Vietnam forum

I am speaking purely from memory here (and it was a few years ago), but I seem to recall that the bus was pretty complicated to get to and cost a bit more than 15,000 dong. If you can club together with three others, you should be able to get a taxi for $15 (with firm haggling!), which would be $3.75 each (75,000 dong). I think our view was, based on a difference of maybe $2.50 and the hassle associated with getting to the bus, the taxi was just easier all round. They will obviously bring you direct to accomodation in Hoi An as well. If you don't have anywhere in mind they will bring you to their friends' places, which they did for us and it was perfect and cheap.

I also assume if you are flying in to Danang that you could stretch to the price of a taxi!!!!!

Posted from within Vietnam.

It was pretty easy....

Here's how

1. After arriving to the airport, take a Xe OM (Motorbike) to the Intercity bus station a few kms away. I paid 40 000, he wanted 50 000 and to be honest I probably paid double the real rate as it's not so far away.

2. At the bus station, there's a yellow bus that says HOI AN, that leaves frequently.
It's a very local bus, there was another foreigner on the bus and I asked him how much he paid, he said 30 000 but they are being difficult. The driver said SIT DOWN, SIT DOWN!!!! Not wanting me to talk to the foreigner.

3. He asked for 50 000.....I said no...30 000, just like him. He said 50 000 again.
I only had a 100 000 note, I said change first....he gave me 50 000....I said 20 000 more, come on come on!!, he gave me 10 000 more....about 2 minutes after bothering me finally he let me pay 30 000 haha

It really wasn't so bad, the bus ride was fun full of rude Vietnamese bus employees, sacks of rice, a bicycle, and a chicken. The ride took about an hour, he drove like a maniac.

Great experience, and much cheaper than a taxi, even if your negotiating skills aren't so great, 50 000 isn't so bad.

They drop you off at the Hoi An bus station. It's 10 000 into the old city by motorbike or you can be like me and walk for 10 minutes. There's a giant map at the bus station and the moto drivers are friendly and will tell u how to walk

Lovely town Hoi An is....

Posted from within Vietnam.

When you're backpacking on a budget a dollar is a dollar - and 70,000 versus 320,000 is a big deal. Also it's not always about being tight it's about getting a fair price for something. If I didn't quibble over 10,000 every time I bought a bunch of bananas or took a motorbike taxi I'd be spending a lot of extra dollars.