Advantages: Breathtaking scenery, variety, lots of culture, great shopping Disadvantages: Very noicsy, very polluted within city, wreckless driving
28,000 VIETNAM. DONG = 1 GBP (as of June 2009)
17.500 VIETNAM DONG = 1 USD (as of June 2009)
Vietnam…you may think of floating markets, boats, Vietnamese style pointy hats, beautiful scenery….or you may think of crowded cities, lots of noise and lots of pollution….
Well, to be honest, I didn’t really know what to expect…but it turned out to be all of the above!
We arrived in Hanoi (me and 3 friends) on June 9th 2009. We flew from Kuala Lumpar, ... ...cost us a total of around £133.15 each (to be specific). It is a little expensive considering that Air Asia do have special fares and promotions a lot of the time…but we had to book it there and then really. But if you can be flexible with dates and times of booking, visit www.airasia.com and check out their promotions. It might also be worth signing up with their newsletter. We were greeted by our Taxi driver, which was arranged by our Hotel in ...
Tink27 04.09.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional Review of General: Vietnam
Advantages: A noisy family is (usually) a happy family Disadvantages: A good nights sleep can be hard to find
I was inspired to write this by a wonderful review (in fact reviews) Mitsudan has recently written about Japanese customs. Just as he is clearly passionate about Japan so I guess I am about Vietnam (though you will probably not believe me in places). I fell in love on my first visit, not only with the country but with a wonderful lady to whom I am now happily married. I now have seven visits under my belt, we married 3 years ago, have a son of 2 ... ...with Vietnam and experience of its customs goes back much further than 2003. In the mid 80s I helped two young Vietnamese boys learn English for a year. I got a lot of support because of my dyslexia when at secondary school and I volunteered to help in my sixth year wanting to give something back. This I feel I did but I got the most wonderful and unexpected gift in return; an introduction to a Vietnamese family and culture that was unlike anything ...
andrewfleminguk 01.09.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of General: Vietnam
Advantages: culture, nature, prices Disadvantages: expensive flights and visa
I had a great time in Vietnam! Vietnam has a littly from everything. Great sceneries, culture, nature, splendid beaches. Travelling was easy and safe, foreigners were welcome and prices were low. What else do one expect for holiday?
You might be interested in following advice, if you plan backpacking in Vietnam. Excuse my English, that is not my native language, but the article is more dedicated to information and advice than entertainment and information ... ...The most impressive highlight is the Halong Bay in the North, you shouldn’t miss, if you visit the North. But I can´t give any more consideration, what you should see or what you can skip, I liked all the other places equally. (From North to South) look also at my homepage for more details. http://home.freiepresse/uwdel/indexeng.html North: Sapa (hill tribes, rice terraces)
Hanoi (old city) Halong Bay (thousand of limestone islands create a dream ...
kambodscha-joe 18.03.2004 (21.03.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of General: Vietnam
Advantages: a lovely country Disadvantages: pollution
I had the opportunity to leave and work in Vietnam during a period of 3 months, in the region of ho chi minh city (formerSaigon) Departure Roissy Charles De Gaulles in France, Journey by Air france economic class 12h of tiring flight to go with a transit of 1h30 in Bangcok and direct flight to return. At the arrival visa controls by the police and filling of custom card .
The return in Europ will be a lot more suspicious by Vietnamiene air police, ... ...comparing the photo of your passport, this time being a lot longer for the Asian, unpleasant impression !. Once out of the airport,i was surprised by the stuffy heat (38 degrees in January) the noise and the important pollution due to the number incredible of motorcycles 125 and 49cm3. A Vietnamese hedge waits for the passengers,(family or close here to welcome). During my stay I had the luck to be lodged at the 8eme floor in Somerset hotel , good ...
krakakoutas 07.09.2004 (11.09.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of General: Vietnam
Advantages: Friendly and safe. Disadvantages: Transport and space.
By any standard Vietnam is truly an exceptional place to visit. Perhaps it is its turbulent past that provides this solid foundation of hope and spirit for its future. Vietnam is somehow redefining its own identity. I actually read something in a book before going there that said something like this: What's the difference between going to the casino and making business with a vietnamese? The difference is that at the casino you a least have a chance ... ...bit of a stupid introduction cause I felt it was a question of time before something would happened. The funny thing is of course that it never happened. I more experienced the opposite. I took a cab and the meter started at 12.000 vnd and it stayed there all the time and when I reached my destination the guy said give 5.000! Its not a fortune but I felt very as if I was welcome in Vietnam. I went to the coast and rented a small Honda Dream and cruised ...
vilumdeluxe 08.03.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of General: Vietnam
Advantages: Its like china 25 years+ ago but with better food Disadvantages: You stand out like a sore thumb
I spend 4 weeks in Vietnam, on a guided tour and I have say it was a fantastic experience. I use the analogy to china becuase it helps you get it into perspective. China now has modern cities with sky rises ... Vietnam doesn't yet. The locals still set up mini restaurants on the pavement, the streets are still packed with bikes and motorbikes (in Hanoi especially) rather than cars but the people are so very very friendly - as long as you treat them ... ...don't see the place until you leave the cities, this is where a guided tour comes in very handy. You can see the farmers plough the land with the old wooden ploughs, go into homes as they really are .. now this is how to really get a feel for a country.
One more thing, the food is fantastic in Vietnam, even if you can't understand the menu then you can honestly order anything and it will be delicious .. none of this 'fish head soup'! ...
gingerpipp 12.07.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of General: Vietnam
Advantages: cheap cheerful full of culture Disadvantages: the people are so tiny you feel like a giant
i loved vietnam from the moment i stepped off the plane. Even through it was monsoon season and rained most of the time. The people are friendly the food is excellent the nightlife amazing. Vietnam was not at all what i was expecting. On visiting the war museum in Ho Chi Ming City I cryed as it is so emotional reading the stories and some of the pictures are quite horrific. You have to be careful on the raods as there are so many bikes it can be ...
waughy 12.11.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of General: Vietnam
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