JBR - Vietnam [4 weeks in September 2015]

PompeyPete

Before I get round to a JBR on our trip, I thought I'd post some excellent Visa news...

http://www.thanhniennews.com/travel/vietnam-slashes-visa-fees-in-bid-to-boost-tourism-52402.html

PompeyPete

Must make a start, or I'll bottle it.

The following was our final itinerary, commencing at LHR on Tuesday 1 September...

Day 1: Arrive at 1250 HCMC with Qatar Airways
Day 2: HCMC
Day 3: Fly Vietjet to Dalat (50 minute flight)
Day 4: Dalat
Day 5: Dalat
Day 6: Dalat
Day 7: Dalat
Day 8: Fly Vietnam Airways to Da Nang (80 minute flight). Danang
Day 9: Danang
Day10: Danang
Day 11: Danang
Day 12: Train to Hue. Hue
Day 13: Hue
Day 14: Hue
Day 15: Hue
Day 16: Hue
Day 17: Bus to Hoi An
Day 18: Hoi An
Day 19: Hoi An
Day 20: Hoi An
Day 21: Hoi An
Day 22: Hoi An
Day 23: Hoi An
Day 24: Fly Danang to HCMC. HCMC
Day 25: HCMC/Mekong Delta?
Day 26: HCMC/Mekong Delta?
Day 27: HCMC
Day 28: HCMC. Evening flight to London via Doha

We kept to the itinerary, except that we never got to the Mekong towards the end of the trip.

PompeyPete

Day 1 and 2. We started the trip by National Express coach at 0855 from Fareham to LHR (terminal 4).

Our Qatar Airways flight to Doha wasn't until 1505, so that gave us plenty of time to get from home to LHR. We arrived at check-in at 1145. Our cases [we travel light - about 13 Kg each] were checked through to Saigon and we were through into Departures quickly. I was a little surprised not to be asked for our Vietnam Visa Approval Letter at check-in.

Was quite excited about the flight as the aircraft was a Airbus 380-800, with a passenger capacity of 517.

The aircraft was almost full, and set off on time. We were v.impressed with everything about the aircraft, and service onboard. Being state-of-the-art there was little engine noise or vibration. Although Qatar is a 'dry' Gulf State, that doesn't apply to their international flights. The food for the main meal was fine, though the other meal was an All-Day savoury snack [chicken or lamb mince] in pastry, which I passed on after the first bite!

Flight to Doha took just over 6 hours, and we hit the tarmac in Doha at 2345 (BST +2).

No need to pass through any formalities at Doha, and so we quickly made our way to the Departure Gate for our flight to Saigon. Our flight was due to leave at 0050, so no time for looking around Duty Free.

In the event we left the tarmac 2 hours late, due to other passengers arriving on flights from other destinations.

The aircraft for the Doha-Saigon leg was an Airbus A330. No complaints about the 7 hours(ish) flight, and we hit the tarmac at Saigon at 1420 (BST +6).

Clearing Visa control is always a bit of a bit of a hot or miss affair at some of the SE Asia airports, and Saigon is no exception. It was quite a long walk from the Arrival Gate to the Visa Desk [in the same hall as Immigration].

Fortunately there wasn't much of a queue, so obviously there weren't other flights that had landed just in front of ours, and also because of the new visa exemption rule for visitors of certain nationalities who's stay is for 15 days or less.

Handed in our Visa Approval Letter, our completed Visa Application Forms, and Passports. Then sat down for about 10 minutes until called forward. Paid our US$45 each, checked that the info in our Passports was correct, and off to the Immigration Desk.

Breezed through Immigration. We were in Vietnam! Next thing was money changing.

Immediately to the left and right after Immigration was a money changing kiosk [can't recall which bank it is]. I checked the rate, and was v.happy to discover we could get 34,095 VN Dong = £. So we changed £100 to get us on our way. There are other money changers in the Arrival Hall.

Worth noting that the VN Dong is only notes, no coins. The higher denominations [500,000, 200k, 100K, 50K] are plastic and invariably in excellent condition. I made sure that we got a few 100k and 50k to pay the taxi driver.

Retrieving our luggage was easy, they were already wizzing round the carousel.

Next stop was finding a taxi to our accommodation in Saigon District 1. We'd been advised that are plenty of taxi scams, and to only use Vinasun or Mai Link taxis while in Vietnam, and also make sure they used the meter. The scams normally involve not using the meter, or meters that whirl round at a blinding pace.

There are several taxi desks in Arrivals, but I couldn't see what we wanted. My homework had told me that the Domestic Terminal was only a short walk. So we did that short walk, and there were plenty of Vinasun and Mai Link taxis.

I gave the driver our accommodation confirmation, which had the directions in Vietnamese. Made sure he put the meter on and off we went.

There's an exit charge for cars at Saigon Airport of 10k Vnd [less than 30p].

The drive to District 1 was a good introduction to the zillions of scooters everywhere, and coming in all directions. Something to look forward to for the next 4 weeks!

The taxi took about 30 minutes, and dropped us off right on the door step of the Hong Han Hotel. The fare was 180k [£5] including a small tip.

Got to go, more later.:)

slinga

I read the headlines of the URL in your first post.

Funny thing is I thought that Visas to Vietnam for UK citizens were no longer required.

Can't remember where I read that.

But when we were transiting HCMC and Hanoi recently I'm sure that was the case.

Ah I see it refers to visitors from the US.

PompeyPete

slinga wrote: »

I read the headlines of the URL in your first post.
Funny thing is I thought that Visas to Vietnam for UK citizens were no longer required.

The link in the opening posting is about the price of a Vietnam visa being reduced [including UK Passport holders]. So a standard 30 day visitor visa will reduce from US$45 to US$25. In addition there'll also be the cost of the Visa Approval Letter if applying online or whatever a Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate charge for the service.

That's a different issue to whether UK Passport holders require a visa or not. Rules on that are here in FCO Travel Advice 'Entry Requirements'...

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/vietnam/entry-requirements

PompeyPete

#3 cont'd

The Hong Han receptionist has our Agoda confirmation. She takes our Passport and shows us to our first floor room.

The room is to the rear of the building and opposite the breakfast terrace.

Quickly unpack what we need for 2 nights, have a shower and then ready for a wander not too far around District 1. Nice clean room, massive comfortable bed, flat screen telly, fridge, a shower/wet room where you need to be careful otherwise everything gets soaked, even the loo roll. Breakfast on the terrace included. Perfect for 2 nights.

It's dusk, and the streets are busy, noise everywhere, mopeds coming in every direction. Even the pavements belong to mopeds. You very quickly realise that pedestrians are at the bottom of the 'food chain' where rule of the road is concerned.

Loads of cheap eating places with child size plastic chairs outside, local brewed beer by the glass being supped by blokes playing cards, bright lights, girls handing out leaflets for massages, small 'chic' type bars with music and young girls with short skirts trying to attract the type who ought to know better, tall narrow hotels and guest houses, souvenir shops, shops selling fabrics and ceramics, people trying to flog day trips or bus tickets, taxis everywhere, tourists arriving and looking for accommodation. A very vibrant place to hang out.

It's v.hot and clammy, so we quickly need a beer. We settle on the Dune Cafe, close to our hotel, and advertising cold Bia Saigon [green label] at 8,000 [less than 25p] for a 450ml bottle. That's the sort of price I like, and had no hesitation in parking our bums, fortunately on full sized wooden chairs!

The Dune Cafe happens to be a great spot for sitting outside, and watching the world go by. Mr Tong is the man in charge, more of him later. There's a few other tourists in the Dune Cafe. We enjoy a couple of bottles of Bia Saigon each, and decide to go and find some bottled water and get an early night. 4 bottles of beer came to less than a £.

Bought a 5 litre bottle of water [easy to decant] for 23K dong [70p). We had a fridge in our room, and several empty plastic bottles. A 1 litre bottle of water costs about 10k dong.

Not hungry, so give food a miss. A cup of coffee in our room, and an early night. There was some noise from the front of the hotel, but we had ear plugs and they did the trick.

First impressions: A bit of Thai, but more like Cambodia, with a twist of their own

Day 3, in Saigon next, before we move on Day 4 to Da Lat.

Leanne1812

Reading this brings back memories of the chaotic city of HCM.

We loved it though not as much as Hanoi but would return for another short visit. Once when trying to cross the road a taxi driver came along and held my hand like a 5 year old! It just goes against everything we know to try and cross such busy roads. We soon learned to hover near a local and quickly cross alongside them.

I'm sure the rates on the building are set on the width and that's why they are so narrow & tall ( don't quote me on that but I think a local told me).

I wonder did you visit Cu Chi?

I'm looking forward to reading more & reminiscing.

PompeyPete

Leanne1812 wrote: »

I wonder did you visit Cu Chi?

No. But you'll have to read on to find out why.;)

Doshwaster

PP - great to read your reports so far. Hope you find the time to add some more.

I just got back 2 week in Thailand this morning so I'm spending the day feeling zonked before attempting to go to work tomorrow. I always enjoy Thailand but I realised on the flight back that I'd had a better time in Vietnam last year so my initial feeling is that I'll have to go back next year to see the south of the country.

phatbear

Leanne1812 wrote: »

Once when trying to cross the road a taxi driver came along and held my hand like a 5 year old! It just goes against everything we know to try and cross such busy roads. We soon learned to hover near a local and quickly cross alongside them.

I wonder did you visit Cu Chi?

My sister in law is vietnamese and when we met up with her in HCMC 3 years ago the top tip she gave me for crossing the road is if its just mopeds to just go for it dont stop half way or change course and they will go around you, and i spent a couple of happy weeks in vietnam following her instructions and never had an issue.

I managed to get to cu chi on the way back from her home town of Bien Hoa, aka the armpit of vietnam, and though it was a tad meh! and not that it was much money but it was a tad annoying that we had to pay quite a bit more than her to enter as its cheaper for vietnamese nationals

Leanne1812

phatbear wrote: »

My sister in law is vietnamese and when we met up with her in HCMC 3 years ago the top tip she gave me for crossing the road is if its just mopeds to just go for it dont stop half way or change course and they will go around you, and i spent a couple of happy weeks in vietnam following her instructions and never had an issue.

I managed to get to cu chi on the way back from her home town of Bien Hoa, aka the armpit of vietnam, and though it was a tad meh! and not that it was much money but it was a tad annoying that we had to pay quite a bit more than her to enter as its cheaper for vietnamese nationals

We did learn how to get across but it still went against all my instincts to cross when all I could see was a multitude of traffic.

I thought Cu Chi was fascinating. From the video to the plans of the tunnels and onwards to actually experience going down the tunnels. Our guide maybe helped but it was very informative and educational. To live underground, cook without being detected, have babies & perform operations was incredible. I loved how nothing was wasted. Sandals made from tyres thrown away by the Americans. A very resourceful people. Some of the traps made me feel sick to my stomach but that was the reality of the war.