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.