Vietnam

[dleodleo]

yeap...end of dec is super cold and misty aslo.... September to Oct considered as the best time to travel Sapa with the yellow terraces fields are about to harvest & The weather is awesome with fresh-up breezes & no much rains

Yes, I agreed. We went on 2 Dec and end up see nothing.....but mist.

We cannot see even what is infront of us. The photo we took were all covered with mist. All scenery and background were not visable.

We could only enjoy the scenery on the second day when the sun was out.

It all depends on the weather.

 

[hawkwind]

What's the easiest way to buy tickets for the train to Sapa? Is it better to book a package tour to Sapa with an agent in Hanoi? Thanks.

 

[tenz1204]

Is northface is vietnam real or fake?

 

[flit07]

Any shop giving good Vietnam Dong or USD exchange rate in SG?

 

[56mimosa]

Hanoi / Halong Bay Trip!

Hi,

I have just returned from Hanoi / Halong Bay ( Dec 21 - 24 ). Since I have benefited so much from this thread. I would like to share some information in case others find it useful.

Below is the itinerary I had. I booked it thru' UOB Travel but I realised other agents in People's Park Complex are offering the same tour code. It was a private tour with only our family of four. Private tour guide, private bus. I was initially quite worry of this arrangement but as it turns out it was excellent. No pressure from the tour guide, no compulsory shopping. Everything is on time and no hiccup.

I stayed in Lan Viet Hotel. It is pretty good and comfortable. The only thing to take note is be sure to ask for even number room and do not take odd number room. Reason being, odd number rooms are facing the main road. You won't sleep the whole night ( maybe only between 2am - 5am ) because the motorcycles horn all night long ( this is the case everywhere in Hanoi ). Even number rooms face other buildings, much quieter. This hotel is located near the Hoan Kiem Lake, the opposite end of The Old Quarter ( main shopping district ). From the hotel, it is about 20~25 minutes walk to Old Quarter. If this has sounded too far to you, believe me it is okay because there are scenery to see and so much happening around the lake. I think this is a good hotel. You really don't need to ( and don't want to ) live in the middle of Old Quarter. It is chaotic and hectic there.

The cruise I took in Halong Bay is Syrena. It is SUPERB !

What is most impressive of this trip is the excellent foods !! Every meals are great and are considered fine dining.

I don't really enjoy Hanoi very much ( as I said, it is chaotic and hectic with hundreds of motorcycles and all the horning ) but I think overall this was a wonderful trip due to the extremly nice foods, good hotel and excellent Syrena cruise. Halong Bay is very memorable, much more memorable than Hanoi to me.

4D3N is just nice. Should I stay one more night, I will go crazy ( again, due to the chaotic and hectic Hanoi ).

The weather during my visit was not cold. You do need 2 ~ 3 layers ( already included the long-john ) and do not need jacket. It feels like air-con only with that 2 ~ 3 layers ( 12 ~ 18 degree ).

Hope this help!

Below is the itinerary :

Itinerary Tour code : HAN – 010PK / TVT-912

Day 1 Singapore - Hanoi (Dinner)
Depart from Changi International Airport to Hanoi - a cultural, political, economic and commercial centre of Vietnam, and a place with beautiful landscapes. Upon arrival, there will be a pick up service and transfer from Noi Bai International airport to the hotel for check-in (after 2pm). This day is at your leisure.
Overnight in Hanoi

Day 2 Hanoi - Halong Bay (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)
Breakfast at hotel. Travel 3.5 hours to Halong Bay and upon arrival at Halong Tourist Wharf, you will be transferred to boat by tender. While checking-in into your cabin, welcome drink will be served on the boat. Enjoy cruising along the majestic Halong Bay with delicious Vietnamese lunch served on board. After lunch, a visit to the Ba Hang floating fishing village by a sampan (a relatively flat bottomed Chinese wooden boat).
Continue the day with cooking class held by the chef cook from the boat on the sundeck and visit the Pearl tourist village in Halong bay. Dawning towards the night, buffet dinner will be served with fresh seafoods provided by Ba Hang fishing village. Take pleasure in an overnight stay on the cruise close to the beauty of Halong bay and be mesmerized by its nature surroundings.
Note: For Halong cruise, the guide will not follow passenger and the cruise staff will take care of passenger on the bay visit.
Overnight on Cruise

Day 3 Halong Bay - Hanoi (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)
At about 6.30am, enjoy Tai Chi practice on the sundeck before proceed for a light breakfast. Continue cruise and arrive at the Surprise Cave, explore one of the most beautiful caves in Halong Bay. After the visit, proceed to check-out and all luggage are to place outside the cabin for disembarkation. Brunch will be served while cruising back to the Tourist Wharf through Halong bay. Return to Hanoi by coach.
Continue tour and visits to Ngoc Son Temple & Restored Sword Lake and shopping at Dong Xuan market via walking through Hanoi Old Quarter. Dinner is provided at a local restaurant and transfer to watch water puppet performance (a unique and famous traditional performance) after the dinner.
Overnight in Hanoi

Day 4 Hanoi - Singapore (Breakfast)
After breakfast and check-out (before 12pm), you have the day free at leisure before transferring to the airport for your return flight home.

 

[audiovideo]

Any shop giving good Vietnam Dong or USD exchange rate in SG?

always bring S$ to vietnam exchange at the airport, second choice other than D1 or Q5.
OR unless singpapore money changer gives you above 16000vnd per S$1

 

[Stuffed]

always bring S$ to vietnam exchange at the airport, second choice other than D1 or Q5.
OR unless singpapore money changer gives you above 16000vnd per S$1

Vietnam airport exchange rate is better than SG money changer?

 

[Stuffed]

Next year go Vietnam may need VISA, please check before going.

Source?
I cannot find any news of impending changes to VISA requirements for Singaporeans.

 

[kampong boi]

da lat and mui ne are some upcoming places, da lat have change a lot since 5 years ago. da lat is a very cooling place something like genting, basically a city on a high ground hence cold. Dreams hotel is good, ~SGD40 with bf. mui ne is not so developed but the government seems to be putting some efforts to promote that area.

anyone did one day mekong delta before? where should i take up the coach tour for this and any recommendation to do there ?

TNK travel is the best imo esp if you are staying in dist 1. The others might lump you with other tour groups and bus. I went for the 2 day trip, 1st day with "A" tour, then the 2nd part with "B" tour.

 

[audiovideo]

Source?
I cannot find any news of impending changes to VISA requirements for Singaporeans.

likely he only manage to convey half of what he got from his source

his source also said not just SG, basically most of ASEAN, except thailand, and some euro countries

 

[mlangelo]

What's the easiest way to buy tickets for the train to Sapa? Is it better to book a package tour to Sapa with an agent in Hanoi? Thanks.

There are several ways to get your tickets :
1. By agent
2. Through your hotel
3. Booking it personally

The first 2 options will cost you a bit more and save time.
I took the third option as I wanted to experience the booking system myself. Because of language barrier, this is what I did:

I asked the waiter of a restaurant near my hotel in the Old Quarters to write "Train Station" in Vietnamese. In the morning at 6 am, I walked out, using the Hanoi map, the note with "Train Station" written on it and asked for directions from passers-by, including a policeman, and got to the Station easily. The policeman I approached was very friendly and walked with me for some distance. The tickets can be booked at the train counter and the ticker seller does speak a bit more English than the rest. On my way back, I took a ride from the motorbike taxi plying the roads in the morning. Be sure to bargain the fare after showing them the hotel card. The experience was worth booking the tickets on my own.

Tip : If you have four in your grp, the carriage that you sleep in can be locked and no one will disturb you throughout the night and you need not worry about theft.

Disclaimer : This was done several years ago but I think, everything should be about the same.

 

[Sharkenstein]

There are several ways to get your tickets :
1. By agent
2. Through your hotel
3. Booking it personally

The first 2 options will cost you a bit more and save time.
I took the third option as I wanted to experience the booking system myself. Because of language barrier, this is what I did:

I asked the waiter of a restaurant near my hotel in the Old Quarters to write "Train Station" in Vietnamese. In the morning at 6 am, I walked out, using the Hanoi map, the note with "Train Station" written on it and asked for directions from passers-by, including a policeman, and got to the Station easily. The policeman I approached was very friendly and walked with me for some distance. The tickets can be booked at the train counter and the ticker seller does speak a bit more English than the rest. On my way back, I took a ride from the motorbike taxi plying the roads in the morning. Be sure to bargain the fare after showing them the hotel card. The experience was worth booking the tickets on my own.

Tip : If you have four in your grp, the carriage that you sleep in can be locked and no one will disturb you throughout the night and you need not worry about theft.

Disclaimer : This was done several years ago but I think, everything should be about the same.

To add on, if u got money to burn, you can always book all 4 bed if u travelling with ppl lesser than 4. However, when go in advisable to lock the door immediately.

 

[audiovideo]

so far been to vung tau, danang / hoi an and dalat
but these are "tourist area", perhaps the spending not especially cheap
of course HCM is most expensive .... though SG$ still got a bit of advantage

any other place can have a better feel of low cost vietnam

 

[govietnam]

hmmm.....
where to book cheap but good hotel?
and places of interest to visit while im there.....
thanks.....

You can book cheap but good hotels here: hotels-in-vietnam.com

 

[tingpei]

Any must go place in hcm?

 

[kampong boi]

Any must go place in hcm?

depends on what you like to see. to some the museums might be damn boring, to another the market can be boring esp are not buying anything.

 

[audiovideo]

Any must go place in hcm?

drink coffee
but better experience will be next to the lake or sea

 

[dleodleo]

What's the easiest way to buy tickets for the train to Sapa? Is it better to book a package tour to Sapa with an agent in Hanoi? Thanks.

Hi,

I booked the train ticket from my hostel in Hanoi. They charged me USD72 per pax for 2 way (to & fro) inclusive of one way taxi from hostel to train station.

It depends on where you want to go i Sapa. Trekking further in Sapa need to engage tour I think.

For me I only trek to Cat Cat Village and Ham Rong Mountain in Sapa thus I didn't engage any tour. I trekked on my own with 2 young kids.

FYI, it is quite lost if you travel to train to Sapa. And all annoucements are in vietnamese. What I did is to ask around those passengers with tour guide and stick to them and follow them.

I managed to find one group of Singaporean with a tour guide with the same train timing and I followed them. Their tour guide is also very good that he directed me to the correct carriage.

Here is the link of how to read your train ticket from one of the bloggers:
our life in Singapore: by train from Hanoi to Lao Cai ......

 

[xiaozhi86]

Is northface is vietnam real or fake?

north face should be fake as i bought 1 bag from saigon square and when i see it at singapore north face shop, the inside of the bag looks different but on the outside really look the same

 

[xiaozhi86]

anyone been to vinpearl resort at nha trang?