Going to Cambodia and Viet Nam
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- ********
Specifically Siem Reap and Hanoi. The obvious reason for Siem Reap is Angkor Wat of course; but, for those that have been, any recommendations?
Hanoi I think will just be "an Asian city for four days" which could be exciting enough. However, again, anyone who has been and has some recommendations I'm all ears.
Thanks, kids...
- coco_ono0
Eat lots and lots of Pho and Balut!
- And I'll be avoiding the cholera carts for sure! =]********
- And I'll be avoiding the cholera carts for sure! =]
- raf0
We just decided today with friends we're going there in November.
*bookmarks thread
- bigtrickagain0
Hanoi is pretty different from any other asian city I've been to - it's not very "modern," I guess. I remember a lot of minibikes and a fuckload of bicycles from when I went almost ten years ago. be sure to buy a lot of delicious pho from the women in the stalls on the street. Don't take a taxi everywhere you go or else you'll miss out on the essence of the city, which is the teeming masses of people, I feel. Everyone was so... smiley, friendly, happy there! It was a pleasure to soak all that up.
Of course visit Hoan Kiem lake, Co Loa Citadel, and Ho Chi Minh's old moldy remains too if you're into dead communists.
And give some $ to the beggars - they will try to fleece you because you're a tourist, but even so, giving them the equivalent of an american dollar is a lot of money to them and their gain will be 30x your loss.
- We're staying right across the street, so to speak, from the cathedral, so we'll be nice and central********
- We're staying right across the street, so to speak, from the cathedral, so we'll be nice and central
- bigtrickagain0
forgot to mention... take cyclos instead of taxis (:
- MrT0
Hanoi - "an Asian city for four days" - come on you can do better than that.
The water puppet show is one of the main tourist things to do.
Spend a day wandering round the Old Quarter and you have to try some street food. Looks daunting and deadly at first but it's the best when you get over your western thinking.
You have to do the bia hoi ritual around late afternoon, the barrels turn up and they set up on the street. Find a spot and have a few, most of them also do bits of food and you always get chatting to someone.
If you have enough time Ha Long Bay is do-able from Hanoi and is awesome.
- ^ Make sure you agree your cyclo price before you get on. They will FLEECE you otherwise.MrT
- <<< yes! halong bay is fucking gorgeous. you can hire a driver and a guide for like. $20.bigtrickagain
- and rent a boat for like $5 or something ridiculously cheap.bigtrickagain
- Sorry, only gonna be there for four days; all we could spare...********
- Thanks for the suggestions!********
- forcetwelve0
forget hanoi in my opinion. just a big dirty asian city.
go to hoian, mui ne, nha trang.
- nobigtrickagain
- No, go. It has an old style Chinese feelbabaganush
- MrT0
^ good suggestions too.
Limited time but you could do a train trip and get one of these places in and fly out of somewhere further south. I did pretty much the full length of Vietnam on the Reunification Express which is also great.
- mydo0
don't fall off your motor bike.
do take lot's of pictures of you and your mate looking stupid.
- No motor biking for me... and my friend doesn't like getting her photo taking so that'll be a stretch too... =]********
- No motor biking for me... and my friend doesn't like getting her photo taking so that'll be a stretch too... =]
- mydo0
and a 4 year old travel entry about it... http://www.mydot.co.uk/travel/tr…
- Thanks! And those 'buddy" photos look a little scary...********
- Thanks! And those 'buddy" photos look a little scary...
- ********0
Had a wonderful time in Cambodia and Viet Nam - first photos (have over 2,000 to process, plus some video work, and then decide which gets posted) up here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-…
Some are going to be red/cyan 3D (about 350 of those to sift through); bring your glasses...
- inteliboy0
ha-noi is the best. try go north up to supa and go for a 2-3 day hike, get to stay in some villages, walk through the mountains... so amazing.
in cambodia go south to Sihanoukville, is a beach side place. hire a bike and drive along the beach to the middle of no where.
- you guys don't make a habit of reading the whole thread, do you.bigtrickagain
- Thanks for policing the thread********
- babaganush0
Just get the $22 bus pass and hop on and off when you like between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. Seems like everyone's done the same thing. Hanoi to Ho chi Minh city or viceversa and stop at Hoi Anh, Nah Trang etc.
Go and see Uncle Ho (preserved in his Mausoleum). I think this is Hanoi...and remember to remove your hat! Well, you won't forget with the guards giving you evils.
- kommute0
Don't miss out on a chance to visit sapa. Take the train up and rent a motorbike/scooter. Head out well past the first couple of hill tribe villages. If you make an effort to get 20 miles outside the city you will be rewarded.
Ha long bay was enjoyable but 'touristic'. If you have a romantic partner a night on the bay is enjoyable.
Hanoi is lots of fun. Put your walking shoes on and get around. Great photo ops, great food, sensational beer...beer hoi.
- kommute0
Angkor is awesome. Seim Reap is a nice sleepy little town. Make an effort to see the whole of Angkor - 3 day pass. They make you get a guide nowadays...make sure you get one who knows the temples. Don't take the first one presented to you....research a bit and reward the one you pick with a full time job for your whole time in Seim Reap.
- nah, we did a lot of temples, no guides - no issues...********
- nah, we did a lot of temples, no guides - no issues...
- ********0
Don't drink the water.
- Managed to avoid that - but we both got sick, twice, after eating at the most expensive spots in both Siem Reap and Ha Noi...********
- Managed to avoid that - but we both got sick, twice, after eating at the most expensive spots in both Siem Reap and Ha Noi...