Vietnam

[heavyduty1340]

Heading to Vietnam next week.

Anyone been?

Whats good to do and see there?

Where are the good guns to shoot?

TIA

[Byah!]

If you are going to Saigon don't miss the war museum. It is one sided, but gives a good account of the problems the country had during the war, after it ended (agent orange, land mines etc) and also before that with the French. Some interesting bits of hardware there and also as you would expect, some confronting pictures/stories. Was sold a book there by a guy who stepped on a landmine as a boy years after the war ended. He was taught english by a volunteer from Melbourne so he could sell stuff to tourists like myself. Not going to forget saying hi to him, went to shake my hand, I had to hold his stump with mine....


But yeah go shooting before you do that as it may take away ure appetite for guns hahaha.

[HANS YOLO]

Red Rope Service - find it...kinda of a bucket list item lol

Haven't been but planning to go. Mrs is Viet but doesn't wanna take me so will most likely head over with mates = dangerzone

[crabman]

I shouldn't have googled that on work computer

[Byah!]

I just googled Red Rope Service at work.....

[dmanvan]

I just googled Red Rope Service at work..... print off this image , as business research......

http://media.istockphoto.com/photos/vip-auto-service-picture-id174927658?k=6&m=174927658&s=612x612&w=0&h=3uc9_-Mko9EJT0cEwp5QNtAMfMQblTgfLhLaSaYeIr4=

:D

[ReaperSS]

This is what i would be doing strait up! Not to sure how far from vietnam it is though
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cqrc5kCATE

[waxdass]

It's pretty good.

Ho Chi Mihn city - do the foodie street tour, they pick you up scooters and drive you around trying all their food - its pretty fun and you eat some amazing stuff.
War Museum
Cu Chi Tunnel tour was awesome (fire guns and see where the viet-cong were operating from)

I liked North Vietnam better - Hanoi. A lot cleaner, organised (built by the french). Climate a lot cooler as well.
Heaps of shit to visit there as well. Its very communist architecture etc.

[adrenalin]

I didnt really rate Vietnam much at all.

Agree the war museum is very cool and also as said very Anti American.

Also do the tour where you go down in the underground bunkers. Get to shoot guns at end of it etc.

I also found i had to go up and order food. Waitresses seemed to avoid us until they heard us talking and realised we weren't american. ( Happened at least 3 times ).

Other then that prepare to be amazed at what people can fit on motorbikes and scooters.

[The_Senator]

Vietnam... Been and LOVED IT.

A MUST is a Junket cruise though HaLong Bay. So many islands and sites. You won't regret it. We did Hanoi, Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh city). The Cu Chi tunnels just outside of Saigon are an eye opener. You also get to shoot AK-47's and what nots there :)

FOOD was amazing where ever we ate. Lots of Markets and good in Hanoi - and every Thursday Night the streets are taken over with Night markets.

As mentioned, do the war memorial and a walk by of Mr Minh himself in his entombment. Allow yourself a few hours to take it all in.

We then popped over the border into Cambodia and did a Day Phnom Penh and did a tour of the Royal Palace and the Killing Fields - plus the interment camp where they tortured the inmates before trucking them off to the Fields. We then went to Siem Reap and went through the ancient Temple Ruins of Angkor Wat and the surrounds

We used the Lonely Planet travel guide for eateries and interesting places. NEVER failed us.. Shoot me a message if you want some better details.

[crabman]

Isn't there some big ass caves just North of Saigon? Like crawling through tight sections and overnight trip in the cave they are that big, if that's your thing. If cave I remember coming across them when planning a trip.

Is Red Rope Service similar to a Soapland experience in Japan?

[mARC]

I've wanted to check this out for a while http://oxalis.com.vn/tour/son-doong-cave-expedition/ unfortunately don't think I'll be back for sometime.

Paging Gonzo, he can give you good overview of the place if he's not lying in a ditch somewhere.

[Jezzza]

Food! Drinks! Desert!
Try the hawkers, but cafes are probably better food and safer. They are a tad bit more "expensive" (~$1-2 per meal)
Lots of up market food places for cheap! Give it a google
Massages are dirt cheap.. but they expect ridiculous tips, 100,000d as a minimum, or they will yell at you
There are many tours in the city and along the mekong delta, worth going if you have never been before. Watch the pick pockets, and people trying to scam you for money

We go Vietnam about once a year, and I pretty much go there to un-wind and relax. Weve seen everything south (Ho Chi Minh), so we usually get a nicer hotel with a pool etc. and just wine and dine around the place.
I see it equivalent to what Bali is like, but less bogans and cheaper

[urabus]

You going north or south? Dont be afraid to jump over to cambodia and have a look around aswell.

Massie gap between welathy and the poor. I.e lego was more expensive there as were things like designer suits / shirts.

Take immodium as you are likely to eat something that will gvie you the runs.

Place is great. Would bang again.

Brendon

[ossie cossie]

will keep an eye on this thread as i am thinking of going later in the year

[heavyduty1340]

Cheers all - heading to Perth tomorrow, and fly out Sat.
I will keep bit of a running log for anyone interested.
Going to
Ho Chi Min
Cai Be
Can Tho
Danang
Hoi An - several days
Halong Bay
Mekong River - over night on a boat of some description - pingpingpingping better not burn or sink or I will be very salty!

Lets hold on and see what this place is like