The biggest worry in Vietnam is often less where you go, but how you go. Always be mindful of "no problem!" travel agents offering Sapa, Halong Bay or Mekong Delta trips for next-to-nothing (disappointments are common). And if you're feeling too much hassle, look around; chances are you in the heart of a tourist ghetto. Move a block or two away, and it feels a lot different. Here are a few other things best avoiding.
Hanoi's fake Sinh Cafes
The pioneer budget travel agent is easy to locate in Ho Chi Minh City — there's only one and it's real. But in Hanoi, there about as many "Sinh Cafes" as there are conical hats in the market. Nearly all are fakes, and many travellers using them regret not shelling out a few more dollars for more dependable trips.
Backpacker ghetto restaurants
Considering how great Vietnamese cuisine is, it's a pity so many travellers get their noodles at backpacker-oriented traveller's cafes. They're fine for pizza or eggs; otherwise get your
pho,
bun thit nuong,
cha gio and
mi xao where locals go — it's simple, cheap and
much better than any you'll find back in Australia.
Rex Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City
Its campy rooftop bar somehow snuck into the over-hyped
1000 Places to See Before You Die list, but the hotel is overpriced, dated and teaming with tour groups and a stiff formal air. If you're after a little of the colonial days' lore, save it for Hanoi's Metropole.
DMV bus tours from Hue
Following the Vietcong's footsteps around the demilitarised zone that separated North and South Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 can be fascinating, but not so much on the weary 12-hour bus tours from Hue that zips past sites that guides don't always remember to point out. You're better off taking a more personalised car or motorbike tour with South Vietnamese vets who cover less ground and give much more insight (eg: on the smell of napalm). One option is DMZ Cafe (phone +84 53 385 7026, e-mail
dmzcafedh@yahoo.com) in Dong Ha, an hour north of Hue.
Water puppet shows
Traditional tales told with flopping puppets in the water once tickled the fancy of fussy kings, but these days the shows (in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) have become tired productions for endless streams of tour groups. Sure, you'll
want to enjoy it, but you'll be checking your watch after two minutes.
Nha Trang
Vietnam's most-famous beach resort has nice white sand, great seafood and a non-stop nightlife scene, but the unchecked development is starting to wear on the charm — or maybe it's the "floating bar" snorkel trips, the cable-car ride to an amusement park, or that only one hotel is actually on the sand. Hoi An and Danang have nearly as nice beaches, Phu Quoc's white-sand gems are often empty, Con Dao is starting to emerge as an even more remote alternative, while accessible, yet low-key Mui Ne's waterfront is lined with better-value mini-resorts.
Mekong daytrip to My Tho
The most popular daytrip to the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City is to the scrappy My Tho. Avoid it on weekends when it's packed with Saigon weekenders. Instead, opt for the more rewarding Vinh Long day trip, which reaches more atmospheric river villages and floating markets.
Next: Near the beaten track
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