I'm heading to Vietnam with a mate for a bit under a month and want to know if anybody here has seen or done or read about anything really cool. I'm talking bungee jumping from waterfalls, eating live heart, beer, trails, transport, hostels, anywhere I can get a TopGear suit made from fluoro.
You get the idea?
:) The more foodie related the happier little Apprentice is.
Cheers.
I spent a month travelling from the north to the south of vietnam.
ReplyDeleteBest. trip. ever.
A few pieces of advice though:
1. Don't eat at places with English menus. And learn to read basic Vietnamese.
Bo = Beef
Ga = Chicken
Ca = Fish
Vit = Duck
Com = Rice
Pho = Rice Noodles
.... etc.
That way even if you can't speak Vietnamese, you can still have a vague idea of what you're going to end up eating.
2. The best food is always at a roadside stall.
3. The best mode of transport is scooter or semi-auto motorbike.
*If you're traveling across the country like I did, Hue to Hoi An on motorbike over the Hai Van Pass is BEAUTIFUL.
4. Don't purchase the first 'tour package' that you see. No matter how good it sounds. Shop around.
5. On a hot day. Nothing beats a cafe sua da.
6. Food is AMAZING in central vietnam. I had my most memorable meals in Hue and Danang.
7. 1 USD is WAY too much to spend on a bowl of pho.
8. ALWAYS double check the stops available to you if you decide to purchase a bus ticket. Some of these vendors are sneaky bastards and they'll say anything to make you part with your money.
9. If you're paying more than 12 USD a night and you're not getting an attached toilet and free wi-fi, you're being ripped off.
10. Have fun. Beer is cheap. Bia Ha Noi is pretty decent.
11. There are a million tailors in Hoi An that will make anything if you can get them to understand you. Don't know if they have flouro material but these guys are pretty damn good and fast.
Hope this helps!
Thanks so much for the tips! Yeah going for a month I'm so excited, starting in Saigon, catching the train up to hoi an, nha trang, da nang and hanoi then back down and crossing into Cambodia to do the temples. I'm looking forward to the food although I think it's a bit of a double sword - I'll love the food over there but I won't be able to eat Viet back here ever again haha :p
DeleteHi, loving the blog... All I can say about Vietnam is that I ate my way through that country 3 years ago and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing my third trip to Cambodia in October too. Food there is less spectacular but it's an addictive country. Enjoy the trip. Nobody appreciates a holiday more than someone who rarely sees daylight!