First timer to Vietnam

[chang14]

Hey all,

Planning a visit to Vietnam after my trip to Cambodia.

Can anyone recommend places to visit.

[craigt3365]

Great place to start your research:

http://www.travelfish.org/country/vietnam

Best if you do some initial research and then come back with specific questions. Good luck!!

[slerickson]

Great place to start your research:

http://www.travelfish.org/country/vietnam

Best if you do some initial research and then come back with specific questions. Good luck!!

I coincidentally am also planning a trip to Vietnam in February to get out of smoke filled N Thailand. I have been reading through the Travelfish site and found it helpful. I plan to take a month and go from Hanoi to Saigon taking in Ha Long City, Nha Trang, Hue, DMZ along the way.

The author stated about Vietnam:

"It's the only country in Southeast Asia of which we've heard people say they would never, ever return, alleging it’s a veritable snakepit of scams and hassle. Yikes!"

So from TV members I'd love to hear their take on the above quote and any of the must do off the beaten path things to see/do as well as what things on the beaten path to avoid.

[craigt3365]

There are scams everywhere. The worst I've ever experienced were in Venice and Moscow! But had a few pulled on me in Vietnam. Taxis are a problem. People asking for English lessons. Or selling Nike shoes. Companies with the same name are a big problem. And being constantly harassed by kids asking for money is another.

It's all part of the joy of traveling.

But it's like going back 30 years in time. I loved Vietnam and can't wait to go back. You'll have a great trip!!!

Not sure if you are into motorcycles, but there's suppose to be an outfit that does rides up in the hills around DaLat, etc. Great reviews from those who've done this.

[Jamin123]

A family member and I just came back and I didn't see not one kid asking for money. All the kids I saw were in school uniform and seem busy with their study. We started in the south and ended in the north. I must say I wasn't fond of the taxis and market venders because they hiked the prices for all foreigners. I felt very safe and found it cheap. I'm going back in a couple of months. What to see and where to go just check with your hotels. every hotel sell sightseeing tours and bus tickets. I found some hotels were very pushy to sell tours. Tours were relatively inexpensive such as $7 day tour including lunch.

[slerickson]

A family member and I just came back and I didn't see not one kid asking for money. All the kids I saw were in school uniform and seem busy with their study. We started in the south and ended in the north. I must say I wasn't fond of the taxis and market venders because they hiked the prices for all foreigners. I felt very safe and found it cheap. I'm going back in a couple of months. What to see and where to go just check with your hotels. every hotel sell sightseeing tours and bus tickets. I found some hotels were very pushy to sell tours. Tours were relatively inexpensive such as $7 day tour including lunch.

How long did you travel. How did you travel in country? Saigon better or worse than Bangkok?

[Jamin123]

We were their 1 month and found it as safe as Thailand but a bit more expensive. After a long distance bus station quoted us ticket price higher than train, we decided to travel only by train. We avoided taxi and instead used local bus to get around the city. In Saigon people stared at foreigners like they're aliens but not so in Hanoi. I believe the reason is that they have fewer tourist. The cheapest way to travel between Sagon and Hanoi is to buy a bus ticket through your hotel which make 10 stops to include budget hotels.

[willyumiii]

I seem to recall the Vietnamese people winning a war.

Siagon is now Ho Chi Minh City.

[Linky]

I was in Da Nang a couple of montha ago. Its about half way from HCM and Hanoi. Its on the coast. Nice town, quite vibrant. Many hotels on the river that are good for the price. If you dont want to be in the town can chose to stay at the beach, its only a couple of km away. China Beach is there.

Hoi An is very close, I didnt visit HoinAn but hear it is very nice.

[craigt3365]

A family member and I just came back and I didn't see not one kid asking for money. All the kids I saw were in school uniform and seem busy with their study. We started in the south and ended in the north. I must say I wasn't fond of the taxis and market venders because they hiked the prices for all foreigners. I felt very safe and found it cheap. I'm going back in a couple of months. What to see and where to go just check with your hotels. every hotel sell sightseeing tours and bus tickets. I found some hotels were very pushy to sell tours. Tours were relatively inexpensive such as $7 day tour including lunch.

You were lucky! One woman I met had money stolen out of her pockets by a bunch of kids. They all got close to her and ended up with her cash.

They don't always beg, but try to sell postcards or something like that. Doesn't bother me, but I keep an eye on my stuff when they get too close.

http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/vietnam-province-asks-tourists-to-stop-giving-kids-money-to-end-begging-54205.html

Interesting list of scams in Vietnam. Don't worry too much, but good to be aware:

http://www.vietnamonline.com/planning/common-travel-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them.html

[slerickson]

I got accosted by kids in Italy like that. I would shout in German and they'd disappear.

[BangkokHank]

After living in Bangkok for 20 years, I recently moved to Vietnam (about 9 months ago) - Ho Chi Minh City, to be exact.

So far I've visited Hoi An, Danang, Hue, Dalat, Hanoi and Sapa.

I just got back from my trip to Hanoi and Sapa, and it was wonderful. First of all, regarding Sapa: if I had known there was such a place so close to Thailand, I would have visited it often while I was living there. If you are ever tired of the Thai heat, Sapa is a place to get cool - while seeing some gorgeous mountain scenery. (I have some photos, but I can't get them to upload.) The temperature got down to 7 degrees while I was there in late November- and that was in the daytime. There are daily buses to Sapa from Hanoi that take about 6 hours to get there. There are also night trains which are very popular, but they take much longer - and only take you as far as Lao Cai (a pleasant enough place too), from which you have to take a bus an hour up the mountain to Sapa. The main drawback to Sapa is that it can be foggy and rainy. It wasn't for most of my stay there, but it did fog up on my last couple of day. And if it is foggy, you really can't see much - which is a shame given the beautiful mountain scenery. But should you go there and find the weather unfavorable, just spend a short time there - and head back to Hanoi.

As for Hanoi: The Old Quarter of Hanoi is absolutely a joy to explore. I spent a couple of days there on my way to and from Sapa, but that wasn't enough. I will go back there for a full week as soon as I can. At this time of year it's also very pleasantly cool - in the upper teens / low twenties, vs. the mid-30s here in Ho Chi Minh City now.

Dalat is also nice and cool. It's much easier to get to from Ho Chi Minh City - there are direct flights with Viet Jet, the local discount airline, that bring you there in less than an hour - and for around 3,000 baht return - if you book in advance. The city itself is not much to look at (although it's not bad), but the real beauty is in the surrounding countryside.

In the center of the country, close to each other, are Danang (Vietnam's fifth-largest city), Hue and Hoi An. Danang is a very friendly place, but it doesn't have much in the way of tourist attractions. Hue is also a good-sized city that is usually visited for its walled fortress and palace. (It is a former imperial capital.) And the highlight of the region - and perhaps even Vietnam - is the charming little city of Hoi An. If you only have time to visit one of those three places, it should be Hoi An. But there is no airport there, so the best way to get there is to fly to Danang - and then take an airport shuttle there directly from the Danang Airport.

There are a few popular beach towns in Vietnam, such as Nha Trang, Mui Ne and, closer to Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau. But I haven't visited any of those places yet - and besides, you can find beaches in Thailand.

And finally, as for Ho Chi Minh City itself, well, it's kind of a Bangkok from 30 years ago. It has its charms, but basically it's a big, hot city where people from around Vietnam go for economic and educational opportunity. If you live here it's not bad, but as a tourist, well, there's not all that much to see - although there is plenty to do.

Regarding safety/scams: Frankly I found Thailand to be much worse in that regard. The Vietnamese do share the Thai habit of overcharging tourists. But it's a basically safe place. Just watch out for motorcycles. They don't like to stop - for anything, even traffic lights, so you'll have to learn how to cross roads here. (The Vietnamese haven't discovered the pedestrian bridges that you find everywhere in Thailand.)

Taxis, especially ones bringing you to the city from the airport, will likely cheat you. So try to use one of the reliable companies - both from the airport as well as around the city: Vinasun and Mai Linh. From the airport, though, there is an airport bus (Number 152) that goes directly into the center of the city, terminating right near the backpacker district and central market. If you are not staying in the backpacker district, you could still take that bus into the city - and from the terminus take a taxi the rest of the way to your final destination. The bus only costs 5,000 Vietnamese Dong, or about 8 baht. If you have a big bag, you'll have to pay another 8 baht. Probably the cheapest ride from airport to city center of any major city in the world.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. I hope it helps. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.

[slerickson]

Nice report BangkokHank. I will definitely use this info to fill out my travel plan. Did you drive motorbike or car while there? Any war museums, shrines, etc?

[slerickson]

And I'd like to add a Vietnam touring company I found online. I don't think I'll bother, but reading through their descriptive itineraries gives you some good ideas on what to see and budgeting your time.

http://vietnamdiscovery.com/vietnam-insight-57

[BangkokHank]

Nice report BangkokHank. I will definitely use this info to fill out my travel plan. Did you drive motorbike or car while there? Any war museums, shrines, etc?

I drive neither a motorbike nor a car in Vietnam. I don't know how to ride a motorbike, and a big city in Vietnam is not the place to learn. In smaller towns, it would be easier to rent and drive a motorbike by yourself. In fact, that is a common way for tourists to get around in Sapa, for example. But I just found a motorbike taxi driver who took me wherever I wanted to go. In addition to being a better driver than I would be, a motorbike taxi driver in the area will also know where to go for the best scenery.

There is a worthwhile war museum in Ho Chi Minh City, the "War Remnants Museum", but for most Vietnamese people today, the "American War", as they call it, is ancient history. Still, I found it interesting - and worth a visit.

[BangkokHank]

I was able to upload some of my pictures from Sapa. (It seems that the pictures were too big on my previous attempt.) Note that all of these pictures (except for the last one) were taken on unusually clear, sunny days. I stayed in Sapa for 11 days in mid-November, and for my first eight days there, the weather was spectacular. After that it got foggy and rainy, which I understand is the norm. So weather is definitely a consideration in deciding when to go there. What you might do is get yourself up to Hanoi, and from Hanoi check the weather in Sapa online. If it's good, go. If it's not, then perhaps hang out in Hanoi for awhile until it changes - if you have time. In any case, Hanoi's Old Quarter has enough to see and do that you won't get bored passing the time there.

[craigt3365]

Beautiful pics. I missed out on Sapa as roads were closed due to snow!

[slerickson]

Yea Sapa looks very nice. Not the type of building architecture I would have expected. Good motorbike trip if weather is cooperative.

Thanks for posting BangkokHank!

[onlycw]

Halong Bay, about 4.5 hours by bus from Hanoi or 2.5 hours from Hai Phong (airport)

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

BangkokHank, I don't want to divert the topic too much but a quick question: Did you manage to get a 1-year visa? Or are you leaving every 3 months to renew the 3-month multi visa?

Very nice report, by the way. I've been thinking about doing the same only VN's clampdown on visa terms has been a barrier. Yes, I am aware of back doors, which applies to almost all visas to VN.

Edited December 13, 2015 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[BangkokHank]

BangkokHank, I don't want to divert the topic too much but a quick question: Did you manage to get a 1-year visa? Or are you leaving every 3 months to renew the 3-month multi visa?

Very nice report, by the way. I've been thinking about doing the same only VN's clampdown on visa terms has been a barrier. Yes, I am aware of back doors, which applies to almost all visas to VN.

Mine is a two-year visa, associated with my work permit. I got it through the company that I work for. I contemplate eventually retiring here, so I have asked around about retirement visa options. (Guys at the gym, etc.) There are no official one-year visas, but being a basically corrupt country, there are "back doors", as you mention. Hopefully by the time I retire in around ten years, there will be a front-door retirement visa option.

[honu]

We visited Hanoi a year ago, at this same time, and Ho Chi Minh City a few years prior to that. I really liked the feel of the city and the side-trips we did around Hanoi a lot better. I'd agree with pretty much everything others have added here, so I'll just fill in some more comments. Oddly they do call HCMC Saigon still; it's on the signs everywhere, so you can go either way on that, as they do.

Sapa is great for experiencing really cool weather, but it can be rainy around this time, so best to not think of it as just cool weather; 5 to 7 degrees and raining is cold. Our hotel there didn't exactly have heat, just 1000 watt heater in the room, so we didn't really get a break. At one point I let the hair dryer run because it was close to the same power output, but of course that hardly warmed up a large, cold, damp room. So just be careful about accommodations.

Tours everywhere seem a bit hit and miss but it's hard to really sort that out, who will do exactly what they say, who will skip some details that seem critical in retrospect (like mentioning a walking tour requires 10k of walking throughout the day; fine for some, not so good for some others). I guess the next level of review through a site like Trip Advisor wouldn't hurt. I did like that train, and it did require an extra ride up to the resort area, but for me sleeper car trains are a good thing, so worth it.

Halong Bay was amazing. Again best to really try to sort through tours. The one-day trip is possible but it makes for a rough day, 7 hours or so in a crowded van (probably), then 3 or 4 hours on a boat, with a lunch. I'd rather spend a longer time on the water and go overnight, although I wouldn't necessarily need to sleep on a boat. I guess it would come down to reviewing what sounded good. One couple told a horror story of being kicked off the overnight boat because they didn't buy alcohol, so there was some made-up story of mechanical trouble that somehow resulted in just them needing to get off. Most of the scams aren't so black and white, more just about poor service or value or dropping some aspect that would seem naturally connected later.

We stayed just a bit outside the normal tourist area (Old Quarter, I think that was) in Hanoi, and it's probably better to be right there or right beside it, just because otherwise you're sandwiched between shoe stores and such. It seems best to allow time for getting around and seeing what's there, more than just trying to see major sites. Vietnamese food is great, of course, good versions, and I liked trying out "bia hoi," unfermented beer, which requires that you go to a very local looking but harmless enough area just outside the tourist zone.

I don't remember much that really stood out about HCMC from that earlier trip. A side trip covered some natural sights, and a remote Western-influenced resort / agricultural village, touring along beaches that didn't seem so exceptional, but nothing too exciting.

[IsaanUSA]

Been to Vietnam 4 times, and been to many different cities by train, plane, boat and bus. I love visiting there. It's really developing quite rapidly, as the difference between my 1st and 3rd time was rather significant. It's a great time. I recommend doing a food tour wherever you visit.

I've never seen farangs handing out money to kids like in those photos, and have never been asked for money by beggars in Vietnam. Rather strange to see those photos.

Definetly more scams in Vietnam compared to other countries. Just stay alert. Also dont get made when you get ripped off 100k dong...it's not that much baht.

Edited December 31, 2015 by IsaanUSA

[KittenKong]

I seem to recall the Vietnamese people winning a war.

Siagon is now Ho Chi Minh City.

Get on a train to there. The ticket will say Sai Gon and the station building has a big sign saying Ga Sai Gon on it. (Gare being French for railway station.)

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose (the more it changes, the more it's the same thing).

[StephanieGodfrey]

Sure, Halong, Hoian, Danang and Mekong Delta are must! Dalat is also a lovely place, going from HCMC to Dalat takes 7 hours by bus.

[honu]

Visiting Indonesia last month made me appreciate how orderly and organized tours were in Vietnam. I loved Indonesia but it was hard getting anything arranged, always the case of some guy someone knew lined up to do something, which usually went exactly as planned, but in one case it didn't.

The only glitch we encountered in Hanoi last time is that different tour companies all offer similar packages, even a range of options, but you can't know in advance how well that's going to work out, or how clear they are really being about the details. It's easy to say "just be careful" but almost impossible to flag the things that could go wrong. Examples from our trip: a range of food quality on the tours, one case of a guide touring 30 people at one time (not so easy to make that out), packing 15 people into a van that sat exactly 15, shoulder to shoulder, neglecting to mention hiking distance on a tour, or that a hotel doesn't have heat. Since tour costs vary it's possible you could pay more to get less, which a veteran traveler should be able to shrug off, but better to manage it better.

None of that we experienced was so crucial, not exactly scams, except maybe the heat in that hotel in Sapa; it was probably low 50s F / appx. 12 C in that room, and we had young kids with us. It's not like some guy that's supposed to pick you up for a volcano tour not doing it. If it's a case of doing multiple tours in the same area, like Halong Bay and wherever else out of Hanoi, it might work to try one guide agent and switch if it went badly.

A site like Trip Advisor could give you some feel for who to use, and an extra hour of clicking here and there could sort out a lot, but easy enough to overdo all that. It's probably better to try to do a virtual version of the tour ahead of time when you have the extra time and be open to switching that planning up as things become clearer. To me the worst thing to do is to block out every hour of your trip and then be a slave to your own planning, taking it out of sleep when something goes wrong.

[rak sa_ngop]

Three bits of advice I always give friends visiting Saigon (which is the way most people refer to the central district of Ho Chi Minh City).

Beware boy map and newspaper sellers who thrust their wares under your nose. Usually means their hands are underneath searching out your pockets.

Never run across a road to evade motor cycles. Walk slowly, purposefully without stopping, they will weave around you. Honest!

Never walk behind a bus stop shelter. Due to the serious lack of public toilets that is where many people go for a shi.......

[pulnamin4]

Good day to all.

I should be a First TImer this july 2016. I plan to fly BKK--HCMC.. I would like to spend 3-4 days in HCM city and then 2-3 days outside HCM city.

What to see / do in HCMC ? Where to stay ( 3 star hotels) in HCMC ? How is HCMC airport ?

Where to go outside HCMC for 2-3 days ?

I have read this topic and taken some notes and then of course i will google as much as possible

BUT there is NOTHING like Your Recent Visit to Vietnam to provide an up-to-date picture. Please share your experience.

Thanks have a nice day/evening.

[IsaanUSA]

Good day to all.

I should be a First TImer this july 2016. I plan to fly BKK--HCMC.. I would like to spend 3-4 days in HCM city and then 2-3 days outside HCM city.

What to see / do in HCMC ? Where to stay ( 3 star hotels) in HCMC ? How is HCMC airport ?

Where to go outside HCMC for 2-3 days ?

I have read this topic and taken some notes and then of course i will google as much as possible

BUT there is NOTHING like Your Recent Visit to Vietnam to provide an up-to-date picture. Please share your experience.

Thanks have a nice day/evening.

I like to use Trip Advisor and Wiki travel to find "what to see / do".

I like to use Trip Advisor and Agoda to find hotels and read reviews.

Cu Chi tunnels is okay. Nothing too exciting there.

Mekong delta tour is neat.

War Remnants museum is okay.

Bitexco observatory is cool if you're into that.

There are some temples, Notre Damme, parks, museums, etc

I highly recommend visiting a Trung Nguyen coffee shop. And really, you should be drinking Vietnamese coffee everyday!

Try some bia hoi (fresh beer) if possible.

Do a food tour. XO Tours seems to be the most popular.

Ben Than Market is okay for a visit, but don't buy anything there. The prices are INSANE compared to shops on the streets. You may think your bargaining of a $9 Tshirt to $6 is a good price, but you can find that exact same shirt at a small shop down the road for $3.

Also, you can pretty much bargain/haggle on anything. Seriously. Don't be afraid to offer 50% of their initial offer.

[anotheruser]

I seem to recall the Vietnamese people winning a war.

Siagon is now Ho Chi Minh City.

You really do your best to be "that" guy at every opportunity, don't you?