Vietnam Travel Forum

I'll be in vietnam for 3 weeks in August, landing in HCMC. I want to travel by car north to Hanoi, then back. We'll have 3 people, including a vietnamese citizen (so no language problems), and want to keep the plans flexible. Is this a reasonable plan, and does anyone have any recommendations for a driver or agency? Thanks for all the fine advice in the past.

Oh, and I wouldn't mind hiring secondary local guides in some of the areas.

Checkout Sinh Cafe they arranged for a friend and her husband to be driven not sure if it was North-South or the other direction. Sinh Cafe made an itinerary including all their accom, meals and fees they were treated like royalty and loved every minute. Send them an email I am sure they will oblige. My friend used them on my recomendation.

It will be a very long "slow" hot dangerous bumpy ride along HWY 1!!!! I don't recomend it! August will be very hot! When in Saigon do an overnight to the Mekong Delta with car/driver and guide. Think about a car/driver without guide, maybe from Saigon to Mui Ne>Da Lat>Nha Trang. Then fly to Danang. Car and driver to Hoi An>Hue. Fly out of Hue to Hanoi. Car and driver to Halong Bay. Back to Hanoi and then take a sleeper train to Sapa. That would give you plenty of car/driver and also time to see the worth while places in Vietnam. E-Mail me at kennbaker@msn.com if you like and I can tell you who my wife and I have used our last 6 trips in the last 4 years to Vietnam.