Hey everyone.

Myself and a few mates are travelling up vietnam through to laos in jan/feb next year. We are going to be in thailand then come across and start at HCMC.
Where do you reccomend stoping on the journey up to hanoi/loas? And how should we go about getting up there, train?

After leaving hanoi we'll go across to laos, but also unsure of the great spots to go there too... Anyway any information on these places would be great. We are all 20 - 21yr males..

You can go by these ways: ( through border only )

1/ Flight to Ha Noi.
Flight to Ha Noi, and depart to Laos through Cau Treo border ( located Nghe An province ), on this way, you can travel Laos ( Vienchan, Luongprbang ), Thai ( Udonthani... ) or flight Ha Noi to Da Nang, or Hue, then go Lao by border.

2/ Flight to Ho Chi Minh.
Flight to Ho chi minh, depart to Laos through Lao Bao Border ( Quang Tri province ), or flight or train or bus to Da Nang or Hue.

From Saigon, you can take a bus all the way up the coast. I recommend doing a Mekong Delta tour from Saigon, and after that, head north to Hoi An and Hue. A lot of people like Nha Trang, but I wasn't a big fan. I'm not sure how to get to Laos from Hanoi, but you can take a bus from Hue to Savannakhet in Laos if you don't make it as far north as Hanoi. Have fun!

When traveling up to Ha Noi the open tour buses are the easist, you can buy a ticket all the way to Ha Noi that allwos you to get on and off at all the major spots.

You should get a sleeping bus though, because some of the bus rides are very long.

It is not that expensive either really.

The train is ok as well, you jsut have to be more organized at getting the bus stations and buying tickets.

When I went to Lao the visited the Pathet Lai caves and the Plain of Jars. When went the Pathet Lao caves the area was freezing, so check the weather for your time of year.

The plain of jars a qutie cool, although unlike what the guide book says, site 2 and site 3 are not easily visited by cycle. The road is bad and there are little to no signs.

I backpacked through South East Asia recently and highly recommend the following must see visits in Vietnam and Laos:

VIETNAM:

- Ho Chi Minh City - massive city stick to District 1, make sure you take a ride out to the Chu Chi tunnels and fire off some AK47s and other cool military guns - $1 per bullet;

- Nha Tra - beach side town with awesome party vibe - must check out the Sailor Club (Night Club/Bar on the beach);

- Hoi An - Need a suit or some fresh threads tailored then this is the place, also cool beach and great night spots (Happy King Kong Bar - awesome joint);

- Hue - Pretty quiet place but good for some military history;

- Hanoi - This place is a mad house, heaps of cool things to do, museums, bars, sights. (Stick to the Old Quarter zone);

- Ha Long Bay - Stay a night on an old wooden junk - dont expect luxury - meet other cool backpackers and consider spending a night on Cat Ba Island;

LAOS:

- Vientianne - Its the capital but not much chop - didnt warm to the place that much - thought it was slightly boring and uneventful;

- Vang Vieng - One word "TUBING" this was probably the funnest experience I had whilst backpacking the whole of South East Asia - make sure you keep safe though lots of people get hurt from drunken and drug fuelled accidents;

- Luang Prabang - Quiet place but so rich in culture, very clean (for Asia), massages, waterfalls, buddhist temples and mountains to climb - lots to do and one of my favourite places.

I went to a few other places throughout Laos and Vietnam howver the above locations are the definite hotspots that I enjoyed (except for Vientianne).

Have a fun and safe trip.

cheers
Josh

Hi there

You can get from Sapa to Laos if you go via the Dien Bien Pu/Tay Trang crossing.

You will need to get an early morning minibus from sapa, all the guesthouses will be able to sell you a ticket. This will take you to Dien Bien Pu where you have to stay overnight. The following morning get the first bus (5am I think.. buy tickets the night before) to the border. Here you will have to wait for about an hour while they process your visa, the bus will wait for you.

It's then about another hour or so you will arrive in Muang Khua where you can go direct to Phnom Penh if you want or stay a day and the next day start the jorney down the river to the capital and stop at villages on the way.. definately worth a visit.

Well, I've just come back from Vietnam. I visited Sapa, Ha Noi, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City. If I have more time I'd like to visit Mekong Delta. I think you should visit there.