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PHOTOS
AARON JOEL SANTOS/NOI PICTURES, LESTER LEDESMA (INSET)
LIKE MOST
destinations, Vietnam has
plenty of visitor staples. An itinerary
for Ho Chi Minh City is likely to include
trips to the Cu Chi Tunnels and the War
Remnants Museum. While in Hanoi,
the must-sees are the final resting
place of the country’s former leader Ho
Chi Minh and the city’s emerald-hued
centerpiece Hoan Kiem Lake. These
are all essential stops, but if you’re
really looking to get to know two of
Asia’s most charming cities, toughen
up and follow the locals. Here are some
suggestions on how to experience
Vietnam like the Vietnamese.
1
Drink up
This may come as a surprise
to those more familiar with
images of Vietnam’s green
rice paddies, endless beaches and
graceful ladies on bicycles, but the
Vietnamese have a deep-rooted habit of
drinking beer. The country’s beer culture
stretches back to at least the 1890s
when the French founded the Habeco
brewery, which is now state run. Hanoi
is considered to be the drinking hub and
the true home of
bia hoi
or fresh beer.
The light, pilsner-style beer is brewed
daily and fresh plastic jugs are delivered
to the bars. The beer is light — around
3% — and costs around VND7,000
(PHP14), making it the world’s cheapest.
The cluster of bia hoi joints at the
intersection of Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc
Quyen — known locally as bia hoi
corner — is popular with foreigners; but
for full local flavor (and platters of tasty
suon nuong
or pork ribs on the side),
head to Bia Hoi Hanoi
(15 Yen Phu, near
Tay Ho or West Lake).
E S S E N T I A L I N D O C H I N A