Uncle PHUchiMYns' Guide to Vietnam
Discussion
So as not to detract from our pussy thread!
As far as I know, it's 4 hr drive from/to Hanoi I think wast thinking 2 - 3 days?
Sounds like this might be the stop to stop n chill? Can happily dodge the expat scene, been part of it for long enough ;-)
What to do lah?
phuchimyn said:
Ok here goes:
As i said before i depends what you enjoy yourself. You will need about 4 days in HCMC to pack alot in, so its do-able if you miss one or two places out. If you try to pack it all in you end up going to all the places but doing and seeing nothing.
We've lived in Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok and have been all over Idonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos & Mynamar so we're fairly seasoned asian travellers, but for some reason didn do Vietnam last time we were out here. We're both more inclined to doing & experiencing things rather than just hitting a beach and doing nothing at all, but having seen the list of jobs that MrsHGL has for me when I get back to France, I do want a couple of days at least doing just lazy on a beach!As i said before i depends what you enjoy yourself. You will need about 4 days in HCMC to pack alot in, so its do-able if you miss one or two places out. If you try to pack it all in you end up going to all the places but doing and seeing nothing.
phuchimyn said:
Hanoi: Max 2 days, not a lot to say about the place really.
Was there for a weekend before crimbo and really enjoyed it, was thinking 3 days?phuchimyn said:
Halong: you probably need two days as it'll take a few hours to get there and back to Hanoi and at least a day to do the bay trip.
As far as I know, it's 4 hr drive from/to Hanoi I think wast thinking 2 - 3 days?
phuchimyn said:
Hue: Max 2 days, go look around the city and the Citadel, thats about it.
What I'd expected, supposedly the cultural capital and best for imperial style food?phumy said:
Hoi An: Max 3 days, Nice quaint old city, nice beach and beach hotels too so could stop here a little longer, depends who youre taking or not
MrsHGL will be present so there'll be no funny business, unless they have that thing with the ping pong balls like they do in BKK, she thought that was hilarious! Is it worth getting a suit made there or are they likely to fall apart before I get to HCMC? phuchimyn said:
Nha Trang: Max 4 days, it can get a bit lively here, once again depends on what you like, a few bars and clubs on the seafront are very good and open till you drop, plenty to see and do, fishing, snorkelling, BBQing on beach, dancing, drinking. Quite a few expats there too and back packers doing their gap year.
Sounds like this might be the stop to stop n chill? Can happily dodge the expat scene, been part of it for long enough ;-)
phuchimyn said:
Dalat: Max 2 days, beautiful as its quite hilly and mountainous its where all the flowers are grown so nice at the right time of year.
Is this the right time of the year?phuchimyn said:
HCMC Max 8 years, great place if you like that sort of thing, (joking) its a great city with lots to offer, great restaurants, cheap hotels, cheap beer if you know where to go, War museum (a must do) Cu Chi tunnels, day trip to Vung Tau on a 1970's twin v12 turbo diesel hydro foil at 45 knts down the Saigon river, (one day 8 till 5) markets, sundowners at the Saigon, Saigon bar on the 9th floor of the Caravelle hotel finishes a busy day off just right. Try the iced coffee (cafe sua da) its great and the beef noodle soup (Pho Tai) to die for.
Odd that, everyone else I've spoken to hated it and says to just stop in HCMC long enough to do the tunnels and a blat down the Mekong Delta????phuchimyn said:
Mekong Delta Max 1 day, you can do this from HCMC as a day trip and you only need to do it once.....
Notedphuchimyn said:
You could possibly miss out Hue and Dalat
This is the thing, there is sooo much to do there, don't know when we'll be back in this part of the world so want to do as much as possible but don't want to be a conveyor tourist like you see with the Japanese on and off of buses in the blink of a japs eye!phuchimyn said:
Anything else i can be of service to you sir?
Yes, getting about, what is the best way to join the dots? I've been told internal flights are cheap and plentiful, and then there is the night trains... When I've time my preference is to overland as you see & expereince more of a country that way, but I don't want the only memories of the trip of beiong constantly on the move.What to do lah?
There you go, its a good job everyone is different, what i have said about Hue and Dalat, about missing them, could be the wrong thing for you. Nha Trang could be a good laugh though in the evening if you like a booze up, plenty to go see and do in the day time.
If your a seasoned Asian Expat then Saigon is probably not for you apart from the War museum and Cu Chi and a day down to the Mekong. Having said all that Saigon is nothing like KL, Singers or BKK, its about 30 to 40 years behind in evolution, or should that be revolution.......and any eye opener at times at the sights you can see, if youre a keen photographer then its a haven for great shots. But then youve already been to Ha Noi so you kind of know what its like.
Getting around is easy, internal flights are cheap and plentiful, air con coaches are very plentiful but not designed for western bums, the seats are a little small im sure you get the picture but are stupidly cheap too, maybe good to travel over night between stops.
If your a seasoned Asian Expat then Saigon is probably not for you apart from the War museum and Cu Chi and a day down to the Mekong. Having said all that Saigon is nothing like KL, Singers or BKK, its about 30 to 40 years behind in evolution, or should that be revolution.......and any eye opener at times at the sights you can see, if youre a keen photographer then its a haven for great shots. But then youve already been to Ha Noi so you kind of know what its like.
Getting around is easy, internal flights are cheap and plentiful, air con coaches are very plentiful but not designed for western bums, the seats are a little small im sure you get the picture but are stupidly cheap too, maybe good to travel over night between stops.
phumy said:
There you go, its a good job everyone is different, what i have said about Hue and Dalat, about missing them, could be the wrong thing for you. Nha Trang could be a good laugh though in the evening if you like a booze up, plenty to go see and do in the day time.
Tough call I'd heard that Hue and Dalat were both that little bit different, hence wanting to go. So mebbe NhaTrang is the spot to stop n chill for a few days by the beach then?phumy said:
If your a seasoned Asian Expat then Saigon is probably not for you apart from the War museum and Cu Chi and a day down to the Mekong. Having said all that Saigon is nothing like KL, Singers or BKK, its about 30 to 40 years behind in evolution, or should that be revolution.......and any eye opener at times at the sights you can see, if youre a keen photographer then its a haven for great shots. But then youve already been to Ha Noi so you kind of know what its like.
Make it at least a couple of day there then.phumy said:
Getting around is easy, internal flights are cheap and plentiful
Sounds like the way to go then.phumy said:
air con coaches are very plentiful but not designed for western bums, the seats are a little small im sure you get the picture but are stupidly cheap too, maybe good to travel over night between stops.
Worst I've got a fat arse post eva! 
Well, we're back and had a cracking time while there.
Hanoi - I still love the manic traffic and bustle of the place. Worlds worst pick pockets too!
Ha Long - misty & ethereal, a great few days and glad we spent a night on Cat Ba Island too.
Hue - didn't quite have the old world charm I had conjured up but the natives were friendly and the citadel was old. Didn't have time to go further afield around DMZ etc. so will be going back.
Hoi An - scheduling screw up meant we had hardly anytime there at all but what little we saw we loved, definitely going back. If you do find yourself there, go to MangoMango on the other side of the river from the old town it's expensive by local standards but the food is to die for and the chef/owner is a right character.
Na Trang - by the time we got there we were ready to flop on the beach a do bugger all which is mostly what we did, that and eat too much and drink even more.
Da Lat - not really what I was expecting (Frasers Hill Cameron Highhlands?) but fun either way. Hired some bikes and got out of town and further up into the hills & clouds.
HCMC - pretty manic too but for some reason didn't seem as crazy as Hanoi? We were pretty jaded travellers by the time we got there so other than the tunnels and museum, didn't do much more than find new places to eat, drink & watch the world go by.
Thoroughly enjoyed the trip and will definitely be going back.
Hanoi - I still love the manic traffic and bustle of the place. Worlds worst pick pockets too!
Ha Long - misty & ethereal, a great few days and glad we spent a night on Cat Ba Island too.
Hue - didn't quite have the old world charm I had conjured up but the natives were friendly and the citadel was old. Didn't have time to go further afield around DMZ etc. so will be going back.
Hoi An - scheduling screw up meant we had hardly anytime there at all but what little we saw we loved, definitely going back. If you do find yourself there, go to MangoMango on the other side of the river from the old town it's expensive by local standards but the food is to die for and the chef/owner is a right character.
Na Trang - by the time we got there we were ready to flop on the beach a do bugger all which is mostly what we did, that and eat too much and drink even more.
Da Lat - not really what I was expecting (Frasers Hill Cameron Highhlands?) but fun either way. Hired some bikes and got out of town and further up into the hills & clouds.
HCMC - pretty manic too but for some reason didn't seem as crazy as Hanoi? We were pretty jaded travellers by the time we got there so other than the tunnels and museum, didn't do much more than find new places to eat, drink & watch the world go by.
Thoroughly enjoyed the trip and will definitely be going back.
XJSJohn said:
phumy said:
When were you in Saigon, i was there for the last two weekends maybe we could have met up....or maybe not?
You were probably sitting 3 seats down from HGL at the bar somewhere and didn't know it 
We were only there for 2 & 1/2 days so not much time, we'll deffo give you a shout - in advance next time whenever that is. Will be going back thatg much is for sure
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