Reliable Travel Agent

Just back from a 6D5N Hanoi-Sapa-Halong Bay Tour with 5 friends. Wanted to share the wonderful holiday we had organised by Ms Ha of Vietland Discovery Tour Co. Ltd. She was quick to respond to our queries and offered great advices. She is on the constant lookout for the best hotel offer and help us to save alot. Her tour quote is the most reasonable.Although she helped us save alot, her services never lack for once. When our flight was last minute rescheduled to an earlier time, she was quick to arrange our airport pickup and also luggages storage with the extra spare time we had before the overnight train to SaPa. She also arranged for a guide to take us to our train cabin in Hanoi and Lao Cai without extra charge.Whoever has taken the train in Vietnam will understand. Its chaotic in the train stn and can be frustrating due to communication problem.Ms Ha and her team of quides were great. We were touched when she called through the driver%26#39;s and guide%26#39;s cellphone to ask our well being.We were surprised when the guide asked us what we dont eat, which is beef. It never strike our minds to specify that in our meals preference. Once again Ms Ha%26#39;s team earned our praises. Halong Bay was spectacular and we have the whole Bai Tho Junk boat to ourselves with the rate we are paying which was unbelievable. All meals were sumptuous. You can rest assured when Ms Ha organise your tours. She can do wonders.Jasmine Hotel recommended by Ms Ha was good. Good location in Old Quarters and the staff were very obliging and cheerful. The breakfast were good. I highly recommend Jasmine Hotel, Hanoi. She can be reached at info@discovervietnam.com.vn. Or www.discovervietnam.com.vn

Honeymoon Advice

We%26#39;re using Hong Kong as the base for our honeymoon in late April/early May, and are thinking about spending 3-5 nights in Hong Kong, and 8-10 nights somewhere else in SE Asia.

Any thoughts/advice/travel agent recommendations for a trip from Hong Kong?

Right now, we%26#39;re considering Malaysia, Thailand (east coast given the season), Vietnam or Lombok - main goals are a beautiful beach with swimming, access to good snorkeling, access to wildlife as well would be ideal. Luxury accommodations may be doable, given that it%26#39;s for our honeymoon, but it does depend on how much airfare and other activities will be.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!!!

Honeymoon Advice

HI,

Viet nam is great place for your honeymoon, you ca n visit Nha Trang city, it is wonderfull. I experienced at Angella hotel last year.

Happy your wedding

Honeymoon Advice

In Vietnam; For a incredible relaxing and peaceful honeymoon it doesnt get any better than a private boat tour of Hang Long Bay: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ha_Long_Bay

Next for the other adventures then Phu Quoc Island, a truly unique and special place.

www.phuquoc.info/

Sharing of tour guide 1st May - 2nd May

Like to see if anyone is interested to share tour guide from the 1st May - 2nd May 2009. PM me!

going rate for car from hue to hoi an

can we have some posts for going rate for car from hue to hoi an pls

going rate for car from hue to hoi an

First try negotiating with a taxi at no more than 10,000d per km

going rate for car from hue to hoi an

It should be between $45-$50 one way. Last year I went from Hoi An to Hue and it was $50. It might be cheaper now, but should not be more. Several years ago it was $35.00. Make arrangements once you get to Hue at a tour agent and if it seems too expensive check with other places. Hope this is useful.

Hinowrabase,

Hue to Hoian about 140 km, 3.5 hours by Private car or 04 hours by Big Bus

By car 4seats about 70 USD , by bus 5 USD per person

Good luck

Noibaitaxi

Halong Bay to Hai Phong airport

After our Halong Bay cruise in April we plan to depart on Jetstar from Hai Phong airport instead of returning to Hanoi. Anyone with experience catching taxi, private car etc from Halong Bay to Hai Phong airport.

Halong Bay to Hai Phong airport

Dear Biffdog,

It is correct, we have Jetstar flights from Cat Bi( Hai phong) airport to Ho Chi Minh, certaintly it will take around two hours driving on 90 km.

You should know what time is your cruise back Bai Chay tourist wharf, because of a few cruises come back at 9.00 or 12.00

Beside that you need your tour guide arrange a private car or call Mai Linh Taxi (033.3628 628 )costs from 500 000- 600 000 dong.

Good Luck

Einstein

Halong Bay to Hai Phong airport

Hi VietnamAwesomeTravel

many thanks for you info

Cheers

Noibaitaxi

An interesting hotel in Saigon

I%26#39;m booking a trip to Indo China for myself and my husband leaving a couple of days after Christmas - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and then some downtime in Langkawi and then flying back to to UK from Singapore.

I%26#39;m managed to pick hotels in Hanoi (Maison d%26#39;Hanoi Hanova), a Ginger Junk for Halong Bay, La Residence in Hue, Life Resort in Hoi An, Victoria in Chau Doc, one night on a Bassac boat in the Delta. BUT - can%26#39;t find anything that seems to tick all the right boxes for Saigon, all the hotels seem to attract loads of negative comments on this and other sites or, if not, are way too expensive. We really like something historical/interesting/boutique-y/quirky/even kitsch but properties such as the Rex and the Majestic seem to be just tired and badly run.

Needs to be nice and central too.

I%26#39;ve also got a question about Phu Quoc that I%26#39;m going to post and any help would be really appreciated.

An interesting hotel in Saigon

HI,

Lavender hotel and Northern hotel(3-star) in SAigon are good and beaitful.

One can choose one travel agent to arrange an itinerary for you.

cherry,

An interesting hotel in Saigon

Elios is boutique hotel with reasonable price, good location.

From the ratings on Tripadvisor we picked Harmony Hotel approx 55 USD which turned out to be a nice little family run hotel.

Sea Star Resort on Phu Quoc is good value for money.Price 45/55/65 USD.45 USD is for garden view bungalow but same standard as beachfront bungalow.

During my stay I saw lots of people trying to book but the resort was fully booked so booking in advance is neccessary.

This is an interesting discussion related to your question.

鈥ytimes.com/2009/鈥?/a>

Sorry Harmony hotel is wrong.The suggestion should read Spring Hotel

Hi.

Another vote for the Spring Hotel, a great little boutique hotel in a great location.

I would recomend the Saigon riverside house in An Phu with beautiful garden and by saigon river.You can check with Mrs Laurie at www.vrbo.com

Thanks for pointing out this article to me...obviously I%26#39;m not the only one to have identified the problem!

pores

sinh cafe tour - payment

Hi alls,

I have decided to take the tour of Sinhcafevn.com. The one that costs $25 for 1N2D, or $35 2N3D, and change the hotel in Cantho.

At the point that we almost finalized, they ask me to pay in advance by Bank Money Transfer. That is $45, $35 per transaction. Uh! So far this is a safe way to pay anyway, but $45 for a transaction of $120, is it not expensive?

Has anyone had this experience? I could opt to arrive there and pay cash, but I%26#39;m afraid that the good hotel will be booked.

I also looked at those hotel reservation sites, they all request photocopies of your credit card, both sides, the secret 3 digitts #, and the photo of your passaport! That is an invitation for identity theft. Strange that no business there use PayPal or Propay. If you have to pay 3% for credit card payment, you can as well pay the same to PayPal.

I would appreciate any advises. Thanks

sinh cafe tour - payment

Hi Moonie,

I booked a couple of days trips for 4 people with Sinh Cafe before I arrived and I was never asked to prepay. One trip was $28 and the other $80.

We also went on their 1n/2d Mekong Delta trip for $25 pp, but we booked and paid when we got there, only one day in advance. I believe Sinh Cafe themselves to be good operators, but putting all your details out there is is risky. When I prepaid the train ticket man in Hanoi I used Xoom something (hopefully someone will be able to clarify) which has very tight security and only cost a few dollars in fees.And is almost nothing if your are from USA.

AUD fee = $9

USD fee = $1.50

When I went on the trip (twice) no-one upgraded the hotel so you should be ok to wait.

Good Luck

Cooperellie

sinh cafe tour - payment

hello copperellie, thanks for your details message. What is it xoom?

Regarding hotel, I already tried to book on my own, one good mid-range hotel is already booked on Feb 25, the date that I will be there with Sinfcafe tour.

Perhaps for the tour, I can go there upon arrival in HCM, and book for the next day or the day after next. I heard that Feb and March are high season.

How was your experience with Sinh cafe, where did you go in the Mekong Delta?

Thanks again for your informations

www.xoom.com

It%26#39;s a safe way to send money overseas.

Just ask Sinh Cafe to upgrade your hotel when you book - don%26#39;t bother organising one yourself.Unless you really really want to stay somewhere special. On both trips I%26#39;ve been on, you arrive at the guesthouse about 6pm and have to leave again at 7am so there%26#39;s no time to enjoy any better facilities anyway. You won%26#39;t find a better deal for the price.

I found their trip to be basic as far as boats and comfort go, but we saw heaps. Plus they take you to their own resturant for lunch on the Delta.

And they don%26#39;t take you to places where the locals expect to be tipped by every tourist for doing their job.

Regards

Cooperellie

Cooperellie

Sinh Cafe did not ask me to prepay for a tour in advance (2n/3d to Cambodia via Can Tho and Chaudoc). They told me to just go to their office one day before the tour date and buy the ticket as tours leave every day.

I also didn%26#39;t have to pre-pay with Sinh Caf茅. It sounds to me like you are dealing with one of the many ';copies'; of the Caf茅. Look up threads on this forum called ';The Real Sinh Caf茅)

Thanks everybody, you are mostly helpful with your information. It helps me to be tranquil. So I guess my trip preparation is done. LOL!.

Sinh cafe, De Tham %26amp; Pham Ngu Lao, opens until 9-10pm. I paid the night before for overnight trips.

Which is true ?

http://www.sinhcafe.com

http://www.sinhcafe.com

www.sinhcafevn.com is the right one

all the rest are bogus

Hi all,

I don`t want to open a new post, but I have a same problem with Sinh Cafe.

I hope I`m dealing with the real Sinh Cafe , here is their website, (what many people recommended on TA ) :

http://www.sinhcafevn.com/AboutUs.asp

I wanted to book a Sapa tour, because I have no time to book it when I will be there, I want to leave on the same night when I will arrive to Hanoi.

Many people posted Sinh Cafe did not ask for deposit , and they did not pay in advance.

I thought I would go to the office at the morning and I will pay the tour cost.

But unfortunately I got an email back yesterday, saying

';In order to assure your booking , a 50% nonrefundable deposit by bank transfer will be requested to guarantee your booking. Sinh Cafe will confirm the booking once it receives your deposit as guarantee. Reservation made by e-mail/Internet without deposit in advance will not be considered. Would you mind paying by bank transfer? We will inform our bank details after we have your agreement. ';

Is it something new ? Or I`m dealing with the real ';fake'; Sinh Cafe ?

I think a 50% nonrefundable deposit a little bit too much, especially after reading many post about that they do not ask for deposit.

Thanks

zskin

Halong Bay or Ninh Binh (Tam Coc)?

Hi there

My husband and I will be having a short trip to Vietnam mid June. We plan on spending a few days in Hanoi and would like to get out of the city for a couple of days to see another side of Vietnam in the short time we have.

We only have 2d/1n free and I am trying to decide between spending it in Ninh Binh exploring the area and Tam Coc as this area seems to be very beautiful and not very touristy yet. I am thinking it could be a good time to visit the area now while its relatively quiet.

Or doing a 2d/1n tour of Halong Bay. The Pinta Cruise interests me at this stage. There is a difference in price between the two of course and I am wondering if Halong Bay is worth the extra money.

Cheers

Halong Bay or Ninh Binh (Tam Coc)?

Hi Kiwi07

Do both,join a group tour

a)Halong bay 1 day trip from Hanoi departing 7am returning evening

b)Ninh Binh 1 day tour depart 7 am return late evening

Cheers

Halong Bay or Ninh Binh (Tam Coc)?

Hi Kiwi,

We had the luxury of doing both and excuse the pun but we thought Halong Bay was a bit like sheep herding. It certainly is a beautiful site but is being way too over exploited with the number of boats and people.

On the other hand, Ninh Binh was quite relaxed, very beautiful and mixing with the locals was a treat. I even stopped for a shave on the side of the street. You would need the 2 full days to see most on offer.

We have some pics, stories and maps of our trip here... www.bobandjanette.com which may help.

Happy %26amp; safe travels

Chau Doc to Sihanoukville

We would like to travel to Sihanoukville from the Mekong region without having to travel first to Phnom Penh. How accessible is the Tinh Bien crossing near Chau Doc for people travelling with suitcases not backpacks? Is the crossing via Ha Tien a possibility? Are there hire cars/taxis on the Cambodian side of the border? Would love to hear from anyone who has travelled either of these routes.

Chau Doc to Sihanoukville

Although we haven%26#39;t done this crossing it is a well trodden path. You could arrange something in Dist 1 in Saigon to facilitate the trip to Sihanoukville.

We have some pics, stories and maps of our trip to the areas here... www.bobandjanette.com which may help.

Happy %26amp; safe travels

Halong Bay or Phu Quoc Island?

Is it worth flying to Phu Quoc Island for just 3 nights, after staying at Hoi An first for 4 nights?

Is 4 nights too long in Hoi An? We don`t want to include a visit to Hue.

Our other option is perhaps doing a Halong Bay Pinta Cruise 2 night 3 day, with one night on the junk and 1 night on Cat Ba Island and then adding an extra night on Cat Ba Island.

We would be in Hanoi first anyway if we were to do a Halong Bay trip.

We`re travelling end of Oct/early Nov and also have a 4 night Mekong Delta biking trip planned.

Has anyone travelled to both Halong Bay/Cat Ba Island and Phu Quoc Island? . We would like a few relaxed days elsewhere at a beach if the weather in Hoi An is a bit dodgy at that time of the year to be on the beach there.

Any comments would be much appreciated.

Halong Bay or Phu Quoc Island?

I wouldnt want to spend 4 nights in Hoi An and miss Ha Long Bay, but for time wise just go 2 nights. And if their is any other place south of Hoi An it would be Phu Quoc. Nha Trang has a nice beach and fun activities, but the best weather for this time is going to be around Hanoi and south to Phu Quoc. In between will still be hot and humid, but all what your use to.

Halong Bay or Phu Quoc Island?

We just returned from a 2+ week trip in Feb. For me, the best 2 days of the trip were spent on Halong Bay. We did not go to Cat Ba Island. We took a 2 day, 1 night cruise on the Red Dragon luxury junk. I can%26#39;t say enough good about that trip. It was magical. The boat was clean and well designed. The crew friendly, hard working and fun. The food was fabulous. I had to pinch myself because it was so beautiful there.

We also went to Phu Quoc island. While I enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere and the wonderful beach there, I would still put Halong Bay above Phu Quoc if I had to rank them. It depends on your preference for beach versus boat, I guess.

Oh and Hoi An was great fun too. If you want to have tailoring done and shoes made, you will want at least 3 nights there so you can have your fittings done. We stayed for 4 nights and I%26#39;m glad we did. Get a massage at Aly%26#39;s. $15 for one hour.

ATM at the airport

Hi guys,

I am sure there must be but wanted to double check. Is there an atm at the HCMC Airport and also an currency exchange shop?

Thanks

ATM at the airport

I don%26#39;t know about the ATM machines, but as you exit the customs/immigration area you will see four or five stands where you can change money and get a taxi. You need to check the exchange rate at each individual stand as it varies greatly as does the price of a taxi. So, ask and then ask at the next one and so on. The exchange rates are posted but you need to ask about the taxi rate. I usually change about $50 US at the airport (ask for some smaller bills for the taxi and tip at the hotel) and then change larger bills at a jewelry shop near the Ben Thanh Market for a better exchange rate. (I only change US dollars, but I%26#39;m sure they give a good rate for the Euro and the Aus Dollar or the Pound, but again I have never exchanged those). ATM%26#39;s are all over the place but I had to pay a fee for the Vietnamese bank (about $1.30) and for my American Bank ($5.00)for each transaction with an ATM. Lots of places to exchange money and if you check around you can get better exchange rates.

Transportation from Hanoi to Halong Bay

We are staying at the Novotel Halong Bay, but I am not sure about the best (and most cost efficient) way to get there aside from the local bus which takes hours. Any suggestions?

Transportation from Hanoi to Halong Bay

I am also planning to stay at Novotel in Halong Bay. I emailed the Novotel and was quoted USD$120 one way for a private car - 4 seat. Pick up could be from Hanoi airport or Hanoi hotel. They would organise for me. It sounds a little expensive for me but prefer private car for speed, comfort %26amp; privacy. I am doing some searches on bus transfers for another option. I also found a helicopter transfer - approx USD $210, if that%26#39;s in your budget.

Transportation from Hanoi to Halong Bay

Hi yoideaman

From Hanoi to Halong bay about 170 KM it take about 3h. 1way taxi 4seats about 70 USD. You can go by bus at 10USD per person ....

Good luck

Noibaitaxi

I arranged a private transfer from Hanoi to Halong Bay with Ha at Vietland Discovery.The price I was quoted is $90 for the round trip for 2 people.

Our associated partner doing all these kind of transers. Her quote for private car round trip is only $ 86.

all her options are in here: halongjunkcruise.com/vi-vn/鈥efault.aspx

pores

Private Car Transfer: Hanoi - Ha Long City

Can anyone give me a current price for a private car transfer to Ha Long City from Hanoi? And an ideal of travel time.

I will be staying at the Novotel for 2 nights so will also need to return to Hanoi.

Thanks

Private Car Transfer: Hanoi - Ha Long City

Dear Franqipanni,

You are interested in spending 2 nights there

Day 1: Leave Hanoi at 8.30 or 12.00 to Halong %26amp; night Luxury Novotel.

Day 2: Cruise for 4 hours in the morning or afternoon

by night time, enjoy your hotel

Day 3: Back Hanoi

Flexible price from 90 - 100 USD

If you like seats in coach, costing around 20 $ for return ticket

Hope that you can do best %26amp; have fun

Einstein

Private Car Transfer: Hanoi - Ha Long City

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293923-i9984-k254鈥?/a>

Handspan tours

Has anyone had a problem with Handspan. I would like to know if emailing your credit card/passport details is a problem. Just wondering if all is legit?

Handspan tours

Hi Minnie,

They are one of requtable %26amp; best tourist companys, you should not worry about their reliable services,

We believe that you will be happy with them.

Cheers

Einstein

Handspan tours

Minnie006,

Personally I would never email my credit card details to anyone - let alone overseas - not matter how reputable the person is. I am a big purchaser via the internet but only through secure sites. We have previously been stung with a big chain hotel in SE Asia - this hotel we had stayed at many many times and trusted. I emailed the hotel my cc details to secure a special room which is not sold via the websites...and got stung..only $20 but the bank said it was a %26#39;tester%26#39; to see if we noticed. We did%26#39;nt but the bank did.

If you must give credit card details I would suggest organising a Travelex Visa card and having only the amount of money on the card that you need as a deposit.

Lou

If the internet site that you do your payment through is secure and you are dealing directly with the real Handspan then I would have absolutely no problem with it.

A few years ago i paid a big deposit with them (can%26#39;t remeber the details of how I did it!) - it went through fine. The day before we left home to go to Vietnam my BIL was killed so we had to cancel the trip at the very last minute. Handspan gave us a FULL refund of our deposits - there were no problems, gnarly questions or holdups. they were very prompt in the refund and extremely easy to deal with at a very traumatic time for us.

We used them and gave credit card details no problems

Packing tips for Vietnam

We just returned from a 2 1/2 week vacation in Vietnam in Feb. Before we left, I did a lot of research into what we should bring on the trip. First, I read a few posts here and on other sites recommending that we pack our bags and then take half the clothes out. It is very easy and cheap to have laundry done. We paid $1 (US) per kilo to have our clothes washed. Buying clothes is cheap too if you find yourself short.

Other items I brought:

Travel tissue packs (Kleenex). There were plenty of toilets where toilet paper was either out or nonexistent. Also they don%26#39;t tend to have towels to dry your hands.

Purell -- see above in case you can%26#39;t properly wash.

Sneakers: you will be walking a ton if you want to really see the sites. In Vietnam, the sidewalks aren%26#39;t meant for walking. They park their motorbikes and have their dining and every other social gathering on the sidewalk. So be prepared to walk a lot on the street.

ATM card: We brought US dollars with us but found it was easier to bargain with Dong. The ATMs tend to have a 2 million dong limit, but we managed to get higher amounts when we selected ';other'; on the screen. Most establishments charge you 3 percent of the transaction for a credit card purchase.

A Smile: don%26#39;t forget to bring along a good attitude and be ready for a fun adventure. We loved the people we met, especially the children. They saw our Western faces and wanted to wave and say ';hello.';

Packing tips for Vietnam

Hi readhead,

All excellent advice!----Can I add a few more things that pack in a single reinforced plastic bag for a long trip into VN?------All of this weighs 1+ kilogram and is carried in Cargo baggage.

Cigarette lighters,matches, nail clippers, Swiss army knife, rubber bands, small/ medium/ A4 pads, pencils, pens, sharpener, combs, shoe laces, sleeping mask, earplugs, panadol,immodium, scissors, dog clips, glide-on clips, Vietnam chargers for mobile and digital camera, calculator,duplicates of passport, visa, tickets( separated from the original ones),house keys, VN hotel cards, small pad with every important phone number in it, maps of VN, spectacle cases,6 wire coat hangers( tied together with a rubber band), envelopes, elasticized bandage, band aids , tiny 8Gig flash drive.---all that weighs 1+ kilogram!! ----this is my critical bag so I do not have to buy anything in VN --- it wastes time!

plover

taxi scams

When any body arrives at any of the major airports in Hanoi and Ho Chi Min and plans on catching a taxi,be very careful of %26#39;spruikers%26#39;who approach and promise a set price into the city.Make sure you are very familiar with the local currency to begin with and beware if there is also a %26#39;co driver%26#39; as well!I was scammed when they stopped at a supposed %26#39;toll%26#39;and asked for money from the driver,only to find out at my hotel no such toll existed.To be very safe on this make the driver come into the hotel reception with you before you pay him,as any potential, scam will be averted.

Jed.

Sydney

taxi scams

Good advice. Never, ever accept a taxi from someone who approaches you asking you if you want a taxi!

At Hanoi things are OK because there are 3 dedicated taxi ranks with fixed prices. In HCMC it%26#39;s an absolute shambles with no organised taxi rank, taxi touts everywhere and about 20 different taxi firms, most of them dodgy, jockeying for fares. Stick to Mai Linh or Vinataxi, ensure the meter%26#39;s working, make a note of the tax number, and ignore any BS from the driver.

Alternatively, if it%26#39;s your first time in VN, book an airport pickup with your hotel. Might cost you a bit more (usually $30-40), but worth it for peace of mind.

taxi scams

The same thing happened to us on our recent trip and I though I was so thoroughly prepared.......... but I was a bit flustered and my guard was let done and did not want to make a fuss with hubby when I felt things were not right,like the extra person getting into the car when we were in the vehicle etc.

When we were stopped at the ';toll';and asked for money I became really worried because this guy saw us drawing money at the airport etc. Lucky for us we

did not stay in an expensive hotel,had a very old mobile phone which he looked at so hopefully that made him think that we were not loaded.

Anyway that was a very scary lesson for us because we were exposed to so many things that thankfully did not happen.

They stopped a few doors down the road from our hotel and demanded much more money than was agreed on,I jumped out of the car and started pulling our bags out of the boot as my hubby negotiated payment and gave them more than we should have but were just relieved to have not come to harm.

We did settle down and thouroughly enjoyed the rest of our travel in Vietnam

When we got out the international terminal at HCMC we were approached by the same guys asking $15 to District 1, saying 100k VND tolls etc.

We made a b line to the domestic terminal.

Found a reputable taxi co logo. Stuck my head in and said $7 to District 1. He agreed and off we went.

You don%26#39;t need to go so far out of your way, but it worked for us.

Don%26#39;t pay for a hotel pick up. You could get scammed twice and still not have to pay that much.

Regards,

Shanan.

A taxi to the city center (District 1) should cost $65k VND, which is roughly ~$3-4 USD. As a foreigner who does not speak Vietnamese, expect to be ripped off. So, to make your life easy, hand the guy a $100VND bill and get out of the taxi rest assured and you gave him a generous tip.

-wdot

thejadedpalate.com/foodie-guide-to-vietnam-s鈥?/a>

Another good tip someone suggested to me recently is, when you come out of the airport, turn right, and walk up the stairs to Departures. You should then be able to grab one of the taxis dropping someone off, without being assailed by taxi touts. I%26#39;ve not tried it yet but it sounds like a good idea.

IN HCMC as you exit customs there is a money exchange and a taxi counter on your right where you can purchase a voucher for your destination. You will be escorted to your cab and avoid the crowd outside and the hassle of choosing a potential problem ride.

Wdot, I see some sense in your approach, but my problem with that is that you are giving a generous tip, rewarding someone who is trying to cheat you. Just seems like generous tips should be saved for those who have earned them through their hard work and honesty. But I do understand your angle and it does make more sense than paying even more as they are asking.

My solution has always been to try and know the prices ahead of time. Thailand is no better than Vietnam when it comes to scamming taxis and tuk tuks. We try and know the price and offer that price and they either accept or we move on to the next guy. Generally after a bit of crying they accept.

Don%26#39;t be put off travel to Vietnam but just be aware particularly if you are travelling alone or if you are female (as these thugs are so brave). One scam I fell victim to was at Hanoi airport where a woman dressed in Government Official uniform pointed frantically and excitedly to back seat of the taxi where I put my bag, all the rush and excitement was curious as it was dead quiet with no people or traffic around as I had arrived at a quiet time from a domestic flight Hue to Hanoi. To cut a long story short the driver had put a piece of foam over the meter and unveiled an 800,000 VND fair, and parked down a back ally when we arrived in Hanoi behind my hotel, with my bag in the back. As I was on my own I was pretty much stuck. I was probably ripped off about $50 US but paid up as the driver was pretty agressive and had my luggage hostage. Best thing to do if you go to Hanoi is to ask at the airport and get on a mini-bus with other tourists which stop near the lake, then get a motor bike to your hotel, they can carry your luggage on the front of the bike. Negotiate up front and offer to pay the motor bike rider well ie 40000 - 50000 VND a trip. Another good way to go is to get the hotel you%26#39;re staying to arrange the taxi. I met quite a few other people who got ripped off by cyclo and taxi drivers in Vietnam, I even saw tourists arguing with them in the street (also in Saigon). I think if a scam like the one mentioned above happens just offer to the driver to get the police involved and stand your ground, this is not that easy when your in another country but I think these Vietnamese rip off merchants are all bluff. Just remember don%26#39;t leave your bag in the back or boot of the car, and it is a long way from the airport to the city centre in Hanoi so beware the rigged or concealed meter.

Sorry to hear that it happened to you as well,as I find we are at our most vulnerable when we arrive at a destination and the currency has so many zero%26#39;s on the end of it doesn%26#39;t help!As i said always be weary if there is a %26#39;co-driver%26#39; and you get approached ...by yourself!A lesson to be learned from this for all of us unfortunately...an expensive one!

I just went to HCMC with my family in early Oct and that%26#39;s our 1st visit to Vietnam. We had no problem with taxi drivers from the moment we arrived. Just remember:

1) Vouchers are available at the airport (next to money changer when you arrive). Going to District 1 will cost you only US$8.00 for a sedan car. You will be escorted to the taxi.

2) When travelling in the city, always pick a taxi that belongs to the taxi company like Vinasun, Mae Linh ..etc which you can see the company phone number is on the door.

3) Many taxi queue up outside the hotel which the hotel staff will assist you in communicating to the driver your destination. To play safe, always bring the address of your destination along.

The golden rule when travelling in Vietnam is ';Don%26#39;t accept if anyone approach you for taxi unless it is a metered taxi owned by registered taxi company.

Bad taxi experience in Hanoi

I went to Ho Chi Minh Museum by Hanoi Tour Taxi (by meter)(I hope i type the right name) from Hang Bac Street, it cost me VND35,000.

I came back to Hang Bac Street from Ho Chi Minh Museum by this green colour MAiLINH Taxi (by meter), it took me VND79,000!

The meter jumps very fast!

It starts from VND15,000, within 5mins, it became VND40,000! It really spoilt my mood...

When we arrived our hotel in Hang Bac Street, I wanted to get translate from the hotel receptionist, guess what? The taxi driver locked all the doors, you can%26#39;t go out without HIS %26#39;permission%26#39;.

What can we do? He charged us by ';METER';...

Please be alert of these cases...

Bad taxi experience in Hanoi

My Xile,

That is a scary experience, he locked you guy in the car? Did he thinks you are not going to pay or something? That is weird.

Bad taxi experience in Hanoi

Hanoi really has to do something about its taxis. It seems like most of those guys are crooks. I have been ripped off by taxis several times in Hanoi, and never once in HCMC.

I dream of the day when VN has a Tourist Police section, like in Thailand. If they started regulating these things properly the tourist return numbers would actually start increasing.

Bentre,

Don%26#39;t they have them undercover in tourist area of district 1?

Bentre,

Don%26#39;t they have undercover police in tourist area of district 1?

tibet71,

The taxi driver knew tat I want to seek %26#39;help%26#39; from the hotel receptionist, he didn%26#39;t want to stop right infront my hotel! He stopped before the hotel, I said ';to the hotel';, then he stopped few shops away fromt the hotel... Locked the door, pointed to the meter unfriendly. After we paid, he said,%26#39;Hotel, hotel, hotel...%26#39;

I was very angry! But my partner said don%26#39;t fight with him since we are not familiar with the place %26amp; ppl there...

Sorry to hear that, these people are ruining the industry and ruining themselves. Just for reco if you are kind enough to come back. Use 3535353 or 3262626 taxi firms.

IndochinaVoyages,

Thanks! I will go back for Halong Bay which I missed out during my last trip. ^_^

Mai Linh is a rather reputable in HN. remember that if u encounter the same thing next time, keep calm and just pay when you get out. When u loose ur temper, it%26#39;s something alerting the driver that u will go away without paying the fee. and in that case, u get trouble. Just keep your anger down and show him that ur gonna do something usual, which signal him nothing wrong. and then, make a phone call to the company and things will be made clear.

in case, you openly show up your offense and that wicked guy does not open his car. what else could he further do to you??? drive around untill he%26#39;s tired of your presence in his car! no more than 10 mins of patient contest, I guess. (remember this application can be applied to reputable taxi and occupants are strong male, I%26#39;m sorry)

be calm always!

Safe travels!

As tourists, I feel that we just have to not be intimidated in situations like this. I was in Hue in a cyclo, I agreed to 1 hour at 150,000VND, and when the ride was over, the driver demanded 200,000VND. I said no, that I was paying the original amount, and when he objected I told him to take me to the police station. He took my 150,000VND then quite fast!

Now would you pay if the meter shows VND350,000 ?

Dont laugh, it has happened to me before in Saigon. I almost laugh out when I saw how the meter spun.

I also had a not so pleasant experience with a MaiLinh taxi in Hanoi last week. Took a long way and was overcharged VND30,000; not worth arguing about but I made sure I took back every single dong in change from him.

Anyone used Come & Go Travel?

Hi all

Found this lot while searching online %26amp; they%26#39;ve offered me a decent price for my trip, asking me to pay deposit upfront - a bit wary as not used them before and you hear bad stories about Vietnam. Anyone used them? Website is www.comeandgovietnam.com. Looks OK but would like a referral if poss.

Thanks for anyone who can help x

Anyone used Come %26amp; Go Travel?

Hi Emma

I%26#39;d not heard of them but looking at the bottom of the web page it appears the company is associated with Bao Su Long, who get plenty of good feedback on here, so should be OK.

pores

Ititerary Advice please 12 nights

Hi there, My wife and I ages 27-28 from Australia, flying in %26amp; out of Saigon unfortunately for only 12 nights. We want to see as much of Vietnam as possible so have decided to fly between destinations to save travel time. Does this iteneray sound OK? Any other recommendations?

Day 1 - fly into Saigon 20.40pm

Day 2 - Saigon

Day 3 - Fly Saigon - Hue - early morning flight, day in Hue exploring citadel, royal tombs etc. Stay overnight in Hue.

Day 4 - Hire car/driver from Hue to Hoi An via Hai Van Pass/Marble Mountains etc.

Day 5 - Hoi An

Day 6 - Hoi An (My son sunrise tour). Fly out of Danang in afternoon to Hanoi.

Day 7 - Hanoi

Day 8 - Hanoi - Halong Bay (overnight on junk)

Day 9 - Halong Bay - Hanoi

Day 10 - Hanoi

Day 11 - Fly Hanoi - Saigon (mid morning)

Day 12 - Saigon

Day 13 - Saigon - depart and fly home around 10pm.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Ititerary Advice please 12 nights

A whirlwind trip but doable. You will need a holiday once you return but if your limited to 12 days that will give you a good overall view.

I would even consider dropping Hanoi/Halong Bay so that you could spend more time in Hoi An and Hue.

We have some pics and stories of our trip here... www.bobandjanette.com which may help.

Happy %26amp; safe travels

Ititerary Advice please 12 nights

Thanks Bob %26amp; Jeanette for your reply. Unfortunately my wife is dead set keen on Halong Bay so we have to make it up north to Hanoi. Do you think it would be possible to fly into Hue in the morning, leave bags/cases somewhere, do half day motorbike tour of Citadel/Royal Tombs etc, and then taxi to Hoi An via Hai Van Pass/Marble Mountains? That way would have an extra night/day in Hoi An?

Kindest regards, Scott

Sorry, Sgtpompy, no way IMO would you have time to properly visit the sights in Hue and drive to Hoi An- it%26#39;s about a four hour drive.

Personally I%26#39;d recommend cutting your first day in HCMC as we weren%26#39;t really all that keen on HCMC as it turned out, touristy sites were quickly exhausted and then we were casting about looking for things to do (Cu Chi tunnels worth a visit though). Then you could have an extra day in Hoi An.

Thanks Yorkfoodie for your advice. Sounds like it might be best to stay overnight in Saigon our 1st night, and catch an early morning flight the next day to Hue. How far is District 1 from the airport? Perhaps we should stay close to the airport in Saigon as we only arrive at 8.40pm and will be leaving early the next day? Any hotel recommendations close to the airport? Thanks, Scott

Is there a way you can arrive in Saigon and depart from Hanoi for AUS? It would save you some time and traveling! I am in the UK and am arriving in Hanoi and working my way down to Saigon, flying back from there.

I have been researching some travel agents so if you want to know details or compare quotes just pm me, I think I know who I am going with :)

Dont miss Halong Bay, its wonderful. Your wife is right about going!!

I%26#39;m 24 from Melbourne, i just got back from a 14 day tour of vietnam. Started in Saigon (HCMC) and ended in Hanoi.

You seem to be going back and forth a fair bit? You should def do HCMC, it was my favourite place in Vietnam, for shopping and night life (not that i%26#39;m a big partier but there was just this nice atmosphere). It took a day or two to get my head around the place though, so very different/scary/amazing..

We had two nights there (do the tunnels, they are great) then drove to Dalat (nothing worth seeing here so you wouldn%26#39;t need to worry about that.) Nha Trang was next, it was nice, sort of Gold Coasty but dirtier. The beach was nice but nothing like Australia so try not to compare or you%26#39;ll be disappointed. Then Hoi An which was great, clothes were fantastic and we had dinner by the river one night, was really nice. Hue was good but you%26#39;d only need one night there (everywhere else we had 2 nights) and then Hanoi, which was okay, but you should focus more on Halong Bay then actual Hanoi.

Hope this helps.. enjoy your time over there!

It%26#39;s interesting how different people have different experiences. We preferred Ha Noi to HCMC and regretted we had not planned in enough time to look around properly, having just used it as a staging post between Sa Pa and Ha Long Bay. So we%26#39;re going back and spending as little time as possible in HCMC, and nine days in Hanoi.

Perhaps if you%26#39;d prefer to have a breather in HCMC on your arrival, you could take off a day at the end. You%26#39;d still have the afternoon and all the next day until your flight leaves to visit there.

Thank you everyone for your responses. We have decided to leave HCMC 1st thing on the 2nd morning to Hue and adding the extra night in Hoi An making it 3. We are now actually considering staying 4 nights in Hoi An and having one less in Hanoi? We were thinking we could stay in a beach resort such as the Palm Garden Resort for a bit of R%26amp;R. Is the weather OK in March for beach/pool etc in Hoi An or would 3 nights suffice and have the extra night in Ha Noi? Unfortunately can only get a morning flight from Danang to Hanoi for a reasonable price. Thanks in anticipation, Scott.

Hi.

We are definitely Hoi An fans. Going back for third time in June.

Palm Garden is supposed to be great but we have chosen to stay in town at Thuy Duong 3 and visit the beach from there. Thuy Duong 3 has a great pool, good rooms and great breakfast for around $45 a night. We prefer the location as it is an easy walk to the restaurants and bars and only a few dollars by taxi to beach.

Hoi An is for us a place where you can spend an extended time - just love sitting in a riverfont resaurant sipping a $1 G%26amp;T watching the world go by!!

Yes I second the review for Thuy Duong 3. Great hotel, location is central and the full buffet breakfast is fantastic

Wendy Wu Tours again

I have read the previous message but would like to ask if anyone has done the Indochina tour of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam recently and what they thought of it, particularly the food aspect as all meals are included. Is it mostly local food as I hate European buffets? The price seems reasonable for what you get. Thanks!

Clothing requirements for Halong Bay in April

Hi there,

I%26#39;ve read that it can be cold and can be hot in April. Can someone please advise what clothing is to be taken with you for a Halong Bay cruise 1 night 2 days, around mid April?

I%26#39;m really hoping it isn%26#39;t going to be too cold

Thanks in advance

Izzy

Clothing requirements for Halong Bay in April

It%26#39;s not going to be cold at this time of year and IF IT COMES, a windbreaker can help. Junk cruises in Halong Bay are all built with glass window. Just shut the door and windows, then no more worries. Cheers

Clothing requirements for Halong Bay in April

Remember your togs, it will be swimming weather. :)

thanks all.. but will i need a jacket? or will shorts and a long sleeve be ok??

iZZU

Trust me, that will work, otherwise, slid my throat lol.

Good Dry Cleaning in Hanoi?

Hi

Last time I stayed in old quarter and I was unable to get a good laundry for my clothes. The %26#39;laundry%26#39; services offered by the hotel was simply abysmal.

Does anybody know about good laundry / dry cleaning service in Hanoi?

In Surabaya we have Jeeves of Belgravia, is there any such dry cleaning service in Hanoi?

I don%26#39;t stay at 5 star hotels so I can%26#39;t ask the hotel to do it for me.

Sapa tour

Hi,

Going to Sapa in April,wondering if it is possible to do 3 or 4 different hiking day tours from Sapa ,so i will stay the night in Sapa.

Hope to hear from you ,

WIllem

Sapa tour

you can arrange sapa trip by yourself. Just book train ticket around 20$ for A/C, soft sleeper, wooden cabin. Landscape and sightseeing in sapa are beautiful but be careful with booking offices in Hanoi.

Sapa tour

Hello,

i will NOT book my Sapa tour in Hanoi , i,m going by daytrain to Sapa and then find a guide .

But the question is are there 3 or 4 different day routes to do in Sapa , so i will come back everyday to Sapa .

Willem

Yes we spent 4 days in Sapa and did 3 different treks. On the first day after arriving by train we did just a half day which was good as we then had time to go back to Sapa and recover after the overnight train trip. The next day we did about a 5 hour trek then back to Sapa and on the third day we did a 4 hour trek then went back to Sapa. We could have easily done another one but had to go. There is even the option to hire a bike and driver to take you around as a different option to walking. Sapa is beautiful we were there in December cold and foggy but still enjoyed the beauty that this place offers. Hope you enjoy

HI BrisbaneAussiFamily

Just reading your report on Sapa, did you book/decided on your treks before you arrived, or was it easy enough when you were in Sapa?

Thanks

Mullaloo

Taylors in Hanoi

Hi I was wondering if anyone knew of any good taylors in Hanoi ? as i cannot make down to Hoi An when i am there

Taylors in Hanoi

You can find Taylors inside the Dong Xuan Market in the Old Quarter. Inside the large warehouse are many wholesellers of fabrics and clothing. They can%26#39;t point you in the right direction.

pores

Please help with transfer info

I%26#39;m planning to stay a couple of nights in ha long city (not on a junk tour) and need to co-ordinate transfers from either haiphong or hanoi (whichever is easier as I%26#39;m flying up from HCMC) then return to Hanoi city hotel.

Any suggestions or web links kindly appreciated.

Thanks

Please help with transfer info

I would try to contact one of the Open Tour companies like Aurora Travel, or Sinh Cafe and board one of there open tour buses to the location you want. It%26#39;s very cheap.

http://sinhcafevn.com

Cooking Classes; Hanoi vs Hoi An???

Is anyone able to suggest which place is best for cooking classes? Our guide said he can organise for Hanoi or Hoi An but, he recommended Hoi An. Any comments pl? For myself, husband and 12 yr old son. Thank you.

Cooking Classes; Hanoi vs Hoi An???

Mmmmm,.... Hoi An food is to die for.

Go the Hoi An option

Cooking Classes; Hanoi vs Hoi An???

Hi, We did a cooking class with Red Bridge Cooking School in Hoi An last July.We thought it excellent value and great fun. Two of my kids (10 %26amp; 13yrs old) also joined in, whilst the older one did a fishing tour with my husband.

The food afterwards was really yummy, apparently you can also stay and enjoy the pool and surroundings afterwards.

At the start you get a walk through the market with a guide and then they do the hard sell of the %26#39;garnish%26#39; implements. I am a easy touch and bought a set. Next day, wondering through the market on our own, the lady at the stall remembered me and sold me another set for my sister for quarter of the price!!!! Both sets are still wrapped in the newspaper unopened and unused!!

regards Tracey

Thanks all. Have booked Red Bridge in Hoi An!

Yes, definately the Red Bridge. I took my 10 year old son and we had a ball at the school. You walk to the market, then boat it to the school where you cook out in a beautiful outdoor setting overlooking the river.

Food is then served at the restaurant and then if time allows you can go for a dip in the pool.

One of the highlights and the food is absolutely yummy.

is it possible to follow the mekong from HCMC to Vientiane

Hi There,

I am sure this is possible but I have not been able to find any information about it. Is there a tour company that offers this itinerary or can it be done backpacking? Is it even a nice trip to take?

Any advice would be wonderful!

Thanks!

just returned from saigon, Hue, Hoi an, Mekong any questions

We have just returned from Saigon, Hue Hoi An and 2 days in Mekong if you have any questions let me know we spent about 3 days in each town

just returned from saigon, Hue, Hoi an, Mekong any questions

Hi Artattack,

which accommodation would you recommend in the Mekong Delta?

Cheers

just returned from saigon, Hue, Hoi an, Mekong any questions

Hey artattack, can u please give us a run down on all your accomodation you stayed at, fav places etc? Where would you rather have had more/less time? Also, how far is HCMC from the airport? We are flying in around 8.40pm and flying out around 8am next morning. Is there any hotels nearer airport which would be more suitable? Cheers, Scott

Hi Artattack

Did you enjoy your time in Vietnam? I am looking at visiting the same places as you in June/July but my hubby%26#39;s not too keen on Vietnam - he thinks it may be a bit too ';rough';.

If you stayed in hotels that you could recommend, please let me have their names.

Also, how did you get to Hue/Hoi Ann from Saigon?

Any imfo would be appreciated.

Thanks

Fiona

The accommodation we had was already booked through the Sinh Cafe as part of there 1 night 2 day tour we stayed in Can Tho at a budget hotel I noticed their tariff was 200,000 dong a night I am not sure of the name of the hotel but if you contact the sinh cafe they may tell you the name of the hotel.

Saigon from the airport is about 30 mins at the time you arrive, I would book a room before you arrive if you leave it too late and turn up at the hotel late they will charge you a higher rate as they know you are desperate to find a place

that happend at a place called the Thuan Thuen Hotel in Saigon trying to charge us an extra 10 USD for a crap breakfast ignore this hotel.

the time you leave at 8am will be about 45 mins as it is rushour then.

I would not stay near the airport unless you dont want to be where the action is.

Saigon we spent 2 days then travelled then returned for another 2 days

Accommodation we stayed at was Tan Hai Long Hotel (14-16 Le Lai st) Saigon great hotel dead close to the Ben Thanh Market really smart great breakfast we paid $40usd for 1 night

Tan Hai Long Hotel (65 Ho Tung Mau St) Saigon great hotel we got the suite for $45USD should have been $65 USD about 15mins walk from the Ben Thanh Market

Hue we flew from Saigon stayed at the Asia hotel

it was the best hotel we stayed in we could not fault it the pool was great breakfast was great highly recommended

Hoi An stayed at Phuoc An River Hotel great hotel, pool graet breakfast, about 10mins drive from town but only a kilometer to the beach, we wanted to stay somwhere quiet but even the main town in Hoi An is quiet and I would of rather stayed in town as we only went to the beach for about 15 mins and we can do that here where we live, Hoi An was our most favourite town great clothes and shopping

What airline did you fly? We have been told that Vietnam Air is cash only. Is that true? To make matters worse, we can%26#39;t seem to find any other options. Also, does anyone have any suggestions about flying from Da Nang to Siem Reap (Cambodia) and then from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City?

Thanks!!

Hi Artattack,

Im going to Hue in June and may be Hoian

Are Asia HUe hotel and Phuoc River Hotel good?

are these budget hotel?

Can I book online and pay via master card ? which webiste did you book these hotel?

Wating for your quick reply.

have nice day,

We did the SinhCafe tour and stayed in Can Tho. THe hotel is the Hoa Phuong. OK, but not great IMO. I did a review

tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g303942-d120鈥?/a>

We paid for VN Airline tickets in VN with a credit card. It was in an agency, though, rather than at the airport. Still can%26#39;t see why they wouldn%26#39;t take a CC payment.

We flew with Jetstar within (www.jetstar.com.au) while we were in Vietnam they were cheap and on time you will need to check their website for flights to Cambodia they also have offices all through Vietnam

The Asia Hotel in Hue was my favorite hotel very professional great breakfast great pool nothing was ever a problem highly recommended we booked both hotels through www.vistalandtravel.com they seemed to have the best rates we paid via credit card and there was no problem

Phuoc An River Hotel is also very nice and highly recommended

Asia is 3 star and Phuoc An River is 4 star but I would say it should be the other way around

Train vs Plane???: Hanoi to Hue/Hoi An (return)

Would love some help please. Horrified over the quote of $600 USD for plane from Hanoi to Na Dang return. Is there a comfortable train service worth attempting from Hanoi to Hue and then, returning, Hoi An to Hanoi? We are a couple, late 40s travellling with our 11 yr old son.

Train vs Plane???: Hanoi to Hue/Hoi An (return)

Hi Aussieholiday,

We have just booked flights from Hanoi to Hue 535000VND (about $48AUD) with Vietnam Airlines.

Ha from Vietland Discovery booked these for us as at the time we couldn%26#39;t book online. Have you tried to book through the Vietnam Airlines website? Where did you get the quote from it seems awfully expensive.

Ha has also orgainsed a private car for us from Hue to Hoi An for $42 USD.

Chez

xx

Train vs Plane???: Hanoi to Hue/Hoi An (return)

Thanks cheznandy!!

Quote was from a suposed discount flight agent!!!

Are you able to provide a web link so that I can contact this person? Cheers

Absolutely!!

www.discovervietnam.com.vn/Eng/index.php

She has been wonderful booking our tours and transfers around Danang, Hue and Hoi An

Chez

xx

that%26#39;s a rip off!!

Try booking the flights yourself on www.vietnamairlines.com or on the low cost airline: www.jetstar.com

From memory our flight from Hanoi to Hue was about $98.00 with Vietnam airlines. Only airline at the time that flies that route. We booked with the tour desk at our hotel - Hanoi Elegance 2 but I had done a little research prior to arriving in Vn.

Hi AussieHoliday,

I too booked flights just yesterday from Hanoi to Da Nang return for $48 AU each way. I booked at the website www.vietnamairlines.com. This price is fully inclusive of taxes.

Perhaps you made an error in conversion? I believe this price is about standard. You can also fly into Hue from Hanoi for the same price. Good luck!

:)

Thanks all. I did end up booking myself online with vietnamairlines. No...the price quoted by the agent was correct!!!! Online is much much cheaper. Even booking by phone with Vietnam airlines is more exp than online. We live....we learn! Thanks again

asian ruby 2 hotel

hi all can you give me info on this new hotel. I cant find it listed or on internet, does anyone know about it cheers sue

asian ruby 2 hotel

A Hotel that sounds similiar is Tan Hoang Ngoc Hotel, Royal Pearl Hotel 3*** in HCMC which sounds like it may be a new Hotel as well and has some good reviews.Couldn%26#39;t find anything on Asian Ruby 2 Hotel either. Good luck with your hunt!

asian ruby 2 hotel

Hi

The Asian Ruby 2 is a fantastic new small hotel near Banh Thanh Market we stayed there at the end of October 2008, it is so clean and cheap will stay there again American $35-$45 per night. They dont have an internet address, their email adddress is asianruby2@yahoo.com.au

Enjoy

Denise

Hi

I have stayed there 3 times and it%26#39;s a nice hotel, good location and clean. Rooms have big window, especially, deluxe room have private balcony :). Value for money.

This hotel is only listed on wotif.com - If you google the address that they have shown, it comes up with the ABC International School (but it shows District 3 - not 1)

The address is:

28 Truong Dinh Street, shown on the wotif website.

Is there also the same street in District 3, or could the hotel have previously been an ABC International school.

I note that the 2 posters that have stayed there, have only posted once.

Would do some more enquiring - perhaps with wotif.com

Cheers,

Sandy

hi thanks for that, i am a liitle concerned , i also cant send an email to the email address as it keeps bouncing back to me , i have a friend whose friends stayed there and said it was very central , new and ok but would like to know more about it cheers sue

The email address is asianruby2@yahoo.com.vn (not au at the end as in earlier post) which I found by googling. I have sent an email a few days ago which hasn%26#39;t bounced back but have not received a reply as yet.

Good luck with your communication, Sue.

Hi,

In case anyone else is looking for this hotel online, I found it through Google- www.asianrubyhotel.com/2. Haven%26#39;t stayed here yet, but thinking of booking it. Has anyone actually stayed here?? Looks nice, but photos online are generally deceptive.

Thanks.

Stayed there 25 feb.

Location very good, close to action and market.

Rooms a little small but ok.

Some details could have been fixed ie no handle on bathroom window,one missing bulb in bathroom and missing bathtub lock.

Ordered a 35 usd room but was told we were upgraded to a room with window so obviously the cheapest rooms do not have windows.

One disturbing thing was that at breakfast 8 30 fruit was finished and the warm food was almost cold.

However in spite of this personal was friendly though very limited in english and the hotel is good value for money.

Asia Ruby 2 is a small hotel but very well kept hotel. The rooms are small but clean. My room was serviced daily during my stay there from 5 Feb to 10 Feb 2009. Only one of the two friendly receptionists speaks Ebglish fluently.

Hi

There are many hotels, you can check at www.hotels-in-vietnam.com

Cheers

pores

budget hotel

hi

need advise on budget hotels in hcm.

is bich duyen hotel ok? location wise?

thanks!

Thuy Duong 3 or Cua Dai Hotel ?

Am going to Hoi An for 8 days in April, some time staying at beach and some in town. Have been to Hoi An before and love it. Was wondering which of the above two hotels would be better for a mature single traveller to use as a base to wander around the old town. Would like a pool. Have stayed at Hoi An Hotel before but prices have gone up - drop in Aussie dollar. Thanks for any help.

Thuy Duong 3 or Cua Dai Hotel ?

I too would love to know which is the better of these 2 hotels.We are a family of 4.

Looking foreward to any replies.

Nat

Thuy Duong 3 or Cua Dai Hotel ?

Hi JulSydney,

What did you think of the Hoi An Hotel?

We are also considering the Ancient House Resort and The Phuoc An River Resort.

Cheers,

Stewie.

Hi.

Don%26#39;t knowthe Cua Dai but have stayed at Thuy Duong 3 twice before (2004 - 4 days, 2007 9 days) and have booked again for 8 days in June. Our favourite hotel in VN. Great pool, good location, excellent breakfast, friendly helpful staff and good sized rooms. It is an easy stroll to the riverfront bars and restaurants.

We also stayed at Thuy Duong3 during our stay in Vietnam and was very pleasantly surprised. We had a fantastic room, complete with rose petals on the bed and in the bath. The swimming pool was spotlessly clean and the breakfast amazing.

The hotel is walking distance to the main shopping streets in Hoi An. We would not hesitate to stay there again.

We have some pics, maps and stories of our trip here... www.bobandjanette.com which may help.

Happy %26amp; safe travels

Hi JulSydney,

I haven%26#39;t stayed in Thuy Duong 3 but i often book Cua Dai hotel for our customers. And they have very good feedback. Cua Dai%26#39;s location is also good, it is easy to get to Cua Dai beach and Hoi An ancience town. The staffs are very helpful here.

Good luck.

Happyman

Weather in Jan/Feb

How is the weather at the end of January in Hanoi and Hoi An?To me 20 degrees is perfect but is there much rain about this time of year.

Weather in Jan/Feb

Just got back from central vietnam and the weather was great in DaNang/HoiAn area. About 70-75F during the day and 60-65F at night. Did not need to run the airconditioner. In HCM City it was hot. About 80-85F and had to run the air at night. I was there for a couple of weeks and it did not rain. Normally, in cental vietnam for jan/feb the weather is mostly dry and warm. I think the best time to visit the area is Jan-Apr. From what I understand Hanoi is really cold durin jan/feb but have not been there so do not know for sure.

Weather in Jan/Feb

Hi,

Thanks very much,that really helps a lot.

Regards Joan

I think you would find northern Vietnam, like Hanoi and Sapa, very cold during late December and all January. Like around 0-10C in the north and around 20 or so in the central and warmer in the south. By southern California standards quite cold, but maybe not so bad by Cardiff standards. Hope this is useful.

We travelled from Hanoi to Saigon during December/January. Hanoi was quite cool of an evening but very pleasant during the day. As we moved further South the weather warmed quite a lot.

Haoi An was warm enough for swimming and Saigon quite hot. I think the only rain we encounted was NYE at Nha Trang.

We have some pics, maps and stories of our trip here... www.bobandjanette.com which may prove useful.

Happy %26amp; safe travels

We were in Ha Noi and Hoi An in mid to late January last year. We found Hoi An was quite warm and a little humid; we were in tshirts or short sleeved shirts during the day and sometimes a light wrap as well if we were sitting out in the evening. As I recall it was about 25C because the cyclo drivers tried to entice us with cries of ';It%26#39;s too hot to walk!'; and we replied, ';Mate, it was 47C at Christmas at home. This is NOT hot :-)';. There was no rain at all.

In Ha Noi some days were t shirt weather and others were cold enough to want a warm shirt and a jacket. It didn%26#39;t rain but was a little overcast.

Cost of Transport - Hue to Hoi An to Danang

Hello - What should be the right amount to pay for an A/C car traveling from Hue to Hoi An and then back up to Danang airport?

Cost of Transport - Hue to Hoi An to Danang

How many day will you stay there, cause this depend on the duration of your trip?

Cost of Transport - Hue to Hoi An to Danang

We will be in Central Vietnam for 6 days but only will need the transport on 3 of those days (when traveling between those cities).

It cost about US$85 for using the private vehicle 3 day in Hue to Hoi An and Danang.

Thanks Cathy012. How did you book this?

Did you book a guide/car for your visit to the citadel in Hue and My Son? Do you know the approximate cost for this?

I just PM to you, wish you have a wonderful time there.

It%26#39;s kind of a flying visit- takes about 4 hours to go Hue to Hoi An and then an hour to get back to Da Nang. So you%26#39;d spend 5 or so hours on the road and only get 3 or 4 hours to visit Hoi An.

Motorbike Guide Hung

Hey folks,

The trip i did with Hung from Hue to Hoi An was so great that I just have to recommend it here in TripAdvisor.

It started on the first day I arrived in Hue. I was searching for a nice restaurant and I somehow got lost in the streets of Hue, when all of a sudden a friendly vietnamese Guy, Hung approached and helped me out. He took me to the Phuong Nam Restaurant.

We had a very relaxed talk and he told me that he is doing motorbike trips trough the central highlands and off the beaten track. It was relaxed because he never acted like all the travel agents hassling you all the time. He never threw out a sentence like: ';You have to get on my tour.';

Even though it was not really in the range of my budget a started thinking about it. He offered me to do a city tour around Hue, just to see what its like getting around with him. He brought me to the major sights, but also to some places, you won%26#39;t get to see on a normal sightseeing tour. He knows a lot about his city and also his country.

After the city tour I just kept thinking and thinking, but in the end the city tour and the recommendations of other tourist confessed me, that this is the right thing to do. So I booked a two day trip with him from Hue to Hoi An.

We started at 8 o%26#39;clock in the morning and went westwards to Aloui. On the way we took a few stops for drinking tea, taking pictures and of course for a swim at a beautiful spring in the middle of nowhere. He really knows the special places, that normally just the locals get so see.

After we had lunch in Aloui, we went further up the mountains on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. A wonderful scenery, which is completely different from the normal tourist trail along the coast. You barely see any other ';white man'; on the trip through the central highlands.

For the night we stopped in P Rao (Hien), in very clean and nice guesthouse. It is really relaxed traveling with him. If you wanna have a talk, he%26#39;s always open for some conversation. But if you wanna be for yourself he leaves you alone.

Hung really tries to make your trip as comfortable and exciting as possible. Once he told me, he wants to get paid after the tour is finished, so he has to work hard all the time. That%26#39;s a very nice attitude.

On the second day he took to the ruins of My Son before bringing me to a nice hotel in Hoi An.

I really enjoyed the two day trip with him. If I would have had more money I would probably booked a week or more on the back of his motorbike.

When he%26#39;s not on a tour he usually hangs around with some companions at Phuong Nam Cafe, but be aware he may find you before you get the chance to find him ;)

Maurice, Germany

Leaving Saigon

We are leaving Saigon today after 5 nights, just so much to write so will wait until we return home and do trip post.

We were caught in the biggest tropical storm yesterday, drowned!!! but so much fun, ended up sitting at a great place for lunch, (will post those details later)there were no roads just rivers of water but this did not dampen out trip at all, we were like kids playing in puddles.

Also for a Victorian I wish we could see a lot of rain like this at home.

How amazing wading through calf deep water in the middle of Saigon on your 61st (21 again) birthday!!!

Loosing rubber thongs at each corner.

Leaving Saigon

Did you catch a storm in HCMC? How was it?

Thanks

Leaving Saigon

On Saturday it absolutely POURED down in Saigon for about 2 hours. Very unseasonal. Most of the streets turned into rivers for half an hour or so.

Luckily it%26#39;s been dry since, we were concerned the rainy season had come early! But the posting above is a good example of why tourists shouldn%26#39;t be put off by coming to VN during the wet season - the rain can be absolutely spectacular and, provided you%26#39;re settled in a bar or cafe, it%26#39;s good fun watching people driving motorbikes through feet of water :)

dental cosmetics

Motorbike Guide Hung in Hue

Hey folks,

The trip i did with Hung from Hue to Hoi An was so great that I just have to recommend it here in TripAdvisor.

It started on the first day I arrived in Hue. I was searching for a nice restaurant and I somehow got lost in the streets of Hue, when all of a sudden a friendly vietnamese Guy, Hung approached and helped me out. He took me to the Phuong Nam Restaurant.

We had a very relaxed talk and he told me that he is doing motorbike trips trough the central highlands and off the beaten track. It was relaxed because he never acted like all the travel agents hassling you all the time. He never threw out a sentence like: ';You have to get on my tour.';

Even though it was not really in the range of my budget a started thinking about it. He offered me to do a city tour around Hue, just to see what its like getting around with him. He brought me to the major sights, but also to some places, you won%26#39;t get to see on a normal sightseeing tour. He knows a lot about his city and also his country.

After the city tour I just kept thinking and thinking, but in the end the city tour and the recommendations of other tourist confessed me, that this is the right thing to do. So I booked a two day trip with him from Hue to Hoi An.

We started at 8 o%26#39;clock in the morning and went westwards to Aloui. On the way we took a few stops for drinking tea, taking pictures and of course for a swim at a beautiful spring in the middle of nowhere. He really knows the special places, that normally just the locals get so see.

After we had lunch in Aloui, we went further up the mountains on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. A wonderful scenery, which is completely different from the normal tourist trail along the coast. You barely see any other ';white man'; on the trip through the central highlands.

For the night we stopped in P Rao (Hien), in very clean and nice guesthouse. It is really relaxed traveling with him. If you wanna have a talk, he%26#39;s always open for some conversation. But if you wanna be for yourself he leaves you alone.

Hung really tries to make your trip as comfortable and exciting as possible. Once he told me, he wants to get paid after the tour is finished, so he has to work hard all the time. That%26#39;s a very nice attitude.

On the second day he took to the ruins of My Son before bringing me to a nice hotel in Hoi An.

I really enjoyed the two day trip with him. If I would have had more money I would probably booked a week or more on the back of his motorbike.

When he%26#39;s not on a tour he usually hangs around with some companions at Phuong Nam Cafe, but be aware he may find you before you get the chance to find him ;)

Maurice, Germany

A review on Columbus Adventures and Hotels in Hanoi

You all may not be able to imagine the excellent service that i received from the Elegance 3 hotel in Hanoi during my 2 nite stay here. Ideally located in one of the busiest and oldest street of the city, this hotel gave me the unique chance to wander to almost all points of interest of the city as they are all just a walking distance from the hotel. When the plane landed, i was so surprised at the professionalism of the hotel driver, in uniform, his courtesy, fast and safe driving. Furthermore, the staff there were helpful with lots of information. The service was unsurpassable. Anyway, everything was perfect.

We also booked the two night tour one night on the boat and one on Cat Ba Island and could not speak more highly of the professional service that we received from Columbus Tours. We were picked up in an air-conditioned bus from our hotel and from the minute we arrived on the boat the service was fantastic.

The boat was clean, tidy and particularly luxurious, well structured,the staff were great and the food was amazing...it just kept on coming.

Our accommodation on Cat Ba was beautiful also. The guide was so knowledgeable, friendly and quick minded. The second day of kayaking was marvelous and we made the tour to the open sea area with the famed fishing village to closely explore the daily life of the fishermen. Before that we were picked up and lured by the smaller Nina Cruiser that is a perfect blend of traditional and modern charms. We enjoyed the second day in an eclectic style on azure-blue and basked on the pristine beach. We could not recommend this company more highly with such a reasonable price and it was great and our trip on Ha Long Bay was the highlight of our holiday.

Handspan

Hi,

Has anyone used Handspan to tour Vietnam? Their website looks good.

Handspan

Yes! We%26#39;ve just returned from touring and booked pretty well everything with them (half before we left and the rest once we were there). They were fantastic - very professional and well organised, friendly staff, good guides, good prices.

Handspan

I%26#39;ve had some quotes for tours from my agent and tonight looked up the cost booking direct over the net and can%26#39;t believe the huge difference in price even going through Handspan. Since I%26#39;m restricted on time I think I would still need to book in advance, are there any places/hotel you%26#39;d recommend I go? The more I look the more places I want to go! Can %26#39;t wait to get there.

Piers

Depends on how much time you have (we had 5 weeks) and what your interests are - do you want to see people or sc.enery or histric sites. But the key things to see (in order) are in my opionion:

1. Halong Bay

2. Sapa

3. Hanoi

4. Hoi An

5. Mekong

6. Saigon

If we had to focus on one area we%26#39;d probably spend the time in the North (Sapa/Hanoi/Halong Bay)

Regarding Hotels that we booked through Handspan:

Oscar Hotel (HCMC) was OK - the room we had had no external window, which really messed with our body clock, and a second rom we had on the second stay also was just below the kitchen and a bit noisy. But hotel was clean and comfortable. If we were staying there again we%26#39;d probably ask Handspan to book us into the next price bracket room at this hotel.

On the Mekong tour we did we opted for the lower price hotels - one just outside Chau Doc (which was OK but only just!) and the Asia Hotel in Can Tho (small rooms but comfortable). To have gone to the next option (Victoria Hotels) would have cot us around $200 more .. we didn%26#39;t miss the extra comfort!

Majestic Salute (Hanoi) was good - clean, comfortable etc. Ditto for the Hong Ngoc 1 ($50/night) which Handspan booked for us when we extended our stay but couldn%26#39;t get a room at Majestic Salute. In fact the latter was probably marginally better and cheaper (and there was a sensational restaurant up a lane way next door!)

Topas Eco Lodge outside Sapa - this was one of the highlights of the trip. We stayed three nights, but two would have been OK. Can%26#39;t remember the cost but it was quite reasonable, espec as it was inclusive of meals and treks. We%26#39;d probably ask Handspan to book a better quality sleeper on the train (or book us all 4 beds in the cabin) as the Night Train was one of he few disappointments we had.

Then off to Halong Bay for 3 days 2 nights on Dragons Pearl - wonderful - this was THE highlight - great boat, fantatsic food and a handspan guide on board as well. If time is limited the overnight trip is fine.

Somewhere in here we did a side trip to Cuc Phong National Park and stayed in a guesthouse in the park - pretty basic but OK. Part of a package cost, but I don%26#39;t think it costs much (probably around $20)

In Hue Handspan booked us into Huong Giang - a resort right on the river - we got a riverside room for $66 a night - very nice!

In Hoi An - Vinh Hung Riverside Resort (aka Vinh Hung 4) - at $52 a night this was sensational value and a really nice place.

We then splashed out and stayed at Sofitel Vinpearl at Nha Trang for 4 nights. The resort is a bit of travesty really (it%26#39;s on an island and is fairly crass) but it was also a great place to stay - rooms are great, pool is fantsatsic, beach sensational and the service excellent.. Cost was $127 a night and it really is a solid 4-5 star place. Some of the pricing for extras is over the top (we managed to rack up a $100 laundry bill in four days) - but access to and from the island is easy.

Then Novotel Dalat ($58) - small but comfortable rooms and nice ambience. Only problem was a dog close by that sounded like it was being tortured at 5.00 am both mornings.

We then finished back in HCMC - we treated ourselves to a suite at the Rex for around $170 a night (we stayed 2 nights). We figured it was a good way to end the trip and we were not disappointed. I think the standard rooms would have cost around the $70 - 80 mark. We%26#39;d probably pick it over the Oscar if we were going again.

Hope this helps - overall we got the feeling that Handpsan had checked out most if not all the places, and the rates we got were usually on a par with what you could get via Asia Rooms.

If we were doing the trip again we%26#39;d go straight to Handpsan and probably choose to stay at most of the same hotels.

Hi Beagles,

Many thanks for all that information. We%26#39;re only able to spend a maximum of three weeks away so I was wanting squeeze as much as possible in but on reflection maybe it would be better to cut down a bit and have time to really see and enjoy places.

Did you do any internal flights? Wondering if I should book them before leaving, maybe get Handspan to do it or risk getting a better deal once there.

We booked the internal flights through Handspan - they were pretty cheap. Hanoi-Hue $66, Dannang-Nha Trang $44. Dalat - HCMC $35. Also, all the flights we caught were pretty full, so leaving it until you get there might be a bit risky and not sure you%26#39;d save anything much.

Hi Piers

Can definitely recommend Handspan - we returned yesterday from two weeks in Vietnam, used Handspan to book internal flights, Halong Bay cruise and a hotel in Hanoi. They are honest, professional, friendly, knowledgeable - everything you need!

Enjoy your holiday ;o)

Sue

Hi Sue,

Thanks for that. What sort of itinerary did you have for two weeks? I want to do as much as possible but on the other hand I don%26#39;t want to rush around and not get time to really enjoy it.

I am looking at booking Halong Bay cruise with Handspan from here. The only doubt I have is that along with credit card details they want a copy of my passport and copy of both sides of credit card.

Did you have to do this? Just worried about identify fraud and have I actually got the real Handspan site. Appreciate anyone else who has done this.

Motorbikes on Phu Quoc

Can anyone tell me if it is safe to ride motorbikes on the island for an inexperienced rider and is this the best way of exploring the island?

Cheers

Motorbikes on Phu Quoc

HI Niallgc.,

We had the most wonderful 6 days on Pu Quoc back at the end of January. We stayed at Mango Bay Resort which was very peaceful. We hired a motor bike from one of the staff and it is certainly the best way of exploring the island.... but be warned, most of the roads are just dirt tracks and you get incredibly dirty - we looked more like Red Indians from some film set by the end of the day!!! And you would be advised to buy a mask.

The roads are as safe as they can be given their condition but we did travel all over - ate at some small cafes and swam on totally empty beaches.

So YES, go for it, we are in our mid 60%26#39;s and so qualify as ancient bikers, but we felt perfectly safe!!!!

Tiggy.

Motorbikes on Phu Quoc

Best way to explore the island.First day we got a taxi to go to town from La veranda and ended up doing a tour of south of island instead when all we wanted was to go to pharmacy and the bank 10 minutes away-miscommunication. After that we hired a bike and took ourselves around- very safe and the hirer will give you lesson and make sure you can ride before letting you go.Helmets are compulsory. Only cars that seem to be on island are taxi%26#39;s and very few private cars and need both vietnamese and international licence to hire a car whereas no licence for the motorbikes. Road are all red dirt except for the town. There are lots of tracks leading down to isolated beaches. One day we got lost down one of these tracks from the town trying to find Mango bay and a Vietnamese girl from one of the houses lead us down all these tracks for 1/2 hour on her motorbike- and did not expect to be paid anything-very kind people!! You will have a lot of fun but make sure you do not wear light coloured clothing as can get very dusty. No-one goes very fast and all bikes on island have small engines.The busiest part was the town.

Just be aware that as someone who does not hold a VN drivers licence your riding will not be strictly legal so if you have an accident your travel insurance can wriggle out of paying.

Good point yorkfoodie, It was in the rules at our hotel where we hired the bike from that if the bike is damaged you pay. There are also motorbike taxi%26#39;s where you ride on the back of a motorbike. These would be experienced,licenced drivers. They would take you anywhere you wanted to go. We saw many of these on our rides around the island-very cheap!!

Yes, it%26#39;s the best, indeed only, way to explore Phu Quoc, though be careful in the wet season when the roads are treacherous - I%26#39;ve been driving a bike in Vietnam for 6 years %26amp; the only time I%26#39;ve ever fallen off was on a muddy Phu Quoc road!

Bike hire costs around 100,000VND (plus petrol), make sure you get a helmet and that you point out any damage or scratches to the bike before you drive off, so you don%26#39;t get blamed for them! To be fair I brought my bike back caked in mud %26amp; with a couple of new scratches, but the owner just laughed %26amp; said I%26#39;d obviously made good use of it.

Recommended drives include up to the north-west tip of the island, where you can drive through fishing villages, spectacular rainforest %26amp; cliffs, and get a view of the Cambodian coast, and across the central forest to deserted Bai Sao beach, where you can eat fresh seafood right on the sand.

Take a camera, a mobile phone and plenty of bottled water as it%26#39;s very hot %26amp; dusty, and there aren%26#39;t always shops around. Most of all, have a good trip - it was the most enjoyable 2 days%26#39; biking I%26#39;ve ever done.

Thanks everyone,I can%26#39;t wait already!

visa

Hi all

Looking to go to Vietnam in August for the 1st time.

Have been told we need a visa.

Can anyone give some info on how to obtain one from Australia?

Thanks.

visa

Hi antmac

yes you will need a visa. you can get a single entry or multi entry - usually for a month from when you travel. do a search in this forum for %26#39;visa%26#39; and you will find numerous replies.

up to you as to whether you get one from the consulate before you go or get a %26#39;visa on line%26#39;. we did the latter and everything went well but the exchange rate was a little better in August.

let me know if you need any further advice.

cheers

visa

sorry should have said we used %26#39;visa on arrival%26#39; which is an on-line (net) service. we used ';http://www.visa-vietnam.org'; and they were no hassles.

cheers