Thu Do Ha Noi Travel Forum

hello i was just wondering how safe it was to cross the border from hanoi to cambodia via bus or train?where do i buy the tix and how far in advance do i buy it?im a solo fem traveller and its my first time abroad so i really am scared.any advice wld be great!!!!
ps:ill be in hanoi from jan 22 to jan 27

melody

During our three weeks in Vietnam we will have 4-6 days that we can relax on a beach somewhere. I have read so many different reviews about the beaches. We will be in Hoi An so don't know if we should stay in a beach resort there or go to Nga Trang, Mui Ne or somewhere else. What we like to do is spend time on the beach during the day and walk into town for dinner and to see all the sights and activities. We do not want to be far away from any activity even if it is only by taxi. We want the best of both worlds, does it exist in Vietnam? Your help is appreciated.

I am very interested in taking a tour to Tam Coc. Can I purchase a tour anywhere in Hanoi? How long of a tour is it and what is the approx. cost?
Thank you

Hi all my helpful friends. I am travelling to Vietnam in April for 3 weeks. My itinerary is almost complete and now will do the booking. First I would like to ask you all for some help. We have allotted one week in Hanoi to take in all the sights and do a side trip to Sapa and Halong Bay As we can only manage to stay in Sapa for 2 nights would it be easier to book a tour or do it on our own? Any suggestions for a reasonable tour operator (not luxury)? Should we book once we get there or over here? How can we find the appox. cost of a tour so we can fit it in our budget? Regarding Halong Bay we are not sure it we should go or not. We have kayaked around the beautiful limestone cliffs of Phi Phi Island in Thailand and visited caves in Mallorca, Spain to take in the wonder of the fabulous stalagmites and stalactites. We have snokelled the clear waters in Thailand and the Mediterranean and wonder if it is worth the money to visit Halong Bay. How about a one day visit? I appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks

Where do I get the tickets in advance and normally how many days in advance do I need to take ?

My wife wants me to buy her some handmade clothing while in Hanoi. I am bringing her measurements in inches and centimeters and also pictures of stuff she likes. Is there anything else I should do?

I will be in Hanoi the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of October. Anyone up for dinner or a beer?

Cheers
NYTim

Any tips for where to stay in Hanoi from people who have recently been would be appreciated, currently looking at either splendid star or hanoi view but open to any and all suggestions. Also how much should I pay for ride from airport to city?

Cheers
Bria

My friend has just come back from Sapa for her 4 day trip and it make me eager prepare for this trip.

Her trip was a group of 4 people and following a private tour of ODC Travel. It was a smoothly journey for her weekend vacation. She told me many interesting things and nice picture about beauty spots and colorful minorities there. I was impressed by Bac Ha market and homestay in the village, really eager to learn more about Sapa history and culture.

I also want to do the same route but a question regarding choosing what kind of tour to follow. Group tour maybe cheaper and more joyful because I can interact with both the fellows and locals. I also think of the safety as well as the private space.

Is there any body joined a group tour to Sapa? Is it worth enough to join? I do not mind about the partners, just care about the safety of my properties.

I need some help planning my trip. I am going to Hanoi this coming sept, then Halong Bay and Sapa. After that i am thinking of going to Hoi An for some tailoring and sightseeing.
How do i get to Hoi An in the first place from Hanoi? and any tailoring shops to recommend? i heard tailoring shirts there are quite cheap.
I am also thinking of going to Ho Chi Minh from Hoi an also. I would appreciate if someone could guide me through

Cheers!!

jessica again here, where is the place to shop in Hanoi or Hoi an?
to find local goods and cheap stuffs? or interesting stuffs and special from vietnam?

tks
j

Hi All, anyone knows or suggest any good 3*hotel promotion in Hanoi for me, I'm going to visit there next month. many thanks.

Hi everyone, I'd like to have some information about some good 3*hotels in Hanoi, especially in the old quarter. Appreciate any kind advice for me, and who heard about or already stayed at Splendidstar hotel, please let me know.

Hi All ,
Thinking of making trip to Hanoi Jan /Feb.Will it be very cold enough to have to bring warm clothing?

Replies to my earlier post were very helpful and encouraging and so I have another question: I will be in Hanoi in August and I understand it can be very wet. Does it tend to rain all day or just for a period each day? Do the streets become inches deep in water? If so what footwear would be best? I have a business meeting so have to be reasonably smart. How do people cope with the rains clothes-wise? I assume it will also be very humid/hot.

Thanks,
Sam

Hi

I will be in Hanoi for a couple of nights on business sometime in mid-late August and I am thinking of extending my stay a night or so to see something of the city (as I am travelling from UK probably via Singapore) but I was not sure how easy or safe it would be for a single woman travelling alone to see some of the sights. I don't speak any Vietnamese or much French. Has anyone any suggestions about what to do/see safely alone? I am interested in culture, history, gardens, temples and maybe a bit of shopping. I don't know yet where I will be staying as my company is making the travel arrangements for me.

Thanks,
Sam

Hi, I will be travelling to Hanoi in August. I am choosing between Elegance 3 and Golden-Sun Hotel 4. Both hotels have been very quick in their email response to me and have equal shares of good reviews.

1.Has anyone here stayed in these two hotels? I would appreciate your true comments (good and bad) to help me make choice. (2) I am also thinking of engaging the service from hanoikids to bring me around Hanoi city. Has anyone utilize their service? Appreciate your comments and experience with them

This may have been asked and answered several times, but I still haven't found a clearer direction/instruction on how to cross overland from Hanoi to Luang Prabang. And some entries are quite old.

I am a female traveling alone in October. From Bangkok to Siam Reap to PP to Saigon to Hoi An to Hanoi to Luang Prabang to Vientiane to Chiang Mai and back to Bangkok. But with this route, the vaguest one was with the Hanoi and Luang Prabang route. Please, i need info on this one. Would really appreciate. Thanks! :)

My friends and I are spoilt for choice between a trip to

1. Perfume Pagoda,
2. a city tour,
3. Tam Coc (Inner Halong Bay),
4. Hanoi - Bich Dong Cave and
Thung Nang - Capital Hoa Lu,
5. Hanoi - Cuc Phuong National Park
6. Kenh Ga Hotspring - Phat Diem Cathedral.

We can pick two from the above. Any suggestions or recommendations (taking into account the heat in Hanoi at the moment)? Thanks.

Has anyone used ODC Travel Company for Hanoi day trips and Halong Bay boat trips? I would like to read reviews about them, whether they're a good operator to sign up with.

I would appreciate if anyone has other good local operators to recommend. Thanks.

C

Anyone has fashion boutique, tailor (for the local wear "ao dai") and restaurant recommendations for our holiday in Hanoi? Thanks.

Hello, fellow travellers! Does anyone know how I can get in touch with the Vietnam Airlines Airport Taxi company (preferably, a website or email address)? I had a situation with one of their drivers on my recent trip to Hanoi and my attempts to get to the bottom of things at their office in Hanoi were basically impossible, as I don't speak Vietnamese and they didn't speak English. I have also tried a Google search but have not been successful. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Hi all,

I have look through the web and saw this hotel "Hello Vietnam Hotel Hanoi" the review was really good, however if anyone here have stayed here before, would like your feedback, or if you would recommend others (I am on a budget when it comes to hotels) thanks

Hi all,

I am planning a short 5 days trip to Hanoi before flying off to Bangkok, I am still doing my research of Hanoi, like where to stay, where to go, a must visit place, how to get around, do's and don'ts and etc, however I would like hear from some of you guys who have been there and done that to give some inside tips or advised. One things that I am looking for this trip is the Padi Rats delicacy in Hanoi which I really wanna try, however I can't seem to find that place, I have read some blog with video clips on it, it only mentioned 15km from Hanoi, anyway here can help me?

thanks

Hi we will be in Hanoi next week for 10 nights (we are getting real excited to) There seems to be a lot to buy for little girls for gifts but I am stumped as to what to buy for little boys ages 9 and 8 years old. Can anyone make any suggestions please. Thanks for your help
Tattugran

I would like to know the price for entrance ticket for puppet showing.
Do we need to book.?

Hi

we are visiting Hanoi for the first time and are very excited about a trip around Halong bay.

Could anyone please let us know of any reputable tour companies from personal experience and advise of good budget places to stay in Hanoi.
Thanks

I will be flying into Hanoi arriving ~10pm.
I will be then making a domestic connecting flight the following morning ~10am.

Any recommendation on hotels that will be convenient to make it between the airports?

My travel agent had many names come up, but neither of us recognized them and I must admit that I have not seen many reviews of any. Only one that comes up is Somerset Hoa Bigh. Open to suggestions.

If we were to travel to Hanoi and then go to Halong Bay for the overnight cruise, would it be feasible to bring our luggage along or is there a place where we can leave our left luggage?
I was also given to understand that we could either spend a night on a chinese junk( which I was told is more of a tourist trap than anything else) or in a hotel on Cat Ba Island- which would be the better option?
My concern is also that my husband suffers badly from seasickness so it may not be a good idea to spend a night on the boat but how's the sea there? is it rough?
appreciate some feedback here. thanks.

Hi,
Looking desperately for info on getting a chinese visa in Hanoi. Anybody have any recent experineced of obtaining a chinese visa in Hanoi (or Ho Chi Minh)
Is it possible? How long does it take? How much does it cost? Do I need proof of accommodation/onward travel
Thanks
Brian