From Can Tho to HCMC there are bus services running fairly much 24×7 with each bus company running buses every one to two hours so you should have not difficultly finding a but back to HCMC for your flight to Siem Reap.

Have a great trip and let us know how you went!

The checked baggage allowance within Vietnam is 20 Kg

-Ashley

I have sent many post cards over the years from here and the majority get to their destination and then there are the few that don’t. Unfortunately there is no tracking for post cards there so is no way to know were it was lost.

My wife and I wisited Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh City during an Asian Cruise last November. We saw the Saigon Post Office and used the opportunity to send a postcard to our grandchildren from there, but it never turned up in Norway. The postal code was somewhat incomplete, but not so much that the Norwegian post office should have any difficulties difficulties sorting it out.

Earlier this month we received a summary replay from the Norwegian post office to our missing report, telleing us that they unfortunately could not find the card. I suspect them not to have given it any priority at all. So, could you help me finding out what the chance is for this postcard not to be sent off to the correct country when marked with the correct street address and land code: NO-07 OSLO/Norway?

Would you be bothered, or at least find the e-mail address to the Saigon Post Office, so that I can deal with them myself.

Thank you!

Best regards
Dag Øgle
Oslo/Norway

There are many restaurants in and around Can Tho with huts where you eat your meals, so I am not sure. The bridge you were talking about was it the big Can Tho bridge or the smaller Quang Trung bridge that you would have gone over just before the Can Tho bridge on the way out of town?

My favorite hut styled restaurants in Can Tho are the Nhà hàng Cồn Khương and the one attached to the Victoria Can Tho resort.
Ben

Sorry for the delay replying to your comment, i would recommend dropping your sim into a mobile phone (you might need a sim adapter micro-sim to regular sim)
Purchase a recharge card
Dial 900
press 1 to recharge
enter the 14 digit recharge number
Put sim back in ipad

Yes defiantly motorbikes are able to cross the Can Tho bridge, good luck with your journeys it looks like you are going to have a great adventure.

Sorry for the delay in responding, as I only realised I had not replied to your email when I was checking things earlier today!

The National Oceanographic Museum in Nha Trang is worth visiting, although its exhibits are not vast or its layout of a modern “interactive” style. It’s a good link to the past as it is housed in an old French Colonial building and the viewing of its aisles upon aisles of jars upon jars of aquatic specimens is of interest!

It’s certainly not what we expect to see in modern oceanariums, with its focus on preserved specimens over live specimens, however, it’s a good experience and there are some external tanks for the live exhibits. It’s certainly worth considering as part of your itinerary for a trip to Nga Trang.

Once again, please accept my apology for the tardiness of my reply.

Cheers

Peter

You are correct I have a lot of knowledge of the Mekong area.
In either Vinh Long or Ben Tre make sure you book your self on a Mekong river tour that includes an island visit. If you go around this time of year there will be lots to tropical fruit to sample.

For Ben Tre also ensure you and your wife visit the floating markets, also make sure you get there fairly early in the morning as the last time I was there several years ago it finished up fairly early in the day before it started getting too hot.

If you can do a home stay and added to that try and get along to a local wedding, I am lucky as I spent a bit of time in Vinh Long staying at my in-laws house and when I am there I get invited to several weddings a week. They really know how to celebrate a wedding in the country side, and as far as the mekong goes it a nice peaceful break from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)

Can Tho is another one of my fave cities in Vietnam, compared to Vinh Long it reminds me of a mini Saigon. The town/city has a vibrance to that I love. Again floating market (Cai Rang) and and Island (Phu Sa Island – Free boat ride to the island, dont get ripped off paying an un-offical boat wanting to charge to take you there) visit. There are a great number of nice restaurants and cafes in Can Tho compared to Vinh Long.

Also on the list for Can Tho should be the Can Tho Night market, enjoy the local food and fruit and just genraly hang out and explore the city.

The city of Can Tho has been developing a long at a frantic pace in the last 10 years (like most other towns and cities in Vietnam) but since the Japanese funded/built bridge was finished development has accelerated.

I am planning my second trip to Vietnam to visit some of the popular places my wife and I missed on the first trip, the Mekong area is on the cards for this second trip, with Vinh Long, Can Tho & Ben Tre.

Since your wife seems to be from this area you must know a lot about the area, so could you recommend the must see places/attractions and also how long we dedicate to the Mekong area?

The three main mobile carriers (Mobifone, Viettel & Vinaphone as well as the newer smaller carriers) are all very price compedative when compared to Western rates, as per the rates in this post, I am not sure how different USB 3G dongle rates compare to mobile phone data plans perhaps they are cheaper.

Good luck and let us know how you went

Regards
Ben

Regards

Faisal

You’ll not regret your handiwork in re-jigging your itinerary! Cat Ba Island is a fantastic spot and a surprisingly large island wit many interesting features, such as caves and the like. Make sure you bring a spare SD card for your camera, as you’ll be taking lots of photos!

Enjoy your holiday.

Cheers

Peter

I’ve now (laboriously!) re-jigged our itinerary after finding you can fly to Hai Phong directly from HCMC. No idea how it took me so long to figure that out! This will give us a night in Cat Ba and one on a boat if we wish. Hopefully the Sept. weather will hold out for us!

This is my partners first Asia trip and we only have 2 weeks so I wanted to have an itinerary to ensure we see as much as possible. Would love a month to just do as we please when we please… next time!

Thanks again, people such as yourself make the hours and hours put in to planning a trip like this that little bit easier.

Rachael

I don’t know of any charter aircraft services, however, I’m sure if you made enquiries in Hanoi, you’d find one. Although you see magnificent vision of Halong Bay from the air, in promotional videos and the like, its true splendour can only be appreciated from a boat (or sea kayak!) and visiting the islands. I’d strongly recommend booking at least (at a bare minimum) a day trip on one of the numerous boats that are readily available. If you need convincing, watch the scenes in Indochine http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104507/ that are set in Halong Bay!

Cheers

Pete

The APN setting only allows your iPhone/Smart Phone to communicate on the carriers (in this case Vinaphone’s) cellular data network, it does not sign you up for the data plan, to go on the cheaper (1 day/7 day/1 month) data plan you will need to txt the appropriate codes to 888 (see below, copied from post above)

To enable data on your SIM text GPRS ON to 888

To enable your desired 3G data plan text the corresponding code below

1 day unlimited text U1 to number 888 – Requires at least VND 12,000 pre-loaded
7 days unlimted text U7 to number 888 – Requires at least VND 80,000 pre-loaded
30 days unlimited text U30 to number 888 – Requires at least VND 200,000 pre-loaded

As for talk credit you need to add additional credit on top of the amount credit you require for your desired data plan

Regards
Ben

I would not recommend it for a huge ammount of luggage but it can be done, expect an extra charge of large pieces of luggage. The going rate is 4,000 VND (about AU/US $0.20)

Can you tell me if bus route 152 – Tan Son Nhat International Airport – Trung Son is capable to taking large luggage? My girlfriend and I have a large piece each as well as a carry on backpack. If they cater for this ammount of luggage it might be the way to go, as from the map my hotel is very close to one of the stops in district 1

I am set for my first trip to Vietnam in a few months and can’t wait to experience it, from what I have read from your blog its going to be a great trip.

Vietnam is a great country that has a lot of charm and the people are its greatest selling point. I too have travled extensivly within Asia over the past 20 years of course there are some improvemetns to be made but the situation in Vietnam is no worse than in most other Asian countries that are at a similar level of devleopment. Matt needs to grow a brain and be the smart traveler he promotes his self as being on his blog.

Matt’s piece on Vietnam was overly critical, Yes there are issues in Vietnam as there are in other SE Asian countries and for that matter other developed western countries, which is why I found such offence in his piece.

Vietnam will develop and improve and be an even better destination

I too have been to Vietnam several times over the last 4 years and totally love the coutnry and its people, yes Vietnam has its problems but as you say its comparable to other SE Asian countries, and if you are a traveller with just a little expereince you should know how to avoid being ripped off.