From Sapa, motorbike and overnight in Bac Ha, where some people go for the Sunday market—there are village markets nearby on other days, and guides that will take you on treks to villages that see little to no foreigners.

Instead of taking a cruise to Halong Bay, take a bus to Haiphong (an interesting, historic port town) and ferry to Cat Ba Island, in south Halong Bay. You can bike to north Vietnamese cave hospitals, camp on beach you have to hike to, and arrange private kayaking tours.

And I just LOVE going around the Mekong Delta on my own—i.e. not taking a tour. Etc.

As far as where to go, nearly everyone hugs the coast heading south... the alternate route through the Central Highlands (Pleiku, Kontum, Buon Ma Thuot) will get you off the beaten track too... A lot to say! Hope this helps.

_______________________

Salem, Conn.: How is the night life in Ho Chi Minh City? Is it anything like Thailand? Are the beaches touristy or sedate. Thanks.

Robert Reid: Saigon has some of the country's best nightlife, though I doubt you're going to find anything rivaling Thailand's... Thailand tends to win the beach debates, but I have a soft spot for some of Vietnam's farther-flung ones... The remote beaches of Phu Quoc island were isolated when I was there a year ago... The beach near Quang Ngai, a couple hours south of Hoi An, is a gold-sand beach with open-air fish restaurants catering to locals... and people are starting to make dive trips to Con Dao Islands, which was once a prison island off the south coast...

_______________________

Chico, Calif.: What is the best time of the year to travel in Vietnam? (Consider: Rain; temperature, humidity, heat, etc.)

Robert Reid: Vietnam is a tall, skinny place, with differing rainy seasons and temperatures depending where you are. October is great in Saigon, but rainy in Hue! In general, I say that March/April or Sept/Oct are the best times to go. It's not too hot, too wet or too busy.

Also note that more and more Vietnamese people are traveling around their country these days, and you may find it hard getting space on a bus or plane during times like Tet (VN New Year, just past) or summer (July and August).

_______________________