I’m leaving for Thailand next week and also looking to spend three weeks in Vietnam. I just applied for a visa so fingers crossed. I’m looking to fly into Ho Chi Minh, then go to Da Nang, then Hanoi. A few questions:
How would you break up the three weeks for those destinations?
I hear custom suits are a thing. Recommendations on tailors (and where)?
If you want to do any tours, pay the extra $30 or whatever for the "luxury" options. Instead of being crammed on a bus or crappy uncomfortable van for hours with crappy A/C, stopping at mass market feeding, and moving as a mass of humanity through whatever you are visiting, you pretty much get the opposite. Super comfy recliner SUV seating, cold drinks, casual pace...
If you can swing it, a boat cruise around Ha Long Bay is absolutely worth doing. But get the two night package. The one night is so much time in transit you are basically on and off the boat. You get way better value at 2 nights.
From Hanoi the Hoa Lu and Tam Coc tour is a good one too.
In Hanoi don't miss the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Bonkers fun. You won't understand a word, but the action speaks for itself. Be prepared to wait in a bit of a line, though.
Try to find somewhere that does a Pho Cocktail, it's incredible. A drink that tastes like the soup, and is made like this:
I've never been, I've only ever seen it on TV but one of my stops would be that Bar that used to be for War Correspondents, I saw it on Anthony Bourdain and it just looked so cool, the sheer amount of history in that place must be staggering.
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Fly, fly everywhere you can. It's super inexpensive and mazimizes the time in places you can see. My mom and I went last fall, it was my third time in Vietnam. Use Ho Chi Min as a jumping off point, stay a few nights in the Delta. Hanoi and Hoi An are incredible, Sapa is tremendous (Haven't been for 15 years, and heard its a bit more touristy now). Home stays there are really worth it, I "helped" a farmer in the rice patties by driving his ox for a while. I think it was more comedy for him than anything. We spent a few nights in Buan Ma Thout and Hue, both were very pleasant surprises. Eat, scooter, and talk to locals. That's all you need to do for a great time.
And yes, always pay more for the "luxury" tour.
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The food in the north is different from the south, so make sure you try the unique ones to the north! Bun bo hue is a soup noodle but very different from pho and originally from the north - please try it there. Even the pho in the north is different (no bean sprouts!). Try all the food in VN, you're going to miss it when you're back home. Other dishes I recommend, Pho Ga (chicken), Bun Cha, Banh Cuon... mmm oh, Banh Mi there is so much better too!
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Fly, fly everywhere you can. It's super inexpensive and mazimizes the time in places you can see. My mom and I went last fall, it was my third time in Vietnam. Use Ho Chi Min as a jumping off point, stay a few nights in the Delta. Hanoi and Hoi An are incredible, Sapa is tremendous (Haven't been for 15 years, and heard its a bit more touristy now). Home stays there are really worth it, I "helped" a farmer in the rice patties by driving his ox for a while. I think it was more comedy for him than anything. We spent a few nights in Buan Ma Thout and Hue, both were very pleasant surprises. Eat, scooter, and talk to locals. That's all you need to do for a great time.
And yes, always pay more for the "luxury" tour.
You mention the cheap flights, that's true. ALso worth paying for the upgrade. I think it was a few bucks(less than $10), and we got front of the plane, drink service...worth it. Otherwise it was chaos class in the back.
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My 2 cents on suit tailoring is that it's largely not worth it. Sure, it might look inexpensive but then you need to ship it back home (or cart it around with you). There is also a huge risk that the quality of the fabric or tailoring or tailor will be sub-par or outright fraudulent. Also, the fabrics are largely made for a warm climate and will be terrible in Canada for most of the year. I've yet to see a suit from vacation in SE Asia hold up.
Go and eat great food and see cool stuff.
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I backpacked around Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos for 3 months about 15 years ago.
For suits, the best prices were in Thailand at the time (Phuket, Patong Beach there is a great one, private message me if you want more info). I was surprised at how much the prices have changed as I get emails from them from time to time still and since they still have measurements that work for me, I have looked into some more from time to time. Back in 2010 I had 5 suits made and about 15 shirts, and a vest for each suit as well, and it all came in around $1000 CDN. I think you're looking at about $300 per suit and $50 per shirt these days so not sure it's worth in anymore in comparison to just going to Indochino or the like.
In Vietnam itself, as others have said, if you can afford it fly. We were on a budget and the trains and sleeper busses were absolutely horrible ways to travel. In those days, (it may have changed) they'd have locals literally sleeping on the floors of the busses, and same with the trains where you'd be in a private bunk but across the room their would be entire families taking up single bunks. Always overcrowded, hot and I'd avoid it if I could.
If you can, check out Hoi An. It was one of the cooler areas we visited. Na Trang was also cool as well as Ha Long Bay (we actually got rooms (with AC!) in a Vietnamese Junk Boat and sailed around the bay for 2 days).
You mention Thailand and my favorite places were Patong in Phuket, Ko Phi Phi, Kho Samui. If you have any specific questions about places don't hesitate to ask.
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Both Thailand and Vietnam have some of the best street food vendors in the world. Try everything, even if it looks weird.
I'm still chasing the dragon trying to recreate some of the unbelievably delicious soups I had in northern Thailand and while I've gotten close I still just can't quite nail them.
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Both Thailand and Vietnam have some of the best street food vendors in the world. Try everything, even if it looks weird.
I'm still chasing the dragon trying to recreate some of the unbelievably delicious soups I had in northern Thailand and while I've gotten close I still just can't quite nail them.
Whatever you say Seymour...
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I’m leaving for Thailand next week and also looking to spend three weeks in Vietnam. I just applied for a visa so fingers crossed. I’m looking to fly into Ho Chi Minh, then go to Da Nang, then Hanoi. A few questions:
How would you break up the three weeks for those destinations?
I hear custom suits are a thing. Recommendations on tailors (and where)?
And just overall things to see (or avoid)?
Thanks!
Flying is important as mentioned.
Highlights:
Dalat
- Canyoning - highly recommend
- Hired a guy with a motorbike to take me on an agricultural tour in the
countryside
- Hired a different motorcycle to drive me to Nha Trang
Nha Trang
- Get a street pineapple...or at least watch them cut them
- hire a beach hut and eat fresh prawns cooked for you there
- Scuba diving
Ho Chi Minh
- The standard stuff is the tunnels and the Mekong
- Lesser known is the War Remnants museum...always interesting to see how the "other side" viewed things
- Go to the spa...it sounds ridiculous, but they're not rub n tugs and you get your hair washed a massage and a pedicure for <$50.
If you're traveling solo, stay in the hostels so you meet people. Otherwise there is a range of hotel options.
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Thanks a lot all. I'm going to use this trip to refresh a bit. Doing an advanced scuba diving course a day after I arrive, taking in the full moon party for a second time, and just hanging out on the peaceful Koh Tao as much as possible. I've done Thailand before and just want to take it in more than I did the first time. Thank you for all the suggestions for Vietnam. I will research the suggestions and will make those decisions accordingly! Awesome!
I spend a lot of time in Thailand and Vietnam so I can give more detailed recommendations on specific restaurants, bars, etc if you would like.
Vietnam has a lot to see but depends on what you're into and how you like to travel.
Phu Quoc is a beautiful beach island with the best sunsets in Vietnam (because the rest of the country's beaches face east), but if you're going to Phuket in Thailand it's a bit of the same.
Ho Chi Minh is a lot of fun if you're into nightlife and the food is great. I don't do much of the touristy stuff anymore but the Cu Chi Tunnels are worth the day trip, especially if you go by boat up the river. The War Remnants Museum is sobering, not a really fun place but interesting. The Presidential Palace is pretty cool too, not as dark but very cool as it is pretty much maintained as it was when Saigon fell. Some great breweries in HCMC (Heart of Darkness, Pasteur St) if you like beer. If you want to hit the beach, you can go out to Ho Tram where they have a casino, Ernie Els golf course, and a very interesting nightclub in the Intercontinental.
Nha Trang is a beautiful beach city in a gorgeous bay. It's a stunning place.
Danang is the main beach city of Vietnam. For whatever reason it is full of Koreans, which is kind of weird and fun. From here, you should make short trips to Hoi An (the prettiest city of Vietnam), Bana Hills (a cool cable car ride up into the mountains where a faux French village has been built--there is one hotel there if you want to stay the night otherwise you have to line up for a long time to get the last cable car back down), and the old Imperial city of Hue (home of bun bo hue, the beef soup which is a central, not northern, dish and my favourite).
Hanoi is more chill than HCMC. A bit more conservative but still fun. Sip beers along the train tracks where the trains come through with just a few feet of clearance on either side. Ha Long Bay is stunning and should not be missed even though it's super touristy. Splurge on the best room you can book on one of the overnight cruises and you'll have your own private balcony.
Domestic flights are short and and the budget carriers like VietJet are still better than Air Canada or WestJet IMO, so economy is fine. They also have luxury trains in Vietnam which I haven't taken but I've seen some of my friends stories and they look very comfortable.
Locals eat pho for breakfast and drink ca phe, so just go to the busy spots and live like a local. Get used to sitting on comically small plastic chairs.
It's an amazing place. You'll fall in love with it and maybe a girl or two along the way haha.
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Last edited by icarus; 07-15-2025 at 09:13 AM.
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Thanks a lot all. I'm going to use this trip to refresh a bit. Doing an advanced scuba diving course a day after I arrive, taking in the full moon party for a second time, and just hanging out on the peaceful Koh Tao as much as possible. I've done Thailand before and just want to take it in more than I did the first time. Thank you for all the suggestions for Vietnam. I will research the suggestions and will make those decisions accordingly! Awesome!
One thing I always do, is try to find a few moments early on, and just stand and watch. Watching how traffic works, taking in the sounds, smells etc. to prep to immerse myself in the different culture.
July/August is hot, get a compact fan to stay cool (manual or battery fan, hats etc.) and stay hydrated even if it means you sweat like a pig or pay for overpriced beverages. Heat stroke sucks. I've refused to spend double or triple on beverages in some touristy areas (extra $3-5 max) and later needing 2-3 hours to reset from heat stroke. It sucks and is just a silly way to miss out on things.
Remembering the feeling of liquid dripping down my body, underneath my clothing still makes me uncomfortable. In the past, I usually used a folding fan, but something like this would have been amazing if it was invented years ago: https://www.amazon.ca/10000mAh-Waist..._source=1&th=1
One of the things I've occasionally heard from those who go to Vietnam, is that if you have the ability to call on local to tour you around, take advantage of it. Not only will they help you explore more efficiently/effectively, perhaps find/order things you wouldn't have considered otherwise, but you can also share meals and thus try even more food that you would normally. I think the big cities you're going to have options to request a student tour guide, not sure about the smaller cities though. It's different than specific guides for specific activities. If you get a good guide, treat him to a meal. Win/win if they accept as it seems like an extra added to the tip they deserve. The place is a foodie haven and your stomach is only so big. No idea on how much you're supposed to tip them though, but I'm sure you can find that info online and IMO it's typically worth it. You can also kinda ask them to keep an eye your stuff while you do certain things. It helps give some peace of mind so that you don't have to watch your valuables with as much of a hawk eye if you have to put your bag down for part of an activity or whatever. You don't need the tour guide every day, but it's nice to have one for a full day and try things in ways you may not have considered.
Make sure you take something for travelers diarrhea (Dukoral?) because you don't want to miss out. There's a reason why the word food keeps showing up. Bringing your own probiotic pills, mint/ginger candies (helps settle stomach or nausea) and maybe some diarrhea treatment like Imodium gel capsules is a good idea. Some of the stuff they have out in Asia is just different and doesn't seem to get me on my feet as effectively as what we have here, even if the contents are similar (ie: Panadol/paracetamol vs Tylenol/acetaminophen vs ibuprofen). Extra few hours for it to kick in/feel better or figure out the difference in dosage per pill is kind of a waste of time and that's not including the detour and the time spent staring slightly confused at what is available in the drug store. Even when I go to places like Japan and Hong Kong, I bring stuff from Canada that is fast acting that I know my body is used to.
Every corner seems to have a different variety of food and no matter what, almost every place seems to be damn good, at least far different and/or better than what we have here and for ridiculously cheap. You could choose one single category of food and eat that only for the whole trip (ie: sandwich, noodles, wraps, skewers, vegetarian, seafood, fruits etc.) and you could theoretically get a different type/variation of that category every meal and not have to eat the same version you got before (ie: different spices/sauces/base). Also consider at times upgrading the occasional meal and getting the most expensive thing on the menu. $100 CAD of food out there is no where close to that here in terms of quality and volume.
Absolutely yes on the massage/spa thing, serious massage, not the sketchy kind. I don't know if it's also because of getting older, but especially since you're out there for so long, having a day to address the lactic acid build up so that you can really aid the enjoyment of running around/not slow down as much. If you have an activity tracker, you'll probably go from your baseline to potentially 3-8x average activity per day. There's also different types, some of which are not common here. Foot massage, shoulders/neck, head/face, deep massage/stretch massage etc.
As mentioned about the luxury options, an extra $500-1500 CAD or maybe $50-100 CAD every other day or $25-40 upgrade per day. It is a bit of money, but it's an amount that can hugely alter the post enjoyment/experiences on a trip in that region. I'm usually quite frugal, but for scenarios like this, I feel it's better value to tighten the belt for a few months when you return to Canada than save the difference oveseas and miss out. Don't haphazardly blow money, but don't be penny wise, pound foolish.
I highly recommend you budget about $200 CAD (might be less) to buy a second luggage out there/luggage fee for airline. I know that some people hate this fee in principle and absolutely refuse, but IMO from Asia/Europe to back home, it is something I honestly contemplate. $500 CAD on that side may amplify to something like $1500-2000 for something "equivalent" or more here, and it won't even have as cool of a story of being purchased on a trip across the world. Also don't lie on customs. You don't want to lose the cool stuff to the CBSA and also be flagged in the future. It'd be a crappy way to end such an amazing sounding trip.
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Get used to sitting on comically small plastic chairs.
One of my favorite memories was meeting a local who invited us to drink beers with his friends. We sat on those little chairs until wee hours, they had beer in milk jugs and a giant chunk of ice in the middle of the table that we would chip off into our beers. They brought out guitars and were singing song about Ho Chi Minh and telling us how great he was.
The next day this local invited us to his family home for dinner. We sat on the floor of the kitchen and pulled meat off a fried fish. We saw an empty bottle of Johnny Walker Black that the family had displayed almost like a trophy on a shelf, so the next day the guys I was travelling with and I chipped in and bought them a full bottle. They were ecstatic, it was like their greatest treasure and bragging rights for their friends that they had a bottle of good scotch.