Hi
Wanted some opinions on my Vietnam and Cambodia Trip. Visited Cambodia and Vietnam 10 years ago with Family and now going with my girlfriend ( both 24 year old)
I have screen shot my current literary.
Happy to hear about other possible activities, opinions etc etc
Having been previously to Vietnam and Cambodia we have excluded Hue, Killing fields for more time in nha tran and mondikiru.
Thanks
We got those cathy pacific flights on ozbargain. Sydney to ho chi minh return. Wanted to end that way due to getting suits in hoi an( dont want to carry full trip) and girlfriend was to go to nha trang.
It all looks good, but Nha Trang stinks. It's just a lousier Phuket, with less to do, just full of Russians. Hue and Hoi An are nice, spending 3-4 days there is a good idea.
+1
Havnt been to nha trang before and girlfriend wants to go for a night or too. Happy to oblige!
I wanted to visit too, but came away pretty disappointed. Tamer, lamer version of Thai islands. Fewer bars and clubs, beaches aren't as nice, more Russian services and signage than English. There's a water park on Vinpearl but it was pretty barren when I visited.
Just from a quick look you will need more time to get suits/clothes fitted in Hoi An (though at the same time i don't reccomend staying there longer as you are pressed for time as it is, and Hoi An is fairly limited for stuff to do). They usually take measurements one day, then a day or 2 making the rough garment, then they get you back for a refit. You may be able to get some things rushed, but you will probably end up with stuff of a lesser quality.
Agreed with the tailoring. Some items can be made overnight, but then you get another fitting on day two. Final alterations done and pick up the third day. The trouble is you may still need some small alterations after that. For most items that's fine, but for suits, three days can be cutting it a bit close.
Saying that, Hoi an is a nice place to spend a couple extra days to relax. Find a nice hotel within walking distance to the old town and you have some great restaurants
Thanks, i thought 3 days would be tight.
I would star from Hanoi and travelling down to Saigon and cross border to Cambodia and back to Oz :)
We got those cathy pacific flights on ozbargain. Sydney to ho chi minh return. Wanted to end that way due to getting suits in hoi an( dont want to carry full trip).
Having been before vietnam wanted to see sights such as sapa and mondikru.
Most tailors will organise postage within store. Last time I was backpacking through Hoi An, got two suits posted back in the middle of my trip for $30, saved me lugging it around on the motorbike.
If they're trustworthy enough.
Common scam in BKK is to never send it.
@dasher86: Hoi An isn't Bangkok. There are dozens of established tailors competing business in the same streets with reputations (and TripAdvisor ratings) to protect.
@Strand0410:
my mate also had something made in Hoi An that never got sent.
It was a warning.
TA can only do so much. Once you are at home unless you're planning to go back you basically have no recourse.
I been wanting to do the same thing to go over for a suit/holiday, but i fear getting rekt by their government/corrupt cops or is that not really something to worry about?
You don't have to worry anything like that,it's much better now,as I just came back from Saigon in December,so just go on and enjoy yourself :)
Agree with others, its easier to do it all in 1 direction — Hanoi to HMC to Mondulkiri to Siem Reap
I don't think you have devoted enough time at Siem Reap. Your Siem Reap - Mondullkiri connection of 5hrs is ambitious. It takes 5-6hrs from SR to PP if the road is good condition. SR to M realistically takes 9-10hrs. You could go via Kratie and see the dolphins before they become extinct, but realistically i would skip Cambodia this time.
Thats an epically busy trip with a lot of movement between cities. I count 4 internal flights and 2-3 long bus/train trips. To me, thats 6 transit days in a 17 day journey. Thats literally packing your bags up and moving every 3 days the entire time. Might suit you - but you wont feel relaxed coming back.
Even if overnight travel - you're still going to feel completely rushed the whole time. Anytime a flight is involved, even internal/domestic - you lose the better part of that day. Add in cross border travel and I'd kiss that day goodbye.
We once pondered a similar length trip to Vietnam/Cambodia…. ended up wiping out Cambodia this time around to return there at a future date. Nothing worse than cramming everything into one trip at a massive pace - I would rather take it a bit slower, see a bit more of one place than whizz by.
I understand where your coming from. For me having been to vietnam and cambodia. Places like sapa and mondikru( although out of the way) combine with the main sites of vietnam and cambodia( ha long bay, ankor wat etc) is my balance act on this trip.
Cambodia doesn't do much for me. But I love Vietnam :)
Cambodia is awesome, what didn't you like about it?
agree with most of the above. have you booked flights in and out? if not, think you can do a similar itinerary but more efficiently, as suggested above..
If it were me, would exclude Nha Trang as others have suggested.
have a great time.
Looks really well organized, but crammed.
Hanio was lots of fun. Stay a bit longer, get some massages, explore, etc
Hanoi not Hanio :)
Remember malaria prophylaxis
Personally, i would swap Nha Trang with Da Nang largely due to
- atmosphere of the city, i find the people in Da Nang to be friendlier and laid back. The city is also cleaner and you also don't get hassled as much (compared to Saigon)
proximity, it's also close to Hoi An and Hue (you could do a day trip from Hoi An to Hue and another day trip to Da Nang, give the Bun Bo Hue a try in Hue and Da Nang! As well as the Bun Cha Ca in Da Nang)
Da Nang also has a few resorts in the area (could spend a night there)
Key attractions of Da Nang are… Dragon Bridge (great at night! But there are certain days where the dragon spits fire or water though, i think… best to check the schedule), Ba Na Hills (there's an amusement park.. pretty meh but good views), beaches, there's a large temple nearby on a mountain and etc…
Just curious how did you get a multi entry visa to vietnam?
Also any reason you didn't do Siem reap > Ho Chi Minh City > Hanoi?