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Sun Herald

Sunday December 28, 2008

Jane E. Fraser

Q We are a party of five travelling to Vietnam in June. We have heard there is a five-star express and unification railway. We thought we would fly to Hanoi after arriving in Ho Chi Minh, cruise on Halong Bay, then catch trains back to Hoi An and Nha Trang. Which planes-trains do you suggest? Plus, where can we fly to from Angkor Wat and Phnom Penh (preferably not back to Ho Chi Minh)? We then go to Phuket. Can we avoid Bangkok?

L. Holmes, Kirrawee

A You will need to fly with Vietnam Airlines (vietnamairlines.com) for a direct flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi.

The Vietnam Railways trains that run between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, stopping at various stations along the way, are known as Reunification Express trains (www.vr.com.vn) and have an excellent reputation.

The five-star express between Ho Chi Minh and Nha Trang has been replaced by Golden Trains, which does not have online bookings - most travellers find it easier to stick to Vietnam Railways.

Hoi An does not have a railway station but you can get a train from Hanoi to Danang, then a bus to Hoi An (an hour's journey) for just a few dollars.

There are then daily trains from Danang down to Nha Trang and back to Ho Chi Minh.

The best option for your onward travel would be to get a Bangkok Airways (bangkokair.com) or Thai Airways (thaiairways.com) flight from Phnom Penh to Phuket via Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport.

You cannot avoid Bangkok but the new airport is designed to handle connections.

If you have any travel questions, we'd love to hear from you. Write to travelshd@fairfaxmedia .com.au. Personal correspondence cannot be entered into. Only questions appearing in print will be answered. If your question is published, you will win a Lonely Planet guidebook.

© 2008 Sun Herald

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