Originally Posted by
London_traveller
Hi
It depends what you're after. In six days you can do both (flying in between the two), however, having travelled across Vietnam I would recommend Hanoi over Saigon. Much more interesting place to see, definitely more influenced by the Chinese and less Western (Saigon is a large, western-style city in many ways). There's also a bit of gay life in Hanoi.
From there I would explore either northern or central Vietnam. Hoi An is a good recommendation. The overnight train from Hanoi is a more pleasant experience that you might imagine, although not luxury!
Where are you flying in from/connecting via? If you're seeking more of a gay scene during your stay then connecting via Bangkok and spending a couple of nights there will definitely deliver on that.
But definitely see Vietnam... good choice.
OK then, it's settled. Hanoi and Hoi An.
Other feedback has concurred that Hanoi is preferable (somewhat) to Saigon, and what I've seen (and heard here) about Hoi An sounds intriguing. Thanks for that recommendation, I've never heard of it, and it looks lovely. (And you can't beat the prices for hotels! Wow.)
FYIW, I'm connecting from Hong Kong. That's always fun, but I've been there several times before, so I'll arrange for more time in Vietnam, def. on my bucket list. (As a kid I was intrigued with VN due to the bombardment of nightly news coverage re the war there. Now living in San Jose, there is a large VN-ese population here, and I've found them to be wonderful)
Thanks again!