Vietnam - any recommendations?

[Seagull kimchi]

Planning a trip to Vietnam in January - 2 or 3 weeks.

Any advice for good places to stay and cool things to do/see would be much appreciated. Cheers!

 

[Stumpy Tim]

My favourite country to visit. Where to start?! I love Ho Chi Minh City, and make sure you spend some time at Halong Bay. You also have to do the Cu Chi Tunnels. I didn't particularly enjoy Hanoi, but some people prefer it to HCMC.

You'll love it, it's fabulous

 

[tricky]

I only spent a week in vietnam and found it too commercial and western after spending a fortnight in cambodia which was far more fascinating. However, I did spend a few days in ho chi minh which was alright and used that as a base to visit other places. Went to the cu chi tunnels, which were used by the VC, but the trip was quite uninspiring especially as the tunnels we went in had been expanded massively to make them large enough for foreigners. The tour also finished with the chance for fat americans to fire m16's at targets. Really enjoyed a trip from ho chi minh down to the mekong - lots of small boat trips to islands where you could sample a whole range of foods. Finally went to Phu Quoc island down to the south for a few days on a beach - it was really nice, very quiet and chilled and hardly anyone around for miles.

 

[Seagull kimchi]

My favourite country to visit. Where to start?! I love Ho Chi Minh City, and make sure you spend some time at Halong Bay. You also have to do the Cu Chi Tunnels. I didn't particularly enjoy Hanoi, but some people prefer it to HCMC.

You'll love it, it's fabulous

Thanks, Halong Bay sounds great. Any good guesthouses you can recommend in HCMC or Halong? Bit claustrophobic so not sure about the tunnels!!

 

[Seagull kimchi]

Double post

 

[Seagull kimchi]

I only spent a week in vietnam and found it too commercial and western after spending a fortnight in cambodia which was far more fascinating. However, I did spend a few days in ho chi minh which was alright and used that as a base to visit other places. Went to the cu chi tunnels, which were used by the VC, but the trip was quite uninspiring especially as the tunnels we went in had been expanded massively to make them large enough for foreigners. The tour also finished with the chance for fat americans to fire m16's at targets. Really enjoyed a trip from ho chi minh down to the mekong - lots of small boat trips to islands where you could sample a whole range of foods. Finally went to Phu Quoc island down to the south for a few days on a beach - it was really nice, very quiet and chilled and hardly anyone around for miles.

Cheers - I've been to Cambodia and Laos 3 times and loved the laid back atmosphere..Phu Quoc sounds like my kind of place..did you stay anywhere particularly nice?

 

[tricky]

Sorry - can't remember the name of the place where I stayed in phu quoc but it was a bit of drive from the airport. It only had 8 basic chalets scattered about and was run by a german/ vietnamese couple.

 

[Seagull kimchi]

Sorry - can't remember the name of the place where I stayed in phu quoc but it was a bit of drive from the airport. It only had 8 basic chalets scattered about and was run by a german/ vietnamese couple.

Sounds ideal - I'll look out for it.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Thanks, Halong Bay sounds great. Any good guesthouses you can recommend in HCMC or Halong? Bit claustrophobic so not sure about the tunnels!!

At Halong Bay I spent a few days on a boat, and loved it. To be honest, it's been 11 years since I went to HCMC as a tourist so can't remember where I stayed. I went a few times afterwards on business, but stayed in nice hotels which isn't going to help.

 

[MikeySmall]

I prefer Hanoi to HCMC - Halong Bay also a must do. If you head in land make sure you do a motorbike tour with these guys - we did a three day tour. Was brilliant.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attrac...ietnam_Day_Tours-Dalat_Lam_Dong_Province.html

 

[Seagull kimchi]

I prefer Hanoi to HCMC - Halong Bay also a must do. If you head in land make sure you do a motorbike tour with these guys - we did a three day tour. Was brilliant.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attrac...ietnam_Day_Tours-Dalat_Lam_Dong_Province.html

That looks like a cool way to see the countryside. Very interested in that kind of tour. Cheers!

 

[saafend_seagull]

Halong bay yes. Very good, go on a two night boat trip.

Hanoi worst city ever been to. Got done over by locals 3 times in the same day. There is also **** all to see there Not happened anywhere else in Asia !

 

[Ian Bairds Fist]

My favourite country to visit. Where to start?! I love Ho Chi Minh City, and make sure you spend some time at Halong Bay. You also have to do the Cu Chi Tunnels. I didn't particularly enjoy Hanoi, but some people prefer it to HCMC.

You'll love it, it's fabulous

Ditto - Hanoi's like Croydon on a dull December morning. Just use it as a base camp for going to Halong Bay. Nha Trang on the coast is nice for a chill out. Hoi An is pretty remarkable at night with the lanterns. Don't spend too much time in Danang, new city with limited history. It's pretty much all about HCMC and the Mekong Delta/tunnels.

 

[Bakero]

I lived in Hanoi for almost 3 years- loved it! It's anything but dull and I'd suggest if you didn't find anything to see there, you were looking in the wrong places.

Seagull Kimchi- have look at this thread http:https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/showthread.php?270028-Hanoi-anyone-been&highlight=hanoi

 

[daveinprague]

Did Hue get rebuilt?

 

[PoG]

I went in April this year and traveled north to south, it was the most amazing holiday I've had. The places we visited were:

Hanoi - Stayed here http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g293924-d1180566-Reviews-Hanoi_Elegance_Ruby-Hanoi.html
Halong Bay - Booked with http://www.indochina-junk.com/ and stayed on the Dragon's Pearl.
Hue - Stayed here http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g293926-d623907-Reviews-ORCHID_HOTEL-Hue_Thua_Thien_Hue_Province.html
Hoi An - Stayed here http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g298082-d3913966-Reviews-Vinh_Hung_Emerald_Resort-Hoi_An_Quang_Nam_Province.html
HCMC - Stayed here http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g293925-d2218493-Reviews-Beautiful_Saigon_3_Hotel-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html

I enjoyed all the places we visited but liked HCMC the least. You must visit Halong Bay, the Chu Chi tunnels and the Hai Van Pass, I would also recommend these guys. We spent the day traveling from Hue to Hoi An on the back of their mopeds. They took us to a number of beautiful sites and kept us fed and watered (with beer), the route was the same as Top Gear over the Hai Van Pass. We also traveled from Hanoi to Hue by overnight train, I recommend it to everyone because it is one hell of an experience but it isn't for everyone! I would also recommend doing the foodie tour with these girls , it was a fantastic experience cruising HCMC on mopeds with a really nice group of girls. We ate all kind of lovely food and if you're brave enough you can try the specialty Balut egg.

Hope that helps, any questions just ask.

 

[Trufflehound]

I went in the early 90s just after it reopened to Westerners for the first time since the war. Bloody hard work. Everyone assumed all white folk were Soviet military advisors and treated you like dirt (thus returning the favour for the way the Russians used to treat them). You had to register with the police on arrival, and regularly got refused entry to hotels, unless you learned the phrase "Tôi không phải là Liên Xô" - I am not a Soviet.

I like to think it's a bit easier now.

But I will always be in awe of how they managed to fit 50 passengers into a transit van-sized bus - no exaggeration.

 

[Jesus Gul]

Went to HCMC in October and had a brilliant time. Stayed at the Pullman Saigon Centre in District 1. V close to back packer streets. Recommended.

Don't forget to apply for your visa in advance http://www.instantvietnamvisa.com/

 

[KLF]

We stayed here a few years ago over Christmas and it was brilliant. Very basic accommodation, but beautiful beaches and crystal clear sea. Also the owners are French & Vietnamese (I think) so the food was great. Spoilt me on my birthday too.

http://www.iledelabaleine.com/

 

[KLF]

We stayed here a few years ago over Christmas and it was brilliant. Very basic accommodation, but beautiful beaches and crystal clear sea. Also the owners are French & Vietnamese (I think) so the food was great. Spoilt me on my birthday too.

http://www.iledelabaleine.com/