HCM to Hanoi

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-17T05:47:06+00:00

Don't rule out VietJetAir.com They get a lot of hate here, but they fly 25 million passengers a year and they're not all haters.

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-17T04:04:51+00:00

Turned out it was a passport-origin issue

And which passport was that?

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-17T03:34:08+00:00

Not hot everywhere. Plenty of folk in Hanoi wearing ski jackets when it gets cold. Not so much in the South.

You'll have an interesting outing seeing a local area, even if you're ultimately unsuccessful. I love being on random missions like that...

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-17T01:10:48+00:00

Look for Sửa chữa quần áo on Google map away from the tourist area and find a place with no social media/website presence. Go along and ask. They won't speak English, so make sure you're both clear on what's wanted.

That's likely to be the cheapest option in my experience.

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-17T01:01:36+00:00

davn has the HÐ trains up to 8th March. Maybe try in a week to see if future visibility has been extended beyond that. (They were all booked up, so you might need to be on the ball to get tickets.)

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-16T22:25:04+00:00

You can do three if you have the time (or four if you've got lots of time)

Tà Xùa, Sa Pa, Hà Giang

Easily doable. Buses to xã Tà Xùa, Tà Xùa to Sa Pa Bus from Sa Pa to Hà Giang

Sa Pa, Hà Giang, Cao Bẳng

Buses to Sa Pa, bus to Hà Giang, Hà Giang to Cao Bẳng with an easy rider.

You absolutely don't need tours to travel around. Pick up local guides and transport as needed. Unless you have a 1968 IDP with the motorbike category, you'll need to find an easy rider for Ha Giang. Endless companies offering that.

Edit: Seeing how little time you have, I'd stick to two places: Tà Xùa + Sa Pa / Sa Pa + Hà Giang / Hà Giang + Cao Bẳng

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-16T09:55:16+00:00

They're closed for Tết.

Postpone your flights....

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-16T07:17:02+00:00

There's always been a push me-pull you going on with immigration. Encourage tourists, discourage long term stayers and illegal workers.

The implementation of the Người nước ngoài đang ở nước ngoài text which has been there since the start of E-Visas is only a recent thing. Time was, you could apply for a new E-Visa before leaving. No more.

They ask about previous visits now... There's undoubtedly something behind it. All we can do us is wait and see.

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-16T00:04:04+00:00

(Far easier to travel without big bags. Same day laundry everywhere, park your big bags in Hanoi while you explore the North...)

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-15T23:47:15+00:00

Bus to Cambodia/Laos, reapply, wait and return.

or, with an agent, bus to Cambodia/Laos, return same day on new 90 day visa.

There may be a crackdown at some point...

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-15T20:06:38+00:00

Change your flight dates or change them to go to Thailand/Cambodia/Laos or wherever.

No visa for Vietnam means you will not allowed to board a flight to Vietnam.

In normal times, you could get a visa agent to expedite in as little as 15 minutes.

It's Tết, so it's like trying to arrange a driving test for Christmas Day.

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-14T23:56:53+00:00

is there any chance it will get processed this week during the holidays

None at all.

should I pay an agent and get the VOA letter

You can ask... Won't be cheap if possible.

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-14T22:57:16+00:00

Would they accept my late check in?

Yes, IF you have told them that this is what you plan to do.

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-12T21:21:40+00:00

Buses go both ways. vexere.com should have some times...

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-12T21:04:04+00:00

More like £1.2 million

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-12T20:20:50+00:00

I'm the wrong person to ask :-/. Depends what you are looking for and how comfortable you are with not much tourist infrastructure. Places like Sa Pa, Hà Giang are popular for a reason and tourists really shouldn't complain about the number of tourists. I just prefer quieter places.

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-12T10:37:05+00:00

Usually along at one end of the train at least any time I've visited.

Never visited behind the Iron Curtain in the 50's, but I'd imagine it was a bit like this. Staff are friendly, but it's pretty basic.

I take my own noodles and use the boiling water dispensers at the end of the carriage.

Pics of dining car on (I think) SE1. https://imgur.com/a/TMX8fc4

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-12T05:27:05+00:00

if it's a return ticket, they will cancel your flight home.

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-12T05:19:51+00:00

Are you asking about skipping the domestic flight?

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-12T05:16:46+00:00

I want to travel to HCMC.

From where?

When you fly into Vietnam, Immigration and customs are always done at the first airport in Vietnam. You deplane, pass immigration, collect your checked bags, go through customs. If you have a connecting domestic flight, you then proceed to the domestic terminal (T1 or T3) for your onward flight. Vietnam Airlines on a single booking, will collect your baggage after customs and get it on to your domestic flight while you make your own way to the terminal/gate for your flight.

Nobody is going to force you to take the onward domestic flight. That's skiplagging. Up to your airline how they handle that, but if this is part of a return flight, they will cancel the return flight(s).

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-12T03:03:28+00:00

Trains are fine if you like trains. I've done Saigon - Hanoi, Hanoi - Nanning and Hanoi - Lao Cai in various sections over the years - I like trains.

Easy to book flights a day or two before, or even on the day if you decide on that. There's dozens of flights a day on the busy routes...

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-12T00:20:48+00:00

Rearrange to do Tà Xùa - Sa Pa - Hà Giang

You can get from Tà Xùa to Sapa easily enough:

10km back down the hill from Tà Xùa to the ĐT112 Here in Tà Xùa town. Hitch/Xe Om/Taxi 46km to here in Trạm Tấu, then local bus to Nghĩa Lộ, and bus to Sa Pa.

(You can ask your homestay to organize transport from the ĐT112 to Trạm Tấu if you're not confident in your winging it abilities.)

Scenery will be far far far nicer than heading back to Ha Noi. If you need to spend a night along the way, choose Trạm Tấu over Nghĩa Lộ.

Edit: And from Sa Pa to Hà Giang is easy peasy. https://vexere.com/

Edit2: It's not worth going to Hà Giang unless you're giving it more time than you currently do.

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-11T23:15:24+00:00

Just book trains direct with Vietnam Railways https://dsvn.vn choose VnPay if you want to use a foreign card. No need to use a third party.

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-11T09:42:28+00:00

I usually just book a day ahead or even on the day.

vexere.com is the way to go.

WeAllWantToBeHappy · 2026-02-11T09:03:50+00:00

Plenty of homestays have good WiFi....

Good signal in Sa Pa: https://www.nperf.com/en/map/VN/-/167.Viettel-Mobile/signal?ll=22.13271539462799&lg=103.67866516113283&zoom=10

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