Vietnam (2007) photo album is here
is a country of great diversity. In the mountains in the north you have hill tribes and terraced hillsides, cold and foggy in winter, while in the south you have long beaches and the Mekong delta where people trade on the river and it's got and humid. The traffic is dominated by mopeds and the streets is where life happens. On the pavements people have their meals and small businesses, and naturally park their motorbikes, so it is not easy to walk on the pavements.
Our experience is that all travel times given by the Vietnamese tour operators are not realistic at all. If you want some freedom and be sure of ample time to see what you want, a pirate tour is a much better option than the group tours where a lot of time is spent waiting in uninteresting places.
Hanoi: the old quarter of Hanoi is where most tourists stay and with good reason. It is an area with old buildings, some just plain old and others old and beautiful. 
There is a special atmosphere here. Most streets sell one type of goods so if you're looking for shoes you need to go to "Shoe street", if you're looking for silk you go to "Silk street", and so on. The north shore of the Hoan Kiem lake is a natural center and the red bridge leading out to the little island with a temple is the main landmark of Hanoi. An hour on a cyclo is a good way to see the area and gets you in the middle of the traffic which is also fascinating.
There is a special atmosphere here. Most streets sell one type of goods so if you're looking for shoes you need to go to "Shoe street", if you're looking for silk you go to "Silk street", and so on. The north shore of the Hoan Kiem lake is a natural center and the red bridge leading out to the little island with a temple is the main landmark of Hanoi. An hour on a cyclo is a good way to see the area and gets you in the middle of the traffic which is also fascinating. If you are travelling with kids, the Water Puppet Theatre is a must, but it is good fun for adults too. It costs USD 2,50 but book well in advance as it is hugely popular and very likely will be sold out for quite a few days.
Where to stay: The Heart hotel has a great location very close to the lake and in a small street with mainly cafés, small bars and restaurants. The rooms are very good and spacious and cost USD 40 for a big double.
Halong Bay: the 3000 limestone islands of Halong Bay are spectacular. So are some of the caves that are included in most tours. A boat trip in Halong Bay is a must, preferably sleeping on one of the many junks that take the tourists around the island. Tour operators in Hanoi have many varieties of trips catering to your needs and it is an easy and convenient way to get a taste. However you do spend a lot of time waiting in uninteresting places (for other tourists to be picked from their hotels, for paper work at the harbor, for other tourists that has done other packages joining your boat for the last day, for the bus taking you back to arrive from Hanoi, and so on). And the time cruising between the beautiful islands becomes less than you might have been told and hoped for. Going to Halong City yourself and charter a private boat might be more expensive but will give you more time and freedom to see and do what you want. Prices for a 2 day trip with overnight on boat, all meals included, will cost you USD 58 with Rubicon tours which are reliable and has very good boats.
Sapa: this center for Hill tribes, close to the Chinese border, lies at over 1600m and is often foggy and cloudy but very beautiful when the fog lifts. 
Tour operators in Hanoi arrange trips here with guided tours to neighboring villages of the colorful Dzao and H'mong people. I found that the women mostly agreed to have their photos taken while all the men I asked said no. Many women here sell handicrafts and are very persistent sales people. The trek to Cat Cat village, 3km steep downhill from Sapa, is very nice. The hills are full of rice terraces and it is all very scenic, even out of season. At the bottom are some nice waterfalls and an alternative trek back. The short trek up to the mountain where the radio tower is is also very nice. First you walk through dense forest and you get to an orchid garden. There is a nice viewpoint here also. Further up there are some fascinating rock formations. On the top there is another great viewpoint.
Tour operators in Hanoi arrange trips here with guided tours to neighboring villages of the colorful Dzao and H'mong people. I found that the women mostly agreed to have their photos taken while all the men I asked said no. Many women here sell handicrafts and are very persistent sales people. The trek to Cat Cat village, 3km steep downhill from Sapa, is very nice. The hills are full of rice terraces and it is all very scenic, even out of season. At the bottom are some nice waterfalls and an alternative trek back. The short trek up to the mountain where the radio tower is is also very nice. First you walk through dense forest and you get to an orchid garden. There is a nice viewpoint here also. Further up there are some fascinating rock formations. On the top there is another great viewpoint. Night train to Sapa (Lao Cai and then 1hr bus) and back plus hotel in Sapa, guided tours and meals will cost ca USD 90. There is a luxury train and the regular trains are not high standard sleeping, so be sure to ask for the best option - the differenced is huge; even second class on the luxury is another world compared to the best bunks in the regular.
Hoi An: there is a street just outside old town with a number of good hotels from USD 15-45, most with swimming pool. One of the first on this hotel street, Ba Trieu, is the Thien Thanh hotel . We checked a few and this was the coziest and nicest of the lot. It is in Chinese style and has beautiful rooms with bamboo decorations. It has a nice terrace on the back overlooking a paddy. The best rooms are USD 45 but still good value. It is only 5 min walk to the old town.
The old historic center is truly special and shows some beautiful architecture. You'll soon see that cloth is the main thing in Hoi An and the streets are packed with tailor shops that can tailor make a good suit or dress for you for a very low price. We found Impressions very good and reliable. They are on the big street corner before you get to old town. For a culinary experience try the trendy little restaurant Mango café in old town. They mix in tropical fruits with good quality seafood and it is simply delicious. The service is also very friendly and after dinner they have some great cocktails.
Nha Trang: A long beach and catering to tourism in a big way. The sellers on the beach are persistent but otherwise it is a good beach. The Perfume Grass Inn is a very good choice and has very nice rooms with wooden floors and good atmosphere for USD 25 (and free internet).
It is well worth it to visit the Long Son Pagoda just past the train station. It is quite beautiful and above on hill is a big white Buddha statue. Just behind the pagoda is a long statue of a reclining Buddha. If you don't visit the islands you should still make it to the boat harbor outside town. The boats are colorful and the fishermen get to them in big round baskets.
Getting there and away: There are several daily buses to/from Dalat (4 USD), Hoi An and Saigon. The bus to/from Dalat stops right by the magnificent Po Klong Garai Cham Towers outside Phan Rang. You can also fly daily to Danang (Hoi An) for USD 45 one way, Hanoi or Saigon.
Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon: this is a big and busy city and the traffic is arguably what's most interesting in HCMC. The sheer number of motorbikes in the streets are fascinating and it's like a never ending river of people on these bikes or mopeds, often two adults and a kid on one bike. How the heavy traffic moves smoothly is probably due to it consisting mainly of flexible mopeds and how everyone seem to consider what the others are doing, thus avoiding accidents or major jams.
If you are travelling with kids you should take at least half a day at the Dam Sen park. It is a popular park with the Vietnamese (in fact we didn't see any other tourists there) and has a lot to offer. There is a big lake where u can go on paddle boat rides, there are ferris wheels, merry-go-rounds, radio cars, etc. There is a bird area under a big net with big storks, parrots and fruit bats, as well as some caged monkeys. There is also an orchid garden there. Enough for everyone!
The best parts are the trips in the narrow canals in small boats. Then you are taken to Can Tho with bus and put in a cheap hotel for the night. The waterfront is lively and has some nice restaurants. A good place to hang out in the evening and see the Vietnamese exercising by walking up and down the water front area again and again while throwing you a smile! In the morning you visit a floating market. This is not tourist market like in Bangkok but a real local market by boats where people trade vegetables and fruits mainly. You also visit a fish market (on land), a rice noodle production site and travel through some canals where people go on with their daily life on the river.
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