Discussion
Mrs 111R is trying to drag me off to Vietnam over Xmas but having been to Thailand twice in the past few years I am bit overcome with indifference about it. I expect it to be ‘the same but different’ and so it’s a lot of money for more of the same.
Am I correct or is there significant differences?
Am I correct or is there significant differences?
I guess it depends what sort of trip.
I did a 'cultural' tour, Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, Saigon. Stayed in Saigon a few days then joined a cruise up the Mekong through Cambodia.
Thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip; history, people, country, food.
If you just want to lie on a beach there are better places, I think, Thailand being one.
I did a 'cultural' tour, Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, Saigon. Stayed in Saigon a few days then joined a cruise up the Mekong through Cambodia.
Thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip; history, people, country, food.
If you just want to lie on a beach there are better places, I think, Thailand being one.
REALIST123 said:
I guess it depends what sort of trip.
I did a 'cultural' tour, Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, Saigon. Stayed in Saigon a few days then joined a cruise up the Mekong through Cambodia.
Thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip; history, people, country, food.
If you just want to lie on a beach there are better places, I think, Thailand being one.
Hmm, ok, lying on as beach is not something i want to do very much ofI did a 'cultural' tour, Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, Saigon. Stayed in Saigon a few days then joined a cruise up the Mekong through Cambodia.
Thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip; history, people, country, food.
If you just want to lie on a beach there are better places, I think, Thailand being one.
The two countries are very different, been to both places, spent a month in Vietnam last summer. Pros and cons of Vietnam.
Cons:
Significantly colder at Xmas.
You need to bargain hard.
Pros:
Local food, does not take your taste buds hostage.
Less of Jonnie foreigner (depending where you go)
Cheaper (total spend for 2, one month exc flights, $2,400 I’m cheap)
Interesting colonial architecture.
Breakfast, Bhan Mai a baguette with sensational fillings
Coffee, that’s redefines coffee.
A nice lack of inebriated Europeans.
Great WiFi almost everywhere.
Stunning scenery.
Not as commercial, but has everything you need.
As with any country, it will depend on which area you visit. As for them being much of a muchness, no, they are very different, catch it before it changes like most of Asia
Oh, and did l say I like it!
(Please note I live in the North East of China close to the border with Russia, so expectations maybe different)
Cons:
Significantly colder at Xmas.
You need to bargain hard.
Pros:
Local food, does not take your taste buds hostage.
Less of Jonnie foreigner (depending where you go)
Cheaper (total spend for 2, one month exc flights, $2,400 I’m cheap)
Interesting colonial architecture.
Breakfast, Bhan Mai a baguette with sensational fillings
Coffee, that’s redefines coffee.
A nice lack of inebriated Europeans.
Great WiFi almost everywhere.
Stunning scenery.
Not as commercial, but has everything you need.
As with any country, it will depend on which area you visit. As for them being much of a muchness, no, they are very different, catch it before it changes like most of Asia
Oh, and did l say I like it!
(Please note I live in the North East of China close to the border with Russia, so expectations maybe different)
Spent 2 months travelling Vietnam landing in Hanoi and exiting through Ho Chi Minh.......To this day one of my favourite places I've been to. I've never done Thailand so have no comparison, although there where a hell of a lot of Russians in certain spots generally it's a fantastic place.
I work all over SE Asia so get to travel to the region a lot. Vietnam is, in general, totally, completely different from Thailand. For starters, it’s a hell of a lot less seedy, the people are incredibly friendly and the scenery is stunning.
It’s changed a huge amount in the 20 years since I first went there, but it’s still a world away from anything you would expect. HCMC is a massive, thriving city and quite a party. Hà Nội, being a government city, is much quieter, more reserved and old fashioned (the old town is fun to walk around for an evening, but is full of travellers). However, after my meetings I generally head up for a beer before going back to the hotel to change for dinner.
As you travel through the country, the towns and villages are really diverse and there are still pockets of traditionalism. We have a secure installation for the Vietnamese Ministry of Interior just outside a small village where our engineers are the only western people that have ever visited!
Vietnamese people are very conservative and highly respectful. It really isn’t the sort of place where behaving like one could on the KSR would be considered acceptable.
The food is incredible! As has been said, Banh Mi (pronounced “bang ME”) is an incredible baguette made with a mix of wheat and rice flour and filled with all sorts of ingredients. They do have a slightly odd habit of having beef or chicken broth for breakfast (Pho Bo or Pho Ga), which is lovely but a bit of an acquired taste at 7am! Dinner is typically something with noodles; Bun Cha (a kind of spicy pork mix) is my favourite, but they have all sorts from garlic snails Vn style through to incredible steaks.
I absolutely love it there and get there probably every 2 months for 3 or 4 days, so make the most of my time outside of work.
Go. You’ll find it totally different from anything you expected it to be.
It’s changed a huge amount in the 20 years since I first went there, but it’s still a world away from anything you would expect. HCMC is a massive, thriving city and quite a party. Hà Nội, being a government city, is much quieter, more reserved and old fashioned (the old town is fun to walk around for an evening, but is full of travellers). However, after my meetings I generally head up for a beer before going back to the hotel to change for dinner.
As you travel through the country, the towns and villages are really diverse and there are still pockets of traditionalism. We have a secure installation for the Vietnamese Ministry of Interior just outside a small village where our engineers are the only western people that have ever visited!
Vietnamese people are very conservative and highly respectful. It really isn’t the sort of place where behaving like one could on the KSR would be considered acceptable.
The food is incredible! As has been said, Banh Mi (pronounced “bang ME”) is an incredible baguette made with a mix of wheat and rice flour and filled with all sorts of ingredients. They do have a slightly odd habit of having beef or chicken broth for breakfast (Pho Bo or Pho Ga), which is lovely but a bit of an acquired taste at 7am! Dinner is typically something with noodles; Bun Cha (a kind of spicy pork mix) is my favourite, but they have all sorts from garlic snails Vn style through to incredible steaks.
I absolutely love it there and get there probably every 2 months for 3 or 4 days, so make the most of my time outside of work.
Go. You’ll find it totally different from anything you expected it to be.
I'm in Vietnam as I type this, having worked in the country from 2002 to 2010 building their power infrastructure and power plants I really don't have a bad word to say about it. There are some cultural differences that could go a miss sometimes but once you realise that you are a visitor to their country then you get your head around it. I'm dat in a cafe in a place called Vung Tau 120 kms east of Saigon, it's so laid back it's great, all the seafood you could ask for and Tiger beer at less than 1US$ a bottle you can't go much wrong.
I've retired from the power business now but just decided to come out here for some R&R and navel contemplation. It works so well here as there's no pressure to do anything or go anywhere, the weather is great, it's not hot and not oppressive either, a nice warm breeze floating in off of the sea and the steamed prawns are just right. Just call out, " Em oi, mot chai Tiger" they will understand you perfectly.
Rent a scrappy motor bike for 2US$ a day to get you from hotel to bar or bar to bar or just walk, it's so easy. People are so friendly and will help out when they can, it's a great place come and join me with a beer.......
I've retired from the power business now but just decided to come out here for some R&R and navel contemplation. It works so well here as there's no pressure to do anything or go anywhere, the weather is great, it's not hot and not oppressive either, a nice warm breeze floating in off of the sea and the steamed prawns are just right. Just call out, " Em oi, mot chai Tiger" they will understand you perfectly.
Rent a scrappy motor bike for 2US$ a day to get you from hotel to bar or bar to bar or just walk, it's so easy. People are so friendly and will help out when they can, it's a great place come and join me with a beer.......
2 yrs ago we flew in BKK, days stopover then onto Hanoi, then over the next month worked our way south ending up spending 5 days R & R in Phu Quoc, then Cambodia for 3 weeks, Laos 3 weeks over the top of Laos/Thailand and spent 2 weeks getting back to BKK. October the just b4 Xmas.
Any ?? fire away.
Out of the 3, I would go back to Vietnam every time.
Any ?? fire away.
Out of the 3, I would go back to Vietnam every time.
I'm fairly well travelled but ddin't manage to get to 'Nam before we had a kid, so will be a few years until we go.
My wife's friend runs the London office of this company. They are Vietnamese-owned and, from her multiple work jolly pics I see on Facebook, it looks to be a magnficent country. I'll get there, one day.
https://www.buffalotours.com/Vietnam-tours/adventu...
My wife's friend runs the London office of this company. They are Vietnamese-owned and, from her multiple work jolly pics I see on Facebook, it looks to be a magnficent country. I'll get there, one day.
https://www.buffalotours.com/Vietnam-tours/adventu...
Just came back from two weeks in Vietnam. Fantastic country - you guys weren’t wrong about the Banh Mis! 
I actually preferred Saigon to Hanoi - Hanoi seemed a bit nothing to me (not particularly old, not particularly modern) whereas I fell for the madness of Saigon. Yep, crossing the road there was like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
Vs Thailand, people were night and day friendlier, with less trying to rip you off, and Thailand had an overall seediness that was pleasingly absent in Thailand. I still think the scenery in Thailand, in particular the islands around Krabi, was more spectacular.
I actually preferred Saigon to Hanoi - Hanoi seemed a bit nothing to me (not particularly old, not particularly modern) whereas I fell for the madness of Saigon. Yep, crossing the road there was like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
Vs Thailand, people were night and day friendlier, with less trying to rip you off, and Thailand had an overall seediness that was pleasingly absent in Thailand. I still think the scenery in Thailand, in particular the islands around Krabi, was more spectacular.
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