invisible

I've been in Vietnam number of times but all of them were at South/middle. I am thinking to have short visit to Luang Prabang - probably three days, combining it with another three days in Hanoi.

All this at the last week of December - arriving on Dec 26th in Luang Prabang and leaving Hanoi either Dec 31st or Jan 1st.

I have couple of questions to understand what to expect on ground and during transit:

- is 1h connection time sufficient transiting at HAN, assuming that there is no checked luggage and both incoming and outgoing flights are operated by Vietnam Airlines?
- What Hanoi looks like in the last week of December? I can check weather data on my own, but want to know if there are certain stuff I need to aware of - in terms of either avoid or attend
- If you can recommend some off the beaten track things to see/experience both at Luang Prabang and Hanoi, would appreciate it.

Thanks.

rjh

Hanoi

• Expect it to be relatively cold. All the locals will be wearing puffy jackets (and I do, too.)
• Christmas Carols at St Joseph's cathedral may be over. Too bad, if so. A good vantage point is Eden Coffee upstairs, adjacent.
• Travelfish calls out the best sights. I liked the Temple of Literature and Ho Chi Minh Trail Museum.
• Avoid the pricey foreigner restaurants, which I've found uniformly disappointing. If you want most of available street food and northern specialties without going outside, go to Noodle and Roll. Sit upstairs. Old Town Garden Café is a crackup, especially if it's ok weather and you go to the roof. Follow the signs through the store in front to the far back.
• Dream Beans Coffee in an alley by St Joseph's is a good place to get egg coffee (or any coffee, really.)

Luang Prabang

• Phouxi Hill in the morning. Avoid crowds there for the sunset. Try entering from the West.
• Kuangxi Falls is decent, but lately overrun by crowds.
• I found the pricey restaurants on the Nam Khan river side (and elsewhere) not that outstanding. Cafe Toui and LPB restaurant on the Mekong across the Sala Prabang are both good.
• Ock Pop Tok is good for textiles.
• The aunties that sit next to you and "give" you rice for the monks' procession in the morning expect to be compensated.
• Morning Market is kinda fun, though you may become vegetarian for the rest of your trip.

Let me know if you can't find any of these.
--
Rich

invisible

Big thanks for all the tips. In terms of food - we are all street food fans. If you have an idea where to go great street food and (important) not pay 'tourist tax' at the same time, I would appreciate tips.

I've been reading enough background stories about 'monk procession' which makes me having no desire to participate/contribute in it.

CrazyInteg

Can you explain your transit situation? It's not clear in your original post.

For December you will want a sweater or jacket.

rjh

I'd recommend the pricey, but worth it, Hanoi Street Food tour. General overview here. If the weather's bad though, seriously, just go to Noodle & Roll. Caution: one of our party isn't in love with their attention to scrubbing surfaces like window sills.

Do you have a hotel? Impressive Hotel, essentially across from Pasteur Brewing is good. Not the Ritz,

Good Bún Chả at Bún Chả Đắc Kim (actually best I've ever had was in Garden Grove, CA, though). There's an alley leading to Dong Xuan Market with about 10 (?) food stalls. This is the south end. Take a lot of wipies and hand sanitizer from Circle K. Never got sick, though.

There are several traditional coffee shops, one of which is worth a one time visit and was included on our food tour. You'd never find it otherwise. For a modern take, Dream Beans is my preference. You can A-B compare traditional egg coffee with theirs and decide which you like.

Monk's procession in LPB is free to watch and kinda fun to see the foreigners' interactions. Sala Prabang Hotel is where I stay these days. Take the ferry across the river and walk east. Get a boatman to take you back so you don't have to retrace your steps to the ferry.
--
Rich

nov11

I love Bun Cha Huong Lien (the one Obama/Bourdain went to). Slightly better than Bun Cha Ta in Old Quarter but Bun Cha Ta is pretty good as well if you don't feel like walking/grab all the way there.

Cafe Giang or Cafe Dinh for egg coffee

December is usually pretty cold and foggy/misty.

rjh

Yes, one of these for the authentic experience. Good luck finding Cafe Đinh without a guide, though. Hint, it's down the dim corridor and up the stairs. Seating on stools.

invisible

Leaving from and coming back to Singapore.
There are two flights by VN from SIN:
VN 660, 1:05 pm/3:25 pm
VN 662, 3:50 pm/6:10 pm

And there are two flights from HAN to LPQ:
VN 931, 12:40 pm/1:50 pm
VN 2905, 7:10 pm/8:30 pm

Ideally one should take VN660/VN2905 combination, but it is 4h connection time in HAN and pretty much killing the whole day just to reach the destination.

Return LPQ-HAN is following:
VN 2904, 5:10 pm/6:30 pm
VN 930, 7:10 pm/8:10 pm

and HAN-SIN looks like following:
VN 661, 7:15 am/11:55 am
VN 663, 10:10 am/2:50 pm

So my thoughts are to arrive at Luang Prabang directly and stay at Hanoi on way back, because for both cases you have to overnight.
Now, SilkAir does operate direct flight from Singapore to LPQ, but tickets one way cost outrageous amount of money - like $500, while all way in and out with stopover at HAN VN's ticket cost is less than $400.

Does temp drop below 20C during the day?

invisible

The three-hour tour costs US$75 per person
Thanks, but no thanks. For that price four people can eat in Vietnam for four days. Been there, done that.

rjh

Ha ha, no problem. Just go to the Dong Xuan market food alley and you can eat varied and well in line with local prices.

The advantage of the food tour is that you go to out of the way places you wouldn't likely find. Totally up to you what experience you want, of course.

invisible

Thanks anyway. In terms of tours we found that almost in every large city there are number of free tours offered by local high school or college students who want to to practice their English. We had really good time in Saigon and Hue.

One more - any recommended districts to stay in both Hanoi and Luang Prabang? Have not researched about latter yet but with all out previous my travels to Saigon, Dalat, Ho Ann, Hue and Da nang. I had no problem finding a room for no more $35/night, which includes low noise environment, clean room, shower, bedding, towels and absence of insects. Everything else is nice to have but not necessary.

rjh

Hanoi: Impressive Hotel
Luang Prabang: Sala Prabang

For each, try Agoda and compare with book direct with breakfast. Take cheapest, duh. Ask for room away from road in LPB, though it's not that bad. In Hanoi, the nearby church has bells at 0530, but a quick family survey here says it's fine. Based on >5 experiences each.

If these aren't available, look for something close by. Killer locations.

Expect temps in the morning of 15c or so.

CrazyInteg

What about the nonstop Scoot flight from Singapore to Luang Prabang?

Below 20C in the day? I mean, it's possible. Average high for Hanoi is 22C in December according to Wikipedia, avg low around 16 degrees. I've generally been fine with shorts and a sweater. If you live in Singapore, you might be freezing though.

invisible

That's the replacement of former SilkAir flight, I guess.

I don't want to use scoot unless absolutely necessary. They have such a bad reputation, that people say 'friends won't let friends drive drunk fly scoot'...

Daawgon

VN2905/2904 is actually Lao Airlines ATR prop jet, warning. I'm not a fan of Lao Air when you can fly wonderful Vietnam A321 jets. Be sure to book a single ticket to LPQ if coming from SIN.

I'm making my 3rd trip to Luang Prabang this August (yes, rainy season) but I have to make a visa run anyway, and I just love this town (very relaxing and not crowded). For street food in LP try the Night Market Buffet (you pick your veggies/chicken or fish optional, and they stir fry for you). Contact me for my list of good restaurants (I'm a foodie). You do want to stay on the LP peninsula since it will be a short trip. I've booked Villa Ban Lakkham River View at booking.com. Also good is Manichan Guesthouse (the Belgian owner is a chef/awesome communal breakfast here). For excellent/detailed LP maps go to Hobomaps

In Hanoi stay in the Old Quarter or Cathedral area (avoid Ma May/Hang Buom). Book the free Hanoikids tour 1 month in advance (online through Facebook). Always warm in LP - Hanoi can be cool or warm at Xmas (very comfortable).