Word Vietnam April 2015 FA

NH XUT BN LAO NG
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CHUYN DU LCH, M THC

VIETNAM EDITION / TP 4 2015
APRIL 2015
NOT FOR SALE
contents
wordvietnam.com
APRIL 2015
056
094
050
THE TALK
INSIDER
010 / Everything is Going to Be OK 050 / I Shot a Big Beer Ad
Really... maybe
Jon Aspin didnt do acro-yoga
011 / The Big Five
054 / 40 Years After
Events to look out for this month
Two men look back on Liberation
056 / 50 Shades of Expat
BRIEFINGS
This months cover story explores the

kaleidoscope that is expatdom
014 / Mystery Quest
A ride into the unknown
084 / A Streetcar Named Uber
016 / The Cabinet
Vietnams first LGBT museum exhibit
028 / The Prodigy
Nope, not the band. This is Vietnams

best, four-foot-tall winger
016
Crowdsourcing public transit
ART
082 / Theatre for the People
Reading classic lines in an empty room
088 / Has Hanois Art Scene Lost

its Edge?
April Fools!
EAT & DRINK

094 / Mystery Diner Hanoi
Aummee is worth returning to
096 / Street Snacker Hanoi
On the menu: Bo Bit Tet
098 / Mystery Diner HCMC
Sorae stands alone
100 / Street Snacker HCMC
The Best Banh Mi in Saigon
FASHION
102 / Le Retour des Beaux Jours
Yet another reason to look forward to

summer
102
contents
108
122
182
139 / Food Promos
TRAVEL
108 / The Last Post on the Bugle
Yangon still knows its roots
038 / Overscene
114 / Hua Hin
Thailands royal paradise
122 / Destination Zero
149 / HCMC City Guide
La Rsidence Hue reflects the past, and

future
126 / The Motorbike Diaries
Part 1: Nostalgia
HANOI
040 / To-Do List
046 / Overscene
128 / Hanoi City Guide
130 / Bar Stool
132 / Recalling Hanoi
134 / Coffee Cup
136 / Top Eats
4 | Word April 2015 | wordvietnam.com
HCMC
030 / To-Do List
158 / Ice Cream Bowl

160 / Top Eats
COLUMNS
140 / The Alchemist
144 / The Therapist
146 / Medical Buff
148 / Book Buff
164 / Student Eye

166 / A World of Good
177 / Tieng Viet
FINAL SAY
182 / Lotusland
An excerpt from David Joiners debut novel
184 / Dissecting the Double

Standard
Dont argue, dont argue, dont argue...
186 / The Inside Story of the

Guerrilla War
Chapter 7 of Wilfred Burchetts thrilling

account
192 / The Last Call
Mark Wildblood is Vietnams original expat
152 / Business Buff

154 / Job Search
156 / Body and Temple
162 / The Empty Wok
192
CONTRIBUTORS
This month we asked Words expats,

Whats your lamest expat tendency?
JULIE VOLA
Staff Photographer
Never took classes, never learned. I
dont speak Vietnamese. I just know
enough to get by.
NICK ROSS
Chief Editor
I get frustrated when people refuse to
understand my Vietnamese. I know my
command of the language is far from
perfect, but hell, its still pretty good.
SIMON STANLEY
Contributing Writer
I say lam on, cam on and xin loi
way too often. Im British these are
the first words were taught as kids.
Im also far too willing to queue.
KATIE JACOBS
Contributing Writer
I still get annoyed when people drive
really fast down the sidewalk to avoid a
traffic light at peak hour I now walk
in a zigzag line so they cant get past.
KYLE PHANROY
Photo Editor
My biggest expat flaw would have to be
my passive aggressive road rage. I rarely
vocalise myself, but Ill cut off or block
anyone for the most frivolous reasons.
ED WEINBERG
Deputy Editor
I beep my horn like a madman every
time I see bicyclists wobbling into traffic,
unable to keep a straight line. Its usually
just kids, and they usually look like
theyre having fun. I feel like Im gonna
yell You darn kids! one of these days.
OWEN SALISBURY
Contributing Writer
Lamest is a hard question but overall, Id
say the fact that Im convinced all other
drivers are idiots while I zoom in and out
of lanes at high speed, beeping and cursing. Maybe that
has nothing to do with my expat status, actually...
NIKO SAVVAS
Online Editor
My biggest expat flaw is probably my
volunteer work at local orphanages. I
currently spend zero hours a week there. So I
guess I dont volunteer at orphanages enough.
The editorial and design of WORD is carried out by Duong Huynh Advertising JSC
EDITORIAL
NICK ROSS
Chief Editor
editor@wordvietnam.com
ED WEINBERG
Deputy Editor
ed@wordvietnam.com
MADS MONSEN
Creative Director
mads@wordvietnam.com
HOA LE
Staff Editor
hoale@wordvietnam.com
KYLE PHANROY
Photo Editor
kyle@wordvietnam.com
DAVID MANN
Staff Editor
david.mann@wordvietnam.com
FRANCIS XAVIER
Staff Reporter
francis.xavier@wordvietnam.com
JULIE VOLA
Staff Photographer
julie@wordvietnam.com
MARK ALLAN
Website & Graphic Designer
mark@wordvietnam.com
NGUYEN LOC
Layout Designer
loc@wordvietnam.com
VU HA KIM VY
Marketing
vy@wordvietnam.com
JON ASPIN
Staff Writer
jon@wordvietnam.com
ADMINISTRATION
BAO ROSS
General Director
bao@wordvietnam.com
TRANG LE
Chief Accountant
trang@wordvietnam.com
ADVERTISING
BAO ROSS
General Director
bao@wordvietnam.com
TRINH BUI
Sales Executive
trinh@wordvietnam.com
CHAU GIANG
Area Sales Manager Hanoi
giang@wordvietnam.com
DISTRIBUTION
trinh@wordvietnam.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS
trang@wordvietnam.com
For advertising enquiries please call Ms Bao on +84 938 609 689 or Ms Giang on +84 934 640 668
Special thanks to Glen Riley, Trung Del, Katie Jacobs, Huyen Tran, Dana McNairn, Karen Gay,
Douglas Holwerda, Truong from Bookworm, Riccha Arora, Phil Kelly, Shane Dillon, International SOS,
Nicola Connolly, Simon Stanley, Harry Hodge, To Thu Phuong, George Burchett, Owen Salisbury, Dara
O Foghlu, Csaba Molnr, David Joiner, Karen Hewell, Annalise Frank, Justin Hurst, Sawano Newell,
Zanna McKay, Davnet McLaughlin, Ellen Gleeson, MJ Noel, Hannah Jefferys, Will Mekemson, Alex
McCarl, Nick Le, Julian Talbot, Keith and Richie, Chris Ferry, Lana Matsuyama, Sandee Woo, Ramzi
Musa, Bob Thompson, Megan Solga, Rebecca Morgan and Kerlon Souza
Word is a registered
trademark. No content
may be reproduced in
any form without prior
authorisation of the
owners.
JON ASPIN
Staff Writer
Much to my next-day chagrin, I still
occasionally find myself in drinking
establishments where the bargirl to me
ratio is in no way a reflection of my level of
attractiveness. I got to get some new friends.
Word - Duong Huynh

Advertising JSC
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ISBN: 978-604-59-2901-8
SCH CHUYN QUNG CO
In xong v np lu chiu Qy 2 nm 2015.
The prelude
named Patrick Leija, to

be in charge of sales and
marketing.
A fluent Vietnamese
speaker with a zest for
life, Patrick first came
to Vietnam in the late
1990s only for his trip
to be cut short by a
motorbike accident. If
it hadnt been for an
airlift back to the US
and emergency medical
treatment, he would
have lost his life.
the Salsa Man. It was his

way of contributing to
the community on his
own terms.
Unfortunately,
Patricks health started
to decline and in early
2014 he had a stroke.
Then last month, on
a trip back to the US,
Patrick passed away. He
was only 42.
He will be sorely
missed. His largerthan-life personality,
his love of music and
his generosity won
him a lot of friends. He
touched a lot of peoples
lives and he played an
important role in getting
our magazine project off
the ground.
Patrick, thank you.
Were thinking of you.
Nick Ross, Chief
Editor
CHUYN DU LCH, M THC

APRIL 2015
NOT FOR SALE
NH XUT BN LAO NG
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0 years ago this

month, two media
types from an
inconsequential
little country called
England started
working on something a
little more consequential
(as if) a publication
that two-and-a-half
years later became Word.
After a couple of months
they brought in a third
partner, a gregarious
Mexican-American
With Vietnam already

in his veins, Patrick
returned to Saigon and
went into teaching.
Various marketing
roles came his way
including a stint with
Corona before he
finally, briefly, got into
the magazine trade.
His magazine
partnership with David
Legard and Nick Ross
didnt quite work out.
However, his legacy
remained. Our first title
was called Saigon Inside
Out. Patrick took the
photo for the first front
cover and it was he who
came up with the name.
In early 2013 we
published an article on
Patrick he was homemaking Dos Chiles salsa
to his grandmothers
recipe. We called him
THIS MONTH'S COVER

Cover by DH Advertising
Model: Megan Dawn Solga
HAVE YOUR SAY

DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? THEN LET US KNOW ON FACEBOOK FACEBOOK.COM/WORD.VIETNAM OR VIA TWITTER, @WORDVIETNAM.
NO MATTER HOW POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE YOUR THOUGHTS, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.
inbox
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO AIR? IF SO, REACH OUT AND TOUCH US
AT EDITOR@WORDVIETNAM.COM WERE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.
CHUYN DU LCH, M THC
MARCH 2015
NOT FOR SALE
Craft beers. Are you sure?
Portraits of Vietnam
(March 2015)
Wow! Amazing front cover. Who took that photo? BC
You guys have come so far over the past couple of years.
Youre almost unrecognizable from the Word Magazine of
the past. Love all the photos this month! AB
SP
EC
IA
L
Great issue. Some amazing photography in there this

month. PW
NH XUT BN LAO NG
PH
OT
OG
RA
PH
Y
I do wish youd go back to

supporting Britain as you
formerly did. Any more of this
tosh, month after month, of
attributing so called craft beers
to every country apart from
England, is getting annoying and
misleads readers. The hoppy,
fruity, blah blah blah craft beers
are merely new labels for the very
beer I grew up with. Even the UK
has been swept away by it all.
When I was in UK in last October,
I was amused to see that Greene
King and other brands are now
printing craft beer on their can
and bottle labels.
The best definition of craft beer
I can think of is a label currently
applied in contemporary
vernacular to describe hopflavoured traditional English
bitter beers. The word craft was
applied due to such beers being
produced in very small quantities
in the United States for a new and
small drinking market. AH
Some Praise!
[via Word Vietnam Facebook Page]
I came to know Word Vietnam when I visited my favourite coffee shop in Saigon a while back
and the magazine really caught my attention. I immediately fell in love with the cover and even
asked the owner for it because I know the magazine is not for sale. I literally spent lots of time
reading every single article and you know what, I brought it back to the US so I could read it
over and over gain.
I just wanted you to know that Word Vietnam is one of the best magazines about Vietnam that
Ive had the chance to read. Beautiful, breath-taking photos and simple, well-written articles.
You capture the best of Vietnam and our people by making the most ordinary things become
extraordinary and compelling. The magazine is exactly what I, and many other readers I believe
are looking for in an artwork that represents a whole culture and a country. AD
the talk
While other publications bombard you with
outlandish lies, let us reassure you:
Everything is going to be OK.
Rest Assured
Youre going to get a raise at work. Your
hard work and positive attitude are going
to be recognised. It wasnt easy to earn the
respect and recognition you deserve, but
soon youre finally going to make it. You
wont have to worry about being stuck in an
unfulfilling dead-end career anymore.
The environments going to be fine, too.
Things might be getting ugly elsewhere in
the region, what with the carcass-choked
rivers and unbreathable air and all, but
thats not Vietnam. Eventually theyll figure
something out remember the Olympics
in Beijing? Besides, people drive hybrid cars
and turn off the faucets when they brush
their teeth now. Theres no catastrophic
climate shift staring us in the face, you can
count on that.
Lets forget about glaciers and dead polar
bears and talk about something that matters
your love life. As it turns out, thats going
to be fine, too. Youre going to find someone
who appreciates your quirks and doesnt
mind your faults. Even if circumstances in
your lives change swiftly and unexpectedly,
your feelings for each other will stay the
same. People arent essentially alone. Theres
nothing in the world stronger than love.
See, everythings fine. Relax a little.
A Wonderful World
THE TALK
THE LEAD
Everything is
Going to Be OK
April Fools?
t this time of the year, its

important to be skeptical when
you read. Publications are
cranking out hoaxes left and
right, and for once people dont seem to
mind when the media lies. In fact, they go
bananas for it. When the BBC ran a story
about the Swiss spaghetti harvest of 1957,
people called in asking how to grow their
own noodle trees.
Sports Illustrated strained credulity
even further in 1985 when it published an
article about Sidd Finch, a baseball-playing
Buddhist savant who threw the ball twice
as hard as an average player. A week later,
their offices were swamped with fan mail
clamouring for more about the mysterious

Tibetan prodigy.
Word would never attempt to deceive its
readers like this. While other publications
may compromise their journalistic integrity
for the sake of cheap buzz, this magazine has
higher aims, such as the sale of advertising
space. If Word published an article that
was intentionally misleading, readers
might suspect that its advertisers were also
deceitful perhaps that smiling doctor in
the picture was actually a clumsy-thumbed
delta bumpkin with a butchers delicacy.
Dont worry about any of that. Word is
an honest, God-fearing family magazine. It
is committed to integrity and truthfulness.
You live in a safe and happy place. The roads

have been getting progressively safer for
some time now, as motorists learn to drive
in a sane and courteous manner. Queues
at supermarkets and elevator lobbies are
practically Singaporean in their precision.
Everyone is punctual and polite, and petty
theft is at an all-time low.
At this point youre probably thinking,
My goodness, the world sure is a fantastic
place. Well, it gets even better. That good
health youve been enjoying recently? As
it turns out, youve been consuming the
exactly-perfect amounts of gluten, carbs,
meth and vegetables. Your diet could
literally not be improved. Neither could
your exercise habits. All signs point to your
strength and vigour increasing perpetually.
Everything else is going to be wonderful,
too. The old people will have the things
that old people need, and jerks will stop
being mean to animals. You will be late with
the rent but the landlord wont care. Your
haircuts will be mostly successful.
The drones will stop bombing sick people
and children instead of the healthy, slightly
older people they were supposed to bomb.
The schools will be better and the bartender
will learn how to make a goddamn White
Russian. Youll find a flattering pair of
jeans. Bad things will stop happening to
good people. Youll finally get a moment to
yourself to think for once.
Yes, its all going to be just fine. Niko
Savvas
05
SUNDAY
23
APR.
Hanoi
DRAGON DASH
ADVENTURE
Looking for more

opportunities to get covered
in dirt and bump into a bunch of
man-made objects while running
as fast as you can to highpowered house music? Look
no further than Dragon Dash.
Established by Dare Vietnam,
a company that focuses on
organising sport events for the
adventure lover. They also say
you should take the opportunity
on Apr. 5 to show your mental
HCMC
09-11
the big five
THURSDAY
HCMC
BACK TO THE
MOTHERLANZ
Too much Aussie and

Kiwi music is never
enough. Dubbed Motherlanz,
this promises to be one mother
of an event with headliners Tiki
Taane of Salmonella Dub fame
alongside Anika Moa bringing
on the awesome tunes at
Cargo Bar. In honour of
ANZAC Day, Risky
Red, Mark Bowyer and
Broken Rice Band, and
and physical strength through

various activities including
running, jumping, climbing
and conquering every single
challenge on their five-kilometer
race! We say why the hell not.
An unmissable event for anyone
interested in team camaraderie
and well getting dirty. Do you
dare to enter the Dragons Den?
For more info have a look at
their site at darevietnam.com or
email them at info@darevietnam.
com. Group bookings attract a
discount!
Keith Pavy and The Anzacs will

deliver the patriotic spirit. The
whole things sponsored by
Harley Davidson, so you can
definitely expect it to be a highoctane event!
Motherlanz starts at 7pm
at Cargo Bar 7 Nguyen Tat
Thanh, Q4, HCMC. Tickets cost
VND250,000. For bookings and
enquiries call Mark on 01238
422999
HANOI SOUND STUFF 2015
Three days of
experimental music, art
and film return to Hanoi
from Apr. 9 to Apr. 11 with a
line-up of artists from both
Vietnam and overseas.
Kicking off on the Thursday
at Manzi Art Space (14 Phan
Huy Ich, Ba Dinh, Hanoi), on
Hanoi
18
SATURDAY
the Friday Sounds Stuff moves

to Hanoi Creative City (1 Luong
Yen, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi)
before ending up for the big
finale at the Van Ho Exhibition
Centre (2 Hoa Lu, Hai Ba Trung,
Hanoi).
To get the full lowdown, turn to
page 40
GALAS AND
BALLS
Two balls, two

nationalities,
different venues, but
all on one night. You
would have thought
the Americans and the
Australians would have
a working relationship.
Well, perhaps they do.
But, if you do have
to choose, here are the
options. The AmCham
Rock n Soul Gala
will be taking place at
the JW Marriott, while
the The Australiana
Ball is descending on
InterContinental Hanoi
Westlake.
For more information
turn to pages 42 and 43
24
FRIDAY
HCMC
THE BELGIAN BEER FESTIVAL
50 Belgian beers, live

Belgian music, Belgian
food and a hell of a
lot of fun. The Belgian Beer
Festival makes its Ho Chi Minh
City debut at Cargo Bar, and
for a mere VND300,000 you

can join in the festivities.
To see more about the festival
go to page 12. And to take part in
our free ticket competition, check
out page 32
wordvietnam.com | April 2015 Word | 11
briefings
m sat in The Cube Bar with Guy

Balza and Jan Segers, both members
of BeluxCham, the Belgium and
Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce.
Although its left unsaid, theyve
chosen the venue because it stocks three
well-known Belgian beers Stella Artois,
Hoegaarden and Leffe. In the same way that
the English will talk for hours about football,
or the French will verbalise non-stop about
wine, so Guy and Jan are talking about beer.
Belgian beer.
Is beer the same to Belgians as wine is
to the French? I ask. Its a question that
starts an hours worth of conversation
about a product that is dear to almost every
Belgians heart.
The problem was we never had the
ingredients to make wine, says Guy. So
we started making beer instead. You can
imagine, this person in this little place, this
little village, he was probably not a premium
brewer. He had a popular place in the middle
of the street where they were brewing
liquid, for beer. Thats basically how things
developed.
In fact each village, each small village
had its own brewery, says Jan. And they
had their own brewer brewing their own
beers. And thats whats coming back again.
These breweries were family breweries and
now theyve gotten more important and had
expansion.
A Matter of Tradition
Were here to talk about the forthcoming
Belgian Beer Festival on Apr. 24 at Cargo Bar.
But while a few comments are made about
the festival during the conversation, such
is the passion of both Guy and Jan that the
focus mostly returns to beer.
Would you say Belgian beer is boutique
beer? I ask.
Yes, says Guy. Its boutique beer. It was
brewed in every village. Why? There was no
way to transport the beer 100km away. It was
impossible. So, you werent able to have a
national brand. This was only possible when
we had trucks that could move things from A
to Z. Every village had their own breweries.
And then of course, everyone started to brew
beer their own way, and historically you can
find that one particular beer was brewed by
monks, another was brewed by a peasant.
Together with Jan, Guy recounts the story
of Hoegaarden. It was originally brewed
in the village of Hoegaarden, near Tienen
in Flanders. In the 19th century, the village
had 13 breweries and nine distilleries, all
brewing white beer witbier. But in 1957,
the last local witbier brewery, Tomsin, closed
its doors. Pierre Celis, a milkman who had
grown up next to the brewery and sometimes
helped with brewing, decided 10 years later
to try to revive the style. He started a new
brewery, called de Sluis, in his hayloft.
Says Guy: [Celis] restarted the process
in a modern way and called his beer
Hoegaarden. To produce Hoegaarden you
need to build a brewery that is only able to
brew Hoegaarden.
BRIEFINGS
HCMC
The
Last September the Belgian Beer Festival touched down

in Hanoi. This month it makes its debut in Saigon
Adds Jan: They relocated the production
of Hoegaarden from Hoegaarden to Jupille.
The taste and everything was wrong. You
need the specific microbiotics from the air in
the area around Hoegaarden.
And this, according to both Guy and Jan
is why, except for a few notable exceptions,
Belgian beer is still brewed locally in Belgium.
You need the air and the water of the specific
area where the beer is brewed to get that
unique taste.
Glassy Eyed
Im already on my third beer a Stella
followed by Leffe Blond before returning to
Stella. Belgian beer is strong and I can feel
the alcohol pulsing through my veins. As my
head begins to spin the conversation moves
from Trappist monks to beer glasses. Every
Belgian beer comes with glassware designed
for its own particular taste. At The Cube,
note both Jan and Guy, theyre serving up
the beer in the correct glasses.

One of the problems, says Guy, is
education. A lot of Vietnamese are drinking
Belgian beer now, but they dont know
anything about it. At the festival we want to
educate people on Belgian beer.
As Guy says this, both he and Jan break
out into a broad smile. You can see from
their expressions and you can tell from their
passion theyre looking forward to this
one. Nick Ross
The Belgian Beer Festival hits Cargo Bar 7
Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4, HCMC on Friday,
Apr. 24 from 6pm. Entrance is VND300,000
in advance and VND500,000 on the door, and
includes two free beers. As well as having over
50 Belgian beers for you to taste, there will be
live music, food and entertainment.
To buy your tickets email info@beluxcham.
com or call (08) 3822 4029. For more info click
on belgiumbeerfestival.com. Or, to win free
tickets, turn to page 32
briefings
BRIEFINGS
HANOI
Mystery Quest
The creatives behind Quest have put on some of Vietnams most unforgettable
festivals. Now, in their fourth edition, theyre asking us to trust them
fter three successful parties

in the wilderness of paradise,
Quest is taking the concept
where theyve been pushing it
all along into the unknown.
This latest iteration is an intimate affair
as far as precedent goes, with maybe half
of last Quests 1,000 attendees turning out.
But as far as what kind of intimacy, they
cant tell you. Youll just have to trust them.
Organiser Jeremy Wellard feels this
is what the Quest experiment has been
building toward all along. Were taking a

risk here, but we wanted to see what would
happen if we really go out on a limb,
and [more] importantly if we were to say
no. No, we will not tell you the location,
the lineup, the intimate details. No, you
cannot drive yourself there. Instead were
challenging our audience to trust us to do
something amazing.
In the lead-up to the last Quest, I wrote
some fluffy words about festivals like
Quest being a celebration of that fluttery
feeling you sometimes get on a good night,

by and for those who find their truth in
watching the sun come up... on and on
into cringe-infinity.
And then I drove out to Quest, skidded
on some highway gravel at 50km/h, and
on arriving the next day became known as
the guy whose arm was covered in bloodcoloured Betadine. Suffice it to say, I didnt
have the time I was hoping for.
When I chatted with Jeremy on the
phone, I told him about my experience,
and how Id wanted to interact with the

festival in a different way than by dancing.
He said that was exactly what they were
trying to do.
The idea behind holding a mystery
event is to see if we can take our audience
on a journey with us, he later wrote me.
Our previous events have helped us
build a reputation for delivering quality
weekend festivals based around music

and activities. Now we want to begin to
challenge ourselves, and [challenge] our
guests to step further out of their comfort
zone.
We are very keen on expanding our
programme to focus on a deeper range
of experiences. Of course Quest will stay
a music festival with a really exciting
programme of DJs and local live bands, but

we are also building a great programme
of workshops and arts activities, diverse
performances and lots of different ways for
people to participate.
One Cat Out

Musical director Luke Poulson dropped a
hint on Quests Facebook on Mar. 25:
Photos by Thuy-Tien Nguyen / andofotherthings.com
This Quest were happy to have one of

Vietnams premier disco divas bringing
re-edits, classics and pure boogie selections
to our very special Lucid Lounge... At the
last Quest we provided a mini area for left
field, funk, disco, chill, hip-hop and dub
music this Quest we have expanded the
area to make a toe-tapping garden delight.
In an email, he gave us a little more.
[We're] stoked to announce a major
festival headliner who will be joining us
from the UK... we have stripped things
down and gone right back to what its all

about having an absolute blast to pure
party music. Do yourself a massive favour
and catch this act.
Jeremys hints are a bit more cryptic. We
also want to encourage people to explore
the festival site and find new things,
hidden secrets. Not everything will be laid
out and easy to find. Some parts of the
festival will require people to go on a little
journey, or look for clues and see where
that path through the trees leads.
But hes got to be cryptic, as Quest

is gearing up to be the kind of festival
that will depend on us. Festivals can be
amazing experiences for open-minded
people willing to put their trust in each
other and the organisers, he writes. We
want to fill this festival with those types of
people. Ed Weinberg
Quest Festival will be somewhere outside of
Hanoi, from Apr. 10 to Apr. 12. Sign up for the
ride at quest.bigtime.vn and hurry! Ticket
sales end Apr. 3
briefings
BRIEFINGS
HANOI
The Cabinet
LGBT issues are gaining increasing attention in Vietnam, as witnessed by

last months exhibition at the Vietnam University of Fine Arts
ilhouettes on stands line one

wall of Hanois first-ever LGBT
museum exhibition. Their darkly
outlined bodies twist in agony or
stand defiantly, filled with symbolic items
each artist chose to draw: shackles around
the ankles, cascading pills, stick figures
holding hands.
These images are among the first seen on
a visit to The Cabinet, an NGO-sponsored,
government-approved exhibition that tells
the stories of more than 70 lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender people in Vietnam.
Full of donated everyday items, letters,
clothes and photos, each exhibit represents
a memory or embodies an experience.
Hugging figurine salt-shakers and ao dai
share space with hormone pills and a
slashed teddy bear.
Coloured placards placed in front of each
display represent one of four themes: red
for identity, blue for sorrow, yellow for
pride and green for sharing. A drawer
in each exhibits stand opens to reveal the
accompanying text. Recorded interviews,
short documentaries and interactive iPads
allow visitors to explore the exhibit further.

For the design [of the exhibition] we
talked about coming out of the closet, about
what LGBT people today want, feel and
have, says Pham Khanh Binh, a programme
assistant for LGBT issues for iSEE, one of the
organisations that collaborated on the exhibit.
A Long Journey
The Cabinet ran until Mar. 31, but its journey
began in 2009 when curator Dinh Thi Nhung
started collecting objects for an archiving
project with the Centre for Creative Initiative
in Health and Population. The Unstraight
Museum in Stockholm and the Swedish
Institute stepped in, and they worked
together for years to make the exhibition
happen.
I think we wanted to tell the differences
between LGBT experiences and straight
ones, but also the similarities, says Nhung.
Telling something so personal is difficult for
everyone. I want people, when they read, to
see themselves in the stories.
Being gay goes against the roles carved
out for most young people in Vietnam, and
Dao Mau
One glass case in the centre of the exhibition
holds a collection of ornate jewellery lent by
Hao Vu, 30, a doctor and medium who lives
in Hanoi. The antique earrings and strings
of beads belonged to Vus uncle, a medium
under the Dao Mau (Mother Goddess)
religion.
Photos by Julie Vola
no parent wants to see their child grow up

abnormal and unhappy, says Pham Huy
Thai, a 19-year-old Hanoi University of
Science student who visited The Cabinet.
The stories show that parents intentions,
while they could be good, hurt LGBT youth
in the long term.
They cannot live for themselves, Thai
says.
One silhouette figures brain holds a cage
surrounded by ivy. In the cage the word
tam than, or insane, is written. The figure
belongs to Tieu Nhat, born in 1991, whose
family took him to a psychiatric centre when
they discovered his orientation.
Only when Nhat promised not to love
men anymore was he allowed to go back
to school, the placard under the silhouette
reads.
While Tieu Nhats figure was allowed
to be part of the exhibition, some objects
were deemed too sensitive to display
like a razor blade, needles used for silicone
injections and a marriage certificate with two
womens names.
In response, empty stands and display
cases are scattered across The Cabinet
subtle reminders of just how far LGBT rights
have to go in Vietnam.
Vus uncle was a dong co, or effeminate

medium, and Vu inherited his abilities.
In Dao Mau, men can be possessed by
goddesses for certain rituals that require
wearing feminine clothing and makeup.
It was a taboo topic in my family no
one wanted to talk about my uncle, and they
even prevented their kids from going to see
him, says Vu.
It was acceptable for Vus uncle to
represent female spirits, but he lived his
personal life underground, in loneliness.
Dao Mau is an essential part of

Vietnamese history, Vu says. It was a bold
move to include it in the exhibition, because
it shows that some of the countrys ancient
traditions were accepting of LGBT.
Let society see that we are not sickos, we
are just normal, he says. But we cannot
achieve that yet. A lot of organisations have
to stand together and make it happen.
Annalise Frank
The Vietnam University of Fine Arts is at 42
Yet Kieu, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi
briefings
Catalyst Foundation
Charity
of
the
Month
nderneath the oft-blinding

lights of progress and the glare
of globalisation that is Vietnam
today, its easy to lose sight of the
fact that out there, beyond the duplex
towers, beer clubs and mini-marts, there
are still some pretty hardcore problems
in this country. One such issue is human
trafficking.
The Catalyst Foundation has been on a
mission to fight this form of slavery since
they started in 1999. Theyve been tackling
it one community at a time, and their latest
project brings them just a little south of the
holiday hotspot of Nha Trang, and into the
province of Ninh Thuan.
There, along the side of a busy road,

the Raglai ethnic minority group
comprised of about 100 families, including
176 women and 165 girls have been
living well below the poverty line for
generations. Denied the right to education
because of their ethnicity (they dont
speak Vietnamese and instead rely only
on their indigenous language), their cycle
of poverty is entrenched. The result is that
over 90 percent do not have a safe and
proper home, 78 percent have no access
to clean water and only 4 percent of the
women have ever gone to school. Of those
women who have, none have progressed
beyond the fifth grade.
To put their poverty in perspective,
theyre somehow each surviving on about
VND20,000 a week, an income mainly
derived from picking up, drying and then
selling dung from water buffalo.
It Starts with Poverty

Founder and director Carolyn Nguyen
Ticcarro-Parker has been at the helm of the
Catalyst Foundation since day one. She
understands better than most the reality
of the Raglais situation and says its this
type of extreme poverty that opens up the
possibility of children being sold.
In conversation with her after a weeklong visit to the country one of the
average five annual trips from the US she
has been making to her former homeland

since she started Catalyst she said
that when faced with such crippling
poverty, families were tempted to sell their
children for as little as VND3 million. Its
a heartbreaking statistic, but a real one,
albeit with an unlikely sounding villain.
The traffickers are middle-aged women
brothel owners, she explains. They
dont look like bad guys to the families at
all. Usually taken to other provinces, the
children end up illiterate, uneducated and
without identity cards, so they literally
cant go home.
A Problem of Education
The exploitation has even been perpetrated
by foreigners. Carolyn cites a recent
incident where so-called tourists came to
take photos of the Raglais homes, and
then offered the families VND20,000 each
in return for the children taking off their
clothes.
They took the money because even
though the mothers panicked, its still more
than a weeks wages, says Carolyn. Then
they called us.
Education is the key, she says, for parents,
police and the wider community. What
we really want to emphasise is that when
our communities get access to basic human
rights water, education, housing and
health care they stop being at such risk.
Photos provided by the Catalyst Foundation
Thats what Catalyst are doing, building

schools, housing and wells for clean water.
They then work with local partners in
healthcare to provide basic medical exams
and vaccinations, and business partners
to provide training and break the cycle of
poverty.
What You Can Do

Annually Catalyst runs a variety of
volunteer tours for people who want
to come to Vietnam and do something
meaningful and impactful with their time.
From gardening to building to teaching,
there are lots of opportunities to help the
project leaders and social workers on the
ground.
Wary of the pitfalls of voluntourism,
Carolyn says her volunteers work directly
alongside the community members. They
are expected to be physically fit and work
for a minimum of three days.
We dont allow people just to turn up
and take a photo, she says. They pay
their own way there and they really get to
know who theyre helping, because theyre
working with them side by side. And we
always need lots of people because we
have ambitious projects. Its our volunteers
who show our community that people do
actually care. Jon Aspin
To get involved click on catalystfoundation.
org. Tours are presently being put together
for April and June. You can also apply for
a volunteer internship or camp counselor
position
briefings
BRIEFINGS
HCMC
In Transition: Thu Thiem

The latest development phase has started,
which means its time to burn down the jungle.
Words and photo by Nick Ross
n the 1930s, French urban planners

looked at the possibility of extending
Saigon to the other side of the river. But
with the construction and architectural
techniques available to them at the time,
they decided that building on the swamp
and marsh land would be a risk. The
project to develop Thu Thiem, the junglecovered area on the undeveloped side of
the Saigon River, was quickly binned.
Fast-forward 80 years and the
development is moving apace. With plans
concreted for the new project, it started with
the razing of homes along Luong Dinh Cua,
the road linking the now defunct Thu Thiem
ferry with the rest of District 2. Then in 2013

one of the developers Dai Quang Minh
moved in, sectioning off a large area of
wetlands to develop a new suburb, Khu Do
Thi Sala.
In February, Dai Quang Minh signed an
additional contract to build four roads and
12 bridges, at a total cost of VND12,182
billion (US$569.4 million). With completion
expected within 36 months, the result has
been more destruction this time the
heavily jungled wetlands area between Tran
Nao and the road leading to Thu Thiem
Bridge.
One cursory glance at the debris left
behind and you can see the challenge.

According to some estimates, to build on
the 657 hectares of Thu Thiem the land will
need to be raised by 3 metres. Then theres a
question of all that water and the
natural waterways. The water needs
somewhere to go. If it gets trapped, then this
will affect the foundations of the roads and
buildings built above.
For Ho Chi Minh City to expand in all
directions, the success of the Thu Thiem
New Urban Area project is vital. Lets just
hope that the developers remember the
greenery. Every city needs to breathe, and
this one is no exception.
briefings
BRIEFINGS
HANOI
The Building
The Hong Bang-era citadel, Co Loa, houses more
than just pagodas and excavated walls
hen I first saw this abandoned

building in Co Loa, 15km from
central Hanoi, I thought it was
the film studios that were once
at the heart of the Vietnamese film industry.
The way it was built made this structure look
like a school, but the 1960s-era architectural
embellishments suggested something else. It
was too good for a school.
With no help from Google Maps and even
less help from other content online, I wrote
about the place and described it as potentially
being the once famous film studios in Co Loa.
Although I was clear on one thing I wasnt
sure.
A recent visit made me realise my error.
It was just after Tet and with the temples of
Co Loa a favourite pilgrimage spot, the front
yard was being used as a car and motorbike
park.
What is this place? I asked the older of
the two parking attendants.

It used to be a middle school, he replied.
So not the film studios.
No, not the film studios. They are way
over in that direction.
How do you get there?
At that the conversation tapered off.
He was obviously not one for providing
directions.
Co Loa is in the countryside, and here
there is space a lot of space. Land is not at
a centre-of-the-city premium. So for people
like me who pleasure in wandering the empty
rooms, the falling-down staircases and the
overgrown gardens out back, this building
is a dream. But more importantly, unless
there is an urgent need of this land which
is unlikely for the foreseeable future this
building will stay.
Go take a look. It could even be haunted.
Nick Ross
briefings
Photos by Trung Del
BRIEFINGS
HANOI
Banh Mi 25
A banh mi stall in Hanoi gets the top restaurant rating on Trip Advisor
huong Nguyen knows

his banh mi. That might
not sound new in a
country that claims to
make one of the best sandwiches
in the world, but in Hanoi, where
banh mi is far more ubiquitous
than pho, Phuongs sandwiches
are causing quite the stir.
From his humble stall, Banh Mi
25, located in the heart of the Old
Quarter at 25 Hang Ca, Phuong
has been doing a roaring trade
since opening just three months
ago. In fact, Phuongs banh mi has
garnered so much attention that
Banh Mi 25 has since sailed to the
top spot on TripAdvisor, outperforming the top
eateries, bistros and street food haunts in the
city.
So what does Phuong think of his newfound
success? To me it doesnt matter whether
were number 5 or number 50, the only
thing I care about is that Im making people
happy with my food, he says with a subtle
smile sneaking across his face. Describing
his customers as happy is probably an
understatement when it comes to the reaction
Phuong gets from his bangin banh mi.
26-year-old German traveller Jorg
Oberlander, who has spent the last 8 weeks
travelling from Saigon to Hanoi, says Phuongs
banh mi day du is the best banh mi hes tasted
in Vietnam. The bread is incredible and the
filling inside is so much better than anything
else Ive tried in a banh mi and for only

VND20,000, its amazing!
The Formula
So, what distinguishes a good banh mi from
the rest?
The bread is really important, says
Phuong. With most banh mi you get, the
bread is way too big.
His answer to this problem is a sensibly
sized baguette custom-made to specifications
and using a jealously guarded family recipe.
The smaller variation bread also provides
the perfect foundation for the high-hitting
ingredients, ranging from handmade pates
and sausages, to specially cured French ham
and barbecued pork. The finishing touches of
vegetables and specially made sauces (derived
from the fat that sizzles off the

pork when its barbecued) tie all
of these elements together into
one formidable banh for your
buck.
The most popular option
among my Vietnamese customers
is the banh mi xa xiu (pate,
barbecue pork and vegetable;
VND20,000), whereas foreigners
really like the banh mi day du
(pate, barbecue pork, French
ham, sausage and vegetable;
VND25,000), he says, pausing
to chat with a group of curious
pedestrians.
But its not just the sandwiches
themselves that are proving a hit with
Phuongs customers. Phuongs family, who
have made banh mi in the same spot for nearly
80 years, are also a big drawcard for foreigners
wanting to get a local experience.
My family has been running their
businesses here for nearly 80 years, says
Phuong. My father used to make banh mi
after learning how to make meat and bread
from the French.
In addition to Phuongs banh mi cart, the
modest tubehouse is also home to Phuongs
mothers lock shop and his uncles tea shop
which offers diners free tra da with their banh
mi. Did we also mention that you get a free
banana for dessert?
Not bad for VND20,000. Not bad at all.
David Mann
Sports Digest
SPORTS DIGEST
NATIONAL
Gaelic Ladies
From the sidelines, Harry Hodge sizes up Vietnams month in sports.
Photos by Glen Riley
hough women in Ho
Chi Minh City have
plenty of options for
individual sports and
fitness, yoga, running, dance
classes and more listings for
female teams are less common.
The Ladies Saigon Gaels aim
to change all that.
Gaelic football is a fast game
that involves running, kicking,
handballing, soloing (kicking the
ball to yourself while running)
and a bit of tackling (similar to
a basketball tackle). Goalkeeper

and sometimes spokeswoman
Mairead Scanlon says the club
works on different skills at each
training session, and the majority
of the players had never even
seen the sport before joining.
The Ladies Saigon Gaels
started training alongside the
Vietnam Swans Australian Rules
Football Club in November 2013,
which boosted membership
from eight to about 18 in a few
months. This has gradually
grown to around 30. Last year

the women played Hanoi twice,
and also competed in the South
Asian Games and Asian Games,
winning the junior plate in both.
At the end of the year, the Gaelic
side officially became a part of
the Vietnam Swans Australian
Rules Football Club.
We currently have an active
membership of around 30 girls
that train and play, Mairead
says. We are always recruiting
new players, and welcome
people from all backgrounds and

all skill levels.
The team currently consists
of Irish, Australian, English,
American, Canadian, Welsh,
South African and French
players.
There is a position for
everyone whether you have
great ball skills from other
sports, or come from a nonsporting background, we try to
help girls to develop their skills
and focus on their strengths,
Japanese Side Poor Hosts

for Becamex Binh Duong
Becamex Binh Duong were
thrashed 1-5 by hosts Kashiwa
Reysol in a second round match
of the Asian Football Federation
(AFC) Champions League in
Kashiwa, Japan, earlier last
month, writes Vietnam News. Two
goals late in the first half one
by Masato Kudo and an own
goal by David Vrankovic set
up Reysol to dominate the
match, and later goals from Kim
Chang-soo, Kudo and Hidekazu
Otani ensured that the 2013 semifinalists claimed all three points.
Row, Row, Rowing to Glory

Vietnam won three gold medals
at the Asian Cup 1 Regatta held in
Singapore, according to Vietnam
News. Le Thi An and Pham Thi
Hue finished first in womens
doubles, while Nguyen Van
Linh defeated his rivals from
the Philippines and Singapore
to win gold medal in the mens
individual race, and Pham Thi
Thao and Ta Thanh Huyen won
the gold in another womens
doubles race. Vietnam bagged
three more silver and three
bronze medals in the tournament.
Martial Artists Get Their

Kicks in Philippines
Vietnams womens taekwondo
team won one gold medal
and two bronzes at the AsiaPacific Taekwondo Invitational
Championships, which wrapped
up last month in the Philippines,
according to Vietnamplus.com.
Truong Thi Kim Tuyen, who got
a bye in the first round, won the
next three rounds in a row to take
gold medal in the 49kg category.
Two bronze medals went to Ha
Thi Nguyen in the 67kg division
and Pham Thi Thu Hien in the
57kg class.
Lifes a Beach for

Volleyballers
Mairead says. Our group is
very inclusive, and is a great
way to make new friends,
whether you are new to the
city or have been here for years
and are looking for something
different.
The clubs next tournament is
the South Asian Gaelic Games
in Bangkok in May, with teams
from Thailand, Singapore,
Malaysia, Vietnam and
Myanmar. The biggest weekend
of the year for the Gaels is the
Asian Gaelic Games in Shanghai

in late October, which sees over
60 teams from all across Asia
compete in mens and womens
Gaelic football and hurling.
The Ladies Saigon Gaels
train twice a week; Tuesday
nights from 6pm to 7.30pm, and
Saturday afternoons from 1.15pm
to 2.30pm at RMIT. Contact
Mairead Scanlon or team captain
Siobhan Synnott at ladies.saigon.
gaels@gmail.com for details about
registration and fees
Nguyen Thi Thanh Tram and

Pham Le Tuyet Ngan won the
womens title at the National
Beach Volleyball Tournament,
held in the Central Highlands
province of Dac Lak (where there
are obviously a lot of beaches).
Nguyen Trong Quoc
and Nguyen Thanh
Vinh were the
tes
upda
mens winners.
Sendout yourp or
48 players
ab g grou @
in
ry
from across the
sportnt to har .com
m
e
a
v
country took part
e vietn
word
in the tournament.
briefings
BRIEFINGS
NATIONAL
The Prodigy
After years of hope, Vietnam finally has its future sporting hero. His name? Anh Tuan
nh Tuan is a talented young man.

So talented, in fact, that his story
is drawing the attention of football
fans from Vietnam to Vines Cross.
The reason? Tuan has achieved a first
at the tender age of eight he has become
the first Vietnamese footballer to sign with
Arsenal, an English football club that, says
Tuans father, never quite wins anything
but usually gets close.
This is something that Duong Duc Phat,
the 28-year-old buffalo herder from Binh
Dinh, hopes his son will change.
I wanted Liverpool to come forward for
him, he explains. They win everything.
But being at Arsenal is probably better for
Tuan. Its a challenge. Ive told him that hes
got to help them win the EPL by the time
hes 16.
Humble Beginnings
Anh Tuans bright future he leaves for
England in the summer belies the humble
circumstances of his past. Born to a farming
family living in the mountains, not too far
from Qui Nhon, it was only his mothers
clever bargaining skills on the buffalo
trading market that enabled him to go to
school.
When Anh Tuan was three, his mother,

Lan Hong, convinced a foreign NGO that
her familys generational poverty warranted
substantial aid. As a result she received
two young buffalos of mixed genders. She
bred them and cared for them until they
reached full maturity at the age of two years,
while husband Duc Phat drank away the
annual rice yield in the form of homemade
moonshine. After fattening the family
buffalo to their maximum size, Lan Hong
went to the monthly buffalo fair and made
a tidy profit. She then returned to the NGO
and claimed her buffalo had been stolen.
Saddened by her convincing story, the NGO
bought her another pair.
All of this benefitted the young Anh Tuan,
who was sent to school where he joined the
youth football squad. So adept was he at
his newfound love, that at six years old he
was running circles round the seniors, and
by the age of seven, he was asked to play in
the junior U14 team for V-League side Binh
Dinh.
The contract Anh Tuan just signed
with Arsenal is worth a total of 2 million
(VND66 billion). It will enable his mother,
father and two sisters to move to the UK
while he learns his trade as a soccer player.
Future Endeavours
I cant wait to move to the UK, says Duc
Phat. But Im worried about the alcohol
they sell over there. I hear that all the beer is
refrigerated. I cant think of anything worse.
Lan Hong is more optimistic.
Im going to set up a buffalo meat
restaurant, she says. Its a local speciality
and Ive heard they like Vietnamese food in
the UK.
But for little Anh Tuan, living so far away
from home is a challenge. The only English
he has learnt so far is on the football pitch
and from watching football on TV a
vocabulary of swear words and obscure
sports terminology that will likely prove
useful but limited on the streets of Islington.
Nonetheless, he is confident.
If all of those other foreigners playing in
England cant speak English, then it doesnt
really matter, he says. I only need English to
play football and I already know words like
goal, offside and oy, ref. So, it should be easy.
Adds Duc Phat: Ive heard that a team
called Manchester United is buying players
for stupid amounts of money. After were
all settled in London, Im going to sell Anh
Tuan to them for a mountain of dong.
Kerlon Souza
Childrens Health
At International SOS, we want to
help children take steps to a healthy and balanced life.
| Paediatrics - Child Health Specialists | Vaccinations | Developmental Checks | Paediatric Physiotherapy |
| Clinical Psychological Assessment | Behavioural Advice | Paediatric First-aid Training | Child Nutrition |
Dr. Damien
Emergency specialist
Dr. Minh
Ear, Nose & Throat
Dr. Phuc
Paediatrician
Dr. Thao
Paediatrician
Dr. Nakajima
General practitioner
For all your

our healthca
healthcaree need
needs,, 24 hours a d
da
day,
ay,
yy, 365 days
days a year
HANOI: 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Dist.
Tel: +84 4 3934 0666
HCMC: 167A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Dist. 3. Tel: +84 8 3829 .8520
VUNG TAU: 1 Le Ngoc Han.
.Tel: +84 64 385 8776
to do list
Ho Chi Minh City
The Month in Observatory

With a recent move to District 4, The Observatory has been throwing off the chains of downtown respectability in an
unprecedented way. All parties take place at the new late night hub of 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4, HCMC, starting around 10pm
Timmy Regisford
Saturday 11
Timmy Regisford
Timmy Regisford is, simply
put, one of the great legends
of dance music, says DJ
authority Resident Advisor.
That quote lays out the basics.
His house and disco-like
productions burst with a
dance-focused nuance that
only years of experience
behind the decks can provide.
Free before midnight,
VND150,000 after.
Sunday 12
Goethe-Institut and The
Observatory Present:
Berlin Club Night
Berlin Club Night is a global
institution that takes the
German capital's approach to
clubbing presented around the
world. In the first such night to
be held in Saigon, The GoetheInstitut has invited three
highly acclaimed Berlin-based
artists and DJs to perform at
The Observatory. Free entry all
night long.
Friday 17
Eclectic Aesthetic &
Optimist Club 2-Year
Anniversary
EA&OC mark two years
of parties with a big night
of music both electronic

and organic and the
usual unusual decorations.
Headlining the night is Romi B,
deep-diving house and techno
connoisseur. Get down and hear
the bangs because they will
be big. Free before midnight,
VND100,000 after.
feels and acts like a party. Free

before midnight, VND150,000
after.
Saturday 25
Saturday 18
Tung Tim
Dicky Trisco
Disco master, definitive boss of
the dance floor and co-founder
of Disco Deviance one of
the most respected Disco edit
labels around Dicky Trisco
has long been involved in the
production of floor-shaking
sounds that are frequently
used by DJs everywhere to
get things moving. This night
will have music that sounds,
Dicky Trisco
Friday 24
Cheezy Gangztaz Feat.
Nick Simon and Mike
Pham
Saigons favourite DJ duo are
back in the booth to lay down
Cat of the Month
their signature mix of funk,

soul, hip-hop and trip-hop,
this month joined by Nick
Simon and Mike Pham wholl
be throwing down some extra
spice of nu-hop, trap and
rock. Free before midnight,
VND100,000 after.
A Hanoi-based DJ and
producer who has featured in
past Quest Festivals, Tung Tim
has gained a reputation in the
citys growing underground
electronic scene as a figure that
can shift between all sorts of
dance-focused styles from
space disco to heavier techno
at just the right time. Free
before midnight, VND100,000
after.
eighing in at one year and

two months or 16.7 kitty
years Trish is one of
the very rare females of the ginger
persuasion. Add dreamy caramel
eyes, a cute kinked tail and the map
of Australia shes got on her left
side (minus Tasmania), and youve
got a true original.
Though grown up, she looks like
a kitten, and behaves like it. She
plays until exhaustion, until she lies
panting on the cool floor tile. When
shes gotten the crazies out of her
system, she loves to curl up on your
lap and suckle on your arm.
Shes active, spayed, fully
vaccinated and waiting for you
to take her home today. Contact
arcpets@gmail.com to make your
date with kitty destiny.
04
SATURDAY
SUMMER PROGRAMME INFO DAY AT RENAISSANCE
SUBSTITUTING SUGAR
Head down to Renaissance

International School Saigons
Information Day for a glimpse at
what their three-week summer
programme has in store at a
Los Angeles-based university
in the US. From their base at
Occidental College, students
will get a chance to have firsthand experience of leading US
universities like University of
California, University of Southern
California and Claremont
Do you feel like your children

are eating too much sugar but
you dont know how to control
it? Take your children to health
coach Chiara Squinzis seminar
at Thao Diens The Loop caf
and help them learn all about
sugar.
The 75-minute-long talk
includes an explanation of sugar
types as well as the reasons for
and dangers of sugar addiction.
Listen as Chiara gives practical
College, and explore Los Angeles

with fun trips to Universal
Studios, Disneyland and the
Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Total cost for the Renaissance
Three-Week Summer Programme
is US$4,975 VND106.96
million. Spaces are limited, so
contact Renaissance at admissions@
renaissance.edu.vn, or go to
renaissance.edu.vn/index.php/oxysummer-programme-2015 for more
information
examples on how to substitute it

with healthier options and a quick
demo on how to make sugar-free
chocolate energy balls (they have
nuts). The price of VND190,000
per adult and VND150,000 per
child includes a healthy sugar-free
drink from The Loop.
Seminar starts at 9.30am and
runs till 10.45am at The Loop, 49
Thao Dien, Q2, HCMC. RSVPs are
essential, contact Chiara at chiara@
laholista.com or 0127 8163620
04&05
NOV.
KIDS YOGA TEACHER

TRAINING
DRINK
UP
If you want your kids to

experience the same level of
wellbeing from yoga that you get
from it, check out the upcoming
weekend course on how to bring
them into the fold. Life Brights
20-hour workshop will explore
theory, games, and exercises
appropriate for all ages, from
toddlers to teens. Give kids life
skills beyond academics, and
08
ensure they grow up with more

confidence and mindfulness than
most of us learnt growing up.
For more details and prices check
out suzannevian.com
WEDNESDAY
T he Competition
We know how you like giveaways.

In fact, who doesnt?
So, this month were handing out two lots of four
free tickets (worth VND2.4 million) to the Belgian
Beer Festival at Cargo Bar on Friday Apr. 24.
Simply answer the following question and email
the answer to competition@wordvietnam.com by
Friday Apr. 17 at 5pm.
Two main languages are spoken in Belgium,
what are they?
All the correct answers will be placed
into a hat and the winners will be picked
out at random on Monday, Apr. 20.
To read more about the Belgian Beer Festival turn to
page 12 or click on belgiumbeerfestival.com
THE FOUNDER OF LORETO IS LEAVING

Its the end of an era Loreto
founder Trish Franklin is leaving
Vietnam. On Jul. 31 she will
depart from the country she
has spent the last 20 years in,
and along with it leave a loving
legacy. Through the Loreto
Vietnam Australia Project, she
has touched the lives of countless
thousands of disadvantaged and
disabled children in this country,
and helped educate more than
30,000.
The ripples of her imminent
relocation back to Australia will
09
THURSDAY
THE HIGH CONCEPT

WORLD OF NTONE
EDJABE
Ntone Edjabes Chimurenga
Chronic started as a fictional
newspaper, a social sculpture,
a piece of performance art.
Since debuting the pan-African
arts-and-culture project in 2011
(back-dated to 2008, though
the concept was to write
the past anew), it has since
improbably become a real thing
be felt far and wide, so before

she does go, Auscham are
putting on one of their Fireside
Chat Series featuring Trish, who
will reflect on her lifes work.
Come along and pay tribute to
this remarkable woman.
The Fireside Chat: 20 Years of
Loving Lives will take place at
Sofitel Saigon Plaza, 17 Le Duan,
Q1, HCMC, from 5.30pm to 8pm.
Bookings are essential to register,
email events1@auschamvn.org.
Tickets cost VND700,000, and all
proceeds go to Loreto
and with it, all the highconcept points Edjabe and his
collaborators raised.
If thats not enough to sell
you (although the talk is free),
a few tickets for Edjabes nextnight Observatory gig will also
be given away, featuring the
pan-African beats collection
of Edjabe the DJs Fong Kong
Bantu Soundsystem.
Ntone Edjabe will deliver a
lecture on his Chimurenga Chronic
at 6.30pm at Hoa Sen University,
8 Nguyen Van Trang, Q1, HCMC.
For more info, go to san-art.org
11 SATURDAY
13-17
APR.
DJ GRAHAM GOLD
Already a legend of the global
house scene, Graham Gold is
returning to Saigon for one night
only at Cargo Bar. Pumped
about the burgeoning after-hours
music scene in the city, Graham
has promised NO trance or
classics. However, if the likes
of Nick Curly, Sidney Charles or
Riverside Dive get you going,
then you need to be there.
With festivals like Glastonbury,
Gatecrasher and Summerdayze
under his belt, Mr. Gold is a must
see for lovers of great live music.
DJ Graham Gold plays Cargo Bar
7 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4, HCMC
on Saturday Apr. 11. Reserve your
tickets at ticketbox.vn or get them on
the door VND220,000
REAL MADRID FOOTBALL CLINIC

The Spanish giants of European
football are coming back to
Saigon. More than just an
opportunity to experience a
quality international football
training programme, the
Foundation Real Madrid
provides an excellent platform
for eight to 16 year olds to learn
many important life skills like
teamwork, leadership and respect.
In partnership with Saigon South
12 SUNDAY
15
International School, the club will

also offer the same opportunity to
a group of up to 30 disadvantaged
local children. The clinic
participants will train daily from
4pm to 5.30pm during a period of
five days at the SSIS football field.
For more information contact
Anson Tran on 01253 617272 or
email info.frmvn@gmail.com. Clinic
participants will train daily from
4pm to 5.30pm at SSIS
WEDNESDAY
ARCS 4TH ANNUAL GARAGE SALE

Youre not a terrible human being,
right? Well then youll be glad to
know that Animal Rescue and
Care is still taking care of all the
mistreated and abandoned animals
that come their way, and you can
help. Relax, its not going to be hard.
On Sunday Apr. 12, theyre
selling all the nice things that
other non-terrible people have
donated to them. Were guessing
the stuff isnt terrible either. Get
down there and make a difference

in the easiest way possible!
The sale will be 8am to 2pm at
APSC (BP) Compound, 18 Lilly, Q2,
HCMC. You can donate your books,
electronics, electrics, toys, sports
equipment, clothing or whatever else
your kind heart desires until Apr.
10 either at the above address from
8.30am to 11.30am, or at Saigon
Pet Clinic (33-41 Thao Dien, Q2,
HCMC) from 8am to 6.30pm
TALK ON HEALTHY EATING

Family Medical Practice is
hosting a free pediatric talk on
Wednesday Apr. 15 at 6pm.
Dr. Jonathan, the clinics
pediatrician, will give a health
talk on the topic of Healthy Eating
For Kids. He will also be able
to answer any questions that

parents may have.
The talk will be held at the
District 2 clinic, 95 Thao Dien, Q2,
HCMC. To reserve a free place email
marketing@familymedicalpractice.
com or call (08) 3744 2000
to do list
17-24
Ho Chi Minh City
21 TUESDAY
APR.
22,23,24
APR.
DEATH METAL FROM OZ

HOBBY BREWER BEER
COMPETITION
We dont have much information on this one
other than to say that in lieu of their usual
member meeting, Hobby Brewer is having
a beer competition instead, and thats good
enough reason for us to get behind it! For
anyone whod like to participate, get in
touch with the guys and tell them what kind
of beer youre brewing or start on a batch
for next time with one of their brew kits.
Happy beering people!
The date still needs to be finalised, as do
the contenders. For more information go visit
hobbybrewer-vietnam.de.tl
Slaying Asia in 2015 are Truth Corroded, an

Australian death metal band with an awesome
poster featuring plenty of black T-shirts, long
hair and bad attitudes. Destroying Yoko Bar
for one night only, these Aussie bad boys hail
from the epicentre of hardcore Radelaide
and have supported the likes of Lamb of God,
Fear Factory and Municipal Waste. Their latest
album is called Saviours Slain and contributes
strongly to a sound they call confronting
and vicious, but backed by a strong political,
religious and social commentary. Sounds like
mayhem with a message. Dont miss this one
metal heads!
The show starts at 8pm at Yoko 22
Nguyen Thi Dieu, Q3, HCMC. Tickets
start at VND120,000, at ticketbox.vn/event/
truth-corroded-live-hcm-26347
ALL MONTH
MIX IT, BABY!

Chris Polaschek is serious
about his cocktails. In fact, so
serious is the mixologist from
Munich that he can sometimes
take up to a day to prepare one
drink. He is even making his
own bitters.
On the night we try out his
cocktails at Vesper, were on
a rum tip. Not a Bacardi or
Havana Club affair were
off the cheap stuff tonight.
Instead weve started with
Sailor Jerry and are now
eyeing Flor de Caa and
Zacapa.
Chris has got it covered,
though, and whips up a rum
Old Fashioned with chocolate
bitters hand-carried over from
Germany. Its the best Old
Fashioned Ive ever tasted,
and believe me Ive tasted a
few.
This is followed by
a spicy pia colada
comrade-in-arms drinking
partner Scott is blown away by
it and then a concoction that
mixes Brugal rum with Ardbeg
Scotch. Scott cant do the
peatiness, but I can. Wow does
this knock me off balance!
Chris is supposed to be
making me up some sort of
tiramisu-style drink the next
day. But somehow it doesnt
quite happen. It doesnt
matter.
There are a growing
number of mixologists in town
well, about three of them.
If you like your cocktails, take
advantage of them while you
can.
Chris will be shaking up
the drinks menu at Vesper
Bar (Ground Floor, Landmark
Building, 5B Ton Duc Thang,
Q1, HCMC) throughout April,
and possibly for the foreseeable
future
GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES

Dragonfly Theatre Co. and Saigon Sound
System will present acclaimed off-Broadway
play Gruesome Playground Injuries this month
at Cargo Bar. Coming off a successful
Bangkok premiere last month, it begins on
the playground and reveals over 30 years the
beautifully destructive nature of romance.
Is love just another form of self-harm? and
Why do we hurt those we love the most?
are just some of the questions this R-rated
show attempts to answer. Children under 16
should be accompanied by an adult.
Advance sales are available from ticketbox.
vn at VND300,000, sales on the door are
VND350,000. Book early! Cargo is at 7 Nguyen
Tat Thanh, Q4, HCMC
25-26
APR.
FV OPEN TENNIS TOURNAMENT

FV wants you to be part of its
2015 doubles tennis tournament
for recreational players (so
dont worry if youre bad). Over
two days, 32 teams will decide
whos the best, whos secondbest, whos third-best, and on
and on until they get to eighthbest. And then theyll also
decide who played the fairest,
SAVE
The
Date
23
and who wins the Miss FV Open

2015 Prize. VND200 million is
at stake, and a gala dinner and
lucky draw should help dry
some tears.
Registration for teams of two to
three is VND1 million per team.
For more info or to register, contact
fvopen@fvhospital.com, or go to
fvhospital.com/fvopen
30
MAY
2015 BOURBON STREET

JAZZ FESTIVAL
The Bourbon Street Jazz Festival
is back at Q4, a fusion of
everything thats good about
jazz, funk and blues. The
headliner this time is the much
sought after Paris local Nina
van Horn and her International
Blues Band, wholl be using
Saigon to kick off their Asian
tour. Supported by new funk
phenoms the Brooklyn Funky
Blues Band as well as Bad
Neighbor, you can be sure that
theyll tearing down the house
as usual. Support Kids First and

Arts for Mobility by getting your
tickets VND500,000 for this
one soon!
For advance and group ticket
sales enquiries, email rogerf@seanet.
com and watch for updates on
bourbonstreetjazzfestival.com
INDOCHINE CUP
MAY
Now in its 16th year of

competition, the Indochine Cup
is a 10-a-side full contact rugby
and six-a-side touch tournament
held on an annual basis between
Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
For the first time since 2011
its Saigons turn to host, with
Myanmar also invited to take
part. Having gone back-to-back
since 2011, and with longtime
servant Tom Percasky soon

moving on, its sure to be a
memorable weekend for the
Saigon Geckos rugby team, who
have promised to do everything
they can to hang onto their
trophy.
Check out all the action at
RMITs South Saigon Campus
702 Nguyen Van Linh, Q7, HCMC
between 11am and 6pm
just in
Ho Chi Minh City

CAST AWAY ON A
DESERT ISLAND
WEDDING BELLS ARE GONNA RING

The Sheraton Saigon and the Bliss
Wedding Planner Corporation
has launched the Wedding Studio.
Customers here can find the latest
on-trend setups, culinary styles
and wedding amenities for their
big day. Added to that is the fact
that for every wedding booked at
Sheraton Saigon or at over 200
participating Starwood hotels and

resorts in the Asia-Pacific region
couples will be rewarded
with Starpoints redeemable for
a honeymoon at any Starwood
property in the world.
The Wedding Studio is located
on the ground floor of the Sheraton
Saigon at 88 Dong Khoi, Q1, HCMC
If youve been around long

enough to remember our
January 2014 issue, you might
remember Curtis Norris. He
was the guy who spent six
months on a deserted island
in Halong Bay, contemplating
life and the many shapes of
coconuts. Now hes turned
that experience into a chooseyour-own-adventure series,
the first of which has recently
been released. You have many
choices in the Magipelago
universe achieving ultimate
fame among the alien-like
villagers, and championing the
cause of the oppressed monkeys
are just two fine examples.
The first book of the Magipelago
series, Vanitipu, is available on Kindle

via amazon.com
INTERNATIONAL SOS UNVEILS NEW APP

Perfect for frequent travellers, International SOS now has a new
app to connect you to their services faster than ever before. Never
feel off the grid again when you need to stay on target.
Go to internationalsos.com for more information
BAHDJA MOVES
Well-known and equally
well-loved Algerian restaurant
Bahdja has upped roots and
moved from District 1 to
District 3. Now located in
a leafy, semi-terraced space
Le Quy Don, the new bigger
and brighter restaurant will
continue to serve up its usual

awesome food, but with a larger
kitchen now available, the
owners will be adding a range
of Mediterranean dishes to their
roster. Boom!
Bahdjas new location is 2nd
Floor, 27 Le Quy Don, Q3, HCMC
MAD HOUSE
If location is the key to a
restaurants success, then on
first sight, MAD House, the
latest addition to the District 2
drinking and dining scene, could
be either a winner or a disaster.
Tucked away down an
alleyway off Nguyen U Di the
road that also houses The Deck
there is no street frontage.
Making this the kind of place you
could easily pass by and then
miss. And yet being hidden from
plain sight is to its advantage.
Walk through the black-painted
gates and the garden opens out
into a leafy, tropical deck area
with dark-wooden tables and
chairs, and an aircon interior that
mixes grey concrete floors with
the same, attractive, rustic theme.
Key, though is the menu, and

with an accomplished Danish
chef at the helm Casper
Gustafsen was originally
brought over to Vietnam by the
team at Chill Skybar expect
the offerings to be top-notch.
An international selection
of mains hits the VND150,000
to VND250,000 region, while
a well-priced wine menu is
backed up by Illy coffee, draught
Heineken starting at VND35,000
and a range of cocktails.
If the buzz created by the first
few weeks of their opening is
anything to go by, that hideaway
location might just be a winner.
MAD House is at 6/1/2 Nguyen
U Di, Q2, HCMC or online at
facebook.com/madsaigon
MAPLE HEALTHCARE
Maple Healthcare is a new
specialist clinic in Phu My Hung,
with chiropractic, skin care
and dental services right across
the road from FV Hospital. If
youre looking for some top-end
medical services with all the
modern fixings, youve found

the right place.
Maple Healthcare is located at
MD6 Nguyen Luong Bang, Q7,
HCMC (opposite FV Hospital).
For more information, visit
maplehealthcare.net
HUE, THE CITY OF CRYING STONES

Sebastian Laval is a serious
photographer here, whos
previously used his talents to
capture the ethnic minorities of
Vietnam. Philippe Bouler has
produced many exhibitions and
events worldwide, including the
Hue Festival, which he founded.
Together, theyve decided to
concentrate their talents on Hue
and theyre looking for your help.
By the end of April, they hope to
raise EU6,000 (VND140 million) to

match the EU9,000 theyve already
put in, for a photo book designed to
spotlight Hues frequently hidden
charms. The perks are cool and
at the time of this writing they
were already past the 50 percent
mark. Help spread the beauty of
Vietnam by supporting two people
who see it so well.
See what theyre trying to capture
at ulule.com/hue-villedespierres
CHANH BISTRO
With the never-ending
construction on Nguyen
Hue, Bitexco-area lunchers
are being forced to find
options away from business
lunch hotspot Dong Khoi.
And with this new state
of affairs, the lunch game
south of Nguyen Hue is
improving.
One new option is Chanh
Bistro, which not only does
most things pretty well,
but has a near-unbeatable
business lunch that weighs
in at VND110,000. The
two courses arent cut-rate
rather theres a dainty
mesclun salad to start things
off, followed by your choice
of legitimately plate-filling
mains. We tried the sea bass and
the pork ribs, and both exceeded
expectations (the pork ribs were
actual ribs, not riblets). With their
RELISH & SONS

Stakes are high in the burger
game these days, with newcomers
like Quan Ut Ut and Chucks
carving out the best-burger
territory already hotly disputed
by the likes of Scott and Binhs,
Bernies and Mogambo. And with
the stage set, the mouths behind
Racha Room figured Saigon
might be ready for their rendition.
Taking their cue from the
gastropub mode of burger, Relish
& Sons pile fresh, eclectic toppings
onto a base of quality beef. Add

in milkshakes and sturdy, simple
cocktails like Titos Handmade
Vodka-tonics in the trademark
copper mug, and youve got a
down-to-earth speciality joint that
covers their few bases extremely
well. And thats without even
talking about the housemade
relishes, each tailored to the
burger its slathered on.
Relish & Sons is at 44 Dong Du,
Q1, HCMC
FACEBOOK WITHOUT THE

FAKEBOOK
rooftop opening this month, the

skys the limit.
Chanh Bistro is at 6th Floor, 45
Ho Tung Mau, Q1, HCMC
Lief is a super-cool idea facing

an up-hill battle: keep the things
we like about social media while
cutting down the 800-friend
annoyances. Built into this
refined concept is the idea that
social media needs to make
progress to continue being a
positive part of our lives. And
that means making the kind of
adjustments that will help it be
more like our actual lives.
Just as you dont behave the
same way around your friends
as you do around your mom, so
too should you have that option
on your social media. Because if
you dont feed that complexity,

eventually you wont have it in
your relationships and isnt
that really the point?
Get into the Circle of Lief at
lief.com
overscene ho chi minh
st phatty s day
comedy
Photos by Nick Ross

What do you get if you put an
Englishman and a couple of Irishmen
in an Australian bar? As we found out
thanks to stand-ups Aidan Killian,
Graham Wooding and Eoghan Quinn,
a whole lot of laughs
Peche a la Mouche

deciBel hosted the stripped-down
sounds of the acoustic gypsy jazz trio
If you have a noteworthy event which you think

would fit into our coverage, please email
news@wordvietnam.com and we'll take a look
international
Women s day
Photos by Csaba Molnr

Feminists of all genders packed
Saigon Outcast for International
Womens Day, raising US$3,500 for
Little Rose Shelter
RISS book fair
Photos provided by Renaissance

International School
Renaissance assembled the cutest little
bookworms this side of Alexandria for
their book fair
Saigon urban f lea

market
Cool crafters assembled for Saigon
Outcasts monthly market
to do list
01-26
hanoi
APR.
04
SATURDAY
TRIO VIVO
SMILE! TEMPORARY ART

Manzi and L'Espace have
teamed up this month to present
the weird and wonderful
world of Plonk & Replonk with
an exhibition entitled Smile!
Temporary Art.
Well-known in Switzerland
France as Plonk & Replonk,
the artist duo / brothers
Hubert Froidevaux and
Jacques Froidevaux explore
the endless possible uses of
humour in various art forms:
object, sculpture, installation,
09-11
light box, postcard and graphic

prints. Characterized by a mix of
black humour and wicked wit,
which borders on the sarcastic
and mischievous, Plonk &
Replonk deal with contentious
topics such as the environment,
globalisation, education and
consumerism. Their work is
brutally honest yet playful and
fantastical.
Smile! Temporary Art runs until
Apr. 26 at Manzi Art Space, 14
Phan Huy Ich, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
Founded in 2012, Trio Vivo

is the work of three young,
award-winning musicians from
Denmark. Having performed at
a number of significant concert
series and festivals, including
the Copenhagen Summer Music
Festival, on Apr. 4 they will
perform two major Romanticera works by Brahms and
Schumann, as well as a piece by
late-Romantic Danish composer
Rued Langgaard and a tango by
Astor Piazzolla.
Accompanied by violinist
Nguyen My Huong and the
Danish violist Nicolaj Moeller
Nielsen, who currently lives in
10
A NIGHT OF CLUTTER
FRIDAY
Enjoy a free night of open

improvised psychedelic sound
jamming by local and visiting
artists at CAMA ATK Hanoi.
Come, bring your instruments
and play or sit back and listen to
the chaotic jams of fellow artists.
A Night of Clutter will be held
at CAMA ATK, 73 Mai Hac De,
Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi. Doors are at
8pm. For more information, visit the
CAMA ATK Facebook page
APR.
10&11
Hanoi, expect a night of great

technical mastery and deep
dedication.
The concert will take place at
the Goethe Institut, 56-58 Nguyen
Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh, Hanoi. Tickets
are available directly from the
institute, and entrance is free of
charge. Doors are at 8pm
APR.
HANOI SOUND STUFF 2015

The experimental music and
arts festival, Hanoi Sound Stuff,
returns once again with an
international line-up experimental
musicians and artists.
Kicking off on Thursday Apr.
9 at Manzi Art Space (14 Phan
Huy Ich, Ba Dinh, Hanoi) the
opening day starts at 2pm with a
music art film. This is followed
by performances from Sound
Awakener (VN), Gaute Granli
(NOR), Van Anh Vo and Chris
Brown (VN / USA) and Cluster
of Sounds (USA).
On Friday the festivities move
to Hanoi Creative City (1 Luong
Yen, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi) with

a focus on graffiti, documentary
screenings and workshops, with
Berlin Club Night kicking off at
8pm.
Then on Saturday, the festival
heads to the Van Ho Exhibition
Centre (2 Hoa Lu, Hai Ba Trung,
Hanoi) with live performances
from Tri Minh and DEE.F (VN),
Thylacine (FRA) and Daniel
Mariuma and Moti Saadia (ISR).
The afternoon events will also
form the second part of the
Berlin Club Night.
For more information and ticketing,
visit hanoisoundstuff.vn
BERLIN CLUB NIGHT

The renowned Berlin Club
Night will highlight this years
Hanoi Sound Stuff Festival after
appearances in India, Poland,
Egypt and Brazil. A collaboration
between the the Berlin club
scene, the Goethe Institut and
the German Embassy, the
co-production will be spread
across two days, including live
DJ sets, film screenings and
panel discussions. Flying in
from Germany will be GermanVietnamese multi-instrumentalist

Chi Thanh as well as Chopstick &
Johnjon German-Vietnamese
artist Chi-Tien Nguyen and John
B. Muder.
Berlin Club Night will be spread
across day two and day three of Hanoi
Sound Stuff Festival, starting Apr.
10 at 4pm. Entrance is free. For more
information, visit goethe.de/vietnam
or hanoisoundstuff.vn
APR.
Photo by Thuy-Tien Nguyen / andofotherthings.com
10-12
MYSTERY QUEST
If the somewhere-outside-ofHanoi Quest festivals have been
getting the juices flowing, then
the latest installment, Mystery
Quest, from Apr. 10 to Apr. 12 is
likely to create a waterfall.
Rather than telling you the
full details of the event, this time
round the organisers are asking
you to trust them. Simply sign
up, book your ticket and via
pre-booked transportation they

will take you to the venue and
do their damnedest to put on
onehelluva a party. The rest, as we
like to expound, will be history.
Quest Festival will take place
from Apr. 10 to Apr. 12. Sign up
for the ride at quest.bigtime.vn. But
hurry. Tickets are limited. To see
more on the upcoming festival go to
page 14
Once reserved exclusively for royalty,

tranquil Westlake now boasts
Hanois Gold-Standard serviced residences.
Minutes from the city with unobstructed
lake views, Fraser Suites Hanoi offers
you the award-winning service even
ancient kings would envy.
THE FRASER COLLECTION

BAHRAIN BANGALORE BANGKOK BEIJING BUDAPEST
CHENGDU DOHA DUBAI EDINBURGH GLASGOW
GUANGZHOU GURGAON HANOI HO CHI MINH CITY
HONG KONG ISTANBUL JAKARTA KUALA LUMPUR
LONDON MANILA MELBOURNE NANJING NEW DELHI
OSAKA PARIS PERTH SEOUL SHANGHAI
SHENZHEN SINGAPORE SUZHOU SYDNEY TIANJIN
WUHAN WUXI CHENNAI (2014) AL KHOBAR (2015)
FRANKFURT (2015) RIYADH (2014)
to do list
hanoi
10 APR. - 08
MAY
CATHERINE KARNOW PHOTOGRAPHY
Thoughts You Have While Youre Driving

Helmet check.
Mirror check.
Rain, rain, rain
At least I can put on my pretty
purple raincoat.
Oops I forgot the kickstand.
Again.
Left.
Right.
Straight.
Mmphmm This alley never
ends.
Damn!
Whew That was close
Dude! Really? Watch where
you are going!
Dog! Move from the middle of
the road, DOG!
What the f?!
There is nothing better than
the lakeside road early in the
morning.
Hellooo, Vietnam national
rowing team jogging.
Whaaaat beep beep?
Beep beep yourself! I am on the
right side of the road already!
Hmmm, where are you going?
That was perfectly smooth.
Aaaaaand into traffic!
Waving through traffic, yeah!
Second gear.
Third gear.
Second gear.
Lady, oi! Make your mind up,
wont you?
I wonder how long I can go
without putting my foot down?
Steady.
Ooooooh.
Steady.
Well done, me!
Intersection coming.
Aaaand Still no foot down!
Wow! Nice shoes giiiiirl!

Ohh flowers! I should buy
flowers on my way home
tonight.
But probably wont find any
flower lady when I need one.
Also I should buy milk and cat
food.
Oops, sorry my bad!
And foot down! Wow that was
probably my fastest time!
Seriously?! Here?! Youre
stopping here? Mmphmm
At least hes not driving and
texting
Unlike you there!
Should I go and drive on the
sidewalk like them?
How much time would I gain?
Mmphmm, maybe not today.
Oops!
Mmphmm why are we not
moving?
Because its a two-car stand-off,
duh!
Guys, if you keep going
through, the cars will never be
able to move!
I should have gone on the
sidewalk.
Yeahhhh! Finally!
Its moving!
Third gear!
Yippie, fourth gear!
Aaaaand stop.
60 seconds for a traffic light is
long.
5 4 3 2 1
Go!
Almost there.
Please indicate!
Aaaand stop.
Neutral.
Parked.
In celebration of the 20th

anniversary of diplomatic
relations between America and
Vietnam, and the 40th anniversary
of the end of the war, Art Gallery
Vietnam will exhibit images
from acclaimed photographer
Catherine Karnow. Renowned for
17-24
her work for National Geographic,

Karnow presents an insiders view
from her 25 years in Vietnam.
The exhibition will run from
Apr. 10 to May 8, at Art Gallery
Vietnam, 24 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan
Kiem, Hanoi. An opening reception
will be held on Apr. 10 from 6pm
APR.
FLEX
Expat artist Heather McClellan
will exhibit her collection of
traditional Vietnamese lacquer
pieces at the Nguyen Gallery
from Apr. 17. Focusing on
depictions of women in Vietnam,
McClellans pieces incorporate
her experience as a fine artist and
an oil painter with traditional
lacquer composition.
FLEX opens Friday Apr. 17 at
7pm and will run until the April 24
at the Nguyen Art Gallery, 31 Van
Mieu, Dong Da, Hanoi. The gallery is
located near the Temple of Literature
18
SATURDAY
THE AUSTRALIANA BALL

Hanois resident Aussies (and
non-Aussies, too) are invited to
the Australiana Ball for a night
of great Australian food and
fun. Organised by AussieOi, a
group of Australians living in
Hanoi, the ball will feature an
Australian-themed three-course
dinner, imported Australian
wines and a thrilling night of

dancing and entertainment.
The Australiana Ball will be held at
the InterContinental Hotel Westlake
on Apr. 18. Tickets are VND2 million
per person and can be purchased by
emailing australianaballhanoi@gmail.
com. Dress code is formal with a
touch of Australiana
18
29
SATURDAY
WEDNESDAY
MARY OCHER LIVE

Some say the queen of Berlins
underground music scene, Mary
Ocher, is possibly possessed by
demons. Well now you can find
out now with Ocher bringing
her unique brand of avant-popgarage-rock to CAMA ATK for
one otherworldly night. She
will perform tracks from her
recent album.
CAMA ATK is at 73 Mai Hac
De, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi. Doors
are at 8pm. Entrance TBA. For
more info, visit the CAMA ATK
Facebook page
SAVE
THE AMCHAM ROCK N SOUL GALA

One of the most highly anticipated
social events of the year, the
AmCham Gala promises diners
a stylish evening of fine dining,
top-shelf liquor and rock n soul
entertainment. There are a host
of prizes to be won, in addition
to live music acts performed
26
by artists all the way from the

musical heart of Memphis,
Tennessee and a silent auction.
The gala will be held at the JW
Marriott, 8 Do Duc Duc, Tu Liem,
Hanoi on Apr. 18. Tickets are
available now for VND 2.9 million
per seat at amchamhanoi.com
The
Date
SUNDAY
FULL MOON PARTY ON CAT BA
TET DECOR NOURISHMENT DAY

Held on the last Sunday of each
month, Nourishment Day offers
weary Hanoians the chance to
escape the city to enjoy some
much needed quiet time. Located
at the Tet Lifestyle Collections
Fragrant Path Nature Retreat
in Dai Lai, activities include a
Vietnamese cooking class, yoga,
nature trekking and meditation,

to name but a few.
Nourishment Day tickets are
US$65 (VND1.37 million) per
person with a 20 percent discount
for participants who book before
Apr. 20. For more information, visit
tet-lifestyle-collection.com or email
info@tet-lifestyle-collection.com
Its not the first full moon party

in Vietnam there have been a
number of these beasts hitting
the southern hemisphere of this
country over the past few years.
But its certainly the first full
moon party in the North.
Held on Cat Ba Islands
Moonia Beach, five minutes away
from Cat Ba Town, the May 1 to
May 3, holiday weekend event
(camping included) is being
dubbed as Vietnams answer to
Glastonbury, and possibly even
Caf Del Mar. Expect this one to
be bigger than big.
With Day 1 focusing on live
bands, the 5pm to 2am festivities
will then pass onto to Full Moon
Day, aka May 2, where 24 hours
of non-stop partying aided by
the full festival entourage of face
painters, shot girls, DJs, shisha,

lasers, dancers, well-stocked bars
and much, much more will be on
display. And for those who want
to chill out after taking it just that
little bit too far, Day 3 will bring
out the lounge music. Perfect for a
little respite before the return trip
to Hanoi.
Tickets cost US$50 (VND1.1
million) per person and can be
purchased from Simon at Travel
Agent Hanoi, 43 Luong Ngoc Quyen,
Hoan Kiem, Hanoi or by emailing
bookings@fullmoonpartyvietnam.
com or simon@travelagenthanoi.
com. Transport can also be
arranged from Hanoi as can tents
for the two-night stay. For more
information go to www.facebook.
com/FullMoonPartyVietnam or
fullmoonpartyvietnam.com
just in
hanoi
THE UNICORN
Pham Tien Tiep, the Hanoi champion
bartender who invented the pho cocktail,
just doesnt know when to give up. Which
is a good thing for us fans of Mojito Bar
and the excellent concoctions he puts
together.
Unfortunately, Mojito Bar is no longer.
So Tiep has moved his operations to a
new venue, The Unicorn, at 2 Hang Than,
Hoan Kiem.
Check it out. Its a decent venue, and the
cocktails are just as tasty (and potent).
To see a review of The Unicorn head to page
130
LOTUSLAND
Vietnam-based, American writer David
Joiner has published his debut novel,
Lotusland, which is now available on
Guernica.
One of the only works of fiction by a US
author to bridge the literary gap between
the Vietnam War and contemporary
Vietnam, the story focuses on Nathan
Monroe, a 28-year-old American living in
Vietnam, who falls in love with a poor but
talented Vietnamese painter. When he fails
to protect their love from her desperate
chase for a better life in America, his safety
net appears in the form of Anthony, an old
domineering friend in Hanoi who hires
Nathan at his real estate firm.
To read an excerpt from the novel, please
turn to page 182. Lotusland can be purchased
online click on david-joiner.com/buy-1/ for
a list of distributors
WEEKEND BOOKWORM
In mid April, Bookworm Too in Nghi
Tam Village will become Weekend
Bookworm. Still located at the same
address, it will only open on Friday,
Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm.
In line with the change, Weekend
Bookworm will be made into a specialist
bookshop and will only sell childrens
books and books with a Vietnamese
theme. Notebooks and arts n craft object
dart will also be on offer.
The Weekend Bookworm will also be
an outlet for restored bao cap (Subsidy
Era) furniture that Bookworm staff have
collected from north and central Vietnam.
EDEN HANOI REOPENS
Bookworm in Chau Long will continue

to operate as usual, seven days a week,
9am to 7pm.
Weekend Bookworm is at 6 Lane 1/28 Au Co,
Tay Ho, Hanoi
If you didnt already know, well now you

do. That outdoor venue by the river that
attracts over 1,000 revellers on the weekend
has reopened for the summer. In fact, their
re-opening party in mid-March brought in
1,500 of you.
Keep an eye on the parties at Eden by
clicking on facebook.com/edengargen. Eden
Hanoi is at 264 Au Co, Tay Ho. Just follow
the signs
COLLABORATORS DECIDE TO COLLABORATE

Two of Hanois best-known (and
loved) collaborative workspaces
have merged and added two
more investors.
Over the next two months,
the team behind Commune
Coworking Caf will establish
an on-premises caf bar at the
ClickSpace Coworking Villa
(#15, Lane 76 To Ngoc Van, Tay
Ho), and the new food and
drink entity which is already
in pop-up caf stage will be
renamed Spacebar.
Unfortunately the merger also

signifies the end of Commune
Caf, a favourite for those liking
to while away a few hours with
view over West Lake. Says
Commune Caf founder, Jeremy
Wellard: Commune Caf had
great customers and a loyal
cadre of laptop workers who
called it their home base But
it was time to return to our roots
and get serious about building
great collaborative work
environments.
Clean air in Hanoi? It is finally here!
Would you like to breathe Swiss air?

Visit our new showroom in Tay Ho, Hanoi at the Syrena Shopping Center
overscene hanoi
A Select Affair
Photos provided by Hanoi Grapevine

Hanoi Grapevine brought their latest
selection of local art to the National
Museum of Fine Arts
van cong moi
Photos by Trung Del

A night of high energy live music
courtesy of Kick-Off band, all
supported by Monster Energy,
found its way down to Old Quarter
watering hole, Z Bar
let s folk and

swing
Photos by Trung Del

Swing, its the in thing these days.
And last month it twisted its way
down to West Lake, courtesy of
Hanoi Rock City
If you have a noteworthy event which you think

would fit into our coverage, please email
news@wordvietnam.com and we'll take a look
A Taste for It
Photos provided by the French Embassy

In the name of spreading the word
about French cuisine, Got de France
simultaneously hit thousands of
locations around the world last month,
and Hanoi was one of them
TGIF
Photos by Trung Del

Hanois longest running weekly event,
Friday Night on the Terrace, still draws the
revellers into the Press Club
Insider
I FILMED A BIG BEER AD // 40 YEARS AFTER // 50 SHADES OF EXPAT // A STREETCAR NAMED
UBER // THEATRE FOR THE PEOPLE // HAS HANOIS ART SCENE LOST ITS EDGE? // MYSTERY
DINER HANOI // STREET SNACKER HANOI // MYSTERY DINER HCMC // STREET SNACKER HCMC //
FASHION // THE LAST POST ON THE BUGLE // HUA HIN
PHOTO BY JULIE VOLA
insider
MANY FACES
NATIONAL
I Shot a Big Beer Ad

Jon Aspin sucks down a Hahn Super Dry, in his quest
for the ultimate expat experience
eing a foreigner in this country

affords you a bunch of opportunities.
The list of things you probably
wouldnt do at home is huge if
you live here. Admittedly, some of these
opportunities are best rain-checked one
last beer at 5am anyone? However, there are
still a few you cant refuse.
For those familiar with these pages,
you might remember my stellar turn as an
American military captain in the Vietnamese
jungle last year (shout out to my Madagui
soldier boys). As amazing as that was, Ive
just done something to top it. Its something
I definitely didnt think Id ever do, and no
its not acro-yoga.
Ive just been part of a multi-million dollar

Australian beer commercial. Scenes were
filmed in Hanoi and Sapa last month, and
Im in them.
I dont necessarily seek out these
opportunities. However, as a writer for your
favourite free expat read, I feel duty-bound
to accept these gifts when they come.
Meeting the Crew

Flown up to Hanoi by 116 Pictures the day
after returning from Tet, I could see that
the cast and crew had developed a strong
bond already. They had a rhythm. So my
first role was to meet everyone, wait for an
instruction and try not to be a tool.
Before reaching Nam theyd already

been to six countries in 15 days this was
no low-budget mini-series racking up
shark diving in South Africa, condor flying
in the deserts of Dubai and snowmobiling in
Poland as part of their days work. These all
formed what the director would later tell me
was the experience collecting theme of the
ad, tracking the journey through manhood
of the commercials hero, a 28-to-35-year-old
dude played by Kiwi actor Ashley Hawkes.
The experience of being part of his journey
was incredible. In summary, I got paid to
hang out in spectacular locations, ride a beatup Yamaha over bridges, through rivers and
down a mountain, share some banter with
I got paid to hang out in spectacular locations, ride

a beat-up Yamaha over bridges, through rivers and
down a mountain, share some banter with a great
bunch of guys, then sit around a campfire to tell
jokes and drink beer
a great bunch of guys, then sit around a

campfire to tell jokes and drink beer.
I wasnt alone in this assignment, though.
Playing next to me was fellow Saigonite
Zacharie, a handsome Frenchman with a
beard, and the perfect look for this gig. Zach
had the exact same attitude as me from day
one. Two nights in Hanoi, two nights in
Sapa, sounds like a paid vacation to me
Im in.
After four days of filming and bunking on
trains together, I asked Zach if he thought
my acting skills were as good as I thought
they were. Our local producer Gordon
Westman was sitting next to him when he
replied, so he might have been talking me
up. Jons perfect for the big laughs,
he said referring to the cue we were

repeatedly given by the director. He doesnt
even look like an actor, hes just so natural.
Its been a pleasure making him look better
all shoot.
Beer Money
False modesty and beard envy aside,
Australians attach a lot of importance to
their beer ads. As I said, this production
was traversing the globe in search of beer
ad nirvana, and on set there was a veritable
whos who of the Australian film and
television industry.
These guys were complemented on the
ground by a Vietnamese team of location
managers, caterers and production assistants
from 116. These were the people getting

things done when you needed it, and
included 21-year-old costume department
volunteer Sabo Thu nh, a film student in
Hanoi and future Viet-noir director to watch.
On this job Id say mine, Zachs and Ashleys
look was mostly shabby-biker-chic, so I took
it upon myself to lose everything I owned at
least once a day, making her life hell.
All in all there were about 25 people
making the machine tick, a multinational
travelling circus that all needed to be fed,
accommodated, transported and paid.
At breakfast one morning, I caught up
with the brand manager from the brewery
Malcolm Eadie, a Scotsman with the
company money to make this all happen. I
asked him about the insight behind the ad,

and he told me it took about two years to
deliver.
Blokes of a certain age feel like theyre
living on autopilot, he said. Theyve all
got this desire to pick up all these different
experiences, but its hard because at that
age they might be stuck in a rut the same
friends, the same places, the same jobs. They
wont do something big with their lives
without some kind of inspiration. This ad is
about giving them that.
Copywriter Josh Parmenter was also there,
part of the agency creative team responsible
for the idea. I wondered whether hed
written it just so he could go on holiday.
Laughing, Josh was really happy with the
way it was going giving credit to pros

like DOP Jeremy Rouse and director Patrick
Hughes for bringing it all together.
Hollywood Baby
A big ball of Australian creative energy,
Patricks been directing commercials and films
all over the world for the last 15 years. Before
getting this gig hed done stuff like ride a tank
into the Cannes film festival to promote The
Expendables 3, a film he also directed. Riding
next to him were Arnold Schwarzenegger and
Sly Stallone. This level of kicking ass is truly
beyond my vocabulary.
I tried to remain calm in my chat with him, but
I was more than a little intimidated by this level
of awesome. But then I found out he was just a
normal guy, inspired by a bike trip hed made

in Vietnam 10 years ago with his best mate. I
wanted to know how Patrick hoped people
would feel when we saw this thing on TV.
Its going to be f****** epic. Its gonna be
one of those ads that makes the hair on the
back of your neck stand up. One that makes
you think, Yeah, I gotta go out and I gotta live
life. Because thats what life is about, its about
passion passion for life, passion for love. And
its also about what you do with your failures.
Do you take it lying down or do you just say
f*** that, wipe the slate clean and start again?
Thats what people should feel. Then they
should go suck a Hahn Super Dry!
For more behind the scenes footage of the big beer
ad, go to hahn.com.au
insider
INSIDER
NATIONAL
40 Years After:
The Liberation of Saigon
Four decades on from Apr. 30, 1975, Hoa Le looks into the past of two men
whose fortunes rose and fell with Vietnams own
veryone was puzzled, says

Nguyen Qui Duc. Many
people had moved away.
Along the streets, some
houses were closed, others were locked. I
started to worry. The news about the war
just made me more nervous.
He was 17 years old in April of 1975,
and had just arrived in Saigon from
Danang. His father had been imprisoned
somewhere in the north since the Tet
Offensive of 1968 he had been working
as an official in the South Vietnamese
government (Republic of Vietnam). His
mother was stuck in Danang while trying
to come to Saigon the day after Duc left
there were no other planes making the trip.
Every day, I went to the airport to see if
there were any planes arriving from the
central provinces. But there werent.
As the North Vietnamese staged

their final blitzkrieg and their tanks
knocked down the metal gate of Saigons
Independence Palace and rolled onto
its lawn, throngs of Vietnamese were
clamouring to get aboard already
overcrowded helicopters flying out of
Vietnam.
Duc arranged to flee the country with
his uncles family. They were jammed on
a boat to Phu Quoc Island, then one week
later, herded onto a ferry with about 3,000
other refugees heading to Guam before
an airplane took them to Arkansas in the
United States.
Duc left behind his beloved parents,
sisters and his home country.
After the Libertation

Inside the country, after the liberation, the
citys name was changed to Ho Chi Minh

City. Soldiers of the Democratic Republic
of Vietnam (North Vietnam) were feeling
optimistic not only had they won the war,
but their long and brutal struggle had finally
come to an end.
Our first thought was all about the
fact that now we could return to our
homes and reunite with our families,
says 83-year-old colonel Tran Minh Hong.
I think even the soldiers who drove the
tank into the Independence Palace shared
that feeling. Hong served in the army for
both the French and American Wars, and
participated in both Dien Bien Phu and the
central regions bloody clashes.
Since that historical day, both Duc and
Hong went on their separate paths. But
looking back on that day, 40 years later, both
have mixed feelings.
Ducs Journey
As Duc landed in a new country, he started
his life again. He did all sort of jobs from
painting houses to selling hamburgers
and later, he studied to become a journalist.
He translated English writings about
Vietnam for Vietnamese refugees who felt
disconnected from their homeland. He also
translated Vietnamese work into English for
American citizens, so that they knew more
about the lives of those on the other side of
the globe.
His journalism took him through the pages
of the Wall Street Journal, the airwaves of the
BBC and public radio in San Francisco. He
wanted to tell his peoples stories, not just of
the suffering people in the south, but also the
sorrow of the mother in the north who lost
her children during the war stories with
universal meaning that those on one side of
the conflict had not been told about the other.
America brought him many opportunities
career-wise at least. But deep inside, Duc
never stopped wanting to come back to
Vietnam.
Ive never liked America, he says. At
the age of 17, I had encountered many things
in life: I had seen the war and the deaths that
it brought. I listened to Vietnamese music,
I read Vietnamese poems and absorbed
Vietnamese culture and society. When I came
to another country that didnt have such
things, I felt uncomfortable.
Ducs father was released from prison in
1980, and four years later Duc sponsored his
parents emigration to the US. After 16 years
apart, he was finally reunited with his father.
If he had died, it would have been
As the North
Vietnamese staged their
final blitzkrieg and their
tanks knocked down the
metal gate of Saigons
Independence Palace,
throngs of Vietnamese
were clamouring to get
aboard overcrowded
helicopters flying out of
Vietnam
different, he says, his voice husky with
feeling. We would have been very sad but
then continued to live our life.
But as we didnt have his news for so
long, it felt as if I was under a yoke the
whole time. I couldnt allow myself to enjoy
life. I received a scholarship to study art, but
how could I draw when I assumed that my
parents were suffering back home?
In 1989, he finally came back to visit
Vietnam for the first time. Then in 2006, he
decided to move to Hanoi. He now owns the
eclectic lounge bar and caf Tadioto, a popular
gathering spot for both expats and locals.
Hongs Return
After liberation, Colonel Hong stayed in
Can Tho and Saigon for a few months to
take charge of infrastructure and property

left by the South Vietnamese government.
Then, in October 1975, he returned to Hanoi
and continued to serve in the Ministry of
Defence.
In 1982, he quit the military and moved
to settle down in Saigon. When Vietnam
imposed the policy of Doi Moi in 1986,
Hong saw firsthand the change it made in
peoples lives.
Before that, the lives of people here [in
Ho Chi Minh City] were very tough and
poor. People couldnt do business in an
open way, but had to do it secretly. That
reform policy finally helped Ho Chi Minh
City to use its potential and strength as
it had more experience of capitalism during
the colonial time. Its people were used to
the market-oriented system, and the public
infrastructure was also better than in the
north. The links with Viet Kieu also brought
more foreign currency flowing into the
city.
Today, looking at the development of the
Vietnamese economy and peoples living
standards, both Duc and Hong feel that the
promise of the country is finally arriving.
But they see much work ahead.
With the countrys bloody wars in the
past, there are new battles to fight: against
corruption, unbalanced development, the
loss of cultural and historical values, even
the loss of Vietnams natural beauty. But
people like Duc and Hong went through the
biggest trial Vietnam had to face in the last
century, and can only be optimistic about
the countrys will to overcome its future
challenges.
cover story
Fifty Shades of Expat

Expat stereotypes are everywhere, little cocoons of half-truth
that we assign to large proportions of people who live overseas.
So, Word being the staid, unoriginal publication that we are,
tried to jump on the stereotype bandwagon. No, dont do that,
we hear you shout. Well, we did, but with a difference.
From the hundreds of potential stereotypes out there
and there really are loads we whittled down our categorisation to 10.
A loose 10. As youll see when you read through these pages,
some of the labels, from The Creeper to The Intern, could really
be an amalgamation of many types of people.
We then came up with 50 stories, or hey, 50 shades,
and assigned five to each stereotype. Some fit perfectly. Others dont.
You may even recognise some of the stories, from real situations youve heard about
or encountered during your time living in Vietnam. And many will be familiar
you or your friends may have encountered similar scenarios.
But key is that all of them tell of experience,
the experience we have living overseas.
And that is what we wanted to achieve.
Whether youre labeled an immigrant, expatriate or migrant
the distinction is often very foggy we wanted to get a sense of what
its like to live in a place that was not originally our home.
It could be a full-blooded, million miles-an-hour ride or a never-ending nightmare.
One things for sure, the adventure of living overseas is unique.
The Ao Dai
I wasn't allowed to study Vietnamese

in high school. I went to elementary
school in Bamako, Mali, where learning

French was mandatory at school and nearly
everyone was bi- or multilingual. So I was
surprised when I started 11th grade in
Vietnam that not only was Vietnamese not
offered as an elective (only Mandarin and
Spanish), but that the administration was
totally opposed to offering any credit for a
Vietnamese class taken by non-Vietnamese
citizens my Vietnamese classmates had
to take Vietnamese history and language on
Saturdays.
They also wouldnt endorse an
official after-school or Saturday morning
Vietnamese language club. In my grade, at
least, almost everyone I talked to agreed
that it would be great to have some sort of
formal Vietnamese instruction. We were
basically told that, as a college prep school
with an English-only policy, it wasnt up for
discussion.
This was several years ago now so Id be
interested to see if a more stubborn student
could have changed their minds. And now
that Ive been through a liberal arts college,
their because were a college prep school
argument doesnt make much sense.
I was sold accommodation in a

museum. In my first year, I was sold
accommodation for a night in what I thought

was a hotel but was actually a museum. I
wondered why the bed had a Do not sit on
the bed sign and why everything was so
dusty and there was no running water when
I tried to shower in my museum bedroom
for which I had paid VND600,000 for the
night.
I shouldve figured out that something
was up from the fact that it was at Tet and
there was no-one else there, but instead I
thought, Yay, there must be something
really fun going on in town, I cant wait
to have a shower and go see whats
happening. But there was no shower.
I had to keep doing my fake Irish

accent for a week. Id just broken up
with my sort-of boyfriend, and decided to

go to the Thai island we were planning on
visiting together by myself.
Id walked out of his Bangkok apartment
a couple of days earlier, after learning that
hed had another girl staying in his bed the
morning of the day Id arrived. We were

supposed to spend a couple weeks travelling
together and seeing how we got along
outside of quick weekend visits and on
the first day I had my answer.
I spent my first island day indoors,
sulking. That night I forced myself to go out,
to a bar down the street. But I couldnt work
up the courage to talk to anybody, even after
my second gin-tonic.
When a boy approached me at the bar,
I automatically switched on my veryconvincing Irish accent. With it goes a
mostly-true backstory, and he believed it. We
had a laugh, then he introduced me to all his
friends and asked me to stay at his familys
large vacation home. It was a great, relaxing
week that reminded me of how much fun I
could have on my own the only drawback
is I had to keep being Eabha to him and
everyone else I met.
I've held 20 Vietnamese babies. Fact:

Vietnamese babies are the cutest babies in
the whole world. How do I know? Because
Ive held, nursed and burped about 20 of
them since I arrived in Vietnam. And no,
these arent babies Im trusted to teach, but
the babies of complete and utter strangers.
So warm and welcoming to foreigners
are the Vietnamese people, that many are
completely comfortable handing over their
newborns and snapping a photo on their
smartphones (presumably destined for
Facebook?) of a foreigner smiling sheepishly
with their offspring.
Please dont change, Vietnam. I love
holding babies.
I ate durian and then kissed a guy.
Okay so you know me: Im pretty much
a try-anything-once kind of girl. And one of
the reasons I wanted to live in Asia was the
food (forget the burgers and pizzas, give me
soggy noodles and gristly knee-joints any
day!). So when my friend bought a whole
durian from this street vendor on Bui Vien
one night she just had the cutest kid I
knew I had to try some!
It smelled like a rancid pile of warm garlic,
and I think I gagged a little when I took my
first bite, but YOLO, bitches! I finished the
whole thing and then made out with this
Irish guy for like 30 minutes. I dont think he
even noticed. Irish guys are hot, and I guess
they like durian too.
Who is the Ao Dai?

The Ao Dai came to Vietnam
with the best of intentions to
explore this far corner of the
world and make it better, and
take plenty of smiling Facebook
pictures while shes at it.
For every I cant believe Im
really in VIETNAM! update she
posts, she averages 74.7 likes,
and 8.6 OMG you are so
beautiful!!!!! comments.
The Ao Dai is conscientious,
caring and careful, which how
shes managed to keep so many
good friends in her life. She has
deep convictions, and devotes a
lot of thought to romance and
what it should be. As far as the
real thing, shes not overly bothered it will come to her when
the moment is right, just like it
does in all those movies.
In Vietnam, shes gotten
herself into her share of weird
situations, most occurring when
her reasonable approach
clashes with unreasonable
circumstances. She always finds
her out of them though,
with the type of story
that shell share long after
returning to her home country.
Who is the Tanktop Romeo?

Hes a man of the world, and hes
seen it all. Hes been in the
tubing in Laos. Hes sipped
formaldehyde-laced rum buckets
under azure skies and sampled
the finest fried insects from here
to Chiang Mai. The ladies find
his tales of adventure, and hearty
application of AXE body spray,
irresistibly alluring. He is a rebel,
a risk taker, a man who wears
neon short-shorts in public.
The Tanktop Romeo is not
merely a chiseled block of KFCfed granite, nay he is also a
man of intellect and charm.
Thanks to his near-photographic
memory he can recall the
location of every ladies night
special in Vietnam, as well as
the aforementioned ladies
receptiveness to impromptu
body shots.
Some may scoff at the Tanktop
Romeos apparent lack of social
delicacy, but rest assured that he
really doesnt give a damn
what you think, brah.
I gave Vietnamese people 'happy'

cookies. It was for a birthday party
potluck sort of thing, but everything

was coming together late as usual. My
girlfriends Vietnamese coworkers came
before any of her expat friends, who were
supplying the food. The cookies were the
first thing out.
Everyone was warned, but maybe not
enough. The cookies were gone super fast,
one guy even had two of them. And then
the food came, everything was normal, and
I thought it would be okay.
An hour in, people started passing out. A
girl said to me that she felt tired, so tired, so
I told her to lie down. But then her friends
started trying to wake her up, and when they
couldnt wake her up they started panicking.
Others were walking around like zombies,
stumbling into things. We had to lock the
balcony door, because we were afraid of what
one girl would do. It was not a fun time.
Our neighbours broke down our gate.

Happily ensconced in my latest Tinderella
one night, I became aware of a commotion
in my alley. Nothing unusual, I thought
at first I shared a typical Vietnamese
skinny-rise with seven other teachers,
calmness had nothing to do with this place.
As the intensity of the distraction rose
however, it became clear that this had
something to do with us then I walked
onto the balcony and saw our neighbours
brandishing a large pole at the front gate! I
ran to the rooftop, where people typically
hung out.
It turns out the neighbours and my
housemate had been engaged in a backand-forth: they throw a bottle at our place,
my housemate pisses off the roof. Down
below, they looked like theyd lost their
patience with this game and bang, they
were inside.
Holy s*** theyre in the house!
What are they going to do?
Unsure whether to stand our ground or
confront them, we decided to s*** our pants
and do nothing. Expecting them to come
tearing up the stairs at any moment, the
cavalry never arrived. Heart attack over, our
neighbours had proved their point we
can get in foreigners, dont f*** with us.
I drank with some guys on the

street. My bike had run out of gas, and I
walked up to the gas station with an empty

water bottle to get some more. On the way
back, I noticed three Vietnamese guys
drinking in the middle of one of those small
triangular traffic medians in the middle of
the street, next to the stood-up tyres that
showed they fixed flats.
Yo white with the gas is basically what
they said in Vietnamese. And we just sat
on the median drinking moonshine, traffic
passing us on all sides.
I got scarred in a bike crash. Its

a typical story. I left my bike at home for
a heavy night, but got on the back of my
friends bike because it was cheaper than a
taxi. There was no-one on the road at 1am,
and we cut down the street at 70km/h.
When another biker sped out of a cross-alley
without looking, we went flying. And I
landed on my face.
A couple of days later, I was feeling well
enough to leave the room on my own. But
everywhere I went, people stared at me. One
guy pointed me out to his friend while I was
walking past. Another guy, his arm over his
girlfriends shoulder, turned his head when
I walked behind them. He kept his head
turned, still walking, until I yelled, WHAT?
But that wasnt the worst part. People
would stop me in bars on the way to my
friends table: What happened to you? I
would watch my friends chat up girls and
tell them about their travels or tattoos; all my
conversations would lead to accident stories.
When I got my stitches out, the doctor asked
me if Id considered plastic surgery.
This s*** lasted for about a month. Then my
eyebrow grew back in, the scar got less obscene
and I met a girl. Now it looks kind of cool.
I partied at a convenience store.

Three months into my travel, my visa was
running out and I was leaving a whole crew
of people behind. I decided to have a party.
In my typical style back then, I couldnt
stand the thought of going to a real bar, and
my guesthouses lobby couldnt hold all the
people I figured would show up.
We decided to pack the Shop & Go near
Bui Vien, the one that had a small counter
toward the back and is now some kind of
pharmacy. We called it Shop & Stay. At
8.30pm sharp all the people on the Facebook
page were supposed to arrive, as my singersongwriter friend played a short set in front
of the beer fridges. Of course, everyone
was late. But a half-hour later the place was
packed.
People were drinking in the aisles and out
front. We made sure that everyone paid for
their drinks, although the counter workers
were still plenty nervous. One extra worker
came from somewhere to join his coworkers
behind the counter (this was the same Shop
& Go where Id seen a sleeping employee
emerge from a closed storage cabinet). We
smiled at them and took pictures. They
smiled at us, and sold us more beer.
A little while later we left the most unique
party Ive been to out here. The lesson as
always: white people can get away with
anything!
The Tanktop Romeo
The Intern
I took a 13-year-old's cell phone away.

It was the first class of the semester, and I
was trying to lay down the law. So I took this
girls cell phone from her in the beginning of
class, and when she caused a fuss I made her
stand and face the blackboard.
Then I started to introduce myself to the
class, and the girl started writing things on
the board. As I was saying My name is Ms
she wrote dog. Which I thought was
kind of funny. But then she erased that and
wrote s***.
At this point I wanted to make an example
out of her, so I told my TA to take her to the
principal. She flipped out, ran to the back
of the class, grabbed a razor blade from her
pencil case and held it to her arm, screaming,
Give me my phone back or Ill cut myself!
She took off toward the bathroom, and
five other students ran after her. She came
back bleeding from some surface cuts shed
made on her wrist, which was now a 10cm
block of redness.
When the other students in the class saw,
they immediately lost it. One kid started
crying, and another girl straight up had an
asthma attack.
The principal came and corralled the girl
and her minions, and left me to teach for the
remaining 20 minutes.
Afterwards, I had to write up a report. I
was sure I was going to get fired, but I kept
teaching there for another month or so.
I got drunk on rice wine. Id been in
Vietnam barely six months when I visited

my friend Thao at her family home in the
countryside. Her father Tuan promptly
led me to a cupboard lined with bottles of
expensive-looking rice wines.
Encouraged by the news that I was a
newcomer to Vietnam, he grabbed a nearby
jar containing suspicious red lumps at the
bottom. After some back and forth, I soon
learned that the suspicious lumps were
actually chunks of deer horn that would
make me strong like a deer. Obviously.
Before I knew it I was sitting cross-legged
on the floor, raising a shot glass. At the
fourth round, I tried to call it quits. He
says four is not a lucky number, you need
another, said Thao.
At the eighth, I tried again. No, he says
nine is a luckier number than eight. What
number is lucky?? I slurred, as her father
cheekily surveyed the sweat running down
my forehead.
At the 11th, things started going downhill.
He says, one more for good health, she
pleaded with a smirk.
The next morning I awoke face down on
the couch, having fertilised the front garden
with a thick pool of vomit. The last thing
I remember was Thaos father cackling

hysterically in the background. Rice wine:
1; Me: 0.
I could have been a dog pimp. Every day
I venture out of the house to take my ginger

cocker spaniel Roxy for a walk. With her
ginger locks and ear-to-ear smile, she never
fails to attract attention.
One summer afternoon last year, a burly
Vietnamese fellow with an even burlier pitbull approached us. He started, I will give
you VND100,000 for before pointing
down at his frightening-looking pit bull and
then, with his hips, gyrating back and forth
while pointing at Roxy.
Had Roxy (recently spayed) been even
slightly interested in the slobbering muscle
hound sniffing at her perfectly groomed
posterior, I may have considered such a
proposition. After all, who would I be to
deny her the freedom of being with a dog
she loved?
But, alas, with a yank at the leash and her
nose in the air, her thoughts became clear.
Guess thats a no then, pal.
I've been building a school in Nepal

for the last 22 months. Right now its at
stage five, which means weve got a cement

foundation down and a temporary roof. Ive
posted a bunch of sick YouTube vids on my
site helpingthekidshelpthemselves.org, so go
check em out and donate. Unfortunately I
dont have any footage of the actual school
being built, because the local tribesmen or
whatever built it while Ive been away for
about a year workin like a dawg at my
daytime teachin gig. Those Nepalese guys
work for like 60 cents a day!
I presented my project one day at this
awesome global speaking event. The
response I had was sooo positive. I got some
of my teacher friends to sing at the end with
me. Everyone loved it. Anyway, stage six is
were gonna buy a few cows and make the
whole thing self-sufficient, apparently we
can get some locals to run it and with the
profits totally pay for the teachers salaries, a
few extra building costs, the farmers to run
the dairy farm and a shed for them to sleep
in. Were improving lives one step at a time
out here, its awesome!
I'm not so handsome. But its what

everybody used to say to me when I arrived
here last summer. I could never quite get
used to it. Back home, no-one ever said
anything like that, not because Im bad
looking, but because its just something you
dont say.
But that all changed a few months ago
when I started going steady with Lan. She
Who is the Intern?

Shes been to art school, and she
cant understand why you cant
get a decent glass of Pinot Grigio
out here. Oh you can? Alright,
meet you there at 5.30!
She came to Vietnam
determined to work harder,
smarter and better than all those
lazy, established types then
got her first months check for
VND20 million, and realised
shes already better paid than 85
percent of the population and
there were yoga classes
shed been missing.
The months since then have
been a blur of new friends, beach
holidays and workplaces that
dont live up to their billing.
But hey, shell be gone
in six months,
and shell be able to add
open-minded to her CV.
was one of the people whod told me that

I was handsome, and for once Id found
myself falling for someone her. It started
with the mandatory afternoon coffees before
she went back to work. I used to tell my
colleagues that I had a meeting. I guess I
did, really. And then when we got past two
weeks of seeing each other almost every day,
it happened.
Within a week Lan had inserted herself in
my apartment I came home one day and
the wardrobe was filled with her clothes. The
next thing was her quitting her job in the bar.
But things really got strange when the
rings appeared. One for her, one for me.
She even wanted me to wear mine on my
wedding finger. I objected, then she went
silent. Didnt speak to me for three days. I
gave in.
It took me a few weeks to notice it, but I
suddenly realised I was no longer being told
I was handsome. At first I thought it was
something to do with my appearance and
I spent a few days looking at myself in the
mirror, trying to work out if Id changed. But
then it clicked. It was the ring. No wonder
Lan wanted me to wear it. It told everyone
that I was taken.
Who is the Adventurer?

She might have ended up here
at the end of a long travel
randomly, yet easily, like most
things go in her life. Since then
shes gotten comfortable,
perhaps even a bit too
comfortable. Thats when
she knows its time
to shake things up.
She has climbed mountains.
She has drunk snake blood.
She went to your party last
weekend, but left to go
bridge jumping at sunrise.
Where other expats would
complain, the Adventurer
merely smiles. Whether its
party pigs on a leash or
drinking all the flavours
of Sting in one sitting,
shes game for anything
this country can throw at her.
I got a tattoo in Cambodia. It was six

years ago, and I was in Phnom Penh for
the first time which was a very different
place to what it is now. I wanted a tattoo and
asked the tuk tuk driver I was friendly with.
He told me he knew a place, that hed take
me there.
The next day he took me on my own for
a two-hour drive into the countryside, to a
village submerged in floodwater. I had to
get on a homemade raft dragged along by
a small naked boy and the tuk tuk driver,
and they brought me to a house where a
man had everything piled on top of his roof
because the rest of the house was in floods.
They put a duvet on the roof and told me to
go to sleep!
They took out the tattoo gun on an
extension cord running through the flood
from downstairs, and did a tattoo that
supposedly says smile in Khmer, but no-one
has ever been able to read it.
After it was done they brought me back
to the raft and the naked child and tuk tuk
driver pulled me through the whole village
so all the locals could come out and look at
me sailing past. Passing under a bridge, I
saw an old man in a wheelchair holding onto
a scarf that was tied to a motorbike driving
over it, pure fear in his eyes. My first taste of
Cambodia.
I broke up a street fight. It was past
midnight, and I was heading cross-town to

the next stop. I got pulled over at a traffic
stop, complete with a bike-seizing truck.
Employing my usual deflection I got away
with a small fine, but I was a bit rattled.
I took it slow from then on. Driving

down a small shortcut road, I saw a crashed
motorbike in the middle of the road, and a
taxi pulled over at a hasty angle. Pulling over
I saw three people, two of them grappling
with each other.
The girl had a bloodied chin and was
holding her arm. One of the men had blood
on his hands, as he grabbed the others hair
and neck, trying to pull him into his punches.
I ran up to them and tried to break it up.
I felt some fear as I saw them going for each
others eyes. I put hands on both of their
shoulders, saying lam on over and over. Other
people gathered to watch, but no-one helped.
After a while of this, exhausted, they let
go. They started yelling, then the cab driver
swerved away. And then I recognised them
the couple whod been next to me at
the traffic stop. They spoke English well. I
asked if I could do anything take them to
hospital, buy them a drink. They thanked me
and said no. Theyd been two minutes from
home, and just wanted, finally, to get there.
I danced with a baby pig. It was a
Vietnamese fashion show, and I guess they

just wanted to take it up to 11. So they let
a baby pig out on the dance floor. People
were holding onto its red lead as it scruffled
about, pissing all over. I was wearing flip
flops, so I didnt mind so much, and we
danced with the pig all night long. I havent
seen much like that since.
Sorry, I can't marry your daughter.

After moving into an apartment with my
boyfriend Sean, it became apparent to us
that our landlord was scheming to set us

up with one of her daughters. We thought
this was pretty hilarious given how
obvious it was that we slept in the same
bed and always answered questions with
we this, we that.
However, one afternoon after the
landlord called, claiming she had to stop
by to check the hot water was okay,
she arrived with said daughter in tow.
The daughter, educated overseas and
embarrassed at being hauled over to the
apartment to meet her gay future husband,
caught on pretty quickly.
So, how do I explain to your mother that
Sean and I are a couple? I asked her after
the landlord pretended to busy herself in
the other room with our water heater.
I will explain it to her shell be fine, she
whispered. She will be disappointed though.
From then on, we never had any
problems with our hot water.
I was born in Saigon but left when

I was only two years old. A helicopter
landed in my uncles garden and airlifted most

of my family out of the city. We were lucky.
I finally came back to Vietnam as an

adult, but circumstances were different.
In my teens I became a surfer, taking to
the waves in California. Now I did the
same in Vietnam, heading to Mui Ne and
waiting for the surf. I quickly became a
fixture there.
But as much as I love surfing, the sea and
the beach life, I needed something else to
do with my time.
Life has been good to me. If my family
had have stayed in Vietnam, our future
would have been fraught with uncertainty.
Its the price you pay for being on the
losing side. But by being brought up in
America, I was given opportunities, the
type of opportunities my contemporaries in
Vietnam never received.
So, I decided to volunteer for an NGO. I
now spend much of my time in Phan Rang
in Central Vietnam. The province is largely
untouched, the people poor, and in need of
our help. Because I speak Vietnamese, have
an innate understanding of the culture here.
And yet I am Western. This puts me in a
unique position my efforts have made a
difference.
The Adventurer
The Frequent Flyer
I've formed an opinion of the dating

scene. In the past five years Ive had
the time to observe and participate in the

Vietnam dating game, and these are the
expat men Ive found:
The social butterfly type. He is good
one-night stand material. He refuses
commitment mainly because hes only
staying in Vietnam for the short term, or
he doesnt have his s*** together yet. You
always meet him in bars or parties. It can
be somewhat awkward afterwards, since
the cities here are like villages, and you are
bound to meet again.
The one with yellow fever. I dont like the
term either. He is only interested in dating
Vietnamese girls. The competition in this
case is impossible.
The unicorn. He is open to dating foreign
women and more if you get on. Hes a
very rare specimen, and the competition is
extremely fierce. He wont stay single for
long.
The Tinder guy. He might have just arrived
in Vietnam, and is mostly looking for friends
or free tour guides. If he is not new to town,
you probably already know each other or
have too many friends in common. In both
cases its too awkward to swipe right.
I stopped being honest to strangers.

I met my Vietnamese girlfriend when we
were both abroad. Weve visited Vietnam a
few times together, but this time I decided to
stay in the country for a while to get closer to
her family, and to explore the exotic culture
here.
I get along quite well with her father,
and we didnt have to drink rice wine to
get to that point. We meet in the park a few
times a week for language exchange; he
wanted to learn English to watch foreign
football channels and I obviously wanted to
learn more Vietnamese. Sometimes we go
swimming together, too.
One day, as we were heading to the pool,
some local guys spoke to my girlfriends
father from a distance. Wheres that Tay
guy from? I heard them asking him in
Vietnamese. France, he replied.
As a young guy coming from a tiny town
in Pennsylvania where everyone knows
each other and are generally friends and
neighbours, I was surprised, and curious to
know why he had lied to them. He said he
just gave them an answer for fun. They
asked him for fun, so he didnt feel the need
to give a real answer. Its that simple.
And thats how I learnt you dont always
need to be honest (particularly to strangers)
in Vietnam.
I look thinner in my picture. A few

years ago, I was searching for a translatorassistant for a project, and was interviewing
candidates on the second floor of a caf. As
I walked a possible candidate up the stairs,
she behind me, she said that I was a lot fatter
in real life than in my profile picture.

Wow. It took me a few minutes to settle
down, and I did try to remind myself that
this was just a cultural difference. But
needless to say, she did not get the job.
I am not a size S in any country. In Europe
I am an L or XL, but in Vietnam I am an
XXXL. I had a difficult time learning to
accept my body, and strangely Vietnamese
culture is helping me come to terms with it.
We dont comment on peoples shape in the
west, out of respect for peoples feelings
and if people do comment, its never meant
in a nice way. But in Vietnam its just a
matter-of-fact statement, not a judgment.
The first time someone bluntly told me
Wow, you are fat! I was shocked and
upset. But now I just reply, You dont say! I
hadnt noticed! Thanks for letting me know.
I brought 'contraband' in my checkin luggage. Full disclosure I never fly
anywhere without at least two vibrators.

Im not a nymphomaniac or anything, but
a girl has needs and Im not ashamed of
meeting my own when the situation requires
it. Ive been through about 40 different
airports and never had any problems, which
made my experience in Noi Bai even more
embarrassing.
Heres the short version: as I was queuing
for the X-ray machine, two security guards
grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled
me into a small room. There was a pile of
suitcases on the floor, with my checked bag
on top. It was open, and another guard was
holding my big purple vibrator in the air like
it was a gun. They didnt speak any English,
and I dont know the Vietnamese word for
sex toy, so I had to pantomime what it was
for. It wouldve been funny if I hadnt been
so terrified.
I got s***-talked. I was going out for
lunch with a couple coworkers, a Filipino

guy and a Vietnamese woman. As we
walked towards our restaurant, two women
sat on the street picking watermelon seeds
said something in Vietnamese. The woman I
was with suddenly turned pale.
Whats wrong? I asked. What did they
say?
Oh nothing, she replied. I could see that
whatever their comment was, she was trying
to pull herself together.
Later, after we finished lunch, my
colleague finally came out with it.
Do you know what those two women
on the street said about me? she said. We
shook our heads.
They said. Wow, look at her! With two
big men. Shes strong!
Both me and my other colleague burst out
laughing. After a while I said, You should
take that as a compliment!
I know, she replied. But when they said
it I wasnt sure whether to be embarrassed,
amused or angry.
Who is the Frequent Flyer?

Shes only in town for a few
weeks this time but that
doesnt mean its all work and no
play. No, as she tells everyone
within earshot, she missed the
crazy energy of this place, the
spontaneity, the friendships.
What she doesnt say is that she
also appreciates the opportunity
for no-strings-attached
behaviour her situation gives her.
Her first time in the country was
sometime in the 2000s, or was it
the 1990s? Either way, shes left
ghosts behind in every corner
of this modern country and
theyre not the scary kind either,
theyre the ghosts of way more
fun times than shes currently
having. And shes still having a
lot of fun.
As far as love, lets just say shes
got a history. Shes been in her
share of serious relationships,
and more than a few have ended
ugly. Uglily. Whatever. But this
time might be different. After
all shes just gotten back here,
things are way different than
they were a couple of years ago,
and the world is her oyster.
Who is the Lifer?

Its hard to include this guy on
the list, because hes not really
an expat anymore. In the
apartment block he lives in,
hes the only westerner,
but he never gets stared at.
He is definitely wearing all the
clothes youd see a xe om driver
clad in, and definitely has a
packet of Cravens in his top
pocket. He lives out of town, in
the same accommodation since
the mid-1990s. He laughs at the
amount of money youve been
tricked into paying for your
serviced apartment or your villa
with a pool, you lame expat.
He only ventures into the downtown districts when its
100 percent necessary... and
absolutely hates it.
In my case, in town Id always refrained.

In the summer it was too hot, the helmets
were always too bulky, and unless you
could put them inside your bike, you ran
the risk of having it stolen. When I told this
to a Vietnamese friend of mine he looked
at me with long eyes Youre turning
Vietnamese, he said. Yet when I added that
I always wore a helmet when I was driving
the highways, his response was, Okay,
maybe only 50 percent.
A few years later I was in Yen Bai, a city
north of Hanoi, and was driving on the main
road out of town. In the past I wouldnt have
worn a helmet on this stretch of tarmac,
but with the law being the law, Id kind of
accepted that sometimes you just have to do
as youre told.
From nowhere a truck pulled out in front
of me. The movement was so sudden, that
I didnt have time to stop. I braked and
somehow skidded my bike out of its way.
But I came off and smacked my head on the
road.
If the accident had happened before 2007,
I would have been dead. Now, though, all
I had was a bit of concussion, a few grazes
and an easily stitched-up hole in the left
side of my forehead. The helmet, or maybe I
should say the helmet law, saved my life.
I became immune to the mixed-race

couple age gap. With so many foreign
I visited Vinh City. More like Grim
City, actually. Hailed by Vietnamese
holidaymakers as a seaside getaway, Grim

Vinh is often touted for its wide French
boulevards, hotel-lined beachfronts and
endless supply of Vietnamese street food
cafs. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, its
not.
Those beachfronts? Dirty. The hotel?
Besieged by bus-in-bus-out tour groups and
ruined by 5am shouting of em oi! over the
sides of balconies to the lower levels. And
breakfast, you ask? Served from 6am to 8am
sharp, only. Luckily we were guests of the
hotel owner, otherwise we would have been
forsaken to the hellish unknowns of Vinh
breakfast food.
But the real tipping point? When my
request for more milk was rebuffed with the
answer that is the regulation amount of
milk. If you want more, you have to pay.
That was the last time we ever went to
Vinh. Vinh is terrible. There, I said it.
When the helmet law was first

introduced in 2007, I was against it.
Not because I didnt understand the reason
for it, but because it took away one of the
freedoms we had in Vietnam the freedom
to choose whether we use a motorbike
helmet or not.
retirees or former Australian GIs living in

Vung Tau where I lived a decade ago it
was the nature of the place. I guess I just got
used to it.
The first time I returned to the city after
I moved away my attitude changed. I was
MCing at a friends wedding. The groom
was Australian and in his 50s, the bride
Vietnamese and in her 40s.
When I sat down at one of two expat
tables with my wife, I realised how out
of place we were. While myself and my
wife, who is Vietnamese, are of similar age,
every other couple was comprised of a 50
or 60-year-old white man with a 20-yearold Vietnamese woman. As I watched
the arse slaps, listened to conversations
about hookers and overheard chatter in
Vietnamese about buying houses, make-up
and Gucci, I became disgusted. So did my
wife.
When it comes to age range, the everyday
person will view us as normal. But here we
were the odd ones out.
I know my Vietnamese is far from

perfect, but come on guys, give me
a break. Ive been here many years now
and my relationship with my wife is in

Vietnamese. I even go to a local Vietnamese
church and pray in Vietnamese. So, what
is it with you? Why cant you just let
foreigners in? Hey, we give you a break in

our countries.
This morning was typical. I went to a caf
and asked for mot lon so da voi da. Come
on, its a can of soda with ice, right? But no,
the girl there just stared at me and looked
blank. So, I repeated myself. On the third go
she just handed me the menu.
I was starting to get angry. When you
spend as long as I have learning the
language, its damn frustrating when youre
not understood.
So, I repeated myself, this time really
slowly as if I was talking to a baby.
Now she got me, repeating my words
verbatim. So, I added, Khong co lay chanh,
or please dont give me any lemon. Once
again I got the blank look. So I tried again,
even more slowly. Ah, suddenly everything
was okay now.
I just dont get why it should be so
problematic. Learning Vietnamese is
difficult, not because the language itself is
so hard, but because of the way people can
react to you. And that, for me, is madness.
It took me years to work out where

to take visitors. My instinct was to take
them by taxi to the tourist sites or the good

Vietnamese restaurants. But I always felt I
was not really letting my friends and family
get a real sense of what life is like out here.
So one time when my cousin and her
boyfriend were in Hanoi, I tried something
different. With me on one motorbike
driving my cousin, we got a xe om driver for
the other bike to drive the boyfriend.
We started at the obligatory One Pillar
Pagoda, me flinging them in while waiting
outside in the shade, xe om style, trying
to get some shut eye. A 15-minute snooze
later they were out so we drove past the
mausoleum. After that I threw away the
guidebook and took them around West
Lake, down to the beach area behind Au
Co, and to a streetside tea stand where I like
to sit over a couple of pipes of thuoc Lao.
The head rush my cousin got from a pipe
was hysterical. She almost fell over.
The final part of the trip was driving
halfway across Long Bien Bridge and
descending onto Middle Warp. There we
walked through the banana plantations
and stumbled across the naked swimmers.
My cousin and her boyfriend couldnt stop
laughing at the strangeness of it all. And
then I gave them the sunset view over
Chuong Duong Bridge with the city in the
background.
Every time I see my cousin she talks
about that tour. Shes done a lot of
travelling, but she got to see what the place
she was visiting was really like, and more
importantly, what my life was like. For her
that was priceless.
The Lifer
The Balding Ponytail
My taxi driver pissed himself. The

taxi driver was chatting away in a friendly
manner, but I hadnt the first idea what any
of it meant. I told him (in Vietnamese) that I
cant speak Vietnamese very well. Ironically,
I can deliver this phrase very well. And so,
because he thought I was being modest, he
kept on going.
I dont understand, my second best
Vietnamese phrase, I said again, and again,
and again. Eventually, he gave up and we
rode along in what felt to me like a hostile
silence.
When we hit the highway he stopped
the car and got out. He walked over to a
low wall, and with his back to me and the
morning traffic, he began to urinate onto a
tall weed the jet of his piss making it sway
like a metronome. Then his stream must have
bounced off the leaves onto his leg, because
he jumped back suddenly and did this funny
sort of dance like there was a ferret in his
pants.
When he returned to the car, I saw a stain
trailing the leg of his tan slacks. He got
behind the wheel and I briefly caught his
eye in the rearview mirror. His look was
flawlessly lucid, it said everything there is
to be said about being pissed off, and being
pissed on.
I made an obscene gesture (by
accident!). I was at my usual photo lab to
drop off some films. In the lot there was this

special film that I used to experiment with
cross processing.
Ive been going to this lab for years and
the lady knows me well. In my broken
Vietnamese and her broken English, we
understood each other as I told her how
valuable that film was. I crossed my fingers
for good luck.
She looked me up and down with
reproachful eyes and it hit me: I had just
made the sign for vagina to her. I became red
and apologised profusely, shaking my hands,
trying to explain it means good luck in the
west.
She looked at me dubiously, but then
smiled and blinked. She and I are definitely
closer since.
My landlord pawned my Vespa to pay

for his secret girlfriend. My landlord
was cool, a typical Viet Kieu playboy. He was

married, plus he had a mistress on the side.
And I helped pay his mistresss way.
After the second month of living in this
very swanky rental, my landlord asked me
for two extra months rent in advance, as
a security deposit. My monthly rent was
VND10 million, and he wanted VND20
million on top. When I asked him why,

he confessed that he was also renting an
apartment for his girlfriend. He said this in a
very obliging way. I agreed because I loved
the house, and could afford it at the time.
It was a great place, at least until my
landlord decided to cancel my three-year
lease. His wife was pregnant, it turned out,
and she wanted to move back into the house.
Once more, I agreed. I left my Vespa at the
house and asked him if he could keep it for
two days, after which Id retrieve it and all of
my belongings.
When I came back two days later my
Vespa was gone, not to mention all of my
furniture and everything else. As landlords
always say, We pay garbage collector to
dump. He told me, to my face, that he paid
someone VND20 million to dump my
Vespa.
But, when I threatened to tell his wife
about his mistress, he caved. To find my
freshly repainted Vespa I had to make a trip
to a district Id never been to, but I got it
back.
I had my bike 'borrowed' for a pizza

delivery. I was at the Irish bar I usually go
to here. I checked my bike and went in. But

for some reason I wasnt really feeling it, and
decided to leave after one drink, way shorter
than I usually stay.
When I came outside, I didnt see my
bike. No bike-keeper either. I stood outside
waiting for somebody, checking my phone.
Next thing I know, I see my bike flying by,
delivery pizzas bungeed to the back.
Who is the Balding Ponytail?

The Balding Ponytail is a real
cool dude, man. Has he shown
you pictures of the sweet
chopper he drove back home yet?
The Balding Ponytail drives a
Yamaha Nuovo now, but believe
him hes had some much
sweeter rides in his day.
The Balding Ponytail keeps
getting older, but the women
who reject his advances stay the
same barely legal age. A total lack
of success is no reason
to lose heart, though.
The Balding Ponytail remains
convinced of his sexual
prowess despite overwhelming
evidence to the contrary.
When the young English
teachers and miniskirt-clad beer
girls have all left the bar, the
Balding Ponytail is left alone
with his half-finished big Tiger
and memories of bygone days.
Head held high, he proudly
mounts his automatic scooter
and drives home.
I tried to ask a question in an expat

Facebook group. I may be a big guy, but
I have celiac disease, which means eating

foods with gluten (bread, pretzels, cereal
anything good, basically) causes severe
stomach pain, constipation and a lot of other
nasty side effects. When I first moved to
Vietnam I was really worried about finding
gluten-free foods its hard to enjoy living
in a new place if youre constantly sick, right?
So I joined a Facebook group called Expats
in Ho Chi Minh City, figuring that there must
be some fellow celiacs living in Vietnam
who could offer insider advice. I posted my
questions and went to bed. When I woke up
in the morning, I saw that there were a dozen
replies to my question. Awesome!
But instead of telling me where to find
wheat-flour substitutes or gluten-free
bakeries, the replies all told me to go f***
myself for following pretentious western
diet fads. One especially helpful commenter
suggested I eat my own s***. So that was the
last time I tried to ask for help online.
Who is the Creeper?

He wont ever marry, hes The
Creeper. Roaming, sexual,
subhuman.
The Creeper doesnt think of
himself as a sexual predator. Hes
actually pretty nice to chat to in
the bar. You might catch a hint
of bitterness in his allusions to
those western whores,
but then you remind yourself
that it takes all kinds.
The thing about The Creeper is,
in his mind, hes just had a bad
run. He used to have
non-financial relationships
with women, but has since
learned his lesson. You give
them an inch, theyll take a mile
is a phrase hes fond of saying
about the girls he watches on the
webcam. The thing is, he doesnt
have quite that much to work
with. But hes making do with
what hes got, which right now
is a wallet full of cash and the
whole night ahead of him.
I traded my Nikes for flip flops. I went
home with this girl one night. She wasnt the

one Id come to the club with, but it was too
loud in there to talk and we started playing
the game where you pass a napkin around,
mouth to mouth. It just happened.
Fast-forward to six hours later, I just
wanted to get out of there. I told her I had
work and needed to leave, even skipped
taking a shower. I thought if I could leave
quickly enough she wouldnt notice me not
asking her number.
We got downstairs to the ground floor of
her room-by-room rental, and I couldnt find
my Nikes. Id left them on the top stair before
the door, about two metres in from the gate.
Now I noticed the gaps in the metal, just big
enough to pull a shoe through.
But we had to search, because thats what
people do when they lose something. Her
landlord even helped. She asked my name.
We looked a little longer, and then she gave
me a decaying pair of shower flip flops to
wear home.
I showed up to work drunk. Vietnamese

public holidays dont mean much to us
expats, but we still like to get the time off
especially when the kids were supposed
to be teaching are nowhere to be found. But
my employer didnt feel that way. So on this
specific one, not only was I drunk when I
got to the office, I continued to get drunker
throughout the day.
Specifically encouraged not to drink by
management, it seemed inevitable that we
would. With four other conspirators in tow,
I called a liquid lunch in session. Initially
attempting a beer n bowl, thank god we
ended up at a beer club. There we quaffed
litre-steins of brownish and yellow lager
between lunchtime which in Vietnam on
a public holiday is exactly 11.01am and
about 3.15pm in the afternoon. For the last
hour we literally played alcohol chicken,
each of us buying one more round as our
inebriation was confirmed.
Satisfied with our four-hour schoolboy
prank, a taxi was procured to take us back to
the office. Creeping back in, reeking of booze
and barely keeping it together, we were soon
back it come 5.31pm back-slapping the
hell out of each other as we topped up our
afternoon buzz.
I got pissed on.
One of the best parts of

being a guy is the ability to urinate standing
up, pretty much wherever you want. And
here in Vietnam, men take full advantage of
this. Theres supposed to be a code, though
keep your back to traffic, no more than
three Im finished shakes, and so on. And
definitely dont piss on other people.
Sometimes it doesnt always work out that
way, though. One night as I was fumbling
with the keys to our front gate, I felt a splatter

of warm liquid on my head. I thought, F***,
rain at this time? Then I look up and see my
girlfriends father, drunk as a lord, waving
his dick at me from the rooftop terrace. He
was laughing his head off guess he was
proud of his aim.
I threw my flatmate's toe into the

trash. True story. A housemate at the time
had a serious motorcycle accident. He spent

five days in hospital and everyone we knew
was shook up. Luckily he recovered and the
cab driver that took him out covered some
costs, but the collateral damage was high
my friend had lost a toe, severed by the
wheel in the collision.
On his repatriation, human souvenir
in hand, we joked that his toe should be
made into jewellery, or hidden in a bowl
of pho the toe pho. But it didnt happen,
because while walking around the house
one morning, hung over and in no state to
be making spring-cleaning decisions, I threw
out from the fridge what I believed to be a
small nugget of dirty brown stuff, and you
get the rest it wasnt.
Where the f*** is my toe? is not a
question you hear in sincerity very often, but
my brain just didnt connect.
When it did a few days later, the colour
drained from my face. I immediately went
back to the bin Id discarded it in, and lo and
behold, his tiny appendage was still there!
But it had gone off, and its owner decided
it was too late, and all we have now is the
memory of my stupidity.
I was attacked by a gang of taxi

drivers. This beat-up silver taxi was
swerving wildly across the road, the driver

talking on his cell phone and blaring his
horn the way those a**holes always do. So
when we pulled up the stoplight, I slapped
his mirror.
I pulled away, and suddenly there was a
roar behind me. The taxi driver was literally
trying to run me over. So I turned off onto
the sidewalk and stopped my bike at a
furniture shop, the taxi skidding up next to
me.
The taxi driver got out and started yelling
at me. A crowd of people gathered around,
taking videos with their phones. The taxi
driver picked up a broken block of concrete
and swung it at my head. Luckily I had my
helmet on, so it only dazed me a little, but I
knew I had to leave fast.
So I leapt on my bike and started to drive
away, only for another taxi to cut me off. I
swerved around it, when I saw to my horror
that two MORE taxi drivers were blocking
my path. They tried to pull me off my bike
but my bag snapped and I got away. F*** taxi
drivers, man.
The Creeper
The Apron
I learned the name of that big place

the French built. After a year in Hanoi,
I can authoritatively conclude that there is

absolutely no reason to leave West Lake.
I have all I need right here restaurants,
supermarkets, yoga. So when my lunch
club decided that we should try a place
downtown, I was baffled.
Its not as if Ive never been to other parts
of Hanoi. When the family first moved we
visited that little lake (whats it called? You
know, the one with the turtle) and we even
took a weekend trip to a resort. But now that
Im a local I find it much nicer to just stay
where theres less chaos and yelling. And
where everyone speaks English its not
that I dont like the Vietnamese (after all, I
do live here so Im not racist), its just that I
have no reason to ever talk to them.
In the end the excursion was better than
expected. The pizza and wine were quite
good and I got to see a few new things. I was
particularly taken with that large, ornate
place near the lake just like buildings in
Paris. Apparently its an Opera House it
turns out Hanoi has an Opera House, who
knew?
I followed a dog catcher.
I was driving
cross-town when I saw him, carrying two
doggies in a basket on the back of his bike.
I felt really crazy that day, I couldnt let it
go. I followed him and stopped him. He
didnt speak any English and I dont speak
Vietnamese. Using a lot of gestures, I asked
him to follow me to the pet clinic I volunteer
at. Thank God, he followed me.
The doctor at the clinic helped us to
negotiate with him. The dog catcher finally
agree to let those two doggies go with VND2
million. After that, they were treated and
rehabilitated at the clinic and went to a foster
care home. Now theyve been adopted by
nice families.
Im still connected with the owner of one
of them, and visited Sasha at her new home
once. Id first met her on the back of that
bike, looking at me with the most nervous
eyes, and I almost didnt recognise this
happy, well-fed pup.
I'm not rich!
When youve been in Vietnam

as long as I have, you learn to be cautious
all the time. Youre fully aware of what
is called the white tax. You know how
to bargain and avoid getting ripped off or
buying things at the Tay price. A big part
of being smart enough to survive here is
making this caution part of your instinct.
Last month, I moved to a new place. It
was the day when I needed to pay the rent
but I had to go out. So I left the envelope for
my landlord.
Trust me, I counted the money about 10
times before sealing it in. But later that day,
my landlord phoned me and told me that it

was VND500,000 short.
Thats impossible! I told her, almost
shouting. Ive counted it so many times!
My instinct told me that she was trying to
cheat me, and secretly took the missing 500
out. You think Im an idiot, a rich Tay that you
can easily trick, dont you? I thought to myself.
I couldnt wait to come home to confront her.
To my surprise and, needless to say,
embarrassment I came home and found
that VND500,000 note still in my drawer.
Whats wrong with me? I was once a true
gentlewoman maybe 10 years ago.
No, I don't have children yet.
My
husband and I cram into the back of a small
taxi. Its late. Im tired. And traffic is heavy.
The driver strikes up conversation. Its going
to be a slow trip home.
I stare out the window, pretending
not to understand Vietnamese, while my
husband answers the usual questions. Age,
nationality, profession, marriage and the
inevitable, children? Chua co, my husband
laughs as I roll my eyes.
The driver sizes us up in the rearview
mirror and shakes his head sadly. I groan.
Im tired of the reaction I get when I say Ive
been married five years and (happily) dont
have children. The confused looks irritate
me, along with the insinuation that it is
somehow my fault that my husband is not
yet a father.
But then something unprecedented
happens. Instead of turning to my husband
in concern, the driver gives me the
sympathetic look. Dont worry they are
too much work and too expensive anyway,
he says.
Then he looks to my husband and his
expression changes. The connotation is all
too clear too many massages, no time at
home, bad husband. The drive is suddenly
more enjoyable.
Why should I make my son learn

Vietnamese? Its a language spoken in
only one country in the world and even

in that country, he gets along perfectly fine
without it.
But listen to him, the idiot, going on in
front of my kids new teacher about how
Vietnamese should be on the curriculum
not just for Vietnamese students, but
all students. Dont you get it? This is an
international school. An international
school, right? And the language here is
English.
I decide to respond... politely. This is a
parents meeting after all and we can speak
our mind. Weve been posted here for a
short time and my son is already speaking
three languages German, Hungarian and
English. Give him one more, I explain, and
Who is the Apron?

The Apron is fed up. Fed up
with the heat, fed up with the
ants in her breakfast cereal, fed
up with the Sting-stains on her
kids clothes that are a constant
reminder of her inability to make
anything in this country work.
The Apron used to have an
exciting social life back home,
when trips to the yoga studio or
farmers market didnt require
a half-hour battle through the
most hellacious traffic on earth.
She could walk her cocker
spaniel down the street without
worrying about dog-thieves,
and drink tap water without the
subsequent bouts of dysentery.
She didnt have a maid, though
that part is pretty OK.
The Apron is a frequent
contributor to the expat groups
of Facebook, where she wages
Internet crusades against any
fool with the unmitigated
temerity to ask a question that
was already asked several months
ago. No, she is not sexually
frustrated or insecure why
dont you come a little closer and
say that to her face?
it will be too difficult for him. And anyway

Im now being a bit more assertive
were only here for three years.
But this guy, he just wont shut up. He
goes on about how if you move to France,
you learn French. Italy, Italian. Spain,
Spanish. And now someone else adds to the
conversation learn Vietnamese, a tonal
language, and it will be much easier for
your child to learn Mandarin.
But I dont want my son to learn
Mandarin. His home is Germany. My
adopted home, my husbands home. The
most populous country in Europe. And that
is where well be going back to at the end of
the posting.
Some people just dont get it.
Who is the Suit?

The Suit has been in Vietnam
since you were in nappies, and
he knows virtually everything
there is to know about the
country (except the language).
He remembers when District 7
was all farmland, and when Noi
Bai airport was slightly less
awful. He can quote you the
price of a bowl of pho in 2004,
and provide a lengthy
explanation of why it has
skyrocketed since then.
The Suit didnt plan to stay for
so long, but life has a funny way
of getting people pregnant and
awarding lucrative business
contracts. And so the Suit has
found himself a virtual lifer
in Vietnam, despite occasional
longings for the cricket pitches /
baseball diamonds / gladiatorial
coliseums of his home.
Having seen so many people
come and go throughout the
years, the Suit is wary of newcomers. He keeps his distance,
preferring to confide only in
those with similar long-term
commitments in Vietnam. Until
his third or fourth whisky,
that is after which anyone
in earshot is fair game for an
exhaustive oral history of
his Asian experiences.
My wife got angry that I let our

daughter get a tan. Tanning is a big
no-no in Vietnam. Not necessarily because

of the harmful impact on ones health, but
because of the implications of dark skin.
When I visit a supermarket, I struggle to
find a lotion or body wash or even a roll-on
deodorant that wont accidentally bleach
my otherwise coco-coloured armpits. There
are even entire shopping aisles dedicated
to products that give ones skin a healthy
radioactive translucence.
Thats why, when I let my mixed-race
daughter stay out in the sun too long, I was
in the doghouse. Why does it matter? I
pleaded with my hysterical wife. She looks
beautiful with dark skin, I added, grasping
for the moral high ground.
I've heard my fair share of expat

rumours in my time. But this one has to
be the best.
It starts with a fridge and a guy
lets call him Peter who comes from
somewhere in Europe.
Peter moved to Hanoi sometime in the
autumn and very quickly got a reputation.
It had two sides. One was as a funloving drinking buddy, a riot, someone
who would go on hysterical (but wildly
expensive) drinking binges. Then came
the stories floating up from Saigon. Peter
had borrowed the tips of a bar he worked
in and never given them back. Or he had
rented a motorbike and sold it to another
expat. Or he had hired people and never
paid them.
Quickly the whispers went around town
Hanois still a village, you know. But the

fridge story was the best.
He was working in a restaurant, which
will remain nameless, and sold a drinks
fridge from the restaurant to another
restaurant for a pretty large sum. A week
later, the restaurant owner turned up, asking
for his fridge back. Not wanting to cause
trouble, the people whod bought the fridge
returned it. They then went in search of
Peter.
By chance they found him. And oh, did he
get a beating.
The last I heard, Peter had left the country.
People like him get quickly found out in
Vietnam. Hes not the first, and he certainly
wont be the last.
I like to think I'm a pretty tolerant

guy. But if theres one thing I cant stand, its
people not queuing. It must be the English

in me.
If someone jumps the queue, I used to be
the first person to say something. But one
time I went just a little too far. I was at the
Danang airport, next in line for check-in. As
I was about to approach the counter, some
local guy waltzed up in front of me and
handed his papers to the check-in clerk.
I must have been having a bad day, I dont
know. But what I did next was inexcusable.
I grabbed the man by his collar he was a
head shorter than me and lifted him up. I
then walked him, his whole body in the air,
to the back of the ten-person-long queue.
I immediately felt sorry for the guy.
Everyone watched the episode in
astonishment the guy must have felt so
ashamed. So I told myself that if this ever

happened again, I would never lose my cool.
Its happened a few times since then,
but now I dont get angry, I just smile and
explain my point. It works every time.
I used to hate Facebook. Everyone
seemed to be on it and by proxy, I found

myself also getting an account. But it felt like
an invasion of my privacy. It also seemed a
waste of time, the kind of stuff people posted
on there.
That all changed with #Pantsgate.
At the time when Pantsgate took over
Hanoi, the Hanoi Massive Facebook Group only
had about 2,000 members, not including me.
I was sat in the office it was a
particularly boring day when one of my
colleagues burst out in laughter. Whats
up? I asked. She ushered me over to her
computer and showed me.
Someone had put a post on Hanoi Massive
with a photo of a pair of knickers that read
something like this: Hey xxxxxxxx, heres the
underwear you left at my house when you were
f***ing my boyfriend. Happy engagement!
By this time the post already had 50
comments. So, I asked to join the group and
was accepted immediately.
The comments started off quite nicely,
with people taking the piss. People wrote
song lyrics, someone created a t-shirt. But
then the tone changed the guy who was
accused of the infidelity started getting

nasty. The death threats came. Then it got
amusing. Then it became nasty again. I think
after about 400 comments the moderator
took the post down.
Everyone loves a good scandal, and this
was a classic. For me, though, it changed my
attitude to Facebook. Ever since then Ive
kept my eye on stuff sometimes the things
people write can be hilarious.
The trust issue in Vietnam has always

irritated me. Ive been here a long time
and have found that once youve got a
mutual understanding, no matter how
small, the people you can trust the most are
Vietnamese.
I saw this firsthand after I opened my
second bar. There was a knife incident. A
drunk customer had got angry with one of
our barmaids. He grabbed her by the hair
from the other side of the bar and tried to
head-butt her. Avoiding the head-butt, she
grabbed the guys beer bottle and smashed
it on his face. He refused to let go of her hair
and, screaming, she took a second swipe and
slashed his cheek.
The fight was quickly broken up, but
not for the customer. The next day he went
round town telling everyone that our bar
manager had slashed him with a fruit knife.
And the worst thing? All the foreigners out
there believed him.
The Suit
He Says, She Says
Bar Talk
Ugh, That Misogynistic Old Neocolonial
is Hitting on the Waitress Again
I Love Being Judged by Self-Righteous English Teachers

by Sandip Biswis
by Jennifer de la Cruz
oohoo, whos
doing a tequila
shot with me?! Its
Sunday night, Ive
taught my last
kiddies class for
the weekend, and
Jenns down to get
cray-cray! These 20hour weeks are killing
me and its time to really
cut loo oh, my god.
Gross. Dont look now,
but that misogynistic old
neocolonial is hitting on the
waitress again.
Jesus, I think Im gonna be
sick. Does he seriously not
realise what a disgusting creep
he is? Like some pretty young
Vietnamese girl would ever
be interested in talking to him
if he wasnt waving fistfuls of
cash at her? You can practically
smell the paternalistic privilege
oozing out of his pores. Ugh.
Disgusting.
Speaking of pores, its like,
Hi, Im face soap have you
considered trying me? I

guess its hard to find
time for personal
hygiene when
youve got women
half your age to
harass, but still.
The blackheads
on his bulbous red
alcoholics nose are
watermelon-seed size.
Why is every old foreign
man in Vietnam so physically
repulsive?
I just dont understand why
these horny troglodytes are
allowed to have visas. What
do they even contribute to
Vietnamese society except
empty beer bottles and
unwanted pregnancies?
Theyre only here because they
cant get laid back in their own
countries, where it takes more
to attract women than a sleazy
comb-over and a knockoff
Rolex.
What a loser. Its people like
him who are ruining this place.
xcuse me Trang, could

I have the check
please? Right you
are promised the
missus Id take it
easy tonight. Ive
got my motherin-law here for the
week, so cant be out
too late, can I?
Wait, hold on are
those a couple of young North
Americans, scowling at me from
the corner booth? Trang! Cancel
that check! Bring me a bottle of
Jgermeister and a pack of the
cheapest, foulest cigarettes you
have. This must be my lucky
night I love being judged by
self-righteous English teachers!
Nothing gives me more
satisfaction than serving as the
target of contempt, especially
from total strangers half my age!
Its hard to explain, but I get this
tingly feeling every time some
23-year-old loudly accuses me of
sexually exploitative bourgeois
parasitism. Where do they learn
all these delightful terms?

Ill admit that I dont
always understand
the names they
call me, but I do
like the attention.
When youve lived
in Vietnam for
as long as I have,
you can start to feel
invisible at times. It takes
an unprovoked insult from
someone whos never done a
real days work in her life to
make you really feel alive again!
Its not always fun and
games its true that once in a
while I get a bit resentful when
a spoiled-rotten c*** drunkenly
berates me for daring to speak
to a younger Vietnamese
woman in public. And yes,
there was the incident with the
lad in the sports pub on Bui
Vien, and no, the little idiot did
not press charges. But its all in
good fun.
Ah, English teachers... screw
the lot of em.
Expats. Were the full range of odd bodies, all with different outlooks on life, all from
different walks. So with Word being the nice people that we are, we decided to take
different types of stereotypical YOUs and put them in different situations.
What would happen? Well, they say opposites attract sometimes!
At the Resort
All Our Facebook Friends Are Going to Love
These Blurry Pictures of the Buffet
where is All the Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp?

by Craig Sudekeis
by Larry Cunningham
h boy, isnt this

beach resort just
the greatest? Im
here with my
wife, Sarah, and
we couldnt be
happier with our
stay so far. In fact,
last evening when
we were reading by
the pool I said to her,
Hey honey, want to quit our
jobs at the international school
and stay here forever? We
could teach Introduction to
Sandcastles! Hahaha!
Like when we arrived
this beautiful woman in a
colourful dress greeted us at the
front door and said, in perfect
English, Welcome, sir and
madam. Well, let me tell you
that Sarah and I were just blown
away! Wed spent the whole
week practicing Vietnamese
with our maid back in Thao
Dien (just in case we had to
communicate with the maids
at the resort), but it turns out
everybody who works here

is practically fluent!
And my gosh, the
amenities! There
were three different
kinds of robes in the
closet, plus special
sandals for wearing
in the shower. And
on the table there were
free bottles of water and this
crazy pink-and-green fruit with
spikes all over it. I feel like one
of those Kardashians, Sarah
said. Shes a hoot!
But the real coup de grace
came this morning when we
walked downstairs for breakfast.
Ive never seen such a delicious
spread! They had practically
everything. I think Sarah took
about a hundred pictures
(women, right?). Shes probably
uploading them to Facebook
right now. Did I mention that the
WiFi in the lobby is free? They
thought of everything!
A fellow could really get used
to this VIP lifestyle.
isten up, because Im

only going to ask
once: where the f*** is
the bacon-wrapped
shrimp?
No, you calm
down. I swear to
Christ Im going to
pistol-whip the next
person who suggests
I try the sausage links
instead. If Im paying US$100
a night for a garden-view twin
room, I expect some goddamn
bacon wrapped around some
goddamn shrimp.
This entire trip has been
a nightmare, if were being
honest. First, my flight from
Hanoi got delayed almost an
hour because of an incoming
monsoon as if planes are
incapable of flying in rain. I
guess I shouldnt have been
surprised. After all, this is
Vietnam. The words on time
mean nothing here.
But that was just an appetiser
for the buffet of disappointment
to come. How the hell

does this place pass
itself off as a luxury
resort? The beds are
too rectangular and
the pillows are too
round. The satellite
TV has too many
Chinese channels.
The pool is so full of
urine and chlorine that if I
had any hair left, itd probably
turn green. I wouldve been
better off staying in one of those
backpacker slum-hostels where
the young people fornicate in
the hallways and smear feces all
over the bathrooms.
At a place like that, maybe
a shortage of premium buffet
items would be considered
acceptable. But five-star resorts
are supposed to have higher
standards. When I get back
home, Im writing the manager
the angriest electronic mail letter
hes ever read.
This is worse than the
Holocaust.
Navigating the Roads
I'm Going to Clothesline the Next Person

Who Crosses Into My Lane
The Roads of Vietnam are Flowing

with Harmonious Spontaneity
by Roger Rodge Whitby
by Celeste Ryvre
hen its early in the

day like this, Im
really at my most
calm and rational.
The roosters are
crowing, the EDM
has just come on at
the caf next door
and I remember why I
love this place so much.
Thats why I can tell you,
with cool rationality, that Im
going to clothesline the next
m*********** who comes into my
lane.
Ive thought this over enough
times, and yeah, Ive gotten
emotional about it. But I gotta
believe that theres a reason for
the throttle being on the right
side of my bike in case the
world ever devolved into a
Mad Max-style hellscape, the
good folks at Yamaha wanted to
make sure the fist with the

most bulky rings on it
has a good swinging
radius.
But Im not
talking about
punching anyone.
Thats crazy. Im
just gonna stick out
my fist at a 30-degree
angle, and if anyone gets in
the way, thats on them. Im just
increasing the amount of room
I take up in my lane, the same as
if I had a falcon perched on my
elbow. And if that falcon pecked
out the eye of someone driving
the wrong way, that wouldnt be
my fault, would it?
Great, now Im super worked
up. I guess Ill just avoid all
those goddamn a***holes
crowding my lane. Theyll die
soon anyway.
lthough my nomadic
life-path has only
recently led me to
the enchanting
land of Vietnam, I
already feel a deep
connection to the
local people and
culture. Nowhere do I
sense this more strongly
than on the road, where
my xe om driver effortlessly
blends his spirit with those of
our fellow travellers, beeping
cheerful greetings to them at
two-second intervals.
As an awakened star-child
of the cosmos, my heart bursts
with love at moments like these.
So why does everyone else look
so angry?
I feel so sorry for these poor
unenlightened people who
cannot appreciate the chaotic
beauty of roundabouts in the
afternoon rush hour. Just look at
the swirling mass of humanity,
moving in perfect concert with
each other, each driver following
his or her own Personal
Destiny. Its truly inspiring and
surprisingly safe. Ive been
living here nearly three

weeks and Ive never
seen an accident,
except for the time
my xe om driver
drunkenly T-boned
a Mai Linh minivan.
My broken wrist will
eventually heal, but
the memories will last
forever.
In the West, life is constricted
by societal pressures to
conform. If you tried to drive
your Toyota SUV at breakneck
speeds directly into oncoming
traffic, flicking your highbeams
and honking wildly, youd
probably be arrested. People
arent free to pursue their hopes
and dreams (especially if those
dreams involve zooming down
sidewalks to avoid red lights).
Its quite fascist, if you think
about it.
Here in Vietnam, though, those
rules dont apply. And if people
stopped for a minute to appreciate
the differences, instead of
condemning them, their chi would
be so much lighter.
Namaste, my loves.
The School Play
My Daughter's Play is the Perfect Place

to Test My New Camera Lens
You're Blocking My View, You Fat Idiot

by Natalya Rudetsky
by Chester P. Walters
f all days to be
running late!
Today, the day of
my daughters
school play! And
I promised her
I would try to
be early. Try! But
thats how it seems
to go. Just as youre
about to leave the office, all
hell breaks lose. Thats what
happens when you work with
creatives.
Ive also got a little surprise
for my daughter I bought a
new lens yesterday. Now I can
get close-up photos of her on
stage. Shell be so much happier,
and my wife can then show
everything off on Facebook.
Okay, so now Ive just made
the show in time, but there are
no seats anywhere, only right
up at the back. Okay, Ill make a
beeline for the front and kneel.
That way Ill be able to get some
good shots. There are already a
couple of other people up there
taking photos. Should be fine.
Right, ready. Im just in front
of the front row. Okay, so my
daughters not on for a couple of
scenes yet, but I need to test out
this lens. First scene oh, its
the five and six-year-olds.

Need to get the lighting,
shutter speed and ISO
right. Here goes.
Ow! What was
that? Did someone
kick me? I look
round but the woman
behind me has her eye
focused on her camera
and the woman next to her is
using a video camera.
Hmmm. Okay, more shots.
Ow! Again.
Did she really just tell me to
piss off? Did I hear correctly. I
am astonished. No, more than
astonished. Im I dont even
really know. Okay, so obviously
Im in her way. But, were at a
school. In a school. You dont
talk like that in a school.
I turn around to say
something to her, but as I do I
catch her eyes they glare with
this strange madness.
Forget it. I didnt come here
for an argument. I came here to
see my daughter perform in a
play. Nows not the time for a
shouting match.
I move about a metre to my
right. Better to be out of this
womens way than in it. Shes
obviously mad!
got here first. Me. First.

Here. I made sure of it
after what happened
last time when little
Barbs was in her
school play. She
was so upset when
she saw my photos
from halfway back in
the room that she cried
for two days. I had to take her
shopping in Bangkok for the
weekend to make up for it.
So, yes, I got here first. I came
prepared. And Im in the front
row. Ive not just got my camera
this time, but my video camera,
too. And Ngoc (our maid) is
here with me, to use the video
camera. She said she didnt
know how to use it. Silly woman.
Its not her fault that shes got
no education. So we practiced
at home after shed done the
ironing. Now shes practically
an expert and for this school
performance, were gonna get
double footage of little Barbs.
Well, at least we would have
if it hadnt been for that fat,
bearded idiot whos knelt right
in front of me. Who the hell does
he think he is? Yes, I know the
school kids are kneeling in front
of me. But theyre small. And
this guy, with his swanky

camera, whats he
trying to do? I got
here first! Me!
Oh, the shows
starting. I cant wait
to see Babs in that
lacy pink dress of
hers shes playing
Little Bo Peep, you
know. How cute!
Hey, fat man, get out of my
way! Hes kneeling up now,
trying to take photos. Hes
blocking my view. My body is
starting to contort in anger. I
can feel it in my veins. I want
to scream and shout. Babs is on
stage and hes in my way.
I kick him. He looks round
in shock, but Ive got my eye
looking through my camera.
Hes confused. He starts
kneeling up again. Right, Im
going to kill him.
Bang. Another kick. Piss off,
I hiss. He looks at me, scared
as hell. What a weasel. Now he
moves to the side a bit and is
straight out of my way.
Oh, Babs. What a wonderful
move! Shes going to so love the
little film show were putting
together of her. Its gonna be so
cute!
insider
ART
HCMC
Theatre for the People

Dragonfly Theatre Company refuse to let up with their regular output of theatre to
the Saigon public. In the first of a series of articles, Jon Aspin heads to the auditions
for their latest offering, An Evening with Tennessee Williams. Photos by Glen Riley
homas Lanier Williams III is not

a name most people would be
familiar with. But thats only
because most people dont live and
breathe theatre like the team at Dragonfly
Theatre Company do. Thomas L. is
actually Tennessee, the iconic American
playwright responsible for the Pulitzer
prize-winning plays Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
(1955) and A Street Car Named Desire (1948)
which famously launched the career of acting
legend Marlon Brando.
Considered by many to be a titan of the
medium, its an opinion shared by Dragonfly
actor and director Ryan Burkwood. He says
he cant imagine a time when Williams plays
wont be performed, and compares him to
that other great scribe with a William in his
name.
Tennessees work has been consistently
performed since he put pen to paper, and
that says something, he explains. When
you look at Shakespeare, his plays have been
performed for the last five or six hundred
years, and I can see Tennessee Williams being
the same.
High praise indeed, which might explain
why Dragonfly are back, putting on a theatredinner night featuring his work this June. The
production has been dubbed An Evening with
Tennessee Williams.
The common value that you have at the
core of both of [these playwrights], is that
they get to the centre of something about
being human, Ryan says. Tennessee
Williams characters are always so real, so
rounded, but the stories that he tells are never
black-and-white.
Choosing five one-act plays that bookend Williams writing career, from the very
beginning to his dark, dark end Williams
committed suicide in a hotel room in New
York in 1983 some of these plays have not
been performed that often around the world,
and definitely not in Vietnam.
I think theres something important in
doing shows that havent been done before,
says Ryan, especially if its by someone so
important. It adds an insight and a depth to
the understanding of their other work.

In June, for example, the team will perform
Williams examination of a scorned womans
descent into hysteria Interior: Panic. Written
in 1945, it is said to be the precursor of A
Streetcar Named Desire.
The Audition
Invited to take a fly-on-the-wall look at
auditions for the forthcoming show, I
was curious about this actors world Id
flirted with in the past. Would the trained
professionals laugh at my barely-there acting
chops? Would I have to camp it up in order
to fit in? And should I have worn the brown
tights I was forced to wear in the primary
school play all those years ago, when I gave a
stirring rendition of a tree?
The answer a resounding no, not at all.
This was a night for callbacks, so I wouldnt
be called upon to break a leg. Putting it all
out there, though, were hopefuls Leon, Mark
and JK, all from different backgrounds and all
with different levels of experience. They were
there to be put through their paces by the
team of directors Aaron Toronto and Ryan
during a reading of Williams The Chalky
White Substance, which explores the themes of
paranoia and betrayal in a post-apocalyptic
world.
Leon Bown, an EAL Teacher at an
international school here was a returnee,
having already acted for Dragonfly once as
Pozzo in their recent production of Waiting
for Godot. He admitted that being in that has
definitely bitten him with the acting bug
again. A Liverpool native, he also dispelled
my disconnect between his distinctive Scouse
accent and the world of acting.
Its funny because it isnt actually a
big leap, theres a very good pedigree of
exceptionally good actors from Liverpool
and the Merseyside region, he reasoned.
Theatre is very much something thats in the
blood of Scousers were all showmen!
Describing his experience playing Pozzo as
a great opportunity to strut around the stage
shouting at people and be overbearing, Leon
hopes to be back at it again very soon.
The Company
On a Saigon mission to change stuffy
misconceptions about the art form, the
Dragonfly team are a bunch of passionate
creatives dedicated to raising the standard
of theatre in the city. Actor / producer
Belinda Smith has been here since 2005,
when she says she couldnt go to see a
decent film in the cinema let alone go see a
piece of theatre.
We actually want to build a theatre
scene in Saigon, she says. Theres a big
gap in the culture and if we want to move
Saigon into the next millennium, theatre
has to be part of that.
Based on the growth theyve seen in
attendances at their last three shows, they
strongly believe there is a hunger for it.
It all nearly ended, though, when in
early 2013 Belinda and founding member
Aaron had what she described as a break
up of sorts not a romantic one, but
still no more Dragonfly. It was all a bit too
much, it wasnt quite working, life was
taking over.
The same applied to Ryan, who came
to Vietnam fed up with the industry in
his native London. He was ready to quit.
A chance meeting with Aaron on the set
of LOriana, an Italian telemovie shot last
year in Vietnam, got them talking. Before
long they were putting on a show, Blue /
Orange, starring another of their fellow
LOriana cast members, Peter Muruako.
Since then theyve put on two more
productions and the ambition to do more
is strong.
Its definitely given me back my
passion, says Ryan.
Belinda agrees. Thats what Dragonfly
does!
An Evening with Tennessee Williams will
show at Cargo Bar in early June. Prior to that
Dragonfly will be bringing in a performance
of Gruesome Playground Injuries on Apr. 22,
23 and 25.
For more information on Dragonfly, email
dragonflyvietnam@gmail.com or click on
facebook.com/dragonflyvietnam
insider
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The idea of
dodgy meters
is virtually nonexistent with
Uber. And by
virtually, we mean
payments are
done online, with
Uber calculating
the cost of the
fare by the
service it offers,
the journey time
and sometimes
the distance
travelled
So, What is Uber?

For those who dont yet know, Uber is a
crowdsourced ride-sharing service that
is currently taking the world by storm.
Commuters download the services
smartphone app, register their details, and
then lodge a request for a car. That request
is then forwarded to the nearest available
driver who then makes the pick-up. The
app also specifies the cars license plate,
provides a photo of the driver and allows
you to track the car on your phone using
GPS to avoid any mishaps.
Most importantly, the idea of dodgy
meters is virtually non-existent with Uber.
And by virtually, we mean payments are
done online, with Uber calculating the
cost of the fare by the service it offers, the
journey time and sometimes the distance
travelled. However, fares are also dictated
by supply and demand, and Uber has faced
strong criticism for increasing its prices
when demand is higher; most recently
during the Sydney Siege in late 2014 when
the higher demand created by the terrorism
incident caused fares to skyrocket.
Uber has also attracted considerable
controversy in many of its markets that
have tried to slam the door on the eager
upstart. Its actually banned in a number of
cities, but with its value sitting at around
US$41.2 billion, Uber has plenty of capital
to lobby governments while commuters
continue to demand its services. Although
the Vietnamese authorities initially declared
its operation here illegal, they have since
made public statements indicating their
eagerness to embrace the e-commerce
service provider.
Uber in Vietnam
ietnams taxi industry is a jungle,

and foreigners and locals alike
can recall stories about being
fleeced by drivers with dodgy
fares. For me, it happened late one night
and it was only after I was halfway home
that I realised, in my mojito-induced
haze, that the taxis meter was ticking
over faster than my wristwatch. Luckily,
being six-foot-tall, I was well placed to
renegotiate the exorbitant fare.
But there are plenty of stories,
particularly from unsuspecting tourists,
that have not ended so nicely. Over another
mojito one night I was told of how a pair
of honeymooning Aussies, who had never
been overseas before, got into a taxi at Noi
Bai airport only for the driver to stop three
times on the way into the city to demand
increasingly exorbitant fees US$50 first,

then another US$80, and finally US$100.
After this sort of welcome, the couple
refused to leave their hotel and booked an
early flight home.
In response, local authorities in Hanoi
have set up hotlines for violated customers
to lodge complaints. There has also been
a widespread crackdown on fake taxis
claiming to be part of non-existent taxi
collectives. Some of this has worked. Some
of it hasnt.
Such dramatic stories are, of course,
the exception. But the arrival of Uber
has offered people in Vietnam a different
option. A safer, cheaper and more reliable
option, backed by a multi-billion-dollar
enterprise with a militant philosophy on
customer service.
As is often the case with the Vietnamese

market, Ubers entry into Vietnam has
been regarded with a mix of suspicion
and intrigue. Ubers Hanoi-based general
manager, Dzung Dang, says that the app
has been popular with consumers at both
ends of the market: both those who are
price-conscious and those who crave the
experience of luxury and status.
Weve had an incredible response
from customers in Hanoi, Dzung says.
Consumers in Hanoi tend to be more
prudent than their Ho Chi Minh City
counterparts, but also place a high premium
on luxury experiences, he explains.
Dzung also says that there are a high
proportion of underutilised cars in Hanoi,
which makes it a promising market for
Uber. A lot of wealthy people own cars
but those cars arent being used at all times
during the day. Uber helps drivers and
owners earn extra income by tapping into
underutilised capital.
Vietnams commercial hub Ho Chi Minh
City has been a boon for the Silicon Valleybased company, with most of the companys
drivers based in the southern city. As has
been the case in other markets, Uber has
had a transformative impact on the way
Saigonese commute on a daily basis.
Daniel, who manages a bar in Ho Chi

Minh Citys District 1, says that the high
level of convenience and competitive
pricing of fares (Ubers base fare is
VND5,000 plus VND800 per minute and
VND9,597 per kilometre) has encouraged
him to use Uber every day to get to and
from work.
Theres no dicing with the fare and
there is a big supply of cars that make it
pretty easy to get around, he says. The
ease of using the app and the reliability of
the rating system is also a big incentive for
most people. I use it way more than Id use
a taxi.
Let the Rivalry Begin

Thats not to say that Uber s entry into
Vietnam hasnt been difficult. Theyve
faced fierce competition from two major
taxi apps: GrabTaxi and EasyTaxi. Some
Hanoian customers also argue that Uber s
supply of cars is too limited to offer
round-the-clock convenience like it does
in Ho Chi Minh City. This has allowed
GrabTaxi, which entered Vietnam at the
beginning of last year and secured an
early mover advantage by signing up
hundreds of cars to the app, to remain a
popular alternative.
Ubers real competition, however, are
the taxi companies. Unlike Ho Chi Minh
City, where there are only two main taxi
providers, Hanoi is home to a plethora of
taxi companies all vying for a slice of the
transport market. This fierce rivalry for
market share led to difficulties for Mai Linh
Taxi, which in 2012 was reported to have
sold off around 1,000 cabs in order to raise
capital and stave off bankruptcy. Hanois
taxi lobbyists have also waged a fierce war
on the app, decrying the lack of regulation
as a threat to public safety, pointing to
alleged incidents of assault by drivers in
India and Australia. But taxi companies
have also complained that Ubers call-ondemand functionality has undercut existing
business dealings major taxi companies
have with Hanois largest buildings, malls
and apartment complexes that afford them
exclusive service rights.
Dzung says this fragmented allocation of
market share has made it easier for the app
to break into the market and begin winning
over customers, with the help of strong
word-of-mouth and savvy pull-marketing
campaigns.
We dont employ any push-marketing
measures only pull, he says. For
Valentines Day we had Uber cars driving
around Hanoi with huge teddy bears on
the roof. We also had a campaign where we
teamed up with the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
to deliver peoples coffees using Uber cars.
Such efforts seem to be paying off for
Uber, which has captured the imagination
of Vietnams young, urban classes. Linh, a
public relations executive based in Hanoi is
a devoted convert.
I love getting picked up in nice cars,
she explains. And for the same price of
being crammed into a tiny Kia Morningside

taxi, I can get a clean Toyota Camry with
leather seats and a very polite, professional
driver. Its a far less stressful experience and
I dont have to worry about having cash.
Nick, a Ho Chi Minh City-based writer,
agrees. Ive used Uber on a weekly basis
for the past six months, and its been great,
he tells me one night over drinks. The
cars are cleaner and nicer, and for the most
part the drivers are much, much less cavetrollish than typical Saigon cabbies. Id say
about 90 percent of my trips have been five
stars, with one notable exception.
The Verdict
As is often the case with new ventures,
there are of course scenarios when Uber
hasnt worked perfectly.
Nick recalls his traumatic experience of

trying to get an Uber one night after his
appendix burst. I called an Uber to take
me to the clinic. The guy called my phone
again and again, screaming for directions
instead of looking at his GPS. Then he
pretended he didnt know where Bitexco
Tower was and drove around for 10 extra
minutes.
However, when Nick was prompted for
a trip review on the app, he entered the
complaint and was refunded the entire
fare the next day. His driver was also
disciplined, an occurrence Nick says would
be almost unimaginable with a regular
Vietnamese taxi company.
Uber might have its flaws, but its
still a thousand space-miles beyond the
competition.
insider
Le Quang Has studio courtyard
ART
HANOI
Has Hanois
Art Scene Lost
its Edge?
Whereas five years ago Hanois emerging art scene was gaining
widespread praise, now it seems to have come to a standstill
or has it? Words by David Mann. Photos by Julia Vola
Nguyen The Sons studio
Le Quang Has studio
The source of the

problem, says Ha, is
a strict adherence
to classical art
norms that are being
taught in Hanois art
schools
reach the end of Dang Thai Mai and

look around. The only thing nearby is
a peeling yellow wall snaking its way
along the lake. I check my phone again
the blinking blue dot tells me Im in the
right place. I silently curse Google Maps
for failing again to navigate me through
Hanois streets. Im definitely lost.
Then, a shiny black four-wheel drive tears
around the corner and hurtles towards me.
At the last second, it hangs a left, mounting
the curve and stopping at the mouth of a
secret driveway I didnt notice before. The
door opens and the face of eccentric Hanoi
artist Le Quang Ha beckons me to follow
him on my motorbike. I follow suit and we
disappear off the street.
Welcome, he says, as he unlocks a
wrought iron gate and gestures me into his
secret studio, aptly named the KAMIKAZE
Factory. This is after all the place where
Ha gives birth to garish contemporary
art viewed by some as an outburst within
Vietnams conservative landscape. But
its exactly this controversial side to Has
work, which often blurs modern and
traditional lines and delivers stinging social
commentary, which has made it significant.
Its also the reason why Ive come to visit:

Im on the hunt for Hanois next generation
of avant-garde artists.
Losing its Lustre

Ha is one of many older artists who are
adamant that Hanois contemporary art
scene is reaching a standstill. The source of
the problem, he says, is the strict adherence
to classical art norms being taught in Hanois
art schools.
They just learn techniques, methods,
classicism, says the 52-year-old, pouring
condensed milk into a cup of piping hot ca
phe Viet Nam. Theres no focus on how to
conceptualise or analyse art and thats
having a big effect on artists today.
Ha isnt the only one who believes
Hanois institutional approach to teaching
art is missing the mark. Nha San Gallery
manager Le Tuan Uyen agrees, saying that
Hanois younger generation of artists are
struggling to push the envelope and regain
the golden era of Vietnams Gang of Five, a
group of five Hanoian artists Hong Viet
Dung, Ha Tri Hieu, Dang Xuan Hoa, Tran
Luong and Pham Quang Vinh who rose
to international fame in the 1990s for their
neo-classical expressionist work. Artists like

Le Quang Ha soon followed suit, along with
fellow iconoclasts Tran Trong Vu, Hoang
Hong Cam, Nguyen Than and Bui Minh
Dung. These artists are credited with laying
the foundation for Vietnams alternative art
movement.
There are plenty of young artists in
Hanoi right now who are adept at technique,
but not that many that are creating things
that are really capturing the attention of
global collectors, says Uyen. There is
such an oversupply of commercial art in the
market right now, as a result of the mass
consumption of conventional art."
That oversupply that Uyen is referring to
can be readily seen in Hanois Old Quarter.
A stroll along Hang Bong, lined with
dozens of low-end and upscale galleries,
is a steady show of recurring themes: rice
fields, willowy maidens in ao dai, old French
buildings. Even copies of famous Hanoian
and international paintings can be purchased
from as low as US$50 (VND1.05 million).
Says Uyen: Like artists all over the
world, many adopt a learn-by-copying
approach, rather than experimenting with
old conventions and subject matters.
Top left: Le Quang Has studio; Top right and bottom: Trieu Minh Hais studio
According to Suzanne Lecht, who

manages Art Gallery Vietnam in Hanois
bustling Old Quarter, until contemporary
art becomes a status symbol in Vietnam, the
incentive for artists to push the boundaries
will remain limited.
I think there is definitely a lack of a local
collectors base in Hanoi, and that means
less incentives for artists, says Lecht, who
has been deeply involved in Vietnams art
scene for two decades. She says that until
Hanois nouveau riche develop an interest
in contemporary art, many of the citys best
artists will gravitate towards other places
with a stronger presence of art-conscious
collectors, such as in Ho Chi Minh City and
the wealthier parts of Asia.
There is definitely a lack of appreciation
for controversial, contemporary art among
Hanoian collectors, she says. They want
something thats pretty, thats easy to look at.
That has an effect on what artists produce.
A Brighter Tomorrow
None of this is to say that we should be
pessimistic about the future of Hanois
art scene. As Nha Sans Le Tuan Nguyen
suggests, overseas art exchange programmes
and artist-in-residence initiatives are helping
local artists expand their horizons.
A lot of young artists return with an
exposure to the international art scene that
challenges the classical conventions that
are taught here, she says, adding that
many come back to Hanoi with a broader
understanding of experimental art and are
sharing those skills with other artists.
Contemporary art workshops held
by returning artists and art graduates are
helping to transform the understanding of
local artists about contemporary art. Theyre
also helping them become more analytical in
their approach.
However, artists without direct access
to overseas contemporary art are finding
other ways to keep themselves informed.
For artists like Hanoi University of
Industrial Fine Arts graduate Trieu Minh
Hai one of six contemporary fine artists
recently featured in Hanoi Grapevines
Selections Volume 2 the internet has had
a transformative impact on local artists,
connecting them with the international

contemporary art scene.
The internet has been an amazing tool
for artists in Vietnam, and particularly
graduates in Hanoi where the art scene is
less international than in Saigon, says Hai,
who trains under the tutelage of Le Quang
Ha. Its a great way to learn about whats
happening overseas.
Online sharing platforms such as
YouTube and Facebook have also allowed
emerging Hanoian artists to keep up with
cutting edge artists, who are increasingly
archiving their work online. This rise
in self-directed online learning has also
spurred interest in alternative art forms,
according to Hanoi University of Fine Arts
professor and contemporary artist Nguyen
The Son.
Theres been a dramatic increase in artists
showing interest in installation, performance
and video art forms, says Nguyen, showing
me a video of his recent hyperrealist
installation of urban slums in Ho Chi Minh
City. Young artists are curious about
playing with mediums like photography and
video to produce new art forms."
More organisations than ever before are
dedicated to teaching young artists about
experimental art forms, he says. DocLab,
an incubator of experimental film and
video art, is one such organisation. Set up
by the Goethe-Institut in 2009, it devotes
itself to cultivating a new generation
of Vietnamese independent filmmakers
and media artists. According to the
centres website, it also houses an archive
of experimental films and film art theory
books, as well as supplying production
equipment to students and visiting artists.
As for Le Quang Ha, he thinks that it will
take time for Hanois emerging artists to
get comfortable with pushing the envelope.
While he is frustrated with the lack of artistic
freedoms, he remains optimistic.
Art cannot be suppressed, and the
younger emerging generation know this.
Theyre opening their eyes and really
trying to push the boundaries in the
hopes of creating new kinds of art. Things
are changing slowly, we just have to be
patient.
Nguyen The Son
Trieu Minh Hais studio

Le Quang Ha
The internet
has been an
amazing tool for
artists in Vietnam,
and particularly
graduates in Hanoi
where the art scene
is less international
than in Saigon.
Its a great way
to learn about
whats happening
overseas
Trieu Minh Hai
Food & drink
MYSTERY DINER
HANOI
Aummee
A vegetarian restaurant that avoids the temptation to
serve up faux meat? Our mystery diner gives Aummee the
onceover, and returns for more. Photos by Julie Vola
his is a confession. For Aprils

Mystery Diner I ate at the
vegetarian restaurant, Aummee,
twice. What can I say? The
experience was so pleasant (and the menu
so large), that I felt a one-time visit could
not possibly do it justice. Exceptionally
clean with a tasteful decor of lightly
polished wood in decorative patterns and
just-right lighting, Aummee offers diners
a relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy a
peaceful lunch or dinner.
Housed in a cheerful yellow building
on the cute street of Chau Long in Hanois
Truc Bach area, diners are welcomed by the
restaurants bubbling fountain and feature
wall of bright green plants by the entrance.
At the time of dining, a large Tet tree filled
with bright yellow blossoms (matching the
restaurants colour scheme) was taking up a
large corner of the room. Bright red and gold
envelopes dangled from its branches.
No Mock Meat Here, Thank You

Very Much
Some may say that as a vegetarian I am
naturally biased towards restaurants

specialising in vegetarian fare. While its
true that I get pleasure out of opening a
menu and finding I can order anything and
everything, I would argue, however, that this
only makes my standards higher.
Mock meat, not only a staple but too
often the bulk of menus in many vegetarian
restaurants in Vietnam, is a food group I
generally try to avoid. So upon opening
Aummees extensive menu and discovering
not a trace of that strange, fleshy soy stuff, I
was thrilled.
On my first visit, dinner with friends,
we ordered more food than we knew
what to do with. But in the end, we had
no trouble devouring the fresh and tasty
dishes. The meal started with appetisers
of fried wontons (goi thuong) enjoyable
with a somewhat strange filling of jicama
and cheese; lightly fried mushroom-filled
triangles (trang khuyet) delicious and
beautifully presented; and a marine fungus
salad (vi bien). Despite the strange name,
the salad was definitely a highlight and
the mildly flavoured seaweed (or marine
fungus) added a pleasant texture and

subtle flavour to the otherwise traditional
Vietnamese green papaya-style salad.
Our mains consisted of two clay pot dishes
potato (ngoc thach) and eggplant (sac tim).
As one of the hardest vegetables to cook
properly, eggplant dishes inevitably end up
either salty and soggy or tasteless and rubbery.
The chefs at Aummee, however, cooked it
to perfection. Accompanying the clay pots,
we shared pad thai (mien xa) a successful
union of Vietnamese-style noodles and the
famous Thai recipe. We also had a portion
of Aummees special rice the shiitake
mushroom with hints of ginger, lemongrass
and dried seaweed adding flavour, nutrients
and texture to the Thai jasmine rice.
Take Two
Returning a month later for a casual lunch
with a friend, I was once again greeted
warmly by the staff, who remained
unfailingly polite and attentive throughout
the meal. Popular with local professionals,
the restaurant was noticeably livelier during
my second visit.
THE VERDICT
13
FOOD
12.5
SERVICE
12
DCOR
With only the two of us I was

(unfortunately) more restricted on what I
could order, but still made full use of the
wide-ranging menu, withstanding the
temptation to order all the same dishes
again except for the Aummee rice, which
I couldnt resist.
We started with a plate of beautifully
presented taro spring rolls (nem Aummee)
and waky pumpkin salad (duyen que).
Im still a little unsure exactly what waky
pumpkin is, but it was delicious nonetheless.
For mains, we split a very satisfying Thaistyle red curry (ca ray do). We licked our
plates clean.
In celebration of the New Year, our waiter
invited us to take a red envelope dangling
from the Tet tree. Choosing one with pretty
gold blossoms I opened my lucky envelope
to find a members card 10 percent off
all future bills. Guess Ill be (very happily)
seeing you again soon, Aummee.
Nha Hang Chay Aummee is located at 26
Chau Long, Ba Dinh, Hanoi. Prices range from
VND50,000 for entrees to VND80,000 for
mains
Food, Decor and

Service are each
rated on a scale
of 0 to 15.
13 15
extraordinary to
perfection
10 12.5 very
good to excellent
8 9.5 good to
very good
5 7.5 fair to
good
0 4.5 poor
to fair
The Word reviews
anonymously and
pays for all meals
Food & drink

STREET SNACKER
HANOI
Bo Bit Tet Hoe Nhai

Steak, its just one of those dishes that entraps the human palate. For a taste of
the Vietnamese version of the real deal, Huyen Tran heads to Hoe Nhai Street.
henever we go to a new place,

either to travel or to live, it is
exciting to discover the local
mysteries: how local people
enjoy life, what they eat and where they
go for fun. But sometimes you have a
pang and find yourself searching for
restaurants where you can indulge in the
taste of home.
A suggestion for this situation is to
step out of your comfort zone, and try the
Vietnamese version of western dishes.
It could be an exciting experience, and
sometimes, you will find a perfect
marriage between the western-originated
food and local ingredients which typically
include Vietnamese fish sauce.

An example is bo bit tet, or Vietnamesestyle beefsteak. This is not the beefsteak that
is served in classy western restaurants with
polished glass windows, it is the local bo bit
tet that is served in streetside eateries with
tiny plastic stools, crowded with local diners.
This is the version that will offer you a fresh
look at how a beefsteak is prepared.
The Vietnamese adaptation of steak is
the one that includes thin beefsteak, crispy
fries, omelette, pork meatballs and pat
all served sizzling on a hot plate. Beefsteak
is eaten with traditional Vietnamese banh
my, not a western baguette. Here, the beef
is not the king. It is also neither rare nor
medium-rare, but cooked and swimming in

sauce.
Why it is called bo bit tet? Bo in Vietnamese
means beef, while bit tet is an imported
word which does not originate from
Vietnamese. As beefsteak is not a Vietnamese
dish, local people call it by its French name,
pronounced in a Vietnamese way. Thats
why bit tet is pronounced in the same way as
the French word biftek, but without the f in
the middle or the k on the end.
In recent years, this western-originated
dish has become a favourite with locals,
and also a cant miss on the list of
recommendations for foreigners who live in
Hanoi.
Where to Go
Tasty bo bit tet can be found at the famous
streetside eateries Banh My Ngoc Hieu,
on Hoa Ma, or on Hang Buom and Hang
Giay. But beating all of the above is the tiny
street of Hoe Nhai here almost the whole
thoroughfare sells bo bit tet.
At first, Hoe Nhai only had two beefsteak
eateries. But now, the street has become
well-known locally it is called beefsteak
street. For expats, the street offers a complete
experience, both visually and taste-wise.
There are a series of streetside joints here
that look almost the same, all with young
boys standing outside, trying to wave you
in. But my recommendation is to go to Bit
Tet Ngon So 5.
The presentation of the dish is quite
similar throughout Hoe Nhai. However, the
taste is slightly different some eateries
add onions and tomatoes while others dont.
Bit Tet Ngon So 5 is said to serve up the most
delicious beef and sauce.
We do not remember exactly when
the street started to be filled with bo bit tet
eateries like it is now, the shop owner says.
But the majority of us werent cooking in
western restaurants and hotels.
My brother, who is our main chef, used
to own his own pho shop, and cooked
Vietnamese food his whole life. He learnt
how to cook bo bit tet from a friend, then
adjusted the seasonings so that it matches

the local taste.
During lunchtime, you will see Hoe Nhai
become bustling with diners, which is a total
contrast to the peace of the small street in
the morning. Together with other branded
streets like Bat Dan for pho, Ngu Xa for
pho cuon and Phung Hung for hot pot Hoe
Nhai has become the main street for this
western dish, shining in its own way as a
local essential.
Bo bit tet is costs around VND70,000 per diner.
Bit Tet Ngon So 5 is at 20A Hoe Nhai, Ba Dinh,
Hanoi. Its the only joint in the street that offers free
banh my and fries, as well as free Wi-Fi. The eatery
opens from early morning till late at night
Food & drink
MYSTERY DINER
HCMC
The High Life

From up on high sits Sorae, a Japanese-themed restaurant, bar and cigar lounge
that oozes class and style. Our undercover reporter gives their verdict.
hundred metres down, the city

lights glow orange. I watch
red-and-white streaks of traffic,
smelling hints of charcoal
and seared meat, a sip of 15-year-old
Dalwhinnie smouldering in my mouth.
Gazing over the breadth of District 1, I
reflect upon the three prerequisites of the
restaurant business: location, location,
location.
Hot new sushi bar / high-class watering
hole Sorae, high up in the AB Building, has
location and then some, boasting spectacular
panoramic views of the city. Sorae radiates
welcoming luxury throughout. Smiling
hostesses whisk you into the dedicated
elevator; 23 floors whoosh by in smooth
silence to an oasis high above hectic
downtown Ho Chi Minh City.
Upstairs, a young man rolls a Cuban next
to a discreet sign explaining cigars; along
with its boast-worthy collection of singlemalt Scotches, an impressive part of Soraes
top-end vibe.
Sipping my Scotch, I await my date, stress
vanishing as I pore over dozens of kinds
of expensive liquor, centred on sake and

whisky. Soraes atmosphere resembles oldfashioned clubs, funk and jazz booming out
of the sound system, chicly-attired waiters
making sure your tea is topped up, offering
more towels, another drink, another round
of sushi.
My date arrives, and carved stones
holding pill-sized shrunken towels and tiny
wells to soak them in are set down before us.
Theyre a novelty, a fun touch emblematic of
the pains taken throughout the restaurant.
The Best of East and West

We start with locally-sourced sushi; as
tempting as the varieties of Japanese
fish look, theyre too rich for my budget.
The tekka maki (VND75,000) is good, but
with too much wasabi. The chawanmushi
(VND75,000) is lighter than air, laced with
mushroom and fish.
From the specials menu, we order the
hotate foie gras roll (VND185,000) served
with slices of miso-marinated pate lavishly
piled atop the delicate, enchanting, silken
scallops. Paired with wagyu ninniku shoyu
(VND395,000), they showcase Japanese

interpretations of Europes hautest foods.
Marbled with threads of fat, the tender
leaves of beef linger in the mouth.
The star of the night is the sashimi salad
(VND250,000), a garden of lightly-dressed
lettuce, jewelled with salmon, yellow-tail
tuna, octopus and more. Fresh, crisp in every
bite, the salad masterfully weds different
cuisines.
The omakase 10-piece skewer
(VND480,000) comes last, a platter of grilled,
well, everything: shiitake, salmon, wagyu
beef, chicken, pork belly, tofu, and more.
Savouring every succulent bite, the volume
of food defeats us and we get a box
thankfully, I love leftovers for breakfast.
For dessert, we choose mango anmitsu
(VND160,000), matcha and ginger-vanilla ice
cream over cubed agar and mango, with a
pot of startlingly sweet black honey. My sole
wish is less agar, more mango.
99 Bottles of Sake on the Wall

Decorated in a simple, modernised
Japanese style complete with rock
THE VERDICT
13
FOOD
13
SERVICE
14
DCOR
garden, bamboo stands and bonsai

Sorae is deliberately gorgeous without
being pretentious. The massive bamboo
bar-shelves display ranks of illustrated
sake bottles. The gracefully sturdy
furniture and carefully chosen objets dart
are as harmonious as the view from the
floor-to-ceiling windows.
We linger over our tea, appreciating our
sojourn amid the finer things. We descend
to the real world in sated silence, happily
buzzing from food, liquor, the rarified
atmosphere, the beautiful view.
Sorae is not light on the wallet, but well
worth trying. Its a fantastic destination
for birthdays, anniversaries, engagements,
baby showers, Valentines Day: occasions
when price isnt a consideration. Even
on ordinary occasions, Soraes opulent
atmosphere and beautiful decor offer a
great spot to stop, sit, sip on hot sake, and
let the world spin on without you for a few
timeless hours.
Sorae is open from 11.30am to 2pm and 5.30pm
to 2am, and is located in the AB Building, Floors
24 and 25, 76A Le Lai, Q1, Ho Chi Minh City
Food, Decor and

Service are each
rated on a scale
of 0 to 15.
13 15
extraordinary to
perfection
10 12.5 very
good to excellent
8 9.5 good to
very good
5 7.5 fair to
good
0 4.5 poor
to fair
The Word reviews
anonymously and
pays for all meals
Food & drink
STREET SNACKER
HCMC
The Best Banh Mi

in Saigon
Simon Stanley eats his way through the citys top banh mi joints... and chooses
the best. Let the crumbs fall where they may. Photos by Francis Xavier
love history you can pick up and eat.

Vietnams banh mi can trace its roots
back to the days of French colonial
rule, when the humble baguette was
given a lighter, fluffier personality,
and traditional French ingredients

like pate and mayonnaise were added
to chilli, coriander, grilled pork and
pickled vegetables. Today, banh mi thit
is available everywhere from five-star
buffets to the tail-end of a Honda Cub

in an alleyway. Its possibly the most
readily available on-the-go meal youre
likely to find. But whose version is the
best?
coriander and a gentle kick of chilli, but at

VND25,000, the effect is rather mediocre
given its higher than average price tag.

Theres better out there.
Banh Mi Sau Minh

170 Vo Van Tan, Q3
Open 24 hours
Score: 7/10
From the front of a traditional bodega
style grocery store, Sau Minh has been
churning out Saigonese hoagies since 1976.
Whipping along the row of ingredients, my
bread roll is generously stuffed, wrapped
and handed over. The pate is thick and
rich, almost the consistency of corned beef,
yet the sliced pork is a little on the fatty
side. Despite its age and reputation, as the
telling sprinkling of crumbs gathers at my
feet, Im a little underwhelmed. Theres
plenty of everything packed in there, but
somehow its lacking flavour. Theres a little
Banh Mi Huynh Hoa
Nhu Lan Bakery
26 Le Thi Rieng, Q1
3.30pm to midnight
Score: 7.5/10
50 Ham Nghi, Q1
5am to midnight
Score: 8/10
Frequently lauded as Saigons best, the never-ending queue of

tourists and locals here is no surprise. At VND32,000 its the priciest
so far and the heaviest. Why? Meat. Lots of meat. Where most
other vendors offer a careful balance of ingredients, Huynh Hoa
are hitting you with six styles of pork in six hefty layers, plus pate
and pork floss. I can see the appeal of this one, but it feels a little
too heavy handed. The subtle flavour combinations are lost in the
almost gluttonous serving of meat. With the coriander bullied into
obscurity and the veg sitting like a token gesture on top, its not my
idea of perfection.
Quantity over quality.
No search would be complete without mention of this 47-year-old

institution. Priding itself on a wide variety of homemade delicatessen
products, its slightly disappointing to find that most banh mi here are
pre-made and pre-wrapped. I ask for their standard banh mi kep thit
with less chilli and they knock up a fresh one. Costing VND20,000, I
almost want to be disappointed, but its surprisingly good. The pate
is the best of the bunch very traditional. Packed with herbs and
aromatic flavours, the two varieties of pork roll were outstanding,
too. With slightly crustier, denser bread, the whole thing feels more
French than anything else out there.
Saigon in a bun.
Banh Mi Thanh Mai Hoang

107 Truong Dinh, Q3
Mornings only
Score: 8.5/10
This is a picture perfect early-morning spot. Offering a text-book
balance of flavours and components, the standout ingredient here is
the sliced roast pork. Reminding me of slow-cooked beef brisket, its
tender, moist and tears apart beautifully. A fried egg is a welcome
addition to my morning. It has everything you could ask for. Like
most versions across the city, its not overflowing with meat as some
visitors may expect, but ask for more of anything and the cheerful
vendor will happily oblige. For VND17,000, its a strong contender.
Excellent quality meats and a great location.
Banh Mi Hong Hoa

62 Nguyen Van Trang, Q1
Breakfast and lunch
Score: 10/10
Nguyen Van Trang offers a glimpse into old
Saigon. Street vendors and incense smoke
abound, and an unending flow of bodies and
bikes arrives at number 62 for a take-away
breakfast. With bread baked onsite and a lineup
of high-quality homemade ingredients, Hong
Hoas banh mi are as fresh as they come. Above
sumptuous smears of pate and mayo, three styles
of pork are thickly sliced and generously applied,
allowing each to hold its own across the spectrum
of flavours. Firecrackers of chilli explode at just
the right volume, at just the right moments, and a
seam of coriander and cucumber holds the whole
ensemble together. Its a symphony of a sandwich
and it only costs VND17,000.
The winner. Joyous from start to finish.
fashion
The BoBo
Left page:
Dress: Le Cin | Flower Crown: Amy Cleary
Right page:
Dress: Le Cin | Necklace: YNot!
Le Retour
des Beaux
Jours
After the cold of winter and greyness
and drizzle of early spring, good
weather is returning to the capital.
Here are three elegant looks to take
you through to the summer.
Photographer Julie Vola
Assistant Trung Del
Model Laurinda Belcher
Styling David Mann, Laurinda
Belcher, Julie Vola

Hair and make-up by Julie Vola
The Lady
Left page: Dress: Double Dose, VND4 million

Right page: Dress: Double Dose, VND8 million
The Girl
Next Door
Left page:
Shirt: Bias, VND450,000 | Pants: Bias, VND400,000
Right Page:
Shirt: Bias, VND450,000 | Pants: Bias, VND650,000
Le Cin
lecine.vn
Double Dose
doubledose.vn@gmail.com
facebook.com/DoubleDose.vn
35b Nguyen Binh Khiem, Hai Ba Trung,
Hanoi
Amy Cleary
amycleary.com
BIAS
90 XuanDieu, Tay Ho, Hanoi
YNot Furniture & Interior Design
ynot-design.com
No 27 Lane 1 alley 1/22 Nghi Tam Village,
Tay Ho, Hanoi
travel
TRAVEL
MYANMAR
The Last Post

on the Bugle
When the British colonised Asia, they brought with them people from all over world.
Yangon, the capital of Myanmar, was no different. Katie Jacobs explores a city
that is as much steeped in history as it is focused on a brighter future.
he star-patterned tiles are slick

beneath my feet. Under a centurys
worth of spilt tea, betel nut spit
and street grime, the faded colours
are still visible, and how beautiful they
are. Once home to Rangoons most
exclusive products fine liqueurs,
Egyptian cigarettes, British candies the
old Sofaer Building, like most of Yangons
stately colonial architecture, is looking a
little worse for wear.
Pausing to inspect a long-retired elevator,
the broken wrought iron railings hide
beneath piles of disused furniture and
layers of dusty cobwebs, it looks like even
the spiders have moved on. With only the
dim light from a broken courtyard window,
I walk carefully across the landing of the
100-year-old building, descending slowly
down a rickety staircase. Emerging onto the
hot, sunny street, the silent and shadowy
interior of the building is swallowed into
the chaos of city. Modern day Yangon is
bustling.
With the goal of exploring Bagan and
trekking the hills of the Shan state, my
husband and I embarked on our Tet holiday
to Myanmar. Though planning a quick
stopover to see an old friend in Yangon, we
had given the city very little consideration.
Just another Asian city, I thought. I was
wrong.
The Birth of a City

Founded as a small fishing village in the 11th
century, the settlement then known as
Dagon was centred around Shwedagon
Pagoda, a towering golden stupa nearly
100 metres tall and said to contain relics of
four previous Buddhas. King Alaungpaya,
founder of the Konbaung Dynasty, captured
the area from the Mon Kingdom in 1755 and
renamed it Yangon, meaning end of strife.
The moniker did not last, as less than a
century later Alaungpayas Yangon was
burnt to the ground during the first AngloBurmese War. Shortly after in 1852, the
British seized what remained of the city,
transforming it into the commercial and
political hub of their new colony British
Burma. Rangoon, the name given to the city
by her colonisers, is widely assumed to be
the British interpretation of Yangon.
And so began nearly a century of
metropolitan development encompassing
not only new styles of urban planning and
architecture, but also introducing foreign
cultures and drastically changing the citys
demographics.
Colonial Glory
When the British arrived in Yangon, they
did so with the intention of building a
modern and global city. Starting with an
urban grid design, and inserting the ancient
Sule Pagoda as the central traffic circle,
they went on to build grand banks and
trading companies, fashionable hotels and
department stores, luxurious villas and
clubs. By the beginning of the 20th century,
the infrastructure and services of Rangoons
port rivalled those of London. Every week,
ships unloaded new products, new fashions

and new people.
Attracted to this fast-paced development,
traders and enterprises from around the
world flocked to Rangoon. Although the
city was already home to foreign enterprises
(most notably Armenian), under British rule
Rangoon became a cosmopolitan hub. At the
height of the colonial period, only a third of
the citys population were Bamar (Burmese).
South Asians represented the majority, while
Karens, Chinese, Europeans and others
made up the rest.
Over two days exploring downtown
Yangon, we not only visited the ancient Sule
Pagoda, but also passed a Sunni mosque,
a Shia mosque, a Jewish synagogue, a Jain
temple, a Taoist temple, a Hindu temple,
a Sikh temple, a Methodist church and a
Baptist church. All were built over a century
ago and are still active today.
Around the World in Five Blocks

The smell of sweet frying pastry and
barbequed meat wafts through the open
window as our taxi crawls through a
bustling street market. Eyeing tables laden
with fresh vegetables and pickled fruits,
we make our way through the throng of

pedestrians, shoppers and cars towards
dinner.
Sitting down at a streetside table along
the busy 19th Street, I feel transported to a
long gone era reminiscent of old Hong Kong.
Surrounded by crowded streets lined with
grimy apartment blocks, the area is awash
with flimsy balconies, drying laundry and
neon signs glowing in Burmese, English and
Chinese characters.
Stopping at one of the many ropes
dangling from the balconies, our friend gives
the string a gentle tug. Its a makeshift
doorbell, she grins but even better, the
morning paper and any other packages
can be clipped onto it and hauled into the
apartment above.
We witness this at lunch the next day
when a waiter ties a bag of food to a rope,
which quickly disappears into an upperstorey window.
The following afternoon we leave old
Hong Kong behind for the sights and smells
of India. Making our way along Maha
Bandoola Road, its hard not to stare at the
sizzling samosas, weaving rickshaws, and
barking hawkers selling everything from TV
remotes to knock-off sunglasses.

The sun is setting as we wander among
rows of colonial townhouses lining the
narrow streets north of Merchant Road. Once
single-family homes, these stately buildings
in various states of disrepair now house
hundreds of occupants. The luxury and
comfort may have decreased over the past
seven decades, but their faded glory and
charm are impossible to overlook. Among
the tacked-on satellites, air-conditioners and
power lines, the colourfully painted facades
with high ceilings, shuttered windows and
decoratively adorned balconies stand as a
testament to Yangons past glory.
Turning onto Bogalay Zay Street, we are
greeted by the sight of a stately red-brick
building glowing in the evening light.
Enclosed behind rolls of barbed wire and
overgrown gardens, the city block-sized
compound commands respect. We have
found the Secretariat.
Once the seat of colonial power in
Burma, and subsequently the government
compound, this labyrinth of halls, offices
and courtyards now lies deserted. As with
many grand old buildings once used by
government, the Secretariat was abandoned
in 2005 when the capital city relocated
to Nay Pyi Taw, 380km north of Yangon.

With the high cost of renovation, and with
bureaucracy surrounding ownership rights,
the Secretariat and similar buildings remain
in a state of purgatory.
Future History
Working to conserve the citys architecture
and promote conservation, Dr. Thant
Myint-U, a renowned academic and
historian, founded the Yangon Heritage
Trust in 2012.
Yangons unique architectural heritage
is today in peril, from the effects of long
neglect, as well as the consequences of
recent commercial development, he
writes in the book 30 Heritage Buildings of
Yangon. If Yangons architectural heritage
is destroyed, a big part of its legacy as a
cosmopolitan, multi-faith and multi-ethnic
city will be lost.
Hoping to preserve Yangons
architectural heritage and unique buildings
such as the City Hall, which displays
a distinctive combination of British
architecture and Burmese design inspired
by ancient temples the Trust does not
want to see Yangon revert to its colonial
heyday. Instead, they hope to promote and
integrate Yangons unique urban history

into a 21st century vision of Yangon as one
of Asias most livable cities.
Walking through the Trusts public
gallery, a poster depicts Yangons potential
future, one where heritage buildings
restored to their former glory sit alongside
new developments, influenced by modern
and sustainable urban planning. The image
shows parks and walkways surrounded by
colonial buildings and modern skyscrapers,
all centred around Sule pagoda, the heart of
old and new Yangon.
This is Burma, it is unlike any land you
know about, wrote Rudyard Kipling in
1898. What a romantic notion, I thought, as I
read those words on the plane to Yangon.
Standing next to the crumbling elegance
of the Secretariat building, watching the
last of the days sun illuminate the golden
Sule Pagoda, in a city teaming with people
from all over the world, I could not help but
agree.
The Yangon Heritage Trust is open every
day from 9am to 5pm. The office and gallery
is located on the first floor of 22-24 Pansodan
Street, Yangon. For more information about
their heritage tours visit their website at
yangonheritagetrust.org
travel
On the beach in front of Hua Hin Sailing Club
TRAVEL
THAILAND
Hua Hin
Avoiding the Thai islands,

Nick Ross heads to the royal city
of Hua Hin for his dose
of the beach life
The Hyatt Regency Hua Hin and its sister spa resort, The Barai, are among the top properties in the area
Hua Hin has a mix of everything, from the old train station through to macaques and pagodas
nlike so many other countries,

Thailands tourist industry
doesnt rely on one major market.
Whether its for sun, sea, sand and
mountains, or big city life, cheap thrills and
shopping malls, people come to The Land
of Smiles from everywhere. Yet despite
its white sands and proximity to Bangkok,
tourists heading for the beach tend to hit
the islands, often avoiding the three-hour
trip south to Hua Hin. Its a mistake.
As I was told so frequently on my recent
visit, Hua Hin is the home of the king.
The palace there, Klai Kang Wong, is his
summer residence. Nestled on the Gulf of
Thailand coast at the top of the countrys
skinny waist, the presence of royalty means
that the nightlife in this city is a little bit
more low-key. Or so I was told.
The difference is the lack of open-scale,
Pattaya-style debauchery. As I discovered,
at night Hua Hin is still pumping, but just
not with the same compulsive madness
of elsewhere. A perfect tonic to too many
nights in the big city.
But few come to Hua Hin for nightlife,
its for everything else. There are 10 golf
courses here, four or five of which are
considered world-class. And the white-sand
beaches outside the main central area easily
rival those of the islands. Here you can still
find that image of paradise. The weather is
also said to be the best in Thailand and
overlooked by mountains that stretch the
short distance to the border with Myanmar,
you can see why.
But what struck me initially was the

food I had Thai meals as good as
anything else Id eaten in this country
and the accommodation. I was lucky
enough to stay in the Hyatt Regency. That
it is only rated as one of the top resorts in
the area says a lot.
The quality and variety of
accommodation at all ends of the spectrum
is enough to inspire envy. And for me,
the Hyatt Regency was already hitting
those luxury holiday heights that we like
to dream of. Lush vegetation, a large pool
area, well-appointed rooms and the quite
stunning spa next door at The Barai the
sister resort to the Hyatt make this oasis
of indulgence a perfect holiday retreat.
On my final day I took a motorbike
out to the recently inaugurated Hua Hin
Sailing Club and, camera in hand, got
myself out on the sea on a dinghy. It was
exhilarating. I then headed to the citys
train station, daubed in traditional red
and beige and still with all its early 20th
century, royalty-inspired wooden fixings. A
photographers dream. But after hitting the
viewpoints over the city there are many
and a Chinese pagoda on the seafront,
what really got me was the artists village
5km outside of Central Hua Hin.
Creative, contemporary and wideranging (artworks cost from pennies
through to thousands), there was a
relaxing, almost spiritual atmosphere out
here. Its a drive out of town, but worth
every second.
Golf in Hua Hin

Prior to starting Hua Hin Sailing Club,
Richard Vine ran golf tours to Hua
Hin and its neighbouring town, ChaAm. Here are his tips for the top golf
courses in the area.
According to Richard, the top
golf course is B LACK M OUNTAIN
(the course fee is THB3,500
for walk-in customers
blackmountainhuahin.com). This
is closely followed by B ANYAN
(THB3,000 banyanthailand.
com) and S PRINGFIELD (THB2,500
springfieldresort.com/golf). Of all
three, the Jack Nicklaus-designed
Springfield has probably the best
layout and is really fun to walk, and
great to play.
After that, youve got P ALM H ILLS
(palmhills-golf.com) and L AKE V IEW
(imperialhotels.com). A round at both
courses costs about THB2,000.
The standard caddy fee is THB300
per round and the best time to go is
during the H UA H IN G OLF F ESTIVAL
(Aug. 1 to Sep. 6). Throughout this
period, course fees at all participating
golf clubs start at THB1,000.
Otherwise, says Richard, check
directly with each of the golf clubs to
see if theyve got any deals going.
At the time of writing, THB1,000
was the equivalent of VND650,000
Learning to sail at Hua Hin Sailing Club
The artists' village just outside of Hua Hin is one of the destination's main surprises
Information
Hua Hin is 220km south of Bangkok. A
THB2,000 (VND1.3 million) taxi ride from
Central Bangkok, there is also a direct
minibus service to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The trip takes three hours.
H YATT R EGENCY H UA H IN
huahin.regency.hyatt.com
Room rates start at around THB6,000
depending on the season (VND3.95
million).
T HE H UA H IN S AILING C LUB
huahinsailing.com
The Sailing Club runs a number of
courses for both adults and children at
very reasonable rates. For information
call Richard on (66) 8 7888 7565 or
email richard@huahinsailing.com
T HE A RTISTS V ILLAGE
Known in Thai as B AAN S ILAPIN , do a
search on Google for information. The

so-called artists colony comes up as
one of the main attractions in Hua Hin.
travel
Our distribution outlets. Look for the colour closest to you for a
copy of Word magazine. It's free just as all other good things in life.
travel
DALAT / AROUND HANOI / HANOI - INTERNATIONAL / HANOI MID-RANGE / HANOI BUDGET /

HCMC - INTERNATIONAL / HCMC - DELUXE / HCMC - MID-RANGE / HCMC - BUDGET / HOI
AN & DANANG / HUE & LANG CO / NHA TRANG / PHAN THIET & MUI NE / PHONG NHA / PHU
QUOC / SAPA / VUNG TAU & HO TRAM / TRAVEL SERVICES HANOI / TRAVEL SERVICES ELSEWHERE
DALAT
ANA MANDARA VILLAS
$$$$
Le Lai, Dalat, Tel: (063)
3555888
anamandara-resort.com
DALAT PALACE
$$$$
12 Ho Tung Mau, Dalat, Tel:
(063) 382 5444
dalatpalace.vn
tours of the serene Halong

Bay, aboard reproduction
wooden junks. Two or three
night trips with a wide range
of cabin styles: standard, deluxe, or royal.
CUC PHUONG
$
Cuc Phuong, Nho Quan, Ninh
Binh, Tel: (030) 384 8006
cucphuongtourism.com
EMERAUDE CLASSIC CRUISES,

HALONG BAY
DALAT GREEN CITY HOTEL
172 Phan Dinh Phung, Dalat,
Tel: (063) 382 7999
dalatgreencityhotel.com
Located in central Dalat,
this is the perfect place for
budget travellers. Quiet,
newly refurbished with
beautiful mountain and city
views from the rooftop, features free Wi-Fi, a TV and
snack bar in all rooms with
a downstairs coffee shop
and computers in the lobby
for guest use.
$$$$
Tel: (04) 3935 1888
emeraude-cruises.com
Reproductions, of 19th
century paddle steamers,
trawl around Halong Bay
in colonial style. A classic
experience, complete with,
overnight accommodations
in impeccable cabins suites.
LA FERME DU COLVERT
$$
Cu Yen, Luong Son, Hoa Binh,
Tel: 02183 825662
etoile-des-mers.com
LA VIE VU LINH
$
Ngoi Tu Village, Vu Linh, Yen
Bai , Tel: (04) 3926 2743
lavievulinh.com
MAI CHAU ECOLODGE

DALAT TRAIN VILLA
Villa 3, 1 Quang Trung, Dalat,
Tel: (063) 381 6365
dalattrainvilla.com
Located near the Dalat Train
Station, the Dalat Train Villa
is a beautifully restored, colonial era, two-storey villa.
In its grounds is a 1910
train carriage which has
been renovated into a bar
and cafe. Located within 10
minutes of most major attractions in Dalat.
TRUNG CANG HOTEL
$
22 Bui Thi Xuan, Dalat, Tel:
(063) 382 2663
AROUND HANOI
BEST WESTERN PEARL RIVER
HOTEL
$$$
KM 8 Pham Van Dong, Duong
Kinh, Hai Phong, Tel: (031)
388 0888
pearlriverhotel.vn
BHAYA CRUISES, HALONG BAY
$$$
Tel: 0933 446542
bhayacruises.com
Experience breathtaking
Na Phon, Hoa Binh, Tel: (04)

6275 1271
maichau.ecolodge.asia
Occupies a private hill in Na
Phon Village in Mai Chau,
Hoa Binh a beautiful valley
roughly 135km southwest of
Hanoi Mai Chau Ecolodge
is a new four-star property
featuring 21 bungalows built
and operated with ecological
principles in mind.
MAI CHAU LODGE
$$$
Mai Chau Town, Hoa Binh,
Tel: (0218) 386 8959
maichaulodge.com
NOVOTEL HA LONG BAY
$$
Ha Long Road, Bai Chay
Ward, Ha Long City, Quang
Ninh, Tel: (033) 384 8108
novotelhalong.com.vn
TAM COC GARDEN RESORT

Hai Nham, Ninh Hai, Hoa Lu,
Ninh Binh. Tel: (030) 249
2118
contact@tamcocgarden.
com
tamcocgarden.com
Surrounded by rice fields
and spectacular karsts,
Tam Coc Garden is a haven

of peace, an oasis of serenity and understated luxury.
Spacious rooms with rustic
and chic dcor, a pool with
breathtaking views, a beautiful garden, and panoramic
views over the fields and
mountains. The perfect place
to relax.
HANOI - INTERNATIONAL
CROWNE PLAZA WEST INTERNATIONAL
$$$
36 Le Duc Tho, My Dinh Commune, Tu Liem, Hanoi, Tel:
(04) 6270 6688
crowneplazawesthanoi.com
This premier five-star
property lies beside the My
Dinh National Stadium and
Convention Centre. Boasts
two swimming pools, a spa,
and a fitness centre in its 24
stories.
DAEWOO HOTEL
360 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3831 5555
www.hanoi-daewoohotel.
com
This enormous structure
offers the most modern of
amenities, and with four
restaurants and two bars,
the events staff is well
equipped to handle any occasion. Close to the National
Convention Center, and a
favourite of the business
traveller, Daewoo even
boasts an outdoor driving
range. Shortly to become a
Marriot property.
FORTUNA HOTEL HANOI

6B Lang Ha, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3831 3333
www.fortuna.vn
This 350-room four-star set
up in the heart of Hanois financial district has a variety
of rooms on offer, a capital
lounge and three restaurants that serve Japanese,
Chinese and international
cuisine. And like youd expect, theres a fitness centre, night club and swimming pool, too, and even a
separate spa and treatment
facility for men and women.
Set to the west of town, Fortuna often offers business
deals on rooms and spaces
to hold meetings, presentations and celebrations.
HOTEL DE LOPERA
29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 6282 5555
contact@hoteldelopera.com
Resting just a step away
from the Opera House, the
hotel mixes colonial architectural accents and theatrical interior design to create a contemporary space.
The first boutique five star
in the heart of Hanoi, the
lavish, uniquely designed
107 rooms and suites contain all the mod cons and
are complimented by two
restaurants, a bar and complimentary Wi-Fi.
HILTON GARDEN INN HANOI

20 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan
Kiem, Hanoi, Tel (04) 3944
9396
hanoi.hgi.com
With 86 fully-equipped
guestrooms and suites, this
is the first Hilton Garden
Inn property in Southeast
Asia. Centrally located and
a short stroll from the historic Old Quarter, the hotel
offers a full service restaurant, a stylish bar, along with
complimentary business and
fitness centres making it
perfect for the international
business or leisure traveller.
HILTON HANOI OPERA

1 Le Thanh Tong, Hoan Kiem,
Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3933 0500
hanoi.hilton.com
Situated next to the iconic Hanoi Opera House and a short
stroll from the Old Quarter,
this five-star hotel is a Hanoi
landmark. With 269 fullyequipped rooms and suites,
theres plenty for the discerning business and leisure
traveller to choose from.
INTERCONTINENTAL HANOI
WESTLAKE
1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
6270 8888
www.hanoi.intercontinental.
com
This stunning property built
over West Lake falls in between a hotel and a resort.
Beautiful views, great balcony areas, comfortable,
top-end accommodation and
all the mod-cons make up the
mix here together with the
resorts three in-house restaurants and the Sunset Bar,
a watering hole located on a
thoroughfare over the lake.
Great gym and health club.
JW MARRIOTT HANOI
8, Do Duc Duc, Me Tri, Tu
Liem, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3833
5588
jwmarriotthanoi.com
From the expressive architecture outside to the
authentic signature JW
Marriott services inside,
this Marriott hotel in Hanoi
is the new definition of contemporary luxury. Lies next

door to the National Convention Centre.
Surrounded by lush gardens, sweeping lawns and

tranquil courtyards, this
peaceful property features
picturesque views of West
Lake and is less than 10
minutes from downtown.
In addition to the luxurious
rooms, the hotel offers an
outdoor swimming pool and
great relaxation and fitness
facilities, including a tennis
court and spa. There are well
equipped conference rooms
and a newly refurbished Executive Club Lounge.
MAY DE VILLE OLD QUARTER

43/45/47 Gia Ngu, Hoan
Kiem, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3933
5688
maydeville.com
The largest four-star hotel
in Hanois Old Quarter, 110
rooms, a swimming pool, a
top floor terrace bar and a
location just a stones throw
from Hoan Kiem Lake make
this a great choice for anyone wanting a bit of luxury in
the heart of the action.
MELIA HANOI
44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3934 3343
www.meliahanoi.com
Excellently located in central
Hanoi, Melia Hanoi draws
plenty of business travellers and is also a popular
venue for conferences and
wedding receptions. Stateof-the-art rooms, elegant
restaurants, stylish bars,
fully equipped fitness centre with sophisticated service always make in-house
guests satisfied.
MVENPICK HOTEL HANOI

83A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3822 2800
www.moevenpick-hanoi.
com
With its distinctive French
architecture and top end service, Mvenpick Hotel Hanoi
is aimed squarely at corporate travellers. An all-day
restaurant and a lounge bar
are available to satiate their
clientele while the kinetic gym
and wellness studio offer an
excellent range of equipment.
Massage and sauna facilities
are available for guests seeking to rejuvenate. Of the 154
well-appointed rooms and
suites, 93 are non-smoking.
PULLMAN HOTEL
$$$$
40 Cat Linh, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3733 0808
pullman-hanoi.com
With deluxe rooms and
suites, a contemporary
lobby, an excellent buffet,
and a la carte restaurant,
this Accor group property
is prestigious and close to
the Old Quarter.
SHERATON
K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu,
Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3719 9000
www.sheraton.com/hanoi
SOFITEL LEGEND METROPOLE

HANOI
15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3826 6919
www.sofitel.com
The finest hotel of the French
colonial period is probably
still the finest in todays Hanoi. Anyone who is (or was)
anyone has stayed at this elegant oasis of charm, where
the service is impeccable
and the luxurious facilities
complement the ambiance of
a bygone era. Definitely the
place to put the Comtessa up
for a night.
SOFITEL PLAZA HANOI

1 Thanh Nien Road, Ba Dinh,
Tel: (04) 3823 8888
Boasting Hanois best views
of West Lake, Truc Bach Lake
and the Red River, Sofitel
Plaza Hanoi soars 20 storeys above the city skyline.
The 5-star hotel features
317 luxurious, comfortable
guestrooms with spectacular lake view or river view
ranking in 7 types from Classic Room to Imperial Suite.
HANOI MID-RANGE
6 ON SIXTEEN
16 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem
www.sixonsixteen.com
Another boutique hotel to
grace Hanois Old Quarter,
the six rooms here mix contemporary and fresh with
handicrafts and antique.
Breakfast is included and in
the long, lounge restaurant
on the second floor, homestyle Vietnamese fare is
served up with fresh fruit
juices and Lavazza coffee.
GOLDEN SILK BOUTIQUE HOTEL
$$$
109-111 Hang Gai, Hoan
Kiem, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3928
6969
goldensilkhotel.com
Located in the centre of the
Old Quarter, this little slice of
heaven offers complimentary sundries and a replenishable minibar. The Orient
restaurant, serves the finest
in international and Vietnamese cuisine.
MAISON DHANOI HANOVA HOTEL

$$$
35-37 Hang Trong, Hoan
travel
Want to add more information to your listing? Get in touch and

let us see what we can do. Email us at listings@wordvietnam.com
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3938 0999
hanovahotel.com
A minute from Hoan Kiem
Lake, this glowing pearl in
the heart of Hanoi provides
tranquility with an art gallery
and piano bar.
MAY DE VILLE
24 Han Thuyen, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 2222 9988
Set in the old French Quarter
a short walk from the Opera
House, May de Ville City Centre is a welcome new addition to the capital. Combining
contemporary architecture
with traditional Vietnamese
style and materials, this elegant property has 81 wellappointed rooms including
four suites.
HANOI BUDGET
HANOI BACKBACKERS HOSTEL
48 Ngo Huyen, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3828 5372
www.hanoibackpackershostel.com
Probably the cheapest, European-style hostel in town,
with bunk-style beds mixed
or single-sex dorms starting at VND150,000, plus
a couple of double suites
from VND250,000. A place
to meet like-minded fold in
the Old Quarter.
HCMC - INTERNATIONAL
CARAVELLE HOTEL
$$$$
19 Lam Son Square, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 4999
caravellehotel.com
Winner of Robb Reports
2006 list of the worlds top
100 luxury hotels, the Caravelle houses the popular
rooftop Saigon Saigon bar,
and the restaurants Nineteen and Reflections.
DUXTON HOTEL
$$$
63 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 2999
saigon.duxtonhotels.com
Famous for its daylong
rotatingmenu buffets, the
Duxton deserves luxury appellation with a pool, gym,
spa, and fine dining.
hotelnikkosaigon.com.vn
The five-star hotel and serviced apartment complex
offers: 14 instant offices,
seven meeting rooms, a
600-capacity ballroom, spa,
outdoor swimming pool, a
gym, 24-hour fine dining,
24-hours room service, and
limousine services.
INTERCONTINENTAL ASIANA
SAIGON
$$$$$
Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3520 9999
intercontinental.com/saigon
In the heart of Ho Chi Minh
City, resides the Asiana with
signature dining options,
an innovative cocktail bar,
exclusive spa and health
club, together with luxury
boutique arcade.
LOTTE LEGEND HOTEL SAIGON
$$$$
2A4A Ton Duc Thang, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3823 3333
legendsaigon.com
Immaculate architecture,
spacious rooms, and a fine
selection of fine dining, with
buffets specialising in Americana and Pan-Asian cuisine.
NEW WORLD HOTEL
$$$$
76 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
8888
saigon.newworldhotels.com
Former guests include U.S.
presidents two Bushes,
Clinton and K-Pop sensation Bi Rain. An ongoing event
as well as a hotel, New World
is one of the best luxury
stops in town.
PARK HYATT
$$$$$
2 Lam Son Square, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3824 1234
saigon.park.hyatt.com
Fabulous in style, prime in
location, everything one
would expect from the Hyatt.
The Square One and Italianthemed Opera restaurants
have garnered an excellent
reputation, as has the landscaped pool.
PULLMAN SAIGON CENTRE
$$$
242 Tran Binh Trong, Q5, Tel:
(08) 3839 7777
equatorial.com/hcm
This massive property
boasts seven dining and
entertainment outlets, a
business centre, meeting
rooms and a comprehensive fitness centre and spa.
The Equatorial also has an
on-site casino.
$$$$$
148 Tran Hung Dao, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3838 8686
pullmanhotels.com
Recently completed on the
site of the old Metropole,
this upscale, contemporary
property boasts 306 signature rooms combining
design, comfort and connectivity. Innovative cuisine,
a great downtown location
and high-tech meeting venues able to host up to 600
guests make up the mix.
HOTEL NIKKO SAIGON
REX HOTEL
EQUATORIAL
$$$$$
235 Nguyen Van Cu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3925 7777
$$$$
3829 2185
rexhotelvietnam.com
Brimming with history the
Rexs openair fifthfloor
bar is Saigon highlight. A recent renovation, of this now
five-star property, boasts
designer fashion and a shopping arcade.
RIVERSIDE APARTMENTS
53 Vo Truong Toan, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3744 4111
riverside-apartments.com
Situated on the banks of the
Saigon River, a 15-minute
scenic boat ride or 20-minute bus ride from town,
Riversides complementary
shuttle services take you
right in the city centre. With
152 fully equipped serviced
apartments, the property
offers special packages for
short-term stay starting at
VND2.1 million per apartment per night for a onebedroom facility.
RIVERSIDE HOTEL
$$$$$
1819-20 Ton Duc Thang,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 1417
riversidehotelsg.com
This distinct French architectural wonder offers
complimentary Wi-Fi, airport
pickup or drop off, a 4th floor
ballroom, and authentic Vietnamese cuisine at the River
Restaurant.
SHERATON
$$$$$
88 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 2828
sheraton.com/saigon
Sheraton boasts one of
the best locations in town,
with firstclass facilities,
an openair restaurant 23
floors above the city and
a live music venue on the
same floor.
(08) 3829 9201

continentalhotel.com.vn
This charming old hotel has
been fted in literature and
in film. In the heart of Saigon,
this is the first choice to highlight Vietnamese culture.
Airport. With spectacular

city views and a comfortablydesigned outdoor swimming
pool, there is little reason not
to choose this shining star.
NORFOLK HOTEL
ROYAL HOTEL SAIGON
$$$
117 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 5368
norfolkhotel.com.vn
Intimate atmosphere and excellent service, this boutique
business hotel is located
minutes from famous landmarks, designer shops, and
is renowned for its fabulous
steaks at its in-house restaurant, Corso.
NOVOTEL SAIGON CENTRE
$$$
167 Hai Ba Trung, Q3, Tel:
(08) 3822 4866
novotel-saigon-centre.com
Novotel Saigon Centre has
a contemporary feel, an
international buffet The
Square a rooftop bar, and
a wellness centre including a
swimming pool, gym, sauna
and spa.
STAR CITY SAIGON HOTEL
$$$
144 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu
Nhuan, Tel: (08) 3999 8888
starcitysaigon.vn
The newly-built hotel is near
Tan Son Nhat International
HCMC - MID-RANGE
$$
3822 5914
kimdohotel.com
that overlook the bank of

the Saigon River, this is truly
someplace special.
THE ALCOVE LIBRARY HOTEL
$$$
133A Nguyen Dinh Chinh,
Phu Nhuan, Tel: 08 6256
9966
alcovehotel.com.vn
HCMC - BUDGET
EMM HOTEL
DUC VUONG HOTEL
157 Pasteur, Q3
A sleek, contemporary threestar hotel that mixes vintage
appeal and modern chic
thanks to a subdued palette
of white and grey around two
pop colours: azalea pink
and green hot pepper. Part
of the Thien Minh Group that
includes Victoria Hotels and
Buffalo Tours.
$
195 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3920 6992
ducvuonghotel.com
Free WiFi offered in every
room. Low prices, friendly
staff, clean rooms. This modern oasis is only a few steps
from the backpackers area.
LAN LAN HOTEL 1 AND 2
$$$
46 and 73-75 Thu Khoa
Huan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
7926
lanlanhotel.com.vn
THAO DIEN VILLAGE
$$
195 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2,
Tel: (08) 3744 2222
thaodienvillage.com
A colonialstyle hotel and
spa offers fine Italian, Thai
and Japanese dining. Manicured gardens and a view
DUNA HOTEL
$
167 Pham Ngu Lao Q1, Tel:
(08) 3837 3699
dunahotel.com
HONG HOA HOTEL
$
185/28 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3836 1915
honghoavn.com
SINH HUONG HOTEL
$
157 Nguyen Du Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 4648
sinhhuonghotel.com.vn
Josephs Hotel
Foreign-run,boutique hotel
Next to the cathedral
SOFITEL SAIGON PLAZA
$$$$
17 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 1555
sofitel.com
This 20story building in
downtown Saigon, caters
to upscale business and
leisure travelers seeking a
classic yet contemporary
stay in Saigon.
WINDSOR PLAZA
$$$
18 An Duong Vuong, Q5, Tel:
(08) 3833 6688
windsorplazahotel.com
The full ensemble with its
own shopping hub (including
a bank), fine dining, a sauna,
health club, and superb
panoramic views of the cityscape. Also hosts the largest
Oktoberfest in the region.
HCMC - DELUXE
CONTINENTAL
$$$
132-134 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel:
Free wi-fi, international breakfast,

spacious and airy, lift, plasma TV,
multi-shower, friendly service
www.josephshotel.com
5, Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi | Phone: 04 3938 1048 | Mob: 0913 090 446
DESTINATION ZERO
LA RSIDENCE
ue 1930. The mansion at 5 Le Loi

opened as an addition to the residence
of the colonial French Resident
Superiore. This period was the
hey-day of the Art Deco school of design. No
corner of the globe was beyond the bounds of
this particular movement.
So reads the periodical we pick up at
the entrance, just inside the main room
of the mansion of the former governor of
Annam aka, Central Vietnam. Beyond,
there is a wooden bar with a pleasant
curve to it, Hibiki and Hendricks on the
back bar.
We walk past portraits of colonial
types perched over fancy cars, animal
skins draped over their bedposts. Past a
shop selling locally-sourced crafts with a
contemporary edge, where my father will
later buy VND4 million worth of jewellery.
Up the slightly convex stairs to a tidy
double room, whose glass doors lead out

to a vast shared patio, the Perfume River
curving underneath.
Its the week after Tet in Hues fanciest
hotel, and everywhere people seem to be
breathing a sigh of relief.
Echoes of the Past

La Rsidence has some history, this you
can see down every corridor you walk.
The design strikes a balance between the
colonial echoes of the buildings beginnings
and the modern city its anchored since
2005.
While the rooms are named after colonial
luminaries, the business centre is decorated
with portraits of the rulers of the imperial
age. And the meticulous staff is largely
made of Hue natives, whose commitment to
the city is evident in their care and humour.
The modern city in which La Rsidence
is located takes cues from all of these

influences, and is increasingly fulfilling that
promise.
During our second night, we see an edge
of that new city. With La Rsidences PR
liaison Lan leading the way, we take a coffee
by the newly pedestrianised riverfront.
The lack of traffic hum fits in with the
relaxed vibe weve been carrying with us
throughout our visit.
The next morning we take the same
tranquil breakfast we took the day before,
on the outdoor patio facing the Perfume
River. Later, I take a book down to the
near-Olympic-sized, salt-water swimming
pool, trying to get this relaxed feeling into
my bones. Its all around the hotel, its aura
as thick as the imperial city we walked
through the day before. Ed Weinberg
Check out La Rsidence Hotel & Spa at laresidence-hue.com
travel
travel
HOI AN & DANANG
AN BANG BEACH RETREAT
An Bang Beach, Hoi An
www.anbangbeachretreat.
com
CUA DAI
$
544, Cua Dai, Hoi An, Tel:
(0510) 386 2231
hotelcuadai-hoian.com/
DANANG BEACH RESORT
$$$
Truong Sa, Hoa Hai, Ngu
Hanh Son, Danang, Tel:
(0511) 396 1800
danangbeachresort.com.vn
FURAMA RESORT AND SPA
$$$$
Vo Nguyen Giap, Khue My,
Ngu Hanh Son, Danang, Tel:
(0511) 384 7888
furamavietnam.com
Looking for something? Missed a previous issue? Find it all online at www.wordvietnam.com. Only a click away.
THE NAM HAI
$$$$
Hamlet 1, Dien Duong Village,
Quang Nam, Tel: (0510) 394
0000
ghmhotels.com
Includes three massive
swimming pools, a gourmet restaurant and elegant
spa on a lotus pond. Each
massive room has its own
espresso machine, pre
programmed iPod and both
indoor and outdoor showers.
VICTORIA HOI AN BEACH RESORT

AND SPA
Cua Dai Beach, Tel: (0510)
392 7040
victoriahotels.asia
HUE & LANG CO

ANGSANA LANG CO
$$$$
Hoa Hai, Ngu Hanh Son, Da
Nang, Tel: (0511) 398 1234
danang.regency.hyatt.com
The Hyatt Regency Danang
Resort and Spa is beachfront
with a stunning view of the
Marble Mountains. There
are 182 luxurious residences and 27 private ocean villas, each with a private pool.
$$$$
Cu Du Village, Loc Vinh Commune, Phu Loc, Thua Thien
Hue, Tel: (054) 369 5800
angsana.com/en/lang_co
Located on Vietnams South
Central Coast, Angsana Lang
Co commands an unrivalled
beach frontage of the shimmering East Sea. Traditional
Vietnamese design encompasses the resorts contemporary buildings and chic
interiors.
LE DOMAINE DE TAM HAI
BANYAN TREE LANG CO
HYATT REGENCY DANANG RESORT AND SPA
$$$
Tam Hai Island, Thon 4, Nui
Thanh, Quang Nam, Tel:
(0510) 354 5105
domainedetamhai.com
LIFE RESORT HOI AN
$$$
1 Pham Hong Thai, Hoi An,
Tel: (0510) 391 4555
life-resorts.com
MERCURE DANANG
$$$
Lot A1 Zone Green Island,
Hoa Cuong Bac, Hai Chau,
Danang, Tel: (0511) 379
7777
mercure-danang.com
$$$$
Cu Du Village, Loc Vinh Commune, Phu Loc, Thua Thien,
Hue, Tel: (054) 369 5888
banyantree.com/en/
lang_co
Built on a crescent bay, The
Banyan Tree offers privacy
and unparalleled exclusivity
with all-pool villas reflecting
the cultural and historical
legacy of past Vietnamese
dynastic periods.
LA RESIDENCE
$$$$
5 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: (054) 383
7475
laresidencehue.com
PHUONG HOANG HOTEL

PULLMAN DANANG BEACH RESORT
$$$$
Vo Nguyen Giap, Khue My,
Ngu Hanh Son, Danang
Tel: (0511) 395 8888
pullman-danang.com
Located on the stunning
white sands of Bac My An
Beach, the stylish Pullman
Danang Beach Resort is
an oasis of activities and
facilities for the modern
traveller. With an idyllic setting, this luxury property is
perfect for a family holiday
or romantic beach getaway.
And with extensive function
facilities, Pullman Danang
also provides the a great location for your next incentive
getaway or event.
$
66 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: (054) 382
6736
hoangphuonghotel.com
NHA TRANG
EVASON ANA MANDARA AND SIX
SENSES SPA
$$$$
Beachside Tran Phu, Nha
Trang, Khanh Hoa, Tel: (058)
352 2222
sixsenses.com/evasonresorts/ana-mandara/
destination
2.6 hectares of private
beachside gardens and
villastyle accommodation
furnished in traditional native woods, this resort offers verandah dining, a pool
bar and the signature Six
Senses Spa.
JUNGLE BEACH RESORT
$
Ninh Phuoc, Ninh Hoa, Khanh
Hoa, Tel: (058) 362 2384
junglebeachvietnam.com
On a secluded promontory north of Nha Trang, this
budget place is all about
hammocks, the sea, the jungle and nature.
MIA RESORT NHA TRANG
$$$$
Bai Dong, Cam Hai Dong,
Cam Lam, Khanh Hoa, Tel:
(058) 398 9666
mianhatrang.com
NOVOTEL NHA TRANG
$$$
50 Tran Phu, Nha Trang, Tel:
(058) 625 6900
novotel-nhatrang.com
This four-star hotel with
154 guestrooms, all with
a terrace and sea view.
Complete with a pool, spa,
restaurant, bar and meeting room that caters for up
to 200 delegates.
SIX SENSES HIDEAWAY NINH

VAN BAY
$$$$
Ninh Van Bay, Ninh Hoa,
Khanh Hoa, Tel: (058) 372
8222
sixsenses.com/resorts/
ninh-van-bay/destination
The upmarket Tatler magazine voted top hotel of 2006.
The location is stunning, on a
bay accessible only by boat.
SHERATON NHA TRANG HOTEL

AND SPA
$$$$
26 28 Tran Phu, Tel: (058)
388 0000
sheraton.com/nhatrang
SUNRISE BEACH HOTEL AND SPA
$$$
1214 Tran Phu, Nha Trang,
Tel: (058) 382 0999
sunrisenhatrang.com.vn
PHAN THIET & MUI NE

NINH CHU BAY BEACH CLUB &
BAR
Hwy 702, Ninh Hai, Phan
Rang, Ninh Thuan, Tel: (068)
627 2727
ninhchubay.com
Enjoy the private beach with
excellent facilities and have a
massage. Evenings are sublime at this beach club, soon
to become a fully fledged
resort. Grilled seafood, European sausages, sangria,
draught beer, and specialityinfused vodka all make this
one of a kind destination.
PHAN THIET & MUI NE

ALLEZ BOO BEACH RESORT AND
SPA
$$$$
8 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui
Ne, Phan Thiet, Tel: (062)
374 3777
allezboo.com
This resort offers exotic
Balistyle, thatched roof

honeymoon villas, 55 spacious suites, deluxe rooms,
fresh seafood, Vietnamese
cuisine, Thai and international cuisine, kite surfing
and parasailing.
BLUE OCEAN RESORT
$$$$
384 7322
blueoceanresort.com.vn
life-resorts.com
COCO BEACH
$$$$
384 7111
cocobeach.net
With charming wooden
bungalows, a private beach,
a swimming pool (both with
attached bars) and a French
restaurant, Coco Beach continues to be run by those who
opened it in 1995.
MIA RESORT MUI NE
$$$
Ne, Tel: (062) 384 7440
miamuine.com
PRINCESS DANNAM RESORT

AND SPA
$$$$
Khu Hon Lan, Xa Tan Thanh,
Ham Thuan Nam, Binh Thuan, Tel: (062) 368 2222
princessannam.com
VICTORIA PHAN THIET RESORT

AND SPA
$$$$
Mui Ne Beach, Phan Thiet,
Tel: (062) 381 3000
victoriahotels.asia
Another beachfront Victoria
chain, the thatchedroof
bungalows and family villas
are set in exotic gardens
with an infinity swimming
pool, a seafood restaurant, spa, beauty salon and
jacuzzi.
PHONG NHA
EASY TIGER AND JUNGLE BAR
$
Son Trach, Bo Trach, Quang
Binh, Tel: (052) 367 7844
easytigerphongnha@gmail.
com
A hostel and street-front bar
all in one. Has a pleasant,
airy atmosphere in the bar
and restaurant area while
the 52 dorm beds four
beds to a room go for
US$8 (VND168,000) each a
night.
HO KHANH'S HOMESTAY
$$
Binh, Tel: 01299 597182
phong-nha-homestay.com
PHONG NHA FARMSTAY
$$
Hoa Son, Cu Nam, Bo Trach,
Quang Binh, Tel: (052) 367
5135
phong-nha-cave.com
The first western-run farmstay in Phong Nha, this wellappointed travellers joint has
a great bar and restaurant
area, a swimming pool out
back and views overlooking
paddy fields and mountains.
Rooms start at VND600,000
for a twin or double, with a
family room for five costing
VND1.4 million a night.
SAIGON - PHONG NHA
$$$
Binh, Tel: (052) 367 7016
sgphongnhahotel@yahoo.
com.vn
PHU QUOC
BEACH CLUB RESORT
$$
Ap Cua Lap, Xa Duong To,
Long Beach, Phu Quoc Island, Tel: (077) 398 0998
beachclubvietnam.com
A quaint and popular island
guesthouse featuring a
beachside restaurant, and
includes free Wi-Fi. Motorbike rental, boat trips and
tours are easily arranged.
Discount rates during rainy
season.
CHEN SEA RESORT AND SPA
$$$$
Bai Xep, Ong Lang, Cua
Duong, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang,
Tel: (077) 399 5895
centarahotelsresorts.com
MANGO BAY
$$
Ong Lang Beach, Phu Quoc,
Tel: 0903 382207
mangobayphuquoc.com
An ecofriendly approach
with a gorgeous beachside
location, the bungalows are
made of rammed earth, no
TVs or telephones (although
Wi-Fi is available). Excellent
sunsets from the beach bar.
SALINDA PHU QUOC ISLAND,

RESORT AND SPA
Cua Lap Hamlet, Duong To
Commune, Phu Quoc, Tel:
(077) 399 0011
salindaresort.com
A five-star luxury beach
resort, hotel and spa right
on the beach of Phu Quoc
island in the peaceful town
of Duong To, just 4km from
the international airport of
Phu Quoc.
SAPA
CAT CAT VIEW HOTEL
$$
Cat Cat Road, Tel: 0203
871946
catcathotel.com
The best view in town from its
bar restaurant, the Cat Cat
Guesthouse is paradise at
very reasonable rates. The
rooms have big windows,
balconies, and log fireplaces.
TOPAS ECOLODGE
$$$
Thanh Kim, Sapa, Lao Cai
Tel: (04) 3715 1005 (Sales)
topasecolodge.com
With its panoramic views of
the surrounding mountains
and valley, Topas Ecolodge
is the perfect place to experience the remoteness and
quiet of the Northern Vietnamese mountains the
landscape, the fresh air and
the ethnic peoples. Guests
stay in private bungalows
with dinner served in a local
stilt house restaurant.
TOPAS ECOLODGE
$$
24 Muong Hoa, Sapa, Tel:
0203 872404
topasecolodge.com
For the environmentally
conscientious, 25 individual
lodges rest on hills overlooking valleys. Employing solar
technology and a wastewater facility, the Topas also
organises treks and bicycle
tours.
VUNG TAU & HO TRAM

BINH AN VILLAGE
$$$$
1 Tran Phu, Vung Tau, Tel:
(064) 335 1553
binhanvillage.com
CON DAO RESORT
$$
Nguyen Duc Thuan, Con
Dao, Vung Tau, Tel: (064)
383 0939
condaoresort.vn
HO TRAM BEACH RESORT AND

SPA
$$$$
Tel: (064) 378 1525
hotramresort.com
This attractive property is
the ideal getaway from Ho
Chi Minh City. 63 uniquely
bungalows and villas promise a local experience complete with an excellent spa
and two swimming pools.
HO TRAM SANCTUARY
$$$$
Ho Tram, Ba Ria-Vung Tau,
Tel: (064) 378 1631
sanctuary.com.vn
The spacious villas come
with their own pool and have
direct access to the beach.
Extras include tennis courts,
a mini supermarket, and cycling and motorbike tours.
REX HOTEL
$$
1 Le Quy Don, Vung Tau, Tel:
(064) 385 2135
rexhotelvungtau.com
SIX SENSES CON DAO
$$$$
Dat Doc Beach, Ba Ria-Vung
Tau, Tel: (064) 383 1222
sixsenses.com/SixSensesConDao
travel
THE GRAND-HO TRAM STRIP
Phuoc Thuan Commune,
Xuyen Moc, Ba Ria-Vung
Tau, Tel: (064) 378 8888
thegrandhotramstrip.com
The Grand - Ho Tram Strip
is Vietnams first large
scale integrated resort and
ultimately will include a
1,100-room five-star hotel,
a world-class casino, restaurants, high-tech meeting
space, an exclusive VIP area,
as well as a variety of beachfront recreation activities.
The first 541-room tower
of this development opened
in July 2013 with its casino
including 90 live tables and
614 electronic game positions. The second 559-room
tower is on track to open in
2015.
TRAVEL SERVICES HANOI

BUFFALO TOURS AGENCY (BTA)
94 Ma May, Hoan Kiem Dist.,
Ha Noi, Tel: (04) 3828 0702
travelagency.hn@buffalotours.com
www.buffalotours.com.vn
A boutique Travel Agency at
the service of all Vietnamese
and expatriate residents
in Vietnam offering easy,
hassle-free travel around
the world and in Vietnam,
with the highest standards
of customer care. This
premium Travel Agency
has been created to help
travelers select their destinations and organize their
trips, take care of the timeconsuming procedures and
ensure that all journeys are
enjoyable and successful.
BTA customizes leisure and
corporate travel plans while
offering a selected range of
small group tours.
EXO TRAVEL
66A Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi,
Tel: (04) 3828 2150
exotravel.com
A one-stop, all-in-one travel
agency with an extensive
operational track record in
the Indochina region and
beyond. Providing up-market
services, Exotissimo brings
their clients close to culture
through personalised tours.
Also find travel desks at the

Hilton, Sofitel Plaza and Intercontinental hotels, which
are open on weekends and
holidays.
HANDSPAN TRAVEL
78 Ma May, Hanoi, Tel: (04)
3926 2828
www.handspan.com
Established in 1997, Handspan provides customers
with safe, high quality, diverse, small-group adventure tours to both popular
and isolated locations in
Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Has a focus on off-thebeaten-track sustainable
and responsible tourism
initiatives. Also provides to
excursions to more wellworn destinations.
HG TRAVEL
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3944 8844
www.hgtravel.com
Travel company specialising
in small-group tours around
Vietnam and further afield in
Indochina. Is also the sole
representative agent for
Kenya Airways (for 40 cities
in Africa www.kenya-airways.com), American Airlines
(www.aa.com) and Turkish
Airlines (www.thy.com).
INDOCHINA LAND
61 Cua Bac, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3715 2852
www.indochina-land.com
Indochina Land is a French
local travel agency for
expatriates and tourists
who want to see northern
Vietnam in a personal and
tailored way. Think small
knowledgeable teams of
Vietnamese and French
who share their passion for
discovery during varied itineraries, usually focused on
freedom, family, health trips
and classic home stays. They
will show you around Ha Giang, too.
INTREPID TRAVEL VIETNAM

57A Nguyen Khac Hieu, Ba
Dinh, Tel: 0904 193308
www.intrepidtravel.com/
vietnamsales
Intrepid Travel Vietnam is
an international travel company operating in Vietnam
since 1992, offering innovative day tours, short breaks
and small group adventures.
With expert guides and guaranteed departures, Intrepid
focuses on real life experiences in Ho Chi Minh City,
Hanoi, Mekong Delta, Halong
Bay, Sapa and beyond to get
you up close to Vietnams
people, cuisine, history and
culture.
SYRENA CRUISES
51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3719 7214
www.syrenacruises.com
If youre thirsty for a Halong Bay experience while
enjoying luxury comfort,
Syrena Cruises could be the
quencher youre looking for.
Forget drinking games and
backpackers by relaxing on
one of the two wooden boats
from the fleet. Alone, as a
couple or with a group, 34
luxurious cabins and suites
are all ready for action. All
you have to do is decide on
how long you want to holiday for.
TRAVEL SENSE ASIA

Suite 8, 2nd Floor, 103 Nguyen Truong To, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
Tel: (04) 3715 3977
kien@travelsense.asia
A homegrown travel agency providing small group
journeys and tailor-made
holidays to Vietnam, Laos,
Cambodia, Myanmar and
Thailand. Voted in Trip Advisors Top 10 of best tours in
Hanoi since 2010.
travel to small group tours,

explore the world or Vietnam.
CHUDU24 HOTEL BOOKING

SERVICE
12th floor, 242 Cong Quynh,
District 1, HCMC
Call center: 1900 5454 40
www.en.chudu24.com
info.en@chudu24.com
Chudu24.com - the locally
famous Vietnam hotel booking website now has an English version. The company is
known for having the best
prices and reliable service.
If you are looking for great
local deals and insightful advice then visit Chudu24.com.
It has been the #1 Vietnam
hotel booking service for Vietnamese people since 2008.
EXO TRAVEL
41, Thao Dien, Q2. Tel (08)
3519 4111, Ext. 15/17/19
exotravel.com
A reliable and experienced
travel company operating
through Southeast Asia,
Exotissimo brings you personalized tours across the
region, many including insights into culinary customs,
handicrafts and humanitarian initiatives.
Flight travel services, including global travel management, domestic and international air booking and travel
insurance, to corporate
companies, family and individual travelers.
GINKGO VOYAGE
1st Floor, 130 Nguyen Cong
Tru, Q1, HCMC
Tel: (08) 3914 3344
ginkgovoyage.com
Offers a full range of quality travel services to both
domestic and international
travellers, including private
and customized tours, small
group tours, hotels bookings
as well as corporate travel
/ MICE solutions in Vietnam
and further. Email info@
ginkgovoyage.com for info.
TERRAVERDE
12/20 Nguyen Canh Di,
Ward 4, Tan Binh District,
Tel: (08) 3984 4754
terraverdetravel.com
If you like cycling through
the Mekong Delta, trekking
in the highlands, or lazing in
a junk on Ha Long Bay all
while making a difference in
peoples lives then this
company will suit you well.
FLIGHT TRAVEL COMPANY
VIETNAM VESPA ADVENTURE

(08) 3824 7744
flightravelco.com
169A De Tham, Q1, Tel:

01222 993585
vietnamvespaadventure.
com
Vespa Adventure offers
multiday tours of southern
and coastal Vietnam on the
back of a luxury motorbike
powered by clean, renewable biodiesel. Englishspeaking tour guides lead
the way.
TRAVEL SERVICES ELSEWHERE

BACK OF THE BIKE TOURS
Tel: (08) 6298 5659
backofthebiketours.com
Offer motorbike tours combined with the finest street
food to give customers a
truly immersive Vietnamese
experience.
BEENINASIA.COM
www.beeninasia.com
info@beeninasia.com
Online travel in Southeast
Asia. Offers you selection of
best hotels and great tours.
Create your own trip or we
can tailor make your itinerary.
MANTA SAIL TRAINING CENTRE

108 Huynh Thuc Khang, Mui
Ne, Tel: 0908 400108
mantasailing.org
TU TRAVEL
60 Hai Ba Trung, Can Tho
City, Tel: 0713 752436
tutrangtravel-mekongfeeling.vn
TRAVEL SERVICES HCMC

BUFFALO TOURS AGENCY
70-72 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem,
Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3828 0702;
157 Pasteur, Q3, Ho Chi
Minh City, Tel: (08) 3827
9170
www.buffalotours.com
This premium travel agency
helps travelers select their
destinations and organize
their trips. From corporate
THE MOTORBIKE DIARIES

PART 1: NOSTALGIA
Filmmaker and long-time Hanoi expat Matt Dworzanczyk recently packed up his life
and set off on a solo motorbike trip across the world
DAY 1
See you again, Hanoi
Left Hanoi in bad cold and wet slush, driving
down stinky Minh Khai. Cant remember the
last time before today I ever struggled with
saying goodbye. Yet despite the countless times Ive said, No way can I stand yet
another winter in Hanoi! now, as my adopted
hometown disappears behind me, every bone
in my body hurts for me to just stay. And
for the first time in well, long, I dont even
mind the slow traffic. It gives me time to rewind and play back both the great adventures
and seemingly insignificant yet still dear moments of my past six years: Oh, theres the tiny
bun cha joint with the big outdoor stove that I used
to go to! and Ah, next what!? I miss Roots Bar
and their Cinnamon Attacks, off of the old menu
nobody else knew about! and Theres the (now
luxury) sky-rise a friend and I broke into some
years ago, just to have a Slumdog-Millionaire-
style moment, looking down at the city from the

top of (at the time) a major construction site!
I think back on the madness around
Hoan Kiem during the 1,000-years of Hanoi
celebrations; I think of my dear Minsk, of
all the nem and banh chung around Tet (not
so much the tiet canh, though!), of all those
crazy events, the unique films Ive made
here, of all the innocent kitschiness, of all
the illogical things the locals do that we
long-term expats simply stopped seeking
sense in. I think of all the great friends I
have here oh I just left the city.
Im excited for my travels, but as I leave,
its nostalgia and a simple love for Hanoi
that overshadows all else.
DAY 3
Dien Bien Phu
Got to Dien Bien Phu pretty smoothly/
pretty quick! Nemo did well! Ah, yes, my
bikes name is Nemo (for the old Nintendo

game, not the silly fish). And yes, its a he
and theres not a feminine thing about
him!
I took classes on Vietnams history in
college, but my memories are rusty. Still,
my knowledge seems superior to the
info provided in the less-than-impressive
history museum (although the building
looks cool). It took Wikipedia to make
sense of the photos posted around
the otherwise pretty empty room. Oh,
wait did they copy those photos off of
Wikipedia, too?
DAY 6
Going to Lao! Not going to Lao
So the smart-arse at the border wont let me
leave Vietnam with my motorbike Uh
460km till the next border crossing I can
try
travel
DAY 8
The Convincing Powers of US$30
Took a shortcut. Regretted it soon after.
Made up a song:
Theres so many rocks,
Theres so many holes,
Does spraying water
Really help at all?
But where is the road?
Where is the road?!
There is no f****** road!!!
Flat tyre. Uh. I got an hour till the border
closes. No time to change. I just pump it up
every 5km until I get to Lao, Ill worry after.
They let me through!
I want to feel proud of making it so far,
but Im beyond exhausted Beer Lao and
off to sleep.
For more on Matts films and travels, check
out the Etherium Sky production blog at
etheriumsky.com/prodblog
Hanoi
BAR STOOL // RECALLING HANOI // COFFEE CUP // TOP EATS // FOOD PROMOS // THE
ALCHEMIST // THE THERAPIST // MEDICAL BUFF // BOOK BUFF
PHOTO BY JULIE VOLA
hanoi
business
BUSINESS GROUPS / CORPORATE SERVICES / INSURANCE / INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS / LANGUAGE SCHOOLS /

MANAGEMENT TRAINING / MARKET RESEARCH / RELOCATION & TRACKING AGENTS / SERVICED APARTMENTS
BUSINESS GROUPS
ICHAM
Sofitel Plaza, Ground floor, 1
Thanh nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3715 2229
icham.org
The Chamber has the main
purpose of undertaking activities to support commercial exchanges with Italy and
to assist economic agents,
as well as to foster the developmew nt of economic
relations and cooperation
among entrepreneurs of
the various countries. The
Chamber will not engage in
commercial activities with
the aim of producing profits.
CCIFV
Sofitel Plaza, No 1 Thanh
Nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3715
2229
ccifv.org
A business group with over
240 members that supports the French business
community in Vietnam by
listening to their members
needs and expectations. Also
promotes Vietnam to French
companies and helps them in
developing their businesses
here.
EUROCHAM
G/F, Sofitel Plaza Hanoi, 1
Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3715 2228
eurochamvn.org
A confederate organisation
with strong ties to national
business associations in its
member countries, Eurocham looks after and provides advice and support
for the business interests of
European Union members in
Vietnam.
INDOCHINA RESEARCH LTD
MARKET RESEARCH
xavier@indochinaresearch.
com
indochinaresearch.com
Active in Vietnam for more
than 20 years, Indochina
Research has the capacity to
run large research projects
in the country, for commercial and social purposes.
CORPORATE SERVICES
ENDO
79, Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3783 2085
endo.vn
Endo offers garment manu-
facturing for local resorts,

restaurants, hotels, golf
courses, travel agencies
and apparel shops. They
also manufacture giftware
from polos and hoodies to
keychains, card holders and
menu covers.
INSURANCE
IF CONSULTING
CCIFV/Eurocham, Sofitel
Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh,
Tel: (04) 3936 5370
Emergency: 0903 732365
insuranceinvietnam.com
Specialises in medical, employee benefits and personal
lines insurance advice to expatriates. The company has
been operational in Vietnam
since 1994 and offers free
advice and comparative
quotes.
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
BRITISH INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL, HANOI
Hoa Lan Road, Vinhomes
Riverside, Long Bien, Hanoi
Tel: 04 3946 0435
www.bishanoi.com
The British International
School (BIS) Hanoi, is a selective, independent, co-educational day school. It provides
a British style education for
an international student
body operating from a modern purpose-built campus
in the vibrant and cultured
city of Hanoi. The National
Curriculum for England, International General Certificate of Secondary Education
(IGCSE) and Advanced Level
(A Level) are taught to English speaking students from
Pre-School to Year 13. The
International Baccalaureate
(IB) Diploma will, pending IB
authorization, be offered
from 2016 onwards.
CONCORDIA INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL HANOI
CMC Building, Duy Tan, Cau
Giay, Tel: (04) 3795 8878
concordiahanoi.org
International brand, Concordia, has highly performing
schools in both Hong Kong
and Shanghai at the top tier
of the educational system.
All instructors and teachers
are native English speakers
and admission applications
are accepted throughout
the year.
ETONHOUSE INTERNATIONAL
KINDERGARTEN HANOI
3rd floor, Tower A, Keangnam Landmark, DinhNghe,
Me Tri. Tel: 0965 588888
etonhouse.edu.vn
Thanks to a unique curriculum used in over 100
schools, a stimulating and
motivating environment, and
a child-centred approach,
children at Eton House make
rapid progress and achieve
their maximum potential.
Classes offeredfor students
aged 18 months to 6 years
and there isan Open Door
Policy at all times.
HANOI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

48 Lieu Giai , Ba Dinh
hisvietnam.com
With schooling available for
students studying at the elementary through to secondary levels of education, HIS is
one of the few private, international education options
in the capital. The institution
offers Cambridge IGCSE and
IB Diploma for students at
the secondary level. Located
near the Japanese Embassy.
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF
VIETNAM
6-7 Nguyen Cong Thai, Dai
Kim Urban Area, Dinh Cong,
Hoang Mai, Tel: 3540 9183
www.isvietnam.org
The International School of
Vietnam (ISV) is a not-forprofit, Pre-Kindergarten to
Grade 12 school serving the
international and local community of Hanoi. ISV accepts
students of any nationality
aged 3 and up. ISV offers
an international education
experience. Highly qualified
and experienced international educators are supported by a 21st-century
campus with the latest in
educational technology
plus excellent resources
for learning. Class sizes are
small.
kinderworld.net
Classes are kept small with
a foreign teacher leading the
class with the assistance of a
Vietnamese teacher according to the teacher-student
ratio. KinderWorld provides
pre school education for
children from 18 months to
below 6 years.
QSI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF

HANOI
#17 Lane, 67 To Ngoc Van,
Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 6418
hanoi.qsi.org
With nearly four decades of
experience in international
education, QSI International
School of Hanoi is next in the
long line of quality schools
that have been established
by the Quality Schools International. The institution
specialises in instructing
pre-school and lower elementary age students.
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL (SIS)
2D Van Phuc Diplomatic
Compound, 46 Van Bao, Ba
Dinh, Tel: 3726 1601; Block
C3, Ciputra, Tay Ho, Tel:
3758 2664; Dilmah Building, Duy Tan, Cau Giay, Tel:
3795 1036
www,kinderworld.net/sis
SIS provides international
education for students from
Primary up to University
Foundation Programme. A
strong curriculum combines
the best aspects of the Singaporean, Australian and
Vietnamese curricula, all
taught by qualified teachers.
Runs various co-curricula
activities and prepares
students for internationally
recognised qualifications:
iPSLE, Cambridge IGCSE &
AS/A Level, GAC
Unit 9 10, Shophouse

CT17, Ciputra, Tel: (04) 3743
0360
3rd Floor, 49 Hai Ba Trung,
Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3934
7243
C5-C11, 1st Floor, The Manor Building, My Dinh, Me Tri
New Urban, Tu Liem District,
Tel: +84 4 3794 0209
APOLLO
67 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: (04) 3943 2051
Apollo.edu.vn
Established in 1994, Apollo
offers high-quality and costeffective English language
classes including general
English, English for teens,
English for business communication and a pronunciation
clinic. One of the countrys
RELOCATION & TRACKING AGENTS
BRITISH COUNCIL
20 Thuy Khue, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3728 1922
britishcouncil.org
The cultural arm of the British governments presence
in Vietnam, the BC offers a
variety of English language
courses business writing, corporate training and
general English in a large
learning centre close to West
Lake.
AGS FOUR WINDS

41A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3938 8762
agsfourwinds.com
A global leader in international removals and relocations, with 130 offices
globally, we can move your
property to and from any
location.
LANGUAGE LINK VIETNAM

62 Yen Phu, Hanoi, Tel: (04)
3927 3399
languagelink.edu.vn
With four schools around
Hanoi, Language Link runs
international English language courses endorsed by
Cambridge University. One of
the top language centres in
the capital.
MANAGEMENT TRAINING
RMIT
Hanoi Resco Building, 521
Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3726 1460
rmit.edu.vn
A leading international provider of skills training and
professional staff development, RMIT offers both short
and long-term courses,
customised courses, and
can provide for either on or
off-campus clients. Known
for its Business MBA which
is open to both Vietnamese
and overseas students.
ALLIED PICKFORDS
Room 302, 12A Ho Xuan
Huong, Tel: (04) 3943 1511
vn.alliedpickfords.com
The international home
moving company helps
make the burden of moving
a lot easier. As the largest
home moving company in
the world, Allied Pickfords
moves over 1,000 families
in over 175 countries every
day. Available with a full
range of services domestic moves, office moves and
storage whether you are
moving within Vietnam or
across the world.
JVK INDOCHINA MOVERS

6 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04)3826 0334
jvkasia.com
Focused primarily on the international and local movement of household goods,
JVK is currently a leader in
the field. Has offices in both
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
SANTA FE RELOCATION SERVICES
MARKET RESEARCH
CIMIGO
LANGUAGE SCHOOLS
KINDERWORLD INTERNATIONAL
KINDERGARTEN
leading language centres.
142 Le Duan, Dong Da, Tel:

(04) 3518 6696
vietnam@cimigo.com
cimigolive.com
MARKET RESEARCH
com
Suite 821, Vietnam Trade Hotel, 14 Tran Binh Trong, Hoan

Kiem, Tel: (04) 3941 0805
santaferelo.com
With over 150 offices around
the world, Santa Fe offers
local and international moving, pet transportation, relocation services including
home search, orientation,
cultural training, immigration services and records
management. For more information email Vietnam@
santaferelo.com.
SERVICED APARTMENTS
ATLANTA RESIDENCES
49 Hang Chuoi, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: 0912 239085
hanoi
BAR STOOL
THE UNICORN BAR
Photos by Nick Ross
ike other loyal customers, I was

devastated by the loss of the Mojito
Bar a cocktail establishment
that burst onto the scene last year
and enlivened the streets behind Hang
Ga Mall. But, from the ashes rises the
unicorn, The Unicorn Pub, to be exact,
the latest venture spearheaded by wellknown Hanoi mixologist Pham Tien Tiep.
Positioned on the corner of Hang Than,
just off the bustling thoroughfare of Yen Phu,
the new digs offers three quirkily decorated
rooms to kick back and enjoy Tieps
flirtatious hospitality and excellent cocktails.
The Mojito Bar menu has been revamped
with the addition of some new signature
cocktails, such as the O Mai (VND120,000)
a delicious concoction of gin, apricot,
lime, apple pie, honey and ginger and
has retained old favourites, including Tieps
famous pho cocktail and flavoured mojitos.

Opening its doors last month, The Unicorn
Pub already has a steady roster of weekly
specials that will entice those looking to find
themselves a new, friendly neighbourhood
cocktail bar. The venue features VND50,000
mixed drinks on Wednesdays, live music on
Thursdays and VND250,000 cocktail jugs on
Saturdays, just to name a few.
Mannequins and Unicorns

The dcor is hip and fun. A headless
mannequin draped with multi-coloured
chiffon poses next to a mural of rainbow
unicorns galloping across the room. In
the back section, a giant LED sign of the
word FREE illuminates the surrounding
wooden tables and comfy booths. Funky
house tunes also add a cool and vibrant
feel to the place.
Sipping an O Mai at the counter, I

glance around the room and take in the
bars camp dcor and unicorn logo. The
week before, I had accidentally mistaken
The Unicorn for a gay bar while riding my
bike to work and lets be honest, the
addition of a thumping hip gay club would
really liven things up in Hanoi.
Buoyed by excitement, I put this theory
to Tiep, who responded with his trademark
coy smile. This is a place for anyone and
everyone to come have fun, be who they
are and be happy, he replied. Gay or not,
everybodys welcome.
Gay bar or not, we think this hip new
hangout is sure to be a hit with everyone.
And with delicious, reasonably priced
cocktails, stylish dcor, great music and
comfortable seating, this is surely a
formula for success. David Mann
hanoi
atlanta.com.vn
Atlanta Residences fully
serviced apartments have
been created to provide a
space where you can feel
at home. Within walking
distance from Hanois Opera
House and Hoan Kiem Lake,
this building offers a panel of
51 spacious apartments for
you to choose from. The serviced apartments here offer
the luxury of a hotel mixed
with the peaceful comfort
and privacy of your home,
under one roof of course.
FRASER SUITES HANOI

(04) 3719 8877
Located in the West Lake
area, Fraser Suites Hanoi
consists of 186 apartments, from studios to four
bedrooms, which meet any
lifestyle. With a calming and
warm interior feel, each
apartment features all the
latest amenities. 24-hour security surveillance provides
peace of mind.
SOMERSET GRAND HANOI

49, Hai Ba Trung, Ba Dinh,
Tel: (04) 3934 2342
somerset.com
Internationally-managed accommodation with personalised services and extensive
facilities. 185 fully furnished
apartments, car park, 24hour reception and central
location.
SPORTS GARMENTS
SCORE-TECH
44 Ngo 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho,
Tel: 01203 802832
A 100 percent foreigninvested company offering
personalised sport garments. Using the latest printing technology as well as a
design team from Barcelona,
Score-Tech controls the
whole production process
from producing fabrics and
sewing to printing. Big and
small orders of garments
produced for all sporting
needs.
Do you think you should be

listed on these pages? If so,
simply email us on
listings@wordvietnam.com
and well see what we can
do. We cant promise but
well try our best
old quarter
BARS & CLUBS / CAFES / CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES / CRAFTS & FURNITURE / EAT / FITNESS & YOGA /
GROCERIES & LIQUOR / HAIRDRESSERS & SALONS
BARS & CLUBS

CHEEKY QUARTER
LATE NIGHT LOCAL

1 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
01679 647254
8pm to late
Last building on the right
before Hang Buom, this
popular with the French
(and everyone else) watering hole is a classic. Has
the same Old Quarter vibe;
small, cosy and personal
with funky twists and an
awesome logo. Spread over
two floors with good tunes,
drinks specials and a foosball table, Cheeky is open till
late. Also does tasty paninis
into the early hours.
DRAGONFLY
DANCEHALL LOUNGE
15 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 4926 2177
11am to late
One of the better venues in
the Old Quarter for dancing
on the weekends. Although
crammed into a small space,
cheap drinks and a mix of
chart chits makes Dragonfly
the regular go-to for younger Vietnamese crowds, tourists and the foreign resident
looking to get up on the
dance floor. If you dont feel
like dancing, relax upstairs
with shisha and friends with
one of the two lounges on
the second floor. The sister
venue on Phung Hung has a
bigger menu and an earlier
opening hour (11am instead
of 6pm) but still keeps with
the shisha, pool table and
dance floor combo so popular on Hang Buom.
FATCAT BAR
DJ / LATE NIGHT JOINT

0986 495211
linkhanoi.com
4pm to late
Straddling Bia Hoi Corner
and the cobblestoned end
of Ta Hien, FatCat Bar is a
small establishment from the
minds behind the party and
event organisers, LinkHanoi.
The bar has tables filling the
first floor and spilling onto
the sidewalk as well as a
small loft area for lounging.
Nightly cocktail specials, reasonable bottles deals starting
at VND500,000 and a DJ on
the decks make up the mix.
FUNKY BUDDHA
ELECTRO LOUNGE
(04) 3292 7614
8pm to late
HAIR OF THE DOG
LATE NIGHT LOCAL / LOUNGE

32 Ma May, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
0947 893232
10am to late
HALF MAN HALF NOODLE
LATE DIVE BAR

62 Dao Duy Tu, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3926 1943
3pm to late
IRISH WOLFHOUND
IRISH PUB
4 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 2212 6821
irishwolfhoundpub.com
8am to 2am
The open-air watering hole
with seating on the pavement
is a great spot to enjoy a tall
dark stout or light pilsner at
anytime, day or night. What it
lacks in gaudy decorations,
it makes up for with a constant stream of regulars, occasional live Irish music and
billiards on the third floor.
Has a decent food menu and
even better pizzas.
LA BOMBA LATINA
LATIN BAR
46 Ngo Huyen, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: 0917 245155
LE PUB
BRITISH / INTERNATIONAL
RESTOBAR
25 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3926 2104
7am to midnight
Dark red walls and even
darker brown seating run
through the homely and
casual Le Pub, one of the few
bars in town with a regular
stream of clientele. A long
list of imported beer, Tiger
draft, a decent international
cum Vietnamese food menu,
happy hour specials and live
sport make up the comfortable mix. The venue also gets
involved in the local community through regular events.
MAOS RED LOUNGE
LATE-NIGHT GRUNGE BAR

(04) 3926 3104
MOJITO BAR
CONTEMPORARY COCKTAIL BAR

19 Nguyen Quang Bich, Hoan
Kiem
facebook.com/mojito.bar.
lounge
Decked out in wooden panelling and bare brick, this
tastefully designed watering
whole in the Old Quarter is
known for its prize-winning
bartender and excellent
cocktails
POLITE PUB
LONG BAR
5 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3825 0959
5pm to 2am
A bit musty and jaded, despite being one of the oldest
pubs in the city, this staple
watering hole on Bao Khanh
continues to be a hit. Probably the closest thing Hanoi
has to an authentic Englishstyle pub, Polite is frequented by a steady mix of locals
and expats who find solace
in the nightly conversations
at the long bar, billiards and
live football matches.
ROCKSTORE
LIVE MUSIC BAR
01653 336087
Hanoi's home-made, homegrown version of Hard Rock
Cafe without the stigma and
the expensive prices. Nightly
live music or DJing events
are coupled with creative
decor, a selection of Belgian
Beer and a food menu.
SPY BAR
HOLE IN THE WALL / IRISH

12A Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: 0932 373802
TEMPLE BAR
NIGHTCLUB / LATE-NIGHT BAR

Tel: (04) 6675 7908
TET BAR
LATE-NIGHT BAR
2a Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3926 3050
THE SPOT
LOUNGE BAR / TERRACE

(04) 3935 1874
8am to midnight
CAFES
JOMA
INTERNATIONAL CAFE
28 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem
joma.biz
Housed in a two-storey converted, colonial-era villa, the
concept of the third Joma is
the same as at its two other
cafes - fair-trade coffee, payas-you-order at the counter,
and a great selection of
sandwiches, bagels, salads,
cakes, ice-cream and tea.
JOMA BAKERY CAFE
COFFEE/BAKERY
222 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3747 3388
joma.biz
7am to 9pm
With two branches, Joma
has brought a little slice

of home to Hanoi for expatriates with a contemporary western feel to the
counter-style service and
atmosphere. The food is
all there too: breakfasts,
salads, soups, ice cream,
muffins, cakes, cereals and
bagels. Starting in Laos in
1996, Joma moved to Hanoi
in 2009. Joma contributes
2 percent of each sale to
charitable organisations.
KINH DO
PATISSERIE / SIMPLE CAFE

252 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3825 0216
7am to 8pm
MOCA CAFE
CAFE / INTERNATIONAL
14-16 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem.
(04) 3825 6334
8am to 10pm
Set in a deliciously attractive slightly run down colonial villa, the tourist friendly
location gives Moca a large
amount of guidebook-driven
clientele. But dont let this put
you off. The faded but charmingly run down Frenchstyled retro interior, good
WiFi and some of the best
coffee in town makes this
a great spot to while away
a couple of hours. The food
menu mixes Vietnamese fare
with sandwiches, western
and pan-Asian mains.
PUKU
INTERNATIONAL / CAFE
16-18 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3938 1745
Open 24 hours
This spacious spot on food
street is open around the
clock, offering Aussie-inspired comfort food along
with more eclectic Irish
nachos, cottage pies and
pan-Asian fare. Upstairs
is fit for social gatherings
and live music while the nosmoking downstairs space
is filled with people working
and socialising. Serves as
community centre, catering
both to ravenous backpackers whove just arrived off
the night train from Sapa and
locals looking to meet up.
THE CART
SANDWICH SHOP / CAF

10 Tho Xuong, Tel: (04) 3938
2513
thecartfood.com
7.30am to 5pm
Small a cozy caf hidden
on the quietest of Hanoian
streets. Serves and delivers
tasty baguettes, homemade
juices, quiches, pies, muffins and cakes. The delivery

service is quick and reliable,
which makes this lunchtime
favourite ideal for when you
need to eat at the desk.
THE HANOI SOCIAL CLUB
CAF / CONTEMPORARY EATERY

6 Hoi Vu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04)
3938 2117
8am to 11pm
Situated on one of the quieter Old Quarter streets
just off Hang Bong, The
Hanoi Social Club is a cozy
midsize caf/restaurant
where you can forget the
heat and bustle of Hanoi.
The atmosphere is relaxed
and you can imagine, for a
second, that youre sitting
in a European caf. The food
is fresh and internationally
inspired, and the design is
complimented by the work
of Tadiotos Nguyen Qui Duc.
To top it off, the coffee here is
said to be up there with the
best in the country.
CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

BOO SKATESHOP
SKATESHOP
84 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3923 1147
Booskateshop.com
CONTRABAND
CONTEMPORARY WESTERNSTYLE
23 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3928 9891
Launched in Hanoi in 2007,
Contraband targets young
hip working women. Garments are made from versatile fabrics that are comfortable to wear and easy to look
after making them ideal for
work and travel. New styles
are introduced each month
with limited production runs,
offering a sense of exclusivity.
LATELIER
WOMENS WEAR & ACCESSORIES

21 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3938 2419
ateliervietnam.com
The downtown store of this
well-known chic boutique.
Stocks womens wear,
leather bags, shoes and
handicrafts. Offers both
ready-to-wear and madeto-fit clothing.
METISEKO
ECO-CHIC / LIFESTYLE
71 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem.
metiseko.com
A lifestyle brand that started
out life in Hoi An, Metisekos
RECALLING HANOI
PART 12
andscape is entangled with history

and peoples lives. No matter
how young we are or what social
position we have, we all have
stories to tell.
The book I am working on, Recalling
Hanoi, is my vision of Hanoi, a tapestry
weaved out of portraits, peoples stories
and the urban landscape that hosts them.

I ask people living in the city to tell
me about a place in Hanoi that holds
memories. It can be about anything a
personal story intertwined with history; a
great event; everyday little stories that our
lives are made of. These stories, along with
the photographs of the storyteller and the
location provide depth.

Through this collection I am attempting
to create an intimate, multi-layered portrait
of this city through its collective memory.
The hope is that the audience will connect
to other peoples lives and also to their own
memories in an attempt to understand this
beautiful city.
very proud. On the way home he said he

had chosen a piece he wanted to keep for
himself; he described it perfectly. The piece
follows him everywhere and is still hanging
in his apartment today. Sometime later the
gallery closed down.
When my son was 16 years old, he would
often go out to a nightclub called Dragonfly.
It became a place I wasnt allowed to go
because it would be embarrassing for him
to be in the same bar as his old man.
I was out one night with Vietnamese
friends who decided we should go to
Dragonfly. I hoped my son would have

gone home by the time I arrived, and he
had. Two years later, while my son was
partying for his high school graduation,
we, the parents, went on a tour of all the
bars from which wed been exiled and I
found myself in Dragonfly again. Suddenly,
I realised that I was in the old Trang An
Gallery, the very place Id had my first
exhibition. It was a cool moment because
that place holds a lot of memories for me in
Hanoi and also played a part in my sons
teenage years.
Brian
Dragonfly
Location: Dragonfly
In 1997 my friend Natasha introduced me
to Trang An Gallery and they invited me to
show my work. As my first solo exhibition
in Hanoi, it was really important to me and
as the time got closer I got more excited and
nervous. As usual, two or three days before
the big day I started to panic, thinking it
might have all been a big mistake to agree
to do this. However, the exhibition was
well received. At the time my son was five
years old, and I remember his kindergarten
teacher came to the opening. He took her
around and showed her everything, he was
hanoi
BY JULIE VOLA
Ly Bich Ngoc
The New Road
Location: Xa Dan
I lived here from my birth until my 20th
birthday. My father was a soldier during
the war, driving trucks of fresh soldiers
to the front. At the end of the war, the
government offered him either a piece of
land or an apartment. My father chose
the land. It was 40sqm with a small lake
behind it. For many months my dad
unloaded trucks of sand, rocks and earth
into the lake to increase the size of the
land and this is how we came to have a
100sqm of land for our house and garden.
From my memories growing up, this

area used to be like the countryside: going
fishing at the lake nearby with my brother,
growing fruit trees in the garden, keeping
chickens and ducks. When I was a kid I
would climb on the trees in the garden
to pick fruit, we had a huge mango tree
and a guava tree. Our neighbour had a
large apple tree, so when they were away
I would climb over and steal apples, and
the neighbours kids would do the same
with our mangos.
In the past ten years this area has

changed dramatically. Ten years ago they
built a new street, Pham Ngoc Thach, for
which they had to destroy my house, and
then three years ago they built Xa Dan
Street.
This is the final excerpt from Julie Volas
work, Recalling Hanoi. For more information
email juls.vola@gmail.com
hanoi
COFFEE CUP
CAF DUY TRI
mid a growing litany of

modern coffee houses and
fancy-schmancy artisan cafes,
one of Vietnams first cafes is
still going strong. Caf Duy Tri, which
originally opened on Mai Hac De in
Hanoi's Hai Ba Trung District in 1936,
continues to be one of the most popular
coffee shops in the capital today.
The cafe remains family-run, managed
by Duy Tri and his wife Dang Thi Chin
who relocated the shop to Tay Ho in 2000
after taking the reigns from Duy Tris
father, armed serviceman Phan Duy Sen.
Now, with help from their daughter and
her husband, the pair welcomes visitors
from all over Hanoi (and the globe) who
flock to taste the familys 75-year-old
patented coffee recipe.
Its easy to see why this lovable familyrun cafe is so popular. The traditional,
multi-storey tube-house makes for a
cosy spot to while away the afternoon
with a good book, or to hang out with a
group of friends. The three levels provide
ample albeit low seating and more
importantly, a fascinating glimpse into the
familys history, whether its the black and
white photos depicting their involvement
in the war or portraits of their grandkids.
The Real Deal

When we visit, the tables are filled with
a mix of foreigners lazing by the window
and Vietnamese huddling around cups
of ca phe nau da. Tourists curiously plod
their way up the steps to the upper levels,
studying the pictures on the wall and
shaking hands with Duy Tri.
The most endearing feature of Caf Duy
Tri is that there is no pretense about it, just
good old fashioned, warm Vietnamese
hospitality, and a cheerful, no-frills and
cheaply priced menu. On any day, the
family welcomes you into the shop as if
it is their home. And, as you may have
guessed, they are extremely proud of
their coffee. And with good reason. If you
want to taste real Vietnamese coffee
i.e., not fancy pumpkin-spiced, hazelnut
frappadouches this is the place to try it.
The unique blend of Arabica, Robusta
and Mocha (a coffee variant derived from
Arabica) beans packs an intense wallop.
Actually, make that a wallop-and-a-half.
And the recipe is a jealously guarded
family secret made to strict specifications
to deliver a uniquely sharp taste and
aromatic smell.
Each variety of bean is roasted
differently before it is mixed to a highly
Photos by Trung Del
specific ratio, says Duy. Its been

influenced by the French style of making
coffee and is completely natural, made
without any artificial additives. That
recipe, passed down from Duy Tris father,
is almost 75 years old and continues to be
popular with their customers today.
Their most famous offering by far,
though, is the ca phe sua chua, or yoghurt
coffee (VND23,000), which is a crowd
favourite. It comes deconstructed with a
slightly sour yet sweet dollop of frozen
yoghurt, a fresh shot of Vietnamese coffee
and generous swirls of condensed milk.
The cafe also serves a mix of smoothies and
iced coffee drinks, none of which exceed
VND40,000.
For Duy Tri, coffee has been an

indispensible part of his familys life. His
father ran small coffee shops as a means
to support his family when they were
evacuated from Hanoi at various points
during the war. When his father joined the
military, his mother ran the shop while
they lived in Thai Nguyen Province and
then again when they were evacuated to
Ha Nam, Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa and Ninh
Binh. Now, at the age of 75, and after long
careers as a military mechanic and a teacher,
he is proud to be continuing his parents
work. And boy, is he doing it well. David
Mann
Caf Duy Tri is at 43 Yen Phu, Tay Ho,
Hanoi
hanoi
move to the capital has seen
them bring us their creative, poetic prints designed
for an eco-chic lifestyle. The
products clothing, accessories and furniture are
made from natural silk and
organic cotton certified to
global organic standards.
Metiseko is also certified
by the fair-trade, Textile Exchange.
THINGS OF SUBSTANCE
AUSTRALIAN-STYLE UNISEX
5 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3828 6965
This shops motto Western
sizes, Vietnamese prices,
says it all. While mostly retailing womens separates
in soft cotton jersey and
linen, the store also carries a range of accessories
like embroidered canvas
totes and printed tees. Has
a good selection of unique
mens shirts.
THREE TREES
JEWELLERY
(04) 3928 8725
CRAFTS & FURNITURE

MEKONG QUILTS
HANDMADE / CHARITABLE
QUILTS
58 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3824 4607; 13 Hang
Bac, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04)
3926 4831
Mekong-quilts.org
Community development
non-profit quilt shop featuring handmade quilts and accessories. Styles vary from
traditional to patterned and
Asian-inspired. Founded in
2001 and with outposts in
several locations around
the region, the shop employs women in rural areas,
enabling them to make an
income and care for their
families.
METISEKO
ECO-CHIC
71 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3935 2645
metiseko.com
A lifestyle brand that started
out life in Hoi An, Metisekos
move to the capital will see
them bring us their creative, poetic prints designed
for an eco-chic lifestyle. The
products clothing, accessories and furniture are
made from natural silk and
organic cotton certified to
global organic standards.
Metiseko is also certified
by the fair-trade, Textile Exchange.
EAT
AL FRESCOS
AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL
24 Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3938 1155
alfrescogroup.com
8.30am to 11pm
CAFE DE PARIS
FRENCH BISTRO
12 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3926 1327
cafedeparis-hanoi.com
8am to 11pm
Thanks to its original tiled
floor, cast iron backed chairs
and wall-hung black and
white photography, there is
something decidedly charming about this tiny Parisianstyled bistro and bar. Serving
up a simple menu of snacks
such as quiche Lorraine,
Paris beurre and croque
monsieur, there is also a selection of classic but unpretentious French mains. Has
a daily specials board and a
decent range of pizzas.
FOODSHOP 45
INTERNATIONAL INDIAN
Tel: (04) 3993 1399
10am to 10.30pm
A slither of a joint serving
up the same fare that the
lakeside Foodshop 45 location in Truc Bach has become famous for. Selling an
international version of the
mighty curry they even
sell pork and beef here
the menu keeps to the northern part of the subcontinent
with masala, dopiaza, korma
and the more Goan vindaloo
taking centre stage. Also has
a good range of breads and
tandoor-cooked kebabs.
GREEN MANGO
WESTERN / VIETNAMESE
18 Hang Quat, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3928 9916
greenmango.vn
7.30am to 11.30pm
GREEN TANGERINE
FRENCH / VIETNAMESE FUSION

(04) 3825 1286
greentangerinehanoi.com
10am to 11pm daily
A leafy, cobblestone courtyard with dark green castiron backed chairs greets
you as you walk into this
French era-built villa that
houses the main section of
this Indochina-styled restaurant. Serving up an enticing
mix of classic and contemporary French cuisine,
blended in with Vietnamese
ingredients and cooking
styles, the resultant fare
has had customers coming
back again and again. A traditional Vietnamese and kids
menu is also available, as is a
wine list focusing mainly on
French wines.
HIGHWAY 4
VIETNAMESE / ETHNIC
5 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3926 4200; 25 Bat Su,
0639
10am to midnight
KHAZAANA
PAN-INDIAN
34 Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3934 5657
khazana@fpt.com
Established in 1993, Khazaana serves up Desi Indian
and Mughlai cuisine to the
background of a Bollywood
soundtrack. All food is Halal
and all four chefs hail from
the Indian Subcontinent.
LITTLE INDIA
INDIAN / MALAY / CHINESE

32 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3926 1859
littleindianhn@gmail.com
LA RESTAURANT
VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL
25 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3928 8933
8am to 10pm
The complimentary warm
bread with rosemary is
reason enough to visit this
homely spot featuring hearty
lentil and black bean soups,
along with a range of international and Vietnamese options like New Zealand beef
tenderloin or tofu with chilli
and mushrooms. We arent
quite sure why the Miele
Guide nominated it as one of
Asias finest restaurants as
service is lackadaisical and
tables could use candles to
improve the lackluster ambience, but the immaculately
tasty dishes more than make
up for any quips.
LA SALSA
IBERIAN / MEDITERANEAN
(04) 3828 9052
8am to 11pm
A small but eternally popular Spanish-themed caf
and bar with an extensive
list of reliable cuisine. Tapas are available, as well
as full courses such as
veal, and duck with currant
sauce. Known for its good,
European-style coffee and
first-floor terrace area with
views over the cathedral.
Has a second garden restaurant on Xuan Dieu.
MEDITERRANEO
PAN-ITALIAN
(04) 3826 6288
10am to 11pm
This long-running, cozy restaurant near the cathedral
serves all the traditional
Italian fare you could need
homemade mozzarella
and fresh pasta, spinach
and ricotta ravioli, cold cut
boards, soups, salads and
fish. Throw in an extensive
wine list, a traditional wood
fire oven and a balcony spot
looking over Hanois trendy
caf scene and youre onto
a winner.
MILLENIUM
PAN-FRENCH
11B Ngo Bao Khanh, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3828 7207
10.30am to 2.30pm, 6pm to
10pm
Clean and fresh with a finedining vibe, the Millennium
restaurant is the minimal

and chic result of a Caf Des
Arts makeover. The streets
new go-to for a high standard of eating and drinking
goes over two floors and
has a welcome and inviting
three-level outdoor terrace
high up amid the concrete
and cables of the Old Quarter.
NAMASTE HANOI
PAN-INDIAN
46 Tho Nhuom, Hanoi, Tel:
(04) 3935 2400
namastehanoi.com
11am to 2.30pm, 6pm to
10.30pm
The latest newcomer to the
Indian restaurants family, Namaste specializes in
dishes from both northern
and southern India using Halal meat throughout. A meal will cost you
between VND150,000 and
VND300,000 and everything
is there, from curries and
breads to soups and desserts. Available to dine in or
out with a free delivery.
OLD HANOI
GOURMET VIETNAMESE
4 Ton That Thiep, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3747 8337
10am-2pm, 5pm-10pm
Gordon Ramsay once filmed
a show at this restaurant in
a renovated French villa and
now the ribs carry his namesake. But its the twist on old
world favourites, think fried
snail spring rolls and miniature vegetarian banh xeo,
in a casually elegant setting
that make this spot near
the train tracks standout.
Be sure to try the roll-yourown cha ca spring rolls and
check the schedule for live
traditional music.
PROVECHO
TEX-MEX / BURGERS / INTERNATIONAL

0912 223966
The successor of My Burger
My, this American-run, selfstyled burger bar and restaurant fits a lot into a tiny,
multi-storey space. Specializing in tasty, American-style,
chargrilled burgers from
around VND50,000 with a
range of additional toppings
including jalapeno peppers,
smoked bacon, mushrooms,
cheddar cheese and avocado, the creative menu also
has a good range of Tex-Mex
fare, a number of pan-Asian
dishes and a decent delivery
service.
SOUTHGATE
CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL
28 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3938 1979
southgatehanoi.com
THE KAFE
CONTEMPORARY CAFE / CUISINE
18 Dien Bien Phu, Hoan Kiem,

Tel: (04) 3747 6245
thekafe.vn
Spacious, casual, energetic
and beautifully designed, The
KAfe serves up unfussy comfort food that aims to satisfy
the modern urban diner.
Preparing fresh food and
drinks that show respect to
natural ingredients and flavours from around the globe,
this caf-cum-restaurant is
a popular choice for Hanois
metrosexual community.
THE MOOSE AND ROO
CANADIAN / AUSTRALIAN RESTAURANT

42B Ma May, Hoan Kiem,
Tel:(04) 3200 1289
Contemporary Australian
and Canadian comfort food
in a pleasant setting together with a nice bar area.
Best known for their Scotch
egg, poutine and burgers.
Clever changing imagery on
the walls.
TAMARIND
CONTEMPORARY VEGETARIAN
(04) 3926 0580
5.30am to 10.30pm
Perhaps the only restaurant
in Hanoi to cater to vegetarians that doesnt focus on
faux meat. Features a wide
range of juices and shakes
in a crunchy granola backpacker atmosphere. Has
Asian favourites like vegetarian pho, Ma-Po tofu
and Thai glass noodle salad,
along with some falafel and
western influences. Vegetarians and carnivores alike will
find something to try on this
menu.
THE LOFT STOP CAF
FRENCH BRASSERIE/ VIETNAMESE SPECIALITIES

11B Ngo Bao Khanh, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3828 7207
8am to 11pm
SPICE
CONTEMPORARY INDIAN RESTAURANT

(04) 3926 0580
TANDOOR
PAN-INDIAN
(04) 3824 5359
11am to 10.30pm
A long-popular, Indianfood enclave specialising
in Northern Indian cuisine.
Has an indoor and upstairs,
white tablecloth aircon
area with a more casual
dining and bar space out
front. Does excellent kebabs
served from an authentic
tandoor oven as well as the
full range of mainly North
Indian curries. Also has a
branch in Saigon and does
excellent set lunches.
ZENITH YOGA STUDIO II & CAF
FITNESS & YOGA

STUDIO FIVE
YOGA & WELLNESS

5th Fl, 135 Bui Thi Xuan,
Hai Ba Trung. Tel: (04)
6263.1515
http://studio5.vn
facebook.com/yogastudio5
6am to 8pm
An international and professional Yoga Studio providing
more than 20 different yoga
styles such as: Hatha Yoga,
Yoga Therapy, Ball Yoga,
Props Yoga, Hot Yoga (with
infrared heater), Power Yoga
and much more, with a flexible schedule of 10 classes
per day. Bring harmony
back into your life Studio
Five is the perfect place to
reconnect your mind with
your body.
ZENITH YOGA
YOGA & MEDITATION

247 Au Co, Tay Ho; 16 Duong
Thanh, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04)
3923 0253
An international Yoga studio
providing classes across a
variety of levels and styles,
including prenatal and
postnatal classes, restorative yoga, pilates and tai
chi. Also have a yogic shop
offering incense, yoga and
pilates mats, books, clothes,
soaps, Himalayan products
and other essential yoga
equipment.
GROCERIES & LIQUOR

BACCHUS CORNER
WINE RETAILER
1C Tong Dan, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3935 1393
Part of the Tan Khoa chain,
the largest liquor and wine
distributor in the country,
the walls here are lined with
a decent selection of wines,
pleasantly arrayed and back
lit. Besides their selection of
new and old world wines
Helpful staff and free delivery.
THE WAREHOUSE
WINE RETAILER
59 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3928 7666
warehouse-asia.com
The Warehouse is Vietnams
ultimate premium wine importer, distributor, and retailer, representing many of
the greatest wines from the
best wine-growing regions
on the planet. The portfolio
mixes the best of both old
and new world wines.
HAIRDRESSERS & SALONS

DINH HAIR SALON
HAIR SALON
2A Cua Bac, Ba Dinh, Tel:
0987 718899
16 Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem,

Tel: (04) 3923 0253
TOP EATS
MOOSE & ROO SMOKEHOUSE
here were whispers of excitement

when the Moose & Roo Pub and
Grill opened its doors on Ma May
Street in 2013. Tourists flocked
there after reading emphatic TripAdvisor
recommendations, while locals quickly
spread word about the restaurants tasty
cuisine.
At the beginning of this year, Moose &
Roo Pubs highly anticipated sequel arrived.
And just like the pub before it, the Moose
& Roo Smokehouse is making waves. The
smokehouse carries over some of the popular
dishes from the pubs menu, including the
highly acclaimed Beef N Bone Marrow
Burger (VND155,000) that made our top 3 in
Marchs ranking of Hanois best burgers.
But the main difference between the
two is a custom-built smoker that churns
out delectable, melt-in-the-mouth, slowcooked meats, including, but not limited to
delicious pork ribs. Not salivating yet? Well
see about that.
Smoke Up, Jonny!

The man behind the menu is Scottish chef
Richie Bardsley, who has cooked his away
around the globe, dishing up high-end fare
from Stockholm to Sydney. Training under
the tutelage of famous TV chefs Rick Stein
and Luke Mangan, Bardsley describes
himself as something of a crazy scientist

when it comes to creating food thats as
innovative as it is delicious.
A lot of love has gone into this menu, says
Richie, handing me a plate of the restaurants
delicious fennel-cured pork rinds (VND75,000)
and a canister of apple sauce. Even with the
smoker, we tested 10 different kinds of wood
before settling on the right one. That perfect
wood that hes referring to is a special cashew
variety imported from Saigon, which helps
infuse all of the smokehouses meat with
smoky, barbecuey goodness.
One downside of this love-infused menu is
that its actually pretty stressful deciding what
to order. Coming to my aid, Richie points
me to the BBQ Tasting Board, a butchers
block that comes heaped with house-made
sausages, pulled pork, chicken and the
mother of all meaty treats ribs. The ribs,
slow-cooked at 110 degrees for 10-plus hours,
are unbelievably succulent. An incredible
barbecue sauce smothered over the top adds a
layer of spicy sweetness to the smoked pork.
I follow this with handfuls of perfectly salted
French fries and chipotle coleslaw one of
two fixins that come with the tasting board.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is flavour country.
Located in the American Club, the
venue has a distinctly American/countrywestern feel about it. Behind the bar, the
walls are adorned with neon Budweiser

signs and plasma TVs beaming in the latest
sportscasts. The thatched cabana area is
an arrangement of comfy American-style
booths and long wooden benches ideal for
larger groups. When we visit, a group of
American expats sit at the bar chatting and
crunching on buttermilk chicken wings
served with blue-cheese sauce (VND65,000).
Behind them, a Vietnamese family of six
tuck into the restaurants Al DeMatteis
Platter (VND1,225,000), which comes with
everything from the smoker plus five fixins.
A Different Clientele
As I wash down the ribs with a mug of
Carlsberg draught (VND45,000), Richie
explains that the restaurant has been a hit
with Hanois downtown business crowd.
Unlike at the pub, which mostly attracts
foreigners tourists and expats around
half of the smokehouses clientele are
Vietnamese. I look around the restaurant
and see tables of Vietnamese businessmen
clinking mugs of Budweiser and feasting on
half-racks of smoked pork ribs (VND300,000)
and smoked beef brisket (VND275,000).
As I begin tearing into my Trailer Trash
Burger (a burger combining the godly
superpowers of deep-fried mac n cheese
and pulled pork; VND155,000), I get a chance
hanoi
to speak with founder and co-owner Keith

Thibert, a Canadian. How is it? he asks,
watching me hawk down chunks of deep-fried
macaroni and cheese with a sheepish grin.
Pretty amazing. He laughs.
Keith began his life long love affair with
food in Vancouver where he dabbled in the
local caf scene before moving to Hue to
become food and beverage manager at a
hotel. Afterwards, he spent a year-and-a-half
managing Jacksons Steakhouse before going
out on his own. Curious, I ask if there are plans
to expand the Moose & Roo empire.
The response to the Smokehouse has been
incredible, and were thinking of adding a
third down the track, he hints as I plough
a spoon into a deliciously light Banoffee
Pot (VND125,000) dessert an incredible
concoction of biscuit crumble, banana,
whipped cream, chocolate and vanilla ice
cream. But for now, we really want to focus
on the pub and the smokehouse. But who
knows, maybe
Whether there is a third instalment in
the works or not, the Smokehouse is a fine
addition to the Moose & Roo stable. But if
there is, well be first in line for a table.
David Mann
Moose & Roo Smokehouse is at The American
Club, 19-21 Hai Ba Trung, Hai Ba Trung,
Hanoi
hanoi
HANOI INTERNATIONAL THEATRE
SOCIETY (HITS)
hoan kiem
THEATRE GROUP
hitshanoi.com
LESPACE
BARS & NIGHTCLUBS / CAFES / CINEMAS / CLUBS & SOCIETIES / EAT
PARIS DELI
B i
Triu
Hng
Hu
Phan
Chu
Trin
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inh Ti
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Hng
Phng
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Hng iu
Hng
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uyn
MODEL CLUB
CATWALK BAR
45 Hang Bai, Hai Ba Trung
8pm to late
PHUC TAN
LATE-NIGHT GRUNGE BAR

51, To 4A Phuc Tan, Hoan
Kiem
RELAX BAR
HOSTESS / LIVE MUSIC BAR

26 Tran Hung Dao, Hoan
Kiem
ROOFTOP
SKYLINE LOUNGE
19th Floor, Pacific Place, 83B
Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3946 1901
8am to midnight
TADIOTO LOUNGE BAR AND CAFE
ARTS BAR / EVENT SPACE

24B Tong Dan, Hoan Kiem
tadioto.com
Located close to the Opera
House, this alternative, arty
bar is garnished in red and
white on the outside, with
warm brown and tones of
blue on the inside. Creating an atmosphere merging
Shanghai and San Francisco,
engaging contemporary artwork lines the walls at the
latest incarnation of this wellknown and well-loved space.
ZONE 17
BAMBOO BAR
17D Hong Ha, Hoan Kiem
The first bar in what will
eventually (hopefully) be a
CAF / BOULANGERIE
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3934 5269
7.30am to 11pm
Time has been good to this
airy, bistro-style caf and
patisserie opposite the Opera House. One of the original international-style establishments to hit the capital,
despite its prime location
prices remain reasonable
espresso-style coffees cost
around VND40,000 and
the cakes and croissants
are moreish. Also does filled
baguettes and a larger cafcum-restaurant menu. Has a
second establishment at 13
Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem.
Tin
nh D
Kh
Trn
FRENCH-STYLE CONTEMPORARY
Hotel de lOpera, 29 Trang
Tien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04)
6282 5555
Hoteldelopera.com
7am to 2am
La Fe Verte (or the Green
Fairy) is a metaphor for the
decadence of another age,
an allusion to the hallucinatory effects of absinthe. The
signature bar of the Hotel
de lOpra Hanoi where, just
as in Paris at the dawn of the
20th century, the making of an
evening drink a lavish event
of ritual and celebration. Understated lighting, a lounge
atmosphere, great music and
ultra-contemporary interior
design combine to bring a
genuine sense of occasion to
after-dark in the capital.
CONTEMPORARY DECOR BAR

23 Ngo Van So, Hoan Kiem
facebook.com/bar84hanoi
Housed in a colonial building, bare brick, comfortable
sofa-like seating and grungy
decor related to a past make
up the mix at this venue put
together by the people behind Barbetta.
+84 BAR
g
Hn
WILD WEST THEME BAR

98B Tran Hung Dao, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3942 6822
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BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
L Thi T
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Ch
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Trn
Hn
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L Dun
Tel: (04) 3825 0216

7am to 8pm
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HOAN KIEM
DISTRICT
zone dedicated to bars and

restaurants. A pool table, a
square bar in the middle of
the room and a barbecue until the early hours theres
quite an atmosphere in this
pleasant watering hole.
CAFES
CIAO CAF
RESTO LOUNGE
2 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3934 1494
7am to 11pm
A stones throw from the
shores of Hoan Kiem Lake,
this Saigonese franchise
tries its hand with a variety
of different western dishes
at reasonable prices, especially considering the location. Loaded with booths and
a steady, young Vietnamese
crowd, the establishment is
a great place to squash a
sandwich or bowl of pasta
and people watch. Oh, and
they also do coffee, too.
HIGHLANDS COFFEE
CONTEMPORARY / COFFEE
CHAIN
5 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3936 3228;
Opera House, 1 Trang Tien,
Hoan Kiem; Hanoi Towers,
49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem
highlandscoffee.com.vn
7am to 11pm
KINH DO
PATISSERIE / SIMPLE CAFE

252 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem,
THE HANOI SOCIAL CLUB
CAF / CONTEMPORARY EATERY

6 Hoi Vu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04)
3938 2117
8am to 11pm
Situated on one of the quieter Old Quarter streets
just off Hang Bong, The
Hanoi Social Club is a cozy
midsize caf/restaurant
where you can forget the
heat and bustle of Hanoi.
The atmosphere is relaxed
and you can imagine, for a
second, that youre sitting in
a European caf. The food
is fresh and internationally
inspired, and the design is
complimented by the work
of Tadiotos Nguyen Qui Duc.
To top it off, the coffee here is
said to be up there with the
best in the country.
TWITTER BEANS COFFEE

Kiem, Tel: (04) 3824 0760
twitterbeanscoffee.com
CINEMAS
CINEMATHEQUE
ARTS CINEMA
22A Hai Ba Trung, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3936 2648
Not a movie theatre per se,
but a private film club that
charges a membership fee in
return for entrance to a wide
selection of movies, new and
old. The management has
an eclectic taste and shows
films from all over the world.
CLUBS & SOCIETIES

AMERICAN CLUB
EVENT SPACE
21 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3824 1850
FRENCH CULTURAL CENTRE

Tel: (04) 3936 2164
vphanoi-lespace.com
EAT
AL FRESCOS
23L Hai Ba Trung, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3826 7782
alfrescogroup.com
8.30am to 11pm
ANGELINA
CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN
Sofitel Metopole Legend Hotel, 56 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3826 6919
11.30am to 2.30pm and
6.30am to late (restaurant)
11am to 2am (bar)
AU LAC DO BRAZIL
BRAZILIAN
6A Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3845 5224
aulacdobrazil.com
11am to 2pm, 5pm to midnight
A nicely themed Brazilian
churrascaria steakhouse offering all you can eat grilled
meat and seafood on the
skewer, Au Lac do Brazil is
not for the feint of stomach.
In typical Brazilian rodzio
fashion, waiters bring cuts of
meat to the table for patrons
to pick and choose, all for a
set price. They also offer wine
pairings, a salad bar and an a
la carte menu, with a creative
selection of fruit caipirinhas
on hand to wash it all down.
The prices arent for anyone
on a budget, but the amount
and quality of meat is more
than worth cost.
CAF LAUTREC
MEDITERRANEAN / INTERNATIONAL
Hotel de lOpera, 29 Trang
6282 5555
6am to 10pm
Featuring both -la-carte
and buffet dining as well
as an innovative Sunday
brunch, this namesake of the
French artist Toulouse-Lautrec provides an exotic ambience for diners to enjoy a
mixture of international and
Mediterranean-style fare.
Has an extensive wine list
to match the cuisine, which
is all served up in a contemporary yet colonial-inspired
environment.
EL GAUCHO STEAKHOUSE
ARGENTINIAN STEAKHOUSE
Tel: (04) 3824 7280
elgaucho.com.vn
4pm to late
This theme eatery combines
traditional Argentinian recipes and preparation with
great service in a contem-
porary and thoughtfully

designed space over three
floors. Already with venues
in Saigon and Bangkok, the
essence of this popular
chain is quality top grade
meats off the grill. Steak is
the mainstay, but everything
from chicken, pork and seafood is also up for grabs.
Add to this a backdrop of low
Latin music, low, subtle lighting and an extensive wine list
and thats another reason to
head to El Gaucho.
JACKSONS STEAKHOUSE
STEAKHOUSE / GRILL
23J Hai Ba Trung, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3938 8388
alfrescogroup.com
9.30am to midnight
Then newest venture from
the team behind Jaspas
and Pepperonis is an all-day
eating and drinking lounge fit
for all occasions. It has three
floors for different vibes
lounge bar, restaurant and
boardroom but fine imported steads can be found
on each, as well as seafood
and a huge wine list. A popular venue.
JASPAS
INTERNATIONAL / AUSTRALIAN
Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba
Trung (4th Floor), Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3934 8325
alfrescosgroup.com
6.30am to midnight
Recently refurbished, the
Australian-influenced Jaspas is known for its attentive
service, tasty food and large
portions. A place with something for everyone, it has
proved itself to be popular
with both the western and
Asian expat communities
who come back again and
again. The comprehensive
menu is a fusion of western
and Asian cooking. The cocktails come large. The wine is
mainly New World. Also has
a spacious bar and lounge
area that stays open late for
all the live sport.
LA BADIANE
CONTEMPORARY FRENCH
10 Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3942 4509
11.30am to 2pm and 6pm to
10pm. Closed Sunday night.
A white-washed, colonial
era villa replete with period
wooden shutters greets you
as you enter this contemporary French restaurant.
Guests can either dine indoors in aircon comfort or
take to the leafy covered
terrace out back with its
walls lined with art and photography from 21st century
Hanoi. The menu here mixes
modern Gallic cuisine with a
touch of Mediterranean and
Vietnam thrown in, all creating an innovative and evocative selection of fare. Has an
extensive wine list and an
excellent, well-priced threecourse lunch menu.
hanoi
FOOD PROMOS
HANOI
LE BEAULIEU
CLASSIC FRENCH / BUFFET

Sofitel Metropole Legend, 15
Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3826 6919
6am to 10am, 11.30am
to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to
10.30pm
LUNO DAUTUNNO
CLASSIC ITALIAN
27 Nam Ngu, Tel: (04) 3823
7338
11am to 11pm
This old-favourite Italian
uses traditional wood ovens
to prepare some of the citys
finest pizzas, which range
from VND80,000 to buildyour-own-skies-the-limit.
Set inside a large, thoughtful
space seasoned chefs also
make fresh pastas, soups
and cheeses the latter often bought by other restaurants. Monthly opera nights
make it well worth a visit, as
does the large wine list and
choice of desserts.
The seafood salad Nicoise at The Press Club
NINETEEN 11
British Promotion at
Annam
Roll up! Roll up! For all you
Brits and Anglophones out
there, Annam Gourmet is
doing a special promotion
starting on Apr. 8. And the
focus? Beer and fine food
from the United Kingdom.
Yes, people, its true,
Britain is far more than just
fish and chips, warm beer,
roast beef and deep-fried
Mars Bars. These days
theres actually a food
culture there.
Annam Gourmet is at the
Syrena Centre, 51 Xuan Dieu,
Tay Ho, Hanoi
Dose up on Dim Sum

There aint all that much
choice on the Chinese food
front in Hanoi, but one
purveyor all things good
that come from north of the
border is the Fortuna. And
for April theyre going hard
on promoting dim dum.
Dumpling yourself
Monday to Saturday
lunchtimes (11am to
2pm) with their all-youcan-eat deal, running in
at VND298,000++ per
adult (children go for
VND149,000). On Sunday,
the brunch deal is a touch
pricier hey its only
VND20,000 per person were
talking about here but is
equally well worth the visit.
Fortuna Hotel is at 6B Lang

Ha, Ba Dinh, Hanoi or online
at fortuna.vn
West Lake Sunday

Brunch
InterCons around the
world are known for their
lavish, belly-filling Sunday
brunches, and our very own
InterContinental Hanoi
Westlake is no slacker in
this gluttonous field.
The venue? Cafe du Lac.
The deal? VND 1,110,000
net/adult excluding drinks.
The lowdown? Nine live
cooking stations, six types
of cuisine, live music and
the all important views over
West Lake.
You know you want to
eat up this Sunday. Yes, you
know you do!
InterCon is at 1A Nghi
Tam, Tay Ho, Hanoi
Ease into Easter

Sunday Apr. 15 is the day,
and the place, says Hanois
Movenpick, should be at
the Movenpick.
With a special Sunday
brunch for the occasion,
classic dishes include roast
lamb, steamed tiger prawn,
grilled beef medallions with
sauted mushroom, baked
oyster Florentine and of
course the mandatory of
all mandatories, chocolate
Easter Eggs. Just dont
expect any bunnies to be

hoppin about.
The Easter Brunch is priced
at VND 920,000++ per person
and includes a two-hour
freeflow of house wine, draft
beer and soft drinks. For
reservations call (04) 3822
2800 ext. 6201 or email ngoc.
nguyen@moevenpick.com
Sea Food, Eat Food

The Press Club is one for
monthly specials, and April
is no different with the wellappointed restaurant and
bar going heavy on shrimp,
scallop and salmon.
Included on the specials
menu are dishes like grilled
scallops on Nicoise salad
with red wine dressing
(VND200,000++) or the
mussel turmeric soup
(VND140,000++). Theres
also the grilled shrimp
diavolo with spicy spaghetti
in a tomato sauce served
with garlic croutons
(VND350,000+++) and
the grilled salmon with
Hollandaise sauce served
with parsley potatoes
and seasonal vegetables
(VND320,000++).
The list, quite literally,
goes on. Even better each
of the specials is served
with a complimentary glass
of house white wine.
For more information call
(04) 3934 0888
INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN
The Opera House, 1 Trang
3933 4801
nineteen11.com.vn
11am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm
PANE E VINO
PAN-ITALIAN
3 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3826 9080
8am to 10.30pm
Just a stroll away from the
Hanoi Opera House and
Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart
of Hanoi, Pane e Vino serves
up authentic Italian food
and has done for as long as
anyone can remember. Renowned for the highly rated,
oven fresh pizzas and large
variety of pasta and salad
dishes look forward to fine
food done well at this eatery
that has the feel of Europe.
Huge wine lists, friendly staff
and a loveable owner.
PRESS CLUB
3rd Floor, 59A Ly Thai To,
0888
hanoi-pressclub.com
11.30am to 2pm and 6pm
to 10.30pm. Closed Sunday
lunch
Wooden flooring, paneling
and bold but subtle colours
pervade this traditional but
contemporary, fine-dining
70-seater venue close to
the Opera House. Serving
up quality cuisine for over a
decade, Press Club boasts
a bar area, two private dining rooms, including a wine
room, a library and a vast
selection of cigars, all in an elegant atmosphere. Does four
excellent wine pairing menus,
put together through the aid
of the Press Clubs extensive
new and old world wine list.
Also hosts a popular firstFriday-of-the-month party.
SATINE
CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE
Tel: (04) 6282 5555 ext. 6414
hoteldelopera.com
WRAP & ROLL

5th Floor, Trang Tien Plaza,
Tel: (04) 3824 3718
wrap-roll.com
The lime green walls and
bright pastel colours of
Wrap n Roll are just part
of the theme of this homegrown, Vietnamese brand
which is all about spring rolls
of all types, and healthy, Hueinfluenced cuisine. Now with
two restaurants in Hanoi
the second in Royal City.
GROCERIES & LIQUOR

CITIMART
SUPERMARKET
Ground Floor, Hanoi Towers,
Tel: (04) 3934 2999
DA LOC
WINE RETAILER
Tel: (04) 3826 2076; 65 Le
Duan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04)
3941 2789
Daloc.vn
FIVIMART
SUPERMARKET
27A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem
HANOI GOURMET
DELI / WINE SHOP

6T Ham Long, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3943 1009
Hanoigourmet.com
The long-running Hanoi
Gourmet specialises in imported cheeses, meats and
artisan breads. After browsing the mainly French selection of wines, you can take a
look at the deli and sit down
for a light snack.
INTIMEX
VIETNAMESE SUPERMARKET
22-23 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem
PANE E VINO WINE SHOP
WINE RETAILER / RESTAURANT

3 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3826 9080
This Italian favourite with a
huge food menu also has a
huge for-retail wine list that
is 100 percent focused on
fine wines and liquors from
Italy. Owner Hoang has great
knowledge of Italian wine and
a passion to match, which is
sure to land you with the best
wine for any occasion.
RED APRON
WINE RETAILER
10 Da Tuong, Hanoi Tel: (04)
3943 7226
WESTERN CANNED FOODS
GROCERY STORE
Tel: (04) 3934 3854
hanoi
THE ALCHEMIST
EVERLASTING BLISS
ollow your bliss, says Joseph

Campbell. But what if our bliss
has outmaneuvered us and the
mundane routines of life have left
us feeling less than joyful. How to get
our mojo back? Better still, how not to
lose it in the first place?
Fill Your Energy Tank

Bliss is a high-energy frequency. In order
to keep up with it we need to ensure our
energy levels are high. Sleep, exercise and a
healthy diet are all essential ingredients in
establishing a balanced state of wellbeing
with elevated energy levels.
An adequate supply of energy allows us
to pursue the activities that bring us joy.
These will be as unique to the individual
as there are activities to choose from. For
some, skydiving may be the spark to ignite
their joy, for others it may be sitting down
with a good book, or taking a stroll around
the neighbourhood.
Express Your Creativity

We are free to be creative with how we
find our joy and express it. In fact we

are called upon to be co-creators of our
reality. We are not meant to be passively
experiencing life, having it slip by us.
We are presented each day with a fresh
canvas upon which we are invited to
express the uniqueness of our being, and
each day we choose our own expression.
Choosing positive thoughts allows
us to stay in an energy frequency of joy.
Our thoughts have been proven to affect
our external environment. By focusing
on peace and positivity, small groups of
meditators have been found to reduce
crime rate in the greater population.
Cultivate Contentment
Positive thoughts not only affect the
external environment, they also affect
our internal state of being. Positive
thinking allows us to cultivate joy and
contentment, and according to research,
allows us to enhance skill sets and
resourcefulness.
A couple of tools to help keep thoughts
on the positive end of the continuum
BY KAREN GAY
are meditation, and play. Whether a

meditative state comes easily or not,
taking even five minutes a day to be in
stillness can have a favourable impact on
many areas of our life. Play is a concept
that some may also find challenging. It is
often regarded as an activity for children,
but when the frequentness of a childs
laugher is compared to that of an adults,
the importance of play in adulthood
becomes starkly apparent.
Live Your Joy!

It is our inherent right to be joy-full even
when life becomes challenging. Creating
opportunities to bring levity to our
day helps us maintain our joie de vivre.
We are thus enabled to rediscover the
awesomeness that surrounds us every
second of the day, never allowing our bliss
to escape us.
Karen Gay, A-Roaming Bodyworker,
is a holistic health practitioner
practicing in Hanoi. For information
on the types of services provided, visit
a-roamingbodyworker.com
tay ho
ARTS / BARS & CLUBS / BOOK SHOPS / CAFES / CLOTHING / COOKING CLASSES /
CRAFTS & FURNITURE / CYCLING & BICYCLE RENTALS / EAT / FITNESS & YOGA /
GROCERIES, LIQUOR & KITCHEN PRODUCTS / MEDICAL & DENTAL / EXPAT SERVICES
n
A n Dng V g
TAY HO
DISTRICT
Lc
Lo
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Qu
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Tn
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TAY TAP
Xu
BAR & GRILL

No. 20, Lane 50/59/17, Dang Thai Mai, Tay
Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 6917
taytap.com
Filled with wooden furnishings and a downstairs bar with beer and cider on tap, this
recently relocated venue next to Da Paolo
mixes contemporary international comfort
food on the first floor with live music and an
often raucous atmosphere. Amazing West
Lake views from their top floor terrace.
hi
Ng
c Long Qun
u
Di
u
Thanh
Th
ARTS
WORK ROOM FOUR
ARTS STUDIO & GALLERY

Packexim Building Tower 1, 23rd Floor, No.
49 Lane 15, An Duong Vuong, Tay Ho
workrmfour@gmail.com
workrmfour.tumblr.com
A place to work. A space to create. Somewhere to see something new. Work Room
Four is pulling together the threads of creative endeavours across Hanoi. A collective
that promotes collaboration and new ideas,
exhibitions, workshops, artist studios, courses, contacts and events.
BARS & CLUBS

88 LOUNGE
CONTEMPORARY WINE BAR

88 Xuan Dieu, Tay ho, Tel: (04) 3718 8029.
88group.vn
5pm to late
A wine bar with a difference, this addition to
the watering hole scene in West Lake mixes
contemporary design, black ceilings, subtle
lighting and an international aesthetic with
one of the best wine lists in town. Not surprisingly it is developing a faithful clientele.
Well worth a visit.
HANOI ROCK CITY
LIVE MUSIC VENUE

27/52 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 01633
166170
hanoirockcity.com
5pm to midnight
With a downstairs, English-style pub garden
area and an upstairs space dedicated to live
music and live production, Hanoi Rock City is
the only venue in the capital of its kind. Has
weekly live events featuring bands both from
Thm
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Ho
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SIDEWALK HANOI
DIY BAR & EVENTS VENUE

199D Nghi Tam, Tay Ho
facebook.com/sidewalkhanoi
A bar and grill with an eclectic, DIY-style
semi-outdoor setting. Regular DJ nights and
live music add to the great ambience. Check
out their grill fare. Tasty.
Ngu
yn
Ho
ng
delivery from nearby favorites. Non-smoking,

unpretentious, dog-friendly.
Vietnam and overseas established and up

and coming. Email jimihendrix@hanoirockcity.com for more information or check out
their page on Facebook.
HOUSE OF SON TINH
LIQUOR LOUNGE
31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 6377
sontinh.com
8am to 11.30pm
As part of the Highway 4 group, which now
has its offices in the establishments upstairs
areas, this bar-cum-restaurant outfitted
with comfortable, stylish furnishings is famed
for its luxurious rice wine liquors and newly
created cocktail class. Does regular events
on the first floor and also has a creative Vietnamese food menu based on cuisine sold
at other restaurants in the chain.
MADAKE
CONTEMPORARY RESTOBAR
81 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 6276 6665
or 0984 002181
With a stunning garden overlooking a peaceful lotus pond, this bar and restaurant is ideal
for those seeking a fusion of Western and
Eastern cuisine. Famed for its many weekday and weekend events, the ambient Asianstyle dcor, weekend DJ nights and general
atmosphere makes Madake a popular West
Lake go-to joint.
RED RIVER TEA ROOM
LAKESIDE WATERING HOLE

25 Duong Ven Ho, Tay Ho
Open daily from 2pm.
Located on the lakeside lane just below Xuan
Dieu, this warm, quiet and friendly pub offers
a selection of international and local beers,
wine, cocktails and a nice view of West Lake.
Serving pies and pasties from The Cart,
Vietnamese food from Dieus next door, or
THE REPUBLIC
MODERN SPORTS BAR

7A Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel: 0904 010116
republic.vn
A contemporary mid-range bar and eatery
showing live sport and boasting a convivial
atmosphere. Has a creative comfort food
menu, excellent breakfasts, daily specials
and a popular second-floor outdoor terrace.
TRACYS PUB AND GRILL
SPORTS BAR/GRILL
40 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho , Tel: (04) 6675 9838
tracyspub.com
11am to 12am
This Canadian-run, miniscule sports bar on
the main drag of Xuan Dieu is perpetually
crowded with regulars drinking out front
on plastic stools. Notorious for its mouthwatering burgers, cooked fresh to order,
Tracys is most famous for their draft beers,
claiming to serve the coldest draft beer in
Hanoi, and always in a frosted mug. For those
missing their dose of North American sports,
they play all day via satellite on two plasmas.
BOOK SHOPS
WEEKEND BOOKWORM
CHILDRENS & VIETNAM-THEMED BOOKS

1/28 Nghi Tam Village, Tay Ho Tel: (04) 3829
2322
Bookworm has been the cornerstone of
Hanois literary scene since 2001. While its
main store is located in Chau Long, sharing
space with Hanoi Cooking Centre, the second
edition in Tay Ho specialises in childrens and
Vietnamese themed books, as well as selling
bao cap (Subsidy Era) furniture and a range
of souvenirs and gifts. Open weekends only.
CAFES
COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF
INTERNATIONAL COFFEE HOUSE

28 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3715 4240
coffeebean.com
hanoi
7am to 10pm
Finally the newest addition
to the Hanoi coffee scene
has opened a little closer to
town than the first outlet in
Pico Mall. Famous for the exceptional quality of the coffee and tea, the latest Coffee
Bean is a multilevel, indoor/
outdoor caf overlooking
Westlake. With its LA coffee
and office feel, when you
walk in you might just forget
that youre in Westlake.
HIGHLANDS COFFEE
CONTEMPORARY / COFFEE
CHAIN
Ground Floor, Syrena Centre, 51B Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho
highlandscoffee.com.vn
7am to 11pm
JOMA BAKERY CAFE
COFFEE/BAKERY
(04) 3718 6071
joma.biz
7am to 9pm
With two branches, Joma
has brought a little slice
of home to Hanoi for expatriates with a contemporary western feel to the
counter-style service and
atmosphere. The food is
all there too: breakfasts,
salads, soups, ice cream,
muffins, cakes, cereals and
bagels. Starting in Laos in
1996, Joma moved to Hanoi in 2009 and contributes
2 percent of each sale to
charitable organisations.
KUB CAFE
BIKING CAFE
so 12 ngo 264 Au Co, Tay Ho
kub.vn
Think obsession, think motorbikes and you get Kub
Cafe, an industrial, warehouse-style watering hole
bringing thats become a favorite of the motorbike clubs.
Does good on-the-table bia
hoi and runs biking events.
SAINT HONORE
CAFE / BOULANGERIE
5 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3933 2355
st.honorehn@gmail.com
7am to 10pm
Decked out in maroon, dark
browns and cream, this
cafe and French-style boulangerie is best visited in
the morning when that Gallic, fresh-cooked aroma of
bread, croissants and patisseries hits you as you walk
through the door. Serving
all day long, the downstairs
space is split into the bakery
on one side with a small nonsmoking dining space on the
other. The homely upstairs
lounge area has standard tables as well as sofa seating.
Simple but tasty French and
international fare is served
at meal times.
TET DCOR CAF
ART CAF & ESPRESSO BAR

Villa 25, 1, 3 Ha, Dang Thai,
Tay Ho
tet-lifestyle-collection.com
8am to 6pm, Tuesday to
Sunday
Cloistered among the back
streets of West Lake and
sheltered from the noise of
Xuan Dieu, TET Dcor Caf is
a destination for those who
appreciate lifes pleasures:
coffee, food, art and music.
Simple and unpretentious,
the caf has an old-fashioned warmth and rustic feel
combined with unique and
inspiring art installations.
THE CART
SANDWICH SHOP / CAF

8B, Lane 1, Au Co, Nghi Tam
Village, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3938
2513
thecartfood.com
7.30am to 5pm
Small cozy caf and sandwich bar hidden away in
Nghi Tam Village. Serves
and delivers tasty baguettes,
homemade juices, quiches,
pies, muffins and cakes. The
delivery service is quick and
reliable, which makes this
lunchtime favourite ideal
for when you need to eat at
the desk.
THE HANOI BICYCLE COLLECTIVE

(THBC)
CAF / TAPAS BAR

44, Ngo 31, Xuan Dieu, Tay
Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 8246
thbc.vn
9am to 10pm
Tucked down an alleyway
just off West Lake, The Hanoi Bicycle Collective is not
just a place for all bicycle
lovers, but a caf that also
sells Spanish tapas served
up with gin & tonic, if the
mood so takes you. Organising bicycle tours, running
yoga sessions and holding
music concerts in their upstairs cafe area, they also
sell, rent and fix bikes and
are an official supplier of
TREK and SURLY cycling
equipment. Eclectic? Not a
chance!
CLOTHING
GEORGES FASHION BOUTIQUE
CONTEMPORARY WESTERNSTYLE
(04) 3718 6233
With new styles arriving in
store every second day, this
shop offers a huge range of
dresses, shirts, pants, skirts
and accessories in local and
imported fabrics. Clothes fit
all sizes, from petite to average to the generous figure.
Alterations and a made-tomeasure service are available at no extra cost.
LATELIER
WOMENS WEAR & ACCESSORIES

(04) 3718 6758
ateliervietnam.com
Stocks womens wear, leather bags, shoes and handicrafts. This chic boutique
offers both ready-to-wear
and made-to-fit clothing.
(Bamboo) and First (balance) bicycles and cycling

equipment. Also rent bicycles (city, MTB or touring)
and organise guided bicycle
tours under the name Urban
Discovery, with a 25-year
experienced European mechanic as part of the team.
Closed Mondays.
COOKING CLASSES
EAT
HIDDEN HANOI
COOKING CENTRE
147 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Tel:
0912 254045
hiddenhanoi.com.vn
A wide range of Vietnamese
culinary classes are offered
in these well-appointed and
clean facilities. The knowledgeable staff will guide you
through the secrets of Vietnamese cooking in an open
air courtyard.
HIGHWAY4 COOKING CLASS

VIETNAMESE COOKING CENTRE
68, Ngo 27 Xuan Dieu, Ba
Dinh, Tel: 0976 848301
CRAFTS & FURNITURE

BETTERWORLD
GLOBAL HANDICRAFTS
8 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho
Fair trade or bought directly
from the artisans who made
them, Betterworld stocks
unusual handicrafts from
around the world as well as
second-hand books, DVDs
and more.
MEKONG QUILTS
HANDMADE / CHARITABLE
QUILTS
3926 4831
Mekong-quilts.org
Community development
non-profit quilt shop featuring handmade quilts and accessories. Styles vary from
traditional to patterned and
Asian-inspired. Founded in
2001 and with outposts in
several locations around
the region, the shop employs women in rural areas,
enabling them to make an
income and care for their
families.
AL FRESCOS
(04) 3719 5322
alfrescogroup.com
8.30am to 11pm
COUSINS
3 Quang Ba, Tay Ho, Tel:
01238 670098
A contemporary, Frenchinfluenced restaurant selling international cuisine
at reasonable prices in a
spacious, airy atmosphere.
Blackboards, whitewashed,
bare-brick walls, period tiles,
a well-chosen wine list and
an outdoor terrace overlooking the lake make up the
formula.
DA PAOLO
CLASSIC ITALIAN
18 Lane 50/59/17 Dang
Thai Mai, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3718 6317
11am to 11pm
This airy, contemporary
looking Italian restaurant
next to the famed lawn chair
and coconut caf on West
Lake has all the right ingredients to become a classic.
Run by the long time former
manager of Luna DAutunno,
it features scrumptious
wood-fired oven pizzas from
VND120,000 and other Italian delicacies. Open every
day for lunch and dinner,
delivery is also available.
DALUVA
BICYCLE RENTALS
3719 3719
Dons-bistro.com
FUSION / MIDDLE-EASTERN
(04) 3718 5831
daluva.com
8am until late
A popular hang-out for expats and trendy Vietnamese in the Xuan Dieu area
on West Lake. This bar and
restaurant offers casual
dining with a classy, MiddleEastern twist, as well as
wine, tapas, events and attractive dcor.
THBC (THE HANOI BICYCLE COLLECTIVE)
DONS TAY HO
CYCLING & BICYCLE RENTALS

DONS TAY HO
CYCLING COLLECTIVE
29 Nhat Chieu, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3718 3156
thbc.vn
A place for bicycle lovers,
THBC is the official supplier
of ORBEA, DEDA, MEKONG
CONTEMPORARY NORTH AMERICAN

16 Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3719 3719
Dons-bistro.com
Monday to Friday, 10am to
late. Weekends 8am to late
This lake-facing venue with

its top floor Oyster Bar is the
work of charismatic Canadian restaurateur and wine
connoisseur Donald Berger.
Focusing on comfort food
done well, the main restaurant menu includes anything
from wood-grilled rare tuna
steak with fragrant Chinese
black bean beurre noir to
gourmet pizza and pasta
dishes such as the likes of
Iberian pata negro ham egg
pasta served with crushed
roasted garlic and manchego. Does an excellent range
of imported oysters and has
an extensive wine list.
EL GAUCHO STEAKHOUSE
(04) 3718 6991
elgaucho.com.vn
4pm to late
This theme eatery combines
traditional Argentinian recipes and preparation with
great service in a contemporary and thoughtfully
designed space over three
floors. Already with venues
in Saigon and Bangkok, the
essence of this popular
chain is quality top grade
meats off the grill. Steak is
the mainstay, but everything
from chicken, pork and seafood is also up for grabs.
Add to this a backdrop of low
Latin music, low, subtle lighting and an extensive wine list
and thats another reason to
head to El Gaucho.
HALIA HANOI
SINGAPOREAN / CONTEMPORARY
INTERNATIONAL
(04) 3946 0121
thehalia.com
Daily 11am to 11pm
A multi-floored venue with a
bar area and a refined dining
space. The menu includes
Singaporean specialities
such as the shrimp satay
salad and the chilli crab
spaghetti. A pan-European
classical menu mixed in with
light Asian flavours is also
on offer. Has an extensive
wine list.
HEMISPHERES STEAK & SEAFOOD GRILL
CONTEMPORARY STEAK & SEAFOOD

Sheraton Hotel, 11 Xuan
Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3719
9000
sheraton.com/hanoi
11.30am to 2.30pm, 6.30pm
to 10pm
The newest Steak & Seafood
dining experience in Hanoi.
Hemispheres Steak & Seafood Grill offers a wonderful menu covering both the
Northern and Southern
hemispheres. Choose from
Black Angus, US Prime
Sirloin, Rib Eye, Rump and
Tenderloin grilled to perfec-
tion. Prefer Seafood no

problem, Lobster, Oysters,
Prawns, Fresh Fish, Clams
and Crabs are all available
for your dining pleasure, as
well as an impressive array
of wines by the glass & bottle
from our
INDIA PALACE
NORTH INDIAN
10B Quang An, Tay Ho Tel:
01247 668668
indiapalacehn@vnn.vn
Like a phoenix rising from
the ashes, so India Palace
has once again returned
to Tay Ho, this time on the
strip between Dons and The
Warehouse. Tasty North
Indian fare in a pleasant
environment from the team
behind Tandoor.
J.A.F.A.
INTERNATIONAL
G2-G3 Ciputra, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3758 2400
7am to 11pm
One of the larger and more
comfortable bars in Hanoi,
J.A.F.A. is a great place for
drinking cocktails by the
pool. The beverages are
not the cheapest, but this is
made up for by service and
ambiance. They also have a
full menu featuring familiar
western dishes such as pizza
and cheeseburgers and cater for large parties or dinner functions. Periodic buffets and drink specials are
also offered.
KITCHEN
INTERNATIONAL CAFE FARE

(04) 3719 2679
hungskitchen@gmail.com
7am to 9pm
Set inside a newly renovated house with a large
courtyard, Kitchen is a great
space for eating the decent
breakfasts (check out the
breakfast burrito), the creatively titled sandwiches and
the selection of international
salads. Also does a range of
Mexican dishes (available
after 5pm) and an innovative smattering of healthy,
smoothie-style drinks.
NAN N KABAB
0922 087799
Specialising in Pakistani
cuisine and of course nan
bread and kebabs, this semioutdoor, bamboo tabled, laid
back eatery also sells fare
from Afganistan and India.
In a sentence? Curry, but
not as you know it.
SAINT HONORE
BOULANGERIE / BISTRO
3933 2355
sainthonore.com.vn
7am to 10pm
Decked out in maroon, dark
browns and cream, this bak-
ery and French-style bistro is

best visited in the morning when
that Gallic, fresh-cooked aroma
of bread, croissants and patisseries hits you as you walk through
the door. The downstairs space
is split into the bakery on one side
with a small non-smoking dining
space on the other. The upstairs
lounge area has standard tables
as well as sofa seating. Simple
French and international fare
is served at meal times. Has additional venues at 31 Thai Phien,
Hai Ba Trung and Unimart, 8
Pham Ngoc Thach, Dong Da
THE CURRY BAR

32 Tay Ho, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 6295
0033
Serving up an intriguing mix of
Japanese, Thai and Indian curries, this small yet homely restaurant and beer drinking haunt
has garnished a strong following. And why not? What works
better than beer and curry?
THE PIE SHOP
TAKEAWAY PIES
2nd Floor (on the left), Syrena
Center, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho,
Tel: (04) 3718 1507
thepieshophanoi@gmail.com
Classic Aussie and Kiwi-style
savoury pies and rolls. Available
in three convenient sizes (mini,
regular and large). Enjoy them
hot as a takeaway, or frozen to
keep for later.
ZENITH VEGETARIAN CAFE
VEGETARIAN / VEGAN
247 Au Co, Tay Ho, Tel: 0904
356561
zenithyogavietnam.com
8.30am to 8pm
A vegetarian and vegan cafe respecting the philosophy of yoga
simple living, mindful thinking. Using 100 percent natural
ingredients, the cuisine has no
additional additives or MSG
and is cooked using the minimal amount of oil. The stress is
instead on eating whole food in
its natural state local, fresh,
seasonal and organic.
EXPAT SERVIES
MAID IN VIETNAM
HOUSEKEEPING SERVICES
Suite 201, 5 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho,
Tel: (04) 3718 3112
maidinvietnam.com
Offering a licensed hire service
for trained domestic and office
housemaids, cooks and nannies.
Courses include health checks,
housekeeping, safety, basic 1st
Aid, courses for external maids
and household management for
Vietnamese wives of foreigners.
FITNESS & YOGA

ELITE FITNESS
TOP-END HEALTH CENTRE

3718 6281
elitefitness.com.vn
The luxury gym features topof-the-line fitness equipment,
separate cardio and spinning
areas and an indoor swimming
pool with a retractable roof. The
spacious studios and natural
light make it a welcoming place
to squeeze in a work out, but be
prepared to pay. This place is top
of the range.
HANOI CLUB
COUNTRY CLUB
76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3823
8115
thehanoiclub.com
HANOI OIS
hanoinetball@gmail.com
Hanoi Ois Netball Club is a mixed
ability, mixed gender club for
adults wanting to enjoy team
sport while also improving fitness and developing skills. The
club plays every Tuesday from
6pm to 7pm at UNIS. Email for
more information
VIETCLIMB
CLIMBING CENTRE
40 Ngo 76 An Duong, Tay Ho, Tel:
0914 143185
vietclimb.vn
Although a little hard to find,
VietClimb is a French-owned,
200-meter climbing gym with
state-of-the-art courses. There
are 100 different climbing routes
within the gym that are changed
every few months. They offer
clinics, classes and childrens
events. Membership and group
rates are available, but be sure to
check out the three-month pass.
ZENITH YOGA
YOGA & MEDITATION

247 Au Co, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3923
0253
An international Yoga studio providing classes across a variety
of levels and styles, including
prenatal and postnatal classes,
restorative yoga, pilates and tai
chi. Also have a yogic shop offering incense, yoga and pilates
mats, books, clothes, soaps,
Himalayan products and other
essential yoga equipment.
GROCERIES, LIQUOR & KITCHEN PRODUCTS
ANNAM GOURMET
GROCERIES / DELI
First Floor, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho,
Tel: (04) 3718 4487
KITCHEN ART
KITCHENWARE
6680 2770
kitchenart.vn
Kitchen Art is a little haven for
all foodies, cooks and bakers
to grow their love and passion
for cooking and baking. Come to
Kitchen Art Store to buy restaurant-grade tools and ingredients
to cook like a chef, take part in
regular demonstrations and
workshops at the Studio, or simply read and relax at the cookbook cafe corner while enjoying
the peaceful West Lake view.
L'S PLACE
GROCERY SHOP
3719 9911
NATURALLY VIETNAM
ORGANIC / NATURAL PRODUCTS

4 Lane 67, Alley 12, To Ngoc Van,
Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 6674 4130
naturallyvietnam.com
Offers food and beverage
produced in Vietnam with full
traceability and strict food
safety controls. Meat, egg, milk,
fish, veggies, honey, jams, fruit
juices, liquors, coffee, water,
ice cream. Also, every Saturday
from 8.30am to 12.30pm, the
team convert the store yard into
the Tay Ho Weekend Market, a
cross-cultural outdoor shopping and socialising hotspot for
expats and Vietnamese.
PUNTO ITALIA
COFFEE MACHINES
62 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
6258 3510
puntoitalia.asia
Trendy, reliable and stylish coffee machines for the workplace
or home, specialising in authentic Italian coffee. Also sells their
own brand coffee in capsules,
ready ground or as the original
roasted mix of beans.
RED APRON
WINE RETAILER
28 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: (04)
3719 8337
as energy healing including Reiki

and Jin Shin Jyutsu. Workshops
are also available.
MEDICAL & DENTAL

INTERNATIONAL SOS 24-HOUR CLINIC
MEDICAL / DENTAL CLINIC
3934 0666
Internationalsos.com
Well-known medical clinic also
known for its quality emergency
services. Doctors and consultants
also provide a range of services
from standard GP-style checkups through to vaccinations,
paediatrics and specialist care.
WESTCOAST INTERNATIONAL DENTAL

CLINIC
DENTAL CLINIC
2nd Fl, Syrena Center, 51 Xuan
Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3710 0555
westcoastinternational.com
The Westcoast International
Dental Clinic is composed of
dental professionals who deliver modern, high-level dental
services throughout Vietnam.
The clinic provides the highest
quality technology, comfort and
after-service care to patients.

simply email us on
well try our best
THE OASIS
ITALIAN DELI
3719 1196
A great place to get all kinds of
imported groceries and homemade foods. All of the breads
and pastas are made in the inhouse kitchen. A great variety of
fresh sauces, a limited, but wellchosen selection of wines and a
fantastic deli and cheese case.
Free delivery.
THE WAREHOUSE
WINE RETAILER
27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: (04)
3718 3701
warehouse-asia.com
The Warehouse is Vietnams ultimate premium wine importer,
distributor, and retailer, representing many of the greatest
wines from the best wine-growing regions on the planet. The
portfolio mixes the best of both
old and new world wines.
SUPERMARKETS
BIG C SUPERMARKET
222 Tran Duy Hung, Cau Giay
CITIMART HANOI TOWERS

CITIMART VINCOM TOWERS

191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung
FIVIMART
210 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan
Kiem
10 Tran Vu, Ba Dinh
671 Hong Hoa Tham, Ba Dinh
71 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Dong Da
51 Xun Dieu, Tay Ho
93 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung
Online shopping: www.fivimart.
com.vn
HANOI STAR SUPERMARKET

36 Cat Linh, Dong Da
HOLISTIC HEALTH
A-ROAMING BODYWORKER
karen@a-roamingbodyworker.
com
a-roamingbodyworker.com
Provides various holistic healing modalities. Services include
craniosacral therapy, deep tissue massage, prenatal massage,
healing stones massage, as well
INTIMEX
22 & 23 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem
131-135 Hao Nam, Dong Da
17 Lac Trung, Hai Ba Trung
27 Huynh Thuc Khang, Dong Da
METRO
126 Tam Trinh, Yen So, Hoang
Mai
Pham Van Dong, Co Nhue, Tu
Liem
hanoi
THE THERAPIST
TEEN ANGST
This month Douglas Holwerda,

American trained and licensed mental
health counsellor, advises on how to
deal with difficult teenagers
Dear Douglas,
My teenage son has become difficult and
I am no longer feeling like I know what
to do. My husband is telling me that I am
over-reacting and that it is normal teenage
behavior, but I am afraid of losing this boy
whom I have always been close to and able
to talk with.
Since he began 11th grade he shows little
interest in his family, his younger brother
and sister, his dad or me. He spends a lot
of time in his room with the door shut and,
any chance he can, he wants to be out with
friends. He seems to spend lots of time in
the bathroom and becomes quickly angry
if anyone disrupts him or says anything
about how he looks or dresses.
He has always been a good student,
but since moving to Hanoi he is not really
trying and doesnt seem bothered by grades
that are lower than he has ever had. His
teachers say he is quiet, but he is not living
up to his potential. The other day I asked
him to sit and talk to me. Before I could
even tell him what I am worried about he
yelled at me and left the room.
Is this normal?
Concerned Mother
Hello Concerned Mother,
What is normal? This is a question we often
ask because it helps us decide if something
is wrong or not. Of course, when we pause
to think about it, we know that normal
is subjective and relative that there is
no absolute standard for what is normal.
Culture, age, personality, interests, etc. can

all determine differences. We seem to want
and need some standard by which we can
determine what is normal and what is of
concern.
Another way to determine whether
something is wrong or not, is to consider
how we are feeling. If I were to make some
assumptions about how you are feeling,
it would include feeling confused not
sure how to connect to your son; frustrated
that your attempts have failed; fearful that
something is wrong or that you are losing
the connection with him; hurt that it feels
like you are being rejected or that your
importance in his life is reduced; helpless
and alone with these questions; worried
that he is losing interest in school and his
future may be impacted.
You may also feel angry that your
husband seems unconcerned and is
minimising your feelings. All of these
feelings may also spur the feelings of love
you have for him and memories of feeling
close and connected. The question becomes,
what can you do with these feelings?
The longer they are un-addressed, the
more intense they become. It also creates
a situation where it feels like your son
needs to change in order for you to feel
better. This is a disempowered position
that burdens him and often leads to power
struggles.
Let me say something about power
struggles with teenagers. From the time
a child is born they are making more and
more decisions for themselves, and as long

as their decisions are in line with their
parents wishes, there are no problems.
What often happens as they approach the
end of adolescence is that they start to make
decisions that are not in line with what their
parents or teachers would want of them.
At this point there is often an unanswered
question. Whose decision is it?
Your son may be showing you that he has
power the power not to cooperate, not
to participate, to not respond to you and
your need for him. He is showing you that
these are his decisions. Dont be tempted
into using power in response punishing,
controlling his behaviour, intruding on his
space or creating conditions that will meet
resistance from him.
I am not saying to abandon expectations
or to have no limits. I would encourage
you to let him know how you are feeling.
Tell him your frustrations, fears, the loss
you feel and the way that you love him. It
is an invitation to reconnect and to remind
him of your importance to him. Be willing
to stand by and to gently and caringly
observe. The important thing is that you
recognize that it is your feelings that you
want to change. Only you are responsible
for them.
I wish you well,
Douglas
Do you have a question you would like
Douglass help with? You can email him at
douglasholwerda@hotmail.com. Personal details
will not be printed
hanoi
to get dressed up for. Has extensive a la carte menus, dim
sum menus and set menus.
Reservations recommended.
ba dinh
BARS & NIGHTCLUBS / BOOKSHOPS / CAFES / CLUBS & SOCIETIES / COOKING CLASSES / EAT /
FITNESS & YOGA / HAIRDRESSERS & SALONS / MEDICAL & DENTAL
BARS & NIGHTCLUBS

BARBETTA
ARTSY BAR & CAFE

34C Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh,
Tel: (04) 3734 9134
ETE BAR
FRENCH LOUNGE
95 Giang Van Minh, Ba Dinh,
Tel: 0976 751331
10am to midnight
A favourite among those who
roam further west of the
city centre, this multi-storey
restobar has been going
strong for more than two
years. It has balconies, mezzanine seating and a long bar
guarding exactly 50 different
cocktails. For many the Ete
burger is right on the mark
as are the sandwiches, tartines and salads. Its always
crowded especially during the weekends. Amiable
staff, pleasant vibes.
ALTERNATIVE DANCE CLUB

18 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh
facebook.com/vaulthanoi
The work of Mao, the enigmatic personality behind
Maos Red Lounge and The
Coach House, this underground homage to nighttime
decadence sits in the gap
between The Old Quarter
and West Lake, bringing in a
range of DJs and nightly entertainment. A great addition
to the scene.
BOOKWORM
BOOK SHOP
44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3715 3711; 1/28 Nghi
Tam Village, Tay Ho Tel: (04)
3829 2322
Bookworm has been the cornerstone of Hanois literary
scene since 2001. It has
been around the block quite
a bit and now shares a space
with Hanoi Cooking Centre.
With over 15,000 new and
second-hand fiction and
nonfiction titles in stock, the
shop also buys used books
and offers free travel advice.
Has a second shop in Tay Ho
CAFES
CONG CAPHE
LEFTIST ARTSY CAFE

32 Dien Bien Phu, Ba Dinh,
Tel: (04) 2247 0602
8am to 10pm
With a kitsch, communistdriven theme saturating this
quaint cafe, most patrons
are young Vietnamese bohemians and artsy expats.
Sip on a blended cup of joe
with beans from the Central
Highlands, knock back one
of the many different types
of tea available or sip on
freshly squeezed juice from
the Spartan cups in one of
the hippest cafes on cafe
street. If you like pre-doi
moi nostalgia, here is the
place to go.
HANOI COOKING CENTRE CAF
COURTYARD CAFE
44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh
9am to 5.30pm. Open every
day
Relax in a leafy courtyard,
air-con dining room or under
a covered roof terrace with
a Vietnamese ca phe, Italian
coffee, beer, wine or freshly
squeezed juice. Order from
a seasonally changing
menu or try one of the allday breakfast specials for
VND110,000, including juice
and coffee or tea.
MANZI
ARTS CAF & GALLERY

14 Phan Huy Ich, Ba Dinh,
Tel: (04) 3716 3397
facebook.com/manzihanoi
A stunningly designed contemporary caf and events
space that screams out the
words modern art. Housed
in a converted colonial-era
villa, a continuous flow of exhibitions, talks, experimental music and game shows
make up the mix here. Great
cuisine, too.
CLUBS & SOCIETIES

GOETHE INSTITUT
GERMAN CULTURAL CENTRE

58 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh
Tel: (04) 3734 2251
goethe.de/hanoi
COOKING CLASSES
HANOI COOKING CENTRE
COOKING CENTRE
inh T
in H o n g
HIGHWAY 4
Hng
Bi
Q u n
Phng
Nguyn
Tri Ph
ng
B Tr
i u
Ho
BOOKSHOPS
Trn
Hn
g
o
Khm Thin
C
u
ng
Kh
n
Hong
Hng
Th
n
Tn
Ho
H
ng
Th
n
h
Th
c
Trn
g Th
i
Na
m
Giai
L iu
La
Diu
Vng
Vn
Cao
Liu
Giai
Ct Lin
h
L Dun
n g
B
i
n
g
n
g
n
gL
g
Ln
ng
n
h
ng
i
Trn Ph
n T
hi
Hc
L Thi T
nh
h
G
La Th
nh
Cha Lng
Hu
Ngu
y
n
Xu
Sn Ty
Kim M
La
T
i C
n
Phng
g
n c
L
i Cn
nh
ng
H
o Tn
Kim M
THE VAULT
Phan
nh
Th
Ph
Qun
Hong
Hoa
Th
m
i Cn
Kh
n
hT
o
n
Ca B
c
Thanh
n
Y
Ngu
y
n
Ho
Th
Hng
Q
Lo
ng
L c
Ph
Ni
Ho
n
g
Hong Quc Vit
boo seating and a history

that screams empathy make
this eatery one of the most
popular Indians in town. Selling an international version
of the mighty curry they
even sell pork and beef here
the menu keeps to the
northern part of the subcontinent with masala, dopiaza,
korma and the more Goan
vindaloo taking centre stage.
Also has a good range of
breads and tandoor-cooked
kebabs.
n
Y
BA DINH
DISTRICT
Trn Nhn Tng

(04) 3715 0088
hanoicookingcentre.com
Hanoi Cooking Centre is a
school, retail outlet and caf,
where you can find classes
on not just Vietnamese
cooking, but international
cuisine, held in a beautiful
setting. They also offer culinary tours.
EAT
AU LAC DO BRAZIL
BRAZILIAN CHURRASCO
6A Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3845 5224
aulacdobrazil.com
Open for over a decade,
Au Lac Do Brazil is home to
the Hanoi's best Churrasco
menu with a wide variety of
meats from Calabrian sausage and picanha through
to D-rump steak and smoked
hams. Pioneering the eat-asmuch-as-you-can theme in
Vietnam, Passadors bring
the meat skewers to your
table, and you, the customer
then choose your accompaniments from the salad bar.
Best washed down with red
wine or a Caipirinha or five.
FOODSHOP 45
MING PALACE
INTERNATIONAL INDIAN
59 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3716 2959
10am to 10.30pm
Lakeside location, low bam-
VIETNAMESE / ETHNIC
575 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3771 6372
10am to midnight
HOA SUA TRAINING RESTAURANT

SONG THU
(04) 3942 4448
hoasuaschool.com
KOTO ON VAN MIEU
RESTAURANT / CAF / BAR

59 Van Mieu, Dong Da, Tel:
(04) 3747 0337
koto.com.au
Monday: 7am to 4pm;
Tuesday to Sunday: 7am to
9.30pm
All profit is invested back into
the cause at Koto, which is a
school and workplace for
disadvantaged students opposite the Temple of Literature. Authentic Asian and European cuisine comes out of
a visible and frenetic kitchen
and is served over four big
floors of restaurant space.
Its cushioned, comfortable
and has a rooftop terrace,
too. Wrap it yourself nem,
bun bo Nam bo, Koto burgers, pastas, fish and chips,
chicken Kievs and sandwiches all under one homely roof.
MATCHBOX
INTERNATIONAL / VIETNAMESE
40 Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3734 3098
11am to 11pm
MAY MAN CHINESE CUISINE
PAN-CHINESE
Fortuna Hotel, 6B Lang Ha,
Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3831 3333
fortuna.vn
11am to 2pm, 5.30pm to
10pm
Elegant and luxurious, May
Man has long been regarded as one of the best Chinese restaurants in Hanoi.
Showcasing a selection of
authentic Chinese culinary
delights and Yum Cha at its
finest, with seven private
dining rooms this is a place
PAN-CHINESE
Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien,
Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3823 8888
11am to 2pm, 5.30pm to
10pm
A fine dining destination at
the Sofitel Plaza serving
Cantonese and pan-Chinese
cuisine in a sleek modern
setting with private dining
rooms. With more than 80
dim sum selections available
along with Chinese entrees,
Mings is an ideal eatery for
those hungry for higher end
Chinese fare.
THE BISTRO
FRENCH FLAIR
2/2c Van Phuc, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3726 4782
thebistro.com.vn
7.30am to 9pm
A modern eatery offering
western cuisine with shades
of French influence in a comfortable setting. Think gardens in a courtyard, drink
and food deals and a warm
indoor atmosphere you
know, just how the French
do it.
FITNESS & YOGA

N SHAPE FITNESS
MID-RANGE FITNESS CENTRE

5th Floor, 71 Nguyen Chi
Thanh, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
6266 0495
nshapefitness.vn
HAIRDRESSERS & SALONS

DINH HAIR SALON
HAIR SALON
2A Cua Bac, Ba Dinh, Tel:
0987 718899
MEDICAL & DENTAL

FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE
MEDICAL
298 I Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3843 0748
vietnammedicalpractice.
com
On the little street directly
below Kim Ma, with all sorts
of specialists including OB/
GYN, Pediatricians and ENT.
A Medium-sized practice
with both Vietnamese and international doctors, but they
are used to treating expats.
Also a 24-hour emergency
service.

simply email us on
well try our best
hanoi
MEDICAL BUFF
EATING SAFELY IN HANOI
pr. 7 is World Health Day and

the focus this year is on food
safety. Living in Vietnam, this is
a particular topic of interest as
many of us are either eating street food
or going to the supermarkets to buy the
food that we consume every day. A lot
of us wonder, Is it ok to eat this? How
do I know its safe? Dr. Brian, Medical
Director at Family Medical Practice
Hanoi, answers some commonly asked
questions.
Dr. Brian, how dangerous is it

really to eat from food stalls in
Hanoi?
Where we eat often determines the risk
of developing food poisoning. So eating
on the street from many of the roadside
restaurants can substantially increase the
risk for all expatriate Hanoians. It can
also be difficult to determine what foods
actually caused the sickness. Most of the
bacterial causes of diarrhoea and vomiting,
such as salmonella, incubate from between
one to five days, although staphylococcal
infection from cream sauces and pastries

can develop with in a few hours of
ingestion. On the other hand, parasitic
diseases may take one to two weeks to
develop symptoms. Viral hepatitis A from
contaminated shellfish may take up to ome
month before symptoms are noted.
We have all suffered from mild

stomach upsets. When should we
seek medical advice?
The classic symptoms of food poisoning
are diarrhoea and vomiting, maybe with
cramps and fever as well. If the diarrhoea
persists for more than a day, is initially
profuse within the first 24 hours, contains
blood and there is either significant
abdominal pain and / or fever, then you
should seek medical advice right away.
What can I do to prevent or

greatly reduce the likelihood of
food poisoning?
Avoid raw or undercooked meat,
poultry, fish or shellfish, raw or
undercooked eggs or foods that may
BY DR. BRIAN MCNAULL
contain them, raw sprouts, beans and

herbs, unpasteurized juices and ciders,
milk and milk products.
Thoroughly wash your hands often.
Keep raw edibles away from other
foods to prevent cross-contamination. You
can kill harmful organisms in most foods
by cooking them to temperatures between
145 F (62.8 C) and 165 F (73.9 C).
Refrigerate or freeze perishable
foods within two hours of purchasing
or preparing them. Do not thaw foods at
room temperature, but defrost them in the
refrigerator or microwave.
If you aren't sure if a food has been
prepared, served or stored safely, discard
it. Food that looks ok and smells normal
may in fact be unsafe!
Dr. Brian McNaull is the Medical Director
at the Family Medical Practice Hanoi, which
also has locations in Vietnams other major
cities. For information or assistance call (04)
3843 0748 (Hanoi), (08) 3822 7848 (Ho Chi
Minh City) or (0511) 3582 699 (Danang).
Alternatively, click on vietnammedicalpractice.
com
hanoi
Tel: (04) 3974 3556
vinmec.com
elsewhere
A DONG PHOTO CO
BARS & CLUBS / CAFES / EAT / MEDICAL & DENTAL / RECREATION
RECREATION
KEANGNAM SWIMMING POOL
BARS & CLUBS

CAMA ATK
MUSIC & ARTS BAR

73 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: 01262 054970
Wednesday to Saturday,
6pm to midnight
With well-poured drinks, a
foosball table, no smoking
and a midnight closing time,
CAMA ATK knows exactly
what it wants to be and
thats refreshing. The space
is a part time venue for
smaller acts and DJs. The
venue is hip, comfortable
and will likely provide the serious drinker with a reliable
place to pull up a stool and
take pulls in a relaxed haven.
HOA VIEN BRAUHAUS
CZECH MICROBREWERY
1A Tang Bat Ho, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 3972 5088
VUVUZELA
MODERN BEER HALL

2A Tran Thanh Tong, Hai Ba
Trung
CAF 129
MEXICAN/COMFORT FOOD
129 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 3821 5342
7.30am to 9.30pm
FRENCH GRILL
JW Marriott Hanoi, 8 Do Duc
Duc, Me Tri, Tu Liem, Tel: (04)
3833 5588
facebook.com/frenchgrill
Every day 6pm to 11pm
With unique decor, contemporary ambience, a walk-in
wine cooler and a delectable seafood bar, this classy
restaurant offers guests
a service experience with
crafted food difficult to find
in the capital.
HIGHWAY 4
VIETNAMESE / ETHNIC
54 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: (04) 3796 2647
10am to midnight
CAFES
KOTO ON VAN MIEU
CONG CAPHE
LEFTIST ARTSY CAFE

152D Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai
Ba Trung
8am to 10pm
With a kitsch, communistdriven theme saturating this
quaint cafe, most patrons
are young Vietnamese bohemians and artsy expats.
Sip on a blended cup of joe
with beans from the Central
Highlands, knock back one
of the many different types
of tea available or sip on
freshly squeezed juice from
the Spartan cups in one of
the hippest cafes on cafe
street. If you like pre-doi
moi nostalgia, here is the
place to go.
HAM HANH
ARTSY CAFE
170 Doi Can, Dong Da
The physical representation of arts, film and music
collective, The Onion Cellar,
this cafe with multiple areas
is as left field as the people
who created it.
RESTAURANT / CAF / BAR

59 Van Mieu, Dong Da, Tel:
(04) 3747 0337
koto.com.au
Monday: 7.00am to 4pm;
Tuesday to Sunday: 7am to
9.30pm
All profit is invested back into
the cause at Koto, which is a
school and workplace for
disadvantaged students opposite the Temple of Literature. Authentic Asian and European cuisine comes out of
a visible and frenetic kitchen
and is served over four big
floors of restaurant space.
Its cushioned, comfortable
and has a rooftop terrace,
too. Wrap it yourself nem,
bun bo Nam bo, Koto burgers, pastas, fish and chips,
chicken Kievs and sandwiches all under one homely roof.
KY Y
JAPANESE RICE EATERY

166 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 3978 1386
11.30am to 1.30pm, 5pm to
10.30pm, closed Sunday
SUSHI RESTAURANT
288 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: (04) 3974 5945
asahisushi.vn
11.30am to 2pm, 6pm to

9.15pm
Situated in an art-deco villa
that was once owned by
a Vietnamese mandarin,
this establishment is now
owned and run by perhaps
the most famous French chef
in the country. With modestly
priced set lunches and subtle Vietnamese touches on
the dishes, which primarily
come from carefully selected domestic spices, the up
market establishment lures
in its high class customers
with quality VietnameseFrench fusion cuisine.
rant, bar and lounge blends

the old with the new. Vietnamese fusion cuisine, like
profiteroles with green tea
and caf fillings, a private
chefs table with a kitchen
view, and an extensive wine
list combined with modern
formal styling bring a unique
experience to Hanoi.
WILD LOTUS
CONTEMPORARY ASIAN / VIETNAMESE

55A Nguyen Du, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 3943 9342
57 Bui Thi Xuan, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 3944 0204
potsnpans.vn
11.30am to late
Brought to you by a group of
former disadvantaged youth
from Hanois own KOTO, this
unique fine dining restau-
ROYAL CITY ICE SKATING RINK
ALPHA LAPTOP
95D Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 3747 4418
FUONG MAY ANH

5 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 3213 1568
NGUYEN CAU
ICE SKATING
Royal City, 72A-74 Nguyen
Trai, Thanh Xuan, Tel: 0936
469799
royalcity.com.vn
1 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem
X-FACTORY LASER TAG
HI-TECH USA
LASER TAG
77 Hong Mai, Bach Mai, Hai
Ba Trung, Tel: (04) 3627 7106
x-factory-vn.com
DK COMPUTER
29 Ngoc Kha, Ba Dinh Tel:
3772 4772
23 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan

Kiem. Tel: 3938 6261
PICO PLAZA
35 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan
Kiem
MEDICAL & DENTAL

POTS N PANS
SWIMMING POOL
Landmark 72 Tower, Pham
Hung, Cau Giay, Tel: (04)
3772 3801
landmark72.com
128 Hang Trong, Hoan

Kiem . Tel: 3826 0732
FRENCH HOSPITAL
INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL
1 Phuong Mai, Dong Da, Tel:
(04) 3577 1100
hfh.com.vn
VINMEC INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL

458 Minh Khai, Hai Ba Trung,

simply email us on
well try our best
PROFESSIONAL COMPUTER
CARE AND IT SERVICES
No 3, Alley 8, Hoa Lu,
Hai Ba Trung. Tel: 0983
011081
VIETSAD
34B Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 3747 8771
SWIMMING POOLS
ARMY HOTEL
33C Pham Ngu Lao, Hoan
Kiem. Tel: 3825 2896
FOUR SEASONS
14 Dang Tien Dong, Dong
Da. Tel: 3537 6250
HANOI CLUB
76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho
Tel: 3823 8115
www.hanoi-club.com
HORISON FITNESS CENTER

40 Cat Linh, Ba Dinh
Tel: 3733 0808
MELIA HOTEL
Kiem. Tel: 3934 3343
OLYMPIA
4 Tran Hung Dao, Hoan
Kiem. Tel: 3933 1049
SAO MAI
10 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho
Tel: 3718 3161
SOFITEL PLAZA FITNESS

CENTER
1 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho
Tel: 3823 8888
THAN NHAN
EAT
ASAHI SUSHI
ELECTRONICS
LA VERTICALE
CONTEMPORARY FRENCH
19 Ngo Van So, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: (04) 3944 6317
verticale-hanoi.com
Vo Thi Sau, Hai Ba Trung,

(Inside the park)
THANG LOI HOTEL

200 Yen Phu, Tay Ho
hanoi
BOOK BUFF
ROMANCE
After a lot of subtle hints from fans of romance novels, Bookworms Truong has
invited Marie, a prolific reader of that genre, to provide a few romantic pointers
n the US, Europe and Australia

romance novels account for about
55 percent of fiction books sold, and
since the publication of the Fifty
Shades of Grey series, we assume that that
percentage has gone up even further.
According to the non-profit, Romance
Writers of America, the main plot of a
romance novel must revolve about the two
people as they develop romantic love for
each other and work to build a relationship.
The novels usually have an emotionally
satisfying and optimistic ending.
Denigrators of the genre often refer to it
as chick lit, while we at Bookworm like to
satirize such faux intellectuals and call it
chic lit. After all, who in their right minds
would belittle authors like Jane Austen or
Georgette Heyer?
The genre blossomed after the 1930s,
when Mills and Boon, and Harlequin
published inexpensive romance novels,
providing rich pickings for a slew of
authors who were able to graft their writing
skills into a prescriptive formula.
Romance and Astocrats

Still popular are the novels that milk this
vein with a financially not-so-well-off
heroine being romanced by a rich and titled
nobleman. The most popular of all time is
Lord of Scoundrels (1995) by Lorretta Chase.
Jessica Trent attempts to save her rather
stupid brother Bertie from the supposedly
villanous clutches of handsome Sebastian
Ballister, the Marquess of Dain, who
inevitably falls for her even after she shoots
him early on in the piece. The most heart
wrenching part is about Dains attempts to

keep Jessica by his side, who he considers
to be the most beautiful woman alive
Erotica
Fifty Shades of Grey spotlighted female erotic
lit, even though it didnt get anywhere
near the nitty gritty until about page 200.
Its steamy porn after-effect has meant
that well written titles from the past are
being reprinted. One of these, after a
30-year hiatus, is Lace by Shirley Conran,
which was often publicised as a feminist
tract disguised as a bonkbuster. It is also
accused of being the precursor of all of the
modern sex and shopping sagas in which
the heroines happily ever after scenario is
often not due to a man.
There are graphic sex scenes in the
book, but it is far more notable because
of its theme of friendships between four
high-powered, wealthy women and their
different careers.
Small-Town Trysts
Sarah Morgan had another hit with book
two about an attractive French chef, Elise.
who works at mountain resort in Vermont.
In this novel the delicious orthopaedic
surgeon, Sean, returns to his hometown
and to the resort which his alienated family
owns. He is determined to have another
fling with Elise and attempts to rekindle the
passion they shared in a blissful, one-night
stand the previous summer.
Both protagonists have had past
struggles with love and heartache
romantically and with their families and
both are afraid to commit themselves to

another relationship.
Suddenly Last Summer was one of the
bestselling books in 2014 and stands above
most other small town romance stories
because it manages to imbue the main
characters with believable vulnerability.
Historical Bodice Rippers

Another 2014 best seller was The Arrow by
Monica McCarty. Its the ninth novel in
her Highland Guard series, set in Scotland
during the turbulent border wars in the
reign of Robert the Bruce.
All of the novels have covers featuring
bare muscled torsos of young warriors that
are definite turn-ons, even before you get
into the action packed and raunchy part.
Gregor is the best Scots archer ever
and the heartbreaker of young maidens
throughout the craggy land. Cate is a young
girl who has secretly been in love with
Gregor since he pulled her out of a well in
which shed been hiding after a bunch of
marauders raped and killed her mother five
years before this adventure starts.
Gregor has had his anonymity breached
and has to go into hiding in Cates village.
Cate recognizes his vulnerable side and
sees him as a man who deserves to be loved
for whom he really is and not as another
notch on the proverbial bedpost.
Naturally there is a secret from the past
that threatens to tear them apart and this
heightens the tension to heart thumping
levels.
For more information on Bookworm go to
bookwormhanoi.com
Ho Chi Minh City

BUSINESS BUFF // JOB SEARCH // BODY AND TEMPLE // ICE CREAM BOWL // TOP EATS //
THE EMPTY WOK // STUDENT EYE // A WORLD OF GOOD
PHOTO BY NICK ROSS
HCMC
business
ACCOUNTING & AUDITING / ADVERTISING & MKTG / BUSINESS CONSULTING / BUSINESS GROUPS / CORPORATE GIFTS & SERVICES /
EVENT MANAGEMENT / EXPAT SERVICES / HOUSING & REAL ESTATE / INSURANCE / INTERIOR DESIGN / INVESTMENT & FINANCE /
LANGUAGE SCHOOLS / LEGAL SERVICES / MANAGEMENT TRAINING / MARKET RESEARCH / PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES / PUBLIC RELATIONS /
RECRUITMENT & HR / RELOCATION AGENTS / SERVICED APARTMENTS
ACCOUNTING & AUDITING
PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS
Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan,

Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 0796
pwc.com
SAIGON-EXPAT TAX SERVICES
6th Floor, Me Linh Point

Tower, 2 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel:
0938 220 255
vivianwcooper@gmail.com
TMF GROUP
Unit 501, 5th Floor, Saigon

Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc
Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3910
2262
Tmg-group.com
ADVERTISING & MKTG

BBDO VIETNAM
74/3 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 6662
bbdoasia.com
COWAN STRATEGIC BRAND

DESIGN
16th Floor, Bitexco Office

Tower, 1925 Nguyen Hue,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 3064
cowandesign.com
GREY GROUP
led communications company helps brands connect

and grow across Southeast
Asia. Clients include The
CocaCola Company, Asia
Pacific Breweries, Piaggio
and UPI.
404 Vo Van Tan, Q3, Tel: (08)

3929 1450
grey.com/vietnam
PURPLE ASIA
DENTSU VIETNAM
AB TOWER, 23rd Floor, 76 Le
Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 9005
Dentsu.com.vn
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN ASIA
Duong So 12, Tran Nao, Q2,

Tel: (08) 3740 6388
industrialdesignasia.com
MARKETEERS VIETNAM
FPT Tower, 153 Nguyen Dinh

Chieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3933
3493
marketeersvietnam.com
OGILVY & MATHER

12th Floor, Centec Tower,
7274, Nguyen Thi Minh
Khai, Q13, Tel: (08) 3821
9529
ogilvy.com
PHIBIOUS
7th Floor, 11bis Nguyen Gia

Thieu, Q3, Tel: (08) 3933
3377
phibious.com
An independent, creative
9 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh

Thanh, Tel: (08) 6277 7050
purpleasia.com
RED | BRAND BUILDERS
Floor 14, Citilight Tower, 45

Vo Thi Sau, Q1, Tel: (08) 3820
0169
red.vn
Long-established branding
consultancy and marketing agency. The Red team
creates and shapes unique
marketing strategies that
add impact to international
and local brands from Vietnam to Australia.
RIVER ORCHID
10th Floor HDTC Building,
36 Bui Thi Xuan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3925 2538
riverorchid.com
SAATCHI & SAATCHI

26 Tran Cao Van, Q3, Tel: (08)
3824 1207
saatchi.com
Ranked among the top 100
global advertising agencies,
S&S has worked with over
half of the 50 bestknown
brands in the world, providing advertisement planning,
direct marketing, marketing consulting and graphic
design.
TBWA\VIETNAM
4th Floor, Saigon Finance
Center, 9 Dinh Tien Hoang,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 5315
tbwa.com.vn
BUSINESS CONSULTING
BDG VIETNAM
11th Floor, Capital Place, 6
Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 7858
Bdg-vietnam.com
CONCETTI
33 Dinh Tien Hoang, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3911 1481
Concetti.vn
GRANT THORNTON
28th Floor, Saigon Trade
Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3910 9100
Gt.com.vn
INSPIRED IMAGE
Villa 15, Duong 58, Phu
Nhuan, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel:
0916 352573
Inspiredimage.co.uk
PRISM INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
4th Floor, YOCO Building, 41
Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1,
Tel: (08) 7305 0905
prism.com.vn
ROUSE
6th Floor, Abacus Tower, 58
Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 6770
iprights.com
STAR CORPORATE VIETNAM

161A/1 Nguyen Van Thu, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3911 0965
starcorpvn.com
STRASOL GROUP INTERNATIONAL

38 Tran Ngoc Dien, Q2, Tel:
0904 410884
TRACTUS ASIA LTD

164 Nguyen Van Thu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 6291 2205
tractus-asia.com
XAGE CONSULTANCY
35A-1-2 Grandview, Nguyen
Duc Canh, Q7, Tel: (08) 5412
3402; 31st Floor, Saigon
Trade Centre, 37 Ton Duc
Thang, Tel: (08) 3911 0454
xageconsulting.com
BUSINESS GROUPS
AMCHAM
New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 3562.
amchamvietnam.com
An independent association
of American and international businesses, the objective
of the American Chamber of
Commerce in Vietnam is to
promote trade and investment between the United
States and Vietnam.
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

2nd Floor, Eximland Building,
179EF Cach Mang Thang
Tam, Q3, Tel: (08) 3832 9912
auschamvn.org
A licensed foreign busi-
ness group established to

represent and promote the
interests of Australian businesses operating in Vietnam,
AusCham coordinates topical breakfast seminars, social networking functions,
governmental relations
meetings and charity events.
BRITISH BUSINESS GROUP OF

VIETNAM
3829 8430
bbgv.org
CANCHAM
Room 305, New World Hotel,
76 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824
3754
canchamvietnam.org
Open to all nationalities, the
Canadian Chamber of Commerce aims to create an effective network of business
associates together and to
facilitate discussion forums
about business in Vietnam.
NORDCHAM
17th Floor, Petroland Tower,
12 Tan Trao, Q7, Tel: (08)
5416 0922
nordcham.com
PHILIPPINES BUSINESS GROUP

VIETNAM
40/4 Pham Viet Chanh, Binh
Thanh, Tel: (08) 3518 0045
pbgvn.com
SINGAPORE BUSINESS GROUP

6th Floor, Unit 601, Tran Quy
Building, 57 Le Thi Hong, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3823 3046
sbghcm.org
SWISS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

42 Giang Van Minh, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3744 6996
swissvietnam.com
HCMC
CORPORATE GIFTS & SERVICES
AMBRIJ VIETNAM LTD
14-16-18 Chu Manh Trinh,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 8364
ambrij.com
ENDO
406/16 Cong Hoa, Tan Binh,
Tel: (08) 6292 2045
endo.vn
Endo offers garment manufacturing for local resorts,
restaurants, hotels, golf
courses, travel agencies
and apparel shops. They
also manufacture giftware
from polos and hoodies to
keychains, card holders and
menu covers.
EVENT MANAGEMENT
CENTERPIECE EVENT ORGANIZERS
Tel: 0906 761190
centerpiece-vn.com
info@centerpiece-vn.com
Centerpiece is an independent event planning company
run by expatriates that can
plan any event from private
parties, to corporate events
to weddings.
EPICURE PARTY & EVENT CATERERS

30, Street 40, Thao Dien, Q2
Tel: (08) 6260 7172
epicure.com.vn
Epicure is a fresh, modern
and creative corporate and
private event catering company that upholds traditional
service values. The entire
team constantly aims to provide superb food made only
from the finest, sustainably
sourced ingredients.
GALA ROYALE EVENT HALL

63 Mac Dinh Chi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3825 6048
galaroyale.com.vn
ONE WORLD TOURISM CO, LTD

268/3 Nguyen Thai Binh, Tan
Binh, Tel: (08) 6299 0880
THE CATERERS
46D Vuon Lai, Tan Phu, Tel:
(08) 3812 6901
thecaterersvietnam.com.vn
Offers everything from canaps and cocktails, buffets
and set menus to barbeques
and wedding catering. Combines excellent food, event
management and exclusive
venues to make any kind of
event a success.
EXPAT SERVICES
CHUMS HOUSE
121/21 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)

3920 7237
HAPPY HOUSE
32-34 Ngo Duc Ke, Suite 701,

Q1, Tel: 01659 419916
RESIDENT VIETNAM
Unit 601 48 Hoa Su, Phu
Nhuan, Tel: (08) 2226 8855

residentvietnam.com
HOUSING & REAL ESTATE

CBRE
12th Floor, Me Linh Point
Tower, 2 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3824 6125
cbre.com
JONES LANG LASALLE

26th Foor, Saigon Trade
Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang
Q1, Tel: (08) 3910 3968
joneslanglasalle.com.vn
Jones Lang LaSalle
(NYSE:JLL) is a professional
services and investment
management firm offering specialized real estate
services to clients seeking
increased value by owning,
occupying and investing in
real estate. As a truly global
firm, they work and collaborate closely with their
colleagues across Asia Pacific and around the world to
bring best-in-class services,
people, and systems to their
clients in Vietnam.
Their offices in Ho Chi Minh
City and Ha Noi offer: Tenant
Representation, Office Leasing, Retail Services, Valuation and Advisory,
Research and Consulting,
Investment Sales and Acquisitions, Residential Agency,
Industrial Agency, Project
and Development Services,
Property Asset Management
Services, Hotel Investment
and Consultancy Services,
Integrated Facilities Management.
COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL VIETNAM

Bitexco Office Building, 7th
Floor, 19-25 Nguyen Hue,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 5665
colliersmn.com/vietnam
CREATION
International Plaza Building,
Room 16B8, 343 Pham Ngu
Lao, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291 7553
CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD VIETNAM

Unit 16, 14th Floor, Vincom
Center, 72 Le Thanh Ton Q1,
Tel: (08) 3823 7968
cushmanwakefield.vn
EASY SAIGON
Tel: 0932 112694
easysaigon.com
The Easy Saigon website is
a useful real estate website
helping expats to find apartments in Ho Chi Minh City.
Enquiries via their website
are welcome.
cy and consultancy. In Vietnam, they offer commercial,

residential and residential
development services.
NAMHO
USE CORPORATION
48A Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao
Dien, Q2, Tel: 0989 007700
namhouse.com.vn
Expert in providing rental
properties, constructions
and interior decoration,
especially in District 2. Supports professional services
and aftersales.
SAVILLS VIETNAM LTD

Fideco Tower, 18th Floor,
81-85 Ham Nghi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 9205
savills.com.vn
Savills Vietnam is a leading
property service provider
in Vietnam since 1995, providing research, advisory
services, residential sales,
commercial leasing, asset
management, retail advisory, valuation, investment
advisory and other services.
SNAP
32 Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao
Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519 4282
snap.com.vn
Owners of Snap Caf in District 2, Snap offers a web
based real estate search
service with information on
rental properties all around
the city, as well as an advisory service for those averse
to wading into the internet
depths for their needs.
SOTHEBYS INTERNATIONAL
REALTY
Suite 1905, Bitexco Financial
Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3520 2000
sothebysrealty.com.vn
THE NEST
369/6 Do Xuan Hop, Phuoc
Long B, Q9, Tel: 0903 198901
thenest-vietnam.com
Wellknown property
search and real estate
agency with a useful website
listing properties available
for rent and sale, orientated
towards expats. Website is in
English, French and Spanish.
INSURANCE
BAOVIET INSURANCE
49D Phan Dang Luu, Binh
Thanh, Tel: (08) 3510 1661
baoviet.com.vn
IF CONSULTING
KNIGHT FRANK
Suite A, level 7, VTP Office
Building, 8 Nguyen Hue, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3822 6777
knightfrank.com.vn
Founded in 1896, Knight
Frank has grown to become
the worlds largest privately
owned global property agen-
IFC Building, 3rd Floor, 1A

Me Linh Square, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 7362
insuranceinvietnam.com
Independent advisors that
represent top reputable
medical insurers provide
you with the best suitable
medical cover for individual,
family or company needs.
BLUE CROSS VIETNAM

4th Floor, Continental Tower,
81-85 Ham Nghi, Nguyen
Thai Binh Ward, D1
Tel: (08) 3821 9908
inquiry@bluecross.com.vn
www.bluecross.com.vn
Blue Cross Vietnam is part
of the Pacific Cross group
of companies with over 60
years experience in providing health and travel insurance to people and businesses who call Asia home.
Their reputation for transparent, honest and reliable
service means they are the
strength behind your insurance. To make sure you are
getting the most out of your
insurance contact them for
a free quote.
IGLOBALASSIST
Iglobalassist.com
james.pruss@aol.com
LIBERTY INSURANCE
15th Floor, Kumho Asiana
Plaza, 39 Le Duan, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3812 5125
libertyinsurance.com.vn
PRUDENTIAL
25th F, Saigon Trade Centre,
37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3910 1660
prudential.com.vn
TENZING PACIFIC SERVICES

181 Dien Bien Phu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3821 5367
ten-pac.com
A full-service insurance broker offering a wide range of
insurance solutions from the
best local and international
providers. Recommendations are based exclusively
on client needs.
(08) 3742 4040

aisvietnam.com
The Australian International
School is an IB World School
with three world-class campuses in District 2, offering
an international education
from kindergarten to senior
school with the IB Primary
Years Programme (PYP),
Cambridge Secondary Programme (including IGCSE)
and IB Diploma Programme
(DP).
CITYSMART
Horizon Tower, 214 Tran
Quang Khai, Q1, Tel: (08)
3526 8833
7 Street 2, Cu Xa Do Thanh,
Q3, Tel: (08) 3832 8488
citysmart.vn
CitySmart delivers a range
of diverse, internationallyrecognised educational
programmes, as well as life
skills and character building
for comprehensive development.
BRITISH INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL (BIS)
Tel: (08) 3744 2335
bisvietnam.com
Inspected and approved
by the British Government,
BIS provides a British style
curriculum for an international student body from
pre-school to Year 13. The
school is staffed by British
qualified and trained teachers with recent UK experience. Fully accredited by
the Council of International
Schools and a member of
FOBISIA, BIS is the largest
international school in Vietnam.
CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL
13C Phong Phu Commune,
Binh Chanh, Tel: (08) 5412
3456
cis.edu.vn
The first Canadian international school in Vietnam
serves local and foreign
students from Kindergarten
to grade 12. Talented, certified teachers implement the
internationally recognised
Ontario curriculum to create a student-centred learning environment promoting
academic excellence.
EUROPEAN INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL HO CHI MINH CITY (EIS)
730 F-G-K Le Van Mien, Thao
Dien, D2, HCMC, Vietnam.
Tel: (08) 7300 7257
info@eishcmc.com
www.eishcmc.com
Located in the heart of Thao
Dien, District 2, the EUROPEAN International School
Ho Chi Minh City offers a
supportive and challenging
academic education from
Early Years to Grade 12
based on the IB curriculum.
EIS is a Nobel Talent School
and is part of the Nobel Education Network. The school
educates global citizens to
enjoy learning, inquiring and
caring for others.
GYMBOREE PLAY & MUSIC OF

VIETNAM
Somerset Chancellor Court,
1st Floor, 21-23 Nguyen Thi
Minh Khai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827
7008
gymboreeclasses.com.vn
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
ABC INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
(ABCIS)
Saigon South Campus 1 (Primary & Secondary), Tel: (08)
5431 1833; Saigon South
Campus 2 (Foundation Stage
& Early Primary), Tel: (08)
5431 1833
theabcis.com
Rated as outstanding by
British government inspectors, academic results puts
ABCIS among the top 8 percent of schools worldwide.
Provides education for two
to 18 year olds in a supportive and friendly environment.
AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL (AIS)
Xi Campus, 190 Nguyen Van
Huong, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519
2727; Thao Dien Campus,
APSC Compound, 36 Thao
Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744
6960; Thu Thiem Campus,
264 Mai Chi Tho (East-West
Highway), An Phu, Q2, Tel:
ETONHOUSE PRE-SCHOOL SAIGON

1st and 2nd floor, Somerset
Vista, 628C Hanoi Highway,
An Phu, Q2
Tel: (08) 6287 0804
etonhouse.vn/en/schools/
hcmc
info@etonhouse.vn
Following an international
curriculum for children aged
18 months to six years, in
the early years, an InquireThink-Learn approach is followed, inspired by the Reggio
Emilia Project of Northern Italy. It is a play-based, inquiry
model in which children coconstruct their learning in
close, respectful collaboration with their teachers. This
helps us provide an environment where children take
responsibility for their own
learning, allowing them a
head start in life.
Energized Engaged Empowered
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HO CHI

MINH CITY (ISHCMC)
(08) 3898 9100
admissions@ishcmc.edu.vn
www.ishcmc.com
The most established international school in HCMC,
ISHCMC recently celebrated
20 years of success. A fully
accredited IB World School,
authorised to teach all three
programmes of the International Baccalaureate curriculum to students aged 2
to 18 years, ISHCMC is fully
accredited by both the Council of International Schools
(CIS) and the New England
Association of Schools and
Colleges (NEASC), two of the
most prestigious international accreditation organisations. Has over 1,000 students from over 50 different
nationalities.
HCMC
BUSINESS BUFF
SAFE HAVENS
BY SHANE DILLON
n 1998 the oracle of Omaha, Warren

Buffett, made the following statement
regarding gold. Gold gets dug out
of the ground in Africa or someplace.
Then we melt it down, dig another hole,
bury it again and pay people to stand
around guarding it. It has no utility.
Anyone watching from Mars would be
scratching their head.
Gold has long been seen as a safe
investment, in particular in Vietnam,
a country that has one of the highest
consumption per capita of gold in the
world. However gold has performed poorly
as an investment in the last few years since
it reached its peak in September 2011 at
US$1,912 (VND40.2 million) per ounce.
Now, there is a myriad of ways to invest
your money, the sheer number of financial
advisors who call me in Vietnam guarantee
me of this, but never seem to get back to me
when I ask them for their qualifications to
give financial advice. But I digress.
With stock markets peaking at all time
highs, where is a person to invest these days?
This month I am looking for some unusual
investments that have done particularly well
over the last few years. Please note these
assets are extremely illiquid and I am not
endorsing any particular investment here.
that glorious period ending about 100 years

ago, notes Richard Mills, chief curator at
Chalre Associates. In April, a Ming dynasty
porcelain cup with a painting of a rooster
sold for US$36 million (VND756 billion) in an
auction. It was one of only 19 known to exist.
Stamps
Wine
At a 2010 auction, bond guru Bill Gross

said rare stamps were better than the stock
market. Gross has reportedly spent up to
US$100 million (VND2.1 trillion) investing
in stamps. It is a lucrative hobby: The GB30
Rarities Index, which tracks the performance
of the collectibles market, rose 74 percent in
the six years following the great recession as
financial markets tumbled.
The UK-based Wine Investment Fund

shows that the liquor has outperformed
gold, oil, and the FTSE and Hang Seng
indexes. The fund invests only in wines
from Bordeaux chateaux, because they
produce a limited quantity. And as it turns
out, The Vatican is the worlds largest wine
consumer. The US is in 56th place.
Guns and Ammo

The ability of guns and ammunition to
store value makes them an appealing
investment option. According to ammo.
net, the price of Remington .223 rounds
rose 224 percent from 1999 to 2011 well
above the rate of inflation. Gun sales
spiked after President Barack Obamas two
election victories, in anticipation of more
stringent gun-control laws.
Chinese Ceramics
China is a leading producer of ceramic art.
The Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index
forecasts a 45 percent increase in their value
over the next five years. As China was
the worlds premier producer of ceramic
art for most of the past thousand years,
people are mainly interested in pieces from
A gold mine in West Africa
Memorabilia
From old movie posters to autographs of dead
rock stars and shirts worn by sports stars, rare
memorabilia can return a fortune for both
people who already own it or buy them from
other sellers. Because prized memorabilia is
rare, prices only increase with demand.
Vintage Cars
The value of classic cars has risen 456
percent over the past 10 years, the 2014
Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index
shows. Cars like the 1958 Ferrari 250 GT,
auctioned for US$8.8 million (VND185
billion) in January, have beaten all other
luxury investments the index measured
in the past year, rising in value by 28
percent. The value of vintage British cars
and German collectibles has also increased
consistently since January 2013, according
to Hagerty Insurance, which specializes in

classic cars.
Rare Coins
Coins have jumped 220 percent, the Knight
Frank index shows. The scarcity of rare
coins ensures retention of their value. In
the environment that exists right now,
where the Dow is very high most of the
people buying rare coins are people who
are taking profits as a result of a semibull
market and want to reinvest some of
that money into nondollar-based-type
investments, Terry Hanlon, president of the
Professional Numismatists Guild, told CNBC.
Autographs
As with memorabilia, autographs are alluring
for their rarity and association with famous
people. Paul Fraser, owner of a collectibles
company with his name, notes: There are
an estimated 200 million serious collectors
around the world, a figure that is predicted
to double in the next 20 years. Its an
increasingly aspirational investment, with
leading collectors fighting over the best pieces.
Many museums, such as the British Library,
are buying up exceptional examples. And best
of all: there is a finite supply and a growing
demand for the most attractive specimens.
The price of an autograph belonging
to Neil Armstrong jumped 1345 percent
between 2000 and 2013, according to the
PFC40 Autograph Index.
Shanes autograph value has not changed
since he learned to write it. He can be contacted
at shanedillon@bluecross.com.vn
HCMC
CINEMAS
Showcasing the latest
Hollywood blockbusters
and 3D cinematic sensations, chains such as
Megastar Media, Lotte
and Galaxy Cinema offer
the most up-to-date and
modern cinema-going
experiences in Saigon.
For those partial to more
esoteric and independent flicks, smaller outlets such as Cinebox and
Idecaf carry little known
Vietnamese and European
efforts.
CINEBOX
240 Ba Thang Hai, Q10
Tel: (08) 3862 2425
cinebox.vn
LOTTE CINEMA
13th Floor, Diamond Plaza,
34 Le Duan, Q1
Tel: (08) 38227897
3rd Floor, Lotte Mart, 469
Nguyen Huu Tho, Q7
Tel: (08) 3775 2521
lottecinemavn.com
GALAXY CINEMA
230 Nguyen Trai, Q1
Tel: (08) 3920 6688
116 Nguyen Du, Q1
Tel: (08) 3823 5235
246 Nguyen Hong Dao,
Tan Binh
Tel: (08) 3849 4567
galaxycine.vn
IDECAF
31 Thai Van Lung, Q1
Tel: (08) 3829 5451
idecaf.gov.vn
MEGASTAR CINEMA
Level 5, Crescent Mall,
Nguyen Van Linh, Phu My
Hung, Q7
Tel: (08) 5412 2222
Level 10, CT Plaza, 60A
Truong Son, Tan Binh
Tel: (08) 6297 1981
Level 5, Parkson Paragon,
3 Nguyen Luong Bang,
Phu My Hung, Q7
Tel: (08) 5416 0088
megastar.vn
KIDS CLUB SAIGON

79/7 Pham Thai Buong, Q7;
27/3 Ha Huy Tap, Q7, Tel:
(08) 5412 5944
kidsclubsaigon.com
Early childhood centres in
Phu My Hung offering creative play-based programmes
for children ages two to five.
Known for unique facilities,
experienced staff, highquality learning resources,
and small class sizes.
KINDERMUSIK EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTRE

Crescent Residence 2, 107
Ton Dat Tien, Q7, Tel: 0907
099 480
kindermusik-vietnam.com
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SAIGON

PEARL (ISSP)
Thanh Tel: (08) 2222 7788
admissions@issp.edu.vn
Set in a purpose-built campus, International School
Saigon Pearl (ISSP) is an
elementary school catering for ages 18 months to
11 years. With 90 percent
of their teachers having
masters degrees, they are
able to promise a vigorous
American curriculum while
including specialist subjects
such as music, art, sport and
languages.
LITTLE GENIUS INTERNATIONAL

KINDERGARTEN
102 My Kim 2, Phu My Hung,
Q7, Tel: (08) 5421 1052
lgkids.vn
MONTESSORI INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL
42/1 Ngo Quang Huy, Q2,
Tel: (08) 3744 2639
montessori.edu.vn
Aiming to encourage childrens engagement with their
surroundings, MIS offers
children from age three to 12
a classic Montessori education as well as a variety of
extracurricular activities.
RENAISSANCE INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL SAIGON
74 Nguyen Thi Thap, D7,
Tel: (08)3773 33171 ext
120/121/122
renaissance.edu.vn
Renaissance is an International British school providing an inclusive curriculum
based upon the British curriculum complemented by
the International Primary
Curriculum and International Baccalaureate. It is a
family school with first-class
facilities including a 350seat theatre, swimming pool,
mini-pool, play-areas, gymnasium, IT labs, music and
drama rooms, science labs
and an all-weather pitch.
SAIGON KIDS EDUCATIONAL

CHILDCARE CENTRE
15 Street 12, perpendicular
to Tran Nao, Q2, Tel: (08)
3740 8081
saigonkidskindergarten.
com
SKECC has evolved over 10
years to create a creative,
playful learning environment for children ages two
to six. Limited class sizes and
highly engaged teachers ensure personal attention for
all students.
SAIGON SOUTH INTERNATIONAL

SCHOOL (SSIS)
78 Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7, Tel:
(08) 5413 0901

ssis.edu.vn
Offers an American-style education (SAT, IB and AP) from
elementary to high-school,
emphasizing a multicultural
student environment and a
commitment to wellrounded
education at all levels.
SAIGON STAR INTERNATIONAL

SCHOOL
Residential Area No. 5,
Thanh My Loi, Q2, Tel: (08)
3742 7827
saigonstarschool.edu.vn
Supported by the Cambridge
International Primary Programme, SSIS integrates
Montessori methods into
nursery and kindergarten
programmes to create a
stimulating learning environment. Small class sizes
allow experienced teachers
to cater to individual needs.
SMARTKIDS
1172 Thao Dien Compound,
Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 6076; 26,
Street Nr. 10, Thao Dien, Q2,
Tel: (08) 3898 9816; 15 Tran
Ngoc Dien, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3519 4236
smartkidsinfo.com
This international childcare
centre provides children
ages 18 months to six years
with a high quality education
in a playful and friendly environment.
TOTAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT
66/11 Pham Ngoc Thach,

Q3, Tel: (08) 3820 0623
t-wm.com
VINACAPITAL
17th Floor, Sun Wah Tower,
3821 9930
vinacapital.com
A leading investment fund
management company with
extensive experience in the
emerging Vietnam market.
Manages the Vietnam Opportunity Fund (VOF), which
is a US$839 million investment fund.
LANGUAGE SCHOOLS
ILA VIETNAM
146 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q3,
Tel: (08) 3521 8788
ilavietnam.com
A foreign-owned education
and training company that
offers a range of educational
programmes, such as English-language tuition, university pathway programmes,
corporate training, teacher
training and overseas study
consultancy and placement
services.
LATELIER
33/19 Quoc Huong, Thao
Dien, Q2, Tel: 0908 381492
latelier-anphu.com
VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE GARDEN
172-180 Nguyen Van Huong,

Q2, Tel: 0903 952223
tas.edu.vn
135/10 Nguyen Cuu Van,

Binh Thanh, Tel: 0916 670
771
vietnameselanguagegarden.com
VAS
VLS SAIGON
THE AMERICAN SCHOOL
98 Cach Mang Thang Tam,

Q3, Tel: (08) 3930 7278
vas.edu.vn
INTERIOR DESIGN
PROFESSIONAL PAINTING AND
REMODELING
Tel: 0936 330869 (Darren
Hawk)
Thinking about upgrading a
bathroom? Perhaps a new
colour in the living room?
Maybe even a new wood
floor? Professional Painting
and Remodeling can help
with these and many other
projects. Provide international standards of quality
as well as professional and
timely service at reasonable
rates. Call today to schedule
a free evaluation.
INVESTMENT & FINANCE

DRAGON CAPITAL
45 Dinh Tien Hoang, Q1, Tel:

(08) 3910 0168
vlstudies.com
Offers courses ranging
from basic conversational
Vietnamese to upper elementary, intermediate and
advanced levels, as well as
special courses including
Vietnamese literature, composition or a 6-hour survival
crash course.
VNC VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE

TRAINING & TRANSLATION
37/54 Tran Dinh Xu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 6678 0914
vnccentre.com
VUS
189 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai,

Q1, Tel: (08) 3925 9800
vus-etsc.edu.vn
LEGAL SERVICES
ALLENS
1901 Me Linh Point, 2 Ngo

Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823
9355
dragoncapital.com
Suite 605, Saigon Tower, 29

Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
1717
vietnamlaws.com
THE ETHICAL
INVESTMENT GROUP
BAKER & MCKENZIE
27 Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel:

(08) 3822 0907
ethicalinvestmentgroup.
co.uk
12th Floor, Saigon Tower,

3829 5585
bakermckenzie.com
FRASERS LAW COMPANY
MEKONG RESEARCH
Unit 1501, 15th Floor, The

Metropolitan, 235 Dong Khoi,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 2733
frasersvn.com

Thanh, Tel: (08) 6258 6314
mekongresearch.com
GIDE LOYRETTE NOUEL A.A.R.P.I.

18 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 8599
gide.com
CentrePoint Building, Level

4, 106 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu
Nhan, Tel: (08) 3997 8088
vn.nielsen.com
INDOCHINE COUNSEL
TNS VIETNAM
Unit 4A2, 4th Floor, Han Nam

Building, 65 Nguyen Du, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3823 9640
indochinecounsel.com
MAYER BROWN JSM

17th Floor, Saigon Tower,
3822 8860
mayerbrownjsm.com
MANAGEMENT TRAINING
EMBERS ASIA
80-82 Phan Xich Long, Phu
Nhuan, Tel: (08) 3822 4728
embers-asia.com
ERC INSTITUTE VIETNAM

38/ 6G Nguyen Van Troi, Phu
Nhuan, Tel: (08) 6292 9288
erci.edu.vn
G&H
6th Floor, Yoco Office Building, 41 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 9919
ghmsglobal.com
A 100 percent foreigninvested company focusing on
management services and
consulting with inhouse
programmes to meet the
particular requirements of
its clients. Offers teambuilding and academicbased
business and management
programmes.
XAGE CONSULTANCY
35A-1-2 Grandview, Nguyen
Duc Canh, Q7, Tel: (08) 5412
3402; 31st Floor, Saigon
Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3911
0454
xageconsulting.com
MARKET RESEARCH
CIMIGO
Thanh, Tel: (08) 3822 7727
cimigo.vn
An independent marketing
and brand research specialist operating in the Asia
Pacific region. Services include auditing and optimising research programmes,
knowledge management,
developing marketing plans
and business models and
assessing market opportunities.

com
NIELSEN

3930 6631
Tnsvietnam.vn
With over 11 years in the
marketplace, TNS Vietnam
offers all three major market
research services customisation, access panels
and media monitoring to
a range of local and international clients.
PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES
DRAGON IMAGES
Crescent Plaza, 105 Ton Dat
Tien, Q7, Tel: 01643 172 660
dragonimages.asia
Dragon Images production
studio is a professional team
of photographers, stylists.
shooting administrators,
casting managers and retouchers. They make photos
on various topics, from business to sport.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
MATTERHORN COMMUNICATIONS
Level 5, 273-273B Ben
Chuong Duong, Q1, Tel: (08)
3838 5517
matterhorncommunications.com
Providing public relations
and communications support to international and
local firms operating in
Vietnam. Specialising in
corporate communications,
media relations, corporate
social responsibility and
media and issues management and training.
VERO PUBLIC RELATIONS

7th Floor, 5B Ton Duc Thang,
Q1, Tel: (08) 6291 0462
veropr.com
Helps clients expand their
footprints in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar through effective
public relations campaigns.
Services offered include
branding, media relations,
event management, public
affairs and issues / crisis
management.
RECRUITMENT & HR
ADECCO VIETNAM
11th floor, Empire Tower, 26
- 28 Ham Nghi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3915 3430
adecco.com.vn
Adecco is the world leader in
human resources solutions.
Established in Vietnam in
2011, Adecco offers a wide
array of global workforce
solutions and specialises in
finance & legal, sales, mar-
HCMC
JOB SEARCH
CRACKING THROUGH THE GLASS CEILING
BY NICOLA CONNOLLY
n my 10 years living in Vietnam,

Ive been involved in numerous
discussions on the workforce, how
it has evolved and transformed
to accommodate the countrys
industrialisation. Occasionally the
issues of gender equality arise. From
the corner pho seller to the construction
worker and powerful business leaders,
women make up slightly more than half
of the Vietnamese workforce. It is also
interesting to note how they have tackled
their career barriers over the years.
Vietnams Road to Gender Equality

We often use the term the glass ceiling
when talking about gender inequality in
the workforce. This is the barrier between
women and the high-level executive
positions theyre trying to get; prized jobs
may be out of a womans reach due to
various forms of gender discrimination.
Over the past decade, Vietnamese women
have started to crack through, as evidenced
by the fact that Vietnam has the highest rate
of women participating in the economy
within the region. Women also work across
different levels and industries, from the
services sector such as banking, finance and
trade services through to the manufacturing
sector including textiles, footwear and
processing, all of which have a high export
turnover.
On another encouraging note, Vietnam
has one of the highest percentage of
women at senior management levels. After
Thailand, Philippines, Poland and China, in
Vietnam 33 percent of people at board level
are female. In addition, Vietnamese women
receive increasing levels of support for
their role in the economy. This is shown by
the many prizes honouring entrepreneurs
and enterprises on a national level, with
some specifically for female leaders the
Vietnam Gold Star Award, the Golden Rose
Cup, Vietnam Women Awards and so on.
However, Vietnamese women still have
issues accessing higher education and there
is a lack of employment opportunities
together with discriminatory attitudes and
behaviours. Women continue to earn less
than men across different economic sectors
with a differential pay gap of around 80
percent to 87 percent of that of men.
Empowerment
Even with all these obstacles, more and
more women aspire to step up and go
for the jobs they want. Yet, ensuring the
inclusion of womens talents, skills and
energies from executive offices to
the factory floor and the supply chain

requires intentional actions and deliberate
policies. While companies are encouraged
to take part in gender equality measures by
offering equal pay, childcare facilities and
equal job opportunities, there are four things
women themselves can do:
1) Stop being afraid. Being confident in
their skills and abilities is the key for women
to get ahead, and theres nothing wrong in
showing that you can do their job well, or
even better than men do. There will be a time
when you feel overwhelmed by the need to
juggle work and personal life, but instead
of giving up, try to speak up for the support
you need the response may surprise you!
2) Get a mentor. The barriers youre
facing today have likely been around for
a long time. A mentor can help you learn
to get connected to the information and
people who can help you as well as be a
great source of ideas for your professional
development.
3) Get your seat at the table. The way
to get ahead is to get noticed. You want
people to see your competence. If you want
to be in the top level, you need to build a
reputation as the kind of person who fits
that description of the top level. Therefore,
it is important to speak up and contribute
at the meetings, get involved in high-profile
projects (they are not extra work, but

valuable learning experiences and an
opportunity to showcase your capabilities)
and develop plans to improve yourself.
4) Make your partner a partner. It is
particularly difficult for women in Vietnam
to pursue a demanding career while having
it all at home. Thus, it is necessary to
share domestic responsibilities with your
partner and while doing so, you need to
stop controlling the way your partner does
those jobs. Focus, instead, on the balance
that works.
Gender equality and the glass ceiling may
seem at times more of a concept or topic
for discussion than a real thing. However,
with the number of Vietnamese ladies who
have stepped up and are now successfully
running large corporations like Vinamilk
and REE, Im starting to believe that in a
near future a quote of Sheryl Sandbergs:
There will be no female leaders. There will
just be leaders.
Nicola Connolly is the general director of
Adecco Vietnam and chairwoman of the European
Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam. For more
information on how women can break through
the glass ceiling, follow the Adecco presentation
here: http://www.slideshare.net/AdeccoVietnam/
adecco-vietnam-knowledge-sharing-breaking-theglass-ceiling
HCMC
keting & events, IT, engineering & technical, and office.
office moves and pet relocations.
HR2B/TALENT RECRUITMENT JSC
CROWN RELOCATIONS
1st Floor, Thien Son Building,

5 Nguyen Gia Thieu, Q3, Tel:
(08) 6288 3888
hr2b.com
2nd Floor Coteccons Office

Tower, 236/6 Dien Bien
Phu, Binh Thanh, Tel: (08)
3840 4237
crownrelo.com
G.A. CONSULTANTS VIETNAM

CO., LTD.
Ho Chi Minh Office: Room 2B2C, 2nd Floor, 180 Pasteur,
District 1, HCMC.
Ha Noi Office: Room 603, 6th
Floor, 535 Kim Ma Street, Ba
Dinh District, Hanoi.
www.vieclambank.com
info@vieclambank.com
VieclamBank is a brand of
G.A. Consultants Vietnam - a
Human Resources Consulting company with 100% Japan investment. Established
in 2006 in Vietnam, the company focuses on recruiting
executive and senior level,
providing Vietnamese and
Japanese candidates with
experience studying abroad
or working in foreign companies. A quick, effective
and competitive service
suitable for many types of
business.
VIETNAMWORKS.COM
130 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1,
Tel: (08) 5404 1373
vietnamworks.com
RELOCATION AGENTS
AGS FOUR WINDS (VIETNAM)

5th Floor, Lafayette De Saigon, 8A Phung Khac Khoan,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3521 0071
agsfourwinds.com
A global leader in international removals and relocations, with 130 offices
globally, we can move your
property to and from any
location.
JVK INTERNATIONAL MOVERS

1st Floor, Saigon Port Building, 3 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4,
Tel: (08) 3826 7655
jvkasia.com
Focused primarily on the international and local movement of household goods,
JVK is a leader in the field.
LOGICAL MOVES VIETNAM

396/4 Nguyen Tat Thanh,
Q4, Tel: (08) 3941 5322
logicalmoves.net
Specialists in international,
local, domestic and office moves for household
goods and personal effects
through our global partner
network. Experts in exporting used scooters that do not
have documentation.
RESIDENT VIETNAM
Unit 601 48 Hoa SU, Phu
Nhuan, Tel: (08) 2226 8855
residentvietnam.com
SANTA FE RELOCATION SERVICES

8FL, Thien Son Building, 5
Nguyen Gia Thieu, Q3, Tel:
(08) 3933 0065
santaferelo.com
With over 150 offices around
the world, Santa Fe offers
local and international
moving, pet transportation, relocation services
including home search, orientation, cultural training,
immigration services and
records management. Email
Vietnam@santaferelo.com
for info.
SERVICED APARTMENTS
ALLIED PICKFORDS
12th floor, Miss Ao Dai Building, 21 Nguyen Trung Ngan,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3910 1220
alliedpickfords.com
With more than 800 offices
in over 45 countries, Allied
Pickfords is one of the worldwide leaders in removal services. In Vietnam, Allied also
provides tailored relocation
services.
ASIAN TIGERS MOBILITY

Unit 9.3, Floor 9, Ree Tower,
9 Doan Van Bo, Ward 12,
District 4, HCMC, Tel: (08) 3
826 7799
www.asiantigers-mobility.
com
Asian Tigers is one of the
largest regional move management specialists, with
services including door-todoor moving, housing and
school searches, local and
DIAMOND ISLAND LUXURY RESIDENCES

No 01 Street No.104-BTT,
Quarter 3, Binh Trung Tay,
Q2. T: 0968 293388 / (08)
3742 5678
enquiry.hochiminh@theascott.com
the-ascott.com
Diamond Island Luxury
Residences offers 68 fullyfurnished apartments, from
two to four-bedroom units
with spectacular panoramic
views of the city. Each apartment comes with a fullyequipped kitchen, en-suite
bathrooms, separate work
and living areas, a balcony,
modern amenities, elegant
furnishings and carefully
chosen trimmings.
CAM LY HOTEL & APARTMENT

656 Cach Mang Thang Tam,
Q3, Tel: (08) 3993 1587
camlyapartment@hcm.
vnn.vn
CITYVIEW

3822 1111
cityview.com.vn
INTERCONTINENTAL ASIANA
SAIGON RESIDENCES
Crn. of Nguyen Du & Le Van
Huu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3520 8888
intercontinental.com/saigonres
Adjacent to the InterContinental Asiana Saigon youll
find 260 luxurious and spacious residential suites. The
residences offer panoramic
views of the downtown area.
NORFOLK MANSION
1719-21 Ly Tu Trong, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3822 6111
norfolkmansion.com.vn
Offers a wide choice of luxurious and modern furnished
accommodation with attentive and discreet service.
Facilities include an outdoor
swimming pool, a gym, sauna
and steam room, as well as
two on-site restaurants.
RIVERSIDE APARTMENTS
(08) 3744 4111
Riverside-apartments.com
Over four Saigon Riverbank

hectares, Riverside Apartments combines a resort
lifestyle with the amenities
of a fully serviced-apartment. Located minutes from
downtown by high-speed
boat shuttle.
SEDONA SUITES
65 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
9666
sedonahotels.com.sg
SHERWOOD RESIDENCE
127 Pasteur, Q3, Tel: (08)
3823 2288
sherwoodresidence.com
Sherwood Residence is a
luxurious serviced apartment property where modern living spaces meet prime
location, comfort and class,
with fivestar facilities and
service.
SOMERSET SERVICED RESIDENCES

8A Nguyen Binh Khiem, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3822 8899; 21-23
Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3822 9197; 628C
Hanoi Highway, An Phu, Q2,
Tel: (08) 6255 9922
somerset.com
Somerset Chancellor Court,
Somerset Ho Chi Minh City
and Somerset Vista Ho Chi
Minh City serviced residences combine the space
and privacy of an apart-
ment with the services of a

top-rated hotel. They come
with separate living and
dining areas, as well as a
fully equipped kitchen where
guests can prepare a meal
for themselves, their family
and friends.
THE LANDMARK
5B Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 2098
thelandmarkvietnam.com
65 serviced apartments located in the city centre overlooking the river. Also has a
comprehensive health club
for tenants and members,
a squash court and a 16th
floor swimming pool.
SERVICED APARTMENTS
SCORE-TECH
260 TTH21, Tan Thai Hiep,
Q12, Tel: (08) 3711 9958
A 100 percent foreigninvested company offering
personalised sport garments. Using the latest printing technology as well as a
design team from Barcelona,
Score-Tech controls the
whole production process
from producing fabrics and
sewing to printing. Big and
small orders of garments
produced for all sporting
needs.
AIRLINES
AIR ASIA
www.airasia.com
AIR FRANCE
130 Dong Khoi, Q1
Tel: 3825 8583
www.airfrance.com.vn
AIR MEKONG
1st Floor, Centre Point
Building, 106 Nguyen Van
Troi, Phu Nhuan
Tel: (08) 3846 3999
www.airmekong.com.vn
AMERICAN AIRLINES
194 Nguyen Thi Minh
Khai, Q3. Tel: 3933 0330
www.aa.com
CATHAY PACIFIC
5th Floor, Centec Tower,
72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh
Khai, Q3
Tel: 3822 3203
www.cathaypacific.com/
vn
CHINA AIRLINES
37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1
Tel: 3911 1591
www.china-airlines.com
JAPAN AIRLINES
3rd Floor, Sheraton Hotel,
88 Dong Khoi, Q1
Tel: 3821 9098
www.vn.jal.com
JETSTAR PACIFIC
www.jetstar.com/vn
KOREAN AIR
34 Le Duan, Q1
Tel: 3824 2878
www.koreanair.com
LAO AIRLINES
93 Pasteur, Q1
Tel: 3822 6990
www.laoairlines.com
MALAYSIA AIRLINES
Ground Floor, Saigon
Thang, Q1
Tel: 3829 2529
www.malaysiaairlines.
com
SINGAPORE AIRLINES
Saigon Tower Bulding,
Room 101, 29 Le Duan, Q1
Tel: 3823 1588
www.singaporeair.com
THAI AIRWAYS
29 Le Duan, Q1
Tel: 3822 3365
www.thaiairways.com.vn
TIGER AIRWAYS
www.tigerair.com
VIETJETAIR
www.vietjetair.com
VIETNAM AIRLINES
27B Dinh Tien Hoang, Q1
Tel: 3832 0320
www.vietnamairlines.com
HCMC
BODY
ating out is enjoyable and sociable,

and provided that you choose
wisely you can still eat healthily
and relatively moderately with
regard to health and fat loss goals.
When I eat out I want it to be special,
consequently I dont eat out often. I am
a firm believer that if you truly want to
be healthy and lean, you need to prepare
your own food. However, we are all social
creatures, and to not eat out and enjoy
the numerous restaurants the great city of
Saigon has to offer would be sacrilege.
So, how can you solve the dilemma of
eating healthily, enjoying the taste and not
consuming too many calories when you eat
out? Here are eight tips for making your
restaurant meal healthy and fat burner
conscious while ordering restaurant meals.
1) Choose dishes that are not

deep-fried. At the very basic level fried
foods are unhealthy because they are very

high in bad fats and calories. The quality of
oil used for most deep-frying is very poor.
Vegetable oil, which has been hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated (trans fatty
acids) can be reused or reheated numerous
times, cutting costs but potentially killing
us. Furthermore, deep-frying robs foods of
nutrients and is associated with the onset of
chronic health conditions.
2) Forget the fries.
Ask to replace fries

with a portion of fresh vegetables. Vegetables, especially of the green-leaf variety,
provide us with energy and detoxify our
AND
TEMPLE
8 TIPS FOR EATING OUT
systems from harmful substances. Vegetables should be the star of every meal.
3) Avoid rich and creamy sauces.

All contain high sugar, bad oil or fat content, and because we live in Asia, they most
likely also contain MSG. Therefore, these
sauces arent just calorie laden, they are
inflammation promoting and destructive
towards our neutral transmitters. Truly not
a smart choice.
4) Replace dressings with fresh

lemon or lime juice. Another great
option is virgin olive oil and dry spices to

add a great serving of good fats that taste
great! Alternatively, order dressings to be
brought separately so that you can decide
how much to apply.
5) Avoid the tempting pre-meal

nibbles. These are usually loaded with fat
and sugar, as well as salt to increase your
thirst. You dont need to fill up on ordinary
bread when youre paying good money for
a meal. Simply ask for it to be taken away
before you can even be tempted.
6) Dont feel that you have to

have dessert. If you are craving some-
thing sweet (which you shouldnt this

demonstrates that you are deficient in
certain minerals or vitamins, or eating the
wrong food for your metabolic type) ask for
a small piece of fruit. It will help satisfy the
sweet craving as well as provide fibre and
healthy antioxidants.
BY PHIL KELLY
7) Stop ordering drinks. A glass of
wine has between 125 and 200 calories,

fizzy drinks contain 10 teaspoons of sugar,
beer has estrogenic properties due to the
fermentation of yeast within it and will
dramatically halt your ability to burn
stomach fat. Beverages can easily take your
overall calorie consumption through the
roof, making what could be a small meal
an exercise in overeating. Alcohol also disrupts sleep patterns, putting your internal
system under stress and therefore promoting a fat storing state.
8) Chew on this.
There is a correlation between speed of eating and Body

Mass Index (BMI). The faster you eat the
higher your BMI. Rushing down food has
many disadvantages and is indicated as
a common habit in obese and overweight
individuals. Eating food slowly and chewing thoroughly has been proven to assist
in weight loss by promoting the satiety
process sooner.
If you really want to enjoy eating out at
the same time as tackling a health or weight
concern, then look first at where you eat,
and second at what (both the food and
quantity) you eat. Third, how you eat.
Where, what and how.
Eating should be enjoyable and when
following sound principles will foster great
health, appearance and well-being.
Phil is founder and master trainer at Body
Expert Systems. Contact him on 0934 782763,
at bodyexpertsystems.com or through Star
Fitness (starfitnesssaigon.com)
HCMC
downtown
DISTRICT 1
Downtown
Pham Ngu Lao
BARS & CLUBS / CAFES & ICE-CREAM / CLOTHING &

ACCESSORIES / COOKING CLASSES / CRAFTS & FURNITURE / EAT /
FITNESS, DANCE & YOGA / GALLERIES / GROCERIES, LIQUOR &
WINE / HAIRDRESSERS / MEDICAL & DENTAL / SALONS & SPAS
DANCE / NIGHTCLUB
2B-C-D Thi Sach, Q1, Tel: (08)
3825 6124
apocalypsesaigon.com
BEER REPUBLIC
MODERN BEER HALL

92 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1 Tel:
0945 858034
facebook.com/BeerRepublic
BLANCHYS TASH
RESTOBAR / NIGHTCLUB
0909 028293
Blanchystash.com
BOOTLEG DJ CAF
MINIMALIST CAF BAR

9 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: 0907
609202.
bootlegsaigon.com
Reminiscent of a New York
or London underground
watering hole, this is a great
place to enjoy Mediterranean influenced breakfasts,
lunch by day and a variety of
DJ sets by night.
BOUDOIR LOUNGE
HOTEL LOUNGE BAR

Saigon Sofitel Plaza, 17 Le
Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 1555
BROMA, NOT A BAR
COCKTAILS / ROOFTOP
3823 6838
Bromas medieval rooftopcocktail lounge conglomeration is a magnet for the
citys weirdest and coolest
events/random moments.
A sophisticated cocktail
menu and quite possibly the
best lamb burger in town.
Check out their bun bo Hueinspired cocktail.
CARMEN
LIVE MUSIC / BAR

8 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 7699
CUNHOUSE
LOUNGE BAR
Hem 36, Chu Manh Trinh, Q1,
Tel: 0908 033982
TECHNO / DANCE / HIP-HOP

3A Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel:
0919 206461
fuse.vn
GAME ON
SPORTS BAR
115 Ho Tung Mau, Q1 Tel:
(08) 6251 9898
gameonsaigon.com
A fresh feel thanks to the
large space and light-wood
tables makes this Australian-influenced watering hole
a popular bar for televised
sports, pub food, darts, pool
and more.
HARD ROCK CAFE
LIVE MUSIC / WESTERN RESTOBAR

Kumho Asiana Plaza, 39 Le
Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291 7595
hardrockcafe.vn
ICE BLUE
EXPAT BAR
3822 2644
Expats keep returning to
this smoky dive bar, largely
due to its amicable service,
brewsky-downing atmosphere, and spirited dart
games. A mainstay in the
local darts league.
LA HABANA
CUBAN / MUSIC BAR

6 Cao Ba Quat, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 5180
lahabana-saigon.com
Cuban-themed bar and
restaurant selling an exciting range of Spanish and
Cuban cuisine, as well as a
few German favourites such
as curry wurst and Wiener
schnitzel. Nightly live music
and regular salsa classes.
Huu
C
Ng
uy
en
Le
cT
ha
n
ng
Le
Lo
i
Th
an
g8
Ng
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ue
Ham Nghi
District 2
Da
o
ng
Hu
ng
District
10
Ma
Du
h
an
Ng
uy
en
Ca
ch
AFTERHOURS LOUNGE
59 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 3122
lastcallsaigon.com
If youre in need of dense,
soulful atmosphere and
maybe an artisanal cocktail on your way back from
wherever, Last Call is your
stop and fast becoming
that of the similarly inclined.
Great happy hour deals for
early evening starters.
Tr
u
Th
i
ie
n
LAST CALL
an
Ba
Du
Bi
e
Ha
i
t
Kie
n
Va
District 4
Vo
LE RENDEZ-VOUS DE SAIGON
FRENCH BISTRO / WINE BAR

9A Ngo Van Nam, Q1, Tel: (08)
6291 0396
lerendezvousdesaigon.com
With such a meaningful
name - the meeting point
- this wine bistro boasts a
relaxed, friendly ambience,
perfect for unwinding with
an after work drink or to
enjoy time with friends.
Reasonably priced, has a
sharing French-cuisinestyle menu and an extensive
old and new world wine list.
LEVEL 23 WINE BAR
ROOFTOP LOUNGE BAR

Level 23, Sheraton Saigon
Hotel and Towers, 88 Dong
Khoi, Q1 Tel: (08) 3827 2828
sheratonsaigon.com
LEVEL 23 NIGHTSPOT
LOUNGE BAR / NIGHT CLUB

Khoi, Q1 Tel: (08) 3827 2828
sheratonsaigon.com
MAY RESTAURANT & BAR
LOUNGE BAR & RESTOBAR

19-21 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 7375
mayrestaurant.com.vn
Creative cocktails, an extensive wine list, subtle lighting,
international comfort food
done well and a laid-back,
lightbox-lit ambience. Has
a downstairs bar area and
upstairs restaurant. Popular
with a businessy, international crowd.
LA FENETRE SOLEIL
FRENCH / JAPANESE RESTOBAR

44 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 5994
A seductive watering whole
in a great corner location
thanks to its old Saigon glamour, Japanese-Vietnamese
District 3
Kh
ai
Ph
APOCALYPSE NOW
FUSE
fusion cuisine, imported

beer, classic cocktails, and
entertaining music events /
DJ sets.
Tr
an
TOP-END INTERNATIONAL
Park Hyatt, 2 Lam Son, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3824 1234
International dcor blends
seamlessly with local
themes. Style joins forces
with a wide-ranging drink
menu and hip dance tunes to
create one of the most tasteful if pricier bars in Saigon.
EXPAT / SPORTS BAR

58 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3915 2853
Subtle lighting, a pleasant
ambience, a pool table and
darts, this skinny but pleasant expat bar has the feel
of a drinking man's pub. A
place to have fun, drink beer
or spirits and get in with the
party mood. Known for its 15
shooter challenge.
To
n
Ho
2 LAM SON (MARTINI BAR)
DRUNKEN DUCK
an
g
in
h
en
Ti
BARS & CLUBS
Binh Thanh
in
h
MARTINI BAR
LOUNGE BAR
3rd Floor, Caravelle Saigon,
19-23 Lam Son Square, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3823 4999
caravellehotel.com
Martinis with various combinations of premium spirits

and other fresh flavours
figure prominently on the
drink menu at this classic
Indochine-styled bar, all
put together by Caravelles
award-winning mixologists.
OMG!
FUSION CUISINE / LOUNGE BAR

Top Floor, 15-17-19 Nguyen
An Ninh, Q1
A contemporary and attractive rooftop restaurant with
a lounge bar just 50m from
Ben Thanh Market. Features
a glass shell modeled in the
image of the Eiffel Tower, a
jungle-like atmosphere and
views over central Saigon.
OBRIENS
IRISH BAR / INTERNATIONAL

74/A3 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 3198
irish-barsaigon.com
This Irish-themed sports
bar with classic pub dcor
is widely appreciated for its
excellent international fare,
large whiskey selection and
upstairs pool table. Great
pizzas. And for a real treat,
check out their zesty rolls.
PACHARAN
SPANISH RESTOBAR / LIVE MUSIC

97 Hai Ba Trung , Q1, Tel: (08)
3825 6024
pacharansaigon.com
Legs of Iberian ham hang
from the ceiling in the
downstairs bar of this multistorey homage to everything
Spanish. Regular first-floor
live music and excellent eats
makes it a mainstay for the
wining, dining and tapaseating crowd.
PARK LOUNGE
live music and other types of

performance.
SAIGON SAIGON BAR
LOUNGE BAR & CAFE

Park Hyatt Saigon, 2 Lam
Son, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 1234
An elegant, ground floor
venue in The Hyatt, perfect
for social and business
gatherings. As well as nightly
live music, serves afternoon
tea staples including warm
scones with generous portions of homemade jam and
clotted cream.
LIVE MUSIC / ROOFTOP BAR

9th Floor, Caravelle Saigon,
Tel: (08) 3823 4999
caravellehotel.com
This iconic bar is a great
place to watch the sun go
down over the city and relax
for a few drinks with friends.
Has live entertainment six
nights a week courtesy of
resident Cuban band, Qvans,
from 9pm Wednesday to
Monday.
PHATTYS
SHRINE BAR
AUSTRALIAN / SPORTS
46-48 Ton That Thiep, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3821 0796
phattysbar.com
From its roots as the famed
Caf Latin, Phattys has
become the go-to, Aussie
beer-guzzling / sports viewing emporium, showing everything from international
cricket to Aussie rules and
serving an array of pub grub
favourites.
SAIGON RANGER
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

5/7 Nguyen Sieu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 7300 0559
facebook.com/saigonranger
Aspiring to be a focal point
for artistic activities, the
space at Saigon Ranger has
been established to create
encounter and dialogue between different forms of art.
Boasts concrete floors, dark
wooden furniture, quirky
wall designs and a stage for
STYLISH LOUNGE BAR

61 Ton Thap Thiet, Q1
shrinebarsaigon.com
Shrine creates a drinking
and dining experience in
a temple-like atmosphere.
Inspired by Bantay Srei, a
temple from the ancient Angkor kingdom, the walls are
covered in statues depicting
ancient Khmer gods and
kings. With ambient lighting
and town tempo music, here
its all about good cocktails
and an even better atmosphere.
STORM P
DANISH / INTERNATIONAL
5B Nguyen Sieu, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 4738
Stormp.vn
THE CUBE BAR
HIP RESTOBAR
31B Ly Tu Trong, Q1 Tel:
0903 369798
facebook.com/thecubesaigon
HCMC
ICE CREAM BOWL

ENJOY ICE CREAM BAR & RESTAURANT
njoy is the brainchild of Hoi

An-based photographer Rhahn
Croquevielle you know, the
guy who takes pictures of people
covering their smiles with their hands.
Theyve got continental comfort food,
Tra Que-sourced Vietnamese dishes and
Italian coffee on the menu. Rhahns
photo gallery is in the back.
But thats not why weve come. Weve
come to try the ice cream all 57 flavours.
As Rhahn sits nearby, I sample the selfserve. He offers a casual blessing when I
ask him for photo tips: You have a camera,
so youre a photographer. And I have
57 tasting spoons. Here are some of my
favourites:
The Cream of the Crop

*Rated between 0 and 3 scoops
Pineapple light, fresh, sorbet (1.5
scoops)
Passion Fruit light but tangy. Enjoy
employee Lan opines, I like passion fruit
(1.5 scoops)
Lime I find its a common problem
with lime, its so light it almost passes
without notice. Lan: Customers who want
a small body, they choose lime (fat boy
somehow wants 0 scoops)
Vanilla my first tasting after Rhahn
snagged me for two mojitos, a White
Photos by Ed Weinberg / interior shot by Rhahn Croquevielle
Horse (banh bao/banh vac combo) and a

super creamy egg cocotte that I dipped little
breads into until my belt felt tight. Subtle
and full, a real French vanilla. Getting off
the sorbets is sublime (2 scoops)
Choco Mint Ive been making an
effort not to overwhelm the weaker
flavours, but Choco Mint put me off the
conservative route. Im glad I did. I like
Choco Mint (2 scoops)
Choco Chocochips vs. Chocolate
Chocolate. (1.5 scoops to 1 scoop)
... vs Nutella? Chocolate. (2 scoops to
1.5 scoops)
... vs Marou Chocolate Sorbet? Marou
Chocolate Sorbet. (2 scoop tie/Marou by a
hair)
... vs Chocolate Chilli? M***********!!
(3 scoops, if youre a badass)
Affogato okay, so my earlier theory
was incorrect. Affogato overwhelmed the
still-burning back section of my throat with
a taste of ambrosia (or is that caramel?) (3
scoops)
Caramel theres something called
Salted Caramel, which I see in an
unopened box. Im glad this is not that, but
also a little curious (1.5 scoops)
Salted Caramel shame on me. Salted
Caramel is the best. Every ice cream should
probably be salted (2 scoops)
Salted Peanut Butter my bad (0 scoops)
Coco Bella Im partial to ice creams

with little flakes of something in them and,
why not, fancy names (3 scoops)
Hokey Pokey its amazing. Rhahns
brother (head ice cream guy) says that
honey is the secret ingredient. He likes
this, Salted Caramel and Cookies n Cream
the best. Its evidently a Kiwi favourite.
Its like Salted Caramel is for French
people, says Rhahn. Im left questioning
my parental lineage (3 scoops)
Mint way better than Choco Mint.
How have I never tried regular mint
before?? (2.5 scoops)
Cookies n Cream devastating (2.5
scoops)
And then I saw the other two fridges. No
more. But they do have interesting flavours
like Pandanus, Black Currant with Phu
Quoc Pepper (I lied, I tried this one 3
scoops), Soursop, Coco Coriander, Jameson
Irish Coffee and etc. Im going to drink five
espressos now.
Staff Favourites
Lien: Passion Fruit
Thong: Salted Caramel / Strawberry
Ly: Strawberry
Rehahn: Red Berries
Ed Weinberg
Enjoy is at 13 Nguyen Phuc Chu, Hoi An,
and at enjoy-hoian.com
HCMC
A sleek, industrial looking
restobar with edgy dcor
and just a hint of Spanish
style. Tapas, sangria, Iberian-influenced cocktails and
an emphasis on all things
Latin.
THE OBSERVATORY
BAR, ART & DJ SPACE
5 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4, (Opposite Elisa Boat)
Known for its late night parties and focus on international artists, Observatory
is now at a bigger space in
District 4. Complete with a
new balcony overlooking
the Saigon River and an even
larger sound system, The
Observatory is a key node
in the Asian underground
music circuit.
THE ORIENT
SPORTS / LIVE MUSIC BAR

24 Ngo Van Nam, Q1
facebook.com/theorientbarsaigon
An attractive, spacious,
brick-wall interior, a long
bar, high table seating, big
screens, a pool table and
live music. A great venue for
a few beers and more.
VASCOS
MUSIC / LOUNGE BAR

The Square, 74/7D Hai Ba
Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824
2888
Vascosgroup.com
A veteran fixture of Saigons
nightlife scene, Vascos offers a softly lit downstairs
patio, and an upstairs Blue
Room chill out lounge area
with regular live music.
VESPER GOURMET LOUNGE
INTERNATIONAL
Landmark Building, 5B Ton
Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
9698
facebook.com/vespersaigon
A sophisticated yet downto-earth cocktail bar and
restaurant with subtle lighting and one of the best spirit
selections in town. Serves
creative, Japanese and
German-influenced cuisine
to supplement the drinks.
VINO
WINE BAR / TAPAS

The Square, 74/17 Hai Ba
Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 6299
1315
1 Duong 2, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel:
(08) 6281 9059
vinovietnam.com
This downtown wine shops
terrace is a popular after
work drinking spot, where
one can select from 10
wines by the glass, a range
of imported beer, and an
excellent tapas menu. Alternatively, buy from the
great selection of wines in

the shop and pay a small
corkage.
VINYL BAR
MUSIC & SPORTS BAR

70 Pasteur, Q1 Tel: 0907
890623
vinylbarsaigon.com
A small but popular bar
with all the shenanigans of
the nightlife scene set to a
backdrop of classic 60s, 70s
and 80s tunes. Has a darts
area out back and is a popular space for watching the
live English Premier League.
WINE BAR 38

3829 3968
With a huge selection of
self-imported wines from
Bordeaux, this classy but
contemporary venue is a
wine bar downstairs, and a
lounge on the first floor. Has
a French-Asian menu paired
to all the wines, with a huge
selection of the good stuff
sold by the glass.
WINE EMBASSY

13 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 7827
wineembassy.com.vn
A two-storey, contemporarydesigned wine bar serving
30 wines by the glass, all
at reasonable prices. Has
an excellent food menu to
complement the old and new
world wines.
WONDER BAR
HOSTESS BAR
54 Pasteur, Q1
Tel: 0923 337070
Decked out in white, a huge
rectangular bar takes up the
main space making this the
perfect venue for quite literally propping up the bar. Bar
games and select-your-own
music are part of the deal.
XU
CAF / LOUNGE BAR

71-75 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3824 8468
xusaigon.com
This iconic upmarket downtown bar is known for its
cocktails and wine list. It
serves a range of international and Vietnamese dishes to be enjoyed in its richly
decorated interior. Regular
DJ nights.
CAFES & ICE-CREAM

AU PARC
EUROPEAN / MEDITERRANEAN
23 Han Thuyen, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 2772
Auparcsaigon.com
Set in a shophouse-style
building, Au Parc offers a
chic colonial space to indulge in sensibly priced European and Mediterranean
food complemented with
good coffee and excellent
desserts.
BACH DANG
ICE CREAM PARLOUR / CAFE

26-28 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 2707
BASKIN ROBBINS
ICE CREAM PARLOUR

1 Truong Dinh, Q1, Tel: (08)
7308 3131
baskinrobbins.vn
CASBAH
MIDDLE EASTERN
59 Nguyen Du, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 5130
This secluded Middle Eastern coffeehouse has both
cozy indoor and rooftop
seating to admire views of
the city. With such a prime
downtown location, expect
prices to match.
CENTRO
ITALIAN / CONTEMPORARY CAFE

Tel: (08) 3827 5946
Conveniently located near
the Caravelle Hotel, this
casual cafe serves one of
the best lattes in town with
a mid-range Italian menu
including panini and other
typical fare.
COFFEE BEAN & TEA LEAF
INTERNATIONAL
Metropolitan Building, 235
Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3508
7285
coffeebean.com.vn
Large portioned coffee lures
customers into the flagship
store of this international
caf chain. The contemporary, yet generic atmosphere is bolstered by comfortable seating and a menu
to satisfy any sweet tooth.
CREPERIE AND CAF
FRENCH
3829 9117
Known for its fantastic
street-side seating opposite
the park on Le Duan and savoury crepes, this hang out
caf will impress you with its
location as much as its food.
FANNY

29-31 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3821 1633
fanny.com.vn
GIVRAL CAF
INTERNATIONAL
80 Ham Nghi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3915 3704
saigongivral.com
GOODY

(08) 3829 9339
GUANABANA SMOOTHIES
CONTEMPORARY JUICE BAR

23 Ly Tu Trong, Q1 Tel: 0909
824830
guanabanasmoothies.com
An American-style juice
bar and caf dedicated
to healthy, nutricious
smoothies that avoid the local obsession with sugar and
condensed milk. A pleasant,
contemporary environment
adds to the theme.
HAGEN-DAZS

6683 5899; 20 Le Thanh Ton,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 0066
LUSINE
CONTEMPORARY / FRENCH
First Floor, 151 Dong Khoi,
Q1, Tel: (08) 6674 9565; 70B
Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3521
0703
lusinespace.com
French-style wooden decor
compliments the spacious,
whitewashed contemporary
interior of LUsine. A simple,
creative menu combines
with reasonably priced coffee, and a fashion store and
art gallery out back. Second
location on Le Loi.
MAGONN THE CAFE

(08) 3822 9672
magonn.vn
Nested above Magonn boutique, is a bright and inviting space for everything
from drinks to bites. Coming
with a crowd? The attic is a
quaint little spot to fit a cozy
gathering.
M2C CAFE
44B Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 2495
facebook.com/m2ccafe
At M2C (Modern Meets
Culture), everything gets a
touch of modernity. From
the rich menu of Vietnamese food and drinks, shows
immense local culture, done
with a modern flare. Be seen
here at one of the latest popular joint in town.
PLANTRIP CHA
TEA ROOM
8A/10B1 Thai Van Lung
Street, Q1
Tel: 0945 830905
Tea, tea and more tea, all in
a contemporary, quirky environment. At Plantrip Cha
customers go on a sensory
journey to experience the
tastes and smells of teas
from across Asia, Europe,
America and the Middle East.
THE MORNING CAFE

2nd Floor, 36 Le Loi, Q1, Tel:
0938 383330
themorningcafe.com.vn
Have a book to read? Pick a
bright spot by the window
and get snuggly with the
comfy upholstery in this
second-floor cafe. With a
cup of well-brewed coffee, accompanied by some
background jazz, it is an afternoon well-spent.
THE PRINT ROOM
CONTEMPORARY CAFE
3823 4990
Second-storey coffeehouse
offers a quiet atmosphere
to chill out or read from
their book-nook collection.
Comfortable couch seating,
open table space and a cappuccino costs VND40,000.
TRUNG NGUYEN
INTERNATIONAL VIETNAMESE
80 Dong Khoi, Q1
trungnguyen.com.vn
ZEST BISTRO & CAF
INTERNATIONAL
5 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08)
3911 5599
This two-storey building with
a mezzanine level boasts an
industrial style complex with
block walls, steel structures
and huge glass windows.
The mid-range menu offers
over 40 options from appetizers to desserts.

ANUPA ECO LUXE
LEATHER & JEWELLERY

9 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
2394
anupa.net
Monday to Sunday, 9am to
8pm
This centrally located unique
boutique has been converted into an eco-boutique
which exclusively retails
the complete Anupa leather
and semi-precious jewellery range as well as other
unique eco brands such as
bamboo eyewear, pendant
scarves and cushion covers.
DEBENHAMS
ADULT & CHILDRENS WEAR

Vincom Center, 70-72 Le
Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291
7592
GALLERY VIVEKKEVIN
DESIGN & JEWELLERY

6291 8162
galleryvivekkevin.com
9.30am to 8pm
This retail-cum-gallery
space specialises in contemporary and exclusive
handcrafted jewellery made
from handpicked gemstones
and raw materials. Exhibi-
tions and gallery talks run

every month.
GEISHA & GEISHAS COFFEE AND

TEA HOUSE
CASUAL & EVENING WEAR

3829 4004
Contemporary ranges of
casual and evening wear
fused with Asian designs.
The apparel includes floral
dresses, jean skirts, printed
tees and street-style bags.
Enjoy a cup of coffee at their
caf after.
GINKGO
VIETNAM-THEMED CLOTHING
10 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3521
8755
ginkgo-vietnam.com
Quality, original, Vietnamthemed tees are the showpiece at this airy French-run
store. Designs are inspired
by anything from the Vietnamese flag, local telecom
wires and motorbikes to
creative, Siddharta-style
imagery.
IPA-NIMA
BAGS & ACCESSORIES

77-79 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 3277; 71 Pasteur, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3824 2701
ipa-nima.com
9am to 9pm
LUSINE
LIFESTYLE / ACCESSORIES
First floor, 151 Dong Khoi,
Q1, Tel: (08) 6674 9565
lusinespace.com
Exclusive labels, elegant and
sophisticated clothing and
casual high-quality cottons
are stocked at this boutique/
caf. Lifestyle accessories
include shoes, homewares,
knickknacks, cameras, stationery and a range of vintage bicycles.
MANDARINA
TAILOR-MADE SHOES
(08) 3827 5267
SONG
ASIAN / FRENCH BOUTIQUE

1st Floor, Saigon Centre, 65
Le Loi, Q1; 75 Pasteur, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3914 4088
asiasongdesign.com
T&V TAILOR
TAILORS
3824 4556
triciaandverona.com
VESPA SHOP
VESPA PRODUCTS / HELMETS
Unit 66, Saigon Square, 7-9A
Ton Duc Thang, Q1
Stocks a wide range of Vespa-inspired tidbits and memorabilia including t-shirts,
riding gear, Italian helmets,
Respro face masks, DVDs,
books, bags, magazines,
HCMC
TOP EATS
ACACIA VERANDA DINING
he craziness of a Saturday night

in District 1 is just a murmur
eight floors below, as we take
our seats in Acacias recently
remodelled indoor/outdoor dining area.
Gentle pockets of light illuminate cosy
nooks of rattan and bamboo. Cool grey
hues contrast with tropical greenery.
Im picking up a contemporary Malibubeachside vibe. It is intimate yet casual;
formal, but without the formalities.
With Acacia representing the Vietnamese
branch of his Hollywood-based empire,
Saigon-born, US TV celebrity and chef-to-thestars Jack Lee has come back to Ho Chi Minh
City with a boom. A whirlwind of energy,
Jack is all laughs and smiles as he takes me
through his modern American menu.
Obviously Im going to recommend
everything! he says. But if youre into
beef get the prime rib.
The Signature Dish

At just VND395,000, this is a US-imported,
grass-fed organic masterpiece of tenderness
and flavour. Slow cooked for eight to 10
hours, served with a parcel of vegetables
and creamed potato, Ill save you the
catalogue of adjectives. Just know this:
it may well become as famous as his
hundred-dollar egg roll.
Right now, says Jack, Vietnam is

one of the best places to cook a hidden
treasure. If all the chefs in the States knew,
theyd be over here in a heartbeat!
Through Acacia, Jacks learning to fall
back in love with the country he left as a
child. Born in Cholon to Chinese parents,
he was forced to leave at the age of nine by
his then pregnant mother. She threw me in
a boat, he recalls. My father had just died.
It was the 1980s, not the best time. Vietnam
was not pretty.
A determined Jack wound up in the
States and began cooking really well,
I assume eventually landing a spot at
the California School of Culinary Arts and
later the distinguished Hotel Bel-Air in Los
Angeles. And hes famous, too, frequently
popping up on TV cooking shows like the
Food Networks Cut Throat Kitchen. I also
just made the cover of Hollywood Weekly,
he says. High-five!
Pure Luxury
Today, Jacks LA-based catering company
Chinoise Cuisine boasts a client list where
for most, first names are all thats required
Oprah, Priscilla, Angelina, The Sultan Of
and it was in pursuit of unadulterated
Hollywood bling that his now legendary
wallet-busting egg roll was born. Maine
lobster, French truffles, gold leaf, no

expense spared.
Thankfully, Acacias menu is much
more affordable, though it receives just
as much care and attention. Combining
alcoholic reductions with Vietnamese herbs
and fruits, Jack is sparking fresh life into
modern classics. Ranging from grilled lamb
chops and a smoky pork tenderloin roulade
to seafoods, salads, soups and pastas, Jacks
menu is compact but eclectic. His foie gras
with passion-fruit, dragon-fruit and kiwi
(VND188,000) is a canvas of contemporary
art a rich, creamy appetiser propelled to
new heights by the sharpness of the fruits.
The perfectly cooked mahi-mahi (VND
295,000) looks just as splendid. Served with
a soursop sauce, the subtle sweetness of
the fish is given the space it deserves, while
the glistening salmon roe garnish provides
delicate bursts of contrasting saltiness. In
short divine.
With his own TV cooking show now
on air in Vietnam, another project in the
pipeline for US television, and Tinseltowns
constant beckoning call, Jacks a hard man
to pin down. Fortunately for us, his showstopping cuisine is staying right here.
Simon Stanley
Acacia is at 149-151 Nguyen Du, Q1, Ho
Chi Minh City
HCMC
posters and more. Rental
scooters and bikes available.
COOKING CLASSES
SAIGON COOKING CLASSES BY
HOA TUC
3825 8485
saigoncookingclass.com
Learn to cook quality Vietnamese cuisine with local specialist Hoa Tuc. The
three-hour lesson, conducted by an English-speaking
Vietnamese chef, includes a
trip around Ben Thanh Market to gather fresh ingredients for the class.
VIETNAM COOKERY CENTRE

Suite 45, 4th Floor, 26 Ly Tu
Trong, Q1,Tel: (08) 3827 0349
vietnamese-cooking-classsaigon.com
CRAFTS & FURNITURE

BELLAVITA
MEKONG CREATIONS
FAIR TRADE CRAFTS

35-37 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel:
(08) 2210 3110
mekong-creations.org
NGUYEN FRERES
NIK-NAKS / CRAFTS
3823 9459
8am to 8pm
NINH KHUONG EMBROIDERY
EMBROIDERED PRODUCTS
3827 9079; 42 Le Loi, Q1.
(08) 3824 7456
ninhkhuong.vn
SAPA
ETHNIC ACCESSORIES / SOUVENIRS

69 Dong Khoi, Q1
MEKONG QUILTS
HAND-MADE QUILTS
1st Floor, 68 Le Loi, Q1, Tel:
(08) 2210 3110
mekong-quilts.org
NHA XINH
HIGH-END FURNITURE
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3821 4201
bellavitafurniture.com
HOME FURNISHINGS
2nd Floor, Saigon Centre,
65 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821
6115
www.nhaxinh.com
BOCONCEPT
THE FURNITURE WAREHOUSE
DANISH FURNITURE
68-70 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 6604; The Crescent
Mall, 101 Ton Dat Tien, Q7,
Tel: (08) 5413 7357
boconcept.vn
DIABOLO
FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES

3825 1803
9am to 8pm
EM EM
SOUVENIRS
38 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 4408
8am to 9.30pm
LUXURY FURNITURE IN VIETNAM

Tel: 0909 042765
luxury-furniture-vietnam.
com
A complete and exclusive
range of furniture produced
by high-end furniture producers in Vietnam and also
in Europe (Austria, Denmark,
Germany, Italy, France).
EUROPEAN-STYLE FURNITURE
3B Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel:
(08) 6657 0788
thefurniturewarehouse.
com.vn
EAT
ASHOKA
NORTH INDIAN / CHINESE INDIAN

17/10 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 1372
33 Tong Huu Dinh, Q2, Tel :
(08) 3744 4177
ashokaindianrestaurant.
com
Long-running, awardwinning Indian restaurant
famed for its excellent kebabs, creamy curries and
Chinese-Indian fare.
AU PARC
EUROPEAN / CAF
3829 2772
auparcsaigon.com
Consistently tasty European
caf fare think deli-style
sandwiches, salads and
mezzes, plus coffees and
juices served at a popular park-side Le Duan location with classic cream and
green-tiled dcor.
BARBECUE GARDEN
JAPANESE / SOUTH AMERICAN

The Courtyard, 74/3 Hai
Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823
8793
The work of former Nobu
chef Martin Brito, the
Japanese-South American
fusion cuisine at Blanchy
Street is among the tastiest
and most unusual in the city.
All complemented by fresh,
contemporary decor and a
leafy terrace out front.
BOMBAY INDIAN
INDIAN MALAY
57-59 Ham Nghi, Q1, Tel:
0903 863114
BROTZEIT
GERMAN / RESTOBAR
Level 1, Kumho Link, 9 Le
Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 4206
brotzeit.co/kumholink
BASILICO
BUN CHA
26/1A Le Thanh Ton, Q1
Ground Floor, Kumho Plaza,
Cnr. Nguyen Du and Le Van
Huu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3520 9099
BIBI@ALIBI
AL FRESCOS
5A Nguyen Sieu, Q1, Tel: (08)

3825 6257
The legendary chef Bibis
newest creation, a convivial
restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine using fresh
products bought early morning at the market by Bibi himself. Delicious meats and fish
dishes together with the famous tarte tatin.
INTERNATIONAL
38238424
alfrescosgroup.com
The downtown outlet of
one of Vietnams most successful restaurant chains,
Al Frescos offers international, Australian-influenced
comfort fare in a pleasant
environment with efficient,
friendly service to match.
Excellent delivery service.
BLANCHY STREET
VIETNAMESE / BARBECUE
135A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3823 3340; 134-136
Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1
barbecuegarden.com
3T QUAN NUONG
VIETNAMESE BBQ
Top Floor, 29 Ton That Thiep,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 1631
tasty Vietnamese-styled
sandwiches, spiced up
cocktails, mains and more,
all served up with a Californian edge at this small but
popular two-storey eatery
close to the river.
BLACK CAT
AMERICAN
13 Phan Van Dat, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 2055
blackcatsaigon.com
Creatively named burgers,
BUN CHA HA NOI
with Hollywood film legends

make for a relaxed and attractive setting.
CORSO
STEAKHOUSE / INTERNATIONAL
(08) 3829 5368
norfolkhotel.com.vn
Although a hotel restaurant,
the enticing range of US and
Australian steaks plus great
grill and comfort food menu
in this contemporary eatery make for a quality bite.
Decent-sized steaks start at
VND390,000.
DRAGON NOODLE
JAPANESE NOODLES
3521 0008
ELBOW ROOM
AMERICAN
3821 4327
elbowroom.com.vn
The comfort food on offer at this striking US-style
diner ranges from meatball
baguettes to chilli burgers,
pizzas, blackened chicken
salads and a selection of
more expensive international mains.
CIAO BELLA
NEW YORK-ITALIAN
3822 3329
saigonrestaurantgroup.com
New York-style Italian restaurant offering a range
of tasty and affordable antipasti, pastas, and pizzas.
Friendly staff and rustic
bare brick walls adorned
GOLDEN ELEPHANT
CLASSIC THAI
3822 8554
saigonssk@vnn.vn
GOURMETS DELIGHT
ROAST KITCHEN CANTONESE

Unit 15, 1/F, Kumho Asiana
Saigon, 39 Le Duan, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3521 8181
gourmetsdelight.com.vn
HOA TUC
The Square, 74/7 Hai Ba
Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825
1676
Highly rated restaurant
with stunning outdoor terrace. Specialities include
pink pomelo squid and crab
salad, mustard leaf prawn
rolls, fishcake wraps and
barbecue chicken in ginger,
onions and a lime leaf marinade.
HOANG YEN
PAN-VIETNAMESE
3823 1101
CENTRAL PARC BANH MI

7 Bis Han Thuyen, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 8549
Part of the Au Parc group,
this miniscule, New Yorkthemed sandwich shop does
creative lunchtime fare at
excellent prices think
baguettes, wraps, focaccia
and bagels. Excellent delivery service.
mail.com
The ubiquitous mint sauce
is thick and creamy and the
curries are both authentic
and smoky. Ganesh is rated
by many as the best Indian in
town. Very friendly service.
EL GAUCHO
5D Nguyen Sieu, Q1, Tel: (08)
3825 1879
elgaucho.com.vn
A pleasant downtown eatery mixing an Argentinian
steakhouse theme with pork,
chicken, lamb, homemade
spicy sausage, skewers,
burger dishes and everything that can come off a
grill.
GANESH
HOGS BREATH CAF
Ground Floor, Bitexco Financial Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3915 6066
hogsbreathcafe.com.vn
Mixing hearty pub grub
such as burgers, salads
and prime rib steaks with a
sports bar atmosphere, this
Australian chain also offers
regular promotions and a
4pm to 7pm happy hour. Excellent outdoor terrace.
INAHO
NORTH / SOUTH INDIAN

3823 4786
ganesh.restaurant.vn@hot-
SUSHI / SASHIMI
4 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 0326
HCMC
THE EMPTY WOK

MANGO ICE CREAM
BY RICCHA ARORA
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Photo by Francis Xavier
ango ice cream, homemade

mango ice cream. Its one
of those musts for summer,
a sweet treat to beat the
escalating heat. Easy to make, economical
and perfect for vegetarians, its not
exactly Italian-style gelato. But with the
freshness of the mangos, the sweetness
of condensed milk and some added nuts,
this ice-cream dish has a unique flavour
not easy to find in Vietnam.
The best part of the recipe is that it can
be assembled in minutes you dont have
to slave for hours. And the beauty of any
homemade ice-cream recipe is that you can
add anything to it bananas, strawberries,
even rose water and green cardamom. No
matter what flavours you choose, you will
have a wonderful treat to bite into.
Ingredients
1 cups of heavy whipping cream
1 cup of fresh ripe mango pulp
200 grams of condensed milk
cup of ground pistachio
A few strands of saffron or 2 drops of rosewater
Mint leaves for garnish
Method
1) Mix the heavy whipping cream and
condensed milk in a deep bowl and whisk
it using a whisk wire or electric hand
blender for two minutes. Add the mango
pulp to the mixture and again blend it for
three minutes. Next add the saffron or
drops of rosewater.
2) Now pour the mixture into an air-tight
container and place it in the freezer for two
to three hours. Once frozen for a couple of

hours, you will see the ice cream is still not
firm. Add in the dried nuts or pistachio and
mix well using a spatula. Adding the nuts
in at this stage prevents them from sinking
to the bottom of the ice cream.
3) Cover the air-tight container and freeze
for six to seven hours.
4) Remove the ice cream from the freezer and
leave it to sit for 10 minutes before serving
this will make it easy to spoon and serve.
5) Garnish with mint leaves and relish.
Riccha Arora runs the Facebook page Sassy
Kitchen facebook.com/arorassassykitchen.
You can also check out her website
arorasassykitchen.com
HCMC
JASPAS WINE & GRILL
INTERNATIONAL FUSION
The Square, 74/7 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 0931
Alfrescosgroup.com
Although a chain restaurant, the international offerings here are consistently good
and creative. Excellent service, an attractive
outdoor terrace area, and a good kids menu.
Check out their pepper steaks.
KABIN
LE JARDIN
CLASSIC FRENCH
31 Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 8465
Unpretentious but tasty French fare in a
relaxed garden setting within the French
cultural centre. The robust, bistro-style cuisine is very well-priced, and excellent, cheap
house wine is served by the carafe.
CONTEMPORARY THAI FUSION

Level 1, Kumho Link, 39 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 4423
Modern Thai fusion restaurant serving Thai
classics alongside tom yam cappuccinos and
more. Koh Thais creative cocktails merge
Thai flavours with local seasonal fruits and
herbs.
LOLIVIER
FRENCH/MEDITERRANEAN
Sofitel Saigon Plaza, 17 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 1555
sofitel.com
Exuding a southern Gallic atmosphere with
its tiled veranda, pastel-coloured walls and
ficus trees, this traditional French restaurant
has quarterly Michelin star promotions and
an award winning pastry team.
SPANISH / EUROPEAN
97 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 6924
Legs of Iberian ham hang in the downstairs
bar at this multi-story bodega serving Spanish-styled tapas. Attractively decorated in
warm reds, yellows and oranges, Pacharans
food menu is traditionally Spanish.
LUONG SON
PAN-VIETNAMESE
31 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 1330
PENDOLASCO
CANTONESE
Renaissance Riverside Hotel, 815 Ton Duc
Thang. Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 0033
marriott.com
Offers authentic, gourmet Cantonese cuisine
in an elegant, classic setting, with striking
dcor and the bonus of views over the Saigon River. Dishes range from VND80,000 to
VND900,000.
KOH THAI
PACHARAN
PAN-ITALIAN
87 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 8181
pendolasco.vn
Opening out into a large, leafy terracottatiled garden area, this trattoria-style Italian
restaurant serves up quality homemade
pasta, risotto, gnocchi, excellent pizza and
grilled dishes. Another branch downtoan at
87 Nguyen Hue, Q1.
MAY RESTAURANT
19 21 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291 3686
may.restaurant19@gmail.com
7am to late
Casual yet stylish, May places internationalstyle wining and dining in the heart of historic
Saigon. Subtle lighting, comfortable seating,
an extensive wine and cocktail list, and beautifully crafted comfort food from Europe, the
Antipodes and Asia all make up the mix at this
multi-floored restaurant and bar. Check out
their set lunches and happy hour.
PIZZA 4PS
EUROPEAN/ASIAN FUSION
8/15 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 9838
pizza4ps.com
This quirky but highly rated Italian / Japanese fusion pizza parlour serves wacky yet
delicious pies such as tuna curry pizza and
calamari seaweed pizza, as well as more
traditional varieties.
MARKET 39
INTERNATIONAL BUFFET
Ground Floor, InterContinental Asiana Saigon, Crn. of Hai Ba Trung & Le Duan, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3520 9999
MOGAMBO
PAN-AMERICAN / TEX-MEX
50 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 1311
mogambo@saigonnet.vn
NAM GIAO
LA CUISINE
FRENCH / MEDITERRANEAN
48 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 2229 8882
lacuisine.com.vn
This intimate, open-kitchened restaurant
bathed in white specialises in a mix of contemporary Mediterranean and French cuisine. Has a small but well thought out menu,
backed up with an extensive wine list.
LA HOSTARIA
TRADITIONAL ITALIAN
17B Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 1080
lahostaria.com
This downtown hideaway with rusticstyle
decorative trawls features fresh, light regional cuisine from across Italy. Try the carpaccio misto di pesce and agnello dantico.
Also specializes in excellent wood-fired
pizzas.
LE BOUCHON DE SAIGON
CLASSIC FRENCH / EUROPEAN FUSION

40 Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 9263
lebouchondesaigon.com
A sociable and popular French bistro serving up 100 percent organic, traditional Gallic
staples such as French onion soup, escargot,
and moules marinires, plus European fusion dishes, and competitively priced world
wines.
HUE CUISINE
136/15 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 38
250261; 116 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3925 9996
namgiao.com
NHA HANG NGON
VILLA DINING / STREETFOOD

160 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 7131
NINETEEN
Ground floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son
Square, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 4999
caravellehotel.com
OSAKA RAMEN
JAPANESE NOODLES
18 Thai Van Lung, Q1; SD04, Lo H29-2, KP My
Phat, Phu My Hung, Q7
OPERA
Ground Floor, Park Hyatt Saigon, 2 Lam Son,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 1234
A contemporary, casual, trattoria-style restaurant with al fresco dining overlooking
the Opera House. Specialising in both traditional and contemporary Italian cuisine,
the restaurant also features an impressive
breakfast menu.
HCMC
STUDENT EYE
THE FIELD TRIP
istance doesnt have to be

geographical to be real. You
could spend eight hours with
your classmate, five days every
week. He or she could be sitting right
next to you in class, eating with you in
the canteen, but that invisible distance
will still be there to separate you.
School certainly wasnt going to fix this.
But for some reason, our field trip to Hong
Kong did.
All Under One Roof

The word compassion comes from a Latin
root which means to suffer with. As I haul
my 11kg suitcase up the never-ending stairs
leading up to our mountain hostel (the
shuttle busses werent available), shouts of
encouragement from my classmates rang
in my ear.
For almost a week, whether we liked it
or not, our days were going to intertwine in
a small youth hostel on Mt. Davis, in Hong
Kong.
It was too close for comfort. If threes

a crowd, 36 is just plain frightening. We
shared everything. In the shared bedrooms,
kitchen, showers and bathrooms, we spent
every waking moment together. Our goal
was to live together, but not kill each other.
In this shared space, we had to cook
and clean and do everything by ourselves.
We had nothing close to the kind of
comfort wed get when travelling with
our families. But the experience wasnt
any less rewarding. In between the burnt
scrambled eggs, the sweat, the mosquitoes,
and the minimal Wi-Fi, we had fun.
The setting was Hong Kong, but the
main focus of this trip was us. And
for once I wasnt an observer, but a
participant.
Field Trips, Our Salvation

If you look carefully, youll see that high
school is made of boundaries. There are the
ones between teachers and students and
the ones between the students themselves.
During field trips however, all this

is torn apart. Teachers become less like
teachers but more like people. As for
us, we have no choice but to be ourselves.
After all, once your classmates have seen
you with your messy hair and old pyjamas
at 6am, all pretenses fly out the window.
When I come back to school on Monday
morning, the walls, albeit thinner, will still
be there. But the memories of Hong Kong
will make me smile at the corner of my
mouth, because I know now that we are
more than who we are at school.
In retrospect, my only regret was that I
neglected to bring my camera, and have
only three blurry smartphone photos to
show for my pains. But the warm and
fuzzy feelings this trip gave me are the
important thing, and they will last a long
time. To Thu Phuong
To Thu Phuong is a high school junior at
Alexandre Yersin French High School (Lyce
Franais Alexandre Yersin) in Hanoi, lfay.
com.vn
HCMC
PROPAGANDA
CLASSIC VIETNAMESE / BISTRO

21 Han Thuyen, Q1
Part of the group that includes Au Parc and Refinery, Propaganda serves up
classic Vietnamese cuisine
in an atmosphere of barebrick walls interposed with
Propaganda Art murals and
prints.
QUAN BUI 2
TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE
17A Ngo Van Nam, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 1515
With its leafy roof garden
and chic interior, Quan Bui
offers a wide selection of
Vietnamese cuisine which is
cooked in their open kitchen.
REFINERY
with the bonus of being able

to watch the action on the
river sidewalk. Features
western, Asian and Vietnamese buffets.
SAFFRON
PAN-MEDITERRANEAN
51 Hai Ba Trung, Q1
Tel: (08) 3824 8358
Sporting food from around
the Mediterranean rim, this
compact and cozy eatery
with pots hung from the ceiling is a popular choice with
expats and tourists alike.
Reservations advised.
SAIGON CAF
INTERNATIONAL / BUFFET
Khoi, Q1 Tel: (08) 3827 2828
sheratonsaigon.com
SAN FU LOU
FRENCH BISTRO / INTERNATIONAL

The Square, 74 Hai Ba Trung,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 0509
therefinerysaigon.com
A slightly retro feel pervades
this popular French-style
bistro and wine bar which
once housed the citys
opium refinery. The cuisine
runs from creative salads
through to Mediterranean
influenced mains.
CANTONESE KITCHEN
Ground Floor, AB Building,
76A Le Lai, Q1
Tel: (08) 3823 9513
sanfulou.com
Open until 3am, this popular,
contemporary Cantonese
dining hall mixes contemporary with traditional, in
a space that takes Chinese
dining in Saigon to a new
level. And if you like your dim
sum, look no further.
REFLECTIONS
SEOUL HOUSE
INTERNATIONAL / FINE DINING

3rd floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19
Lam Son Square, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 4999
KOREAN
33 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 4297
seoul.house@yahoo.com.kr
RIVERSIDE CAF
Renaissance Riverside,
815 Ton Duc Thang, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3822 0033
Offers versatile allday dining of international quality,
SHANG PALACE RESTAURANT
PAN-CHINESE / CANTONESE
Norfolk Mansion, 17-19-21
Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 2221
shangpalace.com.vn
Featuring over 200 dishes
and 50 kinds of dim sum prepared by chefs from Hong
Kong, Shang Palace has nine
private dining rooms and a
main dining area seating
over 300. Good for events.
Vietnamese and Western

cuisine offered from an
impressive display of integrated show kitchens to
serve guests in five different
dining areas. Open for lunch
and dinner.
TANDOOR
SKEWERS
INTERNATIONAL / MEDITERRANEAN
9A Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 4798
skewers-restaurant.com
Simple, unpretentious
Greek-influenced, international cuisine ranging
from the zucchini carpaccio through to the saganiki,
a range of dips, mousaka,
osso buco and lamb chop
skewers. Also has an excellent upstairs cigar room.

(08) 3930 4839
Tandoorvietnam.com
TEMPLE CLUB
PAN-VIETNAMESE
29-31 Ton That Thiep, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3829 9244
Templeclub.com.vn
Once a hotel for Indian dignitaries visiting old Saigon,
the elegant and atmospheric Temple Club is one
of the citys best-preserved
buildings. Serving quality
Vietnamese and Indochine
cuisine at reasonable prices.
SORAE
SUSHI SAKE LOUNGE

Level 24, AB Tower, 76 Le
Lai, Q1, Tel: 0938 687689
soraesushi.com
Set over two floors, this
astonishing, no-expensespared Japanese restaurant
and lounge brings to Saigon
the type of environment and
ambience youd expect of
New York, Singapore, Hong
Kong and Dubai. With the
dcor comes a modern take
on Japanese fare. A place to
see and be seen.
SQUARE ONE
TOP-END INTERNATIONAL /
VIETNAMESE
First Floor, Park Hyatt Saigon, 2 Lam Son, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 1234
An atmospheric Ho Chi
Minh City restaurant featuring simple and authentic
THE SWISS HOUSE SAIGON

54 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 2079
swisshousesaigon.com
Serving up authentic cuisine
spanning the three linguistic
regions of Switzerland, as
well as dishes from Bavaria
and Austria, this attractive,
two-floor Swiss-styled restaurant also boasts a beer
cellar in the basement.
TOKYO BBQ
JAPANESE BARBECUE
15A6 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 2527
VESPER GOURMET LOUNGE
INTERNATIONAL
Landmark Building, 5B Ton
Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
9698
facebook.com/vespersaigon
Headed up by well-known
chef Andy Ertle, Vesper is a
sophisticated yet down-toearth cocktail bar and restaurant with subtle lighting
and a great spirit selection.
Serves creative, Japanese
and German-influenced
cuisine to supplement the
drinks and has a separate
dining space.
WARDA
MIDDLE-EASTERN
71/7 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 3822
info@wardavn.com
The deep colours, Arabic dcor and cushioned outdoor
terrace area give this popular venue its unique touch.
The food is good, too, taking
in tabouleh, houmous, falafel
and mutabbal, shwarmas
and more. Sells authentic
shisha.
WRAP & ROLL

(08) 3822 2166; 111 Nguyen
Hue, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 8971
wrap-roll.com
of all types, and healthy, Hueinfluenced cuisine.
YU CHU
TOP-END PAN-CHINESE
1st Floor, InterContinental
Asiana Saigon, crn.of Hai Ba
Trung & Le Duan, Q1
Tel: (08) 3520 9999
Skillful chefs prepare authentic hand-pulled noodles,
fresh dim sum and hot wok
dishes within an impeccably
designed open kitchen, as
diners look on. Stylish and
spectacular.
FITNESS, DANCE & YOGA

ANUPA YOGA
9 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822

2394
anupa.net/yoga-anupa
CALIFORNIA FITNESS CENTRE
FITNESS CENTRE
Queen Ann Building, 2830
32 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291
5999
Cfyc.com.vn
NUTRIFORT
GENERAL FITNESS
2B1 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3825 8560
nutrifort.com
Offers fitness classes and
personal training with excellent facilities. Group classes
include power yoga, pilates,
circuit training, martial arts
and spinning. There is also a
spa and a restaurant serving
caloriecalibrated meals.
RENAISSANCE HOTEL HEALTH

CLUB
HEALTH CLUB & GYM

815 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 0033
SAIGON FITNESS CO.
HEALTH CLUB & GYM

Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8888
SAIGON HASH HOUSE HARRIERS

saigonhash.com
Sunday 2pm sharp, Caravelle hotel. Bus out to the
county with a walk, usually
4km and a run around 8km.
VND150,000 for locals and
VND220,000 for expats. Bus,
water, snacks and freeflow
beer after the run.
SHERATON FITNESS
HEALTH CLUB & GYM

Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2828
sheratonsaigon.com
HCMC
A WORLD
OF
WHEN NGOS GO GOOD
GOOD
BY DANA MCNAIRN
Campaign for Female Education (Camfed) has been

one of the NGO success stories of the last 20 years
recently wrote with some glee

about rogue NGOs. Now well look at
some good NGOs and reasons to be
optimistic about development.
The inescapable changes in the world
are all around us. Traditional state-onstate warfare is at its lowest point in
modern history. I welcome the academic
arguments over soldier-civilian death ratios
in conflict, but the point is we live in an
overwhelmingly peaceful world. How, you
ask, when all we see on the news is carnage
and mayhem?
Harvard professor (and Canadian)
Steven Pinker notes that the number of
people who have died due to state war,
civil war and terrorism has decreased 50
percent since the 1990s. Further, these death
rates have decreased 75 percent if you span
the last five decades.
Economists long a favourite
breed in this column might nod
to the Golden Arches Theory of Conflict
Prevention, journalist Thomas L.
Friedmans mid-1990s dictum about
McDonalds restaurants and warfare
this has since been busted with Kosovo,
Russia, Georgia and Ukraine. But really,
Friedman was just riffing on Immanuel
Kants 220-year-old essay, Perpetual
Peace, in which the German philosopher

wrote: The spirit of commerce sooner or
later takes hold of every nation, and is
incompatible with war.
The problem is, were hard-wired to
prefer bad news (its a survival thing that
our brains are constantly scanning for
danger). So we think the world is getting
worse and Armageddon is, well, just
around the corner. Yes, there are brutal
injustices occurring right now in the
Middle East (and elsewhere), but this is
not global doomsday. It is a distortion the
media is happy to oblige with daily howls
of havoc.
Development Really Does Work

But putting down our sticks and clubs
has enabled us to focus on other things:
success in human development. The UN
says poverty has been reduced more
in the past 50 years than in the last five
centuries. The average Chinese person
is 10 times richer than she was five
decades ago and will live 25 years longer.
This is due to rising standards of living,
sanitation and medicine.
This is also because technology needs to
accelerate and grow exponentially, or fail.
That steep curve shows in the number
of university graduates around the world.

It has risen fourfold in the last 40 years
for men, but has increased sevenfold for
women. In Vietnam, Nu Cuoi (smile) is
a nonprofit staffed by volunteer teachers
running a night school in Tan Phu District
for street children. These kids might
not get to university, but they will learn
how to read, write and have numeracy.
Campaign for Female Education (Camfed)
is an award-winning education NGO that
trains local teachers with local trainers.
Since 1993, over three million children
have been supported to stay in school in
five countries across sub-Saharan Africa.
Deepening economic (and security)
interdependence and cultural ties are just
a few reasons for this confidence.
So my earlier glee wasnt pessimism
about NGOs or their (in)ability to
contribute to social justice; they do and it
was about identifying aid fraud. Cynicism
is a self-fulfilling prophesy and to me has
always smacked of defeatism. Its not
terribly clever or helpful to bray on
about endless dystopia.
Me? Im with the hamburger crowd.
Dana McNairn is the CEO of KOTO, a
nonprofit social enterprise and vocational
training programme for at-risk youth
HCMC
SOFITEL PLAZA FITNESS CENTRE
HEALTH CLUB & GYM

3824 1555
THE LANDMARK CLUB
GYM, POOL, SQUASH

The Landmark, 5B Ton Duc
Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
2098 ext. 176
In addition to the squash
court, facilities include a
fullyequipped gym room, a
rooftop swimming pool and
separate male and female
saunas.
HAIRDRESSERS
VENUS
BACCHUS CORNER
WINE SHOP
158D Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 3306
bacchuscorner.com
A range of spirits, whiskies
and wines at affordable prices. Wines come from all over
the world with an especially
good selection from France,
Chile and South Africa. Also
has an excellent range of
single malts, top shelf tequilas and has an onsite
wine tasting machine, the
Enomatic, the first of its kind
in Vietnam.
GALLERIES
BLUE SPACE & PARTICULAR ART
GALLERY
97A Pho Duc Chinh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3821 3695
bluespacearts.com
DOGMA
8A/9C1 Thai Van Lung, Q1
dogmacollection.com
The home of Vietnamese
propaganda art and a collection put together over the
last two decades by art collector Dominic Scriven, the
majority of the work comes
from the war period when
provocative poster art was
used to inspire and motivate.
Sells prints of the originals
and related products.
DALOC
WINE SHOP
74E Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 5404 3575
daloc.vn
PHUONG MAI ART GALLERY

129B Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 3181
07 Phan Chu Trinh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 3166
phuongmaigallery.com
GROCERIES, LIQUOR & WINE

ANNAM GOURMET MARKET
GROCERY & DELI

(08) 3822 9332
Annam-gourmet.com
Attractive and spacious
Frenchowned grocery
shop stocking a large range
of foods, organic fruit and
vegetables, imported beers
and wines. Also sells luxury
branded products from
the likes of Fauchon. The
deli upstairs in the Hai Ba
Trung branch serves tasty
baguette rolls in a comfortable lounge area with free
WiFi, and offers probably
the best selection of cheese
and cured meats in town.
Free delivery for Districts 1,
2 and 3.
MEDICAL & DENTAL

ACCADENT
INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC

Kumho Asiana Plaza, 39 Le
Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8800
accadent.com
CENTRE MEDICAL INTERNATIONALE (CMI)
FRENCH MEDICAL CLINIC

3827 2366
cmi-vietnam.com
This French medical clinic
provides general practice
and a range of specialties
including cardiology, gynecology, psychotherapy, ophthalmology, paediatrics and
acupuncture.
KIM HAI BUTCHERS
BUTCHERS
73 Le Thi Hong Gam, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3914 4376
kimhai.vn
PHUONG HA
GROCERS
58 Ham Nghi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3914 1318
RED APRON
WINE SHOP
22 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 0021
HO CHI MINH CITY FINE ARTS

MUSEUM
97A Pho Duc Chinh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 4441
baotangmythuattphcm.vn
41 Nguyen Trung Ngan, Q1,

Tel: (08) 3829 6298
THE WAREHOUSE
WINE SHOP
15/5 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3825 8826
One of the busiest wine retailers in town. In addition
to their excellent range of
wines, they also stock imported beers, bottled mineral water and spirits.
VEGGYS
GROCERS & DELI

29A Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 8526
WESTCOAST INTL DENTAL CLINIC

INTERNATIONAL DENTAL
CLINIC
Ben Thanh Clinic, 27 Nguyen Trung Truc, Q1, Tel: (08)
3825 6999
The Practice, Level 1, 71-79
Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825
6777
westcoastinternational.com
An international dental clinic
equipped with the latest
technology, the comfortable
clinics offer cosmetic and
implant dentistry with a focus on making each patients
experience anxiety and pain
free.
SALONS & SPAS

AQUA DAY SPA
Khoi, Q1 Tel: (08) 3827 2828
aquadayspasaigon.com
FAME NAILS SALON

FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE HCMC
INTERNATIONAL CLINIC
Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 7848
com
Fullservice 24hour
healthcare provider with
highlyqualified doctors
handling everything from
emergencies to tests and
Xrays, inpatient and out
patient care, checkups,
travel medicine and medical
evacuations.
3 Truong Dinh, Q1, Tel: 0909

682 827
famenails.com
GLOW SPA
129A Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 8368
glowsaigon.com
Modern and bright downtown spa, offers massages
lasting from 30 minutes, to
two-hour hot stone therapy,
includes one suite with a

Jacuzzi bath; offers hand
and foot care and a hair
styling area.
INDOCHINE SPA
69 Thu Khoa Huan, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3827 7188
Indochine-spa.com.vn
Indochine Spa provides a
peaceful and serene atmosphere with aromatic
scents and lulling melodies.
Customers are pampered
by qualified therapists using
natural French products in
a clean and pleasant environment.
JASMINE
45 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3827 2737
Jasminespa.vn
Sparelated salon with a
good reputation for quality
and comfort offers washes
and leisurely haircuts from
VND330,000 plus a range of
related services including
massage and some excellent treatments.
Q SPA & SALON

31Q LY TU TRONG, Q1, TEL: (08)
3905 4609
Qspaandsalon.com
An old world, Indochineesque interior complete with
wooden floors, flowers and
flowing drapes makes this
an excellent atmosphere in
which to enjoy a massage.
Also offers hair styling and

facials.
ROSA BLANCA BEAUTY

23C Ton Duc Thang, Q1
Specialising in all forms of
skincare, this is welldesigned, ambient and outfitted
day spa offers body treatments as well as facials and
foot treatments.
SPA INTERCONTINENTAL AND

HEALTH CLUB
3rd Floor, InterContinental
Asiana Saigon, crn.of Hai Ba
Trung & Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3520 9999
THE SPA AT 1960 PRESIDENTIAL

CLUB
22nd floor, Sailing Tower,
111A Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08)
2220 2600
spa1960.vn
THE SPA
Saigon Pearl, 92 Nguyen Huu
Canh, Binh Thanh, Tel: (08)
3514 9007
Saigon Centre, 3M Floor, 65
Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 1800
thespavietnam.com
THE SPA AT NEW WORLD HOTEL

76 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8888
XUAN SPA
Park Hyatt, 2 Lam Son Square,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 1234
hyattpure.com
FV SAIGON CLINIC
3rd Floor, Bitexco Financial
Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 6290 6167
fvhospital.com
Stateoftheart medical
centre located in District
1. Experienced American,
French, and Vietnamese
doctors provide the full
spectrum health care. Plus
sports medicine, cosmetic
treatments, skin care and
surgical consultations.
VINIFERA
WINE SHOP
7 Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3521 0860
viniferavn.com
SIAN SKINCARE CLINIC

VINO WINE SHOP
WINE SHOP
(08) 6299 1315
Professional advice on selecting and tasting wines.
Also offers regular popular
wine courses. The outdoor
terrace area is the perfect
spot to sample a new vintage.
SKIN CARE / COSMETICS

Level 2, 71-79 Dong Khoi, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3827 6999
sianclinic.com
The Australian and Canadian managed SIAN Clinic
offers a wide range of skincare medical therapies to
treat problems by an experienced dermatologist and
facial care team. The clinic
utilises the latest therapies.
HCMC
pham ngu lao
BAKERIES / BARS & CLUBS / CAFES / CLOTHING

& ACCESSORIES / CRAFTS & FURNITURE / EAT /
GALLERIES
BAKERIES
CRUMBS
BAKERY
117 Cong Quynh, Q1, Tel: (08)
3836 1992
crumbs.com.vn
Dubbed the local bakery,
Crumbs serves up a variety
of baked goods including baguettes, muffins, cheese and
garlicbased buns and loafs,
meatfilled pastries, sweet
pastries, healthconscious
breads and more. There is
also a breakfast menu and
variety of sandwiches available.
TOUS LES JOURS
KOREAN BAKERY
(08) 3914 4350
BARS & CLUBS

BIA TUOI 33
BIA HOI
33 Bui Vien, Q1
BREAD & BUTTER
INTERNATIONAL / COMFORT
FOOD
40/24 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3836 8452
With a free book exchange,
and tasty Sunday night
roasts, the tiny Bread &
Butter is a perfect place for
homesick expats and beer
enthusiasts (excellent HueBrewed Huda beer served
here exclusively in Ho Chi
Minh City).
GO2
INTERNATIONAL / RESTOBAR
187 De Tham, Q1, Tel: (08)
3836 9575
GODMOTHER BAR
RESTOBAR / VIETNAMESE /
WESTERN
3832 4589
godmothersaigon.com
Only a couple blocks from
the bru-haha of Bui Vien,
Godmothers is a small watering hole with big attractions including excellent
mojitos, good food, and the
weekly Optimus Club featuring international DJs.
LE PUB
INTERNATIONAL / RESTOBAR
Tel: (08) 3837 7679
Warm colors, artsy dcor
and a friendly ambiance
combine to create a perfect
setting for enjoying tasty international and Vietnamese

cuisine. Check out their daily
drink specials and Tuesday
night pub quizzes.
UNIVERSAL BAR
LIVE MUSIC / RESTOBAR

90 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 01633
343933
universalbarsaigon.com
LONG PHI
FRENCH / RESTOBAR
3837 2704
French-run but universally
appealing, Long Phi has been
serving the backpacker area
with excellent cuisine and
occasional live music since
1990. Excellent late-night
bistro cuisine.
SAIGON VIBRATIONS
REGGAE BAR
143 Nguyen Trai, Q1
facebook.com/saigon.vibrations
Just off The Pham, this intothe-early-hours reggae
inspired joint holds regular themed nights all in the
name of that most special
of sounds the one from
Jamaica.
SEVENTEEN SALOON
THEMED MUSIC BAR

103A Pham Ngu Lao, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3914 0007
seventeensaloon.com.vn
Wild West-themed bar
doubles as a music venue,
where three talented Filipino
bands (B&U, Wild West and
Most Wanted) play covers of
rock icons like Bon Jovi, U2
and Guns n Roses. Top shelf
spirits and friendly, hostess
style table service are the
name game here.
SPOTTED COW
CAFES
BOBBY BREWERS
INTERNATIONAL
3920 4090
bobbybrewers.com
Choose from a full range
of caf beverages and a
fast-food style menu as you
watch the latest Hollywood
hits in their upstairs lounge.
Check website for movie locations and schedule.
CHICCO DICAFF CAF
ITALIAN & VIETNAMESE

213 Bui Vien, Q1
facebook.com/ChiccoDicaffCoffee
Set just off the street on the
quiet end of Bui Vien, Chicco
Dicaff serves an expat and
local-heavy clientele takeaway coffees and flavoured
concoctions, from a five-seat
coffee bar.
INTERNATIONAL
157-159 Nguyen Thai Hoc,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3837 9347
coffeebean.com.vn
Large portioned coffee lures
customers into the flagship
store of this international
caf chain. The contemporary, yet generic atmosphere is bolstered by comfortable seating and a menu
to satisfy any sweet tooth.
THI CAF
SOUVENIRS / CLOTHING
1B Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
2210 2084
8am to 10.30pm
DIVE BAR
57 Do Quang Dau, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3838 9839
MARATHON
LA CANTINA
BUDGET CLOTHING
3920 7442; 123A Bui Vien,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3838 0019
PAPAYA
BUDGET CLOTHING
232 Bui Vien, Q1
papaya-tshirt.com
THAI / VIETNAMESE
16 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08) 3837
1311
JJS FISH N CHIPS
FISH & CHIPS / STREET STALL

Cnr. 38B Tran Hung Dao & De
Tham, Q1
TEX-MEX / VIETNAMESE
Tel: (08) 3837 0760
BUDGET CLOTHING
3820 2620
9am to 10pm
U.BEST HOUSE
TRAVEL GEAR
163 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Q1, Tel:
0978 967588
Ubesthouse.com
ITALIAN / TEX-MEX
Tel: (08) 3837 0760
PUNJABI INDIAN RESTAURANT
NORTH INDIAN / PUNJAB

40/23 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3508 3777
monuvn@gmail.com
Ignore the non-trendy, holein-the-wall appearance. This
side-street Indian serves
up some excellent fare at
reasonable prices, with a
number of Punjabi specialities to boot.
CRAFTS & FURNITURE

SAPA
ETHNIC ACCESSORIES / SOUVENIRS

209 De Tham, Q1, Tel: (08)
3838 9780
EAT
3838 6661
babaskitchen.in
This pleasant, airy Indian
does the full range of fare
from all ends of the subcontinent, from dosas and vadas through to chicken tikka
masala, kormas, kebabs and
fiery vindaloos.
BURRITO REVOLUTION
SISTERS CAFE
VIETNAMESE/WESTERN
Tel: 0903 643446
Light wood paneling, beige
walls and locally themed
artwork help to create a
fresh and airy ambience in
this caf-cum-restaurant
that is owned by the woman
behind Chis Caf. Also does
visa extensions and motorbike rental.
TAM HAO HANDPULLED NOODLES

CHINESE NOODLES
195A De Tham, Q1
tamhao.com
Nothing gets better than a
bowl of tasteful broth and
hand-pulled Chinese noodles, especially when its
from Tam Hao. Hip interior
design draws many a traveller into this tasteful but
non-fancy hotel noodle restaurant, leaving them craving for more.

SKATEWEAR / STREET
641826
Bamskateshop.com.vn
BLUE DRAGON
GINKGO
VIETNAM-THEMED CLOTHING
54-56 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
6270 5928
ginkgo-vietnam.com
Quality, original, Vietnam-
CHIS CAF
40/31 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3837 2502
Chiscafe.com
This affable caf is a rarity
in the backpacker area for
its genuinely good musical
playlist. Excellent, buildyour-own breakfasts, baked
potatoes, toasties, Vietnamese fare and more. Has a
popular motorbike rental
service.
TIN NGHIA
VEGAN
(08) 3821 2538
One of the citys oldest eateries (established in 1925)
does some of the cheapest
and tastiest vegan cuisine in
town, all cooked up without
onions, garlic or MSG.
MARGHERITA
ORANGE
TEX-MEX / STREET STALL

714882
BAM SKATE SHOP
T&R TAVERN
CORIANDER
BABAS KITCHEN
INTERNATIONAL / SPORT
3920 7670
Alfrescosgroup.com
Spotted Cow delivers the
fun-loving atmosphere that
its playfully decorated black
and white spotted interior
promises, as well as decent
international comfort food,
a range of happy hours, live
sports, and darts.
LIVE MUSIC / LOUNGE

224 De Tham, Q1, Tel: (08)
2210 2929
themed tees are the showpiece at this airy French-run

store. Designs are inspired
by anything from the Vietnamese flag, local telecom
wires and motorbikes to
creative, Siddharta-style
imagery.
THE HUNGRY PIG
BACON BAR / CAFE

3836 4533
facebook.com/thehungrypigcafe
Think bacon, bacon and
more bacon, all set in airy,
spacious atmosphere, and
you get The Hungry Pig, an
eatery specialising in anything from the bacon butty
through to the bacon Caesar.
A popular hangout.
WRAP & ROLL

226 De Tham, Q1, Tel: (08)
3837 5097
wrap-roll.com
of all types, and healthy, Hueinfluenced cuisine. Check
out the second floor, junglein-the-wall dcor at this
particular branch. Unique
and refreshing.
ZEUS
GREEK / KEBAB
3837 3248
ZOOM CAF
AMERICAN / TEX-MEX
169A Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3920 3897
vietnamvespaadventures.
com/cafe_zoom
This corner-located Vespainfatuated venue is a caf
and restaurant by day and
a sidewalk drinking joint
by night. Friendly staff and
American deli-style and Cajun fare makes it a regular
expat haunt.
GALLERIES
GALERIE QUYNH
65 De Tham, Q1, Tel: (08)
3836 8019
galeriequynh.com
In addition to working with
artists based in Vietnam,
Galerie Quynh also exhibits the work of artists from
around the world. This wellestablished gallery supports
education through talks, lectures and publications.

simply email us on
well try our best
HCMC
district 1
BARS & CLUBS / BOOKS / CAFES / CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

/ COOKING CLASSES / CRAFTS & FURNITURE / EAT /
FITNESS, DANCE & YOGA / GALLERIES / INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOLS / MEDICAL & DENTAL / SALONS & SPAS
DISTRICT 1
Downtown
Pham Ngu Lao
Binh Thanh
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Th
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Le
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Le
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Ham Nghi
District 2
Hu
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Da
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District
10
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Tr
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District 4
Vo
BARS & CLUBS

BEER AND GRILL (BG SAIGON)
CONTEMPORARY BEER HALL

37 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1,
Tel: 0906 780081
CHILL SKYBAR
TOP-END BAR & TERRACE

Rooftop, AB Tower, 76A Le
Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2372
chillsaigon.com
For the spectacular views
alone, Chill Skybar remains
the place to go to mix topend, outdoor terrace drinking around an oval-shaped
bar with cityscapes of Saigon. One of the top watering
holes in the city.
HOA VIEN
CZECH BREWHOUSE
3825 8605
hoavien.vn
MZ CLUB
LIVE MUSIC / NIGHTCLUB

56A Bui Thi Xuan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3925 5258
m-zing.com
SAIGON VIBRATIONS
Du
Ng
uy
en
Ma
Du
Ba
h
an
Ng
uy
en
Kh
ai
Ph
n
Bi
e
To
n
Ho
Ha
i
Ca
ch
in
h
en
Ti
District 3
an
g
REGGAE BAR
143 Nguyen Trai, Q1
facebook.com/saigon.vibrations
Saigons first reggae bar
located close to The Obser-
vatory on the other side of

Pham Ngu Lao. Open late,
holds a number of nights
like Tropical Wednesday,
Thursday-before-midnightshots-only ladies night and
Underground Saturdays, all
in an attempt to pump things
up for the party seekers in
town.
BOOKS
LIBRAIRIE FRANCAISE NAM
PHONG
82 Truong Dinh, Q1, Tel: (08)
3914 7858
Nam Phong Bookstore was
founded at the of end 2002 in
Ho Chi Minh City as the first
and only francophone bookshop in the whole of Vietnam.
Only books written in French
are for sale, covering for all
ages and tastes. A catalogue
is available at namphongsaigon.com
CAFES
(A) CAFE
15 Huynh Khuong Ninh, Da
Kao, Q1, Tel: 0903 199701
Settle into the Javanesestyle interior and enjoy possibly one of the best brews
in Saigon. Using own grown

and specially sourced Dalat
beans, speciality coffee such
as cold drip, siphon, and
Chemex are must haves for
the avid coffee drinker.
BANKSY CAFE
1st Floor, 14 Ton That Dam,
Q1, Tel: 01699 990003
sam.nguyen197@gmail.com
A small but swanky cafe,
Banksy promises a young
and vibrant hideout in an
old 1960s-era apartment
building. Remember to head
up the steep stairs within to
dig into their secret stash of
clothes and accessories.
CAFE THOAI VIEN

159A Nguyen Van Thu, Q1,
Tel: 0918 115657
cafethoaivien.com
Veer off the street and find
yourself plunging straight
into lush greenery. Cafe
Thoai Vien serves up a
spacious and airy setting
to enjoy a quiet sip. From
small eats to big bites and
everything to drink, its a
great place to unwind from
all that buzz.
HCMC
THE OTHER PERSON CAFE
INTERNATIONAL
235 Nguyen Van Cu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3833 3648
coffeebean.com.vn
Large portioned coffee
lures customers into the
flagship store of this international caf chain. The
contemporary, yet generic
atmosphere is bolstered by
comfortable seating and a
menu to satisfy any sweet
tooth.
DECIBEL
INTERNATIONAL
79/2/5 Phan Ke Binh, Q1,
Tel: (08) 6271 0115
Decibel.vn
Trendy without pretense,
this two-floor, relaxed caf
offers beautiful decor and
unique original events like
live music, film screenings, and art exhibits. Great
prices and food with daily
specials.
GIVRAL CAF
INTERNATIONAL / FRENCH
97 Nguyan Huu Cau, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3844 3295
saigongivral.com
I.D. CAF
CONTEMPORARY CAFE
34D Thu Khoa Huan, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 2910
Idcafe.net
Centrally located near Ben
Thanh Market, i.d offers
casual caf dining with a
wide variety of food and
beverages. Where modern
design and a warm ambience meet for coffee.
LAN MIEN DINING CAFE
76A Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821
2718
The outdoor, well-aired terrace is the centrepiece of
this popular, contemporary
caf. Enjoy live music on
weekends as you sip on reasonably priced Vietnamese
or espresso-based coffee.
LE PETIT CAF
FRENCH
112 Pham Viet Chanh, Q1,
Tel: (08) 6291 2067
MOCKINGBIRD CAFE
4th Floor, 14 Ton That Dam,
Q1, Tel: 0935 293400
facebook.com/mockingbirdcoffee
Sitting atop of a number of
cafe establishments in an old
apartment complex, Mockingbird is just the place for a
romantic time over mojitos,
or good ol caffeine-infused
relaxation.
2nd Floor, 14 Ton That Dam,

Q1, Tel: 0909 670272
facebook.com/TheOtherPersonCafe
Fancy being served up by
maids in costume? Call for
a booking and enjoyed customized service to your liking
while spending an afternoon
in this candy-land inspired
cafe.
THINGS CAFE
1st Floor, 14 Ton That Dam,
Q1, Tel: (08) 6678 6205
facebook.com/thingscafe
Feel the calm and serenity
of this rustic little quiet corner tucked away in an Old
Apartment. The quaint and
relaxing atmosphere sets for
some alone time, or quality
conversations held over a
drink or two.
COOKING CLASSES
OVERLAND CLUB
35Bis Huynh Khuong Ninh,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3820 9734
overlandclub.jp
Sunday 1.30pm to 5pm
The Overland Club organises
pottery classes, VietnameseJapanese cooking classes,
cultural art events and
monthly special activities,
such as the Soba Festival,
pottery painting classes, the
art of decorating paper and
multinational cuisine days.
COBALT
ROOFTOP RESTOBAR
Floor 30-31, Pullman Saigon
Centre, 148 Tran Hung Dao,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3838 8686
pullman-saigon-centre.com
A tapas-style contemporary
international menu in an
equally modern chic space,
Cobalt also has panoramic
views over the city thanks to
its 30th-floor location. Has a
focus on wine matching and
tasting. A hotel restaurant
with a difference.
DYNASTY
CANTONESE / PAN-CHINESE
Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8888
Elegant surroundings, top
quality ingredients, attentive service and comfortable,
roundtable dining makes Dynasty one of the top Chinese
restaurants in town, with a
classic dim sum menu.
LION CITY
SINGAPOREAN
45 Le Anh Xuan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 8371
lioncityrestaurant.com
Friendly, authentic fivestorey Singaporean eatery,
plating up the likes of nasi
lemak, mee rebus, and awesome chicken curry, as well
as specialities like frog porridge, chilli crab and fish
head curry.
MAY RESTAURANT
EAT
27 GRILL
GRILL-STYLE RESTAURANT
Rooftop, AB Tower, 76A Le
Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2372
chillsaigon.com
Besides the spectacular
views, the cuisine at 27 Grill
is a real draw, with steaks
and other international
grill-style fare in a refined
yet contemporary atmosphere. Subtle lighting and
an extensive wine list make
up the mix.
CAF IF
VIETNAMESE FRENCH
38 Dang Dung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3846 9853
MSG-free traditional Vietnamese cuisine with a
French twist, cooked fresh
to order. Dishes include noodle soup, steamed ravioli and
beef stew, stir fries, hot pots
and curries.
INDOCHINE VIETNAMESE
3/5 Hoang Sa, Q1, Tel: (08)
3910 1277
May-cloud.com
Meaning Cloud, May utilises homemade recipes
and broths developed by the
restaurateurs father, such
as pan-fried duck breast
served with nuoc mam and
ginger, and 1940s style
spring rolls. This is the Saigonese cooking of old set in
an Indochine atmosphere.
MONSOON
PAN-SOUTHEAST ASIAN
1 Cao Ba Nha, Q1, Tel: (08)
6290 8899
Traditional pan-Southeast
Asian favourites served in
a visually arresting setting
within a French colonial-era
villa, just minutes from the
backpacker area. Reasonably priced, with healthy
juices and smoothies.
NEW YORK STEAKHOUSE
AMERICAN / FRENCH
2527 Nguyen Dinh Chieu,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 7373
steakhouse.com.vn
NYSW is well known for

serving up formidable prime
signature cuts of New York
strip steak, rib eye, double
strip loins and chateaubriands along with sophisticated sides, in a glitzy, Hollywood-esque atmosphere.
PARKVIEW
Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8888
Flagship restaurant of The
New World Hotel, serving
lavish buffets all day. Many
cooking stations ranging
from Chinese to Italian, sushi and seafood, to salads,
cold cuts, cheese plates and
desserts.
QUAN BUI
TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE
8 Nguyen Van Nguyen, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3602 2241
Make sure to try the sauted
shrimps with cashew nuts
and crispy fried tofu with
lime wedge, at this popular,
high-quality eatery where all
food is served in traditional
crockery.
QUAN UT UT
US-STYLE BARBECUE
168 Vo Van Kiet, Q1, Tel: (08)
3914 4500
facebook.com/quanutut
Its a no-brainer, right?
American-style barbecue in
a contemporary Vietnamese,
quan nhau-style setting. Of
course it is, which is why
Quan Ut Ut is constantly
packed with grill-obsessed
diners going for the burgers, meats off the barbecue
and Platinum pale ale served
on tap.
TIEM COM GA HAI NAM
CHINESE / VIETNAMESE BINH

DAN
67 Le Thi Hong Gam, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3821 7751

STAR FITNESS GYM
HEALTH CLUB & GYM

Manor Apartments, 91
Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh
Thanh, Tel: (08) 3514 0253
Steve Chipman, who had a
hand in establishing gyms
at the Sofitel hotels in Hanoi
and Ho Chi Minh City, is behind Star Fitness one of
Vietnams largest and bestequipped gyms.
GALLERIES
CRAIG THOMAS GALLERY
27i Tran Nhat Duat, Q1, Tel:
0903 888431
cthomasgallery.com
Located in a quiet corner
of District 1, Craig Thomas
Gallery offers a compelling
mix of up-and-coming and
established local artists. In
operation since 2009, its
founder has been promoting
Vietnamese art for a decade.
SAN ART
3 Me Linh, Binh Thanh, Tel:
(08) 3840 0183
San-art.org
San Art is an independent,
artist-run exhibition space
that offers residency programmes for young artists, lecture series and an
exchange programme that
invites international artists/
curators to organise or collaborate on exhibitions.
re.com
MEDICAL
& DENTAL
CENTRE MEDICAL INTERNATIONALE (CMI)
FRENCH MEDICAL CLINIC

3827 2366
cmi-vietnam.com
This French medical clinic
provides general practice
and a range of specialties
including cardiology, gynecology, psychotherapy, ophthalmology, paediatrics and
acupuncture.
Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 7848
com
Fullservice 24hour
evacuations.
STAMFORD SKIN CENTRE

99 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3925 1990
stamfordskin.com
Stamford Skin Centre offers
a broad range of medical and
aesthetic skin treatments.
Their international dermatologists and doctors ensure
accurate diagnosis and safe
treatment procedures. It
houses excellent equipment
for a variety of procedures.
VICTORIA HEALTHCARE INTERNATIONAL CLINIC
(08) 3910 4545

Well-regarded clinic offering
general examinations and
specialising in pediatrics,
digestive diseases, cardiology, womens health and
internal medicine. Offers a
membership programme
and cooperates with most
insurance companies in Vietnam and abroad.
WE LINK
COUNSELLING
64 Ho Hao Hon, Q1, Tel: (08)
6291 2900
contact@welink.vn
Psychological counselling services for individual,
group and family. Diverse
counsellors and therapists,
using Cognitive Behaviour
Therapy, Art Therapy, Systemic Family Therapy. For
adolescents and adults. Vietnamese, English, French
and Spanish spoken.
SALONS & SPAS

CAT MOC SPA
63 Tran Dinh Xu, Q1, Tel: (08)
6295 8926
catmocspa.com
Aimed exclusively at ladies
and couples only, treatments at this Japanese spa
include facial, body and foot
care, and Japanese-style
haircuts, as well as steamsauna, paraffin and waxing
services.
HAIR BAR
CONTEMPORARY SALON
68 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel:
(FREEPHONE) 1800 1108
hairbar.vn
A unique themed hair salon
where stylists use no scissors but styling equipment
only, giving female clients the
opportunity to get their hair
done on the run. Of course,
they have to look fabulous,
too. Fortunately this is one of
Hair Bars specialities. Check
the salon out on Facebook:
facebook.com/hairbarvn.
SPA TROPIC
79 PHAN KE BINH, Q1, TEL: (08) 3910

5575
spatropic.com
Spa Tropic is a stylish boutique spa housed in the refurbished former Chilean
Consulate. Spa Tropic has
a long-standing reputation
among expats and visitors
alike for its professional
quality service.

simply email us on
well try our best
HCMC
district 2
BAKERIES / BARS & CLUBS / CAFES / CLOTHING &

ACCESSORIES / CRAFTS & FURNITURE / EAT / FITNESS,
DANCE & YOGA / GROCERIES, LIQUOR & WINE /
HAIRDRESSERS / INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS / MEDICAL &
DENTAL / SALONS & SPAS
DISTRICT 2
Ni
Thao Dien
i
u
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H n
hQ
Bn
Ng
uy
n
V
n
Xa
Binh Thanh
Ngu
VOELKER
BAKERY
39 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08)
6296 0066
voelker-vietnam.com
Frenchrun bakery selling
probably the tastiest range
of patisseries, breads, quiches and pies in town. The signature passionfruit tart is
a must try.
BARS & CLUBS

BAAN THAI
SPORTS BAR / PAN-THAI CUISINE

3744 5453
baanthai-anphu.com
A bar and a Thai restaurant
all in one, the focus here is
not just the cuisine but a contemporary bar area and live
sports. Lots of live sports.
The Thai cuisine is cooked
up by no-holds-barred Thai
chefs.
BMV PUB & GRILL

38 Quoc Huong, Q2 Tel:
01299 839314
facebook.com/bmv.pubgrill
Song H
Ni
nh
Song H
DISTRICT 2
With its seven TVs, full-size

mezzanine area, pool table
and aircon lounge space,
BMV is the perfect place in
District 2 to relax and watch
the sports. Has live music on
Thursday and Friday nights,
and is home to the only German Hofbrau Beer Garden in
Thao Dien.
nh
THE FAN CLUB
SPORTS BAR
Ground Floor, The Vista,
628C Hanoi Highway, Q2
dtdentertainment.com/thefanclub
12 quality screens and eight
draught beers, music spun
by DJs, excellent burgers,
quiz nights and barbecues.
All in an attractive, contemporary environment.
BUDDHA BAR
RESTOBAR
3345 6345
Buddhabarsaigon.com
Just across the lane from
McSorleys, this pub with an
eccentric European tilt and
some nice, authentic cuisine
draws an older crowd with
darts, pool and weekly poker
tourneys.
MCSORLEYS
IRISH BAR
4 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: 0126
9026006
Standing in the former home
of Gaudi, McSorelys is full of
surprises, including a beautifully backlit swimming pool,
reggae parties, comedy
nights, and sporting events
projected onto the patio wall.
SAIGON OUTCAST
EVENTS / MAKESHIFT CAF BAR

188/1 Nguyen Van Huong,
Q2, Tel: 0122 4283198
Saigonoutcast.com
Up-cycling and innovative
design form the foundation
for this bar / arts venue /
mini- skate park. Come for
barbeque and reasonably
priced drinks, stick around
for entertaining events and
adorable puppies.
Th
Xa
Mai Ch
Tr
BAKERY
Tel: (08) 6281 8392
The baking arm of the wellknown Bakers on Thao Dien,
Voelker. Provide flash frozen breads and patisseries
such as croissants, pain au
chocolat, pain raisins, pizza
dough, pates feuillete and
much more. Serves the hospitality industry in Phu Quoc,
Nha Trang, Phan Thiet and
Ho Chi Minh City.
No
Trn
n Hong
BAKEUP ATELIER
N
y
Nguy
BAKERIES
n No
Hu Cnh
Xun Th
y
Xun Th
Xa
n
uy
Ng
ng
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Qu
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Binh Thanh
Th
CAFES
AGNES CAFE
COFFEE & FLOWER HOUSE

11A-B Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08)
6281 9772
A cozy and comfortable cafe
in Thao Dien serving excellent fresh coffee from Dalat,
smoothies, juices, pastries
and desserts all day. Offers
a western-fare breakfast,
lunch and dinner menu with
a number of creative TexMex dishes mixed in with
salads and more typical
international cuisine. Now
open until 10pm, the nighttime ambience is relaxed
and intimate.
CAF EVITA
LAID-BACK CAF / RESTAURANT

230A Nguyen Van Huong,
Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3512
3888

LITTLE ANH-EM
BABY & CHILDREN CLOTHING

37 Thao Dien, An Phu, Q2,
Tel: 0917 567506
In addition to a varied selection of garments for babies
and children up to 10 years
old, Little Anh-Em stocks
sleeping bags and other accessories.
HCMC
SPORTS
VESPA SHOP
VESPA PRODUCTS / HELMETS

80 Xuan Thuy, Q2
Stocks a wide range of Vespa-inspired tidbits and memorabilia including t-shirts,
riding gear, Italian helmets,
Respro face masks, DVDs,
books, bags, magazines,
posters and more. Rental
scooters and bikes available.
are taken for delivery within

three weeks. Also offers a
rental service.
KIDS CLASSES & SPORTS
THE FURNITURE HOUSE
HOME FURNISHINGS
81 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien, Q2,
Tel: (08) 3519 4640/4643
EAT
CRAFTS & FURNITURE
AUSTIN HOME
CRICKET
ECCS (THE ENGLISH CRICKET
CLUB OF SAIGON)
Richard Carrington, Tel:
0909 967 353
richard.carrington@market-edge.asia
eccsaigon.com
ICCS (INDIAN CRICKET CLUB OF

SAIGON)
Deeptesh Gill, Tel: 01228
770 038
deepteshgill@gmail.com
ISCS (INDIAN SPORTS CLUB IN

SAIGON)
Munish Gupta, Tel: 0986
973 244
gmunish29@yahoo.co.in
PSSC (PAKISTAN SAIGON

CRICKET CLUB)
Samie Cashmiri, Tel: 0976
469 090
samie.cashmiri@gmail.
com
SACC (SAIGON AUSTRALIA

CRICKET CLUB)
Steve Treasure, Tel: 0903
998 824
SACCCRICKET@GMAIL.COM
SSC (SRI LANKA SPORTS CLUB)
Suhard Amit, Tel: 0988
571 010
suhard.amit@yahoo.com
UCC (UNITED CRICKET CLUB)

Asif Ali, Tel: 0937 079 034
npasifali@hotmail.com
VIETNAM CRICKET ASSOCIATION (VCA)

Manish Sogani, Tel: 0908
200 598
manish@ambrij.com
FOOTBALL
AND
RUGBY
024 or Viet Luu 0909 500

171.
astere@hotmail.fr
SAIGON RAIDERS
Saigonraiders.com
SAIGON RUGBY CLUB

RMIT University, 702 Nguyen Van Linh, Tan Phong, Q7
saigonrugbyfootballclub@
yahoo.com
SAIGON SAINTS
saigonsaints.com
SPORTS GENERAL
HASH HOUSE HARRIERS
saigonhash.com
RANGERS BASEBALL TEAM

isao.shimokawaji@sapporobeer.co.jp
SAIGON INTERNATIONAL DARTS

LEAGUE
thesidl.com
SAIGON INTERNATIONAL SOFTBALL LEAGUE

saigonsoftball.info
SAIGON SHOOTERS NETBALL

CLUB
saigonshootersnetball.
blogspot.com
SAIGON SPORTS ACADEMY
HOME FURNISHINGS
175 Ha Noi Highway, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3519 4543
chilai.com
This well-known Vietnamese
furniture brand is a good
choice for most families with
its respected high-quality
designs and competitive
prices. Located on the corner of Pham Ngoc Thach
and Dien Bien Phu, the spacious showroom specialises
in sofas and other furniture
such as table sets, shelves
and kitchen cabinets. There
is a large selection of carpets as well as numerous
choices of curtains and accessories.
The Landmark, 5B Ton Duc

Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
2098 ext 176
TORNADOS HOCKEY CLUB

436A/33 Ba Thang Hai,
Q10, Tel: 0938 889899
James.chew@vietnamhockey.vn
ULTIMATE FRISBEE
RMIT, 702 Nguyen Van
Linh, Q7
Saigon-ultimate.com
gauloisdesaigon.com
XROCK CLIMBING
OLYMPIQUE SAIGON
7Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q3,

Tel: (08) 6278 5794
xrockclimbing.com
CAF FARE / TEX-MEX

11AB Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08)
6281 9772
A cozy and comfortable caf
offering up a western-fare
breakfast, lunch and dinner
menu with a number of creative Tex-Mex dishes mixed in
with salads and more typical
international cuisine. Open
until 10pm.
FEELING TROPIC
FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES

51 Le Van Mien, Thao Dien,
Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 2181
8am to 6pm, closed Sundays
Specialising in interior designs and landscaping, this
three-storey building is so
packed full of items for sale
that it doesnt seem to have
enough space for all of its
products. The basement
storey carries outdoor
furniture such as bambooimitation and mosaic table
sets, while the second level
stocks all types of indoor
furniture except beds. Accessories are found on the
level above. Special orders
DANCENTER
53 Nguyen Dang Giai, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519 4490
dancentervn.com
Children and teenagers can enjoy jazz, ballet, hip-hop,
funk, belly dancing, salsa and in multi-level classes at
this modern dance studio.
HELENE KLING OIL PAINTING

BAAN THAI
PAN-THAI
3744 5453
baanthai-anphu.com
Subtle lighting and comfortable sofa-like seating at this
An Phu eatery. The menu
has a whole page dedicated
to tom yum soup as well
as firey larb moo and Laotian som tam. Thai cuisine
cooked up by no-holdsbarred Thai chefs.
BOAT HOUSE
40 Lily Road, An Phu Superior Compound, Thao Dien,
Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 6790
Live music, mini-festivals and
functions are regular events
at this spacious restobar in
An Phu on the banks of the
Saigon river. The menu offers seasonal dishes, classic mains and sharing plates.
189/C1 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, Tel: 0903 955780

helenekling.com
INSPIRATO MUSIC CENTER

37 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, Tel: 0932 737700
Inspirato.edu.vn
MINH NGUYEN PIANO BOUTIQUE

94A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 7691
Minhnguyenpiano.com
PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY OF SAIGON

19A Ngo Quang Huy, Q2, Tel: (08) 6281 9679
paa.com.vn
Has a range of music-based programmes teaching kids
in anything from guitar and drums to piano, clarinet and
saxophone. Also provides musical assessment and a
mixture of private and group classes.
PIANO CLASSES
Tel: 01225 636682
morrissokoloff@hotmail.com
SAIGON MOVEMENT
Tel: 0987 027 722
saigonmovement@gmail.com
SAIGON SEAL TEAM

55 Nguyen Dang Giai, An Phu, Q2, Tel: 0905 098 279
BOOM BOOM BURGER
SQUASH
Tel: 0937 683 230

vietnamswans.com
Contact Fred on 0919 709
CHI LAI
28 Tran Nao, Q2, Tel: (08)

7303 1100
saigonsportsacademy.com
AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL
LES GAULOIS DE SAIGON
REPRO FURNITURE / FABRICS

42 Nguyen Dang Giai, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3519 0023
austinhomeinteriors.com
Located in a villa-style
building, this An Phu-based
shop stocks antique repro
furniture. All products are
samples, so its limited and
exclusive with only one or
two pieces of each particular
item. Also has a great range
of imported fabrics up on the
2nd floor and an in-house
sewing room for cushions,
sofas and curtains. Offers
custom-made furniture and
delivery within four weeks.
Home dcor orders are also
available.
AGNES CAF
US-STYLE BURGER JOINT

2 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: 0909
532378
boomboomburgers.wago.co
A simple and tasty menu
similar to that of the USs InN-Out burger, the tiny Boom
Boom has chosen to focus on
the fundamentals of the perfect burger sweet potato
fries, jalapeno-infused beef
patties and special avocado
blends.
SAIGON PONY CLUB

38, Lane 42, Le Van Thinh, Q2, Tel: 0913 733360
Saigonponyclub.com
SAIGON SPORTS ACADEMY

28 Tran Nao, Q2, Tel: (08) 7303 1100
saigonsportsacademy.com
International coaches provide training in soccer, basketball, tennis and swimming for children aged four to
16 years and private lessons for children and adults.
Youth soccer league Sundays from 2pm to 6pm in District 7.
TAE KWON DO
BP Compound, 720K Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: 0903 918 149
LA CLOSERIE DELISA
FRENCH / GARDEN RESTAURANT

52 Ngo Quang Huy, Q2
A tropical garden ambience
VINSPACE
6 Le Van Mien, Q2, Tel: 0907 729 846
vin-space.com
HCMC
that is at once French yet
contemporary Indochinese
is the home of this table
dhote style restaurant and
bar. Classic French cuisine
at reasonable prices in the
heart of Thao Dien.
LU BU
CONTEMPORARY MEDITERRANEAN
97B Thao Dien, Q2 Tel: (08)
6281 8371
luburestaurant.com
Drawing inspiration from
the great cuisines of Europe, The Mediterranean
and The Orient, this contemporary, Australian-run
restaurant bathed in white
focuses on wholesome,
fresh ingredients, with
breads, cheeses, pickles,
pastas and preserves made
on site daily from scratch. A
well-conceived wine list supplements the excellent fare.
Has petanque on the terrace.
THE DECK
MODERN ASIAN FUSION

38 Nguyen U Di, Q2, Tel: (08)
3744 6632
thedecksaigon.com
Set on the banks of Saigon
River across from Thanh
Da Island, this innovative
restaurant serves up modern Asian fusion cuisine in a
Bali-style atmosphere, complemented by great cocktails
and a long wine list.
THE LOOP
GROCERIES, LIQUOR & WINE

100%
MADE IN VIETNAM GROCERIES

26B Thao Dien, Q2
100percentvn.com
HEALTHY CAF FARE / BAGELS

49 Thao Dien, Q2 Tel. (08)
3602 6385
ANNAM GOURMET MARKET

AQUAFIT
AQUABIKING
65 Truc Duong, Lang Bao
Chi, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: 0909
008985
aquafit.vn
MEKONG MERCHANT
INTERNATIONAL CAFE FARE /

SEAFOOD
23 Thao Dien, An Phu, Q2,
Tel: (08) 3744 6478
info@mekongmerchant.com
The rustic looking, bananaleaf roofed Mekong Merchant has long been the
place in An Phu. Set around
a cobble-stoned courtyard
the cuisine includes gourmet
seafood and pastas. Bakerystyle Bistro out front.
A well-appointed gym also

offering fitness classes and
personal training with excellent facilities. Group classes
include power yoga, pilates,
circuit training, martial arts
and spinning. Also has a restaurant serving caloriecalibrated meals.
CHIARA SQUINZI
Tel: 01278 163620
laholista.com
Experienced health coach
and corporate & school wellness coach. Can help clients
achieve health and weight
goals through an innovative
holistic approach of food,
body and mind. Email chiara@laholista.com for info.
GROCERY & DELI

41A Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08)
3744 2630
Annam-gourmet.com
Attractive and spacious
Frenchowned grocery
shop stocking a large range
of foods, organic fruit and
vegetables, imported beers
and wines. Also sells luxury
branded products from the
likes of Fauchon. The deli
upstairs in the Hai Ba Trung
branch serves tasty baguette
rolls in a comfortable lounge
area with free WiFi, and offers probably the best selection of cheese and cured
meats in town. Free delivery
for Districts 1, 2 and 3.
CLASSIC FINE FOODS

PENDOLASCO
PAN-ITALIAN
36 Tong Huu Dinh, Q2, Tel:
(08) 6253 2828
pendolasco.vn
Saigons longest running
Italian restaurant, classic fare is combined with a
special contemporary menu
that brings together a fusion
of European dishes, cooked
up with Italian flair. Excellent Facebook-based delivery service. Go to facebook.
com/Pendolasco2 for full
menu and info.
TAMAGO
AUTHENTIC JAPANESE
39 Tong Huu Dinh, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3744 4634
tamagoresto@gmail.com
Located on the main drag
in Thao Dien, Tamago has
indoor and out door seating,
a terrace and private rooms.
They have a ladies night on
Tuesdays as well as a Teppanyaki themed night on
Saturday evenings. Have a
second restaurant in Mui Ne.
CYRIL AND YOU SPORTS CENTRE
BOXING / FITNESS
49A Xa Lo Ha Noi, Q2, Tel:
0947 771326
cyril-and-you.com
This sports centre in An
Phu, started by fitness guru
Cyril, features the same
personalised mentorship
Cyril's clients love. Includes
yoga, boxing and fitness for
kids and adults every day.
No membership fees. Pay
for classes. Tuesday to Friday every week at 5pm. All
activities are safe and run
by Cyril himself.
K1 FITNESS & FIGHT FACTORY
BOXING / MARTIAL ARTS

100 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien,
Q2, Tel: 0909 540030
NUTRIFORT (NTFQ2)
GROCERIES & IMPORTER

No. 17, Street 12 (perpendicular to Tran Nao street),
Q2, Tel: (08) 3740 7105
classicfinefoods.com
Supplier for the citys five
star hotels, also distributing
brands like San Pellegrino,
Rougie foie gras, Galbani
cheese, fresh poultries,
meat, live seafood and vegetables. You can now find all
the products at the gourmet
shop on location.
VINO WINE SHOP
WINE SHOP
Corner of Thao Dien & Duong
2, Q2, Tel: (08) 6281 9059
Professional advice on selecting and tasting wines
with a portfolio spanning
old and new world as well
as everything in between.
The outdoor terrace area is
the perfect spot to sample a
new tipple.
GENERAL FITNESS
34 Nguyen Dang Giai, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3744 6672
nutrifort.com
HCMC
district 3
LIVE MUSIC
6E Ngo Thoi Nhiem, Q3, Tel:
(08) 3930 2239
Though only 1km from the
city centre, Acoustic is well
off most foreigners radars.
Come see the Vietnamese
house band play nightly, as
well as performances from
overseas bands and guest
artists.
CLOUD 9
QUYNH BEAUTY SALON
CLUB DARTS, DARTS, DARTS
LIVE MUSIC / EVENTS VENUE

224A Pasteur, Q3, Tel: 0948
031323
WOODSTOCK BAR
MUSIC BAR / CAFE

39 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan.Q3.
Tel: (08) 39304075
metallicbar.com
Showcases a variety of different types of music anything from rock, pop and rap
to Latino as well as the everlasting songs of Metallica,
Bon Jovi, Scorpions, Santana
and Guns n Roses. Covered
Cn
g
live by well-known, Vietnambased Filipino bands. Music

starts at 8.30pm.
ONTOP BAR
Novotel Saigon, 167 Hai Ba
Trung, Q3, Tel: (08) 3822
4866
Located on the 20th floor
with stunning views of the
city, houses an upscale,
contemporary interior and
an outdoor terrace. A good
venue to chill out in a relaxed and casual, yet hip
ambience.
CAFES & ICE-CREAM

ANS INTERIOR CAF
Ph
Th
Du
nh
Tel: (08) 3822 4222

Hideawaycafe-saigon.com
Hidden in a colonial building
with an outdoor courwrd,
the ample soft, sofa seating renders a great spot to
relax. The mouth-watering
western menu is on the expensive side.
OPERATION: TEAROOM
TEA ROOM
335/31 Dien Bien Phu, Q3,
Tel: 0169 3583563
operationteavietnam.com
Traverse a wooden bridge
over a bamboo-shaded goldfish pond to enjoy high quality tea, starting at VND35,000,
in this quaint, open-air tearoom. Tea and tea-ware
available for purchase.
SKATEWEAR / STREET
0903 641826
Bamskateshop.com.vn
BAM SKATE SHOP
BOO
STREETWEAR
187A Hai Ba Trung, Q3
n D
u
Nguy
Du
n
L
in
h
ng
Qu
nh
BUDS
INTERNATIONAL
41/1 Pham Ngoc Thach, Q3,
Tr
n
u
i
X
Tr
Th
i
n L Lai
B
uy
g
N
HIDEAWAY
Bi
n
Th
n
g
40C Tran Cao Van, Q3, Tel:
(08) 3823 3398
ICE-CREAM PARLOUR
Tel: (08) 3932 2778
budsicecream.com.vn
Kh
ai
ng
y
n
u
Ng
Th
n
L
Thi
ng
Na
m
Ca
o
i
n
Ph
Kh
i
a
Ngh
BARS & CLUBS
te
et
lm
Ca
ng
i
Ha
n
i
V
n
n
Bi
L Thi T
LOUNGE BAR & TERRACE

6th & 7th Floor, 2bis Cong
Truong Quoc Te, Q3, Tel:
0907 502951

simply email us on
well try our best
Tr
n
g
i
Kh
Ba
Th
i
Ha
Villa 35A, Street 41, Thao

Dien, Q2, Tel:(08) 3519 4671
avedaherbal@gmail.com
104A Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien,
Q2, Tel: (08) 3512 4321
n
Th
i
Th
AVEDA HERBAL SPA
Ph
C
ch
Ba
ACOUSTIC
Thao Dien Village, Nguyen

Van Huong, Q2, Tel: 3744
2222
Th
n
g
nh
Th
AUTHENTIC SPA
ng
g
nh
District
10
MEDICAL & DENTAL
SALONS & SPAS
Tr
n
District 1
Ha
i
Ng
h
a
Ho
n
g
C
ch
h
n
Sa
n
i
H
ng
Vn
Kh
i
Tr
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Th
H o
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Ti
Hi
Th
n
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Na
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K
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Th
www.firstBIKE.com.vn
FirstBIKE balance bikes for
two to five-year-olds eliminate the need for training
wheels or stabilisers, and
support proper balance development.
3744 2000
com
Fullservice 24hour
evacuations.
nh
Sa
Tr
n
g
FIRSTBIKE VIETNAM
M
ng
V
V
Ng
n
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T
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Th
M
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Kh
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KIDS
C
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Ha
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S
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Ho
V
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Sa
Th
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Binh Thanh
DISTRICT 3
BARS & CLUBS / CAFES & ICE-CREAM / CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES /

CRAFTS & FURNITURE / EAT / FITNESS, DANCE & YOGA / HAIRDRESSERS /
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS / MEDICAL & DENTAL / SALONS & SPAS
Hong
48 Tran Ngoc Dien, Q2, Tel:

(08) 3519 4625
Conceptcoiffure.vn
Open daily from 9am to 8pm
Hair stylist and colourist specialist Sandrine has relocated her long-standing flagship
salon Venus Coiffure to a villa
in Thao Dien. A full range of
services is offered including
a dedicated kids salon.
hT
hn
g
CONCEPT COIFFURE
L
Ch
n
HAIRDRESSERS
EAT
boo.vn
CRAFTS
& FURNITURE
ATC FURNITURE
ECO-FRIENDLY FURNITURE
SR1: 268B Nam Ky Khoi
Nghia, Dist.3, HCMC, Tel: (08)
39326455
SR2: 30A Nguyen Huu Canh,
Binh Thanh, HCMC, Tel: (08)
38403946
atc-craft.com
Filled with the scent of nature, is it what you are looking for to spice up the living
space of your home? Come
to ATC FURNITURE, you will
find a wide range of moderndesigned products (sofas,
chairs, beds...) manufactured
from eco-friendly materials
(water hyacinth & rattan). Our
outdoor (poly rattan) wickerfurniture range is suited
to your balcony or garden
space. A hanging (hammock)
chair is irresistible for complete relaxation after a long
day at work.
REMIX DECO
INDOOR FURNITURE
222 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai,
Q3, Tel: (08) 3930 4190
remixdeco.com
AU LAC DO BRAZIL
BRAZILIAN CHURRASCO
3820 7157
aulacdobrazil.com
Open for over a decade, Au
Lac Do Brazil is home to the
city's best Churrasco menu
with a wide variety of meats
from Calabrian sausage
and picanha through to
D-rump steak and smoked
hams. Pioneering the eatas-much-as-you-can theme
in Vietnam, Passadors bring
the meat skewers to your
table, and you, the customer
then choose your accompaniments from the salad bar.
Best washed down with red
wine or a Caipirinha or five.
BANH CANH HOANG TY
BANH CANH / TAY NINH CUISINE

70 Vo Van Tan, Q3
BEEFSTEAK NAM SON
VIETNAMESE STEAKHOUSE
200 Bis Nguyen Thi Minh
Khai, Q3; 157 Nam Ky Khoi
Nghia, Q3, Tel: (08) 3930 3917
Namsonsteak.com
HCMC
PHO HOA
TATTOO ARTISTS
With tattoos becoming increasingly popular, over
the past few years there
has been an increase in
the number of tattoo studios around the city.
Customers have the
choice of picking their
own tattoo out of the
many look books on offer
in the studios or bringing
in their own design. Most
of the studios offer bodypiercing services as well.
Pricing depends on size
and style.
LAC VIET TATTOO 608

Dien Bien Phu, Q10
Tel: (08) 3830 4668
106 Pasteur, Q1
Tel: (08) 3821 7068
lacviettattoo.com
SAIGON BODY ART

135 Cong Quynh, Q1
Tel: 0908 443311
saigonbodyart.com
SAIGON INK
26 Tran Hung Dao, Q1
Tel: (08) 3836 1090
tattoovietnam.com
SAIGON TATTOO
31B Nguyen Du, Q1
saigontattoo.net
SAIGON TATTOO GROUP

81 Bui Vien, Q1
Tel: 0908 573339
xamnghethuat.vn
BAHDJA
2nd Floor, 27 Le Quy Don, Q3
Tel: 0122 763 1261
bahdjarestaurant@gmail.
com
Located just above the Thai
restaurant Spice, Bahdja is
Saigons first ever Algerian
restaurant, serving authentic, multi-ethnic Berber
North African and Mediterranean cuisine cooked and
served in a traditional Algerian style. Best experienced
in a group, this pleasant
restaurants soothing ambience is matched by the owners genuine hospitality and
complimented by an array of
tasty tajines and couscousbased dishes. Has a lovely
semi-outdoor terrace area.
HIGHWAY 4
NORTHERN / PAN-VIETNAMESE
3602 2069
highway4.com
Named after the mountain
highway that skirts the Chinese-Vietnamese border to
the north, Highway 4 serves
up authentic north Vietnamese cuisine. Also does
excellent Son Tinh branded
rice wine.
JOIE DE VIVRE
WESTERN / FRENCH
292/10, Cach Mang Thang
Tam, Q3 Tel: (08) 6260 0066
facebook.com/joie.vn
TATTOO SAIGON
128 Nguyen Cu Trinh, Q1
Tel: 0938 303838
tattoosaigon.com
TATTOO TAM BI
209 Bui Vien, Q1
Tel: 0919 034383
xamphunnghethuat.com
PHO EATERY
260C Pasteur, Q3, Tel: (08)
3829 7943
massage spaces in Districts

2 and 3. Private and group
yoga classes. Home visits
available.
SHRI
SAIGON BELLY DANCE
CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN
23rd Floor, Centec Tower,
7274 Nguyen Thi Minh
Khai, Q3, Tel: (08) 3827 9631
A breezy terrace, indoor
bar and separate dining
room with sweeping views
over central Saigon make
up this enormous, comfortable space. A well-thought
out and romantic venue,
with excellent food.
SUSHI DINING AOI
SUSHI / SASHIMI
53-55 Ba Huyen Thanh
Quan, Q3, Tel: (08) 3930
0039
sushidiningaoi.com
Sushi Dining AOI offers fullblown Japanese-style sushi,
sashimi, and other dishes
such as tempura, pork cutlet and cold soba noodles
in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Good value set
lunches. Probably the best
sushi in town.
TIB
HUE / VIETNAMESE
(08) 3829 7242
Tibrestaurant.com.vn
VIET CHAY
VEGAN
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, 339
Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3
vietchay.vn

simply email us on
well try our best
MICHELLE LLOYD YOGA & MASSAGE THERAPY
YOGA
Tel: 0909 648193
michelle@michellelloyd.com
michellelloyd.com
American trained and licensed massage therapist
and certified yoga instructor. Dedicated yoga and
BELLY DANCE
No 96, Street 2, Cu Xa Do
Thanh, Q3, Tel: (08) 3832
9429
saigonbellydance.com
HAIRDRESSERS
YKC HAIR STUDIO

(08) 3829 2791
MEDICAL & DENTAL

STARLIGHT DENTAL CLINIC

2 Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te,
Q3, Tel: (08) 3822 6222
starlightdental.net
Longestablished, modern
clinic with French, Canadian, Belgian & Vietnamese
dentists. A favourite of the
foreign residential community due to its modern and
effective treatments allied
with extremely reasonable
prices.
AMERICAN CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC
CHIROPRACTOR
161-161A Hai Ba Trung, Q3,
Tel: (08) 3939 3930
www.acc.vn
A clinic provides world class
Chiropractic, Physiotherapy
and Foot Care. We specialize
in provides effective treatment for back, neck and knee
pain, sports injuries, and all
types of foot problems. We
also provide effective treatment for Flat foot syndrome
in children and adult.
INTERNATIONAL SOS DENTAL

CLINIC

Tel: (08) 3829 8424
internationalsos.com
Globally renowned provider

of medical assistance and
international healthcare
offers full dental services
in the clinic. Foreign and Vietnamese dentists provide
high skilled dental service.
Orthodontics is also available.
INTERNATIONAL SOS HCMC

MEDICAL CLINIC
INTERNATIONAL CLINIC / MEDIVAC

Tel: (08) 3829 8424
internationalsos.com
The worlds leading provider
of medical assistance and
international healthcare offers primary health care, diagnostic services and 24/7
emergency care. Specialist
care is available in many
fields.
STAMFORD SKIN CENTRE

99 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1
Tel: (08). 3925 1990 - 0908
453 338
stamfordskin.com
Stamford Skin Centre offers
a broad range of medical and
aesthetic skin treatments.
Their international dermatologists and doctors ensure
accurate diagnosis and safe
treatment procedures. It
houses excellent equipment
for a variety of procedures.
TRADITIONAL MEDICINE
HOSPITAL
EASTERN MEDICINE
Tel: (08) 3932 6579
SALONS & SPAS

AVEDA HERBAL SPA
Villa 35A, Street 41, Thao
Dien, Q2, Tel:(08) 3519 4671
avedaherbal@gmail.com
YKC SPA
(08) 3829 2791
ykcspa.com
SHOPPING MALLS
DIAMOND PLAZA
34 Le Duan, Q1. Tel: (08)

3825 7750
9am to 10pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Clothing, Accessories,
Electronics, Caf, Food
Court
HUNG VUONG PLAZA
126 Hung Vuong, Q5. Tel:

(08) 2222 0383
9.30am to 10pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Court
PARKSON PLAZA
35-45 Le Thanh Ton, Q1.

Tel: (08) 3827 7636
9.30am to 10pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Court
SAIGON CENTRE
65 Le Loi, Q1. Tel: (08)

3829 4888
9am to 9pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Court
SAIGON SQUARE
77-89 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia,

Q1
9am to 9pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Electronics
SAIGON TAX
Trading Centre
135 Nguyen Hue, Q1. Tel:
(08) 3821 3849
9am to 9.30pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Electronics, Souvenirs,
Restaurant
VINCOM CENTER
70-72 Le Thanh Ton, Q1.

Tel: (08) 3936 9999
9am to 10pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Court
ZEN PLAZA
54-56 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel:

(08) 3925 0339
9am to 10pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Court
HCMC
DELIVERY
BEN STYLE
Tel: 0906 912730
www.vietnammm.com/
restaurants-ben-style
Healthy, calorie-counted
sandwich and deli fare
phu my hung
BAKERIES / BARS & CLUBS / CRAFTS & FURNITURE / EAT / FITNESS, DANCE
& YOGA / INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS / MEDICAL & DENTAL
ng
yn
Ch
N gu
CHEZ GUIDO
PANORMA FITNESS
Nguyn Vn Linh
n
V
AMERICAN EYE CENTER
g
n
Tel: (08) 6660 1577

Californian-style burritos
DISTRICT 7
PHU MY HUNG
www.hungrypanda.vn
Delivery service website
for local restaurants
BAKERIES
KFC
LOTTERIA
Tel: (08) 3910 0000
www.lotteria.vn
Burgers, fried chicken,
sides
PIZZA HUT (PHD)

Tel: (08) 3838 8388
www.pizzahut.vn
Pizzas, wings, pasta, appetizers
SCOOZI
Tel: (08) 3823 5795
www.scoozipizza.com
Pizzas, pasta, salad, antipasti, desserts
TACO BICH
www.tacobich.com
Homemade Mexican fare
WILLY WOOS
Tel: (08) 3941 5433
www.blackcatsaigon.com
US-style chicken and
waffles
VIETNAMMM
www.vietnammm.com
gB
EL GATO NEGRO
Tel: (08) 3848 9999

www.kfcvietnam.com.vn
Fried chicken, chicken
burgers, sides
Ph
nh
C
n
L
n
uy
Nguy
c
n
n
Tr
n
T
n
Ti
t
nD
T
Tr
Ng
www.eat.vn
H Huy Tp
MEDICAL & DENTAL
n
B
g
n
L
EAT.VN
n
uy
Ph
V
n
L in
n
T
Linh
Nguyn c C
Tel: (08) 3939 3030

www.dominos.vn
Pizzas, wings, desserts
Ng
n
uy
Ng
Nguyn Vn
DOMINOS PIZZA
INTENSIVE / FULL-BODY WORKOUTS

206 Tran Van Tra, Q7, Tel:
01654 058401 / 01629
546534
cezsaigon@gmail.com
Nguyn
ng Ch
Tel: (08) 3898 3747

www.chezguido.com
Vietnamese, international
fare, pizza, pasta, sandwiches
HUNGRYPANDA.VN
complexs lagoon, this centre offers modern facilities, a

gym with Technogym equipment allowing users to track
their progress. Includes fitness classes, yoga, squash
courts, pool, steam bath and
nutrition bar.
LAMOUR
BAKERY & CAFE

Hung Phuoc 2, Le Van Thiem,
Q7, Tel: (08) 5410 4072
lamourbakery.com.vn
SAVOURE
BAKERY
Grand View, SD 4-1, Nguyen
Duc Canh, Q7
SIMRANS
BAKERY
SL15-1 Grand View, Nguyen
Duc Canh, Q7, Tel: 0908
828552
simrans.sg
BARS & CLUBS

BANANA BAR
EXPAT BAR
SA8-1 Parkview, Nguyen
Duc Canh, Phu My Hung, Q7,
Tel: (08) 5412 3282
A downstairs pool table, an
open, street side terrace and
specials on Tiger draft, this
fun but slightly run-down
joint is a local haunt for many
a resident of Saigon South.
PEACHES
CURRY PUB
S57-1 Sky Garden 2, Phu
My Hung, Q7, Tel: (08) 5410
0999
Known as the Curry Pub,
this pleasant Saigon South
watering hole mixes the beer
with all things curry anything from Goan fish curries
to beef rendangs and more.
A popular local haunt.
RUBY SOHO
CARTOON BAR
S52-1 Sky Garden 2, Q7, Tel:
(08) 5410 3900
THE TAVERN
EXPAT & SPORTS BAR

R2-24 Hung Gia 3, Bui Bang
Doan, Q7, Tel: (08) 5410
3900
The first bar established in
Saigon South, great food,
great music and loads of
laughs. Has regular live
music nights, theme nights
and a variety of live sports
events to please everybody.
Big screens and outdoor
seating add to the mix, with
BBQs available for parties
and events.
CRAFTS & FURNITURE

BELLAVITA
HIGH-END FURNITURE
The Crescent Mall, 101 Ton
Dat Tien, Q7, Tel: (08) 5413
7355
bellavitafurniture.com
MEKONG CREATIONS
FAIR TRADE CRAFTS

35-37 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel:
(08) 2210 3110; S17 Sky
Garden, Nguyen Van Linh,
Q7, Tel: (08) 6271 7758
mekong-creations.org
MEKONG QUILTS
HAND-MADE QUILTS
S17-1 Sky Garden , Nguyen
Van Linh, Q7, Tel: (08) 6271
7758
mekong-quilts.org
EAT
BOOMARANG BISTRO SAIGON
INTERNATIONAL / GRILL
CR2 3-4, 107 Ton Dat Tien,
Phu My Hung, Q7, Tel: (08)
5413 6592
boomarang.com.vn
Australian themed but Singaporean-owned eatery and
bar on The Crescent with
great terraced seating specializing in huge-portioned
international fare, all set in
a contemporary, spacious
environment.
(08) 5410 0822

nathaliesrestaurant.com
SCOTT AND BINHS
INTERNATIONAL
15-17 Cao Trieu Phat, Phu
My Hung, Q7, Tel: 0948
901465
bizuhotel.com/main/pages/
scottbinhs.php
Serving creative, all homemade comfort food, this
restaurant boasts a full bar,
ice-cold beer and an international wine list to complement meals. Has a focus
on the creative use of local
ingredients.
EL GAUCHO
Unit CR1-12, The Crescent,
Phu My Hung, Q7, Tel: (08)
5413 6909
elgaucho.com.vn
A pleasant downtown eatery mixing an Argentinian
steakhouse theme with pork,
chicken, lamb, homemade
spicy sausage, skewers,
burger dishes and everything that can come off a
grill.
HOANG YEN
PAN-VIETNAMESE
The Crescent, 103 Ton Dat
Tien, Q7, Tel: (08) 2210 2304
MING DYNASTY
LAVISH CHINESE / VIETNAMESE

23 Nguyen Khac Vien, Q7, Tel:
(08) 5411 5555
NATHALIES
THAI / VIETNAMESE
S9 Hung Vuong 3, Q7, Tel:
VIVA TAPAS BAR & GRILL
GRILL & BAR/ TAPAS

R4-28 Cao Trieu Phat, Phu
My Hung, Q7
facebook.com/VIVATapasBar.pmh
As well as classical Andalusian tapas, VIVA serves up a
selection of original but flavourful dishes for those who
dare to try. A Mediterranean-themed interior and a desire to provide something not
presently available in Saigon
South sets this joint apart.

CRESCENT WELLNESS CLUB
GYM, POOL, SQUASH

3rd Floor, Crescent Plaza,
105 Ton Dat Tien, Phu My
Hung, Tel: (08) 5412 1277
The-crescent.com
Overlooking the Crescent
5th Floor, Crescent Plaza,

105 Ton Dat Tien, Q7
Tel: 5413 6758 / 5413 6759
www.americaneyecentervn.
com
American Eye Center is located in the heart of Phu My
Hung, providing eye care
services to Adults and Children by an American Boardcertified ophthalmologist
with 17 years of experience.
The American-standard
facility is equipped with
state of the art equipments
for the early detection and
treatment of important eye
diseases from Lasik and cataract surgeries to presbyopia, glaucoma and diabetic
eye disease treatments.
Cosmetic procedures such
as eyelid surgery and Botox
injections are also available.
FV HOSPITAL
6 Nguyen Luong Bang, Saigon South Parkway, Q7, Tel:
(08) 5411 3333
Emergency: (08) 5411 3500
fvhospital.com
International hospital
whose standard of health
care matches that found
anywhere, with 19 fulltime
French doctors and 58 Vietnamese doctors, providing
expertise in 30 medical and
surgical areas, especially
maternity care.
HAPPINESS (HANH PHUC) ORIENTAL MEDICINE CENTER
EASTERN MEDICINE
432 Pham Thai Buong, Q7,
Tel: 0906 684 969
MAPLE HEALTHCARE
Md6 Nguyen Luong Bang, Q7
(across from FV Hospital),
Tel: Tel: (08) 5410 0100
maplehealthcare.net
Specialising in healthcare,
dental services and chiropractic medicine, the recently opened Maple Healthcare comes replete with the
latest technology together
with efficient and comfortable service.
01-26
THNG 4
CI! NGH THUT TM
Manzi v L'Espace thng ny s kt hp cng nhau nhm gii thiu th gii

k l v tuyt diu ca Plonk & Replonk vi bui trin lm Ci! Ngh Thut
Tm.
Ni ting Thy S v nc Php lng ging, Plonk & Replonk l vi b
i ngh s / hai anh em Hubert Froidevaux v Jacques Froidevaux khm
ph nhng s dng bt tn ca s hi hc qua nhiu hnh thc ngh thut:
vt th, iu khc, sp t, hp n, bu thip, in n ha. Mang m cht
pha trn gia tnh hi hc u ti v s thng minh tinh qui, khc ha s
ma mai v tinh nghch. Plonk & Replonk th hin cc ch xuyn sut
nh mi trng, ton cu ha, gio dc v ch ngha tiu th. Nhng tc
phm ca h bc trc mt cch nhn tm nhng vui ti v d thng.
Ci! Ngh Thut Tm s ko di cho ti 26/4 ti Manzi Art Space, 14
Phan Huy ch, Ba nh, H Ni.
09-11
THNG 4
08
TH T
NGI SNG LP LORETO GI T VIT NAM
Gi y mt thi i s qua i ngi sng lp Loreto Trish Franklin s

ri Vit Nam. Ngy 31/7 ny, b s gi t t nc m b gn b 20 nm,
v cng vi b li mt di sn ng yu. Vi D n Loreto c Vit, b
chm ti cuc sng ca v s ngn tr em khuyt tt c hon cnh kh
khn t nc ny, v gip gio dc hn 30,000 em.
Vic b s chuyn v c sng s lan rng, v vy trc khi ra i,
AUSCHAM s t chc s kin Fireside Chat Series ni v Trish, ngi s gii
by cng vic cng nh cuc sng ca mnh. Hy tham gia v vinh danh
ngi ph n ng ch ny.
S kin Fireside Chat: 20 Nm ca Cuc Sng ng Yu s din ra ti
khch sn Sofitel Saigon Plaza, 17 L Dun, Q1, Tp. H Ch Minh, t 17:30
n 20:00. Nht thit phi t ch trc ng k, xin email v events1@
auschamvn.org. Gi v l 700,000 ng, v tt c tin thu c s c quyn
gp cho Loreto.
08
TH BY
DJ GRAHAM GOLD
LIN HOAN M THANH H NI 2015
Lin hoan ngh thut m nhc, m Thanh H Ni, mt ln na s tr li vi

s tham gia ng o ca cc nhc s v ngh s quc t lo luyn.
Khi ng vo th Nm ngy 9/4 ti Manzi Art Space (14 Phan Huy ch,
Ba nh, H Ni), m mn bng bui trnh din 'nhc phim ngh thut'
vo lc 14:00. Tip ni chng trnh s l biu din ca cc nhm Sound
Awakener (Vit Nam), Gaute Granli (Na Uy), V Vn Anh and Chris Brown
(Vit Nam/ M) v Cluster of Sounds (M).
Vo th Su tip theo, lin hoan s din ra Hanoi Creative City (1
Lng Yn, Hai B Trng, H Ni) ch yu xoay quanh ngh thut graffiti,
chiu phin ti liu v hi tho, vi m Nhc Berlin s bt u lc 20:00.
Vi th By ngy hm sau, lin hoan s c mt ti Trung Tm Trin Lm
Vn H (2 Hoa L, Hai B Trng, H Ni) vi mn trnh din ca Tr Minh
v DEE.F (Vit Nam), Thylacine (Php) v Daniel Mariuma and Moti Saadia
(Israel). Cc s kin bui chiu s l phn th hai ca m Nhc Berlin.
bit thm thng tin v t v, xin gh www.hanoisoundstuff.vn
c mnh danh l huyn

thoi ca dng nhc house
quc t, Graham Gold s tr
li Si Gn cho mt m din
duy nht ti Cargo Bar. Vi
kh nng lm tng nng lng
bng m nhc sau nhng gi
lm vic thnh ph ny,
Graham ha hn mt m
"khng dng nhc trance
hay c in". Tuy nhin, nu
nhng ngh s nh Nick Curly,
Sidney Charles hay Riverside
Dive mi chnh l nhng l
do lm bn tham gia, th bn
nn c mt ti s kin ny. Vi
nhng g din ra ti cc l
hi Glastonbury, Gatecrasher
v Summerdayze, "ng Vng"
mi tht s l l do ng quan
tm nht cho nhng ngi yu
thch nhc sng.
DJ Graham Gold s biu
din ti Cargo Bar 7 Nguyn
Tt Thnh, Q4, Tp. H Ch
Minh vo ngy th By,
11/4. t v trc ti ticketbox.
vn hoc mua ti ca vi gi
220,000 ng
40 Nm Sau Ngy
Gii Phng Min Nam
Bn thp k tri qua k t s kin lch s 30 thng 4 nm 1975. Hoa L gp
g hai con ngi m s phn ca h thay i rt nhiu k t s kin
i Gn lc hoang mang lm,

anh Nguyn Qu c ni. Rt
nhiu ngi dn nh i. Mnh
c i long qung trong thnh
ph, thy nh ny dn i, nh kia dn i, nh ny
ng ca, nh kia kha ca, mnh bt u rt lo
lng. Nghe tin chin s cng rt bun.
Thng t nm 1975, anh c khi 17 tui,
va t Nng vo ti Si Gn. B ca anh b
giam cm u ngoi Bc sau chin dch
Tt Mu Thn nm 1968 v anh lm vic di
ch ca chnh quyn min Nam Vit Nam
(Vit Nam Cng Ha). M ca anh nh theo
chn anh vo Si Gn t Nng mt ngy sau
nhng b b mc kt li v khng cn my
bay no vo. Ngy no anh cng ra sn bay
hoc trm hng khng xem th c chuyn no
trt lt min Trung v tm ngi thn, m
khng thy.
Trong khi qun i min Bc y nhanh cuc
tn cng v a xe tng hc cnh cng st

ca Dinh c Lp, m ng ngi dn min
Nam la ht chen chn ln nhng chic my
bay trc thng qu ti, tm ng thot khi
Vit Nam.
Anh c c gia nh cu rut ca mnh
sp xp ri khi Vit Nam cng vi h. Trn mt
con tu cht kn ngi, h i ti Ph Quc. Mt
tun sau , h ln mt con tu khc, ch khong
3,000 ngi i ti o Guam, ri mt tun sau
na, h ti c bang Arkansas, M trn mt
chic my bay.
Anh c b li sau lng b m, cc ch gi
thn yu, v c qu hng ca mnh.
Sau Ngy Si Gn Gii Phng
Ngy 30 thng 4 nm 1975, l ngy Si Gn

c gii phng. trong nc, sau s kin ,
thnh ph c i tn l Thnh ph H Ch
Minh. Nhng chin s ca b i u cm thy
hn hoan, bi h ginh chin thng, v quan

trng hn, cuc chin tranh khc lit, ko di gi
n hi kt thc.
Lc , ngh u tin ca mnh l sp c
tr v on t vi gia nh, trung t Trn Minh
Hng ni, nm nay ng 83 tui. ng ngh
ngay c nhng ngi chin s li xe tng vo
Dinh c Lp cng u c chung mt suy ngh
nh vy ng Hng tham gia c hai cuc chin
tranh chng Php v chng M. Cng vi n
v mnh, ng i ti nhng chin trng khc
lit nht trong c c in Bin Ph v nhng
chin trng min Trung.
K t ngy 30 thng 4 lch s , anh c v
ng Hng i theo hai ng ng ring ca cuc
i mnh. Gi y khi nhn li, sau 40 nm, h
u c nhng cm xc ln ln.
Hnh Trnh ca anh c
Khi sang ti M, anh c bt u mt trang
mi trong cuc i mnh. Anh lm tt c nhng

vic bnh thng nht, t vic trn sn ti i giao
bnh m. Sau ny, anh c i hc v anh chn
chuyn ngnh bo ch. M, anh dch cc ti liu
t ting Anh sang ting Vit cho nhng ngi t
nn t Vit Nam sang, hi vng mang ti cho h
nhng thng tin v Vit Nam m h khng h
hay bit. Anh cng dch nhng tc phm, sng
tc bng ting Vit sang ting Anh, ngi M
hiu thm v nhng mnh i t nc Vit
Nam xa xi.
Sau ny, anh vit bo cho cc tp ch ni ting
nh Wall Street Journal M, lm vic cho i
BBC Anh, v cho cc i qun chng San
Francisco. Anh mun k nhng cu chuyn v
nhng con ngi min Nam tn tht trong chin
tranh, v c nhng ngi m min Bc mt
i nhng a con ca mnh trong cuc chin
nhng cu chuyn m theo anh rt ng k
nhng nhng ngi hai pha i lp li t bit
v nhau.
Nc M mang ti cho anh nhiu c hi
v ngh nghip. Nhng trong su thm tm hn
mnh, anh c vn lun au u mun tr v
Vit Nam.
Anh khng bao gi thch nc M, anh ni.
ci tui 17, mnh va chm kh nhiu,
nhn thy chin tranh, nhn thy cht chc,
nghe nhc, c th, hiu bit nhiu cuc sng
x hi, vn ha. Khi anh tm n vn ha khc
khng c nhng ci th anh kh chu.
Nm 1980, b ca anh c c th t do.
Bn nm sau , anh bo lnh cho b m mnh
sang M. Sau 16 nm xa cch, cui cng anh cng
gp li c b ca mnh.
Nu b anh mt i th nh mt nh. Mnh
s bun, nhng cng s vt qua tip tc
Trong khi qun i

min Bc y nhanh cuc
tn cng v a xe tng
hc cnh cng st ca
Dinh c Lp, m ng
ngi dn min Nam
la ht chen chn ln
nhng chic my bay
trc thng qu ti,
tm ng thot khi
Vit Nam.
sng, anh ni vi ging trm bun. ng ny,
mnh khng c tin tc g v ng trong mt thi
gian di. Anh c cm gic nh mnh ang eo
mt ci gng trn c trong sut thi gian .
Mnh khng c php vui. c hc bng hc
v m thut cng khng dm hc. B m mnh
ang kh cc nh th, lm sao mnh c th i v
tranh c.
Nm 1989, anh c ln u tin quay tr v
Vit Nam. Sau , nm no anh cng v mt vi
ln v ti nm 2006, anh quyt nh chuyn hn
v sng H Ni. Hin gi, anh l ch qun c
ph v bar Tadioto, mt a im quen thuc ca
nhng ngi nc ngoi sinh sng ti th v
c ngi Vit Nam.
S tr v ca ng Hng
Sau ngy gii phng, trung t Hng li Cn Th

v Si Gn trong vi thng tip qun c s h
tng v ti sn do ch min Nam li. Thng
10 nm 1975, ng quay tr li H Ni v tip tc
lm vic trong b Quc phng.
Cui nm 1982, ng chuyn khi ngnh v
sau vo Si Gn nh c. Khi Vit Nam bc
vo thi k i Mi nm 1986, ng Hng
nhn ngay ra nhng thay i m n mang ti cho
ngi dn thnh ph H Ch Minh.
Trc , cuc sng y [thnh ph H
Ch Minh] lao ao lm. Ngi ta phi lm trm,
lm giu hng ha. Khi c chnh sch i mi,
Si Gn pht trin theo hng kinh t th trng
th mi pht huy c nhng th mnh ca n v
c kinh nghim qu ri. Ngi dn cng quen
vi nn kinh t th trng ri, c s vt cht cng
tt hn min Bc. Nhng mi quan h vi ngoi
quc nh nhng ngi h hng l Vit kiu M
cng nhiu, to nn mt dng ngoi hi ln v
thnh ph.
Ngy nay, nhn li s pht trin ca nn kinh
t Vit Nam v i sng ngi dn c ci
thin, c anh c v ng Hng u trn y hi
vng t nc s tr nn thnh vng hn, mc
d vn cn rt nhiu vic cn lm pha trc.
Khi nhng cuc chin khc lit li vo qu
kh, ngy nay nhng chin trng mi li ang
thch thc Vit Nam: l nn tham nhng,
nhng h ly ca vic pht trin khng ng u,
nguy c xi mn nhng gi tr v vn ha v lch
s. Nhng i vi nhng con ngi tri qua
giai on kh khn nht ca Vit Nam th k
trc nh anh c v ng Hng th h vn c
mt nim tin vo mt t nc s vt qua c
nhng tr ngi hin nay.
Nhng Ngn T
Ch v ng tnh, song tnh v chuyn gii (LGBT) ngy cng c ch
nhiu hn Vit Nam, bng chng l cuc trin lm din ra thng trc i
Hc M Thut Vit Nam
rong cuc trin lm u tin ca cng

ng LGBT H Ni, cm xc c
th hin qua cc hnh ngi bng giy
c xp dc trn tng. Chng vi
nhng hnh th vt v au n hay ng tr
ngang ngc c cc ngh s la chn cng
vi cc vt th mang tnh tng trng cao nh:
cm chn, cc vin thuc ang ri, nhng hnh
nhn ang nm tay.
l nhng hnh nh u tin khi gh thm
quan Nhng Ngn T (The Cabinet) l mt
trin lm c nh nc chp thun v c
ti tr bi mt t chc phi chnh ph, k v
nhng cu chuyn ca hn 70 ngi ng tnh
n, ng tnh nam, song tnh v chuyn gii
Vit Nam.
Vi y nhng k vt, th t, qun o, hnh
nh hng ngy c hin tng, mi trng by l
mt ni nh hay nhng tri nghim kh qun.
Nhng k vt nh hai l tiu hnh ngi m
nhau, o di, nhng vin thuc hormone v mt
con gu nhi bng b x rch t ti cng chia
khng gian trin lm.
Bng-rn mu c t pha trc mn hnh,
i din cho cc ch : mu cho "bn sc",
xanh dng cho "ni au", vng cho "nim t
ho" v xanh l cho "chia s". Khi m cc ngn

ko trong mi trng by s h l nhng bc th,
nhng li tm s c vit ra. Cc cuc phng
vn, ti liu ngn v ti liu trong ipad tng tc
cho php khch tham quan khm ph thm v
cuc trin lm.
"V phn thit k [cho cuc trin lm], chng
ti mun gii thiu nhng ngn t c trng
by, v nhng iu cng ng LGBT ngy nay
mun, cm thy hay ang c," Phm Khnh Bnh,
mt h tr vin ca chng trnh cho vn
LGBT cho iSEE mt trong cc t chc kt hp
thc hin cuc trin lm ny.
Mt Chuyn i Di
Nhng Ngn T kt thc ngy 31/03 va qua,

nhng hnh trnh ca n bt u t nm 2009
khi ngi ph trch inh Th Nhung bt u thu
thp cc vt cho mt d n lu tr vi Trung Tm
Sng Kin Sc Khe v Dn S (CCIHP). Bo
tng Unstraight Stockholm v Vin Thy in
cng tham gia dp ny, v h cng nhau lm
vic trong nhiu nm cuc trin lm ny c
din ra.
"Ti ngh chng ti ch mun ch ra s khc
nhau gia nhng ngi LGBT v ngi khc,
Hnh nh bi Julie Vola
cng nh nhng im tng ng. Vic k v

mt vn qu ring t tht l kh cho mi
ngi. Ti mun ngi ta, khi h c, h nhn
thy chnh hnh bng ca mnh trong nhng cu
chuyn ", Nhung ni.
L mt ngi ng tnh l i ngc li hnh nh
vai tr c mong i cho hu ht nhng ngi
tr Vit Nam, v khng cha m no mun con
ci mnh ln ln 'khc bit' v 'khng hnh phc',
Phm Huy Thi cho bit, mt sinh vin i Hc
Khoa Hc H Ni 19 tui ngi tham quan
Nhng Ngn T. Nhng cu chuyn k v nhng
mong mi ca bc cha m, v nhng mong mi
ny d tt nhng chng gy tn thng cho
nhng bn tr LGBT trong mt thi gian di.
H khng th sng cho chnh bn thn h,"
Thi cho bit.
Cm xc ca tc gi c th hin mnh m
qua mt hnh ngi vi b no b nht trong
lng, xung quanh bao bc bi cy thng xun,
bn trong lng cn vit ch "tm thn". Hnh
ngi ny l tc phm ca Tiu Nht, sinh nm
1991, anh b gia nh mang ti trung tm tm
thn khi h pht hin ra thin hng ca anh.
Ch khi Nht... th s khng yu ngi ng
gii na th anh mi c php v nh," ch
thch bn di hnh ngi.
Trong khi hnh ngi ca Tiu Nht c
php trin lm, nhng vt th khc li tr nn
qu nhy cm trng by v nh con dao
lam, nhng cy kim tim s dng cho vic bm
silicone hoc nh giy ng k kt hn ghi tn hai
ngi ph n.
Chnh v th, nhng k t v nhng hp trng
by trng c t ri rc khp cuc trin lm
Nhng Ngn T nh l mt li nhc nh nh
nhng rng cn bao xa na quyn LGBT mi tht
s n Vit Nam.
o Mu
Mt hp knh nm gia trung tm trin lm cha

mt b su tp trang sc lng ly ca Ho V, 30
tui, mt bc s v mt nh ngoi cm sng H
Ni. i bng tai c v vng ht bt l ca ch ca
V, mt nh ngoi cm theo o Mu.
Ch ca V chnh xc l mt c ng, v V
tha hng kh nng ny t ng. o Mu, cc
c ng s c cc thnh n mn xc trong
cc nghi l nht nh v i hi h phi n mc
v trang im nh n gii.
" l mt ch cm k trong gia nh ti
khng ai mun nhc ti ng, h thm ch cn
cm con ci khng c ti thm ng," V ni.
Ngi ta chp nhn ch V trong vai tr th
hin cc thnh n, nhng i tht ng li sng

ln lt trong c c.
o Mu l mt phn tt yu ca lch s Vit
Nam, V cho hay. l mt bc tin to bo
khi quyt nh gii thiu n trong cuc trin lm,
bi v n cho thy mt s truyn thng c xa
ca Vit Nam chp nhn vn LGBT.
Hy cho x hi thy rng chng ti khng
phi l nhng k bnh hon, chng ti ch l
nhng ngi bnh thng. Nhng chng ti cha
ginh c iu y. Rt nhiu t chc ng
ln cng nhau v s lm iu tr thnh hin
tht", anh ni Annalise Frank
i Hc M Thut Vit Nam nm 42 Yt Kiu,
Hai B Trng, H Ni
The final say
THE FINAL SAY
NATIONAL
Lotusland
In his debut novel, David Joiner navigates the power imbalances between westerners
living abroad and between westerners and Vietnamese in love and friendship, in the
consequences of war, and in the pursuit of dreams
otusland transports readers

far away from narratives
about the Vietnam War. David
Joiner takes Vietnam as many
people have come to know it and shows
us what its like today. A wonderful,
important debut. Le Ly Hayslip,
author of When Heaven and Earth Changed
Places and Child of War, Woman of Peace
Tender, brutal, authentic, Lotusland
captures the romance, disenchantment, and
discoveries of expats living high and low in
Vietnam. Joiner weaves a fine story.
Andrew X. Pham, author of Catfish and
Mandala and Eaves of Heaven, and translator
of Last Night I Dreamed of Peace
From Chapter 1
I thought you couldnt sleep on trains.
Nathan awoke to find the pink-haired
girl placing a bowl of instant noodles beside
him, followed by two small bananas. Shed
changed clothes and wore an old knee-length
skirt and t-shirt with a faded Dong Ho painting
of carps across the chest. Gold Chinese
lettering cascaded down the side and sparkled
in the clear morning light.
It took him a moment to realize shed
spoken in English. Behind her, sunshine
stabbed through mists that encircled the
jagged mountains.
You brought me breakfast? he asked.
You missed the delivered meal. This is
better, anyway. Go ahead and eat, Ill be right
back.
Stretching to break up the stiffness he felt
from sleeping all night with his back against
the wall, he looked over the other side of the
platform. Broken rocks lined the tracks, and
between there and the near rice fields were
ditches of stagnant water. It was a miracle he
hadnt tumbled off in the middle of the night.
He pulled out his cell phone to see the time,
and noticed that his old friend, Anthony, had
sent him a pre-dawn message. Big week
coming up. Not sure how much time Ill have
for you in Hanoi.
The message was not what Nathan wanted
to hear. While his trip north was the best
chance theyd had in three years for a reunion,
Nathan also wanted to ask him for a job. Hed
been preparing for several weeks to approach
him about this.
Over the last few months, the focus of their
correspondence had been on the money he
owed Anthony. In his last e-mail, however,
Anthony mentioned that his wife, Huong,
wanted him to forgive Nathans debt. Of
course, you and I both know her idea is
ridiculous, Anthony had written. I guess
thats just the not-yet-dead embers of a first
love speaking.
The pink-haired girl returned with tea.
Steam peeled off the cup and thinly veiled her

face as she set it beside the bowl.
A Lipton bag bulged at the bottom of
the cup. Swirls of orange rose from it like
something being pumped. He was conscious
of a pleasant tightness in his chest.
Thank you. He reached for his money but
she stopped him.
Its my treat. When he hesitated, she told
him to eat before his food got cold.
She sat next to him as he ate.
Your English is excellent. But I guess I
shouldnt be surprised, considering youre
going to America.
She only smiled and raised her head to
watch the passing scenery.
The breeze buffeted her hair; it fluttered
about her eyes until she tucked it behind
her ears. He imagined it airy and soft in his
fingers, like the fringe of a silk scarf. As he
thrilled over the prospect of touching it
absurd though the fantasy was, he wondered
why she coloured it. The Vietnamese language
had so many ways to describe the beauty of
black hair, he couldnt imagine why shed
turn it pink. The more he thought about it, he
wondered if perhaps it were a wig. And why
a wig unless she was hiding something, like a
hideous scar or disease? But it was too morbid
a thought; and besides, pink hair fit her.
I like your hair, he said in Vietnamese.
Its like candy.
She laughed. Dont make fun of me.
Im not.
You speak Vietnamese like a Vietnamese,
she remarked, turning his earlier compliment
back to him. You must have a good teacher.
Ive never had one. They cost too much.
She looked at him skeptically. Then you
must have a tu dien toc dai: a long-haired
dictionary. People say thats the best way to
learn.
He shook his head again, not wanting her
to get the wrong impression. Vietnamese
girlfriends are even more expensive.
Again she laughed. But youre American.
You never worry about money.
Thats a common misconception.
What about your girlfriend?
He had to think back to last nights
conversation. I said maybe I had a
girlfriend.
Liar. She smacked his arm.
He peeled a banana. As he ate it, she peeled
the other and set it before him in its own skin.
He followed her gaze to the passing
countryside. The land here was divided into
paddies: a deeper green than the rice fields in
the south. Far from the tracks, farmers stood
knee-deep in the muck, like thin stunted trees,
fixtures in an unchanging landscape.
When he was done with the second banana
he asked her name. But she either didnt hear
him or didnt feel comfortable telling him. The

trains movement gently rocked her as she
continued to look into the distance.
Her abstractedness allowed him to study
the sharpness of her jaw line and the high
bridge of her nose. When his gaze fell to her
lips, where a tremor passed as if trailing a
thought, it stayed there.
Youre from the north, he remarked,
trying to draw her out. The term he used, que
huong, meant something like home village.
Its connotations were stronger than the
English word hometown, for Vietnamese
roots ran much deeper than in America.
She turned enough that he could see her
eyes. In them was a kind of wonder. How
can you tell? From the way I speak?
I didnt guess it from your clothes and
hair.
Last night when you first saw me, you
must have thought I was strange.
Until suddenly you left, he wanted to say,
I thought you were a gift. But he couldnt tell
what she was after, so he tried to make a joke
of it. I thought you were a... He stopped to
recall the word stowaway, but all he could
remember was that it involved a lot of words.
... A deserter, he said instead, hoping to
make her laugh. He carefully pronounced the
words, as with these, too, he almost never had
the chance to use them.
She smiled oddly and turned away again.
You can purchase Lotusland on amazon.
com, on Kindle or directly for the publisher at
guernicaeditions.com
The Author
David Joiner was born and raised in
Cincinnati, Ohio, in the US. His earliest
experience in Vietnam was as a volunteer
teacher in 1994, when he became
the first American since the end of the
American War to live and work in Dong
Nai Province. He has spent more than 10
of the last 20 years in Vietnam, making his
home in such places as Saigon, Hanoi,
Mui Ne and Bien Hoa.
The final say
Dissecting the Double Standard:
What makes the dual price double standard so maddeningly baffling

is how it seemingly disregards all logic and fairness by existing in plain
sight usually printed on a sign in a lovely san-serif font, and placed
at the entrance of a major tourist attraction
The Real Issue with Dual Pricing

After years of forking out foreign entrance fees at dozens of tourist attractions
around Southeast Asia, Karen Hewell digs into whats really going on behind
the double standard and if its really as unfair as it seems
pend more than an hour in any major

Southeast Asian city as a foreign
national and youll find that within
almost all of them prevails a certain
frustrating phenomenon the dual price
double standard.
In a region where prices are rarely fixed
and bargaining is the status quo, having to
spend a bit of extra energy sussing out what
a product is really worth isnt much of a
surprise. But unlike the extra dollar spent
on a bowl of noodle soup or the mystery
charge on a restaurant bill, this particular
phenomenon doesnt just depend on sellers
whims.
What makes the dual price double
standard so maddeningly baffling is how it
seemingly disregards all logic and fairness by
existing in plain sight usually printed on
a sign in a lovely san-serif font, and placed at
the entrance of a major tourist attraction.
Temples, museums, pagodas, historical
monuments there seems to be no type
of tourist attraction immune to the effect of
the foreigner fee. So while travellers and
long-time western residents alike come to
expect the extra dollar spent on breakfast
every now and then, the sheer audacity
of unapologetically publicising a double
standard makes the process of forking over
the extra dough at a temple entrance even
more frustrating.
The hubris of posting differing prices for
foreigners and locals, though, does beg
the question: where did such hubris come
from in the first place? Surely if this practice
were so unfair and fundamentally wrong, it
wouldnt be showcased in such an obvious
manner. Is there really a sound logical
explanation for this blatant discrimination?
Are we missing something?
Paying Our (Foreign) Dues

The difference in pricing in [some Southeast
Asian] tourist attractions comes from some
attractions [being] seen as part of the cultural
patrimony of the country, says long-time
Southeast Asian resident and travel-industry
veteran Tim Russell. He now lives and
works in Bangkok, often considered ground
zero of the dual pricing phenomenon. Its
also where in recent years ever-rising fees
for tourists have prompted more serious
discussion about its financial validity.
Many feel like [these attractions] are
owned by the whole nation, and so locals
shouldnt have to pay to get in. Plus,

these attractions are usually maintained
by the state using income tax revenues
so, effectively, the locals have already
contributed to their upkeep. The same
cannot be said of foreign visitors whose
contributions are essential in maintaining
historic relics.
This is the common defense for dual
pricing at national monuments in countries
like Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
With considerable amounts of taxpayer
dollars going toward the maintenance of
tourist attractions, many argue that its only
natural that foreign visitors who are not
contributing to this taxpayer fund should
contribute a higher fee to visit. After all, these
foreign visitors are likely only visiting places
like temples or pagodas as a sightseer. In the
meantime, locals return again and again for
spiritual or cultural purposes the reason
that the building was constructed in the first
place.
Plus, more tourists means higher foot
traffic and for many attractions, the costs
of maintenance increase exponentially
with every new wave of tourists that enter.
Without considerable funding for continued
conservation, tourism would be a death
sentence for monuments like Cambodias
ancient Angkor Wat complex, where
considerable efforts to shield archaeological
sites from barrier-ignorant tourists have had
mixed success. Were it not for the massive
influx of foreign visitors during tourism
high season, these monuments would likely
require a significant amount less upkeep to
prevent them from falling into disrepair.
So, the extra fee seems a valid defense for a
bigger tourist dollar sign. Right?
The Trouble with Transparency

Unfortunately, actually determining just
how much of that extra funding is going
towards conservation and how much is
going toward lining the pockets of powersthat-be is a difficult question to answer for
most travellers. Even the biggest attractions
like Cambodias Angkor Wat or Bangkoks
Wat Pho have little to no readily available
information about how entrance fees are
spent on maintenance. Consequently,
determining just how much of those extra
dollars are spent filling in the conservation
gaps that arent covered by residents tax
contributions is next to impossible.
The trouble is, transparency has never

been high priority in Southeast Asia, and
very few locally-owned and operated
entities have raised the bar for financial
transparency. Couple that with the regions
penchant for lining pockets and passing
envelopes under tables, and the public will
naturally be skeptical of how these extra
fees are actually spent. Unless extensive and
consistent evidence is provided to prove that
extra dollars are funneled towards keeping
national monuments in top shape, foreign
visitors will continue to doubt the tourism
industry theyre pouring money into.
The Vicious Circle

But regardless of the skepticism, these
ever-widening gaps in local and foreign
pay scales arent likely to prompt an
all-out boycott of travel to these national
monuments. After all, travellers who catapult
themselves halfway around the globe
in search of sightseeing destinations are
unlikely to skip out on Angkor Wat over a
US$20 (VND420,000) fee.
The unfortunate fact is that the people
most skeptical of the double standard are
also the most likely victims. Spending a few
thousand dollars on plane tickets does tend
to breed a sense of make the most of it,
even if that means shelling out an unfair
amount more dough than the locals.
So, with Southeast Asias dual pricing
double standard only on the rise, whats the
breaking point?
Tourism in many parts of Asia is still
relatively in its infancy and [] short-term
gain is prized above building a sustainable
tourism industry, says Tim. Mature tourism
markets have realised the value of building a
reputation for being welcoming and honest.
Many Asian destinations, however, simply
see the dollar signs and dont understand
how tourists see it as a dishonest practice.
They have no awareness of the negative
effect it has on their tourism brand.
Perhaps enough bad press will prompt
some changes in Asias dual pricing double
standard. Maybe it really will take an all-out
travel boycott. Or, perhaps, the rising tide of
unfair fees will continue at such a rate that
tourists are simply the frogs in hot water,
unaware that the temperatures are rising. In
the end, it will likely come down to a pretty
simple question:
What are you willing to pay?
The final say
THE FINAL SAY
NATIONAL
The Inside Story

of the Guerrilla War
Chapter 7: Patriots & Mercenaries
For the next nine issues, Word is presenting excerpts from Wilfred Burchetts seminal
account of the American War. A close friend of Ho Chi Minh, Burchett was the
only westerner to be embedded with the Viet Cong frontlines in the early 1960s.
This work was written in 1964
A Terrorist Squad
My journalist-interpreter friend excused
himself for having awakened me. My watch
showed 10.44pm; I had been dead to the
world in my hammock for a good two hours.
Three compatriots have arrived with a very
interesting story, he said. Cant it wait till
morning? I asked, and he replied that it was
really an exceptionally interesting story,
and the three were only resting for an hour
before they took off again.
So I swung out of the hammock and was
guided to a little clearing where the tiny
bottle lamps had been set up on tree stumps,
the flickering flames lighting up the faces
of three exhausted looking but triumphant
men. Almost exactly three hours previously
they had exploded a 25-pound bomb inside
Saigons U.S. Only Capitol Cinema.
According to the official account of the
results, as I heard it over the Voice of America
next morning, three U.S. servicemen were
killed and 57 wounded.
Two of the three before me were former
peasants from the Saigon outskirts, the third
a former factory worker, and I shall refer to
them as No. 1, 2 and 3. No. 1, the worker, was
the master planner and also organised the
escape:
We had previously blown up the
MAAG (Military Aid and Advisory Group)
headquarters, he said. That was in July
1963. Another group had tried to blow up this
cinema but failed because they tried to attack
it from the rear. And still another group had
exploded a bomb in a U.S. baseball stadium
the week before. Our task was to succeed
where the others had failed at the Capitol. We
had decided to do this after the Lunar New
Year ceasefire period, but when American
planes napalm-bombed a big meeting in Cu
Chi District on New Years Day, we decided
to teach them a lesson. Also we thought
they should be punished for the coup they

had just made in putting Nguyen Khanh in
power. By that they wanted to show that they
were the real masters in Saigon; we wanted to
show that the people are still there too. So we
decided to attack within the ceasefire period
which they had violated.
As they described it, while Nos. 1 and 2
created a diversion at the side entrance, No.
3, the second peasant with the rather exalted
face of a poet, walked through the main
entrance with the explosive. Because of the
shooting outside, the Americans inside were
alerted, No. 3 said. Two jumped on me as
I entered and started to strangle me. Because
I had the explosive in my arms, I could not
defend myself. But I managed to pull the

detonator and as it spluttered the Americans
were stupefied with fear, and ran up some
stairs. There is just ten seconds after pulling
the detonator before it explodes. I had time to
put it down between the aisles and walk out,
closing the grenade-proof steel doors after me
just as the explosion took place.
You intended to blow yourself up with
the two Americans? I asked, and he eyed
me calmly and said, Of course. Looking
at him, I thought of the descriptions in 19th
century Russian literature of the poets and
intellectuals who sacrificed their energies
and talents, and often enough their lives, in
trying to blow up the tsars. No. 3 was of that
category. What pushes people to such deeds,

I wondered, scanning as much of their tense
faces as the bottle lamps would permit, their
profiles etched against the impenetrable black
of jungle night on which a newly born moon
made no impression at all. There was silence
for a moment, except for the monotonous cry
of an intensely boring night bird that never
ceased its metallic two-note cry between dusk
and dawn.
There are thousands of militants like us
in Saigon, said No. 2, ready to sacrifice
ourselves at any moment, but we want to kill
five or ten Americans for every one of us.
Were there women and children in the
cinema? I asked.
We dont make war against women and
children, blazed forth No. 2. But what do
they care for our women and children? In
that cinema are only the pilots that go out
day after day in their planes and blindly
bomb and strafe our villages. Do they ask
if there are women and children inside the
houses they napalm? They bomb and fire on
every living thing they see.
No. 1 explained that a 12-year-old sister
of the one who had planted the explosive
had been killed with 15 other children in the
strafing of a school in Cau Xe.
I was interested in knowing enough about
their lives to understand what impelled
people into such desperate ventures. No. 1
had spent five of the preceding nine years in
Diemist prisons:
In front of my eyes I saw my comrades,

the finest men that ever lived, tortured
to death for no other reason than that
they had been patriots in the struggle for
independence, he said. The hamlet of No. 2
had been bulldozed out of existence to make
way for airfield extensions north of the city.
After that he had worked as a coolie on an
American military base. I will never forgive
them for what they did to our women, he
said. I saw things that no human being
should see. As long as they remain on my
soil while I live, I shall take my revenge. For
my own sister and my own compatriots, our
young women violated, comrades tortured
and massacred.
Hatred of the Invaders

Huynh Tan Phat had earlier explained to
me that terrorist attacks against Americans
were part of Front policy. We have the
spontaneous support of the population
for such actions, he said. We attack
only cabarets, cinemas, sports grounds,
restaurants reserved exclusively for U.S.
military personnel. They have to put up
barbed wire and anti-grenade grilles, as the
French did in their time. This helps to expose
their real situation that they live in mortal
fear of the population. Of course it would
be impossible to carry out such actions with
a handful of isolated, individual terrorists,
but it is possible with the support of the
whole population who always find a means
of sheltering them. It has happened several

times when someone has been hurrying away
after such an action, before the police got on
his trail, that an unknown person has pushed
him inside his house or shop and hidden
him; or pressed money in his hand and said:
Take this for a taxi.
A couple of weeks after the Capitol Cinema
incident, the Front broadcast a warning for
Americans in Saigon not to take their wives
and children to public places reserved for
Americans. The terrorist attacks were for
men only.
In the days when France was involved in
her dirty war in Indochina, there was no
lack of American leaders who saw things in
a realistic light. The late President Kennedys
remarks on April 6, 1954, when he was still
the Senator from Massachusetts, were
realistic enough:
To pour money, material and men into the
jungles of Indochina without at least a remote
prospect of victory would be dangerously
futile and destructive... No amount of
American assistance in Indochina can
conquer an enemy which is everywhere, and
at the same time nowhere; an enemy of the
people which has the sympathy and support
of the people.
This quote has become rather famous
today when it is truer than when it was
uttered ten years ago. But there was an
observation equally apt made a year earlier
by Adlai Stevenson, published in Paris
(LIntransigeant, May 21, 1953) after his visit to
Indochina. Following some correctly gloomy
appraisals of the situation, Stevenson, now
chief U.S. delegate at the United Nations,
commented:
One sees here in a startling way one of the
major difficulties the French are up against.
How to persuade the peasants in their rags
that these Germans, these French, these
Senegalese and these Moroccans are fighting
for them against the Viet Minh, who after all
are of their race and their country?
It was a good question then and a good
question for Adlai Stevenson, Dean Rusk and
President Johnson to ponder over today. How
to persuade the peasants in their rags that
these Americans, these Kuomintang Chinese,
these Filipinos and Australians and other
troops are fighting for them against the Viet
Cong, who after all are of their own race and

country?
American POWs
Quite another view of the situation, both
as concerns morale and an appreciation of
what the war is all about, came from four
American war prisoners whom I met in
what was doubtless the beginnings of the
first camp for U.S. POWs to be established
in Southeast Asia. They were all sergeants
first class and were captured at the Hiep
Hoa Special Forces training camp on
the night of November 23, 1963, when
guerillas overran the camp, destroyed all
its installations and made off with enough
arms to equip an oversized Liberation Front
battalion.
Kenneth Roraback, a veteran of the Korean
War with 15 years service in the U.S. army,
was the only one of the four awake at the
time of the attack, around midnight; he was
writing a letter to his wife. What actually
happened? I asked. They called our place
a training camp, said Roraback, a dourfaced person with thinning hair and bushy
eyebrows. In reality, like a lot more, it was
just a sitting target to be wiped out at any
time. It was a well-planned, well-executed
night attack, all over in about 15 minutes. To
my question as to what action he personally
took, he replied: I ran for the trenches.
Did you take a weapon? I asked.
There was no time.
Was any resistance organised?
It was impossible. Everything was
burning, there were Viet Cong all over the
place, streaming in over the ramparts, around
all the buildings.
The other three Camacho, a swarthy
Texan; McClure, a Negro specialist on
demolition; and Smith, a medical assistant
and radio operator were all in bed and all

gave about the same account as Roraback.
The four POWs had been on the move for
months after capture, sometimes in sampans,
mostly on foot, zig-zagging around, heading
in all points of the compass until they had
little idea where they were. They were now in
a safe rear area.
Each of the four sergeants assured me, in
separate conversations, that they had been
well treated and each expressed surprise
at this. My captors were considerate from
the moment I was taken, said Roraback. I
expected to be shot right away and I guess
this showed in my face. When it didnt
happen at once, nor on the second day, I
figured they were taking us a bit further
away to shoot us.
Why did you expect to be shot? I asked,
and Roraback looked a little confused.
Well, I considered it normal, he said after

a pause. Guerillas dont have conditions
to look after prisoners. But they saw I was
afraid and did everything to calm my fears.
How were you able to communicate? Did
you have a common language?
No, but they patted my back, waved their
hands in a sort of friendly way in front of my
face, stroked my arms and generally made
signs that I shouldnt worry.
Liberation Front policy in the past had
been to give captured Americans a few weeks
of explanations as to what the struggle
is about and then set them free. Judging by
the way the little camp, where I met the four
sergeants, is organised, it seems many more
American POWs are to be catered for. Release
in future may be a matter of negotiations.
Their surprise at seeing me coming out of
the jungle could not have been greater than if
I had dropped down from Mars. As they had

been out of touch with the outside world for
months, I asked each if they had any special
questions. I was astonished at their lack of
interest.
Camacho assumed a dead serious, almost
tragic air when he asked if he could put one
question. Do you by any chance happen
to know who won the world heavyweight
boxing championship? By chance I had
heard the result over the radio: Yes, Clay
beat Sonny Liston in the 7th round with a
technical knockout. A smile spread over his
face as he thanked me and marched off with
an almost beatific expression.
I asked Roraback what he thought about
the war, now that he had had several months
to think about it. After explaining that as
a military man he had no right to discuss
political matters, he said: Its all a mystery
to me. Ive no idea what its all about. Of
course, as a legally constituted government,
Saigon has the right to put down the guerillas
and ask us to help them. But there are two
sides to every question and the guerillas
also have the right to try and overthrow the
government if they dont like it. But as to
who is right and who is wrong, who will win
or lose or what the whole thing is about, I
have no idea.
The others replied similarly. They had no
idea what the war was about or why they
were really there. They all insisted on their
purely advisory role.
The question arises. Why do people who
have no ideological interest in, or knowledge
of, what this war is about, volunteer for such
dangerous, unpleasant duty? For that, one
has to look at their pay. Rorabacks basic
pay of US$335.00 per month jumped up
to US$858.40 a month while he is in South
Vietnam, and the other three each received

from US$450 to US$500 per month extra for
the South Vietnam service, which must make
them about the highest paid mercenaries
ever, in relation to their rank.
Their Liberation Front opposite numbers,
from rank and file troops to regimental
commander, get 40 piastres per month a
little over one dollar at the official rate and
about US$0.40 at the real, black market rate.
But the difference between patriots and
mercenaries on the field of battle reminds
one of the dog explaining why he had failed
in a hard race to catch a hare. That hare was
running for its life, I only for my dinner.
The Vietnamese are fighting for their lives,
the Americans for their dinners, and that
means the difference between victory and

defeat in the type of struggle being waged in
South Vietnam.
Wilfred Burchett was an Australian reporter
often described as the rebel journalist for his
stories about the American War from the other
side. After years of being at odds with the
Australian government, last year the Melbourne
Press Club inducted him into their Hall of Fame.
Burchett was also the journalist who broke the
scoop of the 20th century the devastation
caused by dropping nuclear bombs on Hiroshima
and Nagasaki.
Special thanks to George Burchett for allowing
us to republish this work. Please note that some
place names in this piece have been changed to
reflect their modern-day spelling
The last call

One of the longest of the long-term expats living in Vietnam, British-born Kiwi
Mark Wildblood has been here since forever. Photo by Francis Xavier
I originally came to Vietnam with
TNT Express Worldwide.
Back in 1990, Vietnam was young,

like me. We both grew up together and there
was a wealth of opportunity in terms of gaining experience. But the money wasnt so good
in those days.
At the time, the expat scene was

interesting. There werent too many westerners and a lot of those were Russian and French
speakers. The other 300 or so of us formed a
fairly tight-knit community.
Saigon in the early 1990s was

unspoilt. There was hardly a neon sign to be
found anywhere. Now it has jumped on the
corporate bandwagon.
Hanoi back then was all about
approvals to work while Saigon was the commercial capital. It took an eternity to get small
things processed, but it was all worth it in the
end.
My first band in Vietnam was called Whisky
Tango. It was made up of a

German, two Canadians, a
Welshman and myself. Hence
the name. At the time we were
the only option for western
rock n roll music and quite
frankly, we were a little loose.
Hence the name of the band,
which is a pseudonym for
White Trash.
I got involved in Rock Fan Club

because Id been introduced to students
who were very musically talented they

asked me to join their band. At the time they
had begun to organise gigs with students who
had had enough of only hearing Abba and
Boney M along with Wonderful Tonight and
Hotel California. They needed a bit of guidance
on the setup of events, so my involvement was
a spin off of developing our own band.
My work on the Australia Day

celebrations in Vietnam was very
rewarding. Initially I became a committee

member to help with logistics and the importation of goods that could be used on the day.
Then I got into the stage side of things. When
I think back I laugh at the irony of it all. One
year we brought out Bjorn Again to play at
Australia Day in the old Saigon Water Park. It
was ironic because Bjorn Again were an Abba
tribute band.
I decided to start MWP Promotions

because music has always been a pas-
sion, and Im living the dream.

As a working musician, I also
know how hard it can be for
talented artists to make a living,
so I wanted to try to help them
and the music scene. The hard
work comes before the event
rather than on the night itself,
and there is nothing better than
seeing a project develop and
witnessing the end result.
The role of MWP is

to provide work for
talent, and tailor it to make shows for corporate promotions and ultimately give the general public a wonderful musical experience.
Looking back the last 25 years have been

like watching a child mature. Vietnam is a
developing giant.
The expat scene is now very large!

I prefer to focus on the Vietnam market for
business, doing the odd expat gig every now
and then.
I have stayed here for so long because Vietnam will never cease to amaze
me and surprise me on a daily basis, for both

good and bad reasons. On the most part those
surprises are for the good.
Vietnam has brought me a wealth of
knowledge, an immense amount of frustration,

a fantastic unpredictability and a beautiful
family.
If I could change one thing, I would

uninvent EDM, despite the benefits it has
brought to my life.
Mark Wildblood is organising a gig at Cargo Bar
for ANZAC Day on Thursday Apr. 23 with bands
flying in from overseas. For more information about
MWP email mailan@mwp.com.vn

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NH XUT BN LAO NG

CHUYN DU LCH, M THC

010 / Everything is Going to Be OK 050 / I Shot a Big Beer Ad

Jon Aspin didnt do acro-yoga

011 / The Big Five

054 / 40 Years After

Events to look out for this month

Two men look back on Liberation

056 / 50 Shades of Expat

This months cover story explores the

014 / Mystery Quest

A ride into the unknown

084 / A Streetcar Named Uber

016 / The Cabinet

Vietnams first LGBT museum exhibit

028 / The Prodigy

Nope, not the band. This is Vietnams

Crowdsourcing public transit

Reading classic lines in an empty room

088 / Has Hanois Art Scene Lost

EAT & DRINK

Aummee is worth returning to

096 / Street Snacker Hanoi

On the menu: Bo Bit Tet

098 / Mystery Diner HCMC

Sorae stands alone

100 / Street Snacker HCMC

The Best Banh Mi in Saigon

Yet another reason to look forward to

139 / Food Promos

Yangon still knows its roots

114 / Hua Hin

Thailands royal paradise

122 / Destination Zero

149 / HCMC City Guide

La Rsidence Hue reflects the past, and

126 / The Motorbike Diaries

4 | Word April 2015 | wordvietnam.com

158 / Ice Cream Bowl

164 / Student Eye

An excerpt from David Joiners debut novel

184 / Dissecting the Double

Dont argue, dont argue, dont argue...

186 / The Inside Story of the

Chapter 7 of Wilfred Burchetts thrilling

192 / The Last Call

Mark Wildblood is Vietnams original expat

152 / Business Buff

This month we asked Words expats,

Word - Duong Huynh

CHUYN DU LCH & M THC

6 | Word April 2015 | wordvietnam.com

Chu trch nhim xut bn:

Thc hin lin kt xut bn:

In n 15.000 cun, kh 20.5 x 27cm

named Patrick Leija, to

the Salsa Man. It was his

CHUYN DU LCH, M THC

0 years ago this

With Vietnam already

THIS MONTH'S COVER

HAVE YOUR SAY

Craft beers. Are you sure?

8 | Word April 2015 | wordvietnam.com