Hereunder some tips you should see to travel to Hanoi
1. Visa -- You can pre-arrange a visa on arrival online but you run the risk of waiting up to 90 minutes in Hanoi airport while the visa officers decide whose turn it is to do some work. Better to get it sorted before you leave, through your local embassy or travel agent.
2. Flights -- Don’t book your flights too soon, but don’t leave it too late either. Airlines tend to jack their prices up six months before the travel date, slowly bring them down until two to three weeks before travel, then start to raise them again.
3. Booking -- When you do book, best options from Hong Kong can be found at these carriers:
Air Asia:
www.airasia.com
Cathay Pacific:
www.cathaypacific.com
Dragon Air:
www.dragonair.com
Hong Kong Airlines:
www.hkairlines.com
Vietnam Airlines:
www.vietnamairlines.com
4. Taxis -- Hanoi cabs are cheap and pretty decent. A ride into town from Noi Bai airport costs around VND 350,000 (US$17) and a 10-minute ride in-city around VND 30,000. Your hotel may also arrange a pick-up and drop-off service from and to the airport.
Most reputable cab companies are Hanoi Taxi (+84 (0)4 3853 5353), Taxi CP (+84 (0)4 3826 2626) and Mai Linh Taxi (+84 (0)4 3861 6161).
5. Shuttle buses -- Are cheaper: VND 40,000 (US$2) from the airport to the Old Quarter, but drivers may try to persuade you into staying at “their cousin’s hotel†by saying a typhoon in Halong Bay means your chosen hotel is still full. Don’t believe them.
6. Buses -- Are cheaper still, VND 5,000 (US$0.25) from the airport to the Old Quarter, but they won’t take your baggage unless you offer a small “luggage fee.†In town a ride costs a standard fare of VND 3,000.
7. Scooter taxis -- The best way to experience the rush and blur of daily Hanoi life, just make sure you are equipped with a helmet. And as they don’t have meters make sure you know what you’re paying before you set off. A typical 10-minute ride should cost around VND 10,000-15,000 (US$0.50-0.75).
8. Communication -- Most locals speak a few phrases of English, but don’t count on it. You could try your luck with a Vietnamese phrase book, but it’s a tonal language and so your pronunciation may not be quite up to it. Best bet is to hire a personal tour guide or just wing it with the international language of wild bodily gesticulation.
9. Tours -- Everywhere offers guided tours, but one of our favorites is an innovative concept from a student-run NGO: Hanoi Kids Tours. The idea is for tourists to get a flavor of the city by being shown around by local children.
www.hanoikids.org;
[email protected];
10. Currency -- There are around 20,000 Vietnamese dong to one U.S. dollar, so don’t freak out when the bar tab comes along. U.S. dollars are also widely accepted.
This article is posted by
Jane Vu – Ecommerce Manager
Sunway Hotel Hanoi
19 Pham Dinh Ho Street
Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi, Vietnam
T +84 4 3971 3888
F +84 4 3971 3967
E
[email protected]
Website:
http://hanoi.sunwayhotels.com