Word Ha Noi August 2012 by Word Vietnam

Chuyên đề du lịCh, ẩm thựC hAnOI EdItIOn

August 2012

ART EXPLOSION nhà Xuất Bản lAO động

the editorial and design of WorD is carried out by Duong Huynh Advertising JSc

contents

wordhanoi.com

august 2012

eDitoriAl PAolo MAling

AAron Joel SAntoS Photo Editor aaron@wordhanoi.com

Art Director paolo@wordhcmc.com

FrAnciS roux

nguyen tAn loc

HoA le

DouglAS PyPer

layout Designer loc@wordhcmc.com

staff Photographer francis@wordhanoi.com staff Writer hoale@wordhanoi.com

Staff Writer douglas@wordhanoi.com

KAitlin reeS

nicK roSS

026

058

chief editor nick@wordhanoi.com

Staff Writer kaitlin@wordhanoi.com

ADMiniStrAtion le DAng PHuong trAng

Duong Vy BAo

general Director bao@wordhanoi.com

chief Accountant accountant@wordhcmc.com

ADVertiSing cHAu tHi Huong giAng

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SuBScriPtionS

For advertising enquiries please call giang on +84 934 640668 or Bao on +84 902 361561 Word would like to thank JC Smith, Rose Arnold, Huyen Tran, TWM, Andrew Souto, Truong @ Bookworm, Nguyen Bao Ngoc, Steve Jackson, Nguyen Tuan, Tim Russell, Shane Dillon, Alex Field, Tom Hodgson, Joe Ruelle, Claire Driscoll, Andrew Souto, Isaak Le and Rudyard Kipling for providing inspirational poetry and times when inspiration was most lacking A P R

A F O O L

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H O W I

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T H O R

E A M

O W N E D L

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L A Y S

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O O O

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R A Y R O M A N O

E V E

T A F

D O E M A S

H A S

N E R

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J O H N B E

L U S H

S A L

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N P E N

A D A R K

Crossword Answers See p106 for the original puzzle. Pluzzle by Frank A. Longo Edited by Will Shortz

2 | Word August 2012

Chuyên đề du lịCh & ẩm thựC

N E V E

T R

D U G

© tất cả hình ảnh và nội dung trong ấn phẩm này thuộc bản quyền của ấn phẩm Word (ho Chi minh city và hanoi) 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.

nhà xuất bản lao động 175 Giảng Võ, Hà Nội ĐT: + 84 4 3851 5380 Fax: + 84 4 3851 5381 Chi nhánh phía Nam 85 Cách Mạng Tháng Tám, Q.1, TP. HCM ĐT: + 84 8 3839 0970 Fax: + 84 8 3925 7205 Email: cn–nxbld@vnn.vn

Chịu trách nhiệm xuất bản: Lê Huy Hòa Biên tập: Hồ Phương Lan Sửa bản in: Nick Ross Trình bày: Dương Vy Bảo Bìa: Duong Huynh Advertising JSC

thực hiện liên kết xuất bản: Chi nhánh Công ty CP tm–dV– QC–truyền thông dương huỳnh 54/26 Nguyễn Cư Trinh, P.PNL, Q. 1, TP. HCM. ĐT: + 84 8 3838 6908 / Fax: + 84 8 3838 6971 Email: info@wordhcmc.com Website: www.wordhcmc.com In tại Công ty In trần Phú 71–73–75 Hai Bà Trưng, Q. 1, TP. HCM. www.tranphuprint.com

FeAtureS 026

A SuM oF MAny PArtS

Four generations have worked the oldest camera repair shop in Hanoi

006 l chariots of Fire 007 l the Big Five

028 031

010 l the exhibitionist 036

012 l the Buzz 014 l our Man

The jewel of northern Laos

tHe KiDS Are AlrigHt Literature at a crossroads

056

WoMAn

Chick lit, vegan restaurants and women’s bars

The Soundman

Trivia Buff Answers

058 l Mystery Diner

1) Waterspout 2) So Do — Dumb luck 3) ibis 4) ethiopia 5) ly thai to 6) Sel 7) Polyandry 8) italy 9) enchilada 10) Heinrich Himmler 11) 58 12) ca Mau 13) Bac Kan 14) Partick thistle 15) the gutenburg Bible 16) 24 17) Heart of Midlothian (Hearts) 18) Volleyball 19) your excellency 20) to pick their noses more effectively

Exchange Cafe

059 l Street Snacker Chao Trai Ho Tay

066 l Destination Zero 076 l Food Buff

088 l Book Buff

reDiScoVering luAng PrABAng 054

063 l A Short History of Dong

101 An Art exPloSion Building a scene

050

coluMnS

084 l cinema Buff

020 l overscene

024 l Many Faces

Pet SPeciAl

103

Dogs are there for the keeping

016 l in the Papers 018 l calendar

DAy triPPer

Escape the Hanoi heat with trips to the Perfume Pagoda and Tam Dao

008 l Just in

inSiDer Giấy XNĐKKHXB của Cục XB số: 161/CXB-QLXB ngày 18/01/2012 Quyết định xuất bản số 249 QĐCN/LĐ Nhà xuất bản Lao Động cấp ngày 16/07/2012 In xong và nộp lưu chiểu năm 2012.

036

004 l the Prelude tHe tAlK

hai@wordhanoi.com

B U R N S

031

See p107 for the original puzzle

tieng Viet Ho cHi MinH city 097 l the Accidental engraver 098 l Dressed for Awareness 100 l the Amazing race FinAl SAy 103 l on leaving Departures can change perspectives 108 l last call Rev it up with Andrew Souto August 2012 Word | 3

the Prelude

t's ironic that the final feature in this issue is on leaving Hanoi, on ending an experience in a place, a part of one's life that for whatever reason the writer has decided to leave behind. When people and places become indelibly inscribed on our soul, moving on and starting afresh arouses a different set of experiences. Transformation, juxtaposition, a deft but uncanny adjustment of time, people and space. All helping us to see the same objects and situations through different eyes. This month we, too, have had our fair share of endings. Some have been both positive but sad — friends and colleagues departing for more fruitful climes. Some have been designed to help regain some sort of balance, making adjustments to realign that which no longer quite works.

Others have seen bridges burnt to cinders and the creation of paths with no return. When things get messy, emotions are aroused, tensions rise and words are tossed about like gravel in a swirling storm. But as with all endings, there is a beginning, too, the opportunity to start afresh and to move forward. It's this beginning, the sense of something fresh, that we've tried to define in this month's cover story. Contemporary art is hardly a new phenomenon in the transformation of this city — to suggest so would have Year Zero-style implications. But there is certainly a sense that what was started by the infamous ‘Gang of Five’ in the 1990s has truly proliferated into something new and unique. No longer is art in Hanoi just about oils on canvas — these

INBOX Loving hanoi

(Cover Story, June 2012)

thanks for the 101 Things to Love About Hanoi. Agreed with many (love old fashioned tiled floors), laughed at lots (love that funeral music), learnt more about places and people, too. And yes Word most definitely deserves to be on this list! — BM 4 | Word August 2012

days it comes in every thinkable medium. And no longer is art a copy of what is seen, felt, heard and expressed elsewhere. Much of it is unique and original, exploring experience in its own, self-defining terms. There are teething problems, true, and a lack of public understanding of what is truly cutting edge. But the foundations have now been paved. It is to this variety and the explosion of art on this city's traffic hardened streets that we pay homage to this month. And it is to this gradually shaped beginning that we look to for the future. We hope you find the range of artists featured in this issue as interesting as we have. And if you find more places and people to put on our art trail, simply email editor@ wordhanoi.com. All comments appreciated!

CHUYÊN ĐỀ DU LỊCH, ẨM THỰC HANOI EDITION

AUGUST 2012

ART EXPLOSION NHÀ XUẤT BẢN LAO ĐỘNG

tHiS MontH'S coVer Photo: Aaron Joel Santos Model: Isaak Le Design: DH Advertising

Do you HAVe Any coMMentS tHAt you WoulD liKe to Air? iF So, PleASe eMAil uS At editor@wordhanoi.com

Mechanics

I was trying to get my bike fixed recently. You’ve got some listings in the Leisure section, but something big on where to get your bike done up would be really useful. There’s stuff on TNH, but it’s not all that helpful. — DB

aLL fired up

(Coastal Grooves, July 2012) What a great article and read. So refreshing not to have another rendition of ‘48 Hours…’ in another stupid city. The writer did a good job describing Hoi An as it is at this moment. Meeting the king of the Co Tu was a little special. — TMG

saying it right

Can I complement you on the stance you try to take. I know it’s not easy to say what you think, but articles like that Antisocial Media piece (Page 6, July 2012) are just about right. — Erick

Life’s a Journey (Cover Story, July 2012)

the writing wasn’t all perfect, but i liked your notion of journeys in last month’s magazine. yes, i agree. the journey is as important as the place you’re getting to. — RC August 2012 Word | 5

the talk

THE

big

thE BIg 5 / Just IN / thE Buzz / calENdar / OvErscENE

coMA-cHi

thINgs tO watch Out fOr thIs mONth

chariots of Fire The cyclo may be dying in Vietnam, but elsewhere it’s making a comeback

noiSe AnD reSiStAnce

og onto the website ecochariots.com or bugbugs.com and you will find two rival, London-based companies offering rides on pedicabs, otherwise known as zero-emission transportation. With fully working lights, hydraulic brakes, gears and seat belts, these 21st century all mod-con rickshaws, pedicabs, cyclos or tuk-tuks, are now a common sight in many of the world’s major cities. Take London, for example, where this eco-transport is proving to be a big hit. Not only can you hail down this calf-muscle powered form of transport all over the West End and the centre of the city, but you can also top up on “all your carbon neutral needs” by hiring the pedicab for your wedding, stag night or hen do. In addition, say the two websites, this humble form of transport acts as a perfect location for outdoor, on-the-street advertising such as the type you may find on buses or taxis.

of the poverty associated with their trade. Then there is the issue of accessibility. For many years you could hop on a cyclo in downtown Ho Chi Minh City and travel the 7km or so to Tan Son Nhat Airport, something that was quite conveniently put to an end when the new international terminal was opened a few years ago. The method was ingenious. Create certain streets, thoroughfares such as Hai Ba Trung or Nguyen Van Troi, where cyclos aren’t allowed to go, and suddenly they lose their utility. In Hanoi a similar game was played. Deemed to ‘block’ the streets in the capital’s historic Old Quarter, the authorities helped set up Du Lich Xanh. Using adapted, electric-powered golf carts, these vehicles noiselessly and effortlessly transport tourists and locals around the city and the sites of West Lake. All making the hardy cyclo increasingly redundant.

Sprucing up the image

time for a revival?

Yet head over to Vietnam and the cyclo truly is the humblest mode of transport around. Forget the bandwagon obsession with all things ‘green’, here the hardy pedicab is the lowest of the low. So low, indeed, that for many of its drivers their vehicle also doubles up as their abode. Such is the reality

But with pollution becoming such an issue in Vietnam’s major metropolises, and xanh (green) now a fashionable word, surely the eco-friendly cyclo may be a solution? Indeed, with some upgrades like dynamopowered lighting, pasting advertising hoardings to the side of the vehicles, meters

6 | Word August 2012

to measure fares and distance, and perhaps even an electric engine to relieve the energy expended by the driver and allow the cyclo to travel at greater speeds, surely the cyclo could once again become a viable form of public transport? Investing into the cyclo industry would also create jobs. To reach such heights, though, the cyclo would need to overcome a range of issues. First is image. For many in Vietnam the cyclo represents the country of the past, the poverty that they are so determined to leave behind. It’s viewed as something for tourists and French colonials, not for Vietnamese. Then there is the sense that due to their unwieldy size and deathdefyingly slow speeds, cyclos cause traffic jams — there are already enough issues here with transportation. And of course, the lack of gears and technological prowess makes the cyclo unattractive for a country speeding down the supertransformation highway. Yet, it is certainly a thought. And with a bit of dedication could become reality. But for such dreams to come to fruition would require the work of a bold entrepreneur and perhaps the support of an NGO or overseas government or two. Because without this, cyclos in Vietnam will truly become a phenomenon of the past.

The Onion Cellar continues their exploration of music and film, this time presenting an official screening of contemporary German documentary, Noise and Resistance. Directors Francesca Araiza Andrade and Julia Ostersag enter the vivid, vibrant, rebellious and self-conscious scene of DIY punk. From squatters in Barcelona to antifascists in Moscow, Dutch trade unionists, activists in England and Swedish girl punk bands, the documentary concerns taking action through music, communal living and direct action. The official screening of Noise and Resistance will take place at CAMA ATK, 73A Mai Hac De on Tuesday Aug. 28. Entry is VND50,000 with all door money going to the film makers. Doors open from 6pm — the film kicks off at 8.30pm.

reBel yell

To mark the publication of French favourite the Encyclopedia of Rebels in Vietnamese (under the title Bach Hoa Thu Ke Noi Loan), L’Espace is putting on an exhibition to showcase the spirit of rebellion down the ages. Learn about the peasants, artists, scientists, slaves, soldiers, idealists, writers and plain old normal people who have stood up for what they believed in. From Marie Curie to Che Guevara and Ho Chi Minh, featured here are those who have questioned principles and pushed limits. The exhibition runs from Jul. 26 to Aug. 31 and is absolutely free. So don your favourite Che t-shirt and head down to L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem

In collaboration with the Japan Foundation, CAMA will bring female Japanese rapper COMA-CHI to Hanoi on Thursday Aug. 23. Since 2003, COMA-CHI has built her reputation through performances and MC battles in Tokyo. She gained notoriety for her freestyle street rapping and for regularly showing the boys how it’s done on the sidewalk. It didn’t take long for her to blow up and in 2006, she released her first solo album, Day Before Blue. Featuring solid rhyming, and a telling influence from 1990s hip-hop, the album commanded attention and entered the Japanese music charts in its first week of release. COMA-CHI’s performance in Hanoi will mark her Vietnam debut and will be the first chance for Hanoi hip-hop fans to see the unique sounds of this talented, topselling rap artist. CAMA ATK is located at 73A Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung. Tickets are VND50,000 on the door or free for anyone holding a valid Vietnamese student card. Doors open from 6pm with the performance starting at 9pm

internAtionAl BAlloon lloon FeStiVAl

If a sky full of 30-metre high hot air balloons sounds like your cup of cocoa then get ready for Vietnam’s best new festival. From Aug. 29 to Sep. 3, the inaugural International Hot Air Balloon Festival (VIHABF 2012) will take place in Phan Thiet in south central Vietnam. Pushing the province’s shiny image as the home of ‘Sunshine and Blue Sea’, more than 20 balloons are expected to take to the skies piloted by around 50 balloonists from as far afield as Indonesia, France, Korea, China, Belgium, Japan and The Netherlands. The organisers hope the festival will be the first of many, and apart from the main attraction of a squadron of balloons flying at heights of up to 500m, the event will feature a host of side-activities and other performances for balloon-a-holics.

SAPA cHAllenge For anyone entering the 21K Sapa Challenge on Sep. 9, August is the month to really step up the training. Because come next month, sore calves, sweat and beautiful views will all be par for the course at this event in Lao Cai province. Organised by volunteers from the international community in Hanoi who are all working to make something happen, the challenge is a collaboration between Hanoi’s Red River Runners and the not-for-profit organisation Sapa O’Chau, which helps to improve the livelihood of ethnic minorities. The event will comprise a gruelling 21km run over some of Vietnam’s most mind-boggling and visually beautiful terrain, with all proceeds going towards the good work of Sapa O’Chau. For more information on the activities of Sapa O’Chau see www.sapaochau.org. To keep up-to-date with events organised by the Red River Runners or to register for the Sapa 21K Challenge, head to redriverrunners.wordpress.com or contact hanoiredriverrunners@gmail.com.

August 2012 Word | 7

Just in

the talk BAcK to ScHool Kids at Hanoi’s newest international school will return from summer holidays to start their courses at the 197,000 square foot campus of the International School of Vietnam on Sep. 4. Marking the first year of studies at the latest entrance to the international school fold, the state-of-the-art facilities include a competition-level pool, a media centre, football pitches, a basketball court, a huge gymnasium and a dance studio. In their inaugural year, the school is offering discounted enrolment fees ranging from VND150 million up to VND310 million depending on the child’s age and whether they need to take English language study as an extra subject or not. The International School of Vietnam is located in the Dai Kim Urban Area, Dinh Cong in the south of the city. For inquiries contact inquiries@isvietnam.org or call 3933 6331

A MAtcH MADe in HeAVen Derry’S returnS Well-loved Hanoi watering hole, Derry’s Irish Bar, is reopening after an 18-month hiatus. With more time to devote themselves fully to the endeavour, owners Victor and Huong are keeping with the formula successful in the bar’s last incarnation — a fusion of Irish, Singaporean and Vietnamese décor, cuisine and styles to create a unique watering hole overlooking Truc Bach Lake. As in the past, the drinking den will be offering drink discounts every night as well as pub grub for empty bellies. And if you’re a sucker not just for Irish stew but hearty Singaporean fare, too — think nasi lemak and laksa — Derry’s might just be for you. Derry’s has reopened in exactly the same spot, 63 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh

Sat inside the grounds of the Hanoi Fine Art Museum, it’s about time Matchbox started joining the dots. Dutifully they have. With a complete refit now, erm, complete, this Hanoi mainstay restaurant is a venue worthy of its place next to one of Vietnam’s great art institutions. The western menu has been expanded to include a number of new Vietnamese dishes courtesy of chef Mai, previously head chef of the Hanoi Spice Garden Restaurant in the Sofitel Metropole. She’s revamped the menu with fare such as fresh tiger prawn spring rolls, a selection of nom (Vietnamese salads) and fried beef dishes to die for. The décor has changed, too, with a wine bar feel now more prominent, all added to by works of sculpture and art from some of the artists who frequent the place. Most surprising are the reasonable prices, with mains starting at VND75,000. Matchbox is at 40 Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh. For news on cultural events check the website: www. thematchbox.vn, where you can also register to enjoy a 5 percent discount off food and drink

- Authentic Indian Cuisine Serving both North & South Indian dishes - Cozy & Ambient setting - Halal Food - Free Home Delivery - Indoor Party facilities & Outdoor catering services - For details contact Gopi 0903 266 997 Or Ms Dung 093 657 2277 Add: 47 Lo Su Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi Tel: (84 4) 3935 2400/01 Email: Info@namastehanoi.com Fax: (84 8) 3935 2402 Website: www.namastehanoi.com

BooKWorM too

grAin & grAPe Tay Ho now has a new drinking den to add to the mushrooming number of bars and restaurants eager to please those in the international part of town. The work of the wellknown Anh Tuan, a former manager at Don’s Tay Ho, Grain and Grape is all about the consumption of wine, draught beer and western style tapas in a pleasant environment. With the likes of sashimi, quesadillas, ribs, cheese platters, beef skewers, chicken wings and seafood spaghetti on the food menu, all placed there to complement the wine, choose your tipple and you're off. There are set menus available, too, but with Grain and Grape in its early days, it’s the vino and the atmosphere that counts. Fortunately the wine selection is already quite varied, with Chilean pinots complemented by the odd Italian Barolo, Australian Shiraz and French Cabernet Sauvignon. Then there are the whites, the late opening hours and the raucous ambience. A place to watch out for. Grain & Grape, 9 Au Co, Tay Ho. Tel: 3710 1566. Open from 10.30am to late

8 | Word August 2012

The opening of a second branch of Hanoi’s best little bookshop will be music to the ears of literary lovers in the capital. Housed in a beautiful villa in Nghi Tam village, readers can enjoy Bookworm’s ever changing stock of works from writers all over the world, in a quiet, leafy environment. Encouragement to linger comes in the form of tasty food and beverages courtesy of The Cart’s nearby Nghi Tam HQ. Whether you’re exchanging old books, foraging for a classic, picking up the latest prize-winner or just looking for a cool place to hang out, Bookworm Too has it covered. Bookworm Too is located on Lane 1/28, Nghi Tam Village in the area behind The Sheraton and opposite InterContinental Westlake. Entry to the village is via lane 1 Au Co, Tay Ho

August 2012 Word | 9

the exhibitionist toyS For Big KiDS The Japan Foundation continues their extraordinary run of exhibitions with The World of Interior Toys. From Aug. 11 to Sep. 19, the talents of Japanese product designer Twelvetone will be on show with a series of toys. Twelvetone, aka Takashi Tsunoda, has won the Good Design Award of Japan twice for his toys and will be on hand to conduct a workshop on the art of design. The World of Interior Toys will be held at the Japan Foundation, 27 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem with the talk from Twelvetone taking place on Aug. 11 at 10am

the talk FielD oF DreAMS World-renowned mathematician Ngo Bao Chau will be appearing at L’Espace to give a lecture to mark the release of his maths novel, Ai and Ky in the Land of Invisible Numbers. Since solving the Fundamental Lemma in 2007 for which he won the prestigious Fields Prize, Chau has been a household name in Vietnam. His novel tells the history of maths from the first irrational numbers to infinitesimal calculus, all written in a readable manner with his primary inspiration coming from fairy tales and Alice in Wonderland. At L’Espace, Ngo Bao Chau will be joined by poet Tran Dang Khoa, Dr Ha Huy Khoai and Nguyen Phuong Van for a discussion of the work. The talk will take place on Aug. 2 at The French Cultural Center (L’Espace), 24 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem at 6pm. The discussion will take place in Vietnamese only and entry is free.

HANOI

TANNOY

We could be nude models! you woke up in the middle of the night and told me my beard was really loud i need to get out of Hanoi for a few days and hang out with some hill tribe people to restore my faith in humanity She just sent out a mass text that said, “Do you know anything about male strippers in Hanoi?” i just necked two glasses of champagne followed by two profiterole chasers and had to get the hell out before any more damage was done

rAcHMAninoV nigHt in HAnoi Lovers of Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninov’s symphonies will be politely rattling their jewellery at the news of a performance of his works at the Hanoi Opera House in August. Internationally renowned pianist Guigla Katsarava will be joined by the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Vietnamese conductor Le Phi Phi to give classical music lovers renditions of Piano Concerto No.2 C minor Op.18 and Symphonic Dance Op.45. Le Phi Phi studied in Russia and played across Europe before returning to his homeland in 1995. The performance will take place on Aug. 17 and Aug. 18 from 8pm at the Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem. Tickets are priced at VND200,000, VND350,000 and VND500,000 and are available for advance purchase on www. ticketvn.com

10 | Word August 2012

eASt MeetS WeSt PHoto conteSt The British Embassy has teamed up with East Meets West (EMW), one of the largest non-profit NGOs in the country, to run the INSPIRE Sports Photo Contest. Both Vietnamese nationals and foreign residents are welcome to submit their photos in order to win up to VND15million in prize money. The programme is part of the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in London, and continues EMW’s work in Quang Tri Province where they have helped disabled people lead more healthy lives and better integrate with society through sport. EMW will be accepting work until Oct 8. To apply contact Ms Quach Thu Trang at thethaohoanhap@gmail.com

VietnAM: noW in Hong Kong

48-Hour FilM FeStiVAll Aug. 1 marks the beginning of registrations for the third installment of the 48-Hour Film Festival. The global contest requires groups of filmmakers to write, shoot, edit and complete a short movie within a time frame of just 48 hours. Each set of contestants has to work with a character, a prop, a line of dialogue, and a genre assigned by the organisers. All films will be shot between Sep. 28 and Sep. 30 in 48 hours of high speed auteurism, with the awards ceremony taking place in November. To register simply go to 48.vivo.vn or email vietnam@48hourfilm.com for entrance information. For further information email the event’s organiser Ross Stewart on ross@d-v-s.com.au. Last year one of the short films shot in Vietnam came third in the world

Art Vietnam will be providing international exposure to six exciting Vietnamese artists this month through an exhibition in Hong Kong. Entitled Vietnam Now, Nguyen Thi Chau Giang, Ha Tri Hieu, Nguyen Thi Chinh Le, Nguyen The Son, Nguyen Quang Thang and Le Quoc Viet will all have their work shown at The Rotunda in Hong Kong’s Exchange Square, one of Asia’s busiest locations. Issues of modernisation within a traditional and previously isolated culture are at the heart of the exhibition, which encompasses oil on canvas, painting on silk, bronze sculpture and 3D photography. At the opening of the exhibition on Aug. 23, Le Quoc Viet and Nguyen Quang Thang, members of an avant garde calligraphy group, will hold an interactive calligraphy performance showcasing the nom script, the original written form of Vietnamese derived from Han Chinese. Vietnam Now is the second exhibition organised by Art Vietnam in Hong Kong and will run from Aug. 24 to Sep. 9 at Hong Kong Land, The Rotunda, Exchange Square, Hong Kong

you would taste something disgusting and probably gag. then if you swallowed you’d be at risk for things that are transmitted via the oral-fecal pathway (e.g. Hep A). So, anyway, i went to a lake A lot of tea and coffee and reading a book called A Short History of Tractors in Ukraine How can you just eat with sticks? Does anyone actually look at that website any more? i certainly don’t August 2012 Word | 11

the Buzz

the talk Win!Win!Win! Fancy taking part in a run to the top of Vietnam's tallest building? The organisers of The Vertical Challenge, a race to the top of Hanoi's Landmark 72 Tower, are offering two free entries to the competition. Each entry is worth US$18 (VND370,000). For your chance to win, simply email the answer to the following question to editor@wordhanoi.com by Monday Aug. 20 and your name will be put into a hat. How many floors is the Landmark 72 Tower? Good luck! And if you don’t win, head to www.landmark72run.com for more information about the event.

JoAn BAeZ cocKtAil The Metropole is dropping bombs and names with a new Pho-nomenal cocktail inspired by the iconic hotel’s rich history. The Joan Baez mixes five herbs: coriander, cardamom, star anise, cinnamon and chilli — the base of a good bowl of pho — using an extravagant “bomb” technique of dropping all the ingredients from cup to cup in a tree. The concoction won chief bartender Pham Tien Tiep first prize at a competition in Nha Trang and a trip to Rio De Janeiro to take on the world’s best mixologists. The taste? “It’s bittersweet, just like a Joan Baez song,” said the hotel’s marketing and communications manager, Le Nhung. Vietnam’s most ridiculous cocktail is available all day every day at the Sofitel Metropole, 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem

MilleniuM Millenium, formely Café Des Arts, have promotions going on every day throughout August. Head down for lunch and check out the ever-evolving set menu of starter, main, dessert and expresso for approximately VND240,000 (US$12). If you’re feeling flash then you can just head back onto the normal menu. Millenium is located at 11B Ngo Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem

HeADing SoutH If you’re hitting the beach for the summer then make the most of Novotel Phan Thiet’s Seafood Barbeque package. Get two nights stay over the weekend with a seafood barbecue buffet dinner on the Saturday night followed by a full American breakfast when you finally wake on Sunday. Prices start at VND2,721,000++ per person, so it’s a good thing they're throwing in free use of the tennis courts and fitness centre. The package is valid from Mar. 1 all the way till the end of the year on Dec. 23. For more information, contact Novotel Phan Thiet Ocean Dunes & Golf Resort on 062 382 2393 or info@phanthietresorts.com

coMMunAl liVing Commune are gearing up for a summer of learning and activities. Every Saturday in August from 2pm to 5pm, kids on their summer breaks can come down for an afternoon of play in a creative environment. Throughout the summer, kids will learn about visual art and design, music and rhythm, vertical gardening and urban agriculture, plus get to practice their English skills in friendly, multicultural workshops. For slightly younger kids, there will also be weekday storytelling and art classes, with mums and dads able to sneak off for a coffee and a chat. For more information on Commune’s summer programme and activities head to www.communehanoi.com or email virginia@communehanoi.com. Commune is located at 20A Duong Ven Ho, Tay Ho

PlAy A uKulele Not eating enough couscous? Hankering after bamboo fries? Perhaps you’re in need of some goulash? The Hanoi Social Club has got you covered and are offering half price food every Monday from 6pm to 8pm. More reasons to eat vegan and play ukulele. The Hanoi Social Club is down the quiet alley of Hoi Vu, Hoan Kiem, a stone’s throw from Food Street. Call them for information or a flirt on 3938 2117

Belle oF tHe BAll A night of a thousand tales has begun weaving. Thanks to the support of headline sponsor ANZ Bank Vietnam, the annual Auscham Ball will take place on Nov. 17 at the Intercontinental Hanoi Westlake. The Australian Chamber of Commerce is rolling up its sleeves and will be transforming the ballroom with an Arabian Nights theme including live entertainment and a special four-course Arabian meal. For more information and to enquire about tickets, call 08 3832 9912 or email events@ auschamvn.org

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trAVel DeAlS Over the next two months, travel agency Exotissimo is continuing its range of promotions on both local and international travel. Take, for example, a trip to the art deco, five-star La Residence in Hue. Valid until Sep. 30, guests can book rooms from VND2.54 million per night including airport pick up and a 30-minute massage. Similar deals exist for Life Heritage Resort Hoi An and Victoria Sapa Hotel & Resort. Other packages are available for trips to Luang Prabang, Phuket and Palawan. Also on offer is a combination package to the Singapore Grand Prix from Sep. 21 to Sep. 23. Three-day entrance tickets to the event start from VND4.92 million per person. The buffalo fighting festival in Do Son near Hai Phong is on the agenda on Sep. 24, with Exotissimo organising trips to Vietnam's bullfighting show of the year. For further information go to www.exotissimo.com

WIred Anti-tHeFt SoFtWAre WitH MoBile PHoneS AnD laptops so effortlessly falling into the wrong hands, a couple of app developers have come up with anti-theft software to not only protect data, but to help detect the location of the lost device. take for example Bitdefender. Available for Android devices as well as Windows xP, Vista, and Windows 7, for a yearly subscription of just uS$30 (VnD620,000), as well as providing an anti-virus solution, you can protect up to three of your portable electronic companions from theft. the system works via an online account management service — My Bitdefender. After you've installed the program, you will be asked to set up this service so as to activate the anti-theft function. then, through SMS and web control, you can locate your device using gPS and Wi-Fi information. you can also lock your device, wipe all data, alert your device by emitting an alarm, even if the phone or computer is set to silent, and receive alerts whenever the SiM card in your phone has been replaced. this final service will also send you the new phone number of whoever has your phone if they replace your SiM. Prey Anti-theft for iPhone, iPod and iPad goes one step further. not only is this open source software presently free of charge for the basic service, but it also takes a photo of whoever tries to meddle with your device once it's in their hands. All giving us a greater sense of protection against the growing problem of petty theft.

August 2012 Word | 13

the talk

TOP TWeeTS

our MAn

Jul. 11 DoMinique FloWerS @ iMMortAlreAltHe @chinanewsDaily @unDPPH @ WordVietnam @amblocke liKe WorD MAgAZine tHe WorD iS in My HAnDS. letS coMe to Agree! SenD My cHAuFFeur HelP Me PlZ

By SteVe JAcKSon

vIEtNam Is tOugh.

BrINg tOIlEt papEr

briefly got to spend time with a Labour politician and his wife who were visiting a volunteer programme I worked with in Africa. Each day we ate the local produce or one of us volunteers cooked, including a fabulous curry by an Indian volunteer. At the end of their stay they left us a huge bag of biscuits. “We were told to bring them,” they explained. “They said there wouldn’t be any food.” Pre-departure briefings rarely reflect reality. This week in Vietnam there was some online amusement courtesy of the fledgling blog of a couple of young diplomats headed to Hanoi. They wrote: “In our preparation to move across the world, we have compiled a list of all of the things we need before we move, the list is almost 200 items! Since Hanoi is considered ‘hardship’, we are preparing ourselves to purchase a lot of toilet paper, etc. etc. etc.” They go on to share how huge their new apartment will be — something that the taxpayers back home might begrudge a couple of entry-level embassy workers.

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on the Bread line But what’s interesting is the “hardship” angle. Yes Hanoi can be challenging, but a hardship? Clearly they had been told it was. Hardship tends to mean more money and so I guess it’s not in the interests of diplomats to actually point out that this might be a little outdated. It corresponds with thoughts I’d been having about a range of other organisations located here in Vietnam. Because whether you're working for a human rights organisation, the media or an NGO, bad news is good news. As regards the media, I don’t recall a single positive news story out of Vietnam in a long long time — and for all its problems that seems incredible for a country that has undergone such a reversal in fortunes. For the rest, bad news is key in terms of continuing to attract grants and promoting fundraising. And so our young diplomats will arrive in Vietnam with a crate full of toilet paper and western foodstuffs, waiting for a hellhole. In their palatial pad they’ll realise that they’ve got it made. They’ll eat out most nights and generally enjoy a lifestyle that they couldn’t

have begun to imagine back home. In short they’ll have a blast and when their posting is up they’ll play the game and pass on the same advice to their replacements: “It’s tough. Bring toilet paper.”

Self-Perpetuation Vietnam has a myriad of growing pains — you don’t need me to list them here. However, so many of them are borne out of success that surely the success itself warrants a mention, for context if nothing else. There remain those that have a lot invested in failure. There are those whose standard of living relies on it. A number of organisations have packed up and left Vietnam seeing the country as “job done” or even “too difficult to deal with”, but there are others who will continue to highlight failure as a reason to stay. If Vietnam’s failings are to be remedied then it’s time to be objective about them. If organisations are telling people that you can’t buy toilet paper in Hanoi, then you start to wonder what else they might be saying and in whose interests they might be saying it.

Jul. 24 itWeetliVe @tWtAliVe @WordVietnam http://bit.ly/JssxZt is a great tool for thanking customers for recommending u to their friends. check it out. tweet if u need.

WHen in roMe

intelligent rice

When in Rome… do what you do everywhere else? Italian food, famed the world over for pizza and salad, or is that America? Anyway, from Aug. 20 to 26, get reacquainted with the wonders of saltimbocca alla Romana, the addictive heat of pasta Arrabiata, and the silky texture of fresh vegetable ravioli with the Press Club’s week-long Roman Holiday menu. With each Italian main course ordered, diners can enjoy a free glass of Santa Cristina, straight from the historic town of Cortana in Tuscany. Press Club is at 12 Ly Dao Thang, Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem. Check their website for full details: www.hanoi-pressclub.com

It’s hot as hell outside, so be smart and escape the intense heat and summer storms inside the airconditioned comforts of Highway4 restaurants. All August the Hanoi favourite is offering a special lunch menu at VND299,000 for 4 people or VND199,000 for 2. The tasty sets include four main dishes with steamed rice, sour broth, unlimited ice tea and Son Tinh ice cream for dessert. Available Monday to Friday from 11am to 2pm in all Highway4 restaurants. For more information on Highway4 promotions including a magic show and the chance to eat your way to a deal with NShape Fitness Centres, see www. highway4.com. See our listings section for the addresses of Highway4 in Hanoi

roDion AnD Metro toKyo DeScenD on HAnoi Italian disco is the sound of the summer in Hanoi as CAMA lure Italy’s favourite producer, Rodion, to Vietnam’s capital. Since the release of his EP For Ever in 2010, featuring Jeppe Kjellberg from WhoMadeWho, Rodion has been in demand all over Europe. Described by Mixmag as “the new genius of Italian Dance music” and much loved by the likes of Lindstrom and DFA Records, the boy wonder mixes the euphoria of Balearic house with the atmosphere of Morricone’s soundtrack compositions to hip swinging effect. Las Vegas-style slow disco ballads, beautiful Italian melodies, house and futuristic crooner pop are all part of the fun. Rodion will be flying in for a one-off summer party on Aug. 25 with support from Berlin’s Metro Tokyo. Check out www.cama-atk.com or www. camavietnam.com for information on tickets and venue

Jul. 24 cHriS DAy @trAVWorlD @ourman Have read your column in @wordvietnam pretty interesting. So you travel on @airasia a lot, how would you say the overall exp is? Jul. 24 VietnAMBlogS @VietnAMBlogS #vietnam i’m a pie-eating migrant: A couple of years back i was sat in a certain pub with some... http://bit.ly/ o6qo2p by @WordVietnam Jul. 25 WorD VietnAM @WorDVietnAM need a good laugh tonight? #Saigon http://ow.ly/cn2pc #HcMc #Vietnam Jul. 25 tHe coMicAl HAt @tHecoMicAlHAt @WordVietnam oh yeah!? Brave of him. Here he is on his time in #hanoi : http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=rHnu_lJSjpc … (from 1.51 minute on). Jul. 25 AAron Joel SAntoS @ AaronJoelSantos @thecomicalHat @WordVietnam When does that get funny? Jul. 29 it'S neW orleAnS @ itSneWorleAnS @WordVietnam check out our Vietnamese show from new orleans, Winn nguyen! http://inobroadcasting. com

August 2012 Word | 15

in the Papers tHe BeSt oF tHe VietnAMeSe PreSS

the talk SuPer cArS For rent

FirSt SolAr leAVing VietnAM American manufacturer of solar power panels, First Solar, is pulling out of Vietnam and has said it is selling its factory in Ho Chi Minh City, according to thanhniennews.com. Brandon Mitchener, its director of foreign affairs, said the decision was due to the low global demand for solar power. The factory in the Dong Nam Industrial Zone in Cu Chi District was built just last April. The factory, the first of its kind in Vietnam, was expected to become operational in the second half of this year, producing panels with a capacity of 250 megawatts a year. A 60x120 sqm panel costs US$100 to US$150, unaffordable for most Vietnamese, so the company had initially planned to export its products to the US and Europe.

Ngo Thi Phuong Thao, director of the Chau Au travel company in Binh Thanh, specialises in renting out “super cars” for processions and road shows. She says, “All of my clients are very rich people who only accept state-of-the-art cars, manufactured [no earlier than] 2011. Some rich men from Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre and Can Tho come to me to hire luxury cars just to go to restaurants and coffee shops with their girlfriends.” She adds: “Some even hire such cars to go around the city with girlfriends. Three months ago a man from Long An spent VND70 million to hire a BMW X6. On returning the car, he gave my staff a VND2 million tip.”

5cM leecH eecH reMoV reMoVeD o eD FroM MAn’S oV noSe SAMe-Sex MArriAge

JADe StAtue oF VietnAMeSe Zen BuDDHiSM FounDer PlAnneD A group of Buddhists in Ho Chi Minh City plan to make a two-ton jade statue of King Tran Nhan Tong (1258 - 1308), considered the founder of Vietnamese Zen Buddhism. Work on the statue, which is between 1.5 and 1.6 metres high, started last month and is expected to be completed in December. Made from a 4.5-ton nephrite jade block from Canada, the statue will be seated on a white marble lotus throne, according to the Buda Company, which has been assigned the task. The stone had previously been blessed by foreign and local monks, nuns and Buddhists during a special ceremony, the company said. The first of its kind in Vietnam, the statue is meant to inspire Vietnamese unification and celebrate its history, spirit and culture, the VnExpress news website reported. It will be circulated among several large pagodas across Vietnam for the pious to pray to.

16 | Word August 2012

The Ministry of Justice is collecting opinions from agencies and organisations about the legalisation of same-sex marriage as it drafts modifications to the current marriage laws, VnExpress reported last month. In its latest letters, the ministry said it is considering it because increasing numbers of homosexual, bisexual and transgender individuals have been declaring their sexual orientations. Their need to get married and live together is also increasing, while the Law on Marriage and Family issued in 2000 outlaws same-sex marriage, the ministry said.

A man in south central Vietnam had a leech removed from his nose last month after it had been there for two weeks. Ha Van Canh, 42, said his nose was constantly itchy, bleeding and causing difficulties in breathing after he had a nap in a field in Dak Lak. Canh went to a private clinic in the province and was prescribed lung inflammation medicine. It failed to improve his condition. During a visit to his home in Binh Dinh Province, Canh went to a medical centre where Dr Nguyen Van Thuan removed a five-centimeter-long leech that had lodged in his nasal cavity for half a month.

ScHoolS to recruit 100 nAtiVe engliSH teAcHerS The Ho Chi Minh City’s education department will recruit 100 teachers who are native English speakers for a project aimed at enhancing English skills. As of 2020, each local school will have at least one teacher who is a native English speaker. Candidates must possess English teaching certificates such as the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), the Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT) or the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). Further details pertaining to the requirements, recruitment strategy and the job itself are still being drafted by the department. More than VND408 billion has been allotted for the project, over VND336 billion of which will be used to build foreign language learning labs and purchase equipment.

BeWAre oF BAiDu SPyWAre Vietnamese internet security communities say search engine and online entertainment page Baidu is spreading cyber attacks on local computers. According to Tuoi Tre online newspaper, members of Hacker Vietnam, a forum providing computer tips and warnings, and the CMC Information Security Company, said several new software and other services of Baidu secretly install spyware on users’ computers. They said Baidu’s music player software TTPlayer contains adware, or illegal advertisement software, which is automatically installed into the users’ computers when they download the music player. The adware will change the computers’ home page for advertisement purposes. The download also infects the computers with an application called hao123.1.0.0.1097.exe that functions as a Trojan downloader, downloading virus codes anytime the computers are connected to the internet. HiPlayer, software required for watching movies online on Baidu’s sister site, ahphim.com, also automatically installs the same application.

August 2012 Word | 17

AUgUST cAlenDAr tuE

mOn

WEd

to have your event included in our calendar, please email news@wordhanoi.com by no later than Aug. 17 with a description of the event and a high-res photo

thu

MetroPole NoMaDe ProJeCt @ Mai gallery, until aug. 9 ai aND ky iN the laND of iNViSible NuMberS by Ngo bao Chau. 6pm @ l’espace tribute to PiNk floyD @ fat Cat

book feStiVal @ tien Phong Primary school, 8am to 12pm

tribute to MiChael JaCkSoN @ fat Cat

haNoi SPeakerS MeetiNg. 6.45pm aug. 7 & 21 @ koto

the worlD of iNterior toyS. 10am at the Japan foundation. from aug. 11 to Sep. 19

half PriCe fooD. 6pm to 8pm every Mon. @ the hanoi Social Club week-loNg roMaN holiDay MeNu. from aug. 20 to 26 @ Press Club Steak Night with a glaSS of wiNe for VND199,000. every Mon. @ Matchbox

Street hoCkey NightS @ uNiS every Monday, 6.30pm to 8pm

CoMbo of hoMe-MaDe SaNDwiCh & Coffee for VND85,000. 2.30pm to 5.30pm every day @ little hanoi SPeCial luNCh MeNu for VND299,000 for 4 people or VND199,000 for 2. 11am to 2pm from Mon. to fri. @ highway4

18 | Word August 2012

woMeN’S gaeliC football traiNiNg @ Dang thai Mai football field every tuesday

haNoi Pub Quiz @ r&r tavern every tuesday, 9.30pm to 11.30pm freNCh tueSDayS @ Summit lounge, 50% off all french wines every tuesday, 4pm to midnight

NoiSe aND reSiStaNCe. 8.30pm @ CaMa atk

80’S MuSiC @ fat Cat

aCouStiC Night with fiNger-Style guitar @ heresy rock Club, 8.30pm every friday

liVe PiaNiSt @ Panacea Cafe, 8.30pm every thu.

Poker weDNeSDay Night @ Play gaming lounge, 104 bach Dang

SPotlight! @ hanoi rock City, 8pm every thu.

liVe aCouStiC MuSiC @ z Coffee bar. 8.30pm every wed.

thirSty thurSDay 2 for 1 @ Press Club every thursday, 6pm to 9pm

SaMba, flaMeNCo, PoP roCk @ heresy rock Club, 9pm every wed.

free CoCktailS for woMeN @ la fee Verte hotel de l’opera every thursday, 6pm to 9pm

MaNu Chao @ fat Cat

free VietNaMeSe ClaSSeS @ Puku every wednesday, 7pm

CoMa-Chi. 9pm @ CaMa atk

Qui M'aiMe Me SuiVe. 8pm at l'espace

oublier CheyeNNe. 8pm @ l'espace

friDay MiloNga - argeNtiNe taNgo @ Xichlo Cafe, 8pm every fri. aCouStiC liVe roCk MuSiC by haNoi Club @ arena lounge 8pm every fri. let the MuSiC take oVer CoNtrol! @ Summit lounge, 9pm every fri.

24 beCoMiNg a MaN @ Vietnam Museum of ethnology, until Nov. 11

flightS & biteS wiNe taStiNg @ Southgate every wed., 6pm to 10pm

2 DayS iN PariS. 8pm @ l'espace

tribute to elViS PreSley @ fat Cat

kiD’S CookiNg ClaSS. 3.30pm @ hanoi Cooking Centre

blV'S VietNaMeSe Club. 2pm to 4pm every Sat. @ Star office, 53 Quang trung

CoNCert beethoVeN 2ND @ worker theatre, 8pm aug. 24 & 25

SuMMer PrograM & aCtiVitieS @ Commune (20a Duong Ven ho, ho tay). 2pm to 5pm every Sat. Visit www. communehanoi.com for info

liVe PiaNiSt @ Panacea Cafe, 8.30pm every Sat.

liVe roCk MuSiC @ Polygon Musik Cafe. 9pm every wed.

sAt NightS of aCouStiC @ M.box bar & lounge, 8.30pm from tue. to Sat.

DeePMiX MoSCow liVe raDio. every thu. @ fat Cat

liVe aCouStiC MuSiC @ z Coffee bar. 8.30pm every fri.

laDieS' Night @ Summit lounge, 4pm every thu.

CorriDor CraCkS @ ete bar, until Sep. 6

leS ChaNSoNS D'aMour. 8pm @ l'espace

SPeCial Pho with freSh fruit JuiCe for VND85,000. from 8am to 11am every day @ little hanoi

wiNeS by glaSS & tiger Draught beer – buy 1 get 1 free. 9pm to 11pm every day @ little hanoi

FRI

DJ Night @ Summit lounge, 9pm every fri. & Sat.

PiaNo aND PerCuSSioN CoNCert. 8pm @ l'espace

raChMaNiNoV Night. 8pm aug. 17 & 18 @ the hanoi opera house. Visit www.ticketvn.com for info ShiSha & SaNgria weekeNDS @ the oyster bar, Don’s tay ho

25 roDioN & Metro tokyo. Check out www.cama-atk. com or www. camavietnam.com for information on tickets and venue

sun toyota CoNCert tour 2012 @ hanoi opera house, 8pm aug. 5 & 6

ia eNCyCloPeDia of rebelS @ ntil l’espace. until aug. 31

12 beer & burger SuNDay @ Southgate every Sunday

PikNiC eleCtroNik @ keangnam landmark garden, 4pm to 10pm every Sun.

19 SaturDay weekeND Market @ asian Veterinary & livestock Services, 9.30am to 12.30pm every Sat. & Sun babyloN burNiNg @ Panacea Cafe, 2pm every Sun.

ha haNoi CarNiVal 2012 @ indochina Plaza, 8am to 10pm aug. 25 & aug. 26

31 PiaNo gala. 8pm @ l'espace

iNterNatioNal hot air ballooN feStiVal. from aug. 29 to Sep. 3 in Phan thiet

JeaN De la foNtaiNe, le DÉfi. 8pm @ l'espace

August 2012 Word | 19

Scene

Art came to the Sofitel Plaza this month with an exhibition up on high

phOtOs prOvIdEd BY sOfItEl plaza

OVER

PAnorAMA exHiBition @ SoFitel PlAZA

HAnoi PuB quiZ @ r&r

BBq nigHt @ tHe BiStro the Bistro held its very first BBq Bash with a whole night of outdoor BBq and live acoustic music.

phOtOs BY BaO NgOc

phOtOs prOvIdEd BY thE BIstrO

Hanoi's longest running bar continued its infamous pub quizzes last month with a particularly enthused display of questions, answers and tnH-style announcements

teA PreSentAtion @ coFFee BeAn & teA leAF

phOtOs BY BaO NgOc

David De candia, the director of tea at coffee Bean & tea leaf, explained to a select audience how to make that perfect brew and the benefits of drinking tea

WelcoMe PArty For cHeF iVAn negro @ AngelinA

SoutHgAte turnS one

phOtOs prOvIdEd BY sOuthgatE

phOtOs prOvIdEd BY sOfItEl mEtrOpOlE

next generation italian chef, ivan negro, was given a prosecco-infused welcome to his new hunting ground, top-end bar and italian restaurant Angelina

20 | Word August 2012

Food Street restaurant and bar Southgate proved just how quickly the hours, minutes, days and years pass by with a bash to celebrate their first 12 months in business

August 2012 Word | 21

insider

Q&a, thE maNY facEs Of haNOI, tImE & spacE, thE JOurNEY

PHoto By AAron Joel SAntoS

22 | Word August 2012

August 2012 Word | 23

tHe MAny FAceS oF HAnoi

the Soundman Words by Kaitlin rees. Photos by Aaron Joel Santos

guyen Anh Tan has many names. Mr. Tan, Papa Tan and Tan Hang Bac are just some. He’ll write them in Chinese for you, unprompted, just to clarify. He’s probably got more nicknames, too, that surface once you hang around long enough. He also has many students. As a drum instructor, he currently sees about 20 students a week, ranging in age from six to 60, (not including the 78-year-old man he once helped rock out). Tan sees many bands. His home doubles as a practice studio with three rooms for rent, which are almost always fully booked each week with the over 20 bands that come in and out. Of the bands that rent practice space, about two-thirds are Vietnamese and one-third are foreign, from Japan, Korea, Eastern Europe and America. He has only one price for his students and bands, though, and that price hasn’t changed much since he started teaching in 1983 and renting out his space in 2000. He has also played in many bands. From his first gig in 1976 at the Youth Theatre when he had to step in for the drummer who was too drunk to play, to the early days of Hanoi’s most famous rock band Dai Bang Trang (White Eagle) in the late 1980s. From his collaborations with Hanoi’s leading jazz musician Quyen Van Minh to the wedding party disco he played “to survive, to feed my passion and feed my family”, it would seem that Tan has touched, in some form or other, every note in the history of post-war Hanoi rock. But what Tan has the most of is the “human friendship and passion” he describes as integral to making music. He is a man who wants to be around people, a person who wants to chat, who’s quick to crack a joke and laugh at it, and who wants everyone else to as well. He’s a man that wants to feel, deeply and genuinely, that

24 | Word August 2012

which his students and his friends wish to express through their music.

if you Build it… “In the late 1970s and 1980s, playing music and just picking up an instrument was a luxury,” he explains. “It was very underground.” At the time there was little exposure to music from overseas and no technology. For music lovers such as Tan, it was difficult to share his interest with other people.

“in the late 1970s and 1980s, playing music and just picking up an instrument was a luxury,” he explains. “it was very underground”

“I thought the only way to approach some kind of community and always be around music was to teach people,” he continues. “I opened a space so people would come and keep doing it.” Between 1995 and 2005 Tan organised and promoted national rock concerts that brought bands from the north, middle and south of Vietnam all around the country. It was a struggle. Gaining permission for the performances was tough until 2000, when

the Ministry of Culture organised a huge concert to celebrate the new millennium. “The part for live music was lacking in interesting stuff for youngsters,” says Tan. “So they called me for help.” It worked. He brought six bands to the August Revolution Square (opposite the Ly Thai To statue) for what turned into a legendary show. The bands played from 12am to 6am. “Since that time, I feel like rock is not underground any more,” he says. “It’s easier for it to breath now; people watch it officially and go to it with an easy feeling. It’s like a kind of door opened.”

Heart and Soul Arguably more than anyone else, Tan has seen and felt the changing landscape of rock music in Hanoi. His home, formerly on Hang Bac (hence the nickname Tan Hang Bac) and now in an alley off of Ton Duc Thang, is a hub of music, full of people playing it and talking about it. Old-timers come around to shoot the breeze, nascent musicians come to pick up their first drumsticks. At 54 years old, having lived through those difficult post-war years when every concert was a struggle, it would be understandable for Tan to look down on the younger generation of musicians who have it easier today. And though he is wary of those with “perspectives mutated by desire” and those who “are distracted by the shadows of art and rock music itself”, there is not a glimmer of jadedness on his face when asked about the future of rock music in this city. “People have different talents and different senses of music,” he says, “but I love to feel the good vibe from the youngsters.” And it’s no wonder. When Tan is around, good vibes seem to be contagious.

August 2012 Word | 25

tiMe & SPAce

A Sum of Many Parts Hanoi’s oldest camera repair shop has been worked by four generations of one family. But it’s not just a family business. It’s an obsession. Words by Huyen tran. Photos by Francis roux

or many Hanoians, there is a common theme that runs through their childhood memories. It’s a theme that merges the recollection of playing with other kids in the neighbourhood with that of making a living — helping their parents run the family shops, witnessing their parents’ daily work, and growing up alongside the evolution of the family business. There are a multitude of reasons why many family-run businesses are passed down from generation to generation in Hanoi. This induction at such an early age is certainly one of them. Such traditions of the son or the daughter following the footsteps of their parents

26 | Word August 2012

are most prevalent in the Old Quarter, a mercantile area that developed with the growth of trade after the founding of Hanoi. But move south of Ho Guom (Hoan Kiem Lake) to the newer area around Pho Hue, and the same generational types of businesses can also be found, even with the disruption caused by 30 years of war. Take, for example, Phung Khac Khoan. Although known best as Fabric Street, here you will come across the oldest camera repair shop in Hanoi.

Father and Son Located in the middle of this bustling street, Van Phuong, Ngoc Long, Ngoc Cuong: Camera Repair (15 Phung Khac Khoan, Hai

Ba Trung) is almost impossible to miss. Now run by 70-year-old Nguyen Van Phuong, the grandson of the shop’s founder, the fourth generation, Phuong’s two sons, are also part of the business. These days, rather than doing the repairs, though, you’ll most likely see Phuong sitting at the tea stand out front. His wife opened it years ago to welcome customers — Phuong now tends to use it as a consultation space. With more than 50 years in the trade, and even with the transformation brought on by the advent of digital, Phuong’s experience means he can diagnose most problems that may befall a camera. After discussing the issue with potential customers, he sends them

upstairs to his two sons in the workshop. It’s quite an ascent and some may move on to the upper level with reluctance — the wooden stairs are so steep and narrow that they just fit a normal foot-size. The house, complete with the stairwell, was constructed in the early 20th century. They have not been rebuilt since. “I started learning from my father how to open and fix a camera when I was 16 years old,” wheezes Phuong. His lungs are now frail and he has to stop after every sentence to breathe. “But the house and camera repairing business have accompanied me my whole life. My childhood was filled with camera parts scattered about the room, and I started learning from my father how to open and fix a camera when I was 16 years old. I grew up here, started my own family here, and now my two sons proudly continue my career. For 50 years I have fixed cameras and for 50 years photography has totally engrossed me.” However, sitting all day in a 15sqm room has its down side — it’s stuff and claustrophobic, and for Phuong it has always had the potential to make him go crazy. So, it’s not just repairs that have made his life tick, but travel, and capturing special moments on film, too. Enjoying the “beauty of life outside” and taking mainly portrait photos have helped him “keep [his] spirit up”.

“Whenever I can capture a moment, I feel a sense of indescribable joy,” he says. “[Over the years] I have added priceless contributions to my Hanoi collection of images. In photography I consider each person to be an actor or actress. However, they’re different to stage actors. These are people playing a role in real life. That explains why the majority of my photographs are portraits.”

Piecing it together Considered by many to be the “central hospital” for cameras in the capital, the fame of Phuong’s repair shop has spread beyond the borders of Hanoi. Customers from as far afield as Germany and the US have frequented his premises, and he has been lucky enough to fix cameras of all types, even “antique cameras made in Germany or France 80 or 90 years ago” — at present he’s fixing an early Rolleiflex, a German-made camera that was the first to use medium format roll-film. He’s also been written about in the overseas press — “I have kept the articles… as certificates for my hard work”. Move up to the second floor and you wonder how so much has been achieved with so little space. The tiny workshop is home to nearly 100 cameras and many more boxes filled with parts. Yet unlike other similar workshops in the city, it is clean,

well-organised and tidy. The camera parts and repairing tools, both imported and salvaged from cameras deemed to be beyond repair, are neatly classified into different boxes. It is the parts that are the nuts and bolts of the trade. Without them, many a camera may have a shortened lifespan. “Often customers have to wait for days as some parts are imported from other countries,” explains Phuong. “Sometimes there are seriously damaged or broken cameras, which cost us a lot to repair, more than their value. In these cases, the customers will often sell them to us. We then open them up and keep them for parts.” Yet, it’s not just physical, camera parts that are the lifeblood of this business. It’s the human element. The sense of a whole family, all four generations coming together like a jigsaw — and this is despite both sons graduating from university and both sons having had the option of other work. But for this family, the camera repair trade is infectious. According to Phuong, even one of its youngest members is sporting the correct traits — the favourite play objects of his three-year-old grandchild are toy cameras and defunct cameras. All bringing hope to the old man that generation four will become generation number five and maybe even generation number six.

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DeStinAtion

DAy triPPer No time for a holiday, but want to get out of the smog? Alex Field jumped on his trusty Honda Wave to see what adventures he could find in a day — and still be home for dinner. Photos by Aaron Joel Santos

Perfume Pagoda Travel Time 2. 5 hours

Distance from Hanoi 65km

entrance Technically VND55,000 per person for the boat, VND50,000 for entry to the mountain path. Come as a group, though, or you will most likely be forced to hire your own private boat. The cable car costs VND70,000.

the Place Set in the Huong Tich Mountains, Perfume Pagoda (Chua Huong) is a very Vietnamese destination. Pilgrims come from across the country to worship here all year round — especially in the four months after Tet. It’s one of the most important religious sites in Vietnam. An epic complex of shrines and temples built into limestone rock, visitors get in a rowing boat at Ben Duc, and float down Yen Stream to the base of Huong Son Mountain. From there you can walk or take a cable car up to the Inner Temple, in an enormous cave at the top of the mountain.

the Day trip The journey out of Hanoi is pretty gruelling,

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but fear not, it gets a lot prettier and calmer after Highway 13. Make sure you leave early for this trip, though — it's not a nice return drive in the dark. I left at 7.30am and arrived at 10.30a, getting a little lost on the way and taking it easy on those roads. This gave me plenty of time for the 45-minute boat ride and a walk up Huong Son Mountain, with lots of sightseeing on the way. There is so much to take in here; from the array of stuffed animals and porcupines in cages (animal rights activists stay at home) to stall after stall of tat as you walk up the mountain — plastic toys, golden statues and fake flowers galore. If you don’t like litter, don’t look down. There are thousands of cans and packets tumbling down the mountain, all the way to the top. The trek can take up to two hours with stops at the cave pagodas. During peak season there are so many stalls that it's a struggle to see the view most of the time — but it's all worth it when you get to the Huong Tich Pagoda at the top.

The cave is enormous, with beautiful shrines and worshippers all around — after the chaotic climb and garish souvenirs, it’s good to remember what it’s all about. Everyone also seems happy to share their traditions here. Twice I was taught how to pray, and was physically dragged to a rock to have holy water dripped on my hand. Do dress respectfully, though. Women should cover their shoulders.

getting there The fastest way is to drive down Le Duan to join the Highway 1. This may be quick, but it’s not much fun and can be a very dangerous road. Watch a lorry overtake a lorry on a corner, and you might wish you took another route. A less death-defying (and much prettier) option is to take Highway 13 out of Hanoi for 15 km, then turn left onto the highway 21B when you reach a roundabout. From here, follow the road down, veering right after 40 km onto Highway 74. From here it’s 4km straight to Ben Duc.

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tam Dao Travel Time 2 hours

Pet SPeciAl

Distance from Hanoi 70km

entrance Fee Free to the National Park

the Place Tam Dao National Park is a nature-lover’s paradise. Thousands of rare birds, lizards, insects and plants have been found here in the park’s altitude, sub-tropical climate. Hang out in Tam Dao Town, high up in the mountains, visit the local bear sanctuary, or swim in one of the many lakes surrounding the park. The drive here is great — especially the last 10km up to Tam Dao Town.

the Day trip There’s no need to leave especially early for this one, unless you have a packed schedule. I left home at 10am and arrived in Tam Dao in time for lunch. The town was originally developed as a hill station by the

French, although now it’s become a tourist town, with some great old buildings and a beautiful church. There are lots of places to stay the night if you don’t want to go home just yet. The climate is tropical here, but high up in Tam Dao town there are pleasant temperatures for most of the year. Bring warm clothes in winter, though, because it gets chilly. Day-trippers can sunbathe by a swimming pool in the middle of Tam Dao town, or go exploring. A half-hour trek to the Silver Waterfall is worth the effort — ask in guesthouses for information. A guide is essential for longer treks and can be hired from local hotels. A word of warning — watch out for the dogs, which seem particularly feral here. Tam Dao Moon Bear Sanctuary is a great visit. The animals — who’ve mostly been

rescued from the Asian bile industry — live in dens and semi-natural enclosures. You’ll find it inside the entrance to the national park, on the way up the hill towards the town. The great scenery is not confined to the town, or even to the National Park, and there is lots to see in the surrounding area. There are many beautiful lakes, particularly southwest of the national park, and there are some decent guided treks around.

getting there Drive north of Hanoi towards Noi Bai Airport. Just before you reach the Airport, turn left onto the QL2A. From here, make your way onto TL310 (via Dai Lai Lake is prettiest route), turning right at the T-junction onto TL302. After 10km turn right at the sign for Tam Dao, and follow the road right up to the town.

it'S A Dog'S liFe

Thit cay restaurants may still proliferate, as do dog snatchings. And yet, Vietnam’s relationship with those faithful canines has changed. Over the next few pages we enter the world of pet hotels, kennel associations and dog lifestyle stores, and discover that dogs of all shapes and sizes are truly becoming nam’s best friend.

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Doggy trends Despite the worldwide recession, uber-trendy dog lifestyle stores and pooch grooming services continue to do a good trade. So, how long before Vietnam makes the grade? Words by rose Arnold. Photos by Francis roux

Bust and now Some Boom Vietnam’s relationship with dogs has traditionally been more practical. Dogs were kept to guard homes, do work, not to mention being served up for dinner. Between the turbulent years of 1954 and 1984 it was actually illegal to own dogs because of the widespread poverty. But as Vietnam has become more affluent, pet ownership has increased. You no longer keep a dog just to guard your property or get a cat to weed out the rats. Many pet owners now keep animals because they genuinely like and care for them. Some pets are viewed as dear members of the family and are treated as such. Hanoi even has a dog and cat hotel that provides a pet cemetery and funeral service to comfort bereaved owners. While dedicated dog salons have yet to spring up, there are a number of places in Hanoi you can buy clothes for your dog, should you want to. Many pet shops and smaller boutiques stock a range of outfits. While apparently the clothes are for warmth in the winter, the outfits don’t skimp on style. In a city where the shops are filled with bling and cute slogans, how could that not be the case? Santa Claus outfits, teeny tiny booties (in packs of four), raspberry and lemon striped jerseys, doggy sunglasses, diamante tees, tartan dresses and hoodies can be found in the capital. Suggesting that this is more than just a niche trend — even Big C has apparently taken up the mantle, selling various outfits for pets.

Hot Hounds

ast year ‘dog lifestyle store’ Betty and Butch opened in my hometown of Manchester in the UK. A mix of tasteful branding and sparkly chandeliers, it sells organic dog shampoo, offers pet Reiki healing and ornate white thrones for dogs. Despite the downturn in economic growth, with businesses closing all around, Betty and Butch is apparently still very much in the market. Perhaps this shouldn’t be so surprising. The rise of the dog as a fashion accessory

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and pampered friend is a craze that has swept across the planet. In Japan pet owners can take advantage of a range of pet beauty services, including having their dog’s nails painted to match their own. In New York small fortunes are spent every year over the two days of the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club dog show. After all, champion dogs need their grooming, massages, spa treatments and dollar-a-minute pet psychics to sooth preshow nerves. In Thailand aspiring dog groomers can

study at the Starwood Centre. Skills taught include styling dogs to match a range of outré outfits and, weirdly, the ‘art’ of making dogs look like different species. Exciting possibilities include ‘the panda’, ‘the parrot’ or even the innovative ‘backhalf-of-my-poodle-is-actually-a-ponyhead’ look. While Vietnam is a few steps behind these excesses (the rest of the world having set the bar pretty high), there are clear signs that such doggy trends are starting to take hold here, too.

In the evenings in Hanoi, around the city’s lakes, owners take their dogs, of all shapes and sizes, for a walk. Or a motorbike ride. Dogs can often be seen balancing with perfect poise as their owners whizz around the city. As with other places in the world, people here seem to choose pets that look like them, or at least compliment their style. There are teeny Chihuahuas and cute white Maltese dogs, perfect for the girl about town. Or, for tough guys, a big, bad dog to go with gold chains and biker-style tattoos. The breed you choose can also say a lot about how wealthy you are, and status symbol dogs are growing in popularity. Adult German shepherds, which can cost up to ten times the average monthly wage, are the most popular foreign breed. There have even been reports of a number of Vietnamese men owning Tibetan mastiffs, giants among dogs and the most expensive breed in the world. While foreign breeds are increasingly popular, dog shows in Vietnam started in part as a drive to gain international recognition for Vietnam’s indigenous dog, the Phu Quoc ridgeback. The Vietnam Kennel Association (VKA) was established in 2008 for this reason and held the first official Vietnamese dog show later that year. By 2011 they had achieved success. The Phu Quoc ridgeback was recognised as an official breed and accepted into the World Dog Show held in Paris in 2011. In

the same year the Vietnamese dog show, hosted by the VKA, was opened up to allow international breeds and contestants to take part. Over 300 dogs were entered into the contest held in Ho Chi Minh City. The overall winner selected was a Pomeranian (a ‘toy dog’ often excessively combed making it look more like a tiny fluff ball with eyes and teeth) shown by its Vietnamese owner and professional handler. For the time being, the rise in ‘designer’ dogs as beloved pets is a luxury afforded by the more affluent members of society. But as the wealth of the population grows, expect to see more pampered pooches around the parks and lakes of the city.

Pet SHoPS

City zoo 114A Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho www.cityzoo.vn laM’S Pet Store 99 Hoang Hoa Tham, Ba Dinh www.petstore.vn

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Pet Hotel Down a small alley lies Hotel Cho Meo. Set in a tranquil garden, with a lotusfilled pond and towering white statues next to a pet cemetery, the kennels provide training, breeding services and assistance to pet owners. There is also a shop selling hundreds of dog outfits and other accessories. rose Arnold spoke to nguyen Bao Sinh, the pet hotel’s 70-something owner. Photos by Aaron Joel Santos

In the time you have worked with dogs how have attitudes in Vietnam towards pets changed? [During the war] years, the Vietnamese economy was bad. People had no food, they couldn’t afford to feed dogs. A rich man might eat meat, just a small amount, once a month. Only the police were allowed to keep dogs. But I really loved my dogs. In 1985 the [authorities] allowed Vietnamese people to keep dogs again. This was a historical moment, it was a sign that Vietnam was changing, getting better, less poor. Now many people keep pets. If keeping even one dog was not allowed, how were you able to run a dog sanctuary during this time? I lived in an isolated area, in the middle of nowhere. [Placed] between two provinces, it was no-one’s responsibility. The times when people did come, I would take the dogs and hide in the nearby lake. It was full of lotus plants so there was good cover. There was a training centre for the police dogs outside of Hanoi. One time I was told to take away a dog that had been unsuccessful. At that time there was only one way to enter Hanoi, across Long Bien bridge. I disguised the dog as a woman, to take it back with me. I muzzled it, dressed it in human clothes, put a traditional non la hat on its head and tied its legs around my waist behind me on the bicycle. I had to choose the best time to cross, so I went when it was dark and the crossing was busy. I was allowed to pass. Why did you decide to open a pet hotel in Hanoi? People asked me to take their pets. They said, “Uncle, I have a dog, can you look

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after it so I can go on summer holiday?” I followed what was happening in western countries by watching TV and listening to the news. I visited Thailand and went to pet hotels and similar businesses there. [My place] only officially became a hotel in 2006. I have grown the business from this. In the future I want to continue to modernise the hotel and to add to what we already have here. Staff training is also a big focus. Who are your customers and why do they bring their pets to you? My customers are rich Vietnamese and expatriates. People bring their dogs when they go on holiday, or travel for work, so my customers are naturally people who are wealthy enough to do this. I have many regular customers. Sometimes a dog has to come for one or two years because the owner has to work or stay overseas and it is not possible to take the pet with them. One woman who worked for the Vietnamese embassy in Russia had to leave her dog here for four years. She did get to come home occasionally and when she did she took the dog, but she was away a lot. Our busiest time is in the summer holidays and over Tet. What type of dogs do your customers have, and do the dogs have any special care requirements? All the dogs here are foreign breeds. The types of dogs people have, the breeds, have changed very much. People’s preferences, their idea of beauty, change with what is available. What was beautiful then is not beautiful now. In the past we liked onestorey houses, but this was because there were no materials available, and now it has changed. It is the same with dogs, there are

more breeds, we have more options. `Some owners have special diet requirements, some people give me a menu and I go and buy the food, others bring it to the centre. The strangest requirement ever was from an owner who was a very heavy smoker. Because he always smoked the dog was accustomed to smelling smoke. He couldn’t eat without it! It is crazy, but we had to burn cigarettes so that the dog would eat. What other interests do you have apart from dogs? I like to do a lot of work. As well as all the training and so on I do with the dogs, and running the hotel, I also paint a lot. I have a studio at 51 Hang Dao where I exhibit my paintings. I do physical training, I teach traditional Vietnamese meditation and I still box. When I was younger I met Mohammed Ali and sparred with him. And I do other things, I sculpt, I made the large scale sculptures in the pool outside [the hotel] and I designed this hotel. I also write a lot of poetry. I like to have a full life.

inForMAtion hotel Cho Meo www.hotelchomeo.com Lane 167, Truong Dinh, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3662 1022 As well as a kennels service, cemetary and accessories shop, the hotel provides veterinary services and vaccines for dogs and cats, buys and sells pets, and trains pet owners how to look after their animals. August 2012 Word | 35

coVer Story

AN ART EXPLOSION In the mid-1990s five young artists, all graduates of the Hanoi Fine Arts University, made a departure from the more restricted visual, propaganda-influenced art of the previous decades and began to express themselves. Choosing to paint a variety of subject matter, which ranged from landscapes and still life to nudes and abstract, Ha Tri Hieu, Tran Luan, Hong Viet Dung, Dang Xuan Hoa and Pham Quang Vinh were the first generation of artists after the war era to bridge Vietnamese tradition with contemporary art. Despite their contrasting, quite conservative styles, according to American artist David Thomas, they were like five brothers. Their closeness and their relative originality gained them the moniker, ‘The Gang of Five’.

dOcumENtarY aNd fIlm makEr Isaak lE // phOtO BY aarON JOEl saNtOs

A decade and a half later and visual arts in the capital are unrecognisable. While there is still an abundance of Vietnamese-themed, watercolours and oils, the type of conical-hatted imagery that tends to attract foreign buyers, the proliferation of artists, forms and mediums is relentless. Painting, printmaking, lacquer, photography, video, installation, performance, theatre, short film, dance, fashion design, documentary, interior design, crafts and even architecture. The list is endless. Over the next few pages we take a peek at both the art and the people who are creating it. It’s far from comprehensive, but the hope is that it will provide an insight into the growing arts scene burgeoning in this city.

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wOrk BY lE QuY tONg

aN Ipad skEtch BY duc lOI

sculpturE BY NguYEN Nhu Y

ThE ECONOmICS Of

ART

Without a local market for contemporary art, to survive even successful Vietnamese artists have to make trade-offs. Words by Douglas Pyper 38 | Word August 2012

t a market in Soc Son, a man sells fish and shrimp. With the help of a crude, homemade crutch, he limps off each morning in search of a fresh catch. The man, who appears destitute on first glance, is Nguyen Nhu Y, one of Vietnam’s most talented artists. Known as ‘Crazy Y’ in the Vietnamese press, Y was one of the University of Fine Art’s most promising students before dropping out of his course for mental health reasons and moving to the mountainous northern region to live with one of the ethnic minorities. He later returned to the capital and was allowed back onto the course, where he prolifically produced primal, totem-like sculptures. However, since the loss of his left leg in a traffic accident two years ago, Y has returned to his hometown in Soc Son to live a hand-to-mouth life, fishing and selling his catch in the market. In May 2012, in an effort to alleviate Y’s poverty and reintroduce him to the artistic community, a group of Y’s friends organised an exhibition at the Viet Art Centre on Yet Kieu. Featuring more than 70 pieces including paintings, sketches

aN Ipad skEtch BY NguYEN duc lOI

and drawings, it represents an absorbing body of work, yet it is but a fraction of Y’s notoriously prolific output. His totem sculptures have been described by Suzanne Lecht, the Director of Art Vietnam Gallery, as “primitive”, “unadorned” and “natural”, and share more than a passing resemblance to the power and stature of the Easter Island heads. His caricature-esque pastel works pop off the page as he matches colours with Hollywood-like knowhow, while his sketches of money, with the heads of famous people exchanged for the women in his life, are both crude and dizzyingly detailed. Also on show were some of his illustrated student notebooks. Endearingly they mostly feature cartoons of big-breasted women.

One Country, Two Tastes The sight of such a talented artist living in a state of poverty is by no means an anomaly. Yet it still raises questions about the art scene in Hanoi, and more specifically, what kind of support and options exist for artists. One artist enjoying a measure of success is Nguyen Duc Loi. He’s successfully sold his work in large quantities to buyers in Denmark, sometimes receiving orders for up to 30 paintings at a time. Common in Loi’s work are issues of land and money through his representations of buildings. Often he paints himself in, either as a workaholic, steam-punk automaton, or as

an insignificant figure, adrift from society as he floats by holding multi-coloured balloons. Before moving onto a canvas, Loi makes sketches on his iPad. These sketches represent some of his best work: fantastical, multi-layered, sharp-lined images created utilising an ultra-bright, digital colour palette. They create a futuristic and otherworldly atmosphere traditional painting can’t quite match. Ever keen to experiment with new forms, he’s thinking about a future exhibition entirely composed of iPad sketches. Sitting on the floor of the studio in his house, where canvases are stacked up along all four walls, Loi talks of the confidence that foreign buyers have given him. “The Danish helped me believe that I can sell my work,” he says between bites on his wife’s homemade strawberry cake. “Vietnamese don’t buy my work. They don’t understand contemporary art. They only want to buy paintings that recreate old, classic styles.” This is a recurring theme when discussing the economics of art in Hanoi: Vietnamese just don’t buy contemporary Vietnamese art. It’s a completely different story in nearby countries such as China where the local market for the work of Chinese artists is developed. Even Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia and Indonesia have established pools of nationals investing in

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contemporary art. Without a local market, the main option for financial success for Vietnamese artists is to sell their work abroad.

Cap in hand

Ipad skEtchEs BY NguYEN duc lOI

One beneficiary of the foreign market is Le Quy Tong. His work is quality, bearing a strong resemblance to the German Anselm Kiefer in both palette and technique. Yet where Kiefer’s work consists of agricultural scenes or details of wood grain, Tong’s pieces depict industry, warplanes, speed and restructuring. He’s been rewarded for his work with high fees, as much as VND400 million for a large 2m x 1.5m canvas. Being sold mostly to foreigners via Apricot Gallery on Hang Bong, the

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Tong’s work has appeared in L’Espace, while in 2007 The Ho Chi Minh City Art Conference (Hoi My Thuat Tp. HCMC) gave Loi a grant. Unfortunately, the grant was only VND4 million, not even a month’s spending money. While this form of support is doubtless important, Loi warns against relying on it. Rather than focusing on selfimprovement and creativity, “Many artists spend all their time asking for money and exhibitions from cultural institutions,” he explains. “I constantly work. I don’t go looking for funding first, I just constantly work.”

moonlighting To Loi, there just fundamentally isn’t

“ThE SIghT Of SuCh A TALENTEd ARTIST LIvINg IN A STATE Of POvERTy IS by NO mEANS AN ANOmALy. yET IT STILL RAISES quESTIONS AbOuT ThE ART SCENE IN hANOI, ANd mORE SPECIfICALLy, whAT kINd Of SuPPORT ANd OPTIONS EXIST fOR ARTISTS”

“ThIS IS A RECuRRINg ThEmE whEN dISCuSSINg ThE ECONOmICS Of ART IN hANOI: vIETNAmESE juST dON’T buy CONTEmPORARy vIETNAmESE ART”

relationship is a standard one in Hanoi whereby the artist and the gallery split the fee, fifty-fifty. A point of contention with this mode of success is motivation. When a painter’s work begins to sell successfully, they are encouraged by the gallery to rehash the style endlessly. The result is a slew of extremely talented artists making art to order, and a slew of galleries on streets such as Hang Gai and Hang Bong specialising in selling these very works. The studio in Tong’s spacious Hanoi house is filled with paintings which all bear startling similarities to each other. Often the same image is repeated with minor variations in the colour palette. To cast blame or accusations here just isn’t possible; like everyone else, Tong has a family to support. For those who want to take risks and push boundaries, support is more likely to come from cultural institutions. In their careers both Loi and have Tong have received assistance from such organisations. In 2005 The British Council included Loi in an exhibition of installation art and

enough support from cultural institutions, be they foreign or Vietnamese, to go around. Many other young artists share this opinion, which is perhaps why so many artists have taken to diversifying. It’s an age old story, the one of the struggling writer who has to search out other work to be able to survive. Loi, for example, has taken to designing furniture and bags for an Italian company, while other talented young artists who have already enjoyed a measure of success, such as painter Pham Huy Thong and illustrator Nguyen Thanh Phong, are working in interior design to earn money — a side line which is often more lucrative than their primary occupations. The result is that most artists, young or old, cannot devote themselves solely to their art In today’s market, regardless of international support and the backing of prominent, less commercially-motivated gallery owners and curators locally, it’s a do or die scenario that affects everyone in the industry. Until a local market for original, contemporary art appears, creativity and risk-taking just don’t make sense.

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ThE ARTISTS From architects through to fashion designers, illustrators, dancers and filmmakers, a growing body of creatives now make up the population of this city. Here are some of the brightest sparks. Photos by Aaron Joel Santos

NgO ThI ThANh

Filmmaker and Critic As a means of engaging in the questions of her time, Ngo Thi Thanh uses her “camera as a pen”. Though her work as a filmmaker and critic only really began about three years ago when she decided to leave her job as a high school literature teacher, the young artist is using a form that tackles ‘true thinking’. The ‘essay film’ is the medium through which Thanh explores gender, its social construction, and its flexible nature. The genre of essay film is difficult to define being neither strictly non-fiction nor fiction, though Thanh entitles her first work Fiction. The work presents a tapestry of various platforms of reality that are periodically ruptured with abstract images. Issues of gender stitch the work together, with one central image of a motionless female body onto which an indecipherable text is projected. As a portrayal of self perception, Thanh explains, “My knowledge, what I read, what I watch, everything that I take in from the outside frames me. It frames me and creates a gap between me and my body.” Gender theorist Judith Butler and the documentary filmmaker Chris Marker are two people who laid the foundation on which Thanh’s work now stands. Through these two minds, she is inspired to question her environment and her identity, something that she says she rarely did before, and then explore those questions from behind a camera, layering images and texts together for her ideas to come to realisation. Thanh is an example of the many young filmmakers who have taken workshops and courses through DocLab at The Goethe Institut, and are seriously pursuing documentary and experimental filmmaking as a form of thought and expression. A core value of DocLab is making things personal, the effect of which has been a wave of independent thinking inserted back into a field of art where traditional genres have dominated for years. — Kaitlin Rees

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vu TA LINh

Fashion Designer The ever-present questions — What is Vietnam? What does Vietnam look like? — are ones that young fashion designers like Vu Ta Linh are concerning themselves with. International trends of using natural and organic fabrics and the popularity of tribal prints blend into the work of a new generation of designers who want to explore and establish something uniquely Vietnamese in fashion design. Linh, who completes his two-year

programme at the London School of Fashion this summer, has a final collection that incorporates the burlap, wool and hemp fabric typical of ethnic minority clothing. And as someone highly sensitive to colour, the ethnic prints inspire him with their brightness. Linh folds these traditional elements into modern designs of loosely draped layers of clothing that embody serenity. After six years of studying fashion in academic settings, Linh is ready for some experience outside of school. He plans to work with a local company for a while before establishing his own brand to “let the world know that Vietnam has popular designers.” His target market is

Japan, which is another source of fashion inspiration with designers like Kenzo and Yohji Yamamoto. It is a complicated negotiation that must be made in the fashion world between what is happening on the outside with current international trends, and what needs attention on the inside to ensure some aesthetic elements that are culturally distinct. Linh says that while many of his peers have similar notions of locating Vietnamese tradition in their styles, there are several different approaches taken to doing so. Linh’s work serves as one such thoughtful and aesthetically pleasing model of how to manoeuver through this complexity. — Kaitlin Rees

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vO TRONg NghIA Architect

CAO duC TOAN

Contemporary Dancer In his simple white outfit and under the sparkling stage lights of the Opera House, Cao Duc Toan has won the hearts and minds of the audience. His performance embodies the spirit of dance and his movement, both delicate yet strong, is laced with silk. At the age of 29, Toan is at the cutting edge of contemporary dancers and choreographers in Vietnam. In 2008 he received the top National Young Dancer award for his performance, Bamboo Soul, which he staged with his brother Cao Chi Thanh. And in June his work with students at the National Dance Contest in Danang won him first prize for contemporary dance choreography. “It’s the feeling of the music, the feeling of the characters,” says Toan. “This is what you need to catch, which is difficult. Once you have got that part, everything else is easy.” He adds: “My work tells a story. It’s part of my own experiences, or experiences that others have gone through. I want my work to be familiar and easy to understand, so that every audience may see a part of their life in that performance. That’s the way I communicate with them.” — Hoa Le

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Vo Trong Nghia is living a green dream. He wants to see a greener globe and is serious about it. Through architecture and design he believes he can make it become reality. His projects focus on naturefriendly, energy saving residential and office constructions as well as restaurants and public spaces. To achieve his goals he tries to make use of natural materials, mostly bamboo. Lightweight and fast growing, it is also great for its strength. And with the use of such materials he can transform a skinny, 40sqm four-storey house into a living space full of natural light, greenery and airflow. All with only a small increase in cost. It’s not just houses that have benefitted from his touch. One of his most notable constructions is a giant restaurant with a rounded water front bar in Binh Duong Province, built entirely from bamboo, cane and other sustainable materials. All put together without a nail in sight. “My philosophy is to create unique, simple, yet energy saving structures,” he explains. “It’s not easy and not always appreciated — local people are used to the idea of complex and sophisticated structures as a symbol of beautiful design.” Yet, as the multi-award winning architect is discovering, his ideas are catching on. “At the moment I’m making dozens of green, residential houses, but I believe that soon the number will reach hundreds and even thousands.” He even believes that one day, every single house in Hanoi will have a roof garden. And why not? The benefits of going green are not only self-evident, they’re becoming fashionable, too. — Hoa Le

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PhAm huy ThONg Painter

Thong’s solo exhibition in the The Bui Gallery in 2010 is still making waves nearly two years later. Social commentary is rife in Thong’s work, a result of his upbringing in a family of journalists who would nightly discuss social issues at the dinner table, and also of Thong’s own brief journalistic career. His renowned exhibition, Womb Brothers, depicts young and foetal children, often as a clear social critique and with an unabashed historical bent. His piece The Fall of Saigon shows babies with briefcases of money being airlifted off a tower built of cash by a Bentley helicopter, while another shows an ark-like boat at sea with a large tree growing out of it bearing a foetal fruit. Evidently, Thong is capable of seeing issues with both judgment and sympathy. He describes his work as being a social commentary, yet overridingly patriotic and optimistic. This October, Thong will be exhibiting his latest series of works in Ho Chi Minh City. To see his blog go to www.thonghello.multiply.com. — Douglas Pyper

TA huy LONg Illustrator

LE quy TONg Painter

Born in Hue in 1977, Tong has made a name for himself in the Hanoi art world since graduating from the Hanoi Fine Art University. His work opts for a ‘messy’ aesthetic applying the paint with obvious violence and allowing it to drip down the canvas at certain points. The effect is one of speed, change, industry, insecurity, violence and anxiety. Some critics have highlighted nostalgia in

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Tong’s work owing to the subject matter of antiques, steam trains and Long Bien Bridge, claiming that he seems to seek to hold onto the past through his works. Yet nostalgia suggests a longing for the past that Tong’s brutalized portraits or non-idyllic renderings don’t reflect. Since one of his biggest exhibitions in 2008 titled Rose Coloured Days, which one critic points out, could easily have been called Grey Days, Tong’s work has been able to command prices of up to VND400million. Many of his pieces can be seen and purchased at the Apricot Gallery (40B Hang Bong, Hanoi). All a just reward for providing a zeitgeist of today’s Vietnam. — Douglas Pyper

Ta Huy Long is quite rightly one of the most highly regarded illustrators in Hanoi. Known for his modern re-interpretations of traditional folk art, Long has illustrated a number of books on folk heroes like Ngo Quyen and Ly Thuong Kiet. However, it was his solo exhibition of watercolours at L’espace in November 2009 that really set him apart from the crowd. Long’s obsession with folk art came from being left home alone when he was younger. He explains how he felt surrounded by silent antiques. On them the odd flying and dancing images of leaves in ponds, flowers, waves, clouds, fish and birds captured his imagination. The results of this clearly influences his paintings and illustrations. “I want to open strange, beautiful windows through which our youth can view the world,” he says. Says artist Pham Cam Thuong: “Ta Huy Long’s paintings talk intense patience and perfect craftsmanship. His manner of working is the opposite of being spontaneous… the way he pays attention to every little detail is inspiring, just like a watchmaker knowing his every step in building a watch mechanism. Not a lot of painters work in such way.” — Douglas Pyper

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ThE hANOI ART TRAIL Illustration by Claire Driscoll

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DeStinAtion

rediscovering luang Prabang tom Hodgson traverses the plains of Laos’s history-rich northern city to uncover an otherworldly land of secrets. Photos by Aaron Joel Santos

n elderly woman in a traditional Lao skirt sits skilfully winding tiny pale pastel birdcages out of strips of coloured bamboo. On a tray in front of her are the finished products, jittering with the motion of tiny brown and white bodied birds her son has spent the day capturing. I pause for a rest at her stall panting from the climb to the peak. Up here a soft cool breeze cuts the cloying humidity, but that’s not why I’ve come. It’s the view that drives so many to the top of Mount Phu Si every day, in particular the sunset. From here the white walled and red roofed houses and temples of Luang Prabang’s old city thrust out from among the lush jungle-like forest. Alongside the city the wide expanse of the muddy Mekong River drifts slowly towards the East Sea peppered with ferryboats, carrying locals and tourists across the river to the quiet traditional villages on the other side. Hemming the city in on all sides is an endless pattern of steep mountains and narrow valleys that creates the sensation of an isolated and forgotten world. The swollen red sun is just now slipping gradually behind the mist and mountains. Obscured by the gold temple which crowns the peak of Phu Si is the meeting of the Mekong and its tributary, Nam Khan, a small river that weaves through the city centre. On the road directly below the hill, the nightly market is being assembled as dusk rapidly comes

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on. The street, Sakkarin Road, is closed to traffic and a neat line of coloured tarpaulins has been stretched over metal frames to shelter Lao handicrafts, handwoven silks, paintings, carvings, and jewellery. Bulbs strung from the temporarily assembled frames illuminate the stores. One boy is polishing pressed metal kerosene lanterns. Another woman sits in front of an ancient wooden loom, expertly picking the coloured threads and then flying her shuttle through to create stunning silk sins, the traditional long Lao skirt. Each one takes a week to make by hand.

resisiting Vang Vieng Luang Prabang is in central Laos, one of South-East Asia’s least developed nations. Laos has long been the poor cousin to the rest of its ASEAN neighbours, and similarly attracts far lower numbers of tourists. Places like Luang Prabang, however, are beginning to put this mountainous and obscure nation on the map. The city has played host to a score of mostly forgotten regimes and rulers. From the glory days of Laos’ 17th century precursor, the Kingdom of Lan Sang, to French colonialists, marauding Chinese bandit armies, and Siamese and Burmese invasions. Yet little seems to have changed since the French era, whose elegant pale two-storey shuttered buildings still line the old city. It is honour of the well-preserved nature of the capital's architecture that

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the city has earned the status of a UNESCO World Heritage site. The modern capital, Vientiane, is some ten hours by bumpy road south or a mere hour by plane. Luang Prabang’s World Heritage status, unique beauty and culture regularly attract a moderate amount of tourists. Even the road in is staggeringly beautiful, winding its way over jagged forest peaks where tiny villages hang precariously off of narrow passes. Halfway between Vientiane and Luang Prabang lies a rapidly growing town that is in every way the antithesis of this seemingly time-locked city. Vang Vieng, a sort of water park free-for-all playground for pleasure seeking backpackers, is everything this city is carefully trying to avoid. Signs all over town request foreigners respect Lao sensibilities by dressing modestly and a midnight bar curfew is enforced.

inForMAtion Costs For the most part, Laos is great for the cash-strapped backpacker. Sightseeing costs are minimal, while most popular sights charge admission the cost is likely to be under US$2 (VND42,000). At the low end, guesthouses will offer rooms for around US$8 (VND168,000) to US$20 (VND420,000) a night. These can be not only reasonably furnished and clean, but should offer amenities such as free wifi and a small breakfast. For the mid-range traveller, most of the city's fancier river-view hotels will offer rooms from US$25 (VND525,000) up to US$60 (VND1,260,000). At the far top end some offer literal palatial luxury. The most up market hotel in town was in fact a former palace for extended members of the Lao Royal Family. Prices in the five-star range will cost upwards of US$100 (VND2,100,000). Be aware, prices may be hiked a little in the busier dry season, November — April.

Morning Monks and Monarchy Missing Come morning and the night market has gone, replaced by the occasional motorbikes or tuk tuks. Just a block up the road from the market locals are gathering on the side of the road. They arrive rapidly in packed tuk tuks carrying bamboo baskets overflowing with bananas and rice and roll out woven mats on the pavement. All around the city gongs are beginning to chime, a signal for the monks to wake. The sounds of the gongs, and the ubiquitous crowing roosters, drift down the streets and in the dim bluish light of dawn the locals kneel, holding their offerings skyward. The gongs stop, all sit motionless. Bright orange robed columns of monks pad down the streets. They pause by each proffered offering, gathering a small handful, which will be blessed at their temples, before making up the monks’ morning meal. This ancient Buddhist ritual is still held in most Laotian communities, through it the participants gain merit for their next life. There’s something magic in this scene: in the reverential silence that permeates the ceremony, the fervent and earnest faces of the devotees, and the sense of an immense cultural tradition stretching back to the earliest days of Buddhism in Laos. The heat is returning, and I duck into the Royal Palace for some respite. Built in 1904 by French architects for Laos’ reigning monarch, King Sisavang Vong, it remained the home of the royal family until they were deposed in 1975 when the present communist government took power. The palace is an elegant blend of traditional Lao architecture, with its low sloping roof, and French colonial, with marble floors and columns. Now a national museum, it has been kept virtually intact since the royal family’s departure. Even the crown jewels and personal clothing of the family are laid out. I get an eerie sense that the occupants may return at any moment, but it is quickly shrugged off by the appearance of a trio of giggling young cleaning staff.

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If you are happy to eat with the locals in simple street canteens, meals can cost under US$1 (VND21,000). For an actual restaurant, especially one serving foreign food, meals will be in the US$2 (VND42,000) to US$6 (VND126,000) range. Eating in-house at a fancy hotel will prove more costly. GettinG there and baCk Flights are available to Luang Prabang’s international airport from Hanoi, Siem Reap, Bangkok, and Laos’ capital Vientiane. Buses from Luang Prabang are available daily to Hanoi (US$45 / VND945,000), Vientiane (US$15 / VND315,000), Bangkok (US$35 / VND735,000), Chang Mai (US$35 / VND735,000) and Kunming, China (US$50 / VND1,050,000). The roads within Laos are quite poor, so expect a rough trip and potential delays. Often it is really worth it for the dramatic scenery nevertheless. Detailed transport advice and maps are available at www.hobomaps.com.

Braving the new World By night I start to see another side to this until now oh-so-traditional city. A whole slew of funky looking bars have opened along Kingkitsarath Road, on the far side of Mount Phusi. The French-Canadian owner of a local foreign-language bookstore, Celine Drean, has invited me to see “something a bit different”. I arrive at 8pm for what turns out to be a fashion show held in the trendy beer garden of a local bar, The Hive. Only the ‘something different’ is that the show displays the traditional fashions of local ethnicities, complete to a pumping Western electronic catwalk soundtrack. As the small crowd of foreigners enjoy beer, cocktails and pizza, local men and women parade around in the traditional clothing of some thirty different local ethnic minorities. The great variety in cuts, colours and styles hints at the great wealth of relatively unknown Lao ethnic minority culture.

After dinner, an even more unlikely sight replaces the fashion show: the local Laos boys’ break-dancing crew. A more bizarre combination wrought by the effects of the globalisation of western culture is hard to imagine. And as I discover, there’s more where that came from. Celine explains Luang Prabang happens to also be the proud home to a regional film festival held at the beginning of December and small modern art scene. It’s exciting to see a city that can so comfortably blend a quiet, respectful, traditional culture with a vibrant arts scene.

Jungle run The next day I decide to wander further afield. I hire a bicycle and ride out. Beyond the city there are various small villages known for their handicrafts, waterfalls, and caves. I feel as though I’m drifting back through time as views of villages of wooden houses, chickens skittering off the road as I

pass and ancient near-toothless women peering out from shuttered windows replace the city. The only sign of the modern world in these towns is the neon BeerLao sign, the national beer and pride of Laos, and packets of Thai chips and canned drinks in the towns’ shops. Children chase my bike waving and shouting “Hello!” Pausing to offer treats to the kids leads to me being swamped by friendly villagers offering me a place at their lunch table. There’s an immense propensity for hospitality in Laos, where even in the biggest cities people will earnestly invite an outsider to join them for a meal and a drink at their family table. This is always a recipe for a fantastic time, and a good opportunity to practice some basic Lao. Sabaidee! (Hello) Finally, about thirty kilometres out of Luang Prabang, the Kuang Si Falls and a chance to wash off the dust of the road. The falls consist of many separate small

cascades and three large pools. Floating on my back I stare up at the water streaming down tiers of rocky outcrops and just relax. The quiet atmosphere is soothing and a perfect counterbalance to a long bike ride. My time is running out in Luang Prabang, but certain memories linger strongly. My most lasting impression is the view from Mount Phu Si. From here the whole span of the city's history is laid before you: The Mekong, whose epic silt flows have fertilised the soil and provided for the inhabitants since time immemorial; the ancient temples and 19th century French colonial buildings. The one generic communist concrete building is the soaring grey radio station, notable mostly for being the only structure of its sort in the area, showing how much this city seems to have drifted through the last two centuries only occasionally being touched by the outside world.

Money Matters Luang Prabang has a reasonable share of ATMs accepting Visa and MasterCard, and some up-market shops and hotels will also have card facilities. For the most part, cash is a must. Kip, the local currency, is preferred, but most will also accept Baht or US dollars. The Kip has been fairly steady with the US dollar at an 8000Kip to $1 rate for the last few months. Keep in mind, however, if paying in other currencies you are unlikely to be offered anything near accurate exchange rates. Visas Thirty-day visas to Laos are available at the border to most nationalities. Providing a passport photo is preferred. Prices vary by country from US$30 to US$40. how lonG do i need? The city’s basic sights can be covered in a day, but a few days is highly recommended to really let the atmosphere soak in and to provide time to see the villages and sights just outside town. For those looking to go further afield, elephant and hiking eco-tours are a great alternative and can be customised to last anywhere from one to five days.

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literAture

tHe KiDS Are AlrigHt From chat and SMS through to language used on the street or in school playgrounds, the last decade has seen a healthy development in Vietnamese slang. So how well has new language worked its way into the country’s literature? Words by Douglas Pyper

n the top floor of an old khu tap the (apartment block) in Kim Ma Thuong lives Pham Xuan Nguyen. The white-haired, gruff-voiced literary critic giggles proudly as he shows off his latest piece of rhyming slang: “vi hat do nen ho nguc,” which could be translated, with a fair bit of poetic license, as “you sing so badly you have to get out your tits.” It’s a rebuke against tacky pop singers courting controversy to boost flagging CD sales, ailing song downloads and poor concert attendance. It’s also a sign of the times. It seems that everyone’s talking about Vietnamese rhyming slang. Since Thanh Phong’s immensely popular illustrated book Sat Thu Dau Mung Mu (The Assassin with the Festering head), the subject of what language can and cannot be used in literature has intensified in Vietnam. Sitting cross-legged on the floor of his fastidiously clean apartment, Nguyen is encased on three sides by a custom-made bookcase that entirely covers the walls. On it sit books in Vietnamese, French, Russian and English, among which I spot a few personal favourites such as Pamuk’s My Name is Red, Calvino’s If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller and Borges’s Labyrinths, all in Vietnamese. Despite writing a number of papers in defence of Thanh Phong’s work, Nguyen still takes issue with the way that language is being used nowadays. He claims that 50 years ago, Vietnam had a drive to try to reduce the amount of Han Viet — words of Chinese origin — that were in common use. Tuc cau, the Chinese for football, became bong da, the word that everyone uses today. However, there was only a reduction of Han Viet. After 1,000 years of occupation, completely removing Han Viet from purely Vietnamese words is no longer possible. The word for a football player for example is still commonly cau thu, retaining the Chinese word for ball. Today, Nguyen argues, the youth are borrowing so much from foreign languages such as English, that they risk diluting Vietnamese. He cites the increasing use of “ok” rather than “duoc” or the borrowing of foreign constructions such as “noi khong voi thuoc la”, a grammatical form borrowed from the English “say no to smoking”. At a lecture on literature and language in L’espace last year, Nguyen advised the extremely young audience to “noi khong voi noi khong” — “say no with saying no.”

An ill Dose of Wordplay On another top floor apartment of another khu tap the, this time in Tu Liem, Nguyen Trong Tao is pouring another cup of tea. On the walls are pictures of

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himself chilling out with musicians Trinh Cong Son and Van Cao. I’m becoming increasingly sheepish as it starts to dawn on me just how famous this man is. His most popular song, Khuc Hat Song Que, is known by Vietnamese communities across the world, as well as anyone who’s spent more than a few months in Vietnam. He’s also illustrated over 500 books and written countless poems, literary journals and newspaper articles. The local media sometimes joke that he is The Godfather of young Vietnamese writers for the protection — in the Mafioso sense of the word — that he offers them through his reputation. He shows me a photo of himself receiving yet another award from the current Vietnamese president while pouring me yet another tea. Piles of books ring the room, a guitar leans against a cabinet containing documents, journals, magazines and cassettes. A pile of empty Truc Bach beers and bottles of Scottish whiskey are dotted around piles of paper. “I’m a public figure,” he says, “so I have to be careful wherever I go. I can’t get drunk in public.” There is a scanner, computer, laptop and printer; it seems he lives, works and plays in this room. “Every period of history has their own widely used [version of] slang,” says Tao. “30 years ago, if you wanted to chat someone up, you wouldn’t say ‘you’re very beautiful’, you’d say ‘you’re badly beautiful’ — ‘em hoi bi dep’. ‘Hoi bi’ is usually used for something that’s “quite bad”, but people started to use it in a positive sense. Such informal language has naturally pervaded literature, with one love sick poet writing ‘Em hoi bi dep / Anh hoi bi buon’, ‘You’re badly beautiful / I’m badly sad’.” Between long draws on long thin cigarettes, Tao continues. Nowadays on the net, young people want to express themselves differently, so a whole new wave of rhyming slang is appearing. The rhymes are usually just for fun but often deal with very real concerns, such as “da dot lai con quan trong” — “you’re both stupid and important”, an insult for those taking advantage of their positions of authority. Returning to Sat Thu Dau Mung Mu, Tao explains how many parents thought the work crossed a new line. “Thanh Phong’s book changed the whole meaning of the phrases he used,” says Tao. “They were very common, national idioms, and people complained that negatively changing these sayings would affect the morals of the country.” Many parents argued that children reading the book would start to think and behave accordingly, and eventually the work was withdrawn.

"nowadays on the net, young people want to express themselves differently, so a whole new wave of rhyming slang is appearing. the rhymes are usually just for fun but often deal with very real concerns" Push and Pull Despite some wordplay falling foul of the status quo, when discussing the ways Vietnamese youth are playing with language, both Tao and Nguyen agree that they are positive. The new modes of expression are indicative of a healthily creative youth, willing to take part in and comment on their society, eager to express themselves through their national language and contribute to their national literature. At the conference on literature and language in L’espace, the most positively received comment was Nguyen’s opening gambit, “Tat ca deu la van”, “Everything is literature”. Yet despite being fervent protectors of young writers, Nguyen Trong Tao and Pham Xuan Nguyen both reserve criticism for the emerging generation. While Nguyen expresses caution in the adoption of foreign vocabulary and grammar, Tao believes they are being led astray by culture from overseas that they don’t fully understand. According to him, the youth spend too much time imitating foreign fashions, watching foreign films, reading foreign books and listening to, and copying foreign music rather than concentrating on, enjoying and developing their own culture. Yet in an environment where pushing out the boat can not always have positive consequences, you have to wonder if culture from places like Korea, Japan and the US is leading the kids away, or if it is their own culture that is pushing them.

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chick lit

Society

WOMAN

In Vietnam, it is difficult to make a list of original and powerful feminist voices who ambitiously tackle big issues through literature. But, there are several works of female authors and poets who write close to home. Below are a few starting points for those interested in further exploring the female writers of this country.

This month Kaitlin rees meets a restaurateur, delves into the world of female literature and visits a bar dedicated to women

Pham Thi Hoai — Born in 1960, Hoai’s writing exhibits unusual phrasing and word choices that bring out some of the rocky surfaces of language. After studying in Germany, Hoai currently resides in Berlin. Her short story Nine Down Makes Ten can be found online in English or in the compilation of contemporary Vietnamese writing entitled Night, Again. Hoai’s first novel, The Crystal Messenger, published in 1988, has also been translated into English together with a collection of her short stories entitled Sunday Menu (2006).

Spirit Mother of Hanoi Usually a restaurant owner is not the person to tell you that food isn’t important. Usually if you ask about the menu, the owner will talk about the ingredients, the preparation, the precision and perfection of age-old recipes. Not something like: “I don’t believe in fixed recipes. We have changing recipes every day.” At White Cloud, you ask about food and what owner Do Thi Thuy talks about are the deeper truths of human existence. That is, if you’ve got the time to listen. Ask anyone who’s been to White Cloud and time is likely to come up in conversation. Because the 39-year-old restaurant owner strongly believes the environment and state of mind in which you consume food matters more — it’s a slow and loving process with which she prepares every meal for her customers. “When we love animals, love ourselves and love one another,” she says, “this energy makes us stronger, keeps us healthy and makes us happy.” A vegan for six years, Thuy has run the vegan restaurant in Tay Ho for over one year. Nutrition matters, but it’s more than that. For her eating well is not only better for her body, but also for her “soul and mind”. Thuy is a former veterinarian and nutrition consultant. With this background in science, she approaches food on a molecular level. The hydrogen bonding of water is actually altered by the environment, which can be crucial to nutrition absorption, she explains. Thuy also has a deep connection to Buddhist principles, and thus approaches food on a spiritual level as well. What science and spirit make when combined is a delicious and deep balance of energy, vitamins, love and happiness. Thuy is not a lecturer; her manner of instruction more closely resembles a mother imparting pearls of wisdom to her children. However, an education is what you walk away with when you leave White Cloud, along with a belly full of good feelings and restored energy.

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Nguyen Ngoc Tu — A member of the Vietnamese Writer’s Association, her works have penetrated mainstream audiences in Vietnam. Check out her personal blog, Durian, at www. nguyenngoctu.net. Most of her recent poems on here have been translated into English. Du Thi Hoan — A Vietnamese poet of Chinese decent, Hoan’s was a powerful voice among female poets of the post-Renovation period. She has worked with translator Wayne Karlin and her poems that deal with the war and its aftermath can be found online at www.steinershow.org.

Women Bar In a city where one good idea quickly gets reproduced into 30 of the same, Women Bar stands out for being the only place of its kind. There are a few qualities that make Women Bar unique, but the most apparent is the first page of the menu: a long list of homemade fermented fruit wines. The owner Mai offers an impressive collection of mangosteen, litchi, custard apple, strawberry, pomelo, longan, plum, banana, sapodilla, and even durian wines and cocktails. After picking up some basics in food science at her first job in a factory, Mai took that knowledge with her to a tea stall where she started her fermentation experimentation. “When I was running the tea shop, I was thinking about having a place primarily for women to hang out,” she explains. “And because women are usually concerned with beauty, I wanted to make beautiful wine.” Open for a year and a half now, the place still feels fresh and decidedly fun. Three nights a week the space converts into a makeshift dance studio with trained instructors in salsa, mambo, cha-cha and rumba coming in. Because for Mai it’s more about the community, the classes are free and one night a week she throws a big dance party for everyone to meet each other. And if dancing isn’t your thing, Mai also coordinates a monthly football tournament among the patrons of her bar. Women Bar can be found at 19 Yen Ninh, Ba Dinh. It is open every day of the week, early for breakfast at 8am and as late as there are people around for drinks.

Nguyen Thuy Hang — Born in 1987, Hang writes and paints in Hanoi. Her literary works are experimental writing of both prose and poetry, and are often a blend of both. An overview of her work can be found at www. tadioto.com and her artwork is also available on www.chthomasgallery.com. Tran Minh Quan — One of the few female writers who calls for greater volume in the discourse on feminism, Quan’s poetry can be found at www.litviet.com, a personal website of the poet Phan Nhien Hao. Though her work is not widely translated, it’s worth a look and a little self-translation. Nha Thuyen — Born in 1986, Nha Thuyen’s work is emerging as one of the more distinct voices of her generation. All of her poetry, fiction, and literature reviews can be found with full translations at www. nhathuyen.com.

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anoi is known for its ability to stuff the most intriguing cafes into the most inconspicuous spaces a city can provide. That’s just the case with Exchange Café, which is squeezed into the diminutive, easily-missed Ngo Trang Tien, that exits onto the main drag off Phan Chu Trinh opposite the Opera House. Cafes serving up east-west cross continental menus are probably ten a penny in this city, and invariably one section of the menu overwhelmingly triumphs over the other. However, Exchange does offer a pretty good stab at some unsophisticated but often craved basic home-cooked style dishes. It’s far from pretentious, too, with a downstairs offering a few low coffee tables, comfortable seating and a bar-cumcashier desk. The upstairs is high ceilinged and decorated in a pleasing historical photographic ramble through Hanoi’s past. The second floor could do with a bit more comfortable seating in my opinion, but it’s not so unpleasant that you can’t spend a leisurely hour or so grazing over a few menu items. Unfortunately, I have never made it up the five flights of stairs to the roof terrace. But that certainly will be an added attraction come the cooler autumn. The staff are pleasant and friendly, in fact some of the most welcoming around, and while on the appearance front it isn’t going to cause great shakes among the fashionistas, Exchange does offer some pleasant home comforts with a dash of local flavour.

MyStery Diner

have been thinly sliced and despite a request for rare when it came to the Australian rib eye with mustard sauce (VND189,000), it was at best a medium. The pork chop in cream and mushroom sauce (VND157,000) also suffered from over-cooking, and while I understand the health concerns, it did diminish the quality of the dishes. However, both the sauces were well-prepared, peppy additions, and if a few tweaks are made on the cooking times, it’ll bring a definite improvement to the experience. If the meat was something of a let down the fish certainly wasn’t. My dining companion opted for the grilled sea bass in pepper sauce and this delivered — crispseared skin, zingy sauce, moist flesh and a reasonable compliment of fresh veg made it well worth the VND215,000 price tag. I’ve not delved particularly deeply into the limited dessert menu, but the battered banana and chocolate and vanilla ice cream, VND85,000, was perfectly tasty, combining the heated fruit with the good quality ice cream. But the plating could do with a rethink as despite an accompanying chocolate sauce smile squeezed onto the plate below the banana and accompanying ice cream ‘eye’ balls, more phallic imagery sprung to mind. So we departed Exchange with schoolboy grins, ready to return for some robust, homely cooking in the future. Exchange Café, 2B Alley Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3936 4073

exchange café A heart beat from the Opera house, our undercover food reviewer decided to see if this western-influenced café punches above its culinary weight. Photos by Francis roux

British gastronomy? In fact it’s become something of a regular haunt in recent months after I discovered its unheralded all-day (Viet) English breakfast — Britain’s *cough* star contribution to international gastronomic excellence and a ‘dish’ that seems to invariably disappoint in Hanoi despite many a venue’s best intentions. Alright, it’s not authentic as such — the sausages are the slightly blander Viet Duc variety. But they are tasty, despite lacking

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the yearned for gooey brown jacket a good banger should possess. The accompanying bacon is a definite step up on the usual fatfest bacon rinds that masquerade as the real deal in Vietnam, as the rashers are genuinely meaty and have a nice smoked edge. Bung in the ramekin of baked beans and you’re almost there. Okay, there are compromises. The handful of mushrooms are definitely local and the bread rolls (really, really good fluffy white moreish, with crispy crust) aren’t exactly what you’d find in a London greasy spoon, but it was almost enough to bring a tear to the eye. The rest of the western-orientated menu is basic, but wide ranging enough that you’re unlikely to get bored after a few visits, and that star-performing bacon makes a comeback in the starters under the innocuous bread topped with cheese and bacon for VND79,000. Despite the stupendously basic nature of this starter, it’s just right. The crispy white bread is topped with minced bacon, diced onions and a sprinkle of shredded tomatoes for a sweet twist, doused in melted cheese and brought piping hot to the table with a dip solely consisting of Vietnamese chilli sauce from a squeezy bottle. It shouldn’t really be worth writing about, but it’s already on the list of the first items I’ll select for my next visit.

rare, Please! My only cause for concern has been the tendency for slightly skimpy meat servings. The beef and pork chops that I’ve sampled

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

THE VERDICT

9 10 9 FOOD

SERVICE

DéCOR

Street SnAcKer

chao trai Ho tay Hidden away from prying eyes, a mussel soup restaurant on Quan Thanh doubles up as an impromptu art gallery. Words by Huyen tran. Photos by Francis roux

Both Hanoi locals and foreign residents will be familiar with Quan Thanh Pagoda. Lying on the edge of Ho Tay, just at the junction of Thanh Nien and Quan Thanh, it sits amid two busy streets forever thronging with people. Look through the crowds, though, and near the traffic lights you will see a small wooden board advertising Chao Trai Ho Tay . But investigate and look around, and you’ll find no shop and certainly no evidence of any chao (rice congee). Until, that is, you come across an old man sitting on a tiny chair. Once he realises what you’re after he’ll point the way down a small, winding alley. Once you’re in the winding alley you’re almost there. A few shops surround you sporting bep lo and catering for traditional street food. Only at the very far end will

you see Chao Trai Ho Tay, the little shop in the corner.

the Discovery Inside the house, a woman prepares her food on the ground floor and diners can enjoy the food either there or upstairs. Each floor is tiny and is equipped with about three to four tables and 10 chairs. The woman offers a wide selection of dishes including chao trai, mien cua tron, bun oc nguoi and pho cuon. According to her, the most popular dish is the chao trai or mussel soup, which she also uses to name her shop. After that she sells a lot of bun oc nguoi or cooled noodles with snails, a well-known traditional dish popular in Hanoi. Another speciality is the crispy crab meatball — the owner’s special creation. “This rounded-shape meat ball is made from fresh crab meat then dry fried in oil,”

she explains. “I have never seen this in any other [restaurant] around Hanoi. So I started to make it seven years ago.” Upstairs, the walls and ceiling are painted with the works of Leonardo De Vinci, Albert Durer, and other famous artists. The painted walls are also places where many framed paintings are hung. The art was created by the woman’s two sons. Above that is where the family sleeps at night. The father is the man looking after the bikes outside. He is also a poet. The smile of the poet, the cuisine of the owner-cum-chef and the amazing wall paintings are what draws diners back to this little shop in the corner. Chao trai, bun oc and mien tron is priced between VND20,000 and VND40,000 a dish. Chao Trai Ho Tay is located at 194 Quan Thanh, Ba Dinh. It is open from 4pm to 9pm.

August 2012 Word | 59

city guide BusINEss lIstINgs 061 / dEstINatION lIstINgs 065 / Out & aBOut lIstINgs 073 / lEIsurE & arts lIstINgs 082 / fashION lIstINgs 085 / hOmE lIstINgs 087 / mEdIcal lIstINgs 090 PHoto By AAron Joel SAntoS

BuSineSS

lIstINgs

Accounting & AuDiting 061 ADVertiSing & MArKeting 061 BuSineSS conSulting 061 BuSineSS grouPS 062 coMMerciAl PHotogrAPHy 062 corPorAte giFtS 062 HouSing & reAl eStAte 062 inSurAnce 062 internAtionAl ScHoolS 062 inVeStMent & FinAnce 063 lAnguAge ScHoolS 063

Accounting & AuDiting BeVerly inVeStMent

Room 919, Suite 8, Song Da Building, Me Tri, Tu Liem, Tel: 794 9669 www.beverly.vn Professional investment company dealing with real estate resort, hotel and senior housing projects all over the country. Working to promote sustainable development, Beverly provides good value for its partners, investors, customers and society.

tMF grouP

Unit 06-023, 6th Floor, Prime Center Building, 53 Quang Trung, Ha Dong 8th Floor, 53 Quang Trung, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3944 9733 39A Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 2660 Unit 501, 5th Floor, Saigon Trade Center 37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, HCMC, Tel: 3910 2262 www.tmf-group.com TMF is headquartered in the Netherlands, with over 100 offices in 75 countries. Provides accounting, tax and payroll services. Also specialises in helping international investors establish a presence in Vietnam. This includes services such as incorporation of companies and representative offices, opening of bank accounts, licensing and tax stamps.

KPMg

16th Floor, Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3946 1600 www.kpmg.com.vn Worldwide firm specialising in auditing, accounting, tax and management consulting services. Also does executive search and selection.

PriceWAterHouSecooPerS

A D D ITIONA L FE AT URE S

Business Buff 063 Destination Zero 066 travel notes 068 travel Promos 070 Food Buff 076 cinema Buff 084 Book Buff 088 60 | Word August 2012

7th Floor, Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem . Tel: 3946 2246 www.pwc.com Provides business services including auditing, business and technology solutions and tax and legal consulting. Has more than ten years experience in Vietnam and works in all major industry sectors throughout the country.

tHAng long AuDiting coMPAny 23 Tran Duy Hung, Trung Hoa, Cau Giay Tel: 4976 2055 A Vietnamese company with more than 30 representative branches outside of Hanoi, Thang Long provides a full range of services, including audit, accounting, tax, corporate secretarial and business consultancy.

tMF VietnAM coMPAny liMiteD

2811, Saigon Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Ho Chi Minh City, Tel: 3910 922 www.tmf-group.com With over 3,300 professionals working out

multinational clients by combining local know-how with a worldwide network. Works to create powerful campaigns that address local market needs while still reinforcing universal brand identity.

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings StuDio tADA

legAl SerViceS 063 MAnAgeMent trAining 064 MArKet reSeArcH 064 PuBlic 064 recruitMent & Hr 064 relocAtion & trAcKing AgentS 064 SerViceD APArtMentS 064 ArticeS BuSineSS BuFF 063

of 86 offices in 65 countries, TMF provides independent accounting and corporate secretarial services to companies worldwide. TMF is expanding rapidly throughout the world. Learn more about our unique network and our services by visiting our website.

ADVertiSing & MArKeting cruncHy Frog

8 Xom Chua, Tay Ho, Tel: 01283 443579 www.crunchyfrogdesign.com Crunchy Frog is a personable and experienced western design and branding agency. They offer high quality creative and strategic solutions to both local and global clients. Services include research, brand and marketing strategy, and design of communications materials, brand identity, packaging and websites.

grey grouP

10 Ho Ham Long Alley, Lane 1 Au Co, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 1459 www.grey.com/vietnam Founded in 1917 in New York, Grey is a full spectrum global communications company offering branding, advertising, marketing, digital, and PR, with offices in 100 countries. Grey is the only agency with a specialised HoReCa team. In Vietnam, the client roster includes Nike, Vinaphone, Levis, TNT, ESPN, Bayer, Samsung Mobile, BaoViet, P&G, BAT, and 35 other top local and international brands.

leonito

10 Ho Ham Long Alley, Lane 1 Au Co, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 1459 www.leonito.com In addition to their own clients, Leonito works in partnership with the Grey Group, a major full-spectrum marketing and communications company with offices in nearly 100 countries. Services include research, branding, activations, events and public relations.

leonito MArKeting conSulting

2nd floor, 63 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem Tel: 2246 0682 www.studiotada.com A small, young and elite designing and branding agency that has been working with well-known local and global brands like DMC, Hermes, Kenzo and Porsche. The company offers services in branding, event, print and digital. With a youthful, energetic and experienced team, Tada has played an important part in international graphic design and advertising projects across Vietnam and France.

reD BrAnD BuilDerS

Level 8, 142 Le Duan, Dong Da www.red.tm Working from Vietnam to Australia, the Red team creates and shapes unique brand personalities to international and local brands. The team specialises in brand consultancy and marketing, regularly sharing industry trends, news and views at their blogsite, red.tm/blog.

t&A ogilVy JVc ltD.

3rd Floor, BIDV Tower,194 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 6008 T&A is a marketing services company set up in Hanoi in 1995. Since then, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve offered their marketing services to several large overseas companies. They also work in co-operation with WPP, a world-wide brand communications firm.

BuSineSS conSulting BooZ Allen HAMilton, inc.

Room 703, 7th Floor, MOF Project Building, No. 4, Lane 1, Hang Chuoi, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3971 9662 www.boozallen.com A US-based private consulting firm, Booz Allen Hamilton is one of the most notable names in the business. This firm has a long track record of assisting governments and multi-nationals in risk assessment and mission development.

Deloitte

8 Pham Ngoc Thach, Dong Da, Tel: 3852 4123 www.deloitte.com One of the Big Four, this firm offers a broad range of audit, tax, consulting, risk, and financial advice to businesses. Over 182,000 employees in more than 150 countries, Deloitte serve more than 80 percent of the world's largest companies, Vietnam now being one of them.

DicKerSon KnigHt grouP

33A Pham Ngu Lao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 2692 www.thinkdkg.com Established in 1991, this international firm has extensive experience in emerging markets. Their speciality is in providing advisory and training products to private sector enterprises and NGOs.

10 Ho Ham Long Alley, Lane 1 Au Co Street, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 1459 www.leonito.com Leonito develops marketing campaigns & behaviour change communications strategies for commercial brands and nongovernment organizations. Services: brand development; design & printing; gifts & premiums; marketing; public relations & events. Clients include multi-national brands and NGOs.

ernSt & young

ogilVy & MAtHer

L3-14 Thuy Khue. Ba Dinh, Tel: 3728 0776 www.t-cgroup.com A well-known Vietnamese conglomerate of companies operating since 1994, T&Câ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus is on providing internationalstandard consultation to engineering and

8/F Tien Phong Newspaper Building, 15 Ho Xuan Huong, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3822 3914 www.ogilvy.com International marketing communications company that leverages the brands of

Daeha Business Centre, 15th Floor, 360 Kim Ma Street, Ba Dinh, Tel: 4831 5100 www.ey.com Provides a broad spectrum of services to help businesses capitalize on opportunities for growth, improve financial performance and manage risk. Works with a range of firms including private, stateowned and foreign.

t&c inVeStMent HolDing

business infrastructure projects. They also provide market research consulting.

BuSineSS grouPS AMcHAM

M Floor, Business Center, Hilton Hanoi Opera, 1 Le Thanh Tong. Tel: 3934 2790 www.amchamhanoi.com An independent association of American and international businesses, the objective of the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam is to promote trade and investment between the United States and Vietnam.

AuScHAM

Room 2707, 1010 Lang Ha, Dong Da Tel: 3562 5786 ext. 107 www.auschamvn.org An organisation bringing together Australian companies and individuals doing business in Vietnam, the Australian Chamber of Commerce offers advice on doing business. Also offers networking opportunities and social events.

BritiSH BuSineSS grouP oF VietnAM

193B Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung. Tel: 0906 240159 www.bbgv.org The first foreign business group to set up in Vietnam, BBGV’s goal is to both promote the interests of its members as well as the more general interests of British business. Organises business luncheons and seminars as well as regular social and networking events.

icHAM

Sofitel Plaza, Ground floor, 1 Thanh nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3715 2393 www.icham.org The Chamber has the main purpose of undertaking activities to support com-

HAnoi WeBSiteS HAnoigrAPeVine.coM

The place to go for all things related to the arts in a city that is developing its own, vibrant contemporary arts scene. Has event calendars, event postings, blogs, addresses and contact details, and covers anything from classical music through to installations, rock concerts and more.

inFoSHAreHAnoi.coM

Provides the expat community with essential information for living and working in Hanoi including comprehensive and up-to-date events listings as well as address lists of galleries, cinemas, theatres, hotels, housing agencies, embassies and much more. Subscribe to receive their weekly newsletter.

linKHAnoi.coM

Event photos, a what’s on calendar, restaurant and bar listings and in fact, pretty much everything you want to know about nightlife in Hanoi can be found on this popular website. Also organize regular events and parties.

neWHAnoiAn.coM

The city’s best known website, The New Hanoian provides user-generated listings, reviews and event information on pretty much anything and everything in the capital. Register, create your profile, write a review and receive frequent newsletters.

WorDHAnoi.coM

The online extension of The Word, contains both content from the print edition as well as blogs, events, news, a what’s on calendar, party photos and much more. Also has downloadable PDF versions of the whole publication.

62 | Word August 2012

mercial exchanges with Italy and to assist economic agents, as well as to foster the development of economic relations and cooperation among entrepreneurs of the various countries. The Chamber will not engage in commercial activities with the aim of producing profits.

lAc Viet coMPuting corP

Hanico Building 110 Thai Thinh, Dong Da Tel: 3512 1846 www.lacviet.com.vn Since its founding in 1994, professional services and innovative solutions has led LAC VIET to a recognized position of leadership in Vietnam. LAC VIET employs more than 400 professionals in IT services and product development. LAC VIET is a certified MicrosoftTM Gold Partner; CiscoTM Premier Reseller; Dell Distributor and Authorised Service Provider(DASP).

cciFV

Sofitel Plaza, No 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 2229. www.ccifv.org A business group with over 240 members that supports the French business community in Vietnam by listening to their members’ needs and expectations. Also promotes Vietnam to French companies and helps them in developing their businesses here.

eurocHAM

G/F, Sofitel Plaza Hanoi, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 2228. www.eurochamvn.org A confederate organisation with strong ties to national business associations in its member countries, Eurocham looks after and provides advice and support for the business interests of European Union members in Vietnam.

norDcHAM

Suite 504, Thanh Ha Building, Linh Dam Tel: 3641 6864. www.nordchamhn.org.vn Provides support to Nordic companies and individuals operating in Vietnam. A business and social network, members have the opportunity to meet, discuss, interact and share expertise and experience.

SingAPore BuSineSS ASSociAtion VietnAM

Business Center, Ground Floor, Fortuna Hotel, 6B Lang Ha, Dong Da, Tel: 4772 0833 www.sbav-hanoi.org An association that actively fosters business relations with other business communities while promoting social, cultural, recreational, educational and charitable activities.

coMMerciAl PHotogrAPHy noi PictureS

25/158 Ngoc Ha, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3747 8611 noipictures@noipictures.com www.noipictures.com Photography and film agency specialising in commercial assignments, stock photography and production services in Vietnam. Has a number of mainly overseas photographers in their books both in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

corPorAte giFtS

regAl PreMiuMS

33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 0685 7167 www.regalvietnam.com Regal Premiums produces trendy corporate gifts, premiums gifts, promotional gifts and branded mass giveaway items. Professional team helps with design to fit your brand and production and logistics to fit your budget.

HouSing & reAl eStAte cB ricHArD elliS (VietnAM) co., ltD 6 Floor, BIDV Tower,194 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 0220 www.cbrevietnam.com Finding the perfect accommodation to

meet your various demands in Hanoi is made simple thanks to CBRE’s residential leasing team. Our services are inclusive of site finding, travelling fees, contract negotiation and resolving any other issues which arise during the term of the lease, all of which are free of charge for the tenant.

collierS internAtionAl VietnAM 9th floor, Vinaplast, Tai Tam Building, 39A Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 5888 www.colliersmn.com/vietnam Represent property investors, developers and occupiers in all matters related to commercial and residential property. Services include leasing and sales, valuation and research, property management and support services. Attempt to accelerate the success of their clients by making their knowledge your property.

DAluVA HoMe

33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho www.daluva.com/apartment Thoughtfully appointed and decorated, Daluva Home features a cosy bedroom for true rest, plus open living, dining, and work areas. Extras include two LCD TVs, iPod dock, and outdoor patio. Housekeeping, and daily breakfast from the Daluva Breakfast Menu are also included. Private car and tour booking service available.

HAnoi HouSe Hunter

residential addresses by providing high quality architecture, residential design, interior design, commercial consultancy, marketing and branding solutions. A onestop-shop to finance, design, brand and build for the finest residential products.

VietnAM lAnD

38 Phan Boi Chau Street, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3787 0188 Vietnam Land was incorporated in Vietnam in 2002 as a commercial and residential real estate services, real estate property management and real estate development company. Since that time Vietnam Land has successfully developed two residential towers at the Chelsea Park project in Hanoi and a residential land sales project in Hung Yen province called Villa Park.

inSurAnce Aig

Suite 5-01, Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3936 1455 www.aig.com Offers a range of insurance products and services including property, casualty and marine exposure insurance. Also has comprehensive travel and accident coverage, as well as healthcare packages for expats residing in Vietnam.

iF conSulting

Quang Trung Building, Room 203, 39 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0983 336336 www.hanoihousehunter.com This company can assist you in finding an apartment that meets your living and budget requirements. Though they specialise in high-end, high-rise apartments, they do have a range of options. The website contains most listings.

CCIFV/Eurocham, Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3936 5370 Emergency: 0903 732365 www.insuranceinvietnam.com Specialises in medical, employee benefits and personal lines insurance advice to expatriates. The company has been operational in Vietnam since 1994 and offers free advice and comparative quotes.

KnigHt FrAnK

liBerty inSurAnce

40 Phan Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem www.knightfrank.com UK real estate agent providing a wide range of services including property sale, lease, management, price appraisal, counselling and market research.

MegAlAnD

2nd Floor, 43 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 5556 Specialising in meeting housing needs of expatriates and overseas Vietnamese, Megaland offers a wide range of serviced apartments, villas and commercial spaces.

SAVillS VietnAM

6th floor, Sentinel Place, 41A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3946 1300 www.savills.com.vn A leading global real estate service provider listed on the London Stock Exchange with over 200 offices worldwide. Provides consultancy services, property management, space planning, facilities management, corporate real estate services, leasing, valuation and sales to the key segments of commercial, industrial, retail, residential and investment property.

tAn long HouSing

Moongate Building, 5th & 6th Floor, 107 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho , Tel: 3719 9864 www.tanlonghousing.com Tan Long has been concentrating on assisting individuals in the process of buying, selling and renting property in Hanoi since 1999. They also have several branch offices, and a useful website that can help to fill residential or commercial needs.

tHree teMPleS

73B Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3747 3366 www.threetemples.com Three Temples is a full-service, design-led property development and marketing company that specialises in creating

16th Floor, Hoa Binh International Towers, 106 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay Tel: 3755 7111 www.libertyinsurance.com.vn Provides a quality range of insurance services to both commercial enterprises and individuals. Coverage includes property, liability, business interruption, marine cargo, automobile, home and travel, as well as expat healthcare packages. Toll free hotline in Vietnam: 1 800 599 998.

PruDentiAl

24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 5999 www.prudential.com.vn Operating in Vietnam since 1995, has over 70 customer care centers throughout the country.

internAtionAl ScHoolS concorDiA internAtionAl ScHool HAnoi

CMC Tower, Duy Tan, Cau Giay Tel: 3795 8878 www.concordiahanoi.org International brand, 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 Boulevard, Ba Dinh www.hisvietnam.com With schooling available for students studying at the elementary through to secondary levels of education, HIS is one of the few private, international education options in the capital. The institution offers Cambridge IGCSE and IB Diploma for students at the secondary level. Located near the Japanese Embassy.

KinDerWorlD internAtionAl KinDergArten

Unit 9 – 10, Shophouse CT17, Ciputra Tel: 3743 0306 3rd Floor, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 7243 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: 3718 6418 www.hanoi.qsi.org With nearly four decades of experience in international education, QSI International School of Hanoi is next in the long line of ‘quality schools’ that have been established by the Quality Schools International. The institution specialises in instructing pre-school and lower elementary age students.

SingAPore internAtionAl SScHool

2D Van Phuc Diplomatic Compound, 46 Van Bao, 726 1601, Block C3, Ciputra Tel: 3758 2664 An international school with an excellent record in a host of countries around the world, now available to those in Hanoi within its salubrious surrounds in Ciputra.

uniteD nAtionS internAtionAl ScHool (uniS)

Ciputra International Village, Tay Ho Tel: 3758 1551 www.unishanoi.org With more than 800 students from 50 different countries, UNIS is a non-profit IB World School that instructs students from as young as three years old through to grade 12. Established in 1988 by agencies representing the United Nations, the pristine campus has a broad range of facilities and is located in the gated community of Ciputra.

inVeStMent & FinAnce DrAgon cAPitAl

11th Floor, Hanoi Lake View Bldg, 28 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho, Tel: 3936 0203 www.dragoncapital.com An integrated financial services provider with an exclusive focus on Vietnam’s capital markets. Established in 1994, the group is one of the largest and most experienced asset managers in Vietnam with total group assets in excess of US$2 billion. Has offices in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and the UK.

inDocHinA cAPitAl

Floors 9-9A, 60 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3930 6399 www.indochinacapital.com A leading investment firm operating in the ASEAN region with a particular focus on Vietnam. Assists partners, co-investors and clients to achieve financial objectives while focusing on four core areas: corporate finance and advisory services, investment management and real estate development.

Mekong Capital

12th Floor, HAREC Building, 4A Lang Ha, Ba Dinh Tel: 3772 4888 www.mekongcapital.com A private equity firm which focuses on the growth equity of companies in the developing Vietnamese economy.

Sg VietFrAnce

VIT Tower, 18th Floor, 519 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 2220 8979 The Vietnamese subsidiary of France’s Societe Generale, the company recently opened a Hanoi. This was the first financial company in Vietnam to focus entirely on consumer credit.

totAl WeAltH MAnAgeMent

66/11 Pham Ngoc Thach, Q3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: 3820 0623. www.t-wm.com TWM provides information related to inter-country personal financial planning. They will walk you through the solutions and products available and will constantly monitor and manage your portfolio through opportunity and instability in global financial markets.

Viet tin FinAnciAl co.

1st & 2nd Floor, 40 Pho Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3941 1566. www.viet-tin.com A locally based securities and stock brokerage firm whose stated mission is to provide valued returns to partners and shareholders.

VinAcAPitAl

5th Floor, Sun City Building, 13 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3936 4630 www.vinacapital.com A leading investment fund management company with extensive experience in the emerging Vietnam market. Manages the Vietnam Opportunity Fund (VOF), which is a an investment fund currently listed on the London Stock Exchange.

business

bUSiNESS

bUFF

A SHort HiStory oF tHe Dong The money you stuff into your pocket has had a bumpy ride. Shane Dillon traces it back to its origins.

lAnguAge ScHoolS APollo

67 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3943 2051 www.apolloedutrain.com Established in 1994, Apollo offers highquality and cost-effective English language classes including general English, English for teens, English for business communication and a pronunciation clinic. One of the country’s leading language centres.

BritiSH council

20 Thuy Khue, Tay Ho, Tel: 3728 1922 www.britishcouncil.org The cultural arm of the British government’s presence in Vietnam, the BC offers a variety of English language courses – business writing, corporate training and general English – in a large learning centre close to West Lake.

cleVerleArn

Building 3, 2C Diplomatic Compound, Van Bao, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3726 1698 www.cleverlearnvietnam.vn With two main schools in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Cleverlearn offers mainly conversational and business English courses. An authorised in iBT test site by the ETS.

lAnguAge linK VietnAM

62 Yen Phu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3733 8402 www.languagelink.edu.vn With four schools around Hanoi, Language Link runs international English language courses endorsed by Cambridge University. One of the top language centres in the capital.

legAl SerViceS AllenS ArtHur roBinSon

Suite 401, Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3936 0990 Australian law firm working in Asia for over 30 years. Besides providing the standard legal services to corporate clients, has an excellent website containing the Vietnam Laws Online Database English translations of over 3,000 Vietnamese laws. Also publishes a monthly Vietnam Legal Update.

BAKer & McKenZie

13th Floor, Vietcombank Tower, 198 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 1428 www.bakernet.com One of the first international law firms to establish representative offices in Vietnam, Baker & McKenzie provide onthe-ground liaison and support services to clients interested in investigating,

tHe VietnAMeSe Dong HAS been the unified currency of Vietnam since May 1978. the word originates from the chinese tóng qián, a term that refers to chinese bronze coins used during the dynastic periods of china and Vietnam. its modern origin dates back to 1945 when Vietnam gained independence from the French. At this time the Viet Minh introduced the currency in north Vietnam to replace the French indochinese piastre. originally equal to the piaster it was revalued in 1951 at 100:1 and again in 1958 at 1000:1. notes were dually nominated in the south in piastres and dong through the 1950s. in 1975 the currency in the south was changed to the liberation dong, equal to 500 old southern dong. in 1978 when the currencies were unified, one new dong was equal to one northern dong, and 0.8 southern liberation dong. At this time the notes were available in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 and a single dong was enough to buy a hearty meal. groWing PAinS By 1985 denominations were available in 100 and 500 and as

inflation become endemic in 1987, the State Bank issued 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 value notes. By 1990 denominations of 10,000 and 50,000 were available. the 20,000 was added in 1991, the 100,000 in 1994, the 500,000 in 2003 and the 200,000 in 2006. the modern day polymer versions of the notes were first issued in 2003 and the previous cotton version of the currency was removed from circulation in 2007. After the revaluation of the Zimbabwean dollar in August 2006, for several months the dong became the least valued currency unit in the world. in April 2007, the revalued Zimbabwean dollar regained least valued currency status in terms of the official exchange rate. Since the revaluation of the Zimbabwean dollar in August 2008, the Somalia shilling became the least valued currency unit until September 2008, when the Zimbabwean dollar once again surpassed it. the dong is currently the second least valued currency unit in the world after the Somalia shilling. Shane Dillon is a partner at Total Wealth Management. You can email him on shane.dillon@twm.com

August 2012 Word | 63

business negotiating and implementing projects in the country.

FrASerS lAW coMPAny

Unit 1205, Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3946 1203 www.frasersvn.com As the first legal firm licensed as a foreign law company in Vietnam, Frasers provides legal advice on all areas of business and commerce within the country. They provide international legal advice in a Vietnamese context, and are ranked in the top tier of international law firms practising in this jurisdiction.

FreSHFielDS BrucKHAuS Deringer

#05-01 International Centre, 17 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3824 7422 This law firm works in 19 countries and is one of the world’s largest. They regularly advise large clients on international investment, banking and finance.

giDe loyrette nouel A.A.r.P.i.

Pacific Place, Suite 505 – 507, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3946 2350 www.gide.com A leading international law firm with 24 offices worldwide including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnam offices offer their clients (companies and international institutions) high quality services which combine legal expertise and a highly commercial approach to clients’ needs, across all sectors of business law.

J&P lAW llc

Room 1204B, Floor 12, Tower B, Handi Resco Tower, 521 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3724 5201 www.jnplaw.com This Korean law firm offers international legal services and has additional branches in Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing and Ulaanbaatar. The Vietnam offices provide high-quality legal services in English, Korean, and Vietnamese across all sectors of business law.

lAWyerS ASSociAtion oF tHe city oF HAnoi

35 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Dong Da Tel: 3835 3548 The Lawyer’s Association is a collective of Vietnamese lawyers speicialising in many fields. They can provide legal and representation services.

rouSe legAl (HAnoi BrAncH)

7th Floor, VIT Building, 519 Kim Ma, Dong Da Tel: 3577 0479 www.iprights.com Rouse is an international intellectual property law firm. From HCMC and Hanoi we advise on protection and enforcement of trade marks, patents, copyright and domain names; commercial IP, IP management/strategy.

ruSSin & VeccHi

11/F, Hanoi Central Office Bldg., Suite 1104, 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Tel: 3825 1700 A financial law firm which focuses on commercial and investment matters for corporate clients. In some cases they can provide assistance to individual clients.

MAnAgeMent trAining BritiSH uniVerSity VietnAM

193 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3974 7596 www.britishuniversity.edu.vn The first university offering prestigious UK degrees in Vietnam. Courses offered in 2010 include International Business Administration, Banking & Finance, Accounting & Finance, Marketing Management, Accounting & Business. Pre-university courses are also available.

g&H MAnAgeMent SerViceS

HKC Building, Suite 701, 285 Doi Can, Ba Dinh Tel: 3762 3805 www.ghmsglobal.com A 100% foreign-invested company focusing

64 | Word August 2012

on management services and consulting with in-house programs to meet the particular requirements of its clients. Offers teambuilding and academic-based business and management programmes.

rMit

Hanoi Resco Building, 521 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 3726 1460. www.rmit.edu.vn A leading international provider of skills training and professional staff development, RMIT offers both short and longterm courses, customised courses, and can provide for either on or off-campus clients. Known for its Business MBA which is open to both Vietnamese and overseas students.

MArKet reSeArcH ciMigo

142 Le Duan, Dong Da. Tel: 3518 6696 vietnam@cimigo.com www.cimigo.com Independent marketing and brand research specialist operating in Hanoi and the Asia Pacific region in general. Services include auditing and optimising research programs, knowledge management, developing marketing plans and business models, and assessing market opportunities.

inDocHinA reSeArcH

7th Floor, 73 Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3747 4661. www.indochinaresearch.com Provides a regional perspective on consumer, retail and social research to a range of multinational organisations operating in Indochina. Focus is on developing partnerships that leverage their market knowledge and on enhancing their client’s competitive position in the region.

tHe nielSen coMPAny

3rd floor, 85 Nguyen Du, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3933 1161 . www.nielsen.com Media company offering integrated marketing and media measurement information and analytics. Offers full service capability across qualitative, quantitative, media and retail measurement for FMCGs, consumer products, finance, telecoms and more.

VinAlinK

11th Floor, Lang Ha Building, 14 Lang Ha, Dong Da, Tel: 3772 4234 www.vinalink.com Specialising in online survey-based market research, Vinalink is a subcontractor for a few global market research firms, including CALEB Global and Pulse Group.

PuBlic relAtionS MeDiA one

Rm 207, 40A Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3939 3966. www.media-one.vn PR company with offices both in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Focuses mainly on the Telecom and IT industries, providing a range of services including events, product activation, consulting, marketing and advertising.

Pioneer coMMunicAtionS

Floor 6, 58 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3945 4398. www.pioneervn.com Pioneer Communications is one of the leading agencies in providing integrated marketing and public relations solutions for businesses and organiastions in Vietnam.

tqPr

Room 109, House K, 7, 2ha, Vinh Phuc Ward, Ba Dinh., Tel: 32474 028 www.tqpr.com One in a group of companies from Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, the company offers international standard consultancy services and value-added

results to local, regional and global clients.

VenuS coMMunicAtionS

4 Da Tuong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3944 7066 Well-known PR and communications company with offices in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Offers the full range of PR, advertising and consultancy services.

recruitMent & Hr Aon VietnAM liMiteD

14th Floor, Vietcombank Tower, 198 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 0832 www.aon.com/vietnam Founded in Vietnam in 1994, among other things, Aon now concentrates on human capital consulting, assisting their clients with compensation, benefit analyses and outsourcing.

Hr2B

Suite A6, 3rd Floor, Horison Office Center, 40 Cat Linh, Dong Da , Tel: 3736 6843 www.hr2b.com The forte of this company is placing highly talented Vietnamese and expat candidates into executive positions at medium to large companies. Rapidly growing, in the past years they’ve added Coca Cola, DHL and Prudential to their client list.

MAnPoWer VietnAM

12th Floor, Vincom City Tower B, 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung , Tel: 3974 4574 www.manpower.com.vn Established in Vietnam at the beginning of 2008, Manpower is the first global recruitment company to set up locally. Offers a range of services for the entire employment and business cycle.

nAVigoS grouP

Suite 1401, Vincom City Tower B, 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung , Tel: 3974 3033 www.navigosgroup.com Adept at solving human resource challenges through excellence in matching and management talent. Has offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

relocAtion & trAcKing AgentS AllieD PicKForDS

8 Cat Linh, Dong Da, Tel: 6275 2824 vn.alliedpickfords.com The international home moving company helps make the burden of moving a lot easier. As the largest home moving company in the world, Allied Pickfords moves over 1,000 families in over 175 countries every day. Available with a full range of services — domestic moves, office moves and storage — whether you are moving within Vietnam or across the world.

ASiAn tigerS trAnSPo

Inland Customs Depot Area (ICD), Pham Hung, My Dinh, Tu Liem Tel: 3768 5882 www.asiantigersgroup.com Asian Tigers Group is committed to its mission of moving households without disruption to family life. They also offer pre-move advice regarding customs and shipping.

croWn relocAtion SerViceS

95E Ly Nam De, Ba Dinh , Tel: 3936 6741 www.crownrelo.com Offering both family and corporate relocation services locally and internationally, Crown prides themselves on being a kidfriendly company.

iMAge grouP HouSing

No 17 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 4375 www.hanoihousing.vn A one-stop housing service that specialises in relocation, trained professionals can take care of housing rentals, short and

lIstINgs

JVK inDocHinA MoVerS

6 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3826 0334 www.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. 3A Alley, 49 Huynh Thuc Khang, Tel: 3773 7191 www.residentvietnam.com Established in 2000, Resident Vietnam was the first dedicated Expatriate Service Provider in Vietnam. Resident Vietnam provides full relocation and immigration management services to several multinational companies in Vietnam and ser vices the Global Mobility industry.

SAntA Fe relocAtion SerViceS

Suite 821, Vietnam Trade Union Hotel, 14 Tran Binh Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0908 096222 sales@santaferelo.com.vn www.santaferelo.com Santa Fe Relocation Services offers moving, home search, pet transport, orientation and immigration services. We are proud to be the only moving company with both ISO 9001 – 14001 certification in Vietnam.

providing cruise services for travelers with a mid-range budget.

HAlong DreAM Hotel CREDIT

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

DAlAt 065 DAnAng 065 HAlong & cAt BA 065 HAi PHong 065 HAnoi — internAtionAl 065 HAnoi — MiD — rAnge 067 HAnoi — BuDget 067 Ho cHi MinH city 067 Hoi An & DAnAng 068 Hue 069 MAi cHAu & HoA BinH 069 nAM DinH & ninH BinH 070

reSiDent VietnAM

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$$$ 10 Halong Road, Halong , Tel: 0333 849 009 www.halongdreamhotel.com Close to the pier and the new bridge, what this hotel lacks in character is made up for in cleanliness and comfort. There are 184 rooms priced between VND2 million and VND6 million. Other facilities include indoor pool, health club and sauna.

nHA trAng 070 nortH-eASt 071 nortH-WeSt 071 PHAn tHiet / Mui ne 071 PHu quoc 071 SAPA 071 tAM DAo 072 trAVel SerViceS 072

HAlong PlAZA

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$$$ 8 Halong Road, Bai Chay, Halong Tel: 0333 845810, www.halongplaza.com One of the many large tower-type hotels in Halong City, Halong Plaza has pretty much everything you’d expect from a 4-star hotel. 200 rooms, a bar and a restaurant that touts its seafood and barbecue.

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noVotel HA long BAy

DAlAt Blue Moon Hotel reSort AnD SPA

$$$ 4 Phan Boi Chau, Tel: 063 357 8888 www.bluemoonhotel.com.vn Ideally situated in the centre of Dalat, this hotel has 71 rooms, all with good views, and modern amenities, including flatscreen TVs and DSL connections. Also has a heated swimming pool, gym, spa, and prices to match.

bus stops. Apart from that convenience, it is a fairly basic hotel, but it’s right in the middle of town.

DAnAng

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AtlAntA reSiDenceS

49 Hang Chuoi, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 0912 239085 www.atlanta.com.vn Atlanta Residences fully serviced apartments have been created to provide a space where you can ‘feel at home’. Within walking distance from Hanoi’s Opera House and Hoan Kiem Lake, this building offers a panel of 51 spacious apartments for you to choose from. The serviced apartments here offer the luxury of a hotel mixed with the peaceful comfort and privacy of your home, under one roof of course.

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$ 151 Phan Dinh Phung, Dalat, Tel: 063 383 3748 The excellent value at this small private place has made it justifiably popular. You get a large room with cable TV, free breakfast and Internet access, starting from $10 per night. The staff are friendly, too. Just round the corner are bike rentals (watch those hills) and other tour facilities.

DAluVA HoMe

trung cAng Hotel

33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 5831 Whether traveling or on a temporary stay, Daluva can provide space & comfort. Thoughtfully appointed Daluva Homes feature a cozy bedroom for true rest, and an open living area that opens up to a terrace with plants.

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$ 4A Bui Thi Xuan, Dalat , Tel: 063 382 2663 You get door-to-door service from Saigon at this budget hotel – it has links with the Sinh Cafe people and this is where their

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 8877 http://hanoi.frasershospitality.com Great location in Syrena Tower on West Lake, Fraser Suites offer a tranquil repose from the busy city. Has several apartments with excellent views and provides gold-standard service.

BeloW VnD630,000

VnD651,000 to VnD1,680,000

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VnD1,701,000 to VnD3,171,000

BAi tu long ecotouriSM reSort $ Halong Commune, Van Don , Tel: 0333 793156 Stay in a beachside bungalow or a traditional resort-style hotel on the shores of Van Don Island. Bai Tu Long Bay is situated just up the coast from Halong City. The staff here can help you arrange tours that will offer scenery a bit different than the standard tours of Halong Bay. CREDIT

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No. 96 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 0888 www.sedonahotels.com.sg 175 well-designed, furnished apartments and villas combining the comforts of home with the conveniences of a fine hotel.

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$$$$ Tel: 04 3934 0888 www.emeraude-cruises.com This reproduction of a 19th-century paddle steamer trawls around Halong Bay in colonial style, with onboard overnight accommodation in impeccably maintained cabins. The great food and service adds to the already beautiful setting. They also offer transfers directly from Hanoi. RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR

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HAi long JunKS, HAlong BAy BUSINESS

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$$$ www.oceanbeachresort.com.vn This resort is on a private island just off of Cat Ba Island. Around VND600,000 will get you a comfortable room in a bungalow close to the beach. Fee also includes the boat ride from Cat Ba. For more information check on the web. GYM

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PeAce Hotel

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$ 39 Vuon Dao, Bai Chay, Quang Ninh Tel: 0333 846009 Found just outside Halong City on Bai Chay beach, this is clean, honest accommodation for a reasonable price. Located on “Hotel Alley”, there are a lot of options here. The rooms are fairly well looked after and clean. You can usually get one for under VND400,000, but prices vary depending on the season.

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PrinceS Hotel

32 Anh Dao, Bai Chay, Quang Ninh Tel: 0333 846099 Hai Long Junks is one of the three largest cruise operators in Halong Bay. The company boasts 11 overnight cruise vessels with a total of 160 cabins and 15 traditional junks with capacities from 25-48 passengers each for day trippers,

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$$$ KM 8 Pham Van Dong, Duong Kinh, Hai Phong Tel: 0313 880 888 www.pearlriverhotel.vn Located 100km east of Hanoi, the fourstar Best Western Pearl River Hotel is the only internationally branded hotel in Hai Phong. All 101 suites and rooms offer bathrobe and slippers, digital safety box, free internet access, satellite TV and 24-hour room service. Facilities include the Jade restaurant, offering western and Asian fare, several bars, a deluxe spa and fitness center with separate hot and cold Jacuzzis, sauna, steam room, relax lounge and VIP massage room. CREDIT CREDITCARD CARD CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR CARD CARD CARD RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING GYM GYM

SWIMMING SWIMMING GYM GYM GYM POOL SWIMMING POOL SWIMMING SWIMMING BUSINESS BUSINESS POOL POOL POOL BUSINESS BUSINESS BUSINESS

$$$ 4 Tran Phu, Hai Phong, Tel: 031 382 7827 www.harbourviewvietnam.com Hai Phong’s most prestigious address, this cool, retro French-colonial style property is the only international standard hotel in town. Designed with panache without being pretentious, room rates at this 122-unit property start at around VND2.5 million.

Huu ngHi Hotel

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$$$ 60A Pho Dien Bien Phu, Hai Phong Tel: 031 384 2706, www.huunghihotel.vn One of the larger hotels in town, Huu Nghi offers some of the comforts you might miss at the other places. In addition to the clean up-to-standard rooms, the hotel also has a swimming pool and tennis courts. CREDIT

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$$ 3K Ly Tu Trong, Hai Phong, Tel: 031 374 6540 New and tidy, with cable TV and airconditioning, Maxim is one of the best mini hotels in town. Rooms are small but have good modern conveniences like satellite TV and new, clean bathrooms done in designer tiles. Room rates around VND250,000 to VND300,000 a night.

MonAco Hotel

103 Pho Dien Bien Phu, Hai Phong Tel: 031 374 6468 One of the more modern hotels on Dien Bien Phu Street, the prices here are competitive and it’s possible to request a room with a kitchen. Standards with aircon and a TV start at VND350,000 per night.

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$ Nui Ngoc, Cat Ba Island, Tel: 0313 888899 This is one of the better hotels on Cat Ba Island. Large, clean rooms with all the modern conveniences, as well as a restaurant and a popular bar. The front desk can also arrange tailor-made tours around the bay.

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$$$ 47 Phan Chu Trinh Street, Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3944 6777 (Sales Office) www.bhayacruises.com Bhaya combines oriental style with contemporary luxury, offering tours of beautiful Halong Bay aboard reproduction wooden junks. Two or three-night tours are available and customers have a wide range of cabin styles to choose from: standard, deluxe or royal.

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SeDonA SuiteS

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HAlong & cAt BA

BeSt WeStern PeArl riVer Hotel

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$$$ Ha Long Road, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh. Tel: 0333 848108 www.novotelhalongbay.com Located three hours from Hanoi, the beachfront Novotel Ha Long Bay is in close proximity to major attractions such as bay cruises and local markets. Featuring 214 rooms, one restaurant, two bars and one professional spa with seven treatment rooms, Novotel Ha Long Bay enjoys impressive panoramic vistas, including a pool with swim-up bar overlooking the limestone bay. Ideal for business travel or family holidays.

oceAn BeAcH reSort

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34B Tran Phu, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3733 0030 www.mayfair-hanoi.com A building with a great location, and some of the largest apartments you’ll find. The Mayfair is popular among the diplomatic and international business communities.

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$$$$ ABoVe VnD3,171,000

MAyFAir

$$$ Son Tra, Dien Ngoc Coastal Street Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son, Tel: 0511 396 1800 With six different styles of villa units that offer views of the ocean, the mountains and a green of a golf course, the Danang Beach Resort is one of the most luxurious places to stay in this much overlooked city. The property also offers 33-storey twin towers housing a five-star hotel and golf courses adding up to 36 holes.

BHAyA cruiSeS, HAlong BAy

Price rAnge

FrASer SuiteS

DAnAng BeAcH reSort

hotels, the aircon old but clean rooms come in all shapes and sizes and have satellite TV, a fridge and a mini bar. The front-desk staff speaks English and can help sort out any travel arrangements. Rates from around VND250,000 per night.

HArBour VieW Hotel

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SerViceD APArtMentS

49, Hai Ba Trung, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3934 2342 www.somerset.com Internationally-managed accommodation with personalised services and extensive facilities. 185 fully furnished apartments, car park, 24-hour reception and central location.

destination

DeStinAtion

long term as well as car rentals. They also have an extension showroom for furniture rental and custom furniture, making your transition as easy as possible.

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royAl Hotel

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$$$$ 66 Pho Ha Long, Bai Chay, Quang Ninh Tel: 0333 848999. www.royalhalong.com The four-star Royal Hotel boasts villas, well-landscaped gardens and a pool, all overlooking Halong Bay. Just two minutes walk from Bai Chay, the property has a resort feel and the rooms are housed in several buildings. If you’re feeling lucky, there’s also a ‘Gaming Club’.

HAi PHong BAcH DAng Hotel

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$$ 42 Dien Bien Phu, Hai Phong, Tel: 031 384 2444 bachdanghotelhp@hn.vnn.vn One of the best of the town’s best budget

HAnoi – internAtionAl croWne PlAZA WeSt HAnoi

$$$ Lot X7, Le Duc Tho, My Dinh, Tu Liem Tel: 6270 6688. www.crowneplaza.com My Dinh’s first five-star property. This 24-storey mixed-use complex lies next to My Dinh National Stadium and close to the National Convention Centre. Boasting 393 guest rooms (including 40 suites), two swimming pools and a spa and fitness centre, Crowne Plaza also has some of the best meetings and conference facilities in town. CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT

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DAeWoo Hotel

SWIMMING SWIMMING GYM GYM GYM POOL SWIMMING POOL SWIMMING SWIMMING BUSINESS BUSINESS POOL POOL POOL BUSINESS BUSINESS BUSINESS

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$$$ 360 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3831 5555 www.hanoi-daewoohotel.com 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.

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destination FortunA Hotel HAnoi

$$$ 6B Lang Ha, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3831 3333 www.fortuna.vn 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. CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT

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FrASer SuiteS

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$$$$ 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 8877 www.hanoi.frasershospitality.com A good alternative to staying at a five-star hotel while you’re in the capital, Fraser Suites offers short-term stays for as little as VND2.5 million a night when they’re having a promotion. In the West Lake area, you can expect the gold-standard service with a quiet atmosphere and excellent views.

golDen SilK Boutique Hotel

$$$ 109-111 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi Tel: 3928 6969, www.goldensilkhotel.com With 55 rooms and suites, the four-star Golden Silk Boutique Hotel, which is located in the centre of the Old Quarter, is the only hotel offering a complimentary (free!) and daily replenished minibar and snacks service in every room. Facilities include a spa with Jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms, a comprehensive range of business amenities, the Orient restaurant, serving international and Vietnamese fare, and the Rendezvous Piano Bar with wines and cocktails. CREDIT

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a temple of

memories

ryan connor discovers the remote town of Ba Chuc and its eerie past

riving south from the border with Cambodia, it didn’t take long to reach Ba Chuc. As we approached, large rocks loomed ahead, jutting out from between trees. The town is ringshaped, built along a road that encircles a small mountain. By the time we arrived at this ring road, the sun was on the horizon, but we were still hopeful to see the pagoda before daylight faded. We didn’t even have to ask for directions. As soon as we stopped, the locals knew what we were looking for. They motioned with their heads and then pointed down the road to where hundreds of skulls lay within Ba Chuc Temple (also known as Bone Pagoda) — victims of the 1978 Ba Chuc Massacre. We soon found the pagoda, a memorial stupa resembling the famous one at the Choeung Ek killing fields in Cambodia. With over 1,700 skulls peering out from a hexagonal glass-windowed building, it

66 | Word August 2012

is just as chilling — a shocking example of the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1978. We approached the site slowly and solemnly. After we removed our shoes, the guard asks us to sign the visitors’ book. We dropped some money in a donation box and he handed us incense and ceremonial papers to burn in a fire pit nearby. When this was done, we absorbed the horror of the Bone Pagoda. Looking at the skulls and bones separated by gender and age, the sheer number of deaths was hard to fathom. It’s easy to see that no one was spared or given mercy. 3,157 people were slaughtered on that fateful night, Apr. 18, 1978. Only two of the town’s residents are known to have survived.

laughter Among tears Returning to our parked motorbikes, we were approached by a large crowd. Some were trying to sell us various goods, but

HAnoi Hilton many of them were just curious. We were struck by the pleasant nature of the people, which stood in direct contrast to the horror we had just seen. We spent a while mingling and laughing. One never would have guessed that they spent most of their time at such a gruesome place. That evening, as we walked around town, everyone we encountered was eager to talk to us. The next day we returned to the Bone Pagoda to see the small museum next door, which displays photographs and artifacts from the massacre. The images are graphic, perhaps even more disturbing than the skulls. Knowing that these events happened around where we were standing made it feel very vivid. Though the history behind the Bone Pagoda is not pleasant, it’s important to experience. The village of Ba Chuc became the highlight of a trip filled with many other better-known destinations. The Vietnamese government has admitted that the historical relic site of Ba Chuc (also known as Pol Pot Genocide Relic site of Ba Chuc), including the tombs, Tam Buu pagoda and Phi Lai Pagoda according to the resolution 92/VH, QD of the government on Jul. 10, 1980. To get there, take road 955A along the Cambodian border. Around halfway between Ha Tien and Chau Doc, go south on 955B for about 10 minutes until you reach the village. The pagoda and museum are on the east side of town.

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$$$$ 1 Le Thanh Tong, Hoan Kiem , Tel: 3933 0500 www.hilton.com Located next to the Opera House, this fivestar is not to be confused with the famed “Hanoi Hilton” that housed American POWs. Reproduction colonial architecture is matched by an elegant and spacious inside area. Has all the standard facilities of a top-end hotel as well as an attractive, courtyard pool area.

HoriSon Hotel

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$$$ 40 Cat Linh, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3733 0808 This 250-room hotel no longer boasts the sparkle of a few years ago, but nonetheless has good quality rooms with all the mod-cons and a cavernous lobby. Decent but slightly old gym area and a good outdoor pool.

Hotel De l’oPerA

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$$$ 17A Phan Dinh Phung, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3734 9988 www.marigoldhotelhanoi.com A contemporary boutique hotel a stone’s throw from Hang Cot in the Old Quarter. Colonial era accents throughout and an oriental themes lobby. 32 upmarket rooms and an intimate top class restaurant make this a strong contender in an area with plenty of competition.

MeliA HAnoi

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$$$$ 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3934 3343 www.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-ofthe-art rooms, elegant restaurants, stylish bars, fully equipped fitness centre with sophisticated service always make inhouse guests satisfied.

Mercure HAnoi lA gAre

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$$$$ 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 6282 5555 contact@hoteldelopera.com 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.

intercontinentAl HAnoi WeStlAKe

$$$$ 1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: 6270 8888 www.hanoi.intercontinental.com This stunning property built over West Lake falls in between a hotel and a resort. Beautiful views, great balcony areas, comfortable, top-end 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. GYM GYM GYM GYM GYM GYMSWIMMING SWIMMING SWIMMING SWIMMING SWIMMING SWIMMING POOL POOL POOL POOL POOL POOL BUSINESS BUSINESS BUSINESS BUSINESS BUSINESS BUSINESS

16 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem www.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. $$$ 38 & 23 Lo Su, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 2222 Two mid-range hotels situated in the heart of Hanoi,just 150 meters from Hoan Kiem Lake. Built using a blend of western and oriental architecture, the properties have 28 and 35 rooms respectively, all with mod-cons. For a bit more luxury stay at the Giabao Grand.

golDen lotuS Hotel

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HAnoi SPring Hotel ii

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SHerAton

$$ 5 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1048 info@josephshotel.com, www.josephshotel.com Just to the side of St. Joseph’s Cathedral, this is a well-appointed, comfortable boutique hotel. Brightly decorated, the property’s 10 rooms have Wi-Fi, flatscreen TV and a mini bar. Prices start at VND650,000 a night. No smoking except for on the upstairs balconies.

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$$$$ K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 9000, www.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: 3826 6919 ww.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. CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT

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SoFitel PlAZA HAnoi

$$$$ 1 Thanh Nien Road, Ba Dinh Tel: 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. CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT

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JoSePH’S Hotel

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$$$ 24 Han Thuyen, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 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.

tHAng long oPerA Hotel

$$$ 1C Tong Dan Street, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3824 4775 www.thanglongopera.com This hotel houses 71 spacious, comfortable rooms all equipped with high speed CREDIT

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$$ 44 Hang Giay, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3824 3667 www.camellia-hotels.com Basic rooms and friendly service at this well-known hotel. One of six properties of the same name in Hanoi, internet terminals are located in the lobby, and the property also offers a host of tour itineraries. Rooms vary in price from VND500,000 to VND700,000. Some of their other locations are more budget-friendly. $ 48 Ngo Huyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 5372 www.hanoibackpackershostel.com Probably the cheapest, European-style hostel in town, with bunk-style beds mixed or single-sex dorms starting at VND150,000, plus a couple of double suites from VND250,000. A place to meet like-minded fold in the Old Quarter. $$$ 34 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 5053 With four locations right in the Old Quarter, this is a good option close to Hoan Kiem Lake. Friendly staff can help you with any detail like renting a car, motorbike, or bicycle. Rooms are compact, with small but clean bathrooms, and all have the quality amenities of a proper hotel. Either ADSL or Wi-Fi connections available. Some of the locations include sauna, steam bath and fitness facilities

little HAnoi Hotel

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$$$$ 35-37 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 04 3938 0999 www.hanovahotel.com Just a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake, this boutique hotel is fitted with 33 comfortable guest rooms, 18 deluxe, and four luxurious suites. All rooms have wi-fi access, and the cozy lobby has both a gallery and a piano bar. Prices range from VND2.5 million for a guest room to VND4.5 million for a suite. CREDIT CARD CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT RESTO-BAR CARD CARD CARD CARD RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING GYM

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Hong ngoc Hotel

MAiSon D’HAnoi HAnoVA Hotel

MAy De Ville

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HAnoi BAcKBAcKer’S HoStel

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$$ 38 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 8500 www.hanoispringhotel.com One of the only hotels in the Old Quarter to have a balcony with each room, this new boutique is middle of the range but feels higher. Run by Australian expats and partners with a wealth of experience in the hotel industry, expect great service. Awesome western breakfasts and Vietnamese lunch and dinners. The top floor honeymoon suite has perfect views of St Josephs Cathedral.

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cAMelliA Hotel

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$$$$ 83A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3822 2800 www.moevenpick-hanoi.com With its distinctive French architecture and top end service, Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi is aimed squarely at corporate travellers. An all-day 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 well-appointed rooms and suites, 93 are non-smoking. CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CARD CARD CARD CARD CARD CARD RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BARSMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING

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$$$ 4 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3934 1256 www.zephyrhotel.com.vn A mid-size boutique hotel with a prime location, Zephyr offers a range of packages and special offers on rooms that are clean and stylish. The lobby boasts a coffee house and restaurant with both Asian and Western Cuisine.

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MöVenPicK Hotel HAnoi

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ZePHyr

giABAo HAnoi & giABAo grAnD

$$ 32 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 8583 www.goldenlotushotel.com.vn The interesting arty decor of this place is a bonus, as is its value for money – it’s not often you pay under VND1 million for a modern hotel room slap bang in the middle of town. Try to get a front room (with balcony) to look out over the bustling Old Quarter. They’ve also opened a second Golden Lotus just down the street at number 39.

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6 on Sixteen

$$$ 94 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3944 7766 When your train arrives from Sapa at 5am, you will be overjoyed if your bed is just across the street from the station in one of the 102 spacious rooms at this smart hotel. A stone’s throw from both the Old Quarter and the Temple of Literature, Mercure Hanoi boasts a French brasserie, an internal courtyard, a fitness centre and a retail outlet of wine importer and distributor Da Loc. CREDIT CARD

internet, bath tub and room service. They have a meeting room, which can accommodate up to 60 people, as well as a restaurant and bar downstairs.

HAnoi – MiD-rAnge

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$ 58 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 8648 www.littlehanoihotel.com Spacious rooms with ADSL broadband connections starting at around VND600,000 a night. The rooms at the front are more expensive, and breakfast is included. The staff speak good English and are very helpful. Has a number of sister hotels in town, two of which are located next to the cathedral. The third is on Tue Tinh, close to Lenin Park. Check the website for details.

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Ho cHi MinH city cArAVelle Hotel

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$$$$ 19 Lam Son Square, Q1 , Tel: 3823 4999 www.caravellehotel.com The only hotel in Vietnam to make the Robb Report’s 2006 list of the world’s top 100 luxury hotels. Facilities include the popular ninth-floor Saigon Saigon bar, Nineteen and Reflections restaurants, Club Vegas for a flutter, a swimming pool seven floors up and Qi salon and spa.

continentAl

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$$$ 132-134 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: 3829 9201 www.continental-saigon.com Fêted in literature and film, this huge old hotel with huge old rooms stands at the absolute centre of town and is the best of the Saigon Tourist chain. Hard to beat on charm, and a favourite with tour groups, this would be one of your first choices if you wanted to impress a newcomer to the city.

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August 2012 Word | 67

destination

destination Duc Vuong Hotel

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$ 195 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 3920 6992 www.ducvuonghotel.com You’ll need your laptop to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi offered in every room and you’ll probably be impressed with the low price, friendly welcome and well-appointed, clean rooms. A modern oasis just a few steps from the street-level mayhem of the backpacker area.

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trAVel noteS WorDS By tiM ruSSell

culture club exPAt tour guiDeS Are BecoMing more numerous here in Vietnam, and some of the locals aren’t happy about it. one Vietnamese tour operator recently said, “the government cannot know what foreign tour guides are telling international tourists about Vietnam. it is totally possible that they cause misunderstandings about Vietnam’s culture, history and customs”. thus betraying an all-too common misunderstanding of what tourism is really about. As my friend, author and long-term Saigon expat Patrick Moran wrote to me last week, “it is not the job of foreign tourists to learn Vietnamese culture. they are on holiday. it is the job of the Vietnamese tourist industry to learn the culture of the foreign tourists, to find out what they want.” try telling that to the tourism authorities here, for whom cultural tourism is the only game in town, and for whom market research is an alien concept. look at Vietnam’s tourism marketing for example – turgid, uninspiring, and advertising little more than a boot camp in Vietnamese culture – and compare it to the exciting, colourful and fun approaches of thailand and Malaysia. SHort terM MentAlity going all out to attract cultural tourists is a dangerously short-term approach. cultural tourists tend to only visit a destination once, cross it off their to-do list, and try

68 | Word August 2012

another destination next time, and it’s one crucial factor in Vietnam’s desperately poor (around 5 percent) return visitor rate. it also encourages a short-term mentality in suppliers who cater to the tourism industry, such as taxi drivers, shop owners and hoteliers – where’s the harm in scamming a customer when they’re not going to come back anyway? thailand has built its highly successful tourism industry not just on cultural tourists, but also on holidaymakers – people who go on holiday primarily to relax, eat, drink, play sports, and generally have a good time. they will probably visit some cultural sites during their stay anyway but it’s not the primary aim of their trip. the important thing about this sector is that, when they find a destination they like, they will go back again and again, which helps explain thailand’s return visitor rate of around 50 percent. Sadly the Vietnamese, who don’t understand how we strange foreigners could possibly enjoy lying on a beach reading a book and have no desire to find out, simply don’t recognise the existence of this market, and the changes that would be required in the country’s tourism industry to make it happen – better service levels, better infrastructure in beach areas, less scamming – are unlikely to occur for a generation at least. to paraphrase a recent Economist article, Vietnam’s tourism industry has a bright future ahead of it…and it always will.

renAiSSAnce riVerSiDe

$$$$ 8-15 Ton Duc Thang, Q1. Tel: 3822 0033 www.renaissancehotels.com If you’ve never swum in a pool 21 floors up, you could rectify that at this luxury hotel by the Saigon River. As you would expect from a Marriott property, there’s plenty more here to appreciate – the full range of fitness, spa and business facilities plus one of the best-regarded Chinese restaurants in the city. CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT

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SHerAton

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$$$ 242 Tran Binh Trong, Q5, Tel: 3839 7777 www.equatorial.com/hcm Big and businesslike, with seven dining and entertainment outlets, a business centre, meeting and function rooms and a comprehensive fitness centre and spa. Also boasts the biggest banquet facilities in the city.

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$ 171A Co Bac, Q1, Tel: 3837 8885 A place for exchanging views as well as sleeping, with its communal kitchen and TV room, this venue ticks all the right boxes when it comes to comfort, cleanliness and amenities. A stay here will make you appreciate the pleasure of being a guest rather than just a customer.

intercontinentAl ASiAnA SAigon

$$$$ 39 Le Duan, Q1. Tel: 3520 9999 www.intercontinental.com/saigon Luxury accommodation with a stylish club Lounge boasting panoramic views, as well as the finest meeting and banquet facilities in town – all designed with the savvy traveller in mind. The 21-floor tower includes 305 elegantly appointed rooms, including 18 suites and a Presidential Suite.

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$$$$ 88 Dong Khoi, Q1. Tel: 3827 2828 www.sheraton.com/saigon Sheraton has bagged one of the best locations in town and made the most of it, with its usual mix of luxurious rooms and first-class facilities topped by an open-air restaurant 23 floors above the city. The conference and business facilities are unmatched – the enormous ballroom is just one of 17 meeting venues.

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SoFitel SAigon PlAZA

$$$$ 17 Le Duan, Q1. Tel: 3824 1555 www.sofitel.com True class on an attractive (and historic) street, offering a mix of rooms and suites, top-notch facilities, and restaurant cuisine which can match anything in the city. Without a doubt one of the nicest places to stay in the city. CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT

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neW WorlD

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$$$$ 76 Le Lai, Q1. Tel: 3822 8888 www.newworldsaigon.com Its list of former guests ranges from U.S. presidents – two Bushes, one Clinton – to Korean teeny bop sensation Rain. If Knut the polar bear came to town, he’d probably stay here. It’s an ongoing event as well as a hotel. Fends off newer, glitzier competitors to hold its place as one of the best luxury stops in town

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FurAMA reSort & SPA

$$$$ 68 Ho Xuan Huong, Danang Tel: 3821 1888 (HCMC office) www.furamavietnam.com Among the first resorts to open in the country, this venue still scores highly because of its stunning beachside location allied to some indulgent touches – the smallest room measures 40 square metres – and a general air of refined luxury, as typified by the Cafe Indochine restaurant and the Lagoon poolside bar. CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT

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intercontinentAl DAnAng Sun PeninSulA reSort

$$$$ 2 Lam Son Square, Q1. Tel: 3824 1234 www.saigon.park.hyatt.com Fabulous-looking hotel in a prime location, with an attractive lobby bar and all the attention to detail you would expect from the Hyatt. But wait, there’s more. The Square One restaurant has garnered an excellent reputation and the Xuan Spa by the landscaped pool is unbeatable.

rAMAnA Hotel

Huy HoAng 1

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$$$ 323 Le Van Sy, Q3. Tel: 3843 9999 reservation@ramanasaigon.com www.ramanasaigon.com A 4-star business class hotel, The Ramana Hotel boasts 293 guestrooms and suites and offers a complete range of service facilities including a Business Centre, a well-equipped Fitness Room, an outdoor swimming pool and the Sawasdee Health Club, The hotel is situated in District 3 – an area of Ho Chi Minh City only 2 km from the city centre and 3 km from the airport.

PHuong HoAng Hotel

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$$$$ Hamlet 1, Dien Duong Village, Quang Nam Tel: 0510 394 0000, www.ghmhotels.com Setting the standard for luxury resorts in Vietnam, the Nam Hai is the ultimate relaxation space. Includes three massive swimming pools, a gourmet restaurant and elegant spa on a lotus pond. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Each massive room comes with its own espresso machine, pre-programmed iPod and both indoor and outdoor showers. Entire villas, spa villas and pool villas complexes are also available for rent and each villa has a view of the sea. A great place to forget about the city.

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Tel: 0510 392 7040 www.victoriahotels-asia.com Pull up some (private) beach and relax, at this unique and charming resort, which has been laid out to replicate a traditional fishing village with small streets, ponds and village houses. The Annam Asian restaurant overlooks the sea, there’s also a spa, Thai or Swedish massage, and fitness centre.

Hue

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$ 18A Cua Dai, Hoi An. Tel: 0510 386 2231 Pleasant, small, family-run hotel with a spacious and faintly colonial air located between the town and the beach, with comfortable air-conditioned rooms and pleasant staff.

$$$$ Bai Bac, Son Tra Peninsula, Danang Tel: 0511 393 8888 info@icdanang.com www.intercontinental.com/danang With its own private bay on the Son Tra Peninsula, the Bill Bensley-designed InterContinental Danang is nestled within one of the region’s most exquisite locations. All 197 of the resort’s rooms, suites and beachfront villas are designed to take full advantage of their location and panoramic South China Sea views. Large terraces and shuttered windows elevate private living spaces that draw in the surrounding jungle and crystal bay, and add depth to the already large rooms that start from 70sqm.

PArK HyAtt

tHe nAM HAi

Hoi An & DAnAng cuA DAi

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$$$ 46 Thu Khoa Huan, Q1. Tel: 3822 7926 www.lanlanhotel.com.vn You can’t get much more central than Ben Thanh Market and this modern hotel (one of many in the area) offers every amenity you would expect from a mid-range hotel while keeping its prices close to budget level. The staff are friendly and helpful.

with just a dozen traditional-looking (but modern) villas with private gardens and true tropical ambience may be the answer. There is endless beach, a swimming pool, and a restaurant to take advantage of the fresh seafood.

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this award-winning resort is located close to the charm and bustle of the Old Town and maintains an emphasis on wellness and pampering. Its spa combines the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine, tai chi, touch and hot stone therapies.

AnA MAnDArA Hue

gueStHouSe VAn xuAn

$ 10 Pham Ngu Lao, Hue, Tel: 054 382 6561 An excellent option for those on a tight budget, with a comfortable room plus balcony and satellite TV coming in at around VND200,000. An additional bonus is the pleasantness of the staff. CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CARD CARD CARD CARD CARD CARD RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BARSMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING

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$$$ 10 Hung Vuong, Hue, Tel: 054 388 2222 www.imperial-hotel.com.vn One of the best hotels in the city, and certainly in the most convenient downtown location, this high-rise hotel has luxurious rooms with great city views, a selection of restaurants, a piano bar and the sumptuous Royal Spa. You can even hire your own butler. Internet rates start at VND2.4 million ++ for a deluxe city view room.

lA reSiDence

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$ 73 Phan Boi Chau, Hoi An. Tel: 0510 386 1453 Boasts that it is just 0.025km from the city centre, which translates into being an excellent base for exploring the old town. Added to that, you get simple and comfortable rooms for around VND400,000.

$$$$ 5 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: 054 383 7475 www.la-residence-hue.com Built around a core of the former colonial governor’s mansion, and maintained in nautical modern style, this is one of Hue’s unique experiences. With ceiling fans and dark-stained wood furnishings, this is traditional Indochine at its best. Throw in an excellent restaurant with river views and you have a heady mix.

liFe reSort Hoi An

le DoMAine De tAM HAi

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$$$ 1 Pham Hong Thai, Hoi An. Tel: 0510 391 4555 www.life-resorts.com Recently refurbished after a recent flood,

PilgriMAge VillAge — Boutique reSort & SPA CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CARD CARD CARD CARD CARD CARD RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BARSMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING

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$$$$ 130 Minh Mang, Hue. Tel: 054 388 5461 www.pilgrimagevillage.com A collection of rustic villas located in the countryside close to Hue and its historical landmarks. Villas range from the traditional Vietnamese pool house to the family bungalow. The boutique, imperial-era Vietnam styled resort also holds cooking classes, makes tour arrangements and has an on-site spa.

Sun SPA reSort

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$$ My Canh, Bao Ninh, Dong Hoi, Quang Binh Tel: 052 384 2999, www.sunsparesortvietnam.com This top-end resort offers elegant, comfortable pool villas and bungalows, and is the only luxury accommodation in Quang Binh, about 150 miles from Hue. An ideal base for trips to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Phong Nha caves.

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$$$$ Thuan An Town, Phu Vang District, Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam, Tel: 08 6291 3030 sales1@anamandarahue-resort.com www.hotelcollectionindochine.com Located on Thuan An Beach, a 20-minute drive from central Hue, the five-star Ana Mandara is the only beach resort with pool villas in the area. The property has a total of 78 rooms and villas, including beach pool villas, beach villas, duplex rooms and deluxe rooms in a wide range of styles and decor designed with modern facilities. Offers private rice paddy dinners, beach BBQs and cruises through the local fish farms.

iMPeriAl Hue

$ 48/3 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: 054 382 6736 A budget option which offers a reliable and acceptable level of comfort for the sub-VND400,000 price with the additional benefit of being near the Perfume River and having attentive service.

$$$ Tel: 0510 354 5105, www.domainedetamhai.com If you’re looking for something a bit different, the secluded sand island of Tam Hai, CREDIT CREDITCREDIT CREDIT CREDIT

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$$$ Poom Village, Mai Chau, Tel: 0912 320990 One of the larger stilt houses in Poom Village, the bamboo floor you can expect to sleep on is more comfortable than you might expect, and this house has a pleasant view of a lotus pond. Like at all the other stilt houses here, drink and dance can be arranged.

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$$ Cu Yen, Luong Son, Hoa Binh, Tel: 018 382 5662 www.vietnam-aventure.com This eco-village in Hoa Binh caters to visitors in search of nature. 30 rooms of varying design in ten houses are surrounded by rice fields, lakes and hills. Has its own spa and restaurant.

MAi cHAu gueStHouSe

At the farthest end of town, Mai Chau Tel: 0218 386 7262 This hotel seems to offer bare-bones amenities, but if you don’t fancy sleeping on the rattan floor of a stilt house, this is a couple good steps above, and the rooms are quite inexpensive. Be prepared for the noise from the karaoke bars which surround the place.

MAi cHAu loDge

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$$$ Tel: 0218 386 8959, www.maichaulodge.com If real comfort is what you want, this is surely the best bet in Mai Chau. The rooms are modern and classy, with room service, sauna and internet connections. The newly built Water Lily Cottage offers a luxury version of the house on stilts. Give a call for exact directions, or you can check their website.

MAi cHAu nAture PlAce

House 38, Ban Lac Village, Tel: 3938 1443 www.maichaunatureplace.com A perfect mix between a home-stay experience and comfortable hotel. The private rooms are beautifully quaint while the communal sleeping option is more typical of rural lodges. Both options come with modern and clean bathrooms, traditional

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destination

AirlineS Air ASiA 25 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 2220 5351 www.airasia.com

Air FrAnce An lAM VillAS, ninH VAn BAy enjoy a secluded spa getaway in one of 35 villas at this five-star resort built into the hillside with a private beach. the Spa Package includes an ocean villa, four spa treatments per day and gourmet breakfast starting at VnD8.4 million++ per villa / night. Book before Sep. 5. Call 0583 624777 or email rsvn.nvb@epikurean.com

Vietnamese residents and expats. www.caravellehotel.com PArK HyAtt SAigon Hyatt gold Passport members can now enjoy extra benefits at xuan Spa. Members can earn and redeem points on spa treatments and retail purchases. earn five points for every VnD20,800 spent at xuan Spa. www.hyatt.com

cArAVelle enjoy a weekend of latin dancing with a stay at the caravelle. includes daily buffet breakfast, and one cocktail and tapas. Available Fridays, Saturday and Sunday till Sep. 30. Priced at VnD3 million++ for the first night and VnD2.7 million++ for the second night. Available for

SHerAton Book now for a wedding reception to be held by Dec. 31 at the Sheraton and enjoy a complimentary honeymoon for three nights at the Sheraton nha trang Hotel & Spa including a return airline ticket. Email sales.saigon@sheraton. com for details

First Floor, 1 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 3484 www.airfrance.com.vn

Air MeKong 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 37186 399 www.airmekong.com.vn

AMericAn AirlineS 99 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3933 0330 www.aa.com

cAtHAy PAciFic G/F, Hanoi Tower, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 7298 www.cathaypacific.com/vn

cHinA AirlineS 4th Floor, Opera Business Center, 6B Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 6364 www.china-airlines.com

eVA Air 2nd Floor,17 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 1600 www.evaair.com

JAPAn AirlineS 5th Floor, 63 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 6693 www.vn.jal.com

JetStAr PAciFic www.jetstar.com/vn

KoreAn Air 2nd Floor, VIT, 519 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 3934 7247 www.koreanair.com

lAo AirlineS 40 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3942 5362 www.laoairlines.com

home-cooked meals, free bicycles and friendly, in-the-know, staff.

ngoc BAcH

$$$$ House 100, Quarter 2, Mai Chau, Tel: 0218 386 7340 If a sturdy bed is what you crave, this might be your answer. The rooms are large and clean, with a working television and shower with hot water. Might not be the Hilton, but for an aching back it’s a step above a bamboo floor and a mat.

nAM DinH & ninH BinH cuc PHuong gueSt HouSe

$$$$ 396 Quoc Lo 14, Dong Xoai, Binh Phuoc Tel: 0651 387 9764 Accommodation here is quite basic, but this place offers a good deal in relation to the other places around, if you want a place to sleep before a long day of park touring.

cuc PHuong nAtionAl PArK

$ Cuc Phuong, Nho Quan, Ninh Binh Tel: 030 384 8006 www.cucphuongtourism.com Park accommodation, in modern rooms, stilt houses and detached bungalows, includes basic amenities and comforts in proportion to prices, which range from VND100,000 to VND500,000 per night. Rooms available at park hq, the park centre, and on the road linking the two.

MAlAySiA AirlineS Somerset Grand Hanoi, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 8820 www.malaysiaairlines.com

$ 128 Le Hong Phong, Ninh Binh, Tel: 030 387 1811 Refurbished in 2004, this has big, clean rooms that are great value for the money. There is an in-house restaurant that will make it redundant to eat elsewhere. Prices range from VND100,000 to VND400,000 for a double deluxe room. The staff speak very good English.

tHuy AnH Hotel

$$ 55A Truong Han Sieu, Ninh Binh. Tel: 030 387 1602 This hotel is slightly more expensive than its neighbors, but the reason is apparent once you walk in. The rooms in the newer building are especially nice and, together with the better than decent restaurant downstairs, this one can make for a good stop over.

nHA trAng eVASon AnA MAnDArA AnD Six SenSeS SPA

SingAPore AirlineS International Centre, 17 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 8888 www.singaporeair.com

tHAi AirWAyS 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 7921 www.thaiair.com

tiger AirWAyS www.tigerairways.com

VietnAM AirlineS 25 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6270 0200 www.vietnamairlines.com

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$$$$ Beachside, Tran Phu, Nha Trang, Tel: 058 352 2222 www.sixsenses.com/evason-anamandaranhatrang There’s a generous 2.6 hectares of private beachside garden to get lost in here, and much to marvel at, with villa-style accommodation furnished in traditional native woods, verandah dining, pool bar and the signature Six Senses Spa.

Jungle BeAcH reSort

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$ Ninh Phuoc, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa (40km north of Nha Trang). Tel: 058 362 2384 On a secluded – almost deserted – promontory north of Nha Trang, with accommodation ranging from comfortable guest rooms to basic outdoor bamboo shelters, this budget place is all about hammocks, the sea, the jungle and nature – certainly a change from mainstream tourism. The owners arrange pick-up from Nha Trang and the down-to-earth resort maintains a deliberate, family atmosphere. A real gem.

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$$$$ Van Dang Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa. Tel: 058 372 8222 www.sixsenses.com/Six-Senses-HideawayNinh-Van-Bay The upmarket Tatler magazine voted this

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$$ 849 Duong 7-5, Muong Thanh, Dien Bien Phu Tel: 0230 382 5103 Pretty much what it sounds like: a Dien Bien Phu guest house. Rooms are made for sleeping and not much else, but at good prices. Cleanliness and comfort are acceptable and about average for this type of establishment.

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$$ Tel: 058 384 0501, www.whaleislandresort.com This remote and unspoiled island some 60km north of Nha Trang has been made into a stylish getaway, with traditional bamboo bungalows on the beach and plenty of opportunity for serious nature watching, with abundant marine life and an array of birds. Onsite seafood restaurant and bar.

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$$ 25 Pho 1, Muong Thanh, Dien Bien Phu Tel: 0230 381 0043 This Soviet-era hotel has a unique style that makes it one of the most visited. So, despite its size, it may be a good idea to book in advance. There’s a charge for the swimming pool, even if you’re staying there. But, hey, there’s a pool. The rooms are better than average and have satellite TV. CREDIT CREDIT CARD CARD CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR CARD CARD CARD RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING GYM GYM

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$ 1 Kim Dong, Cao Bang. Tel: 026 385 3431 A large, government-run hotel popular with tour groups. Rooms are super-sized, with big windows and some even have views. They also take credit cards, which might not be expected here. Room rates are around VND400,000.

HoAng nguyen Hotel

SunriSe Hotel

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$ 84 Pho Tran Dang Ninh, Lang Son, Tel: 025 387 0349 This place offers basic accommodation at a good price. Don’t expect too much, but as an en route stop-over, Hoang Nguyen will definitely do.

HoAng Son HAi

57D Thanh Tam, Lang Son. Tel: 025 371 0479 Although it may be a bit hard to communicate with the staff if you’re Vietnamese isn’t up to snuff, they are eager to help. The rooms are exceptionally nice for the area.

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$ 14 Nguyen Trai, Ha Giang, Tel: 0219 386 1288 The large, comfortable sleeping quarters here may come as a surprise in these parts. But these are the things that have made Huy Hoan so popular. Several tour groups use the place as a stopover, and the staff is adept at fulfilling their needs.

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$$$$ Bai Xep, Ong Lang, Cua Duong, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang Tel: 0773 995895 reservation@chenla-resort.com Open since Nov. 2008, this 37-bungalow resort provides a serene atmosphere along with first-class spa treatment and a mediterranean-themed restaurant. CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CARD CARD CARD CARD CARD CARD RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BARSMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING

$$ 4 Duong, 26-8 Rd, Son La, Tel: 022 385 5313 The explanation of the name is a mystery, but with 100 rooms it could probably house a mid-size union. Not the cheapest place in town, but the rooms are extra large and fairly well-kept. If you want to spend some time with satellite television, this is your place. Price range is VND500,000 to VND600,000, breakfast included.

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$$$$ Ward 1, Duong Dong Beach, Phu Quoc Tel: 0773 982888 / 3823 7645 (Sales office) www.laverandaresort.com Boutique luxury among exotic greenery and a white sand beach, La Veranda has beautifully-designed rooms with cool tiles in traditional designs and dark woods, a stunning swimming pool, an all-natural spa, a beach grill and a fine fusion restaurant overlooking the beach.

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$$ Ong Lang Beach, Phu Quoc. Tel: 090 338 2207 www.mangobayphuquoc.com A getaway in the true sense, combining an eco-friendly approach with a gorgeous beachside location. Wildlife abounds on land and in the sea, the bungalows are made of rammed earth, and there are no TVs and telephones around. Excellent sunsets from the beach bar, which also serves up excellent food in the restaurant on the edge of the sea.

phu QuoC ResoRt thang loi

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$$ Ong Lang Beach, Phu Quoc Tel: 0918 073 494 / 0773 985002 Secluded budget bungalow-style resort, which lies in a beachside coconut palm plantation with small basic bungalows adding to the castaway effect. The restaurant serves fresh seafood. It’s laid-back and simple. And cheap.

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SAPA auBeRge hotel

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$ 7 Muong Hoa, Sapa. Tel: 020 387 1243 Despite being in the centre of town, some of the back rooms offer nice views. There is also a good French-style restaurant downstairs, which is what you might expect considering the décor and name.

Son lA trADe union Hotel

nortH-eASt BAng giAng Hotel

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$$$ 24 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 384 7440 Much more than its name suggests, with beautiful landscaped tropical gardens leading onto a stretch of pristine beach and an outdoor bar, well-positioned to make the best of the scenery. Has a mix of comfortable rooms and bungalows, and has recently done some refurbishment. Offers quad-biking, kitesurfing, paragliding and, of course, sailing.

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$$$ 2 Hoang Van Thu, Lai Chau. Tel: 0231 387 5829 Offers reasonable guesthouse-style rooms with air conditioning, some of them with balconies. Take a look at the rooms before you rent as the quality may vary.

$$$ 12-14 Tran Phu, Nha Trang, Tel: 058 382 0999 www.sunrisehotelvietnam.com Luxury boutique hotel in the city centre and right across from the beach is well geared up for the family and business trade, with kids’ room, beach recreation, restaurants offering Japanese, Vietnamese and European cuisine, pool bar, beach bar, sky bar and a Qi spa. CREDIT CREDIT SMOKING CARD CARD

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2 Hoang Van Thu, Thai Nguyen, Tel: 0280 385 2803 Your standard two-star establishment, Thai Nguyen is one of the best (and one of the only) choices in the vicinity. It’s quite a large hotel considering its location, so booking shouldn’t be a problem.

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$$$ Tel: 062 743 237 www.shadesmuine.com Top quality resort offering a small selection of luxury and attractively designed apartments and studios right on the beach, with fully equipped and modern units. Entertainment options include windsurfing, kitesurfing, antique sidecars, bike tours and dune buggy rides. Has a decent pool and dining options. CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT

tHAi nguyen Hotel

99 Nguyen Thien Thuat, Nha Trang Tel: 058 382 7412 Try to get a seaview room with private balcony at this friendly and very cheap hotel, which also has a rooftop terrace. Rooms have basic but adequate facilities and it is well located.

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$ V159 Vuon Cam, Cao Bang, Tel: 026 385 7026 Thanh Loan is a smaller hotel with more attention paid to the details. Still, expect basic accommodation, but, all said, a good bargain.

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R402, 4th floor, Dao Duy Anh Tower, 9 Dao Duy Anh, Dong Da Tel: 3577 2202 www.lot.com

tHAnH loAn Hotel

$$$ 50 Tran Phu, Nha Trang, Tel: 058 625 6900 www.novotel-nhatrang.com This stylish four-star hotel is centrally located on the main street of the resort city of Nha Trang. Along with 154 modern rooms, each with terrace and a stunning sea view, Novotel Nha Trang offers a pool, spa, restaurant, bar and meeting room catering for up to 200 delegates. CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CARD CARD CARD CARD CARD CARD RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BARSMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING

Vietnam, the Princess d’Annam is set on Ke Ga Bay, about a four-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh Ciry and 35km south of Phan Thiet. With a sumptuous spa, original architecture, eight swimming pools and a 24-hour butler service, this is one of the most luxurious resorts in the country. Definitely one of the most exclusive.

and comfortable, enough to enjoy a good night’s sleep and shower.

noVotel nHA trAng

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tHAnH tHuy gueSt HouSe

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its top hotel of 2006, and it’s not hard to see why. The location is stunning, on a bay which can only be reached by boat, and all the accommodation, amenities and facilities are top-drawer. So, naturally, is the price. Internet rates start at VND15 million++ for a beach pool villa.

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$ 53 Duong 26 – 8, Son La, Tel: 022 385 8798 Sunrise makes for a decent stay for those travelling between Hanoi and Dien Bien Phu. In relation to the other hotels on the road, the rooms are very clean and the staff helpful. A night here will run around VND400,000.

PHAn tHiet / Mui ne Blue oceAn reSort

$$$$ 54 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 384 7322 www.blueoceanresort.com After renovation in 2007, Blue Ocean Resort is now under the management of Life Resorts. Its luxury makeover includes a large swimming pool and swim-up pool bar as well as a children’s activity playground. Another new addition is an Irish bar. One of the better appointed resorts in the area. CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT

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$ Nguyen Trai, Ha Giang. Tel: 0219 386 3019 One of the first guesthouses you see as you arrive in town, location has made this guesthouse a popular stop off point. The sleeping accommodations are clean

PrinceSS D’AnnAM reSort & SPA $$$$ Khu Hon Lan, Xa Tan Thanh, Ham Thuan Nam, Binh Thuan. Tel: 062 368 2222 www.princessannam.com The first all-villa luxury boutique resort in CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT

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August 2012 Word | 71

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destination Prices vary, but a room should generally cost around VND400,000.

BaMBoo hotel CREDIT

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$$ 18 Muong Hoa, Sapa. Tel: 020 387 1075 One of the best things about the Bamboo Hotel is the view, so make sure you check out the room first – some are better than others. There is aircon if needed, but you might want to ask for extra blankets in winter, in spite of electric heaters. Rooms here are between VND700,000 and VND1 million a night. The premium here is on the views.

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$$ 18 Phang Xi Pan, Sapa. Tel: 020 6505 228 www.saparooms.com Located in the heart of Sapa town this simple but comfortable boutique hotel occupies an unprecedented corner location overlooking the terraced valleys of Sapa and not far from the energy of the local market. Rooms are decorated with antique hardwood furniture and contemporary artwork from local artists with touches of ethnic minority culture.

toPAS ecoloDge

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$$ Cat Cat Road. Tel: 020 387 1218 Notable for having probably the best view in town from its bar restaurant, Cat Cat Guesthouse has plain rooms at very reasonable rates. A fairly steep set of steps leads to the block of rooms, most of which have big windows and balconies, and, for the cold winter, log fireplaces.

$$ 24 Muong Hoa, Sapa. Tel: 020 387 2404 www.topas-eco-lodge.com For the environmentally conscientious, the only place to stay in Sapa is the Topas Ecolodge. 25 individual lodges are located on the hills overlooking the valleys. Employing solar technology and a wastewater facility give it eco-cred. Topas also organises treks and bicycle tours. It takes over an hour to get from Sapa to the lodge; transportation is provided.

HMong MountAin retreAt

VictoriA SAPA

cAt cAt gueStHouSe

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$ Km 6 Sapa, Ban Ho Road Sapa, Lao Cai Tel: 020 3872 130 www.hmongmountainretreat.com A large stilt house, five clay-clad bungalows and one 70-year-old Hmong House is what waits for you amid the rolling hills of Lao Cai, 6km outside of Sapa. The ecoresort’s team are all local and will help you enjoy the surroundings of the Muong Hoa Valley.

BiKe rentAlS

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$$$ Tel: 020 387 1522, www.victoriahotels-asia.com Topping the list of Sapa resorts, the Victoria is not priced for the backpacker (rooms range from $135 to $250 per night). The many amenities include satellite TV, in-room coffeemakers and safes, and a hilltop health club, tennis court and pool. The entire resort is tastefully decorated with panoramic views of the town below.

tAM DAo green WorlD Hotel

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$ Khu Nhi Mat, Tam Dao. Tel: 0211 382 4315 A big new hotel, Green World has 100 rooms ranging in price from VND400,000 to VND600,000 a night. Because of its height, the top rooms have nice views of the town and surroundings. There is a restaurant and bar with billiards, and internet in the lobby.

HAng KHong Hotel

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Mr cAo MotorBiKe rentAl 106 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0912 094464

PHung MotorBiKe rentAl & SAleS 4 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0904 253491 phungmoto@ovi.com Well-maintained motorbikes for hire at reasonable rates, plus servicing and repairs for modern and vintage bikes.

quAn’S MotorBiKe & Bicycle rentAlS 70 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0904 244941 Standard rental shop doing hire by the day and by the month.

VietnAM Motorcycle ADVentureS 36 Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem (down alley in between No. 34 & No. 36) Tel: 3904 5049 Bespoke motorbike tours, rental of automatic and manual bikes plus repairs.

ViP BiKe rentAlS 64, Alley 71 Tan Ap, Tay Ho (off Tan Ap Street, close to Sofitel Plaza) Tel: 0914 931390 Bike rentals and repairs. Good reputation. Formerly part of the Blue Dragon Foundation.

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$ Khu 1 Thi, Tam Dao, Tel: 0211 382 4208 Another one of the newer hotels in Tam Dao, Hang Khong caters mainly to Vietnamese tourists. But the price is right, hovering around VND500,000. Many of the rooms have balconies, but all have comfortable beds and hot showers.

Huong lien Hotel

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$ Khu I Thi, Tam Dao, Tel: 0211 382 4282 Just your basic hotel, but if what you want is a bed and satellite television, this is your place. Can’t beat the price at around VND200,000. Beware, though, prices are subject to change.

MelA Hotel CREDIT

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$$ Thi Tran, Tam Dao. Tel: 0211 382 4321 Probably the prime place to stay in Tam Dao, the Mela has a swimming pool that might come in handy if you’re in the mountains to escape the heat of Hanoi summer. Rooms are comfortable and clean, with two double beds and balcony. The staff can assist if you want to explore the natural surroundings. Prices between VND800,000 and VND1.6 million.

trAVel SerViceS Air MeKong

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 37186 399 www.airmekong.com.vn With presence in eight different cities including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Con Dao, Phu Quoc and Pleiku, Air Mekong is the ideal way to see more of Vietnam. It offers 30 daily flights and is a realistic alternative to the time-consuming train and bus combo.

ASiA WingS trAVel coMPAny

Ground Floor, Hanoi Towers 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 9343 0888 Founded in 1998, the travel company caters to both corporate and international travel. Services include ticketing, hotel reservation, travel insurance, transfer and visa arrangement. Outbound tours and packages throughout the world are also available.

ASiAn trAVel MAte

7 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 0615; 21 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 3449; Crowne Plaza, 36 Le Duc Tho, Tu Liem Tel: 6265 4558, www.asianatravelmate.com An active supporter of the Loreto Program, AsianaTravel is a tourist information company that offers a wide range of customised itineraries, and reservations throughout Indochina. Have daily departure tours available in Saigon, Hue and Hanoi.

BuFFAlo tourS Agency (BtA)

94 Ma May, Hoan Kiem Dist., Ha Noi Tel: (84-4) 3 828 0702 travelagency.hn@buffalotours.com www.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, with the highest standards of customer care. This premium Travel Agency has been created to help travelers select their destinations and organize their trips, take care of the time-consuming procedures and ensure that all journeys are enjoyable and successful. BTA customizes leisure and corporate travel plans while offering a selected range of small group tours.

exotiSSiMo

26, Tran Nhat Duat, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3828 2150 9 XuanDieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 5555 www.exotissimo.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.

FreeWHeelin tourS

2nd floor, 2A Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 2743 www.freewheelin-tours.com Responsible travel tourism company offering intimate, bespoke tours that give customers a more “authentic” taste of Vietnam. Motorbike journeys, homestays, visits to ethnic minority villages, national parks, waterfalls and spectacular scenery are all part of the mix, with part of the proceeds going to a number of responsible tourism initiatives.

HAnDSPAn trAVel

80 Ma May, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3926 2828 www.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: 3944 8844 www.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 — www.kenya-airways.com), American Airlines (www.aa.com) and Turkish Airlines (www.thy.com).

inDocHinA lAnD

61 Cua Bac, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3715 2852 www.indochina-land.com Indochina Land is a French local travel

lIstINgs

57A Nguyen Khac Hieu, Ba Dinh Tel: 0904 193308 www.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.

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R402, 4th floor, Dao Duy Anh Tower, 9 Dao Duy Anh, Dong Da, Tel: 3577 2202 www.lot.com LOT serves Poland and back three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The flight arrives in Warsaw in the early morning, and because of the city’s location in the middle of Europe, it’s an ideal airport for transit to and from other European hubs.

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TOURIST BAR/CLUB 32 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem This newcomer to Ta Hien’s Bia Hoi Junction is an Aztec-themed three story drinking hole and dance space. Balcony on the second floor, which provides a great view over the beer drinkers below, and dance space on the third floor. CDJs and a promise of dubstep and drink specials on the board outside are bound to go down well among the area’s party massive.

5 Nguyen Truong To, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3927 4120 www.LuxuryTravelVietnam.com Vietnam’s First Luxury Tour Company, offers you carefree luxury travel so you and your family can focus on the fun, not the details. Challenge your skills at the country’s most spectacular golf courses. Soak up the sun while being soothed by the sound of breaking surf. Hunt for high-fashion couture in the most elegant cities of Vietnam. Envision any vacation experience you want; name it, we deliver

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CLASSIC FRENCH Sofitel Metopole Legend Hotel, 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 6919 7am to 10pm Set up like a traditional colonial-era bar space with dark wooden plank flooring, bamboo roofing, wicker chairs and handheld fan crafted ceiling fans, both during the day and at night there is a relaxed, timeless ambience here. The drinks focus here is on Martini-based and classic cocktails with a huge wine list and aged spirits also making an appearance. Also a great place for a morning or afternoon coffee.

SyrenA cruiSeS

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 7214 www.syrenacruises.com If you’re thirsty for a Halong Bay experience while enjoying luxury comfort, Syrena Cruises could be the quencher you’re looking for. Forget drinking games and backpackers by relaxing on one of the two wooden boats from the fleet. Alone, as a couple or with a group, 34 luxurious cabins and suites are all ready for action. All you have to do is decide on how long you want to holiday for.

iconS 101

Tel: 01282 273717 www.sapasisters.webs.com The best trekking guides in Sapa showing you the key spots with the guarantee of an unforgettable experience. Sapa Sisters aims to empower young H’Mong women and give them fair pay for their skilled services. Read their reviews on Trip Advisor.

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LATE NIGHT LOCAL 1 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0904 032829 8pm to late Last building on the right before Hang Buom, this popular with the French (and everyone else) watering hole is a classic. Has the same Old Quarter vibe; small, cosy and personal with funky twists – and an awesome logo. Spread over two floors with good tunes, drinks specials and a foosball table, Cheeky is open till late. Also does tasty paninis into the early hours.

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POOL HALL / LIVE MUSIC / CLUB 55 Ma May, Hoan Kiem 8am to midnight A potential gem in the heart of the Old Quarter. While it’s themed to the Easy Rider vibe out front, this huge two-storey venue is a jack of all trades – it has a bar, live music stage, pool tables, hookahs, a VIP

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LATE NIGHT LOCAL / LOUNGE 32 Ma May, Hoan Kiem 10am to late In the same building as the old Bucket Bar, Hair of the Dog, the first floor offers a large drinking space, graphic artwork, sidewalk seating and a dance floor. Up the spiral staircase, there’s the late-night bar and shisha lounge complete with beanbags. Drawing in a mix of expats, backpackers and locals, when the bars across the street shut down, the mayhem continues in ‘The Dog’.

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LIVE MUSIC VENUE 27/52 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 01887 487 426 www.hanoirockcity.com 5pm to midnight With a downstairs, English-style pub garden area and an upstairs space dedicated to live music and live production, Hanoi Rock City is the only venue in the capital of its kind. Has weekly live events featuring bands both from Vietnam and overseas — established and up and coming. Email jimihendrix@hanoirockcity.com for more information or check out their page on Facebook.

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FRENCH-STYLE CONTEMPORARY Hotel de l’Opera, 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6282 5555 lafeeverte@hoteldelopera.com 7am to 2am Meaning the green fairy — an allusion to the hallucinatory effects of absinthe which was drunk extensively in colonial Vietnam — understated lighting, a laid-back lounge atmosphere, a good music selection and ultra-contemporary interior design make up the mix at this downstairs bar in Hotel de l’Opera. Expect a good selection of creative cocktails and an extensive wine list. Opens late with a DJ taking to the decks on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

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LATE DIVE BAR 62 Dao Duy Tu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 1943 3pm to late Often a bit dark and somewhat gloomy, “The Noodle” is still a hit with long term residents. With its all-hour eating options — ranging from cheese toasties and pizzas to grilled cod and bun cha — and its popular happy hour, this Old Quarter old-timer is still up there with the options. Between 11pm and 12.30am, local beers go for VND15,000 and mixers go for VND30,000. Friendly staff and talkative patrons included.

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IRISH PUB 4 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 2212 6821 8am to 2am The open-air watering hole with seating on the pavement is a great spot to enjoy a tall dark stout or light pilsner at anytime, day or night. What it lacks in gaudy decorations, it makes up for with a constant stream of regulars, occasional live Irish music and billiards on the third floor. Has a decent food menu and even better pizzas.

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LIqUOR LOUNGE 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6377 8am to 11.30pm As part of the Highway 4 group, which now has its offices in the establishment’s upstairs areas, this bar-cum-restaurant outfitted with comfortable, stylish furnishings is famed for its luxurious rice wine liquors and newly created cocktail class. Does regular events on the first floor and also has a creative Vietnamese food menu based on cuisine sold at other restaurants in the chain.

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DANCEHALL LOUNGE 15 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem 93 Phung Hung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 4926 2177 11am — late One of the better venues in the Old Quarter for dancing on the weekends. Although crammed into a small space, cheap drinks and a mix of chart chits makes Dragonfly the regular go-to for younger Vietnamese crowds, tourists and the foreign resident looking to get up on the dance floor. If you don’t feel like dancing, relax upstairs with shisha and friends with one of the two lounges on the second floor. The sister venue on Phung Hung has a bigger menu and an earlier opening hour (11am instead of 6pm) but still keeps with the shisha, pool table and dance floor combo so popular on Hang Buom.

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ELECTRO LOUNGE 2 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem 8pm to late Owned by the people behind Face Club, the low, LED-lit venue has the feel of a VIP room situated in a larger club, only it's not. While techno and trance are the genre's of choice spun in the establishment by live DJs, patrons treat the space more like a lounge than a dancehall and typically order bottle service and cocktails. One of the Ta Hien mainstays.

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MUSIC & ARTS BAR 73A Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung Thursday to Saturday 7pm to midnight 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.

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DANCEHALL/BAR 61 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem 5pm to late Previously known as Dracula Bar, this watering hole tucked upstairs behind a hotel is around the corner from Ta Hien. A double-sided bar splits up a pool table space, lounge area and dance floor. The smoke machine can be a bit much, but the music is a decent mix of pop and house. Never crowded and open late, free shots are given out every hour on the hour.

RETRO CAFÉ BAR 34C Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3734 9134 haimtc@gmail.com 8am to midnight This bar is every bit as quirky as the Czech moped it’s named after. Inside every surface is festooned with a medley of objects ranging from gramaphones to retro TVs. The rooftop terrace is an awesome place for a sundowner or a morning coffee. Eclectic and like nothing else in Hanoi.

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MUSIC HALL/LONG BAR 98B Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3942 6822 5pm to 12am Cowgirls, lasers, belly dancing and Filipino bands who never shy away from a good Guns N' Roses cover. Drinks are a little pricey, but part of the money is going to the show. Expect a lively atmosphere and the band will take requests, but 1980s rock tunes are favoured.

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STAGE AND TABLE CLUB 32 Le Thai To, Tel: 3828 8806 8pm to 11.45pm Just a few yards from the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake, this giant pantheon of a nightclub seems more at home in Bangkok than in the capital. With DJs, go-go dancers and an ear splitting sound system, Ho Guom Xanh is a great place to ‘dance’ around a table, if you’re willing, while enjoying expensive top shelf bottle service in the heart of the city.

DJ / LATE NIGHT JOINT 25 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 5333 6087 www.linkhanoi.com 4pm to late Straddling Bia Hoi Corner and the cobblestoned end of Ta Hien, FatCat Bar is 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. Nightly cocktail specials, reasonable bottles deals starting at VND500,000 and a DJ on the decks make up the mix.

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Tel: 01282 471716 booking@jewelofthedelta.com A cruise boat on the Red River offering cocktail and party cruises every week with free snacks, a free cocktail and free shisha in one of the VIP rooms. Private cruises are available for parties, meetings, receptions, and dinners for groups or organisations. A unique place to chill out.

www.xinchaomap.com Forget the inaccuracy of Google Maps, for a real quality plan of the capital, the meticulous versions created by Xin Chao Hanoi are the presently the best available. Providing tourists with access to the city's hidden charms, secret lanes, gardens and pagodas, check their website for a list of vendors.

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room and a night club with a decent sound set up. Ideal for private functions and party promoters. Club stays open till late.

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

BAr & nigHtcluBS 073 cAFeS 074 reStAurAntS — FrencH 076 reStAurAntS — inDiAn 077 reStAurAntS — internAtionAl 077 reStAurAntS — itAliAn 079 reStAurAntS — JAPAneSe & KoreAn 79

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agency for expatriates and tourists who want to see northern Vietnam in a personal and tailored way. Think small knowledgeable teams of Vietnamese and French who share their passion for discovery during varied itineraries, usually focused on freedom, family, health trips and classic home stays. They will show you around Ha Giang, too.

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NIGHT LOCAL 9B Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0914 339439 lpcafe@yahoo.com.vn 9am to late This quirky bar and living room gets busiest in the later hours. Down in the bar, plasma screens and an iPod station mix with a dance floor and comically named cocktails. Upstairs, there’s a cushioned living room — a pleasant space with a low ceiling and shisha. Throw in a dartboard, “sell and swap” book shelves, Jenga and some tasty toasted sandwiches, and it can be hours of fun. The dried buffalo “nosh” from Tay Bac in the north is a must. LIVE LIVE MUSIC MUSIC

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LOUNGE AND BAR 7 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 3104 5am to 2am One of the few staple bars in the city that hosts an equal number of ex-pats, locals and tourists. With cheap drinks, funky, slightly ethnic decor and one of the most amiable owners in town, Mao's is always a great place to start off or finish the night. Sing-a-longs and dancing welcome at one of the most popular drinking spots on Ta Hien.

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hostesses, bottles of whiskey and a DJ — usually playing a mixture of trance and house. Runs a number of spirits offers on different days of the week. Ask for details.

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LAID-BACk FIx 2 Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0917 897630 A curving neon sign marks the small entrance to May Pub, which stands on the corner of Nam Ngu and Phan Boi Chau. The pub hosts a laid-back bar atmosphere with old Hollywood photographs, free billiards and darts and low-key live music. The menu combines traditional cocktails with offerings like Russian string cheese — a late-night brew and dairy fix. Wednesday and Friday nights are Buy One Get One Free for ladies. AC

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ELECTRO GRUNGE CLUB 51 / 4A Phuc Tan, Hoan Kiem 6pm to late Hanoi's favourite after hours dancehall/ trance den. Throw shapes on either of the two floors that have regular DJs while dancing to rapacious electronic beats or enjoy the Red River's breeze and snack on a kebab as you catch up with all of the city's regular night owls. The terrace out back has great views of Long Bien Bridge at night.

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LONG BAR 5 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3825 0959 A bit musty and jaded, despite being one of the oldest pubs in the city, this staple watering hole on Bao Khanh continues to be a hit. 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, billiards and live football matches. AC

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BOTTLE BASED DANCE CLUB 61 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0915 381180. qbuphanoi@gmail.com A glitzy, spacious basement club tucked away in the corner where Luong Ngoc Quyen meets Hang Giay. It’s a laser, mirrors and disco ball affair with high tables,

74 | Word August 2012

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ROOFTOP LOUNGE BAR 20th Floor, Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3823 8888 ext. 5314 4pm to Midnight Sunday to Wednesday, 4pm to 2am Thursday to Saturday While there are a few ‘rooftop bars’ in the capital, few hold a candle to the view on offer at the Summit Lounge. With a chilled but lively ambience, top shelf cocktails, and a Southeast Asian fusion bar menu, the Summit Lounge is a great place to pitch yourself above the madness and peer down at the chaos below in peace. Sunsets are particularly special.

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12 Truong Han Sieu, Ba Trieu Leftfield, Indochine, contemporary and artsy, all thrown into one, the latest incarnation of Tadioto rolls together café, bar and gallery. Always with an attractive ambience and friendly service, a garden out back adds a nice touch to the space inside.

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LOUNGE BAR / TERRACE 47 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3935 1874 8am to midnight A stone's throw from Ta Hien, this barcum-lounge-cum-restaurant has all of the atmosphere present in bars scattered throughout the Old Quarter without being a dive. Enjoy a mixed drink, tacos or a Vietnamese staple starter with the occasional live DJ breaking out classic funk, soul and hip hop in the comfortable furnishings or on the back patio.

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MEET-UP SPOT 100 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 6917 www.taytap.com Filled with wooden furnishings and a downstairs bar with two beers on tap — as

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91 Nguyen Huu Huan Always busy, the café has traditional charm in old quarter. Lining the walls, old world drawings line the walls floor to ceiling. They serve a variety of teas and coffee, as well as many jars of pickled looking vegetables and less identifiable things. Grab a seat on the low wooden tables and take advantage of their strong Wi-fi.

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COFFEE/BAkERY 22 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3747 33 88 54 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 6071 www.joma.biz 7am to 9pm With two branches, Joma has brought a little slice of “home” to Hanoi for expatriates 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 2010 and is looking to open in Ho Chi Minh City in 2011. Has a play area for kids up in the West Lake café and bakery.

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PATISSERIE / SIMPLE CAFE 252 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 0216 7am – 8pm A must-go-to place on a lazy day, Mr Chi’s long-standing patisserie is somewhat famous for its honest, home-cooked food, no frills-but-relaxing environment and sour yoghurt fit for celebrities — Catherine Deneuve ate here daily during her time shooting Indochine. Hot fresh milk, exclusive coffee, awesome croque madames and local dishes, too. Replace WiFi with a book and aircon with ceiling fans; eat in, take away, the pastries are great and the price is always right.

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CONTEMPORARY / COFFEE CHAIN 6 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3938 0444 www.highlandscoffee.com.vn 7am to 11pm As with any chain that attempts selfreplication, there is a tried and tested formula. At Highlands it is comfortable seating, good Wi-Fi, unobtrusive music and a mid-range, generic atmosphere. It works, too. The Starbucks of Vietnam, a French-influenced, international and pan-Asian food menu sits alongside the teas, coffee and cakes. Has other locations at 49 Hai Ba Trung, The Opera House, The Syrena Centre, Pacific Place and more.

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TEEN SCENE CAFÉ 89A Ly Nam De, Ba Dinh Tel: 3223 3246 9am to 10pm + ++ + trAcy’S PuB AnD grill This hangout spot is styled for locals in SPORTS BAR/GRILL their teeny-bop years and early twenties. 40 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 6675 9838 The décor is kitschy and cozy, there is www.tracyspub.com even a piano, used occasionally in live 11am to 12am music shows. They serve sweet drinks This Canadian-run, miniscule sports bar on the main drag of Xuan Dieu is perpetu- at a reasonable price along with lots of treats like brownies in a variety of newally crowded with regulars drinking out wave flavors. front on plastic stools. Notorious for its mouth-watering burgers, cooked fresh ++ + ciAo cAFé to order, Tracy’s is most famous for their RESTO LOUNGE draft beers, claiming to serve the coldest 2 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3934 1494 draft beer in Hanoi, and always in a 7am to 11pm frosted mug. For those missing their dose A stone’s throw from the shores of Hoan of North American sports, they play all Kiem Lake, this Saigonese franchise tries day via satellite on two plasmas. it’s hand with a variety of different western dishes at reasonable prices, especially con++ tunnel BAr+ sidering the location. Loaded with booths INTERNATIONAL / FRENCH and a steady, young Vietnamese crowd, the 11B Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 0936 063303 establishment is a great place to squash 4pm to late a sandwich or bowl of pasta and people Slim but stylish two-storey bar located just at the bend on Bao Khanh. The friend- watch. Oh, and they also do coffee, too. ly staff can make a range of well-made and colourful cocktails. Frequent DJ nights coFFee BeAn AnD teA leAF INTERNATIONAL COFFEE HOUSE and parties are commonplace at this 28 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho Tel: 3715 4240 watering hole that caters to both foreign www.coffeebean.com and Vietnamese. Does an excellent happy 7am to 10pm hour with specials on Ricard. Finally the newest addition to the Hanoi + ++ coffee scene has opened a little closer Wine’S corner to town than the first outlet in Pico Mall. WINE AND CIGAR LOUNGE Famous for the exceptional quality of the 2 Le Phung Hieu, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3939 3477 9am to 1am coffee and tea, the latest Coffee Bean is a The ambience at the relaxed wine bar multilevel, indoor/outdoor café overlooknear the Metropole screams red wine — ing Westlake. With its LA coffee and office the walls are painted a warm yellow, the feel, when you walk in you might just exposed brick adds a touch of cool and forget that you’re in Westlake. the wine barrels-turned-tables are tasteful. Too bad it’s often awkwardly empty. ++ cong cAPHe Features fine wines, cigars and VietnamLEFTIST ARTSY CAFE ese and international snacks. 152D Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung 8am to 10pm With a kitsch, communist-driven theme cAFeS saturating this quaint cafe, most patrons ++ Align 3D are young Vietnamese bohemians and artsy expats. Sip on a blended cup of joe with POPULAR VIETNAMESE beans from the Central Highlands, knock 1 Ma May, Hoan Kiem; 10A Khuc Hao, Ba Dinh back one of the many different types of tea 7am to 11pm available or sip on freshly squeezed juice Popular with young Vietnamese, the Align cafes are always busy. The younger venue from the Spartan cups in one of the hippest cafes on 'cafe street'. If you like pre-doi moi on Khuc Hao is hidden down a bamboo alley and has three outdoor seating areas, nostalgia, here is the place to go. one of which makes you feel like you’re ++ + sat under a waterfall. The other two are eSPreSSAMente illy on the roof, and from the middle of this ITALIAN COFFEE embassy-type street, the sound of motor75 Cau Go, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3935 2065 bikes is replaced with tweeting birds. 3D 8am to 11pm pictures on the walls of each floor take International standard, Italian-style espresso drinks are the name of the game you back to the old city, before KFC and AC

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CONTEMPORARY / VIETNAMESE 6 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 5859 7.30am to 10pm This tall, narrow lounge café with rooftop seating is a quintessential Hanoi spot. The decoration is bright and casual and the all-day menu has food from both the east and the west. Draw with crayons on brown paper covering the tables as you while away the hours over coffee or cocktails, and take in the view of St. Joseph’s Cathedral. Has some interesting food options including spinach fried rice

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qUIRkY CAFE 26 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3243 2120 www.lovechocolatecafe.com 10am to 10pm, Closed Sundays Bathed in pink and decorated to mimic a French salon, Love Chocolate Cafe carries decadent chocolate desserts like mocha lava cake, espresso pepper brownies and tons of cookies. It doesn’t end there, hot chocolates, shakes and even coffee blends like minty java are on the menu. The sign out front reads, “All you chocoholics, We are open!”. A rare but terrific find in Hanoi.

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CAFÉ / RESTAURANT 6th floor, 38-40 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 7984 7.30am to 11pm Take the dilapidated elevator to the 6th floor and emerge onto a balcony with one of the best views of Hoan Kiem. The big draw to this café is the vantage point — the drinks are a secondary concern, though there is about every coffee and juice concoction known to mankind on the menu and plenty of yoghurt and smoothie options too. Graze on French fries, sandwiches, salads and typical Vietnamese rice plates. Perfect for watching the city wake up or catching a sunset.

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along with old standbys like tuna salad sandwiches and coconut chicken curry. No MSG is used here.

at this undeniably chic chain coffee shop. Boasting a wide range of drinks, including spirit coffees with tequila, and a small selection of pastries and panini sandwiches, the café’s clientele is a mix of tourists and Vietnamese who are tired of ca phe nau da. It is connected to a tour agency and in the central hub of the Old Quarter.

LAkE VIEW LOUNGE 73 Cau Go; 9 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 0801, www.avaloncafelounge.com 7am to 11.30pm Popular for its views of Hoan Kiem Lake, this lounge and bar is always busy. With comfy seating and balconies, the lounge and sky garden offer a pleasant escape from city-centre chaos. The smoothies are creamy and renditions of popular street dishes are spot on. Elsewhere in the eclectic menu, pizzas and pastas cost around VND100,000 and steak in red wine sauce goes for VND179,000. Classic pop instrumentals play by day, and come night, the chilled vibe is tainted slightly with electro pop.

cAFé lAM

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Parkson. Even to times before the French.

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DANCEFLOOR / LONG BAR 8 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 6675 7908 7pm to 2am A relative newcomer and an instant favourite, located in party mile, Temple Bar is a good choice for late night fun. The long, thin establishment is a bar out front with decks and some tiles out back – usually hosting electro pop DJs or sets from the likes of Link Hanoi. Has drinks specials most days and is guaranteed to be crammed at the weekend. Popular among locals, expats and tourists.

tAy tAP

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LATE NIGHT LOCAL 2A Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3926 3050 6pm to 5am This small and personal one-and-a-half floor bar starts to get busy at around 11pm and is popular with expats of all nationalities, despite having a French flavour. Run by the indomitable Thanh and once called Le Maquis, the Tet Bar these days has a slightly cluttered feel to it, but nonetheless continues to pull in the punters. Open very, very late.

REGGAE CHILLOUT BAR 2 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem 5pm to late With a reggae theme, the French-run Roots stays open late playing African and Caribbean music with some salsa thrown in for good measure. Laid back vibes. A good, late-night, Old Quarter option set on a first floor. The entrance is next to the Irish Wolfhound. WIFI

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SuMMit lounge

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EUROPEAN BREW HALL 10 Nguyen Bieu, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3734 2288 Modeled after a brewery, bar and bowling alley in the Czech Republic, Pilsner Urquell has an old Europe feel — particularly in the private rooms lined with glass beer mugs, thick cuts of dark wood furniture and semi-circular booths. With the UNmeeting-of-a-menu, customers can choose from goose dishes, noodles, fried apples, an assortment of cheeses and several other options. Perfect location for big gatherings.

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HOLE IN THE WALL / IRISH 12A Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem Tel: 2269 1107 Fronted by the affable Sean, and with Guinness, Jameson’s and a surprising amount of draught beer flowing from the taps, since its inauguration the tiny Spy Bar has managed to create a dedicated following despite its tiny size. With pictures of spies dotting the wall (both Vietnamese and international) and food delivery available from three restaurants, this is a great place to chill and shoot some well-deserved, Chuong Duong Bridge breeze.

GAMING LOUNGE 104 Bach Dang, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0621 0212 huongnmd@gmail.com 9am to midnight If you’re looking for a more active night out, this gaming lounge has it all. White leather sofas, and plasma screens hooked up to Xbox 360 Kinect, Playstation 3 Move etc and more. Challenge your friends to games while enjoying a western-style food menu and a decent selection of beverages. When you get a little too competitive, you can cool down in the lounge area and gear up for your next big win.

PilSner urquell

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SPy BAr

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LAkESIDE WATERING HOLE 25 Duong Ven Ho Tay, Tay Ho Monday to Friday, 2pm to 11.30pm. Weekends open from 11am Located on the lakeside road just below Xuan Dieu and close to the entrance to The Sheraton, this quiet, casual pub offers up a variety of beer, wine and mixed drinks, juice, tea, Nespresso coffee and espresso and milkshakes, all with a nice view of West Lake. Non-smoking indoors, Red River Tea Room is a welcome addition to the area.

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CATWALk BAR 45 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem 8pm to late Lasers, pulsating trance, bottle service and nightly model shows. This venue is largely filled with flashy Vietnamese youngsters or older business types flashing their wads. Bottle service is a must, which is a little pricey, so if you ain't got enough money then you probably won't be sticking around to see the honeys. AC AC

reD riVer teA rooM

well as wine, cocktails and spirits on the shelves — this newcomer venue has a grill menu catering to the tastes of both East and West. For those in search of a good old-fashioned Sloppy Joe or grilled cheese, you’ll be glad to know the kitchen is stocked to the ceiling with comfort foods.

DJDJ

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CAFE / INTERNATIONAL 14-16 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 6334 moca@netnam.vn 8am to 10pm Set in a deliciously attractive slightly run down colonial villa, the tourist friendly location gives Moca a large amount of guidebook-driven clientele. But don't let this put you off. The faded but charmingly run down French-styled 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 and pan-Asian mains.

MArilyn cAFe

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ROOFTOP CAFE 4 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem Considering the amount of flat rooftops in this city, it’s a crime that most go under utilized. However, the top floor of Chim Yen boutique and Marilyn Cafe is home to one of the more pleasant spaces in the Old Quarter. With a great, stone’s-throwview of St Joseph’s cathedral, food and beverages, this spot can turn a temperate afternoon into something a bit more special.

ocHAo teAHouSe

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TRADITIONAL TEA ROOM 25 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 01887 785977 ochaoteahouse@gmail.com 8am to 10pm A stylish, two-storey traditional but contemporary tea house with great views of West Lake. Specialises in “precious” Vietnamese tea from the northern hills, handpicked by ethnic minority tribes and presented to the public by a passionate French owner. Well worth your time hanging out here on a lazy day.

PAnAceA cAFe AC

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MUSIC CAFE 25 Quang Trung, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 0909 061982 panaceacafe@yahoo.com 8am to late Slightly rough around the edges and with an artsy vibe, this is nonetheless a place that welcomes all comers. There’s live music four nights a week (Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat), but it’s not uncommon to find someone strumming away at the piano here at any time of the day. Friendly staff, good coffee, juices and cold beers.

PAriS Deli

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CAFÉ / BOULANGERIE 6 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 5269 7.30am to 11pm Time has been good to this airy, bistro-style café and patisserie opposite the Opera House. One of the original international-style establishments to hit the capital, despite its prime location prices remain reasonable — espresso-style coffees cost around VND40,000 — and the cakes and croissants are moreish. Also does filled baguettes and a larger café-cum-restaurant menu. Has a second establishment at 13 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem.

August 2012 Word | 75

out & about SAint Honore

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CAFE / BOULANGERIE 5 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3933 2355 st.honorehn@gmail.com 7am to 10pm Decked out in maroon, dark browns and cream, this cafe and French-style boulangerie 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. Serving all day long, the downstairs space is split into the bakery on one side with a small non-smoking dining space on the other. The homely upstairs lounge area has standard tables as well as sofa seating. Simple but tasty French and international fare is served at meal times.

SegAFreDo

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FooD BuFF

ITALIAN CAFE 36 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 1476 www.segafredo.com.vn 7am to 11pm Names of some of the world's greatest cities cover the front wall of Segafredo, an Italian cafe and eatery serving up some of the best espresso-based coffee in town. Red and white decor, lifestyle black and white coffee drinking images and an open plan space make up the mix. Besides the caffeine-based drinks, also does granita, teas, shakes and modern Italian fare ranging from panini and focaccia through to pizza, pasta, salads and desserts.

WitH tHe BiStro

StoP cAFé

During tHe HAnoi SuMMer, the thought of standing over a hot stove preparing dinner is unappealing. With temperatures reaching 40 degrees and such high humidity, we want a refreshing meal that is both healthy and light. A simple seafood salad can be the perfect choice to make an impression at lunch or dinner. it is quick, easy to prepare, light and healthy. using mint, bell pepper, parsley and a range of products from the sea, add a lively homemade dressing and serve with a basket of bread and a cold drink. Just about the quintessential dish to beat the heat.

FreSH SeAFooD SAlAD Serves Five The Salad 120g shrimp 80g squid 80g fish 80g red capsicum 80g green capsicum 60g purple onion 1 bunch coriander 1 stick lettuce 1 bunch mint 15g white sesame 20g scraped fresh coconut

76 | Word August 2012

The Sauce 1 tsp lemon juice 3 tsp sugar 1 tsp fish sauce 2 cloves garlic Half a chopped chilli 1 tsp soya sauce Preparation clean the shrimps, remove any unwanted parts and slit open on their back. cut the fish and then cut the squid into diagonal pieces before slicing again into squares. once prepared, scold all the seafood in hot water to remove impurities and then rinse in cold water. Slice the capsicum and onion. Pick and clean the lettuce, coriander and mint. then mix all the ingredients together prior to shifting to a dish lined with lettuce leaves. Put some strings of coriander on top for decoration. Mix together the ingredients to make the dressing or sauce and then pour evenly over the salad. The Bistro is a modern eatery offering western cuisine served up with French flair. It is located at 2/2C Van Phuc, Diplomatic Compound, Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 3726 4782

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FRENCH DELI 11B Ngo Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 9433 8am to 11pm Situated on Hanoi’s not-so-serene ‘Pub Street’, Stop sponges up the surrounding atmosphere, which gives the French delicatessen a relaxed vibe that avoids pretension. The spot specializes in serving a mixture of western, French and Vietnamese fare, along with coffee, shakes and juice. The venue is more affordable then it’s sister location upstairs, Café de Arts, and is prime real estate to nibble on some quiche and quaff a juice on a sunny day.

tHAi cAFé

PAVEMENT / VIETNAMESE 27 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Walk by this old café and you’ll see why it’s favoured by the locals. Grab a stool on the sidewalk to enjoy the lemon-y tea and sunflower seeds, or a strong drip coffee and people watching.

tHe cArt

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SANDWICH SHOP/CAFÉ 18 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem (entrance on street behind Au Trieu) 8B, Lane 1, Au Co, Nghi Tam Village, Tay Ho Tel: 3928 7715 www.thecartfood.com 7:30am – 5pm Small a cozy café hidden on the quietest of Hanoian streets, with a new outlet on Nghi Tam, which is more like the big-windowed coffee shops you expect to see in Europe. The Cart 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.

tHe coFFee BeAn AnD teA leAF

Picomall, 229 Tay Son, Dong Da Tel: 6276 1004 www.coffeebean.com 8.30am to 9.30pm Known for the quality of its coffee and tea, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has landed in Hanoi — in the form of an air-con, western-style drinking space in Hanoi’s newest shopping mall. The five first coffee shops in Vietnam started in Ho Chi Minh City, and this the first one in AC AC AC

WIFIWIFIWIFI

lA VerticAle

the capital. Hanoians are finally able to taste the beverages already quenching the thirst in 20 countries across the planet. New stores to open on West Lake soon.

tHe Doll HouSe

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26 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3935 2539 8am – 10am This new café, which fills a coffee-shopshaped gap in the market for this area, has the feel of half green house, half design-conscious doll house, and is a welcome alternative for when your favourite hang out begins to get samey. Focusing on fresh ingredients to suit the fresh design, the Doll House also has a garden terrace, and is open for party bookings and private events. Enter through the shop out front.

tHe HAnoi SociAl cluB

DJ DJ DJ

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6 Hoi Vu, Hoan Kiem 8am to 11pm Situated on one of the quieter Old Quarter streets just off Hang Bong, The Hanoi Social Club is a cozy midsize café/restaurant where you can forget the heat and bustle of Hanoi. The atmosphere is relaxed and you can imagine, for a second, that you’re sitting in a European café. The food is fresh and internationally inspired, and the design is complimented by the work of Tadioto’s Nguyen Qui Duc. To top it off, the coffee here is said to be up there with the best in the country.

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FRENCH BISTRO 10 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 1327 www.cafedeparis-hanoi.com 8am to 11pm Thanks to its original tiled floor, cast iron backed chairs and wall-hung black and white photography, there is something decidedly charming about this tiny Parisianstyled bistro and bar. Serving up a simple menu of snacks such as quiche Lorraine, Paris beurre and croque monsieur, there is also a selection of classic but unpretentious French mains. Has a daily specials board and a decent range of pizzas.

ACACAC

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10 Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3942 4509 labadiane.hanoi@yahoo.fr 11.30am to 2pm and 6pm to 10pm. Closed Sunday night. A white-washed, colonial era villa replete with period wooden shutters greets you as you enter this contemporary French +++ restaurant. Guests can either dine indoors in aircon comfort or take to the leafy covered terrace out back with its walls lined with art and photography from 21st century Hanoi. The menu here mixes modern Gallic cuisine with a touch of Mediterranean and Vietnam thrown in, all creating an innovative and evocative selection of fare. Has an extensive wine list and an excellent, well-priced three-course lunch menu.

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48 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 1286 www.greentangerinehanoi.com 10am to 11pm daily A leafy, cobblestone courtyard with dark green cast-iron backed chairs greets you as you walk into this French era-built villa that houses the main section of this Indochinastyled 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.

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FooDSHoP 45

green tAngerine

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CONTEMPORARY FRENCH Hotel de l’Opera, 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6282 5555 satine@hoteldelopera.com 6pm to 10.30pm Designed for strictly dinner only indulgence, the opulent Satine provides diners the option of ordering a la carte or from one of the venue’s 12-course menus. Lavish design, royal-styled chairs and tables, three private dining rooms and the option of dining in a glass-covered courtyard are all part of the mix, with the cuisine prepared by executive chef Ms. Frédérique Nguyen.

MiD-rAnge AC

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Sofitel Metropole Legend, 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 6919 6am to 10am, 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to 10.30pm Classic French Indochine décor and subtle lighting give the Sofitel Metropole Legend’s signature restaurant an elegance rarely found in Vietnam’s capital. The a la carte menu pits classic French cuisine against contemporary Vietnamese cooking with dishes like Nha Trang lobster with saffron pot au feu, the pan fried veal tenderloin on a lemongrass skewer and the calisson parfait marinated with orange, pomelo and lemon balm. Has an extensive wine list.

SAtine

reStAurAntS — FrencH cAFe De PAriS

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19 Ngo Van So, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3944 6317 www.verticale-hanoi.com 11.30am to 2pm, 6pm to 9.15pm Situated in an art-deco villa that was once owned by a Vietnamese mandarin, this establishment is now owned and run by perhaps the most famous French chef in the country. With modestly priced set lunches and subtle Vietnamese touches on the dishes, which primarily come from carefully selected domestic spices, the up market establishment lures in its high class customers with quality VietnameseFrench fusion cuisine.

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INTERNATIONAL INDIAN 59 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3716 2959 foodshop45@yahoo.com 10am to 10.30pm Lakeside location, low bamboo seating and a history that screams empathy make this eatery 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. Also has a good range of breads and tandoor-cooked kebabs.

Hanoi, the menu at Khazaana encompasses the entire subcontinent, complete with heavier chicken korma and northern curry dishes alongside lighter southern dosas and uttappams. The venue is homey albeit harsh, but with quintessential masala tea, naan and raita to round out the meal, the focus here is on the food and filling your belly… or overfilling, as is more likely the case. All cuisine here is halal.

nAMASte HAnoi

tAnDoor

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INDIAN/HALAL 1C Tong Dan, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3934 5657 www.khaazana.vn 11am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10pm One of the two oldest Indian restaurants in

DJ DJDJ

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MExICAN/COMFORT FOOD 129 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung. Tel: 3821 5342 7.30am to 9.30pm Service at this “slow food café” is seriously snail paced, but that is part of the charm of this modest eatery with only a few tables and small stools. Popular as a weekend hangover mainstay for the greasy eggs with cheese, the café is best known for its not-quite Mexican food. But hey, when there’s guacamole, salsa fresca, beans and cheese, what can go wrong? Be sure to try the fresh juices, like the super-booster with beetroot, and the coffee with whipped egg.

trieu PHuong Hong Kong AC

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CANTONESE/DIM SUM 317 Kim Ma, Dong Da. Tel: 3846 1327 9am to 2pm, 5pm to 9pm One of the most underrated Chinese restaurants in the city, the place itself is not much to look at, but they serve above average dim sum. A variety of other Cantonese style dishes including noodle soup and rice dishes are on offer here, all at very affordable prices.

WeStlAKe cuPcAKe WIFI

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CUPCAkE SERVICE Tel: 01219 499523 mia@westlakecupcake.net The cupcake obsession has caught on. A new baking project by Westlake’s infamous Anna and Mia brings custom cupcakes cooked to order to your front door. Offering a variety of cupcakes and butter cream frostings, check out their speciality flavours like New York cheesecake, brown eyed girl and creative monthly specials. Are you drooling yet? Although a delivery only outlet, the cupcakes are available for purchase at Daluva and Oasis.

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MiD-rAnge Al FreSco’S

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78 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 5995 11am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm India Palace is the fourth member of owner Ravi Kumar’s family of restaurants which includes Tandoor. The menu takes the cuisine of North India and combines it with a South Indian-inspired menu, to create a pan-Indian menu appealing to all. Occupying a large four-storey villa with unobstructed views of West Lake at the front, the décor here is traditional yet contemporary Indian. The fourth floor with sweeping views over West Lake is given up to Dakshin, a vegetarian restaurant selling mainly South Indian fare.

24 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3824 5359 tandoor@hn.vnn.vn 11am to 10.30pm A long-popular, Indian-food enclave specialising in Northern Indian cuisine. Has an indoor and upstairs, white tablecloth aircon area with a more casual dining and bar space out front. Does excellent kebabs served from an authentic tandoor oven as well as the full range of mainly North Indian curries. Also has a branch in Saigon and does excellent set lunches.

inDiA PAlAce & DAKSHin

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47 Lo Su, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3935 2400 www.namastehanoi.com 11am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10.30pm The latest newcomer to the Indian restaurants family, Namaste specializes in dishes from both northern and southern India — using Halal meat throughout. A meal will cost you between VND150,000 and VND300,000 and everything is there, from curries and breads to soups and desserts. Available to dine in or out with a free delivery

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AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL 19A Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3938 1155 98 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 5322 www.alfrescogroup.com 8.30am to 11pm With a real ‘diner’ kind of feel, Al Fresco’s

serves up munchies-busting Aussie inspired food from a number of locations across the city including their original restaurant at 23L Hai Ba Trung. Topping the menu are the jumbo ribs at VND395,000, with generous helpings of pizzas, pastas, burgers, Tex-Mex, soups and salads going for less. The set business lunch is three courses for VND155,000. See the website for delivery numbers and don’t forget to ask for delivery deals. Have an efficient delivery service, but make sure you ask for knives and forks.

aRRiBa MexiCan RestauRant & ++ gRill AC AC

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FISH & CHIPS Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 2254 If you want a product closest to quintessential British fish and chips, then your best option by an arm and many a leg is Britannia. The cod, plaice and haddock may have been switched for basa and sea bass, but everything else is authentic, from the beer batter and mushy peas through to the newspaper wrapping, Scotch eggs and vinegar. Has an airy, upstairs two-room dining area.

cHeZ xuAn AC

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OPEN AIR EATING 41, Ngo 76, An Duong, Tay Ho Tel: 0915 085305 Though it’s a bit far from the centre, the expansive wooded area, chilled out atmosphere and good food makes it worth a visit. The menu is well equipped to satisfy cravings for fish and hearty meat dishes. If you’re in a DIY mood, you can Grill Yourself a plate of meat and seafood or choose from the gourmet selection of strip loin, ostrich or salmon to throw on the tabletop grills. Regularly holds live music events.

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RESTAURANT / CAFÉ / BAR 59 Van Mieu, Dong Da. Tel: 3747 0337 www.koto.com.au All profit is invested back into the cause at Koto, which is a school and workplace for disadvantaged students opposite the Temple of Literature. Authentic Asian and European cuisine comes out of a visible and frenetic kitchen and 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.

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MExICAN / TEx-MEx 48 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem Tel: 7300 0206 www.arribavietnam.com 11am to 12am Smack in the middle of the Old Quarter and close to Ta Hien, this is probably Hanoi’s the best place to get your fix of chilli, lime, coriander, refried beans, tacos and tomato. Sit in the upstairs loft for Asian-style seating, or out on the sidewalk for people watching. The open-style kitchen ensures your food is cooked to order and fast, and doubles as a bar. Their margaritas are strong and the salsa is spicy.

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VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 25 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3928 8933 8am to 10pm The complimentary warm bread with rosemary is reason enough to visit this homely spot featuring hearty lentil and black bean soups, along with a range of international and Vietnamese options like New Zealand beef tenderloin or tofu with chilli and mushrooms. We aren’t quite sure why the Miele Guide nominated it as one of Asia’s finest restaurants as service is lackadaisical and tables could use candles to improve the lackluster ambience, but the immaculately tasty dishes more than make up for any quips.

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IBERIAN / MEDITERANEAN 25 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3828 9052 lasalsa@fpt.vn 8am to 11pm A small but eternally popular Spanishthemed 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 fantastic first-floor terrace area with views over the cathedral. Western staff speak English and French.

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MOROCCAN 88 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 3710 0389 10am to 11pm. Closed Monday Family-run Moroccan restaurant in a charming terrace-fronted house close to the start of Xuan Dieu. Focus of cuisine is on authentic couscous, tagines and kebab dishes made with a mixture of local and + HoA SuA trAining reStAurAnt imported ingredients, all cooked up by a + ++ +Moroccan chef. Uses Halal meat. – Song tHu VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL + ++ + 34 Chau Long, Hoan Kiem little HAnoi Tel: 3942 4448 VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 21 – 23 Hang Gai Street, Hoan Kiem Dist www.hoasuaschool.com Tel: 38285 333 Open from 7am to 10pm littlehanoi@orientalstars.com.vn This restaurant, which schools and 7:30am — 11:00pm employs disadvantaged youths, has been A tourist hotspot and one for locals, too, popular for 11 years — as a grand villa and courtyard setting tucked away in the corner Little Hanoi near Hoan Kiem Lake has been going sturdy since 1994 — mainly for of Ha Hoi. Popular with business types, its central location, range of sandwiches, tourists and expats alike, who enjoy good food while supporting a good cause, mains pastas and Vietnamese cuisine. Baguettes go from VND95,000 and mango salads like cha ca and steaks go for VND99,000 VND99,000, not to mention the coffee at and VND289,000 respectively, and there around VND50,000, wines and fresh fruit are six set menus available which take in juices. With Indochina-inspired art on the Vietnamese, French and Italian cuisine. walls and jazz in the background, Little + + Hanoi is a little escape from the chaos of KitcHen the central lake. INTERNATIONAL CAFE FARE Ngo 40, Nha 7A Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho ++ MAtcHBox Tel: 3719 2679 INTERNATIONAL / VIETNAMESE hungskitchen@gmail.com 40 Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh 7am to 9pm Tel: 3734 3098 Despite a two-storey indoor dining space, tmbhanoi@gmail.com Kitchen is all about its leafy, terracotta11am to 11pm tiled terrace out front, a great space for Located in the grounds of the Fine Arts Mueating the decent breakfasts (check out seum, this classy restaurant and wine bar the breakfast burrito), the creatively mixes attractive décor with western cuisine, titled sandwiches and the selection of all cooked up by a New Zealand-trained international salads. Also does a range of Mexican dishes (available after 5pm) and an Vietnamese chef. Famed for its salads, good cuts of steak, lamb shank and its various innovative smattering of healthy, smoothiepasta fare, the menu here also incorporates style drinks. Has amiable know-your-name a number of well-known Vietnamese dishes. staff and a good delivery service.

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TEx-MEx / BURGERS / INTERNATIONAL 18 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 0912 223966 provechohanoi@gmail.com The successor of My Burger My, this American-run, self-styled burger bar and restaurant fits a lot into a tiny, multi-storey space. Specializing in tasty, American-style, chargrilled burgers from around VND50,000 with a range of additional toppings including jalapeno peppers, smoked bacon, mushrooms, cheddar cheese and avocado, the creative menu also has a good range of Tex-Mex fare, a number of pan-Asian dishes and a decent delivery service.

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ASIAN FUSION 15-17 Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3823 5636 6.30am to 10pm An extension of Soul furniture and lifestyle store, the restaurant and lounge bar at Spoon serves up a fusion menu in a setting that screams homeliness and style. Asian dishes, seafood and steaks are among the go-to menu choices. Attentive and competent staff top it all off in this chic restolounge.

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CONTEMPORARY VEGETARIAN 80 Ma May, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3926 0580 tamarind_cafe@yahoo.com 5.30am to 10.30pm Perhaps the only restaurant in Hanoi to cater to vegetarians that doesn’t focus on faux meat, Tamarind features a wide range of juices and shakes in a crunchy granola backpacker atmosphere. Breakfast is served all day and with Asian favourites, like vegetarian pho, Ma-Po tofu and Thai glass noodle salad, along with some falafel and western influences, vegetarians and carnivores alike will find something to try on this menu.

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FRENCH FLAIR 2/2c Van Phuc, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3726 4782 www.thebistro.com.vn A modern eatery offering western cuisine with shades of French influence in a comfortable setting. Think gardens in a courtyard, drink and food deals and a warm indoor atmosphere — you know, just how the French do it.

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FUSION FARE / WINE 10 Truong Han Sieu. Tel: 6270 2611 hoangcuongfb@gmail.com The House, once Annie’s Corner, is one of the latest restaurants to occupy an old French building in the quiet streets nestled between Ba Trieu and Quang Trung. It serves Vietnamese food but with international twists. The affordable and eclectic menu ranges from local tenderloin steak to lemongrass tuna salads with a decent wine list and an ideal bring-yourown VND100,000 corkage fee per bottle of wine.

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WESTERN / VIETNAMESE 18 Hang Quat, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 9916 www.greenmango.vn 7.30am to 11.30pm Sophisticated restaurant set inside an Old Quarter boutique hotel. Formerly a school, and now also on Cat Ba Island, Green Mango serves Vietnamese and western food, ranging from sandwiches and pasta to lamb chops and VND700,000 Angus rib-eyes. Buy-one-get-one-free deals on cocktails and beers every day from 4pm to 6pm and Lavazza coffee at all hours. With comfy seats and a soft setting, the function room at the back often hosts charity events and semi-formal get-togethers.

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INTERNATIONAL / CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE 61 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 9897 www.lacantine.vn 6am to 11.30pm Converted from a wing of an old church, this upscale restaurant with extensive Vietnamese and international offerings is just a stone’s throw from the Opera House. Sophisticated but cozy, the salon is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea. Expect about VND1 million for a set topend six-course meal and VND600,000 for the more downscale five-course offering. ++ ACAC

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BELGIAN / EUROPEAN 1 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1769 10 Alley 27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 5853 www.le-petit-bruxelles.com 10am to 10pm An airy and spacious long-running Belgian-themed eatery with a location by the cathedral and a second out in West Lake. Although this is not the place to wash down your Chimay, Leffe or Duval with moules frites on a daily basis — the mussels are only available seasonally — a number of other traditional Belgian dishes fill the menu including carbonade, jambonneau and boulettes sauce tomate as well as the more Swiss-sounding beef and cheese fondue. Hearty fare in a nice environment.

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6A Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh Tel: 3845 5224 www.aulacdobrazil.com 11am to 2pm, 5pm to midnight A nicely themed Brazilian churrascaria

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SINGAPOREAN / CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3946 0121 www.halia.com.sg 11am to 11pm. Closed Sundays A secluded courtyard in the heart of Pacific Place plays host to one of the capital’s best restaurants. A two-floored venue split into a downstairs tapas and bar area,with a refined dining space located on the level above, the menu includes Singaporean specialities such as the shrimp satay salad and the chilli crab spaghetti. A pan-European classical menu mixed in with light Asian flavours is also

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Sheraton Hotel, K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 9000 restaurant.hanoi@sheraton.com www.sheraton.com/hanoi The newest Steak & Seafood dining experience in Hanoi. Hemispheres Steak & Seafood Grill offers a wonderful menu covering both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Choose from Black Angus, US Prime Sirloin, Rib Eye, Rump and Tenderloin grilled to perfection. Prefer Seafood – no problem, Lobster, Oysters, Prawns, Fresh Fish, Clams and Crabs are all available for your dining pleasure, as well as an impressive array of wines by the glass & bottle from our “Wines of the World” selection. WIFI WIFI WIFI

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23J Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 8388 www.alfrescogroup.com 9.30am to midnight Then newest venture from the team behind Jaspa’s and Pepperoni’s is an all-day eating and drinking lounge fit for all occasions. It has three floors for different vibes – lounge bar, restaurant and “boardroom” – but fine imported steads can be found on each, as well as seafood and a huge wine list. A popular venue.

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PAN-FRENCH / INTERNATIONAL 11B Ngo Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0904 134490 Clean and fresh with a fine-dining vibe, the Millennium restaurant is the minimal and chic result of a Café Des Arts makeover. The street’s new go-to for a high standard of eating and drinking goes over two floors and has a welcome and inviting three-level outdoor terrace high ++ +up amid the concrete and cables of the Old Quarter.

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CASUAL ITALIAN DINING 172 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 0680 9am to 10.30pm An Italian eatery in West Lake with a large selection of authentic, pan-Italian cuisine, Cielo is a place which goes back to basic, using homemade Bufala mozzarella on their pizzas. The word Cielo means sky, which is reflected in the fresh airy dining room. And while their takeaway service is prompt, eating in ensures a much better experience. Prices are very reasonable.

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INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN The Opera House, 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 4801 www.nineteen11.com.vn 11am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm Named after the completion date of the Opera House under which it is located, walk inside and a labyrinthine-like, barebrick wall hallway leads you through to the main dining area. With dark browns, deep yellow tablecloths and a refined ambience aided by background classical music, the menu takes in western, pan-Asian and seafood fare and even has its own section dedicated entirely to foie gras. Has a 100-strong old and new world wine list that includes Bordeaux vintages and also boasts a cheaper, outdoor garden space next to Highlands Coffee.

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PAN-ITALIAN 23 Nha To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 6288 leo@mediterraneo-hanoi.com 10am to 11pm 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. Throw in an extensive wine list, a traditional wood fire oven and a balcony spot looking over Hanoi’s trendy café scene and you’re onto a winner.

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CLASSIC ITALIAN 78 Tho Nhuom, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3823 73338 lunadautunno@gmail.com 11am to 11pm This old-favourite Italian restaurant has been going for 10 years. It uses traditional wood ovens to prepare some of the city’s finest pizzas, which range from VND60,000 to build-your-own-skiesthe-limit. Set inside a large, thoughtful space with over 35 covers and an outside courtyard, seasoned chefs also make fresh pastas, soups and cheeses — the latter often bought by other restaurants. Monthly photo exhibitions and opera nights make it well worth a visit, as does the large wine list and choice of desserts.

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CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN Sofitel Metopole Legend Hotel, 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3826 6919 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6.30am to late (restaurant) 11am to 2am (bar) There are only two truly top-end, contemporary Italians in Vietnam and Angelina claims pride of place in this elite group. This doesn't mean that prices here are off limits — take a similar eatery in Europe and here you are paying a third, which all makes a meal here a special affair. The carpaccios are to die for, the pastas are all home made, the pizzas are wood-fired and the steaks are chargrilled. Does a great three-course set lunch for VND520,000++.

CLASSIC ITALIAN 18 Lane 50/59/17 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho Tel: 8585 1443 11am to 11pm 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 wood-fired oven pizzas from VND120,000 and other Italian delicacies. Open every day for lunch and dinner, delivery is also available. AC

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PAN-CHINESE Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3823 8888 Lunch 11am to 2pm, dinner 5pm to 10pm 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.

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Floor 1, Syrena Tower, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 5959 www.zpizza.vn 10.30am to 10.30pm Californian pizza chain in the now open in West Lake. — currently the only place to eat from this American pizza brand in Hanoi. The new pizzeria prides itself on its 100 percent certified organic wheat dough and different dishes found nowhere else, like the strawberry and goat’s cheese salad. Also serves up curry chicken sandwiches and meatball penne pasta.

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PAN-ITALIAN 3 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan Kiem Tel: 38269 080 Just a stroll away from the Hanoi Opera House and Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of Hanoi, 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.

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CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL 3rd Floor, 59A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 0888 www.hanoi-pressclub.com 11.30am to 2pm and 6pm to 10.30pm. Closed Sunday lunch 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. Does four excellent wine pairing menus, put together through the aid of the Press Club’s extensive new and old world wine list. Also hosts a popular first-Friday-ofthe-month party.

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on offer, with dishes such as pan-braised Alaskan cod with sea winkle crust and the braised pork belly in shoyu and sweet mirin making an appearance. Has an extensive wine list.

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99 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6991 www.elgaucho.com.vn 4pm to late This welcomed eatery combines traditional Argentinian recipes and preparation with great service in a contemporary and thoughtfully designed space over three floors. Already with two venues in Saigon — one near the Opera House and the other in Saigon South — the essence of this popular chain is quality top grade meats off the grill. Steak is the mainstay, but everything from chicken, pork and seafood is also up for grabs. Add to this a backdrop of low Latin music, low, subtle lighting and an extensive wine list and that’s another reason to head to El Gaucho.

CONTEMPORARY CAFÉ / RESTAURANT 61 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 2886 www.luala.vn 8 am to 10 pm If you can't afford the labels at Luala you can still enjoy the cuisine in this small cafe run in conjunction with the high-end fashion concept store, Luala and The Press Club. Offering a large menu specialising in creative but chic cafe fare as well as the prerequisite quality coffee, the outdoor terrace seating offers great views of the downtown area.

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CONTEMPORARY NORTH AMERICAN 16/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 3719 www.donviet.vn Monday to Friday, 10am to late. Weekends 8am to late A bakery, bistro, restaurant, wine retailer, oyster bar and top floor lounge bar all in one, this lake-facing venue 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 such as the likes of Iberian pata negra ham egg pasta served with crushed roasted garlic and manchego. Does an excellent range of imported oysters and has an extensive wine list.

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MEDITERRANEAN / INTERNATIONAL Hotel de l’Opera, 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6282 5555 cafelautrec@hoteldelopera.com 6am to 10pm Featuring both à-la-carte and buffet dining as well as an innovative Sunday brunch, this namesake of the French artist Toulouse-Lautrec provides an exotic ambience for diners to enjoy a mixture of international and Mediterranean-style fare. Has an extensive wine list to match the cuisine, which is all served up in a contemporary yet colonial-inspired environment.

INTERNATIONAL / AUSTRALIAN Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung (4th Floor), Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3934 8325 www.alfrescosgroup.com 6.30am to midnight With attentive service, tasty food and large portions, this place has something for everyone and has proved itself to be 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. Also has a large and spacious bar and lounge area that stays open late for all the live sport.

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steakhouse offering all you can eat grilled meat and seafood on the skewer, Au Lac do Brazil is not for the feint of stomach. 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 on hand to wash it all down. The prices aren’t for anyone on a budget, but the amount and quality of meat is more than worth cost.

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kOREAN CHICkEN B40 Nguyen Thi Dinh, Thanh Xuan Tel: 6680 1423 Visit www.bongchu.co.kr 11am – 10pm In typical Vietnamese fashion, Bong-Chu Jjim Dak restaurant only serves one dish it knows best: chicken. A light kimchi soup is served alongside the steamed bird mixed with cellophane noodles packed in a mildly peppery but sweet combination. It’s simple — ordering options include half chicken, whole chicken, chicken and a half, or all of the above. Select the answer that best fits your appetite and escape from the ubiquitous boiled chicken on streets.

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kOREAN 50A Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh Tel: 3201 2989 One of the longest running Koreans in town, this down-to-earth eatery just off Kim Ma specialises in the Korean nation’s version of sushi rolls. These can be ordered either plain or deep-fried. Other Korean fare includes bibimbab and a range of barbecue dishes. The cuisine is brought to your low tables with floor seating and in typical Korean fashion, all meals are served with free side dishes (banchan) of kim chi, pickles and eggplant.

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JAPANESE RICE EATERY 166 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3978 1386 11.30am to 1.30pm, 5pm to 10.30pm, closed Sunday Sushi, soba, sake. Buy a big bottle of sake

and the staff will put your name on it and keep it until next time. Dine at the downstairs bar or in one of the private rooms with sliding doors for an authentic Japanese experience. Although Ky Y specialises in rice-style working man’s fare, it’s hard to go wrong with anything on the menu, but the Japanese omelets, tempura and saucy eggplant dishes are perennial crowd pleasers.

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JAPANESE BBq 121 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3974 8437 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 11pm Just a stone’s throw from Ky Y, this Osakabased chain does the same cuisine, but entirely differently. The small plates on the large menu are best shared among a group and with bottles of beer or sake. The tofu in amber sauce will leave you licking the plate and the chicken with udon and vegetables is off-the-charts delicious. The tidbit barbeque sticks of okra or bacon are also great, but more as a snack than anything else.

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BANH xEO / BUN BO 32 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem Tel: 01296 290015 12pm to 11pm A recently opened slither of an eatery selling — wait for it — a Hanoi version of a Saigon version of a Hue dish. It's a bit of a mouthful but worth it — for all its augmentations the banh xeo (beef, beansprout and egg pancakes) served up for self rolling with rice paper and fresh herbs are pretty tasty. Also does a sweet and spicy to-die-for bun bo Nam Bo.

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BUN BO HUE 36c Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung 7am to 4pm This is the second branch of the ninemonth-old restaurant on Food Street. Like the Tong Duy Tan favourite, which is more restaurant than street-side affair, the new location serves up the same staples from further south including bun bo Hue, bun thit nuong and nem lui. Authentic, tasty and cheap

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TRADITIONAL JAPANESE 34 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 7565 10am to 2pm, 5pm to 10pm This Japanese eatery might be easy to walk past without noticing, but venture inside and you will find a small but neat interior. The food ranges from traditional Japanese to dishes that lean towards fusion. Very reasonable prices, compared with other Japanese establishments.

BANH CUON 39 Dao Duy Tu, Hoan Kiem 6am to 3pm Put the warm fish sauce in the small bowl with squeezed lime, chilli and fresh herbs and then dip. This is the Ha Nam version of banh cuon (rolled wet rice paper) with the gio lua (pork cake) substituted for barbecued pork and bacon. The street side, flaking paint wall location may be off putting for some, but the fare tastes great.

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MALAYSIAN / HALAL 32 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 1859 www.nisa-restaurant.com 10am to 2.30pm, 5pm to 10pm A two-storey fresh looking Malaysian restaurant with affable staff and authentic cuisine. Difficulty in obtaining ingredients means that these days the menu is limited, but a nasi campur buffet-style counter in the downstairs space and photos on the wall of other classic Malaysian fare allows customers to choose what to eat. Think nasi lemak, mee goreng, roti canai, beef rendang and more. It tastes good, too.

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NORTHEASTERN THAI / LOUNGE BAR 3B Cha Ca, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 8588 baanthai95@hotmail.com 10am to 10pm This venue serves arguably the best Thai food in the city. With Thai owners and staff from the country’s Isaan region in the kitchen, the place specializes in spicy staples that come from the northeastern provinces in the country. After a meal in the more traditional ground floor space, relax in the comfortable furnishings of the venue’s chic first-floor lounge.

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BUN CHA 1 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 5022 10am to 7pm With the help of over 40 years of customer loyalty and repeated mentions in overseas press, Dac Kim has become the powerhouse of eateries serving up bun cha (white rice noodles with barbecued pork and herbs). The formula is simple. The mini pork patties are perfectly rounded, the bacon is perfectly grilled and then the portions are humongous. If you're feeling ravenous, the servings here will fill that merry gap, but if you want quality over quantity, look elsewhere. Has a second eatery at 67 Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem.

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BUN BO 67 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3923 0701 7am to 11pm Dressed up like an indoor version of a streetside eatery, this megalith of a skinny bun bo restaurant is famed not only for its northern interpretation of a southern dish that you can't buy in the south, but also for its ga tan (stewed marinated chicken). The bun bo itself, a concoction of sauteed beef, peanuts, beansprouts, white noodles and sweet and sour sauce, is one of the better versions available in the city. And the beef is excellent.

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INTERNATIONAL THAI 73 Bui Thi Xuan, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 8586 7090 11am to 11pm For those with sensitive taste buds, this small restaurant serves up authentic Thai food that is lighter on the spice. Owned by a Bangkok native, the space itself is a small two-level restaurant with traditional Thai décor. At a convenient location near Hoan Kiem and Vincom Towers, Thai Elephant covers all the delicious bases with efficient, fast service and delivery.

BBq STAPLES Ly Van Phuc, Ba Dinh Perhaps the most well known street food Mecca in all of Hanoi, the lane is flanked with BBQ chicken joints from north to south. At the Nguyen Thai Hoc entrance, the food stalls boast proper chairs, while the venues at the opposite end offer stools and host much larger crowds. No trip to Hanoi or tenure in the capital is complete without a trip to Chicken Street. Honey grilled banh my and potatoes provide vegetarians with savory alternatives.

August 2012 Word | 79

out & about

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VEGAN 79A Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3942 4140 9am to 9pm The set meals for one person or a group of six people make this a popular lunchtime eatery. Signs clearly demarcate the way through the alley on Tran Hung Dao to this casual restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. Everything on the menu is vegetarian, from standard tofu with tomato sauce to more obscure fake meat dishes. The walls are moldy but the food is fresh.

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PHO GA / BUN BO NAM BO 49 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho 6am to 4pm A stilt-hutted street food eatery and cafe in the shadow of Elite Fitness doing a tasty version of the sweet and sour bun bo Nam Bo (southern-style beef noodles). Ladle in the chilli and mix up with the beansprouts, fresh herbs, peanuts and sauteed beef, and you have a spiced-up, filling meal. Also does decent pho ga (chicken noodle soup) and pho xao (fried noodles). Has a semi-mezannine cafestyle space out back.

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PHO CUON / PAN-VIETNAMESE 71-77 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh 9am to midnight For a dish purported to be invented by French chef Didier Corlou, it is phenomenal how this wet rice paper filled with beef and herbs affair has so quickly been absorbed into the street food fold. Dipped into sweet fish sauce with a touch of chilli, it tastes good, too. The biggest proponents of this dish are on Truc Bach — a row of five street-side eateries that also sell standard, quan nhau meat and seafood fare. There is also another strip of joints just round the corner on Ngu Xa.

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PHO GA 32 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3943 8492 5am to 4pm Ignore the doubters, this infamous eatery serves up some seriously wholesome pho ga (chicken noodle soup) in a hygienic, shared table indoor environment. The secret? The broth, a perfectly rounded chicken stock consomme. Portions are big, too, and diners can order chicken on the bone or off and can even get an extra egg added to the soup for good measure.

HOI AN CUISINE 1 Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3923 3856 7am to 11pm A four-storey restaurant and café specialising in food from the centre of Vietnam — or, as the name suggests, the ancient town of Hoi An. It serves everything from the famous cao lau noodles and my quang tom, to bun bo nuong and com ga Hoi An. Also sells Thai and Chinese cuisine, cakes and ice cream. A spiral staircase, a second floor terrace and pictures of the ancient town top it all off.

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The fish is boneless, which helps set this place apart from others selling the same dish. One bowl is VND30,000.

HUE CUISINE 150 Nguyen Khuyen, Dong Da. Tel: 6674 7917 6.30am to 10pm A no frills, ten-table restaurant easy to miss at the end of Nguyen Khuyen, just opposite the Temple of Literature. Specialises in dishes from Hue, like banh beo and banh khoai, all at local prices. The staff is friendly and helpful and the bun bo Hue is spot on.

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FISH PORRIDGE / CHAO CA 213 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3829 5281 Serves perhaps some of the best chao ca in the city. This rice porridge with fish is garnished with a healthy amount of fresh herbs and, if you choose, strips of banh quay – the Chinese style fried bread.

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PHO GA / PHO BO / PHO xAO 32 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiem 5.30am to 11pm A hearty, slightly salty broth accompanies the pho ga at this well-known, 40-year-old street corner eatery also lauded for its tasty pho xao and pho bo. It's a simple, typically Hanoian streetside affair here with red plastic tables on the street and foot-high stools. The soup comes with an accompanying basket of slightly stale but buttery banh quay.

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VEGAN 39 Le Ngoc Han, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 6278 1848 7am to 9pm Vegetarians delight in being able to order anything off this more-creativethan-normal traditional Vietnamese Buddhist restaurant situated on a quiet street. Corn juice is the drink of choice here, as everyone around sips the tepid yellow stuff, and the array of fried tofu vegetable dishes makes you reconsider vegan cuisine as “health food.” Order an office lunch plate or dine in during the weekend surrounded by families and walls adorned with traditional Buddhist imagery. AC WIFI

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VEGAN Nha 2, Ngo 12 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho Tel: 6258 1622 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 9pm Simplicity is the key at this small but airy, zen-like bamboo-table eatery located behind the Syrena Centre. A rarity in Vietnam — the cuisine here doesn’t only focus on faux meat imitation — the menu mixes canh (broth) with a range of light dishes, Vietnamese-style salads and a selection of tofu and gluten-inspired mains. Worth a try for both vegetarians

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CHA CA 14 Cha Ca, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 3929 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 9pm A funky wooden-floored two storey, one-dish-only eatery on a street devoted to one of Hanoi's best known dishes, cha ca. Claiming to be the oldest restaurant in Vietnam (established 1873) the deal is straightforward. The butter-coated, premarinated fish is sauteed with dill and spring onions on the table and served up with sides of peanuts, bun noodles and fresh herbs. It's not street food prices cheap by any means, but it's darned tasty. Popular with tourists and locals.

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PAN-VIETNAMESE 17 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3972 8001 clubopera@orientalstars.com.vn 10am to 2pm, 6pm to 10.30pm Indochine elegance mixes with top-end culinary flair to create one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in town. Fine dining it isn't — this country's cuisine doesn't really lend itself to that type of cooking. But quality ingredients and a twist of creativity makes the fare here well worth the higher price tag — think creative spring rolls and lobster cooked up with a passion-fruit sauce. This is just the start. Also has a great downstairs lounge bar. AC

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TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE 65 Ngo Hue, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3976 0633 Situated in a turn-of-the-century French townhouse in a tucked away alley, the ‘whistling bird’ continues to offer some of the best ‘traditional’ Vietnamese food in the capital. Sit on the floor upstairs or enjoy seating downstairs, regardless this eatery serves up simple Vietnamese staples that are well executed and presented in a setting that makes one feel like a regal Hanoian.

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VIETNAMESE / ETHNIC 5 Hang Tre, hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 4200 575 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3771 6372 54 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3796 2647 25 Bat Su, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 0639 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 6377 10am to midnight Always busy, often hectic, this multifloored restaurant is for diners who don’t mind loud noises and sitting on the floor. It’s best for groups so you can order an array of dishes ranging from the more

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CONTEMPORARY STREET FOOD 26 A-B Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 6133. ngonhanoi@vnn.vn 7am to 10pm Large and always busy restaurant set in two colonial buildings. The courtyard is filled with tables and fairy light covered trees, which are circled by 18 cooking stoves. Here the chefs serve Vietnamese classics from all over the country a la carte style. Good for street side classics done well in the comfort of an airy restaurant. Of the 14 dining spaces, one room holds 30 guests. Open for breakfast lunch and dinner.

otHer BuSineSSeS

The Cart

L’s Place

St. Honore; Vine

Oasis; Red Apron

Segafredo; Tracy’s; Kitchen

Vine Cellar Door

Mandarin; India Palace

Yuki’s

Al Fresco’s; Tay Tap

Kitchen Art

House of Son Tinh

Santal Spa; Bamboo Village

Don’s Tay Ho

City Zoo; Better Day

Da Paolo; Coconut Cafes

Collective Concepts

La Salsa

Binh’s Salon

White Cloud

L’Atelier

Cielo

Pure Heaven

Bobby Chinn

International SOS

Le Marrakech

Ham Long Mini Market

Daluva

Module 17

Joma

George’s Fashion

Hanoi Rock City

Veggie’s

Love Chocolate Cafe

Zenith Yoga

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GOURMET VIETNAMESE 4 Ton That Thiep, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 1355 9096 10am-2pm, 5pm-10pm 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, in a casually elegant setting that make this spot near the train tracks standout. Be sure to try the rollyour-own cha ca spring rolls and check the schedule for live traditional music.

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CONTEMPORARY STREET FOOD 18 Phan Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3942 8162 sales@ngonhanoi.com 7am to 9.30pm Long-time favourite serving up Vietnamese classics in a large French villa and courtyard. Menu is huge, made up of street-food options and higher end dishes from Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City. Quick service makes it ideal for lunch and the array of options makes it perfect for newcomers to Vietnamese cuisine. Order loads and share, of course.

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INDOCHINE / VIETNAMESE 13 Tran Hung Dao, Tel: 3933 3533 Set in converted colonial villas and frequented primarily by travelers that unload in front of the establishment on massive tour buses, this venue is imbued with the nostalgia of Indochine, replete with chess boards, stylish fans and waitresses outfitted in ao dais. Boasts a large menu filled with Vietnamese favourites and much more.

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FRENCH LOUNGE 95 Giang Van Minh, Ba Dinh, Tel: 0976 751331 www.etehanoi.com 10am to midnight A favourite among those who roam further west of the city centre, this multi-storey 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. AC

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ART DECO / INTERNATIONAL 58A Tran Quoc Toan, Hai Ba Trung 8am to 10pm Located on the corner of Quang Trung, this large new cafe, restaurant and bar is housed in a restored colonial building. The beautiful courtyard is liberally decorated with plants, fans, blowlight jets of water, and shade is provided by tasteful cream parasols. Inside, a non-smoking, airconditioned room is the perfect place to escape the heat. Western and Vietnamese fare is on offer, they have a huge range of wine, beer and coffee and they serve excellent fries too.

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VIETNAMESE SEAFOOD 55 Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 6270 0787 10am to 10pm There are two of these restaurants in Vietnam and the other is in Phu Quoc, the location of probably the best seafood in the country. Every type of ocean-breathing animal is available here in addition to an array of tofu and vegetables. From crab to Russian sturgeon and grouper, most of this seafood harks from down south or Halong Bay. The restaurant is set up so that every day is a banquet and you can pick your poisons from the tank. ++ + ACACAC

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CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE 55A Nguyen Du, Tel: 3943 9342 www.wildlotus.com.vn 10.30am to 10.30pm One of the city’s most popular Vietnamese restaurants is a delight from the entrance inwards. Walk over water features and 100 roses and up the spiral staircase into subdued lighting, warm colours and a menu that mixes subtle, well-executed Asian flavours. Not for those who love the sharpness of some street foods, but

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23J Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 8388 This new addition to the city from the Alfresco’s Group is definitely the meatiest yet. In the shape of a four floor, chic restobar — which has a bar lounge on the ground, a restaurant vibe on the second and third, and a “boardroom” on the fourth — Jacksons Steakhouse serves of well presented plates of imported Oz and New Zealand steaks as well as seafood. Of course, the large restaurant wouldn’t be complete without a large wine list to match.

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BRITISH / INTERNATIONAL 25 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 2104 www.lepub.org 7am to midnight Dark red walls and even darker brown seating run through the homely and casual Le Pub, one of the few bars in town with a regular stream of clientele. A long list of imported beer, Tiger draft, a decent international cum Vietnamese food menu, happy hour specials and live sport make up the comfortable mix.

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INTERNATIONAL / CAFE 16-18 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1745 Open 24 hours 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, catering both to ravenous backpackers who’ve just arrived off the night train from Sapa and locals looking to meet up. WIFI

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SkYLINE LOUNGE 19th Floor, Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3946 1901 therooftop@vnn.vn 8am to midnight If location counts for anything, then here it is spectacular. With a 270-degree view over the whole of the city, the up-on-high theme of the Rooftop is used to its full. The bar is pretty cool, too, with bare brick, sofa-style seating, glass fronted wine displays and a private room out back for more intimate drinking. Also does + day-time office lunches, coffee and decent bar food.

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INTERNATIONAL / WINE AND JAZZ 12 Phan Huy Ich, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3927 5708 5.30pm to midnight Tucked into a quiet street close to Truc Bach, this romantic, Parisian-styled lounge exhibits art from up-and-coming Hanoi artists and is best experienced on the nights with live music. The menu offerings are rich and robust, from chicken curry to spaghetti and roast duck, all created to pair well with wine. Come for dinner and stay for the live jazz and well-curated wine selection.

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VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 42 Duong 9, F361, An Duong, Yen Phu, Tay Ho, Tel: 2260 8968 10am-10pm Imperial-era architecture, a rock garden with trees almost 300 years old, a beautiful lawn area and contemporary Asian-influenced international fare make up the mix at this quite unique top-end restaurant. The cuisine and drinks don’t come cheap, but then establishments such as Softwater are a rarity. Has both an international and a Vietnamese menu and is located by the river in An Duong at the end of Road 9, close to the Sofitel Plaza.

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INTERNATIONAL The Clubhouse, Ciputra, Tel: 3758 2400 7am to 11pm 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.

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SPANISH 26 Lan Ong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 8585 2563 9am to 11pm Nestled just off the main Old Quarter drag, this bar and restaurant daubed in the colours of the Spanish flag is the first genuine Iberian tapas bar in town. Sells a range of fare from paella through to tapas, a selection of tortilla and Spanish mains, and also serves lethal but tasty sangria. Spanish tempanillos and reds make up the enigmatic mix.

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CLASSY FUSION 33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 5831 www.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 twist, as well as wine, tapas, events and attractive décor. Additional services include catering, BBQ rentals, playroom, kids menu, takeaway and local delivery.

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reStoBArS ACAC

57 Bui Thi Xuan Street, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3944 0204, www.potsnpans.vn 11.30am to late 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.

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STEAk / CHINESE NOODLES 52 Le Ngoc Han, Hai Ba Trung. Tel: 3978 2251 7am to 10.30pm Located on the corner of Hoa Ma, this steak served sizzling-on-the-griddle eatery packs no punches when it comes to getting your beef. Get the standard banh my affair and the imported US steak is doled up with meatballs, fried egg, chips and lots of fat. It's a cholesterol mess of a meal but really tasty. Also does bun bo Hue, Phuc Kien noodles and the Khmer Chinese hu tieu Nam Vang. Has restaurants at 349 Doi Can and 71 Tran Duy Hung.

WIFI

The venue also gets involved in the local community through regular events. Has a second Le Pub at Third Floor, 9 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho.

definitely for those who have guests in town or business clients to schmooze. Quite an experience. Nick Ross

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IMPERIAL / CONTEMPORARY 63 Pham Hong Thai, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3927 5920 11am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm After shutting the doors at its former location, Com Viet is nestled in the tranquil neighbourhood near Truc Bach Lake. The ‘imperial’ staple, with its pristine décor and antiques, traditional bites and regal atmosphere, specialises in serving up traditional treats with contemporary fusion — think cheese wrapped in beef with a side of pickled cucumbers and a glass of red. Go on the right night and catch live traditional music in the courtyard and feel like a king.

reStAurAntS & BArS

17 16 13 c Van 14 17 15 18 go oN

t ha

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VIETNAMESE / WESTERN 38 Hang Hom. Tel: 3928 7241 An unassuming establishment that rarely fills up, which means that customers often benefit from better service and the servers utmost attention. What the restaurant lacks in atmosphere, it makes up for with a large menu that is chalked full of reasonably priced Vietnamese fare and some western staples.

olD HAnoi

Q uang B a L ake

Kiti reStAurAnt

WeSt lAKe out & ABout We s t La ke

cluB oPerA noVel

exotic frog legs, buffalo and ostrich, to the trusted standbys; catfish spring rolls, papaya salad and fried tofu. But it’s the exclusive Highway 4 flavoured rice wines that can be taken as shots or mixed into cocktails that keep this place crowded.

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CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL 28 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3398 1979 www.southgatehanoi.com An American-run casual yet sophisticated restobar on Food Street with a great outdoor terrace area, a shared indoor bar space, a chef’s table and upstairs seating. Matched by contemporary décor, the creative food menu focuses on doing comfort food well, while a decent new and old world wine list and innovative cocktails make up the mix. Popular with the media and artsy set.

tHe BooMBox lounge AC

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OLD SkOOL 1 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3939 2888 This ‘Chill Lounge’ is not too far from the Opera House and is ideal for drinks against a bright backdrop. Its large bar serves up test tube shooters and the Party Animal Bucket offers a range of shots. Of course, it’s a café/restaurant, too and be sure to check out the owner’s collection of boom boxes next to the DJ Booth. Live music on Wednesdays and a DJ at the weekend.

August 2012 Word | 81

LIVE LIVE LIVE MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC DJ

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leiSure & ArtS

lIstINgs

AMuSeMent 082 AntiqueS 082 BooKS SHoPS 082 cineMAS 082 cluBS & SocietieS 082 cooKing clASSeS 082 DAncing 082 FitneSS 082 FootBAll, Soccer & rugBy 083 gAllerieS 083 golF courSeS 083 MASSAge 083

AMuSeMent

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

HAiDreSSerS & SAlonS 083 KiDS 083 leiSure generAl 083 nAilS 084 PerForMing ArtS 084 SPAS 085 SPortS clASSeS 085 tenniS 085 VietnAMeSe clASSeS 085 ArtS clASSeS 085 coluMn cineMA BuFF 084

Their biggest section is composed of ESL materials, but you will also find fiction.

coSMoS

168 Ngoc Khanh, Dong Da This bowling alley may be small, but if you’re hankering for a night at the lanes, this one has instant replay cameras that will show your strike again in slow motion.

HAnoi StAr BoWl

2B Pham Ngoc Trach, Dong Da Tel: 3574 1614 Plenty of lanes, and the zany colours add to the festive feel. A game will cost VND27,000, plus a little extra for the shoe rental. All in all it makes for a night of good fun.

quAn toM

89 Bui Thi Xuan. Tel: 3294 47844 The staff at this karaoke bar is quite friendly. Large, comfortable rooms, and – their claim to fame – a vast English language track list, makes for a good night.

AntiqueS 54 trADitionS gAllery

30 Hang Bun, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3715 0194 www.54traditions.com.vn The only gallery in Vietnam focusing on the antiques, artifacts and art of Vietnam’s 53 minority groups and the Kinh majority people. Has over 1,000 items on display and objects in the collection have been exhibited in museums both in Hanoi and abroad.

BooK SHoPS BooKWorM

44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3715 3711 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.

Hieu SAcH tHAng long

55 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3825 7043 A large bookstore with mostly Vietnamese material, but there is also a selection of French and English books and even some literature.

xunHASABA

32 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3825 4068 Often referred to just as ‘The Foreign Language Bookstore’, you’ll find a decent selection of both books and magazines.

82 | Word August 2012

cineMAS cineMAtHeque

22A Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3936 2648 Not a movie theater 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 from all over the world.

MegAStAr

Vincom Towers, 191 Ba Trieu, 6th floor, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3974 3333 www.megastarmedia.net Inside Vincom towers, this big, westernstyle multiplex shows some of the latest English language and Asian foreign films. The experience includes fairly wellstocked concession stands, comfortable seats, air conditioning and a booming sound system.

MegAStAr Pico MAll

299 Tay Son, Dong Da The second Megastar outlet in the city in the newly renovated Pico Mall. Generally less crowed than the theatre at Vincom Towers, but the same concept. For real Hollywood and American fast food fans, has a Pizza Hut and Swensen’s within the same cinema complex.

nAtionAl cineMA centre

87 Lang Ha, Dong Da. Tel: 3514 2278 Cineplex with several smaller theaters and an arcade. Movies are quite cheap, especially matinees. Be sure to ask if the movie is subtitled in Vietnamese or dubbed.

cluBS & SocietieS DeMocrAtS ABroAD – VietnAM

www.democratsabroad.org Affiliated with the American Democratic Party, like-minded and politically active individuals can stay in touch and continue to affect the political winds that are blowing Stateside. Hosts regular events for every major election cycle.

AMericAn cluB

21 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3824 1850 www.americanclubhanoi.com A bit worn around the edges, but the facilities are still useful and the grounds pleasant. They host frequent events that are open to the public. Wide lawn, volleyball and basketball courts may make the place worth a visit.

leisure & arts HAnoi cluB

76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3823 8115 The exclusive social and fitness club is located on the banks of West Lake. Golfers hit balls into the lake from the driving range and swimmers enjoy a lovely view from the pool. The gym is small and classes are not included as part of the steep yearly membership fees.

l’eSPAce

24 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem www.ambafrance-vn.org The cultural arm of the French Embassy is very active in the cultural life of the city. They both organise and host many functions – music, performing arts, film. Large French language library as well as classes and workshops.

cooKing clASSeS HAnoi cooKing centre

44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3715 0088. www.hanoicookingcentre.com 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

137 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho. Tel: 0912 254045 www.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.

HigHWAy4 cooKing clASS

31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3715 0577 The well-known restaurant also offers one-off cooking courses in the kitchens at their Truc Bach location. Don’t worry if you forget some of the tricks, as the class includes a recipe booklet.

KitcHen Art Store AnD StuDio

Lane 38/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 6680 2770 www.kitchenart.vn Well stocked and modern cooking store offering cooking classes with one of Vietnam's popular food personalities. Kitchen Art Basic Baking Classes also open to non-Vietnamese speaking students. The friendly staff ensures that everyone is able to follow the instructor.

Koto

Lane 52/28, House 9, To Ngoc Van Tel: 3747 0377, www.koto.com.vn This charitable organisation, which helps street kids gain the skills to succeed in the hospitality industry, also offers cooking classes to the public on Tuesdays at their training centre. Learn how to make some of the items on their menu at home. Pick up is also available at their Van Mieu location.

DAncing ASPArA DAnce StuDio

Level 3, 141 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 6869 Gate 3, Hanoi Academy, Ciputra, Tel: 3743 0455 www.apsarastudio.com.vn Cosy, friendly and well equipped dance studios offering dance and fitness classes for adults and children. Classes include ballet, folk dance, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, belly dance, salsa, zumba and yoga for family. Instructors are qualified and certified from Vietnam Dance College or overseas.

FitneSS elite FitneSS

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 6281 www.elitefitness.com.vn 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.

Four SeASonS SWiMMing Pool

and have a post workout drink at the juice bar. There is even a separate swimming pool for tots, and a full service spa. Top-end equipment and services come with top-end monthly fees — not for the feint-hearted.

FootBAll, Soccer & rugBy

14 Dang Tien Dong, Dong Da. Tel: 3537 6250 This beautiful hotel has a swimming pool for VND40,000 per day, and another VND10,000 for a locker to keep your pantaloons. It might be a good idea to go during the off hours, as it’s a well used pool. But if laps are what you want, the pool is large and, at times, quiet.

HAnoi cAPitAlS FootBAll cluB

HAnoi BootcAMP BeeActiVe

HAnoi youtH FootBAll leAgue

To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho beeactivetoday@gmail.com The successor to the weekly bootcamp famously run by fitness professional Helen Kindness, BeeActive continues the community spirit by bringing together both the fit and unfit to work out on the streets. To take part, drop them an email. Sessions are all held around the To Ngoc Van area, unless stated otherwise: Mon — 6am to 7am (Ciputra) Mon, Tues, Fri — 9.15am to 10.15am Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs — 6.30pm to 7.30pm Sat — 7am to 8am

nSHAPe FitneSS

71 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Dong Da Tel: 6266 0495 www.nshapefitness.vn This gym with American Life Fitness cardio and weight machines, provides a clean, uncrowded environment and expertly staffed facilities with a selection of fitness classes for its members. Classes include boxing, yoga and groupX with both Vietnamese and foreign fitness trainers on hand to give exercisers advice. Membership starts from VND1.5 million per month with no joining fee.

StAr FitneSS

4th Floor, The Garden, Me Tri, Tu Liem Tel: 3787 5353 This lifestyle, top-end gym in My Dinh offers massage rooms, steam rooms, saunas, Jacuzzis, cold plunge baths, gym areas, exercise studios, locker rooms, and a swimming pool. It is a great option for residents living on the outskirts of the city.

SunWAy HeAltH cluB

19 Pham Dinh Ho, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3971 3888 Very good equipment in this small gym, housed in a little hotel. None of the extra frills that you might expect at a larger place, but all the machines are running and well maintained. Monthly price of membership for non-guests is about VND1.4 million.

VietcliMB

So 40 Ngo 76 An Duong, Tay Ho Tel: 5321 9235 www.vietclimb.vn Although a little hard to find, VietClimb is a French-owned, 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.

VincHArM SPA AnD gyM

6th & 7th floor Vincom Centre, 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung. Tel: 3974 8686 www.vincharmspa.com Far more Zen then your average gym, work out to toned-down music while toning up on state of the art equipment,

www.hanoi-capitals.blogspot.com Hanoi Capitals don’t play. This football club is serious about their sport. The uniforms and attitudes alone tell you they’re no Bad News Bears. If you want to let your skills shine get in contact with Ricky at 0903 413339. www.hanoiyouthfootball.com/english/home/ The biggest youth football league in the capital. Youths aged 8 to 16 years old come together to play regular tournaments.

Viet celtS

www.vietcelts.com The first and only Gaelic Football league in Hanoi has recently added a women’s team. The teams play in the Southeast Asia Gaelic League as well as in tournaments all over the region. Bring a sporting spirit as a spectator or a player. Call Gareth for more information: 0904 228629.

VietnAM SWAnS

www.vietnamswans.com In true Aussie style, the Vietnam Swans footballers hold not only weekly matches and training sessions, but social and drinking affairs as well. Concerned just as much with fun as with winning, this club is welcoming to anyone who is willing to have a good time.

SWiMMing PoolS ArMy Hotel 33C Pham Ngu Lao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 2896 Four SeASonS 14 Dang Tien Dong, Dong Da Tel: 3537 6250 HAnoi cluB 76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3823 8115 www.hanoi-club.com HoriSon FitneSS center 40 Cat Linh, Ba Dinh Tel: 3733 0808 MeliA Hotel 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 3343 olyMPiA 4 Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 1049 SAo MAi 10 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 3161 SoFitel PlAZA FitneSS center 1 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho Tel: 3823 8888 tHAn nHAn Vo Thi Sau, Hai Ba Trung, (Inside the park) tHAng loi Hotel 200 Yen Phu, Tay Ho

gAllerieS APricot gAllery

40B Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3828 8965 www.apricot-artvietnam.com This centrally located space houses art by some of Vietnam’s best-known contemporary artists, such as Hoang Hai Anh and Dinh Quan, as well as up and coming artists.

Art VietnAM

Ngo 66 So Nha 2, Pho Yen Lac, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3862 3184 www.artvietnamgallery.com Now operating from the private residence of owner Suzanne Lecht, Art Vietnam is one of Hanoi's most respected galleries, featuring contemporary art in all its forms: painting, lacquer, photography and video, from both up-and-coming and established artists. To see the full list of artworks available, go to the website. Gallery viewing is by appointment only

HAnoi Art conteMPorAry gAllery

36-38 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3934 7192 www.hanoi-artgallery.com This art space is home to a large collection of your standard tourist fare along with a smatter of more unique pieces.

MAi gAllery

113 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3938 0568 www.maigallery-vietnam.com Several floors of paintings, regularly changed, by some of the best known contemporary artists in the country, some of whom they’ve helped in gaining international recognition. Mai specialises is finding the perfect décor for both homes and offices.

MAiSon DeS ArtS

31 Van Mieu, Dong Da. Tel: 3747 8096 www.maisondesartshanoi.com A gallery near the Temple of Literature with several floors bills itself not only as an art gallery, but a multi-purpose social and cultural space. Frequent exhibitions feature both Vietnamese and international artists. Mlle. Nga, who runs the space, also involves herself in several other cultural projects around Hanoi.

reD riVer gAllery

7 Hang Khay, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3934 9071 www.redriverartvietnam.com This small gallery has focused on building a collection of traditional Hanoi images with a modern twist since it opened in 1990. The gallery actively seeks out talented young contemporary artists.

SuFFuSiVe gAllery

35A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem www.suffusiveart.com Don’t be fooled by the signs hawking café sua da. Hidden within the coffee shop interior is a small gallery showing some of Vietnam’s newest talent.

Viet Fine ArtS gAllery

96 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3928 6667 www.vietfinearts.com If you’re looking for a well-known name, and a high price tag to match, Viet Fine Arts sells work by some of Hanoi’s more famous artists.

golF courSeS HAnoi cluB DriVing rAnge

76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3623 8115 A fitness club that also boasts a two-level driving range where the balls are hit into the water. No net means you can gauge your driving. The price for a bucket of golf balls depends on whether or not you’re a member.

tAM DAo golF AnD reSort

www.tamdaogolf.com Relatively new golf club near the base

of the mountains at Tam Dao. It is about two hours from the city, but does provide an 18-hole course with a clubhouse and a spectacular view, surrounded by green hills.

HAirDreSSerS & SAlonS

BinH’S SAlon

3 Lane 31/10 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 2656 A salon and spa offering a variety of cosmetic services, and specialising in western cuts and colour.

DinH HAir SAlon

2A Cua Bac, Ba Dinh. Tel: 09877 18899 A small but popular hair salon that serves both expats and locals. The many repeat customers go back because of Dinh’s willingness to both follow instructions, or to be creative when asked. Services include scalp massage, shampooing, colouring and styling.

KinDerPArK

614 Lac Long Quan, Tay Ho, Tel: 3710 1666 www.kinderpark.vn A huge international indoor playground for children of all ages founded by three likeminded mums. The indoor playground covers an impressive 2,000 sqm, and offers activities, birthday parties and a welltrained staff. There is a café for parents to sit in while their children run amok.

tHAng long WAter PuPPet tHeAtre

Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem Daily shows of traditional rustic Vietnamese carved puppets, animate folkloric tales accompanied by music. This can be fun for adults as well as children.

tHe little gyM oF HAnoi

405 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh. Tel: 6329 2915 www.frangipani.com.vn New garden-themed day spa named after the frangipani flower, known in Vietnam for its healing properties. Services include hair salon, nail care and massages. Details to amenities like bathrobes, slippers and towels provide a comfortable atmosphere.

4th Floor, 402A Vincom Center, Long Bien Tel: 3515 8555, www.thelittlegym.com/hanoi The newest addition to the Hanoi family entertainment scene, this globally-known brand has more than 300 locations across the world. Has a range of programmes for kids aged four months to 12 years old including gymnastics, karate, dance classes, sports skills and more, with the activities focusing on developing both cerebral and physical capacity. Also hosts birthday parties, organises camps and arranges parents nights.

tA SAlon

tiniWorlD

FrAngiPAni SPA

Hanoi Club, 76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3716 1754 / 3758 2940 (Ciputra). Hotline: 0912 267613 Multi-functional hair and body salon with a range of treatments running from haircut, highlights, shampoo, straightening and perm to hot stone foot and body massages, a range of facials, waxing, bikini lines and body scrub. With a first salon in Ciputra, TA number two is at the Hanoi club. Popular with both western and Asian expats as well as A-class Vietnamese.

tHe HAir WorKSHoP

49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3934 5980 Located in Hanoi Towers, The Hair Workshop has a number of hairdressers used to cutting and styling all types of hair. The prices are significantly higher than they would be on the street, or at a smaller shop, but there are many people who refuse to go anywhere else. A full service salon that also offers such services as waxing.

HAir SPAce

137 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: 0912 127554 Run by an Australian expat named Cat, this is a small but comfortable and well-run hair studio located in the Hidden Hanoi building. There is only Cat and her one assistant, so be sure to make an appointment.

trAn Hung HAir creAtion

5 Ho Xuan Huong, Hai Ba Trung. Tel: 3943 4946 Located near Reunification Park, Hung has a long list of satisfied clients, both western and Vietnamese. Be prepared to allot one to two hours for a cut and more for colour as Hung is a perfectionist.

KiDS HAnoi Zoo

Off Kim Ma, opposite Daewoo Hotel Tel: 3834 7395 Really as much a park as it is a zoo, you can find Vietnamese families on picnics here on any given day. Strewn throughout, sometimes in curiously small cages, you’ll also find a number of animals large and small, all indigenous to the country. Also, there are other attractions for children such as a fun house, and big, floating plastic balls they can climb into. The One Man Cinema operates out of here at weekends.

51 Xuan Dieu, Syrena Towers; 229 Tay Son, Pico Mall An indoor play-haven for children inside the safety of a shopping centre. Pay an entry fee of VND50,000 and let your kids loose on the jungle gym and video arcade-style games. Small and with enough staff on hand so you can let your kids play, and head out to do a little shopping next door.

VincoM toWerS

191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung There are a bunch of toy stores and shops for children in the mall area of the second tower. Also, near the food court, you’ll find an arcade with video games and tiny rides for very small kids.

leiSure generAl FrienDS oF VietnAMeSe HeritAge www.fvheritage.org A non-profit organization devoted to the culture of Vietnam. People from all over the world join together to educate themselves and others on Vietnam and preserve its heritage. The organization holds events such as lectures, city walks and excursions available to the public.

HAnoi HASH HouSe HArrierS

www.hanoih3.com This big, assorted “family” gets together every week to go on out of town excursions, for hour-long runs along paths marked by flour spots, and with no lack of beer stops along the way. Drink and get into shape at the same time, and add some sight-seeing into the picture. Emphasis here is on fun. Bus leaves on Saturdays from the American Club on Hai Ba Trung at 2pm in summer and 1:30pm in winter.

HAnoi little leAgue BASeBAll

www.hanoibaseball.com If you’re looking for a little league baseball team in Hanoi, this is the website to check out. One of the first, if not still the only, such club in town, their mission is to teach young people about the game, teamwork and to have a great time. Practice every Saturday at Xuan Dinh Field from 6.15 to 8.30 am

MASSAge JuSt MASSAge

237 Au Co, Tay Ho. Tel: 6671 2249 www.justmassage.org.vn Aromatherapy, Swedish, shiatsu and

August 2012 Word | 83

cinema buff

Hoa Le takes a look at what’s on in the cinemas this month SteP-uP: reVolution Directors: Scott Speer Stars: Kathryn McCormick, Ryan Guzman and Cleopatra Coleman Genre: Drama, music, romance

the fourth movie in the Step Up series of dance films features a rich girl, emily (Kathryn Mccormick), as she arrives in Miami with aspirations of becoming a professional dancer. Soon she falls in with Sean (ryan guzman), a young man who leads a dance crew in elaborate, cutting-edge flash mobs, called the Mob. When a wealthy businessman threatens to develop the Mob's historic neighbourhood and displace thousands of people, emily must band together with Sean and the Mob to turn their performance art into protest art, and risk losing their dreams to fight for a greater cause. Hits the screens on Aug. 3 at MegaStar cinema complexes in Vincom Tower (191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung) and in Pico Mall (229 Tay Son, Dong Da), and at Lotte Landmark Cinema (Keangnam Tower on Pham Hung, Tu Liem)

HAnoi AeStHetic inStitute being killed by a vampire, Jack Barts. Some 10 years later, he unsuccessfully tries to eliminate Barts but in the process makes the acquaintance of Henry Sturgess who teaches him how to fight as well as what is required to kill a vampire. the quid pro quo is that Abe will kill only those vampires that Henry directs him to. Abe relocates to Springfield where he gets a job as a store clerk while he studies law and kills vampires by night. He also meets and eventually marries the pretty Mary todd. Many years later as President of the united States, he discovers that vampires are fighting with the confederate forces. As a result he mounts his own campaign to defeat them.

84 | Word August 2012

set to be a box office hit. the latest installment introduces Jeremy renner as Bourne as well as series newscomers rachel Weisz, edward norton, Stacy Keach and oscar isaac. Franchise veterans Albert Finney, Joan Allen, David Strathairn and Scott glenn reprise their roles. Hits the screens on Aug. 10 at Megastar Cinema Complex

looKing For cHeyenne (2006) Director: Valerie Minetto

14 Yen Phu, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3945 4548 www.vienthammyhanoi.com.vn Trained at the Tue Tinh Traditional Hospital, the therapists at this no frills, traditional Vietnamese massage centre use a variety of techniques including tuina, aromatherapy, ayurvedic and shiatsu. Also offer a range of healing treatments as well as not-so-traditional laser and plastic surgery.

tHAnH giA

18 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung 38 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem One of a number of foot massage parlours in town that has treatments focusing as much on the pressure points of your feet at they do on the rest of your body. Strong hands, unbranded oils and, if you ask, tiger balm oil.

nAilS FAncy SPA

26 Dinh Ngang, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3824 4183 A small Vietnamese spa and salon. Prices are quite high, but the shop offers a wide range of services in addition to manicure/ pedicure.

linKq

271 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3725 2359 One of a chain of all-purpose beauty salons that specialises in manicures and pedicures. This place has a lot of business from word of mouth, so it’s best to call ahead and make an appointment.

tHu cuc exoticAl SPA

57 Nguyen Khac Hien, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3715 0316 www.thucucbeauty.com This all-purpose beauty salon offers spa pedicures in a Zen-like atmosphere where your manicurist won’t be chatting on her mobile phone.

Hits the screen on Aug. 10 at Megastar Cinema Complexes and Lotte Landmark Cinema

tHe Bourne legAcy Director: Tony Gilroy Stars: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton Genre: Action, adventure, thriller

ABrAHAM lincoln: VAMPire Hunter Directors: Timur Bekmambetov Stars: Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell and Dominic Cooper Genre: Action, fantasy, horror At the age of 9, Abraham lincoln witnesses his mother

pregnancy massages all given by the hands and touch of nine visually impaired therapists. The massages here are professional and, of course, in aid of a great cause. Check their website for their range of promotions.

there may be no Matt Damon this time round, but the fourth in the series of movies centred around former ciA assassin, Jason Bourne, looks

Stars: Mila Dekker, Aurelia Petit and Malik Zidi Genre: Drama, romance cheyenne, a young journalist, decides to leave Paris after being laid off and to settle down in the middle of nowhere, far from the society she hates. the trouble is that she leaves Sonia, her true love, behind. the latter, a teacher who loves her job, refuses to give up everything — including her comfort — to follow her. Sonia makes all the effort in the world to forget cheyenne, whether in the arms of Pierre, a charming anarchist, or in those of Béatrice, a woman who soon proves perverse and dangerous, only to realize that her heart belongs to cheyenne and nobody else. if cheyenne does not come back, Sonia feels life is not worth living... This movie will be in French with Vietnamese subtitles at the French Culture Centre (L’Espace) at 8pm on Aug. 24

toP SPot

52 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 8344 They offer a long-lasting, professional manicure and pedicure service for barely more than you would pay to get your nails cut on the street. The staff doesn’t speak much English, but they have an extensive menu to choose from.

PerForMing ArtS HAnoi circuS

67 Tran Nhan Tong, Hai Ba Trung For VND50,000, see an array of live performances, both human and animal. Bears ride motorbikes, monkeys do tricks. The acrobatic performances are particularly amazing.

HAnoi internAtionAl tHeAtre Society (HitS)

www.hitshanoi.com Hanoi’s premiere community theatre group has been entertaining audiences around the city since 2001. The amateur acting society both draws from and gives back to the local community. All profits from the bi-yearly performances are donated to charities in Vietnam.

HAnoi oPerA HouSe

pus of the Vietnam Revolution Museum, for a taste of one of Vietnam’s most traditional musical forms.

youtH tHeAtre

11 Ngo Thi Nham, Hoan Kiem A few blocks south of Hoan Kiem Lake, this community theatre space hosts both music events and theatre productions.

SPAS KiM Dung

38 Nguyen Cong Hoan, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3483 50079 Face massage, hair care, manicure, pedicure, this is a one-stop shop for all sorts of comfort services and products. Facilities are clean and modern. Hairstyling also available.

lAncy SPA

35 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 9461 This all-purpose spa offers the full menu: massage, nails, skincare at reasonable prices. Discounts offered to regular customers.

le SPA Du MetroPole

Sofitel Metropole Legend, 15A Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 6919 sparec@sofitelhanoi.vnn.vn A five-star spa for a five-star hotel, this colonial-style centre of relaxation is pure luxury. Choose the genre of music you want to hear in your treatment room from a menu, select anything from themenamed facials through to traditional, Vietnamese-style massages, and indulge. It comes at price, but when you’ve just got to treat yourself…

orcHiDS SPA

34 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 4862 www.orchids-spa.com Just a few steps away from bia hoi corner, the unisex Orchids spa recently one a VTV award for being one of the top spas in Hanoi. Treatments range from facials through to waxing, saunas and slimming treatments.

SAntAl SPA

112 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 4686 Private rooms with showers, a beautifully designed interior, well-trained and professional staff. The place to go if you want to forget a busy work week, or the busy streets.

tHu cuc exoticAl SPA

57 Nguyen Khac Hien, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3715 0316 Near Truc Bac, Thu Cuc is an all-purpose spa where you can get a full-body massage, a facial, manicure or pedicure in a relaxing environment. Both prices and service are comparable to the West.

Zen SPA

100 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 9889 www.zenspa.com.vn Brushing up against the banks of the Red River, this Indochine-styled day spa hideaway comes replete with an oasis-like bonsai garden and peace and quiet, a perfect tonic to the chaos of the city. Has a range of five-element spa packages as well as just one-off facials and waxings and other treatments. Has a second outlet at 100 Xuan Dieu as well as spas in Hoi An.

SPortS clASSeS

1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3933 0113 www.ticketvn.com This French colonial building hosts a packed schedule of cultural events throughout the year, everything from the New York Philharmonic to cutting edge Vietnamese performance art has graced its stage.

HoAng cAu SPortS centre

tHAng long cA tru tHeAtre

reD riVer runnerS

25 Tong dan, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3665 54608 Head to this theatre, lodged on the cam-

59 Hoang Cau, Dong Da. Tel: 3511 8030 The distinction of this fitness centre is that they have a large space, filled with a “number of different fields of different sizes”. Includes areas for aerobics, football and rugby. Classes depend, according to the season. www.redriverrunners.wordpress.com The Red River Runners meet every

Saturday to run through the fields and suburbs skirting the Red River in Hanoi. The group organises races, such as the annual Hanoi Triathlon and the Song Hong Half Marathon, which are community events that help to add a different, more social dimension to fitness and sport in the capital.

uniS coMMunity eDucAtion

UN International School, Tay Ho. Tel: 3758 1551 www.unishanoi.org The UN International School is located between West Lake and the highway heading to Noi Bai Airport. They have great facilities and offer a number of different classes throughout the year.

tenniS tHuy loi SPortS coMPlex

95 Chua Boc, Dong Da A wide sports pitch that also offers a swimming pool and a football field – if you get tired of tennis. Football fields are almost always crowded, but even for tennis it might be good to go during the off hours.

VAn tue tHAng long

136 Ho Tung Mau, Tu Liem A little bit hard to find, but Van Tue Thang Long offers quite a bit of room, with a sit-down restaurant and a few tennis courts. Facilities are a bit run down, but a place to go if you want to play tennis on concrete courts.

VietnAMeSe clASSeS VietnAMeSe teAcHing grouP

164 Le Thanh Nghi, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 7236 9842 www.vietnameseteaching.net Offers not only Vietnamese classes, but also a variety of excursions and events that will help foreigners and expats to better understand Vietnamese culture. Organised and professional, classes are usually sold in blocks, which you pay for in advance.

VietnAM nAtionAl uniVerSity

B7 Bis, Bach Khoa, Dong Da, Tel: 3869 4323 www.vnu.edu.vn/en This national university also offers some language and culture classes to foreigners. Teaching standards are high, and prices are not unreasonable, at around VND150,000 for a one-on-one lesson.

yogA & MeDitAtion Zenith yoga

A western-style yoga studio with three practice rooms offering different types of yoga, pilates, tai chi, meditation and dance. Certified professional teachers provide up to seven classes a day, with private classes also available. Workshops and retreats are also held, both at the studio and further afield.

unesCo yoga CenteR

3B Dang Thai Than, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3913 5497 www.yoga.com.vn One of the only yoga studios in town exclusively devoted to the practice. Professional instruction with well-trained teachers, and a very low monthly fee.

Zenith yoga

3rd floor, 111 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 0904 356561 www.zenithyogavietnam.com A premier studio offering some of the best yoga, pilates and tai chi in town. Kids’ yoga, prenatal yoga and meditation are also available. Professional instruction along with a peaceful atmosphere creates one of the most zen places in Hanoi. Drop in classes are available for VND200,000 and a month unlimited class pass costs VND1.8 million.

FASHion

lIstINgs

AcceSSorieS & FootWeAr 085 clotHing 085 lingerie 086 SHoPPing MAllS 086

AcceSSorieS & FootWeAr Boo SKAteSHoP

84 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3923 1147 This skateshop offers a variety of clothes, shoes and skateboarding equipment. Most of the T-shirts are made and designed in Vietnam, while the shoes and other equipment are made for export, often rejected due to minor defects. Staff is knowledgeable about Hanoi’s best skateboarding spots.

euro FASHion SHoeS

26, 84/16 Ngoc Khanh Tel: 0904153041 While you may have to dig through piles of mismatched or orthopaedic-looking shoes, this shop is full of hidden gems in larger sizes, a rare find in Hanoi.

euro SHoeS

320 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem If you’re looking for a diamond in the rough, head for Euro shoes, which has a wide selection of options, many of which you’ll want to give a pass. Often carries larger sizes than most Vietnamese retailers.

HAnDMADe SHoeS

18 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 5357 This cobbler’s shop repairs shoes and makes shoes to order. The staff speaks limited English, so it’s best to bring along your favourite pair to get copied.

Huong’S JeWellery SHoP

62 Hang Ngan, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3828 1046 A small store specialising in silver necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings and pendants. While Huong’s merchandise is mostly silver or pearl, the staff will also make jewellery to order.

iPA-niMA

73 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 4000 Started by Hong Kong born designer Christina Yu, Ipa-Nima’s stores are filled with their one-of-a-kind purses and accessories. Their use of colour, a unique design philosophy and hand done embellishments appeals to jetsetters and fashionistas from Los Angeles to Paris. Always eye-catching and trendy, Ipa-Nima accessories are tangibly timeless and sophisticated.

fashion visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

SPortSWeAr 087 tAilorS 087 oPticiAnS & glASSeS 087

louiS Vuitton

Sofitel Metropole, 15 Ngo Quyen. Tel: 3824 4977 This boutique offers an exclusive collection of the French designer handbags and accessories.

tHree treeS

15 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 8725 The jewellery on offer, designed by a Belgian expat, often features chunkier gold shapes with small, well-placed diamonds. Hidden in the back of the store there is also a display case featuring less-expensive costume jewelry.

tinA SPArKle

17 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 7616 An eclectic assortment of costume jewelry and Chula dresses are scattered among a wide collection of bags by one of Vietnam’s most popular designers, Ipa-Nima. Check out the seasonal sales for heavy discounts.

VietnAM oPticAl

138B Giang Vo, Ba Dinh Tel: 3736 5505 This all-purpose eyewear shop offers free eye exams and a wide selection of frames. Usually there is at least one English-speaking staff present. The quick and easy service means you will be out of the store, lenses in hand, in an hour.

clotHing Beo Boutique

54 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 8997 www.beo.vn The answer for women who struggle with the Hanoi heat. A locally owned boutique selling simple, unfussy clothing in light and easy to wear styles, perfect for when the humidity rises. Most clothing is made from cotton or silk, but they also have felted jackets for the colder weather. As well as off the rack, do custom orders.

cAlVin Klein

19-21 Dinh Tien Hoang ; 61-63 Cau Go, Hoan Kiem If it’s all in a name then Calvin Klein’s lakeside store has got it pretty much sewn up. Underwear sits next to jeans going for around VND2.5 million and a range of quality CK shirts, belts and more. By Hanoi standards, prices are high, but think relative. VND5 million for an original, welltailored pigskin jacket is pretty good going.

KinH MAt HA tHAnH

coco SilK

lonDon DiAMonD gAllery

contrABAnD

2 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh Tel: 3928 6556 Large selection of lenses as well as biomedic contact lenses imported from the US. But buyer beware, lenses in Vietnam usually aren’t scratch-resistant. 21 Nguyen Huy Tu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 4972 6327 www.londondiamondgallery.com Home to the world’s finest gemstones, master craftsmen and jewellery experts, London Diamond Gallery is among the most established jewellery houses in the world, with an international presence that spans across England, Japan, Hong Kong and South-East Asia.

37A Van Mieu, Dong Da Tel: 3747 1535 High-end silk clothing retailer located near the Temple of Literature carries contemporary looks based on traditional Vietnamese styles. 23 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 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.

August 2012 Word | 85

fashion eoS FASHion AnD Décor

45 Phan Dinh Phuong, Ba Dinh Tel: 3629 78574 The limited stock in this clothing store is made up for by the unique design of the pieces, which are refreshed by the designer every month.

george’S FASHion Boutique

36 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, el: 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-to-measure service are available at no extra cost.

ginKgo t-SHirtS

44 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem; 79 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem www.ginkgo-vietnam.com An environmentally conscious and fairtrade company that offers unique designs and a quality product, Ginkgo t-shirts sport ethnic and modern graphics in a rainbow of colors. The company began in Ho Chi Minh City and now has five outlets around Vietnam. These shirts make great gifts or souvenirs, perfect for proving to disbelievers overseas that you’ve visited the home of the conical hat.

HAnoi SilK

Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho Tel: 3716 3062 www.hanoisilkvn.com Located on the ground floor of the Sofitel Plaza Hotel, this silk shop offers a highquality selection of ready-made items. The

SuPerMArKetS Big c SuPerMArKet 222 Tran Duy Hung, Cau Giay citiMArt HAnoi toWerS 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem citiMArt VincoM toWerS 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung FiViMArt 210 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem 10 Tran Vu, Ba Dinh 671 Hoàng Hoa Tham, Ba Dinh 71 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Dong Da 51 Xuân Dieu, Tay Ho 93 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung Online shopping: www.fivimart.com.vn HAnoi StAr SuPerMArKet 36 Cat Linh, Dong Da intiMex 22 & 23 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem 131-135 Hao Nam, Dong Da 17 Lac Trung, Hai Ba Trung 27 Huynh Thuc Khang, Dong Da Metro 126 Tam Trinh, Yen So, Hoang Mai Pham Van Dong, Co Nhue, Tu Liem

86 | Word August 2012

most popular sellers include robes, linensilk blend shirts, ties and jackets.

iSAlynA

1 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3762 4405 www.isalyna.com The retail outlet for local designer Teddie Tran, who believes that fashion is all about “attitude”. Accordingly, the store’s pieces are mostly basics that can be combined with a range of high-quality leather accessories and jewellery for a unique fashion statement.

KAnA

41 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 6208 Reasonably priced handmade silk clothing and accessories in a wide range of patterns sized to fit western bodies.

Ken SHoP

108 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6270 0256 A popular stop for silk lovers, this store is all about soft and light fabrics. Silk, cotton and silk cotton mixes in creamy summer colours or eclectic prints. Ken has a wide range on offer, from casual summer skirts to fancy dresses. A cute collection of toys made of cotton and imported jewellry and accessories are also for sale.

Kenly SilK

108 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 7236 www.kenlysilk.com Instantly recognizable with its two-pillared shop front, Kenly prides itself on professional guidance and high-quality materials from a design’s conception to finish. The shop caters to everything from fashion shows to personal designs.

KHAi SilK

133 Hang Ga, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 4237 One of the better established silk shops in Hanoi, this store also has a satellite shop in the Sofitel Metropole. With outlets throughout the country, this household name is a great place to go for ready-made silk items. You may find better deals at other shops, but with the highest quality silk, at Khai you pay for what you get.

l’Atelier

No 33 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3668 5509 www.ateliervietnam.com Designer store where Le Duyen Huong features her creations and matching accessories and shoes. The trendy shop exudes a pleasant and warm atmosphere and collections change often. Offers tailoring for local and export markets.

luAlA Boutique

61 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 9899 www.luala.vn Close to the Opera House, this “concept store” dressed up as a spacious boutique and café is aimed at the luxury, lifestylefocused end of the local market. Has clothing and accessories for men and women and stocks the likes of Vera Wang, Nina Ricci, Elie Saab, Paul & Joe and much more. Also slated to show contemporary Vietnamese art. Check out their website for latest arrivals and their full range of brands.

MAgoon

19 Ma May, Hoan Kiem; 9 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem A small fashion house with many outlets around the city, Magoon offers one-of-akind lady like fashions. They have a bit of everything from jackets and dresses to knitwear. The prices are affordable and the merchandise changes often. The main studio is on Au Trieu.

MArie-linH couture

11 Nha To, Hoan Kiem 74 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Parisian-style clothing combined with

quality Vietnamese dressmaking skills. The beautiful clothes are available in silk, organza and linen. Also available for online orders. With the accompanying home décor and accessories shop on 38 Hang Trong, it is possible to live an entire life of couture.

Vietnamese prices”, says it all. While mostly retailing women’s separates 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.

MetiSeKo

runWAy

40-42 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem www.metiseko.com A lifestyle brand that started out life in Hoi An, Metiseko’s move to the capital will see 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 fair-trade, Textile Exchange.

Moon

111 Ma May, Hoan Kiem This small shop carries handmade embroidered linen and silk clothes that are usually less expensive than those found at the larger stores. The shop owners make most of the clothes themselves, so they will adjust designs to fit personal tastes.

nAgu

20 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem www.zantoc.com Walk past the rows of teddy bears and head for the small rack of clothing, which offers unique Japanese-designed dresses and shirts. The second floor has a selection of home goods. There is a loyalty program for frequent customers.

nunA nunong

100 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Racks of flowery frocks line the walls, and handmade fabric garlands hang from the ceiling. You will also find a wide selection of handmade goods, such as hand-painted mugs, totes and baskets of increasingly popular animal pillows.

Pure HeAVen

55 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6290 If the classic storefront doesn’t draw you in, the clothing will. The Scandinavian showroom is clean and streamlined, emulating the modern but simple clothing contained within. Cottons and knitwear are the main focus in the European designed clothing for women and children. Prices are affordable and the quality is great.

Song

5 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 6965 This boutique, whose name comes from the Vietnamese word for “life”, stocks high-end linen and silk clothes in a serene store awash with the fresh scent of mint. Located just across the street from the cathedral, prices are on par with its higher-end neighbours.

tAn My

66 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 1579 www.tanmyembroidery.com.vn Located in the heart of the old quarter, on “silk street”, Tan My claims to be Hanoi’s oldest silk and embroidery shop and boasts customers like Hillary Clinton. The three-storey shop offers everything from clothes and hand-embroidered baby pillows to sumptuous silk bedding.

tAn My DeSign

61 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1154 800sqm of elegant, modern space that offers one-of-a-kind pieces to add to your home furnishings or wardrobe. Located across the street from the other Tan My, one of the oldest silk and embroidery stores in Hanoi.

tHingS oF SuBStAnce

5 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 6965 This shop’s motto “Western sizes,

13 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 6260 www.runway.vn The second branch of the flagship store located in Ho Chi Minh City, Runway sells only authentic designer collections from all over the world. The large store located in the Sun City Building mimics what a designer boutique should look like, with an all white interior. If you are in need of a designer fix, Runway is your answer, but be warned, the prices match the labels.

Sole 21

21 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 1968 A distinctly designed boutique around the corner from the cathedral, bringing the latest from European and American Designers. Think Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade and Top Shop. Mark-up seems high on some pieces, but all designers are authentic. No fakes here.

VinAtex

25 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem In-town factory outlet for the Vinatex clothing corp. Carries items for men, women and children at low prices.

lingerie AnA MAi

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho This small boutique stocks lingerie similar to Parisian designers Agent Provocateur and Cosabella.

AuBADe

52 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 3822 9051 Pretty, lacy underwear imported from France. Carries mostly small sizes, up to a western sized medium.

MinoSHe

59 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem This popular store carries a wide range of bras and underwear. Additional locations in Hanoi Towers and Vincom Towers.

SHoPPing MAllS HAng DA gAlleriA

Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 2220 9999 This small shopping mall is conveniently located in the centre of the Old Quarter, with all the standard small stores as well as a range of boutiques selling the wares of Vietnamese designers. The Highlands outdoor café is a perfect place to sit and watch the Old Quarter ebb and flow.

HAnoi toWerS

49 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem The retail space on the first floor of this complex includes everything from a golf shop to a hair salon. After shopping you can enjoy a cup of coffee at the Highlands Café or a sandwich at Papa Joe’s.

oceAn PArK luxury MAll

36 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3936 0737 Shopping mall includes international designers such as Versace collection, Dolce and Gabbana, and Roberto Botticelli.

PArKSon

Cnr. Thai Ha & Tay Son, Dong Da www.parkson.com This Malaysian-owned department store prides itself on making the shopping experience one that is “more exciting and

fun”. Unlike many of Hanoi’s retailers, this megastore is also appealing to those who just want to browse. Departments include men’s, women’s and children’s clothing as well as home furnishings.

Pico MAll

299 Tay Son, Dong Da Newly renovated mall housing international stores like French Connection, Nike, and Adidas. A touch far from the centre, but distance brings lower levels of noise and customers, making it a nice option for shopping spree. Also has a movie theatre, a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and a food court.

trAng tien PlAZA

24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem This large shopping centre located at the southern tip of Hoan Kiem Lake includes shopping options for every price range. Bargain bins full of locally-produced clothing stand beside a Nike retail outlet. Offerings also include a cosmetics department and multiple electronics retailers.

VincoM toWerS

191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3974 9999 A shopping plaza offering a range of international brands such as Levi’s, United Colours of Benetton, Nike, Adidas and Geox.

SPortSWeAr ADiDAS

83 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel:3828 7190 www.adidas.com The capital city’s flagship store of the international retailer of sport clothing and equipment.

B.BAll

65A Quoc Tu Giam, Dong Da Tel:3224 10780 bball.com.vn This hoops-themed store sells balls, basketball shoes and jerseys of the madein-China variety.

HAnoi cluB golF SHoP

76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3823 8115 www.hanoi-club.com A small shop on the first floor of the Hanoi Club sells a range of equipment to fulfill your golfing needs, including clubs, balls and clothes.

from Italy and England. The go-to place for top-of-the-range suits and shirts for all occasions. The shop is new and the service spot on.

18 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 9925 Though this tailor offers both men’s and women’s clothing, the well made dresses displayed in the window and the range of bright colours and patterns caters mostly to female tastes. Located in the shadow of the cathedral, it’s a little pricier, but you pay for the view. 64 Tran Xuan Soan, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3943 4747 This English-speaking tailor located near the fabric market off Pho Hue offers a seasonal collection of ready-made designs. The owner will also copy clothing or sew from your own designs. Fabric can be picked out in the shop or you can bring your own.

MS tAM

Tel: 0989 098903 With a long list of foreign clientele, Ms Tam works from her home not too far outside of central Hanoi. She will pay a visit to where you live to take measurements and then bring the final clothes back a few days later. She also carries a book of fabric swatches for those who truly want to skip the shopping experience.

PHuong linH tAilor

99 Son Tay, Ba Dinh Tel: 0904 083674 Exceptional quality at very reasonable prices, Phuong Linh may not speak English but her and her team make every effort to understand the task at hand. From copying your favourite garments to creating something new or from a magazine, Phuong and her girls succeed in getting it right time and time again.

tHAnH HA

114 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Located in the heart of the old quarter, this tailor caters mostly to tourists, but a large collection of Vogue pattern books makes communication very easy.

oPticiAnS & glASSeS SunglASSeS Street

Luong Van Can, Hoan Kiem If it’s all in a name, well here its all in a number — two of them in fact, 51 & 58. Not exactly conventional opticians — the rows of shops here do sell frames with lenses and have basic eye-testing services — but if its sunglasses with brand names super-glued on top, here is the place.

toliA

tHu HA KinH tHuoc

Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Also known as the “Russian shop”, Tolia retails overstock outdoor wear made for export. Brands include Jack Wolfskin, The North Face and Patagonia.

Zone golF

Hanoi Towers, 49 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3936 3233 This centrally-located shop carries all the equipment and gear you need for a day at the course.

tAilorS cAo MinH tAilorS

250 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3939 3594 www.caominh.com Located near Cua Nam street at the western-most end of Hang Bong, this established tailor with over 50 years of experience specialises in quality materials

lIstINgs BAKerieS 087 crAFtS 087 Furniture 087 grocerieS 089 KitcHen ProDuctS 089

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings liquor & Wine 089 MArKetS 090 PetS 090 coluMn BooK BuFF 088

ngoc SHoP

Trang Tien Plaza, 24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem; Vincom Towers, 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung www.nike.com With multiple locations open, and more to come, Nike retails high-end sports clothing and accessories, including yoga mats and water bottles.

niKe

HoMe

home

134 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3943 4570 Free eye testing in this well-known, German-trained opticians that also doubles up as a medical clinic and pharmacy specialising in eye problems. Sells a range of branded and no n-branded spectacles and sunglasses. Located opposite the National Hospital of Ophthalmology.

VietnaMoptiCal

48 Hai Ba Trung, Hai Ba Trung & 231 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan Tel: 3736 5505 www.kinhmatvietnam.com.vn Chain of opticians, glasses and sunglasses stores selling a range of branded and Chinese-imported frames starting at VND100,000 a go and rising to over VND2 million. The in-store optometrist gives free eye tests. Helpful, English-speaking staff.

BAKerieS DonKey BAKery

tion, which helps disabled and underprivileged children in Hanoi and northern provinces.

8 Nguyen Hoang Ton, Tay Ho www.donkey-donuts.com Founded as a donut shop, it now also offers a wide range of German-inspired breads for those who favour nutrition over sugar. A loaf of rye bread rings in at VND40,000. Donuts, breads, cookies and sandwiches can be ordered online and delivered to your home or office. The bakery employs mostly disabled persons and is dedicated to providing them with high-quality training and care.

MArie linH HoMe Decor

KinH Do

58 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem; 9 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 0473063682 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.

252 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem One of the oldest and most wellestablished bakeries in the city, maybe best known as Catherine Deneuve’s former haunt, Kinh Do has been around much longer than any expat. But their breads, pastries and quiches keep foreigners and Vietnamese coming back. Extensive Western and Vietnamese menu as well.

38 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 0436 www.marie-linh-design.com This newly-opened shop sells specially designed decorative objects in traditional Vietnamese lacquer and pottery in unique styles. It also retails small accessories that are easy to pack in your suitcase. Items are sold in the shop and online.

MeKong quiltS

Furniture

le croiSSAnt

21 Ha Hoi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3943 6707 www.hoasuaschool.com A well established and well respected Hanoi institution. Le Croissant not only makes excellent baked goods of all kinds, but is also part of the NGO Hoa Sua, a school for disadvantaged children that teaches them life changing skills.

PAriS Deli

6 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 6697 With two locations, one by the Opera House and the other by St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the Paris Deli makes a good job of their breads, tarts and pastries. Both are sit-down restaurants, but are happy to sell you their baked goods over the counter, to go.

tHu Huong BAKery

35C Phan Dinh Phung, Ba Dinh Tel: 3734 3868 A small but popular Vietnamese-style bakery selling all types of sweets and cakes, luxuriously decorated. They also sell baguettes and sliced breads. They also deliver.

crAFtS crAFtlinK

43 Van Mieu, Dong Da Tel: 3843 7710 www.craftlink.com.vn This non-profit organisation helps traditional artisans seek new markets. for sale in the retail space include handmade textiles from the northern provinces.

inDigenouS

36 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0977 799911 A crafts and home furnishings shop stocked by the Hold The Future organisa-

BAMBoo Furniture corner

Cnr. Quang Trung & Tran Nhan Trong, Hai Ba Trung This cluster of furniture shops offer lowpriced bamboo products from baskets and desks to drawers.

BelliZeno

130D Thuy Khue, Ba Dinh Tel: 3825 1343 The factory location of the Bellizeno bedding company includes a retail space for their high thread count sheets and bedding.

cArPet Street

There are a number of made-to-order carpet and rug stores along Kim Ma from roughly number 239 to 299.

cHi VAng

63 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 0601 Located near the lake, this store offers a wide range of embroidered bedding and tablecloths. Items can be purchased in the store or hand-embroidered to order.

cotyleDon

1A Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 7887 This shop stocks high-end duvet and cushion covers, quilts and tableware like runners and placemats.

DArling HAnoi

Tel: 01282 273717 info@darlinghanoi.com www.darlinghanoi.com Photowalls and Wallpaper of the highest quality. Create a photowall from your own image or choose an image from their large online catalogue. Inspiring and unique wall décor for private homes, offices and reception areas, hotel rooms and foyers, restaurants and bars. PVC-free,

August 2012 Word | 87

home

book

buff

home

BooKS oF tHe MontH

UV-resistant and moisture-resistant, all the paper is made in Sweden and shipped free within Hanoi.

showroom showcases floor to ceiling windows, which allows for a bright open design centre.

DoMe

MoSAique Boutique

10 Yen The, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3843 6036 www.dome.com.vn Internationally run furniture store with three large outlets in Hanoi. They offer ‘affordable luxury’ goods such as pillows, bed linens and other home wears, in addition to making custom furniture.

euroPeAn iKeA SHoP

35 Ngo Thanh Mie, Dong Da This tiny shop carries a small collection of IKEA brand furniture, but can order more from the catalogue.

grAnD BoiS

Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem This high-end wooden furniture store located on the first floor of Hanoi Towers has offered best-selling designs for a decade. The classic pieces are mostly constructed out of dark wood and are complemented with cream-coloured linen lampshades and cushions.

Bookworm’s truong provides us with this month’s recommended reads SoMe cHArActerS in contemporary fiction become imprinted on your mind. As i tossed and turned one hot night, before i gave in and turned on the air conditioner, i counted sheep by listing some. Jack and Ma are two standouts in emma Donahoghue’s bestseller, Room. the story probably had its genesis in the real life experience of elizabeth Fritzl. imprisoned by her father Josef for 24 years, she was abused and repeatedly raped, bearing him seven children. Ma has been held captive for seven years in a 3sqm shed and now at age 25 has a five-year-old child, Jack, whose voice is used to tell their story. the first half deals with the incarceration and Ma’s efforts to provide for Jack and keep themselves sane in the face of intense boredom and continued abuse, during which Ma makes Jack hide in the wardrobe and wait until ‘old nick’ nicks off. At its most powerful it is a praise of motherhood and a mother’s love, and at another level it points out the power that storytelling and the use of language has in bringing up children.

DAy AnD nigHt the second half of the novel moves to the ‘outside’ and to the dramas that revolve around release and

88 | Word August 2012

rehabilitation. Jack’s voice in the telling of the story is diluted by the voices of all the others in Ma’s previous life. it was short listed for the Man Booker Prize. take another boy at 13 and call him elie. Meet him first in rural Hungary in 1941, a child to a happy Jewish family. the father believes that the nazi occupiers will leave them in peace and refuses to buy the passes that will see them safely off to Palestine. elie is elie Wiesel, winner of the nobel Peace Prize, who recounts the time when his world turned into Night. Hungarian Jews were rounded up and shipped to Auschwitz and then to Buchenwald. only elie, of all his relatives, came out alive. it’s a slim 110-page biography and is an understated testament about man’s deliberate inhumanity towards other man. the forced march through a frozen countryside to Buchenwald in 1945 is truly dreadful. the tale draws to a close with American tanks liberating starving inmates from a camp deserted by fleeing SS. this is a new translation and is, as Weisel states, “For the youth of today, for the children who will be born tomorrow, so that my past does not become their future.” i don’t mean to harp on about

atrocities committed during World War two, but my next favourite characters are young lev and Kolya from David Benioff’s novel, City of Thieves, which is set in leningrad during the three-year siege when over half a million residents died of starvation and bombardment. Again it’s 1941 and lev has been arrested for looting food from a dead german and sentenced to execution — looting is a serious crime, even though everyone can barely survive. lev’s life is saved when he and a literature loving, womanising army deserter are offered survival if they can find a dozen eggs for a colonel's daughter's wedding cake. to save their skins the two boys set off on a tragi-comic search through the german occupied surrounding countryside. the author doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to cannibalism, torture, sadism and nazi bloody-mindedness, and less when it comes to dirty jokes leavened by poetry and Kolya’s opinion of natasha from tolstoy’s War and Peace. Bookworm is located at 44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh. A second Bookworm has just opened in Nghi Tam Village. See our news section, Just In, for details

HAnoi MoMent

101 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 7170 This shop makes sifting through lacquer kitchenware and accessories easy. While its stock may not differ from the stores next door, the display is less overwhelming.

lA cASA

Syrena Tower, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 4084 2C Ngo Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 9616 www.lacasavietnam.com.vn A shop whose speciality is designing furniture and other household objects, this spot has everything from beds and bookshelves, to tableware and silverware. The items are all locally made by skilled artisans from Hanoi and the surrounding regions.

MAi long

71 Tran Xuan Soan, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3822 5393 This shop sells material for curtains and window blinds. They make house calls to measure and install.

MAroon

156 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 7264 Nestled in the heart of the old quarter, Maroon sells accent pieces to brighten up any household: lacquer picture frames, lamps, and silk bedding.

MetiSeKo

MoDule 7

83 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 7247 www.module7design.com Open since 2002, this interior design firm and home store creates modern and simple collections. They use local materials and traditional craftsmanship for a cool mix of contemporary Vietnamese living spaces. Their

22 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 6181 www.mosaiquedecoration.com Hard to miss, this bright green boutique blends Vietnamese traditionalism with modern flair. The result is a shop selling intricate lamps, lacquers and fun home wears. Handmade jewellery and crafts are also scattered around the store.

l’S PlAce

3 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho; 34 A Phan Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem Cramped and crammed to the bursting point with imported food products, making your way around the maze that is L’s Place can often be a tight affair, but it’s worth it. The canned and packaged goods together with fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products and more can provide the dietary solution for anyone craving for a change from pho ga or bun cha.

Punto itAliA

CT 6 My Dinh, Tu Liem; 147 Doi Can, Ba Dinh; 210 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3972 7412 www.uma.vn Designers and retailers within the interior industry, each branch sells trendy furniture for modern living as well as interior design for all types Vietnamese houses.

62 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 6258 3510 www.puntoitalia.asia Punto Italia is an authentic Italian supplier importing the finest espresso coffee as well as Italian coffee machines for professional, home and office use. Real Italian granita, ice-cream and much more is now available in Vietnam with the support of a professional and friendly service.

VAn loi

rocK cAnDy

uMA

87 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 6758 www.vanloi.com This store is an impressive mix of fusionwestern furniture and home accessories. All furniture is hand crafted by artisans meaning top-end quality, but with price tags to match.

VelVet unDergrounD

Tel: 3716 0400 www.velvetunderground.biz This shop offers a range of ready made items, from bedding to hot water bottle covers as well as the option of designing your own item from a choice of fabrics. The friendly and helpful English-speaking staff make shopping a pleasure instead of a chore.

grocerieS Au Delice

3 The Giao, Ha Ba Trung Tel: 3972 0584 www.au-delice-online.com A European style deli and grocery store with all sorts of imported products for your dinner parties or a homesick night in. Their claim is to have the best selection of cheeses in Hanoi.

BetterDAy

100 A Xuan Dieu Tel: 4258 3511 www.betterday.com.vn Hanoi’s speciality organic shop has a small stock of locally grown products including coffee, tea, cashews, a range of spices and beauty products produced in Sapa. Better Day Organics products are also available at the following stores: L’s Place, Oasis and Donkey Donuts

clASSic Fine FooDS

19/298 Ngoc Lam, Gia Lam Tel: 3873 6079 www.classicfinefoods.com The place to go for imported foods such as foie gras, high-quality meats, pastas and dairy products. Although they specialise in the wholesale market, they occasionally do retail sales.

Hung long MiniMArt

71B Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 6220 This little store around Westlake has the feeling of one of those small ethnic markets you find in London or New York, but the ethnicity is Western. Reasonably priced canned foods, potato chips, cookies and other snacks that may be difficult to find elsewhere in the city.

28 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6492 9597 Rockcandy.com.vn If you have a sweet tooth this store was made for you. Near the corner of Ly Quoc Su, Rock Candy specializes in the obvious, traditional rock candy. You can sample before you buy, and Rock Candy is available for weddings, private and corporate functions.

Veggie’S

99 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 4719 4630 International grocer at the end of Xuan Dieu, Veggie’s remains one of the best suppliers of western foods in the city. Stock includes organic granola bars, frozen corn dogs and shelves full of cereal. When searching for baking supplies, this store is your best bet. Also, due to having their own farm in Dalat, sell some of the best locally grown non-standard vegetables in town.

Vine cellAr Door

7 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 2922 With a huge wine cellar, a tasting bar, a new array of gourmet foods and a deli case with imported meats, cheeses and olives, Vine Cellar Door Wine & Gourmet Market is a good spot to find the perfect bottle and the foods that go well with it. Also offers glassware, wine & cigar accessories, espresso, gourmet tea and a small café menu from the kitchen of Vine Restaurant.

tHe oASiS

24 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 1196 A great place to get all kinds of imported groceries and home-made foods. All of the breads and pastas are made in the in-house kitchen. A great variety of fresh sauces, a limited, but well-chosen selection of wines and a fantastic deli and cheese case. Free delivery.

yuKi’S

54 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6192 New on the scene, this grocer on Xuan Dieu has a large selection of fruits and seafood downstairs. Upstairs is reserved for a grocery store carrying western goods.

KitcHen ProDuctS KitcHen Art

38/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 6680 2770 www.kitchenart.vn Kitchen Art is a little haven for all foodies,

cooks and bakers to grow their love and passion for cooking and baking. Come to Kitchen Art Store to buy restaurant-grade tools and ingredients to cook like a chef, take part in regular demonstrations and workshops at the Studio, or simply read and relax at the cookbook cafe corner while enjoying the peaceful West Lake view.

Punto itAliA

62 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 6258 3510 info@puntoitalia.asia www.puntoitalia.asia Trendy, reliable and stylish coffee machines for the workplace or home, specialising in authentic Italian coffee. Also sells their own brand coffee in capsules, ready ground or as the original roasted mix of beans.

liquor & Wine BAccHuS corner

1C Tong Dan, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3935 1393 Part of the Tan Khoa chain, the largest liquor and wine distributor in the country, the walls here are lined with a decent selection of wines, pleasantly arrayed and back lit. Besides their selection of new and old world wines Helpful staff and free delivery.

DA loc

96 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem; 94 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 1325 This wine importer and distributor has over 250 different types of wine in its portfolio and is doing its part to bring a culture of fine wine to Hanoi. The main office and showroom is on Hai Ba Trung and an upscale outlet is located within the grounds of the Mercure Hanoi hotel on Ly Thoung Kiet.

HAnoi gourMet

1B Ham Long, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3943 1009 Not just a wine shop, the long-running Hanoi Gourmet specialises in imported cheeses, meats and artisan breads. After browsing the mainly French selection of wines, you can take a look at the deli and sit down for a light snack.

PAne e Vino Wine SHoP

3 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 9080 This Italian favourite with a huge food menu also has a huge for-retail wine list that is 100 percent focused on fine wines and liquors from Italy. Owner Hoang has great knowledge of Italian wine and a passion to match, which is sure to land you with the best wine for any occasion.

reD APron

18 Yen The Tel: 3747 4889 15a Ngo Van So Tel: 3943 7226 28 Xuan Dieu Tel: 3719 8337 #6, Lane 1, Au Co Tel: 3718 6271 Hanoi Club, 76 Yen Phu Tel: 3823 8749 The retail face of wine distributor Celliers d’Asia, this small wine shop is in the French Quarter, adjacent to the Metropole. The focus here is on quality and the portfolio ranges from French to Chilean to the barrage of wines coming from Down Under. Delivery service available.

electronicS cAMerAS A Dong PHoto co 128 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 0732 This camera shop retails a wide range of cameras, including both analogue and DSLR models, as well as film and accessories like flashes and lenses. AlPHA lAPtoP 95D Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3747 4418 This laptop retail and repair shop also carries camera accessories and cases. Fuong MAy AnH 5 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3213 1568 This small store has a wide selection of Viet Nam-produced Pentax cameras. Also has a selection of imported lenses. nguyen cAu 1 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem This camera shop overlooking the lake develops both digital and film prints. Services include photo mounting and passport photos. coMPuterS AnD electronicS DK coMPuter 29 Ngoc Kha, Ba Dinh Tel: 3772 4772 This large electronics retailer deals in computers, printers, as well as external storage devices. Hi-tecH uSA 23 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 6261 A small, but good all-around electronics store, selling all kinds of electronics. Speakers, I-Pods, headphones, cables and phone accessories. Many name-brands. Pico PlAZA 35 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem This is a super-sized electronics shop with each floor devoted to a specific kind of electronics. You’ll be able to find pretty much anything you’re looking for here, from a phone to a computer to a washing machine. ProFeSSionAl coMPuter cAre AnD it SerViceS 28B Dien Bien Phu, Ba Dinh Tel: 0983 011081 This service company can help with a just about any computerrelated task. Computer repairs, set up, Wi-Fi, design, networking and development. On-site and off-site service, and free quotes. VietSAD 34B Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3747 8771 Located on bustling “computer street”, this shop offers a range of computer accessories including keyboards and USB drives. They also do computer and laptop repair.

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medical tHe WAreHouSe

59 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0439 287666 www.warehouse-asia.com The Warehouse is Vietnam's ultimate premium wine importer, distributor, and retailer, representing many of the greatest wines from the best wine-growing regions on the planet. The portfolio mixes the best of both old and new world wines.

Vine cellAr Door

MArKetS cHo HoM

Corner of Pho Hue and Tran Xuan Soan, Hai Ba Trung One of the best places in the city to buy fabrics. Found a tailor, want to make clothes? Here you’ll find everything you need, stuff imported and domestic, silk, cotton, linen. Also any sewing materials you might need can be found here.

cHo SinH Vien

Xuan Thuy and Pham Hung, Cau Giay The Student Market, across from Hanoi National University, caters to students. Mostly durable goods, clothing and accessories here. As far as style and size of clothes, selection is a bit limited, but if you take your time you may find something worth the trouble. The market, as well as the food stalls surrounding it, are open quite late. Prices are also tailored for the student budget.

Dong xuAn

Dong Xuan, Hoan Kiem The biggest market of it’s kind in Hanoi, Dong Xuan is filled with pretty much any durable good you can think of: from jeans to jewelry, from leaf tea to livestock. The indoor market spills out onto the streets, which can also serve a good place to get a meal pretty much any time.

FloweR MaRket

Au Co, East Side of Street The name can be a little deceptive, since it’s more of a distribution point, where flowers come in to vendors all over the city. Of course you can buy directly from sellers here at a good price, provided you’re up late enoug`h. The other reason to come is for the pho stands. The market begins late at night and continues well past dawn.

PetS city Zoo

114A Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 6660 7749 www.cityzoo.vn Hanoi pet lovers take notice. A real pet store selling all your pet needs exists. City Zoo caters to dogs, cats, birds and fish. Dog beds line the walls at this small shop which also offers a range of imported pet food, accessories like collars and pet toys. You can even pick up a hamster while you’re here. Delivery is available on pet food.

90 | Word August 2012

MeDicAl lIstINgs AlternAtiVe MeDicine 090 coSMeticS 090 counSelling 090 coSMetic Surgery 090 DentAl 090

AlternAtiVe MeDicine Dr. trAn Huong

80 Ngo Nui Truc, Ba Dinh, Tel: 0913 540907 www.drhuong.tk Dr. Tran Huong is well-known in Hanoi thanks to his long experience as both a practitioner of traditional Chinese and Western medicine. The clinic treats severe and chronic pain with a variety of drugfree methods, including acupuncture, acupressure, cupping and moxibustion.

yAKuSHi center

Lane 28, No 6, Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 1971 The centre offers such services as acupuncture, massage and traditional Chinese medicine. One of their specialties is the hot rock massage. Run by Dr. Thuy, a qualified practitioner, the Yakushi Center has a clean and relaxing environment and takes a holistic approach to health, designed to take care of both body and mind.

coSMeticS PArKSon

Cnr. Thai Ha & Tay Son, Dong Da One of the newer malls in the city, Malaysian-owned Parkson offers international name brand cosmetics. For those days when you feel like treating yourself, do your shopping in a real mall atmosphere.

trAng tien PlAZA

24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Stop here for everything from moisturizer to lipstick before heading upstairs to continue the shopping trip. Keep in mind, imported cosmetics don’t come cheap.

counSelling internAtionAl SoS VietnAM, ltD. 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3934 0666 www.internationalsos.com In addition to emergency healthcare, the clinic also offers consultations by in-house specialists, full counselling and psychotherapy services. Call to make an appointment.

FAMily MeDicAl PrActice

Van Phuc Compound, 298 I Kim Ma Road, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3843 0748 (24 hours) www.vietnammedicalpractice.com Family Medical Practice provides psychotherapy and nutrition counselling services by in-house specialists. For more information or to book an appointment, please call the clinic.

coSMetic Surgery neW liFe clinic

6 Nguyen Thi Thap, Khu do thi moi Trung Hoa, Nhan Chinh, Tel: 6261 6166 www.newlifevietnam.comA small clinic that offers cosmetic dental work, skin treatments and minor cosmetic surgery. The on site doctor, Ms. Ha, was trained at the University of Southern California.

DentAl AuStrAliAn DentAl clinic

3 Nguyen Du, Dong Da. Tel: 3944 5216 www.nhahoaucchau.com A clinic with modern facilities and interna-

FrencH HoSPitAl visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

MeDicAl 090 PHArMAcieS 090 SuPPleMentS 090 VetS 090

tionally trained dentists. The prices here are more than competitive than the other international dental clinics in town.

Hong ngoc HoSPitAl

95 Nguyen Truong To, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3716 3972 The dental practice is located on the first floor of this well-organised health clinic. The waiting time is short and the doctors competent.

one DentAl

1 Phuong Mai, Dong Da. Tel: 3577 1100 This was the first international hospital created in Hanoi, and still viewed by some as the gold standard for medical treatment. Offers everything from standard medical and preventative care to surgical procedures. Full-service hospital that has both doctors and staff that speak good French and English.

internAtionAl SoS 24-Hour clinic 1 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho. Tel: 3934 0666 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.

PHArMAcieS 24T 1 Hoang Dao Thuy, Cau Giay. Tel: 6251 2835 A clinic with a very large pharmacy that can fill pretty much any prescription you get in Hanoi. They also offer minor medical consultations.

nHA tHuA VinH PHuc

PeAce DentAl clinic

Tel: 3759 2515. www.amevita.com.vn Sells high quality vitamins and supplements imported from the USA including multivitamins, probiotics, joint care, herbals, fitness and anti-aging products. Free delivery in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Available online and at select retailers.

internAtionAl SoS

1 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho, Tel: 3934 0666 24-hour emergency service with pricey, but international quality emergency and routine dental services. This is the place to go when your wisdom tooth needs pulling in the middle of the night, or you fall down and break a tooth. Competent doctors and fast service.

WeStcoASt internAtionAl DentAl clinic

2nd Fl, Syrena Center, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho District, Hanoi Tel: 3710 0555, www.westcoastinternational The Westcoast International Dental Clinic is composed of dental professionals who share a vision to deliver modern, highlevel dental services throughout Vietnam. From the waiting room to the chair, the clinic is designed to provide the highest quality technology, comfort and afterservice care to patients.

MeDicAl FAMily MeDicAl PrActice

298 I Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3843 0748 www.vietnammedicalpractice.com 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.

FMP PeDiAtric unit

Van Phuc Compound, 298 D Kim Ma Road, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3726 5222 fmpkidshanoi@vietnammedicalpractice.com At the new Pediatric Unit of the Family Medical Practice Hanoi, services include routine newborn and well-child check-ups, updated immunizations and vaccinations, out-patient treatment and follow-up. FMP’s pediatric specialists provide professional consultancy for every milestone in your child’s life, from infancy to adolescence.

xu hướng mới của chó / khách sạn thú nuôi

H clinic

No 8, Lane 27, Xuan Dieu,Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 6168 Providing quality dentistry in a calm, relaxing environment where patients can enjoy the dental experience. Has an attentive and experienced mixed foreign and Vietnamese dental team who are there at all times to assist with any questions or concerns. 51a Nguyen Khac Hieu, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3715 2286 www.peaceclinic.biz Established in 2001, it is run by an American dentist named Frederick. The clinic has a number of dentists trained in such places as Japan, Denmark and the Czech Republic – so the doctors are also fluent in many languages.

tiêng Viêt

625 Hoang Hoa Tham, Ba Dinh While it appears to be your basic street pharmacy, this small shop front stocks some hard-to-find medicine.

SuPPleMentS AMeVitA SuPPleMentS

ultiMAte nutrition

Hotline: 0917 295091. www.allsportvietnam.com Protein supplements, high quality vitamins, testosterone, muscle gain and fat loss supplements for those looking for professional sports nutrition to help their exercise or training regime. Call the hotline for free delivery to your home or office.

VetS AniMAl cAre

16 ngo 424 Thuy Khue, Tay Ho Tel: 2246 1946 / 0978 776099 www.phongkhamthuy.com Locally-run clinic specialising in treating cats and dogs as well as providing a range of pet-care accessories, from animal food to clothing, toys and much more.

ASiAn VeterinAry & liVeStocK SerViceS (ASVeliS)

98 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho. Tel: 3178 2779 www.asvelis.com English, French and Vietnamese-speaking veterinarian providing a range of medical services as well as grooming, boarding and certification for pet import and export. Also sells a range of pets toys as well as other products.

Dr. BAo, MoBile VeterinAriAn

Tel: 0903 223217, vetdoctorvn@yahoo.com On-call, English-speaking veterinarian who does the rounds in Hanoi. Well-respected, knowledgeable and, according to the feedback, very funny.

internAtionAl lABorAtory & VeterinAry SerViceS

31 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho District. Tel: 3719 9994 www.vetsinvietnam.com A Vietnamese-owned small-animal veterinary clinic with English-speaking vets. Offers a range of healthcare and laboratory services as well as a selection of products for all animal needs. Products can be ordered online via their website.

CuộC đờI CủA Chó Cưng Những nhà hàng thịt cày có lẽ vẫn đang mọc lên ngày một nhiều, cũng như những trò chộp bắt chó trên đường phố, theo kiểu vật thể lạ ngoài hành tinh. Nhưng mối quan hệ giữa con người với người bạn thân thiết nhất của họ đang thay đổi. Trong những trang tiếp theo, chúng ta sẽ được dẫn dắt vào thế giới của khách sạn chó mèo, cũi và những cửa hàng thời trang cho chó để cùng khám phá muôn hình vạn trạng những đối tượng đã thực sự trở thành người bạn thân thiết của người Việt. August 2012 Word | 91

Xu hướng mới Của Chó Mặc cho thế giới đang triền miên trong khủng hoảng, những cửa hàng thời trang mới nhất cùng với những dịch vụ làm đẹp cho chó tiếp tục trở thành một ngành kinh doanh tốt. Vậy câu hỏi là Việt Nam đã trở nên như vậy từ bao giờ Ảnh bởi Francis roux

nhûäng nùm tûâ 1954 túái 1984, viïåc giûä choá trong nhaâ àûúåc coi laâ phaåm phaáp vò tònh traång ngheâo àoái lan röång. Giúâ àêy, khi Viïåt Nam trúã nïn giaâu coá hún, viïåc súã hûäu choá trúã nïn phöí biïën hún. Baån khöng coân nuöi choá chó àïí tröng nom taâi saãn cho mònh hay nuöi meâo chó àïí xua àuöíi luä chuöåt nûäa. Rêët nhiïìu ngûúâi hiïån nay nuöi choá, meâo chó vò hoå thûåc sûå thñch chùm soác nhûäng con vêåt naây. Nhiïìu ngûúâi chuã coi choá meâo nhû nhûäng thaânh viïn thên thiïët trong gia àònh vaâ àöëi xûã vúái chuáng vúái tinh thêìn nhû vêåy. Thêåm chñ taåi Haâ Nöåi coân coá möåt khaách saån àùåc biïåt daânh cho choá meâo núi phuåc vuå caã dich vuå an taáng àïí xoa dõu nöîi àau mêët maát cho nhûäng ngûúâi chuã cuãa chuáng. Trong khi nhûäng salon choá sang troång chûa trúã nïn phöí biïën lùæm, baån vêîn tòm thêëy möåt vaâi núi úã Haâ Nöåi àïí mua nhûäng böå quêìn aáo cho chuáng, nïëu baån muöën. Nhiïìu tiïåm choá meâo vaâ nhûäng cûãa haâng thúâi trang coá khaá nhiïìu nhûäng trang phuåc cho baån lûåa choån. Mùåc duâ trang phuåc coá muåc àñch laâ àïí giûä êëm trong muâa àöng, chuáng khöng coá giúái haån vïì kiïíu daáng. ÚÃ möåt thaânh phöë núi caác cûãa haâng luön traân ngêåp nhûäng khêíu hiïåu dïî thûúng vaâ haâi hûúác thò coá àiïìu gò laåi khöng thïí xaãy ra nhó? Daåo quanh möåt voâng, chuáng töi tòm thêëy naâo laâ nhûäng böå trang phuåc cho öng giaâ Nö-en, nhûäng chiïëc têët nhoã xñu (möåt böå böën chiïëc), nhûäng chiïëc aáo len keã dêu têy hay chanh, kñnh rêm cho choá, nhûäng chiïëc aáo loáng laánh pha lï, nhûäng chiïëc vaáy len vaâ aáo muä keã ö vuöng. Têët caã àïí noái lïn rùçng, àêy khöng phaãi laâ möåt thõ trûúâng nhoã beá – ngay caã Big C cuäng coá nhûäng böå quêìn aáo àa daång daânh cho choá meâo.

săn mồi

ùm ngoaái cûãa haâng thúâi trang cho choá Betty vaâ Butch múái múã úã thaânh phöë Manchester úã Anh núi töi sinh ra. Möåt sûå pha tröån giûäa thûúng hiïåu coá tiïëng vúái nhûäng chiïëc àeân chuâm lêëp laánh, taåi àêy baán caã dêìu göåi àêìu hûäu cú, cung cêëp chûäa bïånh kiïíu Reiki vaâ trang trñ vûúng miïån trùæng cho nhûäng chuá choá. Mùåc cho sûå xuöëng döëc cuãa nïìn kinh tïë vaâ nhiïìu dõch vuå phaãi àoáng cûãa khùæp núi, Betty vaâ Butch vêîn chûáng toã thïë àûáng cuãa hoå trïn thõ trûúâng. Coá leä àiïìu naây cuäng khöng àaáng ngaåc nhiïn lùæm. Xu thïë thúâi trang hay laâm toác cho choá àaä trúã thaânh möåt traâo lûu röång khùæp toaân cêìu. ÚÃ Nhêåt, nhûäng ngûúâi coá choá thûúâng

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têån duång töëi àa caác dich vuå laâm àeåp cho choá, bao göìm sún moáng chên cho choá theo mêìu húåp vúái chuã cuãa chuáng. ÚÃ New York haâng nùm möåt khoaãn tiïìn khöng nhoã àûúåc daânh cho buöíi biïíu diïîn hai ngaây cho choá úã cêu laåc böå danh giaá Westminster Kennel Club. Dêîu sao nhûäng chuá choá thùæng cuöåc cuäng cêìn phaãi àûúåc trang àiïím, maát-xa vaâ trõ liïåu laâm àeåp vaâ tû vêën vïì têm lyá àïí xoa dõu nhûäng cùng thùèng trûúác buöíi biïíu diïîn. ÚÃ Thaái Lan, nhûäng ngûúâi trang àiïím cho choá coá thïí hoåc thïm taåi trung têm Starwood. Nhûäng kyä nùng àûúåc daåy bao göìm taåo kiïíu cho choá àïí phuâ húåp vúái trang phuåc vaâ kyâ quùåc hún àoá laâ nghïå thuêåt biïën choá thaânh nhûäng giöëng tröng

khöng coân laâ choá nûäa. Möåt vaâi chuãng loaåi hêëp dêîn bao göìm gêëu panda, veåt hay daáng veã rêët saáng taåo khi möåt nûãa sau cuãa choá tröng giöëng ngûåa hún. Mùåc duâ Viïåt Nam coân ài sau möåt chuát trong traâo lûu naây (vò phêìn coân laåi cuãa thïë giúái coá tiïu chuêín khaá cao), coá nhûäng bùçng chûáng cho thêëy nhûäng phong traâo naây àang bùæt àêìu xuêët hiïån ngaây möåt nhiïìu úã àêy.

lụi Bại và giờ đây lại Bùng nổ

Möëi quan hïå cuãa Viïåt Nam vúái choá trong quaá khûá khaá thûåc tïë. Choá àûúåc nuöi àïí tröng nhaâ, laâm viïåc, àêëy laâ khöng kïí àöi khi coân trúã thaânh moán ùn töëi cho con ngûúâi. Giûäa quaäng thúâi gian phûác taåp

Nhûäng buöíi töëi úã Haâ Nöåi, xung quanh nhûäng höì nûúác úã thuã àö, nhûäng chuá choá, àuã thïí loaåi, hònh daáng àûúåc chuã cho ài daåo böå. Hoùåc ài daåo bùçng xe maáy. Nhûäng chuá choá thûúâng giûä thùng bùçng trïn xe rêët töët trong khi chuã cuãa noá àang rñt ga ài trïn àûúâng phöë. Giöëng nhû nhûäng núi khaác trïn thïë giúái, úã àêy ngûúâi ta cuäng coá xu hûúáng choån caác chuá choá tröng giöëng mònh, hoùåc ñt nhêët coá cuâng kiïíu caách nhû mònh. Nhû laâ nhûäng chuá Chihuahuas treã trung hay nhûäng chuá Maltese trùæng dïî thûúng, phuâ húåp cho nhûäng cö chuã treã tuöíi. Hoùåc nhûäng chaâng trai to lúán thò súã hûäu nhûäng chuá choá to, xuâ xò vúái nhûäng chiïëc chiïëc dêy chuyïìn to bùçng vaâng hay nhûäng hònh xùm tröí nhû nhûäng vêån àöång viïn xe àaåp. Giöëng choá baån choån cuäng noái lïn nhiïìu vïì sûå giaâu coá cuãa baån vaâ nhûäng chuá choá mang thûúng hiïåu cuäng àang trúã nïn phöí biïën. Loaåi choá cûâu Àûác trûúãng

thaânh coá giaá lïn túái haâng chuåc lêìn cao hún lûúng thaáng bònh quên àêìu ngûúâi laâ loaåi choá nûúác ngoaâi phöí biïën nhêët. Cuäng coá thöëng kï möåt söë ngûúâi Viïåt laâ chuã súã hûäu cuãa giöëng choá lúán Tibet, giöëng choá àùæt nhêët thïë giúái. Trong khi nhûäng giöëng choá nûúác ngoaâi àang ngaây caâng àûúåc ûa chuöång, nhûäng buöíi biïíu diïîn cuãa choá taåi Viïåt Nam bùæt àêìu trúã thaânh möåt phêìn cuãa chiïën dich toaân cêìu mong cöng nhêån giöëng choá àùåc biïåt taåi Phuá Quöëc. Hiïåp höåi Choá Meâo Viïåt Nam (VKA) àûúåc thaânh lêåp nùm 2008 cuäng vò lñ do naây vaâ àaä töí chûác buöíi biïíu diïîn choá chñnh thûác àêìu tiïn cho Viïåt Nam vaâo cuöëi nùm àoá. Túái nùm 2011, hoå àaä daânh àûúåc thaânh cöng. Möåt chuá choá Phuá Quöëc àaä àûúåc cöng nhêån laâ möåt giöëng chñnh thûác vaâ àûúåc chêëp nhêån úã Cuöåc Thi Choá Thïë Giúái töí chûác taåi Paris nùm 2011. Cuäng nùm àoá, buöíi biïíu diïîn choá Viïåt Nam, töí chûác búãi VKA múã ra vaâ cho pheáp nhûäng giöëng choá quöëc tïë àïìu àûúåc dûå thi. Hún 300 chuá choá àaä tham gia cuöåc thi àûúåc töí chûác taåi TP HCM naây. Chuá choá chiïën thùæng laâ Pomeranian (möåt loaåi choá nhoã nhû àöì chúi thûúâng àûúåc chaãi chuöët àïí trong nhû möåt traái boáng mõn maâng coá mùæt vaâ rùng) vúái öng chuã ngûúâi Viïåt chuyïn nghiïåp. Cho àïën luác naây, xu hûúáng nhûäng chuá choá àûúåc trang àiïím cêìu kyâ, àùæt giaá àaä trúã nïn chêëp nhêån àûúåc àöëi vúái nhûäng gia àònh khaá giaã trong thaânh phöë. Nhûng cuâng vúái sûå giaâu coá àang gia tùng cuãa möåt böå phêån trong xaä höåi, chuáng ta haäy chúâ àïí xem thïm nhiïìu chuá choá àûúåc laâm toác xoùn ài daåo trong cöng viïn hay höì nûúác trong thaânh phöë.

Pet SHoPS

CIty ZOO 114A Xuan Diệu, Tây Hồ www.cityzoo.vn lAm’s PEt stORE 99 Hoàng Hoa Thám, Ba Đình www.petstore.vn

Khách sạn thú nuôi Khách sạn chó mèo nằm sâu trong một con ngõ nhỏ. Trong một khu vườn yên tĩnh có hồ đầy sen và những chiếc tượng màu trắng nằm sát cạnh một nghĩa trang chó mèo, trung tâm ở đây cung cấp các dịch vụ huấn luyện và nuôi động vật, và trợ giúp những người chủ của chúng. Còn có một cửa hàng bán hàng trăm thứ quần áo cho chó và các thứ đồ đi kèm khác nữa. rose Arnold trò chuyện với nguyễn Bảo sinh, người chủ ngoài 70 tuổi của khách sạn chó mèo này. Ảnh bởi Aaron Joel Santos. Trong suöët thúâi gian öng laâm cöng viïåc liïn quan túái caác chuá choá naây, thaái àöå taåi Viïåt Nam àöëi vúái caác loaâi vêåt nuöi coá thay àöíi nhû thïë naâo? Trong suöët nhûäng nùm chiïën tranh, kinh tïë Viïåt Nam rêët laâ töìi tïå. Moåi ngûúâi khöng coá àöì ùn, hoå khöng thïí àuã khaã nùng cho choá ùn. Ngûúâi giaâu coá thïí ùn thõt nhûng chó ñt vaâ chó möåt lêìn möåt thaáng. Chó coá caãnh saát àûúåc pheáp giûä choá. Nhûng töi thêåt sûå yïu quyá nhûäng chuá choá cuãa mònh. Nùm 1985 caác nhaâ cêìm quyïìn laåi cho pheáp ngûúâi Viïåt Nam giûä choá. Àêy laâ thúâi àiïím lõch sûã àaánh dêëu bûúác phaát triïín cuãa Viïåt Nam: moåi thûá àang thay àöíi, trúã nïn töët hún vaâ búát ngheâo àoái. Ngaây naây coá rêët nhiïìu ngûúâi nuöi choá meâo. Nïëu viïåc nuöi möåt con choá laâ khöng àûúåc pheáp, laâm sao öng coá thïí coá möåt hêìm nuöi choá trong suöët thúâi gian naây? Töi söëng taåi möåt núi xa xöi giûäa möåt núi khöng àêu vaâo àêu, giûäa hai tónh maâ chaã ai coá traách nhiïåm gò caã. Möîi lêìn ai àoá àïën thêåt, töi giêëu chuáng úã caái höì gêìn àoá. Noá àêìy hoa sen vaâ che chùæn rêët töët. Coá möåt trung têm huêën luyïån daânh cho choá caãnh saát ngoaâi Haâ Nöi. Möåt lêìn coá ngûúâi baão töi àïën mang möåt con choá khöng thïí àaâo taåo àûúåc ài. Luác àoá chó coá duy nhêët möåt con àûúâng túái Haâ Nöåi laâ ài qua cêìu Long Biïn. Töi caãi trang cho noá nhû möåt ngûúâi phuå nûä, vaâ mang noá vïì. Töi roå moäm noá laåi, mùåc quêìn aáo cuãa ngûúâi cho noá, àöåi chiïëc noán laá lïn àêìu noá vaâ buöåc chên noá laåi quanh thùæt lûng cuãa

94 | Word August 2012

mònh vaâ cho noá ngöìi úã ghïë sau xe àaåp cuãa töi. Taåi sao öng laåi quyïët àõnh múã möåt khaách saån cho choá meâo úã Haâ Nöåi? Ngûúâi ta nhúâ töi tröng giuáp choá meâo cho hoå. Hoå noái, “Chuá úi, chaáu coá möåt con choá, choá coá thïí tröng giuáp noá trong khi chaáu ài nghó àûúåc khöng aå?” Töi laâm theo caách maâ ngûúâi phûúng Têy laâm bùçng caách xem TV vaâ nghe tin tûác. Töi àïën thùm Thaái Lan vaâ ài túái nhûäng khaách saån choá meâo, thùm nhûäng núi coá hoaåt àöång kinh doanh tûúng tûå. Chöî naây chó chñnh thûác trúã thaânh khaách saån nùm 2006. Töi àaä phaát triïín cöng viïåc kinh doanh cuãa mònh bùæt àêìu tûâ nhû thïë àêëy. Trong tûúng lai, töi muöën tiïëp tuåc hiïån àaåi hoáa khaách saån naây vaâ böí sung thïm caác dõch vuå khaác. Töi seä têåp trung àaâo taåo nhên viïn nûäa. Khaách haâng cuãa öng laâ ai vaâ taåi sao hoå mang choá meâo cuãa hoå túái gûãi öng? Khaách haâng cuãa töi laâ nhûäng ngûúâi Viïåt giaâu coá hoùåc nhûäng ngûúâi nûúác ngoaâi sinh söëng úã àêy. Hoå thûúâng mang choá meâo túái gûãi khi hoå ài du lõch hay cöng taác, vò thïë àûúng nhiïn khaách haâng cuãa töi laâ nhûäng ngûúâi coá àuã àiïìu kiïån vïì kinh tïë àïí laâm nhû vêåy. Töi coá rêët nhiïìu khaách haâng quen. Thónh thoaãng coá nhûäng con choá phaãi söëng úã àêy möåt àïën hai nùm vò ngûúâi chuã cuãa noá phaãi ài laâm viïåc vaâ söëng úã nûúác ngoaâi nhûng hoå khöng thïí mang noá theo àûúåc. Coá möåt phuå nûä laâm viïåc úã Àaåi Sûá Quaán Nga àaä phaãi gûãi con

choá cuãa cö úã àêy túái böën nùm. Cö êëy cuäng coá nhiïìu dõp àïí vïì nûúác vaâ thûúâng àïën àoán chuá choá, nhûng nhòn chung cö êëy phaãi ài cöng taác rêët nhiïìu. Thúâi gian bêån röån nhêët cuãa chuáng töi laâ vaâo kyâ nghó heâ vaâ nghó Tïët. Khaách haâng cuãa öng coá nhûäng loaåi choá naâo vaâ nhûäng con choá úã àêy coá àoâi hoãi sûå chùm soác àùåc biïåt naâo khöng? Têët caã caác chuá choá úã àêy coá giöëng tûâ nûúác ngoaâi. Nhûäng loaåi choá maâ ngûúâi ta súã hûäu thay àöíi rêët nhiïìu. Súã thñch cuãa con ngûúâi, quan niïåm cuãa hoå vïì caái àeåp thay àöíi theo nhûäng dõch vuå maâ hoå àûúåc cung cêëp. Coá nhûäng thûá ngaây trûúác laâ àeåp thò nay khöng coân àeåp nûäa. Ngaây trûúác chuáng ta thñch úã nhaâ trïåt nhûng àoá laâ vò ta khöng coá vêåt liïåu naâo khaác. Cuäng tûúng tûå vúái choá, coá caâng nhiïìu giöëng choá, chuáng ta caâng coá nhiïìu sûå lûåa choån. Möåt söë ngûúâi coá yïu cêìu àùåc biïåt vïì khêíu phêìn ùn cho choá cuãa hoå, coá ngûúâi laåi àûa cho töi thûåc àún àïí töi ài vaâ mua àöì ùn, coá ngûúâi laåi tûå mua àöì ùn mang túái. Coá möåt yïu cêìu kyâ laå nhêët tûâ trûúác túái nay àoá laâ tûâ möåt ngûúâi nghiïån thuöëc laá rêët nùång. Con choá quaá quen thuoåc vúái muâi khoái thuöëc röìi, noá khöng thïí ùn nïëu thiïëu khoái thuöëc. Vò vêåy mùåc duâ thêåt àiïn röì, chuáng töi vêîn phaãi àöët thuöëc àïí noá ngûãi thêëy vaâ chõu ùn. Öng coá súã thñch naâo khaác ngoaâi nhûäng chuá choá cuãa mònh khöng? Töi rêët thñch laâm nhiïìu viïåc. Song song

vúái viïåc àaâo taåo töi laâm vúái caác chuá choá vaâ töí chûá hoaåt àöång khaách saån, töi cuäng veä rêët nhiïìu. Töi coá möåt trûúâng quay/ chuåp aãnh úã 51 Haâng Àaâo trong àoá coá treo caác bûác tranh töi veä. Töi luyïån têåp thên thïí nhiïìu, töi daåy caách thiïìn truyïìn thöëng cuãa ngûúâi Viïåt. Khi coân treã, töi àaä gùåp Mohammed Ali vaâ têåp luyïån vúái öng ta. Töi cuäng laâm nhûäng viïåc khaác, nhû laâ àiïu khùæc, töi laâm nïn nhûäng bûác àiïu khùæc rêët lúán àùåt trong bïí búi phña ngoaâi khaách saån, vaâ töi laâ ngûúâi thiïët kïë khaách saån naây. Töi cuäng laâm thú nûäa. Töi thñch möåt cuöåc söëng traân àêìy nùng lûúång.

thông tIn

hOtEl ChO mEO www.hotelchomeo.com Ngõ 167, Trương Định, Hai Bà Trưng Tel: 3662 1022 Cùng với dịch vụ chăm sóc chó mèo, an táng và cung cấp những phụ kiện đi kèm, khách sạn còn cung cấp dịch vụ thú y và vắc-cin cho chó mèo, buôn bán chó mèo, và hướng dẫn chủ vật nuôi biết cách chăm sóc chúng.

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tAlKing SHoP

the Accidental engraver One man has etched out more than just a living in his 31 years on the sidewalk of Le Loi. Words by robert Stockdill. Photos by quinn ryan Mattingly

guyen Thang is now an easily recognisable and enduring part of downtown Ho Chi Minh City’s unique character. People come from all over town to engage his talent for fine engravings of words and names on all sorts of metal and wooden objects, gifts, trophies and keepsakes. His popularity is obvious. A Vietnamese woman waits for him to engrave a cigarette box. Thang is meticulous and careful to maintain a steady hand. Once the name of her brother is carved into the steel box, she is delighted. “How much for it?” she asks. Thang smiles broadly, a stark contrast to the stony, impassive expression he held just before. “Do you remember how much you paid me four years ago?” he replies. They both laugh and she introduces him to her French husband. The customer has known Thang since she was a student. Now the student has graduated, married, moved abroad, started a family and returned to Ho Chi Minh City for a holiday. But Thang remains in the same spot on the pavement outside Fahasa Books where she had gifts engraved for her siblings as a teenager. His handwriting is beautiful, soulful even. Thanks to those qualities and his reputation he can “live well” off this skill and passion.

Sacrifices

Ho chi Minh city drEssEd fOr awarENEss / thE amazINg racE

96 | Word August 2012

Thang might now feel engraving was his destiny, but it wasn’t always that way. As a child he’d work on the family’s rice paddies by day and balance a book in one hand and a younger sibling in the other at night. Money — or rather a lack of it — forced him to give up his ambition to be a painter at an early age. His family was often short of food. So saving money for the three to four months necessary to buy paints and brushes was not an option. To draw he resorted to using pieces of coal. “It forced me to have to give up my dream to become a painter,” he says, “but now I’m happy about that because it guided me to where I am today.” When Thang arrived in Saigon he worked as a porter on Saigon’s wharves, then a bicycle puncture repairman on Le Loi (near where he now

plies his more recent trade). He spent most of his spare income on tools for drawing and painting before trying his hand at engraving elephant tusks. And that’s where his career was born. “I like this job and enjoy it with enthusiasm,” he continues. “My only ambition now is that my children can get the best education and have the chance to become whatever they want to be.” Thus he stops work on the dot of 5pm every day to play xe om to his children, whisking them from one school to another and later home for the family meal at 9pm. When you see the fineness of his work, his skill is obvious and has led to many invitations to work in the US, France and popular Vietnamese tourist areas. He declines the offers because he is “too busy driving his kids to school”. “Money is not everything. The less you have the more you feel life. Many people still think that I’m crazy — even my Mom — to study and graduate then become an unknown engraver on the sidewalk, smug at being mediocre. Yes, I am crazy. But I’m happy, I enjoy my life and I sleep well at night.”

this corner of the World Hours every day spent focused on the fine print he writes has taken its toll on his eyes. He’s had two operations on them already. Engraving is not an easy task: accuracy is paramount — you cannot make the tiniest of errors in this profession, because engraving cannot be reversed and the items he works on are often gifts and are very meaningful to his customers. Perhaps that’s why people are so loyal, bringing a constant flow of items to the patch of Saigon pavement Thang has come to ‘own’ over three decades. “I could never leave this corner. The people, the traffic, the noise, the dirt — it’s all part of my life,” he says. “Students, workers, officers... they all bring to me small gifts to make them special. Imagine one day I’m not on this corner. They are still working, the traffic is still moving, but they will feel strange, a little empty — like this corner is missing someone — because for 31 years I have been a part of this corner.”

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idea was born in Vietnam and we loved the idea so much that we have applied it to the foundation events following the Vietnam party.

cHArity corner

Dressed For Awareness

Where in Vietnam can one go to get screened for bowel cancer? How accessible is screening for people all over Vietnam? Good question. I hope Doctor Pham Xuan Dung can help with this question. I will let you know.

On Aug. 3, 20 cyclists will travel from Hanoi to Saigon in little black dresses to raise funds for the Jodi Lee Foundation and to promote bowel cancer awareness. christine Van speaks to founder, nick lee, about the inspiration behind the event. Photos provided by the Jodi lee Foundation

Can one change their lifestyle to decrease the risks of contracting bowel cancer? Yes. It really comes down to combating some of the factors I referred to above. For example, eating plenty of fibre through a diet high in fruit and vegetables, controlling your weight, exercising and watching your intake of cooked red meat. Medical researchers find it difficult to explain Jodi’s case. She was young, fit, had a good diet and no family history. Having a direct family history does increase your chances of contracting the disease. This however amounts to less than 10 percent of cases in Australia.

Symptoms include: 1) Bleeding from your bottom or blood in your stools, even if only occasional 2) A persistent change in bowel habits, like going to the toilet more frequently, diarrhoealike motions, or feeling that the bowel does not empty completely 3) Stools that are narrower than usual 4) Frequent gas pains, bloating, fullness or cramps 5) Persistent, severe abdominal pain, which has come on recently for the first time 6) A lump in your tummy or rectum 7) Unexplained feelings of tiredness, breathlessness and low energy 8) Unexplained weight loss or vomiting

Who is Jodi Lee? Jodi and I had been married for 10 years when we moved to Vietnam in 2006. We were two years into a wonderful experience and having the time of our lives. Our two young children were having a wonderful time too. We were almost pinching ourselves thinking ‘how good is this’. I was away working when Jodi rang me complaining of constipation, abdominal pain and some bloating. The next morning, her doctor recognised an obstruction in Jodi’s bowel and ordered some scans. The results came in at about 3pm that afternoon. Jodi had bowel cancer and the tumour had all but blocked her bowel. She was 39 years old.

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Jodi was diagnosed with Stage IV bowel cancer, the most advanced stage. The cancer had spread to her lymph node and liver. She had at best two years to live. Jodi passed away on Jan. 16, 2010 leaving her family and friends devastated. In 2010 I set up The Jodi Lee Foundation. From our experience came a massive opportunity to try and make something good out of an awful situation. I don’t want anyone else to go through what Jodi and I went through. I feel like there’s a huge part of Jodi in The Jodi Lee Foundation. The values of the foundation are values that we held dear in our relationship — integrity, vitality and

transparency. At the end of the day there’s not nearly enough awareness about bowel cancer. We are helping to change that. What is bowel cancer and what are the symptoms? Colorectal cancer, commonly known as colon cancer or bowel cancer, is a cancer from uncontrolled cell growth in the colon or rectum. Most colorectal cancer occurs due to lifestyle and increasing age with only a minority of cases associated with underlying genetic disorders. It typically starts in the lining of the bowel and if left untreated, can grow into the muscle layers underneath, and then through the bowel wall.

Unfortunately, by the time many of these symptoms show it is too late, as was the case with Jodi. I do not have a medical background so all my comments about the disease come from my experience and own research. They should not be taken as medical advice! Research shows that bowel cancer is due to lifestyle and increasing age, and mostly occurs in developed countries. Are Vietnamese people at high risk of getting bowel cancer? Some of the funds that we raise through this event will go to the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital. Our contact is Doctor Pham Xuan Dung who is the deputy director of the hospital. I also found a link (www.

cancerscreening.nhs.uk/bowel/publications/ the-facts-vietnamese.pdf) that contains facts for Vietnam, but as it is in Vietnamese I am unable to read it. While BC rates are lower in Vietnam than Australia, there are still Vietnamese [people] dying from BC and therefore it is a concern requiring focus and investment. Lifestyle and diet are contributors to BC [and] as Vietnam becomes more westernised, the prevalence of BC is likely to increase. It is important that we start the education process now to minimise the impact. I also understand first-hand the impact that this disease can have on a family. The cost of treatment and need for care is a huge burden for families to carry. I know this is very important in the mindset of Vietnamese. That is, Vietnamese are highly fearful of becoming a burden to their family. Why does Australia have the highest incidence of bowel cancer? While further research is required to give a definitive answer to this question there is no doubt that obesity levels, lack of fibre in diets and the high consumption of cooked red meat play an important role. How did the Little Black Dress become the symbol for the foundation? Shortly after Jodi and I left Vietnam in 2008 to go back to South Australia to begin Jodi’s treatment, some great friends in Vietnam wanted to do something to help. They decided to plan a cocktail party as a fundraiser. They wanted to have a theme and they decided that a ‘little black dress’ was the best theme that was most closely associated with Jodi. Jodi loved going out to dinner or special occasions in a little black dress. So the

For the fundraiser Ride For The LBD... Vietnam, will you be trying to educate people along the way in your eight-day tour? Absolutely. We will be talking to as many people as practical about the importance of screening for BC on our ride. We find that wearing a little black dress and jerseys promoting the early detection message will help promote a conversation and raise awareness. We will be generating as much publicity as we can in both Vietnam and Australia. We will also hold a celebration on Aug. 10 where we will also raise awareness about this important issue. We know education is a key factor in motivating people to screen and we will push this as hard as we can. The foundation’s goal is to raise AUS$120,000 (VND2.7 billion) to promote awareness. How will the JLF spend the money to do this in Vietnam? We have not determined at this stage how funds raised will be split between Australia and Vietnam. We will certainly be contributing funds to Vietnam. The money raised for Australia will go behind our four initiatives to raise awareness and encourage early detection. At this stage I would say that the Vietnam funds will go to support the bowel cancer work of the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital. How connected to Vietnam is the foundation in the long term? Vietnam will always hold a very special place for the foundation and me. We have amazing memories of Vietnam and it is the place that Jodi was diagnosed. We are already planning another event for Vietnam in April next year. To learn more about the foundation and bowel cancer visit www.jodileefoundation.org.au

August 2012 Word | 99

leiSure

the Amazing race The internationally popular reality game show made its debut in Vietnam earlier this year. As only foreigner to have participated in the race, richie Humphrey, tells us about the experience. Photos provided by The Amazing Race Vietnam

m I going to die? My hands and feet tingle sharply as I peer over the edge of the roof to the ground 20 metres below. A man resembling my mechanic back in Saigon straps me into ill-fitting safety gear, the only foreignersized set available. He attaches me to the abseiling rope and gives rapid instructions in Vietnamese that I don’t completely understand. I worry the rope won’t hold my weight, but there is only one way to find out. Before my leap of faith, the cameraman zooms in on my strained face, “Super so,” I utter under my breath, “Super scared.” Mimi squints and strains her neck to see me at the top of My Dinh Stadium during the opening challenge on this first day of The

100 | Word August 2012

Amazing Race Vietnam. I jump, she screams, and the rope holds. Exhilarated, I enjoy the panoramic view of Hanoi during my slow descent, the only peaceful moment I will have on this day. The rest of the afternoon we battle the viscous Hanoi heat on a high-speed scavenger hunt around the Old Quarter. The stress of running around the narrow, shop-lined streets makes us both tired and irritable. With a goofy smile, I attempt to lift spirits with our pre-arranged codeword “watermelon”, a reminder to smile for the camera. Mimi doesn't smile. “C’mon, watermelon!” I urge again. She doesn’t respond, but the exhausted, semi-crazed, Samuel L

Jackson-esque look in her eye dares me, “Say watermelon one more time and…”

get ready, Set, go Two weeks earlier, Mimi, a K-pop loving, bubble-tea drinking, university senior, had never heard of The Amazing Race. “There are 10 teams of two. Every episode is a leg of the race filmed in a different location around Vietnam where we will complete challenges and search for clues to get to the finish line.” I explained in my best Vietnamese. “The team who comes in last each leg gets eliminated. The winner at the end gets VND300 million.” Going into the race, I knew Mimi wasn’t an athlete, but I didn’t think she would end

up in the emergency room on day one. We had just finished the scavenger hunt and were sprinting to the finish line when Mimi collapsed with 20 metres to go. As I gallantly carried her the rest of the way, I wondered what music they would play when they showed this on TV. When she is unable to stand up on the finishing mat, we are rushed to the hospital. She remains unconscious for two long hours while she is given fluids intravenously. Later that night, after further examination and x-rays, the doctors release her with a clean bill of health, just a little heat stroke. At this point I am worried for Mimi’s health and want to quit the race, but Mimi is adamant we continue. In the end, we decide to race on, but after that something changes in both of us. Winning is no longer a priority.

Keep on, Keeping on The second leg is harder than the first, but we make it a point to take frequent breaks. When we have to carry a bucket of water up the steep face of Song Da, Southeast Asia’s largest dam, we stop to breathe in the view of the lake below. While hiking up the Hoa Binh Mountains in search of the ‘Jungle of haunted rock tombs’, we laugh so hard the crisp air stings our nostrils. Even when I have to shovel pungent manure as part of a farming challenge, I joke with the colourfully dressed

Muong farmer lady. At the beginning of the third leg, I am blindfolded and ushered into a fenced area where I must catch a goat. Covered in mud, I hold out my arms like a milk chocolate zombie following cues from Mimi. “JUMP!” Mimi shrieks. I fly through the air and successfully catch the leg of Binh, a girl from another team, which causes the normally quiet production crew to burst into laughter. After a few more attempts, I am successful, and we receive instructions to find a boat at nearby Hoa Lu Lake. Rowing the boat across the lake was a struggle, but we finally reach the other side. We then climb the 214 steps to the top of Unicorn Mountain where we meet the world’s cutest child monk who asks us, “How many steps did you just climb?” Unlike the American version, teams on the The Amazing Race Vietnam tend not to collaborate or make alliances. As we leave the lake I see another team, Heo and Bun, and tell them about the 214 steps. After this episode aired, one internet comment read, “Richie was caught cheating on TV.”

At the Finish line The fourth leg begins with a leisurely bicycle ride through a valley of rice paddies and water buffaloes. An hour later, green fields give way to dusty, mountain slopes.

The sun burns away clouds and goes to work on my exposed skin. Over the next four hours, I try various tactics to push Mimi up hilly roads that never end. As the sun sets, we reach the entrance to Cuc Phuong National Park, which is guarded by thousands of friendly, white butterflies who chase me down the tree-lined road like a school of dolphins playing in the wake of a dive boat. After cycling the 57 kilometres, I spend the final hour of my 15 minutes of fame spelunking the Cave of Prehistoric Man, conquering the maze in the Firefly forest, and giving a farewell kiss to a sleepy python. When host Dustin Nguyen tells us we’ve come in last place and are eliminated from the race, I have mixed emotions. Mostly, I am proud that we pushed through to the end without giving up. If we had gone home after the first leg, there’s no doubt I would have been disappointed. But we went on to enjoy three more exciting adventures, saw some beautiful parts of Vietnam, and made friends along the way. We gave our best and lost fair and square. I can’t imagine a more amazing experience. For more info, visit www.cuocduakythu.vtv. vn/Home/Index.aspx To view clips from the show, go to YouTube and type in The Amazing Race Vietnam.

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the Final Say phOtO Of thE mONth / trIvIa Buff / thE last call

on leaving It’s time to move on, but that pre-journey nostalgia won’t go away. Joe ruelle considers the similarities between arriving and departing. Don’t it always seem to go, the blonde woman sings, that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone. A fair reading of the human condition, surely. But it’s worth mentioning a grey area in which you have some idea what you’ve got before it’s completely gone off and away. I’m talking about leaving town. For the foreign residents of this country it’s leaving season again. Five out, one in, the logistics companies are saying of the corporate removals end. And for a fair number of native Hanoians, too, with the economy in a dip and opportunities elsewhere beaming their relative shine, many are moving to other, more fruitful climes. It’s a woozy time, too. As the flight date draws closer, emotions dilate and strange blood starts circulating through veins long out of use. A garbage collector walks by in slow motion — warm slow motion — and scenes at large lose their edge to become like those pseudo avantgarde paintings sold to tourists in the Old Quarter, the ones with girls in their squint-and-you’ll-make-them-out ao dais walking into uniform backgrounds of orange or white acrylic. A Norah Jones song trickles from the Highlands Café sound system. You start to listen to the lyrics. They’re nice lyrics. Aren’t they? It’s a nice song. She’s nice. And the light from the window is making those shadows. The most mundane things, by virtue of being the ‘last’, take on a meaning as true and unforced as it is fuzzy. My last ride in a Mai Linh taxi. My last time seeing a xe om relaxing with a newspaper in the late afternoon sun. My last trip to the Vietnamese clinic where they give me

those multi-coloured antibiotics in a plastic ziplock bag. Oh dear. An early onset of nostalgia.

looking Back Perhaps the only thing that compares to the feeling of pre-departure is that of post arrival. In both instances your brain is in a mad rush to collect things; initially to furnish your stay, and, as that comes to an end, your scrapbook. Everything has value. Nutritional value, if you don’t like the materialistic sense of furnish, for the brain is an organ just like any other, and the mind, by extension, gets hungry now and then. The world is a supermarket and your mind wanders the aisles on an empty stomach. Everything looks delicious — not the case when your mind’s stomach is full, as it often is throughout that difficult stretch between first settling in and finally heading out. In a roundabout way that would make Proust scholars hold their chins and nod, the days before leaving connect you to the days after arriving, and time no longer exists as an isolating force, if only, and albeit contrastingly, for an instant. You find what you always had. In search of lost pho. But that’s snooty. Coming back to Joni Mitchell, who is anything but (why, she’s folksy!) It’s not only after you’ve paved over paradise with a steaming black parking lot that you realise it was, indeed, paradise. There is a time, as the trucks are moving in and the gravel circles in its big metal tank, that you both appreciate the essence of the grass and feel the blades between your toes.

“the most mundane things, by virtue of being the ‘last’, take on a meaning as true and unforced as it is fuzzy. My last ride in a Mai linh taxi. My last time seeing a xeom relaxing with a newspaper in the late afternoon sun”

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August 2012 Word | 103

D. Th ai

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Thuoc

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aGn S ieu

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Bac H. Dong

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Hang H. Th Dieiuec

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n Pnhga nH uyB Icuhn Pha nH uy Ich

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THA

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August 2012 Word | 105

TRA TRA N N HU

HD HAN NK TRA

h Than

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Nguyen Huu Huan - C6, D6 Nguyen Khac Can - F7 Nguyen Khac Nhu - A4, A5 Nguyen Khuyen - E2, E3 Nguyen Sieu - C6 Nguyen Thai Hoc - D1, D2, D3, E4 Nguyen Thien Thuat - B5, B6 Nguyen Tri Phuong - A4, B3, C3, D3 Nguyen Truong To - A4, A5 Tie Tie Nguyen Van To - D4, D5 Nha Chung - E5, E6 Nha Tho - D5 Ong Ich Khiem - C2, D2 Pham Hong Thai - A4, A5 Pham Ngu Lao - F7 Pham Su Manh - F7 Phan Boi Chau - E4, F4 Phan Chu Trinh - F7 Phan Dinh Phung - A2, A3, B3, B4 Phan Huy Ich - A4, B4 Phan Phu Tien - D2, E2 Pho An Xa - A5, A6 Pho Duc Chinh - A4, A5 Phuc Tan - B6, C7, D7 Phu Doan - D5, E5 Phung Hung - B4, C4, D4 Quang Trung -M E5,AF5 MA KIM Quan SuKIM - D5, E4, E5, F4 Quan Thanh - A2, A3, A4, B4, B5 Quoc Tu Giam - E2, E3 Son Tay - D1 NTuriu-c C6 Truc Ta Hien Thanh Ha - B6 Thanh Nien - A2 Tho Nhuom - E4, F5VO VO Tho Xuong - D5,NG E5 NG IA GIA Thuoc Bac -GC5 Thuy Khue - A1, A2 Ton Duc Thang - D2, E2, F1 Tong Dan - D6, E7 Tong Duy VTan u T- D4Vu T h h Tran Binh Trong -anF4h anh Trang Thi - E4, E5, E6 Trang Tien - E6, F7 Tran Hung Dao - F4, F5, F6 Tran Quy Cap - E3, F3 Tran Nguyen Han - E6, E7 Tran Nhat Duat - B6, C6 Tran Phu - D2, D3, D4 Tran Quang Khai - C6, D7, E7 Tran Quoc Toan - F4 Tran Vu - A2, A3 Trinh Hoai Duc - D1, D2 Van Mieu - D2, E2 Vong Duc - F6 Yen Phu - A4, A5, A6 Yen Thai - D5 Yet Kieu - F4 D D

ra r TrucTruc n Vua n Vu Bach Bach LakeLake

QUANQUAN THANH THANH

E E Y KHUY KHU THU THU A THAAMTHAM O O ANG HANG H HO HO

Ngoc

104 | Word August 2012

Hang Giay - C6 Hang Giay - B5 Hang Hanh - D5, D6 Hang Hom - D5 Hang Khay - E6 Hang Khoai - B5, B6 Hang Luoc - B5, C5 Hang Ma - C5 Hang Mam - C6, C7 Hang Manh - D5 Hang Ngang - C5, C6 Hang Non - D5 Hang Quat - D5 Hang Ruoi - B5, C5 Hang Than - A5, B5 Hang Thiec - C5, D5 Hang Thung - D7 Hang Tre - C7, D7 Hang Trong - D5, D6, E6 Hang Vai - C5 Hang Voi - D6 Ha Trung - D4, D5 Hoa Lo - E5 Hoang Dieu - B3, C3, D3 Hoang Hoa Tham - A1, A2, B1 Hoang Van Thu - B2, B3 Hoe Nhai - A5, B4, B5 Hoi Vu - D5, E4 Ho Van Chuong - F2 Hung Vuong - A2, B2, C2, D2 Khuc Hao - C3, D2, D3 Lan Ong - C5 Le Dao Thanh - E7 Le Duan - D3, E3, F3 Le Hong Phong - C2, C3 Le Lai - E6, E7 N ui Le Phung Hieu - E7 Le Thach - E6, E7 Le Thai To - E6, D6 Le Thanh Tong - F7 Lo Ren - C5 Lo Su - D6, D7 Luong Ngoc Quyen - C6 Luong Van Can - C5, D6 Ly Nam De - B4, C4, D4 Ly Quoc Su - D5 Ly Thai To - D7, E7 Ly Thuong Kiet - E4, F4, F5, F6, F7 Ly Van Phuc - D1 Ma May - C6 Nam Ngu - E4 Ngoc Ha - B1, C1 Ngo Huyen - D5 Ngo Quan Tho 1 - E1, F1 Ngo Quyen - E7, F6, F7 Ngo Si Lien - E3 Ngo Tat To - E2, E3 Ngo Tram - D4, D5 Ngo Van Chuong - F1, F2, F3 Ngo Van Huong - F1 Nguyen Bieu - A3 Nguyen Canh Chan - B3

4 Ph

We sWe t Lsake t L ake

centrAl HAnoi 19/2 - E4 Au Trieu - D4, E4 Bach Dang - E7 Bao Khanh - D5, D6 Bat Dan - C4 Ba Trieu - E6, F5, F6 Bat Su - C5 Bich Cau - E1 Cao Ba Quat - D2, D3 Cao Thang - B6 Cat Linh - D1, E1, E2 Cau Chuong Duong - C7 Cau Dong - B5 Cau Go - D6 Cau Long Bien - A6, A7, B6 Cha Ca - C5 Chan Cam - D5 Chau Long - A4 Cho Gao - C6 Chu Van An - C2, D2 Cua Bac - A4, B4 Cua Dong - C4, C5 Cua Nam - E4 Dang Dung - A3, B3 Dang Tat - A3 Dang Thai Than - F7 Dao Duy Tu - C6 Da Tuong - F5 Dien Bien Phu - C3, D3, D4, E4 Dinh Le - E6 Dinh Liet - C6, D6 Dinh Tien Hoang - D6, E6 Doc Lap - B2, C2 Dong Thai - C6 Dong Xuan - B5, C5 Duong Thanh - C5, D5 Gam Cau - B5 Gia Ngu - D6 Giang Vo - D1 Ha Hoi - F5 Hai Ba Trung - E4, E5, F6, F7 Hang Bac - C6 Hang Bai - E6, F6 Hang Be - D6, C6 Hang Bo - C5 Hang Bong - D4, D5, E4 Hang Bot - D2 Hang Bun - A4, B4 Hang Buom - C6 Hang Ca - C5, C6 Hang Can - C5 Hang Chao - D2 Hang Chieu - C5, C6 Hang Chinh - C6 Hang Cot - B5, C5 Hang Da - D5 Hang Dao - C6, D6 Hang Day - D1, D2 Hang Dieu - C5, D5 Hang Dong - C5 Hang Ga - C5 Hang Gai - D5, D6

3 T

Street index

2 N H NIEN

{crossword}

Photo of the Month

Answers on page 2

JoKing ArounD 1

29 32

31 34

106 | Word August 2012

ACROSS 1. Geongo who was still cracking jokes well into his 90’s 6. Pranks are pulled at the start of this month 11. Actor Gerard or baseballer Hodges 14. Played for ____ (what you might be on the first day of 6-Across): 2 wds. 15. ____ Arabia 16. Suffix with Manhattan or Israel 17. Comedian with a self-titled talk show in the late 1990’s: 2 wds. 19. Statute 20. Stockholm’s country: Abbr. 21. Moines, lowa 22. 451, in Roman numerals 23. Prefix with European or Chinese 26. God of thunder 28. Overwhelms with humor, as a comedian might do to an audience 29. Comedy ____ (couple like Gracie Allen and 1-Across) 30. Title for a knight 31. The Sun is one 32. Possessed 34. Comedian who plays a lead character that “everybody loves”: 2 wds.

36 42

20 24

38. “Bresk a ____!” (what you might say to a comedian about to perform) 39. Adam’s partner 41. Winning row in tic-tac-toe 42. Used a shovel 43. Comesian who has a self-titled sitcom and hosts “Whose line Is It Anyway?: 2 wds. 46. One-___ (brief joke) 48. Hilariously funny person 49. Buck’s mate 51. “Scream” star Campbell 52. Sticky, chwy candy 54. Sail Supporter 55. Marx ___ (slapstick family of old films): Abbr. 56. 1986 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wiesel 57. Possesses 58. “Road to ____” (1947 comedy starring Bing Crosby and 57-Down) 60. Ginger ____ 61. “Saturday Night Live” regular who costarred in “The Blues Brothers”: 2 wds. 66. “Rabel Without a Cause” actor Mineo 67. Fencing swords 68. How to sign a contract: 2 wds. 69. Terminate 70. Firma 9dry land)

71. 71 “It was ____ and stormy night ...”: 2 wds. DOWN 1. “____ humbug!” 2. sci-fi transportation 3. Move with oars 4. Disgusting, as an odor 5. Whole bunch 6. Red ____ beet: 2 wds. 7. Infamous box opener of myth 8. More impolite 9. “Beware the ____ of March!” 10. “____ Abner” (old comic strip) 11. She played Roseanne Roseannadanna and Baba Wawa on “Sarturday Night Live”: 2 wds. 12. Rome is its capital 13. “The Nutty Professor” star Jerry who now hosts an annual telethon 18. New York baseball team 22. ____ chowder 23. “____ you so!”: 2 wds. 24. Not as old 25. Comesian Rodney whose tag line is “I don’t get no respect!” 27. Filler of a job opening 28. What a stand-up comedian oftan sits on 31. Sold-out sign abbr. 33. Artificial duck used by a hunter 35. Toys with strings attached: Hyph. 36. ____ Mexico (Spanish for “New Mexico”) 37. Fairy tale fiends 40. Big tub 44. :Take my ____ ... please!” (Henny Youngman catchphrase) 45. “Lou Grant” star with seven Emmys: 2 wds. 47. Like traffic headed toward town 50. Raison d’____ (reason for being) 52. Provoke jokingly 53. Comedian Sherman who recorded song parodies 54. Comedian Bil who hosts “Politically Incorrect” 57. Comedian Bob who entertained troops during World War II 59. 1998 gold madal figure skater Kulik 61. Fast plane 62. Youth group with the motto “Be Prepared”: Abbr. 63. Health club 64. That lady 65. Disappearing ____ (practical joker’s writing fluid)

Do you ow na photograp h that would look good here? ema il it to editor@wo rdhanoi. com

by Kan

A Tip of the Hat

{trivia buff} Answers on page 3

1) What is a tornado at sea called? 2) Which Vietnamese novel features the famous hero red-haired xuan? 3) Which bird is regarded as sacred by the egyptians?

8) Which country began the tradition of exchanging christmas gifts? 9) Which Spanish, or Mexican, dish has a name which means ‘seasoned with chilli’?

4) What country is coffee originally from?

10) Who was head of the gestapo from 1936 to the end of World War ii?

5) Who founded thang long city in the year 1010?

11) How many provinces make up present day Vietnam?

6) What is the French word for salt?

12) What is the name of Vietnam's southernmost province?

7) Polygamy is the state of having more than one wife, but what word describes the state of having more than one husband?

13) Which Vietnamese province has the smallest population? 14) Alan Hansen joined liverpool from

which club in 1977? 15) What was the first book to be set in print? 16) How many ribs does a normal healthy human have? 17) Which Scottish Football team took its name from a Walter Scott novel? 18) Which sport uses the terms serve, dig and spike? 19) How should one address an ambassador? 20) Why do tibetans grow long nails on little fingers?

August 2012 Word | 107

the LAST cAll

My loVe oF MotorBiKeS... began at a

the man behind vIp Bikes, Andrew Souto mixes all things motorbike with opportunity creation for disadvantaged youth

i roDe My FirSt MotorBiKe WHen... I

our BiggeSt DiFFiculty... is keeping up with the demand! People love VIP Bikes and some days, the phone rings constantly...

i HAVe A FAScinAtion WitH...

My MoSt reWArDing MoMent... was the day the first trainee started at VIP Bikes.

very young age.

was eight years old!

reconditioning motorbikes.

tHe Bigger tHe engine SiZe... the more discipline needed.

We DeScriBe ourSelVeS AS A ‘SociAl enterPriSe’ BecAuSe... we

Being A MecHAnic... teaches you life skills.

are supporting and strengthening our community by giving disadvantaged youth opportunities and training.

WorKing WitH young VietnAMeSe MecHAnicS... is rewarding.

you SHoulD Bring your BiKe to uS WHen... no one else can fix it.

108 | Word August 2012

our greAteSt WeAKneSS... is in the formal training side. We’ve done a lot with the handson apprenticeships, but now need to get into using a formal curriculum as well, to ensure the kids have a strong knowledge of theory. Doing rentAlS... you meet lots of

interesting people.

MenDing A Puncture... is the beginning of a becoming a mechanic.

tHe BeSt tHing ABout riDing A MotorBiKe iS... freedom. HAnoi trAFFic... teaches you self-discipline.