| G Katzenstein |
14 January 2002 |
Stayed at Nam Phuong - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Hanoi is a traffic-crazy place, but people are helpful and friendly. Good meals at Nam Phuong, Indochine, and Seasons, although Seasons seems to fill up with tour bus customers. The Ethnic People Museum just on the edge of Hanoi was very well presented and interesting. Area around St. Joseph's Church has great bar, restaurants, and shopping.
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| E Ketchum |
12 January 2002 |
Stayed at Equatorial Ho Chi Minh, Hotel - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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We adored Ho Chi Minh City. We rented motorcycles and got the hang of flowing with traffic very easily. Don't miss the War Remnants (also called War Crimes) Museum. Our day trip to the Cu Chi tunnels was unbelievable and should not be missed. Also loved the Ben Thai Market area in Cholin (go there early on a Sunday or Saturday morning --- chickens on motorcycles; rice being sifted; vegetables and fruits everywhere; live fish jumping out of pans)!
For restaurants, we highly recommend "The Vietnam House" for excellent Vietnamese cuisine at ridiculously reasonable prices (at least by American standards). All in all, our travel to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) lives in our memories as a fantastic and wonderful journey made even better by the incredibly nice people we met who were so gracious and kind to us visiting foreigners.
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| D Healy |
08 January 2002 |
Stayed at De Syloia Hotel - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Hanoi is a bustling city. While the air quality ranks right up there (or down there, as it were) with Bangkok and Beijing, the people are relaxed and helpful; the hordes of teenaged boys selling post cards and travel guides were very willing to help point me in the right direction whether or not I'd bought anything from them. Also, the cyclo drivers are abundant and reliable--each seems to know where everthing is and will take you almost anywhere around the city for about USD1.00--though one should take care to negotiate the price before getting on!
Hanoi has plenty of restaurants and internet cafes. I'd recommend Al Fresco's and Il Padrino restaurants for those looking for a break from the standard S. East Asia cuisine.
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| A Seyman |
07 January 2002 |
Stayed at De Syloia Hotel - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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I ASKED TO RECEIPTION TO ARRANGED TOUR FOR
HALONG BAY AND FOR SIGHT SEING
SHOPPING WAS GOOD ALSO.
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| D Astley |
03 January 2002 |
Stayed at Majestic Hotel - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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There is an excellent Vietnamese restaurant less than five minutes walk from the Majestic Hotel - undoubtedly the best food I have eaten in Vietnam. I can't remember the name of the restaurant, but if you turn left when walking out of the Majestic Hotel and head towards the Continental Hotel, about halfway down the street on the other side of the road there is a German restaurant with a balcony upstairs. The Vietnamese restaurant is one or two doors before that. You can't miss it as you walk over a little wooden bridge over a fishpond to enter it. It is very clean, food is superb, and for USD6-8 you can have a very good meal.
If you are a coffee addict and missing your daily dose of Starbucks whilst in Saigon, head to the Cafe Aromas in the Saigon Square shopping centre (5 minutes in a taxi or 10 minutes in a cyclo from the Majestic) - the coffee there is as close as you'll get to Starbucks in Saigon.
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| H Dang thi hoia thanh |
31 December 2001 |
Stayed at Hanoi Daewoo Hotel - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Visited Ho chi Minh memorial, Halong bay and a place called San sam. hired a car for five days. car plus driver cost US$200 which was excellent value as the driver knew all of the places to visit.
The people were unbelievably friendly and generous.
some of the eating houses are not for the squeemish as hygiene is not top of the agenda. Local food is very cheap, three people can eat for Us$5, but you have to be open minded.
Always haggle over prices as they are inflated for westerners.
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| D Chai |
30 December 2001 |
Stayed at Lucky Hotel - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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We took 2 tours to Perfume Pagoda (Kangaroo tours) and Hoa Lu (Sinh tours). Both were very good and worth taking. Craft village on the way back from Perfume Pagoda was excellent. Temple of Literature was great, Museum of Fine Arts more political than expected. Massage at Dan Chu hotel was good. Brothers restaurant lunch buffet was good. Take good walking shoes and clothes you don't mind getting dirty. Would recommend keeping cash on a money belt under clothing. Shop around to find out what things should cost because prices vary according to perceived gullability.
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| O De scally |
13 December 2001 |
Stayed at Bong Sen Hotel - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
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The Bong Sen is situated in the heart of the city which make it ideal for shopping and business and it is at short range of many restaurants and bars. A small but very nice place to entertain friends is the Lang Van karaoke bar. The music is never loud and and the singing is sometimes even good! For the young at heart the Spaceship Discotheque is a must.
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| R Saunders |
07 December 2001 |
Stayed at De Syloia Hotel - Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Hanoi was a great place to visit; we hope to go back again. Excellent restaurants include Indochine, Tamarind, Verandah Cafe (pricey).
The Sunday market in Bac Ha was spectacular! Sapa was a disappointment because of the weather (heavy fog), and the aggressiveness of the small girls selling their wares. They swore at us in English and French when we didn't buy from them, and followed us for about 10 minutes with their cursings.
The Perfume Pagoda is a must see. If it's raining, be careful of the slick rocks!
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| D Cummins |
06 December 2001 |
Stayed at Furama Resort Danang - Danang, Vietnam.
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Hoi An was a qaint town but women a bit pesky trying to get you into their clothes shops.
The Marble Mountain was great but need a torch.
Danang is ok for a quick peek.
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Traveller's Tales: Shopping suggestions in Vietnam
