Anyone traveled to Vietnam?
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Joined: Oct 2003
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From: MAHT-O-MEDI
Anyone traveled to Vietnam?
Ok a few friends and I are contemplating doing the same Vietnam trip that was a feature on Top Gear. Getting some motorcycles or scooters and traveling from the south of Vietnam to the north. We are sort of in the kicking it around phase.
Anyway I have some questions for those in the know.
Personal safety. I am told Vietnam is pretty safe if you are in a group, but we would be getting out of the city and into rural areas and traveling in a small group. Should this be a problem?
Hotels along the journey. I am sure the Top Gear folks have a nice travel budget but I assume accomidations throughout Vietnam are relatively inexpensive?
Purchasing or renting motorbikes. Is this a common thing to be able to rent for long duration in the country?
Language barrier. Will we be able to find people that speak english fairly easily? And do they hate Americans or are they pretty much over it by now?
Would it be easy to find a local to be a guide (who is trustworthy) and go along on the trip?
Any general info links on travel appreciated.
Anyway I have some questions for those in the know.
Personal safety. I am told Vietnam is pretty safe if you are in a group, but we would be getting out of the city and into rural areas and traveling in a small group. Should this be a problem?
Hotels along the journey. I am sure the Top Gear folks have a nice travel budget but I assume accomidations throughout Vietnam are relatively inexpensive?
Purchasing or renting motorbikes. Is this a common thing to be able to rent for long duration in the country?
Language barrier. Will we be able to find people that speak english fairly easily? And do they hate Americans or are they pretty much over it by now?
Would it be easy to find a local to be a guide (who is trustworthy) and go along on the trip?
Any general info links on travel appreciated.
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From: Goleta, CA
The locals actually seem to enjoy Americans, but they will try to rip you off. When ever I went, i had my uncles and cousins with me so they handled most of the transactions and whatnot so I'm not much help.
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I'm Japanese but my wife is Vietnamese (American-born Vietnamese, to be specific) and so we have traveled to VN. It is actually the safest country of all southeastern and southern Asia, because the Communists are actually very strict about things. For example, in Thailand, you'd find strip joints, street-walking hookers, drugs, etc. But in VN, those things are very strictly enforced and prohibited; of course, one could always find them behind closed doors, but on a public level, they are strictly prohibited.
Whenever we went, we felt very safe there. However, of course one would have to be vigilant about not getting pocketed and jacked, or going to shady areas, just as elsewhere. Otherwise, it's safe.
VN has been one of the fastest growing countries in the world (2nd fastest in Asia, behind China) for the past decade, and so things are not as inexpensive as most may think. Great hotels can run from $100 to a few hundred bucks a night. Very decent hotels will be around $50 or so. We usually stayed at the ones (3-star) that were $30-50 and they were pretty nice already. Don't forget to go to resorts, for there are very nice beaches throughout the Pacific coast. Travel guides are aplenty and usually are provided by travel companies. Be sure to tip them so as to not look like a bunch of cheap-ass Americans.
As for the language barrier, most don't speak English, but some do. English has been taught there from Kindergarten and up. We've met some English speakers whose written skills were actually better than many Americans'. Travel guides will always be able to speak English, so no worries there.
Also, just eat in restaurants and stuff and you'll be fine. Don't eat on the streets, for they may not suit your stomachs. We always liked eating in restaurants anyway; some were expensive as hell, others were decently affordable.
Don't forget to go to Nha Trang, a coastal tropical city that had been named one of the most beautiful travel sites in the world, by some U.S. travel magazine. We went to VinPearl resort and it was very beautiful; anything but inexpensive, however.
Some pics of it:
Whenever we went, we felt very safe there. However, of course one would have to be vigilant about not getting pocketed and jacked, or going to shady areas, just as elsewhere. Otherwise, it's safe.
VN has been one of the fastest growing countries in the world (2nd fastest in Asia, behind China) for the past decade, and so things are not as inexpensive as most may think. Great hotels can run from $100 to a few hundred bucks a night. Very decent hotels will be around $50 or so. We usually stayed at the ones (3-star) that were $30-50 and they were pretty nice already. Don't forget to go to resorts, for there are very nice beaches throughout the Pacific coast. Travel guides are aplenty and usually are provided by travel companies. Be sure to tip them so as to not look like a bunch of cheap-ass Americans.
As for the language barrier, most don't speak English, but some do. English has been taught there from Kindergarten and up. We've met some English speakers whose written skills were actually better than many Americans'.
Travel guides will always be able to speak English, so no worries there. Also, just eat in restaurants and stuff and you'll be fine. Don't eat on the streets, for they may not suit your stomachs.
We always liked eating in restaurants anyway; some were expensive as hell, others were decently affordable.Don't forget to go to Nha Trang, a coastal tropical city that had been named one of the most beautiful travel sites in the world, by some U.S. travel magazine. We went to VinPearl resort and it was very beautiful; anything but inexpensive, however.
Some pics of it:
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Joined: Jul 2004
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From: San Diego, Wess-Side!!
I was just there last OCT.
Check out my thread...
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=642191
As long as you are not traveling alone you should be fine. Just make sure you always have identification and passport with you.
Accomodations are fairly reasonable.
Renting mopeds - Be careful on this one. Vietnam has the highest moped to civilian ration in the world. The streets are litteraly jam packed with them. If you are not careful, you can guarantee you will get into an accident. Also, make sure that the company you rent from is legit. Some are known to rent you the bike, follow you, steal their own bike from you and then charge you for the entire bike. It's the quickest way for a business that is just starting off to build their fleet.
There are plenty of local "tour guides" that can help you. Don't just go with a local.
Language can be a big barrier so make sure your tour guide can translate well.
Have fun and eat lots of PHO!
Tim
Check out my thread...
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=642191
As long as you are not traveling alone you should be fine. Just make sure you always have identification and passport with you.
Accomodations are fairly reasonable.
Renting mopeds - Be careful on this one. Vietnam has the highest moped to civilian ration in the world. The streets are litteraly jam packed with them. If you are not careful, you can guarantee you will get into an accident. Also, make sure that the company you rent from is legit. Some are known to rent you the bike, follow you, steal their own bike from you and then charge you for the entire bike. It's the quickest way for a business that is just starting off to build their fleet.
There are plenty of local "tour guides" that can help you. Don't just go with a local.
Language can be a big barrier so make sure your tour guide can translate well.
Have fun and eat lots of PHO!
Tim
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,766
Likes: 8
From: Queens, NY
Before you go, read "When Heaven & Earth Changed Places" by Le Ly Hayslip and/or watch the movie the book was based on, "Heaven & Earth". She wrote a follow-up book though I don't remember the name of it.
She also started the East Meets West Foundation, though is no longer involved in it. She moved back to Vietnam and runs the Global Village Foundation. I would like to meet her someday. Her book was an amazing read.
She also started the East Meets West Foundation, though is no longer involved in it. She moved back to Vietnam and runs the Global Village Foundation. I would like to meet her someday. Her book was an amazing read.
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You would be pretty safe in regional areas. It's a pretty stable and safe country so your main concern is bumping into con artists looking for marks in the city, and petty theft. Ans yeah those mopeds go fast, get good travel insurance! Buy some travel guides, they usually have it all laid out for you
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From: Jersey City, NJ
Originally Posted by Yellow_S,Jun 16 2009, 03:48 PM
I'm Japanese but my wife is Vietnamese (American-born Vietnamese, to be specific) and so we have traveled to VN. It is actually the safest country of all southeastern and southern Asia, because the Communists are actually very strict about things. For example, in Thailand, you'd find strip joints, street-walking hookers, drugs, etc. But in VN, those things are very strictly enforced and prohibited; of course, one could always find them behind closed doors, but on a public level, they are strictly prohibited.
Whenever we went, we felt very safe there. However, of course one would have to be vigilant about not getting pocketed and jacked, or going to shady areas, just as elsewhere. Otherwise, it's safe.
VN has been one of the fastest growing countries in the world (2nd fastest in Asia, behind China) for the past decade, and so things are not as inexpensive as most may think. Great hotels can run from $100 to a few hundred bucks a night. Very decent hotels will be around $50 or so. We usually stayed at the ones (3-star) that were $30-50 and they were pretty nice already. Don't forget to go to resorts, for there are very nice beaches throughout the Pacific coast. Travel guides are aplenty and usually are provided by travel companies. Be sure to tip them so as to not look like a bunch of cheap-ass Americans.
As for the language barrier, most don't speak English, but some do. English has been taught there from Kindergarten and up. We've met some English speakers whose written skills were actually better than many Americans'. Travel guides will always be able to speak English, so no worries there.
Also, just eat in restaurants and stuff and you'll be fine. Don't eat on the streets, for they may not suit your stomachs. We always liked eating in restaurants anyway; some were expensive as hell, others were decently affordable.
Don't forget to go to Nha Trang, a coastal tropical city that had been named one of the most beautiful travel sites in the world, by some U.S. travel magazine. We went to VinPearl resort and it was very beautiful; anything but inexpensive, however.
Some pics of it:
Whenever we went, we felt very safe there. However, of course one would have to be vigilant about not getting pocketed and jacked, or going to shady areas, just as elsewhere. Otherwise, it's safe.
VN has been one of the fastest growing countries in the world (2nd fastest in Asia, behind China) for the past decade, and so things are not as inexpensive as most may think. Great hotels can run from $100 to a few hundred bucks a night. Very decent hotels will be around $50 or so. We usually stayed at the ones (3-star) that were $30-50 and they were pretty nice already. Don't forget to go to resorts, for there are very nice beaches throughout the Pacific coast. Travel guides are aplenty and usually are provided by travel companies. Be sure to tip them so as to not look like a bunch of cheap-ass Americans.
As for the language barrier, most don't speak English, but some do. English has been taught there from Kindergarten and up. We've met some English speakers whose written skills were actually better than many Americans'.
Travel guides will always be able to speak English, so no worries there. Also, just eat in restaurants and stuff and you'll be fine. Don't eat on the streets, for they may not suit your stomachs.
We always liked eating in restaurants anyway; some were expensive as hell, others were decently affordable.Don't forget to go to Nha Trang, a coastal tropical city that had been named one of the most beautiful travel sites in the world, by some U.S. travel magazine. We went to VinPearl resort and it was very beautiful; anything but inexpensive, however.
Some pics of it:
