North to south Vietnam itinerary. Thoughts please
Replies: 13 - Last Post: Oct 5, 2012 3:28 PM Last Post By: Captain_Courage...
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North to south Vietnam itinerary. Thoughts please
Hello all!My partner and I have 28 days to travel from north to south Vietnam. Were very new to backpacking and have never done anything like this before. This is our first time to Vietnam so would like as much information as possible. We are both very adventures and enjoy activities which get the heart beating. So far our itinerary is as follows-
Day 1 - Arrive in Hanoi (booked)
Day 2 - relax in Hanoi (booked)
Day 3 - 2 day 1 night trip around ha long bay (booked)
Day 4 - Travel back to Hanoi, arrive back around 4pm. Travel to sapa??
Day 5 - Travel to sapa stay for a 2 day 1 night stop over.
Day 6 - Travel back to Hanoi (stop over at Hanoi or move on?)
Day 7 - Travel to hue via Phong Nha cave and Thien Duong cave
Day 8 - Hue
Day 9 - Travel to Da Nang stop over
Day 10 - Da Nang
Day 11 - Da Nang
Day 12 - Travel to Nha trang?? Heard you can do some diving there? Or travel straight to Da lat?
Day 13 - Depending on day 12
Day 14 - Depending on day 12
Day 15 - Travel to Mui Ne
Day 16 - Chill out day at Mui Ne
Day 17 - Travel to Ho Chi Minh
Day 18 - Ho Chi minh
Day 19 - Mekong delta tour 2 or 3 day
Day 20 -
Day 21 -
We would like to go to Phu Quoc island but don't no whether to fly from Ho Chi Minh of to travel to Rach Gia and get the boat over? How long would you suggest in Phu Quoc Island?
Do you usually have to book trains, buses, tours all in advance?
How much cash would you recommend to carry around?
Help on routes or different destinations, or just anything that you think may make our trip more enjoyable.
We have to end back at Ho Chi MInh because we have a outbound flight to Australia.
We arrive in Hanoi 21/11/12 and leave Ho Chi Minh 18/12/2012
CHEAP AS POSSIBLE!!!!!!!
Many thanks
nick
2
Give yourselves 2 days in Hue, one day in Danang, Hoi An is well worth staying the night to see the lights at night and explore the backroads, I'd suggest one day in Nha Trang and a trip from Nha Trang to the Central Highlands on the back of a motorbike which is a little more adventurous than the boring old tourist trail you'll be following on your plan. Go from Dalat to Saigon. If you're from Oz, believe me, the beaches aren't great in Vietnam, maybe skip Mui Nei so you can go to the highlands. Phu Quoc has arguably the best beaches in Vn.3
good advice from bam. Most divers think Nha Trang is a joke for diving. Check the forum carefully in relation to diving.@#2 good advice about an excursion to the Central Highlands-better option than Nha Trang/Da Lat.
4
Re: Da Nang.Depends what you want. Personally, I like Da Nang and use it as base for Hoi An, China Beach, My Son, Marble Mountains (and even Ba Na- awful place but the cable car ride is excellent). Not a tourist haunt and that is in its favour. If you prefer a touristy place then bse yourself at Hoi An
Da Nang is not the quiet backwater it once was and has a great esplanade, the Cham Museum, a cathedral, the old fisherman's church and a Cao Dai temple.
'+Do you usually have to book trains, buses, tours all in advance?+
If you are in Ha Noi, you can go to the railway station and book all the tickets you want if you have the dates you will be travelling. I bought five in one go a few months go. I steer clear of busesapart from the short distance local ones.
I agree with more time in Hue, lovely place with a lot to see.
5
As pointed out, the Phong Nha cave can't be seen on a stopover from Hanoi to Hue. Besides, Paradise Cave is much more memorable, and totally worth the detour IMO. Having lived in Hawaii I can second that beaches in Vietnam are not at all impressive, but Nha Trang was ok as an easy, on-my-route-anyways chance to chill out. (Haven't been to Phu Quoc, imagine it's even better there). The only thing Mui Ne is good for is breaking up the journey from Nha Trang/Hoi An to Saigon if you're travelling overland. I spent 24 hours there and it was more than enough.Don´t expect too much from it.
6
You can see the caves on a stopover from Hanoi to Hue, but not in one or even 2 days.7
This is the revised itinerary just wondering what everyone thinks??Day 1 - Arrive in Hanoi (booked)
Day 2 - relax in Hanoi (booked)
Day 3 - 2 day 1 night trip around ha long bay (booked)
Day 4 - Travel back to Hanoi, arrive back around 4pm.
Day 5 - Travel to sapa stay for a 2 day 1 night stop over.
Day 6 - Travel back to Hanoi (stop over at Hanoi or move on?)
Day 7 - Travel to Phong Nha cave and Thien Duong cave
Day 8 - Phong Nha cave
Day 9 - Thien Duong cave (paradise cave) Travel to Hue
Day 10 - Hue
Day 11 - Hue
Day 12 - Travel to Da Nang
Day 13 - Da Nang
Day 14 - Hoi An
Day 15 - Travel to cental highlands
Day 16 - ???????????????
Day 17 - Travel to Dalat
Day 18 - Dalat then travel to Ho Chi Minh
Day 19 - Ho Chi minh
Day 20 - Mekong delta tour 2 or 3 day
Day 21 - Mekong delta
Day 22 - Travel back to HCMC or to Rach Gia depending on which way to travel to Phu Quoc
Day 23 -Phu Quoc
Day 24 - Phu Quoc
Day 25 -Phu Quoc/ Travel back
Day 26 - Travel to HCMC
Day 27 - Ho chi minh
Day 28 - Leave for Australia
Not really looked at travelling to central highlands so where would you recommend going? Also has anyone got an idea about the travelling to Phu Quoc?
Regarding the tours does anyone know of any good agents? or any good websites to make a note of for tours and accommodation?
Is Vietnam on a whole easy to travel around?
Many thanks for your help and ideas, if you have anything else to add just say.
10
On day 7 you'll be arriving back in hanoi, you won't be in Hue the same day. Have more time in Hue, forget Danang, stay in Hoi An a few nights. Have a night in Nha Trang, do an easyrider tour to Da Lat ($75 for a day trip) stay a couple of nights, then fly to Saigon. Mekong Delta overnight yes and Phu Quoc island.Remember to factor in travel times, e.g. overnight trains.
11
Itinerary revised again-Day 1 - Arrive in Hanoi (booked)
Day 2 - relax in Hanoi (booked)
Day 3 - 2 day 1 night trip around ha long bay (booked)
Day 4 - Travel back to Hanoi, arrive back around 4pm.
Day 5 - Travel to sapa stay for a 2 day 1 night stop over.
Day 6 - Travel back to Hanoi, Get the night train to Dong hoi
Day 7 - Dong hoi
Day 8 - Phong Nha cave
Day 9 - Thien Duong cave (paradise cave) or Travel to Hue
Day 10 - Hue
Day 11 - Hue
Day 12 - Travel to Hoi an
Day 13 - Hoi an
Day 14 - Hoi An
Day 15 - Son my, travel over night to Nha Trang
Day 16 - Nha Trang
Day 17 - Travel to Dalat
Day 18 - Dalat then travel to Ho Chi Minh
Day 19 - Ho Chi minh
Day 20 - Mekong delta tour 2 or 3 day
Day 21 - Mekong delta
Day 22 - Travel back to HCMC to fly Phu Quoc
Day 23 -Phu Quoc
Day 24 - Phu Quoc
Day 25 -Phu Quoc/ Travel back
Day 26 - Travel to HCMC
Day 27 - Ho chi minh
Day 28 - Leave for Australia
Any ideas regarding this one??
Thanks
nick
13
Day 4 - Travel back to Hanoi, arrive back around 4pm.
Day 5 - Travel to sapa stay for a 2 day 1 night stop over.
Day 6 - Travel back to Hanoi, Get the night train to Dong hoi
Day 7 - Dong hoi
You will have very little time to see Sapa.Day 5 - Travel to sapa stay for a 2 day 1 night stop over.
Day 6 - Travel back to Hanoi, Get the night train to Dong hoi
Day 7 - Dong hoi
Suggested:
Day 4 - Travel back to Hanoi, catch night train (departs around 9.15pm)
Day 5 - Arrive Lao Cai, bus to Sapa
Day 6 - Night train to Ha Noi
Day 7 - Hanoi arrive 5.00am
Two nights in Da Lat is better - after the humidity, it's refreshing to stay where there's none plus there is quite a bit to see. Nha Trang to Da Lat is a full day trip on the back of a bike or half a day on a bus.
Da Lat to Sai Gon is 6 - 7 hours on a bus - my advice, fly. Viet Nam Airlines fly regularly (the hotel booked my flight) and it's a mere 50 minute flight. I flew with them and Air Asia
