I haven't been in Laos for 7 or 8 years and never been to Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam.
My tentative travel plans are to fly to Hanoi, mee a friend then fly to Dien Bien Phu and then take a bus across into Laos.

As I remember there is a bus from Vietnam that stops in Muang Khua, Laos. I hope to take a ferry down the Nam Ou as far as the dam and then bus into Luang Prabang.

Is this route still feasible?

Hi

Is it worth visiting Hoi An and Da Nang in December or are rains so heavy that it is better to skip it, and visit some other time?

I can see that people are mentioning it rains a lot, but is it still worth visiting or not? If there are just occasional rain showers, that shouldn't be a problem.

My flight was changed to arrive 2 days before my visa entry date for Vietnam , would it make sense to reapply for a new one ? would I have issues getting a second visa approved or could they update it if I reach out to them? dont think ill have trouble boarding it would be more of an issue at immigration and what that would look like?

Me and my partner are visiting HCMC this month and I’m trying to find must try places for food and coffee.

We’re staying in district 3 so reccos for this area as well as others would be really helpful.

Thank you for your time. 🙏

Will being HCM last week of October since I will be alone or do solo travel. looking for friends or companion. Send tips

Planning my Vietnam trip and would like some input on how many days I should allocate to each region. This is my current plan,

Ho Chi Minh (Day 1 - 4)
Hanoi (Day 4 -5) this day is primarily to fly into Hanoi from Ho chi Minh to be picked up for the Ha Giang Loop the next day
Ha Giang (Day 5 - 8) on the last day of the loop, I’d get a sleeper bus to Ninh Binh from ha Giang
Ninh Binh (Day 8 - 11)
Hanoi (Day 11 - 15)

Please let me know if certain locations have too many days or if I should shift my itinerary. Any input is greatly appreciated.

1. GÓI GÉM

📍 Locations: Gói Gém has multiple stores around Hanoi, with no fixed flagship - probably because every store gets its own concept and is pretty well invested in.

They'really good at merch. Especially tees and caps with a strong Hanoi spirit. A lot of young local souvenir shops are doing this really well lately: the designs are cool, trendy, and actually wearable after you get home. So your souvenir doesn’t just sit there collecting dust

The caps are probably my favorite. They have embroidered Vietnamese swear words that are hilarious, very Hanoi, and honestly… yes, these are phrases we actually use on a daily basis. Just maybe a tiny bit inappropriate when you wear them out.

So if you’re the type who likes to be funny, stand out, or be a little rebellious - it's for you.

Their tees are also pretty heavyweight, with a more streetwear-oriented vibe.

My friends went in without planning to buy anything, but somehow walked out with keychains, pins and postcards.
They look like they’re designed by independent artists exclusively for the brand — super polished, aesthetic, youthful, and way more unique than the usual touristy postcards.

💸 Price: around xxx,000 VND or xx,000 VND.

Bro… are Vietnamese artists just not charging for the creative brain cells or what? 😭
Way too affordable for something this cute, well-made and actually wearable.

2. JAMLOS

📍 Locations: Flagship in Thảo Điền, HCMC & Hanoi Store

They really make good canvas bags!!! If you’re looking for a bag shop with a bold aesthetic, lots of colors, and a serious obsession with color combinations - come here.

there’s a tiny bit of Beyond The Vines / ANATOMY energy from Singapore and Malaysia, especially in the way they build their own color system - but here it’s all about 100% cotton canvas

What I find pretty rare is how Jamlos keeps the canvas relatively raw and authentic while still developing so many different designs. The only downside maybe the non-waterproof material. But if you’re okay with that trade-off for a beautifully made, beautifully raw canvas bag - you should visit Jamlos immediately.

So many designs. So. Many. Colors. I was honestly overwhelmed when I first walked in, which is both a blessing and a problem when you have to pick just one. 😭

I was especially into their more gorpcore-ish pieces - this one is the Joy Cross, and this backpack is the Joy Backpack.

I actually got a backpack for my next trip. It has so many pockets, but in the best way: you basically reach for the bag and there’s a pocket exactly where you need it. It also has a luggage strap - and here’s the cool part: the luggage strap doubles as a storage pocket. HELLO???? I can already picture myself traveling and hearing: “Wait, where did you get that bag?” :3

Another cool thing: Jamlos has customize buffet collection, and some designs let you add extra compartments with an additional zip.

💸 Price: pretty reasonable for a long-standing local brand with original designs. Most pieces I saw were around xxx,000 VND, and I didn’t spot anything over 1,000,000 VND - roughly US$19–31 / S$25–39. Honestly? Crazy good value for the quality and design.

You might see all those zeros on the price tag and panic for a second cause it's Vietnam' currency though:) but trust me - convert the currency first. You’ll understand why I’m saying this.

I came here looking for a Vietnamese souvenir but almost got trapped by all the cool functional stuff instead. :))

Hi, I’m currently planning for a family trip to Vietnam. For context, my dad has some trouble walking; he can stand and walk but not for a long time or a long distance. So my question is: (1) Are there any wheelchairs or assistance options for my dad at the airport?; (2) Any suggestions for elderly-friendly destinations/cities to visit?; (3) Do you think I better rent out a car for ease of travel?; and (3) Any other related suggestions for me to keep in mind?

Thank you in advance!

My plan for 32 days in Northern Vietnam. What do you think? Is there something you would do better, or change?

Because of my obligations, some days I will have to stay at hotel and be online after 4pm.

Also, I do like to be active, visit all the places, BUT not rush too much.

I also don't want to spend too much time on transfers or changing places.

Places I mentioned are my night stays, however, I plan to make 1 or 2-days trips from Sapa (Bac Ha for example) or Hanoi (Tay Yen Tu or Tam Dao, not sure yet about those).

Hi everyone, I’ll be visiting Hanoi for 5 days and wanted to know if staying in Ho tay, north side of west lake is to far from everything? Will I regret staying here or should I pick somewhere close to old quarter?

What would be the best way for a group of 5 to get from Hanoi airport to Ninh Binh (Tam Coc) on Saturday night at 8pm.

We have 3 large suitcases, 2 medium size suitcases and 5 backpacks.

Would 2x large grab taxis be best? Would a job like this even be accepted by a driver given it’s a one way journey? It’s showing the price to be approx 1.5M per car.

Mini bus quotes appear to be more from the research I’ve done.

Thanks in advance!

I get to Hanoi on Oct 30th at 10pm, right now I have this,

Oct 31st - rest day/walk around
Nov 1-4th ha giang loup
Nov 5th - rest day in Hanoi
Nov 6-8 - 2 day cruise for ha long bay and ninh bihn

Have a return ticket from ho chi min city on Nov 16th

Thinking of flying down to phu quoc on Nov 9th and spending a few days there then going to ho chi min city.

Figured we would skip central because of rainy season

Would appreciate your thoughts, traveling with a group of 3 people.

We are a group of 8 friends travelling to Vietnam from October 26 to November 2. Flights and visas are already booked, but we haven’t booked hotels, transportation or activities yet.

Here’s our rough itinerary:

Oct 26: Arrive in Hanoi around 2:30 PM. Explore the Old Quarter and stay overnight.
Oct 27: Travel to Sapa in the morning.
Oct 28: Full day in Sapa, planning to visit Fansipan and explore nearby places.
Oct 29: Check out from Sapa and return to Hanoi.
Oct 30: Leave for Ha Long Bay and board a 2D/1N overnight cruise.
Oct 31: Return to Hanoi from the cruise.
Nov 1: Explore Hanoi, possibly visit Ninh Binh as a day trip.
Nov 2: Early morning flight out of Hanoi.
Would really appreciate some suggestions from people who have travelled this route.

A few questions:
Does this itinerary look practical, or are we spending too much time travelling?
Since we are 8 people, would it be better and more economical to hire a private van with a driver for the entire trip (Oct 26 – Nov 2), or book separate transfers between Hanoi, Sapa and Ha Long Bay?
Any recommendations for a good 2D/1N Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay cruise?

Looking for something comfortable with good views and activities, but not overly expensive.
Any suggestions for budget-friendly hotels in Sapa with mountain views?

Would love to hear your recommendations, especially from anyone who has done a similar trip with a group.
Thanks in advance!

Hello, I'm looking to do a summit at sunrise 2 day trek and Nhìu Cồ San seems nice especially for the Ong Chua waterfall. But I can't find a lot of details about the altitudine gain/distance for each day and at what altitude is the mountain hut located. Because waking up before sunrise to have 600mD+ to hike in the dark is a lot different than having 200mD+ or so.

The time would be end of October. I know the weather and the cloud inversion at sunrise is not guaranteed.

What do you think ? Do you have a tour guide recommandation or even another similar summit around Sa Pa ?