How to travel in Vietnam
Материал из campus.mephi.ru
There is a line that connects Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, but not be in a hurry because the trip takes about two days for a distance of 1 500 km. This line is called "Train of reunification" or in English "Reunification Express". The slow path is mainly due to the obsolescence of the track and rolling stock still dating the French occupation but also by the fact that it is a unique way that allows the crossing of trains that 'the station. Occasional derailments further increase the travel time. Still, the tourist must take the line, sections, which is worth seeing, especially for passages on stone viaducts.
There is also a line connecting Hanoi to Lao Cai on the Chinese border in about 9 hours.
By bus
Several companies (TM Brothers Cafe Hanh, ...) offer tickets "open bus" in the main cities of Vietnam. It is therefore possible to cross the Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City for about $ 22 making stops in popular cities: Ninh Binh, Dong Hoi, Hue, Danang, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Dalat, Mui Ne. With the principle of "open bus", you stay as many days as you want in these cities stop. Tickets are generally valid for two months. Just call the day before in the company and they will pick you up at your hotel directly. The "open bus tickets" are usually reserved for tourists, and air conditioning.
Across the country by local bus is allowed, but you can expect to encounter difficulties. Buses are often overcrowded. They can expect on the edge of the road, but in this case you will be asked in 90% of cases a price significantly higher than the Vietnamese pay. At night, they will not stop, even in your most insistent gestures because drivers will be afraid of a robbery.
It will be better to seek the bus station and buy your ticket at the counter. It will even rather try to get there the day before to meet the schedule the next day. But the bus station is often located outside the city, so it will take a motorcycle taxi to get there. Now it is very difficult to explain to the driver that one seeks the bus station. And since we do not know how far it is exactly, it is impossible to negotiate a good price. Once there, some insistent Vietnamese try to prevent you from reaching the counter. They will try at all costs to make you get into their bus directly to pocket money of the ticket, and it will always be more expensive than window. Another problem when your bag is on the roof and it begins to rain.
That said, travel by local bus is not all bad. Vietnamese life we share that prove quite friendly while away tourists. The premises are warm, they do not hesitate to sleep on your shoulder. You can transport goods such as chickens or sacks of rice without anyone way do anything wrong. And it is also possible to carry his bike on the roof completely impracticable thing with "open bus". One can even get on the buses quite comfortable, but it must be lucky. The Vietnamese have not yet understood that we should not open the window with the air conditioning.
By car or motorcycle
Road signs meets international standards.
Rent a car or a motorcycle is possible, it is forbidden to drive in Vietnam except for expatriates! Accident insurance will do nothing for you.
However, beware of the local driving style that is fairly dangerous, if not suicidal! The most obvious example is where many passing motorists grant an additional file, giving not less than three vehicles traveling in front in the same direction.
In case of accident, it is recommended to call the police to establish itself an accident report. Note that the damage usually return to foreigners who are supposed to be richer than the locals.
