Visiting Vietnam

[poosmate]

how much would one epect to pay for a flight from los to vietnam. fancy taking a look next time im over there. and would like to go to siem reep(spelling) any recomendations?

Maybe try Cambodia

[buksida]

As we know, travelling in Southeast Asia doesn't always go to plan so now we have a dilemma ...

Do we book all hotels and flights in advance taking advantage of those good deals and stick to a rigid and inflexible schedule.

Or ...

Wing it and try to book stuff a few days ahead costing more but giving us more flexibility to stay if we like a place or move if we don't. Should something go wrong we don't lose all of the pre-paid rooms.

[Big Boy]

With a couple of kids in tow, I think I'd go for the latter

[richard]

A very interesting and informative thread.

I have a challenge coming up in Jan/Feb. Eldest daughter coming to Cambodia and then on to VN. Youngest coming out to Goa around the same time. They have been to HH so many times so want a change and want me to meet up with them.

Thinking I might up in VN and then somehow get to Goa

VN to India. Easy?

Early days yet and they are also thinking as to whether to book ahead or wing it and cross fingers

[Dannie Boy]

Never been to VN so this is somewhat dangerous, but I would have thought that the more popular areas are going to have similar infrastructure to LOS other than the main tourist areas such as Pattaya, Phuket etc. Maybe not with children, but if it was just adults, then I would be tempted to just pre-book the first 2-3 days and then take it as it comes!

[Korkenzieher]

From my own experience, and I was warned about this before I went in 2008, in Hanoi you can get some nasty comments from locals if you are traveling with an Asian female. It will be in in Viet, but if you have a smattering of French, the comments are pretty obvious. Your Thai partner is less likely to understand the comments.

Essentially, it boils down to the fact that they expect that she is Vietnamese with a Western guy for money and ignoring their Vietnamese comments out of arrogance (rather than that she simply doesn't understand them). It WILL happen. It isn't a reason not to go - certainly if you are heading into Hanoi and then south - but it IS something to be aware of.

[buksida]

Interesting ... wonder what they'll make of the kids then !!!

[Terry]

Mrs T & the boys have been over to Hanoi twice including one trip to to Ha Long Bay, we DID get some strange looks sometimes - but I put that down to me being humungous - compared to the locals.

We've never had any problems so far.

[Terry]

One of the joys of Hanoi is the Sunday Brunch at the Melia hotel

Superb high quality all you can eat nosh - Japanese, European, Thai, Local, Roasts, Carvery etc etc .............and limitless Cava - which is not a bad substitute for Champers.

All for USD 50.00 all in.

Off now to meet the lads.........

Might surface later - then again - after a bottle or three I might not

Chock dee.

[Pagey]

Buksi : Small article on Hanoi on stickman this week http://www.cnngo.com/same-same-differen ... unlike-any

[Korkenzieher]

I wouldn't say that the comments were incessant, but my companion of the time noticed it enough that after 4 days (we were there for she asked a tame local to explain certain words to her and was a little upset by what she heard. She had probably heard it more than me as, well, to put not too fine a point on it, given my height and weight advantage, most of the Hanoi locals weren't likely to line up to insult me personally!

[buksida]

One observation before I even get there: I have been emailing a few companies, railway agents, hotels, bike rental places, etc over there and every one has responded in high standard English, promptly and courteously.

Try doing that in Thailand where 80% of the time you don't even get a reply!

[Bamboo Grove]

I have the same experience as Buksi mentions above, even the smaller hotels replied and so did the tour agencies when I asked about tours around Saigon.

[Pagey]

Korky : Several restaurants, shop staff and hotel staff spoke to my Thai wife in Vietnamese because they thought she was a local.

[dtaai-maai]

^^A friend of mine brought his Vietnamese girlfriend and kids to HH earlier this year. Everywhere they went people spoke to them in Thai. Hardly surprising, really.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, I always have to remind myself not to wai or speak (bad) Thai to my Korean and Chinese colleagues.