Stopover in Hanoi for a couple of days.

slinga

Returned from Hanoi on Tuesday.
Enjoyed it more than HCMC but can't recommend it.

The Street Food walking tour was awful.
Look I'm well used to eating in funny places in SEA and used to eating poor food but this was well over the top costwise. Very disappointing.

The hotel was very good and all staff exceedingly helpful.

Luckily this was just a stopover on our annual return to UK from Singapore, otherwise we'd consider it a total waste of money.

Different strokes etc etc.

NiftyDigits

slinga wrote: »

Returned from Hanoi on Tuesday.
Enjoyed it more than HCMC but can't recommend it.

The Street Food walking tour was awful.
Look I'm well used to eating in funny places in SEA and used to eating poor food but this was well over the top costwise. Very disappointing.

The hotel was very good and all staff exceedingly helpful.

Luckily this was just a stopover on our annual return to UK from Singapore, otherwise we'd consider it a total waste of money.

Different strokes etc etc.

What an odd review. You can't recommend Ha Noi based on your awful choice of a street food walking tour??

We had a completely different experience, in both cities.
Did you visit Ngon Villa?
Did you take any advice from this thread at all?

PompeyPete

We conduct our own Street Food Walking Tours, usually as part of a self conducted bar tour, at a fraction of the cost of any organised tour.

dj1471

That's a shame.

Food tours are always hideously expensive, the actual price of the food would've probably been under £10 pp (assuming the usual 3 hours in length). Some tours only go to places that pay them commission so quality isn't the first priority. Be sure to review on TripAdvisor.

Food in Vietnam is generally good quality and inexpensive, the only exceptions being restaurants that cater to tourists. I usually pay under £3 for a decent meal for 2.

slinga

dj1471 wrote: »

That's a shame.

Food tours are always hideously expensive, the actual price of the food would've probably been under £10 pp (assuming the usual 3 hours in length). Some tours only go to places that pay them commission so quality isn't the first priority. Be sure to review on TripAdvisor.

Food in Vietnam is generally good quality and inexpensive, the only exceptions being restaurants that cater to tourists. I usually pay under £3 for a decent meal for 2.

In Europe we always do the 'Free' walking tours which are really good.

Don't see those in SEA.

We live in Singapore and used to live in HK and travel frequently to Malaysia and Indonesia, less often to Thailand these days.

Can't say we like the food in Vietnam even discounting the food tour.

Strolling around the Old Quarter was great but you can't do that for ever.
Not keen on handbag dogs everywhere.

The beer may be cheap but it's not much different to the lager type beers of SEA and nowhere near as good as Star or Club to be found in Ghana.

Two visits to Vietnam will not encourage us to return.

We like countryside and scenery but what to do on a beach except to sit by the pool.:)

Just saying like.

Take it or leave it.:D

Doshwaster

PompeyPete wrote: »

We conduct our own Street Food Walking Tours, usually as part of a self conducted bar tour, at a fraction of the cost of any organised tour.

I usually do too. With Google Maps to help you out, who needs a tour guide?

While there are some exceptions (I did a very "educational" bar tour in Berlin last year), they are typically over-priced and just go to the places which pay the guide the highest commission. If you really want to do one then make sure you do your research first.

NiftyDigits

slinga wrote: »

In Europe we always do the 'Free' walking tours which are really good.

Don't see those in SEA.

We live in Singapore and used to live in HK and travel frequently to Malaysia and Indonesia, less often to Thailand these days.

Can't say we like the food in Vietnam even discounting the food tour.

Strolling around the Old Quarter was great but you can't do that for ever.
Not keen on handbag dogs everywhere.

The beer may be cheap but it's not much different to the lager type beers of SEA and nowhere near as good as Star or Club to be found in Ghana.

Two visits to Vietnam will not encourage us to return.

We like countryside and scenery but what to do on a beach except to sit by the pool.:)

Just saying like.

Take it or leave it.:D

My question is...did you actually follow any of the advice for which you asked?

I am guessing that you did not, made bad choices and that has formed your opinion.

I recommended Ngon Villa, as it gave you the possibility to try foods from the North, South and Central Vietnam at one sitting and at a fixed price....in pleasant surroundings.

For Saigon, I would have recommended BioGarten Restaurant to you.

Again in Saigon, instead of staying in District 1 like many, we chose; https://www.riverside-apartments.com/about-us/
So we had a lot of space, played tennis, utilised the gym and lived life by the river side. There is a free boat and bus shuttle service to District 1.
We rather enjoyed eating at D'Maris Premier Buffet Restaurant, which they describe as the biggest buffet in the world.
Lunchtime prices(before 4pm, but can continue to eat for as long as one likes) at around £14 per person. For this, all drinks and desserts are included. They have at least fifty different desserts. Coconuts and freshly squeezed sugar cane juice also included.

Just saying, that it seems that you made poor choices if you have nothing positive to report.

Ha Noi, again accommodation was a fully equipped one bedroom apartment with access to a roof terrace overlooking the West Lake, a few metres away. All for £22 per night with a hearty breakfast provided.

dickydonkin

NiftyDigits wrote: »

My question is...did you actually follow any of the advice for which you asked?

I am guessing that you did not, made bad choices and that has formed your opinion.

I recommended Ngon Villa, as it gave you the possibility to try foods from the North, South and Central Vietnam at one sitting and at a fixed price....in pleasant surroundings.

For Saigon, I would have recommended BioGarten Restaurant to you.

Again in Saigon, instead of staying in District 1 like many, we chose; https://www.riverside-apartments.com/about-us/
So we had a lot of space, played tennis, utilised the gym and lived life by the river side. There is a free boat and bus shuttle service to District 1.
We rather enjoyed eating at D'Maris Premier Buffet Restaurant, which they describe as the biggest buffet in the world.
Lunchtime prices(before 4pm, but can continue to eat for as long as one likes) at around £14 per person. For this, all drinks and desserts are included. They have at least fifty different desserts. Coconuts and freshly squeezed sugar cane juice also included.

Just saying, that it seems that you made poor choices if you have nothing positive to report.

Ha Noi, again accommodation was a fully equipped one bedroom apartment with access to a roof terrace overlooking the West Lake, a few metres away. All for £22 per night with a hearty breakfast provided.

Why do you believe following yours - or indeed others recommendations - would ensure a more enjoyable visit?

We all have different tastes - one mans meat and all that.

Having recently visited Hanoi, irrespective of other travellers perceptions and favourable experiences, I would have no desire to return there either.

I do like Vietnam - but Hanoi did nothing for me I'm afraid.

Three days was more than enough for me, but I do appreciatet that others will enjoy the destination and what it has to offer but that does not mean spouting off personal preferences and positive experiences will be to everyone's taste.

jackomdj

Too late for OP, but the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is worth a visit. The embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh is lying in state. It was incredibly humbling watching people who still idolise him, where Weston people think of him in a totally different light.
We went on a guided tour, visiting temples and finding out so much more than had we just taken ourselves around.

ReadySteady_2

dickydonkin wrote: »

Why do you believe following yours - or indeed others recommendations - would ensure a more enjoyable visit?

We all have different tastes - one mans meat and all that.

Having recently visited Hanoi, irrespective of other travellers perceptions and favourable experiences, I would have no desire to return there either.

I do like Vietnam - but Hanoi did nothing for me I'm afraid.

Three days was more than enough for me, but I do appreciatet that others will enjoy the destination and what it has to offer but that does not mean spouting off personal preferences and positive experiences will be to everyone's taste.

Any 'do not miss' stuff.

Good places to eat??

It looks to me that they asked for suggestions and went on to have a poor experience with a food tour. Something that no appears to recommend.

So why ask in the first place?

Surely posting positive experiences provides a counterpoint to the negative experiences.
Describe someone as "spouting off" seems a bit rude and insulting", especially from someone who has written a long post with no interesting nor relevant information about Vietnam.


Anyway....not my business.