Vietnam is located in central Asia and it has a rich and turbulent history. The landscape is very diverse, and the country is long and thin, meaning there is a lot of coastline - making beach holidays a possibility, although currently not popular when compared to Thailand. Recent years have seen Vietnam flights becoming more popular with mainstream travellers, showing that where backpackers go first, others will follow.
The landscape in Vietnam is incredibly varied, with plenty of mountainous regions, large areas of forest, absolutely stunning coastline such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay, paddy fields and more. This is dotted with relics of the past - everything from hidden caves from the Vietnam War to sanctuaries and temples as well as colonial buildings from the French Indochina rule.
Cheap airline to Vietnam are becoming more readily available, and 2013 and 2014 is set to see a rise in the popularity of holidays here.
Cheap Airline To Vietnam
A flight to Vietnam from Australia can take anywhere upwards of between 11 and 12 hours, which is how long it will take if you're lucky enough to get a direct Vietnam flight. Most involve at least one changeover which can frequently take the travelling time on Vietnam flights to over 24 hours - so make sure you have some entertainment with you! Expect return flights to take between 17 and 24 hours as well.
It's worth checking to see how much you save by adding more stopovers along the way, as this can often be negligible. You don't want to unduly eat into your budget, but neither do you want to see the inside of the airports when you could be sightseeing in Vietnam!
The best way to find a cheap airline to Vietnam is usually to look for flights to Hanoi, which is the capital. These arrive into Noi Bai International Airport which is around 45 minutes from the centre, and is a great place to start you Vietnam adventure. You can also arrive into Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.
Before you embark upon your cheap airline to Vietnam, make sure you get your visa! It's best to get this arranged well before you travel as there are considerable fees for rushing your application through.
Getting Around Vietnam
There are a range of ways to get around after Vietnam flights, depending on how far you want to go and how much you want to see. Here are the main methods:
Plane - both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are well connected by air to Da Nang, Hai Phong, Can Tho, Hue, Nha Trang, Da Lat and Phu Quoc, so if you're on a strict time schedule and can afford an internal cheap airline to Vietnam, this is a great way to see more.
Train - expensive, but the most comfortable way to travel around Vietnam. Make sure that you book your tickets at least 3 days in advance, more if you're going to be travelling near the holiday period. Definitely consider a sleeper cabin if you're going the 30-hour distance!
Bus - a great budget option, and there's practically guaranteed to be a route to suit you, as all the main towns and cities (and a lot of the smaller ones too) are connected by the bus network. Look for Open Tour Buses, which are catered towards tourists, or be prepared for a fairly uncomfortable ride on longer routes - it's all part of the experience, right?
Car - it's not possible for a UK driver to rent and drive their own car in Vietnam, but that's ok, you probably wouldn't want to be responsible for it anyway as the roads are widely acknowledged to be crazy! Instead, cars come with a driver, which sounds pretty regal. Make sure that you tell the agent where you want to go as most of the drivers don't speak English.
Bicycle - with most of the Vietnamese population getting around by bike, you'll certainly feel like one of the locals if you head out on two wheels. Some companies offer bicycle tours of vast swathes of the country, but they are also great to just get around sightseeing. Only the very brave take on cycling in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City - if you want to practise try Dalat, Hoi An, Hue and Ninh Binh!
Motorcycle Taxi - are a popular way of getting around the cities. Expect to haggle on the price and make sure you agree it before you get in. Also, have small bills so you're not then left haggling over change too.
Motorcycle - first of all, you need to make sure you have a Vietnam motorcycle license, which you must apply for before hiring your motorcycle. Thereafter, you should be able to head out and about and explore, being sure to be careful on the ever-treacherous roads of course! It's probably best to stick to this sort of behaviour in the quieter cities and resorts.
Cyclo - these cycle rickshaws are generally slower and more expensive than motorcycle taxis, but if you get a friendly driver you'll be more likely to get an impromptu tour. Beware of the price being raised at the end though - make sure you agree a price at the start and stick to it.
Boat - with so much coastline and important rivers like the Mekong too, getting in a boat will take you places you just can't get by road, as well as giving you another quintessential Vietnamese experience. Tourist boats can be pretty pricey, but one of the best is the hydrofoil from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau where you will find beaches.
What To See In Vietnam
The sights in Vietnam are varied from the sand dunes of Mui Ne, the Mekong Delta and the Sa Pa Rice Terraces to the Thien Mu Pagoda in Hue, the village of Hoi An and the Cu Chi Tunnels. You'll need to do some serious planning - how about using our Vietnam guide to get you started?
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