Vietnam heritage November-December 2015 by Vietnam Heritage

CONTENT No 3, Vol.12, November-December 2015

COVER STORY Travel 8 Con Dao: Vietnam’s hidden gem 14 Reunification Railway Architecture

16 The tao of dryness Beverage

20 A cup of serenity Religion

24 Honour thy father and mother 26 Buddhists mark alms-giving holiday

Art

28 Man, beast and the imagination: The art of Le Kinh Tai Advertorial

30 Mandarine Restaurant:

Where the finest Vietnamese dining rules

Destination

32 Malaysia: a feast for the senses 34 What the papers say 36 Events

39 Value for money 43 Directions

Published by the Cultural Heritage Association of Vietnam

Publication licence No: 1648/GP-BTTTT from the Ministry of Information and Communications of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for the English-language edition of The Gioi Di San (The World of Heritage) magazine Editor-in-Chief: Le Thanh Hai; Public Relations Director: Bui Thi Hang; Sub-editing: Erik Johnson; Assistant: Kha Tu Anh; Production: Nguyen Hoang Kim Long; Contributing Photographers: Nguyen Ba Han, Hoang Quoc Tuan, Hoang The Nhiem, Huynh Van Nam, Le Hoai Phuong, Nguyen Anh Tuan; Ngo Nguyen Huynh Trung Tin; Tran Viet Duc Correspondent: Pip de Rouvray; Advertising and Circulation: Green Viet Advertising JSC Advertising and Subscriptions Service: Email: ads.vietnamheritage@gmail.com; Duy Huong 0903 630 489 Email: vietnamheritagemagazine@gmail.com Hanoi Advertising and Subscription: The He Moi MHN Viet Nam Co.Ltd, Mr Song Hao: 0903 476 999 Nha Trang Advertising and Subscription: Bach Cat Co. Ltd,; 22/6A Bach Dang Str. Nha Trang City Tel: (58) 360 7070 Fax (58) 387 0099, Email: bachcatprco.ltd@gmail.com Contact in the US for subscription and advertising: 2628 Sturla dr. San Jose, CA 95148

4 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

58 Laid back

Cover photograph: Railway running along Song Gianh River, Quang Binh Province. Photo: Tran Binh An Vietnam Heritage Editorial Office: 4th Floor, 1/1 Hoang Viet St., Ward 4, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (84-8) 38 11 88 46 Fax: (84-8) 38 11 87 75 Email: vnheritagemagazine@gmail.com vietnamdisan@gmail.com l

www.vietnamheritage.com.vn

Vietnam Heritage

An elephant racing, Lak District, Dak Lak Province, 2015 Second prize Prize in the Vietnam Heritage Photo Awards 2015 Photo: Tran Bao Hoa

TRAVEL

Con Dao:

Vietnam’s hidden gem BY MICHAEL TATARSKI

8 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

TRAVEL Con Dao at dawn.

Photo: Vu Ngoc Hoang

ith 3,260 kilometres of coastline and numerous islands, one would expect Vietnam to be a haven for beach holidays. To be sure, the country is home to a number of supposedly beautiful beaches, but I have been disappointed by most of the ones I’ve visited. Nha Trang’s stunning bay is hemmed in by a wall of high-rise buildings and plagued with souvenir-sellers, Mui Ne and Phu Quoc are

being intensely developed, and Hoi An’s beach is being washed away by the sea. However, I recently found that at least one beautiful, largely unspoiled getaway remains: the Con Dao archipelago, just a onehour flight south of Ho Chi Minh City. I stayed for four nights along with my girlfriend and was hugely impressed by the stunning nature of the area, as well as the complete lack of large-scale development. The drive from the tiny airport on Con

Son, the archipelago’s main island, into town provides a preview of what to expect: hills covered in dense jungle in the interior, beautiful beaches and dramatic scenery along the coast. We rented a motorbike from Con Dao Camping, a great choice for those on a budget, and headed back towards the airport to get to Dam Trau Beach. The 20minute drive along the coast is a stunner, with hills dropping into the sea and panoramic views of smaller, no less-rugged islands. Perhaps the most incredible part of the drive is what you don’t see.There are no high-rise hotels or concrete ‘tube’ buildings, no sea-side beer clubs or karaoke joints, no garish Vinpearl resorts; just jungle and ocean. Located down a sandy path that branches left off the main road just before the airport, Dam Trau is serviced by a couple of ramshackle restaurants and features crystal-clear water. The runway ends farther down the beach, and occasionally a turboprop plane rumbles overhead during takeoff. The remoteness of the beach means it is very quiet, although away from the cafes, a fair bit of garbage has washed ashore. The main area is kept very clean though, something which can’t always be said for beaches in Vietnam. The most well-known resort on Con Son is the Six Senses Con Dao, a very high-end property with a private beach and discreet entrance in between the airport and town. While staying there was out of the question for us, we did decide to have dinner at the By the Beach restaurant one night, which is well worth splashing out on. The design of the Six Senses uses natural elements, and the resort feels completely at home among the lush fauna and white sand of the area. Dining next to the beach with an empty bay stretching into the distance was a treat that can’t be copied elsewhere in the country. We were also able to enjoy the beach that sits smack in front of Con Dao Camping and runs away to the right of the main boat pier. On the end of the beach, a long, jungle-clad stretch of hills juts out into the ocean, lll

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

•9

TRAVEL separating the area from the western side of the island. This deep, stunning section of white sand was, amazingly, almost completely empty for the duration of our stay. A number of locals come out once the sun begins to go down, but during the day, we were able to soak up rays and cool off in the clear water on our own. This was among the most beautiful beaches I’ve seen in Vietnam, and there was no one there. This highlighted the off-the-beaten-path nature of Con Dao. The next day, we drove over to the west side of the island, and while the beaches in the east had been quite calm, strong winds buffeted this stretch of coast, throwing impressive waves onto the rocky coast. The scenery was, if possible, even more stunning than elsewhere on Con Son, with sweeping views of the aquamarine sea and striking Hon Ba island. The road passes through a scruffy fishing village before tapering off amidst verdant jungle. We stopped and watched fishing boats come and go before returning to town, slightly sun- and windburned from the drive. Another highlight of Con Son is the Van Son Pagoda, a five-minute drive west on the coast road from town. Visitors have to climb up a steep set of stairs, which are fortunately shaded from the blistering tropical sun, to reach the complex. You are rewarded with views back towards town and the expanse of white sand that fronts it, as well as the incredibly blue sea. They say if you’ve seen one pagoda you’ve seen them all, but I found the architecture and design here particularly impressive, even though I’ve seen countless pagodas throughout Vietnam. Van Son may not fall under the category of natural beauty, but it is well worth a visit. Con Son is also home to a lot history, particularly from the French colonial period, reminders of which dot the island in the form of run-down mustard yellow buildings and crumbling brick structures that served nefarious purposes when the island served as a penal colony. In recent years,Vietnam has obliterated much of its architectural past, so it was good to see that some remains here, even if the buildings offer grim reminders of years gone by. One wonders how well this history will be pre-

lll

served if Con Dao is further developed in the future. After five days of enjoying the sun and the sea, it was time to return to manic Ho Chi Minh City, a rough adjustment after enjoying the nearly empty roads of Con Son, where rush hour is an unheard-of concept. The island had quickly become one of the best places I’ve traveled to in Vietnam, and I can’t believe just how quiet it is. It is true that airfare to the island is on the pricier side and accommodation isn’t as cheap as in more popular spots like Mui Ne, but the quiet, hassle-free beauty more than makes

10 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

up for the extra expense. At the same time, I hope Con Dao remains off the agenda for most visitors, as I have seen how widespread attention and cheap access has changed Phu Quoc for the worse. I’m not sure what the future holds for the archipelago, but for now, it offers an unbeatable combination of incredible beauty and empty space.n Above: The road to the airport offering dramatic sea and mountain views. Below: At Van Son Pagoda, located on a hill outside of the main town on Con Son. Opposite: Small islands in the Con Dao archipelago surrounded by stunningly blue water. Photos: Michael Tatarski

TRAVEL

ADVERTORIAL

MYSTERY OF PEARLS

MISS UNIVERSE CROWN VIETNAM 2015

he Miss Universe Vietnam 2015 pageant, held on 3 October, was a celebration of beauty, talents and charisma. Amongst the prettiest Vietnamese girls, one was chosen to be a representative of Vietnam at the international Miss Universe contest. In her tiara, we can see 5 big golden South Sea Pearls. The pearls were put on the head of the tiara as a symbol of the 5 central municipal cities of Vietnam: Hanoi, Hai Phong, Danang, Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City. We always pay attention to the meaning of num-

bers. When thinking about the tiara concept, artisans were trying not only show the beauty of pearls, gold and gemstones, but also create a spiritual value for the crown. South Sea Pearl is very special variety of pearl, precious and unique. Unlike any other pearls, South Sea pearls have a very beautiful and soft satin-like shine. South Sea pearls flatter every woman’s beauty with their white, silver and brilliant golden colours. South Sea pearls can reach the size of 8mm-20mm and are usually harvested after 4-5 years of growth. The Golden South Sea Pearl is a

queen among pearls; that’s why it was chosen to be on the top of the crown. The tiara is also delicately ornamented with white pearls. The total number of white pearls of tiara is 58. It is a symbol of the 58 provinces of Vietnam. Thus, the numbers 5 and 58 will be symbols of special moral support from the whole country of Vietnam to the beautiful owner of this crown, when representing Vietnam, the beauty of Vietnamese culture, values and talents of Vietnamese people for the international audience.n

Long Beach Pearl has 20 showrooms and shops in all major cities and tourist locations: Ha Noi, Hue, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Cam Ranh, Muine, Ho Chi Minh City & Phu Quoc. Please call: 0947 997 978 or 0965 252 789 to get a free limousine shuttle for sightseeing and shopping.

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 13

Reunification Railway

hinkansen (the bullet train) is known as the symbol of modern technology in Japan. Thailand is known as the best place around the world to try ‘tuk tuk’ travelling. In Vietnam, the ‘Reunification Railway’, a steel artery running the length of country, is an affordable and relatively comfortable transportation for locals and visitors alike. Summer is the time for vacation. In Vietnam, trains frequently are chosen by families on long journeys, because of their safety and convenience. Night falls and wind makes the air cooler, driving the heat of summer day away. With a bag on my back, wearing a Tshirt and shorts, I got out of the cab and walked to the Hanoi railway station. The moment I stepped in the hall, I was surprised to see that it looks like a playground rather than a hall for people waiting for the trains. Children were chasing each other around with toys. Parents were chatting about their daily life’s stories; football matches for men, fashion and clothes for women. Smiles were on their faces because they knew that they were going to have some leisure time.

From the station’s loudspeakers, the warm sound of a woman’s voice called the name of train, which was already prepared to welcome its passengers and required travellers enter Platform 1. Getting on the train, looking for my seat with the number printed on the ticket, one uniformed attendant for the Railways station helped me put luggage up to the hanger. A last urgent call in staccato Vietnamese filled the warm night air. After one long blast and one short toot on the horn, the train slid gently off into the night on its 33-hour, 1,070-mile journey to Vietnam’s second city, Ho Chi Minh City. Seats include soft-chairs and soft-sleepers. Soft-chairs are arranged along both sides of the carriages, while soft-sleepers are divided into compartments with four sleepers for each one. I made myself comfortable with one soft-chair. On one corner of the train, young students were arguing about places they would visit when arriving and then they played cards. One family stayed in front of me, the mother singing a lullaby for her daughter. It had been a long day and sleep came easily in my soft-chair on the gently

14 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

BY DAO TUNG

rocking train. The next morning when I raised the blind, the sun was rising and rural Vietnam was running fast past the window; rice paddies, water buffalo, villages and farms. In the first 200 kilometres from Hanoi, civilization consists of crops of deep-water rice, villages with houses made from brick, banyan-trees and bamboo trees. Pagodas made from wood represent Mahayana Buddhism, the most thriving religion in the Vietnamese ancient kingdoms, while temples represent Confucianism. After crossing the north middle mountainous area of Vietnam, the train reached Hai Van pass, the present internal administrative border line between Hue province and Da Nang city, also the natural border line between ancient kingdoms in Vietnam and the cultural border line between Confucianism and Mahayana Buddhism in the North with Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism in the South. Through the train’s windows, I saw whole scene of empty beaches, islands and sea. The train slowed to an easy ramble and clambered into the hills, hugging the cliffs, with the sea

breaking on the rocks below. The railway ducked under the higher peaks in a series of tunnels. On this trip, the pass was covered with thousands of white blossoms on both sides of the railway; it made one of the most incredible scenes I have ever seen in my life. Crossing over the Hai Van pass, the train reached Danang city – the city of the International firework contest for the last two years and the main gate to Hoi An ancient town for visitors. Up to this point, the train had travelled along the coastal area of Middle Vietnam, the area of Champa, one ancient kingdom in Vietnam. The Cham minority, descendants

of the Champa kingdom, still maintain their ancestors’ way of life and cultural heritage. Cham temples are preserved perfectly; they believe in Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva-the Hindu Gods trinity. In the golden age of Champa’s ancient kingdom, from the 9th to the 10thcentury, in the middle of Vietnam, the Cham inhabited a vast territory, leaving behind original construction and specific cultural treasures. The smell of seawater following the wind flows into the train’s carriages. Sunshine leaks through windows. White sand hills lay on both sides of the railway. Saigon appears on maps as Ho Chi Minh City, the last destination on the railway.

Saigon makes an interesting contrast with its northern counterpart, but whether it’s Hanoi or Saigon, travelling by train at least one time in Vietnam is always the best choice.n The train ticket from Hanoi to Saigon costs about VND1,000,000 to VND1,100,000 for soft-chair, and from VND1,300,000 to VND1,400,000 for soft-sleepers. Opposite and above: Railway running along Song Gianh River, Quang Binh Province. Photos: Tran Binh An

Left: Railway on way to Long Bien Bridge, Hanoi. Photo: Chitu Catalin

Right: Railway running along Nguyen Thai Hoc St, Hanoi. Photo: Trinh Minh Khoi

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 15

ARCHITECTURE

The tao of dryness

ach 9th and 10th lunar months, Hoi An faces flooding. It usually happens after a storm, when water gushes down from the nearby mountains, while the sea level rises and adds to the problem. Also, hydropower stations have also begun to flush thousands of cubic meters of water per second into the area. Some have proposed to build low dykes around Hoi An to protect the town from floods. But the objections are that there is no budget for it, and the dykes would destroy the attractive, dreamlike beauty of the town. And so the authorities and owners of the historical site have decided to obey nature and live in harmony with the floods. Hoi An looks out at Thu Bon River from streets running east to west. Bach Dang street lines one side of the river; behind it are Nguyen Thai Hoc and Tran Phu streets. The

locals say that Tran Phu is the oldest one. Nguyen Thai Hoc appeared in 1840 and Bach Dang in 1878. Running north to south to connect these main streets are Hoang Dieu, Nguyen Hue, Hoang Van Thu, Le Loi and Nhi Trung streets and many tiny alleys. All these lead directly to the river. The majority of the most important buildings are on Tran Phu Street. Among them are the club-houses of Chinese traders, built as a reminder of their home, standing out vividly. All these club-houses face toward the river. Hoi An dwellers say that the direction leads to Son Tra hillside; thus all the vitality of heaven and earth flows to the buildings. Sitting in a coffee shop on Bach Dang Street at dusk or when the lanterns are lit, visitors feel as if they are in poetic Venice. This street is the first one to be flooded, and

16 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

BY KHIEU THI HOAI

some years, the water climbs up to the first floor of two storey houses, and many households have to get out from the roofs to be rescued by boats. Mr Ha Re, living on Bach Dang Street said, ‘Hoi An is at the lowest point around, how can it not be flooded.’ Alexandre de Rhodes, coming to Hoi An, noted that in 1624 and the year after that, ‘The rainy season raises the water in the river, causing floods.’ So floods have been the usual occurrence in Hoi An for hundreds of years. Living in an area prone to storms and floods, homeowners had to find ways to protect themselves from annual disasters. To protect the houses from rains and storms, the tiled roof is the most important. Hoi An tiles are square, thin, slightly curved baked terracotta. One line of face-down tiles follows another, face up, and so on. They call

ARCHITECTURE

this yin-yang roofing. When the whole roof is covered, they use cement to fix the tiles, making the wave-like roofs strong and leak-free. Mr Nguyen Chi Trung, Hoi An Heritage Conservation Centre director told us, ‘The heritage remains as long as the roofs remain. During big storms that hit Hoi An, while the new house roofs on the outskirts of town were blown away, the centuries old yin-yang roofs stood firm, except for a few downgraded ones , which [were] only deformed a little.’ To live with floods, most of the houses on the ancient streets are two-storey, with trapdoors to help move things before the water rises. Having lived with storms and floods for generations, the people of Hoi An remain quite calm when the high water season comes. The town has 1360 ancient buildings, 1107 of which line the ancient streets, including dwellings, club-houses, shrines, temples and pagodas. 82,4 per cent of these are private or collective properties. That’s a large quantity, but the Hoi An Heritage Conser-

vation Centre staff knows by heart every building and are constantly ready for rescue and support every time a storm comes. Mr La Vinh Dien from house no. 16 of Nguyen Thai Hoc said, ‘The Hoi An Heritage Conservation Centre staff know all the ins and outs of my house, even better than myself. Before the storm season they always come to give us slabs and poles and help reinforce the weak parts of the house. That’s why although the eye of the recent 11th storm passed Hoi An, this house remained safe; only a few lines of roof tiles were displaced.’ Mr Le Dung, 6th generation owner of Tan Ky house told us, ‘Hoi An old houses share side walls, making the whole street one single strong structure. Protected by yin-yang tile roofs done with good workmanship, storms are no big threat. However water sucked into walls is like a chronic disease. Each flood leaves it hidden impact in every house, every wall, every pole, helping termites multiply. The biggest flood I have seen came in 1964 when I was only 11. Sitting on the first floor, I could reach down to the water with my hands. That year the

water remained high for a whole week. We ran out of provisions. But these days we have Hoi An power generators and motored pulleys, so staying longer upstairs is possible…’ One wall in Mr Le Dung’s house is not repainted to keep water marks of the floods. The next wall is covered with visitor cards and impression notes left by tourists from all over the world. The wall is a message from the people of Hoi An, saying that they can accept and cherish everything, from the good feelings of the visitors that come to appreciate their centuries-long way of life to the real threats from the nature that come with every storm season.n Opposite: Hoi An in flood, 2009. Photo: Nguyen Luong. Left: Flood season in Hoi An, 2003. Photo: Nguyen Luong. Right: Mr Le Dung showing water marks of the floods. Photo: Khieu Thi Hoai

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 17

CONGRATULATIONS TO VIETNAM HERITAGE PHOTO AWARDS 2015 WINNERS

to Winners of VIETNAM HERIT IT TAGE AGE PHOTO PHOTO AWARDS AWARDS 2015 HERITAGE

Silver Sponsor

HOTEL H OTEL - N NHA HA T TRANG R ANG

A cup of serenity

very year, when summer begins to cast its golden sun rays over the lush green of vegetation, West Lake lotuses again show their pure beauty to the people of Hanoi to signal the time for delicate indulgence in lotus-scented tea. It’s believed that the West Lake lotuses originated from a lotus strand in Tri swamp near the West Lake prefect called ‘hundred petal lotus’, which boasts large flowers with a farspreading aroma. In ancient times, Quang Ba, Tay Ho and Nghi Tam villagers used to make lotus-scented tea to pay tribute to the king and nobility. Today, it is used to treat

TEXT BY NGAN HA AND PHOTOS BY TAT SON

dear guests and is given as a gift. Hanoians used to follow a simple trick to make the tea. At night, when the flowers began to open slightly, they put a thimbleful of tea into them and tied up the tip of the flower. Early in the morning, they took the flower home to make tea. The technique has improved a lot since then. Today, tea-makers scent the tea with lotus stamens, which are white and are shaped like a grain of rice. Layers of tea and lotus stamen are put on one another and then wrapped in waterproof paper, which also traps the aroma. After 3 days, the bundle is opened and dried, another layer of stamen is added and the

lot is wrapped again. The process repeats 7 times, and after 21 days, the tea is perfectly scented. The Hanoi way of tea making and drinking is like nowhere else. To Hanoians, it is a culture in its own right. It takes meticulousness and sophistication to feel the depth of delicateness and meaning of a cup of tea. So, every lotus blooming season, Hanoians have a chance to sit amidst a lotus pond to enjoy the beauty around them with a tea cup in their hand, to ponder and have a leisurely conversation about the world and extract the calming and soothing elixir from life, free from worries and burdens.n

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 21

RELIGION

Honour thy father and mother

ay Ninh City is the centre of the Cao Dai religion, a syncretistic faith that originated in Vietnam during the turmoil of the 1920s and 1930s, when resistance to the French colonialists was gaining strength throughout the land. People were seeking a new way, a spiritual path that would lead not only to freedom, but to inner peace. I attended a memorial service for a friend’s father at the family home in Tay Ninh. The front of the house had been opened and had become a chapel with an altar piled high with offerings around a large photo of the father. It was the second anniversary of his death and his family had gathered to honour his memory and to offer prayers. Four men dressed in blue áo dài and old-fashioned mandarin-style headdresses escorted a young man into the empty square

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY JONATHAN BAR-ON

before the house. The chanting began as the young man, the oldest son, knelt on the ground and prostrated himself toward the altar. The men in blue stood around him, forming the four points of a perfect square. As the chanting continued, the square turned ninety degrees from time to time. The men never missed a step in the intricate choreography and the human square retained its perfect shape. The man in the centre prostrated himself again and again. The photo on the altar was of his beloved father. The second son knelt before an altar in the rear, awaiting his turn. As the oldest son stepped out of the square, the second son took his place. The ceremony was repeated. The third son knelt before the back altar; his turn would come next. When he was escorted to the centre,

24 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

he knelt and prostrated himself as his brothers had done. His face was solemn and dignified. He seemed to be overcome with the strong feeling of the moment. Then there was a pause in the ceremony as the family slowly gathered. The older women of the family entertained me with cookies and cool drinks during the traditional music, songs and chants before the main ceremony began. Then, one of them took my hand and led me around to the back of the house. She motioned for me to enter the main room through a back door to take photos. I am shy and did not want to be seen or to interrupt, but I was curious as to what would come next. Until this moment, the sons had been at the centre. Then, the matriarch of the family, a woman seventy years old, stepped quietly to the centre in front of the steps. This was

RELIGION

my friend’s mother, who had so graciously welcomed me earlier and whose words of explanation in Vietnamese I strained to understand. She stood tall and dignified as her three sons, five daughters and daughter-inlaw gathered directly behind her. Following them were the grandchildren and other members of the family. All were dressed in white. As the mother stepped forward, bowed and knelt on the top step, the family members behind her knelt on the ground. They followed her lead and prostrated themselves many times. I took a few photos and slipped quietly out the back door. I was content to watch from the side and felt honoured to be there. The ceremony continued a good while and every moment was beautiful. The chanting was unusual and my musician’s heart yearned to learn the traditional modes and scales. From the back of the house came the wonderful smells of traditional Vietnamese dishes. After the ceremony, it was time to

share a meal. My friend introduced me to some of his cousins, and after the meal his older brother took me from table to table and introduced me to more family members. My brain was filled with kinship terms like anh, chị, em, cháu, bác. My Vietnamese teacher will have to help me sort them out when I return to Ho Chi Minh City. Cao Dai means ‘The High Tower.’ It is a Taoist term for the Most High God, the Divine Creator and Lord of all life, who is invisible but whose symbol is an all-seeing eye. Many tourists visit the Cao Dai cathedral and compound in Tay Ninh. Prayer services are scheduled four times every day and are open to the public. For those who are bewildered by the statues and paintings of gods and saints from various traditions, Cao Dai seeks to bring together the best of all religions, the values that are common to them all. Many Cao Dai beliefs and practices come from the teachings of the Buddha and from Taoism; its conduct and moral code

from the teachings of Confucius. This is similar to most Vietnamese culture, as is the focus on strong family ties. The different-coloured Tay Ninh robes of the Cao Dai clergy represent the three strands: yellow for Buddhism, blue for Taoism and red for Confucianism. Cao Dai, however, also recognizes Jesus as an important figure both for His teachings and for His perfect life, as well as figures from other religions and traditions. Although Cao Dai does not actively proselytize, Cao Dai now numbers millions of adherents worldwide.n Opposite, left: Three sons honour their father's memory. Opposite, right: Mother and family. Above: The ceremony begins

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 25

RELIGION

Buddhists mark alms-giving holiday TEXT BY HA NGUYEN AND PHOTOS BY LE DAC NGUYEN QUY

26 â&#x20AC;˘ VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

ue is among the places said to be the cradle of Vietnamese Buddhism. Buddhism has ancient roots in Hue, where now is home to more than 300 pagodas in Mahayana Buddhism. The former feudal capital city, Hue, is also the pilgrimage destination for millions of Buddhist followers annually. Buddhism theory and practice have infused the lifestyle of local residents for centuries and they play as unique elements to local culture.

RELIGION

Many pagoda buildings, together with the lifestyles of locals, stand as heritage items, tangibly and intangibly, in the city. In recent decades, the availability of Theravada (or Early) Buddhism pagodas in the city has enriched the practice of Buddhism in the locality. The annual alms-giving Kathina ceremony is usually held in October. Monks normally walk around the neighborhood to receive food donations every day. But from the 5th lunar month to the 8th lunar month, they stay in their

pagoda all day for a three-month retreat. At the end of the three-month retreat, the Kathina ceremony is held to celebrate. Buddhist followers at the locality welcome the Theravada system as well as the Kathina as one of the best ways for them to go deeper in the practices that resemble those performed by Buddha. The key of the ceremony is the alms-giving ritual, which is conducted in the very strict rule of the monkhood and shows highest respect from followers to monks and

from monks to Buddha. Kathina could be considered as part of the Early Buddhism’s heritage and sometimes, it creates borderless exchange between people with Buddhist belief in different countries, just like the visit by Thai Royal Family last October to Hue’s Huyen Khong Son Thuong pagoda for Kathina.n

Clockwise from left: Monks and followers pray during a ceremony in Kathina; Folding a stretch of cloth for use as alms after the alms-giving ceremony; Followers parade to offer gifts to monks during Kathina.

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 27

ART

Exhibition hall at the Gem Centre

Man, beast and the imagination: The art of Le Kinh Tai

uote the poet – ‘What is this life if full of care we have no time to stop and stare?’ Here in Vietnam most people are too concerned with crop harvests or maybe the balance of payments to give much thought to contemporary art. But standing in the voluminous gallery of the Gem building on the edge of Saigon's District One, I had the time to stop and if not to stare at, then to examine the huge paintings of an artist who, while there may not be much understanding of his genre in his own land, has achieved international recognition. No matter what you think of them, his works do command your attention, not just by their sheer size but also by the vibrancy of his use of colour and by fertile content of the ideas in their composition both in what was in the artist's mind and in what they might provoke in the viewer. I saw the display in the company of Miss Abegail Tran, manageress of the organiser ‘urbanArt’. I politely remarked that the

BY RITCH PICKENS

artist's style looked ‘Naïve’ or Pop Art. She put it more bluntly – ‘Yes, when I first saw these works, I thought they were done by a kid in art class.’ But when you closely inspect the works, there is such detail and so much thought provoked by the juxtaposition of objects that you realise they are too complex to have been produced by a simple child. Furthermore, these are very large paintings and neither for a classroom wall nor even most houses. Most have been painted on two or three canvasses placed together, though you would hardly notice the join. The largest work measures a massive 200 cm by 600 cm. Mr Tai uses oil, oil stick and oil powder with acrylic and charcoal as his materials, dabbing the mixture thickly onto to linencovered boards. He is certainly a colourist, with vibrant orange and yellow hues being his favourites, giving an overall feeling to me of warmth. There is a certain playfulness in his images and whilst I saw nothing to laugh about, the biographical notice board by his

28 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

paintings informs he has a great sense of humour. There are three features common to all the paintings in this exhibition. There is always the human element-some part of the body or a face. Then there is always an animal. In some cases, the two merge as mythological creatures. For example, one to make you smile has a chicken-man. The third elements are words or a phrase in English and/or in Vietnamese to point you in the direction of the meanderings of the artist's thoughts in creating his pieces. This will be useful for many people. For myself, I have stopped trying to work out what artists intend in this kind of work. It always surprises me when I meet an artist after seeing his works; he is invariably not a wild eccentric but a perfectly ordinary human being. I do not even look at the title given. I just look at the pictures and see what thought and feelings I get from the art personally. One could take a ‘solve the puzzle’ approach to looking at this art. The title and

the words on canvass would be the starting point to understanding this artist's intent or any possible message. Titles like ‘Revolutionising the Nervous System’, ‘The Cake is a Lie, isn't it’? and ‘Realisation Through Knowing and Understanding’ could provide hours of fun. A careful reading of the artist's world view in the brochure would help you a lot along your way too. He says his art is about ‘the internal conflict present in modern society. That might refer to the nature of mankind - neither angel nor beast.’ Another quote has ‘life is a perpetual struggle on the path of the pursuit of happiness’. Whilst this might suit some, personally for a puzzle, I think I shall stick to my daily Sudoku challenge. There were thirteen frames in this exhibition. Let me give you an example about Mr Tai's work by describing one of them. This one is in bold colours-sea blue, sea green, black and his favourite orange. Also boldly written on it is the title - ‘Child Play

Above and below: Artworks of Le Kinh Tai. Photos provided by Le Kinh Tai

Warrior’. The first thing you see is a man grinning with short hair and enormous teeth. On closer inspection you will see the face is that of a cat and the man is sprouting black and orange wings like those of a butterfly. The blue is meant to be the sea, as there are little toy like black and white boats on it. I found it at once playful and sinister. It is not only the dimensions of Mr Tai's works that are on a grand scale. Being wellknown internationally, they command skyhigh prices. You will need to have $170,650 at the ready for the smallest picture. The

largest has a price tag just short of the one million at $950,000. Unbelievable, is it not? That is what a wellknown western art dealer based in Vietnam told me. If there are any interested wealthy art dealers reading this, please make your enquiries via the urbanArt address below. Due to the size of the pictures, only a small number can be viewed at their studio, the larger ones being in store at their warehouse or in the artist's studio. I shall leave you to ‘draw’ your own conclusions.n Le Kinh Tai's works were part of a three man show ‘Filters Art Exhibition’ held at Gem Centre third floor 8 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street on 28 and 29 October, 2015 and organised by urbanArt, 46 Nguyen Minh Khai St, Da Kao Ward, District One, Ho Chi Minh City, www.urbanart.vn

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 29

ADVERTORIAL

Mandarine Restaurant:

Where the finest Vietnamese dining rules

go Van Nam Street is a narrow lane that connects Le Thanh Ton Street in downtown HCMC with the Saigon River. It is packed with high-end restaurants. Recently, I learned that it was the owners of the ‘Mandarine’ who had the bold idea of locating a restaurant some twenty years ago in what was then a sleepy backwater; all else followed. When I dined there myself, I found out that the trailblazing does not end there. There are some innovative dishes on the menu. The finest tropical hardwood furniture, the exquisite wooden wall carvings, a calligraphy tapestry spelling out the word Mandarine and blue and white faience crockery were all specially commissioned for this restaurant. With live music playing in

the background provided by a trio of pianist, fiddler and cellist (on some days of the week there is a traditional Vietnamese music ensemble), for me it all added up to relaxing and edifying way to spend two and a half hours of an evening. I ate Table d'Hote, except that the ‘Hote’ was actually a Hostess, Madame Pham Linh, the sales manageress. The Mandarine is a showcase restaurant popular with tourists, government officials, corporate parties and business people entertaining clients. At the entrance, you can see photographs of some very famous people who have eaten here, including King Juan Carlos of Spain, Junichiro Koizumi, once Prime Minister of Japan, who attended the same college as I did and a beaming former U.S. Secretary of State,

30 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

BY PIP DE ROUVRAY

Condoleeza Rice. Dining alongside us that evening, there was a group of greying European tourists, some Taiwanese business folk and from behind an oriental screen came the lively and dulcet tones of the Singaporean English of a group who were obviously having a great time together. There are three levels of dining space. On the ground floor, tables are set in a wonderful wine cellar. Were it not for the oriental décor, you would think you were in a Southern European country. There are hundreds of wines from all over the world in bottles and in barrels-enough to sink a battleship! The top floor is reserved for private groups. We dined at the mid-level with the trio of musicians in view below us over the balustrade.

Photos: Mandarine Restaurant

ADVERTORIAL

First to arrive at our table, preceding the six courses, were a bowl of soya nuts and some slices of pickled mango. Then came an appetiser - Spring Rolls Mandarine style. The stuffing was mainly shrimp and bamboo sprouts and whilst the outer coating was smooth, yet the taste was crisp. The garnishing and decoration of this dish was Imperial style. It included an intricate cockerel carved out of a carrot. Quite a culinary feat by the chef, I thought and a great overture for the rest of the performance. Next came the banana blossom salad with grilled beef. The salad was in a sweettasting marinade and you had to eat through a lot of it to uncover the succulent strips of beef. ‘The cow is hiding under the haystack,’ I remarked, adding that Vietnamese beef was great in Vietnamese dishes with no need to use imports for this dish. Miss Linh agreed. ‘Actually’, she said, ‘Vietnamese beef is a must for our most famous dish: Pho Bo - Beef Noodle Soup.’ The next dish I had ordered specially, as Mandarine is famous for it. This was the

roasted duck, ‘Mandarine style’. It is so mouth-wateringly delicious I would walk a million miles for it. It has taken its inspiration from the French, but here tangerines and mandarins are used to make the sauce with duck fat added for a smooth, balanced flavour. The strips of tender duck dipped in this sauce are heavenly. Also, familiar at first sight to a Westerner, was the grilled pork ribs. But the marinade with cinnamon was distinctly oriental. Another spice-clove-was also included in the presentation I was just thinking to myself that this was the first time I had eaten a meal in Vietnam without rice, when the last main dish arrived, which contained a substantial portion of rice noodle vermicelli. This was the sautéed white fish, Họ Đoàn style. This uses a large amount of the herb dill for the flavouring. I felt very special as the cook herself came in with a wheeled table holding the ingredients and cooking utensils to prepare this dish beside us. By this time, I was so full I was about to

hold up a white flag in surrender, but Miss Linh insisted on dessert. Dessert in Vietnam is normally healthy fresh fruit but Miss Linh was intent on my upholding my sinful Western ways. The fruit was flambéed mango and banana with a scoop of vanilla. Here again, the chef was at hand to cook before us with a flame-throwing performance. If you have to dig your grave with your teeth then this is the dish for it! If you looking for a fine Vietnamese dining experience with excellence in every aspect-decor and atmosphere, service, accompanying music and above all cuisine, ‘Mandarine’ is spot on. It is quite literally fit for a king. I bet King Juan Carlos did not go back to his palace and paella without fond memories and a long after taste of ‘Mandarine’!n

Mandarine Restaurant

11A Ngo Van Nam St, Dist 1, HCMC Tel: (08) 3822-9783 Lunch 11.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner 5.30 p.m. to 10.45 p.m.

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 31

DESTINATION

was very excited to be invited to Malaysia by my friends in Gaya Travel Company. Quickly I made the decision. I got the passport and prepared everything within a week. Everything was ready the night before departure. I only needed to wait. I could not believe it. I got to go to Malaysia. The plane landed in Kuala Lumpur airport at 8.35 a.m. Before the plane landed, I got to take a peek out the window. In front of my eyes were endless green fields. The people here were all friendly and happy. I was greeted by smiles everywhere. The women in Malaysia are beautiful in their traditional clothing with hoods. Before I ran out of surprises, it was time to take the plane to Kuala Teregganu. This was the destination for my five-day Malaysia trip. I stayed in hotel Permai. It was comfortable and warm. It was an island, but it is very lively. The streets were crowded even

Malaysia: a fea when it was at 12 p.m. But it did not make me lose sleep. I slept before I even knew it. In the morning, I was woken up by the local people's peaceful chants. I went to Pulau Redang Island at 8 a.m. by ship. The warm weather let me enjoy the overall beauty of this beach. The water was emerald blue. Looking down at the water, I could see the underwater coral. This beautiful scene attracted a lot of tourists. I took a deep breath to feel the clean air running into my body. On this trip, I had a chance to join in a local special festival - Terengganu International Squid Jigging (2/6-7/6). As I knew, it was the second time it took place. In the evening, we were divided into small groups to sail with local fishermen. The groups of boats sailing smoothly on water took us out pretty far. I took part in a squid jigging at night. How should I say it? It was a great experience. I was instructed in detail on how to jig squids. It is not complicated, but it re-

32 â&#x20AC;˘ VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

quires patience. Time passes by slowly. Surrounded by water, I started to feel cold. The night was pitch black; only lights on the boats remained. It was past 7 p.m., but I had not caught anything. It taught me that fishing is not easy and I came to sympathize with fishermen who do this for a living. The yell of my friends interrupted my thoughts. We caught some squids. So it was not too bad. We all felt lively again and we had a delicious BBQ out in the sea with the fresh squids we had just caught. I left Redang the next morning. Longingly, I looked back and it felt like Redang was waving me goodbye. I missed the sincere fishermen, the friendly waiter who waited for me in front of Laguna Jetty Resort and took me to a small corner which had a picture of Vietnamese refugees coming to Pulau Bidong in May of 1975. It was a land with no people and the Malaysia government helped them stay there. At one

DESTINATION

st for the senses TEXT BY HOAI PHUONG; PHOTOS BY COURTESY OF GAYA TRAVEL MAGAZINE

point, the number of Vietnamese people here increased to 40,000 people. Since 1991, the government helped them to return to their motherland and on 28 August 2005, the last Vietnamese refugee left. It was a wonder that in such a faraway country, there was a place which was once a home to many Vietnamese. He talked so enthusiastically that it almost made me late for the boat. The good news is that if you want to visit the historical island of Bidong, the resort has boats coming at 9 a.m. to take you there in 30 minutes. I will visit it the next time for sure. Leaving Redang Island, I visited Kenyir Elephant Village, a nature reserve for elephants. I have always wanted to visit the Central Highlands in Vietnam to see the elephants there. But I never got to do it. Luckily, this time in Malaysia, I had the chance. Kenyir Elephant Village was as wide as a forest. I got to see the elephants. Are

they big? Yes they are. Are they aggressive? Not at all. They all seemed tamed; some could even perform tricks. It was an interesting experience which I could only see on TV. They even waved goodbye to visitors by spraying water. On the 4th night, we came back late after visiting China Town because that beautiful and lively place with its noisy atmosphere and Chinese culture blending with the Malaysian attracted many tourists. The main colour here was red, and it was everywhere, from houses, shops along the streets decorated with classic lanterns, to Chinese women. As I came on the weekend, I had the opportunity to see the traditional lion dances and bronze drums. Finally, I got the chance to go shopping at a local market, Pasar Payang, near China Town. They sold a lot of batik cloth - a special cloth made by Malaysians. You will be surprised by its special decoration pattern,

Photo: H

oai Ph

uong

with the main theme being natural and bold colourful geometry shapes. It feels light and cool to touch. A piece of batik cloth is not just clothing, it is like a painting. I bought some after choosing for a while. You should also try the mangoes here, as they taste really sweet and good. If the airport did not prohibit bringing this fruit on planes, I would bring a lot of them back home as gifts for my friends in Vietnam. And there still are many great places; the culture village of Setiu where I could dive and pick pretty clams and be greeted warmly. A week passed by really fast... I thank you all, the beautiful country of Malaysia for letting me enjoy many different feelings and meeting many good international friends during my stay. I wonder when we will meet again. I will never forget you. See you again, Malaysia.n

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

â&#x20AC;˘ 33

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY Hoi An keeps tourists from beaches

Vietnamese town wins Asian Townscape Award

Thanh Nien News, 2 November Tam Ky, the capital of Quang Nam Province, has won the 2015 Asian Townscape Award from the UN-Habitat Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. The award seeks to honour significant efforts made by Asian cities and organizations for the improvement, revitalization and creation of a beautiful and harmonious townscape that is safe and sustainable and respects history and local cultures.

Foreign woman arrested for smuggling cocaine

Thanh Nien News, 4 November Customs officers at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday arrested a Malaysian woman, Kaur Gurcharan Singh Manpal, 44, for smuggling more than five kilograms of cocaine into Vietnam after boarding multiple flights from Malaysia to Colombia, Panama, Brazil and UAE.

Vietnam airlines warned against flying through Middle East

Thanh Nien News, 5 November The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has ordered airlines not to fly directly over areas involved in armed conflict in the Middle East. News website VnExpress said the agency has also submitted a plan for alternative routes to minimize risks to the Ministry of Transport. The order came nearly a month after the International Civil Aviation Organization in October warned about possible risks to international civil air traffic in Tehran, Baghdad and Damascus as a result of the armed conflict in Syria.

Thanh Nien News, 5 November Hoi An has shut down several beaches after severe erosion left many deadly traps along its coastline. Rough waters have created deep holes and made several beaches dangerous for tourists. Strong waves have eaten up to 15 metres deep into the beaches and destroyed concrete stairs built for beachgoers.

Animal activists fight 'cruel' dolphin park

Thanh Nien News, 8 November Danang chairman Huynh Duc Tho has recently approved a proposal by Russia’s Utrish Dolphinarium Company to build a 2.5-hectare coastal complex with a dolphinarium. But critics have asked the city to think again. Animal activists said using animals, especially endangered dolphins, for commercial entertainment is old-fashioned and may sabotage the city’s reputation and its tourism industry. Keeping dolphins and other animals in captivity has been either banned or restricted in several countries.

Hanoi police reject charge that officer joined attack

Thanh Nien News, 11 November The Hanoi police have denied allegations that an officer was part of a group that attacked two lawyers representing the family of a teenager who had died in police custody last month. They announced that eight men who attacked the lawyers – seven of them farmers from Chuong My District – at a press conference Tuesday. On 3 November the lawyers, Le Van Luan and Tran Thu Nam, left the house of the mother of 17-year-old Do Dang Du, who was allegedly beaten to death by a cellmate at a Hanoi detention center. When they came out and drove off in a car, eight masked men on motorbikes stopped the vehicle and began to attack them. The lawyers told the media they believed one of the attackers was a local police officer.

34 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

Exercise equipment purifies the water of Hanoi's lakes

Vietnam News, 5 November Hanoi residents have found a new way of exercising that makes them stay fit and keeps lake water clean. Four years ago a group of young people from the Institute for Water and Environment (IWE) invented exercise equipment that also purified water, which won the creative prize in an environment contest held by the British Council. It includes a cycling machine attached to a water filtration system. When people use the machine, their movement pumps water from the lake into a filter tank, filled with aquatic plants and charcoal treated with oxygen which helps absorb pollutants. After being filtered, water is pumped back into the lake.

City to reduce emissions 10%

Vietnam News, 7 November HCM City expects to reduce emissions by 2020 by 10.5 per cent, and by 19.1 per cent if it receives external support in its quest to become a low-carbon city. Under the climate-change adaptation programme for HCM City, energy, transportation and industry sectors will receive priority, with the reduction targets of 18.5 per cent, 9.3 per cent and 7.9 per cent, respectively. The amount of energy consumed has increased sharply in recent years due to development demand. In 2013, the city consumed about 7 million tonnes of oil. The city by 2020 plans to have no more than 42.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, instead of 52.5 million tonnes.

Taxi driver returns $7,000 to foreign passenger

Vietnam News, 10 November A taxi driver, Vu Van Kien in Hanoi returned a bag with $7,000 and three saving books inside to a Greek passenger after the man get off the cab and left his belongings behind. After the passenger got out of the cab in hurry because of rain, the driver Kien found the bag and drove back to the site where he dropped the passenger off but could not find him. Hen then checked the belongings inside the bag and handed it over to the Bac A Taxi operator.

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY Via VOV Traffic audio channel, the bag owner, Vlassopoulos E. Lefteris, who is working in the northern port city of Hai Phong, managed to meet driver Kien to receive the bag back after one week.

Volunteers to increase security on HCMC buses

Vietnam News, 30 October More volunteers will work in buses in HCM City to ensure security of passengers and improve service, from 1 November. The volunteers will work as ticket sellers and conductor's assistants on the bus. Moreover, they will try to prevent pickpockets from robbing passengers. They will be on bus route 152, from the Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ben Thanh Market. After a 3-month trial period, and depending on its success, the department will judge the quality of this new service and propose to multiply it on other bus routes.

HCM City to reduce staff by 14,000 by 2021

Vietnam News, 10 November HCM City plans to reduce its white-collar employees by 14,000 by 2021. The plan aims at restructuring the number of employees at State-and Government-owned agencies, as well as attracting more talented people to work for the agencies. The plan also seeks to increase the capability and effectiveness of the State- and Government-owned agencies and reform the salary system. The workforce reduction will also eliminate unqualified staff, who are seen as diminishing the effectiveness of the currently cumbersome systems. At present, the city has 56 administrative agencies and nearly 1,700 State-owned offices.

Delayed decision leads to death of 30 pangolins

Vietnam News, 11 November Thirty pangolins kept in northern Cuc Phuong National Park have died while they were waiting for an official decision before being returned to their natural habitat. In August, the Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Education Centre rescued 60

pangolins from the Thanh Hoa and Ninh Binh provinces, which brought the total number of pangolins that the centre cared to 70. A petition had been sent to the provinces’ authorities soon after that, but they had not yet responded. Though Vietnam has made changes in its endangered wild animal protection policy, guidance in handling wild animals is still inadequate.

Gov't helps 11 disaster-hit provinces with rice, maize

Vietnam News, 11 November Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has ordered the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to extract over 2,000 tonnes of rice, maize and vegetable seeds from national reserves to support the 11 provinces hardest hit by natural disasters this year. A majority of the struggling provinces are in the north, including Ha Nam, Hai Duong, Thai Binh, Ninh Binh, Bac Giang, Phu Tho and Quang Ninh; four central provinces also made it onto the list - Quang Tri, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan. The ministry will distribute 1,900 tonnes of rice seed, 148.6 tonnes of maize seed, and over 52 tonnes of vegetable seed. The PM urged the provincial People's Committees to set up management plans for the seed packages so that distribution and utilisation of the seed can begin as soon as possible.

PM wants fast work on airport

Vietnam News, 12 November Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has instructed ministries and other agencies involved to speed up construction of Long Thanh International Airport near HCM City. He tasked the People's Committee of Dong Nai Province, where the airport will be built, with making zoning plans for an area to relocate families moved out to make way for the airport, developing the area and doing a feasibility study for the airport. The resettlement area will be approved after the feasibility study is ready. Located in Long Thanh District, the airport will be designed to handle 100 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo annually when the first stage is completed in 2025

Vietnamese parents take babies abroad for vaccinations

VietNamNet Bridge, 12 November Because of a shortage of vaccine Pentaxim (5 in 1) and Infanrix hexa (6 in 1) in Vietnam until the end of 2016 as reported by the health sector, many parents have taken their babies to neighbouring countries for vaccinations. During this time, each representative office on average received over 10 clients, who came to ask for vaccination service in Singapore. Dozens of Vietnamese babies have been brought to Singapore for vaccination.

Woman knifes man to death after road accident

Tuoi Tre News October 25 A man died after being stabbed by a woman whose scooter collided with his at a traffic circle in District 3 in Ho Chi Minh City. The man was riding his scooter to Tan Binh District when he hit another ridden by two women in their 20s, causing the two vehicles to tumble. They then brought their scooters to the roadside for a talk. But then conflict erupted and one girl stabbed the man while the two sides were quarreling about the collision. The two girls then quickly fled the scene. The man was immediately hospitalized but he died later.

Vietnam claims two prizes at world architecture festival

Tuoi Tre News, 8 November Vietnam has collected two prizes at the World Architecture Festival 2015, which was held in Singapore from 4 to 6 November and attracted around 2,000 architects and 338 entries from global leading construction companies. Contestants spent around 20 minutes impressing the judges and introducing their creative designs to the audience. Vietnam’s first structure, Cam Thanh Community House in Hoi An, by 1+1>2 International Architects ISC, was named the winner of the Civic and Community category. The second artwork, Saigon House, by a21 Studio won the House category for its playful and communal approach to living.

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 35

EVENTS HANOI

EXHIBITIONS For the right ‘type’ of person 20 to 22 November The Goethe-Institut Hanoi presents an exhibition by the Type Directors Club from 20 to 22 November. On display is a selection of the most interesting drafts which the world of typography and graphic design had to offer to annual competition of the Type Directors Club. This year, a total of more than 1551 works from 49 countries competed. 272 works from 28 countries won prizes. The exhibition addresses all professionals and students who work in the field of graphic design, advertising, marketing, communication, multimedia, publishing, and education, who are interested in typography and the written word. Free admission. Goethe-Institut Hanoi, 56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi. Tel: (04) 3734-2251 Melody of joy Till 25 November

A painting exhibition of Hoang Phuc Quy will be on at Danang Museum, 78 Le Duan St, Hai Chau Dist, Danang till 25 November. Throughout the artworks, the artist hopes viewers will feel happiness of heart, ignoring all the troubles of daily life. Hoang Phuc Quy born in 1984 and now is a lecturer at Hue University – College of Arts.

MUSIC Traditional trio Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in November and December Ca Tru Thang Long, including 83-year-old signer Nguyen

Thi Chuc, 88 year-old dan day player Nguyen Phu De and signer Pham Thi Hue, will perform at 8 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in November and December at Quan De Temple, 28 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi. Ticket: VND210,000 Luala features Asian classical artists Every Sunday from 15 November to 13 December

Luala Concert 2015 will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., every Sunday from 15 November to 13 December at the door of Luala Milano, 61 Ly Thai To St, Hanoi. Orchestrated by conductor Nguyen Khac Thanh, each of the five shows will have different themes. The concert features performances by vocalists and instrumentalists, domestic and foreign alike, namely Japanese harpist Aya Matsumoto, pianist Boomi Jang from the Republic of Korea, oboist Nguyen Hoang Tung, cellist Tran Thi Mo, opera singer Vo Hong Quan and young talented pianist Ngo Phuong Vi. Musical journal 28 November Female composer and percussion artist Anne Paceo accompanied by saxophonist Antonin-Tri Hoang, guitarist Pierre Perchaud and double bass artist Joan EchePuig will play at 8 p.m. on 28 November at L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi. The band will perform pieces music from her album ‘Yokai’, inspired by her journey to Africa and Asia. Subscription Concert 29 November ‘Subscription Concert Vol.86’

36 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

with conductor Abe Kanako, pianist Hagiwara Mami and artists from the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra will be held at 8 p.m. on 3 and 4 December at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi. Tickets: VND200,000, VND350,000, VND500,000. All tickets are available at Hanoi Opera House or book at www.ticketvn.com for free delivery. Jazz cultural exchange 29 November A performance by Thai and Vietnamese artists will be at 8 p.m. on 29 November at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi. There will be participation by Ms Nichapa Jittaleela on piano and vocal, Mr Pisut Prateeprasane on saxophone, Mr Arnupap Kammar on drums, special guest Thai star Miss Suppanad Jittaleela on vocal, Mr Dao Minh Fah on bass, Mr Nguyen Bao Long on saxophone and a Vietnamese string quartet from Vietnam National Academy of Music. Tickets: VND350,000 – VND500,000. All tickets are available at Hanoi Opera House or book at www.ticketbox.vn. Happy Birthday, Beethoven 3 December To celebrate the 245th birthday of composer Ludwig van Beethoven, musicians Nguyen My Huong and Dao Trung Tuyen will perform some of his piano and violin sonatas at the GoetheInstitut Hanoi. 8 p.m. 3 December: Sonata No. 6 in A major, Opus 30; and Sonata No. 9 in A major, Opus 47 Free tickets are available from 14 September at Goethe-Institut Hanoi, 56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi. Tel: (04) 3734-2251 Midnight sun 10 December Axwell & Ingorosso from Sweden will perform and promote their album ‘Sun Is Shining’ at Long Island Castle on 10 December. The band was established in 2014. The event will also include performances by local

and international artists. Long Island Castle, 173 Long Thuan, Long Phuoc Ward, Dist.9, Ho Chi Minh City. Tickets start from VND1,450,000. Book tickets at www.ticketbox.vn King of Trance 13 December Armin Van Buuren is the most recognizable DJ around the globe. He was crowned the World’s Number 1 DJ four years consecutively by DJMag. He has also been dubbed ‘the King of Trance’. He will perform in Vietnam for the first time on 13 December, from 4 p.m. till midnight, at Ecopark Township, Xuan Quan, Van Giang District, Hung Yen City. Ticket: VND750,000VND17,500,000. Book tickets at www.ticketbox.vn Beethoven’s Ninth 19 December

A special concert ‘Beethoven No.9’ will be held at 8 p.m. 19 December at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi. The concert will be conducted by Honna Tetsuji, accompanied by soprano Ha Pham Thang Long, alto Nguyen Thu Quynh, tenor Nguyen Anh Vu, bassist Fukushima Akiya and artists from Vietnam National Opera and Ballet, Hanoi International Choir, Hanoi Freude Choir.

The show will play symphony No.9 in D minor, op.125 ‘Choral’. Tickets: VND200,000, VND350,000, VND500,000. All tickets are available at Hanoi Opera House or book at www.ticketvn.com for free delivery.

THEATRE Nutcracker 10 and 11 December The classical ballet ‘The Nutcracker’ with artistic director People’s Artist Pham Anh Phuong, choreography Philippe Cohen and 50 dancers of the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet and the Dance School of Vietnam will be held at 8 p.m. 10 and 11 December at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi. Tickets: VND250,000, VND400,000 and VND600,000. All tickets are available at Hanoi Opera House or book at www.ticketvn.com for free delivery.

OTHER One World 28 November HIWC Charity Bazaar will be organized on 28 November, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at St Paul American School, Splendora Urban Area, Hoai Duc District, Hanoi. The HIWC Charity Bazaar is a fun-filled day that raises crosscultural awareness with the participation of 42 different countries and community groups all working together and raising funds. Guests can taste food from around the world, see cultural dances and shop for unique handicrafts. Tickets: VND150,000 for adults and VND50,000 for children. Book tickets at www.ticketbox.vn

Beach with a variety of local and international artists performing at three stages from late afternoon until midnight each day on 4, 5 and 6 December at Mui Ne, Bac Binh District, Binh Thuan Province. Ticket: VND200,000 each day and VND450,000 for three days. Book tickets at www.ticketbox.vn

HO CHI MINH CITY

THEATRE Holiday favourite 27, 28 and 29 November

The ballet ‘Nutcracker’ with conductor Tran Nhat Minh, choreographer Johanne Jakhelln Constant and artists from Ho Chi Minh City Ballet and Symphony Orchestra will be shown at 8 p.m. on 27, 28 and 29 November at Opera House, 7 Cong Truong Lam Son, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tickets: VND400,000 – VND650,000

MUSIC Spin masters 27 November

MUI NE

Music and Art Festival 4, 5 and 6 December Party producers in Saigon including Loud Minority, Saigon Dub Station, Live Art Saigon, Live Audio Visual Saigon, Saigon Warehouse Project and Saigon Sound System will bring a nonstop fun music event ‘Mui Ne Music and Art Festival’ at hillside with panoramic views of Mui Ne

Hypersonic Music Festival will be from 5.30 p.m. till midnight 27 November at the 7th Military District Stadium, Hoang Van Thu St, Tan Binh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City. It will be an exciting night of music with participation by many local and

International DJs. Ticket: VND1,000,000. Book at www.ticketbox.vn

Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 5 9 December Guest artists from Goyang Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor An Hyun Sung, flutist Ban Jin A, violin Tran Huu Quoc and artists from HBSO Symphony Orchestra will perform ‘Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 5’ at 8 p.m. 9 December at Opera House, 7 Cong Truong Lam Son, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tickets: VND200,000 to VND550,000. Online booking at www.ticketbox.vn for free delivery The Wave 10 December The Wave Music Festival will be held at 3 p.m. on 10 December at Tan Trao, Phu My Hung, Dist.7, Ho Chi Minh City. The event will feature many DJs, especially the participation of DJ SNAKE, who is famous for the hit ‘Turn Down For What’. Tickets from VND399,000. Book tickets at www.ticketbox.vn Unfinished Symphony 19 December A concert ‘Unfinished Symphony’ will be held at 8 p.m. 19 December at Opera House, with the performance of conductor Tran Vuong Thach, pianist Joo Eun Young, soprano Cho Hae Ryong and artists from HBSO Symphony Orchestra. The programme has two parts. Part 1: ‘Piano Concerto No.2 in C Minor, op.18’ by Sergei Rachmaninov. Part 2: ‘Rosamunde’, ‘Ave Maria’ and ‘Symphony No.8 in B Minor, D.759’ (‘Unfinished’) by Franz Schubert, and ‘Il Bacio’ by Luigi Arditi.

FLIM The play’s the thing 20, 21, 27 and 28 November Dragonfly Theatre Company presents a tragicomic play, ‘Lawrence and Holloman’, by acclaimed Canadian playwright, Morris Panych. The play is on 8 p.m. on 20, 21, 27 and 28 November at Saigon Outcast, 188 Nguyen Van Huong St, Thao Dien Ward,

EVENTS

Dist.2, Ho Chi Minh City. Ticket: VND350,000 in advance at www.ticketbox.vn and VND400,000 at the door.

OTHER Cool ‘Soul’ party From 28 November, 2015 to 14 May, 2016

Saigon Soul Pool Party will be held every Saturday from 28 November, 2015 to 14 May, 2016 (10 a.m.-10 p.m.) at the New World Saigon Hotel, 76 Le Lai St, Ben Thanh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. The liveliest, ongoing Saturday Pool Party in Saigon gets underway this month. The most luxurious pool featuring sun beds, bean bag chairs, VIP cabanas, food vendors, prizes, affordable drinks and electrifying beats from world class DJs. Entry fee is VND150,000. Please visit saigonsoul.com for more details.

MEKONG DELTA

Ngo Boat Race Festival 23-25 November The ‘Ngo’ Boat Race Festival of the ethnic Khmer people in the Mekong Delta region will be held from 23-25 November in Soc Trang Province. There are 45 teams from cities and provinces in the region that have registered to take part in the festival. This year’s event will see the debut of the experimental composite Ngo boat. The festival will also include a wide range of activities such as a parachute performance, electric radio- controlled aircraft performance and more. The event is a chance to promote tourism in Soc Trang and introduce the culture of the province to visitors.

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 37

HOTELS

Hanoi Emotion Hotel

26- 28 Hang Bot St, Dong Da Dist, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3848-9848 www.hanoi-emotion.com Hanoi Emotion Hotel is offering a special promotion till the end of November. Those who book at least three nights will get a free one-day tour to Halong Bay, Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex in Ninh Binh Province, Mai Chau in Hoa Binh Province and Hanoi City. The prices range from VND880,000 ($40) per room per night.

Hotel Saigon Morin

30 Le Loi St, Hue Tel: (054) 3823-526 www.morinhotel.com.vn Hotel Saigon Morin has a special promotion till 31 December with prices starting from VND1,828,572++ per room per night with breakfast.

VND1,600,000++ per room per night in an Alcove Queen Room with breakfast and free airport drop-off service.

The Reverie Saigon

Times Square Building, 22-36 Nguyen Hue Blvd & 57-69F Dong Khoi, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3823-6688 www.thereveriesaigon.com The Reverie Saigon is offering ‘A Timeless Experience’ till 31 December. The prices starting from VND6,600,000++ per room per night, including high tea buffet, a voucher for a 60minute spa treatment and breakfast.

RESORTS AND SPAS

Tuan Chau Island Holiday Villa Halong Bay Tuan Chau Island, Halong Tel: (033) 3842-999 www.holidayvillahalongbay.com

Galina Hotel & Spa

05 Hung Vuong St, Nha Trang Tel: (058) 3839-999 www.galinahotel.com.vn

Galina Hotel & Spa has ‘Romantic Honeymoon Package’ at VND3,750,000++ for two nights till 23 December and ‘Luxury Honeymoon Package’ at VND5,250,000++ for two nights till 31 December.

Hotel Nikko Saigon

235 Nguyen Van Cu St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3925-7777 www.hotelnikkosaigon.com.vn Hotel Nikko Saigon is offering ‘Triple-S Package’ including breakfast, seafood dinner buffet and a 60-minute body treatment at Ren Spa. The prices start from VND4,368,000++ per night per person. It is valid till 31 March, 2016.

The Alcove Library Hotel

133A Nguyen Dinh Chinh St, Ward 8, Phu Nhuan Dist, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 6256-9966 www.alcovehotel.com.vn The Alcove Library Hotel is offering a ‘Holiday Package’ – ‘Stay 3 nights, get 1 night free’ till 31 January, 2016. The prices start from

VALUE FOR MONEY Anantara Hoi An Resort

1 Pham Hong Thai St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3914-555 Email: hoian@anantara.com www.hoi-an.anantara.com Anantara Hoi An Resort has a promotion ‘Anantara Suite & Villa Luxury For Less’ offering a 20 per cent off on room rates. The prices after discount start from VND3,622,883 per room per night with breakfast. It is valid till 23 December.

Golden Sand Resort & Spa Hoi An

Thanh Nien Road, Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3927-555 Email: reservation@goldensandhoian.com www.goldensandhoian.com Golden Sand Resort & Spa Hoi An has a five-night ‘Winter Getaway Package’ at $716++ per room in a Grand Deluxe Garden View Room with breakfast, roundtrip airport transfers, lunch or dinner, a 60-minute spa treatment and a 20 per cent off on food & beverage.

Palm Garden Beach Resort and Spa

Tuan Chau Island Holiday Villa Halong Bay has a ‘Honeymoon Vacation’ at VND2,990,000 per room for two nights with breakfast, a 10 per cent discount off food & beverages and a 50 per cent off on spa treatment.

Sun Spa Resort

My Canh, Bao Ninh Commune, Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh Province Tel: (052) 3842-999 Email: rsv@sunsparesortvietnam.com www.sunsparesortvietnam.com Sun Spa Resort is running a special discount on all types of rooms till 28 February, 2016. A 20 per cent discount on room rates in the Buildong area of the resort, and a 30 per cent discount on room rates at villa and bungalow area of the resort apply.

Novotel Danang Premier Han River

36 Bach Dang St, Hai Chau Dist., Danang Tel: (0511) 3929-999 Novotel Danang Premier Han River is offering a promotion ‘Happy Hour’ for those who book a 90-minute spa treatment from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. will get one free. It is applicable on Saturday and Sunday, and runs till 20 December. Also, the hotel has a couple massage package with the price starting from VND2,950,000++.

Lac Long Quan St, Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3927-927 www.palmgardenresort.com.vn Palm Garden Beach Resort and Spa has a two-night package at VND6,200,000++ per room with double occupancy in a Superior Garden View Room. The package includes breakfast, roundtrip airport transfers or a bicycle tour to Tra Que Village and Hoi An countryside, a lunch or dinner, a 30-minute massage, two vouchers for a 50 per cent discount for body massage, a 20 per cent discount on laundry service, a 15 per cent discount on food, beverage and sport activities, and a 15 per cent discount for a gala dinner on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve. It runs from 1 December, 2015 to 29 February, 2016.

Sunrise Hoi An Beach Resort

Au Co Road, Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3937-777 www.sunrisehoian.vn Sunrise Hoi An Beach Resort has ‘Winter Hot Deal’ till 20 December. Deluxe Room is VND2,376,000++ ($108++) per room per night with breakfast, shuttle bus to Hoi An, a credit of VND500,000 for food & beverage and buy 1, get 1 free spa treatment.

Michelia Hotel

4 Pasteur St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3820-820 www.michelia.vn Michelia Hotel has a 60-minute spa promotion at VND450,000 with a choice of Viet-

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 39

VALUE FOR MONEY

namese massage, Thai massage, Swedish massage and After Sport massage. It runs till 30 November.

Amanoi Resort

Vinh Hy Village, Vinh Hai Commune, Ninh Hai District, Ninh Thuan Province Tel: (068) 3770-777 www.aman.com Amanoi Resort has a two-night honeymoon package including breakfast, roundtrip airport transfers, a spa journey, a lunch and a dinner. It costs VND30,000,000++ for a Lake Pavilion, VND34,000,000++ for an Ocean Pavilion and VND42,000,000++ for a Ocean Pool Pavilion. The promotion is valid till 31 April, 2016 except from 20 December, 2015 to 5 January, 2016.

Möôøng Thanh Saigon Centre Hotel

8A Mac Dinh Chi St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-9595 www.saigoncentre.muongthanh.vn Mường Thanh Saigon Centre Hotel has opened in the heart of bustling Ho Chi Minh City, featuring 124 well-appointed, comfortable and elegant rooms, swimming pool, fitness centre, karaoke rooms, international and Vietnamese Gia Dinh Restaurant, Sa Huynh Bar & Coffee and Hoa Su Spa & Massage.

FOOD PROMOTIONS

Hanoi Daewoo Hotel 360 Kim Ma St, Hanoi Tel: (04)3831-5000

loin set menu at VND1,080,000++ including a glass of Singleton Signature Whisky.

Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon

253 Nguyen Van Troi St, Phu Nhuan Dist, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3844-9222 Looking for a great venue to celebrate yearend parties for your colleagues, family or friends? Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon offers festive packages with prices starting from VND550,000VND++ per person including dining and add-on services till 28 February, 2016.

Caravelle Saigon

19-23 Cong Truong Lam Son St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3823-4999

Seahorse Resort & Spa

Km11 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3847-507 www.seahorseresortvn.com Seahorse Resort & Spa has a 40 per cent discount on room rates for those who book at least three nights. The public rates range from VND2,864,000 per room per night with breakfast. Those who book 11 nights will pay 10 and those who book at least 22 nights will pay 20. The promotion is valid till 2 May, 2016.

Sonata Resort & Spa

Km 17, No 719 St, Tien Thanh Ward, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3846-768 www.sonataresort.com Sonata Resort & Spa has opened in Tien Thanh Ward, Phan Thiet, just 10 km away from Ke Ga Cape. The resort has 75 well-equipped accommodations, including villas with private swimming pool overlooking the sea. On the occasion of grand opening the resort offers a special rate at VND1,089,000 per room per night from 28 November to 31 December.

OTHER

InterContinental Nha Trang Hotel

32-34 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang Tel: (058) 3887-777 www.intercontinental.com InterContinental Nha Trang has received ‘Asia’s Leading New Hotel 2015’ by the World Travel Awards (WTA) after welcoming guests from March 2014 . World Travel Awards serves to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry. The hotel has 279 rooms and suites, 3 restaurant and bars, a dedicated spa, fitness centre, kid’s club, and over 1,854 square metres of event space, including 7 meeting rooms and a state-of-art grand ballroom.

In November, Edo Restaurant, at the Hanoi Daewoo Hotel, serves Shabu Shabu with Japanese thin-sliced beef hotpot including beef, vegetable, bean curd and glass noodle. VND350,000++ for 2 persons.

Reflections Restaurant, at the Caravelle Saigon, will serve three-and four-course sea urchin menus at VND 899,000++ and VND 999,000++, respectively, from 16 to 22 November.

Hotel Nikko Hanoi

Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers

84 Tran Nhan Tong St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3822-3535 La Brasserie Restaurant, at the Hotel Nikko Hanoi, serves ‘Hot pot dinner buffet with lobster’ every Saturday and Sunday in November at VND660,000++, including free flow of wine, sake, beer and soft drinks.

InterContinental Hanoi Westlake

1A Nghi Tam St, Tay Ho Dist, Hanoi Tel: (04) 6270-8888 InterContinental Hanoi Westlake prepares a ‘Saturday Ladies’ Night’ with a variety of international and local dishes, including seafood, sizzling grilled meats, salads and a selection of mouth-watering desserts. VND850,000 including a complimentary cocktail for ladies. Every Saturday in November, 6 p.m. to 10.30 p.m.

Amigo Grill Restaurant

55-57 Nguyen Hue Blvd, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3824-1248 Amigo Grill Restaurant in November and December has a three-course venison tender-

40 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

88 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-2828 Saigon Café, at the Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, will prepare a wide range of traditional dishes for Thanksgiving buffet dinner, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on 26 November, at VND1,400,000++, including free flowing house wine, special cocktails, draught beer, coffee and tea. Also, the hotel has takeaway turkey from 24 November, 2015 to 1 January, 2016. Roast US Turkey: VND2,500,000++; Whole Baked Ham: VND720,000++ per 1 kg; Roast Beef Rib Eye: VND1,800,000++ per 1 kg; and Roast Beef Strip Loin: VND1,800,000++ per 1 kg.

Windsor Plaza Hotel

18 An Duong Vuong St, Dist.5, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3833-6688 Café Central An Dong, at the Windsor Plaza Hotel, has buffet lunch and dinner at VND358,000++ and VND558,000++, respectively. The highlight of buffets in this month is imported US beef, including grilled tenderloin, beef salad and Beef Wellington, seafood, sashimi and sushi station, and a wide collection of desserts.

A NEW 5 STAR BRANDED HOTEL LOCATES NEXT TO DALAT MARKET 235 ROOMS OFFERING EXTRAODINARY VIEWS OF XUAN HUONG LAKE SKY BAR - SWIMMING POOL - FITNESS CENTER - KARAOKE - KID CLUB

PLAZA HOTEL DA LAT

IDEAL LOCATION AND SPACIOUS WEDDING HALL & EVENT FUNTIONS

OPEN 27TH DECEMBER 2015 - DISCOUNT 45% ON INTERNET ROOM RATE (NOT APPLICABLE FOR PUBLIC HOLIDAYS AND DALAT FLOWER FESTIVAL) FOR YOUR RESERVATION PLEASE CONTACT [E] RESERVATION@BAVICOHOTELDALAT.COM [T] 0901 919 858

A MEMBER OF BAVICO HOSPITALITY BAVICO NHA TRANG - BAVICO DALAT - BAVICO DA NANG...

DIRECTIONS SAPA, HALONG, HAI PHONG EMERGENCIES Police: 113 Fire: 114 Ambulance: 115

SAPA

(TELEPHONE CODE: 020) Sapa is a former French hill station in northwestern Vietnam, in Lao Cai Province, near the Chinese border. A number of minority cultures including the H’mong, Dao and Tay live in villages in the countryside around Sapa. HOTELS, RESORTS Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Cat Cat View Hotel 46 Fan Xi Pang St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3871-946 www.catcathotel.com VND735,000 to VND3,780,000 ($35 to $180) Cha Pa Garden Boutique Hotel & Spa 23B Cau May St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3872-907 Email: hotelchapagarden@gmail.com

www.chapagarden.com From VND1,470,000 ($70) Chau Long Sapa Hotel

Topas Ecolodge Thanh Kim Ward, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (04) 3715-1005 reservation@topasecolodge.com www.topasecolodge.com From VND2,300,000 ($110) Victoria Sapa Resort and Spa Xuan Vien St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3871-522 Email: resa.sapa@victoriahotels.asia

www.victoriahotels.asia From VND3,657,000 ($172) RESTAURANTS Buffalo Bell Restaurant 25 Cau May St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3873-455 Delta Restaurant 33 Cau May St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3871-799 Fansipan Restaurant 23 Cau May St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3871-556

HALONG

(TELEPHONE CODE: 033) With around 1,600 islands and islets in the Gulf of Tonkin, Halong Bay, about 170 km east of Hanoi, is well known for its limestone seascape. Overnight boat trips out of Halong City are a popular way to see it. HOSPITALS

Bai Chay Hospital Gieng Day Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3846-557 www.benhvienbaichay.vn

24 Dong Loi St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3871-245 Email: resa@chaulonghotel.com.vn www.chaulonghotel.com.vn From VND2,100,000 ($100) Holiday Sapa Hotel 16 Muong Hoa, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3873-874 Email: info@holidaysapa.com www.holidaysapa.com VND588,000 to VND2,100,000 ($28 to $100) Mường Thanh Sapa Hotel 44, Ngu Chi Son, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3887-766 Email: sales@sapa.muongthanh.vn www.muongthanh.vn From VND900,000 ($43) Royal Hotel 54B Cau May St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3771-131 Email: info@royalsapahotel.com www.royalsapahotel.com

Traditional Medicine Hospital Cot 8, Hong Ha Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3838-113 Vietnam-Sweden Hospital Thanh Son Ward, Uong Bi Commune, Halong Tel: (033) 3854-037 www.bvubqn.tk TRAVEL

Halong Tourism 1 Halong St, Halong Tel: (033) 3846-272 Quang Ninh Tourism Company Ha Long St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3846-350 Syrena Cruises Hung Thang new urban area, Bai Chay, Halong Tel: (033) 3847-043 Hanoi Sales Office: Syrena Tower, 3th Floor, 51 Xuan Dieu St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3719-7214 Email: se@syrenacruises.com www.syrenacruises.com HOTELS, RESORTS

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily

Asean Halong Hotel Hau Can St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3640-034 Email: sm@aseanhalonghotel.com www.aseanhalonghotel.com From VND1,600,000 ($76) Halong Hidden Charm Hotel Block 22D, Tuan Chau Villas, Halong Tel: (033) 3842-360 infor.halonghiddencharmhotel@gmail.com

www.hiddencharmhotel.com.vn From VND350,000 ($17) Halong Palace Hotel 1, Block 20 Dong Hung Thang, Hoang Quoc Viet St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3619-819 Email: info@halongpalacehotel.com www.halongpalacehotel.com From VND3,800,000 ($181) Halong Plaza Hotel 8 Ha Long St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3845-810 Email: info@halongplaza.com www.halongplaza.com VND1,500,000 to VND3,800,000 ($71 to $179) Heritage Halong Hotel 88 Ha Long St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3846-888 Email: saleheritagehl@gmail.com www.heritagehalonghotel.com.vn VND2,310,000 ($110) Mường Thanh Halong Hotel No.7, Block 20, East of Hung Thang, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3812-468/ (033) 3819-777 Email: info@halong.muongthanhhotel.vn www.muongthanhhotel.vn From VND1,400,000 ($67) Novotel Ha Long Bay 160 Ha Long St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3848-108 Email: info@novotelhalong.com.vn www.novotelhalongbay.com From VND2,625,000 ($125) Saigon Halong Hotel Ha Long St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3845-845 info@saigonhalonghotel.com www.saigonhalonghotel.com From VND950,000 ($45) StarCity Halong Bay Hotel

168 Halong St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3846-058 Email: sm1.north@och.vn www.starcityhalongbay.com In the centre of Halong, StarCity Halong Bay Hotel offers 152 well-

equipped rooms, with many breathtaking views of Halong Bay Tuan Chau Island Holiday Villa Halong Bay Tuan Chau Island, Halong Tel: (033) 3842-999 Email: rsv@tuanchauresort.com.vn www.holidayvillahalongbay.com RESTAURANTS

Co Ngu Restaurant Halong St, Halong Tel: (033) 3511-363 Jumbo Vietnam Floating Restaurant 119 Le Thanh Tong St, Halong Tel: (033) 3624-888 Sea Food Restaurant Halong St, Halong Tel: (033) 3845-822

Halong Gold Restaurant Halong St, Halong Tel: (033) 3845-142

BARS & CAFÉS

Emeraude Café 6A Le Thanh Tong St, Hon Gai, Halong Tel: (033) 3849-266 www.emeraude-cruises.com Royal International Gaming Club and Villa Bai Chay, Halong Tel: (033) 3848-777

HAI PHONG CITY (TELEPHONE CODE: 031) HOTELS, RESORTS

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Catba Princes Hotel

303 Nui Ngoc, Cat Ba Island, Hai Phong City Tel: (031) 3888-899 Email: sale@catbaprinceshotel.com www.catbaprinceshotel.com From VND500,000 ($24) Catba Sunrise Resort Cat Ba Island, Hai Phong City Tel: (031) 3887-360 Email: info@catbasunriseresort.com www.catbasunriseresort.com From VND3,045,000 ($145) Avani Hai Phong Harbour View 12 Tran Phu St, Ngo Quyen Dist., Hai Phong Tel: (031) 3827-827 Email: haiphong@avanihotels.com www.avanihotels.com From VND2,772,000 ($132)

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 43

A quare 1. B aD inh S Ba Dinh Square

2. H oa L oP Hoa Lo Prison rison

3. S ’s Cathedral Cathedral Stt Joseph Joseph’s

ouse Opera House 4. Hanoi O pera H

Cot Co Tower 5. C ot C oT ower

Women’s Museum 6. Women’s

Ho Chi Minh 7. H oC hi M inh Museum

Citadel Thang Long hang L ong 8. IImperial mperial C itadel of T

CENTRE O

Vietnam History F3 9. V ietnam National National Museum of History Vietnam Military History 10. V ietnam M ilitary H istory Museum D2 illar 11. O ne P One Pillar

ausoleum 12. H oC hi M inh M Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

13. Ngo on T emple Ngocc S Son Temple

14. Dong Da H ill Hill

15. Dong X uan M arket Xuan Market

An entry in the Directions section is either editorial or advertising To advertise, and be certain that your entry appears, please contact

1 4 14

Mr Song Hao Mobile: 0903 476 999

STREET GUIDE

Ba Trieu...................E3, E4 Bac Son.........................D1 Bach Dang.....................F2 Bach Mai........................E4 Bat Dan..........................E2 Bich Cau........................C2 Buoi................................A1 Cat Linh..........................C2 Cha Ca....................E1, E2 Cua Bac.........................D1 Cua Dong.......................D2

Da Tuong.......................E3 Dang Tat.........................D1 Dao Duy Anh.................D4 Dao Duy Tu.............E1, E2 Dien Bien Phu................D2 Doc Ngu.........................A1 Doi Can.............A1, B2, C2 Duong Thanh.................E2 Gam Cau........................E1 Giai Phong.....................D4 Giang Vo.....A3 ,B3 ,B2,C2

Hai Ba Trung.....E2, E3, F3 Ham Long......................E3 Han Thuyen....................F3 Hang Bac.......................E2 Hang Bo.........................E2 Hang Bong.....................E2 Hang Buom....................E2 Hang Can.......................E2 Hang Chuoi....................F3 Hang Cot........................E1 Hang Da.........................E2 Hang Dao.......................E2

Hang Dau.......................E1 Hang Ga.........................E2 Hang Gai........................E2 Hang Khay.....................E2 Hang Khoai....................E1 Hang Ma.........................E1 Hang Quat......................E2 Hang Trong....................E2 Hang Chieu....................E1 Hang Luoc......................E1 Hao Nam........................C2 Hoa Ma...........................F3

Hoang Dieu.............D1, D2 Hoang Hoa Tham............... ....................A1, B1, C1, D1 Hoang Van Thu..............D1 Hoe Nhai........................E1 Hung Vuong............D1, D2 Huynh Thuc Khang........A3 Kham Thien.............C3, D3 Kim Ma..............A2, B2, C2 La Thanh.................B3, C3 Lang Ha..........................B3 Nguyen Chi Thanh.........A3

Le Dai Hanh...................E4 Le Duan............D2, D3, D4 Le Hong Phong.............D2 Le Lai..............................F2 Le Thai To.......................E2 Le Thanh Tong...............F3 Le Van Huu....................E3 Lieu Giai........................A2 Lo Duc......................F3, F4 Lo Su..............................F2 Luong Ngoc Quyen.......E2 Luong Van Can..............E2

OF HA NOI D

12 1 11

15 8

7 5 10 13 3

Ly Nam De..............E1, E2 Ly Quoc Su....................E2 Ly Thai To.......................F2 Ly Thuong Kiet........E3, F3 Mai Hac De..............E3, E4 Ngo Quyen.....................F3 Ngo Si Lien....................D2 Ngo Thi Nham................E3 Ngoc Ha.........................C1 Ngoc Khanh...................B2 Nguyen Canh Chan......D1 Nguyen Cong Hoa.........B2

Nguyen Dinh Chieu............ .................................E3, E4 Nguyen Du..............D3, E3 Nguyen Huu Huan........ F2 Nguyen Khuyen.............D2 Nguyen Luong Bang.....C3 Nguyen Thai Hoc....C2, D2 Nguyen Thuong Hien......... ........................................D3 Nguyen Van To..............E2 Nha Chung.....................E2 Nha Tho.........................E2

Nui Truc..........................B2 Pham Dinh Ho................F3 Pham Ngu Lao...............F3 Phan Boi Chau.......D2, D3 Phan Chu Trinh..............F3 Phan Dinh Phung..........D1 Phan Huy Chu................F3 Pho Duc Chinh...............F3 Pho Hue...................E3, E4 Phu Doan.......................E2 Phung Hung............E1, E2 Quan Su..................E2, E3

Quan Thanh...................D1 Quang Trung...........E2, E3 Quoc Tu Giam...............D2 Son Tay..........................C2 Thai Phien......................E4 Thanh Cong...................B3 Thanh Nien....................D1 Tho Nhuom.............E2, E3 Thuy Khue.......................... ....................A1, B1, C1, D1 To Hien Thanh...............E4 Tong Dan........................F2

Ton Duc Thang..............C3 Tran Hung Dao................... ...........................D3, E3, F3 Tran Huy Lieu................B2 Tran Khanh Du...............F3 Tran Khat Chan..............F4 Tran Nguyen Han..........F2 Tran Nhan Tong......D3, E3 Tran Nhat Duat..............E1 Tran Phu........................D2 Tran Quang Khai............F2 Tran Qui Cap.................D2

Tran Quoc Toan......D3, E3 Tran Thanh Tong............F3 Tran Xuan Soan................. .................................E3, E4 Trang Thi........................E2 Trang Tien................E2, F3 Trieu Viet Vuong......E3, E4 Trinh Hoai Duc...............C2 Tue Tinh.........................E3 Yen Phu..........................E1 Yersin..............................F4 Yet Kieu..........................D3

DIRECTIONS HANOI HANOI

(TELEPHONE CODE: 04) EMBASSIES

Finland 31 Hai Ba Trung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3826-6788

Algeria 13 Phan Chu Trinh St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3825-3865

France 57 Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3944-5782

Argentina 41A Ly Thai To St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-5263

Germany 29 Tran Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-3836

Australia 8 Dao Tan St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-7755 Austria 53 Quang Trung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3943-3050 Bangladesh Villa D6B 5 – Khu Vuon Dao Ngo 675, Lac Long Quan St, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3771-6625 Belarus 52 Ho Tay St, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3829-0494 Belgium Hanoi Tower, 49 Hai Ba Trung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3934-6179 Brazil T72-14 Thuy Khue St, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3843-2544 Brunei Villa 8-9 No 44/8-44, 9 Van Bao St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3726-0001 Bulgaria 5 Nui Truc St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-2908 Cambodia 71A Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3942-7636 Canada 31 Hung Vuong St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3823-5500 China 46 Hoang Dieu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi. Tel: (04) 3845-3736 Cuba 65 Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3942-4775 Czech Republic 13 Chu Van An St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi; Tel: (04) 3845-4131 Denmark 19 Dien Bien Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3823-1888 Egypt 63 To Ngoc Van St, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3829-4999

Hungary 12th floor of Deaha Building, 360 Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3771-5714 India 58-60 Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3824-4990 Indonesia 50 Ngo Quyen St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3825-3353 Iran 54 Tran Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3823-2068 Iraq 66 Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3942-4141 Ireland 8th floor of Vincom Tower B, 191 Ba Trieu St, Ha Dong Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3974-3291 Israel 68 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3843-3141 Italy 9 Le Phung Hieu St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3825-6256 Japan 27 Lieu Giai St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3846-3000 Laos 22 Tran Binh Trong St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3942-4576 Libya 298B Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-3379 Malaysia 43-45 Dien Bien Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3734-3836 Mexico Coco Villa T-11, 14 Thuy Khue St, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3847-0948 Morocco 9 Chu Van An St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3734-5586 Mongolia 5 Van Phuc, Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-3009

46 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

Myanmar 298A Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-3369 Netherlands 6th floor of Deaha Building, 360 Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-5650 New Zealand 63 Ly Thai To St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3824-1481 North Korea 25 Cao Ba Quat St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-3008 Norway 8th Floor, Hanoi Tower, 49 Hai Ba Trung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3974-8900 Nigeria 44/1 Van Bao St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3726-3610 Palestine 6 Dang Van Ngu St, Dong Da Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3852-4013 Philippines 27B Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3943-7948 Poland 3 Chua Mot Cot St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-2027 Romania 5 Le Hong Phong St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-2014 Russia 191 La Thanh St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: 3833-6991 South Africa 31 Hai Ba Trung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3936-2000 South Korea 4th floor of Deaha Building, 360 Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-5111 Spain 15th floor of Deaha Building, 360 Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3771-5207 Sweden 2 Nui Truc St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3726-0400 Thailand 63-65 Hoang Dieu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3823-5092 Turkey 14th Floor, HCO Building, 44B Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Tel: (04) 3822-2460 United Kingdom 31 Hai Ba Trung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3936-0500

United States 7 Lang Ha St, Dong Da Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3772-1500 MEDICAL CENTRES Acupuncture Institute 49 Thai Thinh St, Dong Da Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3563-1069 Hanoi French Hospital 1 Phuong Mai St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3577-1100 International SOS Clinic 1 Dang Thai May St, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3934-0666 Thuy Tran Otolaryngology Clinic 6 Do Quang St, Cau Giay Dist., Hanoi (6/61 Tran Duy Hung Avenue) Tel: (04) 3556-6124 Mobile 098 368 0276 Email: thuyent12@yahoo.com www.taimuihongthuytran.com Vinmec international hospital 458 Minh Khai St, Hai Ba Trung Dist, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3974-3556 AIRLINES Air France 1 Ba Trieu St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3825-3484 Qatar Airways Hilton Hanoi Opera Building, M floor, 1 Le Thanh Tong St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3933-6767 www.qatarairways.com Singapore Airlines 17 Ngo Quyen St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi. Tel: (04) 3826-8888 Vietnam Airlines 25 Trang Thi St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3823-0320 TRAVEL

Amega Travel Hancorp Plaza, 72 Tran Dang Ninh St, Cau Giay Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3783-3570 www.amegatours.net Buffalo Tours 10th Floor, 70-72 Ba Trieu St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3828-0702 www.buffalotours.com Emeraude Classic Cruises 46 Le Thai To St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3935-1888 www.emeraude-cruises.com Email: info@buffalotours.com Exotissmo 3rd Floor, 66A Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3828-2150 www.exotissimo.com Email: go.vietnam@exotravel.com

DIRECTIONS HANOI Topas Travel 52 To Ngoc Van St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3715-1005 Email: sales@topastravel.vn www.topastravel.vn HOTELS Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Fortuna Hotel Hanoi 6B Lang Ha St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-3333 Email: fortunahanoi@fortuna.vn www.fortuna.vn From VND1,920,000 ($91) Hanoi Daewoo Hotel 360 Kim Ma St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-5000 Email: sales@daewoohotel.com www.daewoohotel.com Hanoi Emotion Hotel 26 – 28 Hang Bot St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3848-9848 Email: info@hanoi-emotion.com www.hanoi-emotion.com The hotel also provides Vietnamese, Japanese and International cuisine Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel 1 Le Thanh Tong St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3933-0500 Email: hanoi.opera@hilton.com www.hanoi.hilton.com Hotel de l’Opera 29 Trang Tien St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 6282-5555 Email: H7832-RE@accor.com www.hoteldelopera.com Melia Hanoi Hotel 44B Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3934-3343 Email: melia.hanoi@melia.com www.melia.com Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi 83A Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3822-2800 hotel.hanoi@moevenpick.com www.moevenpickhotels.com/hanoi From VND3,622,500 ($172.50) Hotel Nikko Hanoi 84 Tran Nhan Tong St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3822-3535 mc.nikko@hotelnikkohanoi.com.vn www.hotelnikkohanoi.com.vn From VND4,620,000 ($220) Pullman Hanoi 40 Cat Linh St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3733-0808 www.pullman-hanoi.com From VND2,448,600 ($115.50) Silk Path Hotel Hanoi 195-199 Hang Bong St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3266-5555 Email: info@silkpathhotel.com www.silkpathhotel.com From VND2,173,500 ($103.50)

Sheraton Hanoi Hotel 11 Xuan Dieu St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3719-9000 reservations.hanoi@sheraton.com www.sheraton.com/hanoi From VND4,956,000 ($236) Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi 15 Ngo Quyen St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3826-6919 Email: h1555@sofitel.com www.sofitel-legend.com From VND6,090,000 ($290) Sunway Hotel Hanoi 19 Pham Dinh Ho St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3971-3888 Email: reservation@sunwayhotel.com.vn www.hanoi.sunwayhotels.com RESTAURANTS Com Chay Nang Tam Restaurant 79A Tran Hung Dao St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3942-4140 Green Tangerine 48 Hang Be St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3825-1286 www.greentangerinehanoi.com Serving French food with a Vietnamese cuisine Hoa Vien Brauhaus 1A Tang Bat Ho St, Hai Ba Trung Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3972-5088 www.hoavien.vn The restaurant has been famous for its production of Czech beer Le Tonkin Restaurant 14 Ngo Van So St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3943-3457 www.letonkinrestaurant.vn Serves Vietnamese food

BOOK STORE

Infostones Bookshop 41 Trang Tien St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3826-2993 Email: sach41trangtien@gmail.com Thousands of magazines and books by hundreds of publishing houses worldwide SHOPS

Craft Link 43 and 51 Van Mieu St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3843-7710 Email: craftlink@hn.vnn.vn Ha Dong Silk 102 Hang Gai St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3928-5056 Tan My Embroidery 66 Hang Gai St, Hanoi Email: tanmyhuong@fpt.vn Tel: (04) 3825-1579 Viet Culture 1 Trang Thi St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3934-7417

Mekong Quilts 13 Hang Bac St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3926-4831 www.mekong-quilts.org

FURNITURE/ INTERIOR Dome Au Co 9 Au Co St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3718-5866 Email: sales@dome.com.vn Dome Yen The 10 Yen The St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3843-6036

SIGHTSEEINGS

Ba Dinh Square 36A Dien Bien Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi Ba Dinh Square, where President Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence in September 1945, is a complex of historic sites. Cot Co Tower 28 Dien Bien Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi Cot Co Tower, the so-called Flag Tower, is now part of the Vietnam Military History Museum complex. The Tower was built in 1950, under the Nguyen Dynasty, with the help of French engineers. The tower has 36 flower-shaped windows. At the top of the tower flies the flag of Vietnam. Hanoi Opera House 1 Trang Tien St, Hoan Kiem Dist, Hanoi Designed by a French architect along the lines of the Paris Opera House, it is embellished with wonderful Gothic statuary. For many decades, Hanoi Opera House has been a centre for theatre, traditional music and dance, symphonies, traditional and classical music. This, the largest theatre in Vietnam, was completed in 1911. Hoa Lo Prison ‘La Maison Centrale’, the prison on Hoa Lo Street in Hanoi, was built by the French in 1896 and became the place where generations of Vietnamese freedom fighters were held. St Joseph’s Cathedral 40 Nha Chung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Fresh missionaries built this cathedral in the late 19th century. The small but beautiful panes of stained glass were created in Paris in 1906. Also of note is the ornate altar, with its high gilded sidewalls. MUSEUMS

Hanoi Museum 2 Pham Hung (next to Vietnam National Convention Centre), Me Tri Commune, Tu Liem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 6287-06 04 Opening hour: 8 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Free entrance Ho Chi Minh Museum 19 Ngoc Ha St,

Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3846-3752 www.baotanghochiminh.vn Open: 8 a.m. to noon (Monday and Friday), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (other days) Entry fee: VND25,000 Imperial Citadel of Thang Long 12 Nguyen Tri Phuong St/ 9 Hoang Dieu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 37345427 hoangthanhthanglong@gmail.com www.hoangthanhthanhlong.vn Open: 8.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed on Mondays) Entry fee: VND30,000 Vietnam National Museum of History 1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi 216 Tran Quang Khai St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3824-1384 www.baotanglichsu.vn Open 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Closed every first Monday of months. Entry fee VND 20,000 ($0.95) for adults and VND10,000 ($0.48) for children Vietnam Fine Arts Museum 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3733-2131 Email: btmtvn@vnfam.vn www.vnfineartsmuseum.org.vn Open 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entry fee VND20,000 ($0.95) Vietnam Military History Museum 28A Dien Bien Phu St, Hanoi www.btlsqsvn.org.vn Open 8 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Closed on Mondays Entry fee VND30,000 ($1.43) Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Nguyen Van Huyen St, Cau Giay Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3756-2193, www.vme.org.vn Open 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Mondays Entry fee VND40,000 ($2) Women’s Museum 36 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3825-9936 www.womenmuseum.org.vn Open 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Closed on Mondays Entry fee VND30,000 ($1.43) SPA

Elite Fitness & Spa 51 Xuan Dieu St, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3718-6281 info@elitefitness.com.vn www.elitefitness.com.vn Spa de Palace Fortuna Hotel Hanoi, 6B Lang Ha St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-3333

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 47

DIRECTIONS NINH BINH, NGHE AN, QUANG BINH, HUE, DANANG NINH BINH

(TELEPHONE CODE: 030) Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh

UNESCO World Heritage in 1993. Hue is also known for its particular cuisine. HOTELS, RESORTS Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily

Imperial Hotel 8 Hung Vuong St, Hue Tel: (054) 3882-222 Email: info@imperial-hotel.com.vn www.imperial-hotel.com.vn From VND2,940,000 ($140) Lang Co Beach Resort

Alba Spa Hotel

Email: info@ninhbinhlegendhotel.com

www.ninhbinhlegendhotel.com From VND1,575,000 ($75)

NGHE AN

(TELEPHONE CODE: 038) Mường Thanh Song Lam Hotel 13 Quang Trung St, Quang Trung Ward, Vinh, Nghe An Province Tel: (038) 3737-666 Email: sales@songlam.muongthanh.vn

www.songlam.muongthanh.vn

QUANG BINH

(TELEPHONE CODE: 052) HOTELS, RESORTS

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily

29 Tran Quang Khai St, Hue Tel: (054) 3828-444 Email: info@albavietnam.com www.albavietnam.com BW Premier Indochine Palace 105A Hung Vuong St, Hue Tel: (054) 3936-666 Email: info@bwp-indochinepalace.com www.bwp-indochinepalace.com From VND2,940,000 ($140) The hotel is surrounded by lush green gardens that make it an outstanding landmark in Hue and give the city the feel of a resort. This luxurious, international standard hotel is created to appeal to Vietnamese and international visitors to Hue. Century Riverside Hotel Hue 49 Le Loi St, Hue Tel: (054) 3823-390 Email: info@centuryriversidehue.com www.centuryriversidehue.com Hotel Saigon Morin

Bao Ninh Beach Resort Ha Duong, Bao Ninh, Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh Province Tel: (052) 3854-866 Email: sales@baoninhbeachresort.com.vn www.baoninhbeachresort.com.vn From VND1,120,000 ($53) Sun Spa Resort My Canh, Bao Ninh Commune, Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh Province Tel: (052) 3842-999 Email: info@sunsparesortvietnam.com www.sunsparesortvietnam.com From VND1,870,000 ($89) TRAVEL

30 Le Loi St, Hue Tel: (054) 3823-526 Email: info@morinhotels.com.vn www.morinhotel.com.vn From VND2,173,500 ($103.50) Hue Riverside Boutique Resort & Spa

Oxalis Adventure Tours Phong Nha Commune, Son Trach Village, Bo Trach Dist., Quang Binh Province Tel: (052)3677-678 www.oxalis.com.vn

463 Lac Long Quan St., Lang Co Town, Phu Loc Dist, Thua Thien Hue Province Tel: (054) 3873-555 Email: langco@dng.vnn.vn www.langcobeachresort.com.vn Pilgrimage Village Boutique Resort & Spa 130 Minh Mang Road, Hue Tel: (054) 3885-461 Email: info@pilgrimagevillage.com www.pilgrimagevillage.com Vedanā Lagoon Resort & Spa Zone 1, Phu Loc Town, Phu Loc Dist., Hue Tel: (054) 3681-688 Email: info@vedanalagoon.com www.vedanalagoon.com RESTAURANT

Thien Tam Vegetarian Restaurant 110A Le Ngo Cat St, Thuy Xuan Ward, Hue Tel: (054) 3898-220 www.thientamrestaurant.com Thien Tam Vegetarian Restaurant features a Hue garden house with a simple design and a serene atmosphere. The restaurant serves a variety of Hue vegetarian food, from royal to local dishes, at a reasonable price. The menu has many choices, with prices starting from VND45,000 per dish. The restaurant also serves as an art playground for Hue artists. Guests have chance to get their portraits drawn by the owners at a reasonable price. Vegetarian cooking classes are also available. The restaurant is about 1-2 km from Tu Duc tomb

DANANG

(TELEPHONE CODE: 0511) HOTELS, RESORTS

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily

HUE

(TELEPHONE CODE: 054) Hue is a city on the Perfume River in lowland central Vietnam and was the capital of the Nguyen dynasty from 1802 to 1945. Many imperial structures remain. They were named part of

Pullman Danang Beach Resort Vo Nguyen Giap St, Khue My Ward, Ngu Hanh Son Dist., Danang Tel: (0511) 3958-888 Email: info@pullman-danang.com www.pullman-danang.com Novotel Danang Premier Han River 36 Bach Dang St, Hai Chau Dist., Danang. Tel: (0511) 3929-999 Email: H8287@accor.com www.novotel-danang-premier.com

Van Long Reserve, Gia Van Commune, Gia Vien Dist., Ninh Binh Province Tel: (030) 3658-333 Email: info@emeraldaresort.com www.emeraldaresort.com Ninh Binh Legend Hotel Tien Dong Zone, Ninh Khanh Ward, Ninh Binh City Tel: (030) 3899-880

Tel: (0511) 3981-234 Email: danang.regency@hyatt.com www.danang.regency.hyatt.com From VND5,225,000 ($243)

588 Bui Thi Xuan St, Thuy Bieu Dist., Hue Tel: (054) 3978-484 Email: sales@hueriversideresort.com www.hueriversideresort.com

48 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

Grand Mercure Danang Lot A1, Green Island, Hoa Cuong Bac, Hai Chau Dist., Danang Tel: (0511) 3797-777 Email: H7821@accor.com www.accorhotels.com/7821 Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son Dist., Danang

Sandy Beach Non Nuoc Resort Danang Vietnam, Managed by Centara

255 Huyen Tran Cong Chua St, Ngu Hanh Son Dist., Danang Tel: (0511) 3961-777 Email: cdv@chr.co.th www.centarahotelsresorts.com/cdv VND1,785,000 to VND5,670,000 ($85 to $270) Ho Chi Minh sales office: 4th Floor, Ben Thanh TSC Building; 186-188 Le Thanh Ton St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3914-7940 Vinpearl Luxury Danang Truong Sa St, Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son Dist., Danang Tel: (0 511) 3968-888 Email: info@vinpearlluxury-danang.com www.vinpearl.com MUSEUM

Danang Museum of Cham Sculpture 2, 2 Thang 9 St, Danang Tel: (0511) 3572-935 www.chammuseum.danang.vn Open 7.15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entry fee VND30,000 ($1.43)

HOI AN

(TELEPHONE CODE: 0510) A major port town from the 15th to 19th centuries, Hoi An has well preserved vestiges of Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese cultures. The buildings are now often used for tailor’s shops. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hoi An is a little over 30 km south of Danang, on the central coast. HOTELS, RESORTS

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Anantara Hoi An Resort 1 Pham Hong Thai St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province

DIRECTIONS HOI AN, QUY NHON, NHA TRANG Tel: (0510) 3914-555 Email: hoian@anantara.com www.hoi-an.anantara.com Golden Sand Resort & Spa Hoi An Thanh Nien Road, Cua Dai Beach Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3927-555 info@goldensandresort-spa.com.vn www.goldensandresort-spa.com.vn VND3,759,000 to VND7,644,000 Ancient House River Resort Hamlet 2, Cam Thanh Village, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3930-777 Email: sales@ancienthouseriver.com www.ancienthouseriver.com From VND2,310,000 ($110) Hoi An Beach Resort 1 Cua Dai St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3927-011 info@hoianbeachresort.com.vn www.hoianbeachresort.com.vn From VND3,415,500 ($163) Hoi An Riverside Resort & Spa 175 Cua Dai St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3864-800 reservation@hoianriverresort.com.vn www.hoianriverresort.com From VND1,650,000 ($79)

Le Belhamy Hoi An Resort & Spa Ha My Beach, Hoi An Tel: (0510) 3941-888 Email: info@belhamy.com www.belhamy.com Sunrise Hoi An Beach Resort Au Co Road, Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3937-777 Email: sales@sunrisehoian.vn www.sunrisehoian.vn Palm Garden Beach Resort and Spa

From VND3,024,000 ($144) Royal Hotel and Healthcare Resort Quy Nhon 1 Han Mac Tu St, Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh Province Tel: (056) 374-7100 Email: reservation@royalquynhon.com www.royalquynhon.com VND1,155,000 to VND1,365,000 ($55 to $65) MUSEUM

Quang Trung Museum Block 1, Phu Phong town, Tay Son Dist., Binh Dinh Province Tel: (056) 3580-320 Open 7 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Entry fee VND10,500 ($0.50). Free for children under six Lac Long Quan St, Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3927-927 Email: info@pgr.com.vn www.palmgardenresort.com.vn From VND4,485,000 ($214) River-Beach Resort & Residences Hoi An

Hoi An Historic Hotel

NHA TRANG

(TELEPHONE CODE: 058) On the central coast, Nha Trang is a city originally known for beautiful beaches but these have lately been found to suffer from pollution due to modern life, development and tourism, like other popular resort areas in Vietnam. It has large numbers of foreign tourists, island-hopping, scuba diving, sightseeing and lounging on the beach. HOTELS, RESORTS

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily

10 Tran Hung Dao St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3861-445 Email: reservation@hoianhotel.com.vn www.hoianhotel.com.vn From VND2,127,500 ($101) Hotel Royal Hoi An, Mgallery Collection 39 Dao Duy Tu St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3950-777 reservation@hotelroyalhoian.com www.mgallery.com Jolie Villa Hoi An Homestay 14 Luu Trong Lu St, Tan An Ward, Hoi An. Tel: 0934 847788 Email: Joliehomestay@gmail.com www.joliehoianhomestay.com Kiman Hotel & Spa

5 Cua Dai St, Hoi An Tel: (0510) 3927-888 saleshoian@river-beachresort.com www.river-beachresort.com From VND1,350,000 ($65) ($179 to $364)TRAVEL

Rose Travel Service co..ltd 37 - 39 Ly Thai To St, Cam Chau Ward, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3917-567 Email: sales@rosetravelservice.com www.rosetravelservice.com.vn MUSEUM

Hoi An Centre for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation 10B Tran Hung Dao St, Hoi An Tel: (0510) 3862-367 www.hoianheritage.net Open daily 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Champa Island Nha Trang Resort & Spa 304, 2/4 St, Vinh Phuoc, Nha Trang Tel: (058) 3568-888 Email: sales@champaislandresort.vn www.champaisandresort.vn With architecture reflecting nearby Po Nagar temple, Champa Island Nha Trang offers exquisite cuisine and many entertainment services that promise a memorable stay in Nha Trang Bavico International Hotel 02 Phan Boi Chau St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 6266-555 reservation@bavicohotelnhatrang.com

www.bavicohotelnhatrang.com.

Best Western Premier Havana Nha Trang Hotel

38 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3889-999 Email: info@havanahotel.vn www.havanahotel.vn Diamond Bay Resort & Spa Nguyen Tat Thanh Blvd, Phuoc Ha, Phuoc Dong Dist., Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3711-711 Email: info@diamondbayresort.vn www.diamondbayresort.vn Evason Ana Mandara Nha Trang Beachside Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3524-705 Email: reservations-nhatrang@evasonresorts.com

www.evason-resorts.com Galina Hotel and Spa 5 Hung Vuong St, Loc Tho Ward, Nha Trang Tel: (058) 3839-999 Email: info@galinahotel.com.vn www.galinahotel.com.vn Green World Hotel Nha Trang 44 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3528-666 Email: sales@greenworldhotelnhatrang.com www.greenworldhotelnhatrang.com InterContinental Nha Trang Hotel 32-34 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang Tel: (058) 3887-777 www.intercontinental.com Liberty Central Nha Trang Hotel 9 Biet Thu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3529-555 Email: frondesk.lcn@odysseahotels.com www.odysseahotels.com

QUY NHON

(TELEPHONE CODE: 056) HOTELS, RESORTS

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily 461-463 Hai Ba Trung St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3920 430 Email: kimanhoianhotel@gmail.com Website: kimanhoianhotel.com

AVANI Quy Nhon Resort & Spa Ghenh Rang, Bai Dai Beach, Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh Province Tel: (056) 3840-132 Email: quynhon@avanihotels.com www.avanihotels.com/quynhon VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

â&#x20AC;˘ 49

DIRECTIONS PHAN THIET Michelia Hotel 4 Pasteur St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3820-820 Email: sales@michelia.vn www.michelia.vn From VND2,200,000 ($105) Mường Thanh Grand Nha Trang Hotel 6 Duong Hien Quyen St, Vinh Hoa Ward, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3552-468 Email: info@nhatrang.muongthanh.vn www.nhatrang.muongthanh.vn From VND1,400,000 ($66) Novotel Nha Trang Hotel 50 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 6256-900 Email: rsvn@novotel-nhatrang.com www.novotel-nhatrang.com From VND2,100,000 ($100) Six Senses Ninh Van Bay Ninh Van bay, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3524-268 reservations-ninhvan@sixsenses.com www.sixsenses.com/resorts/ninh-vanbay/destination From VND18,837,000 ($897)

PHAN THIET

(TELEPHONE CODE: 062) Sitting on the coast about 200 km north of Ho Chi Minh City, Phan Thiet is a beach city with many resorts and hotels.

SHOPPING

Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Company 248 Thong Nhat St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3822-472 yensaokh@yensaokhanhhoa.com.vn www.yensaokhanhhoa.com.vn

Allezboo Beach Resort & Spa 8 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3743-777 Email: info@allezbooresort.com www.allezbooresort.com From VND2,100,000 ($100) Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa 12A Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-888 Email: res.amui@anantara.com www.mui-ne.anantara.com Bamboo Village Beach Resort & Spa

Romana Resort & Spa

Ly Thai To St, Tan Tien, Lagi, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3874-458 Email: contact@lazibeachresort.com www.lazibeachresort.com From VND1,900,000 ($90) Muine de Century Beach Resort & Spa 16 Huynh Thuc Khang St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3743-668 reservation@muinedecentury.vn www.muinedecentury.vn From VND1,701,000 ($81) Muine Ocean Resort & Spa 10 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-616 Email: sale.muineocean@gmail.com www.muineoceanresort.com From VND1,050,000 ($50)

38 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3847-007 info@bamboovillageresortvn.com www.bamboovillageresortvn.com From VND2,835,000 ($135)

Muine Bay Resort

Hoang Ngoc (Oriental Pearl) Beach Resort & Spa Quarter 14, Mui Ne Ward , Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 2220-222 Email: info@muinebayresort.com www.muinebayresort.com VND2,205,000 to VND6,195,000 ($105 to $295)

Km 8, Phu Hai, Mui Ne Ward, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-289 Email: info@romanaresort.com.vn www.romanaresort.com.vn Sandunes Beach Resort & Spa

5 Quarter, Mui Ne Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3748-868 Email: info@sandunesbeach.com www.sandunesbeach.com Saigon Mui Ne Resort 56 - 97 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-044 Email: saigonmuineresort@hcm.vnn.vn www.saigonmuineresort.com.vn From VND1,908,000 ($90) Seahorse Resort & Spa

Mui Ne Unique Resort 152 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province . Tel: (062) 3847-858 Email: info@hoangngoc-resort.com www.hoangngoc-resort.com VND1,600,000 to VND6,090,000 ($75 to $287) Phu Hai Resort

MUSEUM

Alexandre Yersin Museum Pasteur Institute, 10 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3822-406

Saigon - Suoi Nhum Resort Thuan Quy, Ham Thuan Nam Ward, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3683-240 info@saigonsuoinhumresort.com www.saigonsuoinhumresort.com From VND1,700,000 ($81)

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily

Vinpearl Luxury Nha Trang Hon Tre Island, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3598-598 Email: info@vinpearlluxury-nhatrang.com www.vinpearl.com Vinpearl Resort Nha Trang Hon Tre Island, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3598-188 Email: info@vinpearlresort-nhatrang.com www.vinpearl.com

Mom Da Chim - Lazi Beach Resort

HOTELS, RESORTS

Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa 26-28 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province. Tel: (058) 3880-000 reservations.nhatrang@sheraton.com www.sheratonnhatrang.com Sunrise Nha Trang Beach Hotel & Spa 12-14 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3820-999 Email: info@sunrisenhatrang.com.vn www.sunrisenhatrang.com.vn VND2,520,000 to VND4,305,000 ($120 to $205)

Tel: (062) 3812-799 Email: info@phuhairesort.com www.phuhairesort.com

Km8, Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province

50 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

Km 11 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province. Tel: (062) 3847-507 reservation@seahorseresortvn.com www.seahorseresortvn.com From VND1,680,000 ($80) Sunny Beach Resort & Spa 20B, Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-617 Email: info@muineuniqueresort.com www.muineuniqueresort.com From VND2,898,000 ($138) Ocean Dunes Resort 1 Ton Duc Thang St, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3822-393 Email: info@oceandunesresort.com.vn www.oceandunesresort.com.vn

64-66 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-355

DIRECTIONS DALAT, BINH DUONG, HO CHI MINH CITY Email: info@sunnybeach.com.vn www.sunnybeach.com.vn From VND2,940,000 ($140) The Cliff Resort & Residences Zone 5, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3719-111 reservation@thecliffresort.com.vn www.thecliffresort.com.vn From VND2,667,000 ($127) Sea Links Beach Hotel Km 9, Nguyen Thong St, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 2220-088 Email: sales@sealinksbeachhotel.com www.sealinksbeachhotel.com From VND1,995,000 ($94) Victoria Phan Thiet Beach Resort & Spa Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3813-000 Email: resa.phanthiet@victoriahotels.asia www.victoriahotels.asia From VND1,980,000 ($90) Villa Aria Mui Ne

HOTELS Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Dalat Edensee Resort Tuyen Lam Lake, Zone VII.2, Dalat, Lam Dong Province Tel: (063) 3831-515 Email: info@dalatedensee.com www.dalatedensee.com From VND2,450,000 ($117) Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort & Spa

Le Lai St, Dalat, Lam Dong Province Tel: (063) 3555-888 reservation-dalat@anamandara-resort.com www.anamandara-resort.com From VND3,150,000 ($150) Saigon-Dalat Hotel

60A Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province; Tel: (062) 3741-660 Email: info@villaariamuine.com www.villaariamuine.com From VND2,520,000 ($120) White Sands Resort

KM8, Nguyen Thong St, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-175 Email: frontoffice@whitesandresort.com www.whitesandresort.com From VND1,344,000 VND ($64) MUSEUM

180 Ba Thang Hai St, Dalat, Lam Dong Province Tel: (063) 3556-789 Email: hotel@saigondalat.com ; resvn@saigondalat.com www.saigondalathotel.com Located in the heart of Dalat, SaigonDalat Hotel is a four-star-standard hotel, comprised of 160 luxurious and comfortable rooms with air-conditioning throughout and other modern amenities. Four restaurants, two bars, one tennis court, one indoor swimming pool, one fitness centre and one beauty salon and spa help make your getaway experience complete.

BINH DUONG

(TELEPHONE CODE: 0650) An Lam Saigon River

Cham Culture Exhibition Centre Song Mao intersection, Phan Hiep Commune, Bac Binh Dist., Binh Thuan Province; Tel: (062) 3641-456. Open: 7.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Free entrance

DALAT

(TELEPHONE CODE: 063) Dalat, founded in 1893, has Frencharchitecture, pine forests and a perpetually cool climate. It is in the southern Central Highlands, about 300 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City.

21/4 Trung St, Vinh Phu Ward, Thuan An Dist., Binh Duong Province Tel: (0650) 3785-555 Email: rsvn.sr@anlam.com www.anlam.com

HO CHI MINH CITY (TELEPHONE CODE: 08) CONSULATES

Australia 5B Ton Duc Thang St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3829-6035 Belgium 91 Nguyen Huu Canh St, Ward 22, Binh Thanh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3512-7968 Cambodia 41 Phung Khac Khoan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-2751 Canada Metropolitan, 235 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-9899 China 175 Hai Ba Trung St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3829-2457 Cuba 45 Phung Khac Khoan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-7350 France 27 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-7231 Germany 126 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-2455 India 55 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-7853 Indonesia 18 Phung Khac Khoan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3825-1888 Japan 13-17 Nguyen Hue St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City; Tel: (08) 3822-5314 Kuwait 24 Phung Khac Khoan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: (08) 3827-0555 Laos 93 Pasteur St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-7667 Mexico 11 Tra Khuc St, Tan Binh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3848-6290 Netherlands 29 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3823-5932 New Zealand Metropolitan, 235 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-6907 Panama 7A Le Thanh Ton St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3825-0334 Russia 40 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3930-3936

Singapore Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-5173 South Korea 107 Nguyen Du St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-5757 Switzerland 42 Giang Van Minh St, Dist.2, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3744-6996 Thailand 77 Tran Quoc Thao St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3932-7637 United Kingdom 25 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3825-1380, (08) 3829-8433 United States 4 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-9433

HOSPITALS

Columbia Asia Gia Dinh International Hospital 1 No Trang Long St, Binh Thanh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3803-0678 FV Hospital 6 Nguyen Luong Bang St, Dist.7, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 5411-3500 Stamford Skin Centre 254 Dien Bien Phu St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3932-1090 Email: info@stamfordskin.com www.stamfordskin.com AIRLINES

Air France 130 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-0981 All Nippon Airways 115 Nguyen Hue St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3821-9612 American Airlines 69 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3933-0330 Asiana Airlines 39 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-8710, (08) 3829-3038 . British Airways 170-172 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3930-2933 Cathay Pacific Airways 72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-3203 Emirates Airlines 170-172 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Dist.3,

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

â&#x20AC;˘ 51

DIRECTIONS HO CHI MINH CITY Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3930-2939 Japan Airlines 88 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3821-9098 Jetstar Pacific Airlines 112 Hong Ha St, Tan Binh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3955-0550 Philippine Airlines 2nd Floor Saigon Royal Building 91 Pasteur St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-2105 Qatar Airways 1-5 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-3888 Royal Brunei Airlines 787 Tran Hung Dao St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh CityTel: (08) 3924-5100 Singapore Airlines 29 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3823-1588 Thai Airways International 29 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-2809

Trails of Indochina 10/8 Phan Dinh Giot St, Tan Binh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City; Tel: (08) 3844-1005 Email: dosm@trailsofindochina.com www.trailsofindochina.com Transviet Travel Travel House, 170-172 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3933-0777 www.transviet.com.vn HOTELS

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily

Vietjet Air 8Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-0123 www.vietjetair.com TRAVEL

Asiana Travel Mate 113C Bui Vien St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3838-6678 www.atravelmate.com Buffalo Tours 81 Mac Thi Buoi, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-9168 Email: travelagency@buffalotours.com www.buffalotours.com.vn Buffalo Tours operates in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. The Buffalo Tours portfolio caters to all types of tours.

Duxton Hotel Saigon 63 Nguyen Hue Blvd, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-2999 enquires@saigon.duxton.com.vn www.duxtonhotels.com First Hotel

Lotte Legend Hotel Saigon 2A-4A Ton Duc Thang St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist 1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3823-3333 www.lottehotel.com Northern Hotel Saigon

Hotel Majestic

1 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3829-5517 majestic@majesticsaigon.com.vn www.majesticsaigon.com.vn Liberty Central Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City 17 Ton Duc Thang St, Dist.1 Tel: (08) 3827-1717 177-179 Le Thanh Ton St, Dist.1 Tel: (08) 3823-9269 Email: frontdesk.lcc@libertyhotels.com.vn

www.libertycentralhotel.com 18 Hoang Viet St, Ward 4, Tan Binh Dist, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3844-1199 Email: first.hotel@hcm.vnn.vn www.firsthotel.com.vn Grand Hotel Saigon 8 Dong Khoi St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3823-0163 Email: info@grandhotel.vn www.grandhotel.vn Built in 1930, the Ancient Wing of Grand Hotel Saigon offers a cozy and elegant atmosphere. The Luxury Wing, opened in November 2011, adds a modern style. 230 rooms and suites, a ballroom, recreation area, VIP Lounge, Western & Asian restaurants, Bars & Grand Café at Roof Garden Hotel Nikko Saigon 235 Nguyen Van Cu St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: (08) 3925-7777 reservation@hotelnikkosaigon.com.vn www.hotelnikkosaigon.com.vn From VND4,830,000 ($230) Hotel Equatorial Ho Chi Minh City

Exotissimo 261/26 Phan Xich Long St, Phu Nhuan Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3995-9898 www.exotravel.com Saigon Tourist 45 Le Thanh Ton St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3827-9279 www.saigon-tourist.net

253 Nguyen Van Troi St, Phu Nhuan Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3844-9222 Email: Info@eastingrandSaigon.com www.eastingrandsaigon.com

Caravelle Saigon 19-23 Cong Truong Lam Son St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3823-4999 www.caravellehotel.com

United Airlines Suite 708 Sun Wah Tower, 115 Nguyen Hue St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3823-4755 Vietnam Airlines 115 Nguyen Hue St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3832-0320

Email: info@hcm.equatorial.com www.equatorial.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/equatorialhcmc Hotel Equatorial Ho Chi Minh City is an international 5-star hotel, located where the borders of the city's four main districts intersect; hence in the heart and true centre of Ho Chi Minh City. Tan Son Nhat International Airport can be reached conveniently within 30 minutes, while the city's major commercial and entertainment area is only a mere 8minute drive.

Kelly Hotel

42-44 Thu Khoa Huan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3823-3364 Email: info@kellyhotel.com.vn www.kellyhotel.com.vn From VND750,000 ($36) An elegant and cosy hotel with good service. Within walking distance to Ben Thanh market, Independence Palace and several museums. Vietnamese food is served at reasonable prices. InterContinental Asiana Saigon Corner Hai Ba TrungSt. & Le Duan Blvd, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3520-9999 Email: saigon@ihg.com www.intercontinental.com/Saigon Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon

242 Tran Binh Trong St, Dist.5, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3839-7777

52 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

11A Thi Sach St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3825-1751 reservation@northernhotel.com.vn www.northernhotel.com.vn From VND1,505,000 ($71) Three-star boutique hotel, 99 rooms in Superior, Deluxe and Suite categories, a short walk from major entertainment and shopping venues. Novotel Saigon Centre 167 Hai Ba Trung St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3822-4866 Email: H7965@accor.com www.novotel-saigon-centre.com Palace Hotel Saigon 56-66 Nguyen Hue Blvd, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-2860 Email: sales@palacesaigon.com www.palacesaigon.com Park Hyatt Saigon 2 Lam Son Square, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3824-1234 Email: saigon.park@hyatt.com www.saigon.park.hyatt.com From VND 7,887,850 ($376) PARKROYAL Saigon 309B – 311 Nguyen Van Troi St,Tan Binh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3842-1111 enquiry.prsgn@parkroyalhotels.com

www.parkroyalhotels.com Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon 8-15 Ton Duc Thang St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-0033 www.renaissance-saigon.com Royal Hotel Saigon 133 Nguyen Hue St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: (08) 3822-5915 www.royalhotelsaigon.com From VND1,092,000 ($52) Rex Hotel 141 Nguyen Hue St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-2185 Email: rexhotel@rex.com.vn www.rexhotelvietnam.com From VND4,620,000 ($220)

DIRECTIONS HO CHI MINH CITY Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers 88 Dong Khoi St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-2828 Email: sheratonsaigon@sheraton.com www.sheratonsaigon.com Sofitel Saigon Plaza

pastries and cakes and a cup of coffee from selected premium blends.

Tel: (08) 3823-8811 www.authentiquehome.com

Mobile: 0908 229 708 Email: ngoclongfineart@yahoo.com

Kobe Teppanyaki Restaurant 13A Tu Xuong St, Ward 7, Dist 3, Ho Chi MInh City Tel: (08) 3932-0187

Doma Vina Co., Ltd 50C Tran Binh Trong St, Ward 5, Binh Thanh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3550-0558 www.papercraft.com.vn

Apricot Gallery 50 Mac Thi Buoi St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-7962

Lemongrass Restaurant 4 Nguyen Thiep St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-0496 www.bongsencorporation.com Mam Son Restaurant 35 Ton That Thiep St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3915-3653

17 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3824-1555 Email: h2077@sofitel.com www.sofitel.com From VND3,864,000 ($262)

Tandoor Restaurant

39A-39B Ngo Duc Ke St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3930-4839 www.tandoorvietnam.com

Windsor Plaza Hotel

Handed by crafts from Vietnam 47 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: 0908 447 282 IPA Nima 85 Pasteur St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: (08) 3824-2701 IPA Nima is well-known for its bags.

Sonnet Saigon Hotel

14 Truong Dinh St., Ward 6, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3930-1999 reservation@sonnetsaigonhotel.com www.sonnetsaigonhotel.com From VND925,000

Dong Gia Enterprise 114 Xuan Thuy St, Thao Dien Ward, Dist.2, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 6296-0147 www.dong-gia.com

Vatel Saigon Bistronomique-Lounge 120 Bis Suong Nguyet Anh St, Ben Thanh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 5404-2220 www.vatelsaigon.com

Lu's Handmade 240 Ly Tu Trong St, Ben Thanh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Facebook: Lu's Handmade Tropic Shop 89 Dong Khoi St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-3714 www.ofcvn.com/tropic SPA

Vspa & Skincare

BARS & CAFÉS

18 An Duong Vuong, Dist.5, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3833-6688 services@windsorplazahotel.com www.windsorplazahotel.com RESTAURANTS

Beef No.1 Restaurant 1 Hoang Viet St, Ward 4, Tan Binh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: 0935891818/ 0919898253 Chit Chat Restaurant Hotel Equatorial Ho Chi Minh City, 242 Tran Binh Trong St, Dist.5, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3839-7777 Email: info@hcm.equatorial.com www.equatorial.com New daily menus for lunch and dinner buffets, all served in a relaxing atmosphere. Eight live cooking stations with over 60 varieties of mouth-watering domestic and international dishes. A meeting place to enjoy delicious house-made

Sax N’ Art Jazz Club 28 Le Loi St, Dist 1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-8472 www.saxnart.com Thao Nguyen Café Floor 7 and Rooftop of Restaurant Ngon 138 138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-9666 Open from 7 a.m. until 10.30 p.m. SHOPS

Authentique Home 113 Le Thanh Ton St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-8052 71/1 Mac Thi Buoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City

Craig Thomas Gallery 27i Tran Nhat Duat St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Mobile: 0903 888 431 Email: cthomasgallery@gmail.com www.cthomasgallery.com Open: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Mondays and Sundays Galerie Quynh Level 2, 151/3 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3824-8284 www.galeriequynh.com Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sàn Art 48/7 Me Linh St, Ward 19, Binh Thanh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 6294-7059 www.san-art.org Opening: 10.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. every. Closed on Sunday and Monday Tu Do Gallery 53 Ho Tung Mau St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3821-0966 www.tudogallery.com Opening: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. everyday SIGHTSEEINGS

Elle Cafe 45 Ngo Duc Ke St, Bitexco Financial Tower, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 6291-8769 Caffe Molinari 5 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3910-6903 Email: molinari@vnn.vn www.caffemolinari.com

Cactus Contemporary Art 17/12 Nguen Huy Tuong St, Ward 6, Binh Thanh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 7300-1270 info@cactusartgallery.com www.cactusartgallery.com

15B/25 Le Thanh Ton St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-9484 Email: reception.vspa@gmail.com www.vspa.com.vn

Notre Dame Cathedral Cong Xa Paris Square, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Built in 1877, and the Cathedral opened to the public in 1880. The bricks used to build this marvellous structure were shipped from Marseilles.

Mint Culinary School 778/45 Nguyen Kiem St, Phu Nhuan Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3844-5500 Email: sales@vca.com.vn www.vca.com.vn Saigon Cooking Class 74/7 Hai Ba Trung St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3825-8485 www.saigoncookingclass.com

Ben Thanh Market Le Lai St, Ben Thanh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City The original market was located on the bank of the Ben Nghe River by the old Gia Dinh Fort. In 1859, when the French invaded Saigon and overtook Gia Dinh Fort, Ben Thanh Market was destroyed. It was rebuilt shortly after and remained standing until it was moved to its present location in 1899. Now, Ben Thanh market is a trade centre and a favourite tourist destination, offering a wide range of Vietnamese handicraft, fresh fruits and local specialities.

Artists Long & Ngoc Gallery Grand Hotel (at the lobby), 8 Dong Khoi, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City TeL: (08) 2246-6839

Chinatown – Cho Lon It was set up at the end of the 18th century when the Minh Dynasty in China was overthrown. Chinatown has many shops and private workshops. The most interesting places are Binh Tay market, Soai Kinh Lam fabric

COOKING CLASSES

GALLERIES

VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 53

CENTRE OF HO

1. IIndependence ndependence P Palace alace

2. N Notre otre Dame C Cathedral athedral

3. V Vietnam ietnam H History istory Museum

4. F Fine ine A Arts rts M Museum useum of of Ho Ho Chi Chi Minh Minh City City E4 E4 Ho Chi Minh City 5. H oC hi M inh C ity Museum

6. Southern Women omen Museum Southern W

War Remnants ts Museum 7. Wa ar Remnan

Ben T hanh M arket 8. Ben Thanh Market

9. T ao Dan P Tao Park ark

Post Office 10. P ost O ffice

Zoo 11. Z oo

Nha Wharf 12. N ha Rong W harf

STREET GUIDE

3 Thang 2..........A2, A3, B2 Alexandre De Rhodes........ ........................................E2 An Duong Vuong....A4, B4 Ba Le Chan....................D1 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan...... ........................................C2 Ban Co...........................B3 Ben Chuong Duong........... .................................D4, E4 Ben Van Don...........D4, E4

Bui Thi Xuan..................C3 Bui Vien...................C4, D4 Cach Mang Thang Tam..... ......A1, B1, B2, C2, C3, D3 Calmette.........................E4 Cao Thang.....................B3 Chu Manh Trinh.............F2 Co Bac.....................C4, D4 Co Giang............. ...C4, D4 Cong Quynh............C3, C4 De Tham........................D4

Dien Bien Phu..................... A3, B2, C2, D1, D2, E1, F1 Dinh Tien Hoang............E1 Do Quang Dau...............C4 Do Thanh.......................B3 Doan Cong Buu.............C1 Doan Nhu Hai..........E4, F4 Dong Du.........................F3 Dong Khoi................E3, F3 Hai Ba Trung....................... ...........................D1, E2, F3 Hai Trieu.........................F4

Ham Nghi.................E4, F4 Han Thuyen....................E2 Ho Hao Hon...................C4 Ho Tung Mau...........E3, E4 Ho Xuan Huong.............C2 Hoa Hung.......................A2 Hung Vuong...................A4 Huyen Tran Cong Chua..... ........................................D3 Huynh Thuc Khang........E3 Huynh Tinh Cua.............D1 Ky Con.....................D4, E4

Ky Dong...................B2, C1 Le Duan...................E2, F2 Le Hong Phong.................. ...........................A2, A3, A4 Le Lai.......................C3, D3 Le Loi..............................E3 Le Quy Don....................D2 Le Thanh Ton...................... ...........................D3, E3, F2 Le Thi Hong Gam............... .................................D4, E4 Le Thi Rieng............C3, D3

Le Van Sy.......................B1 Luong Huu Khanh.........C3 Ly Chinh Thang.......C1, C2 Ly Thai To......................A3 Ly Tu Trong......................... ...........................D3, E3, F2 Ly Van Phuc...................E1 Mac Dinh Chi...........E1, E2 Mac Thi Buoi..................F3 Mai Thi Luu..............E1, F1 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia............ ...................C1, D1, D2, D3

CHI MINH CITY D

6 4 11 11

7 2

10 10

9 8

12 1 2

Ngo Duc Ke....................F3 Ngo Thoi Nhiem ....C2, D2 Ngo Van Nam.................F2 Nguyen Binh Khiem.............. .....................................F1, F2 Nguyen Cau...................D1 Nguyen Cong Tru............... .................................D4, E4 Nguyen Dinh Chieu............ ......B3, C2, C3, D2, E1, F1 Nguyen Du..............D3, E3 Nguyen Hue.............E3, F3

Nguyen Khac Nhu.............. .................................C4, D4 Nam Quoc Cang.....C3, C4 Nguyen Phi Khanh.........E1 Nguyen Sieu...................F3 Nguyen Son Tra................. .................................B3, C3 Nguyen Tat Thanh..........F4 Nguyen Thai Binh............... .................................D4, E4 Nguyen Thai Hoc....D3, D4 Nguyen Thanh Y............E1

Nguyen Thi Dieu............C2 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai........ .................................B3, C3 Nguyen Thien Thuat........... .................................A3, B3 Nguyen Thong........B2, C2 Nguyen Thuong Hien........ .................................B2, C3 Nguyen Trai.............B4, C4 Nguyen Trung Ngan......F2 Nguyen Trung Truc........E3 Nguyen Truong To.........E4

Nguyen Van Cu..............B4 Nguyen Van Thu......E1, F1 Pasteur................................ ...............D1, D2, E2, E3,E4 Pham Ngoc Thach.........D1 Pham Ngu Lao........C4, D4 Pham Viet Chanh...........B3 Phan Ke Binh..........E1, E2 Pho Duc Chinh...............E4 Phung Khac Khoan.......E2 Suong Nguyet Anh........C3 Thach Thi Thanh.....D1, E1

Thai Van Lung................F3 Thi Sach.........................F3 Thu Khoa Huan.......D3, E3 To Hien Thanh................A1 Ton That Dam..........E3, E4 Ton Duc Thang..............C3 Tran Binh Trong......A3, A4 Tran Cao Van.................E2 Tran Dinh Xu...........B4, C4 Tran Hung Dao.......C4, D4 Tran Minh Quyen...........A3 Tran Nhan Tong.......A3, A4

Tran Phu.........................A4 Tran Quang Dieu...........B1 Tran Quang Khai.....D1, E1 Tran Quoc Thao......C1, D2 Tran Quoc Toan......C1, D1 Truong Dinh............C1, C2 Tu Xuong.......................C2 Vinh Vien........................A3 Vo Thi Sau........C2, D1, E1 Vo Van Tan..............C3, B3 Vuon Chuoi..............B2, B3 Yersin..............................D4

DIRECTIONS VUNG TAU, LONG HAI, CON DAO, CAN THO, MY THO, CHAU DOC whole-sales market, the street of herbal medicine located on Hai Thuong Lan Ong and Thien Hau Temple on Nguyen Trai Street. MUSEUMS

Ao Dai Museum 206/19/30 Long Thuan St, District 9, Ho Chi Minh City www.baotangaodaivietnam.com Open daily, closed on Monday from 8.30 a.m. until 5.30 p.m. The entry ticket is VND100,000 for adults Fine Arts Museum of Ho Chi Minh City 97A Pho Duc Chinh St, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-4441 www.baotangmythuattphcm.com Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays

Fito Museum

Tau does not have the most beautiful, or cleanest, beaches in Vietnam but can act as a quick getaway from the buzz of the city. HOTELS, RESORTS

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Grand Hotel Vung Tau 2 Nguyen Du St, Ward.1, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3856-888 Email: sales@grandhotel.com.vn www.grandhotel.com.vn From VND2,058,000 ($98) Mường Thanh Vung Tau Hotel No 09, Thong Nhat St, Ward 1, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3835-567 sales@vungtau.muongthanh.vn www.vungtau.muongthanh.vn From VND1,890,000 ($90) Kieu Anh Hotel

41 Hoang Du Khuong S, Ward 12, Dist. 10, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3864-2430 www.fitomuseum.com.vn Open daily from 8.30 a.m. till 5.30 p.m. Ticket: VND50,000 The first museum of traditional Vietnamese medicine 257 Le Hong Phong St, Ward 8, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3584-179 Email: quanly@kieuanhhotel.com www.kieuanhhotel.vn

Independence Palace 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Ben Thanh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-3652 www.dinhdoclap.gov.vn Open daily, 7.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Palace Hotel 1 Nguyen Trai St, Ward 1, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3856-411 Email: sales@palacehotel.com.vn www.palacehotel.com.vn From VND2,062,000 ($97)

MUSEUM

White Palace 6 Tran Phu St, Ward.1, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3852-605 Open daily 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

LONG HAI

Long Hai is a beach town, 30km northeast of Vung Tau and 124 km southeast of HCMC. The Grand Ho Tram Strip Phuoc Thuan, Xuyen Moc, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. Tel: (064) 3788-888 Email: info@thegrandhotramstrip.com www.thegrandhotramstrip.com

MY THO

The Island Lodge

390 Ap Thoi Binh, Thoi Son Ward, My Tho City Tel: (073) 6519-000 contact@theislandlodge.com.vn www.theislandlodge.com.vn 12 Truong Cong Dinh St, Ward 2, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3624-748 Email: sales@petrosetco.com.vn www.petrosetcohotel.vn From VND1,085,700 ($52) Petro House Hotel

VUNG TAU

CAN THO

(TELEPHONE CODE: 0710) Can Tho is the largest city in the Mekong Delta, about 170 km southwest of Ho Chi Minh City, and acts as the area’s economic, transportation and cultural centre. Sitting on the Mekong River, Can Tho is popular for its nearby floating markets, canals and rivers that can be explored by boat. HOTELS, RESORTS

63 Tran Hung Dao St, Ward 1, Vung Tau

56 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

golf4.cantho@vinagolf.vn www.vinagolf.vn Victoria Can Tho Resort Cai Khe Ward, Ninh Kieu Dist., Can Tho Tel: (0710) 3810-111 Email: resa.cantho@victoriahotels.asia www.victoriahotels.asia From VND3,700,000 ($175) MUSEUM

Can Tho Museum 1 Hoa Binh St, Tan An Ward, Can Tho Tel: (0710) 3820-955 Open: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.); Saturday and Sunday (8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. to 9 p.m.). Closed on Friday. Free admission

CHAU DOC

(TELEPHONE CODE: 076) HOTELS

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Victoria Chau Doc Hotel

Six Senses Con Dao Dat Doc Beach, Con Dao Dist., Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province Tel : (064) 3831-222 reservations-condao@sixsenses.com www.sixsenses.com/resorts/ con-dao/destination From VND14,490,000 ($690)

Petrosetco Hotel

Southern Women Museum 202 Vo Thi Sau St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3932-7130

(TELEPHONE CODE: 064) A popular beach resort town for residents of Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau is about 128 km southeast of HCMC. It can be reached either by road or by a 90-minute hydrofoil boat from HCMC. Sitting on a peninsula that sticks out into the East Sea, Vung

Romeliess Hotel 31 - 33 Thuy Van St, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3613-366 Email: sales@romeliss.com www.romeliesshotel.com

CON DAO

Ho Chi Minh City Museum 65 Ly Tu Trong St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-9741 www.hcmc-museum.edu.vn Open daily 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The History Museum 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist 1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-8146 www.baotanglichsuvn.com 8 a.m. - 11.30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. Closed on Monday War Remnants Museum 28 Vo Van Tan St, Ward 6, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City, Tel: (08) 3930-5587 Email: warrmhcm@gmail.com Open daily 7.30 a.m. to midday and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Tel: (064) 3852-014 Email: info@petrohousehotel.vn www.petrohousehotel.vn From VND1,260,000 ($60)

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Golf Can Tho Hotel 2 Hai Ba Trung St, Tan An Ward, Ninh Kieu Dist., Can Tho Tel: (0710) 3812-210

1 Le Loi St, Chau Doc Town, An Giang Province Tel: (076) 3865-010 resa.chaudoc@victoriahotels.asia www.victoriahotels.asia From VND3,169,000 ($149) Victoria Nui Sam Lodge Vinh Dong 1, Nui Sam, Chau Doc, An Giang Province. Tel: (076) 3575-888 resa.nuisam@victoriahotels.asia www.victoriahotels.asia MUSEUM

An Giang Museum 11 Ton Duc Thang St, My Binh Ward, Long Xuyen City, An Giang Province Tel: (076) 3956-248 Open hour 7a.m. to 11a.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Monday Entrance fee: VND42,000 ($2)

PHU QUOC

(TELEPHONE CODE: 077) Phu Quoc Island, off the southern tip of Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand, has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. White-sand beaches, scuba diving around coral reefs or exploring the protected jungle. Accessible by either the Rach Gia hydrofoil boat or a 50-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City. Modest family-owned bungalows on the beach to fivestar resorts.

DIRECTIONS PHU QUOC, OVERSEAS HOTELS, RESORTS Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Chen Sea Resort & Spa Phu Quoc, Centara Boutique Collection Bai Xep, Ong Lang, Cua Duong, Phu Quoc Island Tel: (077) 3995-895 Email: cpv@chr.co.th www.centarahotelsresorts.com From VND3,381,000 ($161) Eden Resort Phu Quoc

Cua Lap Hamlet, Duong To Ward, Phu Quoc District, Kien Giang Province Tel: (077) 3985-598 reservations@edenresort.com.vn www.edenresort.com.vn La Veranda Resort

Tran Hung Dao St, Ward 7, Duong Dong Town Phu Quoc Island Tel: (077) 3982-988 contact@laverandaresorts.com www.laverandaresorts.com VND5,082,000 to VND8,694,000 ($242 to $414) Sai Gon Phu Quoc Resort 1 Tran Hung Dao St, Phu Quoc Island Tel: (077) 3846-999 Email: sgphuquocresort@hcm.vnn.vn www.sgphuquocresort.com.vn VND2,499,000 to VND4,011,000 ($119 to $191)

CANADA

(Telephone code: 1) Xe Lua 254 Spadina Ave, Tonronto, Ontario Canada M5T2C2 Tel: (1-416) 703-8330 Xe Lua has been open since 1996 and serves phở for $6 a bowl Open: 11.30 a.m. to 12 p.m Chau Kitchen and Bar 1500 Robson St. Vancouver, British Columbia Tel: (1-604) 682-8020 www.chaukitchenandbar.com Serves Vietnamese dishes with prices starting at $7 per dish.

FRANCE

(Telephone code: 33)

CLEMONT-FERRAND Kim Anh 6 Bis r Elie Gintrac Tel: (33-4) 7391-9364 Serves traditional Vietnamese food, from €12.80 per dish Open 11.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (closed on Sundays). GRENOBLE Kim Ngan 22 r Nicolas Chrier Tel: (33-4) 7649-0847 Serves Vietnamese food with prices starting at €8 per dish

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Telephone code: 1) CALIFORNIA-CA Emerald Restaurant Pacific Gateway Plaza 3709 Convoy Street, Ste 101, San Diego, CA 92111 Tel: (1) 858-565-6888 Serves Vietnamese food

514 12th Ave Seattle, WA 98122 Tel: (1) 206-860-8164 Moonlight Café 1919 S Jackson St Seattle, WA 98144 Tel: (1) 206-322-3378 Massachusetts-MA Saigon Hut 305-307 Meridian St. Boston, ] MA 02128; Tel: (1) 617-567-1944 Xinh Xinh 7 Beach St (Washington St.) Boston, MA 02111 Tel: (1) 617-422-0501

UNITED KINGDOM

(Telephone code: 44) Little Saigon Restaurant 6 Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne, England Tel: 01912330766 Vietnamese dishes

AUSTRALIA

(Telephone code: 61) La Mint 62–64 Riley St, East Sydney NSW 2010 Tel: (61) 293-311-818 Email: service@lamint.com.au www.lamint.com.au French and Vietnamese dishes

INDONESIA

(Telephone code: 62) Pho 24 Pondok Indah, Plaza I, Jln. Taman Duta 1Blok UA 35 Jakarta Selatan Tel: (62) 0217-505-909 JIn. Wolter Mongonsidi No. 71, Kebayyoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan Tel: (62) 0217-278-8411 Pacific Place Mall, 5th Floor, SCBD, JIn. Jendral Sudirman Kav. 52-53, Jakarta 12190 Tel: (62) 0215-140-0531

Hung Ky Mi Gia 5237 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92115; Tel: (1) 619-229-2188 Serves noodle varieties with prices starting at $5 per dish Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. International Restaurant 1 4444 – A University Ave, San Diego, CA 92115 Tel: (1) 619-281-9999 Little Saigon 7 Linden Ave (Railroad) South San Francisco, CA 94080 Tel: (1) 650-589-1398 New York-NY Saigon Grill 620 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024 Tel: (1) 212-875-9072 Serves over 100 Vietnamese dishes including vegetarian options Open 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Mai Lan Vietnamese 505 N State St Syracuse, NY 13203 Tel: (1) 315-471-6740 www.mailanrestaurant.com L’Annam 121 University Pl New York, NY 10022 Tel: (1) 212-420-1414 VIRGINIA-VA Minh’s Vietnamese 2500 Wilson Blvd Arlington, VA 22201 Tel: (1) 703-525-2828 Prices start at $15 per dish Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (closed on Mondays) WASHINGTON-WC Ho Bac 1314 S Jackson St Seattle, WA 98144 Tel: (1) 206-860-8164 Kieu Nga Lemongrass Restaurant VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

• 57

LAID BACK

Photo: Nguyen Duc Nghia

Photo: Chu The Vinh

Photo: Vuong Vinh Hai

Photo: Le Duc Thanh

Clockwise from top, left: Wrestling at Van Tra Village, Hai Phong City. Highlight of the competition is the fight of female and male wrestlers; Flag and unicorn dance on stilts, Nam Dinh Province; Bringing fishermen and their coracles to the shore, Ca Ty River, Binh Thuan Province; Cock fighting, Quang Binh Province; Lightning, Kien Giang Province 58 â&#x20AC;˘ VIETNAM HERITAGE - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2015

Photo: Pham Van Thanh