Beach aka China Beach). It used to be that there was not much to be found on that side of the river but it's changing fast. You can now find Serviced Apartments quite easily, which were non-existent when we first arrived. If you love the beach, it hardly get any better than this. Voted one of the Top 10 best beach in the world a few years ago. And there's even surfing to top it off.

Hoi An is also very nice but much more touristy.

As for driving in Vietnam, I agree 100% with goreme's previous comment. I actualy love driving in Vietnam and once you figured out the organized chaos, I find it no more dangerous than driving in America and other country where road rage is a common occurance.

[craigt3365]

Actually, Vietnam's accident rate is very high. And according to the WHO, probably higher than whats reported. At least double that of the US. Road road is a huge problem here in Thailand. Can't comment on Vietnam, but in my one month of traveling from the south to the north, I was shocked at how many accidents I saw. Chaos for sure. But organized? Not so sure about that ! LOL

http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/road-traffic-accidents/by-country/

[Nice Boyd]

I admit that I do not like VN, but while there I visited a town called Da Lat. I think it's what the Brits in India days would have called a 'hill station.' It's not on the coast, the area is cool, lush and green outside of town. Seemed quite nice.

Never been , thinking about it, Why No Like, thx