@Napoleon

The visa thing is not always about mates. Sometimes countries try different schemes with certain nations. Pakistan and China are good friends, but you dont see many Pakistanis around, do you. India and USA are partners to some degree, but when India opened its visa system two years ago, it was smaller nations that could get visa-on-arrival. These are more complicated things than just countries that are mates. And particularly when it comes to nations with huge populations. The fact that americans pick up a ten year visa to China, is somewhat beyond all logic too.

And about the museum, theres a Mc donalds quite near it. On one of them historical streets. Opened 2014 with fanfare. It may speak for itself. Saigon people had to be reminded of war and liberators with that museum, otherwise theyd parted from Hanoi even more than they anyway do.

@Napoleon, then what's the point of this thread? Why don't you hop on a bus and go there yourself? I don't have time to waste on these kinds of things, nor do most other people. Anyway, I can answer this question now. The Malipo border is not open unless someone can post something to prove otherwise.

@Tom69

If I ever go to Vietnam again I will go by plane. I can't be doing with border nonscence, I live in Kunming and the airport is only a taxi ride away. If you really don't have time to waste then you should take that route too and be done with this thread.

If for whatever reason it is critical to your holiday that you visit this border post and cross from there and only there, then the consulate is where you want to be asking

- provided you have the time.

One good reason to cross the border at Hekou is to go to SaPa, in mountains about an hour from the border by public bus, costs approx. 30,000 dong, or US$1.30. Overnight train to Hekou around 7 hours, arrives 6AM, costs around 100rmb for hard sleeper. Cheaper than a taxi to the Kunming airport.

@Alien

It was - SaPa was. Its over (sob). Much better places around North Vietnam, say, Hmong highland treks, and genuine too (Lai Chau etc.). Unfortunately Sapa now should be avoided like Lijiang.

So the good reason to cross from Hekou is the excellent transportation there, within Yunnan, and the transportation possibilities from Lao Cai to be able to not get stuck among the backpackers, hordes of vietnamese - and recently western charter tourists too - that are going to Sapa. You just dont fuc*in belong among those beer lao t-shirt backpackers, or german couple sipping wine on week holiday with the luxury-train vagon to Sapa, its very alienating (to the point of shock) for anyone living a while as expat in Asia.

@Napoleon. The USA isn't as on good terms with Vietnam as say Sweden, but you do need to update yourself. USA isn't on bad terms now either. US citizens have access to a one year multi entry 30 days per stay visa to Vietnam. That's not free two week entry but still a step ahead of some other countries and much better than what US citizens could get visa wise regarding Vietnam than before.

Peter99 is right, Sapa is kinda sht now, better food in LaoCai, unless you're looking for the backpacker burger pizza milk shake banana pancake trail grub.

To be honest, I agree that SaPa is not what it once was, but the views are still quite nice and you can still hike around, preferably on your own. Yeah - too many tourists, too much construction for them. However, if you have to do a border run for a visa, going to Hekou is the cheapest and simplest, and if you're going to bother to go all that way you might as well hang out for a few days, and SaPa is there. Note that there are many fewer tourists during the week than on weekends - most tourists, at least on weekends, are Vietnamese, mostly from, I'd guess, Hanoi.

If theres 'a few days to hangout' then down to Mu Cang Chai, and walk the rice terraces along minority villages, that leave Yuanyang far behind. The area is among last pristine areas left in whole Asia, if u got Sapa as an option, draw over it with a black cross and write Mu Cang Chai under it. Its amazing what Vietnam still has to offer if u are able to avoid the main trail. Even the main trail has great places, but Sapa has been 'lijiangized' which means its over.

@Peter99 You got me reminiscing over my 'beer lao t-shirt backpacker' days lol. Still got the t shirt somewhere but hey, everyone moves on and not everyone starts as all knowing and wise when it comes to Asia ;o)
Was checking out Mu Cang Chai and it's definitley somewhere I'm thinking of going for a few days to 'hangout'. Checking out some beautiful country area's a good way to get a little kick without your wallet feeling the kick to much :)