| P Foura |
15 July 2004 |
Stayed at De Syloia Hotel - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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If in Hanoi, make sure you go down to Ha Long Bay on one of the 3 day/2 night tours organised by the travel cafes all over town. Exceptional value at $42 US including all transfers and all meals. Make sure to get a tour that has a small group size (<20 pers). Ha Long Bay just should not be missed!
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| S Shyman |
10 July 2004 |
Stayed at Le Domaine de Tam Hai - Hoi An, Vietnam.
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Tam Hai is quiet and not demanding of the sightseeing that seems to dominate other tourists areas - no pagodas, palaces, waterfalls, or other tourists attractions that you seem to shuttle from one to the next. We rode bikes into the market area and walked around a little, otherwise our main goal was to relax on the beach which we had all to ourselves and enjoy the comfort and quiet of our villa. Here you do not feel guilty just sitting and doing nothing, rather thats what this place is made for.
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| Y Kim |
27 June 2004 |
Stayed at Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort - Hoi An, Vietnam.
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Hoi An was a charming town that we really enjoyed spending time in. I recommend taking a day tour to Cham Island with Lodovico - he's an Italian expat who's lived in the area for several years and gave us an amazing day of sight-seeing, snorkeling, food and stories. His tour was $25 vs. $12 with other agencies, but we were very glad that we spent time with him rather than another tour group. You can find his tour agency in town facing the river near the dock heading towards the Japanese Covered Bridge.
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| R Pineda |
21 June 2004 |
Stayed at Hoi An Hotel - Hoi An, Vietnam.
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If you're going to My Son, book your tour when you get to Hoi An. I booked with An Phu Travel for a half day tour at $1.50 (not including entrance fees) and were on the same bus with others who paid five times that.
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| A Crawford |
11 June 2004 |
Stayed at International Hotel Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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We spent 4 full days in Saigon. If you are there just to see the Museums and temples 2 is plenty. However, if you want to relax and get a feel for the place 3-4 is ideal. One shopping tip, go to the Saigon Duty Free shop before you hit the tourist markets. The shops will sell all the same goods at about the same cost as Bihn Tay and everything is a fixed price. Also, if you plan to go to the beaches or other nearby destinations you should try to book a tour at least one day in advance (go to the Backpacker area for this) as most trips seemed to leave at 7:30-8:00 AM. Food in Ho Chi Minh was either average or excellent, we never had a bad meal. Good restauraunts and pubs are Liquid (Dance Club) 104 Hai Ba Trung ST. Dis 1; Lion Brewery (German) next to Caravelle hotel; Ice-Blue 54 Dong Khoi Str Dist 1; Cafe Havana (excellent cuban sandwich's) 25b Tran Cao Van St. District 1; Cafe Latin (Trendy Expat Place) 19 Dong Du St, Dist 1; Apocalypse Now (near Sheraton); City Cafe is good for people watching.
Suprisingly, Sunday night is a big night out so don't leave too early.
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| D Lam |
05 June 2004 |
Stayed at New World Hotel Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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Don't take the taxi parked on Le Lai St. next to the hotel lobby. They start at 6000D (which regular taxi starts at 12000D) but their meter jumps almost every 5 seconds. I think they did something to make the meter jump faster. So just take the taxi in front of the lobby is better.
Also, if you want to join local tour, go to Pham Ngu Lao st just south of the hotel. There are thousands of travel agent but cheap tour. A Mekong Delta 1day tour is only US$7 and Cuchi tunnel 1 day tour is US$4. The travel agent at the airport cost US$60 and US$30 for the same thing!
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| M Keats |
09 May 2004 |
Stayed at New World Hotel Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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This trip we visited charcoal making plants along the southern cost in Ben Tre province. We went from car to ferry to boat to smaller boat and then onto a smaller boat that fits one person and 100kg of Charcoal. It is amazing to watch these people make a living in such a harsh environment.
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| S Mori |
20 April 2004 |
Stayed at Duxton Hotel Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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Foot massage --- Just opposite the Hotel. Restaurant --- Draemon Kaka is very family-friendly Japanese restaurant (50 Dong Du St).
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| K Starke |
16 April 2004 |
Stayed at De Syloia Hotel - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Handspan Tours [and presumably all others] have greatly improved the boats that tour Halong and it is an even greater "must" now. Hoa Sua Restaurant is great value and very good. Also KATO near the Temple of Literature. Taxis easy and cheap. Handspans tour to Khen Ghai about 2 hrs south of Hanoi is a very absorbing boat tour and the people are not yet exposed to the corrupting influence of tourists as is the case at Tam Coc. Special Dim Sum at the Nikko is a killer.
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| T Conway |
13 April 2004 |
Stayed at Victoria Chau Doc Hotel - Chau Doc, Vietnam.
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Took tours of the floating markets around Chau Doc and of the Seven Mountain areas of the Mekong. Used the Hotel's river boat as transportation up the Bassac from Chau Doc to Phom Penh. Staff very helpful at border (visa) checkpoints.
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Traveller's Tales: Things to do in Vietnam
