ways to save money when travelling Vietnam

Hi, I was in Vietnam once for travel last year.

Which city you would like to go?

Thinks Tiffany. I want to go Hochiminh city and Hanoi.

Hochiminh is good ......

Last time i went to HCM and also Da Lat.

In HCM, there is a lot of guest houses you can pick. The eating part is quite cheap but the accommodation depends which level you are expected.

I read on a web before, some people they take bus from Hanoi to HCM (besides of the backpackers, so local people take that bus too), bus fare is economical too ...... BUT ........ it's a long long long long long long way to take bus, over 15hrs in my memory (for the details, i think maybe you need to search in some travel website)

How long you wanna travel @ Vietnam?

Wish you have a great trip  ^^

Thread moved to Vietnam forum.

Thanks again Tiffany.
At this time I will stay more 1 month because of buiness. But still I'll enjoy travelling.
15 hours in a bus ! I have to fly rather than drive. Or give up one city.
Do you know any nice place for sightseeing?

Not at all (actually not really can help you much seems)

Ohh! I see, but for the business reason, your company should pay the accommodation for you, right? Then, why have to save?  (or only for the travel part have to save, like transport?)

For sightseeing?  in HCM?  or even out of HCM?

Do you interested in museum or scenery?  Um ...... Vietnam really a good place for travel .....   

Jeong,

There are a lot of places to check out while in HCMC, depending on your interests.If you can share your interests, then you can get more specific answers.At the backpackers, you can get cheap accommodations and there are restaurants which  caters to people's varied taste.You can do a quick survey at the backpackers for must see places near HCMC.Usually the travel agents will recommend places of interests that are safe and more accessible.If you want to make your own itinerary, you can talk to them about it too.On the first day, the agents would usually recommend the 1 day city tour which will include visiting museums, Churches, pagodas and old government building.I know a an agent at the backpackers.She did some of my travel bookings in Vietnam and I often recommend her services to friends.If you want to visit her office at the backpackers to discuss your travel plans, let me know so that I can you her contact.

Hi friend

I visited Vietnam two time I like ho chi Minh and dalat and nha trang this the best And last time also visit da nang and hoi an and hue also so nice from ho chi Minh to Hanoi by bus I think more than two days coz from ho chi Minh to nha trang about 10 hours

Visitors to VietNam often screw up planning by assuming travel over a given distance will be the same as at home.

Ha Noi and HCMC are 1,800 kilometres apart and by road or rail it takes between 30-40 hours non-stop.

Most of the buses and their drivers are totally unsafe, never have enough sleep (or even wash) and the routes are for their benefit to collect bribes from restaurants they stoup at.

There are only two trustworthy bus lines that cover this route and they are MAI LINH and HOANG LONG. All the rest are cowboys. The worst are T.M. Brothers and Camel.

Mai Linh has always used automatic trip loggers so they can monitor drivers. They also switch drivers, as in leaving the bus and getting a room, at regular points along the route.

Sleeper buses have dirty bedding and are mobile bed bug breeding facilities. How do I know> Because I wait at the terminal points at Ha Noi, Hue, Nha Trang and HCMC and film what they do as part of an annual bus survey

The Camel, and other cheap bus lines, leave Ha Noi around 18.00H and drive throughout the night to Hue at 09.00H, where passengers disembark and the buses are parked at the arena and the drivers sleep above the Camel office until 18.00H when they get ready to leave at 18.00H for Ha Noi. 7 days a week.

Don't believe the buses are rough? Check the tires/tyres for cuts, wear and tare, etc.

The only way to travel between these two cities is by rail (Soft Sleeper Air-Con) where you can walk around, they give you three food packs + water and a newspaper each day. They also have wash-rooms.

Flying is, of course the best, costs a little over VND1,000,000 each way and has a miserably low baggage limit. In Ha Noi you grab ONLY the VN Airlines shuttle bus to Hoan Kiem Lake - near the Old Quarter.

If you are centred in HCMC places within easy reach are Can Tho (floating market - you have too stay overnight to get up early enough to see the market), Da Lat (6 hour bus ride - VN's market garden). Da Lat is about 4,000 feet above sea level and the weather is cool (my home town is over the hill in Ban Me Thuot - coffee and  tea along with pepper and rubber) Phan Thiet's Mui Ne (sand dunes and partying - 5 hours) and Nha Trang (6 hours by a special express train -this means it goes as fast as 70 kilometres an hour).

Da Nang and Hoi An are 12 hours north of Nha Trang by bus.

South of HCMC are Con Dao Islands (fights from HCMC) and Phu Quoc Island (several flights daily from HCMC). There is also Vung Tau - 90 minutes each way on the flying fish hydrofoils.

Dictated and transcribed using Nuance on my Android