april-2012

VIETNAM
HO CHI MINH CITY
COUNTRY CODE +84
CURRENCY VND10,000 = PHP20.23/US$0.47
TOUCHDOWN Tan Son Nhat International
Airport is a 30-minute drive away from District 1.
A taxi ride costs about VND80,000 (PHP162).
You can also hire a motorbike and driver for
VND20,000 (PHP40).
BY DAY Go on a tour of the city, visiting the War
museum, Reunifi cation Palace, Ben Thanh market
and the Cu Chi tunnel if time permits. Stop by
L’Usine café in Dong Khoi, then pop over to see the
Water Puppet Show at Rong Vang theater.
BY NIGHT Dine at one of many great hotpot
restaurants on Truong Dinh St. or around District
3. The acoustic club in Ngo Thoi Nhiem is popular
among the younger set. For dancing, head to
Apocalypse in Thi Sach or Lush in Ly Tu Trong.
SLEEP Mid-range hotels include Rex, Que Huong
and Liberty. There are budget hotels or guesthouses
in the backpack area (Pham Ngu Lao, De Tham) that
go for US$10–20 (PHP427–854) a night.
Man Quang
Ho
banker
BEST BREAKFAST Start your day
with a steaming hot bowl of Pho Hoa
noodles on Pasteur St.
INSIDER TIP Mai Linh and Vina Sun
are the best taxi services. Beware of cabs
passing themselves off as the real thing.
MUST-DO Find your spot on the curb
on Han Thuyen St., then sip Vietnamesestyle
coffee while admiring the Notre
Dame Cathedral.
trip journal
VIETNAM
HANOI
COUNTRY CODE +84
CURRENCY VND10,000 = PHP20.23/US$0.47
TOUCHDOWN The Noi Bai International Airport
is located 45km away from the city center.
Transportation services like public taxis, mini and
public buses are available at the arrivals level.
www.hanoiairportonline.com
BY DAY Include the water puppet show, Hoa Lo
Prison and the Temple of Literature in your itinerary.
Try Hanoi eats bun cha (grilled pork patties with
vermicelli rice noodles) at Ngo Tram St. and cha ca
(grilled fi sh pies) at 14 Cha Ca St.
BY NIGHT Movie fans, head over to the Hanoi
Cinematheque, an art-house cinema that shows
Hollywood classic fi lms as well as Vietnamese
avant garde movies. For drinks, order a pint of
Czech beed at Hoa Vien Brahaus.
SLEEP Check into Hotel de l’Opera Hanoi for a
good night’s sleep. 29 Trang Tien St., Hoan Kiem
District, Hanoi; tel: +84 (4) 6282 5555, www.
mgallery.com
BEST BREAKFAST Beef noodle
soup at Pho Suong along Trung Yen, and
Vietnamese coffee at Giang Café.
BEST DINNER Try an upscale
fusion meal of French and Vietnamese
cuisine at La Verticale.
BEST SOUVENIRS Embroidered
paintings, wartime propaganda posters,
lacquer paintings and more in Hanoi’s
Old Quarter.
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Nga Hoang
freelance writer
LESTER LEDESMA