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posted
09-Oct-2005 20:24
by: hongha »

last reply
12-Dec-2009 04:14
by: gossipvietnam »

162 replies , 260,032 views location: Vietnam

Pages 1 2 3 4 ... 11

FAQ Thread for Vietnam

The purpose of this thread is to provide answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about traveling in Vietnam I hope that this FAQ helps newcomers and others plan their trips to Vietnam. I would like to thank all the posters who have contributed information to this thread. To make searching easier for you, please find my index of some major topics as follows:

1. Visa for Vietnam => find posts #115, 117, 111
2. Ha Long bay tours/Cat Ba => #83, 84
3. Vietnam - China border crossings => #7
4. Vietnam - Laos border crossings => #8, 50, 58
5. Vietnam - Cambodia border crossings => #96, 107
6. What to see in Vietnam? => #12
7. Taxi/bus from airport to cities => #3
8. Train in Vietnam => #76
9. The lunar new year (Tet) => #23, 80, 114
10. Bus from Hanoi to Vientiane => #79
11. Bus/train from Hanoi to Kunming => #105, 106
12. Bus/train from Hanoi to Nanning => #95, 99, 100
... more »

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posted
30-Sep-2005 14:46
by: chaskemp »

last reply
08-Dec-2009 13:29
by: lifemagic »

66 replies , 99,645 views

Pages 1 2 3 4 5

FAQ Thread for Mainland SE Asia

This branch covers:
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam

Here you will find links to information on health issues, visas, transportation, volunteering, weather, food, and more. Links to well-regarded resources such as Travelfish, Tales of Asia, Canby, and so on are also here.

Note: This is a FAQ/internet resources post, not an area for asking questions (nobody will answer questions here) or a place to post personal blogs, photos, etc. Please do post updates or added information that will help others find their way around the Southeast Asia mainland.

CK

Guidebook Updates
To get the latest updates to any of our guidebooks - or to add your own - visit the Guidebook Feedback branch of the Thorn Tree. See below for links to all the guides relating to mainland SE Asia.
... more »

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posted
16-Dec-2009 17:10
by: envinyata »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 17:10
by: envinyata »

0 replies , 2 views location: Vietnam

Note about Hanoi massage salon mentioned in LP

Hi all, SF Salon & Spa mentioned in LP seemed like a good choice for a massage. Unfortunately, it is no longer at 16 P Hang Buom. The signboard was still hanging though and said it had "removed to 30 Cau Dong". We walked to Cau Dong, but there didn't seem to be a no.30 at all. In fact, nothing on this street was open when we were there around 7pm. So anyone thinking of heading there might want to try calling them up before making a wasted trip.

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posted
16-Dec-2009 17:00
by: katmancomet »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 17:00
by: katmancomet »

0 replies , 5 views

Laos & Cambodia rice / crop greenery during nov-feb and rest of year

Most recommendations are to go to laos and cambodia during the cool /
dry season (nov-feb) to avoid rain, heat and overall better travel
conditions. generally good advice.

i know that portions of both of these countries are likely to be green
all year round but..

in terms of rice cultivaiton / harvest, being able to see green rice
paddies and other types of cultivation and such in the local villages:

1) is there a better time of year to go than another to see these
countries at their spectacular green cultivating best?

fwiw, i know that different parts of the countries (especially laos)
have different climates and conditions which means the planting /
growing / harvest seasons are likely to vary from region to region.
i imagine advice offered up can take that into account.

i also imagine that going in the cool dry season might mean one is
missing out on t... more »

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posted
16-Dec-2009 16:57
by: envinyata »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 17:28
by: mozzies »

1 replies , 14 views location: Vietnam

Note about Hanoi eatery mentioned in LP

Hi all, this is about an eatery in Hanoi that specialises in "cha ca" (filleted fish slices grilled over a charcoal stove) called Cha Ca La Vong located at 14 P Cha Ca. Note that this is the only food they sell, thus there is no menu. It certainly has a very authentic, smoky atmosphere about it, but the price is no longer 80,000d (as was mentioned in LP) but 100,000d per person. What's disappointing was that the portion of fish estimated for each person was miserable. We got about 5-7 slices of fish per person and each slice was about the size of half a thumb. We would have liked at least twice the portion of fish to feel like we were getting a meal. To be fair, the fish was not bad tasting, but the portion was so dreadfully small that we couldn't help feeling that it was a rip-off. To add on, service was generally terrible. We paid 500,000d for 5 people and for that price in Hanoi,... more »

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posted
16-Dec-2009 16:55
by: sal56sal »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 16:55
by: sal56sal »

0 replies , 5 views

Thunder Ranch

Anybody been there lately? Feedback?

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posted
16-Dec-2009 16:48
by: katmancomet »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 16:48
by: katmancomet »

0 replies , 6 views location: Laos

Northern Laos Loop Journey Time / Recommendations

I'm trying to plot my laos travel strategy at the moment on a limited
time schedule. based on past travel / trek experience along with
current accounts of the mekong "party scene", my intuition is telling
me that making a loop trip in the north of the country is where i
should be focusing the limited travel time i have. unfortunately i'm
probably looking realistically at about 2 weeks (preferably 12 days)
for total loop time.

based on what i've read, my thought would be to start in LP, slowboat
upstream on the mekong to huay xai (to get 2 days on the mekong
proper) and then start looping up north to some of the towns there..
Luang Nam Tha for one. Then from there further on to Phongsali etc.
maybe get a little trekking in, etc. maybe a nice outpost not on the
beaten path quite yet. then make my way back down via another route to
LP, preferably taking a river of... more »

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posted
16-Dec-2009 16:34
by: katmancomet »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 16:34
by: katmancomet »

0 replies , 8 views

Laos / Camb Mekong Travel : Journey Time / Recommendations

planning some mekong river travel. three stretches exist:

1) northern half in laos (Huay Xai to ventienne),
2) southern half in laos (ventienne to cambodian border) and
3) final stretch in cambodia.

i understand the first section is doable mostly by boat and the other
two sections are mostly traveled these days by bus or other modes of
land transport. regardless, it appears possible to travel along the
entire mekong from Huay Xai to Kompong Cham / Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

normally i would just do the entire thing and let the trip dictate
itself with it's normal hi / lo lights. unfortunately i don't have
the luxury of unlimited time. so i'm asking for input (the more
recent the better since this path seems to have been well worn over
the last decade) from those with first hand experience.

Questions: WHERE & WHAT
............................................... more »

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posted
16-Dec-2009 16:13
by: sal56sal »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 16:13
by: sal56sal »

0 replies , 4 views location: Vietnam

Christmas Eve in Saigon

Hi, I will be arriving the afternoon of dec 24 and was wondering if someone who will be there as well has got some suggestions on how to spend Christmas Eve. Thanks a bunch and hope to see ya.

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posted
16-Dec-2009 14:45
by: mclautz »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 16:38
by: PhilipC »

1 replies , 15 views location: Cambodia

Master Thesis about Floating Villages in Siem Reap Province Questionnaire

Hallo,
I am writing my master thesis about the tourism development in the floating villages at the Tonle Sap Lake (Chong Kneas, Kampong Phluk, Kampong Khleang)

The main objective is to understand who benefits from this kind of tourism, if tourism helps to reduce poverty in these areas and how its impact on the local poor people could be increased.

I programmed a questionnaire in the internet to understand travel and spending patterns of tourists who visit remote attractions like the floating villages.

Please note that it will take you approximately 10 to 15 minutes to fully complete this questionnaire. It is essential for the quality of the data that you answer every question and that you complete the entire questionnaire!

If you have been to one of the mentioned floating villages you could visit my questionnaire under:

... more »

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posted
16-Dec-2009 11:06
by: Kornspitz »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 11:06
by: Kornspitz »

0 replies , 13 views

1st time SE Asia - which way round?

Hi everyone,

my fiancé and I will be travelling Sout East Asia as part of our RTW Trip. Neither of us have been to SE Asia before.

We'll be flying from Kathmandu into BKK, and out of Singapore. We'll be there from mid-December 2010 until early May 2011. I know, this sounds like ages away, but we leave in May and I'd like to have at least a rough idea of what we're going to do (although it's probably going to change at least 3 times anyway...) :)

As I said we'll be flying into BKK and only want to stay as long as we have to to get our Myanmar Visas (or is it possible to get them in Kathmandu?). So then we're off to Myanmar for 28 days, flying back into BKK, probably mid January.

We then want to travel through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia (most probably peninsular only) to catch our flight home to NZ from Singapore (only want to stay there for a day or two), ... more »

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posted
16-Dec-2009 10:59
by: ltadir »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 11:05
by: eddie964 »

1 replies , 26 views

Hue to Danang

looking for cheap and quick travel from Hue to Danang. what's the best way? thanks

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posted
16-Dec-2009 10:58
by: ltadir »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 10:58
by: ltadir »

0 replies , 14 views location: Vietnam

HUe- looking for a used book store

hi- need some new reading material for the buses/train rides. anyone know the address of a decent used book store in Hue? thanks

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posted
16-Dec-2009 09:46
by: Tapestry »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 14:27
by: toldya »

2 replies , 32 views location: Vietnam

CAR HIRE VIETNAM

We are going to Vietnam in March 2010 for 3 weeks, traveling by air, train and hopefully hire car. I have been told it is best to get a hire car with guide - can anyone recommend somewhere in Hanoi and also Dong Qui? thanks in advance

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posted
16-Dec-2009 09:24
by: flashpackers2 »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 17:02
by: jp_geckozy »

2 replies , 61 views location: Vietnam

Laos to Vietnam overland by bus

My son recently sent this e-mail. I am not sure of the exact entry point into Vietnam but his story confirms what I have read elsewhere. I will definite fly to Hanoi as we pass thru Laos in Feb.

"Just a quick note about the bus ride from vientiane to hanoi...it was brutal, the worst of our trip so far. First off, as soon as we got on the bus, we were told that foreigners must sit in the back, even though at the time there were other open seats...so we went to the back. The bus workers were very rude and aggressive, and ended up packing the excess baggage at our feet, taking up any kind of leg room we might have hoped for. We got to the border at 3am, and had to wait 4 hrs for it to open, then when it finally did it was chaos and nobody really showed us what needed to be done...but we eventually made it through. After 20 hours of unpleasantness, we got dropped off on the side of th... more »

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posted
16-Dec-2009 03:33
by: DMSam »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 16:40
by: PhilipC »

3 replies , 52 views location: Myanmar

Books for Burma

Hi - I have been going through old threads about this and found many good book recommendations. I wondered, however, if it is okay to take books to Burma which are likely, at least in part, to be critical of the country. I wouldn't take a political work but what about a book like Noram Lewis "Golden Land" (or whatever the correct name is_ or "under the dragon" - could these kind of travelogues or more modern works potentially cause problems for me with the authorities?

Thanks for any thoughts.

Sam.

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posted
16-Dec-2009 03:31
by: mozart09 »

last reply
16-Dec-2009 15:27
by: envinyata »

5 replies , 67 views location: Vietnam

Visit the whole Vietnam or stay Mid/South-have budget concern! Please help

Hello, all

Thank you for reading my post. So finally I will be start working in Jan after 12 months unemployment, I'd like to see as much as I could within my 12 days trip (2 half days and 10 full days). However, I am concerned about the cost.

Questions 1 Would you recommend me to go for Route A or Route B? perhaps adding Laos?? Is there any place I should skip or add?

A) South and Mid-Vietnam
HCM (2 days)- Cu Chi tunnal and Cao Dai (1 day) - Mekong Delta (2 days) - Hue (2 days) - Hoi An (2days) - Da lat ( 2 days) - Nha Trang (1 day)

B) South North Vietnam
HCM (2 days) - Cu Chi tunnal and Cao Dai (1 day) - Mekong Delta (1 days) - Hoi An ( 2 days) - Hue (2 days) - Ha Noi (2 days)- H Long Bay (2 days)


Question 2 Will Route B cost much more than Route A becuase of the travel expense? I am hoping to take train up to the north and return to HCM b... more »

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