holidaying out of bali - VIETNAM

[freetofly]

Hi everyone!

we are loving living in bali, but as the new baby due in nov I am wanting to head to vietnam for a couple of weeks in july.

Does anyone have any tips to share, great places to visit ....
we have a 3yr old and a 16 yr old.

any advice much appreciated.we figure it is easy to still explore bali with a little one but an overseas trip a bit tricky.

[spicyayam]

I traveled from the south to the north of Vietnam, after traveling by boat from Cambodia. I started at Phu Quoc which is a tropical island all the way south. It was good but not great. Saigon is interesting, very busy. Dalat is hill top town and the climate is a bit cooler. Nha Trang is a seaside town, which is nice but the beach is not so good. Hoi An and Hue were also good. Hanoi is also interesting and very different to Saigon. From Hanoi trips to Halong Bay and Sapa are highly recommended. Shop around for trips to Halong Bay as many places offer the same trip for completely different prices. People I met said tours to the DMZ weren't interesting so I skipped that.

Locals are very pushy everywhere you go and much more in your face than in Bali. They just don't accept no and will continually follow you around.

The food is great and eating Pho from a street vendor doesn't get much better. In Hanoi there a lot places that sell glasses of beer for just 20c and is a great way to meet other travelers and locals. Chinatown is the place to stay in Hanoi.

I met many Aussie families traveling together and they all seemed to enjoy the country.

From Vietnam I went to Laos and I enjoyed it so much more. People are so much more laid back and Beer Laos is the best in SE Asia!

[freetofly]

I traveled from the south to the north of Vietnam, after traveling by boat from Cambodia. I started at Phu Quoc which is a tropical island all the way south. It was good but not great. Saigon is interesting, very busy. Dalat is hill top town and the climate is a bit cooler. Nha Trang is a seaside town, which is nice but the beach is not so good. Hoi An and Hue were also good. Hanoi is also interesting and very different to Saigon. From Hanoi trips to Halong Bay and Sapa are highly recommended. Shop around for trips to Halong Bay as many places offer the same trip for completely different prices. People I met said tours to the DMZ weren't interesting so I skipped that.

Locals are very pushy everywhere you go and much more in your face than in Bali. They just don't accept no and will continually follow you around.

The food is great and eating Pho from a street vendor doesn't get much better. In Hanoi there a lot places that sell glasses of beer for just 20c and is a great way to meet other travelers and locals. Chinatown is the place to stay in Hanoi.

I met many Aussie families traveling together and they all seemed to enjoy the country.

From Vietnam I went to Laos and I enjoyed it so much more. People are so much more laid back and Beer Laos is the best in SE Asia!

thanks spicy, much appreciated!! my hubby is excited about the cost of beer.
how long did you travel around for?? we are now thinking of extending into laos - where in vietnam did you enter laos from??

many thanks

[spicyayam]

I flew from Hanoi into Vientiane on Laos Airlines The bus trip sounded like a nightmare. I was in Vietnam for about 2 months. I enjoyed it but by the end of the 2 months, I had had enough.

I wouldn't mind going back to Laos though. If you go to Vang Vieng let me know as I have a good friend who runs a tour operation there.

[Frosty]

Hi Freetofly, have been a couple times to VN, is a fascinating place. A must do is Halong Bay, just beautiful. Saigon is good lots to do, plenty of restaurants, side stalls to eat at, never got bali belly and ate everything. Good day trip is the Mekong delta, kids will enjoy, also there is a water park in Saigon is huge, cannot remember the name, ask your hotel or taxi. Vung Tau also good for day trip, catch air con hydrofoil boat in Saigon, takes 90 mins cost about aus$15, no hawkers there, locals go there for holidays, restaurants good, beaches so so, people lovely. Tell hubby to watch the local beer, is brewed in the morning, drank in the arvo, has a kick. We drank Saigon Stubbies about 80cents, good beer but hard to get icy cold. Best place to eat, we found the big markets in Saigon close and the convert the carpark to night markets and seafood restuarants. The food is fresh as fresh, is cheap as chips and a fun night.It was cheap when we got 16,000 dong for the $ now its over 20,000. Tiger air fly out of Singapore (is cheap) and I think Air Asia fly direct to Saigon. If you stay in Saigon stay in District one. Have a great trip.

[freetofly]

Hi Freetofly, have been a couple times to VN, is a fascinating place. A must do is Halong Bay, just beautiful. Saigon is good lots to do, plenty of restaurants, side stalls to eat at, never got bali belly and ate everything. Good day trip is the Mekong delta, kids will enjoy, also there is a water park in Saigon is huge, cannot remember the name, ask your hotel or taxi. Vung Tau also good for day trip, catch air con hydrofoil boat in Saigon, takes 90 mins cost about aus$15, no hawkers there, locals go there for holidays, restaurants good, beaches so so, people lovely. Tell hubby to watch the local beer, is brewed in the morning, drank in the arvo, has a kick. We drank Saigon Stubbies about 80cents, good beer but hard to get icy cold. Best place to eat, we found the big markets in Saigon close and the convert the carpark to night markets and seafood restuarants. The food is fresh as fresh, is cheap as chips and a fun night.It was cheap when we got 16,000 dong for the $ now its over 20,000. Tiger air fly out of Singapore (is cheap) and I think Air Asia fly direct to Saigon. If you stay in Saigon stay in District one. Have a great trip.

awesome, thanks frosty, much appreciated!!!!!! feeling much more confident now.

[Frosty]

Hey Freetofly, a couple of things, the visa's for VN are not on arrival like Bali, last time I went I had to send passport to VN Embassy for visa, I know you can do it in Singapore, fast tracked was $75 aus, about 4 hours, normal is next day, not know the price. Another thing do your self a favour when you go to Saigon Airport, organise your hotel to pick you up, if you have kids the last thing you want is a brawl with taxi driver's. (it happen's). When there use the green and white taxi's, they are clean, air con and use there meters. Traffic is same as Bali (no rules). Cars are the worst.(they don't stop). Have fun, sure you will.

[freetofly]

Hey Freetofly, a couple of things, the visa's for VN are not on arrival like Bali, last time I went I had to send passport to VN Embassy for visa, I know you can do it in Singapore, fast tracked was $75 aus, about 4 hours, normal is next day, not know the price. Another thing do your self a favour when you go to Saigon Airport, organise your hotel to pick you up, if you have kids the last thing you want is a brawl with taxi driver's. (it happen's). When there use the green and white taxi's, they are clean, air con and use there meters. Traffic is same as Bali (no rules). Cars are the worst.(they don't stop). Have fun, sure you will.

sweet, thanks frosty, was just thinking about the visas. much appreciated

[Balihana]

Hi,
I visited Hochimin city this Feb.from Bali via Singapore.

One thing I'd tell you is about taxi.
even at the airport, so many bad taxi drivers there.
My friend was locked up in taxi and forced to pay triple!
Most of drivers don't speak English.

The reliable taxi company is Vinasun.
Even you may have to wait longer,I suggest you to take that.
Taxi there is wagon type and fit 5pax easily and cheap.
Just be careful with cheating bad guys.
Have a great holidays!