June 2010
1 post
May 2010
1 post
March 2010
1 post
February 2010
4 posts
January 2010
14 posts
I hate having wide shoulders in the middle seat of the first row on an 11 hour flight. I’m sorry, people next to me, for I will occupy space and not welcome conversation and yet will probably talk in my inevitable sleep.
Cambodia Advice
In Phnom Penh, I would be sure to visit Psar toul tom poung (Russian Market) It’s a great place to go shopping. As far as foods, I don’t know how extensive you travel and what your palate is like but they have banh xeo which is a cambodian omelet. Very tasty and cheap Soriya mall is awesome - it’s a sign of western influence and has some good food court action (you need to buy...
December 2009
9 posts
Watchrickyv:
An English joke from our Cambodian tour guide.
Flight costs
Phnom Pehn to HCMC - $180
via Vietnam Airlines, which has a monopoly
HCMC to Dalat - $50
Hanoi to HCMC - $60
via Jetstar Airlines
Cambodia e-visa →
Alternatively, citizens of most nations can now apply for an e-Visa [3] online. The cost is US$25 (US$20 + US$5 processing charge) instead of the normal US$20, and you get the visa by e-mail in 3 business days. For the e-visa you will need one photograph of yourself. You can scan your passport photo (into .jpg format, please!) or take a passport photograph of yourself with a digital camera.
With...
Flights
Leaves Sun. Jan 3rd and gets into HCMC (via Taipei) at 10:00 AM on the 5th.
Leaves Jan 25th at 5:30 PM, getting back to LA at 7:00 that same day.
Leave on Sat. Jan 2nd and get into HCMC (via Narita) at 11:30 PM on the 3rd.
Leave Jan 25th at 6:00 AM, getting back to LA at 8:00 that same day.
Notes on hotels in HCMC
Keep heading southwest away from the backpacker hustle closer Ng Thai Hoc, you’ll likely find that as the alleys get smaller the rooms get quieter and owners more friendly.
If you can find one of the ladies dressed in a blue uniform, stating something about tourist rooms - half the battle is won. These ladies will find you a room in the Pham Ngu Lao / De Tham area in a matter of minutes,...
Visa service →
~5 days with shipping
Exchange Rates!
1 dollar = 18k Vietnamese dong
Notes:
Ca phe is 10-20k dong
yes it is
HCMC airport bus - #152 for 3k dong →
By bus from the airport
The recently introduced No. 152 air-conditioned airport bus is the cheapest way into the city from the airport. It will drop you off on the west side of the Pham Ngu Lao area, or at the bus terminal on the south side of the Ben Thanh Market roundabout for about 3,000 dong. Upon exiting the airport, turn right and walk towards the domestic airport - about a 5 minute walk....
November 2009
9 posts
Visas
Vietnam visa
We have to mail the embassy in Washington some stuff, then they mail it back 5-7 days later. The link’s above, here’s what my friend did:
Download and fill out the form
Get two passport photos
Get a color-copy of the main page of your passport
Get a money order (from the post office I think)
Get a pre-paid priority envelope and address it to yourself
Send all this...
Handspan Adventure Travel - recommended for Halong... →
Testing out the "read more" thing in text posts
a nice, detailed e-mail from a friend who has spent a good chunk of time living in/travelling around se asia:
Allo allo! So as promised, here are some suggestions/tips/ramblings about SE Asia. I don’t know too much about Vietnam since I didn’t go. However, I’m going to email my friend in HCMC for tips. But from what I heard, Vietnam is amazing. Of course, as with all countries...
trains within vietnam →
recommended by a u of c friend who has done a fair bit of travelling within se asia.
lonelyplanet on transport in vietnam →
-from this, i’ve learned that we’re going to need some visas. it sounds like we can get most of these once we’re in the countries, but not always at the border.
-there are buses from cambodia or laos into vietnam:
Bus
It is possible to cross into Vietnam by bus from Cambodia or Laos. The most popular way from Cambodia is a cheap tourist shuttle via the Bavet–Moc Bai border...
How to pack ultra light →
heathernicole85:
(via mnmal)
I need to learn this before my next trip…
…or at least how to not ridiculously over pack…i’m horrible!
CDC's List of Recommended Vaccines →
October 2009
6 posts
Temperatures & rainfall! →
Bottom line for January:
1/2 inch rain
Chilly Hanoi ~ 65
Warm Ho Chi Minh City ~ 82
Ben's Couchsurfing Profile →
This is my profile on couchsurfing. Check out all the people I stayed with while in China!
Vietnam DOs and DON'Ts
Bonus Information from: http://www.guidevietnam.com/travel/vietnam-travel-tips.html
Vietnam Travel Tips - Do’s and Don’ts in Vietnam
DO’S
Greetings are no different to western countries, there are no cultural formalities that as a foreginer you would be expected to know or practise.
Vietnamese dress conservatively. Despite the heat, it’s best not to show off too much skin. If you...
