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 Traveller's Tales: Advise for travellers in Vietnam
Heed our handy tips on safe travel in Vietnam. You may read about travel warnings, health, what to wear, travel with kids, travel with pets, local weather, local government, medical information and traffic information in the area.Also, you might want to read our
Central Vietnam city guide,
Halong Bay city guide,
Hanoi city guide,
Ho Chi Minh city guide,
and Phan Thiet city guide.
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| D Young |
20 July 2002 |
Stayed at Rex Hotel Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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If you are American: prepare yourself to see much negative propaganda if you take the requisite tours and visit museums. The people are kind and hardworking for the most part...the government still pushes anti-American sentiment.
Don't miss the countryside - it's breathtaking.
Lemongrass in HCMC is incredible- food and ambiance - and great value.
If you take a cyclo ride through Saigon, set the price in advance as well as the amount of time you want. If you get in 2 separate cyclos beware: My husband and I got scared when the 2 cyclos we were in separated - a scam to try to get more money from us and we were separated in a part of HCMC that we didn't know for several hours. Luckily I managed to get out of the one I was in and find a kinder cyclo driver who took me back to my hotel even though I didn't have the money! What a gentleman - he was dressed all in white and disappeared after holding my hand to cross the street- must have been my guardian angel.
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| E Mair |
15 July 2002 |
Stayed at Que Huong - Liberty 3 - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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Saigon is hugely inexpensive, the food is good, although people who suffer from allergies to MSG should be cautious when ordering. Saigon is a great place to visit for anyone interested in politics, history, or art-- the museums are as varied as in Paris (although clearly not as well maintained), and the information contined within them is extensive. I would recommend that visitors see the following museums: the History Museum, the War Remnants/Crimes Museum, and the Art Museum. Tours that should be taken are a 1 day tour of the Mekong and the full day tour to both teh Cu Chi tunnels and the Cao Daist Holy See (fascinating).
Public transport in Saigon is limited; however, it is very easy to walk around the central area provided that you are accustommed to walking about 3 km a day. If not, taxis are plentiful, although fares should be negotiated in advance. Recommended restaurants are Zen and the Orignal Boddhi Tree (both about 2 minutes walk from Que Huong Liberty 3). These are vegetarian, however, the offer an astonishing variety of food. To sample a huge range of Vietnamese food, I would recommend visiting Vietnam House-- about 9 types of dishes for $10. Good value, and they have traditional music performed live upstairs.
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| S Shorten |
15 July 2002 |
Stayed at Metropole Hotel, Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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Ho Chi Minh City is very frantic and takes a little getting used to. Be warned that you will constantly be approached to purchase things, ride cyclos, eat at restaurants etc. When getting transportation be sure to agree on a price before you set off, many drivers will try to overcharge you.
A good restaurant is Vietnam House, located near the river (don't know exact address but it is in the guide books). Good food and atmosphere for a reasonable price.
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| L Weintraub-siegel |
13 July 2002 |
Stayed at Nha Trang Lodge Hotel - Nha Trang, Vietnam.
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Nha Trang is a pretty good beach town, but be warned -- the water is blue, but there is garbage floating in it. The Vietnamese don't seem to have the respect for the environment that you would hope they have. Plenty of plastic bags floating in the turquoise waters. If you want to go scuba diving, check out Octupus Diving, they are run by an Aussie and have very high standards.
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| S Odaka |
11 July 2002 |
Stayed at Oscar Saigon Hotel - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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Saigon is a fun place to be, and getting around is easy. The people are nice but be careful of street vendors around the hotel, they will overcharge you by 3x.
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| S Zuckerman |
09 July 2002 |
Stayed at Que Huong - Liberty 3 - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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I took a cyclo tour without specifying exactly what and in what order I wanted to see things. Do not do this! The drivers will take you all over and go in circles. Then try to charge you for a full day instead the number of hours you have used them for.
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| A Gunning |
08 July 2002 |
Stayed at Green Park Hotel - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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I found Hanoi to be a great place to shop for things for your house. Shoes & clothes are not particularly good value, nor very nice. There's some fab art around and plenty of galleries.
We went to some gorgeous restaurants set in old colonial houses. But Vietnamese food was a little disappointing, good but surprisingly bland. We had expected and wanted spicy food. IndoChine had the most interesting menu and food.
We used taxis all the time. It's wise to carry a map as the drivers do not speak English. Nor do most people, actually. But they still know how to try and rip you off! The bargaining was getting exhausting as they always started off with a ridiculous price. We prefered to buy in shops with fixed prices.
We took a tour to Halong bay with Handspan Travel. Great guide, comfortable bus. We slept onboard a junk the first night. We say some caves, swam in the sea and had a lovely time. You get your own cabin. The max. amount of people in a group is 16. The next day we went to Cat Ba, an island resembling a building site. We did a trek up a mountain, quite a hard one. I'd recommend the first part of the trip but not the second one. Cat Ba was a place we could have done without seeing.
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| T M. gray |
03 July 2002 |
Stayed at Golden Key Hotel - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Halong Bay excellent. If money is not a problem well worth upgrading. Old city was excellent, Water puppet show can not be beat. Taxi transportation is cheap reguardless alway be clear, and upfront about payments before you go with your provider.
Be careful about beggers, most including children can be upsetting and very persistant. Do not give money directly. Offer food, or give your money to approved charity. The Hotel can refer you.
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| C Godellas |
03 July 2002 |
Stayed at Furama Resort Danang - Danang, Vietnam.
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skip hoi an,
way too many tourists
we were overrun by beggars
and there really wasnt much to see.
better to go to the marble mountain or hue.
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| R Speth, delkin |
01 July 2002 |
Stayed at Saigon Morin - Hue, Vietnam.
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Great location, close to river and restaurants. Hotel could do better by listing restaurants by food type or restaurant style.
Drivers were excellent, polite, very professional.
Boat tours were wonderful but did not appreciate the 'hard sell' on the boat. Many items were put on display for buying after we got started.
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