Travel Assistance
We developed this site as an open source of information for Vietnam travelers. We used to offer consulting services to help set up individualized travel itineraries. This was stressful for the small amount of money it brought in, so we have moved toward a more open source travel blog website. If you fill out our contact form, we will answer general travel questions as time permits. However the best way to get info is with a phone call. In exchange for priceless travel advice and the ability to bend our ears for a half hour or so, we ask for a $25 donation to go toward site upkeep and development. We can give great suggestions to help plan your trip, and we can also put you in touch with our “Uncle Loi”, who can meet you at the airport in Saigon and get you to a hotel in your price range.
If you would like us to call you, please make a donation and fill out our contact form with your phone number and a good time to call. If you want free advice, send an email and we’ll do our best to answer it as time permits.
AIR TRAVEL PLANNING:
FLYING TO VIETNAM FROM THE WEST COAST OF THE US:
Most airlines leave in the mid-night, early AM hours and invlove a plane change in Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo, or Seoul. Hong Kong is the best place to layover. Flights from SFO are around 14 hours, and then it is only 2 hours to Vietnam after your 2-4 hour layover in the beautiful Hong Kong Airport. A flight leaving SFO 12:15 AM on the 1st will arrive in Saigon or Hanoi around 10 AM on the 2nd (skipping a day because of the international date line). This means you’ll need to plan to get to the airport the night before the 1st. United airlines has a flight leaving SFO around 11 AM and arriving in Saigon the next day around 11 PM. We prefer the flights that leave at night because you can sleep half your flight away…
For travel from the West Coast to Vietnam, we highly recommend Cathay Pacific Airlines. A British owned airline, they offer superior service and professionalism, and they have the best connections through Hong Kong. The Hong Kong airport is like a shopping mall. You can get massages there, too! Cathay is also a partner with American Airlines if you are looking to accrue a lot of miles.
The cheapest fares tend to be on China Airlines, but they are routed through Taipei, a grim place for a layover (and you get what you pay for). We have not flown Eva Air, but we have heard they are OK and have an amazing deal in which you can upgrade to business class for $100 (if seats are available at the last minute).
If you want to fly on United, they recently added “direct” service from SFO to Saigon, but it is not truly direct. They stop in Hong Kong to refuel and it ends up taking the same amount of time as on Cathay Pacific. Japan Airlines offers good routing to Saigon and Hanoi, and they partner with American if you are looking to accrue miles.
A typical economy fare from SFO to Saigon is around $1300 if you purchase well in advance. The best deals we have seen have been as low as $800, but the system is constantly changing…
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS WITHIN VIETNAM:
Vietnam Airlines is an excellent airline with an outstanding safety record. Flying within Vietnam is easy and relatively cheap as long as you purchase your tickets in Vietnam. They are outrageous if purchased from the US. Example: A ticket from Saigon to Danang would be over $300 if purchased in the US and around $75 if purchased in Vietnam!
Direct links to airline websites are below:
Cathay Pacific
GROUND TRAVEL:
TO/FROM AIRPORTS: Emerging from customs in either Hanoi or Saigon, one is greeted by the chaotic throng of taxi drivers that is typical in Southeast Asia. While we have never experienced the Bangkok-style slimy cab driver who tries to take you to a massage parlor, we have gotten in cabs with people who didn’t know where they were going. It is a great comfort to arrive and see someone holding a sign with your name on it, which is why we highly recommend having a hotel reservation and airport pickup arranged in advance. Even for just the first night; you can always switch once you get yourself oriented…
AROUND TOWN: Taxis don’t typically cruise the streets and can be hard to flag down. We usually go to a big hotel to find taxis. If you are feeling adventurous: a very normal way to get around is to ask a local for a ride on his scooter. We are not advocating for this because of legal concerns, but we can report that many do this safely. Locals love to give tourists rides and eagerly earn gas money that way. Negotiate a price in advance and HOLD ON TIGHT!
BUSES: Bus travel in Vietnam can be pretty uncomfortable and confusing unless you use one of the bigger bus companies. If you are traveling in a group, we have found it makes more sense to hire a:
VAN OR MINI-BUS: Hotels and tour companies can easily arrange for a van and driver at very reasonable rates. This can be a great way to do medium haul trips between cities or to see the Mekong Delta.
TRAIN: Vietnam is planning a big overhaul of its train system from Saigon to Hanoi, but as of this writing, it is not a trip most people would want to make. (Think suffocating heat and crowds, metal seats, and hole-in-the-floor bathrooms….) However, the train service from Hanoi to the Sapa region is very well developed and very much worth doing. There are different classes of service on this overnight trip, and train is far superior to the endless, winding roads to the region…
VISAS:
Visas are strictly required to visit Vietnam. Click here for a printable visa application and instructions.
We use the San Francisco Vietnamese Consulate to process our visas. The good news: They process our visas in 1-2 weeks and are generally efficient. The bad news: They are totally impossible to reach if you encounter any problems. They don’t answer their phones, their email address doesn’t work, and their fax number does not pick up. They frequently make mistakes processing visas–so you need to apply well in advance of your trip and check your visa carefully for the proper dates. You should apply for your visa WELL IN ADVANCE OF YOUR TRIP.
You need to call the consulate for current fees, and this can be maddening because they are so hard to reach. Their “hours” are 8:30-12:30. Just keep trying…
If applying by mail, you will need to include return postage with your application. As long as there is plenty of time, we use priority mail both ways and always get our visas back within 2 weeks. If there is any time pressure at all, pay for overnight delivery each way and be sure to check the waiver of signature because their hours are very limited.
Recommended Reading:
NOVELS:
“The Quiet American”, by Graham Greene. This was made into a pretty good movie starring Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser.
“Paradise of the Blind”, by Doung Thu Houng. The first Vietnamese novel to be published in the USA. Takes place in Hanoi and a rural village in northern Vietnam.
NON-FICTION:
“River of Time”, by Jon Swain. An account of the war years by a journalist in Southeast Asia. “Vietnam, Now” by David Lamb. This is hands-down the best book to orient you to Vietnam and its history.