A guide by VANYA
Head up to the Caravelle Hotel's rooftop bar in the evening and watch the sun set over Ho Chi Minh City.
Non-residents are welcome, although it's probably a good idea not to turn up in a scruffy T-shirt and shorts.
It's a five-star hotel, so expect to pay five-star prices, but it's worth it for the view.
19 Lam Son Square, District 1.
www.caravellehotel.com/
Many excellent bars for westerners in downtown Saigon (District 1), such as:
Number 5, 5 Ly Tu Trong;
Bottom Line, 21 Ton Duc Thang;
Nguyen Du Brauhof, 98 Nguyen Du;
Sheridan's 17/13 Le Thanh Ton;
Rex Rooftop Bar, Rex Hotel, 141 Nguyen Du.
See more on our magazine Saigon Inside Out.
Mekong is the 12th longest river in the world and one of the most important rivers in south-east Asia.
Take a two-three day tour from Ho Chi Minh City, drive along the rivers by boat and see how the locals live in the countryside.
The tours include visits to local food producers and a memorable early morning boat ride to the famous floating market.
All the tour agencies in Ho Chi Minh City can arrange the tours. Accommodation and foods are included.
Colonial Hotel in centre of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), which means you can walk to all the shops and sights from the hotel.
It was the hotel that Michael Caine was filmed in during the The Quiet American. Great American coffee (most coffee in Vietnam is Vietnamese, and rather bitter) available in the veranda style lounge room overlooking one of the shopping streets.
Opposite the Opera House in centre of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
Great rooftop drinks and fantastic views of historic HCMC centre from this 20th floor bar and terrace, and one of the pluses is that because you're in it, this modern edifice isn't spoiling your view as it towers over the Opera House, Post Office, Rex Hotel and Notre Dame Cathedral. Hang on to your money in the breeze for the sake of the waiters. A couple of notes we were leaving for a tip blew through the balustrade, and the waiter leapt over onto a narrow 20th floor ledge to rescue them before we could offer replacements. Good service or madness?
On Dong Khoi, the French and Americans famous Rue Catinat, at Lam Son Square
www.fivestaralliance.com/luxury_hotel/ho_chi_minh_city/caravelle_hotel
This tour company is pricey, but the experience is well worth it. Heard some horror stories of trips to Halong Bay but ours was perfect (except for the highly marked up drinks on board!)
80 Ma May, Hanoi
www.handspan.com
Overnight trains are fun, but this one comes with the added bonus of a brilliant view between Da Nang and Hue (on the right hand side of the train going north).
We paid 450,000 dong (about $30) each for a top bunk berth in a four-bed carriage. Lower bunks are more expensive, but probably nicer for views and storage space.
The train comes all the way from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. If you are getting on half way then you may need to strip the bed of its old linen and ask the not very helpful guards for 2 new sheets.
Food is included, but not particularly nice (cabbage and mackerel stew on boiled rice anyone?). Vendors follow the official trolley selling much nicer fare.
There are several trains a day. We caught the 14h15 from Da Nang so that we'd get the coastal views up to Hue. Everyone seemed to bunk down and sleep by about 20h30 so arriving in Hanoi at 04h30 did not seem too traumatic! And then you are just in time to dump your luggage and join the early morning crowds at Hoan Kiem lake.
Buy tickets in advance from the train station (not sure if you can buy from a station other than your departure one- tried to find out and failed). The earlier you buy the better as tickets do sell out.
For the best and cheapest massage ever, head to the Vietnamese Traditional Massage Institute where all the masseurs are blind.
It costs about £2 for an hour.
85 Cong Quynh, Dist. 1.
Tel: 839 6697
These are NOT for the faint hearted! For $10, get picked up at your hotel and taken on a boat around the beautiful waters of Nha Trang.
Be prepared for a mighty feast, some lethal Vietnamese wine, serious drinking games and a boat full of travellers.
Snorkeling and food/drink is included. It's one hell of an experience.
Ask at any hotel in Nha Trang - they'll know what you mean and help you contact Mama Han.
Fabulous atmospheric ruins of an ancient city where Hinduism meets Brahamism meets Buddism. Slightly off the beaten track so not many tourists - take the bus from Hoi An.
Crumbling intricately carved temples and columns being swallowed up by the jungle. Well worth a visit.
Huge white-sand, palm-fringed beach that stretches for 30km, and can be almost empty on weekdays.
There are deckchairs to rent and kiosks selling fresh seafood and drinks, as well as a few restaurants and top-end hotels.
Located about 4km from Hoi An. Easily reached by bike from Hoi An or taxis cost approx US$3.
Get up at dawn and wander around the old quarter, where joggers and tai chi classes replace the ever-present mopeds.
Near the statue in Hoan Kiem Lake, down a side street, there is a flower market, which transforms the area completely.
GuideVietnam is a very useful travel site which includes information on getting to Vietnam, getting around the country, health and safety, visa and passport information, weather, currency, cuisine and dining, a cultural and social profile, language, maps, books, a Vietnam airlines guide, and a list of travel "dos and don'ts."
Comprehensive, frequently updated listing of restaurants and cafes in Hanoi and other places. Reviews submitted by users and links to third-party reviews. Submit your favourite places and help it to grow.
chefmoz.org/Vietnam/Hanoi/
chefmoz.org/vietnam/Hoi_An/
chefmoz.org/Vietnam/Ho_Chi_Minh_City/
...and other cities.
iViVu is the only travel website in Vietnam offering a flight search and booking facility at a great price. It also provides you with travel information on Vietnam.
Okay, it is a chain and you are possibly subsidising Paris's hair extensions, but I thought that this was a really nice contrast to the great guesthouse we stayed at in Hoi An.
The (dis)advantage is that you are out of the hurly burly of the frenzied old town, which is where most tourists stay. For that you get a rooftop pool, gym, flawless service, huge breakfasts and a really peaceful night's sleep. You also get Americans on business travel shouting at the staff, but nowhere's perfect.
The hotel is next to the Opera House, five minutes' walk to the lake and another five to the edge of the old town.
It was less than $100/night (averaged it out with super cheap Hoi An guest house, so it did not feel too extravagant!)
www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/HANHITW-Hilton-Hanoi-Opera-hotel/index.do
Wait until you get to Vietnam to book internal flights. It's much cheaper than booking in the UK. I flew from Hanoi to Hue for £200. I flew from Dalat to Ho Chi Minh City for £30.
There are lots of Vietnam Airlines offices in major cities.
We joined a tour with Hanoi Street Foods which was a great introduction to the local grub and took us places we wouldn't have dared go ourselves.
When we got more confident we sampled the local 'bia hois' where a glass of beer is available for less than 10p!
Also recommended is Highway4 restaurant where we were either ultra-confident or drunk on their rice wine and tucked into local scorpions, bugs, ostrich and crocodile!
This is a quiet oasis right in the heart of busy and often hectic Hanoi. It is also one of the few remaining examples of ancient Vietnamese architecture and is considered perhaps the city’s greatest cultural sight. Founded in 1070, it became the country’s first university in 1076 to educate the sons of mandarins. A stelae naming the birth places and achievements of those receiving their doctorate here is one of the temple’s highlights. There are five separate courtyards and the complex is quite large so allow ample time to enjoy its contemplative grounds. Admission is 20,000 dong ($1.25) and open 8am-5pm daily.
www.easyvietnamtravel.com
www.traveltolao.com
www.bienngoccruise.com
www.dulichnoidia.com
www.dulichnuocngoai.biz
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www.easyvietnamadventures.com
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