Hanoi..... any recommendations or advice?

alisonofagun

19lottie82 wrote: »

Wow thanks everyone! Some great tips here to get me started! I was thinking of booking a car to collect us from the airport. Can anyone recommend a firm with a website?

Taxis are cheap and easily available. If you don't want the hassle of haggling over the price, you can go to the tourist information point in arrivals and they will sell you a private transfer for around $30/35.

poor_johno

totallybored wrote: »

I stayed at the Hanoi Elegance Ruby hotel that someone on here recommended. It was very nice and staff were excellent. They arranged my Halong Bay trip for me and sorted out my train tickets. No pool but I think only the big chain hotels in Hanoi have them.

I second the Hanoi Elegance Ruby, its a lovely little hotel and the staff are really nice. The street its on is very interesting to walk down when the stalls are open and its also only a short walk from the "action". As for clubs I didnt see any but I weren't looking plus beer corner wasn't far so we went there for the bai hoi (local beer).

I also agree with the Halong Bay trip, I think 5 days in Hanoi would have been too much for me. We booked with Indochina Junk, and I highly recommend them, They have a selected part of the bay they use so it isn't as polluted and busy.

Also I think a lot of the hotels will offer a car service, the Ruby did and it was pretty reasonable.

19lottie82

Also, any advice on the best way to get an entry visa?

I was going to do it by mail with the embassy in London, but I have noticed that many hotels will send you a letter, and also forward a copy to immigration for when you arrive?

The latter seems cheaper, but is it a reliable option?

Thanks!

Mr_Wang

19lottie82 wrote: »

going to be flying in to Hanoi for 5 days as part of my honeymoon in July. My OH and I are reasonably young, so would like to be "in the middle of the action", so to speak.

From what I can gather the Old Quarter would be the best part to stay?

We would be looking at £60 a night tops for a hotel, so I presume that will get us somewhere quite decent? Ideally I'd like a pool but it doens't have to be a definite.

Any reccomendations? And also areas for nightlife? Thanks!

A day in Hanoi and then bail to Sa Pa, or Halong bay.

If you pre book a tour you will get scammed, just turn up and sort it yourself.

totallybored

19lottie82 wrote: »

Also, any advice on the best way to get an entry visa?

I was going to do it by mail with the embassy in London, but I have noticed that many hotels will send you a letter, and also forward a copy to immigration for when you arrive?

The latter seems cheaper, but is it a reliable option?

Thanks!

No need to go to the embassy. I did mine through something like myvietnam visa, it takes a couple of days and they send you an invitation letter. Once you land you hand it over to the visa on arrival people with your $$ and they stick the visa stamp in your passport. I would imagine the hotel option is even easier.

I've just had a look at my old confirmation email from the Ruby hotel and they charged me $18 for a car pick up which I thought was reasonable as I was travelling on my own and arrived late at night.

littlereddevil

19lottie82 wrote: »

Also, any advice on the best way to get an entry visa?

I was going to do it by mail with the embassy in London, but I have noticed that many hotels will send you a letter, and also forward a copy to immigration for when you arrive?

The latter seems cheaper, but is it a reliable option?

Thanks!

We went the embassy route. Saves queueing when you get off the plane at the visa counter

poor_johno

19lottie82 wrote: »

Also, any advice on the best way to get an entry visa?

I was going to do it by mail with the embassy in London, but I have noticed that many hotels will send you a letter, and also forward a copy to immigration for when you arrive?

The latter seems cheaper, but is it a reliable option?

Thanks!

I also used MyVietnamVisa which was the easier cheaper option. Fair enough there is a queue but if you have your wits about you and get to the desk first it won't take long. I think it took us ten minutes.

totallybored

poor_johno wrote: »

I also used MyVietnamVisa which was the easier cheaper option. Fair enough there is a queue but if you have your wits about you and get to the desk first it won't take long. I think it took us ten minutes.

I was first in the queue when I got there

Hanoi airport is quite small too so everything was fairly quick.

19lottie82

ok, so just to confirm, if we get a letter from our hotel, who also send a copy to immigration. then when we get to Hanoi airport, we que for our visas, present the letter with 45 USD each (do we need the exact number of dollars each, or can we hand over $90 for 2 people?) and then we get our visas?

$90 would be a lot cheaper than going through the embassy. think we were looking at £120 ish for 2 visas.

thanks (again!)

poor_johno

19lottie82 wrote: »

ok, so just to confirm, if we get a letter from our hotel, who also send a copy to immigration. then when we get to Hanoi airport, we que for our visas, present the letter with 45 USD each (do we need the exact number of dollars each, or can we hand over $90 for 2 people?) and then we get our visas?

Erm no I didn't need anything from a hotel (not sure if this is needed now?). I just went HERE filled in the form and paid. Then I received an approval document by email which basically just had a list of names on it (inc. mine) that arrived the same day as me.

You then have to take the following to the desk when you arrive:

• Original passport
• 02 photos 4x6CM
• Letter of visa upon arrival
• Stamping fee
• On arrival form (you get a link to this)

I think we just handed over $90.