Vietnam

[cryn79]

Not been to all of them. Tough call. Intrigued why Dalat is not in the list. The delta is interesting and you can take a boat ride.

Hi Beanstalk,
Thanks for yr feedback.
Dalat was recommended by my friend too.
I have booked my flt from 27th Feb ( ETA: 5pm) till 6 Mar.
I need to be back in HCM by 3rd Mar.
If I go Dalat, I am not sure is 3 days 2 night enough.
In addition, thinking of experiencing taking the train between X city and HCM as well, so need to factor in the travelling time.
Thanks again

 

[cryn79]

Go vung tau if u wanna see the sea.
If not nothing much already

Hi Dead pirate roberts
Thanks for yr input, Vung tau is within 3 hrs bus ride to HCM, so it is in my short list.

 

[cryn79]

only heard of vung tau & mui ne (near phan thiet, lagi) but never been to all. once considering vung tau since just need to take hydrofoil, in the end decide to laze around HCM. i think vung tau suits 1st timer since convenient transport (via hydrofoil)

mui ne if u like sea, surfing, sand dunes

Hi rrr2015
Vang Tau-I think would be easier to travel as well, since this is within a 3 hrs bus ride from HCM.
Since it is a city area, I think Grab would be easier to get as well.

Phan thiet, lagi
If I decide to be adventurous, I might go to the abv 2 places.

Current shortlist: phan thiet, lagi, Vang Tau

 

[Henabi]

Hi all,
I am planning to go to HCM ( solo trip) on the 1st week of Mar.
My friend have recommend the below cities which is near HCM.
Can I pls seek further recommendation, on which of the below city is worthwhile to go for the 1st time.
Hope to spend just 2 days at the city, for sightseeing and return back to HCM for friend visiting.
Cities: Phan Thiet, Lagi, Ninh Thuan, Vung Tau, Can Tho

Can tho nothing much as its a very small city (even though its the 2nd largest city in south vietnam)
Vung tau is beach and seaside

 

[rrr2015]

Hi rrr2015
Vang Tau-I think would be easier to travel as well, since this is within a 3 hrs bus ride from HCM.
Since it is a city area, I think Grab would be easier to get as well.

Phan thiet, lagi
If I decide to be adventurous, I might go to the abv 2 places.

Current shortlist: phan thiet, lagi, Vang Tau

Vang tau got greyhound racing track if u curious with dog racing. there is tall Jesus statue ontop of hill. been wondering why Jesus? are there many Christians in Vung tau?

 

[Rxgn]

Vang tau got greyhound racing track if u curious with dog racing. there is tall Jesus statue ontop of hill. been wondering why Jesus? are there many Christians in Vung tau?

There are many christians in vietnam.

 

[paladin]

Hi all,
I am planning to go to HCM ( solo trip) on the 1st week of Mar.
My friend have recommend the below cities which is near HCM.
Can I pls seek further recommendation, on which of the below city is worthwhile to go for the 1st time.
Hope to spend just 2 days at the city, for sightseeing and return back to HCM for friend visiting.
Cities: Phan Thiet, Lagi, Ninh Thuan, Vung Tau, Can Tho

Phan thiet is just fishing city, 3rd tier, nothing much, but the resort town of Mui Ne is 15-20 mins away by car.

from HCM to Mui Ne is 4.5 hrs by car, don’t believe anyone who tell you can reach earlier Unless you forgo the toilet break in between and travelling at midnight when there are fewer cars. During day time, traffic is heavy.

I have been to Mui Ne and these are the attraction: sand dunes, fish sauce museum and fisherman show on weekend. The fish sauce museum was surprisingly very kid’s friendly and interactive. Since fish sauce is a produce of Vietnam, it’s also culturally and heritage rich to learn about its origins and process. Each ticket get one free bottle of fish sauce at the exit. Seafood aplenty, this is the place to eat mantis prawns the size of your palm. Beachside resorts. Wine castle and cellar. If you like medieval stuff, this is the place to see panini and paladins and a real huge underground wine cellar. It’s a stop over for tour groups, but was empty when I visited in Dec 22, lots of photo opportunities outside the castle and a small but wide variety orchid garden. Overall Mui Ne is family friendly and was a good experience once you get past the undesirable 4.5 hr journey. I didn’t try the sleeper bus because the bus would stop at the tour agency and not at my resort and we would have to take transport to resort too. So I chartered a SUV for my family and luggages.

actually from HCM can also go Phu Quoc, just that have to take domestic plane.

 

[paladin]

There are many christians in vietnam.

Actually Catholics…from French influence. There is at least one major cathedral in Hanoi, HCM, right in city centre, e.g St Joseph cathedral, Notre dame cathedral , Tan Dinh church, Da Nang Cathedral, all very grand type like our own St Andrew cathedral

even Sapa has a Notre Dame cathedral

 

[cryn79]

Phan thiet is just fishing city, 3rd tier, nothing much, but the resort town of Mui Ne is 15-20 mins away by car.

from HCM to Mui Ne is 4.5 hrs by car, don’t believe anyone who tell you can reach earlier Unless you forgo the toilet break in between and travelling at midnight when there are fewer cars. During day time, traffic is heavy.

I have been to Mui Ne and these are the attraction: sand dunes, fish sauce museum and fisherman show on weekend. The fish sauce museum was surprisingly very kid’s friendly and interactive. Since fish sauce is a produce of Vietnam, it’s also culturally and heritage rich to learn about its origins and process. Each ticket get one free bottle of fish sauce at the exit. Seafood aplenty, this is the place to eat mantis prawns the size of your palm. Beachside resorts. Wine castle and cellar. If you like medieval stuff, this is the place to see panini and paladins and a real huge underground wine cellar. It’s a stop over for tour groups, but was empty when I visited in Dec 22, lots of photo opportunities outside the castle and a small but wide variety orchid garden. Overall Mui Ne is family friendly and was a good experience once you get past the undesirable 4.5 hr journey. I didn’t try the sleeper bus because the bus would stop at the tour agency and not at my resort and we would have to take transport to resort too. So I chartered a SUV for my family and luggages.

actually from HCM can also go Phu Quoc, just that have to take domestic plane.

Hi Paladin,
Really appreciate you sharing yr travel experience.

Phan thiet + Mui Ne
If I can pls seek your assistance on the below:
1) would u recommend I book my hotel at Phan thiet or Mui Ne?
2) I plan to take the train from Phan thiet to HCM city, can I check have u booked train tickets from "Baolau"
before?
Thanks

Baolau link
https://booking.baolau.com/en/resul...&roundtrip=no&passengers_count=1&input=Search

 

[paladin]

Hi Paladin,
Really appreciate you sharing yr travel experience.

Phan thiet + Mui Ne
If I can pls seek your assistance on the below:
1) would u recommend I book my hotel at Phan thiet or Mui Ne?
2) I plan to take the train from Phan thiet to HCM city, can I check have u booked train tickets from "Baolau"
before?
Thanks

Baolau link
https://booking.baolau.com/en/resul...&roundtrip=no&passengers_count=1&input=Search

Book resort at Mui Ne, cheap and good. Nearer to attractions. Plenty of resorts to choose from.

never booked train tickets before. I travel with my family. Again, from train station to hotel or resort need to take taxi, so i chartered SUV from HCM hotel to Mui Ne resort.

 

[cryn79]

Book resort at Mui Ne, cheap and good. Nearer to attractions. Plenty of resorts to choose from.

never booked train tickets before. I travel with my family. Again, from train station to hotel or resort need to take taxi, so i chartered SUV from HCM hotel to Mui Ne resort.

Hi Paladin,
Thanks for the reply.
I have booked my Homestay at Mui ne already.
If I decide to book the train ( via baolau website) to HCM, I will share in this forum for fellow members to take reference with.

 

[cryn79]

Hi all,
Danang airport Grab pick point
I understand this has been shared in the forum in words, on how to look for the Grab p/u point at the arrival hall. I am not sure has anyone shared before the guide with photos.

Thanks again to the other members who shared their knowledge.
Hope it will help other members, to enjoy Danang as well.

As per below are the landmarks to look out for:
Once you exit the arrival terminal, pls look out for the below signboard.

After turning left from the signboard, pls look for the Grab tent.
Pls note, there would other drivers here, looking for their passengers as well
I realized here in Danang, is the driver find u, instead of u find the driver. haha

 

[paladin]

Actually right, for Vietnam only, I find it may be cheaper to book airport transfer than use grab from airport. In most cases when I reach there, airport transfer is cheaper because price is fixed. No matter the time, no matter the traffic, the driver Is there waiting for you and already paid.

At peak hours, the surge pricing can be terrible. I arrived in HCM on Christmas eve last year, if I used grab, I would be very kan jiong in the car because we got stuck in traffic for 30 mins never move kind. You know the traffic in HCM and Hanoi.

i paid $9.20 for airport transport using klook from Danang airport to hotel in Jun 22 and I paid 200,000 vnd ($11.40) for Grab from hotel to airport. Both trips used SUV. Considering airport has surcharge , the airport transfer was clearly cheaper.

 

[Dead Pirate Roberts]

Grab from hcm tsn ap to d1 is usually 120k to 150max

 

[erwinrommel]

i was in hanoi / sapa / ning binh / halong within 9 days, from 7 jan - 15 jan

weather was only cooling like genting during my stay there, there were days where the temperature suddenly just shoot up to 28C in the afternoon, i was in shorts n tshirt in hanoi most of my time, dun even need any jacket n or long pants long sleeve.

when i was in sapa for 3d2n, the3 days was very sunny, clear sky , no fog, the temperature there between day n night is very big, day time can be 15 - 16C , at night drop 5C . sudden sun set, 8pm onwards, the whole sapa become like freezer box.

in ninh binh, it has slight drizzling, temp was aroun 16C, day tour there following tour guide, so still ok,

halong bay was also the same, not cold nor hot, just nice, i was in a cruise for a night, nothing much to do except for some kayak, drinking night, and fishing.

overall, i would say, if wan top shop or food hunt, vietnam is not the place, thailand is better, if wan to see scenery , vietnam has much more to offer. i really like sapa due to the weather, scenery and less crowded n traffic. and people there are nicer, hanoi pple can be arrogant n rude.

I may be able to go for a short vacation in May subject to my project deadline outcome. Will be better if i travel alone as it can be ad hoc.

Is it easy to go sapa alone?

 

[awhw]

<snipped>

At peak hours, the surge pricing can be terrible. I arrived in HCM on Christmas eve last year, if I used grab, I would be very kan jiong in the car because we got stuck in traffic for 30 mins never move kind. You know the traffic in HCM and Hanoi.

@paladin Is there a typo? Grab price is fixed, so there's no need to worry about being stuck in traffic, isn't it? For airport transfer (at least for HCM and Phu Quoc), Grab is still cheapest. Just that got to walk a bit further out to the pick-up point and need to look out for the car/driver (more chaotic in HCM Tan Son Nhat airport). May help a bit by showing the driver a 'selfie'. LOL.

 

[Henabi]

I may be able to go for a short vacation in May subject to my project deadline outcome. Will be better if i travel alone as it can be ad hoc.

Is it easy to go sapa alone?

As long as you keep in mind that it takes around 5-6 hrs to go from hanoi to sapa and then another 5-6 hrs from sapa back to hanoi.
Other than that… its easy to go sapa

 

[cryn79]

@paladin Is there a typo? Grab price is fixed, so there's no need to worry about being stuck in traffic, isn't it? For airport transfer (at least for HCM and Phu Quoc), Grab is still cheapest. Just that got to walk a bit further out to the pick-up point and need to look out for the car/driver (more chaotic in HCM Tan Son Nhat airport). May help a bit by showing the driver a 'selfie'. LOL.

Hi awhw,
thnks for the reminder. Tomorrow I will be taking Grab from HCM Tan Son Nhat airport. I shall test how difficult is it, for the driver to find me.

 

[Dead Pirate Roberts]

Hi awhw,
thnks for the reminder. Tomorrow I will be taking Grab from HCM Tan Son Nhat airport. I shall test how difficult is it, for the driver to find me.

It’s not hard..
Walk out to the pick up point and just look out for his car plate. Traffic at the pickup point wil be slow so you have enough time to spot him.

 

[Dead Pirate Roberts]

So many years here and in and out hcm so many times. First time I hear taxi and airport transfer cheaper then grab.