Vietnam post 2
So if you're headed to Ho Chi Minh, you can refer to my "lazy summer" post on July 19th on some things you should do in vietnam - it's a rather brief and rough post on the local markets there, ben thanh market and vietnam house + an insight on how onha hang ngon really isn't worth the visit because I greatly disagree with the many reviews on tripadvisor etc. the food is downright horrible and so horrendously packed with MSG i say it's worth the walk and price to head over to Vietnam House down Dong Khoi street for a good hearty meal of vietnamese cuisine instead (if you haven't already managed to find your way to the local morning markets for a bowl of pho and fried chicken, washed down with some iced plum juice/ coffee and mangosteens/ durian)
Also because facebook is causing all sorts of problems, this post might take a while to blog since i have to reupload my photos on photobucket - and since I'm super trigger happy that means waiting for 68 photos to upload. - note as well that there'll probably be a part 3 to the vietnam trip so this won't be the last you'll be hearing of vietnam
I'm going to split this into three segments:
FOOD, SIGHTSEEING & MUST-DOs
FOOD:
Are you a great fan of haagen dazs' overpriced chocolate fondue in Singapore? If so, head down to Fanny's at district one for their chocolate fondue - you get to choose 13 different flavours of ice cream (small scoops of course) and its served with a generous serving of waffles and fruits, along with a warm rich and velvety smooth bowl of chocolate sauce.
Address: 29 - 31 Ton That Thiep, Dist. 1
The ice cream at Fanny's is rich, super yums and the best thing to have on a blistering hot day in vietnam - it's also a good place to seek shelter during one of the many storms that may take place during the monsoon season (ie now) in vietnam (what we did!). Another perk at Fanny's is the availability of free wifi for all whatsappaholics like me - so don't forget to ask one of the waitresses for their wifi password. A little tip on getting there - the store is rather far in the street, so don't worry if everything around you looks slightly odd and dubious because you'll find the store soon!
A flavour I strongly recommend is their dark chocolate - it's amazingly smooth and rich , although tbh, I thought all the flavours we tried were absolutely fantastic!
SIGHTSEEING:
If you're interested in visiting the Mekong Delta, in my world, there's only one agency you should go with - Intrepid, Urban Adventures
www.intrepidtravel.com/vietnamsales
Sign up for their day trip to Mekong Delta at the sum of USD 35 (which based on my research in Vietnam is really cheap!!) and trust me, you'd go back feeling that every single dollar was well spent and you might also collapse immediately from how exhilarating and tiring their tours are.
It's called:
"Trip: Mekong Discovery
Trip code: VUA
Duration: Full day tour
Cost: US $35
Meals included: Lunch
Escape the city for the lush fields and countless canals of the Mekong Delta. Cruise through the waterways, call into an island studded with tropical gardens, try local fruit. Rich and fertile, this region is Vietnam's agricultural heartland and this full-day adventure is the perfect way to discover its lush interior"
To be very honest, I've never been a fan of day trips/ tours, but this package is so good the description on its website doesn't do the trip any justice at all.
Unfortunately, you won't be headed to the more bustling area of mekong delta - ie the floating market which is apparently a far cry from the one in bangkok. the one in vietnam is actually a locals market place and not just a tourist destination! But that shouldn't deter you from joining them because the trip is superbly fun and amazing -
they pick you up from your hotel and you'll be headed to the mekong station and there you'll take a boat journey out to one of the islands for a taste of some fresh fruits and an experience of the kampong lifestyle (yes chickens and roosters running around included + as you walk you get to pluck longans off trees and eat them as you walk along the way)
if you can't already tell, lunch is included! After the morning's experience of the local village, you'll take the boat again to the lunch destination where a sumptuous spread including the famed fried fish featured on Luke Nguyen's Vietnamese cuisine show is included. You eat it with some veggies and sauce and wrap it up in a rice paper - absolutely stunning imo
and then you'll be rowed down a narrow water alley way on a sampan towards the bee farm and this is really an experience because it's also how the locals get in and out of the villages which are littered along the water way.
and from the sampan you transfer to a motorcycle cart thing and you'll be zoomed off through and into the deep parts of the countryside - this imo was the most fantastic part because the motorcycle effectively carried 7 people as it zoomed through super narrow roughly made pathways - expect your head to brush against the bushes more than once and always be camera ready because there are tonnes of things to see as your little tiny motorcycle cart brings you through (quite a harrowing experience as well if I may add)
they'll take you to the padi fields where photos are clearly necessary
and this is an idea of what the vehicle looks like
also, don't be shocked if his meter doesn't work - apparently that's the case for most scooters in vietnam (Y)
you'll end the days trip at about 4pm back on the main boat with some freshly plucked and cut coconuts
TRUST ME. this is a trip worth taking and my post about it doesn't do it any justice at all!
Another must-do in HCM is a visit to the Cu Chi tunnels - if like me, you're heading to vietnam completely ignorant about the vietnam war, I think the tunnels area gives a great insight on how intelligent and truly brilliant the vietnamese are. Also, while you're at it, don't miss out on the opportunity to fit yourself into the original tunnel opening which they have left open for tourists to (attempt) to fit themselves into. The rest of the tunnels that you'll crawl through have been enlarged for tourists so they don't exactly reflect the real conditions back then - and even with the enlargement, trust me, you'd feel claustrophobic and bewildered by how the vietnamese managed to run through these tunnels with bags of ammunition and guns.
Trip: Cu Chi Experience
Trip code: VUN
Duration: Half day tour
Cost: US $25
Meals included: n/a
Experience the world of the Cu Chi freedom fighters with a visit to their famous tunnel system. This network of over 200 km of tunnels became legendary during the 1960's when they played a vital part in the American War. Also spend time with a family to learn about local life, past and present
The tour is really cheap at USD 25 because many other agencies charge a much higher price. Plus with Urban Adventures, their tour guides are generally quite young (at least the ones i got were!), extremely well versed in the history and understanding behind these areas, and the tour groups for mine were tiny - which really made the trip all the more enjoyable.
truly not something to do for the faint hearted, because I felt like I had done a million squats for the next two days
while you're at it you can also pay for 10 bullets and try out the guns used during the Vietnam War - although I was initially hesitant, it turned out to be a rather fun and interesting experience, so i reckon everyone should give it ago- one thing to note though, the bang sounds are extremely loud!
you can also get a sandal at the Cu Chi tunnels made out of old tyres, they are apparently the only kind of sandals Ho Chi Minh had ever won and they're apparently really comfy and great for walking on uneven grounds
After half a day's visit to the cu chi tunnels I reckon your next stop should be the war remnants museum (and if you have extra time you can head over to the reunification palace later) to continue your tour of Vietnam's amazing history
I have tbh been to several war museums now including one relating to the nazi war in israel back when I was 9, nonetheless, this war remnants museum left my parents and I simply amazed by the events of the Vietnam war. I know the information given may not have been the most objective, but i think the images and the remnants left behind are a strong indication that whatever the reason behind the war was, much innocent blood was shed, and well.. soldiers go crazy after being at war for too long.
Address: 28 Vo Van Tan, in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
(you can walk down from dong khoi street)
some of the viet kong's "captives" - it's kinda cool really, the whole entrance is littered with giant ex-USA helicopters, vehicles etc. which are now displayed at the museum
Most of the remnants displayed at the museum and many of the captions and accompanying stories written are rather heart wrenching and really quite a sight to behold - even if you're not normally a fan of museums, trust me that this one is really worth a visit. Do note however that the museum closes rather early at 5.30pm!
MUST-DOs
Most people head down to HCM for a short stay of 2-6 days and either head back home or to Northern or Central Vietnam - in light of this short period of time in HCM, planning your time is extremely crucial. Here's my advice on what you should do:
First day - the moment you've touched down, left your baggage with the hotel/ checked in, I reckon you make your way to Dong Du street at district 1 and find the tailor "Tricia and Verona". You may find Dong Du street from the main Dong Khoi street - an easier way to find it is by first locating the Sheraton hotel, the store is a few stores down on the other side of the street.
Tricia and Verona are sisters who own this fabulous tailoring store, they can tailor anything in the world and are the sweetest little things alive - if you intend to tailor suits/ clothes or anything at all, drop me an email if you're visiting them and I"ll pass on the word so that they can look out for you.
Visiting them on your first day allows them more time to make your clothes and allows for my days to make amendments and adjustments where necessary - & if you've got a pretty dress you're dying to replicate, I reckon these sisters are the people to go to.
For girls - a long sleeved white egyptian cotton shirt will be priced at USD 50 and skirts go at USD35 and above (depending on the material chosen). The total damage incurred for the three of us (my parents and I) was USD 1000.. so you can just imagine how madly in love we were with their tailoring - especially my dad, who couldn't stop going on about how his shirt which was tailored for USD 35 was a quarter of the price he paid for another shirt he tailored in Singapore 5 years ago.
Another Must-Do for any day of the week:
vietnamese coffee - truly a league of its own. (don't forget to buy some back while you're at it, the famous brand is "Ngyuen" but go into Ben Thanh and find any store selling coffee beans, choose your favourite kind/ flavour, get them to ground it and don't forget to bargain while you're at it!
Also because facebook is causing all sorts of problems, this post might take a while to blog since i have to reupload my photos on photobucket - and since I'm super trigger happy that means waiting for 68 photos to upload. - note as well that there'll probably be a part 3 to the vietnam trip so this won't be the last you'll be hearing of vietnam
I'm going to split this into three segments:
FOOD, SIGHTSEEING & MUST-DOs
FOOD:
Are you a great fan of haagen dazs' overpriced chocolate fondue in Singapore? If so, head down to Fanny's at district one for their chocolate fondue - you get to choose 13 different flavours of ice cream (small scoops of course) and its served with a generous serving of waffles and fruits, along with a warm rich and velvety smooth bowl of chocolate sauce.
Address: 29 - 31 Ton That Thiep, Dist. 1
The ice cream at Fanny's is rich, super yums and the best thing to have on a blistering hot day in vietnam - it's also a good place to seek shelter during one of the many storms that may take place during the monsoon season (ie now) in vietnam (what we did!). Another perk at Fanny's is the availability of free wifi for all whatsappaholics like me - so don't forget to ask one of the waitresses for their wifi password. A little tip on getting there - the store is rather far in the street, so don't worry if everything around you looks slightly odd and dubious because you'll find the store soon!
A flavour I strongly recommend is their dark chocolate - it's amazingly smooth and rich , although tbh, I thought all the flavours we tried were absolutely fantastic!
SIGHTSEEING:
If you're interested in visiting the Mekong Delta, in my world, there's only one agency you should go with - Intrepid, Urban Adventures
www.intrepidtravel.com/vietnamsales
Sign up for their day trip to Mekong Delta at the sum of USD 35 (which based on my research in Vietnam is really cheap!!) and trust me, you'd go back feeling that every single dollar was well spent and you might also collapse immediately from how exhilarating and tiring their tours are.
It's called:
"Trip: Mekong Discovery
Trip code: VUA
Duration: Full day tour
Cost: US $35
Meals included: Lunch
Escape the city for the lush fields and countless canals of the Mekong Delta. Cruise through the waterways, call into an island studded with tropical gardens, try local fruit. Rich and fertile, this region is Vietnam's agricultural heartland and this full-day adventure is the perfect way to discover its lush interior"
To be very honest, I've never been a fan of day trips/ tours, but this package is so good the description on its website doesn't do the trip any justice at all.
Unfortunately, you won't be headed to the more bustling area of mekong delta - ie the floating market which is apparently a far cry from the one in bangkok. the one in vietnam is actually a locals market place and not just a tourist destination! But that shouldn't deter you from joining them because the trip is superbly fun and amazing -
they pick you up from your hotel and you'll be headed to the mekong station and there you'll take a boat journey out to one of the islands for a taste of some fresh fruits and an experience of the kampong lifestyle (yes chickens and roosters running around included + as you walk you get to pluck longans off trees and eat them as you walk along the way)
if you can't already tell, lunch is included! After the morning's experience of the local village, you'll take the boat again to the lunch destination where a sumptuous spread including the famed fried fish featured on Luke Nguyen's Vietnamese cuisine show is included. You eat it with some veggies and sauce and wrap it up in a rice paper - absolutely stunning imo
and then you'll be rowed down a narrow water alley way on a sampan towards the bee farm and this is really an experience because it's also how the locals get in and out of the villages which are littered along the water way.
and from the sampan you transfer to a motorcycle cart thing and you'll be zoomed off through and into the deep parts of the countryside - this imo was the most fantastic part because the motorcycle effectively carried 7 people as it zoomed through super narrow roughly made pathways - expect your head to brush against the bushes more than once and always be camera ready because there are tonnes of things to see as your little tiny motorcycle cart brings you through (quite a harrowing experience as well if I may add)
they'll take you to the padi fields where photos are clearly necessary
and this is an idea of what the vehicle looks like
also, don't be shocked if his meter doesn't work - apparently that's the case for most scooters in vietnam (Y)
you'll end the days trip at about 4pm back on the main boat with some freshly plucked and cut coconuts
TRUST ME. this is a trip worth taking and my post about it doesn't do it any justice at all!
Another must-do in HCM is a visit to the Cu Chi tunnels - if like me, you're heading to vietnam completely ignorant about the vietnam war, I think the tunnels area gives a great insight on how intelligent and truly brilliant the vietnamese are. Also, while you're at it, don't miss out on the opportunity to fit yourself into the original tunnel opening which they have left open for tourists to (attempt) to fit themselves into. The rest of the tunnels that you'll crawl through have been enlarged for tourists so they don't exactly reflect the real conditions back then - and even with the enlargement, trust me, you'd feel claustrophobic and bewildered by how the vietnamese managed to run through these tunnels with bags of ammunition and guns.
Trip: Cu Chi Experience
Trip code: VUN
Duration: Half day tour
Cost: US $25
Meals included: n/a
Experience the world of the Cu Chi freedom fighters with a visit to their famous tunnel system. This network of over 200 km of tunnels became legendary during the 1960's when they played a vital part in the American War. Also spend time with a family to learn about local life, past and present
The tour is really cheap at USD 25 because many other agencies charge a much higher price. Plus with Urban Adventures, their tour guides are generally quite young (at least the ones i got were!), extremely well versed in the history and understanding behind these areas, and the tour groups for mine were tiny - which really made the trip all the more enjoyable.
truly not something to do for the faint hearted, because I felt like I had done a million squats for the next two days
while you're at it you can also pay for 10 bullets and try out the guns used during the Vietnam War - although I was initially hesitant, it turned out to be a rather fun and interesting experience, so i reckon everyone should give it ago- one thing to note though, the bang sounds are extremely loud!
you can also get a sandal at the Cu Chi tunnels made out of old tyres, they are apparently the only kind of sandals Ho Chi Minh had ever won and they're apparently really comfy and great for walking on uneven grounds
After half a day's visit to the cu chi tunnels I reckon your next stop should be the war remnants museum (and if you have extra time you can head over to the reunification palace later) to continue your tour of Vietnam's amazing history
I have tbh been to several war museums now including one relating to the nazi war in israel back when I was 9, nonetheless, this war remnants museum left my parents and I simply amazed by the events of the Vietnam war. I know the information given may not have been the most objective, but i think the images and the remnants left behind are a strong indication that whatever the reason behind the war was, much innocent blood was shed, and well.. soldiers go crazy after being at war for too long.
Address: 28 Vo Van Tan, in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
(you can walk down from dong khoi street)
some of the viet kong's "captives" - it's kinda cool really, the whole entrance is littered with giant ex-USA helicopters, vehicles etc. which are now displayed at the museum
Most of the remnants displayed at the museum and many of the captions and accompanying stories written are rather heart wrenching and really quite a sight to behold - even if you're not normally a fan of museums, trust me that this one is really worth a visit. Do note however that the museum closes rather early at 5.30pm!
MUST-DOs
Most people head down to HCM for a short stay of 2-6 days and either head back home or to Northern or Central Vietnam - in light of this short period of time in HCM, planning your time is extremely crucial. Here's my advice on what you should do:
First day - the moment you've touched down, left your baggage with the hotel/ checked in, I reckon you make your way to Dong Du street at district 1 and find the tailor "Tricia and Verona". You may find Dong Du street from the main Dong Khoi street - an easier way to find it is by first locating the Sheraton hotel, the store is a few stores down on the other side of the street.
Tricia and Verona are sisters who own this fabulous tailoring store, they can tailor anything in the world and are the sweetest little things alive - if you intend to tailor suits/ clothes or anything at all, drop me an email if you're visiting them and I"ll pass on the word so that they can look out for you.
Visiting them on your first day allows them more time to make your clothes and allows for my days to make amendments and adjustments where necessary - & if you've got a pretty dress you're dying to replicate, I reckon these sisters are the people to go to.
For girls - a long sleeved white egyptian cotton shirt will be priced at USD 50 and skirts go at USD35 and above (depending on the material chosen). The total damage incurred for the three of us (my parents and I) was USD 1000.. so you can just imagine how madly in love we were with their tailoring - especially my dad, who couldn't stop going on about how his shirt which was tailored for USD 35 was a quarter of the price he paid for another shirt he tailored in Singapore 5 years ago.
Another Must-Do for any day of the week:
vietnamese coffee - truly a league of its own. (don't forget to buy some back while you're at it, the famous brand is "Ngyuen" but go into Ben Thanh and find any store selling coffee beans, choose your favourite kind/ flavour, get them to ground it and don't forget to bargain while you're at it!