Hello, all!
Another person here planning a 2-week stay in Vietnam (myself and one other), sometime in September or October. We'd been planning on trying to pack a lot in(HCMC-->Hoi An-->Hue-->Ha Long Bay via Hanoi-->Hanoi-->Sa Pa) but the more I read up, the more it seems better to focus on one region of the country for a 2-week visit. And then, settling on a region, it seems like the North would be more up our alley. A few questions for anyone who has time:
1. Are we wrong? My girlfriend has never been to Asia at all, and I'd like to show her a SE Asian city with night life and food and all that, so we're pretty well set on flying into Saigon and spending two nights-ish there (it's also much cheaper to fly into SGN from NYC). Otherwise, we'd like to do the things most people like to do: eat, see cultural and historical sites, explore without regimented tours. We're also well set on seeing Sa Pa, and I hear we'll need to dedicate at least 2 nights here, plus the overnight train journey? I'm desperate to see Ha Long Bay, as a sucker for scenery and someone who doesn't mind the touristy element of a must-see natural spot. Do we stay overnight on a boat? I don't think we'd spend more than one night there. And Hanoi, as we'll be in the North, and we're drawn to exploring the Old Quarter and generally ambling around to stumble upon food and experiences.
So, that's a fair amount already, isn't it? Which...
2. We're bummed about potentially missing Hoi An -- is it really as wonderful as most people say? I mentioned earlier that we don't mind more tourist-y spots, but of course there's a level where things tilt toward kitsch or the anti-septic (no offense meant to the city or the culture there or elsewhere in Vietnam; I'm literally ignorant about it). And then Hue, with the citadel and the famous soup in the city. Are these the places we should cross off, sticking to the North plan (save Saigon)? Is it worth trying to take a day-or-two trip to Central Vietnam, either flying or by train, to catch one or both of these places? We're not going to try to hit beach towns or the Mekong.
3. Should we be looking to fly or train around, given our ambitions and timespan? I've heard the first week in October is a major Chinese holiday, and many Chinese visitors will be coming into Vietnam, potentially making travel difficult to book.
That's all I can think of for now! I appreciate your time and help! Thanks, all.
--Corey
