First time to Vietnam
Sep 4, 2016, 2:46 pm
#31
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: DFW
Posts: 675
Sep 4, 2016, 10:47 pm
#32
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: traveling
Posts: 23
I think you can visit Hanoi and HCMC within 6 days. You can take a flight of Vietjet or Vietnam Airline. Both of them are reliable. You can enjoy street food in Hanoi Old Quarter. Ben Thanh market (HCMC) also has many business activities and good food. For hotels, in Hanoi, you should rent a hotel in Old Quarter, for example, Hang Trong. In HCMC, if you want to stay at 4-5 star hotel, you can consider Novotel, New World, Sofitel or Caravelle.
Sep 6, 2016, 1:48 pm
#34
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Dalat, Vietnam
Programs: Vietnam, Asiana, Singapore, EVA, Southwest
Posts: 934
You're not calculating the time to get from one place to the next. Hanoi-Halong Bay is 4 hours one way (round trip means you've lost a full day). Yes, it can be done, but it means that a large portion of those 6 days is wasted just trying to get from point A to point B.
Sep 6, 2016, 2:42 pm
#35
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NYC/Northern NJ
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Posts: 1,815
Prior poster 'Daawgon' is accurate. Halong Bay is not worth the excursion due to transit time. There is an airport closer but still roughly 3 hr if consider time to airport, flight and time to bay.
I've done it with overnight but in hindsight would've preferred to stay in Hanoi.
I've done it with overnight but in hindsight would've preferred to stay in Hanoi.
Sep 7, 2016, 7:09 am
#36
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: EWR, SLC, SGN
Posts: 1,113
I would never skip Ha Long Bay. It's been a few years since I've been, so I admit it might have changed and be more of a hassle in some ways, but it's one of the most beautiful and interesting places in Vietnam, imho.
I'd definitely go there and don't think your schedule is bad at all. 2 nights in Hanoi, then take an early morning trip to Ha Long, and boat then and overnight there or on the boat. Then fly the next day to Saigon, you have that half day in Saigon, the next day also or else could do a day trip to the Mekong. Another night in Saigon. Works fine.
I'd definitely go there and don't think your schedule is bad at all. 2 nights in Hanoi, then take an early morning trip to Ha Long, and boat then and overnight there or on the boat. Then fly the next day to Saigon, you have that half day in Saigon, the next day also or else could do a day trip to the Mekong. Another night in Saigon. Works fine.
Sep 24, 2016, 9:45 am
#37
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
Programs: *G
Posts: 4,868
its akin to arguing dallas vs houston. neither are great destinations. both dirty, overpopulated cities, and the 'attractions' (hoan kiem, pagoda, opera house, etc) are a bit light on gravity.
they should be experienced once, and if its a matter of either/or, then saigon has more of the hustle-bustle, beehive-moto-traffic one imagines of vietnam. and the food is much better. (hanoi, however, has access to balong/bai tu long bay which is a cannot-miss).
the real 'gem' of the country (someone used that word in this thread) are in between..... in hue, da nang, da lat, etc..... with better natural geography, more room to roam.
flights are really cheap from point to point, whether by discount carrier or the national carrier. even the best class of service on the national train (violette carriage - 4 bed sleeper), isnt comfortable, has limited availability, and takes an interminably long time.
they should be experienced once, and if its a matter of either/or, then saigon has more of the hustle-bustle, beehive-moto-traffic one imagines of vietnam. and the food is much better. (hanoi, however, has access to balong/bai tu long bay which is a cannot-miss).
the real 'gem' of the country (someone used that word in this thread) are in between..... in hue, da nang, da lat, etc..... with better natural geography, more room to roam.
flights are really cheap from point to point, whether by discount carrier or the national carrier. even the best class of service on the national train (violette carriage - 4 bed sleeper), isnt comfortable, has limited availability, and takes an interminably long time.
Sep 24, 2016, 10:27 pm
#38
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Sydney Australia
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Posts: 14,222
its akin to arguing dallas vs houston. neither are great destinations. both dirty, overpopulated cities, and the 'attractions' (hoan kiem, pagoda, opera house, etc) are a bit light on gravity.
they should be experienced once, and if its a matter of either/or, then saigon has more of the hustle-bustle, beehive-moto-traffic one imagines of vietnam. and the food is much better. (hanoi, however, has access to balong/bai tu long bay which is a cannot-miss).
the real 'gem' of the country (someone used that word in this thread) are in between..... in hue, da nang, da lat, etc..... with better natural geography, more room to roam.
flights are really cheap from point to point, whether by discount carrier or the national carrier. even the best class of service on the national train (violette carriage - 4 bed sleeper), isnt comfortable, has limited availability, and takes an interminably long time.
they should be experienced once, and if its a matter of either/or, then saigon has more of the hustle-bustle, beehive-moto-traffic one imagines of vietnam. and the food is much better. (hanoi, however, has access to balong/bai tu long bay which is a cannot-miss).
the real 'gem' of the country (someone used that word in this thread) are in between..... in hue, da nang, da lat, etc..... with better natural geography, more room to roam.
flights are really cheap from point to point, whether by discount carrier or the national carrier. even the best class of service on the national train (violette carriage - 4 bed sleeper), isnt comfortable, has limited availability, and takes an interminably long time.
Sep 25, 2016, 12:34 am
#39
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
Programs: *G
Posts: 4,868
im very well-acquainted with low-income locales, the accompanying haggling, scamming, chaoticness of it all...
...of the destinations in my 50+ countries experience, cairo (along with manila) is far and away on the bottom of that list.
Sep 26, 2016, 12:06 am
#40
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Bargara Australia
Programs: VA, SQ, IHG, HH,ALL, Europcar
Posts: 1,530
Having spent time in both cities, I would skip HCMC and focus on Hanoi, lots to see and do there - plus you can do Halong Bay.
If you want to do HCMC I would get out of the city and do a day trip or a couple of nights on a boat in the Mekong Delta
If you want to do HCMC I would get out of the city and do a day trip or a couple of nights on a boat in the Mekong Delta