Options
Vietnam for a month
mushy
Registered Users Posts: 643 Major grins
Myself and my girlfriend are off to Vietnam for a month, with maybe a week in Cambodia. Any suggestions on places to visit as a tourist and as a photog would be greatly appreciated. :thumb
May I take your picture?
0
Comments
Visit my travel section at: www.djtdesigns.smugmug.com also feel free to email me or pm me about Vietnam - I've been there 3 times now and planning a 4th trip soon. djtdesigns (at) gmail (dot) com
Hue is a great place to check out, but right now, some of it's under water. My wife is from that area. The old citidel and all the tombs (Tu Duc's is pretty cool). If I can find out what hotel my wifes cuz works at, he speaks decent english.
While in Central check out the Cham Ruins and don't forget the lil town of Hoi An (which was currently flooded) along with Da Nang. But I hear the water is going down, yet we haven't heard if the wife's family is clear of water yet in Hue.
Tay Ninh's Cao Dai temple is really nice. In southern, near Saigon. It's a mixture of religions. Go on your own tour, don't go on a tour of it with Sinh Cafe if you want to spend quality time there. We were told 20min to enjoy which was more like 10 and there were 100's of ppl to deal with. Not enough time to look around. You have to take your shoes off to go inside, and there's HUGE piles of shoes sitting at the door. Take something with you to put your shoes in to carry, if you aren't trusting of others.
Cu Chi Tunnels aren't bad. Been there 2 times and a MeKong Delta tour is pretty nice.
Sorry never been to Cambodia, tho my best friend is from there (came here in 1979).
Also, check out www.travelblog.org or com - believe it's org.
Photos | Blog | Youtube
Thanks! In all, I prolly shot over 950 photos.
Vung Tau as a nice Pagoda Temple area, a lil temple on an Island, the White Palace (?? think that's there) and a tall Jesus statue (you can climb to his head) on top of a mountain.
Oh... instead of listing some sites I look at: just visit: http://www.vnphotogallery.com - click on Links on the left/top side and then visit those links. lol
So, when is the trip? As for safety, I felt safe on my visits, but beware there are pick-pockets and tons of kids and ppl begging - watch your camera.
It's normal for the hotels to ask for a copy of your passport in Vietnam. In Saigon they will make a copy of it, in Hue they want to take it for a day. We refused. They gave us a bunch of grief over it but we stood our ground and they finally gave in.
If you go on a MeKong Delta tour, the kids that you will want to photograph will most likely turn away from you, unless you give them some $$ then they will let you take a photo of them. My brother found this out, I wasn't able to go on that tour (this time) I ate something that didn't agree with me.
Um.... If flying inside Vietnam; say from Saigon to Hue; take a deck of cards while you wait at the airport. We sat and sat and sat some more. On the return trip to Saigon from Hue, someone forgot to tell US that the plane was cancelled and the next one would be a few hours. We were the only ones at the airport - no employees even; but it was unlocked. There's a small snack stand across the HUGE empty parking lot to get a pepsi or some food.
Visit the Ben Thanh Market in Saigon - LOOK for this guy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whV_oKnRXSA - this video was taken in March 2007. The guy also visited "Mr. Bill" in Oct 2007. We met "Bill" in 2005 and I know someone else that met him in 2000.
Okay, that's enough for now, I have work to get done :cry
Photos | Blog | Youtube
Be certain to read the Lonely Planet Thorn Tree Forum on Vietnam.
Thanks for the idea's in advance, we are heading to Vietnam 13th Feb and will be there for 3 weeks with another week spent in Cambodia. So the more info you can give me the better.
Thanks Art too Ankor Wot is definitely on the list of places to see
In preparation, you should definitely read the FAQs on two web sites - TalesofAsia.com and Lonely Planet.com Thorn Tree Forum. Get LP guides to Vietnam and Cambodia and make a possible itinerary. When you have some ideas about your route I can help you find the anwers you need.
Internal travel is very slow in SEA so take that into consideration - most people fly in and out of Bangkok and you will need a day or so on either side for connections. Flights to/from Australia to Vietnam or Cambodia will probably be more expensive.
If you've not traveled in Asia before, it takes some getting used to but it is safe and cheap. Scams on travelers are ubiquitous in Vietnam but forewarned is forearmed. You're going at a good time of the year weather-wise but after the Tet holiday when Vietnam is very crowded and travel is packed.
Cuong
He isn't exagerating at all.
Be prepared to sweat.
http://www.vietnamluxurytravel.com/weather.htm
i've been to malaysia in the same period and vietnam is said to be about the same with monsoon = severe rain in the end of the day/begining of evening and hot and humid weather. is this image correct?
I scanned the main page of my passport, reduced it a bit and laminated it.
I used this whenever a hotel wanted my passport; I had no problems. I hate leaving my passport at any hotel desk when I'm a long way from any consulate.
Other compulsive activites.
I love DGrin ! There are so many people with so many great tips and so willing to give them up.
Thanks heaps LittleLew and all the others with your tips and pointers.
Oh and don't worry there will be some serious posting when I return in the 'Journeys' postings.
Was there in july 1999 - HOT, not HOT HOT, but SWEATY HOT
We took a walk in Saigon, nice and hot. Half way to wherever we were going it rained for about 3 minutes. Then it all dried up and was muggy.
---
In Hue 2005, the hotel wanted our passport and a copy was no good. We still refused and got away without giving them it and no copy. The wifes cuz that works at another hotel in Hue says it's all about taxes the hotel pays to the police. If someone stays in the room without giving up their passport, they show the room as vacant. Hence they pay the gov for your stay at their hotel. ???? (something might have been lost in translation.... )
In Saigon however... copies work just fine.
Now if your married to a Vietnamese, bring a marriage certificate if you want to stay in the same room. At least the Grand Hotel was that way, tho no other hotel asked for one.
---
Never thought about scanning and emailing copies if needed.
I left spare copies at the in-laws, if I needed them. Tho you prolly don't have that option. lol
Photos | Blog | Youtube
Ok after much deliberation our Itinery is pretty much sorted, we are not booking too much so we can stay flexible with our length of stay in any one place. We are going to book our first few nights and our last few in Singapore but thats it.
Day 1: Singapore
Days 2-5:Hanoi
Days 6-9:Sapa
Days 10-12:Halong Bay Boat Tour
Days 12-15: Cat Ba Island
Days 16-18: Hoi An
Days 19-22: Saigon
Days 23 - 25: Phnom Phen
Days 25 - 27: Angkor Wat
Days 28-31: Singapore
Any comments on the above or places we've missed etc from all those who've been before are always greatly appreciated
I might combine the HaLong Bay excursion with Cat Ba island. Going from HaLong to Hoi An requires a return to Hanoi and then a fair trip South and inland.
(If I had to choose between Hoi An and Hue, I'd pick Hue because of its historical content and the palaces. Hoi An is a fun place but its a tourist center - except for the Cham cities)
If you get squeezed at the end, you could consider skipping Phnom Penh. It has lots of Khmer Rouge stuff but flying in their commits you to a 6 hour boat ride/bus ride to Siem Reap (at Angkor Wat).
(If you have time in Siem Reap, you might visit the LandMine Museum. http://www.cambodialandminemuseum.org/home.html It is a project of an photog/acquaintance of mine named Richard Fitoussi.)[There is a long and interesting story about this involving Canadian con-men, but this is not the time.]
Man, do I wish I was going back this year.
You will have a wonderful time.
For town by town reviews of accomodations, go to Travelfish.org or TalesofAsia.com . The latter is run by Gordon Sharpless who also runs a budget guesthouse in Siem Reap called Two Dragons. http://www.frommers.com/destinations/siemreap/H35579.html
Gordon is a font of info and you won't get scammed by him or any moto guy who works for him. He has a beautiful Thai wife and child.
Man, do I wish I was going back this year.
Photos | Blog | Youtube
Well I just got back a few days ago from 3 and a half weeks in Vietnam and a week in Cambodia so if I can help out in anyways let me know. Either way Vietnam rocks, you'll have a ball!
hehehe... I know I will... if you look back to page one of your original post you'll find that I was one of the first to post to help you. This will be my 4th visit. Basically we are just going over for the wife's cousin's wedding.
Soo.... post your pictures yet? Blog it? Inquiring minds want to know
Photos | Blog | Youtube
I have started posting pics on smugmug but have not gotton around to doing the full 'journey's' post just yet. With about 4000 photo's to go through I'm trying to get them all up for friends and family to see then I'll do the post here for my extended family
Of course your welcome to have a look if you like http://mushy.smugmug.com/Holidays/481394
I'll definately check them out in a bit. It's also good to see that you didn't get run over by a scooter.
Our trip is at the end of May and I'll be attending a Vietnamese wedding so.... I'll share when I get back.
Photos | Blog | Youtube