Vn Travel Guide Book

Vietnam Travel guide book

Table of content

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Vietnam Travel guide book

Ho Chi Minh city

Ho Chi Minh City Saigon was officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City on May 1st 1975. However, the old Saigon moniker is still very widely used by both Vietnamese and foreigners - especially when referring to the most central part of the city, to which most tourists flock.

Reunification Palace Enter at 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, ☎ 9693272. Open daily 7:3011:00am, 1:00-4:00pm. Also known as Independence Palace. This is a restored five-floor time warp to the Sixties left largely untouched from the day before Saigon fell to the North. Formerly South Vietnam's Presidential Palace, the war ended on April 30, 1975 when tank #843 — now parked on the lawn outside — crashed through the gate. Be sure to check out the impressively kitschy recreation room, featuring a circular sofa, and the eerie basement, full of vintage 1960s phones, radios, and office equipment, supposedly left exactly as it was found when the North took over. There is also a photo gallery and a propaganda film

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Vietnam Travel guide book

Ho Chi Minh city

recounting how the South Vietnamese lackeys and American imperialists succumbed to Ho Chi Minh's indomitable revolutionary forces, upon which point the lackeys were forgiven and everyone lived happily ever after. Tours are available, but not necessary. There is a nice outdoor café on the grounds outside the palace. Entry 15,000 dong. War Remnants Museum 28 Vo Van Tan Street, ☎ 9302112, 9306325, 9305587 ([email protected]). Open daily 7:30am-12:00pm, 1:30-5:00pm, last admission 4:30pm. Formerly known under the perhaps-too-subtle moniker of Exhibition House of American War Crimes, the museum was opened in a hurry, less than five months after the fall of the South. It's currently housed in a rather confused assemblage of seven warehouses, with new purpose-built premises partially open for temporary and permanent exhibits. This disturbing display of man's cruelty during the Vietnam (American) War includes halls full of gruesome photographs, a simulated "tiger cage" prison and jars of deformed fetuses blamed on Agent Orange. (The comic relief provided by a display on the evils of American rock music has sadly disappeared.) There are, of course, no records of any unpleasant deeds ever having been committed by the North Vietnamese Army. Outside, there are helicopters, jets, tanks, and other bits of armament. It's only a block from the Reunification Palace — see the museum pamphlet for a map. Entry 15,000 dong. On Le Quy Don, just south of the museum, is a 2000 dong/cone soft ice cream vendor, a happy treat in a hot and hectic city.

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Vietnam Travel guide book

Ho Chi Minh city

City Hall End of Nguyen Hue Street. Originally called the Hôtel de Ville and now formally re-branded the People's Committee Hall, it's a striking cream and yellow French colonial building beautifully floodlit at night. No entry, but the statue of Uncle Ho in front is a very popular place for photos. Museum of Vietnamese History, at the intersection of Le Duan Street and Nguyen Binh Khiem (just inside the zoo gates). The museum has a fine collection of Vietnamese antiquities, but unfortunately they are accompanied by signage which is both in poor English and full of risible Marxist distortions. Read up on Vietnamese history first or you'll have no idea what you're looking at. Outside, the Botanical Gardens are very nice and a good place for a cheap lunch away from the crowds. If you care about animal welfare, avoid the zoo. Notre Dame Cathedral, Han Thuyen Street, facing down Dong Khoi (next to the Post Office). Closes for lunch and on weekends. A French-built Catholic cathedral in the city center. Free entry.

Dam Sen Water Park 03 Hoa Binh, Ward 3, District 11, ☎ 858.8418, 865.3453. Mon-Sat 8:30am6:00pm, Sundays and Holidays 8:00am-7:00pm. Close to the city center. Opened in 1999, with new water slides added each year — management promises the new Space Bowl Slide will make guests have "unforgettable new feelings". You'd be a fool to resist. Restaurant, health services, and animatronic dinosaurs are on the premises. Admission is height-based; under 0.8m free, others 35-70,000 dong. Visiting hair salons is also a must do for tourists, as Vietnamese are famous for it. Hair wash, manicure and pedicure cost no more than US$10. Vu Salon 210, Tran Quang Khai, District 1. A nice place to go.

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Vietnam Travel guide book

Ho Chi Minh city

Ben Thanh Market West end of Le Loi. Probably the largest, offering a wide spread of, well, pretty much everything from Ho Chi Minh T-shirts to cosmetics, diapers, pickled plums and live ducks. Popular with tourists, so prepare to haggle (your luck may vary with this, as 'fixed' prices are being introduced). Night Market (just outside of Ben Thanh Market). Here you can enjoy many kinds of different food and drink, and go round to do your shopping as well. Open from 5:00pm (when the Ben Thanh Market closes). War Surplus Market sometimes called the American Market, in Cholon. Dense warrens of stalls with old American military gear of indeterminate authenticity, cheap t-shirts, and electrical supplies. Saigon Square corner of Hai Ba Trung and Nguyen Du. Some of the former Russian Market stores have moved here. Very popular for hip, young people; you can find cheap watches, DVDs, T-shirts, jeans, shorts, slippers, etc, and there's a nice supper market in the middle of the square. Open 9:00am-7:00pm. Tax Department Store corner of Le Loi and Nguyen Hue. Formerly the Russian Market, this is now a rather sterile department store of sorts filled with stalls selling touristy kitsch, although the selections get better as you ascend the levels. There's a good supermarket on level 2. If you are traveling here by taxi, the new name may be met by blank expressions from taxi drivers. The old name seems to work. Phuong Mai Art Gallery 129 B Le Thanh Ton St., Dist.1 (near the Norfold Hotel and the Revolution Museum). A gallery showing contemporary Vietnamese artists, both established and emerging. There's another showroom at 213C Dong Khoi in Dist. 1.

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Vietnam Travel guide book

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Hue beef noodles at Dong Ba 110A Nguyen Du, Dist 1. This is a shop that sells Hue Food including Banh Beo, traditional rice cakes. Pho or My Should you be strolling down Nguyen Hué (District 1) toward the river, a nice and cheap place for a soup is at 52 Ngo Duc Ke Street, the Pho Bo Vien Quoc Ky restaurant. Try the sate version of the usual Pho or My: a spicy delicacy! LA SEN Restaurant (Nha Hang LA SEN), 30 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, Phuong 6 - Quan 3. Phone 9306682 (+84 8 9306682). Opening hours 09:30 23:00. Very nice and clean medium-priced restaurant serving delicious food from the regions (Hue, Saigon and Hanoi) of Vietnam just in the center of district 3. Friendly service, fully air-conditioned, two floors and with room for about 100 persons. Suitable for business and private lunch / dinner. Lemongrass 4 Nguyen Thiep Street. A very touristy Vietnamese restaurant. Most dishes are in US$4-6 range, although some seafood items are expensive; try the daily business lunch at $US3++ and weekly special dishes. Luong Son Quan, 31 Ly Tu Trong. Great barbecue restaurant with a broad choice of meats: beef, chicken, kangaroo, ostrich, etc, seafood and specialties: frog legs, scorpion, snake, etc. Menu in Vietnamese and English, rate is very good (5-10$ per person) for such quality. Note that Vietnamese generally enjoy barbecue with local beer (Larue, 333, Saigon). Ngoc Suong Marina,19C Le Quy Don, is a restaurant specializing in seafood. Try the fish salad and the clams cooked in white wine.

Coffee shops A cup of immensely strong black Vietnamese coffee (sweetened with sugar or condensed milk), cà phê sữa nóng, in a traditional Vietnamese café is an absolute must when in Saigon. The coffee is actually brewed in a little metal apparatus placed on your cup; just lift it off when it has cooled enough to touch (and hence drink). During summer months, the combination of high

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Vietnam Travel guide book

Ho Chi Minh city

humidity and temperature may tempt tourists to try iced Vietnamese coffee (sweetened with sugar and/or condensed milk), cà phê sữa đá. Chot Nho Café 189, Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan District. Reasonable price, good menu. 10 minutes by taxi from main city center. free Wi-Fi. Givral Café, Dong Khoi (opposite Continental Hotel) is more in the French tradition, with fresh pastries, collared waiters and elaborate portions of ice cream. Well located, but over 20000 dong for the simplest cup. Poppy Café 217 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3. Modern lounge café where the specialty is fruit-topped natural frozen yogurt. The only café in SG that serves this refreshing healthy treat. Creative fruit smoothies and light Vietnamese + Western fares also on menu. Free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and Englishspeaking staff. Trung Nguyen is the Vietnamese version of Starbucks, but with much better coffee. Figure on 10000 dong for a basic cuppa, although there are plenty of variations including the infamous weasel coffee (cà phê chồn), made from coffee beans collected from civet excrement. Two convenient outlets are east side of Nguyen Hue right before City Hall, and corner of Thu Khoa Huan and Ly Tu Trong.

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Vietnam Travel guide book

Thoi Son Island

Thoi Son Island - Tien Giang Province

Thoi Son Island, accessible by a 45-minute boat ride on the Mekong River from Mytho, is located in Tien Giang province. Since 1990, Thoi Son has become a tourist resort welcoming hundreds of visitors. The tiled-roof houses surrounded by many generations of fruitbearing trees, the cozy little restaurants in bonsai tree gardens make of Thoi Son Island the ideal location for a short rest.

Boat ride on Tien River

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Vietnam Travel guide book

Thoi Son Island

The path through the island is bordered with fruit trees bearing plums, mangoes, and longans. Visitors will also enjoy Con Phung Island, Vinh Trang Pagoda, Dong Tam snake farm and coconut sweets and jams.

Vinh Trang Pagoda Tien Giang tourism company has recently invested in an hotel complex that will accommodate from 300 to 500 visitors.

Vinh Trang Pagoda Dong Tam snake farm Thoi Son Island

Boat ride Listen to Vietnamese folk music

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Vietnam Travel guide book

Dala city

Dalat city Dalat, also Da Lat, located in the South Central Highlands of Vietnam, was originally the playground of the French who built villas in the clear mountain air to escape the heat and humidity of the coast and of Saigon, now know as Ho Chi Minh City. Dalat's high altitude (1500-2000 m) and fertile landscape make it one of Vietnam's premier agricultural areas. In fact, in markets as far north as Hanoi, veable and flower vendors will tout their "made in Dalat" produce. Most guidebooks describe Dalat as a cheesy town popular only as a local honeymoon destination with tacky sites. The good news about that description is that the town is not over-run with tourists like some other cities in Vietnam. The bad news is that the description is not entirely untrue. There are tacky sites in Dalat where local honeymooners go to get their pictures taken by photographers, but Dalat is surrounded by some of the best mountain biking, hiking and canyoning opportunities in Vietnam.

Ho Xuan Huong aka Xuan Huong lake center of town. Open daily, all hours. No admission fee but rental fees vary if you want to boat. Approximately 5km in diameter, this lake was made after two dams on the Camly river were destroyed during a storm in the 1930s. Now, Xuan Huong lake is one of the main draws of Da Lat, and you can see

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Vietnam Travel guide book

Dala city

honeymooners and locals strolling its banks. Many nice hotels have a view of the lake. Thung Lung Tinh Yeu aka Valley of Love, Phu Duong Thien Vong street. Open daily until 5PM. Admission fee under USD1. About 5km outside of town, the Valley of Love is common stop on Dalat tours and is very popular with honeymooners. The Valley of Love is also a great spot for canyoning. See contact info below for canyoning operators. Lake of Sorrow or Lake of Sighs 5km northeast of town on Ho Xuan Huong road. Admission fee under USD1. The Lake of Sorrow is another common destination in Dalat. The Lake of Sorrow is so-named because of a tale of two lovers, one who committed suicide after the other was called up to serve in the army. The exact tale changes depending on the age and gender of the storyteller! Prenn Falls At the foot of Prenn Pass, about 10km outside of town. Open daily until 5PM. Admission fee under USD1. A very common stop on a typical Dalat tour, Prenn Falls is quite beautiful but is a lot more fun when you're hiking it than just taking pictures of it.

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Vietnam Travel guide book

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Easy Riders (a motorbike and driver/guide) is a great way for a non-motorcyclist to tour the central highlands, providing access to places you would otherwise never know about. They speak good English, are from local villages, seemingly know everyone, and will probably find you before you find them. You will know the driver is legit when you are presented with a book, full of praise from other excited tourists. From about USD20/person for an 8 hour tour, up to USD60/day for long distance multi-day trips, often including accommodation. Outdoor Adventures, 32 Truong Cong Dinh , phone - 063-832221, fax - 063510965, cell - 0918593311 website runs trips daily with extended trips outside Dalat also available. Combines American technology and safety methods with local knowledge of trails and communities to deliver an outstanding adventure

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Vietnam Travel guide book

Dala city

experience. Hike the highlands, making your way across sketchy bridges, to meet hill tribes that barely experience foreigners. Or, canyon the Valley of Love and enjoy the stunned faces of honeymooners as you pass with climbing gear over your shoulder. And, best of all, bike through coffee farms to Bao Dai palace or to the Bamboo forest and enjoy stunning views of Da Lat's many lakes and rivers.

There aren't a lot of handicrafts for purchase here in Da Lat. This is mostly because Dalat is not heavily touristed, so items on sale are for locals and Vietnamese honeymooners. However, Dalat is famous for its beautifully crafted silk embroidered pictures, which can be purchased at a massive mark up from the many galleries around Dalat or at a fraction of the price from the central Dalat market. Dalat also has an abundance of fruit, vegetables and flows available for purchase if you plan to stay for a few days and want to liven up your hotel room or cook your own meals.

Central Market / Cho Dalat center of town. Open daily until early evening. Given its breadbasket status, Dalat's Central Market place is the best place in town to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Near the entrance, there is a lively and always busy vegetable restaurant that serves excellent soups. A tiny vegetarian food stall is located in a corner of the second level. Golf Course Pro Shop open daily until about 8PM. If you are craving quesidillas and haven't had Mexican in the months you've backpacked through Asia, you will find what you're looking for at the Pro Shop. It's little bit out of the way, but the quesidillas, chips and guacamole are excellent. And, the beer is always cold. Da Quy / Wild Sunflower Restaurant (49 Truong Cong Dinh) offers very high-quality French & Vietnamese cuisine at reasonable prices.

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Vietnam Travel guide book

Dala city

Peace Café next to Peace Hotel 1 offers some of the cheapest (and tastiest) eats in Dalat. Sunshine Town (Ap Anh Sang) has traditional food quite cheap in clean surroundings, right out the circle.

Larry's Bar 12 Tran Phu (at the base of the Sofitel Dalat Palace Hotel). Open every night. The Sofitel Dalat Palace was championed by Larry Hillblom, who saved the palace from obscurity and demolition and who also happened to have lots of American dollars to spend as the founder of DHL. Larry's Bar pays homage to Larry's Brit background. Library-style with dark wood paneling, darts and lots of good beer and nuts available. Great place to relax after a day of biking or hiking.

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Vietnam Travel guide book

Nha Trang bay

Nha Trang Bay

Nha Trang Bay Nha Trang is Vietnam’s most famous seaside resort-town. It's the place to go in Vietnam if you want to do some scuba diving or snorkeling. Traces of human settlement in Nha Trang date back to the Cham Empire, though in times of Vietnamese rule, there wasn’t much more than small fishing villages. The French recognized that this beautiful bay, with its islands and white sand beaches, made for a perfect bathing spot, and began the transformation into a resort town. American soldiers agreed, and it became a favorite vacation stop during the war. Today, most of the tourist infrastructure is in the southern part of town around Biet Thu, whereas most of the locals live around the Cho Dam in the northern quarters. Tran Phu is the backbone of the city, accompanied by a pleasant waterfront promenade, palm trees and the nearly 6km of beach — by no means pristine, but nice enough. It is the monsoon season from October to mid December. Sea winds can be heavy, and sometimes the weather can get pretty chilly.

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Nha Trang bay

Most people like the locals or tourists come to Nha Trang for the beach. That would be their main motive. The beach here is unbelievably breathtaking. The water is so clear that you can literally distinguish everything you see under sea. The sand is white, the wind is peaceful, the air is fresh, and the people are friendly. Most importantly, everything the place has to offer is great and inexpensive. Whether you come for fresh air from the ocean, or to get a nice tan, or just to relax with your family, the beach at Nha Trang has it all. What is also different here is that you will likely see many women vendors walking along the beach selling steamed seafood. They will carry different types of seafood (some are unique to Vietnam and very expensive), and food is always kept hot and fresh. If you ever have the chance to come here, one of the things you must try is this as it is very tasty. The sites below can be toured in one day. It is always better to tour with other people. National Oceanographic Museum of Vietnam 01 Cau Da, 058-590-037, . Admission US$1. Open 7am-4pm. This is like an aquarium with popular and rare species of the sea. A perfect place to bring kids as they will get to see sharks, turtles, coral reefs, lionfish, sea horses, and many other creatures. Alexandre Yersin Museum 10 Tran Phu St., 058-822-355. Admission US$2. Mon-Sat 8-11am and 24:30pm. This is a scientific museum of a Swiss-born, Dr. Alexandre Yersin (1863-1943), who arrived in Vietnam in 1891 to study infected animals. He then later on produced a serum from horses and buffaloes. In this museum, you will be able to view all his work as well as his equipments. Yersin never went back to Swiss, as he lived and died in Nha Trang. Don’t try to take pictures. Respect the rules because these people are serious. Long Son Pagoda Thai Nguyen St. Free admission. Open 8am-5pm. At this pagoda, you will see a 79 ft. tall white Buddha. The pagoda was established in 1963 to honor monks and nuns who died demonstrating against the Diem government.

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Po Ngar Cham Tower

2 Thang 4 St. Admission US$.80. Open daily 7:30am-5pm. This tower was built by the Cham people to honor Yang Ino Po Ngar, mother of the kingdom. The local Buddhists of Nha Trang occupied this place for prayers and worshipping, and there are many incense lighted giving the place an interesting aroma. The Po Ngar Kalan is a very glorified structure with amazing architectures filled with stunning colors.

Boat Cruises This activity is very popular for adults. The rate is US$8 per day. Book this trip at 02A Hung Vuong St., 058-826-693. Your day will be full of activities on this tour. The tour consists of traveling through 4 islands (Mun Island, Mieu Island, Tam Island, and Mot Island). At these stops, you will get to experience some snorkeling, fishing, and many other activities. The tour will provide you a great lunch with drinks on board.

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Diving & Snorkeling If you are into diving, Nha Trang is the place for you. For those who have never tried it should definitely sign up for this giving that it is fun and cheap. Both activities are safety guaranteed provided by professional divers. Expect to pay around US$60-$210. Under the clear water, you will see many beautiful reefs, colorful fish swimming in packs, and many more. Sailing Get a group together and rent out a captain for about US$40 for a best sailing experience. Call the Nha Trang Sailing Club, 058-826-528 for more information.

Bamboo shop 15 Biet Thu St., 058-910-774. Open 8am-9:30pm. This is a popular T-shirt shop in the area. Lots of tourists visit this shop to get T-shirts. Tashunco 17A Biet Thu St., 058-827-035. Open 7am-10pm. This is a mini Western market where tourists can buy products like chips, cheese, soda, etc.

White House, 30B Nguyen Thien Thuat St., 058-524-438. Main courses US$6-8. Open daily 9am-11pm. This place has a very innocent atmosphere and it is very relaxing while you enjoy your Western food. Truc Linh, 21 Biet Thu St., 058-821-259. Main courses US$1-$10. Open daily 7am-11pm. Both Asian and Western food can be found here. Lac Canh, 11 Hang Ca St., 058-821-391. Main courses US$1.50-$8. Open daily 7am-7pm. What’s different about this restaurant is that you get to cook yourself. It seems that both locals as well as tourists love it. Sailing Club, 72 Tran Phu St., . T 058-826-528. Main courses US$3-$10. Open 7am-11pm. This restaurant consists of Japanese, Indian, Vietnamese, and Italian food, giving you many varieties to satisfy your hunger needs. With many types of food offered, this place bound to be crowded and popular especially at night when it turns into bar. Good Morning Vietnam, 19B Biet Thu St., . T 058-815-071. Main courses US$4.50-$9. Open daily 10am-11pm. If you want to take a break from the

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Vietnamese cuisine, and change your appetite to Italian food, this is the place to go. On the menu are pasta dishes as well as other well-known Italian food. Nha Trang Seafood, 46 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St., 058-822-664. Main courses US$2-$14. Open daily 9:30am-10pm. Who ever would think seafood could be so cheap? Well, this restaurant serves fresh and scrumptious seafood any way you would like it. With an inexpensive price, everyone is here to enjoy their time. The service is also great just like their food.

Nha Trang at night is the place to be with the hottest clubs, music, and people around. Why Not Bar, 24 Tran Quang Khai St., 058-811-652. Open late. There is also a dance floor for whoever wants to dance. This bar is usually most popular after 2am (when the Sailing Club closes) and lasts until 4am. Guava, 17 Biet Thu St., . Closed at 1am. Music is great here, but it is more suitable for younger crowd. Expat bar with comfortable lounge seating and movies in the daytime. Jack’s Roof Terrace Bar and Restaurant, 96A/8 Tran Phu St., 058-813-862. Come to this bar for drinks and play some pool with other tourists. Attracts all ages. Jack died of cancer in 2004. Crazy Kim Bar, 19 Biet Thu St., 058-816-072. Closed at 1am. If you are young and wild, this is the place to be. Nha Trang Sailing Club, 72-74 Tran Phu St.. Open late. This club is extremely popular. It is kind of an after party place everyone goes to when other bars are closed. There is a large area with pool table and a dance floor. Cafés These 4 places are a free-alcohol zone. If you are not into the bar atmosphere, head here for some relaxations and have a cup of coffee. Nha Trang Bakery and Tearoom, 99B Nguyen Thien Thuat, 058-85-562. Café Louisiane, Tran Phu St., 058-812-948. Banana Spit, 58 Quang Trung St., 058-829-115. Rainbow Bar, 90A Hung Vuong St., 058-524-351, ].

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Hoi An Old Town Hoi An (Hội An) is a beautiful city in Vietnam, just south of Da Nang. The Old Town of Hoi An is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Chinese meeting hall in Hoi An Hoi An, once known as Faifo, was a major international port in the 16th and 17th centuries, and the foreign influences are discernible to this day. While the serious shipping business has long since moved to Danang, the heart of the city is still the Old Town, full of winding lanes and Chinesestyled shophouses, which is particularly atmospheric in the evening as the sun goes down. While almost all shops now cater to the tourist trade, the area has been largely preserved as is, which is unusual in Vietnam, and renovation has proceeded

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slowly and carefully - it's mercifully absent of towering concrete blocks and karaoke parlors. The main thoroughfare in the Old Town is Tran Phu. Just south of the Old Town, across the Thu Bon River, are the islands of An Hoi to the west, reachable via Hai Ba Trung, and Cam Nam to the east, reachable via Hoang Dieu.

Japanese Covered Bridge (Chua Cau or Lai Vien Kieu), on the west end of Tran Phu Street. The bridge was constructed in the early 1600's by the Japanese community, roughly 40 years before they left the city to return to Japan under the strict policy of sakoku enforced by the Tokugawa Shogunate, and renovated in 1986. Today, it's the symbol of Hoi An. Entry is one coupon, but it's possible to cross back and forth several times without meeting a ticketchecker. If your scruples are bothering you, feel free to leave tribute for the pig statue or the dog statue who stand guard at opposite ends of the bridge. Quan Cong Temple, 24 Tran Phu Street. Museum of Folk Culture, 33 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. Museum of Trade Ceramics, 80 Tran Phu Street. The dusty, unlabeled displays of broken pottery are eminently forgettable, but the house itself is nice enough, and it provides a better opportunity to explore the shape and layout of an old Hoi An home than you'll find at any of the Old Houses Hoi An Museum of History and Culture, 7 Nguyen Hue Street. Museum of Say Huynh Culture, 149 Banc Dang Street. There are three old houses that exist in an awkward halfway state between museum show-piece and somewhat shabby residence for the family that lives there. Your ticket allows admission to one. Phung Hung House, 4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, just west of the Japanese Bridge. Traditional two-story wooden house, inhabited over 100 years by eight generations; and the current one attempts to guide you around in hope of a tip. Quan Thang House, 77 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. Tan Ky House, 101 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. As above, a younger member of the family will provide a cup of tea and a "tour" that doesn't stray from the front room of the house, as you'd need to step over sleeping members of the

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older generation to go anywhere else. This family takes particular pride in visits from celebrities; look for the two photos of exiled Thai P.M. Thaksin Shinawatra near the front door. Numerous congregation halls, where Chinese expatriate residents socialized and held meetings, are dotted about the town. They are typically named after the home region of their members, such as Fujian and Canton. Your ticket allows admission to one. Some do not have ticket-takers, so it's up to your conscience if you want to try wandering into a second. Cantonese Assembly Hall (Quang Dong), 176 Tran Phu Street. Built in 1885, it has a calm courtyard with ornate statuary. Take a peek at the half-hidden back yard and its kitschy pastel dragon statues. Hokien (Fujian) Meeting Hall (Phuc Kien), 46 Tran Phu Street. Built in 1757. Chinese All-Community Meeting Hall (Trieu Chau), 157 Nguyen Duy Hieu. Built in 1887. It's near the Fujian hall, also spanning the block. Finally, you can choose one of the following to get some "Intangible Culture" into your heathen soul: Hoi An Handicraft Workshop, 9 Bach Dang Street. Folk music performances are offered at 10:15am and 3:15pm every day except Monday. Traditional Theater, 75 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street.

Cua Dai Beach A place to unwind a few kilometers away from the town centre. A motorbike ride from the town centre to Cua Dai Beach should cost around 20,000 dong. It's also possible to cycle there, which gives you a nice view of the rice farms along the way. Along the beach are a number of mini restaurants selling seafood and drinks. They also provide deck chairs and tables right on the beach. Vendors usually stroll the beach offering fresh fruit. It's a relatively nice beach, but keep an eye on kids, as the tide can be deceptively strong here. There are a number of upmarket resort hotels in the area. Cooking lessons are offered at several restaurants around town. If you enjoyed your meal there, it can't hurt to inquire.

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Festivals Festivals in Hoi An are based on the lunar calendar, so break out your lunar date planners and lunar PDAs to see if you'll be there at the right time. Full Moon Festival, aka Old Town's Night - held on the 14th of every lunar month, one night before the full moon, when the Old Town becomes even more festive than usual (which is saying something). Usually starts around 6:30pm. Fisherman's Festival - held on the 16th of the February lunar month to pray for a good crop. Mid-Autumn Festival - held on the 14th of the August lunar month.

Made-to-measure shirts, blouses, dresses, suits etc. are on offer from the renowned tailors of Hoi An. When last counted in 2002, there were 140 shops in the city, and the number is now well over 400. It's one of the few places in Vietnam where the motorbike taxi drivers look positively sedate by comparison. Be careful who you choose to manufacture your clothes. As a rule of thumb, give all tailors 2 days advance to prepare your garment and keep going back until you get your clothes right! Suits should cost around US$40, if you choose to pay US$30, beware that you get what you pay for, slightly lousier quality of cloth and problems with workmanship, such as misaligned stripes on the pants and blazer. Shirts should cost US$10 and below. Skirts normally sell around US$7-10. Dresses should cost around US$10-14. However, prices might change depending on design and detail. Cloth Market, located next to the Central Market and looks like a cloth warehouse. Inside are many small tailor stalls that are generally cheaper and more reliable than shops elsewhere. Orders usually take a day or two.

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Yaly, Tran Phu Street, has a great and extensive range of fabrics to choose from and the staff are very attentive and extremely patient. Ignore the fixed price claim! Discounts can be given for multiple purchases. Hoi An also has a good selection of Vietnamese art, both modern and traditional, serious and kitschy. Galleries can be found all over town but Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St, on the other side of the Japanese Bridge, has the heaviest concentration. Central Market Bach Dang Street, (just before the Cam Nam Bridge) has all of the cheapster t-shirts and bog-standard souvenirs you've seen at every other stop in Vietnam, but it also has plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, seafood, and all of the other stuff they use in Hoi An's terrific restaurants. T-shirts should cost around 20000 dong, and any amount of haggling will not reduce the prices beyond this level. There are shops selling backpacks, around US$20 for a 100L backpack. However, Hanoi has a wider but more expensive selection. Thanh Ha Pottery Village - about 2km west of town, this traditional village has been making pottery for more than 450 years. It was on the verge of extinction until the wave of new hotel construction in Hoi An revived demand. Kim Bong Carpentry Village - about 3km west of town.

Gỏi cuốn fresh spring rolls and cao lầu noodles at Brother's Cafe

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Vietnam Travel guide book

Nha Trang bay

Food in Hoi An is, even by high Vietnamese standards, cheap and tasty. In addition to the usual suspects, there are three dishes that Hoi An is particularly famous for: Cao lầu a dish of rice noodles which are not quite as slippery as pho and a bit closer in texture to pasta. The secret is the water used to make it, and authentic cao lau uses only water from a special well in the city. The noodles are topped with slices of roast pork, dough fritters, and this being Vietnam, lots of fresh herbs and veggies. White rose (banh bao vac) a type of shrimp dumpling made from translucent white dough bunched up to look like a rose. Wantan dumplings, essentially the same as the Chinese kind, served up in soup or deep-fried. Prices in the very center of Hoi An are generally a little inflated by the tourist trade - cross the bridge over to An Hoi island for a selection of basic but cheap eateries. Thanh Phuong, 56 Cong Dong (An Hoi island, just across bridge). Cheap and cheerful local eats. A steaming seafood hotpot for two and a large beer will set you back US$3. Trung Bac, 87 Tran Phu. 100 years of cao lau and still going strong. A bowl of chewy noodles and lots of veggies will set you back all of 8000 dong. White Rose, 51 Hai Ba Trung. The shop that actually makes most of the "white rose" dumplings served all around town. 15,000 dong per serve, and if you ask nicely they'll let you try to make them yourself. Open from 7AM until they run out, usually in the afternoon. Brother's Cafe, 27 Phan Boi Chau, . Open daily for lunch and dinner. Probably Hoi An's nicest restaurant, with a lush landscaped garden in a wonderful riverside French colonial house. The fresh spring rolls (chả giò) are excellent, and priced to match at US$4.50 a plate. The 6-course US$16 set meal for two is a good value though.

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Vietnam Travel guide book

Nha Trang bay

Before & Now 51 Le Loi Street, ☎ +84-510-910599. Very popular two-level bar and restaurant. Sakura Skip the food, which is overpriced and substandard, but the lovely waterfront terrace is a nice place to have a drink. It's near Morning Glory. Tam Tam Café 110 Nguyen Thai Hoc. Cafe, bakery, restaurant and bar all rolled into one. Stylish, popular and not too badly priced.

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Vietnam Travel guide book

My Son

My Son My Son is a set of ruins from the ancient Cham Empire in the central coast of Vietnam. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

My Son My Son was built by the Champa kingdom, which ruled south and central Vietnam from c200AD to c1700AD. Influenced by Hinduism, they built temple complexes up and down the area to honor their gods and to bury their kings. My Son, developed between the 4th century and the 13th century, is one of the better-preserved of these sites. Bricks were used to build the temples — without the aid of mortar — and sculptures of gods, priests, animals, and scenes of battle and devotion adorned the walls. After the fall of the Champa, jungle began to reclaim the site. The temples had already fallen into disrepair by the 1960's, when the Viet Cong used My Son as a base. Unfortunately, that attracted American bombing, which destroyed or damaged many of the surviving temples. Evidence of the conflict can still be seen around the site. The area has, however, been cleared of leftover explosives. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

Vietnam Travel guide book

My Son

There are travel guides that compare My Son with Angkor Wat, Bagan and Borobudur. Historically, they have a point: in their time, these complexes were leading spiritual centers, and they have all fallen into a state of atmospheric ruin. However, the ruins at My Son are not as impressive as either of the aforementioned sites, for various reasons: the smaller scale of the original site, for example, the comparatively poor upkeep, and severe damage to the buildings from time and war. As such, they're not likely to wow anyone who's been to Angkor recently, but even so, the gorgeous jungle scenery may be worth the trip, and anyone who has an interest in Vietnamese history that doesn't involve America or France will be fascinated.

Bridge after the ticket office, My Son

Vietnam Travel guide book

My Son

Impression of the ruins of My Son temple complex Near the ticket office there is a Champa museum, describing many of the artifacts and the history of the site. The curators have made the odd (and maddening) decision to remove virtually all of the better-preserved sculptures from the ruins and display them here or at the small museum in Group A instead of in context with the temples where they belonged. Accordingly, try to visit the museum briefly before visiting the temples themselves — it closes a half-hour before everything else, so you might not be able to catch it on the way out. The temples are in varying states of (dis)repair, with restoration still underway on some. They are situated in nine "groups", labeled A-G. Effectively, there are three major sites: A, B-C-D, and E-F. The G, H and L ruins are separate and a little trickier to find. If you can't find them, don't spend all day trying; they're much smaller than the rest. All of the sites are connected by reasonably well-labeled walking tracks.

Vietnam Travel guide book

My Son

There are traditional dancing displays at various times throughout the day, mostly in the morning for the benefit of the tour groups. The stage is right before you reach the first group of ruins, across from the souvenir shop.

Souvenir shop There is a souvenir shop within the site. It sells the basic Vietnam souvenirs and also a selection of items from Champa culture.

Drinks and a few snacks (of the junk-food variety) are on sale next to the souvenir shop. Numerous Vietnamese style road-side cafes line the road from Hoi An to My Son.