My partner and I will be travelling out to Vietnam for the first time (hence, vietnam virgins!) in late July. We're going to start off in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) before heading off up the coast, finally until ending up in Hanoi.

Some travel advice and some recommendations on where to stay (particularily in Saigon) would be most helpful. I've always been fascinated with SEA and simply cannot wait to get out there again...

Thanks.....

If you travel as backpackers then Pham Ngu Lao Street or De Tham street will be best places for you. Just go there and you can see many mini hotels with price of USD8~15/day.
Bong Sen 1 hotel (3 stars) is about USD30.
Pretty sure that you read some travel books about Vietnam, you know where you should go.
For ex.: Independent Palace, Cu chi tunnel, War Museum,... in Ho Chi Minh City; from South (HCM city) to North (Hanoi): Nha Trang (sea city), Phong Nha (world heritage), Hue (old kingdom), Hoi An (world Heritage), Ha Long Bay (world heritage), Ha Noi (current capital and previous kingdom,...
Hope you have good time in Vietnam.