General

Vietnam is generally a very easy country to travel in. Buses and trains are cheap and easy to book at short notice. Usually the commission charged by travel agents is small and is worth it as there is no need to get to the train station etc. to pick up tickets. Remember though that this is not a western country and there will always be things that will annoy you if you let them. The roads are not great so bus travel takes a lot longer than you might expect for the distances involved. Personally I prefer the soft sleeper trains, even in the day, as they are reasonably priced, a pretty comfortable way to travel and you CAN sleep which is something that has avoided this western-sized body on the so- called sleeper buses.

This is a cheap country but there will always rip offs, especially in tourist areas, however, often it might only be a dollar or two you are out, so is it really worth getting upset over? Use your common sense, be polite and if it happens, it happens, arguing and making a scene will get you absolutely nowhere. (Note: Exceptions to this are some hotels and taxis in Hanoi, more on that later)

Phones and Internet

 Let's face it, roaming is a rip-off. Best bet is to buy a Vietnamese Sim card when you get here, even if for only a short time. They're cheap to buy and cheap to recharge. You simply buy prepaid cards as you need. I use Viettel and have had no problems, Vina and Mobi are fine as well. To call home it's cheapest to use one of the many internet/phone cafes, some have booths which are better but all can get hot and noisy at times. Many hotels have free internet in the reception area, otherwise go to a cafe, they are cheap but the connection quality and speed vary greatly. If you have a laptop many cafes and restaurants have WiFi.

Scams

If you take a Cyclo to see the sights of Saigon around the Dong Khoi (Opera House) area be sure to agree to a FIRM price beforehand. Most Cyclo drivers are ex-South Vietnamese Army and are pretty good guys but it is not uncommon for some to try and charge an ridiculous amount of money at the END of the tour. Be clear about what you want to see and how much EACH will cost. NO Cyclo tour is worth 1 000 000 Dong especially when you consider you can catch a train to Hanoi for about the same amount.  A taxi costs about 14 000 Dong per Km so use your head and work it out from there.

The Poker scam. This is something that has happened to two friends of mine, one in Saigon, one in Bangkok and I have heard reports of it happening in other cities in South East Asia. It apparently started in The Philippines. The friend in Saigon got out with her money, the other did not. If you befriend anyone and they invite you back to their house on the pretext of practising their English, be wary but by all means accept if your instincts tell you to. However, at the first mention of cards, of teaching you to play poker, of a rich women coming over soon to play, we will win money off her but you must lose a few hands first etc. then make your excuses and GO! The likely scenario is you'll play, you'll lose, your host will also lose, will make you feel guilty and you'll taken to an ATM machine to withdraw a large sum of money quicker than you can say "what the hell is a full house?" It's elaborate, brazen and it does happen.

Hanoi Hotels are known for quoting one rate and charging another when paying. Set the rate and be firm, check to make sure it includes tax as often they will add on a mystery 10% tax that does not seem to exist when paying anywhere else in Vietnam. Also check to see what the extra cost is for a late check-out or early check-in as some may try to charge for a full extra day. Also many hotels have exactly the same name as trademarks do not really exist so make sure if you have a hotel booked that you know the exact street and number or else you may find yourself at the hotel owned by the taxi driver's uncle, same name but different hotel.

When using Hanoi taxis always look for the ones with the meter on the dashboard covered in a perspex box. It's still no guarantee as there are many taxis in Hanoi that have meters that do very strange things, usually in an upward direction. The Old Quarter to the airport should be about $10US.

Halong Bay tours. (See travel tips for suggestions on this)

Motorbikes

It's not really worth the hassle of hiring a motorbike in Saigon or Hanoi if you are only here for a short time. The traffic is crazy but you can get used to it and after a while it does start to make sense. If on holiday, better to just relax and take a taxi or a  motorbike taxi (xe om.) Nha Trang and Hoi An are a lot less hectic and a motorbike or pushbike can be fun in these towns. Also good to have a motorbike in Sapa if you are a competent rider. If you do decide to hire and you pay upfront make sure you get a receipt that's stamped and signed otherwise you may find yourself having to pay again to get your passport back.

Crossing the road

At first this is an extremely daunting prospect in Saigon or Hanoi but it can be done. I can still vividly remember my first time, when I made it I was genuinely elated. Walk at a slow, steady pace, DO NOT run or baulk. Motorcycles will go around you so slow down but don't stop. Buses and trucks WON'T stop so you better make sure you do. As a rule assume taxis and cars won't stop either. Be aware but be confident. Don't cross in large groups.

Any recommendations I make in this section are places that I have personally (or a very trusted friend) has experienced. Some owners are friends due to me having stayed/eaten/drunk there over time, but nothing will be recommended if I don't truly believe in it. Lastly, there are no paid advertisements, if there happens to be at some point it will be made clear.

Saigon (HCMC) 

Firstly, the name. You can call it either and people will understand but if you are in the north of the country it is probably better to refer to it as HCMC to avoid any chance of causing offence.

Taxis

 If possible use Mai Linh or Vinasun, both have green and white as their colours and are generally trustworthy and helpful. Vinataxi who are yellow would be the next resort. If you have more than one person a taxi usually works out cheaper than getting a motorbike taxi (xe om). If you do take a xe om (and most people will during their stay) agree on a price before the trip and make your destination very clear. Most xe om drivers are nice guys, but with limited English, so cut them slack and speak slowly.

Bars and Food

"A nation of skinny people obsessed with eating". One of the best descriptions I've heard about the relationship the Vietnamese people have with food. 

Saigon is absolutely packed with bars and places to eat, I am only going to mention a select few. For eating Vietnamese food there are so many places it is impossible to know where to begin, so I would say trust your gut and make some discoveries. The best Viet foods I've had since I've been here have been had at small places that I could not possibly name. For a chain restaurant type deal I recommend any Bun Bo Hue, Pho 24 or Pho 2000 outlet, the food is tasty and consistent (and safe). I like the food and my Viet friends like it so it must be ok.

Eden bar: On De Tham st, Dist.1, this was the first bar I ever entered in Vietnam on my first night here so it holds a special place for me. I also met my first Vietnamese friend here.  It has its good nights and its very quiet nights but the staff are always friendly, the drinks are reasonable (especially for a late opener) and the food is pretty good. The Mexican chicken is my latest discovery.

Bread & Butter: Tucked away in Mini Hotel alley just behind De Tham, it's the hang out of many expat teachers with some locals floating in and out. It's tiny, plays cool music and does very good western food for when you've had too much Pho. Owned and run by Dan, an American expat with a good knowledge of Saigon, 80's underground punk music and U.S. politics, it's a nice place for a beer and a chat. You can practice your Vietnamese with the staff, they do great burgers and a roast dinner on Sundays, what's not to like.

Asian Kitchen and Bi Saigon Restaurants: Both also in Mini-Hotel alley and almost next door to each other, these two places have proved very consistent over a long period of time. Asian kitchen is run by three sisters who are lovely and they do very simple but tasty Viet food. Bi Saigon has an open kitchen where you can see all the food being cooked, all the Viet  food is very tasty and they do a wide range of western food for breakfast. Both also have the advantage of being in the alley which makes them far quieter and more peaceful places to eat than others in the area.

Bia Hoi (or Bai Tuoi): literally meaning "fresh beer" it's usually very cheap and sold from shop front bars or on the street. Originally from Hanoi (hence the name Bia HanOI) where it is much more popular, it is still available in various spots around Saigon. My favourite is on Bui Vien st.,Dist. 1, opposite the Cheers bar. The beer is 5000VND a glass and the food is pretty tasty and cheap. It's also a good spot to watch the life on the streets.

Yokos, Accoustic bar: Both in Dist. 3 and near to each other, they are the two best places for live music in my opinion. Usually a house band plays with 3 or 4 guest vocalists each night. You never know what you're going to get but the floating line-up of local musicians are all very good and the crowd is usually friendly, cool and predominately Vietnamese. Entry is free but the drinks are a little pricier as a result. Definitely worth a night out at one of these places, if only to get out of the tourist zone.   

The Caravelle Hotel roof bar: Not cheap with cocktails at about $7 US  it's worth at least one visit as the view is nice, the cocktails are very good and the Cuban house band on at present are very entertaining.

Sasa cafe: on  De Tham st. It's my favourite lunch spot in Dist. 1. Easily the best fruit shakes I've had in Saigon and at 12000VND it's hard to go wrong. Current favourite is the Avocado shake followed closely by the Coffee shake, but they are all good. The staff here are great and they do good western and Vietnamese food and the prices are very good considering the position in the heart of tourist-ville.

Apocolypse Now: the (im)famous old favourite. It's in all the guidebooks, and it can be a seething melting pot containing all walks of life from the city but it's worth at least one visit, just to see it. The upstairs has a different vibe to downstairs and has been known to have a good live band on from time to time. The drinks are not cheap but with a group of friends at the end of a big night out it can definitely be fun.  

Hotels

There are so many hotels and guest houses in District 1 that it is not hard to find a place but some are definitely better than others. As a general rule try to find one in one of the alleys that criss cross the area around De Tham, Bui Vien and Pham Ngu Lau. Also any hotel that displays the 24/24 sign might be worth avoiding as they often rent rooms by the hour to a specific clientele. My pick is once again Mini Hotel Alley, most of the hotels here are reasonably priced and pretty comfortable. The ones I've stayed in and recommend are: Xinh hotel, run by two very funny sisters, clean, cheap rooms and also has the added bonus of  having Mr.Quan who is the best contact I've met in Saigon for booking tickets and tours, the Tram Anh, comfortable, clean, basic rooms and the Kim hotel which has very nice staff and comfortable rooms. All the hotels in this alley have the bonus of being alot quieter than comparably priced rooms on De Tham or Bui Vien. 

 If you are looking for a bit more of an upmarket room that is still a reasonable price then the An An is a good option and this can be booked on the internet for those who want to have at least the first night organised.

Hanoi

In general I have found Hanoi to be a little more difficult than other parts of the country. The people can be friendly but it definitely takes longer than in Saigon.

As I have written in the Scams section, Hanoi does have more scams than most places in Vietnam. As such I can't really recommend any specific hotel as a lot depends on the individual staff and none have really stood out for me. There are however plenty to choose from in the Old Quarter, best to walk around, without your luggage if possible so as to avoid being hassled, and check out some for yourself. Also, be aware that many hotels have the same, or similar, names  so it can get confusing. (and I think that is the point)

I can recommend the Australian run Hanoi Backpackers Hostel, I know that hostels are not everyone's cup of tea but as far as they go, this is a very good one. The beds are comfortable and clean and the staff and general atmosphere are really good. It's also a good way to meet fellow travellers, especially if you're travelling alone.

Food and Drinks

There are many cafes and restaurants around the Old Quarter and around the lake and most of the meals I had in Hanoi were great. As my time there was relatively short so will my list be. If you want to eat snake or dog then Hanoi is the place to do it. Neither is really my cup of snake's blood.

Tamarind Cafe: Serves very tasty Vietnamese vegetarian food and does fantastic  western breakfasts. It has a nice atmosphere and it is very easy to settle in with a book and a coffee and lose a couple of hours here after exploring the sights of Hanoi. The staff is friendly and the coffee is excellent. The hotcakes for breakfast and the fresh spring rolls for lunch are highly recommended.

The cafe is also the booking office for Handspan tours. This would be the company I'd recommend for Halong Bay tours. It may be more expensive than some others but the service was good, the boat was clean and comfortable and the food was plentiful. I went with them in 2007 and had a great time. Basically with Halong Bay you get what you pay for and I have heard some absolute horror stories about other companies. And remember once you're on the boat you can't get off to go back. (unless you mutiny, and I have heard of this too)

Kangaroo Cafe: The original, run by an Australian, is a very nice place for lunch. The food is good and they also run their own tours. I have not been on one but the organisation of the cafe and the attitude of the staff makes me think they'd be worth a try. Also, they don't outsource their tours so at least you have some position to complain if all was not what as was promised.

But BEWARE, there are many places calling themselves the Kangaroo cafe, you MUST find the real one.

KOTO (Know One Teach One): A Vietnamese restaurant that is run to train and help street kids. After the training the kids work as waiters and chefs in the restaurant. It is a great scheme, the food is fantastic and all the money goes to supporting these kids and many others like them, if you have any chance at all to go I highly recommend it.

Bia Hoi: Hanoi is the home of Bia Hoi and there are MANY places in the city where it is available. Bia Hoi corner in the Old Quarter is great. There are 3 or 4 small bars on each corner of an intersection and all serve very cheap beer. My favourite is a little further along one of the streets where the pavement gets a little wider. It's run by a little old woman who rolls then taps the kegs herself then runs the whole show alone. It's a very sociable spot where you can meet other travellers and some locals. A bowl of Pho from the nearby stall for about 12000 Dong and you're all set for a good night.

Sapa

Sapa is a small town in the mountains to the north west of Hanoi and is definitely one of my favourite places in Vietnam. The mountains and valleys that surround the town are really beautiful. You can hike to villages, go on motorbike adventures or even have a quick swim in a mountain stream. (great fun but very chilly!) You don't need to do an organised tour to go there. It's easy to catch the overnight train to Lao Cai and then organise a lift to Sapa in a mini-bus taxi at the station. Once there you will befriended by H'mong girls the moment you get off the bus. Some people find this annoying and feel they get hassled too much here but both times I've been here I've had a great time. The H'mong girls can be your guides if you want (and I recommend it) but if you don't just say no and walk away. You don't need to negotiate a rate, just pay them what you think at the end of the day(s) they are with you. They speak good English, know the whole area very well and are incredibly funny and entertaining. If spending a couple of days with people from such an interesting culture is not worth a few bucks then I think it's probably not the type of place for you. Of course they will ask you to buy small pieces of jewellery etc., they are cheap and if you need some gifts for back home then why not. Remember the whole area is unique BECAUSE of the ethnic minorities that have always lived there so it's hard to resent paying them something. I can't really recommend a specific hotel here as the one I've stayed in was being rebuilt when I was last there but I would recommend any room you get has a heater as it can get very cold there at night.

Nha Trang

It's a fairly built up tourist spot but I genuinely like Nha Trang. The beach can have some rubbish but on a nice, sunny day when the water is clear it is a very nice place to be. There are plenty of good and extremely well priced hotels within two blocks of the main part of the beach near the Sailing Club. The Sailing Club and the Louisiane Brewhouse both have umbrellas and lounge chairs on the beach for hire at about 30 000 for the day (under $2 US). The Louisiane is my pick as it brews a variety of fantastic beers that are well priced considering the location and the fact that they taste so good.

Food: As far as restaurants go, I've eaten at many and all are pretty good right down to the street food or the barbeque lobster you buy off the beach. The two restaurants I always visit when I'm there are Lan Canh for barbeque Vietnamese food and Le Petit Bistro for fantastic French-styled food. Definitely the best steak I've had in Vietnam and it also has a good, if not overly cheap, wine selection.

Bars: Nha Trang has one of my favourite bars in the country. Nghia's Bia Hoi on Hung Vuong st. Is a tiny shop front bar with a great atmosphere, very cheap beer and a jovial host in Nghia who is there every night running the show with his wife and son. I've lost count of amount interesting people I've met here. He is also a good option to hire a motorbike from. The Sailing Club can be a fun place late on a weekend evening, the drinks are not cheap and you have to pay an entry fee but it does include one drink. It has a nice atmosphere as it is one of the only places in town where there is about an equal number of locals and tourists. It's also a very nice spot on a warm night as you can sit at tables on, or right next to, the sand. The Guava bar is also not a bad spot to have a few drinks, the prices are reasonable, the atmosphere can be good and there is free pool. The Why Not? bar is the other main late opener in town but every time I've found myself in there I usually just end up asking myself WHY?

Note: Be careful in Nha Trang when walking home if you have had a few sherbets and are a little wobbly. One scam is a group of "ladies" will approach you and your group and ask "boom, boom?" etc. but the key to this scam is they often will approach the girls in your group. As this is unexpected it will often catch the girls off guard and before she can say "hold that pose" her camera, phone or purse will have been liberated from her keeping. It's not life threatening and it is easy to get away from if you are aware.

Activities: The two most popular tourist activities are the island boat trips and the mud baths (with a stop at the pagoda on the way). They are both very touristy but I loved them and I'd definitely say do both! They are very cheap and a lot of fun, especially if you are with a good group of people. The mud baths are such a strange experience it's difficult not to enjoy them.

 

Hoi An

Hoi An is a small town about 30km south of Danang. If you are travelling by train or plane you will need to get a taxi from Danang. This usually costs about 200-300 000 VND for a taxi so the more people you have in the taxi the cheaper it will be. You will have no trouble finding a taxi or mini bus at the station.

As Hoi An is small it can often feel over-run by tourists but despite this it is still a very pleasant place to stay. The town itself is old and interesting to look at, the beach is beautiful and long and the river front on a quiet afternoon is very nice. It is also a very quiet town as motorised traffic is often banned from the old part of town. A good option is to hire a bicycle and cruise around the town and then ride out to the beach. It's about 8km but is very flat and the scenery as you follow along the river is very nice. It also makes you feel like you've earned your swim and later, your beer.

Hoi An is famous for its tailors and although sometimes the quality can be a little inconsistent I have had no real problems with anything I've had made. Everything I wear for work has been made there. The two tailors I've used and had good results with are Chic on Hai Ba Trung and Nguyen on Le Loi. Chic has two real characters in Mr.Bu and Coco, "flamboyant" might be the best way to describe them. It's worth getting something made for the entertainment value of the fitting alone. When Coco invites you into the back room to measure your inside leg best keep an eye on where his tape-measure goes. They are both very funny, the girls there are helpful and the clothes are good. Nguyen has a friend of mine, Trang, working there. She's very honest and helpful and will do whatever she can to make sure the clothes fit well and that you are happy with them. A good tip is to take a favourite piece of clothing with you and have them copy it. The results when they copy are almost always excellent.

Apart from the clothes Hoi An also has some of the best food in Vietnam. Some of the restaurants are expensive by Vietnam standards but the food is worth it. Morning Glory is my favourite as it is a little cheaper but just as good as its more famous neighbours, Cargo and the Mango Room, both of which  are also excellent . A smaller, much less up-market option is Cafe 43, a family run place that does very tasty meals at anytime of the day. The staff are incredibly friendly and they run daily cooking classes. They will also do your laundry. All the small restaurants on the An Hoi side of the river (just across the small bridge) have a great view and are very reasonably priced.

For drinking the Tam Tam club is a good option, the building itself is very stylish and they do very good cocktails. The Before and Now bar on Le Loi is the most popular late opener in town and is a fun place where you are likely to meet travellers from all over the world. The local Vietnamese in Hoi An don't tend to mix much with foreigners in the bars as it is generally a poor province and the bars are usually too expensive.

There is a very wide range of hotels that are pretty good value for money. Many have opened and some closed in the last year so you will have to check your guide books for these. Sorry. You should be able to get a nice double with a pool and breakfast for about $20-$25US. The hotels are generally a little more expensive than Nha Trang for the same quality