We travelled in Vietnam about 12 years so can't advise how it is now but we enjoyed every minute of it and we talk about doing it again.
We travelled with Thomas Cooke to Bankok then onto Vietnam and got on the train in Saigon then went up the coast to Hanoi and onto Halong Bay. Each night we stayed somewhere different - sometimes on the train and in hotels. (We had a couple of carraiges which they attached to the local trains then unhooked when we got where we were going for the night).
I have googled this tour and companies are still doing it but they are quite expensive - it would be cheaper to do it yourself but then the language barrier is always there.
It is a beautiful country to visit and very very cheap

Hi Narial. Thanks for your reply.This is exactly what we would like to do. I take your point about price, however living in Turkey we have very little option other than DIY.Not a bad thing and I think that it will work out cheaper. So thanks again.

Ian

Ian
I think you will find DIY quite easy. I can't really help as we only went to Saigon but there are frequent flights between places and also buses and coaches are VERY cheap.

Hi Fiona.Thanks and I am sure that you are right. One of the Great things about being retired is that you do not have to worry if the transport does not turm up.I am more than Happy to except extra nights in decent hotels.

Ian

Have you read my Saigon report? The hotel we stayed at was luxurious and a ridiculously cheap price! Also the trips you can take are so cheap you can't work out how they don't lose a lot of money!

Hi Fiona, not yet but I have a question. Where did you get your Visa ?

Ian

have a look here. The visas were no problem- they came quickly. However, you will need the exact day of arrival into the country.

my report is here. I hope to return to Vietnam and go up to Hanoi.

Thanks Fiona. It's not so easy when you live in Turkey as there is no Vietnam Embassy here. I guess that I will have to send our Passports to London.Not a problem.

Goodnight from Turkey. ( 10 votes from me )

Ian

Vietnam is a fantastic country, FANTASTIC.

We entered below Hanoi having arrived via bus from Laos (32 hours agggh!!) and stayed in a place called Hue. It has lots of colonnial buildings and is relatively pleasant place to stay. It was however rainy season and the river burst its banks!! The market is quality though and there are some great ruins locally.

Hoi ann was another place we stayed at. This place is brilliant for getting clothes made, again great market and some top food around for very cheap prices.

Nha trang is a really modern, California style resort. We did a scuba diving course here and found the people were brilliant. Lovely lovely white sand beach.

We then went into Ho Chi Minh and again a fantastically modern city. Brilliant backpacker area and shopping is superb. Cu Chi tunnels are available and are a must. War museums are all around and are so interesting.

On the whole it was amazing. We went at the start of 2004 and found it so good. The locals are always out to rip you off, but they do it with a smile on their faces. Its cheap for eating and drinking, accommodation is excellent and alot of people speak English. You can never get a price out of them though e.g. Q) how much for a beer? A) how much do you wanna pay?? funny but tiresome after a while.

The locals have a great sense of humour and a story banded about goes

A lady was walking around Hoi An and, as it was a grey sky, asked the price of umbrellas. The stall owner replied 'one dollar' so the lady walked away thinking it was too expensive.

She didnt get too far before it started to pour down with rain so ran back to the stall to buy an umbrella. 'two dollars' was the answer.

'you said one dollar before' the lady said

'it wasn't raining before'

That sums them up. Great people who manage to smile even after all they have been through. Enjoy it, its so safe and they love us.

Hi joeyc

Thanks for the information about diving and your Vietnam experience, it sounds like you have a brill time as I'm sure we will

Jules

Nha trang - a California holiday resort. I am unable to imagine that - when we were there it was so peaceful with just one lady on the beach selling cooked crabs from a barbeque type thing she had tied round her neck.
You can tell I am getting old remembering how things used to be

Ha ha, Yes maybe Californian Holiday resort was a 'tad' over the top, but its definately getting that way. You don't get a second to yourself on the beach, massages, t-shirts, necklaces, coconut, fruit, sunglasses amongst many many more. They get used to you eventually and don't bother you (unless you buy something of course!!!)

wow, your report is fab, fiona. Any on hanoi? we're going to hanoi next may (end). flying from Malaysia.
I found a couple of kayaking packages to Halong bay on the net, but would it be better to book when we're in Hanoi? I've also heard a couple fo scary stories about the junk boat, being ripped off, etc. I'm also hoping to book a nice little trip for my parents on the junk boat.
Any suggestions or good websites?
Thanks!

Chinny

thanks! Sorry, we only went to Saigon but will def. be going to Hanoi some time in the future. Certainly in Saigon it was easy and very cheap to book trips out of the city.

thanks! Do let us know when you've done Hanoi. I'll see what i can find in the mean time......

don't worry- I'll let you know!

Hello joeyc, just looking through your reports of Vietnam, and your interpretation of Nha Trang is very much off the mark. No doubt you went diving from the Sailing Club right on the beach. I spent many a day there and in 2004. We found the sellers charming, and very cheap, and once you bought of them they left you alone.

In all i spent nearly 6 weeks in Vietnam, touring mostly the south, the Mekong Delta is a must for anyone, and Saigon is one of the best cities i`ve ever been to, we didn`t bother going to Hanoi at that time as it was too cold that time of year.

We are going back this year again, for xmas/new year. The flights are expensive, but as you know once there everything is incredibly cheap, and the food is a must, hotter the better for us.

Mui Ne is another place i`d recommend for a couple of days, but go to the Mekong Delta before it`s ruined by the tourists, that was the best time of the whole holiday, only place in Vietnam that didn`t accept dollars.