Vietnam

[maincghel]

Hi,
anyone want to do SAPA homestay tour on 29-APR?
i will take overnight train to SAPA on 28-APR.

hello! was about to reply your previous msg when i saw your last msg

we will be heading to sapa on the 28th night too! i'm thinking it'll be easier to book for 1 person, we have 3 of us..
are you already in hanoi or when will you be flying over? maybe we can swap itineraries...

let me know more about also your lobang on the homestay!

there are various agencies in old quarter to book halong bay trips.

even the hotel u stay will sell. BUT its better to book with tour agencies than hotel. (mark up is lower)

prices ranges from USD40 to USD75 for a 2D1N trip. (some claim that bigger boats better food blah blah blah)

i did a USD 36 with very normal food. but junk was good. (June 2011)

my friend paid like USD95 got very good food with good junk.

so compare around lor. if your wan credibility, go for sinhtourist. although definitely higher price.

hi bro, i'm assuming you engaged one of those agencies in the old quarter right? have a few questions, hope you don't mind answering them...

do you happen to still remember the name of the agency you booked the tour with and how did you gauge the reliability of your agency?
also how big the group size and did you have to pay any tips?

and uh, one more question... did the tour include pick up or did you have to make your own way down to halong city/the starting point?

 

[b|uebe||]

hoi an is in central vietnam and not in HCM.
understand that tailor made clothes require some time to be spent on fittings etc etc, so need to set aside a few days if you plan to tailor clothings.

if let's say i'll be going to hanoi this week and to sapa this coming weekend, is it too late to book a decent train ticket (4/6 berth soft sleeper)? also does anyone have gd and not too expensive agents to recommend?

one more thing.. i know that it is illegal to trek without a guide in sapa, but how often is it enforced? is the lao-tavan route suitable for self-trekking for newbies?

yooo bro! long time no see.
yea...saw on the channel u or 8 programme, such tailored clothes takes only 1 day, and shoes only half aday ? not sure how true though.
sapa is further up Hanoi~ v country side
ur gg on28th apr ? im heading on 1st may

 

[maincghel]

yooo bro! long time no see.
yea...saw on the channel u or 8 programme, such tailored clothes takes only 1 day, and shoes only half aday ? not sure how true though.
sapa is further up Hanoi~ v country side
ur gg on28th apr ? im heading on 1st may

so fast? Never really research much on hoi an but from what I've research so far, all suggest to allocate a few days for tailors leh.. But don't take my word for it la..

How long's your trip and which areas are you planning to cover? 1st may coming to hanoi or sapa on 1st may? Maybe we'll bump into each other in the old quarter

 

[xiaozhi86]

Hi everyone,

My friends are planning for a 7Days central vietnam, with Dalat as the highlight.
Been reading stuff online but haven't found anything much "attractive" though many people say that place is very nice.

Planning to go in June. Can anyone share with me if you've been there before.
Like what's nice there for sightsee? Any interesting day-tours or places to see and go?

I've also checked the weather, June is actually monsoon season in Dalat? Am i right about the information? Will it rain all the time and cause inconvenience in sightseeing?

Is 7Days in Dalat too much?
How about going out to places like Hue, Nha Trang and Hoi An?
Any "special" attractions there?

Not a temple person. So prefer like nature walks and scenery.

Thankd for you help!!

7 Days is too much in Dalat. I just back from Dalat and spend 3d2n at there. The weather is much like genting and can be quite cold during raining and after raining. so prepare a jacket. Nothing much to see in Dalat but there is this reservoir which is worth the visit because you can take a rollercoaster (which the viet call it but is actually like sentosa luge) ride down to the reservoir.

what is the Dong exchange rate against SGD now at HCMC?

Change at HCM airport before you exit.. there is quite a few of money changer.. compare the rates as each money changer offer different rate but they usually will state the exchange rate so no worry. I last change is 1sgd to 16550 dong

 

[xiaozhi86]

yooo bro! long time no see.
yea...saw on the channel u or 8 programme, such tailored clothes takes only 1 day, and shoes only half aday ? not sure how true though.
sapa is further up Hanoi~ v country side
ur gg on28th apr ? im heading on 1st may

may i know what is the channel 8 or u program? i'll wish to watch it on xinmsn so during my next trip, i can go visit..

 

[excalibur324]

hello! was about to reply your previous msg when i saw your last msg

we will be heading to sapa on the 28th night too! i'm thinking it'll be easier to book for 1 person, we have 3 of us..
are you already in hanoi or when will you be flying over? maybe we can swap itineraries...

let me know more about also your lobang on the homestay!


hi bro, i'm assuming you engaged one of those agencies in the old quarter right? have a few questions, hope you don't mind answering them...

do you happen to still remember the name of the agency you booked the tour with and how did you gauge the reliability of your agency?
also how big the group size and did you have to pay any tips?

and uh, one more question... did the tour include pick up or did you have to make your own way down to halong city/the starting point?

Yes. Tour come with pick up. No need to give tips also.

How to judge reliable? I think they are equally reliable.. sometimes is a matter of heng suay.
Sinhtourist most reputable liaox. But price is higher.

Grp size on the boat is roughly 20-22. They will split again once the transport reach there.

 

[excalibur324]

hoi an is in central vietnam and not in HCM.
understand that tailor made clothes require some time to be spent on fittings etc etc, so need to set aside a few days if you plan to tailor clothings.

if let's say i'll be going to hanoi this week and to sapa this coming weekend, is it too late to book a decent train ticket (4/6 berth soft sleeper)? also does anyone have gd and not too expensive agents to recommend?

one more thing.. i know that it is illegal to trek without a guide in sapa, but how often is it enforced? is the lao-tavan route suitable for self-trekking for newbies?

Please book 4 bed sleeper. Haha

Can do self trek to cat cat village.

Not exactly illegal to self trek without guide.

But of cos the guide will definitely be worthwhile given the local knowledge. My guide was a Hmong and she spoke very good English. But their main purpose is also sell their Hmong items too..

 

[excalibur324]

yooo bro! long time no see.
yea...saw on the channel u or 8 programme, such tailored clothes takes only 1 day, and shoes only half aday ? not sure how true though.
sapa is further up Hanoi~ v country side
ur gg on28th apr ? im heading on 1st may

Hoi an is a tailor town. With very nice scenery.. I have my skepticism over such quickly tailored clothings.. but can give a try..

 

[buyer86]

hello! was about to reply your previous msg when i saw your last msg

we will be heading to sapa on the 28th night too! i'm thinking it'll be easier to book for 1 person, we have 3 of us..
are you already in hanoi or when will you be flying over? maybe we can swap itineraries...

let me know more about also your lobang on the homestay!

haha i have no iternaries!
fly in to hanoi on 28-Apr, go str8 to buy ticket to Sapa, if any left allocation left on 28-Apr. im not booking online since they charge a quite a high agent fee. (no official website to book tickets)
if all goes well, leave sapa on 30-Apr night.

from then til 7-Apr, i will be going to Hanoi,(muine or vung tau or hue), finally to HCM.
basically its a no plan,just survival trip for me, since im alone, anything is flexible for me =D

one thing im worried as well, there are having long weekend holiday this coming week, reunification on 30-Apr, labour day on 1-May, expect things to be harder to book on the weekend.

 

[b|uebe||]

so fast? Never really research much on hoi an but from what I've research so far, all suggest to allocate a few days for tailors leh.. But don't take my word for it la..

How long's your trip and which areas are you planning to cover? 1st may coming to hanoi or sapa on 1st may? Maybe we'll bump into each other in the old quarter

haha..my trip changed to 30th. 6 days, 3 days biz remaining personal. Hanoi and hoi an.
sapa - nono.

 

[b|uebe||]

Hoi an is a tailor town. With very nice scenery.. I have my skepticism over such quickly tailored clothings.. but can give a try..

the way the TV pictures sounds cool.
haha. quite skeptical abt it.

may i know what is the channel 8 or u program? i'll wish to watch it on xinmsn so during my next trip, i can go visit..

《å°*镇凤情》Quaint

this is the programme. 《小镇凤情》Quaint

 

[Yvonne07]

Hi Bro & Sis, I'm planning to go to Vietnam with my friend for 5 days. It my first time in Vietnam, where should I go to HCMC OR Hanoi. Can you plan an itinerary for me. Many thanks.:

 

[buyer86]

Hi Bro & Sis, I'm planning to go to Vietnam with my friend for 5 days. It my first time in Vietnam, where should I go to HCMC OR Hanoi. Can you plan an itinerary for me. Many thanks.:

A scenic person will mostly go for hanoi,
what are u?

 

[excalibur324]

Hi Bro & Sis, I'm planning to go to Vietnam with my friend for 5 days. It my first time in Vietnam, where should I go to HCMC OR Hanoi. Can you plan an itinerary for me. Many thanks.:

Hcmc u can do side trips to dalat or mui ne. Hanoi u can do side trips to halong bay or sapa. Tam coc is nice too.

 

[cyn888]

the way the TV pictures sounds cool.
haha. quite skeptical abt it.


this is the programme. 《小镇凤情》Quaint

I had blouse, dress and jacket tailor over there. They are well done, well fitted.

 

[maincghel]

Please book 4 bed sleeper. Haha

Can do self trek to cat cat village.

Not exactly illegal to self trek without guide.

But of cos the guide will definitely be worthwhile given the local knowledge. My guide was a Hmong and she spoke very good English. But their main purpose is also sell their Hmong items too..

Thank you!!

I also hope got sufficient sleeper seats left for us to book..
How much was your guide? Did you do a homestay?

 

[v3ng3anc3z]

7d 6n trip to hanoi including 2d 1n halong bay + 2d 3n sapa

Other than old quarter + water puppet show, any recommendations for us to do with the time that we have in hanoi?

And anyone knows of any halong tours that allow 3 adults to share 1 room?

TY!

 

[iminalost]

hi. any1 went from hanoi to china via train b4?

 

[Expert]

flying to HCMC tmr~!! but for work though..

 

[Handsome_guy]

How much to travel for HCM to Hanoi via train?