TRAVEL VIETNAM
Though the `Third World' tag
has kept many tourists away, the more exploratory ones are catching up with
Vietnam. This Southeast Asian country is known most for its prolonged war with
America, but is well on its way to reparation. This is also showing in its
tourism. It's known for its beaches, rivers, Buddhist pagodas, bustling cities,
French colonial landmarks, war museums and the Cu Chi tunnels.
The cheap accommodation
makes Viet nam a good choice for `1 lakh budget.
“It is probably the
greatest value for money among the five destinations. Accommodation, activities
and food are diverse and can stretch your budget,“ says Wego's Jayasankar.
However, the flights are expensive and this may be the reason very few packages
are offered by travel operators.Still, timely booking and tweaking the budget
can help you visit Vietnam for four nights, five days.
Flight
Since the air fare can be
expensive, running up to `30,000 a person, your best bet is to book 4-5 months
in advance and split the journey from Delhi to Kuala Lumpur and onwards to Ho
Chi Minh city. You can deploy the same strategy while returning from Hanoi. So,
if you are planning to travel in September, book your tickets now and you could
land a deal as low as `19,800 per person. Air Asia is a good, low-cost carrier
choice, which can typically bring down the fares to `20,000-22,000 per person.
“Most people only search
2-3 sites. What they don't realise is that if they looked at 8-10 sites
(metasearch), they can get better deals. These have international partners like
Airtickets.com, which offer better rates than domestic partners,“ says Jayasankar.
“Connectivity can be a major issue in these flights, which is why the air fare
could surge,“ says Singh from Thomas Cook.
Flight duration: Direct
Delhi-Hanoi one-way flight takes 7 hours, 35 minutes.
Accommodation
Hostels, dormitories and
homestays are easily available in Vietnam, but book these in advance. “While
cheap dorms come for as low as `500, 3-star hotels can be had for
`2,500-4,000,“ says Jayasankar.
“Homestays are very
popular, but language could be a problem while negotiating for a good deal. So,
it is best to book in advance,“ says Neelu Singh of Ezeego1. Another important
point is to pick a hotel in a central location, which is close to metro,
shopping and eating areas. “This can easily save 25-30% on commuting costs,“
says Ahluwalia of Expedia. For instance, if you choose a hotel in the central
market area in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh city, you can easily walk for shopping
and eating.
Food
“Eating at street stalls is
not only the best way to experience Vietnamese cuisine, but is also cheap,
delicious and hygienic,“ says Oak of MakeMyTrip.com. Though local food is
cheap-with curries costing `150 and restaurants `600-1,200 per person--there is
a problem. “Indians may not like this food and could end up paying more for
something they can eat,“ says Delhi-based Rupali Brar, who travelled to Vietnam
in 2013. “It is better to carry pre-cooked Indian meals,“ she advises.
Internal commute
“Road travel is cheap but
can be an issue due to language as most people don't understand English. Hire a
car service with local travel agencies who have English-speaking driv ers,“
says Neelu Singh. “It's not a good idea to opt for rickshaws as they fleece
tourists with impunity,“ says Brar. You could rent scooters and bikes, which
are very popular, and the public transport is good, but again, language could
be a barrier.
For internal travel
between, say, Hanoi and Danang, short internal flights are not too expensive,
costing `6,000-7,000 for a round trip for two.
Sightseeing shopping
“A good money-saving option
is to explore the city by oneself, as many hotspots are walkable and full of
free temples and museums. Bicycle tours are also an affordable option compared
with local taxis,“ says Oak.
Though admission fees to
museums and national parks are low, you may end up spending `700-1000 per day
for two people. You could spend a higher amount for excursions to Mekong delta
(river cruise) and Halong Bay. The other primary tourist attractions are Cu Chi
tunnels, Notre Dam Cathedral and War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City (also
known as Saigon).Local markets in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have everything
from silk and clothes to handicrafts and paintings. Ben Thanh Market and Saigon
Square are the main areas where one can shop.
Packages
There aren't too many
packages built around Vietnam, so it may be a good idea to build your own
package.
COX & KINGS: HIGHLIGHTS
OF VIETNAM @ `88,016 per couple (4 nights 5 days).
THOMAS COOK: VIETNAM
PACKAGE @`50,000 per person (3 nights 4 days).
ETW18APR16
No comments:
Post a Comment