Vietnam suggestions for March trip

[ozbeachbabe]

Have booked Vietnam flights 22-31 March flying DRW/SGN on JQ73 Sun 22 Mar and returning SGN/DRW JQ74 31Mar. Have not booked any hotels yet
so was interested in getting feed back from you guys who have been there and may be able to recommend something.

Was wondering about suggestions for hotels in Ho Chi Minh, Hoi An and Hanoi. I realise SGN is really noisy so don't know whether the major hotels might have double glazed windows or not.

The plan so far is:

22 March fly DRW/SGN
2 nights in Ho Chi Minh 22 & 23 March
Fly Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang on 24 March (for Hoi An)
4 nights in Hoi An on the beach somewhere not town
28 March fly Da Nang to Hanoi
1 night Hanoi 28 March
Overnight on a junk in Halong Bay 29 March for my birthday
30 March fly Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh
1 night Ho Chi Minh 30 Mar
31 March fly SGN/DRW

Also, has anyone done the visa on arrival thing in Vietnam where you apply over the website and get an official letter which you present on arrival to customs. A friend told me they did this but didn't recommend it because they were stuffed around big time on arrival because the paperwork was lost.

Only issue if I get the visa in Oz is that Vietnam Consul is in Sydney and I need to have my passport with me for work to go to Dili frequently so didn't want to be without it for days while visa being issued. I'd hate JQ to tell me on checkin that I didn't have a visa and deny boarding if they didn't recognise the other way of doing it.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers OBB

 

[zig]

My trip was over 3 years ago now, so I realise newer hotels have opened during that time, however in SGN I stayed at the Caravelle Hotel on a higher floor and didn't hear any noise. Hoi An was the Life Resort, which is on the river an easy walk to town. Hanoi was Sofitel Metropole.

I can't offer any advice about the Visa, when I travelled I think the only option available was to send my passport away.

Enjoy your trip and your birthday celebrations.

 

[Myrna]

A couple of VNese girlfriends just came back from there and said the hotel occupancy rates are very low in VN so you should able to bag a bargain. One of them is currently building a new 4* star hotel outside of Ha Noi. Another one, her friend owns (part) of the Norfolk hotel / mansion in HCM - this is a business hotel. I have never stayed there.

The thing about accommodation in VN it is much cheaper if you book through a local travel agency / company. If you book with the hotels on the internet it is more expensive. Everything in VN is charged in US$.

We were there 5 years ago with a group of friends and stayed at the top 4* / 5* hotels at that time in each location - which included breakfasts. It depends on your budget, I would say go for the top hotels - you won't regret it. I have friends who decided to "experience" the local hospitality and stayed at VNese hotels and encountered a lot of issues / problems.

We stayed at all the hotels zig mentioned. There was no noise issue at all - hotel standards were very high.

With the VNese visa, it is better to get it in Australia before you leave. Don't trust the airport bureaucrats. From memory, if you pay a little bit extra, you can get the visa processed within 24 hours -instead of the standard 7 days.

Like travelling everywhere else, be careful with your personal and valuable things. Good idea to bring along some passport photos and copies of your passport and visa. The hotels in VN have a tendency of wanting to keep your passport! Bring US$, and A$ is OK too to change to VNese dong - change at the government bank - Vietcombank - will give you a slightly better rate. Don't change with street vendors.

Enjoy your trip to VN - don't expect too much and you will not be disappointed. Hubby took this attitude and had a great time.

 

[Iza]

Also, has anyone done the visa on arrival thing in Vietnam where you apply over the website and get an official letter which you present on arrival to customs. A friend told me they did this but didn't recommend it because they were stuffed around big time on arrival because the paperwork was lost.

ozbeachbabe, Travel Advice for Vietnam - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advises: You must obtain a visa prior to arrival in Vietnam. Persons attempting to enter Vietnam without a valid visa are generally sent back to their last port of departure by Vietnamese authorities. You should review all visa conditions and carefully note any conditions listed on the immigration stamp which you will receive on arrival.

It took 3 days to process my Visa application (very quick turn around in my opinion). Here's the link for Embassy of Vietnam: The Vietnamese Embassy in Australia - Consular

Cost varies depending on length of stay: eg. 1 month $75AUD.

It will be my first trip there too, so I can't comment on hotels, etc.

 

[2muchplastic]

ozbeachbabe, as it so happens, I'm sitting in Ho Chi Minh city at the moment! It's my first time here, so wasn't sure what to expect, but so far all has been fine.

I received the same answer about getting a visa before arrival, and coming through SGN airport on Sunday, there was a pretty big queue for the visa on arrival desk, and they looked like they'd been there a while.

For hotels, the Caravelle and Sheraton are probably the best situated, as they are closer to the city centre than the Sofitel where I am staying. The Sofitel is very nice, probably the best Sofitel I have stayed at, and it's a short distance from the main city area, (not far from the Notre Dame Cathedral) and a bit quieter, but it depends on what you are looking for. Taxis are so cheap here, it probably doesn't matter too much anyway.

Can't answer about the rest of your itinerary, but it sounds like a great plan to me!

 

[Ric]

2muchplastic is right.

Caravelle is right in town where the action is and quite close to the Park Hyatt (expensive) and the Opera House. Its also across the "Square" to the Rex Hotel which you must visit. The Rex's roof top garden cafe is where the US top brass briefs the journos during the Vietnam war. The Caravelle is also the Hotel where the top brass stayed but this is a new building built on the original site.

On the quieter part of town, the Sofitel is also very good. The Renaissance by the river is also another hotel I would recommend. A room overlooking the river is not too bad and the ANZ Bank is just beside it!

In Hanoi, Sofitel Metrople is in a great location and an old French building, very historical. For something more modern, the Hilton by the Opera House is very nice.

Can't comment on Hoi An as I have not stayed overnight there, but the Furama at Danang is very nice and on China Beach (not really the original...original is further down the road!!).

 

[albatross710]

Have booked Vietnam flights 22-31 March flying DRW/SGN on JQ73 Sun 22 Mar and returning SGN/DRW JQ74 31Mar. Have not booked any hotels yet
so was interested in getting feed back from you guys who have been there and may be able to recommend something.

I also booked a similar itinery on the recent Jetstar special. At $300 return DWN-SGN it was just too hard to resist.

We think that we will spend our week exploring HCMC, Mekong Delta and a beachside hotel in Nha Trang.

We are on the lookout for a 3-4 star hotels. Strangely for us we feel that if we are holiday travelling we should be roughing it, at the mercy of the locals.

For hotels we were initially thinking to have the first night booked on the internet as the flight arrived 9:30pm. Then find a more suitable hotel the next morning to take advantage of walk-in rates.

 

[Myrna]

Mum in law loved the Caravelle Hotel in HCM for its location, because she was terrified in crossing the roads. From the Caravelle she could walk to the markets without too much fear, and a few times one policeman would blew his whistle to stop the traffic for us to cross the road!

Like the other posts said, the Sofitel is a bit away from the main action, however it has free internet access in room because it is in the business district. There is a charge for using internet at the Caravelle.

 

[RB]

My most recent trip was a few years ago so specific hotels would not be relevant. We found all 2 & 3 star hotels to be fine & certainly many of them available. Walk up was easy although we had read up on www.asiaromms.com to get an idea on which area to stay. At the time the small hotels had a fetish of turning off the power to the room when you went out ( so much for the cold drinks in the room fridge).
Wine was very expensive but beer was fine- don't let them chill your beer by putting chunks of ice in it!
One of my most enjoyable holidays ever!

 

[drron]

Vietnam is changing fast.those that travelled a few years ago loved the place and we had high expectations when we visited last May.Terribly disappointed.Vietnamese food is much better in Darra,Cabramatta or richmond.
Saigon.Stayed at the Sheraton-but had plat status so upgraded and lounge access.Saigon is noisy and busy but still enjoyable.The Mekong tour was good.
Hoi An-the biggest disappointment.Hassled by touts everywhere-even restaurants near the beach-yes they follow you in.A lot of people go there for the cheap tailors-the emphasis is on the cheap.Personally we get much better quality clothing at the same or cheaper in the States.The reccomended "quality" tailor whose name I have forgotten wanted $US100 for a skirt for my wife.on our last visit to the states she bought Armani skirts at $US70 (after taxes).
We stayed at the Hotel Victoria-pretty decent.
Hue-loved the place-stayed 2 nights here and 4 at Hoi An-should have been the other way round.Stayed at La Residence-formerly French Consuls place and it was great.Best food that we had in Vietnam.Must visit is the Citadel.
Hanoi.Busy,noisy and still touts.But a must see.Stayed at the Sofitel first.Not impressed.On returning from halong Bay stayed at the Hilton and did like it-but again i am diamond with Hilton so Exec lounge access.
Halong Bay-glad I have been but will not get a second visit.Tourists everywhere.
We booked through Buffalo tours in vietnam.A couple of glitches but overall quite OK.They are on the net.
I did a trip report-
http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...p-photos/circle-asia-and-flounging-13125.html

 

[Evan]

I have stayed recently only at the Sofitel plaza
But the Park Hyatt and the Sheraton seem nice. Good dinner buffet at the Sheraton.
Last year the hotels were very expensive, but i imagine coming down fast.

Watch out for taxis that want to rip you off, especially after bars close... i like to walk to a proper taxi spot down the street, but even then cant be assured.... still even being ripped off its cheap you could say.

Bars close at 1am or so usually, its a funny place

E

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Thanks for all your help everyone. Have booked Liberty 3 Hotel in HCMC (booked on-line via www.expedia.com.au) as a friend of mine had recommended it for its location. Hanoi have booked Sofitel Metropole as a special treat via email direct to the hotel.

(DrRon I'm hoping the Sofitel you didn't like in Hanoi was the Sofitel Plaza).

Annam Junk 2 day/1 night trip now confirmed via email to Halong Travel.

Now going to Mui Ne/Phan Thiet instead of Hoi An as not a huge fan of going in and out of clothes shops or tailors, anyway isn't that what Ebay is for! Just debating of whether to go from HCMC to Mui Ne via train or bus.

Ended up going direct to VN Consul in SYD last Friday and got visa on the spot - $150.00 all up mind you which is actually more expensive than the one way airfare DRW/SGN of $141.00. Oh well not much I could do about that as needed passport with me last Wednesday and again this Friday so sending it away was not an option. Australia Post express post is not an overnight thing in Darwin.

Will do a trip report when I get back in any case with all the 'nitty gritty'.

Cheers all.

Oz

 

[RB]

Get ready for the aroma of fish oil around Mui Ne township area.
Out along the road we stayed at Hai Au Mui Ne Resort that fronted onto a relatively clean & safe swimming beach that was great when we were there.
At that time across the road was a small family run bar/restaurant that had much cheaper drinks and fine food. Chicken spring rolls sourced from chickens tracked down by torchlight from the hen house in the backyard were certainly fresh & tasty!
Did the bus trip south to Saigon that was fine at the time