Vietnam Travel Tips - Hanoi to Saigon

Lharley on 07/02/2012 - 22:13
Last edited 07/02/2012 - 22:15

Hi Guys,

I'm going to Vietnam (Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh in 12 days) at the beginning of March and the number of options are killing me. Mainly to do with the tours. I want to visit Hanoi old quarters, Halong Bay, Phong Nha, Hue, Hoi An, Mekong. (This might be too ambitious).

I found a tour that would take me where I want to go but for our group of 2 it is $2,200.00; and possibly quite hectic; and considering everything in Vietnam is so cheap I thought we might do better organising it ourselves. Which got me to thinking whether or not it would be more of an ozbargain style to go to Hanoi and from there join a tour group and arrange for our own transport when need be from tour 1 to tour 2.

Hence I have the following questions for ozbargainers who had been to Vietnam and can impart some ozbargain wisdom and at the same time enjoyed their time there.

  1. Is joining a tour there more cost effective; and if so, any particular one that you suggest. Cost you paid?

  2. For domestic flights in Vietnam, should I buy it from here or from inside VN (I thought that with such a low gdp that they wouldn't charge so much in VN, otherwise not a lot of people will fly)? Or is it better to join a tour?

  3. Is transport system easy enough to navigate from these places, or would it be a nightmare? I can speak Vietnamese, so I think that may help somewhat?

  4. Which hotel would you personally recommend, cheap, central with private bathrooms and good service? Please no search sites, I have done that and too many options to choose from.

  5. Any other places that you would recommend I go instead: hidden jewels I guess apart from the obvious tourist attractions above. I had ruled out Sapa, b.c. as much as I would love to see the scenary, I know I am not a trekking person. I like culture, ancient history and sightseeing.

  6. If we are constantly on the move, what to pack? I would assume it would be difficult to lug around luggage, so would it be better to book a hotel at the central stop and leave your luggage there while you go on an overnight sightseeing trips? Like if I went to Hanoi to Halong?

  7. Any experience you would like to share,tips?

Any one of these questions answered would be greatly appreciated. I know I ask too many questions but must not be the only one wondering :)

Thanks for reading my long post.

Cheers

Travel

Comments

  • lambsie on 07/02/2012 - 22:24

    Havn't been to North Vietnam, but have a look at 'Saigon Tourist' for tours, there are many others around. Since you can speak Viet, its best to book it there, most likely will be cheaper, and a chance to shop around to see what is on offer. Don't know if this happens in Vietnam for trains and buses, but you may be charged a higher 'foreigner' price regardless if you can speak the native language, it's like that in Cambodia.

    • harley on 07/02/2012 - 23:11

      Thanks. Will check it out.

  • ozAzn on 07/02/2012 - 22:37

    thats hectic for 12 days. Atleast you will enjoy the time…

    NEVER and i mean NEVER take a stupid van for long distances, even if its legit etc. etc.
    Saigon (HCMC) - Nah Trang (roughly Syd-Newcastle maybe even a bit more in distance) took us 12hours.
    1. unenjoyable ride - Bumpy roads & toilet breaks are a whole world away. Not that large of a difference if your a guy. (my sister kinda kept to candy and gummy bears and only went to a clean toilet (hard to look for))
    2. Scenery gets boring without a camera, and if they are repetitive.

    Just never take a van/minibus/bus. Roads are NOT GOOD. Even if they are cheaper.

    Sadly, all i know of is Nha Trang (other places i went was for my mothers relatives ( [rant] never going again)).
    Beaches are not good when we went (poss. due to water currents from China…).

    Only good thing was Vinpearl stay. USD$250, Buffet (above average) BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER, pool, private beach, heaps of activites including 2nd hand "The Claw" and water park, pretty much resort like. Half Russians, Half Vietnamese Locals.

    Other than that…
    rural areas were not to my liking. Lots of people selling lottery tickets and it was depressing, looking at them in such a state (trying to look away is hard).

    Sorry for the rants.

    Best thing is food in HCMC/Saigon. Just plop your @ss at a packed restaurant (District 1 etc.).

    Public Transport felt non-existant (atleast in Saigon & Nha Trang). i.e no metro rails. everyone was on bikes, taxis or cars.

    This is from others knowledge, but they say that if you look asian you will be alot better at haggling and less chances of robbery etc.
    For us, we haggled to a price (we are asian and one did the haggling in viet) that we thought was a great bargain (and left the shopkeeper fake - sadness). After walking 100m, we found one half our great bargain price. Contradictory…

    Hope i helped and hope you got passed my rants!!

    • harley on 07/02/2012 - 23:10
      +2

      I hear you on the bus. I will avoid it like the plague :) With the bargaining, I think just pay what you are willing, and walk away happy, in the scheme of things it is probably just $1-2AUD, but the person who you bought from have more food to put on their table. Life is hard in VN, compared to Australia.

  • rinbond on 08/02/2012 - 10:07

    I have used www.thesinhtourist.vn/ i have used them 2 times before and they have a shop in hccm.Recommend

    • harley on 08/02/2012 - 12:40

      Wow just had a brief look through, it seems very cheap; mekong delta tour 2d1n for $31.91? Am I missing something, such as times it by 2 for two days. Did you go on the Halong tour with them, did you get to visit caves by canoe and swim? or is it just looking at it from afar?

    • rinbond on 08/02/2012 - 14:34

      Used them in 2010 2011,dealt with helene,,get a review on trip advisor
      watch out for the fake travel agents in Hanoi if you book anything in Hanoi,my suggestion is email the first reply i put up then go from there.Here is a copy i had in email

      [email protected]
      Helene Nguyen

      Sales Executive
      TheSinhTourist Saigon

      (Formerly well-known as Sinh Cafe)

      246-248 De Tham St., District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

      Vietnam

      Tel: +84 8 38389597 - Fax: +84 8 38385070 / ext: 205

  • Cash Back Mortgage on 08/02/2012 - 10:13

    i have some suggestions but cant help with hotels as i was last there 8 years ago. Firstly dont worry about the central hotel take everything with you cause you would be heading in the one direction. Do you like beaches? if so nha trang has to be added if not dont worry about it. i think you should drop off at least one of the cities you mentioned above. the best way to get around is by overnight sleeper trains cause they are comfortable, cheap and not waste any of you time travelling. for a longer leg like hue to hanoi best to take a plane and buy the ticket there. get a lonely planet guide and forget about the tour cause vietnam is very easy to get around. One last thing is probably take a back pack cause you will be moving around a fair bit.

    • harley on 08/02/2012 - 12:42

      Not that into beaches, unless it has islands and caves I can explore :) Have you visit the places above, which do you recommend. I'm thinking Hue or Hoi Anh because they are much the same? But then again, I don't know if the mekong is worth visiting?

      • Cash Back Mortgage on 08/02/2012 - 12:47

        yeah been to all of them, i would not say hue and hoi anh are the same they are very different. the mekong tour is good and also the cu-chi tunnels and war memorials are interesting. i think you are trying to pack to many places in such a short trip. the max in my opinion you could do is saigon/hoi anh/hanoi/halong bay cause that is 4 cities in 12 days.

  • _Bruce_ on 08/02/2012 - 10:44

    I wrote this before but it got eaten. I recommend checking these guys out:

    http://www.handspan.com/

    Even if you don't use them, they were very responsive to emails with anything from 'suggest options for a 6 day trip doing x and y' to 'is hotel x better than hotel y?'.

    Also, I liked this hotel:

    http://www.ladolcevita-hotel.com/

    • harley on 08/02/2012 - 12:41

      Thank you. I will check it out.

  • rinbond on 08/02/2012 - 14:43

    Liberty3 in Ho Chi Minh City we used,in district 1
    very central and cheap

  • altomic on 08/02/2012 - 21:35

    i took a private car from saigon to Hue. it was $50 or so. maybe less. the hotel in saigon ordered it for us. no problem. we stayed in the Grand hotel.

    • harley on 08/02/2012 - 22:04

      Private car; does that mean that you had a 'chauffeur' so to speak, rather than a rental that you have to drive yourself? I have developed my itiniery up to Phong Nha (taking out Mekong) and now am trying to find a way to get to Hue from there.

      • ozAzn on 08/02/2012 - 22:59

        i think i remember some family member (from viet) said it was unheard of to hire a car without a driver.

        • ozAzn on 08/02/2012 - 22:59

          car meaning vehicles including van, minibus etc.

        • altomic on 09/02/2012 - 16:06

          it was a modern japanese built car with a driver/chauffer.

  • harley on 10/02/2012 - 18:12

    Hi guys/gals,thanks for all your tips. I've decided to drop Hoi An and Mekong from the trip, leaving it to the next time when I decide to travel the south. You've certainly helped alot. The Sinh Tourist/Cafe seems to be the cheapest option out there, and I will check them out in HCM/Hanoi. Cheers.

  • mickey on 12/02/2012 - 04:08

    Just my 2 cents…

    I've been to Vietnam 7 times so I've seen the best and worst it has to offer. If you can speak Vietnamese you shouldn't waste your time or money on a tour. In my opinion, most of them are scams to rip off foreigners. For example, instead of taking you to the best places to eat they will take you to restaurants where they get a cut or commission. Scooters are easy to ride in Vietnam but the traffic is disorganised and can be downright scary at first. Just take it slow and try to stay on the side of the road out of everyone's way.

    I have family and friends in Vietnam so I never found the need to use a tour but www.thesinhtourist.vn does look reasonably priced. Just keep in mind Vietnam is still considered a third word country and most people live below the poverty line so they might try to take advantage of a foreigner. Don't trust everyone you meet and try to blend in if u can.

    P.S. Don't exchange money or buy anything at the Vietnam airports. You will probably get ripped off. Get a map or familarise yourself with the area so taxi drivers don't take advantage of you either.

    /End rant

    • harley on 12/02/2012 - 14:29

      Thanks Mickey. I'm not sure if I can ride a scooter, don't you need a license? Isn't it hard. And my worst fear I guess with driving in Vietnam is actually hitting someone (or someone pretending to hit you); then you won't be able to leave the country. I'm playing it safe and if I'm going to 'drive' anything, it will be a push bike.

      I'm also thinking of only joining tours where i don't know how to reach it like halong and tam coc, but with places like phong nha, we will be going solo. Have you been to phong nha? Any tips there? I'm thinking of just going to son trach and find a hotel there, considering there is no hotel there that you can book online.

      I'm sure I will be scammed once or twice but if it is only by a few dollars, I'll live and learn. My main concern is pick-pocketing; what's the best way to keep money in Vietnam, and what kind of money should you be carrying around? E.g. USD or VND, or both.

  • Mamajo on 12/02/2012 - 08:01

    I think for a first timer to Vietnam, it is better to do some mini tours with the local tour companies. In my opinion, despite the fact that they take you to places where they get commission and you can speak Vietnamese, they're still very good value for money, and you do learn a lot more about the country and its culture through a tour guide. Once you're a bit more familiar and accustommed to the way things work in Vietnam, you can then make your own travel arrangements to explore the country.

    When you are in Hanoi and you have time, I really recommend making a (2 hour?) trip toTam Coc/ Bich Dong and Hoa Lu. Hoa Lu was at one time the ancient capital city of Vietnam before they moved it to Hanoi. The scenery here is absolutely breath taking. There are boat rides that take you on a long river meandering through green lush rocky mountains. Even better than Ha Long Bay in my opinion.
    Local delicacies you should try that you can't get in Australia are Mien Luon, Bun Cha, Cha Ca La Vong, banh cuon Thanh Tri, Banh Da Hai Phong (Ha Noi) and Mi Quang, Cao Lau, Com Am Phu (Central), and most dishes from the South are quite readily available here.

    Just a few tips to hopefully help you enjoy your time in Vietnam a little bit more….

    • harley on 12/02/2012 - 14:43

      I will definitely take a trip to Tam Coc and Hoa Lu, since as with the sintourist, it seems to be only $25. Though I wonder if a day is enough. How would you recommend I take that trip to Tam Coc?

      I will try and eat things that they do not have in Australia and what you've recommended (though sometimes I hate doing that also because when you have cravings you can't just take a 9 hours flight :). I will also make sure, I know what meat or meat broth is used as I do not want to eat an animal that I wouldn't normally eat in Australia ;). I am especially looking forward to bun bo hue, as the ones here in Australia though nice, I don't believe are authentic enough.

      • Mamajo on 14/02/2012 - 12:50

        One full day for Tam Coc and Hoa Lu is quite enough. The $25 for a day trip from SinhCafe seems very reasonable - this will probably include the boat fare as well as transport there. If you're lucky, it might even include a simple lunch. That would probably be the best way to go if you don't have your own car.

        Don't worry, the dishes that I recommended all use "normal" meat. Except maybe Mien Luon, which is Deep Fried Shreds of Eel in a Glass Noodle Soup. Oh, if you're daring, try Bun Oc at the market, a bit like Bun Rieu, but with snails instead. Hee hee.

        When in Hanoi, I would stay at hotels in the Old Quarter. Very narrow, busy streets, and probably smaller hotels, but you'd be central to everything. Tour agencies, Money exchange, Shops, Restaurants, and other backpacker tourists.
        You can hire a bicycle for a day and explore the city with a map. Mingle among the sea of motorbikes and cars. Great experience. Is this your first time in VN?

        I'm thinking, it's a bit of a waste if you make it down to Hue and not go to Hoi An, because Danang and Hoi An is only an hour away from Hue. But maybe you wanted to spend a bit more time in Hoi An……

        • harley on 14/02/2012 - 18:35

          This is my first time 'travelling in' VN. The last time I went I stayed put in HCM for 2 very long months (visiting family with parents). I was going to skip Hue altogether and go from Dong Hoi after Phong Nha to HCM for a mekong trip, but the flights to HCM from there are every other day. This leaves me to arrive in Ho Chi Minh on the 10th day.
          Day 1 - Arrive in Hanoi
          Day 2 - Tour Hanoi
          Day 3 - Tour Hoa Lu and Tam Coc
          Day 4 & 5, Ha Long Bay.
          Day 6 & 7, Phong Nha.
          Day 8 Arrive in Hue
          Day 9 Tour Hue
          Day 10 -12 In Ho Chi Minh.
          The reason why I can't make Hoi An, is because I chose to spend an extra day in Phong Nha, which I am hoping would be worth it. The itinerary from day 7 onwards is still up in the air though. Especially whether I should spend an extra day in Hue, having planned for 2 main cities already? Maybe I should just pass through Hue to Hoi An…

  • mickey on 12/02/2012 - 23:37

    Try Song Huong in St Albans. In my opinion, they make the best bun bo hue in Melbourne. The broth is amazing. Makes me hungry just thinking about it.

    • harley on 13/02/2012 - 15:03

      lol Thanks for the suggestion. I will definitely try it out sometime this week (always looking out for suggestions on the best bun bo hue in Melbourne :) )

    • harley on 15/02/2012 - 19:57

      I tried Song Huong today. I didn't like it. Mum didn't either :( I reckon Hao Phong in Footscray is the best so far.

  • voteoften on 13/02/2012 - 04:21
    +1

    Does anyone know what currency TheSinhTourist Saigon website is using? I couldn't see it.

    Also, I am looking to go somewhere for solo travel for about two weeks over easter. Is Vietnam freiendly and safe for solo female travellers. (I HATED KL!)

    • voteoften on 13/02/2012 - 04:25

      Nevermind on currency, i see in tour detail it is US dollars.

    • Mamajo on 14/02/2012 - 13:01

      VN has a lot of local tour companies that cater for backpackers. And they are very cheap. If it's your first time and a solo female, I would recommend staying in backpacker areas such as Old Quarters in Ha Noi, and Pham Ngu Lao area in Ho Chi Minh, and you'd meet lots of other solo travellers on these day trip tours. Get used to the culture, the environment, the way of things, find out about transportation, from other's experience before venturing out on your own.
      There are so much in VN to discover. If you travel there with an open attitude (don't complain about the heat, the polution, the food, the hygiene, the motorbikes, the peddlers), you'll definitely enjoy it.

      • voteoften on 15/02/2012 - 03:41

        I hated KL because of their attitude towards unaccompanied women. It was shocking. I was aggressively questioned about my marital staus by everyone and because I didn't know the culture I could not tell them to F off. I eventually lied and said I was married and that my husband was working (that was why he wasn't with me). It was never enough. The demands to know where he was, exactly what he was doing, etc, etc never ended. At the hotel I was staying at, a female staff member shielded her eyes so she would not have to look at me as she showed me to my seat at their premier restaurant. I was completely covered from neck to ankles, so it wasn't due to a disrespectful attitude insofar as my clothes were concerned. It was just a basic immoral state, to be female and unaccompanied.

        • harley on 15/02/2012 - 09:49

          Sound horrible! If that is what you are worried about in VN, then no. They are probably too polite to ask if they don't know you. If you are a family however, that is a different question, but they have nothing against a girl who is brave enough to travel solo :)

    • mr_asstight on 18/05/2012 - 23:41

      I loved KL. Great nightclubs (Zouk etc.) and karaoke. Food was unbelievable!

  • mickey on 15/02/2012 - 23:21
    +1

    I'm not sure if I can ride a scooter, don't you need a license?

    Technically you need a license but I ridden a scooter every time I've been in Vietnam and I've never been pulled over by the police. Eventually, I got sick of riding other people's scooters so I decided to buy my own. I paid a bribe of around $100 USD and after a day of testing/cheating I walked away with my very own motorbike license.

    Isn't it hard. And my worst fear I guess with driving in Vietnam is actually hitting someone (or someone pretending to hit you); then you won't be able to leave the country.

    Riding the scooter itself is easy but navigating the traffic can be difficult at first. Once you've mastered the basics, try riding at night when there's not much traffic around. Last time I was in Vietnam I ended up in an minor accident with another scooter. It was totally my fault but I just bribed my way out it haha.

    Have you been to phong nha?

    Nope.

    My main concern is pick-pocketing; what's the best way to keep money in Vietnam, and what kind of money should you be carrying around?

    Some hotels have a safe but I usually leave most of my money in the hotel room. I hide it in my luggage and make sure its locked. Alternatively, you could leave most it in your bank account. There's plenty of ATMs around in Vietnam although the withdrawl fee is about $5 USD. Definitely carry VND with you and shop around at different jewellery stores for the best exchange rate.

    Replying to this post has made me realise how much I miss Vietnam. I can't wait to go back there again.

  • harley on 08/05/2012 - 19:53
    +1

    Now that I've been to Vietnam and back I would like to answer my questions from what I learnt. Funny thing is I have one answer for most of my questions about VN: Holiday Gold Hotel at 24 Hang Manh Street. The people there were great and the room was cheap at $27 for a superior (large)twin double bed room per night (not counted on number of people).

    1. Is joining a tour there more cost effective; and if so, any particular one that you suggest. Cost you paid?

    I went to the Sinh Hotel site in Hanoi advertised on the website linked here and found that the tour price was the same as that offered by the Hotel. At the hotel though each tour, I could get a couple of dollars off on each tour.

    1. For domestic flights in Vietnam, should I buy it from here or from inside VN (I thought that with such a low gdp that they wouldn't charge so much in VN, otherwise not a lot of people will fly)? Or is it better to join a tour?

    With the high price of AUD money and everything being USD in Vietnam, a flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh cost $117. A hotel transport to the airport cost $13. They picked us up from the airport when we got there for free as we stayed for 3 days. The Hotels exchange rate from VN to AUD was around 21000VND per 1USD. My friend exchanged in Aus before we went, and was given 18000VND per 1AUD, plus a fee of approx $8.

    1. Is transport system easy enough to navigate from these places, or would it be a nightmare? I can speak Vietnamese, so I think that may help somewhat?

    Transport system was a bit of a nightmare. But our transport was included in the tours as well so no need to worry there. The hotel also picked dropped us off at the station and organised for someone to pick us up from the station at 6 am in the morning. When we asked other people on the tours from other hotels, they didn't get free pick up.

    1. Which hotel would you personally recommend, cheap, central with private bathrooms and good service? Please no search sites, I have done that and too many options to choose from.

    Holiday gold hotel :). This may sound like an advertisement for them, but it is my honest review. They made everything so easy. A couple on the tour indicated the backpackers hotel in Hanoi was a couple of dollars cheaper with their tour price but I cannot comment on their service.

    1. Any other places that you would recommend I go instead: hidden jewels I guess apart from the obvious tourist attractions above. I had ruled out Sapa, b.c. as much as I would love to see the scenary, I know I am not a trekking person. I like culture, ancient history and sightseeing.

    No comment.

    1. If we are constantly on the move, what to pack? I would assume it would be difficult to lug around luggage, so would it be better to book a hotel at the central stop and leave your luggage there while you go on an overnight sightseeing trips? Like if I went to Hanoi to Halong?

    The hotel kept our luggage for us while we were away without charging extra. Remember we only paid for 3 days, then we went to Halong for 2 days and came back to the Hotel, they not only kept our luggage but allowed us to rest and have a shower, use their cpu, before catching the night train to Sapa for 2 days. When we came back from Sapa, again, we showered, rested, and that afternoon we caught the flight to HCM. The tour bus allows you to bring luggages too but remember if everyone did that, there wouldn't be much space and there was barely space on the tour bus we were on that the tour guide had to stand for the 2 hours trip on bus. Because of the hotel services, everyday that we came back there we would tip VND $50000, that's around $2.50. I don't know if this is alot, I suspect it is for VN, but the staff never did complain nor ask for tips. They had a tip box in the foyer. They were certainly worth it.

    1. Any experience you would like to share,tips?

    Use Mai Ling taxi's in HCM. There is another taxi that is reputable but I stuck to Mai Ling as they were plenty enough. Becareful jumping into the wrong taxi that passes off Mai Ling with same colour but just a slightly different "something". I made the mistake of jumping into what I thought was Mai Ling and was charged double fare than normal. We were lucky, as if you read the internet there were worse horror stories. If you jump into the wrong cab, you would notice that inside there is no signs as to the number you can ring for complaints.

    Ok, hope this helped others.

    Cheers for all the tips guys.

    P.s for two people, we spent less than $800 each on tours, accomodation, plane tickets, meals, gifts, taxis etc.

    P.p.s. I didn't bring much cash. Just my 28 degrees credit card, and the exchange rate was amazing around 21000VND per 1AUD, and the atm withdrawal fee was commonly $2, anymore than this and I would shop around if there was another ATM near by.

    • POWERevolution on 11/06/2012 - 15:58

      P.s for two people, we spent less than $800 each on tours, accomodation, plane tickets, meals, gifts, taxis etc.

      Handy post will save for Sep trip.
      That price doesn't include air fair from OZ to VN right?

      • harley on 11/06/2012 - 17:20

        Thank you. No, airfares were around 750 return each. I met a tourist there who said she booked with jet star very far in advance for 500 return. We went Singapore airlines and they kept feeding us :p with around 100 movie channels to watch. Did had to stop by Singapore though but their airport is first class. For those who haven't been, they have free massage chairs, butterfly/sunflower gardens, lots of beautiful orchids, large koi fish ponds, movies, ps3/xbox gaming stations, swimming, zen sleeping area and tour of Singapore; the airport is a trip in itself and time just flew :)

  • mr_asstight on 18/05/2012 - 23:40
    +2

    awesome post.

    i'm off to Vietnam and Cambodia in August and this guide will come in handy :)

    • harley on 11/06/2012 - 17:34

      Thanks for the feedback. Have a good holiday!

  • harley on 11/06/2012 - 17:36

    You can download an old copy of lonely planet Vietnam from 4shared and if you are not going to have internet there, triposo app with the Vietnam guide. It has a map which helps you from getting lost in the city; or just catch a cab, costs around $1-2 for what would be a 15 mins walk :)

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