AboutAl Slagle Expertise I can answer questions about the following places: Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Hue, Hanoi, and Halong Bay. I can answer questions about accommodations, transportation, food, and sightseeing spots.
Experience I traveled from Cambodia into Vietnam and then made my way up the coast of Vietnam from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi by train and bus.
Expert: Al Slagle Date: 6/6/2008 Subject: Places to see
Question Hi Al,
My husband and I are looking at going to Vietnam sometime in Oct-Nov this year. We've been talking about it for ages, and it's likely that when we get ourselves organised it will be done quickly and neither of us will have time to do much research about what to see and where to go. What are the 'must see' places? Do you have any tips for getting around? Tours vs independent travel? We want to do a bit of sight-seeing but also find a nice spot where we can just chill out and relax before returning home. Were thinking about also doing Thailand as well, but only looking at 2 - 3 weeks total.
Thanks, Fiona :)
Answer Hi Fiona!
Congratulations on making the decision to visit one of my favorite places in the world...SE Asia! Since you seem to be mainly focusing on Vietnam, we'll start there. First, I'll recommend some of the "must-see" places in terms of places I've actually visited myself. Then, I'll mention some others that I've heard about from other travelers.
Well, basically, you've got your two major cities (Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi) and everything in between. We'll start from the South (HCMC). I found the city itself to be quite amazing and actually quite different than even Bangkok. There is a ton of motorbike traffic compared to cars and just people everywhere. You'll probably want to guage your time here based on how much you like big cities. There are lots of pagodas, museums, and historical places to visit that I can't claim to have visited myself, so you'll have to make that choice on your own. One thing I can recommend is the Cu Chi Tunnel Tour. They'll take you about 20 minutes outside the city and give you a tour of the old Viet Cong tunnels used during the war. If you want to experience a part of history, it's worth it. If you don't care to go underground and get sweaty in tight quarters, you can probably skip it. There's also a Mekong Delta tour that I heard was pretty good and probably worth it if you like boats. One museum I did visit was the "War Remnants Museum." It's a pretty powerful experience (especially since I'm American) but again, worth it if you want a piece of history from the Vietnamese point of view.
Ok, now up the coast to the resort town of Nha Trang. If you're looking for a spot to chill on a beach, this is the place to do it in Vietnam. Now, the beach itself is not nearly as nice as beaches you'll find in Thailand, but the vibe is good and you'll have a chance to meet other travelers from other countries. The snorkeling/diving there is pretty decent as well.
The next place on my list would be the historical city of Hue (a World Heritage Site). I found the city itself to be beautiful. The Citadel is the centerpiece of the city with the Perfume River flowing through the city as well. A river cruise which allows you to visit several ancient tombs as well as Thien Mu Pagoda, is well worth it.
Next, up to Hanoi. I found Hanoi to be more asthetically pleasing than HCMC and more laid back. Be sure to visit Uncle Ho's Tomb if you're into seeing embalmed, waxy corpses. Actually, I just read in my Lonely Planet that they ship his body to Russia for maintenance from September to December so that may not be an option. We were there in September and he was there so check yourself to be sure. More pagodas and museums to visit if you like but I can't recommend any in particular. The water puppet show was good, but a little long for my taste. One of the best experiences is just finding a nice little cafe/restaurant and sitting outside to enjoy the atmosphere.
While you're in Hanoi, it's a good idea to book a tour to Halong Bay. This is definitely a "must-see" place for anyone who visits Vietnam. There are several packages/plans/tours you can get so shop around and find the best value at the local tour agencies. We did a 3-day, 2-night trip on the boat. The first day, we visited a local cave and spent the night on the boat. The next day we took a little dip just off the side of the boat and then headed to Cat Ba Island. On the island we took a hike through the forest and climbed a small tower to get a great view of the surrounding area. Very hot and muddy so bring lots of water and old clothes if you do that hike. Cat Ba Island isn't that spectacular itself so you could skip it but if it fits into your itinerary, it's alright. Whatever you do though, be sure to ride a boat around the Bay, even if you only have one day. You won't regret it!
That's it for places I've been to. Other places I heard about that may be worth visiting are Hoi An and Sapa. A lot of backpackers we ran into were either heading to Hue with us, or Hoi An. Since they are relatively in the same area, we found most people to be choosing one or the other. Just depends on your time I guess. We found a lot of travelers to be heading up to Sapa on their way to China. It's in the Northwestern part of Vietnam at the base of the mountains. It's supposed to be breathtakingly beautiful. If I were planning another trip to Vietnam, I'd put Sapa on the list.
Ok, that's about it for Vietnam highlights. I'm sure our interests are a bit different but I hope this helps in your decision-making process. We used a combo of overnight trains and buses to travel through the country. If you get private compartments, the trains can be very comfortable. Buses, however, are pretty cramped and you'll have to tough it out for several hours. The good thing though is they are dirt cheap. For local tours, it's very easy and cheap to go through the local tour agencies. Most guesthouses/hotels offer services at the front desk so it's very convenient.
I'm half-Thai and have a lot of relatives in Thailand so I'm a bit biased in that area. But if you have the time, Thailand is definitely worth a visit. One idea would be to "go hard" in Vietnam and do your "chilling out" on a beach in Thailand. If you'd like more info on that, just shoot me another question and I'd be happy to answer it as well as anything else you might have. Anyway, gotta run. Take care and hope you have a great trip!
