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While they may not be as bright and shiny as malls or supermarkets, night markets have their own character and are popular destinations for local people and travellers alike. For many travellers the day is just too hot to spend shopping, and the cooler night air offers an ideal opportunity to grab some souvenirs, while for locals the evening is an ideal time to meet and gather outside and share a meal or a drink under the stars.
There is an enormous variety of goods on offer including clothes, footwear, hats. hair clips, jewellery, watches..etc The prices are normally cheaper than day markets or supermarkets as the sellers pay less for the rent, so there are some great bargains to be had. As well as the choice in souvenirs there's also a great range of food, with many street vendors setting up shop to take advantage of the passing trade.
Some night markets specialise in cheap goods for students and workers, and are located out of town near universities and textile factories, such as the huge Ky Hoa night market on Cao Thang in District 10, where many student live. In these markets the prices are often cheaper than in town and less bargaining is necessary; many people also come to these markets and buy wholesale to stock their shops in town.
The food in Ky Hoa is delicious and surprisingly cheap, just $1 for a bowl of noodles or a plate of broken-rice with grilled pork and fried egg, plus a glass of sugar cane juice on the side. You will find a similar atmosphere at Binh Tay / Cho Lon, Hoa Hung and Ba Chieu night markets.
Ben Thanh Night Market
After more than a year of neglect I realised it was high time to update the listings of English language blogs and websites devoted to Vietnam - after all, some people on the list have left Vietnam and returned since I last edited it like Jon Hoff at Its The Final Word
As well as some notable publications that were missing - The Word HCMC, a guide to living in Saigon, and Viet News Online, Tuoi Tre's (the most popular VN newspaper) new English language publication - there are a whole host of great blogs that I'd not got round to adding before.
Notable additions are Hanoi Scrachpad, a great blog with excellent in depth writing covering the history and background of the subjects covered - see the recent post on for an example.
Also great are A Girl In Asia whose posts on food (and gorgeous photos) have filled a gap since other dedicated food bloggers have left Vietnam, Michael Sieburg who has also just returned to Vietnam, and Backwater Views with more food and slices of life from Saigon.
We're back in the UK for a few more weeks still so it was great to see Vietnam featured on primetime TV on Thursday night, when Rick Stein, a popular UK chef, spent an hour travelling and eating through Vietnam as part of his Far Eastern Oddessey, which can be viewed here on BBC iPlayer.
We really enjoyed the show - and it was great to see a travel program on Vietnam where for once the food featured was about much more than macho presenters drinking snake's blood - food in Vietnam is so divine it always annoys me to see countless presenters grossing-out over dishes that many people in Vietnam wouldn't eat, either.
Retracing the journey
For those who have developed a taste for Vietnam after seeing Rick's show, here's a quick itinerary of his travels, should you wish to explore some of the places he saw and foods he ate!
He started the show visiting floating villages and the market in Chau Doc, at the border with Cambodia, deep in the Mekong Delta, before heading to the trading hub of the Mekong, Can Tho - famous its floating market, though he didn't pay it a visit.
In a repeat of last year's major flooding at the end of October 2008, Hanoi woke up this morning to find parts of the city were deep underwater:
As heavy storms turned to tropical depressions the rivers around Hanoi overflowed causing chaos on the streets. According to the city's drainage department the pumps are hard at work and the water could be cleared by the end of the day if the rain stops, but if it continues the floods could remain for several days.
Last year the flooding lasted for over a week and the people of Hanoi did their best to continue their daily business. Some even took the opportunity to catch fish in their local streets!
(photos: VNExpress + VietNamNet)
Although in popular tourist destinations and larger cities it is just about possible to get by without knowing a word of Vietnamese, insisting on speaking your own language all the time will isolate you from the majority of Vietnamese people and leave you less likely to make friends and relationships you will remember from your travels. By learning to speak just a few words of Vietnamese you can greatly improve your experience, reduce misunderstandings and frustrations and have a chance to talk - however briefly - with individuals who work outside of the tourist service industry, giving you a far greater appreciation of the Vietnamese culture and outlook on life.
We think any responsible traveller should at a minimum learn how to meet and greet people and how to be polite, but taking the time to learn a few more phrases will certainly enhance your enjoyment - even if it just means you are able to recognise a few more items on that otherwise baffling Vietnamese menu. Use our free online phrasebook to sharpen your skills and prepare for your trip - or download it as a PDF to put on your Kindle, mobile, iPhone, iPod touch or other ebook reader.
The original copy of this guide can be found at http://www.vietnamtravel.org/learn-vietnamese
Living in Vietnam and travelling throughout Asia it is always sad (and occasionally embarrasing) to see travellers ruining their trips by getting too worked up over money. It is a natural reaction, as the way people shop in the West and the East is very different - but it is completely avoidable.
For those of us who have grown up in Western societies with fixed prices and no room for manoeuvre, haggling in a foreign country with unfamiliar people and practices can be an unsettling experience. Some people feel offended that an initial offer is higher than a 'local' price, or get angry when a trader won't budge.
Others go for it guns blazing, unsatisfied unless they can squeeze every last penny off the price - often leading to unpleasant scenes where a rich foreigner bargains ruthlessly with a homeless child for a pack of cigarettes, fighting to the last cent despite clearly being able to pay a fair price.
Either way the outcome is unpleasant for all involved, and can leave a bad taste in the mouth for both parties - the traveller feels they have been ripped off, and the trader can't understand why they are being shouted at in the street or why foreigners have such hot tempers.
Bargaining is a game, not a fight to the death
You should always enter into negotiations in a good frame of mind and a with a sense of humour. If an offer is too high, laugh it off, don't get furious. Make a joke and counter offer; if in turn you are being unreasonable the trader will try to push you in the right direction. Feel free to try again, raising your bid, but keep in mind the real change in value - at the end of the day there is little point negotiating over less than a dollar.
Don't take it personally
A market trader's job is to maximise profits, and fixed prices don't always exist in Vietnam outside supermarkets. It is only natural for a trader to 'have a go' and see what they can get, and it is in no way an affront to you. The attitude in Vietnam is that if you take a higher price they've had a lucky day, and if they take the correct price they didn't lose anything in trying - there is nothing personal about it.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking that everyone is out to overcharge foreigners, either - Vietnamese people are just as likely to be overcharged, at least initially, and some local people can't stand haggling either.
Drink plenty of water
It seems trite but so many travellers lose their patience and temper in Asia for no reason other than dehydration. It is a natural that as your brain dries out you become tired, minor irritations become major annoyances and it is difficult to keep your cool. Whether shopping or exploring, making sure you are drinking enough can dramatically increase your enjoyment.
Don't assume you are being ripped off
Sometimes the price asked is just that - the price everyone else in the country pays. Some travellers get it in their heads that they are persecuted, and end up fighting over the price of a bottle of water, a bus ticket or some other product that has a fixed price - and then act shocked and offended when the vendor won't budge.
Consider the real value of an item
A trader will always try to sell for as much as they can get, usually because they don't earn a great deal and could use the extra money. Most travellers arrive in Vietnam with significant amounts of money in Vietnamese terms, and benefit from the low cost of food, hotels and souvenirs in the country. Take a moment to consider how lucky you are.
Remember that even if a product is 'overpriced' it is still generally cheaper than at home; indeed this may be your only chance to buy it - if you pay a few dollars more than the next man, will you really worry about it in years to come? If the product means something to you and the trader won't budge, perhaps you should just buy it rather than regretting it later. If you don't need it that badly then just walk away.
Walk away
Walking away is one of the most powerful tools a shopper has when bargaining, and the market trader's reaction speaks volumes. If you have offered a fair price and been rejected the trader will normally call you back and agree - if they couldn't care less then it is probably you that is being unreasonable. If you realise you were pushing too hard, don't feel too proud to come back either, there is no shame in paying the correct price!
Know when to quit
If you are quibbling over less than 10,000 VND, stop. If you are beginning to lose your rag, stop. If you are thirsty, go get a drink and come back refreshed. If the trader is obviously just particularly stubborn, walk away - you are bound to find another person selling the same thing not far away.
Let it go
Just met a traveller who said they paid half the price you did? Forget it - or take note for next time. The deal is done, there is no sense getting angry after the fact - it will only spoil your day.
Avoid it all together?
Bargaining is a game and should be fun for both parties. If you're not enjoying it, stop. If you can't bargain without losing your temper, don't - just pay the price requested. Most travellers will have saved $1,000s to visit Vietnam, and yet some will let one disagreement over less than $1 for a motorbike ride ruin their day - a complete waste of their limited time in the country. Pay the price asked - your trip will still be cheap compared to travelling anywhere outside Asia, and you will enjoy yourself an awful lot more.
Used to defoliate jungle areas that gave cover to the North Vietnamese, Agent Orange was among several herbicides dropped on huge swathes of Vietnam during the War. Its deadly ingredient, dioxin, has been found to cause a range of health problems, from hydrocephalus and several kinds of cancers to diabetes and skin diseases to physical deformities such as missing limbs. Estimates of how much Agent Orange was sprayed on the country between 1961 and 1971 vary, but range as high as 75 million litres. Vietnam has estimated that 400,000 people were killed or maimed by the defoliants, that 500,000 children have been born with birth defects as a result, and two million more have suffered directly or indirectly from its effects.
Effect on the environment
In addition to causing bodily harm to generations of Vietnamese, Agent Orange has had a toxic effect on the environment, remaining in the soil and poisoning the food chain. Lakes in heavily sprayed areas still exist today where the fish are unsafe to eat - contaminated a generation after the war ended - and there is still talk of evacuating some of the most affected areas.
Compensation for those affected
Landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) are still deadly threats many encounter on a daily basis. A significant number of people missing limbs can be seen in the countryside and the city streets, often begging or selling lottery tickets. According to the Viet Nam News, "statistics show 20.2 per cent or 6.6 million ha of land are affected by unexploded ordnance in Viet Nam. About 104,000 people have been injured or killed this way since 1975."
In total, perhaps six million unexploded bombs are still scattered across Vietnam, one of the most heavily bombed countries ever. According to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, about one-third of all casualties related to unexploded wartime ordnance in Vietnam are from cluster bombs. Because cluster bombs are designed to scatter, they often hit civilian as well as military areas, and because of their wide range, they are extremely difficult to find and account for.
It's not only bodily injury and death that are the result of buried landmines and UXO. The threat of unexploded munitions can discourage people from cultivating their land, which reduces productivity and impedes regional development.
The effect of poverty
The Years Before the War
The seeds of the Vietnam War were sown in 1945, when the country was divided into the two halves that would see millions die before reunification in 1975. The end of World War II ended the short Japanese occupation, and Ho Chi Minh declared an independent Vietnam. A few weeks later, the French, who had been temporarily ousted from their colony by the war, returned to, as General Jacque Philippe Leclerc famously declared, “claim our inheritance". Ho Chi Minh accepted the French presence as preferable to aggression from China, but the Vietnamese would continue to fight for independence until they achieved it in 1954.
Under the Geneva Accord of that year, hammered out between France, Vietnam, Laos, China, Cambodia, the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom, foreign involvement in Indochina affairs would cease, and the country was divided at the seventeenth parallel. The South was ruled by the staunchly anti-Communist Ngo Dinh Diem, the North by the Communist Party. The next few years would see the slow infiltration of the South by Communist forces, increasing evidence of Diem’s corruption, and the expansion of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, used to move people, weapons and supplies from the North to the South. By the end of 1960, the campaign to ‘liberate’ the South was in progress, and the National Liberation Front (‘NLF’, later to become widely known as the Viet Cong) had been founded.
The US Enters the War
Photo credit: andystollBy far the most relaxing, comfortable
and enjoyable way to get around Vietnam is by train. Not only are the sleeper
beds comfortable enough to get a proper night's sleep, but the scenery is
beautiful and the contrast to a hot drive on Highway 1 is huge.
The main train line runs North-South from Hanoi to Saigon, for the most part running along or near the coast and stopping at major destinations such as Ninh Binh, Hue, Danang, Quy Nhon and Nha Trang. It currently takes around 30-35 hours to travel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City or vice versa, a distance of over 1,000 miles.
Additionally there are several smaller train lines and routes: from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet (for Mui Ne), from Hanoi to Halong Bay, Hanoi to Hai Phong, and from Hanoi past Lao Cai (for Sapa) up to the Chinese border and on to Nanning, in Guanxi Province. There used to be more train lines in the country such as the link from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat, but sadly many of these have fallen into disrepair.
The official currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong (VND). Although a handful of places will accept payment in US dollars most people would much prefer to be paid in Dong, so it is important to keep a good supply of local currency while travelling in Vietnam.
The currency is effectively pegged to the dollar, with a small trading bracket of 5% permitted - however the market usually pushes to the far side of this bracket, and the result is the exchange rate is usually around 17,500 Dong to $1 US with only a small fluctuation.
Despite the market pressure the government is reluctant to devalue the currency so although the rate may vary slighly it is likely to be similar when you come to visit the country.
Current Exchange Rate
| Convert | Vietnam Dong (VND) |
|---|---|
| 1 Australian Dollar (AUD) | 15,085 |
| 1 Canadian Dollar (CAD) | 16,404 |
| 1 Euro (EUR) | 25,601 |
| 1 British Pound (GBP) | 29,123 |
| 1 Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) | 2,310 |
| 1 Japanese Yen (JPY) | 191 |
| 1 U.S. Dollar (USD) | 17,905 |
Currencies last updated on: 8/30/2009
Notes and Coins
Vietnamese Dong comes denominated in bills of between 1,000 and 500,000 Dong. For simplicity's sake people often leave off the 'thousand' when quoting prices so we shall do so here: notes are available in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 2 and 1 thousand, as well as a 500 Dong note, while coins come in 5,000 , 2,000 and 1,000 as well as 500 and 200 coin.
Most Vietnamese people prefer notes to coins and occasionaly may refuse to accept a coin. It is very common that ripped or torn notes are refused, but faded or discoloured notes are usually fine.
in general people prefer notes to be shiny, new, crisp and unfolded. Traditionally money is given at the New Year, at weddings and other family occasions, and fresh new notes are considered 'Lucky', while grubby, crumpled soggy notes are very much frowned upon.
When paying for goods or services it is polite to straighten the notes and to hand them to a vendor with two hands, making eye contact as you do so. When giving gifts in Vietnam you should also present them with two hands and make eye contact.
Travel Money - ATMs & Travellers Cheques
Many travellers are concerned by the safety of their money when travelling, and travellers cheques are a popular option for those who do not like carrying around cash or cards. Sadly, it can be quite difficult to cash travellers cheques in Vietnam and many major hotels will only exchange currency for current residents - so unless you are staying in five star hotels throughout your trip this may be difficult.
Thankfully Vietnam's ATM network is expanding rapidly, and it is rare to visit a town that does not have an ATM facility of some kind. Most ATMs will accept Visa and Mastercard debit or credit cards - but be wary of high charges fromyour bank if you make a withdrawal on a credit card. The Plus network is also widely supported but there are a couple of banks that do not accept Plus cards so you may need ton shop around.
Most banks will only allow you to withdraw a maximum of 2,000,000 VND, or just over $100, but ANZ and HSBC machines will allow you to withdraw up to 4,000,000 VND, which should reduce your trips to the cashpoint and cut down on fees at home. It is common practice for ATMs in Vietnam to charge for withdrawals from non-customers which will be in addition to your own bank's fees - this is generally around 20,000 Dong or roughly $1 per transaction, though a couple of banks charge 30,000. HSBC has a charge of 1% which can be up to 40,000 VND on a withdrawal of 4 million dong.
If you are worried about having your own bank cards stolen an increasily popular option is to arrange a pre-paid credit card before you leave home. Many provider issue special cards for travellers, with favourable exchange rates and insurance against theft or loss, offering a convenient and safe way to carry your money in Vietnam
Food, Drink & Ice Cubes
The food and drink in Vietnam is fantastic, and it would be a great shame to miss out on some of the delicious treats available over fears of food poisioning. That being said, a few basic precautions won't hurt:
As a developing country Vietnam's water supply is in poor shape, and certainly not fit to drink, except in Dalat where fresh spring water is treated and delivered to the town. You should only drink filtered or boiled water while in the country to avoid infection.
However, unlike many developing countries ice is usually frozen at a central plant before being distributed to restaurants, bars and even street stands, and the water used is filtered and pure, meaning you can enjoy cold drinks and fruit juices without worrying about your health.
Santiation standards in Vietnam are better than in other developing countries in Asia, and food poisioning is far less common. The usual precautions are sensible - eat at busy restaurants (full of locals, not tourists!) as nobody likes getting sick and locals won't return to places that poison them, and if something looks like it poses a risk, don't eat it.
Domestic flights in Vietnam are frequent and cheap, and if you are very short on time they can be a good way of seeing the country without sacrificing too much time to travel. That being said, by flying everywhere you will miss the beautiful countryside, be less likely to meet other Vietnamese people and pollute the environment, so unless you have a good reason to we would normally recommend travelling by train.
There are three domestic airlines in Vietnam - Vietnam Airlines, the state-owned carried, Jetstar Pacific, which is part owned by the state and in part by Qantas, and Indochina Airlines - which at one point was called 'Air Speed Up' but fortunately the name was dropped.
Since Jetstar bought a share in Pacific Airlines and rebranded it, bringing along a budget airline style pricing system, Vietnam Airlines has made big changes and the competition has made Vietnam Airlines much cheaper and their pricing systems more flexible, so it is no longer the case that Jetstar is significantly cheaper.
Vietnam Airlines run on all routes across the country, and tickets can be purchased online on their website if you buy 3 days in advance, on Expedia.com or in travel agents across the country.
One of the most popular modes of transport for visitors to Vietnam, particularly among budget travellers, are the Open Tour buses that operate between all the major stops on the tourist routes. While these can be handy if all you want is a quick trip up the coast, we would strongly encourage travellers to look further afield for a more interesting, genuine experience of Vietnam.
Open Tours - Sinh Cafe, T M Brothers, Hanh Cafe & Phuong Tran
Hundreds of people wait for Sinh Cafe buses
These operators are famous in Vietnam among travellers and have pretty much become the default mode of transport for any backpacker passing through the country. It can't be denied that they offer a cheap service whose hop-on, hop off system is flexible to suit indecisive travellers who decide they really want to stay another day in one town and skip another.
Yet it is this default, generic feel to the tours that make them so mind numbingly, crushingly dull. I would love to be able to recommend one company over the other but the truth is there is so little to tell them apart it would be difficult to say so.
One of the most famous tourist destinations in Vietnam is the mountain town of Sapa, near the base of mount Fanxipan, the highest mountain in Vietnam / South East Asia. Famed for the beautiful terraced rice fields that cling to the sides of the hills, Sapa is a spectacular place to explore and a great option for those who would like to experience a taste of life in the highlands.
The town itself is perched on the side of the mountain, and many hotels have stunning views out across the valley below. The weather can be unpredictable as clouds roll up the hill, at times shrouding the whole town in fog, but even when cloudy the views can be stunning as you catch glimpses of the landscape as the cloud lifts before it once again vanishes into the fog.
Sapa can get very cold so come prepared - many hotels offer log fires in your room should you wish to warm up after a long days exploring. There are a number of walks you can do from the town unsupervised, allowing you to explore much of the countryside - but should you wish to venture further we recommend recruiting a good guide who can take you through forest paths to locations you would never otherwise find and help you understand a good deal more about the local flora and fauna, as well as preventing you from getting lost!
Treks to the top of Mount Fansipan can be arranged in Sapa itself - this is a fairly tough climb that will normally take 4 days and can be subject to the weather. Many shorter excursions can also be arranged and guides are happy to customise a trek to your wishes and ability.
Approximately two and a half hours south of Hanoi lies the city of Ninh Binh, a fairly grim industrial looking town that would never deserve a mention if it was not for the fact it is located next to a very special piece of countryside.
Most travellers use it as a base to explore the spectacular scenery in the region - the jagged limestone cliff and rock formations that rise out of the paddy fields reminiscent of Ha Long Bay or the cliffs of Krabi, Thailand.
These fantastic hills, or karsts as they should be called, are an impressive, memorable sight as they rise out of the mists of North Vietnam. Although the key attractions in the area are Tam Coc or Hoa Lu we were content to spend a day on bikes simply getting lost amongst the hills, the rural roads winding between a far cry from the hectic main road that cuts through Ninh Binh.
Tam Coc
The closest attraction to Ninh Binh is Tam Coc, a network of three beautiful caves carved by the local river as it winds through the karsts. Surrounded by paddy fields and dwarfed by the karsts towering above, a row down this river is a serene, peaceful experience that allows you to take in the natural beauty of the area at a gentle pace.
At Vietnam Travel we believe great customer service should be rewarded. So, after a comprehensive survey comprising over 16,000 reviews of 350 hotels we are proud to present the very best hotels in all Vietnam.
The results at the top are breathtakingly close, with just fractions of a percent seperating the top hotels in the country, so we felt it was not fair to simply list the top 10 hotels in Vietnam. To ensure we give full credit to Vietnam's best hotels we also have listed the top hotels in 6 of the country's key tourist destinations : Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Mui Ne + Phan Thiet, Nha Trang, Hoi An and Hue.
In a surprising bit of good news, Mui Ne seems to be doing better than ever this year in terms of tourist numbers, with a 50% increase in visitors in March compared to 2008, with over 500,000 visitors to the area in the first 3 months of this year.
This rise highlights the growing popularity of this beach destination, which now houses a massive 70 2 to 5 star resorts, though some of the rise has been attributed to local tourists who have decided to save money and not travel overseas. Price cuts by many of the major hotels and resorts have had a considerable impact too.
Development of the resort is continuing too, with 18 projects currently underway. The report in Thanh Nien quotes a local people's committee member stating that projects that are environmentally friendly will be given a priority which is great to hear; Mui Ne has undoubtedly grown dramatically since I started visiting some years ago, yet at the same time has managed to remain attractive with the majority of developments being low rise and surrounded by gardens and so hidden from view when on the beach.
Can Tho is the biggest and most prosperous of the cities in the Mekong Delta; its central location has made it a major trading post in the region, attracting farmers from across the delta to come and sell their crops or trade for supplies.
The rivers and waterways of the delta have long acted as canals enabling farmers to cover long distances to get a better price for their produce, and in turn Can Tho has become a relatively wealthy city, with clean, smart streets and a good number of shops.
Nowadays Can Tho is a great place to experience a Vietnamese floating market, as every morning at 5am boats arrive from around the provinces to sell the fruits of their labour. Some boats are houseboats - merchants who buy in one place and sell in another - while others are simple crafts who will have left home long before dawn to trade directly and get a better price for their goods.
Every day the traders will be different and so some mornings the market will be much busier than others . The floating market is some way out of town, but trips to visit it can be organised with any of the ladies who approach you while walking alongside the river in the main town of Can Tho.
This waterfront is a great place to pass the time with a sweet little park by the side of the river, and a number of great restaurants in old villas and shopfronts. There is also a beautiful pagoda built by the
Chinese merchantmen who have long lived in the city.