[foodie52]

Probably going to Vietnam this fall: am thinking that Hanoi would be really interesting - either that or Saigon. Anyone here have any thoughts/experience?

[Rail Paul]

Vietnam has put out the welcome mat for American visitors in recent years, and the NY Times had a long article about touring the country in 2004.


Guide to Vietnam


If you're a member of OA, stellabella has a thread with daily reports about her tour of the country.

[vidia]

Why not both? Vietnam is a great country to visit - it is still inexpensive but starting to get developed enough to have a decent tourist infrastructure and it has great food. Here's a guide that is supposedly written by expats, foreigners who live in the respective countries/ cities: http://www.elephantguide.com/

Also, on www.chowhound.com in the international board Curtis is very familiar with all things Vietnamese.

[beachfan]

I was there in Decmeber, awesome. Fabulous time.

Re: Hanoi, everyone loves it.

Re: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), the litmus test is:

Did you like the old Times Square better or the new Times Square?

If the old Times Square, you'll love HCMC.

I can give restaurant rec's when you narrow it down. Also, make the time to go to Ha long bay (an overnight from Hanoi). Rent the movie Indochine and you'll see why.

[foodie52]

Thanks to everyone! I'll keep you posted as to our plans. I knew y'all would come through for me!!

[Abbylovi]

I would like to do this.

[Aaron T]

I think I will be going to Hanoi this summer. Good restaurant advice appreciated.

[beachfan]

Emperor is by most reports the best, and I loved it, went there twice!

Cha cha la vong get's strong reviews, I would have went if I didn't go to Emperor twice.

Be sure to do an overnight side trip to HaLong Bay, an amazing experience. You can wet your appetite by seeing Indochine on video (Catherine Deneuve at her best).

PM me if you need more tips like hotel, tour guides, Saigon tips, etc.

[Shiewie]

Check out noodlepie.com for Vietnam restaurant advice. It's mainly on Saigon but he used live in Hanoi so he'll be able to point you to some places.

My last visit to Hanoi was in Jan 2004 and here are some pictures of what I ate:


Bun Cha on Hang Manh Street.


The Bun Cha shop on Hang Manh - pieman thinks is the touristy version. Bun cha places recommended by pieman are 20 Ta Hien St or 61 Ly Thai Tho St just south of the junction with Lo Su St ... but alas I only found out about pieman's recommendations after my trip.


Cha Ca at Cha Ca La Vong - pieman says that this is another touristy place. A cha ca place that pieman recommends is at 31 Duong Thanh St.


Beef and young paw-paw salad at KOTO (near the Temple of Literature)


Fishnet pork and seafood springrolls at Koto


Dessert at Le Beaulieu, Sofitel Metropole

Cafe Au Lac on Ly Thai Tho (opposite the Sofitel Metropole) is very pleasant place to have a coffee.

Some other restaurant recommendations that I got from our guide to Halong Bay and also from these couple of guys we shared a table with at Cha Ca La Vong:
1) Bun Oc (snail soup noodles) - stall on the left side Hang Bac heading towards Nguyen Huu Huan- open in the mornings from 6.30am to 9.00am
2) Luon (eel - cooked in bamboo) - on Hang Da street near the junction with Hang Quat
3) Bahn Mi on Lo Su St - this we managed to try and it was very good despite there being no fish sauce in it ... compensated with loads of meltingly tender fatty pork
4) A food street on Mai Hai De (parallel to Pho Hue) in Hai Ba Trung District. Seems the food here is a lot more authentic than the more touristy food street on Tong Duy Tan.

[beachfan]

To be honest, in places where you can't drink the water, "touristy" isn't always bad.

[Abbylovi]

beachfan, on Apr 24 2005, 08:27 PM, said:

PM me if you need more tips like hotel, tour guides, Saigon tips, etc.

Would you be willing to post this info (pretty please)?

[beachfan]

I will, but as I leave tomorrow for a two week business trip, it will be a while. Are you going very soon?

[Abbylovi]

No rush.

[beachfan]

I tailored a personal tour with Dragon Travel

Dragon Travel

Prices seemed good - I went with private car and driver. Cars were ok (not Benz, not jalopies), drivers excellent, all guides considerate, command of language ranging from passable to excellent. If you go to Hanoi, be sure to ask for Dinh (sp?) as a tour guide.

I stayed at the Sheratons in both HCMC and Hanoi. Because I have status in the chain, I got suites in both places (took a little lobbying, but not much). They were 4* luxury at cheap prices ($90-120). Club lounge at HCMC is excellent, includes free internet, definitly worth it. The Sheraton in Hanoi is a bit out of town, but cabs are cheap, and it wasn't really inconvenient. Both hotels were excellent, not really Sheratons as we know them here, but two steps up.

Some of the best massages ever at the Sheratons, dirt cheap $35, for an hour. Top, top, top quality.

I recommend the Lonely Planet guide (in general, not my guide of choice, but the best for Vietnam). Good maps.

In addition to Emperor in Hanoi, my wife really l.iked Com Chay Nang Tam (in the guide), only vegetarian food, faux duck, faux pork, faux beef, etc. Not my cup of tea (I like vegetarian food, but not faux meat in general), but my wife loved it.

In Halong bay, Aisa restaurant had some of the best spring rolls in a country of spring rolls. Dirt cheap.

In HCMC, Camargue is a pleasant French restuarant, high end (though still cheap by NYC standards if you stay away from the fancy french wines, the Loire whites were great and not to dear).

Also HCMC my local please is Nam Giao, hard to find, nothing vegetarian available, but extremely authentic food from Hue. I really enjoyed the fish cakes they serve in bamboo leaves on the table (might not have had them if I thought about it, but it was very fresh). Nothing more than $1.90 on the menu.

Mandarine is a lovely upscale Vietnamese restaurant.

Quan An Ngon was highly recommended but not that great. A fabulous scene, filled with families going out, so not a bad time, but there is better food to be had.

I forget where I stayed in Halong Bay, it was fine, included in Dragon Travel's tour. I did a day trip in HCMC, a day trip to the Mekong Delta, a day trip in Hanoi and an overnight to Halong Bay. Definitely recommend a tour guide your first day in the city.

[Abbylovi]

Thank you, thank you.