Word Vietnam Feb 2014

Chuyn du lch, m thc
Vietnam Edition
FEBRUARY 2014
Nh Xut Bn Lao ng
contents
wordvietnam.com
february 2014
052
092
078
052 / 24 Hours in Vietnam
THE TALK
010 / Year of the Horse
Enjoying a tactical advantage

in the year ahead
011 / The Big Five
Events to look out for this month
BRIEFINGS
014 / After the Zone
018 / Two Men and Lots of Women
020 / Valentines Day
Give Cupid a bigger target
INSIDER
042 / Mr. McDonalds
Vietnam gets on the Big Mac Index
044 / The High Life
ARTS
078 / Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
EAT & DRINK

100 / Made in Vietnam
You dont need to import anymore

TNT brings dynamite to
theatre in Vietnam
104 / Mystery Diner Hanoi
Il Faro offers Mediterranean charm
080 / The Participation Culture
Try and try again
Woman, deconstructed
096 / Banged Up Abroad
On the eve of a new year, we When the mean streets get meaner
capture 24 hours of the past one
A year on, Outcast has created a 105 / Street Snacker Hanoi

unique DIY addition to arts
On the menu: banh my thit
xien nuong
LIFESTYLE
082 / Green Living
Is sustainability finally catching

on?
106 / Street Snacker HCMC
Saigons best pho
WELLNESS
086 / Holistic Hanoi
If you have stomach issues,

just hold your thumb
Skyscrapers are finally 092 / The Sivananda Lifestyle

yielding some practical benefits
Yoga isnt just for the gym anymore
2 | Word February 2014
106
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contents
114
108
146 / Coffee Cup
FASHION
108 / Cyber-pats
166/ Top Eats
The future is wow
TRAVEL
114 / Singapore
The metropolis of many colours

124 / Travel Promos
HANOI
034 / Overscene
036 / Calendar
125 / Hanoi City Guide
129 / Hanoi Promos
HCMC
026 / Overscene
028 / Calendar
141 / HCMC City Guide
COLUMNS
132 / Book Buff
134 / The Alchemist
136 / The Therapist
138 / A World of Good
174
FINAL SAY
172 / Los Hermanos Cubanos
On the heels of their new album,

Los Bros Cuban come to town
174 / Before Sliced Bread
Or more importantly, before

Facebook
176 / The Last Call
Kim Oanh, the brains behind Wrap &

Roll
140 / Student Eye

144 / Business Buff
152 / In the Frame
156 / Body and Temple
158 / Medical Buff
168 / Tieng Viet
176
Contributors
This month we asked Word contributors:
What is time?
Marc Foster-Pert
Writer / Photographer
Banged Up Abroad
Since the dawn of it, time is
the stream of consciousness that
glistens with memories to remind us we
actually lived, in times gone by.
Tae Jun Park

Writer
Student Eye
Time is like one of those lazy
slackers whos forgotten to do
their assignment; they suddenly
vanish the hour before the dead line. :)
Jeff Gantner
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
Elisabeth Rosen
Staff Editor
elisabeth@wordvietnam.com
yves schiepek
Photo Editor
yves@wordvietnam.com
Hoa Le
Staff Editor
hoale@wordvietnam.com
FRANCIS ROUX
Staff Photographer (Hanoi)
francis.roux@wordvietnam.com
kAREN HEWELL
News & Online Editor
karen@wordvietnam.com
Kyle Phanroy
Staff Photographer
kyle@wordvietnam.com
mark allan
Website & Graphic Designer
mark@wordvietnam.com
Francis Xavier
Staff Reporter
francis.xavier@wordvietnam.com
Nguyen Loc
Layout Designer
loc@wordvietnam.com
Writer / Photographer
The sun is the same in a
relative way but youre older,
shorter of breath and one day
closer to death Pink Floyd
Fred Lai
Intern / Photographer
Time is still. Time doesnt
move, at all. Time definitely
doesnt pass slowly, and it
surely doesnt fly. It is a mere
perception devised by us, driven
by our desire to segment and organise our
lives.
Ed Weinberg
Deputy Editor
Time is a jet plane, it moves
too fast,
Oh, but what a shame if all
weve shared cant last.
I can change, I swear, oh, oh. Bob Dylan
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
DISTRIBUTION
trinh@wordvietnam.com
chau giang
Area Sales Manager Hanoi
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
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For advertising enquiries please call Ms Bao on +84 938 609 689 or Ms Giang on +84 934 640 668
Special thanks to DragonImages, Si Huyen, Tuoi Tre Vietnam, Alamgir Kash Kashmiri,
Matthew Edwards, Mayhem, Daniel Day Long, Kathryn Cardenas, Amy Pons, Fred Lai, Harry
Hodge, Michael Hardy, David Harris, Andre Chalson, Claire Driscoll, Lauren Beckerle, Marc
Forster-Pert, Huyen Tran, Dana McNairn, Karen Gay, Douglas Holwerda, Truong from Bookworm,
Phil Kelly, Shane Dillon, Cristina Nualart, Singapore Tourist Board, My from Mvenpick, Katie
Jacobs, Family Medical Practice, Yanneth Albornoz and Tae Jun Park
Nick Ross
Word is a registered
trademark. No content
may be reproduced in
any form without prior
authorisation of the
owners.
Chief Editor
Time is something I never
seem to have. As everyone
tells me, stop rushing and slow
down. My response? No rest for
the wicked.
Word - Duong Huynh

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In xong v np lu chiu Qy 1 nm 2014.
The prelude
n a recent trip
to Singapore,
two of
us found
ourselves in an oval
shaped room in
the Singapore City
Museum. As a team we
had been talking about
doing a 24 hours piece
for some time, but
werent quite sure how
to frame it. A number
of ideas had been
suggested, but none
seemed to quite fit.
What we saw in
the museum gave us
the perspective we
required. Played out
on a 270-degree screen
was a video detailing
24 hours in Singapore,
the life and times of
this tiny country at
every hour of the day.
Beautifully filmed,
while acting as a tourist
piece to promote the
City State, the work
was enthralling. It
acted as a memento
of the country as it
looked, felt, worked
and played at the end
of 2013.
In our cover story
this month we have
unashamedly tried to
do something similar.
Restricted by our
medium, print, weve
been unable to give
this story the vibrancy
that would have been

allowed by film
although using a GoPro
our photo editor has
created a piece called 24
Hours in Saigon which is
on our website and
rather than focusing on
Vietnam, weve delved
into the life of two
contrasting, chalk-andcheese-like cities, Hanoi
and Ho Chi Minh City.
Yet we feel that our
images and writing
captures Vietnam, or
at least Hanoi and Ho
Chi Minh City, as they
are today. Modern and
traditional, vibrant
and yet sleepy, this is a
country galloping into
the future. Sometimes

it clears the hurdles
placed in its path at
first leap. At other
times it stutters and
stumbles.
We hope you enjoy
our cover story and
the present issue. With
Tet coming early this
year, weve had to
finish five days ahead
of time this month.
Yet despite the lack
of time, we feel weve
managed to put out a
good issue. Wishing
you all a Happy Lunar
New Year! Nick Ross,
editor@wordvietnam.
com
CHUYN DU LCH, M THC
VIETNAM EDITION
FEBRUARY 2014
NH XUT BN LAO NG
THIS MONTH'S COVER

Cover by DH Advertising
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AT EDITOR@wordvietnam.com were at your fingertips.
Mystery Diner
I brought with us on our trip to the
north the Mystery Diner page in your
recent issue that featured the Moose
and Roo (December 2013, page 152).
In Hanoi we took an electric car
tour of the Old Quarter during the late
morning and passed through Ma May
and saw it, and its close proximity
to the electric car tour station. So we
walked back for lunch and had a
spectacular meal. It really is excellent
and was just what we were looking
for. It was our best meal in five days of
travelling to the North. EC
The Islands
(January 2013)
Loved that story about the guy who
lived on the island in Halong Bay. Any
idea where that island actually is? JC
Living like Robinson Crusoe?
Youve got to be pretty desperate to do
something like that. SP
Just picked up the mag today.
Brilliant! But what happened to your
cover? I thought I had to put my 3D
glasses on. I guess youre going to say it
was artistic. But inside, brill. RR
A Blast from the Past

This photo of the first Vung Tau Hydrofoil [see below] was taken in 1993. You can see the low
level Saigon skyline, no container-handling cranes in the port and also the Floating Hotel.
At the time, the hydrofoil service between Ho Chi Minh City and Vung Tau offered one
return trip a day 8am departure from Saigon, 4pm return from Vung Tau. At that time,
anyone staying in a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City who asked about transport to Vung Tau was
never advised that a day return hydrofoil service was available. Often the 8am departure
from Saigon would have just a few passengers, and they would delay departing until
enough had arrived to cover the cost of the fuel.
When the Meteor boats arrived in Vietnam they were already well over 20 years old.
They are presently the same boats being used by Vina Express. A true relic of the past. CE
The Talk Lead
The Year of the Horse

Galloping forward into 2014. Illustration by Cristina Nualart
n his book Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared

Diamond tries to explain why some
civilizations were able to develop
faster and more successfully than
others. He pays particular attention to the
domestication of large animals.
He writes: The transformation of
warfare by horses began with their
domestication around 4,000 B.C., in the
steppes north of the Black Sea. Horses
permitted people possessing them to cover
far greater distances than was possible
on foot, to attack by surprise, and to flee
before a superior defending force could be
gathered.
To provide proof of his theory, he recounts
the story of how the Spanish conquistador,
Pizarro, with only 62 soldiers mounted
on horses, along with 106 foot soldiers,
managed to defeat the Inca emperor,
Atahuallpa, and his army of 80,000.
Galloping Forward
The Year of the Horse means that according
to astrology, the next 12 months will mirror
the characteristics of the horse. One of the
12 con giap, or animal signs that symbolise

each passing year in Vietnam, the horse
is considered fortunate and the bringer of
good luck. The Year of the Horse is also a
time of fast victories, unexpected travel and
surprising romance.
The predictions go on. If you take decisive
action and dont procrastinate, claim the
astrologers, you will be successful. But if
youre not 100 percent sure about a decision,
then dont take it. Events move so quickly in
a Horse year that you dont want to gallop
off in the wrong direction. All meaning, look
before you leap. But if you do leap, make
sure you clear the fence.
The Futures Bright

2012 and 2013 have been difficult years.
Large numbers of businesses have been in
survival mode and many havent made it.
Yet, with the upturn in Europe and North
America and the continuing strength
of East and South Asia, the coming 12
months should be more fruitful. As one
real estate professional puts it, Many of
the big companies here, both foreign and
Vietnamese, are in planning mode. With

rents low, and the market bottomed out,
they are now looking to expand. It will take
time to filter through, but by the second half
of 2014, we will see the benefits.
It suggests that confidence, both of
businesses and consumers, is starting to
return.
A recent conversation with a Vietnambased diplomat places it in another context.
When he arrived in Vietnam in early 2012,
there was little confidence. But now he can
see the change. When I explained my own
personal concerns he gave me a reply that
spoke a wisdom that was refreshing to hear.
Rather than seeing the coming year as a
year of challenges, he explained, see it as
a year of opportunities.
That is exactly how the horse riders and
owners of yesteryear would have viewed
it when they foresaw the advantages
of having a trusty steed. According to
astrologers, the horse is heroic and strong.
In the mythology of both East and West, it
can also fly. Lets hope thats exactly what it
does. Nick Ross
the big five
1.
Chasing the Rising Sun
At various times the biggest, most festivallike party in Vietnam has taken place in Mui
Ne. But founder Daniel Le has now opted for
a more settled life in Nha Trang, and with a
case of Island Fever, hes taking the party to
a speedboat-accessible Mini Beach Island,
which will provide the background for 18
hours of music. Also making the trip is tech
house specialist and resident DJ Pe Dro (ES),
soulful house DJ Maqman (CH), the avantminded Vetalz (RU), celebrity guest rapper
Antoneus Maximus (US) who wants to see
you in a bikini, Russian dancers, Champagne
showers and non-stop energy.
2.
Saigon Soul is Making a

Splash
Saigon Soul thinks the party people of Saigon

need more pool parties. No argument there.
3.
A Jekyll and Hyde Tale
Few stories have the kind of resonance

in different contexts as Robert Louis
Stevensons tale of moral inconsistency and
rival influence. Theres a reason that The New
Theatre Company (TNT) has chosen Dr. Jekyll
and Mr. Hyde to follow successful productions
of Shakespeare and Gullivers Travels at the
The party takes place on the white sands

of a private island, where bonfires are okay
and temporary madness is the order of the
day. VIP tickets are also available, buying a
buffet and free flow all night, with a special
yacht loaded with chilled Mot onboard.
Chasing the Suns Island Fever edition
starts at midday on Feb. 7, from Hon Tam Port
in Nha Trang, and goes until 6am on Feb. 8.
VND300,000 buys a free drink and back-andforth transport by speedboat, VND2 million
entitles you to the VIP perks. For more info, call
0937 696845 for Caroline (FR, VN), or 0907
502951 for Daniel (ENG, RUS)
But now theyre putting their pool where their
mouth is, introducing a series of seven pool
parties at New World Hotels Splash Bar,
every Saturday from Feb. 15 to Mar. 29. Their
pool parties went over a treat in Taipei, and
now theyre introducing the same festivallike formula to this rooftop pool close to Ben
Thanh Market, with soulful DJs, cheap drinks,
outdoor massages, local artisans selling their
creations, giveaways and 500ish people to
enjoy the 12 hours of this mini-festival.
Saigon Soul runs every Saturday from Feb. 15
to Mar. 29 at the New World Hotels Splash Bar,
76 Le Lai, Q1. Admission is VND100,000 free
for hotel guests and the party goes from 10am
to 11pm. Check saigonsoul.com for more info
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City Opera Houses,
one of 20 countries on the plays 22-week tour.
Its a simple, physically demanding setup,
one that puts language and atmosphere above
all else with the beautiful opera house
backdrops providing one and a veteran cast
providing the other. To add to the resonance,
who in Vietnam doesnt have experience of
putting a mysterious liquid into their body
and completely changing into someone else?
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde will show at the Hanoi
Opera at 7.30pm on Mar. 4. The production will
then move to Ho Chi Minh City for four shows
7.30pm on Mar. 6, Mar. 7 and Mar. 8 as well as an
11am matinee on Mar. 7. For ticketing go to vnpac.
org, the Vietnam Performing Arts Center, tel: (04)
3747 8658, log onto ticketbox.vn or email info@
adg-europe.com
To read our interview with producer Grantly
Marshall turn to page 78
4.
Alton Miller
5.
The Cuban Brothers
CAMA is bringing one house musics

founding fathers to Hanoi, direct from
Detroit Alton Miller. Guaranteed to be a
magical night of deep record digging, foot
stomping dancing and soulful house loving,
Miller will play at CAMA ATK on Saturday
Feb. 15.
Inspired by house heroes DJ Ron Hardy,
Frankie Knuckles, Larry Levan and Timmy
Regisford, Alton opened a club in the 1980s
with Chez Damier called the Detroit Music
Institute, which went on to become an
epicentre for underground house movement,
achieving a near mythical status ever since.
It established both Miller and Chez Damier
as two influential house DJs and producers.
CAMA ATK is at 73 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba
Trung, Hanoi. Click on cama-atk.com for more
info
Born from the loins of 1970s Havana, this

mythological and satirical Cuban but nonCuban three-piece will be playing Q4 on
Wednesday Feb. 19.
When they entranced Saigon four years
ago at the now defunct Cage, their highenergy, comedic Latin-based, rap-infused set
brought the house down. Literally. And now
theyre back to delight Vietnam with their
unique, laugh-a-minute music ensemble.
This will be a special gig.
To find out more turn to page 172 or click on
thecubanbrothers.com. Q4 is at 7 Nguyen Tat
Thanh, Q4
February 2014 Word | 11
Photos by Yves Schiepek
Photo by Si Huyen / Tuoi Tre Vietnam
brief ings
Football Diplomacy
Tottenham Hotspur is the latest EPL team to embrace Vietnam
hats the objective here?

Spurs Academys coach
John McDermott asks
his locker room, minutes
before the final match of the inaugural
NutiFood Cup an international youth
team football tournament.
We want to win the game, a seated
player says.
No, coach says. Today the objective is
to win by two. Two goals would give the
Tottenham Hotspur youth team a second
place finish on goals scored. The next level
is seven goals and the tie-break over a
Japan U-19 team that defeated Vietnam by a
score of 7-0 in their previous match.
In the pre-match locker room there is
optimism, but also caution. We cant be
thinking, Were going to win big, were
going to win big, and we get our pants
pulled down coach claps his hands
and our backsides smacked. We end up
losing the game.
Vietnams U-19 team is also in the
running for the same stakes, although their
7-0 defeat weighs heavily against them. But
theres second place to be had, with its pot
of US$70,000 (VND1.5 billion), and third
place with a prize of US$30,000 (VND630
million). Japan is the front-runner for the
top prize a US$100,000 (VND2.1 billion)
purse, with their 2-1 win-loss record in
the four-team, three-game tournament yet
unmatched.
Also in the running: an invite to next
years NutiFood Cup and, of course,

bragging rights.
Game On
20,000 cheer the Vietnam team as they take
the field, not looking so much bigger than
the white-shirted junior team mascots that
accompany both teams. 16 of the players
have been schooled by the first orthodox
football academy in Vietnam, Hoang Anh
Gia Lai-Arsenal-JMG Academy, one of the
Premier Leagues tentacles in Asia.
Tottenham is a relative newcomer to
Premier League-style football diplomacy,
which has seen Arsenal, Chelsea and Man
United colours on Asian motorbikes, and
sponsorship banners at events as far-flung as
the Myanmar fire balloon festival in 2012. But
already their Facebook fan page in Vietnam
has over 3,000 likes, and a few flags wave in
the sea of local supporters.
Vietnam gets a couple of solid chances
early. Their speed and footwork are assets.
The red-shirted friends and family section
trembles with positivity, singing ol! and
never sitting down. The wave makes its
rounds.
And then a Tottenham goal in the 15th
minute gets them on their heels. A referee
for the previous game, Vo Minh Tri, is
equanimous: Theyre training for the
technical now, not for the system. For the
system, maybe in two or three years. If they
had more games, they would be better.
Alamgir Kash Kashmiri, managing
director of Strata, who runs the Arsenal

Soccer Schools, sees a familiar weakness
playing out a lack of stamina. But in that
first game, a 2-1 win over AS Roma, they
looked like they could play with anyone.
And through the ups (a two-goal flurry
in the 59th and 60th minutes on lightning
strikes by Vietnam) and downs (the equaliser
scored from a 62nd-minute Spurs penalty,
then a 70th-minute own goal by Vietnamese
defender Dong Trieu to give Spurs the win),
it was a thrilling game, well played and full
of material for future optimism.
Jeremy Weeks of W10 Sports
Consultancy, in town to oversee a Premier
League-run coach training course, says,
Its really good for [Spurs Academy] to
play in front of a crowd like this, they
wouldnt get the chance back home.
Everyone wins.
An Encouraging Result
Well, in reality, only one side wins. On this
day its Tottenham, finishing in second
place and accepting their prize bouquet in
Vietnam star-patterned shirts. First placed
Japan and third placed AS Roma put away
their mobiles and accept their prizes.
AS Roma also dons Vietnam star shirts,
complementing their non las.
Vietnams the only team not standing on
the prize podium, but all eyes are on them.
One player rips off his shirt and throws it
into the stands. The crowd cheers on. Ed
Weinberg
brief ings
After the
Zone
Light at the end of a not-so-dark tunnel
heres an old adage derived from a 14th

century story about the Scottish king,
Robert the Bruce. If at first you dont
succeed, try and try again.
The conclusion of an incident where, in
hiding, Bruce observed a spider spinning a web,
trying to make a connection from one area of
a caves roof to another, he watched the spider
fail but try again and again until it eventually
succeeded. Inspired, he returned and inflicted a
number of defeats on the English, winning him
eventual victory.
As anyone whos ever done business will tell
you, there is rarely success without failure, or
trial without error. You have to try and try again.
Sometimes things need to go wrong for them to
go right.
Such is the case with the now defunct arts,
bar and caf space, Zone 9. In retrospect it was
doomed to failure. The leases were too short, the
contracts all over the place and the buildings in
too bad a state. Then there was the fire and the
accidents. Health and safety was an issue, one
that couldnt be resolved.
As one former business owner says about the
closure, Its a relief. At first [being in Zone 9]
was great, but for the last three months every
business owner would stop me and ask, Hey,
whats going on? Have you heard anything? The
gossip and rumour got really irritating.
The Future is Bright

Yet it has left a legacy. While another business
owner has just reopened close to the Opera
House claims he has learnt his lesson and
will never work with other people again, the

realisation that with the right space something
unique can be achieved, has created a belief that
what once seemed impossible is now possible.
Just in different circumstances.
The arts and educational space, Workroom
Four, is trying to move on from the closure. As
part-owner Dorian Gibb explains, If it wasnt
for the opportunity offered by Zone 9 we would
never have been able to get this project of ours,
this dream off the ground.
For the time being they have moved into
Module 7 on Xuan Dieu. Its a stopgap. They
are presently looking at new premises on Au
Co, a space with sweeping views of the city. If
the agreements are all correct, they will find
themselves just five minutes from West Lake, and
five minutes from UNIS and Ciputra.
Elsewhere a Vietnamese-Danish partnership
is trying to follow the Zone 9 model, but with
a twist. Located on a 2,000sqm plot land close
to Sofitel Plaza but on the river side of the dyke
road, 17D Hong Ha has all the ability to be
another area to attract nightlife. Labelled Zone 17,
the first bar opened up there in January. Anyone
else who wants to get on board needs to take a
plot and build their own premises the land is
presently used as a car park. The key is the long
lease here its far more than three years and
the lack of residential property in the vicinity.
Sometimes an idea may be solid, but
circumstances dictate failure. It doesnt mean
doom or anything approaching gloom. It means
as Robert the Bruce would have done, trying and
trying again. Nick Ross
ADG EUROPE presents TNT Theatre Britain

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Hanoi Opera House

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March 4 // 2014 // 19.30

HCMC Opera House
th th th
March 6 -7 -8 //2014 // 19.30

March 7th //2014 //11.00
Adapted for the stage
by Paul Stebbings & Phil Smith
Director: Paul Stebbings
Original Music: Paul Flush
Choreographer: Eric Tessier-Lavigne
Producer: Grantly Marshall
TICKETS
For ticketing go to
www.vnpac.org (Vietnam
Performing Arts Center) or call
(04) 37478658. Alternatively
click on ticketbox.vn or email
info@adg-europe.com
adg-europe.com/JEKYLL_HYDE
brief ings
A Fact of Life
Hoi An floods almost every year,
causing extensive damage. Yet life
and the tourism industry must go on.
he unspoilt view of the Thu Bon

River is one of the highlights of
stopping by the Sleepy Gecko
Chillout Bar in Hoi An. Owner Steve
Harrison, who is originally from the north of
England and is not a stranger to wet weather,
woke to a surprise on the morning of Nov. 16.
The day before I walked around the town
and you could see [everyone] preparing their
shops, he says. I knew something was
coming.
All the shops started moving their wares
upstairs. They have a step up into them so
you know the water is expected to come up
about half a metre. We are a good two-anda-half metres above the river level where we
are, and I didnt think it was going to get that
high. So we all went to bed without any real
preparation.
It was a mistake. By early the next day, the
water had risen right up to the entrance of
the bar.
During the morning it kept rising and
ended up coming down the side of the bar,
he adds. There isnt much you can do about
it apart from watch it.
The flooding last November was one
of the worst in living memory. Lasting for
several days it was the aftermath of a tropical
depression that brought torrential rains to the
area and caused the rivers and reservoirs to
rise to unprecedented levels. Many areas in
the old town were submerged. One section

from Bach Dang to Hoi An Market was
approximately 1.5m underwater, forcing the
temporary closure of the market and many
shops. There were 42 casualties in the area
surrounding Hoi An. Yet the natural disaster
hardly made a dent on the international news
radar.
A Yearly Spectacle
The floodwaters are not a new sight for the
residents and businesses in Hoi An, who
have seen them increase in frequency since
2006.
Take a seat in one of the collection of bars
and restaurants that line the banks of the
Thu Bon River, you can see the scars from
previous years. Each flood has left a water
line a little higher up the wall than the last.
In 2007, the boutique property Life Resort,
now renamed Anantara, was destroyed by
flooding. A new road was added around its
perimeter to fence it off from the river and
after six months of reconstruction, it was
reopened to guests. In 2009 it was destroyed
for a second time.
This time round, says Steve, the water
nearly completely covered the market and
most of the first floors of the buildings right
on the river front. We went for a walk when
the waters started receding and people were
using canoes to get around. It created a
surreal atmosphere.
Yet Hoi An reacts quickly. Although
businesses have to close, losing both takings
and sometimes stock, it is not long before
shops reopen and the tourists flock back into
town.
The biggest problem is the clear up, says
Steve. The amount of silt that is left as the
river recedes is unbelievable, but it doesnt
take long to get it cleared up and back to how
it was.
He adds: If you can take a positive, the
good thing about [the floods] is that the entire
neighbourhood comes together. Everyone
was out the next day with shovels and spades
digging away what was left, and that was
nice to see. Matthew Edwards
brief ings
Two Men And Lots Of Women

Hanoian artists
Vu Dan Tan and
Nguyen Nghia
Cuong bring their
sirens to Saigon.
Photos by
Francis Xavier
ne might be forgiven for not looking twice

at what look like doodles on cigarette
boxes. But if you look twice, you can
read critique that you wont find in other
media.
Curator Iola Lenzi came from Singapore to the
Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum to give a
talk partly based on this kernel that the elder
statesman of the Venus in Vietnam exhibit Vu Dan
Tans images of women are not actually about
women. Their sexuality, a taboo subject, and the
women therein, the oppressed gender, are symbols
that allude to other issues present in the Southeast
Asian art that Lenzi studies.
Lenzi explained that erotic symbols in the art of
early Vietnamese Modern art are not erotic per se,
they are a portal to critique. The sexuality should
not be taken literally. It represents the paradoxes,
tensions and disconnections in society. From
the 1990s, several Vietnamese artists have used
women as their subject matter to make visible their
preoccupations with social tensions. Tan, who
passed away three years ago, is one of them.
An Ideal, Disrupted
Despite having no formal art training, Tan was
well-read and had a keen interest in the intersection
of Western and Asian cultures. The women in his
art have elements from many mythologies: sky
fairies, amazons, venuses, angels. Tan was a lover
of intellectual beauty, and his portrayals of women
show his respect and admiration for them.
Over centuries, animist societies across Asia
developed an iconography of the female form that
presented many meanings not found in the angelic
and motherly Western madonnas. Venuses, another
Western construct, do have an erotic component,
and this is the reason for the exhibition title.
Sometimes Tan used humour, as in the Venus
Christ paintings that comment on Western
decadence. His humour is also seen in the
materials. Tan painted on cigarette boxes not
because he couldnt afford anything else, but

because he wanted to reinforce the message that in
an oppressed society, people become throwaway
objects.
A series he called Fashion is a collection of
cardboard clothing, reminiscent of corsets and
armour. It led him to create Amazon, a collection
of similar objects made of sharp metal. These
shells for an absent body are feminine in form, but
aggressive in material.
Long-Legged Beauties
A generation younger than Tan, Nguyen Nghia
Cuong also uses unconventional materials. Cake
boxes, washing powder packaging, computer
keyboard boxes or shiny whisky cases support
his paintings of reclining or pose-striking models,
vigorously painted with acrylic. He paints on
newspaper ads or boxes of commercial goods
without completely covering the background. The
artist leaves enough surface information visible
under layers of paint to add a twinkle of irony, or
a provocative comment. A womans breasts might
shine with the red and white logo of a popular soft
drink, or her stomach might contain 2 litres, or her
body might be branded with a new product sign.
Natalia Kraevskaia, owner of Salon Natasha
gallery in Hanoi and Tans widow, has known
Nguyen Nghia Cuong from the beginning of his
career. For the exhibition in Saigon, she offered a
public talk with the artist, in which she praised
Cuongs thorough exploration of the relationship
between information and image.
Natasha refers to Cuongs women as longlegged beauties. The artist chuckled at this, and
mentioned the abundance of long-legged models
in the media. In fact, he gives his series the title
Beauty High Quality, which condenses the ideas in
the exhibition into a neat little package. Cristina
Nualart
Venus in Vietnam was shown at the Ho Chi Minh
City Museum of Fine Arts in January
brief ings
In the Face
of Danger
A tourist in Australia
was rescued
last month after
plunging off a pier
while browsing
Facebook on her
phone.
The woman was
walking along a
bay in Melbourne
when she became
distracted by her
Facebook feed and
plummeted off the
pier into the chilly
water.
A witness called
for help and police
rushed to the
womans aid. They
found her flailing
around about 20m
from pier, clutching
on desperately to
her mobile phone.
It turned out the
woman couldnt
swim.
According to
the authorities,
the woman a
foreigner later
apologized.
Fortunately she
managed to hang
onto her phone. In
this case, for dear
life.
Only in Asia
Stories from around the region
India Woman Gets Lavatorial

Hygiene is growing in importance around
the planet, and in the case of one woman,
its turned out to be the difference between
marriage and separation.
A 27-year-old Dalit woman agreed to
return to her husbands home in Mundlaana
village in Dewas District, India, after he
agreed in court to get a proper toilet built at
his residence.
The woman, Savita, left her husband and
took their two children to go live with her
parents about three years ago because she
was sick of having to go to the bathroom out
in the open. Devkaran Malviya, 30, married
Savita about seven years ago.
After Savita left, she sought monthly
maintenance from Malviya. However, it was
only during court proceedings that the dirty
details about the unsanitary toilet situation
came to light.
Grooving to the Music

According to local press, hot girls and boys
are apparently stripping off their clothes
all around Vietnam after seeing a video
clip that has gone viral on the internet. The
strippers are supposedly reacting to a track

on YouTube called Anh Khong Doi Qua, Im
not asking for a gift.
With over 500,000 hits, the video features
two young Vietnamese nicknamed Karik
and OnlyC rapping as lyrics are shown in
the background. The rap is about a girl who
takes off her clothes to give to her boyfriend
after she breaks up with him. She starts fully
clothed as she walks down a road in a wellto-do urban suburb, finishing off only in her
lingerie and stilettos.
Just two weeks after the first video was
uploaded, several others like it have also hit
the web.
Defending your Dong

In response to the recent Fukushima nuclear
power plant disaster, one enterprising
Japanese company has manufactured
radiation-proof underwear for those
wanting to protect their nether parts from
natural, or in this instance, unnatural
disasters.
Made from a bio-rubber material designed
to block radiation from contaminated water,
according to the Osaka-based Yamamoto
Corporation, the undergarment in question

is a wetsuit-like piece of clothing containing
micro-sized bubbles that block out almost
100 percent of beta rays. The manna from
creativity-gone-insane heaven retails at
around US$1,000 (VND21 million) a pair.
In another development, a Japanese
company has launched a line of cameltoe
underwear to wear to parties. Designed for
desert usage, the more risqu versions come
with their own tents, or curtains, to hide any
unwanted topography.
Stub it Out!
Home to over 300 million smokers, China
aims to impose a nationwide ban on
smoking in public places this year, as moves
are made to stamp out a widespread practice
that has taken a severe toll on citizens
health.
The worlds largest consumer of tobacco,
smoking is a ubiquitous part of social
life, particularly for men. The nationwide
smoking ban has long been in the works and
several cities have banned smoking in public
places. However, up until now, enforcement
has been lax.
valentines
what s on
Valentines Day
Cupids coming, but sometimes he needs a
little help to get there. Give those arrows a
bigger target by taking your sweetheart on
these fun dates.
Ho Chi Minh City

Let the Champagne Flow!
@Caravelle
caravellehotel.com
Nineteen and Reflections are breaking
out the Veuve Clicquot for this clickinest
of occasions, to give the lie to the copious
cocktails that will follow. Opt for the VND1.29
million++ buffet dinner at Nineteen or the
VND1.58 million++ five-course candlelit
feast at Reflections on the evening of Feb. 14
and youll be halfway towards satisfaction.
Just because veuve is French for widow
Madame Clicquots marital state when
she became the first woman to take over a
Champagne house doesnt mean that the
complimentary flute both restaurants offer
wont be magic for one night.
If youre more of the daytime dating type,
the Lobby Lounge will offer a Valentines
High Tea from noon to 5pm on Feb. 14
priced at VND380,000++ per person, with a
complimentary flute of Chandon Rose. And
the luscious libations will flow into the night
at Saigon Saigon Bar, which is offering an
array of frozen Grand Marnier cocktails,
priced at VND198,000++ each.
Date in Slate
@Mvenpick
moevenpick-saigon.com
For the sexy month of February, Mvenpicks
house bar, Slate, is hosting a tapas and
wine pairing night. Buy one VND220,000++
glass of house wine and enjoy your pick
of tapas dishes from a list including
olive tapenades, sliced, air-dried ham and
chilli-infused green olives. The only pitfall in
between you and the perfect date is forgetting
the toothpicks.
If youre looking for something a bit
more Valentines-centric, try Slates Lover
and Strawberry cocktail VND150,000++.
And you, big spender, wont be the only one
buying thoughtful gifts on the night every
couple who walks through the door Feb. 14
gets a box of chocolates and a rose.
Hanoi
Lovey Dovey on the Lake
@InterContinental Hotel West Lake
ihg.com/intercontinental/hanoi
This Valentines Day, the InterCon has not one
but two impressive date options to choose
from or, if youre feeling extra romantic,
you could choose both overlooking another
perfect night by the lake.
Start out with a Valentine-inspired set
menu at Milan Restaurant from 6pm to
10.30pm, including delicacies like duck confit
www.pressfoto.com
ravioli and Atlantic black cod. Then take a

quick stroll over to Sunset Bar from 4pm to
11pm to sip expertly mixed cocktails and gaze
into each others eyes. With not one date, but
two, youll be hard pressed to find anyone
who trumped your Feb. 14 plans.
Wine and Dine

@Pots n Pans
potsnpans.vn
What better way to celebrate an unforgettable
Valentines Day night than getting Pots n
Pans signature dessert whisky pav,
orange chocolate mousse, rum chocolate
ganache just by walking in the door?
And just in case you get a second date
your first was deliciously impressive, after
all be sure to head back to Pots n Pans on
Feb. 21 for a sumptuous four-course wine
dinner. Its presented by renowned winemaker
Jean Marie Bourgeois, who comes from a
family with 10 generations of winemaking
experience. Nothing impresses the ladies quite
like a good glass of wine, or three. Embark on
this wine journey for VND890,000 per person.
Valentine Dining
@Hotel de lOpera
hoteldelopera.com
Nothing says romance quite like a homecooked meal, but we cant all be master chefs.
For those less inclined to slave away for hours
in the kitchen but still looking to impress a
date Caf Lautrec is offering a special fivecourse set dinner menu, perfectly orchestrated
to invigorate your inner romantic and take the
pressure off of you and your culinary skills.
For VND650,000++ per person, diners can
enjoy something approximating home-cooked
goodness along with a complimentary glass of
Bulle de Blanquette Brut sparkling wine, over
candlelight.
Dinner for Two

@The Press Club
hanoi-pressclub.com
Start off the night with a complementary flute

of Champagne for the lady, followed by an
entree of salmon tartar. A choice of beef fillet or
grilled Norwegian salmon for the main course,
ending with a decadent raspberry mousse
with mango coulis and chocolate garnish for
dessert. For just VND735,000++ per person, it
will be hard to go wrong at Press Club.
Dinner and a Room

@Melia Hotel
melia.com
So youre really pulling out the stops. Imagine
dinner followed by a stay in your own
executive suite. At Melia Hanoi, this dream
date can be a reality, adding in a delectable
seafood buffet dinner to the swanky package.
Indulge in a spread of tempting appetisers,
scrumptious fresh seafood mains and sweet
desserts at El Patio Restaurant, ending
off with a sparkling toast and perhaps the
promise of another date.
A two-night stay Executive Suite package
with breakfast and dinner is available at VND
5,200,000++, while the one-night package is
priced at VND 3,500,000++. The seafood buffet
is priced separately at VND 845,000++, from
6pm to 10pm on the big night.
Stay and Play

@ Mvenpick Hotel Hanoi
moevenpick-hanoi.com
A dinner by Executive Chef Cuong Trinh
should be a no-brainer so go ahead
and be among the first 10 booking for a
Valentines dinner for two, priced at VND1.7
million++, and really get in the mood with
two complimentary flutes of sparkling wine.
But even latecomers are in luck, with a special
menu and flower bouquet.
Once Mvenpick has wined and dined you,
theyd like you to stay over. And, from Feb.
10 to Feb. 28 theyll even cook you breakfast,
in addition to a complimentary dinner. Book
one nights at VND2.8 million++ and feel like
youre in love at least a little while.
Ho Chi minh city

what s on
www.pressfoto.com
March Alert: The Saigon

Players Come in Like Lions
Yoga and Philosophy

study of Isvara Pranidhana (surrendering),
Saucha (purity) and Santosa (contentment)
through the coming months.
For more information visit lifebright.org,
email info@lifebright.org or call 0908 352265.
Workshops are VND530,000 paid 15 days in
advance, VND630,000 thereafter, at 14 Thao
Dien, Q2
www.pressfoto.com
In yogas Hindu origins, it is less a

workout than a philosophical method,
uniting the psyche with the transcendental
self. This Feb. 22, Life Bright International
aka Saigon Yoga is tying in
Svadhyaya, the study of the self, to some
long Iyengar type holds for strong legs
and hips. Think of it as your graduate
course in yoga extending through the
Its Saigon Players 10th season, and

theres no better time to go back to basics.
Jim Cartwrights award-winning play
Two is about a night in a pub, owned by
the two unhappily married protagonists.
Throughout the night, well see our bickering
protagonists and their quirky customers go
on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, one that
some of the onlookers at La Habana and
McSorleys will know all too well.
The Saigon Players March production of Two
will play at 7.30pm from Mar. 20 to Mar. 23,
splitting the dates between La Habana (Thurs.
and Fri.) at 6 Cao Ba Quat, Q1 and McSorleys
(Sat. and Sun.) at 4 Thao Dien, Q2. Tickets
are VND200,000 with all proceeds going to
Operation Smile email saigonplayers@gmail.
com for enquiries and bookings
Monsoon Turns Two

Its hard to believe its already two years,
but Monsoon, that once new kid on the
block serving up Vietnamese, Thai, Laotian,
Khmer and Burmese cuisine, is celebrating
24 months of operation on Saturday Feb. 22.
With an Indochine Night including a
buffet, a complimentary free flow of wine
and beer between 7pm and 9pm, there
will be live music in the garden between
8pm and 9pm, and then later on DJs until
midnight. With a raffle and free draft beer
and rum sours until late, expect a night of
fun, booze and of course great cuisine.
Monsoon is at 1 Cao Ba Nha, Q1 or at
facebook.com/monsoonsaigon
The Early Bird Gets the Free

Drink
Last Call is launching a new special to get
you through the week/weekend. Aptly
named the Early Bird, this buy-one-get-one
special on cocktails, house pours, wine
and beer is guaranteed to get you flying
between the hours of 6pm and 9pm. This
actually improves on their kicking happy
hour, maintaining the same discount on
some of the best cocktails in town but
stepping it up a bit on the previously
30-percent-discounted rest of the menu.
And on Tuesdays, the buy-one-get-one
extends into the wee hours with Double
Trouble, another fairly literal description of
what the night holds for its patrons.
Last Call is at 59 Dong Du, Q1
Ho Chi minh city

what s on
The Art Whirl
Lions and Bears and Mythical
Beasts, Oh My!
Again utilising the two-gallery setup,
Galerie Quynh is presenting new and
unseen work by big-time California-based
artist Lien Truong. Titled The Orient, The
Occident, Truongs second solo exhibition
at Quynh features ambitious allegorical
paintings that fuse Eastern landscape
space with Western oil painting technique
to depict fantastical, watery landscapes.
Through the use of humans, mythical
creatures and imperialist landscapes of
the 18th century, as well as the writings of
literary and cultural critic Edward Said,
she interrogates our collective history and
invents new narratives.
Galerie Quynhs main gallery is at 65 De
Tham, Q1, and its downtown space is at Level
2, 151/3 Dong Khoi, Q2. The exhibition goes
until Mar. 8
Tiffany Chung
Dan Nguyen
Lien Truong
The French-Vietnamese Friendship

Knows No Bounds
Starting the year of Vietnam in France
on a sophisticated note is this eightartist exhibition at the Carre dArt in
Nimes, France, curated by San Arts
executive director and curator Zoe Butt in
cooperation with the hosting museums
director. Disrupted Choreographies proposes
alternate narratives between colonial
histories, collective behaviour, systems
of class and ideological thought. This
exhibition is a challenge to the relationship
between Vietnam and the global stage, by
representatives of an artistic community
critical of the historical consciousness that
often stands in for its name the guilt
of war, the tourist getaway, the nostalgic
colonial capital.
More information is available at
anneefrancevietnam.com or by emailing hello@
san-art.org
Truong Cong Tung
The Meeting of Art and

Ophthalmology?
Visual artists Truong Cong Tung, Phan
Thao Nguyen and curator Arlette QuynhAnh Tran have teamed up their efforts in
the compact Art Labor, and for the coming
exhibition Unconditional Belief at San Art
theyve collaborated with an anthropologist,
ophthalmologist and medical architect to
show the influence of psychiatry, medicine
and the supernatural on the understanding
of sickness by Vietnamese society. Through
mediums like X-ray film and lacquer, they
showcase artwork that relates intimately to
peoples lives.
The exhibition is on from Feb. 27 at San Art,
3 Me Linh, Binh Thanh. Check san-art.org for
more details
Mr. Sith
Saigon Artbook Volume 2

Saigon Artbook is now two books into its
ambitious project capturing never-beforeseen works by three Saigon area artists in
a limited-run art book given out for free at
buzzed-about parties. This edition of the
quarterly features Saigon Outcasts January
resident artist and Word contributor Yanneth
Albornoz, who comments on advertising
and pop culture with paint in her free time,
and two guys we also like a lot: Mr. Sith,
whose whimsical dreamlining carries worlds
of inked texture with it, and Demon Slayer
Dan Nguyen, EDM guru and a guy getting
pretty well known for his spray paint and
ink work. 250 free-ticketed patrons were at
Zest for the books launch party, hobnobbing
with the artists before seeing their work
in a unique-for-Saigon full-frame format,
untouched by commercialism and the other
things that restrict local access to art.
Saigon Artbook Edition 2 is available for
download at saigonartbook.com
Zeus Relocates
Category: Extreme
Theres a whole year to sit behind your
desk, refreshing Facebook and shuffling
papers. But in March, the Ta Lai Trophys
formerly Madagui Trophy Corporate
Challenge demands your attention, desk
jockeys. Ride your mountain bikes
through the tough jungle terrain of Cat
Tien National Park, navigate circuitous
rivers by kayak and breaststroke and
stomp some leeches in the jungle run. The
quadrathlon is only open to 33 companies,
sending two of their fittest competitors

each. Prove that your year of paperwork
hasnt made you soft.
Ta Lai Trophys Corporate Challenge takes
place on Mar. 15 and Mar. 16 in Cat Tien
National Park, Dong Nai Province. Company
participation rates are VND4.1 million,
while racer fees come in at VND2.85 million,
including transport, meals and one nights
accommodation. To register or find out more,
email info@talai-adventure.com
Now in its second year, the Word offices

favourite kebab shop is branching out
most notably, to a location down the street
from its previous 164 Cong Quynh, Q1.
Now with a food prep and takeout area in
the front, and an airy sit-down dining space
in the back, Zeus is also making strides
with its menu, with fork-and-knife dishes
like moussaka and fried rabbit introduced
as mains, and a perfectly toothsome
baklava as dessert.
Zeus is at 164 Cong Quynh, Q1, and on eat.
vn/zeus
Ho Chi minh city

Just In
La Closerie dElisa
The Burrito Revolution

Suddenly it seems that street food in The
Pham is going western, with The Burrito
Revolution the latest joint to add to the
growing pack.
Specialising in all things Mexican or
more appropriately, Tex-Mex on the menu
here are tacos (from VND35,000), quesadillas
(VND50,000) and king of the Nuevo Hispna
jungle, the beef burrito at VND75,000.
With two chrome-topped tables replete
with plastic stools to go with the streetside
stand, this is a great little place to get your
fix of Mexico. They deliver, too. Check out
vietnammm.com or call 0902 714882.
The Burrito Revolution is at 124 Bui Vien,
Q1 or theburritorevolution.com
Set in a quite stunning garden atmosphere

that is at once French, yet contemporary
Indochinese, La Closerie is the work of
French-Vietnamese restaurateur Elisa Bui.
Named with reference to a similarly
titled restaurant in the Montparnasse
area of Paris, La Closerie serves up classic
French fare in the table dhte style there
is no standard menu only two blackboards
with the days dishes. Here there are no
swirls or twists, frills or extravagances. Its
all about hearty, Gallic cuisine at reasonable
prices washed down with a glass or few of
wine. Think the likes of sole meuniere, magret
de canard, terrine de fois gras, beef tournedos
and salmon and tuna tartare. Mains cost
around the VND250,000 mark.
La Closerie has already developed a
following, and rightly so. With its bar area,
roofed dining space, leafy garden and
outdoor tables, its a tropical taste of France
in the confines of Thao Dien.
La Closerie dElisa is at 52 Ngo Quang Huy,
Q2
Photo by Julien Smith
Sisters Cafe
Oh Mountainous Surroundings !
After a hard day on ground level, theres
nothing more settling than a rooftop perch.
OMG! is a new 90-seat rooftop restaurant
with a 30-seat lounge, just 50m from the
madness of Ben Thanh Market. Boasting
a fusion menu that intends to take you
even further afield, with options ranging
from Japanese sashimi to Swedish salmon
gravlax, the space is designed by Julien
Smith of Less is More Design. The restobar
features a glass shell in Eiffel Tower style,

trees on the garden rooftop and solar mesh
protection, and with an acronym standing
for Original, Musical, Gastronomic, OMG!
promises to deliver all three qualities in
spades.
OMG! is at 15-17-19 Nguyen An Ninh, Q1.
The after dinner entertainment starts mostly after
10pm, with dinner served in the hours of 6pm to
1am and Sunday brunch from 11am to 3pm
Chi, the well-known proprietor

of Chis Cafe, has doubled her
imprint on the Pham Ngu Lao eating and
drinking scene with the opening of a second
eatery, Sisters Cafe, a couple of doors down.
Run together with a close friend, who
she regards as a sister, the new venture sits
on the space formerly inhabited by Zen,
and is another step forward in the gradual
gentrification of The Pham. Light wood
panelling lines the beige walls together with
locally themed artwork. Add in the garden
furniture-style tables and chairs, and there is
a fresh and airy ambience to the space.
At present the menu is the same in both
restaurants with Vietnamese, Thai, Mexican
and Western cuisine all served under the
same roof. However, over time this is set
to change. And as ever, visa and motorbike
rental services are available.
Sisters Cafe is at 185/30 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1,
Tel: 0903 643446
The Sky is Turning Cobalt

Blue
Photo by Yves Schiepek
As chronicled in our feature The High Life,

rooftop restobars are fast taking over Ho
Chi Minh Citys skyline. And one of the
most impressive of the new additions
is Cobalt, occupying the 30th and 31st
floors of Pullman Saigon Centre. In
neon blue backlighting, you can sample
their contemporary cuisine, 160 different
wines and their executive chefs space age
speciality the first liquid nitrogen ice
cream in Southeast Asia.
Cobalt is on the 30th and 31st floors of
Pullman Saigon Centre, at 148 Tran Hung Dao,
Q1. For bookings call (08) 3838 8686 or visit
pullman-saigon-centre.com
EMM Hotel
Thien Minh Group has opened the
first three-star hotel bearing its EMM
brand with 56 rooms and serviced
condos at 157 Pasteur, Q3 and it
looks amazing for a three-star. T3
Architecture Asia has opted for a
contemporary design, with a subdued
palette of white and grey around two
pop colours representing the new
brand: azalea pink and green hot
pepper. Theyre positioning EMM to
be the first hotel brand in Vietnam to
promote contemporary artists, like
Sandrine Llouquet, Nadge David and
Olivia Marty. T3 has also designed a
special range of furniture for EMM,
a mix of hardwood and laminated,
between vintage appeal and modern
chic.
Established 19 years ago, Thien
Minh specializes in the tourism, hotel
and transport industries in Vietnam,
Laos and Cambodia, with popular
brands already in the tourism industry
like Victoria Hotels & Resorts and
Buffalo Tours. They intend to develop
11 hotels under the EMM brand in the
next five years.
EMM Hotel is at 157 Pasteur, Q3
The Propaganda is True

The Au Parc empire is expanding again, this
time with a colourful addition right next to
the original. Propaganda Restaurant serves
classic Vietnamese cuisine, bistro style,
with a strong emphasis on design and some
clever turns on typical dishes. Propaganda
forsakes the irony of Hanois Cong Ca Phe
aesthetic, instead spreading nave vintage
prints over two floors of plush benches,
backgrounded by workmanlike brick.
Propaganda Restaurant is at 21 Han
Thuyen, Q1
overscene ho chi minh
escape nye

Thousands of party people escaped
the New Years droves to Phu My
Hung for Rise of Golden, a 3-D mapped
extravaganza
Apocalyptic
Photos by Nick Ross

Glenn Wool and Mandy Knight wooed the
crowds with gags-a-plenty at Apocalaughs
Now at Cargo Bar, while MC Steve Jackson
and Tat Lay from Stand-Up Saigon also put on
a great show.
KTM Motorcycle Show

Photos by Nick Ross
The babes were out in force to see
motorcycle culture at its finest
Alton Miller
observed

Detroit house godfather Alton Miller put
together a killer set at Observatory in
advance of his Hanoi debut this month
If you have a noteworthy event which you think

would fit into our coverage, please email
news@wordhcmc.com and we'll take a look.
sgoc 1 year
anniversary
Photos by Ed Weinberg
So its more like a year-plus, but we
finally got together to pay tribute to a
Saigon institution
venus in vietnam
Photos by Kyle Phanroy

Lovers of women from two generations
get their work discussed at the Ho Chi
Minh City Fine Arts Museum
Hcmc
february 2014
Super Bowl
or the duration of your

time in Vietnam, youve
put your rabid sports
radio-calling side away,
we know. But for one day,
you can drink 30 beers at 6am
Monday morning and yell at
the TV. That day is upon us.
An untraditional date
hile all the hotels

are offering
pricey romance,
youre trying to
keep your relationship true
to its roots cheap dates.
Take your sweetheart out to
Van Thanh for the day, and
fill them up with poolside
ice creams.
Feb. 3 Phattys
01 saturday
Vietnamese Week. From Feb. 1 to 7. Special vietnamese cuisine week @
Saigon Caf, Sheraton
02 sunday
03 monday
Feb. 14 Van Thanh Park
10 Monday
11 Tuesday
Double Trouble. Every Tue. Buy 1 get 1 free all night long @ Last Call
Saigon
12 Wednesday
Super Bowl Final. 6am @ Phattys
04 tuesday
05 wednesday
Asian Food promotions. Everyday in Feb. from 11am @ Mojo Caf,
Sheraton Saigon
13 Thursday
Last Call Loves Ladies. Every Thu. special drink promotions for ladies
@ Last Call Saigon. See Whats On
14 Friday
06 thursday
07 friday
Chasing the sun. @ Mui Ne Beach. See Big 5
08 saturday
Valentines Buffet. @ Nineteen, Caravelle Hotel
Saigon Soul Pool Party. Every Sat. Until 29 Mar. @ New World
Saigon. See Big 5
Luscious Libations. Special Grand Marnier Valentine cocktails @

Saigon Saigon Bar, Caravelle Hotel
09 sunday
15 Saturday
ROME: Live in Saigon. Jerome Reuter live in Vietnam, 8pm @ Yoko Bar
(22A Nguyen Thi Dieu, D3)
Thai theme buffet dinner. 6pm every Sat. @ Saigon Caf, Sheraton
Saigon
09 sunday
Orient - Occident Exhibition by Lien Truong. Until Mar. 8 @
Galerie Quynh on Dong Khoi and De Tham
16 Sunday
To have your event included in our calendar, please email news@wordhcmc.com

by no later than Feb. 18 with a description of the event and a high-res photo
Melting Pot 4
elting Pot is
celebrating its oneyear anniversary
with another
two-day medley of woodcut
prints, foliage art, martial art,
a variety of dance styles
and of course a live art battle
and 11 bands to give it that
trademark groove.
Saigon Soul
or seven Saturdays
stretching from Feb. 15
to Mar. 29, New World
Hotel is finally getting
the pool party it deserves an
import from Taiwan used to
500-person affairs and good
times. Lets hope the cold
streak snaps by then!
Mar. 1 Splash Bar
Feb. 22 + 23 Saigon Outcast
17 Monday
24 Monday
All-you-can-eat dinner. Every Mon. to Sat. 6.30pm @ Li Bai

restaurant, Sheraton Saigon
Asian Food promotions. Everyday in Feb. from 11am @ Mojo Caf,

Sheraton Saigon
18 Tuesday
25 Tuesday
19 Wednesday
Early Bird Special. Everyday from 6pm to 9pm, buy 1 get 1 free on
Coctails, house pours, Wine & beer @ Last Call Saigon
26 Wednesday
27 Thursday
Unconditional Belief Exhibition. @ San Art (3 Me Linh, Binh
Chanh). See Whats On
28 Friday
Alaska Crab pincers. 6pm every Fri. in Feb. @ Saigon Caf, Sheraton
Saigon
The Cuban Brothers live. 8pm @ Cargo Bar. See Big 5
01 saturday
01 saturday
20 Thursday
21 Friday
DJ night. Every Fri. @ Last Call Saigon
22 Saturday
Melting Pot 4: Art and Music Festival. From 1pm @ Saigon Outcast
Monsoons 2 year anniversary: Indochine Night. Indochina
buffet and free flow drinks, 7pm @ Monsoon Restaurant & Bar. See
Whats On
23 Sunday
Saigon Soul Pool Party. Every Sat. Until 29 Mar. @ New World
Saigon. See Big 5
Melting Pot 4: Art and Music Festival. From 1pm @ Saigon Outcast
Midnight Xpress. 9pm every Sat. @ Last Call
hanoi
www.pressfoto.com
what s on
German Film Week

Daluva is for Lovers
Spicing up your Valentines Day plans
this year? Daluva Restaurant has you set,
pairing the romantic atmosphere with
special dishes and matching wine for the
sultry evening. With a special menu of
oysters, caviar and champagne for the
night, all thats left is finding your best
threads and perhaps a bouquet.
Daluva is located at 33 To Ngoc Van, Tay
Ho. Reservations are necessary for Feb. 14, so
contact the restaurant on (04) 3718 5831 to
save your spot for two
As far as film festivals go, Hanoi is in for a

spectacular one thanks to Goethe-Instituts
annual German Film Week, featuring the
best of German film from Feb. 21 to Mar 1.
From the heart-pounding apocalyptic thriller
Hell back by popular demand from the
2013 installment to a subtle yet gripping
family drama, Home for the Weekend, GoetheInstitut brings films that have already taken
German audiences by storm, and will surely
capture the hearts of Hanoi film-goers.
Also set for the week long cinematic
extravaganza is Berlin-based coming of
age story Oh Boy!, three-director showcase
Dreileben Trilogy, the stirring documentary
Forget Me Not, and a film following refugees

journey from Africa to the EU, Color of
the Ocean. Not forgotten is the younger
audience, with screenings of the Grimm
Brothers fairy tale classics during the first
film weekend.
The German Film Week begins on Feb. 21
and carries through to Mar. 1. Films are shown
at 7pm, with two matinee showings of Grimm
fairytales on Feb. 22 and Feb. 23. All films are
captioned with Vietnamese subtitles, with a
majority also subtitled in English. All films are
shown at Goethe-Institut, 56-58 Nguyen Thai
Hoc, and entrance is free. For more information,
contact info@hanoi.goethe.org
Tadioto Returns
Learning the Artistic Ropes

Going Underground
Fresh tracks and groovy beats will thump
through the roof of Madake once more, as
the EDM trio LDN Underground kicks off
their first party in the Year of the Horse.
Made up of JC, Spectrum and Vaughan,
LDN Underground ensues a night of
pulsating bodies on the dance floor as they
dish out their arsenal of beats all night.
Coupled with Madakes very own Londoninspired visuals and dcor, its bound to be
an unforgettable night.
LDN Underground is on Feb. 22, at Madake
81 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho from 10pm to
3am. Entrance is free
From sewing to drawing to Photoshop, learn

authentic craft skills from internationally
qualified practitioners at Work Room Four.
Now located in Module 7 in the scenic Tay
Ho area, it is always great to pick up a new
skill or hone those that you already have
down pat. Workshops last for six weeks,
with every session lasting two-and-a-half
hours hardly too much time to dedicate to
learning a few new skills.
Course fees start from VND3.2 million,
and the fee is inclusive of all course materials.
Workshops are conducted in English with
Vietnamese translation. For more information
on classes and workshops, contact Claire at
workrmfour@gmail.com or call 01202 608562
Tadioto has reopened at 24B Tong Dan,

Hoan Kiem after being forced to relocate
from the now defunct Zone 9.
Located just steps from the Opera House
and the Sofitel Metropole on the corner of Ly
Dao Thanh, the new venue has retained its
Bohemian spirit and yet is more comfortable
than its predecessor. Garnished in classic
red and white on the outside, the interior
is decorated in a warm brown and tones
of blue, creating an atmosphere merging
Shanghai and San Francisco.
With two bar areas and the addition of
premium whiskies and vintage wines from
France, Spain, Italy and further afield, Tadioto
is also bringing with it a food menu thanks to
the support of two chefs who are creating a
line of pastries, tapas and sandwiches.
For more information email duc@tadioto.
com or simply check out the new space after 8pm
every night
hanoi
what s on
The Closet Comes Out
Right in step with the burgeoning
LGBT scene in the city, The Closet
opens to the public with the purpose
of showcasing the arts and cultural
aspects of the LGBT community in
Vietnam. Housed above COMGA
Cafe, expect to enjoy food and
drinks but at the same time be able
to take part in LGBT-related talks,
exhibitions and film screenings.
Closet Hanoi is located above
COMGA Caf, at 1 Cua Dong, Hoan
Kiem
Spikey Tee
Wining Around the World

Daluva will be bringing wines from across
the globe on Feb. 21, with the February
installment of their Around the World Wine
Party. Including tipples from New Zealand
to Argentina, whatever your taste and
geographical preference, you wont be
disappointed. Plus, theres no cover charge,

so you can save your pocket change to
splurge on exotic tastes.
The Around the World Wine Party kicks off
at Daluva on Feb. 21 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm, at
33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho
One of Londons original rude boys, DJ

and MC Spikey Tee will be returning to
CAMA ATK on Saturday Feb. 22.
With over 20 years in the industry,
Spikeys list of collaborations reads like
a whos who of the worlds dub stars
including Mr Scruff, Morcheeba, Massive
Attack and Bomb the Bass, as well as
reggae legends such as Dennis Alcapone,
Ranking Joe and Horace Andy to name but
a notable few.
His DJ-ing, MC-ing and singing skills
have taken him around the world and
much loved in Hanoi, Spikey blew the roof
off of ATK in 2012 and 2013. So getting him
for a good start to the New Year wasnt a
difficult decision.
Expect the rude boy to be dropping
some wicked Jamaican-inspired, soul-style
vocals over his trademark mix of hip-hop,
R&B, ragga and drum n bass.
CAMA ATK is at 73 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba
Trung. For more information go to cama-atk.com
The Month at Madake

For the arts and music lovers among
us, February is a great month to check
out Madake! Starting from the monthly
showcase of Ichi Sessions on Feb. 7, sway
to unplugged music in the garden. On
Feb. 8, Sub Elements a group of DJs and
producers based in Hanoi take the stage
and move the crowd with bass music and
tracks from Vietnams very own EDM scene.
Feeling all the weight from lots of great
food piling on during the Tet holiday? Be
sure to head down for Madakes weekly

swing sessions starting Feb. 12 or dance
your heart away in the third installation
of Moovin & Groovin on Feb. 21 sure
fire good time exercise to burn those
extra holiday calories. And dont forget
Thursdays with screenings of cutting-edge
documentaries, world cinema, indie movies
and alternative movie genres.
Madake is located at 81 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho
or click on facebook.com/madake.hanoi.3
High End Shopping

The air will surely be a little bit clearer
at Hanoi Cooking Centres upcoming
Rooftop Market on Feb. 9 from 10am to
3pm. Featuring local designers creations
wares include silver and ceramic
jewellery, womens clothing and global
handicrafts the market is ideal for
finding that perfect Valentines Day gift,
something nice just for yourself, or to get
a little fresh air while meandering through
the stalls.
The Rooftop Market takes place on Feb. 9
from 10am to 3pm, on the rooftop of Hanoi
Cooking Centres location at 44 Chau Long, Ba
Dinh
hanoi
Just In
Cong Ca Phe on The Lake
Five Star French Grill
The French Grill located in the recently
opened five-star hotel JW Marriott is
the hospitality heavyweights showpiece
dining venue. Classy without being
pretentious, The French Grill puts a
modern spin on a traditional steakhouse.
With the largest open grill in the capital,
French Grills ambiance is both intimate
and expansive, with a glass encased wine
room centrepiece stocked with bottles from
around the world.
French Grill is located at the JW Marriott
Hotel at 8 Do Duc Duc, Tu Liem
The expansion of this homegrown,

Communist-themed cafe continues with two
new outlets. Quirky, and designed in dark
wood with greys, the cafe at 15 Truc Bach
brings this growing chain to an area just
outside the Old Quarter and on the cusp of
West Lake.
Set in a corner building, nooks and crannies,
wooden bench-like seating lit up by colourful
cushions and a growing range of themed
products for sale make up the mix. And don't
forget the views over Truc Bach Lake.
It's never going to have the nostalgia of its
original inception on Trieu Viet Vuong, but the
Truc Bach version demonstrates a development
of a popular and enchanting theme.
Even more recent is the opening of another
Cong Ca Phe at 4 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem.
Located opposite the Mercure and a stone's
throw away from Hanoi Train Station on Le
Duan, this is the eighth outlet in the capital.
Cong Ca Phe Truc Bach is at 15 Truc Bach,
Ba Dinh
JW Marriott Comes to
Vietnam
Marriott International is making a grand
entrance to Southeast Asia with its newest
hotel opening in Hanoi. JW Marriott is
the second opening for the International
brand in the country.
Designed by Carlos Zapata Studio
the same acclaimed architecture practice
behind Bitexco Financial Tower JW
Marriott Hotel boasts an impressive
angular faade inspired by traditional
dragon folklore, and snakes along the
glistening coastline. Its impressive
structure matches the hotels focus on
quality design and modern facilities.
Equipped with 3,600sqm of meeting
space and 17 meeting rooms, the property
is aiming to set the standard for corporate
event spaces and exhibition centres in the
city. Its location adjacent to the National
Convention Center is sure to elevate the
hotel as a key player in the business and
leisure industry in Hanoi.
Hotel guests and city dwellers alike will
have access to the hotels six restaurants
and bar outlets, and includes the French
Grill serving fresh seafood and prime
steaks and the nightspot, Antidote Bar.
JW Marriott opened only in late 2013,
but is already taking its place as one of the
finest hospitality landmarks in Hanoi.
JW Marriott Hotel is located at 8 Do Duc
Duc, Tu Liem. Find more information go
online to jwmarriott.com.
Joma Comes to Food Street
Zone 17
Close to its original location on Dien Bien

Phu, Joma Bakery and Cafe has taken
over the premises on Tong Duy Tan once
occupied by Southgate.
Housed in a converted, colonial-era
villa, the concept is the same as at its two
other cafes fair-trade coffee, pay-asyou-order at the counter, and a great
selection of sandwiches, bagels, salads,
cakes, ice-cream and tea. Attractive decor,
good WiFi, a second floor seating space
and a terrace out front makes this a great
venue to hangout at for a coffee or two
and some food.
Joma is at 28 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem
Imagine a 2,000sqm space in a non-residential

area set aside for restaurants, bars and cafes.
That is the idea behind Zone 17, which was
officially launched last month with its first bar
of the same name Zone 17 Pub
Located at 17D Hong Ha on the river side
of the dyke road and close to Sofitel Plaza, the
bamboo-structure, terracotta-tiled watering
hole has a square bar in its middle, bare-brick
walls and an open grill, serving the likes of
kebab skewers and more until late. And when
we say late, we mean it the place opens
until 5am. Oh, and dont forget the pool table.
Zone 17 is at 17D Hong Ha, Hoan Kiem or
click on facebook.com/zone17
House of Son Tinh Doubles Up

House of Son Tinh has long enough only
occupied a space on Xuan Dieu now, the
West Lake night spot is opening another
location in Cau Giay. Still boasting the same
great atmosphere and stellar selection of
cocktails and spirits, the Tran Thai Tong Son
Tinh Lounge Bar is yet another locale for
good times.
Still promising the best of local beers and
plenty of cultural events, this new location
will seat 150 on two floors and carry the

famous liquor brand with the matching
name Son Tinh Premium Liquor.
The new Cau Giay locations soft
opening was on Jan. 13, but opens
officially to the public on Feb. 15, just in
time to drink away those post-Valentines
Day blues.
Son Tinhs new location is at 101, Building
D5, Tran Thai Tong, Cau Giay
overscene hanoi
Chewing the Cud
Photos provided by Moo Steakhouse

Moo Steakhouse put on a steak and
wine evening, proving that being
a bovine with seven bellies has its
advantages. Well, if youre human it
does.
Guitar Recital
Photos by David Harris

LEspace extended its artistic and
cultural range with a solo performance
by classical guitar maestro, Tran Anh
Tuan.
Zone 17 Opening

Clad in barebrick and bamboo, and open
later than late, Zone 17 pub put on a
grander than grand opening bash that
attracted all and asunder.
If you have a noteworthy event which you think

would fit into our coverage, please email
news@wordhanoi.com and we'll take a look
To the Lighthouse

No, its not Virginia Woolf, its the
opening of Il Faro The Lighthouse
the latest incarnation of the restaurateurs
behind Mediterraneo.
Luck Be a Lady

An eight is good luck, two eights are even
better, and to celebrate their first-year
anniversary 88 Lounge put on a huge party
demonstrating that luck doesnt come from
above. Its something you create yourself.
hanoi
february 2014
SubElements
he group of DJs that

will shake Madake on
Feb. 8, SubElements,
knows the bass is
only good when its bonecrunching! Shake off the Tet
cobwebs with a night of glitch
hop, hip hop, trap, dubstep
and future garage.
Vive la France
k, youre not
the outwardly
sentimental type, but
every one gets a little
sweet around Valentines.
Head to LEspace to listen to
the language of love, delivered
from the mouths of people as
geeky as you.
Feb. 8 Madake
Feb. 14 LEspace
01 saturday
10 Monday
Ilove Technowith DJ Ngoc Mobile @ Rockstore, 9pm
02 sunday
11 Tuesday
2/2 FlashBack Rock Band @ Rockstore, 9pm
2 Thanh Da Nang @ Rockstore, 9pm
03 monday
12 Wednesday
Super Bowl Final. @ Puku Sports Bar, 6.30am
Madake Swings. @ Madake, 8pm
04 tuesday
13 Thursday
Live jazz. @ Millenium-Caf des Arts, 8pm to 10.30pm
05 wednesday
Cinema Madake: cutting-edge cinema and documentaries. @

Madake every Thursday
14 Friday
06 thursday
2 Hot Chicks Band every Thursday @ Rockstore, 9pm
07 friday
Ichi Sessions. @ Madake
08 saturday
Valentines Day. @ Pots n Pans, 57 Bui Thi Xuan, 8pm

Vive la France. @ LEspace, 8pm
Daluva is for Lovers. @ Daluva Restaurant, 33 To Ngoc Van, 8.30pm
Club Tropican Monthly 80s Night. @ CAMA ATK
09 saturday
SubElements. @ Madake, 8pm. More information at sub-elements.
blogspot.com
09 sunday
Sunday Roof Top Market. @ Hanoi Cooking Centre, 10am to 3pm
2 Valentines Day with DJ Spectrum @ Rockstore, 9pm
15 Saturday
Detroit DJ Alton Miller. @ CAMA ATK
16 Sunday
To have your event included in our calendar, please email news@wordhanoi.com

by no later than Feb. 18 with a description of the event and a high-res photo
MC Spikey Tee German Film Week
oming back to CAMA

is original rude bwoy
Spikey Tee, veteran
dropper of wicked,
Jamaican-inspired, soul-style
vocals over his trademark mix
of hip-hop, R&B, ragga and
drum n bass. Hanois about
to get even ruder.
rom the heart-pounding

apocalyptic thrillers
to subtle yet gripping
dramas, Goethe-Institut
is bringing the blitzkrieg to
Hanoi one more time
Feb. 22 CAMA ATK
17 Monday
Sam Thi & Friends Concert. @ Vietnam National Academy of Music
Concert Hall, 7.30pm
18 Tuesday
Mozart Cycle IV concert. @ LEspace, 8pm. Runs for two nights
19 Wednesday
Feb. 21 Mar. 1 Goethe Institut
24 Monday
25 Tuesday
26 Wednesday
20 Thursday
21 Friday
Monthly Salsa Night. @ CAMA ATK

Around The World Wine Party. @ Daluva Restaurant, 33 To Ngoc
Van, 6.30pm to 8.30pm
27 Thursday
German Film Week. @ Goethe-Institut, 56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc. Runs

until Mar. 1
Henri Bourgeois Wine Dinner. @ Pots n Pans, 57 Bui Thi Xuan, 6pm
Moovin & Groovin #3: Afro funk, soul and disco. @ Madake,
9.30pm to late
22 Saturday
The music of Trinh Cong Son. @ LEspace, 8pm
Rude boy DJ Spikey Tee. @ CAMA ATK
Wine tasting four wines and canapes. @ Millenium-Caf des

Arts, 6.30pm to 8.30pm
LDN Underground. @ Madake, 10pm to 3am
28 Friday
23 Sunday
2 Air Guitar Battle @ Rockstore, 9pm
2 FlashBack Rock Band @ Rockstore, 9pm
2 Skank The Tank meets Reggae Rajahs @ CAMA ATK, 8pm
in the papers
The Best of the VietnameSe Press
HOANG SA ARCHIPELAGO
(VIETNAM)
Quang Ninh Complex Wins Recognition
TRUONG SA ARCHIPELAGO
(VIETNAM)
On Jan.15, the Quang Ninh Provincial

Library and Museum complex was awarded
recognition as the Construction of the Year for
2013. The award was granted by ashui.com,
the official website of the Vietnam Urban
Planning and Development Association.
The VND900 billion complex was
designed by the Vietnam Institute of
Architecture, Urban and Rural Planning
in collaboration with S Design JSC, and is
Two Vietnam Destinations

Make New York Times Top
Honours
Quang Binhs Son Doong Cave and the
Mekong River took two spots in The New
York Times list of 52 Places to go in 2014.
Along with destinations in Cambodia,
Thailand and Indonesia, Son Doong Cave
and the Mekong River add to the few spots
from Southeast Asia.
Only fully explored in 2009, Son Doong
Cave is the worlds largest cave, with the
largest chamber spanning five kilometers
long, 200 meters wide and 150 meters high.
Monkeys, hornbills and flying foxes have
been spotted within the caves.
The New York Times also recommends
taking a cruise ride down the worlds 12th
longest river, the Mekong River, as cruise
operators are now upgrading their ships
to accommodate more luxury facilities like
gyms and enlarging public spaces on board.
Thai Chaos Means Loss for

Vietnamese Travel Agencies
Vietnamese travel agencies are seeing
cancelled tours and big losses due to the
current chaos in Thailand. The cancellations
come after fears that tourists may be unable
to leave Thailand after election day, which
is set for Feb. 2.
Tours to Thailand occupy 15 to 35 percent
of all tours during the Tet holiday period.
Many customers are instead expected
to head for destinations like Malaysia,
Singapore and Cambodia.
Many airlines have also been affected,
many of them changing their flight
schedules in light of the recent chaos.
located in Hong Hai Ward in Halong City.

The impressive structure includes three
blocks, featuring a museum, a library and a
conference hall.
The design was inspired by coal the
signature mineral of the northern province
of Quang Ninh and has welcomed more
than 12,000 visitors in less than half a month.
The 6,500sqm construction opened last
October.
in the papers
www.pressfoto.com
Binh Thuan Victory Against

US Firm
Vietnamese Students Fundraise to Build Bridges

Two Vietnamese students have raised
over US$170,000 (VND3.6 billion) for
the Nam Phuong Foundation. The funds
will go towards building bridges to help
students to travel safely across rivers in
rural areas.
Introduced for the first time at a
ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City, the Nam
Phuong Foundation was started by Dinh
Thi Nam Phuong along with her brother
Dinh Ba Khang. Phuong is a current

sophomore at Britains Oxford University,
and launched the charity with her brother
to gather students around the world to
participate in philanthropic causes.
The fund, managed by VinaCapital
Foundation the charity arm of
VinaCapital, a Vietnamese asset manager
continues to receive legal support from VCI
Legal, a local law firm.
Following an incomplete tourism project

in Hoa Thang Commune, Binh Thuan
Province has taken steps against US Firm
South Fork after provincial authorities
found the US investor had failed to
complete the project. The province won
the case after an international arbitration
council ruled in their favour. It was a
historic victory.
After the revoke of the project in mid2010, South Fork filed a lawsuit asking
for USD3.75 billion (VND78.75 trillion)
in compensation. The ruling means they
have to pay the legal costs sustained by the
Vietnamese.
Cold Fronts Chill Vietnam
www.pressfoto.com
Chilling weather gripped northern

Vietnam throughout January, with a cold
front seeing temperatures dip to between
9oC and 12oC. In high mountainous areas,
the temperatures fell to as low as 6oC.
Southern Vietnam was also affected,
with early morning temperatures going
as low as 17oC, a record for Ho Chi Minh
City, which rarely sees temperatures
below 23oC.
Insider
Mr. McDonalds 042 // The High Life 044 // 24 Hours in Vietnam 046 // Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde 078 // The Cuban Brothers 080 // Green Living 082 // Holistic Hanoi 086 // The Sivananda Lifestyle 092 // Made in Vietnam 100 // To The Lighthouse 104 // Banh My Thit Xien
Nuong 105 // Saigons Best Pho 106 // Cyber-pats 108 // The Land of Many Colours 114
Photo by nick ross
Ten Dollar Man, one of The Pham in Saigons most enduring characters.
We didnt buy the watch.
Insider
Mr. McDonalds
Is it the inexorable path of progress or is it a sign simply of changing times?
Nick Ross speaks to Henry Nguyen, the man behind McDonalds in Vietnam.
Photo by Kyle Phanroy
f last years market entry of Starbucks

can be viewed as a prototype, then by
the time you read this piece there will
have been extraordinary queues outside
McDonalds. Using the Drive-Thru model
to enter the Vietnamese market, images
of motorbike logjams trailing back down
Saigons Dien Bien Phu come to mind.
The arrival of this fast food monolith, this
symbol of American culture, has been a long
time in the making. For many, too long.
Says Henry Nguyen, the man charged
with bringing McDonalds to Vietnam, A lot
of my friends here and a lot of young people
I meet, ask me, Why hasnt McDonalds
come earlier, doesnt McDonalds think
Vietnam is a promising market? There is a
lot of economic self-esteem embedded in the
presence of McDonalds.
From Immigrant to Importer

Brought up as an immigrant kid in the US
Henry was born in Vietnam in 1973
for the Classics graduate turned Chicago
medical doctor, McDonalds represented
Americaness, wanting to fit in and wanting
to feel like an American kid.
It was a big part of that identity, he
explains, of feeling like I was part of the
new country that I was in There is a lot
of culture embedded in food, but there is
nothing more American than hamburger,
fries and apple pie.
Yet when he arrived in Vietnam after the
millenium, the only American fast food
chain in the country was KFC. It was when
KFC first made the transition from Ho Chi
Minh City to Hanoi in 2003, where he was
based at the time, that he had the idea of
bringing in McDonalds.
Dont get me wrong, I love Vietnamese
food, but I just missed western food, he
says. Having KFC come out was nice, but
the next question that popped into my head
was Why isnt McDonalds here?
That question led to him contacting the
fast-food chain via their website, filling in
a franchise application form and sending it
back. In return he received the generic thank
you letter for submitting his application,
but nothing more. As it turned out, at the
time McDonalds was no longer expanding
overseas their arrival in Vietnam this year
is the first new market they have entered
into in 15 years.
On his next trip back to Chicago, Henry

tried to make further contact. As a graduate
of Kellogg University, he made his connection
via a fellow Kellogg alumnus now working
at McDonalds University. The person he
eventually met with was called Jim Kramer.
He was very gracious to me, recalls
Henry. We kind of hit it off over sports and
historical biographies. Over the years I just
told him I would be here and be in contact
with him until McDonalds was ready,
because his message to me was that although
Vietnam was top of the list for expansion,
at the time internally and corporate-wise it
wasnt part of McDonalds strategy to open in
new markets.
So I said, Whenever you are ready, I will
still be there. It was only in recent years with
the arrival of CEO Don Thompson that it was
decided McDonalds was ready to get bigger
and better 10 years later it has happened.
1,200 Sandwiches an Hour

Arriving in 2014 has its benefits. The likes of
Lotteria, Jollibee, Carls Junior and Burger
King have already made it to Vietnam.
Henry, though, feels that the uniqueness
of the McDonalds system will help them
be clearly differentiated from all the other
brands.
Henry has already had experience in
the fast-food market he was involved in
bringing in Pizza Hut, Subway and Coffee
Bean & Tea Leaf.
The first store is set up on the edge of Ho
Chi Minh Citys District 1 and Binh Thanh
areas, with a production line that can churn
out 1,200 sandwiches an hour. Although for
now most products are imported the fries
are coming from the US Henry is hoping
to eventually source more ingredients
locally.
As with the other stores there are private
areas to hold functions, disabled toilets
and disabled parking, the standard arches
perched tower-like above and a McCaf
eventually to be part of the setup. Targeting
every kind of customer from teenagers to
young professionals, the chain will also aim
to get involved in community projects in the
same way it does overseas.
The Detractors
One comment about McDonalds and indeed
most other fast food restaurant chains has
been the nutrition factor. Addressing obesity

concerns, McDonalds will be clear about
the nutrition and calorie counts of their
products, as theyve been in other markets.
It will be online on our website, says
Henry. [Customers] will be able to access
it on our packaging, on the tray liners We
want to be very transparent about whats
in our food, where it is sourced from, the
nutrition levels.
While this wont satisfy all of the
naysayers those who vehemently oppose
the entry of this fast food monolith into
Vietnam, those who see McDonalds as
representing everything negative about
American consumerism it will certainly
go some way towards pushing the onus of
eating healthily and responsibly onto the
customer.
Says Henry, Personally I wholeheartedly
disagree [that McDonalds represents
everything that is negative about America].
It represents a childhood of fun and joy, of
good times and maybe [these detractors]
experience is different.
But McDonalds serves 70 million
people per day. If [they] were truly not a
good actor and were doing something bad,
then everybody would know it. You cant
hide it. We live in a very transparent world
today.
A Larger Meaning
One things for sure. Having McDonalds
in Vietnam means the country will now be
part of the Big Mac Index. Invented by The
Economist in 1986 as a guide to purchasingpower parity in different nations around
the world, the Big Mac Index was created
as a tool to make exchange-rate theory
more digestible. It allows analysts to get
an understanding of local production
and delivery cost, the cost of advertising
(considerable in some areas), and most
importantly, what the local market will
bear.
For investors, says Henry, this is often a
key measurement when it comes to making
investment decisions. It is a consumer
pricing index, he explains. There is a
lot embedded in the cost of a Big Mac. By
having Vietnam on that list, it makes it part
of a bigger global economy.
Both emotionally and economically, for
the Vietnam of 2014 that is vital.
TRENDS
The High Life
Bars and restaurants above or near the tenth floor are all
the rage. So Karen Hewell and Katie Jacobs check out
what both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have to offer.
Photos by Yves Schiepek and David Harris
Celio13
For a post-work wind down
13th floor, Sun City Building, 13 Hai Ba Trung,
Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Stepping off the elevator and into Celio13
feels like entering a glass bubble that has
perched itself on top of the city. There arent
many buildings above the 13th floor in
central Hanoi, and the bar and restaurant
have sweeping glass windows which
curve around the front of the bar, offering
expansive views across the citys smoggy
skies.
The dcor is fun and imaginative. Old
fashioned black and white faces peer at you
from the back of the bar stools, and above
the circular bar hangs a mass of red lanterns
which send a soft glow across the room.
There is a small, glass-encased dining room
to the left and a terrace stretches around the
front. With jazz playing quietly in the back
ground, candles flickering on tables, and the
sun sinking into the hazy horizon, this is a
great spot for a post-work drink.
However, there is one vital aspect missing
at Celio13 and that is a good cocktail. The
attempts at drink creativity, such as the
Lovestruck, made with fresh cucumber, and
Celio Martini, which adds a wasabi kick, are
indistinguishable among the bucket load of
sugar that is added. However, cocktails aside
(there are many other options on the menu),
it is hard to beat the architecture and interior
design of Celio13, and at this height, the
view speaks for itself.
Lift Bar
For a splashy night out
11th floor, 18 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Immediately upon entering Lift Bar, it is clear
that no one comes here for the view. Despite
being on the 11th floor, the one room club all
but ignores the large windows that look out
across the city.
On a Friday night the place is packed with
a young, wealthy crowd who are there to
enjoy the bass driven 1990s pop and bottle
service; there is no standing around nursing a
beer at this place. If all youre after is a single
drink then you can head to the bar, but its not
popular and it is generally expected that you
will find a table and stay there.
Despite the noise level cancelling out any
hope of an actual conversation, dancing is not
overly popular and the majority of people
seem content standing around, bobbing their
heads and snapping Instagram photos. It is a
good spot for people watching and a bit of a
dance if you dont mind going it alone. What
Lift Bar does do well is birthdays and its not
uncommon for the DJ to play Happy Birthday
while a waterfall of fireworks cascade down
the windows (the only time anyone actually
looks towards them), and those celebrating a
birthday sip from bottles of Moet & Chandon
with sparklers in the top.
Check out the different themed nights
before you go as the club regularly puts on
specials such as Candy Land (which includes
free candy) and Teddy Single Night at which
teddy bears are the guests of honour.
The Rooftop
For the second date
19th floor, Pacific Place, 83 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Depending on which elevator you catch to the 19th floor of the
Pacific Place building, you are either greeted by an impressive
wall of wine bottles, or by what can only be described as a
service closet. If it is the latter, persist past the piles of spare
chairs and pressed linen, and you will be greeted by floor-toceiling windows with uninterrupted views across the city and
quite a wine collection.
The Rooftop is one of Hanois better-known bars with a view,
and it delivers on its promise. The lounge and restaurant are
tastefully, if not very imaginatively, decorated, and if you come
to eat it would definitely be worth booking one of the dining
tables that sit against the windows, although those suffering
from vertigo may wish to reconsider. Refreshingly, The Rooftop
do not use the view as an excuse to overcharge and

the food, while nothing to rave about, is quite tasty
and very reasonably priced.
Unfortunately, like many other bars in the city, the
cocktails fall far short of expectations and as usual the
sweetness overpowers all other flavours. Given the
display, its perhaps wiser to stick to the wine.
As a whole, The Rooftop makes for a nice place to enjoy
dinner or drinks but keep in mind that the restaurant closes
early (9pm), at which point the music will be turned up to a
deafening level, so be sure to get all the talking in before then.
Luckily there is a narrow terrace on which to escape and enjoy
the evening and the view.
Shri
For the candlelit dinner
23rd Floor, Centec Tower, 72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh
Khai, Q3, Ho Chi Minh City
Although the ascent up to the 23rd floor of the exceptionally
non-descript Centec Building wouldnt suggest it, Shri oozes a
sophistication and subtle glamour that few other rooftop bars
can come close to. Its split into four distinct areas a bar and
lounge area, a dining area, a surrounding patio and a glasswalled dining space at the end of the patio. If it were not for the
harmony of the dcor with its rich jewel-tones and hazy glow, the
compartmentalization would be a drawback. Instead, the separation
lends to the aura of each space. The dining room feels intimate
despite its surrounding walls of windows, and the patio balances
natural elements like trees and water with the same vivid scarlet and
plum accents of the indoor lounge area. Together with staff speaking
just above a whisper, Shri feels less like a restaurant and more like a
place to come to relax.

Although happy hour from 4.30pm to 6.30pm brings in a healthy
amount of guests enjoying a post-work cocktail, the best time for
Shri is dinner. The impressive menu draws in an average of 100
reservations a night and nearly as many walk-ins after sundown,
and when the weather is clear, most prefer eating on the patio and
taking in the view. Most of the tables are for two, since a majority
of the diners are out for a romantic meal over candlelight. Its clear
that Shri is made for romance, since even the cocktail selection hints
at the establishments true intention, with clever names like Sex
on the Roof, Blue Job and Caf XXX. The tasty cocktails and the hazy
romance make Shri the perfect place for a romantic date spending
a few hours here would certainly put anyone in the right mood.
Summit Lounge
For a kick-back cocktail
20th floor, Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien Road, Ba
Dinh, Hanoi
There is no denying that the Summit Lounge,
on the 20th floor of the Sofitel Plaza, has the
best view in Hanoi. The prime location affords
sweeping views, not just across the city but
also over West Lake and Truc Bach Lake.
From this vantage point youre able to really
appreciate the twists and turns of the city, and
it is hard not to be charmed by the colourful
reflections of the lights in the dark water of the
lakes.
The Summit Lounges biggest asset is its
large terrace and the clear glass barrier that
ensures the view is not interrupted, even from
the low lounge seating. It is the place to be for
a sunset drink on a warm evening.
Inside, the lounge and bar area are very
tasteful, with large windows to ensure you
dont miss the view. There is a DJ to provide
good music and the Summit Lounge has a
reputation for throwing lavish parties. The
cocktail list is extensive and it can be hard to
choose from the special house creations, which
cost about VND180,000. What is even more
exciting than a good sounding cocktail list is a
good tasting one and the drinks at the Summit
Lounge are refreshingly mild in sweetness,
allowing you to taste the drink, not just sugar.
With a stunning view, great drinks, and good
service, The Summit Lounge is defiantly top of
the roost in Hanois bars above the tenth floor.
Eon 51s Heli Bar

For the one-up
52nd Floor, Bitexco Financial Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, Q1, Ho Chi Minh City
Its easy for Eon 51 to take
the crown as one of the most
impressive bars in the city.
Encompassing three floors of the
Bitexco Tower including two
restaurants, a cocktail and cigar
bar, and a VIP lounge the
Heli Bar occupies the top floor.
Towering above its rooftop bar
counterparts on the 52nd floor,
Eon 51s Heli Bar continues to
be the highest watering hole in
Vietnam, a theme that factors
into the very design. It takes not
one, not two, but three separate
elevator rides to get to the bar,
and once you get there, its
clear that the focus is simple:
the unparalleled view. Even
the bartenders backs are faced
toward the panoramic windows
so the patrons can sit on chairs
uniformly facing toward the
sprawling city below.
A quick stroll around the bar
and youll find a heli pad it
isnt in use, but remains an
impressive aspect of the dcor
Level 23 Nightspot and Wine Bar

For a weekend pick-me-up
23rd Floor, Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong Khoi, Q1, Ho Chi Minh City
Level 23 Nightspots perch
on top of the Sheraton Hotel
certainly doesnt have the most
inventive name, but it boasts
one of the better locations
in Ho Chi Minh City just
off the tourist hub of Dong
Khoi. Set a stones throw
from heart of downtown,
Level 23 Nightspot overlooks
some of the citys more iconic
locales. But although it has the
potential to be a literal breath of
fresh air in chaotic downtown,
the focus is on the interior,
and not the patio bar. Set side
by side, the open-air patio is
small, and if youre sitting at
the squatter tables and not the
lifted seating that surrounds
the overlook, it can be difficult
to appreciate the view.
Nevertheless, the interior
is set against the far corner
of the hotel, and opens onto
a spectacular view of the
glittering Bitexco Tower and
the buzzing city streets. The

bar in the back corner of the
room glows vivid neon and
lends plenty of the space
to the decidedly energetic
atmosphere. Surprisingly,
most of the clientele are
either hotel guests or office
workers, but the regular live
bands keep things interesting
in an otherwise laid-back
atmosphere.
The menu provides a healthy
selection of classic cocktails
along with some unusually
named signatures Age
Pirates and Show Me your Pink
are two particularly odd gems
as well as a few standard
eats to satisfy a grumbling
stomach. Although not a top
pick for a cozy date or an
exceptionally rowdy night out,
Level 23 Nightspot is great for
an outing thats something in
between a kick back and an allout extravaganza.
and surprisingly sparse

decoration. Subtle touches of
brushed metal, marble and
windows stretching to the floor
offer no distraction from the
panorama, and those daring
enough to sit near the edge risk
a mean case of vertigo. The
experience draws in a steady
trickle of tourists and locals
alike, and mostly everyone
spends the first few minutes
doing little more than staring
out at the streets below.
The bar is lounge through
and through, and its eclectic
soundtrack of pop and Top
40 keeps it classy without
being pretentious. Although
not a spot for the stingy a
cocktail will set you back at
least VND200,000 Heli Bar
doesnt feel like a place that
demands your highest heels and
smartest threads. But for the
nights you feel like taking it to
the next level, Heli Bar does this
magnificently, and literally.
Cobalt
For the pre-party dinner
30th Floor, Pullman Hotel, 148 Tran Hung Dao, Q1,
Ho Chi Minh City
Cobalt is new on the scene, only opening with
its brand new hotel home early last month. Yet
its already one of the more alluring rooftop
destinations in Ho Chi Minh City.
Perched on the 23rd floor of The Pullman Hotel,
Cobalts name suggests its dcor colour palette
a collection of slate greys and dusty blues. Even
the floor is a matte concrete, accented only with
dancing overhead lights and ornate chandeliers. It
feels hyper-modern and borderline industrial
the main materials are metal, glass and concrete
but quirky design elements like tweed lounge
chairs and bare light bulbs lend Cobalt a certain
youthful edginess.
The drawback of the interior is the sound. The
music often gets uncomfortably loud and the lack
of anything soft fills the place with echo. It would
make sense in a nightclub, but not for what is
mainly geared to be a dining establishment. Yet,
for a younger crowd that treats dinner more like a
pre-party, the glamorous energy and decent array
of classic cocktails makes Cobalt a great dinner
location with something a little different. Plus,
theres both an open-air terrace and an enclosed
lounge area, so a breath of fresh air doesnt mean
having to put up with gusting winds.
Chill Skybar
For your best threads
26th and 27th Floor, AB Tower, 76 Le Lai, Q1, Ho Chi
Minh City
Chill Skybar only recently celebrated its two-year
anniversary, and has already cemented itself as
one of the most glamorous destinations for more
extravagant evenings. Before even jumping in an
elevator, guests are greeted at ground floor reception,
and those not in their nicer threads might be turned
away. The fact is, Chill Skybar is unapologetically
high-end, and draws in crowds that are often out not
just to see the stunning panoramic views, but also to
be seen by the citys it crowd.
Yet, upon entering the glitzy and sleek bar with
a glowing open-air terrace, its easy to see why
the upper echelon of Saigons social scene would
regularly come to Chill. Hosting some of the more
opulent events including Gold Fridays which
feature DJs, fire shows and ladies dubbed Golden
Angels Chill Skybar has some of the best
mixologists in the business, a few routinely flipping
bottles over their heads in spectacular shows of
flair bartending. At Chill, nothing is done by half,
and the impressive collection of cocktails features
some of the most inventive signature concoctions
with equally impressive price tags.
If youre prepared with some nice new clothes
youre itching to show off, and a hefty paycheck
youre looking to spend, Chill Skybar is a great place
to spend an evening. Careful, though, since along
with your hangover might also come a surprise
when you inspect your wallet the next morning.
The View
For the young and miserly
8th Floor, Duc Vuong Hotel, 195 Bui Vien, Q1, Ho Chi Minh City
The young and thrifty dont have to travel
too far vertically to find a rooftop
that fits the price range. Duc Vuong Hotels
rooftop hotspot is only eight floors up, with
elevator access only extending to floor seven,
but its the best view youll get on Bui Vien.
It used to be a quirky secret, with service
only possible by picking up a front-deskconnected phone, and an army of lonely
deck chairs. Beer was often the only thing

on the menu. About a year ago they went
through a renovation, and with it came
green-tinted floodlights, a new sound system
and a full-service menu of which the website
boasts, Best Food and Drink ever.
The droves have come out, and competent
DJs occasionally utilise the space. Beer is
still the same street-side price: VND12,000
for an ice-cold Saigon. The wicker and wood

surrounds garden patches with trees and
climbing vines, and the crowd is an educated
mix of young and old, tourists and locals.
Though its eighth-floor view doesnt
quite eclipse all the neighbouring rooftops,
the pittance youll pay will at least give you
sightlines to the citys better-positioned roof
restobars.
onTop Bar
For a cozy conversation over drinks
20th Floor, Novotel Hotel, 176 Hai Ba Trung, Q3, Ho
Chi Minh City
Since onTop Bar is set outside of downtown
Saigon, the Novotel Hotel rooftop spot doesnt
quite have the kind of view that youd expect. It
overlooks Hai Ba Trung and, unfortunately, sits
just across from another building with a superior
height, which blocks what could be a spectacular
view. The cozy bar with an extensive menu of
small eats and full meals, though, makes up for
the lack of a view with a great take on the rooftop
experience.
The area is small, with the open-air terrace
nearly matching the size of the interior dining
area, but the space is designed in such away to
avoid the square footage affecting the aesthetic.
The bar and kitchen runs along the back wall,
and the massive blackboard hovering above the
bartenders heads is chock-full of cheese, meat
and fish dishes. And although the drink list isnt
particularly varied, the creativity in the signature
cocktails is second to none, with many of them
featuring fresh fruit elements the surprisingly
tart onTop cocktail has both blackberry liqueur
and fresh blackberries.
Novotels onTop Bar has an inventiveness that
sets it apart, and its limited square footage but
cozy atmosphere establishes it as a great place for
dinner and drinks. Plus, the cocktails and food
isnt outrageously expensive, so onTop could
easily become a regular spot for a night out.
PHOTO CREDIT: Julien Smith less is more design
OMG Bar
For dinner and a show
Rooftop, Silverland Central Hotel, 15-17-19 Nguyen An Ninh, Q1, Ho Chi Minh City
The newly opened OMG Bars name
doesnt stand for what you think. Although
the 9th floor view of Ben Thanh Market
and the surrounding chaos is impressive,
the name applies to its three best qualities:
original, musical, and gastronomic. The
perch is on the top floor of the Silverland
Central Hotel, and thanks to the shape
of the building, is a roomy L-shape. The
innermost section is enclosed with a glass
rooftop and open-air barriers, surrounding
the inner bar and a few squat tables. The

terrace extends out to another bar and
seating with no roof, and the walls are
thick with tropical foliage and scattered
ruby lights. Although there are some
colourful elements like the ornate jeweltoned armchairs and a backlit bar area, the
central theme is the lifted stage for live
music.
The drinks menu offers an impressive
array of wines, standard cocktails and
signature concoctions, and some creative

takes on French-inspired dishes to enjoy
while taking in the scene. While most
other rooftop bars focus on the view and
open air, OMG Bars stage and design
seems to establish it as something of a
neighbourhood bar a place to go for
some great live music in the city centre. Of
course, the fact that it has a few floors on
its event-space counterparts certainly adds
to its appeal.
Cover Story
As dusk falls,
Hanoi lights up
and theres
no better place
to see the city
at night than
from the Summit
Lounge on the
top of the Sofitel
Plaza. Here the
atmosphere of
the citys lakes
Truc Bach
Lake and Tay Ho
take on new
proportions.
Vietnam has changed. It may sound like a clich,

but its not. In less than two decades this country has
transformed itself from a sleepy agricultural economy into
one that now has vibrant cities and a growing focus on industry.
Poverty has reduced, a middle class has emerged and both the
local and foreign tourism industry has grown from almost zero.
Now people have choices, choices on how to live their life
and where they should live it.
Over the next 24 pages we try to encapsulate urban
Vietnam as it is today. Focusing on the countrys two major
cities Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City we have taken photos
at every hour, capturing the old and the new, the unique and the
bizarre, the funny and the serious. The reason? To try
and set in stone those scenes and situations that show
Vietnam as it is in early 2014, before it continues
its inexorable sprint into the future.
Hanoi photos by Francis Roux and Nick Ross.
Ho Chi Minh City photos by DragonImages
Its early and

Hanois obsession
with breakfast is
about to kick off.
Up from the early
hours, with their
vast pots of broth
and charcoalfired stoves, the
vendors prepare
for the morning
rush.
Hanoi
Ho C
The overnight
buses pull into
Pham Ngu Lao
early in the day,
giving tourists
pressed for time
a clear morning
before the
hangover of the
next. Though its
a bit of an ask
with a bumpy
trip behind, those
who spend their
mornings outside
are rewarded
with the city at its
most optimistic.
hi
Minh Cit
Leisure cycling
is an obsession
in Hanoi, and
no place is more
suited for a
morning ride
than West Lake.
Every morning
well over 1,000
cyclists pedal
the 15km circuit
around the citys
largest body of
water.
Hanoi
Ho C
hi
Minh Cit
There is a
Vietnamese
proverb duc
toc bat dat, haste
makes waste.
Though the
working day
looms large, even
at this early hour
you can find
the citys corner
cafs packed
with people in
no hurry to go
anywhere.
With food
purchased early
from the likes
of Long Bien
Market, the local
markets are now
up and running.
Buyers emerge,
purchasing food
and groceries for
the daily family
meals. Despite
supermarkets and
shopping malls,
Hanois markets
remain a hub of
life and activity.
Hanoi
Ho C
Its an old
tradition, obsolete
for some in this
age of gyms and
Youtube followalong-at-home
videos. But in the
parks youll still
see the fitness
oriented twisting
and grunting
in pyjamas and
sweats, cranking
along a simple
mechanical
rhythm on
metal resistance
machines.
hi
Minh Cit
The day starts

early in the
capital, and
although the
traffic has been
buzzing since
before sunrise,
even at 8am
the streets are
jammed with
motorbikes, cars
and bicycles.
Hanoi
Ho C
hi
Minh Cit
Rush hour is
in full swing
by 8am, as the
citys arteries
are pumped full
with motorbikes.
For some its
too much, and
they lean on
their horns while
those in front
grimace behind
facemasks. The
secret to keeping
your cool?
Respect your
neighbour, and
avoid those traffic
circles.
Only a short
drive from
Central Hanoi,
Middle Warp
Island in the Red
River is home
to a farming
community
eking out a living
from the land
starting from
daybreak.
Hanoi
Ho C
In practically
every home
and business,
youll find a
shrine, filled
with the burnt
ends of incense
and some of the
best offerings
a kitchen can
provide. This is
ancestor worship
in its most visible
manifestation.
But for some
its not enough.
They must escape
the bustle of
the coming day
and head to the
pagodas, incense
in hand.
hi
Minh Cit
Its mid-morning,
and theres no
better time to
relax over a glass
of hot green tea
on the street. The
miracle leaf is
grown all over
The Highlands,
but in Hanoi it
has to be from
Thai Nguyen.
Nowhere else
will do.
Hanoi
Ho C
Traffic in Ho Chi
Minh City isnt a
time-constrained
event, its a way
of life. By 10am
the roads have
emptied of office
and school-bound
traffic, but theyre
still strangely
clogged. And the
attention they
attract is more
than just due
diligence on the
part of the drivers
here the traffic
is a spectacle,
as flickeringly
addictive as
a game of
Candy Crush.
hi
Minh Cit
Contrary to
popular belief,
Hanois favourite
dish is not pho
but bun cha, and
as lunch arrives
in the capital,
so that smell of
barbecuing bacon
and pork patties
fills the city
streets.
Hanoi
Ho C
Wherever a
construction
site springs
up, an equally
temporary space
follows. Glass
cases holding
com binh dan and
metal vats of
pho speckle the
boundary lines
giving workers
comfort in food.
Or maybe the
workers just leave
their place of
work for a quick,
late morning
break.
hi
Minh Cit
In home or
out, after lunch
Hanoi goes to
sleep. Even the
xe om drivers, no
longer touting for
trade, take some
welcome time
out.
Hanoi
Ho C
hi
Minh Cit
Com van phong,

or office lunches,
originally started
in the citys cafes.
A relatively
cheap set meal in
attractive, aircon
surroundings
was perfect for
the growing
quorum of office
workers. But with
the onslaught of
food courts and
sleek eateries, so
the location has
changed, as has
the meal. Its no
longer just rice,
rice and more
rice. Now its a
bit of everything.
Morning,
lunchtime or
afternoon, West
Lake attracts the
fishermen. Some
do it for sport or
pure relaxation,
while others cast
their rods to put
food on the table.
Hanoi
Ho C
Well, hes got to

sleep sometime.
And, with legs
propped up on
the handles he
so deftly steers,
Mr. xe om is more
comfortable
than he looks.
He might have
been a farmer
or technician in
another life, but
hes given that up
to make his living
off the streets.
hi
Minh Cit
Its after lunch

and the romance
brigade comes
out to take a ride
in a swan pedalo
onto the lake. At
2pm its relatively
quiet, but by
4pm the whole of
Hanoi seems to
be in on the act.
Hanoi
Ho C
hi
Minh Cit
Theres no
use avoiding
it, tourist:
bargaining at Ben
Thanh Market is
a rite of passage.
Housed inside
this architectural
treasure is a
square kilometre
of tat, from
souvenirs to fake
suitcases to, erm,
trinkets. T-shirt
hawkers will pull
on your T-shirt
until you buy
one of theirs. The
savvy avoid the
daytime mess
and head there at
night, when its
that much more
pleasant.
Close to the
water park,
VND40,000 gets
you into Flower
Valley where
together with
friends, loved
ones, family and
lots of props, you
can take photos
to your hearts
content. Theres a
fake grand piano,
a windmill,
fake Autumn
leaves, a Vespa,
a Mobylette, a
dog sleeping on
a bed of cotton
wool and fields of
flowers. Perfect
for the avid
photographer.
Hanoi
Ho C
Working all day

does nothing
good for the nails.
So take a half-day
off and enjoy
one of Saigons
live-like-a-king
pleasures. Shell
out as little as
VND80,000 for a
mani-pedi it
pays for itself in
the free drinks
youre soon to
receive.
hi
Minh Cit
With its naked

swimmers and
nudist beach,
Middle Warp
Island is home
not just to
farmers and
floating houses,
but exercisers
taking in the
afternoon breeze
in the shadow of
Long Bien Bridge.
Hanoi
Ho C
hi
Minh Cit
Those who
remember what
it was like to
be a kid might
bristle at the
10-hours-a-day,
six-days-a-week
school regimen
Saigonese youth
are subjected to.
But go down to
23/9 Park or the
pavement of Le
Duan and you
can watch this
countrys future
leaders cut loose,
demonstrating
a focus sadly
missing on their
end-of-term
exams.
The Japan
Foundation,
Goethe Institut
and LEspace
hold regular
cultural events
and exhibitions.
This one at the
Japan Foundation
was put together
by the arts
collective,
Hitotzuki.
Hanoi
Ho C
If rush hours have

personalities,
this one would
be more hopeful
than the
mornings
but somehow
less patient.
But patience
is all a matter
of perspective,
and seeing
other peoples
live-and-let-live
approach to the
man cycling or
pushing his food
cart through
the middle of
a busy traffic
circle puts a more
sympathetic face
on the commute
home.
hi
Minh Cit
The only roadway

in Vietnam where
traffic drives
on the left, as
dusk sets over
the iconic Long
Bien Bridge, so
the high-rises,
concrete houses
and banana
plantations light
up and darken
with the onset of
night.
Hanoi
Ho C
hi
Minh Cit
Watching sunset
from across the
river gives jaded
city dwellers a
context for the
magnificent
nature in which
they live. Just
across from the
skyscrapers
lies a landscape
dominated by
natural rhythms,
and when the
sun sets, life here
grows calmer, as
Saigon forgets the
pressures of day.
As night
descends, so do
the kids on
Lenin Park. On
rollerblades,
bicycles or with
their parents
to rent a mini
electric car, they
take over. Well
not quite. The
adults are there,
too, playing
badminton,
football or taking
in some hip-hop
classes.
Hanoi
Ho C
hi
Minh Cit
Dinner doesnt
cook itself.
Neither does it
buy itself, as you
can observe in
Big C at this hour.
Fresh off of a
long day of work,
hundreds crowd
the aisles, a new
challenge in front
of them this
tomato or that?
Its iconic,
its in all the
guidebooks and,
thanks to the bia
hoi, it was once
the cheapest
place to drink in
the Old Quarter.
Those days are
gone, but the
intersection of Ta
Hien and Luong
Ngoc Quyen still
gets rammed
with both locals
and tourists.
Hanoi
Ho C
hi
Minh Cit
While the rest of

the city is subject
to the rhythms of
working days and
ladies nights,
the plastic chairs
on Bui Vien are
never empty at
this hour. Thirsty
travellers and
even thirstier
Saigonese pack
out the bia hois
looking to forget
the sun and drink
away the night.
Weekend
nights see the
transformation
of Hang Dao
into a night
market. Selling
everything from
cheap jewellery,
watches, belts
and winter jackets
through to quick
bites, the place
attracts a mixture
of Hanoians and
tourists.
Hanoi
Ho C
Its 9pm and

your stomach
is rumbling.
Tentacles dont
go bad, do they?
You take your
chances with
some bach tuoc
nuong and never
look back. Maybe
next time youll
try your luck on
those tantalising
oysters.
hi
Minh Cit
Day or night,
the hawkers run
a trade on the
streets of the
capital. From
banh my to chao
and bun ngan, to
a range of snacks,
when it comes to
street food, Hanoi
is king.
Hanoi
Ho C
For some, the

hour wont
matter if the EPL
is in season. From
expat haunts
like Phattys,
Baan Thai and
Universal to the
corner sets in
the local joints
across the street,
these games
attract diehards
and a unique
atmosphere. Its
a brief escape
from the usual
schedule
unless of course
another game is
on after.
hi
Minh Cit
The bar scene

in the capital
doesnt quite
have the same
vibrancy of its
sister city down
south, but it does
have its own vibe.
From live music
to story slams to
pumping beats
coming out of the
sound system,
Hanoi covers the
whole range.
Hanoi
Ho C
hi
Minh Cit
Its a simple fact

of life. Dried
squid served
up with chilli
sauce and the
local version of
hoisin just goes
perfectly with a
beer or five. And
its brought right
to your table, too,
grilled to order.
Theres a lack
of space in the
capital, and
at night every
available portion
of street gets put
to good use, even
areas outside the
temples.
Hanoi
Ho C
hi
Minh Cit
As things slow
in the city, trucks
start to enter,
setting up the
commerce of the
coming days.
The highway of
choice is the one
winding 1,700km
down from
Hanoi, National
Route 1A
which came in
seventh in Lonely
Planets Worlds
Best Cycling
Routes last time
they did one of
those roundups.
But at this hour,
the cycles have
cleared out and
the rigs own the
road.
Its getting late,

you have hunger
pangs. Where
better to go
than the chao ga,
chicken congee
joint opposite
the cathedral?
Even Xoi Yen on
Nguyen Huu
Huan does a fast
trade in sticky
rice into the early
hours.
Hanoi
Ho C
While the rest

of the city is
going dark, the
nightclubs are
entering their
native states.
There are a
growing number
of people whose
closets contain
fewer stiff collars
than slinky
dresses except
of course when
their finery is
being worn on
the dance floor.
hi
Minh Cit
As the city sleeps,

so Long Bien
Market wakes up,
with suppliers
trucking in from
far and wide with
supplies for the
early morning
trade.
Hanoi
Ho C
hi
Minh Cit
While the citys

storefronts have
trucks to bring
in their supplies,
the citys markets
depend on a less
formal network.
Motorbikes and
riverboats bring
in the lush goods
from the Mekong
Delta to the
wholesale market
Binh Dien, not
too far from
Cholon. These
deliveries precede
a flurry of buying
and selling which
will soon extend
citywide.
Despite the early

hour, the largest
market in Central
Hanoi is already
in full flow. Most
vendors have
their patch inside
the markets
gates, while the
not-so-lucky ply
their trade on
the main road
outside. Drive
past at your peril.
Hanoi
Ho C
The information
age hasnt left the
citys newspaper
industry behind.
Its early and
the printing
houses are in
action, running
newspapers
through their
offset printers,
before folding
and placing each
copy in bundles
for the delivery
men and women
to disperse them
around the city.
hi
Minh Cit
Its still early,

but the buyers
and sellers have
already made it to
Au Co, the dyke
road leading into
Hanoi, to get their
daily fix of petals,
buds, stalks and
pollen.
Hanoi
Ho C
Of all the pocket

societies setting
up in the predawn hours,
few bring as
much colour to
the darkness
as the flower
sellers of District
10s Ho Thi Ky
Flower Market.
Coming in from
the highlands
of Dalat and the
riverbanks of
the Mekong, the
flowers usher in
hope for the new
day.
hi
Minh Cit
Dragon Images
Word would like to thank D ragon I mages for
their work on the Ho Chi Minh City photos for
this story. The first professional stock photography
studio in Vietnam and with eight years experience in
the world market, the team behind Dragon creates
some of the most popular and best-selling stock
photo collections in Southeast Asia. Providing a
wide selection of photography services for a full
range of clients, for more information go to
dragonimages.asia or email studio@
dragonimages.asia.
Arts
THEATRE
Dr. Jekyll and

Mr. Hyde
At the beginning of March, The New Theatre Company
(TNT) are returning to Vietnam with an adaptation of
one of Robert Louis Stevensons most enduring novels.
Anticipating performances at both the Hanoi and
Ho Chi Minh City Opera Houses, we speak
to the shows producer, Grantly Marshall
TNTs first shows in Vietnam were
Shakespeares. You then went on
to an adaptation of Gullivers
Travels. Now its Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde. What factors have influenced
your choice of plays to bring to
Vietnam?
The company always presents a varied
repertoire of productions, exploring known
titles through theatre. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
is a title as famous and profound as all but a
few of Shakespeares plays. So we thought
we would present it in Vietnam as part of its
world tour 20 countries in 22 weeks!
Why do you think its important to

bring English language theatre to
countries such as Vietnam? Where
else has TNT performed in recent
times?
We bring theatre in the English language
because it is, by luck, the global language
and also because literature in English is
so rich. We also create theatre in Spanish
and French I have also worked recently
in Mandarin. Vietnam is important for us
because it is a rapidly developing country
with a sophisticated cultural history. We
feel we have put in the hard work of
development tours to the country and are
now building a loyal audience. Culture
and arts are important, they combat the
commercial and digital age in which we live,
offering more satisfying human values.
How well have your previous

shows in Vietnam been received?
What are the highlights? How have
the previous performances here
affected the way you are preparing
for your present round of shows?
It is impossible to generalise our
audiences in Vietnam vary so much. My
favourite personal experience was going
to a normal public school in Ho Chi

Minh City and talking to a class that was
studying King Lear. They asked excellent
questions in English and then came to
see the performance. They were very
excited to meet the actors afterwards. They
really understood the play and enjoyed
the performance. I found it amazing and
humbling. What potential these young
students have, and how thrilling it is to fire
them with enthusiasm for Shakespeare.
We do not change our productions
for the many countries we tour to we
believe an audience in Vietnam or Costa
Rica wants to see a performance that might
and is performed in Britain. If we eat pho
in London or a croissant in Hanoi, we
want it to be as much like the original as
possible thats the same with theatre.
Anything else is patronising we respect
our audiences.
You always choose to stage your

plays in the Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh
City Opera Houses. What is the
reason for this? Have you looked
at other venues?
We have also performed in Danang and in
various schools, but the two opera houses
have a certain prestige and anyway, are
some of the most beautiful venues in Asia.
Why not present our work in such stunning
environments isnt that part of the thrill of
going out to see theatre?
Physicality and physical theatre

in general is becoming increasingly
used in theatre around the
world. How have you managed to
incorporate this into your present
production? How complicated is
such an incorporation?
Our style of theatre concentrates on the
actor. It is certainly hard work, and more
like sport sometimes than art! I was

trained in the style of the Polish director
Grotowski who is said to have invented
physical theatre (I had direct contact with
his company). We have since developed
our own style, but we aim to combine
physical theatre with specially composed
music, comedy and tragedy to create a true
synthesis of the performing arts.
Jekyll and Hyde is quite a dark

story and is very melodramatic.
What techniques are you using
to create this ambience in your
adaptation of the story? How
important is the set, music and
lighting?
Music and lighting are important but our set
is simple the imagination of the audience
is the greatest resource of theatre, so we try
to use that. Yes the story is melodramatic and

that lends itself to very well to theatre. We
are also very true to the story most films
invent a fake love interest, for example and
skew the original. This is a horror story, a
thriller and a detective story about good and
evil, and the language is fantastic.
newspaper or been on Facebook for an hour

of course he does not give the right energy.
Audiences like to see versatile actors, too.
Large casts seldom create fine theatre because

the actors in lesser parts do not have the
same drive and energy as the actors in the
main roles. When you have the actor playing
Hamlet also play a soldier in one scene, that
soldier has drive and energy. If you bring
an actor on to play that soldier he has been
sitting in the dressing room reading the
We are the consistent members of the team,

we fix the style and take the risks. Yes
many actors are veterans who stay for years
(Richard Croughan as Dr. Jekyll has even
toured Vietnam before with Romeo & Juliet
and Macbeth) but we are not a star system
theatre company this also skews art. What
we offer is our companys unique style. That
Normally theatre productions

promote the actors, but in your
scenario, it promotes the people
behind the show Paul Stebbings,
You tend to use a small number of
Phil Smith, yourself (Grantly
actors all playing numerous parts. Marshall) and the choreographer,
What are the benefits and difficulties Eric Tessier-Lavigne. Why is this the
of going down this route?
case?
is more important than any one individual,

including me.
Information
TNT have performed a number of times in
Vietnam with performances of Romeo &
Juliet, Macbeth and Gullivers Travels.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde will show at the
Hanoi Opera at 7.30pm on Mar. 4. The
production will then move to Ho Chi Minh
City for four shows 7.30pm on Mar. 6,
Mar. 7 and Mar. 8 as well as an 11am
matinee on Mar. 7. For more information
go to adg-europe.com/JEKYLL_HYDE
For ticketing go to vnpac.org, the
Vietnam Performing Arts Center, tel: (04)
3747 8658, log onto ticketbox.vn or
email info@adg-europe.com
Arts
The Participation
Culture
There is a growing do-it-yourself, anything goes culture in Saigon, spearheaded by
the spirit of Saigon Outcast. This unconventional venue inverts the viewer-viewee
dynamic in more ways than just by switching on the open mic. Ed Weinberg looks
back on a year (plus) of shenanigans. Photos by Francis Xavier
The centralised leadership Linh and Ha give

Outcast is one of the main reasons for its
success. Where Zone 9 had too many active
voices to stand still, Linh and Has humble
approach has given them the chance to listen
digital scale, to be brewed via pour-over,
next to tabbouleh doctored up by photo
collective Xem. The only musicians in
the bunch Space Panther, scheduled to
play a headlining set that is later moved
to The Observatory because of noise
complaints plate their Gorilla Meats Co.
Cheeky Thai Sausage tacos, while singing
Airs Sexy Boy in joint falsetto. Yea,
Pantherian Bryon Rudd says, thats what
we cook to.
As is usually the case with these things,
my journalistic impartiality collapses
pretty quickly. Mind if I take a sip of
your beer? asks the other Panther David
Haimovich, my cup already in hand. Ive
put down my note pad and am helping
them separate plates. Youre voting for
us, right?
The Shepherds
ts just another day at Saigon Outcast,

and something Saigon has never seen
before is happening.
This time, its an artist cooking
competition followed by a six-musician
showcase. Its called Super Blop, a
collaborative extravaganza organised by
the minds at institute of Lower Learning.
Its 2pm on a Saturday, and those tempted
by offers of free food watch the assembled
musicians, visual artists and community
gardeners plate their entries.
Art group Mi An Lien instant noodle
counter-intuitively rocks out some xoi
thit. Speciality coffee consultant Will Frith
measures out Eastgate coffee grounds on a
While the days organisers run around

and improvise, Outcasts co-founders Linh
Nguyen and Duong Phuong Ha stick to
the periphery, smiling and supportive,
knowing theyll be the ones with the
ultimate responsibility.
For much of the past year-plus of
Outcasts existence, this is the way its
gone. Free-form plans and good intentions
have made for some of DIY Saigons
most memorable times, kept honest by an
increasingly competent framework.
Linh and Ha came into this as dreamers,
with a goal of gathering the creative energy
present in Ho Chi Minh City and giving it
a space to play. In this way its genesis was
similar to that of Hanois recently departed
Zone 9, which in its short lifespan became
a lightning rod for the pent-up energies of
Hanois creative community. Unfortunately,
as lightning rods are wont to do, it
attracted the electricity but was unprepared
for the consequences.
The centralised leadership Linh and Ha
give Outcast is one of the main reasons for
its success. Where Zone 9 had too many
active voices to stand still, Linh and Has
humble approach has given them the
chance to listen.
All this is collaborative, Linh says.
Looking back now, on the whole year that
Outcast has been running, a lot of stuff here
is growing by itself. Its something that we
didnt plan.
An earthen pizza oven in the shape
of Has favourite anime character, Totoro,
built over a couple Sundays by muddy
volunteers, is now centre stage. Steve
[Wiig, of sustainability group Green Youth
Collective] wanted to build the oven and

people wanted to do the workshop, says
Ha. And now its escalated to utilising
the oven, because why wouldnt we use
what we have?
When a faction of District 2 neighbours
who didnt want to cooperate sought a
shutdown order on Outcast activities,
Linh and Ha listened. They looked for a
compromise and now self-regulate most
times, the party shuts down between 10 or
11pm. They are trying to work with people,
and as a result their project has become
all-inclusive
On a typical day, youll find
neighbourhood kids skating the half-pipe,
while expats sit around with a beer and
computer. They should come; they helped
build it.
For the half-pipe, Linh says, people
got together and built that. We provided
the material and they got together and
built it. People like to build things.
Collaborative Chaos
The community approach is working,
even if its path isnt always direct. For the
coming year, Linh and Ha are thinking
about ways to give its participants a push
in the right direction.
Were going to concentrate on more
workshops, Linh says. Personally I want
to learn to play drums and Ive spoken
to Janel [Orbida, drummer for In the Lions
Den and Tofus band] and other people,
who will actually be hosting workshops.
The idea bring a group of people
together, learn basic rhythm.
Its this passion for new experiences
thats given Outcast its longevity, its sense
of progress.
Linh continues: When you play
together, when you jam together, you learn
quicker. Theres more passion and energy
learning in a group than in private tuition,
which a lot of people do in Vietnam. They
pay a lot of money for private tuition for
their kids to learn musical instruments
They just leave their kids there, go off and
do something else and expect their kids to
learn something.
I believe that a community a
collaborative group of people learning
together is always the best thing.
Saigon Outcast is at 188/1 Nguyen Van
Huong, Q2, Ho Chi Minh City or online at
facebook.com/saigonoucast no t. Their next
anniversary is in celebration of one year of the
Melting Pot Art and Music Festival on Feb. 22
from 1pm to 10pm
Lifestyle
Green
Living
With 40 buildings in Vietnam having gained

LOTUS or the equivalent certification, there is
a growing move towards sustainable design.
Words by Katie Jacobs.
Illustration by Claire Driscoll
taring at the clean, minimalist

space with garden alcoves and
natural light to spare, it is hard to
imagine that this quiet pocket of
calm exists in Hanoi; let alone on Trang
Thi, one of the busiest and noisiest areas
near Hoan Kiem Lake.
This new office building is one of the latest
projects of group8, a Swiss-owned, Hanoibased architecture firm that specializes in
designing modern, sustainable buildings
that embrace the local environment and
adapt to the surrounding space.
As green buildings increase around
the world, Hanoi and indeed Vietnam is
playing its part in embracing the sustainable
development movement; whether it will
actually catch on is yet to be seen.
Integrating Sustainable Design

What is the question here that needs to be
answered? is the first question the partners
at group8 ask before starting a project.
According to Manuel Der Hagopian, one of

the group8 partners based in Hanoi, We
cannot proceed with the design process
until we understand what the problem is,
why this building is needed and how it
will be influenced by the natural and urban
landscape.
Group8, who have offices in Europe
and Asia, is well known for pushing the
boundaries of design. The group does not
define themselves as a green architecture
firm, rather by the sustainability of their
designs, something that is ingrained into
their working process.
Designing sustainable buildings does not
have to be expensive and fancy, says Der
Hagopian. We look at the environment and
design buildings that are appropriate for that
area.
Decisions as simple as facing the windows
away from direct sunlight, designing
well-positioned air vents to increase air
movement, and installing window shutters
for shade are practical, low-cost design

aspects which greatly reduce power
consumption.
Green Hanoi
Walking Hanois crowded streets,
surrounded by the crush of buildings and
the whirr of traffic, it can be difficult to
imagine where green certified buildings fit
into the cityscape. Yet they are here. Among
the construction projects, dense housing
pockets, and decaying colonial buildings,
exist a few individuals working to change
the future of development in Hanoi.
Instead of adopting the US-based LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design) system, which analyses buildings
and determines their level of sustainability,
Vietnam has created its own system, known
as LOTUS, which has been designed
specifically for the challenges facing
Vietnams growing urban centers.
Vietnams cities cannot be compared to
Western cities, says Nguyen Minh Tong,

executive director of Hanoi-based Vietnam
Green Buildings Council (VGBC). We have
our own set of challenges and as such we
need our own system of certification.
VGBC was created in 2007 as part of
the World Green Building Council, an
alliance of over 90 national green building
councils around the world that works to
transform the local building industries
towards sustainability. Although the LOTUS
system is based on the same principles
as LEED and other notable certification
systems such as GreenStar in Australia and
BREEAM in Europe, Vietnam felt it needed
to establish its own system to reflect the
existing building regulations, climate zones
and specific concerns, such as the rapidly
changing urban environment. Unlike the
US, UK, Europe and Australia, Vietnam
is dealing with a larger scale of urban
immigration and a lower budget, making it
even harder to adapt green principals.
The LOTUS rating tools, which
differentiate between residential and nonresidential developments, aim to guide the
local construction industry
towards an efficient use
of natural resources and
introduce environmentally
friendly practices that may
not otherwise have been
thought of. Of course
this is easier said than
done, says Nguyen. It
is a slow process, but now
we are moving out of the
discussion phase and into
implementation.
Three new Big C shopping
complexes in Binh Duong,
Viet Tri and Ninh Binh have
applied for Silver LOTUS
ratings. If completed, these buildings
will be leaders for sustainable business
development across Vietnam. The new
United Nations House in Hanoi is expected
to be awarded a Gold LOTUS rating upon
completion in early this year. Developed
as a joint venture between the UN and
the authorities, this building is not only
significant for its small carbon footprint
and resource use reduction, but it is also
a notable collaboration involving the full
support of the Vietnamese Government
in favour of moving towards a more
sustainable city.
Although these are positive steps forward
in terms of Vietnams commitment to
prioritize sustainable planning for the rapid

urban growth across the country, the pace of
development is slow. Solidance, a consulting
firm active in advising green building
suppliers throughout Asia, recently released
a white paper entitled Is There a Future for
Green Buildings in Vietnam? According to
the report, Vietnam has 40 green certified
buildings. A low number compared with
neighbouring countries such as Singapore,
Asias leader in the green building market,
which celebrated its 1,000th green certified
building last year. Yet the number is growing
a positive sign.
The Solidance report confirmed what
architects and urban planners have
previously said; that urban sustainability
across Vietnam is restricted by cost
sensitivities, low electricity prices, shortterm thinking and a limited supply of skilled
employees with green building awareness.
Many argue that until electricity costs go up,
developers and consumers have no incentive
to reduce power consumption. As such, the
majority of buildings are built without much
consideration of the natural environment.
these things until they can be properly

implemented. Instead, their simple design
techniques are remarkably reminiscent
of both French and Vietnamese historic
architecture from the region.
When the French first moved into Hanoi
they didnt understand the climate and as
a result, their buildings were unlivable,
says cultural guide Roman Szlam. Yet
they learnt to adapt and if you look at the
buildings from 1910 onwards you will see
they have adopted a style influenced by
traditional Vietnamese architecture.
This involves extensive ventilation to
encourage air-flow, with peaked roofs and
small windows to allow warm air to rise
and escape. Awnings are built over the
windows and living space is focused on the
center of the room rather than the outside
walls. The traditional Vietnamese home
is one of the best examples of sustainable
architecture out there, adds Szlam. Wellventilated, using recycled materials and
facing away from the sun, they offer simple
designs perfectly adapted to the local
environment .
Looking back at plans
for the new construction
on Trang Thi it is clear that
group8 have adopted these
principals. While the final
product looks nothing like
a French colonial villa or
a traditional Vietnamese
house, the philosophy is the
same. The design includes
an outside layer of steel
and glass that protects the
internal rooms from heat
and noise while allowing for
air-flow and natural light.
In the centre of the building
is a large chimney, which
encourages ventilation between all the
floors, keeping the air moving and allowing
hot air to escape. Gardens will be installed
which will not only freshen the air and
contribute to the citys greenery, but also
make the building a nicer place to be.
Sustainable design is holistic design, and
the happiness of the buildings inhabitants
is always important.
On paper this building looks like any
other four walls, a roof, and windows.
But if this design spreads it could represent
a move towards a new Hanoi, a city of
buildings that work with the surrounding
area and create spaces that are beneficial for
the environment and the residents.
The traditional Vietnamese home is

one of the best examples of sustainable
architecture out there. Well-ventilated,
using recycled materials and facing
away from the sun, they offer simple
designs perfectly adapted to the local
environment
Nguyen suggests more incentives, such

as tax breaks or low rent for developers
interested in sustainable buildings. With
more incentive, developers will hopefully
start to understand that building sustainably
doesnt have to be more expensive and
additional upfront expenses, if there are any,
actually save on running costs in the future.
Back to Roots
Discussing sustainable architecture with
group8 and VGBC, it becomes clear that they
are not advocating expensive water recycling
plants and extensive solar panel systems.
Vietnam is not there yet, says Der
Hagopian, so there is no point pushing
wellness
WELLNESS
Holistic Hanoi
Hoa Le talks to five active holistic practitioners in the capital,
each with their own methods to help you heal or simply improve
your health physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
Photos by Francis Roux
Karen Gay
Energy Healing
f you have stomach issues, hold

your thumb. Just hold it and take
gentle breaths. This is also good
for insomnia. This is just one of
the many simple things Karen Gay tells
her clients to do during her energy healing
sessions.
If youre very angry, hold on to your
middle finger, she says in her slow and
patient voice. She then explains that each
finger looks after an organ in the body, and
that emotions such as fear, anger and grief
are associated with different fingers. So
when one holds their fingers, it will affect
the harmony of the whole body.
Karen is a deep tissue massage therapist
and also an energy healing practitioner. In
her standard 90-minute massage session,
she employs a range of techniques including
Hawaiian lomi lomi, a Chinese technique
focused on acupressure points and the
importance of qi or energy of the body,
as well as Swedish massage. All clients
who come for the massage receive a free
40-minute energy healing session as Gay
believes that whatever is manifested in the
body in terms of a disease, illness or
injury has already been seen at an energetic

level. Its the energy that heals everything,
connects everything and is the root of
everything, she says.
Starting out as a physical education teacher,
Karen has always been interested in the body.
She eventually decided to quit the nine-to-five
working routine to learn Kenji deep tissue
massage. Later, she became interested in Jin
Shin Jyutsu energy healing and acquired a
degree while she was working in Shanghai.
Originating in Japan, in recent times this
practice has gained worldwide recognition.
But Gay says her clients are the ones to decide
on the effectiveness of any treatment they
need to trust their therapists and follow
directions.
Im putting my hands on their body
to enhance the energetic flow that may be
blocked, she says. So its often more their
work than my work.
For Karen, happiness comes at the end
of a session, when she sees her clients
demeanors completely changed, and the
vitality appear in their faces and eyes.
To learn more about Karen Gays work, check
out her website at a-roamingbodyworker.com
Dr. Huong
Catgut Embedding Therapy
nly recently did Dr. Huong see

many Vietnamese patients come
to her clinic, which is tucked
away in a small, busy alley
Ngo Nui Truc. Open since 2002 at her
home, most of her clients were expatriates
living in Vietnam they were coming for
catgut embedding therapy, a treatment
with roots in China and Vietnam. Most
people heard about her work through
word of mouth.
Westerners generally have a better
starting point as their energy or qi is stronger
they adapt to the therapy very well, she
says.
Catgut embedding originates from
a traditional Chinese therapy where
surgical chromic catgut, a type of cord
made from natural fibre, is sutured into
the tissues under the acupuncture points
with a specialised needle. According to
Dr. Huong, the process works the same as
in acupuncture, as the area surrounding
the embedded point and paralysed body
parts are stimulated. The body creates more
endorphins, which help boost the immune
system.
But in catgut embedding, the
effectiveness lasts for longer than in
acupuncture, she explains. The patients
only need treatment one to three times every
15 days or month instead of having to come

to the clinic every day as with traditional
acupuncture.
For Vietnamese patients, Dr. Huong
often uses traditional medicine or natural
supplements to boost their energy levels
before the treatment. Diseases that she
has successfully treated include asthma,
abdominal and lower back pain, leg
pain, insomnia and eye, nose and throat
infections.
Originally trained in mainstream
paediatrics, she spent four years studying in
France before she discovered her interest in
traditional medicine. In the late 1990s, she
met Dr. Le Thuy Oanh, the founder of a new
approach to catgut embedding, a treatment
that had been successful in Hungary. Since
2000, she has practised this therapy. Between
2000 and 2002, she cured about 300 patients
at the National Hospital of Traditional
Medicine. She then decided to open her own
clinic in her home.
Its amazing to not to have to use
medicine, and yet be able to cure people,
she says. It is for this reason that she has
stuck with catgut embedding for such a
long time and maintains a strong belief in its
virtues.
Dr. Huongs clinic is at 82 Ngo Nui Truc, Ba
Dinh
Dr. Hai
Luc Khi Acupunture
r. Le Hai was born to a family of

doctors his parents are both
mainstream doctors and his wife
is an osteopath. But he has chosen
a different route traditional medicine.
Espousing a holistic philosophy, where
health is decided by many factors and not
just by medicine, he works at the National
Hospital of Traditional Medicine and is
well-known for luc khi acupunture, where
hot patchs are applied to the acupoints to
smooth the blood flow and cure infections
or disabled parts of the body.
Luc khi [six types of energy] acupunture,
is very different from Chinese acupunture
because we use a completely different
system to take the pulses of the patients,
says Dr. Hai. The principles of the treatment
are harmonising and establishing the
equilibrium of Yin and Yang, as well as the
different types of energy that exist in the
body metal, wood, water, fire, warmth
and earth.
In a typical session, Dr. Hai takes a pulse
reading from both wrists. Then he
asks about the symtoms and uses que dich,

a practitioner-only manual to find the
acupoints of each patient according to their
particular illness. Although the philosophy
is complex, treatment is simple. Dr. Hai uses
small pieces of Salonpas patches and sticks
them on the acupoints.
It is possible to use any patches that
create heat and scent, he says. This
combination helps the blood flow better
and brings back an energy balance, which
is the root of all treatment. This method
is not only great for treating chronic pains
in the joints, arthrosis, back pain and
headaches, but also insomnia, tonsillitis and
constipation.
As the treatment doesnt use any medicine
and doesnt leave any pain, its suitable for
pregnant women and children, and even
patients who want to continue the therapy
themselves after their initial treatment.
Every Saturday, Dr. Hai offers free treatment
from 9am to 3pm at his office. Appointments
should be made in advance via email to
doctorlehai@gmail.com
Gregory Puret
Osteopathy
regory Puret didnt have to wait long

before his clinic had a regular flow
of patients. Only a month after he
opened his osteopathy practice in
2010, many people found their way there for
treatment.
The majority of my clients are
foreigners, explains the 32-year-old French
practitioner. I dont have many Vietnamese
customers because I think most people dont
know about osteopathy. But the ones who
know are generally very enthusiastic.
A typical session lasts from 45 minutes to
an hour-and-a-half. After talking about the
patients medical history, then comes the
40-minute session in which he uses manual
hands on techniques to improve circulation
and strengthen the musculoskeletal
framework, which includes the joints,
muscles and spine. His treatment often
includes soft tissue stretching to increase
blood flow and improve the flexibility of
joints and muscles; articulation to mobilise
joints through a range of motion; and muscle
energy, to release tightness in the muscles
by being stretched and making them work
against resistance.
Passionate about massage since his

childhood, Gregory was encouraged to be a
massage therapist by his mother and sister.
He instead trained as a physiotherapist, but
is more comfortable working as an osteopath.
Physiotherapists have to respond to what
doctors ask, he explains. They have a very
detailed way of looking at things, which
is good in terms of overall understanding.
[However] osteopathy tries to understand
the [issue itself] and how it is related to other
[issues]. So we define the [problem based on]
its relationship.
Many of his patients have aches, back,
neck, heel or foot pain, repetitive strain
injury and also asthma, as well as arthritis
and digestive problems. But according to
Gregory, many come because of the stress
of living in Hanoi. Life in Hanoi is very
stressful for [foreigners] and they mainly
come because of health problems due to the
stress. How to eat, breath and be healthy is
hard to do here.
But he cant do it all. You have to learn to
be patient and to deal with frustration.
To learn more about Gregory Purets treatment,
click on gp-osteopath.com
Susana Gonzalez
Lymphatic Drainage Massage
efore coming to Vietnam, Susana

Gonzalez used to participate in a
meditation for healing cancer group
for years in Venezuela as well as
many other group healing activities. But
after she came to Vietnam five years ago
with her husband, she didnt have those
options anymore. Apart from this void, she
also wanted to discover her own talents and
developed a deeper interest in lymphatic
drainage massage therapy, which she had
started learning 15 years before.
There was no one who was doing that in
Vietnam, she says. In Europe its become
popular and many of my patients were
receiving the treatment before coming to
Vietnam. They needed to continue it.
Originating in Europe in the 1930s,
lymphatic drainage massage is a very soft
massage aimed at increasing the volume
of lymph flow and improving the systems
ability to remove toxins and infectious
materials from the body. According to Susana,
in many countries where plastic surgery
is popular, patients are given lymphatic
drainage therapy before and after surgery to
create better circulation and less complications
it aids faster recovery after the operation.
Lymphatic drainage massage is also said to be
a medically beneficial form of physical
therapy for a range of lymphedema-related

problems.
While practising in Vietnam, however, she
has encountered some cultural challenges.
In my country, people touch and kiss
all the time. But in Vietnam and many
European countries, this is not the case.
The way that I touch is very deep, so [my
patients] need to be sure that they are going
to be secure and respected.
Lymphatic drainage massage is not a
massage for relaxation its a medical
treatment. Therefore, Susana often tells
her patients to consult their doctors before
receiving treatment to make sure its ok.
At each session, she often she spends about
40 minutes talking with her patients about
their medical background and even their
emotions, as she believes everything has its
effect on a persons health. With many people
40 minutes might seem a very long time, but
for me, its the part I like most about this job. I
can get very close to my clients problems.
Susana practises her treatment at her
apartment in Ciputra. She often takes
patients from 9am to 11am and from 4pm
to 6pm in the afternoon. Noontime during
the summer is not helpful for my patients to
release stress, she smiles. You have to care
about the weather, too.
To contact Susana, email susanaemilia@
gmail.com
Holistic Practitioners
For more information on alternative
health therapies and massage in
Hanoi, check out the online Hanoi
Holistic Health Guide. Search for it
on Google or go directly to issuu.
com/hanoiholistichealth/docs/
h3gspring2013
wellness
health & rehab
The Sivananda Lifestyle

The spiritually-focused
Sivananda philosophy
allows yoga
practitioners to gain
a remove from their
surroundings, and an
insight into those bodies
they work so hard for. Its
also become an
increasingly popular
form of rehab.
Words by Lauren Beckerle.
Swami Pranavananda
In 1993, Swami was living a high-impact
life in Los Angeles as an engineer in
the aerospace sector working for the
American defense industry.
I had done a lot of sports, but yoga
seemed intelligent, he recalls. I started
looking at things more closely and I
realised there was something else I could
be doing.
The transition began with teacher
training followed by live-in volunteer
(karma) work at the Los Angeles and
San Francisco Sivananda centres. After
approval came from senior teachers and
board members, Pranavananda made a
vow and accepted the Swami title.
Its similar to being a nun or priest,
except you dress normally in public, he
explains. Its not about sticking out or
giving up who you are, but you do give
up your life and you dont get married.
Currently, he spends most of his
time at the Yoga Farm in Grass Valley,
California, but he visits the Vietnam centre
at least once per year.
eacefully and discretely situated

on a wide and developing street
in Ho Chi Minh Citys Phu Nhuan
is Sivananda Yoga Centre. The
four-storey house serves as a home for
volunteer yogis who teach and live at the
centre. Its also a short-term residence
for tourists, expats and locals as well as a
simple, warm and vibrant space for casual
yoga practitioners who seek a sensible,
spiritually-oriented and lifestyle-based
approach to this popular physical activity.
Ganga Nguyen, live-in volunteer yogi
and Sivananda Ho Chi Minh City centre
manager, says, This is a good place for
tourists and expats to stay to feel relaxed and
protected in a balanced environment.
The Saigon location opened in 2011, but
its part of a large network headquartered in
the Laurentian Mountains, one hour north of
Montral, Canada.
A Brief Background
In 1957, a cheerful and
determined Indian
man named Swami
Vishnudevananda (aka
Swamiji) landed on
US shores without any
knowledge of the culture
or language. He had been
a student and follower
of Swami Sivananda, a
famous top-caste medical
doctor turned spiritual
leader and writer. His
mission: expose post-war North America to
an accessible and grounded yogic lifestyle.
The five points of the Sivananda lifestyle
were simplified as much as possible for
the masses: proper exercise (yoga asanas),
trained breathing, effective relaxation, a
structured vegetarian diet and positive
thinking and meditation.
In 1959, Swamiji opened the first centre
and current headquarters. Currently, there
are more than 29 centres, nine ashrams and
many affiliated centres that have aided in
the education of 33,000+ yoga instructors
via teacher training courses and live-in
volunteer teaching programmes.
Understandably, it can be tricky to

teach and learn an all-encompassing
mind-body-spirit practice in less than an
hour near workout rooms with booming
club music. This is why the Sivananda
philosophy stresses the twelve basic
postures with sensible variations that cut
out the unattainable human pretzel act. The
point is to efficiently integrate breathing,
concentration and relaxation, as well as
physical strength and flexibility.
One Expats Solution to Burnout

Its a true story and well call her Warren
yes, she has a boys name and she knows it.
Warren had been working in Ho Chi Minh
City for a few months and was trying to
acclimate to the citys hustle while taking on
hefty and high-demand work ventures.
For a while, it was possible to mask
the growing overstimulation with cheap
beer and quirky conversation on Bui Vien.
However, extreme fatigue and stress were
and mantras). The morning meditation

session concluded at 7.30am, quickly
transitioning to the days first yoga class.
Yoga ended at 9am, leaving a few hours for
a nap.
Sleep was hard to come by amidst the
changes Warren was going through. When
her restlessness persisted, shed lie in bed
with books about meditation and yoga
positions, or shed get up and do karma
yoga (volunteer work that included upkeep
around the centre). Lunchtime was at noon
and everything was vegetarian, without eggs
or onions. Nevertheless, the food was always
carby and tasty.
Her full-time job began in the afternoon,
meaning that she sometimes missed out
on group activities and special classes
like ayurvedic healing, positive thinking
and yoga for beginners (working during
her stay was an inadvisable, if necessary,
burden). Regardless, the final results were
that Warrens hair began to grow back, she
became healthier and
more fit than shed
ever been in her life,
and she learned how
to effectively relax and
clear out unproductive
brain clutter.
Ganga says, I
feel like many of our
residents leave feeling
calmer and happier.
Their viewpoint often
changes with a better
focus on health and functional routines.
Yoga at the gym focuses on musclebuilding and flexibility. Theres no focus on

shifting ones consciousness. Its more like
showing off and competition, which is all
ego. We try to teach self-awareness here
Gym Yoga versus Sivananda Yoga

Yoga at the gym focuses on muscle-building
and flexibility, says Ganga. Theres no
focus on shifting ones consciousness. Its
more like showing off and competition,
which is all ego. We try to teach selfawareness here.
showing via baggy eyes and dramatic hair

loss (the latter leading to a constant burning
scalp sensation). After several visits to both
foreign and Vietnamese doctors had proved
fruitless, she took the plunge and opted for
a lifestyle makeover. However, this wasnt
ushered in with tickles, giggles and tofu.
Then again, meaningful and lasting change
never is.
[Yoga residents] are usually more serious
with their spiritual practice because they
must follow a lot of rules. We dont just take
anyone, says Ganga.
The daily routine began at 5.30am to a
ringing bell and the Sanskrit mantra, Om
Namah Shivaya. Once 6am hit, Warren sat
cross-legged listening to guidance on how
to observe breathing patterns and visualise
the brow chakra her third eye, the gate that
leads to inner realms and spaces of higher
consciousness.
This lasted for 30 minutes. Satsang ended
the silence (the singing of Sanskrit chants
Any Takers?
For those interested in the live-in residency
program, the application process consists
of filling out a registration form and
communicating with staff about details and
compatibility. Its possible to stay for just a
few days, but the best package economically
and educationally is to stay for at least one
month.
Its not only yoga, meditation and
vegetarian food at a cheap price, Ganga
says, but there are rules that we all follow
to start and maintain self-control, discipline
and good habits. If youre serious and
sincere, we can see it.
For those interested in daily classes,
dont fret because theyre casual and more
laid back. Also, note that a new Sivananda
location has opened in Dalat and may end
up serving as an informal year-round yoga
retreat or rehab.
Ganga Nguyen
In 2009, Ganga was 21 years old
and working in Ohio for Six Flags, an
American amusement park corporation.
This foothold gave her a chance to travel
around the US and improve her English.
When her visa came close to expiring,
her parents encouraged her to use the
last month in America to become a yoga
teacher. As avid travellers who enjoy trips
and retreats of a new-age nature, Ganga
trusted their advice and headed to the
Yoga Farm in Grass Valley, California.
After volunteering at the Cu Chi training
course, as well as at the centres in Grass
Valley, San Francisco and Los Angeles,
she was chosen to manage the Ho Chi
Minh City location when it opened in
2011.
Sivananda Yoga Centre is
located at 25 Tran Quy Khoach,
Q1. For yoga course information,
residency programme registration
forms and contact information, visit
sivanandayogavietnam.org
wellness
WELLNESS
Banged Up Abroad
Ever wonder what it would be like to be hospitalised abroad,
far from home and loved ones, while suffering ill health?
Once a regular contributor to Word, Marc Forster-Pert doesnt
need to wonder anymore for him, it was a reality
nder lockdown for 24 hours day,

confined within the same four walls
for 16 days, no exercise permitted. A
tempting view of a city unreachable
teases through the glass walls of my cell. All
I have is time to think about what Ive done,
and how I would do it all over again. My
crime? Getting run over on a bicycle in the
early hours of a Hanoian October morning.
I wasnt in prison, but instead the
salubrious setting of Bumrungrad
International Hospital in Bangkok, where
Id been medevacd to. The view of the citys
skyscrapers out of the window, coupled with
a severe leg injury, did nothing to give me the
feeling of a free man.
My last free memory was trying to get
up to say sorry to the driver of the taxi that
had just hit me at 70kmph. I felt fine, but
I couldnt feel my foot to put weight on it.
A friend rushed over to lay my head back
down, but I saw the bone out of the wound
and the funny angle of my foot my leg was
smashed. There was blood coming from my
head, which wasnt protected by a helmet. I
knew I was going down for some time.
[Bumrungrad]
resembled a holiday
resort, only without
the swimming pool
and nightclub. There
were high-end shops,
posh restaurants,
a concierge and a
currency exchange
A Medical Hub
People travel from all over Asia, even as far as
the Middle East, to receive medical treatment
in Bumrungrad in four different classes of
accommodation up to an exclusive private
suite costing in excess of VND15 million a
night, and thats just for the room. In the
perks is a full worldwide menu catering for
all dietary requirements and, wait for it,
I think back to the

accident. Lying on the
floor, my bike in worse
shape than I, looking
sorry some distance
away. Cursing myself
for not wearing a
helmet, which Id never
normally do. Seeing
the look of horror on
the drivers face
a McDonalds and Starbucks serving the

best of America in the hotel-style lobby
downstairs.
Doesnt sound that bad, does it? But for
me it was all too much. I wanted to escape. I
tried but I kept getting caught at the door.
A thought occurred to me. Many tourists
visiting Thailand could have sampled the
delectable street food of the nations capital,
discovered themselves in the temples of
Chiang Mai, partied in Koh Pha Ngan and
sunbathed on the beaches of Phuket in the
time that I was kept (mostly) in my room.
My company was a gentleman on the
other side of the dividing curtain: a snorer
by night (and sometimes by day) with a
nebuliser that resounded Darth Vader at
regular intervals during waking hours. At
least I didnt have to worry about dropping
the soap; I wasnt allowed to use the shower.
I was transferred from the French
Hospital in Hanoi, and I wasnt the only
one in hospital whod been picked up from

countries whose medical provisions were
deemed worse than western standard. I
wouldnt have said the medical treatment
in Vietnam was that bad, especially in a
hospital regarded by many as one of the
best in the country, but my travel insurance
company insisted a private medi-jet transfer
to Bangkok was standard procedure for
anyone with my injuries, especially with the
language barrier preventing key information
being passed to my insurers medical team.
Considering Id just had brain surgery, they
might have had a point.
The medical muster point of Bumrungrad
was a surreal location. Doormen opened
doors of expensive cars and organised
wheelchairs for their occupants. Porters
pushed stretchers with men wearing
traditional Arabic thawbs. The backpacker
with crutches, who presumably slipped
while enjoying a night out on the Khao San
Road, now queued for the visa extension

service. And then Thais, in hospital gowns,
lined up for a McFlurry or Big Mac.
It resembled a holiday resort, only
without the swimming pool and nightclub.
There were high-end shops, posh
restaurants, a concierge and a currency
exchange. There was even a restricted area
for the penthouse-type rooms on the top
floor. I just couldnt bring myself to join
in the fun the Shawshank Redemption it
wasnt, but I felt restricted by the nurses and
doctors orders and disturbances, limited
by the escorted trips in my wheelchair and
devoid of any of the culture one would
expect to find in a foreign country. At least I
would have gotten culture in the notorious
Bangkok Hilton.
Extradition
I think back to the accident. Lying on the
floor, my bike in worse shape than I, looking
So, Just What Exactly

Happened to Me?
T he A ccident Cycling home on Nhgi
Tam in Tay Ho, when I thought I heard a
friend call out from the side of the road
and decided to attempt a U-turn without
properly shoulder checking, leaving the
speeding taxi driver with no chance of
stopping.
sorry some distance away. Cursing myself
for not wearing a helmet, which Id never
normally do. Seeing the look of horror on
the drivers face.
It was a miracle that I found myself in a
hospital where every need is taken care of,
in a room with an incredible view, a minifridge and a widescreen TV. But my shackles
came in the form of my external fixator the
scaffolding that extended from my leg to
keep the broken bone in place. I was starting
to wish I hadnt gone out that night, three
weeks before in Hanoi.
I was eventually repatriated back to
the UK escorted by a friendly, expert
nurse from the UK, in business class to
serve the rest of my time in two different
hospitals back home. Arrival was a complete
shock. I was left in a ward with 10 people,
treated by nurses who didnt always have
time to smile, doctors that seldom visited
and had nothing but a wall to stare at out of
the window. It was starting to feel like real

prison. Some patients had been there for
months, which for the slowness of time in a
hospital, must have felt like years.
Instead of a McDonalds, this hospital had
an arguably healthier Burger King but
beyond that, it was like travelling back in
time to experience the utilitarian National
Health Service of the 1950s. Even so,
arriving home to completely free healthcare,
which ranks among the best in the world,
was a godsend.
Not everybody can afford the luxuries of
Bumrungrad International, and while I may
not have regained my freedom completely,
the thought of being left in a foreign country
without travel insurance and a chest full of
hard currency terrifies me as much as being
detained in a Thai prison.
To read and see more of Marcs stay in
hospital and his subsequent recovery, check his
blog at theframedman.tumblr.com
T he I njury Open tibia and fibula
fracture and extradural hematoma

which was only picked up after
three days in hospital as I never lost
consciousness or displayed signs of
head or brain injury.
T he P rognosis Ilizarov frame
prescribed for the leg, to enable regrowth

of the 5cm of bone that was removed. A
skin flap to cover the open wound. No
damage sustained from the hematoma.
Time for complete recovery: Up to two
years to literally be up and running. Full
recovery is likely but not guaranteed.
T he M oral Wear a helmet and
dont attempt any heroics on the roads

of Vietnam. Private jets, business class
flights and a free stay in one of the
worlds best hospitals are not worth
the trouble. Oh, and invest in top-level
insurance.
Food & drink

Spices
Any quest for exotic flavours should bring you to La Verticale
not the restaurant, but the spice boutique on its ground floor. Run
by chef Didier Corlou, the shop offers both everyday aromatics
grown in Vietnam and more exotic infusions like wild mountaintop
pepper and talauma, the seeds of a rare tree used traditionally by
ethnic minority tribes. Corlous five-spice mix, which features anise,
cinnamon, black cardamom, pepper and ginger, makes a flavorful
marinade for roasting pork or veal; the Curry dHalong, a blend of
coriander, turmeric and star anise, is as its name implies ideal
for seafood.
Find it at: La Verticale (Hanoi); verticale-hanoi.com/la-verticale/spices
FOOD & DRINK
Made in Vietnam
The days when gourmands in Vietnam could only choose from expensive imported
fare are pretty much over. Across the country, artisanal producers are crafting
international-style foods that spotlight local ingredients,
from chorizo to gelato. Here are nine of our favorites.
Words by Elisabeth Rosen. Photos by Mads Monsen
Pasta
From his narrow storefront on Xuan Dieu, Marco Sarli sells
homemade fettuccine in flavors from chilli and squid ink to porcini
mushroom and pumpkin. Oasis Delis fresh ravioli, tortellini and
lasagna are ready for cooking; grab a few of the accompanying
sauces and you can fool your friends into thinking you made them
yourself. There is also a selection of dry pastas available. Sarli also
sells specialties from his hometown near Genoa, like pesto and a rich
walnut sauce traditionally paired with ricotta and spinach pansotti.
Find it at: Oasis Deli (Hanoi)
Bagels
The newest addition to the
capitals admittedly limited
bagel selection comes from
Thanh Phuc Bakery, run by
a baker, a pharmacist and a
traditional medicine doctor out
of a kitchen on Xuan Dieu. All
Vietnamese, the group came
up with the idea of opening a
delivery business when they saw
that an increasing number of
their friends had no time to cook.
You can order the Americanstyle bagels, baked fresh every
morning, with grilled pork and
orange-mustard sauce or bacon
and egg as well as the classic
schmear.
Find it at: facebook.com/
thanhphucbagels (delivery to Hanoi
only). Or call 01678 217992
Chocolate
Each of the dark, flavourful bars from Marou, Vietnams first
artisanal chocolate producer, spotlights a regional cocoa variety. Try
the pod-to-bar Dong Nai 72%, made with cocoa fermented and
dried in the Cat Tien National Park area, or the aromatic Ba Ria 76%,
which founders Samuel Maruta and Vincent Mourou call their most
distinctive chocolate. Cadbury and Hershey lovers be warned
the assertive chocolates are for adult palettes only.
Find it at: Hanoi Social Club, Oasis Deli, Saint-Honore (Hanoi); Au
Parc, GastroHome, Red Apron Wines, Annam Gourmet (HCMC)
Honey
Proof that coffee helps you
multitask: Jaangalas Pierre
Morere uses the flowers from his
coffee plantation to produce a
rich, pure honey. On a pesticidefree growing area in Dasar, near
Dalat, the trained honey farmer
harvests the sweet stuff from 100
beehives. He got his start selling
to professional chefs and is now
expanding to speciality stores.
Find it at: 100% (Ho Chi Minh
City)
Ice cream
Using local ingredients, Bellany owner Jean-Marc Brutus blends
light Italian-style gelato and sorbet in flavours like vanilla-ginger,
coconut-coriander and blackcurrant infused with Phu Quoc pepper.
Theres also an emphasis on quality, from sourcing premium
components to maintaining the cold chain that preserves the
ice creams texture. Bellany products are still served mostly in
four and five-star hotels and restaurants, but expect cartons to hit
supermarket shelves nationally next year.
Find it at: Sofitel Plaza, JW Marriott, Mercure La Gare (Hanoi); Sofitel
Saigon Plaza, La Creperie, 100% (Ho Chi Minh City); at the two Bellany
shops in Mui Ne or go to bellany.vn
Cured meat
At Dalat Deli, his small atelier in mountainous Dalat, Daniel
Hampele cures a selection of local meats. His internationally inspired
offerings range from from salami and chorizo to Toulouse sausage
and red pepper terrine. Hampele started the company last year in
response to the growing demand for traceable food; all his products
are chemical-free, rigorously tested and controlled.
Find it at: 100% (Ho Chi Minh City); dalatdeli.com (delivery to Nha
Trang, Danang, Ho Chi Minh City)
Earl Grey tea

This organic-certified black tea
is grown in the mountainous
province of Ha Giang, one of
Vietnams oldest tea cultivation
areas, by ethnic Dao, Tay and
H'mong farmers. To create the
authentic Earl Grey flavour,
traditional Shan Tuyet tea
leaves are infused with pure
bergamot oil. Supplier Betterday
works closely with 1,000 ethnic
households to produce the tea,
offering technical supervision
and ensuring a sustainable
livelihood.
Find it at: Betterday (Hanoi)
Sausages
The casings and herbs might be imported, but Jontys Bangers are
all produced in Ho Chi Minh City by the eponymous Jonty, a former
farm owner who learned his trade from an experienced butcher back
in the UK. Since 2006, Jonty has been turning out traditional pork
sausages with flavourings like leek, sage and homegrown basil, as
well as other British delicacies like sausage rolls and Scotch eggs. For
vegans, theres a meatless variety made with beans and fresh tofu.
Find it at: An Phu Supermarket, Oasis Deli in Snap Cafe (Ho Chi Minh
City); kitchen.net.vn (delivery to Ho Chi Minh City)
Food & drink
MYSTERY DINER hanoi
To The Lighthouse
A new restaurant in the Tay Ho area offers a welcome
Mediterranean alternative. Our undercover reporter heads to
Il Faro to get the lowdown. Photos by Francis Roux
n a city where its completely

normal to wander winding
alleys in search of a restaurant,
Il Faro might win the prize for
most difficult to find. The new
bistro is located in a forbiddinglooking hotel complex Khach
San Cong Doan at the end of
To Ngoc Van that doesnt look like
it houses any kind of eatery, much
less an elegant Mediterranean
restaurant.
But follow the tiny signs that
point the way, because its worth
the journey. Guests to Il Faro are
greeted with a basket of warm,
chewy homemade breadsticks and a
seat in what was originally a sterile
white room that has been completely
transformed into a long-gone Italy.
Stiff cushioned chairs surround
tables draped in black and white,
matching the marble floor. The
transparent wine cellar reveals neat
rows of Chianti and Syrah. Yet the
dining room soundtrack of assorted
French, Spanish and Italian ballads
hints that despite its name, Il Faro is
less Italian than pan-Mediterranean.
France, Italy and Back Again

The French presence is the most
consistent. While Il Faros owner,
THE VERDICT
10
Food
10
Service
Leo, is Italian he also runs
Mediterraneo on Nha Tho, near St.
Josephs Cathedral the chef comes
from France. As a result, the menu
feels like an international treaty,
divided into French-style starters,
Italian pastas and hybrid mains.
I start out with green pea soup,
which is pretty much as classically
French as you can get. It arrives in
an elegant bowl with a lid, which
the server ceremoniously pulls off
to reveal a liquid the same vibrant
green as the neon pepper grinder.
Dotted with cream and garlic
croutons, it provides a warm touch
of spring on a cold day.
Its time to make the move to Italy.
The pleasingly succinct menu offers
just enough options to make you
feel like you have a choice, without
being overwhelming. I order chewy
homemade garganelli (fun fact: the
pasta is named after the Latin word
for throat, which the egg dough
tubes strongly resemble). But even
this dish isnt quite Italian. Rather,
its an intriguing demonstration of
the fact that when it comes to the
culinary world, national borders
arent exactly black and white.
Sprawled across a massive square
plate (are giant plates back in
style?), the pasta tubes and slices of

duck are coated in Dijon mustard
sauce and covered in a blanket of
grated Parmesan and black pepper.
The pasta itself is skillfully made,
although the chef could have been
less aggressive with the salt and
pepper. Some bites are rich and
flavourful; others feel like Ive just
taken a swallow from a salt-shaker.
The servers are trained and
helpful. Be careful, its very hot,
my server says as he places the large
place in front of me (indeed, its
nearly too warm to touch); his face
is actually apologetic as he informs
me the restaurant is out of tiramisu.
I order chocolate ganache with mint
leaves, which feels intended more
for sharing than for an individual
portion. On yet another immense
plate, flaky caramel is mounted on
three dollops of silky milk chocolate
mousse, topped with an elaborate
web of spun sugar. The elaborate
presentation is completed by a
swirl of chocolate sauce. Its an
unexpectedly modernist touch in
what otherwise feels like a testament
to old-fashioned elegance.
Il Faro is at 98 To Ngoc Van, Villa 3
inside the Cong Doan Hotel Compound.
Tel: (04) 6327 1142
10
Dcor
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
street snacker hanoi
Banh My
Thit Xien Nuong
Vietnamese banh my with barbecued pork? Huyen Tran heads to one of the most
famous joints in Hanoi to sample this quintessential dish. Photos by Francis Roux
hen I was growing up, my

grandmother told me, Bread
is the dish of Western people,
brought to Vietnam by the
French. It is only for urban or upper class
people. It is expensive and not for the
working class like us
Today, this sounds far-fetched. For many
years, bread or banh my (banh mi in the
south), has been one of Vietnams street food
staples.
Banh my can be found everywhere. On
the street pavements, on street corners, on
hawkers bikes, in street food eateries and
even on food stops on the highway.
Yet Vietnamese banh my differs from its
original Western counterpart. The baguette
is only about 20cm long and it is soft and
airy inside with a crispy crust. The name,
too, reflects the way this bread is viewed and
eaten in Vietnam the word banh my is a
combination of banh or cake with my or flour.
A cake made from flour. And as its a cake, it
is certainly not a main dish. Instead its often
eaten as a snack.
Besides the standard version with pate
or egg, banh my thit xien or bread with
grilled skewered pork is another way of
eating banh my in Hanoi. The sweet smell of
barbecued pork mingled in the afternoon
air of the piercing cold gives you have
no choice but to stop your bike and treat

yourself. Go to Banh my thit xien Ba Nga
at 31 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem and you
will find one of the best versions available
in the city.
Known for its grilled skewered pork,
which is sweet, fresh and tender, with a
strong flavour, this eatery was opened in
2000. At the time, it was a corner street stall
sat between two trees on Quang Trung with
the owner, Ms. Nga, slowly barbecuing
the pork with her hand-held fan every
afternoon.
All in the Pork

My mother started the skewered pork
stand to sell to school kids and local
residents, says Ba Ngas daughter. At
the time every skewered pork stand was
called Thit xien nuong Quang Dong because
people used to think that skewered pork
had its origins in Guangdong in China. So,
if they named their stand Guangdong,
customers would be more interested.
But many customers said that my
mothers skewered pork had a very
different taste. So she decided to create a
small board, Thit xien nuong Ba Nga, with
her name on as a way to associate her name
with the taste she created.
So what is the secret of making such an
appetizing dish?
The key is in the pork, she continues.
Many cooks think they should marinate
the pork the previous night and leave it
until the next morning. That is not the way
it should be. Every day we start our work at
6am. We season the pork with salt, pepper,
sugar, sesame and citronella. Then we put
the seasoned pork into the fridge. It is not
necessary to mix the pork the previous
night. Also, as the pork is processed within
one day, it is fresh and sweet. That explains
why our thit xien is tender, sweet and fresh.
According to the lady, another crucial
factor is the quality of the pork and ensuring
that it comes from a fairly young animal.
In the case of Ba Nga, the meat is from the
shoulder, which is neither fat nor lean.
People who come to this roadside diner
will notice the lady sitting near the big tree
grilling the skewered pork every afternoon
until late. She is Ba Nga. My mother is very
careful to grill the pork in the perfect way.
She asks us to do it in four steps. And the
very last step, when the pork is medium raw
to perfectly cooked, is done by my mother.
Banh my thit xien Ba Nga is at 31 Quang
Trung, Hoan Kiem. The eatery is open from
10am to 8.30 pm. Skewered pork is sold at
VND10,000 per skewer and with a banh my
costs VND13,000.
Food & drink
Pho Tau Bay
Pho Dau
433-435 Ly Thai To, Q10

VND50,000
Described in a recent Wall Street Journal article as the place
where truckers go for pho, when we arrived at this joint that
has been serving Saigon since 1953, the only truckers we could
see were on, erm, motorbikes. Nonetheless, served up with
an ample side plate of fresh herbs, the pho here was quickly
polished off the broth opulent with that slight sweetness
typical of southern cooking, the beef soft and tender. The
noodles were on the better side of tasty, too, thinner than their
northern cousins and slightly al dente. Do a noodle al dente in
the north and youll get a whack over the whos your uncle.
But down south if it comes too soft and soggy, its just not worth
eating. If Pho Tau Bay is a representative of Saigon pho, then its
one to take home.
288/M1 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3

VND65,000
Go down an alley, cross a mini square and then head straight down
another alley. At the end you will find Pho Dau, one of the few pho
joints in the city selling northern style pho, or so it claims. Its not Nam
Dinh authentic I can vouch for that and the broth, although
typically northern with its bone marrow-based taste and not the
slightest trace of sweetness, was too fatty for my liking. But what they
do have is northern-style chilli sauce, with a range of other typical
up-north ingredients on the side. And the meat boiled flank beef (bo
nam) was cooked more casserole-style than is typical. Yet it was fatty
but rich and oh-so-tender it seemed to melt on the tongue. Just dont
expect that plate of fresh herbs. Here you get sliced onions.
This was a darn good bowl of goodness, but not the best. So far
the bragging rights were heading the way of Hanoi.
street snacker HCMC
Saigons Best Pho

Speak to people up north and apparently pho in Ho Chi Minh City just doesnt
quite make the grade. So, Nick Ross and Kyle Phanroy went to taste out this theory
firsthand. Can you get good pho in Saigon? And if so, where serves the best version of
this quintessentially northern dish?
ou cant get good pho in Saigon. Its

a statement oft heard and oft cited
particularly by northerners, who
are used to eating a particularly
Hanoian version of this dish.
In fairness, when it comes to authenticity
they can stake a strong claim on this account
by way of France or possibly even China,
pho originated in Nam Dinh, less than 100km

from the capital. But using this as proof of
pho not being as good down south is like
saying that because football (soccer) was
invented in England, the English should
play it best.
Lets not go there.
So we decided to see for ourselves.
With one of us coming from a Vietnamese

community in California, and the other
spending oh-too-much time sitting at pho
restaurants on foot-high stools in Hanoi, we
took to the streets and ate at five of the best
pho restaurants in Saigon. Can you get good
pho bo, beef pho, in Vietnams largest city?
And if so, where is best?
Pho Phu Vuong
Pho Hoa
Pho Phu Gia
339 Le Van Sy, Tan Binh

VND45,000
Ah, said Kyle as he dug into his bowl of
bo tai nam. This is just how it tastes back
home.
Unashamedly southern, with even the
signage on the wall claiming the use of
southern spices, this joint on the edge of Phu
Nhuan and Tan Binh has gained itself some
well-earned fame. And rightly so. If you
like the spices, sweetness and flavourings
of the south, and want an unfatty broth
bursting with flavour, then Phu Vuong
should be your destination. It is this taste
that has spread around the world the
broth sold at Phu Vuong is the one known in
the US, Australia and France. And of course
California.
But for this writer, it was a step too far. A
few slurps in, it was satisfying, but after half
a bowl, no thanks. Too much sugar.
260C Pasteur, Q3
VND60,000
My last two visits to Pho Hoa were
unrewarding. My memory isnt quite clear
why, but I left each time feeling this joint
open since the 1960s was overrated. On this
occasion I was ready to change my opinion.
Everything here in this spotlessly clean
eatery is supersized, from the huge bowl
of pho and perfectly sliced pieces of beef
through to the gargantuan plate of wellcleaned, painstakingly selected fresh herbs.
They also have banh quay Chinese bread
sticks on the side, the only place so far.
But here its all about the broth, its subtle
use of spices placing it somewhere in
between the versions favoured by north and
south. For me, the best so far. I lapped up
my bowl of bo tai nam with gusto. But Kyle
went for bo vien, beef balls, and wasnt as
impressed.
146E Ly Chinh Thang, Q3

VND55,000
If you want true northern pho, the type you
may associate with the famous joint on Ly
Quoc Su in Hanoi, then Phu Gia should be
your destination. From the garlic vinegar
and chilli sauce on the side through to
the slightly stale, short banh quay and the
soggier, fatter pho noodles, everything here
cries out northern Vietnam. Even the broth
savoury, unfatty and far from sweet
tasted like it had been shipped in that very
day from Hanoi. Amazing.
This is my favourite so far, quipped
Kyle as he polished off his bowl of the good
stuff. It was his first true taste of Hanoi-style
pho. For me it was a well-constructed, solid
bowl of soup, but didnt hit the heights of
Pho Hoa. Which shows that preferences
depend on the palate. You CAN get good pho
in Saigon, but which particular style grabs
your personal set of taste buds is subjective.
Dont Forget
A number of other Saigon pho
restaurants come high in the
ratings. So, here are few that should
be tried along with the joints visited
for this article.
P ho L e
413-415 Nguyen Trai, Q5
P ho C ao V an
25 Mac Dinh Chi, Q1
P ho B inh
7 Ly Chinh Thang, Q3
P ho Q uynh
323 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1
fashion
Shirt VND365,000
Sunglasses VND285,000
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Photos and Make-up: Francis Xavier
Styling: Kathryn Cardenas
Models: Daniel Day Long and Amy Pons
Assistant: Fred Lai
All clothes by Mayhem (136/10 Le Thanh Ton, D1, HCMC)
mayhem.vn
Doppe
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Dan: Shirt VND355,000 | Amy: Skirt VND285,000
Dan: Shirt VND365,000 | Amy: Shirt VND315,000
Dan: Shirt VND355,000 | Amy: Skirt VND365,000
travel
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in

Singapore's Chinatown
travel
The Land of
Many Colours
Despite its apparent shortcomings, the tiny nation of Singapore
has become a beacon of wealth and prosperity. Hoa Le illuminates the rich and varied
tapestry of tastes, cultures and people that make up this Asian island destination.
Photos by Nick Ross
A traditional Peranakan outfit worn by part

Chinese, part Malay females at the beginning of last century. The Peranakan were
known for their business acumen, colourful
clothing, hybrid cuisine and ceramics
ietnamese who grew up in the 1980s

like myself were taught in school
textbooks that Vietnam has golden
forests and silver seas. In other
words, we were blessed with an abundance
of natural resources. We were told that we
should be proud of our green paddy fields,
our plentiful fish in the ocean and the trees in
our many forests.
Yet, natural resources are only a part
of what makes a country wealthy and
successful. And in a place like Singapore
an entire nation in an area barely larger than
Phu Quoc Island resources certainly arent
easy to come by. With a population in excess
of 5 million, even water supply is a struggle.
So what does the tiny country of Singapore
do to make up for the lack?
[Singaporeans] are generally very
hard-working and very determined, says
Vietnamese resident Mai Chu. Mai moved to
the Lion City after graduation, and has lived
and worked there for the past four years.

After all, it was only in 1965 that Singapore
finally gained independence from the
Federal States of Malaysia and prior to that
it was ruled for almost 140 years by the
British. At independence, Singapore had
a population of only two million made up
of myriad ethnicities, and struggled with
issues like low education, bad sanitation and
high unemployment. Yet today Singapore is
the worlds sixth wealthiest country and a
model for urban planning around the globe.
Considering what the country has done in
less than five decades, Mais assertion is an
understatement.
Under Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew, the
countrys first Prime Minister, Singapore
established heavy control over social
development in the form of strict rules and
tight regulations for its citizens, including the
policy of English as the lingua franca and the
extension of trade and industry in an effort
to industrialise the developing country. Yet if

it wasnt for a focus on planning and its tiny
size through its status as an island, much of
this wouldnt have been possible.
Cultural Kaleidoscope
Aside from its impressive economic
development and its lack of natural
resources, Singapore has a unique charm
thanks to its cultural diversity, distinctive
architecture and food, and its determination
to become a city filled with greenery.
Singapores long history as a major port of
call for British trading ships plying the routes
between Europe and East Asia lends to its
development as a prospering commerce hub
that attracted thousands of migrants from
Europe, China, India and Asia. Nowadays,
its population is comprised of a majority
of Chinese citizens with smaller portions
of Muslim Malay, Indian and a handful of
other ethnicities coexisting in one place.
F rom P atois
P idgin
to
Cuisine in Singapore is developing

beyond all expectations. One proponent of meshing
Western and Eastern
ingredients is the
recently opened
Pidgin in Dempsey
Road. Set in a
contemporary atmosphere hidden away
in what was a former
army barracks, Chef
Adrian Ling spends
much of his time
travelling in search
of new dishes and
flavours to mix in with
his own unique take
on contemporary
cuisine.
Consequently, Singapore is a mecca for

multi-culturalism.
Take Singapores Chinatown, for example.
Here, you can find an array of Chinese clan
associations, the Sri Mariamman Temple
Singapores oldest Hindu temple a
mosque, an elaborate Indian temple, and
even the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
and Museum. All coexist harmoniously.
In Singapore, its not surprising to see an
ethically Chinese woman receiving blessings
in a Hindu temple or a woman in her sari
praying in front of a statue of Buddha.
Here in the Chinatown District, taking
in the Hokkien-style architecture and
two-storey houses flanked by long terraces
of shop houses on Pagoda Street, Smith
Street or Mosque Street before the shops
open is the perfect morning setting for
early rising tourists. When the shops do
open, dont expect only to find them selling
Chinese products or foods, but all kinds of
Singapore at night as viewed from a river

cruise departing from Clarke Quay
international culinary specialties or products,

from Mexican food to stylish Japanese
bicycles.
Only a short distance from Chinatown,
the Baba House at 157 Neil Road, originally
belonging to a rich local family circa the
early 20th century, is an exquisitely restored
structure of Peranakan heritage, or a mix
of Chinese and Malay roots. It is a shining
example of the historical integration of
peoples in this country. East Coast Road is
also home to shops and restaurants owned
by later generations of Peranakan.
With a call to book in advance, Raymond
Wong, owner of the Rumah Kim Choo
boutique gallery at 111 East Coast Road,
will gladly give you a tour around his
collection of Peranakan antiques, which
boast beautifully beaded slippers, wedding
costumes and traditional ceramics and
furniture. Of course, an introduction to
Paranakan food isnt far behind, thanks to
the restaurant located just next door.

After venturing out of Chinatown, the
Muslim Quarter and Little India offer
an alternative cultural experience. The
Kampong Glam houses that form the centre
of what was once the seat of Malay Royalty,
offer up plenty of shops, cafs, and sheesha
bars, mostly along Haji Lane. Just around the
corner is Jamal Kazura Aromatics at 27 Arab
Street, an alcohol-free perfume shop that is
packed with both customers and shelves
of shiny, colourful glass perfume bottles.
Muslim culture forbids the consumption and
use of alcohol here it is followed to the
letter.
British Legacy
To many, though, the heart of Singapore lies
in the colonial district and the quays. The
area offers different scenery from the rest
of the country, with the influence of former
British rule still visible in the architecture of
pristine colonial buildings lining the areas

streets. A range of museums, galleries,
massive shopping centres, sprawling parks
and three riverside entertainment strips
contribute to the energetic vibe of this living
city. Here, you can take in the diverse and
eclectic Singapore art scene at Waterloo
Street, Singapore Arts Museum, CHIJIMES
or St. Andrews Cathedral. They all lie
within walking distance of each other.
Dotting the citys skyline are cranes,
fancy hotels, lounges and bars, all along
Boat Quay, Clark Quay and Robertson
Quay an area that is Singapores answer
to a hyper-developed world. Aside from
the contemporary durian otherwise
known as the Esplanade Theatre on The
Bay another impressive feature of the
downtown area is Marina Bay Sands in
the southeast region of the island. It houses
the worlds largest infinity pool, over 2,500
rooms and a number of bars and restaurants
inside the giant three-towered complex, and

has become one of Singapores newest icons
flaunting the wealth, prosperity and modern
lifestyle of the city.
A Changing Nation
Quick development also means that
Singapore needs expert urban planning to
balance nature, concrete and glass. Still, the
Island State has balanced its contrasting
elements well, since about 50 percent of its
landmass is covered with foliage. Plus, with
the Singapore urban plan reviewed every five
years, new changes are in store, with more
public spaces and green areas in the pipeline.
By 2030, improvements to Singapores
already impressive public transport system
will come in the form of eight in 10 homes
lying less than a 10-minute walk of a train
station. Plans are also presently underway to
create some 700km of cycling tracks.
Many say that Singapore is a good place to
The Tiger in the Air

Singapore Airlines and Vietnam Airlines
offer regular flights between Vietnam and
Singapore. A good, cheap and reliable
alternative is the no frills Tiger Airways
(tigerair.com). Book in advance and you
can travel to the Lion City for as little as
US$150 (VND3.15 million) return.
start exploring Asia, but that seems only to be
a half-truth. The country is a demonstration
of what can be achieved by constant planning
and a belief in cultural integration. Together
with its small size, which makes it far easier
to control the countrys development, all
have made the miracle that is Singapore
not just a possibility, but a reality. For many
Asian visitors, including myself, Singapore is
a good place to start seeing the world.
travel
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Dalat
ANA MANDARA VILLAS
$$$$
Le Lai, Dalat, Tel: (063)
3555888
anamandara-resort.com
DALAT PALACE
$$$$
12 Tran Phu, Dalat, Tel: (063)
382 5444
dalatpalace.vn
BHAYA CRUISES, HALONG BAY
$$$
Tel: 0933 446542
bhayacruises.com
Experience breathtaking
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
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.
EMERAUDE CLASSIC CRUISES,

HALONG BAY
$$$$
Tel: (04) 3935 1888
emeraude-cruises.com
Reproductions, of 19th
century paddle steamers,
trawl around Halong Bay
in colonial style. A classic
experience, complete with,
overnight accommodations
in impeccable cabins suites.
LA FERME DU COLVERT
$$
Cu Yen, Luong Son, Hoa Binh,
Tel: (0218) 385622
etoile-des-mers.com
LA VIE VU LINH
$
Ngoi Tu Village, Vu Linh, Yen
Bai , Tel: (04) 3926 2743
lavievulinh.com
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.
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
TRUNG CANG HOTEL
$
4A 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
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 beau-
tiful 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 theat-
rical 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.
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
8 Do Duc Duc, Me Tri, Tu
Liem, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3833
5588
marriott.com
The first JW Marriott hotel
in Vietnam and designed
by architect Carlos Zapata,
this contemporary, wellappointed property is one of
the most strikingly designed
hotels in the capital. Set in
Hanoi West adjacent to the
National Convention Center.
corporate travellers. An allday 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 wellappointed 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.
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
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
SHERATON
K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu,
Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3719 9000
www.sheraton.com/hanoi
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.
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.
www.airasia.com
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.
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
Trade Centre, 37 Ton Duc
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
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
www.vietjetair.com
Vietnam Airlines
27B Dinh Tien Hoang, Q1
Tel: 3832 0320
www.vietnamairlines.com
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
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.
tion 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
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
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 addi-
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.
EQUATORIAL
$$$
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.
HOTEL NIKKO SAIGON
$$$$$
235 Nguyen Van Cu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3925 7777
hotelnikkosaigon.com.vn
The five-star hotel and serviced apartment complex
offers: 14 instant offices,
seven meeting rooms, a
600-capacity ballroom, spa,
outdoor swimming pool, a
gym, 24-hour fine dining,
24-hours room service, and
limousine services.
INTERCONTINENTAL ASIANA
SAIGON
$$$$$
Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3520 9999
intercontinental.com/saigon
In the heart of Ho Chi Minh
City, resides the Asiana with
signature dining options,
an innovative cocktail bar,
exclusive spa and health
club, together with luxury
boutique arcade.
PARK HYATT
$$$$$
2 Lam Son Square, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3824 1234
saigon.park.hyatt.com
Fabulous in style, prime in
location, everything one
would expect from the Hyatt.
The Square One and Italianthemed Opera restaurants
have garnered an excellent
reputation, as has the landscaped pool.
PULLMAN SAIGON CENTRE
$$$$$
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.
REX HOTEL
$$$$
3829 2185
rexhotelvietnam.com
Brimming with history the
Rexs openair fifthfloor
bar is Saigon highlight. A recent renovation, of this now
five-star property, boasts
designer fashion and a shop-
ping arcade.
RIVERSIDE APARTMENTS
53 Vo Truong Toan, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3744 4111
riverside-apartments.com
Situated on the banks of the
Saigon River, a 15-minute
scenic boat ride or 20-minute bus ride from town,
Riversides complementary
shuttle services take you
right in the city centre. With
152 fully equipped serviced
apartments, the property
offers special packages for
short-term stay starting at
VND2.1 million per apartment per night for a one-
Josephs Hotel
Foreign-run,boutique hotel
Next to the cathedral
LOTTE LEGEND HOTEL SAIGON
$$$$
2A4A Ton Duc Thang, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3823 3333
legendsaigon.com
Immaculate architecture,
spacious rooms, and a fine
selection of fine dining, with
buffets specialising in Americana and Pan-Asian cuisine.
NEW WORLD HOTEL
$$$$
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.
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
travel
bedroom facility.
RIVERSIDE HOTEL
$$$$$
1819-20 Ton Duc Thang,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 1417
riversidehotelsg.com
This distinct French architectural wonder offers
complimentary Wi-Fi, airport
pickup or drop off, a 4th floor
ballroom, and authentic Vietnamese cuisine at the River
Restaurant.
SHERATON
$$$$$
88 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 2828
sheraton.com/saigon
Sheraton boasts one of
the best locations in town,
with firstclass facilities,
an openair restaurant 23
floors above the city and
a live music venue on the
same floor.
SOFITEL SAIGON PLAZA
$$$$
17 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 1555
sofitel.com
This 20story building in
downtown Saigon, caters
to upscale business and
leisure travelers seeking a
classic yet contemporary
stay in Saigon.
WINDSOR PLAZA
$$$
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
$$$
132-134 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 9201
continentalhotel.com.vn
This charming old hotel has
been fted in literature and
in film. In the heart of Saigon,
this is the first choice to highlight Vietnamese culture.
HOTEL MAJESTIC
$$$
3829 5517
majesticsaigon.com.vn
NORFOLK HOTEL
$$$
117 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 5368
norfolkhotel.com.vn
Intimate atmosphere and ex-
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cellent 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
Airport. With spectacular
city views and a comfortablydesigned outdoor swimming
pool, there is little reason not
to choose this shining star.
HCMC - Mid-Range
ROYAL HOTEL SAIGON
$$
3822 5914
kimdohotel.com
EMM Hotel
157 Pasteur, Q3
A sleek, contemporary
three-star hotel that mixes
vintage appeal and modern
chic thanks to a subdued
palette of white and grey
around two pop colours:
azalea pink and green hot
pepper. Part of the Thien
Minh Group that includes
Victoria Hotels and Buffalo
Tours.
LAN LAN HOTEL 1 AND 2
$$$
46 and 73-75 Thu Khoa
Huan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
7926
lanlanhotel.com.vn
THAO DIEN VILLAGE
$$
195 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2,
Tel: (08) 3744 2222
thaodienvillage.com
A colonialstyle hotel and
spa offers fine Italian, Thai
and Japanese dining. Manicured gardens and a view
that overlook the bank of
the Saigon River, this is truly
someplace special.
THE ALCOVE LIBRARY HOTEL
$$$
133A Nguyen Dinh Chinh,
Phu Nhuan, Tel: 08 6256
9966
alcovehotel.com.vn
HCMC - Budget
DUC VUONG HOTEL
$
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.
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
Hoi An & Danang

An Bang Beach Retreat
An Bang Beach, Hoi An
www.anbangbeachretreat.
com
CUA DAI
$
18A Cua Dai, Hoi An, Tel:
(0510) 386 2231
hotelcuadai-hoian.com/
DANANG BEACH RESORT
$$$
Son Tra Dien Ngoc, Hoa Hai,
Ngu Hanh Son, Danang, Tel:
(0511) 396 1800
danangbeachresort.com.vn
FURAMA RESORT AND SPA
$$$$
68 Ho Xuan Huong, Danang,
Tel: (0511) 384 7888
furamavietnam.com
HYATT REGENCY DANANG RESORT AND SPA
$$$$
Hoa Hai, Ngu Hanh Son, Da
Nang, Tel: (0511) 398 1234
danang.regency.hyatt.com
The Hyatt Regency Danang
Resort and Spa is beachfront
with a stunning view of the
Marble Mountains. There
are 182 luxurious residences and 27 private ocean villas, each with a private pool.
LE DOMAINE DE TAM HAI
$$$
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
PULLMAN DANANG BEACH RESORT
$$$$
Truong Sa, Ngu Hanh Son,
Tel: (0511) 395 8888
pullman-danang.com
Located on the white sands
of Bac My An beach close
to both Danang and Hoi An,
the welcoming and modern
Pullman Danang Beach Resort is an oasis of activities
and facilities for a dynamic
escape. Perfect for a family
holiday or a romantic beach
getaway.
THE NAM HAI
$$$$
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
$$$$
Cu Du Village, Loc Vinh Commune, Phu Loc, Thua Thien
Hue, Tel: (054) 369 5800
angsana.com/en/lang_co
Located on Vietnams South
Central Coast, Angsana Lang
Co commands an unrivalled
beach frontage of the shimmering East Sea. Traditional
Vietnamese design encompasses the resorts contemporary buildings and chic
interiors.
BANYAN TREE LANG CO
$$$$
Cu Du Village, Loc Vinh Commune, Phu Loc, Thua Thien,
Hue, Tel: (054) 369 5888
banyantree.com/en/
lang_co
Built on a crescent bay, The
Banyan Tree offers privacy
and unparalleled exclusivity
with all-pool villas reflecting
the cultural and historical
legacy of past Vietnamese
dynastic periods.
LA RESIDENCE
$$$$
5 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: (054) 383
7475
laresidencehue.com
PHUONG HOANG HOTEL
$
48/3 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: (054)
382 6736
hoangphuonghotel.com
Nha Trang
EVASON ANA MANDARA AND SIX
SENSES SPA
$$$$
Beachside Tran Phu, Nha
Trang, Khanh Hoa, Tel: (058)
352 2222
sixsenses.com/evasonresorts/ana-mandara/
destination
2.6 hectares of private
beachside gardens and
villastyle accommodation
furnished in traditional native woods, this resort offers verandah dining, a pool
bar and the signature Six
Senses Spa.
JUNGLE BEACH RESORT
$
Ninh Phuoc, Ninh Hoa, Khanh
Hoa, Tel: (058) 362 2384
junglebeachvietnam.com
On a secluded promontory north of Nha Trang, this
budget place is all about
hammocks, the sea, the jungle and nature.
MIA RESORT NHA TRANG
$$$$
Bai Dong, Cam Hai Dong,
Cam Lam, Khanh Hoa, Tel:
(058) 398 9666
mianhatrang.com
NOVOTEL NHA TRANG
$$$
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
WHALE ISLAND RESORT
$$
Tel: (058) 384 0501
whaleislandresort.com
Phan Thiet & Mui Ne

ALLEZ BOO BEACH Resort and
Spa
$$$$
8 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui
Ne, Phan Thiet, Tel: (062)
374 3777
allezboo.com
This resort offers exotic
Balistyle, thatched roof
honeymoon villas, 55 spacious suites, deluxe rooms,
fresh seafood, Vietnamese
cuisine, Thai and international cuisine, kite surfing
and parasailing.
BLUE OCEAN
$$$$
384 7322
life-resorts.com
COCO BEACH
$$$$
384 7111
cocobeach.net
With charming wooden
bungalows, a private beach,
a swimming pool (both with
attached bars) and a French
restaurant, Coco Beach continues to be run by those who
opened it in 1995.
MIA RESORT MUI NE
$$$
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
$$$$
Mui Ne Beach, Phan Thiet,
Tel: (062) 381 3000
victoriahotels.asia
Another beachfront Victoria
chain, the thatchedroof
bungalows and family villas
are set in exotic gardens
with an infinity swimming
pool, a seafood restaurant, spa, beauty salon and
jacuzzi.
Phong Nha
Easy Tiger and Jungle Bar
$
Son Trach, Bo Trach, Quang
Binh, Tel: (052) 367 7844
easytigerphongnha@gmail.
com
A hostel and street-front bar
all in one. Has a pleasant,
airy atmosphere in the bar
travel
and restaurant area while
the 52 dorm beds four
beds to a room go for
US$8 (VND168,000) each a
night.
Ho Khanh's Homestay
$$
Binh, Tel: 01299 597182
phong-nha-homestay.com
Pepper House
$
Tel: 01678 731560
pepperhouse-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.
land, 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.
ing valleys. Employing solar

technology and a wastewater facility, the Topas also
organises treks and bicycle
tours.
CHEN SEA RESORT AND SPA
Vung Tau & Ho Tram
$$$$
Bai Xep, Ong Lang, Cua
Duong, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang,
Tel: (077) 399 5895
centarahotelsresorts.com
LA VERANDA
$$$$
Ward 1, Duong Dong Beach,
Phu Quoc, Tel: (077) 398
2988
laverandaresorts.com
MANGO BAY
$$
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.
Phong Nha Lake Resort
$$
Khuong Ha, Hung Trach, Bo
Trach, Quang Binh, Tel: (052)
367 5999
phongnhalakehouse.com
Saigon - Phong Nha
$$$
Binh, Tel: (052) 367 7016
sgphongnhahotel@yahoo.
com.vn
Thanh Dat
$
Binh, Tel: (052) 367 7328
thanhdatphongnha.com
Phu Quoc
BEACH CLUB RESORT
$$
Ap Cua Lap, Xa Duong To,
Long Beach, Phu Quoc Is-
VICTORIA SAPA
$$$
Tel: 0203 871522
victoriahotels.asia
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
$$$$
Tel: (064) 378 1525
hotramresort.com
This attractive property is
the ideal getaway from Ho
Chi Minh City. 63 uniquely
bungalows and villas promise a local experience complete with an excellent spa
and two swimming pools.
Sapa
CAT CAT VIEW HOTEL
$$
Cat Cat Road, Tel: 0203
871218
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.
HO TRAM SANCTUARY
esConDao
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.
HG TRAVEL
EXOTISSIMO
26, Tran Nhat Duat, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3828 2150
9 XuanDieu, Tay Ho, Tel:
3718 5555
www.exotissimo.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
80 Ma May, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3926 2828
www.handspan.com
Established in 1997, Handspan provides customers
$$
24 Muong Hoa, Sapa, Tel:
0203 872404
topasecolodge.com
For the environmentally
conscientious, 25 individual
lodges rest on hills overlook-
47 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan

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
$$$$
Ho Tram, Ba Ria-Vung Tau,
Tel: (064) 378 1631
sanctuary.com.vn
The spacious villas come
with their own pool and have
direct access to the beach.
Extras include tennis courts,
a mini supermarket, and cycling and motorbike tours.
REX HOTEL
TOPAS ECOLODGE
with safe, high quality, diverse, small-group adventure tours to both popular
and isolated locations in
Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Has a focus on off-thebeaten-track sustainable
and responsible tourism
initiatives. Also provides to
excursions to more wellworn destinations.
www.cocobeach.net
$$
1 Le Quy Don, Vung Tau, Tel:
(064) 385 2135
rexhotelvungtau.com
paradise@cocobeach.net
SIX SENSES CON DAO
$$$$
Dat Doc Beach, Ba Ria-Vung
Tau, Tel: (064) 383 1222
sixsenses.com/SixSens-
Coco Beach Resort
58 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, W. Ham Tien

Phan Thiet, Vietnam
+84-(0)62-3847111 / 2 / 3
travel
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 Services Elsewhere

BUFFALO TOURS AGENCY
81 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 9170
buffalotours.com.vn
This premium travel agency
helps travelers select their
destinations and organize
their trips. From corporate
travel to small group tours,
explore the world or Vietnam.
EXOTISSIMO
41, Thao Dien, Q2. Tel (08)
3519 4111, Ext. 15/17/19
exotissimo.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.
CHUDU24 HOTEL BOOKING

SERVICE
11th floor, 36 Bui Thi Xuan,
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.
Travel Promos
Promotions of the Month
FLIGHT TRAVEL COMPANY

(08) 3824 7744
flightravelco.com
Flight travel services, including global travel management, domestic and international air booking and travel
insurance, to corporate
companies, family and individual travelers.
FLY VIETNAM
flyvietnam.com
INTREPID TRAVEL VIETNAM

149/42 Le Thi Rieng, Q1, Tel:
0904 193308
intrepidtravel.com/vietnamsales
MANTA SAIL TRAINING CENTRE

108 Huynh Thuc Khang, Mui
Ne, Tel: 0908 400108
mantasailing.org
Photos of La Residence provided by Balcony Media
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.
TU TRAVEL
60 Hai Ba Trung, Can Tho
City, Tel: 0713 752436
tutrangtravel-mekongfeeling.vn
VIETNAM VESPA ADVENTURE

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. English-speaking
tour guides lead the way.
La Residence first Vietnameserun hotel to win T+L 500 Honours

It may seem like PR, but its actually
a turning point. La Residence Hotel
& Spa in Hue has landed one of the
most prestigious honours in the travel
community, a spot on million-reader Travel
+ Leisure magazines annual international
hotel roundup, in the first year under GM
Phan Trong Minh. Never before has a
Vietnamese-run hotel landed on the list
although La Residence had been honoured
by Conde Nast Traveler in the past.
The enthusiasm that we feel for this
city, and this hotel, is enormous, says
GM Minh. Not only are the GM, the
Executive Chef and the Director of Sales
and Marketing all Vietnamese, we're also
all Hue natives.
For more information, visit la-residence-hue.
com
Tee Up with Sacom Tuyen Lam

With Tuyen Lam Lake also known
as Paradise Lake and scenic valleys
in full view, enjoy a full 18-hole golf
course at Sacom Tuyen Lam Golf Club,
topped with a wide array of luxurious

facilities including a sauna, massage and
delectable international dishes at the clubs
restaurant. Stay and Play Golf Package is an
ideal plan for a quick getaway from all the
city bustle. Enjoy one or two nights stay in
one of the 22 rooms within Tuyen Lam Golf
Club Club House.
For more information, email Tuyen Lam Golf
Club at golfbooking@sacomresort.com.vn or
call 0636 263000
Treat Yourself to Luxury

Give yourself a lovely treat this spring
at Van Chai Resort. On top of all room
styles excluding family rooms and
Van Chai Villas at a promotional rate
of VND1,399,000 per room per night,
enjoy a further 10 percent discount on
food and beverages at the restaurant, and
a 20 percent discount for a healthy spa
treatment at Co Nature Spa.
Hurry, because the promotion ends on
Apr. 15.
For further information, contact Van Chai
Resort at Tel: 0437 172438 or by email on
sales@vanchai-vn.com
Hanoi
the promotions 129 // book buff 132 // the alchemist 134 // the therapist 136 //
a world of good 138 // student eye 140
Photo by francis roux
hanoi
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:
0904 032829
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

(04) 5333 6087
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

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
spite 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: (04) 2269 1107
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.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
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.
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.
JOMA BAKERY CAFE
THE CART
CAFE PHO CO
COFFEE SHOP WITH A VIEW

Back of 11 Hang Gai, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3928 8153
Joma
POLITE PUB
LONG BAR
5 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3825 0959
5pm to 2am
A bit musty and jaded, de-
COFFEE/BAKERY
222 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3747 3388
SANDWICH SHOP / CAF

18 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem (entrance on street behind Au
Trieu), 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
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.
SONG
ECO-STYLE VIETNAMESE
27 Pho Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3828 6965
asiasongdesign.com
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.
hanoi
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
19A Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, 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 Parisian-styled 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.
LITTLE HANOI
VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL
21-23 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3828 5333
7.30am to 11pm
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.
HIGHWAY 4
VIETNAMESE / ETHNIC
5 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3926 4200; 25 Bat Su,
Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3926
0639
10am to midnight
Little India
INDIAN / MALAY / CHINESE

32 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3926 1859
littleindianhn@gmail.com
LA RESTAURANT
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 firstfloor terrace area with views
over the cathedral. Has a
second garden restaurant
on Xuan Dieu.
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
47 Lo Su, Hoan Kiem, 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.
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.
TAMARIND
CONTEMPORARY VEGETARIAN
(04) 3926 0580
5.30am to 10.30pm
Perhaps the only restaurant
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
Supermarkets
Big C Supermarket
222 Tran Duy Hung, Cau
Giay
Citimart Hanoi Towers

49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan
Kiem
Citimart Vincom Towers

191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba
Trung
ZENITH YOGA STUDIO II & CAF

16 Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3923 0253
Fitness & Yoga

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
a decent selection of wines,

pleasantly arrayed and back
lit. Besides their selection of
new and old world wines
Helpful staff and free delivery.
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
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
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
126 Tam Trinh, Yen So,

Hoang Mai
Pham Van Dong, Co Nhue,
Tu Liem
hanoi
and thats another reason to
head to El Gaucho.
hoan kiem
JACKSONS STEAKHOUSE
Bars & Nightclubs / Cafes / Cinemas / Clubs & Societies / Eat /

Classes / Groceries & Liquor
Bars & Nightclubs
17 COWBOYS
til the early hours theres

quite an atmosphere in this
pleasant watering hole.
WILD WEST THEME BAR

98B Tran Hung Dao, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3942 6822
FUSE BAR
LOUNGE / NIGHTCLUB
11th Floor, HanoiTourist
Building, 18 Ly Thuong Kiet,
Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0968 385555
LA FE VERTE
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.
MODEL CLUB
CATWALK BAR
45 Hang Bai, Hai Ba Trung
8pm to late
PLAY GAMING LOUNGE
GAMES RESTOBAR
104 Bach Dang, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: 0906 210212
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
Zone 17
BAMBOO BAR
17D Hong Ha, Hoan Kiem
The first bar in what will
eventually (hopefully) be a
zone dedicated to bars and
restaurants. A pool table, a
square bar in the middle of
the room and a barbecue un-
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,
Tel: (04) 3825 0216
7am to 8pm
PARIS DELI
CAF / BOULANGERIE
6 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan
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.
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
HANOI INTERNATIONAL THEATRE

SOCIETY (HITS)
THEATRE GROUP
hitshanoi.com
LESPACE
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.
CLUB OPERA NOVEL
TOP-END VIETNAMESE
Tel: (04) 3972 8001
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 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
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.
LA PETIT TONKINOISE
ART DECO / INTERNATIONAL

58A Tran Quoc Toan, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3941 3336
8am to 10pm
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
78 Tho Nhuom, Hoan Kiem,
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.
NINETEEN 11
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
CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL
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 first-Friday-of-themonth party.
hanoi
The Promotions
Promotions of the Month
offers two separate yet

equally luxurious buffets.
The lunch buffet is available
at VND480,000++ per
person, and the dinner buffet
VND580,000++ per person.
Crowne Plaza West Hanoi, 36
Le Duc Tho, Tu Liem, welcomes
The Year of the Horse from Jan. 30
to Feb. 9. For more information
on the buffet and other dining
specials, call (04) 6270 6688
Sunday Brunch
Fortuna Hotel Tet Dining

The Lunar New Year continues to
be a perfect excuse for fine dining,
with Fortuna Hotel offering an
extravaganza of delicious dishes at
their two hotel restaurants. For those
craving Chinese, a feast of dim sum
is on offer at May Man Restaurant,
and those looking for something a bit
fresher can find the best offering of
sushi and Japanese hot pot at Emperor
Japanese Restaurant. With discounted
prices for children, Fortuna Hotel
invites you to bring the whole family
to ring in the New Year in style.
The Dim Sum set lunch is priced
at VND400,00++ per adult and
VND200,000++ per child at May Man
Chinese Restaurant. The Japanese set
lunch is a cool VND420,000++ per
adult and VND210,000++ per child.
Fortuna Hotel Hanoi is located at 6B
Lang Ha, Ba Dinh. Lunch is available

from 11.30am to 2pm daily, and lunches
are available for Eat 3, Pay 2 specials
during weekdays. For reservations, call
(04)3831 3333.
Crowne Plaza West

Welcomes the Year of the
Horse
With the Lunar New Year upon
Vietnam, Crowne Plaza West
Hanoi is celebrating in the best
possible way with delicious
food. From Jan. 30 to Feb. 9, Lackah
Restaurant is offering a delectable
Tet buffet complete with fresh
seafood, scrumptious barbeque and
traditional Vietnamese dishes.
Promising the freshest
ingredients the seafood is
delivered straight off of the
fishing boats Lackah Restaurant
Nothing tastes quite as good

as Sunday Brunch yet,
InterContinental Hotel West
Lake takes the Sunday tradition
to delicious new levels at Caf
Du Lac Restaurant. From
11.30am to 3pm, diners are
invited to experience their food
with nine live cooking stations
and six types of cuisine, ranging
from classic Vietnamese to
contemporary international.
The spectacular views over
West Lake are made that much
better with live music playing
throughout the afternoon.
Theres hardly a better way to
spend your Sundays.
Prices for Caf Du Lacs
Sunday brunch are set
at VND1,075,000++ for
adults excluding beverage,
VND1,290,000++ for free flowing
wine, beer and soft drinks and
VND2 mil for the Moet Chandon
champagne brunch. Children
under six can enter at no charge,
and those 12 and under eat at half
price. Caf Du Lac is located at
InterContinental West Lake Hotel,
Ngo 1 Au Co, Tay Ho
Go For Gold
Golden Cyclo Hotel is offering
a tidy room rate for those long,
cooped-up days after Tet. The
offer is VND 1,666,000++ per
Deluxe City View room per
night, including complimentary
breakfast, dinner, minibar, pickup and drop off service. Dont
be trapped by those post-Tet
doldrums the offer only lasts
till Feb. 28.
Call 0438 287777, email dos@
goldencyclohotel.com or visit
goldencyclohotel.com for more info
SATINE
CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE
Tel: (04) 6282 5555 ext. 6414
hoteldelopera.com
Wrap & Roll

5th Floor, Trang Tien Plaza,
24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem
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
15A Ngo Van So, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3943 7226
WESTERN CANNED FOODS
GROCERY STORE
Tel: (04) 3934 3854
hanoi
tay ho
Bars & Clubs / Book Shops / Cafes / Clothing / Cooking Classes /

Crafts & Furniture / Cycling & Bicycle Rentals / Eat / Fitness &
Yoga / Groceries, Liquor & Kitchen Products / Medical & Dental
Bars & Clubs
21 NORTH
LIVE MUSIC BAR / GALLERY

49 Lang Yen Phu, Tay Ho, Tel:
0946 708286
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, Englishstyle 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 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
(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
GRUNGY BAR / EVENTS VENUE

(04) 6276 6665
RED RIVER TEA ROOM
LAKESIDE WATERING HOLE

25 Duong Ven Tay Ho, Tay Ho
Monday to Friday, 2pm to
11.30pm. Weekends open
from 11am
Located on the lakeside road
just below Xuan Dieu and
close to the entrance to The
Sheraton, this quiet, casual
pub offers up a variety of
beer, wine and mixed drinks,
juice, tea, Nespresso coffee
and espresso and milkshakes, all with a nice view
of West Lake. Non-smoking
indoors, Red River
Cafes
CAFE DUY TRI
TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE CAFE

43 Yen Phu, Tay Ho
COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF
TAY TAP
MEET-UP SPOT
100A Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3718 6917
4pm to late
Filled with wooden furnishings and a downstairs bar
with two beers on tap as
well as wine, cocktails and
spirits on the shelves this
newcomer venue has a grill
menu catering to the tastes
of both East and West. For
those in search of a good
old-fashioned Sloppy Joe
or grilled cheese, youll be
glad to know the kitchen is
stocked to the ceiling with
comfort foods.
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 mouth-watering 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
BOOKWORM TOO
NEW & SECOND-HAND BOOKS

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
INTERNATIONAL COFFEE HOUSE

28 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3715 4240
coffeebean.com
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.
COMMUNE
CONTEMPORARY CAFE
20A Duong Ven Ho, Thuy
Khue, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 6684
7903
HIGHLANDS COFFEE
CHAIN
Ground Floor, Syrena Centre, 51B Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho
7am to 11pm
JOMA BAKERY CAFE
COFFEE/BAKERY
43 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel:
(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.
an Italian cafe and eatery

serving up some of the best
espresso-based coffee in
town. Red and white decor,
lifestyle black and white coffee drinking images and an
open plan space make up
the mix. Besides the caffeinebased drinks, also does
granita, teas, shakes and
modern Italian fare ranging from panini and focaccia through to pizza, pasta,
salads and desserts.
TET DCOR CAF
LA GRACE
ART CAFE & GALLERY

8B/52 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho,
Tel: 0912 666736
lagrace.com.vn
7.15am to 10pm
Located on a peaceful
street named after the famous painter, To Ngoc Van,
La Grace is a destination
for those who appreciate
lifes pleasures: drinks,
food, arts and sometimes
live music. Clean, comfortable and friendly, the venue
has a nice selection of
juices and smoothies and a
Vietnamese-cum-Japanese
food menu put together using organic vegetables. Set
lunches cost VND150,000,
and the caf also has strong
WiFi as well as separate nonsmoking and smoking areas.
ORIBERRY
ETHNIC COFFEE / CAFE

(04) 6275 8669
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.
SEGAFREDO
ITALIAN CAFE
(04) 3718 0212
segafredo.com.vn
7am to 11pm
Names of some of the
worlds greatest cities cover
the front wall of Segafredo,
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.
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.
Cooking Classes
HIDDEN HANOI
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.
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

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!
LA CASA
CONTEMPORARY DESIGN
Syrena Tower, 51 Xuan Dieu,
Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 4084
lacasavietnam.com.vn
A shop whose speciality
is designing furniture and
other household objects,
this spot has everything from
beds and bookshelves, to tableware and silverware. The
items are all locally made by
skilled artisans from Hanoi
and the surrounding regions.
MEKONG QUILTS
HANDMADE / CHARITABLE
QUILTS
9 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, 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.
DONS TAY HO
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.
Hidden away in Cong Doan Hotel, this panMediterranean restaurant owned by the
same people behind Mediterraneo serves
up an assortment of French, Spanish and
Italian dishes in a pleasant, white-washed
yet Italian-influenced atmosphere.
J.A.F.A.
CYCLING SHOP
152 Yen Hoa, Tay Ho, Tel: 0986 866538
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.
THE HANOI BICYCLE COLLECTIVE (THBC)
EL GAUCHO STEAKHOUSE
LA SALSA
Cycling & Bicycle Rentals

DONS TAY HO
BICYCLE RENTALS
Dons-bistro.com
Thang Long Cycling
CYCLING COLLECTIVE
44, Ngo 31, Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718
8246
thbc.vn
Tucked down an alleyway just off West Lake,
The Hanoi Bicycle Collective is a place for all
bicycle lovers! An official supplier of TREK
and SURLY cycling equipment, the joint not
only sells but also rents and fixes bicycles.
To add to the eclectic, community spirit they
also organise bicycle tours, run yoga sessions, hold music concerts in their upstairs
cafe area and run a great menu of Spanish
tapas served up, if you so wish, with gin &
tonic. Quite a mix!
99 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (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.
IBERIAN / MEDITERANEAN
8am to 11pm
KITCHEN
INTERNATIONAL CAFE FARE

30 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (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.
Eat
AL FRESCOS
alfrescogroup.com
8.30am to 11pm
Ba Chi Em
PHO GA / COM BINH DAN

18 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho
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 woodfired oven pizzas from VND120,000 and
other Italian delicacies. Open every day for
lunch and dinner, delivery is also available.
DALUVA
FUSION / MIDDLE-EASTERN
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, Middle-Eastern twist,
as well as wine, tapas, events and attractive dcor.
HALIA HANOI
SINGAPOREAN / CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL

thehalia.com
Monday Saturday 11am to 11pm. Closed
on Sundays
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 perfection. 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
R&R TAVERN
RESTOBAR / LIVE MUSIC

256 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 6295 8215
Now on its third location, this watering hole
still lives up to its old name, providing an array of drinks, buzzing chatter, and of course,
some quality live rock music. Its upstairs
area is equipped with a sound system and
stage setup for weekly shows and events,
while the downstairs area houses a classic
bar that gives a finishing touch to the friendly
community environment.
RASA SINGAPURA
SINGAPORE PERANAKAN CUISINE

185 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: (04) 3715 2992
rasasingapura-hanoi.com
5pm to midnight
This Singapore Peranakan Restaurant
serves up authentic, Straits fusion fare emanating from Singapore, Malacca and Penang.
Boasting the mouthwatering nasi lemak as
its signature dish, all the fare here is homecooked by the owner / partner who spent
five years living and studying in Singapore.
This is tasty, home-cooked, well-priced fare
in a pleasant but tranquil setting.
SAINT HONORE
Il Faro
ITALIAN / MEDITERRANEAN
Villa 3, Cong Doan Hotel Compound, 98 To
Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 6327 1142
BOULANGERIE / BISTRO
sainthonore.com.vn
7am to 10pm
Decked out in maroon, dark browns and
hanoi
Book Buff
All the Mens Horses
With the New Year on our doorstep, Bookworms Truong runs through the appearance of the noble horse throughout literature
ts the beginning of the Year of the

Horse so it seems right and proper to
concentrate on that animal as it gallops
through great literature. Here are a few
of the most notable examples.
The most famous horse of the lot would
have to be the hollow, wooden, Trojan
Horse referred to in Homers Odyssey and
in Virgils epic poem the Aeneid from which
thirty Greek warriors, led by Odysseus,
crept out from the belly of on a moonless
night, starting the total decimation of Troy
and its gullible citizens.
Everyone has their favorite equine
character and mine is Boxer in George
Orwells Animal Farm. Boxer is a big
draught horse and is used as an allegory
for the Russian working class after the 1917
revolution. He works hard to make the
farm a commercial and viable success after
the human owners are expelled, follows all
dictates faithfully, leads his fellow animals
into battle against two-legged enemies,
but is eventually purged by the pigs and
their savage guard dogs. The description
of Boxer being carted off to the Vet hospital
(slaughter house) is powerful and the
mental image of my other favourite horsy
character, Benjamin, the cynical Donkey,
galloping up to the other assembled animals
to try and make them see the reality of the
huge betrayal taking place, is indelible.
Donkeys and Mules

One of Benjamins utterances after the
animals take over the farm is: Life will go
on as it has always gone on that is badly!
Its reminiscent of quotes by another cynical,
though less intelligent donkey, Eeore in
A.A. Milnes Winnie the Pooh. Adults wise
enough to read the various adventures
of Christopher Robins slow thinking
but lovable Pooh Bear to their offspring
will revel in the pessimistic, depressive
utterances by the tatty, grey donkey who is

in the delicious grip of anhedonia.
Some may take umbrage at my inclusion
of donkeys into the equus ferus caballus family.
My excuse is in copulation. If a donkey
mates with a female horse, the progeny is an
infertile mule, which tends to be even more
intractable than Benjamin, but has the same
devotion to duty as had Boxer. This character
evolved into Francis the Talking Mule by David
Stern, a story from the early 1950s. Francis
became a five-installment comedy movie
series and was the progenitor of the still
syndicated, palomino TV star, Mr. Ed.
Two of the most poignant but awful horse
stories are in John Steinbecks novella, The
Red Pony, which was published in episodes
in 1933. The main characters are 10-yearold Jody and Billy Buck the ranch hand. I
dare anyone to keep a dry eye when the red
pony, Gabilan, dies of pneumonia, or when
a mare, Nelly, has trouble foaling and Billy
has to kill her and cut out the colt that he
has previously promised to the boy.
Shadowfax, Red Hare and Black

Beauty
Fans of Tolkien will be raising their hands
by now insisting that the horses from Lord
of the Rings be included with Gandalfs
stallion, Shadowfax, the lord of all horses,
leading the stampede. Following closely are
Arod ridden by Legolas, Brego by Aragorn
and Arroch by Glorifindel. Neighing in
their dust is Felarof, who understands the
utterances of men. In the valiant rear come
the more prosaic Hobbit steeds like Bill,
Bumpkin and Fatty Lumpkin.
Because its one of Asias most popular
novels, I must include the four famous
horses in the 600-year-old Romance of the
Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong. Readers
will readily recall Lu Bus mount, Red
Hare, the horse that was fiery red from
mane to tail and that neighs and howls as

if leaping into the air and plunging into the
sea. Theyll remember the huge leap across
the flooded Tan River by Dilu carrying
his rider Liu Bei, desperately outpacing
their enemies. Theyll picture again Cao
Cao on the tall and the magnificent Flying
Lightning as he returns victorious from
battle. Then there is Shadowless, Cao Caos
battle steed, a horse so fast that it casts no
shadow, and who was finally, tragically
killed when an arrow pierced its eye.
Few modern horse novels can compete
with the first book in Cormac McCarthys
Border Trilogy, All the Pretty Horses. Set
in 1949 Texas, when horses were still a
valuable and necessary commodity in many
rural areas of America. It has to be one the
most powerful coming-of-age stories ever
written as it follows the often harrowing
journey on horseback of three teenagers
from Texas into the lawlessness of the
Mexican border and back again. One boy is
executed in a Mexican prison. One returns
older and wiser to his home in Texas. John
Grady Cole finds and forcibly relinquishes
a Mexican lover and becomes one of
literatures honourable loners.
If youre like me and occasionally like to
have a few tears rolling onto your page or
Kindle screen, then you cant pass on Anna
Sewells 1877 classic, Black Beauty, which
will make you weep about the fate of
horses in Victorian London. Black Beauty,
Rob Roy, Ginger, Merrylegs and Captain
probably started off our fascination with
animal personification in literature.
For more information on Bookworm go to
bookwormhanoi.com. Besides their original
store on Chau Long, Bookworm have a second,
smaller shop in Nghi Tam Village in the West
Lake area. Located behind the Sheraton and in
the same alley as VilaTom Coffee, it can be found
at Lane 1/28 Au Co, Lang Nghi Tam, Tay Ho
cream, this bakery 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
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 / DELI
First Floor, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3718 4487
BLUEBIRD
WINE RETAILER / RESTAURANT

7 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho
bluebirdwine.com
THBC SPANISH TAPAS BAR

44, Ngo 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718
8246
thbc.vn
Tuesday to Sunday 8am to 9.30pm. Closed
Monday
Spanish fare is available elsewhere in town,
but this is the only place where it is authentic.
Has a great selection of sandwiches, tapas
and Mediterranean salads. To top off the
menu are a range of drinks including enormous gin and tonics, Tinto de Verano, carajillos and Catalan-style hot chocolate.
Fitness & Yoga

ELITE FITNESS
TOP-END HEALTH CENTRE

elitefitness.com.vn
The luxury gym features top-of-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
SHIVA STUDIOS
YOGA, PILATES & DANCING

51 A Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho
shiva.studio.najla.ammouri@gmail.com
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.
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.
FIVIMART
SUPERMARKET
Second Floor, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3719 1791
INTERNATIONAL SOS 24-HOUR CLINIC
KITCHEN ART
KITCHENWARE
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
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.
Medical & Dental

MEDICAL / DENTAL CLINIC
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 check-ups through
to vaccinations, paediatrics and specialist
care.
One Dental Clinic
DENTISTS
8 Quang An, Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718
6168
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.
PUNTO ITALIA
COFFEE MACHINES
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

BUTCHERS
18 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho
Groceries, Liquor & Kitchen Products THE WAREHOUSE

ANNAM GOURMET
VIETCLIMB
ITALIAN DELI
A great place to get all kinds of imported
groceries and home-made foods. All of the
breads and pastas are made in the in-house
kitchen. A great variety of fresh sauces, a limited, but well-chosen selection of wines and a
fantastic deli and cheese case. Free delivery.
THE OASIS BUTCHER SHOP

THE OASIS
WINE RETAILER
28 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: (04) 3719 8337
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
hanoi
The Alchemist
Be Your Own Valentine
alentines Day is a day when

love reigns, at least in principle.
More widely associated with
chocolates and roses than the
saints for whose feast day we are meant
to commemorate, Valentines Day has
become a cash cow for many businesses
around the world.
Material Love
We all know that most modern day
holidays have been hijacked by
commercialism but has love also fallen
victim to the dollar? According to one
survey, 53 percent of women in America
would leave their boyfriends if they did not
receive a gift for Valentines Day.
Another set of statistics from the US
Census Bureau showed that more than
US$2.5 billion (VND52.5 trillion) is spent
on merchandise in jewellery stores across
the US during the month of February. Were
The Beatles wrong when they sang, Cant
buy me love?
By Karen Gay
www.pressfoto.com
How Did We Get Here?

For the most part, we have become a
society that seeks external gratification.
We too often look to others to validate our
worth and because of this were caught
in the web of constantly being judged
and judging others. This leads us to seek
approval and love from those around us
to satisfy the ego, which can sometimes
leave us unfulfilled and lead to feelings of
anxiety and insecurity.
Although the material gifts may bring
a momentary sense of worthiness, in the
long run that sense of worthiness needs
to come from within ones self so that we
may blossom into our fullest potential to be
love, give love and to receive love.
Self Love
Be selfish, love yourself. This, were told in
spiritual teachings, is the key to being able
to love others, not just your partner, family
or friends but everyone, regardless of race
or creed.
Loving yourself and all your

imperfections, unconditionally, opens
the door to allow you to also love others
unconditionally, not expecting anything in
return, not even expecting them to love you
in return. You love them just because.
Now obviously the world has a long
way to go with this concept otherwise we
wouldnt be in the state of affairs in which
we find ourselves. However, each one of us
can make a difference and it starts with self
love. This great slogan sums it up beautifully
Be Love, Give Love, Live Love.
Here are some suggestions to help you
embody this slogan, consider the advice
at tinybuddha.com; join the global love
letter writing campaign at globalloveletters.
com; get a regular dose of love at
thedailylove.com. In the words of Ram Dass
Be Love Now!
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
hanoi
Electronics
ba dinh
A Dong Photo Co
128 Hang Trong, Hoan
Kiem . Tel: 3826 0732
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.
SUMMIT LOUNGE
ROOFTOP LOUNGE BAR

20th Floor, Sofitel Plaza, 1
Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3823 8888 ext. 5314
4pm to Midnight Sunday to
Wednesday, 4pm to 2am
Thursday to Saturday
Bookshops
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
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.
HIGHLANDS COFFEE
CHAIN
28A Dien Bien Phu, Ba Dinh
(Next to the Flag Tower) Tel:
(04) 3823 3339
7am to 11pm
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
setting. They also offer culinary tours.
Eat
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.
FOODSHOP 45
INTERNATIONAL INDIAN
59 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3716 2959
10am to 10.30pm
Lakeside location, low bamboo 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.
Cooking Classes
Cafes
CAF GOETHE
ARTS CAF
56 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh,
Tel: 3734 7395
CONG CAPHE
LEFTIST ARTSY CAFE
HANOI COOKING CENTRE
COOKING CENTRE
(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
HIGHWAY 4
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.
Alpha Laptop
95D Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 3747 4418
Fuong May Anh
5 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem

Tel: 3213 1568
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.
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
to get dressed up for. Has extensive a la carte menus, dim
sum menus and set menus.
Reservations recommended.
MING PALACE
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.
1 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem
DK Computer
29 Ngoc Kha, Ba Dinh Tel:
3772 4772
Hi-Tech USA
Kiem. Tel: 3938 6261
Pico Plaza
Kiem
Professional Computer
Care and IT Services
No 3, Alley 8, Hoa Lu,

Hai Ba Trung. Tel: 0983
011081
Fitness & Yoga

N SHAPE FITNESS
Nguyen Cau
MID-RANGE FITNESS CENTRE

5th Floor, 71 Nguyen Chi
Thanh, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
6266 0495
nshapefitness.vn
Vietsad
34B Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 3747 8771
Swimming Pools
Army Hotel
Hairdressers & Salons
33C Pham Ngu Lao, Hoan

Kiem. Tel: 3825 2896
DINH HAIR SALON
Four Seasons
HAIR SALON
2A Cua Bac, Ba Dinh, Tel:
0987 718899
14 Dang Tien Dong, Dong

Da. Tel: 3537 6250
Hanoi Club
76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho
Tel: 3823 8115
www.hanoi-club.com
Medical & Dental
Horison Fitness Center
FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE
MEDICAL / DENTAL CLINIC

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
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
Vo Thi Sau, Hai Ba Trung,
(Inside the park)
Thang Loi Hotel

200 Yen Phu, Tay Ho
hanoi
The Therapist
Dear Readers,
This month I will write about a common
issue that brings people in to see me.
People and their stories are always
unique and it is my goal to assist in
helping each person find the place
within themselves from which life
can be lived fully and enjoyably. One
of the ways that I do that is to know
the mechanisms of particular types of
dysfunctions depression and anxiety
being the two most common. Here, I will
focus on anxiety.
Anxiety is a particularly perplexing
and uncomfortable condition, which is
said to affect one in six Americans and
15 percent of people in England.
Anxiety is a mood disorder and
includes panic attacks, phobias (of many
kinds, social phobia being the most
prevalent), general anxiety, obsessive/
compulsive disorder, posttraumatic
stress disorder, and other conditions
related to medical or substance use.
In simple terms, it is a fearful feeling
that sets up an internal process which
seems to perpetuate itself. Like
dominoes which are lined up, a single
trigger can set off a chain reaction of
thoughts that both increases a fearful
urgency and leads to thoughts that are
grandiose and far-fetched to the point
of irrationality. This process can happen
quickly, automatically and it is painfully
disruptive to an ability to proceed and
function with normal here and now
tasks. It produces a feeling of being out
of control, often brings about feelings
of guilt or shame, and questions about
whether one is crazy.
Anxious people are often isolated
because a fear of judgment, or a
perceived stigma, prevents them from
letting others know what is going on
for them. All of it creates a snowball
effect, starting small and feeding on the
internal reality that it produces, all the
time feeling worse.
Scott Stossel, an American journalist,
provides a first-hand account of this in
his new book, My Age of Anxiety. Check
out the article he wrote in the Guardian
at: theguardian.com/society/2014/jan/05/
scott-stossel-my-age-anxiety-extract
While the mechanisms are fairly easy
to see and understand, it is not so easy
to disrupt and change. Much like wellingrained habits, we all tend to function
from an internal automatic response
system. We learn it as children, before
This month Douglas Holwerda, American-trained and

licensed mental health counsellor, writes a letter directly to
you, the readers, addressing the issue of anxiety
www.pressfoto.com
we have the developmental wherewithal

to consider options. We cope with the
challenges and nuances of life, opting for
short-term solutions which inevitably run
their course.
Anxiety is often the information we
need which tells us we need to reconsider
the way that we have come to function.
The problem is it creates its own fear of
change. Many clients have said that while
the feelings of anxiety are awful and
undesirable, letting go of the familiar feels
like stepping into the abyss. Often, when
they feel better they mistrust the feeling
of being OK. We tend to cling to what
we know in order to feel like we are in
control. It is a double bind. We are afraid
to change and afraid if we dont. It feels
difficult to believe we can feel OK or even
relaxed in a state where we are not in

complete control.
What we do know is that with the help
of support and new awareness, we can
overcome anxiety. We can break out of
the hold it has and discover or rediscover
what it is to feel an internal calm, without
intrusive thoughts and worries. We can
create an awareness that gives us options
and choice as to how we respond and
limit the effects of an automatic process
that spins painfully out of control.
If this is relevant to you or someone
you know, dont simply accept it, get help
and overcome it. Douglas Holwerda
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
elsewhere
Arts / Bars & Clubs / Cafes / Eat / Medical & Dental / Recreation
Arts
WORK ROOM FOUR
ARTS STUDIO & GALLERY

Building E, Floor 4, 9 Tran
Thanh Tong, Hai Ba Trung
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.
with a dim lit conversational

ambience. Set in a Soviet-era
building in Zone 9, engaging
contemporary artwork lines
the walls while comfy armchair seating complements
the bar area. Has a second
room used as an event space
and sometime gallery.
VUVUZELA
MODERN BEER HALL

2A Tran Thanh Tong, Hai Ba
Trung
Cafes
CONG CAPHE
Bars & Clubs

BARBETTA REPUBLIC
ARTSY LATE-NIGHT BAR

9 Tran Thanh Tong, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 3971 2094
Propaganda Art, Communist-era imagery and a welltempered design aesthetic
create the ambience for
this notorious yet well-loved
space in Zone 9. Drinks specials, late-night opening, DJs
and live music make up the
mix. Popular with young Vietnamese and expats alike.
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.
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
TADIOTO LOUNGE BAR AND CAFE
ARTS BAR / EVENT SPACE

Building A, Second Floor, 9
Tran Thanh Tong, Tel: (04)
6680 9124
tadioto.com
8.30am to Midnight
Alternative and nostalgic bar
Eat
ASAHI SUSHI
SUSHI RESTAURANT
288 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: (04) 3974 5945
asahisushi.vn
CAF 129
MEXICAN/COMFORT FOOD
129 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 3821 5342
7.30am to 9.30pm
HIGHWAY 4
VIETNAMESE / ETHNIC
54 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: (04) 3796 2647
10am to midnight
KOTO ON VAN MIEU
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.
come from carefully selected domestic spices, the up

market establishment lures
in its high class customers
with quality VietnameseFrench fusion cuisine.
WILD LOTUS
CONTEMPORARY ASIAN / VIETNAMESE

55A Nguyen Du, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 3943 9342
POTS N PANS
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 restaurant, 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.
Hung, Cau Giay, Tel: (04)

3772 3801
landmark72.com
Medical & Dental

FRENCH HOSPITAL
ICE SKATING
Royal City, 72A-74 Nguyen
Trai, Thanh Xuan, Tel: 0936
469799
royalcity.com.vn
INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL
1 Phuong Mai, Dong Da, Tel:
(04) 3577 1100
hfh.com.vn
VINMEC INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL

458 Minh Khai, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: (04) 3974 3556
vinmec.com
Recreation
KEANGNAM SWIMMING POOL
ROYAL CITY ICE SKATING RINK
X-FACTORY LASER TAG
LASER TAG
77 Hong Mai, Bach Mai, Hai
Ba Trung, Tel: (04) 3627 7106
x-factory-vn.com

simply email us on
well try our best
SWIMMING POOL
Landmark 72 Tower, Pham
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
A LA FOLIE...!
FRENCH
63 Ngo Hue, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: (04) 3976 1667
alafolie63@gmail.com
11am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm.
Closed Monday
A cozy recently opened
space to taste fine French
food and excellent wines
without draining your wallet. Using high quality fresh
ingredients, the cuisine is
simple including anything
from a traditional omelette
or steak tartare-frites to coq
au vin or foie gras. Has two
floors and a patio.
LA VERTICALE
CONTEMPORARY FRENCH
19 Ngo Van So, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: (04) 3944 6317
verticale-hanoi.com
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
hanoi
A World
of
Charity Overheads
eres the question every charity

dreads: How much of my
donation goes on your overheads?
And the answer should be: not
enough. Theres a welcome discussion in
the industry about the overhead myth
and while Ive grumbled about it for
years, a shout out to activists (like Dan
Pallotta and his equal rights for charities
manifesto), who are challenging funders
about where the money goes.
Nonprofits arent allowed to pay salaries
that attract smart, motivated talent because
incentivising folks to work for social justice
is deemed reprehensible. So talent flocks
to better paying sectors, like finance and
law, because the clear message is you can
either make money or you can do good.
But doing development work shouldnt
be an act of self-flagellation. Pallotta calls
this morality versus frugality and social
justice gets the very short end of the stick
every time.
Costing it Up
Charity scorecards, such as those by
Charity Navigator, are particularly
egregious and same too those nonprofits
flashing their score like a pitiful badge of
honour. Those rankings fuel the economic
apartheid that permits for-profits gazillions
Good
By Dana McNairn
www.pressfoto.com
in overheads bank executives annual

bonuses come to mind but forces
nonprofits to share one coffee cup among
staff, lest they be considered corrupt
wastrels.
Sure, some nonprofits claim that 97 or
100 percent of your donor dollar goes
directly to the needy, but has to go
begging for funding elsewhere to cover
its administration. This particular charity
makes it difficult, if not impossible, for
everyone else. Who wouldnt like those
kinds of numbers to trot out to donors?
But thats sprinkling magical fairy dust
over the books and its wrong. Charity
Navigator and others have since made
a sheepish U-turn announcing that
measuring overheads against performance
is imprecise and inaccurate, but the
damage is done. Donors want cancer
cured with a US$5,000 (VND105 million)
donation and nonprofits scramble to justify
every penny of a US$300 (VND6.3 million)
donation because another donor wants to
see a budget for it.
Spend to Earn
So the benighted double standard persists.
I write budgets capped at seven percent
overheads (and with most funders,
dont bother submitting if youre hitting
15 percent). Apple announced in its

2008 Q4 report expenses of 78 percent
(i.e. administrative, general and sales).
Theyre allowed to advertise, to scale their
mission. Nonprofits cannot because thats
wasting donors valuable resources.
But I keep hearing my first bosss
mantra: You gotta spend the money to
get the money. That means charities
shouldnt be castigated for the spend on
fundraising, decent salaries, financial
audits, evaluations, organisational
learning and just keeping the lights on.
The meek arent inheriting the earth
anytime soon because all the scale goes to
McDonalds and Johnnie Walker.
That charities need to be held to
high standards isnt the argument. But
charities need to be evaluated on what
they can deliver, their results, not just
their expenses getting there. Do they
have great leaders and a bold, creative
approach? Lets stop nitpicking nonprofits
administrative costs because their
reputation and performance cannot hinge
on whether they use two-ply or one-ply
toilet paper.
Dana McNairn works at KOTO, a nonprofit
social enterprise and vocational training
programme for at-risk youth. She can be
contacted at dana.mcnairn@koto.com.au
hanoi
business
Business Groups / Corporate Services / Insurance / International Schools / Language Schools /

Management Training / Market Research / Relocation & tracking agents / Serviced Apartments
Business Groups
keychains, card holders and

menu covers.
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.
SINGAPORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION VIETNAM

Business Center, Ground
Floor, Fortuna Hotel, 6B
Lang Ha, Dong Da, Tel: (04)
4772 0833
sbav-hanoi.org
Corporate Services
ENDO
79, Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3783 2085
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
Insurance
AIG
Suite 5-01, Hanoi Towers, 49
Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3936 1455
aig.com.vn
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 VIETNAM INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (BVIS)
H3-H4, Hoa Lan, Vincom
Village, Long Bien, Tel: (04)
3946 0435
bvisvietnam.com
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.
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.
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
UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL

SCHOOL (UNIS)
Ciputra International Village,
Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3758 1551
unishanoi.org
Unit 9 10, Shophouse

CT17, Ciputra, Tel: (04) 3743
0360
3rd Floor, 49 Hai Ba Trung,
7243
C5-C11, 1st Floor, The Manor Building, My Dinh, Me Tri
New Urban, Tu Liem District,
Tel: +84 4 3794 0209
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
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.
Suite 821, Vietnam Trade

Hotel, 14 Tran Binh Trong,
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 info@santaferelo.
com.vn.
Market Research
Serviced Apartments
ATLANTA RESIDENCES
CIMIGO
KINDERWORLD INTERNATIONAL
KINDERGARTEN
RMIT
Language Schools
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
leading language centres.
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.
LANGUAGE LINK VIETNAM

62 Yen Phu, Tay Ho, 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
G&H MANAGEMENT SERVICES
HKC Building, Suite 701, 285
Doi Can, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3762 3805
ghmsglobal.com
142 Le Duan, Dong Da, Tel:

(04) 3518 6696
vietnam@cimigo.com
cimigolive.com
Relocation & tracking agents

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.
49 Hang Chuoi, Hai Ba Trung,

Tel: 0912 239085
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
(04) 3719 8877
hanoi.frasershospitality.
com
SEDONA SUITES
No. 96 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho,
Tel: (04) 3718 0888
sedonahotels.com.sg
ASIAN TIGERS TRANSPO

Inland Customs Deport Area
(ICD), Pham Hung, My Dinh,
Tu Liem, Tel: (04) 3768 5882
asiantigergroup.com
Asian Tigers Group is committed to its mission of
moving households without
disruption ti family life. They
also offer pre-move advice
regarding customs and
shipping.
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.
JVK INDOCHINA MOVERS

(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.

simply email us on
well try our best
SANTA FE RELOCATION SERVICES
hanoi
Student Eye
The Roses of February
oon, Valentines Day will come

and with it all the passion,
romance and lovingness of the
teenage world. These good
intentions will be dressed in pink and
fluffy hearts, with chocolates and roses
going back and forth between boys and
girls. Yet as beautiful and marvelous the
rose of Valentines Day may seem, trust
me, its thorns hurt just as much.
There is certainly a romantic side to
Valentines. The whole Internet, whether
it be Facebook, Instagram or 9GAG, seems
to sink into the warm, loving mood of the
day. And it brings smiles to the faces of
even the most cynical observers to see all
the Valentines Day posts, the messages
and letters of confession and pictures
of homemade chocolates. Valentines
is great! one of my friends says. Its
an opportunity for the shy people to
express their feelings when its socially
accepted, and actually a norm to do all
that romantic stuff.
Every Rose Has its Thorn

Quite ironically however, Valentines Day
has come to represent almost the opposite
for many teens. The day has transformed
into a mournful time for single teens,
to feel even lonelier, sadder and more
neglected. While the spotlight shines
brightly on couples, the singles are left in
the darkness.
On the Internet youll see the forever
alone memes. And others will come up
with all sorts of sad jokes about being
the third wheel or having a date for
Valentines Day with their computers.
Its as if Valentines Day has found a new
meaning and tradition among some teens:
as a day when single teenagers grieve and
mock their solitude.
Not all couples are excited for
Valentines Day either. Its become less of
a time to show love than to prove it. Thanks
to impractical movies and TV shows,
many teens have started to romanticise
things more than they feel the need
to. Gifts are now related to celebrating
Valentines Day, and couples are pressured
to spend the day more romantically, to
make it more memorable than any of the
other regular days.
Then there are the pessimists, who
deny the necessity to celebrate such
a meaningless day, and go as far as
to insist that Valentines Day is only a
devious celebration kept alive by greedy
companies who want to sell more rings,
cards and chocolates. They say, Why
www.pressfoto.com
should we celebrate our relationship on

the day that some random person who was
in love died?
Valentines Like Love Is

Complicated
It seems the older we get, the more
complicated everything becomes.
Valentines Day was more exciting when it
was simply a day that gave an excuse for
kids to eat more sweets than they normally
do, like Halloween. Though there are a
number of different interpretations of

the true meaning of Valentines Day, in
everyones life it starts as a simple event,
where diamond rings or fancy restaurants
dont matter so much.
Perhaps every one should step back to
that pure and basic definition, and become
a little more childish. Lets go back to the
point where the smallest sweets and flowers
bring joy, and where getting none of these
doesnt mean that you are an unwanted,
unloved loner. Tae Jun Park
Ho Chi Minh City

business buff 144 // coffee cup 146 // in the frame 152 // body and temple 156 //
medical buff 158 // TOP EATS 166
Photo by Dragon images
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
GLOBALEYE FINANCIAL ADVISORS
4th Floor, Unit 17, Saigon
Center, 65 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 0220
globaleye.com
PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS
Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 0796
pwc.com
Advertising & Mktg

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

DESIGN
12th Floor, Centec Tower,

7274, Nguyen Thi Minh
Khai, Q13, Tel: (08) 3821
9529
ogilvy.com
16th Floor, Bitexco Office

Tower, 1925 Nguyen Hue,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 3064
cowandesign.com
SAIGON-EXPAT TAX SERVICES
DENTSU VIETNAM
6th Floor, Me Linh Point

Tower, 2 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel:
0938 220 255
vivianwcooper@gmail.com
AB TOWER, 23rd Floor, 76 Le

Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 9005
Dentsu.com.vn
TMF GROUP
Unit 501, 5th Floor, Saigon
Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc
Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3910
2262
Tmg-group.com
PURPLE ASIA

9 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh
Thanh, Tel: (08) 6277 7050
MARKETEERS VIETNAM
purpleasia.com
FPT Tower, 153 Nguyen Dinh
Chieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3933
3493

marketeersvietnam.com
GREY GROUP
404 Vo Van Tan, Q3, Tel: (08)
3929 1450
grey.com/vietnam
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN ASIA

Duong So 12, Tran Nao, Q2,
Tel: (08) 3740 6388
industrialdesignasia.com
PHIBIOUS
7th Floor, 11bis Nguyen Gia
Thieu, Q3, Tel: (08) 3933
3377
phibious.com
An independent, creative
led communications company helps brands connect
and grow across Southeast
Asia. Clients include The
CocaCola Company, Asia
Pacific Breweries, Piaggio
and UPI.
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
CONCETTI
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
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
Business Consulting
BDG VIETNAM
11th Floor, Capital Place, 6
Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 7858
Bdg-vietnam.com
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
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.
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.
Event Management
EVECOO
Tel: 0988 297990
evecoo.vn
GALA ROYALE EVENT HALL

63 Mac Dinh Chi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 6048
galaroyale.com.vn
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

2nd Floor, Eximland Building, 179EF Cach
Mang Thang Tam, Q3, Tel: (08) 3832 9912
auschamvn.org
A licensed foreign business 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.
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.
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
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
17th Floor, Petroland Tower, 12 Tan Trao, Q7,

Tel: (08) 5416 0922
nordcham.com
PHILIPPINES BUSINESS GROUP VIETNAM
SANTA FE RELOCATION SERVICES
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
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 info@santaferelo.com.
vn for info.
SWISS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

42 Giang Van Minh, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 6996
swissvietnam.com
Corporate Gifts & Services

AMBRIJ VIETNAM LTD
14-16-18 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824
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
25 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 8430

bbgv.org
CANCHAM
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-inclass 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.
ONE WORLD TOURISM CO, LTD
BRITISH BUSINESS GROUP OF VIETNAM
JONES LANG LASALLE
Housing & Real Estate

CBRE
12th Floor, Me Linh Point Tower, 2 Ngo Duc
Ke, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 6125
cbre.com
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.
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 agency and consultancy. In
Vietnam, they offer commercial, residential
and residential development services.
NAMHOUSE 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
HCMC
Business Buff
Virtual Currencies
urrency is a medium of exchange.

It allows people to store value in
a symbolic way without having to
carry around bulky or awkward
items of actual value. A virtual currency is
a form of unregulated digital money, not
issued or guaranteed by a central bank,
which can act as a means of payment.
Bitcoin has a had a lot of press over the
last 18 months and despite my best efforts
I could not get into a virtual wallet I had
set up on an old laptop years ago when
the currency first came out. I was trying to
claim my riches. However Bitcoin is just
one of the many virtual currencies that
exist. At present there are an estimated 67
virtual currencies around with a total value
of US$13 billion (VND273,000 trillion) of
which Bitcoin accounts for about US$9
billion (VND189,000 trillion).
Some have fared better than others in
making a dent in the international flow
of money. Below are some of the crypto
currencies that tried and failed.
1) Beenz
Started in 1998 and lasting until 2001, Beenz
created a global online couponing system
it called a virtual currency, and raised over
US$100 million (VND2.1 trillion) from bigname investors like Oracles Larry Ellison,
Italian bank mogul Carlo De Benedetti and
Gucci chief Francois Pinault. It failed as
online commerce sites never bought into
its hoped-for loyalty couponing by issuing
enough Beenz to monetize the growing
internet economy.
2) Flooz
Started in 1999 and lasting until 2001, it
By Shane Dillon
created an online currency redeemable at

scores of sites, and drawing the attention
of national television audiences with
ads featuring Whoopi Goldberg. It also
attracted cyberthieves in Russia and
the Philippines who stole hundreds of
thousands of dollars in coupons. It failed to
get merchants on board by not providing
secure technology.
transactions. It won partnerships with major

European banks and created some of the
seminal technology still used for encrypting
digital transactions. It failed to hold its
original customers who wanted anonymity
not allowed by the banking partnerships,
which required named account holders. It
declared bankruptcy in 1998.
3) Internetcash.com
Started in 1994 and closing operation

in 2001, Cybercash built a payment
system that was eventually acquired by a
predecessor to Paypal. CyberCash made
a splash with a US$300 million (VND6.3
trillion) public offering that jumped 79
percent on its first trading day at the peak
of the dotcom boom. It went under by
failing to create a micro-payment virtual
currency. It lost millions of dollars as it
tried to market itself as an anonymous
payment alternative to credit cards, and fell
victim to the Y2K bug and other technical
problems. It filed for bankruptcy in 2001
and its transactions business was sold to
e-commerce enabler Verisign, which was
later sold to PayPal.
Besides bitcoin, the virtual currencies
around today include litecoin, peercoin,
novacoin and namecoin. At the end
of November 2013, one bitcoin was
worth US$965.93 (VND20.3 million)
while the next most valuable virtual
currency, litecoin, was valued at US$27.58
(VND579,000) per coin.
Shane works in financial services and studies
economics. He can be contacted at shanedillon@
bluecross.com.vn
Started in 1999 and lasting until 2001,

internetcash.com won patents for a secure
Internet payment system that was based
on consumers using personal identification
numbers. It also pioneered Web-based
electronic cash that verified transactions
without the use of credit cards. It failed to
stay in business through the dotcom crash.
4) E-Gold
Originally launched in 1996, then shut
down in 2009 and re-launched in 2011,
E-Gold created a global market for digital
gold currency that claimed to have 5
million account holders. E-Gold promoted
its transfers as virtual electronic currency
backed by stores of gold. The site failed
to keep clear of fraudsters who used
the accounts to transfer money for illicit
purposes. The company was investigated
repeatedly for money-laundering charges
and its directors eventually worked out a
plea bargain. It suspended operations in 2009
and restarted operations two years later.
5) Digicash
Started in 1990 and lasting until 1998,
Digicash created a cryptographic digital
currency that allowed anonymous money
6) Cybercash
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
provider in Vietnam since

1995, providing research,
advisory services, residential sales, commercial
leasing, asset management,
retail advisory, valuation, investment advisory and other
services.
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
benefits and life insurance,

the team at Tenzing has over
30 years experience providing insurance advice.
Interior Design
PROFESSIONAL PAINTING AND
REMODELING
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.
IDECAF
31 Thai Van Lung, Q1
Tel: (08) 3829 5451
idecaf.gov.vn
you with the best suitable

medical cover for individual,
family or company needs.
BLUE CROSS VIETNAM

8th Floor, River View Tower,
7A Thai Van Lung, Q1 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
Tel: 0934 874271
Iglobalassist.com
LIBERTY INSURANCE
15th Floor, Kumho Asiana
Plaza, 39 Le Duan, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3812 5125
libertyinsurance.com.vn
PRUDENTIAL

Insurance
25th F, Saigon Trade Centre,

37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3910 1660
prudential.com.vn
BAOVIET INSURANCE
49D Phan Dang Luu, Binh
Thanh, Tel: (08) 3510 1661
baoviet.com.vn
IF CONSULTING
IFC Building, 3rd Floor, 1A
Me Linh Square, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 7362
insuranceinvietnam.com
Independent advisors that
represent top reputable
medical insurers provide
TENZING PACIFIC SERVICES

VIETNAM
Huu Nghi Building, 35 Le
Loi, Q1
ten-pac.com
An independent agency representing local and international insurance companies
in Southeast Asia. A trusted
partner for health, employee
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.
BAKER & MCKENZIE
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

135/10 Nguyen Cuu Van,
Binh Thanh, Tel: 0916 670
771
vietnameselanguagegarden.com
Investment & Finance

DRAGON CAPITAL
1901 Me Linh Point, 2 Ngo
Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823
9355
dragoncapital.com
THE ETHICAL INVESTMENT

GROUP
27 Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 0907
ethicalinvestmentgroup.
co.uk
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.
VLS SAIGON
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
12th Floor, Saigon Tower,

3829 5585
bakermckenzie.com
FRASERS LAW COMPANY

Unit 1501, 15th Floor, The
Metropolitan, 235 Dong Khoi,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 2733
frasersvn.com
GIDE LOYRETTE NOUEL A.A.R.P.I.

18 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 8599
gide.com
INDOCHINE COUNSEL
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
ALLENS
Suite 605, Saigon Tower, 29
Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
1717
vietnamlaws.com
35A-1-2 Grandview, Nguyen

Duc Canh, Q7, Tel: (08) 5412
3402; 31st Floor, Saigon
Trade Centre, 37 Ton Duc
Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3911 0454
xageconsulting.com
HCMC
Coffee Cup
Ninja Juice
f life gives you lemons, make

some kind of fruity juice.
Conan O'Brien
Lemons not so much, but pretty
much every other fruit you can imagine is
put to good use at the District 7 smoothie
staple, Ninja Juice.
Scott Million moved to Vietnam from
the US and immediately began work as a
teacher. Nhai Jasmine Pham moved to
Ho Chi Minh City with designs on starting
an eatery, following years working in the
restaurant business in Hanoi.
The two of them put their heads together
about how to best make use of their
backgrounds, and the concept they created
was Ninja Juice, located in the multicultural Hoang Anh Gia Lai 3 compound in
District 7.
I wanted to pick an icon that
westerners, Koreans, Vietnamese, anyone
could identify with, Scott says. A ninja is
something that everyone thinks is cool.
HAGL 3 houses Vietnamese, Canadians,
Filipinos, Americans, Australians, Cubans,
South Koreans and British in its four towers
Photos by Kyle Phanroy
of apartment block, an eclectic mix is also

reflected in what and how customers order
from Ninja Juice.
Vietnamese like more condensed
milk than Koreans or westerners, Scott
says of the juice culture clash. And
westerners order delivery more (by phone).
Vietnamese would rather come to the
shopfront.
Its All About the Smoothies

Matching the colourful signage and
backdrop of the storefront, the smoothies
and other drinks are equally flash. A
personal favourite among the smoothies
is the Battle Berry, which features
strawberries, kiwi and banana. The
Coconut Mercenary is a coconut/mango
concoction, while the Melon Master
features watermelon, jackfruit and passion
fruit. All smoothies are VND30,000, while
juices are VND25,000.
The shopfront is also proving to be a
good place to network among the four
25-storey blocks at HAGL 3. Nhai says she
finds herself creating connections between
customers, for everything from apartment

rentals to finding a good house cleaner to
English tutors.
When I started doing Ninja Juice, I
started meeting a lot of different people,
Nhai says. I understand (the interests) of a
lot of Vietnamese and foreign people.
Ample repeat business shows that the
couple has a good grasp of what their
customers want, with updates to the menu
worked in. Beer, yogurt parfaits, bagels and
coffee and some killer cocktails are
also available.
A ninja is quick, Nhai says. When
people think of us, they think of good
quality and [quickness].
While launching a venture in Vietnam
has its ups and downs, Scott has this piece
of advice for would-be entrepreneurs.
Having business hours from 6am to
10pm is a mistake, he says with a groggy
grin. Dont ever do it! Harry Hodge
Ninja Juice is located on the ground floor
of the C block of Hoang Anh Gia Lai 3, on
Nguyen Huu Tho, Q7. Theyre open seven days
a week
Market Research
CIMIGO
9 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh 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.
INDOCHINA RESEARCH
3rd Floor, 140 Nguyen Van Thu, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 6965
indochinaresearch.com
MEKONG RESEARCH
91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh, Tel: (08)
6258 6314
mekongresearch.com
NIELSEN
CentrePoint Building, Level 4, 106 Nguyen

Van Troi, Phu Nhan, Tel: (08) 3997 8088
vn.nielsen.com
TNS VIETNAM
58 Vo Van Tan, Q3, Tel: (08) 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
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
HCMC
Kids Classes & Sports
2011, Adecco offers a wide

array of global workforce
solutions and specialises in
finance & legal, sales, marketing & events, IT, engineering & technical, and office.
HR2B/TALENT RECRUITMENT JSC

1st Floor, Thien Son Building,
5 Nguyen Gia Thieu, Q3, Tel:
(08) 6288 3888
hr2b.com
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.
Serviced Apartments
CAM LY HOTEL & APARTMENT
656 Cach Mang Thang Tam,
Q3, Tel: (08) 3993 1587
camlyapartment@hcm.
vnn.vn
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
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

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
KIDS CLUB SAIGON

79/7 Pham Thai Buong, Q7; 27/3 Ha Huy Tap, Q7, Tel:
0908 460267
kidsclubsaigon.com
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
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.

MANPOWER VIETNAM
8th Floor, Resco Building,
94-96 Nguyen Du, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3911 0950
manpower.com.vn
NAVIGOS GROUP
130 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3925 5000
navigosgroup.com
OPUS VIETNAM
5th Floor Vitic Building. 6B
Nguyen Thanh Y, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 8209
opusasia.net
VIETNAMWORKS.COM
130 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1,
Tel: (08) 5404 1373
vietnamworks.com
SAIGON PONY CLUB
Relocation Agents
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
VINSPACE
6 Le Van Mien, Q2, Tel: 0907 729 846
vin-space.com
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.
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
office moves and pet relocations.
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.
CROWN RELOCATIONS
CITYVIEW
2nd Floor Coteccons Office

Tower, 236/6 Dien Bien
Phu, Binh Thanh, Tel: (08)
3840 4237
crownrelo.com
12 Mac Dinh Chi, Q1, Tel: (08)

3822 1111
cityview.com.vn

JVK INTERNATIONAL MOVERS
INTERCONTINENTAL ASIANA
SAIGON RESIDENCES
ASIAN TIGERS MOBILITY
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.
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.
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 apartment 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.
RESIDENT VIETNAM
Unit 601 48 Hoa SU, Phu
Nhuan, Tel: (08) 2226 8855
residentvietnam.com
SAIGON EXPRESS AGENCY LIMITED

7th Floor, 6-8 Doan Van Bo,
Q4, Tel: (08) 3826 8850
seal.com.vn
SHERWOOD RESIDENCE
DIAMOND ISLAND LUXURY RESIDENCES
G.A. CONSULTANTS VIETNAM

CO., LTD.
RIVERSIDE APARTMENTS
(08) 3744 4111
Riverside-apartments.com
Over four Saigon Riverbank
hectares, Riverside Apartments combines a resort

simply email us on
well try our best
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

LIVE MUSIC / BAR

8 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 7699
CUNHOUSE
LOUNGE BAR
Hem 36, Chu Manh Trinh, Q1,
Tel: 0908 033982

DRUNKEN DUCK
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.
FUSE
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
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 Weiner
schnitzel. Nightly live music
and regular salsa classes.
Huu
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District 2
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LAST CALL
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.
LA FENETRE SOLEIL
FRENCH / JAPANESE RESTOBAR

3824 5994
A seductive watering whole
in a great corner location
thanks to its old Saigon glamour, Japanese-Vietnamese
fusion cuisine, imported
beer, classic cocktails, and
entertaining music events /
DJ sets.
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ha
n
Da
o
District
10
Ma
Du
h
an
Ng
uy
en
Ca
ch
Tr
u
Th
i
Du
Ba
Hu
ng
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.
Bi
e
District 3
ICE BLUE
Ha
i
ie
n
LIVE MUSIC / WESTERN RESTOBAR

Kumho Asiana Plaza, 39 Le
Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291 7595
hardrockcafe.vn
Kh
ai
Ph
APOCALYPSE NOW
CARMEN
HARD ROCK CAFE
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.
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.
To
n
Ho
2 LAM SON (MARTINI BAR)
BROMA
an
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in
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en
Ti
Bars & Clubs
Binh Thanh
in
h
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
District 4
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
LUSH
PROGRESSIVE / MAINSTREAM
3824 2496
lush.vn
OBRIENS
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.
IRISH BAR / INTERNATIONAL

74/A3 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 3198
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.
HCMC

PHATTYS
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 SAIGON
HOTEL MUSIC BAR

9th floor, Caravelle Hotel, 1923 Lam Som Square, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 4999
caravellehotel.com
STORM P
DANISH / INTERNATIONAL
5B Nguyen Sieu, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 4738
Stormp.vn
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.
VELVET
DANCE/HIP HOP
26 Ho Huan Nghiep, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 2262
velvet.bar.saigon@gmail.
com
chef Andy Ertle, Vesper Bar

is a sophisticated yet downto-earth wine and cocktail
bar. Serving creative, Japanese-influenced tapas to
supplement the drinks, the
subtle lighting and loungestyle atmosphere makes this
a great drinking and dining
venue
on the river end of Dong Khoi.

Popular with a businessy, international crowd.
Cafes & Ice-Cream

AU PARC
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.
VESPER BAR
INTERNATIONAL
Landmark Building, 5B Ton
Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
9698
Headed up by well-known
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 BAR 38

3829 3968
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.
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.
ZANZBAR
LOUNGE BAR & RESTOBAR

19-21 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 7375
Creative cocktails, an extensive wine list, subtle lighting,
international tapas and a
laid-back, lightbox-lit ambience are all part of the offering at the all-new ZanZBar
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

11-13 Lam Son Square, Q1,
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.
KITA COFFEE
INTERNATIONAL / MEDITERRANEAN
39-41 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3821 6799
Kitas colonial-era building
and bistro-style decor will
have you thinking youve
been transported to the
streets of Europe. Pair your
experience with an espresso-based Italian coffee from
their Mediterranean-based
menu. Excellent sandwiches
and salads.
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.
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
HAGEN-DAZS

6683 5899; 20 Le Thanh Ton,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 0066
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

35 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 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. Exhibitions and gallery
talks run every month.
GEISHA & GEISHAS COFFEE AND TEA HOUSE
CASUAL & EVENING WEAR

85 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08) 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, Vietnam-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.
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
NGUYEN FRERES
MR & MRS SMITH
NINH KHUONG EMBROIDERY
TAILOR-MADE SHOES
171 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 5267
FACTORY OUTLET
43 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 8019
9am to 9pm
This designer fashion outlet sells a variety
of clothing and shoes produced in Vietnam.
All designs are brand new, delivered from
the factory weekly and sold at factory outlet
prices.
NIK-NAKS / CRAFTS
2 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 9459
8am to 8pm
EMBROIDERED PRODUCTS
83 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 9079; 42 Le
Loi, Q1. (08) 3824 7456
ninhkhuong.vn
SAPA
ETHNIC ACCESSORIES / SOUVENIRS

69 Dong Khoi, Q1
A Taste of
Authenticity
MEKONG QUILTS
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
39 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 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, posters and
more. Rental scooters and bikes available.
Cooking Classes
SAIGON COOKING CLASSES BY HOA TUC
74 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 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.
HAND-MADE QUILTS
1st Floor, 68 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 2210 3110
mekong-quilts.org
NHA XINH
HOME FURNISHINGS
2nd Floor, Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3821 6115
www.nhaxinh.com
THE FURNITURE WAREHOUSE
EUROPEAN-STYLE FURNITURE
3B Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 6657 0788
thefurniturewarehouse.com.vn
Eat
3T QUAN NUONG
VIETNAMESE BBQ
Top Floor, 29 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel: (08)
3821 1631
AL FRESCOS
INTERNATIONAL
27 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 38238424
alfrescosgroup.com
VIETNAM COOKERY CENTRE

Suite 45, 4th Floor, 26 Ly Tu Trong, Q1,Tel:
(08) 3827 0349
vietnamese-cooking-class-saigon.com
Crafts & Furniture

BELLAVITA
HIGH-END FURNITURE
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821
4201
bellavitafurniture.com
BOCONCEPT
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

13 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 1803
9am to 8pm
EM EM
SOUVENIRS
38 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 4408
8am to 9.30pm
MEKONG CREATIONS
FAIR TRADE CRAFTS

35-37 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (08) 2210 3110
mekong-creations.org
36 Tong Huu Dinh Street, Thao Dien Ward,

District 2, HCMC
Tel: 08 6253 2828 |Fax: 08 6253 2888
Email: info@pendolasco.vn
Delivery service available daily,
from 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
87 Nguyen Hue St., District 1, HCMC

Tel: (84.8) 3821 8181
Email: pendolasco3@hcm.vnn.vn
Monday to Friday:
11.00 - 14.00, and 18.00 - 22.00
Saturday and Sunday: 11.30 - 22.00
www.pendolasco.vn
HCMC
In The Frame
Art and the Collective in Southeast Asia
he ASEAN Community will

officially join hands in 2015. In
anticipation of this dropping
of economic borders, Southeast
Asias arts communities have started
thinking about what this means for them.
Concept Context Contestation: Art and
the Collective in Southeast Asia brings 40
artists from the region Thailands
biggest ever exhibition of Southeast Asian
contemporary art. The works presented
reflect on social sciences categorisation
of Southeast Asia as home to collectivist
cultural groups.
The Vietnamese Contingent

Five Vietnamese artists represent this
S-shaped land. Artworks by Nguyen
Van Cuong, Bui Cong Khanh, Phan Thao
Nguyen, Tung Mai and Vu Dan Tan share
the space of Bangkoks Art and Culture
Centre with art from seven other countries.
Nguyen Van Cuong paints with
watercolour on do paper. It sounds
harmless enough, until you see the
shenanigans that the characters in his
Karaoke Series (1997-1998) get up to. Men in
suits yell abuse and lots of flying torches
examine the scenes of debauchery from
every angle. Post-dinner entertainment
is a little darker than the black crows in
Cuongs critique of, well, raucous men in
suits on a paydays night out.
Bui Cong Khanh works in all media,
from performance to ceramic vases. Saigon
Slum (2013) is a sculpture and a video
Photos by Cristina Nualart
installed in darkened room. A mini-slum

of corrugated plastic, complete with toy
furniture and glowing lights, sits quietly
in a circle while a large screen emits a
blueish video of a monsoon flood. The
sound of heavy rain and lack of any human
presence make the room a desolate place,
until you realise that the video is of a fake
flood in the replica slum. As little toy
chairs float downstream, the sadness of the
scene washes away. The joy of the playful
creation turns any grim reality check back
into dollhouse fantasy.
Silicchalcedon (2013), by Phan Thao
Nguyen, is an installation of glass objects
and an enormous kidney stone. The
stone was donated, at her request, by an
anonymous Vietnamese man who had it
removed from his body after a decade of
pain.
Thao Nguyen links his story with that of
a Vietnamese farmer who found a rock in
her pond, only to be fined VND2 million
for illegal exploitation of minerals. Miners
from all over the world could also tell
us that finding rocks is never painless,
but Thao Nguyen has an elegant way of
communicating simple messages that turn
out not to be so simple.
Aluvita (2013) is a jar of recycled
aluminium tablets conceived by Tung
Mai. Taking these vitamin pills
changes behaviour patterns that cause
environmental damage. The quack
medicine is a quick fix to protect
the environment, and with it, future
generations.
The last of the roster is perhaps the most
influential seminal contemporart artist
Vu Dan Tan. Tan passed away in 2009, but
his playful works continue to poke fun at
social pretense. Last month his art was part
of a special exhibition at the Ho Chi Minh
City Fine Arts Museum, and in Hanoi,
Tans works can be seen every day at Salon
Natasha, his wifes gallery.
The Unconnected Collective

Other artists from Southeast Asia were
chosen to confront the public with all
manner of issues on the wide topic of
the collective. Documentaries inform of
religious issues or fictitious rock stars.
Interactive works permit visitors to read
books lying on a bed, play ping pong
on a round table, dance with geometric
shapes, roam through camera-infested
frames, or examine growing colonies of
mushrooms.
While the aim is to reinforce the
historical and cultural ties of Southeast
Asia, and revel in a logistical bear hug,
the show is so diverse it almost fails to
present the region as a collective. At worst,
it is entertaining. At best, it is thought
provoking, since the dominant strategy is
to present metaphors that critique with the
subtlest discretion. Cristina Nualart
Concept Context Contestation: Art and the
Collective in Southeast Asia is on until Mar. 2
at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, 939 Rama
1 Rd, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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.
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, award-winning Indian restaurant famed for its excellent kebabs, creamy
curries and Chinese-Indian fare.
mains and more, all served up with a Californian edge at this small but popular twostorey eatery close to the river.
chicken, lamb, homemade spicy sausage,

skewers, burger dishes and everything that
can come off a grill.
BLANCHY STREET
GANESH
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
AU PARC
EUROPEAN / CAF
23 Han Thuyen, Q1, Tel: (08) 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.
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
Bun Cha Ha Noi
BUN CHA
26/1A Le Thanh Ton, Q1
CENTRAL PARC BANH MI
BAHDJA
87-89-91 Ho Tung Mau, Q1, Tel: 0122 763
1261
bahdjarestaurant@gmail.com
Located just beneath Au Lac Saigon Hotel,
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 small
but pleasant restaurants soothing ambience
is matched by the owners genuine hospitality
and complimented by an array of tasty tajines
and couscous-based dishes. Make sure to
try the excellent Moroccan wine, too.
BARBECUE GARDEN
VIETNAMESE / BARBECUE
135A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823
3340
barbecuegarden.com
BASILICO
Ground Floor, Kumho Plaza, Cnr. Nguyen Du
and Le Van Huu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3520 9099
BEIRUT
LEBANESE
The Courtyard, 74/13D Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 2188
BIBI@ALIBI
7 Bis Han Thuyen, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8549

Part of the Au Parc group, this miniscule,
New York-themed sandwich shop does
creative lunchtime fare at excellent prices
think baguettes, wraps, focaccia and bagels.
Excellent delivery service.
GOLDEN ELEPHANT
CLASSIC THAI
34 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 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
GRILLBAR
AIRCON STREETFOOD
122 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 7901
facebook.com/grillbareaterycafe
Take a New York-style industrial atmosphere, add to it a range of grilled dishes,
typical of the barbecue fare youd find on
the street, and then add in three types of rice
and a range of organic products. Close to Ben
Thanh Market, this is com binh dan
HOA TUC
CIAO BELLA
NEW YORK-ITALIAN
11 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 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 with Hollywood film
legends make for a relaxed and attractive
setting.
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
7 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 1101
CORSO
STEAKHOUSE / INTERNATIONAL
117 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (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. Decentsized steaks start at VND390,000.
DRAGON NOODLE
JAPANESE NOODLES
29 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 3521 0008

ELBOW ROOM
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.
AMERICAN
52 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 4327
elbowroom.com.vn
The comfort food on offer at this striking USstyle diner ranges from meatball baguettes
to chilli burgers, pizzas, blackened chicken
salads and a selection of more expensive
international mains.
BLACK CAT
EL GAUCHO
AMERICAN
13 Phan Van Dat, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 2055
blackcatsaigon.com
Creatively named burgers, tasty Vietnamese-styled sandwiches, spiced up cocktails,
NORTH / SOUTH INDIAN

38 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 4786
ganesh.restaurant.vn@hotmail.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.
5D Nguyen Sieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 1879
elgaucho.com.vn
A pleasant downtown eatery mixing an
Argentinian steakhouse theme with pork,
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
SUSHI / SASHIMI
4 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 0326
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
CANTONESE
Renaissance Riverside Hotel, 815 Ton Duc
HCMC
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
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.
LE BANH MI
12 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 1036
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.
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.
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.
LE JARDIN
CLASSIC FRENCH
(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.
LUCCA
TRATTORIA-STYLE ITALIAN
88 Ho Tung Mau, Ben Nghe,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3915 3691
A contemporary trattoria in
the heart of Saigon, serving
home-cooked Italian cuisine with New York flair in a
beautifully designed space
with high ceilings. The menu
features both traditional antipasti and substantial main
courses.
LUONG SON
PAN-VIETNAMESE
3825 1330
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
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

3827 7131
NINETEEN
Ground floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3823 4999
caravellehotel.com
OMG!
LE BOUCHON DE SAIGON
CLASSIC FRENCH / EUROPEAN

FUSION
(08) 3829 9263
lebouchondesaigon.com
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.
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
Hotel, 2 Lam Son Square,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 1234
Unpretentious, casual but
elegant restaurant with a
triedandtested Italian
menu backed up by a compact wine list from regions
like Umbria, Toscana and
Veneto. Regular specials and
impressive open kitchens.
PACHARAN
SPANISH / EUROPEAN
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.
PASHA
TURKISH / INTERNATIONAL
25 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08)
6291 3677
pasha.com.vn
Sumptuous, Turkish-themed
restaurant close to the
mosque with Islamic-style
white dome dcor and comfortable, cushioned seating.
Authentically Turkish cuisine
with a sprinkling of western
fare thrown in.
PENDOLASCO
PAN-ITALIAN
36 Tong Huu Dinh, Q2, Tel:
(08) 6253 2828
pendolasco.vn
Opening out into a large,
leafy terracotta-tiled 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.
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.
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.
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.
TANDOOR

(08) 3930 4839
Tandoorvietnam.com
TEMPLE CLUB
REFINERY
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.
REFLECTIONS
INTERNATIONAL / FINE DINING

3rd floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19
Lam Son Square, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 4999
RIVERSIDE CAF
Renaissance Riverside,
815 Ton Duc Thang, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3822 0033
Offers versatile allday dining of international quality,
with the bonus of being able
to watch the action on the
river sidewalk. Features
western, Asian and Vietnamese buffets.
SAIGON CAF
INTERNATIONAL / BUFFET
Khoi, Q1 Tel: (08) 3827 2828
sheratonsaigon.com
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.
THE BURGER CORNER
INTERNATIONAL
3821 0094
TOKYO BBQ
JAPANESE BARBECUE
15A6 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 2527
VESPER BAR
INTERNATIONAL / TAPAS-STYLE
Landmark Building, 5B Ton
Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
9698
Headed up by well-known
chef Andy Ertle, Vesper Bar
is a sophisticated yet downto-earth wine and cocktail
bar. Serving creative, Japanese-influenced tapas to
supplement the drinks, the
subtle lighting and loungestyle atmosphere makes this
a great drinking and dining
venue
SEOUL HOUSE
KOREAN
33 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 4297
seoul.house@yahoo.com.kr
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.
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

3822 2166; 111 Nguyen Hue,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 8971
wrap-roll.com
of all types, and healthy, Hueinfluenced cuisine.
YAMANEKO
JAPANESE / OKINAWA
(08) 3823 8433
yamanekovn.com
Funky Yamaneko down an
alley off Le Thanh Ton offers delicious, unpretentious
Okinawan fare alongside
mainland staples. Does a
great set lunch deal.
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

New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8888
HCMC

SHERATON FITNESS
HEALTH CLUB & GYM

Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2828
sheratonsaigon.com
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.
Galleries
BLUE SPACE & PARTICULAR ART
GALLERY
97A Pho Duc Chinh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3821 3695
bluespacearts.com
DOGMA
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.
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.
DALOC
WINE SHOP
74E Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 5404 3575
daloc.vn
KIM HAI BUTCHERS
BUTCHERS
73 Le Thi Hong Gam, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3914 4376
kimhai.vn
PHUONG HA
HO CHI MINH CITY FINE ARTS

MUSEUM
THE WAREHOUSE
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
Hairdressers
VENUS
41 Nguyen Trung Ngan, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3829 6298
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.
97A Pho Duc Chinh, Q1, Tel:

(08) 3829 4441
baotangmythuattphcm.vn
spot to sample a new vintage.
GROCERS
58 Ham Nghi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3914 1318
RED APRON
WINE SHOP
22 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 0021
THAI HA
GROCERS
60 Ham Nghi, Q1
WINE SHOP
(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
VINIFERA
WINE SHOP
7 Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3521 0860
viniferavn.com
Medical & Dental

ACCADENT
INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC

Kumho Asiana Plaza, 39 Le
Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8800
accadent.com
CENTRE MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL (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 and
traditional medicine.
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.
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.

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
SIAN SKINCARE CLINIC
SKIN CARE / COSMETICS

Level 2, 71-79 Dong Khoi, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3827 6999
HCMC
Body
and
Temple
Four Habits for Fat Loss
By Phil Kelly
www.pressfoto.com
ow that both the Gregorian

(International) and Lunar (Tet)
New Years have passed, its
time to take action. The task of
achieving better health and fat loss is
relatively simple as far as what actions to
take. However, the decision to do what
is necessary is the challenge because
changing habits is notoriously difficult.
Our habits are what make us who we
are, so change is a mentally difficult
proposition.
People generally rush into diet and
exercise all guns blazing without really
thinking about what is manageable. After
all, you dont want to do all the work and
effort to lose the weight for just a month
only to gain it right back again. Hence,
change needs to be manageable.
To create change that lasts, each of us
must become more intentional about
forming habits that stick. To sustain your
progress and achieve long-term success
you must be slow and deliberate.
Weight loss and maintaining the weight
loss for an extended period of time
requires some simple lifestyle adjustments.
Starvation, derivation or over exertion
should never be a part of a healthy lifestyle
or weight loss endeavour. All actions and
plans need to be based around your ability
to adhere to your changes and create new
healthier habits.
Here are four ways to a healthier day
that can help you slim down on weight
without slimming down on your free time.
Make sure you implement one action at a
time so you are more likely to maintain this
behaviour and achieve life long success.
1) Move It or Lose It
Create a routine where you perform 20 to
30 minutes of exercise every day. Alternate
between cardiovascular exercise and
resistance work.
Either wake up 30 minutes earlier or
perform the exercise at lunchtime. Whenever
you decide make sure its the same time
every day so it becomes routine. It can be as
simple as completing a circuit of lunges, push
ups, sit ups and a pulling exercise at home
before having your morning shower. Vietnam
has an abundant amount of opportunities to
get active. Why not participate in the local
culture of taking a stroll, light jog or join the
one of the many aerobic or tai chi groups
in the park in the cool morning air. Saigon
offers many sports throughout the weekend;
cycling groups, touch rugby, football,
Ultimate Frisbee, running groups and art
tours. These are examples that provide great
social outlets and exercise opportunities.
Our societies are becoming more and
more sedentary (motionless). We all possess
amazing bodies that are designed for
movement and play. Get out of your chair
and experience the world around you to
build optimum health and feel your best.
2) Eat Real Food

This should be your food motto! No one
ever got fat eating vegetables real food
as nature designed. The ever-increasing
amounts of processed food on the market
with clever marketing campaigns are the
reason why over 66 percent of western
societies are overweight, and why the middle

and upper class Vietnamese are quickly
following suit. Each time you go to eat
something ask yourself the simple question
is this real food?
3) Dont Skip Meals

The times you eat are just as important as
what you eat. You body needs fuel to burn
fuel so by skipping a meal your metabolism
slows down. By eating at regular intervals
throughout the day you will normalise
blood sugar levels and prevent dips in
energy and concentration. A good low
glycemic breakfast will kick-start your
energy burning systems and create a fat
burning state within your body.
4) Sleep Well
Sleep is one of the four main cornerstones
of our health. The other three cornerstones
are healthy eating, regular exercise and a
positive mindset if these four aspects are
executed well you will probably not know
the name of your doctor.
Try to get to bed at the same time every
night. Aim for eight hours of quality sleep
and ensure youre asleep before midnight
to allow adequate time for your natural
detoxification systems to complete their cycle.
By making the conscious and deliberate
effort to action these habits into your
life, you will be much more likely to be
effortlessly healthier, leaner and happier.
Phil is founder and master trainer at Body
Expert Systems. Contact him on 0934 782763,
at his website bodyexpertsystems.com or through
Star Fitness (starfitnesssaigon.com)
HCMC
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.
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.
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.
MEKONG BLISS SPA
Salons & Spas

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

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
112, Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08)

6299 0563
10am to 10pm (last booking
9.30pm)
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 treat-
ments 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
THANH SANCTUARY
Nguyen Du Villas, 111 Nguyen Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
0885

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


simply email us on
well try our best
HCMC
Medical Buff
Natural Ways to Prevent Migraines
igraines are a pain to deal with

and for those who experience
them on a regular basis life
literally becomes a nightmare.
Most people resort to taking medication
to prevent migraine attacks or to reduce
the frequency and severity of attacks.
However, most preventive migraine
medications have potential side effects, so
only adults or children with at least one
to two attacks per week should take them.
Both OTC and prescription medications
can trigger or worsen migraine
headaches. Cimetidine, estrogen, antihistamine, nifedipine and nitroglycerin,
can increase migraine frequency. You
should avoid frequent or long-term use
of NSAIDs acetaminophen, triptans or
ergotamines.
While some medications lessen the
impact of migraines, they do not resolve
the underlying causes. Half of all patients
only experience a 50 percent reduction in
migraines (at most).
Dr. Brian McNaull, Medical Director
from Family Medical Practice suggests
some alternative remedies on how to
prevent migraines.
www.pressfoto.com
Watch your Diet
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Up to 50 percent of people who have

migraines are sensitive to certain foods.
The following are some common dietary
triggers to be aware of:
Tyramine rich foods. e.g. cultured
dairy products (aged cheese, sour cream,
buttermilk), chocolate, and citrus fruits
are believed to cause vasodilation, the
widening of the blood vessels in certain
people. Some migraines may be triggered
by artificial sweeteners.
Nitrates and nitrites. These
vasodilating agents are found in
preserved meats, processed meats,
smoked fish, sausage, ham, beef jerky and
bacon.
Beverages: Alcoholic beverages
(especially red wine) and an excess of or a
withdrawal from caffeinated drinks such
as coffee, tea, cocoa, or colas may trigger
migraines.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG):
MSG is a flavour enhancer and
vasodilator found in many processed
foods. MSG sources include seasoning,
baking mixtures, potato chips (potato,
corn), roasted peanuts and soy sauce.
Psychological: Make time for

relaxation and surround yourself with
things that make you happy as stress,
anxiety, worry, depression and sadness
can all trigger migraines.
Physiological: Fever, illness and not
getting adequate food, rest, or sleep can
cause migraines. Stick to a routine with
regular meal times and adequate sleep.
Environmental: Fluorescent, bright
or flickering lights, fatigue, high altitude,
strong odours, computer screens, or rapid
temperature changes can all cause migraines.
Monitor your exposure to these elements to
see if they are the cause of your migraines.
Physical Activity: Participating in
sports, being extremely active or even
travelling (being in motion) can trigger
migraines. Avoid over-exertion, take
breaks and drink plenty of water when
participating in any form of physical activity.
For more advice on any medical topics, visit
Family Medical Practice on 298I Kim Ma,
Ba Dinh, Hanoi, or on (04) 3843 0748 and
vietnammedicalpractice.com. FMPs downtown
Ho Chi Minh Citys branch is at Diamond
Plaza, 34 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 7848
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.
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.
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
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.
THE OBSERVATORY
BAR, ART & MUSIC SPACE

Cnr. Le Lai and Ton That
Tung, Q1, Tel: 0906 359440
theobservatory-hcmc.com
The Observatory is DJ Hibiya Line's new youth culture
hub, just off Pham Ngo Lao.
With its two-floor, nook-andcranny setup, it combines
caf culture, cocktails, art,
DJ nights now the home
base for the Optimist Club
live music and various "happenings", sprinkling them
throughout its cozy corners.
THI CAF
LIVE MUSIC / LOUNGE

224 De Tham, Q1, Tel: (08)
2210 2929
T&R TAVERN
DIVE BAR
57 Do Quang Dau, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3838 9839
UNIVERSAL BAR
LIVE MUSIC / RESTOBAR

90 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 01633
343933
universalbarsaigon.com
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
CONTEMPORARY CAF BAR

213 Bui Vien, Pham Ngu Lao,
Q1, Tel: 0902 514757
An up and coming hole-inthe-wall cafe, Chicco Dicaff
serves an extensive menu
of coffee, ice blended drinks,
lattes and Italian sodas at
affordable prices. Delivery
available.
INTERNATIONAL
157-159 Nguyen Thai Hoc,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3837 9347
coffeebean.com.vn

BAM SKATE SHOP
SKATEWEAR / STREET
641826
Bamskateshop.com.vn
BLUE DRAGON
SOUVENIRS / CLOTHING
1B Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
2210 2084
8am to 10.30pm
GINKGO
VIETNAM-THEMED CLOTHING
54-56 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
6270 5928
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.
LA CANTINA
MARATHON
Sisters Cafe
BUDGET CLOTHING
3920 7442; 123A Bui Vien,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3838 0019
PAPAYA
BUDGET CLOTHING
232 Bui Vien, Q1
papaya-tshirt.com
ORANGE
BUDGET CLOTHING
3820 2620
9am to 10pm
U.BEST HOUSE
TRAVEL GEAR
163 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Q1, Tel:
0978 967588
Ubesthouse.com
Crafts & Furniture

SAPA
ETHNIC ACCESSORIES / SOUVENIRS

209 De Tham, Q1, Tel: (08)
3838 9780
Eat
BABAS KITCHEN

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
TEX-MEX / STREET STALL

714882
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.
CORIANDER
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
MARGHERITA
ITALIAN / TEX-MEX
Tel: (08) 3837 0760
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.
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
STELLAR CAFE
ITALIAN / VIETNAMESE
119-121 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3836 9220
Two-storey Stella serves
very reasonable Italian food
antipasti, pasta, pizza,
insalata plus meats and fish
at reasonable prices. Also
has Wi-Fi, cool aircon, and
one of the best lattes around.
Now no-smoking indoors.
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.
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.
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.

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
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.
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
Tattoo Saigon
128 Nguyen Cu Trinh, Q1

Tel: 0938 303838
tattoosaigon.com
Tattoo Tam Bi
209 Bui Vien, Q1

Tel: 0919 034383
xamphunnghethuat.com
HCMC
district 1
DISTRICT 1
Downtown
Pham Ngu Lao
Bars & Clubs / Cafes / Clothing & Accessories /

Cooking Classes / Crafts & Furniture / Eat /
Fitness, Dance & Yoga / Galleries / International
Schools / Medical & Dental / Salons & Spas
Tel: (08) 3939 3030

www.dominos.vn
Pizzas, wings, desserts
Eat.Vn
www.eat.vn
Delivery service website
for local restaurants
el gato negro
Tel: (08) 6660 1577
Californian-style burritos
HUNGRYPANDA.VN
www.hungrypanda.vn
KFC
Tel: (08) 3848 9999
www.kfcvietnam.com.vn
Fried chicken, chicken
burgers, sides
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
Beer and Grill (BG Saigon)
CONTEMPORARY BEER HALL

37 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1,
Tel: 0906 780081
CHILL SKYBAR
LOUNGE RESTOBAR & TERRACE

Rooftop, AB Tower, 76A Le
Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2372
chillsaigon.com
Chills view has only been
improved by the addition of
a magnificent VIP terrace.
A substantial wine list and
specialities from the owners
native Denmark complement
the primarily French-influenced cuisine.
HOA VIEN
CZECH BREWHOUSE
28 Mac Dinh Chi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3825 8605
hoavien.vn
MZ CLUB
LIVE MUSIC / NIGHTCLUB

56A Bui Thi Xuan, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3925 5258
m-zing.com
Shooters Beer House

31 Le Quy Don, Q1
Vuvuzela

11 Nguyen Binh Khiem, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3910 2281
Cafes
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
INTERNATIONAL
235 Nguyen Van Cu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3833 3648
coffeebean.com.vn
DECIBEL
INTERNATIONAL
79/2/5 Phan Ke Binh, Q1,
Tel: (08) 6271 0115
Decibel.vn
Huu
C
Ng
uy
en
M
Du
Th
i
Le
ng
Th
an
g8
KEM NHAN
ICE CREAM PARLOUR

4 Truong Han Sieu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 6674 6763
Ng
uy
en
Ma
cT
ha
n
ng
Le
Lo
i
District
10
INTERNATIONAL / FRENCH
97 Nguyan Huu Cau, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3844 3295
saigongivral.com
an
n
Bi
e
ie
n
GIVRAL CAF
Kh
ai
Ph
Dominos Pizza
QUAN NHAU
18A/31/B22 Nguyen Thi
Minh Khai, Q1
Ca
ch
Tr
u
Du
h
an
Ng
.H
ue
Ham Nghi
District 2
Da
o
Tel: (08) 3898 3747

www.chezguido.com
Vietnamese, international
fare, pizza, pasta, sandwiches
ANH DUCS
District 3
Hu
ng
Chez Guido

79 Nguyen Cong Tru, Q1, Tel:
0919 584884
info@ahoybeerclub.vn
Ha
i
Ba
t
Kie
n
Va
Tr
an
Tel: 0906 912730

www.vietnammm.com/
restaurants-ben-style
Healthy, calorie-counted
sandwich and deli fare
Ahoy Beer Club
To
n
Ho
Ben Style
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.
an
g
in
h
en
Ti
Bars & Clubs
Delivery
Binh Thanh
in
h
District 4
Vo
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

BOO
STREETWEAR
134 Nguyen Trai, Q1
boo.vn
BOSSINI
UNISEX CASUAL WEAR

22 Nguyen Trai, Q1, Tel: (08)
3839 2292
Bossini.com
CHILDRENS PLANET
CHILDRENS CLOTHING
90 Vo Thi Sau, Q1, Tel: (08)
3820 9881
childrenplanet.com.vn
DBLANC
WOMENS CLOTHING
89A Nguyen Trai, Q1, Tel: (08)
3925 5164
d-blanc.com
GAYA CLOTHING
HAND-MADE / DESIGNER
Le Lai Corner, 1 Nguyen Van
Trang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3925
1495
Gayavietnam.com
Clothing is designed and
tailor-made by renowned
designer Romyda Keth, and
concentrates mainly on
womens wear. Gaya sells
colourful, sexy evening
dresses, embroidered floral
skirts and cute chiffon tops.
MARIPOSA
BOUTIQUE LADIES WEAR

3925 9993
mariposa.vn
THUY NGA DESIGN
BUSINESSWEAR / CASUAL
19-21 Vo Thi Sau, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3820 3574
thuyngadesign.com
8am to 8pm
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.
(08) 3925 1495

gayavietnam.com
Set in one of the most attractive post-World War II
buildings in the city, Gaya has
a reputation for chic and sophisticated indoor and outdoor sofas, pod seats, lamps
and tableware, with all products both constructed and
designed locally. You can
find a wide range of mirrors
and lacquerware with bowls,
vases and contemporary
Asian-style boxes as well as
a fantastic selection of linenembroidered bedding in all
colours and designs. Prices
here match the quality of the
products.
VERLIM INTERIOR DESIGN
DECO / REPRO FURNITURE

152 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3925
3648
verlimdesign.com
Eat
BANH XEO 46A
BANH XEO / HUE CUISINE

46A Dinh Cong Trang, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3824 1110
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.
Crafts & Furniture

GAYA
CONTEMPORARY FURNISHINGS
1 Nguyen Van Trang, Q1, Tel:
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.
COM TAM THUAN KIEU
COM TAM (BITTY RICE)

26 Ton That Tung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3925 0935
comtamthuankieu.com.vn
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
INDOCHINE VIETNAMESE
HCMC
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.
PHAP HOA
VEGETARIAN
3839 5893
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.
TAN HAI VAN
PAN-CHINESE / NOODLES
3925 0824
TIEM COM GA HAI NAM
CHINESE / VIETNAMESE BINH

DAN
67 Le Thi Hong Gam, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3821 7751
08-66780914
mail@vnccentre.com
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.
THE SAIGON RIVER CLUB
HEALTH CLUB & POOL

Ruby Towers Saigon
Pearl, 92 Nguyen Huu Canh,
Binh Thanh, Tel: (08) 3514
9009
saigonriverclub.com
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.
CITYSMART
Horizon Tower, 214 Tran
Quang Khai, Q1, Tel: (08)
3526 8833
citysmart.vn
CitySmart delivers a range
of diverse, internationallyrecognised educational
programmes, as well as life
skills and character building
for comprehensive development.
GYMBOREE PLAY & MUSIC OF

VIETNAM
Somerset Chancellor Court,
1st Floor, 21-23 Nguyen Thi
Minh Khai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827
7008
gymboreeclasses.com.vn
VAS
23 Tran Cao Van, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 7278
vas.edu.vn
VNC VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE

TRAINING AND TRANSLATION
Medical & Dental

Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 7848
com
Fullservice 24hour
evacuations.
VICTORIA HEALTHCARE INTERNATIONAL CLINIC

79 Dien Bien Phu, Q1, Tel:
(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.
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.
37/54 Tran Dinh Xu, Q1, Tel:
HCMC
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.
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
g
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Ni
H
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Thao Dien
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Binh Thanh
Ngu
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Bakeries
BAKEUP ATELIER
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.
LOAVES & FISHES
BAKERY / CAFE
5, Street 11, Thao Dien, Q2
Tel: (08) 3519 4118
harvestbaking.net
PAT A CHOU
FRENCH BAKERY
25 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08)
3743 2445

DISTRICT 2
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
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.
VOELKER
BAKERY
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
g
n Hon
Hu Cnh
Ni
nh
Song H
Nguy
n
uy
Ng
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.
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.
FEELING TROPIC
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.
and intimate.
CAF EVITA
LAID-BACK CAF / RESTAURANT

230A Nguyen Van Huong,
Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3512
3888

LITTLE ANH-EM
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.
Cafes
AGNES CAFE
BUDDHA BAR
BAAN THAI
Xa
nh
Song H
n No
Xa
No
Trn
Th
Binh Thanh
Mai Ch
ng
H
y n Vn
Th
CHI LAI
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
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.
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.
Crafts & Furniture

AUSTIN HOME
REPRO FURNITURE / FABRICS

3519 0023
Austinhomevn.blogspot.com
Located in a villa-style
building, this An Phu-based
shop stocks antique repro
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 bamboo-imitation 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 are taken for
delivery within three weeks.
Also offers a rental service.
THE FURNITURE HOUSE
HOME FURNISHINGS
81 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien, Q2,
Tel: (08) 3519 4640/4643
Eat
AGNES CAF
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.
BAAN THAI
PAN-THAI
3744 5453
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
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.
HCMC
SPORTS
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.
BUN DAU MAMA LAM
BUN DAU / BUN BO HUE

40 Quoc Huong, Q2
COM TAM 40A
COM TAM
40A Quoc Huong, Q2
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
La Closerie dElisa
FRENCH / GARDEN RESTAURANT

52 Ngo Quang Huy, Q2
A tropical garden ambience
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.
LA PLANCHA
25 Tran Ngoc Dien, Q2, Tel:
(08) 6281 8521
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.
28 Tran Nao, Q2, Tel: (08)

7303 1100
saigonsportsacademy.com
SQUASH
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
Tel: 0937 683 230

vietnamswans.com
RMIT, 702 Nguyen Van

Linh, Q7
Saigon-ultimate.com
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
HEALTHY CAF FARE / BAGELS

49 Thao Dien, Q2 Tel. (08)
3602 6385

AQUAFIT
AQUABIKING
65 Truc Duong, Lang Bao
Chi, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: 0909
008985
aquafit.vn
BOXING / MARTIAL ARTS / 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
Terrones, features the same
personalised mentorship
Cyrils clients love. Includes
Zumba, salsa, boxing and
fitness for kids and adults
every day. No membership
fees. Pay for classes in installments of 10.
K1 FITNESS & FIGHT FACTORY
BOXING / MARTIAL ARTS

100 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien,
Q2, Tel: 0909 540030
NUTRIFORT (NTFQ2)
GENERAL FITNESS
34 Nguyen Dang Giai, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3744 6672
nutrifort.com
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.
Groceries, Liquor & Wine

100%
DANCENTER
MADE IN VIETNAM GROCERIES

26B Thao Dien, Q2
100percentvn.com
DANCE & PERFORMANCE

(08) 3519 4490
info@dancentervn.com
dancentervn.com
A professionally run dance
studio close to District 1.
Children age 4+ can learn
jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop,
acro dance and break dance,
while adult classes are available from beginner to advanced. International team
of qualified dance instructors. Free trial first week of
the month for newcomers.
ANNAM GOURMET MARKET
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
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.
PAPAGAYO
gauloisdesaigon.com
XROCK CLIMBING
FRENCH BISTRO / COCKTAILS

(08) 6252 1333
facebook.com/papagayosaigon
OLYMPIQUE SAIGON
7Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q3,

Tel: (08) 6278 5794
xrockclimbing.com
TAMAGO
Contact Fred on 0919 709
THE DECK
CYRIL AND YOU SPORTS CENTER
SAIGON SPORTS ACADEMY
AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL
LES GAULOIS DE SAIGON
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.
AUTHENTIC JAPANESE
HCMC
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
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.
Hairdressers
ANTHONY GEORGE FOR LONDON
HAIR & BEAUTY
Fideco Riverview Building,
3744 6475
anthony@aglondonsalon.
com.vn
CONCEPT COIFFURE
(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.
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:
(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).

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.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HO CHI

MINH CITY (ISHCMC)
(08) 3898 9100
ishcmc.com
The only fully authorized IB
World School in Ho Chi Minh
City, ISHCMC has been
awarding graduates with an
IB Diploma and sending them
off to high-profile overseas
universities since 1999.
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.
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 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.
THE AMERICAN SCHOOL

OF VIETNAM
172-180 Nguyen Van Huong,
Q2, Tel: 0903 952223
theamericanschool.edu.vn

Medical & Dental

3744 2000
com
Fullservice 24hour
evacuations.
GREGORY BEALE
THERAPY
01268 654 202
gregbealetherapyfitness.
com

Salons & Spas

AUTHENTIC SPA
Thao Dien Village, Nguyen
Van Huong, Q2, Tel: 3744
2222
AVEDA HERBAL SPA

Villa 35A, Street 41, Thao
Dien, Q2, Tel:(08) 3519 4671
avedaherbal@gmail.com
QUYNH BEAUTY SALON

104A Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien,
Q2, Tel: (08) 3512 4321
district 3
Bars & Clubs / Cafes & Ice-Cream / Clothing & Accessories /

Crafts & Furniture / Eat / Fitness, Dance & Yoga / Hairdressers /
International Schools / Medical & Dental / Salons & Spas
Bars & Clubs
ACOUSTIC
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
LOUNGE BAR & TERRACE

6th & 7th Floor, 2bis Cong
Truong Quoc Te, Q3, Tel:
0907 502951
CLUB DARTS, DARTS, DARTS
LIVE MUSIC / EVENTS VENUE

224A Pasteur, Q3, Tel: 0948
031323
METALLIC BAR
MUSIC BAR / CAFE

41 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan,
Q3, Tel: (08) 3930 3154
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
live by well-known, Vietnambased Filipino bands. Music
starts at 8.30pm.
PLAN B
CONTEMPORARY BAR
0987 684761
ROCKFANCLUB BAR
ROCK BAR
25C Tu Xuong, Q3, Tel: (08)
6290 7489
Cafes & Ice-Cream

ANS INTERIOR CAF
40C Tran Cao Van, Q3, Tel:
(08) 3823 3398
BUDS
ICE-CREAM PARLOUR
Tel: (08) 3932 2778
budsicecream.com.vn
HIDEAWAY
INTERNATIONAL
41/1 Pham Ngoc Thach, Q3,
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.

BAM SKATE SHOP
SKATEWEAR / STREET
0903 641826
Bamskateshop.com.vn
BOO
STREETWEAR
187A Hai Ba Trung, Q3

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
modern-designed products
(sofas, chairs, beds...) manufactured from eco-friendly
materials (water hyacinth &
rattan). Our outdoor (poly
rattan) wicker-furniture
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
Eat
AU LAC DO BRAZIL
BRAZILIAN / BUFFET
3820 7157
aulacdobrazil.com
Latino ambiance with great
meat dishes and attractive,
spacious dcor. The churrasco, with 12 cuts of barbecued and cured meats
plus unlimited salad, is hand
carved at your table. Can
get busy.
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
HIGHWAY 4
NORTHERN / PAN-VIETNAMESE
101 Vo Van Tan, Q3, Tel: (08)
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
PHO HOA
PHO EATERY
260C Pasteur, Q3, Tel: (08)
3829 7943
SHRI
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
HUE / VIETNAMESE
(08) 3829 7242
Tibrestaurant.com.vn
SAIGON BELLY DANCE
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.
VAS
Hairdressers
YKC HAIR STUDIO
(08) 3829 2791

S
Ph
Th
in
h
M
Du
ng
nh
98 Cach Mang Thang Tam,

Q3, Tel: (08) 3930 7278
vas.edu.vn
Medical & Dental

STARLIGHT DENTAL CLINIC
n D
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Nguy
Du
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Kh
ai
CITYSMART
Th
Qu
nh
MICHELLE LLOYD YOGA
BELLY DANCE
No 96, Street 2, Cu Xa Do
Thanh, Q3, Tel: (08) 3832
9429
saigonbellydance.com
Tr
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i
X
Tr
Th
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B
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N
VEGAN
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, 339
Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3
vietchay.vn
Th
n
g

YOGA
107/39 Truong Dinh, Q3, Tel:
0909 648193
michellelloyd.com
ng
u
Ng
Na
m
STAMFORD MEDICAL CLINIC
(08) 3932 1090
stamfordskin.com
Stamford Medical Clinic
offers services in internal
medicine, dermatology,
aesthetic medicine, infectious diseases, and general
medicine.
Kh
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STAMFORD SKIN CENTRE

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Ca
TIB
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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.
VIET CHAY
Th
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L
Thi
Ca
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n
Ph
Tr
n
g
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Ngh
n
i
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Kh
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Th
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Ha
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Ha
Ho
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Th
Ba
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Th
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District 1
Ha
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Ng
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Ph
Ba
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n
Kh
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H
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Th
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INTERNATIONAL CLINIC / MEDIVAC

167A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3,
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.
Tr
n
ng
District
10
Th
g
nh
Ti
V
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T
Ng
n
uy
n
Th
Tr
n
C
ch
h
n
Sa
Vn
i
nh
Th
H o
ng
Na
m
V
V
Ng
n
uy
T
n
n
Th
M
in
h
Kh
a
Hi
Th
n
g
Tr
n
g
Bi
L Ch
nh
Sa
hT
hn
M
ng
ng
L
Ch
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C
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V
n
Ha
i
Ho
Sa
Th
Hong
DISTRICT 3
ng
INTERNATIONAL SOS HCMC

MEDICAL CLINIC
Binh Thanh
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

167A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3,
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.
SKIN CARE / COSMETICS

(08) 3932 1090
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
HCMC
Top Eats
Coriander
oriander knows what it has.

After sticking it out for eight
years in the heart of the bustling
and manic backpacker area of
Bui Vien, there is no need for theatrics.
You wont find any hustling hosts
camping out on the street, overly flirty
waitresses beckoning for you to come
inside or deeply discounted happy
hour specials all working in unison
to indiscriminately bring in a sea of
customers.
The atmosphere is understated and
there really isnt a schtick at play here.
You come to Coriander for the food, not
the entertainment, and there is something
charmingly pleasant about that simplicity.
In a city where restaurants go in and out
of business in the blink of an eye, few
earn the right to be confident. Coriander
is one of those restaurants.
A New, Old Tradition

Phan Le Quynh Huong, the Vietnamese
chef and owner of Coriander, moved
the restaurant from its longtime location
at 185 Bui Vien to its new digs in the
noticeably quieter junction of Bui Vien
with Tran Hung Dao in late July. With
the location change there have been some
growing pains, but both loyal customers
and first-timers still fill its two storeys.
Huongs staff is available but not
pushy, and one can usually expect a table
promptly. The dcor is unassuming.
There is a tranquil mix of green bamboo
wallpaper, deep reds, yellows and
traditional elephants that come together
with pictures of delicious Thai dishes
and beautiful Thai scenes. These line the
Photos by Francis Xavier
walls to create to a soothing environment

conducive to a gratifying mealtime
experience. The restaurant is surprisingly
quiet, given its proximity to two major
streets, and theres no blaring Top-40
taking away from the overall appeal. The
food arrives promptly and hot, visually
appealing and surrounded by a delectable
aroma.
Corianders pad thai is sweet but
not cloyingly so. The flavours meld
seamlessly, with bursts of shrimp, egg,
peanuts and chives making distinct
appearances in the dish, while the
perfectly cooked noodles and crisp bean
sprouts act as loving foils to each other.
The tom yum soup is flavourful with a
slight sweetness and definite spice that
makes it memorable and worth trying.

The green curry is zesty, with a
complexity of taste sensations few spicy
foods can claim. Beneath the heat there
is a robust brightness, which manages to
complement a rich coconut undertone that
does not distract from the other flavours.
If these dishes tweak some dj vu in
your taste buds, its because theyre part
of the same consistent cuisine Coriander
has been practising for the past eight
years. And theyve earned the right to
escape the party of tourist-strip Bui Vien.
As its long-time patrons know, Coriander
is not just worth trying, its worth coming
back to. Jacklynn Blanchard
Coriander is at 16 Bui Vien, Q1, or
deliverable through eat.vn/ngori
HCMC
phu my hung
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
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.
Bakeries / Bars & Clubs / Crafts & Furniture / Eat / Fitness, Dance
& Yoga / International Schools / Medical & Dental
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INTENSIVE / FULL-BODY WORKOUTS

206 Tran Van Tra, Q7, Tel:
01654 058401 / 01629
546534
cezsaigon@gmail.com
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B
Nguyn c C
PANORMA FITNESS
g
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Nguyn Vn
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DISTRICT 7
PHU MY HUNG
Bakeries
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
at their stateoftheart
campus.
MEKONG QUILTS
HAND-MADE QUILTS
S17-1 Sky Garden , Nguyen
Van Linh, Q7, Tel: (08) 6271
7758
mekong-quilts.org
NHA XINH
HOME FURNISHINGS
CR3, The Crescent Mall, 111
Ton Dat Tien, Q7, Tel: (08)
5413 6657
www.nhaxinh.com
Eat
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

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.
CHAM CHARM
LUXURY INDOCHINA
2 Phan Van Chuong, Q7, Tel:
(08) 5410 9999
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
NATHALIES
THAI / VIETNAMESE
S9 Hung Vuong 3, Q7, Tel:
(08) 5410 0822
nathaliesrestaurant.com
SALT & PEPPER
ABC INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
2, 1E Street, KDC Trung Son,
Binh Hung, Binh Chanh, Tel:
(08) 5431 1833
theabcis.com
Serving students from 32
nations, ages two to 18, ABC
delivers a curriculum wholly
based on UK standards, culminating in IGCSEs and A
levels (awarded upon graduation by Cambridge University examinations board).
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.
KINDERMUSIK EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTRE
PAN-ITALIAN
The Crescent, Phu My Hung,
Q7, Tel: (08) 5412 4848
Crescent Residence 2, 107

Ton Dat Tien, Q7, Tel: 0907
099 480
kindermusik-vietnam.com
SCOTT AND BINHS
LITTLE GENIUS INTERNATIONAL

KINDERGARTEN
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.
102 My Kim 2, Phu My Hung,

Q7, Tel: (08) 5421 1052
lgkids.vn
RENAISSANCE INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL SAIGON (RISS)
74 Nguyen Thi Thap, Q7, Tel:
(08) 3773 3171
rissaigon.edu.vn
RISS provides students from
over 25 nations with a British / international education.
Students ages two to 18 enjoy classes taught by qualified native English speakers
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 highschool, emphasizing a multicultural student environment and a commitment to
wellrounded education at
all levels.
Medical & Dental
American Eye Center

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

simply email us on
well try our best
Gia v
Nu bn mun tm mua nhng hng v l, bn hy ti La Verticale

khng phi l nh hng nhng ca hng gia v nm tng trt. c qun
l bi bp trng Didier Corlou, ca hng bn nhng hng liu c
trng t Vit Nam v c nhng hng liu t nhng ni xa khc nh t
trn nh ni v talauma, nhng ht thuc nhng cy him c s dng
theo phng php c truyn ca nhiu b lc thiu s. Hn hp ng
v hng ca Corlou gm c hi, qu, bch u khu, tiu v gng, to
nn mt loi gia v p m cho tht heo hoc tht b quay; loi c-ri
dHalong, mt loi hn hp gm rau mi, ngh v hi l loi gia v tm hi
sn l tng ng nh tn gi ca n.
Mua ti: La Verticale (H Ni); verticale-hanoi.com/la-verticale/spices
Ti Oasis Deli, t ca hng nh ca mnh trn ng Xun

Diu, Marco Sarli bn fettuccine t lm vi hng v t t v
mc ng ti nm porcini v b . Bn c th mua cc mn
ravioli, tortellini v lasagna ti sn sng ch bin y,
ly thm mt vi gi nc st i km v nh vy bn c th
s qua mt cc bn b ca mnh v lm cho h tin rng bn
t ch bin ra nhng mn ny. C nhiu loi m bn
la chon. Sarli cng bn nhng c sn t vng qu ca anh
gn Genua, nh pesto v nc st giu v ht d v kt hp
vi pho mai ricotta v rau chn vt pansotti theo cch truyn
thng.
Mua ti: Oasis Deli (H Ni)
Thng Hiu Vit Nam

ng Cp Th Gii
qua ri nhng ngy thng ni nhng ca hng Vit nam ch bn nhng hng ha
nhp khu vi gi t . Trn khp t nc, nhiu u bp ang ch bin nhng n
ung vi phong cch quc t qua nhng nguyn liu ca a phng, t mn xc xch cay
chorizo cho ti kem gelato. Chng ti gii thiu ti cc bn chn thng hiu nh vy.
Vit bi Elisabeth Rosen. nh bi Mads Monsen
Bnh Bagel
Sn phm bnh Bagel lm t bt m ca Thanh

Phc Bakery va gia nhp th trng bnh bagel
cn kh nh b ti H Ni. Nhng ngi ch ca
tim bnh Xun Diu ny gm mt ngi u
bp, mt dc s v mt bc s ng y. Tt c
h u l ngi Vit Nam v c tng m mt
ca hng giao sn phm ti tn nh cho khch
hng khi h thy ngy cng nhiu ngi khng
c thi gian nu n. Ti y bn c th
mua nhng chic bnh bagel theo phong cch
M c nng mi vo mi bui sng, vi tht
nng v st mustard cam hay qut pho mai theo
kiu truyn thng.
bit thm thng tin,
hy vo: facebook.com/
thanhphucbagels
(ch giao hng ti
H Ni). Hoc
gi s 01678
217992
Xc xch
Nhng v rau thm v phn mng

c th c nhp khu, nhng xc
xch ca Jontys Bangers u c
sn xut ti thnh ph H Ch Minh
bi Jonty, mt ngi ch trang tri,
ngi hc cch kinh doanh Anh.
T 2006, Jonty tr thnh thng
hiu xc xch truyn thng vi hng
v nh ti ty, ngi ng v hng t
trng, cng nh nhng n ngon
khc nh cun xc xch hay trng
Scotland. Nhng ngi n chay c th
la chn nhng loi khng tht, c
lm t ht u v u ph.
Mua ti: Siu th An Ph, Oasis
Deli Snap Cafe (Thnh ph H Ch
Minh); kitchen.net.vn (giao hng ti
thnh ph H Ch Minh)
S-c-la
Trong mi thanh s-c-la en, nhiu hng v

Marou, nh sn xut s-c-la th cng u tin
ca Vit Nam, mang ti hng v cacao ca mt
vng khc nhau. Hy th thanh s-c-la m
c (pod-to-bar) ng Nai 72% c lm t
72% cacao ln men v lm kh ti khu vc Vn
Quc Gia Ct Tin, hoc thanh hng thm B
Ra 76%, c hai ngi sng lp ra cng ty ny
Samuel Maruta v Viencent Mourou gi l loi
s-c-la c trng ca h. Nhng ngi u thch
Cadbury v Hershey c khuyn co s
c la sa khng phi lun lun l th c yu
thch nht.
Sn phm c bn ti: Hanoi Social Club, Oasis
Deli, Saint-Honore (H Ni); Au Parc, Gastro
Home, Red Apron Wines, Annam Gourmet (Thnh
ph H Ch Minh)
Tht hp
Trong mt khu xng nh ca mnh vng cao

nguyn Lt vi tn gi Dalat Deli, Daniel
Hampele ng hp mt s lng ln tht ca a
phng. Vi t tng hng ra th gii, nhng
sn phm y bao gm t xc xch salami v
xc xch cay chorizo cho ti xc xch Toulouse v
pate t . Hampele m cng ty t nm ngoi
p ng nhu cu ca ngi tiu dng mun bit
ngun gc hng ha; v sn phm ca anh khng
dng ha cht, c kim tra v qun l cht ch.
Sn phm c th mua c ti ca hng 100%
(ti thnh ph H Ch Minh); dalatdeli.com (vn
chuyn ti Nha Trang, Nng, H Ch Minh)
Tr Earl Grey
Loi tr en t chng nhn hu c ny c trng H Giang, mt tnh min ni pha Bc, mt

trong nhng vng trng tr lu i nht ca Vit Nam, canh tc bi nhng ngi nng dn ca dn
tc Dao, Ty v HMng. t c hng v thun khit Earl Grey, nhng l tr truyn thng Shan
Tuyt c hm trong tinh du cam nguyn cht. Nh cung cp Betterday gn b vi 1000 h dn tc
sn xut loi tr ny; qun l v k thut v m bo mt cuc sng pht trin bn vng.
Tm mua ti Betterday (H Ni)
Kem
S dng nguyn liu a phng, Jean-Marc

Brutus, ng ch ca Bellany trn loi kem kiu
gelato v sorbet vi nhng v nh vanilla-gng,
da-rau mi, l phc bn en (blackcurrant) vi
ht tiu Ph Quc. Anh cng rt lu ti cht
lng, nhng nguyn liu u c ly t nhng
ngun tt nht m bo kem gi c gn
kt. Nhng sn phm ca Bellany thng c
bn trong nhng khch sn, nh hng bn hoc
nm sao, nhng trong nm sau, bn s c th
mua c trong chui siu th trn c nc.
Mua ti: Sofitel Plaza, JW Marriott, Mercure La
Gare (H Ni), Sofitel Saigon Plaza, La Creperie,
100% (Thnh ph H Ch Minh); ti hai ca hng
Bellany Mi N hoc xem trn website bellany.vn
Mt Ong
Chng minh rng c ph gip bn lm c

nhiu cng vic cng mt lc: Pierre Morere ca
Jaangala s dng hoa c ph t trang tri ca
anh sn xut mt loi mt ong tinh khit v
c qunh. Ti trang tri khng s dng thuc tr
su ca mnh Dasar gn Lt, anh thu hoch
loi mt ong ny t 100 chic t ong. Anh bt u
bng vic bn cho nhng u bp chuyn nghip
v hin gi bt u m rng bn cho nhng
ca hng chuyn dng.
Sn phm c th tm mua ti ca hng: 100%
(thnh ph H Ch Minh)
Cu chuyn v Jekyll v Hyde
t vi cu chuyn c kt cu kh ging nhau

nhng li trong khung cnh khc nhau, nh
nhng cu chuyn v mu thun o c v th lc
cnh tranh ca Robert Louis Stevenson. L do ng
sau The New Theatre Company (TNT) chn Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde theo sau s thnh cng dn dng v kch Gulliver
Du K ca Shakespeare ti Nh ht ln H Ni v thnh ph
H Ch Minh, mt trong 20 nc trong chuyn lu din 22
tun ca h.
y l mt v i hi s dn dng n gin nhng cng
phu, em ngn ng v khung cnh ln trn ht vi cnh
nn l nh ht ln cng vi dn din vin k cu. thm
vo yu t ging nhau ny, ai Vit Nam li cha tng ung
mt loi thc ung l vo ngi v thay i thnh mt ngi
khc ch?
Dr. Jekyll v Mr. Hyde s c cng din ti Nh ht ln
H Ni vo lc 7.30 ti ngy 4 thng 3. on din sau s
chuyn vo Thnh ph H Ch Minh din thm bn bui
na 7.30 ti ngy 6 thng 3, 7 thng 3 v 8 thng 3 cng
nh vo 11 gi sng ngy 7 thng 3. mua v hy vo trang
vnpac.org, Trung tm t chc biu din ngh thut, in thoi:
(04) 3747 8658, vo trang ticketbox.vn hoc email info@adgeurope.com
Khu 17
Hy tng tng mt ni rng 2 ngn mt vung nhng khng phi l khu dn c, ch chuyn dnh cho nh
hng, bar v caf thi. l tng ng sau Khu 17, ch mi khai trng thng trc cng vi mt qun bar
cng tn Zone 17 Pub
Ta lc ti 17D Hng H bn b sng gn ng v gn khch sn Sofitel Plaza, kin trc lm bng
tre, a im c lt gch t nung ny c mt quy bar hnh vung gia, tng gch th v quy nng
ngoi tri, phc v xin nng kebab v cn nhiu na cho ti khuya. V khi ni n khuya, chng ti
khng a u ni ny m ca cho n 5 gi sng. , v ng qun bn bi-da na.
Khu 17 ti s 17D Hng H, Hon Kim hoc vo facebook.com/zone17
Th loi: Mo him
n c c nm ngi bn bn lm vic, cp nht facebook v c bo. Nhng vo thng

ba, Cp T Li trc y l Cp Madagui th thch dnh cho cc doanh nghip i
hi s tp trung, nh k nng lm giy t. Hy li chic xe p leo ni ca mnh qua a
hnh rng ti khu Rng quc gia Nam Ct Tin, li thuyn kayak v bi ch vng quanh
sng, ui vt trong rng. Cuc thi bn mn phi hp ny ch dnh cho 33 cng ty, mi ni c
ra hai th sinh khe nht thi ti. Hy chng t cho mi ngi thy nhng nm ngi bn giy t
cha lm bn mm yu i.
Cp T Li dnh cho cc doanh nghip din ra vo ngy 15 thng 3 v 16 thng 3 ti Vn quc
gia Nam Ct Tin, Tnh ng Nai. Ph tham d cho doanh nghip l VN4 triu, cn cho cc th
sinh l VN2.85 triu, bao gm ph vn chuyn, n ung v mt ni ngh m. ng k hoc bit
thm thng tin, email info@talai-adventure.com
Nhng anh em Cu-ba

c sinh ra t gia
nhng nm 1970 ti
Havana, ban nhc na
thn thoi na chm bim
t Cu-ba nhng ba thnh
vin li khng t Cu-ba
ny s din ti Qun 4 vo
ngy th T, 19 thng 2.
Khi h bc chn n
Si Gn 4 nm trc
m n by gi thay
i hn, phong cch
no nhit, hi hc kiu
La-tinh, kt hp vi rap
trong m nhc ca h
khuy ng c sn din
lc . V by gi h rt
vui mng tr li Vit Nam
vi th loi nhc c o,
lm khn gi ci khng
ngt. y s l mt bui
din c bit.
tm hiu thm v h,
hy lt n trang 80 hoc
vo trang thecubanbrothers.
com. Q4 s 7 Nguyn Tt
Thnh, Qun 4
The final say
live
Los Hermano
Cubanos
The Cuban Brothers are the Harlem Globetrotters of the funk world. Showcasing
exceptional skill, but entertainers above all else, Word gets an advance look at the
cabaret act that is set to dunk all over Ho Chi Minh City this month
he Cuban Brothers are coming to

Ho Chi Minh Citys Q4 on Feb. 19,
and the advance buzz is that this
is one of the biggest pulls Q4 has
garnered in a year of international coups,
featuring the likes of The Cribs, Black
Rebel Motorcycle Club and Steve Aoki.
But when it comes to appeal, The Cuban
Brothers are a bit different. Theyre some
of finest funk players on the planet, having
played with a whos who of musical greats
of all stripes: Tom Jones, Mick Jagger, Nick
Cave, Amy Winehouse, Edwyn Collins,
Prince Buster, Pharrell Williams, Prodigy,
Q-Tip and on their new album, Yo Bonita!,
alongside Kurtis Blow, Mica Paris, KT
Tunstall, Tenor Fly and Omar.
Like Sugar n Spice

Originally put together to support the
hardest working man in show business,
James Brown, they learned from the best.
We toured with the Godfather [in 2006],
Miguelito Mantovani, aka Mike Keat, says.
We played to 50,000 for the Sydney show
and Mr. Brown invited me into his dressing
room to have my wig straightened at the
same time he was having his hair sorted.
He didn't realise my hair was a wig for
the performance. It was the first and only
time I have ever been starstruck, kind of
speechless.
In the years since, theyve become known
for their no-holds-barred combination
of antics, moustaches, breakdancing and
some truly unrestrained, deep funk hooks.
Mikes rarely been speechless, under
the patronage of celebrity types such as
Richard Branson, Damien Hirst, Elton
John and Brad Pitt, and in the upcoming
Simon Pegg film, Cuban Fury, and the new
Proclaimers musical, Sunshine on Leith.
Even Public Enemys Chuck D gave
his endorsement, two years ago at Falls
Festival in Melbourne.
During our set, recalls Miguelito,
Chuck D was pissing himself and
throwing elbows [dancing], not a sight I

ever thought I would witness, as Chuck is
generally quite a serious cat. During our
encore he grabbed me, grinning, and told
me how dope he thinks our performance
was and how we will surpass any fashions
in music cause people always wanna be
entertained and you keeping they music
alive!
For their origin story, Mike points to a
2006 Kate Burt interview in The Guardian:
Mike, who whether DJing, promoting or
pretending to be Cuban has always been an
During our encore,

[Chuck D] grabbed me,
grinning, and told me
how dope he thinks
our performance
was and how we will
surpass any fashions
in music cause people
always wanna be
entertained and you
keeping they music
alive!
entertainer, was the brains behind the unlikely
concept of blending b-boy culture and thongs
against a backdrop of 1970s [Cuban culture].
He found inspiration around eight years ago,
while working in Palma, Mallorca.
I've always had a fascination with substandard cabaret performers, he explains in
a disarmingly Scottish accent, and there was
this amazing guy working in the hotel I was
living in who did the kids discos. He was in
his early 50s, about five-feet-two and had a big
Tom Selleck tache. Hed run out from behind

this little console and be like [adopts Spanish
accent], Hokay keeds! Eess my fabourite, I
sure eess your fabourite ass-well! Less go...
Whigfield, Sadurday Night!
It was the most hilarious thing I'd ever
seen in my life and I just thought, This guy's a
genius and fell in love with him. Mike added
his own touches the lascivious twinkle, a
slightly shady past and a penchant for peeling
off (just for the wrongness factor) and
Miguel Mantovani was born.
Mike 4 President
In the years since, theyve refined their
general vibemanship and those with
long memories might see a bit of difference
between their four-years-ago appearance
at the now-defunct Cage and the one
upcoming. Part of it is the new album,
which contains funk standards like Sly
and the Family Stones Underdog, hilarious
bastardisations like Motorheads Ace of
Spades and hooky originals like Mike 4
President.
Mike says, Five-star reviews across the
board have been helpful in bringing our
shizzat to a new audience who might have
only been aware of us as an entertainment
proposition rather than a musical one.
But their live show still sticks to the
roots. Our show is a mixture of all the
elements of hip hop culture, Mike says.
Everything is done with comedy in
mind. We take our sh_t seriously music,
performing but not ourselves. Life is
too short, have a dance, have a laugh,
celebrate your sh_t, not literally, or maybe
if thats your thing. I am clearly very
liberal-minded.
Just now to be honest Im just glad to
be here, and even more delighted to be in
Vietnam this month. Its definitely going to
be a three-pair of underpantalon night let
the mind-bumming begin.
The Cuban Brothers will play at Q4, 7
Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4, on Feb. 19
The final say
e
r
o
d
f
a
e
B Bre
d
e
c
i
l
S
nt
comme
Vietnam is changing. Michael Hardy gets nostalgic and harks back to all those things
his chosen city of residence, Saigon, didnt have when he first arrived
remember in my early days, seeing a

T-shirt that read I made it to Vietnam
before McDonalds did! I recall
loving that concept at the time; I felt
original, like I accomplished something
groundbreaking. With my nine-year
anniversary of living in Vietnam having
passed in June, along with the news
recently breaking of McDonalds finally
coming to the country, I started thinking
of all of the other things this city didnt
have when I first arrived. Heres my list of
eight things that made it to Vietnam before
McDonalds (but not before me).
Sliced Bread
I remember going around the grocery store
wishing I could make a classic packed lunch
sandwich, but no slices were to be found.
Dont get me wrong, I had my fair share of
banh mi op las, but I needed a taste of home
too. Having grown up on sliced bread with
processed meat and cheese, I was nostalgic

for that taste of home (yeah, I can admit it, I
missed my Mommy). These days, not only
can you find sliced bread at banh mi stands
around town, but you can find fantastic
varieties of it in almost any grocery store.
And yes, I still miss my Mommy!
The Helmet Law

Ah, those days of seeing people driving
around, enjoying the wind in their hair. This
nguoi nuoc ngoai got some strange looks for
wearing a full-face helmet when you didnt
even need to fret over a fine for not doing
so. The most incredible moment was the day
the law was enforced December 2007.
With much anticipation, I stepped out of my
house to find 99.9 percent of people wearing
helmets! I rejoiced with the thought of fitting
in, finally, until I realised they all had tiny
little skullcaps on while I was still sweating
in my head sauna.
Facebook
These days, anybody who has just moved
to Vietnam or is considering doing so can
log into Facebook and find groups where
they can ask anything their travelling heart
desires. Not only did I arrive in Vietnam
before the billion-plus user website, I set
foot here before it was even a dotcom.
Where the best burger in town was, the bar
with the cheapest happy hour or where to
find a good deal on renting a motorbike all
came from getting out there and searching.
And not with a keyboard.
Tattoo Parlours
Though I dont have any tattoos, I did come
here with my tongue and lip pierced, and
got some rather curious reactions along
the way. Tattoos and piercings were for
societys underbelly, but that concept is
slowly changing. With parlours popping up
everywhere and a lot doing quality work,
days, the cute school kid on the corner can

help translate your motorbike issues or tell
you where the new Starbucks is going to be.
No xe om on the corner to help out? Dont
worry, now there are expats driving past
every corner, and even dropping some tieng
Viet here and there.
American Fast Food Burgers

Sure, Lotteria and KFC beat me here, and
Ive had my fill of both. But gone are the
days of your buddy asking how many BK
Whoppers he should bring from Bangkok
Airport. Now places like Phu My Hung
have American fast food on every corner,
and whether you like it or not, this is just
the start. Though, luckily for everybody
involved, the F&B industry has greatly
improved and fantastic burgers can be
found in any style you want around town.
Im not going to lie, though I cant wait
for that first Big Mac!
Smartphones
I lived in Ho Chi Minh Citys District 1
for my first year and after dropping my
girlfriend home one evening, I almost
managed to get lost in District 4. As the
sun set and I made another turn down an
unfamiliar street, I tried to recall how to say
District 1, left or right in Vietnamese but
hesitated to stop and try. The best feature
my phone had at the time was a flashlight
arguably still the best but I managed
to get home without using it or asking for
help. I certainly didnt have the option of
whipping out my iPhone, turning on 3G and
letting Google Maps point me back to safety
while tweeting my location to the world.
But the Best Thing Was Always Here
Gone are the days of your buddy asking

how many BK Whoppers he should bring from
Bangkok Airport. Now places like Phu My Hung
have American fast food on every corner
its not the tay ba lo who are supplying Tats
Studio with their 65,000 Facebook likes.
Vietnam is loving its ink more and more
each day. And my oh my there is something
sexy about seeing a little dragonfly tat
creeping out from under that traditional but
alluring ao dai.
on his books, which were passed on to

him from friends coming from Singapore.
Now, Ive got an impressive collection on
my bookshelf, which I often offer up for
keeps. Why? Because Ive got the tallest
skyscraper stack that fits in my pocket
my Kindle!
English Language Novels
Learning the Lingo
I love to read, especially when travelling.

It passes the time, clears my mind and puts
me to sleep if need be. Once I made my
way through the street sellers skyscraper
stack of books (those who havent read a
Dan Brown novel havent spent enough
time drinking in the backpacker quarters).
I relied almost solely on my father passing
Obviously this one isnt 100 percent accurate

and I think it goes two ways. I found every
excuse not to speak Vietnamese when I
first came here and out of sheer necessity
relied heavily on hand signals, which were
surprisingly efficient. I wasnt crossing
paths with too many people that said
anything past, Hello, how you? These
The first year I lived here I spent nine

months intermittently working in other
countries, and even after returning
home to Saigon each time I didnt feel
comfortable or settled. What eventually
helped me feel that way? The people who
were here all along.
People often ask me what I love about
Vietnam, and its not the sliced bread, the
smartphones or international conglomerates
that I think of. I cant help but think of
my friends every time. They go beyond
that; theyre my family when I cant reach
mine or when Facebook or my smartphone
doesnt know. They are the infinite reasons
why I love this place and have stayed so
long, and why I cant wait for the next
decade of change here.
All of us have made it to Vietnam before
something or someone else, including
the friends that we havent yet met. But
thats all part of the adventure, the fun of
discussing the past and the present.
Im not saying all of this change is great,
or I probably wouldnt be writing this
nostalgic article about my past, but change
is inevitable and its as much fun looking
back on it as it is looking forward to it.
Especially with friends.
The last call
While the big boys of the fast food industry are

coming in from overseas, Kim Oanh,
the creator of Wrap n Roll is doing just the
opposite. Now with a number of stores in
Vietnam, she is bringing her healthy brand of
Vietnamese roll-it-yourself cuisine to the world.
Photo by Mads Monsen
The idea when I opened the first restaurant was a passion
for cooking, and a wish for a Vietnamese food chain with a basis in original
Vietnamese food that, when coupled with a modern concept, would be able
to franchise like big brands all over the world.
My passion for nutritious gastronomy came from a family that

has been working in the restaurant business for three generations. I grew up
in my grandmom and moms kitchen, hoping that I could do better than them
and nutritious food is a growing trend all over the world.
Wrap n Roll is a great name because its connected to the kind
of food that we serve customers, sounds young and its an English name for a
Vietnamese restaurant. Its telling of the integration between [new tastes and]
traditional food.
My concept is my pride. The primary idea of this came to me from a
one-year journey studying and researching rolls throughout Vietnam, and

eight years of building a restaurant chain and, looking to the future, a
Vietnamese food brand.
In my restaurant, the dining experience should give customers

the feeling of enjoyment and sharing, [an experience which is also] indirectly
ours. I always remember the first few days at the first Wrap n Roll restaurant
at 62 Hai Ba Trung [Q1, Ho Chi Minh City]. I just sat there for hours and
watched the customers, their actions and the expressions on their faces, the
gestures that accompany a good meal.
I am proud of my De Tham restaurant because there are some
prejudices when people invest in areas with a lot of tourists and backpackers.
[Some feel] that its just a short-term investment, because these customers are
not willing to pay much. But the sixth Wrap n Roll has a nice eco-friendly
design and is always crowded. Im proud that I have contributed to building
a better experience for tourists when they come to Vietnam and enjoy
Vietnamese food in this area.
The expansion of my brand is the natural result of our quality, a

lack of MSG and preservatives, fresh rice noodles, clean vegetables and SAP
standards. These beliefs are the foundation for us to continue expanding,
coming closer to the people who are interested in fresh and healthy food.
Opening in Singapore with three franchised restaurants opened
in two years, in such a competitive market with strict food standards, has
opened a new door for Wrap n Roll to be accepted and welcomed by the
world.
The arrival of fast food chains from overseas gives me
mixed feelings, but Im encouraging of good investment and the efforts of

other restaurant models.
My biggest challenge is the struggle between family and career, like

Im on a seesaw, because my passion for Wrap n Roll is too great.
The person I admire the most is my mother, because of her relaxed,

chilled-out nature in all circumstances and her lack of competitiveness. She
sets a great example.
Life is living to the fullest with your ambitions, not minding hardships and
working your way to success no matter what.

Word Vietnam Feb 2014

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Chuyn du lch, m thc

052 / 24 Hours in Vietnam

Enjoying a tactical advantage

011 / The Big Five

Events to look out for this month

018 / Two Men and Lots of Women

020 / Valentines Day

Give Cupid a bigger target

Vietnam gets on the Big Mac Index

044 / The High Life

EAT & DRINK

You dont need to import anymore

080 / The Participation Culture

Try and try again

096 / Banged Up Abroad

A year on, Outcast has created a 105 / Street Snacker Hanoi

Is sustainability finally catching

106 / Street Snacker HCMC

Saigons best pho

If you have stomach issues,

Skyscrapers are finally 092 / The Sivananda Lifestyle

2 | Word February 2014

Facial Massage, Body Scrub

We only have 3 Salons and Spas

Now with a third, exclusive outlet

Tel: (848.8) 3936 9195

We are the original Jasmine spa. Jasmine Hair. Jasmine of Si Gn.

146 / Coffee Cup

166/ Top Eats

The future is wow

The metropolis of many colours

124 / Travel Promos

4 | Word February 2014

On the heels of their new album,

174 / Before Sliced Bread

Or more importantly, before

176 / The Last Call

Kim Oanh, the brains behind Wrap &

140 / Student Eye

Tae Jun Park

Word - Duong Huynh

Chuyn Du Lch & m Thc

6 | Word February 2014

Chu trch nhim xut bn:

Thc hin lin kt xut bn:

In n 15.000 cun, kh 20.5 x 27cm

that would have been

the future. Sometimes

CHUYN DU LCH, M THC

THIS MONTH'S COVER

Have Your Say

8 | Word February 2014

A Blast from the Past

The Talk Lead

The Year of the Horse

n his book Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared

10 | Word February 2014

12 con giap, or animal signs that symbolise

The Futures Bright

Vietnamese, are in planning mode. With

the big five

Chasing the Rising Sun

Saigon Soul is Making a

Saigon Soul thinks the party people of Saigon