hi there, it's kamel, 47 years old

I'm looking for someone to do a road trip in Vietnam at the end of January.

I'm a laid-back person who loves to laugh

see you soon

Good evening, I’m posting a new message after browsing the forum. Our 16-day backpacking trip (late June to mid-July 2026) focused on hiking and connecting with locals is starting to take shape, but I’d love your input. I’m torn between two routes: Option 1: A loop from Hanoi to Hanoi, starting with Bai Tu Long Bay, then Tam Coc, Mai Chau, Pu Luong, Mu Cang Chai, and the area around Sapa, before taking the train back to Hanoi. Option 2: The same loop but starting in Sapa and ending in Bai Tu Long Bay. What do you think? Thanks in advance for your help—I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts. Cédric

Hello,

We’re heading to Vietnam next March and would love to do a cruise in Lan Ha Bay, which seems like a more preserved and less touristy alternative to Halong Bay. However, there are so many different companies out there, and we’d really appreciate your advice and firsthand experiences to help us make the right choice.

We’re looking for a 3-day, 2-night cruise on a small-capacity boat to avoid overly large groups.

A big thank you to anyone who takes the time to share their recommendations to help us with our search!

Have a great day! 🙂

Hi there, looking for an independent, dynamic travel companion. Heading to Vietnam in March 2026 for 3 weeks. Let’s chat... See you soon! Francis

Hi fellow travelers! I’m planning a little 3-week trip to Vietnam in mid-to-late March. It’ll probably be the only time I can go. I enjoyed Thailand but clearly preferred Laos—it was calmer. For Vietnam, I don’t have a precise idea of what I want to see yet, and I’m the type to improvise a bit once I’m there. I’m not super adventurous but I’m curious, and I prefer street food over restaurants, markets and off-the-beaten-path villages over big attractions. But I don’t want to miss the must-sees either. So, given that I’ll only be there for 3 weeks, I’m wondering: should I absolutely stick to either the north or the south? Or is it possible to have a nice, not-too-hectic trip by spending, say, one week in the south and two in the north?... (I’d take a multi-city flight for arrival and departure) What do you think? Thanks! 🙂

Hi everyone,

We’d like to travel to Con Dao Island by boat from Can Tho. The return trip will be from Con Dao to Vung Tau.

We can’t find any ferry info online. Has anyone here done this route before? Thanks in advance for any tips!

Hi there, I’m looking for a destination in Vietnam for January to spend a week and go snorkeling. Anyone have any suggestions? I know Thailand well, and with my Thai friend, we’d like to try a different country.

Thanks in advance.

Hi there. Do you know if there’s a bus from HCM to Cao Lanh, and which company runs it? It’s kinda hard to figure out. Maybe some of you have taken this same route before? Thanks.

Hi there, I’m heading to Hanoi and Da Nang for the first time for about ten days in mid-January 2026. Should I book hotels in advance, or can I find decent places available from one day to the next? Same question for prices—do rates vary depending on when you book?

Hi everyone, Could you let me know if a mistake on the arrival airport for Vietnam could cause problems regarding your recent trips? I put a different airport than Hanoi, but I need to go to Hanoi. Thanks!

Southern to Northern Vietnam.

First arrival date: October 8, 2025 in HO CHI MINH CITY (SGN) Depending on everyone's availability, multiple arrivals are possible on the 8th, 9th, and 10th.

Itinerary: Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Hue, Ninh Binh, Hanoi, Sapa from October 8 to 27, 2025. Transfers in place and planned activities (optional).

Depending on your availability, there are options to extend the stay via Northern Laos, etc. (PM)

Excluding round-trip tickets from France or... to Asia, the average budget is 25 € per day, including accommodation and bus transfers.

Looking forward to discussing this with you to provide more information, meet up, and travel together for a wonderful trip. Stéphann.

Hi there,

My name’s Stéphane, and due to a last-minute change, I’m looking for one or more companions to join me on a trip through several countries (Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia).

The full trip runs from early October 2025, with a return to France in early January 2026—about 87 days total, CDG-SGN <==> SGN-CDG.

You can split the trip into multiple legs depending on your availability.

The itinerary is set up as a big loop, starting in Vietnam, then northern Laos, Thailand, southern Laos, and Cambodia from north to south before heading back to Ho Chi Minh City to fly home.

Depending on your schedule, there are a few possible starting points:

- Early October: Ho Chi Minh City, - Around October 20: Hanoi, - Early November: Vientiane/Luang Prabang, - November 15: Bangkok, - Early December: Siem Reap, ...

You can return whenever works best for you.

Excluding round-trip flights to/from France (or elsewhere in Asia), the average daily budget is 25 €, covering accommodation and bus transfers.

Looking forward to chatting more, sharing details, meeting up, and traveling together for an amazing adventure!

Hello,

My name is Stéphane, and due to a last-minute cancellation, I’m looking for one or more travel companions to join me in visiting several countries (Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia).

The full trip runs from early October 2025, with a return to France in early January 2026—87 days total (CDG-SGN <==> SGN-CDG).

It’s possible to split the trip into multiple segments based on everyone’s availability.

The itinerary is set up as a big loop, starting in Vietnam, then northern Laos, Thailand, southern Laos, and Cambodia from north to south before returning to Ho Chi Minh City to fly home.

Depending on availability, several arrival points are possible:

- Early October: Ho Chi Minh City, - Around October 20: Hanoi, - Early November: Vientiane/Luang Prabang, - November 15: Bangkok, - Early December: Siem Reap, etc.

You can return whenever works best for you.

Excluding round-trip flights from France (or elsewhere to Asia), the average budget is 25 € per day, including accommodation and bus transfers.

Looking forward to discussing this further, meeting you, and traveling together for an amazing trip!

Hi there,

I’m Stéphane, and due to a last-minute cancellation, I’m looking for one or more travel companions to join me on a trip through several countries (Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia).

The full trip runs from early October 2025 until our return to France in early January 2026—87 days total, CDG-SGN <==> SGN-CDG.

You can split the journey into multiple legs based on your availability.

The itinerary is set up as a big loop: starting in Vietnam, then northern Laos, Thailand, southern Laos, and Cambodia from north to south before heading back to Ho Chi Minh City to fly home.

Depending on your schedule, several arrival points are possible:

- Early October: Ho Chi Minh City, - Around October 20: Hanoi, - Early November: Vientiane/Luang Prabang, - November 15: Bangkok, - Early December: Siem Reap, ...

You can leave whenever works for you based on your availability.

Excluding round-trip flights to/from France (or elsewhere in Asia), the average budget is 25 € per day, covering accommodation and bus transfers.

Looking forward to chatting more, sharing details, meeting up, and traveling together for an amazing adventure!

Hi everyone, I’m planning to go to Vietnam in 2026. Direct flights are super expensive, so I’m thinking of making a stopover to visit a city along the way. I’m considering Singapore/Bangkok/Hong Kong, but I’m open to other ideas. The goal is obviously also to get a better price than the direct flight from Paris (Brussels, etc.) to Hanoi. Anyone have a great tip? Thanks everyone

Hi

Can anyone tell me how to book train tickets online? We're planning to travel from HANOI to HO CHI MINH CITY by train, making several stops along the way. I'd also like to find the schedules and the stations where the trains stop.

There are four of us, and we've already planned stops in HANOI / DONG HOI / HUE.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!

Mounette74

Hi there, community.

So, I was in Vietnam at the end of the year and early January, and wanting to lighten my backpack a bit, I sent a package from Hanoi to Barcelona since I was continuing my trip. It cost me an arm and a leg, and unfortunately, it didn’t even reach its destination for some reason I still don’t know, even after asking multiple times. It’s been returned to the Hanoi Post Office, and obviously, I’m nowhere near Vietnam now. Despite efforts on both sides, I feel like I’m having a dialogue of the deaf with the Vietnamese postal service via email, and phone calls are impossible. Is there anyone on the ground who could help me sort this mess out, please?

Or any ideas on how to resolve the situation?

Thanks in advance

Hi, I’m looking for 1 apartment with 2 bedrooms or 2 apartments in the same house/building. Ideally within walking distance of the Hanoi architecture school. If not, they’d get there by public transport or bike? They arrive in early September for 5 months. Thanks for your help

Hi there, I’m planning a 15-day trip to Vietnam from December 15th to December 31st. There’ll be 6 adults and one little one who’s 18 months old. Would you recommend staying in the North or trying to cover both the North and South? We prefer nature and areas that aren’t too touristy. Any great tips? Thanks for your help! I’d like to book the flight tickets soon, and I’m not sure if it’s better to change airports for the arrival and return. Thanks! 😊

Hello fellow travelers! We’re planning to visit Vietnam at the end of 2025, arriving in HANOI, which we’d like to explore, along with HALONG BAY. I’ve seen that the ideal option is to take a 2-day boat trip. We’re retirees aged 79 and 75, used to traveling, so I’d love to hear your thoughts and recommendations for spending 4-5 days in this region.

Could you share some hotel addresses with private rooms and bathrooms, as well as tour agencies for Halong Bay that offer reasonable prices?

Thanks in advance!

I’d love some packing tips for Northern Vietnam in early October. I’ll be spending 2 days in Hanoi alone and was hoping to find another woman traveling solo in the city so we could explore together. Maryvonne Sanchez

🙂I’m heading to Northern Vietnam from October 1st to October 10th. I’d love to connect with people who’ll be there at the same time. I’m staying two days in Hanoi—if we can meet up to explore the city, that’d be great! Also, I’d appreciate some tips on packing and which mosquito repellents to bring. Maryvonne Sanchez

Hi, The question is in the title. I won’t say it’s systematic, but compared to Thailand, it’s pretty common. Have Chinese manners made their way into VIETNAM with a blast of horns?

Hi there, We're planning a trip to the Philippines but would love to spend 10 to 15 days in Vietnam to see what we missed due to bad weather a few years ago. Every simulation I've tried has turned out to be way too expensive... I know that for a departure around February 2026, it might be a bit early, but if anyone has a great tip.....? Thanks in advance

Hi there,

Here’s the itinerary I’ve planned for May with my partner—what do you think? I’m not entirely sure if my choices are the best. We’re traveling independently, no guide, no agency, and using public transport.

- Hanoi: Arrival at 10 AM – 1 day (05/09) - Mai Chau: 2 days (including visits to the Pa Co and Mai Chau markets) (05/10 and 05/11) - Pu Luong (Lang Bang): 2 days (05/12 and 05/13) - Tam Coc: 2 days (05/14 and 05/15) - Tu Long Bay: 2 days (05/16 and 05/17) - Hanoi: 1 day – Night train (05/18) - Hue: 2 days (05/19 and 05/20) - Hoi An: 2 days (05/21 and 05/22) - Da Nang: 1 day (05/23) - Flight from Da Nang to Can Tho (05/24 and 05/25) - Ben Tre: 2 days (05/26 and 05/27) - Ho Chi Minh City: 2 days (05/28 and 05/29)

Thanks for your feedback! Have a great day.

Hi there, I’m traveling from Paris to Bangkok with a connection in Hanoi. My layover isn’t very long, so I’m a bit stressed about missing my second flight to Bangkok. To save time, could you tell me the route from the plane exit to the transfer desk? (Which floor, where exactly, etc.) And do I need to go through customs again? Thanks so much

Huge disappointment. I’d seen that Friendly Shoe Shop was recommended by a blog. I went there with the intention of buying a small leather backpack. I visited once for a look around, then went online to compare prices with shops in Europe, like Marius, which specializes in leather. I realized that for the same price ($145 US), I could find the same thing in Paris. I went back to Friendly Shoe Shop and tried to see if it was possible to negotiate. The saleswoman immediately reacted. With a smile, she took the bag, put it back on display, and told me: "If you want to negotiate, go to the market!" Basically, she was telling me to get lost. You can easily apologize by saying prices are fixed and non-negotiable, but it’s unacceptable to react that way when the prices are excessive. It’s really taking tourists for a ride.

When you know the cost of living in Vietnam, this price is nothing short of a scam. I’m not questioning the quality of the product. If the workers were paid 3 or 5 times the normal rate, I wouldn’t mind. But there’s no indication that’s the case.

In summary, in Hoi An, you have the choice between: - Quality shops where you’ll pay the same price as in a European capital, which gives the owner a huge margin since they don’t pay import taxes, transportation costs, and manufacture directly, etc. - Counterfeit shops where you won’t pay much for mediocre quality.

Friendly Shoe Shop has nothing friendly or fair about it. It’ll suit people who travel for two or three weeks, have the means, and want to say when they get home that they bought a bag or shoes in Hoi An. For everyone else, there’s nothing fair about it…

We're planning a trip to Vietnam with La Palanche, a travel agency in Hanoi. If anyone here has used them, could you share your experience with this agency, please? Thanks

Hello,

Vietnamese authorities have just extended the 45-day visa exemption, which was initially set to end in mid-March 2025, until March 14, 2028.

Belarus is no longer part of this scheme.

Additionally, until the end of this year for now, the exemption has been extended to three new countries: Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Poland.

After that, make sure to check the new conditions before booking a flight or trip.

Best regards,

Partirdeloin

Hi there! I’m looking for a travel companion—preferably around my age—to explore Vietnam for two weeks at the end of May. I’m more drawn to landscapes than cities, so I’d like to focus on the northern part starting from Hanoi. May is a great time to visit since the temperatures are more comfortable.

Just to give you an idea, I’ve got a 2-week itinerary planned with a local agency that includes a private driver, but I’m also open to co-creating our own route for a bit more adventure.

If this sounds like something you’d be up for, don’t hesitate to reach out! Pascale