u/crazyworldtraveller

I'm currently on my second day of my Vietnam back-half of my trip. Just left Hanoi and on the bus to Ha Giang to do the Ha Giang route for 4 days. From there I plan to go directly to Ninh Binh, which I'm still trying to decide whether I should fly out of Ninh Binh from Hanoi or take an overnight train to Da Nang/hoi an. I plan to maybe stay there for 2 nights and then from there a possibility of going to Hue another couple nights, ending up in Ho Chi Minh for the remainder of my trip.

I know there are a lot of days left spent in Ho Chi Minh but I'm curious if anyone has other suggestions on maybe doing something else. Nothing is currently set in stone, no hotels, no current flight or train. I am literally booking a couple days before my next idea. Please let me know if there's anything to change or should change.

I'm currently on my second day of my Vietnam back-half of my trip. Just left Hanoi and on the bus to Ha Giang to do the Ha Giang route for 4 days. From there I plan to go directly to Ninh Binh, which I'm still trying to decide whether I should fly out of Ninh Binh from Hanoi or take an overnight train to Da Nang/hoi an. I plan to maybe stay there for 2 nights and then from there a possibility of going to Hue another couple nights, ending up in Ho Chi Minh for the remainder of my trip.

I know there are a lot of days left spent in Ho Chi Minh but I'm curious if anyone has other suggestions on maybe doing something else. Nothing is currently set in stone, no hotels, no current flight or train. I am literally booking a couple days before my next idea. Please let me know if there's anything to change or should change.

Anyone have any advice on, upon arriving in Vietnam, getting a little bit of cash? I know there may be some currency exchange at the airport but typically those exchange rate is not that great. Would it be easier if I wait till I get into my hotel and finding a bank to withdraw or exchange at a bank?

From my understanding, depending on the company you go with they would arrange for you to get to Ha Giang either through some car service or sleeper bus. I have also read that you can go the night before and stay at some shared hostel.

I'm assuming if you are not going to stay the night before, you the arrangement of the service and sleeper bus happens when exactly? The day off when you are leaving? For example, if I book the ride for 4 days that starts on Monday. The sleeper bus leaves on Monday morning or the car service brings you Monday and the ride starts the same day?

How long is the sleeper bus and/or car ride?

Just want to make sure I understand how this works.

• You transit to Hanoi.
• You book a date with a preferred guide/company.
• The day you do the tour, (where they pick you up or leave to transfer from Hanoi to Ha Giang), you check out of your hotel.
• You ride the bus to Ha Giang. They store your luggage for the next several days. You only carry/pack what you need in a small bag.
• Your ride/experience Ha Giang Loop in the next several days (3/4 days) you come back and ride the bus back to Hanoi.
• You hopefully or need to book a hotel in Hanoi to stay the night before moving on with the rest of Vietnam?

Am I understanding this correctly?

Trying to understand this: if I decided to go on the Ha Giang loop as an easy rider, where do they keep your luggage? I have a backpack and a carry-on . But on the three or four day ride, do they store your stuff somewhere and you only bring what you need for the next three days? How does that work?

Or do you stay at your own hotel for the next three or four days and leave your stuff there, and just bring a backpack with what you need?

I will be in Vietnam in the next ten days or so and was wondering whether a cash converted or mobile app with my credit card on my phone, or any other app like Ali Pay, WeChat that I use in China that's comparable to Vietnam is available. What's the protocol in ensuring that I can get around with the proper payment?

Seriously, I need folks who did the loop in August to share their experience. Would you do it again? Definitely the weather is the concern but if you did it in August, I would like to hear your thoughts? This will help me make my final decision whether to chance it or just do something else.

Seriously, I need folks who did the loop in August to share their experience. Would you do it again? Definitely the weather is the concern but if you did it in August, I would like to hear your thoughts? This will help me make my final decision whether to chance it or just do something else.

I'm flying from Shanghai to Hanoi on the 15th of August and will be staying there for probably 5 days (including Ha Giang Loop).

From there, I'm planning Hoi An (Danang), Hue and then Ho Chi Minh City.

What should I be taking to transit between those locations...better yet, what is the most efficient way?

Holy cow i cant find the store? Can someone let me know where exactly its at in Beijing?

I don't really know how to title this, so excuse the vague subject line.

I've been so laser-focused on planning my China trip (August 1 to August 15) that I haven't given nearly as much attention to the second half of my trip through Vietnam and possibly Thailand. Now it's right around the corner, so I'm looking for some advice.

The only part that's locked in is that I'll be flying from Shanghai to Hanoi on August 15. I was thinking of spending a couple of days in Hanoi, then possibly doing the Ha Giang Loop if the weather is still reasonable that time of year. Whether I do that will probably determine how long I stay in northern Vietnam.

After that, I was planning to head south to Hoi An/Da Nang, then possibly Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

I'll have about 15 days to split between Vietnam and Thailand, but I'm not set on spending equal time in each. If Vietnam has enough to keep me busy, I'm perfectly happy spending most of my time there and only a few days in Thailand, specifically Bangkok.

I'm traveling solo and want to stay flexible, so a lot of this will probably be planned on the fly. I'm mostly looking for suggestions on what route you'd recommend, places I shouldn't miss, whether the Ha Giang Loop is worth it in mid to late August, and how you'd use those final 15 days if you were in my shoes.

Any help is welcome!

I don't really know how to title this, so excuse the vague subject line.

I've been so laser-focused on planning my China trip (August 1 to August 15) that I haven't given nearly as much attention to the second half of my trip through Vietnam and possibly Thailand. Now it's right around the corner, so I'm looking for some advice.

The only part that's locked in is that I'll be flying from Shanghai to Hanoi on August 15. I was thinking of spending a couple of days in Hanoi, then possibly doing the Ha Giang Loop if the weather is still reasonable that time of year. Whether I do that will probably determine how long I stay in northern Vietnam.

After that, I was planning to head south to Hoi An/Da Nang, then possibly Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

I'll have about 15 days to split between Vietnam and Thailand, but I'm not set on spending equal time in each. If Vietnam has enough to keep me busy, I'm perfectly happy spending most of my time there and only a few days in Thailand, specifically Bangkok.

I'm traveling solo and want to stay flexible, so a lot of this will probably be planned on the fly. I'm mostly looking for suggestions on what route you'd recommend, places I shouldn't miss, whether the Ha Giang Loop is worth it in mid to late August, and how you'd use those final 15 days if you were in my shoes.

Any help is welcome!

I arrive at Fenghuang the night before around 1pm, just enough time to enjoy the night.

The next day, I'm taking a train to Zhangjiajie with the option of leaving at 7:45am or 11:45am. It's only an hour train ride (give or take).

My current itinerary for Zhangjiajie is:

• 8/10 - Arrive in Zhangjiajie (either 8:45am or 12:45pm)
  • I'm not sure what I can do with that much time? Should I try to head to the park/Tianmen Mount or just relax the rest of the day. I was thinking of going to Furong this evening.
• 8/11 - Go to Natural Forest Park
  • Avatar Mountains
  • Bailong Elevator (Tianzi Mountains)
  • HuangShi Village
  • Evening go to 72 towers.
• 8/12 - Go to Tianmen Mountain
  • Glass Bridge
  • Heaven’s Gate
  • Cable Car
  • Flight at 11:30pm to Shanghai

Yes, I know not the most ideal but here it is pretty much close to final plan or what I am going to attempt.

For the most part, the cost for a second class versus first class could be really close, understandably. It could add additional cost in general. But has anyone taken a first class versus a second class and really said that first class is the way to go? I mean... it's going to be better to say it at least, but does it really matter? Like, second class could be more than enough.

I think the reason I'm posting this is the curiosity of whether, during a busy time, you would have better amenities to get through lines in the crowd.

I'm still looking for accommodations for a two-and-a-half day trip to Zhangjiajie. And was wondering whether I stay at Zhangjiajie or Wulingyuan. I plan to stay in Zhangjiajie only because I want to see the 72 towers. I'm figuring a day in Zhangjiajie and when I get back to town. I'll be in Zhangjiajie to see the 72 towers for the evening. Or some folks are saying stay at Wulingyuan because it's easier to access the park. I could stay at Wulingyuan and then get to Zhangjiajie for the 72 towers that evening and then go back or just stay at Zhangjiajie.

Any suggestions?

I have been researching eSIMs for my China trip happening in August and am about to pull the trigger on an eSIM. Some of the instructions I read indicate that your phone needs to be unlocked, so I am now pondering what we need to do. It seems like with my current phone, which I still have a couple of months left to pay off , I'm wondering if it's worth it to pay off the phone so that I can request unlocking it to install an eSIM. Is it true that you really need a phone unlocked, or can I still use an eSIM without unlocking the phone? Does unlocking the phone only apply if you use a local SIM card?

I know this is going to be a bit rushed but now that I'm looking back at my original itinerary I realized that I'm not leaving much for Shanghai so this is my plan now.

Before

8/10 - Arrive from Fenghuang to Zhangjiajie at 8:00am - Explore.

8/11 - Visit National Forest Park and at night go to 72 Tower Wonder

8/12 - Visit Tianmen Mountain then explore Zhangiajie.

8/13 - Fly to Shanghai as early as possible but now looking at flights, the earliest is 1pm so this day becomes a waste (sort of)

Now:

8/10 - Arrive from Fenghuang to Zhangjiajie at 8:00am

8/11 - Visit National Forest Park and at night go to 72 Tower Wonder

8/12 - Visit Tianmen Mountain then flight to Shanghai at 11:30pm

I know, it's rushed, but if I don't rush this one then Shanghai is only a 1 full day affair and I wanted to give it more time. Yes still not overall ideal but it is what is is and I have to fly out on fthe 15th from Shanghai so that's another reason.