[jaysmokesleaves]

Hi All,

Im planning a 15 day trip covering Indonesia and Vietnam from mid November onwards. Currently the plan is for approx 9 days in Indonesia and the remaining days in Vietnam. I need help with the following:
1. Places to visit in Indonesia.
2. ANy useful information on Indonesia for a tourist.
3 Places to visit in Vietnam. I found 1 thread but any additional will do: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...kers-view.html

4. Would help if an itinerary can be discussed and finalized here.
5. Flight and hotel options for both countries.
6. How to get visa for Vietnam in Bombay. Is it visa on arrival??

Thanks in advance to all.

Cheers,
Jay

[ramkya1]

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

Hi All,

Im planning a 15 day trip covering Indonesia and Vietnam from mid November onwards. Currently the plan is for approx 9 days in Indonesia and the remaining days in Vietnam. I need help with the following:
1. Places to visit in Indonesia.
2. ANy useful information on Indonesia for a tourist.
3 Places to visit in Vietnam. I found 1 thread but any additional will do: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...kers-view.html

4. Would help if an itinerary can be discussed and finalized here.
5. Flight and hotel options for both countries.
6. How to get visa for Vietnam in Bombay. Is it visa on arrival??

Thanks in advance to all.

Cheers,
Jay

Hai Jay,

I'd give you some quick feedback about Vietnam, I've been to Indonesia, Bintan Island, lots of islands to choose from. Will dig into my archives and come back to you.

Vietnam: I have ready inputs; Hochi Minh City / HCMC / Saigon is OK for 3 days. If you like diving, snorkeling and water, Nha Thrang is the capital for quick work. A PADI certification would cost you around 300-400 USD per person, you can dive anywhere in the world with this up to 18 mtrs or just snorkeling with lunch on a boat for half day would be about 10 USD per pax, the 4 island cruise is OK and there are other things for 2-3 days to do. If I go, I'd take a certification, there are many dive shops, Rainbow, Coco, Mark Scot's Aloha Vietnam Dive Centre etc., You can fly to Hanoi from there, 2 days city, 2-3 days cruise ( a must do) on Halong Bay, you can easily spend 10 days there. 3 star hotels would be available around 50USD for double with breakfast and transport is relatively cheap with taxis and tuk tuks.

PM me your mail id, I'd send you tons of information, the plan, what to do, costings, flight options and important mails from hotels and linkys. You'd need time to digest all that

Only unknown around October / November would be the rain and typhoons, last year October Nha Thrang was flooded and closed out for 4 days, many people missed flights out, but November should be OK.

Have a close friend at HCMC, he travels through out Indo China and has suggested hotels and plans and is reliable, he'd help you out too in and around HCMC.

If my trip happens, I'd be your seeing eye dog, I'd land on 23rd October at HCMC, fly out of Hanoi on 4th Nov to Phnom Penh, fly out of Siam Reap on 10th Nov and out through Bangkok on 12th. All this provided me and wife get the 3 weeks of leaves we have applied, hanging fire as of now.

This would not be a driving holiday

--Ramky
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[vikrantj]

Hi,

I had been to Bali in Indonesia in Nov 2010. It is visa on arrival. 25$ per person. You have a flight from Jakarta to Denpasar in Bali. I stayed at Bali Hyatt at Sanur beach which is around 20 minutes drive from Airport.The cost was 125$ per night. More upmarket beaches are Nusa Dua and Kuta beach. Lots of nice architecture and pristine beaches to see. Kechak Dance and tradition Balinese dances are highlights of trips. It is a island but suprisingly sea food is not staple diet . It is pork. It is a vast constrast from mainland Indonesia as far as religion and culture is concerned. Amazing coffee from neighbouring Java islands.