The strip between HCM City and Hanoi has a lot of sights and experiences to offer and it does not have to cost an arm and leg
With places to stay along the coastal highway like the historical city of Hue with its famous royal citadel, and Hoi An, a world heritage site that sparkles of an evening with countless lanterns seeing Vietnam from the north-south highway is a great way to go.
Lying on the beach costs nothing and there are plenty of people who are happy to stay in a heritage site like Hoi An and cycle each morning to the beach. Lunch can be had on the beach for no more than a dollar or two. Of an evening, a bowl of pho (beef or chicken noodle soup) and some beers are cheap.
If your priority is budget not comfort, accommodation in a bungalow in a town like Hoi An can be found for around US$5, but for around double that you can have a nice hotel room with air-conditioning and a fridge.
In Halong Bay, a group of tourists can rent a junk to visit the bay for several hours or several days. Halong Bay is a beautiful area with 1,969 limestone islands. Visitors to Halong Bay must purchase a ticket from the Halong Bay management department, which gives the option of following one of two routes: Thien Cung Grotto, Dau Go Cave and other sites (excluding Sung Sot Cave), and Sung Sot Cave and other sites (excluding Thien Cung Grotto and Dau Go Cave).
Cycling is an interesting way to see the streets of Hanoi, with the slow moving traffic and interesting lakes. Once in the national capital, a number of very low budget accommodations can be found. They are not all hardcore backpacker hostels, either.
Hotel guestrooms in Vietnam are quite cheap so there is no need to take dormitory style accommodation to save money. On the contrary, a single or double room in a clean hotel will probably cost one or two dollars more than a bed in a dormitory holding 10 or more people.
A lot of backpackers choose Vietnam as their Southeast Asian destination. They recommend it for its lack of crowds and persistently low prices. Even though a boom in tourism started in the 1990s, the hectic scenes of Thailand have never eventuated in Vietnam. Vietnam has a similar vibe to Laos, but is a bit larger and offers a bit more diversity.
The beaches are superb, and some of the landscapes are amazing. Few people venture further north out of Hanoi but those who do discover the delights of the Sapa region and its fascinating hill tribe peoples. In general, all parts of Vietnam are full of friendly and outgoing people but the northern regions are particularly laid back and welcoming. Motorcycle tours are another popular backpacker choice. Rentals are available in HCM City and a lot of people head north rather than exploring the Mekong Delta to the south. Conditions are ideal for motorcycle touring with sealed roads and plenty of roadside mechanics.
Lunar New Year for Vietnam travel is a very busy period and really marks the height of the backpacker year here. Prices can be a little more at this time but there are still more than enough beds and rooms to go around. Some backpackers prefer to come to Vietnam toward the middle of the year but this may conflict with the wild weather of the wet season.
