Vietnam/Thailand Summer 2005!

namaimo

Hey,
A once in a lifetime travel opportunity has just been handed to me-the chance to go to Vietnam (and possibly Thailand) for July&August. As of yet Im still only toying with the idea as it would be so expensive, I mean the best flight trailfinders could offer me was €1,110! :eek: and then how much id need while out there...
However cost aside Im seriously thinking this over and I was wondering if people could share their experiences of Vietnam/Thailand with me. What are the best places to see/things to do? Whats the story with visas and injections for the various countries?
Id really appreciate any info!
Thanks,
Namaimo

empirix

1100 euro is pretty ok, you could easily live on 200 euro a week over there in South East Asia, thats eatn and drinkn, accomodation, buying some stuff, travelling etc, easily. I am actually going back to SEA from June -August, i is currently in OZ, workn up the cash, injections plus doctors cost wll cost about 150 euros back home, get them a few weeks befor you go, that includes malaria and diarrohea tablets, just in case, i never bothered with either thankfully, just make sure you get Deet REPELLENT, 75% strength should be enough to make it through not taking the malaria tablets(supposed to make you feel sick).

Also if your on your own and wanna hook up along they way, Pm me, i will be around that region somewhere, we can meet up for a few beers n laughs.

Anyway, safe travelling to ya

serotonin_sam

I am planning on doing the same thing...probably December/January. A long way off yet but definitely somethnig to plan ahead and look forward to.

Have spent time researching flights and €1100 would probably be the norm alright. Much better idea would be to fly into bangkok IMO - then travel onwards from there.

I havnt quite figured out how i'm going to move from BKK to Vietnam just yet. There are some good low cost airlines in asia now (air asia/tiger/asiana)..but not aware of any of them going to vietnam out of BKK..not the cheap ones anyways.

If anyone has traveled overland from thailand to vietnam - i would be interested to hear what route you took/how long it took.

I may fly from BKK to chang Mai....is it feasible to move from there into central vietnam via laos??

There are a good few things i need to tie in..between thailand and viet..will have to do plenty more research but time is something i have between now and then.

Culchie

Whats €1100 when compared to the trip of a lifetime?

Why are you working? Why are you living? Get your ass out there .
Life is not a dress rehearsal, you only get one chance.

Thailand is great, and the same amount of money again will be more than enough to see you through your couple of months if you don't go stupid.

€2K ... you'd spend that in Killarney for a week in the summer staying in a crappy hotel if you were a couple.

I am MAN

1,100 is expensive enough.
I'd recommend getting a flight to Bangkok for no more than 800 euro which is not a hard thing to do - pm me if you need advice. Then from from Bangkok you can travel over land to Vietnam for under 50 euro.

Don't let this one pass it's something you will certainly not regret.

namaimo

Guys thanks a million for all the responses.
So €1,100 is pretty much the norm for a flight? I think that particular flight goes dublin-london-bangkok-hanoi. I know there is a flight with air france that goes directly from paris to hanoi but its about €400 more!

I know flying directly to bangkok would probably be a better idea -well cheaper at least! however my uncle lives in Hanoi (hence it was him who offered me the chance to come over) so I kinda have to stay with him first,plus he'd be able to advise me about the various places to see and things to do because he's been living there for the past few years.

Does anyone know what the story is with visa's,do I have to get them before I head out?
Is it six weeks in advance for injections?
Thanks!

I am MAN

namaimo wrote:

Guys thanks a million for all the responses.
So €1,100 is pretty much the norm for a flight? I think that particular flight goes dublin-london-bangkok-hanoi. I know there is a flight with air france that goes directly from paris to hanoi but its about €400 more!

I know flying directly to bangkok would probably be a better idea -well cheaper at least! however my uncle lives in Hanoi (hence it was him who offered me the chance to come over) so I kinda have to stay with him first,plus he'd be able to advise me about the various places to see and things to do because he's been living there for the past few years.

Does anyone know what the story is with visa's,do I have to get them before I head out?
Is it six weeks in advance for injections?
Thanks!

You can arrange visas over there but will be cheaper to arrange before you go, I'm not sure where to send off for a Vietnam visa.
As for the injections I got them a week before going although they do recommend getting them a bit before.

Lainer

Nanaimo,
slowly but surely you're convincing me!!!!

Frank Grimes

namaimo wrote:

So €1,100 is pretty much the norm for a flight?

I was in Vietnam in November, my flight cost roughly the same (I went Dublin - London - Singapore - Ho Chi Mihn City) and that was on Singapore Airlines.

Does anyone know what the story is with visa's,do I have to get them before I head out?

If you're flying into Vietnam you will need a visa before you leave. I got mine from the Vietnamese embassy in London (posted the application and my passport over), I think it was about 45-50 pounds in total.
Also, when they issue you a visa you cannot enter Vietnam before the arrival date you specify, so I'd recommend getting the flights first and then applying for your visa.
For Thailand you can get a visa on arrival so if you're spending time there before going to Vietnam you won't need to get the Thai visa before you leave.

Is it six weeks in advance for injections?

Yep, that's the usual recommend time.

I would recommend spending as much time as you can in Vietnam, I thought it was an amazing place. I'm going back again, I didn't have enough time there when I went.

serotonin_sam

Frank Grimes wrote:

I would recommend spending as much time as you can in Vietnam, I thought it was an amazing place. I'm going back again, I didn't have enough time there when I went.

What did you find different or good about it Frank?
Anything I MUST do/experience ie. 'not to be missed'..?

Any other tips specific to Vietnam.

Frank Grimes

serotonin_sam wrote:

What did you find different or good about it Frank?
Anything I MUST do/experience ie. 'not to be missed'..?

Any other tips specific to Vietnam.

I stayed in and around Ho Chi Mihn City, I didn't have enough time to venture further into the country (that's why I'm going back, I'm planning to stay a month or so next time).
If you do nothing else, go on a trip to the Mekong Delta - it's absolutely amazing (IMO anyway). It's very easy to organise trips there once you're in Saigon.
I just found the place in general to be really nice, the food was great. I met a good few (local) people there too and they were all really cool.
It's something you'd really have to see for yourself I think.

Brian Griffin

hi
i was there in vietnam for 15 day last sept. i found it to be great . i got the flights for 800 but that was companion fare ,travel in pairs.

i was all along the coast of the south ,went up to as far as hue. accomadtion for a two bed room with air conditionsing and sat tv was 10dollers.food was around 2-3 dollers for a meal . drink just over a doller for a large bottle of tiger. sien cafe was a very good tour opperator . went to the mekong for 2 days with them and on a boat tour in na trang(they had an hour of free drink in the sea ).also went to the cham towers in hoi an that was not great though.
you have to get the visa form london. did'nt need the fly spra.
HMC and the mekong and na trang where the best places.
spent 600 euro . that inculded 2 internal flights and shopping.

Travis Bickle

Does anyone know what is the best route to go if you were to cross from thailand into vietnam? How much would it cost?

Knifey_Spoony

We went overland, Bangkok to Chang Mai by overnight train (best nights sleep ever!). Then Chang Mai to Chang Kong by bus (took about 4 or 5 hrs i think). Then the 2 day slow boat down through Laos. (bring a cushion!). Then a 24 hr bus journey to Hanoi. Then an overnight train down to Hue (another great sleep, seriously. So comfy) Then bus from Hue to Na Trang (only stopped there for an hr, regret not staying a few days though, it looked like a brill place) Then Na Trang down to Saigon by bus.
All the buses are really cheap, like about 6 euro for some of them! So easy to get too, so many different tour operators do buses to all the major places.
You should defo go. My fave place out of all them was definitly Hanoi. You will love. Such an amazing place. You should try go to a few other places too. We did all the usual tourist trips to the Cu Chi tunnels etc.. Pretty amazing though.

RustySpoon

Went on a three week holoday last October flight cost 1000. Went with my GF and we took 1000 each as spends and came back with 200 each, the cost of living and travelling is very cheap.
We flew Dub-Amsterdam - Bangkok - Siem Reap (Cambodia)
You get the Visa for entry in Cambodia at the airport for i think $20
Took a few days round Angkor Wat - Highly recommended, then a boat down to Phnom Penn. A couple of more days there in a great city then a boat/bus trip to Ho Chi Minh City. You need to arrange your vietnam visa a couple of days before you cross - remeber weekends are non work days.

We then spent a few more days in HCMC before deciding to fly up to Nha Trang. The flight saved us another 12 hour bus journey and only cost $37 each. Stayed another three days on the beach/boat etc. before getting the overnight train (get the sleeper ticket!) to Hue. Another wonderful city where we spent a few days.

Flew up to Hanoi (for $51) and looked around for two days before taking the bus/boat to Cat ba island for another 3 days. Halong bay is fantastic and cat ba is so relaxing.

If i was going again i would have loved to have more time but work commitments.......

I found the people to be really friendly if you bother talking to them. Lots of tourists just brush them off as most are selling something. Just have a laugh with them and it makes the trip so much better.

We were bought dinner by two locals on our trip in local restaurants by just being friendly and chatting with them.

I loved Nha Trang (don't stay too long in the floating bar - or you might end up with sunstroke (stupid me))
All of cambodia was great.
Didn't really get Hanoi although it did have the best food.
Cat Ba is great and Halong bay is a must see.
I poshed it up in Saigon so i'm not sure if my experience counts - good hotel, casinos drinking cocktails from a rooftop bar - enjoyed it for a change. Cheap as chips.
All in all it was a great trip and one that i would highly recommend.

OP - Just go!

gerire

Vietnam is a pretty cool place. Im just pissed i dont have more time here. If you are stopping off in BK for a few days it is 1/2 the price to get your Vietnam Visa over here. You can get all the Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia visas together ($70 US) for less than the price of the Vietnam visa from London (45GBP) in the TAT offices.

As regards to flights have a look around, there are loads of places in the city centre USIT, Sayit, ebookers, and trailfinders to name a few.

In Vietnam when you do get here do an open tour down the coast from Hue/Hoian onwards (do not go into danang even if you are sick)Nah Trang is a must stopover for a few days great fun and good tours run from there (Monkey Island/Island hopping booze cruise mentioned above/ and the mineral spa is just amazing) . If you want to go from Chang Mai (try and get to Pai if you have time) and through Laos do it the way Blinky1 suggested thats how we just done it and it was fantastic. We spent 2 days on the boat meeting the greatest people ever. (In LuannePrabang do not miss the waterfalls).

Enjoy your planning its as much fun as you are going to have until you actually go :P

ger
HCMC

brens

I just booked flights for June, into Hanoi, out of HCMC, with Austravel in college green. €940 return including insurance.

Route is Dublin / London / Singapore / Hanoi, then return the same way from HCMC.

You have to send your passport to the Vietnam embassy in London for a visa. Applications take 10 to 15 working days to process and app forms can be downloaded on the web at

http://www.vietnamembassy.org.uk/index.php

I'm told you should get the shots 6 weeks before going and there is a place on Grafton Street that does it.
€150 sounds about right.