Vietnam on the 24th May

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Looking at the map of Con Dao, there is a small airport there and according to flightradar24, there are flights from HCM and Can Tho.

I do NOT recommend going to Nha Trang.
I was there 2013 for the first time, then went back 2018. Oh my how the place has changed in just 5 years. Crowded, loads of Russians and loud Chinese tourists, and it was just noisy!

Been to Phu Quoc as well. Was in the Vinpearl resort. Very clean, lovely quiet beach. It's also got a waterpark and other activities/amusements. Not sure if worth the money though.

One place I would highly recommend is Mui Ne. It's a small resort town not far from HCM with a long strip lined with palm trees. Good for surfing. Quite evenings but still have the bars, shops, restaurants and the seafood of course. There's mud baths and spas also. A few miles north and you're at the white and orange sand dunes and lotus lake!

Check out some of the photos here.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mũi+Né,+Phan+Thiet,+Bình+Thuận+Province,+Vietnam/@10.9604389,108.3107692,11z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x31768e4c7f7c96b5:0x1a406b72c1020724

The wife is from Vietnam so I've been there a few times now. Singapore is also bloody amazing if you're in that part of the world (my favourite country now :D) but you should probably leave it for next time. ;)

Mui Ne is 'Russian world', but I agree, I like it too.. not sure I would go there if I didn't live here though
 
Soldato
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Mui Ne is 'Russian world', but I agree, I like it too.. not sure I would go there if I didn't live here though
Ah I was there 2013 Aug/Sept time and I do remember seeing some signs and menus in Russian. Still, it was a very calm place. I was told it hasn't changed much since then.
 
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Ok con doa is much better than phu quoc. Phu was beautiful 2 decades ago, now it is like a cheap Spanish concrete resort!

Con Dao was a prison and army island upto the 80's so hasn't really been spoilt yet.

There are direct flights which you need to book in advance and don't make the mistake of trying to get the ferry over, they don't take westerners lol.

There is good diving on the island, local cuisine is good. It's like staying in a small village - except it's an island.

Brad Pitt and Jolie have given it the nod , so if your a player check out the six senses.

Basically makes a great break from the chaos of the mainland. Nothing better than looking at the sea, turtle back island whilst lazing with a Vietnamese coffee
 
Don
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My 'step mum' (or fathers hooker) has a spa on Bui Vien. Several things have happened, rents have gone up, money has moved in and Airbnb has moved backpackers out to D2 (An Phu). Many Backpackers now lodge cheaply in D2 and a lot of the restaurant culture / bar culture is moving to Xuan Thuy there where there is also all the expat money, including mine. 3 or 4 years ago the owners realised the regular customers were in D2, and that the rents (were) 25% of Bui Vien, at the same time there was an accommodation explosion there which made it cheaper for backpackers. Xuan Thuy is not druggy however.

shame, used to love a night out down there, prices have doubled and trebled in last 2 years, seems to be all Chinese down there now (might be wrong on nationality) the craft beer place at bottom end (other end to Buffalo) is good though
 
Soldato
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That's on my list for some visit, the hotel I would want to stay at is stupid money though

Six Senses? I did a couple of nights there with my girlfriend, highly recommend it :)

We went to Con Dao on the third day of our second Vietnam trip and stayed at a very cheap local type affair, we only stayed one night then booked in for two nights at the Six Senses :D

Fab island, spent a day riding around on a bike. Great little beach on the north end, but if you stay at the Six Senses definitely make the most of the private beach :D

LUYfdNl.jpg

Gmm67uq.jpg

Just looking at the panorama is making me want to go back :(
 
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Soldato
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So from this thread what I've gathered is the following:

HCMC and Hoi An are a must.

Con Dao is good if we want beach.

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I do believe earlier on in the holiday we will be going to Ly Son so maybe we will have our fair share of beach there.

With essentially 8 days is it possible to go Ninh Binh - Hoi An - HCMC and then back to Hanoi?

Ninh Binh and HCMC are doable as Ninh Binh is not far from Hanoi and we can fly direct to HCMC from Hanoi but Hoi An is right in the middle of the country. I don't think with 8 days we can make the trip to all three. (I am being told we will be near to Hoi An at one point so may get a few hours to walk around town)

Lets say we do decide just to do a few days in Ninh Binh and a few days in HCMC. Is there anything within a few hours of HCMC worth seeing?

I get the vibe Ninh Binh will be very very quite.
 
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Don
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Maybe a dozen bars in ong lang. Loads down long beach. Maybe look at area around phuong binh House, load of cheap accommodation in that area
 
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