Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kat2]

I want to go to Vietnam to a city that is interesting culturally. More Beijing than Shanghai if you will. I've heard good things about Hanoi rather than Ho Chi Minh. Do you have suggestions? I'll be going for about 5 or 6 days in February.

Thanks!

[Tiger Beer]

French Quarter of Hanoi.. as well as Ha Long Bay.

[bucheon bum]

personally i liked Saigon more, but yeah, Hanoi is more "vietnamese" and cultural. The old quarter is pretty cool. Lots of touts along the main lake though, bit tiresome.

I'd suggest going to Halong Bay, spending a night on a boat. One of the most beautiful sunrises I've seen was on the Bay.

[thebomb]

Hanoi, without a shadow of a doubt. In my opinion Hanoi has far better qualities than Ho Chi Min. Ho chi Min is just a busy city, whereas Hanoi has the qualities of a chilled town. As another poster wrote, Halong bay is easily accessible and if you organise a trip to Catba Is. you can do a days jungle trek, which is interesting, the guides seemed well informed about the fauna and floral.

In Hanoi itself there are evening performances of the water puppetry, and you can also travel northwest up into the hills. And just chilling out having a baguette and coffee by Hoan Kiem lake watching the world go by is more than pleasant.

[b_canadian_eh]

I also thought Hanoi was a nicer city, a little more relaxed. Also some great day trips are easy to find from there. Ha Long was amazing. Or if you want cultural and smaller (more relaxed) Hoi An is a good bet.

[m8888888]

But from what I've read, it's quite cold in Hanoi this time of year. Like 10 degrees or so (uh... celsius, obviously). Ho Chi Minh is in the upper 20s now.
Just mentioning it, in case it's a factor for you! I really want to go to Vietnam, and Hanoi does seem way more rad, but I'm going to wait until it's warmer.

[spliff]

Stay in Hanoi...Saigon sux! Hanoi babes are way cute!

[gochubandit]

[schwa]

I went to Hanoi a couple februarys ago for a week or so. Wonderful time! A bit of rain passed through but otherwise it was very warm. Halong & Sapa, nice side adventures.

Easy interesting city.

[b_canadian_eh]

[supernaut]

Hanoi ROCKS !!!

[spliff]

Nah Trang is a nice seaside resort...how many giant shrimp can you eat for 1$ each...Hues interesting historically, there are Hmong type mountain dwellers outside of Hanoi. I went in 1991 for 40 days w' a group of dignitaries and we had to have a guide/spy w/ us (the guide and drivers) We drove form Hanoi to Da Nang, visiting everywhere interesting along the way..high level gov officials (met Madam Bing, Giap etc...) great trip but I here it's more expensive. Is it still possible to get a cold Heineken anywhere you are at a given moment for 1$... And, when you're in the outback do they still refuse to believe you are an American and not a Russian?

[jajdude]

I've never been to Hanoi. Saigon does have some good nightlife, bars, lots of expats, mainly in district 1. It's a bit crazy but can be fun there. Take taxis if you can, they're cheap enough, though a ride or two on a 'motobi' is interesting enough. Lots of good cheap food in lots of tourist restaurants. Like Thailand it really puts Korea to shame for food variety.

Nha Trang is nice too. I spent just 2 days there. I didn't really dig Dalat.

Oh yes drinking is cheap. Two years ago $2 was an expensive beer at a bar in Saigon. Watch out for (motorbike) thieves.

(Wow, spliff you been around a long time, son. I like your posts.)

[demaratus]

As far as culture goes Hanoi beats HCMC hands down. Food wise I found Hanoi to have better options across the board (budget stalls to high end sit downs) as well. I found the people there to be far pushier than HCMC, and HCMC had many cool things to see and do that Hanoi didnt. Specifically quick access to Mui ne beach, nha Trang, and Hoi an.

If you really want culture I say take a flight to Danang. It self Danang is boring however there are fine beaches nearby like China Beach, the old imperial capital of Hue nearby, and best of all Hoi An which though small has tonnes of character, the best food in the country and proximity to My Son (a very poor mans Angkor or Ayuthaya). If you want traditional Vietnamese culture I think Hoi An is the best, there are also many cooking classes availible there so you can bring some culture hime with you.

Halong bay is nice but be careful about which tour you take some are fanatastic some are nothing like they are described. Many friends have told me the best trip away from Hanoi isn't Halong though, they say Sapa is great. There are hill tribes, terraced mountains and all around beautiful scenery there (from the pics I have seen).

[kat2]

OK, so Hanoi it is for me then.

Now, does anyone have any suggestions for good places to stay (with links), restaurants, day or overnight trips (maybe a beach), how to get tehre, you know all that stuff...

Also, who has a Vietnam LP to sell me?