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1. A Vietnamese place opposite Cafe 69 on Ma May. Staff wear pink shirts and it's full of locals. Really great food and very cheap. Spanish people we met in Halong Bay had been there too, and they loved it as well.
2. I couldn't find Baguette and Chocolat. I think it may be closed and replaced by a clothes retail outlet. But Golden Land (No. 15 Cha Ca) was a good afternoon coffee stop on the same street.
3. Apsara in Danang (recommended in LP) was very disappointing! It's expensive and food was average at best.
4. However, Cafe 43 on Van Cam in HoiAn (also in LP) was the best food we had in Vietnam. Absolutely excellent. Can't rave enough about it - we even took photos of the food and went there for dinner and lunch, despite only being in Hoian for two days.
Other tips:
1. In Hue, Mr. Pho from Pho's Cafe, one of the little shops and cafe's opposite the train station exit was a God-send. He sorted out taxis and tours for us despite the heavy rain. He speaks good English and was reasonable in his price. (USD$25 for a private car to take us to Hue's main tombs and pagodas - Tu Duc, Thien Mu, the Purple Citadel...etc) for an entire afternoon.
2. HoiAn - If you are planning on visiting My Son, stop off at the Cham Museum in Danang first. Many of the best sculptures and statues from My Son are now kept here, and visiting both will give you a much better understanding of the Cham culture.
3. Go to My Son early (leave before 7am). You'll need an hour to get there and 2 hours to soak up everything, and the tour buses arrive at 9.30am. It's worth the effort! (USD$16-$20 return by private car).
travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-6916783-vietnam_restaurants-i - restaurant reviews
www.vietnamtravelguide.com/ - food and drink guide
www.vietnam-hotels.net/ - restaurant list
Bac Ha Market is a trading market place at Bac Ha district, Lao Cai Province, which is about 2 ½ hour traveling by bus from Lao cai city. It is famous for keeping the original features of ethnic minorities of Vietnam.
Bac Ha market is not simply a place for trading like other markets. It is not only the place to exchange local goods with the outside, but also a place of cultural interaction amongst the local peoples. Once down the mountain, people always wear new colorful skirts to join the Bac Ha market because they consider it as a festival held every Sunday. This custom is still maintained today.
Bac Ha market are divided into small markets according to its features such as brocade market, food market, horse market, poultry market, bird market. Each market area is filled with goods and brings its own profound traits. Especially, Bac Ha is also the most romantic dating place for young men and women after one hard-working week.
Address: Bac Ha Market, Bac Ha district, Lao Cai Province, Sapa, Northern Vietnam.
URL: www.vietnam-beauty.com/top-destinations/destination-in-the-north/11-destination-in-the-north/256-bac-ha-market-feast-for-the-eyes.html
KOTO helps disadvantaged young people in Vietnam by teaching them cookery and beverage skills and English.
The food is delicious and safe and they serve both European and Vietnamese traditional dishes.
There is also bar on the 2nd floor. The restaurant is near the Temple of Literature.
The staff is all KOTO trainees with good skills and a friendly manner. I am sure you will feel pleased with them, and happy as you are indirectly helping street children brighten their lives.
address: 59 Van Mieu street, Hanoi, Vietnam
url: koto.com.au
nearest station: Hanoi station
explore more about Vietnamese food and drinks: vietnam-beauty.com/food-a-drink.html
Many minibuses wait at the train station for Sapa. They offer the service for 25-30,000D but the local price is 20,000D so bargain hard.
Arriving in Sapa
The minibus stops at the area where many hotels are clustered. This is not the center. Ask the driver to take you to the market or Royal Hotel, both are good starting points to look for a room. The entrance of the market is Cau May Street, where most budget accommodation can be found. All rooms tend to be equipped with hot water. Only expensive hotels have a/c. The view to the valley is the key to choosing a room.
Weekends are always busy due to the Sunday market at Bac Ha and most hotels put their prices up during the weekend.
The tourist peak and dry season runs from March to May and October to November but it is also a good season for trekking.
The rainy season runs from June to August and is cold at night (Sapa is 1500m above sea level)
There is no tourist office but you can get info at travel agents and there are many in town. They all deal with trekking tours.
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is a huge place and although the centre can be navigated on foot reasonably easily, venturing further afield can be hot and thirsty work.
For the brave, a motorcycle taxi, or Xe Om, is a great way to see the city; travelling without a roof means you can take in a lot more of the city, provided you haven't clenched your eyes shut in fear. Since December 2007 all Xe Oms carry spare helmets for their passengers so this is now safer than it was. Be prepared to haggle for your fare though!
For the rest of us, taxis are a cheap, cool and comfortable. Escape from the heat and the noise of the city; a journey across the centre can cost as little as $1-2.
Be careful to go with a good brand like Vinataxi, Mai Linh or Vinasun though, as there are a few shady operators who fiddle their meters.
Get a different perspective on this enigmatic, colourful country and its charming people with a train journey from Hanoi, perhaps to Dong Hoi, Danang, or even for those with stamina, the 1000 miles to Ho Chi Minh City. This is a great chance to talk to local travellers, have a drink with your carriage guard,and reflect on the passing rural scene.
The name Reunification Express is about as dated as the train itself, as most people in this vibrant country are younger than the unified state. Only the 'express' bit remains purely a longer term ambition with a possible Shinkansen style train designed by Japanese rail engineers.
Right from the experience of trying to buy a ticket as a foreigner to the moment you get off, this is a true journey. You'll be bombarded by sellers, so won't be short of food or drink, but you might like to take a few blue cheese baguettes and a bottle of wine from a stall in Hanoi if you think you'll tire of rice, beer and fruit.
Buy the soft sleeper for overnights for some comfort, and expect to share with a local or soldier if you are less than four. Let life unfold at a leisurely pace for a day or two, and avoid the typical, could be anywhere airport frustrations.
Hanoi Station, monument to the French past.
Lots of info at seat61,
www.seat61.com/Vietnam.htm
The Golden Sun Hotel represents an excellent mid-range choice in a quieter part of the Old Quarter, close to some excellent little eateries and Japanese-inspired boutique shops and a five minutes walk from Hoan Kiem Lake. We stayed in the 'family room' which offers superb views of the lake. The breakfast room on the same floor offers the same views as you tuck into a tasty and varied breakfast menu (included in price).
Views from the room aside, the outstanding feature of the hotel is the service. Ha and Thao on reception were incredibly helpful, friendly and professional. They arranged train and air travel throughout the rest of Vietnam for us and telephoned our next hotel in Hue to confirm our arrival and pick up arrangement the next day.
A great place to stay in Hanoi.
23 Hang Hanh Street, Hanoi
www.goldensun-hotel.com/
Located in central Hoi An, you will find this chilled little restaurant serving tasty, modern Vietnamese/Asian food and, if you are in the mood, excellent cocktails. Grab yourself a spot on the raised tatami 'flooring' with a table in the middle and enjoy excellent views of the lantern-lit river at night. Superb service.
111 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Hoi An.
www.mangorooms.com
This is a fab lodge about four hours drive from Hanoi in a beautiful valley. Very few tourists, good four-star accommodation and great food. We went cycling around local villages, saw different hill tribes, went to a cave and visited a local market. There were so few tourists compared to Sapa.
The lodge is in Hoa Binh area but we booked through Buffalo Tours www.buffalotours.com as their rates were the cheapest we could find (they actually own the lodge)
I loved this place, we actually ended up going back a second night. It's really fun, with a good mix of Vietnamese and western people. They serve food that is very different, i.e. you can get local food and if you are crazy you can get scorpion etc. They also have great home made rice wine. Their catfish spring rolls are to die for. It is owned by an English guy who we met on our second night. Lovely place, very relaxed but also different.
It's on Hang Be Street which is on the east of the Old Quarter in Hanoi. Sorry I don't know the exact address.
I had no idea you can rock climb in halong bay until I was recommended it by my travel agent. Its amazing, better than Krabi and so much fun. Its beautiful, you can sleep in basic accommodation on an island, away from the crowds. They are super professional and great fun to learn with.
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It is the undiscovered sister of Ha Long Bay. We sailed through its green waters and looming limestone karsts and saw only a handful of boats - all local fishing boats. If you want to sail on unpolluted waters and avoid touts book a trip through Ethnic Travel. They can arrange a homestay on quiet Van Don island where you cycle from the port. We had a boat between five passengers and was served delicious freshly cooked food on board.
I was going to book my holiday with an agent in the UK but then a friend told me about Buffalo Tours. They are based in Vietnam and western managed and so much cheaper than going through an agent that would probably use all their services anyway. We booked direct with them, got exactly the same service but paid much less. They put together our own trip - everything from planning, guides, hotels was perfect.
Best bet is their website
www.buffalotours.com
The Orchid Hotel is a delightful mid-range option in Hue. It deservedly gets rave reviews on Trip Advisor. From $35 you can get an ensuite double room complete with flat screen TV, DVD player and a computer with free internet access in your room. Should you need to chill in your room you can borrow DVDs from reception. The staff are super friendly and they gladly picked us up from the train station free of charge (a welcome service after an overnight train from Hanoi). The price includes a decent enough buffet breakfast and you can book rooms online at the hotel's website.
30A Chu Van An Street, Hue, Vietnam.
www.orchidhotel.com.vn
Bargaining is considered the most common way to buy things in Saigon. It is not that complicated if you think of it as a a harmonious yin-yang balance. You want the item, and the seller wants your money. Bargaining is simply a search for the balance between your desire and the seller's. However, should the items have price labels, there is almost no bargaining.
If you get hungry during your shopping spree, stop for some finger food or relax in one of the Saigon Restaurants along the city's shopping streets.
As the most active city in Vietnam, Hochiminh city offers an excellent variety of clothing, ceramics, ethnic fabrics and lacquered bamboo.
Please refer to the following blog which I've created specifically so as to recount my experience at the King Kong Bar in Cam Nam island, Hoi An.
I loved Nha Trang.
I emerged at night like the luscious amoral vampire I become in the tropics (something about crossing the equator - I follow the locals - do not go out in the heat of the day.)
Start at the Sailing Club and end up at the Why Not Bar (Why not?). 100 bars along the way but the real meeting places are the Sailing Club and Why Not Bar.
Every dollar I got ripped off, I loved, would've paid more to all the thieves and scammers if they would just play pool or backgammon with me! (Warning: all gambling is illegal in Vietnam.)
My body is at home in Australia but I accidently left my heart, soul and mind behind in Vietnam.
24 Tran Quang Khai
Nha Trang, Vietnam, 188463
The scenery at this inland version of Ha Long Bay is possibly even better. The same limestone karst structures rise up out of bright green rice paddies and you get rowed through on a little boat. It is quite touristy, but much less so than Ha Long Bay - make sure you get there first thing in the morning though, before the big coaches arrive. The best way to visit is to rent a bicycle in Ninh Binh and get them to show you the lovely backroads around the area.
Near Ninh Binh, about an hour south of Hanoi on main highway (buses will drop you there).
There are three different weather seasons in Vietnam and it's always good somewhere. Take a look at the following site for a really accurate break-down.
Stayed at the Omni as part of a tour and found the hotel very good. It is a little bit out of town but not a problem as this made the rooms much quieter.
The food was good and we also enjoyed the spa at fair price. The rooms are quite comfortable, and there are amenities including the many fine-dining outlets, popular Irish pub Mulligan's, and fitness centre.
The breakfast buffet was extensive and the food of good quality, which applied also to the other eateries offered in the hotel. Staff were pleasant and efficient, though not especially friendly.
Situated about 15 minutes from the airport and about 25 minutes from the centre of town.
Address: 253 Nguyen Van Troi Street Phu Nhuan District Ho Chi Minh City.
www.omnisaigonhotel.com/
www.sai-gon-hotels.com/
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