Trip to Vietnam

[bryonm4 0]

Wow, I didn't think that the Saigonistas believed that Viet Nam even extended North of Dalat!

Most people from Saigon are baffled about why I want to live or visit Da Nang, as if that city doesn't have any running water or electricity. Unfortunetly the people from Hanoi HAVE discovered Da Nang, as they are busy building their gazdillion VND beach cottages and golf courses along all the shorelines (and locking out the locals who can no longer swim, run, or fish on much of the coast ).

We went to Da Nang and Dalat for our honeymoon. My wife wanted to go to Bancock but now she has decided to go to Da Nang again. Her borther and sister are coming up from Australia and she has not seen them for 25 years so this is the only time we can go. If they want to do an interview we will have to reschedule it for when we get back. Her friend from Japan didn't even have an interview they got there 10 year visa in the mail 6 weeks after they sent for it. So I am hoping this will be the same case.

[brian_n_phuong 193]

I had a long talk with my wife after that. I explained that Americans don't go on vacation and stay in hotels that are worse than their homes. She gets it now, and the next family holiday will definitely be more upscale for everyone!

Wow, we certainly have much in common. My future in-laws think I am insane for staying at a 4 star everytime I go there. I caved in last year and stayed at the (dont laugh!) Jimmy Hotel which somehow self-appointed itself with two gleaming stars. Next to my room (with a bathroom window that would not close) was a VERY busy Bia that "unofficially" stayed open untill 3AM every night. I spent the first night without sleep listening to the screams of MOT-HAI-BA>YO every 60 seconds untill 3-something

The next day I moved back into a four star hotel and reverted back to spoiled American mode with my Satellite TV, mini bar, and personal A/C unit! You did fine with the Green Plaza. Its still a nice place, but its just falling behind the newer and modern hotels aimed at foriegners, Viet Kieu, and the well-to-do Hanoi golfer crowd. The Da Nang hotel was quite the place 10 years ago per the locals, but now it's run down and dirty, and just caters to the thrifty-minded average Viet tourist and traffic from the port.

Have you been back to Ba Na Hills lately? They just opened a mini- theme park with a castle filled with full sized amusement rides and carnival games. It kind of defeats the intent most people have of visiting the serene mountains, but the kids seem to enjoy the rides. I really dont spend much time at the summit, mostly just go to Ba Na to ride up/down on the tram and press my nose to the glass like a 6 year old! Concept Pic of Ba Na Hills Castle

Edited November 2, 2011 by Brian_N_Phuong

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Wow, we certainly have much in common. My future in-laws think I am insane for staying at a 4 star everytime I go there. I caved in last year and stayed at the (dont laugh!) Jimmy Hotel which somehow self-appointed itself with two gleaming stars. Next to my room (with a bathroom window that would not close) was a VERY busy Bia that "unofficially" stayed open untill 3AM every night. I spent the first night without sleep listening to the screams of MOT-HAI-BA>YO every 60 seconds untill 3-something

The next day I moved back into a four star hotel and reverted back to spoiled American mode with my Satellite TV, mini bar, and personal A/C unit! You did fine with the Green Plaza. Its still a nice place, but its just falling behind the newer and modern hotels aimed at foriegners, Viet Kieu, and the well-to-do Hanoi golfer crowd. The Da Nang hotel was quite the place 10 years ago per the locals, but now it's run down and dirty, and just caters to the thrifty-minded average Viet tourist and traffic from the port.

Have you been back to Ba Na Hills lately? They just opened a mini- theme park with a castle filled with full sized amusement rides and carnival games. It kind of defeats the intent most people have of visiting the serene mountains, but the kids seem to enjoy the rides. I really dont spend much time at the summit, mostly just go to Ba Na to ride up/down on the tram and press my nose to the glass like a 6 year old! Concept Pic of Ba Na Hills Castle

Haven't been to Ba Na since August of '09. At that time there was nothing open yet. Some of the buildings were open so you could look around, but nothing was open for business. There wasn't even a machine where you could get a pop or a bottle of water. The only things running were the tram stations, though there were lots of workers there.

I had an interesting conversation with my wife while we were waiting four hours in the lower tram station. I told her she should call the driver and have him drive the bus up the mountain and get us, rather than making us wait so long for the lightening to stop. She said it wasn't possible for him to drive the bus up the mountain because the roads were only big enough for scooters. I pointed out the window to the heavy construction machinery and said "Then how the heck did they get those things up here?". No matter how much I prodded she still refused to call him.

When we finally got back to the bottom the driver greeted us in the lobby and asked "Why didn't you call me to come and get you?".

[bryonm4 0]

Does anybody have the information or a link on the 5 year visa? How long did you have to wait for it?

[confusedasheck 21]

Check out

http://saigoninacup.com/2010/03/25/5-year-visa-exemption/

http://mienthithucvk.mofa.gov.vn/Default.aspx?alias=mienthithucvk.mofa.gov.vn/en

Site says 7 working days to process the 5-year visa. So express mail to and from the embassy, maybe 2-3 weeks?