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Tom | vietnamcoracle@gmail.com
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Hello Tom,
Do you have experience entering Laos by motorbike?
Today I tried to drive my motorcycle to Laos at the Lao Bao border crossing. The border officials turned me away and explained that it is not allowed to travel to Laos by motorbike.
Best regards from Lao Bao
Nils
Hi Nils,
I’m afraid I don’t have much personal experience of riding in/out of Laos from Vietnam. However, I’m pretty sure there have been some useful recent threads about this on the Vietnam Back Roads Facebook group – try searching ‘Laos’ on the group page.
Best,
Tom
Traveling to Ho Chi Minh in march and I understand that travel insurance is required for entry to Vietnam, can someone recommend a provider that I can use? Thanks in advance.
Hi Jeffrey,
I’ve never been checked for travel insurance when entering Vietnam – I don’t know anyone who has. But it’s always a good idea to have travel insurance. I use Pacific Cross. But it’s probably best to google for more options or perhaps ask the question in travel forums.
Best,
Tom
Thanks for the info Tom.
Tom
We really enjoyed your outline of the Pu Luong nature reserve and plan to head there next year. I wanted to ask if you had any local guides based close to Pu Luong nature reserve, not Hanoi, that I could get in contact with to show us around for a few days. I don’t want to pay a company if I can pay a local. We will be using your accommodation guide and food suggestions and expect to have a ripper time. Thanks again for all your information it is so nice to have an independant view from a local.
Hi Peter,
I don’t have any specific recommendations for local guides in Pu Luong, but when you are at a homestay there, they will almost certainly have some one local who can guide you around.
It is a wonderful area. Please bear in mind that my guide to Pu Luong Homestays is now a few years old, so some things are bound to have changed. Check the comments section at the bottom of the guide to see other readers’ updates.
Best,
Tom
Cheers Tom.
Hello Tom
My friend and I will be visiting Vietnam for the first time in a couple of weeks. My grandson will be graduating from UNIS in Hanoi the end of May. His mother is the principal at one of the other International schools in Hanoi. We are so excited!
I really appreciated your piece on climbing Fansipan as this is something we want to do when we visit Sapa. Even though we are strong hikers (climbed Kilimanjaro in 2005), we would like to have a guide go with us. Do you have a recommendation?
I will also make a donation to your work as it is really terrific!
Laurie Beckel Idaho Springs, Colorado USA lfbdewdrop6852@gmail.com
Hi Laurie,
Thanks so much for your kind and generous donation to my site – I really appreciate it and it really helps keep this site running.
Good to hear you’ll be coming to Vietnam when your grandson graduates. Actually, a friend of mine, Biên Nguyên, also works at UNIS in Hanoi. In fact, he’s about to start writing some articles for this site.
I’m afraid I don’t have any specific recommendations for good guides for the hike up Fansipan. I’m sure there are some and that once you start researching in Sapa you’ll be able to find a good one quite quickly. But we did the hike a few years ago now and things change so quickly in Sapa (and with the pandemic taking hold the last two years) that I’m rather out of touch. Also, we specifically wanted to climb independently, and the guides we did encounter on the climb were not very professional. (Although I’m sure that’s the exception, not the rule.)
Sorry I can’t be more help.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom, really enjoy reading your posts, always very informative. You certainly have inspired my husband and I to explore my beautiful birth country. The rides we have been on with friends have certainly been fun and very memorable! Thanks and keep up the great work. Will definitely book through your recommended hotels. The picture above this article, can you advise which bay this is and if there is accommodation there?
Hi Minh,
Thank you for your kind words. I hope you can enjoy exploring Vietnam sometime soon.
Which picture are you referring to? The image of the coracle?
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom,
I just donated $10 not a lot but I usually only donate to Charities, great work & keep it up. My family and I love Vietnam and I love your posts.
Hi Matt,
Thank you, that’s very kind of you, I really appreciate it. And I hope that you and your family get the opportunity to visit Vietnam again sometime.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Biked (bicycled) from Hue to Vung Tau a few years ago. Your journals, maps, lodging recommendations were extremely helpful and informative on that trip. Looking forward to another Vietnam bike tour when I can travel again, eagerly reading your journals for ideas. Thank you, posting a small Paypal donation, with gratitude, be well, Ted
Thank you, Ted, that’s very kind of you.
I hope you can come back to Vietnam soon and try some more routes. Perhaps 2022, but who knows.
Best,
Tom
hello. i want to donate.
what currency do you use? or best currency for you?
Hi Tuti,
Thank you, that’s very kind.
Either GBP or USD is best for me, but it doesn’t really matter. Just use the currency that’s easiest for you.
You can use the instructions above on this page to make the donation through PayPal (you don’t need a PayPal account to do this – just a credit card).
If you have any problems or more questions, you’re welcome to email me: vietnamcoracle@gmail.com
Thanks again,
Tom
Hello,Tom
I have a motorbike trip from Ho Chi Minh to Bao Loc to Mui Ne to Ho Chi Minh. Please tell us your recommended route.
(each 1night stay)
Andy
Hi Andy,
Please take a look at the following guides for route suggestions between those destinations:
Back-Roads to Dalat
Binh Thuan Back-Roads
The Ocean Road
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
I’ve been reading your website to prepare my trip in Phu-Quoc and my holidays were just magic thanks to your precious advice.
Now I plan to travel to Saigon and again, tour website is of great help!
So I wanted to thank you for your much valued work and made a small Paypal donation.
Thx Tom!
Keep going!
Hi Tom,
Thank you for your message. I’m glad you enjoyed your trip and that my guides were useful to you.
And thank you so much for your donation – I really appreciate it.
Best,
Tom
Tom, love your site and will be visiting Vietnam in March/April. I’ve made a small donation to help a bit with your efforts. Please keep up the great work. Bob Forsee
Hi Bob,
Thank you, that’s very kind of you.
It’s great to hear you like me site and I hope you enjoy your visit here in March/April.
Tom
Hi Tom,
I would just like to extend a warm thanks to you for sharing all of this information and knowledge with everyone. Such a valuable resource, which has taken the panic away and filled the space with utter excitement. I will be booking everything I do through your site and will share as much as I can. Fantastic Job and you obviously are a very good human. Thanks
Umar
Hi Umar,
Thank you. It’s really great to hear that you are enjoying the website, and thanks so much for booking through it – that’s a great help to me and it’s a big part of what keeps this site running smoothly.
I hope you enjoy your time in Vietnam,
Tom
Dear Sir,
as I intent to move to VN and to live there what do I have to mind?
I’m an Austrian citizen and as I retire I want to stay there.
Thank you in advance
Sincerely
Wolfgang Thiel
Hi Wolfgang,
I suggest you check visa requirements for Austrian citizens who want to live, work or travel in Vietnam for an extended period of time with your closest embassy. I can’t supply that information myself as visa requirements are different for different nationalities and change quite regularly.
Tom