Archive-name: travel/vietnam-guide/part2
Posting-Frequency: monthly

                                 VIETNAM

                         The Internet Travel Guide

                              Peter M. Geiser


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Contents
 
 Introduction
 Copyright (c) 1995, 1996

 1. General Overview
 1.1 Geographical Information
 1.2 Climate
 1.3 People
 1.4 Events
 1.5 Visa
 1.6 Embassies
 1.7 Border Crossing
 1.8 Money
 1.9 Economy
 1.10 Mail
 1.11 Telephone
 1.12 Acommodation, Hotels
 1.13 Food
 1.14 Health

 2. Transportation
 2.1 Flying
 2.2 Train
 2.3 Roads
 2.4 Bus
 2.5 Minibus
 2.6 Car
 2.7 Motorcycle
 2.8 Bicycles
 2.9 Cyclos
 2.10 Tours
 2.11 Guides
 2.12 Boats

 3. Places
     Hanoi
     Sapa
     Halong Bay
     Cat Ba Island
     Hoa Lu
     Ninh Binh
     Do Son
     Dong Ha
     Hue
     Danang
     Myson
     Hoi An
     Quang Ngai
     Nha Trang
     Phan Rang
     Dalat
     Central Highland
     An Khe
     Pleiku
     Kontum
     Ho Chi Minh City
     Saigon
     Cholon
     Around Ho Chi Minh City
     Tay Ninh
     Vung Tau
     Mekong Delta
     Mytho
     Vinh Long
     Cantho
     Long Xuyen
     Chau Doc
     Rach Gia
     Phu Quoc

 4. Literature and Additional Information
 4.1 Guidebooks
 4.2 Travellers Tales
 4.3 Language
 4.4 HistoricPolitical Books
 4.5 Novels
 4.6 Movies
 4.7 Internet

 A. Contributors

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The Internet Travel Guide
http://www-students.unisg.ch/~pgeiser/itg.htm
Copyright (c) 1995, 1996 Peter M. Geiser
Peter.Geiser@student.unisg.ch

Last change 15. October 1996.
Updates: FAQ: monthly, HTML: more often

Currently available in the series of the Internet Travel Guides:
Cambodia
China
Laos
Myanmar (Burma)
Sumatra
Switzerland
Tibet
Vietnam

**************************************************************************

INTRODUCTION

The main objective of this FAQ is to provide the reader with the newest
travel information available, like what is the current situation on visa,
where to stay and what prices are reasonable, etc. It is not a guide to
the Vietnamese culture or history (although I started to include some
information about those subjects as well), for these non-changing facts
are much more pleasantly presented in many good books (see the list in
section 4 in this FAQ). It is also not intended to be a political pamphlet
since politics is often a very opinionated subject. However, I started to
include some political facts where I felt it was appropriate.

Remember: Things change very fast, so by the time you get to Vietnam the
information in this FAQ may be outdated. If you encounter this, please
bear with me. Instead of being upset, rather share your experiences with
other people on the net. The next tourist will thank you if he or she can
rely on your new information. Also, if you find time during your travels
to write a postcard or a letter to me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Some paragraphs are led by the name of the author in brackets. This
doesn't mean that these are their only contributions, but rather that in
that case I chose to leave the words as the author wrote them, adding a
more personal note to the FAQ.


Answering questions

There are many people who send mail to ask me some questions. As much as
I like to answer as many questions as possible, my time is limited. I do
this work in my spare time, so I frequently answer the questions only
after a couple of days (or even weeks if I'm away for a while.) It also
happens that I cannot return an e-mail due to an invalid e-mail address.
Please be careful to include a valid e-mail address, or then ask me to
post the answer in rec.travel.asia.

This guide lives by being up-to-date. Since I cannot travel all the time,
I am glad to receive suggestions, contributions and comments. Any addition
is useful, regardless of the size.

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE

In accordance with the Bern convention, this document is copyrighted
worldwide. The information provided within this document is the property
of the original authors. The author especially reserves the right to the
exclusive use of the term "The Internet Travel Guide".

This document or parts thereof may NOT be sold for profit or included in
any commercial documents (e. g. books, esp. guide books, magazines,
CD-ROMs, WWW-pages, the Microsoft Network or any other form) without the
prior written permission of the copyright holder. This permission is valid
exactly for the agreed version (or if no version was stated at the
published version on the date of the agreement) at the time the permission
was granted; it does not cover future or any other versions. However,
following the common practice of the Internet, this document may be freely
redistributed without any modification whatsoever, including this
copyright notice.

If you as the reader has paid to get this document, please let me know. As
much as I would like I cannot give you back your money, but I can try to
put an end to the illegal stealing of other people's work.

**************************************************************************

The Internet Travel Guide
Copyright (c) 1995, 1996
http://www-students.unisg.ch/~pgeiser/itg.htm

Peter M. Geiser
Seeblickstr. 10
9010 St.Gallen
Switzerland

Peter.Geiser@student.unisg.ch

**************************************************************************

2. TRANSPORTATION

There is no need for travel permits. However, there might be some
sensitive areas where the local police doesn't like foreigners. Talk to
fellow travellers.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.1 FLYING

Many people worry about safety conditions on flights in Vietnam. This may
have been so in earlier times, but today it is quite ok. Air France
officers are trainig the local pilots, and safety regulations have been
risen to international standards.

Vietnam Airlines will have all their Russian aircraft phased out by the
end of 1994 when they will be flying Airbus A310s. The airline is also
being advised by Air France, so it is now much safer to fly with them.

The airport tax is VND 15000 for domestic flights and VND 70000 for
international flights.

Some prices are:
Hanoi       Vientiane   USD  90
Saigon      Da Nang     USD  90
Da Nang     Hanoi       USD  90
Saigon      Nha Trang   USD  60
Nha Trang   Hanoi       USD 130
Dalat       Hue         USD  75
Hanoi       Saigon      USD 180

Most routes have a daily flight (DaNang - NhaTrang doesn't) and are easily
available (I booked the flight from DaNang to Saigon one hour before
departure).

(Howard)
Hanoi: Noi Bai (the Hanoi airport) is approximately 35 miles from Hanoi
proper. Cabbies wait outside the exit, though a few (high-priced ones)
will attempt to get to you before you exit the building. You should not
get a cab inside the terminal. Wait until you get outside where fares are
totally negotiable. The market seemed to bottom out at about $4/person.
Minibus prices were similar to low-end cab fares.

Haiphong: Haiphong is serviced only by VA with Tupolov (Russian-made)
aircraft. Flights depart to Hanoi ($50/one way), Danang ($85/one way) and
maybe other spots. Fares from the city of Haiphong to Haiphong Airport
were approximately $4/person for the 20 minute taxi ride.

Danang: Danang Airport is a "hub", again serviced only by VA with Tupolov
(or smaller) aircraft. Taxi service from the airport is a monopoly
controlled by the city of Danang. Fares are fixed. No competition. No
bargaining. From the airport to downtown Danang (about a 5-10 minute
drive) is $5/person (ridiculously high). From the airport to Hue (approx.
a 2 hour drive) is $15/person in an a/c car (relatively reasonable).

Saigon: Tay Son Nhat Airport is located at the north end of the city. It
is approximately a $2 cyclo drive (30 minutes) or a $6 cab ride (10
minutes) from the main tourist areas of the city. Note that if you take a
cyclo, you will have to hire another motorbike for the last mile or so
because the airport entrance road is a no-cyclo zone. Tay Son Nhat is
serviced by a variety of carriers including Singapore, Cathay Pacific,
Malaysia, VA, Thai, Pacific, China Air, and others.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.2 TRAIN

There are four classes: Soft Sleeper, Hard Sleeper, Soft Seater, and Hard
Seater.

Trains are a much better (more comfortable) way than buses when you have
to cover long distances. Depending on which class you take you have more
or less space, and meet less or more nice, interesting people.

(Howard) Trains are a great way to get around if you choose to travel at
night, but they aren't for the impatient. This is because they don't go
very fast and because there's only one track in the country. Thus, trains
have to wait at designated passing places for others to go by. Generally,
a 400km trip takes between 9 and 13 hours depending on whether your train
is an express or not. For a hard seat on the Nha Trang to Saigon leg,
fares were about $10. A soft seat (which is definitely worth the added $$
given the narrowness of the Vietnamese seats) upped the price to $15,
while a sleeper was about $25. Another thing to keep in mind is that
whether a train is an express or not doesn't matter nearly as much as
where the train is coming from. For example, if you want to go from Nha
Trang to Saigon on the express train (which starts in Hanoi), bad weather
in the north might delay its arrival. Thus, a non-express train starting
closer to your embarkation point (e.g. in Qui Nhon) might get you to your
destination faster than a delayed express.

The train from Hanoi to Haiphong takes 2-3 hours and a hard seat costs
VND 40000.

It takes 10 hours to get from Hanoi to Lao Cai at the Chinese border. A
hard-sleeper is VND 173000.
(Hans and Mirjam) Tickets to Lao Cai are sold at the foreign counter in
the main railwaystation. The trains depart from the Hanoi 'B-station'.
From the main station, walk north 350 metres, dan 70 metres east (left)
and 70 metres south (left again). The daytrain (LC3) departs at 05.10 AM
and arrives at Lao Cai at 16.00 PM. To get to the border hire one of the
200 motorcycle-guys standing in front of the railwaystation (10.000 dong)
or walk 3 kilometres down the road to the right. The border closes at 1700
PM vietnamese - or 1800 AM chinese time. Provided your visa states 'Lao
Cai" as an exitpoint, crossing the border is hasslefree. If not, you pay $
40. You're passport is stamped. You pay the customs 10.000 dong for a form
and you pay another 10.000 dong to cross the bridge. Chinese immigration
is amazingly friendly. We were invited into the immigration office and
friendly asked to sit down and 'would you please fill in this form?' Less
than four minutes later we were allowed into China and we never saw any
customs. The bank of China in Hekou closes at 1600 PM, but you can change
leftover dong in shops to the left of the immigration-office. The hotel
opposite the borderbridge changes cash US dollars.

The train to Ninh Binh costs VND 48000 for a soft seat and takes 3 hours.

From Ninh Binh to Hue takes 13 hours and is VND 213'000 for a soft seat.

A super berth (airconditioned sleeper, causing condensation so you won't
see much) between Hue and Hanoi is not worth the USD 67.50 it costs.
However, cheaper berths are taken in Saigon and are usually not available
in Hue. A better choice is the second class cabin for two. The express
train leaves Hue at 4:30 pm and arrives in the next morning at 7 am in
Hanoi. The soft sleaper from Hue to Hanoi costs VND 48'000. Book as far in
advance as possible since only four tickets are available in Hue!

It costs $18 for a "soft seat" in a 2nd class coach between Nha Trang and
Danang, overnight train. Meals provided.

I only took one train, from Hue to DaNang which runs along one of the
nicest pieces of railroad you'd ever encounter. Departure time was 1 pm
and it cost USD 5 (express fare, normal fare is USD 4). I was told to be
at the train station half an hour before departure time to buy the
ticket. As I travelled off peak there was no problem, I'm wondering how
one will get tickets during high season.

The whole fare between Saigon and Hanoi is supposedly USD 125, first
class. You can stop as much as you like in between.

(John) The train from Hanoi to Hue took fourteen hours and was $25 for a
soft seat. While I was on board a train conductor asked if I wanted a
sleeper. He originally asked $20 more for the sleeper, but I was firm on
my offer of $5. The 'sleeper' was not a real sleeper but a small flat
luggage storage area. It was private and horizontal, and a blanket was
provided.

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2.3 ROADS

The main road in Vietnam is the national Highway 1 from Hanoi to Saigon.
Although not in the very best condition, it still is one of the better
maintained roads. Every kilometer there is a stone with the distance to
the Chinese border written on it.

Road travel is very slow, averaging from 20 to 40 km/h (an average bus) up
to 80 km/h in a good car on highway 1.

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2.4 BUS

Local busses are easy to travel with, but a bit uncomfortable. Be aware
that you will probably be cheated, i.e. you pay more than the local
people. But prices are still very cheap, about VND 10000 for 100 km.
NhaTrang to Saigon is about VND 20000.

(Rick) There are two types of bus, express and local. Express buses are
considerably faster than local buses, which drop off and pick up peasants
and their produce at each cluster of houses along the highway. A good rule
of thumb is that local buses average 15-25 km/h over the course of a
journey, while express buses rarely exceed an average speed of 35 km/h.

Express buses also have the benefit of being given priority at ferry
crossings, which can save considerable time at each crossing. Since they
are slightly more expensive than regular buses, people hauling around
large packages to make a few extra dong reselling something, will probably
consider their time and comfort less valuable and will choose local buses
over express ones.

Most inter-city buses leave early in the morning. Sometimes half a dozen
vehicles serving the same destination will depart at the same time. Short-
distance buses leave when full (i.e. jam-packed with people), operating
throughout the day, but don't count on anything leaving after 4:00 pm.

Vietnam has instated a 'foreigner with insurance' fee for the local
busses.

There is a local bus from the border at LaoBao to Hue at around 3:15 pm.
It cost VND 20000 (foreigner price?).

The minibus from Hue to Hoi An costs USD 6 and tekas 6 hours.

The tourist bus from Hoi An to Nha Trang is USD 15 and takes 12 to 16
hours. Going the other direction, from Nha Trang to Hoi An is more
expensive.

(John) I took a local bus from Nha Trang to Danang.  The local price was
$1.70.  The 'foreigner with insurance' fee price was $6.30.  The seat was
a board. The ride was the most uncomfortable I have ever experienced. The
bus broke three times on the way.  The tourist bus cost $7 and I really
wish I had taken it.

(John) Generally, the tourist busses are fairly comfortable.  Since most
travelers go from the south to the north, the northbound busses tend to be
more expensive. Beware of the tourist busses stopping at restaurants that
expect tourists to order off menus that have no prices.  I know some
tourists who were GROSSLY overcharged at these establishments.  I
personally don't order off menus that have no prices.  The driver stops
there because he gets a free meal, and perhaps a cut of whatever the
restaurant makes.


Saigon: The bus station for the busses leaving south is Mien Tay Bus
Station, 10 km west of Saigon on Hung Vuong Blvd. in An Lac. It is about
half an hour by cyclo from Ben Thanh Market.

Express buses to Bac Lieu, Camau, Cantho, Chau Doc, Long Xuyen, and Rach
Gia depart twice a day: at 4:30 am and at 3:00 pm.  Tickets are sold
beginning at 3:30 am for the early buses and from 12:00 noon for the
afternoon runs.  Express bus tickets can also be bought at 121 Chau Van
Liem Blvd. in Cholon; 142 Hung Vuong Blvd. west of Cholon; and at 638 Le
Hong Phong St. in District 10.

Local buses from Mien Tay serve An Phu, Bac Lieu, Ben Tre, Camau, Cantho,
Chau Doc, Ha Tien, Long An, Long Phu, Long Xuyen, My Thuan, My Tho, Phung
Hiep, Rach Gia, Sa Dec, Tay Ninh, Tra Vinh, Vinh Chau, and Vinh Long.

Busses to PnomhPenh, Cambodia leave Monday to Saturday at 140 Nguyen Du
and at the Phnom Penh Garage at 155 Nguyen Hue Blvd. at 5 am and take
around 9 hours. It costs USD 5 or USD 11, depending if it is a Cambodian
or a Vietnamese one. You should buy the tiket in advance at the ticket
office next to the Rex Cinema.

Mytho: The bus station is 2 to 2 1/2 miles (3-4 km) from town on the road
towards Saigon and Vinh Long (continuation of Ap Bac St.), a third of a
mile (1/2 km) past the city gates. It is open from 4:00 am to 5:00 pm.
There is no express service between Saigon and My Tho.  However there are
regular connections with Saigon's Mien Tay station in An Lac that leave
when full from early in the morning until about 5:00 pm and take 1 1/2
hours to complete the trip. There is also daily bus service to Cantho
(5 hours), Chau Doc, Phu Hoa, Tay Ninh (6 hours), and Vung Tau (5 hours).

Cantho: You can find the station just over a mile (2 km) northwest of town
along Nguyen Trai St., near the intersection with Hung Vuong St. and Route
4. Regular connections with Saigon's Mien Tay terminal take 4-5 hours and
other buses serve additional locations in the Mekong Delta.

Long Xuyen: The station is about a mile (1 1/2 km) east of town on Tran
Hung Dao Street  The route serving Saigon's Mien Tay station takes 6-7
hours to travel, while Chau Doc is 1 1/2 hours away.  Buses also go to
Cantho, Vinh Long and other destinations in the Delta.

There are a number of private minibus companies in town offering a faster
and more comfortable service than the regular buses. They stop on Hung
Vuong St., not far from the cathedral, but check with the An Giang Tourist
Office at 6 Ngo Gia Tu Street.

Chau Doc: The bus station is southeast of town on the south side of Le Loi
Street, about a mile (1 - 2 km) from the town center and past the church.
You can pick up minibuses in town on Quang Trung Street. Buses to Saigon's
Mien Tay station take 6-7 hours to make the trip, including 2 ferry
crossings. Buses also go to Long Xuyen, Cantho and other points in the
Delta.

Rach Gia: Rach Gia Bus Station is south of town on Nguyen Trung Truc St.
Local and express buses (taking 8 hours) go to Saigon's Mien Tay terminal
and to Ha Tien near the Cambodian border. Also, there are non-express
connections with Cantho, Dong Thap, and Long Xuyen.

Bus services to rural destinations near Rach Gia operate between 3:30 am
and 4:30 pm. These include Duong Xuong, Giong Rieng, Go Quao, Hon Chong,
Kien Luong, Soc Xoai, Tan Hiep, Tri Ton, and Vinh Thuan.

There is also an express bus service leaving from an office at 33 30 Thang
4 Street. The Cantho bus leaves at 5:00 am, one for Ha Tien at 4.30 am,
and Saigon at 3:45 am.  Another express bus to Saigon leaves every morning
at 4:00 am from 78 Nguyen Trung Truc Street.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.5 MINIBUS

A very convenient way of transportation (very touristy as well) are
special minibusses travelling between tourist centers. They are more
expensive than normal busses, but at least you get a whole seat. They also
fetch you from your hotel (or you can ask them) and drop you at a cheap
hotel (or any hotel of your choice) at your destination city. Some prices:

Hanoi    - Hue       USD 20
DaNang   - NhaTrang  USD 15
HoiAn    - NhaTrang  USD 11
NhaTrang - Saigon    USD 10 to 11 (depending on the travel agent)
Saigon   - Dalat     USD  7

There is an open ticket between Hue and Saigon, available at Sinh Cafe
(and probably also at other travellers cafes). With this ticket you can
get on and off the bus along the way wherever you want. It costs USD 35.

It is also possible to rent a minibus. This may be a good alternative if
your party is large enough, although I'm not quite sure if it is cheaper.
See also next section.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.6 CAR

It should be possible to rent or buy a car, but I didn't check it. Anyway,
with the traffic in Vietnam it would not be fun anyway.

It certainly is possible to rent a car with a driver for a day. The rates
are somthing like USD 15 to USD 100 (depending on the car, the place you
rent it from, the region, and your bargaining skills).

A taxi from Da Nang to Hoi An (30 km) is USD 15.

A day trip with a taxi and a driver from Hoi An should cost about USD 25.

(John) Three other people and I rented a Russian jeep in Hanoi to travel
in northwest Vientam.  The cost for the six-day trip was $320 including
driver.  Be forewarned: Travel in an old russian jeep can be quite
uncomfortable due to its tight suspension and firm seats.  Also, check to
see that there is a seal on the rear door of the jeep because the dirt
roads in the Northwest can produce massive amounts of dust that will enter
the vehicle if the seal is missing.  The dust can make the trip quite
uncomfortable.  Our jeep was very slow and stopped working near the end of
the trip.  If a modern vehicle such as a Toyota landcruiser is available,
I would suggest taking it, even if the landcruiser costs $450.

(Rick) In Saigon, it is possible to hire good Japanese cars and minivans
for day trips or week-long excursions. If your party or expense account is
large enough, this can be a reasonable means of travel. Ask to go for a
test ride to see if the car is running properly before deciding on a
driver. Expect to pay US$40 per day for a comfortable car from a reputable
tourist agency. Try Burotel Tourist (Tel: 8293727) for car rental services
that are considerably cheaper than Vietnamtourist, Saigontourist, and most
hotels.

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2.7 MOTORCYCLE

It's easy to rent a motorcycle to get around. Usual rates are USD 4 to
USD 7 for a day for a 50 cc to 100 cc Honda or Yamaha. Fuel is a bit less
than VND 3000 for one liter, although you'll be charged VND 3000 flat. But
then, you'll be able to get fuel every couple of meters, so you don't have
to be too careful about running out of it.

If you rent a motorbike, make sure that you don't leave your passport with
them, and that in the contract they don't overdo the price. For some it is
a very lucrative business getting the money for a 'stolen' bike (you'll be
able to rent the same moto at the same place the next day ...) And, of
course, take a big lock with you. If you stay in a hotel, try to get the
bike into your room or at least the lobby (locked!)

Traffic in Vietnam is heavy and sometimes resembles these old computer
games where you have to avoid oncomming cars as well as possible... In
other words, it is very dangerous.

Motorcycles (in Vietnamese xe om, meaning "hugging vehicle": the passenger
wraps his or her arms around the drivers waist so as not to fall down) are
replacing the cyclo as a means of transportation. The rate is comparable
to cyclos.

If you are in a hurry, you can try to flag down a motorcycle for a ride on
the back (most drivers are not adverse to making a bit of extra money) or
ask a local to find a Honda ong for you.

It is also possible to buy a motorcycle. This is especially recommended if
you would like to go longer distances, or off the beaten track. There are
old Russian motorcycles (Minsks, 125 ccm), as well as both new and old
Hondas, but they are not quite fit for a long journey. One problem is the
bad quality of the motorbikes; mechanical knowledge is a definite
advantage. Typically, you will plan to buy in Saigon and sell in Hanoi. Be
prepared to wait for a while after your trip, since there normally isn't
somebody waiting for just you to come by and offer an old motorbike... If
you sell to local people, they won't pay a good price, knowing that
eventually you'll have to leave Vietnam and the bike behind. If you
consider having your own vehicle for a couple of days or even weeks and
the amount of money you would have to spend for transportation otherwise,
it might be cheaper even if you cannot sell it. Be sure you buy a good
lock, so you can tie your bike to some post or tree.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.8 BICYCLES

It is fun to rent a bicycle and to ride around. Rates are around USD 1 for
a day.

It is also possible to buy bicycles and even mountainbikes, but beware of
the quality. Old types are sure to be maintained everywhere.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.9 CYCLOS

A nice way to tour a city is to rent a cyclo. Rates are normally VND 5000
for a ride of up to 10 minutes in Saigon (there seems to be no way to get
a cheaper one, even for only a couple of hundred meters). Locals pay half
that price. You can also get a tour of one hour for USD 1! In Hanoi prices
are more related to the distance and are a bit more expensive.

Lars used to get short cyclo-rides, <20 min, for VND 2-3000 in Saigon. But
not always, some drivers refused to go for this price.

There are about 37000 cyclo drivers alone in Ho Chi Minh City.

Drivers that regularily drive foreigners can make up to USD 100 a month,
four times what a factory worker gets. A cyclo costs USD 150 to buy or
USD 1 to rent for a day.

According to an article I read in the Economist, cyclos have been banned
since July 1995 from the center of Ho Chi Minh City because - according to
officials - they would slow up other traffic.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.10 TOURS

Many cafes offer organised tours from one to 12 days. Although the tours
are touristy sometimes they provide an easy and time saving (sometimes
even money saving) way of seeing a lot. Prices vary depending on the
organising cafe and on what is included (accommodation, meals, etc.) You
can try to bargain, I heard of someone who get a Halong Bay Trip for only
USD 8!)
Some tours are:

Hanoi (Darling Cafe, Queen Cafe, Green Bamboo, most hotels)

Halong Bay                    Two days   USD 22 - 25
Halong Bay and Catba Island   Three days USD 28
HoaLu                         One day    USD 10
Sapa                          Three days USD 27
Sapa                          Four days  USD 40
Dien Bien Phu                 Five days  USD 48

(John) The $10 'Around HaNoi' day tour arranged through The Green Bamboo
Cafe I found to be a particularly good value.  It included visiting a silk
village, noodle village, snake farm (for lunch), pottery village, and some
caves.


Hue (many hotels)


DMZ                           One day,    USD 15


Saigon (Kim Cafe, Sinh Cafe)

CaoDai temple, CuChi tunnels  One day      USD  4
Mekong delta                  1 - 5 days   
                              e.g. 3 days  USD 27
Dalat, Nha Trang              Three days   USD 20
Hue                           Ten days     USD 140

They usually have excellent guides that speak very good English.

Beware: Some companies (though not many) do not deliver what you bargained
for. Sometimes tourists are put up on local busses, both express and
regular. Of course, this is not the same service, since these busses do
not take you to a hotel as do the tourist busses. Sometimes, tourist
busses 'behave' like regular local busses, stopping all the time and
picking up other people. This decreases the already limited space even
more, and considerably slows the trip.

There is an open ticket from Saigon to Hue, where you can stop your trip
anywhere you want for and get back on the bus at a later time.

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2.11 GUIDES

(Howard) Guides: Many people will approach you offering their services as
guides, drivers, etc.  We averaged between $6-15/day for one guide with a
motorbike (they pay petrol; we paid most meals). You will *need* to hire
some of them as a means of transportation and to make your day go more
smoothly (they know the way; they know if roads or bridges are washed out;
they are able to drive for hours without losing their minds or their
limbs; etc.). Moreover, a good guide can make a trip into an experience. 
Unfortunately, a bad guide can be quite frustrating and end up costing you
money. In general, professional guides take you to the restaurants and
shops of their friends and get a cut of whatever you buy [I'm not too sure
about that. Peter]. There's nothing wrong with that as long as the shops
have what you want *and* they are giving you a fair price *and* you want
to go to the shops (remember, the guide was hired by you to look after
*your* interests). Knowing what things should cost is the key to not
getting screwed. If you tell your guide that you need a bus from a to b,
don't buy a ticket at the first place he takes you unless you know the
market rate for the trip. We got suckered in Danang by Thai Quang Lam
("Lam") and Nguyen Van Tien ("Tien") solely because we didn't follow this
rule. They were good guides, but they let their friends really rip us off
on a minibus trip to Nha Trang. Moreover, be assertive. If you want to go
to a certain hotel, don't let a cyclo/taxi driver take you somewhere else
-- even if he assures you in his most earnest tone that his recommendation
is cheaper, nicer, cleaner, etc. Be as insistent (and as polite) as they
are. Having endured many such experiences, I found that we *always* went
where I wanted to go when I threatened to hop out of the cyclo/taxi in
mid-trip.

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2.12 BOATS

There are some boats between the mainland of Vietnam and the islands.

Rach Gia to/from Phu Quoc takes 6 to 10 hours and costs VND 44000.
Officially, it should leave every day at 8 am in Rach Gia and at 10 am in
An Thui. In reality it waits until there are enough passengers, so be
prepared to wait for one or two days.

Ha Tien to/from Phu Quoc: This is officially not allowed, since the boat
crosses Cambodian waters.

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The homepage of the Internet Travel Guides is at
http://www-students.unisg.ch/~pgeiser/itg.htm

Please send your comments, suggestions and contributions to the address
below. For questions, please see my note in the introduction.

e-mail:peter.geiser@student.unisg.ch

Peter M. Geiser
Seeblickstr. 10
9010 St. Gallen
Switzerland

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