1

I noticed the differance as we crossed the DMC

If you get the chance go back to the north in the summer - you could easily spend a month in the south

2

The cold is relative. Eskimos find temps up there, at that time of year, very comfortable.

3

true

if the sun is out it is quite warm but it does get cold at night in the mountains of the north

4

hehe Im sure eskimos do!! but I am a bit of a sunshone person & will be desperate for sunshine by then as winter would ahve been long in the Uk!! I guess what I am asking where does it stop being shorts & t-shirt weather or beach weather (not that I ll be spending all the time at the beach).

And excuse my ignorance where is DNG? Do you mean Denong? Will it still be dry & hot up to there as thats reasonably far up?

Thanks for advice ! :O)

5

last year, i remember there was almost no sunshine in January and February :(

6

DMC roughly the demilitarised zone between the old north and south vietnam a bit north of Hue.

as a fellow Brit I fully understand your desire for a bit of sun I have always headed out east in the winter for 4 or 5 weeks

7

It gets cold from Hue. Most years it is cold and rainy, except for the strange weather in 2010. Beach weather before Tet!

8

Thank you for all your help with this guys, now I can start thinking about what to do.

So far I am flying into HMC early Morning Sunday 2nd Feb, and am on the 8pm train Tuesday 5th evening to arrive in Nga Trang in the morning. Planning on hitting Chi Chi Tunnels, do the usual tourist things in the city & maybe a day trip to Mekong Delta from the city.

Now arrive Nga Trang Wednesday morning & between there & Sunday/Monday I want to hit Dalat and the other spots around there, which I may well do by motorbike (dont worry I am an experienced rider of 20 years). I really want to go to Cat Tien National Park to maybe do some gibbon trekking, but defo some trekking & hitting the Dao Tien endangered primates centre. Would that be easy enough to get to from Dalat via a bus or some kind of tour does anybody know?

I will then have about a week left as leave last thing Tuesday 19th Feb from HMC and really want to head to Phu Quoc Island, maybe via Mekong Delta if I dont do that when in the City. So have 2 questions really, will I have time to head north to Hoi An or Hue before heading down there. And if not could I get to Pho Quoc Island from Nha Trang/Mui Nei area easy enough by local buses or the tourist open top bus (think thats what it is called but please correct me if I am wrong) of would I need to go back to HMC city to get there?

Any pointers very much appreciated...........as I have my lonely planet book but it doesnt make it very clear about travel & I know the train do not go south of HMC so this is nto an option.

Thank you! I am getting very excited! :O) Must sort out visa! x

9

I was only plannin in stayin in Nha Trang one night before heading off to Dalat.

I know transport is going to be a bit of an issue, thats kinda why I am asking these questions now, so I can see what transport I need to book & what I dont if that makes sense. I already have the over night train booked from HMC to Nha Trang..........so I am guess I am asking how can I get to Cat Tien Park from Dalat....................and also how I get from that region to Pho Quoc Island.............will I have to go back to HMC or is it possible to go on an open top (tourist bus) or can I travel by the locals bus?

Any help much appreciated & then I can work out what I need to book now & what I can get away with when I get there. Thanks guys :O)

10

I was planning on stayin in Nha Trang one night before heading off to Dalat, I know transport might be an issue because of the time that I am in the country which is kinda why I was asking about how I can get to Cat Tien Park & if I can get to Phoc Island from that region or do I need to head back to HMC before I will be able to do that? I am happy to trabel my open top bus (the tourist bus) or the locals buses, if that is an option? does anyone have any ideas?

but appreciate I might need to book trains. I already have my overnight train booked from HMC to Nga Trang, and am really asking this now so if train is the best option then I can book now, otherwise I go with tourist bus when I arrive. Any advice much appreciated :O)

11

One night in Nha Trang is plenty.
At Tet time even tourist buses are used by local 'tourists'.
There are so many locals travelling that even on some buses, locals travel in the luggage compartment and they put luggage on top of the bus.

12

blimey! so i really need to sort transport out then.......so I had better get my plans sorted very quickly then yeah? so defo need more advise.....when does the crainess with the travel end around Tet then out of interest?

I am defo gonna go to Phu quoc & I am gonna book a flight from there back to HMC in time for my flight home.........it appears I can only get a flight to Phu quoc from HMC............I didnt really want to go back there until the end of my holiday so is there any other option..........can I get to Pho quoc over land easy enough from around Dalat or Mui Nei? or Cat Thien? If so what are my options?

Also help defo needed on how to get to Cat Thien national park from dalat..................please help as I defo want to do all these options, although am maybe looking into Hue & Hoi an as maybe possibilities too.

Any advice much appreciated, so then I can get booking :o)

13

Tet is Feb10-16 2013. However a week either side the whole country will be on the move.
For a start about 6,000,000??? people will move out of HCMC. Your schedule is slap bang in the middle of it. Good luck!

14

its all good I can manage it as long as I book ahead now I know! got a flight booked from pho quoc island nwo to hmc.........I just need to work how to get from dalat to pho quoc................can anyone help? :))