let the adventures begin
We came to Viet Nam at the very end of 2006 and have spent the ensuing months volunteering in orphanages, teaching English, visiting tourist sites, eating in restaurants, sleeping in hotels, cooking our own food, hunting down necessities and checking out what's happening all around us.All my travel in Viet Nam has been with my kids, so there are some things we've avoided. Like most museums. We've visted a number of pagodas, but I think we're done now. You've seen twenty, you've seen them all (at least in my kids' minds). We've had good and bad, fun and not so fun. Here's my opinion on just some of it, city by city:
Ha Noi . Hoi An . Hue . Da Nang . Tam Ky . My Lai/Quang Ngai
Ha Noi
HOTELS
Ha Noi Holidays Hotel: 24 Hang Manh
We stayed here for four nights in December and again in March. The rooms are clean and in good condition. One room had a door for the bathroom, the other only had a shower curtain which makes for a lack of privacy when you might just need it. The sheets are changed every day by a couple of kind non-English-speaking women who like practicing my daughter's name. Some rooms have showers, others have bathtubs. They provide a free yet filling breakfast, satellite TV, phone, refrigerator, internet (WiFi when it works), and plenty of hot water for a bath. Some rooms are windowless, but we like #405 with its wide expanse of windows that overlook the city. Prices range from $15-30/night.Ha Noi Spirit House: 50 Hang Be
Our three nights at this hotel were do-able, but not particularly pleasant. The bathroom door didn't shut all the way and was made of frosted glass anyway, so all showers were public (I showered before the kids awoke so I didn't scare them in my naked glory.) The sheets were never changed, they simply re-tucked them for us. We had to ask for towels and toilet paper. Both rooms we stayed in had windows, though one opened to the stairway. They provide free breakfast, satellite TV and one hour of free internet. Not bad for a night or two. Prices range from $15-45/night.FOOD
Chuc Linh: 73 Hang Bac
Okay food, but nothing to brag about. I ate fried rice (com rang rau) that was pretty good, but Audrey's pasta was tasteless. Stuart had a hamburger and they did a nice job with that, included ketchup even. Not bad, but I doubt we'd go back.Ciao Cafe: 02 Hang Bai
We shared a pizza and garlic bread among the three of us; it was quite good and plenty of food to share. It is quite hip inside and very Western, but the prices were still reasonable and the fruit drinks were delicious. Seemed to be the place for late 20-somethings to meet up with friends and chat (both live and on their mobiles). Free WiFi during specific hours (not traditional meal times).Al Fresco's: 23L Hai Ba Trung
A hit with the kids, this place was a taste of home, for sure. Feeling a bit homesick for the US? Come here and it's like you're back on American soil, sans the 20-hour flight. Labeled as Tex-Mex in our guidebook, I was a bit dubious of the quality in a country so far from Mexico, but they do a darn fine job with it. We had a chicken quesadilla (can you say tiny?), potato wedges w/ bacon and sour cream, and small nachos. There were plenty of potatoes and nachos, but the quesadilla was the size of a tea saucer. The prices are high (in my thoughts); we spent about $15USD on the meal. Quite a lot for Viet Nam. But Audrey entered the drawing contest, so maybe we'll win a free meal and then we can afford to go back again.Papa Joe's Coffee: 112 Cau Go
Same Western-style food as their sister restaurant Al Fresco's, but we like this place for their ice cream. Their soft-serve is some of the best we've had and seeing as it's in the middle of the Old Quarter/Hoan Kiem area, we pass it far to often. The paninis are pretty good and on Thursdays they're buy one get one free. Sit up on the third floor for the best view and enjoy the wi-fi and some dessert.Meat shish-ke-bob lady: on Hang Be
Okay, so there are a few ladies selling shish-ke-bobs (meat on a stick) on the street, but we particulary like the one near the Ha Noi Spirit House (see above). She charges us 3000VND each (half the price the other woman charged us) and they are so yummy. Two of those and a bowl of rice... a simple dinner for 10-15,000VND (less than $1USD), depending on where you buy a bowl of rice.SIGHT-SEEING
Hoan Kiem Lake: at city center
It's the reference point for Ha Noi in terms of directions and the place to start exploring. It's not terribly beautiful, but the story behind it is interesting to the kids, so memorize it before you get there. In the 15th century, Le Thai To was given a magical sword by a tortoise in the lake to fight off the Chinese invaders. After his success, Le Thai To (later known as Le Loi) returned to the lake and a tortoise took it back and swallowed it. Tortoises can still be seen periodically in the lake and the kids might enjoy keeping an eye out for one.There is a pagoda for Le Thai To on the west side of the lake (not to be confused with the statue of Ly Thai To, the founder of Ha Noi, on the east side of the lake). And there's a Le Loi street in every major and most minor cities of Viet Nam. So remember the story for when you visit Hoi An, Da Nang, HCM, Nha Trang, etc. and see Le Loi Street.
The Tortoise Pagoda (Thap Rua) is at the south end of the lake and is symbolic of Ha Noi. It's fairly new, built in the late 1800s, and is just nice to look at.
At the northern end is the Bridge of the Rising Sun and the Ngoc Son pagoda, home of the infamous stuffed turtle. It's big and weighs something like 350 lbs. It looks like it has been all painted black, which made it look even less real and was a bit of a disappointment to the kids. It's a working pagoda, though, with the requisite incense-burning and praying at the shrine. There's a side park area where people were just hanging out, playing chess and enjoying the view. A nice little side jaunt that kills about 20 minutes and isn't big enough to get boring, even for the little ones. 3000VND entry fee.
Hoa Lo Prison: 1 Hoa Lo St
So maybe it seems like a strange place to take kids, but it was fairly intersting just to see the rooms where prisoners were kept and some of the gory details of prison life. Definitely not for small children, but older children can learn a bit of history. Nearly all the information presented is about the Vietnamese being held here under the French regime, but one small area has artifacts from the Vietnam-America war when American where imprisoned. Take particular note of the sloping prison room and the glass embedded at the top of the prison's walls.West Lake: by Thuy Khue and Thanh Nien Streets
The city's oldest pagoda, Tran Quoc, is on a small island in the lake. Built in the 6th century, it's old enough to boggle some adult minds. We liked imagining just how many people had stood in just this spot over the past 1500+ years. How many prayers had been said? How many languages had been spoken? How many photographs taken? It's a working temple, so don't go during the lunch times (between 11am and 1pm) because they close it down.There are swan paddle boats that can be rented nearby, if you are in the mood for some exercise and a a nice view. Make sure to check out the fishermen around the lake with there long bamboo poles and large spools of fishing lines that they use to catch dinner. It's quite different from the typical Western style of rod and reel; interesting enough for the kids to sit and watch for a while, especially if the fisherman is having any luck.
Ho Chi Minh Museum: 3 Ngo Ha, near Ba Dinh Square
Unless you are a fan of Ho Chi Minh and have a broad knowledge of the revolution he fought for, the museum is boring and confusing. Very little is translated or explained in English and even those are limited in their number of words and correct grammar. The kids were bored the entire time, except by the enormous golden statue of Uncle Ho. But that interest only lasted long enough to joke about kneeling and praying to the almighty.One-Pillar Pagoda: next door to the Ho Chi Minh Museum
If you're not careful you could walk by right the place. We did. It tucked back off the street just a bit and is a pretty quick side jaunt. The original was built in 1049, but the current pagoda is a miniaturized version built just last century. Makes a good postcard picture, but not really worth a visit on its own.Thu Le Zoo: near the DaeWoo Hotel
Give the name of the zoo to any taxi driver and he'll get you there. But I don't really suggest you go. It was a sad menagerie, with small, bare cages and my kids found it more disheartening than enjoyable. The chained elephant and cowering monkeys were distressing to our Western idea of zoos allowing freedom of movement and a natural envrionment. The park itself is quite picturesque with its bridges and small island. There's a small amusement park at the entrance, but it wasn't running on the Saturday we visited.MISCELLANY
Thoi Trang Toc: 15 Hang Be
Need a haircut while you're in town? Well, I did. It'd been nearly three months since my last cut and it was showing. I'd seen this place on our strolls through the Old Quarter; it looked clean and modern, so I gave it a shot and turned my hair over to someone I couldn't speak to. It was a test of my faith, but it turned out great. She spent an hour perfecting my hair and then only charged me 70,000 VND ($4.50). I'll be back, for sure, but I'll make sure the kids bring something to do while they sit and wait.Intimex:22-32 Le Thai To
Craving packaged food? Want cold cereal and fresh milk? This supermarket is pretty big with a wide variety of foods: yoghurt, meat, noodles, crackers, soda, candies, and bread. Great for hotel picnics (we've been living off cold cereal and PB & J sandwiches) or snacks for your day's adventures. Upstairs there's plenty of dishware, shampoo, hotplates, blenders, clothing and facial cleansers. It's almost like one-stop shopping, though the fresh fruits and veggies are limited and better bought on the street. The clientele seems to run almost half-half with Vietnamese and expats, so you won't be the only one shopping there. Just don't expect the clerk to speak English.