Hanoi travel tips

[Rocky19]

Wll be in Hanoi in couple of months. Will appreciate if anyone here can share your experience there and travel tips. Will be there fo 4 days.Thanks

[mark.eleven]

Remember to go to Ha Long Bay. Beautiful and fantastic scenery. You can try those local tour, abt RM60 per person for a day trip, if I remember correctly.

[firefox]

make sure the meat you ordered is not the meat of some exotic animal...my friend was very sure that he wasnt eating pork but something else..so be wary on your food you order.

[saml]

Was there for a couple of days last year. If you are travelling by yourself make sure you know the general direction where you are heading, otherwise the taxi drivers will take you for a long ride. If you are not too sure stick with the hotel food as there are lots of nice hotels but the hotels are pretty pricy by malaysian standards but service is good. Language is out but the people are ok and not so commercialised.

[La Vida Loca]

Maybank has a branch in Hanoi, manned by Malaysians. If this is any help.

Maybank Hanoi
Suite 608, 63 Ly Thai To
Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: + 84 4 824 1791
Fax: + 84 4 824 1799

Office Hours: Mondays to Fridays: 8am to 5pm
Saturdays, Sundays & Public Holidays: Closed
Banking Hours: Mondays to Fridays: 8am to 3pm
Saturdays, Sundays & Public Holidays: Closed

Ask for Benjamin Lee, say you are a friend of Andrew Lee. I'm a friend of Andrew.

[patrick]

Remember to go to Ha Long Bay. Beautiful and fantastic scenery. You can try those local tour, abt RM60 per person for a day trip, if I remember correctly.

I havent been there yet but will be there in March. Have done substantial research to share with you.

For Halong, you can do your own private boat trip which can take more than 9 pax. A 5 hour cruise will cost you US75 per boat. And the Viethouse Lodge in Tuan Chau Island in Halong Bay (seaview) will cost you just about US25 per room per nite. Your 4 days trip should be sufficient to see most of the important tourist sites. Have fun!

[Rocky19]

Thanks for the info. The maybank info..well..hopefully he will buy me dinner.

Ha Long Bay is must go as I understand. I plan to do a one day trip. Is that do able? or staying close by there or staying on a boat in Ha Long bay is better?

Thanks

[orchipalar]

Wll be in Hanoi in couple of months. Will appreciate if anyone here can share your experience there and travel tips. Will be there fo 4 days.Thanks

Err bro Rocky19...Orchi fell in love with Hanoi/DaNang/HoChiMinh...since the very first time Orchi travelled there on a week working trip...

Contrary to some who believe otherwise...Vietnamese are real friendly lot(well at least Orchi got the impression from those that Orchi have met so far)...

Orchi didn't do much sight seeing those times...since Orchi was there mainly on working trip...but had many times walk the streets n the markets of Hanoi/DaNang/HoChiMinh...

Be prepared to see lots n lots of traffic comprising of mostly motorcycles which may be pose to be in havoc n hazardous...on jam packed narrow streets of Vietnamese cities n towns...Most people young or old...ride on 2 wheels even among the rich...n middle income groups...

Hanoi is said to have about 4 millions of beautiful populations n places...still quite laid back if ya ask Orchi about it except on busy jam packed streets...n be prepared also to fill up many megabytes of memory in your camera...

Every where you walk...the streets are kept relatively clean(but air quality can be poor due to motorbike fumes)...even in the midst of old n historic building blocks...shoplots...or markets.

Like most parts of Vietnamese cities n towns...foreign visitors are aplenty n security is of NO issues...Orchi finds Vietnam could be safer than Singapore...

There has NOT been a time...Orchi was ever felt fear or threatened in anyway...even whilst in more remote Vietnam towns...

The major contributing factors why Orchi loves Vietnam...is probably the food...apart from it's somewhat historic cultural diversities...

There is SO MUCH varieties of fresh n raw greens(ulam) to partake with...any traditional Vietnamese food...Orchi just love even those varieties that Malaysians would mostly eat them when they are cooked...or fried.

Don't take Orchi's words for it yet...but you would soon realize from the moment you step out of the flight at the airport...until you leave home at the end of your journey there...THERE is HARDLY any overweight people in Vietnam...

In the next 2 months or so...when you would be there...the weather would be comfortably moderate...

Remember to bring enough USD in cash(the only most accepted foreign currency)...as credit cards are not as widely accepted yet in shops n restaurant...but 1 USD gets you 16,000 VnDong...or RM1 ~ 4,500 VnD.

Oh btw...please leave a spare USD25 bucks in your wallet...as you would need it to pay for Airport Exit Tax(payable in USD only)...when you leave Vietnam.(Orchi came across few Malaysian travellers who were caught unprepared)

Bon Voyage!

[mark.eleven]

Thanks for the info. The maybank info..well..hopefully he will buy me dinner.

Ha Long Bay is must go as I understand. I plan to do a one day trip. Is that do able? or staying close by there or staying on a boat in Ha Long bay is better?

Thanks

Yes, one day trip is doable. Wifey and me did it on a one day trip 3 years back.

We joined the local tour, costed abt USD20 per pax (if remembered correctly). They will pick you up from your hotel, and will also send you back to your hotel by end of the day.

The trip was quite taxing as the journey from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay took us abt 3 - 4 hours (one way) by bus. But the scenery was simply fantastic. Worth it...

We got the tour company from MAS office, it's along the street (sorry, can't remember the name) where there are many many other tour companies. You can shop around for the best price...

Here's a photo of Ha Long Bay (borrowed from the Net) to get you excited...

[Rocky19]

Orchi,

Thanks for the tips especially the airport tax.I've been to Ho Chi Minh about 10 years ago and yes having small USD bills goes a long way.

Mark11,

Thanks.May decide to make overnight trip to HaLong Bay based on the duration of the trip. 3-4 hours is long.

[mark.eleven]

I think the whole journey was actually only about only 2 hours (one way). We spent quite long at an art centre mid of the journey.

And also, don't forget to go see the Water Puppet Show. This theatre is located opposite another well known tourist spot -- a very big lake (can't really remember its name, I think it's Hoan Kiem lake).

[La Vida Loca]

Hold on to your little ones, I heard crossing the road in Vietnam is a favorite past time for cheap thrill that will get your adrenalin pumping.

Ha Long Bay is simply heavenly....beautiful pics mark.eleven.

[peterkkchong]

I would too recomend to go to Ha Long Bay, one of Unesco World Heritage Site. Nothing will be more pleasure to see Ha Long Bay 2 days 1 nigh via a Chinese Junk. Don't underestimate this chinese junk, it quiet and have part facilities of cruise ship. I went book through HERE and i enjoyed the trip. If you are keen on other country side trip, Handspan organised it as well.

[patrick]

I think the whole journey was actually only about only 2 hours (one way). We spent quite long at an art centre mid of the journey.

And also, don't forget to go see the Water Puppet Show. This theatre is located opposite another well known tourist spot -- a very big lake (can't really remember its name, I think it's Hoan Kiem lake).

Hoan Kiem is correct. And yes, if you go by your own van or car, you can do Hanoi to Halong (about 155km) in about 3 hours.

[usjhomer]

Hi

My family and I will be in Hanoi in May and would like to stay in a hotel located either very near or in the Old Quarters - preferably in a reasonbly modern hotel like Zephyr but lower priced in the region of 30-40USD per night - any ones to recommend?

Thanks in advance