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A friend and I are planning on travelling to Vietnam next year. I have been researching on the internet for the best way to do it.

While I doubt many people on here will have been there to travel - you never know.

It has long been a place I wanted to go and see, and the time is right to plan my next trip over there. Not sure if we will do an organised tour or do our own thing - she is more travelled in non english speaking countries than I am ....

(I just have to get past the fact they eat silk worms and sparrows, among other things )

Think my next step will be to buy the Lonely Planet Guide - but looking for some hints if anyone has any.

All I can ask, with honest curiosity, is.... why?

History? Geography? Food? Beaches? Bars?....
As an avid traveler myself, I'm not seeing the lure of Vietnam

Lightning Bolt wrote:All I can ask, with honest curiosity, is.... why?

History? Geography? Food? Beaches? Bars?....
As an avid traveler myself, I'm not seeing the lure of Vietnam

Guess it is a good question - as a few people here in Aust have asked the same thing.

Firstly, I recall a conversation I had with a vietnam veteran many years ago at an Army function - and he was talking about how beautiful the country is.

I then got to know the owners of a Vietnamese Restaurant in Sydney very well - they came from the city of Dalat - and that got my curiosity going.

I LOVE the food!

I have looked at it online and the beaches and such look beautiful.

It is relatively cheap to travel there from Australia.

Even though we lost the war, I have a military past, and looking at the tunnels the Vietkong built and war museums etc, does interest me (not so much my friend - she can go shopping!)

I am not someone to usually go to "standard" vacation places - when I do go to major cities, you usually wont find me doing the normal things ....

Ie, when in Venice, we skipped the main tourist area and ignored our tour guide and ended up in the back canals where the locals lived and chatted ot people and ate at the "real" cafes - not tourist ones.

Vietnam is becoming a more popular place to travel from Australia - the religion is Buddhist and most see it as a safe option in these turbulent times.

Cheers!

I hope you find your adventure a rewarding one.
I'll be interested to hear your "report" when you've returned

Creeky - my medical director has been several times. I can send him an email and see if he has any advice if you would like. I know that he is into seeing animals and birds on most of his trips tho.

seems I've heard about beautiful beaches in Vietnam too, from an old poster I think

Thanks Lynne! A girl in my team has been, but she is heading overseas for a few months herself soon - to Kosovo - but she leads an "alternative" type lifestyle so would not do the things we would like doing.

She did advise not to take the bus from Hanoi to Saigon .... as the highway is known as "Death Highway" - the train is the better option ...

Creeky, just fired off an e-mail to my cousin, He had served w/the US Army there, and just went on vacation there maybe 2-3 yrs ago, had to show his wife the place. Hopefully they'll answer back soon.

As a side note, I believe they just went skiing in Australia last Summer ah, well your winter LOL

I'll let you know as soon as I hear from them.

mommar wrote:Creeky, just fired off an e-mail to my cousin, He had served w/the US Army there, and just went on vacation there maybe 2-3 yrs ago, had to show his wife the place. Hopefully they'll answer back soon.

As a side note, I believe they just went skiing in Australia last Summer ah, well your winter LOL

I'll let you know as soon as I hear from them.

This winter is the best for skiing in years - they should have come back out!! Still snowing well on the ski fields even now!

Thanks for emailing him - the Vets seem to have a good take on Vietnam. I am heading to my army reunion in a few weeks - hope to get a few ideas from the old guys at that!

See if there are any Parrotheads there

My step-dad served 3 tours in Vietnam during the war. Aside from the massive killing, he said it was the most beautiful place he's ever seen and had always wanted to return for a vacation. I don't have any specifics, but have heard nothing except for it's raging beauty.

Creeky, I will be traveling to Vietnam in March, and I will mostly be in Ho Chi Minh City, what used to be Saigon. What I really am looking forward to doing is taking a side trip to Cambodia to see the ancient temples of Angkor Wat. I have yet to go there, but I have heard from many people it is a breathtaking site. I have heard outstanding things about Vietnam as well, I would definetly encourage you to go.

UpstateNYPH wrote:Creeky, I will be traveling to Vietnam in March, and I will mostly be in Ho Chi Minh City, what used to be Saigon. What I really am looking forward to doing is taking a side trip to Cambodia to see the ancient temples of Angkor Wat. I have yet to go there, but I have heard from many people it is a breathtaking site. I have heard outstanding things about Vietnam as well, I would definetly encourage you to go.

Not sure about Cambodia - we have had Aussies get in to some trouble there - that is where I become a big chicken!

We are definitely planning on going - we talked about it early last year, and as my friend became unwell, we ended up going to a resort in Australia instead, but this year we are all systems go for a trip over to Vietnam, maybe China and possibly Bali on the way home ....

Hope you have a great trip! Not sure when we are looking at going .. I am heading to where she lives just after Christmas for 10 days - guess that is when we will make definate plans.

Thanks for the info Mommar!!!

Ankgor Wat is really amazing. I found it to be one of the most spirtual places I've ever visited. Having said that I must warn you that there are a number of dangers in and around the complex. First, there are the unexploded and unmarked landmines. Second, are the bandits who will shoot first and then take your valuables. Third, depending on the time of the year, you need to be careful about entering lower levels and courtyards since they sometimes flood without warning.

Now that I've given you my warnings, go have fun!

creeky wrote:A girl in my team has been, but she is heading overseas for a few months herself soon - to Kosovo - but she leads an "alternative" type lifestyle so would not do the things we would like doing.

I'd go to Kosovo.

(for work or holiday travel)

The Lost Manatee wrote:Ankgor Wat is really amazing. I found it to be one of the most spirtual places I've ever visited. Having said that I must warn you that there are a number of dangers in and around the complex. First, there are the unexploded and unmarked landmines. Second, are the bandits who will shoot first and then take your valuables. Third, depending on the time of the year, you need to be careful about entering lower levels and courtyards since they sometimes flood without warning.

Now that I've given you my warnings, go have fun!

Why I am not going to Cambodia .. with my luck of late - something will happen to me .....

Jenny-
I was there in 1971 & '72, but I really don't think you want my opinion of that place. Sorry.

Wino you know wrote:Jenny-
I was there in 1971 & '72, but I really don't think you want my opinion of that place. Sorry.

Probably not .. sorry it was not a good experience for ya ....

creeky wrote:Probably not .. sorry it was not a good experience for ya ....

No problem. Overall, it was probably a good experience. On the plus side I did learn a lot, and on the minus side it forced me to to grow up faster than (I.M.O.) a 20 year old should have to, causing me to miss a period of my life I'd looked forward to for so long prior.
Apparently I came back none the worse for wear (so I'm told).

I don't dwell on it, however, because, among other things, a greater amount of time has now passed as did the end of W.W. II until the time I first went to Japan, where I met some of the greatest people ever and was truly treated to the experience of a lifetime. SO, in the end, I guess it's all good.

So if you have your heart set on going, I hope you have a great time and it's as rewarding for you as my 6.5 years in Japan was for me.