VIETNAM

Country Updates

The British Embassy in Hanoi has moved to:
Level 4
31 Hai Ba Trung St
Paul Futcher, UK (Mar 99)

Immigration is never much fun but Vietnamese immigration control is scary! Imagine an Asian Hitler in an oversized peaked cap with psychopathic staring eyes. Best behaviour is recommended here and donÆt be surprised if your documentation gets thrown back at you (literally) if itÆs not in perfect order. If you donÆt know your destination address donÆt leave the line blank - instead just pick a hotel at random out of your guidebook. It might be a good idea to have a pen to hand to correct any minor transgressions otherwise you might lose your place in the queue while you fumble in your bag. Customs, by comparison, seems easy.
Richard Carr, UK (Feb 99)

It seems to be cheaper to buy Vietnamese visas in Cambodia through agents. Apparently agents are offered a concessionary price not available to travellers who simply turn up at the embassy.
Anon - (Feb 99)

The telephone number for the visa department of the Vietnamese Embassy in Beijing is 6532 5414.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Guangzhou can be contacted by phone on 8652 7908, or by fax on 8652 7808. You can order a Vietnamese visa with a copy of your passport by fax, and pick it up five days later.

It is perfectly possible to enter and leave China at Dongxing/Mong Cai; the crossing is pretty straightforward. According to the customs logbook, this border crossing currently sees only some 15 foreigners per month. You will need your international vaccination book for Vietnam, or otherwise pay a small surcharge. It is also advised, by the border guards themselves, that you should declare valuables, such as cameras and money on entry, since other Vietnamese border posts might take it as an excuse for troubling you when leaving. The Chinese will ask their compatriots not only for a passport, but for other documents, such as an ID card, to support the authenticity of the passport. It is correct that you must have the right entry and exit points marked in your Vietnamese visa, but it does not cost double to go overland. Any crossing stated in your visa can be used for entry as well as exit.
Luis Moreton Achsel, Germany (Dec 98)

Vietnam Airlines sold us a one-way ticket from Ho Chi Minh City to Manila; we arrived in the Philippines with no onward ticket. This caused us to be delayed in Immigration for about three hours, and in the end we had to buy a ticket out at the airport. Apparently Vietnam Airlines were heavily fined for allowing us on to the plane with no onward ticket.
Sue Smith, Australia (Dec 98)

Obtaining a Vietnamese visa was very easy in Beijing. It cost US$50, but it is a little quicker if you pay US$60.

At Pingxiang, China, there is every available type of vehicle that can take you to the border for a small charge. Border crossing is easy, but be sure to keep hold of Y10 per person for a departure tax. When you get to the Vietnamese side, remember to put your clock back an hour. The Vietnamese border guards have a lunch break from 12.30-1.30pm, so if you arrive during this time you will have to wait.
Mike & Maria Sorensen, Denmark (Dec 98)

I had big hassles at the Vietnamese Embassy in Vientiane; the people there struck me as very whimsical and unhelpful. Be sure to know your entry and exit points, as the bureaucratic nature of Vietnam means that it costs US$20 every time you need to alter your visa. I found that the dates stated weren't as crucial; you could enter any time after the entry, as long as you left as stated (within a month).

To go overland to Vietnam from Laos, there is an incredibly bumpy overnight bus from Savannaket which departs around 11pm. It arrives in Hue by early the next afternoon, stopping for border formalities around 7am. This is virtually the only way to cross overland into Vietnam. So many travellers spoke of major hassles here that we couldn't believe we had none.

The Australian Embassy in Saigon is no longer located at the New World Hotel, but near Me Linh Square on Ton Duc Thang St. The British Embassy in Saigon can now be found at 25 Le Duan St, diagonally opposite the former US Embassy.
Tony Stewart, New Zealand (Nov 98)

In Bangkok you can save about 150-300 Baht by obtaining a visa at the Embassy instead of the offices on Wireless Rd; the cost at the Embassy is 2,050 Baht for one visa.
Martin & Christina Semler, Canada (Oct 98)

I applied for a visa from the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington DC and was surprised at how quickly it was issued. I sent my passport and two visa application forms by Express Post and a few days later received my stamped passport and one of the forms. I did not know why they had sent the form back until I arrived at Tan Son Nhat airport where I was asked to fill out another one. Thanks to a kindly supervisor they waived the photograph requirement as it was 11pm. So my advice regarding the visa application form which is sent back: don't leave home without it!
Fritz Steiner - USA (Oct 98)

In response to others who have commented on mistakes with visas - the VN embassy in Washington DC makes many errors: single entry instead of double entry, wrong dates and wrong points of arrival/departure. The visas must be checked carefully for correct information. If you cannot read Vietnamese, have someone who can check it for accuracy. The embassy will make corrections cheerfully without charge, however major complications and charges will be incurred in Vietnam for improper visa information.
Jerry Landman, USA (Sep 98)

The Australian Embassy has moved from Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hanoi to Van Phuc Compound, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.
Pax & Pam Blamey (Aug 98)

Change of address for the British Embassy in Hanoi (since Feb 1998):
British Embassy Hanoi
Central Building
31 Hai Ba Trung
Hanoi
Phone: (844) 825 2510, 826 7560-5; fax: (844) 826 5762, 825 2349
S N Crossman, Management Officer, British Embassy, Hanoi (Aug 98)

Change of contact details for embassies/consulates in Ho Chi Minh City:
China: Phone: 829 2459; fax: 829 5009
Cuba: 49 Phung Khac Khoan, D3; Phone: 829 7350; fax: 829 5293
Czech Republic: 212 Chung Van Anst, Binh Thanh D; Phone: 930 0129; fax: 829 9191
Hungary: 22 Phung Khac Khoan, D1; Phone: 829 0130; fax: 829 2410
India: Fax: 829 4495
Malaysia: Phone: 829 3132
Netherlands: 29 Le Duan St, D1; Phone: 823 5932/3; fax: 823 5934
Russia: 38 Phung Khac Khoan, D1; Phone: 829 2936; fax: 829 2937
Sweden: 8A/11 D1 Thai Van Lung St, D1; Phone: 823 6800; fax: 823 6817
Switzerland: Phone: 841 2211; fax: 841 2028
Ukraine: 231 Nguyen Van Thu, D1; Phone: 822 2490; fax: 825 0559
UK: Fax: 822 1971
US: 51 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3; Phone: 824 5572; fax: 822 9434
Peter R Hill, Vietnam (Jul 98)

The Vietnam Embassy in Canada is now at:
225 MacLaren Street, Ottawa, Ontario K2P 0L6
Phone: (613) 232 1957
Consular section:
Phone: (613) 236 1398; Fax: (613) 236 0819
Zane Beallor (Jul 98)

If you are travelling to Vietnam and have applied for your visa from the Vietnam Embassy in Washington DC, take whatever steps necessary to ensure that you get what you want. We applied for double-entry visas and had no reason to suspect that we were not actually given them. When we tried to re-enter Vietnam from Thailand however, we were told that our visas were invalid, ie, they had been used.
Considering that we had proof of onward transportation from Vietnam to the USA leaving twelve hours later, there should have been something Vietnamese immigration could have done. But they chose to send us back to Bangkok on the next plane and even tried to get us to pay for the tickets! The US consulate in Ho Chi Minh City said that there was nothing they could do. Contacting the Vietnam embassy in Washington DC after returning to the US resulted in no response.
The bottom line: if you are wanting a double-entry visa to Vietnam, be sure that this is what you are given, unless, of course, you enjoy being treated like a criminal.
Paul R Danneberg - USA (Jul 98)

Travellers should look closely at their visas to make sure the embassy has put in the right entry point. My travelling companion was hit for $20 because the Vietnamese embassy in Paris had put Hanoi airport as her entry point despite the fact that she had requested Dong Dang. Needless to say, the border guards were thrilled at the opportunity to rip her off (when she asked for a receipt for the money, she was told that if she really wanted one, they would have to put her on the next train back to China).
Rory Mulholland - UK (May 98)

The Thai Embassy in Hanoi has changed their location and are now in the south of Hoang Dien Street, close to the Flag Tower.
Andrea Munch (Apr 98)

You can obtain free visas if you live in Melbourne or Sydney, Australia, and buy your air ticket from a travel agency run by Vietnamese. Footscray, Melbourne and Cabramatta, Sydney abound with such travel agents.
There is an Australian embassy/consulate in Saigon that is very large and has been there for years.
Rod Myers (Apr 98)

You can no longer get a re-entry permit if you already have a visa extension. They have stopped changing exit points and giving visa extensions in Hue. Now, Danang is the best place to go. Guesthouses in Hoi An can also organise it for you. It takes only 24 hours but you'll be paying a lot for it. The cheapest place to change your exit-point is in Saigon - US$5. If you can, get everything sorted before you arrive in Hanoi. Not even all the money in the world can make them speed up there. It took so long to change my exit-point in Hanoi that I had to apply for a visa extension first.
Hanne - Norway (Apr 98)

Visas: very easy to get everywhere, but where you get them makes a huge difference to your budget. By far the cheapest and fastest is Bangkok where the travel agents can apply for all visas at the same time (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam), thus you only need to wait for as long as the longest processing time for one single visa. If you're going on to China, you should really get the visa in Bangkok as it only adds one to two days waiting time. Elsewhere the visas are more expensive and you'll have to wait for five days.
It's more expensive to get a re-entry permit in Saigon (for going to Cambodia) and later a visa extension than it is to simply get a new Vietnamese visa in Phnom Penh. The Capitol Hotel can get them for you while you go to Siem Reap and you can pick your choice of from two, three, four or five days waiting time. Visa fees from $45 to $90.
Re-entry permits: $25 in Hanoi; about four days; $30 to $60 (shop around) in Saigon (here you can bargain on time. I got mine in two days).
Exit permits: $20 in Hanoi, three days; $32 in Hoi An, one day; $5 in Saigon, two days (24 hours if you apply in the morning). In Saigon, you must get it from the police yourself.
Visa extensions: $30 in Saigon, three days; $22 to $24 in Hanoi, three days (+$10 for two days); $17 for two weeks / $25 for one month in Hoi An.
Other big news: you can no longer get any of the above sorted in Hue. Now, Danang is the fastest and easiest place (that's where the Hoi An hotels will take your passport, so it might be cheaper to do it yourself in Danang).
All Vietnamese visas issued in Bangkok are now fly in and out so you must change entry and exit points. Lots of people are turned back from the Cambodian border because they haven't checked their visa. (At least this makes the taxi drivers on the Cambodian side very happy).
Note: you can no longer get a re-entry permit if you already have a visa extension.
Hanne Finholt - Norway (Mar 98)

I'd advise that if travellers intend to go from Bangkok to Cambodia and on to Vietnam, they should get their visa for Vietnam in Phnom Penh. In Bangkok we stressed that we wanted to enter Vietnam at Moc Bai and leave via Lao Bao. When we collected our visas they were stamped Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. We were then told that the embassy in Bangkok only issues visas for these entry/exit points. We don't know if this is true or just a cock-up by the travel agent.
Alan Middlebrook (Mar 98)

We bought visas for Vietnam in Australia and specified our entry point from Laos as Lao Bao. In Laos we were warned to check with the Vietnamese embassy in Savannaket before heading to Lao Bao. We found that as the entry point on our visa was hand written, it was invalid, and we would have to apply for entirely new visas (get photos, pay again etc.) The woman at the embassy would not stamp 'Lao Bao' on our existing visas.
Alice Steiner - Australia (Jan 98)

Vietnam single entry visas from CITS cost Y760 in Nanning (China) including a Y80 service charge. CITS says it takes 10 working days to get the visa but check regularly to see if it is ready since it can take as little as one week and the visa starts on the day of issue.
When applying for a Vietnam visa if you plan to exit China from Pingxiang, there is a different entry point name for travellers entering by foot, bus or train, although they are all basically the same location. The exit point for foot/car travellers is called Huu Nghi; and for train travellers is Dong Dang. The Chinese border closed at 5pm and the Vietnamese border closed at 6pm. US$10 should buy an entry point change at the Dong Dang/Huu Nghi border, although they may ask for more.
Gordon W Hutton & Penny A Bayfield - Canada (Jan 98)

For those travellers wanting to get their visas for Vietnam (in Laos) and planning to use the Lao Bao entry point, the best way to do it is as follows: go to the Vietnam Embassy and tell them that you'd like to pick up the visa in Savannakhet. This does not cost any more and will allow you to go on without having to wait the customary five days. The bus ride from Vietnam to Savannakhet is eight hours and costs 8000kip, including a snack.
Mark Ferguson - USA (Jan 98)

There is now a Vietnamese Consulate in Osaka. The address is: 10F Estate Bakuro-cho Bldg, 1-4-10 Bakuro-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka 541, Japan.Phone: (06) 263 1600; Fax: (06) 263 1770. A single entry visa takes a week to process and costs Ñ10,000.
John Hart Benson (Dec 97)

I believe that Vietnamese Embassies are deliberately omitting the point of exit on visas in order to fine travellers. Please warn about this and also caution about how severe fines are for overstaying your visa (anything up to US$200 per day).
Liulle Clark - UK (Nov 97)

Internet connections: the situation has developed enormously since the latest edition of the LP guide. On the tourist trail we never encountered problems reaching a hotmail account. Even outside Saigon, Nha Trang, Dalat, Hoi An, Hue and Hanoi we managed to find some places. We discovered twice as many internet cafes in Saigon in early March as we did in early January.
Christa Rindom & Troels Brynskov, Denmark (Mar 99)

The Vietcombank in Hue has moved. It's now a bit further out of town at 46 Hung Vuong Street.
Christopher Smith, Australia (no date)

Jewellery stores were the best place to change money, and always offered better rates than banks. You can bargain the rate with them. They need to change dong into dollars to finance the purchase of more jewellery.
Daniel Agar, USA (Mar 99)

This is in response to the comment about the Dong Tam snake farm (below). It's very true that the animals are living in appalling conditions and it makes me sick to even think about it now. I wish that I could have saved all those animals.
Kelly Paxton, Canada (Mar 99)

Always smile. It is amazing what a difference it makes when you greet a person with a smile, whether it be a shop owner or a tour guide, it certainly makes them feel at ease and become more friendly and helpful. Avoid taking plastic bags as they contribute to all the rubbish in the streets. After you have finished with your aluminium cans, instead of throwing them away, give them to some of the kids, as they get a small amount of money for them. Its better than just handing them money.
Kevin Cosgriff - UK (Feb 99)

The Dong Tam snake farm is now seriously bad news. The animals there are kept in extremely poor conditions and you wouldn't need to be into animal rights to find it upsetting.
Charlie Addiman, UK (Feb 99)

I recently travelled overland from Thailand to Vietnam, entering through the Lao Bao border. This is a rough ride and certainly not for the frail boned traveller. I was quite surprised at the friendly nature of the customs guards as I've always read that the Vietnamese customs people are monsters. A healthy smile leads to a healthy rapport (and that is true anywhere in Vietnam). There are however some scams to watch out for at the border:
1. The money changers: they take either dollars, baht or kip for dong. One thing's for sure, you'll be ripped off if you exchange any money. If you need dong it is best to exchange only small amounts. The rate for US dollars on 1 January 1999 was approximately 13,800 dong. I was given about 6,500 for each dollar that I exchanged.
2. Once you cross into Vietnam, the town is several hundred metres further up the road. Usually there will be a motorcycle offering to take you. Agree on a price before you accept this service (no more than 5000 dong which is extremely generous). I paid 25,000.
3. Lao Bao is a small town with next to nothing except money dealers and it is natural and instinctive to catch the first available means of transport to the coast, ie, Hue or Danang. To show too much eagerness to get out will almost certainly result in a bloated ticket price. I paid 150,000 dong which is almost US$11 for passage to go to Hue. Not only was the cost too high (normally 20,000 for locals) but they dumped me off at Dong Ha, where the bus terminated.
Steve Mitsos, Australia (Jan 99)

Marble Mountain: the admittance fee must be paid in VND, not US$.
Manfred Lenzen, Australia (Dec 98)

You should check with reliable tour agencies in Vietnam to see if the damage along the coast has been repaired, especially if you plan to travel by road from Saigon to Hanoi. The worst-hit area seems to be Da Nang.
Steve Newcomer, USA (Dec 98)

Medical Services in Hanoi:

Vietnam International Hospital
Phuong Mai Rd, Dong Da
Phone: 84 45 740
24 hour Emergency & Ambulance: 57 41 111

Dr Stephan Andius
Swedish Clinic
Van Phuc
Phone: 8 452 464

International SOS Assistance
24 hour Alarm Centre and Medical Evacuation
Phone: 8 242 866

Dental Clinic
A2 Van Phuc
Phone: 8 230 281

Medical Services in Ho Chi Minh City:

Cho Ray Hospital
201 Nguyen Chi Than, D1
Phone: 8 554 137/8

AEA International
24 hour Alarm Centre
65 Nguyen Du, D1
Phone: 8 298 520

Pasteur Institute
167 Pasteur, D3
Phone: 8 230 352
Frederico Ribeino & Celia Leine, Portugal (Dec 98)

The Asia Emergency Assistance is now at:
Unit A, Central Building
31 Hai Ba Trung
Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Phone (24 hours): 934 0555
Yet, at US$65 a consultation (without tests or medicine), you should check your insurance first!
Tony Stewart, New Zealand (Nov 98)

We are currently in Hoi An and would like to let you know that it is possible to receive a cash advance on your visa and mastercard from the bank on Hoang Dieu St.
Kelly Back & Michael Bennington (Oct 98)

Hanoi: the APZ Bank on Dinh Tien Hoang St (at the north-east end of the lake) has an ATM machine - it was the only one we found in Hanoi.

Avoid visiting the Perfume Pagoda on Sundays as this is the busiest day for locals. We ended up in a mob with thousands of locals pushing and shoving on the stairs leading to the temple. The police were actually hitting the crowd with their sticks and before we even got to the temple we were forced back down the steps. We were very disappointed after having spent a lot of time getting there.

Halong Bay: the weather in February was pretty rainy and drizzly which hindered our ability to see the beauty of the area. We heard many reports that it had been much worse in the few weeks prior to our visit. Several tourists told us that they had been disappointed by a lot of fog and were unable to make out any of the rock formations.

Hoi An: it is now easy to get to My Son on your own - we went via a rented moped which was great fun. Make sure you park your vehicle in front of the booking office at the main gate before entering My Son; we heard stories that vehicles parked elsewhere had been tampered with or stolen.
Martin & Christina Semler, Canada (Oct 98)

We read what others have said about all the government-operated tours that "everyone" takes. Well, we want to tell you that we did not take any of those tours and still managed to see all the sights as well as get off the beaten track. We rented motorbikes daily, trusted tips from the locals and took our time in this amazing country.
Shawn Plummer & Kelly Paxton - Canada (Oct 98)

The most exciting and relaxing part of our month in Vietnam was the journey to Cat Ba island. This is a trip that everyone said must be done with a tour, not independently. Quite honestly, we were so sick of tours that we decided to go it alone. It was fantastic. The early morning train departing from Hanoi to Haiphong city was quite enjoyable, and the Hydrofoil to Cat Ba was quick and not too expensive. In Cat Ba we found an excellent room looking out over the bay for less than we had paid anywhere else in the country. It had a private balcony from which we watched the tour groups arriving together, eating together and then being shuttled off for their group sightseeing. We chartered a private boat for a day which cost a whopping $25 and included a tour of the grottos, lunch and eight hours of breath-taking beauty as we toured Halong Bay - just the two of us, our driver and captain. We had the best day of our lives on that boat trip. Don't listen to all the nay sayers about going it alone in Vietnam. Of course we paid a little more, but the extra $20 was well worth the experience.
Lesli Flaman - Canada (Oct 98)

I've just returned from Vietnam. Incredible experience but just a few tips for those travellers out there. If any are as romantic as I was about travelling to an 'untouched' destination, then it's time to wake up. Independent travel is basically nil. For those that love western filled 'tour operated' trips, then Vietnam is the place for you. Tours are the big thing there. You can escape and hire motorbikes, but if you aren't on a tour to see the big sights, the locals will know this and you'll end up paying the delightful 400% tourist charge to just open your eyes and look at the sight. An example of this was our trip to Halong Bay: we went with a tour ($40) but met a couple who decided to go out there on their own. When they got to the jetty to hop on a boat, they had to charter one for $200! More fool them. Plus accommodation is more expensive as the tour companies have all the hotels covered for a cheap cost but again, if you are doing it your way, they'll treble the cost from say $10 to $30!
Liz Brinkley (Sep 98)

I recently visited Vietnam with several viet kieu (overseas Vietnamese). Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport in HCMC, the immigration officials asked where I would be staying. We explained to the official that I would be staying with my friends in a private residence outside HCMC in a district called Go Vap. They allowed me entrance but told me that I was to stay at a hotel and not at my friends' place and he then sent me on my way. Needless to say, I ignored his request and continued on to my friends' family home. I spent one night there - the following afternoon a plain clothed man came to the house and told the family that I was to stay in a hotel. If I chose to stay with the family they would be charged $2000 for allowing me. Obviously their way of keeping the tourist dollars flowing in. All hotels, boarding homes and private residences are required to report to the 'district official' with your passport, letting them know that you will be staying overnight.
James Bierman, USA (Aug 98)

The lake in Dalat is currently drained for 'repairs', so don't opt for the 'lakeside view'.
Nathan Traller (Apr 98)

We found some wonderful places to eat listed in Time Out, the government version of the Time Out London publications, and The Guide, which seems to be a monthly supplement to the Vietnam Economic Times. Both were available for free in multiple locations (nicer hotels, the airport, some restaurants).
Dee Mahan - USA (Mar 98)

Before you dial a number in HCMC like the airlines, you have to dial an '8' first.
Peter B÷ttcher - Germany (Mar 98)

Books: I strongly recommend travellers read Le Ly Hayslip's book, Heaven and Earth Changed Places. It really tunes you to the recent history of Vietnam and the post-war era.
Javier Jimenez - USA (Mar 98)

Saigon Tourist seem to be making a real effort: they phoned us several times in our hotels along the way to check that everything was OK. They were also very helpful when we wanted to change a couple of arrangements en route.
Dave & Fiona Steward (Mar 98)

No saffron is on sale in Hoi An - it's tumeric (cheap, but nevertheless, not saffron).
Tim Coles - UK (Jan 98)

All over Vietnam, people call Saigon ... Saigon.
Heather Merriam (Jan 98)

24 hour ATMs are available and cater for most international card systems, eg, Visa, Mastercard, Cirrus. I regularly draw money directly from a saving/keycard account in Australia (US$ or dong).
Carl Hemberg - Vietnam (Jan 98)

Vietcombank now charges 3% for cash advances from credit cards.
Heather Merriam (Jan 98)

For credit card people, the Hong Kong bank in Saigon gives cash advances on cards with no commission. All other institutions including our own ANZ bank still charged 4% more.
Mark Alexander Smith - Australia (Jan 98)

In Hoi An there is only one bank to exchange money - hence the exchange rate is lower.
Monique Davidson & David Spencer - Australia (Jan 98)

Vietnam bank now charge 0.5% commission on travellers cheques exchanged to VND. 2% charge for $. Credit cards are widely accepted in Hanoi. Most hotels, guest houses, restaurants and hole in the wall shops accept Amex, Visa or Mastercard. Only some charge 4% extra.
Anders Nordstrom & Anna Ekstrandh - Canada (Dec 97)

Overland crossing from Vietnam to China, Lang son - Dong Dang - Nanning: I feel that it is worthwhile to mention that if crossing into China by this route there are no foreign exchange offices. The first one is in the town of Ping Xiang. It is very useful to have dollars in small denominations to pay for the taxi to Ping Xiang.
Angela Murray - Ireland (Dec 97)

There is no way to change money inside the Saigon airport and as soon as you have entered you aren't allowed to leave. We had to spend the day in the little shopping arcade. Also, in Vietnam beware of the pickpocket.
Annette Willems - Germany (Nov 97)

On leaving our hotel in the pouring rain to jump into a taxi, my girlfriend dropped a cigarette outside the taxi and a policeman appeared and wouldn't let us leave. We were ordered out of the taxi and told that we were being fined for dropping cigarettes in the street (up to UKú100). We had to settle on a 500 Baht fine. Please be aware of this new law - apparently it is not uncommon for them to enforce it.
S M Franklin - Britain (Sep 97)

Water: 5 litre containers (filled!) with handle can be bought in the market for little more than a 1.5 litre bottle everywhere else. Look out particularly for all the variations on La Vie - Lavvy, La Ville, Lavie, and I especially like the label that boasted not "bacteria free" but "free bacteria".
Tony & Sue Hoare - Australia (no date)

The road between Saigon and Can Tho is presently under construction for most of its length, including the widening of about 15 bridges along the route. Travel time is currently 6.5 hours by car or mini van. There is a major bridge being built across the Can Tho River, which will eliminate one of the ferries. I would say the road and bridges are probably two years from completion.
There are still no flights in and out of Can Tho airport. The alternative is the high speed catamaran ferry from Saigon - four hours.
John Rousseu, Canada (Feb 99)

There are no passenger boats from Chau Doc to Ha Tien, but boats taking cargo will take passengers for about 70,000D. It leaves at 4am and takes 11 hours!!
Boats to Phu Quoc still go from Ha Tien, but at the moment it is not possible for foreigners to travel on them. The reason we were given is that it goes too close to Cambodia. It is also not possible to go past Bai Mui Nai for the same reason - there is a guarded checkpoint on the road out from Ha Tien.
Robyn Dawkins - Laos (Feb 99)

Bicycle and rider don't have to be on the same train: eg, you can check in your bike in Hanoi for the 9pm train which has a baggage car, and take the 8pm train, which has no baggage car, and then pick up your bike upon arrival of the slow train.

Da Nang: the railway to the Tien Sea Port doesn't exist anymore.

Highway 20, from Dalat to Saigon is a good route by bicycle. Much of it is downhill or flat, and you can break the journey in Di Linh, which is 80km from Dalat, then in Bao Loc and Dinh Quan. On the way are many interesting sites, such as Dambri Falls, Prenn Pass, and a beautiful downhill road from Bao Loc towards Dinh Quan which passes through lush vegetation with many waterfalls near the road.
Manfred Lenzen, Australia (Dec 98)

Flights out of Hue are sometimes cancelled due to heavy rainfall and storms; it may be better to book a flight out of Da Nang in the rainy season.
Lucy van der Net, The Netherlands (Dec 98)

The Vietnam Airline office in Dalat has moved. It is now located at 40 Ho Dung Mua St (overlooking Xuan Huong Lake, 100 meters west of the Dalat Palace Hotel). The telephone number is still the same: 822 895.
Max Adrien - Vietnam (Oct 98)

Vietnam Airlines has a well-known reputation of cancelling domestic flights when there are not enough punters. We experienced this in Danang, expecting a flight to Dalat the next day. We got a flight to Ho Chi Minh City instead. No comment is necessary, except that I pity the poor airline staff who must explain this to customers. Be warned!
Richard Archer, Hong Kong (Sep 98)

I can confirm that there is a through train from Kunming to Hanoi on Fridays and Sundays each week leaving at 1430 hours. The journey should take 30 hours, which includes two hours at both Hekou and Lau Cai at the border. There is one soft sleeper and two hard sleepers going all the way.
Peter Fellows - UK (Jul 98)

For travellers to Sapa, there is now an express train from Lao Cai leaving around 2pm going to Hanoi: it shaves about five hours off the journey.
Juliet Feibel - USA (Jun 98)

You can obtain cheaper domestic flights if you fly internationally with Vietnam Airlines: I find it a good airline with good cabin service. If you purchase your domestic flights outside of Vietnam you can save heaps, in some cases 50%. For example, tickets bought in Vietnam from Saigon to Nha Trang cost US$65, whereas, using the above method, I only paid US$36.
Rod Myers (Apr 98)

We're just back from taking the Reunification Express from Hanoi to Saigon with overnight stops in Hue and Nha Trang. If you're planning this in advance, you can get an agent to organise the train tickets. When we arrived at each hotel, our tickets for the next leg of the journey were waiting for us at the front desk. This was completely hassle-free.
Dave & Fiona Steward (Mar 98)

We travelled by rail from Hanoi to Kunming. In the "Getting There and Away" section, both guides mentioned that the authorities were planning an international train between Hanoi and Kunming. The 'International Express Line' is now happening, although the 'express' part of the deal is not exactly included! Frequent stops and customs going from Hanoi to Kunming meant that we spent 30 hours on the train. We paid too much for the Vietnamese train - around US$46 per person for a soft sleeper. For some weird reason their price list was in Swiss francs, and so when they converted that to US$, we ended up paying more. A fellow traveller in the same sleeper as us got the ticket for around US$36! So make sure that they quote you the exchange rate in US$, not Swiss francs! By the way, the line which I'm referring to is the Hanoi - Lao Cai to Hekou -Kunming.
Priscilla Teh (Mar 98)

Buy your airline tickets to leave Vietnam before you enter; government controls keep prices high - no discounting allowed.
Phil Tucker (Feb 98)

We flew Laotian Airways and got the tickets from Saigon (93A Pasteur Street). We were able to fly Hanoi-Vientiane-Saigon. The Lao Aviation office in Saigon only accepts cash for the tickets, which are manually issued. The trick when flying Laotian Airlines, is to confirm your flights religiously a few days (even a week) before departure. You have to go to a Lao Airlines office to do this. We saw credit card signs in the window of the Hanoi Laotian Airlines office. Credit cards are definitely accepted in Vientiane, even for domestic flights. The international flights are on new planes. The domestic flights are still on aging Russian or Chinese propeller planes. But we have no complaints re: the Vientiane-Luang Prabang flight. The views are spectacular. The Luang Prabang airport has a new control tower.
Heather Merriam (Jan 98)

As of January 1998 things have not drastically changed on Phu Quoc. The most negative thing is that Vietnam Airlines has been cancelling flights due to 'technical difficulties'. According to the hotel people, this translates into not having enough passengers to fill the flights. Therefore, the flight on December 30 was cancelled as were three additional flights in the previous two weeks. It makes for some nervous tourists; never sure if their scheduled, paid for flights will actually depart.
Lorne Goldman - Canada (Jan 98)

Entering Vietnam from China: from the border town of Ping Xiang in China, the cheapest way to get to Vietnam is to catch a minibus near the main bus station (Y3 per person) to the border. You can tell the driver you want to go to YuteLarm GorGwarn (Cantonese for Vietnam border). At the drop-off point you will, no doubt, be greeted by a crowd of willing motorbike drivers who can take you to the policed border-gate leaving you to walk the 500 or so odd metres down an almost deserted road before reaching the Chinese Immigration Building, which is unmistakable as it is capped by a spacey white dome! After paying Y10 for the privilege of leaving China at this border point and other obligatory stages of red tape, you have to continue, unescorted, down the same road for another five minutes with the occasional truck going past but little else. The silence is quite eerie and out-of-the-place for a border point. On average only about 20 or 30 people cross at this point per day. Compare that with the 50,000 or so people that cross from Hong Kong into China every day at the Lo Wu/Shenzhen border.
Dinah Gardner - Hong Kong (Nov 97)

Reading through your list of scams and hazards, I feel I have to emphasise the dangers near Ben Thanh market in HCMC (Saigon). In daylight, generally there are no problems, but after dark, itÆs a different story. I tried a short cut around the back of the parked buses immediately to the south of the market entrance. A motorcycle with a man and woman on board pulled up and the woman jumped off to offer me the back seat. I declined, but the woman then grabbed me by the arm to drag me towards the bike saying she could take me to a hotel, æno commissionÆ. Again I refused and asked her to let go of my arm, which she eventually did, shrugging her shoulders as if disappointed. I walked away and soon discovered that I had lost the ability to tell the time! So, donÆt walk around on your own, male or female, in this area after dark. I have since found out that it is notorious for such incidents. I found the motorcycle riders to be an efficient, cheap way to get from A to B but wouldnÆt recommend this for a single woman.
Vincent Savage, UK (Apr 99)

My advice to travellers is to never, ever take a cyclo in Ho Chi Minh City after dark. Take a metered cab - they are inexpensive and much safer.
Ron Blaco, USA (Mar 99)

Roads: LP's words of caution here still apply. While we were there, 10 people were killed outright and several badly injured when a bus driver fell asleep. The roads in the north are being dramatically improved, but this seems only to encourage people to be more reckless. Anyone thinking of hiring a bike or motorcycle whould really have a look at the traffic before committing themselves!
Charlie Addiman, UK (Feb 99)

My friend and I hired two cyclos to take us to a bar. The drivers asked us for 1000 dong each for the short ride (we should have realised by that low figure that they were conning us). After a while I suspected we had gone too far away, so I leaned out to tell my friend, but he was gone - his driver apparently lost a shoe. As my driver turned up a darker street, I told him to stop. I asked him where my friend was and where the bar was and he said that he did not know. He then demanded US$10. My first reaction was one of anger and I said 'no'. At that moment an entourage of his friends appeared, and I had to fight my way out. When I eventually did get to the bar - by taxi - I learned that my friend had suffered the same experience. I ended up giving them the little money that I had because it's just not worth my life, but I learned to only take cyclos from well-lit areas, and, more importantly, if someone offers an unreasonably low price, it's probably going to cost a lot more at the other end.
Adam Waxman, Japan (Jan 99)

I wanted to warn other travellers about a mostly unnoticed hazard at Halong Bay where you catch the ferries to Cat Ba Island. The hazard is especially dangerous if wearing open-toed sandals. There are many hypodermic needles hidden in the sand near the pier. The needles are also lying along the concrete pathway to the paying beach on Cat Ba Island.
R F Johnson (Dec 98)

On a boat trip on the Mekong Delta I purchased some bottled water from a kid on the ferry. It was the brand 'Swallow' and was in a sealed bottle. I gulped about four mouthfuls down when I felt something solid touch my tongue. It was an ice-cube, and a closer look inside the bottle revealed hundreds of small floaty bits in suspension in the water. I drank no more, and some 24 to 36 hours later had dreadful cramps/diarrhoea and a fever. I felt really delerious, dizzy and a bit nauseous. A lovely pharmacist in Nha Trang helped me with pills of all shapes and sizes (one was the size of an olympic canoe, I swear!) and after about three days I was on the mend. We never saw this brand of water on sale anywhere else. Everyone should be careful of buying water from kids (the fact that it is sealed doesn't count for much), especially the 'Swallow' brand.
Andy Hurst, UK (Nov 98)

Having recently returned from Vietnam, I wanted to warn travellers about a scam that the tourist cafes are trying to pull: all the cafes advertise airline booking services, but what they don't tell you is that they are putting a huge mark-up on the tickets. I booked a ticket to travel from Hanoi-Da Nang-Hanoi, and they tried to charge me US$50 more than it should have cost.
Scott Newton, Canada (Dec 98)

Halong Bay: there are a lot of syringes under the trees, near the beaches and foreshore; be very careful where you walk, especially after dark.
Nick Murray, Australia (Dec 98)

Sam Son Beach in north-central Vietnam is notorious as a killer beach. While its waves do not look frightening, every year Vietnamese vacationers are drowned here, so travellers should be very careful.
Anon (Aug 98)

A word of warning: we bought tickets for a chartered bus (Saigon to Nha Trang) from a travellers' cafΘ in Saigon. We were told it would be a 58 seater air-conditioned bus and would take 11 hours. When we arrived to board the bus, it was a nine seater van with no air-conditioning and subsequently broke down for two hours delaying our arrival time to 9pm (instead of 6pm). As a result we travelled the last three hours in darkness which was a nightmare to say the least. Eventually I had to keep my head down as the stress of the numerous near-miss-head-on-collisions was too much. Others should be aware of this, being careful about the bus tickets they purchase and what they actually get.
Karen & David Mathieson (Aug 98)

The mini bus driver from one of the cafes in Nha Trang (going between Hoi An and Nha Trang), was the worst we've ever had to experience. Joking aside, he was extremely dangerous. He killed one dog, had a few beers for lunch and drove like a maniac. We had to shout at him to slow down. Similar drivers were racing against each other. We would seriously recommend people take a tour bus or the train to Nha Trang rather than a mini bus.
Francis Dix & Jennifer West - UK (Jun 98)

Street crime in Saigon appears to be on the increase, especially around Hai Ba Trung and surrounding streets. This could be due to the number of bars springing up in the general area and the increase in prostitution. The local shop keepers are warning tourists to keep their money out of sight while on the streets and to avoid carrying cameras, shoulder bags, etc which may be snatched by the ever vigilant motor cycle thieves. In two days I saw two bags snatched and was told of one man who was stabbed in an altercation with the locals after a theft.

The pickpockets are operating around the old US embassy. They work in pairs selling phone cards and will approach you from either side, each one jostling you in a staged attempt to get you to buy their phone cards. They become a little aggressive in their actions and while you are trying to push them away from you, they are busily trying to empty your pockets. I fell victim to this and lost a lens out of my camera bag.
Garry Adams - Australia (Jun 98)

I should mention the dodgy water we came across. One company in Vietnam sells water called "La Vie", however, we also found a "La Vile"! Should have been warned by the name! These dodgy bottles of water (and there were quite a few different 'brands') were all 'sealed' with plastic. Expect stomach cramps and diarrhoea to follow!
Helen Black, Saudi Arabia (Mar 98)

A warning for travellers planning to take an overnight mini-bus from Nha Trang to Hoi An. Our experience was near-death. The ride takes about 8 to 10 hours through the only direct north-south highway in the country which happens to be very windy, narrow and riddled with potholes and in some parts unpaved. Our driver was close to 60 and seemed in desperate need of sleep. The mini-bus was poorly maintained (dim headlights and a smeared windshield). Vietnam driving is extremely fast with lots of loud horns blaring for those not paying attention to the road. Our driver almost slammed into a hill on one occasion while turning a bend and on another occasion almost piled us into the road divider on a straightaway! Our bus (9 travellers from USA, Italy, Germany and Argentina) was mutinous and forced the driver to pull over about three hours outside of Saigon. A vote from the bus elected my companions to drive the rest of the seven hour way.
Lucy K (Feb 98)

Regarding safety in Saigon: there have been recent reports on tourists being robbed and stabbed. One Dutch lady was killed in Ben Thanh market, another in the Buu Vien quarter. From what I've heard, these incidents happen more often: crime is on the rise, as is poverty.
Manon Richard (Feb 98)

"Hairy" walk in Cat Ba Nature Reserve: if you go, be prepared for a slippery, muddy, mosquito-infested, steep and dangerous walk.
H Whiting, UK (Nov 97)

If you travel to Sapa (Lao Cai) by overnight train from Hanoi, be sure you go to B station (Tran Quy Cap Street), which is around the corner from the main Hanoi station in Le Duan Street. Be careful on the train - several backpackers on our trip had their pockets slashed. Ask for a bottom sleeper and stow all your belongings in the compartment underneath. The only way people can steal them is to physically remove you from your bed.
Michelle Jeuken, Australia (Nov 97)

Vietnamese WomenÆs Museum, Hanoi: itÆs fairly new and has a modern feel to it but is well done and under visited (I was the only one there when I went). ItÆs at 36 Ly Thuong Kiet St, one km south of Hoan Kiem Lake and includes exhibits on women of the ethnic tribes, mothers, women in battle, etc.
Sandra Engel, USA (Mar 99)

A place VERY much worth visiting is the Women's History Museum in Hanoi at 36 Ly Thuong Kiet St, near the Cathay Pacific reservation office. I found it told a much more complete picture about what life in Vietnam has been like for the last 100 years or so. It is small, but so informative with placards writen in Vietnamese, English and French.
Lana Choi, Canada (Mar 99)

One of the surprising things I found in Vietnam was the number of small, private galleries showing contemporary work by local artists. We visited some wonderful galleries in Hoi An, Hue and Hanoi. The staff usually seemed genuinely happy to show you about and on a couple of occasions we were able to talk to the artists themselves. Perhaps the best was the Apricot Gallery (40B Hang Bong St, tel 8288 965), a beautifully lit space with quiet music. Nearby is the Codo Gallery (46 Hang Bong St, tel 8258 573).
Simon Poon, Australia (Feb 99)

In my opinion, Hong Hai is a much more interesting place than Bay Chan. The small rocky bay of Hong Hai gives a nice taste of the Halong Bay, the fresh market is extremely busy with small boats bringing their fresh fish, souvenirs like lacquer-ware are 30% cheaper than in Hanoi. The only drawback is the ferry crossing which is necessary a couple of times.
Yves & Patricia Beretta - Netherlands (Feb 99)

I don't know if other travellers have mentioned the Linh Phuoc Pagoda - our Honda Om drivers took us there. The pagoda is about eight kilometres from the city centre - the official address is 120 Tu Phuoc, Trai Mat, Da Lat City. It's absolutely incredible - on the left side of the Main Hall is a 49 metre long dragon made out of thousands and thousands of Saigon beer bottles. The monks here are lovely and there are about eight student monks of varying ages. Highly recommended!!
Debbie Hanlon & Paul Fewster - Australia (Feb 99)

The recently opened Ethnographic Museum on Nguyen Van Huyen Street, Hanoi, offers a very interesting display about the history and culture of the Vietnamese people. It is easier to take a taxi directly to the museum and return by bus to the Old Quarter or Hoan Kiem Lake.

Without a doubt, Bac Ha hosts the largest and most colourful Sunday market anywhere in Vietnam. Here, hundreds of H'mong, Nung, Tay and Phu La people congregate to trade new clothes, exchange the latest gossip, barter supplies, meet possible partners, and eat. The place is a maelstrom of techincolour; the swirling pink, red, green and blue of the H'mong dresses, piles of woven cloth, and bags of jewellery blurred our vision.
Frederico Ribeino & Celia Leine, Portugal (Dec 98)

I recently travelled to Vietnam and came across a most unusual historical site. Called Ho Quyen, it is a structure formerly reserved for animal fights between tigers and elephants which provided entertainment for the kings and high ranking officials. The last fight organised here was in 1904. Built in 1830 and in remarkably good condition, Ho Quyen comprises a circular stone wall roughly 40 feet high.. It is located at the southern bank of the Perfume River in Hue, approximately 7km from the centre of the city and 4km from the train station. To reach this site I road a motorbike up a narrow road, about 200 yards off the main road where I parked against a dirt embankment and climbed 15 feet up a small hill to see this arena. It is very impressive, and as you look down from the top of the wall you can clearly see the openings in the wall where the tigers and the larger size elephants would enter to do battle until death. According to my guide, a long chain was attached to the tiger's legs to hamper its movement, thus placing the animal at a disadvantage: the kings desired the elephants to win since they felt they symbolised a king. Over 90 battles took place here. Today, Ho Quyen is a very infrequent tourist site. Locked and maintained by a local guard, it is very secluded. As I approached the arena, I could tell by the stares of the locals that not many Westerners had ever visited.
Dean Dawson, USA (Dec 98)

Phan Thiet-Muine is a real gem, and one of the highlights of Vietnam; a beautiful white deserted stretch of beach, it makes a great stop after bustling Saigon. By now, several accommodation opportunities exist. Transportation from Dalat is a bit difficult. Four of us hired a minibus for $60 in total. The journey took around seven hours. Just walk to the taxi stand in Dalat and negotiate.
Wichert Christine, Germany (Nov 98)

We had some really good meals and enjoyable evenings at the Hoa Sua restaurant in Hanoi. It is part of the Hoa Sua Vocational Training School which provides career and training opportunities for children living in difficult circumstances, such as street children and orphans. All profits from the restaurant and bakery are used to provide for these children and cover the costs of the school. The waiting staff are all students of the school and are very pleasant and friendly. The address is 81 Tha Nhyam St, Hanoi. Tel: (844) 824 0448; Fax: (844) 822 3499.
Lisa Dalgame & Shaun Connelly - UK (Oct 98)

Thanks to our very knowledgeable guide, we would like to suggest that you visit the gallery at the intersection of Phan Boi Chau and Nguyen Hue Streets in Hue. It is owned by a French artist, Diem Phung Thi, who is 72 years old and the daughter of the man who designed the Khai Dinh Tomb. She uses only seven simple shapes in her art which she compares to the seven notes used to create music. The gallery has many sculptures in the garden, as well as collages from many materials. It is quite fascinating, and well worth a stop on the way to Khai Dinh's tomb or just for a change of pace. Her work, according to the sign, is included in the Larousse Dictionary of Painting and Sculpture of the 20th Century. She was in the hospital when we visited, much to our guide's dismay, as he fully expected her to share tea and tales with us. The gallery is free and open to the public.
Charlotte & Jim Kenney - Thailand (Oct 98)

There is a new attraction 40 minutes by boat from Halong Bay - Heaven Palace Grotto next to Wooden Stakes Grotto. Apparently this place was only discovered in 1994 and lighting was installed in 1996. Due to insufficient time, we were unable to go there but a guide we spoke with said, 'if you think that Perfume Pagoda is beautiful, it is nothing compared to Heaven's Palace'.
Chris Jaensch - Australia (Aug 98)

There is a new temple, built in 1993, 500 metres from the Cu Chi tunnels outside Ho Chi Minh City, that is well worth a visit. From the outside, it is pretty garish in a modern east-Asian kind of way. It's noticeable by the Viet Minh star perched on top of it. As you walk in you are struck by a large bust of Ho Chi Minh, some three metres tall, set against the red and gold star of the Vietnamese flag. The walls had caught our attention because the granite which cover three of the four walls is flecked with gold. A guide pointed out that the gold flecks are, in fact, letters: the walls are covered with names; 44,450 of them, commemorating all who died in the area fighting for independence. The earliest date I saw was 1930 and the latest 1975. It was incredibly overpowering, and put the tunnels in perspective. The temple has become a place for school children to visit, but not tourists. I was there yesterday for an hour and only one other couple of tourists wandered in, despite there being many in the tunnels. It's a beautiful setting, and quietly moving.
Haroon Akram-Lodhi - Netherlands (Jul 98)

Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi: this museum, which opened in 1997, has displays, reconstructions, photographs and video footage. The museum presents the lives of Vietnam's 54 ethnic minorities, their artefacts, dress and music. Phone: (04) 756 2193.
Gail Irving - UK (Jan 98)

Ceramic village of Bat Trang - This village lies some 25km from the centre of Hanoi, in a north-easterly direction. Starting at the main bridge over the Red River (Song Hong) on Highway 1, we crossed to the other side and after paying the standard toll, turned right onto Highway 5. From here, we drove straight for approximately 30-40mins. Then we reached a crossroads, with a cluster of stalls on the left and huge brick-making kilns on the right. We then turned right down a narrow dirt track. Once we arrived in the village, we were left to wander as we pleased, down small (and very muddy!) streets and alley-ways, discovering a fascinating way of traditional life. We went from the cement mills, with their big mixing wheels, to houses and workshops, where potters were carefully sculpting a vast array of ceramic pots and figures. Crossing through the local market, we found many stalls and small shops selling the local wares, at unbelievably cheap prices.
Caroline Thomas - Singapore (Oct 97)

It may be a common thing to write, but Vietnam, more than anywhere else weÆve been, has a really deeply worn travellerÆs trail (Hanoi - Halong Bay - Sapa - Hue - Hoi An - Nha Trang - Saigon - Cu Chi Caves - Mekong Delta). And the situation seems to be getting worse rather than better. People donÆt ask where youÆve been in the Mekong Delta - they ask whether you did the two or three day tour. How very depressing! This situation is almost certainly a hangover from government controlled tourism. It is exacerbated by the excellent value at which the big tourist agencies like the Kim and Sinh Cafes can offer tours and transport - almost certainly unbeatable on price, convenience and speed. There are also the perceptions that local transport is dangerous, slow and too small for westerners and that only places highlighted by Lonely Planet and tourist agencies are worth visiting.

But surely cost and speed are not the most important criteria. Surely tearing around the country in transport out of the price range of the local population and visiting the same places as all the other tourists, is simply not a valid way of experiencing a new country. I can only stress that when we did get off the trail, whether it was picking our way slowly to somewhere unusual on various forms of local transport, or simply cycling a little way out of the tourist traps and into the surrounding countryside, the experience was always thoroughly worthwhile, the bits we will remember the most.

Walking back through an almost deserted Cantho Market late at night I stopped to watch a girl giving a guy one of those massages that use suction cups to draw a vacuum on the skin of the back. Before I knew what was happening heÆd jumped up, stripped the shirt off my back and was giving me a great massage. This involved pummelling, aromatic oils, him walking up and down on my back and of course the jam jars. He quickly jabbed a flame twice into each jar and then thwacked it onto my body to draw a vacuum. It felt pretty good but judging from the expressions on my friendsÆ faces it looked awful. The skin is drawn up a good three or four centimetres and when the cups are removed they leave a huge red circular welt. My back basically looked like a Chinese Checkers board for the next few months! At any given time I had about eight cups on my back which heÆd move about, one by one, in some mysterious pattern - I looked like a gremlin after it had been exposed to water! Still, I must stress that it really didnÆt hurt or burn and I just floated back to the hotel, my evil spirits exorcised I suppose. I canÆt remember how much it cost - some over-inflated price like US$5 - but I was so chilled out that I couldnÆt think to haggle!
Richard Carr, UK (Feb 99)

We got to this little general store to get something cold to drink. Suddenly kids were all over us, curiosity bursting about the velcro on our Tevas and seeing someone slightly different from themselves. An older lady dressed in black silk pyjamas was very eager to show us something in the back of her store. We went out there and she pointed to a table covered with a cloth, under which was a fooseball table left over from a US military post. They had no idea how to play so we hauled it out on the front porch and grabbed the roundest stone we could find. Those college days of fooseball tournaments came back quickly. Everyone was laughing and having a great time. It was an incredible experience and one of the more interesting ways I have bridged the gaps of culture.

Another time a train guard locked us in a compartment with him on the way to Hanoi. He wouldnÆt let anyone in as he had a mini stun gun! To our amazement he just wanted us to teach him English and of course we accepted as we looked down at his cattle prod. LetÆs just say it was a very interesting journey to Hanoi.
Ken Robinson, Canada (Feb 99)

Accommodation is cheap and plentiful in Ho Chi Minh City. In the maze of back alleyways behind Pham Ngu Lao, street locals rent rooms in their houses for very reasonable prices - US$3 or US$4 per night per person. In general, these rooms are all newly decorated and are equipped with fans, air conditioning, hot showers and clean beds. There is a lot more atmosphere to living in these rooms compared to those in a hotel as you are thrust into the middle of the daily lives of the Saigonese. During our stay, we had to pick our way through a funeral that lasted three days. The mourners were draped in white and beat drums all night long. The neighbours would always be cooking strange meats in the alleyway and our lounge was often filled with the reclining form of big mama who would be undergoing expulsion of 'bad wind', or delighting in a massage from one of her nephews.

The guys in Hong Kong had made a mistake with my visa. At Lao Cai, the immigration official, a young fellow with a definite mercenary gleam in his eye, spotted this mistake immediately. He then proceeded to intimidate me - a lone female with a smattering of Vietnamese - by ordering me to wait for 20 minutes whilst he attended to trivial administrative duties. It was the last day of my visa and it was 3pm. I only had two more hours before the border closed. I couldn't stop looking at the clock on the wall. He looked up from his work and slowly examined every page of my passport. He stopped at the visa. "No good," he said, "go back to Hanoi. No Lao Cai. Change visa." I had to leave Vietnam that day and he knew it! I tried to look in his eyes and smiled. "But I need to leave today. Please can I change here?" No good. This went on for a little while, and then out of the blue he said, "US$40 OK?" My face fell and I shook my head. "I'm sorry, I don't have US$40." The most bizarre charade was then enacted. He pulled out a packet of cigarettes, 555's, and offered me one. We both lit up, and for the next hour we chatted, half in English, half in Vietnamese. Do I have a boyfriend? Does he have a wife? What is my job? I kept looking at the clock. We laboriously went through all the English in my passport. He would point to a sentence and he would pronounce it. By this stage it was 4 o'clock (only one hour left before the border would close). He finally pulled out a stamp from his drawer. Was he going to stamp my passport? No. He found a loose piece of paper and stamped this instead. It said "USED" in hopeless red letters. "Yoosed," he pronounced in his thick Vietnamese accent. "OK," he said, "US$20". I gave in and handed over the money.

In many ways, the Vietnamese police helped us. In Hanoi we left our rented bicycles locked up near the police office at the edge of Hoan Kiem Lake whilst we went to see the last performance at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. When we came out, the bikes were gone. We spent a troubled night guessing how much the hotel owner would demand from us in compensation. However, when we returned in the early morning to ask the police if they had seen anything, our bikes had been returned. They had locked them into their office overnight fearing that they would be stolen. They reprimanded us and told us to wait for the inspector. This is the point at which we figured that we would have to pay them some money. Ten minutes later the inspector arrived. He chuckled, invited us in for tea and then asked to marry me!
Dinah Gardner - Hong Kong (Nov 97)