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Travel
In Vietnam
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Vietnam
is not the place to go for the latest in nightspots, but a number of large
hotels have nightclubs and dance halls. Bars are fairly easy to find, even in
smaller hotels. Try asking the locals for the current popular spots.
Travel
around in Vietnam
By plane
Flights are the fastest way to travel the distance of this long country; the
trip from Hanoi to HCMC will take about 2 hours by plane. The major domestic
airlines in Vietnam are Vietnam
Airlines, a full-service airline, and Pacific
Airlines, recently created as a low-cost carrier that also accepts online
booking. For Vietnam Airlines, it is significantly more expensive to book
domestic flights outside of Vietnam than to book with a local travel agent in
Vietnam.
By train
Although more expensive than buses, trains are undoubtedly the most
comfortable way to travel overland in Vietnam. There is one major train line in
Vietnam, the 1723-kilometer trunk between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, on which
the Reunification Express runs. HCMC to Hanoi is more than 30 hours, and
overnight hops between major destinations are usually possible, if not entirely
convenient. It's a good way to see the countryside and meet upper-middle class
locals, but unless you are traveling in a sleeper car it is no more comfortable
than buses.
AC Soft or hard sleeper is recommended, and purchasing as early as possible
is a good idea as popular berths and routes are often bought out by tour
companies and travel agents well before the departure time (hence being told the
train is sold out at a station ticket window or popular tour company office does
not mean there are no tickets available--they've simply been bought by another
reseller). Booking at the train station itself is generally the safest way, just
prepare on a piece of paper the destination, date, time, no. of pax and class.
However, unsold tickets can often be bought last minute from people hanging
around at the station--a train is rarely sold out for real, as the railway
company will add cars when demand is high. Commissions on these tickets will
drop away as the departure time draws nearer.
Be cautious when using a travel agent to purchase your train tickets, since
there is nothing printed on the ticket saying the class you are booked in. This
results in a common scam with private travel agents where you will pay them to
book a soft-sleeper ticket, they then book you a cheaper hard-sleeper ticket,
and you don't know you've been scammed until you board the train and your berths
are in the lower class. By then with the train on the verge of departing it is
too late to go back to the scamming agent to demand compensation.
In addition, there are shorter routes from Hanoi leading northwest and
northeast, with international crossings into China. One of the most popular of
the shorter routes is the overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai (with bus
service from Lao Cai to the tourist destination of Sapa).
Always try to buy your tickets at least 3 days in advance, to avoid
disappointment, especially during peak holiday season, during which you should
try to book at least a week in advance.
Best sources of online information for trains in Vietnam is Vietnam
Railways and Seat61.
By bus
Long-distance bus services connect most cities in Vietnam. Most depart early
in the morning to accommodate traffic and late afternoon rains, or run
overnight.
Public Buses travel between the cities' bus stations. In bigger
places, you often have to use local transport to get into the city center from
there. Buses are generally in reasonable shape, and you have the chance to
interact with locals.
Open Tour buses are run by a multitude of tour companies. They cater
especially to tourists, offering ridiculous low rates (Hanoi to HCMC: US$20-25)
and door-to-door service to your desired hostel. You can break the journey at
any point and continue on a bus of the same company any time later, or simply
buy tickets just for the stage you're willing to cover next. Note that if you're
not planning to make more than 3-4 stops, it might be cheaper to buy separate
tickets as you go (ie Hanoi to Hue can be had for as little as US$5). Most
hotels and guesthouses can book seats for any connection, although you're better
to shop around at travel agents, as prices will vary on any given ticket/bus
company. Going to the bus company office may net you a commission-free fare, but
most major bus operators have fixed pricing policies, which can only be
circumvented through a travel agent.
Since tour companies charge very little, they do make commission on their
stop-offs which are often at souvenir shops, where you do not have to buy; they
always have toilets and drinks and water available for purchase. The estimated
time for a bus trip will not be accurate and may be an additional couple of
hours sometimes, due to the number of stop offs. Collecting the passengers at
the start of the journey can also take quite a while too. Always be at least
half an hour early to catch the bus. Try not to drink too much water, as rest
stops, especially for overnight buses, may be just somewhere where there are a
lot of bushes.
Vietnamese buses are made for Vietnamese people - bigger Westerners will be
very uncomfortable, especially on overnight buses. Also, many Vietnamese are not
used to riding on long-haul buses, and will sometimes get sick - not very
pleasant if you are stuck on an overnight bus with several Vietnamese throwing
up behind you.
Although the bus company will usually be happy to collect you at your hotel
or guest house, boarding at the company office will guarantee a choice of seats
and you'll avoid getting stuck at the back or unable to sit next to your
travelling companions. The offices are generally located in or near the tourist
area of town, and a short walk might make your trip that much more pleasant.
A scam that you may encounter is that after arriving at your location, the
guides will ask you whether you have booked a hotel. Even though you haven't,
say that you have and prepare the name of a hotel. If you say you have not
booked one, they will charter a taxi for you and probably drop you at a hotel
which they can collect commission. If you decide not to stay, things may get a
little ugly, as they will demand that you pay the taxi fare, which they may
quote as several times the actual fare for a ten minute ride.
By car
International driving licenses are not accepted in Vietnam. Therefore, there
are no car rental companies such as Hertz and Avis etc. However, it is quite
easy to hire a car and driver for excursions and day trips. (around US$40-50 for
an 8 hour day) Hotels and tourist cafes can usually take care of this. You will
find that few drivers will speak any English. Therefore, make sure you tell the
hotel/cafe exactly where you want to go.
Long distance travel by car may be a good choice for several people traveling
together, as it provides flexible access to remote sites. However, be aware that
Highway 1, the backbone of the country, is a two-lane road with very heavy truck
traffic. Travel speeds on the highway average less than 50 Km/hour.
By cycle
Adventurous travelers may wish to see Vietnam by motorcycle or bicycle.
Several adventure travel tours provide package tours with equipment. Most of the
population gets around on two wheels, so it's an excellent way to get closer to
the people, as well as off the beaten path.
In cities like Ho
Chi Minh City and Hanoi,
parking bicycles on the sidewalks is not allowed, and you'll have to go to a pay
parking lot. 2000 dong per bike.
By motorcycle taxi
"MotoBike?" as some xe ôm (literally 'automobile hug')
drivers will yell to you as you walk by. They are reasonably cheap, about
average 10,000 dong for a 10 minute trip. You should be able to get to most
places within the city for about 10,000 dong, since the city is densely
populated and everything is reasonably close by. But watch out, some drivers
will try to get you to pay more after you negotiated a price. But be firm on the
price.
Another alternative is to rent your own motorbike. Traffic is chaotic (few
stop signs or lights) but reasonably easy to follow and people don't go very
fast, since there are always lots of people on the road. Charging the
intersections is more of a game of chicken than conventional western traffic
navigation. Not knowing the nuance of the horn might also get you in trouble. As
long as you don't break any traffic rules police will not pull you over.
Licenses are required, although many people drive without.
By cyclo
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While slowly being supplanted by motorbikes, cyclo
pedicabs still roam the streets of Vietnam's cities and towns. Their
drivers are notoriously mercenary and, while the ride will be slow, hot
and dangerous, you'll generally need to pay more than for a
motorbike for the equivalent distance. On the plus side, some drivers
(particularly in the South) are very friendly and are happy to be
chartered for sightseeing tours. Be aware to bargain the price before the
ride. |
By boat
You will be missing a big part of Vietnamese life if you do not spend some
time on a boat. Tour boats can be hired for around US$20 for a day's tour, or
you can book through a tour company. Boat tours are definitely called for around
Ha Long Bay,
Hue, Nha
Trang, and everywhere in the Mekong region.
Travel
around in Hanoi
http://wikitravel.org/en/Hanoi
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Taxis are the best way to travel long distances, but
the cyclos, or pedicabs, are a cheap and fun way to make shorter
trips. Taxi fares are not always consistent, and the rates for each taxi
company is different. For lone travelers, rides on the back of motorbikes
(actually low-powered scooters known as xe om) are popular too.
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Some meter taxi owners in Hanoi will attempt to negotiate a flat fee in
advance rather than use the meter. Unless you are familiar with distances and
fares in the city, it is probably safer to insist on using the meter. If the
driver refuses, turning around and walking away will almost certainly change his
mind! Don't sweat it, it's all part of the expected negotiation protocol. Adding
to this that it has become common for the drivers of some of the less reputeable
taxi companies to "fix" their meter to run faster hence giving
differences in prices for the same distance in excess factor 30, the
recommendation is to only use the reputable and reliable taxi companies.
These are (as of May 2007) Hanoi Taxi (Tel (04) 853 5353) and Taxi
CP (Tel. 04 826 2626). Another common thing with taxis is that the driver
takes you for a "sightseeing" - and extends the tour to make more
money. This is very hard to discover unless you know the city well, bit if you
catch driver doing this (e.g. going around Hoan Kiem Lake twice), demand that he
stops the taxi and leave the taxi without paying.
Motorbike drivers can be found on virtually every corner, especially in the
Old Quarter. Even if it is not their usual job, a quick dollar can be made
taking tourists around to and from the sights, so be expected to be offered a
ride every half-block or so. Negotiate a fare in advance, and again, turn around
and walk away if you don't like their offer. There are far more drivers than
tourists, and they know it - your fare could be the only one they get all day.
You might want to write down the negotiated fare to avoid confusion. Even if you
do speak Vietnamese, a driver might pretend that you said 50,000 dong instead of
15,000! A typical 10 minute fare should cost no more than 15,000-20,000 dong.
Many drivers will accept US dollars as well.
Motorcycles can be rented for around US$5-6 a day, and can be arranged by
most hotels. This is good for making lots of trips around the city for
individuals or duos, but be careful: Hanoi traffic is very difficult place to
sharpen motorbike skills. Park on the sidewalk with other bikes, and be sure to
lock the front wheel. Locals will help arrange the bikes near their stores.
Like everywhere else in Vietnam, traffic in Hanoi is dominated by an
incredible amount of motorbikes, all of which seem to be making a mad, desperate
dash for something just out of reach — all of the time. In other words,
pedestrian traffic can be overwhelming for visitors, especially in the narrow
streets around the Old Quarter. When you leave the curb, look both ways, and
take each step slowly and patiently while trying to make eye contact with any
oncoming drivers. The key word here is slowly — don't rush. This way
the drivers are aware of you, and can take you into account (along with all of
the other motorbikes). Be patient and pay attention when you're crossing any
street, large or small, and you should be fine.
Travel
around in Ho Chi Minh City
http://wikitravel.org/en/Ho_Chi_Minh_City
By taxi
Taxis are the most comfortable way of getting around, and it's easy and safe
to flag a taxi anywhere, anytime; but beware rigged meters that increase the
fare too fast.
Carry small change and bills for paying fares, which are quite cheap at 12000
dong for the first 2km, plus 6000 dong per additional km. However, not all taxis
are created equal: newer cars are more likely to have working air-con; larger
mini-SUV-type models charge a higher rate.
By motorbike
Motorbikes (xe ôm) are plentiful, cheap, and can be either safe or
dangerous. Absolutely agree on a price before you set off; short hops around
town shouldn't be more than 10000 dong, and all the way to the airport around
30000. And if your stomach is a tight hard knot, don't hesitate to ask the
driver to go a little slower.
You can rent your own motorbike in many places, especially around the
backpacker area (Pham Ngu Lao) in District 1. Prices range from US$3-7/day; US$4
should get you a solid 100-110cc bike. Driving in large Vietnamese cities is for
experienced drivers - the traffic is intense, and has its own rhythms and logic.
Beware of thieves: always keep your motorbike in sight or parked with an
attendant.
By cyclo
For many reasons, not least because of government attempts to restrict cyclos
on busy urban streets, cyclos are disappearing. At around US$2/hour and because
they are so slow, they can be a good choice for taking in the city - however in
areas popular with tourists, they often try to overcharge, so bargain
beforehand. They circulate around the central market and will immediately try to
take you on a city tour the moment you are on board. Unless you fancy the
novelty of a cyclo, a taxi will be quicker and just as cheap to anywhere you may
want to go.
By bus
A big investment was recently made in public transit, and brand new bright
green buses are everywhere - the tourist information office has route
information. Cheaper and safer than many of the alternatives, the biggest
problem is that when you get off the bus, you become a pedestrian (see below).
Walking
The streets, sidewalks, and outdoor markets are owned by the motorbikes, and
not yet geared towards pedestrian traffic (although sidewalk clearing campaigns
are now underway). Even though traffic is not as dense and chaotic as in, say,
Bangkok, it's pretty scary for the average tourist. It consists mainly of
motorcycles, (sometimes with up to five people including small children perched
on them) and drivers tend to drive offensively (as opposed to defensively).
Traffic flows in a continuous, noisy stream, and traffic signals appear to be
largely "advisory". Crossing roads is therefore a challenge for
Westerners used to traffic lights. The trick is to follow the Vietnamese - step
confidently out into the road and cross at a slow but steady pace. Trust that
the traffic will flow miraculously around you, and it (probably) will.
The traffic police occupy themselves with random roadside checks and do not
bother the motorcyclists that are running red lights or driving on the
sidewalks. The police recently announced a crackdown on pedestrians. This does
NOT mean that they will hassle you; the most likely meaning of the crackdown is
that you will be held responsible if you are involved in an accident.
Eating
& Drinking in Hanoi
A local delicacy in the Hanoi area is dog meat (thịt chó),
which is especially popular in the winter. There are a number of restaurants
along the Red River that specialize in it. Another exotic regional taste is ca
cuong, an extract from the belostomatid, or giant water bug.
Just a few drops are added to noodles for the unique aroma.
On Tô Tich, a small street connecting Hang Quat and Hang
Gai, you can help yourself to a refreshing fruit milkshake (sinh tố)
at one of the stalls (~7000 dong).
You can also try BBQ pork (slice) in soup with vermicelli and lots of vegi at
DAC KIM (24, Hang Ga, Hoen Kiem, Hanoi; open 8am-8pm). They serve spring rolls
too.
Budget
Look to the Old Quarter for atmospheric street stalls and reasonably priced
Western fare.
- Huy Café & Pizza Inn (32 Dinh Liet Street) offers a large
Italian dinner combo (garlic bread, soup/salad, pizza/pasta, drink) for only
65,000 dong.
- Papa Joe's Coffee (112 Cau Go, tel. +84 926-2544; open 8am-11pm)
Despite the name, this is actually a full-on restaurant, with pasta, soup,
salads, sandwiches, and pretty good burgers (vegetarian included). Drinks
and desserts are also on hand. Entrees are 45-65,000 dong. The best reason
to eat here, though, is the view over the frantic traffic square and the
shores of the Hoan Kiem Lake below.
Mid-range
- Cha Ca La Vong (14 Cha Ca Street, also 107 Nguyen Truong To Street)
- this establishment is so famous, the street is named after it, instead of
the other way around. There's only one dish on the menu, fried fish, but
they've been serving it for five generations.
- Hapro, a Vietnamese vodka company, maintains two locations on the
southwest corner of Hoan Kiem lake; the indoor location has free wi-fi
Internet access.
- Little Hanoi - basically Western food with some Vietnamese food.
- Little Hanoi 2 is very good for Western breakfasts and sandwiches.
- Tamarind Café (Ma May 80, Old Quarter; tel. +84 4 926-0580) [9]
Has a menu full of inventive vegetarian dishes, lots of fresh juices, and a
relaxed, stylish interior. Don't come here if you're ravenous and out to
fill your belly, though, as the portions aren't very big, and it's a tad
pricey.
- La Salsa (near the church in old town) - French food and
ex-pat hang-out.
- Paris Deli (near St Joseph's Catheral)offers delicious Italian meal
(pasta, pizza, bread, soup etc.)
Splurge
- The Press Club Restaurant
- Green Tangerine - By american standards, very moderately priced. By
Hanoi standards, a bit pricey. Very good french restaurant with both an a la
carte selection and a set menu
- Restaurant Bobby Chinn - Again, very moderately priced by American
standards. Vietnamese fusion, and the most expensive item on the menu is the
Filet at US$20.
Drink
Bia Hơi
is abundant in the streets of the Old Quarter. At the crossing of Ta Hien
and Luong Ngoc Quyen five separate venues fill up with travelers in the
evenings, but you can get more local atmosphere on some of the side streets.
- Bar Barracuda, To 4A, Phuc Tan, (04)9323244 hanoi_barracuda@hotmail.com
is reportedly the most fashionable ex-pat hang-out, with live music, a beer
garden, sports bar and dancing area.
- Culi Café, 40 Lương Ngọc Quyến,
(84-04)9262241 culicafe@wideeyedtours.com
[10]
- for the feeling you haven't left your hometown or just need a break from
Bia Hoi, this Kiwi-run bar might be the answer. Air-con lounge upstairs,
with wireless connections, sports occasionally screened in the bar
downstairs. The same bar also runs a travel agency.
- Green Lake (Ho Guom Xanh) 32 Le Thai To, is a crowded bar with
weekly performances by popular local singers. A place for the definitive
Vietnamese entertainment scene.
- Le Maquis is a small bar on the norther end of Ta Hien. It's more
like a loud rock music binge and smoke pub than a stylish lounge, but
there's usually a happy crowd until late and the place has an authentic
feel.
Internet: There are hordes
of internet cafés all over the city. Most are full of Vietnamese teens playing
online dance or battle games, but if you want to be the one square who's using
the internet for text, well, that's up to you. Rates vary, but can be as
low as 3000 dong/hour. Some of the better cafés, particularly in the Old
Quarter, have computers that are Skype-capable for international phone calls.
Eating
& Drinking & Bar in Ho Chi Minh City
You're spoiled for choice in Saigon, which offers the country's largest
variety of Vietnamese and international food.
Budget
Food stalls are scattered all over the city, but there's a fair collection in
the Ben Thanh market (see Buy).
Along Pham Ngu Lao there are many budget Westernised options, and venturing a
bit further into the side alleys can uncover some better choices than on the
main streets.
Hue beef noodles at Dong Ba, 110A Nguyen Du, Dist 1. This is a shop that
sells Hue Food including Banh Beo, traditional rice cakes.
Mid-range
- Lemongrass, 4 Nguyen Thiep Street. A reliable if mildly touristy
Vietnamese restaurant. Most dishes are in US$3-4 range, although some
seafood items are expensive; try the weekly specials.
- Quan An Ngon, 138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street. A large but busy
Vietnamese restaurant featuring the best regional specialties from around
the country in the US$2-3 range. Set in an atmospheric old French villa
that's handy for Reunification Palace too. Has been enthusiastically
recommended by The New York Times.
- Quan Nuong, 29-31 Ton That Thiep. On the third floor (keep going
till you reach the roof, there's a restaurant inbetween the bottom floor ice
cream parlor and this restaurant), this BBQ restaurant is dangerously
delicious. Try the bacon wrapped salmon & the beef wrapped cheese
skewers - you grill it yourself at your table. Around US$3-5 per person.
Come with your fighting mitts on Friday and Saturday nights, everyone for
themselves when it comes to grabbing a table. Go downstairs to the first
floor after for some ice cream delights at Fanny's.
- Ngoc Suong Marina,19C Le Quy Don, is a restaurant specializing in
seafood. Try the fish salad and the clams cooked in white wine.
- Chi Nghia, 53 Thu Khoa Huan, near Ben Thanh market, [4].
Small place specializing in Northern style Vietnamese cuisine. It's run by
the chef/owner, who has 25 years of experience with Sofitel hotels, so her
cooking and presentation is five star quality, but the prices are definitely
reasonable. Entrees are US$2-5. Very clean, and nicely decorated.
Splurge
- L'En tete, 1st floor, 139 Nguyen Thai Binh, Q.1 (at the junction
with Calmette). Excellent French restaurant in a area not normally
associated with high dining. Great for a leisurely dining experience, good
food with main courses ranging from 150000-450000 dong. Open 17:00-midnight,
- Tân Nam, 60-62 Dong Du, Q.1 (a few doors down from Sheraton
Saigon). The ground floor is open-air, the upper floor is air-con.
Rather expensive and mediocre food, around US$10/person but they will park
your motorcycle while you eat, and wander around the waterfront.
- Temple Club, 29-31 Ton That Thiep, Q.1 (first floor, with an ice
cream parlour below) has a 1930's ambiance with separate bar,
restaurant, and lounge area sections. The food is fair but most people come
to soak up the atmosphere.
Drink
Coffee shops
A cup of immensely strong black Vietnamese coffee (sweetened with sugar or
condensed milk), cà phê sữa nóng, in a traditional Vietnamese café is
an absolute must when in Saigon. The coffee is actually brewed in a little metal
apparatus placed on your cup; just lift it off when it has cooled enough to
touch (and hence drink). During summer months, the combination of high humidity
and temperature may tempt tourists to try iced Vietnamese coffee (sweetened with
sugar and/or condensed milk), cà phê sữa đá.
Avoid beverages containing actual ice, though, since the ice may have been
created from local, impure water sources.
- Trung Nguyen [5]
is the Vietnamese version of Starbucks, but with much better coffee. Figure
on 10000 dong for a basic cuppa, although there are plenty of variations
including the infamous weasel coffee (cà phê chồn), made from
coffee beans collected from civet excrement. Two convenient outlets are east
side of Nguyen Hue right before City Hall, and corner of Thu Khoa Huan and
Ly Tu Trong.
- Givral Café, Dong Khoi (opposite Continental Hotel) is more
in the French tradition, with fresh pastries, collared waiters and elaborate
portions of ice cream. Well located, but over 20000 dong for the simplest
cup.
- Hideaway Café, 41/1 Pham Ngoc Thach, Q.3 - as it's name implies,
this place is hidden away and a good place to read, or have a quiet
conversation or meal. Decent Western menu, although slightly pricey, is
good. Free wi-fi.
- Sozo has two locations, including one in Pham Ngu Lao. Prices are
reasonable, wi-fi is free, and all proceeds benefit needy Vietnamese
families.
- Cine Café 116 Nguyen Du, inside the Galaxy Cinema complex - quiet
ambiance with views of the park.
- Chot Nho Cafe 189, Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan District. Reasonable
price, good menu. 10 minutes by taxi from main city centre. Wi-fi is free.
- Poppy Cafe 217 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3. Modern lounge cafe where the
specialty is fruit-topped natural frozen yogurt. The only cafe in SG that
serves this refreshing healthy treat. Creative fruit smoothies and light
Vietnamese + Western fares also on menu. Free Wi-fi, flat-screen TVs, and
English-speaking staff. [6]
- M-Comic 99B vo thi sau a, a rather hard to find coffee shop.
Upstair is like a bedroom with a couple of bed for costumer to lied on and
some table. Arrived early if u want to occupied the bed. It has large
selection of magazine and comic book to chose from. The price is fairly
cheap, ranging from 11,000 to 30,000 Dong. But only served vietnamese drink,
and the staff barly speak english. Has free wifi.
Bars and clubs
Saigon has plenty of places to drink, although to a certain degree Vietnamese
and foreigners hang out in different places; however this is slowly changing as
Westerners become more familiar with the ways of the East.
- Allez Boo, corner Pham Ngu Lao, De Tham. The definitive backpacker
bar. Full to the brim with the just-off-the-boat/plane/bus crowd, but none
the worse for it. Always busy and sometimes a good night out, although not
cheap for the area. Stick to beer (which is cheap and available in large
sizes), the mixed drinks are expensive and surprisingly weak.
- Apocalypse Now, 2C Thi Sach. Legendary and still packed on
weekends, although aside from a few movie references it's not all that much
to look at. Stays open late.
- Bottom Line, Ly Thu Trung. Cubby hole for the lost and lonely. Good
sports coverage, OK food, and pleasant attractive staff.
- Carmen, 8, Ly Thu Trung. Fantastic latin music playing band. Drinks
pricing on the upside though.
- Catwalk, at the side of New World Hotel. All in one place with a
massage parlour, disco, KTV and a mini casino. Price is on the expensive
side but it is a sight to behold.
- 163 Cyclo Bar, 163 Pham Ngu Lao St. Thumping music untill 2 a.m.
and really friendly staff. Located 2 doors down from the Duna Hotel. The
Vietnamese girls seem to have a strong affinity for caucasian men in this
bar as every white male was accompanied by an asian girl.
- Eden, De Tham Street. Often busy, full of sporties, revellers,
expats and others. Dark and deep and reasonably priced for the backpacker
main drag.
- Go2 Go2 Go2, De Tham (Allez Boo's sister bar). Cheesey decor and
chart music, but always jammed with backpackers on the asian circuit and
numerous white dreads with acoustic guitars. Has wi-fi. Run by racist who
enforce a "no Blacks upstairs" policy" they justify by
saying, "I just work here." Avoid like the plague.
- Heart Of Darkness [7],
17b Le Thanh Ton. Based on the Cambodian equivalent, this is a friendly
mid-range bar. Broadly a dance-centric "teacher-friendly" expat
bar, but plays to all-comers.
- Ice Blue, Dong Khoi. Downtown English pub, complete with darts
board and warm beer (if you want it that way!). Friendly, but shuts at
midnight.
- Juice, claims to be Saigon's first juice bar (of course it wasn't,
there were many local places before - but maybe it was the first
Western-managed one). Food slipped recently, but still a nice place to hang
out. Has wi-fi.
- Level 23, Sheraton Saigon 23F. The latest on the 5-star hotel
drinking scene, with separate bar and nightclub, and great views over the
city. A little soulless though, and very pricey with most drinks 80000 dong.
- Lush, Ly Tu Trong. Vietnam's first half-way decent night club.
Hugely expensive, but musically about as good as it gets in this part of the
world. Mixed crowd (Vietnamese, tourists and expats), pretty good food - but
no dance floor. Lots of billiards/pool tables out back.
- Metallic Bar, 41 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, District 3. House band plays
covers of Metallica, Guns N Roses and other popular rock bands nightly
between 9pm and midnight.
- Napoli, Pham Ngoc Tach. Located in a villa on the first floor
(above an ice cream parlour). Good live music with a mixture of Vietnamese
and English songs. The resident band must predate the reunification as they
know all the old songs.
- Oblivion, Bui Vien. Late night venue with lots of character, claims
to be Saigon's premier music bar and it's hard to argue - assuming, that is,
you have a taste for non-chart buzzy British guitar and obscure dark
US/European stuff. You have to ask for happy pop, though if you're spending
enough it'll sometimes get an outing. Like most Saigon bars, it attracts its
share of working girls. If you're not interested, simply say you're not and
you'll be left alone.
- Polo, Ham Nghi Street (above the Liberty Hotel). Mixture of
expats and locals, starts getting busy quite early. Reasonably priced food
and drink, good music spanning from the Eighties to the present.
- Saigon Pho, this little hole in the wall is only a stone's throw
from Allez Boo, but much more expat orientated. Open late.
- Saigon Saigon, Caravelle Hotel 9F, 12-13 Lam Son Square. A pleasant
bar for a nightcap with good views; but get there early if you want to avoid
the execrable house band.
- Shadow Bar, 41 Dong Du Street. Expat bar, good place to wind down
or up. Recently moved premises from 56 Mac Thi Buoi Street.
- The Tavern SB8-1 My Khanh 2 (H4-2) Nguyen Van Linh, Saigon South
(Phu My Hung) tel: 4120866. Great place to enjoy a cold beer or a great
"Western" meal - favourite dishes are fish'n'chips &
bangers'n'mash. Reasonable prices and nice, friendly staff and management.
Opens for breakfast, closes at midnight.
- Underground - more a food than a drink spot, though open for both.
Sometimes busy with the business crowd, always packed with people enjoying
the reasonably priced burgers, steaks and the like.
- Peaches Saigon South (Phu My Hung) . Great place to enjoy a few
drinks with friends .Friendly staff , great food!!
What
to do in Hanoi
http://wikitravel.org/en/Hanoi
Museums
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (Open mornings only, 8-11am; closed
afternoons, Mondays, and Fridays. Admission free.) The city down south may
have his name, but only Hanoi has the man himself, entombed in distinctly Lenin-esque
fashion - against his wishes, but that's how it goes. No talking, short
pants, or other signs of disrespect allowed while viewing; photos are
allowed only from outside, in the grand Ba Dinh Square. Purses are allowed
into the tomb, but expect them to be searched by several bored soldiers
along the way. Left luggage is handled in a complicated scheme: there is an
office near the street for large bags, with separate windows for Vietnamese
and foreigners, and a further office for cameras, which will be transported
to a third office right outside the exit of the mausoleum. Items
checked in at the first office, however, will stay there. Note that the
mausoleum is closed for a couple months around the end of the year, when the
body is taken overseas for maintenance.
- Ho Chi Minh Museum (19 Ngoc Ha St., Ba Dinh, Hanoi; tel. +84-4
846-3572, fax +84-4 843-9837; Open 8-11:30am, 2-4pm, closed Monday and
Friday afternoons. Admission 15,000 dong.) bthochiminh@hn.vnn.vn
Right around the corner, this gleaming white museum and its gloriously
ham-handed iconography are the perfect chaser to the solemnity of the
mausoleum. The building, completed in 1990, is intended to evoke a white
lotus. Some photos and old letters are on display on the second floor, but
the main exhibition space is on the third floor. Guards won't allow photos
of the giant bronze Ho Chi Minh statue at the top of the stairs, but tend
not to care about photos of the rest of the exhibits, which include cars
crashing through walls to represent the chaos of post-war American
capitalism, soldiers charging around with electric plugs, and a cave hideout
re-imagined as the inside of Ho Chi Minh's brain. Guides are available in
English, French, Chinese and Russian, but don't bother; the displays are
labeled in English and French, and it's hard to imagine the guides doing
much other than belaboring the point.
- Ho Chi Minh's Vestige In The Presidential Palace Area (No.1 Bach
Thao, Ba Dinh, Hanoi; tel. +84 08044529, fax +84 08043064. Open 7:30-11am,
2-4pm in the summer, and 8-11am, 1:30-4pm in the winter. Closed Monday and
Friday afternoons. Admission 15,000 dong.) The exit from the mausoleum takes
you right into the grounds of the, uh, vestige, where Ho Chi Minh lived and
worked from 1954 until his death in 1969. The nicely landscaped complex
includes two of Ho Chi Minh's houses, kept shiny and "as he left
them" by the authorities, as well as a garage with two of Ho's cars and
a carp-filled pond. The Presidential Palace is also nearby, but it's not
always open to visitors. Pamphlets are available in English, Chinese,
French, and Korean. Guided tours are usually available if you wait.
- One-Pillar Pagoda. Tucked away between the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
and Museum. Travelers find the One-Pillar Pagoda either charming and lovely
or utterly pointless, depending on how many tour groups are crammed into the
small grounds at the time of their visit. Either way, it's free.
- Fine Arts Museum (Bảo Tàng Mỹ Thuật), 66
Nguyen Thai Hoc Street.
- Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu) (On Quoc Tu Giam
St., south of the Mausoleum. Admission 5,000 dong.) The Temple of Literature
was founded in 1070 and established as the country's first university six
years later. The courtyard features numerous stone tablets, each mounted on
the back of a tortoise, with the names of graduates.
- Army Museum (Bảo Tàng Quân Đội), Dien
Bien Phu Street. Vietnam's military history extends back some two millennia,
and this museum covers it. On display outside are the ubiquitous MiG-21 jet
fighter and T-54 tank.
- Air Force Museum (Bảo Tàng Không Quân), Truong
Chinh Street (Southwest of center). There's a decent outdoor collection of
Soviet-built MiG fighters, a huge Mi-6 helicopter, and other aircraft;
unfortunately they've been exposed to the elements for some time and local
kids climb over them.
Parks
- Hoan Kiem Lake is a pleasant park in the center of town, within
easy walking distance from anywhere in the Old Quarter. It's the locals'
favorite leisure spot, and a great place to watch early-morning tai chi
or sit and read in the afternoon. Hoan Kiem means "returned
sword", and the name comes from a legend in which King Le Loi was given
a magical sword by the gods, which he used to drive out the invading
Chinese. Later, while boating on the lake, he encountered a giant turtle,
who grabbed the sword and carried it down to the depths, returning it to the
gods from whom it had come. (You can see a version of the legend at the Water
Puppet Theater - see below.) The giant turtles reportedly still inhabit
the lake, and were last seen in 2002.
- Ngoc Son Temple (admission 2,000 dong) extends out into the
lake, with small but attractive grounds, displays on Vietnamese history
and, more memorably, displays on the giant turtles, including a
mummified specimen.
- Ho Tay, or "West Lake", is northwest of the city, and has
become a popular site for gaudy villas owned by the well-to-do.
Wartime sites
- Hoa Lo Prison ("The Hanoi Hilton"), Hai Ba Trung Street.
Originally built by the French and later used to hold captured U.S. airmen,
little remains of the structure besides the "Maison Centrale" gate
and a small museum. Most of it has made way for a new high-rise building,
though it's not the new, real Hilton hotel - even for Vietnam that would be
a bit too ironic.
- B-52 Lake. Until December 19, 1972, this was just a small brackish
pond just off Hoang Hoa Tam Street, about 1 km west of the mausoleum. On
that day, in a twisted retelling of the Hoan Kiem legend (see above),
Vietnamese anti-aircraft guns (possibly with the help of flying turtles)
retook the enemy's eight-engined, 100-ton sword and sent it, too, to the
shallow bottom of the lake, where it remains today.
- Downed Aircraft Memorial. Along Thanh Nien Street on Truc Bach lake
there is a stone plaque commemorating the shooting down of a U.S. Navy (not
"USAF" as depicted) aircraft in 1967. Peruse the Vietnamese script
and you can pick out the name of John McCain, one of the airmen.
Theatre
- Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre (57 Dinh Tien Hoang St., across the
street from the shores of the Hoan Kiem Lake; tel. +84-4-824-9494, fax
+84.4.824-5117) [8].
A visit to the water puppet theater is a real highlight of a trip to Hanoi.
Live musicians accompany folk legends from Vietnamese history, told with
wooden men, women and dragons, dancing and splashing on the face of the
water. The narratives are sung in Vietnamese, but a list of titles is
available in several languages. Tickets are 20,000/40,000 dong. There are
several performances throughout the day, but it's virtually impossible to
buy tickets for the same day, and most performances for the following day
will be sold out as well. Camera passes are an extra 15,000 dong, but
whether you buy one or not is purely on the honor system. Don't worry about
getting wet, but the seats are very small, and visitors with above-average
height will have to squirm a bit.
What
to do in Ho Chi Minh City
The helpful, squeaky clean Tourist Information Center (4G
4H Le Loi St, Dist. 1, HCMC. Tel (84-8) 822 6033) can be found on the northeast
corner of the roundabout at the intersection of Le Loi and Nguyen Hue, right in
the heart of the city. It's a great place to pick up a free map (which includes
a map of Hanoi, as well) and get an idea of what the city and surrounding area
has to offer.
- Reunification
Palace, Enter at 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia
St., ☎
9693272. Open daily
7:30-11:00am, 1:00-4:00pm. Also known as Independence Palace.
This is a restored five-floor time warp to the Sixties left largely
untouched from the day before Saigon fell to the North. Formerly South
Vietnam's Presidential Palace, the war ended on April 30, 1975 when tank
#843 — now parked on the lawn outside — crashed through the gate. Be
sure to check out the impressively kitschy recreation room, featuring a
circular sofa, and the eerie basement, full of vintage 1960s phones, radios,
and office equipment, supposedly left exactly as it was found when the North
took over. There is also a photo gallery and a propaganda film recounting
how the South Vietnamese lackeys and American imperialists succumbed to Ho
Chi Minh's indomitable revolutionary forces, upon which point the lackeys
were forgiven and everyone lived happily ever after. Tours are available,
but not necessary. There is a nice outdoor cafe on the grounds outside the
palace. Entry 15,000 dong.
- War
Remnants Museum, 28 Vo Van Tan Street,
☎ 9302112,
9306325, 9305587 (warrmhcm@gmail.com).
Open daily 7:30am-12:00pm, 1:30-5:00pm, last admission
4:30pm. Formerly known under the perhaps-too-subtle moniker of
Exhibition House of American War Crimes, the museum was opened in a hurry,
less than five months after the fall of the South. It's currently housed in
a rather confused assemblage of seven warehouses, with new purpose-built
premises partially open for temporary and permanent exhibits. This
disturbing display of man's cruelty during the Vietnam (American) War
includes halls full of gruesome photographs, a simulated "tiger
cage" prison and jars of deformed fetuses blamed on Agent Orange. (The
comic relief provided by a display on the evils of American rock music has
sadly disappeared.) There are, of course, no records of any unpleasant deeds
ever having been committed by the North Vietnamese Army. Outside, there are
helicopters, jets, tanks, and other bits of armament. It's only a block from
the Reunification Palace — see the museum pamphlet for a map. Entry
10,000 dong.
- On Le Quy Don, just south of the museum, is a 2000 dong/cone soft
ice cream vendor, a happy treat in a hot and hectic city.
- City Hall, end of Nguyen Hue Street. Originally called the Hôtel
de Ville and now formally re-branded the People's Committee Hall,
it's a striking cream and yellow French colonial building beautifully
floodlit at night. No entry, but the statue of Uncle Ho in front is a
very popular place for photos.
- Museum
of Vietnamese History, at the
intersection of Le Duan Street and Nguyen Binh Khiem (just
inside the zoo gates). The museum has a fine collection of Vietnamese
antiquities, but unfortunately they are accompanied by signage which is both
in poor English and full of risible Marxist distortions. Read up on
Vietnamese history first or you'll have no idea what you're looking at.
Outside, the Botanical Gardens are very nice and a good place for a cheap
lunch away from the crowds. If you care about animal welfare, avoid the zoo.
Religious sites
- Notre
Dame Cathedral, Han Thuyen Street,
facing down Dong Khoi (next to the Post Office).
Closes for lunch and on weekends. A French-built
Catholic cathedral in the city centre. Free entry.
There are several Chinese temples in Cholon, the Chinatown district of
old Saigon. Only a few are listed here.
- Thien Hau
Pagoda, 710 Nguyen Trai Street, Cholon.
Dedicated to Lady Thien Hau, the sea goddess, who left two giant turtles to
keep an eye on things in her absence. A festival is held in her honor on the
23rd day of the March lunar month. Don't miss the gorgeous sculptures in the
walls of the courtyard outside the temple. Entry free.
- Quan Am
Pagoda, 12 Lao Tu, Cholon (Just
off Hung Vuong, close to Thien Hau Pagoda). Open
8:00am-4:30pm. The oldest pagoda in town, home of a lot of incense
and a cheerful puppy. Entry free.
- Phung
Son Tu Pagoda, 408 3 Thang 2 Blvd
(On the outskirts of Cholon). Dedicated to the god
of happiness and virtue. The pagoda itself is dusty and dwarfed by
high-rises under construction nearby, but the small, sculpted grounds are a
good place for a rest from the hectic city.
Do
If the heat starts to get you down, there are several water parks where you
can splash around to cool off.
- Dam Sen
Water Park, 03 Hoa Binh, Ward 3,
District 11, ☎
858.8418, 865.3453 (damsenwaterpark@vnn.vn,
fax: 858.8419),
[2].
Mon-Sat 8:30am-6:00pm, Sundays and Holidays
8:00am-7:00pm. Close to the city center. Opened in 1999, with new
water slides added each year — management promises the new Space Bowl
Slide will make guests have "unforgettable new feelings". You'd be
a fool to resist. Restaurant, health services, and animatronic dinosaurs are
on the premises. Admission is height-based; under 0.8m
free, others 35-70,000 dong.
- Saigon Water Park [3]
is just north of the city in the Thu Duc District.
- There are also Water World in District 9, Ocean Water Park in District 7,
and Dai The Gioi Water Park in District 5.
- The Saigon River isn't for swimming. The park in front of the
Renaissance Hotel offers nice views of the river. Make sure you know how to
cross the road before attempting to get there. Expect to encounter some
beggars in the park.
Visiting hair salons is also a must do for tourists, as Vietnamese are famous
for it. Hair wash, manicure and pedicure cost no more than US$10.
- Vu Salon, 210, Tran Quang Khai, District 1. A nice place to go.
If you're in Saigon on a Sunday night, then beg, borrow, or rent a
two-wheeled vehicle and join the throngs for di choi. It's basically a
party on wheels, where everyone just rides through the downtown streets until
the wee hours.
- Galaxy Cinema at 116, Nguyen Du, District 1, is a favorite among
locals and bored tourists. They show up-to-date movies on four screens.
Buy
- Ben Thanh Market, west end of Le Loi. Probably the largest,
offering a wide spread of, well, pretty much everything from Ho Chi Minh
T-shirts to cosmetics, diapers, pickled plums and live ducks. Popular with
tourists, so prepare to haggle
(your luck may vary with this, as 'fixed' prices are being introduced).
- Night Market (just outside of Ben Thanh Market). Here you
can enjoy many kinds of different food and drink, and go round to do your
shopping as well. Open from 5:00pm (when the Ben Thanh Market closes).
- War Surplus Market, sometimes called the American Market, in
Cholon. Dense warrens of stalls with old American military gear of
indeterminate authenticity, cheap t-shirts, and electrical supplies.
- Saigon Square, corner of Hai Ba Trung and Nguyen Du. Some of the
former Russian Market stores have moved here. Very popular for hip, young
people; you can find cheap watches, DVDs, T-shirts, jeans, shorts, slippers,
etc, and there's a nice supper market in the middle of the square. Open
9:00am-7:00pm.
- Tax Department Store, corner of Le Loi and Nguyen Hue. Formerly the
Russian Market, this is now a rather sterile department store of sorts
filled with stalls selling touristy kitsch, although the selections get
better as you ascend the levels. There's a good supermarket on level
2. If you are traveling here by taxi, the new name may be met by blank
expressions from taxi drivers. The old name seems to work.
Other
Interesting Destinations in Vietnam
- Haiphong
/ Hải Phòng
- Can
Tho / Cần Thơ
- Dalat
/ Đà Lạt
- Da
Nang / Đà Nẵng
- Hoi
An - and the ruins of Mỹ Sơn
- Hue
/ Huế
- Nha
Trang
- Binh
Duong / Bình Dương - a highly industrial province
- Con
Dao island
- Cu
Chi, site of the Cu Chi Tunnels
- Cuc
Phuong National Park - in Ninh Binh Province
- Dien
Bien Phu / Điện Biên Phủ
- The
DMZ
- Ha
Long Bay / Vịnh Hạ Long
- Mekong Delta / Đồng bằng Sông Cửu Long - in South
Vietnam
- Mui
Ne / Mũi Né / and other beach resorts
- Phu
Quoc / Phú Quốc - an island adjacent to the border with Cambodia
- Sapa
- Tay Ninh
/ Tây Ninh / main temple of the Cao Dai / Cao Đài
- Tam
Coc / Near Ninh Binh south to Hanoi with Ha Long-bay-like sceneries on
rice paddies
- The Perfume Pagoda is a Buddhist pilgrimage site about 60 km
southwest of Hanoi. A full-day excursion involves a boat trip, hiking up a
mountain, and visiting various temples and grottoes.
- Cao
Bang, featuring the beautiful Ban Gioc waterfall, is five hours away by
bus, near the Chinese border.
- The Cuc
Phuong National Park is the largest national park in Vietnam, and an
easy day-trip from Hanoi.
- Staying overnight in a boat on the breath-taking Ha
Long Bay (or in a hotel on Cat
Ba Island) is the most popular side-trip from Hanoi.
- The northern village of Sapa,
home to ethnic minorities and gorgeous mountain scenery, is also a popular
two or three day trip.
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