Anyone been to Hanoi?

[Tweakmax2]

Wanted to go there for a 4 days trips in Dec. Anyone got itinerary to share? Wanted to print out their maps but it is very hard to find.

 

Also is it safe there? robbery or scammer alot?

[Siewss]

Wanted to go there for a 4 days trips in Dec. Anyone got itinerary to share? Wanted to print out their maps but it is very hard to find.

 

Also is it safe there? robbery or scammer alot?

 

Going there in December. Booked a 3D2N Halong Bay cruise and still thinking about visiting Sapa.

 

 

 

[Throttle2]

Take it easy.

Book into a french hotel

Smoke cigars drink coffee

Nite scene not bad.

Go Halong bay, eat seafood.

Buy antiques and handicrafts

[Lala81]

Wanted to go there for a 4 days trips in Dec. Anyone got itinerary to share? Wanted to print out their maps but it is very hard to find.

 

Also is it safe there? robbery or scammer alot?

 

safety not really an issue in old quarter. Just stay clear of the drunk vietnamese men.

 

Beware of taking photos of those women with the bamboo poles n hat, they will force u to buy their expensive fruit

[Lala81]

if u want to see the ho chi minh mausoleum, then u have to schedule ur trip around it. it's only open in the mornings 4 days a wk i believe.

rest of the time, go halong bay for 1.5 days.

[Jamesc]

Going there in December. Booked a 3D2N Halong Bay cruise and still thinking about visiting Sapa.

Yes both great places!

 

Don't just think about going Spa, you should just go,

 

I did and enjoyed it very much.

 

[Alechi]

Pretty girl masseuse in spa?

[WTF]

Wanted to go there for a 4 days trips in Dec. Anyone got itinerary to share? Wanted to print out their maps but it is very hard to find.

 

Also is it safe there? robbery or scammer alot?

Currently in Saigon but had been to Hanoi a few years ago.......just use more common sense to prevent petty crimes eg not to wear expensive watches or gold chains and when using mobile phone make sure coast is clear. Even if sitting in taxi can have mobile phone kena snatched by those 12 yrs old riding on motorbikes!!!

 

Don't worry too much if not no mood for holiday liao........

[Ngck]

Going there in December. Booked a 3D2N Halong Bay cruise and still thinking about visiting Sapa.

 

halong bay is boring, nothing to see one..... spend more days in sapa if possible...

[Ngck]

safety not really an issue in old quarter. Just stay clear of the drunk vietnamese men.

 

Beware of taking photos of those women with the bamboo poles n hat, they will force u to buy their expensive fruit

 

 

take picture with the bamboo poles also they will ask for money

[Lala81]

Going there in December. Booked a 3D2N Halong Bay cruise and still thinking about visiting Sapa.

 

Sapa is great. But december the scenery is not so good. i went there same time before. Can be really cold!

[Lala81]

take picture with the bamboo poles also they will ask for money

 

i kana harassed by them. Bot a bunch of 4 bananas for few usd in the end

 

[Lala81]

Going there in December. Booked a 3D2N Halong Bay cruise and still thinking about visiting Sapa.

 

my advice. change ur halong bay cruise to 2D1N then go Sapa. Unless u really want to spend a lot of time in the water.

my 2D1N able to go onto one of the islands to see a limestone cave and can canoe around one of the islands.

Good enough liao for most pple.

 

Sapa is far. 7-8hrs by train. then 1.5-2 hrs up by van.

so essentially its a 3D2N trip.

[Lala81]

Is train travel clean and safe?

 

Do they have different 'ckasses' of train travel?

Can book online?

 

i booked the 4 bed one. I think the vietnamese travel on seats or the 6 bedded cabin usually.

There are a few companies i believe. They basically just have different carriages on the same train so don't bother paying too much.

 

I went with one of the established companies, cant rem which one. Most of the carriage was empty. the other 2 beds were empty.

It's really noisy, same as malaysia train. don't expect much sleep.

 

I didn't book online i think, i bought it at my hotel if i remember correctly. They needed advance payment via CC which i din want to release to them, or Western Union)

 

I think its clean and safe. Toilet acceptable.

 

Train leaves Hanoi around 8-9pm. reaches sapa about 4am. Probably the most popular timing.

 

[Lala81]

Change SGD to USD in SG. Bring USD there. Change some at the airport. Rest u can change at your hotel etc.

Get your hotel to arrange pickup.

Only take the taxis from the big companies. The smaller ones try to cheat you with rigged meter.

[WTF]

Change SGD to USD in SG. Bring USD there. Change some at the airport. Rest u can change at your hotel etc.

Get your hotel to arrange pickup.

Only take the taxis from the big companies. The smaller ones try to cheat you with rigged meter.

Why the need to change to USD when SGD is acceptable at money changers? The rate I got from the money changers at SGN last week was S$1=VND$16977.

 

Also got to beware when taking any taxi be it the bigger ones like Mai Linh, last time got 1 Mai Linh asked for US$20 for a trip that normally cost VND$180K. I just threw down VND$200K and alighted.

[Yeshe]

Why the need to change to USD when SGD is acceptable at money changers? The rate I got from the money changers at SGN last week was S$1=VND$16977.

 

Also got to beware when taking any taxi be it the bigger ones like Mai Linh, last time got 1 Mai Linh asked for US$20 for a trip that normally cost VND$180K. I just threw down VND$200K and alighted.

 

becos most shops still accept USD besides VND but not SGD.

[Ysc3]

right here, right now .... checking out of the hotel soon ... proceeding to the HCM mausoleum ... and then tp Hanoi's largest buffet restaurant for our last meal in Hanoi before taking tonight's flight back to SG.

 

...we actually had 3 meals at the same restaurant !! frankly, food may be a little issue.

 

btw, if need to buy necessities, get them from the supermarkets, else might end up paying double at smaller as you are a visitor.

Edited November 22, 2012 by Ysc3