Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [22]
Getting around |
Organized tours
Ever-increasing numbers of tourists are seeing Vietnam through the window of a minibus, on organized tours. Ranging from one-day jaunts to two- or three-week trawls upcountry, tours are ideal if you want to acquaint yourself speedily with the highlights of Vietnam; they can also work out much cheaper than car rental. On the other hand, by relying upon tours you’ll have little chance to really get to grips with the country and its people, or to enjoy things at your leisure.
Hordes of state-owned and private tour companies compete for business in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other major destinations (see "Airlines, agents and operators" for a list of well-established agents). While a few companies now put together more innovative itineraries, the vast majority offer similar tours. However, it pays to shop around since prices vary wildly depending, for example, on how many people there are in a group, the standard of transport, meals and accommodation, whether entry fees are included and so forth.
It’s important to check exactly what is included in the price before handing over any cash. It’s also a good idea to ask about the maximum number of people on the trip and whether your group will be amalgamated with others if you don’t want to be travelling round in a great horde. Bear in mind, as well, that you’re far better off dealing directly with the company organizing the tour, rather than going through a hotel or other intermediary. Not only are you more likely to get accurate information about the details of the tour, but you’ll also be in a much stronger position should you have cause for complaint.
The other alternative is to set up your own custom-made tour by gathering together a group and renting a car, jeep or minibus plus driver (see "By car and jeep").
Getting around |
Local transport
In a country with a population so adept at making do with limited resources, it isn’t surprising to see the diverse types of local transport. While taxis are increasingly common and a number of cities now boast reasonable bus services, elsewhere you’ll be reliant on a host of two- and three-wheeled vehicles for getting around.
Most common by far are motorbike taxis known as xe om. In the cities you’ll rarely be able to walk twenty yards without being offered a ride; prices tend to start at around 10,000đ for short runs, though this goes up after dark (as does the possibility of extortion). At all times the rules of bargaining apply: when haggling, ensure you know which currency you are dealing in (five fingers held up, for instance, could mean 5000đ or US$5), and whether you’re negotiating for a single or return trip, and for one passenger or two; it’s always best to write the figures down. Should a difference of opinion emerge at the end of a ride, having the exact fare ready to press into an argumentative driver’s hand can sometimes resolve matters.
Xe om have almost entirely replaced that quintessential Vietnamese mode of transport, the cyclo, which are becoming increasingly rare in city centres. These three-wheeled rickshaws comprising a “bucket” seat attached to the front of a bicycle can carry one person, or two people at a push, and are now only really found in tourist areas. Prices are a little lower than corresponding trips by xe om, though there are continuous stories of cyclo drivers charging outrageous sums for their services. To avoid getting badly ripped off, find out first what a reasonable fare might be – from your hotel or the like – and, if the first driver won’t agree to your offer, simply walk on and try another.
Taxis are now a common sight on the streets of all major cities. The vast majority are metered (with prices in dong) and fares are not expensive; a short ride within central Hanoi, for example, should cost around 25,000đ (just over a dollar). Though standards have been improving with greater competition, some drivers need persuading to use their meters, while others dawdle along as the meter spins suspiciously fast,