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CHUYN DU LCH, M THC

VIETNAM EDITION
OCTOBER 2014

NH XUT BN LAO NG

W
OR
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Hong Kong Ho Chi Minh City


Phnom Penh Kuala Lumpur
Singapore Bangkok Hanoi
Jakarta Yangon Manila

contents

wordvietnam.com

OCTOBER 2014

062

100

056

058 / Co Loa

THE TALK
010 / Save our Cities

A trip to an ancient capital reveals an


unusual story

The drawback of development

011 / The Big Five

062 / The Cities

Events to look out for this month

BRIEFINGS
012 / Saving the Rhino

016 / Taking Back the Selfie

050 / This is the Month that Was

INSIDER
054 / Many Faces

The woman behind the young virtuosos

056 / Dont Go Chasing Coracles

Please stick to the sampans that youre used to

2 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Your favourite bands will be playing


songs by your other favourite bands

088 / Saigon Vinyl Quest

Screw you, haters! Were doin it

From Bendgate to Bikinigate, all in a


months work

MUSIC
084 / Howling for Halloween

Digging through the dustbins of history

LEISURE
092 / The Secondhand Furniture
Shop

Investigating our Indian options up


north...

103 / Street Snacker Hanoi

On the menu: bun ca Hai Phong

104 / Mystery Diner HCMC

... and down south

FASHION
106 / Hipsters.

Giving up too soon is not an option

The urban legend is real

EAT & DRINK


096 / The Strip

West Lake is getting crowded

The results are as mixed as a double


mocha frappuccino

102 / Mystery Diner Hanoi

This months cover story explores our


options in Southeast Asia

A Vietnamese celebrity takes the fight


to South Africa

100 / The Great Hanoi Starbucks


Experiment

102

contents

122

184

188

118 / Formula One

130 / Travel Promos


HANOI
040 / To-Do List
048 / Overscene
131 / Hanoi City Guide
134 / Recalling Hanoi
136 / Coffee Cup
138 / Food Promos

4 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

166 / The Empty Wok

038 / Overscene

Things that go boompf in the night


Boats, mountain bikes and all-fours

156 / Body and Temple

030 / To-Do List

114 / The People of Myanmar

Burma, in between the snapshots

122 / Cu Chi the Hard Way

154 / Job Search

HCMC

TRAVEL

168 / A World of Good

149 / HCMC City Guide

178 / Student Eye

160 / Coffee Cup

180 / Tieng Viet

164 / Top Eats


176 / Food Promos
179 / Non-Famous Places
COLUMNS
140 / The Alchemist
142 / The Therapist
146 / Medical Buff
148 / Book Buff

152 / Business Buff

FINAL SAY
184 / The Inside Story of the
Guerrilla War

Chapter 1 of Wilfred Burchetts classic


account

188 / Resentment on the Road

Fighting the chaos with calm

192 / The Agony of The Feet

Get it?

196 / The Last Call

Singapore Business Groups president


wraps up our ASEAN look

CONTRIBUTORS

This month we asked our colleagues the


following question: Where else could you see yourself
living in Southeast Asia, besides Vietnam?
Heres how they replied:
ED WEINBERG
Deputy Editor
Well its a tough one I like it all!
But I guess Id go with the quieter,
more reflective side of Southeast
Asia. And seeing as how one of my
best friends started a Get Ed Weinberg
to Kampot! campaign on Facebook, I guess
Id give that a try.
VU HA KIM VY
Marketing & Graphic Design
I dont want to move. I want to live
in Vietnam! Why? Simply, I love
this country with all its bad and
good things.
DUHWEE PHAM
Freelance Writer
It's a no brainer for me, I love Japan
so Tokyo is most definitely in my
five-year plan. The city is vibrant with
innovation yet tradition doesn't waver,
it's the perfect yin and yang balance!
OWEN SALISBURY
Freelance Writer
Honestly, I don't know. Where can
I find a better combination of high
quality of life, low cost of living,
and decent salary as a teacher? And
would my girlfriend be able or even
willing to join me?
DAVID MANN
Staff Editor
It would have to be Georgetown in
Penang. The perfect place to chill out
and feast on as much char kway teow
as I can get my hands on!
NIKO SAVVAS
Freelance Writer
I once visited a small town called San
Jose in The Philippines. Its secluded
and authentically Filipino I saw
no other foreigners, there was no
late-night karaoke or disco clubs, and
the mayor even outlawed pornography.
It seemed like a terrible place to live. So,
anywhere but San Jose, I guess.

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

EDITORIAL
NICK ROSS
Chief Editor
editor@wordvietnam.com

ED WEINBERG
Deputy Editor
ed@wordvietnam.com

MADS MONSEN
Creative Director
mads@wordvietnam.com

HOA LE
Staff Editor
hoale@wordvietnam.com

KYLE PHANROY
Photo Editor
kyle@wordvietnam.com

DAVID HARRIS
Staff Photographer
david@wordvietnam.com

FRANCIS XAVIER
Staff Reporter
francis.xavier@wordvietnam.com

NGUYEN LOC
Layout Designer
loc@wordvietnam.com

MARK ALLAN
Website & Graphic Designer
mark@wordvietnam.com

IAN WILLS
Online Editor
ian@wordvietnam.com

VU HA KIM VY
Marketing
vy@wordvietnam.com

ADMINISTRATION
BAO ROSS
General Director
bao@wordvietnam.com

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Chief Accountant
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ADVERTISING
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General Director
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DISTRIBUTION
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CHAU GIANG
Area Sales Manager Hanoi
giang@wordvietnam.com

DUONG THI THANH XUAN


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SUBSCRIPTIONS
trang@wordvietnam.com

For advertising enquiries please call Ms Bao on +84 938 609 689 or Ms Giang on +84 934 640 668
Special thanks to Julie Vola, Glen Riley, Katie Jacobs, Niko Savvas, David Mann, Huyen Tran,
Dana McNairn, Karen Gay, Douglas Holwerda, Truong from Bookworm, Riccha Arora, Phil Kelly,
Shane Dillon, Family Medical Practice, Owen Salisbury, To Thu Phuong, Duhwee Pham,
Simon Stanley, Harry Hodge, Grasshopper Adventures, Phong Lan, Lucy Sexton, Singapore Tourist
Board and George Burchett

Word is a registered
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authorisation of the
owners.

NICK ROSS
Chief Editor
Almost definitely somewhere remote
in Indonesia. Maybe Ambon in The
Maluku Islands. Maybe somewhere in
Sulawesi. Or possibly even somewhere
like Lombok.

Word - Duong Huynh


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In xong v np lu chiu Qy 4 nm 2014.

The prelude
got to have a certain
type of personality
to be able to cope
with it, and youve
got to be the type of
person who thrives on
achieving goals.
In our cover
story this month
almost everyone we
spoke to at least,
certainly those not
from Southeast Asia
found that in this
region they work
harder than they did
back home. Much
harder. The downside
of being a well-paid

expat means you


have to perform, you
have to be worthy of
your salary. With this
pressure comes stress.
I certainly feel it. Not
just at the end of every
month but from the
very day after this
publication goes to
print.
Fortunately, the
lifestyle out here makes
up for the hours of hard
work. Southeast Asia is
obsessed by eating and
drinking, by meeting
friends, by going out.
Yes, people do also

stay at home, but they


certainly spend more
hours outside their
private nests than they
would do if they were
living in the West.
Forget all the other
pluses of living in
this part of the world.
And forget even the
negatives. The lifestyle
alone is what is so
attractive for those of
us whove decided to
make Southeast Asia
our home. Yes you have
to work hard. But you
also play hard, too.
Nick Ross

CHUYN DU LCH, M THC

VIETNAM EDITION
OCTOBER 2014

Hong Kong Ho Chi Minh City


Phnom Penh Kuala Lumpur
Singapore Bangkok Hanoi
Jakarta Yangon Manila

W
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hile we
were on
deadline
for this
issue, one of our
staff members ended
up in hospital, on
a drip. There are a
number of reasons
for what happened,
but one contributing
factor was stress. No
matter how much
you plan in advance,
the deadline stress
of putting together
a daily, weekly or
monthly publication
is immense. Youve

NH XUT BN LAO NG

THIS MONTH'S COVER


Cover by DH Advertising
Design by Vu Ha Kim Vy

HAVE YOUR SAY


DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? THEN LET US KNOW ON FACEBOOK FACEBOOK.COM/WORD.VIETNAM OR VIA TWITTER, @WORDVIETNAM.
NO MATTER HOW POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE YOUR THOUGHTS, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.

inbox

DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO AIR? IF SO, REACH OUT AND TOUCH US
AT EDITOR@WORDVIETNAM.COM WERE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.

The Magic Number


Yo. Great issue. Loved the bright spin on 101 things also
draft beer great. And a damn fine cover. RR

Cover Story
No.2

No.3

Coconuts

101 THINGS to LOVE about #Vietnam via @wordvietnam...


[Numbers 8, 37 & 40 for me!!] MTM
Loved that story, 101 Things to Love About Vietnam. But why
did you put coconuts at number 2? JW
Bum guns at 34 and Cargo Bar at No. 18. LOL! Should have
been the other way round! DL
I remember when you did 101 Things to Love About Hanoi a
couple of years ago. Everyone loved it. Glad to see that you
changed up a lot of the content. OS

Cafs

The number of cafs in


Vietnam is perhaps only
exceeded by the number of motorbikes
here. There are so many of them, and the
style of each goes beyond diverse. From
kitsch, communist-themed cafs like Hanois
Cong Caphe to the sleek, colonial charms of
Saigons LUsine, from cafs devoted to fans
of Trinh Cong Son (Hanois Caphe Nhac
Trinh) to cafs devoted to fans of Japanese
weirdness (Saigon maid cafs Viet Moe and
The Other Person); there are as many places
to take your coffee as there are methods of
preparation. New trends are evolving all
the time from the pet cafs that are lately
flooding Vietnams biggest cities to the
evolving artisanship of Hanois Oriberry
and Saigons [a] caf.
And of course, we cant forget the typical
street caf their low wooden or plastic
tables make it easy to get a ca phe sua da
wherever you go. Just get lost in any coffee
shop on Hanois Trieu Viet Vuong also
known as coffee street or in Saigons Phu
Nhuan District. Somehow, we think youll
find your fix.

They drop on your


head. Fortunately their
contents can also drop in your mouth,
although you need to open them first. In
Vietnam coconuts are cheap, nutritious
and very, very tasty.

No.4

Flower
Markets

The best-smelling markets around,


these pre-dawn hubs of greenery are
brightened by neat lotus flowers in
summer and cheerful wild roses in
winter.

Words by Katie Jacobs, Hoa Le, Ed Weinberg and Nick Ross.


Photos by Kyle Phanroy, Francis Xavier, Glen Riley, David Harris and Julie Vola
Read through the news and of
No.1 every ten stories, eight will be
negative and two will be PR.
Rarely will there be a story that is genuinely
positive.
In todays world there is a belief that its only
negative news and sensation that sells units
or draws in readers. And when its straight
PR, readers just seem to switch off.

political interests? In our humble opinion,


no. And with Vietnam often being the recipient of negative press, we decided to do
the opposite this month and give you the
anti-cover story, one that remembers all
thats good about this country. And believe
us, from quirks to coffee, language to arts,
culture and dramatic landscapes, theres a
lot. Far more than we could ever place in
these fair pages.

Is the world really such a bad place, one


where the only things we talk about are either negative or influenced by corporate or

So read on and join with us in celebrating


all that is good about this country we live
in Vietnam.

62 | Word September 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Long Bien
Bridge

No.5

The iconic iron peaks of Hanois


oldest bridge have transported
trains, bikes and pedestrians across
the Red River for over 110 years. And
no, contrary to legend it wasnt built
by Gustave Eiffel.

wordvietnam.com | September 2014 Word | 63

Edgy Content and Community


I happened to chance by your magazine
and I love the articles written within.
As I teach writing classes to
Vietnamese students, at Broward College
Vietnam, I needed articles that are
relevant and edgy.
For instance, in your July 2014 edition,
I used The Therapist article Working It Out
(p. 150) to teach the concept of power.
Another piece, Business Buff, World

Cup Dollars, (p. 158) will be used to teach


the concept of value, self and culture. Your
writing pieces are a lifesaver.
I do believe that what you write is
extremely relevant to the young people
of today and gives credence to the axiom:
The pen is mightier than the sword.
Writing is not just words being filled
on a page just for the sake of rudimentary
exercise. Rather, it is the expansive breadth

of human identity being actualized. It is


self-empowerment. It is social community.
I believe these ideas are what you
espouse as well.
With that being said, I would like to
ask if you have a community submission
section in your magazine where my
students can submit their writing. I want
them to see the value of their writing in a
community of writers. Peter Nguyen

the talk

Save our Cities

ld buildings are problematic. First is


location. In Vietnam, except for a few
notable exceptions, most are in the
city centre. With a scarcity of land,
there is a temptation to knock them down
and replace them with high-rises. In terms of
land value and financial returns, skyscrapers
are simply more efficient.
Preservation is also an issue. For many
developers or homeowners, its often
cheaper to knock down an old building and
reconstruct it from scratch rather than to
conserve and invest in what is crumbling and
falling down.
Subjectivity comes into play, especially
with the value placed on heritage. Buildings
like the two Opera Houses, the Metropole
Hotel in Hanoi or Ben Thanh Market are high
on the heritage list. These are landmarks, with
historical, emotional and architectural value.
Other buildings dont have the same pulling
power. The higher the heritage value, the
more likely the building will be preserved.
And of course theres urban planning.
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are both in
development and phases. In the name of
progress and grander designs, while some
buildings will be saved, others just have
to go. Just look at the razing of Thu Thiem

10 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

What should we preserve?


in Saigons District 2. To create a new city
centre on the other side of the Saigon River,
its residents had to be relocated, their houses
knocked to the ground.

and the woes of both the building and its


inhabitants were covered incessantly by the
local press. For once, it wasnt foreigners
leading the charge. It was Vietnamese.

Progress vs. Heritage

To Infinity and Beyond

Until recently these variables in Vietnam were


balanced in favour of progress. History,
rather than something to remember, was
something to be forgotten. In the process, all
that was old was deemed bad or replaceable,
and all that was glitzy and new was seen
as desirable.
Yet times are changing. Whereas once
it was foreigners who got upset at the
destruction of this countrys buildings, now
growing numbers of Vietnamese are in on the
act. There is an appreciation here for heritage
that even five years ago didnt exist.
The most recent expression of this
change came with the demise of the Saigon
Tax Centre. As part of the reconstruction
of downtown Saigon, this 1920s-built
department store was read its final rites
at the beginning of August. With business
owners given only two months to vacate
the premises, the uproar was astounding.
Petitions were circulated, the online
community went into critical overdrive

Change, rebuilding and destruction are


inevitable in modern day Vietnam. This is a
country on the rise to continue its meteoric
elevation into the developed world, sweeping
physical change is inevitable.
However, now more than ever there need
to be guidelines. What should be preserved?
Why should it be preserved? How should it
be preserved? By creating a comprehensive
list of protected buildings from big to
small it will still be possible to retain the
character of this countrys two main cities.
Some buildings are worthy of being saved,
others arent. The distinction needs to be clear.
And too much which should have been saved
has already gone.
In the name of tourism dollars, Hoi An has
had a financial incentive to preserve its look
and historic feel. In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh
City, such variables are not so evident. Instead
its uniqueness, character and history that are
important here. And these are things that are
priceless. Nick Ross

14-18

OCT.

the big five

Italy the Michelin Way

InterCon sure knows how to


spoil us. After bringing the
first Michelin-star experience
to Danang, theyre upping the
stakes with the first Michelinstar dinner in Nha Trang oh
and theyll stop by Saigon and
Hanoi as well. For these three
special dinners, theyre bringing
Chef Mateo Metullio out from
Trieste, Italy, where he was the
youngest Italian chef to earn his
star at the tender age of 25.
This rising chef of Northern
Italian cuisine will take on the
kitchen of InterContinental

31

3 -25-26 OCT.
22

Hanoi Westlake Oct. 14,


InterContinental Nha Trang
Oct. 16 and InterContinental
Asiana Saigon Oct. 18. Hes
taking us on a six-course
journey that will make all
other Italian cuisine pale in
comparison.
To reserve a spot, consult
InterContinental Hanoi Westlake at
(04) 6270 8888 / fandb.hanoi@ihg.
com; InterContinental NhaTrang
at (058) 388 7777 / fb.reservation@
icnhatrang.com; InterContinental
Asiana Saigon at (08) 3520 9099 /
dine@icasianasaigon.com

OCT.

Without Stars

15

OCT.

Apocalaughs Now!

After a two-month
hiatus, the international
comedy that we all love
to love is returning to Saigons
Cargo Bar on Wednesday Oct.
15.
Part of a Southeast Asian
comedy tour, this month the
headliners at Apocalaughs Now
are the irrepressible David
Smiedt (RSA) and the punchlineperfect Ro Campbell (UK).
As ever, Magners will be on
hand to give you a dose of Irish
cider on the door, and the laughs
will also be ready and waiting
with the most unpromisable of
promises a gag a minute. Oh,
and for all you partygoers out
there, this is Apocalaughs Nows
one-year anniversary show.
Definitely not one to be missed.
The entrance surcharge is
VND250,000 and includes a free
Magners. For table bookings please
email saigoncomedynights@gmail.
com. Cargo Bar is at 7 Nguyen Tat
Thanh, Q4, HCMC. Doors open
at 8pm

Acclaimed contemporary
dance troupe, The James
Cousins Dance Company,
will be electrifying the big stage on
Oct. 22 (Hanoi) and Oct. 25 and 26
(HCMC).
Performing two emotionally
charged pieces Without Stars
and There We Have Been both are
inspired by the Haruki Murakami
novel, Norwegian Wood. With a
recent work by the same dance

24-25

company described by well-known


British dance critic, Laura Dodge,
as one of the most stunning
contemporary dance pieces I have
ever seen, expect a mesmerizing,
haunting experience.
The Hanoi show will be performed at
the Hanoi Youth Theatre (11 Ngo Thi
Nham, Hai Ba Trung) while the Saigon
leg will go on stage at IDECAF (28 Le
Thanh Ton, Q1). For tickets, please go
to ticketbox.vn. Prices TBA

OCT.

Balade En France

Coming on the heels of


four successful editions,
this years Balade En
France promises to be something
more than just a fun night in a
fancy hotel. With an expected
1,800 other Francophiles headed
to Hotel Equatorial (242 Tran
Binh Trong, Q5, HCMC) for the
two nights of the event, youll be
able to parler about the food and
wine on offer and home-grown,
French-influenced art on display.
With an interesting emphasis on
animation this year, this years
Balade aims to transport you right

into the heart of France.


Balade en France goes from 6pm
to 11pm each night, VND150,000 in
advance, VND300,000 at the door
under 15s pay VND120,000.
For more info, contact avdpol@hcm.
equatorial.com

The Halloween
Covers Show

Where do you go
when you want to see
your favourite bands play as
your other favourite bands? Well
theres only one place in the
world if some of your favourite
bands are Saigon indie groups
and others are legends like
Parliament-Funkadelic,
Florence and the Machine and
The Misfits and thats Cargo
Bar on Halloween night. Add
in Arctic Monkeys, Bob Dylan,
New Order and Joan Baez, and
youll get in enough musical
impersonations to never have
to go to Thi Caf again.
The Halloween Covers Show
starts around 9pm at Cargo Bar
7 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4,
HCMC. Check out the feature on
page 84

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 11

briefings
BRIEFINGS

SOUTH AFRICA

Saving the Rhino


A Vietnamese celebrity takes up the cause

efore George Clooney stepped in, the


international press were ignoring the
atrocities in Darfur. Oscar-winning
actress Angelina Jolie supports or
has supported a total of 28 foundations and
charities including UNICEF, UNHCR and
Human Rights Watch. Musician Bono of U2
fame weighs in with support for 36 causes
including Amnesty International and water.
org. Even Madonnas ex-husband Sean
Penn has taken a seat on the bandwagon,
deciding to the amusement of the British
that ownership of The Falklands should be
transferred to Argentina.
The purpose, at least on the surface,
is to provide credence and legitimacy
to these causes. By having a celebrity
somewhere near the helm, the charity, NGO
or foundation can raise awareness and get
media support.
So to discover that singer and self-styled
Vietnamese diva, Hong Nhung, has got
behind the Saving the Rhino movement is
perhaps not so much of a surprise. What is
a surprise is that she is one of the first local
celebrities to take on such a role.

The Trip to South Africa


The issues with rhino conservation are welldocumented. The belief in the ability of rhino
horn to act as a magical cure for cancer and
other health problems, as well as its value

12 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

as a status symbol, is driving the poaching


industry in South Africa. In 2013 1,004 rhinos
were killed for their horns including the
last of Africas now-extinct western black
rhinos while to date in 2014, well over 700
rhinos have been slaughtered. If the trend is
not halted, more extinctions loom.
As part of her induction, last month Hong
Nhung went on a fact-finding mission to
South Africa. Sponsored by the Rhinose
Foundation and the Humane Society
International-Australia, and organised in
conjunction with Education for Nature
in Vietnam (ENV), the trip included a
journalist from Lao Dong Newspaper, the
Vietnam customs vice chief of the antismuggling and investigation department
and a representative of the TV station, VCTV.
According to ENV, the trip was put together
to foster links between South Africa and
Vietnam, and to bring the issue directly to
the Vietnamese people by way of wellrespected public figures.
Visiting Kruger National Park, which has
lost well over 400 rhinos so far this year, the
delegation met with rhino park authorities,
rangers and conservation groups to gain
better insight on the difficulties they face in
their efforts to protect rhinos on the ground.
They were also flown by helicopter deep into
the African bush to the scene of a recently
killed rhino.

I am really shocked, said Hong Nhung,


as she stood over the carcass. This rhino has
been hunted down and its horn hacked off
its face. This is the most brutal crime scene
that I have ever witnessed.
She added: When I get back to Vietnam,
I will speak about my experiences so that
[people] understand and feel the severity
of this senseless killing, and the impact it is
having on these amazing animals.

Will it Work?
According to UK newspaper, The Independent,
two pieces of recent research suggest
that celebrities are generally ineffective
at encouraging people to care about
foreign causes. Instead, say sociologists,
by appearing to be altruistic the chief
beneficiaries of star-studded attempts to
raise the profile of a good cause are the
celebrities themselves.
Yet, says Jane Cooper, the UNICEF UK
director of communications, Celebrities
have a unique ability to reach millions of
people, many of whom may not normally be
engaged.
There is no doubt that Hong Nhungs
public profile will benefit by taking up this
cause. But hopefully the real beneficiary will
be the rhino. Nick Ross
For more information on the work of ENV,
please go to envietnam.org

briefings

BRIEFINGS

NATIONAL

The Great Photo Leak


Vietnams no stranger to scandals but, as Ed Weinberg learnt,
mankinis still make headlines

his past month, netizens were


outraged by a pair of seemingly
calculated photo leaks of scantilyclad models representing two of
Vietnams most popular brands.
Appearing on Sep. 19 on the Facebook
timeline of Lingerie Queen Ngoc Trinh,
the first set of leaked photos showed nine
models in red-and-yellow, VietJetAirbranded bikinis. In the smartphone-captured
flicks, the models perform luggage checks,
amorously salute viewers and do all the
other traditional duties of VietJetAir bikini
models.
VietJetAir first made sexy headlines in
2012, with an inflight bikini show celebrating
the budget airlines inaugural flight to Nha
Trang. It was the first flight to a beach
town, a VietJetAir official said at the time,
so we came up with the idea of getting a
number of girls in bikinis to dance and make
passengers happy to improve our customer
service.
This time around, some potential
passengers objected. Thats just plane
wrong, quipped Facebook commenter
Charlie Wall. Long TheGoddamn Nguyen
suggested a new slogan: Welcome to
VietJetAir Air. We got lots of tits.
Not everyone disagreed with the idea.
Nhien, commenting on tuoitrenews.vn, saw
the photos as fun and friendly.
Imagine foreign visitors seeing this
fun ad and becoming more interested in

14 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

coming to Vietnam, he wrote. Why be so


conservative towards a type of publicity that
other international airlines have used long
before?

Meanwhile in Saigon...
As the maybe-calculated VietJetAir scandal
unfolded on the pages of the internet, an
uncanny coincidence was brewing. And
on Sep. 24, Facebook was again atwitter
over photos of models in red-and-yellow
swimwear this time taken within the walls
of Saigon barbecue restaurant Quan Ut Ut.
Apparently leaked by Okinawan male
model Taint, the photos show his fellow
models in playful repose, looking sexy,
sassy and generally like guys youd want to
be sharing one of Quan Ut Uts communal
tables with.
Ut Ut owner Tim Scott said, These photos
were leaked from a test shooting under a
contract between Quan Ut Ut and Uranus
[Modeling Agency]. They are not official
promotional photos of Quan Ut Ut.
Tim was kind enough to answer a few
questions:
Who are the sexy dudes?
They are international men of the catwalk.
They were recruited from Uranus Talent
Agency. They are somewhat elusive in public
due to their fame, and live more or less in
disguise most of the time.

Are those custom mankinis?


Strict measurements were taken for each
model to ensure spillage was eliminated,
[along with] maximum comfort for the
lengthy photo shoot.
Will the mankini-clad studs be flipping
burgers??
Would you eat a burger flipped by them? We
didnt think so.
How has this affected your September Month of
Love promotion? Did more people start kissing
after the photos got leaked?
We shudder to think what happened
behind closed doors at the homes of people
downloading these images. Business as
usual at Quan Ut Ut though.

Not so Fast
A strange story gets stranger in the case
of the Quan Ut Ut photo leak, a number of
Facebook forums unleaked them, deleting the
images amid a flurry of gay-bashing and LOLs.
In point of fact, even the fine periodical you
hold in your hands couldnt run them. To get
a glimpse of the Uranus Modeling Agency
forbidden fruit, click on haivl.com/photo/4723142,
where youll see the cheeky mankini photos
contrasted with the totally-printable ladies of
VietJetAir.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 15

briefings
ADLINE
E
D

oct
31

BRIEFINGS

NATIONAL

Taking Back the Selfie

As Words selfie competition heats up, we bring you


a brief history of this much-maligned art form

ts safe to say that selfies have jumped


the shark. Theres a sitcom titled Selfie
debuting on American television this fall.
It was Oxford English Dictionarys Word
of the Year for 2013. Justin Bieber and
Miley Cyrus have forsaken promising pop
careers to focus on the discipline (kidding!).
Sellotape selfies are things. Selfies are the
rare thing thats become embedded in the
mainstream, but hasnt yet been abandoned
by the kids.
So maybe were past the backlash, and
can take a look at the phenomenon honestly.
Selfies arent a new thing they used to
be called self-portraits but front-facing
camera phones and 24/7 access to social
media are. Criticisms of selfies are really
criticisms of the anxieties of our age
technological oversaturation, body image
concerns.
American art critic Jerry Saltz has written
a pop critique of the form, with some
interesting conclusions:
When it is not just PR, though, it is a
powerful, instantaneous ironic interaction
that has intensity, intimacy and strangeness...
Fascinatingly, the genre wasnt created by artists.
Selfies come from all of us; they are a folk art that
is already expanding the language and lexicon of
photography. Selfies are a photography of modern
life not that academics or curators are paying

16 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

much attention to them. They will, though: in


a hundred years, the mass of selfies will be an
incredible record of the fine details of everyday
life. Imagine what we could see if we had millions
of these from the streets of imperial Rome.
Theres something here, something
powerful and untapped. And its something
very relevant to Vietnam, linked by that one
lonely underwater broadband cable to the
popular currents of global culture.

The Selfie Face-Off


You might have heard that Word is hosting a
selfie competition The Selfie Face-Off and
were looking for a few good photographers.
We pride ourselves on the photos
published in these pages, but its more
than quality were after. Its expression, its
giving people a place to show off a part of
themselves that sometimes doesnt get the
recognition it deserves. And that recognition
should extend to all people, not just those
with camera skills who know how to work
the appropriate media networks. You know,
as long as its good.
And we believe theres something here,
something raw and sincere and innocent
about it, something that captures the best of
the expressive arts.
Traditional media (like us) have come
under fire in recent years for being too

inflexible, for losing touch with the way


people communicate. But theres something
good about structure, about a more orthodox
forum for words and pictures that too often
get lost in the deluge.
With this competition, we think weve
realised our mission in life and its bold,
no doubt. But with your help, we really think
we can legitimise the selfie.

WWWHW
WHO: Pros and amateurs of all ages.
WHERE: Bedrooms, rooftops, cafs,
caves, grandparents houses, Crazy
Buffalo, Phuc Tan, etc.

WHEN: Submission deadline Oct.

31 11.59pm. Winning images will be


announced in the December issue.

HOW: Email images 500kb or larger

to kyle@wordvietnam.com. Tell us
whether it was shot via SLR/DSLR or a
smartphone, and your name. For full
contest details, check wordvietnam.com/
features/the-culture/selfiefaceoff.

WHY: Because we believe in you.

Au Lac Do Brazil II Hanoi


6A Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh Dist
Tel:
T
el: (04) 3845 5224 - Fax: (04) 3747 4330
pr_hanoi@aulacdobrazil.com
Au Lac Do Brazil I HC M C
238 P asteur
asteur, Dist. 3
Tel:
T
el: (08) 3820 71 57 - Fax: (08) 3820 7682
wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 17
pr@aulacdobrazil.com

briefings
Photo by Mitsuyo Miyazaki

oct
29

BRIEFINGS

HCMC

Illustrations by Pat Perry

MONO

As Saigon comes of age as an international tour stop,


it begins to secure some niche acts

n the five days between shows in


Hong Kong and Taipei, Onion Cellar
scion Vanity Vietnam managed to snag
Japanese post-rockers MONO for a
show in Ho Chi Minh City, a coup for a
post-rock scene that peaked interest-wise
in 2010 but is only now beginning to
attract some names.
The closest Vietnam was able to get
previously to post-rock of the MONO calibre
were tight local acts like Time Keeper,
touring bands Anoice and And So I Watch
You From Afar and a 2012 Onion Cellar x
Japan Foundation screening of the MONO
concert film Holy Ground. Although MONO
is going on 15 years together, guitar-based
music tends to age well. Especially when it
taps into the immortal currents of time, loss
and remembrance.
Word got a chance to speak with MONO
founder and guitar-wielding force of nature
Takaakira Taka Goto in advance of the
show:
Word: How did it come about that youre
touring in Vietnam?
Takaakira Goto: We were always hoping to
visit Vietnam. Luckily this time, our booking
agent for Asia and Australia, Jef [Vreys]
from New Noise... managed to book us, so
were really looking forward to it. We think
in Vietnam, there is a beauty and peoples
kindness that Japan lost throughout our
economic development. Were hoping to

18 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

share something important through our


music.
Your new albums The Last Dawn and Rays
of Darkness are being double-released on
Oct. 15, along with some rhetoric about
focusing on a new era of your sound. What
will this renewed focus bring?
The two albums ended up representing the
counterpoints in life. Light and darkness,
hope and hopelessness, love and loss, the
emotions that cant be expressed, pain which
you cant put into words, happiness which
you cant simply measure. We also at the
same time felt and hoped that they could be
something to exceed the darkness.
This time, we wanted to just leave the
chaotic ones as chaotic as possible and make
the positive ones as positive as possible.
How do your live shows compare to the
records?
We generally do live recordings so there
is not much difference as far as the
performances go. But when you actually
shake the air through live performances,
there is some indescribable intensity in
sounds compare to the studio recordings. We
want you to look forward to it!
You guys all play the glockenspiel. What
does it add to your music? Will we be
hearing an all-glockenspiel song?
We just love the pure and dreamy sounds of

glockenspiel. They work really well together


with the guitars. We use them on the new
records as well.
What do you try to make people feel with
your music? How do people respond to it,
what does it do for them?
Our audiences generally watch us quietly
like youre watching a film in a theatre. We
think that every one of the audiences feel
their own story differently, from their own
experiences and memories through our
music, almost like a spiritual travel. And
because of that, we think we managed to
expand our dynamics in sounds to this level
over the years.

In A Glance
WHERE: C ARGO B AR (7 Nguyen Tat
Thanh, Q4, HCMC)

WHEN: Oct. 29, Doors at 8pm


HOW: Pay ticketbox.vn/mono2014
VND500,000

WHY: MONO is up there on the first tier


of international post-rock bands

INFLUENCES: My Bloody Valentine,


Sonic Youth, Beethoven, Ennio
Morricone, Lars Von Trier

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 19

briefings

BRIEFINGS

HCMC

The
Scooter Man

hat brought you to Vietnam?


What enticed you to stay?
Id been travelling after finishing
work in Hong Kong and got
caught up in the coup in Cambodia in early
1997. The airport got destroyed so I couldnt
make a return flight to Bangkok. When things
heated up I headed to the bus station and the
last bus leaving was going to Saigon. I arrived
with no visa and got an emergency visa on
entry and then spent the night in an expensive
police hotel. The next day I was accompanied
to immigration to get a tourist visa. A couple
of days later I was having a coffee downtown
and offered a guy US$200 (VND42 million) for
a nice Lambretta sx200. He sold it to me. I was
only joking, but that was the start.
When you first arrived, what was the Vespa and
Lambretta scene like here? How easy was it to buy
bikes and what kind of prices were you paying?
There was no real scooter scene here. There
were a few shops on Nguyen Van Cu that
were restoring for foreigners but there
was no local market. At the time they were
seen as a poor mans Honda and there was
amazement that foreigners were actually
buying them when they couldnt be given
away. I could easily pick up 50 scooters a day
if I wanted them, and prices were from VND2
million. Even for the real collectable models
like the Vespa GS and Lambretta 200 models,
prices were VND4 to 5 million.
Back in the late 1990s what was the local perception
of old bikes? Why do you think that changed? What
are the most noticeable changes you've seen?
I think they were looked on as the choice
of transport for people who couldnt afford
a Honda Dream. Every body dreams of a
Honda Dream was a common saying. Also
due to years of neglect they were unreliable,

20 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

uneconomical and generally in need of


extensive repairs. This was the same for the
whole range of classic models from Honda
Cubs and ss50s through to Vespas and
vintage classic bikes. The scene has changed
dramatically over the past 10 years.
The appreciation of classic bikes and
scooters has really gained in popularity. The
classic bike club scene has attracted a lot of
younger Vietnamese who now see them as a
cool, unique mode of transport and something
that they can economically customize. They're
not common sights on the streets any more, so
theyre gaining a cult following.
How difficult was it and still is it to export bikes
overseas? When did the Vespas and Lambrettas
start to run out?
The de-registration process has always been
difficult. This has to be completed by the
registered owner and involves four different
papers that need to be submitted to the local
traffic police in the area where the bike is
registered. A part of this is that the current
ownership paper has to match with the
original import papers. In over 1,000 scooters
we have exported, I have only ever had one
bike that didnt have the original import docs
on file. Unfortunately its not getting any
easier to arrange this. In fact if anything its
getting more difficult.
By about 2002 many people saw the Vespa
business as an easy way to make money and
thousands of cheap sub-standard scooters
were being shipped out every month. Over
the next five years the market quickly dried
up. These days were lucky to pick up three or
four nice scooters a month.
As the scooters for restoration and export began to
run out, how did you change your operations?
A large part of the SSC business has been in

Photos by Alexandre Garel

Last month Saigon Scooter Centre celebrated its


17-year anniversary. Word talks to founder and
self-styled scooter man, Pat Joynt, about the
classic bike industry then and now

the manufacturing of after-market parts and


accessories. We currently produce over 1,000
parts for the export market. We also have a
large rental bike stock mainly dealing with
short-term, long-distance rentals for tourists
making Saigon to Hanoi trips. We also
import many European motorcycle products
including a wide range of Italian helmets.
This year is your 17th anniversary of Saigon
Scooter Centre. What have been your best
moments? What have been your biggest
challenges?
I think one of my favourite moments was the
Charity Scooter Event we organized in 2011
when we supported an orphanage in Dong
Nai. We anticipated a turn out of about 250
riders and on the day there were over 500.
The challenge is like in any business
adapting with the times. One of the most
difficult projects was the design of the Vtronic
electric scooter conversions. This has been a
five-year project made even more difficult as
the technology of EVs is changing so rapidly.
What are your plans for the future?
At the moment weve just moved into a
new workshop and set up our offices and
showroom under one roof. Were also looking
into opening a new shop in Phu My Hung and
the plan for the Scootacafe is still on the cards.
For more information go to
saigonscootercentre.com

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 21

briefings

BRIEFINGS

HANOI

In Transition The
Halico Factory
After a century-plus, the curtains have closed on
another of Hanois colonial landmarks. Katie Jacobs
surveys the remains

few months ago Hanoi lost


one of its oldest buildings and
landmarks, the Halico Factory.
Founded in 1898 at 94 Lo Duc
by the Fontaine Company, the recently
demolished liquor factory was one of
the first major constructions to be built
by the French it outlasted almost all
of its architectural contemporaries. If
anything, the site was a memorial to all
the changes that the city has seen over the
past century.
The factory held many roles over its
116-year history as the largest colonial
factory, supplier of medicinal alcohol, host
of wartime bunkers, participant in Eastern
bloc liquor fairs and producer of some of the
highest quality liquor in Vietnam. It even
had a stint as a Japanese controlled prison in
the 1940s.

Ch-ch-changes
A friend took me to see the factory a few
weeks ago. An avid explorer of the city, she
had discovered the old factory by chance.
Parking the scooter in front of an expanse
of rubble she turned to me in shock. Its
gone, she said. I was just here a few weeks
ago and now its gone.
Thats Hanoi for you. Buildings are always

22 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

disappearing.
We poked our heads through the flimsy
corrugated iron gates, trying to picture what
was there before. Piles of crumbling red
bricks, cakes of cement, metal pipes, bamboo
poles and old trash stretched half a kilometre
before us. You can still see one of the
original chimneys, my friend said, pointing
to where a group of women in conical hats
were rummaging through the mess in search
of anything valuable or useful.
Although it seemed the factory had
disappeared overnight, in actuality, it wasnt
meant to have made it past the summer
of 2012. Originally slated for demolition
years ago, Word published an article about
the factory in April 2012 and reported
that Halico had built a new factory on the
outskirts of the city.
A quick Google search of the old address
at 94 Lo Duc reveals that the now rubblefilled lot is to be the site of two new
21-storey apartment complexes designed
by Australian-owned firm Brown and
AssociatesArchitects. But there is one
reminder of the historic factory. On the
corner stands a bright blue umbrella with
white Halico lettering stamped across it,
under which you can still buy plastic bottles
filled with the famous wine.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 23

briefings
BRIEFINGS

NATIONAL

Vietnamese
Womens Day

oct
20

lthough International Womens


Day has historical significance
a mass strike on the occasion
kicked off the Russian Revolution
in 1917, and the day continues to raise
awareness of womens issues the world
over the national womens holiday
has taken on special meaning in Vietnam.
And yes, that significance extends past
the flowers youll see on office desks and
Facebook timelines.
From the time of the Trung sisters to
the Indochina Wars, the role of women in
Vietnam has long been linked to the struggle
for independence. There is even an old
Vietnamese saying about that: Giac den nha
dan ba phai danh When the enemy is at
the gate, the woman goes out fighting.

Hai Ba Trung
Leaders of an uprising in 40CE which would
establish the last Vietnamese-ruled kingdom
for 500 years, the Trung sisters are the heroic
archetype for women in Vietnam. In what is
today northern Vietnam, they led a rebellion
against the Chinese occupation after Chinese
governor To Dinh killed the elder Trungs
husband, according the Complete Annals of
Dai Viet. With a mostly-female army, the
widow Trung Trac and her sister subjugated
65 cities on the backs of war elephants in the
first year of their rule, establishing a capital
in Me Linh part of present-day Hanoi.
Trung Trac named herself queen.
It took the ruling Chinese Han dynasty
two years to amass an army of over 10,000
under the command of one of Chinas
greatest generals, Ma Yuan, Queller of the
Deep. In the Chinese account, Ma Yuan
killed both Trung Trac and her sister Trung

24 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

All photos from the Arthur Z. Gardiner Archive

Unearthing the unique meaning of Womens Day in Vietnam

Nhi. In the Vietnamese account, the sisters


either committed suicide or fled to the banks
of the Jin River, when their army suddenly
realised the queen was a woman and could
not be victorious, and therefore scattered.
Their female captain, Phung Thi Chinh,
is often depicted fighting with a newborn
in one arm and a sword in the other. As the
story goes, she gave birth on the frontlines of
the war, committing suicide when she saw
the cause was lost.

A Powerful Tradition
Dicey historical interpretations aside, the
Trung sisters have been powerful symbols of
Vietnamese independence for nearly 2,000
years. In these photos from Womens Day in
Saigon, 1960, ao dai-clad women of all ages
march down modern-day Le Loi, mindful of
the tradition they carry.
Vinh Tuong, herself a participant three
years later, says, The organiser borrowed
the two elephants from the zoo and 20
horses from Phu Tho a province in
northern Vietnam, the site of the Hung
Kings ancient kingdom. The two girl
students who acted as the two hero Trung
sisters were from Trung Vuong High School
on Nguyen Binh Khiem in Ho Chi Minh
City, which Tuong also attended.
20 younger girl students from the 8th
grade are the Trung sisters soldiers, she
continues. One of them was my sister.

What You Can Do Instead of


Buying Flowers
The history of independent Vietnam is
tied to the battle for Vietnamese gender
equality. In the 1930s, when nationalist
sentiment was evolving, womens liberation

became a popular topic in intellectual and


political circles. Ho Chi Minhs Lao Dong
Party galvanised support for independence
by speaking against the mistreatment
Vietnamese women had suffered under the
French eventually instituting employment
quotas and ending systemised prostitution,
child marriage and forced marriage.
The time since the Doi Moi reforms
has been challenging, with free market
practices putting women in rural areas at a
disadvantage credit-wise, and occupational
segregation creeping in as men returned to
the workforce.
The Thanh Hoa Fund for Poor Women
is a microfinance institution in Central
Vietnam, which started in 1998 as a joint
project of the Save the Children Fund and
the Vietnam Womens Union in Thanh
Hoa. It has since grown to support nearly
100,000 women, with loans ranging from
VND500,000 to VND10 million.
Kiva, an online microfinance lending
platform that directly connects individuals
with microfinance institutions, has worked
with the Thanh Hoa Fund for the past six
years. In that time, Kiva members have
supported nearly 10,000 borrowers with
US$3 million in loans.
Thanh Hoa is one of the poorest
provinces in Vietnam, with poor households
accounting for 37 percent of its 3.7 million
people. Its looking like another exciting
Womens Day in our cities maybe one day
all of Vietnam can join in the celebration.
Ed Weinberg
For more information on the Thanh Hoa Fund
for Poor Women, go to thmicrofinance.org. To
help out with a loan as low as VND500,000, go
to kiva.org/partners/121

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 25

briefings

IN BRIEF

Over and Out For An


Giang
Vietnam News reported in
September that Hung Vuong
An Giang have been dissolved
after their relegation from
V-League to V-League 2 this
season. A lack of funds was
the primary reason. An Giang
was promoted to the national
premier league in 2013 after a
16-year wait, but managed to
stay in V-League for only one
year.

BRIEFINGS

Sports Digest
From the sidelines, Harry Hodge sizes up
Vietnams month in sports

Footballers Score Criminal Sentences


Tuoi Tre has reported that a
Vietnamese court recently ruled
against nine football players
from V-League club The Vissai
Ninh Binh for betting on their
own game at an Asian Football
Confederation (AFC) Cup in
March. Tran Manh Dung, a
24-year-old midfielder, was
given a 30-month sentence for
instigating the betting.

Vietnams Messi Makes


Headlines
Vietnamese striker Cong
Phuong scored the lone goal in
a 1-0 win over Australia at the
ASEAN Football Federations
Nutifood U-19 Cup in Hanoi,
Thanh Nien reported. The
19-year-old captain, hailing
from Hoang Anh Gia Lai
Arsenal JMG Football Academy,
was likened to Barcelona FCs
star Lionel Messi after passing
six Australian defenders to rip
a rocket past the Australian
goalie, drawing worldwide
acclaim in so doing.

Octagenarian
Overachiever
The Asia Book of Records
recognised 83-year-old
Vietnamese citizen Huynh
Van Rang for climbing the
3,143-metre-high Mount
Fansipan four times in northern
Vietnam, according to Tuoi Tre.
The Vietnam Book of Records
and the Hoang Lien Ecological
Tourism and Environmental
Education Center also
recognised his exploit.

tes
pda
us u your or
d
n
Se about group @
ry
rting har m
spo ent to nam.co
ev dviet
wor

NATIONAL

The Heat Lose a Legend


While the Saigon Heat are
having their best season on the
hardwood, this will go down as
one of the toughest years in the
teams short history.
In their latest campaign in the
ASEAN Basketball League (ABL),
the Heat have already eclipsed
their win total from any of their
previous seasons, and might
finally make the playoffs. But, in
light of the events of Sep. 22, much
of the enthusiasm surrounding
this season has been extinguished.
Just hours after a crucial
72-61 victory over archrivals the
Indonesia Warriors the Heat
claiming fourth-place in the
standings, the best theyve ranked
this late in any season head
coach Jason Rabedeaux was
found unconscious after a fall in
his home, and died en route to
the hospital on the morning of
Monday, Sep. 22.
An outpouring of emotion
flooded the Internet in the hours
following his death, with fans and

HAT TIPPED FOR HANOI

STADIUM ROCKED

One of the ultimate


experiences in Southeast Asia
is returning to Hanoi.
Since the first Vietnam Hat
ultimate Frisbee tourney
took place in Hanoi in 2004,
the Vietnam Hat Ultimate
Tournament hasnt returned,
being held in Ho Chi Minh
City for the last nine years.
This year, Vietnam Hat
organisers have decided to
relocate Vietnam Hat 2014 to
Hanoi, to help not only grow
the scene in that city but to
take advantage of the cooler
December temperatures. This
will be one of the highlights
of the Southeast Asian
ultimate calendar, joining
the ranks of tournaments in
Cambodia, The Philippines
and elsewhere.
The tournament will be
held from Dec. 20 to Dec. 21
in Hanoi, and the VND1.7
million entry fee includes
games, a disc, lunches, dinner,
party drinks, shuttle buses
and plenty of free beer.
For more information,
visit hanoi-ultimate.com/
vietnamhat2014.

According to Thanh Nien


and Tuoi Tre, officials have
blamed shoddy construction
for a shocking ceiling collapse
at a Ho Chi Minh City
stadium midway through
an international badminton
tournament.
Miraculously, no one was
injured when 40 square metres
of plaster ceiling collapsed
onto the court at Phan Dinh
Phung Stadium in Ho Chi
Minh City in September. A
Taiwanese player noticed
dust beginning to fall, and
a referee was able to clear
the court before the deluge
descended from the ceiling.
The collapse was heavily
viewed on YouTube before the
videos eventual removal.
The accident has drawn
widespread outcry.
The Vietnam Badminton
Open 2014 continued after
organisers relocated the event
to another stadium in the
city. More than 270 players
from 15 countries and regions
competed for a total prize
of US$50,000 (VND1.06
billion).

DOMINANT IN
DANANG
Photos by Kyle Phanroy

staff from his day at the University


of Texas-El Paso to those who
followed him during his coaching
days in China, all were in disbelief
at the loss of the larger-than-life
Coach Rabs at just 49 years of age.
A solid guy whose enthusiasm
for life was infectious, said
veteran ABL columnist Sean
Farquhar on Twitter. He will be
missed by many.
Having covered the Heat from
their first press conference almost
three years ago, Rabedeaux was
the one constant on a team that
finally seems to have figured out
how to win. From the mid-season
departure of former NBA player
Julius Hodge in the teams first
year, to sitting through games
where the Heat were down to
eight players last season, its been
a test of patience for the clubs
raucous fan base and those of us
covering the team.
But this season, American
Justin Williams has been a force
for the Heat. The former NBA
cager with the Houston Rockets

and Sacramento Kings was in


particularly fine form in a game
at the end of September against
cellar-dwellers Laskar Dreya,
savaging them with a tripledouble that included 13 blocks.
Fellow American Dustin Scott
and Vietnamese-American David
Arnold provide more size for the
squad, while Filipino imports
Leo Avenido and Froilan Baguion
bring extensive ABL experience to
the table.
In what would be one of our
last interviews together, an excited
Rabedeaux waxed poetic about
how far the team had come during
a win earlier in the month against
Sumatran side Laskar Dreya.
Its a whole new team, he
said, with obvious pride after that
win. Im confident, but there are
still many games left.
But for Coach Rab, its a season
and a career which ended
far too early. If this team can
keep on winning, that would be
the ultimate tribute to one of the
games true nice guys.

SWANS IN MANILA

Vietnamese runners
dashed to eight medals
at the Danang International
Marathon during the Labour
Day long weekend.
The marathon attracted
more than 3,600 athletes
from over 25 countries and
territories to compete in
a full marathon, a halfmarathon and a 5km fun
run.
In the full marathon,
Vietnam swept the podium
on the mens side, with
Tran Van Loi on top, Hoang
Nguyen Thanh taking
silver and Nguyen Van
Long nabbing bronze. On
the womens side, Hoang
Thi Thanh took gold with
Denmarks Annete Haudrun
taking second.
In the half-marathon, Do
Quoc Luat, Le Tuan and
Bui The Anh finished 1-2-3
for the men, and Phung Thi
Hang took the womens
division.
All proceeds from the
event benefitted Danang
Cancer Hospital.

Fresh off a September


triumph against the
Philippine Eagles, the
Vietnam Swans are concluding
their year against Asias best
Australian Rules Football
squads.
Teams from The Philippines,
Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia,
Thailand, Singapore,
Indonesia, China, Vietnam
and many more countries will
be fighting it out for the AFL
Asian Championship in The
Philippines on Oct. 11.
The day consists of three
round-robin pool matches per
team, and then final matchups.
To make it all the way, a
team has to win six games of
football.
The Swans have players
from all parts of Vietnam... or
from countries such as Canada,
Ireland, USA, Korea and more,
says Vietnam Swans national
president Josh Lee. We really
pride ourselves on welcoming
people from all over.
The event caps a season that
saw the Swans come up just
short at the Indochina Cup in
Thailand in August.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 27

on the margins
Owner: Tuan
Location: Corner of De Tham and Co Bac
How long have you been open? More than
one year.
Why did you decide to serve kebabs? Its
a new cuisine to Vietnamese people and
Vietnamese people like to try out new foods.
Why kebabs instead of banh mi? The meat
is slow roasted so its always hot and fresh
unlike banh mi sandwiches that use mostly
processed meat. All my ingredients are
purchased daily from the local market. The
profits for kebabs and banh mi are the same,
but I provide a better product.
What did you do before you opened your
kebab stand? I worked for a petroleum
company for several years. But, with the
economic downturn, my company went
bankrupt and I lost my job.
How does running a food stand compare
with your previous position? Running a
food stand is much better. The hours are
longer, but the profits are much higher than
my previous salary. Also when I sell out I
can go home. I set my own hours.
Where did you get the idea for a kebab
stand? My cousin is a resident in Germany
and he told me about it. I was convinced this
would be a successful business and invested
in four carts. As soon as the economy
improves I will bring the other carts out of
storage.
Where did you get the equipment? The spit
is made in Vietnam, but the heating element
had to be imported from Turkey.
How many do you sell in a day? One
average about 100. But on busy days I can
sell up to 200.
What are your hours of operation? I start at
3pm and finish at 9pm, or when I run out of
product.
Do you sell on rainy days? Of course. Im
under a canopy. Rain is not an issue for me.
What changes have you noticed about
Vietnam in the last 10 years? You see a lot of
change on the surface. But the cost of living
is rising much faster than the average family
income. The buying power of the average
consumer has declined. Same as anywhere
else in the world.
What is your opinion on the current
economy? Compared with four years ago its
slow. But, its stable at the moment.
What are your hopes for the future? I hope
the overall global economy improves along
with Vietnam. If it does, my revenue will
increase and I can put my other carts on the
street.

28 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

BRIEFINGS

HCMC

A Duong
Kebab Stand
By Glen Riley.
Riley. Translated by Mi Nguyen
and Le Thi Quynh Ngan

What: Selfish Soup


Where: Le Thanh Ton, Ho Chi Minh City

What: A branding problem


Where: Bao Loc in Cao Bang

What: Commission or commitment?


Where: Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne

PHOTO BY EMILY HUCKSON

PHOTO BY NICK ROSS

PHOTO BY EMILY HUCKSON

BRIEFINGS

NATIONAL

Hav
sign e you se
gigg s that m en any
of th le? Tak ake yo
ea
u
em
in and se photo
nd t
the
me
h
edito rrier. Si more th em
m
e
r
@
p
ly
w
and
well ordvietn email
am.c
d
o
shar
o
e th ur best om
em o
to
n.

Sign of the Times

anguage is a funny thing


translating from one to another can
often be fraught with difficulty and,
of course, errors. From ham buggers
all the way through to swimming crap, we

thought wed seen it all. Maybe we havent.


Here are a few of the more amusing
signs recently spotted in Vietnam. Yes, we
know its at other peoples expense. But
sometimes its just good to laugh.

Photos by Francis Xavier

Cat of the
Month
Nike

ike was first featured with


her sister Rocky back in
July part of the tortie
twosome known as The
Troubles. Together, they jumped,
squirmed, pounced and preened
their way into our hearts.
But Rockys since gone, adopted
into a loving family, and only cute
Nike is left to prowl around the
Cat Ranch for fishing pole toys
and shadows, her adorable paunch
swinging about. She is playful,
cuddly, has beautiful big eyes and
is very easygoing. Named after the
Goddess of Victory, she will catch
all toys and just might win your
heart in the process.
Shes active, spayed, fully
vaccinated and waiting for you
to take her home today. Contact
arcpets@gmail.com to make your
date with kitty destiny.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 29

to do list

Ho Chi Minh City

10

OCT. FRIDAY

POP GOES THE FRENCH


SINGER-SONGWRITER

03

OCT. FRIDAY

HAEWON SHIN / LEAD ARCHITECT OF LOKALDESIGN


The first of RMITs new
architecture series speakers
comes at an interesting,
turbulent time in Saigon, a
time where great changes are
being made for better or worse.
And South Korean architect
Haewon Shin has been thinking
about this stuff too the
2013 winner of Koreas Young
Architect Award focuses on
meaningful changes that can
be created when architecture

08

is incorporated into public and


everyday space. The lecture
is part of a three-day practice
research symposium series,
and it should start it with some
provocative thoughts.
Haewon Shin speaks at the
Lecture Theatre (Building 2, Level
1, Room 4) at RMIT Saigon South
Campus (702 Nguyen Van Linh,
Q7, HCMC). The lecture is free
and starts at 6pm. For more info,
contact graham.crist@rmit.edu.au

Sophie Maurin is coming to


IDECAF on Oct. 10 with her
trademark creativity, blending
classical training with vocal
sweetness in a pop concoction
The Beatles would approve of.
Sophie Maurin comes to
IDECAF, 28 Le Thanh Ton, Q1,
HCMC, doors at 8pm. Entry is
VND160,000 VND80,000 for
students

18

OCT. SATURDAY

OCT. WEDNESDAY

CHRISTINA NOBLES NEW WORLD


The New World Hotel has been
one of Saigons finest five-star
options ever since it opened its
doors 20 illustrious years ago.
Like any 20-year-old theyre
excited, and celebrating the
occasion with a bang.
The 20-Year Anniversary
Charity Gala Dinner will
welcome lion dancers, local
stars and a five-course menu
composed by a team of
Richard Hilton, Executive
Chef of New World Beijing,
Ivan Chieregatti, Executive
Chef at New World Makati
and Saju Rajappan, Executive

Chef of New World Saigon.


But the star of the night is the
Christina Noble Childrens
Foundation, with all ticket
proceeds going to benefit the
disadvantaged children it
supports.
The New World Hotels 20Year Anniversary Charity Gala is
at New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai,
Q1, HCMC. Tickets run VND4.2
million net per person, which
include a free room for every
couple. For more information or
to reserve, contact Ly at (08) 3829
4000 ext. 2812, or email ly.le@
newworldhotels.com

30 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

BIKING TO SAVE LIVES


Cycling is good for the
environment, this we all
know. But Ho Tram Water
Safety believes it can actually
save lives, and theyre
holding a Charity Bike Ride
to test that theory. Sponsors
are your responsibility, but
the organisers believe you
can raise VND6 million per
person. Biking a beautiful
route down to an even more
beautiful destination, this

might just be the easiest good


deed youve ever done.
The Charity Bike Ride for
Ho Tram Water Safety starts
at Cat Lai at 6am (140km) or
Long Thanh at 7am (80km)
and finishes up with a
lovely barbecue in Ho Tram.
Registration is at The Bike
Shop, 250 Nguyen Van Huong,
Q2, HCMC, VND1.6 million
per rider. For more info, check
facebook.com/hotramwatersafety

21-24

OCT.
IPAD CREATIVE KIDS
WORKSHOP
Your kid is getting one of those
long weekends, and youre
worried theyll just waste the
whole thing on their iPad. Well,
under the guidance of iKnow
and Ta Lai Longhouse, thats
not a bad thing! From Oct. 21
to 24, the iPad Creative Workshop
is coming to Cat Tien National
Park, filled with fun activities
that straddle the line between
electronic addiction and natural
immersion. iPads in their hands,
kids will go scavenger hunting,
stargazing, bamboo raft
building and, erm, kayaking.
Get their heads out of the Cloud
and back in the clouds where
they belong!
Kids from nine to 14 years
are invited on the iPad Creative
Workshop at Cat Tien National
Park. The fee is VND6 million net
for the three-night, four-day camp.
For more info, email info@talaiadventure.vn, or just stop by iKnow
63 Thao Dien, Q2, HCMC

25

OCT. SATURDAY

ARTS FOR MOBILITY


Arts have a transformative ability,
something thats never specified
though we know its there.
Since 2008, Arts for Mobility
has been putting a value to this
experience one measured in
the thousands of wheelchairs
donated to the disabled and
disadvantaged of Vietnam.
For the first time this year,
Arts for Mobility has joined
its efforts with those of Saigon
Chamber Music. The two came
together earlier this year in a
classical showcase of 19 young
musicians from the three leading
national music academies.

The collaboration will be titled


Viet Nams New Virtuosos 2014,
and will perform classics by
Bach, Dvorak, Mozart and
more. A silent art auction and
refreshments will also be part of
the evening.
The 2014 edition of Arts Mobility
takes place at the Saigon Opera
House 7 Lam Son Square, Q1,
HCMC with refreshments
and a silent auction at 6pm,
and music from 7.30pm. Tickets
are VND500,000 for adults,
VND250,000 for students. All
proceeds go towards the work of
Kids First Enterprise

Halloween
24TH FRIDAY
The Halloween Classic
JoyRide
Halloween is coming up, and
theres no better time to flaunt
your new costume than the
weekend before. The Bike Shop
is inviting you to mount your
trusty steed even dress it
up in a critical mass of fun
proportions, with prizes for
the best costumes! Make sure
you bring a good attitude, your
helmet and a bicycle with lights
to The Bike Shop at 7pm, and
get ready to celebrate the joy
of cycling with a horde of likeminded road racers!
The ride starts at 7pm at The Bike
Shop, 250 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2,
HCMC. Contact thebikeshopvn@
gmail.com for info on bike rentals

25TH + 26TH WEEKEND


A Station Bizarre Bazaar
With Halloween just around
the corner, 3A Station is getting
weird. On the weekend before
Halloween, theyll have a special
Halloween bazaar, with lucky
draws, live music, treat or
cheat, free face painting, free
scary nail art and their usual
assortment of the best artisans
and creative swag in town.

Pop by from 8am to 9pm and get


into the spirit of the season!
3A Station is at 3A Thang Duc
Thang, Q1, HCMC. The Halloween
Bazaar runs all weekend, from 8am
to 9pm

30TH + 31ST OCT.


Seventeen Saloon Burns
Bright
Seventeen Saloon has hellfirepowered parties going on both
Devils Night (the night before
Halloween) and Halloween
itself in Saigon and Danang,
with rages of nature and
ambiguous but fun sounding
cataclysms expected. Oct. 30
coincides with a party called
The Hell Fire, while Halloween
itself will feature game shows,
a Halloween fashion show
and the trippy Time Dancing
Group.
Seventeen Saloon is at 103A Pham
Ngu Lao, Q1, HCMC and Z72-77
Tran Hung Dao, Son Tra, Danang.
Check 17saloon.vn for more info

31ST OCT. + 1ST NOV.


Rocky Horror Halloween
Doing the Time Warp has
somehow become a Halloween
tradition here. Bust out
your favourite fishnets and
stilettos for this annual feast of
awesomeness, and get ready for
things to get rocky!
Rocky Horror Halloween
Madness happens at 7.30pm
both nights at McSorleys, 4
Thao Dien, Q2, HCMC. For
bookings and inquiries, contact
saigonplayers@gmail.com. All
proceeds go to Operation Smile
Vietnam and Viet
Hearts

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 31

to do list

Ho Chi Minh City

Dance Parties
Photo by Dave Lemke

FRIDAY OCT. 3
Alex From Tokyo
Expertly eclectic and globally
recognized, Alex From Tokyo
has played in some of the most
well-respected underground
clubs on the planet. His sets go
from ethereal sounds to stringlicked instrumental syncopation,
stepping into the worlds of
both old school and advanced
house and techno. A veteran of
residencies in both Tokyo and New
York, this is his first Saigon show.
Alex From Tokyo will be excavating
Saigons chakras at The Observatory
(cnr. of Le Lai and Ton That Tung, Q1,
HCMC) with support from Hibiya Line.
Doors at 10pm, entry VND100,000

Lip Service
Resident sexologists Joey-T and
Starchild bring you a night of
smooth slow jams, R&B, hip-hop,
soul, boogie and music to groove
with your boo to. Get ready to
make sweet, sweet love on the
dancefloor all... night... long.
Lip Service will seduce you
at Broma (41 Nguyen Hue, Q1,
HCMC), VND50,000 entry

SATURDAY OCT. 4
Battle of the Month
Ok, so maybe its not the kind of
throwdown we hosted in August,
but Songs urban style dance show
has everything else urban, featuring
the dynamic styles of John Huy
Tran and Urban Dance Group, and
hip-hop dancers, circus performers,
beat-boxers, graffiti artists, My Tam,
Phuong Vy and others. At Hoa Binh
Theater Oct. 4, it will be the latest
attempt to catch dance lightning in a
bottle, or at least in a stage routine.
To get the full rundown on Songs
showcase at Hoa Binh Theater 3

Thang 2, Q10, HCMC visit


facebook.com/songdanceshow

SATURDAY OCT. 11
Outcast Live Music
Saturdays
Dat Phonk is one of Saigons
supafunkiest bands. And, at
Saigon Outcasts Live Music
Saturdays, theyll inundate you
with disco boogie jams.
Dat Phonk will devastate your
funk receptors at Saigon Outcast
(188/1 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2,
HCMC), VND50,000 entry

THURSDAY OCT. 16
Last Calls Second
Anniversary
As a chillax hub, an after party
location and the place with the
best classy happy hour in town,
Last Calls become part of our
lives. And its hard to believe its
been only two years. The bar will
remind you of that fact on the 16th
with DJs, drinks, food and fun, the
usual mix of stuff weve gone to
them for from the start.
Last Calls second anniversary
party is 9pm till late at Last Call, 59
Dong Du, Q1, HCMC, freeee

FRIDAY OCT. 17
Gangster Cat Haus
CIS and Starchild deliver the deep
and dirty underground electric
jams that are needed to keep
your body moving all night. In
Starchilds words: Let's get weird!
Gangster Cat Haus will claw all of
your cortexes at Broma (41 Nguyen
Hue, Q1, HCMC), VND50,000 entry

FRIDAY OCT. 24
Anchorsong + Kay Suzuki
Anchorsong aka Masaaki

32 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Yoshida is famous for his


live shows, which people have
described as like watching
a painter drawing on a white
canvas as he creates electronic
music completely live using
a sampler (MPC2500) and a
keyboard. Hes joined by Londonbased Kay Suzuki, a renaissance
producer / sushi chef type. Kay
is influenced by music that has
a sociocultural background
like the West African traditional
musicians he featured on the first
single he released rather than a
particular genre or style. Whether
its electronic or live music, its all
about the pure reflection of the
vibration from a particular time
and space.
These crazy Japanese dudes are
playing at The Observatory (cnr. of Le
Lai and Ton That Tung, Q1, HCMC),
doors at 10pm, entry VND100,000

SATURDAY OCT. 25
Live Funk
Dat Phonk will be turning up
the funk meter to 11, while DJs
Starchild and Datodeo stir the
funk soup and play only the
dopest, dappest soul, funk, disco
and boogie vinyls!
Dat Phonk and DJs Starchild and
Datodeo are serving the funk soup at
La Fenetre Soleil (44 Ly Tu Trong, Q1,
HCMC), VND50,000 entry

Boiler Room Founder


Thris Tian
Boiler Room is the biggest
underground music show in the
world, and its founder Thris Tian
is coming to Saigon for a deep
house date with local mavens
Nic Ford and Hibiya Line. From
researching slots alongside Gilles
Peterson and at Soul Jazz, hes
now Boiler Rooms programming
director across Europe, Africa
and Asia, and his well-travelled
selections run from West African
grooves to Norwegian gospel.
Hes played alongside Detroit
legends Theo Parrish and
Moodymann, London young
guns Jamie XX, James Blake and
Disclosure, and musical pioneers
Mulatu, Erykah Badu and Q-Tip.
Now hes here.
Thris Tian brings the bPm to The
Observatory (cnr. of Le Lai and Ton
That Tung, Q1, HCMC), doors at
10pm, entry VND100,000

SAVE

The
Date
01

NOV.

THE SAIGON
MELBOURNE CUP
For Australians, Nov. 1 is a
day to recall all the triumphs
of the past specifically
the past 153 years, each
of which has hosted the
Melbourne Cup, Australias
premiere horse racing derby.
AusCham hasnt forgotten
either, and theyre holding
the first Saigon Melbourne
Cup celebration at the aptlynamed Reverie Hotel.
The Saigon Melbourne Cup
will have special horse races
where people can purchase
horses with cash to win
prizes from sponsors. The
cash will be donated directly
to charity. In addition,
modelled off the Melbourne
Cups Fashions on the Field,
they will have Fashions on
the Gon, with 10 Vietnamese
models dressed in ao dais,
wearing striking hats that
have been designed by Kan
Kanemura exclusively for the
Saigon Melbourne Cup, and
an amateur catwalk category.
The Saigon Melbourne Cup
will be at the new Reverie Hotel
on Nov. 1, 11am to 4pm. For
more information or to reserve a
ticket for VND3 million, contact
events@auschamvn.org or (08)
3832 9912

7th TO 9th
NOV.
nov
07-. 09

12

REAL MADRID FOOTBALL CLINIC

WILD BEASTS TO WILE OUT IN SAIGON

Real Madrid is coming to


Vietnams football scene in a
big way. Working in concert
with the YKK Asia Group Kids
Football Clinic CSR project
which has organised football
clinics for underprivileged
children across Bangladesh,
Cambodia, India, Indonesia,
Philippines, Singapore, Sri

Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam


and YHA, the now-annual
clinic will bring in 30 local
coaches and 250 kids into its
four sessions. For once, the
underprivileged of Vietnam are
going to get an experience that
money cant buy.
For more information go to
sportingrepublic.com

UK indie royalty Wild Beasts


of the same jangly stock
as Domino labelmates Arctic
Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand
are headed to Cargo Bar on
Nov. 12, on the heels of their
fourth release Present Tense. In
their Vietnam debut, theyll
seek to charm concertgoers with
heavenly falsetto songs and

beguiling melodies, supported


by Saigons own Space//
Panther.
Loud Minority presents Wild
Beasts at Cargo Bar (7 Nguyen Tat
Thanh, Q4, HCMC), supported by
Space//Panther. Doors are at 8pm,
tickets are VND350,000 in advance
available at ticketbox.vn and
VND250,000 with student ID

THE CMI-HEART INSTITUTE


CHARITY GALA

the adults theyve operated on. No


child is ever refused care out of
financial need.
Yet their ambitions extend
beyond their means, which is why
theyve run an awesome gala for
the past three years at Park Hyatt
Saigon. This year, the dress code
is Monte Carlo Casino, and the
champagne will flow during a
four-course French dinner, live

performances and a charity


auction. As if you needed more
incentive to help.
Tickets for the Nov. 22 CMIHeart Institute Charity are VND2.9
million, available at CMI (1 Han
Thuyen, Q1, HCMC) and all Annam
Gourmet locations in Ho Chi Minh
City. For more information, contact
lorraine.alamartine@cmi-vietnam.
com or call (08) 3827 2366/67

22

NOV.

In the world of heart surgery,


no-one stands as tall as Alain
Carpentier. The man who
conducted the first artificial heart
transplant in Europe in 1986,
Carpentier has also designed the
first completely artificial heart
ever used in a successful
transplant for the first time last
year.
Vietnam is lucky to be
the beneficiary of one of the
greatest parts of his legacy, the
CMI Vietnams first cardiac
institute. With the help of partner
organisation The Heart Institute,
theyve provided funding to save
the lives of 4,000 children over the
past 20 years not to mention

NOV.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 33

to do list

22

Ho Chi Minh City


SAIGON CHARITY
BAZAAR @ THE DECK

NOV.

Its a Thao Dien tradition.


The Deck will once again
host their 50-vendor bazaar
at The Deck, for the 8th year
running. Sign up alongside
crafters and charities such
as Vietnam Quilts, Mekong
Creations, Grace Cookies and
Operation Smile along with
local artisans and shops to
participate in one of the things
that makes Thao Dien the
shopping oasis it is in our fair
city. All proceeds from tables
and 5 percent of each vendors
profits will go to Heart Beat
Vietnam.
The Saigon Charity Bazaar goes
from 10am to 4pm at The Deck,
38 Nguyen U Di, Q2, HCMC.
For vendor information and other
enquiries, contact Dominique
Lampel at 0906 011390 or
domlampel@hotmail.com

NIGHT MOVES
The Color Me Run guys are
back with another fun concept,
and a stupid cool international
megastar lined up for the afterconcert: DJ Lil Jon. The concept is

another 5km fun run this one


at sunset, called Prisma The
Night Run (anyone else getting
some 1980s vibes there?). After,
the Ambassador of Crunk will
hopefully answer a question thats
been burning through most of
our minds what does the dude
sound like without autotune (or
will he do random mid-DJ shout
outs with autotune??)?
Prisma The Night Run will kick
off at 5.30pm, Nov. 22, in District 2,
HCMC. Before Oct. 19, tickets are
VND550,000 each until Nov. 9,
theyre VND650,000. Find out more
at facebook.com/theprismarun

AIR FRANCE-KLM GALA EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS


How much can 300 people in
a room be expected to raise
for charity no matter how
generous and high-profile
they are?
Well, whatever number
flashes through your mind,
its probably not the VND2.15
billion (US$100,000) that
Air France-KLMs March

Charity Gala raised which


was disbursed amongst Air

34 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

France-KLM Vietnams five


partner charities last month.

Consular Club HCMC, The


Heart Foundation, Hy Vong
1 School for the Deaf and
Dumb, Mai Nha Childrens
Foundation and Nam Phuong
Foundation each received
VND430 million on Sep. 5, in
a ceremony at Ly Club in Ho
Chi Minh City.

22

PRIME MOVER

DEC.

Dan Bi Mong
DJ Hibiya Line,
Founder/Art Director at
The Observatory
facebook.com/
theobservatoryhcmc

Whether coursing out the deep house and nu disco in DJ form,


or keeping the tempo party-like and positive on a typical night
at smooth jam hub The Observatory, Dan has helped bring the
Saigon scene to where it is.

Show Im really excited


about

SEMINAL POP-PUNKERS THE LEMONHEADS


ARE COMING!
For those of us born before the
1990s, The Lemonheads and
their messy, awesome, charming
sounds represent the path
alternative-rock could have
taken. Word contributor Evan
Hudson went so far as to say,
Oh sh_____t this is awesome!
My favorite Evan in the world
besides me, this is going to rock,

oh sh_t. There you have it.


For more info on the upcoming
show, contact dkilroy7@yahoo.co.uk,
or keep an eye on facebook.com/
loudminorityvietnam. Presented
by Loud Minority, it all happens at
Cargo Bar, 7 Nguyen Tat Thanh,
Q4, HCMC. Support by The Secret
Asians and James and the Van Der
Beeks

Three in fact. First, Alex


From Tokyo (Oct. 3 at The
Observatory), one of the most
eclectic and skilled DJs of the
international circuit. Second,
ANCHORSONG (Oct. 24 at The
Observatory), a young guy from
Tokyo who plays deep house
live, a real one man orchestra!
Finally, Thris Tian (Oct. 25 at
The Observatory), the founder
of Boiler Room!

Best night out last month


Day boat party on an old junk
on the Hong Kong bay with all
the Clich Records crew and
other DJs from Southeast Asia
invited to play for the FODIA
(Federation of DJs in Asia)
launch party at Ozone Bar.

Best meal from last


month
Every meal is a feast in Vietnam!
But probably a random fish I
bought on the side of the road
at 6am coming back from a
party. I was going to fry it and
eat it with some homemade
mayonnaise, but I was too tired
and the mayonnaise turned out
badly, so I decided to make a
sauce out of that. It turned out
fantastic!

Song I cant get out of


my head
I Love To Dance (Joey Negro
Extended Disco Mix)

I wish this band would


come to town

Cymande. They will perform


again in Manchester for the
first time after some decades of
not playing any shows. We can
hopefully cross our fingers and
dream that one day they will
play a show in Asia.

How is the scene is going


in general?
Its incredible what has been
done over the past two years.
So many new promoters, DJs,
musicians and venues have
appeared and its continuing
to grow. People are asking for
more and more different types
of acts and I feel that slowly we
are going from general types of
music events to shows that are a
bit more specialised.

The best secret in town


is
is kept secret! But the second
best one that is not so secret is
the bia hoi on Thi Sach.

Where I go when I go out


on my own
Past District 7 in the countryside
to have a walk in nature, with
some beers and a good fish.

If my older-yet-still-cool
Mom came to town, I
would take her to
Shes already come two times!
And we did the grand slam!
She is now 70 and we did
crazy motorbike trips in the
mountains, partied together at
The Observatory and went to
have a street rum session her
endurance almost killed me!

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 35

just in

Ho Chi Minh City

CAFE ZOOMS VIETNAM VESPA ADVENTURES IN HOI AN


Cafe Zooms stylish tour group
has just set up their first tours
in Hoi An operated out of a
Cafe Zoom location similar to
the version in Saigon. Currently,
they have three tours on offer
a four-hour Foodie Night Tour,

a four-hour Cultural Villages


Tour and a four-and-a-half hour
Countryside & Islands Tour.
The new Cafe Zoom is at 134
Tran Cao Van, Hoi An. For more
info on the tours they offer, go to
vietnamvespaadventures.com

MAGONNS NEW
FLAGSHIP STORE

ITS FALL/WINTER IN
RB&K STYLE

Its a good thing Magonn Design


specialises in well-tailored clothes,
because theyre getting bigger.
The eighth store in the Magonn
family just opened on Nguyen
Trai, with their new Fall-Winter
2014 Collection. Practical yet
stylish, modern but with a pitch
of nostalgia for the shapes of
the 1950s and 1960s, Magonn is
becoming a standard-bearer for
a new generation of Vietnamese
women those who can be
sophisticated yet also playful.
Check out the new Magonn Design
Flagship Store at 105 Nguyen Trai,
Q1, HCMC

Now available at The House


of Saigon, RB&K is back for
the season shift with a new
line of dashing threads. Born
on the crossroads of European
and Asian culture, RB&K has
emerged with a combination
style, using untraditional fabrics
to capture the breezy simplicity
that comes in shifting worlds
effortlessly.
Check out RB&Ks new Fall/
Winter Collection at rbkandco.
com, or browse through their
styles at The House of Saigon,
16-18-20 Thu Khoa Huan, Q1,
HCMC

LIMOCELLO IN DANANG
STEP AWAY FROM THE BAY
Mango Bay Phu Quoc is known
for its simple, eco-friendly
elegance. But not everyone
wants simplicity, so Mango
Bay is taking rustic luxury
to another level with five
elegant traditional bayview
villas on a hilltop eight metres
above the beach. Combining

classic Vietnamese heritage


with modern international style,
the villas are all finished with
natural rammed earth walls and
nestled within a natural forest,
overlooking panoramic views of
the bay.
Check out the view at
mangobayphuquoc.com

The minds behind Ho Chi Minh


Citys La Hostaria and Nha Trang
and Hoi Ans Good Morning
Vietnam restaurants is moving
up the coast with their latest
Italian bistro, Limoncello. Their
menu features homemade pasta,
meat and fish dishes, salads,
soups and thin-crust Italian pizza.
Limoncello is at 187 Tran Phu,
Danang, limoncellovn.com

BLACKOUT
New restaurants in Ho Chi
Minh City are a dime a veritable
dozen. But few can claim to be
as truly unique as Blackout.
Located upstairs in the
lounge space that was once
occupied by Vascos, opened
in early September this new
eatery is the only restaurant in
Vietnam where diners eat in
complete darkness.
Using a menu similar to
that of modern French and
Mediterranean restaurant

situated next door, La


Camargue, instead of plating
dishes in classic European fine
dining style here all the cuisine
is divided into small portions
and served up on trays.
When youre eating in the
dark it is difficult to use a knife
and fork, says restaurateur
Alexander Egert. So we have
prepared the dishes like finger
food to make it easy to find with
your hands and easy to eat.
With four set menus available

36 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

meat, seafood, vegetarian


and mystery diners are
given three sets of trays; a
starter, main course and a
dessert. Served up by blind
waiting staff, all of whom speak
English, diners eat in complete
blackness without even the
accompaniment of their smart
phones or watches. To prevent
spillage, wine is served up in
tumblers rather than standard
wine glasses.
The effect is a unique

dining experience, both in


terms of conversation and the
appreciation of the cuisine. Its
also an experience that asks
questions about how we enjoy
cuisine and how important
sight is to the culinary
experience.
Blackout is on the first floor,
74/7D Hai Ba Trung, Q1, HCMC,
above Vascos and next to the
Refinery. To reserve a table call (08)
3824 3149. For more information
email alexanderegert@me.com

just in
The Art Wall

SAIGON SCOOTER CENTRE


KEEPS MOTORING
One of Saigons premiere scooter
sources for 17 years, Saigon
Scooter Centre has spread their
turn signals over to Tan Binh and
District 2 home to their two
new locations. Check them out
when youre ready to step up your
moto game, at 20 Cong Hoa, Tan
Binh, HCMC, in the Cong Hoa
Garden Industrial Zone opposite
Lotte Mart, or the pastoral 35
Quoc Huong, Q2, HCMC.
For more info, check
saigonscootercentre.com

FRIDAY 3RD
Rapture in Lacquer
Hailing from the lacquer
village in Binh Duong, Nguyen
Quang Son was fated to pursue
the medium. But, with his
Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts
University background, he saw
uncommon possibilities for
lacquer, and has pursued them
in his Black and White exhibition
at Craig Thomas Gallery.
Eschewing the traditional
themes of temples and rural life
common to most Vietnamese
lacquer painting, Son has
chosen a more abstract route
for his latest collection.
Nguyen Quang Sons Black
and White opening reception goes
from 6pm to 9pm at Craig Thomas
Gallery, 27i Tran Nhat Duat, Q1,
HCMC. The exhibition runs until
Nov. 3

SATURDAY 11TH
Art Market, Cubed

THE MEATBALL COOKERY


As Saigon gets more specialised,
it becomes a more engaging
place to live. And The Meatball
Cookery is part of that evolution.
First, pick your meat pork,
beef, chicken paprika or eggplant
cheese then choose a sauce (go
with a traditionalist tomato basil
or something more upbeat like
the spicy curry). Then a side
spaghetti, maybe? And what do
you have? A meatball sandwich.
It slots into that specific craving
that some of us have, however
submerged. The Meatball
Cookery, with its little gourmet
touches, might just reawaken it.
The Meatball Cookery is on the 1st
Floor, 151/5 Dong Khoi, Q1, HCMC.
Check facebook.com/themeatballcookery
for some vicarious fills

VinGallery has hosted its


popular art markets since last
year, and now theyre trying
out The Cube Bar for a venue.
Featuring handmade arts and
crafts, paintings, drawings
and limited-edition prints, itll
be the place to come to if you
want to grab some artist-made
swag.
VinGallerys Art Market
runs from 10am to 4pm at The
Cube Bar, 31B Ly Tu Trong, Q1,
HCMC

WEDNESDAY 15TH
Craig Thomas Gallery at
the Sofitel
Craig Thomas Gallery will
follow up its successful Bui
Tien Tuan exhibition with
another hotel wall hanging
of one of Vietnams brightest
stars, Hanoi-based Nguyen
The Hung. The retrospective
will focus on his Little Flowers

series, printed with acrylic


and sometimes gouache and
watercolour on do paper,
showing the spiritual worlds
intersection with nature.
Nguyen The Hungs Little
Flowers series will exhibit until
Nov. 18. For more info, check
cthomasgallery.com, or just stop
into Sofitel Saigon Plaza at 17 Le
Duan, Q1, HCMC

ALL MONTH
Breaking the Fifth Wall
Hanoi-based photographer
Jamie Maxtone-Graham is
taking his practice into a new
arena with his first Galerie
Quynh exhibition within the
frame of his photographs. In
That Little Distance, the artist
combines the roles of subject
and photographer, appearing in
every image and playing with
the symbolism of light and
location.
Shot in a former State-owned
and now vacant pharmaceutical
factory in Hanoi, the only light
in these pictures comes from
a large, north-facing window,
which permits only a soft,
indirect light throughout the
course of the day. The subjects
Maxtone-Graham poses with
are unidentified they exist
equally in relation to one
another.
That Little Distance is on view
at Galerie Quynhs downtown
location Level 2, 151/3 Dong
Khoi, Q1, HCMC until Oct. 31

The Month in High


Concept
Traditional wisdom has long
had it that artists dont think
too much about money. San
Arts group show Conjuring
Capital rejects that myth
emphatically, taking a page
from Marx and contrasting it
with the neo-colonial realities
of our modern world. Part of

the Conscious Realities series,


the show puts human/jungle/
museum dioramas, Buddhist
ritual practice, a snake which
straddles death and mortality,
African microfinance and
Indian holy sites into the same
arena, examining each in terms
of its place in the schema of
global capital.
Upstairs from Conjuring
Capital is another group
exhibition, Autumn Galleria.
Its autumn recollected in
images of television, nature
and death, and its probably the
closest youll get to any kind of
autumn in Saigon.
Both shows run through Oct.
30 at San Art 3 Me Linh,
Binh Thanh, HCMC. For more
information go to san-art.org

Drawing the Cities


Vietnams cities are maddening
yet evocative, and art can help
you get a handle on them. This
month, VinSpace is offering
two participatory programmes
aimed at making artistic sense
of both Hanoi and Saigon.
On Oct. 9, the Canvas & Wine
series will feature the work of
Bui Xuan Phai (1920-1988), one
of the most remarkable, most
charming and most unusual
figures of Vietnamese modern
art. He is considered Vietnams
most significant and popular
artist of urban space, and at
VinSpace Art Studio (6 Le
Van Mien, Q2, HCMC) you
will learn to paint Hanoi street
scenes in his style.
And throughout the month,
British artist Bridget March will
teach adult classes in sketching
and watercolour, called
Drawing Saigon. Shes helped
both beginners and pros with
her inspirational, sympathetic
approach: I believe if you can
write, you can draw.
Find out the details at vinspace.com

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 37

overscene ho chi minh

through the mist

Photos by Glen Riley


The acclaimed AO Show arent just
stopping with one production. Now
theyve got two their second show,
Mist, was previewed in September.

Independence Day

Photos by Phil Deans


The Sailing Club in Nha Trang
celebrated Independence Day on
the beach with all that hedonistic
independence theyre so famous for.

Brooks Brothers

Photos provided by Brooks Brothers


The arrival of one of the USs best
known top-end clothing brands adds
another pin to the pin cushion of Ho
Chi Minh City fashion options.

If you have a noteworthy event which you think


would fit into our coverage, please email
news@wordvietnam.com and we'll take a look.

Air France Gala

Photos provided by Air France


A thank you night to Air Frances
sponsors and supporters was held
at Ly Club. This years gala raised
an incredible VND2.1 billion for
charitable causes in Vietnam.

Evita Bears its


Teeth

Photos by Glen Riley


Evita Bistro in City Garden finally
opened its doors to the general public
with a party that saw women dressed
in white and men dressed in whatever
clothes they wear normally.

disney at ais

Photos provided by AIS


Mickey and his wide cohort of furry
friends descended on the Australian
International School last month as part
of a tour that brought Mickeys Magic
Show to Vietnam.

to do list

03-04

hanoi

OCT.

04

OCT. SATURDAY

DJ CHAMBER AT EDEN

THE RETURN OF VOODOO FRANK


If you were lucky to be at the
Voodoo Funk gig last time
round, when funkmeister
and rare vinyl collector Frank
Gossner delighted the Hanoi
crowds, then youll know what
youre in store for. The two
shows hes putting on at CAMA
ATK Voodoo Funk on Oct.
3 and Lagos Disco Inferno on
Oct. 4 will get you dancing
to the sounds of Nigerian Disco,
Boogie, Edofunk, Afrobeat and
Afrofunk. And theyre set to be

04-10

every bit as good.


This is one of those rarities
that you MUSTNT miss.
The unheralded music being
created in the worlds most
underprivileged continent
is something to behold. And
the African cuts Gossner will
be selecting cant be heard
anywhere else on the planet.
Entrance is VND100,000 for one
night and VND150,000 for both
nights. CAMA ATK is at 73 Mai
Hac De, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi

OCT.

Hip-hop, bass and breakbeat guru, DJ


Chamber, will be descending on Eden
Hanoi on Saturday Oct. 4.
Originally from Bristol (UK),
the home of drum n bass, but
currently living in Kaohsiung,
Taiwan, Chamber has gigged around
the globe and was named the Best
New Breaks DJ in the World at the
Breakspoll International DJ awards.
He is also the host of a radio show
on NSB Radio, and head chef
of the award-winning Bass
Kitchen club night,
making him one of
the busiest DJs in
bass music.
The night will
kick off at 9pm
and go on until
late. Entrance is
VND100,000
and Eden is at
264 Au Co, Tay
Ho, Hanoi

05

OCT. SUNDAY

THE SECOND HANOI OPEN


EXHIBITION

CHANTAL REIKI HEALING


In her highly anticipated first
trip to Vietnam, internationally
recognised Reiki Master,
Chantal Phillips, will be
conducting classes for Reiki
Levels I & II this October.
Chantal is a highly skilled
and gifted healer who is down
to earth yet passionate and
vibrant. This is an opportunity
not to be missed. As well
as the two classes, half-day
workshops on Crystals and
Space Clearing will be offered.
And for those wishing to
experience a rare healing
opportunity here in Hanoi,
Chantal will also be providing

private healing sessions.


The two-day Reiki Level II
programme takes place on Oct.
4 and Oct. 5. Cost per person is
VND7 million.
The three-day evening
course to study Reiki Level I
takes place between Oct. 8 and
Oct. 10. The cost per person is
VND4.7 million.
For information on times and
location as well as free talks,
workshops and private sessions call
Karen on 01275 588840 or email
karen@a-roamingbodyworker.com.
To find out more about Chantals
classes and private sessions visit
her website, healingfire.com.

Arts collective and arts classes


space, Workroom Four, will
be hosting their second Hanoi
Open Exhibition on Sunday Oct.
5 from 3pm.
The first open exhibition
in 2013 showcased over 100
artworks produced by more
than 60 artists. This year, the
space has received a large
range of submissions from
established and unknown,
professional and amateur,
national and international
artists.
Designed to be a unique
showcase for art and design in
a variety of style and media,
including painting, sculpture,
photography and mixed media,
the works have been selected
and curated by Workroom Four
directors and artists.

This year, thanks to


sponsorship from a number of
organisations, seven different
awards will be made. Works
will be judged by a panel
which will be overseen by
Suzanne Lecht from the
gallery, Art Vietnam.
Workroom Four is in the
Packexim Building, Tower 1,
Floor 24, No. 49, Lane 15 An
Duong Vuong, Tay Ho, Hanoi.
For more information click on
workroomfour.com

09

10

OCT. THURSDAY

OCT. FRIDAY

EDM AT EDEN
Hanois number one EDM party
electronic dance music to me
and you is returning to Eden
Hanoi on Friday Oct. 10.
Expect fire shows, magic and
dancers going wild to Vietnams
best EDM gurus who will be
spinning on the decks late into
the night.
Entrance is VND100,000 and the
event goes on until late. Eden Hanoi
is at 264 Au Co, Tay Ho, Hanoi

STITCH N BITCH
Knitters unite Stitch n Bitch,
a pastime dating back to World
War II, is coming to Time Club
in Hanoi for the first time ever
on Oct. 9.
Socially-minded aficionados
of the yarn-based arts are invited
for an evening of witty banter,
insightful cultural commentary,
and adorable cat sweaters. While
traditionally used as a forum
for politically active women to
challenge societal norms, Stitch
n Bitch is open to needlewielders of all genders, abilities
and conversational interests.
The bitch begins at 7pm at Time
Club (6, 1/62 Au Co, Tay Ho,
Hanoi). Tickets are VND100,000
includes free drink and a
free knitting lesson. For more
information, check out facebook.com/
timeclubhanoi

11

OCT. SATURDAY

SOPHIE MAURIN
Performing in Hanoi on Oct.
11, French singer-songwriter
Sophie Maurin burst onto the
international music scene with
her 2013 album Far Away.
While often praised for her
silky, feminine voice, Maurin
is also an accomplished pianist
and budding architect. She has

drawn acclaim for her charming


lyrics and infectious melodies.
Her blend of blues and classical
influences will be appreciated
by those in need of a peaceful,
mellow start to the weekend.
Curtains up at 8pm at LEspace.
Students and members are
eligible for discounted tickets
VND80,000. Tickets are available to
the general public for VND160,000
and can be purchased at at LEspace,
24 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Hanoi.
Check out the show online at ifhanoilespace.com/sophie-maurin/view

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 41

to do list

hanoi

23-24

OCT.

OKTOBERFEST AT THE JW
MARRIOTT

18
12 OCT. SUNDAY
LA TRAVIATA
Cinematheque will screen a
classic version of Verdis La
Traviata on Sunday Oct. 12.
A story of unrequited love,
death, duels, masked balls and
revenge, the opera is based
on the novel, The Lady of the
Camellias, first published in 1848
by Alexandre Dumas, fils. La
Traviata is arguably the worlds
most popular opera.
The screening will take place at
7pm and Cinematheque is at 22A
Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.
For more information email info@
hanoioperaguild.com

17

OCT. SATURDAY

THE MOVEABLE FEAST

Pots n Pans is teaming up


with Hanoi Cooking Centre,
LEmbellie, The Warehouse
and Chapi Vietnam to put on
their second Moveable Feast on
Saturday Oct. 18.
After the success of the first
inaugural Moveable Feast last
year, the passionate restaurateurs
and chefs are excited to work
together on a sequel and bring
together all the ingredients for
an exceptional evening in Hanoi.
The evening will kick off at
Manzi Art Space courtyard over
canaps and cocktails. Then
diners will move on to entres
under the stars and lights of the
city on HCCs roof terrace before
taking in the panoramic views

of Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old


Quarter as they indulge in their
second entre paring with great
wines at The Warehouse on Hang
Trong prepared and served by
Pots n Pans.
Main course is served in the
heart of the French District at
LEmbellie Restaurant. Finally,
chill out in style with sweet
treats at Pots n Pans.
The event starts at 6.30pm on
Saturday Oct. 18 and kicks off at
Manzi, 14 Phan Huy Ich, Ba Dinh.
The cost is VND2.5 million per
person. Tickets are available at Pots
and Pans (57, Bui Thi Xuan, Hai
Ba Trung), HCC (44 Chau Long,
Ba Dinh) and (LEmbellie, 49 Trieu
Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung)

DANISH MUSIC SHOWCASE

OCT. FRIDAY

CONCERT BY FANTASIA WIND QUINTET


Featuring pieces from
the romantic, classic, and
contemporary eras, the Fantasia
Wind Quintet will be presenting
music lovers at Manzi with
an evening of smooth, refined
elegance on Oct. 17.
Founded in 2006, the Quintet
features some of Vietnams
most accomplished professional
musicians all members are
teachers from the Vietnam
National Academy of Music
and performers in the Vietnam

Symphony Orchestra.
Their diverse talents and
influences have delighted
audiences at home and
abroad and due to the groups
popularity and the intimate
seating arrangement, it is
recommended to reserve
tickets in advance by emailing
manzihanoi@gmail.com.
The performance is hosted by
Manzi Art Space (14 Phan Huy Ich,
Ba Dinh, Hanoi) and begins at 8pm.
Surcharge at door: VND200,000

42 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

For the first time ever,


Denmarks hottest new music
artists are visiting Vietnam
thanks to the collaborative effort
of CAMA Vietnam and the
Danish Embassy in Hanoi.
Playing at CAMA ATK
on Friday Oct. 17, Taragana
Pygarama, whose remixes have
garnered much critical acclaim
since his debut in 2010, will
get the party started. Lovers of
cutting-edge electronic music will
appreciate Lydmors all digital
approach just a keyboard, a
computer, and assorted gadgets.
Rounding things off are Feel
Freeze, an eclectic duo with the
musical talent to match their
heartwarming origin story. An
extravaganza of accompanying
visual effects will ensure that your
eyes will be in for a treat as well.
The show is at CAMA ATK, 73
Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi.
Doors open at 8pm. Tickets are
VND80,000

The German Embassy and the


German Business Association
(GBA) have teamed up to put on a
huge Oktoberfest celebration at the
JW Marriott on Oct. 23 and Oct. 24.
Kicking off at 6pm and with
5,000 people expected to attend,
this is the biggest celebration
of great beer, pork knuckle,
bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzels,
lederhosen, Bavarian folk music
and all things German that Hanoi
will experience this year.
With swinging beer mugs,
dancing on the tables, and toasts
aplenty all to the backdrop
of the JW Marriotts attractive
grounds this is one of those
annual events not to be missed.
Tickets cost VND1,100,000 per
person and are available from the hotel
(email hien.le@marriott.com) and
the GBA (call (04) 3825 1420, Ms.
Nhung, or email nhung.trinhthi@
vietnam.ahk.de). Members of the GBA
get a VND100,000 discount. Prices are
exclusive of VAT. The JW Marriott is
at 8 Do Duc Duc, Tu Liem, Hanoi

23

ANCHORSONG
Hosted by CAMA ATK,
Anchorsong aka Masaaki Yoshida
will be performing for the first
time in Hanoi on Oct. 25 as part of
his Autumn Asia tour.
A product of the Londonbased Tru Thoughts label (which
counts Quantic, Mr. Scruff, and
Zed Bias amongst its artists),
Yoshida blends layers of blissful
electronica into an atmospheric
experience that has been likened
to watching a painter drawing
on a white canvas. His live
performances have mesmerised
audiences from England to Japan.
Avid members of the local music
scene will be pleased to know
that Yoshida will be accompanied
by ATK resident and DomDom
wonder-experimentalist, Nguyen
Do Minh Quan.
CAMA ATK is at 73 Mai Hac
De, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi. The
concert begins at 8pm. Tickets are
VND80,000

OCT. THURSDAY

ART AND TALENT


The second publication in Dao Mai
Trang's book project on the visual
art life in Vietnam, Art and Talent,
will be launched at the Goethe
Institut on Thursday Oct. 23.
Featuring 150 images of
work by young artists from all
over Vietnam, the programme
will feature the participation
of young artists and art critics,
researchers and art lovers, and
will include an open discussion
about the real situation and
hopes for the development of
Vietnamese visual art.
Art and Talent will be launched
on Oct. 23 at 7pm. The Goethe
Institut is at 56-58 Nguyen Thai
Hoc, Ba Dinh, Hanoi. For more
information go to goethe.de

28

25

OCT. THURSDAY

REGGAE PARTY AT TIME CLUB


Calling all duppy conquerors
theres a punky reggae party going
down at Time Club on Oct. 25.
While the bustling streets
of Hanoi might seem a far cry
from the irie shores of Jamaica,
this chilled-out jam session will
put even the craziest baldhead
in a mellow mood. Come chant
down Babylon on the spacious
terrace and enjoy the friendly,

laid-back atmosphere.
Entrance is VND100,000 and
includes a free beer or soft drink,
plus all the delicious herbal
tea you care to drink. Because
nothing says reggae party like
herbs and tea.
The party starts at 7pm. Find
Time Club at 6, 1/62 Au Co, Tay
Ho, Hanoi or online at facebook.
com/timeclubhanoi

OCT. TUESDAY

A DAY OF NOURISHMENT
On Tuesday Oct. 28, TET
Lifestyle Collection is holding
a Day of Nourishment at
their private organic farm,
Fragrant Path Green Tea Nature
Gardens, located only 45
minutes from Hanoi.
Leaving TET Dcor Caf
at 9am and followed by a
45-minute drive into the nature
of Dai Lai Lake, the programme
consists of a 1.5 hour organic
Vietnamese cooking class, and
an organic feast for lunch set

in the 50-metre-long bamboo


house.
After lunch participants will
have the choice of restorative
yoga, meditation, aromatherapy
massage, trekking around the
property or free time to read a
book. Everyone will return to
Hanoi at 4pm.
Limited to 30 people in total,
bookings or enquiries should be sent
to info@tet-lifestyle-collection.com.
TET Dcor Caf is at Villa 25, Area
1.3 Ha, Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho

29

OCT. WEDNESDAY

A DANCE OF VISUAL ART


Visual artist Le Thanh Tung
aka Crazy Monkey will be
teaming up with American
counterpart Eugene Kogan on
Wednesday Oct. 29 at Manzi to
create a showcase combining
contemporary dance, visual art
and music.
Bringing a unique visual

and aural experience to Hanoi,


this will undoubtedly be the
highlight event of the month at
Manzi. So bookings are essential
as space is limited.
To reserve your seats, please email
manzihanoi@gmail.com. Manzi
is at 14 Phan Huy Ich, Ba Dinh,
Hanoi. The show kicks off at 8pm

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 43

to do list

30

hanoi

OCT. THURSDAY

ALL MONTH

LAFIDKI
CAMA ATK are continuing their
Thursday night electronica with
French / Cambodian musician
Lafidki on Thursday Oct. 30.
With his live sets evolving
around abstract electronics, noise
and sequenced multi-layered
rhythms, playing live is always
an experiment for Lafidki. His
music choices are spontaneous,
his decisions made through
the energy of people and space
around him.
Having performed around the
world in cities as diverse as St
Petersburg, Seoul and Bangkok,
this is a rare chance to catch a
unique musician at what he does
best.
Entrance to the event is
VND50,000 and doors are at 8pm.
CAMA ATK is at 73 Mai Hac De,
Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi

JOIN THE REPUBLIC


Although only opened last
month, Tay Hos latest watering
hole, The Republic, is already
upping the ante.
It all starts with Thursdays
and Ladies Night on the
second-floor terrace, with every
table of ladies getting their first
glass of sparkling on the house
as well as a complimentary
plate of finger food. Add to this
a nightly DJ from Wednesday
through to Sunday, 6pm to
10pm, and the party atmosphere

is already in full swing.


Weekend breakfasts are
also getting a makeover every
Saturday and Sunday throughout
October. With a three-course,
all-in menu costing VND300,000,
add a freeflow of sparkling,
ros or white wine and pay just
VND300,000 extra. Include some
bubbles in this case, Veuve
Clicquot and get 30 percent off
the menu price for a bottle.
The Republic is at 7A Quang An,
Tay Ho, Hanoi

PIKNIC ELECTRONIK

31

HANOI COMRADES
HALLOWEEN PARTY AT
TIME CLUB

OCT. FRIDAY

A HAUNTED (BUT
POSITIVE) MASS
The monthly bike ride inspired by
Critical Mass that has reached 300
cities worldwide continues this
month on Friday Oct. 31 at 8pm.
Titled Positive Mass or Dap
Cho Suong, the ride will pedal
off in Hanoi at St. Josephs
Cathedral on Nha Tho / Nha
Chung. From there the cyclists
will traverse the streets of the
capital en masse. With the ride
taking place on Halloween, this
month is the opportunity to
dress scary and deathly sharp,
all in aid of frightening off those
motorbikes, cars and trucks out
there. Now wouldnt that be
something!
Everyone is welcome to join free
of charge. Simply turn up at the
allotted time and date. For further
information go to thbc.vn

The only thing more


enjoyable than chatting/
arguing/flirting with
people online is chatting/
arguing/flirting with them in
real life. Especially when you
are both dressed in hilariously
inappropriate costumes (were
looking at you, sexy taxidermist).
This wish will come true
for members of the Hanoi
Comrades Facebook Community
on Halloween when Time Club
will be transformed into a den of
ghoulish delights with live music
by rock, punk and ska bands.
Throw on a mask and come meet
the people youve been talking to
on the Internet if youre nice,
maybe somebody will buy you
a drink... of blood. Or vodka. Or
maybe even a Bloody Mary.
The haunting commences at
7pm. Entrance is VND100,000 and
includes a free beer or soft drink.
Time Club is located at 6, 1/62 Au
Co, Tay Ho, Hanoi. Find them online
at facebook.com/timeclubhanoi

44 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

The chilled Sunday afternoons


and hazy evenings of Piknic
Electronik have now left their
Softwater base, going further
up the river to Eden Hanoi.
Expect coconuts, BBQ
(veggie option available),
beats with different DJs every
Sunday and a general down to
earth, party-on-the-grass kind
of vibe. Entrance is free.
Eden Hanoi is at 264 Au Co,
Tay Ho, Hanoi. Piknic Electronik
kicks off every Sunday throughout
October at 6pm

OCTOBER MOVIES
THBC Spanish Tapas Bar (44
Lane 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho) is
continuing their season of movies
celebrating Spanish culture every
Sunday throughout October.
With all films shown in
Spanish and accompanied by
English subtitles, entrance is
free and even if you are not
sure about the films you can
still indulge in the finer arts of
Spanish food and drink.
The month kicks off on Sunday
Oct. 5 with Eva. On Sunday
Oct. 12 the movie Fados will be
screened followed by Todas las
Canciones Hablan de mi on Oct.
19. The month climaxes with Los
Lunes al Sol on Sunday Oct. 26.
All movies start at 7.30pm so

head down for a relaxing and


intellectually minded end to the
week.

THE GRAPHIC ART OF BENJAMIN BADOCK


Living and working as Artist
in Residence in Hanoi from
September to November, the
Leipzig-based graphic artist will
launch his exhibition at the Goethe
Institut, thats new whats next
with a talk on Friday Oct. 10. The
exhibition will run until Nov. 2.
One of the most important
younger generation of graphic
artists in Germany, Badock is
renowned for his large-format
coloured prints, using readymade printing elements in their
production, similar to a childs
construction kit, developing
one new image after another

from basic geometric shapes.


His current works are prints on
newsprint that emerge via a long
and almost painterly process of
folds and partial contact with the
unprocessed printing plate.
Sponsored by the Cultural
Foundation of Saxony for
Vietnam, as part of his period of
residence, Badock will also host
a number of workshops at the
Goethe Institut.
The exhibition will be shown daily
until Nov. 2 from 9am to 7pm. The
Goethe Institut is at 56-58 Nguyen
Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh, Hanoi. For more
information go to goethe.de

Once reserved exclusively for royalty,


tranquil Westlake now boasts
Hanois Gold-Standard serviced residences.
Minutes from the city with unobstructed
lake views, Fraser Suites Hanoi offers
you the award-winning service even
ancient kings would envy.
JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL
The Japan Foundation Center for
Cultural Exchange in Vietnam
will be running their annual film
festival from Oct. 10 to Nov. 16
in Hanoi, Danang and Vung Tau.
Entitled PASSION 2014
and with all screenings free of
charge, this is one of the Japan
Foundations most anticipated
yearly events.
This years festival focuses on
Japanese films with the theme
passion. Eight movies will
be shown, all demonstrating a
different type of passion. The
festivals opener is ROBO-G
(directed by Shinobu Yaguchi
/ 2012). Other movies include
One Million Yen Girl, Bushido
Sixteen and Tomorrows Joe. All
movies will be screened with
both English and Vietnamese
subtitles.
For tickets please go to the Japan

Foundation, 27 Quang Trung,


Hoan Kiem. Each person can get a
maximum of four tickets. The Hanoi
screenings will take place at the
National Cinema Centre, 87 Lang
Ha, Ba Dinh. For the full screening
schedule and more information,
click on jpf.org.vn

THE FRASER COLLECTION


BAHRAIN BANGALORE BANGKOK BEIJING BUDAPEST
CHENGDU DOHA DUBAI EDINBURGH GLASGOW
GUANGZHOU GURGAON HANOI HO CHI MINH CITY
HONG KONG ISTANBUL JAKARTA KUALA LUMPUR
LONDON MANILA MELBOURNE NANJING NEW DELHI
OSAKA PARIS PERTH SEOUL SHANGHAI
SHENZHEN SINGAPORE SUZHOU SYDNEY TIANJIN
WUHAN WUXI CHENNAI (2014) AL KHOBAR (2015)
FRANKFURT (2015) RIYADH (2014)

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 45

just in

hanoi

THE REPUBLIC
terraces, the second-floor area
with views over the lake.
Themed as an upmarket
gastropub with a menu
focused on upscale comfort
food, The Republic has five TV
screens inside and one outside
for watching the live sports.
They also serve up daily
promotions that
mix in drink
and food.
The Republic
is at 7A Quang
An, Tay Ho,
Hanoi or online
at republic.vn

Photos by Nick Ross

Fronted by Chris Vella, the


former northern food and
beverage manager for the Al
Frescos Group, The Republic
is the latest watering hole to
open up on the Tay Ho bar and
restaurant strip between The
Warehouse and Dons.
Set in a French colonial-style
building, the venue boasts a
whitewashed interior, brown
wood and grey paneling, cast
iron detailing in the windows
and art deco-style floor tiling.
With an indoor aircon, no
smoking space, upstairs and
out front are two open-air

NEW VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE SCHOOL IN HANOI


THE HANOI HOLISTIC
HEALTH GUIDE
The recently updated Hanoi
Holistic Health Guide is now
available online. Containing a
comprehensive listing of holistic
and wellness practitioners in
the capital, it is an indispensible
resource for those looking to
optimise their physical, mental
and spiritual health.
A free download of the guide
is available at issuu.com/
hanoiholistichealth

What started almost two years


ago with private language
teaching has now ended up as
a full-blown language school.
Lets Speak Vietnamese or
LSV is the first privately run
Vietnamese language school in
Hanoi dedicated to a more than
worthy cause helping us, you,
to speak the lingo. And speak
it well.
The work of fluent Vietnamese
speaker, Valentine, and his
business partner, Hanh, the
pair have written their own

MEDITATION IN TAY HO
For anyone interested in using
mind over chaotic Hanoi
matter, then the recently
establish Oneness Meditation
Group at KI Studio (112 Xuan
Dieu, Tay Ho) may just be the
answer.
Meeting every Thursday
from 10.30am to 12pm, the
group practices relaxation
meditation, ancient chakra
meditation, a forgiveness
process, setting intentions and
the receiving of the Oneness
Blessing. Intended to help

you find a balance in your life


and quiet the chatter in your
mind, other benefits include
ridding yourself of stress and
experiencing a deep state of
peace and joy.
With a donation of
VND100,000 per session the
proceeds go to Blue Dragon all
are welcome to join. Simply turn
up on the day or go to facebook.
com/onenesshanoi. Alternatively
email Clotilde on clotilde.
angelucci@gmail.com for more
information

46 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

curriculums and books. Located


on the edge of the Old Quarter,
their new centre has been built
not with just an educational
intention but also with a more
social function in mind. While
there are two classrooms
upstairs, the first floor is devoted
to a caf. Says Valentine, The
purpose of the cafe is to make
the students feel comfortable
coming a bit earlier to review
and ask about anything that
they dont fully understand, or
socialise with the other students,

make new friends, have some


coffee, shakes, juices.
With group classes costing
from just over VND50,000 an
hour per person, and with an
express intention to take out
the boredom of learning the
language traditional teaching
tends to be very straight-laced
now you no longer have an
excuse not to learn Vietnamese.
LSV is at 24 Nguyen Khac Nhu,
Ba Dinh. For more information call
0904 365 748 or email lsv.hanoi@
gmail.com

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 47

overscene hanoi

Wedding Fair at JW
Marriott

Photos provided by JW Marriott


The silly season, also known as the
time of year everyone gets married, is
a-coming. So are the wedding fairs.

queer forever

Photos by Julie Vola


A snapshot party with guest, artist
VeronikaRadulovic, came to Manzi
to commemorate a special event 15
years ago at Press Club - the first drag
queen and drag king party in Hanoi.
Radulovic took photos of the original
event.

48 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Hanoi Social Club

Photos by Teresa Wealleans


James Blunt? Neil Finn? Australian
singer / songwriter David Christopher
delighted the audience at Hanoi Social
Club with a night of tunes from his new
album, Apartment.

If you have a noteworthy event which you think


would fit into our coverage, please email
news@wordvietnam.com and we'll take a look

The Warehouse Turns


One
Photos by David Harris
Well, not exactly. Theyve been around
for years, these guys. But the wine shop
on XuanDieu is a newbie. And in its
first 12 months its had a real impact on
Tay Ho.

Open mic night

Photos by Teresa Wealleans


Hanoi Rock City once again saw the open
mic-ers hit the stage. Its an institution,
this one. A worthy one, too.

Not So Ordinary

Photos by David Harris


After much build-up, Italian artist
Barbara Pellizzarifinally opened her
exhibition, Attimi Images of the Ordinary
at Casa Italia

briefings
BRIEFINGS

NATIONAL

This is
the Month that Was
From Bendgate to VietJetAir marketing photos all the way through to
Hanois Old Quarter, September was a month to remember

f ever theres news in Vietnam thats


worth a hundred articles and thousands
of posts on social media, its the yearly
rush for the new iPhone. Launched in
both Hong Kong and Singapore on Sep.
19, within 24 hours these models of public
indecency were appearing in Vietnam.
With the 128GB version of the iPhone 6 in
5.5-inch format initially selling for VND70
million a go, and the half-witted 64GB
5.5-inch option weighing in at a respectable
VND50 million, trendsetters and sheep went
crazy for Apples latest marketing stunt,
buying up every hand-carried handset that
they could get their grubby fingers on.
Unfortunately, within hours the skinny
jeans brigade found themselves hell bent
against their newfound boy toy. Placing the
desirable handsets in their trouser pockets,
on retrieving them they discovered their
beloved iPhones had bent out of shape.
Labelled Bendgate by our furry friends
in the western press, who are always looking
for controversial names that end with the
word gate, the uproar that followed was,
well, an uproar. Not surprisingly, those early
buyers of the iPhone 6 found themselves
licking their wounds. Within days the
prices of the hand-carried sets had already
plummeted.

50 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

How Low Can You Go?


Fortunately VietJetAir did anything but
plummet last month, their recent aborted
attempt to land at Dalats Lien Khuong
Airport (they ended up in Cam Ranh)
long forgotten. Instead, they started a new
promotional campaign that was innocently
leaked on social media. Getting together
their hostesses and any other model with
enough balls to dress up in bikinis, they
photoshot their scantily clad ladies both on
and off their aircraft just what you want
in an emergency.

Put on those life jackets? No. Lets get out


hostesses to pose in their bikinis. If were

going to die, lets at least die with a smile on


our face.
Having discovered that sex has the
potential to sell, the budget airline has also
now noticed that it can go viral, too. In a
digital fashion, that is no STDs here,
thank you very much. Although the whole
of Vietnams social media channels got a
laugh out of this one, lets hope thats all
they caught.

Bagged!
Equally viral, especially in Ho Chi Minh
City, is a growing plague called plastic bag
syndrome. An epidemic common to the
whole of Vietnam but particularly resistant
to treatment in the countrys (second) largest
city, the metropoliss Environment Protection
Fund have discovered that Saigon consumes
around 9 million plastic bags a day
equivalent to 50 to 70 tonnes.
These shocking figures are pushing
plastic bag producers into urgent action.
Encouraged by their friends in The Ministry
of Natural Resources and Environment,
there are now an astonishing 17 companies
in Vietnam producing environmentallyfriendly, biodegradable bags. Now all they
need is a market. A tough one, that one.
The first problem is price biodegradable

Best Leaving Sale Advert


vietnam.craigslist.org/fuo/4680972794.html
MOST AMAZING BED EVER!!! - 8000000
(DISTRICT 7)
Seriously! This bed is amazing!
Best night of sleep YOU WILL EVER GET!
bags are just that much more expensive than
their synthetic plastic equivalents. They
also have other shortcomings like limited
designs, sizes and varieties.
Which all means that despite urging and
talking about change, the epidemic is set to
grow worse. Fortunately, there is a plan. A big,
as-of-yet unimplemented plan. By 2020, theyre
aiming to reduce the use of plastic bags by 60
percent compared to 2010 at supermarkets and
trade centres, and by 50 percent at traditional
markets. Until then the virus will continue to
spread. Time to take cover.

Tobacco and Street Food


Taking cover is something also recommended
for this countrys 15.3 million active smokers,
especially after last months proposal to raise
tobacco tax. Now due to rise from 65 percent
to 70 percent in January 2016 and 75 percent
in 2019, such devastating increments will
hopefully stop smokers from doing what they
love most, smoking.
But as health campaigners have pointed

out, only about VND600 will go onto the cost


of a packet of cigarettes with each tax increase.
Which begs the question, why bother?
Exactly the same question was raised
when Hanois Old Quarter decided last
month to create another food street. Not
satisfied with 24-hour Tong Duy Tan, the
present street designated the title, Food
Street, the powers that be have decided
they need to model their new street food
destination based on the popular restaurant,
Quan An Ngon.
By creating the same concept a
collection of street food stalls in the
Old Quarter it is hoped that Hanois
reputation as one of the worlds top 10 street
food destinations will be enhanced.
Why tourists and locals cant just go
to all the other street food joints in the
capital has yet to be answered. Finding
gastronomic gems down small alleyways
and in unpresuming back streets is all part of
the fun, not that our friends up in The Castle
would know that.

I bought the bed for some friends that moved


here to Vietnam. They ended up leaving after
only three weeks because they were weak
and couldnt handle the expat life.
The mattress: soft like those pushovers
who couldnt handle life in Vietnam, yet
firm like a freshly picked ginger root; you
will sleep like a comatose patient. NOT
JOKING!!!!!!!!
The frame: inlaid WOOD!!! (pun totally
intended) A college rugby team could drink
Ayahuasca tea on this frame and their
fragile minds would break long before this
frame would EVER even make so much as
a creak.
You are not weak. You can handle the
expat life. You are strong and you need a
strong bed.
Here is where I can help. Where I can help
YOU!
I am selling this bed/frame for the
ROCKING low price of 8,000,000 VND.
But... Only if you are a HARDENED, and,
REAL expat. No sissies. Full stop.
You have to have lived in Vietnam for more
than a year to be eligible. Seriously. NO.
NOOBS!
Order today and Ill give you a snickers
bar with your purchase! If you sound like a
stand-up human, Ill throw that snickers bar
in the freezer first. You know you like frozen
snickers bars. Its hot. You deserve it.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 51

Insider

MANY FACES // DONT GO CHASING CORACLES // CO LOA // THE CITIES // HOWLING FOR
HALLOWEEN // SAIGON VINYL QUEST // THE SECONDHAND FURNITURE SHOP //
THE STRIP // THE GREAT HANOI STARBUCKS EXPERIMENT // MYSTERY DINER HANOI //
STREET SNACKER HANOI // MYSTERY DINER HCMC // FASHION // THE PEOPLE OF MYANMAR //
FORMULA ONE // CU CHI THE HARD WAY
PHOTO BY KYLE PHANROY

52 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

????????????????????????????????????????

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 53

insider
The woman behind Saigon Chamber Music, Tran Nguyet
Sa is trying to create an environment that allows young
Vietnamese classical musicians the opportunity to thrive.
Photo by Kyle Phanroy

ver the last decade classical music


in Vietnam has been making
unprecedented strides. The Vietnam
National Symphony Orchestra is now
touring extensively to Asia, Europe, and even
the US. The HCMC Ballet Symphony Orchestra
and Opera is starting to stage large-scale
productions and the conservatory and music
academies are emerging as important music
venues. Yet for young musicians to develop and
get the chance to play music rather than spend
their time just studying it, and to immerse
themselves in a supportive environment that
aids their development, they have to travel
overseas.
This is something that musician and former
broadcast journalist, Tran Nguyet Sa, is trying to
change. Hanoi-born, Saigon-raised, last summer
her project Saigon Chamber Music came to
fruition. Bringing together 19 young musicians
from around the country, over one week in early
August the virtuosos studied with a faculty
of three international musicians Tra Bich
Nguyen, Zoe Martlew and Atle Sponberg
attended lectures, master classes and talks, and
finished off with a public performance at the Ho
Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music.
The first edition of Saigon Chamber Music
exceeded all expectations, says Sa. The young
musicians were extremely committed. They
improved every day, and never wasted any
learning opportunity. Coming out from the
intensive week, most of [them] had a better
awareness of themselves and their music in
a larger context of ensemble playing. Their
sound changed beautifully just after a couple of
sessions.
Now, together with Arts for Mobility, Sa is
upping the ante. On Oct. 25, the same virtuosos
who attended the first edition of Saigon
Chamber Music will play at Ho Chi Minh
City Opera House. Not only does this provide
an unrivalled setting for these musicians to
perform in, but in doing so they will be helping
raise much needed funds for Kids First. Based
in Dong Ha in Quang Tri, among other activities
Kids First distributes wheelchairs to individuals
who, through the use of a wheelchair, will
provide sustainability for themselves and their
families.

Building a Dream
Having both worked and studied extensively
overseas at one point she was a journalist for
the BBC World Service in London Sa first got
her idea for starting Saigon Chamber Music in
2008 after finishing a course in arts management
at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in
the US. Feeling renergised and inspired to
do things differently she visited Yellow Barn
Music Festival in Vermont and Kneisel Hall
Music Festival in Maine.

54 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Both Yellow Barn and Kneisel Hall have


lovely campuses situated in woodlands, and
the musical environment they build for the
participants is stunning, she recalls. Classes
and rehearsals in the day, concerts in the
evening, community outreach activities, music
talks and master classes. It all feels natural
and fun. Everyone comes to live music for five
weeks and it would not be hard to imagine
their musicality leap forward after such an
experience.
While recreating such an environment in
modern-day Vietnam is still a distant dream,
the first edition of Saigon Chamber Music was
an important step in the right direction. Yet it
wasn't without its challenges.
Approaching Vietnams music academies,
the first and biggest challenge was to reach out
to the young musicians and get them excited
about what Saigon Chamber Music can bring to
them, explains Sa, fully aware of how new this
concept was and still is to Vietnam. And that
led to the second challenge of not scaring them
away from the commitment to a full schedule. It
was summer time, and we asked them to be in
school from 8.30am until 5.30pm or even 6pm,
every day for a whole week.
Through all of this, and through the
application and audition process, the questions
that Sa and her team constantly kept in mind
were how do we help the young musicians?
How do we make this a winning experience for
them?
As we were doing this for the first time
in Vietnam, we certainly wanted to send out
a message of encouragement rather than
judgement.
By all accounts, the concert on Aug. 8 was
a phenomenal success with all 19 musicians
proving themselves adept on the big stage.
Most importantly was the improvement they
all demonstrated from their week of mentoring.
Sa hopes to build on the programmes initial
success.
My short term goal for Saigon Chamber
Music is to grow it as an annual event in the
conservatorys calendar, she says. And in
the long term I hope it will become a summer
rendez-vouz for young musicians in Vietnam
and the region.
She adds: In a country of over 90 million,
there is room for development. I would love
to see more sense of connection between the
public and the arts.
The Arts for Mobility concert in aid of Kids First
will take place at the Ho Chi Minh City Opera
House on Saturday Oct. 25. With refreshments and
a silent auction starting at 6pm, the performance will
run from 7.30pm to 10pm. Tickets are VND500,000
(VND250,000 for students) and can be purchased
through ticketbox.vn. For more information go to
artsformobility.com

For young musicians


to develop and
get the chance to
play music, and to
immerse themselves
in a supportive
environment
that aids their
development, they
have to travel
overseas. This is
something that
Tran Nguyet Sa is
trying to change

MANY FACES

HCMC

Tran
Nguyet Sa

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 55

insider

INSIDER

DANANG

Dont Go
Chasing Coracles
In Danang, Phong Lan meets one elderly fisherman still
making coracles the traditional way with bamboo and
an old technique. Photos by Khanh Hong

lthough small bamboo fishing


coracles are being replaced by
modern motorboats or coracles
made from plastic, one elderly
fisherman in central Danang is still making
them with a special love and a hope that they
will be loved by others.
The man is Phan Liem, a 70-year-old from
Tho Quang Village in Son Tra Peninsula, who
has been making coracles for nearly 60 years.
Liem recalls his first days learning the craft
at the age of 14. It was not easy work at all
for a young man with no experience, he
says. In the first days, I just tried to whittle
the bamboo strips and take on other simple
preparatory works.
To have a strong boat, the artisans in
Liems village choose good bamboo aged
at least two years from the local mountains.
A small coracle 1.4m in diameter will
need some 10 pieces of bamboo. An average
one is normally 2m to 2.5m in diameter,
while a big one is 6m in diameter. The
preparation often takes a lot of time.

Learning the Craft


Artisans need to have both skills and
strength to make the coracles round and
strong, Liem says. I still remember my
fathers sweaty hands when fastening the
bamboo strips.
One of the most important steps a secret
of local coracle makers is to fill in the gaps
with cow manure. The dung is mixed with
water and then used to fill in holes on the
coracle. The final step is painting the whole
coracle with a special oil and drying it in the
sun.
For many years, coracles floating near My
Khe Beach have been a graceful sight. They
are seen as good symbols of the mountain

56 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

and the sea, the bamboo prevailing over the


strong waves.
Yet these days they are only used for
offshore fishing or as dinghies on larger
ships. We used to be a busy coraclemaking village 50 years ago, with some
five workshops which employed nearly 100
artisans, Liem recalls. But now the trade is
losing its popularity as more fishermen are
opting for modern boats made from more
durable materials.
Now there are only two families following
the trade including Liems family, which
has three generations working in the family
workshop.
Liems son, Phan Van Minh, says
that although their income has fallen
considerably, he and his 15-year-old son still
love the familys trade and want to continue
it. He says, Well continue our craft until
nobody uses coracles.

The Dream Goes Abroad


Fortunately coracles are being used more
and more for tourism, when visitors to
Danang want to experience the sea at
night.
We feel very happy when tourists from
Australia, Japan and The Philippines show
their love for our traditional coracles, and
want to bring them to their countries,
Liem says.
Last year, a group of VietnameseAustralian visitors decided to buy 10
small coracles and bring them back to
Australia. They said they wanted to create
a Vietnamese corner in Australia, so that
overseas Vietnamese there can see a familiar
image of their motherland.
After that, Liem started to receive more
orders, coming from The Philippines, Japan,

France and England.


Many foreign visitors have asked us to
ship big coracles to their countries, Liem
says. I have sent hundreds of coracles
abroard. I never imagined that they would
like our coracles that much.
In these countries they have the most
modern ships but they love our simple
boats. I hope that one day our coracles can
be seen floating on beautiful lakes and rivers
in many foreign countries.

For many years, coracles floating near My Khe Beach have been
a graceful sight. They are seen as good symbols of the mountain
and the sea, the bamboo prevailing over the strong waves
wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 57

insider

58 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

HISTORY

HANOI

Co Loa

Just 15km from Central Hanoi, a trip to the citadel of Co Loa reveals a forgotten
story about Vietnams film industry. Words and photos by Nick Ross

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 59

s a rule we dont repeat articles. If


weve already covered something,
then unless theres a different angle
to be found, we leave the story as it
is covered, finished, caput.
That was what ran through my mind
one Saturday morning as I drove the short
dusty journey from Central Hanoi to Co Loa,
a citadel founded by An Duong Vuong in
275 BCE after he defeated the Hung Kings.
Rather than travelling for a journalistic
purpose I was on an excursion, looking
to discover something different. It was a
journey back into Vietnamese history, a
well-needed day trip away from the heat
and humidity of the capital. Unfortunately
as I passed through Long Bien, crossed over
Cau Duong Bridge and turned left towards
Co Loa, the humidity refused to dissipate.
Instead it got mixed in with all the dust and
debris left behind by the trucks, cars and
motorbikes hurtling along Highway 3.
For a moment I considered turning back.

Land and Water


Our previous article had talked extensively
about the lack of citadel remnants at Co Loa.
Yes, the outlines of the walls and former city
ramparts still remain, and archaeological
findings have revealed five major periods
of construction at this site that was once the
capital of Au Lac. But everything else has long
been bitten by the dust of time.
Instead the focus was on the connections
between myth, history and Vietnamese
people. As our writer, Douglas Pyper,
explained, Within the walls is a town,
but a town that is inseparable from the
fields. Lakes and wells take on almost holy
significance, and fields of rice or vegetables,
each one thick with tombstones, come to
within a foot of the benches where modern

60 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

lovers sit to kiss. Scattered around are a


number of revered temples and pagodas for
princesses, kings and Buddha. Within each
are the recurring motifs of tortoise, stork,
egret, Buddhas, crossbows and kings which
represent folk stories, myths, history, culture
and religion intertwined.
For me, just the pleasure of wandering
through near-deserted temples and sitting by
the lake was enough. Despite my previous onthe-journey misgivings and the relentless heat,
being surrounded by both history and beauty
was enough to make the trip worthwhile.

A Surprising Find
As I made to leave, the area took on a new
dimension. Interested to see if there was any
more to Co Loa than meets the eye, I twisted
and turned down some back streets and then
a red-earthed path before ending up round
the back of a deserted building. Although Id
noticed it before it stands opposite the main
entrance to the citadel Id identified it as
one of those ugly, municipally-built buildings

that was the kind of place to avoid. I hadnt


noticed that it stood in ruin.
Driving into the grounds I got off my bike
and started staring upwards. Surrounded by
trees, the architecture seemed like a mishmash of styles anything from Art Deco to
French colonialism to something equating
to modernism. It was both an eyesore yet
attractive.
Could it be a school? I asked myself. It
certainly had that look about it. Yet old schools
in Vietnam tend to be functional, especially
outside of the main city. This place had too
many embellishments.
Inside I walked up the crumbling stairs,
along open-air terraces and into empty
rooms. Mould crept down the walls, era
tiles lined the floors and a coat of dust had
formed over every surface. The windows
were glassless, and yet vegetation had yet to
creep its way into the complex. The place was
truly abandoned, not with the abandonment
of decades, but years. It seemed it had only
recently been in use. But what was it?

The Vietnamese Film Industry

Reclaiming the Past

A later online search revealed a surprising


answer. Could it be Co Loa Studios?
Built in 1959, the studios were once the
home of the Vietnamese film industry.
As the economy collapsed after the end
of the American War, in 1980 the site was
abandoned and fell into ruin.
With Hanois 1,000-year anniversary
celebrations coming up, in 2008 VND108
billion was invested into renovating
both the building and the surrounding
land. According to Vietnam News, the
plans [included] the construction of five
more interior studios, 5ha of outdoor
studios and a special water tank for
shooting underwater scenes. The new
outdoor areas [would be able] to pass for
battlefields during wartime, streets in large
contemporary cities, and some of Viet
Nams jungle. It is hoped that by 2015 the
studios will produce 30 celluloid films per
year and that by 2030 Viet Nam will rank
in the 30 top film producing countries in
the world.
Yet, without good support services,
prop hire and set facilities, as well as
high service fees, by 2013 the studio was
already being described as a wasteland.
According to an article on the website,
english.vietnamnet.vn, Co Loa Studios was
put in use in early 2012. It was expected
to become Vietnams cinema capital.
However, now the facility is largely unable
to find production companies willing
to film there, and now faces the risk of
becoming irrelevant. According to those in
the industry this is a result of the lack of
stable infrastructure at the studios.
Another issue was location. Although
only 15km out of Hanoi, the studios were
just too far away.

No-one quite knows what to do with


old abandoned buildings in Vietnam,
especially if they are left stagnating in an
area where land is not at a premium. Many
have been knocked down, less have been
restored, others have been repurposed.
The restoration of Co Loa Studios
was a grand, well-intentioned project.
Unfortunately it failed.
Saving this countrys heritage, be it
ancient or more recent, is vital to keeping
hold of Vietnams soul. Yet sometimes
there are buildings that have just run their
course. Could this be one of them?

Getting There
Take either Chuong Duong or Long Bien
Bridges over the Red River and follow the
road until you go over Cau Duong Bridge.
Turn left onto Highway 3 and follow the
road 7km until you see signs for Co Loa.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 61

Cover Story

The Cities

Words by Hoa Le, Ed Weinberg and Nick Ross. Graphics by Vu Ha Kim Vy

t is a sentiment we hear all too often


Europe and North America are dying.
Its not entirely true. But what is true
is that the worlds wealth and power
are shifting east. The beneficiaries? China,
Japan, Korea, Singapore, India and of
course Southeast Asia.
By 2015 the ASEAN Economic Community
(AEC) has the goal of creating regional
economic integration. A streamlined and
hopefully more workable version of the EU,
the AEC will transform ASEAN into a region

with a free movement of goods, services,


investment, skilled labour, and a freer flow
of capital. How this will manifest itself is
still unclear. But what is evident is that the
countries of Southeast Asia are getting closer.
As a publication weve seen this first hand.
While many of our former staff have returned
home, many others have moved onto bigger
and better things around the region
Singapore, Hong Kong, Yangon and Bangkok.
Theyve learnt a key truth. No matter what
your nationality, if youve got saleable skills,

once youre set up in Southeast Asia this is


your market.
As a testament to the growing regional
movement of labour, over the next few pages
we look at what its like to live and work
in the 10 key cities in Southeast Asia. From
Singapore to Hong Kong, Yangon to Manila,
weve found people whove either got a
connection with Vietnam or have lived in this
region for years.
We hope you find their personal accounts
make interesting reading. We certainly did.

Bangkok

Ho Chi Minh City

Phnom Penh

Hong Kong

62 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Singapore

Jakarta

Manila

Yangon

Kuala Lumpur

Hanoi

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 63

Bangkok
Le Nguyen
30s / Vietnamese / Reporter at the BBC

VND100.000
STATS
Despite having a fairly high GDP per
capita VND121.4 million* prices
in both Thailand and Bangkok remain
relatively on the low side. In Bangkok a
Big Mac Meal costs a mere VND100,000
and the hourly rate for hiring a cleaner
is also cheap at VND48,000. However,
accommodation is more costly than in
Vietnam VND25.7 million a month or
an 85sqm apartment in an
expensive area.**
*Provided by The World Bank
**Provided by expatistan.com

64 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Time in Saigon: 30 years


Time in Bangkok: 3.5 years
One day if I leave Bangkok, I will miss it a
lot, says Le Nguyen, a BBC reporter based
in Bangkok. In 2011, he moved to Bangkok
for the job. In this first go at living abroad,
the city has treated him very well.
People are so friendly. Housing is even
cheaper than in Ho Chi Minh City, with
more variety. You have endless choice
of food, and its cheap as well, he says,
summing up all the things he likes best
about this city.
But there are still things that frustrate the
young journalist about his adoptive city
life one of it is traffic. Road congestion
is terrible, he says. It once took me
about three hours to get home from work,
something which normally only takes 30
minutes. There is also another time when I
took the metro and I was stuck inside with
tens of thousands of others. It was real
chaos.
As much fun as he has working for
the BBC, the workload also hinders
opportunities for Le to fully enjoy the citys
potential. His weekly schedule has him

working from Monday to Friday straight


through, and sometimes on the weekend.
Despite his admiration for Thailands
numerous recreational opportunities,
well-developed showbiz and entertainment
industry, Le has very little time to enjoy
them. Im trying to strike a balance now,
Le says, and start enjoying more music
created by local artists. Theyre really
professional and talented.
Just one hour away from Ho Chi Minh
City, Bangkok doesnt bring Le any culture
shock as it has many similarities with his
hometown. According to Le, its because
the lifestyle of people here is also deeply
influenced by Buddhism and spiritualism.
Even so, Vietnamese food and traditional
theatre music are the two things that hes
often missing from back home.
And if he had three things to change
about Bangkok, what would they be? Better
traffic. A more stable political system. And
perhaps better weather, he says with a
laugh. Less rain on rainy days, and less heat
in the summer.

Tim Russell
Mentally in his 20s, physically in his 40s / British /
Married / Managing director for Remote Lands
Time in Saigon: 10 years
Time in Bangkok: 2 years

The Tour Operator

I work in the tourism industry Im Marketing


director for Remote Lands, an ultra-luxury tour
operator. Ive lived overseas since the beginning
of 2003, when I arrived in Vietnam. I came
to Bangkok two years ago with my wife, the
wonderful Linny, who is Vietnamese.
Id been in Saigon for nearly 10 years and had
really had my fill of it in hindsight I probably
stayed about four years too long. I found myself
becoming the kind of moaning expat Id always
sworn I would never become. So when my
current employer who was a client of mine
offered me a job here, I thought about it for
approximately 1.3 seconds and then accepted!

Life

The expat community is much bigger and more


spread out than in Saigon in Saigon you can
walk into any bar and see people you know, but
in Bangkok thats not really the case. The locals
are more polite than the Vietnamese but also
more reserved and less interested in foreigners.
Its easier to make local friends in Saigon than it
is here.
Bangkok is definitely an eating-out city
theres some amazing food here, especially on the

street, and in fact Ive put on nearly 15kg since I


moved here as a result.

Work

Its a good city to work in. There are loads of


networking events here, and I find I get more
connections and job offers here than anywhere
else Ive ever lived. The fact that it is a regional
tourism hub and one of the worlds most popular
tourist cities is great when you work in the travel
industry.
But the Vietnamese are much more hardworking than the Thais and theyre also a lot
closer to their colleagues socialising together,
going to karaoke, eating together. That isnt so
common in Thailand.
The Vietnamese are also more willing to learn
from and cooperate with expats than the Thais,
who are more nationalistic. A friend of mine
who has worked in both countries (for the same
multinational company) once said to me, In
Vietnam, I always felt that my staff were on my
side I never felt that in Thailand.
As far as actually getting things done, here its
totally painless. Unlike Vietnam, where people
seem to go out of their way to make life difficult
for each other (and themselves in the process),
Thais just want an easy life. Sanook!

STATS
The general mood about the economy
is not so great, though. 93 percent of
Thais think their country is in a recession
although roughly 1 in 2 Thais think
the recession will end in the next 12
months.***
***Provided by Nielson

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 65

Ho Chi Minh
Nguyen Thuy Linh
32 / Vietnamese / Married /
Managing directors assistant at Asia Golf Club

212
STATS

Expensive City Ranking


(out of 230 cities): 212
Which means: Ho Chi Minh City is
slightly more expensive than Chiang Mai
(Thailand) and Colombo (Sri Lanka).
However, it is cheaper than Hanoi
(Vietnam). Ho Chi Minh Citys cost of
living is the cheapest of all the cities
surveyed in this article.

Time in Hanoi: 25 years


Time in Saigon: 7 years
For many Vietnamese, its more common
to move from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
rather than the other way round. Ho Chi
Minh City offers more opportunities for
work, with higher salaries. For that reason,
Hanoi-born Nguyen Thuy Linh moved to
the biggest city in Vietnam when she was
25. But she never thought that she would
fall in love with the place, and end up never
leaving it.
It was a very difficult decision. I had
no family, no friends in Saigon. And I had
never lived away from home, Linh says.
However, she found her colleagues
mostly from the city and neighbouring areas
very helpful. They made it easier for her
to get settled down.
Its true that the salary is better in Ho Chi
Minh City, she says. There are also more
opportunities. But you need to have real
talent and be qualified. Its a harsher work
environment than in Hanoi. You can get fired
or replaced anytime if you are not qualified.
Despite the cutthroat working

environment, Linh still prefers working and


living in Saigon. And now even more so
she is married to a Saigonese man and is
carrying her second baby.
If youre single, there are a lot more
things for you to enjoy life here: a greater
variety of shops, bars and places to hang
out, she says. Thats what I enjoyed a lot
before I got married. Now that she has a
son, its more difficult to find time to take
advantage of such things.
While shes adapted well to work and life
in Ho Chi Minh City, Linh still refuses to
adopt the southern accent. I love my Hanoi
voice, she says. And even after seven
years, its still hard for me to understand my
colleagues who are from the Mekong Delta.
They speak very fast, with a lot of local
words.
But does she miss Hanoi? For sure. In fact,
sometimes its for the exact reason she left
the slower lifestyle, an easy walk around
Hoan Kiem Lake. All the things that she can
never find in Saigon.

Very late 30s / Irish / Married / Freelance writer


Time in Hanoi: 12.5 years
Time in Saigon: 2.5 years
When Gregory Samson woke up one
morning from unsettling dreams, he found
himself in a room he did not recognize.
Gregory, an expat living in Ho Chi Minh City
for close to 10 years, first noted the ceiling
fan and a spluttering AC. He could hear
noises from the street. There was an intense
heat in the air. He wasnt used to any of this.
In his plush apartment, 30 floors above street
level, he was always shielded from the heat
and noise of downtown Saigon. He sat up in
the bed. Where the hell was he? He glanced
around the room. There was a rucksack
leaning against a single chair; a bunch of
clothes formed a disorderly pile on a small
desk. Had he slept with a backpacker staying
in the Pham Ngu Lao area?
From Connlas False starts from
incomplete novels: The Metamorphosis (ExpatBackpacker Edit)
Even in his fiction, Connlas Saigon
circumstances revolve around his living
quarters.
As in Hanoi, he says, I am an
apartment dweller. Im impressed by the
quality of apartments in Ho Chi Minh City
and they seem okay value.
Unlike his fictional protagonist, he usually

avoids The Pham. I arrived in Hanoi,


Connla says, as a very young, single man,
and came to Saigon as a married, family man
in his late thirties.
Food and diversity of experience are
what have drawn him here those and
his wife. My better half wanted to move
a few times but I always resisted as I fear
change. Eventually she just stopped asking
and agreed to a transfer at work. I dutifully
followed.
As far as life in Saigon, there are
frustrations the local referees shabby
interpretation of the offside rule as well
as benefits I benefit from the diversity of
industry here... If I were freelance in Hanoi,
my portfolio/experiences would probably
be a lot narrower.
But in the end, he doesnt compare the
two. As someone who has now lived in
both cities, I am always asked which is better
and I hate the idea that we should trying
to measure them up and somehow decide
which one is best. Its not a contest. Imagine
how dull life would have to be if the cities
were really similar.
Having said that, um I find the
weather more bearable in Ho Chi Minh City,
as the humidity in Hanoi is relentless.

VND2,136,000

Connla Stokes

VND1,047,000

City

HCMC

Hanoi

STATS
That Ho Chi Minh City is cheaper than
Hanoi is due to the sophisticated end of
life rather than the basic necessities like
food, accommodation and transport. Take
a pair of Levis 501s or their equivalent.
In Hanoi they weigh in at VND2,136,000
a pair whereas in Ho Chi Minh City,
theyre a pinch at just VND1,047,000.
Leather shoes are also more expensive
up north 62 percent more expensive.
As is gym membership and wine. In fact,
anything deemed to be luxury is
just that little bit more costly
in Vietnams capital.**
**Provided by expatistan.com

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 67

Phnom Penh
Niamh McLoughlin

VND

21.3
million
STATS
National GDP per capita (2013):
VND21.3 million
Change in GDP per capita between
2010 and 2013: +28.74%*
*Provided by The World Bank

68 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Late 20s / Irish / In a relationship /


Teacher at an international kindergarten
Time in Saigon: 1.5 years
Time in Phnom Penh: 2 years

Circumstances

I moved to Vietnam in early 2011 with no


particular length of stay in mind. I had just
finished a masters degree but had no immediate
plans. My sister was already living in Saigon,
working in an international school so it was an
easy decision to go there for a while. I did general
English teaching in Saigon at first, which I found
easy to get into but the hours were not great and
then I ended up running a bar for a while. I was
there for over a year. It was fun and I loved it but
the breakup of my relationship and a visit from my
best friend prompted me to go to Phnom Penh for
a while. A friend already living here offered me a
room and I ended up staying.

Pros

In teaching anyway, I have found it is more


likely for people to land full time positions
in international schools (or schools that call
themselves international).
I find that generally, local Khmer people living
and working in the city speak a high level of
English. I have found it much easier here to mix
with local people and form closer bonds than I
ever did in Vietnam.
But like other places, it is what you make of it.

Problems

On the surface, my workplace environment is


a happy and friendly one, but below the surface
there is a general sense of unfairness. Most
of my colleagues are very unhappy with their
working situation and with the corruption that
exists at all levels in Cambodia, but they are
also quite scared to speak out in fear of losing
their jobs.
Seeing the injustices that Cambodian people
suffer at the hands of the authorities makes me
very angry but also serves to demonstrate the
strength and determination of the Khmer people.
The people of Cambodia are the reason I love the
country so much and have decided to make it
my home. I hope to be here when change finally
happens.

Etc.

I miss the variety of everything in Vietnam


as opposed to Cambodia, the variety of people,
food, music, art. I miss the live music scene
in Saigon, there is definitely not the same
excitement here. I miss the bia hois of Vietnam
and the outdoor, plastic chair culture that
encourages interaction between local people,
travellers and expats.

Darren Gall
50s / Australian / Single /
Wine specialist for The Warehouse
Time in Hanoi: 6 months
Time in Phnom Penh: 5 years

Circumstances

I was living in Thailand when my marriage


fell apart. Moving to Phnom Penh was one of
the hardest decisions I have ever had to make
in my life.

Pros

I found the connection and the bond between


expats in Cambodia to be very strong and
made lifelong friends there. I would even say I
found it stronger there than in other countries
I have lived in.
Working in Cambodia was not a career
move but a personal move, out of some
necessity. In the end, I fell in love with the
place, the people and the community, and
rebuilt my life. I feel that I owe the country a
heck of a lot actually, and I feel blessed to have
found it and been lucky enough to have lived
there, purely by chance.
On the business front, it is an emerging
economy, growing and with enormous
potential. Its relatively easy to do business
there and it can be very enjoyable to do
business there.

Cons

Early on traffic was not an issue in terms of


congestion, but was an issue in terms of safety
road rules are simply not understood or obeyed.
In more recent years congestion has also become a
problem, and injuries and deaths on the road are
a national crisis in Cambodia.
Business dispute resolution is patchy
to nonexistent, and the rule of law is often
inconsistent. Getting into business disputes can
often lead to years of stalemates and ongoing
conflicts, and a general black hole for your
finances and company.

Moving On

I was left with a sour taste in my mouth after a


business partner behaved dishonourably and stole
money from me. I was then made a very attractive
offer by The Warehouse, to work in the north and
centre of Vietnam. Having visited and worked
in Hanoi on and off for many years, I was very
familiar and comfortable with the place and the
people.
But I think Phnom Penh will always be the place
I identify with as home, now and forever more.

STATS
Expensive City Ranking (out of 230 cities):
Not ranked
Which means: Based on the answers of
142 respondents, Phnom Penh is slightly
more expensive than Hanoi. Clothes are
double the price of Ho Chi Minh City,
while both food and transportation are
19% and 29% cheaper respectively.**
**Provided by expatistan.com

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 69

Hong Kong

TH

STATS

According to the Cost of Living Index**,


Hong Kong is the ninth most expensive
city in the world for expats and the
second most expensive city in Southeast
Asia. 6% cheaper than Singapore and 16%
cheaper than London, an 85sqm, twobedroom apartment in an expensive area
of the city costs VND112 million,
six times more than the equivalent
in Ho Chi Minh City.
**Provided by expatistan.com

Donna Nguyen Phuoc


30s / Vietnamese / Single / Art gallery owner /
Fashion label runner / Property remodeler /
Partner in a headhunting firm
Time in Hong Kong: 10 years
I came to Hong Kong... for the Rugby
Sevens, and then got a job offer to move
here. It was an easy decision because I had
been to Hong Kong many times previously
and already had a lot of friends living here.
Hong Kong is a... work hard, play hard
kind of place. Everyone goes out, and the
restaurants, bars and clubs are busy seven
nights a week. People live in smaller spaces
in general compared to Vietnam and other
countries, so most of the time they eat out
instead of at home.
There are too many... people! People
everywhere, and this city doesnt stop
moving. So it drains a lot of energy out of
you. In order to have a good balance, one
needs to get out of Hong Kong often to
recharge. The pollution is a serious concern.
There is very little or no corruption.
Everything is straightforward. You are
constantly challenged by smart and talented
people, so you need to be on top of the game.

70 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Taxes are very low, and the government


doesnt try to suck your money like in some
other countries. I started and set up a few
different businesses in Hong Kong and it
was always easy, no fuss, a simple process.
I dont think I would be able to manage
so many businesses at the same time if
things around me didnt work or werent as
efficient as they are in Hong Kong.
Getting into a relationship is... easy.
Keeping a relationship is more challenging
because of the fast lifestyle, and there are
temptations everywhere you look.
Being a foreigner... youre surrounded by
expats from everywhere. People tend to
be very friendly and receptive. Most locals
working in a corporate office speak English,
so no language issue there. There are cultural
differences between expats and locals, but
thats everywhere.
I miss Vietnamese... food, and the charm of
people.

David Stout
Late 20s / American / Single / Journalist
Time in Hong Kong: 1 year
Time in Hanoi: 2.5 years
Formerly a resident of Hanoi, US-born
David Stout left an editorial position at
Word Vietnam to work for a publication
in Myanmar. It was around the time the
country started opening up and was a step
towards forwarding his career in the media.
Now a breaking news reporter for TIME in
Hong Kong, this late 20-something journalist
has made the city his home. Its tough, but
the rewards, it seems, are proving fruitful.

The Pros

Public transportation in Hong Kong is on


another level and makes similar services in
other developed nations come across as wholly
medieval. Its cheap, timely and clean. Salaries
are quite high and comparable or higher to jobs in
western nations. People tend to log long hours in
the office. Stress levels are high and workplaces
are competitive, but Hong Kong is a model for
efficiency, so getting things done in a timely
manner is the status quo here.
However, Hong Kongs numerous hiking
trails, beaches and nightlife options provide a
much-needed pressure release outlet for all the
overworked souls in the city. Before coming to
Hong Kong I had no idea about the range of
recreational outlets the city has to offer. The city
is plush with beautiful beaches, hiking trails,
camping sites and plenty of nightlife options. So
getting out and having fun is quite easy as long
as youre personally motivated to do so or have a
good group of active friends.

The Cons

Accommodation is horrendously expensive for


the amount of space youre offered. Its definitely
the biggest downside to living here. On occasion,
people find good deals, but on the whole they

are few and far between. Living alone is nearly


impossible unless youre ready to spend big
bucks, which leaves the option of living with
a roommate or a significant other, or finding a
shared apartment through a real estate agent.
The other tough aspect of life in Hong Kong
is dealing with the stress that comes with living
in a city inundated with highly competitive
professionals. Most folks are doing exceptional
work under tight deadlines and getting paid
well to do it. With that said, theres also a very
vain side to Hong Kong. One of the first things
I noticed when moving here was that everyone
seemed to be talking about money all the time.
During my tenure in Vietnam, money came up
on occasion in conversation but never seemed
to dominate exchanges in the same way it does
here.
On the whole working life in Vietnam is
much more toned down. People actually go out
for lunch, rather than just eating at their desk,
and it always feels like theres time for a coffee
break with colleagues or maybe even a quick nap
after lunch.

I Miss

the street food, the dynamic nature of


[Vietnams] cities, motorbiking through
the countryside and the persistent energy
that at times pushes the country seemingly
towards anarchy. Also, I miss the relations
that seem to naturally sprout up through
everyday encounters across all walks of life in
Hanoi. Whether with your xe om driver, bun
cha lady or wait staff at your favorite caf,
theres always time for a quick chat or sincere
acknowledgement. This stands in stark contrast
to life in Hong Kong, which at times feels very
transactional.

STATS
Says market research giant Nielsen***,
despite the ongoing recession, job
prospects in this dynamic powerhouse
are good to excellent so say 54% of
respondents. However, the economic
outlook over the next year is not so
good, with only 23% of those surveyed
expecting things to improve.
***Provided by Nielson

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 71

Singapore

RD

STATS

With a national GDP per capita of


VND1.16 billion, Singapore is the third
richest country in the world*. As of
mid-2014, the country had 105,000
millionaires, not bad for an island with a
total population of 5 million. Yet, when
it comes to happiness, like most other
developed countries, Singapore suffers
the island state is rated 88 out of 151.**
*Provided by The World Bank
**Provided by happyplanetindex.org

72 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Chu Nga

28 / Vietnamese / Single /
Working in commodity trading
Time in Hanoi: 20 years
Time in Singapore: 8 years
Why did you move to Singapore?
I was offered a full scholarship through
the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs
to study business administration at the
National University of Singapore.
Was it difficult to adapt to life here at the
beginning?
I found it not too difficult, although there
were a lot of overwhelmingly new things for
me. Online forums such as the Vietnamese
student community were very helpful to
help me get settled down.
What do you like about working in
Singapore?
Singapore has been a global financial hub
and is becoming even more of one. Having
the opportunity to work in Singapore for me
is beneficial, worthwhile and interesting. It
is a very international working environment:
in a team you can expect to have people
from all over the world.
Whats the balance like between work and
play?
Generally Singapore is considered a high

stress society, but in my opinion it is not as


stressful as Hong Kong or Tokyo.
Singapores working crowd has got
healthier in recent years in my opinion; gym
culture is getting more popular. I myself like
to work out three to four times a week: I go to
yoga during lunchtime, play tennis after work
and play beach volleyball on the weekends.
What do you miss, if anything, about the
lifestyle in Vietnam?
I miss the street food culture in Vietnam,
where you can go with friends and do shop
hopping. I love to go with my friends to eat
nom bo kho, banh cuon, che, chao hen and kem
Trang Tien all in one night.
If you could change something about
Singapore, what would you change?
I wish Singapore had a larger land area.
I think the urban planning and city
management are being done very well here,
but I believe the government could have
done a lot more if there was more land to
play with.
I also wish Singapore had four seasons; I
miss Hanoi in the winter.

Ian Paynton
Late 20s / British / Super single /
Publisher of regional magazines for
Haymarket Media Group /
Co-wner of creative agency We Create
Time in Hanoi: 2.5 years

VND

200
000

Time in Singapore: 1.5 years

Circumstances

I moved here for a regional job role. It was


extremely difficult because of one thing: my love
for Vietnam and Hanoi. I didnt want to leave.
But I realised the opportunity in Singapore and
took the leap, which turned out to be valuable.

Pros

Singapore is unbelievably simple and ordered.


Everything works and is clean. I live in Little
Vietnam the opposite end of the city to my
office so it can take up to an hour on the
MRT [Mass Rapid Transit, their 108-station rail
network spanning the entire city-state], which is
often packed but still pretty comfortable. Would
still prefer my Honda Wave and a raincoat,
though.
Salaries are on par with UK salaries. In
terms of money and doing business deals, I can
have US$200,000 conversations with clients in
Singapore with no more effort or workload than
it would take to have US$1,000 conversations in
Vietnam. Basically, for the same time and effort,
you can earn lots more money.
Compared to Vietnam, getting things done is
unbelievably simple. Its quite refreshing, really.
People speak their mind, are more upfront, and
will let you know where you stand.

Cons

My first six months in Singapore was the


toughest of my whole time in Asia. Actually
I really disliked it. I found it harder to make
good friends here, compared to in Hanoi.
There were seemingly more people on my
wavelength in Vietnam.
Yes, Singapore works: people are well
behaved, safe and rich. But I cant help but
think its all at the expense of other things.
Like human rights, freedom of speech, freedom
of the press. Unfortunately, in my opinion,
it just doesnt feel like real life. It feels like a
bubble. Like The Truman Show, perhaps?

Compare/Contrast

Im not sure you can compare. They are


completely different ends of the spectrum.
In one Vietnam you seem to have
lawlessness, flexibility and chaos, which is
reflected in the workplace, too. And in the
other Singapore you have too many
rules, too much order and inflexibility. Id
say there are issues with professionalism
(to a western standard, anyway) in both
countries, but Singapore does seem much
more advanced and developed whatever
those words actually mean.

STATS
Singapore's wealth and extravagance
have a downfall the cost of living,
especially if youre an expat. The average
cost to rent an 85sqm apartment in an
expensive area is VND84.7 million per
month. Fortunately food remains cheap.
Hawker courts still routinely serve up
dishes for VND68,000 to VND85,000 a go.
And even the more pricey restaurants are
relatively inexpensive. Just dont go for
the beer here youre routinely paying
over VND200,000 for a half pint.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 73

Jakarta
Eammon Sadler
50s / British / Divorced / Entrepreneur
Time in Jakarta: 23 years

Melbourne
Jakarta

When I arrived in Jakarta I was a


backpacker. I liked it and stayed. It
was the Suharto era and it was a very
different place. It was hard not to make
money.
20 years ago expats were relatively
well-off, but now the standard of living is
much lower, but still better than the UK for
example

STATS
The largest city in Southeast Asia, despite
its regional importance Jakarta remains
relatively cheap for expats. 182nd on the
Expat Cost of Living Index*, life here is
marginally cheaper than Bangkok and
21% more costly than in Hanoi.
To put this in a wider perspective,
living in Jakarta is exactly half the cost
of living in Melbourne.
*Provided by expatistan.com

74 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

As an entrepreneur I am always
working, but I enjoy what I do so I dont
really view it as work. Some people climb
mountains as an enjoyable challenge. Some
play team sports. I create businesses.
The expats I know here are a close
group of friends of all nationalities. Even
after 23 years I have no close Indonesian
friends. I speak the language but the
culture is more of a challenge.
Its easy to get your house cleaned or
your car serviced, but if its something
important better to do it yourself. But
thats true everywhere in my experience.

The hardest part is finding good,


conscientious, hard-working local people.
When you have found them and trained
them, its even harder to keep them. The
main benefit of living in Jakarta is that there
are more opportunities for ordinary expats to
do well in their own business. I do far more
things here than I could do in the UK. Being
an expat brings an automatic credibility, for
some reason, and gives foreigners a head
start. If you can keep that credibility and
earn a good reputation you can do well here.
I live in a four-bedroom house in south
Jakarta with my two kids, a maid and a
driver. There are still good deals if you know
where to look. Most people imagine I pay
double what I actually pay for my house.
If I could change three things about Jakarta
they would be 1) The traffic its so bad
that it takes all the spontaneity out of life. I
ride a motorbike. 2) The environment. There
are very few green areas and those that exist
are very poorly kept. 3) The drainage. Every
time it rains the streets flood in ten minutes
and the traffic gets even worse.

Paul Kanwar
Mid-40s / British / Married / Sales and marketing
director for a healthcare company
Time in Jakarta: 10 years
How long have you lived overseas?
Been overseas since just after birth in Kent,
until 16. Left again in 1997. Im a thirdculture kid.
Why did you move to Jakarta?
I was transferred here from a previous
posting in Saigon. It was an easy decision to
move here as I used to live here in 1997/1998
when the city was in flames and people
were getting shot. Then I came out as an
expat from London, sight unseen. Anything
was better than that dangerous era.
What are the drawbacks about life there?
The quick journey times make Saigon feel
like a provincial town compared to the daily
traffic nightmare that everyone experiences
in Jakarta. Traffic jams and the lack of
modern public transport are the biggest
downside of living in this city. Now that
more cars are being sold in Indonesia, you
only have to imagine what Bangkok would
be like without the Skytrain or underground.
The city of Jakarta has a population of
around 10 or 11 million. This rises to 13
million on a workday. Greater Jakarta has a
population of over 30 million, making it the
second largest conurbation in the world after
Greater Tokyo.

Whats great about Jakarta?


Jakarta feels like a world capital. Singapore
(an 85-minute flight) is the regional hub
for many firms and sets the standard for
jurisprudence and efficient government.
Jakarta is the complete opposite, yet
attracts greater commercial and investment
interest. Theres always an opportunity,
theres always a new visitor in town. Its an
incredibly dynamic city commercially,
politically and internationally. I feel like
Saigon is a sleepy provincial town in
comparison.
And there are incredible business
opportunities in every possible sector.
Jakarta is the capital city of the worlds
largest Muslim country yet its secular
the fourth largest democracy in the
world, headquarters for the ASEAN
secretariat and the largest city in Southeast
Asia. Indonesia is the only Southeast Asian
member of the G20. Australias largest
embassy in the world is under construction
here. I mean, even Morrissey played here
in 2012.
What do you miss most about Saigon?
The incredible friends that you make in
Saigon. Never experienced anything like it
anywhere else in the world.

VND

630
000

STATS
When it comes to the not-so-fine things
of life, Jakarta has its downfalls. A
bottle of good table wine averages out
VND630,000 a go, while supermarketpurchased beer costs VND44,000 per
half litre bottle. Fortunately, clothing is
cheap about the half the price of Hanoi
and Ho Chi Minh City as is gym
membership. To keep yourself in trim,
expect to pay an average monthly fee of
VND924,000.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 75

Manila
VND
30
Nguyen Ba Hung

Mid-30s / Vietnamese / Married /


Works in regional public service
Time in Hanoi: About 30 years
Time in Manila: 6 years

million
STATS
Manila is 2.7% more expensive than
Bangkok and roughly half as expensive
as Shanghai. The cost of living in Ho
Chi Minh City is a third cheaper than it
is in Manila. The big difference between
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Manila
is housing an average 85sqm
apartment in an expensive area
costs VND30 million.*
*The Cost of Living Index, Expatistan.com

76 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Nguyen Ba Hung moved to Manila six years


ago when he started working for a new
agency, one whose headquarters are based
in this metropolitan city. For him, life in The
Philippines is not a challenge at times he
even feels hes treated more favourably by
locals because hes an expat. But there are
a few things that he misses about living in
Vietnam, and street-style coffee shops are
one of them.

Working in Manila

Its quite intense and I often find myself super


busy. But the rich resources of the institution
where I work makes it relatively easy to get
things done. As for salary, its difficult to
compare it with Vietnam, if youre thinking about
packages and benefits all together. But with my
salary here, I can afford a comfortable lifestyle.
Numberwise, though, monthly expenses are
about two-thirds of salary, so its not that great
from a savings point of view.

The Social Side of Things

Recreational opportunities here are quite diverse,


depending on how much youre willing to spend.
Sport and leisure travel is convenient. Bars and
restaurants are everywhere, but the price range is
high. Compared to Vietnam, I think theyre more

available, in a greater variety. Eating out is also


easy because there are a lot of choices, although
many are fast food and not healthy. I still prefer
home dining.

Pros

One of the main benefits of working and living


in Manila is the wide usage of English by local
people (inside and outside the office), and the
network of global professionals. My working
environment is very international, with people
coming from many different countries and
cultures, so generally everyone deals with
cultural differences both at work and outside of
work pretty well.

Cons

The worst thing about working in Manila is


traffic and travel hassles, especially when you
have to fly regularly for work. Accommodation
is also quite expensive, considering quality and
convenience.

What I Miss About Vietnam

Boutique coffee shops. Also, the efficiency of


getting things done in Manila it takes ages
for someone come and fix things for your house,
but I found it very easy in Vietnam. And then of
course I miss my family and friends.

Robert Wyld
Mid-50s / British / In a Relationship / President & CEO
of Manulife Chinabank Life Assurance Corporation
Time in Manila: 2.5 years

I moved to Manila because I was offered


the opportunity to run the only joint venture
my organisation has in Asia. It was an
opportunity that was too good to miss, so it
was an easy decision.

Communication is very easy in The


Philippines as the majority of the locals I
come into contact with speak very good
English. But sometimes locals find my
English accent difficult to follow.

Salary levels in The Philippines would


be higher than Vietnam. I am British so
my salary level is much higher than that of
Filipinos.

I have had a tremendous opportunity to


travel around the country and see many of
its hidden treasures. Ive met some great
people, from bank tellers to insurance
commissioners.

I am surprised at the cost of apartment


rentals in both Manila and Saigon. Both cities
have high rentals costs comparable with
certain parts of London. I guess that is all to
do with supply and demand, with demand
outstripping supply in these developing
cities.
I've never quite cracked the balance
between work and play. As an expat it is
important you can demonstrate your worth
to earn the respect of the people. So I tend
to work longer hours in Asia than I did in
London. Having said that, I always find
time to enjoy a few drinks in one of the bars
situated in the vibrant Greenbelt area of
Makati City, or play a game of golf with a
few friends on one of the local golf courses.

Saigon is probably a little like Manila was


20 years ago. I love the quirkiness of the
place with its pulsating street life, eateries,
bars, culture and French architecture. I like
the intimacy of District 1 when I used
to walk around I would be guaranteed to
bump into somebody I knew. Vietnam also
has better restaurants and a greater variety
of cuisine. Having said that, Manila is an
easier place for an expat to work given the
language advantage and the development of
the market I work in.
I miss a good bowl of pho after a night
out, wandering around the art galleries and
strolling around the streets soaking up the
unique atmosphere of Saigon.

5
STATS

The Philippines is a pretty happy country,


weighing in at 25 in the Happy Planet
Index. This makes it less happy than
Vietnam and Thailand, but in return,
Filipinos are far more content than their
counterparts in Myanmar.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 77

Yangon
Jim Abril
Late 20s / Filipino / Single / Creative Director
for Mango Marketing (affilitated with JWT)
Time Overseas (including Saigon): 14 years
Time in Yangon: 4 years
Moving to Ho Chi Minh City in his teens,
after completing his degree in Manila, Jim
returned to Vietnam to start off his career
in graphic design. Working for Word as art
director, he followed his parents to Yangon
when they moved there in 2010. He was
supposed to stay for 12 months. Four years
later is he is still living in Myanmars largest
city and is working with clients such as
Unilever, Carlsberg and Telenor.

restaurants and bars are popping up. There


are wide parks where you can eat some
barbeque, watch local concerts and take nice
photo walks. And on weekends you can
meet new people, both expats and locals,
in open-mic nights hosted by dedicated art
galleries.

When I first visited it was a little bit


depressing at the time, knowing the political
situation. But the people I met during that
visit were kind, genuine and charismatic.
They had a very similar vibe to us Filipinos
on how to get through difficult situations
we always find something we can laugh
about.

Working with the local staff is great


because they like to snack a lot. Not so
great when youre trying to get something
done fast and when youre trying to avoid
any sunflower seed shells on your laptop
keyboard. A lot of the people I work with
are modest and humble, but the Burmese
arent usually confrontational, so its a little
bit difficult to get to know how they really
are or what they really think until you piss
them off.

Despite the amount of crazy deadlines I


find that there are a lot of ways and places to
unwind and get silly in Yangon. A lot of new

I find many people to be complacent,


more so older people. Theyre just satisfied
with whats already there and are not

motivated to push for more and to craft or to


be pro-active.
Patience has become a requirement. With
all the frustrations that goes about living in
Yangon power-cuts, traffic, phone signals,
Internet speeds etc., you have to have
patience.
From my time in Vietnam, I miss driving
a motorbike. The thing I miss the most is the
food bun cha, bo kho, banh xeo, hu tieu, banh
mi, bap xao
If I could change anything about Yangon,
I would change the weather. If it rains it
pours, if its hot IT GETS HOT. I also hate
betel nut chewing the red spit-stained
walls and pavement. I wish I could drive
a scooter in Yangon. Itd be fun zipping
through traffic and getting to where I want
to go on time. And of course power cuts and
Myanmar politics.

Alex Falter
30s / British / Setting up a textiles factory in Yangon
Time in Hanoi: 5 years
Time travelling to Yangon: 18 months
Based out of Hanoi and with a textiles
factory in Bac Giang, Alex works for Vert,
an arm of a Dutch fashion group. He is
presently setting up a manufacturing
entity along with a garment trade school in
Yangon.
Why are you setting up another arm of your
business in Yangon?
We feel that Myanmar, with a 55 million
population, will be one of the last bastions
of manufacturing in Asia. Elsewhere
in Asia, wages are rising higher than
productivity. We are working with the
local garments associations and NGOs
to ensure we can set a strong standard of
Corporate Social Responsibiliy (CSR) from
the outset.
What are transportation and commute
times like to get to and from work and to
get around the city?
Terrible! I stay near Inya Lake and during
peak rush hour it will take me over an hour
to reach The Strand. Thats just 12km. There
are no motorbikes to jump on they are
illegal in central Yangon. There is little public
transport either, just cheap, clapped out
Toyota taxis.
What are the salary levels like in Yangon
for locals and expats?
Myanmar salaries are very low for the
mass populace around VND2.6 million
per month on the outskirts of Yangon. If
you speak English and are Universityeducated, salaries can be anywhere from
VND10.5 million to VND21 million a
month for talented locals. But they are in
high demand and usually have their own
companies as their families had money to
educate them. There are some extremely
wealthy individuals in Yangon. Expats are
generally better paid than in Hanoi.

Whats the balance like between


work and play?
It largely depends on who you are, what
you do, and who you do it with. I find the
Burmese of Chinese descent more willing to
go for drinks and there are some cracking
restaurants. The ethnic Burmese tend to be
more reserved and I have not had the chance
to meet ethnic Indians.
How easy or difficult is it to get things done?
D-I-F-F-I-C-U-L-T. But in a country like
Myanmar, it depends on your partners.
Communication with locals who speak
English is very good, but turning a positive
conversation into positive action is tedious.
What are the main frustrations of trying to
set up a business in Yangon?
Productivity, a lack of clarity on policy and
unclear laws. Yet the potential benefits of
being here are untold.
Whats your accommodation like?
I stay in a hotel north of Inya Lake near some
restaurants and bars. Its the equivalent of
VND1.7 million a night including breakfast.
Its spotless, new and the staff are charming.
It also has good WiFi a big problem in
Yangon. My partner stays in a very nice threebed apartment on the outskirts of town. The
cost is VND95 million a month. Roomy villas
in downtown Yangon can fetch as much as
VND420 million a month. House rental prices
are utterly insane.
If there were three things you could change
about Yangon, what would they be?
First, allow and encourage the use of electric
bikes throughout the city. Second, I would
force through urban redevelopment. There
are huge state, army and national company
compounds that use up valuable inner city
space. And finally, MORE ATMs!

238
STATS

The data is yet to be complete on Yangon


so there are no GDP stats. However,
the Myanmar capital scores a whopping
238 on the The Cost of Living Index*,
making it the third most expensive city
for expats in Southeast Asia, only 1.2%
cheaper than San Francisco.
The reasons include the ridiculously
high cost of accommodation demand
completely outstrips supply clothing
and non-Myanmar cuisine. Anything
that is deemed luxury, is very luxury.
Conversely, a packet of Marlboro
cigarettes only costs VND32,000.
*www.expatistan.com

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 79

Kuala Lumpur
VND

221
million
STATS
Malaysia, and by default Kuala Lumpur,
has a GDP per capita of VND221 million*.
Amazingly this isnt reflected in the cost
of living. An average 85sqm apartment in
an expensive area is only 24% more costly
than the equivalent accommodation in
Ho Chi Minh City. Yet GDP per capita is
over five times higher in Malaysia than
it is in Vietnam. Food is also in a similar
price range to Vietnam, while clothing
and petrol are far cheaper.**
The killer, however, is going out.
With the taxes applied to alcohol, it can
be a very costly affair expect to pay
upwards of VND100,000 a beer. As for
spirits, lets not go there
*Provided by The World Bank
**These stats are found on expatistan.com

80 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Dung Le
30s / Vietnamese / single / travel agent
Time in Kuala Lumpur: 1.5 years
The woman and face behind the Hanoi-based
travel agency, Zoom Zoom Lets Go to the
Countryside, Dung Le has spent time overseas
in both the US (Alaska) and more recently,
Kuala Lumpur.
I moved to Kuala Lumpur because I had
a job offer working as a travel agent in KL. It
was a very easy decision since I love travelling
places, meeting people, experiencing other
cultures and living in other countries.
The salary levels are based on job title,
skills, experience and education. Since I have
a degree and I am a foreigner, when my
company offered me a job, they had to make
sure they were paying the salary that could
cover my living expenses, housing and some
savings. It was higher than that back home in
Vietnam.
My salary could cover everything. I had
a comfortable life. I rented a nice apartment
with a swimming pool and a nice gym. I could
afford to go out, go shopping or dine out. I
could travel to other cities, islands around
Malaysia over the weekends or even travel
to other countries like Singapore, Thailand,
Indonesia and The Philippines.
I shared an apartment with two other
expats. Our apartment building had
everything we could wish for and I had my
own en-suite bedroom. It cost me about
VND7.5 million a month.

KL has so much to offer in terms of


recreational opportunities. They have
wonderful trails for hiking. There are lots
of people passionate about hiking, trail
running, cycling, rock climbing and diving.
I dont know how others feel, but I thought
it wasnt that difficult to meet people. You
can get into a relationship from meeting
people who have the same interest as you.
I made so many hiking and travelling
friends there. And now, although Im
back in Vietnam, we still remain friends.
They sometimes even organise trips to go
travelling and hiking in Vietnam.
Malaysia is a Muslim country,
therefore, alcohol is very expensive.
Going out and having a beer at a bar
in KL is as expensive as buying a beer
in the US or some places in Europe.
However, Malaysians love food. I have a
lot of Chinese-Malay friends they are
obsessed with food.
I moved back to Hanoi for personal
reasons. I loved living in KL because I
liked my job. Most importantly, I was
independent and I had so much freedom
while living there. In my opinion, the
working environment in KL is much more
professional than in Vietnam.
I miss my hiking friends and all the
outdoors activities I love that kept me
healthy and happy.

Jonathan Atherton
50s / Australian / married / stand-up comedian
Time in Kuala Lumpur: 1.5 years
Time living overseas: More than 25 years
What do you do?
I am a stand-up comic and, such whores that
we comics are, I will work for anyone who
has the cash.

reasons as well. However, the rail system is


undergoing a lot of expansion and I think
things will be pretty cool in a few years,
inshallah.

Where have you lived in Southeast Asia


prior to Kuala Lumpur?
Ive lived and worked in Singapore,
Bangkok, Koh Samui, Medan, Yangon,
Tokyo, Mumbai, Nairobi and Kampala.

What are the salary levels like?


I charge the same fee here as in Singapore.
Yet my overheads are less than half.
Occasionally I hear expats complain that
their packages arent as generous as in
Singapore, but the lifestyle in KL is so much
better and cheaper that it more than
compensates.

Do you speak the local language? If yes,


how fluent are you?
My Malay is getting pretty good. I
performed my first full-length comedy show
in Malay recently. I have been invited to
tour Malaysia with a popular Malay comedy
troupe. I said absolutely yes. Not sure if they
are actually going to pay me and really dont
care. We will be doing 2,000 to 5,000-seater
auditoriums. In the past I have performed in
Indonesian, Thai, Luganda and German.
Why did you move to Kuala Lumpur?
It was an easy decision. I lived five years in
Singapore so it feels a lot like parole moving
to Malaysia. KL rocks. The people are
friendly, savvy and a lot of fun.
What are transportation and commute
times like?
Traffic here is a nightmare. I pity the nine-tofivers. Mind you, I pity them for many other

Whats the balance like between work and


play?
I could never figure that one out. If you can
make money doing what you love doing you
have found the right formula. If not, youre
a slave.
What is communication like with other
expats and locals?
I think expats get on well together. I see
them in groups all the time. However, I
was accused of being racist by an English
acquaintance recently. He suggested that I
didnt have any white friends. Thats not
true. My wife is white sort of. A bit of
Chinese, Indian, French and Malagasy
shes from Reunion Island.
But to be honest, I dont hang out with
banking and finance, oil and gas or IT people

back in Australia, so why would I do that


here?
How easy or difficult is it to get things
done?
I guess it depends on what you want done.
If you need a mainframe computer built or
a heart bypass it is probably relatively easy.
But try to find a plumber or electrician who
can do a decent job? Impossible.
What are the main frustrations of working
in Kuala Lumpur?
You need the right attitude to work
anywhere in Asia. Frustration is not an
option. If slap-dash methodology and
shoddy workmanship really bug you, move
to Germany. Asia has a bright future. Europe
is in its death throes. This is where its at.
If something is lacking here that we have
in the West, its the perfect opportunity to
introduce it and enjoy a monopoly until
it becomes successful and every jerk in town
tries to copy it.
Whats your accommodation like?
My wife and I rent a 325sqm, four-bedroom,
three-bathroom, three-storey house atop
a hill with city views and a lush garden
about three miles from the town centre. We
pay VND21 million a month. There is an
excellent supply of housing here. Rents are
cheap.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 81

Hanoi
Nick Ross
Just turned 40 / British / Married /
Chief editor of Word Vietnam
Time in Hanoi: 1.5 years and subsequently,
once a month
Time in Vietnam: 14 years

Moving up to Hanoi
STATS
Hanoi is ranked 207 out of 230 cities in
the Cost of Living Index*. This makes
it 3.4% cheaper than Phnom Penh
(Cambodia) and 4.7% more expensive
than Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam). The
cost of living in Singapore is 2.94 times
as expensive as it is in Hanoi.
When it comes to differences between
its nemesis, Ho Chi Minh City, two areas
can be pulled out. First is food in
Hanoi its just a touch cheaper. The real
downer, however, is luxury goods. If you
want your bargains and to buy all those
brands on the fly, head down south.
Even better, go overseas.
*expatistan.com

82 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

I headed up to the capital with my wife in the


early 2000s. Compared to Saigon, it was sleepy
everything still closed down at 9pm. It was
also cheap, much cheaper than down south,
except if you wanted to buy fruit not grown
in northern Vietnam or imported food. At the
time, living in a mixed-race relationship was
difficult. My wife was treated badly because she
was with a white man, and we often encountered
difficulties. It got to the point where she refused
to speak Vietnamese on the street. Yet, there was
so much work around and the money was good.
So it was tough to leave. I also made some of the
best friends there that Ive had in my adult life.

Recent times

Work brings me up north once a month I now


spend about 25 percent of my life in the capital.
I find it far easier to make friendships in Hanoi
while there are more isolated incidents of
aggression, people just seem much more relaxed.
Egos and social status seem less important than
they do in Saigon. Yet getting things done is
often a nightmare. I remember when we tried to
set up our second office getting the computers
and network installed took three days. It should

have taken six hours. The classic in Hanoi is the


word Yes. It has no meaning.

Pros

The seat of government, everyone seems to


know someone in Hanoi, making it much easier
to network and meet the right people. I also
find friendships go far deeper in Hanoi than in
Saigon, where theyre much more transient. And
dont forget the street food formidable.

Cons

Doing business is all about relationships. There


is no such thing as business for businesss
sake, without some sort of friendship involved.
Unfortunately it's not always an I scratch your
back, you scratch my back kind of mentality,
which can get frustrating. People often try to
take advantage of you here. Hanoi is also a strain
on the liver. With so little diversity and so few
recreational options about, I find myself spending
a lot of time drinking. Far more than in Saigon.

Saigon vs. Hanoi

The two cities are like chalk and cheese. The


question is trying to work out which one is the
chalk, and which one is the cheese.

Brendan Aupy
31 / Irish / Single / English teacher
Time in Saigon: 1 year
Time in Hanoi: 1.5 years
I moved to Hanoi because... I was attracted to
living in a different part of Vietnam. I lasted
three weeks in the small northern town [I left
Saigon to work in]. It was not as advertised,
for example no accommodation, just a shtty
cheap hotel with pink lights everywhere if
you know what I mean... I ended up getting a
job in the city centre of Hanoi.
I miss Saigon for... the food. In particular
Vietnamese BBQ restaurants, they dont seem
to be as popular in Hanoi. Also the western
restaurants here are not great and expensive,
whereas in Saigon you are spoilt for choice.
The locals are also a bit rude in some places
around Hanoi. I think in Saigon they are a bit
more tolerable towards western people, and
more forgiving for not speaking the language.
I find getting around the city... to be slightly
easier in Hanoi, the flow of traffic is not as
bad.
The nightlife is better in... Saigon its a
lot better for people that like to have more
options. Given that there is a curfew here, you

are restricted to going to a few places past a


certain time.
Getting work in Hanoi... I found to be
easier. I get emails and calls all the time
about work, some from schools Ive
worked in, some from other teachers about
working in their friends schools, some
from parents whose friends have schools,
things like that. I don't remember that
happening in Saigon. I am not sure why
this is maybe there are more English
teachers in Saigon.
The living conditions are... cheap and
convenient. I live in a serviced apartment /
hotel kind of a place, its cheap and I have
been here for a year now. I like the people
that run it, its a family business and they
take good care of me. I think with a bit of
luck you can find a decent place, or could
very well end up in a place thats not so
great.
The working conditions are... the same.
Work is work.

74%
STATS

In Hanoi, the monthly rent for an


85sqm apartment in an expensive area is
VND18,526,500. Add the cost of utilities
and pay an additional VND1,082,610.
However, at VND106,667 per hour,
getting in the home help here is 74%
more expensive than in Saigon.
*expatistan.com

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 83

music

At A Glance
WHERE: C ARGO B AR (7 Nguyen Tat
Thanh, Q4, HCMC)

WHEN: Oct. 31
TBD STUFF: Check facebook.com/
cargosaigon

84 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

INSIDER

HCMC

Howling for
Halloween
Courtesy of Saigons best, live, original music-writing
bands, a night of cover music mayhem is making its way
to Cargo just in time for Halloween. Heres whats in
store. Words by Ed Weinberg. Photos by Francis Xavier

The Misfits
American, 1977-1983, Horror Punk

iding the 1970s tide of American


punk and the apocalyptic feel of
New Jersey suburbia, The Misfits
merged their dual loves of horror films
and punk to create a new genre: horror
punk. Their two early albums, before
Danzig left the band, are considered
touchstones of early hardcore music.
This would have been enough, but
they also invented a Halloween-ready
hairstyle the devilock. In a devilock,
the hair is kept short except for a long,
greasy spike descending in the front.
Asian alternative cultures seized on the
look in the 1990s, helping to pull it into
the mainstream.
Played by: Joy Oi (sort of)

Why the Misfits?


I think doing a Misfits set has been a
cream dream for a long time just because
their songs are so fun to play and their
stage persona was unlike anything aside
from Gwar and maybe KISS that existed
at that time in my life when I first heard
them. [Before starting to practise,] I think
Seamus already knew how to play most
of the songs.

t started at Cargo last year. Poorly


promoted and last minute, it was a fun
thing to do with friends.
[Matt] Bender told me about how him
and the bands in Athens, Georgia used to
do it, and he set it up last year, says Gareth
Katz, Matts former Joy Oi bandmate and
organiser of this years Halloween Cover
Show edition. Frankly it was one of the best
gigs I've played. David [Haimovich] was
supposed to be on guitar for the Misfits, but
he was too busy for it because of Space//
Panther, and recommended Seamus do it.
Thats where [Gareths band] James and the
Van Der Beeks started, believe it or not.
I had so much fun doing it last year, I
thought it had to be done this year so I took

the reins.
The Halloween show has gotten bigger
this year, with acts that run across eras and
genres. And that can only be a good thing for
Saigons burgeoning indie scene.
Matt says, The Halloween cover show
is a big deal in Athens, Georgia, where the
whole city is walking around in costume,
bar-hopping from the Beatles to the Dead
Milkmen to Throbbing Gristle, depending
on what youre in the mood for. And playing
a good cover show on Halloween has a
noticeably positive effect on the amount of
fans you'll get out to see your actual band
play in the year to follow.
This year, we'll have more bands,
Gareth says, and I'm fing pumped.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 85

Arctic Monkeys

Joan Baez

Bob Dylan

British, 2002-Present, Indie/Psychedelic

American, 1958-Present, Folk

American, 1961-Present, Folk/Rock

rctic Monkeys are pitch-shifting


chameleons. Theyve run the
gamut from garage rock to hiphop, ballads to post-punk revival.
John Lennon, The Smiths, Aaliyah,
Outkast and Black Sabbath are
all influences. About their most
recent album 2013s AM lead
vocalist Alex Turner said, its like
a Dr. Dre beat, but we've given it
an Ike Turner bowl-cut and sent
it galloping across the desert on a
Stratocaster.
Played by: James and the Van Der Beeks

Will it get scandalous?


When our frontman Lewis looks
you in the eyes, youll orgasm
immediately.

86 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

adonna wasnt the first


Madonna. When Joan Baez burst
onto the scene at the 1959 Newport
Folk Festival, her clear voice, long
hair, natural beauty and general
Earth Mother vibes earned her the
nickname barefoot Madonna. Shes
been twanging ever since.
Played by: Saigon Kiss

What's the highlight


of your set?
The highlight of my set will be when I
perform with my long-lost unrequited
love, Bob Dylan.

ow the times have a-changed


since Dylan first claimed the
mantle of the protest song messiah,
decided he didnt want it and left
the barn door swinging when he
departed the folk music revival
for more electric pastures. Hes
since tried about everything one
can try while playing a guitar and
harmonica, on the way to selling
100 million records and being a
perennial contender for the Nobel
Prize in Literature.
Played by: Alec Schachner

What's the highlight


of your set?
Desolation Row, all 10 verses.

Parliament-Funkadelic

Florence and the Machine

New Order

American, 1968-Present, Psychedelic Soul

British, 2007-Present,
Art Rock/Baroque Pop

British,
1980-1993/1998-2007/2011-Present,
New Wave/Post-Punk

arliament-Funkadelic is a funksoul-rock collective founded by


the immortal George Clinton in the
1960s, comprising 16 Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame-inducted musicians.
But it isnt the medium, its the
message: funk.
As The Mighty Boosh episode The
Legend of Old Gregg describes, Its a
funky ball of tits from outer space.
Found by Bootsy Collins when he
was just a simple farmer, it made him
crazy and he milked the funk and
made a funk shake. He then became
the funkiest man alive.
Played by: Dat Phonk

Are you doing interpretations


or staying true?
P-Funk would put on some of
the most ridiculously funky live
shows ever, with up to 20 people on
stage at a time, insane lighting and
dropping a spaceship down from the
rafters. Matching that is impossible,
so anything we do can only be
considered an interpretation.

lorence and the Machines


sound has been described as a
combination of styles, sometimes
angular, sometimes soulful. Theyre
dark, robust and romantic,
classic soul and midnight-on-themoors English art rock. Lead singer
Florence Welch has said that her
lyrics relate to Renaissance artists:
Were dealing with all of the same
things they did love and death,
time and pain, heaven and hell.

orn from the ashes of Joy


Division, New Order took up
their synths in the heady new wave
days of the 1980s, soon working
some New York club sceneinfluenced EDM into their postpunk sound. They were featured on
Q Magazines 2002 list of 50 Bands
to See Before You Die although as
part of the sub-list of 5 Bands That
Could Go Either Way.

Played by: The Magic Pinions

Played by: Growsound

Why Florence?

How are the costumes


coming?

She has red hair, need I say more?

I dont think white collar shirts are in


short supply here, although Im not
sure I can roll the sleeves as many
times with as much precision as
Bernie.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 87

Music
When we Vietnamese
talk vinyl, we think of
giant hi-fi systems, fancy
glossy turntables, rare
records of middleaged Vietnamese dudes
dressed to the nines,
smoking cigarettes with a
cup of coffee on the side
looking oh-so-bourgeois
and sophisticated,
listening to classical or
jazz records of artists
they probably know
nothing about

88 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

INSIDER

HCMC

Saigon
Vinyl Quest
The owner of a new, secondhand turntable,
Francis Xavier goes on a turbulent quest through
the dustbins of history to find out where can you
buy secondhand records in Saigon?

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 89

When digging through


old vinyl in Saigon,
be prepared for some
sneezing from the
musty smell of old
records; strange
Japanese bands
youve never heard
of, whose names you
cant pronounce; a
decent amount of
popular 1980s music,
but somehow no sign
of new wave groups
like New Order or
Depeche Mode

fter being a music nerd for a


while, I decided to take my
music listening more seriously
by getting a record player and
digging for records. But where could I
start? As a 23-year-old Vietnamese girl
whos never lived overseas, I didnt even
know how a record player works more
nerdily, I didnt even know there were two
sides to a record.
But enough embarrassing facts about me.
Theres a first time for everything. Its okay
to start from scratch.
For Vietnamese people, vinyl has always
been a fancy thing, one that only audiophiles
or people with a lot of money buy. When we
Vietnamese talk vinyl, we think of giant hi-fi
systems, fancy glossy turntables, rare records
of middle-aged Vietnamese dudes dressed
to the nines, smoking cigarettes with a cup
of coffee on the side looking oh-so-bourgeois
and sophisticated, listening to classical or
jazz records of artists they probably know
nothing about. Determined to break that
stereotype, I began my adventure into the
unknown world of Saigon vinyl.

Where the Records Are


Spending a while on Google, I found
the vnav.vn (Vietnam audio-visual)
forum, which is the biggest community
of audiophiles and music enthusiasts in
Vietnam. After wading through the sections
where people show off their hi-fi setups, I
found a thread dedicated to record shops
and sellers in Vietnam and a whole new
world opened in front of my eyes.
I decided to head to the fancy Gia Dinh
Audio (giadinhaudio.com) for my first
turntable. I asked the shop guy, Do you
have any entry-level turntables? he
laughed a bit, but eventually took me to the
room where they keep all of their used but
still beautiful Japanese turntables. Whats
wrong with an inexpensive, used turntable?
I wondered. Im just a hip nerdy kid who
wants to find and listen to new music.
After browsing and thinking, I bought a
Technics SL-1200 which is a pretty solid
turntable. But the sales guy didnt look too

90 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

happy with his latest sale.


It probably wasnt expensive enough.

Desperation Diggings
When digging through old vinyl in Saigon,
be prepared for some sneezing from the
musty smell of old records. Youll find
strange Japanese bands youve never heard
of, whose names you cant pronounce.
Theres also a decent amount of popular
1980s music, but somehow no sign of new
wave groups like New Order or Depeche
Mode.
When looking through the Jazz-Country
section, youll discover all kinds of Sinatra
and Connie Francis hits, but not a single
Miles Davis or Cal Tjader record. But youre
in luck if youre into Easy Listening
thats the biggest section in every store
Ive been to. And dont forget Richard
Clayderman and Celine Dion.
Prices, however, are good. You can get
unknown Japanese records from VND20,000
to VND80,000. They are in good shape and
play even better, louder than other records
youll get. Others are usually somewhere
between VND100,000 to VND250,000
towards the more expensive end for easy
listening stuff. New records are always
VND500,000 and up.

Low End Theory


Gia Dinh Audio is the only used (kind of)
record store I know that has a proper store
setup that is, a few wooden crates on the
floor, with genre names quickly written on
them, and a record player sitting next to
the most worn out record brush Ive ever
seen. Still, its a store, not a house, which is
different from most.
Most of the other places are very small,
in their owners houses sometimes you
have to call them to open the door for you
when you arrive. All of these places are
very scattered, one in Tan Binh, others deep
in the alleys of Binh Thanh or on the third
storey of some building in District 3. They
arent connected by any kind of network,
probably to keep their records and record
customers exclusive.

For a classic example of this, go to The


Tea Time LP. After some twists and turns
on Nguyen Van Dau in Binh Thanh, I
arrived and called owner Nga to get the
door for me. Ngas house is classically
Vietnamese: one of a few buildings that
share the same yard, the same door, the
same lock. Her neighbours are her relatives,
or relatives of relatives.
According to DJ Datodeo, a record
collector living in Saigon, the place is a
very authentic Vietnamese record digging
experience. Just a small corner in Ngas
living room, theres a small shelf of records,
with an old turntable on the side. You sit
there on a plastic stool, flipping through
records while her kids play some kind of
game on her iPhone. Her grandma wears
pyjamas and hangs out with other grandmas
in the yard, telling you to drink, drink your
tea! which makes me wonder, is that
where they got the name The Tea Time LP
from?
Nga is super nice. Unlike other sellers,
she listens to pretty much all of the records
she sells, and she can sit with you the
whole time youre browsing and give you
recommendations. If a record has major
scratches, shell give it to you for free no
matter how nice the cover looks. And that
is how I got my 2001: A Space Odyssey
soundtrack.

Voices from the Past


Reading a story we ran last year, Douglas
Pypers 33 Revolutions Per Minute, I got an
idea. The story tells about how when Maft

Sai the Thai vinyl junkie was here, he


stayed at Dan Sinh Market for hours with
a portable record player, listening to every
record, one after another, trying to save all
the musical history that he could get his
hands on. That was fascinating.
So I decided to go there for a try. Deep
in the maze of the antique market, I found
some weirdly coloured, psychedelic-looking
records. Most of them are in bad shape,
dirty and in the words of Douglas, look
like theyve been used as chopping boards.
Some still have covers, but theyre falling
apart, crumbling, thrown into plastic bags
together with loose discs in the corner of the
sellers kiosk, right on the floor just like
the other things from Saigons past scattered
all around.
A vendor gave me a bag full of records to
choose from. The ones I picked, he threw to
the side, on the ground.
Most of the records are Chinese, or
Vietnamese EPs with hit songs from Saigons
musical heyday. Some are pressed in red,
orange, green, psychedelic melted-plastic
style. Once I bought from one seller, others
started asking me if I wanted to buy from
them.
Looking at the remnants of old Saigon, at
stalls filled with dead soldiers things, being
invited to buy more and more stuff, it left
me feeling uneasy. I looked at the records
Id just gotten. Dirty and badly wounded, I
somehow felt like they were staring at me,
that an unrecorded history was told through
the scratches on them. And I wondered what
sounds they would make

The Source
V IETNAM A UDIO V ISUALS F ORUM

vnav.vn
You can find big or small record stores
here, as well as those mentioned

G IA D INH A UDIO

68 Le Trung Nghia, Tan Binh, HCMC;


giadinhaudio.vn
Sells and repair turntables

T HE T EA T IME LP

183/28 Nguyen Van Dau, Binh Thanh,


HCMC, Tel: 0906 730526 (Nga)
A quirky home shop, with a
knowledgeable owner. Phone before you
go to the shop

D J V U LP S HOP

3rd Floor, 492 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai,


Q3, HCMC
New and imported LPs, reasonable
prices, lots of jazz and classical records

D UNG A UDIO

97 Truong Dinh, Q3, HCMC


Record supply and repair, from budget to
expensive audio components

D AN S INH M ARKET

Yersin, Q1, HCMC


Saigons best antique market, where you
might find some gems in terrible shape

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 91

leisure

LEISURE

HANOI

The Secondhand
Furniture Shop
In search of an authentic aura, Julie Vola searched high and low for Hanois
fabled secondhand furniture sellers, and soon found a whole stockpile of it
92 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

re you like me? Do you spend


hours on Pinterest looking at
beautiful refurbishing work by
people lucky enough to live
close by to Salvation Army stores or flea
markets or garage sales? Do you wish you
could do the same but have lost hope to
find such places in Hanoi?
After having my hopes crushed by
repeated searching, I had very little hope
of finding old furniture. For a long time I

put my desire to give a second life to an old


nightstand to the side.

Second Chances
My new housemate is just like me except
with a fixation on finding the perfect old
desk to repair. So we asked around. Like an
urban legend, many people had heard of
a place where it was probably possible to
find secondhand furniture, but the location
was always elusively somewhere on the

other side of the river. Then a friend told


me she knew where it was and sent me the
Facebook link. Bingo!
The shop is on the other side of the river
indeed, and you have to cross the Thang
Long Bridge to reach it. Its name: Cho Do
Cu Thuong Thuong.
Its a Salvation Army type of shop, where
furniture from out-of-business restaurants,
hotels or even schools come to die or find
a new life. Its a labyrinth, easy to get lost in.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 93

The alleys are cluttered and furniture thats


fallen down blocks the aisles, sometimes
making it impossible to reach a piece youd
seen from afar. Its mainly full of crap, but
depending on what you are looking for, a
couple hours in the dusty and sweaty air
might turn up a rare pearl.

Where It All Ends Up


After investigating that first shop, more
information was given to me about another
shop, much closer to town, just next to the
entrance to Cong Vien Nuoc, the water park
on West Lake. The shop seems smaller
though I have been assured its three times

94 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

bigger than the other one. There is a girl who


speaks good English there and the place
looks less of a mess.
If you are a DIY kind of person and
are looking for a single piece to fill your
Pinterestly desire to renovate a nightstand
like me, or are just in search of some bamboo
furniture, an oven, some stuff for your
kitchen or a new chair, you might find a gem
in this Hanoi graveyard.
Cho Do Cu Thuong Thuong is on May Len
Cau Thang Long, just over Thang Long Bridge
and to the right. For more information and
screenshots of new pieces, check facebook.com/
ChoDoCuThuongThuong

Like an urban legend,


many people had heard
of a place where it was
probably possible to find
secondhand furniture,
but the location was
always elusively
somewhere on the other
side of the river

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 95

Food & drink

EAT & DRINK

HANOI

The Strip
Peering past new coats of paint, Maureen Littlejohn heads to Quang An in Tay Ho to
get a look at a transformed neighbourhoods first steps. Photos by David Harris

heres an evolution going on in


West Lake. Since the beginning
of this year, pounding hammers,
bricklayers and men with buckets
of fresh paint have been transforming a
section of this suburban neighbourhood.
Not frenetic Xuan Dieu, but the recently
renamed Quang An it used to be simply
Ngo 27, Xuan Dieu. The sleepy waterside
strip long helmed by Dons Bistro is
suddenly turning into a food and beverage
hotspot. Starting at The Warehouse on
the corner of Xuan Dieu, which opened
in September 2013, and winding up past
Dons, this short stretch has welcomed five
new venues since Tet: R&R Waterfront,
Sushi Club, India Palace, The Republic

96 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

and Al Frescos.
Why have these establishments veered
off Xuan Dieus well-beaten path? Ask
any of the proprietors and theyll give you
the same answer: too congested, rising
rents, and a widening of the road at the
top end have stalled opportunities for
growth along the busy West Lake artery.
Query them about Quang Ans strongest
points and theyll come back with the
view, parking, walkability and room to
expand. Plus, theyre hoping the cluster of
international cuisine will generate return
business from curious clients who want to
try something new.
Lakeside pioneer Don Berger, owner
of Dons Bistro, has been in his Quang

An location for six years. When I first


moved into the neighbourhood to live
15 years ago there were no restaurants.
The road along the lake wasnt finished.
They worked on it for five years and
expropriated the backyards of residential
homes. Since then the buildings along
this road have gone through a lot of
renovation.
Is he worried about all the competition
moving in? Each of these restaurants has
its own niche, Don says. My clientele
is expats and Vietnamese. I offer casual
comfort and fine dining. I may lose a bit of
market share to cheaper restaurants that
attract different clients.
Looking at the big picture, Berger

People who live here dont want to go into the


city centre for a night out. It takes too much
travel time and the traffic is bad. Here they get
decent food and there is a spectacular view

welcomes the strips transformation.


More restaurants are going to make it
more attractive to come here, he says.
Maybe one day it can become Hanois
Lan Kwai Fong a reference to the
neglected Hong Kong strip that morphed
into an entertainment mecca in the 1980s
through the efforts of Canadian developer
Allan Zeman.

The New Guys


One of his new neighbours, Al Frescos,
serves up its well-known formula of
international comfort fare on a delightful
terrace that lives up to the chains name.
At the other end of the strip next to The
Warehouse, Peter Mitchell, an Australian

IT specialist and restaurateur has


transformed the unsuccessful Sensos into
a sister restobar of his R&R Tavern on
Nghi Tam. The casual street-side patio and
air-conditioned interior entice passers by
with R&Rs signature Tex-Mex menu, plus
a few upscale items such as salmon and
steak.
The restaurant also has a flexible
beverage list, one of the perks of having
hospitable neighbours. We dont have to
invest in inventory, we just go next door
and get what a customer wants, says
Mitchell.
A couple of doors down, The Republic
opened its doors in early September. The
brainchild of Chris Vella, an Australian

who worked in food and beverage for


the Al Fresco Group for six years, The
Republic is a healthier type of sports pub,
with an indoor smoking ban. The upper
and lower outdoor decks, however, are
loaded with ashtrays for clients attached to
their vices.
There was a need for a good sports bar
and gastropub in the area, Chris says.
Lots of people like sports but they dont
necessarily want to be sitting in the smoke
that usually comes along with sports
pubs. The Republic, which holds a little
more than 100 people, boasts five TVs in
the main bar with a projector beaming
games onto a wall outside for those sitting
on the deck. We make sure we cover

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 97

all the big events and split the TVs into


groups around the room.
The pub grub, he hopes, will draw
customers for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Throughout the day the kitchen produces
mezze-style small plates, six types of
burgers (from Waygu beef to vegetarian),
steaks and specials including fish,
chicken and pasta. We keep it fresh and
simple, Chris says, adding, I hope we
can contribute to an improved food and
beverage culture here in Hanoi. Right now
I can count on one hand the number of
places you can go and drink and relax with
good quality food and service.

98 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

The Republic is open 7am to midnight


seven days a week, and is offering
promotions such as Ladies Cocktail Nights,
Sunday Roasts and Breakfast & Bubbles
brunch with sparkling wine. Soon DJs and
musicians will be added to the offering. On
their opening night they brought in wellknown Hanoi-based band, The Yard Dogs.

Indian Summer
Between The Republic and R&R
Waterfront, India Palace took up residence
a few months ago and is counting on its
food and location to attract customers.
We were on Xuan Dieu for nine years

and closed in 2012 to focus on a new


restaurant, Asia House, in the city centre,
explains owner Ravi Kumar. Asia House
which offered a fusion of Indian and
Vietnamese didnt fly, according
to Ravi, because it wasnt authentic
enough. Traditional Vietnamese dishes
feature pork and beef and we didnt have
that. Tandoor, a very successful Indian
restaurant thats been operating in the city
centre since 1996, is also part of the same
empire.
Our new India Palace location on
Quang An is smaller than we used to have
on Xuan Dieu, but it has a much nicer

view, says Ravi. And visibility isnt an


issue theyre relying on word of mouth
from the Indian community to build up the
restaurants business. They love the food
here, he says from a menu offering
southern Indian non-vegetarian dishes
through to the full range of north Indian
fare.
This autumn theyll introduce a buffet
special, as well as Indian High Tea on
weekends. Ravi is enthusiastic about the
areas potential. People who live here
dont want to go into the city centre for
a night out. It takes too much travel time
and the traffic is bad. Here they get decent

food and there is a spectacular view.


Diners can feel calm as they sit beside the
lake and forget their worries.

Growing Pains
Any downsides to all this new activity? Some
critics say its too expat-focused. Others say the
prices are too high. The proprietors counter, if
youre looking for local Vietnamese street food
or a bia hoi, dont come to West Lake.
With such a mix of international
restaurants opening in the area, says The
Republics Chris Vella, people will want to
come out a few times a week to try different
places. We can create a new food culture.

Further Down
On the far end of Quang An in an area
once occupied only by the coconut
cafes and Italian restaurant Da Paolo,
a new hub is growing. With the Phu
Tay Ho pagoda on one side, this little
enclave has already added the popular
Bia Hoi 68, the alternative Tet Dcor
Caf and the more upmarket Backyard
Bia Hoi to its midst. A number of local
restaurants also take up space and
opened at the end of September was a
more upmarket version of Tay Tap.
Watch this space!

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 99

Food & drink


EAT & DRINK

HANOI

The Great Hanoi


Starbucks Experiment

In July, the American coffee behemoth upped the stakes on its bid to conquer
the Vietnamese market but will it pay o? David Mann gets the word
on Starbucks move into the capital. Photos by David Harris

he opening of Starbucks first three


outlets in Hanoi saw throngs of
curious Vietnamese line up to order
the iconic Venti-sized latt.
Four months later and its still too early
to tell whether the push into the capital
will ultimately prove successful. And for
Starbucks, success means replicating other
US franchises KFC comes to mind that
have opened hundreds of stores and spread
their influence across this Communist land.
But Starbucks would not be blind to the
fact that Hanoi presents a unique challenge
for its business model. Here, where there
are probably more coffee shops per square

But Starbucks would


not be blind to the fact
that Hanoi presents
a unique challenge
for its business
model. Here, where
there are probably
more coffee shops
per square kilometre
than anywhere
else on Earth, the
coffee drinkers are
particularly discerning
100 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

kilometre than anywhere else on Earth, the


coffee drinkers are particularly discerning.
This all begs the question: in a market
as coffee-clogged as Vietnam, where does
Starbucks see its opportunity?

The Starbucks Experience


For the expansionist company, it needs to
convince a population of discriminating
coffee consumers to pay premium prices
for a product widely seen as inferior to the
home-grown liquid gold.
This challenge seems even more daunting
when you consider that many of Starbucks
specialities, including its ice-blended

frappuccinos and caf latts, were long ago


introduced by rivals such as Highlands and
Gloria Jeans.
But Starbucks knows there is one thing it
can do better than its competitors: create a
coffee experience. The world over, this is
what Starbucks trades on.
Walking into the Ly Tuong Kiet outlet, its
easy to think youve left Vietnam. Theres the
art deco furniture, stylish New York dcor,
soft soundtracks and MacBooks as far as the
eye can see. Timber shelves line the walls,
stocked with shiny new merchandise. Staff
donning the famous green apron smile from
behind polished counters, carefully writing

your name on a recyclable cardboard cup.


Even a jaded Australian coffee-snob like
myself has to admit that theres something
very impressive about the whole thing
its a well-oiled machine.

Its a Nice Place to Spend Time


Starbucks well-oiled nature is perhaps
why each outlet has been able to attract a
strong showing from all subsets of Hanois
population. A visit will guarantee handfuls
of tourists and maybe a couple of western
diplomats. But the clear majority is made
up of Hanois nouveaux riche, huddled over
large white mugs.
Its a nice place to spend time, says
28-year-old Ha Hoang. It feels cool
and refined and I dont have to choke
on the clouds of cigarette smoke like at
Highlands.
Linh Nguyen, whos in sales, says, I
sometimes schedule meetings here because
it helps me create a good first impression
with clients especially if they are
Vietnamese.
There is no doubt that Ha and Linh are
part of the much vaunted, rising middleclass that is tipped to top 20 million, or 22
percent of the population, over the next few
years. And with Vietnams current domestic
caf market already worth US$3 billion
(VND66 trillion) every year, it is clear that
it is a long-term strategy that could pay off
handsomely for Starbucks.
This is especially the case when you

consider the Vietnamese appetite for foreign


goods. Its clear Starbucks is considering
it. The companys Asia-Pacific chairman
Jinlong Wang has previously noted that
the company aims to appeal Vietnams
emerging middle-class consumers who
want to enjoy international products.

Backlash
Thats not to say that everyone has welcomed
the US companys arrival.
Its not strong enough compared with
Vietnamese coffee, says taxi driver Thuan
Anh. To pay VND80,000 is also very
expensive, so I think most people wont be
able to afford it.
On the other side of the socioeconomic
spectrum, Hanoi University student Trang
Pham is among a host of coffee-drinkers
who think the novelty of the companys
brand may not be enough to attract young
consumers in the long run.
I went with some friends once. It was nice
but we actually prefer going to the Coffee
Inn, because its cheaper and the coffee tastes
better, she says. But I think the atmosphere
is very mature which is why I think it is
popular with the older business crowd.
Expat Joshua Zukas says, more than
Starbucks economic impact, some will
bemoan the larger impact on Vietnamese
culture.
Having more choice is a good thing
but its annoying from a foreigners
perspective to come to Vietnam and see

the special coffee atmosphere changing.


Others have adopted a more nationalistic
tone, such as 35-year-old shop owner Huyen
Thi Tran.
We need to support Vietnamese
businesses. Theyre not good at branding like
these big multinationals, she says. But if
[our own people] can do things just as well,
we should be giving more money to them.

Made in Vietnam
All of this overlooks the fact the American
coffee giants entry into Vietnam may benefit
local coffee producers and the industrys 1.6
million workers mostly from the Central
Highlands who rely on the coffee sector to
earn their living.
Starbucks has promised to look at
sourcing more of its coffee locally, which has
reportedly led to some Vietnamese farmers
changing their crops to Arabica beans. At the
moment, however, local newspapers have
reported that Starbucks continues to source
most of its coffee from Yunnan, China.
The branded merchandise that adorns the
walls of Starbucks is also affixed with Made
in China stickers, another reminder of the
importance of economies of scale to their
business model.
For now, none of this has diminished the
novelty of Starbucks entry into the capital,
which has largely been successful. And while
its probably unlikely that it will go broke, time
will tell if Vietnam will truly take off its conical
hat off to the worlds biggest coffee chain.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 101

Food & drink

MYSTERY DINER

HANOI

Foodshop 45
With Namaste tightening up the competition in Hanois Indian food
scene, our mystery diner goes to an old favourite to see if it still delivers.
Photos by David Harris

he smell of spicy masala


wafts through the night
air as we park our scooter
under the open windows
of Foodshop 45. Im yet to look at
the menu and already my mouth
is watering. Entering the threestorey restaurant, my dining
companion and I opt for the airy
downstairs dining room with two
large open windows overlooking
the shore of Truc Bach Lake. As
well as the downstairs space, the
restaurant offers a more formal
air-conditioned dining room on the
second floor and a rooftop bar
perfect for enjoying a cold beer and
taking in the glistening view.
Truth be told, this is not my first
visit to Foodshop 45. Over the past
18 months I have regularly visited
to enjoy the lakeside setting,
friendly staff and fantastic food.
Opening in 2002, with three small
outlets near Chau Long Market,
Foodshop moved to its present
location in 2006. Since then it has
become a staple on the Hanoi
restaurant trail and as any curry
connoisseur will tell you, this is
one of the best places in the city
to get your masala fix. Some local
additions have been made to adapt
the menu to Vietnamese and East
Asian tastes Foodshop serves
up beef and pork. But beyond this,

the tastes and spices here remain


authentic.

Masala Magic and Paneer


Perfection
Seated at a low wooden table
uncomfortable seating being one of
the only downsides to the restaurant
we flip through the extensive
menu. With a 20-page menu full of
vegetarian curries, grilled meats and
fish, as well as a cornucopia of breads
and sides, the menu truly reflects
Indias culinary diversity. I notice they
offer lunchtime specials and make a
mental note to return. For an Indian
food lover such as myself, the choice
is near impossible. I take a little while
deciding, as usual.
We start our meal in the best of
fashions with a cold draft beer
(VND35,000) and a plate of mixed
pakora, vegetables dipped in spices
and chickpea flour then lightly fried
(VND50,000 for six). The appetiser
is served with the customary sauces
as well as a healthy dose of pickle.
The mint green sauce is my favourite,
and I happily slather it on my pakora
before asking for seconds, then thirds.
Savouring my last mouthful of
perfectly fried cauliflower, the waiter
whips out the first of our main courses
paneer tikka kebab (VND85,000). I
quickly tuck into the plate piled high
with vegetables and paneer, marinated

102 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

in yoghurt and spices. The paneer,


a fresh curd cheese served in small
squares, is unbeatable and Foodshop
cooks it to perfection.
This is followed by fish curry
(VND95,000) cooked in a tomato
and coriander sauce spiced with
masala. Fish cooked in curry can
easily become overdone, but the
nuggets served in Foodshops
fish curry are ideal. Skipping the
rice, an unnecessary stomach filler
in the presence of such delicious
food, we order two breads, garlic
nan (VND30,000) and masala nan
(VND45,000).
While the fish and vegetables are
delicious, the breads are Foodshops
weak point. Although they are not
hurting for variety (there are 16
different types on the menu), they
are too dry and doughy. Luckily the
fish curry and mint green sauce does
wonders in spicing them up.
As I finish this review, my computer
clock clicks over to midday and I feel
my tummy rumbling. It may have
only been two days since my last
curry fix but Im already seriously
considering some lunchtime paneer.
After all, Foodshop 45 does offer a
set lunch of two curries with all the
trimmings (VND95,000) including
my favourite mint green sauce.
Foodshop 45 is located at 59 Truc Bach,
Ba Dinh, Hanoi

THE VERDICT

12.5
FOOD

13

SERVICE

10
DCOR

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

STREET SNACKER

HANOI

Bun Ca Hai Phong

For this months Street Snacker, Huyen Tran tries the sunburnt girl of
bun cas. Photos by David Harris

anoi, as the northern capital of


culinary art, has adopted a variety
of dishes that are specialities
of other places. When these
specialities emigrate and become part
of Hanoi cuisine, they have to adapt
themselves to be Hanoian.
Bun ca, fish noodle soup, is a typical
example. Hanoi offers diverse versions
of bun ca, all originating from different
provinces. Bun ca that originated from the
seaport city Hai Phong is said to be most
popular. If bun ca is a girl, they say, then
the Hanoi version would be a more elegant
and charming version of the sunburnt and
hot girl from the coastal city.

The Coastal Version


Original bun ca in Hai Phong is so
different from the type made in Hanoi, my
Hai Phong-born friend says.
The major difference lies in its core
ingredient: the fish. Its a verbal rule that
the soup associates itself with mackerel. A
bowl of mackerel noodle soup is like fish
and chips for our people.
One thing is special, she continues,
we have a secret sauce in the soup, made

of tamarind. The tamarind makes the soup


sweetly sour. If you havent heard, Hai
Phong is famous for its tamarind crab and
fabulous seafood she smiles.
But you may not have heard of cha
ca Hai Phong Hai Phong deep-fried
minced fish cake. It is totally different
from anywhere else in Vietnam. It is super
thin, crunchy and rich in taste, with the
signature smell of minced mackerel. It is
our pride!

The Elegant Sister


Hanoians are very selective in their ways
of cooking and enjoying food. Someone
even gave it a name elegant. When it
comes to bun ca, cooks try to keep the soul
of the dish while making slight changes to
accommodate us picky Hanoians.
I first brought our original version to
Hanoi, says Huong, a Hai Phong-born bun
ca specialist, and opened Bun Ca Huong
Quynh Hai Phong on Xa Dan around
seven or eight years ago. At first, I intended
to keep it original. But the diners didnt
like it.
In terms of the Hanoi criteria, bun ca
shouldnt be made with saltwater fish

but instead with freshwater fish. The


soup must be light, both delicately sweet
and sour, and rich in that fishy taste.
This is not hard to understand. In
Vietnam we say, when in Rome, do as
the Romans do! To be a part of Hanoian
cuisine, the dish must be adapted to
fit Hanoian tastes. To Hanoians, the
freshwater fish is the one that brings
the sweetness in taste, firmness and an
excellent smell when deep-fried not the
saltwater one.

Taking Sides
So now youll ask, which version is better?
It is so hard to vote, says Huong. For
someone like me who used to live in the
seaport city, the way we cook our bun ca
is a tradition of my hometown. But when
I moved here, I got the Hanoi taste, and
its not simply a crush. I am dedicated to
making it better every day, making it as
elegant as it can be.
The Hanoi version of bun ca can be found at
Bun Ca Huong Quynh, 195 and 243 Xa Dan,
Dong Da. The Hai Phong version is offered at
103-D1 Tran Huy Lieu, Ba Dinh. A bowl of bun
ca ranges from VND30,000 to VND45,000

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 103

Food & drink

MYSTERY DINER

HCMC

Saigon Indian
One of the citys longest running Indian restaurants, our undercover
reported decided to check out this local favourite. Photos by Glen Riley

indu temples are full of bright


colours and otherworldly motifs.
And while the first-floor Saigon
Indian doesnt include the light
blues, pinks and greens of typical Hindu
design, the deep oranges, dark yellows
and subtle lighting at once set this
long-running Saigon eatery apart from
other restaurants in its vicinity. Walk up
the well-worn stairs, enter the slightly
ramshackle lobby and suddenly you are in
a different world.
There are quirks aplenty at this
restaurant. Elephant and snake charmer
silhouettes on the windows, classic Indian
images portraited and framed on the
wall, and an atmosphere that is at once
modern yet pleasantly classic. Theres also
something nicely atmospheric about the
place an oasis of non-Vietnamese calm
in the centre of a nonstop, increasingly
frenetic city.

Southern Flavour
My trips to Saigon Indian have always

104 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

been based around a craving for South


Indian cuisine. The lack of yoghurt and
cream, the greater focus on vegetables, the
deeper spice and the batter-based snacks
like the dosa, vada and idly have always
whetted my appetite far more than the
fare more typical of the north. And yet its
northern Indian cuisine that except for
in Malaysia and Singapore is the taste
and flavour experienced by the world.
As with previous excursions to this
eatery, I avoided northern cuisine and
instead went straight for the deep south
hitting up a lunchtime dosa masala
(VND75,000). Served up with two nicely
tart chutneys tomato and coconut the
crispy dosa was filled with a mildly spiced
mix of potato and peas. Mixed with the
vegetable sambar served on the side, there
was something quite moreish about the
combination. With a side of the dry and
spicy aloo gobi mattar (VND70,000 peas,
cauliflower and potato) added in, I nearly
licked the plate clean. The dishwasher
would have been ecstatic.

Indian Chinese
With a delivery order thrown in between
my next visit the standouts were the
ochre-based bhindi dry fry (VND65,000)
and the vegetable chettinad (VND70,000),
both dishes that even my mother-in-law
raved over this time round I hit up the
Indian-Chinese section of the menu.
Introduced by Saigon Indian five or
six years ago, as far as I know this is the
only restaurant in Vietnam serving up
this hybrid cuisine immensely popular in
India.
Adjusted to fit the local palate, Indian
Chinese cuisine has been developed over
the past century by the Chinese living in
Kolkata. Flavoured with cumin, coriander
seeds and turmeric, today it is an integral
part of the countrys cuisine.
Not quite sure what to expect, I went for
the paneer Manchurian dry (VND84,000).
It fit perfectly into my preconceptions of
how this hybrid should taste. Essentially
glutinous sweet and sour cottage cheese,
combined with garlic, ginger, green chilli

and soy sauce, the final dish transformed


itself into something entirely different. I
cant put my finger on the taste it was
too unusual for me to pigeonhole except
that the dish sat well on the palate.
The chilli lamb (VND132,000) was
equally disarming yet tasty. Served up
with sweet green peppers you never see
cilantro in Indian cuisine this was like
a spicy, fusion version of chicken or pork
with black bean sauce. I finished the whole
dish.
For anyone looking for a more unusual
dining experience, I would certainly
recommend trying out the Indian-Chinese
menu. But for me the real beauty of this
eatery is the cuisine served up from the
south, from provinces like Tamil Nadu,
Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and
Telangana. Yes, its a personal preference.
But the fare is done well here the
number of Indian diners I encountered on
each visit pays testament to this.
Saigon Indian is at 73 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1,
HCMC

THE VERDICT

12.5
FOOD

10

SERVICE

12
DCOR

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

fashion

HIPSTERS.
Words by Duhwee Pham and Ed Weinberg.
Photos by David Harris and Francis
Xavier. Thank you Thanh Em for helping
with the shoot.

HIPSTERS HANOI

Da Noi La (B.I)

Age: 28
Occupation: Production manager at
C.Ks Studio Workstation facebook.
com/C.Ks.Studio
Starting out in the b-boy era, he
hung with the first generation of
hipsters in Hanoi. But as comfortable
as they are, baggy clothes never sat
right with him. Remember The Curious

Case of Benjamin Button? That one


scene where he rode off to India?
Apparently Benjamin made a quick
stop in B.Is head and motivated him
to find a style that fits him more.
These days you can find him in biker
jeans wearing them loose, in a
throwback to his b-boy time riding
his favorite caf racer on one of
his phuot (backpacking) trips. He
also has an extensive collection of
leather jackets for the winter.

Dont wear what you might regret


five years later. I opt for what
works

both

professionally

personally.

106 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

and

Starting out in the early 2000s,


when b-boy culture first invaded
Vietnam,
have

the

been

youth

dressing

of

Vietnam

with

the

times. In the years since, the more style-

on

conscious among us have refined their looks.

Asian neighbours. Fast-forward to 2015 and

Theyve

these hip kids are shining the way to a more

toned

up

with

tips

from

Tumblr

blogs and Lookbook.nu, and begun feasting

the

castaways

of

our

more

futuristic

whimsical, existential and sexy Vietnam.

Danny St. Louis

Age: 20
Occupation: The Spicy Bartender of
Daluva, personal stylist, graphic
designer and most importantly The
Queen of Saigon
A

new

addition

to

the

hipster

population of Hanoi, Danny quickly


established

his

presence

within

the scene. The mark of his style


is a sassy and feminine touch. As
a self-admitted closet shopaholic,
he spends a sizable amount of time
scavenging for inexpensive pieces
with hidden style. Even in Hanoi,
where

the

options

are

limited

compared to his native Saigon, hes


still able to find gems at places
on Dong Cac Street in O Cho Dua or
Myriad (1A Au Co, Tay Ho, Hanoi).
While you can easily spot him in
tights, heels and booty shorts on a
night out, hes equally at home in
a plain shirt and rolled-up skinny
jeans complementing Uncle Ho-style
sandals.

Be comfortable with yourself and


your choices, to be able to like
many different things only makes
it easier for you to be happy.
Embrace your peculiarities, we all
have them, some of us just choose
to showcase them in a more obvious
manner.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 107

Bach Duong Jacob

Age: 20
Occupation:

Student

at

London

College of Fashion, owner of Bach


Duong House facebook.com/pages/
Bach-Duong-House/207524066125119
There isnt a better way to be
ironic than wearing a bright green
rain poncho-inspired top on a harsh
sunny day. And that doesnt even
begin to encapsulate Bach Duongs
fashion choices.
It was an eye opener for her when she
saw the fashion of Guangzhou, China.
Standing out was a man with halfpink, half-green hair, who inspired
her to put aside expensive designer
clothes and get more in touch with
who she is. Nowadays, she takes time
every morning to contemplate her
style, the persona she will take on
for the day, like a fashion-forward
chameleon.

Dont get lost in trends, dont


blame the messiness of your fashion
choices on them. Balance is your
best friend, dedication will fortify
your friendships.

108 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Tuan Anh

Age: 23
Occupation:

Student

at

London

College of Fashion, contributor to


Dep Magazine
Born in Hanoi, a considerable chunk
of Tuan Anhs life has been spent
in Japan, Singapore and Saigon. As
a result his fashion choices range
from niche Japanese styles to Top
Man pieces from Singapore that he
bought while waiting for trains.
The backbone of his style is formflattering clothes, taken in funky
foreign directions.
He

mostly

goes

casual,

street-

wear style. In his own words, hes


a footwear worshiper. Well-cut
shorts and often two tops round out
his thin-figured look.

Vietnamese are told from a young


age to care about what others say
about you, something that restricts
young people from fully expressing
themselves. As someone who has been
around, I want to say you should
know yourself and your body. Then
spend

time

looking

up

trends,

find out whats happening with the


industry. With these in mind, you
can find your own distinct style and
stick with it!

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 109

SCENESTER SAIGON

Frankenstein Truong

Age: 24
Occupation: Multimedia visualist,
freelance

fashion

photographer,

founder of MUSE Arts facebook.com/


Musearthub
Frank has always been dedicated to
the beauty of life, and fashion is one
of his most interesting playgrounds.
Besides western classic clothes, he
also loves certain Japanese streetwear

styles.

Franks

favourite

outfit is a black silk shirt with


leopard patterns from Japan, and
vintage black oval glasses. Having
his own signature is what Franks
building and giving up too soon is
not an available option.

The perfect set of clothes matches


the feeling, the spirit and the soul
of its wearer. A fascinating fashion
needs to be born wild, live free and
not be constrained.

110 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Thao Dominic

Age: 21
Occupation:
editor,

Freelance

runs

the

photo

fashion/

lifestyle blog suninagoldencup.


blogspot.com
Fashion and photography are the
dual passions of Thaos life,
the dreams shes been chasing
since a young age. Her style is
a mix of bohemian and a little
taste of vintage fashion from
the 1970s. More exactly, shes
obsessed

with

cardigans
shirts.

and

Her

floral

kimono

tribal-pattern

favourite

items

are the awesome glasses she got


from Mayhem Saigon (136/10 Le
Thanh Ton, Q1). I wear them
nonstop! They can be mixed with
a variety of different outfits,
she says.

Personally

to

me,

would

rather wear something really


weird and ridiculous on the
street, than go with safe with
absolutely boring stuff. Its
my

motto,

and

am

totally

enjoying doing fashion in that


specific way.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 111

Mike Pham

Age: 26
Occupation: Co-founder and creative
director of Mayhem Saigon facebook.
com/Mayhem.Saigon
Mike

likes

listening

to

music,

making music, slacking in the woods


and some provocative stuff that
cant be listed here. He believes
theres heaven, he believes in war.
He believes that marriage isnt
between a man and woman, but between
love and love.
Mikes style is a mixture of Tokyo
hobo, Zach Galifianakis, Captain
Benjamin L. Willard and a good chunk
of Kanye West. He has more shirts
than T-shirts, but his favourite
items in his closet right now are
his new boxer briefs they make
me feel super comfortable, and most
importantly like a man, you know. I
dont think Id be outstanding on
the streets of Tokyo or Brooklyn,
but hell I own the first vintage
store in Saigon. Therefore I have to
represent it.

Too weird to live, too rare to


die. Hunter S. Thompson

112 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Sunny Nguyen

Age: 25
Occupation: Avid culture cultivator
She calls her style intellectual
trailer trash which she gets by
making

contrasting

things

work.

Youll find her in ripped high-waist


jeans or her current favourites,
vintage

Japanese

floral

print

shirts she got from Mayhem Saigon


(136/10 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, HCMC).

Avec attitude.
Sunny recognises a responsibility
to shape and encourage the younger
generation and their talents in
that way, upholding the richness of
Vietnamese culture.

You can never be overdressed or


overeducated. Oscar Wilde

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 113

travel

Photos by Roger Stone

114 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

TRAVEL

INTERNATIONAL

The People of Myanmar

Its the people you meet on a travel that make it memorable,


that teach you something. While traipsing around Myanmar for a month,
Niko Savvas got the kindest, warmest, realest welcome he could imagine.

yanmar, formerly known as Burma,


is a country famous for all the
wrong reasons. Repressive military
junta? Check. Bloody history of
ethnic turmoil? Check. Violent suppression of
political dissidents? Take a minute to Google
Saffron Revolution and see what pops up.
Knowing all of this, why would any
reasonable traveller choose Myanmar for
their next holiday? The answer, according
to most guidebooks, is that the Burmese are
a remarkably friendly and good-natured
people despite their decades of suffering.
However, in my experience most guidebooks
are outdated at best and wildly inaccurate at
worst.
So I decided to go see for myself.

Bagan
Often compared to Angkor Wat by people
who call any island with some sand and a
coconut tree the Hawaii of _____, Bagan

is famous for its ancient temples. From


mammoth pyramids to tiny stupas, the
endless sprawl of temples provides a perfect
backdrop for breathtaking photography.
Colourful hot air balloons drift serenely
over the Martian landscape endless
stretches of parched reddish soil, dusty
patches of scraggly brush trees, swirling
clouds of golden sand along the banks of the
Irrawaddy River. It really is a photographers
dream.
As long as you can keep the obnoxious
jerks around you out of your shot, that is.
Behind every great sunrise photo there is a
photographer, and behind that photographer
is a swarm of tourists who would happily
shove him off a five-storey temple if it meant
more room for selfies. As the crowds pushed
higher and higher, jostling for precious
tripod-space, I was swept away to the very
edge.
There I stood shoulder to shoulder with

a tiny Burmese woman in large bug-lensed


sunglasses, our toes hanging over the
reddish-orange bricks.
She shrugged her shoulders
sympathetically as she pulled a pack of
cigarettes from her pocket and offered me
one. Want a smoke? Looks like you could
use one. I shook my head as politely as I
could call it western navet, but smoking
on top of a temple seemed blasphemous to
me.
She sensed my hesitance. Its cool man,
relax, she said, blowing out a puff of silverygrey smoke. This is just a pile of old rocks.
Im Suu, by the way. She drew lazily on her
cigarette, flicking ash onto the old Chinese
ladies below us. I was fascinated this rulebreaking tobacco fiend was infinitely more
interesting than the panorama before me. I
asked her what she was doing in Bagan.
Tour guide, of course, she said,
launching into a familiar script, and before

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 115

Photos by Caroline Blasco

you ask my English is good because I


lived in Singapore. I watch a lot of American
TV shows too you ever see Homeland? I
love CIA stuff. I stared at her in slack-jawed
amazement.
We kept talking, long after the sun had
risen above the temple fields and the Chinese
tourists had departed for shadier climes. Our
conversation ranged from Nobel laureate and
western media darling Aung San Suu Kyi
(attention-grabbing poseur) to the hottest
K-pop stars (G-Dragon, for sure). When
it was time to go, I asked her if there was
anything shed like foreigners to know about
the Burmese people.
She looked at the ground for a moment
and replied, Were real people. Not goodhearted, not simple were real.

Kalaw
Kalaw is a colonial-era hill station in the
central Shan State. A cool and mountainous
place, it was settled by Indian and Nepali
railroad workers after their British overlords
decided that was cheaper than sending them
home. Today most foreign visitors stop there
only briefly en route to Inle Lake, a much
more popular tourist destination. Aside from
a central market and a handful of Nepali
restaurants, there isnt much to do in Kalaw.
Especially when you arrive at 4am.
When I stepped off the bus, I was stunned
by the frigid air. In southern Myanmar I had
never stopped sweating, yet here I might

116 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

have been in the Himalayas. To make matters


worse, the town seemed completely deserted.
Rows of small wooden houses lined the
rutted main road, windows dim and silent;
even the roosters were quiet.
Frantically I rubbed my hands together
and glared at my travel buddy, a RussianIsraeli by the name of Pasha. What are we
supposed to do for the next four hours? I
hissed through chattering teeth.
We hefted our bags and trudged down
the road, each building emptier than the one
before. We were walking through a Wild
West ghost town after the gold dried up.
Until we came across the teahouse.
Huddled beneath a shabby tin roof sat
a small cluster of plastic chairs and tables,
where old Burmese men in fur-lined parkas
sipped hot milk-tea and munched on deepfried sticks of dough. Their eyes were glued
to a gigantic plasma screen TV, upon which
Chelsea was beating the living hell out of
Liverpool.
A sturdy man with thick black hair and
Indian features rose to greet us. A Bluetooth
headset blinked in his ear. Please, sit! he
boomed, We have WiFi! My name is Mr.
Samir. Do you like football? He handed me
a steaming cup of tea.
I turned to Pasha, my mouth agape, but
he had already produced several electronic
devices and was pestering Mr. Samir for
the password. High speed, dude! Pasha
exclaimed excitedly. Mr. Samirs broad dark

Photo by Roger Stone

Photo by Niko Savvas

When it was time to go, I asked her if there was anything


shed like foreigners to know about the Burmese people.
She looked at the ground for a moment and replied, Were real people.
Not good-hearted, not simple were real
face beamed at the compliment. He was the
proud proprietor of a technological oasis in
the middle of a blacked-out desert.
Please sit drink eat watch football
with us. Here it is safe and warm. You
can wait for the hiking later. Now we are
relaxing.
So we sat together until dawn, sipping tea
and nibbling fried dough, checking Facebook
and chain smoking. We asked Mr. Samir no
questions, because the important stuff was
already clear. His tea was hot. His chairs
were comfortable. His heart was kind.
And he had WiFi.

Hpa An
Hpa An, a tiny town in Myanmars
southeastern Kayin State, is famous for
its cave temples. I use the word famous
liberally few foreign tourists make the
bumpy, crowded journey by night bus from
Yangon. Only a few guesthouses are even
licensed to allow non-Burmese.
Some of the cave temples feature
communal swimming holes fed by
streams of cool, greenish water that trickle
down from the mountains and provide
a welcome respite from the oppressive
Burmese heat. The desk clerk at my
guesthouse recommended I stop at one
for an afternoon dip to catch an authentic
glimpse of local life. It wasnt a hard sell.
When I arrived at the little grotto, I was
welcomed by a frenzy of activity old

ladies handwashed their brightly-coloured


longyis while unruly teenage boys performed
backflips into the shallow water. Tattooed
monks in their saffron robes were chain
smoking and checking out the girls. The air
was filled with happily chattering voices and
the smell of roasted corn.
It was really an idyllic scene until the man
started screaming.
From across the pool, I saw a small, thin
figure being carried towards the water like
a trussed pig, yelling piteously at the men
who held his arms and legs. He had a small,
neat beard and an unmistakable look of
panic in his eyes. His cries grew more urgent
and pathetic as they neared the pool and I
gritted my teeth, not wishing to intervene
but horrified by the bullying before my eyes.
Clearly the man was mentally and physically
disabled. He began to sob as he was dropped
into the water, his legs sinking limply as
he tried in vain to keep his head above the
surface. The two other men grabbed him by
the shoulders and forced him down into the
muddy pool, deaf to his anguished protests.
I clenched my fists and looked around
to see if anyone was going to help this man
before he was drowned in broad daylight.
Nobody stirred. It was soon obvious why.
When the mans head reemerged from
the water, his eyes shone with joy rather
than fear. He waved his arms happily back
and forth as he laid on his back while the
two tormentors pushed him in lazy figure

eights. Some teenagers offered their inner


tubes, and soon the thin bearded man was
surrounded by a group of Burmese old
and young, all of whom were laughing and
playfully splashing water. Eventually one
of the men hoisted him onto his back, like a
father carries his child, and he staggered out
of the pool. They sat together at the waters
edge as he ruffled the thin bearded mans
hair and dried his damp face, avoiding his
mirthful swipes with patient good humour.
There are no social services for poor rural
Burmese, no bureaucratic safety net for
those unable to harvest rice or build houses
or repair machinery. Life is difficult enough
for the sharp-minded and able-bodied. One
might expect the handicapped to be doomed
to a Hobbesian existence at best nasty,
brutish and short.
Yet I couldnt help but notice the neatness
of the mans beard, or the rows of straight
white teeth when he smiled. Somebody
was taking care of him. I sat and watched
while his two protectors rubbed his
stick-like limbs with soap and combed his
hair with unmistakable tenderness. They
dressed him in clean dry clothes and held
a bottle of water to his lips, like two burly
mothers tending to an enormous newborn.
The thin bearded man turned his head
back and forth between them, flashing his
brilliant smile and eyes full of gratitude,
and I thought that maybe just this once the
guidebooks got it right.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 117

travel

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within aompf, boompf
300km split second, boompf of c
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the douh they go dow of each car h anging down
g
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n
ble ben
d at aro three or fourrtling past. Froears greets u
and eng und 170km/ notches be m speeds o s
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both dr
iver
al

Photo provided by STB

Southeast Asia has two


international sporting
events that draw in the
crowds the Singapore
Grand Prix and the
Hong Kong Sevens.
Nick Ross, words,
and Kyle Phanroy, photos,
were lucky enough to go
to one of them

I
Formula
TRAVEL

SINGAP
ORE

One

ve never been a fan of the mainstream


stars of the music scene, but as J-Lo
prepares to perform in front of 60,000, the
buzz is palpable. Im not getting carried
away here its Jennifer Lopez after all
but Im intrigued. For someone who sits on
the judging panel of American Idol and tells
others how to perform, how good is she in
her own right?
Yet despite the buoyant outdoor music
festival atmosphere, a rarity in Southeast
Asia, the setting for this is still a touch
bizarre. The 2014 Formula One Singapore
Airlines Singapore Grand Prix has just finished
full of incident, it was one of the most
exciting races in years and next door
within the confines of the same event is a
music festival. Racing and music. It seems
uncanny, but its typical of the smart spin
Singapore puts on things. Not only is it
financially sound, but the concept works,
too. The thrill of the festival atmosphere is
infectious.

The Qualifiers and The Rain


We arrived in Singapore on the Friday and
made it to the Grand Prix practice session.
Our hosts had booked the Singapore

Photo provided by STB

Put up your hands if


you love a big booty!
J-Lo roars
Photo provided by STB

Suite, a makeshift Grand Prix building


right on the race circuit. They also put on
a networking event and a stand-up buffet
with champagne, excellent cocktails and
entertainment. Then on Saturday we went
to the qualifying session. It was divided into
three sections, each one cutting off drivers
until the final session, Q3, when over 12
minutes the remaining 10 cars battled it out
for the key positions on the grid.
Within the last few minutes of Q3, six
drivers passed the previous fastest lap time
until at the death Mercedes Louis Hamilton
just beat his teammate, Nico Rosberg, to pole
position by 0.007s. As it happened, we held
our breath, gasped, and then held it again.
It was sensational.
But then, with perennial entertainer
Robbie Williams set to come to the stage,
there was a setback.
Rain. Heavy rain, monsoon-like rain. We
ran for cover.
And as a soaked Robbie Williams sung
his heart out to a crowd drenched to the
bone, there was a sense of energy about the
place. J-Lo would never do that, everyone
said, applauding the former Take That
heartthrob not just for his act, but for his
professionalism. We never got the chance to
find out how J-Lo would have reacted on
Sunday it didnt rain.

The Finale
As the cars head to the starting grid, were
downstairs in the festival area, watching the
drama unfold on huge screens. The crowd is
thin but all the pop-up restaurant stalls and
bars already have queues. As the checkered
flag waves, theres a roar from the fans.
45 seconds later the ground beside us
rumbles as the cars fly past out of our sight.
Another 1 minute and 50 seconds later it
happens again, but this time as the field
starts to stretch, the roar is longer. Lap 3, lap
4, lap 5, it extends even further, and then it
starts to come in bursts.
Nothing can prepare you for the
sensation of watching Formula 1 live. TV
doesnt do it justice. First is the speed. Its
phenomenal blink and the cars are gone.
Then the noise. The new V6 Turbo engines
mean that the roar of previous years has
been tempered earplugs are now only

120 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

an option rather than a necessity.


Our grandstand seats are located on a
straight but were close to a chicane the
boompf, boompf, boompf of changing down
gears greets us within a split second of each
car hurtling past. From speeds of 300km/h
they go down three or four notches before
navigating the double bend at around
170km/h. The force on both driver and
engine must be phenomenal. How these
drivers manage to overtake each other at
such speeds with such miniscule margins is
impossible for me to contemplate.
Halfway through the race theres a
collision, and then right in front of where
my group is sitting a fender is sucked under
the wheels and pieces of carbon go flying.
The crowd stands up exhilarated, scared,
shocked. Oh no! people shout. Its the
biggest excitement of the race.
The safety car comes out and the cars
bunch back up together. After a few laps,
with the track cleared, the safety car leaves
and the race is back on but all margins
between the cars are lost. The equation in the
race has changed. Hamilton is in the lead,
but with his gap erased hes now using the
wrong tyres. Hes on super soft and as his
tyres will degrade, he needs another pitstop
it will take around 27 seconds.
To make it and still be in the lead, the
Mercedes driver has to build up a gap of 30
seconds over his nearest rival, Vettel, who
doesnt need to change tyres. Riccardo and
Alonso are close behind in 3rd and 4th. They
also dont need a change.
Hamilton gets 25 seconds ahead but has
to come in. Its a quick pitstop but Vettel
snags the lead. Suddenly, with nine laps to
go, four cars have a chance of finishing first
on the podium.
Two laps go by and in dramatic
circumstances, Hamilton takes Vettel on the
bend. The crowd booms with excitement.
He stretches his regained lead with ease.
But now theres a battle on for the minor
places from 2nd to 4th and 6th to 12th. As
the cars go into the last two laps, everyone
is overtaking everyone else. Some drivers
make a final, last gasp surge towards the
front, while others lose rankings. The
chequered flag is raised, we clap and cheer,
and realise that with all the drama weve

been truly on the edge of our seats.


Once again its sensational.

The Lopez Factor


As J-Lo prepares to come on, a crowd of
60,000 heads towards the stage. Her first
costume is white and shes there with her
dancers, doing the J-Lo thing strutting,
strutting and strutting. Always from one
side of the stage to the other.
Put up your hands if you love a big
booty! she roars. The crowd responds in
kind.
The lights go low, J-Lo disappears and
then returns with a miniskirt that comes
down just above her crotch. She parades
her booty, shaking, wriggling, gyrating.
Dripping with sweat, she flourishes her
performance with her trademark strut.
She then goes into a big, five-second booty
shake. The crowd screams in appreciation
and our photographer and I make to leave
weve got a date with the highest rooftop
bar in Asia and an after-party.

A Taste of the Big Time


Regardless of my musical preferences, both

the Grand Prix and the music festivals are


huge events, the kind of shows that I crave
for. Unfortunately the likes of J-Lo and
Robbie Williams dont go to off-the-beaten
track Vietnam. No stadium is big enough to
hold them, the gig fee is beyond promoters
imagining, the performers riders are almost
impossible to fulfill and ticket prices are
still low to see J-Lo the crowd paid up
from S$188 (VND3.15 million) a go. It was
sold out.
Yet that this kind of event is happening in
Southeast Asia is already huge. With musical
tastes here still very much focused on the
mainstream, it will be a while before we get
a Glastonbury, a Lollapalooza or a Bonnaroo
in this region.
But for now the yearly Grand Prix in
Singapore is definitely one to put on the
bucket list. As one of my hosts said, There
are only two days in the year when all
Singaporeans get together. One of them is
National Day, the other is the Grand Prix.
This thing is big.
For more information on the Singapore Grand
Prix, go to singaporegp.sg. The 2015 event will
take place between Sep. 18 and Sep. 20

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 121

travel

TRAVEL

HCMC

Cu Chi The Hard Way


Cu Chi is the kind of excursion people often go on when first arriving in Vietnam,
and never again. Ian Wills explores a deeper side of the experience, aided by a quirky
itinerary courtesy of Grasshopper Adventures. Photos by Kyle Phanroy

iving in Ho Chi Minh City has its


ups and downs. The sheer density
of people and traffic can become
exhausting after a while so when
the opportunity to get away from the daily
grind for a day occurred I jumped at the
chance.
Grasshopper Adventures is a specialist
tour company that since 2004 has been
arranging trips across Asia, from half a day
to several weeks. The adventure I was to go
on would be a day trip: first via speedboat,
then mountain bike, then on foot around
one of Vietnams most important historical
sites all before heading back to Ho Chi
Minh City by minivan. Quite an impressive
itinerary.

Promising Beginnings
I jump out of bed at 6.30am, raring to go. A

122 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

quick shower and a xe om ride later, I arrive


at 7.15am at the Les Rives boat terminal
and am ushered onto our waiting speed
boat, bobbing on the Saigon River. Fruit,
baguettes and coffee are handed out as we
speed along at an exhilarating pace, with
our driver expertly negotiating the waves
and patches of shrubbery floating on the
surface of the river.
After cruising for close to one-anda-half hours, with everyone seemingly
having their sea legs intact, we arrive at
the Ben Duoc branch of the tunnels. This
is the moment Kyle and I depart from the
remaining group who set off to see the
more accessible tunnels and set off on
what is supposed to be a comfortable 30km
zigzagging bike ride to the lesser-known
Ben Dinh Cu Chi Tunnels.
While were told the road ahead is mostly

flat, were also given a warning that chickens


may be trying to cross so keep vigilant. I
start by alighting a pristine mountain bike
and taking a short amble around the car
park, reacquainting myself with pedals and
gears while Kyle meets his xe om driver
its easier to take photos from the back of
motorbike. Our guide is ultra-fit. His name
is An and he is charm personified. As we
head off, I am advised to keep a few metres
behind in case any wildlife decides to cross
our path.

Plantations and Factories


After riding for just a couple of kilometres
it somehow feels like more we arrive
at our first stop: a rubber plantation. An
informs us of how the sap is gathered from
the trees and protected from the rain. The
trees are not native to Vietnam but were

Kyle, back in intrepid photographer mode,


walks out into the wetlands to get up close
and personal. I watch from the sidelines, taking
in the enormity of the place
wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 123

brought over from the Amazon during the


French colonial era. The plantation stretches
as far as the eyes can see, and it seems
almost unreal that we are still close to the
newly industrialised parts of Ho Chi Minh
City.
As we continue on our journey, the
heat starts affecting my desperately pale
complexion. Our next rest stop is a welcome
respite. The rice paper factory is yet another
reminder of Vietnams still strong links to its
agrarian roots. As the workers get on with
their business, An gives us a thoroughly
informed presentation of each stage of rice
paper production: from soaking the rice
to drying it in sheets in the sun, to cutting
appropriate shapes for delivery to the next
part of the chain. When its time to go, I last
about 200 metres before I decide my aching
body has had enough.

The Water Buffalo

The plantation
stretches as far
as the eyes can
see, and it seems
almost unreal
that we are still
close to the newly
industrialised
parts of Ho Chi
Minh City

I ask how many of the 30 kilometres we


have covered already. Im dismayed at the
answer a mere 8. Kyle, having plenty of
photos in the bag already, generously offers
to take over cycling duties as I collapse
water bottle in hand onto the back of the
motorbike.
A further 7km down more flat dirt tracks
we arrive at our mid-ride break, after just
over an hour-and-a-half in the saddle
between us. We are presented with cold
water, bananas, watermelon, a variety of
nuts and coffee-infused biscuits to replace
our spent fuel and prepare us for the next
part of our journey. I generously allow Kyle
to ride the next 3km to the water buffalo,
while I fall or rather clamber into the luxury
of the awaiting minivan.
Arriving at the paddy field about
15 minutes later, we are greeted by a
magnificent water buffalo who we
are assured is a gentle soul. Kyle, back in
intrepid photographer mode, walks out into
the wetlands to get up close and personal.
I watch from the sidelines, taking in the
enormity of the place.
After having ridden 8km myself, and
Kyle relieving me for 7km, we both decide
the second half of our journey to the
tunnels would be best served on the more
direct paved roads, via minivan. Looking
at the state of us, especially me, our guide
immediately agrees.

The Tunnels
No visit to Vietnam would be complete
without a trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels,
networks of underground passageways
dating back to 1948 that were used by proUnion forces. After recovering in the van,
we embark on a leisurely walking tour as
our guide shows us the various bunkers
and tunnels both original and widened
for larger tourists. It is inspiring to see the
ingenuity that can be brought by need.
Our guide gives us the full lowdown
on how the tunnels were layered and
interconnected, even designed with natural
air conditioning. There are also bunkers
for surgeries on injured combatants, and

124 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

specialist underground meeting rooms to


discuss strategy. We are given a measured
account of how the network progressed
and developed through time. There is an
electric display to show in simple terms
how the system worked, which our guide
assiduously takes us through.
After our exhaustive look around the
complex including a taste of locally
produced tapioca, and a wander through the
inevitable tourist stalls selling everything
from bullets on necklaces to fake Zippos
we head away from the highlight of our trip.
A short ride in the minivan takes us to
a well-known local restaurant. We order
enough food to feed 10, let alone three.
The eatery earns its reputation due to its
delicious beef dishes, morning glory and
vegetable options.
Running slightly ahead of time, we have
the perfect opportunity to talk more with our
guide, An. Kyle asks the pertinent question
as to what percentage of tourists on these
trips are avid cyclists, and how many are
people trying it out for the first time in a
while like me. The answer: 80 percent for the
avid cyclist.
Two days after turning 41, I was made
to feel every one of those years and accept
that I had been living in denial about my
own level of personal fitness. I mean, how
hard can riding a bike be? Its something I
did a lot of in the first half of my life. Surely
getting back on couldnt be that difficult? I
soon found out I couldnt be more wrong.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and
got some truly fascinating insights despite
eight years already in Vietnam, I would
certainly have benefitted from recognising
my own level of fitness. Id recommend this
style of adventure tour without reservation
as long as you go into it with a keen sense
of self-awareness.
For more information on the kinds of handcrafted specialist tours offered by Grasshopper,
visit grasshopperadventures.com

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 125

travel

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wooden junks. Two or three
night trips with a wide range
of cabin styles: standard, deluxe, or royal.

CUC PHUONG

$
Cuc Phuong, Nho Quan, Ninh
Binh, Tel: (030) 384 8006
cucphuongtourism.com

DALAT GREEN CITY HOTEL


172 Phan Dinh Phung, Dalat,
Tel: (063) 382 7999
dalatgreencityhotel.com
Located in central Dalat,
this is the perfect place for
budget travellers. Quiet,
newly refurbished with
beautiful mountain and city
views from the rooftop, features free Wi-Fi, a TV and
snack bar in all rooms with
a downstairs coffee shop
and computers in the lobby
for guest use.

EMERAUDE CLASSIC CRUISES,


HALONG BAY

$$$$
Tel: (04) 3935 1888
emeraude-cruises.com
Reproductions, of 19th
century paddle steamers,
trawl around Halong Bay
in colonial style. A classic
experience, complete with,
overnight accommodations
in impeccable cabins suites.

LA FERME DU COLVERT

$$
Cu Yen, Luong Son, Hoa Binh,
Tel: 02183 825662
etoile-des-mers.com

LA VIE VU LINH

$
Ngoi Tu Village, Vu Linh, Yen
Bai , Tel: (04) 3926 2743
lavievulinh.com

DALAT TRAIN VILLA


Villa 3, 1 Quang Trung, Dalat,
Tel: (063) 381 6365
dalattrainvilla.com
Located near the Dalat Train
Station, the Dalat Train Villa
is a beautifully restored, colonial era, two-storey villa.
In its grounds is a 1910
train carriage which has
been renovated into a bar
and cafe. Located within 10
minutes of most major attractions in Dalat.

TRUNG CANG HOTEL

$
22 Bui Thi Xuan, Dalat, Tel:
(063) 382 2663

AROUND HANOI
BEST WESTERN PEARL RIVER
HOTEL

$$$
KM 8 Pham Van Dong, Duong
Kinh, Hai Phong, Tel: (031)
388 0888
pearlriverhotel.vn

MAI CHAU LODGE

$$$
Mai Chau Town, Hoa Binh,
Tel: (0218) 386 8959
maichaulodge.com

NOVOTEL HA LONG BAY

$$
Ha Long Road, Bai Chay
Ward, Ha Long City, Quang
Ninh, Tel: (033) 384 8108
novotelhalong.com.vn

TAM COC GARDEN RESORT


Hai Nham, Ninh Hai, Hoa Lu,
Ninh Binh. Tel: (030) 249
2118
contact@tamcocgarden.
com
tamcocgarden.com
Surrounded by rice fields
and spectacular karsts,
Tam Coc Garden is a haven
of peace, an oasis of serenity and understated luxury.
Spacious rooms with rustic
and chic dcor, a pool with
breathtaking views, a beautiful garden, and panoramic
views over the fields and
mountains. The perfect place
to relax.

126 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

HANOI - INTERNATIONAL

plimentary Wi-Fi.

CROWNE PLAZA WEST INTERNATIONAL

HILTON GARDEN INN HANOI

$$$
36 Le Duc Tho, My Dinh Commune, Tu Liem, Hanoi, Tel:
(04) 6270 6688
crowneplazawesthanoi.com
This premier five-star
property lies beside the My
Dinh National Stadium and
Convention Centre. Boasts
two swimming pools, a spa,
and a fitness centre in its 24
stories.

DAEWOO HOTEL
360 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3831 5555
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.

FORTUNA HOTEL HANOI


6B Lang Ha, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3831 3333
www.fortuna.vn
This 350-room four-star set
up in the heart of Hanois financial district has a variety
of rooms on offer, a capital
lounge and three restaurants that serve Japanese,
Chinese and international
cuisine. And like youd expect, theres a fitness centre, night club and swimming pool, too, and even a
separate spa and treatment
facility for men and women.
Set to the west of town, Fortuna often offers business
deals on rooms and spaces
to hold meetings, presentations and celebrations.

HOTEL DE LOPERA
29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 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 com-

20 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan


Kiem, Hanoi, Tel (04) 3944
9396
hanoi.hgi.com
With 86 fully-equipped
guestrooms and suites, this
is the first Hilton Garden
Inn property in Southeast
Asia. Centrally located and
a short stroll from the historic Old Quarter, the hotel
offers a full service restaurant, a stylish bar, along with
complimentary business and
fitness centres making it
perfect for the international
business or leisure traveller.

HILTON HANOI OPERA


1 Le Thanh Tong, Hoan Kiem,
Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3933 0500
hanoi.hilton.com
Situated next to the iconic Hanoi Opera House and a short
stroll from the Old Quarter,
this five-star hotel is a Hanoi
landmark. With 269 fullyequipped rooms and suites,
theres plenty for the discerning business and leisure
traveller to choose from.

INTERCONTINENTAL HANOI
WESTLAKE
1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
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
resorts three in-house restaurants and the Sunset Bar,
a watering hole located on a
thoroughfare over the lake.
Great gym and health club.

JW MARRIOTT HANOI
8, Do Duc Duc, Me Tri, Tu
Liem, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3833
5588
jwmarriotthanoi.com
From the expressive architecture outside to the
authentic signature JW
Marriott services inside,
this Marriott hotel in Hanoi
is the new definition of contemporary luxury. Lies next
door to the National Convention Centre.

MAY DE VILLE OLD QUARTER


43/45/47 Gia Ngu, Hoan
Kiem, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3933
5688
maydeville.com

The largest four-star hotel


in Hanois Old Quarter, 110
rooms, a swimming pool, a
top floor terrace bar and a
location just a stones throw
from Hoan Kiem Lake make
this a great choice for anyone wanting a bit of luxury in
the heart of the action.

MELIA HANOI
44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3934 3343
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. Stateof-the-art rooms, elegant
restaurants, stylish bars,
fully equipped fitness centre with sophisticated service always make in-house
guests satisfied.

MVENPICK HOTEL HANOI


83A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3822 2800
www.moevenpick-hanoi.
com
With its distinctive French
architecture and top end
service, Mvenpick Hotel
Hanoi is aimed squarely at
corporate travellers. An allday restaurant and a lounge
bar are available to satiate
their clientele while the kinetic gym and wellness studio offer an excellent range
of equipment. Massage and
sauna facilities are available for guests seeking to
rejuvenate. Of the 154 wellappointed rooms and suites,
93 are non-smoking.

PULLMAN HOTEL

$$$$
40 Cat Linh, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3733 0808
pullman-hanoi.com
With deluxe rooms and
suites, a contemporary
lobby, an excellent buffet,
and a la carte restaurant,
this Accor group property
is prestigious and close to
the Old Quarter.

SHERATON
K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu,
Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3719 9000
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

www.airasia.com

AIR FRANCE
130 Dong Khoi, Q1
Tel: 3825 8583
www.airfrance.com.vn

AIR MEKONG
1st Floor, Centre Point
Building, 106 Nguyen Van
Troi, Phu Nhuan
Tel: (08) 3846 3999
www.airmekong.com.vn

AMERICAN AIRLINES
194 Nguyen Thi Minh
Khai, Q3. Tel: 3933 0330
www.aa.com

CATHAY PACIFIC
5th Floor, Centec Tower,
72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh
Khai, Q3
Tel: 3822 3203
www.cathaypacific.com/
vn

CHINA AIRLINES
37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1
Tel: 3911 1591
www.china-airlines.com

JAPAN AIRLINES
3rd Floor, Sheraton Hotel,
88 Dong Khoi, Q1
Tel: 3821 9098
www.vn.jal.com

JETSTAR PACIFIC
www.jetstar.com/vn

KOREAN AIR
34 Le Duan, Q1
Tel: 3824 2878
www.koreanair.com

LAO AIRLINES
93 Pasteur, Q1
Tel: 3822 6990
www.laoairlines.com

MALAYSIA AIRLINES
Ground Floor, Saigon
Trade Centre, 37 Ton Duc
Thang, Q1
Tel: 3829 2529
www.malaysiaairlines.
com

SINGAPORE AIRLINES
Saigon Tower Bulding,
Room 101, 29 Le Duan, Q1
Tel: 3823 1588
www.singaporeair.com

THAI AIRWAYS
29 Le Duan, Q1
Tel: 3822 3365
www.thaiairways.com.vn

TIGER AIRWAYS
www.tigerair.com

VIETJETAIR
www.vietjetair.com

VIETNAM AIRLINES
27B Dinh Tien Hoang, Q1
Tel: 3832 0320
www.vietnamairlines.com

travel

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and great relaxation and
fitness facilities, including a
tennis court and spa. There
are well equipped conference rooms and a newly
refurbished Executive Club
Lounge.

SOFITEL LEGEND METROPOLE


HANOI
15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3826 6919
www.sofitel.com
The finest hotel of the French
colonial period is probably
still the finest in todays Hanoi. Anyone who is (or was)
anyone has stayed at this elegant oasis of charm, where
the service is impeccable
and the luxurious facilities
complement the ambiance of
a bygone era. Definitely the
place to put the Comtessa up
for a night.

SOFITEL PLAZA HANOI


1 Thanh Nien Road, Ba Dinh,
Tel: (04) 3823 8888
Boasting Hanois 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.

HANOI MID-RANGE
6 ON SIXTEEN
16 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem
www.sixonsixteen.com
Another boutique hotel to
grace Hanois 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, homestyle Vietnamese fare is
served up with fresh fruit
juices and Lavazza coffee.

GOLDEN SILK BOUTIQUE HOTEL

$$$
109-111 Hang Gai, Hoan
Kiem, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3928
6969
goldensilkhotel.com
Located in the centre of the
Old Quarter, this little slice of
heaven offers complimentary sundries and a replenishable minibar. The Orient
restaurant, serves the finest
in international and Vietnamese cuisine.

MAISON DHANOI HANOVA HOTEL

$$$
35-37 Hang Trong, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3938 0999
hanovahotel.com
A minute from Hoan Kiem
Lake, this glowing pearl in
the heart of Hanoi provides
tranquility with an art gallery
and piano bar.

MAY DE VILLE
24 Han Thuyen, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 2222 9988
Set in the old French Quarter
a short walk from the Opera
House, May de Ville City Centre is a welcome new addition to the capital. Combining
contemporary architecture
with traditional Vietnamese
style and materials, this elegant property has 81 wellappointed rooms including
four suites.

HANOI BUDGET
HANOI BACKBACKERS HOSTEL
48 Ngo Huyen, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 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.

HCMC - INTERNATIONAL
CARAVELLE HOTEL

$$$$
19 Lam Son Square, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 4999
caravellehotel.com
Winner of Robb Reports
2006 list of the worlds top
100 luxury hotels, the Caravelle houses the popular
rooftop Saigon Saigon bar,
and the restaurants Nineteen and Reflections.

DUXTON HOTEL

$$$
63 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 2999
saigon.duxtonhotels.com
Famous for its daylong
rotatingmenu buffets, the
Duxton deserves luxury appellation with a pool, gym,
spa, and fine dining.

limousine services.

INTERCONTINENTAL ASIANA
SAIGON

$$$$$
Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3520 9999
intercontinental.com/saigon
In the heart of Ho Chi Minh
City, resides the Asiana with
signature dining options,
an innovative cocktail bar,
exclusive spa and health
club, together with luxury
boutique arcade.

LOTTE LEGEND HOTEL SAIGON

$$$$
2A4A Ton Duc Thang, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3823 3333
legendsaigon.com
Immaculate architecture,
spacious rooms, and a fine
selection of fine dining, with
buffets specialising in Americana and Pan-Asian cuisine.

NEW WORLD HOTEL

$$$$
76 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
8888
saigon.newworldhotels.com
Former guests include U.S.
presidents two Bushes,
Clinton and K-Pop sensation Bi Rain. An ongoing event
as well as a hotel, New World
is one of the best luxury
stops in town.

PARK HYATT

$$$$$
2 Lam Son Square, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3824 1234
saigon.park.hyatt.com
Fabulous in style, prime in
location, everything one
would expect from the Hyatt.
The Square One and Italianthemed Opera restaurants
have garnered an excellent
reputation, as has the landscaped pool.

$$$
242 Tran Binh Trong, Q5, Tel:
(08) 3839 7777
equatorial.com/hcm
This massive property
boasts seven dining and
entertainment outlets, a
business centre, meeting
rooms and a comprehensive fitness centre and spa.
The Equatorial also has an
on-site casino.

HOTEL NIKKO SAIGON

REX HOTEL

$$$$$
235 Nguyen Van Cu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3925 7777
hotelnikkosaigon.com.vn
The five-star hotel and serviced apartment complex
offers: 14 instant offices,
seven meeting rooms, a
600-capacity ballroom, spa,
outdoor swimming pool, a
gym, 24-hour fine dining,
24-hours room service, and

53 Vo Truong Toan, Q2, Tel:


(08) 3744 4111
riverside-apartments.com
Situated on the banks of the
Saigon River, a 15-minute
scenic boat ride or 20-minute bus ride from town,
Riversides complementary
shuttle services take you
right in the city centre. With
152 fully equipped serviced
apartments, the property
offers special packages for
short-term stay starting at
VND2.1 million per apartment per night for a onebedroom facility.

RIVERSIDE HOTEL

$$$$$
1819-20 Ton Duc Thang,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 1417
riversidehotelsg.com
This distinct French architectural wonder offers
complimentary Wi-Fi, airport
pickup or drop off, a 4th floor
ballroom, and authentic Vietnamese cuisine at the River
Restaurant.

SHERATON

a live music venue on the


same floor.

SOFITEL SAIGON PLAZA

$$$$
17 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 1555
sofitel.com
This 20story building in
downtown Saigon, caters
to upscale business and
leisure travelers seeking a
classic yet contemporary
stay in Saigon.

WINDSOR PLAZA

$$$
18 An Duong Vuong, Q5, Tel:
(08) 3833 6688
windsorplazahotel.com
The full ensemble with its
own shopping hub (including
a bank), fine dining, a sauna,
health club, and superb
panoramic views of the cityscape. Also hosts the largest
Oktoberfest in the region.

HCMC - DELUXE
CONTINENTAL

$$$$$
88 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 2828
sheraton.com/saigon
Sheraton boasts one of
the best locations in town,
with firstclass facilities,
an openair restaurant 23
floors above the city and

$$$
132-134 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 9201
continentalhotel.com.vn
This charming old hotel has
been fted in literature and
in film. In the heart of Saigon,
this is the first choice to highlight Vietnamese culture.

HOTEL MAJESTIC

$$$
1 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 5517
majesticsaigon.com.vn

NORFOLK HOTEL

$$$
117 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 5368
norfolkhotel.com.vn
Intimate atmosphere and excellent service, this boutique
business hotel is located
minutes from famous landmarks, designer shops, and
is renowned for its fabulous
steaks at its in-house restaurant, Corso.

NOVOTEL SAIGON CENTRE

$$$
167 Hai Ba Trung, Q3, Tel:
(08) 3822 4866
novotel-saigon-centre.com
Novotel Saigon Centre has
a contemporary feel, an
international buffet The
Square a rooftop bar, and
a wellness centre including a
swimming pool, gym, sauna
and spa.

STAR CITY SAIGON HOTEL

$$$
144 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu
Nhuan, Tel: (08) 3999 8888
starcitysaigon.vn
The newly-built hotel is near
Tan Son Nhat International
Airport. With spectacular

Josephs Hotel
Foreign-run,boutique hotel
Next to the cathedral

PULLMAN SAIGON CENTRE

$$$$$
148 Tran Hung Dao, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3838 8686
pullmanhotels.com
Recently completed on the
site of the old Metropole,
this upscale, contemporary
property boasts 306 signature rooms combining
design, comfort and connectivity. Innovative cuisine,
a great downtown location
and high-tech meeting venues able to host up to 600
guests make up the mix.

EQUATORIAL

RIVERSIDE APARTMENTS

$$$$
141 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 2185
rexhotelvietnam.com
Brimming with history the
Rexs openair fifthfloor
bar is Saigon highlight. A recent renovation, of this now
five-star property, boasts
designer fashion and a shopping arcade.

Free wi-fi, international breakfast,


spacious and airy, lift, plasma TV,
multi-shower, friendly service
www.josephshotel.com
5, Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi | Phone: 04 3938 1048 | Mob: 0913 090 446

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 127

travel
city views and a comfortablydesigned outdoor swimming
pool, there is little reason not
to choose this shining star.

HCMC - MID-RANGE
ROYAL HOTEL SAIGON

$$
133 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 5914
kimdohotel.com

EMM HOTEL
157 Pasteur, Q3
A sleek, contemporary
three-star hotel that mixes
vintage appeal and modern
chic thanks to a subdued
palette of white and grey
around two pop colours:
azalea pink and green hot
pepper. Part of the Thien
Minh Group that includes
Victoria Hotels and Buffalo
Tours.

LAN LAN HOTEL 1 AND 2

$$$
46 and 73-75 Thu Khoa
Huan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
7926
lanlanhotel.com.vn

THAO DIEN VILLAGE

$$
195 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2,
Tel: (08) 3744 2222
thaodienvillage.com
A colonialstyle hotel and
spa offers fine Italian, Thai
and Japanese dining. Manicured gardens and a view
that overlook the bank of
the Saigon River, this is truly
someplace special.

THE ALCOVE LIBRARY HOTEL

$$$
133A Nguyen Dinh Chinh,
Phu Nhuan, Tel: 08 6256
9966
alcovehotel.com.vn

HCMC - BUDGET
DUC VUONG HOTEL
$
195 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3920 6992
ducvuonghotel.com
Free WiFi offered in every
room. Low prices, friendly
staff, clean rooms. This modern oasis is only a few steps
from the backpackers area.

DUNA HOTEL
$
167 Pham Ngu Lao Q1, Tel:
(08) 3837 3699
dunahotel.com

HONG HOA HOTEL

$
185/28 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3836 1915
honghoavn.com

SINH HUONG HOTEL

$
157 Nguyen Du Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 4648
sinhhuonghotel.com.vn

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HOI AN & DANANG


AN BANG BEACH RETREAT
An Bang Beach, Hoi An
www.anbangbeachretreat.
com

CUA DAI

$
544, Cua Dai, Hoi An, Tel:
(0510) 386 2231
hotelcuadai-hoian.com/

DANANG BEACH RESORT

$$$
Truong Sa, Hoa Hai, Ngu
Hanh Son, Danang, Tel:
(0511) 396 1800
danangbeachresort.com.vn

FURAMA RESORT AND SPA

$$$$
Vo Nguyen Giap, Khue My,
Ngu Hanh Son, Danang, Tel:
(0511) 384 7888
furamavietnam.com

HYATT REGENCY DANANG RESORT AND SPA

$$$$
Hoa Hai, Ngu Hanh Son, Da
Nang, Tel: (0511) 398 1234
danang.regency.hyatt.com
The Hyatt Regency Danang
Resort and Spa is beachfront
with a stunning view of the
Marble Mountains. There
are 182 luxurious residences and 27 private ocean villas, each with a private pool.

LE DOMAINE DE TAM HAI

$$$
Tam Hai Island, Thon 4, Nui
Thanh, Quang Nam, Tel:
(0510) 354 5105
domainedetamhai.com

LIFE RESORT HOI AN

$$$
1 Pham Hong Thai, Hoi An,
Tel: (0510) 391 4555
life-resorts.com

MERCURE DANANG

$$$
Lot A1 Zone Green Island,
Hoa Cuong Bac, Hai Chau,
Danang, Tel: (0511) 379
7777
mercure-danang.com

PULLMAN DANANG BEACH RESORT

$$$$
Vo Nguyen Giap, Khue My,
Ngu Hanh Son, Danang, Tel:
(0511) 395 8888
pullman-danang.com
Located on the white sands
of Bac My An beach close
to both Danang and Hoi An,
the welcoming and modern
Pullman Danang Beach Resort is an oasis of activities
and facilities for a dynamic
escape. Perfect for a family
holiday or a romantic beach
getaway.

THE NAM HAI

$$$$
Hamlet 1, Dien Duong Village,
Quang Nam, Tel: (0510) 394
0000
ghmhotels.com
Includes three massive

128 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

swimming pools, a gourmet restaurant and elegant


spa on a lotus pond. Each
massive room has its own
espresso machine, pre
programmed iPod and both
indoor and outdoor showers.

VICTORIA HOI AN BEACH RESORT


AND SPA
Cua Dai Beach, Tel: (0510)
392 7040
victoriahotels.asia

HUE & LANG CO


ANGSANA LANG CO

$$$$
Cu Du Village, Loc Vinh Commune, Phu Loc, Thua Thien
Hue, Tel: (054) 369 5800
angsana.com/en/lang_co
Located on Vietnams South
Central Coast, Angsana Lang
Co commands an unrivalled
beach frontage of the shimmering East Sea. Traditional
Vietnamese design encompasses the resorts contemporary buildings and chic
interiors.

BANYAN TREE LANG CO

$$$$
Cu Du Village, Loc Vinh Commune, Phu Loc, Thua Thien,
Hue, Tel: (054) 369 5888
banyantree.com/en/
lang_co
Built on a crescent bay, The
Banyan Tree offers privacy
and unparalleled exclusivity
with all-pool villas reflecting
the cultural and historical
legacy of past Vietnamese
dynastic periods.

LA RESIDENCE

$$$$
5 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: (054) 383
7475
laresidencehue.com

PHUONG HOANG HOTEL

$
66 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: (054) 382
6736
hoangphuonghotel.com

NHA TRANG
EVASON ANA MANDARA AND SIX
SENSES SPA
$$$$
Beachside Tran Phu, Nha
Trang, Khanh Hoa, Tel: (058)
352 2222
sixsenses.com/evasonresorts/ana-mandara/
destination
2.6 hectares of private
beachside gardens and
villastyle accommodation
furnished in traditional native woods, this resort offers verandah dining, a pool
bar and the signature Six
Senses Spa.

JUNGLE BEACH RESORT

$
Ninh Phuoc, Ninh Hoa, Khanh
Hoa, Tel: (058) 362 2384

junglebeachvietnam.com
On a secluded promontory north of Nha Trang, this
budget place is all about
hammocks, the sea, the jungle and nature.

MIA RESORT NHA TRANG

$$$$
Bai Dong, Cam Hai Dong,
Cam Lam, Khanh Hoa, Tel:
(058) 398 9666
mianhatrang.com

NOVOTEL NHA TRANG

$$$
50 Tran Phu, Nha Trang, Tel:
(058) 625 6900
novotel-nhatrang.com
This four-star hotel with
154 guestrooms, all with
a terrace and sea view.
Complete with a pool, spa,
restaurant, bar and meeting room that caters for up
to 200 delegates.

SIX SENSES HIDEAWAY NINH


VAN BAY
$$$$
Ninh Van Bay, Ninh Hoa,
Khanh Hoa, Tel: (058) 372
8222
sixsenses.com/resorts/
ninh-van-bay/destination
The upmarket Tatler magazine voted top hotel of 2006.
The location is stunning, on a
bay accessible only by boat.

SHERATON NHA TRANG HOTEL


AND SPA
$$$$
26 28 Tran Phu, Tel: (058)
388 0000
sheraton.com/nhatrang

SUNRISE BEACH HOTEL AND SPA

$$$
1214 Tran Phu, Nha Trang,
Tel: (058) 382 0999
sunrisenhatrang.com.vn

WHALE ISLAND RESORT

$$
Tel: (058) 384 0501
whaleislandresort.com

PHAN THIET & MUI NE


ALLEZ BOO BEACH RESORT AND
SPA

$$$$
8 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui
Ne, Phan Thiet, Tel: (062)
374 3777
allezboo.com
This resort offers exotic
Balistyle, thatched roof
honeymoon villas, 55 spacious suites, deluxe rooms,
fresh seafood, Vietnamese
cuisine, Thai and international cuisine, kite surfing
and parasailing.

BLUE OCEAN RESORT

$$$$
54 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui
Ne, Phan Thiet, Tel: (062)
384 7322
blueoceanresort.com.vn
life-resorts.com

COCO BEACH

$$$$
58 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui
Ne, Phan Thiet, Tel: (062)
384 7111
cocobeach.net
With charming wooden
bungalows, a private beach,
a swimming pool (both with
attached bars) and a French
restaurant, Coco Beach continues to be run by those who
opened it in 1995.

MIA RESORT MUI NE

$$$
24 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui
Ne, Tel: (062) 384 7440
miamuine.com

PRINCESS DANNAM RESORT


AND SPA
$$$$
Khu Hon Lan, Xa Tan Thanh,
Ham Thuan Nam, Binh Thuan, Tel: (062) 368 2222
princessannam.com

VICTORIA PHAN THIET RESORT


AND SPA

$$$$
Mui Ne Beach, Phan Thiet,
Tel: (062) 381 3000
victoriahotels.asia
Another beachfront Victoria
chain, the thatchedroof
bungalows and family villas
are set in exotic gardens
with an infinity swimming
pool, a seafood restaurant, spa, beauty salon and
jacuzzi.

PHONG NHA
EASY TIGER AND JUNGLE BAR

$
Son Trach, Bo Trach, Quang
Binh, Tel: (052) 367 7844
easytigerphongnha@gmail.
com
A hostel and street-front bar
all in one. Has a pleasant,
airy atmosphere in the bar
and restaurant area while
the 52 dorm beds four
beds to a room go for
US$8 (VND168,000) each a
night.

HO KHANH'S HOMESTAY

$$
Son Trach, Bo Trach, Quang
Binh, Tel: 01299 597182
phong-nha-homestay.com

PEPPER HOUSE

$
Tel: 01678 731560
pepperhouse-homestay.com

PHONG NHA FARMSTAY

$$
Hoa Son, Cu Nam, Bo Trach,
Quang Binh, Tel: (052) 367
5135
phong-nha-cave.com
The first western-run farmstay in Phong Nha, this wellappointed travellers joint
has a great bar and restaurant area, a swimming pool
out back and views overlooking paddy fields and
mountains. Rooms start at
VND600,000 for a twin or

double, with a family room


for five costing VND1.4 million a night.

PHONG NHA LAKE RESORT

$$
Khuong Ha, Hung Trach, Bo
Trach, Quang Binh, Tel: (052)
367 5999
phongnhalakehouse.com

SAIGON - PHONG NHA

$$$
Son Trach, Bo Trach, Quang
Binh, Tel: (052) 367 7016
sgphongnhahotel@yahoo.
com.vn

PHU QUOC
BEACH CLUB RESORT

$$
Ap Cua Lap, Xa Duong To,
Long Beach, Phu Quoc Island, Tel: (077) 398 0998
beachclubvietnam.com
A quaint and popular island
guesthouse featuring a
beachside restaurant, and
includes free Wi-Fi. Motorbike rental, boat trips and
tours are easily arranged.
Discount rates during rainy
season.

CHEN SEA RESORT AND SPA

$$$$
Bai Xep, Ong Lang, Cua
Duong, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang,
Tel: (077) 399 5895
centarahotelsresorts.com

MANGO BAY

$$
Ong Lang Beach, Phu Quoc,
Tel: 0903 382207
mangobayphuquoc.com
An ecofriendly approach
with a gorgeous beachside
location, the bungalows are
made of rammed earth, no
TVs or telephones (although
Wi-Fi is available). Excellent
sunsets from the beach bar.

SAPA
CAT CAT VIEW HOTEL

$$
Cat Cat Road, Tel: 0203
871946
catcathotel.com
The best view in town from its
bar restaurant, the Cat Cat
Guesthouse is paradise at
very reasonable rates. The
rooms have big windows,
balconies, and log fireplaces.

TOPAS ECOLODGE

$$$
Thanh Kim, Sapa, Lao Cai
Tel: (04) 3715 1005 (Sales)
topasecolodge.com
With its panoramic views of
the surrounding mountains
and valley, Topas Ecolodge
is the perfect place to experience the remoteness and
quiet of the Northern Vietnamese mountains the
landscape, the fresh air and
the ethnic peoples. Guests
stay in private bungalows

travel
with dinner served in a local
stilt house restaurant.

cling and motorbike tours.

REX HOTEL
TOPAS ECOLODGE

$$
24 Muong Hoa, Sapa, Tel:
0203 872404
topasecolodge.com
For the environmentally
conscientious, 25 individual
lodges rest on hills overlooking valleys. Employing solar
technology and a wastewater facility, the Topas also
organises treks and bicycle
tours.

VICTORIA SAPA

$$$
Tel: 0203 871522
victoriahotels.asia

VUNG TAU & HO TRAM


BINH AN VILLAGE

$$$$
1 Tran Phu, Vung Tau, Tel:
(064) 335 1553
binhanvillage.com

CON DAO RESORT

$$
Nguyen Duc Thuan, Con
Dao, Vung Tau, Tel: (064)
383 0939
condaoresort.vn

HO TRAM BEACH RESORT AND


SPA
$$$$
Tel: (064) 378 1525
hotramresort.com
This attractive property is
the ideal getaway from Ho
Chi Minh City. 63 uniquely
bungalows and villas promise a local experience complete with an excellent spa
and two swimming pools.

HO TRAM SANCTUARY

$$$$
Ho Tram, Ba Ria-Vung Tau,
Tel: (064) 378 1631
sanctuary.com.vn
The spacious villas come
with their own pool and have
direct access to the beach.
Extras include tennis courts,
a mini supermarket, and cy-

$$
1 Le Quy Don, Vung Tau, Tel:
(064) 385 2135
rexhotelvungtau.com

SIX SENSES CON DAO

$$$$
Dat Doc Beach, Ba Ria-Vung
Tau, Tel: (064) 383 1222
sixsenses.com/SixSensesConDao

THE GRAND-HO TRAM STRIP


Phuoc Thuan Commune,
Xuyen Moc, Ba Ria-Vung
Tau, Tel: (064) 378 8888
thegrandhotramstrip.com
The Grand - Ho Tram Strip
is Vietnams first large
scale integrated resort and
ultimately will include a
1,100-room five-star hotel,
a world-class casino, restaurants, high-tech meeting
space, an exclusive VIP area,
as well as a variety of beachfront recreation activities.
The first 541-room tower
of this development opened
in July 2013 with its casino
including 90 live tables and
614 electronic game positions. The second 559-room
tower is on track to open in
2015.

TRAVEL SERVICES HANOI

corporate travel plans while


offering a selected range of
small group tours.

EXOTISSIMO
66A Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi,
Tel: (04) 3828 2150
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.

HANDSPAN TRAVEL
78 Ma May, Hanoi, Tel: (04)
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-thebeaten-track sustainable
and responsible tourism
initiatives. Also provides to
excursions to more wellworn destinations.

BUFFALO TOURS AGENCY (BTA)


94 Ma May, Hoan Kiem Dist.,
Ha Noi, Tel: (04) 3828 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 timeconsuming procedures and
ensure that all journeys are
enjoyable and successful.
BTA customizes leisure and

Indochina Land is a French


local travel 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.

INTREPID TRAVEL VIETNAM


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 Vietnams
people, cuisine, history and
culture.

SYRENA CRUISES
51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3719 7214

www.syrenacruises.com
If youre thirsty for a Halong Bay experience while
enjoying luxury comfort,
Syrena Cruises could be the
quencher youre 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.

TRAVEL SERVICES ELSEWHERE


BEENINASIA.COM
www.beeninasia.com
info@beeninasia.com
Online travel in Southeast
Asia. Offers you selection of
best hotels and great tours.
Create your own trip or we
can tailor make your itinerary.

BUFFALO TOURS AGENCY


70-72 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem,
Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3828 0702;
157 Pasteur, Q3, Ho Chi
Minh City, Tel: (08) 3827
9170
www.buffalotours.com
This premium travel agency
helps travelers select their
destinations and organize
their trips. From corporate

travel to small group tours,


explore the world or Vietnam.

EXOTISSIMO
41, Thao Dien, Q2. Tel (08)
3519 4111, Ext. 15/17/19
exotissimo.com
A reliable and experienced
travel company operating
through Southeast Asia,
Exotissimo brings you personalized tours across the
region, many including insights into culinary customs,
handicrafts and humanitarian initiatives.

CHUDU24 HOTEL BOOKING


SERVICE
12th floor, 242 Cong Quynh,
District 1, HCMC
Call center: 1900 5454 40
www.en.chudu24.com
info.en@chudu24.com
Chudu24.com - the locally
famous Vietnam hotel booking website now has an English version. The company is
known for having the best
prices and reliable service.
If you are looking for great
local deals and insightful advice then visit Chudu24.com.
It has been the #1 Vietnam
hotel booking service for Vietnamese people since 2008.

HG TRAVEL
47 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 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).

www.cocobeach.net

paradise@cocobeach.net

INDOCHINA LAND
61 Cua Bac, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3715 2852
www.indochina-land.com

Coco Beach Resort

58 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, W. Ham Tien


Phan Thiet, Vietnam
+84-(0)62-3847111 / 2 / 3

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 129

travel

TRAVEL PROMOS

FLIGHT TRAVEL COMPANY


121 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3824 7744
flightravelco.com
Flight travel services, including global travel management, domestic and international air booking and travel
insurance, to corporate
companies, family and individual travelers.

PROMOTIONS OF THE MONTH

FLY VIETNAM
flyvietnam.com

INTREPID TRAVEL VIETNAM


149/42 Le Thi Rieng, Q1, Tel:
0904 193308
intrepidtravel.com/vietnamsales

MANTA SAIL TRAINING CENTRE


108 Huynh Thuc Khang, Mui
Ne, Tel: 0908 400108
mantasailing.org

TERRAVERDE
12/20 Nguyen Canh Di,
Ward 4, Tan Binh District,
Tel: (08) 3984 4754
terraverdetravel.com
If you like cycling through
the Mekong Delta, trekking
in the highlands, or lazing in
a junk on Ha Long Bay all
while making a difference in
peoples lives then this
company will suit you well.

A slice of luxury at InterContinental Nha Trang

TU TRAVEL
60 Hai Ba Trung, Can Tho
City, Tel: 0713 752436
tutrangtravel-mekongfeeling.vn

VIETNAM VESPA ADVENTURE


169A De Tham, Q1, Tel:
01222 993585
vietnamvespaadventure.
com
Vespa Adventure offers
multiday tours of southern
and coastal Vietnam on the
back of a luxury motorbike
powered by clean, renewable biodiesel. Englishspeaking tour guides lead
the way.

Do you think you should be


listed on these pages? If so,
simply email us on
listings@wordvietnam.com
and well see what we can
do. We cant promise but
well try our best

Golf Seaside
@ InterContinental Nha Trang
nhatrang.intercontinental.com
Golf couples: get your clubs
out. The InterCon Nha Trang is
partnering with Vinpearl Golf Club
Nha Trang to get you swinging,
with a cushy deluxe room for
you to enjoy afterwards based on
double occupancy. The Golf Package
starts at VND3.7 million++ per
person, with a minimum stay of
two nights.

Womens Day
@ Novotel Nha Trang
novotel-nhatrang.com
As the Novotel Nha Trang knows,
ladies love seafood. So what better
gift to give the women in your

130 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

life than The Square Restaurants


Womens Day promo: 50 percent
off an already reasonable
VND525,000++ seafood buffet?
Answer: nothing in the world.

Pullman Goes Vietnamese!


pullman-danang.com
Restaurant Epice knows youve
had enough of the western buffets
for heavens sake, youre in
the breadbasket of Southeast
Asia! So every Wednesday and
Saturday, theyre breaking out
the Vietnamese BBQ Buffet a
lavish spread of fresh seafood,
pork, beef and chicken, grilled to
perfection over lump charcoal.
VND525,000 net gets you the
buffet and a glass of wine, beer or

soft drink. Call (051) 1395 8888 to


reserve your table.

Van Chai
vanchai-vn.com
Thanh Hoa, that province just
north of Vinh and south of Ninh
Binh, is home to one top-end resort
Van Chai. And from Oct. 1 to
Dec. 31 this oasis in the middle of
all that chaos is offering deals to
keep you calm. With rooms going
for only VND1.4 nett per night,
guests can also take advantage
of the 10 percent discount at the
propertys restaurant and 20
percent off all treatments at Co
Nature Spa.
Email sales@vanchai-vn.com for
details

Hanoi

RECALLING HANOI // COFFEE CUP // FOOD PROMOS // THE ALCHEMIST // THE THERAPIST //
MEDICAL BUFF // BOOK BUFF
PHOTO BY JULIE VOLA
wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 131

hanoi

old quarter

BARS & CLUBS / CAFES / CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES / CRAFTS & FURNITURE / EAT / FITNESS & YOGA /
GROCERIES & LIQUOR / HAIRDRESSERS & SALONS

BARS & CLUBS


CHEEKY QUARTER

LATE NIGHT LOCAL


1 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
01679 647254
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.

DRAGONFLY

DANCEHALL LOUNGE
15 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 4926 2177
11am to 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 dont 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.

FATCAT BAR

DJ / LATE NIGHT JOINT


25 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
0986 495211
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.

FUNKY BUDDHA

ELECTRO LOUNGE
2 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3292 7614
8pm to late

HAIR OF THE DOG

LATE NIGHT LOCAL / LOUNGE


32 Ma May, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
0947 893232
10am to late

HALF MAN HALF NOODLE

LATE DIVE BAR


62 Dao Duy Tu, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3926 1943
3pm to late

IRISH WOLFHOUND

IRISH PUB
4 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 2212 6821
irishwolfhoundpub.com
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.

LA BOMBA LATINA

LATIN BAR
46 Ngo Huyen, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: 0917 245155

LE PUB

BRITISH / INTERNATIONAL
RESTOBAR
25 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3926 2104
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. The venue also gets
involved in the local community through regular events.

MAOS RED LOUNGE

LATE-NIGHT GRUNGE BAR


7 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3926 3104

MOJITO BAR

CONTEMPORARY COCKTAIL BAR


19 Nguyen Quang Bich, Hoan
Kiem
facebook.com/mojito.bar.
lounge
Decked out in wooden pan-

132 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

elling and bare brick, this


tastefully designed watering
whole in the Old Quarter is
known for its prize-winning
bartender and excellent
cocktails

verted, colonial-era villa, the


concept of the third Joma is
the same as at its two other
cafes - fair-trade coffee, payas-you-order at the counter,
and a great selection of
sandwiches, bagels, salads,
cakes, ice-cream and tea.

smoking downstairs space


is filled with people working
and socialising. Serves as
community centre, catering
both to ravenous backpackers whove just arrived off
the night train from Sapa and
locals looking to meet up.

JOMA BAKERY CAFE

THE CART

POLITE PUB

LONG BAR
5 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3825 0959
5pm to 2am
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 Englishstyle 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.

ROCKSTORE
LIVE MUSIC BAR
61 Ma May, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
01653 336087
Hanoi's home-made, homegrown version of Hard Rock
Cafe without the stigma and
the expensive prices. Nightly
live music or DJing events
are coupled with creative
decor, a selection of Belgian
Beer and a food menu.

SPY BAR

HOLE IN THE WALL / IRISH


12A Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: 0932 373802

TEMPLE BAR

NIGHTCLUB / LATE-NIGHT BAR


8 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 6675 7908

TET BAR

LATE-NIGHT BAR
2a Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3926 3050

THE SPOT

LOUNGE BAR / TERRACE


47 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3935 1874
8am to midnight

CAFES
CAFE PHO CO

COFFEE SHOP WITH A VIEW


Back of 11 Hang Gai, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3928 8153

JOMA

INTERNATIONAL CAFE
28 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem
joma.biz
Housed in a two-storey con-

COFFEE/BAKERY
222 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3747 3388
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 2009. Joma contributes
2 percent of each sale to
charitable organisations.

KINH DO

PATISSERIE / SIMPLE CAFE


252 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3825 0216
7am to 8pm

MOCA CAFE

CAFE / INTERNATIONAL
14-16 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem.
(04) 3825 6334
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 dont let this put
you off. The faded but charmingly run down Frenchstyled retro interior, good
WiFi and some of the best
coffee in town makes this
a great spot to while away
a couple of hours. The food
menu mixes Vietnamese fare
with sandwiches, western
and pan-Asian mains.

PUKU

INTERNATIONAL / CAFE
16-18 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 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-

SANDWICH SHOP / CAF


10 Tho Xuong, Tel: (04) 3938
2513
thecartfood.com
7.30am to 5pm
Small a cozy caf hidden
on the quietest of Hanoian
streets. 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 HANOI SOCIAL CLUB

CAF / CONTEMPORARY EATERY


6 Hoi Vu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04)
3938 2117
8am to 11pm
Situated on one of the quieter Old Quarter streets
just off Hang Bong, The
Hanoi Social Club is a cozy
midsize caf/restaurant
where you can forget the
heat and bustle of Hanoi.
The atmosphere is relaxed
and you can imagine, for a
second, that youre sitting in
a European caf. The food
is fresh and internationally
inspired, and the design is
complimented by the work
of Tadiotos Nguyen Qui Duc.
To top it off, the coffee here is
said to be up there with the
best in the country.

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES


BOO SKATESHOP

SKATESHOP
84 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3923 1147
Booskateshop.com

CONTRABAND

CONTEMPORARY WESTERNSTYLE
23 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3928 9891
Launched in Hanoi in 2007,
Contraband targets young
hip working women. Garments are made from versatile fabrics that are comfortable to wear and easy to look
after making them ideal for
work and travel. New styles
are introduced each month

with limited production runs,


offering a sense of exclusivity.

LATELIER

WOMENS WEAR & ACCESSORIES


21 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3938 2419
ateliervietnam.com
The downtown store of this
well-known chic boutique.
Stocks womens wear,
leather bags, shoes and
handicrafts. Offers both
ready-to-wear and madeto-fit clothing.

METISEKO

ECO-CHIC / LIFESTYLE
71 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem.
metiseko.com
A lifestyle brand that started
out life in Hoi An, Metisekos
move to the capital has seen
them bring us their creative, poetic prints designed
for an eco-chic lifestyle. The
products clothing, accessories and furniture are
made from natural silk and
organic cotton certified to
global organic standards.
Metiseko is also certified
by the fair-trade, Textile Exchange.

THINGS OF SUBSTANCE

AUSTRALIAN-STYLE UNISEX
5 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3828 6965
This shops motto Western
sizes, Vietnamese prices,
says it all. While mostly retailing womens 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
mens shirts.

THREE TREES

JEWELLERY
15 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3928 8725

CRAFTS & FURNITURE


MEKONG QUILTS

HANDMADE / CHARITABLE
QUILTS
58 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3824 4607; 13 Hang
Bac, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04)
3926 4831
Mekong-quilts.org
Community development
non-profit quilt shop featuring handmade quilts and accessories. Styles vary from
traditional to patterned and

hanoi
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.

METISEKO

ECO-CHIC
71 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3935 2645
metiseko.com
A lifestyle brand that started
out life in Hoi An, Metisekos
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.

EAT
AL FRESCOS

AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL
24 Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3938 1155
alfrescogroup.com
8.30am to 11pm

CAFE DE PARIS

FRENCH BISTRO
12 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3926 1327
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 Parisian-styled 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.

FOODSHOP 45

INTERNATIONAL INDIAN
32 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3993 1399
10am to 10.30pm
A slither of a joint serving
up the same fare that the
lakeside Foodshop 45 location in Truc Bach has become famous for. 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.

GREEN MANGO

WESTERN / VIETNAMESE
18 Hang Quat, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3928 9916
greenmango.vn
7.30am to 11.30pm

GREEN TANGERINE

FRENCH / VIETNAMESE FUSION


48 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3825 1286
greentangerinehanoi.com
10am to 11pm daily
A leafy, cobblestone courtyard with dark green castiron backed chairs greets
you as you walk into this
French era-built villa that
houses the main section of
this Indochina-styled restaurant. Serving up an enticing
mix of classic and contemporary French cuisine,
blended in with Vietnamese
ingredients and cooking
styles, the resultant fare
has had customers coming
back again and again. A traditional Vietnamese and kids
menu is also available, as is a
wine list focusing mainly on
French wines.

HIGHWAY 4

VIETNAMESE / ETHNIC
5 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3926 4200; 25 Bat Su,
Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3926
0639
10am to midnight

LITTLE INDIA

INDIAN / MALAY / CHINESE


32 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3926 1859
littleindianhn@gmail.com

LA RESTAURANT

VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL
25 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 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 arent
quite sure why the Miele
Guide nominated it as one of
Asias 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.

LA SALSA

IBERIAN / MEDITERANEAN
25 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3828 9052
8am to 11pm
A small but eternally popular Spanish-themed caf
and bar with an extensive
list of reliable cuisine. Tapas
are available, as well as full
courses such as veal, and
duck with currant sauce.
Known for its good, European-style coffee and first-

floor terrace area with views


over the cathedral. Has a
second garden restaurant
on Xuan Dieu.

LITTLE HANOI

VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL
21-23 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3828 8333
7.30am to 11pm

MEDITERRANEO

PAN-ITALIAN
23 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3826 6288
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 Hanois trendy
caf scene and youre onto
a winner.

MILLENIUM

PAN-FRENCH
11B Ngo Bao Khanh, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3828 7207
10.30am to 2.30pm, 6pm to
10pm
Clean and fresh with a finedining vibe, the Millennium
restaurant is the minimal
and chic result of a Caf Des
Arts makeover. The streets
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.

NAMASTE HANOI

PAN-INDIAN
46 Tho Nhuom, Hanoi, Tel:
(04) 3935 2400
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.

OLD HANOI

GOURMET VIETNAMESE
4 Ton That Thiep, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3747 8337
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 its the twist on old
world favourites, think fried
snail spring rolls and min-

iature vegetarian banh xeo,


in a casually elegant setting
that make this spot near
the train tracks standout.
Be sure to try the roll-yourown cha ca spring rolls and
check the schedule for live
traditional music.

etarian 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.

THE LOFT STOP CAF


PROVECHO

TEX-MEX / BURGERS / INTERNATIONAL


18 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
0912 223966
The successor of My Burger
My, this American-run, selfstyled 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.

SOUTHGATE

CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL
28 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3938 1979
southgatehanoi.com

THE KAFE

CONTEMPORARY CAFE / CUISINE


18 Dien Bien Phu, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3747 6245
thekafe.vn
Spacious, casual, energetic
and beautifully designed, The
KAfe serves up unfussy comfort food that aims to satisfy
the modern urban diner.
Preparing fresh food and
drinks that show respect to
natural ingredients and flavours from around the globe,
this caf-cum-restaurant is
a popular choice for Hanois
metrosexual community.

THE MOOSE AND ROO

CANADIAN / AUSTRALIAN RESTAURANT


42B Ma May, Hoan Kiem,
Tel:(04) 3200 1289
Contemporary Australian
and Canadian comfort food
in a pleasant setting together with a nice bar area.
Best known for their Scotch
egg, poutine and burgers.
Clever changing imagery on
the walls.

TAMARIND

CONTEMPORARY VEGETARIAN
80 Ma May, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3926 0580
5.30am to 10.30pm
Perhaps the only restaurant
in Hanoi to cater to vegetarians that doesnt focus on
faux meat. Features a wide
range of juices and shakes
in a crunchy granola backpacker atmosphere. Has
Asian favourites like veg-

FRENCH BRASSERIE/ VIETNAMESE SPECIALITIES


11B Ngo Bao Khanh, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3828 7207
8am to 11pm

SPICE

CONTEMPORARY INDIAN RESTAURANT


80 Ma May, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3926 0580

TANDOOR

PAN-INDIAN
24 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3824 5359
11am to 10.30pm
A long-popular, Indianfood 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.

ZENITH YOGA STUDIO II & CAF

16 Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem,


Tel: (04) 3923 0253

FITNESS & YOGA


STUDIO FIVE

YOGA & WELLNESS


5th Fl, 135 Bui Thi Xuan,
Hai Ba Trung. Tel: (04)
6263.1515
http://studio5.vn
facebook.com/yogastudio5
6am to 8pm
An international and professional Yoga Studio providing
more than 20 different yoga
styles such as: Hatha Yoga,
Yoga Therapy, Ball Yoga,
Props Yoga, Hot Yoga (with
infrared heater), Power Yoga
and much more, with a flexible schedule of 10 classes
per day. Bring harmony
back into your life Studio
Five is the perfect place to
reconnect your mind with
your body.

ZENITH YOGA

YOGA & MEDITATION


247 Au Co, Tay Ho; 16 Duong
Thanh, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04)
3923 0253
An international Yoga studio
providing classes across a
variety of levels and styles,
including prenatal and postnatal classes, restorative
yoga, pilates and tai chi. Also
have a yogic shop offering incense, yoga and pilates mats,
books, clothes, soaps, Himalayan products and other essential yoga equipment.

GROCERIES & LIQUOR


BACCHUS CORNER

WINE RETAILER
1C Tong Dan, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 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.

THE WAREHOUSE

WINE RETAILER
59 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3928 7666
warehouse-asia.com
The Warehouse is Vietnams
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.

HAIRDRESSERS & SALONS


DINH HAIR SALON

HAIR SALON
2A Cua Bac, Ba Dinh, Tel:
0987 718899

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 Hong Hoa Tham,
Ba Dinh
71 Nguyen Chi Thanh,
Dong Da
51 Xun 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

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 133

RECALLING HANOI
PART SIX

andscape is entangled with history


and peoples lives. No matter
how young we are or what social
position we have, we all have
stories to tell.
The book I am working on, Recalling
Hanoi, is my vision of Hanoi, a tapestry
weaved out of portraits, peoples stories

and the urban landscape that hosts them.


I ask people living in the city to tell
me about a place in Hanoi that holds
memories. It can be about anything a
personal story intertwined with history; a
great event; everyday little stories that our
lives are made of. These stories, along with
the photographs of the storyteller and the

location provide depth.


Through this collection I am attempting
to create an intimate, multi-layered portrait
of this city through its collective memory.
The hope is that the audience will connect
to other peoples lives and also to their own
memories in an attempt to understand this
beautiful city.

doing that, so she just stood there silently


looking out across the lake. After almost
two hours of waiting, she called him for
what seemed like the hundredth time,
then ran off angrily. We were completely
perplexed by these events.
The following day, a young couple
turned up and the boy explained the
previous days events. He had recognised
his mum from a distance and had rowed
the boat in the other direction. He had
asked someone on another boat to give
him a hand by returning his boat so that

he and his girlfriend could escape on the


other side of the lake. After having taken
his girlfriend back, he had gone home
and had finally answered the call from his
mother.
Today is a school day so my mum
wont come to check, he said, laughing,
and off they went again on the boat.
Watching them, we didnt really know
what to do all we can do is to protect
people from danger here on the lake and
to be honest, sometimes love is crazy and
beautifully guilty like that.

Ms Thu
Sons and lovers
Location: Truc Bach Lake
It was a summers evening. I was selling
tickets and we had so many young
customers that night. Suddenly a lady
appeared who seemed to be looking for
something. After a while she came to ask
me if her son was boating on the lake. I
had no idea, so she explained that she was
unhappy with him meeting his girlfriend
in places like this when they were only
high school students. His motorbike was
in the car park nearby, so she wanted to
rent a boat to find him on the lake. I could
not let her disturb the other customers by

hanoi

BY JULIE VOLA

Son Lam
Living a Dream
Location: The stadium at the University of Foreign Languages
It might be my bad luck to have been born
disabled, but I have never felt sorry for
myself. Instead, I had a marvellous dream.
I loved football and football players from
England the land of fog, or so I was
told. My own difficulty prevented me from
running after the ball with all my body and
soul like those great players, so I decided
that I could run with them from backstage
instead as a football commentator.
My dream meant I was interested in
studying foreign languages, starting with
English and then later Japanese. In the

afternoon, I used to walk with my crutches


to the stadium in the University of Foreign
Languages, to watch my friends playing
and screaming their hearts out on the
pitch. I desperately wanted to play with
them, too but I could not, so I used my
crutch to kick the ball instead just to
make myself feel less idle. A few players
saw me and came to talk to me. We soon
became friends. After that we played
football together every afternoon in the
campus of our university, passing the ball
between foot and crutch.

Its been six years since I left the


university that I loved. Yet my dream
has not come true. I am now working
at a football newspaper office and more
importantly, I am a motivational speaker.
In all my seminars, I never forget to
mention my friends and the very first place
that nurtured my dreams: The University
of Foreign Languages.
This is the sixth excerpt from Julie Volas
work, Recalling Hanoi. The work is presently
being serialised in Word. For more information
email juls.vola@gmail.com

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 135

hanoi

COFFEE CUP
CAF NHA SAN

n Hanoi, when a place is good, word


spreads fast. For a couple of weeks,
Id been hearing from Vietnamese
friends about a new art space-turnedcaf that had opened in the outlying
ward of Vinh Phuc. The caf, supposedly
one of Hanois best kept secrets, was
notoriously difficult to find.
Of course, the prospect of an adventure
only made it sound more appealing.
As you pull off the main street of Duong
Buoi into Alley 462, youll quickly find
yourself weaving through the kind of
charming alleyways that Hanoi is famous
for. The neighbourhood itself is also worth
a browse, offering visitors a glimpse of
the old Hanoi, littered with old yellow
apartment blocks and lively public squares.
The caf is housed in a traditional
Muong ethnic minority house on stilts,
transported from the mountains of
Hoa Binh Province to the capital in
1993. Artists Nguyen Manh Duc and
Tran Luong founded it as the Nha San
Collectives studio in 1998, creating
Vietnams first experimental art space,

136 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Photos by Julie Vola

which has given birth to the avant-garde


careers of artists like Nguyen Minh Thanh
and Truong Tan.
While the art space itself was shut
down in 2010, the house has now been
turned into a caf and plays host to events
from the underground art scene.

Access to Inspiration
As you walk through coloured drapes
into the cafs calming open-air layout,
youll feel like youve stepped back
in time. The furniture itself is from
Vietnams Subsidy Era, while everything
from empty mortar shells, transistor
radios, water canisters and antique
medals line the shelves in an ode to the
countrys wartime history.
The menus have been enscribed
onto worn Russian volumes of books,
in between pages of Cyrillic code. In
some parts of the cafe, tables have been
replaced with old green war chests that
were used to transport weapons during
the war. A restored Honda 67 and a
rusty Thong Nhat bicycle also make

for interesting showpieces on the cafs


ground floor.
Drink prices start at VND20,000 and
include the typical selection of smoothies,
coffee, juices and local brews. We
recommend trying the Vietnamese iced
coffee with coconut milk (VND25,000)
and the mango smoothie (VND45,000).
For an extra VND15,000 visitors can also
share a plate of sunflower seeds or some
curiously-named field rations.
Lounge seating on the upper levels
allows visitors to while away the hours
as they listen to Vietnamese covers of
classics like Ave Maria. Creative types
may find this a useful place to find
inspiration among the thousands of
historical artefacts.
This place hasnt been set up to make
millions and in some part that shows.
But we expect its rustic authenticity and
charming interiors will score a place in
the hearts of many. David Mann
Caf Nha San is at Alley 462, Duong
Buoi, Ba Dinh, Hanoi. For more info, go to
cafenhasan.com

hanoi
HANOI INTERNATIONAL THEATRE
SOCIETY (HITS)

hoan kiem

THEATRE GROUP
hitshanoi.com

LESPACE

BARS & NIGHTCLUBS / CAFES / CINEMAS / CLUBS & SOCIETIES / EAT

PARIS DELI

B i

Triu

Hng

Hu

Phan

Chu
Trin
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Q u
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inh Ti
n H o n g

Hng

Phng

H n g G

Hng iu

Hng
Phng

Qun
Nguy
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Trn
Hn
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L Vn H u

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Hn T

uyn

MODEL CLUB

CATWALK BAR
45 Hang Bai, Hai Ba Trung
8pm to late

PHUC TAN

LATE-NIGHT GRUNGE BAR


51, To 4A Phuc Tan, Hoan
Kiem

RELAX BAR

HOSTESS / LIVE MUSIC BAR


26 Tran Hung Dao, Hoan
Kiem

ROOFTOP

SKYLINE LOUNGE
19th Floor, Pacific Place, 83B
Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3946 1901
8am to midnight

TADIOTO LOUNGE BAR AND CAFE

ARTS BAR / EVENT SPACE


24B Tong Dan, Hoan Kiem
tadioto.com
Located close to the Opera
House, this alternative, arty
bar is garnished in red and
white on the outside, with
warm brown and tones of
blue on the inside. Creating an atmosphere merging
Shanghai and San Francisco,
engaging contemporary artwork lines the walls at the
latest incarnation of this wellknown and well-loved space.

ZONE 17

CAF / BOULANGERIE
6 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3934 5269
7.30am to 11pm
Time has been good to this
airy, bistro-style caf 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 cafcum-restaurant menu. Has a
second establishment at 13
Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem.

Tin

nh D
Kh
Trn

FRENCH-STYLE CONTEMPORARY
Hotel de lOpera, 29 Trang
Tien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04)
6282 5555
Hoteldelopera.com
7am to 2am
La Fe Verte (or the Green
Fairy) is a metaphor for the
decadence of another age,
an allusion to the hallucinatory effects of absinthe. The
signature bar of the Hotel
de lOpra Hanoi where, just
as in Paris at the dawn of the
20th century, the making of an
evening drink a lavish event
of ritual and celebration. Understated lighting, a lounge
atmosphere, great music and
ultra-contemporary interior
design combine to bring a
genuine sense of occasion to
after-dark in the capital.

CONTEMPORARY DECOR BAR


23 Ngo Van So, Hoan Kiem
facebook.com/bar84hanoi
Housed in a colonial building, bare brick, comfortable
sofa-like seating and grungy
decor related to a past make
up the mix at this venue put
together by the people behind Barbetta.

+84 BAR

g
Hn

WILD WEST THEME BAR


98B Tran Hung Dao, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3942 6822

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L T

Trn
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Kh

Thi

a ng
Qu

17 COWBOYS

n
Tr

BARS & NIGHTCLUBS

L Thi T

Ngu
yn
Du

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t
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Nguyn
Tri Ph
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D
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L Thi T

Trn
g

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Ch
Cu

Nh

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H

Ph

Thi

Cu G

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Trn
Hn
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L Dun

Tel: (04) 3825 0216


7am to 8pm

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Bi

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Tr

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LA FE VERTE

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Lon
Cu

Ph

Hong Di
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HOAN KIEM
DISTRICT

BAMBOO BAR
17D Hong Ha, Hoan Kiem
The first bar in what will
eventually (hopefully) be a

zone dedicated to bars and


restaurants. A pool table, a
square bar in the middle of
the room and a barbecue until the early hours theres
quite an atmosphere in this
pleasant watering hole.

CAFES
CIAO CAF

RESTO LOUNGE
2 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3934 1494
7am to 11pm
A stones throw from the
shores of Hoan Kiem Lake,
this Saigonese franchise
tries its hand with a variety
of different western dishes
at reasonable prices, especially considering the location. Loaded with booths and
a steady, young Vietnamese
crowd, the establishment is
a great place to squash a
sandwich or bowl of pasta
and people watch. Oh, and
they also do coffee, too.

HIGHLANDS COFFEE

CONTEMPORARY / COFFEE
CHAIN
5 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3936 3228;
Opera House, 1 Trang Tien,
Hoan Kiem; Hanoi Towers,
49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem
highlandscoffee.com.vn
7am to 11pm

KINH DO

PATISSERIE / SIMPLE CAFE


252 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem,

THE HANOI SOCIAL CLUB

CAF / CONTEMPORARY EATERY


6 Hoi Vu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04)
3938 2117
8am to 11pm
Situated on one of the quieter Old Quarter streets
just off Hang Bong, The
Hanoi Social Club is a cozy
midsize caf/restaurant
where you can forget the
heat and bustle of Hanoi.
The atmosphere is relaxed
and you can imagine, for a
second, that youre sitting in
a European caf. The food
is fresh and internationally
inspired, and the design is
complimented by the work
of Tadiotos Nguyen Qui Duc.
To top it off, the coffee here is
said to be up there with the
best in the country.

TWITTER BEANS COFFEE


45B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3824 0760
twitterbeanscoffee.com

CINEMAS
CINEMATHEQUE

ARTS CINEMA
22A Hai Ba Trung, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3936 2648
Not a movie theatre per se,
but a private film club that
charges a membership fee in
return for entrance to a wide
selection of movies, new and
old. The management has
an eclectic taste and shows
films from all over the world.

CLUBS & SOCIETIES


AMERICAN CLUB

EVENT SPACE
21 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3824 1850

FRENCH CULTURAL CENTRE


24 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3936 2164
vphanoi-lespace.com

EAT
AL FRESCOS

AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL
23L Hai Ba Trung, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3826 7782
alfrescogroup.com
8.30am to 11pm

ANGELINA

CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN
Sofitel Metopole Legend Hotel, 56 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3826 6919
11.30am to 2.30pm and
6.30am to late (restaurant)
11am to 2am (bar)

AU LAC DO BRAZIL

BRAZILIAN
6A Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3845 5224
aulacdobrazil.com
11am to 2pm, 5pm to midnight
A nicely themed Brazilian
churrascaria 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 rodzio
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 arent for anyone
on a budget, but the amount
and quality of meat is more
than worth cost.

CAF LAUTREC

MEDITERRANEAN / INTERNATIONAL
Hotel de lOpera, 29 Trang
Tien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04)
6282 5555
6am to 10pm
Featuring both -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.

EL GAUCHO STEAKHOUSE

ARGENTINIAN STEAKHOUSE
11 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3824 7280
elgaucho.com.vn
4pm to late
This theme eatery combines
traditional Argentinian recipes and preparation with
great service in a contem-

porary and thoughtfully


designed space over three
floors. Already with venues
in Saigon and Bangkok, 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 thats another reason to
head to El Gaucho.

JACKSONS STEAKHOUSE

STEAKHOUSE / GRILL
23J Hai Ba Trung, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3938 8388
alfrescogroup.com
9.30am to midnight
Then newest venture from
the team behind Jaspas
and Pepperonis 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.

JASPAS

INTERNATIONAL / AUSTRALIAN
Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba
Trung (4th Floor), Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3934 8325
alfrescosgroup.com
6.30am to midnight
Recently refurbished, the
Australian-influenced Jaspas is known for its attentive
service, tasty food and large
portions. A place with something for everyone, it 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. The cocktails come large. The wine is
mainly New World. Also has
a spacious bar and lounge
area that stays open late for
all the live sport.

LA BADIANE

CONTEMPORARY FRENCH
10 Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3942 4509
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 threecourse lunch menu.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 137

hanoi
SATINE

FOOD PROMOS

CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE
29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 6282 5555 ext. 6414
hoteldelopera.com

WRAP & ROLL

PROMOTIONS OF THE MONTH

5th Floor, Trang Tien Plaza,


24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem
Tel: (04) 3824 3718
wrap-roll.com
The lime green walls and
bright pastel colours of
Wrap n Roll are just part
of the theme of this homegrown, Vietnamese brand
which is all about spring rolls
of all types, and healthy, Hueinfluenced cuisine. Now with
two restaurants in Hanoi
the second in Royal City.

GROCERIES & LIQUOR


CITIMART

SUPERMARKET
Ground Floor, Hanoi Towers,
49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3934 2999

DA LOC

WINE RETAILER
96 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3826 2076; 65 Le
Duan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04)
3941 2789
Daloc.vn

FIVIMART

SUPERMARKET
27A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem

HANOI GOURMET

DELI / WINE SHOP


6T Ham Long, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3943 1009
Hanoigourmet.com
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.

INTIMEX

VIETNAMESE SUPERMARKET
22-23 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem

PANE E VINO WINE SHOP

WINE RETAILER / RESTAURANT


3 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 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

WINE RETAILER
10 Da Tuong, Hanoi Tel: (04)
3943 7226

WESTERN CANNED FOODS

GROCERY STORE
17 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem,
Tel: (04) 3934 3854

Oktoberfest at the Daewoo

Perfect for Freelancers


For just VND70,000 a day, Manzi
Art Space is offering up the
following deal for freelancers:
A working table
Freeflow of tea and coffee all day
Free WiFi
Pop in and out whenever you
want
The deal runs from 7.30am to
5pm daily.
Manzi is at 14 Phan Huy Ich, Ba
Dinh, Hanoi

Keep the Flame Alive


On Womens Day, Monday Oct.
20, French-Vietnamese restaurant
Green Tangerine is offering a
promotion for all women.
Reserve a table for lunch or dinner
at the restaurant and all ladies will
receive a glass of champagne.
Green Tangerine is at 48 Hang
Be, Hoan Kiem. For reservations call
(04) 3825 1286 and for additional
special arrangements call Vincent on
0988 168468

That German Theme


Oktoberfest starts early at the
Daewoo this year, with a Germanthemed buffet combined with
seafood, premium meat and
of course, the most important
ingredients, unlimited German
beer and soft drinks.
The buffet runs every evening

138 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

from Oct. 10 to Oct. 12 and costs


VND850,000 per adult and
VND500,000 per child.
For information and reservations call
(04) 3831 5000 ext. 3039. The Daewoo
is at 360 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Hanoi

Steamboat Weekends
Just in time for the cooler weather
of the Hanoi Autumn, El Oriental
at The Melia is putting on a special
steamboat menu every Friday and
Saturday from 5.30pm to 10pm.
Every steamboat is for two
people and there are three options
classic (VND480,000++), mixed
(VND 550,000++) and premium
seafood VND 750,000++).
For more information and
reservations, please contact: (04) 3934
3343 ext. 7507. The Melia is at 44B Ly
Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Treat Her Well, Treat Her


Special
The Sheraton knows how to
celebrate Vietnamese Women's day,
and this year on Oct. 20 besides
their special buffet at Oven Dor,
ladies are being showered with
a complimentary cocktail and a
special gift.
Diners can either order a
la carte or go for the buffet
VND1,300,000++ / person for
lunch or dinner. If you want to
raise the bar a bit, then head to

Hemispheres Restaurant. The


VND1,600,000++ deal includes a
freeflow of wine.
The Sheraton is at K5 Nghi Tam,
Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3719 9000

A View from Above


Besides their 5pm to 8pm sunset
happy hour deals get half-price
refills from your second glass
onwards, when ordering the same
kind the Summit Lounge is no
stooge when it comes to putting
on the events and letting the booze
flow.
On Martini Mondays, buy two of
the bars Martini cocktails and get
your third offering free of charge.
Even better, for VND490,000++ /
person get a two-hour freeflow.
On Tuesdays, selected wine goes
for VND100,000++ a glass and
comes together with free finger
food. Wednesdays are set aside for
whiskey a tasting flight of three
glasses costs VND260,000++.
Ladies Night or more aptly,
Stilleto Night is on Thursday.
Every lady with heels higher than
8cm will get a discount twice as
much as the height of her heels.
And the live band will play every
Thursday and Friday from 9pm to
11pm.
Summit Lounge is on the top floor
of the Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba
Dinh, Hanoi

hanoi

LUNO DAUTUNNO

highlandscoffee.com.vn
7am to 11pm

tay ho

JOMA BAKERY CAFE

ARTS / BARS & CLUBS / BOOK SHOPS / CAFES / CLOTHING / COOKING CLASSES /
CRAFTS & FURNITURE / CYCLING & BICYCLE RENTALS / EAT / FITNESS & YOGA /
GROCERIES, LIQUOR & KITCHEN PRODUCTS / MEDICAL & DENTAL / EXPAT SERVICES

CLASSIC ITALIAN
27 Nam Ngu, Tel: (04) 3823
7338
11am to 11pm
This old-favourite Italian
uses traditional wood ovens
to prepare some of the citys
finest pizzas, which range
from VND80,000 to buildyour-own-skies-the-limit.
Set inside a large, thoughtful
space seasoned chefs also
make fresh pastas, soups
and cheeses the latter often bought by other restaurants. Monthly opera nights
make it well worth a visit, as
does the large wine list and
choice of desserts.

n
A n Dng V g

TAY HO
DISTRICT

Tn

u C
Xu

c Long Qun

Ni

Thanh

Ho
n

ARTS
WORK ROOM FOUR

ARTS STUDIO & GALLERY


Packexim Building Tower 1,
23rd Floor, No. 49 Lane 15,
An Duong Vuong, Tay Ho
workrmfour@gmail.com
workrmfour.tumblr.com
A place to work. A space to
create. Somewhere to see
something new. Work Room
Four is pulling together the
threads of creative endeavours across Hanoi. A collective that promotes collaboration and new ideas,
exhibitions, workshops,
artist studios, courses, contacts and events.

BARS & CLUBS


88 LOUNGE

CONTEMPORARY WINE BAR


88 Xuan Dieu, Tay ho, Tel:
(04) 3718 8029. 88group.vn
5pm to late
A wine bar with a difference,
this addition to the watering
hole scene in West Lake
mixes contemporary design,
black ceilings, subtle lighting
and an international aesthetic with one of the best wine
lists in town. Not surprisingly
it is developing a faithful clientele. Well worth a visit.

HANOI ROCK CITY

LIVE MUSIC VENUE


27/52 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho,
Tel: 01633 166170

Thm
g

Ho

Bi

hanoirockcity.com
5pm to midnight
With a downstairs, Englishstyle 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.

HOUSE OF SON TINH

LIQUOR LOUNGE
31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3718 6377
sontinh.com
8am to 11.30pm
As part of the Highway 4
group, which now has its
offices in the establishments 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.

MADAKE

CONTEMPORARY RESTOBAR
81 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 6276 6665 or 0984
002181

Ph

Qun Th
Phan
nh P
h n g

With a stunning garden


overlooking a peaceful lotus pond, this bar and restaurant is ideal for those
seeking a fusion of Western
and Eastern cuisine. Famed
for its many weekday and
weekend events, the ambient
Asian-style dcor, weekend
DJ nights and general atmosphere makes Madake a
popular West Lake go-to joint.

RED RIVER TEA ROOM

LAKESIDE WATERING HOLE


25 Duong Ven Ho, Tay Ho
Open daily from 2pm.
Located on the lakeside lane
just below Xuan Dieu, this
warm, quiet and friendly
pub offers a selection of international and local beers,
wine, cocktails and a nice
view of West Lake. Serving
pies and pasties from The
Cart, Vietnamese food from
Dieus next door, or delivery
from nearby favorites. Nonsmoking, unpretentious,
dog-friendly.

TAY TAP

SPORTS BAR/GRILL
40 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho , Tel:
(04) 6675 9838
tracyspub.com
11am to 12am
This Canadian-run, miniscule sports bar on the
main drag of Xuan Dieu is
perpetually crowded with
regulars drinking out front
on plastic stools. Notorious
for its mouth-watering burgers, cooked fresh to order,
Tracys is most famous for
their draft beers, claiming
to serve the coldest draft
beer in Hanoi, and always
in a frosted mug. For those
missing their dose of North
American sports, they play
all day via satellite on two
plasmas.

COFFEE/BAKERY
43 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3718 6071
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 2009 and contributes
2 percent of each sale to
charitable organisations.

KUB CAFE

BIKING CAFE
so 12 ngo 264 Au Co, Tay Ho
kub.vn
Think obsession, think motorbikes and you get Kub
Cafe, an industrial, warehouse-style watering hole
bringing thats become a favorite of the motorbike clubs.
Does good on-the-table bia
hoi and runs biking events.

nh

N guyn Phong S c

Th

n
Y

CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL
3rd Floor, 59A Ly Thai To,
Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3934
0888
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 Clubs extensive
new and old world wine list.
Also hosts a popular firstFriday-of-the-month party.

Tm

PRESS CLUB

oa

PAN-ITALIAN
3 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan
Kiem, Tel: (04) 3826 9080
8am to 10.30pm
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.

Ho
n

Hong Quc Vit

PANE E VINO

hi
Ng

INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN
The Opera House, 1 Trang
Tien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04)
3933 4801
nineteen11.com.vn
11am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm

Di
u

NINETEEN 11

those in search of a good


old-fashioned Sloppy Joe
or grilled cheese, youll be
glad to know the kitchen is
stocked to the ceiling with
comfort foods.

TRACYS PUB AND GRILL


u

Qu
n

g
n
g V

Ngu
yn
Ho
ng

Lo
ng

CLASSIC FRENCH / BUFFET


Sofitel Metropole Legend, 15
Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel:
(04) 3826 6919
6am to 10am, 11.30am
to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to
10.30pm

Lc

LE BEAULIEU

MEET-UP SPOT
100A Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3718 6917
4pm to late
Filled with wooden furnishings and a downstairs bar
with two beers on tap as
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

BOOK SHOPS
BOOKWORM TOO

NEW & SECOND-HAND BOOKS


1/28 Nghi Tam Village, Tay
Ho Tel: (04) 3829 2322
Bookworm has been the cornerstone of Hanois 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
second-hand fiction and
nonfiction titles in stock, the
shop also buys used books
and offers free travel advice.
Has a second shop in Tay Ho

CAFES
COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF

INTERNATIONAL COFFEE HOUSE


28 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3715 4240
coffeebean.com
7am to 10pm
Finally the newest addition
to the Hanoi coffee scene
has opened a little closer to
town than the first outlet in
Pico Mall. Famous for the exceptional quality of the coffee and tea, the latest Coffee
Bean is a multilevel, indoor/
outdoor caf overlooking
Westlake. With its LA coffee
and office feel, when you
walk in you might just forget
that youre in Westlake.

HIGHLANDS COFFEE

CONTEMPORARY / COFFEE
CHAIN
Ground Floor, Syrena Centre, 51B Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho

LA GRACE

ART CAFE & GALLERY


8B/52 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho,
Tel: 0912 666736
lagrace.com.vn
7.15am to 10pm
Located on a peaceful
street named after the famous painter, To Ngoc Van,
La Grace is a destination
for those who appreciate
lifes pleasures: drinks,
food, arts and sometimes
live music. Clean, comfortable and friendly, the venue
has a nice selection of
juices and smoothies and a
Vietnamese-cum-Japanese
food menu put together using organic vegetables. Set
lunches cost VND150,000,
and the caf also has strong
WiFi as well as separate nonsmoking and smoking areas.

SAINT HONORE

CAFE / BOULANGERIE
5 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
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-

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 139

hanoi

THE ALCHEMIST
ONE LIFE TO LIVE

ou only live once. These


were the parting words
of a friend as we ended a
conversation and headed
our separate ways. As I continued on my
path, I mulled over his sentiment. Do we
really only live once?
Many people, cultures and religions
believe in reincarnation the rebirth of a
soul after the death of the physical body.
This belief in reincarnation is a tenet not held
by the majority of the worlds population;
however, according to some researchers, it is
a belief system that is growing.

Fact of Lives
In the spiritual realm, reincarnation
is accepted as fact and it is from this
standpoint I base this article. The article
is not an argument for the existence of
reincarnation the empirical evidence
is lacking to scientifically confirm it
however there have been some interesting
studies that warrant a closer look at the
topic.

140 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Among the many attempts to prove


the reality of reincarnation, Dr. Ian
Stevensons research comes to the
forefront. Dr. Stevenson conducted more
than 2,500 case studies of children who
supposedly remembered past lives. He
discovered evidence suggesting that
memories and physical injuries can be
transferred from one lifetime to another.
Although not a case for reincarnation
per se, in August 2014 German doctors
announced their clinical findings of
some form of life after death. If life
continues after the death of the physical
body, how does it evolve and why not
manifest in another physical body and
continue the lessons a previous physical
life on Earth has to offer?

Were the Lucky Ones


Earth is known as the great teaching
ground of the cosmos and is often
referred to as The School of Hard
Knocks. We humans incarnated here on
Earth at this time are apparently in an

BY KAREN GAY

envious position according to spiritual


teachers. They claim a great number
of souls would eagerly take up an
opportunity to experience life on Earth,
even for a brief moment.
If we keep in mind that we are spiritual
beings having a human experience, it
is easier to see the world from a greater
perspective. Opportunities for growth
seem to spawn from every one of lifes
situations. And although some of the
challenges life throws at us can seem
insurmountable, we are encouraged to
turn inward to our souls strength and
guidance, and to a higher power that
lights the way forward. In so doing we
draw on our souls infinite wisdom and
reap the benefits of its immeasurable
experiences. Perhaps this is the intent of
reincarnation.
Karen Gay, A-Roaming Bodyworker,
is a holistic health practitioner practicing
in Hanoi. For information on the types of
services provided, visit a-roamingbodyworker.
com

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.

TET DCOR CAF

ART CAF & ESPRESSO BAR


Villa 25, 1, 3 Ha, Dang Thai, Tay
Ho
tet-lifestyle-collection.com
8am to 6pm, Tuesday to Sunday
Cloistered among the back
streets of West Lake and sheltered from the noise of Xuan
Dieu, TET Dcor Caf is a destination for those who appreciate
lifes pleasures: coffee, food, art
and music. Simple and unpretentious, the caf has an oldfashioned warmth and rustic
feel combined with unique and
inspiring art installations.

THE CART

SANDWICH SHOP / CAF


8B, Lane 1, Au Co, Nghi Tam Village, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3938 2513
thecartfood.com
7.30am to 5pm
Small cozy caf and sandwich
bar hidden away in Nghi Tam
Village. Serves and delivers tasty
baguettes, homemade juices,
quiches, pies, muffins and cakes.
The delivery service is quick and
reliable, which makes this lunchtime favourite ideal for when you
need to eat at the desk.

THE HANOI BICYCLE COLLECTIVE


(THBC)

CAF / TAPAS BAR


44, Ngo 31, Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho,
Tel: (04) 3718 8246
thbc.vn
9am to 10pm
Tucked down an alleyway just
off West Lake, The Hanoi Bicycle
Collective is not just a place for
all bicycle lovers, but a caf that
also sells Spanish tapas served
up with gin & tonic, if the mood
so takes you. Organising bicycle
tours, running yoga sessions
and holding music concerts in
their upstairs cafe area, they
also sell, rent and fix bikes and
are an official supplier of TREK
and SURLY cycling equipment.
Eclectic? Not a chance!

CLOTHING
GEORGES FASHION BOUTIQUE

CONTEMPORARY WESTERN-STYLE
36 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3718 6233
With new styles arriving in store
every second day, this shop offers a huge range of dresses,
shirts, pants, skirts and accessories in local and imported
fabrics. Clothes fit all sizes, from
petite to average to the generous
figure. Alterations and a madeto-measure service are available
at no extra cost.

LATELIER

WOMENS WEAR & ACCESSORIES


33 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3718 6758
ateliervietnam.com

Stocks womens wear, leather


bags, shoes and handicrafts.
This chic boutique offers both
ready-to-wear and made-to-fit
clothing.

COOKING CLASSES
HIDDEN HANOI

COOKING CENTRE
147 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Tel: 0912
254045
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.

Tucked down an alleyway just


off West Lake, The Hanoi Bicycle
Collective is a place for all bicycle lovers! An official supplier of
TREK and SURLY cycling equipment, the joint not only sells but
also rents and fixes bicycles. To
add to the eclectic, community
spirit they also organise bicycle
tours, run yoga sessions, hold
music concerts in their upstairs
cafe area and run a great menu
of Spanish tapas served up, if
you so wish, with gin & tonic.
Quite a mix!

EAT
AL FRESCOS

HIGHWAY4 COOKING CLASS


VIETNAMESE COOKING CENTRE

AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL
98 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3719 5322
alfrescogroup.com
8.30am to 11pm

68, Ngo 27 Xuan Dieu, Ba Dinh,


Tel: 0976 848301

DA PAOLO

CRAFTS & FURNITURE


BETTERWORLD

GLOBAL HANDICRAFTS
8 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho
Fair trade or bought directly
from the artisans who made
them, Betterworld stocks unusual handicrafts from around the
world as well as second-hand
books, DVDs and more.

LA CASA

CONTEMPORARY DESIGN
Syrena Tower, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay
Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 4084
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.

MEKONG QUILTS

HANDMADE / CHARITABLE QUILTS


9 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3926 4831
Mekong-quilts.org
Community development nonprofit 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.

CYCLING & BICYCLE RENTALS


DONS TAY HO

BICYCLE RENTALS
16 Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3719 3719
Dons-bistro.com

THE HANOI BICYCLE COLLECTIVE


(THBC)

CYCLING COLLECTIVE
44, Ngo 31, Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho,
Tel: (04) 3718 8246
thbc.vn

CLASSIC ITALIAN
18 Lane 50/59/17 Dang Thai
Mai, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 6317
11am to 11pm
This airy, contemporary looking Italian restaurant next to
the famed lawn chair and coconut caf on West Lake has
all the right ingredients to become a classic. Run by the long
time former manager of Luna
DAutunno, 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.

DALUVA

FUSION / MIDDLE-EASTERN
33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3718 5831
daluva.com
8am until late
A popular hang-out for expats
and trendy Vietnamese in the
Xuan Dieu area on West Lake.
This bar and restaurant offers
casual dining with a classy,
Middle-Eastern twist, as well as
wine, tapas, events and attractive dcor.

DONS TAY HO

CONTEMPORARY NORTH AMERICAN


16 Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3719 3719
Dons-bistro.com
Monday to Friday, 10am to late.
Weekends 8am to late
This lake-facing venue with
its top floor Oyster Bar is the
work of charismatic Canadian
restaurateur and wine connoisseur Donald Berger. Focusing
on comfort food done well, the
main restaurant menu includes
anything from wood-grilled rare
tuna steak with fragrant Chinese
black bean beurre noir to gourmet pizza and pasta dishes such
as the likes of Iberian pata negro ham egg pasta served with
crushed roasted garlic and manchego. Does an excellent range
of imported oysters and has an
extensive wine list.

EL GAUCHO STEAKHOUSE

ARGENTINIAN STEAKHOUSE
99 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3718 6991

elgaucho.com.vn
4pm to late
This theme eatery combines traditional Argentinian recipes and
preparation with great service
in a contemporary and thoughtfully designed space over three
floors. Already with venues in
Saigon and Bangkok, 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
thats another reason to head to
El Gaucho.

HALIA HANOI

SINGAPOREAN / CONTEMPORARY
INTERNATIONAL
29 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3946 0121
thehalia.com
Daily 11am to 11pm
A multi-floored venue with a bar
area and a refined dining space.
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 on offer.
Has an extensive wine list.

HEMISPHERES STEAK & SEAFOOD


GRILL
CONTEMPORARY STEAK & SEAFOOD
Sheraton Hotel, 11 Xuan Dieu,
Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3719 9000
sheraton.com/hanoi
11.30am to 2.30pm, 6.30pm to
10pm
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

IL FARO

ITALIAN / MEDITERRANEAN
Villa 3, Cong Doan Hotel Compound, 98 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho,
Tel: (04) 6327 1142
Hidden away in Cong Doan Hotel,
this pan-Mediterranean restaurant owned by the same people
behind Mediterraneo serves up
an assortment of French, Spanish and Italian dishes in a pleasant, white-washed yet Italianinfluenced atmosphere.

INDIA PALACE
NORTH INDIAN
10B Quang An, Tay Ho Tel: 01247
668668
indiapalacehn@vnn.vn
Like a phoenix rising from the
ashes, so India Palace has once
again returned to Tay Ho, this
time on the strip between Dons
and The Warehouse. Tasty North
Indian fare in a pleasant envi-

hanoi

THE THERAPIST

This month Douglas Holwerda, American trained and licensed mental health
counsellor, deals with a question of trauma and healing
Dear Douglas,
A housemate, who is also a friend of mine,
witnessed a gruesome motorbike accident,
where the passenger was thrown into a pole
and then run over by another motorbike.
She died at the scene. Other people were
also hurt. He is definitely freaked out. He is
having trouble sleeping and skipped work
yesterday. His friends are worried about
him and not sure how to help him. Should
he see a psychologist? How can we convince
him to go?
Worried Friends
Friends,
He is fortunate that he has friends who are
paying attention and concerned for him.
Yes, he has been traumatised, and will
undoubtedly need to work through the
ways that this event has affected him.
Often the first response is to be flooded
with images and details of the event.
He may have wanted to talk about it
again and again. Other times, a person is
overwhelmed and seems to shut down any
emotional response and becomes distant
and disconnected. Shock is a kind of internal
protection device that keeps someone from
being overwhelmed. Eventually, it is likely
that he will notice that he is thinking and
feeling differently. Traumas are events

142 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

that happen in life, that suddenly make us


aware of how thin the veil is between safety
and catastrophe. That shocking awareness
changes how safe we feel doing normal
things.
He has just witnessed an event that shows
how much life can change in a split second.
It is a common response to feel a hypervigilance and to feel jumpy or nervous for
a while. It can also affect how a person feels
about the meaningfulness of their lives and
their relationships. It can influence a person
to question everything about their life, as if
through a different lens.
It can be very helpful for a person to
have a special time and place (therapy) to
bring these thoughts and feelings to light.
Friends can help, but often find it difficult to
sustain the kind of support a person might
need. Many people repress the trauma
meaning they go on with life as if nothing
has happened. It generally shows up later
in life as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The effects of true trauma will not go
away by ignoring them. It is better when a
person can face these things early on and
go through a process that re-stabilises them
and allows them to understand the realities
of the healing process.
People seem to know that when we are
grieving the loss of a loved one, we have

special permission to live life differently,


to allow for sadness and other emotions
to come and go. Some cultures have ways
to honour that period of time, by wearing
black or with rituals that honour the
grieving process. It seems unfortunate
that we dont seem to have the same
understanding for those who have been
traumatised by something else. Often, a
person feels that they have to continue to
function at the same level and that they
cannot really tell others about what they
are going through. For some traumas, like
rape, it is particularly difficult because it
is so personal that it feels like increasing
the violation for too many other people to
know.
Show your friend this letter or offer to
go with him to a psychologist the first time.
Stay close and responsive to him but not
to a point where you burn yourself out with
his needs and then feel the need to get away
from him. Understand that it has an effect
on you, too. Friends can often support best
as a group.
I wish you wellness and healing,
Douglas
Do you have a question you would like
Douglass help with? You can email him at
douglasholwerda@hotmail.com. Personal details
will not be printed

ronment from the team behind


Tandoor.

J.A.F.A.

INTERNATIONAL
G2-G3 Ciputra, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
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.

KITCHEN

INTERNATIONAL CAFE FARE


30 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3719 2679
hungskitchen@gmail.com
7am to 9pm
Set inside a newly renovated
house with a large courtyard,
Kitchen is a great space for eating the decent breakfasts (check
out the breakfast burrito), the
creatively titled sandwiches and
the selection of international salads. Also does a range of Mexican dishes (available after 5pm)
and an innovative smattering of
healthy, smoothie-style drinks.

R&R TAVERN

RESTOBAR / LIVE MUSIC


256 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
6295 8215
Now on its third location, this
watering hole still lives up to
its old name, providing an array of drinks, buzzing chatter,
and of course, some quality live
rock music. Its upstairs area is
equipped with a sound system
and stage setup for weekly shows
and events, while the downstairs
area houses a classic bar that
gives a finishing touch to the
friendly community environment.

SAINT HONORE

BOULANGERIE / BISTRO
5 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3933 2355
sainthonore.com.vn
7am to 10pm
Decked out in maroon, dark
browns and cream, this bakery
and French-style bistro is best
visited in the morning when that
Gallic, fresh-cooked aroma of
bread, croissants and patisseries hits you as you walk through
the door. The downstairs space is
split into the bakery on one side
with a small non-smoking dining
space on the other. The upstairs
lounge area has standard tables
as well as sofa seating. Simple
French and international fare
is served at meal times. Has additional venues at 31 Thai Phien,
Hai Ba Trung and Unimart, 8
Pham Ngoc Thach, Dong Da

THE PIE SHOP

TAKEAWAY PIES
2nd Floor (on the left), Syrena

Center, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho,


Tel: (04) 3718 1507
thepieshophanoi@gmail.com
Classic Aussie and Kiwi-style
savoury pies and rolls. Available
in three convenient sizes (mini,
regular and large). Enjoy them
hot as a takeaway, or frozen to
keep for later.

THE SUSHI CLUB

CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE
10A Quang An (ngo 27 Xuan
Dieu), Tay Ho.
Tel: 0934 544263
thesushiclub.info
Featuring a delicious combination of contemporary Japanese
dishes as well as other traditional Japanese favorites, The Sushi
Club combines great cuisine with
charming views over West Lake.
The ambience is warm and comfortable making it the perfect
place for dating, business dinners, meeting friends and family
gatherings. Quiet private rooms
are available.

EXPAT SERVIES
MAID IN VIETNAM

HOUSEKEEPING SERVICES
Suite 201, 5 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho,
Tel: (04) 3718 3112
maidinvietnam.com
Offering a licensed hire service
for trained domestic and office
housemaids, cooks and nannies.
Courses include health checks,
housekeeping, safety, basic 1st
Aid, courses for external maids
and household management for
Vietnamese wives of foreigners.

FITNESS & YOGA


ELITE FITNESS

TOP-END HEALTH CENTRE


51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3718 6281
elitefitness.com.vn
The luxury gym features topof-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.

HANOI CLUB

COUNTRY CLUB
76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3823
8115
thehanoiclub.com

HANOI OIS
hanoinetball@gmail.com
Hanoi Ois Netball Club is a mixed
ability, mixed gender club for
adults wanting to enjoy team
sport while also improving fitness and developing skills. The
club plays every Tuesday from
6pm to 7pm at UNIS. Email for
more information

VIETCLIMB

CLIMBING CENTRE
40 Ngo 76 An Duong, Tay Ho, Tel:
0914 143185
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 childrens
events. Membership and group
rates are available, but be sure to
check out the three-month pass.

ZENITH YOGA

YOGA & MEDITATION


247 Au Co, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3923
0253
An international Yoga studio providing classes across a variety
of levels and styles, including
prenatal and postnatal classes,
restorative yoga, pilates and tai
chi. Also have a yogic shop offering incense, yoga and pilates
mats, books, clothes, soaps,
Himalayan products and other
essential yoga equipment.

GROCERIES, LIQUOR & KITCHEN PRODUCTS

ANNAM GOURMET

GROCERIES / DELI
First Floor, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho,
Tel: (04) 3718 4487

KITCHEN ART

KITCHENWARE
38 Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
6680 2770
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.

L'S PLACE

GROCERY SHOP
3 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3719 9911

NATURALLY VIETNAM

ORGANIC / NATURAL PRODUCTS


4 Lane 67, Alley 12, To Ngoc Van,
Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 6674 4130
naturallyvietnam.com
Offers food and beverage
produced in Vietnam with full
traceability and strict food
safety controls. Meat, egg, milk,
fish, veggies, honey, jams, fruit
juices, liquors, coffee, water,
ice cream. Also, every Saturday
from 8.30am to 12.30pm, the
team convert the store yard into
the Tay Ho Weekend Market, a
cross-cultural outdoor shopping and socialising hotspot for
expats and Vietnamese.

PUNTO ITALIA

COFFEE MACHINES
62 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
6258 3510
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.

RED APRON

WINE RETAILER
28 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: (04)
3719 8337

THE OASIS

ITALIAN DELI
24 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3719 1196
A great place to get all kinds of
imported groceries and homemade foods. All of the breads
and pastas are made in the inhouse kitchen. A great variety of
fresh sauces, a limited, but wellchosen selection of wines and a
fantastic deli and cheese case.
Free delivery.

THE WAREHOUSE

WINE RETAILER
27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: (04)
3718 3701
warehouse-asia.com
The Warehouse is Vietnams 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.

HOLISTIC HEALTH
A-ROAMING BODYWORKER
karen@a-roamingbodyworker.
com
a-roamingbodyworker.com
Provides various holistic healing modalities. Services include
craniosacral therapy, deep tissue massage, prenatal massage,
healing stones massage, as well
as energy healing including Reiki
and Jin Shin Jyutsu. Workshops
are also available.

MEDICAL & DENTAL


INTERNATIONAL SOS 24-HOUR CLINIC

MEDICAL / DENTAL CLINIC


51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04)
3934 0666
Internationalsos.com
Well-known medical clinic also
known for its quality emergency
services. Doctors and consultants
also provide a range of services
from standard GP-style checkups through to vaccinations,
paediatrics and specialist care.

WESTCOAST INTERNATIONAL DENTAL


CLINIC
DENTAL CLINIC
2nd Fl, Syrena Center, 51 Xuan
Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3710 0555
westcoastinternational.com
The Westcoast International
Dental Clinic is composed of
dental professionals who deliver modern, high-level dental
services throughout Vietnam.
The clinic provides the highest
quality technology, comfort and
after-service care to patients.

hanoi

ba dinh

BARS & NIGHTCLUBS / BOOKSHOPS / CAFES / CLUBS & SOCIETIES / COOKING CLASSES / EAT /
FITNESS & YOGA / HAIRDRESSERS & SALONS / MEDICAL & DENTAL
FOODSHOP 45

Ph

BARS & NIGHTCLUBS


BARBETTA

ARTSY BAR & CAFE


34C Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh,
Tel: (04) 3734 9134

ETE BAR

FRENCH LOUNGE
95 Giang Van Minh, Ba Dinh,
Tel: 0976 751331
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. Its always
crowded especially during the weekends. Amiable
staff, pleasant vibes.

SUMMIT LOUNGE

ROOFTOP LOUNGE BAR


20th Floor, Sofitel Plaza, 1
Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3823 8888 ext. 5314
4pm to Midnight Sunday to
Wednesday, 4pm to 2am
Thursday to Saturday

ALTERNATIVE DANCE CLUB


18 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh
facebook.com/vaulthanoi
The work of Mao, the enigmatic personality behind
Maos Red Lounge and The

BOOKSHOPS
BOOKWORM

BOOK SHOP
44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3715 3711; 1/28 Nghi
Tam Village, Tay Ho Tel: (04)
3829 2322
Bookworm has been the cornerstone of Hanois 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
second-hand fiction and
nonfiction titles in stock, the
shop also buys used books
and offers free travel advice.
Has a second shop in Tay Ho

CAFES
CAF GOETHE

ARTS CAF
56 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh,
Tel: 3734 7395

CONG CAPHE

LEFTIST ARTSY CAFE


32 Dien Bien Phu, Ba Dinh,
Tel: (04) 2247 0602
8am to 10pm
With a kitsch, communistdriven theme saturating this

144 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Ca B
c

B Tr
i u

Trn
Hn
g
o

quaint cafe, most patrons


are young Vietnamese bohemians and artsy expats.
Sip on a blended cup of joe
with beans from the Central
Highlands, knock back one
of the many different types
of tea available or sip on
freshly squeezed juice from
the Spartan cups in one of
the hippest cafes on cafe
street. If you like pre-doi
moi nostalgia, here is the
place to go.

HIGHLANDS COFFEE

CONTEMPORARY / COFFEE
CHAIN
28A Dien Bien Phu, Ba Dinh
(Next to the Flag Tower) Tel:
(04) 3823 3339
highlandscoffee.com.vn
7am to 11pm

MANZI

ARTS CAF & GALLERY


14 Phan Huy Ich, Ba Dinh,
Tel: (04) 3716 3397
facebook.com/manzihanoi
A stunningly designed contemporary caf and events
space that screams out the
words modern art. Housed
in a converted colonial-era
villa, a continuous flow of exhibitions, talks, experimental music and game shows
make up the mix here. Great
cuisine, too.

CLUBS & SOCIETIES


GOETHE INSTITUT

GERMAN CULTURAL CENTRE


58 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh

inh T
in H o n g

Hng
Bi

Q u n

Phng

Th
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Tn
X

Ho

Coach House, this underground homage to nighttime


decadence sits in the gap
between The Old Quarter
and West Lake, bringing in a
range of DJs and nightly entertainment. A great addition
to the scene.

Trn
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Khm Thin

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Kh
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Th
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THE VAULT

Phan
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Hong
Hoa
Th
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Hong

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BA DINH
DISTRICT

Trn Nhn Tng

Tel: (04) 3734 2251


goethe.de/hanoi

COOKING CLASSES
HANOI COOKING CENTRE

COOKING CENTRE
44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3715 0088
hanoicookingcentre.com
Hanoi Cooking Centre is a
school, retail outlet and caf,
where you can find classes
on not just Vietnamese
cooking, but international
cuisine, held in a beautiful
setting. They also offer culinary tours.

EAT

AU LAC DO BRAZIL

BRAZILIAN CHURRASCO
6A Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3845 5224
aulacdobrazil.com
Open for over a decade,
Au Lac Do Brazil is home to
the Hanoi's best Churrasco
menu with a wide variety of
meats from Calabrian sausage and picanha through
to D-rump steak and smoked
hams. Pioneering the eat-asmuch-as-you-can theme in
Vietnam, Passadors bring
the meat skewers to your
table, and you, the customer
then choose your accompaniments from the salad bar.
Best washed down with red
wine or a Caipirinha or five.

INTERNATIONAL INDIAN
59 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3716 2959
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.

HIGHWAY 4
VIETNAMESE / ETHNIC
575 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3771 6372
10am to midnight

HOA SUA TRAINING RESTAURANT


SONG THU
VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL
34 Chau Long, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3942 4448
hoasuaschool.com

KOTO ON VAN MIEU

RESTAURANT / CAF / BAR


59 Van Mieu, Dong Da, Tel:
(04) 3747 0337
koto.com.au
Monday: 7am to 4pm;
Tuesday to Sunday: 7am to
9.30pm
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.
Its 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.

MATCHBOX

INTERNATIONAL / VIETNAMESE
40 Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3734 3098
11am to 11pm

MAY MAN CHINESE CUISINE

PAN-CHINESE
Fortuna Hotel, 6B Lang Ha,
Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3831 3333
fortuna.vn
11am to 2pm, 5.30pm to
10pm
Elegant and luxurious, May
Man has long been regard-

ed as one of the best Chinese restaurants in Hanoi.


Showcasing a selection of
authentic Chinese culinary
delights and Yum Cha at its
finest, with seven private
dining rooms this is a place
to get dressed up for. Has extensive a la carte menus, dim
sum menus and set menus.
Reservations recommended.

MING PALACE

PAN-CHINESE
Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien,
Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3823 8888
11am to 2pm, 5.30pm 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,
Mings is an ideal eatery for
those hungry for higher end
Chinese fare.

THE BISTRO

FRENCH FLAIR
2/2c Van Phuc, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3726 4782
thebistro.com.vn
7.30am to 9pm
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.

FITNESS & YOGA


N SHAPE FITNESS

MID-RANGE FITNESS CENTRE


5th Floor, 71 Nguyen Chi
Thanh, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
6266 0495
nshapefitness.vn

HAIRDRESSERS & SALONS


DINH HAIR SALON

HAIR SALON
2A Cua Bac, Ba Dinh, Tel:
0987 718899

MEDICAL & DENTAL


FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE

MEDICAL
298 I Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel:
(04) 3843 0748
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.

hanoi
Tel: (04) 3974 3556
vinmec.com

elsewhere

A DONG PHOTO CO

BARS & CLUBS / CAFES / EAT / MEDICAL & DENTAL / RECREATION

RECREATION
KEANGNAM SWIMMING POOL

BARS & CLUBS


CAMA ATK

MUSIC & ARTS BAR


73 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: 01262 054970
Wednesday to Saturday,
6pm 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
thats 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.

HOA VIEN BRAUHAUS

CZECH MICROBREWERY
1A Tang Bat Ho, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 3972 5088

VUVUZELA

MODERN BEER HALL


2A Tran Thanh Tong, Hai Ba
Trung

CAF 129

MEXICAN/COMFORT FOOD
129 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 3821 5342
7.30am to 9.30pm

FRENCH GRILL
JW Marriott Hanoi, 8 Do Duc
Duc, Me Tri, Tu Liem, Tel: (04)
3833 5588
facebook.com/frenchgrill
Every day 6pm to 11pm
With unique decor, contemporary ambience, a walk-in
wine cooler and a delectable seafood bar, this classy
restaurant offers guests
a service experience with
crafted food difficult to find
in the capital.

HIGHWAY 4

VIETNAMESE / ETHNIC
54 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: (04) 3796 2647
10am to midnight

CAFES
KOTO ON VAN MIEU

CONG CAPHE

LEFTIST ARTSY CAFE


152D Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai
Ba Trung
8am to 10pm
With a kitsch, communistdriven theme saturating this
quaint cafe, most patrons
are young Vietnamese bohemians and artsy expats.
Sip on a blended cup of joe
with beans from the Central
Highlands, knock back one
of the many different types
of tea available or sip on
freshly squeezed juice from
the Spartan cups in one of
the hippest cafes on cafe
street. If you like pre-doi
moi nostalgia, here is the
place to go.

HAM HANH

ARTSY CAFE
170 Doi Can, Dong Da
The physical representation of arts, film and music
collective, The Onion Cellar,
this cafe with multiple areas
is as left field as the people
who created it.

RESTAURANT / CAF / BAR


59 Van Mieu, Dong Da, Tel:
(04) 3747 0337
koto.com.au
Monday: 7.00am to 4pm;
Tuesday to Sunday: 7am to
9.30pm
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.
Its cushioned, comfortable
and has a rooftop terrace,
too. Wrap it yourself nem,
bun bo Nam bo, Koto burgers, pastas, fish and chips,
chicken Kievs and sandwiches all under one homely roof.

KY Y

JAPANESE RICE EATERY


166 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 3978 1386
11.30am to 1.30pm, 5pm to
10.30pm, closed Sunday

SUSHI RESTAURANT
288 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: (04) 3974 5945
asahisushi.vn

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.

rant, bar and lounge blends


the old with the new. Vietnamese fusion cuisine, like
profiteroles with green tea
and caf fillings, a private
chefs table with a kitchen
view, and an extensive wine
list combined with modern
formal styling bring a unique
experience to Hanoi.

WILD LOTUS

CONTEMPORARY ASIAN / VIETNAMESE


55A Nguyen Du, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 3943 9342

CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE
57 Bui Thi Xuan, Hai Ba
Trung, Tel: (04) 3944 0204
potsnpans.vn
11.30am to late
Brought to you by a group of
former disadvantaged youth
from Hanois own KOTO, this
unique fine dining restau-

ROYAL CITY ICE SKATING RINK

ALPHA LAPTOP
95D Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 3747 4418

FUONG MAY ANH


5 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 3213 1568

NGUYEN CAU

ICE SKATING
Royal City, 72A-74 Nguyen
Trai, Thanh Xuan, Tel: 0936
469799
royalcity.com.vn

1 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem

X-FACTORY LASER TAG

HI-TECH USA

LASER TAG
77 Hong Mai, Bach Mai, Hai
Ba Trung, Tel: (04) 3627 7106
x-factory-vn.com

DK COMPUTER
29 Ngoc Kha, Ba Dinh Tel:
3772 4772

23 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan


Kiem. Tel: 3938 6261

PICO PLAZA
35 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan
Kiem

MEDICAL & DENTAL


POTS N PANS

SWIMMING POOL
Landmark 72 Tower, Pham
Hung, Cau Giay, Tel: (04)
3772 3801
landmark72.com

128 Hang Trong, Hoan


Kiem . Tel: 3826 0732

FRENCH HOSPITAL

INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL
1 Phuong Mai, Dong Da, Tel:
(04) 3577 1100
hfh.com.vn

VINMEC INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL


INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL
458 Minh Khai, Hai Ba Trung,

Do you think you should be


listed on these pages? If so,
simply email us on
listings@wordvietnam.com
and well see what we can
do. We cant promise but
well try our best

PROFESSIONAL COMPUTER
CARE AND IT SERVICES
No 3, Alley 8, Hoa Lu,
Hai Ba Trung. Tel: 0983
011081

VIETSAD
34B Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem
Tel: 3747 8771

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

EAT
ASAHI SUSHI

ELECTRONICS

LA VERTICALE

CONTEMPORARY FRENCH
19 Ngo Van So, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: (04) 3944 6317
verticale-hanoi.com

Vo Thi Sau, Hai Ba Trung,


(Inside the park)

THANG LOI HOTEL


200 Yen Phu, Tay Ho

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 145

hanoi

MEDICAL BUFF
INFLUENZA VACCINATION FAQS

ith this month marking the


beginning of flu season
which lasts until March
people are more susceptible to
getting the flu and falling ill for up to 12
days. Getting a flu vaccination can easily
prevent this. However, many people are
misled by the basic facts of influenza
the FAQ below should shed some light.

1) Is flu vaccination only for the


elderly?
No. The flu vaccine is highly
recommended for those at most risk
children, elderly and those with chronic
medical conditions like chronic heart,
kidney, diabetes and lung conditions.
The flu may exacerbate these conditions.
However, even healthy people can get
very sick from the flu and spread it to
others. Hence the recommendation is to
vaccinate all age groups.

2) Do children need to be vaccinated?


Yes, children are at a higher risk of
suffering, even more so for those under
five years and especially under 2 years. The
vaccine is not recommended for children
under six months.

3) Could you die from having the


flu?
146 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Yes. The mortality varies from year to year


and from country to country. For example
in the US there were 12,000 deaths during
the 2009 to 2010 flu season. The highest
mortality worldwide occurs in Southeast
Asia and Africa.

4) If Im pregnant can I still get a


flu vaccination?
Flu is more likely to cause severe illness
in pregnant women than in women who
are not pregnant. Changes in the immune
system, heart and lungs during pregnancy
make pregnant women more prone to
severe illness from the flu, including
hospitalisation and even death. Pregnant
woman with flu also have a greater chance
for serious problems with their unborn
baby, including premature labour and
delivery. Flu shots will protect pregnant
women, their unborn babies and even
protect the baby after birth. The flu shot is
safe and strongly recommended for
pregnant women.

5) What are the side effects of flu


vaccination?
The viruses in the flu vaccine are dead
inactivated so you cannot get the flu
from a flu shot. Some minor side effects
that could occur are: soreness, redness or
swelling where the shot was given; a lowgrad fever; aches and pains.

BY DR. BRIAN MCNAULL

6) I was vaccinated last year. Do


I need to be vaccinated again
this year?
A flu vaccine is needed every year
because flu viruses are constantly
changing. Its not unusual for new flu
viruses to appear each year. The flu
vaccine is updated annually to keep up
with the flu viruses as they change. Also,
multiple studies have shown that the
bodys immunity to flu viruses declines
over time.

7) What is the price of the flu


vaccine?
At Family Medical Practice, the price is
VND440,000 net. The vaccination itself
only takes a few seconds. If you get the
flu you could be sick for up to 12 days.
On average most people who fall sick take
three to five days off work. So take a few
seconds out of your day to get yourself
and those you care about protected.
*Please note, that according to the Ministry
of Health, a doctors approval is now required
before having a flu vaccination
Dr. Brian McNaull is Medical Director at
Family Medical Practice, which is located in
Vietnams major cities. For information or
assistance call (04) 3843 0748 (Hanoi), (08)
3822 7848 (Ho Chi Minh City) or (0511)
3582 699 (Danang). Alternatively, click on
vietnammedicalpractice.com

hanoi

business

BUSINESS GROUPS / CORPORATE SERVICES / INSURANCE / INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS / LANGUAGE SCHOOLS /


MANAGEMENT TRAINING / MARKET RESEARCH / RELOCATION & TRACKING AGENTS / SERVICED APARTMENTS
BUSINESS GROUPS

CORPORATE SERVICES

ICHAM

ENDO

Sofitel Plaza, Ground floor, 1


Thanh nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3715 2229
icham.org
The Chamber has the main
purpose of undertaking activities to support commercial exchanges with Italy and
to assist economic agents,
as well as to foster the developmew nt 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.

79, Quang An, Tay Ho, Tel:


(04) 3783 2085
endo.vn
Endo offers garment manufacturing for local resorts,
restaurants, hotels, golf
courses, travel agencies
and apparel shops. They
also manufacture giftware
from polos and hoodies to
keychains, card holders and
menu covers.

CCIFV
Sofitel Plaza, No 1 Thanh
Nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04) 3715
2229
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: (04)
3715 2228
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.

INDOCHINA RESEARCH LTD

MARKET RESEARCH
xavier@indochinaresearch.
com
indochinaresearch.com
Active in Vietnam for more
than 20 years, Indochina
Research has the capacity to
run large research projects
in the country, for commercial and social purposes.

SINGAPORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION VIETNAM


Business Center, Ground
Floor, Fortuna Hotel, 6B
Lang Ha, Dong Da, Tel: (04)
4772 0833
sbav-hanoi.org

INSURANCE
IF CONSULTING
CCIFV/Eurocham, Sofitel
Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh,
Tel: (04) 3936 5370
Emergency: 0903 732365
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.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
BRITISH VIETNAM INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (BVIS)
H3-H4, Hoa Lan, Vincom
Village, Long Bien, Tel: (04)
3946 0435
bvisvietnam.com

CONCORDIA INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL HANOI
CMC Building, Duy Tan, Cau
Giay, Tel: (04) 3795 8878
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 , Ba Dinh
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.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF
VIETNAM
6-7 Nguyen Cong Thai, Dai
Kim Urban Area, Dinh Cong,
Hoang Mai, Tel: 3540 9183
www.isvietnam.org
The International School of
Vietnam (ISV) is a not-forprofit, Pre-Kindergarten to
Grade 12 school serving the
international and local community of Hanoi. ISV accepts
students of any nationality
aged 3 and up. ISV offers
an international education
experience. Highly qualified
and experienced international educators are supported by a 21st-century
campus with the latest in
educational technology
plus excellent resources
for learning. Class sizes are
small.

KINDERWORLD INTERNATIONAL
KINDERGARTEN
Unit 9 10, Shophouse
CT17, Ciputra, Tel: (04) 3743
0360
3rd Floor, 49 Hai Ba Trung,
Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3934
7243
C5-C11, 1st Floor, The Manor Building, My Dinh, Me Tri
New Urban, Tu Liem District,
Tel: +84 4 3794 0209
kinderworld.net
Classes are kept small with
a foreign teacher leading the
class with the assistance of a
Vietnamese teacher according to the teacher-student
ratio. KinderWorld provides
pre school education for
children from 18 months to
below 6 years.

QSI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF


HANOI
#17 Lane, 67 To Ngoc Van,
Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3718 6418
hanoi.qsi.org
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
SCHOOL (SIS)
2D Van Phuc Diplomatic
Compound, 46 Van Bao, Ba
Dinh, Tel: 3726 1601; Block
C3, Ciputra, Tay Ho, Tel:
3758 2664; Dilmah Building, Duy Tan, Cau Giay, Tel:
3795 1036
www,kinderworld.net/sis
SIS provides international

education for students from


Primary up to University
Foundation Programme. A
strong curriculum combines
the best aspects of the Singaporean, Australian and
Vietnamese curricula, all
taught by qualified teachers.
Runs various co-curricula
activities and prepares
students for internationally
recognised qualifications:
iPSLE, Cambridge IGCSE &
AS/A Level, GAC

rmit.edu.vn
A leading international provider of skills training and
professional staff development, RMIT offers both short
and long-term 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.

UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL


SCHOOL (UNIS)

CIMIGO

Ciputra International Village,


Tay Ho, Tel: (04) 3758 1551
unishanoi.org

LANGUAGE SCHOOLS
APOLLO
67 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: (04) 3943 2051
Apollo.edu.vn
Established in 1994, Apollo
offers high-quality and costeffective English language
classes including general
English, English for teens,
English for business communication and a pronunciation
clinic. One of the countrys
leading language centres.

BRITISH COUNCIL
20 Thuy Khue, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3728 1922
britishcouncil.org
The cultural arm of the British governments 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.

LANGUAGE LINK VIETNAM


62 Yen Phu, Hanoi, Tel: (04)
3927 3399
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.

MANAGEMENT TRAINING

MARKET RESEARCH
142 Le Duan, Dong Da, Tel:
(04) 3518 6696
vietnam@cimigo.com
cimigolive.com

INDOCHINA RESEARCH LTD

MARKET RESEARCH
xavier@indochinaresearch.
com
indochinaresearch.com
Active in Vietnam for more
than 20 years, Indochina
Research has the capacity to
run large research projects
in the country, for commercial and social purposes.

RELOCATION & TRACKING AGENTS


ALLIED PICKFORDS
Room 302, 12A Ho Xuan
Huong, Tel: (04) 3943 1511
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 Deport Area
(ICD), Pham Hung, My Dinh,
Tu Liem, Tel: (04) 3768 5882
asiantigergroup.com
Asian Tigers Group is committed to its mission of
moving households without
disruption ti family life. They
also offer pre-move advice
regarding customs and
shipping.

G&H MANAGEMENT SERVICES


HKC Building, Suite 701, 285
Doi Can, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3762 3805
ghmsglobal.com

RMIT
Hanoi Resco Building, 521
Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: (04)
3726 1460

JVK INDOCHINA MOVERS


6 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04)3826 0334
jvkasia.com
Focused primarily on the international and local movement of household goods,
JVK is currently a leader in

the field. Has offices in both


Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

SANTA FE RELOCATION SERVICES


Suite 821, Vietnam Trade
Hotel, 14 Tran Binh Trong,
Hoan Kiem, Tel: (04) 3941
0805
santaferelo.com
With over 150 offices around
the world, Santa Fe offers
local and international moving, pet transportation, relocation services including
home search, orientation,
cultural training, immigration services and records
management. For more information email Vietnam@
santaferelo.com.

SERVICED APARTMENTS
ATLANTA RESIDENCES
49 Hang Chuoi, Hai Ba Trung,
Tel: 0912 239085
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 Hanois 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.

FRASER SUITES HANOI


51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel:
(04) 3719 8877
Located in the West Lake
area, Fraser Suites Hanoi
consists of 186 apartments, from studios to four
bedrooms, which meet any
lifestyle. With a calming and
warm interior feel, each
apartment features all the
latest amenities. 24-hour security surveillance provides
peace of mind.

SEDONA SUITES
No. 96 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho,
Tel: (04) 3718 0888
sedonahotels.com.sg

SOMERSET GRAND HANOI


49, Hai Ba Trung, Ba Dinh,
Tel: (04) 3934 2342
somerset.com
Internationally-managed accommodation with personalised services and extensive
facilities. 185 fully furnished
apartments, car park, 24hour reception and central
location.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 147

hanoi

BOOK BUFF

This month Bookworms Truong does an informal census of some young readers favourite books

ssayist and newspaper columnist


Elizabeth Farrelly recently wrote
a piece about how university
libraries in rich countries are
getting rid of books in their catalogues
and becoming increasingly bookless. She
observed, too, that public libraries are
either disappearing or becoming internet
centres. She wondered if future historians
will see ours as a time of biblio-plague,
when the world was swept by a strange
libriform ebola that causes institutions to
haemorrhage books before dying horribly
from their lack.
But she concludes her lamentation
with an optimistic observation. She says
that todays kids, who could be the first
bookless generation since Gutenberg,
tell her that they like books. The touch,
the texture, the smell, the fact. Theyre
bored with screen-everythings. This, she
intimates, could be why the childrens book
market is the least e-dominated sector
and that this is a small flame of hope
flickering over the e-tide.
So in a mood of optimism for the future
of actual books, we asked a group of kids
who frequently visit the Bookworm to
tell us about their favourite stories on our
shelves.

Detective Mice and a Pig Named


Sausage
One precocious pre-school critic, who
looks as though hes going to be a fan of
crime fiction when he grows up, is mad
about Hermelin the Detective Mouse by Mini
Grey. In this illustrated book, the detective
mouse decides to find all the lost items on

148 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

a communal notice board where he lives.


Our critic declared that he was not at all
uncomfortable with the darker aspects of
the plots.
Our seven-year-old critic is completely
oinkers about The Unbelievable Top Secret
Diary of Pig by Emer Stamp. Its written in
the Wimpy Kid format that attracts kids,
especially boys, in a particular age frame.
Its a very funny story about a pig who
suddenly latches onto why the friendly
farmer is so affectionate towards him and
calls him loveable nicknames like Sausage.
When the penny drops the pig has to recruit
all the farmyard help he can muster, even
from those hes previously made enemies
of, like the evil chickens and silly sheep.
The critic said that her parents also think
that the book is hilarious.

The Heavier Stuff


Two 11-year-old Bookworm regulars are
totally infatuated with Scarlet Ibis by Gill
Lewis. Its a very heartbreaking story
about a 12-year-old girl named Scarlet Ibis
McKenzie who lives high up in a tower
block of flats in a single-parent family. The
mother suffers from severe depression,
and Scarlett has to take care of the flat, her
mother and her eight-year-old half-brother
Red, who is autistic and can only be calmed
down by birds and feathers. The childrens
life together is shattered when officialdom
finds out about them after an accident
and they are separated. Scarlet goes to
a foster home and the boy into special
institutionalized care. Its a book, says our
critics, that makes you feel as though you
are in the middle of events with Scarlett

and Red. Its as though you are fighting


their battles and feeling their pain.
If Scarlett Ibis makes some helicopter
parents a bit iffy, then More Than This by
Patrick Ness is a definite no-go zone. The
books opening sentence is likely to get
young adult readers hooked and helicopter
moms and dads palpitating: Here is the
boy, drowning.
Seth, the teenage protagonist who tries
to commit suicide by walking into the
sea, has a number of things weighing him
down. The biggie is that his mother hates
the fact that he is gay, and blames him for
a terrible thing that happened to his little
brother.
Successful young adult author John
Green has this to say: Books are often
described as mind-blowing, but this is one
of the few books in which, while reading it,
I have exclaimed aloud, Oh. My. God. on
multiple occasions Just read it.
Digitally savvy YA readers, like our
15-year-old guest book chooser, will have
no problems coming to terms with the
books existentialist aspects. Ness, a twotime Carnegie Medal winner for childrens
literature, is controversial because he
declares that kids books dont always have
to have happy endings. His often dont
which may be why a lot of young adult
readers go for them in a big way.
For more information on Bookworm go to
bookwormhanoi.com. Besides their original
store on Chau Long, Bookworm have a second,
smaller shop in Nghi Tam Village in the West
Lake area. Located behind the Sheraton, it can
be found at Lane 1/28 Au Co, Lang Nghi Tam,
Tay Ho

Ho Chi Minh City

BUSINESS BUFFD // JOB SEARCH // BODY AND TEMPLE // COFFEE CUP // TOP EATS //
THE EMPTY WOK // A WORLD OF GOOD // FOOD PROMOS // STUDENT EYE // NON-FAMOUS PLACES
PHOTO BY GLEN RILEY

HCMC

business

ACCOUNTING & AUDITING / ADVERTISING & MKTG / BUSINESS CONSULTING / BUSINESS GROUPS / CORPORATE GIFTS & SERVICES /
EVENT MANAGEMENT / EXPAT SERVICES / HOUSING & REAL ESTATE / INSURANCE / INTERIOR DESIGN / INVESTMENT & FINANCE /
LANGUAGE SCHOOLS / LEGAL SERVICES / MANAGEMENT TRAINING / MARKET RESEARCH / PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES / PUBLIC RELATIONS /
RECRUITMENT & HR / RELOCATION AGENTS / SERVICED APARTMENTS
ACCOUNTING & AUDITING COWAN STRATEGIC BRAND PHIBIOUS
DESIGN

GLOBALEYE FINANCIAL ADVISORS


4th Floor, Unit 17, Saigon
Center, 65 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 0220
globaleye.com

PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS

Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan,


Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 0796
pwc.com

SAIGON-EXPAT TAX SERVICES

6th Floor, Me Linh Point


Tower, 2 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel:
0938 220 255
vivianwcooper@gmail.com

TMF GROUP

Unit 501, 5th Floor, Saigon


Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc
Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3910
2262
Tmg-group.com

ADVERTISING & MKTG


BBDO VIETNAM
74/3 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 6662
bbdoasia.com

16th Floor, Bitexco Office


Tower, 1925 Nguyen Hue,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 3064
cowandesign.com

DENTSU VIETNAM
AB TOWER, 23rd Floor, 76 Le
Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 9005
Dentsu.com.vn

GREY GROUP
404 Vo Van Tan, Q3, Tel: (08)
3929 1450
grey.com/vietnam

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN ASIA

Duong So 12, Tran Nao, Q2,


Tel: (08) 3740 6388
industrialdesignasia.com

MARKETEERS VIETNAM

FPT Tower, 153 Nguyen Dinh


Chieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3933
3493
marketeersvietnam.com

OGILVY & MATHER


12th Floor, Centec Tower,
7274, Nguyen Thi Minh
Khai, Q13, Tel: (08) 3821
9529
ogilvy.com

150 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

7th Floor, 11bis Nguyen Gia


Thieu, Q3, Tel: (08) 3933
3377
phibious.com
An independent, creative
led communications company helps brands connect
and grow across Southeast
Asia. Clients include The
CocaCola Company, Asia
Pacific Breweries, Piaggio
and UPI.

PURPLE ASIA
9 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh
Thanh, Tel: (08) 6277 7050
purpleasia.com

RED | BRAND BUILDERS

Floor 14, Citilight Tower, 45


Vo Thi Sau, Q1, Tel: (08) 3820
0169
red.vn
Long-established branding
consultancy and marketing agency. The Red team
creates and shapes unique
marketing strategies that
add impact to international
and local brands from Viet-

nam to Australia.

RIVER ORCHID
10th Floor HDTC Building,
36 Bui Thi Xuan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3925 2538
riverorchid.com

SAATCHI & SAATCHI


26 Tran Cao Van, Q3, Tel: (08)
3824 1207
saatchi.com
Ranked among the top 100
global advertising agencies,
S&S has worked with over
half of the 50 bestknown
brands in the world, providing advertisement planning,
direct marketing, marketing consulting and graphic
design.

TBWA\VIETNAM
4th Floor, Saigon Finance
Center, 9 Dinh Tien Hoang,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 5315
tbwa.com.vn

BUSINESS CONSULTING
BDG VIETNAM
11th Floor, Capital Place, 6
Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 7858
Bdg-vietnam.com

CONCETTI
33 Dinh Tien Hoang, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3911 1481
Concetti.vn

GRANT THORNTON

ROUSE
6th Floor, Abacus Tower, 58
Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 6770
iprights.com

STAR CORPORATE VIETNAM


161A/1 Nguyen Van Thu, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3911 0965
starcorpvn.com

STRASOL GROUP INTERNATIONAL


38 Tran Ngoc Dien, Q2, Tel:
0904 410884

28th Floor, Saigon Trade


Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3910 9100
Gt.com.vn

TRACTUS ASIA LTD

INSPIRED IMAGE

XAGE CONSULTANCY

Villa 15, Duong 58, Phu


Nhuan, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel:
0916 352573
Inspiredimage.co.uk

PRISM INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
4th Floor, YOCO Building, 41
Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1,
Tel: (08) 7305 0905
prism.com.vn

164 Nguyen Van Thu, Q1, Tel:


(08) 6291 2205
tractus-asia.com

35A-1-2 Grandview, Nguyen


Duc Canh, Q7, Tel: (08) 5412
3402; 31st Floor, Saigon
Trade Centre, 37 Ton Duc
Thang, Tel: (08) 3911 0454
xageconsulting.com

BUSINESS GROUPS
AMCHAM
New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 3562.

HCMC
CINEMAS
Showcasing the latest
Hollywood blockbusters
and 3D cinematic sensations, chains such as
Megastar Media, Lotte
and Galaxy Cinema offer
the most up-to-date and
modern cinema-going
experiences in Saigon.
For those partial to more
esoteric and independent flicks, smaller outlets such as Cinebox and
Idecaf carry little known
Vietnamese and European
efforts.

CINEBOX
240 Ba Thang Hai, Q10
Tel: (08) 3862 2425
cinebox.vn

LOTTE CINEMA
13th Floor, Diamond Plaza,
34 Le Duan, Q1
Tel: (08) 38227897
3rd Floor, Lotte Mart, 469
Nguyen Huu Tho, Q7
Tel: (08) 3775 2521
lottecinemavn.com

GALAXY CINEMA
230 Nguyen Trai, Q1
Tel: (08) 3920 6688
116 Nguyen Du, Q1
Tel: (08) 3823 5235
246 Nguyen Hong Dao,
Tan Binh
Tel: (08) 3849 4567
galaxycine.vn

IDECAF
31 Thai Van Lung, Q1
Tel: (08) 3829 5451
idecaf.gov.vn

MEGASTAR CINEMA
Level 5, Crescent Mall,
Nguyen Van Linh, Phu My
Hung, Q7
Tel: (08) 5412 2222
Level 10, CT Plaza, 60A
Truong Son, Tan Binh
Tel: (08) 6297 1981
Level 5, Parkson Paragon,
3 Nguyen Luong Bang,
Phu My Hung, Q7
Tel: (08) 5416 0088
megastar.vn

amchamvietnam.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.

AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE


2nd Floor, Eximland Building,
179EF Cach Mang Thang
Tam, Q3, Tel: (08) 3832 9912
auschamvn.org
A licensed foreign business group established to
represent and promote the
interests of Australian businesses operating in Vietnam,
AusCham coordinates topical breakfast seminars, social networking functions,
governmental relations
meetings and charity events.

BRITISH BUSINESS GROUP OF


VIETNAM
25 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 8430
bbgv.org

CANCHAM
Room 305, New World Hotel,
76 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824
3754
canchamvietnam.org
Open to all nationalities, the
Canadian Chamber of Commerce aims to create an effective network of business
associates together and to
facilitate discussion forums
about business in Vietnam.

NORDCHAM
17th Floor, Petroland Tower,
12 Tan Trao, Q7, Tel: (08)
5416 0922
nordcham.com

PHILIPPINES BUSINESS GROUP


VIETNAM
40/4 Pham Viet Chanh, Binh
Thanh, Tel: (08) 3518 0045
pbgvn.com

SINGAPORE BUSINESS GROUP


6th Floor, Unit 601, Tran Quy
Building, 57 Le Thi Hong, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3823 3046
sbghcm.org

SWISS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION


42 Giang Van Minh, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3744 6996
swissvietnam.com

management and exclusive


venues to make any kind of
event a success.

CORPORATE GIFTS & SERVICES


AMBRIJ VIETNAM LTD
14-16-18 Chu Manh Trinh,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 8364
ambrij.com

ENDO
406/16 Cong Hoa, Tan Binh,
Tel: (08) 6292 2045
endo.vn
Endo offers garment manufacturing for local resorts,
restaurants, hotels, golf
courses, travel agencies
and apparel shops. They
also manufacture giftware
from polos and hoodies to
keychains, card holders and
menu covers.

EVENT MANAGEMENT
CENTERPIECE EVENT ORGANIZERS
Tel: 0906 761190
centerpiece-vn.com
info@centerpiece-vn.com
Centerpiece is an independent event planning company
run by expatriates that can
plan any event from private
parties, to corporate events
to weddings.

EVECOO
Tel: 0988 297990
evecoo.vn

GALA ROYALE EVENT HALL


63 Mac Dinh Chi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3825 6048
galaroyale.com.vn

ONE WORLD TOURISM CO, LTD


268/3 Nguyen Thai Binh, Tan
Binh, Tel: (08) 6299 0880

THE CATERERS
46D Vuon Lai, Tan Phu, Tel:
(08) 3812 6901
thecaterersvietnam.com.vn
Offers everything from canaps and cocktails, buffets
and set menus to barbeques
and wedding catering. Combines excellent food, event

EXPAT SERVICES

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL VIETNAM


Bitexco Office Building, 7th
Floor, 19-25 Nguyen Hue,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 5665
colliersmn.com/vietnam

CREATION

CHUMS HOUSE

International Plaza Building,


Room 16B8, 343 Pham Ngu
Lao, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291 7553

HAPPY HOUSE

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD VIETNAM

RESIDENT VIETNAM

Unit 16, 14th Floor, Vincom


Center, 72 Le Thanh Ton Q1,
Tel: (08) 3823 7968
cushmanwakefield.vn

121/21 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)


3920 7237
32-34 Ngo Duc Ke, Suite 701,
Q1, Tel: 01659 419916
Unit 601 48 Hoa Su, Phu
Nhuan, Tel: (08) 2226 8855
residentvietnam.com

HOUSING & REAL ESTATE


CBRE
12th Floor, Me Linh Point
Tower, 2 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3824 6125
cbre.com

JONES LANG LASALLE


26th Foor, Saigon Trade
Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang
Q1, Tel: (08) 3910 3968
joneslanglasalle.com.vn
Jones Lang LaSalle
(NYSE:JLL) is a professional
services and investment
management firm offering specialized real estate
services to clients seeking
increased value by owning,
occupying and investing in
real estate. As a truly global
firm, they work and collaborate closely with their
colleagues across Asia Pacific and around the world to
bring best-in-class services,
people, and systems to their
clients in Vietnam.
Their offices in Ho Chi Minh
City and Ha Noi offer: Tenant
Representation, Office Leasing, Retail Services, Valuation and Advisory,
Research and Consulting,
Investment Sales and Acquisitions, Residential Agency,
Industrial Agency, Project
and Development Services,
Property Asset Management
Services, Hotel Investment
and Consultancy Services,
Integrated Facilities Management.

EASY SAIGON
Tel: 0932 112694
easysaigon.com
The Easy Saigon website is
a useful real estate website
helping expats to find apartments in Ho Chi Minh City.
Enquiries via their website
are welcome.

KNIGHT FRANK
Suite A, level 7, VTP Office
Building, 8 Nguyen Hue, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3822 6777
knightfrank.com.vn
Founded in 1896, Knight
Frank has grown to become
the worlds largest privately
owned global property agency and consultancy. In Vietnam, they offer commercial,
residential and residential
development services.

Savills Vietnam is a leading


property service provider
in Vietnam since 1995, providing research, advisory
services, residential sales,
commercial leasing, asset
management, retail advisory, valuation, investment
advisory and other services.

SNAP
32 Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao
Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519 4282
snap.com.vn
Owners of Snap Caf in District 2, Snap offers a web
based real estate search
service with information on
rental properties all around
the city, as well as an advisory service for those averse
to wading into the internet
depths for their needs.

SOTHEBYS INTERNATIONAL
REALTY
Suite 1905, Bitexco Financial
Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3520 2000
sothebysrealty.com.vn

THE NEST
369/6 Do Xuan Hop, Phuoc
Long B, Q9, Tel: 0903 198901
thenest-vietnam.com
Wellknown property
search and real estate
agency with a useful website
listing properties available
for rent and sale, orientated
towards expats. Website is in
English, French and Spanish.

NAMHOUSE CORPORATION
48A Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao
Dien, Q2, Tel: 0989 007700
namhouse.com.vn
Expert in providing rental
properties, constructions
and interior decoration,
especially in District 2. Supports professional services
and aftersales.

INSURANCE
BAOVIET INSURANCE
49D Phan Dang Luu, Binh
Thanh, Tel: (08) 3510 1661
baoviet.com.vn

IF CONSULTING
SAVILLS VIETNAM LTD
Fideco Tower, 18th Floor,
81-85 Ham Nghi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 9205
savills.com.vn

IFC Building, 3rd Floor, 1A


Me Linh Square, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 7362
insuranceinvietnam.com
Independent advisors that
represent top reputable

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 151

HCMC

BUSINESS BUFF
SO YOU WANT TO BE A BILLIONAIRE?

BY SHANE DILLON

n my experience almost everyone


wants to be rich in Vietnam. This
is especially true of people who
come from very little money is
seen as the gateway to happiness and
opportunity. And while I may disagree
on whether money buys happiness,
it sure does buy a better form of
unhappiness. So to make it easy for all
the readers out there, I am going to give
everyone 10 guaranteed ways to become
billionaires; all you have to do is solve
one of the following problems.

10) Death
Google has hired biophysicist Cynthia Kenyon from the University of California to
join its Project Calico anti-aging team. Her
experiments have produced a roundworm
as old as the equivalent of 80 human years,
which looks and acts the equivalent of 40.
Google admits its a moonshot, but its
proved pretty decent at those in the past.

9) Unhackable Passwords
According to the recent mass scale hacking events, no-one has a secure password
anymore. Hackers have, through brute
force, so far been able to break through
practically every firewall ever invented.
Many companies are trying to turn
smartphones into car keys for online
applications, while others focus on a type
of cryptology known as obfuscation
which conceals how programmes operate.

8) Detecting or Predicting Major


Weather or Natural Events
Natural disasters cost the world billions
of dollars every year and the price is only
getting higher according to recent reports
from the UN. Being able to predict a
major event like an earthquake or mega
storm in advance to prepare accordingly
to minimize damage is worth billions to
governments (and investors) all over the
world.

7) Cost-Effective Desalination
Clean drinking water is still major concern
for a large part of the worlds population,
and in the future this will be even more of
an issue. Droughts are increasingly common in the developing world, as well as
in parts of North America and Australia.
The problem is cost; current methods of
desalination are far too expensive to scale.
If a solution is not found soon, we will
have to rely on conservationists convincing governments to act which means
we have already lost.

152 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

6) A Real Weight Loss Pill


The holy grail of pharmaceutical companies the world over; whoever gets this
right is going to be rolling in the sweet
cash for many years to come. Recent
research in the US has produced a pill that
in rats could make them resistant to obesity, staying thin despite a high-fat diet
without exercise. They even had normal
blood pressure, and showed no increased
risk of heart disease or diabetes. Sign me
up.

5) Super Low-Cost International


Payments
While I doubt the powers that be would
ever let this get off the ground, if someone
could accomplish this, there are about 3
billion bank customers a day that would
jump ship in a second. Remittances, while
not overly burdensome, would be much
cheaper if they were sent over a decentralised or distributed network free from bank
networks, which require interchange fees.
This, of course, is the problem bitcoin and
bitcoin-like technologies are looking to
address.

4) Clean Coal
A recent article in Bloomberg stated carbon
capture and storage may be more
important though much less publicised
than any renewable-energy technology
for decades to come, since it would
allow the world to keep burning its most
abundant fuel source. Whoever figures

out how this can be done in a scalable and


cost-effective way will make a lot of people
happy and themselves filthy rich.

3) Cheap, Scalable Solar


Solar power has two issues, cost and scalability. The main way to reduce costs is
to have a super-cheap photovoltaic cell,
however the tradeoff is inefficiency. The
solution may come from a hundred-yearold technology: perovskites. The scientists
say they could help cut solar costs by 75
percent, to as low as VND2,000 a kilowatt.

2) Rural Internet
Most of the world agrees this has huge
potential for creating greater equality in
the world. The frontrunner for this is Project Loon from Google. They plan to send
renewable-powered balloons to the edge
of space to create an internet network in
remote parts of the world.

1) Wireless Power
This is already pretty close, with top dogs
at Apple saying pursuing greater efficiency in batteries is a trap. The key is to
find ways of squeezing more efficiency out
of the devices other parts and capturing power from whats around you. University of Washington engineers, among
others, are at work on harvesting existing
television and cellular transmissions and
turning them into a power source.
Shane works in Vietnam; he can be
contacted at shanedillon@bluecross.com.vn

HCMC
medical insurers provide
you with the best suitable
medical cover for individual,
family or company needs.

Plaza, 39 Le Duan, Q1, Tel:


(08) 3812 5125
libertyinsurance.com.vn

TENZING PACIFIC SERVICES


VIETNAM

8th Floor, River View Tower,


7A Thai Van Lung, Q1 Tel: (08)
3821 9908
inquiry@bluecross.com.vn
www.bluecross.com.vn
Blue Cross Vietnam is part
of the Pacific Cross group
of companies with over 60
years experience in providing health and travel insurance to people and businesses who call Asia home.
Their reputation for transparent, honest and reliable
service means they are the
strength behind your insurance. To make sure you are
getting the most out of your
insurance contact them for
a free quote.

IGLOBALASSIST
Tel: 0934 874271
Iglobalassist.com

LIBERTY INSURANCE
15th Floor, Kumho Asiana

Huu Nghi Building, 35 Le


Loi, Q1
ten-pac.com
An independent agency representing local and international insurance companies
in Southeast Asia. A trusted
partner for health, employee
benefits and life insurance,
the team at Tenzing has over
30 years experience providing insurance advice.

INTERIOR DESIGN
PROFESSIONAL PAINTING AND
REMODELING
Tel: 0936 330869 (Darren
Hawk)
Thinking about upgrading a
bathroom? Perhaps a new
colour in the living room?
Maybe even a new wood
floor? Professional Painting
and Remodeling can help
with these and many other
projects. Provide international standards of quality
as well as professional and
timely service at reasonable

LANGUAGE SCHOOLS
ILA VIETNAM

PRUDENTIAL
25th F, Saigon Trade Centre,
37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3910 1660
prudential.com.vn

BLUE CROSS VIETNAM

rates. Call today to schedule


a free evaluation.

INVESTMENT & FINANCE


DRAGON CAPITAL

1901 Me Linh Point, 2 Ngo


Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823
9355
dragoncapital.com

THE ETHICAL
INVESTMENT GROUP
27 Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 0907
ethicalinvestmentgroup.
co.uk

TOTAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT

66/11 Pham Ngoc Thach,


Q3, Tel: (08) 3820 0623
t-wm.com

VINACAPITAL
17th Floor, Sun Wah Tower,
115 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08)
3821 9930
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 US$839 million investment fund.

146 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q3,


Tel: (08) 3521 8788
ilavietnam.com
A foreign-owned education
and training company that
offers a range of educational
programmes, such as English-language tuition, university pathway programmes,
corporate training, teacher
training and overseas study
consultancy and placement
services.

LATELIER
33/19 Quoc Huong, Thao
Dien, Q2, Tel: 0908 381492
latelier-anphu.com

VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE GARDEN


135/10 Nguyen Cuu Van,
Binh Thanh, Tel: 0916 670
771
vietnameselanguagegarden.com

VLS SAIGON
45 Dinh Tien Hoang, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3910 0168
vlstudies.com
Offers courses ranging
from basic conversational
Vietnamese to upper elementary, intermediate and
advanced levels, as well as
special courses including
Vietnamese literature, composition or a 6-hour survival
crash course.

VNC VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE


TRAINING & TRANSLATION
37/54 Tran Dinh Xu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 6678 0914
vnccentre.com

MAYER BROWN JSM


17th Floor, Saigon Tower,
29 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 8860
mayerbrownjsm.com

VUS

189 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai,


Q1, Tel: (08) 3925 9800
vus-etsc.edu.vn

MANAGEMENT TRAINING
EMBERS ASIA

LEGAL SERVICES
ALLENS
Suite 605, Saigon Tower, 29
Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
1717
vietnamlaws.com

BAKER & MCKENZIE


12th Floor, Saigon Tower,
29 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 5585
bakermckenzie.com

FRASERS LAW COMPANY


Unit 1501, 15th Floor, The
Metropolitan, 235 Dong Khoi,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 2733
frasersvn.com

GIDE LOYRETTE NOUEL A.A.R.P.I.


18 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 8599
gide.com

INDOCHINE COUNSEL
Unit 4A2, 4th Floor, Han Nam
Building, 65 Nguyen Du, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3823 9640
indochinecounsel.com

80-82 Phan Xich Long, Phu


Nhuan, Tel: (08) 3822 4728
embers-asia.com

ERC INSTITUTE VIETNAM


38/ 6G Nguyen Van Troi, Phu
Nhuan, Tel: (08) 6292 9288
erci.edu.vn

G&H
6th Floor, Yoco Office Building, 41 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 9919
ghmsglobal.com
A 100 percent foreigninvested company focusing on
management services and
consulting with inhouse
programmes to meet the
particular requirements of
its clients. Offers teambuilding and academicbased
business and management
programmes.

XAGE CONSULTANCY
35A-1-2 Grandview, Nguyen
Duc Canh, Q7, Tel: (08) 5412
3402; 31st Floor, Saigon
Trade Centre, 37 Ton Duc

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 153

HCMC

JOB SEARCH
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

alent is the most important,


tricky, valuable and invigorating
part of every companys makeup.
Without the right people, a
company cannot perform, grow or
succeed.
Vietnams economy has grown by
5 percent in the first half of 2014, but
maintains an unemployment rate of 2
percent. In numbers, there are 1.5 million
fresh graduates entering the labour
market every year but 21 percent of
university graduates aged 20 to 24 years
old are jobless. College graduates have
to work as blue-collar workers, and there
is great pressure to generate enough job
opportunities for them.
The role of HR is becoming more
important in matching the right people
with the right jobs. Using external
recruiters can be an effective way to
reach top talents, as part of a broader
recruitment programme.

A Good Recruiter Relationship


As a prospective employee, are you
uncertain what to expect from your
recruiter or what you should be doing
on your side of the table? An effective
relationship should be more than your
recruiter sending out resumes (or CVs)
and getting you interviews. The best
recruiters not only source talent, but act

154 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

as consultants throughout the process by


alerting you of important hiring trends
based on their years of experience and
exposure to a variety of companies.
But building a good relationship is a
two-way street and there are actions both
you and your recruiters need to take to
ensure youre getting the most out of your
partnership. Here are the top five things
you should both be doing to ensure your
partnership is successful.

Proactive consulting. Recruiters live


and breathe the job market, and the good
ones constantly give advice on the marketplaces situation, and feedback from
companies about positions of need.
Customised talent solutions.
Finding the right job is more than just
matching skills and experience it is
often equally important to find the right
cultural fit. As a professional recruiter,
they will spend time understanding the
companys environment and your expectations, and suggest the best way forward.

Effective candidate screening. Before sending job candidates to a company,


good recruiters will coach the candidate
about the organisation and the position
theyre interviewing for. Unless the candidate meets agreed upon criteria, they will

BY NICOLA CONNOLLY

not send them to the interview, saving


time and increasing trust.

Being responsive. Returning your


calls, evaluating job descriptions in a
timely manner and arranging interviews
should be their top priorities.
Being time-effective. Recruiters
shouldnt waste the time of either candidates or clients, and should always seek
feedback after every interview.
As Far As Youre Concerned
You should consider their advice
carefully. While your recruiter may
not always find you the right job and
you may not always agree with their
suggestions, they are experts in the
process. Be open to their ideas about
job expectations, or about changing
benefits packages. They know what other
candidates are looking for and what
companies are offering, so their advice
can be very valuable.
By being engaged, informed and
actively managing the process, you can
make the recruiters job finding the
right job for you much easier and more
successful.
Nicola Connolly is the general director
of Adecco Vietnam and chairwoman of the
European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam

HCMC
Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3911 0454
xageconsulting.com

NIELSEN

CentrePoint Building, Level


4, 106 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu
Nhan, Tel: (08) 3997 8088
vn.nielsen.com

MARKET RESEARCH
CIMIGO
9 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh
Thanh, Tel: (08) 3822 7727
cimigo.vn
An independent marketing
and brand research specialist operating in the Asia
Pacific region. Services include auditing and optimising research programmes,
knowledge management,
developing marketing plans
and business models and
assessing market opportunities.

INDOCHINA RESEARCH LTD


xavier@indochinaresearch.
com
indochinaresearch.com
Active in Vietnam for more
than 20 years, Indochina
Research has the capacity to
run large research projects
in the country, for commercial and social purposes.

MEKONG RESEARCH

91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh


Thanh, Tel: (08) 6258 6314
mekongresearch.com

TNS VIETNAM
58 Vo Van Tan, Q3, Tel: (08)
3930 6631
Tnsvietnam.vn
With over 11 years in the
marketplace, TNS Vietnam
offers all three major market
research services customisation, access panels
and media monitoring to
a range of local and international clients.

PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES
DRAGON IMAGES
Crescent Plaza, 105 Ton Dat
Tien, Q7, Tel: 01643 172 660
dragonimages.asia
Dragon Images production
studio is a professional team
of photographers, stylists.
shooting administrators,
casting managers and retouchers. They make photos
on various topics, from business to sport.

PUBLIC RELATIONS
MATTERHORN COMMUNICATIONS
Level 5, 273-273B Ben
Chuong Duong, Q1, Tel: (08)
3838 5517
matterhorncommunications.com
Providing public relations
and communications support to international and
local firms operating in
Vietnam. Specialising in
corporate communications,
media relations, corporate
social responsibility and media and issues management
and training.

- 28 Ham Nghi, Q1, Tel: (08)


3915 3430
adecco.com.vn
Adecco is the world leader in
human resources solutions.
Established in Vietnam in
2011, Adecco offers a wide
array of global workforce
solutions and specialises in
finance & legal, sales, marketing & events, IT, engineering & technical, and office.

HR2B/TALENT RECRUITMENT JSC


1st Floor, Thien Son Building,
5 Nguyen Gia Thieu, Q3, Tel:
(08) 6288 3888
hr2b.com

VERO PUBLIC RELATIONS


7th Floor, 5B Ton Duc Thang,
Q1, Tel: (08) 6291 0462
veropr.com
Helps clients expand their
footprints in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar through effective
public relations campaigns.
Services offered include
branding, media relations,
event management, public
affairs and issues / crisis
management.

RECRUITMENT & HR
ADECCO VIETNAM
11th floor, Empire Tower, 26

or working in foreign companies. A quick, effective and


competitive service suitable
for many types of business.

VIETNAMWORKS.COM
130 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1,
Tel: (08) 5404 1373
vietnamworks.com

ASIAN TIGERS MOBILITY

RELOCATION AGENTS

AGS FOUR WINDS (VIETNAM)


G.A. CONSULTANTS VIETNAM
CO., LTD.
Ho Chi Minh Office: Room 2B2C, 2nd Floor, 180 Pasteur,
District 1, HCMC.
Ha Noi Office: Room 603, 6th
Floor, 535 Kim Ma Street, Ba
Dinh District, Hanoi.
www.vieclambank.com
info@vieclambank.com
VieclamBank is a brand of
G.A. Consultants Vietnam - a
Human Resources Consulting company with 100% Japan investment. Established
in 2006 in Vietnam, the company focuses on recruiting
executive and senior level,
providing Vietnamese and
Japanese candidates with
experience studying abroad

provides tailored relocation


services.

5th Floor, Lafayette De Saigon, 8A Phung Khac Khoan,


Q1, Tel: (08) 3521 0071
agsfourwinds.com
A global leader in international removals and relocations, with 130 offices
globally, we can move your
property to and from any
location.

ALLIED PICKFORDS
12th floor, Miss Ao Dai Building, 21 Nguyen Trung Ngan,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3910 1220
alliedpickfords.com
With more than 800 offices
in over 45 countries, Allied
Pickfords is one of the worldwide leaders in removal services. In Vietnam, Allied also

Unit 9.3, Floor 9, Ree Tower,


9 Doan Van Bo, Ward 12,
District 4, HCMC, Tel: (08) 3
826 7799
www.asiantigers-mobility.
com
Asian Tigers is one of the
largest regional move management specialists, with
services including door-todoor moving, housing and
school searches, local and
office moves and pet relocations.

CROWN RELOCATIONS
2nd Floor Coteccons Office
Tower, 236/6 Dien Bien
Phu, Binh Thanh, Tel: (08)
3840 4237
crownrelo.com

JVK INTERNATIONAL MOVERS


1st Floor, Saigon Port Building, 3 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4,
Tel: (08) 3826 7655
jvkasia.com

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 155

HCMC

BODY

AND

REAL HELP

TEMPLE

BY PHIL KELLY

sia presents its occupants


with great opportunities to
get fit, lose fat and look great.
The lifestyle is more relaxed,
gyms are more affordable and personal
training is more within ones means.
In Vietnam, where the gym scene
is booming, there are more and more
freelance personal trainers available for
hire. But how do you decide who best
meet your needs and desires?
The fitness industry is mostly
unregulated especially here in Asia
and with all the misinformation and
myths regarding what is best for achieving
fat loss, health and wellbeing, the general
public is left in complete limbo. If you are
thinking of seeking help with your fitness
and fat loss desires before the Christmas
and New Year period, here are a brief set
of guidelines on how to select a trainer,
so you can choose wisely and also know
what to expect.

The Key Aspects


First, you need to consider their
qualifications and certification. A
qualified personal trainer has an
education in physiology, health
promotion, athletic training, kinesiology
or a similar field. They should be
certified by a reputable organisation
with a Sports Science Degree, NASM,
ACE, Charles Poliquin, CHEK
practitioner or similar.
Second, whats their experience?
Have they honed their skills in a gym
or clinical environment, developing
practical experience and knowledge
under supervision?
In todays information saturated
world its harder to choose because
the above qualifications dont actually
tell you anything about the true
effectiveness of the personal trainer you
get. Hence, here are some additional
questions you should ask to guarantee
youre getting your moneys worth.

What assessments do they


perform?
Assessments should always be
completed. It is impossible to properly
prescribe exercise if the trainer/
practitioner does not test joint range of
motion, posture, strength imbalances,
movement patterns, flexibility and
so forth. These assessments tell the
trainer what exercise and programme
is required without these, its
guesswork.

156 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

How do they track progress?


What is tracked will vary from client
to client, but there should always be a
system of tracking the programme and
progression.
Monitoring allows exercise, nutrition
and lifestyle professionals to track exactly
how each client is doing so that we can
make adjustments if and when necessary.

How are their training programmes?


There should be no one size fits all
programmes. You should see a correlation
between assessment findings, and a
programme that addresses the findings.

What do they think about exercise machines?


Machines are far less effective because
they turn on fewer muscles and dont let
your body move in the way that nature
intended. This increases the chance of
injury especially when you try to use
your body in real life.
If a trainers programme has more than
three exercises based on machines like

the leg press, chest press or especially


any abdominal machine, then be
careful!

End results
Any trainer that can answer these
questions to your satisfaction should
be able to help you get results. Personal
training is not about beasting you in
a workout, but assessing your needs
and developing a plan to achieve your
goals. Your trainer should be able to
clearly map-out your journey with them
and explain the expected progression
involved.
Employing a trainer can exponentially
improve your workout effectiveness
and efficiency, as they provide educated
structures and guidelines. However, if
you are not seeing results within four
weeks, you need to ask some questions.
Be a conscious customer and youll get
what youre paying for.
Phil is founder and master trainer at Body
Expert Systems. Contact him on 0934 782763
or at his website bodyexpertsystems.com or
through Star Fitness (starfitnesssaigon.com)

HCMC
KIDS CLASSES & SPORTS

Focused primarily on the international and local movement of household goods,


JVK is a leader in the field.

LOGICAL MOVES VIETNAM

DANCENTER
53 Nguyen Dang Giai, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519 4490
dancentervn.com
Children and teenagers can enjoy jazz, ballet, hip-hop,
funk, belly dancing, salsa and in multi-level classes at
this modern dance studio.

HELENE KLING OIL PAINTING


189/C1 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, Tel: 0903 955780
helenekling.com

INSPIRATO MUSIC CENTER


37 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, Tel: 0932 737700
Inspirato.edu.vn

MINH NGUYEN PIANO BOUTIQUE


94A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 7691
Minhnguyenpiano.com

PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY OF SAIGON


19A Ngo Quang Huy, Q2, Tel: (08) 6281 9679
paa.com.vn
Has a range of music-based programmes teaching kids
in anything from guitar and drums to piano, clarinet and
saxophone. Also provides musical assessment and a
mixture of private and group classes.

PIANO CLASSES
Tel: 01225 636682
morrissokoloff@hotmail.com

SAIGON MOVEMENT
Tel: 0987 027 722
saigonmovement@gmail.com

SAIGON SEAL TEAM


55 Nguyen Dang Giai, An Phu, Q2, Tel: 0905 098 279

SAIGON PONY CLUB


38, Lane 42, Le Van Thinh, Q2, Tel: 0913 733360
Saigonponyclub.com

SAIGON SPORTS ACADEMY


28 Tran Nao, Q2, Tel: (08) 7303 1100
saigonsportsacademy.com
International coaches provide training in soccer, basketball, tennis and swimming for children aged four to
16 years and private lessons for children and adults.
Youth soccer league Sundays from 2pm to 6pm in District 7.

TAE KWON DO
BP Compound, 720K Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: 0903 918 149

VINSPACE
6 Le Van Mien, Q2, Tel: 0907 729 846
vin-space.com

396/4 Nguyen Tat Thanh,


Q4, Tel: (08) 3941 5322
logicalmoves.net
Specialists in international,
local, domestic and office moves for household
goods and personal effects
through our global partner
network. Experts in exporting used scooters that do not
have documentation.

RESIDENT VIETNAM

santaferelo.com
With over 150 offices around
the world, Santa Fe offers
local and international
moving, pet transportation, relocation services
including home search, orientation, cultural training,
immigration services and
records management. Email
Vietnam@santaferelo.com
for info.

SERVICED APARTMENTS
CAM LY HOTEL & APARTMENT
656 Cach Mang Thang Tam,
Q3, Tel: (08) 3993 1587
camlyapartment@hcm.
vnn.vn

rious and modern furnished


accommodation with attentive and discreet service.
Facilities include an outdoor
swimming pool, a gym, sauna
and steam room, as well as
two on-site restaurants.

RIVERSIDE APARTMENTS
53 Vo Truong Toan, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3744 4111
Riverside-apartments.com
Over four Saigon Riverbank
hectares, Riverside Apartments combines a resort
lifestyle with the amenities
of a fully serviced-apartment. Located minutes from
downtown by high-speed
boat shuttle.

SEDONA SUITES

Unit 601 48 Hoa SU, Phu


Nhuan, Tel: (08) 2226 8855
residentvietnam.com

65 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822


9666
sedonahotels.com.sg

SAIGON EXPRESS
AGENCY LIMITED

SHERWOOD RESIDENCE

7th Floor, 6-8 Doan Van Bo,


Q4, Tel: (08) 3826 8850
seal.com.vn

SANTA FE RELOCATION SERVICES


8FL, Thien Son Building, 5
Nguyen Gia Thieu, Q3, Tel:
(08) 3933 0065

TATTOO ARTISTS
With tattoos becoming increasingly popular, over
the past few years there
has been an increase in
the number of tattoo studios around the city.
Customers have the
choice of picking their
own tattoo out of the
many look books on offer
in the studios or bringing
in their own design. Most
of the studios offer bodypiercing services as well.
Pricing depends on size
and style.

DIAMOND ISLAND LUXURY RESIDENCES


No 01 Street No.104-BTT,
Quarter 3, Binh Trung Tay,
Q2. T: 0968 293388 / (08)
3742 5678
enquiry.hochiminh@theascott.com
the-ascott.com
Diamond Island Luxury
Residences offers 68 fullyfurnished apartments, from
two to four-bedroom units
with spectacular panoramic
views of the city. Each apartment comes with a fullyequipped kitchen, en-suite
bathrooms, separate work
and living areas, a balcony,
modern amenities, elegant
furnishings and carefully
chosen trimmings.

LAC VIET TATTOO 608

Dien Bien Phu, Q10


Tel: (08) 3830 4668
106 Pasteur, Q1
Tel: (08) 3821 7068
lacviettattoo.com

CITYVIEW

12 Mac Dinh Chi, Q1, Tel: (08)


3822 1111
cityview.com.vn

SAIGON BODY ART

135 Cong Quynh, Q1


Tel: 0908 443311
saigonbodyart.com

SAIGON INK

26 Tran Hung Dao, Q1


Tel: (08) 3836 1090
tattoovietnam.com

SAIGON TATTOO

31B Nguyen Du, Q1


saigontattoo.net

SAIGON TATTOO GROUP


81 Bui Vien, Q1
Tel: 0908 573339
xamnghethuat.vn

INTERCONTINENTAL ASIANA
SAIGON RESIDENCES
Crn. of Nguyen Du & Le Van
Huu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3520 8888
intercontinental.com/saigonres
Adjacent to the InterContinental Asiana Saigon youll
find 260 luxurious and spacious residential suites. The
residences offer panoramic
views of the downtown area.

TATTOO SAIGON

128 Nguyen Cu Trinh, Q1


Tel: 0938 303838
tattoosaigon.com

TATTOO TAM BI

209 Bui Vien, Q1


Tel: 0919 034383
xamphunnghethuat.com

NORFOLK MANSION
1719-21 Ly Tu Trong, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3822 6111
norfolkmansion.com.vn
Offers a wide choice of luxu-

127 Pasteur, Q3, Tel: (08)


3823 2288
sherwoodresidence.com
Sherwood Residence is a
luxurious serviced apartment property where modern living spaces meet prime
location, comfort and class,
with fivestar facilities and
service.

DELIVERY
BEN STYLE
Tel: 0906 912730
www.vietnammm.com/
restaurants-ben-style
Healthy, calorie-counted
sandwich and deli fare

CHEZ GUIDO
Tel: (08) 3898 3747
www.chezguido.com
Vietnamese, international
fare, pizza, pasta, sandwiches

DOMINOS PIZZA
Tel: (08) 3939 3030
www.dominos.vn
Pizzas, wings, desserts

EAT.VN
www.eat.vn
Delivery service website
for local restaurants

EL GATO NEGRO
Tel: (08) 6660 1577
Californian-style burritos

HUNGRYPANDA.VN
www.hungrypanda.vn
Delivery service website
for local restaurants

KFC
Tel: (08) 3848 9999
www.kfcvietnam.com.vn
Fried chicken, chicken
burgers, sides

LOTTERIA
SOMERSET SERVICED RESIDENCES
8A Nguyen Binh Khiem, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3822 8899; 21-23
Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3822 9197; 628C
Hanoi Highway, An Phu, Q2,
Tel: (08) 6255 9922
somerset.com
Somerset Chancellor Court,
Somerset Ho Chi Minh City
and Somerset Vista Ho Chi
Minh City serviced residences combine the space
and privacy of an apartment with the services of a
top-rated hotel. They come
with separate living and
dining areas, as well as a
fully equipped kitchen where
guests can prepare a meal
for themselves, their family
and friends.

Tel: (08) 3910 0000


www.lotteria.vn
Burgers, fried chicken,
sides

PIZZA HUT (PHD)


Tel: (08) 3838 8388
www.pizzahut.vn
Pizzas, wings, pasta, appetizers

SCOOZI
Tel: (08) 3823 5795
www.scoozipizza.com
Pizzas, pasta, salad, antipasti, desserts

TACO BICH
www.tacobich.com
Homemade Mexican fare

WILLY WOOS
Tel: (08) 3941 5433
www.blackcatsaigon.com
US-style chicken and
waffles

VIETNAMMM
THE LANDMARK
5B Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 2098
thelandmarkvietnam.com
65 serviced apartments located in the city centre overlooking the river. Also has a
comprehensive health club
for tenants and members,
a squash court and a 16th
floor swimming pool.

www.vietnammm.com
Delivery service website
for local restaurants

Do you think you should be


listed on these pages? If so,
simply email us on
listings@wordvietnam.com
and well see what we can
do. We cant promise but
well try our best

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 157

HCMC

downtown

DISTRICT 1
Downtown
Pham Ngu Lao

BARS & CLUBS / CAFES & ICE-CREAM / CLOTHING &


ACCESSORIES / COOKING CLASSES / CRAFTS & FURNITURE / EAT /
FITNESS, DANCE & YOGA / GALLERIES / GROCERIES, LIQUOR &
WINE / HAIRDRESSERS / MEDICAL & DENTAL / SALONS & SPAS

BEER REPUBLIC

MODERN BEER HALL


92 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1 Tel:
0945 858034
facebook.com/BeerRepublic

BLANCHYS TASH

RESTOBAR / NIGHTCLUB
95 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
0909 028293
Blanchystash.com

BOOTLEG DJ CAF

MINIMALIST CAF BAR


9 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: 0907
609202.
bootlegsaigon.com
Reminiscent of a New York
or London underground
watering hole, this is a great
place to enjoy Mediterranean influenced breakfasts,
lunch by day and a variety of
DJ sets by night.

BOUDOIR LOUNGE

HOTEL LOUNGE BAR


Saigon Sofitel Plaza, 17 Le
Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 1555

BROMA

COCKTAILS / ROOFTOP
41 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 6838
Bromas medieval rooftopcocktail lounge conglomeration is a magnet for the
citys weirdest and coolest
events/random moments.
A sophisticated cocktail
menu and quite possibly the
best lamb burger in town.
Check out their bun bo Hueinspired cocktail.

CARMEN

LIVE MUSIC / BAR


8 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 7699

CUNHOUSE

LOUNGE BAR
Hem 36, Chu Manh Trinh, Q1,

TECHNO / DANCE / HIP-HOP


3A Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel:
0919 206461
fuse.vn

GAME ON

SPORTS BAR
115 Ho Tung Mau, Q1 Tel:
(08) 6251 9898
gameonsaigon.com

HARD ROCK CAFE

LIVE MUSIC / WESTERN RESTOBAR


Kumho Asiana Plaza, 39 Le
Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291 7595
hardrockcafe.vn

EXPAT BAR
54 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 2644
Expats keep returning to
this smoky dive bar, largely
due to its amicable service,
brewsky-downing atmosphere, and spirited dart
games. A mainstay in the
local darts league.

LA HABANA

CUBAN / MUSIC BAR


6 Cao Ba Quat, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 5180
lahabana-saigon.com
Cuban-themed bar and
restaurant selling an exciting range of Spanish and
Cuban cuisine, as well as a
few German favourites such
as curry wurst and Wiener
schnitzel. Nightly live music
and regular salsa classes.

LA FENETRE SOLEIL

FRENCH / JAPANESE RESTOBAR


44 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 5994
A seductive watering whole
in a great corner location
thanks to its old Saigon glamour, Japanese-Vietnamese
fusion cuisine, imported
beer, classic cocktails, and
entertaining music events /

158 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

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i

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Ham Nghi

District 2
t
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Va

District 4

LE RENDEZ-VOUS DE SAIGON

FRENCH BISTRO / WINE BAR


9A Ngo Van Nam, Q1, Tel: (08)
6291 0396
lerendezvousdesaigon.com
With such a meaningful
name - the meeting point
- this wine bistro boasts a
relaxed, friendly ambience,
perfect for unwinding with
an after work drink or to
enjoy time with friends.
Reasonably priced, has a
sharing French-cuisinestyle menu and an extensive
old and new world wine list.

LEVEL 23 WINE BAR


ICE BLUE

an

Th
i

Le

ng

Vo

FUSE

cT
ha
n

Da
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District
10

Ma

Du

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n
Ca
ch

Tr
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Du

h
an

Ng
uy
en

EXPAT / SPORTS BAR


58 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3915 2853
Subtle lighting, a pleasant
ambience, a pool table and
darts, this skinny but pleasant expat bar has the feel
of a drinking man's pub. A
place to have fun, drink beer
or spirits and get in with the
party mood. Known for its 15
shooter challenge.

AFTERHOURS LOUNGE
59 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 3122
lastcallsaigon.com
If youre in need of dense,
soulful atmosphere and
maybe an artisanal cocktail on your way back from
wherever, Last Call is your
stop and fast becoming
that of the similarly inclined.
Great happy hour deals for
early evening starters.

Hu
ng

DRUNKEN DUCK

Kh
ai

Ph

DANCE / NIGHTCLUB
2B-C-D Thi Sach, Q1, Tel: (08)
3825 6124
apocalypsesaigon.com

LAST CALL

Ba

Tr
an

APOCALYPSE NOW

Ha
i

Bi
e

District 3

2 LAM SON (MARTINI BAR)

TOP-END INTERNATIONAL
Park Hyatt, 2 Lam Son, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3824 1234
saigon.park.hyatt.com
International dcor blends
seamlessly with local
themes. Style joins forces
with a wide-ranging drink
menu and hip dance tunes to
create one of the most tasteful if pricier bars in Saigon.

DJ sets.

To
n

Ho

Tel: 0908 033982

an
g

in
h

en
Ti

BARS & CLUBS

Binh Thanh

in
h

ROOFTOP LOUNGE BAR


Level 23, Sheraton Saigon
Hotel and Towers, 88 Dong
Khoi, Q1 Tel: (08) 3827 2828
sheratonsaigon.com

LEVEL 23 NIGHTSPOT

LOUNGE BAR / NIGHT CLUB


Level 23, Sheraton Saigon
Hotel and Towers, 88 Dong
Khoi, Q1 Tel: (08) 3827 2828
sheratonsaigon.com

LUSH

PROGRESSIVE / MAINSTREAM
2 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 2496
lush.vn

OBRIENS

IRISH BAR / INTERNATIONAL


74/A3 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 3198
irish-barsaigon.com
This Irish-themed sports
bar with classic pub dcor
is widely appreciated for its
excellent international fare,
large whiskey selection and
upstairs pool table. Great
pizzas. And for a real treat,
check out their zesty rolls.

PACHARAN

SPANISH RESTOBAR / LIVE MUSIC


97 Hai Ba Trung , Q1, Tel: (08)

3825 6024
pacharansaigon.com
Legs of Iberian ham hang
from the ceiling in the
downstairs bar of this multistorey homage to everything
Spanish. Regular first-floor
live music and excellent eats
makes it a mainstay for the
wining, dining and tapaseating crowd.

PHATTYS

AUSTRALIAN / SPORTS
46-48 Ton That Thiep, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3821 0796
phattysbar.com
From its roots as the famed
Caf Latin, Phattys has
become the go-to, Aussie
beer-guzzling / sports viewing emporium, showing everything from international
cricket to Aussie rules and
serving an array of pub grub
favourites.

SAIGON SAIGON

HOTEL MUSIC BAR


9th floor, Caravelle Hotel, 1923 Lam Som Square, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 4999
caravellehotel.com

STORM P

DANISH / INTERNATIONAL
5B Nguyen Sieu, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 4738
Stormp.vn

THE CUBE BAR

HIP RESTOBAR
31B Ly Tu Trong, Q1 Tel:
0903 369798
facebook.com/thecubesaigon
A sleek, industrial looking
restobar with edgy dcor
and just a hint of Spanish
style. Tapas, sangria, Iberi-

an-influenced cocktails and


an emphasis on all things
Latin.

style atmosphere makes this


a great drinking and dining
venue

THE ORIENT

VINO

SPORTS / LIVE MUSIC BAR


24 Ngo Van Nam, Q1
facebook.com/theorientbarsaigon
An attractive, spacious,
brick-wall interior, a long
bar, high table seating, big
screens, a pool table and
live music. A great venue for
a few beers and more.

VASCOS

MUSIC / LOUNGE BAR


The Square, 74/7D Hai Ba
Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824
2888
Vascosgroup.com
A veteran fixture of Saigons
nightlife scene, Vascos offers a softly lit downstairs
patio, and an upstairs Blue
Room chill out lounge area
with regular live music.

VELVET

DANCE/HIP HOP
26 Ho Huan Nghiep, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 2262
velvet.bar.saigon@gmail.
com

VESPER BAR

INTERNATIONAL
Landmark Building, 5B Ton
Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
9698
Headed up by well-known
chef Andy Ertle, Vesper Bar
is a sophisticated yet downto-earth wine and cocktail
bar. Serving creative, Japanese-influenced tapas to
supplement the drinks, the
subtle lighting and lounge-

WINE BAR / TAPAS


The Square, 74/17 Hai Ba
Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 6299
1315
1 Duong 2, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel:
(08) 6281 9059
vinovietnam.com
This downtown wine shops
terrace is a popular after
work drinking spot, where
one can select from 10
wines by the glass, a range
of imported beer, and an
excellent tapas menu. Alternatively, buy from the
great selection of wines in
the shop and pay a small
corkage.

VINYL BAR

MUSIC & SPORTS BAR


70 Pasteur, Q1 Tel: 0907
890623
vinylbarsaigon.com
A small but popular bar
with all the shenanigans of
the nightlife scene set to a
backdrop of classic 60s, 70s
and 80s tunes. Has a darts
area out back and is a popular space for watching the
live English Premier League.

WINE BAR 38

CONTEMPORARY WINE BAR


38 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 3968
With a huge selection of
self-imported wines from
Bordeaux, this classy but
contemporary venue is a
wine bar downstairs, and a
lounge on the first floor. Has
a French-Asian menu paired
to all the wines, with a huge

HCMC
selection of the good stuff
sold by the glass.

WINE EMBASSY

CONTEMPORARY WINE BAR


13 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 7827
wineembassy.com.vn
A two-storey, contemporarydesigned wine bar serving
30 wines by the glass, all
at reasonable prices. Has
an excellent food menu to
complement the old and new
world wines.

ropean and Mediterranean


food complemented with
good coffee and excellent
desserts.

BACH DANG

ICE CREAM PARLOUR / CAFE


26-28 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 2707

BASKIN ROBBINS

ICE CREAM PARLOUR


1 Truong Dinh, Q1, Tel: (08)
7308 3131
baskinrobbins.vn

CASBAH
XU

CAF / LOUNGE BAR


71-75 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3824 8468
xusaigon.com
This iconic upmarket downtown bar is known for its
cocktails and wine list. It
serves a range of international and Vietnamese dishes to be enjoyed in its richly
decorated interior. Regular
DJ nights.

ZANZBAR

LOUNGE BAR & RESTOBAR


19-21 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 7375
Creative cocktails, an extensive wine list, subtle lighting,
international tapas and a
laid-back, lightbox-lit ambience are all part of the offering at the all-new ZanZBar
on the river end of Dong Khoi.
Popular with a businessy, international crowd.

CAFES & ICE-CREAM


AU PARC

EUROPEAN / MEDITERRANEAN
23 Han Thuyen, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 2772
Auparcsaigon.com
Set in a shophouse-style
building, Au Parc offers a
chic colonial space to indulge in sensibly priced Eu-

MIDDLE EASTERN
59 Nguyen Du, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 5130
This secluded Middle Eastern coffeehouse has both
cozy indoor and rooftop
seating to admire views of
the city. With such a prime
downtown location, expect
prices to match.

CENTRO

ITALIAN / CONTEMPORARY CAFE


11-13 Lam Son Square, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3827 5946
Conveniently located near
the Caravelle Hotel, this
casual cafe serves one of
the best lattes in town with
a mid-range Italian menu
including panini and other
typical fare.

COFFEE BEAN & TEA LEAF

INTERNATIONAL
Metropolitan Building, 235
Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3508
7285
coffeebean.com.vn
Large portioned coffee lures
customers into the flagship
store of this international
caf chain. The contemporary, yet generic atmosphere is bolstered by comfortable seating and a menu
to satisfy any sweet tooth.

CREPERIE AND CAF

FRENCH
5 Han Thuyen, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 9117

Known for its fantastic


street-side seating opposite
the park on Le Duan and savoury crepes, this hang out
caf will impress you with its
location as much as its food.

FANNY

ICE CREAM PARLOUR / CAFE


29-31 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3821 1633
fanny.com.vn

GIVRAL CAF

INTERNATIONAL
80 Ham Nghi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3915 3704
saigongivral.com

GOODY

ICE CREAM PARLOUR / CAFE


133 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 9339

GUANABANA SMOOTHIES

CONTEMPORARY JUICE BAR


23 Ly Tu Trong, Q1 Tel: 0909
824830
guanabanasmoothies.com
An American-style juice
bar and caf dedicated
to healthy, nutricious
smoothies that avoid the local obsession with sugar and
condensed milk. A pleasant,
contemporary environment
adds to the theme.

HAGEN-DAZS

ICE CREAM PARLOUR / CAFE


11 Han Thuyen, Q1, Tel: (08)
6683 5899; 20 Le Thanh Ton,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 0066

LUSINE

CONTEMPORARY / FRENCH
First Floor, 151 Dong Khoi,
Q1, Tel: (08) 6674 9565; 70B
Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3521
0703
lusinespace.com
French-style wooden decor
compliments the spacious,
whitewashed contemporary
interior of LUsine. A simple,
creative menu combines
with reasonably priced coffee, and a fashion store and
art gallery out back. Second
location on Le Loi.

MAGONN THE CAFE


109 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 9672
magonn.vn
Nested above Magonn boutique, is a bright and inviting space for everything
from drinks to bites. Coming
with a crowd? The attic is a
quaint little spot to fit a cozy
gathering.

M2C CAFE
44B Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 2495
facebook.com/m2ccafe
At M2C (Modern Meets
Culture), everything gets a
touch of modernity. From
the rich menu of Vietnamese food and drinks, shows
immense local culture, done
with a modern flare. Be seen
here at one of the latest popular joint in town.

THE MORNING CAFE


2nd Floor, 36 Le Loi, Q1, Tel:
0938 383330
themorningcafe.com.vn
Have a book to read? Pick a
bright spot by the window
and get snuggly with the
comfy upholstery in this
second-floor cafe. With a
cup of well-brewed coffee, accompanied by some
background jazz, it is an afternoon well-spent.

THE PRINT ROOM

CONTEMPORARY CAFE
158 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 4990
Second-storey coffeehouse
offers a quiet atmosphere
to chill out or read from
their book-nook collection.
Comfortable couch seating,
open table space and a cappuccino costs VND40,000.

TRUNG NGUYEN

INTERNATIONAL VIETNAMESE
80 Dong Khoi, Q1
trungnguyen.com.vn

ZEST BISTRO & CAF

INTERNATIONAL
5 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08)

3911 5599
This two-storey building with
a mezzanine level boasts an
industrial style complex with
block walls, steel structures
and huge glass windows.
The mid-range menu offers
over 40 options from appetizers to desserts.

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES


ANUPA ECO LUXE

LEATHER & JEWELLERY


9 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
2394
anupa.net
Monday to Sunday, 9am to
8pm
This centrally located unique
boutique has been converted into an eco-boutique
which exclusively retails
the complete Anupa leather
and semi-precious jewellery range as well as other
unique eco brands such as
bamboo eyewear, pendant
scarves and cushion covers.

DEBENHAMS

ADULT & CHILDRENS WEAR


Vincom Center, 70-72 Le
Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291
7592

GALLERY VIVEKKEVIN

DESIGN & JEWELLERY


35 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
6291 8162
galleryvivekkevin.com
9.30am to 8pm
This retail-cum-gallery
space specialises in contemporary and exclusive
handcrafted jewellery made
from handpicked gemstones
and raw materials. Exhibitions and gallery talks run
every month.

GEISHA & GEISHAS COFFEE AND


TEA HOUSE

CASUAL & EVENING WEAR


85 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 4004
Contemporary ranges of
casual and evening wear

fused with Asian designs.


The apparel includes floral
dresses, jean skirts, printed
tees and street-style bags.
Enjoy a cup of coffee at their
caf after.

GINKGO

VIETNAM-THEMED CLOTHING
10 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3521
8755
ginkgo-vietnam.com
Quality, original, Vietnamthemed tees are the showpiece at this airy French-run
store. Designs are inspired
by anything from the Vietnamese flag, local telecom
wires and motorbikes to
creative, Siddharta-style
imagery.

IPA-NIMA

BAGS & ACCESSORIES


77-79 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 3277; 71 Pasteur, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3824 2701
ipa-nima.com
9am to 9pm

LUSINE

LIFESTYLE / ACCESSORIES
First floor, 151 Dong Khoi,
Q1, Tel: (08) 6674 9565
lusinespace.com
Exclusive labels, elegant and
sophisticated clothing and
casual high-quality cottons
are stocked at this boutique/
caf. Lifestyle accessories
include shoes, homewares,
knickknacks, cameras, stationery and a range of vintage bicycles.

MANDARINA

TAILOR-MADE SHOES
171 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3827 5267

MR & MRS SMITH

FACTORY OUTLET
43 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3821 8019
9am to 9pm
This designer fashion outlet
sells a variety of clothing and
shoes produced in Vietnam.
All designs are brand new,
delivered from the factory
weekly and sold at factory
outlet prices.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 159

HCMC

COFFEE CUP
TOILET KINGDOM

own a Binh Thanh back alley, the


writing was on the wall.
And so the scripture read: Thy
kingdom come. No wait, it read
Kingdom but was preceded by Toilet?
Yup, urine for some potty humour. Thats
par for the course at Toilet Kingdom,
where the one room in the coffee shop
you usually dont want to see has taken
centre stage. You sit on toilets with Angry
Bird cushions, drink out of little potties
and bathtubs on glass tables over sinks
with glitter and fake trees inside. Little
streamers with happy buzzing flies adorn
the walls and ceilings. Bathroom mirrors
with stray toothbrushes and bottles of
shampoo are scattered throughout.
To call this place cute seems
misdirected, when you consider the
subject matter. If youve ever been stuck
in a bathroom at a party, just imagine
the party is in the bathroom. Its the
brainchild of co-owners Quang Le Huu
and Phuc Dung Dang Hong, and they
didnt exactly deny that a similarlythemed chain in Taipei called Modern
Toilet might have helped with some
ideas. But they agreed that Ho Chi Minh
City patrons were ready for just such an

160 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Photos by Kyle Phanroy

establishment.
We want to bring Ho Chi Minh City
young people a different way to have
coffee, explained manager Quang,
adding that a similar caf has already
been set up in Hanoi.
Showing me around the place, I
pointed at one of the little steaming
poops on one of the walls. As I cracked
up at the sight of it, Quang exclaimed,
Its sh-t! with unbridled glee.

A Bit of a Bummer
Right down to smoothies named
King Toilet (strawberry, raspberry,
blueberry and vanilla VND69,000)
and a parfait named Pink Love Toilet
(vanilla, strawberry and fresh berries
VND68,000), the drinks are named just
as whimsically as the place is decorated.
Its also pretty family friendly; the only
booze on hand seemed to be Baileys
for your coffee. The Toilet Coffee (iced
coffee with vanilla and strawberry
VND58,000) was only remarkable for
its toilet-like cup, which is more kitschy
than gross once youve gotten your head
around the place. If anything, the drink
itself was a bit of a bummer, so to speak,

given how much time and effort had


gone into the dcor of the restaurant. My
contingent had similar findings; inventive
packaging, uninspired contents.
The actual toilets here are surprisingly
conventional, save for the toilet paper
being suspended from the ceiling. On this
particular day the young crowd Quang
had talked about was present, along with
some tots who seemed to get the biggest
kick out of the place.
But is the whole thing a bit too out
there for foreigners? Asking for a bowl of
ice cream and getting it in a different kind
of bowl is a tad much for some people,
and looking around to see your friends
eating out of commodes is definitely
surreal.
Its an interesting idea, says Helen
Brook, a 25-year-old visitor from
Bradford, England. It is a bit dubious
drinking brown stuff out of a toilet,
though.
Its up to you to decide in this modern
game of thrones, although at the end you
might feel pooped. Harry Hodge
Toilet Kingdom is located at 29/2A Duong
D2, Ward 25, Binh Thanh, Ho Chi Minh
City

HCMC
SONG

ASIAN / FRENCH BOUTIQUE


1st Floor, Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, Q1; 75
Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08) 3914 4088
asiasongdesign.com

T&V TAILOR

TAILORS
39 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 4556
triciaandverona.com

VESPA SHOP

VESPA PRODUCTS / HELMETS


Unit 66, Saigon Square, 7-9A Ton Duc Thang,
Q1
Stocks a wide range of Vespa-inspired tidbits
and memorabilia including t-shirts, riding
gear, Italian helmets, Respro face masks,
DVDs, books, bags, magazines, posters and
more. Rental scooters and bikes available.

COOKING CLASSES
SAIGON COOKING CLASSES BY HOA TUC
74 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 8485
saigoncookingclass.com
Learn to cook quality Vietnamese cuisine
with local specialist Hoa Tuc. The three-hour
lesson, conducted by an English-speaking Vietnamese chef, includes a trip around Ben
Thanh Market to gather fresh ingredients
for the class.

VIETNAM COOKERY CENTRE


Suite 45, 4th Floor, 26 Ly Tu Trong, Q1,Tel:
(08) 3827 0349
vietnamese-cooking-class-saigon.com

SAPA

ETHNIC ACCESSORIES / SOUVENIRS


69 Dong Khoi, Q1

MEKONG QUILTS

HAND-MADE QUILTS
1st Floor, 68 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 2210 3110
mekong-quilts.org

NHA XINH

HOME FURNISHINGS
2nd Floor, Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3821 6115
www.nhaxinh.com

THE FURNITURE WAREHOUSE

EUROPEAN-STYLE FURNITURE
3B Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 6657 0788
thefurniturewarehouse.com.vn

EAT

BARBECUE GARDEN

VIETNAMESE / BARBECUE
135A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823
3340; 134-136 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1
barbecuegarden.com

BASILICO

CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN
Ground Floor, Kumho Plaza, Cnr. Nguyen Du
and Le Van Huu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3520 9099
intercontinental.com/saigon

BEIRUT

LEBANESE
The Courtyard, 74/13D Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 2188

BIBI@ALIBI
5A Nguyen Sieu, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 6257
The legendary chef Bibis newest creation, a
convivial restaurant serving Mediterranean
cuisine using fresh products bought early
morning at the market by Bibi himself. Delicious meats and fish dishes together with the
famous tarte tatin.

3T QUAN NUONG

VIETNAMESE BBQ
Top Floor, 29 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel: (08)
3821 1631

AL FRESCOS

INTERNATIONAL
27 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 38238424
alfrescosgroup.com
The downtown outlet of one of Vietnams
most successful restaurant chains, Al
Frescos offers international, Australian-influenced comfort fare in a pleasant environment with efficient, friendly service to match.
Excellent delivery service.

BLACK CAT

AMERICAN
13 Phan Van Dat, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 2055
blackcatsaigon.com
Creatively named burgers, tasty Vietnamese-styled sandwiches, spiced up cocktails,
mains and more, all served up with a Californian edge at this small but popular twostorey eatery close to the river.

BLANCHY STREET

JAPANESE / SOUTH AMERICAN


The Courtyard, 74/3 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 8793

ASHOKA

CRAFTS & FURNITURE


BELLAVITA

HIGH-END FURNITURE
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821
4201
bellavitafurniture.com

BOCONCEPT

DANISH FURNITURE
68-70 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 6604; The
Crescent Mall, 101 Ton Dat Tien, Q7, Tel: (08)
5413 7357
boconcept.vn

DIABOLO

FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES


13 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 1803
9am to 8pm

NORTH INDIAN / CHINESE INDIAN


17/10 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 1372
33 Tong Huu Dinh, Q2, Tel : (08) 3744 4177
ashokaindianrestaurant.com
Long-running, award-winning Indian restaurant famed for its excellent kebabs, creamy
curries and Chinese-Indian fare.

AU PARC

EUROPEAN / CAF
23 Han Thuyen, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 2772
auparcsaigon.com
Consistently tasty European caf fare
think deli-style sandwiches, salads and
mezzes, plus coffees and juices served at
a popular park-side Le Duan location with
classic cream and green-tiled dcor.

EM EM

SOUVENIRS
38 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 4408
8am to 9.30pm

MEKONG CREATIONS

FAIR TRADE CRAFTS


35-37 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (08) 2210 3110
mekong-creations.org

NGUYEN FRERES

NIK-NAKS / CRAFTS
2 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 9459
8am to 8pm

NINH KHUONG EMBROIDERY

EMBROIDERED PRODUCTS
83 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 9079; 42 Le
Loi, Q1. (08) 3824 7456
ninhkhuong.vn

BAHDJA
87-89-91 Ho Tung Mau, Q1, Tel: 0122 763
1261
bahdjarestaurant@gmail.com
Located just beneath Au Lac Saigon Hotel,
Bahdja is Saigons first ever Algerian restaurant, serving authentic, multi-ethnic Berber
North African and Mediterranean cuisine
cooked and served in a traditional Algerian
style. Best experienced in a group, this small
but pleasant restaurants soothing ambience
is matched by the owners genuine hospitality
and complimented by an array of tasty tajines
and couscous-based dishes. Make sure to
try the excellent Moroccan wine, too.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 161

HCMC
The work of former Nobu
chef Martin Brito, the
Japanese-South American
fusion cuisine at Blanchy
Street is among the tastiest
and most unusual in the city.
All complemented by fresh,
contemporary decor and a
leafy terrace out front.

BOMBAY INDIAN

INDIAN MALAY
57-59 Ham Nghi, Q1, Tel:
0903 863114

BROTZEIT

GERMAN / RESTOBAR
Level 1, Kumho Link, 9 Le
Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 4206
brotzeit.co/kumholink

BUN CHA HA NOI

BUN CHA
26/1A Le Thanh Ton, Q1

CENTRAL PARC BANH MI


7 Bis Han Thuyen, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 8549
Part of the Au Parc group,
this miniscule, New Yorkthemed sandwich shop does
creative lunchtime fare at
excellent prices think
baguettes, wraps, focaccia
and bagels. Excellent delivery service.

CIAO BELLA

NEW YORK-ITALIAN
11 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 3329
saigonrestaurantgroup.com
New York-style Italian restaurant offering a range
of tasty and affordable antipasti, pastas, and pizzas.
Friendly staff and rustic
bare brick walls adorned
with Hollywood film legends
make for a relaxed and attractive setting.

CORSO

STEAKHOUSE / INTERNATIONAL
117 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 5368
norfolkhotel.com.vn
Although a hotel restaurant,
the enticing range of US and
Australian steaks plus great
grill and comfort food menu
in this contemporary eatery make for a quality bite.
Decent-sized steaks start at
VND390,000.

DRAGON NOODLE

JAPANESE NOODLES
29 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08)
3521 0008

ELBOW ROOM

AMERICAN
52 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08)
3821 4327
elbowroom.com.vn
The comfort food on offer at this striking US-style
diner ranges from meatball
baguettes to chilli burgers,
pizzas, blackened chicken
salads and a selection of
more expensive international mains.

EL GAUCHO

ARGENTINIAN STEAKHOUSE
5D Nguyen Sieu, Q1, Tel: (08)
3825 1879
elgaucho.com.vn
A pleasant downtown eatery mixing an Argentinian
steakhouse theme with pork,
chicken, lamb, homemade
spicy sausage, skewers,
burger dishes and everything that can come off a
grill.

GANESH

NORTH / SOUTH INDIAN


38 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 4786
ganesh.restaurant.vn@hotmail.com
The ubiquitous mint sauce
is thick and creamy and the

162 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

curries are both authentic


and smoky. Ganesh is rated
by many as the best Indian in
town. Very friendly service.

GOLDEN ELEPHANT

CLASSIC THAI
34 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 8554
saigonssk@vnn.vn

GOURMETS DELIGHT

ROAST KITCHEN CANTONESE


Unit 15, 1/F, Kumho Asiana
Saigon, 39 Le Duan, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3521 8181
gourmetsdelight.com.vn

GRILLBAR

AIRCON STREETFOOD
122 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 7901
facebook.com/grillbareaterycafe
Take a New York-style industrial atmosphere, add to
it a range of grilled dishes,
typical of the barbecue fare
youd find on the street, and
then add in three types of
rice and a range of organic
products. Close to Ben
Thanh Market, this is com
binh dan

HOA TUC

CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE
The Square, 74/7 Hai Ba
Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825
1676
Highly rated restaurant
with stunning outdoor terrace. Specialities include
pink pomelo squid and crab
salad, mustard leaf prawn
rolls, fishcake wraps and
barbecue chicken in ginger,
onions and a lime leaf marinade.

HOANG YEN

PAN-VIETNAMESE
7 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 1101

HOGS BREATH CAF

AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL
Ground Floor, Bitexco Financial Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3915 6066
hogsbreathcafe.com.vn
Mixing hearty pub grub
such as burgers, salads
and prime rib steaks with a
sports bar atmosphere, this
Australian chain also offers
regular promotions and a
4pm to 7pm happy hour. Excellent outdoor terrace.

INAHO

SUSHI / SASHIMI
4 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 0326

JASPAS WINE & GRILL

INTERNATIONAL FUSION
The Square, 74/7 Hai Ba
Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827
0931
Alfrescosgroup.com
Although a chain restaurant,
the international offerings
here are consistently good
and creative. Excellent service, an attractive outdoor
terrace area, and a good
kids menu. Check out their
pepper steaks.

rant serving Thai classics


alongside tom yam cappuccinos and more. Koh Thais
creative cocktails merge
Thai flavours with local seasonal fruits and herbs.

LE BANH MI
12 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 1036

LOLIVIER

FRENCH/MEDITERRANEAN
Sofitel Saigon Plaza, 17 Le
Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824
1555
sofitel.com
Exuding a southern Gallic
atmosphere with its tiled veranda, pastel-coloured walls
and ficus trees, this traditional French restaurant
has quarterly Michelin star
promotions and an award
winning pastry team.

CANTONESE
Renaissance Riverside Hotel,
815 Ton Duc Thang. Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 0033
marriott.com
Offers authentic, gourmet
Cantonese cuisine in an elegant, classic setting, with
striking dcor and the bonus of views over the Saigon
River. Dishes range from
VND80,000 to VND900,000.

KOH THAI

CONTEMPORARY THAI FUSION


Level 1, Kumho Link, 39 Le
Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823
4423
Modern Thai fusion restau-

FRENCH / MEDITERRANEAN
48 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08)
2229 8882
lacuisine.com.vn
This intimate, open-kitchened restaurant bathed in
white specialises in a mix
of contemporary Mediterranean and French cuisine.
Has a small but well thought
out menu, backed up with an
extensive wine list.

LA HOSTARIA

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN
17B Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 1080
lahostaria.com
This downtown hideaway
with rusticstyle decorative
trawls features fresh, light
regional cuisine from across
Italy. Try the carpaccio misto
di pesce and agnello dantico.
Also specializes in excellent
wood-fired pizzas.

LE BOUCHON DE SAIGON
LA BETTOLA

KABIN

LA CUISINE

LITTLE ITALY
84 Ho Tung Mau Q1, Tel: (08)
3914 4402
labettolasaigon.com
Located in the heart of Saigon, La Bettola is the only
restaurant in town managed
by two Italian chefs and an
Italian waiter. A wood-fired
pizza oven, a downstairs bar
and a stylish, elegant setting
on the second floor are part
of the mix. As is the homemade mozzarella, ricotta
cheese, ravioli magro, tortelli
mushrooms, pappardelle
and mascarpone cheese for
the tiramisu, which is made
fresh every day. Has a great
selection of Italian wine.

CLASSIC FRENCH / EUROPEAN


FUSION
40 Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3829 9263
lebouchondesaigon.com
A sociable and popular
French bistro serving up
100 percent organic, traditional Gallic staples such as
French onion soup, escargot,
and moules marinires, plus
European fusion dishes, and
competitively priced world
wines.

LE JARDIN

CLASSIC FRENCH
31 Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3825 8465
Unpretentious but tasty
French fare in a relaxed garden setting within the French
cultural centre. The robust,
bistro-style cuisine is very
well-priced, and excellent,

cheap house wine is served by the carafe.

LUCCA

TRATTORIA-STYLE ITALIAN
88 Ho Tung Mau, Ben Nghe, Q1, Tel: (08)
3915 3691
A contemporary trattoria in the heart of
Saigon, serving home-cooked Italian cuisine
with New York flair in a beautifully designed
space with high ceilings. The menu features
both traditional antipasti and substantial
main courses.

LUONG SON

PAN-VIETNAMESE
31 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 1330

OPERA

CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN
Ground Floor, Park Hyatt Hotel, 2 Lam Son
Square, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 1234
saigon.park.hyatt.com
Unpretentious, casual but elegant restaurant
with a triedandtested Italian menu backed
up by a compact wine list from regions like
Umbria, Toscana and Veneto. Regular specials and impressive open kitchens.

PACHARAN

SPANISH / EUROPEAN
97 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 6924
Legs of Iberian ham hang in the downstairs
bar at this multi-story bodega serving Spanish-styled tapas. Attractively decorated in
warm reds, yellows and oranges, Pacharans
food menu is traditionally Spanish.

PASHA

MAY RESTAURANT
19 21 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291 3686
may.restaurant19@gmail.com
7am to late
Casual yet stylish, May places internationalstyle wining and dining in the heart of historic
Saigon. Subtle lighting, comfortable seating,
an extensive wine and cocktail list, and beautifully crafted comfort food from Europe, the
Antipodes and Asia all make up the mix at this
multi-floored restaurant and bar. Check out
their set lunches and happy hour.

MARKET 39

INTERNATIONAL BUFFET
Ground Floor, InterContinental Asiana Saigon, Crn. of Hai Ba Trung & Le Duan, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3520 9999
intercontinental.com/saigon

MOGAMBO

PAN-AMERICAN / TEX-MEX
50 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825 1311
mogambo@saigonnet.vn

NAM GIAO

HUE CUISINE
136/15 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 38
250261; 116 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3925 9996
namgiao.com

NHA HANG NGON

VILLA DINING / STREETFOOD


160 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 7131

NINETEEN

INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN
Ground floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son
Square, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 4999
caravellehotel.com

OMG!

FUSION CUISINE / LOUNGE BAR


Top Floor, 15-17-19 Nguyen An Ninh, Q1
A contemporary and attractive rooftop restaurant with a lounge bar just 50m from
Ben Thanh Market. Features a glass shell
modeled in the image of the Eiffel Tower, a
jungle-like atmosphere and views over central Saigon.

OSAKA RAMEN

JAPANESE NOODLES
18 Thai Van Lung, Q1; SD04, Lo H29-2, KP My
Phat, Phu My Hung, Q7

TURKISH / INTERNATIONAL
25 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291 3677
pasha.com.vn
Sumptuous, Turkish-themed restaurant
close to the mosque with Islamic-style white
dome dcor and comfortable, cushioned
seating.Authentically Turkish cuisine with a
sprinkling of western fare thrown in.

PENDOLASCO

PAN-ITALIAN
36 Tong Huu Dinh, Q2, Tel: (08) 6253 2828
pendolasco.vn
Opening out into a large, leafy terracottatiled garden area, this trattoria-style Italian
restaurant serves up quality homemade
pasta, risotto, gnocchi, excellent pizza and
grilled dishes. Another branch downtoan at
87 Nguyen Hue, Q1.

PIZZA 4PS

EUROPEAN/ASIAN FUSION
8/15 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 9838
pizza4ps.com
This quirky but highly rated Italian / Japanese fusion pizza parlour serves wacky yet
delicious pies such as tuna curry pizza and
calamari seaweed pizza, as well as more
traditional varieties.

PROPAGANDA

CLASSIC VIETNAMESE / BISTRO


21 Han Thuyen, Q1
Part of the group that includes Au Parc
and Refinery, Propaganda serves up classic Vietnamese cuisine in an atmosphere of
barebrick walls interposed with Propaganda
Art murals and prints.

QUAN BUI 2

TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE
17A Ngo Van Nam, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 1515
With its leafy roof garden and chic interior,
Quan Bui offers a wide selection of Vietnamese cuisine which is cooked in their open
kitchen.

REFINERY

FRENCH BISTRO / INTERNATIONAL


The Square, 74 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 0509
therefinerysaigon.com
A slightly retro feel pervades this popular
French-style bistro and wine bar which once
housed the citys opium refinery. The cuisine

runs from creative salads through to Mediterranean influenced mains.

REFLECTIONS

INTERNATIONAL / FINE DINING


3rd floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son
Square, Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 4999

RIVERSIDE CAF

INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN
Renaissance Riverside, 815 Ton Duc Thang,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 0033
Offers versatile allday dining of international quality, with the bonus of being able to
watch the action on the river sidewalk. Features western, Asian and Vietnamese buffets.

SAIGON CAF

INTERNATIONAL / BUFFET
Level 1, Sheraton Saigon Hotel and Towers,
88 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: (08) 3827 2828
sheratonsaigon.com

SEOUL HOUSE

KOREAN
33 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 4297
seoul.house@yahoo.com.kr

SHANG PALACE RESTAURANT

PAN-CHINESE / CANTONESE
Norfolk Mansion, 17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3823 2221
shangpalace.com.vn
Featuring over 200 dishes and 50 kinds of
dim sum prepared by chefs from Hong Kong,
Shang Palace has nine private dining rooms
and a main dining area seating over 300.
Good for events.

SKEWERS

INTERNATIONAL / MEDITERRANEAN
9A Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 4798
skewers-restaurant.com
Simple, unpretentious Greek-influenced, international cuisine ranging from the zucchini
carpaccio through to the saganiki, a range
of dips, mousaka, osso buco and lamb chop
skewers. Also has an excellent upstairs cigar room.

TANDOOR

NORTH / SOUTH INDIAN


74/6 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08) 3930 4839
Tandoorvietnam.com

TEMPLE CLUB

PAN-VIETNAMESE
29-31 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel: (08) 3829 9244
Templeclub.com.vn
Once a hotel for Indian dignitaries visiting old
Saigon, the elegant and atmospheric Temple
Club is one of the citys best-preserved buildings. Serving quality Vietnamese and Indochine cuisine at reasonable prices.

THE BURGER CORNER

INTERNATIONAL
43 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 0094

THE SWISS HOUSE SAIGON


54 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824 2079
swisshousesaigon.com
Serving up authentic cuisine spanning the
three linguistic regions of Switzerland, as
well as dishes from Bavaria and Austria, this
attractive, two-floor Swiss-styled restaurant
also boasts a beer cellar in the basement.

HCMC

TOP EATS
KEP N KEM

ith the continuing spread


of US and home-grown ice
cream and dessert parlours
across Vietnam, an affordable
post-pho hit of sweetness is now never
too far away. While the likes of Fannys
and Buds may blind you with page
upon page of sugar-based alchemy, Kep
n Kem is a far simpler affair. However,
as with so any eateries in Vietnam, the
shorter the menu and the smaller the
chairs, the greater the reward.
Kep n Kem fits this trend. Situated on
a buzzing side-street just inside District 3
(with a second branch in District 11), this
pavement-facing joint constructs indulgent
yet exceptionally good value delicacies,
with just three hand-crafted components:
fresh ice cream, French crpes and sweet
waffles. And you will want to try them all.

The Basics
Two flavours of homemade ice-cream are
churned out daily from a rotating selection
of 30, with recent highlights including
white chocolate, coffee and a French-style
guava sorbet. The day of our visit its

164 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Photos by Nick Ross

raspberry and vanilla both in creamy


gelato style.
The combination of high quality and
natural ingredients is evident in their
appearance alone. The raspberry glistens
with a subtle pink hue no crazy neon
colourings here and upon dunking,
twisting and removing my spoon, a
seductive, almost caramel-like texture is
revealed.
There are actual raspberries in this, says
one of my companions as we huddle around
the tiny table. And she is not wrong; the
taste is both sweet and refreshing, not too
heavy, and very addictive.

The Sticky Stuff


Crpes are made to order, with a
touch of flair and a choice of the usual
accompaniments including the ubiquitous
banana and Nutella (which is particularly
divine here). Rich in flavour, yet not too
buttery, each crpe is carefully rolled and
slotted into handy tear-down cardboard
pockets, ideal for munching on the move
(although do grab a napkin or three as the
fillings will find their way onto your hands,

face and possibly elbows).


The Kem Burger, however, should most
certainly be tackled in a seated position.
This irresistible creation sandwiches
a generous portion of ice cream and
Chantilly between two golden and
perfectly cooked Lige-style waffles. Add
your choice of topping (we opt for yet
more Nutella, of course), and prepare to
be engulfed in a fuzzy glow of happiness.
That combination of warm waffle dough
and cold vanilla creaminess pooling in the
waffles dimples
The open-mouthed silence around our
table said it all, although the plastic spoons
were a little too flimsy for our eager hands.
Prices range from VND20,000 for a single
portion of ice-cream to just VND50,000 for
the Kem Burger. 750g take-away ice-cream
tubs are priced at VND135,000. Along with
several other sweet creations, an Emmental
and ham crpe is also available, although
youd do well to get that far down the
menu. Simon Stanley
Kep n Kem is at 7 Nguyen Thuong Hien,
Q3 and 2 Duong Dinh Nghe, Q11 in Ho Chi
Minh City, facebook.com/kepnkem

HCMC
TOKYO BBQ

JAPANESE BARBECUE
15A6 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 2527

VESPER BAR

INTERNATIONAL / TAPAS-STYLE
Landmark Building, 5B Ton
Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
9698
Headed up by well-known
chef Andy Ertle, Vesper Bar
is a sophisticated yet downto-earth wine and cocktail
bar. Serving creative, Japanese-influenced tapas to
supplement the drinks, the
subtle lighting and loungestyle atmosphere makes this
a great drinking and dining
venue

WARDA

MIDDLE-EASTERN
71/7 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 3822
info@wardavn.com
The deep colours, Arabic dcor and cushioned outdoor
terrace area give this popular venue its unique touch.
The food is good, too, taking
in tabouleh, houmous, falafel
and mutabbal, shwarmas
and more. Sells authentic
shisha.

WRAP & ROLL


62 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3822 2166; 111 Nguyen Hue,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3821 8971
wrap-roll.com
The lime green walls and
bright pastel colours of
Wrap n Roll are just part
of the theme of this homegrown, Vietnamese brand
which is all about spring rolls
of all types, and healthy, Hueinfluenced cuisine.

YAMANEKO

JAPANESE / OKINAWA
13/1 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 8433
yamanekovn.com
Funky Yamaneko down an
alley off Le Thanh Ton offers delicious, unpretentious
Okinawan fare alongside
mainland staples. Does a
great set lunch deal.

YU CHU

TOP-END PAN-CHINESE
1st Floor, InterContinental
Asiana Saigon, crn.of Hai Ba
Trung & Le Duan, Q1
Tel: (08) 3520 9999
intercontinental.com/saigon
Skillful chefs prepare authentic hand-pulled noodles,
fresh dim sum and hot wok
dishes within an impeccably
designed open kitchen, as
diners look on. Stylish and
spectacular.

FITNESS, DANCE & YOGA


ANUPA YOGA
9 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
2394
anupa.net/yoga-anupa

CALIFORNIA FITNESS CENTRE

FITNESS CENTRE
Queen Ann Building, 2830
32 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 6291
5999
Cfyc.com.vn

NUTRIFORT

GENERAL FITNESS
2B1 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3825 8560
nutrifort.com
Offers fitness classes and
personal training with excellent facilities. Group classes
include power yoga, pilates,
circuit training, martial arts
and spinning. There is also a
spa and a restaurant serving
caloriecalibrated meals.

RENAISSANCE HOTEL HEALTH


CLUB

HEALTH CLUB & GYM


815 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 0033

SAIGON FITNESS CO.

HEALTH CLUB & GYM


New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8888
saigon.newworldhotels.com

SHERATON FITNESS

HEALTH CLUB & GYM


Level 5, Sheraton Saigon
Hotel and Towers, 88 Dong
Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2828
sheratonsaigon.com

SOFITEL PLAZA FITNESS CENTRE

HEALTH CLUB & GYM


17 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3824 1555

THE LANDMARK CLUB

GYM, POOL, SQUASH


The Landmark, 5B Ton Duc
Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
2098 ext. 176
thelandmarkvietnam.com
In addition to the squash
court, facilities include a
fullyequipped gym room, a
rooftop swimming pool and
separate male and female
saunas.

GALLERIES
BLUE SPACE & PARTICULAR ART
GALLERY
97A Pho Duc Chinh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3821 3695
bluespacearts.com

DOGMA
8A/9C1 Thai Van Lung, Q1
dogmacollection.com
The home of Vietnamese
propaganda art and a collection put together over the
last two decades by art collector Dominic Scriven, the
majority of the work comes
from the war period when
provocative poster art was
used to inspire and motivate.
Sells prints of the originals
and related products.

HO CHI MINH CITY FINE ARTS


MUSEUM

(08) 3829 4441


baotangmythuattphcm.vn

PHUONG MAI ART GALLERY


129B Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 3181
07 Phan Chu Trinh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 3166
phuongmaigallery.com

GROCERIES, LIQUOR & WINE


ANNAM GOURMET MARKET

GROCERY & DELI


1618 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 9332
Annam-gourmet.com
Attractive and spacious
Frenchowned grocery
shop stocking a large range
of foods, organic fruit and
vegetables, imported beers
and wines. Also sells luxury
branded products from
the likes of Fauchon. The
deli upstairs in the Hai Ba
Trung branch serves tasty
baguette rolls in a comfortable lounge area with free
WiFi, and offers probably
the best selection of cheese
and cured meats in town.
Free delivery for Districts 1,
2 and 3.

BACCHUS CORNER

WINE SHOP
158D Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08)
3829 3306
bacchuscorner.com
A range of spirits, whiskies
and wines at affordable prices. Wines come from all over
the world with an especially
good selection from France,
Chile and South Africa. Also
has an excellent range of
single malts, top shelf tequilas and has an onsite
wine tasting machine, the
Enomatic, the first of its kind
in Vietnam.

DALOC

WINE SHOP
74E Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 5404 3575
daloc.vn

KIM HAI BUTCHERS

BUTCHERS
73 Le Thi Hong Gam, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3914 4376
kimhai.vn

PHUONG HA

GROCERS
58 Ham Nghi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3914 1318

RED APRON

WINE SHOP
22 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 0021

THE WAREHOUSE

WINE SHOP
15/5 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3825 8826
One of the busiest wine retailers in town. In addition
to their excellent range of
wines, they also stock imported beers, bottled mineral water and spirits.

97A Pho Duc Chinh, Q1, Tel:

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 165

HCMC

THE EMPTY WOK


THAI GREEN CURRY

A food blogger and selfstyled chef, this month


Riccha Arora whips up
a vegetarian Thai green
curry, perfect for you to
cook at home

hai curries are bright


combinations of curry paste,
coconut milk and vegetables,
punctuated by intoxicating fresh
herbs. The flavours are exotic, and
surprisingly quick to cook (15 minutes
tops).
Any way you cook it, this is such an
aromatic and tasty meal, youll forget how
healthy it also is!
If youre a vegetarian, you may be
aware that green curry paste often
contains fish or seafood extracts. But
its so simple to make that buying it
shouldnt even be a consideration. Here
is a recipe that still keeps that glorious
green curry taste and meets the vegetarian
requirement.
This Thai-flavoured chunky vegetable
curry is best served with steamed rice.

The Ingredients
4 pieces of lemongrass
3cm of galangal / Chinese ginger
1 cup coconut milk, canned or fresh
3 to 4 fresh green chillies
2 fresh red chilies
100g of fresh coriander, with stems
Handful of fresh basil/kaffir lime leaves
1 medium-size onion
3 to 4 cloves of garlic
tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp cooking oil
cup water
cup lime juice
Salt to taste
tsp sugar
Seasonal Vegetables medium diced (i.e.
1 red bell pepper, cup broccoli, cup
eggplant, cup carrots, cup long beans
and/or cup mushrooms)
Optional: add cup tofu to increase
protein

Method
First, chop the lemongrass, onion, garlic,
galangal, coriander and green chillies
then add cumin, salt and sugar and
blend it in a mixer to a fine paste. Add

166 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Photo by Francis Xavier

some water if needed.


Next, heat the oil in a pan and add the
paste. Stir for three to four minutes, and
add all the vegetables (except the optional
bell pepper). Add half of the coconut
milk and water, and cover the pan until
the vegetables are almost cooked. If you
have bell pepper, nows the time to add it.
Cook for another seven minutes.

Finally, add the basil or kaffir lime


leaves, the remaining coconut milk
and lime juice, and garnish with some
chopped green onions and red chillies.
Your 100 percent vegan Thai green
curry is ready to go!
Riccha Arora runs the Facebook page
Sassy Kitchen facebook.com/pages/SassyKitchen/514471675341572

HCMC
VEGGYS

a clean and pleasant environment.

GROCERS & DELI


29A Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 8526

VINIFERA

WINE SHOP
7 Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3521 0860
viniferavn.com

VINO WINE SHOP

WINE SHOP
74/17 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel:
(08) 6299 1315
Professional advice on selecting and tasting wines.
Also offers regular popular
wine courses. The outdoor
terrace area is the perfect
spot to sample a new vintage.

SIAN SKINCARE CLINIC

SKIN CARE / COSMETICS


Level 2, 71-79 Dong Khoi, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3827 6999
sianclinic.com
The Australian and Canadian managed SIAN Clinic
offers a wide range of skincare medical therapies to
treat problems by an experienced dermatologist and
facial care team. The clinic
utilises the latest therapies.

HAIRDRESSERS

MEDICAL & DENTAL


ACCADENT

INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC


Kumho Asiana Plaza, 39 Le
Duan, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8800
accadent.com

CENTRE MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL (CMI)

FRENCH MEDICAL CLINIC


1 Han Thuyen, Q1, Tel: (08)
3827 2366
cmi-vietnam.com
This French medical clinic
provides general practice
and a range of specialties
including cardiology, gynecology, psychotherapy and
traditional medicine.

FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE HCMC

INTERNATIONAL CLINIC
Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 7848
vietnammedicalpractice.
com
Fullservice 24hour
healthcare provider with
highlyqualified doctors
handling everything from
emergencies to tests and
Xrays, inpatient and out
patient care, checkups,
travel medicine and medical
evacuations.

FV SAIGON CLINIC

INTERNATIONAL CLINIC
3rd Floor, Bitexco Financial
Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 6290 6167
fvhospital.com
Stateoftheart medical
centre located in District
1. Experienced American,
French, and Vietnamese
doctors provide the full
spectrum health care. Plus
sports medicine, cosmetic
treatments, skin care and
surgical consultations.

45 Ton That Thiep, Q1, Tel:


(08) 3827 2737
Jasminespa.vn
Sparelated salon with a
good reputation for quality
and comfort offers washes
and leisurely haircuts from
VND330,000 plus a range of
related services including
massage and some excellent treatments.

MEKONG BLISS SPA


112, Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08)
6299 0563
10am to 10pm (last booking
9.30pm)

VENUS
41 Nguyen Trung Ngan, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3829 6298

JASMINE

WESTCOAST INTL DENTAL CLINIC


INTERNATIONAL DENTAL
CLINIC
Ben Thanh Clinic, 27 Nguyen Trung Truc, Q1, Tel: (08)
3825 6999
The Practice, Level 1, 71-79
Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3825
6777
westcoastinternational.com
An international dental clinic
equipped with the latest
technology, the comfortable
clinics offer cosmetic and
implant dentistry with a focus on making each patients
experience anxiety and pain
free.

SALONS & SPAS


AQUA DAY SPA
Level 5, Sheraton Saigon
Hotel and Towers, 88 Dong
Khoi, Q1 Tel: (08) 3827 2828
aquadayspasaigon.com

FAME NAILS SALON


3 Truong Dinh, Q1, Tel: 0909
682 827
famenails.com

GLOW SPA
129A Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3823 8368
glowsaigon.com
Modern and bright downtown spa, offers massages
lasting from 30 minutes, to
two-hour hot stone therapy,
includes one suite with a
Jacuzzi bath; offers hand
and foot care and a hair
styling area.

INDOCHINE SPA
69 Thu Khoa Huan, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3827 7188
Indochine-spa.com.vn
Indochine Spa provides a
peaceful and serene atmosphere with aromatic
scents and lulling melodies.
Customers are pampered
by qualified therapists using
natural French products in

Q SPA & SALON


31Q LY TU TRONG, Q1, TEL: (08)
3905 4609
Qspaandsalon.com
An old world, Indochineesque interior complete with
wooden floors, flowers and
flowing drapes makes this
an excellent atmosphere in
which to enjoy a massage.
Also offers hair styling and
facials.

ROSA BLANCA BEAUTY


23C Ton Duc Thang, Q1
Specialising in all forms of
skincare, this is welldesigned, ambient and outfitted
day spa offers body treatments as well as facials and
foot treatments.

SPA INTERCONTINENTAL AND


HEALTH CLUB
3rd Floor, InterContinental
Asiana Saigon, crn.of Hai Ba
Trung & Le Duan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3520 9999
intercontinental.com/saigon

THANH SANCTUARY
Nguyen Du Villas, 111 Nguyen Du, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
0885

THE SPA AT 1960 PRESIDENTIAL


CLUB
22nd floor, Sailing Tower,
111A Pasteur, Q1, Tel: (08)
2220 2600
spa1960.vn

THE SPA
Saigon Pearl, 92 Nguyen Huu
Canh, Binh Thanh, Tel: (08)
3514 9007
Saigon Centre, 3M Floor,
65 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821
1800
thespavietnam.com

THE SPA AT NEW WORLD HOTEL


76 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
8888
saigon.newworldhotels.com

XUAN SPA
Park Hyatt, 2 Lam Son
Square, Q1, Tel: (08) 3824
1234
hyattpure.com

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 167

HCMC

A WORLD

OF

GETTING A GRIP ON EXCESS

GOOD

BY DANA MCNAIRN

GOs are
in the
news
with
jet-setting
executives being
grounded and
dire warnings
that reputations
are in jeopardy
because charities
cant control
their boardroom
and C-suite
extravagances.
Excesses? Tell
me that paying
a single person
US$534 million
(VND111.2
trillion) a year is
not excess. More
like obscene.
That ignoble
distinction goes
to Leon Black,
chair of private
equity group
Apollo.
The for-profit
sectors average
CEO pay is
US$13.9 million (VND292 billion) but
hey, Larry Page at Google only makes
a measly US$1 million. Last year the
median salary for a charity CEO was
US$126,000 (VND2.65 billion). Clearly
somethings awry here.
A country director I know here who
works for a highly-reputable education
and livelihoods INGO manages a budget
of US$100 million (VND21 trillion) and
over 100 staff. Those arent bake sale
figures. What do you think hes paid?
What do you think he ought to be paid?
What I dont understand is those who
insist that if you work in the nonprofit or
charity or development sector you have
to dress in rags and even better, selfflagellate regularly.

Ive written about this regarding


nonprofit overheads; now its time to
address paycheques. Current thinking
goes something like this: any money
coming into a charity must go straight to
delivering vital frontline services rather
than lining the pockets of unaccountable
charity executives. All well and good, but
theres a problem here. Its called scale.
You can certainly boast that 100
percent of your bake sale earnings went
to frontline services as you hand over
VND200,000 to your favourite charity.
But what if you had some staff (like
a talented CEO), who knew how to
leverage your bake sale into a national
fundraiser that netted US$10 million
(VND210 billion)?

A Double Standard

The New Reality

This is the ugly truth: in the for-profit


world, the more value you bring to
the table (or create), the more money
you make. In the nonprofit world you
are deemed monstrous, bordering on
immoral, to expect even distantly similar
treatment. In the nonprofit world,
you cannot make money when youre
helping people.

Given the dwindling government


participation in the social sector, many
charities have become complex entities,
running multiple programmes at home
and globally. They employ hundreds if
not thousands of people. Nonprofits need
to attract talent just as much as Goldman
Sachs. Its already understood that public
money going into a charity requires

168 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

accountability and transparency, but that


misses the point. Our socioeconomic
values are out of balance which is
reflected in the scrutiny we give the
nonprofit world, the crap wages we pay
our teachers and social workers, and
the astronomical salaries we shower on
barely out-of-their-teens footballers.
I say nonprofit pay is a matter between
executives and their boards and trustees,
justifiable to their donors.
How do we reward the folks tasked
with the overwhelming goal of making
the world a better place for all? We
wish to eradicate malaria and poverty
and ensure a toilet for everyone, while
enforcing an economic apartheid on the
salaries to do so. I dont think the answer
is a bloated pay package, but hey, what if
it helps you recruit the nonprofit leader
who can prevent the needless deaths of
tens of thousands of women and children
every day? Its time to pay them what
theyre worth.
Dana McNairn works at KOTO, a
nonprofit social enterprise and vocational
training programme for at-risk youth. She
can be contacted at dana.mcnairn@koto.com.
au

HCMC
641826
Bamskateshop.com.vn

pham ngu lao

BLUE DRAGON

SOUVENIRS / CLOTHING
1B Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
2210 2084
8am to 10.30pm

BAKERIES / BARS & CLUBS / CAFES / CLOTHING


& ACCESSORIES / CRAFTS & FURNITURE / EAT /
GALLERIES
BAKERIES
CRUMBS

BAKERY
117 Cong Quynh, Q1, Tel: (08)
3836 1992
crumbs.com.vn
Dubbed the local bakery,
Crumbs serves up a variety
of baked goods including baguettes, muffins, cheese and
garlicbased buns and loafs,
meatfilled pastries, sweet
pastries, healthconscious
breads and more. There is
also a breakfast menu and
variety of sandwiches available.

TOUS LES JOURS

KOREAN BAKERY
59 Tran Hung Dao, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3914 4350

BARS & CLUBS


BIA TUOI 33

BIA HOI
33 Bui Vien, Q1

BREAD & BUTTER

INTERNATIONAL / COMFORT
FOOD
40/24 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3836 8452
With a free book exchange,
and tasty Sunday night
roasts, the tiny Bread &
Butter is a perfect place for
homesick expats and beer
enthusiasts (excellent HueBrewed Huda beer served
here exclusively in Ho Chi
Minh City).

GO2

INTERNATIONAL / RESTOBAR
187 De Tham, Q1, Tel: (08)
3836 9575

GODMOTHER BAR

RESTOBAR / VIETNAMESE /
WESTERN
129 Cong Quynh, Q1, Tel: (08)
3832 4589
godmothersaigon.com
Only a couple blocks from
the bru-haha of Bui Vien,
Godmothers is a small watering hole with big attractions including excellent
mojitos, good food, and the
weekly Optimus Club featuring international DJs.

setting for enjoying tasty international and Vietnamese


cuisine. Check out their daily
drink specials and Tuesday
night pub quizzes.

LONG PHI

FRENCH / RESTOBAR
207 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3837 2704
French-run but universally
appealing, Long Phi has been
serving the backpacker area
with excellent cuisine and
occasional live music since
1990. Excellent late-night
bistro cuisine.

INTERNATIONAL / RESTOBAR
175/22 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3837 7679
Warm colors, artsy dcor
and a friendly ambiance
combine to create a perfect

With its two-floor, nook-andcranny setup, it combines


caf culture, cocktails, art,
DJ nights now the home
base for the Optimist Club
live music and various "happenings", sprinkling them
throughout its cozy corners.

THI CAF

LIVE MUSIC / LOUNGE


224 De Tham, Q1, Tel: (08)
2210 2929

T&R TAVERN

DIVE BAR
57 Do Quang Dau, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3838 9839

UNIVERSAL BAR
SAIGON VIBRATIONS

REGGAE BAR
143 Nguyen Trai, Q1
facebook.com/saigon.vibrations
Just off The Pham, this intothe-early-hours reggae
inspired joint holds regular themed nights all in the
name of that most special
of sounds the one from
Jamaica.

SEVENTEEN SALOON

THEMED MUSIC BAR


103A Pham Ngu Lao, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3914 0007
seventeensaloon.com.vn
Wild West-themed bar
doubles as a music venue,
where three talented Filipino
bands (B&U, Wild West and
Most Wanted) play covers of
rock icons like Bon Jovi, U2
and Guns n Roses. Top shelf
spirits and friendly, hostess
style table service are the
name game here.

SPOTTED COW

INTERNATIONAL / SPORT
111 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3920 7670
Alfrescosgroup.com
Spotted Cow delivers the
fun-loving atmosphere that
its playfully decorated black
and white spotted interior
promises, as well as decent
international comfort food,
a range of happy hours, live
sports, and darts.

THE OBSERVATORY
LE PUB

GINKGO

BAR, ART & MUSIC SPACE


Cnr. Le Lai and Ton That
Tung, Q1, Tel: 0906 359440
theobservatory-hcmc.com
The Observatory is DJ Hibiya Line's new youth culture
hub, just off Pham Ngo Lao.

LIVE MUSIC / RESTOBAR


90 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 01633
343933
universalbarsaigon.com

CAFES
BOBBY BREWERS

INTERNATIONAL
45 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3920 4090
bobbybrewers.com
Choose from a full range
of caf beverages and a
fast-food style menu as you
watch the latest Hollywood
hits in their upstairs lounge.
Check website for movie locations and schedule.

CHICCO DICAFF CAF

ITALIAN & VIETNAMESE


213 Bui Vien, Q1
facebook.com/ChiccoDicaffCoffee
Set just off the street on the
quiet end of Bui Vien, Chicco
Dicaff serves an expat and
local-heavy clientele takeaway coffees and flavoured
concoctions, from a five-seat
coffee bar.

COFFEE BEAN & TEA LEAF

INTERNATIONAL
157-159 Nguyen Thai Hoc,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3837 9347
coffeebean.com.vn
Large portioned coffee lures
customers into the flagship
store of this international
caf chain. The contemporary, yet generic atmosphere is bolstered by comfortable seating and a menu
to satisfy any sweet tooth.

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES


BAM SKATE SHOP

SKATEWEAR / STREET
174 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 0903

VIETNAM-THEMED CLOTHING
54-56 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
6270 5928
ginkgo-vietnam.com
Quality, original, Vietnamthemed tees are the showpiece at this airy French-run
store. Designs are inspired
by anything from the Vietnamese flag, local telecom
wires and motorbikes to
creative, Siddharta-style
imagery.

MARATHON

BUDGET CLOTHING
147 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3920 7442; 123A Bui Vien,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3838 0019

PAPAYA

BUDGET CLOTHING
232 Bui Vien, Q1
papaya-tshirt.com

ORANGE

BUDGET CLOTHING
152 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3820 2620
9am to 10pm

U.BEST HOUSE

TRAVEL GEAR
163 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Q1, Tel:
0978 967588
Ubesthouse.com

CRAFTS & FURNITURE


SAPA

ETHNIC ACCESSORIES / SOUVENIRS


209 De Tham, Q1, Tel: (08)
3838 9780

your-own breakfasts, baked


potatoes, toasties, Vietnamese fare and more. Has a
popular motorbike rental
service.

CORIANDER

THAI / VIETNAMESE
16 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08) 3837
1311

JJS FISH N CHIPS

FISH & CHIPS / STREET STALL


Cnr. 38B Tran Hung Dao & De
Tham, Q1

thing from the bacon butty


through to the bacon Caesar.
A popular hangout.

TIN NGHIA

VEGAN
9 Tran Hung Dao, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3821 2538
One of the citys oldest eateries (established in 1925)
does some of the cheapest
and tastiest vegan cuisine in
town, all cooked up without
onions, garlic or MSG.

LA CANTINA

TEX-MEX / VIETNAMESE
175/3 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3837 0760

MARGHERITA

ITALIAN / TEX-MEX
175/1 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3837 0760

PUNJABI INDIAN RESTAURANT

NORTH INDIAN / PUNJAB


40/23 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3508 3777
monuvn@gmail.com
Ignore the non-trendy, holein-the-wall appearance. This
side-street Indian serves
up some excellent fare at
reasonable prices, with a
number of Punjabi specialities to boot.

SISTERS CAFE

VIETNAMESE/WESTERN
185/30 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1,
Tel: 0903 643446
Light wood paneling, beige
walls and locally themed
artwork help to create a
fresh and airy ambience in
this caf-cum-restaurant
that is owned by the woman
behind Chis Caf. Also does
visa extensions and motorbike rental.

WRAP & ROLL


226 De Tham, Q1, Tel: (08)
3837 5097
wrap-roll.com
The lime green walls and
bright pastel colours of
Wrap n Roll are just part
of the theme of this homegrown, Vietnamese brand
which is all about spring rolls
of all types, and healthy, Hueinfluenced cuisine. Check
out the second floor, junglein-the-wall dcor at this
particular branch. Unique
and refreshing.

ZEUS

GREEK / KEBAB
164 Cong Quynh, Q1, Tel: (08)
3837 3248

ZOOM CAF

AMERICAN / TEX-MEX
169A Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3920 3897
vietnamvespaadventures.
com/cafe_zoom
This corner-located Vespainfatuated venue is a caf
and restaurant by day and
a sidewalk drinking joint
by night. Friendly staff and
American deli-style and Cajun fare makes it a regular
expat haunt.

EAT
BABAS KITCHEN

NORTH / SOUTH INDIAN


164 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3838 6661
babaskitchen.in
This pleasant, airy Indian
does the full range of fare
from all ends of the subcontinent, from dosas and vadas through to chicken tikka
masala, kormas, kebabs and
fiery vindaloos.

BURRITO REVOLUTION

TEX-MEX / STREET STALL


124 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 0902
714882

CHIS CAF

INTERNATIONAL / VIETNAMESE
40/31 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: (08)
3837 2502
Chiscafe.com
This affable caf is a rarity
in the backpacker area for
its genuinely good musical
playlist. Excellent, build-

TAM HAO HANDPULLED NOODLES


CHINESE NOODLES
195A De Tham, Q1
tamhao.com
Nothing gets better than a
bowl of tasteful broth and
hand-pulled Chinese noodles, especially when its
from Tam Hao. Hip interior
design draws many a traveller into this tasteful but
non-fancy hotel noodle restaurant, leaving them craving for more.

GALLERIES
GALERIE QUYNH
65 De Tham, Q1, Tel: (08)
3836 8019
galeriequynh.com
In addition to working with
artists based in Vietnam,
Galerie Quynh also exhibits the work of artists from
around the world. This wellestablished gallery supports
education through talks, lectures and publications.

THE HUNGRY PIG

BACON BAR / CAFE


144 Cong Quynh, Q1, Tel: (08)
3836 4533
facebook.com/thehungrypigcafe
Think bacon, bacon and
more bacon, all set in airy,
spacious atmosphere, and
you get The Hungry Pig, an
eatery specialising in any-

Do you think you should be


listed on these pages? If so,
simply email us on
listings@wordvietnam.com
and well see what we can
do. We cant promise but
well try our best

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 169

HCMC

district 1

DISTRICT 1
Downtown
Pham Ngu Lao

BARS & CLUBS / BOOKS / CAFES / CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES


/ COOKING CLASSES / CRAFTS & FURNITURE / EAT /
FITNESS, DANCE & YOGA / GALLERIES / INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOLS / MEDICAL & DENTAL / SALONS & SPAS

CAFE THOAI VIEN

HOA VIEN

CZECH BREWHOUSE
28 Mac Dinh Chi, Q1, Tel: (08)
3825 8605
hoavien.vn

MZ CLUB

LIVE MUSIC / NIGHTCLUB


56A Bui Thi Xuan, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3925 5258
m-zing.com

SAIGON VIBRATIONS

REGGAE BAR
143 Nguyen Trai, Q1
facebook.com/saigon.vibrations
Saigons first reggae bar
located close to The Observatory on the other side of
Pham Ngu Lao. Open late,
holds a number of nights
like Tropical Wednesday,
Thursday-before-midnightshots-only ladies night and
Underground Saturdays, all
in an attempt to pump things
up for the party seekers in
town.

BOOKS
LIBRAIRIE FRANCAISE NAM
PHONG
82 Truong Dinh, Q1, Tel: (08)
3914 7858
Nam Phong Bookstore was
founded at the of end 2002 in
Ho Chi Minh City as the first
and only francophone bookshop in the whole of Vietnam.
Only books written in French
are for sale, covering for all
ages and tastes. A catalogue
is available at namphongsaigon.com

CAFES
(A) CAFE
15 Huynh Khuong Ninh, Da
Kao, Q1, Tel: 0903 199701
Settle into the Javanesestyle interior and enjoy possibly one of the best brews

159A Nguyen Van Thu, Q1,


Tel: 0918 115657
cafethoaivien.com
Veer off the street and find
yourself plunging straight
into lush greenery. Cafe
Thoai Vien serves up a
spacious and airy setting
to enjoy a quiet sip. From
small eats to big bites and
everything to drink, its a
great place to unwind from
all that buzz.

COFFEE BEAN & TEA LEAF

INTERNATIONAL
235 Nguyen Van Cu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3833 3648
coffeebean.com.vn
Large portioned coffee lures
customers into the flagship
store of this international
caf chain. The contemporary, yet generic atmosphere is bolstered by comfortable seating and a menu
to satisfy any sweet tooth.

DECIBEL

INTERNATIONAL
79/2/5 Phan Ke Binh, Q1,
Tel: (08) 6271 0115
Decibel.vn
Trendy without pretense,
this two-floor, relaxed caf
offers beautiful decor and
unique original events like
live music, film screenings,
and art exhibits. Great prices
and food with daily specials.

GIVRAL CAF

INTERNATIONAL / FRENCH
97 Nguyan Huu Cau, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3844 3295
saigongivral.com

I.D. CAF

CONTEMPORARY CAFE
34D Thu Khoa Huan, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3822 2910
Idcafe.net
Centrally located near Ben

170 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

District
10

Le

Huu
C
Ng
uy
en

M
Du

Th
i

Ng
uy
en

Ma

cT
ha
n

ng

ng

Th
an
g8

Le
Lo
i

INTERNATIONAL / VIETNAMESE
76A Le Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3821
2718
The outdoor, well-aired terrace is the centrepiece of
this popular, contemporary
caf. Enjoy live music on
weekends as you sip on reasonably priced Vietnamese
or espresso-based coffee.

an

n
Bi
e

Ca
ch

Kh
ai

Ph

1st Floor, 14 Ton That Dam,


Q1, Tel: 01699 990003
sam.nguyen197@gmail.com
A small but swanky cafe,
Banksy promises a young
and vibrant hideout in an
old 1960s-era apartment
building. Remember to head
up the steep stairs within to
dig into their secret stash of
clothes and accessories.

ie
n

LAN MIEN DINING CAFE

Tr
u

Du

h
an

Ng
.H
ue

Ham Nghi

District 2

Da
o

TOP-END BAR & TERRACE


Rooftop, AB Tower, 76A Le
Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2372
chillsaigon.com
For the spectacular views
alone, Chill Skybar remains
the place to go to mix topend, outdoor terrace drinking around an oval-shaped
bar with cityscapes of Saigon. One of the top watering
holes in the city.

BANKSY CAFE

District 3

Hu
ng

CHILL SKYBAR

Ha
i

Ba

t
Kie
n
Va

Tr
an

CONTEMPORARY BEER HALL


37 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1,
Tel: 0906 780081

Thanh Market, i.d offers


casual caf dining with a
wide variety of food and
beverages. Where modern
design and a warm ambience meet for coffee.

To
n

Ho

BEER AND GRILL (BG SAIGON)

in Saigon. Using own grown


and specially sourced Dalat
beans, speciality coffee such
as cold drip, siphon, and
Chemex are must haves for
the avid coffee drinker.

an
g

in
h

en
Ti

BARS & CLUBS

Binh Thanh

in
h

District 4

Vo

LE PETIT CAF

FRENCH
112 Pham Viet Chanh, Q1,
Tel: (08) 6291 2067

MOCKINGBIRD CAFE
4th Floor, 14 Ton That Dam,
Q1, Tel: 0935 293400
facebook.com/mockingbirdcoffee
Sitting atop of a number of
cafe establishments in an old
apartment complex, Mockingbird is just the place for a
romantic time over mojitos,
or good ol caffeine-infused
relaxation.

THE OTHER PERSON CAFE


2nd Floor, 14 Ton That Dam,
Q1, Tel: 0909 670272
facebook.com/TheOtherPersonCafe
Fancy being served up by
maids in costume? Call for
a booking and enjoyed customized service to your liking
while spending an afternoon
in this candy-land inspired
cafe.

THINGS CAFE
1st Floor, 14 Ton That Dam,
Q1, Tel: (08) 6678 6205
facebook.com/thingscafe
Feel the calm and serenity
of this rustic little quiet corner tucked away in an Old
Apartment. The quaint and
relaxing atmosphere sets for
some alone time, or quality
conversations held over a
drink or two.

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES


BOSSINI

UNISEX CASUAL WEAR


22 Nguyen Trai, Q1, Tel: (08)
3839 2292
Bossini.com

GAYA CLOTHING

HAND-MADE / DESIGNER
Le Lai Corner, 1 Nguyen Van
Trang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3925

1495
Gayavietnam.com
Clothing is designed and
tailor-made by renowned
designer Romyda Keth, and
concentrates mainly on
womens wear. Gaya sells
colourful, sexy evening
dresses, embroidered floral
skirts and cute chiffon tops.

COOKING CLASSES
OVERLAND CLUB
35Bis Huynh Khuong Ninh,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3820 9734
overlandclub.jp
Sunday 1.30pm to 5pm
The Overland Club organises
pottery classes, VietnameseJapanese cooking classes,
cultural art events and
monthly special activities,
such as the Soba Festival,
pottery painting classes, the
art of decorating paper and
multinational cuisine days.

CRAFTS & FURNITURE


GAYA

CONTEMPORARY FURNISHINGS
1 Nguyen Van Trang, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3925 1495
gayavietnam.com
Set in one of the most attractive post-World War II
buildings in the city, Gaya has
a reputation for chic and sophisticated indoor and outdoor sofas, pod seats, lamps
and tableware, with all products both constructed and
designed locally. You can
find a wide range of mirrors
and lacquerware with bowls,
vases and contemporary
Asian-style boxes as well as
a fantastic selection of linenembroidered bedding in all
colours and designs. Prices
here match the quality of the

products.

EAT
27 GRILL

GRILL-STYLE RESTAURANT
Rooftop, AB Tower, 76A Le
Lai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827 2372
chillsaigon.com
Besides the spectacular
views, the cuisine at 27 Grill
is a real draw, with steaks
and other international
grill-style fare in a refined
yet contemporary atmosphere. Subtle lighting and
an extensive wine list make
up the mix.

CAF IF

VIETNAMESE FRENCH
38 Dang Dung, Q1, Tel: (08)
3846 9853
MSG-free traditional Vietnamese cuisine with a
French twist, cooked fresh
to order. Dishes include noodle soup, steamed ravioli and
beef stew, stir fries, hot pots
and curries.

COBALT

ROOFTOP RESTOBAR
Floor 30-31, Pullman Saigon
Centre, 148 Tran Hung Dao,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3838 8686
pullman-saigon-centre.com
A tapas-style contemporary
international menu in an
equally modern chic space,
Cobalt also has panoramic
views over the city thanks to
its 30th-floor location. Has a
focus on wine matching and
tasting. A hotel restaurant
with a difference.

DYNASTY

CANTONESE / PAN-CHINESE
New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai,

Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8888


saigon.newworldhotels.com
Elegant surroundings, top
quality ingredients, attentive service and comfortable,
roundtable dining makes Dynasty one of the top Chinese
restaurants in town, with a
classic dim sum menu.

LION CITY

SINGAPOREAN
45 Le Anh Xuan, Q1, Tel: (08)
3823 8371
lioncityrestaurant.com
Friendly, authentic fivestorey Singaporean eatery,
plating up the likes of nasi
lemak, mee rebus, and awesome chicken curry, as well
as specialities like frog porridge, chilli crab and fish
head curry.

MAY RESTAURANT

INDOCHINE VIETNAMESE
3/5 Hoang Sa, Q1, Tel: (08)
3910 1277
May-cloud.com
Meaning Cloud, May utilises homemade recipes
and broths developed by the
restaurateurs father, such
as pan-fried duck breast
served with nuoc mam and
ginger, and 1940s style
spring rolls. This is the Saigonese cooking of old set in
an Indochine atmosphere.

MONSOON

PAN-SOUTHEAST ASIAN
1 Cao Ba Nha, Q1, Tel: (08)
6290 8899
Traditional pan-Southeast
Asian favourites served in
a visually arresting setting
within a French colonial-era
villa, just minutes from the
backpacker area. Reasonably priced, with healthy

HCMC
juices and smoothies.

NEW YORK STEAKHOUSE

AMERICAN / FRENCH
2527 Nguyen Dinh Chieu,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3823 7373
steakhouse.com.vn
NYSW is well known for
serving up formidable prime
signature cuts of New York
strip steak, rib eye, double
strip loins and chateaubriands along with sophisticated sides, in a glitzy, Hollywood-esque atmosphere.

QUAN UT UT

AMERICAN VIETNAMESE GRILL


168 Vo Van Kiet, Q1, Tel: (08)
3914 4500
quanutut.com
On-site American grilltype fare in a Vietnamese,
wooden table setting. Think
ribs, burgers and all things
hearty at this immensely
popular eatery.

PARKVIEW

INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN
New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 8888
saigon.newworldhotels.com
Flagship restaurant of The
New World Hotel, serving
lavish buffets all day. Many
cooking stations ranging
from Chinese to Italian, sushi and seafood, to salads,
cold cuts, cheese plates and
desserts.

QUAN BUI

TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE
8 Nguyen Van Nguyen, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3602 2241
Make sure to try the sauted
shrimps with cashew nuts
and crispy fried tofu with
lime wedge, at this popular,
high-quality eatery where all
food is served in traditional
crockery.

QUAN UT UT

US-STYLE BARBECUE
168 Vo Van Kiet, Q1, Tel: (08)
3914 4500
facebook.com/quanutut
Its a no-brainer, right?
American-style barbecue in
a contemporary Vietnamese,
quan nhau-style setting. Of
course it is, which is why
Quan Ut Ut is constantly
packed with grill-obsessed
diners going for the burgers, meats off the barbecue
and Platinum pale ale served
on tap.

TIEM COM GA HAI NAM

CHINESE / VIETNAMESE BINH


DAN
67 Le Thi Hong Gam, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3821 7751

FITNESS, DANCE & YOGA


STAR FITNESS GYM

HEALTH CLUB & GYM


Manor Apartments, 91
Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh

Thanh, Tel: (08) 3514 0253


Steve Chipman, who had a
hand in establishing gyms
at the Sofitel hotels in Hanoi
and Ho Chi Minh City, is behind Star Fitness one of
Vietnams largest and bestequipped gyms.

a broad range of medical and


aesthetic skin treatments.
Their international dermatologists and doctors ensure
accurate diagnosis and safe
treatment procedures. It
houses excellent equipment
for a variety of procedures.

GALLERIES

VICTORIA HEALTHCARE INTERNATIONAL CLINIC

CRAIG THOMAS GALLERY


27i Tran Nhat Duat, Q1, Tel:
0903 888431
cthomasgallery.com
Located in a quiet corner
of District 1, Craig Thomas
Gallery offers a compelling
mix of up-and-coming and
established local artists. In
operation since 2009, its
founder has been promoting
Vietnamese art for a decade.

SAN ART
3 Me Linh, Binh Thanh, Tel:
(08) 3840 0183
San-art.org
San Art is an independent,
artist-run exhibition space
that offers residency programmes for young artists, lecture series and an
exchange programme that
invites international artists/
curators to organise or collaborate on exhibitions.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
CITYSMART
Horizon Tower, 214 Tran
Quang Khai, Q1, Tel: (08)
3526 8833
citysmart.vn
CitySmart delivers a range
of diverse, internationallyrecognised educational programmes, as well as life skills
and character building for
comprehensive development.

GYMBOREE PLAY & MUSIC OF


VIETNAM
Somerset Chancellor Court,
1st Floor, 21-23 Nguyen Thi
Minh Khai, Q1, Tel: (08) 3827
7008
gymboreeclasses.com.vn
re.com
MEDICAL

& DENTAL

FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE HCMC

INTERNATIONAL CLINIC
Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan,
Q1, Tel: (08) 3822 7848
vietnammedicalpractice.
com
Fullservice 24hour
healthcare provider with
highlyqualified doctors
handling everything from
emergencies to tests and
Xrays, inpatient and out
patient care, checkups,
travel medicine and medical
evacuations.

STAMFORD SKIN CENTRE

SKIN CARE / COSMETICS


99 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1,
Tel: (08) 3925 1990
stamfordskin.com
Stamford Skin Centre offers

INTERNATIONAL CLINIC
79 Dien Bien Phu, Q1, Tel:
(08) 3910 4545
Well-regarded clinic offering
general examinations and
specialising in pediatrics,
digestive diseases, cardiology, womens health and
internal medicine. Offers a
membership programme
and cooperates with most
insurance companies in Vietnam and abroad.

WE LINK

COUNSELLING
64 Ho Hao Hon, Q1, Tel: (08)
6291 2900
contact@welink.vn
Psychological counselling services for individual,
group and family. Diverse
counsellors and therapists,
using Cognitive Behaviour
Therapy, Art Therapy, Systemic Family Therapy. For
adolescents and adults. Vietnamese, English, French
and Spanish spoken.

SALONS & SPAS


CAT MOC SPA
63 Tran Dinh Xu, Q1, Tel: (08)
6295 8926
catmocspa.com
Aimed exclusively at ladies
and couples only, treatments at this Japanese spa
include facial, body and foot
care, and Japanese-style
haircuts, as well as steamsauna, paraffin and waxing
services.

HAIR BAR

CONTEMPORARY SALON
68 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel:
(FREEPHONE) 1800 1108
hairbar.vn
A unique themed hair salon
where stylists use no scissors but styling equipment
only, giving female clients the
opportunity to get their hair
done on the run. Of course,
they have to look fabulous,
too. Fortunately this is one of
Hair Bars specialities. Check
the salon out on Facebook:
facebook.com/hairbarvn.

SPA TROPIC

79 PHAN KE BINH, Q1, TEL: (08) 3910


5575
spatropic.com
Spa Tropic is a stylish boutique spa housed in the refurbished former Chilean
Consulate. Spa Tropic has
a long-standing reputation
among expats and visitors
alike for its professional
quality service.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 171

HCMC
two pieces of each particular
item. Also has a great range
of imported fabrics up on the
2nd floor and an in-house
sewing room for cushions,
sofas and curtains. Offers
custom-made furniture and
delivery within four weeks.
Home dcor orders are also
available.

district 2

BAKERIES / BARS & CLUBS / CAFES / CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES / CRAFTS


& FURNITURE / EAT / FITNESS, DANCE & YOGA / GROCERIES, LIQUOR &
WINE / HAIRDRESSERS / INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS / MEDICAL & DENTAL /
SALONS & SPAS

CHI LAI

DISTRICT 2
Ni

Thao Dien

i
u

g
H n

hQ
Bn

Ng
uy
n

V
n

Xa

Binh Thanh

Ngu
o

ng
c H
Qu

n
N

Xun Th

y
Xun Th

BAKERY
244 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2,
Tel: (08) 6281 8392
The baking arm of the wellknown Bakers on Thao Dien,
Voelker. Provide flash frozen breads and patisseries
such as croissants, pain au
chocolat, pain raisins, pizza
dough, pates feuillete and
much more. Serves the hospitality industry in Phu Quoc,
Nha Trang, Phan Thiet and
Ho Chi Minh City.

LOAVES & FISHES

BAKERY / CAFE
5, Street 11, Thao Dien, Q2
Tel: (08) 3519 4118
harvestbaking.net

VOELKER

BAKERY
39 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08)
6296 0066
voelker-vietnam.com
Frenchrun bakery selling
probably the tastiest range
of patisseries, breads, quiches and pies in town. The signature passionfruit tart is
a must try.

BARS & CLUBS


BAAN THAI

SPORTS BAR / PAN-THAI CUISINE


55 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08)
3744 5453
baanthai-anphu.com
A bar and a Thai restaurant
all in one, the focus here is
not just the cuisine but a con-

Xa

DISTRICT 2
temporary bar area and live
sports. Lots of live sports.
The Thai cuisine is cooked
up by no-holds-barred Thai
chefs.

BMV PUB & GRILL


38 Quoc Huong, Q2 Tel:
01299 839314
facebook.com/bmv.pubgrill
With its seven TVs, full-size
mezzanine area, pool table
and aircon lounge space,
BMV is the perfect place in
District 2 to relax and watch
the sports. Has live music on
Thursday and Friday nights,
and is home to the only German Hofbrau Beer Garden in
Thao Dien.

BUDDHA BAR

RESTOBAR
7 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08)
3345 6345
Buddhabarsaigon.com
Just across the lane from
McSorleys, this pub with an
eccentric European tilt and
some nice, authentic cuisine
draws an older crowd with
darts, pool and weekly poker
tourneys.

MCSORLEYS

IRISH BAR
4 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: 0126
9026006
Standing in the former home
of Gaudi, McSorelys is full of
surprises, including a beautifully backlit swimming pool,
reggae parties, comedy
nights, and sporting events
projected onto the patio wall.

172 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

SAIGON OUTCAST

EVENTS / MAKESHIFT CAF BAR


188/1 Nguyen Van Huong,
Q2, Tel: 0122 4283198
Saigonoutcast.com
Up-cycling and innovative
design form the foundation
for this bar / arts venue /
mini- skate park. Come for
barbeque and reasonably
priced drinks, stick around
for entertaining events and
adorable puppies.

THE FAN CLUB

SPORTS BAR
Ground Floor, The Vista,
628C Hanoi Highway, Q2
dtdentertainment.com/thefanclub
12 quality screens and eight
draught beers, music spun
by DJs, excellent burgers,
quiz nights and barbecues.
All in an attractive, contemporary environment.

CAFES
AGNES CAFE

COFFEE & FLOWER HOUSE


11A-B Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08)
6281 9772
A cozy and comfortable cafe
in Thao Dien serving excellent fresh coffee from Dalat,
smoothies, juices, pastries
and desserts all day. Offers
a western-fare breakfast,
lunch and dinner menu with
a number of creative TexMex dishes mixed in with
salads and more typical
international cuisine. Now
open until 10pm, the nighttime ambience is relaxed

Th

Tr

BAKEUP ATELIER

Ni
nh
Song H

g
n Hon

Hu Cnh

BAKERIES

Nguy

n
uy
Ng

No
Trn

nh
Song H

n No

Xa

Mai Ch

ng
H
y n Vn

Binh Thanh

Th

and intimate.

CAF EVITA

LAID-BACK CAF / RESTAURANT


230A Nguyen Van Huong,
Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3512
3888

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES


LITTLE ANH-EM

BABY & CHILDREN CLOTHING


37 Thao Dien, An Phu, Q2,
Tel: 0917 567506
In addition to a varied selection of garments for babies
and children up to 10 years
old, Little Anh-Em stocks
sleeping bags and other accessories.

VESPA SHOP

VESPA PRODUCTS / HELMETS


80 Xuan Thuy, Q2
Stocks a wide range of Vespa-inspired tidbits and memorabilia including t-shirts,
riding gear, Italian helmets,
Respro face masks, DVDs,
books, bags, magazines,
posters and more. Rental
scooters and bikes available.

CRAFTS & FURNITURE


AUSTIN HOME

REPRO FURNITURE / FABRICS


42 Nguyen Dang Giai, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3519 0023
austinhomeinteriors.com
Located in a villa-style
building, this An Phu-based
shop stocks antique repro
furniture. All products are
samples, so its limited and
exclusive with only one or

HOME FURNISHINGS
175 Ha Noi Highway, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3519 4543
chilai.com
This well-known Vietnamese
furniture brand is a good
choice for most families
with its respected high-quality designs and competitive
prices. Located on the corner of Pham Ngoc Thach and
Dien Bien Phu, the spacious
showroom specialises in sofas and other furniture such
as table sets, shelves and
kitchen cabinets. There is a
large selection of carpets as
well as numerous choices of
curtains and accessories.

FEELING TROPIC

FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES


51 Le Van Mien, Thao Dien,
Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 2181
8am to 6pm, closed Sundays
Specialising in interior designs and landscaping, this
three-storey building is so
packed full of items for sale
that it doesnt seem to have
enough space for all of its
products. The basement
storey carries outdoor furniture such as bamboo-imitation and mosaic table sets,
while the second level stocks
all types of indoor furniture
except beds. Accessories
are found on the level above.
Special orders are taken for
delivery within three weeks.
Also offers a rental service.

THE FURNITURE HOUSE

HOME FURNISHINGS
81 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien, Q2,
Tel: (08) 3519 4640/4643

EAT
AGNES CAF

CAF FARE / TEX-MEX


11AB Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08)
6281 9772
A cozy and comfortable caf
offering up a western-fare
breakfast, lunch and dinner
menu with a number of creative Tex-Mex dishes mixed in
with salads and more typical
international cuisine. Open
until 10pm.

SHOPPING MALLS
DIAMOND PLAZA
34 Le Duan, Q1. Tel: (08)
3825 7750
9am to 10pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Clothing, Accessories,
Electronics, Caf, Food
Court

HUNG VUONG PLAZA


126 Hung Vuong, Q5. Tel:
(08) 2222 0383
9.30am to 10pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Clothing, Accessories,
Electronics, Caf, Food
Court

PARKSON PLAZA
35-45 Le Thanh Ton, Q1.
Tel: (08) 3827 7636
9.30am to 10pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Clothing, Accessories,
Electronics, Caf, Food
Court

SAIGON CENTRE
65 Le Loi, Q1. Tel: (08)
3829 4888
9am to 9pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Clothing, Accessories,
Electronics, Caf, Food
Court

SAIGON SQUARE
77-89 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia,
Q1
9am to 9pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Clothing, Accessories,
Electronics

SAIGON TAX
Trading Centre
135 Nguyen Hue, Q1. Tel:
(08) 3821 3849
9am to 9.30pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Clothing, Accessories,
Electronics, Souvenirs,
Restaurant

VINCOM CENTER
70-72 Le Thanh Ton, Q1.
Tel: (08) 3936 9999
9am to 10pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Clothing, Accessories,
Electronics, Caf, Food
Court

ZEN PLAZA
54-56 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel:
(08) 3925 0339
9am to 10pm
Cosmetics, Perfume,
Clothing, Accessories,
Electronics, Caf, Food
Court
as firey larb moo and Laotian som tam. Thai cuisine
cooked up by no-holdsbarred Thai chefs.

BAAN THAI

PAN-THAI
55 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08)
3744 5453
baanthai-anphu.com
Subtle lighting and comfortable sofa-like seating at this
An Phu eatery. The menu
has a whole page dedicated
to tom yum soup as well

BOAT HOUSE

AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL
40 Lily Road, An Phu Superior Compound, Thao Dien,
Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 6790
Live music, mini-festivals and
functions are regular events
at this spacious restobar in
An Phu on the banks of the

HCMC
SPORTS

Saigon river. The menu offers seasonal dishes, classic mains and sharing plates.

BOOM BOOM BURGER

US-STYLE BURGER JOINT


2 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: 0909
532378
boomboomburgers.wago.co
A simple and tasty menu
similar to that of the USs InN-Out burger, the tiny Boom
Boom has chosen to focus on
the fundamentals of the perfect burger sweet potato
fries, jalapeno-infused beef
patties and special avocado
blends.

LA CLOSERIE DELISA

CRICKET
ECCS (THE ENGLISH CRICKET
CLUB OF SAIGON)
Richard Carrington, Tel:
0909 967 353
richard.carrington@market-edge.asia
eccsaigon.com

ICCS (INDIAN CRICKET CLUB OF


SAIGON)
Deeptesh Gill, Tel: 01228
770 038
deepteshgill@gmail.com

ISCS (INDIAN SPORTS CLUB IN


SAIGON)
Munish Gupta, Tel: 0986
973 244
gmunish29@yahoo.co.in

PSSC (PAKISTAN SAIGON


CRICKET CLUB)
Samie Cashmiri, Tel: 0976
469 090
samie.cashmiri@gmail.
com

SACC (SAIGON AUSTRALIA


CRICKET CLUB)
Steve Treasure, Tel: 0903
998 824

SACCCRICKET@GMAIL.COM
SSC (SRI LANKA SPORTS CLUB)
Suhard Amit, Tel: 0988
571 010
suhard.amit@yahoo.com

UCC (UNITED CRICKET CLUB)


Asif Ali, Tel: 0937 079 034
npasifali@hotmail.com

VIETNAM CRICKET ASSOCIATION (VCA)


Manish Sogani, Tel: 0908
200 598
manish@ambrij.com

FOOTBALL

AND

RUGBY

024 or Viet Luu 0909 500


171.
astere@hotmail.fr

SAIGON RAIDERS
Saigonraiders.com

SAIGON RUGBY CLUB


RMIT University, 702 Nguyen Van Linh, Tan Phong, Q7
saigonrugbyfootballclub@
yahoo.com

SAIGON SAINTS
saigonsaints.com

SPORTS GENERAL
HASH HOUSE HARRIERS
saigonhash.com

RANGERS BASEBALL TEAM


isao.shimokawaji@sapporobeer.co.jp

SAIGON INTERNATIONAL DARTS


LEAGUE
thesidl.com

SAIGON INTERNATIONAL SOFTBALL LEAGUE


saigonsoftball.info

SAIGON SHOOTERS NETBALL


CLUB
saigonshootersnetball.
blogspot.com

SAIGON SPORTS ACADEMY


28 Tran Nao, Q2, Tel: (08)
7303 1100
saigonsportsacademy.com

SQUASH
The Landmark, 5B Ton Duc
Thang, Q1, Tel: (08) 3822
2098 ext 176
thelandmarkvietnam.com

TORNADOS HOCKEY CLUB


436A/33 Ba Thang Hai,
Q10, Tel: 0938 889899
James.chew@vietnamhockey.vn

AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL

ULTIMATE FRISBEE

Tel: 0937 683 230


vietnamswans.com

RMIT, 702 Nguyen Van


Linh, Q7
Saigon-ultimate.com

LES GAULOIS DE SAIGON


gauloisdesaigon.com

XROCK CLIMBING

OLYMPIQUE SAIGON

7Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q3,


Tel: (08) 6278 5794
xrockclimbing.com

Contact Fred on 0919 709

FRENCH / GARDEN RESTAURANT


52 Ngo Quang Huy, Q2
A tropical garden ambience
that is at once French yet
contemporary Indochinese
is the home of this table
dhote style restaurant and
bar. Classic French cuisine
at reasonable prices in the
heart of Thao Dien.

LA PLANCHA
25 Tran Ngoc Dien, Q2, Tel:
(08) 6281 8521

LU BU

CONTEMPORARY MEDITERRANEAN
97B Thao Dien, Q2 Tel: (08)
6281 8371
luburestaurant.com
Drawing inspiration from
the great cuisines of Europe, The Mediterranean
and The Orient, this contemporary, Australian-run
restaurant bathed in white
focuses on wholesome,
fresh ingredients, with
breads, cheeses, pickles,
pastas and preserves made
on site daily from scratch. A
well-conceived wine list supplements the excellent fare.
Has petanque on the terrace.

Italian restaurant, classic fare is combined with a


special contemporary menu
that brings together a fusion
of European dishes, cooked
up with Italian flair. Excellent Facebook-based delivery service. Go to facebook.
com/Pendolasco2 for full
menu and info.

49 Thao Dien, Q2 Tel. (08)


3602 6385

TAMAGO

CHIARA SQUINZI

AUTHENTIC JAPANESE
39 Tong Huu Dinh, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3744 4634
tamagoresto@gmail.com
Located on the main drag
in Thao Dien, Tamago has
indoor and out door seating,
a terrace and private rooms.
They have a ladies night on
Tuesdays as well as a Teppanyaki themed night on
Saturday evenings. Have a
second restaurant in Mui Ne.

THE DECK

MODERN ASIAN FUSION


38 Nguyen U Di, Q2, Tel: (08)
3744 6632
thedecksaigon.com
Set on the banks of Saigon
River across from Thanh
Da Island, this innovative
restaurant serves up modern Asian fusion cuisine in a
Bali-style atmosphere, complemented by great cocktails
and a long wine list.

THE LOOP

HEALTHY CAF FARE / BAGELS

FITNESS, DANCE & YOGA


AQUAFIT

AQUABIKING
65 Truc Duong, Lang Bao
Chi, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: 0909
008985
aquafit.vn

Tel: 01278 163620


laholista.com
Experienced health coach
as well as a corporate and
school wellness coach. Can
help clients achieve their
health and weight goals
through the innovative holistic approach of food, body
and mind. For more info
email chiara@laholista.com.

K1 FITNESS & FIGHT FACTORY

BOXING / MARTIAL ARTS


100 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien,
Q2, Tel: 0909 540030

NUTRIFORT (NTFQ2)

GENERAL FITNESS
34 Nguyen Dang Giai, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3744 6672
nutrifort.com
A well-appointed gym also
offering fitness classes and
personal training with excellent facilities. Group classes
include power yoga, pilates,
circuit training, martial arts
and spinning. Also has a restaurant serving caloriecalibrated meals.

CYRIL AND YOU SPORTS CENTER

BOXING / FITNESS
49A Xa Lo Ha Noi, Q2. Tel:
0947 77 13 26
Cyril-and-you.com
This sports centre in An Phu,
started by fitness guru Cyril
features the same personalized mentorship Cyrils
clients love. Includes yoga,
boxing and fitness for kids
and adults every day. No
membership fees. Pay for
classes in installments of
10. Also has kids activites
classes. Monday to Friday
every week at 4pm. All activities are safe and run by
Cyril himself.

GROCERIES, LIQUOR & WINE


100%

MADE IN VIETNAM GROCERIES


26B Thao Dien, Q2
100percentvn.com

ANNAM GOURMET MARKET

GROCERY & DELI


41A Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08)
3744 2630
Annam-gourmet.com
Attractive and spacious
Frenchowned grocery
shop stocking a large range
of foods, organic fruit and

MEKONG MERCHANT

INTERNATIONAL CAFE FARE /


SEAFOOD
23 Thao Dien, An Phu, Q2,
Tel: (08) 3744 6478
info@mekongmerchant.com
The rustic looking, bananaleaf roofed Mekong Merchant has long been the
place in An Phu. Set around
a cobble-stoned courtyard
the cuisine includes gourmet
seafood and pastas. Bakerystyle Bistro out front.

PAPAGAYO

FRENCH BISTRO / COCKTAILS


18 Tran Ngoc Dien, Q3, Tel:
(08) 6252 1333
facebook.com/papagayosaigon

PENDOLASCO

PAN-ITALIAN
36 Tong Huu Dinh, Q2, Tel:
(08) 6253 2828
pendolasco.vn
Saigons longest running

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 173

HCMC
vegetables, imported beers
and wines. Also sells luxury
branded products from the
likes of Fauchon. The deli
upstairs in the Hai Ba Trung
branch serves tasty baguette
rolls in a comfortable lounge
area with free WiFi, and offers probably the best selection of cheese and cured
meats in town. Free delivery
for Districts 1, 2 and 3.

CLASSIC FINE FOODS

GROCERIES & IMPORTER


No. 17, Street 12 (perpendicular to Tran Nao street),
Q2, Tel: (08) 3740 7105
classicfinefoods.com
Supplier for the citys five
star hotels, also distributing
brands like San Pellegrino,
Rougie foie gras, Galbani
cheese, fresh poultries,
meat, live seafood and vegetables. You can now find all
the products at the gourmet
shop on location.

VINO WINE SHOP

WINE SHOP
Corner of Thao Dien & Duong
2, Q2, Tel: (08) 6281 9059
Professional advice on selecting and tasting wines
with a portfolio spanning
old and new world as well
as everything in between.
The outdoor terrace area is
the perfect spot to sample a
new tipple.

HAIRDRESSERS
CONCEPT COIFFURE
48 Tran Ngoc Dien, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3519 4625
Conceptcoiffure.vn
Open daily from 9am to 8pm
Hair stylist and colourist specialist Sandrine has relocated her long-standing flagship
salon Venus Coiffure to a villa
in Thao Dien. A full range of
services is offered including
a dedicated kids salon.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

EUROPEAN INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL HO CHI MINH CITY (EIS)
730 F-G-K Le Van Mien, Thao
Dien, D2, HCMC, Vietnam.
Tel: (08) 7300 7257
info@eishcmc.com
www.eishcmc.com
Located in the heart of Thao
Dien, District 2, the EUROPEAN International School
Ho Chi Minh City offers a
supportive and challenging
academic education from
Early Years to Grade 12
based on the IB curriculum.
EIS is a Nobel Talent School
and is part of the Nobel Education Network. The school
educates global citizens to
enjoy learning, inquiring and
caring for others.

AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL (AIS)
Xi Campus, 190 Nguyen Van
Huong, Q2, Tel: (08) 3519
2727; Thao Dien Campus,
APSC Compound, 36 Thao
Dien, Q2, Tel: (08) 3744
6960; Thu Thiem Campus,
264 Mai Chi Tho (East-West
Highway), An Phu, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3742 4040
aisvietnam.com
The Australian International
School is an IB World School
with three world-class campuses in District 2, offering
an international education
from kindergarten to senior
school with the IB Primary
Years Programme (PYP),
Cambridge Secondary Programme (including IGCSE)
and IB Diploma Programme
(DP).

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL (BIS)
246 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2,
Tel: (08) 3744 2335
bisvietnam.com
Inspected and approved
by the British Government,
BIS provides a British style
curriculum for an international student body from
pre-school to Year 13. The
school is staffed by British
qualified and trained teachers with recent UK experience. Fully accredited by
the Council of International
Schools and a member of
FOBISIA, BIS is the largest
international school in Vietnam.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HO CHI


MINH CITY (ISHCMC)
28 Vo Truong Toan, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3898 9100
ishcmc.com
The only fully authorized IB
World School in Ho Chi Minh
City, ISHCMC has been
awarding graduates with an
IB Diploma and sending them
off to high-profile overseas
universities since 1999.

MONTESSORI INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL
42/1 Ngo Quang Huy, Q2,
Tel: (08) 3744 2639
montessori.edu.vn
Aiming to encourage childrens engagement with
their surroundings, MIS
offers children from age
three to 12 a classic Montessori education as well as
a variety of extracurricular
activities.

SAIGON KIDS EDUCATIONAL


CHILDCARE CENTRE
15 Street 12, perpendicular
to Tran Nao, Q2, Tel: (08)
3740 8081
saigonkidskindergarten.
com
SKECC has evolved over 10
years to create a creative,
playful learning environment for children ages two
to six. Limited class sizes and
highly engaged teachers en-

174 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

sure personal attention for


all students.

SAIGON STAR INTERNATIONAL


SCHOOL
Residential Area No. 5,
Thanh My Loi, Q2, Tel: (08)
3742 7827
saigonstarschool.edu.vn
Supported by the Cambridge
International Primary Programme, SSIS integrates
Montessori methods into
nursery and kindergarten
programmes to create a
stimulating learning environment. Small class sizes
allow experienced teachers
to cater to individual needs.

SMARTKIDS
1172 Thao Dien Compound,
Q2, Tel: (08) 3744 6076; 26,
Street Nr. 10, Thao Dien, Q2,
Tel: (08) 3898 9816; 15 Tran
Ngoc Dien, Thao Dien, Q2, Tel:
(08) 3519 4236
smartkidsinfo.com
This international childcare
centre provides children
ages 18 months to six years
with a high quality education
in a playful and friendly environment.

THE AMERICAN SCHOOL


OF VIETNAM
172-180 Nguyen Van Huong,
Q2, Tel: 0903 952223
theamericanschool.edu.vn

KIDS
FIRSTBIKE VIETNAM
www.firstBIKE.com.vn
FirstBIKE balance bikes for
two to five-year-olds eliminate the need for training
wheels or stabilisers, and
support proper balance development.

MEDICAL & DENTAL


FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE HCMC

INTERNATIONAL CLINIC
95 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: (08)
3744 2000
vietnammedicalpractice.
com
Fullservice 24hour
healthcare provider with
highlyqualified doctors
handling everything from
emergencies to tests and
Xrays, inpatient and out
patient care, checkups,
travel medicine and medical
evacuations.

SALONS & SPAS


AUTHENTIC SPA
Thao Dien Village, Nguyen
Van Huong, Q2, Tel: 3744
2222

AVEDA HERBAL SPA

Villa 35A, Street 41, Thao


Dien, Q2, Tel:(08) 3519 4671
avedaherbal@gmail.com

QUYNH BEAUTY SALON

104A Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien,


Q2, Tel: (08) 3512 4321

district 3

BARS & CLUBS / CAFES & ICE-CREAM / CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES /


CRAFTS & FURNITURE / EAT / FITNESS, DANCE & YOGA / HAIRDRESSERS /
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS / MEDICAL & DENTAL / SALONS & SPAS
BARS & CLUBS
ACOUSTIC

LIVE MUSIC
6E Ngo Thoi Nhiem, Q3, Tel:
(08) 3930 2239
Though only 1km from the
city centre, Acoustic is well
off most foreigners radars.
Come see the Vietnamese
house band play nightly, as
well as performances from
overseas bands and guest
artists.

CLOUD 9

LOUNGE BAR & TERRACE


6th & 7th Floor, 2bis Cong
Truong Quoc Te, Q3, Tel:
0907 502951

CLUB DARTS, DARTS, DARTS

LIVE MUSIC / EVENTS VENUE


224A Pasteur, Q3, Tel: 0948
031323

WOODSTOCK BAR

MUSIC BAR / CAFE


39 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan.Q3.
Tel: (08) 39304075
metallicbar.com
Showcases a variety of different types of music anything from rock, pop and rap
to Latino as well as the everlasting songs of Metallica,
Bon Jovi, Scorpions, Santana
and Guns n Roses. Covered
live by well-known, Vietnambased Filipino bands. Music
starts at 8.30pm.

PLAN B

CONTEMPORARY BAR
147 Hai Ba Trung, Q3, Tel:
0987 684761

171 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3,


Tel: (08) 3932 2778
budsicecream.com.vn

HIDEAWAY

INTERNATIONAL
41/1 Pham Ngoc Thach, Q3,
Tel: (08) 3822 4222
Hideawaycafe-saigon.com
Hidden in a colonial building
with an outdoor courwrd,
the ample soft, sofa seating renders a great spot to
relax. The mouth-watering
western menu is on the expensive side.

OPERATION: TEAROOM

TEA ROOM
335/31 Dien Bien Phu, Q3,
Tel: 0169 3583563
operationteavietnam.com
Traverse a wooden bridge
over a bamboo-shaded goldfish pond to enjoy high quality tea, starting at VND35,000,
in this quaint, open-air tearoom. Tea and tea-ware
available for purchase.

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES


BAM SKATE SHOP
SKATEWEAR / STREET
148 Dien Bien Phu, Q3, Tel:
0903 641826
Bamskateshop.com.vn

BOO
STREETWEAR
187A Hai Ba Trung, Q3
boo.vn
CRAFTS

& FURNITURE

ONTOP BAR
Novotel Saigon, 167 Hai Ba
Trung, Q3, Tel: (08) 3822
4866
Located on the 20th floor
with stunning views of the
city, houses an upscale,
contemporary interior and
an outdoor terrace. A good
venue to chill out in a relaxed and casual, yet hip
ambience.

ROCKFANCLUB BAR

ROCK BAR
25C Tu Xuong, Q3, Tel: (08)
6290 7489

CAFES & ICE-CREAM


ANS INTERIOR CAF

VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL
40C Tran Cao Van, Q3, Tel:
(08) 3823 3398

BUDS

ICE-CREAM PARLOUR

ATC FURNITURE

ECO-FRIENDLY FURNITURE
SR1: 268B Nam Ky Khoi
Nghia, Dist.3, HCMC, Tel: (08)
39326455
SR2: 30A Nguyen Huu Canh,
Binh Thanh, HCMC, Tel: (08)
38403946
atc-craft.com
Filled with the scent of nature, is it what you are looking for to spice up the living
space of your home? Come
to ATC FURNITURE, you will
find a wide range of moderndesigned products (sofas,
chairs, beds...) manufactured
from eco-friendly materials
(water hyacinth & rattan). Our
outdoor (poly rattan) wickerfurniture range is suited
to your balcony or garden
space. A hanging (hammock)
chair is irresistible for complete relaxation after a long
day at work.

REMIX DECO

INDOOR FURNITURE
222 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai,
Q3, Tel: (08) 3930 4190
remixdeco.com

EAT

AU LAC DO BRAZIL

BRAZILIAN CHURRASCO
238 Pasteur, Q3, Tel: (08)
3820 7157
aulacdobrazil.com
Open for over a decade, Au
Lac Do Brazil is home to the
city's best Churrasco menu
with a wide variety of meats
from Calabrian sausage
and picanha through to
D-rump steak and smoked
hams. Pioneering the eatas-much-as-you-can theme
in Vietnam, Passadors bring
the meat skewers to your
table, and you, the customer
then choose your accompaniments from the salad bar.
Best washed down with red
wine or a Caipirinha or five.

BANH CANH HOANG TY

BANH CANH / TAY NINH CUISINE


70 Vo Van Tan, Q3

BEEFSTEAK NAM SON

VIETNAMESE STEAKHOUSE
200 Bis Nguyen Thi Minh
Khai, Q3; 157 Nam Ky Khoi
Nghia, Q3, Tel: (08) 3930 3917
Namsonsteak.com

HIGHWAY 4

NORTHERN / PAN-VIETNAMESE
101 Vo Van Tan, Q3, Tel: (08)
3602 2069
highway4.com
Named after the mountain
highway that skirts the Chinese-Vietnamese border to
the north, Highway 4 serves
up authentic north Vietnamese cuisine. Also does
excellent Son Tinh branded
rice wine.

JOIE DE VIVRE

WESTERN / FRENCH
292/10, Cach Mang Thang
Tam, Q3 Tel: (08) 6260 0066
facebook.com/joie.vn

PHO HOA

PHO EATERY
260C Pasteur, Q3, Tel: (08)
3829 7943

SHRI

CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN
23rd Floor, Centec Tower,
7274 Nguyen Thi Minh
Khai, Q3, Tel: (08) 3827 9631
A breezy terrace, indoor

HCMC

SUSHI DINING AOI

SUSHI / SASHIMI
53-55 Ba Huyen Thanh
Quan, Q3, Tel: (08) 3930
0039
sushidiningaoi.com
Sushi Dining AOI offers fullblown Japanese-style sushi,
sashimi, and other dishes
such as tempura, pork cutlet and cold soba noodles
in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Good value set
lunches. Probably the best
sushi in town.

HUE / VIETNAMESE
187 Hai Ba Trung, Q3, Tel:
(08) 3829 7242
Tibrestaurant.com.vn

VIET CHAY

Qu
nh

2 and 3. Private and group


yoga classes. Home visits
available.

SAIGON BELLY DANCE

BELLY DANCE
No 96, Street 2, Cu Xa Do
Thanh, Q3, Tel: (08) 3832
9429
saigonbellydance.com

FITNESS, DANCE & YOGA

HAIRDRESSERS

YOGA
Tel: 0909 648193
michelle@michellelloyd.com
michellelloyd.com
American trained and licensed massage therapist
and certified yoga instructor. Dedicated yoga and
massage spaces in Districts

S
Ph

nh

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i
X
Tr
Th
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n L Lai
B
uy
g
N

VEGAN
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, 339
Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3
vietchay.vn

MICHELLE LLOYD YOGA & MASSAGE THERAPY

Th

YKC HAIR STUDIO

219 Dien Bien Phu, Q3, Tel:


(08) 3829 2791

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
CITYSMART
7 Street 2, Cu Xa Do Thanh,
Q3, Tel: (08) 3832 8488
citysmart.vn

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Nguy

Du
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Kh
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Cn
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TIB

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INTERNATIONAL SOS HCMC


MEDICAL CLINIC
INTERNATIONAL CLINIC / MEDIVAC
167A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3,
Tel: (08) 3829 8424
internationalsos.com
The worlds leading provider
of medical assistance and
international healthcare offers primary health care, diagnostic services and 24/7
emergency care. Specialist
care is available in many
fields.

STAMFORD SKIN CENTRE

Th
n

L
Thi

Tr

Ca
o

i
n

Ph

L Thi T

bar and separate dining


room with sweeping views
over central Saigon make
up this enormous, comfortable space. A well-thought
out and romantic venue,
with excellent food.

Th
n
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Kh
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et
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Ca

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Ha

ng

Na
m

a
Ngh

i
Th
Ba

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Th

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Ha
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i

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Kh

nh
Th

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Th

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Du

C
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Ba

V
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Bi

District
10

Tr
n
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n

Ph

Ho
n
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Th
n
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District 1

Ha
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Ng
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a

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hT
hn

n
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V
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Ng
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T
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Th
M
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Kh
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Hi

nh

L
Ch
n

Th

Kh
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Th

g
nh

C
ch

Tr
n

Bi

in
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Sa

Ti

Vn

Na
m

H
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H o
ng

i
nh

Tr
n

Th
n
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Tr
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g

nh

Sa

M
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C
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Ha
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L Ch

ng

Sa

Th

Ho

V
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Hong

V
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Ng
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Th

Binh Thanh

DISTRICT 3

INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC


167A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3,
Tel: (08) 3829 8424
internationalsos.com
Globally renowned provider
of medical assistance and
international healthcare
offers full dental services
in the clinic. Foreign and Vietnamese dentists provide
high skilled dental service.
Orthodontics is also available.

CitySmart delivers a range


of diverse, internationallyrecognised educational
programmes, as well as life
skills and character building
for comprehensive development.

VAS

98 Cach Mang Thang Tam,


Q3, Tel: (08) 3930 7278
vas.edu.vn

MEDICAL & DENTAL


STARLIGHT DENTAL CLINIC

INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC


2 Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te,
Q3, Tel: (08) 3822 6222
starlightdental.net
Longestablished, modern
clinic with French, Canadian, Belgian & Vietnamese
dentists. A favourite of the

foreign residential community due to its modern and


effective treatments allied
with extremely reasonable
prices.

AMERICAN CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC

CHIROPRACTOR
161-161A Hai Ba Trung, Q3,
Tel: (08) 3939 3930
www.acc.vn
A clinic provides world class
Chiropractic, Physiotherapy
and Foot Care. We specialize
in provides effective treatment for back, neck and knee
pain, sports injuries, and all
types of foot problems. We
also provide effective treatment for Flat foot syndrome
in children and adult.

INTERNATIONAL SOS DENTAL


CLINIC

SKIN CARE / COSMETICS


99 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1
Tel: (08). 3925 1990 - 0908
453 338
stamfordskin.com
Stamford Skin Centre offers
a broad range of medical and
aesthetic skin treatments.
Their international dermatologists and doctors ensure
accurate diagnosis and safe
treatment procedures. It
houses excellent equipment
for a variety of procedures.

TRADITIONAL MEDICINE
HOSPITAL

EASTERN MEDICINE
187 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3,
Tel: (08) 3932 6579

SALONS & SPAS


AVEDA HERBAL SPA
Villa 35A, Street 41, Thao
Dien, Q2, Tel:(08) 3519 4671
avedaherbal@gmail.com

YKC SPA
219 Dien Bien Phu, Q3, Tel:
(08) 3829 2791
ykcspa.com

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 175

HCMC

FOOD PROMOS
El Gaucho Goes Prix Fixe
elgaucho.asia
El Gauchos new restaurant at 74/1 Hai Ba
Trung (Q1, HCMC) already has a thriving
lunch trade, and with a new set lunch
menu starting at VND690,000 things are
about to get crazy. From 11am to 5pm, this
menu offers a variety of choices for starter,
main course and dessert, including tea or
coffee. And of course, the a la carte menu
is always available if you need to get
the 1,000g USDA rib eye at 3pm, go for it.

A Taste of the Old Country


@ Annam Gourmet
annam-gourmet.com
For a lot of us, Annam Gourmet is one of
the connections we keep with our home
countries. This month Annam is making
that connection stronger until Oct. 12, with
their European Rustic Fine Food promo,
celebrating the unique and authentic
tastes wed forgotten how much we crave.
And keep your eyes peeled throughout
the month for Oktoberfest specials!

Sheraton Celebrations
sheratonsaigon.com
Sheraton starts this special month
by churning out the bratwurst every
Saturday in October at Saigon Caf,
along with other German delicacies like
farmer style pate, pork jelly, German cold
cuts, oven-roasted pork knuckle, roast
garlic pork neck and cheese spatzle. The
VND1.01 million++ bill includes a free
flow of house wine, coffee and tea.
Saigon Caf strikes again this
Halloween, with a buffet featuring
Halloween fare like youve never tasted,
including pumpkin salad, coleslaw,
Kansas City BBQ ribs, layered hamburger
pie, oven-roasted USDA beef prime rib,
candied yams, oyster Rockefeller and tasty
desserts like New York cheese cake and
Boston cream pie. The VND1.3 million++
includes free flows of wine, coffee and tea.

Load up on Dim Sum


@ Hotel Equatorial
hcm.equatorial.com
Saturdays and Sundays, get all the dim
sum you can handle at Orientica, served
alongside seven selections of tea for only
VND338,000++ per person. Whats more,
theyre betting youll be a return customer
and if you collect 10 stamps on your
frequent eater card youll get an all-youcan-eat lunch on the house! As always, a la
carte dim sum is offered during the week,
from VND48,000++ per basket.

176 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Halloween at the Sheraton Saigon

Sushi and Sashimi Blast

Park Hyatt Goes Pink

@ Mvenpick Saigon
moevenpick-saigon.com
On Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday
nights, Mvenpicks Japanese option,
Iki, offers the best raw deal in town
VND299,000++ for all the fresh sashimi,
sushi, nigiri, temaki and miso soup you can
eat. Surrounded by the modern trappings
Mvenpick is known for, youll snack down
on some of the best Japanese food in town.
During the rest of the week, their Business
Set Lunch gives a sturdy portion of Japanese
for a very respectable VND139,000++
available Monday to Friday lunchtimes.

parkhyattsaigon.com
Park Hyatt is taking the opportunity of
Vietnamese Womens Day to punctuate
their month-long dedication to Breast
Cancer Awareness Month, with a pink
decorating theme greeting hotel guests
and a special pink surprise awaiting all
resto guests on Oct. 20.
In addition, the much-loved afternoon
tea is getting sweeter with an all-pink
set-up. From chocolate-coated berries to
meringues and macaroons, pink lovers
will get the best colour in their lives by
visiting Park Lounge this month.

A Tour of Argentine Wines

Ghost Chef at Renaissance Riverside

@ Caravelle Hotel
caravellehotel.com
Grapes grown on the foothills of the
Andes Mountains and ripened under the
Argentinian sun are the stars of a one-night
wine encounter at Caravelle. The famous
Mendoza regions Trapiche Winery will be
on show in a four-course gourmet menu
at Reflections, featuring the winerys
acclaimed Iscay MalbecCabernet Franc,
Iscay MerlotMalbec and more. The Taste of
the Andes will take place on Oct. 9 at 7pm,
priced at VND1.48 million net contact
0906 900523 for more information.

renaissance-saigon.com
The Riverside Cafs Executive Ghost
Chef is on the loose this Oct. 30 and
Oct. 31 making your taste buds feel
things they thought theyd never feel. For
VND1 million++ VND1.3 million++
including free flows of wine, beer and
Halloween cocktails youll go a long
way towards ensuring your Halloween is
much more treat than trick.

HCMC
courts, pool, steam bath and
nutrition bar.

phu my hung

PANORMA FITNESS

INTENSIVE / FULL-BODY WORKOUTS


206 Tran Van Tra, Q7, Tel:
01654 058401 / 01629
546534
cezsaigon@gmail.com

BAKERIES / BARS & CLUBS / CRAFTS & FURNITURE / EAT / FITNESS, DANCE
& YOGA / INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS / MEDICAL & DENTAL
ng
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Ch

Nguyn
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INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

Linh

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B

H Huy Tp

Nguyn c C

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L

Nguyn Vn Linh

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Ti
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nD
T

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V

Tr

Ph

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Ng

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ABC INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL


(ABCIS)

n
uy
Ng

Nguyn Vn

Ng

n
uy

Ph

V
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L in

n
T

N gu

Saigon South Campus 1 (Primary & Secondary), Tel: (08)


5431 1833; Saigon South
Campus 2 (Foundation Stage
& Early Primary), Tel: (08)
5431 1833
theabcis.com
Rated as outstanding by
British government inspectors, academic results puts
ABCIS among the top 8 percent of schools worldwide.
Provides education for two
to 18 year olds in a supportive and friendly environment.

Renaissance is an International British school providing an inclusive curriculum


based upon the British curriculum complemented by
the International Primary
Curriculum and International Baccalaureate. It is a
family school with first-class
facilities including a 350seat theatre, swimming pool,
mini-pool, play-areas, gymnasium, IT labs, music and
drama rooms, science labs
and an all-weather pitch.

SAIGON SOUTH INTERNATIONAL


SCHOOL (SSIS)
78 Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7, Tel:
(08) 5413 0901
ssis.edu.vn
Offers an American-style
education (SAT, IB and AP)
from elementary to highschool, emphasizing a multicultural student environment and a commitment to
wellrounded education at
all levels.

gB
g
n

CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL

DISTRICT 7
PHU MY HUNG

BAKERIES
LAMOUR

BAKERY & CAFE


Hung Phuoc 2, Le Van Thiem,
Q7, Tel: (08) 5410 4072
lamourbakery.com.vn

SAVOURE

BAKERY
Grand View, SD 4-1, Nguyen
Duc Canh, Q7

SIMRANS

BAKERY
SL15-1 Grand View, Nguyen
Duc Canh, Q7, Tel: 0908
828552
simrans.sg

BARS & CLUBS


BANANA BAR

EXPAT BAR
SA8-1 Parkview, Nguyen
Duc Canh, Phu My Hung, Q7,
Tel: (08) 5412 3282
A downstairs pool table, an
open, street side terrace and
specials on Tiger draft, this
fun but slightly run-down
joint is a local haunt for many
a resident of Saigon South.

PEACHES

CURRY PUB
S57-1 Sky Garden 2, Phu
My Hung, Q7, Tel: (08) 5410
0999
Known as the Curry Pub,
this pleasant Saigon South
watering hole mixes the beer
with all things curry anything from Goan fish curries
to beef rendangs and more.
A popular local haunt.

RUBY SOHO

CARTOON BAR
S52-1 Sky Garden 2, Q7, Tel:
(08) 5410 3900

THE TAVERN

EXPAT & SPORTS BAR


R2-24 Hung Gia 3, Bui Bang
Doan, Q7, Tel: (08) 5410
3900
The first bar established in
Saigon South, great food,
great music and loads of
laughs. Has regular live
music nights, theme nights
and a variety of live sports
events to please everybody.
Big screens and outdoor
seating add to the mix, with
BBQs available for parties
and events.

CRAFTS & FURNITURE


BELLAVITA

HIGH-END FURNITURE
The Crescent Mall, 101 Ton
Dat Tien, Q7, Tel: (08) 5413
7355
bellavitafurniture.com

MEKONG CREATIONS

FAIR TRADE CRAFTS


35-37 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel:
(08) 2210 3110; S17 Sky
Garden, Nguyen Van Linh,
Q7, Tel: (08) 6271 7758
mekong-creations.org

MEKONG QUILTS

HAND-MADE QUILTS
S17-1 Sky Garden , Nguyen
Van Linh, Q7, Tel: (08) 6271
7758
mekong-quilts.org

EAT
BOOMARANG BISTRO SAIGON

INTERNATIONAL / GRILL
CR2 3-4, 107 Ton Dat Tien,
Phu My Hung, Q7, Tel: (08)
5413 6592
boomarang.com.vn
Australian themed but Singaporean-owned eatery and
bar on The Crescent with
great terraced seating specializing in huge-portioned
international fare, all set in
a contemporary, spacious
environment.

EL GAUCHO

ARGENTINIAN STEAKHOUSE
Unit CR1-12, The Crescent,
Phu My Hung, Q7, Tel: (08)
5413 6909
elgaucho.com.vn
A pleasant downtown eatery mixing an Argentinian
steakhouse theme with pork,
chicken, lamb, homemade
spicy sausage, skewers,
burger dishes and everything that can come off a
grill.

HOANG YEN

PAN-VIETNAMESE
The Crescent, 103 Ton Dat
Tien, Q7, Tel: (08) 2210 2304

MING DYNASTY

LAVISH CHINESE / VIETNAMESE


23 Nguyen Khac Vien, Q7, Tel:
(08) 5411 5555

NATHALIES

THAI / VIETNAMESE
S9 Hung Vuong 3, Q7, Tel:
(08) 5410 0822
nathaliesrestaurant.com

SCOTT AND BINHS

INTERNATIONAL
15-17 Cao Trieu Phat, Phu
My Hung, Q7, Tel: 0948
901465
bizuhotel.com/main/pages/
scottbinhs.php
Serving creative, all homemade comfort food, this
restaurant boasts a full bar,
ice-cold beer and an international wine list to complement meals. Has a focus
on the creative use of local
ingredients.

VIVA TAPAS BAR & GRILL

GRILL & BAR/ TAPAS


R4-28 Cao Trieu Phat, Phu
My Hung, Q7
facebook.com/VIVATapasBar.pmh
As well as classical Andalusian tapas, VIVA serves up a
selection of original but flavourful dishes for those who
dare to try. A Mediterranean-themed interior and a desire to provide something not
presently available in Saigon
South sets this joint apart.

13C Phong Phu Commune,


Binh Chanh, Tel: (08) 5412
3456
cis.edu.vn
The first Canadian international school in Vietnam
serves local and foreign
students from Kindergarten
to grade 12. Talented, certified teachers implement the
internationally recognised
Ontario curriculum to create a student-centred learning environment promoting
academic excellence.

KIDS CLUB SAIGON


79/7 Pham Thai Buong, Q7;
27/3 Ha Huy Tap, Q7, Tel:
0908 460267
kidsclubsaigon.com
An international early childhood center in Phu My Hung
serving 130+ expat and local
families over two campuses.
Provides early learning programmes for children ages
18 months to five in a secure,
loving, and creative environment.

KINDERMUSIK EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTRE

FITNESS, DANCE & YOGA

Crescent Residence 2, 107


Ton Dat Tien, Q7, Tel: 0907
099 480
kindermusik-vietnam.com

CRESCENT WELLNESS CLUB

LITTLE GENIUS INTERNATIONAL


KINDERGARTEN

GYM, POOL, SQUASH


3rd Floor, Crescent Plaza,
105 Ton Dat Tien, Phu My
Hung, Tel: (08) 5412 1277
The-crescent.com
Overlooking the Crescent
complexs lagoon, this centre offers modern facilities, a
gym with Technogym equipment allowing users to track
their progress. Includes fitness classes, yoga, squash

102 My Kim 2, Phu My Hung,


Q7, Tel: (08) 5421 1052
lgkids.vn

RENAISSANCE INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL SAIGON
74 Nguyen Thi Thap, D7,
Tel: (08)3773 33171 ext
120/121/122
renaissance.edu.vn

MEDICAL & DENTAL


AMERICAN EYE CENTER
5th Floor, Crescent Plaza,
105 Ton Dat Tien, Q7
Tel: 5413 6758 / 5413 6759
www.americaneyecentervn.
com
American Eye Center is located in the heart of Phu My
Hung, providing eye care
services to Adults and Children by an American Boardcertified ophthalmologist
with 17 years of experience.
The American-standard
facility is equipped with
state of the art equipments
for the early detection and
treatment of important eye
diseases from Lasik and cataract surgeries to presbyopia, glaucoma and diabetic
eye disease treatments.
Cosmetic procedures such
as eyelid surgery and Botox
injections are also available.

FV HOSPITAL

INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL
6 Nguyen Luong Bang, Saigon South Parkway, Q7, Tel:
(08) 5411 3333
Emergency: (08) 5411 3500
fvhospital.com
International hospital
whose standard of health
care matches that found
anywhere, with 19 fulltime
French doctors and 58 Vietnamese doctors, providing
expertise in 30 medical and
surgical areas, especially
maternity care.

HAPPINESS (HANH PHUC) ORIENTAL MEDICINE CENTER

EASTERN MEDICINE
432 Pham Thai Buong, Q7,
Tel: 0906 684 969

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 177

HCMC

STUDENT EYE
THE THING ABOUT TEACHERS

passionate, understanding
or respectful those are
qualities any teacher should
have.
A great teacher, however,
is a personal notion. For me,
a few names and a few faces
came to mind and I was able
to discern one trait that they
all share: a slight disregard
for the rules. My old physics
and chemistry teacher used
to make fun of my shoes, only
when he left did I realise how
much I enjoyed his classes; my
sardonic humanities teacher
couldnt resist the urge to start
conversations with his classes
about the hidden facts of
history, and sometimes forgot
the curriculum altogether;
and last but not least, my
bizarre seventh grade French
teacher, who could be cuttingly
sarcastic, but also astonishingly
profound. Its not that the rules
didnt apply to them or that
these teachers were too good to
follow them. They just preferred
to carve out their own paths.
And maybe thats what I
yearned for the whole time: a
pioneering spirit.

The Best You Can Expect

he other day, a strange thought


hit me. I remembered my seventh
grade French teacher, who often
asked weird essays of us. On the
first day we met, he told the whole class
to take out a paper and pen (which often
meant a pop quiz), giving everyone a
fright. But instead he asked us to answer
one simple question: In your opinion,
what is a great teacher?
What was he asking of us, we
wondered. Was this man demanding
his students to do his job for him? Two
types of teachers leave a mark on you: the
ones you love and the ones you hate. My
eccentric French teacher was somewhere
in between.
After blurting out the essay prompt
in a matter-of-fact tone, he sat down
legs crossed in front of the computer
and ignored us completely. 15 minutes

178 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

before the bell rang, I quickly scribbled


down something, handed the paper to my
teacher and left the classroom as quickly
as what I wrote left my head.
And it came back to me, three years
later! On that day, how many of my
classmates were silly enough to do the
same thing I did? What he presented to
us that day was the option to, in a way,
shape our school year with him; tell him
what we wanted so he could hand it to
us! I then gave the question a bit more
thought.

Mr. Perfect Teacher


It was a difficult question then, and
its still a difficult question now. Hard
enough to have 23 little 13-year-old
brains malfunctioning over it. In hopes
of not falling into clichs, I filtered
out words such as hard-working,

Thinking back, my French teacher


did ask the same question to 23
different students
Was he prepared to shoulder the
burden of 23 different expectations
of him?
Like I said above, a great teacher is
an individual question. You and I vary
greatly. In front of two-dozen wishful
pairs of eyes, the one feeling fidgety,
scared and nervous should be our
teachers, not us. Objectively speaking,
most of my professors werent great
or perfect, they were just okay. And
okay is good it proves that theyre
human.
From time to time, you will meet
someone great someone who fits
your liking. But maybe thats only
according to you. So, right now, a good
teacher will do for me. What about
you? To Thu Phuong
To Thu Phuong is a high school junior
at Alexandre Yersin French High School
(Lyce Franais Alexandre Yersin) in
Hanoi, lfay.com.vn

HCMC

NON-FAMOUS PLACES
3 VO TRUONG TOAN: BEHIND THE SUGARCANE STAND

In an ongoing series originally published on the blog From Saigon, Non-Famous


Places seeks to take readers to Ho Chi Minh City landmarks left off most maps,
whose stories make up the very fabric of the city itself

ust next door to the Modernist


circularity of 1 Vo Truong Toan
in District 5 sits a house in a very
different style. Composed of
curlicues in concrete, geometric reliefs,
painted Ionian columns, a pitchedtile roof that from beneath looks like a
mound of popsicle sticks, tilework of
yellow, green, red and white repeating
kaleidoscopes of stars, fleur-de-lis and
feathered plumage, somewhat Moorish
in mood its a fusion of popular styles
from 100 years ago. All of them faded,
like the images of loved ones on the
walls.
Two generations lived there before
Pham Thi Hue, who runs the sugarcane
stand on the other side of the boundary
wall. Theyre all descendants of the
familys patriarch, great-grandfather
Quang Chau, a court figure in the last

Illustration by Lys Bui

imperial court in Hue. In a portrait that


must date from the 19th century, he stares
ahead with youthful purpose, in clothes
drawn on perhaps in stylistic update a
French cap over a stiff, split-collared robe.
On the other walls sit Hues
grandparents, looking more traditional
than Quang Chau, more receded into
history. Then her bookseller parents,
mother with a perm and airbrushed glow
surrounding her head, looking content.
An oversaturated black-and-white photo
holds the head of an older brother, who
died for some unexplained reason.

New Life
A young girl runs around in a white
dress, smiling, patting down halls in her
plastic shoes, blurring out of photos. Her
grandfather Hues husband, Nguyen
Quoc Nam looks lovingly on and tosses

off a sweet little nothing in the French


patois weve negotiated between us.
Living alongside the ancestors on the
wall are seven others, sharing this house
and a rear extension. Most of Hues other
family members have moved to the US,
starting with her grandmother.
Nam shows us a computer grandson
occupied with it and then we chance
upon a guitar. Tu joues? I ask. Oui, je
joue, he says, picking it up.
Settling into a leather-upholstered
rocking chair, Nam gently starts in
on a lilting French ballad, looking up
in smiling, soulful eye contact every
phrase or two. Its a jaunty tune, and it
seems to fill the house with the youthful
exuberance of the year it was written.
Ed Weinberg
The From Saigon blog is at from-saigon.
tumblr.com

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 179

Chin Dch
Cu Ly T Gic

Mt ngh s Vit Nam quyt nh hnh ng

rc khi George Clooney tham gia, bo


ch quc t b qua nhng ti c
xy ra Darfur. N din vin ot gii
Oscar Angelina Jolie v ang h tr
ton b 28 c s v cc t chc t thin bao gm
UNICEF, UNHCR, v Human Rights Watch.
Nhc s Bono ca nhm U2 ni ting cng h
tr cho 36 t chc gm Amnesty International v
water.org. Ngay c Sean Penn, chng c ca n ca
s Madonna, cng tham gia ng h vic trao tr
qun o Falkland cho Argentina.
Mc ch, t nht l trn b mt, l cng c
lng tin v tnh php l cho nhng vn ny.
Bng vic c mt ngh s ni ting lm ngi dn
u, cc c s, t chc t thin hay cc t chc
phi chnh ph (NGO) c th nng cao nhn thc
v ku gi gii truyn thng ng h.
Do vy, vic pht hin ra ngi sao ca nhc, diva

180 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

Vit Nam Hng Nhung l ngi ng sau chin


dch 'Saving the Rhino' (tm dch l Cu Ly T
Gic) c l khng c g l ngc nhin lm. iu
gy ngc nhin duy nht l c y l ngh s Vit
Nam u tin gi vai tr ny.

Chuyn i Nam Phi

Cc vn bo tn t gic lun c ghi


chp li cn thn. Vic tin rng sng t gic c
kh nng thn k cha bnh ung th v cc vn
sc khe khc, cng nh nng cao gi tr x
hi khi s hu n, iu khin ngnh cng
nghip sn trm Nam Phi. Nm 2013, 1.004
con t gic b git ch ly sng bao
gm c nhng con t gic en cui cng nay
tuyt chng ca Chu Phi trong khi ,
trong nm 2014, tnh cho ti nay c hn 700
con t gic b git hi. Nu vn nn ny khng

c ngn chn, s cn c nhiu s tuyt


chng hn.
Vi vai tr mi ny, thng trc Hng Nhung
c chuyn tm hiu thc t ti Nam Phi.
c ti tr bi Rhinose Foundation v t chc
Humane Society International- Australia, v c
t chc cng vi t chc Education for Nature
Vit Nam (ENV), chuyn i cn c s tham gia
ca phng vin bo Lao ng, ph cc trng
hi quan cc iu tra chng bun lu Vit Nam
v mt i din ca i truyn hnh VCTV. Theo
ENV, chuyn i nhm mc ch "tht cht mi
lin h gia Nam Phi v Vit Nam, v tuyn
truyn cc vn ny trc tip n ngi dn
Vit Nam bng hnh nh ca nhng ngh s c
yu mn".
Tham quan cng vin quc gia Kruger , ni
mt hn 400 con t gic t u nm n

nay, on gp g vi cc ban qun l cng


vin, cn b kim lm v cc nhm bo tn
hiu r hn v nhng kh khn h phi i
mt trong n lc bo v t gic. H cng bay
bng trc thng n hin trng mt con t
gic va b git.
"Ti thc s b sc", Hng Nhung cho bit, khi
c ng gn ci xc. "Con t gic ny b git v
sng ca n b ly mt. y l hin trng tn
bo nht m ti tng chng kin."
C ni thm: "Khi ti tr li Vit Nam, ti s
k v nhng tri nghim ca ti [ngi ta]
hiu v cm nhn c mc nghim trng ca
v st hi v ngha ny, v tc ng ca n ln
loi ng vt tuyt vi ny. "

S Hiu Qu Ch?

Theo t The Independent ca Anh, hai nghin

cu gn y cho thy nhng ngi ni ting l


"v hiu" trong vic khuyn khch mi ngi
quan tm n cc vn nc ngoi. Thay
vo , cc nh x hi hc cng bng cho hay,
"nhng ngi hng li chnh trong n lc
dng hnh nh ngi sao ni ting nng cao
hnh nh cc chin dch cng chnh l h".
Tuy nhin, Jane Cooper, Gim c truyn
thng UNICEF Anh, ni "Ngi ni ting c
mt kh nng duy nht tip cn vi hng
triu ngi, mc d nhiu ngi trong s h c
th thng khng quan tm."
Chc chn hnh nh ca Hng Nhung s c
nng ln qua chin dch ny. Nhng hy vng n
cng em li li ch cho nhng con t gic.
Nick Ross
bit thm thng tin v cng vic ca ENV,
hy truy cp vo envietnam.org

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 181

Bo Tn Hay Hin i Ha?

Cu chuyn v hai thnh ph ln ca Vit Nam

hng ta nh c k gy ra khng t vn .
u tin l v tr ca chng. Vit Nam,
ngoi tr mt s t cc trng hp ngoi
l, hu ht nhng ta nh ny u nm
trung tm thnh ph. Vi qu t c hn, ngi ta
lun ngh n gii php xa b chng v thay vo
l nhng ta nh cao tng. V mt gi tr khu t
v nhng li ch v kinh t n mang li, nhng to
nh chc tri nh th n gin l mang li hiu qu
cao hn.
Vic bo tn cng l mt vn . i vi nhiu
cng ty xy dng hay ch s hu ca nhng ta
nh ny, vic xa b chng v xy mi li hon ton
thng tiu tn t hn so vi vic bo tn v u t
vo nhng ta nh ang xp x v nt.
Yu t ch quan cng ng vai tr quan trng,
c bit vi nhng ni c gi tr v mt di sn.
Nhng ta nh nh Nh Ht Ln hay khch sn
Metropole H Ni hay Nh Ht Ln v ch Bn
Thnh thnh ph H Ch Minh l nhng ni
ng u trong danh sch di sn. Nhng cng trnh
ny l nhng a danh vi gi tr v mt lch s, tinh
thn v c kin trc. Nhng ta nh khc khng
c c sc mnh . Mt khi nhng gi tr di sn
cng cao, nhng ta nh cng c sc mnh c
bo tn.
V tt nhin, vic quy hoch th cng c ting
ni ring ca n. C H Ni v thnh ph H Ch
Minh u ang trong cc giai on pht trin. Vi
nhng thit k mang tn gi tin b hay honh
trng, mt s ta nh s c cu sng, nhng mt

182 | Word October 2014 | wordvietnam.com

s khc s b loi b. Hy nhn vo s san bng khu


Th Thim Qun Hai trong thnh ph H Ch
Minh. to ra mt khu trung tm thnh ph mi
b bn kia ca sng Si Gn, nhng c dn y
phi di di v nhng ngi nh ca h b xa
s hon ton.

Tin b hay Bo tn

Cho n gn y, nhng yu t nh hng ti kin


trc ca Vit Nam thng c phn nghing v tin
b. Lch s, thay v mt th nh v, tr thnh
mt th lng qun. Trong qu trnh , nhng
th c xp l c thng b coi l xu x v cn
phi c thay th, v nhng th ph phim hay
mi thng li c cao.
Nhng thi i ang i thay. Trc y, nhng
ngi nc ngoi thng l nhng ngi t ra bun
ru khi thy nhng ta nh c gi tr Vit Nam b
d b, ngy nay cng ngy cng c nhiu ngi Vit
Nam cm thy nh vy. c nhng s nh gi
ng n cho nhng g thuc v di sn m thm ch
ch nm nm trc thi cn khng tn ti.
Gn y nht l s kin Thng x Tax ca Si
Gn b d b. L mt phn ca qu trnh xy dng
li trung tm Si Gn, ta trung tm giao thng
c xy t nhng nm 20 ny c quyt nh
ng ca vo u thng 8. Ch trong hai thng,
nhng ngi bun bn y phi dn dp ht
c hng ha ca mnh, v s kin gy ra nhiu
li bn tn ti kinh ngc. Ngi ta truyn nhau v k
vo nhng l th cu cu, cng ng mng rm ran

nhng li tic nui v ta nh v nhng c dn ni


y cng c cc trang bo a phng cp nht
lin tc. Ln ny khng phi l ngi nc ngoi
i u trong vic th hin s tic nui. M chnh l
ngi Vit Nam.

Ti V Tn v Hn Th Na

Thay i, xy dng mi v xa b nhng ci c


l khng th trnh c trong cuc sng hin i
Vit nam. y l mt t nc ang pht trin
mnh m tip tc tin trnh nhanh chng tip
cn vi th gii pht trin, nhng thay i nh th
ny l khng th trnh khi.
Tuy nhin, by gi v hn bt c lc no, cn c
nhng hng dn chi tit v s pht trin ny. Ci g
cn c bo tn? Ti sao n cn c bo tn? Bo
tn bng cch no? Bng cch lp ra mt danh sch
y nhng ta nh cn c bo v - c ln ln
nh chng ta vn c th gi c nt c trng
ca hai thnh ph ln nht t nc. Mt s ta
nh xng ng c gn gi, mt s khc th khng.
S phn bit ny cn phi c lm ht sc r rng.
C qu nhiu ta nh ng ra cn phi c bo
tn nhng b xa s.
Mnh danh l thnh ph sng bng du lch, Hi
An c ng c bo v v ngoi v gi tr lch
s ca n. H Ni v thnh ph H Ch Minh,
nhng ng c nh vy khng r rng lm. Thay
vo , s c o, tnh cch ring v lch s l
nhng g quan trng i vi hai ni ny. V nhng
th hn l v gi. Nick Ross

TP.HCM & H NI 22, 25 26/10

THIU VNG NHNG NGI SAO

Nhm ma ng i c cho
n, The James Cousins Dance
Company, s bng n trn sn khu
vo ngy 22/10 (H Ni) v 25
26/10 (TP. HCM).
H s biu din hai phn y cm
xc Without Stars v There We
Have c hai phn u c ly
cm hng t cun tiu thuyt ca
Haruki Murakami, Rng Na Uy. Mt
tc phm gn y ca nhm ma ny
c nh ph bnh ma ngi

Anh ni ting, Laura Dodge, miu t


l "mt trong nhng tc phm ma
ng i tuyt vi nht m ti tng
thy", ha hn mt kinh nghim
quyn r v m nh.
Bui biu din ti H Ni s c
thc hin ti Nh ht Tui Tr H Ni
(11 Ng Th Nhm, Hai B Trng),
trong khi Si Gn s l ti sn khu
IDECAF (28 L Thnh Tn, Q1).
mua v, vui lng vo ticketbox.vn. Gi
v s c thng bo sau.

TP. HCM 31/10

HALLOWEEN CARGO BAR

Bn i u khi mun xem cc ban


nhc yu thch th hai ca mnh
biu din? Ch mt ni duy nht c
mt s ban nhc yu thch l nhng
nhm nhc indie Si Gn v nhng
huyn thoi khc nh ParliamentFunkadelic, Florence v the Machine
v The Misfits - l Cargo Bar vo
m Halloween. Ngoi ra cn c

Arctic Monkeys, Bob Dylan, New


Order v Joan Baez, tha mn
nim am m m nhc ca bn
khng bao gi phi i n Th Caf
mt ln na.
Halloween Covers bt u vo t
21:00 ti Cargo Bar 7 Nguyn Tt
Thnh, Q4, TP. H Ch Minh. Xem
thm trn trang 84

TP. HCM 24 25/10

H NI SUT THNG

NGH THUT HA CA BENJAMIN BADOCK

S KIN BALADE EN FRANCE

Tip ni thnh cng ca bn phin


bn trc y, Balade En France nm
hay ha hn s mang n mt m
th v ti mt khch sn sang trng.
D kin s c khong 1.800 ngi yu
thch nc Php tham gia ti khch
sn Equatorial (242 Trn Bnh Trng,
Q5, TP. HCM) cho hai m din ra s
kin, bn s c c hi ni v m thc
v ru vang, cng cc ngh thut ca

qu hng t nc Php c trng


by trong s kin. Vi mong mun to
du n, s kin nm nay s mang bn
n tn nc Php.
Balade En France bt u t 18:00
- 23:00 mi m, gi v 150.000 ng
cho v t trc, 300.000 ng cho
v mua ca - 120.000 ng cho tr
di 15 tui. Mi chi tit xin lin lc
avdpol@hcm.equatorial.com

Sng v lm vic trong Tri Lu Tr


Ngh S ti H Ni t thng Chn
n thng Mi Mt, ngh s ha
theo trng phi Leipzig s ra mt
trin lm thats new whats next ca
mnh ti Vin Goethe vi cuc ni
chuyn vo th Su ngy 10/10. Trin
lm s ko di n ngy 02/11.
L mt trong nhng th h ngh
s ha tr quan trng nht c,
Badock ni ting vi cc bn in mu
kh ln ca mnh, s dng cc yu t
in sn trong sn xut, tng t nh
b chi xy dng ca mt a tr,
pht trin mt hnh nh mi t cc

hnh hc c bn. Cc cng trnh hin


nay ca anh c in trn giy bo,
thng qua mt qu trnh lu di lin
quan ti cc np gp v bn in km
cha qua x l.
c ti tr bi Cultural
Foundation of Saxony Vit Nam, nh
mt phn ca giai on trong tri lu
tr, Badock cng s t chc mt s
hi tho ti Vin Goethe.
Trin lm s m ca hng ngy cho
n ngy 02/11 t 09:00 19:00. Vin
Goethe nm ti 56-58 Nguyn Thi
Hc, Ba nh, H Ni. bit thm
thng tin, xin gh goethe.de

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 183

The final say

THE FINAL SAY

VIETNAM

The Inside Story


of the Guerrilla War
Chapter 1: Down From the Highlands
For the next 15 issues, Word is proud to present excerpts from Wilfred Burchetts
seminal account of the American War. A close friend of Ho Chi Minh, Burchett was
the only westerner to be embedded with the Viet Cong frontlines in the early 1960s.
This work was written in 1964
From the Authors Forward
Apart from my general interest in the peoples
of the former states of Indochina and my special
sympathy for the South Vietnamese people
in their heroic struggle, I had an important,
added reason to visit the Liberated Areas and
battlefronts of South Vietnam during late 1963
and the first three months of 1964.
The United States is experimenting with a
new type of warfare in South Vietnam, so-called
special warfare, the theoretical father of which is
General Maxwell Taylor.
Maxwell Taylors thesis was that in this
nuclear era, the United States must prepare to
fight three types of war global, nuclear war;
limited or local wars; and special wars. The
special thing about the latter is that US combat
troops are not involved.
I went there to find out on the spot what
was really special in this new military concept
and what were the special means the South
Vietnamese people had in countering its
strategies, tactics and techniques.
**********

In the Nam Bo
At first I held on to the barrel of the
shouldered rifle of the guerilla ahead of
me, but soon my eyes could distinguish the
white triangle of his haversack and I was
able to follow him closely enough to avoid
taking a wrong turn on the narrow, winding
track. We walked as fast and as noiselessly as
the crackling, dried leaves under our rubber
sandals would permit.
Finally we halted, haversacks were
dumped on the ground. Now there were
broad smiles, more handshakes and the

word Nam Bo. Cigarettes were lit and


everyone relaxed. We were again in friendly
territory. For me it was an emotional moment
because it meant that I was now in the real
South, in Nam Bo (Cochinchina), and on my
way to what I felt sure would be the highlight
of my visit the outskirts of Saigon where
I hoped to touch the very essence of this war
at the gates of the capital itself. Conversation
now was limited only by language
difficulties, my too few words of Vietnamese
and their too few words of French.
While we were resting, I noticed two
guerillas take out their knives and hack
down a small sapling which they proceeded
to trim and then attach the cords of my
hammock to each end. A new way of
slinging my hammock, I thought. Perhaps it
is tiger country and they are putting me high
up between the forks of two trees. When the
cigarettes were finished the unit chief made
signs that I should enter what was now
transformed into a palanquin, suspended
between the shoulders of two guerillas, each
about half my size. With some indignation
I invited them to test the steely quality of
my leg muscles. There were some smiles
and appreciative murmurs as a result of
which the hammock was untied and the pole
thrown away.
I learned next day, when an interpreter
turned up, that the guerillas had been
informed that I was old and not used to
walking. This was a slander on my 52 years
and previous months activities and the
only occasion on which I found the guerillas
to be misinformed.
**********

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 185

Next morning I was introduced to a bicycle;


despite a dubious start, in the weeks that
followed I was to cover about 500 miles on
bike, plus quite a few more on foot and in a
sampan. My comprehensive training for the
trip, incidentally, had not included bicycle
riding and nothing could have simulated
the reality in any case. A narrow, winding
trail, never more than three or four yards
straight, with roots and snags everywhere;
tiny stumps where the undergrowth had
been slashed close to but not level with
the earth, jabbing at your pedals and
angles; overhead creepers waiting to strangle
you while you are looking down to avoid a
stump; trellises of bamboo banging at your
head no matter how low you bent over the
handle bars; a multitude of spikes reaching
out to rip your shirt and flesh to shreds;
a combination of traps, snags, loops and
spikes trying to trip you up and unseat you
at every turn.
And in the beginning, the bike invariably
insisted on taking the very direction one
wanted to avoid. Worst of all, added to the
previous terrors of the log bridges, was that
the bike as well now had to be maneuvered
across, usually on ones shoulders.
But when we emerged after a few hours of
snag-ridden, serpentine trail on to what still
bore resemblance to a bard-topped highway,
I began to appreciate being on wheels again.
The old sense of balance soon returned and
the miles began to whizz by. It was better
than being in a jeep because with the silence
of bike travel we always had plenty of
warning of approaching planes and could
pull into the under-growth.

Gifts of the USA


My first Nam Bo bike was a Mavic, and
although it was French-made, the frame and
both wheels were stamped with clasped
US-Vietnamese hands under the Stars and
Stripes and the legend that it was a gift of
the people of the USA. Just like the bombs
and napalm! The same with the haversacks
of the guerillas and troops we passed on the
road. Haversacks were almost invariably
white flour sacks, stamped in big letters:
THIS IS A GIFT OF THE PEOPLE OF THE
USA. NOT TO BE SOLD OR EXCHANGED.
It was ironic, to say the least, to see long
lines of troops moving along the road to

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attack a post or take part in a countermopping up action, each prominently


displaying on his back: GIFT OF THE
PEOPLE OF THE USA. In the Nam Bo, it
seemed, the clasped hands of friendship
were more in evidence in Liberation Front
areas than their own yellow-starred red
and blue flag. Apart from the captured US
weapons themselves, almost every other bit
of equipment I came across, from generators
to spot-welding machines and X-ray
equipment, bore the clasped hands and the
standard legend.

You Are in Saigon Now


The following day the track led through
lots of open country and in and out of
rubber plantations. Lots of plane activity.
One mademoiselle started very early in the
morning, at first in big circles, then tighter
and tighter ones with our little group
always in the centre, in a patch of small
trees and bushes in which we had taken
cover when she seemed too inquisitive. The
main concern of my companions was that
someone may have reported back about
a European with the Viet Cong and the
Americans may conclude I am one of their
POWs being transferred.
We had to play hide and seek, pushing
on when the planes tail was turned to us,
hoping she was blind in that position, hiding
in whatever skimpy cover was available
when we were clearly under observation.
But she called up a sister plane to have us
constantly in view. The two of them buzzed
around like blowflies, flying in ever tighter
circles and then cutting diagonals through
the circles, zooming down lower and lower
while we sped along, taking chances, by now
trying to reach the comparative shelter of a
rubber plantation.
Our security chief feared helicopter troops
might be moved into the various clearings
and the escort troops were very much at
the ready again. By the time the planes had
zoomed down to near treetop level we had
reached Olympic standards in a final burst
of speed that took us into the shade of a
rubber plantation not the same perfect
camouflage roof as the jungle gives, but
enough to cover our nakedness, of which I
had been acutely conscious for the previous
hour or so.

The hide and seek had gone on for


three hours by now; the sun was well up
and the sweat pouring down. Our guide
kept up a high speed, however, until we
reached what was pronounced to be a
safe area. Within three minutes the planes
dived down and to my surprise I did not
suspect that reconnaissance planes carried
weapons they dropped napalm bombs
on a tiny cluster of huts they had sighted in
the plantation, a few hundred yards from
where we had slung our hammocks. One
of the huts was hit and a nine-year-old girl
was killed which depressed me greatly
because the planes were undoubtedly led to
those huts by following our trail.
In the afternoon we moved on again,
passing within 1,500 yards of a post, some
green twigs fortunately indicating which
tracks we should not follow. Lots of plane
activity, but nothing so specifically in our
direction. There were plenty of explosions
from high-level and dive bombers, but as
the sun dropped low on the horizon this
slackened off. I was cautioned to follow
the bicycle ahead very precisely because
the road was mined by the guerillas with
spiked traps and some explosive ones.
We entered a village where everything
was gay and lively, decorated with banners
of the Front and slogans on red cloth hailing
the Lunar New Year; there were cosy scenes
in the huts as we passed, families taking
their evening meal out-of-doors, children
playing under the trees, dogs barking at
our arrival the atmosphere of normal,
peaceful village life. There was even a
rare, friendly mechanical noise electricpowered irrigation pumps for the localmarket gardens.
I was astonished on being escorted into
a hut to see a bottle of John Haig whisky
on the table. My host, a wispy-bearded old
man whose face was a myriad of wrinkles
and who was introduced as a veteran
revolutionary from the November 1940
uprising, asked whether I drank it neat or
with soda. Within seconds he produced a
bottle of soda and a basin of ice. The reply
to my wonderment as to where the ice came
from was: But you are in Saigon now!
In fact, we were about six miles from the
outskirts.
After a full days rest and talks with the

villagers and local guerillas, we set out on


a zigzag course which was to bring us still
closer to the capital. And about the time
the Year of the Cat was transforming itself
into the Year of the Dragon that is about
midnight on February 12, 1964 I was
gliding down a small canal towards the
golden halo of Saigon. The outboard motor
puttered away gently; some escort troops,
carbines across their knees and fingers on the
triggers, peered earnestly into the darkness;
the guide scanned every tree and cross canal.
The motor was cut. We were either very
close to the rendezvous point or we had
missed it. A minute or two in the wrong
direction now would be fatal. The striking
of even a match could bring a shattering
artillery barrage in reply. As we rounded
one bend however, a tiny point of light
flashed twice from within the depths of a
bamboo grove, and as we veered towards
the feathery profile from which the flashes
had come. There were some whispered
exchanges between shore and boat, as a

result of which we entered a tunnel in the


bamboo and within seconds, hands clasped
my arms to guide me out of the boat and on
to a path.
Without a word spoken apart from those
hurried whispers, the escort troops fanned
out each side and ahead of me and we were
hastening along a path through a pineapple
garden towards the next rendezvous point,
a grove of trees for our hammocks. We were
then about five miles from the southwest tip
of Saigon. It was comforting to be assured
that the sharp explosions in the immediate
vicinity, some of them like rippling bursts
of machine gun fire, came from the petards
of New Year revelers, ignoring the strict ban
that General Nguyen Khanh had ordered on
any use of fireworks in welcoming the New
Year of the Dragon.
**********
Special thanks to George Burchett for allowing us
to republish the work of his father

Who was
Wilfred Burchett?
There have been many intrepid journalists,
but Wilfred Burchett (1911 1983) was
one of the most unique. His moment
came on Sep. 5, 1945, when Londons
Daily Express printed his Morse code
dispatch on the horrors of Hiroshima
the first public report detailing the postatomic effects on the city.
Although his report was one of
the scoops of the century, there was
much more to Burchetts intrepidness.
Starting in 1936, when he left his native
Australia to help Jewish refugees escape
Hitlers Germany, he began a career
of championing the underdog. Despite
turning 60 during the American War he
still travelled hundreds of kilometres to
cover it, often sheltering in tunnels with
NVA and Viet Cong soldiers against
attacks by US forces.

wordvietnam.com | October 2014 Word | 187

The final say

THE FINAL SAY

HCMC

Resentment
on the Road
How Niko Savvas learned to stop worrying
and love the calm. Illustration by Mads Monsen

m on my home from work, puttering


down Ba Thang Hai at a pace that
could be generously described as
glacial. An ocean of madness swirls
around me motorbikes spilling over
onto sidewalks, buses careening wildly
across lanes with no regard for human life,
taxis blaring their horns in a cacophonous
symphony of ugly noise. In front of me
a pack of teenagers balance precariously
on silver bicycles, four abreast, chattering
mindlessly as they swerve slowly down
the street, completely oblivious to the
world around them.
By the time I pull into my alley, I am
almost catatonic with rage. My mind
is buzzing from all the injustices of my
30-minute commute. Each incident is
catalogued and filed away with its own
bitter little narrative:
The fat woman in pyjamas who turned
blindly into my path is a thoughtless, moronic
cow
The grimy old man riding the skeleton of a
decrepit Honda Cub with no headlights or turn
signals is a lazy cheapskate who endangers the
lives of others just to save a couple dong

The young guy in the Land Cruiser


speeding recklessly down the wrong lane is the
worst kind of homicidal maniac a filthy rich
one
Im a little surprised at the ferocity of my
hatred for these people. Even now, when Im
sitting safely on my couch with a whiskey
ginger in hand, I cannot stop my mental
narratives. I begin to project imagined
offenses onto them the fat woman ignores
her crying children while she watches her soaps.
The grimy old man is a purse-snatcher in his
spare time. The Land Cruisers driver cuts the
tails off kittens for fun.
These thoughts are a little too raw, a little
too visceral I need a distraction. So I log
onto Facebook, finding solace in cute pet
pictures, marriage proposals and ice bucket
challenges. Its just a temporary fix, but I
need it right now. Id rather be numb than
angry.

Social Media Salve


At some point during my descent into the
social media wormhole, I see that a friend
has shared This is Water; a speech by the late
author David Foster Wallace. I love Wallace

There is a fundamental difference between


Asian and western cultures. In the west,
we are considerate, but we are not tolerant.
Asian cultures are not so considerate the
people who cut you off in traffic, for example.
But they are tolerant
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Im tired of floating through life here with


anger and annoyance as my default emotions.
Im terrified of becoming one of the sour old
expats whom I ridiculed so self-righteously
when I first arrived in Saigon
this will make the perfect diversion.
20 minutes later, I am staring at the
computer, my eyes scanning the same
sentences again and again:
If youre automatically sure that you know
what reality is, and you are operating on your
default setting, then you, like me, probably wont
consider possibilities that arent annoying and
miserable. But if you really learn how to pay
attention, then you will know there are other
options. It will actually be within your power
to experience a crowded, hot, slow, consumerhell type situation as not only meaningful, but
sacred
Wallaces words make perfect sense: I
can choose how to interpret the actions of
those around me. I can imagine that the guy
blowing through a red light is an impatient
jerk, or that he is racing to the hospital for
the birth of his first child. The problem is
that Explanation #1 seems so much more
reasonable. Its my habit to assign negative
motivations to peoples actions because
well, its my habit. I dont know why I do it.
What I do know is this I want it to
stop. Im tired of floating through life here
with anger and annoyance as my default
emotions. Im terrified of becoming one of
the sour old expats whom I ridiculed so selfrighteously when I first arrived in Saigon.
I dont want to look back on my time here
with bitterness and regret.

Potholes on the Path to


Enlightenment
For a moment Im quite pleased with myself
for having such noble, compassionate
thoughts. But then an insidious little voice
inside my head chimes in: Sure, Niko, its
great to imagine yourself becoming a kinder,
gentler person. Thats super of you. But how
are you actually going to do it?
Im stumped. Should I count to ten before
screaming obscenities at the slow-moving
bicyclists in front of me? Should I visualise
a peaceful island beach when Im nearly
T-boned by a reckless taxi driver? Ive tried
these methods before. Theyre useless, like
using dreamcatchers to treat cancer. I dont
need flowery thoughts and empty mantras. I
need something that works.
Like meditation. Of course! I need to start
meditating again. Monks meditate. Monks
are peaceful. Monks are happy. I want to be
like them (minus the shaved head). The only

problem is where can I go to meditate?


When I lived in the US, I practiced
meditation at a local centre several times
a week. Upon moving to Vietnam, my
practice gradually petered out without
the guidance of my teacher and support
of fellow meditators, it was hard to stay
motivated. Practising halfheartedly, alone
in my tiny apartment, I slipped back into
familiar habits and patterns of thought.
There are hundreds of pagodas in Saigon,
of course, and thousands of monks but
how many of them speak English? How
many of them can explain the principles
and techniques of meditation in a clear,
informative way? In search of this elusive
information, I turn to the wisest guru of
them all Google.
Soon I find what I am looking for
Vipassana Vietnam. The organisation
practises a form of insight meditation taught
by the late SN Goenka, a non-sectarian
teacher from Myanmar. Its technique is
simple seated in the traditional crosslegged posture, the practitioner directs his
attention to his breathing, eventually honing
in on a small region between the nostrils and
upper lip. By focusing so intently, the mind
ceases its agitations and achieves a peaceful
ease imagine your grandma happily
knitting a scarf for hours. It feels good to
focus. Everybody knows that. Its just really,
really easy to forget.
I contact the centre, and a helpful assistant
named Anh Huynh puts me in contact with
two teachers, Klaus and Nadia Helwig. A
Franco-German couple who were introduced
to Vipassana while living in Japan over 30
years ago, they seem like the perfect people
to answer my questions.

A Difference of Degrees
Several days later, we speak via Skype
(Klaus and Nadia had just finished leading
a meditation retreat in France). I tell them
about the struggles of everyday life in
Saigon. I describe the frustration of my daily
commute how dozens of times each day,
I am confronted with the thoughtless, selfish
actions of others. Klaus nods patiently a
seasoned nomad himself, he knows what I
am talking about. There is a fundamental
difference between Asian and western
cultures. In the west, we are considerate,
but we are not tolerant. We hold the door

open for the person behind us, then become


angry when they dont say thank you.
Asian cultures are not so considerate
the people who cut you off in traffic, for
example. But they are tolerant how often
does somebody scream at you when you cut
them off?
I have to admit that he has a point. But
still these people are putting my life, and
the lives of others, at serious risk. In this
case, my anger seems entirely rational and
justified. How am I supposed to not feel
angry toward reckless motorists?
Nadia answers, Of course you become
angry. In fact, you cannot choose to not
become angry. It is a blind mental reaction.
When you practice Vipassana, however,
you learn not to suppress the anger but to
observe what happens in your body when
you become angry. You notice the tightness,
the agitation, the discomfort. You observe
them objectively. Eventually, you learn to
stop the momentum of your anger before it
consumes you.
It sounds lovely. But part of me is
skeptical how is focusing on the breath
supposed to stop me from becoming angry?
In some meditative traditions, practitioners
conjure fantastical images with their minds
and chant hypnotic mantras. I can see how
that might work replace the negative
thoughts with positive ones. Simply paying
attention to your breath, on the other hand,
seems deviously simple. I want them to
convince me that the Goenka method of
Vipassana is best. How are their techniques
superior to others? Why are they right, and
everybody else wrong?
Klaus chuckles, and instantly I realise Ive
asked a stupid question. Still, he proceeds
gently. We are not missionaries we do
not evangelise. You cannot convince people
that meditation is right for them. If they are
interested, they will come of their own will.
If not, no words of mine will change their
minds.
For a moment I am silent. Nadia chimes
in. For many years, people learned of our
courses only through word-of-mouth. We
have no billboards, no flyers it was only
recently that we even set up a website. We
do not seek converts or customers. People
come when they are ready. Sometimes they
do not even know what they are ready for
they just know they are ready for a change.
Its getting late, so I thank them and log
off Skype. Nadias words are still echoing
in my head as I pull up their website and
register for a ten-day silent meditation
course in October. Ive never done one before
I have no idea what to expect.
But I know that Im ready for a change.
And now, finally, I know where to begin.
Vipassana Vietnam offers ten-day meditation
courses in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. All
courses are offered free of charge beginners
are welcome. For more information, visit
vn.dhamma.org

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The final say

THE FINAL SAY SHORT STORY

The Agony of The Feet


Most of us who ride motorbikes have been in scrape-ups, life-altering things in the
moment that dont seem so bad when they pass. For Dara O Foghlu, it was the moment
when doubt seeped in and something else seeped out. Photos by Glen Riley

aving a motorcycle accident in


Vietnam is inevitable, so I was not
overly surprised when it finally
happened. In the six months Id been
living here, there was no one I knew who
didnt have a scar to show or a story to tell.
My accident hardly counts because I didnt
even come off the bike. But just to get it out
of the way, heres what happened: a guy with
two large metal bins attached to his bike
one on either side came towards me from
the other direction, and the bin closest to me
smashed off my foot. That was all. It was over
in a second. No explosions, no screeching
tires, no brawl at the side of the road. In fact,
neither of us even stopped.
However, three weeks after the initial
injury the swelling around the wound
would still not go down, and after another
night in the pub (exhaustive research had
proved that alcohol alone would not heal the
damn thing), I decided to soak my foot in a
bucket of boiled and salted water. Roughly
circular and about the diameter of a penny,
the wound was run around on all sides by
a raised whitish ring, and beyond that the
skin was pink and bulging and felt as if there
was a great tide of blood in there waiting
for release, ticking under the pressure of my
pulse.

Playing with the Wound


After I had soaked my foot for about 40
minutes, I pressed the area around the wound

and a trickle of dark blood seeped out from


its southern pole. I pressed a little harder
then, urged on by my morbid curiosity and a
natural sense that somehow this was the right
thing to do. The entire wound itself seemed
to raise up then like a spring-loaded button,
and with both hands firmly clamped around
my foot, it suddenly erupted with a black
jelly of clotted blood.
The thickness and viscosity of the stuff
resembled nothing more than blackcurrant
jam, and I was at once horrified and satisfied
at the sight of it. I pressed again and rolled
the skin with my thumb from the back edges
of the wound like you would squeeze out
toothpaste from its tube, spilling out more
and more of the clotted black jam. I took
some of it and pressed it between my fingers
and sniffed. I expected the rank odour of
anoxic death, but thankfully it just smelled
faintly of iron.
When I had squeezed the last of it out,
the blood, now red, welled up freely from
the hole, and when I put my foot back in the
bucket, fresh blood curled out into the water
in a macabre and enchanting slow dance.
I removed my foot from the pink water
and dabbed the wound dry with my last
remaining piece of sterile gauze to examine
it under the light of my reading lamp. I
had remade my wound by bursting out the
clotted blood. I had, in fact, blown one side
of the scabbed cap off it, and the scab now
only functioned as a hinged lid. Where the lid

lifted up there was now a gaping maw that


reached deep far too deep into my own
foot. This black hole would draw things into
it, because that is the nature of holes, they
have a will to be filled.
I tried to join one side of the hole to the
other by looping medical tape around my
foot and hooking it under my pinkie toe to
hoist it up against the natural angle of the
joint. This was, I knew, only a short-term
solution to keep the wound closed while I
made my way to the hospital.

On the Operating Table


At the hospital I sat up on a trolley and,
surrounded by one doctor, two nurses,
two interns, a security guard, and a couple
who had also been in a crash, I removed
the blood-stained surgical tape to a chorus
of oohs and ahhs. There followed a brief
silence where we all stared into that black
abyss and collectively acknowledged the fact
that, no, this was not good. The doctor took
some gauze dipped in iodine, and, pinching
the brown and yellow scab, lifted it clean
off. What we saw then was worse than what
any of us had in mind. There seemed to be
no flesh in there at all. There was only space,
far too much horrible empty space and some
thin straw-coloured fibres that I supposed
was sinew or a nerve ganglion or perhaps just
something rotten that had no business being
there at all.
The girl who had been in a motorcycle

I removed the blood-stained surgical tape to a chorus of oohs


and ahhs. There followed a brief silence where we all stared
into that black abyss and collectively acknowledged
the fact that, no, this was not good

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Three weeks after


the initial injury the
swelling around the
wound would still
not go down, and
after another night in
the pub (exhaustive
research had proved
that alcohol alone
would not heal the
damn thing), I decided
to soak my foot in a
bucket of boiled and
salted water

crash and had scuffed feet and grazes


trailing down her arms and legs, tutted and
shook her head. No good, she said. And
again, No good. Her boyfriend, who had
no visible injuries, brought his hand to his
chin and made a thoughtful expression as
if this was a problem he had the solution
to. The security guard inhaled sharply and
said something in Vietnamese that I didnt
understand. I looked up at the gallery of faces
standing about me and waited for someone
to make a decision. Finally, the doctor
probably picking up on my snowballing
sense of panic said, Dont worry.
Within five minutes I was in an adjoining
operating theatre where the surgeon was
meticulously painting my foot with a wad
of gauze soaked in iodine. He made careful
strokes in between my toes and in a straight
line across the top of my foot. The intern on
the left of the operating table asked me to lie
back fully, whereupon he began a running
commentary of everything I couldnt see
happening to my foot.
He is putting on iodine to serialise the
wound.
The other intern, who was on my right,
corrected him, Sterilise.
Yes. To sterilise the wound.
Your English is very good, I said.
No, no, he said modestly, not good.
I looked up for a moment to see the
surgeon apply his final brushstroke with an
artists flourish and the nurse carry over a

tray of surgical cutlery: tweezers, scrapers,


scalpels, that sort of thing. I turned my head
away then, because to anticipate what these
instruments can do is often worse than the
real and actual moment of pain they create.
Sometimes, however, the pain is worse.
The doctor now will cut away the dead
tissue. No need for lidocaine. It wont pain.
Prior to this I was told that there would
be local anaesthetic, but evidently there had
been a change of plan.
Oh. Okay then, I said. I will believe
anything a doctor says.
Dont worry, he added. This dont
worry tactic was obviously something
heavily reinforced during medical training.
And although I was glad to hear it every
time, I was beginning to think it was just
perfunctory reassurance without any real
basis in fact.
A minute later, and with me writhing and
doing my level best not to yelp, the doctor
decided that lidocaine was in fact necessary.
I sat up and looked him in the eye. I agree,
I said.
When the dead tissue had been scraped
and cut away, there followed two sharp and
deep pains that I suppose was the suture
entering either side of the wound. Then the
drawing together of the string like a corset
being pulled tight.
Before the surgeon dressed my wound, I
took a good look at his work. A taut black
equator ran across the once circular wound

and pulled it together, like a planet imploding


longitudinally.

Home Alone
On my way out, I said thank you and
goodbye to all the doctors and nurses and the
security guard and the couple who were now
being examined by one of the interns.
The other intern, the one who gave the
running commentary on my procedure,
walked me outside to the kiosk where you
pay. I hobbled slowly and gingerly beside
him carrying my helmet as he explained
the drugs I needed (antibiotics, antiinflammatories, pain-killers), and the various
tinctures and patches to clean the wound.
When I had paid my bill, we stood outside
in the hospital car park. It was close to one
oclock in the morning and still warm.
He said, You come here along.
I said, What?
He said, You should have someone to...
to...
Ah yes. I came here alone.
You dont have someone take you home?
No, I have no-one, I said, suddenly
surprised by how sad that statement was.
He looked at the motorbike helmet in my
hand and then down at my foot. Will you
drive okay?
I flexed my toes by about a micrometre.
Sure, I said. Dont worry.
Dara O Foghlu is an Irish writer living in
Hanoi

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The last call


The
president
of the Singapore
Business Group in Ho
Chi Minh City, Norman
Lim gives us his own
personal insight into
working and living in
Vietnam.
Photo by Kyle Phanroy
I came to Vietnam
because of work. In fact I

have been away from Singapore


for more than 17 years. Prior to
Ho Chi Minh City, I was working
in Brunei Darussalam. I was
offered a choice to work in Tianjin
(China) and Ho Chi Minh City
(Vietnam), I chose the latter and
the rest is history.

Being a specialist in Green Field


operations, I have started businesses from ground up for several
Fortune 500 MNCs in Vietnam.
The current economic climate
is also not conducive to do this.
Since the global financial crisis in
2008, Vietnam has been creeping
her way to recovery. Gone are the
days of double digit GDP growth.

Working in Ho Chi Minh


City is refreshing. Despite

Getting things done in


Vietnam is equally challeng-

the fact that I have been away


for so long and moving around, I
thought I had seen it all. But Ho
Chi Minh City is such a unique
city. This is the kingdom of scooters and the bustling traffic never
seems to stop. The people are
very friendly, too. The country has
a very young population and they
are always eager to learn.

Doing business in
Vietnam poses its own set

of problems. Though Vietnam is


still a promising destination for
foreign investments, the authorities
urgently need to create a business
environment friendly to investors if
the country is to continue attracting
FDI. The World Bank ranked
Vietnam 99 in the Ease of Doing
Business Index 2013 as compared
with Singapore at number 1.

The things I love about


living in Vietnam are the

food and the people. Being a true


blooded Singaporean, going on a
food trail is important for where
we work and live. Vietnam has a
great variety of food.

The things that frustrate


me are the difficulties in

starting a business in Vietnam.

ing. The short span of economic


reform [since Doi Moi in 1986]
means that many of the local staff
dont have enough work exposure
at an international level. Expecting your Vietnamese colleagues
or staff to gear up to speed to the
same level as that from our home
country is a bit of challenge.

Culturally I find that


Vietnam has a long and rich

history. In fact, they have one of


the longest histories among South
East Asian countries. Vietnamese
culture is heavily influenced
by Confucian social and moral
ethics. Most if not all the Chinese
festivals are observed by the Vietnamese like the Lunar New Year
and Mid-Autumn Festival. Being
a Singaporean Chinese, I can
associate and assimilate myself
into the local culture without any
problems.

The differences with


Singapore are that we have

become a very modern society


with a heavy western cultural
influence. Some of the Confucian social and moral ethics are
observed more closely by the
Vietnamese than the Singaporean
Chinese.

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The lifestyle in Vietnam


is very much like 1960s and 1970s
Singapore. When my parents
visit, it is like dj vu for them.
The food stalls and coffee by the
sidewalk, the shop houses, the
hawkers and pedallers are all too
familiar to them.

The balance between work


and play in Vietnam
is much better than the hectic
lifestyle we have back in
Singapore. There is much more
time for yourself and your family.

The Singapore Business


Groups role is to be a

platform for Singaporeans


working in Ho Chi Minh City, to
get together for social as well as
business opportunities. We have
been incorporated for 22 years
and have been engaging our
counterparts from other countries
as well as Vietnamese at all levels.
For more information on the
Ho Chi Minh City chapter of the
Singapore Business Group, click on
sbghcm.org

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