About Vietnam Sleeper Buses
I experienced travelling on a sleeper bus as part of my 7 day journey in Vietnam when I was journeying between Ho Chi Minh and Da Lat.
Sleeper buses in Vietnam represent a unique and popular mode of long-distance transportation, and offer a convenient way to travel all over the country, connecting major cities and tourist destinations. Buses are typically equipped with rows of reclining seats that can be converted into flat beds, so you can sleep comfortably during your journey (However, this depends on the operator and the type of bus you paid for, so it'll be good to do some research before buying that ticket)
Booking Sleeper Buses
I purchased my ticket with Thanh Buoi bus via Bookaway, and the process was simple. Select your arrival and destination location and choose the mode of transport you want to use. There are a few tiers of sleeper buses you can opt for, but the most luxurious tier is the VIP Cabin Bus shown below, and you can also easily identify it through the thumbnail pictures on the website. By the way, VIP buses costs less than SGD 20 per trip, which is extremely worth it for the amount of comfort you get. After booking and paying, you'll then receive a confirmation email with all the relevant details you need.
Choose the right listing
Booking via Klook
Klook also offers a sleeper bus transport ticket to and fro from Ho Chi Minh city, which has over 7000 bookings with great reviews as of the time of writing. See for yourself how comfortable the buses look:
On Travel Day
When I travelled, I departed from Ho Chi Minh city en route to Da Lat. The operator I went with - Thanh Buoi, has a holding room for passengers to wait. This is also where you check in for your ride.
Thanh Buoi Bus Station
After checking in, you'll receive a small paper boarding pass that comes with a QR code. Keep this well because you'll need it later when the bus attendant asks for it!
The paper boarding pass
It was a bit intimidating that all the text was in Vietnamese, but you can logically infer what they mean. Another thing to note - Your exact pick up location might not be at Thanh Buoi Bus.
I was directed to wait on the opposite side of the road for the bus to arrive. Shortly after, a staff pulled up on motorbike and ask me to get on so he could bring me to where the bus was waiting. I got on with all my luggage and after a quick 5 min ride, we arrived at where the bus actually was - Clarify with the operator on where you should be waiting for the bus pick up.
Inside the bus, all passengers are required to have their shoes off to maintain cleanliness - You'll be given a little plastic bag to store your shoes in. It was time to sit back, relax and enjoy the comfort of the sleeper bus!
The interior of the sleeper bus and what your own personal cabin looks like
Cruising in the Sleeper Bus
The bus is split into upper and lower levels with a middle aisle connecting each side with dim, cozy blue lights illuminating the bus. If you're assigned to an upper level seat, there's a small ladder you can use to go up to your cabin.
Nothing felt better than lying down in the bus! Your privacy is guaranteed as you can slide the curtain on your side to close off your little cabin, and window sun shades are easily provided to block off the sunlight if you want a good sleep in. Complimentary water is provided, and electrical outlets are at your side for you to recharge your devices along the journey. Air-condition vents can also be opened or closed, and the blankets given just invites a comfortable sleep throughout the ride. The only downside is that motorists in Vietnam are used to honking on the roads, so do expect to be jolted awake time to time by the loud honks.
After cruising for around 4 hours, we reached our brunch stop at Đồng Tháp Restaurant, where you'll get to disembark to use the toilet and have a meal for around 30 minutes. When alighting, you don't have to put your shoes on - Thanh Buoi provides slip-on sandals for use at the entrance of the bus:
The only rest stop en route - Đồng Tháp restaurant
Be sure to return to the bus on time - I'm not sure if the bus driver will be kind enough to wait for everyone to return before driving off. A piece of advice would be to recognize your bus driver and be sure to return to the bus once you see him making his way back too.
This would be the only stop along the journey, so we headed right for Da Lat once we got back on the bus.
