one way ticket to vietnam and beyond

leaving next week. will be back in Feb. for a work project, then back out again until June. Any suggestions on must see/do/eat in southeast asia and asia in general?

Sorry... If you were going to Japan I could help you out. Been there 7 times for a total of like 8 months. The only advice I have is TRY the food. Asian food is NOTHING like it is here is the states. WAY BETTER!!!!!

Will get there again later in 2012, between Nepal and New Zealand is the tentative plan!

just got back from saigon. district one is where alot of the action and touristy areas are. must see or do, rooftop at sheraton or caravelle for drinks at sunset. ben thanh market to shop for all kinds of junk. street food is good and cheap. get used to the exchange rate about 20,000 dong to 1 dollar. it blew my mind pulling out 4 million dong for the first time. cu chi tunnels were decent. we took a biking trip up the mekong delta and that was decent, i wasnt super impressed with the delta. the war remnant museum is a joke(aka the war of american aggression but at 75 cents its worth the entry fee). if you do any tours pay a little more and get a good tour guide/company. it will be worth it. there are alot of parks and areas to run and work out, which was nice. pick up a lonely planet over there as well. street vendors in district one will be out at night and selling them for just a couple bucks(but youll have to negotiate to get it for 2 bucks which i love to do just keep it super friendly).

phu quoc island was really awesome, highly recommended. there is a good night market to eat at on phu quoc. also rent a scooter and cruise around the island.

Go to singapore..its an awesome place. Just dont break the law (including spitting out gum on the sidewalk). Bangkok is cool...if you want to get off the beaten path a little bit and see the locals and some nice scenery, head to Northern Thailand (Chang Mai, Chang Rai, Golden Triangle)

Thanks guys. My gf has distant cousins so well be all over Vietnam including some remote areas. Got a family wedding two days after I arrive lol. Will be volunteering at a school in Cambodia for a while and another on the Thai/Burma border. Also looking forward to some beach time.

Alanp covered a bunch of the stuff in Saigon. If you are up north go to Ha Long Bay for sure. The pictures you see of it don't even do it justice. Also hang out in Hoi An for a bit its a really laid back city that has a lot to offer. It is supposed to have the best food in Vietnam. Ride a bike out to the beach and for a dollar you can have a lounge chair for the whole day with waiters bringing you drinks and food. Its super relaxing there compared to the craziness of Saigon and Hanoi. Make sure to find an open air place here that serves fresh beer( beer on tap). Its basically home brewed and super cheap

In Hanoi hit up the markets and the Hanoi Hilton which was a big POW prison during the war. Also hit up the snake village and eat a whole snake meal. They kill the snake in front of you and you have a seven course meal made entirely of snake. (its pretty intense so if you are queasy don't bother with this)

In Saigon make sure to take a nice long motorbike taxi somewhere just to get the adrenalin going. The traffic laws there are pretty much nonexistent so traveling anywhere is an adventure.

If you have any questions hit me up I recently road tripped the coast from Hanoi to Saigon.

Pay attention to the countries take on the war. Its pretty interesting how things are viewed and portrayed differently. The people are very hospitable and friendly.