Vietnam 23 day trip report - May 2010
Jun 10th, 2010, 07:15 PM
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Vietnam 23 day trip report - May 2010
My husband and I, age 67 & 54 are now back just over a week from a wonderful 23 day trip to Vietnam so I will attempt to put my thoughts in writing before it all becomes a blur. This is our second trip to Asia, the first being to Thailand and Cambodia last year. We have traveled extensively and always travel independently, with the occasional help of guides. Fodor members helped us tremendously last year and once again this year in our research for this trip. Thanks to all who proceeded me for their wonderful advice, informative trip reports and answers to questions. Special thanks to the Scomars, Barefootbeach, Craig & Jeanne, Smeagol & Muffin, Kristina & David, Gard, Clarepenn, Bostongal, Nywoman, Ekscrunchy who all provided such detailed trip reports. My report will be abbreviated as not to be redundant and not to bore you all.
We were lucky to procure frequent flyer tickets through Delta Airlines and flew at 6:40 AM on May 6th from Ft. Laud airport to LA, LA to Korea and then to HCMC, arriving on May 7th at 10:20 PM. We were picked up by a car service from the Liberty Central Hotel in Saigon and arrived in time to go to bed. All flights were in coach class and the flight on Delta Airlines left much to be desired. Delta packs you in like sardines and provides no food service other than a small snack. We flew Korean Airlines from LA onwards to Saigon and cannot speak more highly of the airlines. The last few rows in coach class were two seats together rather than three figure configuration and in my opinion the best seats on the plane. The leg room was incredible, the headrest folded in to keep your head from flopping sideways, the plane was clean, the service provided by the stewardesses was impeccable and the food was tasty. I will say no further as anyone wishing to learn more about Korean Airlines can read Bob’s details in his trip report entitled "RHK's start spring Asia trip, sadly sans Gpanda's". I could not agree more with Bob – Korean Airlines rocks!
Saigon
Our hotel. The Liberty Central only recently opened and is conveniently located just down the street from the Ben Thanh Market. The room was inexpensive (approx $50) and very comfortable, except for the hard beds which are typical of Asia. The buffet breakfast was the best we had while in VN consisting of both Western and Asian choices. There was a free computer in the lobby and wifi service in the rooms. The staff was terrific and welcomed us with a refreshing fruit drink upon arrival as well as much needed cold towels. The hotel had a nice rooftop pool, which overlooked the market and central square, although we did not use it. All in all, for a midrange priced hotel, this was a great deal and we would definitely recommend it for those not interested in spending money for a high end hotel.
We had scheduled a day outing with the Saigon Hotpots for our first day, however after waiting 40 minutes in the hotel lobby, we ventured on without them. We were dissappointed that we did not have the opportunity to spend time with the students and we emailed the organization in an attempt to make contact, but to no avail. That evening when we returned, we received a reply by email from the director profusely apologizing and asking what he could do to make things right. We declined his invitation to meet with us for drinks, but did suggest in the future that they provide a phone contact for last moment problems. I did hear from another person along the way that this is not the first time the Hotpots failed to show, however, I would not discount trying to spend the day with the students. While waiting in the lobby of our hotel, we ran into a young American boy of Vietnamese descent. I had actually communicated with this young man through Trip Advisor as we realized we were both staying at the same hotel and flying in on Korean Air. We had met the night before when the car service picked us all up from the airport. Since John was alone we invited him to join us as we toured Saigon. He had been to Vietnam twice previously, but had not seen the tourist attractions. He was in Vietnam to explore his heritage and to see family that was left behind. Unfortunately, John’s family talked little about their experiences in Vietnam and John could not share much with us.
Saigon was easy to get around on our own and we easily mastered the art of crossing the street. The traffic is crazy, there are no traffic lights or stop signs and the motorbikes, cars, people and bicycles move haphazardly, but seem to get it right “most of the time”. We did witness a motorbike accident on our first outing and then subsequent accidents later in the trip. We actually enjoyed the challenge of crossing the street and thankfully suffered no ill effects from doing so.
The weather was hot - to say it mildly. I have never sweated as much in my entire life and the gator aid packages that my husband brought along came in very handy. On our first day we visited the Reunification Palace, the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, the General Post Office and the War Remnants Museum. We arrived at the War Museum just a short time before it closed for lunch. Beware, the museum closes at noon and they mean business. If you are in the museum at closing time, you will be escorted out. We left without seeing the entire museum and were disappointed as we considered this one the best that Saigon has to offer. We wandered the streets, passing by the imposing façade of the French colonial People’s Committee Building, the famous Rex Hotel and the Caravelle Hotel.
While we did not think there were any sites in Saigon that wowed us or that we felt were of particular interest, we did enjoy wandering the streets, watching the traffic, the street vendors, the people ,food and general activities. We especially enjoyed watching the Vietnamese wedding couples getting married and posing for pictures in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral. The Asians take their posing very seriously. After several hours of wandering around, we headed back to our hotel for a much needed nap and to escape from the oppressive heat. Did I say that May is not an especially good time to visit Vietnam? We were not especially hungry after having had such a large breakfast so we passed on having lunch and snacked on the wonderful fruit provided by the room – the mangosteens were wonderful.
For dinner our first night we ate at Quan Nuong Barbecue Garden which we had read about in several guide books. The surroundings were lovely, although a bit warm in the gardens. The wait staff brings a small hibachi type bbq to the table and you cook your own meats tableside. The food was ok, although nothing that excited us. After wandering around a bit longer, we headed back to the room to take our second and much needed shower, calling it an early night.
We were lucky to procure frequent flyer tickets through Delta Airlines and flew at 6:40 AM on May 6th from Ft. Laud airport to LA, LA to Korea and then to HCMC, arriving on May 7th at 10:20 PM. We were picked up by a car service from the Liberty Central Hotel in Saigon and arrived in time to go to bed. All flights were in coach class and the flight on Delta Airlines left much to be desired. Delta packs you in like sardines and provides no food service other than a small snack. We flew Korean Airlines from LA onwards to Saigon and cannot speak more highly of the airlines. The last few rows in coach class were two seats together rather than three figure configuration and in my opinion the best seats on the plane. The leg room was incredible, the headrest folded in to keep your head from flopping sideways, the plane was clean, the service provided by the stewardesses was impeccable and the food was tasty. I will say no further as anyone wishing to learn more about Korean Airlines can read Bob’s details in his trip report entitled "RHK's start spring Asia trip, sadly sans Gpanda's". I could not agree more with Bob – Korean Airlines rocks!
Saigon
Our hotel. The Liberty Central only recently opened and is conveniently located just down the street from the Ben Thanh Market. The room was inexpensive (approx $50) and very comfortable, except for the hard beds which are typical of Asia. The buffet breakfast was the best we had while in VN consisting of both Western and Asian choices. There was a free computer in the lobby and wifi service in the rooms. The staff was terrific and welcomed us with a refreshing fruit drink upon arrival as well as much needed cold towels. The hotel had a nice rooftop pool, which overlooked the market and central square, although we did not use it. All in all, for a midrange priced hotel, this was a great deal and we would definitely recommend it for those not interested in spending money for a high end hotel.
We had scheduled a day outing with the Saigon Hotpots for our first day, however after waiting 40 minutes in the hotel lobby, we ventured on without them. We were dissappointed that we did not have the opportunity to spend time with the students and we emailed the organization in an attempt to make contact, but to no avail. That evening when we returned, we received a reply by email from the director profusely apologizing and asking what he could do to make things right. We declined his invitation to meet with us for drinks, but did suggest in the future that they provide a phone contact for last moment problems. I did hear from another person along the way that this is not the first time the Hotpots failed to show, however, I would not discount trying to spend the day with the students. While waiting in the lobby of our hotel, we ran into a young American boy of Vietnamese descent. I had actually communicated with this young man through Trip Advisor as we realized we were both staying at the same hotel and flying in on Korean Air. We had met the night before when the car service picked us all up from the airport. Since John was alone we invited him to join us as we toured Saigon. He had been to Vietnam twice previously, but had not seen the tourist attractions. He was in Vietnam to explore his heritage and to see family that was left behind. Unfortunately, John’s family talked little about their experiences in Vietnam and John could not share much with us.
Saigon was easy to get around on our own and we easily mastered the art of crossing the street. The traffic is crazy, there are no traffic lights or stop signs and the motorbikes, cars, people and bicycles move haphazardly, but seem to get it right “most of the time”. We did witness a motorbike accident on our first outing and then subsequent accidents later in the trip. We actually enjoyed the challenge of crossing the street and thankfully suffered no ill effects from doing so.
The weather was hot - to say it mildly. I have never sweated as much in my entire life and the gator aid packages that my husband brought along came in very handy. On our first day we visited the Reunification Palace, the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, the General Post Office and the War Remnants Museum. We arrived at the War Museum just a short time before it closed for lunch. Beware, the museum closes at noon and they mean business. If you are in the museum at closing time, you will be escorted out. We left without seeing the entire museum and were disappointed as we considered this one the best that Saigon has to offer. We wandered the streets, passing by the imposing façade of the French colonial People’s Committee Building, the famous Rex Hotel and the Caravelle Hotel.
While we did not think there were any sites in Saigon that wowed us or that we felt were of particular interest, we did enjoy wandering the streets, watching the traffic, the street vendors, the people ,food and general activities. We especially enjoyed watching the Vietnamese wedding couples getting married and posing for pictures in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral. The Asians take their posing very seriously. After several hours of wandering around, we headed back to our hotel for a much needed nap and to escape from the oppressive heat. Did I say that May is not an especially good time to visit Vietnam? We were not especially hungry after having had such a large breakfast so we passed on having lunch and snacked on the wonderful fruit provided by the room – the mangosteens were wonderful.
For dinner our first night we ate at Quan Nuong Barbecue Garden which we had read about in several guide books. The surroundings were lovely, although a bit warm in the gardens. The wait staff brings a small hibachi type bbq to the table and you cook your own meats tableside. The food was ok, although nothing that excited us. After wandering around a bit longer, we headed back to the room to take our second and much needed shower, calling it an early night.
Jun 11th, 2010, 04:20 AM
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Bob - have a great return trip. Ours was 46 hours in transit thanks to frequent flyer mile use and then a canceled connection in Chicago. You'd think we were flying to the moon. Hope you have better luck!
Jun 11th, 2010, 05:20 AM
#6
Great report -- looking forward to the rest. I echo NeoP comments -- we are looking to stay at Liberty this winter and see the same prices that he mentions. Tonkin Travel said for a deluxe double $94 and $105 for a senior deluxe double.
Jun 11th, 2010, 06:37 AM
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We made our reservations through the Liberty Central directly. It is very possible that the rates were reduced for the opening special. Our price of $50 included a pick up at the airport and was a great deal. We also traveled in May which is off season. In any event, we thought the hotel was great.
Thanks all for the encouragement. It's nice to have feedback when writing these reports.
May 9th -
We awakened early again and after a wonderful breakfast set off by taxi for the Cholon area of Saigon (China Town). We spent the morning meandering through the busy streets, stopping to visit several of the Chinese-style pagodas and temples including the Hoi Quan Nghia An Pagoda, the Quan Am Pagoda and the Thien Hau Pagoda, all easily within walking distance. We enjoyed watching the people, the birds being released for good luck, the endless parade of motor bikes and the local markets. We admired the elaborate sculptures and richly embellished temples. We ended our walk at the Binh Tay Market, which sadly we only had the energy to glance at briefly due to the oppressive heat. It was just too much for us and a shower was calling our name back at the hotel. To make matters worse, my husband’s allergies kicked in and he developed a bit of an asthmatic problem. We headed back to the rooms where we showered and promptly fell into a comatose like sleep. We have never napped so much in our lives. I know that we missed several of the sites in Saigon that we would have liked to have seen, but in reality, we didn’t feel like there was any special sites that were of particular interest. The museums that we did get to were a bit disappointing with the exception of the War Remnants Museum which we thought was particularly good. What we did enjoy most was just the wandering and watching the people move through their everyday life, the street food, the markets and the crazy traffic. And the fruit – oh so good.
We awakened in the late afternoon and headed out to make our arrangements for the next day’s tour to the Cu Chi tunnels and the Cao Dai Temple. On our way we passed by the colorful Mariamman Hindu Temple with the elaborate images of goddesses on the façade. Very beautiful, but it was a shame that the massive electrical wires got in the way of our pictures. The temple was so filled with smoke that it was difficult to stay inside to look around more than a moment. We booked an inexpensive day tour for the next morning to the tunnels and temple through Sihn Café.o Dai Temple. On our way we passed by the colorful Mariamman Hindu Temple with the elaborate images of goddesses on the façade. Very beautiful, but it was a shame that the massive electrical wires got in the way of our pictures. The temple was so filled with smoke that it was difficult to stay inside to look around more than a moment. We booked an inexpensive day tour for the next morning to the tunnels and temple through Sihn Café. While I would have enjoyed a private car and guide, it was enjoyable joining a group tour and meeting other tourists along the way.
Note – One could easily have seen the highlight sites in Saigon and the Cholon district in a full day with an early start and without napping!
May 10 - Cu Chi Tunnels & Cao Dai Temple
The trip to the tunnels and temple made for an extremely long day with a lot of driving. While the tunnels were interesting, both my husband and I were under whelmed for the amount of driving required to get out there. Neither of us ventured into the tunnels - my husband because of his large belly and myself because of recently diagnosed herniated discs in the back and neck region. It was fun though to watch some of the younger people in the group who had such enthusiasm after crawling through the narrow tunnels.
The Cao Dai Temple was amazing and we couldn’t stop taking pictures. This crazy religion was recently founded in 1926 and draws nearly 3 million worshippers. It is an attempt to create the perfect synthesis of world religions and combines Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, Hinduism, and Taoism. We arrived just before the noon day service and enjoyed viewing the vibrant architecture with its combination of bright colors, ornate carvings, dragon and lotus motifs and other highly ornate features. The monks were adorned in red, blue, white and yellow robes, which I believe represents the various religions. It was all extremely colorful and unique. We stayed about 30 minutes viewing their service and taking tons of pictures. Was it all worth the long drive? I’m not sure. I think that a better way to do this trip would be to hire a private driver and continue on after the tunnels and temple on to the Mekong Delta to stay overnight. As it was, we returned to Saigon and then headed to the Delta the next day. I believe a lot of duplicate driving could have been avoided.
Thanks all for the encouragement. It's nice to have feedback when writing these reports.
May 9th -
We awakened early again and after a wonderful breakfast set off by taxi for the Cholon area of Saigon (China Town). We spent the morning meandering through the busy streets, stopping to visit several of the Chinese-style pagodas and temples including the Hoi Quan Nghia An Pagoda, the Quan Am Pagoda and the Thien Hau Pagoda, all easily within walking distance. We enjoyed watching the people, the birds being released for good luck, the endless parade of motor bikes and the local markets. We admired the elaborate sculptures and richly embellished temples. We ended our walk at the Binh Tay Market, which sadly we only had the energy to glance at briefly due to the oppressive heat. It was just too much for us and a shower was calling our name back at the hotel. To make matters worse, my husband’s allergies kicked in and he developed a bit of an asthmatic problem. We headed back to the rooms where we showered and promptly fell into a comatose like sleep. We have never napped so much in our lives. I know that we missed several of the sites in Saigon that we would have liked to have seen, but in reality, we didn’t feel like there was any special sites that were of particular interest. The museums that we did get to were a bit disappointing with the exception of the War Remnants Museum which we thought was particularly good. What we did enjoy most was just the wandering and watching the people move through their everyday life, the street food, the markets and the crazy traffic. And the fruit – oh so good.
We awakened in the late afternoon and headed out to make our arrangements for the next day’s tour to the Cu Chi tunnels and the Cao Dai Temple. On our way we passed by the colorful Mariamman Hindu Temple with the elaborate images of goddesses on the façade. Very beautiful, but it was a shame that the massive electrical wires got in the way of our pictures. The temple was so filled with smoke that it was difficult to stay inside to look around more than a moment. We booked an inexpensive day tour for the next morning to the tunnels and temple through Sihn Café.o Dai Temple. On our way we passed by the colorful Mariamman Hindu Temple with the elaborate images of goddesses on the façade. Very beautiful, but it was a shame that the massive electrical wires got in the way of our pictures. The temple was so filled with smoke that it was difficult to stay inside to look around more than a moment. We booked an inexpensive day tour for the next morning to the tunnels and temple through Sihn Café. While I would have enjoyed a private car and guide, it was enjoyable joining a group tour and meeting other tourists along the way.
Note – One could easily have seen the highlight sites in Saigon and the Cholon district in a full day with an early start and without napping!
May 10 - Cu Chi Tunnels & Cao Dai Temple
The trip to the tunnels and temple made for an extremely long day with a lot of driving. While the tunnels were interesting, both my husband and I were under whelmed for the amount of driving required to get out there. Neither of us ventured into the tunnels - my husband because of his large belly and myself because of recently diagnosed herniated discs in the back and neck region. It was fun though to watch some of the younger people in the group who had such enthusiasm after crawling through the narrow tunnels.
The Cao Dai Temple was amazing and we couldn’t stop taking pictures. This crazy religion was recently founded in 1926 and draws nearly 3 million worshippers. It is an attempt to create the perfect synthesis of world religions and combines Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, Hinduism, and Taoism. We arrived just before the noon day service and enjoyed viewing the vibrant architecture with its combination of bright colors, ornate carvings, dragon and lotus motifs and other highly ornate features. The monks were adorned in red, blue, white and yellow robes, which I believe represents the various religions. It was all extremely colorful and unique. We stayed about 30 minutes viewing their service and taking tons of pictures. Was it all worth the long drive? I’m not sure. I think that a better way to do this trip would be to hire a private driver and continue on after the tunnels and temple on to the Mekong Delta to stay overnight. As it was, we returned to Saigon and then headed to the Delta the next day. I believe a lot of duplicate driving could have been avoided.
Jun 11th, 2010, 07:10 AM
#9
dgunbug,
Thanks for giving me a glimpse of the Saigon we missed! You covered a lot more ground than we did (and yes, I was beginning to think something was wrong with me for napping so much!) My biggest regret was not seeing the Cao Dai Temple but i didn't want to take that drive. Your suggestion for combining that with Mekong Delta is a good one. Sounds like had a good hotel find with the Liberty. Can't wait to hear more.
Thanks for giving me a glimpse of the Saigon we missed! You covered a lot more ground than we did (and yes, I was beginning to think something was wrong with me for napping so much!) My biggest regret was not seeing the Cao Dai Temple but i didn't want to take that drive. Your suggestion for combining that with Mekong Delta is a good one. Sounds like had a good hotel find with the Liberty. Can't wait to hear more.
Jun 11th, 2010, 08:09 AM
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Mekong Delta – May 11, 12, 13
After our tour with Sihn Café to the tunnels and temple, we decided that we would hook up with them again to take us to the Mekong Delta. Several of the same people were on this tour as were on the tunnel/temple tour. While we hooked up with their 2 day tour, we arranged to only spend time with the group for the first day as we had already pre-arranged our hotel room in Can Tho at the Kim Tho Hotel. This was an inexpensive way of getting to the Delta and included a stop at Vinh Long where we boarded a boat ride to take us through the Delta canals, stopping at several of the tourist attractions on the way to Can Tho, including stops for tea and honey, rice paper production, coconut candy production, and a lunch with a short Vietnamese musical performance. All in all, it was an interesting afternoon and although touristy, we enjoyed the day. We were dropped off at our hotel where we would stay for 3 nights.
Our hotel, the Kim Tho was nicely located, just walking distance to the riverside and main street. The hotel was clean, inexpensive and perfectly adequate for a mid-ranged hotel.. We considered staying at the Victoria, but it is not in the center of town and was considerably more money. We did not think it was worth it. We debated much over how long to spend in the Mekong and how to best see this area. I acquiesced to my husband and decided on the three days, although I believed that 2 would be adequate. In hindsight, considering the heat and our lack of desire to move outside our air conditioned environs, 2 days would have been perfect. Also, having spent time on the waters on Tonklin Lake in Cambodia and at the floating market and canals in Bangkok, I did not find the Mekong Delta to have any great allure. We did enjoy walking around Can Tho and ate at a lovely restaurant the first night on the pier. There is a lovely promenade and park area with a large statue Ho Chi Minh. As we strolled through the main street, many woman approached us to set up a boat ride for the following morning. We arranged to meet an English speaking guide and boat driver at 5:30 the following morning so that we could get to the Cai Rang floating market while it was at its peak.
We were stunned by the activities in the park area when we left our hotel at 5:15 AM and we took a few moments to enjoy watching the early morning exercising and the sunrise by the waterfront. It was quite a scene and reminded us how important it is to awaken early in Asia to avoid the heat of the day. We met a lovely elderly man who was to be our guide for the day – Ngo Tan Phung, who speaks both English and French. Our guide was happy to share his experiences in the war and it was sad to hear how this educated mathematician was sent to a re-education camp following the war and never again allowed to hold a high level job. Our guide can be contacted by cell phone 0939.833 141 or by email [email protected]. I will not reiterate what we saw at the Floating Market as details have already been provided so eloquently in other reports. This was a more commercial market and I missed having Tong with us to proffer all kinds of food and snacks along the way! We traveled on a small boat with a nice cover to block out the sun, through the many canals and our guide answered questions and spoke about the war years and the Delta. Most interesting to me was our stop along the way at the fruit gardens and the explanation by our guide of the many uses of different plants. We stopped for a lovely lunch of Elephant fish which we thought was delicious and relaxed in a beautiful tropical setting. Our guide brought out a snake for picture taking, albeit a small one that he thought would not frighten us. I was not particularly bothered or excited by the snake. There was a small “monkey bridge” for tourists to try out and I ventured across it for a photo opportunity. All in all, this day was quite enjoyable, the ride along the Delta tributaries was relaxing and full of photo opportunities and our day with the guide gave us further insight into the impossibility of the war. How the USA every imagined it could win a war in that heat and in the impossible environment is beyond me. We never had a chance.
Upon our arrival back to Can Tho we showered and took naps. For dinner that evening, we headed out to the Pier where we caught a boat to the lovely Victoria Hotel where we had dinner in their air conditioned restaurant. The Victoria Hotel is lovely and has a beautiful pool and grounds, typical of a Victoria and just what you would expect. We had a delicious dinner – I can’t remember what I ate, but everything was tasty. My husband I think had a hamburger which tasted like a meatloaf sandwich and which was not that great. I loved the Vietnamese food and was eager to try different dishes, but since my husband is restricted by his self imposed dietary needs (no pork or shell fish), he was more limited on what he could order and he did not enjoy the food as I did.
On our third day in Can tho, since my DH still suffered from asthma and allergies, we decided to take it easy and spent a good deal of the time in the hotel. It would have been nice at that point to be in the Victoria which had a far nicer environment and a wonderful pool. We did take a stroll for several hours around the less visited areas of Can Tho, visiting several Pagodas and then less touristy streets where we lost ourselves in the maze of shops and homes. The Vietnamese people are lovely and were all anxious to meet and greet us. The adults were all anxious for their young children to practice their English. The youngsters were a delight.
We returned to the Pier for dinner on the final evening and called it an early night as we were leaving in the early morning from the Can Tho airport on a flight to Hanoi.
After our tour with Sihn Café to the tunnels and temple, we decided that we would hook up with them again to take us to the Mekong Delta. Several of the same people were on this tour as were on the tunnel/temple tour. While we hooked up with their 2 day tour, we arranged to only spend time with the group for the first day as we had already pre-arranged our hotel room in Can Tho at the Kim Tho Hotel. This was an inexpensive way of getting to the Delta and included a stop at Vinh Long where we boarded a boat ride to take us through the Delta canals, stopping at several of the tourist attractions on the way to Can Tho, including stops for tea and honey, rice paper production, coconut candy production, and a lunch with a short Vietnamese musical performance. All in all, it was an interesting afternoon and although touristy, we enjoyed the day. We were dropped off at our hotel where we would stay for 3 nights.
Our hotel, the Kim Tho was nicely located, just walking distance to the riverside and main street. The hotel was clean, inexpensive and perfectly adequate for a mid-ranged hotel.. We considered staying at the Victoria, but it is not in the center of town and was considerably more money. We did not think it was worth it. We debated much over how long to spend in the Mekong and how to best see this area. I acquiesced to my husband and decided on the three days, although I believed that 2 would be adequate. In hindsight, considering the heat and our lack of desire to move outside our air conditioned environs, 2 days would have been perfect. Also, having spent time on the waters on Tonklin Lake in Cambodia and at the floating market and canals in Bangkok, I did not find the Mekong Delta to have any great allure. We did enjoy walking around Can Tho and ate at a lovely restaurant the first night on the pier. There is a lovely promenade and park area with a large statue Ho Chi Minh. As we strolled through the main street, many woman approached us to set up a boat ride for the following morning. We arranged to meet an English speaking guide and boat driver at 5:30 the following morning so that we could get to the Cai Rang floating market while it was at its peak.
We were stunned by the activities in the park area when we left our hotel at 5:15 AM and we took a few moments to enjoy watching the early morning exercising and the sunrise by the waterfront. It was quite a scene and reminded us how important it is to awaken early in Asia to avoid the heat of the day. We met a lovely elderly man who was to be our guide for the day – Ngo Tan Phung, who speaks both English and French. Our guide was happy to share his experiences in the war and it was sad to hear how this educated mathematician was sent to a re-education camp following the war and never again allowed to hold a high level job. Our guide can be contacted by cell phone 0939.833 141 or by email [email protected]. I will not reiterate what we saw at the Floating Market as details have already been provided so eloquently in other reports. This was a more commercial market and I missed having Tong with us to proffer all kinds of food and snacks along the way! We traveled on a small boat with a nice cover to block out the sun, through the many canals and our guide answered questions and spoke about the war years and the Delta. Most interesting to me was our stop along the way at the fruit gardens and the explanation by our guide of the many uses of different plants. We stopped for a lovely lunch of Elephant fish which we thought was delicious and relaxed in a beautiful tropical setting. Our guide brought out a snake for picture taking, albeit a small one that he thought would not frighten us. I was not particularly bothered or excited by the snake. There was a small “monkey bridge” for tourists to try out and I ventured across it for a photo opportunity. All in all, this day was quite enjoyable, the ride along the Delta tributaries was relaxing and full of photo opportunities and our day with the guide gave us further insight into the impossibility of the war. How the USA every imagined it could win a war in that heat and in the impossible environment is beyond me. We never had a chance.
Upon our arrival back to Can Tho we showered and took naps. For dinner that evening, we headed out to the Pier where we caught a boat to the lovely Victoria Hotel where we had dinner in their air conditioned restaurant. The Victoria Hotel is lovely and has a beautiful pool and grounds, typical of a Victoria and just what you would expect. We had a delicious dinner – I can’t remember what I ate, but everything was tasty. My husband I think had a hamburger which tasted like a meatloaf sandwich and which was not that great. I loved the Vietnamese food and was eager to try different dishes, but since my husband is restricted by his self imposed dietary needs (no pork or shell fish), he was more limited on what he could order and he did not enjoy the food as I did.
On our third day in Can tho, since my DH still suffered from asthma and allergies, we decided to take it easy and spent a good deal of the time in the hotel. It would have been nice at that point to be in the Victoria which had a far nicer environment and a wonderful pool. We did take a stroll for several hours around the less visited areas of Can Tho, visiting several Pagodas and then less touristy streets where we lost ourselves in the maze of shops and homes. The Vietnamese people are lovely and were all anxious to meet and greet us. The adults were all anxious for their young children to practice their English. The youngsters were a delight.
We returned to the Pier for dinner on the final evening and called it an early night as we were leaving in the early morning from the Can Tho airport on a flight to Hanoi.
Jun 11th, 2010, 09:51 AM
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We are in the midst of planning what will likely be a 15-day trip next winter (that is, 15 days excluding travel days), so this is a great read and so helpful. I've printed it, although I should probably wait until you're done!
Jun 11th, 2010, 05:35 PM
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dgunbug-I remember when you were planning your trip so it's nice to be able to read about it now. Glad to know my trip reports may have helped too! ;-)
We didn't make it to the Cao Dai temple mostly because we didn't want to do that drive and I didn't want to go to the tunnels. Someday I would like to see it though.
We didn't make it to the Cao Dai temple mostly because we didn't want to do that drive and I didn't want to go to the tunnels. Someday I would like to see it though.
Jun 11th, 2010, 06:19 PM
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May 14, 15, 16 – Hanoi
Our 1 ½ hr flight on Vietnam Airlines from Can Tho to Hanoi was easy and on time. A small meal was served and we were in Hanoi before we knew it.
From the moment we entered the charming Old Quarter till the time we left, I loved our days in Hanoi. We spent a total of 5 days here, although admittedly much of the time was spent in the room napping in an attempt to avoid the formidable heat. Our hotel in the Old Quarters, the Elegance 4 was a gem. The location was wonderful – not far from the Lake or from the French Quarter. The Elegance 4 is part of a chain of fabulously run hotels. The staff and the service we received were beyond spectacular. We were greeted with a welcoming drink and fresh cold towels on arrival and shown to our rooms which included internet service, a computer, and flat screen tv. The breakfasts were made to order and you could order as much as you desired. The banana pancakes were delicious as was the Vietnamese coffee which I had already fallen in love with – with the condensed milk – yum! Fresh fruit and water was provided daily. The staff chased us down one day as they noticed we had passed by the hotel without realizing it. When we mentioned that we were looking for a particular fruit (mango and pineapple with chili powder – found on the streets near the French Quarter), the staff told us not to worry…they would find us some and they did! Do be sure to try this fruit – it was an amazing combination of sweet, tangy and spicy. The hotel also has a nice lounge on the second floor for those checking out but leaving on either a late plane or an overnight train. A computer, couches and showering area is provided for those who need it – and believe me…you will need it. The only draw back to the Elegance 4 is that the room was very small. We started out with a double sized bed, but asked to be moved to a different room as the person on the inside of the bed had to climb over their sleeping partner in order to get out the bed. No fun during the middle of the night. We were switched to a room with twin beds and were more comfortable although we prefer sleeping together.
On our last day in Hanoi (note – we returned here for another 2 days after Halong Bay) we decided that we wanted to pay for an extra day in the room as the price was so reasonable and since we felt it would be more private and comfortable than the free lounge the hotel provides. As the hotel was fully booked, we were offered a room at the Elegance 3 which was only blocks away. The cost was $30 for a room up until 7 pm and the hotel staff physically moved our luggage and accompanied us to the new hotel. As impressed as we were with the Elegance 4, I would suggest that anyone interested in this chain consider staying at the Elegance 3 instead. The staff was equally impressive and the hotel’s lobby and restaurant looked even nicer. The rooms were considerably larger and we regretted not having stayed here the entire time. We were told by another traveler later in the trip that the newly opened Elegance 5 is even nicer, with larger rooms, and in a prime location, just off the lake between the French Quarter and Old Quarter.
Hanoi: Day 1 - May 14
After settling into our room, it was time to explore the city and get some lunch. Just around the corner, we happened upon one of the restaurants recommended in our guide books and by others before us - Bun Bo Nam Bo, a hole in the wall joint that serves one dish – Bun Bo, which is similar to Pho Bo, but without a lot of broth, and with crunchy peanuts and onions added to the mix. This was by far, one of my favorite restaurants and dishes in VN. My DH hesitated to enter the restaurant lined up with long narrow metal tables and the floor littered with papers and green banana skin peels. Do not miss this treasure. For only $5 we each had a huge and filling bowl of food as well as two beverages. My husband who is not a great fan of Vietnamese food, ranked this as his second best restaurant of the trip, the first being Fannys, the infamous ice-cream parlor on the lake. (Incidentally, we discovered Fannys in HCMC as well)
Hanoi is a bit cooler than Saigon and the Mekong, but that's not saying much. We were drenched with sweat only moments after being outside - not a pretty sight. Unfortunately, my DH continued to suffer from allergy induced asthma and we kicked ourselves for being unprepared without proper medication. Hanoi is a pretty tree lined city with two large lakes. We wandered around the old quarters amazed that each of the 36 streets specialized in a different form of commerce – there was shoe street, silk street, medicine street, bamboo street, etc.. We enjoyed taking in the sites, smells, people and traffic, watching the people cook and eat along the sidewalks, sitting on plastic seats at plastic tables that looked small enough to be a child’s play set. Vendors carrying their wares on bamboo poles passed us by trying to sell their product. Woman selling fans attempted to persuade us to buy from them. The people on the streets were friendly and we enjoyed our time immensely. The pedi-cabs and moto-taxis passed us constantly and solicited us to take a ride, but we preferred to wander by foot, taking tons of photos on the way. We returned to the hotel after several hours to escape once again from the heat. The streets had quieted down as the entire town rests midday during the hottest time of day.
We dined at the amazing Green Tangerine restaurant which I enjoyed so much that we returned a second time days later. Since we were not that hungry after eating such a large lunch, we ordered several appetizers each as our meal – all excellent and satisfying. I had an appetizer with crabmeat and another with grilled scallops wedged between ginger snaps with a delicious sauce. Incredible flavors. The restaurant is quite pretty and one can eat either outside in their garden or inside in the air conditioning. One need not ask where we ended up.
Afterwards we strolled around Hoan Kiem Lake, passing the picturesque red Huc also known as the Sunbeam Bridge which dates back to the Nguyen Dynasty in the early 1800’s. The bridge leads to the Den Ngoc Son or Jade Mountain Temple, which honestly, we never did enter, but which is lovely from the outside. In the center of the lake is a small pagoda called the Thap Rua or Turtle Tower which was lit up at night. Hoan Kiem Lake is the center of activity with vehicles circling around it, families and people strolling by. The lake was lined with lovers strolling and sitting on benches, couples enjoying the view and the small reprieve from the debilitating heat of the day. The town was hopping with activity. We were not sure if it was because it was a Friday evening or just an everyday occurrence. We happened upon a park area with tons of children and families out for the evening, playing games, listening to music, dancing, and mingling. It was great fun to watch the Vietnamese enjoying their evening outings. We learned later that it is typical for the Vietnamese people to take advantage of the cooler evenings and they tend to stay out until about 9-10, after which time the streets become noticeably quieter.
Day 2 Hanoi – May 15
We had scheduled a day with the Hanoi Kids for our second day in Hanoi and they arrived promptly at 8:30 AM. There was a bit of confusion at first as another couple in the lobby was also awaiting the Hanoi Kids, but we quickly straightened it out. The day with the two students was lovely…their English was very good, they were well informed and a joy to be with. We began our day at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, attempting to beat the crowds. After leaving our bags and cameras behind and receiving a claims ticket, we got on the rather long line, but it seemed to move quickly. We enjoyed chatting with the two young ladies who were to accompany us for the day and perhaps that helped the time go by. We had read somewhere that foreigners get preferential treatment and can go to the head of the line if they show their passport, however, we were reluctant to see if there was any truth in that information and decided it would be inappropriate. We enjoyed watching the many school aged children and families visiting Uncle Ho’s remains. Vietnamese come from all over the country to honor Ho Chi Minh. It was a somber and interesting experience to watch the Vietnamese revere their deceased leader. From here we headed to the Ho Chi Minh Museum which chronicles and celebrates the revolutionary leader’s life and achievements. The museum interested us most by its interesting architecture. We passed through this museum rather quickly, not really having the patience to read all the info on Ho Chi Minh and we needed to retrieve our bags and cameras before the storage area closed. I believe they said they would be closing by noon, but they remained open until at least 12:20 when we arrived there. We then visited the Temple of Literature which we greatly enjoyed, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House and the One Pillar Pagoda. The students were well versed in Vietnamese history and were able to provide much information. By this time is was getting late and lunch was in order. We left it up to the students to decide where they would like to eat and they chose the very popular Quan An Ngon, which we would not have chosen, having been to the one in Saigon, but it was fine. The restaurant is in a lovely courtyard with tables in the center and booths and cooking stalls surrounding the seating area. We wandered around looking at the various food being prepared while we waited to be seated, but once seated, we left the ordering up to the girls who ordered an array of different foods which we all shared. The food and conversation made for a pleasant lunch. By the time we were finished it was approximately 2 pm and my husband, still suffering from asthma and allergies was exhausted. The girls accompanied us back to the hotel where they departed after we gave them each a shirt from Florida as a small token of our appreciation.
We showered, rested, used the computer and stayed in until dinner time. For dinner my husband decided that he needed a change of pace and we chose a wonderful Indian restaurant which was listed in several of our guide books – Tandor – located in the old quarter just down the street from The Green Tangerine restaurant which we had previously eaten at. The food was superb and we ate in the upstairs area where I believe it was air-conditioned and cooler. The service was good, but we were rushed out after eating as the waiters told us that people were awaiting our table. We were surprised to be treated this way, but not at all upset as we were ready to leav. Again we strolled around the Old Quarter, walking through the Hang Be Night Market, which was recommended by the Hanoi Kids as the place to shop and hang out. We saw nothing to purchase, but we enjoyed watching the Vietnamese shopping, eating and hanging out. The streets were closed to pedestrians although several motor-bikes managed to wiz by us.
Day 3 – Hanoi – May 16
I hope I am not boring anyone, for I intended to merely provide an abbreviated version of a trip report, but I seem to be getting carried away.
On the third morning in Hanoi we took a taxi to the Hoa Lo Prison, also known as the Hanoi Hilton. While we know it best as the prison that held Senator John McCain, this museum was built by the French to house and torture Vietnamese prisoners. The emphasis is more on the atrocities against the Vietnamese by the French and there is much propaganda on how well the American prisoners of War were treated comparatively.
Our next stop was the Military Museum which we arrived at by taxi. We encountered our first and only attempt at a scam by our taxi driver who ran after us 5 minutes after exiting the taxi. We were on line purchasing tickets for the museum when he accused us of giving him a “bad” 500,000 dong and insisted we exchange it with a good one. This amounts to approx. $25 and I sensed it was a scam immediately. My husband, who had paid the taxi driver told him that he never gave him a 500,000 dong note and we refused to be conned. The driver left in a huff. By this point, it was extremely hot and our interest in the un-airconditioned museum waned quickly. The courtyard outside is filled with wrecked Soviet, French & American military equipment which we had seen at several other museums. I did not find this particularly interesting.
Our final destination for the day was the Ethnology Museum which is quite good and where we spent a good deal of time learning about the various ethnic minority groups in the highlands of North Vietnam and center of Vietnam. We especially enjoyed the extensive grounds on the outside with various examples of minority housing which we were able to enter. Several wedding parties were there for picture taking and I loved seeing the bride and grooms in their unusual poses and beautiful wedding dresses. I was surprised to see the brides wearing white wedding gowns.
That evening, after another much needed shower and rest, we headed to the very famous Cha Ca La Vong, which was recently written up in the NY Times. This is another one dish restaurant which serves fish cooked tableside. When the hot stone cauldron and bubbling pan of moist and spiced fish pieces came to our table, the waiter, on seeing our confusion, helped with combining the fish, noodles and herbs. The experience was interesting, but we thought the meal a bit bland. This was not one of our favorite meals. We returned to our hotel fairly early after strolling through the streets and went to sleep as we were being picked up the following morning for our trip to Halong Bay.
Our 1 ½ hr flight on Vietnam Airlines from Can Tho to Hanoi was easy and on time. A small meal was served and we were in Hanoi before we knew it.
From the moment we entered the charming Old Quarter till the time we left, I loved our days in Hanoi. We spent a total of 5 days here, although admittedly much of the time was spent in the room napping in an attempt to avoid the formidable heat. Our hotel in the Old Quarters, the Elegance 4 was a gem. The location was wonderful – not far from the Lake or from the French Quarter. The Elegance 4 is part of a chain of fabulously run hotels. The staff and the service we received were beyond spectacular. We were greeted with a welcoming drink and fresh cold towels on arrival and shown to our rooms which included internet service, a computer, and flat screen tv. The breakfasts were made to order and you could order as much as you desired. The banana pancakes were delicious as was the Vietnamese coffee which I had already fallen in love with – with the condensed milk – yum! Fresh fruit and water was provided daily. The staff chased us down one day as they noticed we had passed by the hotel without realizing it. When we mentioned that we were looking for a particular fruit (mango and pineapple with chili powder – found on the streets near the French Quarter), the staff told us not to worry…they would find us some and they did! Do be sure to try this fruit – it was an amazing combination of sweet, tangy and spicy. The hotel also has a nice lounge on the second floor for those checking out but leaving on either a late plane or an overnight train. A computer, couches and showering area is provided for those who need it – and believe me…you will need it. The only draw back to the Elegance 4 is that the room was very small. We started out with a double sized bed, but asked to be moved to a different room as the person on the inside of the bed had to climb over their sleeping partner in order to get out the bed. No fun during the middle of the night. We were switched to a room with twin beds and were more comfortable although we prefer sleeping together.
On our last day in Hanoi (note – we returned here for another 2 days after Halong Bay) we decided that we wanted to pay for an extra day in the room as the price was so reasonable and since we felt it would be more private and comfortable than the free lounge the hotel provides. As the hotel was fully booked, we were offered a room at the Elegance 3 which was only blocks away. The cost was $30 for a room up until 7 pm and the hotel staff physically moved our luggage and accompanied us to the new hotel. As impressed as we were with the Elegance 4, I would suggest that anyone interested in this chain consider staying at the Elegance 3 instead. The staff was equally impressive and the hotel’s lobby and restaurant looked even nicer. The rooms were considerably larger and we regretted not having stayed here the entire time. We were told by another traveler later in the trip that the newly opened Elegance 5 is even nicer, with larger rooms, and in a prime location, just off the lake between the French Quarter and Old Quarter.
Hanoi: Day 1 - May 14
After settling into our room, it was time to explore the city and get some lunch. Just around the corner, we happened upon one of the restaurants recommended in our guide books and by others before us - Bun Bo Nam Bo, a hole in the wall joint that serves one dish – Bun Bo, which is similar to Pho Bo, but without a lot of broth, and with crunchy peanuts and onions added to the mix. This was by far, one of my favorite restaurants and dishes in VN. My DH hesitated to enter the restaurant lined up with long narrow metal tables and the floor littered with papers and green banana skin peels. Do not miss this treasure. For only $5 we each had a huge and filling bowl of food as well as two beverages. My husband who is not a great fan of Vietnamese food, ranked this as his second best restaurant of the trip, the first being Fannys, the infamous ice-cream parlor on the lake. (Incidentally, we discovered Fannys in HCMC as well)
Hanoi is a bit cooler than Saigon and the Mekong, but that's not saying much. We were drenched with sweat only moments after being outside - not a pretty sight. Unfortunately, my DH continued to suffer from allergy induced asthma and we kicked ourselves for being unprepared without proper medication. Hanoi is a pretty tree lined city with two large lakes. We wandered around the old quarters amazed that each of the 36 streets specialized in a different form of commerce – there was shoe street, silk street, medicine street, bamboo street, etc.. We enjoyed taking in the sites, smells, people and traffic, watching the people cook and eat along the sidewalks, sitting on plastic seats at plastic tables that looked small enough to be a child’s play set. Vendors carrying their wares on bamboo poles passed us by trying to sell their product. Woman selling fans attempted to persuade us to buy from them. The people on the streets were friendly and we enjoyed our time immensely. The pedi-cabs and moto-taxis passed us constantly and solicited us to take a ride, but we preferred to wander by foot, taking tons of photos on the way. We returned to the hotel after several hours to escape once again from the heat. The streets had quieted down as the entire town rests midday during the hottest time of day.
We dined at the amazing Green Tangerine restaurant which I enjoyed so much that we returned a second time days later. Since we were not that hungry after eating such a large lunch, we ordered several appetizers each as our meal – all excellent and satisfying. I had an appetizer with crabmeat and another with grilled scallops wedged between ginger snaps with a delicious sauce. Incredible flavors. The restaurant is quite pretty and one can eat either outside in their garden or inside in the air conditioning. One need not ask where we ended up.
Afterwards we strolled around Hoan Kiem Lake, passing the picturesque red Huc also known as the Sunbeam Bridge which dates back to the Nguyen Dynasty in the early 1800’s. The bridge leads to the Den Ngoc Son or Jade Mountain Temple, which honestly, we never did enter, but which is lovely from the outside. In the center of the lake is a small pagoda called the Thap Rua or Turtle Tower which was lit up at night. Hoan Kiem Lake is the center of activity with vehicles circling around it, families and people strolling by. The lake was lined with lovers strolling and sitting on benches, couples enjoying the view and the small reprieve from the debilitating heat of the day. The town was hopping with activity. We were not sure if it was because it was a Friday evening or just an everyday occurrence. We happened upon a park area with tons of children and families out for the evening, playing games, listening to music, dancing, and mingling. It was great fun to watch the Vietnamese enjoying their evening outings. We learned later that it is typical for the Vietnamese people to take advantage of the cooler evenings and they tend to stay out until about 9-10, after which time the streets become noticeably quieter.
Day 2 Hanoi – May 15
We had scheduled a day with the Hanoi Kids for our second day in Hanoi and they arrived promptly at 8:30 AM. There was a bit of confusion at first as another couple in the lobby was also awaiting the Hanoi Kids, but we quickly straightened it out. The day with the two students was lovely…their English was very good, they were well informed and a joy to be with. We began our day at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, attempting to beat the crowds. After leaving our bags and cameras behind and receiving a claims ticket, we got on the rather long line, but it seemed to move quickly. We enjoyed chatting with the two young ladies who were to accompany us for the day and perhaps that helped the time go by. We had read somewhere that foreigners get preferential treatment and can go to the head of the line if they show their passport, however, we were reluctant to see if there was any truth in that information and decided it would be inappropriate. We enjoyed watching the many school aged children and families visiting Uncle Ho’s remains. Vietnamese come from all over the country to honor Ho Chi Minh. It was a somber and interesting experience to watch the Vietnamese revere their deceased leader. From here we headed to the Ho Chi Minh Museum which chronicles and celebrates the revolutionary leader’s life and achievements. The museum interested us most by its interesting architecture. We passed through this museum rather quickly, not really having the patience to read all the info on Ho Chi Minh and we needed to retrieve our bags and cameras before the storage area closed. I believe they said they would be closing by noon, but they remained open until at least 12:20 when we arrived there. We then visited the Temple of Literature which we greatly enjoyed, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House and the One Pillar Pagoda. The students were well versed in Vietnamese history and were able to provide much information. By this time is was getting late and lunch was in order. We left it up to the students to decide where they would like to eat and they chose the very popular Quan An Ngon, which we would not have chosen, having been to the one in Saigon, but it was fine. The restaurant is in a lovely courtyard with tables in the center and booths and cooking stalls surrounding the seating area. We wandered around looking at the various food being prepared while we waited to be seated, but once seated, we left the ordering up to the girls who ordered an array of different foods which we all shared. The food and conversation made for a pleasant lunch. By the time we were finished it was approximately 2 pm and my husband, still suffering from asthma and allergies was exhausted. The girls accompanied us back to the hotel where they departed after we gave them each a shirt from Florida as a small token of our appreciation.
We showered, rested, used the computer and stayed in until dinner time. For dinner my husband decided that he needed a change of pace and we chose a wonderful Indian restaurant which was listed in several of our guide books – Tandor – located in the old quarter just down the street from The Green Tangerine restaurant which we had previously eaten at. The food was superb and we ate in the upstairs area where I believe it was air-conditioned and cooler. The service was good, but we were rushed out after eating as the waiters told us that people were awaiting our table. We were surprised to be treated this way, but not at all upset as we were ready to leav. Again we strolled around the Old Quarter, walking through the Hang Be Night Market, which was recommended by the Hanoi Kids as the place to shop and hang out. We saw nothing to purchase, but we enjoyed watching the Vietnamese shopping, eating and hanging out. The streets were closed to pedestrians although several motor-bikes managed to wiz by us.
Day 3 – Hanoi – May 16
I hope I am not boring anyone, for I intended to merely provide an abbreviated version of a trip report, but I seem to be getting carried away.
On the third morning in Hanoi we took a taxi to the Hoa Lo Prison, also known as the Hanoi Hilton. While we know it best as the prison that held Senator John McCain, this museum was built by the French to house and torture Vietnamese prisoners. The emphasis is more on the atrocities against the Vietnamese by the French and there is much propaganda on how well the American prisoners of War were treated comparatively.
Our next stop was the Military Museum which we arrived at by taxi. We encountered our first and only attempt at a scam by our taxi driver who ran after us 5 minutes after exiting the taxi. We were on line purchasing tickets for the museum when he accused us of giving him a “bad” 500,000 dong and insisted we exchange it with a good one. This amounts to approx. $25 and I sensed it was a scam immediately. My husband, who had paid the taxi driver told him that he never gave him a 500,000 dong note and we refused to be conned. The driver left in a huff. By this point, it was extremely hot and our interest in the un-airconditioned museum waned quickly. The courtyard outside is filled with wrecked Soviet, French & American military equipment which we had seen at several other museums. I did not find this particularly interesting.
Our final destination for the day was the Ethnology Museum which is quite good and where we spent a good deal of time learning about the various ethnic minority groups in the highlands of North Vietnam and center of Vietnam. We especially enjoyed the extensive grounds on the outside with various examples of minority housing which we were able to enter. Several wedding parties were there for picture taking and I loved seeing the bride and grooms in their unusual poses and beautiful wedding dresses. I was surprised to see the brides wearing white wedding gowns.
That evening, after another much needed shower and rest, we headed to the very famous Cha Ca La Vong, which was recently written up in the NY Times. This is another one dish restaurant which serves fish cooked tableside. When the hot stone cauldron and bubbling pan of moist and spiced fish pieces came to our table, the waiter, on seeing our confusion, helped with combining the fish, noodles and herbs. The experience was interesting, but we thought the meal a bit bland. This was not one of our favorite meals. We returned to our hotel fairly early after strolling through the streets and went to sleep as we were being picked up the following morning for our trip to Halong Bay.
Jun 11th, 2010, 07:26 PM
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Really enjoying your report. Thanks so much for taking the time to share all the details. We're in the planning stages for a trip to VN in February and this is really giving us such good info. Please keep it up. Looking forward to the next installments.
