VIETNAM TRAVEL TIPS A. Money Saving Tips 1. Street Food – The food is usually excellent, really cheap and you can watch it being cooked in front of you. Stick to the local food and you’ll save money. The street side Pho, bread, and bananas are your best deals. 2. Late night travel - If traveling long journeys, try to take the late night bus or train as this will save you the cost of a night’s accommodation. 3. Take the tourist bus – It is actually cheaper to take the tourist bus around the country than taking local transportation because of the “tourist” price you get at the bus station. 4. Bargain Hard - Tourists tend to be charged more than locals for everything from cyclos to street food. Bargain harder than you would ordinarily, and don’t underestimate the value of walking away. B. Typical Costs 1. Accommodation: Hostels start at $6 USD per night. Private rooms start at about $7 USD. 2. Food: By eating at street stalls and markets you can get a bowl of pho or a rice dish for $1 USD. Sit down restaurants are also inexpensive at around $2-4 USD. 3. Transportation: Bus travel is very cheap in Vietnam. As an example, the public bus around Ho Chi Min City will cost a maximum of $.15 USD. The train is also another inexpensive way to travel with the 791mk long train journey from Danang and to Hanoi costing from $7 USD. 4. Activities: Many of Vietnam’s attractions are based around its natural beauty and as such, cost very little. For organized excursions such as touring the Cu Chi tunnels you can expect to pay $5 USD. Halong Bay tours from Hanoi start at $24 USD for two-day trips and increase exponentially from there. C. Top Things to See and Do Pagodas – Vietnam’s most distinctive architecture can be been in the pagodas which are found all over the country. They are notable for their beautiful and intricate carvings. Pagodas are used as shrines and temples and are treasured by the Vietnamese people. Hoi An – Hoi An is one of the most popular destinations for tourists traveling to the country. The place is packed with historical homes and buildings and quaint cafes. It’s small and great for walking, buying suits (they have a huge fashion and tailor market), eating, and relaxing by the river. It was easily my favorite place in Vietnam. Hanoi – Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi combines French colonialism with Eastern influences. Enjoy an afternoon exploring the narrow streets of the Old Quarter or visit the countless temples and galleries dotted around this bustling city. Don’t miss the History Museum which showcases artifacts from Vietnam’s colorful history and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Dalat – Dalat is nestled in the hills of the Central Highlands and is popular with tourists who want to relax in the mountain air. People flock here to enjoy its serene atmosphere and natural beauty. The hills around Dalat are filled with traditional tribal villages which you can tour but there is plenty to do within the city itself too. Visit the imaginatively titled Palace 1, Palace 2 and Place 3. Mekong Delta – The delta is a 60,000km long web of inter-connecting waterways which spans across three Vietnamese provinces. The area is filled with small craft villages, Khmer Pagodas, mangroves, orchards and the trademark floating markets. The best way to experience delta life is to go on one of the many boat or bike tours. Spend a view days exploring the region. Cu Chi Tunnels – Crawl through the extensive network of nearly 500 km of tunnels utilized by the Viet Cong in the war with the USA in the 1960s. Tours involve a description of the tunnels, after which tourists are allowed to crawl about the maze and fire AK47s at shooting targets. Cuc Phuong National Park – 120km southwest of Hanoi lies Vietnam’s first National Park, Cuc Phuong. Covering 61,000, this place is home to over 2000 species of trees and some truly rare wildlife including the Clouded leopard, Delacour’s Langur and Owston’s Civet. It was my favorite park in all of Vietnam and the only place I could avoid hordes of tourists. Ho Chi Minh City – Also known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh is Vietnam’s largest city and is definitely worth exploring. Like most cities in Vietnam, you’ll be met with the roar of motorbikes speeding through colonial streets. Ben Thanh market is a must-see for amazing food and there is a great buzz of activity within the place. Halong Bay – More than 3000 islands sit within the emerald green waters of Halong Bay, one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. Cat Ba island has great for hiking and many tourists find themselves taking one of the cave tours. Tours here usually leave from Hanoi and last 3 or 5 days. Try to find a good operator as many oversell or lie about what their boats look like. From nomadicmatt
Posted on: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 07:40:34 +0000
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