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Vietnam Travel Info and Video Guided Tours.
The first thing you have to do before planning any Vietnam Travel is get a visa. Getting a visa to Thailand or Cambodia is easy with online visa purchases for Cambodia and free 30 day passes to Thailand available at every border crossing. Not so when you travel Vietnam. You cannot, under any circumstance, purchase your Vietnam Visa at any of its border crossings. Without a pre-purchased Vietnam travel visa from a travel agent or an overseas Vietnamese Embassy in a neighboring country, you are not going to travel Vietnam or even get across the border. Whether you fly into Saigon or Hanoi, Vietnam will be a place you'll come once and not soon forget. But I'm not saying the memories will be good or bad ones. It seems there is no middle ground with people on Vietnam. They either find it charming or offensive. I did my first Vietnam travel by flying in to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). I went straight to the Pham Ngu Lao area of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). If you're looking for a short term room at a budget rate while you travel Vietnam then this is the only place to come. Everything needed for the budget traveler including western, Indian and Vietnamese food. The Hotels and Guest houses are numerous and so close together that you can walk the entire block in an hour and see all of the 60 odd places to stay. Don't pay more than $5USD for a taxi if you are coming from the airport. If you're coming overland to do your Vietnam Travel, then you can sleep on the bus and don't worry. All tourist buses call the Pham Ngu Lao area the first, last and only stop. In the Video below you can watch as I get off the bus on De Tham street in the Pham Ngu Lao area (District #1). I Like the video because you can actually see, with your own eyes, what to expect. You could practically use the video to pick out the Guesthouse you'd like to stay in. Just don't choose the Minh Chau Hotel at 75 Bui Vien and you'll do well. I'll walk you right into Minh Chau Hotel, owned by one of the angriest people in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). She is the lady at the end of the video. She runs a Football Gambling den on Saturday nights now. One night while I was there, she lost heavily. She went out and came back with a few Mafia Induced black eyes. Soon after, she lost it and shut down all the electricity to the rooms. I was eating dinner at the time in my room. She forced out all of the guests in the middle of the night. She claimed she didn't have the money to pay the electric bill but she was in a rage so terrible that her cheeks quivered as she screamed at us with a yellow emergency light illuminating her from behind. That was not a nice way to begin my Vietnam Travel adventure. Anyway, she is the owner at... Minh Chau Hotel.75 Bui Vien Street (Runs parallel to Pham Ngu Lao Street) District #1 HCMC Vietnam. But the good news is that out of the dozen or more Guest Houses I've stayed, that was my only bad experience. Not bad odds at all. Here is a video of me arriving on De Tham Street in the Pham Ngu Lao area. Saigon is a really bustling, lively and just plain in your face kind of place. Hanoi is not quite so crowded but the elements remain the same. If you are looking to relax and sit by the beach while the birds chirp their pattered love songs then spend as little time on your Vietnam travel in the major cities. But Vietnam is diverse with the beautiful central highlands of Dalat, the Amazing view of Halong Bay and the pristine deserted beaches lining the Eastern coastline. Have a look at the Beaches Vietnam has to offer. All of it's worth any Vietnam travel headaches.
Getting Prepared to Go.80% of what most people pack before their Vietnam travel is unnecessary. That 80% can be bought in Vietnam at a much cheaper price. Don't worry about packing too many T-shirts, shoes or sundries. In the markets here you can easily find slightly defective name-brand clothing for a tenth of the cost. Whether it's Nike shoes with a slightly uneven stitch line or a Columbia ski jacket with a loose button, you can find it all in the markets in either Saigon or Hanoi.
But really, to travel Vietnam is a 2 pronged adventure. There is the North of the country, where most of its culture lay, as well as Ha Long Bay, which is the most visited place in Vietnam. Then there is the South of the country with the Mekong Delta, Phu Quoc Island and the bustling city of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Ya, good old Ho Chi Minh got his name on this city but most Vietnamese still call it Saigon. There are the usual leading Vietnam travel destinations that offer something for tourists to see. This Northern Capital city sits amongst tree-lined streets and the 24 lakes inter-spaced throughout the city. The buildings are as old and diverse as the moon is far.You can see the Chinese influenced architecture from the last millennium and the French stamp obvious in the buildings from our own century. Vietnam travel trips can begin here for those coming from China or nearby Laos. It's a cool little place and anyone interested in seeing first-hand the roots of the country must come here. And the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a freaky sight. They keep his body in an air-sealed glass cage that rises from the floor into the chilled air of a sealed room. Still gives me the creeps but a must see. Any Vietnam travel should include a visit to this medium sized city. Some places to see see are Da Noi (Palaces of the old Kings and Queens), Thien Mu Pagoda and at night, the Tien Bridge. The last is a wonderful sight with all its lights up and changing colors. During the day; however, if you go to Le Loi street, you can see the bridge and pedal a swan across the river for 40,000 an hour. The Dong Ba Market is great to visit if you're looking for bargains on almost anything. There are also the Dong Phong Nha Caves. It's a 2 hour drive from Hoi An was originally founded by Japanese traders in the 16th century. It has since become Central Vietnam's most important port and trading center. I asked my wife to marry me here. It was the first time we did any Vietnam travel together and I was sure to get her drunk before I asked. Nha Trang has some lovely beaches but definitely not the best in South-East Asia. Not even the best in Vietnam. But fantastic seafood and the Sailor's Club on the beach is a magical place at night. Just crossing the road in this abrasive city is an exercise but also a powerful taste of Vietnam travel. But you can see a never boring array of life that is in constant motion. I would not say Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is packed with tourist activities but there are a few shocking museums and a ride around the city on a motorbike might be the highlight of any Vietnam Travel. The Mekong Delta is a flat agricultural area in the far south of Vietnam. It is honey-combed with waterways that locals use to get around on their tiny boats.The Mekong is well worth a visit and you can book a nice 3 day excursion there from any travel agent. A few months ago, I took a public bus to Chau Doc and spent a few days looking around then took a boat up the river to Phnom Penh. I would recommend doing the same but it is not the quickest way to get over to Phnom Penh as you must overnight in Chau Doc and get the boat the following morning. The quickest way overland is by bus to Phnom Penh.
Depart Saigon: 06:00am Arrive Moc Bai (Frontier, Vietnamese side) 08:00am Depart Bavet (Frontier, Cambodian side) 09:00 Arrive Phnom Penh: 13:30pm (161 Pham Ngu Lao Street) About 300 km from Saigon is the ever-cool hillside city of Dalat. Temperatures here are always at least 10 to 15 degrees cooler than in Saigon. The Dalat area is a very popular place for Vietnamese to visit and considered the perfect spot for Vietnamese newlyweds on their honeymoons. I certainly don't recommend that you run out and book a hotel there for YOUR upcoming honeymoon though.  FAQsWhat currency should I bring to Vietnam? The Vietnamese mostly use their own currency. It's called DONG but they will gladly accept US dollars or any other currency used in the region. People will approach you to change money at every airport and border crossing. They will often give you the worst exchange rates though so change as little as you can until you get to a travel agent, jewelry shop or bank for the best rates. The current exchange rate hovers around 16,000 DONG to the US Dollar. There are ATM machines on most corners and they accept almost every debit and credit card on the planet. Is it safe? Yes, but you should keep a money belt in the hotel safe or on your person. Just use common sense and take as little cash outside as you can with you wallet in your front pocket. Vietnamese rarely engage in violent crime and muggings are rare. Careful of the 2 teenage boys on motorbikes though. They like to grab your bag and speed off with the contents. If you rent a motorbike to brave the city traffic then request a lock for the motorbike and never leave it unattended. I had mine stolen before Christmas as I paid for a bottle of water no more Than 50' away from my bike. I still have the key! Is it easy to find a hotel? It is very easy to find accommodation in all price ranges. The only time of the year when they are scarce is during the Tet Holiday which is the lunar New Year in February. But even then there are rooms galore. Just reasonable prices are scarce. Have a look at any of the hotels listed here to get an idea of prices. I am very, very keen to live in Vietnam for a few months. I am a Westerner, and looking for any work possible. Has anyone done the same? Is it exceptionally hard? I Have worked in both Hanoi and Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) as an English Teacher. It is not difficult to find work but experience and some sort of TEFL is required. Below is a video I took of the beaches in Vietnam. Lots of fresh crab and seafood on those beaches! Tell Everyone About Your Great Or Terrible Vietnam Travel Story!
Most people I've met felt that their trip to Vietnam was a waste of time. They said the time would be better spent in in Thailand or Laos or Cambodia. What Other Visitors Have SaidClick below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Vietnam 2007
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