Vietnam

[Xasteria]

Just back fr HCM.. exchange fr VND in HCM airport is slightly better then in SIN. Prepaid card can also easily get at fr the airport, very convenience.

Exchange using Sing Dollar or US Dollar?

 

[keith00]

both.. SIN-Dong is 167XX (can't remember), in SIN its about 16000.
I used USD, rate was 20810 in airport.

 

[kazuki666]

Please please go with a lower expectation if you have never been HCM before and the online reviews are raving...
Ben Thanh market, is as good as our Chinatown selling raw meat, vegetables, cooked food and tourist stuff. Russian market, Saigon square aren't good too. Museums are ok for me because I quite like different country's history and culture.
Food wise, pho can cost you around 50k to 70k. I didn't see a single McD (strange...) Have a few KFC, a BK at airport. Expect to pay around 70k for a meal. Joining day tours can cost you around 270k, but be prepared to travel with mostly westerners who can sit half your seat...
Honesty, I won't go back in near future unless work needs to, or buddies die die want to go and I say max 3D2N...

 

[keith00]

how much the prepaid card and does it come with internet access?

I spend 127,000 VND for a total of 3 day with 3G service (U1 plan with daily 250MB) and still got balance about 50,000VND. Only make some local call & SMS.
Very convenience to get the SIM card at the airport.

 

[keith00]

Please please go with a lower expectation if you have never been HCM before and the online reviews are raving...
Ben Thanh market, is as good as our Chinatown selling raw meat, vegetables, cooked food and tourist stuff. Russian market, Saigon square aren't good too. Museums are ok for me because I quite like different country's history and culture.
Food wise, pho can cost you around 50k to 70k. I didn't see a single McD (strange...) Have a few KFC, a BK at airport. Expect to pay around 70k for a meal. Joining day tours can cost you around 270k, but be prepared to travel with mostly westerners who can sit half your seat...
Honesty, I won't go back in near future unless work needs to, or buddies die die want to go and I say max 3D2N...

Hope you enjoy your BKK bro...

 

[shermanc]

cost

hi, i'm thinking of visiting vietnam.

any idea what's the budget of say a week's stay?

thanks

 

[kazuki666]

hi, i'm thinking of visiting vietnam.

any idea what's the budget of say a week's stay?

thanks

I brought abt VND2.4 mil with me for 4D3N, thats exclusive accommodation and flight.

 

[excalibur324]

hi, i'm thinking of visiting vietnam.

any idea what's the budget of say a week's stay?

thanks

if you are a very budget person, no buying of stuff, just makan, pay for entrance ticket, join tours/transport, 30USD/day is enough. for me,

5USD - hostel accomodation
5-12USD - entrance fees/transport.
10-15USD - feed me 3 meals with local snacks along the way..

 

[crystang]

itinery for vietnam

oh ya guys. I heard that its almost impossible to change any VND in Singapore. True?
I was told by colleagues I will have bring USD over, then find a goldsmith to change VND. True also?


Btw, if I say I am going for 4D3N to Ho Chi Minh, how much would u all recommend me to bring?
It be very very very nice if u can share your itinerary with me too. My 1st time going and alone somemore...

My purpose of this trip is really to learn more abt Vietnam, so I wont mind if its see cultural traditional stuff. Food wise, I don't mind spending abit more if its good food. Btw, I will be staying in Hoang Hai Long 1 Hotel, it says to be very near Ben Thanh market

was in HCM in dec 2010 and did some blog post on the places that i had visited and the day tours which i took.... u can read them from tangtang-land(dot)blogspot(dot)com.... search under archive dec 2010...=) ..... cuchi tunnel is worth a visit...=)

 

[ali mama]

How many days do u guys recommend if i wan to travel from hanoi to hcm? Roughly how many days in each city?
I will be travellin using train when i reach vietnam.
Currently i m thinkin of gg to halong bay, nha trang. Anywhere else recommended?

 

[gr_ace]

anyone has recommendations for land tour in hanoi? going with parents, prefer to book in sg to be safe...

and which hotels are gd? prefer to stay near the lake...

 

[excalibur324]

How many days do u guys recommend if i wan to travel from hanoi to hcm? Roughly how many days in each city?
I will be travellin using train when i reach vietnam.
Currently i m thinkin of gg to halong bay, nha trang. Anywhere else recommended?

Travel via bus is way cheaper. Travelling e length of Vietnam can take 20 25 days.. u can this route on bus.

Hcmc - dalat - muine - nha trang - hoi an - hue - Hanoi

There's a lot of place u should explore that links from Hanoi.. namely sapa, ha long bay and tam coc. I spend approx 10 days in Hanoi, sapa, halong bay and tam coc..

 

[excalibur324]

anyone has recommendations for land tour in hanoi? going with parents, prefer to book in sg to be safe...

and which hotels are gd? prefer to stay near the lake...

Sapa, halong bay, tam coc, perfume pagoda, day tour in Hanoi... Book there is cheaper.

 

[ali mama]

Travel via bus is way cheaper. Travelling e length of Vietnam can take 20 25 days.. u can this route on bus.

Hcmc - dalat - muine - nha trang - hoi an - hue - Hanoi

There's a lot of place u should explore that links from Hanoi.. namely sapa, ha long bay and tam coc. I spend approx 10 days in Hanoi, sapa, halong bay and tam coc..

thks... i thought ard 15 days is enuff, seems like i need to skip a few cities. maybe i just travel from hcm to hue or hoi an.

 

[excalibur324]

thks... i thought ard 15 days is enuff, seems like i need to skip a few cities. maybe i just travel from hcm to hue or hoi an.

do check how you wish to get from hue or hoi an.. might need to do internal flight and transit in the international airport in Hanoi or HCMC.

 

[ali mama]

most probably i get a direct flight from spore to da nang then travel southward to hcm.

 

[gamermic]

sinhcafe.com or www.thesinhtourist.vn?

Which one is better? Can refund if last minute cancel?

 

[excalibur324]

sinhcafe.com or www.thesinhtourist.vn?

Which one is better? Can refund if last minute cancel?

sinhcafe rename itself to sinhtourish.com liao.. cos many ppl imitate them..

imo, all other travel agents provide the similar services.. but sinhtourist charge slightly higher. the pros is they are reputable la..

i always check out price with them and check with others.. other agents are always cheaper.

 

[dleodleo]

Hi,

Thinking of going Hanoi 7D6N. Is it cheaper to go free and easy or book a tour package from Singapore?

Any travel agents in hanoi to recommend to book 3N2D Sapa tour and 2D1N halong bay cruise tour?

Is the road to sapa mountain dangerous? Is Sapa suitable for 4 years old child?

I am thinking to go in December, is it a good time to go? I read that it is foggy in December?

Many thanks.

 

[excalibur324]

Hi,

Thinking of going Hanoi 7D6N. Is it cheaper to go free and easy or book a tour package from Singapore?

Any travel agents in hanoi to recommend to book 3N2D Sapa tour and 2D1N halong bay cruise tour?

Is the road to sapa mountain dangerous? Is Sapa suitable for 4 years old child?

I am thinking to go in December, is it a good time to go? I read that it is foggy in December?

Many thanks.

Firstly, it is definitely cheaper to go free and easy.

To go to Sapa, you can book tours in Hanoi. However, often they will con you money by charging you 1st class sleeper train tickets but only offering you the 2nd class. trust me. travel by first class is better cos 2nd is really squeezy.

To avoid such incidents, always go to the train station and buy tickets yourself. Do purchase maybe a few days ahead if you really wan the 1st class sleeper.

Also, there are tour agents in Sapa who provide tours, trekking routes which can cater to your liking and degree of difficulty. Hanoi travel agents wouldn't be as knowledgeable. Another plus point is Sapa tour agents would charge cheaper than Hanoi agents.

From Lao Cai train station, you need to take a minivan to Sapa, takes around 50mins to 1hr. the road is windy and mountainous. Generally, if your child has no motion sickness, I think it would be alright.

Carrying your kid around might be a problem if he or she is tired during trekking. cos what you really wanna do in Sapa is to trek with the Hmong tribe ppl (tour guides are Hmong and they speak way better English then Vietnamnese) and appreciate the mountains and the rice terraces.

I went to Sapa in Dec as well. To be frank, the locals said the weather changes quickly, there isnt a fix season for foggy weather. I went 3D2N and 2 days were Sunny. Really depends on luck. What I can say is to avoid the rainy season since you are more likely to slip and fall and concern about your footing when doing the trekking.

If you are going with the family, maybe its better to pay slightly more to ensure things goes smoothly. After all, having fun its more important then the extra money.

Hope it helps.

Personally I really like the Lao Chai Tavan Trek. (note Lao Chai village is not Lao Cai which is the train station)