I bought the 3 travelguides before I left and used them while in Vietnam, and I must admit it's really difficult to find big differences. All 3 of them offer the same info, with probably the Rough Guide a bit more details on background, but also f.i. walks in Sapa were better explained. The LP has excellent maps, but the other 2 also have good maps. Still in the Footprint it can be confusing that they use the same numbers for both restaurants and hotels, the difference is the hotels are marked with a square, and restaurants with a bullet. In the Rough guide, the position of a map is not always where you'd expect it, for instance the map with restaurants of Saigon is 10 pages before the restaurant chapter.

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Comments [8]

I bought the 3 travelguides before I left and used them while in Vietnam, and I must admit it's really difficult to find big differences. All 3 of them offer the same info, with probably the Rough Guide a bit more details on background, but also f.i. walks in Sapa were better explained. The LP has excellent maps, but the other 2 also have good maps. Still in the Footprint it can be confusing that they use the same numbers for both restaurants and hotels, the difference is the hotels are marked with a square, and restaurants with a bullet. In the Rough guide, the position of a map is not always where you'd expect it, for instance the map with restaurants of Saigon is 10 pages before the restaurant chapter.

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Comments [1]

Only one company ?Vietnam Airlines? serves the domestic flights. We took 3 flights with them and had no problems at all with delays or cancellations (although especially the trip from Saigon to Hanoi is said to be prone to cancellations if the flight is not full). Service was always correct. You can change the time of your ticket for free, cancellation costs 10 US$. For some trips it's best to book a few days in advance (f.i. Saigon - Nha Trang can be fully booked)

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Comments [2]

The mountains of NW Vietnam were certainly one of the highlights of our trip with both marvellous scenery and colourfully dressed people.

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Comments [0]

Hanoi is developing quickly, trying to get even with his counterpart in the south, Saigon. Bikes are replaced by motorbikes causing a lot of noise and exhausted fume. The traditional costume worn by the women has disappeared. But not all charm from before 1995 is gone. The city has enough breathing space to relax thanks to the shaded boulevards, the lakes and several parks. Cafés, hotels, markets and restaurants can be found around the Hoan Kiem lake and in the old quarter. People are friendly but more reserved than in the south.

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Comments [1]

The easiest and most preferable way to make your way through N.-Vietnam is to book a tourtrip at a local travelagency. There are lots in Hanoi, a few in Hue and lots in HCMC also. Due to the pierce competition prices are sharp and bargainable. But still it?s the quality that counts and finding out which agency is reliable is not that easy. It's also possible to simply book the transportation with them and choose your own hotels and trips. You'll need to be persisitent a bit, but it's possible.

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Comments [3]

The city itself has nothing much to offer, except maybe for the seafoodmarket (but then you must like these markets) and they also have a nice beach. The town is divided in two by a bay. The western part is called Bai Chay and the eastern part Hong Gai. Both are connected to each other by a ferry-service. Bai Chay is the most touristic developed part. It has two beaches called N?1 and N?2 with some restaurants lining it.

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Comments [1]

This is definitely the most popular place in the mountains, and almost all tours will at least spend a night here. Especially during weekends, the town gets invaded by tourists coming to visit the weekend market. We arrived there on Sunday evening (coming from the market in Bac Ha), and we had a great time.

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Comments [1]

Roads are most of the time bad. A jeep or a motorbike is necessary. Especially the way between Tuan Giao and Sapa or between Tuan and Giao Dien Bien Phu gets worse and worse. Landslides or deep mud can delay your trip (I had both). Count on a 30 ? 40 km/h.

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Comments [0]

This chapter gives info on the center of Vietnam. This is a popular region among tourists, especially Hoi An is worth a visit, but we were also surprised by the beautiful tombs along the Perfume River in Hue. Also, both Hue and Hoi An are places where you can eat superbly for very few Dongs.

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