View Full Version : Trip to Vietnam
MARSOC0211
05-25-2011, 09:05
Back from the sand box and two of my teammates and I are going to take a trip to Vietnam. Planning on flying into Hanoi, spending a day or two there then getting some motorcycles and taking a trip to the south. Not sure yet if we are going to use one of the motorcycle "tour agencies" or just buy bikes and do our own thing. However, I am planning on a 12 -14 day journey stopping by Son Tay, Hue, Da Nang, My Lai, A Shau Valley, and ending up in Ho Chi Minh. Planning on taking the Ho Chi Minh Trail for as much of the ride as possible. Once in Ho Chi Minh, we will spend another 10 - 14 days there relaxing and continuing with the touristy type of activities.
Anyone have any suggestions as to other places stop by and check out? Also, if anyone here has any specific requests pertaining to photos or things of that nature along the route, send me a PM and I will do what I can to facilitate your requests.
Semper Fi
Dalat is cool (literaly), Tay Ninh has Coa Dai temples and Nui Ba Den (Black Virgin Mtn), The tunnels of Cu Chi are neat to visit. The beaches in Nha Trang and Vung Tau are the finest in SEA.
De IOppresso Liber
Mike
The Reaper
05-25-2011, 09:47
You could watch the Top Gear episode where they ran a very similar trip on bikes from the South to the North, mostly along the coast.
TR
...use one of the motorcycle "tour agencies"...
...and let them know where you wanted to go...it's a lot different running QL1 than the interior and crossing borders. ;) ;)
Richard :munchin
mark46th
05-25-2011, 09:59
If you are going down the Ho Chi Minh Trail, you need to go to Laos or Cambodia. I would suggest Cambodia. The Pathet Lao are still in charge of Laos. They aren't particularly fond of Americans. Something about more bombs dropped in Laos during the Vietnam War than in the entire European Theater during WWII.. Cambodia is pretty nice these days- good food, friendly locals, great beaches... But if you see a large woman with an axe, stay clear. Anchon is mad again...
Eagle5US
05-25-2011, 10:01
Stop by Hoa Lo prison in Hanoi (Hanoi Hilton), also the 12/11 bar (there is a bomb in the middle that came through the roof on 11 Dec of some year and didn't blow up) and Apocalypse Now.
There is an incredible steak joint (Australian) right near there.
The Spotted Cow is a famous watering hole as well.
REAL touristy you can get the King Cobra at "The Snake Place" and they will kill it at the table, you get to drink the blood and bile from the gall bladder - then eat the raw heart. They will cook the rest of it however you want - usually grilled or fried.
Good luck-BE SAFE...
Eagle
MARSOC0211
05-26-2011, 02:57
Thank you everyone for the replies. I definitely want to check out the beaches and I can't believe I forgot about the Hanoi Hilton...
TS, that Top Gear video is actually what cemented this idea in my head. I had wanted to go to Vietnam, but was not sure exactly what I wanted to do until I saw that episode.
Again, I appreciate it,
Ross
Ross
My neighbor just returned(last month) from a tour. Landed in Hanoi, toured the the city & Hilton, went down to Ho Chi Minh. From there he took a boat tour up the Mekong to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It was an all-arranged package tour. He went with a HS buddy and they loved it.
He said the accommodation were fantastic. On the river, they slept, eat, & drank on the boat. There is still a lot of depressed areas out side of the "tourista" zones. ALL the people were very friendly. He renewed some of his language skills, as he had been a MACV advisor.
They took several bike-taxi tours in the different cities as THE WAY to get around. The traffic is even more congested than it was 40 yrs ago.
I would be leery of a 1500k personalized bike tour??
Good Luck,, Pictures and AAR required??
MARSOC0211
05-26-2011, 06:19
JJ,
Thanks brother, I will definitely post up an AAR and photos.
We are looking to spend the majority of our motorcycle trip out of the tourist traps. Luckily, one of my teammates is of Vietnamese decent and speaks really well. So far, we are planning on spending about a day and a half there in Hanoi, then jumping on the bikes and heading south. Here is our planned route:
Day 1: Ha Noi - Hoa Binh ( Via Son Tay) *we should stay extra day for halong bay also*
Hoa Binh - Son Tay Raid Site, Hoa La Prison
Day 2: Hoa Binh - Thanh Hoa
Most of city destroyed, but completely rebuilt after war
Day 3: Thanh Hoa - Nghe An
Day 4: Nghe An - Quang Binh
Underground river, Hot Springs, Battlefield sites along the HCM trail
Day 5: Quang Binh - Quang Tri
Major battleground for Tet Offensive. VC eventually took over Quang Tri
Day 6: Quang Tri - Hue
Imperial City (HUGE palace for only royals), FOOD, Museum of Royal Arts
Day 7: Hue - A Luoi ( see Hamburger Hill)
Day 8: A Luoi - Da Nang
Marble Mountain, My Son (Hindu Temples), Hoi An (UNESCO) Old style buildings *touristy*
Day 9 :* Da Nang - Quang Ngai ( to see My Lai)
Day 10 : Quang Ngai - Kon Tum
Borders Laos/Cambodia, Overrun by VC, French Influence
Day 11: Kom Tum - Buon Me Thuot
Last major battle between VC/VN Army, Excellent waterfalls
Day 12: Buon Me Thuot - Lak lake
Hilltribe life, Sweet villages, Emporer Bao Dai Villa
Day 13: Lak lake - Dak Mil
Real foresty trail ride
Day 14: Dak Mil - Dong Xoai
Battle of Dong Xoai, SF Camp attacked
Day 15: Dong Xoai - Sai Gon
Then spend about 14 days in HCMC. While there, travel around and check out Cu Chi Tunnels, Nha Trang and Vung Tau beaches. The first two and a half weeks will be busy, but the final two weeks will be pretty relaxed. We are also using those 14 days in HCMC as a buffer ICO weather or any other unforeseen circumstance. I am pretty stoked about this opportunity. :D
Ross
Pictures.....Lot's of Pictures, photograph everything and create a journal online - Flicker.
If you get south of Chu Lai you'll find unspoiled coastline. The local food, particularly the fish stew's with kaffer lime and coconut is not to be missed.
Pick pockets galore in HCM City.
greenberetTFS
05-26-2011, 06:29
REAL touristy you can get the King Cobra at "The Snake Place" and they will kill it at the table, you get to drink the blood and bile from the gall bladder - then eat the raw heart. They will cook the rest of it however you want - usually grilled or fried.
Eagle
OMG,you guys are really snake eaters aren't you?........:D;):D
Big Teddy :munchin
MARSOC0211
05-26-2011, 07:29
Pictures.....Lot's of Pictures, photograph everything and create a journal online - Flicker.
If you get south of Chu Lai you'll find unspoiled coastline. The local food, particularly the fish stew's with kaffer lime and coconut is not to be missed.
Pick pockets galore in HCM City.
Penn,
Flicker is the intent. Two of us will be rolling through with D60s so there will be a ton of photos :p . Thanks for the advice on the venues south of Chu Lai, and thanks for the heads-up on the pick pockets in HCMC. Researched the DOS site and a couple of "other" conduits, and it seems like petty crime is pretty prevalent. Figure we will take the same precautions as we typically do when in PI.
TFS,
I'll eat anything!!!
The Reaper
05-26-2011, 07:37
Penn,
Flicker is the intent. Two of us will be rolling through with D60s so there will be a ton of photos :p . Thanks for the advice on the venues south of Chu Lai, and thanks for the heads-up on the pick pockets in HCMC. Researched the DOS site and a couple of "other" conduits, and it seems like petty crime is pretty prevalent. Figure we will take the same precautions as we typically do when in PI.
TFS,
I'll eat anything!!!
Be prepared for a lot of anti-US lies and propaganda.
TR
Utah Bob
05-26-2011, 07:44
Ross
My neighbor just returned(last month) from a tour. Landed in Hanoi, toured the the city & Hilton, went down to Ho Chi Minh. From there he took a boat tour up the Mekong to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It was an all-arranged package tour. He went with a HS buddy and they loved it.
He said the accommodation were fantastic. On the river, they slept, eat, & drank on the boat. There is still a lot of depressed areas out side of the "tourista" zones. ALL the people were very friendly. He renewed some of his language skills, as he had been a MACV advisor.
They took several bike-taxi tours in the different cities as THE WAY to get around. The traffic is even more congested than it was 40 yrs ago.
I would be leery of a 1500k personalized bike tour??
Good Luck,, Pictures and AAR required??
My bike trip.:D
Be prepared for a lot of anti-US lies and propaganda.
TR
TR
My neighbor (JCG) was impressed with the total lack of any anti-American feelings. Now,, he was on a planned and guided tour, but when they were on the boat in the Mekong, the villages they stopped at were very friendly and off the tour.. In Cambodia they were unsupervised. He was very impressed with the commi-capitalist attitude that has sprung up.
We may have won after all??? or at least the almighty $$ won their hearts & minds..
As a reference, JCG is a retired 06 and spent most of his career between the ROK DMZ and Ranger committee.
:munchin
MARSOC0211
05-26-2011, 08:05
Be prepared for a lot of anti-US lies and propaganda.
TR
TR,
I gave some thought to that, especially heading to the Quang Ngai area, hoping that a little humility, respect, and SA will help.
Ross
TR,
I gave some thought to that, especially heading to the Quang Ngai area, hoping that a little humility, respect, and SA will help.
Ross
I've had a few friends visit repeatedly over the last 15 years or so and they report exactly the opposite...folks are very friendly etc. The Govt allowed the 25th ID Assoc (I was an 11B in RVN not SF) to erect a monument to our Division at the "Tunnels of Cu Chi" national war monument.
I think you'll find, as they have, that even the older NVA vets realize we were an honorable enemy. BTW, they had the same experience up North but don't expect the tour guide @ the Hanoi Hilton to say they tortured pw's. Official verbage is just that.
Welcome home, and safe travels!
Echoing PRB
Anti US sentiment on my return (98) was non existent. If fact, people would approach me and ask if I was American; they were very respectful in doing so. I would answer yes, and they would then ask if I was in RVN prior to '75.
Once that was confirmed, the conversation rapidly developed to the where, what, and how I viewed VN in the present.
Some observation: there are no old men in VN when I was there. The male population, based on my non-scientific analysis, suggested that VN lost two full generations btw 1964-1975.
The women in their traditional Áo Dài. are exceptional; consider for a moment the gene pool: Asian/French/Northern European/Meso-American, exotic in the extreme would be a misrepresentation.
The women in their traditional Áo Dài. are exceptional; consider for a moment the gene pool: Asian/French/Northern European/Meso-American, exotic in the extreme would be a misrepresentation.
Not to sound to sexist,, but I also think the ladies of SEA are some of the most handsome in the world. :)
But I am also attracted to ladies from Ireland,, and France,, and Italy,, and ... :D
MARSOC0211
07-09-2011, 01:30
Well, we are day 9 into this 31 day trip. I must say this has been a very enlightening experience. So far we have traveled from Hanoi to our current location of Hue; averaging about 220 Km per day via motorcycle. The country is absolutely beautiful and the people are very friendly. Today, we rucked up "Hamburger Hill"...Neddless to say, this environment had to have been unbelievably hard to fight in. Once we finish, I will post the photos so you all can check them out.
Until then, much respect,
Ross
Once we finish, I will post the photos so you all can check them out.
Until then, much respect,
Ross
Look forward to the pictures, stay safe in your travels!