Tripologist: Do I need a visa for a Vietnam stopover?

I plan to fly to Europe with Vietnam Airlines, but I’m confused by visa requirements. What are the requirements for visitors taking an internal flight to connect with international flights landing in Ho Chi Minh City and departing from Hanoi?
I. McDonnell, Sydney, NSW

According to the Consulate General of Vietnam in Sydney, passengers taking a domestic flight to connect two international flights are entering the country, therefore a visa is required. If your flight was to arrive at the same airport as your onward international flight, you would remain in the terminal’s transit area. Therefore you are not entering Vietnam and no visa is required.

In your case, if you have connecting flights that require a domestic flight on both your outward and return journeys, the easiest solution is to apply for a multiple entry E-visa from the official website (beware of imitations). The E-visa is valid for 90 days.

Dreaming of a white Christmas in Europe for our adult children and partners; after somewhere central and want to get around by public transport. Thinking of splitting the stay between two places, such as Innsbruck. Hoping for a house rather than hotel rooms.
D. Franke, Engadine, NSW

Austria is one possibility, with Salzburg and Innsbruck as likely candidates for a white Christmas. However they’re expensive and given global warming your dream might not be fulfilled. Another place that also qualifies is the town of Zakopane in southern Poland which has the requisite Hansel and Gretel architecture, is set close to mountains and pine forests and drives your dollars a whole lot further. On Airbnb you can find villas for rent in Zakopane for eight people in four bedrooms over Christmas at well under $1000 a night. Some are slightly out of the town and taxis are a cheap way to get around.

After a cruise which arrives in Boston in June, I have three nights before I have to be in New York. I have already spent a week in Boston on a previous trip. Do you have any recommendations accessible by train or bus from both Boston and New York.
T. Millman, Noranda, WA

You’ve got some great options but my pick would be to fly from Boston to Martha’s Vineyard, the island just off the Massachusetts coast and to the south of Cape Cod. It’s a slice of old-school New England, quaint, bounded by white-sand beaches, postcard-perfect towns with captains’ houses that date from the whaling days and it’s known for its food scene. It’s a haven of peace and privacy and a favourite of US presidents, writers and rock stars. It’s also a popular summer holiday destination for well-heeled Americans so you need to book accommodation now.

Your best base is probably going to be Edgartown, one of the larger settlements on the island. You can get there by bus and ferry but better to take the Cape Air flight from Boston to Martha’s Vineyard. At the end of your time on the island, Cape Air will fly you on to New York’s JFK Airport. Another option, take a Greyhound bus to Great Barrington in Berkshire County in western Massachusetts and use buses to explore this classic slice of New England, and towns such as Stockbridge and Lenox. From Great Barrington you can take a bus to New York City.