Thailand or Vietnam for the Summer?

robwhit

Hi
We were planning on going to France for a month this Summer but most S/C accommodation was around a grand per week. So we figured it could be more cost effective going to SE Asia! We're looking for somewhere beautiful and chilled-out-ish near the beach. We'll also have our year and a half old son too. So where would you reccommend for our requirements?

Cheers

macca1983

robwhit wrote: »

Hi
We were planning on going to France for a month this Summer but most S/C accommodation was around a grand per week. So we figured it could be more cost effective going to SE Asia! We're looking for somewhere beautiful and chilled-out-ish near the beach. We'll also have our year and a half old son too. So where would you reccommend for our requirements?

Cheers

Vietnam is certainly cheaper - FACT. The islands of Thailand are not that cheap these days - especially accommodation.

Some great little beach towns on the coast of Vietnam and accommodation is very cheap. I would think Vietnam is a bit more family orientated- less backpackers, less busy, less whores, less transsexuals.

How would a kid deal with heat of Vietnam or Thailand though? Just something to bear in mind i am thinking.

Straight Flush

I agree that Vietnam is cheaper than Thailand. For me, the Vietnamese are less in your in face when it comes to bothering tourists. Walk down a Thai street and you'll be asked to buy something every 30 seconds. however, the Vietnamese are more likely to try to rip you off.

Thailand seems to have a bigger choice of beaches that you can hop to in a relatively small area. The beaches there are also more beautiful. But, as the previous poster hinted, it can be an incredibly seedy place. I'd pick Vietnam.

kraggy

I'd have concerns about the heat too. And also things to keep your child occupied.

It's not like Spain where there are loads of kids hanging out on the beach building sand castles. Not many western kids at all in fact. So these places aren't really geared for that sort of holiday. Obviously places like Phuket and Koh Samui would be exceptions to this. I was thinking mainly about Vietnam. The downside to the former 2 is that they have been ruined as destinations. Not nice. At all.

Another thing though. In Vietnam, we were paying just $10 for a double room with Air con. There was a swimming pool and it was about 10 paces from our room to the sand.

You're going for a month so that room would cost $300. Just to put things in perspective.

Also, if you are going to that side of the world, fly with airasia.com throught Stansted. I paid less than half of what I would have paid with the next cheapest airline. You have to go through either Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur to get to Vietnam. Airasia go through Kuala Lumpur, most of the others go to Bangkok. You can book from stansted to Kl and then onward to Vietnam with airasia. Much cheaper.

If you do decide on Vietnam, I was just there a while ago so feel free to pm me questions of places to go, stay etc.

darrenh

Outside the 'sex tourist' hot-spots Thailand isn't that seedy. Your child wouldn't even notice a 60 year old man with a young Thai girl. They are everywhere but not in a seedy way. I know a single mother who goes to Thailand a lot because she feels so safe with her child compared to else where.

Vietnam is a very 50/50 country, where as Thailand most people like it. You will not find the quality of beach that you will get in the south of Thailand or north Malaysia in Vietnam. I'm guessing €20 a night on accommodation would be within your reach and for this you can expect a lot. As it will not be high season you will get great value for it. Some of the small islands have lovely little resorts that only have about 15 - 20 beach huts, a restaurant, a bar and a stretch of beach around 100m long. I would recommend Phi Phi Relax Resort. Some of these places have swimming pools too. There are lots of day trips to other islands and it would be easy to alternate between relaxing one day and doing something the next.

Also you could take a trip up through Central and Northern Thailand which is what you might call more 'real'.

I just cant see any positive's for Vietnam with a young child. Its not a bad country but it has the potential to leave a bad taste in your mouth.

youcancallmeal

Straight Flush wrote: »

I agree that Vietnam is cheaper than Thailand. For me, the Vietnamese are less in your in face when it comes to bothering tourists.

I couldnt disagree with this more! Sure you get hassled everywhere you go in South East Asia but Vietnam for me just took it to a whole new level. The level of hassle there is unreal, coupled with the fact that most Vietnamese I encountered were generally unfriendly and outright hostile towards tourists. I may be slightly biased because I got pick pocketed in Nha Trang but from talking to people I met there and around South East Asia it seemed very few enjoyed Vietnam.

OP if you were going on your own thats fine but there is no way in hell I would brings kids to Vietnam! The difference in costs between Thailand and Vietnam isnt massive so by the time you have paid to fly from Ireland to Bangkok probably and then on to Hanoi or HCMC your really not saving all that much. Getting around Vietnam can be a bit of hassle as well, unless you get the expensive train then at some stage you'll need to get one of the infamous chinese style sleeper busses. Again If I had kids I wouldn't dream of taking them on one of those things!

Like DarrenH said Vietnam has far too much potential to leave a bad taste in your mouth. Take the safe option and go to Thailand!

BigDuffman

+1 on Thailand!

If you don't have the time to both stick to the safe bet. Halong bay in Vietnam is astoundingly beautiful.

Thailand is not too seedy once you get out of Bangkok (which I personally try to do as quickly as possible!!) Most children are oblivious. As a "massage" and older chap with a younger girl means nothing to a kiddy.