Ongoing Vietnam Hostels

As you may have noticed, I’m doing a little motorbike trip throughout Vietnam. I started in Ho Chi Minh City and headed south through the Mekong Delta, all the way down to Hà Tiên on the border with Cambodia. I then decided that since I was already there, I might as well cross the border for a few days to Kep, the closest beach in Cambodia to Vietnam (it didn’t turn out so well with the visa on the way out but that’s a different story). I then headed back up to Ho Chi Minh City carried on to Hanoi. This is a short description of each hostel I stayed at throughout this adventure and why each was awesome.

Ho Chi Minh City Part 1: Galaxy Hotel and Capsule

This hostel was the perfect place to start my Ho Chi Minh City adventure. I was here for almost 2 weeks, with a break while I did an overnight bus tour but when I came back, I went straight back to it. It was quiet, the staff was friendly, and your bed was in its own capsule so you had maximum privacy. When I came back north after my motorbike trip through the Mekong Delta, I didn’t go back to it because I had a friend coming in that would ride north with me that wanted something more upbeat.

It was located just behind Phạm Ngũ Lão, one of the main streets in District 1, in a little alley, giving it a very real Vietnamese feel. An entire network of alleys stemmed from there, full of goodies and surprises. You could find little shops full of treasures, some amazing street food and the best smoothie joint I’ve seen so far in Vietnam.

• Cost: $8
• Cleanliness: Good all around
• Comfort: Honestly mediocre. The mattresses were a little hard but I loved the capsules and the privacy and darkness they provided at night.
• Staff: Joyful and helpful, very little language barrier
• Amenities: Free breakfast. Did NOT have a motorbike parking lot though. I had to pay for parking in the park

Can Tho: Aura Hotel

The Aura Hotel actually was a hotel, and not a hostel. I was with Katie and Deepak and we booked a private room with two double beds. The place was clean but for some reasons the entire street in front of it would flood every night and clear up in the morning. So all our nights ended with wet feet. I didn’t get it. It was close to great restaurants though so at least we had fun before sloshing home.

• Cost: $15 for two double beds, private room
• Cleanliness: Very clean
• Comfort: Great beds, great bathroom
• Staff: Good, needed some translation help from Google though
• Amenities: Sauna, steam room, cheap breakfast, indoor garage.
• More about this trip

Tri Ton: Don’t remember

But don’t stay here. It’s great for a day trip, there is a fantastic forest and the branches of the Mekong Delta that go through it are full of natural wonder, more than I’ve seen anywhere else, but there is no good accommodation or hostels. I’d recommend you find a nice place in the nearby Long Xuyên.

The place I settled for was run down, the walls looked moldy, and there was no shower, just a bucket. Also, at night, every single bug in the world comes and chills in Tri Ton. So lock your up windows, lock up your doors and stay away from lights, because they will find you, and they will bug you.

• Cost: Too much
• Cleanliness: Filthy
• Comfort: Bed was actually kind of soft, probably because the mattress was so old and loopy.
• Staff: They tried
• Amenities: Well, they did have walls….

Kep, Cambodia: Bacoma

Bacoma Bungalows were so cute, surrounded by a rich garden at the foot of the Kep National Park. They were close to the beach so you can get your splash on and the owner was a jolly Swiss fellow that just loved the area. He had a great bar and restaurant and the food was amazing. He also had a projection screen, and I know that when traveling watching movies is not the best use of your time, but sometimes they go so well. We watched The Motorcycle Diaries, which was quite appropriate for my situation. This was no hostel though, the beds were comfy, each had its own mosquito net, and they were very clean.

My one complaint is that the bathrooms were in their own little bungalows and at night, creatures roam in the area and the bathrooms were scary. I saw large red caterpillars, big spiders and a large toad in the bathrooms. These were critters I’d have to keep an eye out while showering in case they made any sudden moves. At times, I would just turn around and go to the next one. The colors I saw on those bad boys looked like a sting would be a large dose of all the wrong vitamins.

• Cost: $15/night for a double bed in a private bungalow. Not a hostel so you will be paying double digits but it’s beautiful
• Cleanliness: Very nice
• Comfort: Yup
• Staff: Nice, friendly, spoke perfect English, French and German. Well… Swiss German.
• Amenities: Great restaurant on the property. Movie screen, no free breakfast but great options.

Ho Chi Minh City Part 2: Vietnam Inn Saigon

After the first two weeks in Ho Chi Minh were spent in the quiet Galaxy Hostel, the last weekend before my trip north was in the very party oriented Vietnam Inn Saigon. It’s in a large, newly renovated building, with an elevator and the most social rooftop I’ve been to so far. At the 9th floor, you get a great view of the city from the roof, and every night, the Western staff makes sure you have a good time. It’s not located in a cool Vietnamese alley like the Galaxy Hostel, but it is equally close to the center, and street food is not hard to find.

• Cost: $8/night
• Cleanliness: No complaints
• Comfort: Bunk beds as you would expect in most hostels, nothing special but you’ll sleep
• Staff: A good mix of Vietnamese and Western staff. Vietnamese to check you in and get your tours booked, Western to make sure you have a great time!
• Amenities: Rooftop overlooking the city with a pool table and two free beers each night. The best atmosphere in town. Guarded parking lot for your bike. Free breakfast

Mũi Né: Hong Di Bungalows

This was the first stop with my friend Arjun, that was traveling north with me, so we decided to get a private room to start instead of another hostel. We found a nice cheap one at the Hong Di Bungalows. They had beach front access and a nice patio overlooking it. The property wasn’t as nice as the other beach front properties in the area, but it really doesn’t matter. You don’t have to spend very much time on it, and the cheaper fare is worth it.

My second time around in Mũi Né though, I stayed at the Mũi Né Hills Hostel and, although it wasn’t on the beach, I enjoyed it much more.

• Cost: $15/night for a double and a single bed in a private room
• Cleanliness: Clean
• Comfort: Not a hostel so good beds
• Staff: Nothing special
• Amenities: Beach front access and patio. Supervised and enclosed bike parking
• More about this trip

Đà Lạt: Dalat Family Hostel

We were told by the friends we met on the Mũi Né sand dunes that the Đà Lạt Family Hostel is the way to go. One thing I’ve learned on this trip is that word of mouth is the most valuable type of recommendation you can receive, especially when coming from people in the same mindset as you, aka fellow backpackers. It was a little hard to find, down a narrow steep road, but it was definitely worth the search. We didn’t have a reservation, as is often the case while backpacking, but we took our chances and showed up anyway. They greeted us warmly and found a place for us.

 

As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by the host: “Crazy Momma”. We were told she was friendly but this was something else. She welcomed us, hugged us, fed us, and probably would have cleaned us if we asked. She asked if we were hungry and we hardly had time to reply before she sat us down, rubbed our bellies and put some food down in front of us, free of charge.

She cooked a massive family style dinner for everyone in the hostel every day at 5pm, for which she charged a measly 50 Dong. She literally stuffed you silly, like a real momma. Oh, and don’t be fooled by her motherly charm, she can put back a few drinks with you too.

Not only was the feast delicious, but you get to meet everyone in the hostel during that dinner. It’s these kinds of places that can really change your trip in a very positive way. Not only because of the amazing experience they provide but for what they leave you with: we met so many fellow travelers going in the same direction as us that we carried on with, as well as others coming from the opposite direction that provided us with great recommendations.

• Cost: $5/night
• Cleanliness: Clean
• Comfort: A little cramped but beds were good
• Staff: The most loving and welcoming in all the land. Crazy momma made that place feel like home. She cooked amazingly for very cheap and her meals brought everyone together at the same large family table. Her minions were also equaly energetic and friendly.
• Amenities: Crazy Momma is your amenity. Her family meals were an amenity, where you can meet everyone and truly feel like a family.
• More about this trip

Hội An: Sunflower Hostel

The Sunflower Hostel, like the Dalat Family Hostel, is another one of those spots that you absolutely have to stay at. This time it wasn’t the staff, it was the amenities. They had a swimming pool which is great to cool down at, and their breakfast buffet was the best I’ve had so far. Loaded with egg options, steamed and fried veggies, fruit, daily specials, and the best pancakes. I could not believe it was free.

The location was great too, close to the river where everything goes down, from nice restaurants, to the tailors that Hoi An is famous for, to various forms of night life. Right across the street from the hostel are great places to start your night, including a bar that will give you a free bottle of vodka, just for showing up in a group of 4, no strings attached. So find 3 friends and get out there!

• Cost: $8/night
• Cleanliness: Clean
• Comfort: Good beds and bathrooms
• Staff: Nice enough to get you what you need.
• Amenities: Wow where do I begin. Maybe with the swimming pool that is great to dive into after a hot day? Or with the breakfast that can easily tie you over to dinner, which is not insignificant as a backpacker. Or maybe the free drink you get every night, which is just a little cherry on the top because let’s be honest, you’re going across the street to get your vodka fill with your free bottle. Oh ya, and they have free, monitored, enclosed bike parking, but you were probably expecting that by now.

Huê: Tigon Hostel

We stayed at the Tigon Hostel because Hue Backpackers Hostel was full. That being said, it may have been a good thing because it was quiet and the other one was always bumping. It’s one of those situations where you can use the amenities of the other one without staying there, and retreating to yours when it’s time for bed.

The rooms in Tigon did smell a little moldy though, a little like damp laundry, but we got used to it. It’s right in the center so you will find all the good food and nightlife you’ll need. The sights in Huê are pretty spread out though so regardless of which hostel you choose, you’ll need to book a tour or ride your bike around.

• Cost: $8/night
• Cleanliness: Clean but smelly
• Comfort: Comfortable but like I said, kinda smelly
• Staff: Very nice and joyful. I booked a trip back down to Mũi Né after Huê for a week and they kept and watched my bike and half my stuff for me.
• Amenities: $2 breakfast was good but nothing compared to what we had at the Sunflower Hostel in Hội An. They had a pool table but nobody seemed to care. Good location.

A Lưới: Thanh Quang Guest House

After Huê, it was time to head to Phong Nha, a trip I would need two stops for. You honestly only need to stop in Khe Sanh though. A Lưới is boring and insignificant. It has the Cội Nguồn museum with some indigenous huts and some military info, but if you’re into that just stop there while passing through. As for the Guest House, just go out there and find it. You can’t miss it, there’s just one road in A Lưới. It’s there.

• Cost: D150k/night for a private double bed
• Cleanliness: Clean, but the comforter was actually a blanket without a sheet and I’m not convinced that they clean it between guests. It felt soft though…
• Comfort: Comfortable, enjoyed it actually
• Staff: Not a word of English but will provide a friendly smile
• Amenities: Beautiful scenery. But you don’t need to sleep here to get it.
• More about this trip

Khe Sanh: Thanh Minh Guest House

Khe Sanh not only is a good stop to break between Huê and Phong Nha, it also is more relevant for the war, has more food options but don’t expect to be blown away, and has a better museum at the Khe Sanh Combat Base. There are options around but I was just keeping it cheap so I settled on this one. Get out early in the morning though, no reason to dilly dally.

• Cost: D180k/night for a private double bed
• Cleanliness: Like A Lưới, it was slean, but the comforter was actually a blanket without a sheet and I’m not convinced that they clean it between guests.
• Comfort: Large room, with a desk and a good bed.
• Staff: Nothing to write home about.
• Amenities: A break on the road to Phong Nha
• More about this trip

Phong Nha: Thành Phát Hotel

Another instance of the one we wanted – the Easy Tiger – being full so we settled with the one across the street, but again, no regrets as it was quiet and we could hang at the Easy Tiger all we wanted. It was cheap and clean with friendly staff, half of which spoke good English. No matter where you stay though, Phong Nha is going to be amazing. You’ll spend very little time in your hostel so don’t worry about your amenities, just worry about a comfy bed, which this place had!

• Cost: D250k/night for a private room with two double beds, D100k/night for a bed in a dorm. But there was no one else in the dorm so it pretty much was a private room.
• Cleanliness: Clean and comfortable
• Comfort: Good beds in both the private room and the dorm. The dorm was on the ground floor though and some noise from the Easy Tiger was quite audible. If you can’t beat them, join them.
• Staff: Friendly, half of them spoke good English so you’ll get around.
• Amenities: Across the street from the Easy Tiger so you get a good dose of a social scene. But you’re not here for a pool table or a bar. You’re here to see the caves. So who cares.
• More about this trip

Đồng Hới: Nam Long Hostel

Nam Long is a great budget hostel. Their dorms are very clean and offer two bathrooms. This city is definitely off the beaten bath so you’ll get very little noise and chill people. The bed was very comfortable and the room offered a balcony overlooking the river. The night I was there, there was a concert in the park for which I had a perfect view.

• Cost: D110k/night for a dorm room
• Cleanliness: Very clean but again, a blanket without a sheet. Do they wash it? I don’t know!
• Comfort: Slept like a baby
• Staff: They got the job done
• Amenities: Very nice balcony overlooking the river. The beach is 2km away. It’s also right across the street from the Tam Tòa Church, of which only the facade eerily remains after being bombed during the war. Quite a sight.

Ninh Bình: Hoalu Eco Homestay

Hoalu Eco Homestay was a beautiful hostel in a beautiful setting. You have to drive about 2km off the main road to reach it, and try not to do it at night because the road is bumpy, but it really puts this little slice of heaven in the middle of the natural wonders of Ninh Bình! The staff is very friendly, the food is fantastic, and the common area in the bungalow is a great place to round up a crew to explore the local scenery. It’s no Phong Nha, but it will still drop your jaw, especially if you’re coming here first.

• Cost: $30/night for private 4 person room. $8/night for bed in dorm.
• Cleanliness: Very clean and they actually did have proper comfortors here
• Comfort: Every bed, even in the dorms, had it’s own mosquito net, not that they were that common but the rooms are in bungalows and the walls are made from bamboo, which leaves little cracks.
• Staff: So friendly and helpful. Made some great food.
• Amenities: In the middle of the jungle. Went for a job around it and saw nothing but nature. Free breakfast.