The drive to Ha Long City from Hanoi is about 2-2.5 hours, so it will be a *very* long day trip.

I can’t speak to Cambodia/Thailand, but we did a 3.5-week trip to Vietnam last year and didn’t find that a travel agent was necessary. The government’s e-visa site looks like it was designed in 1996, but it was straightforward, and we had our visas within a week. And we used Vietnam Airlines for domestic flights - easy to book online.

For ground transportation, we used a combination of Grab (the Uber of SE Asia) and services arranged by our hotels. I agree with PP that hotel service was generally very good and they were able to arrange just about anything we needed (for example - while in Hoi An we wanted to visit an artisan’s workshop in a small village about 30 mins away - the hotel was happy to arrange a driver to take us there).

I agree with others that you might think about paring back a bit so you can have a slower pace. We tried to spend at least 3-4 nights in each city. Any less than that and I fear you will feel rushed and exhausted. Especially on your arrival in Hanoi. That was our arrival city, and the culture shock was real, esp staying in the Old Quarter. It is crowded, frenetic, horrible traffic (with the constant beepbeepbeep of motorbikes), overwhelming - it took a couple of days for the true charms of Hanoi to unfold. It’s a very elegant, historic city once you look under the surface. We had 5 days in Hanoi, and I wish we could have spent more time there. Same with Saigon - 5 days just wasn’t enough.

And PP is correct - there are so many other places in Vietnam that are worth a visit. I loved Hue so much, and our daughters really enjoyed the chill vibes and cafe culture in Da Lat. Hoi An is controversial. As a former New Orleanian, I think of it as like the French Quarter of Vietnam - beautiful, historic, charming but also a little tacky and crammed full of tourists. Some people love it and some people hate it. My husband really loved it.

Sorry, this is probably more than you want to read, but our Vietnam trip was really a great family experience.

Anonymous wrote:As someone who's been to all three countries, you are packing a lot in just two weeks. It's a frantic pace. Is that how you like to travel? You're also skipping most of the best sights in Vietnam by focusing only on the two main cities. Most people do Halong bay as an overnight or two night cruise, it'd make for a very long day trip and it could end up being cloudy and you wouldn't see much of anything. You'd be spending a lot of time on buses or cars getting to all these day trip destinations, and your tour guides will absolutely figure out a away to cram in a few pointless hours at a gift shop venue or restaurant somewhere where they hope you buy something.

I wasn't wildly impressed with Cambodia or the Angor Wat. The famous main temple complex is lot smaller in reality than you might imagine, although the whole archeological complex is huge with scattered sites and temple complexes here and there. It's still an interesting area but frankly, you could keep it to one day and then put aside more days in either Thailand or Vietnam. Cambodia also has the least interesting food of the three countries, FYI.

You have no interest in Thailand outside BKK? BKK is a pretty neat city but there's more to Thailand too.

We loved Chiang Mai.

Anonymous wrote:As someone who's been to all three countries, you are packing a lot in just two weeks. It's a frantic pace. Is that how you like to travel? You're also skipping most of the best sights in Vietnam by focusing only on the two main cities. Most people do Halong bay as an overnight or two night cruise, it'd make for a very long day trip and it could end up being cloudy and you wouldn't see much of anything. You'd be spending a lot of time on buses or cars getting to all these day trip destinations, and your tour guides will absolutely figure out a away to cram in a few pointless hours at a gift shop venue or restaurant somewhere where they hope you buy something.

I wasn't wildly impressed with Cambodia or the Angor Wat. The famous main temple complex is lot smaller in reality than you might imagine, although the whole archeological complex is huge with scattered sites and temple complexes here and there. It's still an interesting area but frankly, you could keep it to one day and then put aside more days in either Thailand or Vietnam. Cambodia also has the least interesting food of the three countries, FYI.

You have no interest in Thailand outside BKK? BKK is a pretty neat city but there's more to Thailand too.

Thanks. Definitely would love to visit Chiang Mai in Thailand but not sure adding another town requiring flight is feasible.

We aren't interested in kayaking or beaches either really which is why I was thinking a day trip for Halong Bay. Traveling with my mom who really wants to see Siem Reap/Angkor Wat. And at her age this will likely be last chance to visit these countries which is why we are trying to hit all 3 countries.

Too many places for 2 weeks ! We used vietstar travel at eden center many years ago for ticket and visa. When you land in Vietnam, we used vietravel for tours.

As someone who's been to all three countries, you are packing a lot in just two weeks. It's a frantic pace. Is that how you like to travel? You're also skipping most of the best sights in Vietnam by focusing only on the two main cities. Most people do Halong bay as an overnight or two night cruise, it'd make for a very long day trip and it could end up being cloudy and you wouldn't see much of anything. You'd be spending a lot of time on buses or cars getting to all these day trip destinations, and your tour guides will absolutely figure out a away to cram in a few pointless hours at a gift shop venue or restaurant somewhere where they hope you buy something.

I wasn't wildly impressed with Cambodia or the Angor Wat. The famous main temple complex is lot smaller in reality than you might imagine, although the whole archeological complex is huge with scattered sites and temple complexes here and there. It's still an interesting area but frankly, you could keep it to one day and then put aside more days in either Thailand or Vietnam. Cambodia also has the least interesting food of the three countries, FYI.

You have no interest in Thailand outside BKK? BKK is a pretty neat city but there's more to Thailand too.

Anonymous wrote:i'd do it myself as you already have the itinerary , the travel agent is not going to do anything but book it

I don't have anything booked.....I was thinking the agent could help with VISAs, flights between 3 countries, etc.

Anonymous wrote:A daytrip to Halong Bay sounds really exhausting to me! Are your days fixed already or can you add an extra day to stay overnight?

If you already have hotels and tours lined up I'm not sure why you need a travel agent? If you don't have all the tours lined up IME hotels are really helpful for that. The level of service in SE Asia hotels, even really basic ones, blew me away. Flights are easy to book on your own.

We won't be doing any of the kayaking or beach/swimming so that's why I thought a day trip would be OK.

What do you need a travel agent for?

I mean, you already know what you want to do. Book the flights yourself

A daytrip to Halong Bay sounds really exhausting to me! Are your days fixed already or can you add an extra day to stay overnight?

If you already have hotels and tours lined up I'm not sure why you need a travel agent? If you don't have all the tours lined up IME hotels are really helpful for that. The level of service in SE Asia hotels, even really basic ones, blew me away. Flights are easy to book on your own.

i'd do it myself as you already have the itinerary , the travel agent is not going to do anything but book it

Anonymous wrote:First - does anyone have any recommendations for a local travel agent that could handle all flights, insurance and other details?

Second - does below itinerary sound reasonable?

Day Activities Accommodations
1 Arrival in Hanoi - Relax from Jet Lag/Explore City on Own Hotel in Hanoi
2 Hanoi City Tour Half Day Hotel in Hanoi
3 Halong Bay Day Cruise - Hanoi Hotel in Hanoi
4 Hanoi - Flight to Ho Chi Minh - Welcome Dinner on Saigon River Hotel in Ho Chi Minh
5 Ho Chi Minh (Cu Chi & City Tour) Hotel in Ho Chi Minh
6 Ho Chi Minh - Mekong Delta Day Trip (Cai Rang floating market)) Hotel in Ho Chi Minh
7 Ho Chi Minh - Flight to Siem Reap Hotel in Siem Reap
8 Siem Reap (Explore Angkor) - Khmer Aspara Dance Hotel in Siem Reap
9 Siem Reap - Floating Village Explorer Day Trip Hotel in Siem Reap
10 Siem Reap - flight to Bangkok - Chao Phraya Boat Excursion Hotel in Bangkok
11 Bangkok - Grand Palace, Wat Temples, Wonderful Pearl Dinner Cruise & Show Hotel in Bangkok
12 Bangkok - Maeklong Railway Market & Damnoen Saduak Floating Market Hotel in Bangkok
13 Bangkok - Ayutthaya Hotel in Bangkok
14 Bangkok Departure N/A

Adding...this would be for two adults 50-60 and one adult 75

First - does anyone have any recommendations for a local travel agent that could handle all flights, insurance and other details?

Second - does below itinerary sound reasonable?

Day Activities Accommodations
1 Arrival in Hanoi - Relax from Jet Lag/Explore City on Own Hotel in Hanoi
2 Hanoi City Tour Half Day Hotel in Hanoi
3 Halong Bay Day Cruise - Hanoi Hotel in Hanoi
4 Hanoi - Flight to Ho Chi Minh - Welcome Dinner on Saigon River Hotel in Ho Chi Minh
5 Ho Chi Minh (Cu Chi & City Tour) Hotel in Ho Chi Minh
6 Ho Chi Minh - Mekong Delta Day Trip (Cai Rang floating market)) Hotel in Ho Chi Minh
7 Ho Chi Minh - Flight to Siem Reap Hotel in Siem Reap
8 Siem Reap (Explore Angkor) - Khmer Aspara Dance Hotel in Siem Reap
9 Siem Reap - Floating Village Explorer Day Trip Hotel in Siem Reap
10 Siem Reap - flight to Bangkok - Chao Phraya Boat Excursion Hotel in Bangkok
11 Bangkok - Grand Palace, Wat Temples, Wonderful Pearl Dinner Cruise & Show Hotel in Bangkok
12 Bangkok - Maeklong Railway Market & Damnoen Saduak Floating Market Hotel in Bangkok
13 Bangkok - Ayutthaya Hotel in Bangkok
14 Bangkok Departure N/A