Some friends were going to fly out to see us in Oz but we've decided we will meet them in Vietnam and have a week's holiday ourselves.

Anyone been? Worth a visit? Anywhere to go… Or anywhere to avoid? Probs going for a week. Seems cheap. Trying to avoid Bali (cos every Aussie seems to go there) and Thailand was the other option but for some reason I'm drawn to Vietnam.

Yes, for 55 days, 21 days after they took down travel restrictions in 1991.
Things will have changed as it was 3 very different a distinct countries back then.

In the middle of the country you had to travel with very small Dong notes (I still have a 1 Dong note – there were 1 million Dong to the $ at the time!) as no one could change big notes.
The north closed at 9pm every evening and everyone wore green Mao suits. The south, by comparrison was a whore!

Spent a few weeks there around 4 years ago. We travelled by train from North to South. Loved it! Lovely scenery, sights, food, people, …. For one week I'd try and stay in one area – but get out and see the countryside. If you decide North – then Halong bay is a must see on a boat trip. The harbour town itself is a real tourist trap and I wouldnt stay there unless you have to.

Dont hire motorbikes – there are no real rules of the road outside the main cities – we saw a few accidents. There are however millions of cyclists so I'd recommend hiring a bike. It'll most likely be a singlespeed too.

Only real downside is trying to travel independently. Officially foreigners cant buy train tickets – you need a local agent but most towns will have one. Some trains tho have to be booked far in advance. This may have changed since. Prices are great, and some French will help in some places.

Overall – if you've got a sense of adventure I'll highly recommend it.

I've been to Hanoi and Halong Bay. Halong bay is amazing as above, we booked a guide to take us and he turned up on a moped and asked us both to get on the back! Hanoi was nice in a faded french colonial way, mopeds everywhere. However the people can be a little odd. My wife has ginger hair and they stare intensley at it, from a very close distance, which was freaky. Also there are loads of people flogging fake louis viton and bottled water all over the place. I also got salmonella there.

I wouldn't go back

Went there in 1999 or 2000 or something. Started off in Saigon and then moved up the coast to Nha Trang (Viet Nam's beach paradise).

How can I summarise the two?

Saigon: Busy as hell with scooters and bikes _EVERYWHERE_! As said before, not traffic rules, so you take your life in your hands every time you cross the road. Going out after dark without having a respected taxi outside the venue is touch and go, more so if you have exposed jewelry, watches etc showing. I heard stories about the bicycle taxis hunting in packs and ripping people off for their shiny stuff.

However, it has got a lot to see and do and the food is worth it. A real mix of cultures, with old French colonial meeting American and traditional Vietnamese. I still think that the US ruined it with their cultural import though; it would have been nicer without the crass commercialisation that you see everywhere. But, there is a lot of foreign investment into the country now and that can only help things.

Nha Trang: Got there via Da Lat (approximately halfway there and up in the mountains, as opposed to being on the coast…). Needles on the beaches, reefs dynamited for the fish, flies, hookers and western businessmen. But… Amazing views on the journey from Da Lat to the Trang and lots of places you can go to visit in a boat. The diving might be rubbish because of the lack of reefs, but at least you can go diving. When I got there, it rained for four days. Without stopping. Heavily. I shit you not.

Personally, I would have gone further up the coast to Da Nang, if only for the surf, maybe to Hue or Hanoi as well, but my ex-wife wanted to stay where we were.

Yeah – But i dont talk about it.

Traveled from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City in 2.5 weeks a couple of years ago. Year of the SARS outbreak. Dirt cheap hotels cos there was no one about. Favourite place was Hoi-an as seen in the film The Quiet American. Halong Bay is definately worth a visit.

Yeah, 2004. Spent a month – Hanoi, Hue, Da Nang/Hoi-an, Saigon. Go for it.

Spent this Decemeber/January there. Awesome. Travelled North to South. Hanoi, Sa Pa, Ha Long Bay, Tam Coc, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Buon Ma Thiot & The Central Highlands, Mui Ne, Saigon, Me Kong Delta.

Fantastic countryside, people, food, experience. Fantastic. Just wish I could have kept rolling and done Cambodia and Laos with the people I met. Stupid job and responsibilities.

Hanoi was a great base to do and see so many things and is far more traditional than anywhere else. Hired a bike and rode the coastal rode (a la Top Gear) from Hue to Hoi An. Full Moon Party on a junk boat in Ha Long Bay. Climbed and trekked Mount Fansipan and the valleys around Sa Pa. Chilled on the beach at Hoi An and Nha Trang. Took a 3 day Easy Rider motorbike tour from Dalat to Mui Ne and stayed in remote villages and homestays. I got to see the real rural side of a wonderful country now thriving after all of the turmoil it has suffered.

Mui Ne was a little disappointing (basically a Russian holiday resort town). Saigon was mental. Hanoi on crack. Scooter drag racing at night. Great party scene. Cu Chi tunnels. Firing an AK. Me Kong Delta. Superb.

Get it booked. If you only have 1 week I'd stay in the North (Hanoi as a base) as there seems to be more to do and see (Sapa, HLB, Tam Coc).

If you just want a week chillin then Hoi An. Nice bike ride to the beach from the town. The town has a Mediterranean feel and is quiet and you can get bespoke suits/dresses/shoes made. You could also see the coastal rode (Hai San Pass?), Da Nang and Hue on day trips as well as the Vietnamese version of Angkor Watt.

We went for a mid week break(from Singapore) to Sigon and loved it . Despite my fears it was fabulous the people were friendly but not obsequious and the food excellent.
The traffic was amazing and a form of entertainment in it self.There do not appear to be any rules of the road and to cross you just step out and move through the never ending stream of scooters who when faced by a red light just drive up on to the pavement then drop back into traffic.
we also went to the Coo Chi Tunnels which were very interesting and the Museum Of American and Chinese war crimes which was disturbing.
If you do get the chance go.

Hmm thanks for the info. A few buddies recommend Halong Bay and the missus has a desktop piccy of it. She wanted to go to Phi Phi in Thailand (where some of the Beach was filmed) and this Halong place looks /a bit/ like it.

Vietnam it is then. Might get a bright orange suit hand made for me!

Forget that aphex, there is one tailors in Hoi An that do suits in urban camo!! Perfect for a day in the office 🙂

Urban camo? Eww…. Can they stitch me up a suit in 60's US DPM? *?*

i had a crazy weekend in ho-chi minh city a few years back. highly recommended and i'd love to go back.