My favourite place of the whole Vietnam was Hoi An. It is around 1 hour flight from Hanoi.
We stayed at Hoi An Beach Resort and I cannot complain about anything.
The beach was beautiful, and even that in the brochure it says that this Resort is 5 kilometres from Hoi An, there are other restaurants and shops next to it. This resort provides bus shuttle few times per day to their sister hotel in centre of Hoi An for free.
Hoi An is famous for tailors. I had some trousers done, my husband had some shirts done - japanese silk and it cost around 6 GBP each and finished withing few hours. He even had hand made shoes done - finished in 4 hours and it came to 8 GBP. He is still wearing them and he wishes now that he had more pairs done
I definitely recommend a walk around the old parts of Hoi An. We enjoyed it very much!
One day we had a day trip to 'My Son'. It takes around 1,5 hour to get there from Hoi An. It is few temples in the middle of the jungle. Some were completely destroyed in the war but one part is still nicely kept. It is very popular place for tourist so I recommend to get there early.
We didn't watch any TV while there so we didn't know that a typhoon is going to hit Danang and Hoi An in the next couple of days.
After 3 nights at Hoi An we flew to HCMC. Only there we turn the TV on and we could see that they tried to evacuate all tourist from Hoi An. The following day Hoi An was under water and damaged by the typhoon. We felt quite sad because the people we met there (the tailors, shoe makers and restaurant owners) were very nice and we just hoped that they are OK.

I don't think you need to worry about the grammar Zabka. This is a great report. Seeing the turtle did bring you luck then- as you missed the typhoon.

Nice to read about your trip Zabka

Thank you for your comments
I forgot to mention that I became a vegetarian while there. I tell you why. I am animal lover and on the way from Hanoi to Halong Bay we saw few motorbikes with animals on it - 4 pigs, or buffalo tight around the back of the motorbike.
I took some photos and we had a laugh until I asked how are these animals killed before they are put on the motorbike... and I was told that the animals are still alive because fresh meat is more expensive. I felt so sorry for them because they are in very strange possitions and they must be in so much pain.

When we got to HCMC I was glad to see that they transport animals in lorries.

In HCMC we stayed at the Duxton. Very nice hotel in a good location.
We had the Mekong Delta tour, we saw Cuchi Tunnels and we went to the War Museum. Some of the photos in the War Museum are very upseting and after leaving I had very strange feeling.

All in all we prefered HCMC more than Hanoi. HCMC is more modern, at least some rules on the road apply and I felt that it is cleaner than Hanoi. Hanoi reminded me of Havana in Cuba.

Our last 3 days in Vietnam were spent in Phan Thiet. We stayed at Victoria Phan Thiet Resort. The bungalows are beaufitul, spacious with huge bathroom and outside shower. Unfortunately this Resort is in the middle of nowhere. You can't walk outside and go to other restaurant, there is nothing close by (only one small cafe around 200m on the left). We didn't feel comfortable with renting a motorbike. So our last 3 days were spent by complete relaxation. When I laid on the patio looking onto the sea I didn't even feel I was in Vietnam.

When we go anywhere abroad we try to eat in the 'smaller' restaurants, go to the smaller shops.. so we can at least help little bit the local people. In Hoi An we had our laundry done in one of the shops The whole bag of washing (some jeans, Tshirt and shirts) cost 30 thousand dongs and we had again clean clothes (not that we are dirty but it was very hot so it was usefull have everything clean again )

Our tour lasted 13 days and it was little bit different than we expected. We were glad that we saw the difference in North and South in the same time. It was interesting to see how people in different parts have different oppinion. I was expecting that we will have to eat with chopstick - but in 90 % of restaurants we automatically got knife and fork - the only place I was struggling to eat was Pho24 - noodle restaurant. I didn't know how to get the noodles out of the soup so I had to eat it like it was spaghetti
As loads of people say, Vietnam is changing rappidly. There was loads of building work going on and I am sure if I went there in 5 years time, I would not recognise it.

I am sure that you are going to have a great time.

I also couldn't cope with the war museum. I wandered off to look at the chidrens' paintings and found that even more moving. Did you have a look at them?
Interesting that you preferred HCMC to Hanoi- there always seem to be a debate about which people prefer.
I am a bit concerned about you saying

at least some rules on the road apply

If you really thought that I hate to think just how bad Hanoi was!

Fiona
Where were the childrens pictures? I didn't see them. I thought that we saw everything but obviously not.

You know, when we were in Hanoi, our car was hit by a motorbike. It was only scratch but it happend twice! There are NO rules. Our guide told us that the stronger has the right of way And they are using horns all the time!!! Every time they overtake anybody they are tooting. Our room was on the 15th floor and we could hear horns constantly.. (maybe there was a little break between midnight and 4 AM ) It definitely was an experience. I had to record it on my video camera because nobody would believe me
Some people say if you want to see the real Vietnam go to Hanoi. They are right - it is much older town, nowhere as modern as Saigon.

There was a room to the left where the pictures were- also some in the main part on the left hand side wall.
Re Hanoi and the horns this is what I wrote about Saigon

You literally could not see a square centimetre of road for the thousands of bikes. By the way, there is a cacophony of beeps continually on the road. These can mean any of the following
"¢ I see you and will make sure I miss you
"¢ Get out of the way
"¢ My car's bigger than your one
"¢ I don't know why I am beeping my horn- its just that everyone else is

Our hotel was opposite the ferry crossing and it was fascinating to watch the ferries draw up, hundreds of motorbikes disembarking and another few hundred replacing them.

Fiona

When I read your review (before our holiday) I told my husband that it is going to be interesting to see all the traffic in Saigon. We were really not prepared for Hanoi and then when we got to HCMC we really felt safer to cross the road there then in Hanoi.
Even the guide in HCMC laughed when she asked us if we see any difference in the traffic. We were thinking and than said that we cannot hear too much tooting And she said that the people don't use it as much as in the north.
Do you know where you will be staying in Hanoi?

Zabka
I have given up on getting a price for the itinery I wanted I'm afraid- everyone was just quoting too much and I couldn't get a decent price DIY at all. We are now going elsewhere- but we WILL get back to Vietnam some time in the future.

Fiona
Where were the childrens pictures? I didn't see them. I thought that we saw everything but obviously not.

I didn`t see any childrens pictures either, the museum is all on one level. For the record the museum used to be called `The American atrocities museum` but for fear of upsetting the Americans they changed the name 4 years ago, still more of a gallery than a museum, except for the larger weapons outside. One other thing, the mopeds are worse in Hanoi than Saigon, crikey!!!

Pinkie
it is all on one level but if you went through the archway to the left that is where the paintings were. I noticed very few visitors glanced at them. From my report-

However, the evidence of the effects of chemical warfare( agent orange and napalm) is quite harrowing and the photos overall are not for the fainthearted. I lasted the first two walls of photos then couldn't handle anymore. Left my husband to it and went over to the part of the building which houses childrens' art- portraying what they felt about being at war. This was beautiful but very sad and I had to gulp back the tears. I think it is a section that largely gets overlooked as most people want to see the photos. Give them at least 10 mins of your time!

Scroll down this link to see two of the paintings.

Hi Fiona, no Wars are pleasant, least of all that one. But think positively at least they are now making the World aware of what happened, well at least the westerners who go there.

One of the best cities i`ve ever been to Saigon.

But think positively at least they are now making the World aware of what happened,

well- a version of it anyway!

Which version do you agree with Fiona??

there were attrocities on all sides and beyond that I'm not getting drawn! It is good to see the war through new eyes though.The real footage shown to us before we ventured into the Cu Chi tunnels was fascinating