Vietnam

[caytruc]

Hi, do u all use usd or dong at hanoi? Thanks

USD cannot be used in Singapore, just as it also cannot be used in Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, etc. and everywhere else (the only places that you can use USD are at the banks or money exchange counters)

 

[agenda]

Hi guys, any tips for the following itinerary?

Hanoi - 4 days
Sapa - 3 days
Halong - 2 days
Hue - 2 days
Danang - 1 day
Hoi An - 3 days
Mui Ne - 2 days
HCM - 3 days

My budget is between $40 to $50 a day. Staying at hostel dorm, hoping to spend only $10 a day for accoms. Is this too much or too little? Should I change any USD at all?

I'm intending to go for a 2d1n trek in Sapa, budget about $120, possible to get cheaper?

Also for Halong bay, most of the threads on TA states $100usd for 2d1n, are there cheaper ones?

And any tips to get from hanoi airport to old quarters? Solo traveller.

After this, I'm heading to Cambodia, but i can't find any money exchanger that sells cambodian riel or do I have to use usd?

 

[Beno777]

Hi guys, any tips for the following itinerary?

Hanoi - 4 days
Sapa - 3 days
Halong - 2 days
Hue - 2 days
Danang - 1 day
Hoi An - 3 days
Mui Ne - 2 days
HCM - 3 days

My budget is between $40 to $50 a day. Staying at hostel dorm, hoping to spend only $10 a day for accoms. Is this too much or too little? Should I change any USD at all?

I'm intending to go for a 2d1n trek in Sapa, budget about $120, possible to get cheaper?

Also for Halong bay, most of the threads on TA states $100usd for 2d1n, are there cheaper ones?

And any tips to get from hanoi airport to old quarters? Solo traveller.

After this, I'm heading to Cambodia, but i can't find any money exchanger that sells cambodian riel or do I have to use usd?

Really envy your long travel plan. 2 years ago did try to plan something like this but in the end never got chance to do it.

Are you intending to use the train as your mode of transport? Or even easy rider?

 

[Alpaca]

Hi guys, any tips for the following itinerary?

Hanoi - 4 days
Sapa - 3 days
Halong - 2 days
Hue - 2 days
Danang - 1 day
Hoi An - 3 days
Mui Ne - 2 days
HCM - 3 days

I'm intending to go for a 2d1n trek in Sapa, budget about $120, possible to get cheaper?

Also for Halong bay, most of the threads on TA states $100usd for 2d1n, are there cheaper ones?

And any tips to get from hanoi airport to old quarters? Solo traveller.

i personally think 2 days in Hue a bit short if you want to visit those caves and 3 days in Hoi An a bit long

you can take a bus to sapa which is cheaper than train ride you can book a 1/2 day tour from your hotel at around 10usd++ or you can wander around the mountain yourself. if you really cheapo you can stalk those tour group as they leave the hotel to visit those village. $120 sgd is enough for you to book a 2d1n tour

if you solo, it is better to just to go for a 1 day trip to halong bay ... feel a bit weird to be alone in the cruise

take bus 17 to old quarter and walk to the backpacker area if you sux in navigating go take those mini van instead

 

[figo16]

i personally think 2 days in Hue a bit short if you want to visit those caves and 3 days in Hoi An a bit long

you can take a bus to sapa which is cheaper than train ride you can book a 1/2 day tour from your hotel at around 10usd++ or you can wander around the mountain yourself. if you really cheapo you can stalk those tour group as they leave the hotel to visit those village. $120 sgd is enough for you to book a 2d1n tour

if you solo, it is better to just to go for a 1 day trip to halong bay ... feel a bit weird to be alone in the cruise

take bus 17 to old quarter and walk to the backpacker area if you sux in navigating go take those mini van instead

where is the bus station in hanoi?

does your $120 tour includes hotel + transport to and from hanoi?

 

[caytruc]

Should I change any USD at all?

Either SGD or VND.
USD will do you no good in Vietnam.

Do you see anyone using USD at anywhere in Singapore? The answer is NO.
Same as in Vietnam.

 

[rrr2015]

"ca phe da" is simply vietnamese iced coffee

trung nguyen & highlands are well known producer of vietnamese coffee. i think you can't go wrong with these.

there are so many kinds of coffee sold at ben thanh, so which type of coffee blends you looking for?

hello guys! actually im not looking for the strainer coffee or trung nguyen. Im actually looking for this particular "ca phe da" that is available there and not here (cos i tried looking online and marts). Would appreciate if some1 can help me get if they are around ben thanh money changer, cos theres this small mart beside the money changer that sells it quite cheap =D

haha paiseh let u guys misunderstand i was talking about the strainer.

 

[rrr2015]

wow! S$25 coconut?
please share your experiences once your tried them.
i read about coconut pineapple, it's said to taste like coconut with hints of pineapple, like piña colada

Is it size?? Anyway, I know of a viet coconut, very rare, special and nice one, haven't tried yet. My wife just ordered from a viet here in sg, think they brought over viet. Damn expensive, each S$25, about VND400K. My wife said still people buy, locals too.

wow! this is so educating. thank you so much! will go coconut hunting next time I'm there again

Dừa xiêm: most popular type of coconut for drinking and cooking. Juice is slightly sweet. Dừa xiêm xanh (green one) is the least sweet. Dừa xiêm lửa (red one): sweetest.
Dừa dứa: this coconut has the pandan aroma
Dừa dâu: have both red and green skin, small fruit, not very popular, typically used for the coconut meat and oil

 

[Alpaca]

where is the bus station in hanoi?

does your $120 tour includes hotel + transport to and from hanoi?

Book through sinh tourist lor .. 1.57m dong but live in 2 star ... want 3 star top up 290k, 4 star another 500k

 

[agenda]

Really envy your long travel plan. 2 years ago did try to plan something like this but in the end never got chance to do it.

Are you intending to use the train as your mode of transport? Or even easy rider?

Mostly bus I guess, much cheaper that way.

i personally think 2 days in Hue a bit short if you want to visit those caves and 3 days in Hoi An a bit long

you can take a bus to sapa which is cheaper than train ride you can book a 1/2 day tour from your hotel at around 10usd++ or you can wander around the mountain yourself. if you really cheapo you can stalk those tour group as they leave the hotel to visit those village. $120 sgd is enough for you to book a 2d1n tour

if you solo, it is better to just to go for a 1 day trip to halong bay ... feel a bit weird to be alone in the cruise

take bus 17 to old quarter and walk to the backpacker area if you sux in navigating go take those mini van instead

I managed to get a 3d2n all-in tour to Sapa for $100sgd. Think its pretty worth it. But yes, my friend told me he did something like - he just happened to be walking beside a local then he managed to avoid paying for the permits and then when he was in, he stuck to some tour.

About halong, currently looking at a party cruise for 90usd but i feel thats not my thing anymore.. just wanna chill, seems like yield management is heavily practiced on this itinerary, will just touch down and shop around. anything usd90 and below will take already.

 

[rrr2015]

can only help on this portion
cheapest & slower, take free airport bus connector from international to domestic terminal and take bus 17

i think 9000vnd if i remember correctly but you may be asked to pay additional 9000vnd for every big luggage/backpack
(my bad, corrected price from 5000 -> 9000, 5000 was for public bus from hcmc airport to ben thanh)

alight @ Long Bien bus station which is northern boundary of old quarters

*****
Better & faster (as they go via highway), Viet airline shuttle bus @ outside international terminal. Cost 40000vnd
do note they may only move once seats are filled up

alight @ viet airline office which is south of lake hoan kiem
this link is helpful http://www.gettingstamped.com/2014/04/09/how-to-get-from-hanoi-to-noi-bai-han-airport/

And any tips to get from hanoi airport to old quarters? Solo traveller.

 

[kitkat2]

can only help on this portion
cheapest & slower, take free airport bus connector from international to domestic terminal and take bus 17

i think 5000vnd if i remember correctly but you may be asked to pay additional 5000vnd for every big luggage/backpack

alight @ Long Bien bus station which is northern boundary of old quarters

in ha noi, the public bus fare for most urban routes is now 7000 dong. more for longer routes like the no 17 serving noi bai costs 9000 dong.

ha noi still retains some of strict communist values. unlike sai gon, you will never be asked to pay more for luggage on a public bus if your luggage doesnt occupy a seat. check the exact fare printed near the doorway when boarding.

bus no 17 takes around 1 hour 15 mins to reach long bien. it passes through some villages and small towns, picking up and dropping off passengers. highly recommended when arriving as you will get to see and experience the locals in their daily lives.

 

[figo16]

Book through sinh tourist lor .. 1.57m dong but live in 2 star ... want 3 star top up 290k, 4 star another 500k

got many fake sinh tourist leh. so they will pick you up from your hanoi hotel and bring you to take bus to sapa and the guide will follow you all the way until end of tour?

how much was your air ticket to hanoi and hcm? what airline?

 

[Alpaca]

got many fake sinh tourist leh. so they will pick you up from your hanoi hotel and bring you to take bus to sapa and the guide will follow you all the way until end of tour?

how much was your air ticket to hanoi and hcm? what airline?

To counter fake sinh tourist simply pay online.I went to the wrong one in hanoi and they chased me away ... I was like wtf ?! The name and logo same but address different lol.

No guide but got different people waiting for you at different location to pick you up. Look for the person holding the paper with your name.


The tour price no include air ticket le

 

[Alpaca]

*****
Better & faster (as they go via highway), Viet airline shuttle bus @ outside international terminal. Cost 40000vnd
do note they may only move once seats are filled up

alight @ viet airline office which is south of lake hoan kiem
this link is helpful http://www.gettingstamped.com/2014/04/09/how-to-get-from-hanoi-to-noi-bai-han-airport/

100k liao but they drop you off near to your hotel in old quarter region or even further down

 

[zul99z]

First night in Vietnam and I would like to share my experience with you guys. When we reached the airport, we took a look around at the many money changers available and decided to change at a place that offered the best rate (16,345). Each of us proceeded to change $300. However after receiving the money, we calculated that individually we were short of 212,000 vnd. So we went back to the money changer who made a snide remark by saying that the stated rate was for a minimum amount of $1000. Super pissed off but as the transaction was already done,we couldn't do anything about it. All was well, Ben Thanh Market was superb (day and night), war remnants was great and saddening too (spent 3.5hrs there) and the pub that we went to was superb. After our (clean) massage, we decided to give grabcar a try. To our surprise, the driver was furious at us for having 4 passengers and showed his displeasure by maintaining a speed of 20km/hr. It got even worst when he refused to let us out at our destination and demanded us to surrender our phone so that he could rate himself 5 stars. As we were all tired, we reluctantly seceded to his demand. One thing that I'm not pleased about is that whenever they see tourists, they'll try their best to earn as much money from you (much more expensive road side meal, insisting we pay in dollars when we're in a vinasun cab etc). Also almost everyone I meet on the street is unfriendly and would ignore you whenever you strike a conversation with them. Very dissapointed. Hopefully tmr will be a better day. Sighhh

Zul99z

 

[OKCATYEON]

First night in Vietnam and I would like to share my experience with you guys. When we reached the airport, we took a look around at the many money changers available and decided to change at a place that offered the best rate (16,345). Each of us proceeded to change $300. However after receiving the money, we calculated that individually we were short of 212,000 vnd. So we went back to the money changer who made a snide remark by saying that the stated rate was for a minimum amount of $1000. Super pissed off but as the transaction was already done,we couldn't do anything about it. All was well, Ben Thanh Market was superb (day and night), war remnants was great and saddening too (spent 3.5hrs there) and the pub that we went to was superb. After our (clean) massage, we decided to give grabcar a try. To our surprise, the driver was furious at us for having 4 passengers and showed his displeasure by maintaining a speed of 20km/hr. It got even worst when he refused to let us out at our destination and demanded us to surrender our phone so that he could rate himself 5 stars. As we were all tired, we reluctantly seceded to his demand. One thing that I'm not pleased about is that whenever they see tourists, they'll try their best to earn as much money from you (much more expensive road side meal, insisting we pay in dollars when we're in a vinasun cab etc). Also almost everyone I meet on the street is unfriendly and would ignore you whenever you strike a conversation with them. Very dissapointed. Hopefully tmr will be a better day. Sighhh

Zul99z

I would threaten to call the cops if I were in your situation. Also how did he lock you in?

Also you should take down his cab number to report to grab and the relevant authorities.

 

[Beno777]

First night in Vietnam and I would like to share my experience with you guys. When we reached the airport, we took a look around at the many money changers available and decided to change at a place that offered the best rate (16,345). Each of us proceeded to change $300. However after receiving the money, we calculated that individually we were short of 212,000 vnd. So we went back to the money changer who made a snide remark by saying that the stated rate was for a minimum amount of $1000. Super pissed off but as the transaction was already done,we couldn't do anything about it. All was well, Ben Thanh Market was superb (day and night), war remnants was great and saddening too (spent 3.5hrs there) and the pub that we went to was superb. After our (clean) massage, we decided to give grabcar a try. To our surprise, the driver was furious at us for having 4 passengers and showed his displeasure by maintaining a speed of 20km/hr. It got even worst when he refused to let us out at our destination and demanded us to surrender our phone so that he could rate himself 5 stars. As we were all tired, we reluctantly seceded to his demand. One thing that I'm not pleased about is that whenever they see tourists, they'll try their best to earn as much money from you (much more expensive road side meal, insisting we pay in dollars when we're in a vinasun cab etc). Also almost everyone I meet on the street is unfriendly and would ignore you whenever you strike a conversation with them. Very dissapointed. Hopefully tmr will be a better day. Sighhh

Zul99z

Bro, just look at the bright side and enjoy your trip since there was no physical lost except the few bucks at changer. As for they trying to ripe off us tourist are driven by poverty and greed, take it as you go there do charity lor, since the money paid to those hawkers will somehow ended up in their dining table feeding their whole family.

Have a safe trip more important.

 

[beanstalk6]

Have some perspective. All of 212000 VND converts to less than $12? And that works out to $3 loss for each of you on the $300.
The Grabcar issue is inexcusable though. Please complain to Grabcar about such dishonest and thuggish service.

 

[rayban]

First night in Vietnam and I would like to share my experience with you guys. When we reached the airport, we took a look around at the many money changers available and decided to change at a place that offered the best rate (16,345). Each of us proceeded to change $300. However after receiving the money, we calculated that individually we were short of 212,000 vnd. So we went back to the money changer who made a snide remark by saying that the stated rate was for a minimum amount of $1000. Super pissed off but as the transaction was already done,we couldn't do anything about it. All was well, Ben Thanh Market was superb (day and night), war remnants was great and saddening too (spent 3.5hrs there) and the pub that we went to was superb. After our (clean) massage, we decided to give grabcar a try. To our surprise, the driver was furious at us for having 4 passengers and showed his displeasure by maintaining a speed of 20km/hr. It got even worst when he refused to let us out at our destination and demanded us to surrender our phone so that he could rate himself 5 stars. As we were all tired, we reluctantly seceded to his demand. One thing that I'm not pleased about is that whenever they see tourists, they'll try their best to earn as much money from you (much more expensive road side meal, insisting we pay in dollars when we're in a vinasun cab etc). Also almost everyone I meet on the street is unfriendly and would ignore you whenever you strike a conversation with them. Very dissapointed. Hopefully tmr will be a better day. Sighhh

Zul99z

strike a conversation with viet bu?

i never change money at airport one...... always change at goldsmith shop

grab taxi got such problem ya..... never take before...