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VIETNAM
HANOI
BESTBREAKFAST
Beef noodle
soup at Pho Suong along Trung Yen, and
Vietnamese coffee at Giang Café.
BEST DINNER
Try an upscale
fusion meal of French and Vietnamese
cuisine at La Verticale.
BESTSOUVENIRS
Embroidered
paintings, wartime propaganda posters,
lacquer paintings and more in Hanoi’s
Old Quarter.
Nga Hoang
freelancewriter
VIETNAM
HOCHIMINHCITY
Man Quang
Ho
banker
LESTER LEDESMA
COUNTRY CODE
+84
CURRENCY
VND10,000 = PHP20.38/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 (PHP163).
You can also hire a motorbike and driver for
VND20,000 (PHP41).
BY DAY
Go on a tour of the city, and visit the War
Museum, Reunification Palace, Ben Thanh market
and the Cu Chi tunnel if time permits. Stop by
L’Usine café in Dong Khoi, then pop over to see the
Water Puppet Show at Rong Vang theater.
BY NIGHT
Dine at one of many great hotpot
restaurants in Truong Dinh St. or around District 3.
The acoustic club in Ngo Thoi Nhiem is popular
among the younger set. For dancing, head to
Apocalypse in Thi Sach or Lush in Ly Tu Trong.
SLEEP
Mid-range hotels include Rex, Que Huong
and Liberty. There are budget hotels or guesthouses
in the backpack area (Pham Ngu Lao, De Tham) that
go for US$10–20 (PHP426–852) a night.
BESTBREAKFAST
Start your day
with a steaming hot bowl of Pho Hoa
noodles at Pasteur St.
INSIDER TIP
Mai Linh and Vina Sun
are the best taxi services. Beware of fake
cabs posing as the real thing.
MUST-DO
Find your spot on the curb
of Han Thuyen St., then sip Vietnamese-
style coffee while admiring the Notre
Dame Cathedral.
COUNTRY CODE
+84
CURRENCY
VND10,000 = PHP20.38/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
Include the water puppet show, Hoa Lo
Prison and the Temple of Literature in your itinerary.
Try Hanoi eats
bun cha
(grilled pork patties with
vermicelli rice noodles) at Ngo Tram St. and
cha ca
(grilled fish pies) at 14 Cha Ca St.
BY NIGHT
Movie fans, head over to the Hanoi
Cinémathéque, an art-house cinema that shows
Hollywood classic films as well as Vietnamese
avant garde movies. For drinks, order a pint of
Czech beer at Hoa Vien Brauhaus.
SLEEP
Check into Hotel de l’Opera Hanoi for a
good night’s sleep.
29 Trang Tien St., Hoan Kiem
District, Hanoi; tel: +84 (4) 6282 5555, www.
mgallery.com