Desirees

Should I buy the tickets now? it is 4 people, and we will have luggage, so cant do the absolute cheap fare classes - and the flight total is $992 for all 4.

Thanks,

D

Annalisa12

Just did this flight. Was an interesting experience. Plane was full. We booked about 3 months ahead. Anything was acceptable as carry on luggage. People in aisle seats had huge suitcases under their feet. It would of been just too bad for those near the window if they had to get out in an emergency.

If you have no flexibility Id be booking earlyish as there there aren't too many other options. Maybe I am wrong.

Careful of the luggage scam where you are forced to pay a huge fee as your tickets don't include luggage.

Desirees

Thank you for the feedback...definitely interesting!

Did you use a tour guide or travel agent on your trip? We will be touring Hanoi, Hoi An and Siam Reip in April and trying to only look at travel agents referred on these groups - also thinking of doing a private overnight cruise in Halong Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay.

rjh

IMO you can skip a tour guide in Hanoi and Hoi An. Just review Travelfish Hoi An and Hanoi along with some of the recent posts in this forum. If you want more recommendations, give your requirements (expensive, cheap, whatever) and people here are helpful.

You'll need a guide in Siem Reap, though. There are several recommended in this forum. My choice is Darith Touch [email protected], whom I've used as a guide/driver for many years.

Note: it's going to be pretty hot in April, like 35C+/95F. Temples are stone, so it seems even hotter at the exposed sites. Just a note of caution.
--
Rich

Annalisa12

I just booked a driver and guide as we needed them. In Siem Reap I booked a driver called Synon (and guide) who was recommended on FT. It was only $35 a day so if I decided not to do anything it was not going to be a big loss. In Hoi An we just got a taxi when we wanted to go to Anh Bang Beach or in to Da Nang to see an "interesting" museum. We also took the hotel car a couple of places, like to play golf, even though it was a lot more expensive.

We went in June so yes the temples were as hot as hell. Unfortunately we had no other time we could go. Going with a private guide is great as you can just leave when you have had enough.

I haven't done the Halong Bay cruise as we have done a lot of boating trips in Thailand and feel we are "boated out". I've had some recommend it and some tell us that we haven't missed anything.

Daawgon

Terrible price for such a short flight! No, I would wait. New airlines and new routes are popping up all the time in this part of the world, and that's a very long way off.

Check out Air Asia, but they do not sell tix far in advance - https://www.airasia.com

Desirees

Thank you! I will wait!

Desirees

Thank you for the information. Can you i ask which hotels you stayed at - and th would you recommend your driver? If so can I have his contact info?

seavisionburma

I'd wait on booking. There are other LCC's, plus Cambodia Air do post promotions on this route a couple of times per year.

Annalisa12

Info pm'd.

ijgordon

$992 for 4 ($248/pp) seems a little high, but not crazy if it includes checked bags. I don't think there's much competition on the route and it's international which often means higher taxes/fees. We flew REP-DAD two years ago and paid $190 each, having booked about 2.5 months in advance. However, we originally booked with Vietnam Airlines and there was a schedule change in which VN canceled its flight and put us on a VN codeshare operated by Cambodia Angkor Air. Flight was fine, although it was in a turboprop, but was really our only option. Less than half-full so plenty of room to spread out!

The prices on any Vietnam domestic flights should be a lot lower though. To the point where we just paid for business class on VN on DAD-HAN for like $120/pp. It included baggage and priority check-in/security which was a definite time-saver. Business class was also less than half full on this flight.

FWIW, we booked car & driver in REP with Synon as mentioned above as well, for $35 for the day in a nice Lexus, and including the airport pickup the night before. Synon himself wasn't available but had his brother drive us instead. I think the guide was extra, but worth it.