I'm planning a quick trip to Vietnam for 5 days at the end of November. I need help planning my trip! I need to book my flights asap, so need to plan a general
1) I'll be flying into Vietnam through Hong Kong. which airport should I fly into? i'm flying home to California from Vietnam
2) what are the must do/see in Vietnam? what cities are they in?
3) cost is a factor, but given my time restraint, i don't think i can be too picky.
4) I've seen a lot of China - so the Mekong looks similar to a lot of the karst mountains in China.
5) I speak zero Vietnamese
6) I'm a young female - and probably traveling alone - need to go SAFE places.
7) I love nature and scenery, history, culture. Not into partying/city-life. I don't like shopping.
9) I like the outdoors, I have average physical capacity.
THANKS for your help. ALL your suggestions are welcomed. I really need help!
Reply to this 1) You can fly to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh may be cheaper. I would suggest it depends on which city you fly home from.
2) Vietnam is a big country. 5 days is not long. I would therefore concentrate on one area. If you are flying into Ho Chi Minh, consider exploring the city and then visiting the Mekong Delta. If you are flying into Hanoi, you can do a tour of Halong Bay with a stay on Cat Ba Island to explore the National Park. Or perhaps go up to Sapa to do some hill tribe trekking.
5) It doesn't matter, in tourist areas people speak English.
6) There isn't much good shopping in Vietnam. Except for souvenirs at the markets.
Hope this helps
Kate
Reply to this Hi,
You can fly to Hanoi and then go to Halong bay for 1 or 2 days, you also should choice sleeping on the boat in Ha long bay. From Ha long bay to come back Hanoi, spend 1 day in hanoi, see the old town and enjoy water puppet. You love nature so you can continuous your trip to sapa, very beautiful, you can enjoin ethnic life by home stay in Ta Van or Lao Chai village. all of them are safe. Don't worry, many people speaks english in Vietnam. Please contact me when you come to Vietnam. hope see you around in Hanoi.
Reply to this 7) I love nature and scenery, history, culture. Not into partying/city-life. I don't like shopping - for history and culture, Hoian is a nice place, for nature and scenery I think Halong Bay or Sapa is the very good choice.
The Hotel in Hochiminh City is cheaper than Hanoi. You should book room before come. At Hanoi, I think Indochina hotel is also good choice if you have average capacity. The room here is clean but the location is the best of your choice. You can arrange a trip by your self or book at the hotel.
Reply to this Hello, nice to meet you. I’m a Vietnamese and lives Ho Chi Minh city. I’ll tell you what I know.
2) what are the must do/see in Vietnam? what cities are they in?
6) I'm a young female - and probably traveling alone - need to go SAFE places.
7) I love nature and scenery, history, culture. Not into partying/city-life. I don't like shopping.
9) I like the outdoors, I have average physical capacity.
I truly recommend you to travel to Da Lat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Da_Lat). It’s called “City of Flowers” because the flowers are everywhere. The city within is quiet and very safe. In the suburb, there’re many beautiful natural sceneries, like mountains, lakes, water falls. You can visit to the villages of some ethnic minorities of Vietnam. The temperature’s about 20 degrees Celsius (in November, it’s maybe cooler with light rains).
01) I'll be flying into Vietnam through Hong Kong. which airport should I fly into? i'm flying home to California from Vietnam.
3) cost is a factor, but given my time restraint, i don't think i can be too picky.
4) I've seen a lot of China - so the Mekong looks similar to a lot of the karst mountains in China.
5) I speak zero Vietnamese.
The largest airports are Noi Bai (in Ha Noi - the capital) and Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh - the largest city), these two have straght flights to California. If you want to travel to Da Lat, you should fly to Ho Chi Minh from Hong Kong, then fly to Da Lat (the Ho Chi Minh - Da Lat flight takes about 45 minutes), and fly back to Ho Chi Minh to get a flight to California.
Nothing to worry about the cost and the language.
I’m planning to travel to Da Lat.
Welcome to Vietnam!
Reply to this Hi there
7) I love nature and scenery, history, culture. Not into partying/city-life. I don't like shopping.
I think that for the 5 days in Vietnam is not enough but can still do the cultural and e-co trip to the rural parts in the Cetral highlands such as Dak Nong, Dak Lak (Buon Me Thuot), Lak Lake ,ect.....
should take a flight to HCM city then Easy Rider tour to Bao Loc - Dalat - Lak Lake - Draysap national park and waterfall - Dak Nong - Saigon in 5 days.
Feel free to email me for detail.
Cheers
Lee
Reply to this in my opinion, you should visit Sapa at the north of Vietnam. Here you have chance to discover minority cultures and luscious landscapes. or you can spend 2 days in Hue - at the center of Vietnam. Hue is the old capital and world cultural heritage.
Good luck.
Reply to this 5 days is not long time to discover vietnam, but i will recommend for you some place to visit,
I think the north will be better for you, you can spend 1 day city tour Hanoi, 2 days in Halong Bay,
1 day to walk around the capital, old quater...
and if you like to visit the south
1st day city tour
2sd day visit cu chi tunnel and cao dai temple
3.4th day in Mekong tour or you can go to Mui Ne to relaxing...
Reply to this 
