Word Vietnam February 2016

F for Fashion THẾ GIỚI PUBLISHERS

W OR DV IE TN AM .C OM

CHUYÊN ĐỀ DU LỊCH, ẨM THỰC VIETNAM EDITION / VOL. 2 TÁC GIẢ: BAO ROSS

Moet et Chandon made in Épernay - 12% Vol

The name

says it all,

The Society Bar & Grill not only provides a unique, new-age dining experience, but also the ultimate in hospitality.

Located in the newly revamped Saigon Garden on Nguyen Hue, The Society brings the iconic alley bar to Vietnam.

Current Promotions: - Daily happy hour from 5pm to 8pm: 50% off all drinks except bottles - 20% off all a la carte food items (until February 29th) - Set lunches: • One-course meal - VND149,000 • Two-course meal - VND199,000 • Three-course meal - VND249,000 Grand Opening Party on 28 February 2016 with Live DJ and Theme Party

Ground Floor, Saigon Garden, 99 Nguyen Hue, District 1, HCMC Reservations: 08.39143.999 / info@thesociety.com.vn Facebook page: Facebook.com/ThesocietyHCM

Contents Feb. 2016

58

102

112

THE TALK 010 / Monkey Brains

26 / At Half Mast

The turtle in the lake is no more

‘Tis the Year of the Monkey

INSIDER

011 / The Big Five

48 / A Visual Storyteller

Events to look out for this month

BRIEFINGS 12 / The Street Food Market Saigon gets another new food court. This one could be a winner

14 / Up the Pole

Fancy learning to pole dance, anyone?

16 / The Body Transformation Challenge Time to create a new you

18 / Boules, Anyone

The pétanque league in Hanoi. It’s a funny old game…

2 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

A portrait of fashion industry insider, Dzung Yoko

50 / Thao Vu

A sustainable approach to fashion

52 / A Short History of Thao Dien

From swimming pool mecca to construction site

58 / F for Fashion

Style, creativity and looks. An insider’s view into the world of fashion

88 / Helter Skelter

94 / A Beginner’s Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance Time to get practical

102 / Setting a Benchmark

The greenest building in Vietnam

106 / The Upper Crust

Saigon gets itself a new restobar.

This one could be a little special

EAT & DRINK 110 / Mystery Diner Hanoi This month’s review: Chops

112 / The Many Faces of Bun Cha

Hanoi’s (second) favourite dish, but not as you know it

116 / Mystery Diner HCMC

This month’s review: Le Terroir

No fashion issue would be complete 118 / Street Snacker HCMC without a fashion shoot. This one’s A street snack made just for Tet: a good ‘un sui cao chien

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 3

Contents Feb. 2016

120

134

138

TRAVEL

150 / Bar Stool

158 / Medical Buff

120/ Going Deep

152 / Coffee Cup

164/ Business Buff

156 / Top Eats

166 / Body and Temple

160 / City Map

174 / The Gym Diaries

HCMC

180 / Amazing Grapes

134 / Notes From Another City

32 / To-Do List

188 / A World of Good

Fancy a trip to Vung Tau, anyone?

37 / Overscene

FINAL SAY

138 / The Motorbike Diaries

162 / HCMC City Guide

192 / The Other Plate’s Got More Rice

Diving with Rainbow

126 / Making Tracks the Long Way

Drawing a new route through Vietnam’s northern frontier

Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya

HANOI 40 / To-Do List 44 / Overscene

178 / Coffee Cup 182 / Top Eats 1

Everywhere you live in the world has its frustrations. Best get used to it

184 / Top Eats 2

194 / The Language Beast

190 / City Map

140 / Hanoi City Guide

COLUMNS 146 / Book Buff

144 / Day Tripper

148 / The Therapist

4 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

Learning Vietnamese is tough, just don’t feel bad about it

196 / Ten 10

Fashion industry pioneer and visionary, Nguyen Cong Tri

Wishing you a very monkey-like 2016 From all them Great Apes at

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 5

CONTRIBUTORS

This month we asked our team to tell us about the most fashionable item they own HARRY HODGE Contributor I have a pretty sweet CK watch my wife bought me for our anniversary.

But it’s a heavy metal thing and after driving for more than 10 minutes in Saigon I have to wash my arm to dislodge the grime that accumulates underneath the wristband in traffic.

JON ASPIN Staff Editor I’m Australian, what’s fashion? If I can’t wear a pair of double-pluggers, stubbies and a wife-beater, I’m not going.

JESS3 MEADOWS Staff Writer When I was in Miami, I got some tights that have leopards and sparkly gold chains printed all over them. I call them my party pants.

SIAN KAVANAGH Contributor A fantastic blue clutch bag made from an antique kimono. It makes me feel stylish in any outfit.

VI PHAM Contributor My golden bling bling pair of slip-ons!

I’m still waiting to see if they can bring me to Oz… NICK ROSS Chief Editor If I could say my wife, I would, as she really knows how to dress. But fortunately you don’t wear a human being. Beyond that, my fashion sense extends as far as Gap, Next, Carharrt and the occasional trip to secondhand clothes shops like Replay.

The editorial and design of WORD is carried out by Duong Huynh Advertising JSC

EDITORIAL NICK ROSS Chief Editor nick@wordvietnam.com

VU HA KIM VY Editorial Manager vy@wordvietnam.com

MADS MONSEN Creative Director mads@wordvietnam.com

JON ASPIN Staff Editor jon@wordvietnam.com

KYLE PHANROY Photo Editor kyle@wordvietnam.com

JULIE VOLA Staff Photographer julie@wordvietnam.com

FRANCIS XAVIER Staff Reporter & Photographer francis.xavier@wordvietnam.com

OWEN SALISBURY Staff Writer owen@wordvietnam.com

JESSE MEADOWS Staff Writer (Hanoi) jesse@wordvietnam.com

NGUYEN LOC Layout Designer loc@wordvietnam.com

ADMINISTRATION BAO ROSS General Director bao@wordvietnam.com

TRANG LE Chief Accountant trang@wordvietnam.com

ADVERTISING TRINH BUI Sales Manager trinh@wordvietnam.com

CHAU GIANG Office Assistant giang@wordvietnam.com

DISTRIBUTION trinh@wordvietnam.com hai@wordvietnam.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS trang@wordvietnam.com hai@wordvietnam.com

For advertising enquiries please call Ms Bao on +84 938 609689 or Ms Trinh on +84 936 269244 Special thanks to Peter Scott, Siân Kavanagh, Kate Robinson, Harry Hodge, The Intimate Initiative, Hung Tran from Gotit, Dzung Yoko, Thao Vu from Kilomet 109, Giang from Thao Dien, Lorenzo Kaleolani, Nguyen Diem Nhung, Tony Tuong, Mon Amie: King of Vest, Louise BachMogensen, Ella Henry, Thuy Nguyen, Nguyen Duy Thanh, Thiep Nguyen, Green One UN House, Huyen Tran, Vi Pham, Rainbow Divers, Jan Adrian Venter, Don Wills, Matt Dworzanczyk, Truong from Bookworm, Douglas Holwerda, Duy Khanh, Ali Cannon, Shane Dillon, Phil Kelly, Natalia Martinez, Jim Cawood, Dana McNairn, Peter Scott, Nguyen Cong Tri and David Legard

Word is a registered trademark. No content may be reproduced in any form without prior authorisation of the owners.

JULIE VOLA Photographer I don’t know… I often get compliments on my coat and my handbag. I’d say it has to be these.

© Word - Duong Huynh Advertising JSC

© Tất cả hình ảnh và nội dung trong Ấn phẩm này thuộc bản quyền của Ấn phẩm Word của C.Ty CP TM–DV–QC–Truyền Thông Dương Huỳnh. Mọi sự sao chép không được phép sẽ bị xem là vi phạm luật Sở Hữu Trí Tuệ hiện hành của nhà nước Cộng Hòa Xã Hội Chủ Nghĩa Việt Nam.

CHUYÊN ĐỀ DU LỊCH & ẨM THỰC ISBN: 978-604-77-2121-4

6 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

CÔNG TY TNHH MTV NHÀ XUẤT BẢN THẾ GIỚI Trụ sở chính: 46 Trần Hưng Đạo, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội Tel: 04.3825.3841 – Fax: 04.3826.9578 Email: thegioi@ thegioipublishers.vn Website: www. thegioipublishers.vn

CHỊU TRÁCH NHIỆM XUẤT BẢN: TS. Trần Đoàn Lâm Biên tập: Phạm Trần Long Thiết kế mỹ thuật: Bao Ross Sửa bản in: Nick Ross Bìa: Duong Huynh Advertising JSC

LIÊN KẾT XUẤT BẢN VÀ PHÁT HÀNH CÔNG TY CP TM–DV–QC–TRUYỀN THÔNG DƯƠNG HUỲNH 87/21/6 Đường Số 4 Cư Xá Đô Thành, Phường 4, Q. 3, TP. HCM. ĐT: + 84 8 3838 6908 Fax: + 84 8 3838 6971 Email: info@wordvietnam.com Website: www.wordvietnam.com

In 15.000 cuốn, khổ 20.5 x 27cm In tại Công Ty TNHH MTV In Trần Phú 71 – 73 – 75 Hai Bà Trưng, Q. 1, TP. HCM. www.tranphuprint.com Giấy xác nhận ĐKXB số: 61-2016/ CXBIPH/30-01/ThG. Quyết định xuất bản số: 39/QĐ-ThG cấp ngày 28 tháng 01 năm 2016.

In xong và nộp lưu chiểu tháng 02 năm 2016.

Mã ISBN: 978-604-77-2121-4 SÁCH CHUYÊN ĐỀ QUẢNG CÁO

Prelude

I

’m not a fashionista — definitely not.

Although, over the past two years my dress sense has improved, my Vietnamese wife and oldest daughter are the fashion gurus of our family.

That they take the way they look and the way they dress so seriously is unsurprising.

Vietnam is obsessed by status, and status is projected here via your outward image. The

car or motorbike you drive, the clothes you wear, the accessories you boast, the bars or restaurants you frequent, even the house or apartment you live in. They both know that. But they also know that looking good makes you feel good. Being from the UK — we really are a country of sloppy dressers — this is something that although I respect, I don’t find to be so important.

Fortunately for you, this issue is not about me or my family, it’s about the fashion industry in Vietnam, an industry that is strangely

unbalanced. Yet it’s an industry that should in theory fit well with the outlook of this increasingly financially well-endowed nation.

Vietnam, especially its women, loves to dress up, loves to look great.

Yet understanding how this industry works requires going beyond the surface.

This is what we have tried to do. Yes, we’ve done the mandatory fashion shoot, the final product, the beautiful part that you see on the catwalks and in the magazines, but we’ve also looked at other aspects of this maturing industry.

From a day spent with a tailor through to

interviews with fashion industry insiders and a visit to a shoe factory, we’ve tried to cover all angles.

Will this make me dress any better?

Probably not. Will it make you dress any better? Who knows?

But hopefully this month’s issue will certainly give you a different perspective on an industry that is too often viewed as shallow and trivial.

Contrary to popular belief, fashion in Vietnam is anything but.

Wishing you a Happy New Year.

Chuc Mung Nam Moi! — Nick Ross, Chief Editor

CHUYÊN ĐỀ DU LỊCH, ẨM THỰC VIETNAM EDITION / VOL. 2 TÁC GIẢ: BAO ROSS

F for Fashion THẾ GIỚI PUBLISHERS

W OR DV IE TN AM .C OM

The

THIS MONTH'S COVER Photo by Francis Xavier Model: Diem Nhung Design by DH Advertising

Have Your Say Do you have any comments? Then let us know on Facebook — facebook.com/word.vietnam — or via Twitter, @wordvietnam. No matter how positive or negative your thoughts, we look forward to hearing from you.

Inbox Do you have any comments that you would like to air? If so, reach out and touch us at nick@ wordvietnam. com — we’re at your fingertips.

The January Issue We’ve just read the glamorous PDF of Word. You are so amazing at putting all the information together. It must be hard work. Edible art, wearable art and everything else. So interesting. — HM Just holding the newest Word edition in my hand and I have to make a compliment: the magazine simply looks awesome! It is so amazing to have seen the development during the past five years! I have lived in many cities and this is the best city magazine I know! You do such a great job, couldn’t imagine living in Vietnam without the Word!

— KK Just back from my holidays in Sri Lanka. Finally got to see this month’s issue of the Word on my lunch break today.

It’s great. Full of interesting stuff... too much to mention.

8 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

Anyway, I just wanted to drop you a line to say “well done”.

My favourite issue to date.

— DOF Just seen the January issue of The Word. Loving the Creative Issue idea, but where were the Dramatic Arts? Theatre is a growing business here in Saigon and Dragonfly are proud to lead the way in bringing English language theatre to the city. We work hard to promote the dramatic arts, as do the visual and film artists here, and would love to have been included in the ‘Creative Issue’. Our last production, Lawrence and Holloman, drew a large audience of very theatrically satisfied customers raving about the professional and thought provoking play they witnessed. We would have loved to have shared that with your readers. — Belinda Smith, Dragonfly

On Leaving (page 192, January 2016) So the article is basically about Nick Ross coming to VN for a month, being kidnapped by zuzu aliens and forced to listen to Hotel California for 16 years. Yep, sounds about right. — Anon Your article On Leaving really rocks. My brother who used to live in Hanoi for three years, shared your article on FB, saying: “Same-Same”. — CO Beautifully written, with a raw deep nerve.

Brave and stunning and shit hot. [Nick Ross] you are not leaving. — RR Beautifully written and yes, Hotel California is an incredibly irritating song. — MC We went back to England for six weeks. It was not the country I grew up in anymore. My 13-year-old son could not wait to get back to Vietnam. — TL

Correction The advert run on page 57 created by staff of advertising agency Leo Burnett was wrongly credited. It should have been credited to Jeremy and Vy. We apologise for the error

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 9

Talk Lead THE TALK

LEAD ARTICLE

Monkey Brains

D

As we stagger out of the Goat era, it’s time for a new start

oes anyone care whether 2016 is the Year of the Monkey? It’s the year of the iPhone 7, the Nauru general election and Euro 2016.

Surely that should be enough.

“You’re quite wrong,” a Vietnamese friend, schooled in such matters, told me. “It is most important. These things go in cycles.

Think back to what was happening in your life during the last Year of the Monkey 12 years ago, or 24 years ago, or...”

“I get the point,” I said hastily.

I thought about trying to recall what happened to me in 2004 and 1992, but’s it’s a futile exercise for someone who can’t remember what they had for breakfast last Tuesday. All I can recall about 2004 is that I was expertly pickpocketed in Saigon by a kid wearing a T-shirt saying “Happy Richy Sexy”, and brooded about it for days. Or was that 2003?

Then it occurred to me not to be so selfish.

By delving back into the general history of earlier Monkey years, it shouldn’t be too hard to come up with some guidelines of what the world can expect in 2016. Here is my analysis: ********** 1) The world’s first biometric selfie stick will go on sale in March. If you’re looking particularly rough, or haven’t brushed your teeth, it will back the camera off so far as to obscure the wretched details.

Don’t try this in the Louvre after a night on the absinthe.

10 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

2) A late addition to the Rio Olympics will be the sport of Speed Metro-Building, as the authorities try desperately to complete the infrastructure on time.

Vietnam will not be participating.

3) Scientists will come up with a formula, similar to Einstein’s great E=mc2 in its simplicity, which will help discover the smallest entity in the universe, namely the collective amount of wisdom to be found on Twitter.

4) The box office hit of the summer is Rocky IX, in which Rocky Balboa regains the title when Apollo Creed is disqualified in the 8th round for having a squeaky wheel on his walking frame.

5) Rupert Murdoch is convicted in the UK of being personally involved in the News Corporation phone-hacking scandal, but is spared a prison term after his lawyers persuade the judge that the 81-year-old media magnate is suffering from anatidaephobia, the fear that, somewhere in the world, a duck is watching you.

6) Due to a clerical error, Dennis Rodman is elected Secretary-General of the UN to succeed Ban Ki-Moon. He will assume his duties on Jan. 1, 2017, or maybe a few days later, if they can find him.

7) Re-runs of the TV show Friends are banned in Canada on the grounds that

it discriminates against people who don’t have any friends. The ban is lifted a week later after it is pointed out that it was precisely the people without any friends who watched the show in the first place.

8) The newly elected US President will finally be allowed into the UK after purchasing Aberdeen and renaming it Trumpville.

9) In December, the world’s politicians will save the planet for the 22nd consecutive year, accompanied by 40,000 bureaucrats, journalists, NGO staffers and delegates from the Amalgamated Order of Bearded Santas.

It looks like being a tough year, but then the Year of the Monkey is not regarded as the most propitious in the Lunar calendar. Some readers may remember 2013, the Year of the Snake, regarded as the most propitious of all for having children; so propitious, in fact, that it was hard even to get my bicycle tyres pumped up, the only mechanic of note in my Mekong Delta town being a young, married Chinese fellow.

And if you are a Year of the Monkey child, as a prominent astrology website notes, you are talented, creative, generous, charming, loyal… and you like bananas. But, the website advises: Don’t marry a Horse.

Whatever year you were born in, Word wishes Happy Richy Sexy to you all. — Peter Scott

Big5 The

Tet, Tet and did we mention Tet? Yes, the Lunar New Year is upon us and so is the monkey

a

Tet Fireworks

Fireworks over the Bitexco Tower in Saigon. Coming to you this month.

DThe BBGV will be bringing the 1920s to Saigon for their 20-year anniversary bash

a)

b)

1

All of Vietnam Sunday, Feb. 7

It’s one of events of the year, the fireworks on Tet Eve, and this year Hanoi is putting on displays at 31 locations including six spots where the fireworks will be sky high. If you’re not escaping the New Year madness and want to welcome in the Year of the Monkey in style, then here are your options for some midnight gunpowder: Hoan Kiem Lake, Thong Nhat Park, Lac Long Quan, Van Quan Lake and My Dinh National Stadium.

Naturally, Ho Chi Minh City refuses to be outdone, although many of the displays down south will be in the hinterland — Tet Eve in Can Gio anyone? So, for downtown or close to downtown head to the area above Thu Thiem Tunnel, Dam Sen Park or yes, we know you’ll love this spot, Go Vap Cultural Park.

And if you want to see the fireworks from a higher vantage point, then this Tet we’re sure you’ll work out why all these skybars have appeared over the past three years.

Yes, they’ve got their uses.

Valentine’s Day 2

All of Vietnam Sunday, Feb. 14

b dinner this year, but apart from the five-star hotels, all of which have got something set up, and our friends at The Deck in Saigon — they do have a rather romantic spot on the river — nothing has been released yet. Tet just gets in the way.

So, our answer? Check out our website at wordvietnam.com closer to the date, and you never know what you might find. It could even be love!

3

Foosball Tournament

The Roaring 20s

CAMA ATK, Hanoi Thursday, Feb. 25

InterContinental Asiana Saigon, HCMC 5 Saturday, Mar. 19

When you get frustrated, there’s nothing better than hitting a ball or two. That’s exactly what CAMA ATK have in mind by reviving their notso-regular foosball tournament at the end of this month.

Sign up with a pal, head down to the bar, and bash the hell out of each other. Want to know how? Turn to page 42.

Bloody Mary Competition 4 We would love to tell you where to go for that all important Valentine’s

the stomach and out of pocket, then it must be time for some sweet, Tabasco and vodka-infused recovery. Where better to head then than Saigon’s first ever Bloody Mary Competition. Yes, bloomin’ Bloody Marys.

The place with the competition is Pitchers in Phu My Hung, and the contestants? Turn to page 34 and you might end up being one yourself.

Pitchers Sports & Grill, HCMC Saturday, Feb. 28

If Tet and all that li xi you’ve had to give out has left you feeling full of

The Brits know how to throw a party. So, naturally, when the British Business Group of Vietnam (BBGV) mark their 20th anniversary on Mar. 19, there’s going to be quite a song and dance. Although don’t expect there to be any Morris Dancing — that one’s a thing of the past — the Brits will, however, be doing the Charleston.

This one’s got Great Gatsby written all over it, thank you very much.

Welcome to the Roaring 20s!

To get down and get funky with our friends at BBGV, turn to page 36 and book your tickets. This is a big one. 20 years big.

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 11

Briefings HCMC

The Street Food Market V Paying homage to the mighty food court

ietnam is a street food lover’s paradise. Yet until the end of last year, except for the weekend night market on Hang Dao in Hanoi, nobody had thought to put all those street food stalls scattered around this country into one, handy place.

Enter the Ben Thanh Street Food Market.

Located on Thu Khoa Huan, 100m up the hill from Saigon’s central market, judging by its early reception (and the crowds), it’s already proving a success.

Not Just Vietnamese Decked out with a stage space for live music

12 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

performances, art murals and wooden picnic benches, although construction is still ongoing, the food court is proving a trendy spot to grab a bite to eat and a cold, afternoon drink.

The set up is modeled after Singaporeanstyle food courts and offers a large variety of stalls. Most are of the Vietnamese street food variety, with the likes of banh xeo, banh mi and spring rolls sharing stand space with hotpots, pho and a wide selection of fresh seafood.

The other stalls have everything from Chinese barbecued chicken to sushi, Thai food, smoothies, juices and desserts.

Though more expensive than the more traditional street food you’ll find around town, prices remain reasonable. Drinks start at VND15,000 and food goes from VND30,000 for tourists and locals alike.

According to the local press, the market’s mission is to serve up traditional and non-traditional street food in a safe and hygienic environment.

A Place of Contrasts Walking around the market you can’t help but experience the intense aromatic combination of lemongrass, chilli, fish sauce and durian.

PHOTOS BY NICK ROSS

The views and proximity to Ben Thanh market mean that the street food market will inevitably become a choice place to come and beat the heat or end a day of sightseeing in the city. On my visit, the foot traffic alone from the Ben Thanh Night Market meant that the place was filled until closing time.

Saigon is a place of contrasts, and this street food market is no different. It’s the kind of place where you can eat classic Southeast Asian dishes while listening to Taylor Swift, One Direction and a multitude of languages and accents. Not everyone’s cup of iced tea, but the idea is good.

Go for the food, stay for the atmosphere and leave with a host of new companions and friends. — Siân Kavanagh Ben Thanh Street Food Market is open from 10am to 11pm every day and is located at 19 Thu Khoa Huan, Q1, HCMC

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 13

Briefings Hanoi

Up the Pole

W

Fancy learning to pole dance, anyone?

hoever said beauty is pain, probably tried pole dancing.

The back of my thighs were burning red and raw as I gripped the pole behind my knees and flung myself backwards into space, spinning around towards the floor.

“Now, get back up, but do it beautifully,” the instructor said, as I fell into a crumpled heap around the pole. Right. I turned to give her a look of defeat but she was already on the other side of the room, climbing up another pole ninja-style and effortlessly spiraling her body down around it, toes pointed like a ballerina.

Twenty-eight-year-old Hai Linh Nguyen learnt how to pole dance four-and-a-half years ago while living in Belgium. After placing third in the 2014 Belgian Pole Dance Championships, she decided to bring her knowledge back to Vietnam. In the hopes of teaching the women (and men!) of Hanoi how to love their bodies, she opened Hanoi Pole Mania five months ago.

“Surprisingly, people have a very open view on pole dancing [in Vietnam],” she says.

While closely associated with strip clubs in the West, the dance actually began in India, with a sport called mallakhamba, or “pole gymnastics”. It became popular in

14 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

travelling circuses in the 1920s, and over the years was combined with burlesque to become one of America’s seedier forms of entertainment. It wasn’t until the 1990s that pole dancing began to be used for fitness; in recent years, there has even been a push to add it as a sport in the Olympics.

From the Core The hardest thing about this art is making it look easy. It’s a skill that requires massive amounts of upper body and core strength, combined with a dancer’s grace, and a runner’s endurance. To build these muscles, Hai Linh lead the six of us through a yogabased warm-up session set to hip-hop, then showed us some basic moves that involved using our body weight, chest first, to propel us around the pole. And those tiny shorts are not just for looks, either; the more skin you have exposed, the better grip you can get on the metal.

I found it hard to make a complete circle around the pole; she explained that it was my grip that controlled my speed, and my fear that kept me from letting go enough to make the full 360 degrees. I assessed my distance from the hardwood floor. It wasn’t that far. Falling wouldn’t be so bad, I thought. The skin on my legs is totally not burning, I convinced myself.

So round and round I went until finally, in the last five minutes of class, I released my terrified vice grip just enough to make it one full rotation. 'Did anyone see that?

Did I look cool?!' I thought in excitement, as I crashed clumsily to the floor once again. Probably not. But did I feel good about myself for this small, mildly painful victory? Definitely.

Making the Impossible, Possible “It makes people realise that their bodies can do things that they didn’t think they could do,” Hai Linh says of her favourite dance.

And it doesn’t take long to see progress, either. A fellow classmate told me she’d been dancing only two months, but could already climb to the top of the pole. I pointed at the bruises on her legs.

“When do those stop?” I asked.

Hai Linh, who’d been eavesdropping, laughed. “Your skin gets used to it,” she said. Two days later, and I can barely pull myself out of bed. All my neglected muscles are crying out at being woken up again. It’s a good pain, though; a tangible reminder of what it feels like to get out of your digital world and back into your body. — Jesse Meadows For more info on Hanoi Pole Mania click on hanoipolemania.com

PHOTOS BY JULIE VOLA

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 15

Briefings HCMC

PHOTO BY KYLE PHANROY

16 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

The Body Transformation Challenge From Feb. 21, two health practitioners will be giving Saigon citizens the chance to create a new you

I

PHOTOS BY OWEN SALISBURY

t’s always a challenge taking the big step to finally commit to losing weight and getting fit.

So why not let other people create the challenge for you — the Saigon Body Transformation Challenge, in fact. The rules are simple: Who can lose the most body fat and centimetres over a four-week period, as measured by the organisers of this event, La Holista and Nicky’s Zumba® Fitness Clubs.

“People in Saigon may have difficulties staying on a health regime due to cheap takeaways, stressful grocery shopping experiences and overall lack of community support,” says Chiara Squinzi of La Holista.

“With this challenge we hope to give education, support and space to people who are serious about changing their lifestyle and getting fit, adding a few prizes just to make it fun and keep them focused and motivated.”

Forming Long Lasting Habits The challenge addresses both sides of the fitness conundrum — exercise and nutrition.

Exercise consists of either 10 classes of the Latin-American inspired Zumba dance workout, eight crossfit sessions, or one month’s unlimited yoga sessions, all at Nicky’s Zumba clubs.

This is supported by four different nutrition options for one month’s healthy eating, for example, two Herbalife Shake boxes of 21 healthy meals with 100% natural ingredients, (five different flavours available at only 200 calories per meal), and 16 snack servings (cookies and energy balls) from La Holista.

The reason that the challenge lasts one month has to do with human nature, says Squinzi.

“It is said that you need 21 days to form

a habit,” she adds. “We hope that giving people 30 days of focused time will help participants keep some of these healthy habits forever.”

Among the potential benefits are weight loss, increased energy, better sleep, better eating patterns, cleared skin, better digestion, clearance of pathologies, but the challenge’s goals are more general and more modest.

“Overall wellness and increased life quality by lowering body fat percentage are definitely important for us,” says Squinzi. “And in this case, this is what we will focus on.”

Individual Attention Because of the personal help given to all the contestants, the challenge is limited to 30 places. But even if you don’t make it to register on time, the same classes, nutrition and supplements offered during the challenge are still available at the clubs as part of their normal business.

There are two separate competitions — most body fat lost and most centimetres lost.

Prizes include a private healthy shopping tour with La Holista, as well as free classes and supplements.

The price to enter the challenge is VND3.5 million with a discount for early bookings.

For info, email chiara@laholista.com or visit laholista.com. The launch will be from 3pm to 5pm on Feb. 21 at City Garden, 59 Ngo Tat To, Binh Thanh, HCMC while the final measurements will be taken exactly four weeks later at the same location.

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 17

Briefings Hanoi

Boules, Anyone?

In Hanoi, pétanque is alive and very well, awash with joie de vivre

F

riday night at Chez Xuan, the Ricard is flowing — someone’s got a bottle — and the pétanque aficionados are out in force. With a gravel terrain de pétanque illuminated by yellow streetlamp lighting, a match is about to start. But this is not French versus French, this is a team of two Brits squaring up to two Gallic devotees of this most French of games. Les Autres are playing Les Tons Tons.

“There are a few non-French teams in the league,” explains Colin from Les Autres.

“There is also a Swiss-Scottish team called Roast Boeuf and a team of Vietnamese ladies called Ladyboules. We are Les Autres — the others. Not sure if it makes sense in French, but people seem to like the name.”

Invented in 1910 by a French café owner, Ernest Pitiot, pétanque is a form of boules where the aim is to throw hollow metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet. Players have to stand

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PHOTOS BY NICK ROSS

inside a circle with both feet on the ground.

Today the French Pétanque Federation has 300,000 licensed members and the sport is played around the world, mainly but not exclusively in former French colonies.

With this country’s history, it’s no surprise that pétanque is also found in Hanoi — it’s just something you don’t hear about all that much. Although played mainly by French expats, the Vietnamese also have a penchant for this form of boules — in 2012 the 16th Asian Pétanque Championships were held in the capital.

The Vietnamese team finished second in the medal tally with three gold medals, five silvers and six bronzes.

A Tense Match As the square-up starts, the atmosphere is tense. On a table next to the terrain de pétanque, an audience watches on, discussing the game, intensely observing the unfolding of this power match. The games consists of a number of rounds, or ‘ends’. As each end finishes, players and onlookers gather in the middle of the pitch to assess the final position of the balls. At one point a tape measure comes out; two of the boules are an almost identical distance from the cochonnet and it’s too close to call.

The first set goes to Les Tons Tons, the team headed by Pascal, the owner of Chez Xuan. However, in the second set Les Autres run into an 11-1 lead, only to be pegged back by their never-say-die opponent.

Comments Colin: “Les Tons Tons… went for a risky ‘tir’ or ‘shot’ — when you knock the opponents boules out with a fast throw.

They missed and it handed us the set, 13-9.

We were relieved.”

He adds: “The later on a Friday night that you play [Les Tons Tons], the more chance you have of winning.”

The match was tied at one set apiece.

another ball out and staying to collect the point is called a carreau. Doing that is really hard but when you occasionally manage it, immensely satisfying.” — Nick Ross To get involved or to watch a game or two, enquire at Chez Xuan, 41 Ngo 76 An Duong, Tay Ho, Hanoi, Tel: 0915 085305

Never Mind the Bollocks With all the games played at Chez Xuan — a French bar and garden restaurant with two terrain de pétanque — it was well-known French-Vietnamese expat Fredo Binh who first got Les Autres involved in the league.

“We played pétanque against Fredo in his place La Vie Vu Linh on a bike trip,” recalls Colin. “He suggested we join. Fredo’s team is called Les Bollocks.”

He adds: “Pétanque is one of those games along with pool, darts and table football where judging your alcohol intake is one of the main skills. It is easy to play and understand, but far from easy to master. Successfully shooting

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Charity of the Month

Clean Up Vietnam Day Time to do some litter picking

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here are so many characters in Vietnam. You don’t have to have been here for long to know that.

Most blend into the milieu and are soon forgotten, while others stand out, like Scott Alderson. Among the many things he’s done in his colourful life, the environmental scientist from Melbourne, now teacher, bar manager and project manager, once risked his life to be part of the Sea Shepherd boat crew.

If you haven’t heard of them, that’s a team of what he describes as “environmental adrenaline junkies,”

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closely resembling a cult, who sail out into dangerous waters on a boat now called the Steve Irwin, to interfere with whale and seal fishing operations off Japan and Norway.

Cleaning Up Now, after five years in Vietnam, Scott is at it again, but this time he simply wants to clean up. That’s why he’s launching the first edition of Clean Up Vietnam Day on Apr. 17. Motivated to leave a lasting change for the better, and to improve visitors’ first impression of the country,

he’s importing a model that’s already been running successfully in Australia for 26 years.

Scott hopes that he can eventually engage a similar percentage of the population in his version. Back home that amounts to 2 percent of 20 million people who get together in local communities, schools, sports clubs, beaches, wherever, and simply do what the name of the day suggests; clean up. We all know it’s a huge problem here, where a culture of “someone else’s problem” prevails, so if he can eventually get the same percentage of

Campaigner Previously a campaigner for the likes of Greenpeace, Australian Conservation Foundation, and Friends of the Earth, as well as Aboriginal advocacy groups, Scott is used to applying his knowledge and contacts to agitate for change. Based on some of those contacts, which back home in Australia included sections of the music industry, he even made a compilation album once to raise money.

Peter Garrett, the former Australian Environment Minister and still frontman of iconic and politically motivated Aussie rock group Midnight Oil, wrote the foreword for Scott on the album’s sleeve notes. It includes the following piece of inspiration: “Making a stand takes a person from passive observer to active

participant and speeds the changes in history that are possible when we work together for a common good.”

Community So, based on that simple principle of coming together for the common good, Scott wants as many people as possible to register on the Clean Up Vietnam website, and get engaged in improving the environment in which we all live, even if it’s only in one alley, one pond, one stretch of beach, anywhere, for two hours on one day.

Each registrant will get a plastic bag, gloves and everything they need to take part. And of course it’s totally free.

Spreading the message by speaking to local and international schools, he hopes the effect of his campaign will be to ultimately change behaviour.

“As much as it is about cleaning up

the environment, it is also about bringing communities together and raising awareness of the long-term benefits of keeping our urban spaces clear of litter,” says Scott. — Jon Aspin The inaugural Clean Up Vietnam Day is on Apr. 17, 2016. Register yourself, your school or your club to take part at cleanupvietnam.org. If you’re a business interested in supporting the idea, call the offices on (08) 3551 0430

Quick Fact According to a recent study by Ocean Conservancy, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia are responsible for as much as 60 percent of the plastic waste dumped into the ocean each year. “That’s why the opportunity to do this here is exciting,” says Scott. “We can make a huge impact.”

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 21

ILLUSTRATION BY VU HA KIM VY

Vietnam’s citizens to participate, that’s a lot of people. He'll need them.

Briefings Vietnam

The Intimate Initiative Improving access to sexual health education in Vietnam

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hen I first walk in to Amy Cowan’s house, which doubles as the Intimate Initiative’s base of operations in Hanoi, there are boxes full of condoms and stickers everywhere.

“Sorry about the mess,” Amy says, shifting bags of condoms out of the way so I can sit down. I’m there to find out more about the Initiative, a new social enterprise Amy co-founded that aims to improve access to sexual health education in Vietnam by providing financial support and content for workshops on sexual and reproductive health. Social enterprises fall somewhere between charities and companies; they pursue profit-making only in order to support a social or charitable mission.

The Intimate Initiative sells uniquely designed Vietnamese textile products that are sustainably made and have a transparent supply chain.

“We use Vietnamese textiles that are

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made by ethnic minorities and prioritise natural fibres, such as cotton and silk, as much as possible,” says Amy, adding that they make an effort to “work with Vietnamese social enterprises that also pursue social missions.”

Justice and Equality Amy and her co-founder Annika Scharbert came up with the idea for the Initiative in February of last year. They both hold Masters degrees in sustainable development, and are passionate about sustainability and social issues, such as social justice and gender equality.

“These issues feed into sexuality, sex education, and sexual health in one way or another, aspects that are crucial for successfully navigating our world as adults,” Amy explains. By September 2015 they had obtained a business licence in Germany.

The girls have already piloted the production and sale of their first product, called “Your miniMate”— a small cloth

band made from traditional A Luoi fabric that goes around the wrist and contains a pouch for small items (keys, condoms or cash). It is produced by the Hope Center, a social enterprise in Hue that trains ethnic minorities and young adults with disabilities in tailoring and handicraft-making.

Annika and Amy are currently working hard on several different fronts; developing their second product and a marketing strategy, building a retail network, and connecting with Vietnamese and European organisations in public health and LGBT rights, as well as other textile-andhandicraft-producing social enterprises both here and abroad.

Why Vietnam?

“I’ve been living and working in Vietnam since 2012, and feel very passionately about my home away from home, so it seemed only logical to combine sustainability, entrepreneurship, and Vietnam,” says Amy. Vietnam also has a great need for sexual

PHOTOS BY JESSE MEADOWS

health education; Amy noticed a huge discrepancy between the sexual health information and services available in Europe and those available here. This gap was first brought to her attention when her Vietnamese roommate revealed that she knows many people who regularly use the morning-after pill as contraception.

Major issues with the current Vietnamese health system include limited access to sexual health services and information for unmarried people; gynaecological health checks performed typically only for pregnancy-related reasons; widespread ignorance of basic sexual health issues, such as STIs or cervical cancer; and limited information about contraceptives, which are often used incorrectly, resulting in high rates of unwanted pregnancies and abortions.

Even if sexual health services are accessible for unmarried Vietnamese people, there is a social stigma attached.

The Intimate Initiative’s vision is to offer a judgement-free safe space for young people

to learn about sex and sexual health. They are currently working to develop materials to teach sex education to teens and young adults; profits from sales of their products in Germany and elsewhere in Europe will support the dissemination of these materials.

Back in May, the Initiative launched a blog to discuss topics related to sexual health, which is being translated into Vietnamese by a team of volunteers. According to Amy, “Our posts are light-hearted, comprehensive and judgment-free, and cover a range of important sexual health issues, including sexual abuse and unhealthy relationships, contraception, STIs and HIV/AIDS, sexual pleasure, and sexual identity.”

Sitting amidst bags of condoms and Intimate Initiative stickers, I think about the problems Amy and Annika are trying to tackle. With all of their energy and enthusiasm, they might just be dedicated enough to make a difference. — Kate Robinson

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In Transition Hanoi

Construction in West Lake It’s not just Hanoi’s outskirts that are getting new developments

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very year in the run-up to Tet, a flower-filled former lotus pond opposite Tay Ho Water Park doubles up as a venue for young photographers to practice their shooting skills. When the weather is good, the place packs out. Men and women pose, some take selfies — some use DSLR cameras, while others stick to mobile phones.

Yet, next to the Ho Tay Flower Valley or Thung Lung Hoa Ho Tay, is a development

that is not so photogenic, at least not for now. Also built upon a former lotus lake, a mini suburb of top-end villas is springing up. Named Lang Doan Ket — or Synergy Village — the villas will add more housing to this growing suburb to the south of the capital. It represents yet another roughly cut fragment in the present obsession to develop, build and develop. At the current rate, within a few years every parcel of spare land will have gone the way of the developer. If that means reclaiming what

was once water and lotus, so be it.

Outwards, Moving In When the boundaries of Hanoi Province were expanded in 2008 to include the former province of Ha Tay and parts of Hung Yen and Vinh Phuc, it was thought that all the developments would take place out of town. The assumption was only partly correct. Hoang Mai District to the southeast of central Hanoi has experienced huge expansion, as has Long Bien, Tu Liem

construction mode, and throughout the area houses are being knocked down and rebuilt, getting forever higher, forever more foreboding.

Construction has not yet moved into silly mode as it has in the Ho Chi Minh City’s District 2, the southern city’s equivalent of West Lake. Down south the new mixed residential and commercial projects are not just in the budding phase, they’re now putting up shoots greyer than a Brutalismera tower block. But development in Hanoi

is certainly changing the face of West Lake and areas closer to the city centre.

Whether the Ho Tay Flower Valley will outlive the onslaught is debatable.

What’s clear is that if lotus ponds can get swallowed up by bulldozers and cranes, then this quaint manifestation of Vietnamese narcissism will struggle to survive. Or perhaps the owners don’t quite care — when the right deal comes along, maybe they, too, will start to build. — Nick Ross

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 25

PHOTO BY NICK ROSS

and more recently Dong Anh. New roads have been built, facilitating the construction of new living space. The development has come mostly in the form of apartment and villa complexes, with marketing department-friendly designations such as Ecopark and Royal City.

Yet long commute times from the outer districts means that plenty of expansion is also taking place closer to town. And now West Lake is a focus. On Xuan Dieu, Somerset West Point Hanoi is in full

Briefings Hanoi

At Half Mast The turtle in the lake is no more

The moment when cu rua, the Hoan Kiem Turtle, was finally caught in 2011

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ast month the turtle affectionately known as cu rua, meaning greatgrandfather turtle, was found dead in Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake by a park employee.

Thought to have belonged to an extremely rare species of turtle, of which only a handful of specimens exist in the wild, some Vietnamese biologists — albeit a minority — have claimed that this turtle represented the last animal of a separate species, which is therefore now extinct.

For years this giant — and to some, sacred — reptile was shrouded in mystery, with sightings ending up in the local news.

However, over the past decade its health has been monitored. In 2011 the turtle was measured 185cm long, weighing in at an impressive 169kg. According to VnExpress, cu rua was last seen alive on Dec. 21, 2015.

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Science apart, a great deal of mythology is involved, as according to legend, tales of a turtle in Hoan Kiem Lake first arose in the 15th century with Le Loi, who would go on to become emperor of Vietnam and founder of the Le Dynasty.

Le Loi was blessed with a magic sword given to him by Kim Qui, the Golden Turtle God, to defend Vietnam from the invading Chinese army.

After defeating the Chinese, Le Loi was boating on a lake in Hanoi when a large turtle surfaced, took away Le Loi’s sword, and dove off into the lake. Many attempts were made to find the turtle and the sword, without any success. Accepting that the sword had been returned to the Golden Turtle God, Le Loi renamed the lake Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Returned Sword).

An Embalmed Future On learning of its death, professor of biology Ha Dinh Duc was invited to the scene along with local authorities to discuss the next steps for the turtle. Professor Duc has spent years researching and tracking down information on the giant turtle in Hoan Kiem Lake.

Also on-site was the chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, Nguyen Duc Chung, who assisted in handling the incident. The turtle was moved to the Ngoc Son Temple for preservation.

“In the coming days, local authorities will discuss with scientists the best way preserve its body, including embalming,” he said.

The People’s Committee also announced that the turtle’s remains will be kept at the Vietnam National Museum of Nature. — Siân Kavanagh

Briefings HCMC

Book Street Giving two fingers to the Kindle

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ast month a new pedestrian-only book street opened on Nguyen Van Binh, next to Notre Dame Cathedral.

A dream central location for book lovers looking for a quiet inner city oasis to rummage for a new book, grab a cold drink, and read in the afternoon heat, while the majority of the literature is in Vietnamese, there is also a decent selection of books in English.

Boasting a mixture of brand new bookstalls as well as old and rare book vendors, the book selection includes adult colouring books and audio books, as well as some posters and artwork. It’s not Barnes &

Noble or Waterstones, but it’s a start.

Encouraging People to Read The 150m-long street features books and magazines from domestic and foreign, publishers with 19 permanent stalls, and a rotation of temporary vendors. There are also two book cafés — a nice spot to come and relax with your latest novel. The kid’s zone is a place to let the children play without worrying about them getting up to too much trouble.

There are also plans for upcoming events to get more people, locals and visitors excited about Nguyen Van Binh,

and to encourage more reading.

This includes weekend musical performances, talk shows with wellknown Vietnamese authors and journalists, children’s plays and literary exhibitions.

So will it work? At a time when young people are more interested in sound bites and reading digitally, it could be too little, too late. But it’s certainly worth a try. As this worthy rag is determined to prove, books and in particular, books on paper, should be here to stay. — Siân Kavanagh The pedestrian book street is at Nguyen Van Binh, Q1, HCMC next to the central post office and opposite Notre Dame Cathedral

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Startup

of the

Month Hanoi

Gotit!

Today’s students use smart phones for everything. Now, an application lets them take photos of their maths homework and get online experts to coach them through the answers

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f you were in my Year 11 physics class, you’d know that I could have used this kind of help. In fact, we all could have — the teacher was terrible, he hated physics more than we did. Unfortunately, smart phones were not around then, and the word “application” hadn’t been appropriated by soon-to-be rich computer nerds.

Today, it’s a different story. Gotit! exists, a mobile application connecting students to individual coaches called study experts who are paid to work with them in 10-minute intervals, not only to find the answer to their difficult maths and chemistry questions, but explain how they got there.

Hung Tran is its co-creator and CEO

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from Hanoi. He’s a PhD in computer science and calls his model an “ondemand platform for knowledge”, and labels the technology a game-changer.

The ultimate goal is to enable people to teach each other about topics in which they are knowledgeable via their phones, and to ensure that any student anywhere can get their questions answered oneon-one. Right now it’s limited to Maths and Chemistry, but Physics will be made available soon.

Here’s a step by step of how Gotit! works: 1) Take a photo of a problem you can’t solve via the app 2) Connect within seconds to one of thousands of worldwide study experts

3) Chat through your problem for the next 10 minutes

Understanding Behaviour My problem with physics was that I would get to the answer, but not really understand why, begin to over-think it, change my response and end up frustrated.

I asked Hung if his app overcomes this.

“Definitely. With Gotit! we don’t just provide the answer, we provide the explanation to the problem through a 10-minute chat session where students interact with the expert to really understand the problem.”

The key to the app’s success, he says, actually comes from a little insight into human behaviour.

“Ask someone for help for an hour, there’s a strong chance they’ll say no. Ask for help for ten minutes, and you’ll find plenty of opportunities for that. That’s why we can handle a huge volume of problems submitted by students every day.”

He says that once a student submits a problem, they can match the student to an expert within 10 seconds, and that the average session time is 6.5 minutes.

From Silicon with Love It’s essentially an online marketplace for teachers, who bid to solve problems based on the level of difficulty and are then connected through the app to students. Based on what Hung calls a “freemium” model; students

pay for app credits using credit cards and build up a bank of free and reward credits so that they’ll keep playing. At present, for the US market, eight app credits costs $US2.99, but you are given a bank of 50 free ones when you download the app.

Once they publicly launch, Hung and his team in Silicon Valley, from where he chats to me via Skype, and his team of developers and engineers in Hanoi, expect that the take-up of the technology will rapidly increase, and they will look to modify prices for the rest of the world.

A good education has clearly changed Hung’s life, and with this app, he’s looking to do the same for others. — Jon Aspin Check out Gotit! at gotitapp.co

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Sports Digest

The Nha Trang Triathlon Everywhere in this country is getting a triathlon these days. The latest destination?

Nha Trang. Words by Harry Hodge

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ietnam has gone from a non-factor to a growing destination for high-level triathlons and running events, with two major triathlons coming this year.

International event organizer CHALLENGEFAMILY is collaborating with Vietnam’s Pulse Active, backers of the Prisma Night Run, Conquer the Bridge Run and more, to bring a half-distance triathlon Nha Trang on Sep. 11.

CHALLENGEVIETNAM will run alongside Nha Trang’s six-kilometre stretch of coastline and offers another triathlon option later in the year, with the Danang Ironman taking place in the springtime.

“CHALLENGEVIETNAM is going to be an experience the participants will never forget,” says Pulse Active representative Bady Pham. “We want the athletes to feel like they own the race.”

CHALLENGEVIETNAM is the newest addition to the

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long list of Challenge Family races around the world.

CHALLENGEFAMILY hosts events around the world, from Australia to Mexico. Vietnamese athletes have plenty of options to choose from in 2016, including the Color Me Run series, the Champion Dash obstacle course race in April in Ho Chi Minh City, the Danang International Marathon in August, and various other events around the country throughout the year.

“Nha Trang is one of the most

beautiful places I have visited,” says CHALLENGEFAMILY Asia Pacific CEO Marcus Altmann.

“The locals are incredibly welcoming and as with all our races, it is a destination that will be enjoyed by athletes and their friends and families alike.”

The race will begin with a 1.9-kilometre swim off the beaches of the city, followed by a 90-kilometre bike ride and a 21-kilometre run along Nha Trang city’s famed coastline strip. Post-race celebrations are

Danang Hosting Central Vietnam Games The rivalry will continue for bragging rights on the sporting fields of Vietnam when the Central Vietnam Games (CVG) 2016 will be held again in Danang at the Son Tra Sports Centre on Saturday, Mar. 5.

Last year’s inaugural CVG was a huge fund-raising success.

Swim Vietnam and Association Xuan shared the VND40 million proceeds and will again be supported by CVG in 2016.

In 2015, the Southerners prevailed across the five sports, including Australian Rules football, netball, Gaelic football, rugby and touch rugby, with the Northerners only snaring victory in the men’s Gaelic match.

Basketball has been added to this year’s mix. Volleyball and women’s soccer are also being considered, so there’s something for everyone.

Last year, My Casa, Waterfront Bar and Al Fresco’s were some of the food and drink sponsors for the post-CVG party and presentations. They are on board again for 2016.

Central Vietnam residents are welcome to join a Northern team.

For information contact Michael Johnston on mjinvietnam@yahoo. com.au

Danang to Host International Regatta

planned for the event.

Not to be outdone, IRONMAN 70.3 Vietnam event will take place on May 8 in Danang.

With similar distances, participants will be treated to a scenic course that begins with a 1.9-kilometre ocean swim in front of the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa. From there, athletes will enjoy a twoloop, 90-kilometre bike course that takes them along Danang’s pristine coastline and past some of the city’s key landmarks.

The final 21km out-and-back run course is flat and passes by many of Danang’s famous beach resorts before finishing at the foot of the Marble Mountains.

With tropical conditions, this warm-weather affair is the perfect mid-season race to prepare athletes for their summer IRONMAN events.

For further information on the Nha Trang event, visit challengevietnam.com. For information on the Ironman in Danang, visit ironman.com

Vietnamese sailor Nguyen Tran Minh An will team up with the Danang-Vietnam team in the race from Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays, Australia to Danang port during the world’s longest ocean race, the Clipper 2015-16 Round the World Yacht Race, writes Vietnam News.

The central city’s people’s committee said in a press conference that Danang will host as a home team port from Feb. 17 to Feb. 27.

The 28-year-old sailor, who had completed pre-race tests in Australia in preparation, said the other competitors and their family members will receive warm welcomes from the Danang community.

The local sailor, who works as a tug boat driver for Danang Port but has no previous ocean racing experience, will join the DanangVietnam team for the 4,130 mile stretch from Australia to Danang.

This leg, the seventh of the 14-stage global series, starts on Jan. 18 and will take almost a month to complete.

Vien Voted Top Athlete After a successful 2015, Nguyen Thi Anh Vien was voted Athlete of the Year at a ceremony in Hanoi last month, writes Thanh Nien.

The 19-year-old swimmer from the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho topped the list of 10 best athletes of the year 2015 with 1,031 points, based on votes from sports journalists across the country.

At the 28th Southeast Asian Games in June in Singapore, Anh Vien won eight gold, one silver and one bronze medals and broke eight regional records. She also became the first Vietnamese swimmer to win World Cup medals.

Vien bagged a bronze medal at the women’s 400m individual medley in Paris on Aug. 16, her third medal at the 2015 International Swimming Federation (FINA) World Cup series.

Earlier, she had won a silver in the women’s 400m individual medley and a bronze in the 200m individual medley at the event’s Moscow stop.

Davis Cup Tie May Move to Vietnam Vietnam will host its Davis Cup tie against Indonesia if the International Tennis Federation accepts Indonesia’s plea that it cannot do so.

It is unclear why Indonesia cannot host the event but it is probably for security reasons, Vietnam Tennis Federation general secretary Nguyen Quoc Ky said.

The Asia/Oceania zone Group 2 tie will be played from Mar. 4 to Mar. 6.

Vietnam will be represented by its strongest possible team consisting of Ly Hoang Nam, Nguyen Hoang Thien, Le Quoc Khanh, Lam Quang Tri, Pham Minh Tuan and Trinh Linh Giang.

The other teams in Group 2 are Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Kuwait, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The winner of the Vietnam-Indonesia tie will play the tes second round in upda July against the Sendout yourp or ab g grou @ winner of the in ry match between sportnt to har .com m e ev vietna Sri Lanka and word Thailand. The losers will go into the play-offs.

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 31

ToDo list HCMC

Kids at Ta Lai learn to kayak

He’s fantastic and he’s Australian — Fantastic Man plays Obs on Feb. 19

4.

The Bike Shop are doing a huge clearout throughout February

2.

3.

One of the watercolours presently being exhibited at Vin Gallery

1.

Ladies’ pro golf tournaments, clearance sales, holiday camps, a wine and food festival, a 1920s bash and a Bloody Mary competition. All over the next two months in Ho Chi Minh City

1

2

Passers By: Ho Hung Vin Gallery, Thao Dien, Q2 Until Feb. 29 Running until the end of February at Vin Gallery, Ho Hung’s watercolours capture the ephemerality and the subtle sensuousness of the everyday.

Dappled light, warm colours and empty spaces characterize his style and his view on the landscape of his homeland of Southern Vietnam.

Travelling from place to place and painting on the street, Hung records people passing by and is himself a stranger and a passerby to his subjects.

We’ve seen Passers By and our assessment? Well worth the short trip in to District 2.

The exhibition is free of charge and is open 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Saturday. Vin Gallery is at 6 Le Van Mien, Q2. Check out vingallery.com for more information

Deals at The Bike Shop The Bike Shop, Q2 Throughout February The Bike Shop has run out of room and must clear all 2015 stock. This includes single speed fixies which the guys are selling two for the price of one. That's a genuine buy one get one free offer. Also, get up to 50% off last years models and great deals on all MTB, road, urban and

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kids bikes and accessories, as well as introductory offers on 2016 arrivals.

Plus, for Word readers only throughout February, mention this article and get a FREE Bike Shop T-shirt when you spend VND750,000 or more. If you've been on the fence about buying a bike, act now.

The Bike Shop is open every day until Feb. 5 when it closes for Tet. It reopens on Feb. 15. Visit the shop at 250 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, HCMC

Gojiberry The Observatory, Q4 Friday, Feb. 5 A DJ Duo out of Canada with a juicy-fresh disco touch, Gojiberry is comprised of Heidy P and ASDF. Both will be on booth duty keeping things shook up with their assorted takes on what makes people move.

Doors open at 10pm and entrance is free before 11pm and VND150,000 after. For more info click on facebook. com/theobservatoryhcmc. The Observatory is at 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4, HCMC

Tet Holiday Kids Camps Ta Lai Longhouse, Nam Cat Tien National Park Feb. 11 to Feb. 14 Get the house to yourself for a few

precious days this Tet holiday. Send your kids off to camp where they can enjoy the great outdoors while gaining confidence and new friends doing activities we love like kayaking, cooking classes, bamboo raft-building and some awesome mountain biking in the countryside. Rest assured your next of kin are in safe hands with the guys at Ta Lai in charge. You’ll even get your children back in one piece and asking about when their next camp experience will be.

The camp costs (VND6.9million ++ per child) with organisers ensuring a staff to child ratio of one to five at all times. For more information check talai-adventure.vn

Fantastic Man The Observatory, Q4 Friday, Feb. 19 A key agent in the contemporary Australian House scene, Fantastic Man brings a unique, electrified equatorial sound to both his productions and sets. Returning to Obs to do his thing for the second time, support comes from Nic Ford.

Doors open at 10pm and entrance is free before 11pm and VND150,000 after. For more info click on facebook. com/theobservatoryhcmc. The Observatory is at 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4, HCMC

Kiteboarding Tour Asia Coming to Vietnam Ninh Chu Bay Beach Club, Ninh Thuan Feb. 24 to Feb. 28 The Kiteboarding Tour Asia (KTA) will kick-off the exciting new X-Champs Series tour from Feb. 24 to Feb. 28 in one of Asia’s newest kite surfing paradises, Ninh Chu

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Bay in south central Ninh Thuan Province.

“We are incredibly pleased that the KTA chose Ninh Chu Bay Beach Club for their return to Vietnam,” says general director Mark Gwyther.

“It confirms our belief that the resort will become one of Asia’s premier wind and adventure sport tourism destinations. This is the first step in developing Ninh Thuan Province as the wind sport capital of Vietnam.”

The Vietnam event will be followed by KTA events in Thailand and China.

For more information including sponsorship opportunities check out kiteboard.asia.com

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 33

ToDo list HCMC

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Mono Printing Vin Gallery, Q2 Thursday, Feb. 25 After the success of Lino printing last winter, Ella West, Vin Gallery’s resident print expert, will return to guide budding artists through another exciting printing style. So take a big sip of wine and roll up those sleeves — it’s time to ink, roll and print your way to glory!

For more information check vin-space. com/canvas-and-wine

Answer Code Quest The Observatory, Q4 Friday, Feb. 26 Gaining near-global recognition for a first release is something that seldom happens; maintaining that momentum while keeping a low profile is even rarer. Answer Code Request has done all of this since his acclaimed 2011 release on Hard Wax, and as a resident of Berghain/ Panoramabar he has solidified his reputation as a DJ force to be reckoned with. This a serious music night. Support comes from Nic Ford.

Doors open at 10pm and entrance is free before 11pm and VND150,000 after.

For more info click on facebook.com/ theobservatoryhcmc. The Observatory is at 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4, HCMC

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Red D

Mirror, mirror on the wall, whose Bloody Mary is best of all? Find out on Feb. 28 at Pitchers

Heart Beat is bringing Oliver Deutschmann to Saigon in Mid-March

The New Zealand Food and Wine Festival returns to RMIT in mid-March

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House guru Red D will be aiming to bring the house down at the end of February

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Answer Code Quest will be playing The Observatory on Feb. 26

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This month’s Canvas & Wine is all about learning to make prints

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The Observatory, Q4 Saturday, Feb. 27 Responsible for what many claim as the most spectacular showcase of house music The Obs has ever witnessed, Red D is a master of the genre and has a massive arsenal of tracks that keep dance floors in delirium for hours and hours.

Support comes from Hibiya Line.

Doors open at 10pm and entrance is free before 11pm and VND150,000 after.

For more info click on facebook.com/ theobservatoryhcmc. The Observatory is at 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4, HCMC

Bloody Mary Competition Pitchers Sports & Grill, Q7 Saturday, Feb. 28 Do you like your Bloody Mary hot, sweet or sour? If you come to Pitchers Sports & Grill we think you’ll get a taste of everything.

They’re hosting a competition split into two groups; professional and ‘enthusiast’ at the end of the month.

Now, we’re pretty sure we know what professional means, but enthusiast? Sounds pretty loose to us, but also a lot of fun.

34 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

A blind tasting by three judges who will no doubt be open to ‘suggestions’, will award points in the categories of taste, presentation and creativity. Pitchers will provide Tito’s Vodka, Tabasco tomato juice and ice — everything else must be brought by the applicant. So now’s your opportunity to show some flair people! All applicants must be 18 years of age or over.

For an application form (we’re pretty confident everyone gets in) send an email to adam.zakharoff@gmail. Pitchers Sports Bar & Grill is at C0.01 Riverside Residence, Nguyen Luong Bang, Q7, HCMC or online at facebook.com/ PitchersPMH

Oliver Deutschmann Observatory, Q4 Friday, Mar. 11 Vidab label boss and instigator of Falkplatz, a series of 10 EPs all more powerful than each other, Oliver Deutschmann drags a cracker reputation onto dance floors. Armed with heavy techno and spinning on the decks without compromise, Oliver has established himself as one of the spearheads of Berlin’s renewal, regularly playing at Tresor and Berghain.

Coming to Ho Chi Minh City with Heart Beat, supporting will be OKO (RUS) and Chris Wolter (GER) with

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5 visuals from EROL (SWE).

Doors Open at 9pm with free entry before 11pm. VND150,000 after 11pm.

The Observatory is at 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4, HCMC

New Zealand Food and Wine Festival RMIT University, Q7 Mar. 12

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Organisers are pleased to announce that the New Zealand Wine and Food Festival will return to RMIT University in 2016 following its immensely successful relaunch in 2015.

Featuring imported New Zealand wines, and Kiwi style food from seven leading Ho Chi Minh City hotels, this evening is a chance to enjoy New Zealand’s award-winning produce while relaxing on the lawn and listening to live music.

In 2015 the Festival donated over VND100 million to the Ba Chieu Home for Girls which provided education and a safe environment for 26 girls for one year. In 2016 the Festival will again support Ba Chieu, but will also donate funds to KOTO to help underprivileged kids train in hospitality.

For more information contact eatdrinkgive2016@gmail. com or check out facebook.com/ wineandfoodfestivalnewzealandhcmc

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 35

ToDo list HCMC

1 this year?

For more information go to saigonchildren.com/saigon-cyclochallenge-2016.aspx

Ladies Professional Golf Championship Can you ride a cyclo faster than the speed of light? Sure you can! At least, that’s what the organisers of The Cyclo Challenge will be hoping

The world’s top female professional, Lydia Ko, will most likely not be playing at the first pro golf tournament for women in Vietnam,

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The Roaring 20s InterContinental Asiana Saigon, Q1 Saturday, Mar. 19

but it doesn’t take away from what will be a fantastic event

The BBGV turns 20, and to celebrate they’re putting on a themed 1920s party

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The Dalat at 1200 Country Club and Private Estate, Dalat Mar. 22 to Mar. 27

To mark the 20th anniversary of the British Business Group of Vietnam (BBGV), the UK-influenced networking and business outfit will be putting on a Roaring 1920s bash at the InterCon. They are turning 20, after all.

Top-end cuisine, lots of entertainment and a dancing competition will be part of the affair, as will a 1920s dress code and a prize draw that includes the opportunity to win flights to Europe or accommodation vouchers in hotels and resorts.

Tickets cost VND2.5 million per person. To book your space contact Nga on nga.nguyen@bbgv.org or call (08) 3829 8430 Ext. 107

The Cyclo Challenge Celadon City, Tan Phu, HCMC Saturday, Mar. 19 Now in its 16th year, the Saigon Cyclo Challenge remains one of the most loved teambuilding

36 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

event in Ho Chi Minh City, with all funds raised going to help Saigon Children’s Charity (SCC). Since its inception in 2001, the Cyclo Challenge has raised over US$720,000 to support disadvantaged children and young adults in Vietnam gain access to education. Over 21,000 participants from a wide range of companies have taken part in the challenge to date. Teams complete against each other in a variety of races associated with Vietnam’s most famous means of transportation, the humble cyclo.

Who will take the (fortune) cookies 3

The first Ladies Professional Golf tournament in Vietnam will take place at The Dalat at 1,200 Country Club & Private Estate in late March.

About 120 female professional golfers from Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Vietnam, will compete for the US$420,000 prize money following a two-day Pro-Am. Televised live across five countries for five hours a day, the event is a huge opportunity to increase international awareness for the region.

Tang Kay Hwa, executive director at The Dalat at 1200, said: “As the first professional ladies’ tournament to be held in Vietnam, it’s a great opportunity to increase interest in the sport and showcase our outstanding city.”

For more information visit dalat1200.com

overscene ho chi minh PHOTOS BY FRANCIS XAVIER

byo night at vin gallery

Vin Gallery put on a networking night encouraging the Saigon public to bring their own artwork

and business cards, which was then all pinned to a communal board.

PHOTOS BY CSABA MOLNĂ R

saigon outcast farmer s market

The urban version of the farmer, the artisan food and drink maker, put on another fun and interesting market

at Outcast. Not a hoe or scythe in sight.

PHOTOS BY OWEN SALISBURY

Geisha Night at Sorae

Top-end Japanese restaurant, Sorae, brought in its very own geishas to complement the Cuban cigar roller.

Perfect for lighting up the night.

If you have a noteworthy event which you thinkwould fit into our coverage, please email news@wordvietnam.com and we'll take a look.

Go to: wordvietnam.com/mediavp/photo-gallery for full viewing access.

IN

Just HCMC

From digital banks to veterinary clinics, to Italian restaurants.

All that’s new this month in Saigon

Raffles Singapore is one of the latest properties to be swallowed up by hotel management chain, Accor

No matter where you’re visa card is issued, 30 restaurants in Vietnam are now offering discounts for anyone paying by card

Wine Embassy moves its bar and restaurant to District 2

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District 2 gets itself a new vet

‘Namo is the latest Italian restaurant to open in Saigon

Ms. Décor is there to help you with all your interior design needs

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Accor Group Acquires More Luxury Global hotel group Accor has acquired three iconic hotel brands in Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel in what they call a “strategic deal to create a worldwide leader in the luxury segment”.

This will now include a collection of 155 hotel and resort assets, giving the group unrivalled geographic reach, growth potential and longterm value creation. No less than His Excellency Sheikh Abdulla Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Thani, CEO of Qatar Investment Authority, which finances the group had this to say: “Since making our investment, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International has become a leading luxury hotel company with an expanded international presence. This deal generates the scale needed to drive the next phase of growth in our real estate and hospitality investments.”

Watch this space then!

38 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

You can visit an Accor Group Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Novotel, The Pullman, M Gallery, Mercure, Ibis and Sofitel are all brands under the group’s control.

Visa Dining Platform Visa is offering it’s cardholders exclusive offers at over 30 fine dining and casual restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, with discounts of up to 20 percent off the total cost of their bills.

All Visa credit and debit cardholders will be eligible for the offer, regardless of which country their card was issued in. The promotion is live — just in time for Lunar New year — and will run until Nov. 30, 2016.

Says Sean Preston, Visa Country Manager for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos: “This deal is a fantastic opportunity for diners to enjoy the ease of paying with their Visa cards, while receiving attractive discounts

at some of this country’s best known and loved restaurants.”

For the full list of participating restaurants visit visa.com.vn/ap/vn/ personal/offers

Wine Embassy Relocates Everyone’s favourite wine bar sent us a note last month to let us know that “after three great years in 13 Ngo Duc Ke street, Wine Embassy will be relocating after Tet into our current Wine shop located on 41 Quoc Huong, Thao Dien, Q2.”

So there you go, now you know because you read it in Word. As for Wine Embassy, they’re looking forward to serving you with the same passion for wine and wine experiences as they always have.

Feel free to contact them at info@ wineembassy.com.vn or pop into the store at 41 Quoc Huong, Q2, HCMC

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Animal Doctors International Just so that we know our pets are all safe, new to the Thao Dien area of District 2 is the Animal Doctors International Clinic.

Specialising in high-quality care for your two and four-legged friends, ranging from diagnostics with in-house x-rays and laboratory, examinations, surgery and recovery, the new veterinary clinic offers assistance with preventative health care, pet dentistry, traveling needs, ticks and much more.

Animal Doctors International is at 1 Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao Dien, Q2, and is open from 9am to 8pm daily.

They also have 24/7 emergency services and critical care available. For more information visit animaldoctors.vn or call (08) 6260 3980

‘Namo is at 74/6 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, HCMC or online at namo.pizza

Ms. Décor Founded by Spaniard Sonia A.S. Hurlot with a passion for culture, art, décor, and the small details in life, Ms. Décor Design Studio promises to guide your through all your graphic design, art advisory, and event planning needs.

With a blog available in English and Vietnamese, they promise to offer quality advice for home decoration with tips on the latest trends. Their focus on details means that every project is planned in depth and with total passion.

Ms. Décor is at 216/24 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2 or online at ms-décor.com

‘Namo

Timo

‘Namo, the contraction of a Romanesco word for “Let’s go” is Saigon’s newest Neapolitan-style, artisanal pizzeria. Replete with a wood fired oven and two chefs straight from Italy, a killer location round the back of the Opera House means it’s worth giving ‘Namo a visit. Not a big fan of pizza? Then try their selection of pastas and salads as well as their offering of Italian wines.

Frustrated with queuing and waiting at the bank? Ho Chi Minh City has just welcomed a new form of bank, Timo.

The first digital bank in Vietnam, Timo offers a range of banking services including ATM usage, money transfer, bill payment, mobile phone topups, savings and deposit services. Aiming to give comfort and convenience to clients, Timo is set up under a café serving

reasonable food and drinks and also comes with a handy mobile app. Located opposite Phan Dinh Phung Stadium, the purple building is a good place for you to hang out with friends while managing and controlling all your finance.

While drinks start from VND40,000 for guests, people banking with Timo get 50% discount.

Timo is at 194E Pasteur, Q3. For more info visit timo.vn

Scott & Jeremy’s Former restaurant Scott & Binh’s and La Fiesta have joined forces with chef Jeremy from Slake restaurant in Singapore to bring a new restaurant called Scott & Jeremy’s to town.

With cozy and simple decor, Scott & Jeremy’s promises to give the best American-style and Asian fusion cuisine to local as well as international diners. The menu includes a wide range of options from soups (from VND80,000) to sandwiches (strating from VND135,000), mains (from VND180,000) and desserts (all cost VND99,000).` Scott & Jeremy’s is open from 4pm, Tuesday to Sunday. The restaurant is at 40 Dang Thi Nhu, Q1, HCMC. Check out their daily happy hour deals

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 39

ToDo

listHanoi Yoga, foosball tournaments, 3D exhibitions, book sales and African vinyl nights.

There’s not all that much going on in Hanoi, but there’s still enough to keep you busy

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3D World

3D World will create a new, interactive exhibition experience for Hanoi

When it comes to DJing, Dan Lo knows how to make you (and himself) sweat

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Hanoi Creative City, Hai Ba Trung Until Apr. 17 3D World Magic & Fun is a unique event with huge painted backdrops and the visitor as the missing link.

He or she completes the scene by carrying out some act, usually with a funny note. Meanwhile friends or family members take photographs of the person performing and, being Vietnam, upload them to wherelse but Facebook.

A new exhibition created by Belgian artist, Patrick Mortier, rather than being just a passive viewer of art, in this exhibition the art will come to life allowing the viewer to become part of the artwork itself.

With the majority of sets consisting of scenes with animals, other encounters include The Minions, a game of tennis, becoming a member of The Simpsons family, and drinking coffee in a strange way.

The exhibition is open daily from 5pm

40 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

to 9pm (weekdays) and 10am to 9pm (weekends) on the 5th Floor of Hanoi Creative City, 1 Luong Yen, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi. Entrance is VND50,000 (free for under-fours). For more info click on 3DWorldVietnam.com

Dan Lo African Waves

Expect a lot of vinyl and powerful sounds.

Entrance is VND50,000 and CAMA ATK is at 73 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi

Fashionista

CAMA ATK, Hai Ba Trung Friday, Feb. 19

InterContinental West Lake, Tay Ho Saturday, Feb. 20

Well-known DJ Dan Lo will be bringing his West African Waves set to CAMA ATK in an attempt to “submerge your souls in the vast horizon of different sounds and styles to emerge out of the region over the last half century”.

From traditional percussive rhythms from Cameroon to the 1960s funky sounds from Ghana and Benin, all the way to Nigerian Afrobeat and its modern houseinfused edits, Dan Lo will be picking them out of his collection with the specific aim of making the room dance.

InterContinental Hanoi Westlake is introducing a brand new series of events for fashion lovers in Hanoi.

Starting on Feb. 20, the elegant setting of the Diplomat Lounge will become a runway for contemporary fashion and classic afternoon tea.

Savour a selection of tea, cake and “gourmet treats” while being treated to a glamorous parade that showcases the latest collections by two talented local fashion designers.

The price per person is VND350,000++ and the event kicks off at 3pm. The InterCon is at 1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Hanoi

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Vietnam's favourite Brazilian restaurant.

A

, DISHES W E N H N OW WIT D A NEW FEEL. OK AN O L W NE

Au Lac Do Brazil I HCMC 238 Pasteur, Dist. 3 Tel: (08) 3820 7157 - Fax: (08) 3820 7682 pr@aulacdobrazil.com

Au Lac Do Brazil II Hanoi 6A Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh Dist Tel: (04) 3845 5224 - Fax: (04) 3747 4330 pr_hanoi@aulacdobrazil.com

Au Lac Do Brazil III Nha Trang 101 Trinh Phong Str, Tan Lap Ward Tel: (058) 351 6661 - Hotline : 0916451669 pr_nhatrang@aulacdobrazil.com wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 41

ToDo

listHanoi

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Zenith Yoga was new classes starting this month for both kids and adults

Are you the Messi of the foosball world? Head to CAMA’s completion on Feb. 22 and find out

Weekend Bookworm is holding a monster sale at the end of February

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1. Explore the world of metaphysical reality this month with Karen Gay

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Metaphysically Speaking Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho From Feb. 22 Learn about the forces behind such concepts as Numerology, Colors, Astrology, The 5 Elements, Energy and Healing in an interactive, hands-on series of workshops that will allow you to take away skills and knowledge of these energies and apply them to your unique life experience.

A six-week exploration of metaphysical reality run by Karen Gay, there will be two lots of workshop sessions. The first will start on Monday nights from Feb. 22, from 7pm to 9pm, while the second will commence on Wednesday Feb. 24, from 10am to 12pm. Both will run until the end of March.

The course exchange fee is VND1.2 million per person and the workshops take place at #24, Lane 9 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho, Hanoi. Each programme

42 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

will have from four to 12 participants.

For info, please email Karen Gay on karenrmg@gmail.com

Yoga Classes and Passes Zenith Yoga, Tay Ho From Feb. 22 Let your kids experience yoga through fun, interaction, breathing exercises, yogic games, story telling, yogic kundalini songs and relaxation. A 10-week course put together by Zenith Yoga will start on Monday, Feb. 22 from 3.30pm to 4.15pm, and run until Apr. 25. The courses are for two to four-year-olds and the fee is VND1.8 million.

Also running at Zenith from Mar. 4 until Jun. 26 is the Essential Yoga Teacher Training Course 2016 with Marzena, the founder of the establishment. To register your interest, contact Marzena directly on marzena@zenithyogahanoi.com.

And for anyone looking to

organize their yoga classes early this year, Zenith’s yearly pass will be sold at a 30 percent discount until Feb. 29.

Zenith Yoga is at 247B Au Co, Tay Ho, Hanoi and 62 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Table Football Competition CAMA ATK, Hai Ba Trung Thursday, Feb. 25 ATK’s irregular CAMA Cup kicks back into action on the evening of Thursday, Feb. 25 bringing the mightiest of Hanoi’s foosball talent to the table.

Find a partner and send your team name and contact details to info@ cama-atk.com by Tuesday, Feb. 22 at the latest in order to secure a place.

First come, first served. The entrance fee is VND100,000 per player. The winners and runners-up take all.

CAMA ATK is at 73 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi

Once reserved exclusively for royalty, tranquil Westlake now boasts Hanoi’s Gold-Standard serviced residences.

Minutes from the city with unobstructed lake views, Fraser Suites Hanoi offers you the award-winning service even ancient kings would envy.

Monster Book Sale Weekend Bookworm, Tay Ho Friday, Feb. 26 to Sunday, Feb. 28 After four years of successful operation, the Weekend Bookworm outlet in Nghi Tam will succumb to the Kindle and go into permanent hibernation at the end of February.

To enable this, a monster sale of quality steel shelving, books, artworks and craftworks will take place on the weekend of Feb. 26.

Kindlization has meant that not enough secondhand books are available to keep both the main Bookworm location and the West Lake location in full supply.

Bookworm will consolidate at 44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh, Hanoi and continue to duel with the Kindle as it has done since 2000. Weekend Bookworm is at 1/28 Au Co, Nghi Tam Village, Tay Ho

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overscene hanoi

PHOTOS BY DUY KHANH

Stand-Up Comedy

Laughs and giggles came to House of Son Tinh for the last time courtesy of the Hanoi Comedy Collective

and UK comic, Nik Coppin.

In future they’ll be coming to ATK.

PHOTOS BYDUY KHANH

Live Music at The Doors Pub

Growing in popularity, the Doors Pub continued its regular live music sessions.

Covers, covers and more

covers, but played with a nice amount of flair.

West Lake co-working space and café, Spacebar, held a night of acoustic music that

spread out into the alleyways beyond.

PHOTOS BY JESSE MEADOWS

talk at Doclab to discuss documentary photography.

dj vadim

Legendary London-based Russian DJ Vadim descended on ATK. Packed to the rafters, the turntablist’s

tunes shook the room to the core.

PHOTOS BY NICK ROSS

Currently in Hanoi on a Fulbright fellowship, American photographer Geoffrey Hiller gave a

down the lane

waterfall disco

With Hanoi in a cold spell, the West Lake partygoing crowd rocked up to Le Soleil to get hot and sweaty. All

proving that in the capital, who needs heating when you’ve got Le Soleil?

If you have a noteworthy event which you thinkwould fit into our coverage, please email news@wordvietnam.com and we'll take a look.

Go to: wordvietnam.com/mediavp/photo-gallery for full viewing access.

PHOTOS BY JESSE MEADOWS

PHOTOS BY DUY KHANH

Geoffrey Hiller at Doclab

IN

Just Hanoi

It’s a quiet month in Hanoi this February

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Everyone’s favourite tailor clothes shop, Zed’s Threads, finds itself a new location

Madake turns itself into the Vietnamese restaurant, Mau Dich 81

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Zed’s Threads Has Moved If you think Zed is dead, then you’re wrong. Well-known Hanoi-based tailors, Zed’s Threads, has upped its roots and moved to the main part of To Ngoc Van in West Lake.

Now selling off-the-rack women’s clothing and also stocking fabrics suitable for women’s tailoring, this adds to the Western and Asian fit menswear that can either be tailored or bought off the rack.

Zed’s has also located their fairtrade workshop in the same space — the studio is behind the shop on the same level. Customers are

welcome to visit.

Zed’s Threads is at 36 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Hanoi and is open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 5pm. For further info click on zedsthreads.com

Madake Becomes Mau Dich 81 That late-night party and music venue that we used to love is no more. Instead, in an attempt to stop all the fatigue — owner Quang was going to bed at 3am every night — they’ve transformed themselves into the second restaurant in the Mau Dich chain (the first, if you didn’t

know, is in the Truc Bach area of town).

Boasting a pre-Doi Moi era atmosphere with décor to match, the focus here is traditional Hanoian and northern home-cooked cuisine.

Specialities include stir fried pickles with salt and pig fat (VND35,000), com chay (crispy rice in shaped like a dome — VND35,000) and braised pork at VND65,000. Also on the menu is a good selection of vegetarian fare, tofu dishes, seafood, salads and hotpots.

Cua Hang An Uong Mau Dich 81 is at 81 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Hanoi

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 45

Insider

A Visual Storyteller / Thao Vu / A Short History of Thao Dien / F for Fashion / Helter Skelter / A beginer's Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance / Setting a Benchmark / The Upper Crust / Chops / The Many Faces of Bun Cha / Le Terroir / Sui Cao Chien / Going Deep / Making Tracks the Long Way / Notes From Another City / The Motorbike Diaries

Photo by Thiep Nguyen

46 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 47

Insider MANY FACES

HCMC

A Visual Storyteller From music bar owner to graphic designer to creative director working in the fashion industry, Dzung Yoko is the ultimate creative, someone who has successfully tried his hand at many things.

Words by Vu Ha Kim Vy. Portrait by Francis Xavier

I

am not into either fashion or the people who work in the fashion field. I didn’t even know who Dzung Yoko was when my colleague mentioned him. She is interested in his work and couldn’t stop talking about him in answer to my question — “Who is he?”

Meeting him at his shared M2C café on Dong Khoi, Dzung Yoko looked younger than his 40 years.

Despite arriving in Saigon as a young child, he still has a strong but friendly Hanoi accent.

The Nickname In the early 2000s, Yoko Café & Bar on Nguyen Thi Dieu became a phenomenon. A pioneer of the live rock café and music bar industry, the watering hole was named after John Lennon’s wife, Yoko Ono. To this day, portraits of Yoko survey all parts of the bar.

“I opened Yoko with a friend after graduating from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture in 1998,” says Dzung. “But I sold it a long time ago.”

His admiration for Yoko Ono and the name of his bar caused the name Dzung Yoko to stick. It gets printed in his credit in Vietnam’s version of Elle Magazine and now L’Officiel, where he holds the position of creative director.

The Final Passion After graduation, Dzung Yoko spent a year working in architecture.

He even took on a teaching job, but eventually moved away from it because he couldn’t find any inspiration.

“I just couldn’t like it,” he recalls.

“I couldn’t feel the passion for it.

So I dropped teaching. My friends and family didn’t get it, they tried to stop me.”

Graphic design was his next move.

“It was something better,” he

says. It gave him more room for his imagination to shine. Although he created 20 album covers for popular Vietnamese singers, he didn’t receive recognition until the release of the 2004 album My Nhan Ngu by singer My Le. “I still couldn’t find the final passion,” he says. “It was a job that relied on clients’ demands more than I wanted. In 2012, Vietnam’s Elle came to me and offered me a job. I took it.”

He adds: “My job is creating concepts for fashion shoots — I

“‘I want viewers to consider fashion as an art form and people who work in the field as artists’” sketch them out. I can sketch whatever I want and I really like that feeling. I think I have found my calling.”

Unexpected Projects After 15 years working in the graphic design and fashion industries, Dzung had his inaugural solo exhibition last July.

Considered to be the first fashion photo exhibition in Vietnam, it was a collection of his best photos, best album covers and achievements over the last 15 years, with the original sketches sat next to the final products. The exhibition also included new artworks that he and his team had gone to a lot of effort to put together.

“It was never planned,” says

48 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

Dzung. “A friend just came and asked me if I want to do an exhibition. I quite liked the idea so I did it.”

His first book was not planned, either. Published in January 2016 with a print run of 2,000 copies, the 200-page book, Daydreamers, is a four-year collaboration of dozens of people including well-known Vietnamese fashion designers, photographers and models. Looking at the copy lying on the table, it reminds me of Alice in Wonderland.

“I think people who work in the fashion field are usually daydreamers,” says Dzung.

“People say fashion is expensive and fake, so only daydreamers can work in fashion.”

The Message Now working as the creative director of Vietnam L’Officiel, Dzung has to get five fashion shoots completed every month.

That’s not counting the magazine’s product shoots, other freelance jobs and his café. He is in charge of every stage of the process, from generating ideas to sketching it out, styling the shoot and supervising the retouch to make the final perfect product.

“Yes, I am busy as hell,” he says, “but I’m happy with that as I can feel the love and passion for the work running through my veins.”

I asked him what he wanted to convey to people through his fashion artwork.

“I want viewers to consider fashion as an art form and people who work in the field as artists.

Beautiful outfits express their designer’s taste, creativity and uniqueness; therefore, they deserve to be honoured as works of art. So my role is helping people gain a multidimensional view and feel the soul of each fashion product through my visual stories.”

Insider

MANY FACES

NATIONAL

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spinning, dyeing and weaving the various fabrics, and she knows who they are and what they do at every step of the process.

Her connection to every part of this process shows her passion for her work, resulting in a very close relationship with everything she makes.

Adapting

One of the few designers in Vietnam to have her clothes sold overseas, the founder of Kilomet 109 mixes the textiles of this country’s ethnic minorities with a modern-day, sustainable approach to fashion.

Words by Kate Robinson. Portrait by Julie Vola

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hao Vu is the sort of woman people look up to — elegant in an unstudied, natural way, used to getting things done but also unhurried, taking the time to get things done right. When we arrived at her house/studio, she welcomed us warmly and ushered us into the living room.

Every object in the house revealed her good taste; her green tea, her furniture, her beautiful wood floors, and of course, her clothing, which is almost more art than fashion.

Kilomet 109 is a sustainable clothing brand created and designed by Thao, who first got into sewing when she was 10 years old.

“Many Vietnamese girls were told to sew… I didn’t see it as a career at all,” she says. “Later on, I worked for newspapers and magazines that focused on Vietnamese culture. Through opportunities to get to know my own culture at a deeper level, my interest in the arts started coming back.

“I took a fashion design course at the London Fashion College in Hanoi, and worked for a couple of international brands after I graduated before starting my own brand.”

A Sustainable Approach Thao’s studio contains a rack of traditional costumes from ethnic minority groups, which she collects and uses as inspiration for her own designs. She showed us one of her pieces that was displayed in the Hanoi Museum of Fine Arts; a long white coat made from a blanket that is over 100 years

old. The blanket itself was made from fibres of the bark of the rare Sui tree, and Thao’s coat is embroidered loosely with silver birds and colourful hanging threads.

In her studio we also found piles of raw and dyed silk, organic cotton, the dried nuts to make the soap with which she washes her fabrics, as well as leaves from the plants she uses to dye the cloth, giving them gorgeous, subtle colours. Thao uses a wide variety of natural materials for buttons and other trimmings, including nuts, wood, coal, stone, bamboo and bone. Her conscientious efforts to be completely sustainable are impressive in an industry famous for its lack of social or environmental awareness.

A Journey The name Kilomet 109 comes from the distance between Thao’s home province of Thai Binh and Hanoi. She chose it because it reflects the type of customers she has in mind — travellers who need their dress to be both fashionable and flexible. The clothes are simple, yet sophisticated and stylish, and can be worn in many different ways, allowing her customers to pack only a few versatile pieces for any trip. “[The name implies] a movement, a journey,” Thao says. “It’s also a measurement, which relates more directly to what I do.”

For over five years, she has worked with four different ethnic groups (Dao, Nung, Muong and Thai) from the northern mountains of Vietnam to produce the textiles she uses in her designs. Each ethnic minority performs different parts in growing,

It took Thao four-and-a-half years to design and launch her first line of clothing, which taught her a lot about adapting traditional fabric-making techniques for use in the modern world. Originally, for simplicity’s sake, Thao wanted only one ethnic group to grow and produce everything she needs.

“I tried to stick with one group, but it was unfeasible. In 2009, I developed a range of indigo colours on my own, and then I asked my Nung ladies in Cao Bang Province to dye my colours with their traditional techniques.

They told me it was impossible, then tried anyway. But the colours turned out to be a disaster. They gave up. I was bummed.

“I realised that changing the tradition which had existed for thousands of years was like trying to move Fansipan Mountain... it’s better to adapt their techniques, learn and develop from them, but also respect their traditions. Slowly, we created a number of exciting colour ranges, using all-natural dyes from indigo, yam and magenta plants.”

So Thao stopped bringing outside techniques to different ethnic groups, which she finds challenging in its own way; it spreads her business around and complicates the supply chain.

Keeping it Natural Since its first clothing launch in 2012, Kilomet 109 has done well. Clothes designed by Thao are sold at Module 7 on Xuan Dieu in Hanoi, as well as at boutique stores in Berlin and Portugal. Her latest ecologically-friendly collection, Seed, was successfully launched at Manzi Art Space last December, and featured not only organic fabrics but also natural dyes and beeswax batik prints.

Thao’s other new line of clothing is more dressy, and requires fabrics that are impossible for her suppliers to produce in Vietnam. She imports these from sustainable producers in Hong Kong, Thailand and Japan. Although she hopes to eventually be able to produce everything here, she says it is a hugely ambitious goal.

For now, she is focused on designing more pieces and expanding her business by selling to stores in Saigon, the rest of Vietnam, and all over the world. Although it might take a while to do things right, I have no doubt that Thao’s beautiful clothing will go far.

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INSIDER

HCMC

A Short History of Thao Dien

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From sleepy north-ofSaigon backwater to a new city, the expat area of Thao Dien has developed beyond recognition. Words and Photos by Nick Ross

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iang is taking me on a tour of Thao Dien. But we’re not doing a who’s who of the wealthy expat area of Saigon that we know today. This is the Thao Dien of the past, one that has gone from being a small outpost on the other side of the Saigon River to a new hub on the edge of Saigon.

According to paperwork on display in the 80-year-old Thao Dien Temple on Street 41, the hamlet was originally called Ich Phu. Established in 1852, after the arrival of the French it was incorporated into the newly formed province of Bien Hoa. That was in the 1860s. In 1893, boundaries were once again redrawn. This time Ich Phu found itself integrated into the newly formed district of Thu Duc. Accessible only by boat until the 1961 completion of the Saigon Bridge, no-one quite knows when the name Ich Phu was lost — by the time Giang moved there in 1973, it was already a name of the past.

“There was no highway,” he recalls of his early days in the area. “When you came

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“‘It took about 40 minutes to get here on a motorbike from District 1, through small villages and streets which are now the highway, across a single lane bridge and then into Thao Dien Road which was a roughly paved road up to the compound”

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over the bridge you had to turn left. Then the road wound round what is now Duong 38 until it stopped at Thien Nga Swimming Pool. People who came over the bridge only came for the swimming pool.”

Set in what is now the Thien Nga Compound at 78 Xuan Thuy, we go inside and walk round the back. Shaped like a swan — thien nga means swan in Vietnamese — the pool is still there 40 years later, except that now it’s part of the compound. Some of the buildings next to the pool are from the pre-1975 period, but most are newly built.

The only age-old remnant is the ancient banyan tree sitting at the entrance to the pool.

“Most of the hawkers who came to this area would walk over the bridge and come to the swimming pool,” he adds. “This was where you could get your street food.”

42 Years and Counting Like millions of citizens of 20th century Eastern and Central Europe, Giang has seen his fair share of changing boundaries. After the war An Phu Ward was created to cover the area we now know as Thao Dien and An Phu — Thao Dien itself was given the name Thanh Binh. In 1997 the boundaries were changed once again. The ward of Thao Dien was created, Thanh Binh was lost and the district of Thu Duc was divided into District

“The problem is that much of Thao Dien is built on former mangrove…

When all the natural waterways have been built upon and disrupted, where will the water go?”

2, District 9 and Thu Duc. When Giang first arrived, the peninsula that now forms Thao Dien was divided into settlements. Lang Bao Chi, or the media village, stood on the east side. Next door was Lang Ngan Hang, the banking village, which in the late 1980s was converted into the An Phu Superior Compound (APSC).

To the southeast stood Cu Xa Canh Sat,

a development inhabited by the city’s police, and right next door on what is now the streets of Nguyen Cu, Do Quang and Nguyen Van Huong was the Cu Xa Bo Ngoai Giao, an area housing people who worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In between the various settlements were fields — “because of all the flooding, it was always difficult to grow crops here,” says

Giang — and a network of mangroves and canals known then as Rach Dua. This forms much of today’s area that floods at high tide.

Unlike elsewhere on the non-Saigon side of the river, most of the peninsula was deemed safe — the US Army had a huge warehouse just at the bottom of the bridge.

However, it was only in the mid-1990s that foreigners unable to afford the villa rental

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“‘Most of the houses have already been knocked down, raised or rebuilt. The problem with the land here is the flooding. It makes the land unstable, and constantly moving’” in APSC, an area originally constructed for employees of BP, were allowed to live in houses outside of the compound. By the late 1990s new houses started being built. Now the desire to build is in overdrive.

In Search of History After leaving Thien Nga Compound we go in search of old houses.

“Drive slowly,” says Giang, “I’ll spot them immediately. The really old houses are the ones that have sunk into the ground. All the others have been built up much higher.”

The first we come across are in the Nguyen Cu area of Thao Dien. Lying below street level, one house still has its old address signage up from right after the war — 1014A Khu Thanh Binh. With a tiled front and iron window detailing typical of 1960s Saigon, it looks like it’s about to be either repaired or knocked down.

“Most of the houses have already been knocked down, raised or rebuilt,” explains Giang. “The problem with the land here is the flooding. It makes the land unstable, and constantly moving.”

I see the results of this one road down on the narrow section of Nguyen Van Huong.

One house has sunken so low into the ground that you can see quite clearly where the water level rises.

“It happens every autumn, right?” I say to one of the residents.

“No,” he says. “It’s happening right now.

This is the flooding season.”

Both he and Giang point out a concrete barrier that has been built to fend off water from the street.

“Does it work?” I ask.

“Not really.”

Next door in a Quan Com Binh Dan — a cheap rice restaurant — they take me inside and show me cracks in the wall. Because of the flooding and the land, the foundations are unstable.

“We want to repair it,” says one of the inhabitants, “but it’s too expensive. The only way to do it properly is to knock the whole house down and start again.”

It reminds me of a house I used to rent nearby in the former mangrove area of Rach Dua. It had gaping fissures in one of the outside walls, and so unstable were the foundations that the floor in the lounge was sloping inward. When we moved out we cited bad architecture as a reason for finding other accommodation. But the problem is that much of Thao Dien is built on former mangrove. Like Thanh Da Island next door,

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it’s sinking.

It makes me wonder about all the new developments that are sprouting up in the area. Will they, too, have foundation issues?

I do know that the developers in nearby Thu Thiem are raising the land by 3 metres to prevent flooding. But this leaves another problem. When all the natural waterways have been built upon and disrupted, where will the water go? You just need to look at the 2011 floods in Bangkok, a city also constructed on mangrove. A bout of nonstop heavy rain caused the Thai capital to be flooded for weeks.

In the Phu My Hung area of Ho Chi Minh City, another district built on reclaimed swamp, it has meant cracks in the sidewalk and tarmac as land moves around beneath all the concrete and water searches for a place to flow. Mangrove roots help stabilize the land and prevent soil in unsteady areas from breaking down, yet take them away and the land starts to fall apart, no matter how much concrete you put on top. This is why mangroves are now being replanted all around the world to stop coastal erosion.

First In When the co-founder of The Deck and Mekong Merchant Anna Craven-SmithMilnes made the transition to Thao Dien in 2000, she moved into a house “at the end of a very muddy road”. Together with her partner, Lawson Johnson, she still lives in the same property.

“Lawson moved to Thao Dien in 1993 to live in the Lang Bao Chi area,” she says. “It took about 40 minutes to get here on a motorbike from District 1, through small villages and streets which are now the highway, across a single lane bridge and then into Thao Dien Road which was a roughly paved road up to the [APSC] compound. Everything off Thao Dien was dirt track.”

Thao Dien at the turn of the century was a very different place to the one we know now, the one that during rush hour comes to a near standstill. According to Anna, the area was quiet and charming with no shops except the An Phu Supermarket. Most of the land on either side of Thao Dien Road was undeveloped and the area after Lang Bao Chi was paddy fields and scrubland, all the way around to the Saigon Bridge.

The loop that has become Nguyen Van Huong didn’t exist.

“Lang Bao Chi was full of Vietnamese journalists,” she adds. “It had a very cute

and quaint feel to it — a very friendly and quiet neighbourhood.”

Her permanent attachment to Thao Dien started in 2002 with the opening of Mekong Merchant. Starting off as a furniture shop, with three small tables at the back for weekend breakfasts, in 2005 she transformed it into a full-blown café.

This was followed by the opening of The Deck in 2007, which was converted from a run-down coffee shop into a restaurant and bar.

“To begin with people thought we were mad,” she says. “But gradually they came… The biggest challenge when we first opened was trying to convince our friends to stay in Thao Dien for dinner. They were not used to this and if they went out, it was always into District 1. Now there are more than 30 restaurants locally and going into District 1 for dinner is a bit of an effort.”

A Brighter Future?

It’s not just standalone restaurants and fast food chains that have entered the area.

Shopping malls, supermarkets, a soon-tobe-completed metro line and high-rises are also sprouting up. The latest addition is the new Vincom Mega Mall. Set on the main highway next to the Masteri, a soon-tobe-completed apartment block complex, it represents everything that this area aspires to — modern, trendy, consumerist and new.

It comes with a top-floor ice rink, a wellpopulated food court and its own cinema complex.

Next door in An Phu, newly built areas have sprouted up and as I write, Tran Nao Street is being raised one metre and widened into a highway. Further on is Thu Thiem, where developers are in the early stages of building a new city directly opposite the CBD in downtown Saigon.

Like much of Thao Dien and Phu My Hung, the development is being built on mangrove.

With Thu Thiem, An Phu and Thao Dien located so close to the city centre, it makes logical sense to build Ho Chi Minh City out to the north, an area that due to the swamps has for the last 150 years been widely ignored. Yet it’s not something that excites the likes of Giang.

When we start talking about the past his eyes light up, his smile widens and his body becomes more animated. His memories are nostalgic yet tinged with sadness. In a few years’ time this area will never quite be the same.

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Cover Story

F for Fashion At the turn of the millennium, everyone in Vietnam seemed to dress the same. Fast forward 15 years and people have developed some style. So with all the international brands in town, where’s it all heading? Words by Nick Ross

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night out in the big city will reveal one irrefutable fact; women in Vietnam know how to dress. Look around at the men in this country and they, too, are starting to put on the style.

This is not something new — the Vietnamese woman has always been expected to be beautiful. Etched into their psyche with four words, cong dung ngon hanh, or work hard, look beautiful, be a skilful talker and know how to create a happy family, the outward visage of the traditional Vietnamese woman has always had a focus on beauty.

With global fashion making its way to Vietnam, greater spending power has affected what people wear.

Naturally, people in this country dress much better than in the past.

“People are definitely more stylish,” says Paul Norriss, COO and director of garment manufacturer, Un-Available. “The outside influence from the internet and music is very apparent and in the 12 years I’ve been here I’ve seen big changes in what’s acceptable. Younger generations are much more daring and want to be seen to be pushing the boundaries. This is mainly in the big cities, while outside of that it’s still a little way behind.”

Yet, although people are “catching up real quick,” says well-known model and celebrity, Vu Ha Anh, “the majority [of people here] have not developed styles or taste.”

She adds: “There is a lack of menswear brands and our perception is men don’t need to look good, they just need to be smart. I think it’s not generally true these days, and particularly in business. Everyone needs to have a certain style and dress code to impress their

employers, colleagues, partner and friends.”

Says Paul, “What’s missing is true contemporary fashion for the middle classes — the cool working professionals. But international brands can’t offer this as price-wise they are too high.”

At the Mall

It’s the January sales and many of the well-known brands in the Crescent Mall in Ho Chi Minh City — Accessorize, Aldo, Calvin Klein, Diesel, Ecco, Guess, Mango, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger and Vans — are offering discounts. Naturally, sales attract customers and despite being mid-week, mid-afternoon, the mall is busy.

Contrast this to 18 months ago. Then, even during the sales, except at the weekends the mall never quite filled up. When it did, the majority of the customers would window shop before heading to the upper floors to eat in the food court. Now they are starting to spend.

This is something confirmed by Emrat Rungruangwitchakul, the head of British clothing store, Marks & Spencer (M&S). And it’s something I notice when I interview her in the outlet in the Crescent Mall.

The place is busy and shoppers aren’t just browsing.

Targeting “middle and high-class people” aged mainly between 25 and 40, M&S is aware of the problem that “people are still into traditional markets,” says Emrat, who worked in retail in Thailand before moving to Vietnam.

“The spending power here is different and this is a new country, so customers here are more concerned about price.”

While many of the international brands try to position themselves at the upper end of the market — a quick

walk around Gap and Next, two clothing stores I know well from the UK, shows that prices are 30 percent to 40 percent higher than in London — M&S has taken a different route. Prices in Vietnam are lower than the UK, and more competitive even than in Thailand and Singapore.

“I want the brand to be affordable first, then let’s see the feedback,” explains Emrat. “Because if you set the price too high at the beginning, then the perception of the customer will be affected and they won’t buy. So, I prefer to lower the prices, give the brand a luxury feel and make the customers feel like this is something they can afford. Affordable luxury.”

As she says this we look around at the price tags. I spot an M&S leather jacket for women — it costs just under VND3 million, or GBP90 in the UK. It’s actually cheaper than the equivalent local brand jacket available in leatherwear shops in Hanoi. And of course, the quality is far better.

Another reason for keeping the prices affordable is to try and make inroads into the well-off Vietnamese market, to attract the kind of customers who do most of their clothes shopping overseas.

“Now new brands are entering the country, this will change a lot,” says Emrat. “All of the fashion brands are trying to find ways to engage Vietnamese customers.

So what I’m trying to do is say that if you buy here, it’s cheaper than buying overseas.”

A Matter of Price

The issue with price, where certain brands sell lowend clothing in the West but are seen as mid-range in Vietnam, is something that Paul Norriss believes makes

this a “strange market”.

“Mid-range depends on numerous things, and one of those is price point,” he explains. “So whereas Gap and Topshop are low-end clothing in the West, due to price point and quality here they are seen as mid-range clothing. The prices are more expensive due to import taxes, and of course average incomes in Vietnam are lower, making them more expensive to the average citizen.”

For him the answer is for Vietnam to start creating its own brands, to develop its own fashion lines that can compete internationally on style and price with the big players. It’s a tough call, but it’s desperately needed.

“It’s going to need a local design house to come to the party,” he says. “What we need in Vietnam is an edgy local brand with worldwide influence that’s produced locally but with international standards. It’s the only way to hit the price and still be forward enough in terms of style and quality.”

Ha Anh agrees but points out an issue. Costs.

“Local designers… struggle in business because even though they are very talented, there’s a lack of quality fabric and accessories available,” she explains.

“Their production costs are too high and therefore their products are not price competitive.”

Which all leads this country to an interesting impasse. The fashion industry has improved beyond all recognition. Yet, to move onto the next stage, the local designers need to step up and the ‘luxury’ price issue needs to be overcome.

It will happen because Vietnam loves fashion and Vietnamese women love to look beautiful. The question is when.

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The Next Generation of Designers Whether Vietnamese or foreign, this country is home to a new generation of clothes designers. We profile four.

Louise Bach-Mogensen O-Thala 85 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Hoi An o-thala.com

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riginally from Denmark, Louise BachMogensen has called Vietnam her home for the past 16 years, after falling in love with the country while travelling here after university.

Though Vietnam has captured her heart, Louise has found a way to honour her love of her two homes through her fashion label O-Thala, named after an old rune from Viking times that signifies a return to the sacred land. Her designs for O-Thala are about finding a blend between Scandinavian minimalism and simplicity with the detail and intricacy of traditional Vietnamese embroidery and beading.

Louise has not always been a designer, but has been a closet artist since she was able to pick up a pencil or paintbrush. “I’ve always been fascinated by human bodies and movement,” recalls Louise. “When I decided to move into fashion design it was a fairly easy move, I just drew on my passion for humans and put clothes onto them.”

Many dream of what Louise has managed to achieve with O-Thala in managing to turn her creative hobby and passion into her profession, helped by her background in sales and marketing.

Louise finds inspiration everywhere; she recently saw a Bjorn Wiinblad illustration that triggered a print, and it is the little ideas like these that start sprinkling in slowly in her day-to-day life. “The beading on a shirt in the collection was created after I saw water running down glass — just being exposed to visuals can help you create,” says Louise.

The pieces Louise designs often have complex beading and fabric work, but she has a production team of six people who help her develop her work.

“Some of the beading for one piece alone can take up to two days to complete,” says Louise about this hard but rewarding work. — Siân Kavanagh

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Ella Henry

Ella Henry Designs ella-henry.com

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his 23-year-old designer seems to have a permanent smile from ear to ear that is contagious to everyone around her. Ella has always been a designer, and obsessed with fashion, but since graduating from the University for the Creative Arts in London, England, she has been focusing her efforts on developing Ella Henry, the brand.

Ella uses inspiration from her time spent in India, Brunei, Bali and Vietnam to cultivate her line, consisting of swimwear and silk cover-ups. Her pieces offer simplicity in her garment design, while she uses colour and print to add a vibrant complexity to the collection, with a mix of free-flowing, dream-like patterns.

Ho Chi Minh City has proved to be a source of inspiration for Ella and her print making, as she draws from the contrasts the city has to offer.

“You can tell that Ho Chi Minh City is a [place] on the brink of explosion,” says Ella. “It’s like London would have been in the 1980s, just filled with opportunity.”

Since moving to Vietnam last year, Ella has been finding the balance between the thrill of life in Saigon and the fear that can accompany it as well.

“The designs I’m working on now involve more intricate prints with a depth of colour cut with harsher lines and intense shapes, it’s all about working with the frequency of [Ho Chi Minh City],” says Ella. It’s easy to spot Ella’s use of expressionism in her pieces, as well as her influences from designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Matthew Williamson and Alexander McQueen.

At only 23, Ella recalls her parents encouraging her from a young age to create and feel inspired, with her childhood home filled with furniture made by her mum and a wardrobe filled with clothes made by her as well.

“I would help her pick the fabrics for my clothes and I always had the most colourful and craziest outfits — I loved it.”

Drawing further inspiration from Vivienne Westwood and her “ethical fashion” initiative, Ella believes that is an approach that is preferable to the “fast fashion” that has become the norm in mainstream outlets.

“We need to take a step back and slow down the manufacturing process in order to address some of the issues we face today,” she says.

“Fashion has the power to make you feel magical, but that magic should also come from within yourself to begin with,” says Ella.

After seeing her designs I could definitely imagine anyone feeling magical while wearing them. — Siân Kavanagh

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Thuy Nguyen

Thuy Design House 132-134 Dong Khoi, Q1, HCMC thuydesignhouse.com

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hat stands out most in 34-year-old Thuy Nguyen’s designs is their vibrance. The women who wear her clothes are not afraid to be seen — rather, they revel in being walking works of art, their bodies complemented by a design that prioritises comfort and chromatic patterns that imbue confidence.

A classically trained painter with a Masters in Fine Art, it’s no surprise that Thuy treats her fabric like canvas. She keeps the lines of her garments simple and clean, so the eye has space to dance across her intricate designs. Combining age-old Vietnamese techniques like brocade — silver or gold thread woven into silk to give the illusion of embroidery — with retro designs like the 1960s-era shift dress and modern fabrics like denim, Thuy melds history and youth to create wearable art.

The difference between fashion and fine art, she explains, is fashion’s emphasis on materials. Where art is abstracted and focused on creating a visceral response from the viewer, clothing is practical and relies on movement. “If being a painter gives me unrestrained feelings, fashion brings me back to the realistic world. It provides lessons about body language and how to turn personal stories into applicable designs,” says Thuy.

Her latest line of garments, titled Lung Lieng, was inspired by the work of Vietnamese painters like Le Pho and Tran Van Can, who used block colour and heavy brushwork to depict graceful women, floral imagery and scenes from rural life. Fashion enthusiasts in Ho Chi Minh City had the chance to watch this collection walk the runway last fall at Vietnam International Fashion Week 2015. Designer fashion is still a relatively new concept in Vietnam, and this show was only the second of its kind in the country. Being a part of events like this puts Thuy at the centre of a quickly growing industry.

“Use your passion to overcome barriers in your career,” Thuy advises the hopeful young designers among us. “And set specific goals to nurture the motivational fire in you.” — Jesse Meadows

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Nguyen Duy Thanh

SINE 14 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi facebook.com/sinestore

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hen I met Hanoi native Nguyen Duy Thanh, I thought perhaps he had stumbled in off the streets of Berlin, linear tattoos covering the backs of his hands, dressed head to toe in sweeping black. His floor-length linen skirt brushed the tops of his leather boots; a button at his clavicle pinned the simple Chinese-style collar underneath his black coat, hiding the rest of the geometric tattoos that climbed up his neck. He looked like a monk in vogue.

A dancer and choreographer for 14 years, the 27-yearold’s work is rooted in movement; his first designs were for his own dance costumes. Frustrated at the way he saw young people embracing Western trends and abandoning Asian culture, he decided the best way he could keep ancient traditions current was by weaving them into contemporary designs that young people would want to wear.

Thanh has a penchant for dramatically draped linen.

“The more crumpled it is, the more beautiful,” he says, showing me the texture of the wrinkles in his skirt, one of his many unisex designs.

There is little colour in his work, save for the odd accent of dark red or yellow. While he says he prefers black for its versatility, class, and depth of emotion, his choices are not only stylistic. There is no good or bad in black and white, he says, just balance. This idea stems from the Chinese philosophy of Taoism, which stresses the necessary balance between positive and negative forces to achieve harmony.

“Beauty can come from something ugly,” he explains.

The simplicity of these designs emphasises their grace. As I watched him move, I found myself wanting to glide along in that mysterious flowing skirt, and bring the linen to life with my limbs. Young people, especially in Hanoi, Thanh explains, don’t dare to show their personalities. He hopes his dynamic clothing can empower the youth to show more of themselves and grow in new directions, while still remembering their roots. — Jesse Meadows

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Shopping Second-hand

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In a country where people love all that is new, shopping for second-hand clothes is making a comeback. Jesse Meadows heads to the second-hand clothes market and together with two wilful aides-de-camp comes away with a new outfit. Photos by Julie Vola

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he plan was simple: three girls find three outfits in Hanoi’s second-hand clothes market.

There was Kate, who, in her baggy brown t-shirt and plaid pleated pants, was in need of a serious makeover; Le, polished and office-ready but in search of something more casual; and me, who had no idea what I was looking for, but was certain I’d know it when I saw it. But as we began our descent into the second-hand underworld, I realised it wasn’t going to be so easy.

Located on Dong Tac Street, the entrance is marked by clothes racks that flank a long hall, creating a dim passageway that leads into a labyrinth of old dusty gems. Rows and rows of jackets, sweaters and fur coats hung all around us, neglected in the warmth of a Hanoi winter that barely came. I started to sweat just looking at them. Kate was instantly taken by the idea of a bad-ass leather jacket, and it didn’t take long until I found one for her — soft, black and real leather, too.

The shopkeepers wanted VND700,000, but we wavered until they dropped the price to VND500,000. Our first successful purchase made, we ventured deeper into the maze.

Rummaging

This type of shopping is not for the faint of heart. If you don’t like the idea of sifting through piles of musty old clothes, trying on those old clothes in the corner

of an open-air stall with just a friend or half a curtain to hide behind, and bartering aggressively, maybe stick to the shiny new malls that you’re used to. But, if you can endure these less-than-pleasant aspects of the experience, you will be rewarded. There are treasures hidden in those dusty racks.

I wandered away from the group and saw a stall that was drowning in flowery fabrics and breezy dresses.

When I stepped over the piles of clothes to look at them, the lady of the house picked up a red plastic stool and hollowed out a place for me sit. I began to dig excitedly through the mountains of fabric around me, several young Vietnamese girls nearby also fervently excavating. I’d been having trouble finding things to fit my tall curvy frame, so when I fished a long red polkadotted dress out of the pile and it fit perfectly, I bought it for VND125,000, even though it was not particularly my style.

When I found the girls again, they were playing dress-up in another little stall nearby. Le had found a suede, olive-coloured dress reminiscent of an ao dai (VND150,000), and Kate had classed up her leather jacket with a grey pencil skirt (VND70,000) and a white blouse (VND70,000).

The shopkeeper, a 27-year-old named Mai, watched us in mild amusement. We asked her how long she’d been working in her stall. “Twenty years. It was my mother’s before,” she replied in broken English.

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The Source

Mai explained that the winter clothes come from China, Japan and South Korea, but for summer wear, she goes to Phnom Penh to buy clothes wholesale, picking and choosing what she likes from giant plastic bags.

Many of these clothes were sent to Cambodia as aid by the Swedish International Development Agency, and became known as ‘hang SIDA’. As this acronym is also the French word for AIDS, second-hand clothes in Vietnam have suffered a morbid reputation. Judging by the amount of traffic at the market, though, it seems that these negative connotations are subsiding.

“All kinds of people shop here,” Mai told us, and pointed at a woman who was collecting dresses from the rack. “She is choosing for her own shop.”

Many of Hanoi’s boutique owners come to the market to find unique pieces, then turn round and resell them in the city for double the price. But we have no need for the middleman anymore — we’ve found the source. And as 45 minutes had become three hours, we began to weave through the dark corridors again, this time on a hunt for the exit.

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Where To Shop When You’re Western-Sized S

Can’t get clothes that fit?

Siân Kavanagh and Jesse Meadows have some answers

hopping in Vietnam can be a sad experience for Westerners. We’re generally just too big for storebought clothes, which leaves the options of going to a tailor or, it is rumoured, buying black-market

items siphoned off from export orders.

It is getting slightly easier to find Western-sized clothes in Hanoi, at least, but the shopping struggle in Ho Chi Minh City remains.

Things of Substance

Zed’s Threads

5 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem

N

estled between a pho ga shop and a handbag store, this little boutique is perfect if you need some smart clothes for the office, or a few versatile, wellmade basics. Founded in 2006 by Australian designer Simmone Fairhead, the brand features silk, cotton and linen attire for women, in mostly solid colours.

Sizes range from 6 to 18, with most tops around VND190,000, dresses at VND620,000, and bulkier items like sweaters nearing VND900,000. The shop also features a tailor in-house, who will happily alter any purchases free of charge.

36 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho

L

ong have the Western men of Hanoi lamented a lack of quality work shirts. Now Zed’s Threads is here, with sizes all the way up to triple XL. The little tailor shop has recently begun to make women’s and children’s clothes, too, all 100% cotton. The staff is friendly and eager to help, and much of their business centres around tailor-made attire for the working adult. Prices start around VND400,000 and can climb to VND2 million depending on the piece.

We also spotted a rack of hip sunglasses and a quirky jewellery collection.

Hanoi

Rico

Emporium

43 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho

T

his is one of those small boutiques that sources trendy garb from the likes of Forever 21 and Zara — think flowery crop tops and tribal bustiers. It’s not ideal for the plus-sized among us, but most of the stuff should fit your average white girl. It feels like a thrift store with fashion sense. There’s no size selection, just one of everything, so you better cross your fingers and hope that top you like fits. Prices range from VND100,000 to VND200,000, with a nice little selection of eclectic earrings and accessories starting at VND50,000. Notable finds include a few tie-dyed sports bras and an impressive collection of cosy winter scarves.

172 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho

O

ccupying two storeys on Xuan Dieu, what used to be George’s on To Ngoc Van contains a huge range of styles, so it’s probably your best bet if you have an eclectic fashion sense. From pleather dresses to macramé tops to corduroy skirts, Emporium fully embodies its name. We spotted second-hand boots, bags made from ethnic minority fabrics, a selection of household knick-knacks like candles and pillows, and even some lacy lingerie. This is also a good place to find larger-sized slacks, up to size 18. The shop has a tailor in-house and will alter any of your purchases free of charge. Prices range from VND200,000 to VND900,000.

Luna Outlet

2nd Floor, 59 Dong Cac, Dong Da Call before you go: 0966 818264

A

s testament to the ever-growing presence of the internet, Luna Outlet does most of their business on Facebook. They post photos of new stock on Hanoi Massive, and take orders via Facebook messages. They’ll even deliver an array of sizes and styles to your house, so you can try things on and buy what you like without having to go outside.

How much better can shopping be?

This is a first-come-first-served endeavour, so don’t get your heart set on any of those floral kimonos or slinky shift dresses you see on their Instagram. Their stock seems to be overflow from Western brands like Free People, H&M and of course, Forever 21, with prices averaging from VND100,000 to VND300,000, and a 10% discount on any purchases over VND1 million.

Curve

107 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem

C

arrying Australian sizes all the way up to 18, Curve makes Vietnamese-inspired attire for Western-sized women. The brand has been designing and creating garments out of their own workshop for three years, and they also keep a tailor on hand at the shop to adjust any purchases to your liking.

The style is twofold; loose, breezy casual wear, like striped cotton maxi dresses and long linen tunics, and Vietnamese-style professional attire, like cropped blazers and printed polyester blouses.

It’s a small shop packed to capacity with clothing racks, and the amount of variety they have managed to squeeze into such a limited space ensures that you’ll find something you like. They also feature a rack of extralarge ao dais, and an assortment of jewellery made out of painted wooden beads. Prices range from VND500,000 to VND2 million.

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Mayhem Saigon

Masto Designs

136/10 Le Thanh Ton, Q1

H

idden behind Ben Thanh Market, down an alley and up a flight of stairs, Mayhem is a little oasis of painfully cool shoppers and a surprising amount of denim jackets. The selection here is comprised of imported and vintage fashions, so while it’s possible to find bigger sizes, there isn’t much consistency for women. Men, however, are stocked all the way up to XL. Their uber-trendy fashion is reasonably priced, with tops starting at VND200,000 and dresses going for VND350,000, but be prepared to hunt for what you want.

136/10 Le Thanh Ton, Q1

T

he work of international school teacher, Andrew Masterton, Masto Designs provide tailor-made men’s shirts for the more discerning male. In a country where getting good fabric and even better designs can be tough, Andrew’s service fills a nice little niche — casual and business-style shirts for men who want to look good. From out of his workshop in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 2, he’s also now got a selection of off-the-rack shirts, all at excellent prices.

Think VND1 million and less per shirt. Worth every penny.

HCMC

Ginkgo

Dung Tailor

ginkgo-vietnam.com

N

ow with stores in Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Hoi An and Hanoi, Ginkgo is a homegrown, French-owned fashion outlet focusing on the wonderful world of the t-shirt. Naturally, as their empire has grown, so has their range of products, and now they also sell shorts, hoodies and for women, skirts, dresses and pants. But the key? The sizes. Here they have something to fit everyone. Check out their website for a list of locations.

Saigon Square

77 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1

I

f there’s anything Vietnam does well, it’s putting on a proper market. Notable here is the density and sheer variety of products, from ski coats, formal gowns, suits and office wear, to every imaginable pair of sunglasses under the sun. The vendors here are attentive and friendly and offer some great bargains, with t-shirts starting at VND50,000, and blouses going for VND100,000. One word of advice; Saigon Square will not offer you a relaxing shopping experience. Be prepared to sweat, haggle and potentially flash an unsuspecting vendor while trying a top on. For women, the largest size available is a generous XL. Men are more in luck, with some stalls carrying shirts all the way up to 4XL.

221 Le Thanh Ton, Q1

T

hese guys focus on making suits, and boy, are they good at it. The focus is primarily on men’s wear, but they have been known to make women’s suits on occasion. Dung comes highly recommended from many, though not the place to go if you’re looking for a bargain. With a tailored suit, you pay for the attention to detail and quality fabric, and it helps that this particular tailor boasts its own fabric shop, so there’s no need to go to more than one place. Prices vary depending on size and materials, but it’s worth checking out if you need formal wear for a special night or a smart suit to impress the office.

Saigon Flea Market

Location varies, check facebook.com/saigon.flea.market to find out where they’ll be next

T

his is not the sort of damp, chilly flea market popular in the Europe, but one packed with beautiful clothing, stylish accessories and quirky knick-knacks. Again, the accessibility of the larger sizes at the flea market depend on supply, so get there early and be prepared to rummage, but if you look hard enough, you’re almost guaranteed to fall in love with something. Clothing prices start at VND150,000 for basics and can go up to VND1 million.

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Material World Vietnam’s garment industry is already a success story. Now, with more free trade agreements on the floor, it looks set to boom again.

Words by Jon Aspin

I

t’s a good time to be in the textiles game. Even without the impact of multiple tariff-reducing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and legal partnerships looming, experts anticipate the sector to grow by an average annual rate of above 10% for the next five years. That’s good news.

In addition to low cost, insiders cite Vietnam’s geographic location, factory productivity (which might surprise naysayers) and one-party political stability as positives when it comes to producing clothes for export.

To put recent growth into perspective, in 2005, the total export figure for the textiles sector was US$5.4 billion (VND121.5 trillion). By 2013, that figure was close to US$22 billion, largely driven by the country’s top trading partner (the US) and to a lesser extent the European market demand for affordable, high-quality brands, and the government’s willingness to deal with them. If you’ve bought from the likes of H&M, GAP or Top Shop over the last five years, there’s a very good chance it was manufactured in Vietnam.

A Growing Market

The number of major international retailers and luxury brands entering Vietnam has continued to rise. The ‘Coming Soon’ signs have been taken down, because they’ve now arrived. According to industry insiders, it's growth that’s unlikely to slow down for the next two to three years at least.

What’s different about this next period is that, while key offshore markets will continue to be crucial, domestic demand for affordable and even not-soaffordable fashion is anticipated to explode. It’s a trend we can see reflected on the high street in Vietnam’s big cities, now mostly relocated to the suburban megamalls being opened at a rapid pace.

Add to that a reduction in tariffs between participating nations of the Trans Pacific Partnership, signed by countries representing 40% of the world’s economy last year, and you have an environment that remains attractive for new and existing fashion entrepreneurs.

In a 2013 interview with industry news website businessoffashion.com, Ms. Tran Thi Hoai Anh, founder of Globalink, a luxury retail distribution enterprise she opened in 2006 and through which she has brought luxury brands including Marc Jacobs and Givenchy to the country, said that Vietnam was changing so fast, it had become hard to recognise.

“The last five years mark the coming of many more big fashion brands and the market is becoming seriously challenging for everyone,” she said. “There is a huge potential, but it is not an easy market. No official statistics can truly help us measure its growth and maturity, so we can only ever really estimate how the competition is performing.”

Skill, Creativity and Turnaround

M.V. Vijesh has been in the textiles business for 15 years, 10 of them here and before that in India, with regular sourcing trips to China, Taiwan and Indonesia throughout this period. Now Country Manager at Kaybee Exim Vietnam, an importer of raw material with operations in Ho Chi Minh City, he reiterated some positives working in Vietnam’s favour.

“It’s been a very successful last few years in this business,” he said. “Vietnam is a stable country, and compared to a place like India for example, it’s much quicker at turning around large orders for big customers, especially when 50% of all raw material is still coming from China.”

The reasons?

“Well, obviously the geographic reality is important — Vietnam is much closer to China than India — but the workers in Vietnam here are much more skilled than in a lot of other countries, and that makes the end-product of much higher value.

“Needlework is superior, and workers here can work across a lot of different fabrics. This is what makes Vietnam attractive for customers like Walmart or Old Navy, who drive hard bargains because they want a lot of good product fast.”

A native of Chennai, Vijesh tells me there are over 4,000 factories in Vietnam that compete fiercely on price and delivery times, with some biting off more than they can chew from time to time. It’s a number that he says has swelled during his time in the country, but is also well supported, with Vinatex, a government-invested joint stock company, working hard to develop skills and raise standards across the board.

That said, it’s a business that relies heavily on reputation, which can rise and fall with equal speed.

He also confirms the trend towards growing domestic demand, saying that while the focus when he first began was very much on the overseas customer, it’s changing now, with some factories focusing solely on producing for local retailers. They are increasingly catering to the middle market, exposing a new segment to higher end brands, some for the first time.

Working in the closely related field of footwear, Andrew Leslie is an Irish-born, Scottish-raised product engineer for Adidas. He stresses the need for innovation in product development, and has been here working with young designers over the last six months. He sees creativity as a competitive advantage for Vietnam. The oft-quoted analogy about any race of people who can strap a refrigerator to a bike and make it work rings true — the Vietnamese are

intuitively creative problem solvers.

But he is aware of the limitations on the factory floor, pointing to education and proper skill development as important in countries like this. Leslie believes this will be the difference in helping Vietnam take the next step towards research and development. History shows that garment manufacture moves on, once economies equalize, and new players are brought into the reckoning. He uses his own industry as an example.

Value Chain

“Footwear started in Taiwan, moved to the Philippines, China, and now it is moving to Indonesia and Vietnam.

Soon it’ll move again, Myanmar and probably India.”

He then offers some insight into how economies need to react.

“So what happens to those people when it has moved on, is that those people move into different areas of the supply chain, including innovation, research and development. This happens as their level of education and skill-sets improve.”

He points to projects like Fashion 4 Freedom as opportunities that exist now to start innovating and change the marketplace for Vietnam in the future, moving from being considered a cheap service provider to a place that can lead the way in technical and ethical designs.

He envisions a future more about what he calls “cocreation” where local producers across multiple sectors contribute to product designs from the ground up, quite literally, and not just a marketing gimmick.

Opportunities and challenges abound. It will be interesting to see how the pending TPP and the free-trade agreement with the EU comes to bear on an industry charged with satisfying an increasingly sophisticated and risk-taking domestic market.

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The King of Vest

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I

For 24 hours, a Ho Chi Minh City tailor opens up their doors to Kyle Phanroy. Here’s what he found. Words by Owen Salisbury

t is one of the most crowded clothing streets in Ho Chi Minh City. Everywhere you look, there’s a rush of people and motorbikes, racks of clothes, storefronts with LED signs lighting the activity in a rainbow’s worth of colours.

Mon Amie: The King of Vest is nearly unreachable walking up; one has to dodge clothing racks and a woman selling snacks.

Yet once inside, the confusion of the street recedes.

The racks of clothes are ordered; professional-shot advertisements line the walls; handsome leather shoes sit before the window.

Founded by the father, Dang Huu Vy, in 1991, Mon Amie occupies two storefronts, as well as a small factory where the garments are made.

His children — Vien Khang and Christie — manage the shops, while the patriarch runs the factory. With over 25 years of experience in tailoring, Dang Huu Vy knows how to make clothing that lasts; each suit has a lifetime guarantee.

Working in wool, cotton, silk, cashmere, mohair and more, imported from Italy, the Dang family takes great pride in what they do. After 25 years, it’s easy to understand why.

Mon Amie: King of Vest is located at 353 and 357 Nguyen Trai, Q5

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Made for Walking Siân Kavanagh and Kyle Phanroy pay a visit to Shoe Fabrik to see fashion from the other side

I

f you were to dissect the large, white building nestled in Binh Chanh, on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, you would find a mesmerising process in front of you. Packed within four floors are the 180 staff at the Shoe Fabrik who work together to bring the design concepts of some of fashion’s biggest brands into a reality.

From the design rooms, infused with every possible colour and walls of fabric catalogues, to the developers constructing paper sample shoes on the shoe-shaped structures known as ‘lasts’, and the basement filled with sewing machines, ovens, and a good amount of glitter, the entire building is a playground of ideas and creation.

Since starting in 2002, Shoe Fabrik has grown from working for two brands to the 12 they work with today, aiding their development, creation and sourcing. It is also

people-intensive; one style of shoe as part of one brand requires anywhere between 100 and 300 people to bring it to life.

“The great thing about Vietnam is the history of manufacturing and the large workforce still driving the industry today,” remarks Tony Hunt, brand director for Shoe Fabrik.

If the Shoe Fits…

The footwear industry is the third-biggest contributor to Vietnam’s GDP and export turnover. After the ratification of The Trans Pacific Partnership, it is expected that the manufacturing and footwear industry will continue to grow strongly within Vietnam.

Shoe Fabrik works with name brands such as Helly Hansen, Keds and Tempe by helping them to

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conceptualize and design the shoes they need every season. “[Footwear] is such a captivating and complex industry, every day is a school day,” says Tony. “Every day you get a chance to learn something new. Each new season brings 1,000 new shoes to design, that’s three shoes a day.”

Passion is key when working with such high turnarounds, as is a need to be creative. According to Tony, the shoe biz is, er, hard to walk away from.

“Footwear is captivating, there’s just something about the industry that’s addicting; the fast pace, the constant need for change and development,” he says.

“Not everyone who works here planned on working with shoes, but once you start it’s hard to leave shoes behind.”

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Insider

HELTER SKELTER INSIDER

FASHION

Vietnam is a conservative country, a place where tradition is interwoven with everyday life.

Yet, so much here bears a modern edge, an edge that comes from taking ideas from overseas and adapting them to local needs; an edge that sees this country race helter skelter towards a future that is as yet unknown.

We wanted to capture this mood, this non-stop ride to infinity and beyond. Yet we also wanted to capture the Vietnam of the past, regal Vietnam, a place, a feeling, an era that lives on in people’s hearts. Through fashion, we wanted to achieve something very bold, to show Vietnam as it looks and feels in 2016.

Tasked with this brief, our photographer Francis Xavier decided to mix old with new through the use of the humble motorbike. The new was the bike, the face visors, the Vogmasks, the Star-Spangled Banner helmet. The old was the Honda Cub, the traditional ao dai and the yem, a northern Vietnamese version of the halter. Scenery from Hoi An appeared on the clothing, as did flowers, jungle designs and images of the Vietnamese dragon. And in the background we mixed peeling-paint walls with modern day paving stones, cast-iron gate shutters and the facade of a five-star hotel.

The photos capture the spirit of now and then, past, present and future, the spirit of a country that lurches forward before stepping back, until once again it leaps on to another stage. As the lyrics of the oft-covered Beatles song, Helter Skelter, go: When I get to the bottom I go back to the top of the slide Where I stop and I turn and I go for a ride Till I get to the bottom and I see you again Yeah yeah yeah hey 88 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

PHOTOS: FRANCIS XAVIER STYLING: LORENZO KALEOLANI MODEL: NGUYEN DIEM NHUNG MAKE-UP: TONY TUONG

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WHAT SHE WORE THE CLOTHING COMES FROM THUY DESIGN HOUSE, 132-134 DONG KHOI, Q1, HCMC. TO SEE MORE ABOUT THUY DESIGN, TURN TO PAGE 65.

THE VOGMASKS, HELMETS AND VARIOUS MOTORBIKE ACCESSORIES COME FROM SAIGON SCOOTER CENTRE, 77A HANOI HIGHWAY, Q2, HCMC

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Insider

o t e e d i c u nan G s e ’ t r n e i n a n i M g e cle B A orcy t o M AL ION NAT

R IDE INS

w peaks o n s to k inson d nee Rob u e o t, y . Kat guide h g p i i ’ in s oad tr nners la c i i r n o cha on a t a beg ulie V e a m ou’re o ge by J t o t ’s n lly if y ikes hotos e r the pecia VIP B ce. P n e an es h m s w rself, to fro inten e etim y you Sou cle ma m o S t all b drew orcy o i to An mot d o t to w o h

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D

o you ride a motorbike? Do you know anything about it? No, “I turn it on and it goes” does not count. Most of us are riding around on these machines every day, and we have no idea how they

work. We rely on little more than good will, superstition, and prayer, and when they stop working, it’s always a disconcerting (and often inconvenient) surprise.

The talented and charitable folks over at VIP

Bikes took pity on us and spent a day showing us around our own bikes. So for those of us who know nothing (other than “that wing mirror looks broken”), here is a guide to basic motorbike maintenance and repair.

Tool bag These are some basic, portable tools that would be useful for anyone attempting roadside motorbike repairs:

— patch kit — combination pliers — screwdriver (both Philips head and flat head / blade) — tyre lever — adjustable wrench (6 or 8-inch) — ring spanner

Basic checks to perform on a bike before buying, renting, or going on a road trip Visual Checks — Are there any fluids leaking? Check the engine area or underneath the bike for oil; check the shock absorbers (and wheel areas if you have disk brakes) for hydraulic fluid leaks.

— Are the tyres worn? There should be a depth of at least 3mm (about the size of

the head of a match) left on your treads.

If not, they need to be replaced.

— While you’re looking at the tyres, check the pressure. If it looks visibly flat or feels heavy/mushy when you ride, get them pumped up.

— Are there any rust spots, especially on

Thorough Checks — Open the cap on the chain guard with a flat head (blade) screwdriver and check the tension on the chain by inserting your index finger in the hole and pushing up and down.

If the chain touches the chain guard at the bottom, it’s too loose, but it should move up and down a bit (roughly one inch of play is fine). A loose chain will affect your acceleration and is more likely to come off the sprocket, while an overly tight chain will wear out the chain and sprocket more quickly.

Also, while you’re in there, check to see if the chain is dry; if so, lube it up!

— Check the nuts where the brake line meets the drum on each wheel (if you don’t have disk brakes) to make sure they’re not screwed all the way in; if they are, your brake shoes are worn out and need to be replaced.

Also check the play on the hand and foot brakes to make sure they’re tight or loose enough. There should be a little free play before you feel the brakes catching (too tight and they overheat, too loose and you can’t brake hard enough.)

— If you have disc brakes, carefully feel the disc to make sure it’s not rough or has a lip (Beware: if you’ve been driving, this may be hot!). If so, there is

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—

—

—

—

something grinding on it somewhere.

Take it in to a mechanic.

Check the oil by twisting the cap on the oil tank with a pair of pliers. The oil should be the colour of honey or coffee; if it’s milky or black, your oil needs to be replaced (milky oil means there’s water in it, and black means it’s old and dirty).

The cap should be too tight to take off with your hands — if it wasn’t, make sure it is when you put it back on. This prevents water, road dust, and mischievous friends from getting in and messing with your oil.

Check your wheel and steering bearings by putting your bike on its centre stand, gripping each wheel, and wiggling it left to right, and then back to front. If there’s any play, you need to go see a mechanic to fix your wheel bearings.

Check the wheel alignment to make sure the wheels are on straight by counting the indicator lines on the axle; the indicator should be on the same line on both sides of the wheel. If not, it’s not on straight.

Check the battery (if visible) for any corrosion. Take it in to a mechanic to check your electric system if you see any.

Fun fact; if your bike fails in cold weather, it’s most likely the battery.

the spokes or chain (if it’s visible)? If so, put some lubricant on the rusty patch and make sure to keep it out of the rain.

If it’s really bad, take the bike to a mechanic to grind or brush and repaint the part, or get it replaced.

Useful Motorbike Words in Vietnamese* *Where there is a variation between north and south, the northern word is written first — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

motorbike / xe máy or xe honda mechanic / thợ sửa xe chain / dây xích or dây sên wheel / bánh xe tyre / lốp xe or vỏ xe inner tube / xăm xe or ruột xe puncture / thủng lốp or lủng bánh brakes / phanh or thắng lights / đèn xe ignition / nổ máy or đề máy oil / dầu or nhớt petrol / xăng steering / điều khiển xe or lái xe choke / kéo le or kéo e oil change / thay dầu or thay nhớt tighten / vặn ốc or xiết ốc gear shift / sang số or vo số 1st gear, 2nd gear, 3rd gear, 4th gear / số 1, số 2, số 3, số 4 kick start / đạp nổ máy or đạp máy doesn’t work/is broken/has a problem / hỏng xe or hư xe strange sound / tiếng lạ or kêu lạ pump / bơm lốp or bơm bánh xe repair a puncture / vá lốp xe or vá xe

THERE SHOULD BE A DEPTH OF AT LEAST 3MM

CHECK YOUR WHEEL AND STEERING BEARINGS

CHECK THE TENSION ON THE CHAIN

CHECK THE BATTERY FOR ANY CORROSION.

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THE OIL SHOULD BE THE COLOUR OF HONEY OR COFFEE

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Maintenance or repairs you can attempt yourself Kickstarting a bike

If the bike has been sitting for a long time without being used, try priming the engine first — kick it 10 times before you turn the key 1

Take the free play out of the kick starter (slowly push it down until you feel it resist a little) 5

2

Make sure it’s in neutral and the ignition is on

Kick down quickly, all the way through, and then give it some gas using the throttle (you shouldn’t need to throttle while kick starting, only immediately after the engine starts) 6

Slide the choke (under your left handle) to the furthest left position to get a richer fuel mixture

Sit on the bike or stand to the side, but keep one hand on the throttle

If you have kicked it many times and it won’t start, you may have flooded the engine.

Wait 15 minutes and try again

Once it starts, hold the throttle for a minute to warm up the engine and clear out any excess gas in it

3

7

4

8

Oil Change Do this when your engine is hot, as hot oil drains out better (but don’t burn your hands).

You can run your engine in neutral for a few minutes to heat up the engine first.

1

Put your bike on its centre stand

5

Wipe any excess oil or dirt around the drain plug

Get a drip tray for your old oil to leak into. Position it under the oil tank 2

6

Put the plug back in the bottom

Use your pliers to unscrew the top cap (with dipstick attached); set it aside

Use your pliers to pull out the drain plug in the bottom of the tank, and let the oil drain out

Use a funnel to fill the tank with new oil

Replace the top cap/ dipstick and tighten with pliers

3

7

4

8

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Adjusting cable brakes

Use a T-socket or adjustable wrench to twist the nut where the brake line meets the drum; twist clockwise to tighten, and anti-clockwise to loosen the brakes (remember: righty-tighty, lefty loose-y!).

1

Check the wear indicator; if the two indicators point to each other, or if the nut is screwed all the way in to the rod, the brakes are worn out and need to be replaced.

2

Do not overtighten the brakes, or they will get too hot and expand, causing the wheel to lock up. There should be some free play when you squeeze your brake handle or push the pedal.

Note that changing the weight on the bike will change the amount of free play (this is normal).

Remove the nut before removing the axle shaft (hold the wheel and tap gently with your hand to remove the shaft)

Remove the brake backing plate assembly, taking care not to lose the wheel spacers

3

4

Replacing/repairing a punctured tube

Put the bike on its centre stand and place a scissor jack or bricks underneath the engine to support it so that when the tyre comes off, the weight change doesn’t make the bike shift 1

2

Use two spanners to undo the axle nut and bolt

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3

4

Remove the wheel and place it on a rag or other soft surface to protect the brake drum

Remove the dust cap, valve nut, and valve (using a valve tool) to deflate the

Push on the sidewall of the tyre with your hands to “break the bead”, or the seal between the tyre and wheel rim, and push out any air remaining in the tube

Apply tyre levers (use one first, leave it in, then the next not too far away) to pop one side of the tyre off the rim (be careful not to damage the tube)

Remove the tube stem out of the valve hole, peel the tube out, and pull it and the tyre off of the wheel completely

Put one side of the tyre back on the rim — soapy water on the sidewall of the tyre will help it slide back into place!

(The tyre arrow should point forwards, in the direction the bike will go)

Place the tube in between the tyre and rim, making sure to first place the valve shaft in the hole, and push the tube towards the side of the tyre that’s already in the rim (so that you don’t pinch the tube when putting the other side of the tyre in the rim)

Screw in the valve nut and then put the other side of the tyre in the rim (use soap suds to make it easier)

When you can’t continue by hand, use a tyre lever to re-insert the tyre (be careful not to damage the tube)

Re-inflate the tyre check pressure indicators on the sidewall, and make sure line is evenly distributed around the wheel

Put the wheel back in between the forks and replace the brake backing plate, making sure the speedometer gear matches up in the correct place

Replace wheel spacers (apply a little grease) and reconnect brakes

Line all the holes up and replace the wheel axle shaft, wiggling and tapping with your hands if necessary

Screw in the axle nut using spanners, making sure it’s very tight (but not so tight that the wheel doesn’t spin)

5

9

13

17

6 tyre

10

14

18

7

11

15

19

8

12

16

Check that the wheel is properly aligned

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Insider

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INSIDER

SUSTAINABILITY

Setting a Benchmark Said to be the greenest building in Vietnam, Nick Ross and Julie Vola take a look inside Hanoi’s Green One UN House

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I

n May 2015 the UN SecretaryGeneral, Ban Ki-moon, and Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh inaugurated arguably one of the most environmentally friendly building in Vietnam. Housing 10 United Nations organisations under one roof — previously they were scattered around the capital in different offices — Green One UN House achieves a number of goals; it’s energy efficient, it uses recycled materials and it has an open-plan working environment.

It also has a fully integrated ICT platform used by all the different agencies, a first for the UN. Yet creating a building that allowed for a better, healthier, safer and more productive working environment for UN staff was a challenge — two decades worth of challenge — and it was only in 2007 that together with the Vietnamese government, the UN in Vietnam were finally given the go-ahead to search out premises. Aiming to construct

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a model building that demonstrates the viability of innovative sustainable buildings in Vietnam, according to Louise Chamberlain, country director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN also wanted to set a benchmark in the region for green office design and make a firm statement of the their commitment to sustainable development. “[We eventually chose] to renovate the apartment building for UN staff in Van Phuc compound — it had been built in the early 1990s,” she says. “The premises are centrally located and had sufficient space to accommodate the target number of staff of 16 UN organisations. Following competitive and consultative design processes, the basic design was drawn up in early 2011.”

With construction hiccups overcome — the need to reinforce the roof structure due to the unforeseen structural concerns and the discovery of a high-voltage cable

underground that did not exist on any drawings — the Green UN One House was completed in early 2015. In June of the same year, all the different UN agencies moved into the new building.

A Sustainable Future From green roofs and energy efficient lighting and air conditioning, through to draught-tolerant landscaping, every aspect of sustainability seems to have been thought of here. In a country with rising air pollution issues, of particular note is the use of non-toxic building materials.

Many building materials are made up of low-volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) that affect indoor air quality.

“By choosing materials that have less harmful components to human health, we have created a more healthy level of indoor air quality for our staff,” says Louise. “This can reduce allergies and the risk of other long-term health impacts.”

Other features include the conservation of energy by maximizing natural light and using energy-efficient lighting, and walls built with a lightweight material that insulates well, reducing the energy requirement for cooling and heating. In addition, when the building’s solar panels produce more energy than is consumed, excess power can be returned to Vietnam Electricity (EVN), reducing the net consumption of electricity.

“Over time, the savings in energy and water consumption add up,” says Louise. “But more importantly, we want to demonstrate to others the feasibility of green buildings in Vietnam; they are effective, efficient and they save money in the long run.”

She adds: “If large corporations and government agencies can commit to sustainable buildings and a more green and safe construction industry, this can affect the entire industry — and save lives.”

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Insider

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INSIDER

HCMC

The Upper Crust With a name out of a John Grisham novel, The Society has created something yet to be seen in Vietnam.

Words by Nick Ross.

Photos by Kyle Phanroy

I

n early 2010, the Park Hyatt opened the Martini Bar. So different was the atmosphere, layout and décor, that despite the top-end prices it was an immediate hit. So when Chill Skybar and Blanchy’s Tash came on the scene not long after, the competition target was Martini.

Everyone wanted Martini clientele and Martini style. Now a considerable number of establishments aim at the same market.

What happened with Martini Bar is typical of Saigon: someone does something new, is successful, then everyone tries to do something similar.

From a number of visits, we believe that the recently opened restobar, The Society, could well be the start of a similar craze. So what makes it worthy of such attention?

For Those in the Know Located in one of the new malls springing up on Nguyen Hue, walk in between Starbucks and Coffee Bean out front, and the path opens out onto a small alleyway lit up by fairy lights. It’s here that you find The Society. With a bar facing out onto the lane, outdoor alleyway seating and two separate indoor, air-con buildings, this is a watering hole and restaurant that is as welcoming inside as it is out. Taking advantage of the open-air setting, ithas the feel of a quan nhau, a Vietnamese beer-drinking haunt, but about 10 levels up. Gone are the plastic chairs and stools, the plates of peanuts and the bottles of Saigon Beer. This place is upmarket. It’s a quan nhau for the financially well disposed.

Yet the society is more than a top-end bar.

This is a place that takes its food seriously.

“My first inspiration was a steakhouse,” says CEO and co-founder, Hana Dang. “But

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all the steakhouses here follow a rustic, old-style design. They are also very male. I did some research, and women don’t like eating steak so much. I wanted to create something a bit more unisex.”

Her solution? A steakhouse and grill, a place that serves up seafood as well as steak, and a range of meat dishes that are not just focused on that red meat of local choice, beef.

With a kitchen set up by a multi-awardwinning chef, Hana is really pushing for an enticing, top-end food menu. We’ve tried the oysters, steak and dishes like blackened cod. They’re representative of the mix she’s trying to inspire.

Yet being a restaurant was not enough for Hana, and together with one of the partners, Olaf Mueller, a fine-art photographer who spent many years living in Hong Kong, they liked the idea of creating a laneway bar, the type of joint prevalent in Hong Kong, parts of London, the CBD area of Melbourne and New York.

“Everyone in Saigon wants to have the

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best location,” explains Hana. “But we wanted something that was tucked away, a separate society, a little bit hidden. That’s why we called it The Society.”

Set in a new food mall designed to resemble 1950s Saigon with its Asian yet French-influenced architecture, inside they went for “European but with a modern twist”. The regal, velvet-upholstered chairs, the mosaic white, cream and blue floor tiling, and stucco plaster that could be from Paris, Budapest or Vienna; the chandeliers with their subtle lighting and the marble table tops — this is a meshing of all things European. There’s also an obsession with the colour blue — making the place both corporate and yet surprisingly relaxed.

Seven Deadly Sins Naturally it’s not just the décor and setting that make one dining option stand out from the next, it’s the product, too. Here, while nuts still need to be tightened and bolts wait to be adjusted, what The Society has

created is already drawing in the crowds.

One standout is the drinks list.

Put together by Adelaide native Jay Moir, to add spice he’s created a separate cocktail menu to complement the 160 drinks already on offer — the Seven Deadly Sins. The presentation is as unusual as the drinks themselves. Check out the Smoking Sinatra. It genuinely smokes.

“For me, that’s what cocktails are about,” he says. “They’re fun, good to drink and enjoyable. We’re inviting you to come to our house, so we want to entertain you. It’s that simple.”

That is where The Society is making the right moves. They want to entertain their guests, provide them with something different, and to do it well. Inevitably, though, it will be judged by the same metric as any other potential trendsetter in this ultra-competitive city — can it continue to draw in the crowds?

The Society is at Saigon Garden, 99 Nguyen Hue, Q1, HCMC

Food and Drink

MYSTERY DINER

HANOI

Chops The latest addition to ‘The Strip’ in West Lake, gourmet burger joint Chops is making the juices flow and the tongues wag. So, what does our anonymous restaurant reviewer think? Photos by Julie Vola

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THE VERDICT

13 FOOD

11

SERVICE

I

f Chops were a man, I’d be in love with him.

We’d lock eyes across busy Quang An street, me on my way to work or out, and he just sitting there, watching the world pass by.

I would be irresistibly attracted to his scrubbed wooden tables and open simplicity. He would lure me in for good with his strong, hoppy IPA (from Saigon’s Pasteur Street Brewery), a rarity among Asian beers and worth every one of its VND95,000.

At first sight of his menu, I would fall hard. “Stay here a while,” he'd whisper in my ear. “I’ll make you breakfast.” As long as breakfast is served after noon and consists of burgers and wings and milkshakes and beer, of course. But I don’t care; I’m too deep in the thrill of infatuation, the heart-stopping flusters that mark the start of every new relationship.

He has his flaws, certainly; an odd tattoo (a burger eating another burger? So meta), a strange obsession with meat cleavers (I get that you like butchery, but must you decorate your space with knives, darling?), and he likes young people in black and white a little too much, as they are

continually running about the place (is it some sort of fetish? I can forgive almost anything for you), although they never seem to be around when you need them. In spite of his good taste in music (who doesn’t like classic rock?), he also tends to play his Beatles albums a bit too often.

Love at First Bite But what keeps me by his side is his juicy, tender meat. It really was love at first bite. On our first night together, I had the Chops burger (VND120,000), which was perfectly cooked and relatively simple, relying on the quality of its ingredients to carry the flavours (and carry them they did).

The buttermilk bingo chicken wings (VND130,000) were also fantastic; breaded and fried, deliciously crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. As much as I wanted real buffalo sauce, I had to admit the Chops chilli sauce was tasty and did almost as well.

The truffle mayo that comes with the thick-cut triple-cooked fries (VND60,000) alone is worthy of writing home about. Add to that the rocky road dessert (VND90,000), a delectable mixture of merengue, ice cream, toasted marshmallow, and

sliced toasted almonds, and I would definitely be proud to introduce Chops to my parents. I’m sure they’d love him almost as much as I do.

No boring monogamous relationship is this, however. “Bring your friends,” he suggests, and I comply, finishing in the most satisfying orgy of meats and sauces I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. The best part is that he doesn’t get jealous. If ever I want to see a bia hoi or a little café instead, he doesn’t complain, welcoming me back with open arms no matter where I’ve been. As much fun as he is, though, I’m not sure I can afford to keep him; of the two of us, I’m definitely the breadwinner. In fact, he hasn’t paid for dinner once.

Sometimes I wonder how he feels about us. Am I as special to him as he is to me, or am I just another of the many patrons who also seem to love him? I’d ask, but my mouth is too full.

I’m not sure what this means for the long term. If Chops were a man, there could be a real future for us, but it’s too early to tell. For now, I’m just taking it slow and savouring our time together.

Chops is located at 4 Quang An, Tay Ho, Hanoi

12 DÉCOR

Food, Decor and Service are each rated on a scale of 0 to 15.

13 — 15 extraordinary to perfection 10 — 12.5 very good to excellent 8 — 9.5 good to very good 5 — 7.5 fair to good 0 — 4.5 poor to fair The Word reviews anonymously and pays for all meals

Food and Drink STREET SNACKER

HANOI

The Many Faces of Bun Cha On the trail of one of the capital’s favourite dishes, Huyen Tran checks out some of Hanoi’s best bun cha. But this is not the dish as you know it. Photos by Julie Vola

A

s staple as banh mi, bun cha is Hanoians’ regular choice for lunch, even dinner or breakfast. Local people joke that if tourists miss bun cha during their first visit to Hanoi, that trip doesn’t count.

Tourist guidebooks suggest that the only place to get bun cha in Hanoi is Bun Cha Hang Manh from the Dac Kim label. But this is far from the truth. Working from the traditional recipe of pork grilled over charcoal in garlic-laced nuoc mam or fish sauce, together with vermicelli and herbs, the various tastes and versions of bun cha offered by hundreds of street-side eateries will definitely surprise you.

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1) A Leafy Bite Bun Cha Xuong Song Intersection of Cho Gao, Nguyen Sieu and Dao Duy Tu, Hoan Kiem Price: VND30,000 per portion Open for lunch Like any street-side eatery, the smell of pork grilled over charcoal really invokes a mouthwatering sensation for passers-by. And its aroma is even more tempting thanks to la xuong song or blumea lanceolaria — one of the herbs traditionally grown in the back yard by families and used to treat cold and fever.

Vietnamese women in the countryside often use this leaf or la lot (betel leaf) to double up the flavour for the meat. And enjoying the grilled pork wrapped in la xuong song or la lot has been one of the traditional ways for people to eat bun cha.

The pork meat at this eatery is not only especially aromatic but also very rich, flavourful and juicy within as the leaf prevents the meat from coming into direct contact with the coals. The sauce or nuoc mam at this place is also very delicious, often served warm, which is really a “plus”.

2) Golden Oldie Bun Cha Duy Diem 140 Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh Price: VND40,000 per portion Open for lunch Known as one of the oldest bun cha shops in Hanoi, Bun Cha Duy Diem, for some people, is comparable with the mythical Bun Cha Dac Kim. You can easily spot the eatery on Ngoc Khanh Street from a distance as there’s a metal chimney attached to the grill out front which billows an appealing smell over the street. The highlight of the eatery is their awesome grilled pork, both sliced pieces and minced pork. Pork bellies are carefully selected and minced pork is shaped like short, small sausages, instead of pattyshaped. It’s super sweet and juicy.

In my opinion, they make the best minced pork in town. Another positive? Their crab spring roll or nem cua be really rocks. Squareshaped, wrapped in crispy thin skin, the nem tastes delicious with the pork fillings inside, blended with the taste of mushrooms and beansprouts.

If there’s a downside, it’s that their nuoc mam is “Saigonese” sweet. For people having a sweet tooth like me, it’s still fine. However, for many locals, that’s simply not the way that Hanoi bun cha is meant to be.

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3) Skewer it Up Bun Cha Co Truyen Crossroads of Ba Trieu and Nguyen Du, opposite the Pierre Cardin shop on Nguyen Du, Hai Ba Trung Price: VND25,000 per portion Open for lunch

4) In the Soup Bun Cha Chan 114 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung Price: VND 30,000 per bowl Open for lunch You may wonder how bun cha chan is different from the normal bun cha, as whenever eating bun cha, diners are already served with a bowl of fish sauce, either steaming or warm. Yet, instead of fish sauce or nuoc mam, this is a new variation with a bowl of broth. A hot bowl of bun cha chan is topped with grilled pork, but instead of patties or sliced meat, a big slab of grilled minced pork is displayed on top, with fresh herbs and vegetables. It is rumoured that this variation originates from Bac Ninh Province. While some people think that this variation has a bland taste, younger people regard it as interesting and delicious.

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Besides wrapping the pork in leaves, another traditional way of preparing bun cha is clamping the meat between bamboo skewers, which is called bun cha kep que tre in Vietnamese. Delicious bun cha in skewers is said to be also found at Ngo Dong Xuan, Dong Xuan Market. However, to many

locals, this very old bun cha stall (maybe the oldest one) on the street best recalls the way Hanoians prepared the dish in the past. Clamped between bamboo skewers, the strips of pork are remarkably tender.

Noticeably, the nuoc mam bowl and nem cua be here are slightly smaller than normal.

5) Duckin’ and Divin’ Quan Ngan Hien 75 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Price range: VND 25,000 to 80,000 Evenings only The name bun cha in Vietnamese reflects the main ingredients of this dish. Bun here means vermicelli while cha stands for grilled meat. For years, people took it for granted

that cha was grilled pork. Actually, it doesn’t exactly mean pork meat nor necessarily even pork. That’s why people make grilled duck or Muscovy duck, and call it cha vit or cha ngan.

This eatery on Hang Bong specialises in the ngan version and is very famous for its Muscovy duck noodle soup (bun mien ngan).

They also serve up really nice cha ngan or

grilled/barbecued Muscovy duck. The fresh ngan meat is seasoned with a marinade of garlic and sauces hours before grilling over charcoal. Charred but still tender, cha ngan really brings a strong and richer taste than grilled pork.

When diners order bun cha ngan, the grilled ngan meat is served with warm dipping sauce and vermicelli.

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Food and Drink MYSTERY DINER

HCMC

Le Terroir

Laid back and unobtrusive, Le Terroir is one of those French restaurants that nestles seamlessly into the Thai Van Lung area of Saigon. So, what does our Mystery Diner think? Photos by Kyle Phanroy

S

ometimes it’s nice to step back from the expensive and the glitzy.

Sometimes it’s nice to ease into the comfortable and the quiet.

Don’t get me wrong; I adore eating at expensive restaurants just as I adore haute cuisine; dressing up, lingering over multicourse meals, sparkling conversation. Yet sometimes you just need a change.

With this attitude in mind, I went out for my first dateless Mystery Diner to Le Terroir, a new little French bistro tucked back near the Opera House. Though it’s almost a year old, I had yet to try it, and I liked the idea of a good French meal without fuss or any snobbery save my own.

It’s much simpler ordering when one is by oneself; within two minutes, I’d ordered the countryside tagliatelle (VND150,000) and a medium rare flank steak (VND195,000) — vegetables be damned. To drink, I got a glass of La Vielle Ferme, the house red (VND80,000). Le Terroir is almost unbeatable in terms of price for French restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, but I wasn’t sure yet if that was a good thing.

Like a Neighbourhood Bistro in Paris Alternating between reading my book and

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chatting with the waitress, I sized up the restaurant. Le Terroir is charming without being twee, walls covered with mirrors and a wide selection of interesting prints. The dining room is small, but in an intimate rather than crowded way. A gauzy red curtain blocks off the outside world. It felt somewhat like a neighborhood bistro in Paris.

The service impressed me. Granted, it wasn’t terribly busy — but my waitress took the time to talk wine with me, and to cheerfully assuage my curiosity about other dishes on the menu, who owns the place, what the weekday lunch deal is like and much more. That kind of warmth is a critical part of good service.

Rich in Flavour, Not in Price Then the pasta arrived, and I fell to. The cream sauce was rich, but needed both salt and pepper to balance its creaminess. The dense, flavourful slivers of smoked duck breast and the salty, fatty bacon played well together, and I finished my plate (sizable, given the quite reasonable price) off tout suite.

My steak tasted good; I enjoy the extrabeefy flavour of a good bavette, and Le Terroir didn’t disappoint in that department. The inside was a perfect pink, and the outside was a warm, crunchy brown.

The house red complemented both dishes quite well, its tartness clearing out the cream sauce and enhancing the deep umami notes of the bavette.

By the time I asked about ordering dessert, the chefs had already left. I survived the disappointment, though I’d quite wanted to try the chocolate fondant (VND75,000), made with Valrhona Coeur de Guanaja chocolate.

A Quiet Date, A Relaxing Late Dinner Honest assessment? It’s a quiet, unassuming little place with a simple, traditional French menu that’s large enough to have something for everyone, yet small enough to suggest that the chefs truly know how to prepare each dish well.

The wine list is wonderful — the owner also owns wine bar Cork and Bottle — but the drinks list is a tad rudimentary. No worries; I don’t need to drink single malt Scotch every time I go out... though they did have it.

I’d recommend it. It’s a great place for a quiet date or a relaxing late dinner, and the charming waitstaff means that even alone you won’t be lonely. And after all, you’ve got the food to keep you company.

Le Terroir is located at 30 Thai Van Lung, Q1, HCMC. Visit them online at leterroir.vn

THE VERDICT

12.5 FOOD

12

SERVICE

13.5 DÉCOR

Food, Decor and Service are each rated on a scale of 0 to 15.

13 — 15 extraordinary to perfection 10 — 12.5 very good to excellent 8 — 9.5 good to very good 5 — 7.5 fair to good 0 — 4.5 poor to fair The Word reviews anonymously and pays for all meals

Food and Drink STREET SNACKER

HCMC

A United Tet with Sui Cao Chien Chinese dumplings are far more than just dumplings. They’re lucky charms as well, perfect for the period before, during and after Tet. Words by Vi Pham. Photos by Owen Salisbury

T

he concept about the food of luck exists in many countries. In Chinese culture, sui cao — jiao zi, a type of dumpling, represents wealth, great fortune and a full family. Not to be mistaken for hoanh thanh (wonton), sui cao is bigger and its filling is more diverse. There were many dishes that followed the Chinese people to Saigon, but sui cao has won its place on the street and in the heart of Vietnamese foodies.

Although good sui cao can only be found in the Chinatown areas in Saigon, it is still popular for its symbolism, especially when Tet is approaching. People believe having sui cao for a New Year will bring their family happiness and wealth as sui cao is made in the same shape as antique silver ingots.

The Delightful Bite There are different sui cao dishes such

as sui cao soup, steamed sui cao or dried sui cao, but I personally adore sui cao chien (fried) for its lovely contrast of a crunchy skin and a gentle filling. In China, they cook sui cao in pads of dumpling wrappers and a mixture of chopped pork and veggies. However, when Chinese people brought the dish to Vietnam, it was adjusted to fit the Vietnamese palate with a thinner wrapping and a different filling.

Sui cao chien, compared to other

However, eating these dumplings is not that simple. In Chinese culture, they believe that sui cao should be served in an odd number of pieces, and also that an odd number should be left on the plate. This symbolizes retaining prosperity and joy for one’s family.

Busy Places Create Great Sui Cao

dumpling dishes, might not be as visually appealing. However, don’t judge a sui cao by its cover. Biting into a sui cao chien, you will first feel the crunchiness of the fried wrapping. The tiny crackling sounds that pop up when you chew proves that the sui cao was fried properly and served just at the right time. That crispiness is a distraction from the soft and gentle filling inside. The juicy and chewy combination of chopped pork, fresh shrimp, drops

of fish sauce and ground pepper really warms up and excites a diner.

A good sui cao chien must be fried with a certain amount of oil and for a certain amount of time to achieve that crunchiness on the outside and tenderness on the inside without leaving a mouthful of fat.

The diverse flavour dancing on the tip of your tongue might make you want to eat sui cao chien any time of the year, not just at Tet.

It is always so busy and noisy in the sui cao restaurants in Chinatown, and the most dominant sound you’ll find in these places is the sound of the cooks slamming their cleavers on the chopping boards.

They are not angry — that is just how making dumplings should sound, as they believe the louder the chopping and the more echoes it creates, the more bliss and happiness will come to their family.

“Who can fully enjoy their meal in a boring silent place?” said the straightforward waitress when asked about the chopping noise. “We also have to cook loudly and constantly so the customers know that we only serve them fresh food.”

I don’t know whether sui cao can deliver happiness and joy, but it was undeniable that in such busy places, I was surrounded by people enjoying sui cao with their loved ones. Wealthy or not, they all seemed cheery to me.

Grab your sui cao chien at Sui Cao Ngoc Y (187 Ha Ton Quyen, Q11) and Sui Cao Thien Thien (191 Ha Ton Quyen, Q11). In business for more than 40 years, these places serve the best sui cao in town

Travel

Rainbow

PHOTO BY JAN ADRIAN VENTER

Rainbow Divers is the premier dive centre in Vietnam. Established in the mid-1990s, it is the first five-star accredited PADI training centre in the country and offers the full range of PADI courses and daily diving opportunities in five different locations.

Jeremy Stein is the owner and founder — he still loves diving today as much as when he started the company 18 years ago.

“To explore the bottom of the ocean is to go to one of the few places you can still go in the world where there are no phones, there is no internet, and you are just completely at one with what you are doing,” he told me.

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TRAVEL

NATIONAL

Going Deep

Jon Aspin completes his transition to the dark side, qualifying for his advanced diving certificate on Phu Quoc at the invitation of Jeremy Stein from Rainbow Divers

I

’ve never considered myself the diving type. Pulling off the ‘cool in a wetsuit’ look has proved elusive to say the least.

But it’s more than pure vanity that has tainted my opinion of this ‘sport’.

As a less-enlightened man, I heaped scorn on silly, rich white people who would lug expensive, heavy scuba gear to the end of my local jetty on weekends. There, on this suburban Australian promenade, jutting out all of 100 yards into the chilly Southern Ocean, amorphous black blobs, otherwise known as middle-aged men, would gather.

Heavily clad in unflattering wetsuits, seaboots and neoprene hoodies, they would then stand around and steal oxygen, literally.

Eventually, after sufficient time loudly expelling air from their tanks and officiously

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“Diving gives me a sensation unlike anything else, beyond imagination.

Being weightless, breathing underwater and experiencing a different world."

Locations & Seasons There are five different locations to experience the Rainbow Diving difference in Vietnam.

N HA T RANG (All year round). This is

where the company started in the mid1990s. Nha Trang includes a marine park around the island of Hon Mun, a 40-minute boat ride away. Established in 2003, the park features great marine life and a great value destination to do a PADI training course. Best time to dive: February to October

W HALE I SLAND (February to

September). Offers a genuine getaway nestled two hours north of Nha Trang and an opportunity to do the full range of PADI courses as well as interesting beach and night dives. No roads or motorbikes here, just rustic bungalows and ocean views.

P HU Q UOC (September to February).

A developing island paradise that offers fantastic coral life due to the run-off associated with the Mekong River, which also means it can suffer from periods of low visibility. Local knowledge is important, but there are fun diving opportunities both North and South around the archipelagos.

C ON D AO (March to September) Make use of Rainbow’s private speedboat to explore an amazing diversity of dive sites here. Flying into this place is akin to discovering the Planet of the Lost Apes. Expect to see dugongs, sea turtles and possibly some of the bigger fish going around out there.

Jeremy describes it as “magical and exclusive”.

S AIGON D IVE C ENTRE (all year round).

If you want to start your accreditation while visiting the biggest city in the country, make an appointment at Buddha Bar in District 2 and meet Jeremy for a consultation about your business, school or just your own needs. A great resource on making the most of your time in Vietnam.

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tightening and untightening a bunch of knobs, they would labour into their gear and enter the water, struggling under the weight of their own equipment, and requiring assistance every step of the way.

To me, these aqua-nerds were missing the point. Being in the water was about being free, not reliant on the storage capacity of a movement-inhibiting metal tube strapped to your back. Here I was free diving in little more than nylon board shorts and a rash vest.

Even their post-dive rituals annoyed me; their clubby behaviour, the T-shirts, and the endless rounds of self-congratulation once their 35-minute cruises were over. “I’ve been down here for hours,” I would think. “What are they so happy about?”

The Dark Side Fast forward 15 years, and I have the answer to my own question. Having now completed my PADI Advanced Open Water certification, my transition to the dark side is complete. I am now the proud owner of two souvenir dive T-shirts, and happily volunteer tales about my recent wreck dive experience in Bali — just ask me. To confirm that I’m not alone, I asked two of my fellow divers the simple question: “Why diving?”

“Diving for me is freedom,” says Rafa from Spain. “When you're underwater your mind goes empty, (and) there is nothing else but yourself and the environment.”

Outi from Finland is equally loved up.

“Diving gives me a sensation unlike anything else, beyond imagination. Being weightless, breathing underwater and experiencing a different world."

The Course To obtain your Advanced Open Water certificate you need to do five dives. There are a couple of pre-dive theory quizzes based on some course work, and several challenging activities to complete on the boat pre-entry. Two of the dives are mandatory, and the other three are up to you. Deep Water is the first mandatory dive and takes you down to the sometimes nitrogen narcosis-inducing depth of 30 metres.

Nitrogen narcosis sounds pretty serious, but is something that professional divers will tell you that they love. It’s the effect of breathing nitrogen at certain depths, and leaves you feeling mildly but temporarily intoxicated.

My experience? Let’s just say I was pretty

happy with how my day was going at that point, but I still managed to pass the simple cognitive tests my instructor threw at me.

The other is Underwater Navigation, which involves using a fancy piece of kit called a compass. This object will help get you back to where you need to be if you encounter bad weather or bad luck.

For my other three dives I chose Buoyancy, where I was asked to control my balance using only my breath, and then swim through hoops; Search and Rescue, which put my underwater knot-tying skills to the test, and finally Fish ID, where I developed a new language for the various scorpion, clown and butterfly fish I saw.

All five of these dives were fun, challenging, and gave my dive time purpose.

Each included at least 45 minutes of ‘bottom time’ and kept my mind busy in what were fairly difficult conditions — visibility was restricted to around 2 to 3 metres on both days.

Determined to impress, I “hid my nerves quite well”, according to my instructor, and appeared “confident and nonchalant”, even though I was nervous. Flapping about like a grounded pelican on your buoyancy test isn’t exactly the look you go for, but it does happen. Tying knots you’ve never tied before with the added pressure of 15 metres of water on top of you isn’t the easiest thing you can try either. Getting separated from your instructor and forgetting to surface like you’re supposed to after one minute just takes years off peoples’ lives.

Nevertheless, I passed, and I am officially an Advanced Open Water Diver. There’s an email from PADI sitting in my inbox to prove it. To say I celebrated with my new diving friends Razek and his wife Maria from the Czech Republic that night was an understatement, but hey, that’s how we divers roll.

Living the Dream Obviously you don’t do this course alone, and my instructor over the two days was Marlee, a 26-year-old marine scientist from Melbourne. Hand-picked by Jeremy to manage his Phu Quoc operation after completing her dive masters and open water instructor’s course in 2014 in Nha Trang, Marlee is an example of someone living the dream in this country, and combining it with her passion for the environment.

Cultural Experience

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 123

PHOTO BY MARLEE THOMAS

While the best pure diving in the country is generally considered to be in Con Dao, where the marine life remains relatively untouched by tourism and the variety of fish species is superior to most other spots, Jeremy has an alternative view.

“I always say diving in Vietnam is not just about the diving, it is a whole cultural experience. It’s still ‘off’ a lot of people’s radars. 20 years ago they were surprised it even existed here, but now, 50 precent of my business is pre-booked, meaning people are coming to this country specifically to dive — so there is definitely strong awareness. It’s a hell of a turnaround.”

PHOTO BY JON ASPIN

ALL PHOTOS BY JAN ADRIAN VENTER EXCEPT OTHERWISE MARKED

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PHOTO BY JON ASPIN

Keen to allay people’s fears about diving being an overly technical sport, she says it’s about being relaxed.

“Once people have that moment when they realise that nothing needs to happen quickly, it’s a game changer.”

She stresses the need to have confidence in your buddies, and made certain I understood the importance of safety in the water.

“Everything is double and triple checked.

Safety is paramount.”

My advice then? Just go do it. The PADI

Open Water is your starting point and a ticket to some fantastic days of fun on boats, meeting new people and exploring the underwater world. You won’t look back in 25 years and say “I’m glad I didn’t do that”.

Just be warned, you may end up the proud owner of some fairly cheesy dive T-shirts in a few years’ time.

The Phu Quoc diving season runs from October to March and the island is accessible by regular daily flights. Visit divevietnam.com for more information or send the guys at Rainbow an email at pq@divevietnam.com

Vietnam’s Top Dive Spots N HA T RANG

Electric Nose & Madonna Rock

W HALE I SLAND

The Three Kings & Hon Tai

P HU Q UOC

Dep Reef & Anemone Cove

C ON D AO

Hon Cau & Rabbit Island

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 125

Travel TRAVEL

NATIONAL

Making Tracks the Long Way

With the help of a bicycle, walking shoes and a sketchbook, Ben Rubin draws a new route through Vietnam’s Northern Frontier

O

ver a lazy Monday afternoon bun cha, Jørn Wind, a friend who works as a tour guide, casually invited me to join him on a research trip up north. He would be tracking a new route from Hanoi to Sapa using active transportation. I half listened, slowly painting a sketch using my coffee.

The plan seemed reasonable enough.

Heading far to the west of Red River, it would take us five days by bike before arriving at Hoang Lien National Park, where we would take a shortcut over the mountains by foot. I spent the next evening stuffing my pockets with sketching supplies, and we were on the road by sunrise the following morning.

Jungle Caravan Jørn is a tour leader for Topas Travel, a Danish international tour company that specialises in adventure tourism. The company began their work in Vietnam more than 20 years ago, although they were

126 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

Jørn

leading trips elsewhere around the world for a good 20 years before that. Over the past five years, Topas has sent Jørn to climb mountains in Africa and pedal across India, but he has continued to base himself in Hanoi for most of his time between trips.

Jørn’s friend Filip, a tour guide for another Danish company, joined the trip as well. Spending most of the last decade abroad, Filip has been in and out of Vietnam for twice as long as Jørn. Although each of us would bring a list of previous adventures and stories along for the ride, the route would be new to all of us.

Topas has a long history of partnering with indigenous local people and minority

Trang

Toa

Philip

groups to collaborate with route scouting and to help with expeditions. Chao, a Black Hmong originally from the Loo Cai Province, would be introducing us to the mountain pass once we reached the foothills of the Hoang Lien Son mountain range, famous for Phan Xi Pang, the highest peak in Indochina. He has worked with Topas since the very beginning, and has trained well over 100 other local men to become porters for trips, when they aren’t busy with the rice harvests. For our trip, Chao would bring a small team with him and lead the caravan as the only member of the group who had crossed the pass — up and around the peak, down through the rainforest, and

Mang

Chao

Phu

through cardamom plantations until we would reach Den Thanh on the outskirts of Sapa.

Chao would be working with Phu, a Vietnamese tour guide also working for Topas, to connect with the locals and collect resources and route highlights. We would be passing through small villages inhabited by minority groups, most of whom have had little to no experience with foreigners.

It would be their job to make local contacts for the future. Jørn would be mapping the route with GPS and taking note of possible waypoints and rest stops. Filip and I just had to keep up, which turned out to be much more of a task than we imagined.

Nu

Me

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 127

6 3 7 11

128 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

Day 1

Day 2

Hanoi to Thanh Son 95km

Thanh Son to Tran Phu 72km

am Sweet Coffee Kickstart pm Roadside Dry Goods pm Sore Saddle Seat pm Rice Wine Knockout

9 12 3 10

am Lost & Found Phone pm Orange Grove Offerings pm Forest Fires pm Countryside Karaoke

7 12 1 10

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Tran Phu to Tu Le 85km

Tu Le to Mu Cang Chai 50km

Mu Cang Chai to Than Uyen 45km

am Mountain Morning Mist pm Oxen Roadblocks pm Cinnamon Tree Towns pm Snails & Sugarcane Supper

10 12 2 4

am Indigo Girls pm Up Up and Away! pm Roadway Rollercoasting pm Highland Hilltops

7 10 3 11

am Football at First Light am Siler Coin Cache pm Lowland landscaping pm Mr. Xeo Serenade

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 129

12 2 4 9

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Than Uyen to Ban Lao 12 km

Ban Lao to Den Thanh 11km

Den Thanh to Ta Van 25km

pm Tay Incence Invitation pm TET Get-Together pm Jungle Camp Canteen pm Hammock Hearth

130 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

9 11 3 6

am Thuoc Lao Take Off am Pause at the Peak pm Rainforest Run-Down pm Cardamom Crash Pad

6 10 2 5

am Smokehouse Hang Dry am Bye Bye Batteries pm Long Last Steps pm Champion Cheese Feet

Down the Road Living in an international city like Hanoi, with all the comforts (and chaos) it has to offer, it’s easy to forget how different life is just down the road. As a ‘developing country’, Vietnam is full of frontier towns; settlements saddling the wilderness, where people maintain a constant dialogue with the nature that surrounds them, just to get by.

As we passed through on our journey north, it was hard not to marvel at the ingenuity and sheer persistence of the communities; generations of people who had worked through consecutive lifetimes to create the vertical terraced fields and rocky paths between villages. There is beauty in maintaining an elemental way of life, to the relationship the people have to the weather, the seasons, the land and their ancestors. In comparison, our developed society seems disconnected from the natural cycles we live within, and many conversations throughout the trip began with questions about where our own culture was heading in such a hurry.

Of course I am writing this now from a safe vantage point, from a quiet room back in Hanoi far from daily struggles out in the fields.

For what it’s worth, I’m sure that Robert Frost was in also sat in an overstuffed armchair by the fireplace when he wrote about his famous Road Less Traveled. He was certainly not hanging off a cliff somewhere with his typewriter deep in the heart of the woods.

And yet, finding a new way forward often involves taking a few big steps back — even if just for a moment. Bringing tourism to the fringe villages, if done respectfully, can be a fruitful exchange on both ends. More than the income stream we channel over the mountains are the things the mountains and their inhabitants can teach us. After all, when the phones and cameras run out of batteries, the stories continue. The magic to travel in Vietnam is that you can still take the road until it ends, and keep going.

To see photos from the northern adventure and more of Ben's visual stories from around the world, check out his travel website storygeography.com

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 131

Travel

DALAT ANA MANDARA VILLAS $$$$ Le Lai, Dalat, Tel: (063) 3555888

anamandara-resort.com

DALAT PALACE $$$$ 12 Ho Tung Mau, Dalat, Tel: (063) 382 5444

dalatpalace.vn

This enormous structure offers the most modern of amenities, and with four restaurants and two bars, the events staff is well equipped to handle any occasion. Close to the National Convention Center, and a favourite of the business traveller, Daewoo even boasts an outdoor driving range.

Shortly to become a Marriot property.

FORTUNA HOTEL HANOI 6B Lang Ha, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3831 3333

fortuna.vn DALAT GREEN CITY HOTEL 172 Phan Dinh Phung, Dalat, Tel: (063) 382 7999

dalatgreencityhotel.com

Located in central Dalat, this is the perfect place for budget travellers. Quiet, newly refurbished with beautiful mountain and city views from the rooftop, features free Wi-Fi, a TV and snack bar in all rooms with a downstairs coffee shop and computers in the lobby for guest use.

This 350-room four-star set up in the heart of Hanoi’s financial district has a variety of rooms on offer, a “capital lounge” and three restaurants that serve Japanese, Chinese and international cuisine. And like you’d expect, there’s a fitness centre, night club and swimming pool, too, and even a separate spa and treatment facility for men and women. Set to the west of town, Fortuna often offers business deals on rooms and spaces to hold meetings, presentations and celebrations.

HOTEL DE L’OPERA 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 6282 5555

contact@hoteldelopera.com

DALAT TRAIN VILLA Villa 3, 1 Quang Trung, Dalat, Tel: (063) 381 6365

dalattrainvilla.com

Located near the Dalat Train Station, the Dalat Train Villa is a beautifully restored, colonial era, two-storey villa.

In its grounds is a 1910 train carriage which has been renovated into a bar and cafe. Located within 10 minutes of most major attractions in Dalat.

TRUNG CANG HOTEL $ 22 Bui Thi Xuan, Dalat, Tel: (063) 382 2663

M M M HANOI – INTERNATIONAL CROWNE PLAZA WEST INTERNATIONAL $$$ 36 Le Duc Tho, My Dinh Commune, Tu Liem, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 6270 6688 crowneplazawesthanoi.com This premier five-star property lies beside the My Dinh National Stadium and Convention Centre. Boasts two swimming pools, a spa, and a fitness centre in its 24 stories.

DAEWOO HOTEL 360 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3831 5555

hanoi-daewoohotel.com

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Resting just a step away from the Opera House, the hotel mixes colonial architectural accents and theatrical interior design to create a contemporary space. The first boutique five star in the heart of Hanoi, the lavish, uniquely designed 107 rooms and suites contain all the mod cons and are complimented by two restaurants, a bar and complimentary Wi-Fi. HILTON GARDEN INN HANOI 20 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Tel (04) 3944 9396

hanoi.hgi.com

With 86 fully-equipped guestrooms and suites, this is the first Hilton Garden Inn property in Southeast Asia.

Centrally located and a short stroll from the historic Old Quarter, the hotel offers a full service restaurant, a stylish bar, along with complimentary business and fitness centres making it perfect for the international business or leisure traveller.

HILTON HANOI OPERA 1 Le Thanh Tong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3933 0500

hanoi.hilton.com

Situated next to the iconic Hanoi Opera House and a short stroll from the Old Quarter, this five-star hotel is a Hanoi landmark. With 269 fully-equipped rooms and suites, there’s plenty for the discerning business and leisure traveller to choose from.

INTERCONTINENTAL HANOI WESTLAKE 1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 6270 8888

hanoi.intercontinental.com

This stunning property built over West Lake falls in between a hotel and a resort.

Beautiful views, great balcony areas, comfortable, topend accommodation and all the mod-cons make up the mix here together with the resort’s three in-house restaurants and the Sunset Bar, a watering hole located on a thoroughfare over the lake.

Great gym and health club.

JW MARRIOTT HANOI 8, Do Duc Duc, Me Tri, Tu Liem, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3833 5588

jwmarriotthanoi.com

From the expressive architecture outside to the authentic signature JW Marriott services inside, this Marriott hotel in Hanoi is the new definition of contemporary luxury. Lies next door to the National Convention Centre.

MAY DE VILLE OLD QUARTER 43/45/47 Gia Ngu, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3933 5688

maydeville.com

The largest four-star hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, 110 rooms, a swimming pool, a top floor terrace bar and a location just a stone’s throw from Hoan Kiem Lake make this a great choice for anyone wanting a bit of luxury in the heart of the action.

MELIA HANOI 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3934 3343

meliahanoi.com

Excellently located in central Hanoi, Melia Hanoi draws plenty of business travellers and is also a popular venue for conferences and wedding receptions. State-of-the-art rooms, elegant restaurants, stylish bars, fully equipped fitness centre with sophisticated service always make in-house guests satisfied.

MÖVENPICK HOTEL HANOI 83A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3822 2800

moevenpick-hanoi.com

With its distinctive French architecture and top end service, Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi is aimed squarely at corporate travellers. An allday restaurant and a lounge bar are available to satiate their clientele while the kinetic gym and wellness studio offer an excellent range of equipment. Massage and sauna facilities are available for guests seeking to rejuvenate. Of the 154 wellappointed rooms and suites, 93 are non-smoking.

PULLMAN HANOI HOTEL $$$$ 40 Cat Linh, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3733 0688

pullman-hanoi.com

With deluxe rooms and

suites, a contemporary lobby, an excellent buffet, and a la carte restaurant, this Accor group property is prestigious and close to the Old Quarter.

SHERATON K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3719 9000

sheraton.com/hanoi

Surrounded by lush gardens, sweeping lawns and tranquil courtyards, this peaceful property features picturesque views of West Lake and is less than 10 minutes from downtown.

In addition to the luxurious rooms, the hotel offers an outdoor swimming pool and great relaxation and fitness facilities, including a tennis court and spa. There are well equipped conference rooms and a newly refurbished Executive Club Lounge.

SOFITEL LEGEND METROPOLE HANOI 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3826 6919

sofitel.com

The finest hotel of the French colonial period is probably still the finest in today’s Hanoi. Anyone who is (or was) anyone has stayed at this elegant oasis of charm, where the service is impeccable and the luxurious facilities complement the ambiance of a bygone era. Definitely the place to put the Comtessa up for a night.

SOFITEL PLAZA HANOI 1 Thanh Nien Road, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3823 8888 Boasting Hanoi’s best views of West Lake, Truc Bach Lake and the Red River, Sofitel Plaza Hanoi soars 20 storeys above the city skyline. The 5-star hotel features 317 luxurious, comfortable guestrooms with spectacular lake view or river view ranking in 7 types from Classic Room to Imperial Suite.

M M M HANOI – MID-RANGE 6 ON SIXTEEN 16 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem

sixonsixteen.com

Another boutique hotel to grace Hanoi’s Old Quarter, the six rooms here mix contemporary and fresh with handicrafts and antique. Breakfast is included and in the long, lounge restaurant on the second floor, home-style Vietnamese fare is served up with fresh fruit juices and Lavazza coffee.

GOLDEN SILK BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$ 109-111 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3928 6969

goldensilkhotel.com

Located in the centre of the Old Quarter, this little slice of heaven offers complimentary sundries and a replenishable

minibar. The Orient restaurant, serves the finest in international and Vietnamese cuisine.

JOSEPH’S HOTEL $$ 5 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3938 1048

josephshotel.com

Located next to the cathedral, this popular wellappointed, airy and spacious boutique hotel mixes comfort with a nice ambience and great Western or Vietnamese breakfasts. All the modern amenities at reasonable prices.

MAISON D’HANOI HANOVA HOTEL $$$ 35-37 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3938 0999

hanovahotel.com

A minute from Hoan Kiem Lake, this glowing pearl in the heart of Hanoi provides tranquility with an art gallery and piano bar.

MAY DE VILLE 24 Han Thuyen, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: (04) 2222 9988 Set in the old French Quarter a short walk from the Opera House, May de Ville City Centre is a welcome new addition to the capital.

Combining contemporary architecture with traditional Vietnamese style and materials, this elegant property has 81 well-appointed rooms including four suites.

M M M HANOI – BUDGET HANOI BACKBACKER’S HOSTEL 48 Ngo Huyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3828 5372

hanoibackpackershostel.com

Probably the cheapest, European-style hostel in town, with bunk-style beds mixed or single-sex dorms starting at VND150,000, plus a couple of double suites from VND250,000. A place to meet like-minded fold in the Old Quarter.

M M M HCMC – INTERNATIONAL CARAVELLE HOTEL $$$$ 19 Lam Son Square, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 4999

caravellehotel.com

Winner of Robb Report’s 2006 list of the world’s top 100 luxury hotels, the Caravelle houses the popular rooftop Saigon Saigon bar, and the restaurants Nineteen and Reflections.

EQUATORIAL $$$ 242 Tran Binh Trong, Q5, Tel: (08) 3839 7777

equatorial.com/hcm

This massive property boasts seven dining and entertainment outlets, a business centre, meeting rooms and a comprehensive fitness centre and spa. The Equatorial also has an on-site casino.

HOTEL NIKKO SAIGON $$$$$ 235 Nguyen Van Cu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3925 7777

hotelnikkosaigon.com.vn

The five-star hotel and serviced apartment complex offers: 14 instant offices, seven meeting rooms, a 600-capacity ballroom, spa, outdoor swimming pool, a gym, 24-hour fine dining, 24-hours room service, and limousine services.

INTERCONTINENTAL ASIANA SAIGON $$$$$ Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3520 9999

intercontinental.com/saigon

In the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, resides the Asiana with signature dining options, an innovative cocktail bar, exclusive spa and health club, together with luxury boutique arcade.

LE MÉRIDIEN SAIGON $$$$ 3C Ton Duc Thang, Q1, HCMC Tel: (08) 6263 6688

lemeridien.com/saigon

Marking the brand’s debut in Vietnam, Le Méridien Saigon is the gathering place for curious and creative-minded travellers. Located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City next to the Saigon River, the property is close to the metropolis's entertainment and commercial areas, making it an ideal base for exploring the local culture and community. Experience this cosmopolitan city in stimulating surroundings.

LOTTE LEGEND HOTEL SAIGON $$$$ 2A–4A Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 3333

legendsaigon.com

Immaculate architecture, spacious rooms, and a fine selection of fine dining, with buffets specialising in Americana and Pan-Asian cuisine.

NEW WORLD HOTEL $$$$ 76 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8888

saigon.newworldhotels.com

Former guests include U.S. presidents — two Bushes, Clinton — and K-Pop sensation Bi Rain. An ongoing event as well as a hotel, New World is one of the best luxury stops in town.

PARK HYATT $$$$$ 2 Lam Son Square, Q1, Tel:

(08) 3824 1234

saigon.park.hyatt.com

Fabulous in style, prime in location, everything one would expect from the Hyatt.

The Square One and Italianthemed Opera restaurants have garnered an excellent reputation, as has the landscaped pool.

PULLMAN SAIGON CENTRE $$$$$ 148 Tran Hung Dao, Q1, Tel: (08) 3838 8686

pullmanhotels.com

Recently completed on the site of the old Metropole, this upscale, contemporary property boasts 306 signature rooms combining design, comfort and connectivity.

Innovative cuisine, a great downtown location and hightech meeting venues able to host up to 600 guests make up the mix.

RIVERSIDE APARTMENTS 53 Vo Truong Toan, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 4111

riverside-apartments.com

Situated on the banks of the Saigon River, a 15-minute scenic boat ride or 20-minute bus ride from town, Riverside’s complementary shuttle services take you right in the city centre. With 152 fully equipped serviced apartments, the property offers special packages for short-term stay starting at VND2.1 million per apartment per night for a onebedroom facility.

RENAISSANCE RIVERSIDE HOTEL SAIGON $$$$ 8-15 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 1117

renaissance-saigon.com

This distinct French architectural wonder offers complimentary Wi-Fi, airport pickup or drop off, a first-floor ballroom, and authentic Vietnamese cuisine at the River Restaurant.

SHERATON $$$$$ 88 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2828

sheraton.com/saigon

Sheraton boasts one of the best locations in town, with first–class facilities, an open–air restaurant 23 floors above the city and a live music venue on the same floor.

SOFITEL SAIGON PLAZA $$$$ 17 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 1555

sofitel.com

This 20–story building in downtown Saigon, caters to upscale business and leisure travelers seeking a classic yet contemporary stay in Saigon.

WINDSOR PLAZA $$$ 18 An Duong Vuong, Q5, Tel: (08) 3833 6688

windsorplazahotel.com

The full ensemble with its

own shopping hub (including a bank), fine dining, a sauna, health club, and superb panoramic views of the cityscape. Also hosts the largest Oktoberfest in the region.

M M M HCMC – DELUXE CONTINENTAL $$$ 132-134 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 9201

continentalhotel.com.vn

This charming old hotel has been fêted in literature and in film. In the heart of Saigon, this is the first choice to highlight Vietnamese culture.

NORFOLK HOTEL $$$ 117 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 5368

norfolkhotel.com.vn

Intimate atmosphere and excellent service, this boutique business hotel is located minutes from famous landmarks, designer shops, and is renowned for its fabulous steaks at its in-house restaurant, Corso.

NOVOTEL SAIGON CENTRE $$$ 167 Hai Ba Trung, Q3, Tel: (08) 3822 4866

novotel-saigon-centre.com

Novotel Saigon Centre has a contemporary feel, an international buffet — The Square — a rooftop bar, and a wellness centre including a swimming pool, gym, sauna and spa.

VILLA SONG SAIGON $$$ 197/2 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 6090

villasong.com

Deliberately located away from the city centre in Thao Dien, this riverside boutique villa-style hotel is a sanctuary of peace and calm — a rarity in Ho Chi Minh City.

Beautiful, Indochine-influenced design, a great setting and good drinking and dining options make this a great, non-city centre choice.

LAN LAN HOTEL 1 AND 2 $$$ 46 and 73-75 Thu Khoa Huan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 7926

lanlanhotel.com.vn

THE ALCOVE LIBRARY HOTEL $$$ 133A Nguyen Dinh Chinh, Phu Nhuan, Tel: 08 6256 9966

alcovehotel.com.vn

M M M HCMC – BUDGET DUC VUONG HOTEL $ 195 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08) 3920 6992

ducvuonghotel.com

Free Wi–Fi offered in every room. Low prices, friendly staff, clean rooms. This modern oasis is only a few steps from the backpacker’s area.

DUNA HOTEL $ 167 Pham Ngu Lao Q1, Tel: (08) 3837 3699

dunahotel.com

HONG HOA HOTEL $ 185/28 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1, Tel: (08) 3836 1915

honghoavn.com

SINH HUONG HOTEL $ 157 Nguyen Du Q1, Tel: (08)

3827 4648

sinhhuonghotel.com.vn

M M M HOI AN & DANANG AN BANG BEACH RETREAT An Bang Beach, Hoi An

anbangbeachretreat.com

CUA DAI $ 544, Cua Dai, Hoi An, Tel: (0510) 386 2231

hotelcuadai-hoian.com/

DANANG BEACH RESORT $$$ Truong Sa, Hoa Hai, Ngu Hanh Son, Danang, Tel: (0511) 396 1800

danangbeachresort.com.vn

FURAMA RESORT AND SPA $$$$ Vo Nguyen Giap, Khue My, Ngu Hanh Son, Danang, Tel: (0511) 384 7888

furamavietnam.com

HYATT REGENCY DANANG RESORT AND SPA $$$$ Hoa Hai, Ngu Hanh Son, Da Nang, Tel: (0511) 398 1234

danang.regency.hyatt.com

The Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa is beachfront with a stunning view of the Marble Mountains. There are 182 luxurious residences and 27 private ocean villas, each with a private pool.

PULLMAN DANANG BEACH RESORT $$$$ Vo Nguyen Giap, Khue My, Ngu Hanh Son, Danang Tel: (0511) 395 8888

pullman-danang.com

Located on the stunning white sands of Bac My An Beach, the stylish Pullman Danang Beach Resort is an oasis of activities and facilities for the modern traveller. With an idyllic setting, this luxury property is perfect for a family holiday or romantic beach getaway.

And with extensive function facilities, Pullman Danang also provides the a great location for your next incentive getaway or event.

MERCURE DANANG $$$ Lot A1 Zone Green Island, Hoa Cuong Bac, Hai Chau, Danang, Tel: (0511) 379 7777

mercure-danang.com

Set on the Han River, this well-appointed, Accormanaged property is one of the nicest hotels in Central Danang. Kitsch but contemporary design and some phenomenal views over the city make up the mix.

Joseph’s Hotel Foreign-run,boutique hotel Next to the cathedral

STAR CITY SAIGON HOTEL $$$ 144 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan, Tel: (08) 3999 8888

starcitysaigon.vn

The newly-built hotel is near Tan Son Nhat International Airport. With spectacular city views and a comfortablydesigned outdoor swimming pool, there is little reason not to choose this shining star.

M M M HCMC - MID-RANGE ROYAL HOTEL SAIGON $$ 133 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 5914

Free wi-fi, international breakfast, spacious and airy, lift, plasma TV, multi-shower, friendly service www.josephshotel.com 5, Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi | Phone: 04 3938 1048 | Mob: 0913 090 446

kimdohotel.com

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 133

NOTES FROM ANOTHER CITY

Front Beach

A Seafood Paradise

Sand, sea, coffee and nightlife.

Front Beach is the place to go in Vung Tau for some action…

Thanks to all the fishing in the area, Vung Tau boasts some of the best seafood in Vietnam

E

xpats in Vietnam don’t rank Vung Tau highly on their lists of ‘mustvisit’ places. They’re inclined to view it as a slightly run-down beach resort that may appeal to local weekenders from Ho Chi Minh City, but with nothing of note to attract a foreigner. At the risk of sounding like a know-it-all, they’re mistaken about that. Vung Tau is a pretty cool place.

Why do I say this? I live there.

And what is it that attracts me about the place, and has kept me here for nearly a decade? In a word — serenity.

Let me give you an example of what I mean by that. The other evening I found myself in a terraced, coffee-bar-cum-cafe on the beachfront (with deckchairs rather than seats), ordered a beer, and lay back to watch the sun set over Vung Tau. The red orb teetered on the horizon for all of 30 seconds, then slid slowly, gracefully, from sight, to leave the sky smeared with orange, purple, violet and pink streaks.

I was the sole customer of this beautifully appointed cafe. With a sea view to die for, tall, shady trees wound with flickering fairy lights, and seating for around 40 customers, it had everything a discerning customer could wish for. Everything, that is, except for other customers. And for someone in

134 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

search of a little peace and relaxation after a grueling day at the workhouse, that’s just what the doctor ordered.

Away from the Chaos

By Don Wills

A mere 90-minute drive or hydrofoil ride from Ho Chi Minh City, or a two-hour flight from Hanoi, Vung Tau is worlds away from the crowds, pollution, traffic chaos and frenetic activity of the big cities. The air is clear, the traffic (by Vietnamese standards at least) is sparse, and the pace of life is laid back. A constant sea breeze keeps the city cooler than Saigon, and the rainy season is brief and, on the whole, less intense than other parts of the country.

Surprisingly, very few expats visit Vung Tau. A few families intent on a weekend of lazing on the beach, a handful of Aussie vets revisiting the scene of their war years, half a dozen liquored-up oilies on shore leave, a backpacker or two, but that’s about it.

I partly blame Lonely Planet for this.

In their 2005 edition they dismiss the destination with the words: “The beaches here aren’t Vietnam’s best, nor is the water pristine due to pollution from oil drilling.

Beachgoers looking for a tropical holiday might do better by making the three-hour trip to Mui Ne beach”. The 2015 edition gives a better review, but only slightly better.

ENTRY 1:

Vung Tau

Bigger than in Rio The early 1970s built statue of Jesus is 2m taller than its better known rival in Brazil

Beauty… in Spades Apart from the peace and quiet, what else does Vung Tau have to offer that might attract an expat? Well, for one thing, natural beauty. Vung Tau has it in spades. Back Beach is three kilometres of sand and safe swimming, with around 50 medium-tohigh-priced hotels nearby to choose from.

Front Beach, where the hydrofoils disgorge their passengers, is more commercial, with ships of all sizes and descriptions anchored in the bay, and towered over by not one but two mountains (hills really, but don’t tell the people hereabouts — they don’t have many mountains to boast of in southern Vietnam).

Clinging to the sides of the mountains are a number of glittering Buddhist temples, and standing atop Small Mountain is a statue of Jesus with outstretched arms. Though not as famous as Rio’s, Vung Tau’s Jesus is two metres taller. A cable car makes its way up to the summit of Big Mountain, where there’s a smallish, rather neglected amusement park.

Great views, though.

Front beach is where the action is, but don’t get excited by that word ‘action’ — by big-city standards it’s pretty tame.

The beach is fringed by a strip of hotels, bars, restaurants and coffee shops, with a sprinkling of discos, karaoke bars and massage parlours. There’s even a small

street of girlie bars a block away. Across the road from the beach, vendors’ carts sell grilled octopus, dried squid, grilled fish, and scallops. The seafood in Vung Tau is second-to-none: fresh, expertly prepared and mouth-watering.

Yes, Vung Tau is the ideal place for a getaway. It’s just that nobody realises it yet.

— Don Wills Don Wills is from New Zealand. He has travelled and written articles all over the world, but mostly in Southeast Asia

“The beaches here aren’t Vietnam’s best, nor is the water pristine due to pollution from oil drilling. Beachgoers looking for a tropical holiday might do better by making the three-hour trip to Mui Ne beach”

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 135

Travel

THE NAM HAI $$$$ Hamlet 1, Dien Duong Village, Quang Nam, Tel: (0510) 394 0000

M M M

Includes three massive swimming pools, a gourmet restaurant and elegant spa on a lotus pond. Each massive room has its own espresso machine, pre–programmed iPod and both indoor and outdoor showers.

EVASON ANA MANDARA AND SIX SENSES SPA $$$$ Beachside Tran Phu, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, Tel: (058) 352 2222

M M M

2.6 hectares of private beachside gardens and villa–style accommodation furnished in traditional native woods, this resort offers verandah dining, a pool bar and the signature Six Senses Spa.

ghmhotels.com

HUE & LANG CO ANGSANA LANG CO $$$$ Cu Du Village, Loc Vinh Commune, Phu Loc, Thua Thien Hue, Tel: (054) 369 5800

angsana.com/en/lang_co

Located on Vietnam’s South Central Coast, Angsana Lang Co commands an unrivalled beach frontage of the shimmering East Sea. Traditional Vietnamese design encompasses the resort’s contemporary buildings and chic interiors.

BANYAN TREE LANG CO $$$$ Cu Du Village, Loc Vinh Commune, Phu Loc, Thua Thien, Hue, Tel: (054) 369 5888

banyantree.com/en/lang_co

Built on a crescent bay, The Banyan Tree offers privacy and unparalleled exclusivity with all-pool villas reflecting the cultural and historical legacy of past Vietnamese dynastic periods.

LA RESIDENCE $$$$ 5 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: (054) 383 7475

la–residence–hue.com

PHUONG HOANG HOTEL $ 66 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: (054) 382 6736

sixsenses.com/evason-resorts/ana-mandara/destination

SHERATON NHA TRANG HOTEL AND SPA $$$$ 26 – 28 Tran Phu, Tel: (058) 388 0000

sheraton.com/nhatrang

M M M PHAN THIET & MUI NE NINH CHU BAY BEACH CLUB & BAR Hwy 702, Ninh Hai, Phan Rang, Ninh Thuan, Tel: (068) 627 2727

ninhchubay.com

junglebeachvietnam.com

On a secluded promontory north of Nha Trang, this budget place is all about hammocks, the sea, the jungle and nature.

Enjoy the private beach with excellent facilities and have a massage. Evenings are sublime at this beach club, soon to become a fully fledged resort. Grilled seafood, European sausages, sangria, draught beer, and specialityinfused vodka all make this one of a kind destination.

MIA RESORT NHA TRANG $$$$ Bai Dong, Cam Hai Dong, Cam Lam, Khanh Hoa, Tel: (058) 398 9666

BLUE OCEAN RESORT $$$$ 54 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet, Tel: (062) 384 7322

JUNGLE BEACH RESORT $ Ninh Phuoc, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa, Tel: (058) 362 2384

mianhatrang.com

NOVOTEL NHA TRANG $$$ 50 Tran Phu, Nha Trang, Tel: (058) 625 6900

novotel-nhatrang.com

This four-star hotel with 154 guestrooms, all with a terrace and sea view. Complete with a pool, spa, restaurant, bar and meeting room that caters for up to 200 delegates.

SIX SENSES HIDEAWAY NINH VAN BAY $$$$ Ninh Van Bay, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa, Tel: (058) 372 8222

sixsenses.com/resorts/ninhvan-bay/destination

blueoceanresort.com.vn life-resorts.com

COCO BEACH $$$$ 58 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet, Tel: (062) 384 7111

cocobeach.net

With charming wooden bungalows, a private beach, a swimming pool (both with attached bars) and a French restaurant, Coco Beach continues to be run by those who opened it in 1995.

JOE’S GARDEN RESORT $$ 86 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Ham Tien, Mui Ne, Tel: (062) 384 7177

joescafemuine.com

A leafy, seafront bungalow resort and café with nightly live music all in one. Reminiscent of the type of places you’d find on the Thai islands, an international and Asian food menu together with a cheap happy hour on beer make up the relaxing mix.

MIA RESORT MUI NE $$$$ 24 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Tel: (062) 384 7440

miamuine.com

VICTORIA PHAN THIET RESORT AND SPA $$$$ Mui Ne Beach, Phan Thiet, Tel: (062) 381 3000

victoriahotels.asia

Another beachfront Victoria chain, the thatched–roof bungalows and family villas are set in exotic gardens with an infinity swimming pool, a seafood restaurant, spa, beauty salon and jacuzzi.

M M M PHONG NHA EASY TIGER AND JUNGLE BAR $ Son Trach, Bo Trach, Quang Binh, Tel: (052) 367 7844

easytigerphongnha@gmail. com

A hostel and street-front bar all in one. Has a pleasant, airy atmosphere in the bar and restaurant area while the 52 dorm beds — four beds to a room — go for US$8 (VND168,000) each a night.

HO KHANH'S HOMESTAY $$ Son Trach, Bo Trach, Quang Binh, Tel: 01299 597182

phong-nha-homestay.com

PHONG NHA FARMSTAY $$ Hoa Son, Cu Nam, Bo Trach, Quang Binh, Tel: (052) 367

5135

phong-nha-cave.com

The first western-run farmstay in Phong Nha, this wellappointed travellers’ joint has a great bar and restaurant area, a swimming pool out back and views overlooking paddy fields and mountains. Rooms start at VND600,000 for a twin or double, with a family room for five costing VND1.4 million a night.

M M M PHU QUOC BEACH CLUB RESORT $$ Ap Cua Lap, Xa Duong To, Long Beach, Phu Quoc Island, Tel: (077) 398 0998

beachclubvietnam.com

A quaint and popular island guesthouse featuring a beachside restaurant, and includes free Wi-Fi. Motorbike rental, boat trips and tours are easily arranged. Discount rates during rainy season.

MANGO BAY $$ Ong Lang Beach, Phu Quoc, Tel: 0903 382207

mangobayphuquoc.com

An eco–friendly approach with a gorgeous beachside location, the bungalows are made of rammed earth, no TVs or telephones (although Wi-Fi is available). Excellent sunsets from the beach bar.

SALINDA RESORT PHU QUOC ISLAND $$$$ Cua Lap Hamlet, Duong To Commune, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang Tel: (08) 3929 3097 Hotline 0907 99 55 02

salindaresort.com

Set on the sea and only 4km away from Phu Quoc International Airport, Salinda is inspired by an interplay of rustic local heritage with contemporary design. The

PHOTO BY JON ASPIN

hoangphuonghotel.com

NHA TRANG

The upmarket Tatler magazine voted top hotel of 2006.

The location is stunning, on a bay accessible only by boat.

136 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

property has 121 rooms and villas with private balconies, and provides a luxury experience that embodies the understated beauty and enchanting spirit of the pearl of Asia.

M M M SAPA CAT CAT VIEW HOTEL $$ Cat Cat Road, Tel: 0203 871946

catcathotel.com

The best view in town from its bar restaurant, the Cat Cat Guesthouse is paradise at very reasonable rates. The rooms have big windows, balconies, and log fireplaces.

TOPAS ECOLODGE $$$ Thanh Kim, Sapa, Lao Cai Tel: (04) 3715 1005 (Sales)

topasecolodge.com

With its panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valley, Topas Ecolodge is the perfect place to experience the remoteness and quiet of the Northern Vietnamese mountains — the landscape, the fresh air and the ethnic peoples. Guests stay in private bungalows with dinner served in a local stilt house restaurant.

M M M VUNG TAU & HO TRAM BINH AN VILLAGE $$$$ 1 Tran Phu, Vung Tau, Tel: (064) 335 1553

binhanvillage.com

CON DAO RESORT $$ Nguyen Duc Thuan, Con Dao, Vung Tau, Tel: (064) 383 0939

condaoresort.vn

HO TRAM BEACH RESORT AND SPA $$$$ Tel: (064) 378 1525

hotramresort.com

This attractive property is the ideal getaway from Ho Chi Minh City. 63 uniquely bun-

galows and villas promise a local experience complete with an excellent spa and two swimming pools.

HO TRAM SANCTUARY $$$$ Ho Tram, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Tel: (064) 378 1631

sanctuary.com.vn

The spacious villas come with their own pool and have direct access to the beach.

Extras include tennis courts, a mini supermarket, and cycling and motorbike tours.

REX HOTEL $$ 1 Le Quy Don, Vung Tau, Tel: (064) 385 2135

rexhotelvungtau.com

SIX SENSES CON DAO $$$$ Dat Doc Beach, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Tel: (064) 383 1222

sixsenses.com/sixsensescondao THE GRAND-HO TRAM STRIP Phuoc Thuan Commune, Xuyen Moc, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Tel: (064) 378 8888

thegrandhotramstrip.com

The Grand-Ho Tram Strip is Vietnam’s first large scale integrated resort and includes a 541-room five-star hotel, a world-class casino, restaurants, high-tech meeting space, an exclusive VIP area, as well as a variety of beach-front recreation activities. Is located next to the Greg Norman-designed golf course, The Bluffs, one of the best golf courses in Vietnam.

M M M TRAVEL SERVICES — HANOI BUFFALO TOURS AGENCY (BTA) 94 Ma May, Hoan Kiem Dist., Ha Noi, Tel: (04) 3828 0702

buffalotours.com.vn

A boutique Travel Agency at the service of all Vietnamese and expatriate residents in Vietnam offering easy, hassle-free travel around the world and in Vietnam.

BTA customizes leisure and

corporate travel plans while offering a selected range of small group tours.

EXO TRAVEL 66A Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3828 2150

exotravel.com

A one-stop, all-in-one travel agency with an extensive operational track record in the Indochina region and beyond. Providing up-market services, Exotissimo brings their clients close to culture through personalised tours.

Also find travel desks at the Hilton, Sofitel Plaza and Intercontinental hotels, which are open on weekends and holidays.

HANDSPAN TRAVEL 78 Ma May, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3926 2828

handspan.com

Established in 1997, Handspan provides customers with safe, high quality, diverse, small-group adventure tours to both popular and isolated locations in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Has a focus on off-the-beaten-track sustainable and responsible tourism initiatives. Also provides to excursions to more well-worn destinations.

HG TRAVEL 47 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3944 8844

hgtravel.com

Travel company specialising in small-group tours around Vietnam and further afield in Indochina. Is also the sole representative agent for Kenya Airways (for 40 cities in Africa — kenya-airways. com), American Airlines (aa. com) and Turkish Airlines (thy.com).

INTREPID TRAVEL VIETNAM 57A Nguyen Khac Hieu, Ba Dinh, Tel: 0904 193308

intrepidtravel.com/vietnamsales

Intrepid Travel Vietnam is an international travel company operating in Vietnam since 1992, offering innovative day tours, short breaks and small group adventures. With expert guides and guaranteed departures, Intrepid focuses

on real life experiences in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Mekong Delta, Halong Bay, Sapa and beyond to get you up close to Vietnam’s people, cuisine, history and culture.

TRAVEL SENSE ASIA Suite 8, 2nd Floor, 103 Nguyen Truong To, Ba Dinh, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3715 3977

kien@travelsense.asia

A homegrown travel agency providing small group journeys and tailor-made holidays to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand. Voted in Trip Advisor’s Top 10 of best tours in Hanoi since 2010.

M M M TRAVEL SERVICES — HCMC BUFFALO TOURS AGENCY 70-72 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3828 0702; 157 Pasteur, Q3, Ho Chi Minh City, Tel: (08) 3827 9170

buffalotours.com

This premium travel agency helps travellers select their destinations and organise their trips. From corporate travel to small group tours, explore the world or Vietnam.

EXO TRAVEL 41, Thao Dien, Q2. Tel (08) 3519 4111, Ext. 15/17/19

exotravel.com

A reliable and experienced travel company operating through Southeast Asia, Exotissimo brings you personalized tours across the region, many including insights into culinary customs, handicrafts and humanitarian initiatives.

FLIGHT TRAVEL COMPANY 121 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 7744

flightravelco.com

Flight travel services, including global travel management, domestic and international air booking and travel insurance, to corporate companies, family and individual travelers.

TERRAVERDE 12/20 Nguyen Canh Di, Ward 4, Tan Binh District, Tel: (08) 3984 4754

terraverdetravel.com

If you like cycling through the Mekong Delta, trekking in the highlands, or lazing in a junk on Ha Long Bay — all while making a difference in people’s lives — then this company will suit you well.

VIETNAM VESPA ADVENTURE 169A De Tham, Q1, Tel: 01222 993585

vietnamvespaadventure. com

Vespa Adventure offers multi–day tours of southern and coastal Vietnam on the back of a luxury motorbike powered by clean, renewable biodiesel. English-speaking tour guides lead the way.

M M M TRAVEL SERVICES — ELSEWHERE BACK OF THE BIKE TOURS Tel: (08) 6298 5659

backofthebiketours.com

Offer motorbike tours combined with the finest street food to give customers a truly immersive Vietnamese experience.

BEENINASIA.COM

beeninasia.com info@beeninasia.com

Online travel in Southeast Asia. Offers you selection of best hotels and great tours. Create your own trip or we can tailor make your itinerary.

TU TRAVEL 60 Hai Ba Trung, Can Tho City, Tel: 0713 752436

tutrangtravel-mekongfeeling.vn

Want to set up non-standard tours in the Mekong with local guides who’ve got extensive local knowledge? This might be the place to contact.

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 137

THE MOTORBIKE DIARIES PART 11: THE LAST TWO SISTERS

Matt journeys on from North East India’s Arunachal Pradesh to Assam and Meghalaya on the back of Nemo, his motorbike.

138 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

DAY 188 Itanagar Not a lot here, except that awesome city name — much the reason why I came.

Itanagar. Tolkienesque.

DAY 191 Bomdi La Crazy fog. I’m finally going up into the ‘proper’ Himalayas and I can barely see my hands in front of me. Driving so carefully — then a crazy Sumo (jeep) flies out from behind a curve. No luck braking on the wet road. Wheel slipped, I took a bad fall. Bastard didn’t even stop.

Poor Nemo. Maan, that bike took such a beating on these roads already. And me, also.

DAY 192 Up to the Mountains I’ve gone above the mountain tops, above the clouds. And the song of the day is Pink Floyd’s Learning to Fly. Got an excited grin under my khau trang and I’m a long way from Hanoi.

And there are vividly colourful, moss-covered meadows all around and the strangest looking cows..?

Yaks? Mithuns? No idea what it is — something between a cow and a bear.

But big. Elephant-big. And furry.

DAYS 193 - 199 7 Days in ‘Tibet’ Got to Tawang. I know I’m surrounded by mountains I’ve longed to see, yet all I see is this crazy thick fog. Days go by, never-ending fog remains, rain isn’t heavy but there’s no clear end in sight.

But I got a great morning paratha shop (always followed by the diabetically (diabolically?) sweet gulab jamun); I got this aging man in an old fashioned, hand-knit sweater waiting for me with a veg thali dinner and the most genuine smile each evening and I got hot water and a soft bed with thick blankets at my remarkably cosy guesthouse — a total boost of life when the temperature here commonly drops pretty low.

And seven years since its initial conception — I have completed a first strong draft of Cripple Crows, my epic, new screenplay. It’s been a journey within a journey.

DAY 201 Maintenance Assam’s Tezpur. Thanks to Indian (Sikh,

to be precise) creativity in customizing rare bike parts which otherwise aren’t available in India, Nemo’s got new sprockets, a new chain, a new air filter, new gauge cords and new oil. (And I’ve got an empty wallet.) Feels like a new bike.

DAY 203 The Treehouse Whoa. Lao’s Gibbon Experience meets Dao Anh Khanh’s Studio in the middle of the Assamese jungle. There’s a monkey on the roof, I’m told to watch out for snakes and occasional tigers coming to visit from Meghalaya — what an awesome place I get to stay at for those next few days.

DAY 205 An interplanetary diversion A planetarium in North East India?

Why not. At 30 rupees a ticket it’s not quite Chicago’s Adler Planetarium where I used to hang out in college, but I just love flying through the stars.

DAY 209 Obnoxiousville Pradesh Getting dark and I found a quiet, completely secluded spot to camp, halfway on my drive to Sikkim. But… those people… they just appear out of thin air.

A guy — drunken off his mind — won’t leave me alone for 20 minutes.

Eventually got rid of him, but I just know it’s not the end of it. It’s a pitchblack middle of nowhere and sure enough, 15 minutes later an entire friggin’ village congregates around.

A delegation of elders surrounds me; three generations of women and children looking on from the road.

And they’re intent on me moving — who knows why? My negotiation attempts fall flat, I’m not happy at all and they’re not interested in leaving without me. So without much of a choice, I leave my camp behind and follow a pack of complete strangers who-knows-where though a pitch-black forest illuminated only (in different circumstances quite romantically) by fireflies. I feel vulnerable and this once, I do hope they’re just merely being overbearing Indians.

For more on Matt’s films and travels, check out the Etherium Sky Production Blog at etheriumsky.com/prodblog

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 139

Hanoi

Day Tripper: Hanoi / Book Buff / The Therapist / Bar Stool / Coffee Cup / Top Eats / Medical Buff Photo by Duy Khanh

140 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

Hanoi Essentials

ALTERNATIVE HEALTH A-ROAMING BODYWORKER

g

karen@a-roamingbodyworker.com a-roamingbodyworker.com

Provides various holistic healing modalities. Services include craniosacral therapy, deep tissue massage, prenatal massage, healing stones massage, as well as energy healing including Reiki and Jin Shin Jyutsu. Workshops are also available.

HANOI HOLISTIC HEALTH GUIDE

issuu.com/hanoiholistichealth

A guide to various holistic health practitioners in Hanoi.

Only available online, but a great information source.

M M M BOOKSHOPS

BBGV Floor 1, Hanoi Central Office Bldg 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: (04) 3934 8681

bbgv.org

CCIFV Sofitel Plaza, No 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3715 2229

ccifv.org

EUROCHAM G/F, Sofitel Plaza Hanoi, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3715 2228

eurochamvn.org

ICHAM Sofitel Plaza, Ground floor, 1 Thanh nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3715 2229

icham.org

SINGAPORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION VIETNAM Business Center Fortuna Hotel, 6B Lang Ha, Ba Dinh

sbav-hanoi.org

M M M BOOKWORM BOOK SHOP

44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3715 3711; 1/28 Nghi Tam Village, Tay Ho Tel: (04) 3829 2322 Bookworm has been the cornerstone of Hanoi’s literary scene since 2001. It has been around the block quite a bit and now shares a space with Hanoi Cooking Centre. With over 15,000 new and secondhand fiction and nonfiction titles in stock, the shop also buys used books and offers free travel advice. Has a second shop in Tay Ho LIBRAIRIE FRANÇAISE DE HANOI FRENCH BOOKSHOP

23/67 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3726 4896 TRANG TIEN BOOKSTORE VIETNAMESE & ENGLISH BOOKS

44 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3936 2151 XUNHASABA ENGLISH LANGUAGE BOOKSTORE

32 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3825 4068

M M M BUSINESS GROUPS AMCHAM 4th Floor, InterContinental Hanoi, 1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3934 2790

amchamhanoi.com

AUSCHAM 4th Floor, 100 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 0909 710994

auschamvn.org

CINEMAS CINEMATHEQUE ARTS CINEMA

22A Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3936 2648 Not a movie theatre per se, but a private film club that charges a membership fee in return for entrance to a wide selection of movies, new and old. The management has an eclectic taste and shows films and opera from all over the world. Call to arrange membership.

M M M CLUBS & SOCIETIES

(04) 3936 2164

vphanoi-lespace.com

M M M CLOTHING BOO SKATESHOP

THREE TREES

SKATESHOP

JEWELLERY

84 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3923 1147

15 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3928 8725

booskateshop.com CONTRABAND

CONTEMPORARY WESTERN-STYLE

23 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3928 9891 Launched in Hanoi in 2007, Contraband targets young hip working women. Garments are made from versatile fabrics that are comfortable to wear and easy to look after – making them ideal for work and travel. New styles are introduced each month with limited production runs, offering a sense of exclusivity.

GEORGE’S FASHION BOUTIQUE

HANOI INTERNATIONAL THEATRE SOCIETY (HITS) THEATRE GROUP

hitshanoi.com HANOI CLUB COUNTRY CLUB

76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3823 8115

thehanoiclub.com HANOI OIS NETBALL CLUB

hanoinetball@gmail.com L’ESPACE FRENCH CULTURAL CENTRE

24 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Tel:

Hanoi Cooking Centre is a school, retail outlet and café, where you can find classes on not just Vietnamese cooking, but international cuisine, held in a beautiful setting. They also offer culinary tours.

HIDDEN HANOI

CRAFTS & FURNITURE

ECO-CHIC / LIFESTYLE

goethe.de/hanoi

hanoicookingcentre.com

hiddenhanoi.com.vn

A wide range of Vietnamese culinary classes are offered in these well-appointed and clean facilities. The knowledgeable staff will guide you through the secrets of Vietnamese cooking in an open air courtyard.

M M M

WOMEN’S WEAR & ACCESSORIES

METISEKO

58 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh Tel: (04) 3734 2251

44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3715 0088

L’ATELIER

ateliervietnam.com

71 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem

metiseko.com

A lifestyle brand that started out life in Hoi An, Metiseko’s move to the capital has seen them bring us their creative, poetic prints designed for an eco-chic lifestyle. The products — clothing, accessories and furniture — are made from natural silk and organic cotton certified to global organic standards. Metiseko is also certified by the fairtrade, Textile Exchange.

THINGS OF SUBSTANCE AUSTRALIAN-STYLE UNISEX

5 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3828 6965 This shop’s motto “Western sizes, Vietnamese prices”, says it all. While mostly retailing women’s separates

AIR ASIA airasia.com

COOKING CENTRE

147 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Tel: 0912 254045

33 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 6758

AIRLINES

HANOI COOKING CENTRE

COOKING CENTRE

21 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3824 1850 GERMAN CULTURAL CENTRE

COOKING CLASSES

36 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 6233 With new styles arriving in store every second day, this shop offers a huge range of dresses, shirts, pants, skirts and accessories in local and imported fabrics. Clothes fit all sizes, from petite to average to the generous figure.

Alterations and a made-tomeasure service are available at no extra cost.

EVENT SPACE

GOETHE INSTITUT

M M M

CONTEMPORARY WESTERN-STYLE

Stocks women’s wear, leather bags, shoes and handicrafts. This chic boutique offers both ready-to-wear and made-to-fit clothing.

AMERICAN CLUB

in soft cotton jersey and linen, the store also carries a range of accessories like embroidered canvas totes and printed tees. Has a good selection of unique men’s shirts.

AIR FRANCE airfrance.com.vn CATHAY PACIFIC cathaypacific.com/vn CHINA AIRLINES china-airlines.com JAPAN AIRLINES vn.jal.com JETSTAR PACIFIC jetstar.com/vn/en KOREAN AIR koreanair.com LAO AIRLINES laoairlines.com

BETTERWORLD GLOBAL HANDICRAFTS

8 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Fair trade or bought directly from the artisans who made them, Betterworld stocks unusual handicrafts from around the world as well as second-hand books, DVDs and more.

MEKONG QUILTS

MALAYSIA AIRLINES malaysiaairlines.com SINGAPORE AIRLINES singaporeair.com

HANDMADE / CHARITABLE QUILTS

9 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3926 4831; 58 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3824 4607; 13 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3926 4831

Mekong-quilts.org

Community development non-profit quilt shop featuring handmade quilts and accessories. Styles vary from traditional to patterned and Asian-inspired. Founded in 2001 and with outposts in several locations around the region, the shop employs women in rural areas, enabling them to make an income and care for their families.

THAI AIRWAYS thaiairways.com.vn TIGER AIRWAYS tigerair.com VIETJETAIR vietjetair.com VIETNAM AIRLINES vietnamairlines.com

Hanoi Essentials

M M M CYCLING DON’S TAY HO BICYCLE RENTALS

16 Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3719 3719

Dons-bistro.com GREEN BIKE

CANNONDALE & JETT STOCKIST

15 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh IBIKE SALES

34 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho; 53 Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem QUAN’S RENTALS BICYCLE / MOTORBIKE RENTALS

70 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0904 244941 THBC (THE HANOI BICYCLE COLLECTIVE) RENTALS & SALES

29 Nhat Chieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 3156

thbc.vn

M M M DENTAL CARE AUSTRALIAN DENTAL CLINIC DENTAL CLINIC

3 Nguyen Du, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 0906 200434

australiandentalclinic.com PEACE DENTAL CLINIC DENTAL CLINIC

2nd floor, 51A Nguyen Khac Hieu, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3715 2286

peacedentalclinic.wordpress. com SERENITY INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC DENTAL CLINIC

19 Nguyen Truong To, Ba Dinh, Tel: 0989 067888

serenitydentalclinic.com

WESTCOAST INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC DENTAL CLINIC

2nd Fl, Syrena Center, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3710 0555

westcoastinternational.com

The Westcoast International Dental Clinic is composed of dental professionals who deliver modern, high-level dental services throughout Vietnam. The clinic provides the highest quality technology, comfort and after-service care to patients.

Tel: (04) 3928 5190

artvietnamgallery.com

Established in 2002, this American-run gallery has championed Vietnamese contemporary art for more than two decades. Holds regular exhibitions and artist talks.

MANZI GALLERY & BAR / CAFE

14 Phan Huy Ich, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3716 3397

facebook.com/manzihanoi

Founded in 2012, this independent contemporary art centre holds regular exhibitions, workshops and a wide range of art events. Manzi promotes emerging artists while presenting established artists from Vietnam.

The space also sells works by leading contemporary Vietnamese artists at affordable prices.

NHA SAN COLLECTIVE GALLERY & ARTS PROJECTS

24 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0985 870316

nhasanstudio.org

The first experimental art space in Hanoi, the non-profit, artist-led space has given contemporary Vietnamese artists the chance to nurture their talent and experiment.

Holds regular exhibitions and artist residences.

VIETNAM ARTS MUSEUM NATIONAL ARTS MUSEUM

66 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3733 2131

vnfam.vn

Maintains and promotes the treasures of Vietnamese cultural and artistic heritage, allowing visitors to appreciate and understand the entire history of Vietnamese fine arts.

WORK ROOM FOUR ARTS STUDIO & GALLERY

Packexim Building Tower 1, 23rd Floor, No. 49 Lane 15, An Duong Vuong, Tay Ho

workroomfour.com

A place to work. A space to create. Somewhere to see something new. Work Room Four is pulling together the threads of creative endeavours across Hanoi. A collective that promotes collaboration and new ideas, exhibitions, workshops, artist studios, courses, contacts and events.

M M M GROCERIES & LIQUOR

ART VIETNAM GALLERY GALLERY & EXHIBITION SPACE

24 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem,

142 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

Daloc.vn

HANOI GOURMET DELI / WINE SHOP

6T Ham Long, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3943 1009

Hanoigourmet.com KITCHEN ART KITCHENWARE

38 Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 6680 2770

kitchenart.vn L'S PLACE GROCERY SHOP

3 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3719 9911 NATURALLY VIETNAM ORGANIC / NATURAL PRODUCTS

4 Lane 67, Alley 12, To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 6674 4130

naturallyvietnam.com

ANNAM GOURMET

DA LOC WINE RETAILER

HOSPITALS & MEDICAL CLINICS AMERICAN CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC (ACC) CHIROPRACTORS & PHYSIOTHERAPISTS

44 Nguyen Du, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: (4) 3265 6888

10 Da Tuong, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3943 7226; 28 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: (04) 3719 8337 THE OASIS ITALIAN DELI

24 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3719 1196 WESTERN CANNED FOODS GROCERY STORE

17 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3934 3854 VEGGIE’S GROCERIES, FRUIT & VEG

99 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3719 4630 THE WAREHOUSE WINE RETAILER

59 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3928 7666; 27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 3701

ACC provides effective chiropractic, physiotherapy and foot care treatments through the use of cutting edge technology for back, neck and knee pain, sports injuries as well as all types of foot related problems.

HAIRDRESSERS & SALONS

HANOI OFFICE OF BANGKOK HOSPITAL

136G Tran Vu, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3715 3717

bumrungrad.vn

HAIR SALON

2A Cua Bac, Ba Dinh, Tel: 0987 718899 HAIR STREAM UNISEX HAIR & NAIL SALON

162A Hoang Hoa Tham, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3847 3366 JUST.IN.M 48A Ly Thuong Kiet , Hoan Kiem, Tel: 04 3939 3907 LAN SALON TOP-END SALON

Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3266 8190

The Manor, Me Tri Street, My Dinh, Tu Liem Tel: (04) 3787 5500

INDOCHINA PLAZA

241 Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Tel: 1900 555596

LOTTE CENTER

JAPAN INTERNATIONAL EYE HOSPITAL (JIEH) INTERNATIONAL EYE HOSPITAL 32 Pho Duc Chinh, Ba Dinh, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3715 3666

jieh.vn

JIEH is a 100% Japaneseinvested eye hospital. Using the latest technology and built according to Japanese standards, the facility is the first in Vietnam to use Mel 90 (Carl Zeiss - Germany), and is one of first three eye hospitals in the country using Visumax (Carl Zeiss - Germany) for refractive surgery. Top-end customer service and a friendly, contemporary environment add to the mix.

54 Lieu Giai, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3333 6016

lottecenter.com.vn PARKSON

Viet Tower Plaza, 198 Tay Son, Dong Da Tel: (04) 3537 8666

parkson.com.vn PICO MALL

229 Tay Son, Dong Da, Tel: (04) 6682 0400

SYRENA SHOPPING CENTER

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3719 7214 FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE MEDICAL

298 I Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3843 0748

vietnammedicalpractice.com DINH HAIR SALON

GARDEN SHOPPING CENTER

BUMRUNGRAD INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL

warehouse-asia.com

M M M

SHOPPING MALLS

acc.vn/en

WINE RETAILER

GROCERIES / DELI

First Floor, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 4487

M M M

RED APRON

WOMEN’S HAIRDRESSER

M M M GALLERIES

96 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3826 2076; 65 Le Duan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3941 2789

On the little street directly below Kim Ma, with all sorts of specialists including OB/ GYN, Pediatricians and ENT. A Medium-sized practice with both Vietnamese and international doctors, but they are used to treating expats. Also a 24-hour emergency service.

FRENCH HOSPITAL INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL

1 Phuong Mai, Dong Da, Tel: (04) 3577 1100

hfh.com.vn

HONG NGOC HOSPITAL PRIVATE GENERAL HOSPITAL

55 Yen Ninh, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3927 5568; Keangnam

TRANG TIEN PLAZA

cnr. Hang Bai and Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

trangtienplaza.vn VINCOM CITY TOWERS

191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: (04) 3974 9999

VINCOM ROYAL CITY

72A Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Tel: (04) 3974 3550

Office Tower, Khu B1 Pham Hung, Cau Giay, Tel: (04) 7305 8880

hongngochospital.vn

INTERNATIONAL SOS 24-HOUR CLINIC MEDICAL / DENTAL CLINIC

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3934 0666

Internationalsos.com

Well-known medical clinic also known for its quality emergency services. Doctors and consultants also provide a range of services from standard GP-style check-ups through to vaccinations, paediatrics and specialist care.

VIETNAM-KOREA FRIENDSHIP CLINIC KOREAN CLINIC & HOSPITAL

12 Chu Van An, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3843 7231 VINMEC INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL

458 Minh Khai, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: (04) 3974 3556

vinmec.com

M M M INSURANCE IF CONSULTING CCIFV/Eurocham, Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3936 5370

insuranceinasia.com

LIBERTY INSURANCE 16th Floor, Hoa Binh International Towers, 106 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay Tel: (04) 3755 7111

libertyinsurance.com.vn

REGENCY INTERNATIONAL INSURANCE 5th Floor, Press Club, 59A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0966 857 488

M M M INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, HANOI Hoa Lan Road, Vinhomes Riverside, Long Bien, Tel: (04) 3946 0435

bishanoi.com

A selective, independent, co-educational day school.

Provides a British-style education following the National Curriculum for England, with students taking IGCSE and A Level. Pending authorization, will offer the IB programme from 2016 onwards.

CONCORDIA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HANOI CMC Building, Duy Tan, Cau Giay, Tel: (04) 3795 8878

concordiahanoi.org

A non-profit entity, Concordia has highly performing schools in both Hong Kong and Shanghai at the top tier of the educational system.

All instructors and teachers are native English speakers and admission applications are accepted throughout the year.

HANOI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 48 Lieu Giai , Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3832 8140

hisvietnam.com

With schooling available for students studying at elementary through to secondary levels of education, HIS is one of the few private, international education options in the capital. Offers Cambridge IGCSE and IB Diploma for students at the secondary level.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF VIETNAM 6-7 Nguyen Cong Thai, Dai Kim Urban Area, Dinh Cong, Hoang Mai, Tel: 3540 9183

isvietnam.org

A not-for-profit, pre-kindergarten to Grade 12 school serving the international and local community of Hanoi. ISV accepts students of any nationality aged 3 and up. Highly qualified and experienced international educators are supported by a 21st-century campus with the latest in educational technology plus excellent resources for learning. Class sizes are small.

Compound, 46 Van Bao, Ba Dinh, Tel (04) 3726 1601; Block C3, Ciputra, Tay Ho, Tel (04) 3758 2664; Road 2, Gamuda Gardens, Km 4.4 Phap Van, Hoang Mai, Tel (04) 6666 1818

kinderworld.net/sis

Provides an international education for students from primary up to university level. A strong curriculum provides core subjects from the Singaporean and Vietnamese curricula, as well as specialist programmes from Britain, America and Canada, all taught by qualified teachers.

UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (UNIS) G9 Ciputra, Lac Long Quan, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3758 1551

unishanoi.org

Established in 1988, 1,050 students from 60 nationalities follow the IB programme from aged 3 through to aged 18. A notfor-profit entity, UNIS aims for its students to emerge as responsible stewards of our global society and natural environment.

M M M MOTORBIKE RENTAL & REPAIRS ANH DUNG MOTORBIKE RENTALS

37 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0915 066096 MR CAO MOTORBIKE RENTAL MOTORBIKE RENTALS

106 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0912 094464 PHUNG MOTORBIKE MOTORBIKE RENTALS

13 Ngo Huyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3938 1105 VIP BIKES SOCIAL ENTERPRISE RENTALS & REPAIRS

17 Ve Ho, Xuan La, Tay Ho, Tel: 0914 931390 Trains disadvantaged youth to be fully qualified, Australian-certified motorbike mechanics. Does sales, restoration, repairs and rentals.

M M M PROPERTY RENTALS FAIR REAL ESTATE RENTALS

6 Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 6332

fair-realestate.com

GIA LONG HOUSING RENTALS

R714, Blg CT13B Ciputra, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3743 0589

gialonghousing.com HANOI RENTING RENTALS

No. 809, Ct13b building, Lac Long Quan, Tay Ho Tel: (04) 6294 4828

hanoirenting.com

LANLINH PROPERTY RENTALS

38 Hang Hom, Hoan Kiem, Tel: Tel: 0933 534999

houseinhanoi.com

VIETLONG HOUSING RENTALS

21 Alley 1/22 Au Co, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 5203

vietlonghousing.com

M M M RELOCATION AGENTS ALLIED PICKFORDS Room 302, 12A Ho Xuan Huong, Tel: (04) 3943 1511

vn.alliedpickfords.com

The largest home moving company in the world, Allied Pickfords moves over 1,000 families in over 175 countries every day. Has a full range of services — domestic moves, office moves and storage — both inside and outside of Vietnam.

KINDERWORLD INTERNATIONAL KINDERGARTEN Unit 9 – 10, Shophouse CT17, Ciputra, Tay Ho, Tel (04) 3743 0306; 3rd Floor, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel (04) 3934 7243; C5 – C11, 1st floor, The Manor Building, My Dinh, Tu Liem, Tel (04) 3764 0209

kinderworld.net

Classes are kept small with a foreign teacher leading the class with the assistance of a Vietnamese teacher according to the teacher-student ratio. KinderWorld provides pre school education for children from 18 months to below 6 years.

QSI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF HANOI #17 Lane, 67 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 6418

hanoi.qsi.org

QSI International School of Hanoi is next in a long line of ‘quality schools’ established by the Quality Schools International. The institution specialises in instructing preschool and lower elementary age students.

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 2D Van Phuc Diplomatic

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 143

DAY TRIPPER: HANOI NINH HIEP FABRIC VILLAGE

Known for its fabric market, Ninh Hiep also has a long tradition of weaving and medicinal herbs. Jesse Meadows makes the 20km trip out to this small village in Gia Lam

144 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

S

ometimes, GPS fails you.

Surprisingly often, it seems to think a tiny dirt road through a field is a real road, which results in a lot of ‘Really?! Really?!!’ sort of moments, looking down at that blue track on my phone, looking up at the unpaved path cut through the bushes before me.

But that’s what I get for setting off with a vague idea of where I’m going and a blind trust in technology.

The destination was Ninh Hiep, a small village in Gia Lam district, about 20km north of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. It’s a somewhat straight shot north across Chuong Duong Bridge through sprawling Long Bien and then, in our case, a quick jaunt through some farmland. Now famous for its fabric market, the village has a long history in medicinal herbs and weaving. According to legend, it was founded by an herbalist named Ly Nuong, whom the locals still honour at Kieu Temple, one of Ninh Hiep’s many pagodas.

We entered the village via a backroad (thanks but no thanks, Google Maps), dropping us straight from the dusty countryside into the chaos of a street market.

We inched along with the traffic, through an ancient stone gate almost hidden by the

stylish garb that hung around it, and made a desperate beeline down an alleyway to escape the turmoil. With no app to drop a pin on the map for us, we resorted to plan B — drive around and ask. After a few requests of “Cho vai?”, we were pointed in the direction of the fabric market.

The Aladdin’s Cave Each stall in this dim, covered bazaar is overflowing with colours and textures.

Something about the fabric market turns me into a hyperactive child, intent on touching absolutely everything in sight. “I want that one, and that one!” we exclaimed, running our hands over jersey, fleece, velour, silk and even fake bearskin.

This place has everything, so it’s advisable to have some concept of what you want to make with your fabrics before you arrive, and a vague idea of the materials and colours you’re looking for. Forget about organisation; this is a tactile experience, and you’ll have to inspect everything by hand to find what you want. Fabric can be bought by the metre or the kilo, and the more you buy, the cheaper you can barter the price down. Word on the street says you can find designer fabrics hidden in the mess, leftovers from Chinese

factories, if you know what you’re looking for. You can also find buttons, lace, iron-on patches and even fake Chanel appliqués, so you can DIY your own knock-offs.

After touching almost every fabric I could reach, I settled on a practical cotton jersey knit with brown-on-brown stripes, a pair of comfy tailor-made harem pants dancing in my head. At first, the seller wanted VND70,000 per metre, but I haggled a bit until we settled on two metres for VND100,000. I suspect it could have been cheaper (I’ve heard of metres going as low as VND30,000), but I had my heart set on that particular fabric, and she could see it in my eyes. Bartering 101; feigning your apathy is key. It’s a skill I have yet to master, but a few more trips to Ninh Hiep should help me polish my technique.

Getting There Go north across the Chuong Duong bridge.

Stay straight until you cross a second bridge, and the road becomes Ha Huy Tap. Turn right onto Ninh Hiep. Roadside fabric stalls will come into view — ask where the market is.

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 145

BOOK BUFF IN SEARCH OF PERFECTION AND FAMILY

BY HOANG VAN TRUONG

This month Bookworm’s Truong looks at work that focuses on the family and family relationships

A

n inveterate reader of quality fiction entered the Bookworm and sighed that she’d just finished the perfect novel. She commenced to trawl the shelves for anything else by Anne Tyler and asked us to recommend other authors of the same ilk, as long as their tales made you sigh, “ah, perfection” when you’d read the final page.

The book she’d finished was A Spool of Blue Thread and was short-listed for last year’s Man Booker Prize. Tyler is no lightweight, even though her books are deceptively easy to sink into. She’s been a Pulitzer Prize finalist three times.

Tyler has set most of her novels, populated by ordinary, middle-class, white people living generally ordinary lives, in Baltimore.

Reading Tyler’s books you wouldn’t realize that Baltimore is considered to be one of the 15 most violent cities in America. Tyler’s ‘families’ are mostly insulated from the poverty that induces much of the crime and unrest, and from the majority of AfricanAmericans and Latinos who account for twothirds of the city’s population. Her characters would watch the crime TV series The Wire, set in Baltimore, with detachment.

This is not an observation, not a criticism, of Tyler’s literary output. Any good writer remembers the adage that you should write about what you know best, your own experiences. Tyler follows this advice and writes about ‘her’ Baltimore where she has lived most of her adult life (she’s now 73).

For the legions of Tyler fans the territory of her latest book is familiarly comfortable.

A middle-class family ticks along with their tensions and secrets trickling beneath the surface. But then a sudden death to a member causes a fracture in the fabric that has been stitched together for three generations.

Facing her own mortality, in this story she introduces the traumas of senile dementia and the dilemmas that aging parents present to their adult children.

146 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

Normal Abnormality The vagaries of family relationships were a common theme in Elizabeth Jolley’s novels, mainly set in an upper-middle-class suburb in Perth, Australia. The Orchard Thieves deals with three generations over a six-month time frame. Adult males are not included.

Although none of her characters in the slim novel are named — referred to by their place in the family or, in the case of two rambunctious young boys, as rogues — they carry echoes of people in many of our own families.

In Jolley’s gothic-tinted world it is entirely normal to be abnormal. In a review of her work, the New York Times described her adult characters as often misfits, often lonely, slightly dotty, gently murderous, and occasionally monstrous. In The Orchard Thieves, her well-worn themes of “alienation, marginalization and unrequited longing,” as the New York Times called them, are played out. A lot of us will recognize ourselves in our relationships with other family members as we read about the mother, the unmarried elder daughter, the married middle daughter with sons, the youngest prodigal daughter who returns from overseas to the family home and orchard, bereft and pregnant. It’s she who scatters seeds of discord until the birth of a new female into the family allows tentative bonds to be retied and retested, and redemption and forgiveness shyly offered.

After Jolley’s death at 83 in 2006, researchers assumed that many of the mother-daughter relationships in her novels were influenced by those between the author and her strict Austrian mother in Depression-era England.

Flawed Decency Almost Tyleresque because it deals with ordinariness in middle-class families, gently acknowledging their dysfunctional qualities, is Bonnie Burnard’s A Good House.

Similarly it chronicles the members of a North American (Canadian) family over six decades and uses several members of the extended family to give their points of view. Thus Burnard gently encourages us to accept their flawed decency.

Burnard describes her characters as people who come to understand that life, like love, is best lived with due respect for individual strength, common gentleness, absolute loyalty, and having a good ear with which to listen and learn. She devotes her time to describing the complex emotions that revolve around their most endearing and powerful relationships, those connected to their siblings, parents, lovers and children.

As in all ‘normal’ families there is a bittersweetness waiting to appear when the gloss is scratched.

A good house becomes a symbol of shelter for a disparate and expanding group of people, no matter how far or for how long they’ve strayed from its initial intent. It becomes the type of shelter that a lot of us wish we had over our heads — or metaphorically waiting for us as a backstop or breathing place.

Burnard has had breast cancer and her second novel dealt with the effects upon those closely related to a victim.

And the Males!

Other perfect suggestions in this subgenre include Kent Harufe’s trilogy about families in the small town of Holt, Colorado (Plainsong, Evensong, and Benediction) and Australian author Tim Winton’s extended family “celebration of people and places and the rhythms of their lives”, as the official book summary says about his supreme novel, Cloudstreet.

Truong is an avid reader and runs Bookworm (44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh, Hanoi). For more information on go to bookwormhanoi.com

Hanoi

JVK INDOCHINA MOVERS 6 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)3826 0334

jvkasia.com

Focused primarily on the international and local movement of household goods, JVK is currently a leader in the field. Has offices in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Essentials

MMM SPORTS, FITNESS & YOGA ELITE FITNESS TOP-END HEALTH CENTRE

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 6281

elitefitness.com.vn

AGS FOUR WINDS 41A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3938 8762

agsfourwinds.com

A worldwide leader in international removals and relocations, with 130 offices globally. Have the capacity to move property to and from any location.

SANTA FE RELOCATION SERVICES Suite 821, Vietnam Trade Hotel, 14 Tran Binh Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3941 0805

santaferelo.com

With over 150 offices around the world, Santa Fe offers local and international moving, pet transportation, relocation services including home search, orientation, cultural training, immigration services and records management.

The luxury gym features top-of-the-line fitness equipment, separate cardio and spinning areas and an indoor swimming pool with a retractable roof. The spacious studios and natural light make it a welcoming place to squeeze in a work out, but be prepared to pay.

This place is top of the range.

N SHAPE FITNESS MID-RANGE FITNESS CENTRE

5th Floor, 71 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 6266 0495

nshapefitness.vn STUDIO FIVE YOGA & WELLNESS

5th Fl, 135 Bui Thi Xuan, Hai Ba Trung. Tel: (04) 6263.1515

200-meter climbing gym with state-of-the-art courses. There are 100 different climbing routes within the gym that are changed every few months. They offer clinics, classes and children’s events. Membership and group rates are available, but be sure to check out the three-month pass.

ZENITH YOGA & CAFÉ

zenithyogavietnam.com

The oldest and most professional Yoga Studio in Hanoi, Zenith offers a vast variety of classes and levels in Iyengar, Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga and Pilates while also offering Restorative, Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga, Meditation sessions, and Kundalini classes. Also have a yogic shop offering incense, clothes and yoga props, as well as a café serving up the homemade vegetarian meals, cakes and coffee.

VIETCLIMB

SPORTSWEAR & EQUIPMENT

vietclimb.vn

Although a little hard to find, VietClimb is a French-owned,

SKATING EQUIPMENT & CLOTHING

84 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3923 1147

bosua.vn

HANOI SPORTS SHOP 146, Mai Dich, Cau Giay, Tel: (04) 2218 5757

hanoisport.vn

247 Au Co, Tay Ho; 62 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem; Tel: 0904 356 561

M M M

40 Ngo 76 An Duong, Tay Ho, Tel: 0914 143185

BOO SKATESHOP

YOGA & NUTRITION

studio5.vn

CLIMBING CENTRE

6273 3095

BIG C SCORE-TECH 44, Ngo 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 8246

score-tech.net

Apparel company offering personalised sport garments for companies, schools and professional sports clubs using the latest printing technology with a design team from Barcelona. Score-Tech controls the whole production process from fabric production and printing to sewing. Big and small orders for all sporting and commercial needs.

UMOVE TRAVEL AND OUTDOORS TRAVEL EQUIPMENT & CLOTHING

ADIDAS FOOTBALL FOOTBALL & SPORTS

19 Nui Truc, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)

SUPERMARKETS

13 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3771 3305

umove.com.vn

222 Tran Duy Hung, Cau Giay; Garden Shopping Centre, The Manor, My Dinh, Tu Liem

bigc.vn CITIMART Ground Floor, Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3934 2999

FIVIMART 27A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem

INTIMEX 22-23 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem

METRO THANG LONG Pham Van Dong, Co Nhue, Tu Liem, Tel: (04) 3755 1617

PHOTO BY JESSE MEADOWS

metro.com.vn

THE THERAPIST INFIDELITY

Dear Douglas, I am a Vietnamese woman who is married to a foreigner. We have been together for three years. A few months ago, when I was pregnant with our second baby my husband cheated on me for one month with a woman in a town where he travels to. He admitted he was wrong to do this but I cannot forgive him, and many times have gotten so angry at him that I feel crazy. I cannot control myself when I think of what he did and now I don’t trust him. We loved each other very much before, but now I don’t know if I love him or want him in my life. We both know it is not fair to the children to break up… but we are having a really hard time staying together.

What should I do?

— Hurting Dear Hurting, I am glad that you are seeking support because it is very difficult to manage all of these feelings and find your way through to the best solution. It is also good that you both realize that the children’s needs are a top priority — they are depending on both of you to offer them a good childhood.

When people learn that their relationship has been violated, when someone cheats, it creates a crisis that breaks the bonds of trust.

Trust is the foundation of a close relationship. A crisis is a period of intense feelings when what we know to be true is disrupted, and everything feels like it is breaking apart. You have gone through this and now you are trying to find a way to have the broken pieces fit back together and for trust to be restored. It is difficult and takes some time.

Here are some guidelines

that might help you to get through the process to see if you can re-find the connection you once had with your husband.

1) Manage your anger. Of course you are angry and it is important that you accept that it is genuine. But, where you can help your relationship is to not let your anger become too intense where you are out of control and saying and doing things that you regret or which drive him away from you.

You have to teach yourself to divert your feelings by catching yourself thinking unhelpful thoughts, and stopping it.

2) Understand that anger is part of how you are trying to get control in a situation

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where you feel you have no control. Anger creates a feeling of power, and fear in another person, but is short-lived and not a real long-term solution.

3) Understand that beneath most anger is fear. Think about what you are afraid of — losing him and having two babies to care for? Being alone, without a partner to love? Being judged?

Talk to him about your fears and about his also. Of course you are both scared.

4) Make an agreement with your husband to try to weather the storm; in other words to see it as a process that will change with time and that you have to endure together without making things worse.

Promise not to break up for the

BY DOUGLAS HOLWERDA next three months and see if things can change. That means not going back to what happened, but living day by day with what is happening now.

5) Ask your husband to make amends. This means that he does extra things to show you that he really is sorry and realizes that he has made a big mistake.

When you see he is trying, it can help you to feel like he understands your feelings and his commitment to you.

6) Trust and forgiveness are important but cannot be forced to happen. At some point it becomes more and more a choice, and while you might not feel that you trust him 100%, you can offer to trust him more and more.

Try not to withhold trust for too long because of anger (righteous indignation). It is important to move slowly towards trust and, at some point, you may discover that you can forgive. This can take a year or more.

7) It may be that you will find the connection that can keep your relationship alive — or maybe not. Because you have children you have the responsibility to try, for their sake. If you break up, be sure that the children’s needs are considered and that they have a life with access and care from both of their parents.

I recommend that you get support from a psychotherapist for the next few months, for you or both you and your husband, to help you with the process of overcoming the crisis and weathering the storm of your relationship.

I wish you the best.

— Douglas Do you have a question you would like Douglas’s help with? You can email him at douglasholwerda@hotmail.com.

Personal details will not be printed

Hanoi On the Town

BARS, CLUBS & BEER CLUBS +84 BAR CONTEMPORARY DECOR BAR

23 Ngo Van So, Hoan Kiem

facebook.com/bar84hanoi

Housed in a colonial building, bare brick, comfortable sofa-like seating and grungy decor related to a past make up the mix at this venue put together by the people behind Barbetta.

EDEN HANOI

MADAKE

SIDEWALK HANOI

THE UNICORN BAR

OUTDOOR PARTY SPACE

BAR & EVENT SPACE

DIY BAR & EVENTS VENUE

COCKTAIL BAR & LOUNGE

End of 264 Au Co, Tay Ho

facebook.com/edengargen

When it comes to outdoor parties, big outdoor parties, the setting at Eden makes this place difficult to beat, with well over a 1,000 revellers packing in at the weekends. Check out their Facebook page for the party list.

ETE BAR FRENCH LOUNGE

88 LOUNGE CONTEMPORARY WINE BAR

88 Xuan Dieu, Tay ho, Tel: (04) 3718 8029

88group.vn

A wine bar with a difference, this mainstay on the watering hole scene in West Lake mixes contemporary design, black ceilings, subtle lighting and an international aesthetic with one of the best wine lists in town. Not surprisingly it is developing a faithful clientele. Well worth a visit.

95 Giang Van Minh, Ba Dinh, Tel: 0976 751331 A favourite among those who roam further west of the city centre, this multistorey restobar has been going strong for more than two years. It has balconies, mezzanine seating and a long bar guarding exactly 50 different cocktails. For many the Ete burger is right on the mark as are the sandwiches, tartines and salads. It’s always crowded — especially during the weekends. Amiable staff, pleasant vibes.

ANGELINA CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN

Sofitel Metopole Legend Hotel, 56 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3826 6919 Top-end bar and Italian restaurant all in one. Five star prices, but has an atmosphere to match and a great cocktail selection. The kind of place you’ll order a wagyu and eat it at the bar.

FATCAT BAR DJ / LATE NIGHT JOINT

25 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0986 495211

linkhanoi.com

A small establishment from the minds behind the party and event organisers, LinkHanoi. The bar has tables filling the first floor and spilling onto the sidewalk as well as a small loft area for lounging.

BACKYARD BIA HOI UPMARKET BIA HOI

15/50 Quang Khanh, Tay Ho From the Tet Lifestyle collection, this outdoor, hideaway, garden-based bia hoi is every bit as attractive (and popular) as its café peers in the West Lake area. A Vietnamese-style food menu and regular live music make up the mix.

BARBETTA ARTSY BAR & CAFE

34C Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3734 9134 Set in a colonial villa, when it comes to design, the funky but comfortable Barbetta with its roof terrace is difficult to beat. A great place for coffee, beer or even a bite to eat.

CAMA ATK MUSIC & ARTS BAR

73 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 01262 054970

cama-atk.com

With well-poured drinks, a foosball table, no smoking and a midnight closing time, CAMA ATK knows exactly what it wants to be — and that’s refreshing. The space is a part time venue for smaller acts and DJs. The venue is hip, comfortable and will likely provide the serious drinker with a reliable place to pull up a stool and take pulls in a relaxed haven.

HANOI ROCK CITY LIVE MUSIC VENUE

27/52 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 01633 166170

facebook.com/hrc.hanoi

Has a downstairs, Englishstyle pub garden area and an upstairs space dedicated to live music and live production. Weekly live events feature bands and DJs both from Vietnam and overseas — established and up and coming.

HOA VIEN BRAUHAUS CZECH MICROBREWERY

1A Tang Bat Ho, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: (04) 3972 5088 LE SOLEIL DDJ BAR / LATE NIGHT

284 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Tel: 0915 663993

facebook.com/lesoleilpaoloandchi

Open late, Le Soleil has become a place to be seen, especially if you’re the dancing-into-the-early hours kind of person. Sofas, bar stools, menus on blackboards and neon-coloured lighting, there’s a grunge-style feel to the place, but it’s an ambience that Le Soleil’s customers seem to love. Has a pizza joint, Paolo and Chi, upstairs.

81 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 6276 6665

facebook.com/madakehanoi

With a stunning garden overlooking a peaceful lotus pond, this bar is famed for it’s many weekday and weekend events, its ambient Asian-style décor, DJ nights and general atmosphere. A popular West Lake go-to joint.

MAO’S RED LOUNGE LATE-NIGHT GRUNGE BAR

7 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3926 3104 There’s only one Mao and there’s only one red lounge.

This late-night bar has been going for years, and despite its Old Quarter dive status, it still packs in the drinkers.

PHUC TAN LATE-NIGHT GRUNGE BAR

51 Tu Gian Phuc Tan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0915 907785 Now located on the river in between Long Bien and Chuong Duong Bridges, this late night, DJ bar is notorious for… well, being Phuc Tan. Almost every Hanoi-based reveler has ended up here at some point. It’s just one of those places.

POLITE PUB LONG BAR

5 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3825 0959 5pm to 2am Probably the closest thing Hanoi has to an authentic English-style pub, Polite is frequented by a steady mix of locals and expats who find solace in the nightly conversations at the long bar, pool and live football matches.

RED RIVER TEA ROOM LAKESIDE WATERING HOLE

25 Duong Ven Ho, Tay Ho

facebook.com/pages/RedRiver-Tea-Room

Located on the lakeside lane just below Xuan Dieu, this warm, quiet and friendly pub offers a selection of international and local beers, wine, cocktails and a nice view of West Lake. Serving pies and pasties from The Cart, Vietnamese food from Dieu’s next door, or delivery from nearby favourites. Unpretentious, dog-friendly.

ROCKSTORE LIVE MUSIC BAR

61 Ma May, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 01653 336087

facebook.com/RockstoreHanoi

Hanoi's home-made, homegrown version of Hard Rock Cafe without the stigma and the expensive prices. Nightly live music or DJing events are coupled with creative decor, a selection of Belgian Beer and a food menu. Check their Facebook page for details.

199D Nghi Tam, Tay Ho

facebook.com/sidewalkhanoi

A bar and grill with an eclectic, DIY-style semi-outdoor setting. Regular DJ nights and live music add to the great ambience. Check out their grill fare. Tasty.

SPY BAR HOLE IN THE WALL

12A Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0932 373802 A cheap, cheerful and welcoming slither of a watering hole popular with expats and anyone looking for some good conversation. Cheap beers, oodles of Jameson’s and often open late. Oh, and check out the Danish hotdog stand out front. To die for.

TADIOTO LOUNGE BAR AND CAFE ARTS BAR / EVENT SPACE

24B Tong Dan, Hoan Kiem tadioto.com Located close to the Opera House, this alternative, arty bar is garnished in red and white on the outside, with warm brown and tones of blue on the inside. Creating an atmosphere merging Shanghai and San Francisco, engaging contemporary artwork lines the walls at the latest incarnation of this wellknown and well-loved space.

THE NEST VIETNAMESE-STYLE BAR & CLUB

Top Floor, 9 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 0947 890333

facebook.com/Nest.

Lounge.09XuanDieu

The West Lake location suggests that this is the kind of bar that will attract expats.

It does. But thanks to the Vietnamese atmosphere, there’s a nice mix of local and foreign over the three floors of lounge seating, DJ booths and dance areas.

The views here are pretty eye-catching, too.

THE REPUBLIC MODERN SPORTS BAR

7A Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel: 0904 010116

republic.vn

A contemporary mid-range bar and eatery showing live sport and boasting a convivial atmosphere. Has a creative comfort food menu, excellent breakfasts, daily specials and a popular second-floor outdoor terrace.

THE ROOFTOP SKYLINE LOUNGE

19th Floor, Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3946 1901

therooftop.vn

The first up-on-high bar and restaurant in the capital and still a leader in its field. With DJs spinning EDM and great views of the city, this is a must for a more Vietnamese, top-shelf experience.

2A Hang Than, Ba Dinh, Tel: 0904 886266 The latest offering of wellknown champion bartender, Pham Tien Tiep, Unicorn offers up a lounge space, a small bar area and an attractive seating space out front.

Now, as for the cocktails…

TRACY’S PUB AND GRILL SPORTS BAR/GRILL

114 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 6675 9838

tracyspub.com

A miniscule sports bar on the main drag of Xuan Dieu is perpetually crowded with regulars drinking out front on plastic stools. Notorious for its burgers, cooked fresh to order, Tracy’s is also famous for their draft beers, claiming to serve the coldest draft beer in Hanoi.

VUVUZELA MODERN BEER HALL

2A Tran Thanh Tong, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: (04) 3972 8922

vuvuzela.com.vn

When Vuvuzela opened up, mixing the Hooters concept from the US with a beer hall, drinking food and a DJ booth, it created the start of a new scene — beer clubs. The original Vuvuzela on Tran Thanh Tong is still going strong, but it’s so popular that it’s best to book your table in advance.

For a full list of Hanoi locations, check their website.

CAFES ANNAM CAFE DELI / INTERNATIONAL CAFE

Syrena Tower, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho A trendy, deli-style café connected to Annam Gourmet next door. Bright and fresh décor is complemented by shelves stocked with imported gourmet goods and cafeteria-style furniture. An eye-catching temptation for weary shoppers.

CIAO CAFÉ RESTO LOUNGE

2 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3934 1494 A stone’s throw from the shores of Hoan Kiem Lake, this Saigonese franchise offers a variety of different western dishes at reasonable prices. Loaded with booths and a steady, young Vietnamese crowd, the establishment is a great place to squash a sandwich or bowl of pasta and people watch.

They also do coffee.

COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF INTERNATIONAL COFFEE HOUSE

28 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3715 4240

coffeebean.com

This American-style chain cafe is a multilevel, indoor/ outdoor café overlooking Westlake. With its LA coffee

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BAR STOOL RESS

R

ESS bar looks like what happens when a group of artists buy a house, chop it in half, and make it into an M.C. Escher painting.

There are courtyards and terraces and stairs that are half indoors, half outdoors (a glass roof covers part of the building), a koi pond with steps in it to get to the stairs and toilets, and a wall of hanging plants.

Every corner you turn reveals a new niche with seats and pillows. It has a games room with table football, darts and two video game consoles (a PlayStation and an oldschool Nintendo), as well as decks of cards on some of the tables. Paintings line (and are occasionally painted directly on) the walls, which are made from different materials in different parts of the bar; scrubbed wood here, bricks or stones there. When I went I felt like an explorer in a funhouse.

House of Fun The chilled-out, artsy vibe of the bar helped make a drizzly, cold Saturday night fun and relaxing; although it seemed somewhat

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PHOTOS BY DUY KHANH

empty at first, with only a handful of other patrons downstairs, I kept finding people in various rooms, hanging out and chatting and listening to the excellent music provided by the DJs. Their menu offers a surprising variety; much like the decor, there is a little of everything, including sodas and smoothies, juices, coffees, bar snacks, spaghetti, fried rice, sandwiches and shisha.

My first cocktail was a strong and tasty whisky sour that cost me a very reasonable VND65,000, while my friend had a Tiger draught beer (VND35,000). They also offer a much cheaper Larue draught for only VND15,000. We sat at the black-topped bar to drink them, on black leather swivel chairs that made me feel like I was an evil character in an Austin Powers film (the blue lighting on the underside of the bar certainly helped). My friend found a piece of white chalk and started drawing on the bar, which is presumably what the chalk was there for (we hope). Even if it wasn’t, nobody said anything.

Only Connect Trung, one of the owners, tells me that the concept for the bar is a place to relax and connect with people and cultures from all over the world. He wants anyone to be able to come in, hang out and be comfortable, just like in their own homes.

He means it, too — if you want to decorate, go right ahead. Patrons are allowed to paint, graffiti, or otherwise artistically vandalise the walls in the courtyard and on the third floor, because as Trung says, “This is your house... when you come back, you will see your artwork again.”

RESS has been open for five months, although it still feels new. The name stands for Reunion of Every Single Star, and is reminiscent of the word ‘rest’, which is what the bar is all about. It really does have all of the comforts of home, except my home is not nearly as cool. I’ll definitely be back. — Kate Robinson RESS is located at 111 Trinh Cong Son, Tay Ho, Hanoi

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COFFEE CUP THE CHURCH

T

he Church is the sort of place that demands to be seen. No trendy little hole-in-the-wall café is this — it oozes luxury with its shining, full-length glass windows and its dark polished wood furniture, a bubble of refinement in the hubbub of Nha Tho Street. As soon as I saw it, I felt underdressed, but the staff welcomed me with wide, warm smiles.

The space inside was comfortable and quiet. High ceilings and spare walls were illuminated by hanging clusters of big light bulbs with those popular long filaments that make cool patterns and give off a dim, warm glow. Everyone was well dressed, and the other customers and the staff spoke in hushed voices, almost like in a real church.

The whole place shone with newness and with the sort of simple elegance that is rarely achieved here, where ostentatiousness is often mistaken for class. I settled on a couch in a cozy corner and ordered a ginger, lemon and lemongrass tea (VND80,000) from the

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PHOTOS BY JULIE VOLA

extensive menu, which includes mocktails and smoothies (VND89,000) as well as food and alcoholic drinks.

Steeped The tea was bright and crisp, steeped with house-made syrup and fresh ingredients, and they brought the honey on the side.

Instead of a spoon to stir the honey, it came with a stalk of fresh lemongrass, which I thought was a lovely touch, and as soon as I had finished the clear pot of tea a waiter appeared to refill it with hot water. They get the details right at The Church.

Yet amid all this elegance there are brief moments of unpretentious personality, some good, others less so: a bartender juggling limes in his silk waistcoat; a waiter leaning his head against the speaker but listening to a hip-hop tune on his phone, louder than the tinkling background piano music; several mosquitos floating around nearby that somehow didn’t bite me (perhaps they were after richer blood); the restroom, which is

reached via a corridor packed with unused chairs and bowls still wrapped in plastic.

These moments served to throw into sharper relief the high level of professionalism at The Church. The service is top-notch, with friendly staff who are attentive without crowding or becoming irritating, and the atmosphere is relaxing, especially considering the location (near the cathedral in one of the busiest parts of Hanoi), all very impressive for a place that only opened in December. Although there were only a handful of customers when I arrived, it was starting to fill up only an hour later, so it is already becoming popular.

The Church has the feel of a much more mature establishment. With such a good start I suspect it will be around for quite some time; if you ever feel like being fancy without being pretentious, you know where to go. — Kate Robinson The Church is located at 1 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

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Hanoi On the Town

and office feel, when you walk in you might just forget that you’re in Hanoi.

CONG CAPHE LEFTIST ARTSY CAFE

152D Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung; 32 Dien Bien Phu, Ba Dinh; 27 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem; 15 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh; 100A Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho

congcaphe.com

With a kitsch, communistdriven theme saturating this quaint cafe, most patrons are young Vietnamese bohemians and artsy expats.

Sip on a blended cup of joe with beans from the Central Highlands, knock back one of the many different types of tea available or sip on freshly squeezed juice from the Spartan cups in one of the hippest café chains in town.

D’ALICE BOUTIQUE CAFE

89 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Put together coffee and cake and you get one of those timeless combinations. And if you really want to binge on the cake-end, then check out d’Alice and its quirky interior.

Perfect for that more modern combination of sweet tooth and iThingy.

DUY TRI

Opera House, 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem; Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem

and pan-Asian mains.

With numerous locations around town, what originally started as a fourth-floor joint overlooking the lake has become one of the most popular, home-grown cafes in Vietnam.

INTERNATIONAL / CAFE

highlandscoffee.com.vn

JOMA COFFEE/BAKERY

22 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3747 3388; 43 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 6071

joma.biz

Popular café with a contemporary western feel to the counter-style service and atmosphere. The food is all there, too: breakfasts, salads, soups, ice cream, muffins, cakes, cereals and bagels. Starting in Laos in 1996, Joma moved to Hanoi in 2009. Joma contributes 2 percent of each sale to charitable organisations.

KINH DO PATISSERIE / SIMPLE CAFE

252 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3825 0216 One of the longest-running cafes in town, this hole-inthe-wall, no frills café-cumrestaurant home-makes its patisseries and is renowned for its excellent yoghurt.

HANOI COOKING CENTRE CAFÉ

16-18 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3938 1745 This spacious spot on Food Street is open around the clock, offering Aussie-inspired comfort food along with more eclectic Irish nachos, cottage pies and pan-Asian fare. Upstairs is fit for social gatherings and live music while the no-smoking downstairs space is filled with people working and socialising. Serves as community centre, especially late at night.

SAINT HONORE CAFE / BOULANGERIE

5 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3933 2355 This cafe and French-style boulangerie is best visited in the morning when that Gallic, fresh-cooked bakery aroma hits you as you walk through the door. The downstairs space is split into the bakery on one side with a small non-smoking dining space on the other. The upstairs lounge area has standard tables as well as sofa seating. Simple but tasty French and international fare is served at meal times.

TET DÉCOR CAFÉ ART CAFÉ & ESPRESSO BAR

VIETNAMESE CAFÉ

43 Yen Phu, Tay Ho The longest-running café in the capital, this 1936-established, three-floored space is simplicity at its finest. Even the coffee here sticks to its roots — it’s made using the same blend of Arabica and Robusta cooked up by its founders. Unpretentious, endearing and old-fashioned.

PUKU

MANZI ARTSPACE ARTS CAFÉ & GALLERY

14 Phan Huy Ich, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3716 3397

Villa 25, 1, 3 Ha, Dang Thai, Tay Ho

tet-lifestyle-collection.com

A stunningly designed contemporary café and events space that screams out the words ‘modern art’. Housed in a converted colonial-era villa, a continuous flow of exhibitions, talks, experimental music and game shows make up the mix here. Great cuisine, too.

Cloistered among the back streets of West Lake and sheltered from the noise of Xuan Dieu, TET Décor Café is a destination for those who appreciate life’s pleasures: coffee, food, art and music.

Simple and unpretentious, the café has an old-fashioned warmth and rustic feel combined with unique and inspiring art installations.

MAISON DE TET DÉCOR

THE HANOI SOCIAL CLUB

LIFESTYLE CAFE

CAFÉ / CONTEMPORARY EATERY

tet-lifestyle-collection.com

facebook.com/thehanoisocialclub

facebook.com/manzihanoi

COURTYARD CAFE

44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh Relax in a leafy courtyard, aircon dining room or under a covered roof terrace with a Vietnamese ca phe, Italian coffee, beer, wine or freshly squeezed juice. Order from a seasonally changing menu or try one of the all-day breakfast specials for VND110,000, including juice and coffee or tea.

HANOI HOUSE HIDEAWAY CAFE

2nd Floor, 47A Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem Set in a colonial-era building with equally colonialera styled furnishings, this hidden away family house café is one of those gems synonymous with Hanoi.

Quiet, intimate and simple, the staff will treat you like you’re a guest in their home.

HIGHLANDS COFFEE CONTEMPORARY / COFFEE CHAIN

5 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3936 3228;

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36 Tu Hoa, Nghi Tam Village, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3823 9722 On-site coffee roasting, comfortable seating arrangements, rustic style furnishings and décor, and a focus on healthy, non-processed foods. This is the concept behind Maison de Tet Décor, and it’s a popular one, too, as witnessed by the size of the clientele. Also run occasional farmers’ markets.

6 Hoi Vu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3938 2117

A cozy midsize café/restaurant where you can forget the heat and bustle of Hanoi.

The atmosphere is relaxed and here you can imagine, for a second, that you’re sitting in a European café.

The ood is fresh and internationally inspired, and has an excellent top-floor terrace.

MOC CAFE

YOLO

CAFE / INTERNATIONAL

FUNKY LIVE MUSIC CAFE

14-16 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem.

(04) 3825 6334 Set in a slightly run down colonial villa, the faded but charmingly run down Frenchstyled retro interior, good WiFi and some of the best coffee in town makes this a great spot to while away a couple of hours. The food menu mixes Vietnamese fare with sandwiches, western

32C Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh

facebook.com/YoloCoffeeShops

Boasting an abundance of communal seating, funky decor and a full roster of regular live music performances, this rollicking café-slash-bar has quickly earned a place in the hearts of Hanoi’s young and trendy. Fun, unpretentious and unashamedly

quirky, it’s endearing use of recycled furniture — antiques and colourful artwork create a vibrant atmosphere — make for a popular hangout.

Open 24 hours.

ZENITH VEGETARIAN CAFE VEGETARIAN / VEGAN

247 Au Co, Tay Ho, Tel: 0904 356561

zenithyogavietnam.com

A vegetarian and vegan cafe respecting the philosophy of yoga — simple living, mindful thinking. Using 100 percent natural ingredients, the cuisine has no additional additives or MSG and is cooked using the minimal amount of oil. The stress is instead on eating whole food in its natural state.

EAT AL FRESCO’S AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL

24 Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3938 1155

alfrescogroup.com AMATO

TAPAS / FRENCH CUISINE

1A Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 01227 367470 Located next to Binh Minh Jazz Club, Amato is a fusion tapas bar by night and a French restaurant during the day. Tiny, hip and yet surprisingly spacious, Amato offers an international dining and drinking experience in the heart of Hanoi.

AU LAC DO BRAZIL BRAZILIAN 6A Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3845 5224

aulacdobrazil.com

A Brazilian churrascaria offering all-you-can-eat grilled meat and seafood on the skewer. In typical Brazilian rodízio fashion, waiters bring cuts of meat to the table for patrons to pick and choose, all for a set price.

They also offer wine pairings, a salad bar and an a la carte menu, with a creative selection of fruit caipirinhas.

ASAHI SUSHI SUSHI RESTAURANT

288 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: (04) 3974 5945

asahisushi.vn CAFÉ 129

MEXICAN/COMFORT FOOD

129 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: (04) 3821 5342 Long-running, slightly incongruous hole-in-the-wall café and restaurant that has served up up a Western menu since the late 1990s.

Check out their and their excellent breakfasts, all scoffed down in a traditional, Vietnamese environment.

CHOPS GOURMET BURGER & CRAFT BEER

4 Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 6292 1044

chopsvietnam.com

Finally Hanoi has a dedicated gourmet burger joint, and this West Lake eatery with its fan-cooled atmosphere get it just about right. This is comfort food at its finest. Served up with locally brewed craft beer, and this one’s a bit of a winner.

COUSINS CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL

3 Quang Ba, Tay Ho, Tel: 01238 670098

facebook.com/cousins.hanoi

A contemporary, Frenchinfluenced restaurant selling international cuisine at reasonable prices in a spacious, airy atmosphere.

Blackboards, whitewashed, bare-brick walls, period tiles, a well-chosen wine list and an outdoor terrace overlooking the lake make up the formula.

DA PAOLO CLASSIC ITALIAN

18 Lane 50/59/17 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 6317 This airy, contemporary looking Italian restaurant next to the famed lawn chair and coconut café on West Lake has all the right ingredients to become a classic. Run by the long time former manager of Luna D’Autunno, it features scrumptious woodfired oven pizzas from VND120,000 and other Italian delicacies. Open every day for lunch and dinner, delivery is also available.

DALUVA FUSION / MIDDLE-EASTERN

33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 5831

daluva.com

A popular hang-out for expats and trendy Vietnamese in the Xuan Dieu area on West Lake. This bar and restaurant offers casual dining with a classy, Middle-Eastern twist, as well as wine, tapas, events and attractive décor.

DON’S TAY HO CONTEMPORARY NORTH AMERICAN

16 Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3719 3719

Dons-bistro.com

This lake-facing venue with its top floor Oyster Bar is the work of charismatic Canadian restaurateur and wine connoisseur Donald Berger. Focusing on comfort food done well, the main restaurant menu includes anything from wood-grilled rare tuna steak with fragrant Chinese black bean beurre noir to gourmet pizza and pasta dishes Excellent range of imported oysters, great breakfasts and an extensive wine list.

EL GAUCHO STEAKHOUSE ARGENTINIAN STEAKHOUSE

11 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3824 7280; 99 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 6991

elgaucho.com.vn

With venues in Saigon and Bangkok, the essence of El Gaucho is quality top grade meats off the grill. Steak is the mainstay — the USDA cuts are to die for — but everything from chicken, pork and seafood is also up for grabs. Add to this a backdrop of low Latin music, low, subtle lighting, an extensive wine list and slick service.

There’s a reason El Gaucho is so successful — everything’s being taken care of.

FOODSHOP 45 INTERNATIONAL INDIAN

59 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3716 2959

foodshop45.com

Lakeside location and low bamboo seating, this eatery is one of the most popular Indians in town. Selling an international version of the mighty curry — they even sell pork and beef here — the menu keeps to the northern part of the subcontinent with masala, dopiaza, korma and the more Goan vindaloo taking centre stage.

FRENCH GRILL

na-styled restaurant. Serving up an enticing mix of classic and contemporary French cuisine, blended in with Vietnamese ingredients and cooking styles, the resultant fare has had customers coming back again and again. A traditional Vietnamese and kids menu is also available, as is a wine list focusing mainly on French wines.

HIGHWAY 4 VIETNAMESE / ETHNIC

5 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3926 4200; 25 Bat Su, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3926 0639; 575 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3771 6372 The home of Son Tinh liquor, Highway 4 is also known for its communal dining and ethnic food menu taking in dishes from around the regions of northern Vietnam.

Try out their catfish spring rolls. Phenomenal!

INDIA PALACE NORTH INDIAN

10B Quang An, Tay Ho Tel: 01247 668668

indiapalacehn@vnn.vn

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, so India Palace has once again returned to Tay Ho, this time on the strip between Don’s and The Warehouse.

Tasty North Indian fare in a pleasant environment from the team behind Tandoor.

TOP-END GRILL

JW Marriott Hanoi, 8 Do Duc Duc, Me Tri, Tu Liem, Tel: (04) 3833 5588

facebook.com/frenchgrill

With unique decor, contemporary ambience, a walk-in wine cooler and a delectable seafood bar, this classy restaurant offers guests a service experience with crafted food difficult to find in the capital.

GREEN TANGERINE FRENCH / VIETNAMESE FUSION

48 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3825 1286

greentangerinehanoi.com

A leafy, cobblestone courtyard with dark green castiron backed chairs greets you as you walk into this French era-built villa that houses the main section of this Indochi-

J.A.F.A. INTERNATIONAL

G2-G3 Ciputra, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3758 2400 One of the larger and more comfortable bars in Hanoi, J.A.F.A. is a great place for drinking cocktails by the pool. The beverages are not the cheapest, but this is made up for by service and ambiance. They also have a full menu featuring familiar western dishes such as pizza and cheeseburgers and cater for large parties or dinner functions. Periodic buffets and drink specials are also offered.

JACKSON’S STEAKHOUSE STEAKHOUSE / GRILL

23J Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem,

Tel: (04) 3938 8388

alfrescogroup.com

An all-day eating and drinking lounge fit for all occasions, with of course, a focus on steak. Has three floors all with different vibes, the kind of slick service you’d expect from the Al Fresco’s Group and an extensive wine list.

JASPA’S INTERNATIONAL / AUSTRALIAN

Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung (4th Floor), Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3934 8325

alfrescosgroup.com

Recently refurbished, the Australian-influenced Jaspa’s is known for its attentive service, tasty food and large portions. Popular with both the western and Asian expat communities who come back again and again. The comprehensive menu is a fusion of western and Asian cooking.

The cocktails come large and the wine is mainly New World.

KOTO ON VAN MIEU RESTAURANT / CAFÉ / BAR

59 Van Mieu, Dong Da, Tel: (04) 3747 0337

koto.com.au

The restaurant arm of Koto, an F&B training school for disadvantaged youth. Authentic Asian and European cuisine is served over four big floors of restaurant space. It’s cushioned, comfortable and has a rooftop terrace, too.

Wrap it yourself nem, bun bo Nam bo, Koto burgers, pastas, fish and chips, chicken Kievs and sandwiches all under one homely roof.

KY Y JAPANESE RICE EATERY

166 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: (04) 3978 1386 Not to be mistake for a sushi joint, this wonderful restaurant is your typical, Japanese working person’s rice eatery.

Has a bar area downstairs and booth-like seating on the upper floors.

LA BADIANE CONTEMPORARY FRENCH

10 Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3942 4509

labadiane-hanoi.com

On entering La Badiane, you are instantly caught by the multitude aromas coming from the open front kitchen. Then, surrounded by leaf plants, and predominantly white walls, the customer is struck by this venue’s calm and elegance. Although the dining experience at la Badiane is about the food, great attention is also paid to the ambience so you can enjoy every aspect of your meal.

Voted one of Miele Guide’s Top 500 Restaurants in Asia.

namese-French fusion cuisine.

LE BEAULIEU CLASSIC FRENCH / BUFFET

Sofitel Metropole Legend, 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3826 6919 The Metropole’s signature restaurant serving up both classic and contemporary French fare. Buffet options mix with an a la carte menu and an ambience that could be straight out of Paris.

LINGUINI FINI ITALIAN-AMERICAN

LA BICICLETA BARCELONA-STYLE BISTRO

44 Ngo 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 8246

thbc.vn

Spanish Tapas fare is available elsewhere, but this is the only eatery where it is authentic and from Barcelona. Great selection of sandwiches, tapas and paella as well as enormous Spanishstyle gin and tonics, Tinto de Verano, carajillos and sangria. Also known for its moreish, Catalan-style desserts. Closed Mondays.

36-38 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3266 8968

linguinifini.com/en/hanoi

With branches in Hong Kong and Manilla, the contemporary Italian-American Linguini Fini pulls no punches with its first outlet in Vietnam.

Sleek modern décor, high quality cuisine, home-made pasta, reasonable prices and dishes cooked up with the freshest ingredients available are part of the deal, as are some damn fine pizzas.

LUNA D’AUTUNNO

dim sum menus and set menus. Reservations recommended.

MEDITERRANEO PAN-ITALIAN

23 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3826 6288 This long-running, cozy restaurant near the cathedral serves all the traditional Italian fare you could need — homemade mozzarella and fresh pasta, spinach and ricotta ravioli, cold cut boards, soups, salads and fish. Boasts an extensive wine list and a traditional wood fire oven.

MING PALACE PAN-CHINESE

Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3823 8888 A fine dining destination at the Sofitel Plaza serving Cantonese and pan-Chinese cuisine in a sleek modern setting with private dining rooms. With more than 80 dim sum selections available along with Chinese entrees, Ming’s is an ideal eatery for those hungry for higher end Chinese fare.

CLASSIC ITALIAN

LA SALSA IBERIAN / MEDITERANEAN

5 Bui Thi Xuan, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: (04) 3995 0950

lasalsa-hanoi.com

A small but eternally popular Spanish-themed café and bar with an extensive list of reliable cuisine. Tapas are available, as well as full courses such as veal, and duck with currant sauce. Known for its good, European-style coffee and first-floor terrace area with views over the cathedral.

LA VERTICALE CONTEMPORARY FRENCH

27 Nam Ngu, Tel: (04) 3823 7338

lunadautunno.vn

This old-favourite Italian uses traditional wood ovens to prepare some of the city’s finest pizzas, which range from VND100,000 to buildyour-own-skies-the-limit.

Set inside a large, thoughtful space seasoned chefs also make fresh pastas, soups and cheeses. Has regular live music and a great Italian wine list.

MAY MAN CHINESE CUISINE

19 Ngo Van So, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: (04) 3944 6317

PAN-CHINESE

Situated in an art-deco villa, this establishment is run by the most famous French chef in the country. With modestly priced set lunches and subtle Vietnamese touches on the dishes, the up market establishment lures in its high class customers with quality Viet-

fortuna.vn

verticale-hanoi.com

MILLENIUM-CAFÉ DES ARTS PAN-FRENCH

11 Hang Hanh, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3828 7207

cafe-des-arts.com

A contemporary and chic three-storey restaurant with a terrace and views over one of Hanoi’s best-known alleys.

Serves up quality French cuisine such as: snails, foie gras, lobster, scallops, chateaubriand and tournedos Rossini.

Does an excellent set menu and also has a daily specials board.

Fortuna Hotel, 6B Lang Ha, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3831 3333

MOOSE AND ROO

Elegant and luxurious, May Man has long been regarded as one of the best Chinese restaurants in Hanoi. Showcasing a selection of authentic Chinese fare together with dim sum, May Man boasts extensive a la carte menus,

42B Ma May, Hoan Kiem, Tel:(04) 3200 1289 Contemporary Australian and Canadian comfort food in a pleasant setting together with a nice bar area. Best known for their Scotch egg, poutine and burgers. Clever

CANADIAN / AUSTRALIAN RESTAURANT

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TOP EATS SALMONOID

J

udging by their internet presence, you’d think Salmonoid was the work of an established restaurateur, with years of experience crafting culinary brands. “Homing like a salmon,” says their website; a motto with a more literal interpretation than I’d expected.

Because it’s not some flashy commercial enterprise after all, but rather, a family passion project.

I met with sisters-in-law Doan Binh Giang and Le Ngoc Quynh one afternoon in the restaurant’s elegant dining room, little spots of sunlight illuminating the wine glasses and silverware in front of us. The brick walls are painted white, with skinny black pipes that end in round, glowing orbs of light, embodying a clean, geometric style crafted

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by their friend and architect, Le Nguyen Tien Thanh, who designed everything, even down to the tables and chairs.

Giang, a loquacious 25-year-old in a t-shirt and red lipstick, explained that it was 29-year-old Quynh’s travels and passion for food that initially inspired the endeavour.

While studying in France, Quynh’s favourite restaurant just so happened to be a bistro that specialised in salmon. She longed to bring the concept to Vietnam and give it an international twist, so in June 2015, Salmonoid was hatched.

“The owners of this restaurant are all young, my brother, sister-in-law, me and two friends,” explained Giang. “When we first started, we all had other jobs, and we still do now.” When I asked how they managed

to juggle all of this, she smiled. “Instead of taking our lunch, we come here!” This dedication is evident in the food — carefully crafted with the goal of making culinary art accessible for everyone.

Say it with Salmon The starter was a saffron salmon bisque (VND100,000), creamy and savoury, with drizzled cream and a stalk of greenery adding an attractive contrast of colour. The soup was accented with soft, homemade bread of a similar hue (saffron being the culprit here, though I secretly hoped they’d figured out a way to make salmon bread).

A salmon kumquat salad (VND140,000) counteracted the soup’s richness, juicy pieces of sesame-coated salmon artfully

PHOTOS BY JULIE VOLA

arranged between little hills of leafy greens, kumquats, and gboma, a small green relative of the aubergine and a signature ingredient in Vietnamese cuisine, often served pickled.

As we waited for the main course, I asked Giang about their chef. She said that 29-yearold Nguyen Hai Ha learned to cook at Hoa Sua, a training restaurant that teaches culinary skills to disadvantaged youth. Now with 10 years of kitchen experience, Ha works with Quynh to design internationally-inspired seasonal menus, using imported Norwegian salmon and fresh Vietnamese ingredients.

Our entree was Salmonoid’s version of surf and turf — Australian steak drizzled with a tangy pepper sauce, accompanied by a grilled salmon filet on a bed of ratatouille and herbed potato purée (VND290,000).

Hearty and well-rounded, this dish satisfies without weighing you down. Which is lucky, because I needed more stomach space for Salmonoid’s signature — orange-marinated salmon with dill and pepper (VND130,000), served with a velvety cream cheese spread and an array of sauces like sweet balsamic, chili aioli and a house-made mustard.

Not Overwhelmed You’d think I’d want anything but salmon at this point, but when those fresh, raw slices melt in your mouth, the sauce variety keeps things interesting, and all the dishes are so distinctly different, it’s hard to get bored. We ended this salmon feast with a surprise dessert — creme brûlée with a layer of smashed lotus hiding underneath

(VND80,000) — a delicious edible analogy for this unique brand of culinary fusion.

Expats and Vietnamese alike come to Salmonoid for the food, but the restaurant has another tantalizing draw — romance.

Giang’s eyes sparkled as she leaned across the table with important news.

“I’m very happy to say that we’ve already had three proposals!” she grinned.

Something about this place appeals to Hanoi’s lovers. It must have been the twinkling lights on the rooftop terrace, those post-wine-and-dine endorphins, and spoonfuls of that lavishly sweet lotus. Or, you know, maybe they just love salmon. — Jesse Meadows Salmonoid is at 32C Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh, Hanoi

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 157

MEDICAL BUFF SNAKE BITES

V

ietnam’s wildlife is as diverse as it is beautiful. In fact, Vietnam alone boasts more than 11,000 species of animals. As beautiful as these are, it is important to recognize the dangers that wildlife can bring and be prepared for any eventuality.

Snakes in particular pose a danger to both humans and domestic pets around Vietnam, with over 30,000 bites reported each year. As the cities expand and encroach on surrounding countryside and wetlands, we find ourselves living in close proximity to our reptilian friends.

Vietnam has over 140 known species of snakes, with around 30 being classed as venomous. It is important to educate yourself and those around you in what to do if you or a member of your family is bitten.

Prevention is Better than Cure Unfortunately there is no definite way to identify a venomous snake, as many have evolved to look similar to those non-venomous, so treat all as potentially dangerous.

Do not give snakes a place to hide around your home. Keep grass short and clear low bushes. Keep rubbish away from the home and garden as this attracts rodents that snakes hunt for food.

Water sources such as ponds or disused

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swimming pools will attract frogs and toads, another food source for snakes.

Many species are nocturnal, so use a light when walking in your garden or yard at night.

Avoid these creatures where possible, do not try to capture or handle them. Snakes do not generally confront large animals (including humans) unless provoked, so if you see a snake, quietly back away to safety and allow it to slither away.

Should you or someone close to you be bitten, knowledge of effective first aid can be life-saving.

What to Do — Reassure the victim.

— Lay the victim down, and if possible immobilize the bitten limb with a splint or sling and keep it below heart level.

By keeping still, you can limit muscular contraction therefore decreasing the absorption of venom into the blood stream.

— Remove rings, watches and constrictive clothing in case of swelling.

— If possible, try to remember what the snake looked like; size, colour and type if you know it, to advise the doctor once you reach a medical facility. Do not attempt to catch or kill the snake. It is important to note that a severed snakehead can still bite and inject venom.

BY ALI CANNON

— Lastly, get the victim to a hospital as quickly as possible. This may be by taxi, car or ambulance. If by ambulance, first calm the victim, then call the ambulance and continue to administer first aid once help is on the way.

It is important to note that snake antivenom is a controlled substance in Vietnam as in many other countries. Your nearest medical facility will be unlikely to have anti-venom on site; however they will be able to stabilize the victim and assist to get them to the nearest poisons unit.

What Not to Do — Do not apply a tourniquet to the injured limb. This can cause extreme pain and permanent vascular damage to the limb.

— Do not attempt to suck out the venom.

— Do not attempt to make cuts or incisions around the bite.

— Do not interfere with or vigorously wash the wound.

By sticking to this simple guide you could save the life of yourself or someone around you that has been bitten.

Ali Cannon (RGN) is the clinic manager of International SOS Hanoi. For information or assistance call (04) 3934 0666 (Hanoi), (08) 3829 8520 (Ho Chi Minh City) or (064) 385 8776 (Vung Tau). Alternatively, click on internationalsos.com

Hanoi On the Town

changing imagery on the walls.

MOOSE AND ROO SMOKEHOUSE AMERICAN GRILL

The American Club, 19-21 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3939 2470

mooseandroo.com

There’s a reason for Smokehouse’s popularity — the excellent, on-site smoked meats together with all the typical, American-style sides.

Set in the American Club, dining is both indoors and out, and comes with the best bourbon selection in town.

NAMASTE HANOI

PANE E VINO

THE CART

PAN-ITALIAN

SANDWICH SHOP / CAFÉ

facebook.com/panevinoHN

thecartfood.com

3 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3826 9080 Just a stroll away from the Hanoi Opera House, Pane e Vino serves up authentic Italian food and has done for as long as anyone can remember. Renowned for the highly rated, oven fresh pizzas and large variety of pasta and salad dishes — look forward to fine food done well at this eatery that has the feel of Europe.

Huge wine lists, friendly staff and a loveable owner.

namastehanoi.com

The well-loved Namaste specialises in dishes from both northern and southern India — using Halal meat throughout. Hosted by the gregarious Gopi, a meal will cost you between VND150,000 and VND300,000 and everything is there, from curries and breads to soups and desserts.

NAN N KABAB 49 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 0922 087799 Specialising in Pakistani cuisine and of course nan bread and kebabs, this semi-outdoor, bamboo tabled, laid back eatery also sells fare from Afganistan and India.

In a sentence? Curry, but not as you know it.

NINETEEN 11 INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN

The Opera House, 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3933 4801

nineteen11.com.vn

Named after the completion date of the Hanoi Opera House, this upscale yet casual restaurant maintains an ambience of elegance, luxury and mystery.

The cuisine mixes international fare with twists on Vietnamese cuisine and comes complete with a formidable wine list and an inhouse sommelier.

OLD HANOI GOURMET VIETNAMESE

4 Ton That Thiep, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3747 8337

hanoixua.vn/en

Gordon Ramsay once filmed a show at this restaurant in a renovated French villa and now the ribs carry his namesake. But it’s the twist on old world favourites, think fried snail spring rolls and miniature vegetarian banh xeo, all in a casually elegant setting that make this spot near the train tracks a standout.

Small cozy café and sandwich bar hidden away in Nghi Tam Village. Serves and delivers tasty baguettes, homemade juices, quiches, pies, muffins and cakes.

The delivery service is quick and reliable, which makes this lunchtime favourite ideal for when you need to eat at the desk.

BUN BO NAM BO BUN BO NAM BO

67 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem BUN CHA DAC KIM BUN CHA

1 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem; 67 Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem KCC (KIEN CAN COOK) COM RANG DUA BO

THE KAFE

57 Quoc Tu Giam, Dong Da

CONTEMPORARY CAFE / CUISINE

PIZZA 4P’S JAPANESE PIZZA JOINT

24 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 01208 034444

pizza4ps.com

Famed for its home-made mozzarella and Japanese-inspired pizzas that break all the rules, the Hanoi outlet of Pizza 4P’s is as popular as its Saigon branch, a restaurant that has been greeted by accolades by all asunder. All pizzas are cooked in a woodfired oven and use fresh, local ingredients.

PAN-INDIAN

46 Tho Nhuom, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3935 2400

8B, Lane 1, Au Co, Nghi Tam Village, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3938 2513

20A Hoe Nhai, Ba Dinh

POTS ‘N PANS CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE

57 Bui Thi Xuan, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: (04) 3944 0204

potsnpans.vn

Brought to you by a group of former disadvantaged youth from Hanoi’s own KOTO, this unique fine dining restaurant, bar and lounge blends the old with the new. Vietnamese fusion cuisine, like profiteroles with green tea and café fillings, a private chef’s table with a kitchen view, and an extensive wine list combined with modern formal styling bring a unique experience to Hanoi.

PRESS CLUB CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL

3rd Floor, 59A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3934 0888

hanoi-pressclub.com

Wooden flooring, paneling and bold but subtle colours pervade this traditional but contemporary, fine-dining 70-seater venue close to the Opera House. Serving up quality cuisine for over a decade, Press Club boasts a bar area, two private dining rooms, including a wine room, a library and a vast selection of cigars, all in an elegant atmosphere

18 Dien Bien Phu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3747 6245

thekafe.vn

MIEN TRON HANH MIXED GLASS NOODLES

Spacious, casual, energetic and beautifully designed, The KAfe serves up unfussy comfort food that aims to satisfy the modern urban diner. Preparing fresh food and drinks that show respect to natural ingredients and flavours from around the globe, this café-cum-restaurant is a popular choice for Hanoi’s metrosexual community.

7B Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem

WRAP & ROLL 5th Floor, Trang Tien Plaza, 24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: (04) 3824 3718

PHO CUON HUNG BEN

MY VAN THAN WONTON NOODLES

54 Hang Chieu, Hoan Kiem PHO BO CU CHIEU PHO BO

48 Hang Dong, Hoan Kiem

PHO CUON

26 Nguyen Khac Hieu, Ba Dinh

wrap-roll.com

The lime green walls and bright pastel colours of Wrap ‘n Roll are just part of the theme of this homegrown, Vietnamese brand which is all about spring rolls of all types, and healthy, Hueinfluenced cuisine. Now with two restaurants in Hanoi — the second in Royal City.

ZENITH VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT HOLISTIC VEGETARIAN

247Au Co, Tay Ho, Tel: 0904 356561

zenithyogavietnam.com/zenith-cafe

A vegetarian and vegan café connected to Zenith Yoga that respects yoga philosophy. Simple living, mindful thinking and 100 percent natural ingredients, all the food here is served up without additional additives or MSG and using only fresh seasonal products. All dishes are made in house.

STREETFOOD

PHO GA BA LAM PHO GA

7 Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem PHO GA HANG DIEU PHO GA

1 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem PHO GIA TRUYEN BAT DAN PHO BO

49 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiem PHO LY QUOC SU PHO BO

10 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem PHO THIN LO DUC SAUTEED BEEF PHO

13 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung PHO TRON MIXED PHO

5 Phu Doan, Hoan Kiem; 47 Ma May, Hoan Kiem; 2 Hang Hom, Hoan Kiem; 6 Luong Van Can, Hoan Kiem

3 CHI EM SAINT HONORE BOULANGERIE / BISTRO

5 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3933 2355

sainthonore.com.vn

This bakery and French-style bistro is best visited in the morning when that Gallic, fresh-cooked aroma of bread, croissants and patisseries hits you as you walk through the door. The downstairs space is split into the bakery on one side with a small nonsmoking dining space on the other. The upstairs lounge area has standard tables as well as sofa seating. Simple French and international fare is served at meal times.

PHO GA / BUN BO NAM BO / COM

18 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho

PHO TU LUN PHO BO

23 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem BANH CUON HANG GA BANH CUON

14 Hang Ga, Hoan Kiem

XOI HANG HOM STICKY RICE

44 Hang Hom, Hoan Kiem BANH DA TRON BANH DA TRON

6 Ngo 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho BANH MI 25 STREETSIDE BANH MI

25 Hang Ca, Hoan Kiem BIT TET NGON SO 5 VIETNAMESE BEEFSTEAK

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Business Buff / Body and Temple / The Gym Diaries / Coffee Cup / Amazing Grapes / Top Eats 1 / Top Eats 2 / A World of Good Photo by Francis Xavier

162 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

HCMC Essentials

BAKERIES ABC BAKERY BAKERY & CAFÉ

223 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1

phamngulao.abcbakery.co

Baguettes, croissants, pizza, cakes, muffins, donuts and brownies, this bakery and café all in one is a popular stop for those heading through the Backpacker District. Online ordering available.

BREAD TALK CHAIN BAKERY

106 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3; 2 Cao Thang, Q3; Vivo City, 1058 Nguyen Van Linh, Q7

interesting reading. Established in 1996, in 2004 they opened in the US, 2005 in China and 2007 in Vietnam.

French-styled with an Asian touch, the bare-brick décor makes this a popular joint.

Has over 25 locations in Vietnam.

HARVEST BAKING AMERICAN BAKERY

harvestbaking.net

With a production facility in Thu Duc, Harvest Baking focuses on both the retail and non-retail trade, cooking up the best American-style bakery products in the city. Has an excellent home delivery service. Check the website for details.

L’AMOUR BAKERY & CAFE

Hung Phuoc 2, Le Van Thiem, Q7, Tel: (08) 5410 4072

lamourbakery.com.vn TOUS LES JOURS BAKERY & CAFE

180 Hai Ba Trung, Q1; 59 Tran Hung Dao, Q1; 187 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1; 66B Cach Mang Thang Tam, Q3; Lotte Mart, 469 Nguyen Huu Tho, Q7; 17/14 Le Thanh Ton, Q1

touslesjoursbakery.com

The background of this Korean bakery chain makes

pnc.com.vn

Although there are some English-language texts in this modern, well laid out bookstore, the focus here is on all things Vietnamese.

Worth checking out, thought, for the occasional gem.

M M M VOELKER BAKERY

39 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 6296 0066

voelker-vietnam.com

French–run bakery selling probably the tastiest range of patisseries, breads, quiches and pies in town. The signature passion–fruit tart is a must try.

M M M

breadtalkvietnam.com

A Singaporean bakery chain that is vying for the Vietnam cake and bread market. Produces Asian-friendly patisseries and cakes in a spacious, airy atmosphere. Has eight locations and counting.

Thanh Ton, Q1

BOOKSHOPS FAHASA VIETNAMESE / ENGLISH LANGUAGE BOOKSTORE

40 Nguyen Hue, Q1; 60-62 Le Loi, Q1

fahasa.com

Selling up a good selection of English language books — in a range of reading areas — this multi-storied bookshop also does stationery, toys and a range of related products. Has a good selection of ESL texts.

LIBRAIRIE FRANCAISE NAM PHONG 82 Truong Dinh, Q1, Tel: (08) 3914 7858 Nam Phong Bookstore was founded at the of end 2002 in Ho Chi Minh City as the first and only francophone bookshop in the whole of Vietnam. Only books written in French are for sale, covering for all ages and tastes.

A catalogue is available at namphongsaigon.com PNC VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE BOOKSTORE

2A Le Duan, Q1; 2nd Floor Parkson Center, 35-45 Le

SINGAPORE BUSINESS GROUP 6th Floor, Unit 601, Tran Quy Building, 57 Le Thi Hong, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 3046

sbghcm.org

M M M CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

BUSINESS GROUPS ANUPA ECO LUXE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (AMCHAM) New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 3562.

amchamvietnam.com

LEATHER & JEWELLERY

9 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 2394

anupa.net Monday to Sunday, 9am to 8pm

AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (AUSCHAM) 2nd Floor, Eximland Building, 179EF Cach Mang Thang Tam, Q3, Tel: (08) 3832 9912

This centrally located unique boutique has been converted into an eco-boutique which exclusively retails the complete Anupa leather and semi-precious jewellery range as well as other unique eco brands such as bamboo eyewear, pendant scarves and cushion covers.

BRITISH BUSINESS GROUP OF VIETNAM (BBGV) 25 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 8430

BAM SKATE SHOP

auschamvn.org

bbgv.org

CANADIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (CANCHAM) Room 305, New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 3754

canchamvietnam.org

Open to all nationalities, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce aims to create an effective network of business associates together and to facilitate discussion forums about business in Vietnam.

NORDCHAM 17th Floor, Petroland Tower, 12 Tan Trao, Q7, Tel: (08) 5416 0922

nordcham.com

PHILIPPINES BUSINESS GROUP VIETNAM 40/4 Pham Viet Chanh, Binh Thanh, Tel: (08) 3518 0045

pbgvn.com

SKATEWEAR / STREET

174 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 0903 641826

Bamskateshop.com.vn BLUE DRAGON SOUVENIRS / CLOTHING

1B Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08) 2210 2084 GINKGO

DIAMOND PLAZA 34 Le Duan, Q1. Tel: (08) 3825 7750 9am to 10pm Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics, Café, Food Court

HUNG VUONG PLAZA

126 Hung Vuong, Q5.

Tel: (08) 2222 0383 9.30am to 10pm Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics, Café, Food Court

PARKSON PLAZA

35-45 Le Thanh Ton, Q1. Tel: (08) 3827 7636 9.30am to 10pm Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics, Café, Food Court

VIETNAM-THEMED CLOTHING

10 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3521 8755; 54-56 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08) 6270 5928

ginkgo-vietnam.com

Quality, original, Vietnamthemed tees are the showpiece at this airy French-run store. Designs are inspired by anything from the Vietnamese flag, local telecom wires and motorbikes to creative, Siddharta-style imagery.

IPA-NIMA BAGS & ACCESSORIES

77-79 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 3277; 71 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 2701

ipa-nima.com

LITTLE ANH-EM BABY & CHILDREN CLOTHING

PHOTO BY NICK ROSS

SHOPPING MALLS

37 Thao Dien, An Phu, Q2, Tel: 0917 567506 In addition to a varied selection of garments for babies and children up to 10 years old, Little Anh-Em stocks sleeping bags and other accessories.

L’USINE LIFESTYLE / ACCESSORIES

First floor, 151 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 6674 9565

lusinespace.com

Exclusive labels, elegant and

SAIGON CENTRE

65 Le Loi, Q1. Tel: (08) 3829 4888 9am to 9pm Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics, Café, Food Court

SAIGON SQUARE 77-89 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1 9am to 9pm Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics

VINCOM CENTER 70-72 Le Thanh Ton, Q1. Tel: (08) 3936 9999 9am to 10pm Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics, Café, Food Court

ZEN PLAZA

54-56 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: (08) 3925 0339 9am to 10pm Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics, Café, Food Court

BUSINESS BUFF EXPENSIVE FAST FOOD

A

s my ample belly will attest I do like to eat and while of late I have tried to eat in a more healthy way, the sweet siren call of fast food (and the growing list of options of in Ho Chi Minh City) is making the battle a difficult one. That being said, over a delicious burger and fries this month I looked into some of the fancier and more expensive fast food options around the world. No surprises — most come from our obese cousins in the US.

Camilleri says that they came up with their expensive pizza “to draw attention to the quality of our food”. Indeed, the thin-crust pizza is quite an attention grabber, topped with buffalo mozzarella, white truffles and 24-carat gold. It has to be ordered a week in advance and at last report had been ordered twice.

Fleur Burger US$5000 / VND112.5 million In the town of excess, Las Vegas, Fleur Restaurants’ Fleur Burger 5000 is made from Japanese Wagyu beef and foie gras. Its sauce is made from truffles and shaved truffles are sprinkled over the burger which rests in a brioche truffle bun. You also get a US$2,500 bottle of Chateau Petrus and a Certificate of Authenticity with your order.

Powder Room Milkshake US$500 / VND11.25 million The most expensive milkshake was dreamed up by the Powder Room in Hollywood. At US$500, it has Belgian chocolate, edible gold leaf and more than a touch of liquor. Called The Velvet Goldmine, the drink is topped with a US$190 Swarovski ring.

Serendipity 3’s ‘Frrrozen Hot Chocolate’

Bloomsbury Gold Phoenix Cupcake US$1,000 / VND22.5 million This time in Dubai the Bloomsbury Gold Phoenix is the most unadorned cupcake in the world and is wrapped in 23-carat gold and its flour is imported from Italy. There is a more expensive cupcake at close to US$150,000, but its value comes from being covered in inedible diamonds and was made for a fashion event in Edinburgh in 2010.

The Golden Opulence Ice Cream Sundae costs a mere VND22.5 million

side and it’s all eaten with a gold spoon.

The spoon however must be returned.

Golden Opulence Ice Cream Sundae New York’s 230 Fifth Hot Dog US$1,000 / VND22.5 million Back across the pond in New York City, this time at the Serendipity 3 restaurant with famous previous guests such as Marilyn Monroe and Andy Warhol you can order this sundae from owner Joe Calderone. The Golden Opulence Ice Cream Sundae has three to five scoops of Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream and is covered in 23-carat edible gold leaf. The gold leaf is flavourless, but costs up to US$160 a gram. The chocolate syrup that crowns this sundae is the most expensive in the world and the candied fruits that sit on top are imported from Paris.

There’s a bit of Grand Passion Caviar on the

164 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

BY SHANE DILLON

US$2,000 / VND45 million This hot dog is infused with cognac and sprinkled with mushroom dust and lobster. The hot dog is made from aged Wagyu Japanese beef. Its Vidalia onions are caramelized in Dom Perignon champagne and the sauerkraut is braised in Cristal Champagne and caviar. The proceeds from this indulgent hot dog go to charity.

Margo’s Pizzeria US$2,420 / VND54.5 million This pizza is available in Malta, on the Mediterranean costs by what many call the best pizza shop in the world. Owner Claude

US$25,000 / VND562.5 million Back to Serendipity 3 in New York for this most expensive dessert on the list. The Frrrozen Hot Chocolate. More of a publicity stunt than a dish, it’s hot chocolate that’s frozen.

Made from over 14 different types of cocoa with edible gold and diamonds on top, it has 18 carat gold at the bottom, together with an added surprise — a diamond bracelet.

Chocolate Pudding, Lindeth Howe Country House Hotel US$35,000 / VND787.5 million We reach the zenith of fancy junk food in the UK’s Lake District where we find a US$35,000 chocolate pudding that looks like a big brownie. You’ve got to order this monstrosity two weeks in advance after forking out a hefty deposit. Combining chocolate, gold and caviar, the hotel owners claim it is the most expensive dessert in the world. The chocolate brownie is topped with champagne jelly and edible gold leaf. There’s a two-carat diamond on top.

After all this food writing Shane feels like another burger and a nap. He can be contacted at shanedillon@pacificcross.com

sophisticated clothing and casual high-quality cottons are stocked at this boutique/ café. Lifestyle accessories include shoes, homewares, knickknacks, cameras, stationery and a range of vintage bicycles.

MANDARINA

AIRLINES AIR ASIA airasia.com AIR FRANCE airfrance.com.vn

TAILOR-MADE SHOES

171 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 5267 ORANGE BUDGET CLOTHING

152 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08) 3820 2620

9am to 10pm PAPAYA

BUDGET CLOTHING

CATHAY PACIFIC cathaypacific.com/vn CHINA AIRLINES china-airlines.com JAPAN AIRLINES vn.jal.com JETSTAR PACIFIC jetstar.com/vn/en

232 Bui Vien, Q1

LAO AIRLINES laoairlines.com MALAYSIA AIRLINES malaysiaairlines.com SINGAPORE AIRLINES singaporeair.com THAI AIRWAYS thaiairways.com.vn TIGER AIRWAYS tigerair.com VIETJETAIR vietjetair.com VIETNAM AIRLINES vietnamairlines.com

SAIGON COOKING CLASSES BY HOA TUC 74 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 8485

saigoncookingclass.com

Learn to cook quality Vietnamese cuisine with local specialist Hoa Tuc. The threehour lesson, conducted by an English-speaking Vietnamese chef, includes a trip around Ben Thanh Market to gather fresh ingredients for the class.

VIETNAM COOKERY CENTRE Suite 45, 4th Floor, 26 Ly Tu Trong, Q1,Tel: (08) 3827 0349

vietnamese-cooking-classsaigon.com

papaya-tshirt.com

CRAFTS & FURNITURE

T&V TAILOR

ATC FURNITURE

TAILORS

ECO-FRIENDLY FURNITURE

39 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 4556

268B Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Dist.3, HCMC, Tel: (08) 3932 6455; 30A Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh, HCMC, Tel: (08) 3840 3946

triciaandverona.com U.BEST HOUSE TRAVEL GEAR

163 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Q1, Tel: 0978 967588

Ubesthouse.com VESPA SHOP

VESPA PRODUCTS / HELMETS

KOREAN AIR koreanair.com

multinational cuisine days.

80 Xuan Thuy, Q2 Stocks a wide range of Vespa-inspired tidbits and memorabilia including t-shirts, riding gear, Italian helmets, Respro face masks, DVDs, books, bags, magazines, posters and more. Rental scooters and bikes available.

CORPORATE GIFTS AMBRIJ 14-16-18 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 8364

ambrij.com

A one-stop-shop concept company providing marketing services including POSM, corporate gifts and luxury ranges of business gifts from international brands like Swarovski, Cerruti 1881, Nina Ricci, Christian Lacroix, Ungaro and more. Also do event management services.

COOKING CLASSES OVERLAND CLUB 35Bis Huynh Khuong Ninh, Q1, Tel: (08) 3820 9734

overlandclub.jp

The Overland Club organises pottery classes, VietnameseJapanese cooking classes, cultural art events and monthly special activities, such as the Soba Festival, pottery painting classes, the art of decorating paper and

atc-craft.com

AUSTIN HOME REPRO FURNITURE / FABRICS

42 Nguyen Dang Giai, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519 0023

austinhomeinteriors.com

This An Phu-based shop stocks antique repro furniture. All products are samples, so it’s limited and exclusive with only one or two pieces of each particular item. Also has a great range of imported fabrics up on the 2nd floor and an in-house sewing room for cushions, sofas and curtains. Offers custom-made furniture and delivery within four weeks.

CHI LAI HOME FURNISHINGS

175 Ha Noi Highway, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519 4543

chilai.com

This well-known Vietnamese furniture brand is a good choice for most families with its respected highquality designs and competitive prices. Located on the corner of Pham Ngoc Thach and Dien Bien Phu, the spacious showroom specialises in sofas and other furniture such as table sets, shelves and kitchen cabinets. There is a large selection of carpets as well as numerous choices of curtains and accessories.

EM EM SOUVENIRS

38 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 4408

8am to 9.30pm

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 165

BODY

AND

TEMPLE

POSITIVE BEGINNING: PART TWO

BY PHIL KELLY

“Success is not a singular act but a habit”

L

ast month for western New Year I discussed four key components of how to make the best start to your health and fitness efforts. Two New Years allows a double opportunity to start 2016 in the most positive way possible. If you haven’t kick started your efforts yet, the Lunar New Year provides a second chance.

Can the way you think about fat loss, fitness and your body actually determine your success? You bet it can — a motivated mind is the most powerful force in our lives and a positive attitude during a weight management, heath and fitness programme is paramount.

It is a known fact that thoughts and emotions affect the body for better or worse, depending on your predominant thoughts and emotions. Negative thinking, stress, fear, excitement, worry and anger hurt the body.

Under these conditions the body releases toxins into the blood, which affect it adversely.

Positive thinking, happiness, love and confidence heal, strengthen and energize the body. An excellent habit to get into is to write a grateful diary every evening before bed.

The grateful diary is an exercise in viewing the world or past day in a positive light. It will put your life in perspective, reset your brain to positive and refocus you on your goals. Simply write down five things you are grateful or thankful for from the past 24 hours and the five positive actions you are going to accomplish the following day.

166 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

Positive thoughts radiate out and turn into positive actions, which in turn create positive habits. Positive habits will transform into positive results. A positive outlook is essential for positive change. Here are three more essential actions to achieving your 2016 goals:

BE-Flexible is all about finding out what is best for you, as we are all different — we are as chemically different internally as we are physically different externally, so you need to be flexible to fine-tune your diet and exercise routines to get the best results for you.

5) BE-Committed

7) BE-Patient

If you really want something you’ll find time for it — time is never a valid excuse.

Losing fat and getting fit can be hard to do and it may seem an insurmountable goal, but commitment is everything when you’re trying to make positive change. Good planning makes being committed easier, as it limits the urge to detour from the plan once temptation arises. Temptation will always come so be sure to be prepared and stay committed to your plan.

When it comes to body transformation and health development there really is only one question to answer: “How much do I want this?”

Fat loss and fitness is not a linear process, where progress will happen at a steady rate.

Rather, there will be peaks, troughs and plateaus but the trend should be positive.

This is why it is not a good idea to measure yourself too often, as you will see regular fluctuations in the readings. Simply have faith in your action plan and believe results will happen.

Patience is essential, due to many different daily/weekly influences and fluctuations.

For instance, you may experience a plateau one week because of excess stress, not enough sleep, menstrual cycle or fatigue. It’s important to stick to the plan, as success is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly and you need to be patient to see the rewards come in.

Don’t let 2016 be another year you don’t achieve your health and fitness desires. Build a tough mindset and action plan to feel and look your best.

Phil is founder and master trainer at Body Expert Systems. Contact him on 0934 782763 or at his website bodyexpertsystems.com or through Star Fitness (starfitnesssaigon.com)

6) BE-Flexible Fat loss is not a pre-set protocol that we can just apply to, or that works for, everyone. It’s an individual process that needs to be altered to suit your specific needs. Stay committed to your goal while remaining flexible in the approach you use to reach it. This is where monitoring your progress is crucial. You should be prepared to change what you are doing if it is not achieving the desired results.

HCMC Essentials

FEELING TROPIC FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES

51 Le Van Mien, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 2181 Specialising in interior designs and landscaping, this three-storey building is so packed full of items for sale that it doesn’t seem to have enough space for all of its products. The basement storey carries outdoor furniture such as bamboo-imitation and mosaic table sets, while the second level stocks all types of indoor furniture except beds. Accessories are found on the level above.

MEKONG CREATIONS FAIR TRADE CRAFTS

35-37 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (08) 2210 3110

mekong-creations.org NGUYEN FRERES NIK-NAKS / CRAFTS

2 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 9459

8am to 8pm

MEKONG QUILTS HAND-MADE QUILTS

1st Floor, 68 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 2210 3110

mekong-quilts.org

Cycles, a homegrown cycling company with all products designed in Vietnam.

Sells up budget bicycles to high-end product, with the full range of accessories in between. Also stocks GT and Cannondale.

SAIGON CYCLES CYCLING & ACCESSORIES

44 Phan Van Nghi (S51-1 Sky Garden 2), Q7, Tel: (08) 5410 3114

xedapcaocap.com

Specialising in Trek and Surly, Saigon Cycles is also famed for its Sunday morning rides.

Sells the full range of accessories and also does bicycle repairs.

THE BIKE SHOP CYCLING & ACCESSORIES

250 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 6405

thebikeshopvn.com

The go-to location for all your cycling needs in District 2.

Sells a range of brands including Cannondale, Jett, GT and Aluboo, as well as the full selection of accessories.

Organises regular cycle rides, does repairs and rentals.

Check facebook.com/thebikeshopvn for more details.

M M M NHA XINH HOME FURNISHINGS

2nd Floor, Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 6115

nhaxinh.com

REMIX DECO INDOOR FURNITURE

222 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3, Tel: (08) 3930 4190

DENTAL CLINICS ACCADENT INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC

Kumho Asiana Plaza, 39 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8800

accadent.com

remixdeco.com

THE FURNITURE HOUSE HOME FURNISHINGS

ELITE DENTAL GROUP.

81 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519 4640/4643

57A, Tran Quoc Thao, Q3, HCMC, Tel: (08) 3933 3737

THE FURNITURE WAREHOUSE

Elite Dental is an international and well-equipped clinic, which provides specialized dental services including ALL-ON-4 Implants, ALL-ON-6 implants, dental implants, prosthodontics, Invisalign & orthodontics.

Luxury design and our dental experts will bring you an extremely comfortable experience.

EUROPEAN-STYLE FURNITURE

3B Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 6657 0788

thefurniturewarehouse. com.vn

CYCLING FIRSTBIKE VIETNAM

firstBIKE.com.vn

FirstBIKE balance bikes for two to five-year-olds eliminate the need for training wheels or stabilisers, and support proper balance development.

JETT CYCLES OWN-BRAND CYCLING SHOWROOM

384 Tran Phu, Q5; 168 Vo Thi Sau, Q3

jett-cycles.com

The showroom home of Jett

info@elitedental.com.vn elitedental.com.vn

INTERNATIONAL SOS DENTAL CLINIC INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC

167A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3, Tel: (08) 3829 8424

internationalsos.com

Globally renowned provider of medical assistance and international healthcare offers full dental services in the clinic. Foreign and Vietnamese dentists provide high

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HCMC Essentials

skilled dental service. Orthodontics is also available.

at 165 Calmette, Q1, HCMC

MINH KHAI DENTAL CLINIC

DOGMA 8A/9C1 Thai Van Lung, Q1

INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC

199 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3925 3399

STARLIGHT CLINIC

DENTAL

INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC 2 Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, Q3, Tel: (08) 3822 6222 24, Thao Dien,Q2

starlightdental.net

Long–established, modern clinic with French, Canadian, Belgian & Vietnamese dentists. A favourite of the foreign residential community due to its modern and effective treatments allied with extremely reasonable prices.

WESTCOAST INT’L DENTAL CLINIC INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC Ben Thanh Clinic, 27 Nguyen Trung Truc, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 6999 The Practice, Level 1, 71-79 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 6777

westcoastinternational.com

An international dental clinic equipped with the latest technology, the comfortable clinics offer cosmetic and implant dentistry with a focus on making each patient’s experience anxiety and pain free.

MAPLE HEALTHCARE DENTAL & CHIROPRACTICS

Md6 Nguyen Luong Bang, Q7 (across from FV Hospital), Tel: Tel: (08) 5410 0100

maplehealthcare.net

Specialising in healthcare, dental services and chiropractic medicine, the recently opened Maple Healthcare comes replete with the latest technology together with efficient and comfortable service.

M M M GALLERIES CRAIG THOMAS GALLERY 27i Tran Nhat Duat, Q1, Tel: 0903 888431

cthomasgallery.com

Craig Thomas Gallery offers a compelling mix of up-andcoming and established local artists. In operation since 2009, its founder has been promoting Vietnamese art for a decade. Now has a second newer gallery

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CLASSIC FINE FOODS GROCERIES & IMPORTER

dogmacollection.com

The home of Vietnamese propaganda art and a collection put together over the last two decades by art collector Dominic Scriven, the majority of the work comes from the war period when provocative poster art was used to inspire and motivate.

Sells prints of the originals and related products.

No. 17, Street 12 (perpendicular to Tran Nao street), Q2, Tel: (08) 3740 7105

classicfinefoods.com

Supplier for the city’s five– star hotels, also distributing brands like San Pellegrino, Rougie foie gras, Galbani cheese, fresh poultries, meat, live seafood and vegetables. You can now find all the products at the gourmet shop on location.

GALERIE QUYNH 65 De Tham, Q1, Tel: (08) 3836 8019

HO CHI MINH CITY FINE ARTS MUSEUM 97A Pho Duc Chinh, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 4441

baotangmythuattphcm.vn

Set in one of the finest remaining buildings of colonial-era Vietnam, this multi-storey museum houses collections spanning centuries of Vietnamese art. Has regular exhibitions.

MEATWORKS BUTCHERY BUTCHERS 1 Street 2, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 2565

meatworksasia.com

Focusing on the retail trade, the meat at this Australianmanaged butcher comes pre-prepared and, if you so wish, pre-marinated. Sells up some of the best imported meats in town together with homemade sausages, free-range products and excellent Australian grassfed steak.

PHUONG HA SAN ART 48/7 Me Linh, Binh Thanh, Tel: (08) 6294 7059

san-art.org

San Art is an independent, artist-run exhibition space that offers residency programmes for young artists, lecture series and an exchange programme that invites international artists / curators to organise or collaborate on exhibitions.

GROCERIES & LIQUOR

GROCERY & DELI

16–18 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 9332; 41A Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 2630

Annam-gourmet.com

Attractive and spacious French–owned grocery shop stocking a large range of foods, organic fruit and vegetables, imported beers and wines. Also sells luxury branded products from the likes of Fauchon. The deli upstairs in the Hai Ba Trung branch serves tasty baguette rolls in a comfortable lounge area with free Wi–Fi, and offers probably the best selection of cheese and cured meats in town.

astere@hotmail.fr

ECCS (THE ENGLISH CRICKET CLUB OF SAIGON) Richard Carrington, Tel: 0909 967 353

SAIGON RAIDERS

ICCS (INDIAN CRICKET CLUB OF SAIGON) Deeptesh Gill, Tel: 01228 770 038

Saigonraiders.com SAIGON RUGBY CLUB RMIT University, 702 Nguyen Van Linh, Tan Phong, Q7

saigonrugbyfootballclub@ yahoo.com SAIGON SAINTS

saigonsaints.com

deepteshgill@gmail.com

SPORTS — GENERAL

ISCS (INDIAN SPORTS CLUB IN SAIGON) Munish Gupta, Tel: 0986 973 244

HASH HOUSE HARRIERS

gmunish29@yahoo.co.in

PSSC (PAKISTAN SAIGON CRICKET CLUB) Samie Cashmiri, Tel: 0976 469 090

samie.cashmiri@gmail. com

saigonhash.com

RANGERS BASEBALL TEAM

isao.shimokawaji@sapporobeer.co.jp SAIGON INTERNATIONAL DARTS LEAGUE

thesidl.com

GROCERS

58 Ham Nghi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3914 1318 A small yet amazingly wellstocked store that puts many a supermarket in this country to shame. As well as a dizzying selection of imported foods, also sells frozen meat and fish, fruit, vegetables, herbs, spices and a wide selection of dairy products.

THE WAREHOUSE WINE SHOP

ANNAM GOURMET MARKET

CRICKET

richard.car rington@ market-edge.asia eccsaigon.com

galeriequynh.com

In addition to working with artists based in Vietnam, Galerie Quynh also exhibits the work of artists from around the world. This wellestablished gallery supports education through talks, lectures and publications.

SPORTS

15/5 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 8826 One of the busiest wine retailers in town. In addition to their excellent range of wines, they also stock imported beers, bottled mineral water and spirits.

SACC (SAIGON AUSTRALIA CRICKET CLUB) Steve Treasure, Tel: 0903 998 824

sacccricket@gmail.com

SSC (SRI LANKA SPORTS CLUB) Suhard Amit, Tel: 0988 571 010

suhard.amit@yahoo.com

UCC (UNITED CRICKET CLUB) Asif Ali, Tel: 0937 079 034

npasifali@hotmail.com

VIETNAM CRICKET ASSOCIATION (VCA) Manish Sogani, Tel: 0908 200 598

manish@ambrij.com

FOOTBALL & RUGBY VEGGY’S GROCERS & DELI

29A Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 8526 Courtesy of a farm in Dalat, Veggy’s retails some of the best quality fruit and veg available in the city. Also has a wide selection of imported food products including USDA beef, the same beef served up at El Gaucho.

AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL Tel: 0937 683 230

vietnamswans.com

LES GAULOIS DE SAIGON

gauloisdesaigon.com

OLYMPIQUE SAIGON Contact Fred on 0919 709 024 or Viet Luu 0909 500 171.

SAIGON INTERNATIONAL SOFTBALL LEAGUE

saigonsoftball.info

SAIGON SHOOTERS NETBALL CLUB

saigonshootersnetball. blogspot.com

SAIGON SPORTS ACADEMY 28 Tran Nao, Q2, Tel: (08) 7303 1100

saigonsportsacademy.com

SQUASH The Landmark, 5B Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 2098 ext 176

thelandmarkvietnam.com TORNADOS HOCKEY CLUB 436A/33 Ba Thang Hai, Q10, Tel: 0938 889899

James.chew@vietnamhockey.vn ULTIMATE FRISBEE RMIT, 702 Nguyen Van Linh, Q7

Saigon-ultimate.com

X–ROCK CLIMBING 7Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q3, Tel: (08) 6278 5794

xrockclimbing.com

HAIRDRESSERS, SALONS & SPAS AVEDA HERBAL SPA Villa 35A, Street 41, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel:(08) 3519 4671

avedaherbal@gmail.com CAT MOC SPA 63 Tran Dinh Xu, Q1, Tel: (08) 6295 8926

catmocspa.com

Aimed exclusively at ladies and couples only, treatments at this Japanese spa include facial, body and foot care, and Japanese-style haircuts, as well as steam-sauna, paraffin and waxing services.

CONCEPT COIFFURE 48 Tran Ngoc Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519 4625

Conceptcoiffure.vn

Hair stylist and colourist specialist Sandrine has relocated her long-standing flagship salon Venus Coiffure to a villa in Thao Dien. A full range of services is offered including a dedicated kids salon.

FAME NAILS SALON 3 Truong Dinh, Q1, Tel: 0909 682 827

famenails.com

GLOW SPA 129A Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 8368

glowsaigon.com

Modern and bright downtown spa, offers massages lasting from 30 minutes, to two-hour hot stone therapy, includes one suite with a Jacuzzi bath; offers hand and foot care and a hair styling area.

HAIR BAR

JASMINE 45 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2737

Jasminespa.vn

Spa–related salon with a good reputation for quality and comfort offers washes and leisurely haircuts from VND330,000 plus a range of related services including massage and some excellent treatments.

QUYNH BEAUTY SALON 104A Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3512 4321 A District 2 favourite, this is the salon to head to for anything from massage to haircuts, hairwashing to nails.

Cheap prices, too.

SPA TROPIC 79 Phan Ke Binh, Q1, Tel: (08) 3910 5575

spatropic.com

Spa Tropic is a stylish boutique spa housed in the refurbished former Chilean Consulate. Spa Tropic has a long-standing reputation among expats and visitors alike for its professional quality service.

HOSPITALS & MEDICAL CLINICS AMERICAN CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC CHIROPRACTOR

161-161A Hai Ba Trung, Q3, Tel: (08) 3939 3930

www.acc.vn

ACC provides effective chiropractic, physiotherapy, acupuncture and foot care treatments through the use of cutting edge technology for back, neck and knee pain, sports injuries as well as all types of foot related problems without the need of drugs or surgery.

CONTEMPORARY SALON

68 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (FREEPHONE) 1800 1108

hairbar.vn

A unique themed hair salon where stylists use no scissors but styling equipment only, giving female clients the opportunity to get their hair done on the run. Of course, they have to look fabulous, too. Fortunately this is one of Hair Bar’s specialities. Check the salon out on Facebook: facebook.com/ hairbarvn.

INDOCHINE SPA 69 Thu Khoa Huan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 7188

Indochine-spa.com.vn

Indochine Spa provides a peaceful and serene atmosphere with aromatic scents and lulling melodies. Customers are pampered by qualified therapists using natural French products in a clean and pleasant environment.

AMERICAN EYE CENTER 5th Floor, Crescent Plaza, 105 Ton Dat Tien, Q7 Tel: 5413 6758 / 5413 6759

americaneyecentervn.com

American Eye Center is located in the heart of Phu My Hung, providing eye care services to Adults and Children by an American Board-certified ophthalmologist with 17 years of experience. The American-standard facility is equipped with state of the art equipments for the early detection and treatment of important eye diseases from Lasik and cataract surgeries to presbyopia, glaucoma and diabetic eye disease treatments. Cosmetic procedures such as eyelid surgery and Botox injections are also available.

CENTRE MEDICAL INTERNATIONALE (CMI) FRENCH MEDICAL CLINIC

1 Han Thuyen, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2366

cmi-vietnam.com

This French medical clinic provides general practice and a range of specialties including cardiology, gynecology, psychotherapy, ophthalmology, paediatrics and acupuncture.

FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE HCMC INTERNATIONAL CLINIC

Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 7848; 95 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 2000

vietnammedicalpractice.com

Full–service 24–hour healthcare provider with highly– qualified doctors handling everything from emergencies to tests and X–rays, in– patient and out–patient care, check–ups, travel medicine and medical evacuations.

FV HOSPITAL INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL

6 Nguyen Luong Bang, Saigon South Parkway, Q7, Tel: (08) 5411 3333 Emergency: (08) 5411 3500

fvhospital.com

International hospital whose standard of health care matches that found anywhere, with 19 full–time French doctors and 58 Vietnamese doctors, providing expertise in 30 medical and surgical areas, especially maternity care.

FV SAIGON CLINIC INTERNATIONAL CLINIC

3rd Floor, Bitexco Financial Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 6290 6167

fvhospital.com

State–of–the–art medical centre located in District 1. Experienced American, French, and Vietnamese doctors provide the full spectrum health care. Plus sports medicine, cosmetic treatments, skin care and surgical consultations.

HANH PHUC INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL

Binh Duong Boulevard, Thuan An District, Binh Duong Tel: (0650) 363 6068

hanhphuchospital.com

Claiming to be the first Singapore-standard hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, this institution based on the outskirts of town is gaining a growing reputation for service and treatment. Specialises in providing healthcare to women and children. Has a clinic at 97 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1

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HCMC Essentials

HAPPINESS (HANH PHUC) ORIENTAL MEDICINE CENTER EASTERN MEDICINE

432 Pham Thai Buong, Q7, Tel: 0906 684 969 INTERNATIONAL SOS HCMC MEDICAL CLINIC INTERNATIONAL CLINIC / MEDIVAC

167A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3, Tel: (08) 3829 8424

internationalsos.com

The world’s leading provider of medical assistance and international healthcare offers primary health care, diagnostic services and 24/7 emergency care. Specialist care is available in many fields.

SIAN SKINCARE CLINIC SKIN CARE / COSMETICS Level 2, 71-79 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 6999

sianclinic.com

The Australian and Canadian managed SIAN Clinic offers a wide range of skincare medical therapies to treat problems by an experienced dermatologist and facial care team. The clinic utilises the latest therapies.

STAMFORD SKIN CENTRE SKIN CARE / COSMETICS

99 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1, Tel: (08) 3925 1990

stamfordskin.com

Stamford Skin Centre offers a broad range of medical and aesthetic skin treatments.

Their international dermatologists and doctors ensure accurate diagnosis and safe treatment procedures. It houses excellent equipment for a variety of procedures.

TRADITIONAL MEDICINE HOSPITAL EASTERN MEDICINE

187 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3, Tel: (08) 3932 6579 VICTORIA HEALTHCARE INTERNATIONAL CLINIC

INSURANCE BLUE CROSS VIETNAM 4th Floor, Continental Tower, 81-85 Ham Nghi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 9908

bluecross.com.vn

Blue Cross Vietnam is part of the Pacific Cross group of companies with over 60 years’ experience in providing health and travel insurance to people and businesses who call Asia home.

Their reputation for transparent, honest and reliable service means they are the strength behind your insurance. To make sure you are getting the most out of your insurance contact them for a free quote.

IF CONSULTING IBC Building, 3rd Floor, 1A Me Linh Square, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 7362

insuranceinasia.com

Independent advisors that represent top reputable medical insurers provide you with the best suitable medical cover for individual, family or company needs.

For emergencies call 0903 732365 LIBERTY INSURANCE 15th Floor, Kumho Asiana Plaza, 39 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: 1800 599 998

libertyinsurance.com.vn

International insurance firm providing the full range of services to the individual — car insurance, travel insurance, health insurance, home insurance and much more.

NOAH JAMES INSURANCE AGENCY Mobile: (1) 617 676 7858

noahjamesinsurance.com Skype: jp.global

A full service broker offering expatriates and local Vietnamese customized solutions from highly rated insurers for life, health, travel, as well as speciality cover for student travel, medevac, international marine, extreme athletics and adventure. For details contact: james@noahjamesinsurance.com

INTERNATIONAL CLINIC

79 Dien Bien Phu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3910 4545

victoriavn.com

Well-regarded clinic offering general examinations and specialising in pediatrics, digestive diseases, cardiology, women’s health and internal medicine. Offers a membership programme and cooperates with most insurance companies in Vietnam and abroad.

TENZING PACIFIC SERVICES 181 Dien Bien Phu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 5367

ten-pac.com

A full-service insurance broker offering a wide range of insurance solutions from the best local and international providers. Recommendations are based exclusively on client needs.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS ABC INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (ABCIS) Saigon South Campus 1 (Primary & Secondary), Tel: (08) 5431 1833/34/35/36; Saigon South Campus 2 (Foundation Stage & Early Primary), Tel: (08) 5431 1833/34/35/36

theabcis.com

Rated as ‘outstanding’ by British Government Inspectors, academic results puts ABCIS among the top 8% of schools worldwide. ABCIS is accredited by CIE, AQA, the Education Development Trust and members of COBIS and FOBISIA. Provides education for two to 18 year olds in a supportive and friendly environment.

AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (AIS) Xi Campus, 190 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519 2727; Thao Dien Campus, APSC Compound, 36 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 6960; Thu Thiem Campus, 264 Mai Chi Tho (East-West Highway), An Phu, Q2, Tel: (08) 3742 4040

aisvietnam.com

The Australian International School is an IB World School with three world-class campuses in District 2, offering an international education from kindergarten to senior school with the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), Cambridge Secondary Programme (including IGCSE) and IB Diploma Programme (DP).

ETONHOUSE INTERNATIONAL PRE-SCHOOL @ AN PHU 1st and 2nd floor, Somerset Vista, 628C Hanoi Highway, An Phu, Q2, Tel: (08) 6287 0804 etonhouse.vn/schools/hcmc Following an international curriculum for children aged 18 months to six years, in the early years, an Inquire-ThinkLearn approach is followed, inspired by the Reggio Emilia Project of Northern Italy. It is a play-based, inquiry model in which children co-construct their learning in close, respectful collaboration with their teachers. This helps us provide an environment where children take responsibility for their own learning, allowing them a head start in life.

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (BIS) 246 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 2335

bisvietnam.com

Inspected and approved by the British Government, BIS provides a British style curriculum for an international student body from pre-school

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KIDS CLASSES & SPORTS DANCENTER 53 Nguyen Dang Giai, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519 4490

dancentervn.com

Children and teenagers can enjoy jazz, ballet, hip-hop, funk, belly dancing, salsa and in multi-level classes at this modern dance studio.

HELENE KLING OIL PAINTING 189/C1 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, Tel: 0903 955780

helenekling.com

INSPIRATO MUSIC CENTER 37 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, Tel: 0932 737700

Inspirato.edu.vn

MINH NGUYEN PIANO BOUTIQUE 94A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 7691

Minhnguyenpiano.com

PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY OF SAIGON 19A Ngo Quang Huy, Q2, Tel: (08) 6281 9679

paa.com.vn

Has a range of music-based programmes teaching kids in anything from guitar and drums to piano, clarinet and saxophone. Also provides musical assessment and a mixture of private and group classes.

PIANO CLASSES Tel: 01225 636682

morrissokoloff@hotmail.com SAIGON MOVEMENT Tel: 0987 027 722

saigonmovement@gmail.com SAIGON SEAL TEAM 55 Nguyen Dang Giai, An Phu, Q2, Tel: 0905 098 279 SAIGON PONY CLUB 38, Lane 42, Le Van Thinh, Q2, Tel: 0913 733360

Saigonponyclub.com

SAIGON SPORTS ACADEMY 28 Tran Nao, Q2, Tel: (08) 7303 1100

saigonsportsacademy.com

International coaches provide training in soccer, basketball, tennis and swimming for children aged four to 16 years and private lessons for children and adults. Youth soccer league Sundays from 2pm to 6pm in District 7.

TAE KWON DO BP Compound, 720K Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: 0903 918 149 VINSPACE 6 Le Van Mien, Q2, Tel: 0907 729 846

vin-space.com

to Year 13. The school is staffed by British qualified and trained teachers with recent UK experience. Fully accredited by the Council of International Schools and a member of FOBISIA, BIS is the largest international school in Vietnam.

EUROPEAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HO CHI MINH CITY (EIS) 730 F-G-K Le Van Mien, Q2, Vietnam, Tel: (08) 7300 7257

eishcmc.com

The European International School offers a supportive and challenging academic education from Early Years to Grade 12 based on the IB curriculum. EIS is a Nobel Talent School and is part of the Nobel Education Network.

The school educates global citizens to enjoy learning, inquiring and caring for others.

Energized Engaged Empowered

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HO CHI MINH CITY (ISHCMC) 28 Vo Truong Toan, Q2, Tel: (08) 3898 9100

ishcmc.com

A fully accredited IB World School, authorised to teach all three programmes of the International Baccalaureate curriculum to students aged 2 to 18 years, ISHCMC is fully accredited by both the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), two of the most prestigious international accreditation organisations. Has over 1,000 students from over 50 different nationalities.

CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 7 Road 23, Phu My Hung, Q7, Tel: (08) 5412 3456

cis.edu.vn

The first Canadian international school in Vietnam serves local and foreign students from Kindergarten to grade 12. Talented, certified teachers implement the internationally recognised Ontario curriculum to create a student-centred learning environment promoting academic excellence. Has a newly built campus.

KIDS CLUB SAIGON 79/7 Pham Thai Buong, Q7; 27/3 Ha Huy Tap, Q7, Tel: (08) 5412 5944

kidsclubsaigon.com

Early childhood centres in Phu My Hung offering crea-

tive play-based programmes for children ages two to five.

Known for unique facilities, experienced staff, highquality learning resources, and small class sizes.

SAIGON SOUTH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (SSIS) 78 Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7, Tel: (08) 5413 0901

ssis.edu.vn

Offers an American-style education (SAT, IB and AP) from elementary to high-school, emphasizing a multi–cultural student environment and a commitment to well–rounded education at all levels.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SAIGON PEARL (ISSP) 92 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: (08) 2222 7788

issp.edu.vn

Set in a purpose-built campus, International School Saigon Pearl (ISSP) is an elementary school catering for ages 18 months to 11 years. With 90 percent of their teachers having master’s degrees, they are able to promise a vigorous American curriculum while including specialist subjects such as music, art, sport and languages.

MONTESSORI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 42/1 Ngo Quang Huy, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 2639

montessori.edu.vn

Aiming to encourage children’s engagement with their surroundings, MIS offers children from age three to 12 a classic Montessori education as well as a variety of extra–curricular activities.

RENAISSANCE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SAIGON 74 Nguyen Thi Thap, Q7, Tel: (08)3773 33171 ext 120/121/122

renaissance.edu.vn

Renaissance is an International British school providing an inclusive curriculum based upon the British curriculum complemented by the International Primary Curriculum and International Baccalaureate. It is a family school with first-class facilities including a 350-seat theatre, swimming pool, mini-pool, play-areas, gymnasium, IT labs, music and drama rooms, science labs and an all-weather pitch.

SAIGON KIDS EDUCATIONAL CHILDCARE CENTRE 15 Street 12, Q2, Tel: (08) 3740 8081

saigonkidskindergarten.com

SKECC has evolved over 10 years to create a creative, playful learning environment for children ages two to six. Limited class sizes and highly engaged teachers ensure personal attention for all students.

SAIGON STAR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL Residential Area No. 5, Thanh My Loi, Q2, Tel: (08) 3742 7827

saigonstarschool.edu.vn

Supported by the Cambridge International Primary Programme, SSIS integrates Montessori methods into nursery and kindergarten programmes to create a stimulating learning environment. Small class sizes allow experienced teachers to cater to individual needs.

SMARTKIDS 1172 Thao Dien Compound, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 6076; 26, Street Nr. 10, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3898 9816; 15 Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519 4236

smartkidsinfo.com

This international childcare centre provides children ages 18 months to six years with a high quality education in a playful and friendly environment.

THE AMERICAN SCHOOL 172-180 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, Tel: 0903 952223

tas.edu.vn

Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), TAS represents 20 nationalities and provides an American-based curriculum with rigorous performance standards and a variety of academic offerings. Runs advanced placement courses and university credit courses through their partnership with Missouri State University, as well as an Intensive ESL Program for English Language Learners.

M M M PROPERTY RENTALS CHUM’S HOUSE 121/21 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08) 3920 7237 EASY SAIGON Tel: 0932 112694

easysaigon.com

The Easy Saigon website is a useful real estate website helping expats to find apartments in Ho Chi Minh City.

Enquiries via their website are welcome.

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HCMC Essentials

HAPPY HOUSE 32-34 Ngo Duc Ke, Suite 701, Q1, Tel: 01659 419916 NAM HOUSE 48A Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: 0989 007700

namhouse.com.vn

Expert in providing rental properties, constructions and interior decoration, especially in District 2. Supports professional services and aftersales.

RESIDENT VIETNAM Unit 601 48 Hoa Su, Phu Nhuan, Tel: (08) 2226 8855

residentvietnam.com

SNAP 32 Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519 4282

snap.com.vn

Owners of Snap Café in District 2, Snap offers a web– based real estate search service with information on rental properties all around the city, as well as an advisory service for those averse to wading into the internet depths for their needs.

THE NEST 216/4 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, Tel: 0938 580800

thenesthousing.com

Well–known property search and real estate agency with a useful website listing properties available for rent and sale, orientated towards expats. Website is in English, French and Spanish.

M M M MOTORBIKES CHI’S CAFÉ RENTALS

185/30 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1, Tel: 0903 643446

chiscafe.com

Probably the best-known motorbike rental joint in town with over 200 bikes and a range of models and makes. Rents by the day or by the month. Call or check the website for details. Also does visa extensions.

SAIGON BIKE RENTALS Tel: 0972 451273

nga.natalie@gmail.com saigonbikerentals.com

Rents out a range of models including Honda Waves, Yamaha Nouvos, Classicos, Luvias, SYM Attilas and Excels. Call for details and prices.

SAIGON SCOOTER CENTRE RENTALS / CLASSIC SCOOTERS

77a Hanoi Highway, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: 0903 013690

saigonscootercentre.com

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Just relocated to its new home in District 2, Saigon Scooter Centre is more than just the place to go for all your classic scooter needs.

Also does accessories, quality imported helmets and bike rentals.

M M M RECRUITMENT & HR ADECCO VIETNAM 11th floor, Empire Tower, 26 - 28 Ham Nghi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3915 3430

adecco.com.vn

Adecco is the world leader in human resources solutions.

Established in Vietnam in 2011, Adecco offers a wide array of global workforce solutions and specialises in finance & legal, sales, marketing & events, IT, engineering & technical, and office.

HR2B/TALENT RECRUITMENT JSC 1st Floor, Thien Son Building, 5 Nguyen Gia Thieu, Q3, Tel: (08) 6288 3888

hr2b.com

G.A. CONSULTANTS VIETNAM CO., LTD. Ho Chi Minh Office: Room 2B-2C, 2nd Floor, 180 Pasteur, District 1, HCMC.

vieclambank.com

VIETNAMWORKS.COM 130 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1, Tel: (08) 5404 1373

vietnamworks.com

The best-known recruitment website in Vietnam. Post you’re the position you’re looking for and wait for the responses. You’ll get many.

Also a good site for expat jobseekers.

M M M RELOCATION AGENTS

AGS FOUR WINDS (VIETNAM)

in over 45 countries, Allied Pickfords is one of the worldwide leaders in removal services. In Vietnam, Allied also provides tailored relocation services.

ASIAN TIGERS MOBILITY Unit 9.3, Floor 9, Ree Tower, 9 Doan Van Bo, Ward 12, District 4, HCMC, Tel: (08) 3 826 7799

asiantigers-mobility.com

Asian Tigers is one of the largest regional move management specialists, with services including door-to-door moving, housing and school searches, local and office moves and pet relocations.

JVK INTERNATIONAL MOVERS 1st Floor, Saigon Port Building, 3 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4, Tel: (08) 3826 7655

jvkasia.com

Focused primarily on the international and local movement of household goods, JVK is a leader in the field.

LOGICAL MOVES — VIETNAM 396/4 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4, Tel: (08) 3941 5322

logicalmoves.net

Specialists in international, local, domestic and office moves for household goods and personal effects through our global partner network.

Experts in exporting used scooters that do not have documentation.

SANTA FE RELOCATION SERVICES 8FL, Thien Son Building, 5 Nguyen Gia Thieu, Q3, Tel: (08) 3933 0065

santaferelo.com

With over 150 offices around the world, Santa Fe offers local and international moving, pet transportation, relocation services including home search, orientation, cultural training, immigration services and records management.

Email Vietnam@santaferelo. com for info.

M M M

5th Floor, Lafayette De Saigon, 8A Phung Khac Khoan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3521 0071

SERVICED APARTMENTS

A global leader in international removals and relocations, with 130 offices globally, we can move your property to and from any location.

DIAMOND ISLAND LUXURY RESIDENCES No 01 – Street No.104-BTT, Quarter 3, Binh Trung Tay, Q2, Tel: (08) 3742 5678

agsfourwinds.com

ALLIED PICKFORDS 12th floor, Miss Ao Dai Building, 21 Nguyen Trung Ngan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3910 1220

alliedpickfords.com

With more than 800 offices

the-ascott.com

Diamond Island Luxury Residences offers 68 fullyfurnished apartments, from two to four-bedroom units with spectacular panoramic views of the city. Each apartment comes with a fullyequipped kitchen, en-suite bathrooms, separate work

and living areas, a balcony, modern amenities, elegant furnishings and carefully chosen trimmings.

INTERCONTINENTAL ASIANA SAIGON RESIDENCES Crn. of Nguyen Du & Le Van Huu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3520 8888

intercontinental.com/saigonres

Adjacent to the InterContinental Asiana Saigon you’ll find 260 luxurious and spacious residential suites. The residences offer panoramic views of the downtown area.

NORFOLK MANSION 17–19-21 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 6111

norfolkmansion.com.vn

Offers a wide choice of luxurious and modern furnished accommodation with attentive and discreet service.

Facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, a gym, sauna and steam room, as well as two on-site restaurants.

RIVERSIDE APARTMENTS 53 Vo Truong Toan, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 4111

Riverside-apartments.com

Over four Saigon Riverbank hectares, Riverside Apartments combines a resort lifestyle with the amenities of a fully serviced-apartment.

Located minutes from downtown by high-speed boat shuttle.

SHERWOOD RESIDENCE 127 Pasteur, Q3, Tel: (08) 3823 2288

sherwoodresidence.com

Sherwood Residence is a luxurious serviced apartment property where modern living spaces meet prime location, comfort and class, with five–star facilities and service.

SOMERSET SERVICED RESIDENCES 8A Nguyen Binh Khiem, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8899; 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 9197; 628C Hanoi Highway, An Phu, Q2, Tel: (08) 6255 9922

somerset.com

Somerset Chancellor Court, Somerset Ho Chi Minh City and Somerset Vista Ho Chi Minh City serviced residences combine the space and privacy of an apartment with the services of a top-rated hotel.

They come with separate living and dining areas, as well as a fully equipped kitchen where guests can prepare a meal for themselves, their family and friends.

TATTOO ARTISTS With tattoos becoming increasingly popular, over the past few years there has been an increase in the number of tattoo studios around the city.

Customers have the choice of picking their own tattoo out of the many look books on offer in the studios or bringing in their own design. Most of the studios offer bodypiercing services as well. Pricing depends on size and style.

EXILE INK 608

57 Xuan Thuy, Q2, Tel: (08) 6675 6956

exileinkvietnam.com SAIGON BODY ART

135 Cong Quynh, Q1 Tel: 0908 443311

saigonbodyart.com SAIGON INK

26 Tran Hung Dao, Q1 Tel: (08) 3836 1090

tattoovietnam.com

SAIGON TATTOO 31B Nguyen Du, Q1

saigontattoo.net

SAIGON TATTOO Group 81 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 0908 573339

xamnghethuat.vn TATTOO SAIGON

128 Nguyen Cu Trinh, Q1 Tel: 0938 303838

tattoosaigon.com

TATTOO TAM BI 209 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 0919 034383

xamphunnghethuat. com

M M M SPORTS & FITNESS CHIARA SQUINZI Tel: 01278 163620

laholista.com

CINEMAS Showcasing the latest Hollywood blockbusters and 3D cinematic sensations, chains such as CGV, Lotte and Galaxy Cinema offer the most up-to-date and modern cinema-going experiences in Saigon.

For those partial to more esoteric and independent flicks, smaller outlets such as Cinebox and Idecaf carry little known Vietnamese and European efforts.

CINEBOX

240 Ba Thang Hai, Q10 Tel: (08) 3862 2425

cinebox.vn

LOTTE CINEMA

13th Floor, Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: (08) 38227897 3rd Floor, Lotte Mart, 469 Nguyen Huu Tho, Q7 Tel: (08) 3775 2521

lottecinemavn.com

GALAXY CINEMA

230 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: (08) 3920 6688 116 Nguyen Du, Q1 Tel: (08) 3823 5235 246 Nguyen Hong Dao, Tan Binh Tel: (08) 3849 4567

galaxycine.vn IDECAF

31 Thai Van Lung, Q1 Tel: (08) 3829 5451

idecaf.gov.vn

CGV CINEMAS

Level 5, Crescent Mall, Nguyen Van Linh, Phu My Hung, Q7, Tel: (08) 5412 2222; Level 10, CT Plaza, 60A Truong Son, Tan Binh, Tel: (08) 6297 1981; Level 2, Thao Dien Mall, 12 Quoc Huong, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519 3000; Level 5, SC VivoCity, 1058 Nguyen Van Linh, Q7, Tel: (08) 3775 0555; Level 7, Hung Vuong Plaza, 126 Hung Vuong, Q5, Tel: (08) 2222 0388

cgv.vn

Experienced health coach and corporate & school wellness coach. Can help clients achieve health and weight goals through an innovative holistic approach of food, body and mind. Email chiara@laholista.com for info.

A small but well-appointed gym with regular fitness classes, a steam room and sauna. Has a small but consistent membership.

STAR FITNESS GYM HEALTH CLUB & GYM

Manor Apartments, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh, Tel: (08) 3514 0253 Steve Chipman, who had a hand in establishing gyms at the Sofitel hotels in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, is behind Star Fitness — one of Vietnam’s largest and bestequipped gyms.

THE LANDMARK CLUB GYM, POOL, SQUASH

CYRIL AND YOU SPORTS CENTRE BOXING / FITNESS 49A Xa Lo Ha Noi, Q2, Tel: 0947 771326

cyril-and-you.com

This sports centre in An Phu, started by fitness guru Cyril, features the same personalised mentorship Cyril's clients love. Includes yoga, boxing and fitness for kids and adults every day.

No membership fees. Pay for classes. Tuesday to Friday every week at 5pm. All activities are safe and run

by Cyril himself.

The Landmark, 5B Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 2098 ext. 176

thelandmarkvietnam.com

In addition to the squash court, facilities include a fully–equipped gym room, a rooftop swimming pool and separate male and female saunas.

VERTICAL ACADEMY CLIMBING GYM

Truc Duong, Q2, Tel: 0966 920612

facebook.com/vertical.academy.vn A bouldering gym and pro climbing wall replete with

a showroom and café offers something that this area has never experienced before, a place to climb. Has a number of climbing sections, runs training courses and also sells daily climbing passes for VND150,000 (for a 10-visit pass pay VND1 million).

M M M VETERINARY CLINICS ANIMAL DOCTORS INTERNATIONAL 1 Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao Dien, Q2. (08) 6260 3980

VLS SAIGON 45 Dinh Tien Hoang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3910 0168

vlstudies.com

Offers courses ranging from basic conversational Vietnamese to upper elementary, intermediate and advanced levels, as well as special courses including Vietnamese literature, composition or a 6-hour survival crash course.

SPORTS GARMENTS

animaldoctors.vn

Offers the very highest levels of compassionate, competent and professional veterinary medicine and surgery to all pets in Ho Chi Minh City with international veterinary surgeons. Upholding international standards, the team works tirelessly to help clients with the support of a dedicated surgical suite, digital X-Ray and comprehensive diagnostic facilities.

VIETNAMESE CLASSES VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE GARDEN 135/10 Nguyen Cuu Van, Binh Thanh, Tel: 0916 670 771

SCORE-TECH 1870/3G An Phu Dong 3, Q12, Tel: (08) 3719 9588

score-tech.net

Apparel company offering personalised sport garments for companies, schools and professional sports clubs using the latest printing technology with a design team from Barcelona. Score-Tech controls the whole production process from fabric production and printing to sewing. Big and small orders for all sporting and commercial needs.

vietnameselanguagegarden. com

NUTRIFORT (NTFQ2) GENERAL FITNESS

34 Nguyen Dang Giai, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 6672

nutrifort.com

A well-appointed gym also offering fitness classes and personal training with excellent facilities. Group classes include power yoga, pilates, circuit training, martial arts and spinning. Also has a restaurant serving calorie– calibrated meals.

SAIGON HASH HOUSE HARRIERS

saigonhash.com

Sunday 2pm sharp, Caravelle hotel. Bus out to the county with a walk, usually 4km and a run around 8km.

VND150,000 for locals and VND220,000 for expats. Bus, water, snacks and freeflow beer after the run.

SHERATON FITNESS HEALTH CLUB & GYM

Level 5, Sheraton Saigon Hotel and Towers, 88 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2828

sheratonsaigon.com SOFITEL PLAZA FITNESS CENTRE HEALTH CLUB & GYM

17 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 1555

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THE GYM DIARIES Despite making some noticeable gains in his path to fitness, over the past month staff writer Owen Salisbury has found himself struggling to fulfill his goal of having ‘muscles like beach balls’

I

t’s been a month of frustration. After my optimism of last month, my pride over having measurable gains, I’m feeling stuck. My major goal this month was nutrition, yet for a multitude of reasons, I’m just now getting to it.

It’s not Daniele’s fault. It’s not even entirely my fault. Scheduling conflicts play havoc with our training schedule, and though I’m able to make up a couple days on my own, it’s not the same.

Regardless, if your trainer is unavailable, get to the gym anyway. Your workout may not be as good, but simply maintaining the habit is important — as is getting used to

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running one’s own fitness programme. That should be an eventual goal for everyone; taking your fitness into your own hands has a number of direct and indirect benefits.

Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back Most frustratingly, I got sick again. After a couple months of good health, the worsttimed stomach flu of my life floored me for just under two days. As I write this, I feel a chest infection crowding in. Just as I stopped living on soup, I start coughing it up.

My weight is creeping back up, too.

Dan assures me this is normal — so if your

weight fluctuates, don’t freak out and go into a panic diet... or worse, start stress eating.

Keep going with your plan. Some of that weight will be muscle you’ve put on. If your start gaining fat back long-term, then by all means reassess matters.

But I’ve run into an inescapable truth; one can only advance so far without getting your diet on lockdown. Eating well can also save you money in the long run, but making that jump is tricky for most people.

It requires time and advanced planning, both of which are in short supply for me. It also takes discipline, the discipline to make deep, lasting changes.

BY OWEN SALISBURY

PHOTOS BY KYLE PHANROY

Making Dietary Habits Permanent These changes are difficult, but if you want to be fit you must reform your diet.

The sooner you start, the longer you can take, and the more certain it is that these new dietary habits become permanent.

We all know what a good, healthy diet is, right? Lean protein, like chicken breast and fish. Lots of vegetables, particularly ones dark in colour. Complex carbohydrates like brown rice or sweet potatoes that have a low glycaemic index.

Slow, steady intakes of calories are best — no gut-busting meals. Eat a large breakfast and lunch, a modest dinner, and

try for minimal-calorie snacks like celery and cucumber at night. Night eating is a major culprit in weight gain.

One Part of the Larger Plan This doesn’t mean you have to give up everything you like, and thank God. I can still eat cheese. I can still tuck into a rare steak, or enjoy a glass of fine brandy after work. The key is moderation. Scale back.

Be mindful of what you put into your body. And remember, slow changes stick.

Fast ones blow up in your face — or your waistline.

Really, though, nutrition is only one

part. A major one, to be sure, even a crucial one. But a healthy lifestyle is just that; a commitment to a certain way of living, denying oneself short-term pleasures for long-term gains. Remind yourself of this, just as I do... and even when you doubt — just as I do — remember what your goals are. Focus on them. Make them real and they’ll happen.

It just might take longer than you planned. With two months to go in this experiment, I need to get my ass in gear.

I’ve spent too much, sweated too much, stressed too much for this to go nowhere.

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 175

HCMC On The Town

BARS & CLUBS 2 LAM SON (MARTINI BAR) TOP-END INTERNATIONAL

Park Hyatt, 2 Lam Son, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 1234

saigon.park.hyatt.com

International décor blends seamlessly with local themes. Style joins forces with a wide-ranging drink menu and hip dance tunes to create one of the most tasteful if pricier bars in Saigon.

ACOUSTIC BAR LIVE MUSIC

6E Ngo Thoi Nhiem, Q3, Tel: (08) 3930 2239 Though only 1km from the city centre, Acoustic is well off most foreigners’ radars.

Come see the Vietnamese house band play nightly, as well as performances from overseas bands and guest artists.

APOCALYPSE NOW DANCE / NIGHTCLUB

2B-C-D Thi Sach, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 6124

apocalypsesaigon.com

An institution and the kind of place you end up drunk after midnight. Famed for its notso-salubrious clientele, this two-floor establishment with DJs and occasional live music is also famed for its hotdogs, which are served up in the garden terrace out back.

BIA CRAFT CRAFT BEER BAR

90 Xuan Thuy, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 2588

biacraft.com

As craft beer continues to take over watering holes around Ho Chi Minh City, so a bar dedicated to all things ‘craft’ and ‘real ale’ seems like a pretty sensible idea, right? Well, it is. Only small, but with wooden tables perfect for sharing, both on tap and by the bottle, Bia Craft sells up a delectable range of the good stuff. Looking for Tiger? Go take a hike. Also has a decent food menu.

BLANCHY’S TASH RESTOBAR / NIGHTCLUB

95 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: 0909 028293 blanchystash.com A multi-storey bar with décor and atmosphere more akin to such an establishment in New York or London. Has a reputation for bringing in big-name DJs. And when we say big, we mean big. Check their website for details.

BREAD & BUTTER INTERNATIONAL / COMFORT FOOD

40/24 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08) 3836 8452

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With a free book exchange, and tasty Sunday night roasts, the tiny Bread & Butter is a perfect place for homesick expats and beer enthusiasts (excellent HueBrewed Huda beer served here exclusively in Ho Chi Minh City).

BROMA, NOT A BAR COCKTAILS / ROOFTOP

41 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 6838 Broma’s medieval rooftopcocktail lounge conglomeration is a magnet for the city’s weirdest and coolest events/ random moments. A sophisticated cocktail menu and quite possibly the best lamb burger in town. Check out their bun bo Hue-inspired cocktail.

EON HELI BAR

LAST CALL

LOUNGE BAR

AFTERHOURS LOUNGE

Level 52, Bitexco Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291 8750

59 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 3122

Breathtaking views require a vantage point and EON Heli Bar is by far the highest spot in Saigon for a spectacular cityscape, appealing drinks and a vibrant ambience.

Night live music and DJs.

If you’re in need of dense, soulful atmosphere and maybe an artisanal cocktail on your way back from wherever, Last Call is your stop — and fast becoming that of the similarly inclined. Great happy hour deals for early evening starters.

eon51.com

SPORTS BAR

115 Ho Tung Mau, Q1 Tel: (08) 6251 9898

gameonsaigon.com

A fresh feel thanks to the large space and light-wood tables makes this Australian-influenced watering hole a popular bar for televised sports, pub food, darts, pool and more.

7 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3345 6345

Buddhabarsaigon.com

Just across the lane from Mc’Sorley’s, this pub with an eccentric European tilt and some nice, authentic cuisine draws an older crowd with darts, pool and weekly poker tourneys.

CHAMPION SPORTS BAR SPORTS BAR

45-47 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08) 3920 4202 A recent addition to the sports-and-watering-hole drinking scene, Champion is located in the Backpackers’ area and shows all the major televised sports. Also has a pool table, darts, tasty Western and Vietnamese food, great cocktails and ice cold beer. Western managed, wonderful local staff. #BeAChampion.

HOA VIEN

LE PUB INTERNATIONAL / RESTOBAR

175/22 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1, Tel: (08) 3837 7679 Warm colors, artsy décor and a friendly ambiance combine to create a perfect setting for enjoying tasty international and Vietnamese cuisine.

Gets busy at weekends with a clientele made up of hip, young Vietnamese and the occasional foreigner.

hoavien.vn

The original microbrewery, this large, wooden-panelled, brass-kegged Czech Brewhouse is as popular as it was 15 years ago when it was first opened. Does a great food menu to accompany the home-brewed beer.

Rooftop, AB Tower, 76A Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2372

chillsaigon.com

For the spectacular views alone, Chill Skybar remains the place to go to mix topend, outdoor terrace drinking around an oval-shaped bar with cityscapes of Saigon.

One of the top watering holes in the city.

55, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 5453 What does the Thao Dien area of Saigon seriously lack?

A sports bar. And this is the Al Fresco Group’s answer to a distinct shortage hole in the market. Sleek lines, modern décor, elegant and spacious, dartboards and of course, lots of large screens to watch the televised sports. Check out their daily food specials.

CHEZ GUIDO

Tel: (08) 3898 3747

www.chezguido.com DOMINO’S PIZZA Tel: (08) 3939 3030

FRENCH / RESTOBAR

207 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08) 3837 2704 French-run but universally appealing, Long Phi has been serving the backpacker area with excellent cuisine and occasional live music since 1990. Excellent late-night bistro cuisine.

ICE BLUE

MAY RESTAURANT & BAR

EXPAT BAR

LOUNGE BAR & RESTOBAR

24 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 One of this city’s longest running watering holes — and the original home of the darts league — has recently reopened in its new premises. Naturally, darts are still key here, with each of the bottom three floors having elements devoted to this most pub-friendly of sports.

19-21 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291 3686

EAT.VN www.eat.vn

HUNGRYPANDA. VN

www.hungrypanda.vn KFC

Tel: (08) 3848 9999

www.kfcvietnam. com.vn

mayrestaurant.com.vn

An international comfortfood menu mixes with excellent cocktails and an extensive winelist at this attractive, international bar and restaurant. Dine at the bar or upstairs in the restaurant space.

LOTTERIA

Tel: (08) 3910 0000 www.lotteria.vn

PIZZA HUT (PHD) Tel: (08) 3838 8388

www.pizzahut.vn LA HABANA CUBAN / MUSIC BAR

6 Cao Ba Quat, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 5180

lahabana-saigon.com

Cuban-themed bar and restaurant selling an exciting range of Spanish and Cuban cuisine, as well as a few German favourites such as curry wurst and Wiener schnitzel.

Nightly live music and regular salsa classes.

D2 SPORTS BAR

www. vietnammm.com/ restaurants-ben-style

LONG PHI

CHILL SKYBAR TOP-END BAR & TERRACE

Tel: 0906 912730

www.dominos.vn

CZECH BREWHOUSE

28 Mac Dinh Chi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 8605

DELIVERY BEN STYLE

GAME ON

BUDDHA BAR RESTOBAR

lastcallsaigon.com

LA FENETRE SOLEIL FRENCH / JAPANESE RESTOBAR

44 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 5994 A seductive watering whole in a great corner location thanks to its old Saigon glamour, Japanese-Vietnamese fusion cuisine, imported beer, classic cocktails, and entertaining music events / DJ sets.

NUMBER FIVE EXPAT BAR

44 Pasteur, Q1 The original expat bar, this institution of a place gets packed every night thanks to its drinking hall atmosphere, attractive bar staff and German food menu. Has regular live music.

OMG! FUSION CUISINE / LOUNGE BAR

Top Floor, 15-17-19 Nguyen An Ninh, Q1 A contemporary and attractive rooftop restaurant with a lounge bar just 50m from Ben Thanh Market. Features a glass shell modeled in the image of the Eiffel Tower, a jungle-like atmosphere and views over central Saigon.

O’BRIEN’S IRISH BAR / INTERNATIONAL

74/A3 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:

SCOOZI

Tel: (08) 3823 5795 www.scoozipizza.com

TACO BICH www.tacobich.com VIETNAMMM www.vietnammm.com

(08) 3829 3198

irish-barsaigon.com

This Irish-themed sports bar with classic pub décor is widely appreciated for its excellent international fare, large whiskey selection and upstairs pool table.

Great pizzas. And for a real treat, check out their zesty rolls.

ONTOP BAR Novotel Saigon, 167 Hai Ba Trung, Q3, Tel: (08) 3822 4866 Located on the 20th floor with stunning views of the city, houses an upscale, contemporary interior and an outdoor terrace. A good venue to chill out in a relaxed and casual, yet hip ambience.

PEACHES CURRY PUB

S57-1 Sky Garden 2, Phu My Hung, Q7, Tel: (08) 5410 0999 Known as the ‘Curry Pub’, this pleasant Saigon South watering hole mixes the beer with all things curry — anything from Goan fish curries to beef rendangs and more. A popular local haunt.

SAIGON SAIGON BAR

THE ORIENT

LIVE MUSIC / ROOFTOP BAR

SPORTS / LIVE MUSIC BAR

9th Floor, Caravelle Saigon, 1923 Lam Son Square, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 4999

24 Ngo Van Nam, Q1

caravellehotel.com

This iconic bar is a great place to watch the sun go down over the city and relax for a few drinks with friends. Has live entertainment six nights a week courtesy of resident Cuban band, Q’vans, from 9pm Wednesday to Monday.

AUSTRALIAN / SPORTS

46-48 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 0796

61 Ton Thap Thiep, Q1

shrinebarsaigon.com

Shrine creates a drinking and dining experience in a temple-like atmosphere. Inspired by Bantay Srei, a temple from the ancient Angkor kingdom, the walls are covered in statues depicting ancient Khmer gods and kings.

With ambient lighting and town tempo music, here it’s all about good cocktails and an even better atmosphere.

103A Pham Ngu Lao, Q1, Tel: (08) 3914 0007

seventeensaloon.com.vn

STORM P

CARTOON BAR

DANISH / INTERNATIONAL

5B Nguyen Sieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 4738

Stormp.vn

Named after the Danish artist Storm P, this long-running bar is the home of Saigon’s Scandinavian community thanks to its laid-back atmosphere and excellent food menu. A good place to watch the live sports.

EVENTS / MAKESHIFT CAFÉ BAR

188/1 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, Tel: 0122 4283198

Saigonoutcast.com

Up-cycling and innovative design form the foundation for this bar / arts venue / mini-skate park and graffiti space. Come for barbeque and reasonably priced drinks, stick around for entertaining events and markets.

THE CUBE BAR

5/7 Nguyen Sieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 7300 0559

facebook.com/saigonranger

Aspiring to be a focal point for artistic activities, the space at Saigon Ranger has been established to create encounter and dialogue between different forms of art. Boasts concrete floors, dark wooden furniture, quirky wall designs and a stage for live music and other types of performance.

wineembassy.com.vn

A two-storey, contemporary-designed wine bar serving 30 wines by the glass, all at reasonable prices. Has an excellent food menu to complement the old and new world wines.

THE SOCIETY GRILL AND LOUNGE BAR 99 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08) 3914 3999

facebook.com/TheSocietyHCM

Designed as a Laneway-style restobar, the kind of place found in Hong Kong, London, New York or Central Melbourne, thanks to its indoor and outdoor ambience, The Society brings dining and drinking to a new level. Phenomenal cocktails, steaks, grilled fare and seafood make this a place to go for drinks, a full-blown meal or a mixture of both.

THE TAVERN EXPAT & SPORTS BAR

R2-24 Hung Gia 3, Bui Bang Doan, Q7, Tel: (08) 5410 3900 The first bar established in Saigon South, great food, great music and loads of laughs. Has regular live music nights, theme nights and a variety of live sports events to please everybody. Big screens and outdoor seating add to the mix, with BBQs available for parties and events.

xusaigon.com

This iconic upmarket downtown bar is known for its cocktails and wine list. It serves a range of international and Vietnamese dishes to be enjoyed in its richly decorated interior.

Regular DJ nights.

M M M CAFES & ICE-CREAM (A) CAFE 15 Huynh Khuong Ninh, Da Kao, Q1, Tel: 0903 199701 Settle into the Javanese-style interior and enjoy possibly one of the best brews in Saigon.

Using own grown and specially sourced Dalat beans, speciality coffee such as cold drip, siphon, and Chemex are must haves for the avid coffee drinker.

AGNES CAFE DALAT COFFEE HOUSE

11A-B Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 6281 9772 A cozy and comfortable cafe in Thao Dien

VESPER GOURMET LOUNGE INTERNATIONAL

Landmark Building, 5B Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 9698

facebook.com/vespersaigon

A sophisticated yet down-to-earth cocktail bar and restaurant with subtle lighting and one of the best spirit selections in town. Serves creative, Japanese and Germaninfluenced cuisine to supplement the drinks.

HIP RESTOBAR

31B Ly Tu Trong, Q1 Tel: 0903 369798

facebook.com/thecubesaigon

A sleek, industrial looking restobar with edgy décor and just a hint of Spanish style. Tapas, sangria, Iberian-influenced cocktails and an emphasis on all things Latin.

SAIGON RANGER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

13 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 7827

71-75 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 8468

THEMED MUSIC BAR

RUBY SOHO

SAIGON OUTCAST

CONTEMPORARY WINE BAR

CAFÉ / LOUNGE BAR

LOUNGE BAR

From its roots as the famed Café Latin, Phatty’s has become the goto, Aussie beer-guzzling / sports viewing emporium, showing everything from international cricket to Aussie rules and serving an array of pub grub favourites.

S52-1 Sky Garden 2, Q7, Tel: (08) 5410 3900 A Phu My Hung mainstay thanks to its cartoon décor and light but fun ambience. Has a reasonable food menu to complement the drinks.

WINE EMBASSY

XU

Wild West-themed bar doubles as a music venue, where three talented Filipino bands (B&U, Wild West and Most Wanted) play covers of rock icons like Bon Jovi, U2 and Guns n’ Roses. Top shelf spirits and friendly, hostess style table service are the name game here.

phattysbar.com

An attractive, spacious, brick-wall interior, a long bar, high table seating, big screens, a pool table and live music. A great venue for a few beers and more.

SHRINE BAR

SEVENTEEN SALOON PHATTY’S

facebook.com/theorientbarsaigon

the wines, with a huge selection of the good stuff sold by the glass.

THE OBSERVATORY BAR, ART & DJ SPACE

5 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4, (Opposite Elisa Boat) Known for its late night parties and focus on international artists, Observatory is now at a bigger space in District 4. Complete with a new balcony overlooking the Saigon River and an even larger sound system, The Observatory is a key node in the Asian underground music circuit.

VINYL BAR MUSIC & SPORTS BAR

70 Pasteur, Q1 Tel: 0907 890623

vinylbarsaigon.com

A small but popular bar with all the shenanigans of the nightlife scene set to a backdrop of classic 60s, 70s and 80s tunes. Has a darts area out back and is a popular space for watching the live English Premier League.

WINE BAR 38 CONTEMPORARY WINE BAR

38 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 3968 With a huge selection of self-imported wines from Bordeaux, this classy but contemporary venue is a wine bar downstairs, and a lounge on the first floor. Has a French-Asian menu paired to all

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COFFEE CUP 3 AMIS

F

or our monthly café hunt, the scenery chosen this time was one of the old art-deco apartment blocks in Nguyen Hue. This semipedestrianised street holds a few hidden spots that are worth checking out, and you can add 3 Amis to the list.

Venture through one of the galleries that will give you access to the heart of the building. The staircase branches out into the different businesses that the complex hosts, and on the first floor you will find 3 Amis.

This café, owned by a Frenchman and two Vietnamese, is divided into two areas; a spacious main room that is quite dark and sparsely decorated, and the terrace, which is the main attraction. Offering a privileged view of the walking street that gets very busy in the late afternoon, arriving here between 5pm and 6pm is the perfect time to catch the beautiful colours that the sunset brings before night descends. You might

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PHOTOS BY FRANCIS XAVIER

even be lucky enough to enjoy some of the popular revolutionary tunes that blare from the massive speakers spread along the boulevard.

Coffee and Crab The menu here offers an extended list of drinks and food at affordable prices. I went for the classic ca phe sua da (VND40,000), which landed on the table looking tasty and caffeine-infused, with a big shot of condensed milk which will never disappoint a sweet tooth. And to make it even sweeter, we got the cookies ‘n’ cream blend (VND40,000). This was a total burst of Oreo with a generous scoop of cream on top.

To accompany these delicious treats we decided to give a try to the crab noodles — recommended to us by the staff. It’s not the most intuitive of combinations — coffee and crab noodles — but we judged it to be a pretty good success. — Natalia Martinez 3 Amis is at 90 Nguyen Hue, Q1, HCMC

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AMAZING GRAPES HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

W

ine appreciation is a funny thing. Most people discover wine by having a sip out of their parents’ glass. Maybe they like it, maybe they don’t, but either way it is a very ‘grown-up’ thing to do.

Growing up through the teen years, most young people try alcohol but more often than not it is in the form of beer or cocktails. But once people discover the magic of wine there is usually no turning back. A whole world of flavours, smells, language and confusion awaits.

In Vietnam, as in many developing wine markets, drinking wine is still seen as a very elitist activity. Wine is expensive here, and so are the vessels from which it is drunk, so it is easy to see how drinking wine is associated with success. Many markets, like the UK, Australia and the US, have also gone through this attitude to wine. As acceptance of wine consumption becomes more commonplace, it begins to become less about an image of class and

BY JIM CAWOOD

value of the land on which it is grown, the yield of the vineyard, the type of oak used, the cost of the bottle, transport and so on. These are all factors in the cost of production and yet still you can find excellent wines that retail for VND250,000 and terrible ones for VND1 million.

I believe that wine improves in quality up to a point, and in Vietnam that point is around VND3 million. After that you are purely paying extra for age, status, rarity or collectability. This does not mean that wines over this are not worth the money — it just means that the major factor deciding the price is no longer how much it costs to make them.

The quality of a wine is usually related to its cost, but not always. There are some great value gems to be discovered from unknown regions, untrendy grape varieties or yet-to-be-discovered producers. This is part of the magic of appreciating wines.

Still, it is imperative to try great wines from great producers from around the world so

"The quality of a wine is usually related to its cost, but not always. There are some great value gems to be discovered from unknown regions, untrendy grape varieties or yet-to-be-discovered producers. This is part of the magic of appreciating wines" more about enjoyment.

Self-satisfaction is what it is really all about. If we drank alcohol purely to feel its effects, then we would all be taking doses of pure spirit. Drinking wine is about choices. Choices in flavours, choices in sweetness, strong and powerful or light and delicate, young or old.

Bargain Bouquet

Alcoholic Volume, 14.5%. Product of Australia

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Once a consumer realises this they are hooked and want to try as many different wine experiences as they can.

Experiencing the myriad of aromas and bouquets becomes addictive. Something else interesting happens. Not only do wine lovers want to try to taste as many different wines a possible they also want to try and do it as cheaply as possible. Finding a wine at a bargain price, a wine “that’s just as good but half the price” becomes paramount. There is nothing wrong with this if you are going to drink a lot of the stuff. The more you can save the better.

So what is a fair price for a bottle of wine? If only this were a simple question.

Many things affect the cost of a wine. The

that you can benchmark quality, varieties and styles.

But just when you think you have found the perfect wine, and you have learnt it all, something new comes along and you are back at the beginning again. How much is too much?

But this is not the right question. The answer depends on the individual. The question should be: “Is this wine going to make me happy?”

Torbreck Woodcutter’s Shiraz 2014 Torbreck is known for producing some of Australia’s best red wine wines. These eye watering expensive blockbusters from extremely rare lots of 100-plus-year-old vineyards are amazing and something not to be missed.

Lucky for us there are also some excellent affordable wines in their range.

Made from selected vineyards from around the Barossa Valley with an age of up to 80 years, this is a very sexy wine. Inky black, silky smooth with power, grace, finesse and precision. A joy to drink

HCMC On The Town

serving excellent fresh coffee from Dalat, smoothies, juices, homemade desserts.

Offers up tasty breakfasts, lunch and dinner all the way through until 9pm.

BANKSY CAFE 1st Floor, 14 Ton That Dam, Q1, Tel: 01699 990003

sam.nguyen197@gmail.com

A small but swanky cafe, Banksy promises a young and vibrant hideout in an old 1960s-era apartment building. Remember to head up the steep stairs within to dig into their secret stash of clothes and accessories.

CAFE THOAI VIEN 159A Nguyen Van Thu, Q1, Tel: 0918 115657

cafethoaivien.com

Veer off the street and find yourself plunging straight into lush greenery. Cafe Thoai Vien serves up a spacious and airy setting to enjoy a quiet sip. From small eats to big bites and everything to drink, it’s a great place to unwind from all that buzz.

COFFEE BEAN & TEA LEAF INTERNATIONAL

157-159 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Q1; Metropolitan Building, 235 Dong Khoi, Q1

coffeebean.com.vn

Large portioned coffee lures customers into the flagship store of this international café chain. The contemporary, yet generic atmosphere is bolstered by comfortable seating and a menu to satisfy any sweet tooth.

DECIBEL INTERNATIONAL

79/2/5 Phan Ke Binh, Q1, Tel: (08) 6271 0115

Decibel.vn

Trendy without pretense, this two-floor, relaxed café offers beautiful decor and unique original events like live music, film screenings, and art exhibits. Great prices

and food with daily specials.

GUANABANA SMOOTHIES CONTEMPORARY JUICE BAR

23 Ly Tu Trong, Q1 Tel: 0909 824830

guanabanasmoothies.com

An American-style juice bar and café dedicated to healthy, nutricious smoothies that avoid the local obsession with sugar and condensed milk. A pleasant, contemporary environment adds to the theme.

HIDEAWAY INTERNATIONAL

41/1 Pham Ngoc Thach, Q3, Tel: (08) 3822 4222

Hideawaycafe-saigon.com

Hidden in a colonial building with an outdoor courtyard, the ample soft, sofa seating renders a great spot to relax. The mouth-watering western menu is well-priced and maintains a creative flair.

I.D. CAFÉ CONTEMPORARY CAFE

34D Thu Khoa Huan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 2910

Idcafe.net

Centrally located near Ben Thanh Market, i.d offers casual café dining with a wide variety of food and beverages. Where modern design and a warm ambience meet for coffee.

L’USINE CONTEMPORARY / FRENCH

First Floor, 151 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 6674 9565; 70B Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3521 0703

lusinespace.com

French-style wooden decor compliments the spacious, whitewashed contemporary interior of L’Usine. A simple, creative menu combines with reasonably priced coffee, and a fashion store and art gallery out back. Second location on Le Loi. M2C CAFE 44B Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 2495

facebook.com/m2ccafe

At M2C (Modern Meets Culture), everything gets a touch of modernity. From the rich menu of Vietnamese food and drinks, shows immense local culture, done with a modern flare. Be seen here at one of the latest popular joint in town.

MOCKINGBIRD CAFE 4th Floor, 14 Ton That Dam, Q1, Tel: 0935 293400

THE OTHER PERSON CAFE 2nd Floor, 14 Ton That Dam, Q1, Tel: 0909 670272

facebook.com/TheOtherPersonCafe

Fancy being served up by maids in costume? Call for a booking and enjoyed customized service to your liking while spending an afternoon in this candy-land inspired cafe.

facebook.com/mockingbirdcoffee

THE PRINT ROOM

PLANTRIP CHA

158 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 4990 Second-storey coffeehouse offers a quiet atmosphere to chill out or read from their book-nook collection. Comfortable couch seating, open table space and a cappuccino costs VND40,000.

Sitting atop of a number of cafe establishments in an old apartment complex, Mockingbird is just the place for a romantic time over mojitos, or good ol’ caffeine-infused relaxation.

CONTEMPORARY CAFE

TEA ROOM

8A/10B1 Thai Van Lung, Q1 Tel: 0945 830905 Tea, tea and more tea, all in a contemporary, quirky environment. At Plantrip Cha customers go on a sensory journey to experience the tastes and smells of teas from across Asia, Europe, America and the Middle East.

THE LOOP

is a real draw, with steaks and other international grillstyle fare in a refined yet contemporary atmosphere.

Subtle lighting and an extensive wine list make up the mix.

AL FRESCO’S INTERNATIONAL

27 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 38238424

alfrescosgroup.com

The downtown outlet of one of Vietnam’s most successful restaurant chains, Al Fresco’s offers international, Australian-influenced comfort fare in a pleasant environment with efficient, friendly service to match. Also has an excellent garden-style branch at 89 Xuan Thuy, Q2.

ASHOKA NORTH INDIAN / CHINESE INDIAN

THINGS CAFE 1st Floor, 14 Ton That Dam, Q1, Tel: (08) 6678 6205

facebook.com/thingscafe

Feel the calm and serenity of this rustic little quiet corner tucked away in an Old Apartment. The quaint and relaxing atmosphere sets for some alone time, or quality conversations held over a drink or two.

17/10 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 1372; 33 Tong Huu Dinh, Q2, Tel : (08) 3744 4177

ashokaindianrestaurant. com

Long-running, award-winning Indian restaurant famed for its excellent kebabs, creamy curries and Chinese-Indian fare.

HEALTHY CAFÉ FARE / BAGELS

49 Thao Dien, Q2 Tel. (08) 3602 6385 Low-key yet nice-on-the-eye décor helps create the caféstyle atmosphere at this European-influenced café and restaurant. Sells excellent coffee and if you like bagels, here you’ll be in heaven.

THE MORNING CAFE 2nd Floor, 36 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: 0938 383330

themorningcafe.com.vn

Have a book to read? Pick a bright spot by the window and get snuggly with the comfy upholstery in this second-floor cafe. With a cup of well-brewed coffee, accompanied by some background jazz, it is an afternoon well-spent.

M M M EAT 3T QUAN NUONG VIETNAMESE BBQ

Top Floor, 29 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 1631 The original, on-the-table barbecue restaurant still goes strong thanks to its rooftop atmosphere, excellent service and even better fish, seafood and meats. An institution.

27 GRILL GRILL-STYLE RESTAURANT

Rooftop, AB Tower, 76A Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2372

chillsaigon.com

AU LAC DO BRAZIL BRAZILIAN CHURRASCO 238 Pasteur, Q3, Tel: (08) 3820 7157

aulacdobrazil.com

Au Lac Do Brazil is home to the city's best Churrasco menu with a wide variety of meats from Calabrian sausage and picanha through to D-rump steak and smoked hams. Pioneering the eat-asmuch-as-you-can theme in Vietnam, passadors bring the meat skewers to your table, and you, the customer then choose your accompaniments from the salad bar.

Best washed down with red wine or a caipirinha or five.

Besides the spectacular views, the cuisine at 27 Grill

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TOP EATS PADMA DE FLEUR

PHOTOS BY FRANCIS XAVIER

P

adma de Fleur is already known in town, and behind this name is the owner Quynh Anh, who has put her heart and soul into this flower shop. Her ambition has led her to move into a new sphere. Now she’s serving lunch — with style, of course.

What seems from the outside to be a simple flower shop reveals, once you open its doors, a refined space hidden inside.

Every corner is worth paying attention to.

The combination of beauty on the walls, on the shelves and on the tables might be seen as screens of sophistication. I was especially impressed by the size and elegance of the lotus blossom painting hanging on the wall above a mirror of the same size.

At the same time Omara Portuondo was playing through the speakers, making the space seem even more sophisticated.

The place is small, with a capacity of 25 people, so bookings are something to bear

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in mind before heading to this flowery palace.

Flowers on the Table It was lunchtime and the few tables were already occupied and ready for food to be served.

“We serve different food every day,” says Quynh Anh. “Everything is homemade and there is no menu.”

She recalls her years in Paris when she had to go out for lunch every day and make a decision about what would she eat. This is perhaps what leads her to be so contemporary and innovative.

“I want to give my customers the option to try new things every day and make their decisions easier for them.” She also makes things easier for vegetarians; if you are interested, let them know in advance and they will prepare a vegetarian option.

The set lunch (VND90,000) consists of three courses; a savoury dish, vegetables

and rice, and a light soup to have in between dishes and (traditionally) works to help clean the food from your bowl. Dessert and a drink — usually tea — are included.

Quynh joined our lunch to tell us about her concept, and while listening to some of her stories, we ate steamed broccoli and cauliflower al dente served with a southern fish sauce on the side — one of the chef’s secret family recipes — which more than lived up to its billing. The slow cooked chicken had a mild flavour that combined perfectly with the rice and the heavenly vegetables. And as mentioned, scoops of the soup were poured into the bowls as the final course.

So if you are tired of making decisions when it comes to lunch, let Padma de Fleur make the decision for you. — Natalia Martinez Padma de Fleur is at 55/6 Le Thi Hong Gam, Q1, HCMC and serves set lunches from Monday to Friday, 11.30am to 2.30pm

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TOP EATS VIII RE

U

nless you were craving Korean food, there haven’t been many reasons to dine down in District 7.

However, in the last few months, a high-quality Italian restaurant has slowly made local converts and is poised to gain wider attention.

VIII Re (“Ottavo Re”) is Chef Roberto Mancini’s labour of love after a career spent cooking for five-star hotels across Asia.

Opened in September 2015, VIII Re serves classically authentic Italian food made almost entirely from ingredients imported from Italy.

If You Can Eat It, You Can Cook It Housed in a spacious open-fronted building that resembles a Classical temple, the restaurant follows an unusual principle in its operation; if you can order it, you can buy the ingredients to make it. In a miniature butcher’s case next to the grill, home chefs can purchase prime beef at quite reasonable prices, as well as cheese, cold cuts and highquality pasta.

The restaurant boasts a wine list that covers Italy from the boot heel to the Alps.

Housed in a glass-walled walk-in, customers are welcome to browse the whites, reds, rosés and bubblies — and to buy a bottle to take home.

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PHOTOS BY KYLE PHANROY

A small bar carries the essentials, but you won’t find elaborate cocktails; VIII Re is all about the vino and the vittles.

Just Like Nonna Made It And what vittles they are. Start with some antipasto, like the antipasto all’Italiana (VND298,000), a board loaded with cold cuts, cheese, olives and marinated vegetables.

While you won’t find minestrone on the menu, try the zuppa di crema di funghi (VND98,000), a cream of mushroom soup made with truffles.

Moving on to the primi piatti, VIII Re serves all the mainstay pastas; bolognese (VND179,000), carbonara (VND179,000) and puttanesca (VND178,000) and more, as well as a half-dozen seafood-based pastas.

For something traditional but less wellknown, try the pappardelle alla vaccinara (VND188,000), a speciality from Chef Roberto’s hometown. This is an aromatic slow-cooked oxtail ragout with paper-thin celery slices over home-made egg noodles.

The pizza menu is extensive. Some highlights are the porchetta (VND178,000), made with sheer slices of roasted pork, the diavola (VND159,000), topped with spicy sausage, and the funghi e salciccia (VND148,000) whose toppings include

mushrooms and home-made pork sausage.

The real winner is the prosciutto e buffala (VND238,000). Though a touch more expensive, the buffalo mozzarella, shaved Parmesan cheese and imported Parma ham more than justify the cost.

Una Grigliata Mista If you’re in the mood for something else, the secondi menu is impressive, with a wide selection of grilled meat and seafood.

A personal favorite is the pollo ruspante (VND188,000), a nicely marinated and grilled half-chicken. Real carnivores can also choose from four cuts of USDA Prime, Angus or Mulwarra beef, in portions from 100 grams and up.

If you still have room, desserts include the crema catalana (VND99,000) or the tiramisu tradizionale (VND125,000), some of the best, most authentic I’ve had in Ho Chi Minh City.

Since I first learned of VIII Re last autumn, I’ve eaten there at least once a month.

Whenever I get a craving for Italian food that tastes like it does in Rome or Naples, this is where I head. — Owen Salisbury VIII Re is located at R432 Le Van Thiem, Phu My Hung, Q7, HCMC or online at ottavore.com

HCMC On The Town

AU PARC EUROPEAN / CAFÉ

23 Han Thuyen, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 2772

auparcsaigon.com

Consistently tasty European café fare — think deli-style sandwiches, salads and mezzes, plus coffees and juices — served at a popular park-side Le Duan location with classic cream and green-tiled décor.

BABA’S KITCHEN NORTH / SOUTH INDIAN

164 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08) 3838 6661

babaskitchen.in

This pleasant, airy Indian does the full range of fare from all ends of the subcontinent, from dosas and vadas through to chicken tikka masala, kormas, kebabs and fiery vindaloos. Has a delivery outlet in District 2.

BAHDJA 2nd Floor, 27 Le Quy Don, Q3 Tel: 0122 763 1261

bahdjarestaurant@gmail. com Located just above the Thai restaurant Spice, Bahdja is Saigon’s first ever Algerian restaurant, serving authentic, multi-ethnic Berber North African and Mediterranean cuisine cooked and served in a traditional Algerian style. Best experienced in a group, this pleasant restaurant’s soothing ambience is matched by the owners’ genuine hospitality and complimented by an array of tasty tajines and couscousbased dishes. Has a lovely semi-outdoor terrace area.

tasty Vietnamese-styled sandwiches, spiced up cocktails, mains and more, all served up with a Californian edge at this small but popular two-storey eatery close to the river.

BLANCHY STREET JAPANESE / SOUTH AMERICAN

The Courtyard, 74/3 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 8793 The work of former Nobu chef Martin Brito, the Japanese-South American fusion cuisine at Blanchy Street is among the tastiest and most unusual in the city. All complemented by fresh, contemporary decor and a leafy terrace out front.

BOAT HOUSE AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL

40 Lily Road, An Phu Superior Compound, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 6790 A revamp has seen this riverside restaurant get a new management and a new menu — think American-style burgers, sliders and Tex-Mex together with soup and salad and you’ll get the idea. Excellent nachos and frozen margaritas.

BOOMARANG BISTRO SAIGON INTERNATIONAL / GRILL

CR2 3-4, 107 Ton Dat Tien, Phu My Hung, Q7, Tel: (08) 5413 6592

boomarang.com.vn

Australian themed but Singaporean-owned eatery and bar on The Crescent with great terraced seating specializing in huge-portioned international fare, all set in a contemporary, spacious environment.

CAFÉ IF VIETNAMESE FRENCH

BLACK CAT AMERICAN

13 Phan Van Dat, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 2055

blackcatsaigon.com

Creatively named burgers,

38 Dang Dung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3846 9853 MSG-free traditional Vietnamese cuisine with a French twist, cooked fresh to order. Dishes include noodle soup, steamed ravioli and

beef stew, stir fries, hot pots and curries.

CHI’S CAFÉ INTERNATIONAL / VIETNAMESE

40/31 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08) 3837 2502

Chiscafe.com

This affable café is a rarity in the backpacker area for its genuinely good musical playlist. Excellent, buildyour-own breakfasts, baked potatoes, toasties, Vietnamese fare and more. Has a popular motorbike rental service.

CIAO BELLA NEW YORK-ITALIAN

11 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 3329

saigonrestaurantgroup.com

New York-style Italian restaurant offering a range of tasty and affordable antipasti, pastas, and pizzas. Friendly staff and rustic bare brick walls adorned with Hollywood film legends make for a relaxed and attractive setting.

CORIANDER THAI / VIETNAMESE

16 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08) 3837 1311 A small, homely Vietnameseowned Thai restaurant that over the past decade has quite rightly gained a strong local and expat following. Try their pad thai — to die for.

CORSO

elbowroom.com.vn

The comfort food on offer at this striking US-style diner ranges from meatball baguettes to chilli burgers, pizzas, blackened chicken salads and a selection of more expensive international mains.

EL GAUCHO

HOA TUC CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE

The Square, 74/7 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 1676 Highly rated restaurant with stunning outdoor terrace.

Specialities include pink pomelo squid and crab salad, mustard leaf prawn rolls, fishcake wraps and barbecue chicken in ginger, onions and a lime leaf marinade.

ARGENTINIAN STEAKHOUSE

74 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2090; Unit CR1-12, The Crescent, Phu My Hung, Q7, Tel: (08) 5413 6909

elgaucho.com.vn

A themed eatery mixing an Argentinian steakhouse theme with pork, chicken, lamb, homemade spicy sausage, skewers, burger dishes and everything that can come off a grill. Slick service, a good wine menu, and caramel vodka teasers at the end of the meal. Probably serves up the best steak in town.

EON51 FINE DINING TOP-END EUROPEAN / ASIAN

Level 51, Bitexco Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291 8750

eon51.com

Situated on level 51 of the most iconic building in town, Eon51 Fine Dining offers a unique fine dining experience accompanied by unparalleled 3600 picturesque views of Saigon. The sky-high restaurant proffers the taste of Europe in Asia, orchestrated from the finest local foods and top-quality imported ingredients.

HOANG YEN PAN-VIETNAMESE

7 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 1101; The Crescent, 103 Ton Dat Tien, Q7, Tel: (08) 2210 2304 If you’re looking for midrange, aircon Vietnamese restaurants that just seem to do every dish perfectly, then Hoang Yen really is the place to go. The atmosphere may be a bit sterile, but its amply made up for by the efficient service and excellent cuisine. Now with a number of restaurants around town.

HOG’S BREATH CAFÉ AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL

Ground Floor, Bitexco Financial Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3915 6066

hogsbreathcafe.com.vn

Mixing hearty pub grub such as burgers, salads and prime rib steaks with a sports bar atmosphere, this Australian chain also offers regular promotions and a 4pm to 7pm happy hour. Excellent outdoor terrace.

STEAKHOUSE / INTERNATIONAL

117 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 5368

norfolkhotel.com.vn

Although a hotel restaurant, the enticing range of US and Australian steaks plus great grill and comfort food menu in this contemporary eatery make for a quality bite.

Decent-sized steaks start at VND390,000.

ELBOW ROOM AMERICAN

52 Pasteur, Q1 Tel: (08) 3821 4327

GANESH NORTH / SOUTH INDIAN

38 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 4786

ganesh.restaurant.vn@hotmail.com

The ubiquitous mint sauce is thick and creamy and the curries are both authentic and smoky. Ganesh is rated by many as the best Indian in town. Very friendly service.

INAHO SUSHI / SASHIMI

4 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 0326 A sushi bar needs a good chef, and the chef-owner of Inaho is one of the best. Sit downstairs at the low-key bar or upstairs in the private VIP rooms. Either way, this is one of the best sushi and sashimi joints in town.

JASPA’S WINE & GRILL INTERNATIONAL FUSION

The Square, 74/7 Hai Ba

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 185

HCMC On The Town

Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 0931

Alfrescosgroup.com

Although a chain restaurant, the international offerings here are consistently good and creative. Excellent service, an attractive outdoor terrace area, and a good kids menu. Check out their pepper steaks.

LE JARDIN CLASSIC FRENCH

31 Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 8465 Unpretentious but tasty French fare in a relaxed garden setting within the French cultural centre. The robust, bistro-style cuisine is very well-priced, and excellent, cheap house wine is served by the carafe.

Renaissance Riverside Hotel, 8–15 Ton Duc Thang. Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 0033

marriott.com

Offers authentic, gourmet Cantonese cuisine in an elegant, classic setting, with striking décor and the bonus of views over the Saigon River. Dishes range from VND80,000 to VND900,000.

LION CITY SINGAPOREAN

45 Le Anh Xuan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 8371

lioncityrestaurant.com

Friendly, authentic fivestorey Singaporean eatery, plating up the likes of nasi lemak, mee rebus, and awesome chicken curry, as well as specialities like frog porridge, chilli crab and fish head curry.

KOH THAI CONTEMPORARY THAI FUSION

Level 1, Kumho Link, 39 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 4423 Modern Thai fusion restaurant serving Thai classics alongside tom yam cappuccinos and more. Koh Thai’s creative cocktails merge Thai flavours with local seasonal fruits and herbs.

KOTO TRAINING RESTAURANT

LOVEAT MEDITERRANEAN

29 Hai Trieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 6260 2727

loveat.vn

Located bang opposite the Bitexco Tower, Loveat serves up three floors’ worth of Mediterranean cuisine mixed in with continental favourites like moules frites. A great place for dinner, cocktails and wines in a contemporary Saigon atmosphere.

CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE

3rd Floor Rooftop, Kumho Link, 39 Le Duan, Q1. Tel: (08) 3822 9357 The restaurant associated with the KOTO vocational training school. All the staff — from bar tenders and waiting staff through to the chefs — come from disadvantaged backgrounds and are being trained on the jon in hospitality. Serves up tasty Vietnamese cuisine, to boot!

L’OLIVIER FRENCH/MEDITERRANEAN

Sofitel Saigon Plaza, 17 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 1555

sofitel.com

Exuding a southern Gallic atmosphere with its tiled veranda, pastel-coloured walls and ficus trees, this traditional French restaurant has quarterly Michelin star promotions and an award winning pastry team.

LA CUISINE FRENCH / MEDITERRANEAN

48 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 2229 8882

lacuisine.com.vn

This intimate, open-kitchened restaurant bathed in white specialises in a mix of contemporary Mediterranean and French cuisine.

Has a small but well thought out menu, backed up with an extensive wine list.

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MARKET 39 INTERNATIONAL BUFFET

KABIN CANTONESE

Subtle lighting and an attention to details is matched by some of the best contemporary cuisine in the city, all with a European influence.

Also has an extensive wine list, a good selection of imported beers and a happy hour.

Ground Floor, InterContinental Asiana Saigon, Crn. of Hai Ba Trung & Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3520 9999

intercontinental.com/saigon

MAY RESTAURANT INTERNATIONAL COMFORT FOOD 19 – 21 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291 3686

may.restaurant19@gmail. com

Casual yet stylish, May places international-style wining and dining in the heart of historic Saigon. Subtle lighting, comfortable seating, an extensive wine and cocktail list, and beautifully crafted comfort food from Europe, the Antipodes and Asia all make up the mix at this multifloored restaurant and bar.

Check out their set lunches and happy hour.

Drawing inspiration from the great cuisines of Europe, The Mediterranean and The Orient, this contemporary, Australian-run restaurant bathed in white focuses on wholesome, fresh ingredients, with breads, cheeses, pickles, pastas and preserves made on site daily from scratch. A well-conceived wine list supplements the excellent fare.

Has petanque on the terrace.

23 Thao Dien, An Phu, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 6478

PAN-VIETNAMESE

31 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 1330 A typical Vietnamese-style quan nhau, this fan-cooled downtown eating and drinking haunt is famed for two things: it’s on the table, grill-it-yourself bo tung xeo (marinated beef) and oddities such as sautéed scorpion. A great place to take out-of-town guests.

MAD HOUSE CONTEMPORARY CAFE, BAR, RESTAURANT

6/1/2 Nguyen U Di, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519 4009

facebook.com/madsaigon

Set over a pool in a leafy, tropical garden, the beautiful rustic décor is matched by a darkwood, aircon interior.

136/15 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 38 250261; 116 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1, Tel: (08) 3925 9996

namgiao.com

If you want to take friends, relatives or people out of town to eat Hue-style street food in a hygienic yet downto-earth environment, Nam Giao is the place. Not only is it well-priced, but the bun bo Hue, bun thit nuong, com hen, banh bot loc and other such dishes are excellent.

Ground floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 4999

MEKONG MERCHANT

LUONG SON

CLASSIC VIETNAMESE / BISTRO

INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN

97B Thao Dien, Q2 Tel: (08) 6281 8371

luburestaurant.com

PROPAGANDA

HUE CUISINE

NINETEEN

LU BU CONTEMPORARY MEDITERRANEAN

NAM GIAO

INTERNATIONAL CAFE FARE / SEAFOOD

caravellehotel.com

One of the top three buffet restaurants in town.

Although the selection is small, the meats, fishes and seafoods are all fresh, and everything you eat here is quality.

OSAKA RAMEN JAPANESE NOODLES

18 Thai Van Lung, Q1; SD04, Lo H29-2, KP My Phat, Phu My Hung, Q7 If you fancy dosing out on ramen and soba noodles, then Osaka Ramen is noodle soup heaven. A typically Japanese aircon environment mixes bar-style seating with booths and private dining.

Open late.

SPANISH / EUROPEAN

The rustic looking, bananaleaf roofed Mekong Merchant has long been the place in An Phu. Set around a cobblestoned courtyard the cuisine includes gourmet seafood and pastas. Bakery-style Bistro out front.

MOGAMBO

PENDOLASCO

PAN-AMERICAN / TEX-MEX

PAN-ITALIAN

50 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 1311

QUAN BUI TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE

8 Nguyen Van Nguyen, Q1, Tel: (08) 3602 2241; 17A Ngo Van Nam, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 1515 Make sure to try the sautéed shrimps with cashew nuts and crispy fried tofu with lime wedge, at this popular, high-quality, chicly designed eatery where all food is served in traditional crockery.

One of the best Vietnamese restaurants in town.

QUAN UT UT US-STYLE BARBECUE

168 Vo Van Kiet, Q1, Tel: (08) 3914 4500

facebook.com/quanutut

It’s a no-brainer, right? American-style barbecue in a contemporary Vietnamese, quan nhau-style setting. Of course it is, which is why Quan Ut Ut is constantly packed with grill-obsessed diners going for the burgers, meats off the barbecue and Platinum pale ale served on tap.

REFINERY FRENCH BISTRO / INTERNATIONAL

PACHARAN 97 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 6924 Legs of Iberian ham hang in the downstairs bar at this multi-story bodega serving Spanish-styled tapas. Attractively decorated in warm reds, yellows and oranges, Pacharan’s food menu is traditionally Spanish.

info@mekongmerchant.com

21 Han Thuyen, Q1 Part of the group that includes Au Parc and Refinery, Propaganda serves up classic Vietnamese cuisine in an atmosphere of barebrick walls interposed with Propaganda Art murals and prints.

87 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 8181; 36 Tong Huu Dinh, Q2, Tel: (08) 6253 282

The Square, 74 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 0509

therefinerysaigon.com

A slightly retro feel pervades this popular French-style bistro and wine bar which once housed the city’s opium refinery. The cuisine runs from creative salads through to Mediterranean influenced mains.

RELISH & SONS GOURMET BURGER BAR

44 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: 01207 214294

facebook.com/relishandsons

Opening out into a large, leafy terracotta-tiled garden area, this trattoria-style Italian restaurant serves up quality homemade pasta, risotto, gnocchi, excellent pizza and grilled dishes. Has a second branch in District 2.

Some have described them as glamburgers, we describe them as creative burgers done well in a contemporary atmosphere. That is certainly the gloss you’ll find at Relish & Sons, along with funky draught beer options, cool refreshing cocktails and a range of all things burger. Their cheesy fries are to die for.

MONSOON

PIZZA 4P’S

RIVERSIDE CAFÉ

PAN-SOUTHEAST ASIAN

EUROPEAN/ASIAN FUSION

INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN

mogambo@saigonnet.vn

The longest running expat bar in town, these days Mogambo is more a restaurant than a drinking haunt thanks to its Cajun-inspired, American cuisine; Tex-Mex, excellent burgers, US-style soups and salads. Still furbished as it was 20 years ago.

1 Cao Ba Nha, Q1, Tel: (08) 6290 8899 Traditional pan-Southeast Asian favourites served in a visually arresting setting within a French colonial-era villa, just minutes from the backpacker area. Reasonably priced, with healthy juices and smoothies.

pendolasco.vn

8/15 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 9838

pizza4ps.com

This quirky but highly rated Italian / Japanese fusion pizza parlour serves wacky yet delicious pies such as tuna curry pizza and calamari seaweed pizza, as well as more traditional varieties.

Renaissance Riverside, 8–15 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 0033 Offers versatile all–day dining of international quality, with the bonus of being able to watch the action on the river sidewalk. Features western, Asian and Vietnamese buffets.

SAFFRON

SHRI

PAN-MEDITERRANEAN

CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN

51 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 8358 Sporting food from around the Mediterranean rim, this compact and cozy eatery with pots hung from the ceiling is a popular choice with expats and tourists alike.

Reservations advised.

SAIGON CAFÉ INTERNATIONAL / BUFFET

23rd Floor, Centec Tower, 72–74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3, Tel: (08) 3827 9631 A breezy terrace, indoor bar and separate dining room with sweeping views over central Saigon make up this enormous, comfortable space. A well-thought out and romantic venue, with excellent food.

Level 1, Sheraton Saigon Hotel and Towers, 88 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: (08) 3827 2828

SORAE

If you like your buffet selections to be big, then here it is gargantuan, with every type of option under the sun. A great place to catch up on your seafood addiction or to pig out over a Sunday brunch.

soraesushi.com

sheratonsaigon.com

SAN FU LOU CANTONESE KITCHEN

Ground Floor, AB Building, 76A Le Lai, Q1 Tel: (08) 3823 9513

sanfulou.com

Open until 3am, this popular, contemporary Cantonese dining hall mixes contemporary with traditional, in a space that takes Chinese dining in Saigon to a new level. And if you like your dim sum, look no further.

SEOUL HOUSE KOREAN

33 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 4297

seoul.house@yahoo.com.kr

The longest running Korean restaurant in town, with all the Koreans moving out to the hinterland, the clientele here are mainly Vietnamese. Fortunately the food preparation remains traditional. An excellent place for group dining.

SHANG PALACE RESTAURANT PAN-CHINESE / CANTONESE

Norfolk Mansion, 17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 2221

shangpalace.com.vn

Featuring over 200 dishes and 50 kinds of dim sum prepared by chefs from Hong Kong, Shang Palace has nine private dining rooms and a main dining area seating over 300. Good for events.

SKEWERS INTERNATIONAL / MEDITERRANEAN

9A Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 4798

skewers-restaurant.com

Simple, unpretentious Greekinfluenced, international cuisine ranging from the zucchini carpaccio through to the saganiki, a range of dips, mousaka, osso buco and lamb chop skewers. Also has an excellent upstairs cigar room.

SUSHI SAKE LOUNGE

Level 24, AB Tower, 76 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: 0938 687689 Set over two floors, this astonishing, no-expensespared Japanese restaurant and lounge brings to Saigon the type of environment and ambience you’d expect of New York, Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai. With the décor comes a modern take on Japanese fare. A place to see and be seen.

TAMAGO PAN-JAPANESE

39 Tong Huu Dinh, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 4634

tamagoresto@gmail.com

Located on the main drag in Thao Dien, Tamago has indoor and out door seating, a terrace and private rooms.

They have a ladies’ night on Tuesdays as well as a Teppanyaki themed night on Saturday evenings. Have a second restaurant in Mui Ne. TEMPLE CLUB PAN-VIETNAMESE

29-31 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 9244

Templeclub.com.vn

Once a hotel for Indian dignitaries visiting old Saigon, the elegant and atmospheric Temple Club is one of the city’s best-preserved buildings. Serving quality Vietnamese and Indochine cuisine at reasonable prices.

THE DECK MODERN ASIAN FUSION

38 Nguyen U Di, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 6632

thedecksaigon.com

Set on the banks of Saigon River across from Thanh Da Island, this innovative restaurant serves up modern Asian fusion cuisine in a Bali-style atmosphere, complemented by great cocktails and a long wine list.

THE HUNGRY PIG BACON BAR / CAFE

144 Cong Quynh, Q1, Tel: (08) 3836 4533

facebook.com/thehungrypigcafe

Think bacon, bacon and more bacon, all set in airy, spacious atmosphere, and you get The Hungry Pig, an eatery specialising in anything from the bacon butty

through to the bacon Caesar.

A popular hangout.

THE SOCIETY GRILL AND LOUNGE BAR 99 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08) 3914 3999

facebook.com/TheSocietyHCM

Designed as a Lanewaystyle restobar, the kind of place found in Hong Kong, London, New York or Central Melbourne, thanks to its indoor and outdoor ambience, The Society brings dining and drinking to a new level. Phenomenal cocktails, steaks, grilled fare and seafood make this a place to go for drinks, a full-blown meal or a mixture of both.

TIN NGHIA VEGAN

9 Tran Hung Dao, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 2538 One of the city’s oldest eateries (established in 1925) does some of the cheapest and tastiest vegan cuisine in town, all cooked up without onions, garlic or MSG. VESPER GOURMET LOUNGE INTERNATIONAL

Landmark Building, 5B Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 9698

facebook.com/vespersaigon

Headed up by well-known chef Andy Ertle, Vesper is a sophisticated yet down-toearth cocktail bar and restaurant with subtle lighting and a great spirit selection.

Serves creative, Japanese and German-influenced cuisine to supplement the drinks and has a separate dining space.

WRAP & ROLL 62 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 2166; 111 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 8971; 226 De Tham, Q1, Tel: (08) 3837 5097

wrap-roll.com

The lime green walls and bright pastel colours of Wrap ‘n Roll are just part of the theme of this homegrown, Vietnamese brand which is all about spring rolls of all types, and healthy, Hueinfluenced cuisine.

YU CHU TOP-END PAN-CHINESE

1st Floor, InterContinental Asiana Saigon, crn.of Hai Ba Trung & Le Duan, Q1 Tel: (08) 3520 9999 intercontinental.com/saigon Skillful chefs prepare authentic hand-pulled noodles, fresh dim sum and hot wok dishes within an impeccably

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 187

A WORLD

OF

NEW ERA, NEW PLAN

GOOD

BY DANA MCNAIRN

One of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals is to eradicate extreme poverty. While in Vietnam it's been achieved, other countries are still struggling

A

s we head into the Lunar New Year and debts are paid off and homes swept clean to ensure health and success in the coming months, the UN has also done a bit of housekeeping. Put your thinking caps on. Quick! — name the UN’s new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the next 15 years. OK, can you name the old Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)?

Something about poverty and water, right?

The SDGs are the new group of goals, targets (complete with indicators) that UN member nations will use to structure and track their development and policies for the next 15 years. The rationale is that the MDGs (initiated in 2000) ‘expired’ at the end of last year and so a framework was (re)created to carry on the progress.

The eight old MDGs (in order: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; develop global partnerships) were a voice of global unity for starting the hard work of dismantling socalled intractable problems, such as extreme hunger.

188 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

All-Inclusive?

One consistent criticism of the MDGs is that of omission — the goals did not include targets for the systemic causes of development inequality, and so ignored key structural factors like human rights, economic development and eradicating gender-based violence. The more vocal critics said the targets were for ‘poor’ countries to realise, with financing (or heavily restricted funding) from ‘rich’ countries.

The loudest of the critics dismissed the MDGs as condescending donor-driven posturing. Let’s put this in perspective; Brazil achieved most of its MDGs; Benin almost none; and Vietnam was in the middle with three goals achieved (extreme poverty, primary education and child mortality) and “strong” or “significant” progress in the remaining five, says the UNDP. For the next 15 years the SDGs will pick up and carry on. There are 17 goals and 169 targets contained within them, (easily found online), and what I want to highlight is its language. The goals use words such as “for all”, “sustainable”, and “resilient” and this is to be commended for the intent of inclusiveness and pragmatism. The goals

and corresponding targets have better heft to them and in quantifiable terms.

So while I agree there were challenges with the MDGs (lack of participatory research, community dialogue, and drafted entirely by men), I am encouraged by goals for the next 15 years, such as SDG Goal 5 to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” because it spells out how progress in this area has been made and doing more. The UN also stresses its belief that equality is a fundamental human right and crucial for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.

Another promising addition is SDG Goal 8 for “inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all” (a nod in the direction of both youth and older workers), which also acknowledges eliminating exploitative employment through stable, well-paying jobs.

There are gaps in the SDGs; they haven’t (yet) addressed that a leading cause of poverty is the expropriation of resources by the few at the expense of the many.

But we already know the journey starts with the first step, let’s keep walking.

Dana McNairn is the CEO of KOTO, a nonprofit social enterprise and vocational training programme for at-risk youth

HCMC On The Town

designed open kitchen, as diners look on. Stylish and spectacular.

BANH TAM BI TO CHAU BANH TAM

271 Nguyen Trai, Q1

ZEUS GREEK / KEBAB

BEEFSTEAK NAM SON

164 Cong Quynh, Q1, Tel: (08) 3837 3248 The service is often slow, and the staff are often surprisingly lazy, yet the food here is so good and so unique to this city, that no-one seems to mind. The perfect place to feast out on gyros and all things off a skewer. Cheap, too.

VIETNAMESE STEAKHOUSE

200 Bis Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3; 157 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3, Tel: (08) 3930 3917

Namsonsteak.com

BUN CHA HA NOI BUN CHA

26/1A Le Thanh Ton, Q1 CHI THONG

ZOOM CAFÉ

BUN THIT NUONG / BANH HOI

AMERICAN / TEX-MEX

195 Co Giang, Q1

169A Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08) 3920 3897

vietnamvespaadventures. com/cafe_zoom

This corner-located Vespainfatuated venue is a café and restaurant by day and a sidewalk drinking joint by night. Friendly staff and American deli-style and Cajun fare makes it a regular expat haunt.

M M M STREET FOOD

COM GA XOI MO SU SU VIETNAMESE FRIED CHICKEN

55 Tu Xuong, Q3 COM TAM 40A COM TAM

40A Quoc Huong, Q2 MI QUANG MY SON MI QUANG

38 Dinh Tien Hoang, Q1 NAM GIAO

BA GHIEN COM TAM

BUN BO HUE

189 Bis Bui Vien, Q1

84 Dang Van Ngu, Phu Nhuan PHO DAU BA NAM BO KHO

Alleyway to the left of 162 Tran Nhan Tong, Q10

PHO BO

288/M1 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3 PHO HOA PHO BO & PHO GA

BANH CANH HOANG TY

260C Pasteur, Q3

BANH CANH / TAY NINH CUISINE

70 Vo Van Tan, Q3

PHO LE PHO BO

BANH CUON HAI NAM

413-415 Nguyen Trai, Q5

BANH CUON

11A Cao Thang, Q3

PHO PHU GIA PHO BO

BANH KHOT CO BA VUNG TAU BANH KHOT

102 Cao Thang, Q3

146E Ly Chinh Thang, Q3 PHO PHU VUONG PHO BO

339 Le Van Sy, Tan Binh BANH MI HONG HOA VIETNAMESE BANH MI

62 Nguyen Van Trang, Q1

STREET SUSHI

122/37/15 Vinh Khanh, Q4

26 Le Thi Rieng, Q1

THE LUNCH LADY DAILY CHANGING DISHES

23 Hoang Sa, Q1 BANH MI SAU MINH VIETNAMESE BANH MI

170 Vo Van Tan, Q3 BANH MI THANH MAI HOANG VIETNAMESE BANH MI

Based north of Mui Ne in Central Vietnam, the foundation provides the children with a home, a family and an education.

SUSHI KO

BANH MI HUYNH HOA ‘LESBIAN’ BANH MI

Word has teamed up with the Mai Nha Children Foundation to help 20 orphan children to grow up as a family and prepare for their future.

TIEM COM GA HAI NAM HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE

67 Le Thi Hong Gam, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 7751

To help fund this programme, for every copy of our Word you get delivered direct to your door, we will donate VND50,000 to Mai Nha. At VND120,000 per month (minimum of six months), this is a small price to pay to help those in need.

To arrange your home delivery, simply email trang@wordvietnam.com For more information on Mai Nha, click on mai-nha.org

107 Truong Dinh, Q3

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 189

BRIDALWEAR 3 Thang 2 C1

PAINTINGS Tran Phu D1 Bui Vien D3

CAMERAS Ton That Thiep C4

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District 11 2km

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University of Natural Sciences

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STATIONERY Nguyen Dinh Chieu B3

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SPORTSWEAR Huyen Tran Cong Chua C3

Binh Tay Market 3km

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190 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

TAM

Than h

DISTRICT 10

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GUITARS Nguyen Thien Thuat D1, D2

Ng u yen

Tron

FLOWERS Le Thanh Ton C4

Minh Quye n

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FABRICS Hai Ba Trung A3

KH OI NG HI

Dinh

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EVERYTHING Ben Thanh Market C4

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Lan Anh Sports & Leisure Club

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SHOES Nguyen Dinh Chieu C1, C2 Luu Van Lang C4

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Saigon Train Station

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NG

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COMPUTERS Ton That Tung C2, C3

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SAFES Vo Van Tan C3

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PLAQUES Nam Quoc Cang C2, D2

CAR COMPONENTS Tran Quang Khai A3 Ky Con C4, D4

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The Final Say

THE FINAL SAY

NATIONAL

The Other Plate’s Got More Rice

If you’re having a ‘bad Vietnam day’ and think this country’s frustrating, for a bit of reality pie, try going home. It ain’t all that different on the other side.

Words by Nick Ross

I

’m doing what few people of means in this country do — I’m cycling into work.

I’m also continuing a little game I’ve concocted — I’m counting how many times I’m cut up, bullied by a four-wheeled vehicle or in a near miss in the 10km route between home and office.

This morning is a good day — only twice am I swearing under my breath or shaking my head in disbelief at the actions of another driver. On my worst morning it happened six times, and one time a woman motorbike driver cut me off, missing me by an inch. I yelled out in anger. The woman jumped out of her seat and almost drove into another vehicle. In the space of a few seconds she got shouted at twice.

Live in Vietnam and the roads drive all of

192 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

us mad. On the road is one of the few times that we come into contact with our fellow human beings in this country, and it’s not always a pleasant experience. But is it really all that different from back home?

Here’s a story from the place I was brought up: London.

I’m driving and realise I have to go down a slip road off one highway and onto another — I have to pull in at the last minute. My action means jumping quite suddenly in front of another car. That car, a BMW, goes crazy. My fault, yes. I try and say sorry — it doesn’t matter. He goes up my ass, overtakes me at the first opportunity before pulling in in front and slowing down to a near standstill. Hazard lights flash. He swerves his car from one side of the lane to another.

This guy wants a fight. I’m lucky he doesn’t have a gun.

Would that happen in Vietnam? Most likely no (although I have heard of a few instances over the years). In both places my life is in danger, but in different ways.

Getting Frustrated There are countless frustrations in Vietnam that don’t happen overseas, and thousands of everyday frustrations overseas that don’t happen in Vietnam.

Let’s take the internet. In Vietnam everywhere you go it’s free of charge. The only issue — speed. It can get frustrating.

How about in the UK? The free internet is infinitely slower than it is in Vietnam — so bad it sometimes doesn’t work at all. Not good when you’re sitting in a café trying to get some work done. And the cheek of it is to get yourself online for free, you’ve got to register. In Vietnam, you only register with the big chains.

Let’s take another instance of the internet, getting it installed at home. In London it took me two weeks to get broadband. Two weeks! Maddening. In Vietnam once you’ve got the go-ahead, it takes 24 to 48 hours.

In the UK, got an important delivery coming? You’re just told morning or afternoon, which means waiting at home until the delivery arrives. A complete waste of time. In Vietnam you get the mobile number of the delivery driver and everything is organised so that no time is wasted.

In Vietnam, go to a shop, buy some electronics and in places like Nguyen Kim, the staff will take everything out of the box and check your purchase before you take it home. In the west? Take it home, find an error, and you’ve got to go back to the shop and wait, wait, wait… I recently took some wrongly purchased lightshades back to Ikea.

I had to wait an hour to get my refund (and that was not calculating the 45-minute travel time from home to Ikea and back).

Take Stock The problem with Vietnam is that things happen here that to non-Vietnamese minds seem ridiculous and unnecessary. Parks are created under bridges where you can’t walk on the grass. A bus driver pulls in to stop, cutting you up, just because they can. You want your my quang in Mon Hue served

with pork meat rather than pork rib, but you’re told no. Even worse you’re told that my quang is never served like that anywhere (an absolute lie). It takes an argument and a waitress almost in tears just to get you what you want.

You’re waiting in a bar to order, but can’t order yet because your drinking partners have yet to sit down. The waiter sees this but hassles you once, then twice, before trying to take the drinks menu from you to give to another table. You’re trying to get a new visa, but are told to go a particular organ of power to sort out your documents. You go to the place and they say, oh no, you can’t come here, you’ve got to go somewhere else.

You go somewhere else and get redirected to the first place. You’re in a restaurant and want the bill, but you can’t get the attention of the staff because they’re chatting away and not focusing on the customers. So you have to get up, walk over, break up their conversation and ask for the bill.

Aagh! It’s infuriating.

Now for the UK. You have a banking issue over a payment.

You call up, wait 25 minutes, eventually get through, before being told that you’ve

been put onto the wrong department, which means another 10-minute wait to speak to the right person to sort it out.

There is an issue with your council tax (property tax) payments. So you phone up the local council, after 15 minutes you get through. They tell you them to email them some documents, but not to a particular person but to a central email address. You do that, but get no response for three weeks.

When you do get the response you’re asked for more documents, so you send them through. Still no response. In the meantime, you have to make existing payments anyway, because if you don’t you’ll default and it will affect your credit rating.

You buy some furniture. In Vietnam it will be delivered in 24 hours and assembled for you at home. Where I come from, you’ll have to wait five days or sometimes far longer.

When the furniture finally arrives you have to assemble it yourself.

Aagh!

So, having a bad Vietnam day? My suggestion — get over it. ‘Cos right now, other people are having bad London days, bad Sydney days and bad Bogota days all of their own.

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 193

The Final Say

194 | Word February 2016 | wordvietnam.com

THE FINAL SAY

NATIONAL

The Language Beast Learning Vietnamese isn’t as difficult as you think. It’s much tougher than that.

Linguist Peter Scott ought to know

W

hen I arrived in Vietnam in 1993, I was a linguist. Or I thought I was. I had stunned my friends by learning fluent Greek in three months, and back when I was a university student, teenage girls in Paris had just loved my French accent. Their fathers, inevitably big policemen, hadn’t.

So, my first morning in Saigon, I strolled among the quiet streets (1993, remember) in confident mood. I had even skimmed through a semi-official Vietnamese phrasebook containing sentences like “I should like to learn the principal agricultural and industrial exports of your country” and “The swineherd is hooting with a horn”, so I was well up on contemporary life in Vietnam.

I spotted a cafe. I sat down at an outdoor table. To me, a waiter.

“Ca phe,” I said. I knew my story and I was going to stick to it.

He gave me a look which I hadn’t seen before on any human face, but one I was to become very familiar with. He peered at me as if he couldn’t believe his eyes, and then allowed a frown of growing irritation and disgust to build on his forehead until he was glaring at me. It made me wonder if I had accidentally insulted his ancestors.

“Ha?” he said with extreme abruptness.

“Ca phe,” I said in a much smaller voice.

When speaking foreign languages, I like to see happy faces around me, lit up with the joy of comprehension, not the sort of scrutiny given to serial killers.

But I rarely found it in Vietnam. Even my teacher, whom I hired shortly after my drubbing by the rude waiter, could scarcely contain his rage when I failed to master the (quite unnecessary) formality of the phrase to greet someone who has knocked on your front door. Every lesson was a shitfight, which I came to dread.

And so was every interaction on the street. If my Vietnamese was far better

than my interlocutor’s English, then it was obvious we should confer in Vietnamese.

Obvious to me, and maybe obvious to you.

Not to them. I was eventually forced to develop my own version of the Rude Waiter Ha and used it to considerable effect. Very gradually, some places and some people got used to me speaking Vietnamese, and let me get on with it. Having done everything to obstruct me getting confident with the language, they now showed me off to other Westerners as a top Vietnamese speaker.

They even gave me a Vietnamese name, with which they would address me.

So You’re Fluent, Right?

The truth is, I never got really good at Vietnamese, though naturally other Westerners thought I was fluent. This misunderstanding led to some odd situations, such as the time an acquaintance approached me in a busy and noisy bar/ restaurant with a plan to spy on his mother-in-law.

“My wife’s bringing her mother and aunt up from the Mekong Delta, and we’re having dinner here tonight. Can you keep an ear open for what they say about me? I think they’re plotting against me.”

It would have been hard enough in English, out of the question in Vietnamese, and quite impossible in what passes as a dialect from the Mekong Delta. Besides, if I was caught earwigging their conversation, the old lady would probably get up and batter me over the head with the steamboat.

Later, after leaving Vietnam in circumstances which will be familiar to all middle-aged Western males, I pondered the question. Was I a linguist, or not? I was like a boxer who had achieved two easy knockouts and then been floored in the first round of my third bout, recovering just enough to battle to a bloody draw.

So I was a little wary when circumstances

led me, a year or so later, to Thailand.

Another tonal language, another place where I would forever be an obvious outsider, and a written language that looks like a spider doing yoga. I prepared well for the bout, learning the alphabet diligently and noting the language’s similarities with Vietnamese. This shouldn’t be too hard, I thought.

Wanting us to Learn And it wasn’t. Toughened by my Vietnamese experience, I worked hard on my Thai, but most crucially was aided by the best gift any language learner can receive — the locals want you to speak their language.

In Thailand, this is taken to extremes.

Thais will do anything to avoid the embarrassment of a Farang Interaction, and therefore automatically greet you in Thai in the hope that you can respond in similar fashion. To be treated as a non-Thai speaker in a shop, you would need to enter wearing a ten-gallon hat and cowboy boots, twirling two six-shooters and yelling “This is a stickup. Grab some sky!”

The two languages are broadly similar, and the learning experiences utterly different. Vietnamese are keen to display their English-language skills, determined to control the conversation by keeping it in English, and are resolutely unhelpful to your efforts to speak Vietnamese.

Thais are keen to hide the fact that they have no English-language skills, they are not the sort of people who get around to controlling anything, and are enormously pleased when your ability to speak Thai means that their morning will likely proceed on its usual somnolent way.

So, if you’re having trouble learning Vietnamese, and are writing yourself off as someone who “can’t learn languages”, don’t feel bad about it.

We’ve all been through it.

wordvietnam.com | February 2016 Word | 195

The Final Say

Ten 10

A pioneer and a visionary, designer Nguyen Cong Tri is one of the biggest names in the Vietnamese fashion industry When did you first get into the Does the world accept Vietnamese fashion industry? What difficulties fashion? did you have convincing your family I think Vietnamese fashion hasn’t yet and friends that this was the right reached the highest level yet, but has career for you? slowly scored some good points through I began when I was in university. At that time, fashion was still new, so it was difficult to convince my family that this could be a career. But I knew, even then, that I had to work in the fashion industry.

professional and international fashion shows. Vietnam International Fashion Week has really helped as it is a chance for Vietnamese designers to bring their creativity to the world.

As a fashion designer, what challenges have you been through?

As one of the judges of Project Runway, what level is Vietnamese fashion at compared to international fashion? What are the strengths of Vietnamese designers and what do they need to improve?

Vietnam didn’t really have a fashion scene at the time I started out in 2000. So there was no school to teach you how to do things — you simply had to teach yourself. Selfteaching is not always easy.

In the last 15 years, what are your most treasured moments? And the most challenging?

My most treasured moments have come on the catwalk stage, holding the hands of the models who have worn my creations during fashion shows. The difficulties I have been through are many — as many as there are different types of fabric.

What makes you interested in fashion? And clothes designing?

I am interested in fashion and clothes designing because I love beauty and I want to make people beautiful.

People say your designs should be shown on the international fashion stage. What difficulties do Vietnamese designers face in getting their designs worn in foreign countries?

The world is very big and there is not only me doing fashion. Even to me, what is considered new and beautiful only exists for a few hours. I think each designer has their own style and personality. The most important thing is how our designs reach out to the world.

Who are your clients? Do you sell your products overseas? How do you feel when you take part in international fashion shows?

My clients are often ladies in high social positions who love beauty, especially politicians’ wives, even first ladies around the world. I find doing international fashion shows really exciting, and I always have the feeling I am going to learn a lot of new things.

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I think Vietnam needs to make a lot more effort to step out to

the world. In order to do that, Vietnamese designers have to constantly improve their skills. In my perspective, strengths can also be weaknesses. The important thing is how to balance them.

How has the annual Dep Fashion Show aided the development of the Vietnam fashion industry?

Dep Fashion Show is one of the pioneering fashion shows in this country. By combining the catwalk and art, it’s helped make some designers shine. It’s also acts as a target for young designers. Getting their collections on the catwalk at the Dep Fashion Show is something for them to aspire to.

How long do you think it might take for Vietnamese fashion to make it overseas?

That question is too broad for me. I simply love fashion and love beauty. I focus my interest on what I have been doing for my brand.

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