| D Hagerman |
23 November 2003 |
Stayed at Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Highly recommend following restaurants: Le Petit Bruxelles (fresh mussels flown in from France on Saturdays); Pan e Vino (Italian -- chef is from Piemonte)
Le Opera for Vietnamese (though it's expensive); KOTO, across from Temple of Literature -- excellent food (Vietnamese and western) and a good cause (employees are former street kids). Really some of the best Vietnamese food I've had in Vietnam.
Museum of Ethnology is well worth a visit and water puppets were delightful.
Visit ArtVietnam to shop for high-quality (museum quality -- not inexpensive) Vietnamese art (everything from woodblocks to oils on canvas). If nothing else go to view the current show and the stunningly renovated 4-story old "tube" house that the gallery occupies.
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| B Pham |
22 November 2003 |
Stayed at Empress Hotel Dalat - Dalat, Vietnam.
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Recommend to visit the palace of Emperor Bao Dai, the last king of Vietnam, and the famous flower garden of the wife of Mr. Ngo Dinh Nhu (Madame Nhu), brother of President Ngo Dinh Diem, the first President of Vietnam.
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| K Larsen |
18 November 2003 |
Stayed at De Syloia Hotel - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Hanoi is a city of contrasts, tree-lined streets and no traffic control; wonderful food and beggars on the streets; accommodating service people and street vendors who won't take no for an answer. Hanoi has a number of excellent museums, notably the Ethnograpic museum, and the History museum, but I also recommend the Women's Museum and the Fine Arts Museum. Best restaurants: Brother's Cafe, Club Opera, and Bobby Chinn's.
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| N Curtis |
16 November 2003 |
Stayed at Majestic Hotel - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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The War Remnants museum was really moving and the Cu Chi tunnels were fascinating and really well organised for the visitor - there are lots of lovely restaurants and shops to choose from and the streets felt safe even late at night and transport by taxi or moto was easy and good value - I fell in love with Saigon on this my first of many visits.
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| L Shane |
15 November 2003 |
Stayed at De Syloia Hotel - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Hanoi - you must take a cyclo of course. Watch out for prices in the shoe shops, check before you buy. Little Hanoi is a modest and excellent restaurant. Perfume Pagoda a worthwhile day trip, Halong Bay a must and Sapa is the top of my list. Recommend of course Handspan Travel as the classiest tour agency.
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| T Kao |
07 November 2003 |
Stayed at Saigon Morin - Hue, Vietnam.
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Visited the citadel on the first day, and was interesting to wander around the vast grounds. The next day, hired a private car for $20 to visit Thien Mu Pagoda and three Emperor's tombs - Ming Mang, Khai Dinh, Tu Duc.
All were worth seeing except for the pagoda. The pagoda was unremarkable in my opinion.
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| A Jackson |
04 November 2003 |
Stayed at Grand Hotel - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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We visited the chi chu tunnels in saigon and also went on a three day tour of the mekong delta. Both trips we organised through delta tours (You'll find them in the packpacker area). They were an excellent outfit, excellent guides and very good value for money.
I also had a traditional dress made in M & M silk (just a bit further down from the grand) $40 and was beautiful!
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| S Mitchell |
26 October 2003 |
Stayed at De Syloia Hotel - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Perfume Pergoda a fabulous day-trip. Be aware though that trek is reasonably steep at times. Cyclos and taxis very easy to use (willing to use meter). Found Fodor's guide extremely up-to-date and accurate re restaurants, tourist sites etc.
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| T Ewing |
19 October 2003 |
Stayed at Majestic Hotel - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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Saigon was great. Typical SEA buzzing city. Reminiscent of BKK, though a bit behind. Traffic to be seen to be believed. Still recovering from cyclo ride. Ate very well. Mix of Vietnamese (Lemongrass) and French (Camargue). Very good value. Tour to Cu Chi tunnels highly recommended - though do not go down the deep tunnel unless fit and no problems at all with enclosed space, darkness and heat. CaoDai temple not really worth the time spent on the bus (better if we'd had longer there). Mekong delta trip was too short (we were very pushed for time). Delta Adventure Tours v good for what we wanted.
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| I Finch |
15 October 2003 |
Stayed at Galaxy Hotel - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Used Handspan for tours out of Hanoi. Particularly recommend their trips to Halong Bay on their luxurious Dragon Pearl boat. A very professional company with interesting young fun guides.
Visited Sapa - totally wonderful. Do try to go to the Bac Ha Sunday market - so colourful, you'll never forget it!
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Traveller's Tales: Places to go and see in Vietnam
