Vietnam Practicalities - Transportation and Prepaid Sim Card 越南交通和預繳流動數據卡

In this post, I will share my mode of transfer to/from airport, transfer between cities, and within a city in Vietnam. I put prepaid sim card information in the same post as internet connection is indispensable, especially in a country that English is not a common language.  With internet access, we can at least use online translation tool to ask local people information.

今次我會和大家分享在越南往返機場、城市與城市之間及城市之內的交通，我將預繳流動數據卡資料放在本貼文是因為互聯網連繫在今天已經是不可或缺，尤其是在一些英文不是主要語言的國家，最少可以用網上翻譯工具去問當地人問題。

Airport Transfer

After some research, we fixed the types and companies arranging our airport transfers. You can find relevant information in the row of ‘Our Choice’. Cost and time required are listed for your reference.  You can request your hotel to book airport transfer for you.  It is more money out of your pocket. I read from a Taiwanese blogger that it costs USD6  per passenger to take airport shuttle from Da Nang to Hoi An. Shuttle bus will depart when getting full. I think private car from Da Nang Airport Transfer is a better choice. For USD12, it can carry 3-4 persons. We two paid the same price for the shuttle bus but enjoyed more freedom and comfort.

機場接送

經過一番資料蒐集我們選定了相關公司負責我們的機場接送，在下列圖表你可以在「我們的選擇」那一行找到相關的資料，列出了價錢和時間以作參考。你亦可以要求酒店為你安排機場接送，只是要付出較高的價錢。我由一個台灣博客得知由蜆港機場至會安的機場穿梭巴士每乘客6美元，上滿才便會開車，蜆港機場的私家車是一個較好的選擇，一個價錢12美元便可以接載三至四人，我們二人用與機場穿梭巴士一樣的價錢便可以享受多一些自由和舒適，何樂而不為？

Transfer between Cities: Driver Services / Plane

We used Stop and Go for transfer between Danang and Hue and one day driver services for visiting the Thien Mu Pagoda, Minh Mang Tomb, Khai Dinh Tomb, Tuc Duc Tomb and Thanh Toan countryside wooden bridge. Our driver Trang arrived at our hotel  (Adamo) in Da Nang on time. The journey was pleasant. We were off the car at agreed stopover points: Hai Van Pass, Lang Co Beach and Lap An Lagoon. 

城市之間的交通：司機服務 / 飛機

我們選用了Stop and Go又蜆港至順化和順化一天的司機服務，到訪天姥廟、明命皇陵、 启定皇陵、 嗣德皇陵和Thonh Toan木橋。我們的司機Trang準時到達我們在蜆港的Adamo酒店，旅程非常舒適及愉快，我們在中途幾個地方停下來欣賞風景包括: 海雲關、靈菇沙灘和Lap An Lagoon。

Vietnam is a very long country. If the distance is big between your destined cities, please sure to take a plane. We flied Vietnam Airlines between Hue and Hanoi. The flight time is 1 hour 15 minutes. Cost was USD47 per passenger. Seats are comfortable. And it was punctual. If you take a train, it will be more than 11 hours. Hard berth cost USD52 per passenger. It is longer and more expensive than the plane.

越南是一個很長的國家，如果到訪城市之間的距離很遠，請你務必選乘飛機。我們選乘越南航空由順化飛到河內，飛行時間是1小時15分鐘，價錢是每乘客47美元，座位舒適，而且很準時。如果你乘搭火車要花上11時，硬卧的價錢是每位乘客52美元，時間比搭乘飛機長很多，而且也比較貴。

Transfer within City

We downloaded GRAB mobile apps to call taxi in Da Nang. One just need to input the destination as the departure point is detected automatically.  The apps will look for a driver, show driver’s name, photo, car license number, fare and minutes to arrive. It avoids problems of bumping into taxi driver who does not use meter and passengers end up paying much more. If one travels alone and likes adventure, one can call a motorbike instead of a taxi. Among the cities we visited, Grab is common in Da Nang and Hanoi, not Hoi An and Hue.

Tips:

Make sure the car license number and driver details as per the apps.  We jumped on a taxi waiting in front of the hotel but found out it’s not the driver via Grab.  He cancelled the Grab order and agreed on the fare advised by Grab.  Thanks God. 

Don’t use Grab for quotation purpose only.  For example, hotel to Cham Museum costs VND58,000.  If you don’t place an order after quotation, the next time you quote the same origin and destination will result in a higher fare.

市內交通

我們下載了Grab 流動應用程式以召喚的士，你的所在地是自動檢測的，只需要輸入目的地，流動應用程式會為你找尋司機，之後會顯示司機的名字、相片、車牌號碼、費用和司機到達所需時間。這樣免除了遇上一些不良司機不用咪錶而最後乘客要多付車費。如果你是一個人旅遊又喜歡冒險，你可以召電單車。 Grab在蜆港和河內都非常普遍，但是在會安和順化則少見。

提示：

上車前務必要核對車牌號碼和司機的資料與流動應用程式的資料相同。我們跳上了一架在酒店門外的的士但發覺他不是Grab的司機，他取消了Grab的召喚並同意我們可付Grab之前提供的費用，感謝神！

不要用Grab來詢價，例如酒店去占婆博物館需要58,000越南盾，但如果你在詢價後不訂車，下一次你預訂同樣出發地點及目的地的話，你便需付較高的價格。

Bus

We were lucky to get on a local bus in Hanoi and experienced how local people travel.  After we have visited the Ethnology Museum in Hanoi, we followed the instructions from the museum receptionist to reach the bus station of number 14 to go back to the Old Quarter.  The walk took more than 10 minutes. We could get on the bus without much waiting. The journey was about 20 minutes. A conductor collected money and gave us tickets, VND7,000/pp.  It is very cheap.  Compare to our trip from the Old Quarter to the museum via Grab, we paid VND100,000. The bus is very spacious.  We had a pleasant ride.

巴士

我們幸運地在河內搭乘了一次巴士，體驗當地人的交通，我們參觀越南民族學博物館之後詢問接待員如何可到達14號巴士站前往老街區，步行需要多於10分鐘，幸好巴士很快到達了，巴士旅程大概需時20分鐘，一個票務員在巴士上收錢並給我們車票，每人只是7,000越南盾，非常便宜。比較起我們從老街區搭的士至博物館所付的100,000越南盾巴士平宜得多，巴士很寬闊，我們有一個愉快的旅程。

Prepaid Sim Card

There are 3 main mobile internet providers in Vietnam:

·       MobiFone

·       Viettel

·       Vinaphone

On top of that a few other ones offer sim cards, e.g. Vietnamobile.

Reference from other blogs, Viettel seems that best choice for prepaid sim card. It is best to purchase your prepaid sim card at the airport.  I bought a 3G card of Vietnamobile for USD2.5 in Hong Kong.  It was very good and only failed at Halong Bay which internet cannot be accessed in general.

預繳流動數據卡

在越南有三間主要的流動通訊供應商:

•        MobiFone

•        Viettel

•        Vinaphone

除了上述之外還有一些別的公司提供數據卡，例如，Vietnamobile。

參考其他網誌，Viettel應該是預繳流動數據卡的最佳選擇，最好在機場購買預付流動數據卡，我在香港只花了2.5美元買了一張Vietnamobile的3G卡，非常好用，唯一是下龍灣不能用，因為一般數據卡都不能在下龍灣用。