Anyone been to Vietnam?

[JasonTindallsTan]

Hi all,

I’ve just booked a multi centre trip to Vietnam with DH, DD (22) and DS (16).

4 nights Hanoi
4 nights Danang
5 nights Hoi An.

Anyone been, any advice? Any must sees/do?

We’re going in July which I’ve been led to believe should be alright weather wise. Please don’t disabuse me of this notion 😂😂

I was there a while ago now but love Vietnam and want to go back someday! If Hanoikids is still around, we had a really nice time doing a walking tour with them. It's a volunteer organization for young people to show tourists around and practice English. You pay for their entry fees and meals. We went to a couple of the toursit sites and they took us to a yummy local places to eat and get egg coffee (so good).

We also spent a couple days in Hoi An, it was winter but I could see how it would be nice for beaches in the summer. We had great food everywhere but I just remember the food in Hoi An being particularly good.

The Vietnamese countryside is so beautiful, maybe see about a daytrip or bike tour when in Danang/Hoi An.

We went last year, as part of our cruise. we went to HCMC, and a night in Hanoi be prepared for a scare as the mopeds riders are something else. The french bagettes are called Bahn Mi I second the grab app and book via the many information kiosks for trips round the city, Wish we had more time in Hoi An which is picturesque. It was very foggy in Halong bay but the weather was great. Recommend you visit train street, a Vietnamese coffee and if time the dragon bridge Danang. You'll have a great trip.

Have been to Vietnam twice and loved both trips. In terms of the big cities, I preferred Hanoi over Ho Chi Minh as it was a bit more relaxed and traditional and had better street food(!) Although it's a bit more sleepy, Hanoi has a lot to love - we spent the week there and found new places to see and go out during the day and night each night. Ho Chi Minh is more modern but also a great city. Agree that Hoi An is beautiful at night and should be done however 1-2 nights is probably enough as not much else going on other than clothes shops during the day. Halong Bay has to be done and is beautiful and has a lot of 1-3 night boat trips but boat types can be variable depending on what you want e.g. some boats are 'party' boats with a lot of youngsters drinking and others are more relaxed and calm. Sapa was a really nice detour for a few days off the beaten track and was gorgeous - strongly recommend. Vietnam is really easy to travel, well priced, safe - I would return in a heartbeat (you're all making me want to book a holiday there now). We ate like kings and queens every day in Vietnam, so many great spring rolls, bahn mi, coffee - Vietnamese food once you're back in the UK will forever be ruined!

We spent over a week in Hoi An and found plenty to do! Including the eco tour, bike ride, My Son, excursions, chilling in the beach etc.

@Flapjak we went in July and it was boiling hot.

Totally agree with this. Halong bay is beautiful. We did a one night cruise and went kayaking from the boat early in the morning. It was a wonderful experience.

Not sure if anyone else has mentioned it but you can get a free city tour in Hanoi with students. This was a real highlight of our trip, it was like hanging out with a local friend. She spent all day with us and I think we gave her about the equivalent of £50 at the end of the day- she mentioned she was saving for some dental care that cost this much and she was thrilled about that.
The fire bridge in Danang was cool. There was also a theme park in the mountains that was interesting- we took a cable car to get up there.

I would recall appreciate any recommendations for Ha Long or Lan Ha Bay cruises? We want to do a one night but there are soooo many and it’s hard to know which to choose. Thank you!

I am going at the end of the month so reading this thread is making me excited for it now

Hi has anyone been direct with Vietnam Airlines? We were planning on a stopover via Qatar with Qatar airlines but are not going to do that now. Just wanted to know if Vietnam airlines were a good carrier. Thanks

Vietnam is amazing you will love it. Best holiday we ever had (so far). You have to do the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum in Hanoi, such a unique experience, we also found Hanoi prison fascinating, and train street of course. Make sure you try egg coffee in Hanoi, sounds revolting, tastes divine.

I’ll second the golden hands bridge in hoi ann and lantern street of course.

Shame you can’t fit Saigon in, but it gives you a good excuse to go again, the cu chi tunnels and Mekong cruise were fab. We had private tours of both, so fascinating and the stories the guides told of the war were amazing.

For anyone reading this thread and planning a trip, the sailing club in mui ne is a brilliant place to unwind for a few days at the end of a busy trip.

We went a couple of years ago with 3 children (11, 15 & 18), was fab. Agree one of the highlights was motorbike tour of Hanoi. We booked with these:

https://hanoibackstreettours.com/product-category/vietnam-best-tours/hanoi-tours/

That’s who we’re flying with from Heathrow so 🤞🏻

Fab, which tour did you do?

We’re doing the same in three weeks. VN look pretty good- solid record and reputation, with the added bonus you avoid the gulf.

We found it very touristy - almost overwhelmingly so. Not our favourite country tbh.

Definately do this, its beautiful.

We did the half day Hanoi motorbike tour at 5pm so it was a bit cooler. Was so fun. They take you to different parts you wouldn’t see otherwise and end with a meal at their cafe. The children loved it.

It was a fun cruise but the rubbish floating on the sea meant that no one was tempted to go for a swim (that was in 2025). And there are an incredible number of cruise ships hanging around. Our guide thought it would be a a good couple of years before the clean up was complete.

Having recently returned from 2 weeks in Vietnam travelling from HCMC to Hanoi via Hoi An and Hue here are my thoughts.

Vietnamese coffee is dire, very strong and burnt taste, tried many variations but just couldn’t find a one I liked and had to seek out ‘Italian coffee’
The traffic is crazy, the general population all drive mopeds so there are literally millions of them, in the central and south car ownership is limited, in the north it is more common. There are very few road rules and watching city traffic is an experience, think of a crossroads with no give way lines and all vehicles just merging together! One way streets don’t apply to mopeds.
Pavements are for bike parking and street sellers not pedestrians. Crossing the road is a test, don’t expect the traffic to stop at a marked crossings, at lights it will, mostly!
The food can be great, for a baguette you will be looking for Banh Mi, try Banh Mi 25 in Hanoi. The rest if the food is also great, but we were warned to avoid the street sellers and only visited the street markets with a guide. The best dinner I had was during a night market tour.
If you need a western escape there were Starbucks, McDonalds and KFC in Hanoi, near the Lake and Water Puppet theatre. Plus some hotels had western options, although we stuck to local cuisine throughout our trip.
Cost of living is cheap, around 30p for a large bottle of water in 7-11 and 50p for a can of coke. Local beer is good and cheap too, but wine is imported and expensive. Dinner and drinks for 2 was around £30 sometimes under £20.
Cash is used for payment, there are ATMs everywhere. Local sellers and restaurants will not take cards, hotels will. Get used to the notes, some are very similar and there are lots of 00s.

I loved Hoi An, the memories show is worth a visit one evening and the old town is great for a wander.

Ha Long bay is a good 3 hour drive from Hanoi so and overnight boat trip is recommended.

Thats such a shame. I went in 2004, never saw any rubbish, just stunning scenery. Loved Hanoi too.

I think it's changed enormously in 20 years, they keep talking about the wrong type of tourism - low cost and high volume, it's ruining the country. It doesn't feel like it has hit crisis point yet - you'd think the cruise ships would help with the clean up because it will impact their business but that's not how it works.

Da Nang and Hoi Ann are only about 40 mins apart by taxi. Da Nang is quite a big city, but with nice enough beaches and plenty of good hotels, plenty of places to eat and for every palate. My favourite place in Da Nang was Chùa Linh Ứng (massive lady Buddha, big area, all lovely) a short taxi ride away (less than £5) at sunset. I wasn't THAT enamoured with Hoi Ann to be honest, it is pretty but very touristy, but did enjoy cycling to the beach, and the markets / river nice enough. We went to the Champ Temples at My Son from Hoi Ann. Our hotel organised a driver (they are all happy to do this) and he took us at dawn so we were the first in, it takes about an hour to get there, and few others were. Driver waited for 2 hours, then picked us up and went back. I was not happy going on a mass tour in the middle of the day, and although I think it cost around £60 for the driver, it was money well spent. Didn't do BANA hills with the big hand. Expensive for Viet and fake and not that great from what we had heard (although the insta photos are brilliant I must say). Loved Ninh Binh. Liked Halong "enough". Liked Hanoi, esp the Mausoleum area, and also for the cheap fake markets. Have a brilliant time x

I think 5 nights in Hoi Ann is tooooo long.
it’s very small, plus absolutely rammed with tourists now. 2-3 nights max I would recommend

Agree 100%