Asia - Opinions sought: car between Ho Chi Minh and Nha Trang (switched to Dalat) (Vietnam)

We've misplanned travel to Vietnam and are there during Tet. Flights are sold out for a week between Ho Chi Minh and Nha Trang. Train is sold out and we've been advised against the bus. However, we can get a car and driver for an acceptable price. Has anyone gone by road between those cities? How long did it take you? What are your thoughts about it? We will have to drop Nha Trang and reorganize the entire trip if this is not feasible.

Vietnamese highways are death lanes in my opinion, and that's a fairly lengthy trip up to Nha Trang. Personally, I think I would head on up to Laos instead of your idea. Luang Prabang is very very nice, and although it might be far from Saigon, it's worth the effort. You could go via Cambodia - just my 2 cents. I believe you can just show up at both borders and buy visas.

Luang Prabang is always WARM by the way!

We've misplanned travel to Vietnam and are there during Tet. Flights are sold out for a week between Ho Chi Minh and Nha Trang. Train is sold out and we've been advised against the bus. However, we can get a car and driver for an acceptable price. Has anyone gone by road between those cities? How long did it take you? What are your thoughts about it? We will have to drop Nha Trang and reorganize the entire trip if this is not feasible.

What are the other options on the table? My particular circle of friends and acquaintances tends to agree with me that Nha Trang is not one of the highlights of Vietnam and is eminently skippable. Making a heroic effort to get there is even worse--I think it's normally about 8-9 hours but could be worse with TET traffic. Most people advise breaking up the trip in Mui Ne. What's the rest of your trip's setup look like? Arrival and departure points fixed and firm?

\What's the rest of your trip's setup look like? Arrival and departure points fixed and firm?

I'm planning to go to:


Phnom Penh
Ho Chi Minh
Nha Trang
Hanoi


Flights into Phnom Penh and out of Hanoi are fixed. It turns out we am arriving in Hanoi the first night of Tet. Not bright. Everything will be closed.

It is at least our second trip to each city above. We have been to Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Siem Reap, Hue and Hoi An. I like SE Asia, and was intrigued by the new Sheraton in Nha Trang. I love a view, and it is reported to have an outstanding one of the beach/ocean.

I just checked and found a flight to Danang. However, we stayed at Nam Hai within the last three years or so, and had a lovely visit on property and in and out of Hoi An.

If you are looking for a beach getaway, there is the brand new Hyatt Regency Danang. You can get to Hoi An, probably a 10-15 minutes longer drive than from the Nam Hai.

I like Nha Trang, but find Hoi An much more interesting.

Can you get a flight HCMC to Dalat? Dalat is in the uplands and that region turned out to be a nice surprise--extended my planned 3-day stay there to 5 days. Even if you don't have that kind of time, it might be worth a day or so. It will be cool in January due to elevation. From Dalat, you can get a car to Nha Trang for about USD 80-100. Takes about 4-ish hours and would be far better for scenery and sanity than the HCMC-NT long haul.

As to whether you should skip Nha Trang entirely, ask this: If the Sheraton did not exist there, from your research, would you still want to go? If answer is yes, then either take the car all the way from HCMC to NT (which will be a full day lost to travel). Or try my Dalat-as-intermediate point strategy. If the answer is "no" and you're only going there for the Sheraton, then consider moving the time elsewhere entirely. As it's Tet season, I'd hesitate going too far off the beaten track since the small places are the ones most likely to have services closed entirely.

And do you have a way (flight reservation) from Nha Trang to Hanoi yet? Seems that from about Jan 20, most routes are really heavily subscribed or sold out. So intercity long-distance moving from 20th onward is going to be tricky, and you may have to take what you can get.

If you are looking for a beach getaway, there is the brand new Hyatt Regency Danang.

I like Nha Trang, but find Hoi An much more interesting.

Yes, that is a thought, and I have made a provisional booking at the Hyatt. I've seen the beach where the Hyatt has been built, and it is quite bland. Also, the weather will be chilly in January. However, it is a sound idea and flights are available into Danang.

Can you get a flight HCMC to Dalat?

This is a very interesting idea. We had thought of going to Dalat on our last visit to Hoi An, and didn't feel we had time. What do you recommend there? And what about hotels?

As to whether you should skip Nha Trang entirely, ask this: If the Sheraton did not exist there, from your research, would you still want to go?

We have been to Nha Trang and would skip it except for the hotel - and a shop where I'd like to return.

Flights are available from Dalat, Nha Trang and Danang to Hanoi, albeit in business. I still have choices though think I need to buy within a couple days.

I've committed to Dalat. Air was available in and out and it will be a new place for me. Thank you, jiejie, for your suggestion.

Now, as to a hotel, I doubt TripAdvisor's recommendation of the top hotel at $10. Who is familiar with the Ana Mandara? It has a great 2 day package that includes lots of extras. I see that the Sofitel Palace has debranded, not very encouraging.

We have two full days plus a bit. What should we plan to see?

How easy is it to get taxis? The Ana Mandara isn't in town. It appears to be an old colonial property up in the hills.

I've committed to Dalat. Air was available in and out and it will be a new place for me. Thank you, jiejie, for your suggestion.

Now, as to a hotel, I doubt TripAdvisor's recommendation of the top hotel at $10. Who is familiar with the Ana Mandara? It has a great 2 day package that includes lots of extras. I see that the Sofitel Palace has debranded, not very encouraging.

We have two full days plus a bit. What should we plan to see?

How easy is it to get taxis? The Ana Mandara isn't in town. It appears to be an old colonial property up in the hills.

I think you'll be happy with the decision to give Dalat a try. My visit was about 2 years ago, and I'll have to see if I can dig out my notes/info which might take me a day or so for sightseeing prioritization. I'll be back on thread later for that.

On hotels, Dalat is probably one of those places where you might have to accept a bit of imperfection, even at the best places in town. I passed the Ana Mandara on my explorations and to me, it's a bit too inconvenient a location for my taste. I don't like the feeling of being "marooned" and prefer somewhere that if I want to go walking to restaurants or cafes or something, I can. If you decide to stay there, I'd suggest either in advance through the hotel or upon arrival in Dalat town, get a driver signed up for your two days.

I stayed at the Novotel (now the Hotel du Parc) which I thought was comfortable, though not without minor flaws and it's not going to be proactive service you'll get with the top international business hotels. I had a decent sized room. It was more in my budget than the Sofitel Dalat Palace (well, now minus the Sofitel), otherwise I'd have stayed at the grande dame. I think given more convenient location and maybe a bit more predictability, I'd choose Dalat Palace over Ana Mandara. And taxis hang out near the Palace and the du Parc. As long as you can get to Dalat by early afternoon or so, you should have a chance to inspect the room they want to give you, and have time to ask for a switch if you don't like something. With both Dalat Palace and Du Parc (which are under same management, now, per my understanding), I think there's quite a bit of variability in size and room quality between individual rooms. Just think of it as part of the charm of staying in older places. :)

Things in Dalat I enjoyed:
--walking around the central city and the market area (some good photos of the inside from the 2nd floor balcony looking down)
--strolling around the lake in front of the Dalat Palace hotel
--the Old Train Station (not operational, almost museum-like)
--the hillside boulevard of colonial mansions, these homes are really impressive from the French colonial days, and are still occupied
--Bao Dai Palace (one of my favorite places)
--Chua Linh Phuoc Temple and Pagoda (a little outside town, make a token donation if you go--another favorite)
--Lam Dong Museum
--peeking into some of the greenhouses at the edge of town and seeing where much of Vietnam's flowers and vegetables come from

Things that were OK but I wouldn't prioritize them on a short trip:
--Datanla Falls (but if you go, take the amusement-park like roller coaster down)
--Truc Lam Lake and Monastery
--countryside drive that goes to Lat Village (Chicken village) of weavers, though they have some decent textiles you can buy. Also usually on this drive is the Silk Factory, which is a family operation with the silkwork cocoons all the way to weaving raw cloth--interesting if you haven't seen this sort of thing before. Also on this drive are tea and coffee plantations. All of this takes about 2/3 of a day with a lunch "on the road."

Things I didn't do but you might consider:
--Scenic cable car ride (it was rainy and cold during my visit so I reluctantly took a pass on this--may also be too cold when you are there)
--"Crazy House" which is in-town. Gets mixed reviews.

With two days in Dalat, you'll find enough to do. It really has a different feel from any other place in Vietnam. Make sure you have a jacket with you for a January visit. My visit was at end of October and temps then were mostly in the 50's Fahrenheit due to elevation. With relatively little industry and traffic, you should enjoy fresh mountain air.

There's more to the Central Highlands than just Dalat and vicinity. Many over on Tripadvisor are raving about Buon Ma Thuot - 3 or 4 hours from Dalat. Here's Travelfish's take on the CH (http://www.travelfish.org/region/vietnam/central_highlands).

I've committed to Dalat. Air was available in and out and it will be a new place for me. Thank you, jiejie, for your suggestion.

Now, as to a hotel, I doubt TripAdvisor's recommendation of the top hotel at $10. Who is familiar with the Ana Mandara? It has a great 2 day package that includes lots of extras. I see that the Sofitel Palace has debranded, not very encouraging.

We have two full days plus a bit. What should we plan to see?

How easy is it to get taxis? The Ana Mandara isn't in town. It appears to be an old colonial property up in the hills.

The Ana Mandara is a very nice hotel. But it's not up in the hills. It's on the beach. It's not exactly downtown but very close (5-10 min ride in taxi).

Having just got back from VN and stayed at the Hyatt Regency Danang. I'd definitely skip Danang this time of the year because it's rainy season in the central coast. I second jiejie's recommendation on Dalat. I stayed at a local hotel within walking distance to the central market last time, and enjoyed it. We did the Bao Dai Palace, the Datanla falls, Truc Lam monastery, Crazy Woman House, walk around the lake etc. It was a nice visit to Dalat.

Though, I've not been to Phu Quoc, but heard nice things about it.

The Ana Mandara is a very nice hotel. But it's not up in the hills. It's on the beach. It's not exactly downtown but very close (5-10 min ride in taxi).

Are you possibly thinking of the Ana Mandara in Nha Trang? We stayed there on our last trip to Vietnam. Here's the link for the Ana Mandara in Dalat (http://anamandara-resort.com/location).

Sited on approximately 35 acres of suburban parkland that forms its own unique compound, the area Ana Mandara Villas Dalat occupies was originally known as the 'Bellevue Quarter', a nod to the rich French influence. Striking views of the surrounding town, countryside and flourishing vegetable fields abound from all areas of the gently sloping hillside property.

Having just got back from VN and stayed at the Hyatt Regency Danang. I'd definitely skip Danang this time of the year because it's rainy season in the central coast.

I read your comments on the Hyatt thread and it convinced me to disregard Danang in January.

Though, I've not been to Phu Quoc, but heard nice things about it.

Le Veranda in Phu Quoc showed up on several top new hotels of the world lists about 3 years ago. So off we went. The hotel was a great disappointment, especially at its price point, and the island was very quiet. At that point, the island was attracting budget travelers and there were few places to go outside of the hotel.

There's more to the Central Highlands than just Dalat and vicinity. Many over on Tripadvisor are raving about Buon Ma Thuot - 3 or 4 hours from Dalat. Here's Travelfish's take on the CH (http://www.travelfish.org/region/vietnam/central_highlands).

Buon Ma Thuot is every bit of 4 hours' drive from Dalat. It's not a daytrip! If you read the OP's schedule, he's only got 2 full days + a partial. No time for BMT this round--there's more than enough in Dalat immediate area to absorb his time.

The Ana Mandara is a very nice hotel. But it's not up in the hills. It's on the beach. It's not exactly downtown but very close (5-10 min ride in taxi).

Oy. Check the map relevant to the discussion. Dalat is nowhere near the beach, it's in the hills. I think you are mixing up your Ana Mandara's.

I read your comments on the Hyatt thread and it convinced me to disregard Danang in January.

One of the Regency Club employees used to work at the Nam Hai, and I think the Hyatt definitely wants to compete with the Nam Hai, they even offered private bungalow similar to the Nam Hai.

Have you been to Sa Pa? I'd highly recommend Sa Pa for a couple days.

Are you possibly thinking of the Ana Mandara in Nha Trang? We stayed there on our last trip to Vietnam. Here's the link for the Ana Mandara in Dalat (http://anamandara-resort.com/location).

Oy. Check the map relevant to the discussion. Dalat is nowhere near the beach, it's in the hills. I think you are mixing up your Ana Mandara's.

Ooops ! I got mixed-up during the discussion between Nha Trang and Dalat. I was indeed speaking about the Nha Trang one. Sorry about that. The day you find an hotel on the beach in Dalat, then you are in big troubles :D

OP, What days were you planning on going to Nha Trang?

We are arriving in SGN on Jan. 24th without hotels reservations for 4 nights then off to Nha Trang for 4 nights (again without any reservations), but we noticed last night that room availability was quickly dropping so we booked 4 nights at the Novotel in Na Trang. Planned on taking the train from SGN there and then fly back but again, no reservations have been made as we wanted some flexibility to modify as neccessary.

Has anyone stayed at the Novotel Nha Trang?

Thanks

OP, What days were you planning on going to Nha Trang?

We switched Dalat for Nha Trang. The only way we could get to Nha Trang in pre-Tet travel was by car, whereas we were able to find flights to Dalat. You will be going to Nha Trang well after Tet has begun so are unlikely to have the same travel issues we had.

Ho Chi Minh is already looking very festive for Tet. Enjoy!

Thanks SanDiego1k. Looking forward to the trip.

Thanks SanDiego1k. Looking forward to the trip.
TET runs until January 30th for many Vietnamese, so if you don't have transportation already arranged to Nha Trang, it might be very difficult to get flights or trains until February.

Haven't stayed at the Novotel, but did stay at the Sheraton. It was fantastic.

TET runs until January 30th for many Vietnamese, so if you don't have transportation already arranged to Nha Trang, it might be very difficult to get flights or trains until February.

SaigonCyclo, you are the local expert, so a question for you. I've been reading a lot about the patterns of Tet travel. I had the impression that many Ho Chi Minh people head to the Nha Trang area to return to their families. Then, at the end of Tet, they return back to Ho Chi Minh. So my thought was that it would be easier to get to Nha Trang a few days into Tet. I guess that still leaves it problematic to get back, though, if returning within that Tet window.

fwiw, the domestic terminal was heaving with Tet travelers yesterday. You couldn't even figure out where the lines were. It was simply a block of people. It's a good period to fly biz, as that section of the airport was very calm.

SaigonCyclo, you are the local expert, so a question for you. I've been reading a lot about the patterns of Tet travel. I had the impression that many Ho Chi Minh people head to the Nha Trang area to return to their families. Then, at the end of Tet, they return back to Ho Chi Minh. So my thought was that it would be easier to get to Nha Trang a few days into Tet. I guess that still leaves it problematic to get back, though, if returning within that Tet window.

fwiw, the domestic terminal was heaving with Tet travelers yesterday. You couldn't even figure out where the lines were. It was simply a block of people. It's a good period to fly biz, as that section of the airport was very calm.

By no means an expert. Vietnamese are traveling in all directions this time of year. Central Highlands, Nha Trang, Mekong Delta, but others are also coming the other way to the major cities. It's just always safer to have reservations in hand during this time as you can't really know what to expect.

By no means an expert. Vietnamese are traveling in all directions this time of year. Central Highlands, Nha Trang, Mekong Delta, but others are also coming the other way to the major cities. It's just always safer to have reservations in hand during this time as you can't really know what to expect.

The fact so many people do this means last-minute travellers can get lucky. I was trying to get a flight out last Friday, and could only confirm on a domestic from a more distant airport - until the day before I left, when EVERY flight out of the airport I was watching suddenly became available. One quick booking-and-cancel later and an extra hour and a bit in the car was avoided.

(And just as well, given what the roads were like...)

My thanks to jiejie for her suggestion of Dalat. It was the perfect substitution for Nha Trang, and frankly is considerably more interesting than Nha Trang. Still, it would be easy to combine a visit to both towns. If you visit both, I suggest flying into Dalat, visiting, then getting a driver to go down the mountain to Nha Trang. There are more flights north from Nha Trang than there are from Dalat.

We found Dalat to be a delightful town. It was founded by the French. One of Louis Pasteur's associates, Alexandre Yersin, was exploring and found this area in the late 1800s. He suggested that a town be built here as the area's elevation provided a nice break from the heat. As a result, the core of the town has more of a European sensibility about it than other Vietnamese towns.

It is built around an attractive small lake, which forms the core of the town. The airport is quite new, and is about a 30 minute drive from Dalat. Look back at jiejie's post to see a list of the primary sights. We saw most of them and the Crazy Woman's house as well. That was fascinating. It reminded me of the Gaudi buildings in Barcelona. The designer is a Russian educated Vietnamese architect. She was selling tickets. The place is weird and wonderful. She has 9 or 10 rooms built into large tree trunks, each with individual designs. Personally, I wouldn't stay there as the rooms are tiny and meant more for show than praticality, but several of them were rented for the night.

We went to the train station, and learned that the train goes to a nearby temple several times a day. It is a half hour run each way with a half hour at the destination. That could be interesting.

We also took the cable car one way. Our car and driver met us at the other end. We splurged and used the 1932 Citroen convertible that day. It is owned by the Ana Mandara, and added roughly $20 to the tour for the two of us. The palace was fascinating, as we got to learn quite a bit about the last Vietnamese emperor. He lived out his life in Paris.

We found the city sights more interesting than the country sights we saw the following day. Then, again, we've traveled extensively, have seen lots of temples, silk worms, silk production, and the like. We went to see a hill tribe area, and found it to be a concentration of unpainted buildings much as others live in, and nothing like the displays we had seen at the fabulous Museum of Ethnology (http://www.vme.org.vn/aboutus_history.asp) outside Hanoi.

I recommend the Ana Mandara. It is a complex of 17 villas built by the French. Each villa has from 2 to 6 bedrooms, all sharing the common area. Most require steps (no handrails) to get to the bedrooms. Most have fireplaces in the living room, dining room, and bedrooms. Staff came every night to built fires. Our rate included breakfast, a couple spa treatments, and our airport pick ups We really enjoyed sitting on the veranda enjoying the balmy weather having breakfast. The spa was terrific. I really enjoyed my treatments. Food was a mix of Vietnamese and European. We had lunch in town each day. Restaurants there were simple, but with a more extensive and much more affordable Vietnamese offering.

Thanks very much for the report.

Despite all the time I've spent in Vietnam, I haven't returned to Da Lat since 1993. Though I could see the remnants of French charm, I found it a run down dump with some rather nasty kitsch elements.. eg ghastly plastic swans on the lake.

Obviously worth another trip. Can't believe it was almost 20 years ago I went there!