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VIETNAM
HANOI
BESTBREAKFAST
Order
something hot at Pho 45 along
Bat Dan St.
BEST DINNER
Head to Pho Ga
on Hang Hom St., or Pho Cuon on
Ngu Xa St.
INSIDERTIP
Be cautious of
pickpockets, especially when getting
around crowded places and other
touristy areas.
Tran Ha My
travel consultant,
VietnamToday
Travel
VIETNAM
HOCHIMINHCITY
Esther
dela Cruz
PR specialist,
MandarinMedia
LESTER LEDESMA
COUNTRY CODE
+84
CURRENCY
VND10,000 = PHP20.46/US$0.48
TOUCHDOWN
Tan Son Nhat International
Airport is a 30-minute drive away from District 1.
A taxi ride costs about VND80,000 (PHP164).
You can also hire a motorbike and driver for
VND20,000 (PHP41).
BY DAY
The café culture is amazing in Saigon.
Mojo
(88 Dong Khoi, District 1)
at the Sheraton is the
place to see and be seen in. The HCMC Fine Arts
Museum
(97A Pho Duc Chinh, District 1)
fills you in
on Vietnam’s history through art and artifacts.
BY NIGHT
“Saigon After Dark” is a four-hour tour of
the city’s street culture, food and nightlife on the back
of a vintage Vespa. Ride through the streets with your
own driver, savoring food and drinks at every stop.
www.vietnamvespaadventures.com
SLEEP
The Spring Hotel
(44–46 Le Thanh Ton
St., District 1)
has clean, comfortable rooms starting
from US$33 (PHP1,398) per night in a good area
downtown.
INSIDER TIP
For safe meter prices,
only take Mai Linh, Vinasun or Saigon
Tourist taxis.
BESTDINNER
Hai Lua or Wrap and
Roll for Vietnamese food, Elbow Room or
48 Bistro for Western cuisine.
MUST-TRY
The foot massage at Qing
Spa above Qing Bar
(110 Pasteur St.)
. For
US$13 (PHP551), you get hot tea and a
massage that melts away stress.
COUNTRY CODE
+84
CURRENCY
VND10,000 = PHP20.46/US$0.48
TOUCHDOWN
The Noi Bai International Airport
is located 45km away from the city center.
Transportation services like public taxis, mini and
public buses are available at the arrivals level.
www.hanoiairportonline.com
BY DAY
Exercise your feet, and satisfy your love for
eating, by signing up for a food-on-foot tour in the
Old Quarter. Take lots of photos and prepare to eat!
For sightseeing, visit the Chi Minh Mausoleum, Van
Mieu and Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.
BY NIGHT
Enjoy a leisurely dinner at Avalon
Café on Cau Go St. while enjoying a panoramic
view of Hoan Kiem Lake. Then quench your
thirst at one of the lemon tea stalls that line Nha
Tho St.
SLEEP
For smaller budgets, try three-star hotels
May De Ville Old Quarter
(Gia Ngu St.)
or Hoa
Binh Palace
(Hang Be St.).
Or treat yourself to a
stay at the posh Sofitel Metropole Hanoi.