Ground transportation in both Vietnam and Cambodia is a memorable experience...

For getting around town, perhaps the most common option is the motorcycle taxi. Don't worry-they'll find you; they're always cruising around.

The streets are shared by cars, bicycles, busses, cyclos...you name it. The rules of the road (in the cities) are about the same as they are in Rome--massive but somewhat organized chaos.

You can rent motorcycles and bicycles in some places. Not for the faint-hearted, I can assure you...

In Vietnam, there are lots of options to get to from point A to point B. YOu can take all or part of the "Reunification Express" train, but make sure to book in advance (using a local travel agent is easiest) if you want a soft seat or a sleeper. There is an inexpensive bus run by the Sinh Cafe that runs the entire length of VN.

Road conditions aren't the greatest in VN, but I saw lots of road construction going on when I was there, so I think the situation will improve condsiderably in the next few years.

Unless you get on an expensive tourist bus, the busses aren't the greatest either. The busses run from OK to so-so condition. Since the roads aren't in the greatest condition, the busses tend to get a bit beat-up. An overnight mini-bus trip from Hoi-An to Nha Trang was possible the worst night of my life.

Flights aren't too horribly expensive. I flew from Hanoi to Hue when I was unable to get an overnight sleeper. I think it cost around $100 USD. You do have to pay a departure tax, but I forget how much it is.

Also in VN, I did trips to Halong Bay and Sa Pa with Handspan tours, which are booked locally. There are several tour operators of varying quality around the country--make sure to read the fine print. Although a bit pricy by backpacker standards, I'd travel with Handspan again and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to healthy and reasonably fit travelers. Not sure if seniors would be up for them. Also, when I was there, they didn't take credit cards, which was most unfortunate.

<a href="http://www.handspan.com/" target="_blank">http://www.handspan.com/</A>

I started in Hanoi and did not go as far south as HCMC. I heard *wonderful* things about Mekong Delta tours and I'd love to go on one sometime.

VN is fairly easy to travel in, just not the most comfy. The tourism infrastructure is there; the country's infrastructure (roads, bridges, etc) is still catching up. And basically, you're going to travel either North or South--it's a no-brainer, and it's incredibly easy to find someone who has just come from the place you're headed to to get recommendations on accomodations, tours, etc.

Cambodia


I flew into Siem Reap, Cambodia from VN. If you are going to see Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples--coolest place on planet earth, imho--you'll hire a motorcycle driver to take you around. It costs between $6-12 usd a day. I used the same driver every day. Make sure to get one who speaks good English--you'd be suprised at how well they speak English. My driver was a young man who was really sweet and I had some excellent conversations with him about a variety of topics.

The roads in downtown SR are pot-holed, but the roads around the temples are in excellent condition and the Cambodian countryside was quite lovely and pleasant when I was there. If you have a group, you could hire a car and driver, but I don't think it would be as much fun, although having a guide would be nice. However, after 3 days on the back of a bike, I wish I'd gotten a car for the last day, the long trip to Banteay Srei and Kbal Spien--my rear end was killing me!

I travelled to Phnom Penh by fast boat on the Tonle Sap. Yes, the boat is overcrowded, but it is fun to sit on top for awhile and enjoy the placid scenery. From what I have read, road travel is not recommended between these two points, but the situation is constantly changing.

In PP, as in previously mentioned places, motorcycle taxi is the way to get around. I decided to go on a crappy backpacker tour bus to visit the KIlling Fields--BIG MISTAKE! The roads in PP are the worst! On a motorcycle, you can dodge the car-swallowing potholes; on a bus, you can't. I reckon I spent 90% of time airborn.

In PP there are numerous travel agencies sponsoring bus trips to surrounding points of interest. I regret that I did not have more time in Cambodia, that's for sure.

You don't want to be out at night, especially alone, in PP. The FCC is a nice place for dinner, though, and the police hang out in the vicinity and keep an eye on things. I didn't realize how dangerous PP was until I spent some time with some ex-pats living there. It's fine during the day, though, and you certainly see some interesting sights. Check out some of the markets.

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When taking a motorcycle taxi or cyclo, you have to bargain. Ask the folks at the guest house what trips ought to cost--as a foreigner, you'll always be charged more, but that's part of the game. You do have to bargain, though, and if you spend any time in the same place, you'll quickly get an idea of what trips should cost.

I saw several motorcycle accidents and accident victims. Saw a couple of pedestrians get taken out too (Hanoi). I rented a bike and took a serious dive in an intersection in Hanoi. Bring some first-aid supplies!

I flew Bangkok Air from PP to BKK, I think the cost was around $100. Really nice new aircraft (717?) and impressive f/a's--served a nice lunch to a full flight in a very short time. I had an ID90 for Thai on this route, but dumb me left it at home...Grr...

Let me know if I can answer any more questions.