Word Ha Noi November 2012

CHUYÊN ĐỀ DU LỊCH, ẨM THỰC HO CHI MINH CITY EDITION

NOVEMBER 2012

DIY HANOI NHÀ XUẤT BẢN LAO ĐỘNG

PLUS: Enter the King / Cuc Phuong / Huyen Chip / Online Food Delivery / Misunderstood Hue / No Holds Bartered / Hanoi Grapevine

Contents

wordhcmc.com

NOVEMBER 2012

026

028

032

030 FEATURES

006 l The Prelude THE TALK 008 l The Joy of Others Leaving

026 Q

014 l The Buzz 018 l In the Papers 020 l Calendar 022 l Overscene

032 DIY

048 SIT

The travel-bug wild child bites back

052

MANY SHADES OF HUE

Vietnam’s former capital is misunderstood

058

060

Lac Rang Hung Liu

MOBBED

086 l Food Buff 092 l Cinema Buff 094 l Book Buff 100 l Medical Buff

TIENG VIET HO CHI MINH CITY 106 l The Apple of My Eye

NO HOLDS BARTERED

FINAL SAY

Bargaining tips to be reckoned with

062

WOMAN

Dancing on heels, beauty and HIWC

Trivia Buff Answers

See p115 for the original puzzle

1) Jetlag 2) Google 3) Egypt 4) Tunisia 5) Sharia 6) Tajikistan 7) George Orwell 8) The Hebrides 9) American birds 10) Leonardo Da Vinci 11) Jewellery 12) Testicles 13) Philip Marlowe 14) Negroni 15) Buddhism 16) Orson Welles 17) Truman 18) Adam Smith 19) Myanmar 20) Albania

2 | Word November 2012

078 l Destination Zero

It’s a bit of a craze these days

Gusto Thai

067 l Street Snacker

DOWN AND DELIVER

ANSWERING THE CRITICS

028 l Many Faces 066 l Mystery Diner

HANOI

The online food delivery business

050

COLUMNS 071 l Business Buff

Self-reliance gives DIY a whole new meaning in the capital

INSIDER The Free Man

TRIPPER

Cuc Phuong National Park is well worth the ride

009 l The Big Five 010 l Just In

068 City Guide

&A

Burger King enters Hanoi. Meet the CEO

030 DAY

050

110 l Back Scratching

For live shows to work, the whole community needs to get involved

116 l Last Call Hanoi Grapevine’s Brian Ring November 2012 Word | 3

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HOA LE

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Crossword Answers See p114 for the original puzzle. Puzzle by Frank A. Longo. Edited by Will Shortz

4 | Word November 2012

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November 2012 Word | 5

The Prelude W

hen we first started Word Ha Noi, we wanted to fill what we believed was a gap in the city. At the time there was Hanoi Grapevine providing information, blogs and reviews on the city’s arts scene and New Hanoian, with its business reviews, comments and classifieds, helping connect disparate members of the community together. But while there were travel and tourist mags aplenty, there was little in between. There weren’t any urban or lifestyle publications providing a different, more in-depth viewpoint on our much beloved capital.

Getting out our first issue was a DIY affair, an attempt to create something that despite

the set-up cost, and despite the lack of a fully developed, English language media structure, would potentially benefit the city. Our angle wasn’t quite right and our content wasn’t quite on the money.

But as we celebrate our third anniversary, we feel we’ve got something going; a publication that we believe many people in the capital can appreciate.

Like the New Hanoians and Hanoi Grapevines of this world, we believe we add value to life in this most tempestuous yet charming of cities.

We are happy to know that are not alone in this belief.

You only need to look at some of the people and communities featured in this month’s issue to see how many individuals and groups

INBOX SOME APPRECIATION

(The Sommelier, October 2012 / Duong Lam, October 2012) Thank you so much again for putting out Word for us. I really appreciate it!

I also like several articles this issue especially the ones on the sommelier and Duong Lam. Our lives here are richer because of your vision and insightful writing. Great job! — LW

DUONG LAM AGAIN

(Duong Lam, October 2012) Duong Lam sounded so unreal that I went there with some friends. I even ate at the very same restaurant you described in the article. What an amazing place. I just hope this village stays that way. We’re worried that in a few years it will all be gone. There are already people building new houses there. — Thao

6 | Word November 2012

are working to do something, to make Hanoi into a better, richer place. From the Hanoi International Women’s Club and their yearly fundraiser, the charity bazaar, through to the early morning, 5am aerobics teachers, cycling groups, arts teachers, flashmob troupes, bootcamp sessions and running clubs — everyone is playing their part. It’s one of the beauties of living in a city such as Hanoi — with some get up and go you have the potential to make a difference.

As ever we genuinely appreciate your comments, thoughts and ideas. So, if you have anything to say, please let us know by simply emailing editor@ wordhanoi.com. We hope you enjoy the read!

THIS MONTH'S COVER Photo: Aaron Joel Santos Design: DH Advertising

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

DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO AIR? IF SO, PLEASE EMAIL US AT editor@wordhanoi.com

SAVE THE ANIMALS

Ho Chi Minh City THE GREAT DEBATE

(The Great Debate, The Great Debate October 2012) I enjoyed reading The Great Debate. Oddly enough I recently read in The Guardian about a rich Vietnamese woman buying a rhino horn from Africa because she believed it would help cure her kidney stones. The photo showed this fat lady holding the horn, grinding it into powder to be mixed with water and then drunk. I thought to myself, you fat silly b***h. Why don’t you try to lose weight then you can lose your kidney stones instead of killing a lovely creature like that? And now reading your article where the Vietnamese author condones the same behaviour. The fate of these two should mirror that of the dead rhino. — Horny Lover A Vietnamese environmental studies student believes that animal species going extinct is part of the theory behind Darwin’s ‘survival of the fittest’, while an Australian wildlife conservationist disagrees. He blames extinction on manmade greed. Follow their heated debate

THE ARGUMENT

For a few decades there’s been a permeating sense that with ‘x’ number of species approaching extinction and ‘y’ number of species already extinct, it is the moral responsibility of humans to ‘make amends’ or prevent what may well be the ‘inevitable’. With such unique biodiversity, when it comes to conservation and saving anything that may go extinct, Vietnam comes under the spotlight.

A friend of mine recently sent me an article claiming that there are only approximately 30 tigers left in Vietnam.

Surely, the extinction of the Asian tiger would be a tremendous loss for the ecosystem and the spirit of Vietnamese people both here and overseas. I can practically feel their palpable distress and the permeating, crying tears that some say gives Vietnam its humid weather.

I’m sure Charlie Sheen, son of Apocalypse Now lead Martin, would worry about the loss of all that ‘tiger blood’, something which he claims to flow through his veins. Poachers and their customers will be mourning too, but over the impending depletion of money and ‘medicine’.

‘Natural selection’, or another misleading term, ‘survival of the fittest’, coined by Herbert Spencer, was Charles Darwin’s theory that describes the

108 | Word October 2012

process in nature in which organisms inherit favourable traits that make them survive better in the wild.

In other words, if an ‘x’ animal has a ‘y’ trait that helps it get more food, it will be able to produce more offspring and therefore there will be a bigger population of that animal. Natural selection is a crucial concept in evolution, and humans are products of evolution. While we are certainly at fault, we are not the only reason why tigers are approaching extinction.

According to Darwin’s theory, if the tigers inherited favourable traits that help them survive in an environment where poachers and natural disasters are their threats, then they would not be in the position they are now. The tigers are endangered because they cannot adapt to their changing environment, or in terms of natural selection, they fail to inherit the traits that keep them alive longer.

However, there is another puzzling question that needs to be answered in order to definitively justify whether poachers should or should not be slaughtering tigers. Do humans exist as predators of tigers or as coexisting species?

One can make an argument that humans have the right traits to survive and outlive tigers, but what if we exist to prevent tigers from approaching extinction? We have the skills to do both,

and we do the latter to ourselves all the time when we go to the doctors.

The moral decision would be to protect tigers, but is that up to us to decide?

Should we be the ones responsible for the lives of endangered species?

I say, do it the laissez-faire way, and let nature handle the bulk of it. We are part of nature, which means that all poachers and animal lovers are, too. Let them hash it out to see if the tigers will end up extinct or endangered. There is nothing wrong with trying to save tigers, but not trying to save them or even kill them is not egregiously inappropriate either. It’s always good to maintain biodiversity, but trying to preserve species that will be extinct is defying nature, or God [doesn’t] forbid, Darwin himself.

The reason why this argument is controversial is humans, I believe, are the first species to be able to defy it. We are intelligent enough to create medicine and perform surgeries to prolong our otherwise short lives. Now that humans exist, the concept of ‘nature’ falls into an increasingly grey area. For us, living ‘naturally’ in the way that other species have lived and are living would be avoiding the doctors and medicines that treat innate or developed diseases. But since we never do this, we are defying nature.

We may be responsible for the deaths of many endangered animals, but no one

should be criticising us because living as we do is our way of surviving, of dealing with the pressures imposed on us by nature. We are at once poachers and animal lovers. We are also a nonchalant species who in so many ways are superior to other life forms on this planet. That is why there are so many of us!

— Thao Bach is a native Vietnamese, recent high school graduate in Massachusetts and will be entering college this year, double majoring in philosophy and environmental studies.

THE REBUTTAL

Dinosaurs became extinct due to a natural phenomenon, not due to human arrogance thinking that every living creature is for our taking; that creatures should either evolve quicker to due human pressure or become extinct.

Humans are THE most evolved and complex species on earth in terms of thinking, problem solving and social structure, and with these increased skill sets comes responsibility, sometimes at very high costs.

Anybody with half a brain should understand that all living creatures play a vital role in maintaining a healthy working ecosystem. Removing an apex predator will have detrimental consequences for humans in terms of increased disease transmission, let alone a profound lingering sadness over the loss of the world’s most charismatic

visually stunning creatures.

There are still many people living around the world who live in harmony or in co-existence with the world’s wildlife (some of which sees us a potential food source). It is down to pure arrogance and some nations’ drive for ‘exotic’ meats and the illegal wildlife trade that Vietnam’s wildlife is under serious threat.

Evolution of the world’s species (both flora and fauna) is a process that takes thousands of years under somewhat controlled conditions (a slight change in air temperature for instance). People heading to South Africa with AK47s and shooting dead up to two rhinos a day for pure greed because some people believe that rhino horn can cure cancer or cures alcoholic hangovers is pure stupidity.

This is not natural evolution or an “unfavourable trait”.

Greed was once again highlighted in May 2010, when poachers shot dead Vietnam’s last remaining Javan Rhino in Cat Tien National Park for its precious horn.

Now that it is not to say, that due to such a small sub-population of the above species, it would have become extinct in the future anyway, but surely that decision was not ours, it certainly shouldn’t have been left to some greedy poacher.

Many of the world’s medicines have come directly from our forests and

ecosystems, having their raw chemical elements altered to help treat diseases.

We must also accept that traditional medicines play a vital role to many people worldwide and have been used over thousands of years to heal aliments.

But thinking that a dried tiger penis can help a man’s libido is simply quite mystifying if not downright strange.

Personally I have no problem with forest-living communities living off the land as such. Namibian bushmen and women, the Aboriginals and so on have a connection to their land that only they understand. They respect the living animals they share their lives with and hunt only when needed, to feed their families and themselves. From what I have learnt since being in Vietnam, this precious and valued trait was lost a long time ago and now it is simply for greed.

Vietnam has already lost its rhinos.

Its wild elephant populations and the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (one of the rarest creatures on earth) are on the brink of collapsing and Vietnam’s large cats are rarely seen. What will traders and poachers do when there is no more wildlife left in Vietnam? Maybe become conservationist? That will be the day.

—Simon Faithfull is an Enlgish wildlife conservationist who currently lives in Ho Chi Minh City managing an animal rescue centre in Cu Chi. Whose side are you on? Let us know at christine@wordhcmc.com

October 2012 Word | 109

November 2012 Word | 7

The Talk

THE

THE BIG 5 / JUST IN / THE BUZZ / CALENDAR / OVERSCENE

BIG 1

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR THIS MONTH

The Joy of Others Leaving Words by Steve Jackson SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE “WOW look at the traffic” and the “I’m finished with this country” posts from the Vietnam expat blogger, you get the standard “why must everyone leave?” update.

I’ve done it myself and I’ve seen it from plenty of others. The content writes itself.

You meet such great people but eventually they all leave. Why is everyone leaving? This hurts too much!

To break it down further you can wonder… Does this constant leaving make it harder to build real friendships?

Year on year I hear the same point made at get-togethers. A friend of a friend knows someone who works in logistics — this year it’s all been out of the country.

Not only are people all leaving — no one is coming in to replace them!

And yet, here you all are.

There are more foreign-run businesses, serving, surely, more foreigners. More websites just for the overseas residents of this city. More non-Vietnamese faces in the expat ghettos of West Lake.

8 | Word November 2012

Xuan Dieu is fast becoming Little Tay. Soon it’ll be on tourist ‘to-do’ lists and visitors can come and see all those weird western people taking part in traditional drinking rituals where they guzzle beer, wine and other odd spirits until they fall over. Then the tourists can spy them, these frequent air travellers, circling around on the quaint little bicycles that these ‘misfits’ think will help save the environment. Oh the irony.

On Yer Bike I’ve another way of looking at it.

People have to go. People should go. I need them to go.

You see, rather than worrying about losing friends I’m more likely to be waiting people out. While I no longer naively claim that I’ll be here forever, I still reckon I’ll see off most of them.

That irritating forum poster who writes bad things about someone else’s wife. That girl who there’s always a bad atmosphere around when we nod our half hellos — even though neither of us can quite remember why we don’t like the other. That person I once saw tear a waiter to shreds — and they know I saw them and we’re both a little bit embarrassed. The diplomat who always gets drunk on a couple of glasses of red and then seeks me out, pins me to the wall and tells me how large his, erm, house is.

There’s more. The blogger who I once disagreed with too strongly in their comment box, before the time when I realised the futility of arguing about anything on the internet. The business competitor. The person whose blog Googles better than my own suggesting it’s more widely read and linked to.

Some of the above are fair. Some are shamefully mean-spirited. Some are

personal jealousies. Others are just fleeting irritations in moments of weakness. During the summer pressure cooker the irritants increase and the reasons become more petty.

The guy with the hair cut. The woman with a loud voice. The menopausal man with his ridiculous revvy motorbike. When are they leaving? Have they not gone yet?

Leaving is a valve. Not just for those people to flee who’ve had enough. The leaving of others is something that we all have to believe in. That person who’s rubbed us up the wrong way — don’t let it come to blows, or even an embarrassing confrontation. Just wait them out. Just another Johnny-Come-Lately to see off. I’ve seen off better expat jerks than this guy.

And yes, there must be plenty people out there counting my days too.

AUSCHAM ANNUAL BALL

Welcome to a land of deserts and dunes and join AusCham for their annual fancy dress ball on the Saturday Nov. 17 at the InterContinental Hanoi Westlake. The theme this year is ‘Arabian Nights’ and tickets include a special Arabic four-course meal, exotic entertainment and free flow drinks. There will be a charitable element to the evening with proceeds from raffle ticket sales being donated to Sympameals.

For more information please call 08 3832 9912 or email office@ auschamvn.org.

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One of the largest Hindu festivals will see a Hanoi contingent carrying on the tradition on Saturday Nov. 17. Organised by Incham Hanoi, Diwali (The Festival of Lights) is a night that typically consists of colourful fireworks, clay lamps and candles in people’s homes. At the American Club, from 6pm onwards, you can catch some lights as well as an assortment of Bollywood Music, dance performances from Panghat and the Boomerang Band, and Indian Royal cuisine from both the northern and southern states of the subcontinent.

Tickets for Diwali are VND200,000 for adults and VND50,000 for children, and can be purchased before Nov. 10 for a 25 percent discount from any of Hanoi’s Indian restaurants. The American Club is at 19-21 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem.

NOI HANOI On Sunday Nov. 25, the poetry reading series Noi, Hanoi will be back to showcase the collaborative translation efforts of two Vietnamese poets and two American poets. Nha Thuyen and Jacob Evans, along with Thuy Hang and Claire Barnard, will pair up to read original work alongside their translations of the other’s poems. Nha Thuyen and Thuy Hang are young Hanoian poets with a distinct style rare in Vietnam’s contemporary poetry scene.

Jacob Evans and Claire Barnard are US poets living in Hanoi who share an attentiveness and freshness to contrast and complement their Vietnamese counterparts.

The event will start at 8pm and will be held at Tadioto on 12 Truong Han Sieu, Hai Ba Trung. As with the previous Noi Hanoi readings, there will be a semi-curated open mic segment at the end of the night. You may sign up in advance for this part by emailing noihanoisubmissions@gmail.com.

THREE (IS THE MAGIC NUMBER)

In Search of Nirvana The first time around, I left Hanoi a very different person from the one who had arrived. I returned changed further. Now I’m married and living in Nghi Tam — I used to share a house with volunteers in Ngoc Ha. I’m embarrassed that some longtermers can remember the naivety of my old self. Thankfully I’ve already seen off all the old foreign girlfriends.

When I first went to college it dawned on me that I could be anyone I wanted to.

Sadly it turned out I was still me, but being a long-term expat means you continue to drag your old self around. No matter how much you’ve tried to make it disappear.

There’s a thought perhaps that one day we’ll reach expat community nirvana when all the bad ones go and the good ones stay forever. But it will never happen.

In the meantime, enjoy that moment of happiness when you hear another minor irritant has gone.

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DIWALI IN HANOI

It seems like only yesterday that we partied barefoot on grass by the banks of the Red River. But come that all important auspicious date — 11/11 — Word Ha Noi will be turning three years old.

So, if you want to come and celebrate with us, pop down to Southgate (28 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem) on Sunday Nov. 11 from 7pm onwards to imbibe some well-deserved, Sunday evening drinks to loungey beats. We’re doing a little freeflow wine bash accompanied by canapés starting at 5pm for our clients and staff.

Though this first part of the event is an invitation-only affair, we’d love to see you after. Honestly. Hands on heart. Everyone involved in this publication, from readers through to our general director, is important. Without you we don’t exist.

And if you feel you should be enjoying the free wine and aren’t, then simply email editor@wordhanoi.com. We can’t promise anything, but we’ll try.

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CHARITY BAZAAR

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The 21st annual Charity Bazaar, an event raising money for the philanthropic projects of Hanoi International Women’s Club, will take place on Sunday, Nov. 25 from 10am to 3.30pm at UNIS in Ciputra. A diverse group of country tables will showcase their culture through foods and handicrafts. Charity tables will spread awareness of their causes, while commercial tables will sell a variety of Hanoi’s finest goods. All proceeds go to local grassroots projects supporting women and children in the areas of health, education and micro-financing.

If you are interested in participating in this event by running a table or by sponsorship, please contact bazaarcoordinator@ hanoi-iwc.com for more information.

November 2012 Word | 9

Just In

the talk RASA SINGAPURA

NEW RING ROAD OPENS

A new Singaporean restaurant will be opening up on Truc Bach next to Foodshop 45 in mid-November.

Sporting an authentic menu composed of Peranakan cuisine — the hybrid Malay and Chinese fare special to Singapore and Mainland Malaysia — the roster of dishes will include beef rendang, a range of chicken, beef, prawn and fish curries, gado gado, sayur lodeh, laksa noodles and the flagship dish, nasi lemak.

With prices starting at around VND70,000 for a main course and with the true flavour of Singaporean sambal running through the cuisine, Rasa Singapura looks set to be a hit.

Rasa Singapura, 63 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3715 0614. The restaurant is due to open on Nov. 18 and delivery will be available for a minimal fee of VND15,000 (less than 8km), VND25,000 (above 8km). For more information go to www.rasasingapura-hanoi.com

A new 9km ring road running from Mai Dich, close to the Pham Van Dong intersection with Xuan Thuy, to Linh Dam Peninsular opened at the end of last month after a construction period of just over two years.

Running through the My Dinh area of the city and the first overpass of its kind to be constructed in the capital, the highway is designed for a maximum speed limit of 100km/h. Initially, though, the maximum speed for cars is just 80 km/h. Motorbikes are not allowed to travel on the thoroughfare.

According to newspaper reports, the project was not only completed 15 months ahead of schedule, but it will reduce travel time within the city and increase traffic safety. This will apparently help contribute “to the establishment of an optimal transport network in Hanoi”. Bangkok, here we come!

HANOI

TANNOY

Rasa Singapura

EMERALDA RESORT AIMS TO ATTRACT MICE

BANYAN TREE PUTS DOWN ROOTS

Located in the exquisite environs of Van Long National Park, Emeralda resort in Ninh Binh have just opened a new conference centre in their attempt to make Ninh Binh province one of the top MICE (Meetings Incentives Conferences and Events) destinations in the country. With space for groups of anything from 10 to 500 people, a ballroom, two function rooms and other recreational features such as a fishing pond, a camping ground and a mini golf course, the world’s business elite will no doubt be chomping at the bit. To help promote their new centre, the Emeralda are offering a Rendezvous Package whereby delegates can enjoy promotional prices of VND 1,650,000++ per delegate / room for events taking place from now until Dec. 31.

For reservations, call 3935 2501 or email emgsales@emeraldagroup.com. Further details can be found at www.emeraldaresort.com.

International resort group, Banyan Tree, has arrived in Vietnam with the opening of Banyan Tree Lang Co. Part of the Laguna Lang Co complex, which also features an 18-hole champion golf course designed by Nick Faldo, the project looks set to ignite the already heady tourism opportunities on Vietnam’s central coast. With mountains, beaches, three World Heritage Sites and an international airport on its doorstep, it’s hard to see how Banyan Tree Group’s first development can go wrong.

For more information or to make a reservation, contact Banyan Tree Lang Co directly on 0543 695888, email reservations-langco@ banyantree.com, or visit www. banyantree.com.

Pe ranakan F ood & Ba r

I recognised you between the helmet and the mask.

Just walk in, find the most ostentatious looking guy in the casino then say, “I'll see you and raise you”.

PIZZA AT HOME Hanoi’s pizza options just got more diverse with the news that Pizza Home has opened its doors. With 20cm pizzas available for just VND55,000 it certainly won’t be an alternative to the likes of Luna and Da Paulo’s, but its value prices may well endear it to some of Hanoi’s less discerning citizens.

To take full advantage of the new joint, then head down on a Sunday or Wednesday to enjoy the buy-one-get-one-free offer.

You’re running out of excuses.

Pizza Home is at 43 Cua Bac, Ba Dinh, and is open from 9am to 10.30pm. Call 0962 267798 for delivery or check out their offers at www.pizzahome.vn.

ARE YOU LOCAL?

CONG CA PHE TAKE TWO Located in the Ba Dinh Square area of town close to the crossroads with Hoang Dieu, the latest rendition of Cong Ca Phe is just that little bit easier to get to.

If an image springs to mind of the cramped, original version on Trieu Viet Vuong, then think again. The difference in mark two is space. There’s lots of it. A couple of painted, bare-brick wall alcoves downstairs, the trademark dark wooden skinny tables, bare grey concrete walls and, like its sister location, decorative oddities placed strategically along the walls. Now they’ve all got space to breathe and exhale their all-pervasive socialist, Marxist era theme. There’s even an outdoor terrace area on the street and an upstairs view onto the palatially-sized surroundings below.

As you’d expect from the Hai Ba Trung district original, it’s an excellent, caffeineinfused, style-with-a-knowing-smile addition to downtown Hanoi. Even the menus have picked up the flavour, hand-written in black marker pen inside a blue hardback cover stating the name Le-Nin. But then, Lenin Park is only a stone’s throw away.

Cong Ca Phe is at 32 Dien Bien Phu, Ba Dinh and serves from morning till midnight.

10 | Word November 2012

Sat on the corner of one of the slip roads leading from Duong Ven Ho to Thuy Khue, The Locals is one of the latest, lakeside cafes to open its doors. But unlike its peers, it sports a contemporary ambience more befitting the city centre, or even a cafe bar found overseas.

With light wooden seating, high stools around the bar area and a grey painted interior hung with comic-strip, DC comicstyle portraits, the cafe and drinks fare here is complemented by a light menu. Most unusual, though, is the background music. On our visit, a touch of jazz, a touch of 1950s-style soundtrack classical, with even some Bing Crosbie and Marlene Dietrich style ballads filled the cool, lakeside air.

All making for a venue that is as contemporary as it is classic.

The Locals can be found at 128 Thuy Khue, Tay Ho

It feels like the front wheel of my bike is always about to fall off.

Kind of like my life here.

Music tastes: Nirvana and Whitney Houston. Hobbies: playing poker and cooking.

What do you think about sexy girls today?

I'm thinking about taking up body painting lessons.

You're a solution that wants a problem.

Please change my face.

The spectacle to end all spectacles; I kind of wanted to take her picture after all.

When are we going to write about the neon-day-glo-blacklight-incandescent-maximalistpan-universe-multimedia-extantrave-art scene in Hanoi?

What is it about people saying s*!t about their competition the whole time? Surely they should try embracing them a bit more.

November 2012 Word | 11

The Exhibitionist

DUO D’ACCORD TO OPEN EUROPEAN MUSIC FESTIVAL

48 HOUR FILM PROJECT’S MEGASTAR SCREENINGS BETWEEN PARALLEL LINES Claire Driscoll’s lines and what is between them provide a space for uncertainty and contemplation.

Reaching into her past experience as a fashion designer, Claire Driscoll uses fabric, paper, brush, ink, and printed texture to create geometric shapes and geographic landscapes.

The images have an effect that is both Zen-like in their order and disturbing in their darkness. The works will be on exhibition at Tadioto until Nov. 10 at 12 Truong Han Sieu, Hai Ba Trung.

VEGGING OUT AT HCC The culinary arts are being taken literally at the Hanoi Cooking Centre this month.

Taking a break from his usual large-scale canvasses, Hanoi contemporary artist, Do Tuan Anh, has created a series of works especially for the HCC. Entitled Veggie-Anthropy, the over 30 small, colourful paintings show the artist’s quirky side, pairing up humans and vegetables with wit and irony. Fine food with art on top? Now that’s a treat!

The exhibition opens on Tuesday Nov. 20 at 7pm and will run through December at the Hanoi Cooking Centre, 44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh.

12 | Word November 2012

L’OPERA LOVES AUTUMN Seeking to position themselves as a cultural hub for visitors to Hanoi, Hotel de L’Opera is hosting an exhibition by Tran Quang Huan. Running the daring title of Autumn, the 30 paintings on offer represent the dual cliché of Hanoi’s most enjoyable season and the lives of Vietnamese women. The opening night will boast the attendance of the artist and co-organiser Green Palm Gallery. Tran Quang Huan’s work has previously been exhibited in Paris, Hong Kong and Hanoi.

The exhibition will run until Nov. 26 and is free. Hotel de l’Opera can be found at 26 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem

DEUTSCHLANDFEST 2012!

If you thought German culture had already taken root in Hanoi thanks to the ubiquitous xuc xich Duc and weiss beer joints which dot the capital, you were wrong. On Nov. 17 and Nov. 18, Deutschlandfest 2012 will take over the Museum of Natural History for two days of teutonic cultural learnings.

German institutions and companies will present themselves and their work in Vietnam, and answer everything you’ve ever wanted to know about efficiency and Lutherism. Food and drinks will be available, but whether they’ll have any pretzels is unclear.

Deutschlandfest 2012 will take place at the Museum of National History, 1 Pham Ngu Lao, Hoan Kiem. Saturday’s event will run from 1pm till 6 pm, while Sunday is a morning affair, 9am to 1pm

The two pianists Lucia Huang and Sebastian Euler forming Duo d’Accord will ceremoniously open the European Music Festival on Nov. 22 at the Youth Theatre.

The pair play virtuoso works for two pianos. In addition to the arrangements of classical revival pieces, the four hands have also composed their own works. The duo have performed across Europe, the US and Asia, working alongside world-class musicians.

Duo d’Accord will perform at 8pm at the Youth Theatre (11 Ngo Thi Nham, Hai Ba Trung) on Nov. 22. Free tickets available from Thursday, Nov. 15 at 10am at the Goethe-Institut Hanoi, 56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh

As the dust settles on the 48 hours which spawned over 50 films, the 48 Hour Film Project can announce its official screenings of this year’s work. From Nov. 5 to Nov. 8, Megastar Cinema in Vincom Towers will be the venue for amateur film makers, their friends and anyone interested to see what young Hanoians made in October when they completed the entire film making process in a dizzying weekend of strong coffee and little sleep. Each screening will cost VND80,000 and lasts around 2 hours.

To see the programming and ticketing details head to www.facebook. com/48hourfilmVN or www.48hourfilm. com/hanoi, which will be updated as soon as the censorship process is complete.

TRIO AURORA The compositions of Heinrich von Biber, Strauss and Schuhmann will be played this month by way of a special trio.

The trio, two lecturers and a student from the Music Academy, are back for their third time, fittingly enough. Nguyen My Huong M (violin), Nguyen Hong Anh (cello) and Tran Thai Linh (piano) will perform in Hanoi on Nov. 9 at the Goethe-Institut, 56 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh at 8pm. Admission is free.

LIVING ON ROCK Artist Do Duc’s Living On Rock collection is dedicated to his country’s northern border regions for their vastness, and diverse cultures. It is there that people are dotted like rocks, live mingled in rocks, blend into them and live on them. The painting collection at the Vietnam Art Association represents Duc’s feelings of the land, its people and the loneliness and strength found between them.

The exhibition Living on Rock will run from Nov. 1 to Nov. 15 at the Vietnam Art Association, 16 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem.

November 2012 Word | 13

The Buzz

MEGA MINDS OF HANOI Though stimulating and enthralling, not all trivia nights leave you feeling good about your contribution to society. Mega Minds of Hanoi would seem to be just that; a quiz competition with the primary purpose to raise funds for children in need by supporting the Blue Dragon’s Children’s Foundation and the Ba Vi orphanage.

The competition is run in a knockout format over the course of three weeks with the top two teams from each night progressing to the next round. There are eight ‘official’ categories of teams for entry. To find out where you fit, email hanoimegaminds@gmail.com.

OPENING OF L’ATEILER, PART TWO

POTS ‘N PANS The Pots ‘n Pans (57 Bui Thi Xuan, Hai Ba Trung) lunch special is now available until Nov. 31. Serving selections from the new autumn menu by chef Joel Manton, lunch is great value with one course costing VND180,000++, two courses going for VND250,000++ and three courses weighing in at VND300,000++.

The KOTO-supported Pots ‘n Pans offers innovative Vietnamese cuisine infused with the best of new vogue presentations from around the world. The flavours are familiar but prepared and presented in new and exciting ways.

SUITE CHRISTMAS Sedona Suites Hanoi is calling on compassion. They are currently raising funds for a support centre in Tu Liem, Hanoi, founded to care for people without parents or guardians. The centre houses children as young as newborn babies to elderly patients, as old as 80. How you can care is by donating cash, vouchers, goods or your time. They are currently looking for volunteers and vendors for their charity bazaar, which will be held on Saturday Dec. 1.

The bazaar will run from 10am until 4pm at the Sedona Playground, 96 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho. Tickets are VND100,000 for adults and VND50,000 for children. Contact Ms. Hoa at agrm.hanoi@sedona.com.vn.

14 | Word November 2012

A new Atelier boutique from designer Le Duyen Huong has opened at 21 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem after the success of her first shop at 33 Xuan Dieu. Her fashion sense is said to be a breath of fresh air in Hanoi, combining her background of working in Paris and using distinctly Vietnamese elements of fabric.

Included in the shop, besides Huong’s clothing, are homewares

by Very Ngon and bags

by Valerie Cordier.

HANOI SOCIAL CLUB’S STACKED MONTH Hanoi Social Club (6 Hoi Vu, Hoan Kiem) is stepping up its social game this month with a range of events.

Gypsy Camp, the upstairs bar at the Hanoi Social Club, will have its official launch on Thursday Nov. 8 from 5.30pm. It’s a little bar, but it’s still a little bit special. A bigger deal is the Life Drawing sessions that will be offered each Wednesday night starting Nov. 14 at 7.30pm. This is the real thing with real models. The four sessions will have an upfront subscription fee and interested draughtsmen and women should email Nina at nina@kindling.com.au.

If pencils and nudity aren’t your thing, maybe meditation is, in which case you can drop in every Thursday at 10.30am for a session led by Caz to help ‘find silence within the noise’. The cost is VND50,000, which includes a free juice or tea with any meal. And if you’re one to appreciate clever names of things, the inaugural Xinh Xanh Song Competition on Friday Nov. 16 is sure to tickle your funny bone. This song writing competition with some intriguing requirements kicks off at 8pm, is open to all, and will be accompanied with free drinks to get the creative energy flowing.

And finally, following next month, on Dec. 2 from 10am to 4pm will be the Christmas Market with a collection of stalls selling jewellery, stationery, and gifts, with festive drinks and a soothing soundtrack for those looking for a little early holiday cheer.

KODE9 November sees one of the biggest names in world bass make his debut in Vietnam. In an attempt at irritating the neighbours, Cult UK Dubstep DJ and producer Kode9 will be playing at CAMA ATK on Friday Nov. 30.

Otherwise known as Steve Goodman, Kode9 is the founder of Hyperdub, one of the most influential Dubstep labels in the world.

Hyperdub has been releasing the most forward thinking music from the dark side of the beats since 2004.

If you’ve been frequenting dubstep nights around Hanoi, then you might be a bit surprised by the form the genre takes in the UK. Jungle, Dub Reggae, House, Drum’n’Bass, 2-Step Garage and Dancehall get completely twisted by the dark mind of Kode9 and return as something different.

Holding a PhD in Philosophy and having published a book on music theory Sonic Warfare: Sound, Affect, and the Ecology of Fear in 2009, Goodman is more than aware of the physical and psychological effect that music can have. As a DJ this gives him an extra edge. His sets are something that you feel as well as listen to, and will surely show Hanoi a new way of experiencing sound.

Kode9 will be playing at CAMA ATK, 73A Mai Hac De on Friday Nov. 30. For more information see www.cama-atk.com.

HOLIER THAN THOU For those who prefer the wellness approach to healthcare, the useful Hanoi Holistic Health Guide has just received an update.

Listing all the options for physical, mental and spiritual health practitioners in Hanoi, the comprehensive directory is an indispensible resource for those looking for anything from chiropractors to sound therapy, and from meta healing to counselling.

Google “Hanoi Holistic Health Guide” to find the free download or follow the following link http://issuu.com/ hanoiholistichealth/docs/ hanoiholistichealthguide.

THANKSGIVING AT PRESS CLUB Thanksgiving Dinner is sure to be memorable if you opt for the five-course feast amid the old-world ambience of The Press Club. On Nov. 24, the Press Club’s chefs will prepare a special menu for which to give thanks: smoked salmon tartare, Boston clam chowder, and light seasonal greens with porcini mushroom dressing before the main highlight, a mouthwatering US roast turkey stuffed and served with giblet gravy, cranberry sauce and all the trimmings. For those who manage to pace themselves during the meal, freshly baked pumpkin and pecan pie await.

Press Club is located on 15 Ly Dao Thanh, Hoan Kiem.

UNITING NATIONS The United Nations International School is offering two scholarships to Vietnamese students. The aim is to give Vietnamese students, who are excelling at their Hanoi high school, the opportunity to enjoy educational privileges that they wouldn’t be able to have otherwise. 100 percent full financial support will be given for three years of study to the two successful candidates who will join UNIS to study grades 10 to 12. The students will graduate from the school with an International Baccalaureate Diploma, a qualification recognized and respected by the world’s leading universities.

Applications close on Monday, Dec. 31. To read the eligibility criteria and download the application documents see www.unishanoi.org. Any enquiries regarding the scholarship program should be sent to scholarships@unishanoi.org

THE PERFECT MATCH Weddings just got swankier with Crowne Plaza West Hanoi’s introduction of Crowne Plaza Wedding Packages. Do it in the pillarless ballroom in front of 800 guests, or out in the Hotel courtyard by the pool with 500 loved ones staring on. You can even have a themed wedding with Dream, Romantic Classics or Inspired Celebrations to choose from. If none of those ideas suit, then put the hotel’s wedding planners to good use and come up with something extra special. Happy couples can consummate their relationships on-site with a night’s stay in a Club Suite.

Crowne Plaza West Hanoi is at 36 Le Duc Tho, Tu Liem. For more info on their new wedding packages see www.crowneplaza.com.

MEXICAN AND CIGARS Cigar lovers unite for an evening of fine food, wine, fine views and lots and lots of smoke. West Lake hang out, Don’s, has imported a new cache of hand-rolled Cuban private reserve cigars and is serving them up as part of a Cigar Lovers Menu. enu. Including a frightening array of edibles from tom yum gung to sashimi and USDA ribeye steak, as well as matching wine, the deal rolls in at VND2 million++ per person. Two cigars are included as part of the menu.

If you’re just looking to enjoy the pristine views of West Lake while the weather is at its best, then head enu every weekend. A four-course meal including nachos, down at lunch for the new Mexican Set Menu enchiladas, burritos and a whole load of refried beans can be scoffed al fresco for VND269,000++. Not a bad deal for anyone wanting some weekend, Mexican spice.

Don’s is located at 16/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 2828. Bookings advised.

FLY TO THE BAY Taking the bus from Hanoi to Ha Long isn’t fun in anyone’s book, and now you don’t have to go the bumpy route, either.

Au Co Cruises have a better idea than an early start and rush-hour traffic. It’s called a helicopter.

Now the trip only takes 45 minutes and boasts much better views. A luxury car chaperones guests from their hotel to Gia Lam Airport where a chopper awaits.

Armand Cheveux from Au Co Cruises reckons “the helicopter trip is quick, easy, convenient, and safe — it’s definitely the best way to enjoy every minute of a trip to Halong Bay.” Few would argue that he’s wrong. Fewer still will ever know for sure. The helicopter can accommodate up to 10 passengers and can be yours for just US$16,000 for a round trip.

For inquiries go to Bhaya Cruises offices on 47 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem or send them an email at sales@ bhayacruises.com.

‘TIS THE SEASON The French-inspired restaurant at the Sofitel Plaza, Brasserie Westlake, has deals for Fall favourites in the spirit of Thanksgiving, the Frenchest of French holidays. Turkey, duck, gravelax, oysters, lobster and lamb, the list of animals goes on, with discounts on Argentinean wine. Ming Restaurant, the dim sum buffet also situated in the Sofitel, has some seasonal treats of its own. Steamed dumplings, deep-fried cheeses, and a special squid terrine are just a few of the offerings to whet your palate. Up top at the Summit Lounge there are a few noteworthy tunes playing as well, with discounted French wines and champagnes on Tuesdays, gentlemen’s night on Fridays, and complimentary shots for ladies (ever the promoters of women’s equality) on Thursdays.

Brasserie Westlake, Ming Restaurant and the Summit Lounge are all located at the Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh

SCIENCE FILM FESTIVAL Goethe Institut will host a second year of its successful science film festival this month for children and teens. From Nov. 8 in the 30 cities throughout Vietnam, children who have a special interest in nature and technology will have a chance to live and learn their passions. With this year’s theme of WATER, the festival will screen 20 selected films that convey the importance of coherence in nature and the environment, how innovative technologies work, and what sustainability means. All films are accompanied by experiments and other activities to encourage scientific awareness among young people and reinforce that learning can in fact be something fun.

For more information and a schedule of events, check out www.goethe.de/sciencefilmfestival or contact thanhtam.nguyen@hanoi.goethe.org

US ELECTIONS If as a socially responsible and well-informed citizen of the world, the US Elections are of interest to you, AmCham is hosting a Watching Party at the InterContinental Westlake Hanoi on Wednesday Nov. 7 starting at 7am.

Visit www.amchamhanoi.com for ticket and registration information.

16 | Word November 2012

In the Papers

the talk

THE BEST OF THE VIETNAMESE PRESS

VIETNAM OZONE LAYER PROTECTION An international fund has approved over US$9.7 million in aid for Vietnam’s efforts to decrease ozonedepleting substances. Most of the aid provided by the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer will be assigned to 12 local foam producing businesses, Nguyen Khac Hieu, deputy chief of the Hydro-Meteorological and Climate Change Department, was quoted as saying in a Tuoi Tre newspaper report.

Since Vietnam signed the Montreal Protocol in January 1994, the country has so far removed 500 billion tons of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) often used in air conditioners and refrigerators, and 3.8 tons of halon, a fire-extinguishing agent.

A national plan announced last year revealed that Vietnam would need more than US$30 million to remove 3.7 trillion tons of HCMFCs over the next 20 years.

MASTERCHEF VIETNAM Local cooks have begun applying to become contestants on a version of the UK reality cooking series MasterChef that is being adapted in Vietnam.

The winner will be awarded VND500 million in cash and an opportunity to publish a book about cooking.

Luke Nguyen and Hoang Khai have signed on as judges and one more Vietnamese chef will be chosen soon.

Luke Nguyen is an acclaimed Vietnamese-Australian chef who owns the famous Red Lantern chain of restaurants in Sydney. He is also the author of cookery books My Vietnam: Stories and Recipes and Secrets of the Red Lantern.

Hoang Khai is the chairman and CEO of Khaisilk Corporation and owns restaurants Cham Charm, Au Manoir de Khai, Nam Phan and Ming Dynasty.

MasterChef Vietnam will air on VTV3 every Friday night beginning Mar. 8, 2013.

PATIENTS GET INFECTIONS DURING STAY AT VIETNAMESE HOSPITALS Between five and eight percent of hospitalised patients get infections during their hospital stay, and the rate is higher at larger institutions.

A report in Tuoi Tre quoted statistics released at a conference held by the Health Ministry as stating that four out of every 100 surgical patients saw their wounds infected while 20 to 30 percent of patients using ventilators acquired pneumonia.

These were among the most common hospital-acquired infections, which also included blood and urinary tract infections, said Tran Quy, chairman of the Hanoi Infection Control Society.

Although international studies found that health workers could help decrease the infection rate by 40 to 50 percent simply by washing their hands at the right times and in the correct manner, only 50 to 60 percent of health workers at major hospitals washed their hands, Muc said.

Many doctors believed that as long as they used gloves, they did not need to wash their hands, and many were found using one pair of gloves repeatedly, he continued.

18 | Word November 2012

NO MORE FREE MUSIC DOWNLOADS Zing.vn has signed a streaming and downloading agreement with Universal Music Group, the world’s largest record company, amid criticism that the website was a hotbed of piracy.

The deal will allow Vietnamese users of the website to listen and download songs from Universal Music for a fee, with access from outside the country to be blocked, according to Internet company VNG Corporation, the operator of Zing.vn.

Some of the biggest Vietnamese sites, including Zing, have announced plans to charge users VND1,000 per song starting Nov. 1. Bloomberg reported in August that MVCorp, which helps the Recording Industry Association of Vietnam manage recording rights online, was in talks with Sony Corp. to make more music available for download.

In June, Apple Inc. officially opened an iTunes Store in Vietnam, allowing local users to download international music and movie content for the first time.

WILDLIFE HUNTING LEGALISED IN VIETNAM Recently the ministry announced that it would begin issuing month-long licenses to hunt and breed 160 species of wildlife that were not red-listed. The decision will go into effect on Nov. 9.

Species include the barking deer and several categories of snakes.

Vu Thi Quyen, founding director of the NGO Education for Nature Vietnam, said she was concerned that allowing people to kill and exploit these non-endangered species would put other rare species at risk.

In a press release issued on May 21 this year, international conservation groups, including the World Wildlife Fund, said that the sao la, one of the world’s rarest mammals, was often caught in wire snares set by hunters to catch other animals like stags, deer and wild boars.

Worse still, many experts pointed out that many of the species eligible for commercial activities under the ministry’s circular were, in fact, dying out, including the barking deer and smalltooth palm civets.

November 2012 Word | 19

November CALENDAR TUE

MON

WED

01

THU AUSCHAM SUNDOWNERS. 6pm at Pullman Hotel

HANOI INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S CLUB NEWCOMERS COFFEE MORNING. 10am every first Thu. of the month. Email newcomers@hanoi-iwc.com for info ART UNDER THE ROOF. Until Nov. 4 at Hanoi University of Culture

05

06

07

HANOI IN THOSE BOMBING DAYS IN 1972.

Until Nov. 9 at L’Espace ULTIMATE FRISBEE PICKUP. 8pm to 10pm every Tue. at Van Phuc Sports Center BETWEEN TWO PARALLEL LINES. Until Nov. 10 at Tadioto

12

BECOMING A MAN. Until Nov. 11 @ Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

MIKE’S ACOUSTICS & FRIENDS. 8.30pm every Mon. @ Don’s Bistro LIVING ON ROCK. Until Nov. 15 at Vietnam Art Association (16 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem)

19

PERFORMANCE OF “CHAU VAN”. 8pm at L’Espace

13

SALSA PARTY. 8pm every Tue. @ Olympic Dance Club

“BUDDY LOVE” LIVE. 8.30pm every Tue. @ Panacea Cafe KRAV MAGA SELF-DEFENCE. 7.30pm every Tue. @ House of Laughter Dojo TABLE TAB TENNIS. 6pm to 9pm every Tue. @ Number One Club

20

AMCHAM - US ELECTION WATCH PARTY. 7am at the InterContinental Westlake Hanoi. Visit www.amchamhanoi.com for info EVERYDAY PEOPLE. 8pm every Wed. @ Finnegan’s Irish Pub

14

LIVE MUSIC AT TAY TAP. 8pm every Wed. at Tay Tap Bar and Grill SOCIAL TOUCH RUGBY. 8pm every Wed. @ Song Hong Stadium

21

ARGENTINE TANGO CLASS. 8pm to 10pm every Tue. at Quang Trung Secondary School

26

TO TOASTMASTERS. 6.30pm to 8.30pm every Tue. @ KOTO on Van Mieu

27

QUIZ NIGHT. 7.30pm every Tue. @ Puku

20 | Word November 2012

28

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION “METAMORPHOSIS OF JAPAN AFTER THE WAR: 19451964”. From Nov. 21 to Nov. 29 at Ngo Quyen Exhibition Hall FREE VIETNAMESE CLASSES @ Puku every Wednesday, 7pm

REGULAR COFFEE MORNING. 10am every second Thu. of the month @ Tan My Design & Cafe GYPSY CAMP. Launch at 5.30pm, Hanoi Social Club 48HFP MEGASTAR SCREENINGS. 7pm from Nov. 5 to Nov. 8 at Vincom City Towers, Hanoi.

15

02

SPOTLIGHT! @ Hanoi Rock City, 8pm every Thu.

FRI GORGEOUS NIGHT. 8pm Nov. 1 & Nov. 2 at Hanoi Opera House

03

SAT

HANOI’S 1ST MEGA MIND QUIZ COMPETITION. Email Hanoimegaminds@ gmail.com for info

POSITIVE MASS CYCLING MEET UP. 6pm to 8pm every Sun. at the cathedral. Go to www.thbc.vn for details

SPECIAL SCREENING OF SHORT CARTOONS. 8pm at L’Espace SCREENING OF “TOUT CE QUI BRILLE”. 8pm at L’Espace

THE TRIO AURORA. 8pm at the GoetheInstitut. Call 3734 2251 for info HANOI GRAPEVINE TURNS 5 at Hanoi Rock City. Visit www.hanoigrapevine. com for info

16

DJ NIGHT @ Summit Lounge, 9pm every Fri. & Sat.

VUONG THAO’S ART. Until Nov. 10 at Bookworm Too

10

SUB ELEMENTS. 9pm every Sat. @ Hot Rock Bar

THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF WORD HA NOI. 7pm at Soutgate

17

ROCK PERFORMANCE WITH GABLÉ. 8pm at L’Espace

EXTRAVAGANZA HANG OUT. 9pm every Fri. @ International Bia Hoi Corner

INAUGURAL XINH XINH SONG COMPETITION. 8pm at the Hanoi Social Club

LIVE PIANIST @ Panacea Cafe, 8.30pm every Thu. & Sat.

SPECIAL SHORT ANIMATION NIGHT. 8pm at L’Espace

AUSCHAM BALL – ARABIAN NIGHTS at the InterContinental Hanoi Westlake.

Email office@auschamvn.org for info

VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE CLUB. 7pm every Fri. at Tea Talk FRIDAY MILONGA - ARGENTINE TANGO @ Xichlo Cafe, 8pm every Fri.

29

MUSIC NITE. 7pm every Thu. at Tea Talk

LIVE FLAMENCO GUITAR TRIO. 8.30pm every Thu. @ Don’s Bistro

HANOI PUB QUIZ @ R&R Tavern every Tuesday, 9.30pm to 11.30pm

WEEKLY OFFICIAL MEETING OF COUCHSURFING HANOI. 7pm every Wed. at Climax

ADDICTION BAND. 8.30pm every Wed. & Thu @ My Way Beer House

GAMES ON TUESDAYS. 6.30pm every Tue. at Hanoi Ois Netball Club

SPEED TRAINING WITH RRR. 8pm every Wed. at Sedona Suite gates, Hanoi

MEDITATION. 10.30am every Thu. @ Hanoi Social Club

SCREENING OF “INTOUCHABLES”. 8pm at L’Espace

CONCERT “CARMEN FANTASY”.

8pm Nov. 10 & 11 at Worker Theatre

KOTO BIKE RIDE 2012. 8am to 4pm from Ciputra to Dong Mo Lake

LIVE FLAMENCO GUITAR TRIO. 8.30pm every Thu. at Don’s Bistro

LIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC @ Z Coffee Bar. 8.30pm every Fri.

11

SLO-PITCH. 9am to 12pm every Sun., visit www.vietnam-sports.com for info

LATIN NIGHT. 8.30pm every Fri. at Fusion

23

GERRIT ENGEL EXHIBITION. Until Nov. 5 at the Goethe Institut

PERFORMANCE OF DJ VINCENT OLEG. 8pm at L’Espace

DIWALI 2012 at American Club. Call INCHAM on 3772 4248 for tickets

EUROPEAN MUSIC FESTIVAL. 8pm at Youth Theatre Hanoi. Call 3734 2251 for info

TOYOTA CLASSICS 2012. 8pm at Hanoi Opera House

PIKNIC ELECTRONIK @ Keangnam Landmark Garden, 4pm to 10pm every Sun.

FITNESS THURSDAYS. 6pm every Thu. at the Aussie Embassy

22

04

SUN

JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL: COMEDY. Until Nov. 4, 2pm at the Japan Foundation Center

09

08

FREE BIRD BAND “LIVE”. 9pm every Wed. @ Polygon Musik Cafe

WOMEN’S GAELIC FOOTBALL TRAINING @ Dang Thai Mai football field every Tuesday

SCIENCE FILM FESTIVAL 2012 IN VIETNAM. From Nov. 8 to Nov. 30, email thanhtam. nguyen@hanoi.goethe.org for info

GAMES NITE. 7pm every Wed. at Tea Talk

LIFE DRAWING. 7.30pm every Wed. at the Hanoi Social Club. Email nina@ kindling.com.au for info

VEGGIE - ANTHROPY. From Nov. 20 at the Hanoi cooking Centre

AUTUMN. Until Nov. 26 at Hotel de l’Opera Hanoi

AMCHAM US ELECTION RESULT BREAKFAST. 8am @ Hilton Hotel

To have your event included in our calendar, please email news@wordhanoi.com by no later than Nov. 20 with a description of the event and a high-res photo

24

CABARET. 8.30pm at L’Espace

GOURMET THANKSGIVING DINNER at Press Club ELECTRONIC HANOI. 9pm every Sat. @ Hanoi Rock City WEEKLY TRAINING TIMES AND LOCATIONS. 9am to 11am every Sat. @ Dharma Mountain Buddhism and Martial Yoga

18 DEUTSCHLANDFEST 2012. 1pm to 6pm Nov. 17 and 9am to 1pm Nov. 18 at the Museum of National History

25

BABYLON BURNING @ Panacea Cafe, 2pm every Sun.

HANOI INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S CLUB CHARITY BAZAAR. 10am to 3.30pm at UNIS Ciputra LIVE TRADITION VIETNAMESE MUSIC. 8.30pm every Sun. @ Don’s Bistro NOI, HANOI: NOVEMBER 25. 8pm Tadioto

30 SCREENING OF “LITTLE NICOLAS”.

8pm at L’Espace

November 2012 Word | 21

SCENE

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY VIETNAM SWANS

OVER

PHOTOS BY NGUYEN BAO NGOC

AFL GRAND FINAL The Vietnam Swans put on a boozy bash at the InterContinental in honour of this year’s Aussie Rules final

Hanoi’s longest running international club held last month’s cocktail night at one of the city’s most innovative restaurants

REOPENING OF ROOFTOP BAR Hanoi’s (almost) highest bar reopened to a makeover, champagne, music from Ho Ngoc Ha, and a night of emceeing courtesy of model Ha Anh.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ROOFTOP

PICNIK ELECTRONIC @ LANDMARK 72 The Sunday afternoon beats music party sessions continued last month with Synergy, Link Hanoi and a range of DJs getting on the decks

VOODOO FRANK @ ATK With his rare African vinyl and boppy funk, Voodoo Frank brought an awesome night of dancing, tunes and hedonistic fun to ATK.

FUSION OI

LANDMARK 72 VERTICAL CHALLENGE At the end of September competitors climbed, ran, walked and even crawled up the almost 2,000 steps to the top of Vietnam’s highest building.

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PHOTOS BY NGUYEN BAO NGOC

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SPORTING REPUBLIC

In their latest party, Shaken Not Stirred, the Fusion Oi team pulled out the stops to serve cocktails, beats and tasty treats on the banks of the city’s largest body of water

JF ELECTRONIC GARAGE Classical Vietnamese and Japanese tunes were combined with electronic beats and sounds in an intriguing night hosted by Tri Minh at the Japan Foundation

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY POTS 'N PANS

HIWC COCKTAILS @ POTS N PANS

The Mid-Autumn festival in Tuyen Quang in the far north of Vietnam.

Insider

THE MANY FACES OF HANOI / THE MANY SHADES OF HUE / D.I.Y. HANOI PHOTO BY JIRI PASZ

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Q&A

ENTER THE KING After years of speculation and 12 months or so of plying their trade at Vietnam's airports, Burger King have passed through customs to open stores in the big city.

We talk to the man at the helm, Tony Cricenti, CEO of franchisee Vietnam Food and Beverages. Interview by Nick Ross. Photo by Charles Barnes Why did you open your first stores at Tan Son Nhat and Danang airports rather than in the centre of the city?

20 million passengers pass through these airports every year. So, in terms of market exposure, it has been critical, critical to getting us seen, not just locally but internationally as well. It has also provided a better choice for passengers at the airport.

What about the price point. Will prices be the same as in the airport or will they be cheaper?

The price point is in line with the competitive landscape here. This is important in Vietnam because it is a very price sensitive market.

So, we’re making sure that we’re adapting to the local economy. Despite the high entrance costs and the high quality of the imported products, our pricing is competitive.

Where are you sourcing your ingredients from? What about the beef for the patties and the buns?

Because we’re new to the market, most of the products are being imported from abroad through approved Burger King (BK) distributors. The beef, for example, is procured from Australia and the US — where we buy from depends on fluctuations in the dollar. However, we source ingredients like lettuce, tomato and onion locally. The buns, too. There’s one bakery [in Vietnam] who makes the bread for all the QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) brands. But this has to be approved by BK. At the moment, representatives from Burger King head office in Singapore are coming here every month to check that standards are kept up.

Over time we hope to source more products and ingredients locally.

How will you compete with fast food burger brands that are already established in Vietnam?

Burger King is the largest brand in its category presently in Vietnam. So, at the moment we don’t have a competitor here and we don’t compare ourselves to any other brand in the market.

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What makes your product stand out from the rest of the market?

Burger King is renowned for its flame-grilled burgers — for us, the cooking process is critical. This, the high quality of ingredients and the ability to make food to order. So, you’ve probably seen the Have it Your Way campaign. We try and emphasise that.

But realistically it’s the flame grilling that differentiates us from the rest.

What are your plans for expansion in the medium and long term?

Extremely aggressive. This is important because in QSR you need to meet a critical mass. This affects brand awareness, overheads and operating costs.

"We will be opening 12 stores from now until the end of 2012 and in 2013 we will be continuing to expand aggressively" I can’t divulge too much information, but we will be opening 12 stores from now to the end of 2012, and in 2013 we will be continuing to expand agressively.

One of the issues in the big cities is getting the right location. With rents sky-high for those prime locations in the centre of the city, how are you dealing with this issue?

We’re having to be very strategic. Locations are important and yes rentals here are very competitive. When you’re building QSR brands you realise that you can sacrifice the cost of running a flagship store as long as you have a number of stores not in the really expensive locations. So, if you only have two stores in key locations, it’s going to be too costly. But if you have those two stores

and then another 100 elsewhere, the model works. It’s about economies of scale.

McDonald's has been reportedly trying to get into Vietnam for years. How has Burger King succeeded where McDonald's has failed?

I don’t know where you’ve got that idea from. You can’t say that McDonald’s have failed. We’re just the first one entering the market. There’s a lot of positives about being the first in. For us this is a big success, a big success for our business.

I’m hearing they’re coming, but I’m not sure when. To be honest, we’re not concerned. We’re building. And we’re ready to grow and expand.

There are many living here who are really happy that Burger King is opening up in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. There are many others who share a different viewpoint. What are your feelings on this?

The different viewpoints are extremely important. And we accept this. We’re just happy that we can cater to those who are glad that we’re in Vietnam. If this makes people happy, then that’s fantastic.

By bringing the likes of Burger King to Vietnam, are you spreading American popular culture to the rest of the world or is this merely a part of the globalisation process started in the 1980s that continues to this day?

I think the term American culture is not correct. The world is becoming global and Vietnam is getting international brands, not just American. There’s the internet, people are more sophisticated, they know what they want, and it’s really important for us to be in this market.

As a company we’re following all the stories of growth here. We’re also watching the entrance of other international brands. Altogether it brings up standards, creates opportunities and as an overall business model, helps the country work more effectively. It’s part of the overall development of Vietnam.

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THE MANY FACES OF HANOI

The Free Man Words by Kaitlin Rees. Photo by Aaron Joel Santos

Y

ou are 21 years old. You are somewhere between completely self-conscious and falsely over confident, you say ridiculous things to be liked or to avoid injuring your pride. For most people, settling into an honest skin takes several years of searching and negotiating.

But for Quang Van, it would seem that in his 21 short years, he’s already found a skin that he’s quite comfortable in.

Van’s style is one that could be classified as ‘badass’, if one were to have that word in one’s vocabulary. He’s got tattoos on his arms and a bullring in his ear. His motorbike is the two-wheeled equivalent of a poised black panther and he rocks high top boots in summer. Yet if we were to stop here we’d do a great disservice to this young entrepreneur.

By day Van sells decorative wooden cats with fishing poles and painted clay flowerpots from his recently opened home decor shop. In the quiet alley of Ba Trieu, Van stands outside his store clustered alongside those of several of his friends, gently strumming a ukulele and trying not to scare away customers.

White Eagle is the tiny closet of a shop that Van opened about three months ago to sell just about anything that falls into the category of small and cute. “Something little you can buy to make your home yours, more the way you like it,” he explains.

What’s on the shelves ranges from pincushions and picture frames to soap dishes and old-fashioned alarm clocks. His customers are mostly women, which is not surprising to Van, given his self-described penchant for “girly things”.

“People have many parts to themselves,” he says. “Mine are just really different from each other: the girly part and the [badass] rider part. That’s what makes me strange. Or special.”

Generation V So how does a young man come to so comfortably possess such contrasts of

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identity? Perhaps chalk it up to the 9x generation. Van is of the group of young people who were born with more choice and entitlement in their bones than anyone else has known in Vietnam. He is of the generation who instinctively felt the blurring boundaries of difference before the rest even started to wrap their heads around Lady Gaga.

Yet developing multitudes is perhaps not unique to any generation, rather the product of ample wandering room and trusting parents. After high school, Van moved from his hometown in Nam Dinh to Hanoi to study architecture. This lasted just a few months before he took up a stint in graphic design school, which he dropped to pursue

“People have many parts to themselves,” he says.

“Mine are just really different from each other: the girly part and the [badass] rider part. That’s what makes me strange.

Or special” photography and freelance work before finally opening his shop. Through all of that, the 21-year-old describes his relationship with his parents as close. Even though he and his dad don’t talk that much, “I know he’s really proud of me because I do it myself, I do it alone… I’m the kind of person who needs a lot of freedom and space.”

And so with the trust of his parents and plenty of freedom and space, Van is doing something remarkable with his time: enjoying it.

“When I wake up in the morning, I feel good,” he says. “I have breakfast and then

enjoy a coffee with a cigarette. It’s easy for me to enjoy the moment and enjoy my life. I don’t plan too far into the future.”

High on Hope If it sounds like just one of them lazy kids up to a whole lot of nothing, well, it’s not.

Though he’s got a perspective balanced by the moment, Van is a man on the move in his work, with some smart dreams for what’s next.

“One thing I hope is to some day not just import products,” he says. “I think we have a lot of good craftsman here in Vietnam. We also have a lot of good designers, and a lot of people with good taste. But they are not really well connected. So I want to be that person who connects them.”

So to return to the cute and small things, as one always should, White Eagle appears to be laying the groundwork for what some day will become Van’s own brand of home décor. For him, decoration is where it’s at. But a little explanation is in order for how this young urban Vietnamese wild guy got fixated on decor that would be more consistent in the country western home of one’s country western grandmother.

“The stuff I sell now is not really that old, it just pretends to be,” he explains. “But when I look at what’s in my store, I feel a balance between digital stuff and things nearer to nature.”

It’s possible to look inside Van’s store and conclude that borrowed nostalgia for simpler times is just another fad, like third wave hippie culture only without the struggle. But there is also the conclusive purity in Van’s candor that has nothing to do with fads. And maybe the grandmother goods supply store in central Hanoi reflects a struggle of its own kind, of its own generation, one that is trying to notice what is increasingly unnoticed.

White Eagle (Duoi Trang) is located at 5B Ngo Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem and is open from 9am until 8pm.

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DAY TRIPPER

Cuc Phuong With untouched jungle, some of Vietnam’s rarest primates and stunning landscape, Cuc Phuong National Park is well worth the trip. Words and photos by Nick Ross

O

ne of the attractions of a day trip to Vietnam’s oldest national park is the drive. It’s 120km each way, so it’s quite a journey to do there and back within a day. But shun the Highway 1 route and instead take the Ho Chi Minh trail (Route 21) south from Hoa Lac at the end of the Thang Long Highway, and just the trip itself is worth the ride.

The experience starts south of Xuan Mai as you leave the area not-so-affectionately known as Hanoi Hai and cross into Hoa Binh Province. The recently surfaced road is devoid of traffic, making it one of the most pleasant to drive on in Vietnam. Add to that the constantly changing vistas of paddy and cornfields, all with a backdrop of heavily forested limestone karsts, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that you’re already driving through the national park.

Heading to the park entrance close to Nho Quan, it’s worth taking a side trip along Yen Quang Lake. Skirting the mountains that form the edge of Cuc Phuong, this body of water offers a stunning vista of the nature beyond — mountains, water, jungle. Here you can also see its collision with man. A number of cemetery areas line the far side of the lake. Cross one of the ramp-like lanes traversing the water and you will find the path up to Dong Pho Ma Giang, the King’s Son-in-Law Cave.

An Animal Haven The park is famed for its Endangered Primate Rescue Centre, located just by the main entrance. Housing langurs and gibbons it acts as a haven for these increasingly rare mammals native

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to Vietnam. Rescued mainly from private owners, the idea is to rehabilitate the animals into the wild. It works with some, with most it doesn’t. But with the numbers of individuals of each of these species dwindling, the centre plays an important role in their future.

Turtles have also come under the conservation mesh, and a second centre was recently opened to house 19 endangered species. As with the primate centre, part of its role is educational — awareness raising and the training of students, the public and rangers.

Venture past the entrance area — you can drive — and there are a number of other attractions. 7km on you come to the Cave of Prehistoric Man. A short 300m walk and climb takes you to a cavern filled with altars. Venture further in and you will discover a network of passages, with bats and other animals thriving in the dark. It’s not for the feint of heart, this place, but for anyone into potholing, this could be a nice little journey. Just remember to bring a torch.

Further into Cuc Phuong at the Park Centre in Bong you’ll find trekking paths — the shortest routes are about 7km — 1,000-yearold trees, climbs to peaks with to-die-for views, the Palace Cave and tracks leading to two Muong villages.

What makes Cuc Phuong stand out from other such areas of natural beauty is not only its variety — there are a range of attractions here — but the way it is set up. The oldest national park in Vietnam, all visitor needs are catered for. From the daredevil trekker through to the laughing, noise-making member of a Vietnamese tour group, the park seems to have something for everyone.

INFORMATION Getting There Buses leave from Giap Bat in Hanoi to Cuc Phuong or nearby Nho Quan five times a day. Alternatively, the drive takes approximately three hours by car or motorbike. Travel agencies such as Buffalo Tours, Handspan and Exotissimo organize trips to the park.

Where to Stay There is accommodation within the park. See the website below for information. There are also a number of nha nghi options in Cuc Phuong village. For something a bit more upscale, avoid Cuc Phuong Resort and instead head to Emeralda, 30km away in Van Long. Set up like a traditional Vietnamese village, the architecture, fauna and views make this a perfect place to rest tired feet after a day’s trekking in the park.

Travel Information For more information on the park go to www.cucphuongtourism.com or head to the park’s branch office in Hanoi at 24 Tan Ap, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3829 2604.

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COVER STORY

DIY

HANOI

In a city where much is desired, a DIY mentality exists.

Parks become makeshift gyms and locations for games of chess, the lakes become showers and fishing ponds, and the local community gets together to do things off their own back. From arts classes to running groups and theatre production companies, through to the regular afternoon assembly of naked swimmers in Middle Warp, Hanoi’s residents are making things happen.

There are those of an older generation who have not known the conveniences and readymade lifestyles that have come into fashion with the country’s improvements. Their sense of DIY is rooted in a history of lack and the necessity to paper over the cracks. The younger generation's DIY sense is of a different nature, a way to claim ownership of their city and culture — a way to represent what is new and didn’t exist before.

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FRANCIS ROUX

To follow is a testament to the do-it-yourself attitude that is so pervasive in this city. For, after all, if we don’t step up and do it ourselves, no-one’s going to do it for us, right?

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Taking

CONTROL

The war years created a resilient people who learnt to do everything for themselves.

Now, even in an era of peace, this self-reliance remains a feature of everyday life.

Words by Douglas Pyper. Photo by Aaron Joel Santos A LATE NIGHT COFFEE IS RELAXING, isn’t it? You sit on the pavement, watching the street slowly close down. Restaurants sweep their section of pavement; refuse collectors wheel away carts of rubbish and eventually, the cafes either side of yours will start to take in their seats.

Everything seems to be following a fixed plan that may have been repeating for decades when suddenly, two men step out of their house. Stripped to the waist, the young muscular man is wielding a chisel and a hammer; the elder man behind is offering gentle advice. They start tearing up the road. Having chiselled off the street’s top surface, they then use spades to remove a foot of dry dirt and rocks.

The dirt is piled up on the pavement and, under the elder man’s direction, masterfully turned into a miniature colander. Water is added to the mix and the formerly dry dirt becomes sticky and cement-like. They then refill the hole they’ve dug with this improved substance.

This isn’t an irregular occurrence. It’s quite normal for people to fix whatever public amenity they feel needs attention.

Experience has taught them that you can talk all you like, but if it needs to be done, it’s best to do it yourself. The men aren’t road builders by trade, yet they’ve learnt how to do small tasks like this by observing others doing the same thing. Of course, the result of this is that the outcome may not always be perfect.

In the khu tap the apartments on Le Phung Hieu, the residents have been suffering from this imperfection for twenty years. When the water system in their new apartments didn’t work, they had to get together and try to fix it themselves. The outcome is a system that routinely breaks.

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Says one local resident: “We’ve been talking about it forever, but nothing happens. The people in charge aren’t doing anything.

Each house has to sort it out privately.”

DO OR BE DONE BY

On Hang Ga in the Old Quarter, lives Mrs Ngan (name changed). A Hanoian by birth, despite her 80 years she remains active and has retained all her faculties. She even still finds the energy to go ballroom dancing twice a week. Ngan knows more about Hanoi than anyone.

Sitting on the bed in her cramped but charming and well-maintained, one-room apartment, she recalls a time in Hanoi when many people kept pigs.

“That was the era of family economics, of rationing,” she explains. “Everyone had to do it themselves to solve the issue of scarcity of food.”

The animals were usually kept on the top couple of floors of khu tap the apartment buildings, which were considered the cheapest and least desirable places to live — and is where many of the today’s most celebrated literary figures and writers ended up.

It’s doubtless that past and present poverty is a direct cause of Hanoi’s present day DIY charm, but when questioned, Mrs Ngan has a different answer. As is the Hanoian way, she replies with a well-known saying, “quan xa nha gan”, meaning figuratively, “authorities far, workers close”.

She explains. During the war years, everyone just had to deal with whatever was required because there was noone there to do it. It may have been the authorities’ responsibility, but with inefficiency as rife as money was scarce,

they couldn’t cope. People quickly learned that if you didn’t do it yourself, no-one else was going to do it for you.

SELF-RELIANCE

Yet even in fields where there is no longer scarcity, Hanoi’s population continues to prefer self-reliance. Mrs Oanh on the second floor of apartment block C7 in Kim Lien can buy anything she likes at the local market a few feet from her door, but instead she still prefers to grow her own. On her balcony, chilli, morning glory, lime, basil and passion fruit are all blooming; there’s even jasmine to add fragrance to her tea.

She could buy from the market but she likes to know that the produce she’s eating is safe. When asked if she trusts the goods at the local market, her answer is a succinct, “not very much”. The truth is that while the relevant authorities can’t be trusted to meet the demands of the people, neither can companies be trusted to fulfil their duty of care to the consumer.

Of course, there is another reason for Oanh to like doing things herself — it’s her hobby. Keeping one eye on her grandchild, who has run off into the playground, she recounts how growing vegetables is a way for her to relax and improves her standard of living by allowing her to live in a green, clean environment.

This is one way that habits born of necessity or desperation still maintain relevancy today. The need to self-sustain may have passed, but traces of it remain in the desire to self-express. The country’s past has instilled habits and a mentality of ingenuity, creativity, being active and taking part that are not only very much in practice today, but are a stand out feature of the city’s cultural psyche.

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Doing it in

PUBLIC

With the city’s population living cheek to jowl, public spaces in Hanoi take on a whole new meaning. Here are a few ways Hanoians take advantage of them. Words by Kaitlin Rees. Photos by Dominic Blewett WE CAN GET ANNOYED AT THE CONGESTED traffic or the necessary dodging of bodies while jogging around any lake, any time before 9am, but Hanoi’s crowdedness has its perks. The benefits of living in a packed city are in the palpable energy radiating from large groups of people who gather together. Say what you will about the difficulty with forming lines, Hanoians know how to use space. And it would seem that no matter how many shops open that sell products starting with the letter i, the collective we in Hanoi is as strong as ever, particularly in the use of public space. How public space in Hanoi is used quickly translates to community. And though community is often something that you can feel but not see, here it’s quite visible.

MAKESHIFT GYMS

From the creative reinterpretations of children’s playground equipment and a few well-placed traffic cones, to regular yoga and karate classes, all open space is fair game for a workout. There are too many of these spaces to provide an exhaustive list of where people gather together to exercise. But whether you are a native Hanoian or a first-week-in-the-city neophyte, you know what these spaces are. The public displays of fitness do something to the city. The tough looking teenagers in a black robe punching the air on the steps of the Russian Friendship Palace, the older men in white tank tops doing dips on monkey bars in Lenin Park, the diehard women at 6am around Hoan Kiem Lake patting each other down for massage yoga. These iconic groups have a powerful presence in the city precisely because they are not enclosed by four walls. They engage in their activity and by doing so, engage the public in watching them.

DANCE GROUPS

Though closely related to gyms, dance deserves a category of its own for the sheer variety of genre, age, and intention. The elegant set of ballroom dancers who meet every night at the park between Thuy Khue and Thanh Nien gets the class award. The smooth collection of backwards hat and Converse wearing hip hop crews under the Lenin Statue and on the Russian Friendship palace steps get the style award. The early morning hip-shaking salsa groups around the lakes get the accidentally erotic award.

And the recent Gangnam groups breaking out by the dozen get the ubiquitous award. The famous philosophical quandary posed by rock group The Killers could have one case study here: are we human, or are we dancers?

MUSIC APPRECIATION

Listening to and playing music may be a personal hobby for many, and perhaps should be for some, but there are quite a few healthy crowds who gather around this activity.

Under the Ly Thai To statue, a group of guitar players meet Sunday afternoons to jam. Anywhere where strolling happens, spontaneous singing of ditties often accompanies.

There are daily and nightly beloved techno concerts outside the electronics shops on Hai Ba Trung. There are one-man concerts on wheels past various street food stands. Hanoi is a place where if you play it, someone will listen. Or run away…

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FISHING

Inside West Lake, around sunrise and sunset, one may spot men sanding atop Styrofoam containers fashioned together, long sticks in hand. The men may alternatively be standing on rocks, or on small docks, or just wading in the water.

Everywhere in the world there are those who speak about the art of fishing: the perfect cast, the precise timing of a pull, the dance between man and fish and nature. In Hanoi, the art of fishing takes on a slightly more literal meaning given that the poles are straight cuts of bamboo, the lines self strung, the bait nothing that can be purchased. Even the place where one stands is built by hand.

PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIOS

If you have a camera and an attractive friend, it is very possible that you are a DIY photographer and your friend is a DIY model. Every day, all over the city, in parks, cafes, on steps of buildings, by railroad tracks, bridges, storefront windows and Nicolas Cage advertisements, photographers are born. Even if you don’t have an attractive friend, this city is photogenic enough and the impulse to capture it is a real one. And thanks to another very different kind of public space called YouTube, it’s quite possible to learn how to use high-tech camera equipment all on your very own.

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Doing it for

YOURSELF

Happiness, it seems, has got nothing to do with the buzz of spending hard-earned or not so hard-earned cash. So time to get off your backside and do something less boring instead. Words by Rose Arnold. Photo by Aaron Joel Santos

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HAD a good tinker? Baked bread? Or what about the last time you played a musical instrument, did some painting, or maybe fixed your own motorbike?

If you can’t remember, or your answer is ‘sometime back in 2011’, you’re missing out. Doing it for yourself — using your hands, creating or fixing something — might be good for you. It could even make you happier.

As a society we have come to value expertise, specialism and white-collar work over manual labour and making things.

We work for the money to buy the things we need and to pay other people to do the things that we don't want to do ourselves — to clean our houses, make our clothes, mend our cars, look-after our children. We work harder and for longer hours. We are richer, we have more than we have ever had before and yet we are not happier. Evidence shows that, in the west, we are 10 times as likely as our grandparents to suffer from depression.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

Behavioural neuroscientist Dr Kelly Lambert has carried out extensive research into how the brains of mammals, including humans, function. She claims to have identified a circuit which connects movement, feeling and cognition with feelings of well-being and of depression.

“Our brains are programmed to derive a deep sense of satisfaction and pleasure when our physical effort produces something tangible, visible and — this fact is extremely important — meaningful in gaining the resources necessary for survival,” she says.

According to her theory, action that is linked to ‘survival-based outcomes’ such as procuring food, clothing or shelter will be rewarded with the feel-good chemicals dopamine and serotonin.

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Of course, research also shows we are rewarded in this way for a whole range of human activities, some more risky — such as gambling and drug taking — but making a lamp or baking a cake could be a way to get your fix without the negative side effects.

And perhaps we are mistaken in what we value as a society, or what we think will make us happy. The Happy Planet Index 2012 results were surprising to many. It ranked Costa Rica, Vietnam and Columbia as being the top three happiest countries.

Much more affluent countries appeared far lower down the list: the UK was ranked at number 41, Australia at 76 while the US languished at number 105. There are many factors involved, but maybe we need to rethink what it is that we’re striving for.

Acquiring new things, be they job promotions or new possessions, doesn’t seem to make us happier for long. In a process described by psychologists as ‘hedonic adaption’, we rapidly get used to new circumstances, continuing to strive for the next rung.

By contrast, when we make something or fix something we gain more than the finished product. By tinkering, by playing, by ‘failing’, we learn and grow in our ability and ideas. Experimenting or playing is an essential part of human development, genetically hardwired into us. It is how we learn about the world and it helps us to develop solutions to things.

HANDS ON

Robert Root-Bernstein, a professor of physiology, and his partner Michele wrote Sparks of Genius, the 13 Thinking Tools of the World's Most Creative People. They found that a lifetime practice of hobbies is a habit shared between the greatest scientists and innovators. Furthermore they claim that emulating this habit is a way to increase

your own ‘genius’.

One factor that seems to be important in the appeal of DIY is the physical-ness of it, the fact that we are using our hands to do things. The Root-Bernstein research highlighted the importance of 'body thinking', and 'thinking with the hands' as being necessary stages in learning and creative breakthrough.

You might have noticed this yourself.

How ideas come when you’re doing something physical and totally unconnected.

It is certainly a phenomenon noted by many.

Author Michael Ondaatje coined the term ‘thinkering’ to describe this phenomenon, how tinkering with your hands often helps generate theories and ideas.

Neurologist Frank R Wilson, author of the Pulitzer Prize nominated book, The Hand: How its Use Shapes the Brain, Language and Human Culture, explains the importance of the hand in thinking and learning. He argued that the unique structure of the hand and its evolution in co-operation with the brain is why we developed into the smartest animals on the planet. Wilson describes the pivotal role of hand movements, in particular in the development of thinking and language capabilities and in “developing deep feeling of confidence and interest in the world-all-together”.

Making things, fixing things, using your hands and being a creator are all linked to what it means to be human. Creating can increase your ability and skills, not just in one specialist area, but as a person — spilling over into, and enriching, the rest of your life. Being able to make things and fix things can have the added bonus of leading to feelings of self-sufficiency and confidence in one’s self.

Buying a new outfit might not keep you happy whereas knitting a scarf or mending a skirt just might.

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FRANCIS ROUX

Building

PIMPING YOUR MOTORBIKE

For those of you obsessed by two-wheeled vehicles with petrol-powered engines, the opportunities for pimping up your beloved vehicles in a country fixated by motorbikes are endless. The more you work away at it — from stripping down the engine and giving the bike a re-spray through to gradually swapping up all those hard-tocome-by parts — the more of an obsession it becomes.

For those who don’t have the garage space or the technical know-how, one such workshop that is always doing some sort of restoration is VIP Bikes.

“We’ve pimped many Cubs, a Honda Chaly and some Honda Bentleys,” says man at the helm, Andrew Souto. “Normally we do the project in two stages. First we do a total overhaul of the mechanics, riding [the bike] until we can get all the little bugs right.

Then we strip it down to nothing, do a total re-spray and reassemble.”

Although presently working on an East German, out of production MZ, a workhorse similar to the Belarusian Minsk, VIP have got their own personal venture on the go.

“We’ve already done a couple of bikes for our in-house projects,” says Souto. “They’re for training purposes, but they’re fun, too.

Our next project will be an old Honda 67. Projects that we do in house give us a chance for the guys to express their bike “flair” and for them to build confidence. It also helps us strengthen our team work.”

VIP Bikes is at #64 Ngo 71 Tan Ap, Ba Dinh

COMMUNITY With few options for getting lent a helping hand, growing numbers of the city’s residents have got off their backsides and are doing it for themselves. From live music to outdoor exercise classes, to beer making and bicycle building. This is DIY Hanoi. Words by Rose Arnold and Nick Ross

HANDS ON HANOI

“What for me really draws me in is this magnificent mix of chemistry and artistry,” says Alex Smith of the beer making process. “There is no end to the ingredient combinations, the process combinations, there’s a lot of troubleshooting and tinkering.”

The kit that Alex uses is pretty basic and can be bought in regular shops, or made for you on Hang Thiec. The base ingredients, grains and yeast, come from Goldmalt, although for more varied beers Alex recommends asking visiting friends and family to bring over different hops. One of the most challenging things about brewing in Hanoi, at least during the summer, is keeping the beer cool enough.

One option is to use a French yeast that ferments at a higher temperature resulting in a beer which is fruity but not sweet, with a lingering flavour.

Beer in Hanoi might be so cheap that brewing your own might not make sense financially, but there are big pay offs in terms of taste. “Beer here is very one dimensional,” says Alex. “[Craft beer] leaves flavours for you to think about.”

For Jack Bullard, making things with his hands is a way of life. “Ever since I was a kid I made things out of timber,” he says. He is now part of a business that makes speakers used at events around Hanoi, but like many people who make things, Jack has a wide range of interests. He trained as a plumber, has studied double bass, plays in bands, gives yoga classes, is a keen cyclist and rides a beautiful 1940s reconditioned bike that he put together himself. Jack found the frame — part of an original Czechoslovakian velodrome racer — from a Vietnamese man in his seventies who has a house full of bicycle parts left over from the French occupation. The frame was rusted and needed to be sanded and repainted, as did the parts sourced from all over Hanoi. Convenience is not necessarily a key motivation for DIY. “You can buy something and have it delivered to your house within 15 minutes,” says Jack.

“My bike took three months.” But in terms of quality there’s no comparison, Jack’s bike is truly a work of art.

He next plans to make a bicycle out of bamboo.

“I have to be doing something, to have a project.

And it needs to be a hands-on thing.”

Contact jack_bullard@fastmail.fm FRANCIS ROUX

IMAGE PROVIDED BY NAME ART SPACE

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ART IS WHERE THE HEART IS

It can be difficult for unknown artists to secure funding or to get the support to exhibit their work. NAME Art Space was dreamt up to fill that gap and to work with young artists who otherwise would be going it alone.

Artists who have just graduated “don’t have links, big networks, they are quite isolated in their work,” explains Vuong Bich Ngoc who set up NAME. Ngoc, along with Susmita Paul and other volunteers and collaborators, is working on a wide range of projects. One is a bi-lingual multi-media poetry project, another is a photography project Roots about the importance of trees, another, Sketch, a collaboration and exhibition which is planned to lead onto workshops and classes.

One more, as yet unnamed photography project, will aim to raise awareness of breast cancer as well as to bring a smile to patients and their families. A key aim of the DIY group is to bring together Vietnamese and international artists and to create a ‘common community through diverse perspectives and new ideas’.

Check out www.nameartspace.com for more information

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FRANCIS ROUX

FRANCIS ROUX

PHOTO PROVIDED BY NOI HA NOI

BEE ACTIVE BOOTCAMP

SOMEONE WHO CAN DO 120 PUSH-UPS WILL BE EXERCISING NEXT TO SOMEONE WHO CAN ONLY DO FIVE, BUT THEY ARE STILL WORKING TOGETHER. YOU’RE WORKING WITHIN YOUR OWN PERSONAL LIMITS

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Some people come and go from this city and are quickly forgotten. Others leave a legacy. One such person is Australian Helen Kindness, the creator of the Hanoi bootcamp community. Her successor, Joakim “Kim” Esaiasson, says when people knew Helen was leaving town, “they were devastated.”

“They were freaking out,” he recalls. “‘What the hell are we going to do now?’ they were saying.”

Fortunately Kim was able to step into her shoes. A hardy Swede who has cycled round the world — twice if the stories are true — it took a bit of time for him to fit into the role, “but everyone was really supportive and it ended up being business as usual.”

But what exactly is bootcamp? In its basic form it's “high-intensity” outdoor circuit training and cross training, but with

only minimal apparatus and “all done within a strong, communal framework.”

Each section of the circuit is set up on a makeshift public space, in this case the badminton court opposite Quang Ba temple in To Ngoc Van. From short fivemetre runs through to above-the-head tyre lifting, squats, thrusts, push ups and more, the exercisers alternate with quick transitions between the activities.

Its true attraction, though, is that to take part you don’t have to be fit.

“Your fitness level has nothing do with [getting involved],” says Kim. “So, someone who can do 120 push-ups will be exercising next to someone who can only do five, but they are still working together.

You’re working within your own personal limits and within the bounds of what and who you are.”

Then there is the lifestyle, the community ethos of getting in shape with friends.

“If you don’t come to class,” says Kim, “you feel bad about it because you know that your friends are doing it, struggling through the training. And you know you should be there, doing it too, and supporting them through all the hard work.”

Now with almost 70 people attending daily sessions — from early morning through to early evening — it’s a legacy that Helen Kindness would be proud of. Kim, too, takes pride in how the community has developed.

“As a trainer I love to see people’s progress,” he says, “especially when you start off with someone who can’t even do a push up and then months later you can see them doing 25 push ups. You can really see the improvement… When people inspire other people to start out, then I know I have done something right.”

To get involved email beeactivetoday@gmail. com

SAY IT OUT LOUD

Word features editor Kaitlin Rees was keen to be part of a poetry community that brought together both Vietnamese and English language poets and poetry.

Not finding one ready-made she decided to create it herself and set up Noi Ha Noi, regular spoken word events held around the city. These have combined open mic sets, readings from more established artists as well as crowd generated poetry.

“The idea,” says Kaitlin “is to bring quality writing to the public through the performances while also working to develop the writing community through open mics.”

The sixth Noi Ha Noi, at Tadioto in November will feature the translated works of two Vietnamese poets, Nha Thuyen and Thuy Hang, paired with two American poets Jacob Evans and Claire Barnard. It marks the continuation of a collaboration between writers and poets

from both Vietnam and overseas. It also shows that despite language barriers, the barometer created by powerful performance can make poetry and writing accessible to all "For more information go to www.noihanoi. com

THE WRITTEN WORD

Writing might be the ultimate in DIY — all you need is something to write with, and on — but that doesn't mean you have to do it alone.

The Hanoi Writer's Collective meets every fortnight at various bars around the city to do writing exercises, critique each other’s work and generally offer support in what can be the solitary world of writing.

Anyone interested in joining is very welcome to go along to a meeting.

Contact andyengelson@gmail.com for more information

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LACQUER AND ART

MAKING MUSIC

Lacquer painting classes are a bit like Christmas craft sessions as a kid, complete with silver and sparkle. Tran Anh Tuan, an artist and professor of the Hanoi University of Industrial Fine Art, gives classes in the traditional Asian art of lacquer at his school on Dang Thai Mai. Tuan has been painting using lacquer for nearly 20 years and giving classes for the last 13.

Classes are VND300,000 for a three-hour session and include all the materials needed.

Contact info@lacquer-art.com

Much of the music in Hanoi today is thanks to DIY— people starting events because they didn't exist, filling a gap, making their own music.

When CAMA co-founder Giles Cooper arrived in Hanoi in 1999, weekends were very different to how they are now. There was almost no modern live music at venues and very few international artists played here. The ones that did were organised via the cultural embassies and tended to put on fairly staid seated affairs. The homegrown music scene wasn’t up to much either.

Giles first decided to do it himself by helping to set up Puku mark one.

“I wanted an expresso, I wanted to listen to music I liked,” he says. “So, instead of complaining, I just did something about it.”

CAMA itself was born out of Minsk Club parties, organised with Dan Dockery, and with Giles wanting to do something more urban, and closer to home. The first party was a disaster; the night came to an early close when the hotel switched off the water and power at half nine.

Over the years CAMA has grown through experimentation. They’ve put things on in diverse venues, but often paid a heavy price — either because of problems with the authorities or with the venues themselves.

Despite this they now regularly bring international acts to the city, not to mention putting on the CAMA Music Festival each year. Giles explains the initial motivation as being “pretty selfish”. What he wanted didn’t exist, so he did something about it.

Now, he says, “the satisfaction is being able to do it, to pull off a big festival. I hope that we’ve shown people that it is possible.”

Go to www.camavietnam.org for more information

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FRANCIS ROUX

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CAMA / DOMINIC BLEWETT

Steve Stander is another person who has put huge amounts of energy into the city’s music scene, running Synergy, which manages bands and puts on regular events.

Starting off as a bedroom DJ he progressed to playing with expat band The Props, but to very small audiences. Now Synergy’s artists, DJs, live bands and regular events form a major part of what is happening in Hanoi. They have even been involved in trying to help put together new bands.

“There is so much talent,” says Steve, “but people don’t always have the confidence. They need to be nurtured.”

Synergy has grown so much that they are nearly ready for a new direction, and Steve is still thinking about new ways to create new things in the city.

“Hanoi is on the cusp of either going more commercial or else becoming really interesting,” he says. “Next I want to try and spark an underground scene, create something like the squat parties back home.

How it is [in Hanoi] is the perfect condition for an amazing underground scene.”

Do get squatting, go to www.smpasia.org

Nina O'Brien is an illustrator and designer whose clothes for her label, Kindling, are ethically made in Vietnam. Nina will be running creative workshop sessions and life drawing classes at Hanoi Social Club. These will be a mix of drop-in classes and longer running projects where participants will have the chance to build up a piece of work over a few weeks. She also hopes to offer monthly screen-printing workshops if there is sufficient uptake from Hanoi residents.

For more info email nina@kindling.com.au

FRANCIS ROUX

NICK ROSS

THE HANOI BICYCLE COLLECTIVE For a country so desperate to yank itself out of poverty, it seems odd that the very mode of transport, the symbol associated with agriculture, scarcity and destitution should now be a la mode. Yet, it makes sense. In a city with so many public spaces, especially in the West Lake area, getting on a bicycle is the perfect way to relax, take in the views, and get some exercise to boot. Swapping a motorbike for its engineless or electric-powered cousin also plays a part, no matter how minor, in decreasing air pollution — important in a city with such bad air quality.

One proponent of the humble bicycle is Spanish cycling enthusiast Guim Valls Teruel who forms one half of Hanoi Bicycle Collective. His wife forms the other half. A cafe, shop and “a space for bicycle lovers”, Guim’s aim has been to create a fulchrum, a focal point “where you can hire, rent and fix your own bike”. On top of that he

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organises 5.30am daily social rides around West Lake (6am on Saturdays), activities related to cycling like cycling yoga and, most importantly for Guim, an event called Positive Mass.

“It’s on a Friday night, 8pm at the cathedral. It’s the time of the mass and it attracts a large number of people,” says Guim. “But it’s also really tough. To put 100 people on bicycles in the middle of traffic is not easy. Everyone looks around and says what the hell are you doing?

But that’s the goal. It’s really important to arrange cycling events in Hanoi so people can see us doing it.”

He adds: “The great thing about cycling here is that it’s totally safe. Everyone here has been on a bicycle. So, everyone sees you. They may pass close by, but they know where you are. They are used to bicycles.”

To get involved, go to www.thbc.vn or pop into the café at 44 Ngo 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho

THE RED RIVER RUNNERS

TO PUT 100 PEOPLE ON BICYCLES IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC IS NOT EASY. EVERYONE LOOKS AROUND AND SAYS WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? BUT THAT’S THE GOAL. IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ARRANGE CYCLING EVENTS IN HANOI

Catching up with the Red River Runners on the Song Hong beach at the end of Ngo 200 Au Co, and you get a sense of the community spirit of this casual group of running enthusiasts. As co-organiser Mel Hamada explains, “It is so good to be able to run with others and share ideas, routes, and to engage with others who are really focused on being runners, or to chat about the week over a 5km jog.”

She adds: “The running community also brings out those who have never run, and it fosters a new life for them within a very easy-going group.”

Started back in 2004 as an informal cross country run along the banks of the river by a British Embassy man who became known as ‘Fast’ Phil, by 2005 a 5km time trail had been developed between the gates of the Sedona Suites and Ciputra, with the group ending up with a beer at Jafa. It was to be the route that all these

years later continues to be the main course followed by the group.

“The following year the first Red River Runners event took place,” recalls one of the group’s early members, Richard Leech. “A 10km race from UNIS to Thang Long Bridge and back, [it was] run mainly by expats including ambassadors and teachers from UNIS. The group has always consisted of a mixed bunch of running enthusiasts and those looking to share a weekly jog off the beaten track with likeminded individuals.”

Almost a decade later and the group maintains its original spirit. There’s no formal membership, making RRR accessible to anyone, and the group meets twice a week in the Tay Ho area — for their traditional Saturday afternoon run and for Wednesday night speed training sessions. But for this assembly of likeminded individuals, the event of the year,

the run that really releases the endorphins and gets the adrenalin going, is the December half marathon. “[It] continues to grow in popularity,” says co-organiser Jody O’Dea. “Last year we had entrants flying in from across the region as well as plenty of Hanoians and expats. It's such a fun event, partly because there is something for everyone — we also offer a 10km race, a 5km race and even a kids fun run.”

As Mel explains, running is not only “incredibly therapeutic”, but it’s also about mental toughness. “When you have pushed out a 25K and it is hot and you still have another 1K or even 10K to go, you have to dig deep. That brings about such a satisfaction knowing you have that mindover-matter mentality.”

This year’s half marathon takes place on Sunday Dec. 9. For more information go to http://redriverrunners.com

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prefer it. We have an English website and Vietnamese site.

Why do you think the online food delivery service has been such a massive hit in Saigon?

Raphael: When we came here five months ago there were already a few players. We found that since we set up, the business has grown fast and a number of new competitors have joined up. We found on the operation side it was quite easy to set up this kind of business in Vietnam, as everyone has a motorbike and most restaurants do deliveries. The western market is big at the moment but the end goal is the Vietnamese market, they love treats.

Clockwise from left: Derek, Raphael, Jochem & Anders

BUSINESS

Sit Down and Deliver With the online food delivery business booming in Hanoi, we decided it was time to get the lowdown from the big players. Derek Milroy chairs a debate with sparks flying as Hungry Panda managing director Raphael Cohen of France, Eat. vn founder Anders Palm (Sweden) and Dutchman Jochem Lisser of VietnamMM fight it out for the right to be called number one. Photo by Francis Is this the first time you’ve all met before?

How does it feel to meet your competitors face-to-face?

Raphael: I don’t have any problem meeting these guys.

Anders: With business you cannot focus on competing and have to concentrate on your customers.

Jochem: I met Anders for first time last year.

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I am not okay with all the competitors but the ones at the table are okay, yes.

Explain the basics of your business.

Anders: We run eat.vn which focuses on the expat market and chonmon.vn which caters for local people and is in Vietnamese. So we can separate the segments a bit and it gives our customers an option. Customers go to the website and write in their location and a list of

restaurants comes up and they choose their meal and which restaurant to use.

They click their meal on the cart and finish their shopping.

Anders: It was something that was really missing here, the convenience and we both saw it, Jochem and I, at pretty much the same time. We set up our first restaurant in 2010 but it took us some time to set up this website. In the meantime, Jochem set one up and we were shocked but it turned out quite well as both of us have created the market. It makes it easier that there were two of us doing it instead of just one.

Jochem: In Vietnam, locals and expats like convenience and online ordering make their lives easier and there is a lot of choice also. I think there are around eight websites now.

Are you responsible for deliveries arriving on time and quality of food?

Anders: Some restaurants deliver themselves but we also have a team of drivers. If we have drivers we can control delivery times. We are the only one of the three big players who offers our own drivers.

Jochem: The restaurant does the deliveries and food but we work hard with them to make sure it is delivered on time. Every restaurant is welcome on our site but they have to live up to certain standards.

Does this service put customers at ease, with orders placed online instead of on the phone?

Jochem: Our operation is basically the same, choose your restaurant and meal and the restaurant delivers to the customer.

Raphael: In Vietnam prices go up all the time at restaurants, so menus are out of date very quickly but online they are updated and you will always have the correct price.

We also accept some calls over the phone.

Raphael: We do offer the same service as these two guys but we also give the option of phone orders because some people

Anders: Yes that is very important over here with the address system which can be interpreted differently. Having orders

written down is more trustworthy.

Jochem: The online service means your house isn’t cluttered up with 300 menus and it is very convenient. You can find anything you want online. Especially for expats who can’t pronounce their own street names.

What makes your website better that the other guys’?

Raphael: We have the most restaurants in Vietnam. We have 320 in Hanoi and HCMC and our company is in eight different countries, and we have regional expertise.

Anders: We are the only one that offers a loyalty system. Customers earn loyalty points and discounts and earn free meals.

Jochem: Our website is very convenient and process is clear. We make it easy for people to order food.

Is there enough space in this city for three online food delivery sites?

Raphael: Three is okay but for more and more we are not sure. A lot of small players are joining the market but I don’t know how long they will last. The firms with the most loyal customers and best service will survive.

Anders: We are in here for the long-term. We are part of the largest e-commerce company in Vietnam with 1,500 staff.

Jochem: There is enough space for a few players long-term. Small competitors should not waste their time and money. There is no room for them.

Who has the bigger database of restaurants? What are your numbers?

Raphael: 320.

Anders: 300-odd.

Jochem: Between 250 and 350.

Are you keeping an eye on your competitors to see what they're doing? And how are they doing?

Raphael: It is not our main focus but of course we know what they are doing. They are doing okay but we are growing faster than them and have the most restaurants.

Anders: I don’t focus much on competitors.

We focus on customer service. We have one of the best customer service teams in Vietnam. Ask them how they are doing. I disagree that Raphael’s firm is the biggest

and fastest growing.

Jochem: We are the biggest in Vietnam; you should look at yourself not the competition.

Are you planning to expand out of Saigon?

Anders: We are in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City but VC Corporation, our mother company, has offices all over Vietnam. If we want we can expand around Vietnam.

Jochem: We are in Danang and Hanoi also, as for expanding we will wait and see.

Eat.vn has their own bikes where they actually deliver directly to the customers. The others don’t. Explain which option you feel is better and more efficient for the customers and overall service.

Raphael: It is better not to get involved in the delivery side. It’s a costly expense and trouble.

Anders: We have a mix. As long as the delivery is done well we don’t care. We like to be in control, but most of our restaurant partners are also good. I think a mix is best. We give customers more of a choice with the drivers.

Jochem: I don’t want to bash the competition but we think the restaurants can take care of that side. If restaurants don’t offer a delivery service we will not do business. An internet company is an internet company, we can also make sandwiches.

When it comes to customer complaints when ordering through your sites, do you accept responsibility or pass the buck to the restaurants?

Raphael: Most of the time it is from the restaurant if any mistakes happen. If the restaurant is not reliable we take it off the website. We would offer customers a refund.

Anders: It depends what happens, but if it is a clear mistake by the restaurant, we make sure the restaurant delivers the correct dish.

Jochem: Our part is to transfer to the restaurant and if there is a mistake after that, we both take responsibility, but it rarely happens. The restaurant is sometimes late but whatever happens they offer compensation but it is up to them what they do.

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SOCIETY

ANSWERING THE CRITICS On the back of publishing her controversial travelogue, Xach Ba Lo Len Va Di (Pack Your Bags and Go), Douglas Pyper meets Huyen Chip.

Depending on who you ask, the young author is either irresponsible, selfish, a fraud or a shining example to Vietnam’s youth.

Photo by Aaron Joel Santos

A

t just 22 years old, Chip has achieved more than many people twice her age. She’s released a book, started an NGO, taken part in numerous overseas conferences, been awarded internships in foreign countries and started an online travel wiki. But what everybody wants to talk about is her travels. Starting when she was 20, she journeyed alone for two years through 20 of the world’s most interesting developing countries, with a starting budget of just US$700.

When she returned home earlier this year, she was met with both adoration and criticism. According to conservatives, Chip epitomises selfishness. How she could spend two years travelling and enjoying herself, rather than looking after her parents and studying, is beyond some in her homeland.

Yet for Chip, travel has changed her outlook. And when she quips, “When you see more, you understand more, you judge less,” she could equally be delivering a riposte to those taking the pot-shots.

It’s not news that Vietnamese people have rarely had the opportunity to travel other than for work.

International isolation and poverty saw to that for many years. Today, however, some of the strongest barriers seem to be tradition and expectation. Those who criticise Chip are, by extension, saying that Vietnamese women shouldn’t travel, for to do so they must unacceptably neglect their obligations at home: to their parents, their country and to their studies.

From Both Sides Criticism is nothing new for Chip. While still a student at the National High School for Gifted Students, she was threatened with expulsion for organising Free Hugs Vietnam, the largest youth movement of the year.

Apparently, she should have been concentrating on her studies rather than hugging strangers on the street. It was perhaps innevitable then that Chip chose a different path from her peers and neglected to go to university.

“For me, university is just an option together with many other options,” she says. “At that time, university wasn’t the best option. I felt like I could learn more by doing other things.”

If Chip’s behaviour was attracting ire at home, it was proving impressive abroad. Having been active in a various youth movements and having attended a number of conferences both at home and overseas, she had left an impression on many foreign speakers with her outspoken questions. The same outspoken attitude that was landing her in hot water in Vietnam, was the

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reason why she was offered a job in Malaysia which eventually led to her two years on the road.

Throughout her travels, Chip mostly visited developing countries. She passed through Myanmar, India, Nepal, Palestine, Kenya and a smattering of other African states. It was while in Africa that she had some of her most poignant experiences. She describes beginning a debate with a group of polygamists.

Initially appalled at the idea of a society in which men take more than one wife, Chip’s judgemental attitude soon changed when the men expressed disgust at a society rife with abortion. Another tribe have a ritual of wife beating. The men beat the women with sticks till their backs scar.

“The women actually like it,” Chip explains. “They are proud of it. It means the woman has sacrificed for the man. In times of difficulty, the woman can come to the man and say ‘hey, you owe me this’. The more scars a woman has, the higher her status. Maybe from our point of view it’s bad, it’s awful, it’s beating women.

But from their point of view, it’s something to be proud of. Do you want to change it?”

Changing the World One thing Chip does want to change is the worldwide visa system. “I feel travelling is a very important educational tool,” she says. “It [helps] to understand the world, yourself and others.”

For these reasons she is deeply against what she sees as the inequality in the allocation of visas. To her, the fact that entry to a country is decided by something as arbitrary as the country you were born in, is essentially unfair.

“Every problem should have a solution,” she believes, so she is now in the process of setting up her own NGO, Travel is an Equal Opportunity Foundation (TEOF). She herself describes the plan as “crazy”, but is not afraid to get the ball rolling. “It’s a cause,” she says. “It’s what I believe in and I want to fight for it. If I don’t do it, somebody else will have to.

Why wait for somebody?”

The project displays an amazing part of Chip’s personality; an almost complete lack of self-doubt. She is unfazed by barriers of international relations and entirely unafraid to fail.

“I seldom doubt myself,” she adds. “It’s not that I’m over confident, it’s just my philosophy is that there are no right or wrong decisions. I try my best, and if it works, it’s cool. If it fails, then I have some lessons to learn.”

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DESTINATION

MANY SHADES OF HUE While Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City look towards the future, the central city of Hue still finds itself frozen in its imperial past. Words by Kim Megson. Photos by Aaron Joel Santos

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A

warm and breezy morning on the banks of the Perfume River —groups of friends sit at the many plastic tables dotted along the tree-lined street, chatting quietly together and drinking tall, icy glasses of coffee. Lottery ticket sellers wander through, gently encouraging them to try their luck. On the water a dragon boat rolls past, and swan boats bob together on the horizon.

In the distance the Vietnamese flag rolls in the wind, marking the entrance to the city’s ancient citadel. Welcome to Hue, a city that at times is almost too idyllic to be true.

Not even the horns of the motorbikes, the shouts of the market sellers, or the regular boozy cries of “mot, hai, ba dzo!” can interrupt the peaceful nature of this city, a place that many visitors and residents of Vietnam are yet to truly discover. The city has a beauty that it retains even among the traffic jams and often messy streets. It looks resplendent in the sun, and poetic in the rain. The famous Trang Tien Bridge (supposedly designed by a certain Gustave Eiffel) crosses the river, illuminated at night by changing fluorescent lights. It should look lurid, but here the result is somehow magical.

Hue is in many ways a microcosm of all that is special about today’s Vietnam. It has a rich history and culture, welcoming people, amazing food and stunning landscapes. As the former imperial capital and home of the Nguyen Dynasty, there is the feeling of national pride and a deep-rooted sense of the past — Hue is both geographically and metaphorically the heart of the country. Shops and cafes are surrounded by the crumbing citadel walls that have guarded the city through its tumultuous and often violent history.

High on Caffeine An altogether different kind of place to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, or even nearby Danang, here, tradition and history take precedence over business and modernisation, and life moves at a different pace to the rest of this fast-developing country. Hue is happy to take things slowly. Very slowly. There is little investment outside of the hospitality sector, and new construction is heavily restricted.

In many ways this city exists in a bubble.

Taking time to relax is highly valued, and regular coffee breaks are almost compulsory,

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with many local people loving nothing more than going for a ca phe sua to start the day. And then again for lunch. And then after work. The city runs on caffeine, perhaps accounting for the illusion that time moves unusually slowly. One local proverb translates as, ‘Discover Hue, the land of happiness where heaven and earth meet, time slows down, and life is longer.’

Such is the value of Hue’s history; it has yet to embrace the future and many would like it to remain the same forever.

This is great for some, but difficult for the young generation who have a complex relationship with their home. Torn between the comforts of the peaceful lifestyle but frustrated by the lack of development, they are increasingly tempted by the bright lights of Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.

By far Hue’s biggest economy is tourism, but currently this sector remains a little underdeveloped despite its money-making

"Such is the value of Hue’s history; it has yet to embrace the future and many would like it to remain the same forever" potential. Roads remain defiantly too narrow for the growing number of cars and the airport is a 45-minute country drive from the centre. As a result it is something of an unknown quantity to many visitors, who rarely linger in the city for long. Hue has also been underestimated by travel writers who haven’t fully done their homework, and looked down on by many people in other cities for being boring. This is a shame, as travellers will find plenty to see and do if they look under the surface and enjoy the unique way of life.

There are many sights to see in Hue, which continues to inspire poets, artists and romantics with its particular charms.

This is a fascinating place for those with an interest in Vietnam, as the tombs and temples and palaces and pagodas show what life was like before our lifetimes.

Visitors can learn, too, about more recent

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EATING AND DRINKING LIEN HOA 3 Le Quy Don A recent listing in the Lonely Planet means that this well regarded vegetarian restaurant, located next door to a pagoda, has become increasingly popular. Luckily it has retained its authentic Hue atmosphere, and, more importantly, its delicious and inexpensive meals. An essential visit.

BUN BO HUE Along Nguyen Du It’s only open for two hours every day (4pm to 6pm) but that should be more than enough time to grab a delicious dish of this Hue speciality and favourite of the emperors — a spicy beef noodle dish with lemongrass.

COM CHI TEO 59 Hai Ba Trung This is a great place if you are searching for a genuine Hue lunch. Join the crowds who flock here for the best pork in the city.

LA BOULANGERIE FRANCAISE 46 Nguyen Tri Phuong This bustling bakery is located in the centre of the city and

provides delicious pastries, cakes and ice cream! The bakers are all disadvantaged young adults who are being trained to find work in the industry.

GREATIO CORNER 97 Truong Chinh This trendy new hangout is the only place in Hue where you can get milkshakes and ice blended drinks. Teenagers flock to gossip around the indoor cherry blossom tree. There is even a resident puppy. What more could you want?

CAFE MUOI 10 Nguyen Luong Bang This coffee shop is famous for serving the drink of its name — salty coffee. Inspired by a charming old story about a boy who puts salt instead of sugar in his coffee by mistake on a nervous date, visitors can try the resulting combination. Some love it, others hate it, all should try it.

THE TEA HOUSE 100 Kim Long A delightfully traditional tea house. Enjoy a lotus seed snack and sip one of the teas from the extraordinary menu. The tra cam (orange tea) is highly recommended.

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ACCOMMODATION Hue has the full range of accommodation options these days starting at the top with the art deco La Residence (www. la-residence-hue.com) and the newly opened Banyan Tree, an all pool-villa resort just south in Lang Co (www.banyantree.com). On the budget end you will find the eternally popular Hue Backpacker’s Hostel (www. vietnambackpackerhostels.com) and a range of cheap guesthouses in and around the Pham Ngu Lao area. The boutique section is also well taken care of, although check out Villa Hue (www.villahue.com) with its quite stunning facade. Doubling up as a food and beverage training centre for students from Hue Tourism College, a stay here also means providing the opportunity for this country’s youth to get some wellneeded, on-the-job experience.

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history. The country’s most eminent singer and songwriter Trinh Cong Son was born in Hue and a young Ho Chi Minh went to school here. The American War has also left its mark with bullet holes from the 1968 Tet Offensive still embedded in some of the city walls.

Imperial Taste And then there is the cuisine, justifiably renowned for being the best in Vietnam.

The tapas-style portions are often small, spicy and absolutely delicious — a long term result of the fussy Nguyen emperors.

Street food specialities leave foodies longingly aching to return and good vegetarian food is abundant due to the large Buddhist population. International taste buds are catered for with Indian, Korean, Mexican, French, Italian and Japanese restaurants to choose from.

And once you’re finished in the city, there is still plenty to explore as Hue is the gateway to many of central Vietnam’s most beautiful sites. It is just a few hours away from the beaches of Hoi An, the

glorious Danang Bay and the incredible coastal views of the Hai Van Pass. Even closer are the relaxing hot springs of My An, the natural wonder of Bach Ma National Park, and the crystal clear waters of the Elephant Springs. Venture inland and you will come to ethnic minority villages in the A Luoi area and famous battle sites like Hamburger Hill.

Head north and you hit the DMZ and the devastation of the next province up, Quang Tri. There is even a mine museum there now.

All this means that now is the time to visit Hue and discover all it has to offer.

However reluctantly, it is beginning to adapt to make life easier for tourists.

There are more hotels and restaurants than ever before and visitors can enjoy a night out in the backpacker land of Pham Ngu Lao (yes, same name as in Saigon) where the number of modern bars and clubs is growing. It is now common to see cars on the roads of Hue, unthinkable even just a couple of years ago, and the number of foreigners coming is increasing, despite

the international airport not hosting an international flight in years.

There are also indicators that things are changing with social attitudes, which are traditionally conservative. Hue is becoming more inclusive and accepting, with new possibilities opening in the fields of art, music and fashion. Hue’s hip hop scene is unpredictably flourishing, with public battles and performances growing in popularity. Groups of young dancers have started organising and coordinating mass flashmobs at weekends. Graffiti artists are being employed to decorate coffee shops and bars as they become trendier. Fashion trends are finally catching up.

All of this makes Hue something of an open book as it looks ahead to the near future. The contrasts between old and new are widening, with some fighting for progress and others fighting to make sure the bubble doesn’t burst just yet. The only certainty is that in a country like no other, Hue will remain a city like no other. It has rightfully taken its place at the idyllic heart of Vietnam.

WHERE TO GO THE CITADEL It goes without saying that when in Hue a visit to the citadel is necessary. Explore the north side of the city and enter the forbidden palace for a look back into the past. The citadel is particularly atmospheric in the evenings or early morning. Give yourself plenty of time to explore, take a good book and relax amongst the imperial ruins.

TU DUC TOMB If you have to choose just one tomb to visit in Hue, then Tu Duc is your best option. It boasts serene lakes and forests, ancient statues and well maintained traditional buildings where the longestserving emperor spent his days in luxury.

THIEN MU PAGODA AND THE TEMPLE OF LITERATURE Enjoy a boat journey from Tu Duc tomb to Thien

Mu, the iconic symbol of Hue. After that a visit to the nearby Temple of Literature is recommended, with its simple grace a perfect tonic after the crowded pagoda.

THANH TOAN BRIDGE Cycle past gloriously green rice fields and through the sleepy countryside until you reach the Japanese footbridge in Thanh Toan village on the outskirts of Hue. The ride there only takes 30 minutes or so and provides a perfect illustration of rural life and a picturesque diversion.

THE TEMPLE OF HUYEN TRAN Travel 7km out of Hue, through lush pine forests to the foot of the Ngu Phong Mountain. Visit the temple of Princess Huyen Tran before climbing to the summit and ringing the 1.6 ton copper bell of peace. Don’t forget to make a wish!

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TRENDSPOTTER

MOBBED

In the search for new ways to express themselves, Hanoi’s younger generation have latched onto flashmobs. It’s a craze that is reaping unforeseen rewards. Words by Hoa Le. Photos by Aaron Joel Santos

T

o the bumping beats of the remix version of a song by Trinh Cong Son, Cao Tuan Hung is modelling some moves in front of twenty youthful dancers. He slows down the steps and explains: “Lift your knees and twist them to the side, clap your hands.” He pauses, watches the dancers follow his instructions and then continues. “Thrust your pelvis, shimmy to the right, and strike a pose.”

It’s a Sunday afternoon in the IndiraGandhi Park and they’ve already been practicing for an hour. Despite running a sweat, Hung’s voice remains clear, and his swift movements are precise and fluid.

Hung has choreographed the song Noi

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Vong Tay Lon (Great Circle of Vietnam) for his group and is now instructing the newcomers. “It’s simple and uses a lot of hand movements so that our members can follow the dance easily,” he says. “But in the end, it’s still a dance, so there are some hip hop or twirling moves that I’ve put into it.”

The 22-year-old law school student is the lead dancer of Flash Mob Hanoi, a Facebook community group that has rapidly grown in the last two years. Now they have approximately 800 members.

Riders on the Storm Despite its existence in the west for almost a decade, the concept of flashmobs

only hit Vietnam in 2010 when a group of high school students in Hanoi gathered and danced on their graduation day. Since then it has rapidly become one of the most popular pastimes among teenagers and young adults. Although the concept of a flashmob is supposed to be a spontaneous group activity done in public, in Vietnam it’s become like dancing practice. Type into Google the words ‘flashmob’ and ‘Viet’ and you’ll get 992,000 hits. Such is its popularity that just the words alone have as many hits as the names of this country’s top celebrities.

“If you want to organise an event that attracts young people, it has to have either celebrities or flashmobs on the roster,” says

19-year-old Pham Tu Tai, a flashmob leader, also presently studying at the Foreign Trade University.

Hanoi Flash Mob was among the first clubs to be established in Hanoi, and is often said to be the most influential. It has the largest number of members online and has helped spread ‘mob’ fever across the capital. Its first members were a handful of youngsters who shared the same dancing passion and met via a Facebook group.

“We’re not professional dancers, but one day we saw a group doing a flashmob dance on YouTube,” says Nguyen Duy Thai, one of the group’s original members. “It was an advertisement for a mobile phone product, but the dance was so great that we started tracking it down. That was how our group was born, but we have built our own philosophy. We don’t dance for advertisements. We wanted to be spontaneous as per its original meaning.”

So far, of the twenty tracks that the club has choreographed and danced to, only a few are for pure entertainment and to attract more members. The rest come with a message — to promote a charity, to protect the environment, raise traffic law awareness or even for blood donor campaigns.

A more recently established group is Flashmob MMU. In another park on the east side of the city, 30 members of the group are demonstrating synchronised dance steps with the comical horse riding moves made famous in Korean singer PSY’s video of Gangnam Style.

Comprised of students from the military

medical school, all future doctors, each member of the troupe has different strengths including popping, locking, or intricate stunts. They gather to share their moves with friends and to release stress from studying or doing the long late shift at the hospital.

“More and more people want to join our group, both girls and boys, and we welcome everyone,” says Gia Anh, one of the group leaders. “Our dances are fun and follow the most recent trend. So we get a lot of interest and are able to attract more members.”

Mob Version Viet In a country where public performance and group gatherings cannot be done freely, flashmobs have found their own way to survive.

“The idea of flashmobs is to surprise people. But many people are not used to this idea,” says Nguyen Duy Thai. He recounts one story where Hanoi Flash Mob tried to dance by Hoan Kiem Lake. Security guards around the lake mistook their cassette player for a bomb. The attempt failed.

He adds: “There have been numerous cases when we have been dancing spontaneously and the MC has suddenly turned off the music because he thought we were not on schedule. At other times the MC has mistakenly introduced our dance as if it was a standard, group performance that happens all the time.” He laughs. “Many people still think flashmobs are just another type of dance.”

Tieu My, a female leader of Flashmob MMU shares the same views as Thai. When a flashmob is carried out impromptu, it’s a “fantastic moment”. Last month, her group surprised patients at the Burns Ward with a chicken dance. “The little kids were so excited to see us dance out of the blue that many of them started mimicking our chicken moves,” she smiles. “It was like they had forgotten all about their pain.”

But some dancers are not following the original rules of flashmobs as strictly as Thai or Tieu My. In Pham Tu Tai’s opinion, flashmobs are fun and can help Vietnamese youngsters break the fear and anxiety of performing in public.

“For many people, it is their first time dancing in public,” he says. “They also make friends with many people that otherwise they would never meet.” According to him, this is the real success of flashmobs, no matter how far they depart from their original meaning.

In August, Tai was one of the leaders of a group of 5,000 dancers who danced as part of a blood donation campaign. Their flashmob was criticised for not being impromptu.

But it achieved its goals. They attracted the attention of thousands of people and the number of blood units donated far exceeded the original target.

No matter what your stance, the Vietnam version of the flashmob has so far been positive. It helps connect people, and it demonstrates that young people can gather together, share a passion and have fun. All for a good cause.

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INSIDER

NO HOLDS BARTERED Elisabeth Rosen speaks to city residents to come up with some tips and tricks for bargaining with Hanoi’s street vendors. Photo by Francis Roux

M

rs. Thanh has been selling fruit and vegetables on Phan Huy Chu for 20 years. For her, it’s easy to distinguish foreign visitors from expats. “Tourists carry big backpacks,” she says, gesturing to her back and laughing.

But unlike many vendors, Mrs. Thanh quotes the same price to everyone. “Sometimes people think the price is too high so they leave,” she says, “but then they come back because they realize how reasonable it was.”

Mrs. Thi, a regular at the fruit stall, samples a rambutan from Mrs. Thanh’s basket.

“I don’t bargain here,” she says. “I know the price is good, and I’m just too lazy.”

Nevertheless, she offers up some handy tricks for those who want to get lower prices. Inspired, I appealed to more Hanoians, both locals and expats, for their bargaining secrets.

Do Your Research Dig up some dirt before shopping. If you can find out from how much a native Hanoian pays for a kilo of fruit or vegetables, it’s far easier to suggest a price.

“A lot of foreigners don’t know what the local price is and get ripped off,” says Michael Libucha, who has been living in Hanoi for four years. “Before I married a Vietnamese woman, I used to ask my Vietnamese friends.”

For those afraid to dive right into bargaining, there are subtler methods. “I find vendors that have a lot of customers around. That way I can see what they pay and get the item for the same price,” says Hong Minh, an editor at an English-language newspaper.

The price can also vary depending on how much you buy. Since vendors often want to get rid of their stock (particularly at night), buying in bulk can result in a significant discount. “It’s easier to bargain if you buy a large quantity rather than just one kilo,” Mrs. Thi says.

Even if you know the ‘correct’ price, keep in mind that if you’re not native to Hanoi, you’ll inevitably be overcharged. Of course, this is particularly true if you’re shopping in the backpacker-mobbed Old Quarter. But even the vendors I spoke to who serve mainly Vietnamese clients view the ‘foreigner tax’ as an acceptable custom.

“When they have foreign customers, they only quote a little higher,” Mrs. Thi says about her local fruit sellers — as evidence that the women are trustworthy!

Your best hope for low prices? Get to know a vendor.

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If you make daily visits part of your grocery routine, they’ll come to see you as a local instead of an open wallet. Monica Chong, who organises street food tours of Hanoi as well as customised gourmet dinners, advocates choosing one vendor and establishing a consistent relationship.

“I lived at my old house for two years, and there was one lady at the market who would always charge me fair prices. After a while I started exclusively buying my veggies from her,” she says.

Mrs. Thi agrees. The first time you buy from a new vendor, she says, you should tell them you live nearby and make an offer that’s hard to pass up: “If you sell to me for a good price, I’ll come back.”

Know the Lingo One incentive for keeping up with those Vietnamese lessons is the help it can give you at the market.

“You get a better price if you bargain in Vietnamese, because the stall owner can see you have some local knowledge,” Michael advises.

But you don’t need to delve into the fine points of grammar.

Memorizing the numbers is essential — complete sentences, less so.

When a vendor proposes a price that’s too high, “say ‘dat qua!’ (‘too expensive!’) and suggest half that much — in Vietnamese, of course.

Then go back and forth until you arrive at a decent price. That’s all you need,” says Nguyen Le Huong, a local journalist.

If you meet a particularly resistant vendor, knowing a witty turn of phrase can make all the difference. One of the handiest sayings to know is “…khong phai la ga” (stick your personal pronoun at the beginning of the sentence). This translates literally to “I am not a chicken”, but is generally interpreted to mean that as a sentient mammal, you know when you are getting ripped off.

Staying confident can be even more important than the particular words you use. “Be assertive, because otherwise you will get steamrollered into buying something you don't want,” says Raaka Kumbhakar, a Fulbright fellow at the Hanoi School of Public Health.

“One lady just kept throwing vegetables into my bag, even when I was very clearly giving her quantities that were smaller!”

But even though bargaining can be frustrating, remember not to get too aggressive. “Think of negotiating as a game,” suggests graduate student Marie Sauvage. “Keep a smile on your face at all times — no matter what!”

Don’t be Afraid to Walk Away Like any other game, bargaining has rules. If you indicate that you know them, you’re likely to get a better price.

“The first rule is to never, ever show that you’re really interested,” Marie says.

At first, I wonder if she’s still talking about fruit vendors. But the more I speak to Hanoians, the more it becomes apparent that bargaining and romance share many strategical similarities. No matter how much you want that dragon fruit, sometimes you have to play hard to get.

“If the seller tries glaringly to rip me off, I usually walk away,” Monica says. “Most of the time they'll lower the price after you start walking.”

These tips need not only apply to fruit, of course. Many street food vendors lack menus with prices — resulting in an unpleasant surprise for customers who think they’re getting a cheap meal.

This can easily be avoided by negotiation. “Agree on the price before eating. Otherwise, you might get charged too much,” Le Huong says.

If you pull the ‘walk away’ move before eating, you might be able to get a good deal. But after you clean your plate, the vendor doesn’t have much incentive to lower the price.

“Once I ordered pho xao at a restaurant without a menu,” Raaka says. “I was shocked when the bill came!”

Although walking away is usually a step in the right direction, we all have days when we don’t feel like making the extra effort. But Mrs. Thi has even that situation covered.

“I’d tell the seller that if I were to buy it in another shop, the price would be VND20,000 less. But I’m too lazy to go there, so I’d like to just buy it here,” she says.

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SOCIETY

WOMAN

Hanoi International Women’s Club: Neither Desperate nor Housewives

Dancing on heels, beauty and bazaar charities.

Words by Kaitlin Rees.

Photos by Francis Roux

Hip Hop Takes on High Heels The click-clop sound of high heels has been the gentle background music for paradoxes of gender for a while now. You may have thought about how the shoes have feminine power but simultaneously make you stumble, or how the confidence you feel wearing them maybe makes you a victim to the society that dictates it. But such background music is no match for Beyonce. Midrumination, the beat drops, and your ass does too, and all those rattling thoughts are muted as you go through the dance routine set by the young Vietnamese man counting out steps.

Dance studio director and choreographer Do Quang Minh runs a class called “Hip Hop on Heels” at Le Cirque on Ton Duc Thang. The students are mostly women, but a few men have come. Minh’s wearing 10cm tall black ankle boots while standing in front of the mirror.

“Hip hop on heels is a mixture of hip hop and softer kinds of dance,” explains Minh. “The dance is strong but the movements are smooth and flexible. It’s not boring.”

For Minh, heels are very much about the dance form he started doing in Vietnam and later developed while studying in New Zealand.

“Dancing on heels is a little different because you have you keep your balance. It’s harder, but once you get used to it, you are taking more control of your feet and your body.”

Minh’s reasons are straightforward when it comes to wearing heels. When asked about the controversial nature of the toe perching shoes, his response drifts away from all complexity.

“I guess that’s an old thought,” he says. “People don’t really think about that anymore these days. Definitely wearing heels all the time is not good. Literally it’s not good for your spine… But when you’re taller, you feel more confident and people look great in heels.”

Beauty and power have always come at a cost, and it is important to investigate that. But perhaps, if for the modern man, it is not necessary to ask for whom, why, and what does it mean, the modern woman needn’t either. Or perhaps, now it can just be done through body rolls and thumping bass music, 10cm above the ground, on Monday and Friday evenings with Minh.

Hip Hop on Heels is open to beginner and advanced students. Classes are offered for beginners on Monday and Friday starting at 7.40pm with advanced classes on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 6pm at 95 Ton Duc Thang, Ngo Van Huong, Building 1. Call 0904 676232 for more details.

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HIWC President: Tiffany Banner

In 1986, 30 diplomatic women affiliated with the first foreign embassies in Hanoi got together for some coffee. In these early meetings, socialising was the priority. Shortly after, however, coffee just wasn’t cutting it anymore. The group started to take shape around charity work that would promote the lives of women and children in Vietnam as well their own cultural understanding of their host country. As a means of raising funds for such projects, the women organized their first charity bazaar in 1992.

Today the Hanoi International Women’s Club (HIWC) has about 320 members from 52 countries, and this year’s bazaar on Nov. 25 will once again be a fundraising event that is completely sustained by volunteer work.

Thanks to the efforts of club president Tiffany Banner, to your left, the single day now sees participation from at least 35 countries, all showing off their cultural flair. It is a day that is also paramount for funding the ongoing charity projects throughout the year.

Though the annual bazaar is appealing enough as an event, with food, fashion, crafts and entertainment from all around the world, some insight into where the money goes reveals its true value. 100 percent of the funds raised go directly to the club’s Community Aid Committee, who budget for the upcoming year’s 14 to 18 projects.

Health, education, and community aid are the targeted areas for charity work. Some past projects include supporting women undergoing breast cancer with paying for a portion of their radiation therapy at the K Hospital, funding orthopedic surgeries in Ha Giang, and paying for a meal a day for patients who travel to Hanoi from outside provinces for treatment.

The committee also pays the tuition for poor students who attend Hanoi’s deaf school, as well as those attending Morning Star Centre, one of the leading education facilities for children with special needs.

A microfinance project in Dien Bien Phu also provides loans to Black Thai women for increasing their livestock and monthly income.

Since all money from the charity bazaar on Nov. 25 will go to projects of this nature, and since the bazaar promises to serve up the most diverse selection of global goods around, we think it’s a pretty worthwhile way to spend a Sunday.

The Hanoi International Women’s Club hosts its annual Bazaar on Sunday, Nov. 25 at UNIS in Ciputra from 10am to 3.30pm. Tickets are VND150,000 at the door.

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Breaking Down Beauty “My new series of women in art has been reviewed by many journalists as negative.

They say I have a negative outlook on women,” says artist Nguyen Nghia Cuong, whose most recent collection of box paintings was highlighted last month at the Goethe Institut. But negativity is not always bad.

Cuong paints women on commercial boxes in a way that apparently makes many bristle. His women are splayed all over the packaging for water thermoses, electric rice cookers, and whiskey bottles, with logos and slogans often serving as their enlarged sex organs. They are raunchy. Yet though these women may not be good, Cuong holds that they are beautiful.

And if you are on-board with the philosophers who say all contemplation is desire, the longer you bristle with disgust, the more you may have to agree with him. The women lack an instantaneous recognition of beauty by conventional standards, which is exactly Cuong’s intention.

“I want to change the epidemic perception of women as charming, gentle and smooth figures,” he explains.

“This concept has been like a disease in Vietnamese fine art circles and life. Because of the invisible chains that women wear, the traditional story of a woman’s life is very simple.”

Thus through the layers of meaning contained in a woman’s contorted body harshly painted on brand name boxes, aesthetics are not the only thing that is complicated in the work.

“We’ve been talking a lot about women’s empowerment and liberation, but in Vietnam, women have had to pay for all these new waves,” he says, referring to how commodity culture can reinforce inequalities that modernity is supposed to level out.

Humour has been part of the problem, too. Although not always in a negative way. Through an extended repertoire of examples from literature, poetry, song, folk art, even religion, Cuong cites examples of the erotic in Vietnamese history.

“If old people didn’t have dirty jokes, or sexual songs and dialogues,” he says, “our nation would not have made it through all the crises and poverty.”

Cuong’s work is simply keeping in line with what he views as Vietnam’s rich history of the vulgar; the women painted on boxes can be seen as one long dirty joke. But for him, it’s a dirty joke with some hope. “In my artworks, I think all the women have the strength to stand up and not fall into their fate.”

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I

f one word can capture the fiery energy of the bird’s eye chilli, it might well be gusto.

In a dish of minced pork (VND109,000) served at Gusto Thai, the pepper comes crushed into tiny shards, so that it lingers at the back of the throat, sending it slowly into flames, while crumbs of pork play in the foreground with threads of holy basil and mellow garlic. Spooned over rice, the dish feels like a Thai take on ma po tofu.

The bird’s eye chilli can also take on other, equally potent forms. Cut into fiery rings and tossed with ribbons of translucent papaya, it raises the heat of a green papaya salad to a new level (VND69,000). The chilli sneaks in a sizzling punch.

It’s rare to find such authentic Thai food in Hanoi, particularly at this level. While Namaste, Khazaana, Spice and Foodshop 45 offer elegant takes on Indian cuisine, there are few Southeast Asian restaurants with the same ambition. But the owners of Gusto, a sophisticated spot just down the street from the Opera House, have made it their mission to introduce Vietnamese diners to modern Thai cuisine.

MYSTERY DINER

Gusto Thai

meat. Sticks of cinnamon bark mingle with cardamom, cumin, and star anise, recalling the dish’s Middle Eastern heritage. Choose it over the surprisingly timid green curry (VND119,000), which gets a gentle heat from the eponymous chillis but lacks other elements — lemongrass, kaffir lime and Thai basil. All flavours that should assert themselves more strongly.

Although Thai cuisine typically relies on rice noodles — either broad, flat ones for dishes like pad see ew or the narrower strands in pad thai — here Vietnamese noodles make a stand in, with some surprising results. Chewy dried hu tieu work brilliantly in the pad thai. Tangled in a sticky sweet-and-sour tamarind sauce, the noodles pile invitingly under fried bean sprouts and the dust of crushed peanuts.

Washed down with Thai iced lemon tea, so sweet it hurts, it will make you wish the portion was three times as large.

But while the servers are attentive — you will never have to wait more than a few moments for them to take your order or bring you an extra bowl of rice — they lacked finesse. This may well be due to the language barrier. Asked for recommendations, our waiter got flustered and suggested a few plates seemingly at random, which all turned out to be more disappointing than those we chose ourselves. A restaurant at this price level, and with this much ambition, should ensure that its staff are able to recommend the best dishes.

Our roving, undercover reporter visits what is deemed to be the city’s only authentic Thai restaurant. Under the spotlight, how does it truly fare?

Photos by Francis Roux

Spice but Nice The chefs are all Thai, giving the dishes — which come from almost all regions of the country — a genuine feel. Trained in upscale hotels and restaurants, they also know their way around a garnish or too. A tiny salad that accompanies grilled chicken with peanut satay dipping sauce (VND99,000) is even more carefully composed than the main attraction; thin wires of radish, threaded through equally narrow strands of red cabbage and carrot. Pad thai (VND109,000) rests coolly at the center of a square white plate, the empty space taken up by tidy piles of raw bean sprouts and crushed peanuts.

The dining space, too, has an understated elegance. Entering the modern, glass-panelled front room, it’s clear that Gusto has ambitions beyond serving up a quick curry. Mythical figures wearing traditional garb dance along

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the cream-coloured walls, framed in simple black. Stillness reigns amid tables covered in white and crimson, while the simple porcelain dishes keep the emphasis firmly on the food.

But despite the restaurant’s name, you won’t be able to eat too enthusiastically.

Portion sizes are typical for this level of dining; delicate bundles of noodles, stirfries squeezed onto tiny rectangular plates.

Sometimes this can be ideal, providing the perfect amount to taste without tempting overindulgence. But sometimes the servings feel too minuscule to justify the price.

The chicken satay appetizer falls into the latter camp. At VND100,000, one might expect a few substantial bites of meat, prepared in some unique way. But what arrives is a petite heap of grilled chicken cut into tiny diamonds, served with a nondescript sauce.

And although the minced pork stir-fry certainly packs some heat, it too lacks the heft of a main course. This is not to suggest that there is something inherently wrong with small servings, the heat of the bird’s eye chilli would render a large-scale version of the dish even more fiery. But indicating the size of the dish on the menu, or having the waitstaff drop a few hints about quantity, would help diners know how much to order.

Green, Red and Yellow Curries come in more sizeable bowls.

Chicken massaman curry (VND139,000) is the most intriguing, a spice-infused crimson broth, laden with generous hunks of dark

Food, Decor and Service are each rated on a scale of 0 to 15.

13 — 15 extraordinary to perfection 10 — 12.5 very good to excellent 8 — 9.5 good to very good 5 — 7.5 fair to good 0 — 4.5 poor to fair The Word reviews anonymously and pays for all meals

THE VERDICT

10 7 13 FOOD

SERVICE

DÉCOR

“Whoa!!! Winter is coming!!! I miss Hanoi like crazy!” cries a friend of mine now living in Australia. “I am craving so badly for Hanoi food! Just imagining the taste of o mai or the scent of lac rang hung liu makes me wish I could fly home right away.”

To fulfill my friend’s wish, I head for Ba Trieu to buy her some packets of lac rang hung liu. As simple as its name, lac rang hung liu is a snack made of very cheap and easy-to-find peanuts grown all over northern Vietnam, that are then blended with herb seasoning called hung liu. The combination of the peanuts and the spices creates a unique taste and aroma that distinguishes this version of peanuts from other home-cooked roasted varieties.

Indeed, many Hanoians refer to Ba Trieu as the street of lac rang hung liu.

Halfway down this one-way thoroughfare as you travel from Hoan Kiem Lake, stand after stand sit adjacent to each other, reflecting the double-sided nature of modern day Hanoi. One is a rapidly developing city bustling with people rushing along the road, while the other one, sat behind these stands, are rotten wooden houses which are called home by hundreds of people, all of different generations, and all pursuing the more traditional family business.

STREET SNACKER

Lac Rang Hung Liu

with carefully selecting peanuts to measuring the exact quantity of hung liu.

“Hung liu is the decisive element,” says Van. “Normally, this herb seasoning consists of four basic scents: cinnamon, anise, cardamom and clove. As for us, we use our home-made version. That’s how we create that unforgettable taste.”

The owner of the stall at number 208 Ba Trieu adds her own take on the preparation process.

“It’s like carrying out an experiment,” she says. “First, we must be sure that almost all peanuts are the same size. Then, we have to measure and calculate the quantity of salt and sugar, and then, the hung liu in the same way.”

“Roasting is a demanding step, which requires the fire to be at a medium intensity all the time,” she continues.

“Peanuts must be roasted on a pan filled with clean sand. It is the sand that helps the peanuts not to be overcooked or turn black.”

The Hanoian pastime of sitting with friends over a tra da or bia hoi munching lac rang hung liu in cold weather is a common sight. On a peaceful street corner, watching the streets as life bustles by. It’s a memory that even Hanoians living overseas dream of at night.

Prices range from VND30,000 to VND100,000 depending on packet size. Lac rang hung liu stands are open all days.

Roasted peanuts aren’t something to write home about. But when they’re cooked with the spice mix hung liu, they instigate cravings that even Hanoians living overseas dream of. Words by Huyen Tran. Photos by Bao Ngoc

The Mother of Invention Word has it that the first lac rang hung liu

stand was set up by grandma Van, at 176 Ba Trieu. Now in her mid 80s, the stand is run by her children.

“I first made lac rang hung liu in the 1960s as a snack for workers at our factory’s canteen. It was during the subsidy era,” she explains with pride. “Surprisingly, they liked it a lot. So I decided to prepare a small stand selling this in front of my house.”

She adds: “At first, I just thought that this small business wouldn’t help me make ends meet, but it’s turned out to be a success. We have now kept the business going for over 40 years.”

Different from instant roasted peanuts, lac rang hung liu requires following a meticulous preparation process starting

November 2012 Word | 67

City Guide BUSINESS LISTINGS 069 / DESTINATION LISTINGS 073 / OUT & ABOUT LISTINGS 080 / LEISURE & ARTS LISTINGS 091 / FASHION LISTINGS 095 / HOME LISTINGS 097 / MEDICAL LISTINGS 099 PHOTO BY BAO NGOC

BUSINESS

LISTINGS

ADVERTISING & MARKETING 071

LEGAL SERVICES 073

BUSINESS CONSULTING 071

MANAGEMENT TRAINING 074

BUSINESS GROUPS 072

MARKET RESEARCH 074

COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY 072

PUBLIC 074

CORPORATE GIFTS 072

RECRUITMENT & HR 074

HOUSING & REAL ESTATE 072

RELOCATION & TRACKING

INSURANCE 072

AGENTS 074

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS 072

SERVICED APARTMENTS 074

RED BRAND BUILDERS

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

T&A OGILVY JVC LTD.

INVESTMENT & FINANCE 073

BEVERLY INVESTMENT

TMF GROUP

Unit 06-023, 6th Floor, Prime Center Building, 53 Quang Trung, Ha Dong 8th Floor, 53 Quang Trung, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3944 9733 39A Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 2660 Unit 501, 5th Floor, Saigon Trade Center 37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, HCMC, Tel: 3910 2262 www.tmf-group.com TMF is headquartered in the Netherlands, with over 100 offices in 75 countries. Provides accounting, tax and payroll services.

Also specialises in helping international investors establish a presence in Vietnam.

This includes services such as incorporation of companies and representative offices, opening of bank accounts, licensing and tax stamps.

KPMG

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

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS

68 | Word November 2012

2nd floor, 63 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem Tel: 2246 0682 www.studiotada.com A small, young and elite designing and branding agency that has been working with well-known local and global brands like DMC, Hermes, Kenzo and Porsche.

The company offers services in branding, event, print and digital. With a youthful, energetic and experienced team, Tada has played an important part in international graphic design and advertising projects across Vietnam and France.

LANGUAGE SCHOOLS 073

Room 919, Suite 8, Song Da Building, Me Tri, Tu Liem, Tel: 794 9669 www.beverly.vn Professional investment company dealing with real estate resort, hotel and senior housing projects all over the country.

Working to promote sustainable development, Beverly provides good value for its partners, investors, customers and society.

Destination Zero 078 Food Buff 086 West Lake maps 090 Cinema Buff 092 Book Buff 094 Medical buff 100

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings STUDIO TADA

ACCOUNTING & AUDITING 071

ACCOUNTING & AUDITING

A D D ITIONA L F E AT URE S

multinational clients by combining local know-how with a worldwide network.

Works to create powerful campaigns that address local market needs while still reinforcing universal brand identity.

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

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

TMF VIETNAM COMPANY LIMITED

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

ADVERTISING & MARKETING CRUNCHY FROG

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

GREY GROUP

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

LEONITO

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

LEONITO MARKETING CONSULTING

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

3rd Floor, BIDV Tower,194 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 6008 T&A is a marketing services company set up in Hanoi in 1995. Since then, they’ve offered their marketing services to several large overseas companies. They also work in co-operation with WPP, a world-wide brand communications firm.

BUSINESS CONSULTING BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON, INC.

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

DELOITTE

8 Pham Ngoc Thach, Dong Da, Tel: 3852 4123 www.deloitte.com One of the Big Four, this firm offers a broad range of audit, tax, consulting, risk, and financial advice to businesses.

Over 182,000 employees in more than 150 countries, Deloitte serve more than 80 percent of the world's largest companies, Vietnam now being one of them.

DICKERSON KNIGHT GROUP

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

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

ERNST & YOUNG

OGILVY & MATHER

L3-14 Thuy Khue. Ba Dinh, Tel: 3728 0776 www.t-cgroup.com A well-known Vietnamese conglomerate of companies operating since 1994, T&C’s focus is on providing internationalstandard consultation to engineering and

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

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

T&C INVESTMENT HOLDING

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business infrastructure projects. They also provide market research consulting.

BUSINESS GROUPS AMCHAM

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

AUSCHAM

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

BRITISH BUSINESS GROUP OF VIETNAM

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

ICHAM

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

HANOI WEBSITES HANOIGRAPEVINE.COM

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

INFOSHAREHANOI.COM

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

Subscribe to receive their weekly newsletter.

LINKHANOI.COM

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

NEWHANOIAN.COM

The city’s best known website, The New Hanoian provides user-generated listings, reviews and event information on pretty much anything and everything in the capital.

Register, create your profile, write a review and receive frequent newsletters.

WORDHANOI.COM

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

70 | Word November 2012

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

LAC VIET COMPUTING CORP

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

CCIFV

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

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL VIETNAM 9th floor, Vinaplast, Tai Tam Building, 39A Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 5888 www.colliersmn.com/vietnam Represent property investors, developers and occupiers in all matters related to commercial and residential property.

Services include leasing and sales, valuation and research, property management and support services.

Attempt to accelerate the success of their clients by making their knowledge your property.

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

CREATION

EUROCHAM

DALUVA HOME

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

NORDCHAM

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

SINGAPORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION VIETNAM

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

COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY NOI PICTURES

25/158 Ngoc Ha, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3747 8611 noipictures@noipictures.com www.noipictures.com Photography and film agency specialising in commercial assignments, stock photography and production services in Vietnam.

Has a number of mainly overseas photographers in their books both in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

CORPORATE GIFTS

REGAL PREMIUMS

33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 0685 7167 www.regalvietnam.com Regal Premiums produces trendy corporate gifts, premiums gifts, promotional gifts and branded mass giveaway items.

Professional team helps with design to fit your brand and production and logistics to fit your budget.

HOUSING & REAL ESTATE CB RICHARD ELLIS (VIETNAM) CO., LTD 6 Floor, BIDV Tower,194 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 0220 www.cbrevietnam.com Finding the perfect accommodation to

Room 802, Building 101, 101 Lang Ha, Dong Da Tel: 2246 2232 A real estate company that provides both private and commercial properties for sale, lease and rent. Also offers free brokerage and many other support services.

can help to fill residential or commercial needs.

THREE TEMPLES

73B Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3747 3366 www.threetemples.com Three Temples is a full-service, design-led property development and marketing company that specialises in creating residential addresses by providing high quality architecture, residential design, interior design, commercial consultancy, marketing and branding solutions. A onestop-shop to finance, design, brand and build for the finest residential products.

VIETNAM LAND

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

INSURANCE

33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho www.daluva.com/apartment Thoughtfully appointed and decorated, Daluva Home features a cosy bedroom for true rest, plus open living, dining, and work areas. Extras include two LCD TVs, iPod dock, and outdoor patio.

Housekeeping, and daily breakfast from the Daluva Breakfast Menu are also included. Private car and tour booking service available.

AIG

HANOI HOUSE HUNTER

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

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

KNIGHT FRANK

LIBERTY INSURANCE

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

MEGALAND

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

SAVILLS VIETNAM

6th floor, Sentinel Place, 41A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3946 1300 www.savills.com.vn A leading global real estate service provider listed on the London Stock Exchange with over 200 offices worldwide.

Provides consultancy services, property management, space planning, facilities management, corporate real estate services, leasing, valuation and sales to the key segments of commercial, industrial, retail, residential and investment property.

TAN LONG HOUSING

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

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

IF CONSULTING

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

PRUDENTIAL

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

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS CONCORDIA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HANOI

CMC Tower, Duy Tan, Cau Giay, Tel: 3795 8878 www.concordiahanoi.org International brand, Concordia, has highly performing schools in both Hong Kong and Shanghai at the top tier of the educational system. All instructors and teachers are native English speakers and admission applications are accepted throughout the year.

HANOI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

48 Lieu Giai Boulevard, Ba Dinh www.hisvietnam.com With schooling available for students studying at the elementary through to

secondary levels of education, HIS is one of the few private, international education options in the capital. The institution offers Cambridge IGCSE and IB Diploma for students at the secondary level. Located near the Japanese Embassy.

KINDERWORLD INTERNATIONAL KINDERGARTEN

Unit 9 – 10, Shophouse CT17, Ciputra Tel: 3743 0306 3rd Floor, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 7243 Classes are kept small with a foreign teacher leading the class with the assistance of a Vietnamese teacher according to the teacher-student ratio. KinderWorld provides pre school education for children from 18 months to below 6 years.

QSI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF HANOI

#17 Lane, 67 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6418, www.hanoi.qsi.org With nearly four decades of experience in international education, QSI International School of Hanoi is next in the long line of ‘quality schools’ that have been established by the Quality Schools International.

The institution specialises in instructing pre-school and lower elementary age students.

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SSCHOOL

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

UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (UNIS)

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

INVESTMENT & FINANCE DRAGON CAPITAL

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

INDOCHINA CAPITAL

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

MEKONG CAPITAL

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

SG VIETFRANCE

VIT Tower, 18th Floor, 519 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 2220 8979 The Vietnamese subsidiary of France’s

Societe Generale, the company recently opened a Hanoi. This was the first financial company in Vietnam to focus entirely on consumer credit.

TOTAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT

66/11 Pham Ngoc Thach, Q3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: 3820 0623. www.t-wm.com TWM provides information related to inter-country personal financial planning.

They will walk you through the solutions and products available and will constantly monitor and manage your portfolio through opportunity and instability in global financial markets.

BUSINESS

business

BUFF

VIET TIN FINANCIAL CO.

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

THE HALF BILLION DOLLAR DRINKING BINGE

VINACAPITAL

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

LANGUAGE SCHOOLS APOLLO

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

One of the country’s leading language centres.

BRITISH COUNCIL

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

CLEVERLEARN

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

LANGUAGE LINK VIETNAM

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

LEGAL SERVICES ALLENS

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

BAKER & MCKENZIE

13th Floor, Vietcombank Tower, 198 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 1428 www.bakernet.com One of the first international law firms to establish representative offices in

VIETNAM IS A RELAXED PLACE WHEN it comes to nights out with Dionysus — we have all had nights where things got a little out of hand and woken up the next day feeling remorse. But, in truth, what’s the worst thing you ever done when intoxicated? Maybe ruined a party, or woke up somewhere you shouldn’t have. But have you ever had a drinking binge that affected millions of people and involved more than half a billion US dollars? Steve Perkins has.

On Tuesday Jun. 30 2009 Perkins woke up with a larger than usual hangover and a phone call from his employer (PVM Oil Futures) inquiring why he had spent US$520 million of company money trading almost 70 percent of the world’s Brent oil the night before. The story that unfolded involved one huge drinking binge that had started at the company golf weekend two days before and continued at the office on Monday. It led to a night of unauthorised trading that affected the global oil markets.

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP Over a 19-hour period that Perkins claimed to be “blacked out drunk” he bought 7.13 million barrels of oil futures. At the peak of this trading/ drinking binge, oil prices fluctuated upwards by more than US$1.50 per barrel in less than 30 minutes, something that typically never happens barring some sort of global catastrophe. It was later estimated to have cost the global economy US$130 million.

It also affected his employer.

Because of his trading positions

PVM Oil Futures was left holding ‘substantial volumes’ of futures, which cost the company over US$9.7 million to honour. That year PVM saw a loss of $7.6 million. Keep in mind he was only meant to trade on behalf of clients and was not authorised to trade using PVM capital.

After an investigation by the FSA, which deemed him “not fit and proper” Perkins was barred from working as a trader in the UK for a minimum of five years and fined a total of GBP72,000, paid in 36 installments. This number was reduced from GBP150,000 after Perkins expressed concern that it would cause him undue financial hardship. When delivering the report, a regulator for the FSA said that “Mr. Perkins poses an extreme risk to the market when drunk”.

In the end justice was not even close to being served, and Perkins was hired by a Swiss trading company two days later where his restrictions did not apply.

So next time you wake up a little hungover and concerned about the millions of dong you spent the night before, just remember. At least you didn’t bankrupt your company and cost the global economy over US$100 million. — By Shane Dillon Shane works in financial services in Vietnam, and is happy to answer any investment questions you may have, in particular those dealing with questionable offshore products from people who have cold called you. He can be emailed at shane. dillon@t-wm.com

November 2012 Word | 71

business Vietnam, Baker & McKenzie provide onthe-ground liaison and support services to clients interested in investigating, negotiating and implementing projects in the country.

on management services and consulting with in-house programs to meet the particular requirements of its clients.

Offers teambuilding and academic-based business and management programmes.

FRASERS LAW COMPANY

RMIT

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

FRESHFIELDS BRUCKHAUS DERINGER

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

GIDE LOYRETTE NOUEL A.A.R.P.I.

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

J&P LAW LLC

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

LAWYERS ASSOCIATION OF THE CITY OF HANOI

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

ROUSE LEGAL (HANOI BRANCH)

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

RUSSIN & VECCHI

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

MANAGEMENT TRAINING BRITISH UNIVERSITY VIETNAM

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

G&H MANAGEMENT SERVICES

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

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

MARKET RESEARCH CIMIGO

142 Le Duan, Dong Da. Tel: 3518 6696 vietnam@cimigo.com www.cimigo.com Independent marketing and brand research specialist operating in Hanoi and the Asia Pacific region in general.

Services include auditing and optimising research programs, knowledge management, developing marketing plans and business models, and assessing market opportunities.

INDOCHINA RESEARCH

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

THE NIELSEN COMPANY

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

VINALINK

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

PUBLIC RELATIONS MEDIA ONE

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

PIONEER COMMUNICATIONS

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

TQPR

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

results to local, regional and global clients.

VENUS COMMUNICATIONS

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

RECRUITMENT & HR AON VIETNAM LIMITED

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

HR2B

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

MANPOWER VIETNAM

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

Offers a range of services for the entire employment and business cycle.

NAVIGOS GROUP

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

RELOCATION & TRACKING AGENTS ALLIED PICKFORDS

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

ASIAN TIGERS TRANSPO

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

CROWN RELOCATION SERVICES

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

IMAGE GROUP HOUSING

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

LISTINGS

JVK INDOCHINA MOVERS

6 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3826 0334 www.jvkasia.com Focused primarily on the international and local movement of household goods, JVK is currently a leader in the field. Has offices in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

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

SANTA FE RELOCATION SERVICES

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

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

HALONG DREAM HOTEL CREDIT

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

DALAT 075 DANANG 075 HALONG & CAT BA 075 HAI PHONG 075 HANOI — INTERNATIONAL 075 HANOI — MID — RANGE 076 HANOI — BUDGET 076 HO CHI MINH CITY 076 HOI AN & DANANG 078 HUE 078 MAI CHAU & HOA BINH 079 NAM DINH & NINH BINH 079

RESIDENT VIETNAM

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NHA TRANG 079 NORTH-EAST 082 NORTH-WEST 082 PHAN THIET / MUI NE 082 PHU QUOC 082 SAPA 082 TAM DAO 082 TRAVEL SERVICES 082

HALONG PLAZA

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

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

DALUVA HOME

TRUNG CANG HOTEL

33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 5831 Whether traveling or on a temporary stay, Daluva can provide space & comfort.

Thoughtfully appointed Daluva Homes feature a cozy bedroom for true rest, and an open living area that opens up to a terrace with plants.

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

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

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BELOW VND630,000

$$

VND651,000 TO VND1,680,000

$$$

VND1,701,000 TO VND3,171,000

$ Halong Commune, Van Don , Tel: 0333 793156 Stay in a beachside bungalow or a traditional resort-style hotel on the shores of Van Don Island. Bai Tu Long Bay is situated just up the coast from Halong City.

The staff here can help you arrange tours that will offer scenery a bit different than the standard tours of Halong Bay. CREDIT CARD

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

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

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HAI LONG JUNKS, HALONG BAY BUSINESS

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

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PEACE HOTEL

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

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PRINCES HOTEL

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

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

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SEDONA SUITES

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

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BAI TU LONG ECOTOURISM RESORT

BEST WESTERN PEARL RIVER HOTEL

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

HALONG & CAT BA

come in all shapes and sizes and have satellite TV, a fridge and a mini bar. The front-desk staff speaks English and can help sort out any travel arrangements.

Rates from around VND250,000 per night.

HARBOUR VIEW HOTEL

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

OCEAN BEACH RESORT

EMERAUDE CLASSIC CRUISES

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

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

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$$$$ ABOVE VND3,171,000

MAYFAIR

DANANG BEACH RESORT

BHAYA CRUISES, HALONG BAY

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NOVOTEL HA LONG BAY

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

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DREAMS HOTEL

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BLUE MOON HOTEL RESORT AND SPA

49 Hang Chuoi, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 0912 239085 www.atlanta.com.vn Atlanta Residences fully serviced apartments have been created to provide a space where you can ‘feel at home’.

Within walking distance from Hanoi’s Opera House and Hoan Kiem Lake, this building offers a panel of 51 spacious apartments for you to choose from. The serviced apartments here offer the luxury of a hotel mixed with the peaceful comfort and privacy of your home, under one roof of course.

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

COLUMN DESTINATION ZERO 080

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ATLANTA RESIDENCES

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

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SERVICED APARTMENTS

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

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DESTINATION

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

ROYAL HOTEL

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

HAI PHONG BACH DANG HOTEL

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

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

HUU NGHI HOTEL

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

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

MONACO HOTEL

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

HANOI – INTERNATIONAL CROWNE PLAZA WEST HANOI

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

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DAEWOO HOTEL

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$$$ 360 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3831 5555 www.hanoi-daewoohotel.com This enormous structure offers the most modern of amenities, and with four restaurants and two bars, the events staff is well equipped to handle any occasion. Close to the National Convention Center, and a favourite of the business traveller, Daewoo even boasts an outdoor driving range.

Shortly to become a Marriot property.

November 2012 Word | 73

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FORTUNA HOTEL HANOI

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

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FRASER SUITES

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

GOLDEN SILK BOUTIQUE HOTEL

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

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

HORISON HOTEL

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

HOTEL DE L’OPERA

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$$$ 17A Phan Dinh Phung, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3734 9988 www.marigoldhotelhanoi.com A contemporary boutique hotel a stone’s throw from Hang Cot in the Old Quarter.

Colonial era accents throughout and an oriental themes lobby. 32 upmarket rooms and an intimate top class restaurant make this a strong contender in an area with plenty of competition.

MELIA HANOI

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$$$$ 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3934 3343 www.meliahanoi.com Excellently located in central Hanoi, Melia Hanoi draws plenty of business travellers and is also a popular venue for conferences and wedding receptions. State-ofthe-art rooms, elegant restaurants, stylish bars, fully equipped fitness centre with sophisticated service always make inhouse guests satisfied.

MERCURE HANOI LA GARE

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

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$$$$ 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 6282 5555 contact@hoteldelopera.com Resting just a step away from the Opera House, the hotel mixes colonial architectural accents and theatrical interior design to create a contemporary space. The first boutique five star in the heart of Hanoi, the lavish, uniquely designed 107 rooms and suites contain all the mod cons and are complimented by two restaurants, a bar and complimentary Wi-Fi.

INTERCONTINENTAL HANOI WESTLAKE

$$$$ 1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: 6270 8888 www.hanoi.intercontinental.com This stunning property built over West Lake falls in between a hotel and a resort.

Beautiful views, great balcony areas, comfortable, top-end accommodation and all the mod-cons make up the mix here together with the resort’s three in-house restaurants and the Sunset Bar, a watering hole located on a thoroughfare over the lake. Great gym and health club.

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16 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem www.sixonsixteen.com Another boutique hotel to grace Hanoi’s Old Quarter, the six rooms here mix contemporary and fresh with handicrafts and antique. Breakfast is included and in the long, lounge restaurant on the second floor, home-style Vietnamese fare is served up with fresh fruit juices and Lavazza coffee. $$$ 38 & 23 Lo Su, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 2222 Two mid-range hotels situated in the heart of Hanoi,just 150 meters from Hoan Kiem Lake. Built using a blend of western and oriental architecture, the properties have 28 and 35 rooms respectively, all with mod-cons. For a bit more luxury stay at the Giabao Grand.

GOLDEN LOTUS HOTEL

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SHERATON

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

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$$$$ K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 9000, www.sheraton.com/hanoi Surrounded by lush gardens, sweeping lawns and tranquil courtyards, this peaceful property features picturesque views of West Lake and is less than 10 minutes from downtown. In addition to the luxurious rooms, the hotel offers an outdoor swimming pool and great relaxation and fitness facilities, including a tennis court and spa. There are well equipped conference rooms and a newly refurbished Executive Club Lounge.

SOFITEL LEGEND METROPOLE HANOI

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

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SOFITEL PLAZA HANOI

$$$$ 1 Thanh Nien Road, Ba Dinh Tel: 3823 8888 Boasting Hanoi’s best views of West Lake, Truc Bach Lake and the Red River, Sofitel Plaza Hanoi soars 20 storeys above the city skyline. The 5-star hotel features 317 luxurious, comfortable guestrooms with spectacular lake view or river view ranking in 7 types from Classic Room to Imperial Suite.

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JOSEPH’S HOTEL

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

THANG LONG OPERA HOTEL

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

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

Either ADSL or Wi-Fi connections available.

Some of the locations include sauna, steam bath and fitness facilities

LITTLE HANOI HOTEL

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

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HONG NGOC HOTEL

MAISON D’HANOI HANOVA HOTEL

MAY DE VILLE

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HANOI BACKBACKER’S HOSTEL

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CAMELLIA HOTEL

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

$$$$ 83A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3822 2800 www.moevenpick-hanoi.com With its distinctive French architecture and top end service, Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi is aimed squarely at corporate travellers.

An all-day restaurant and a lounge bar are available to satiate their clientele while the kinetic gym and wellness studio offer an excellent range of equipment. Massage and sauna facilities are available for guests seeking to rejuvenate. Of the 154 well-appointed rooms and suites, 93 are non-smoking.

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

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$$ 38 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 8500 www.hanoispringhotel.com One of the only hotels in the Old Quarter to have a balcony with each room, this new boutique is middle of the range but feels higher. Run by Australian expats and partners with a wealth of experience in the hotel industry, expect great service.

Awesome western breakfasts and Vietnamese lunch and dinners. The top floor honeymoon suite has perfect views of St Josephs Cathedral.

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ZEPHYR

GIABAO HANOI & GIABAO GRAND

HANOI SPRING HOTEL II

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MÖVENPICK HOTEL HANOI

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

HANOI – MID-RANGE

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

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HO CHI MINH CITY CARAVELLE HOTEL

DUC VUONG HOTEL

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

EQUATORIAL

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

Also boasts the biggest banquet facilities in the city.

GUEST HOUSE CALIFORNIA

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

INTERCONTINENTAL ASIANA SAIGON

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

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LAN LAN HOTEL 2

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

NEW WORLD

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

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

RAMANA HOTEL

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PARK HYATT

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

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RENAISSANCE RIVERSIDE

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

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SHERATON

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

SOFITEL SAIGON PLAZA

$$$$ 17 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: 3824 1555 www.sofitel.com True class on an attractive (and historic) street, offering a mix of rooms and suites, top-notch facilities, and restaurant cuisine which can match anything in the city.

Without a doubt one of the nicest places to stay in the city.

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HOI AN & DANANG CUA DAI

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$ 18A Cua Dai, Hoi An. Tel: 0510 386 2231 Pleasant, small, family-run hotel with a

spacious and faintly colonial air located between the town and the beach, with comfortable air-conditioned rooms and pleasant staff.

FURAMA RESORT & SPA

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

machine, pre-programmed iPod and both indoor and outdoor showers. Entire villas, spa villas and pool villas complexes are also available for rent and each villa has a view of the sea. A great place to forget about the city.

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INTERCONTINENTAL DANANG SUN PENINSULA RESORT

$$$$ Bai Bac, Son Tra Peninsula, Danang Tel: 0511 393 8888, info@icdanang.com www.intercontinental.com/danang With its own private bay on the Son Tra Peninsula, the Bill Bensley-designed InterContinental Danang is nestled within one of the region’s most exquisite locations. All 197 of the resort’s rooms, suites and beachfront villas are designed to take full advantage of their location and panoramic South China Sea views.

Large terraces and shuttered windows elevate private living spaces that draw in the surrounding jungle and crystal bay, and add depth to the already large rooms that start from 70sqm.

HUY HOANG 1

$ 73 Phan Boi Chau, Hoi An, Tel: 0510 386 1453 Boasts that it is just 0.025km from the city centre, which translates into being an excellent base for exploring the old town.

Added to that, you get simple and comfortable rooms for around VND400,000.

LIFE RESORT HOI AN

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$$$ 1 Pham Hong Thai, Hoi An. Tel: 0510 391 4555 www.life-resorts.com Recently refurbished after a recent flood, this award-winning resort is located close to the charm and bustle of the Old Town and maintains an emphasis on wellness and pampering. Its spa combines the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine, tai chi, touch and hot stone therapies.

THE NAM HAI

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VICTORIA HOI AN BEACH RESORT & SPA CUA DAI BEACH CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT CARD CARD CARD CARD CARD CARD RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BAR RESTO-BARSMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING

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

HUE ANA MANDARA HUE

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

GUESTHOUSE VAN XUAN

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

IMPERIAL HUE

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

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$$$$ Hamlet 1, Dien Duong Village, Quang Nam Tel: 0510 394 0000, www.ghmhotels.com Setting the standard for luxury resorts in Vietnam, the Nam Hai is the ultimate relaxation space. Includes three massive swimming pools, a gourmet restaurant and elegant spa on a lotus pond. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Each massive room comes with its own espresso

LA RESIDENCE

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$$$$ 5 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: 054 383 7475 www.la-residence-hue.com Built around a core of the former colonial governor’s mansion, and maintained in nautical modern style, this is one of Hue’s unique experiences. With ceiling fans and dark-stained wood furnishings, this is

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

CONTINENTAL

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

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destination

destination

AIRLINES

traditional Indochine at its best. Throw in an excellent restaurant with river views and you have a heady mix.

AIR ASIA

LE DOMAINE DE TAM HAI

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

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

AIR MEKONG 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 37186 399 www.airmekong.com.vn

AMERICAN AIRLINES 99 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3933 0330 www.aa.com

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

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

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

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

$$$ Tel: 0510 354 5105 www.domainedetamhai.com If you’re looking for something a bit different, the secluded sand island of Tam Hai, with just a dozen traditional-looking (but modern) villas with private gardens and true tropical ambience may be the answer.

There is endless beach, a swimming pool, and a restaurant to take advantage of the fresh seafood.

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PHUONG HOANG HOTEL

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

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

BIKE RENTALS

JETSTAR PACIFIC www.jetstar.com/vn

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

LAO AIRLINES 40 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3942 5362 www.laoairlines.com

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

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

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

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

TIGER AIRWAYS www.tigerairways.com

VIETNAM AIRLINES 25 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6270 0200 www.vietnamairlines.com

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MR CAO MOTORBIKE RENTAL 106 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0912 094464

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

QUAN’S MOTORBIKE & BICYCLE RENTALS 70 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0904 244941 Standard rental shop doing hire by the day and by the month.

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

VIP BIKE RENTALS 64, Alley 71 Tan Ap, Tay Ho (off Tan Ap Street, close to Sofitel Plaza) Tel: 0914 931390 Bike rentals and repairs. Good reputation.

Formerly part of the Blue Dragon Foundation.

SUN SPA RESORT

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

MAI CHAU & HOA BINH COMMUNAL GUEST HOUSE 1

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

LA FERME DU COLVERT

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

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

MAI CHAU LODGE

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

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THUY ANH HOTEL

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

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

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KHACH SAN DIEN BIEN PHU

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

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

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$$$ Tel: 0218 386 8959, www.maichaulodge.com If real comfort is what you want, this is surely the best bet in Mai Chau. The rooms are modern and classy, with room service, sauna and internet connections.

The newly built Water Lily Cottage offers a luxury version of the house on stilts.

Give a call for exact directions, or you can check their website.

MAI CHAU NATURE PLACE

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

NGOC BACH

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

NAM DINH & NINH BINH CUC PHUONG GUEST HOUSE

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

CUC PHUONG NATIONAL PARK

$ Cuc Phuong, Nho Quan, Ninh Binh Tel: 030 384 8006 www.cucphuongtourism.com Park accommodation, in modern rooms,

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$ Ninh Phuoc, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa (40km north of Nha Trang). Tel: 058 362 2384 On a secluded – almost deserted – promontory north of Nha Trang, with accommodation ranging from comfortable guest rooms to basic outdoor bamboo shelters, this budget place is all about hammocks, the sea, the jungle and nature – certainly a change from mainstream tourism.

The owners arrange pick-up from Nha Trang and the down-to-earth resort maintains a deliberate, family atmosphere. A real gem.

SIX SENSES HIDEAWAY NINH VAN BAY

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NOVOTEL NHA TRANG

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

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SAO MAI HOTEL

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99 Nguyen Thien Thuat, Nha Trang Tel: 058 382 7412 Try to get a seaview room with private balcony at this friendly and very cheap hotel, which also has a rooftop terrace.

Rooms have basic but adequate facilities and it is well located.

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MUONG THANH HOTEL

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SON LA TRADE UNION HOTEL

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

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

HOANG NGUYEN HOTEL

SUNRISE HOTEL

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

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

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PHAN THIET / MUI NE BLUE OCEAN RESORT

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

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

SAO MAI HOTEL

PRINCESS D’ANNAM RESORT & SPA

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

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SHADES APARTMENTS

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

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$$$$ Khu Hon Lan, Xa Tan Thanh, Ham Thuan Nam, Binh Thuan, Tel: 062 368 2222 www.princessannam.com The first all-villa luxury boutique resort in Vietnam, the Princess d’Annam is set on Ke Ga Bay, about a four-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh Ciry and 35km south of Phan Thiet. With a sumptuous spa, original architecture, eight swimming pools and a 24-hour butler service, this is one of the most luxurious resorts in the country.

Definitely one of the most exclusive.

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

The sleeping accommodations are clean and comfortable, enough to enjoy a good night’s sleep and shower.

THANH LOAN HOTEL

BUSINESS

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

HOANG SON HAI

HUY HOAN HOTEL

BUSINESS

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$$$$ Van Dang Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa. Tel: 058 372 8222 www.sixsenses.com/Six-Senses-HideawayNinh-Van-Bay The upmarket Tatler magazine voted this its top hotel of 2006, and it’s not hard to see why. The location is stunning, on a bay which can only be reached by boat, and all the accommodation, amenities and facilities are top-drawer. So, naturally, is the price. Internet rates start at VND15 million++ for a beach pool villa.

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

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JUNGLE BEACH RESORT

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you rent as the quality may vary.

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$ 128 Le Hong Phong, Ninh Binh, Tel: 030 387 1811 Refurbished in 2004, this has big, clean rooms that are great value for the money.

There is an in-house restaurant that will make it redundant to eat elsewhere. Prices range from VND100,000 to VND400,000 for a double deluxe room. The staff speak very good English.

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MAI CHAU GUESTHOUSE

SUNRISE BEACH RESORT

stilt houses and detached bungalows, includes basic amenities and comforts in proportion to prices, which range from VND100,000 to VND500,000 per night.

Rooms available at park hq, the park centre, and on the road linking the two.

BUSINESS

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

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THE SAILING CLUB

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

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$$$ 24 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 384 7440 Much more than its name suggests, with beautiful landscaped tropical gardens leading onto a stretch of pristine beach

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destination and an outdoor bar, well-positioned to make the best of the scenery. Has a mix of comfortable rooms and bungalows, and has recently done some refurbishment.

Offers quad-biking, kitesurfing, paragliding and, of course, sailing.

and one 70-year-old Hmong House is what waits for you amid the rolling hills of Lao Cai, 6km outside of Sapa. The eco-resort’s team are all local and will help you enjoy the surroundings of the Muong Hoa Valley.

PHU QUOC

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

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CHEN LA RESORT AND SPA

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

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

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$$$ Tel: 020 387 1522, www.victoriahotels-asia.com Topping the list of Sapa resorts, the Victoria is not priced for the backpacker (rooms range from $135 to $250 per night).

The many amenities include satellite TV, in-room coffeemakers and safes, and a hilltop health club, tennis court and pool.

The entire resort is tastefully decorated with panoramic views of the town below.

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

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

Often described as Halong Bay on land, Van Long is only two hours from Hanoi, and the boats don't have to be painted white, either.

Words and photo by Nick Ross

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

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The Sampan The adventure starts on entering the gates of the reserve. A VND15,000 fee gets you inside. Bamboo boat or sampan rental, rower included, costs a mere VND50,000 for an hour and a half. It's a trip that takes

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you across a shallow lake and through the complex of mountains that form the reserve. Not only is it peaceful — here the only noise you'll hear is the cawing of birds, the calls of the langurs and the sound of you or your companions’ voices — but you sense that life here is no different to how it would have been 100 years ago. The first fisherman we come across is collecting crabs. He shows us the crawling, pincerwielding contents of his bucket. And later on we see another fisherman, hand-made bamboo rod in hand, reeling in his catch.

As we pass between two mountains into a fresh stretch of water there is a small cry from the boat in front. The only other canoe here during the period we're touring the karsts, they've spotted two langurs. Sat on a tree way up on the summit of a mountain, we don't have a clear view of these twostomached mammals that pre-date the evolution of the monkey, but they are certainly visible. The giveaway is the white fur on their rumps and legs making them look like they are wearing trousers. Take a telescope at sunrise or sunset and you will get a clear view — sightings of the 40 or so animals in the reserve are common.

Returning to the dock the conversation moves to living surrounded by such beauty but never really appreciating it. “The problem,” says our oars lady, “is that we spend half our time worrying about filling our bellies and those of our family. Only once that need is satisfied can we become aware of it.”

Fortunately for this lady, tourism, or what little there is of it, and the arrival of the Emeralda resort on the edge of the reserve have helped her and her family move beyond the stage of just satisfying their basic needs. Let's hope others are also reaping the rewards.

Information Van Long is approximately 90km south of Hanoi just off provincial highway TL477, a short distance from Highway 1. There are two accommodation options on the edge of the nature reserve — the three-star, Van Long Resort (www.resortvanlong.vn) and the beautifully set up five-star Emeralda (www. emeraldaresort.com). Built like an imperialstyled Vietnamese village, the latter has been designed to merge into with the wetlands environment of the reserve.

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

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

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

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

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

HMONG MOUNTAIN RETREAT

$ Km 6 Sapa, Ban Ho Road Sapa, Lao Cai Tel: 020 3872 130, www.hmongmountainretreat.com A large stilt house, five clay-clad bungalows

ASIA WINGS TRAVEL COMPANY

Ground Floor, Hanoi Towers 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 9343 0888 Founded in 1998, the travel company caters to both corporate and international travel.

Services include ticketing, hotel reservation, travel insurance, transfer and visa arrangement. Outbound tours and packages throughout the world are also available.

ASIAN TRAVEL MATE

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

BUFFALO TOURS AGENCY (BTA)

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

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

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hen it comes to natural beauty, particularly of the limestone karst surrounded by water variety, Vietnam seems to have it in alarming abundance. Halong Bay, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Tam Coc, the Perfume Pagoda. This is just the start. So it comes as little surprise that with so much competition out there Van Long, just a short drive from Hoa Lu in Ninh Binh, barely gets a mention.

What this means is that this wetland nature reserve, one of the last strongholds of the fabled and almost extinct Delacour’s langur, remains refreshingly devoid of tourists. It also means that those eking out a living off tourists remain genuine, friendly and unaffected — a pleasant change in a country where money-wielding holidaymakers get the walking cash machine treatment.

including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Con Dao, Phu Quoc and Pleiku, Air Mekong is the ideal way to see more of Vietnam.

It offers 30 daily flights and is a realistic alternative to the time-consuming train and bus combo.

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

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$$ Thi Tran, Tam Dao. Tel: 0211 382 4321 Probably the prime place to stay in Tam Dao, the Mela has a swimming pool that might come in handy if you’re in the mountains to escape the heat of Hanoi summer. Rooms are comfortable and clean, with two double beds and balcony.

The staff can assist if you want to explore the natural surroundings. Prices between VND800,000 and VND1.6 million.

TRAVEL SERVICES AIR MEKONG

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 37186 399 www.airmekong.com.vn With presence in eight different cities

EXOTISSIMO

26, Tran Nhat Duat, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3828 2150 9 XuanDieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 5555 www.exotissimo.com A one-stop, all-in-one travel agency with an extensive operational track record in the Indochina region and beyond. Providing up-market services, Exotissimo brings their clients close to culture through personalised tours. Also find travel desks at the Hilton, Sofitel Plaza and Intercontinental hotels, which are open on weekends and holidays.

FREEWHEELIN TOURS

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

HANDSPAN TRAVEL

80 Ma May, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3926 2828 www.handspan.com Established in 1997, Handspan provides customers with safe, high quality, diverse, small-group adventure tours to both popular and isolated locations in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Has a focus on off-thebeaten-track sustainable and responsible tourism initiatives. Also provides to excursions to more well-worn destinations.

HG TRAVEL

47 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3944 8844 www.hgtravel.com Travel company specialising in small-group tours around Vietnam and further afield in Indochina. Is also the sole representative agent for Kenya Airways (for 40 cities in Africa — www.kenya-airways.com), American Airlines (www.aa.com) and Turkish Airlines (www.thy.com).

INDOCHINA LAND

61 Cua Bac, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3715 2852 www.indochina-land.com Indochina Land is a French local travel 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 Vietnam's people, cuisine, history and culture.

JEWEL OF THE DELTA

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

LOT AIRLINES

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

LUXURY TRAVEL CO., LTD

5 Nguyen Truong To, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3927 4120 www.LuxuryTravelVietnam.com Vietnam’s First Luxury Tour Company, offers you carefree luxury travel so you and your family can focus on the fun, not the details. Challenge your skills at the country’s most spectacular golf courses.

Soak up the sun while being soothed by the sound of breaking surf. Hunt for high-fashion couture in the most elegant cities of Vietnam. Envision any vacation experience you want; name it, we deliver

SYRENA CRUISES

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

All you have to do is decide on how long you want to holiday for.

THE SAPA SISTERS

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

XIN CHAO HANOI

www.xinchaomap.com Forget the inaccuracy of Google Maps, for a real quality plan of the capital, the meticulous versions created by Xin Chao Hanoi are the presently the best available.

Providing tourists with access to the city's hidden charms, secret lanes, gardens and pagodas, check their website for a list of vendors.

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OUT & ABOUT LISTINGS

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

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BAR & NIGHTCLUBS 083 CAFES 085 RESTAURANTS — FRENCH 086 RESTAURANTS — INDIAN 086 RESTAURANTS — INTERNATIONAL 086 RESTAURANTS — ITALIAN 089 RESTAURANTS — JAPANESE & KOREAN 089

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

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

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

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RETRO CAFÉ BAR 34C Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3734 9134 haimtc@gmail.com 8am to midnight This bar is every bit as quirky as the Czech moped it’s named after. Inside every surface is festooned with a medley of objects ranging from gramaphones to retro TVs. The rooftop terrace is an awesome place for a sundowner or a morning coffee.

Eclectic and like nothing else in Hanoi.

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MUSIC & ARTS BAR 73A 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 that’s refreshing. The space is a part time venue for smaller acts and DJs. The venue is hip, comfortable and will likely provide the serious drinker with a reliable place to pull up a stool and take pulls in a relaxed haven.

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LATE NIGHT LOCAL 1 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0904 032829 8pm to late Last building on the right before Hang Buom, this popular with the French (and everyone else) watering hole is a classic.

Has the same Old Quarter vibe; small, cosy and personal with funky twists – and an awesome logo. Spread over two floors with good tunes, drinks specials and a foosball table, Cheeky is open till late.

Also does tasty paninis into the early hours.

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DANCEHALL LOUNGE 15 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem 93 Phung Hung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 4926 2177 11am — late One of the better venues in the Old Quarter for dancing on the weekends. Although crammed into a small space, cheap drinks and a mix of chart chits makes Dragonfly the regular go-to for younger Vietnamese crowds, tourists and the foreign resident looking to get up on the dance floor. If you don’t feel like dancing, relax upstairs with shisha and friends with one of the

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

One of the Ta Hien mainstays.

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

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MEET-UP SPOT 100 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6917 www.taytap.com 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 those in search of a good old-fashioned Sloppy Joe or grilled cheese, you’ll be glad to know the kitchen is stocked to the ceiling with comfort foods.

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INTERNATIONAL / FRENCH 11B Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0936 063303 www.tunnel-bar-hanoi.com 4pm to late Slim but stylish two-storey bar located just at the bend on Bao Khanh. The friendly staff can make a range of well-made and colourful cocktails. Frequent DJ nights and parties are commonplace at this watering hole that caters to both foreign and Vietnamese. Does an excellent happy hour with specials on Ricard.

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WINE AND CIGAR LOUNGE 2 Le Phung Hieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3939 3477 9am to 1am The ambience at the relaxed wine bar near the Metropole screams red wine — the walls are painted a warm yellow, the exposed brick adds a touch of cool and the wine barrels-turned-tables are tasteful. Too bad it’s often awkwardly empty.

Features fine wines, cigars and Vietnamese and international snacks.

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CAFES ALIGN 3D

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

POPULAR VIETNAMESE 1 Ma May, Hoan Kiem; 10A Khuc Hao, Ba Dinh 7am to 11pm Popular with young Vietnamese, the Align cafes are always busy. The younger venue on Khuc Hao is hidden down a bamboo alley and has three outdoor seating areas, one of which makes you feel like you’re sat under a waterfall. The other two are on the roof, and from the middle of this embassy-type street, the sound of motorbikes is replaced with tweeting birds. 3D pictures on the walls of each floor take you back to the old city, before KFC and Parkson. Even to times before the French.

THE RED RIVER TEA ROOM

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LAKESIDE WATERING HOLE 25 Duong Ven Ho Tay, Tay Ho Monday to Friday, 12pm to 11.30pm.

Weekends from 11am.

Located on the lakeside road just below Xuan Dieu and close to the entrance to The Sheraton, this quiet, casual pub offers a variety of beer, wine and mixed drinks, juice, tea, Nespresso coffee, espresso, milkshakes, meat pies, pizza and pastries, all with a nice view of West Lake. Nonsmoking indoors, Red River Tea Room is a welcome addition to the area.

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

Sunsets are particularly special.

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

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

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

DJ DJ

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

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

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

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

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BOTTLE BASED DANCE CLUB 61 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0915 381180. qbuphanoi@gmail.com A glitzy, spacious basement club tucked away in the corner where Luong Ngoc Quyen meets Hang Giay. It’s a laser, mirrors and disco ball affair with high tables, hostesses, bottles of whiskey and a DJ — usually playing a mixture of trance and house. Runs a number of spirits offers on different days of the week. Ask for details.

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

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out back adds a nice touch to the space inside.

LONG BAR 5 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 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 English-style pub, Polite is frequented by a steady mix of locals and expats who find solace in the nightly conversations at the long bar, billiards and live football matches.

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LAID-BACK FIX 2 Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0917 897630 nemoover@gmail.com A curving neon sign marks the small entrance to May Pub, which stands on the corner of Nam Ngu and Phan Boi Chau.

The pub hosts a laid-back bar atmosphere with old Hollywood photographs, free billiards and darts and low-key live music.

The menu combines traditional cocktails with offerings like Russian string cheese — a late-night brew and dairy fix. Wednesday and Friday nights are Buy One Get One Free for ladies.

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

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FRENCH-STYLE CONTEMPORARY HAIR OF THE Hotel de l’Opera, 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem LATE NIGHT LOCAL / LOUNGE Tel: 6282 5555 32 Ma May, Hoan Kiem lafeeverte@hoteldelopera.com 10am to late 7am to 2am In the same building as the old Bucket Meaning the green fairy — an allusion to Bar, Hair of the Dog, the first floor offers the hallucinatory effects of absinthe which a large drinking space, graphic artwork, was drunk extensively in colonial Vietnam sidewalk seating and a dance floor. Up — understated lighting, a laid-back lounge the spiral staircase, there’s the late-night atmosphere, a good music selection and bar and shisha lounge complete with ultra-contemporary interior design make beanbags. Drawing in a mix of expats, up the mix at this downstairs bar in Hotel backpackers and locals, when the bars de l’Opera. Expect a good selection of creacross the street shut down, the mayhem ative cocktails and an extensive wine list. continues in ‘The Dog’.

Opens late with a DJ taking to the decks ++ on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

HALF MAN HALF NOODLE + + LATE DIVE BAR ++ LONG PLAY CAFÉ+ 62 Dao Duy Tu, Hoan Kiem LATE NIGHT LOCAL Tel: 3926 1943 9B Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem 3pm to late Tel: 0914 339439 Often a bit dark and somewhat gloomy, lpcafe@yahoo.com.vn “The Noodle” is still a hit with long term 9am to late residents. With its all-hour eating options — This quirky bar and living room gets busiranging from cheese toasties and pizzas to est in the later hours. Down in the bar, grilled cod and bun cha — and its popular happy hour, this Old Quarter old-timer is still plasma screens and an iPod station mix with a dance floor and comically named up there with the options. Between 11pm cocktails. Upstairs, there’s a cushioned and 12.30am, local beers go for VND15,000 and mixers go for VND30,000. Friendly staff living room — a pleasant space with a low and talkative patrons included. ceiling and shisha. Throw in a dartboard,

DOG+

DJ DJ

IRISH PUB 4 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 2212 6821 www.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.

AC

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WIFI LIVE LIVE WIFI MUSIC MUSIC SMOKING SMOKING LIVE LIVEMUSIC MUSIC DELIVERY DELIVERY DJ DJ

POLITE PUB+

“sell and swap” book shelves, Jenga and some tasty toasted sandwiches, and it can be hours of fun. The dried buffalo “nosh” from Tay Bac in the north is a must.

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LIQUOR LOUNGE 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6377 www.sontinh.com 8am to 11.30pm As part of the Highway 4 group, which now has its offices in the establishment’s upstairs areas, this bar-cum-restaurant outfitted with comfortable, stylish furnishings is famed for its luxurious rice wine liquors and newly created cocktail class.

Does regular events on the first floor and also has a creative Vietnamese food menu based on cuisine sold at other restaurants in the chain.

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HOUSE OF SON TINH

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

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DANCEHALL/BAR 61 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem 5pm to late Previously known as Dracula Bar, this watering hole tucked upstairs behind a hotel is around the corner from Ta Hien.

A double-sided bar splits up a pool table space, lounge area and dance floor. The smoke machine can be a bit much, but the music is a decent mix of pop and house. Never crowded and open late, free shots are given out every hour on the hour.

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LOUNGE BAR 61A Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem Located on the upstairs portion of Mix III lounge and café, Blue Note features dimly lit, blue lighting and a balcony area that overlooks the streets of the Old Quarter.

The interior is decorated with elegant red, velvet chairs and photographs of vintage jazz artists along the walls—giving the place a vintage, musical feel to accompany your conversations. The bar is a promising small venue, equipped with a small stage and piano.

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AIRCONDITIONING AC

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DJ / LATE NIGHT JOINT 25 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 5333 6087 www.linkhanoi.com 4pm to late Straddling Bia Hoi Corner and the cobblestoned end of Ta Hien, FatCat Bar is a small establishment from the minds behind the party and event organisers, LinkHanoi. The bar has tables filling the first floor and spilling onto the sidewalk as well as a small loft area for lounging.

Nightly cocktail specials, reasonable bottles deals starting at VND500,000 and a DJ on the decks make up the mix.

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HAPPY DELIVERY HAPPY WIFI HOUR HOUR 2 SMOKING HAPPY LIVE LIVEHOUR MUSIC MUSIC DELIVERY LIVE LIVE LIVE MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC DELIVERY LIVE MUSIC DJ DJ 2 HAPPY HOUR DJ

FATCAT BAR BAR BETTA

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

POOL HALL / LIVE MUSIC / CLUB 55 Ma May, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3935 1788 8am to midnight A potential gem in the heart of the Old Quarter. While it’s themed to the Easy Rider vibe out front, this huge two-storey venue is a jack of all trades – it has a bar, live music stage, pool tables, hookahs, a VIP room and a night club with a decent sound set up. Ideal for private functions and party promoters. Club stays open till late.

RESTAURANTS — SINGAPOREAN 090 RESTAURANTS — SOUTHEAST ASIAN 090 RESTAURANTS — VIETNAMESE 090 RESTOBARS 091

BARS & NIGHTCLUBS

HANOI ROCK CITY

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.

THE SPOT+ WIFI

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LOUNGE BAR / TERRACE 47 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem.

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

TRACY’S PUB AND GRILL

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91 Nguyen Huu Huan Tel: 3824 5940 Always busy, the café has traditional charm in old quarter. Lining the walls, old world drawings line the walls floor to ceiling. They serve a variety of teas and coffee, as well as many jars of pickled looking vegetables and less identifiable + ++ +things. Grab a seat on the low wooden tables and take advantage of their strong Wi-fi.

WIFI WIFI SMOKING WIFI SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING DELIVERY DELIVERY DELIVERY DELIVERY DELIVERY 2DELIVERY DELIVERY DELIVERY HAPPY 2 HOUR 2 2HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HOUR LIVE HOUR HOUR MUSICLIVE LIVE LIVE MUSIC LIVE MUSIC MUSIC MUSICLIVE LIVE LIVE MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC DJ

SPORTS BAR/GRILL 40 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 6675 9838 www.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, Tracy’s 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.

++ + SMOKING SMOKING SMOKING

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

DJ DJDJ

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TEEN SCENE CAFÉ 89A Ly Nam De, Ba Dinh Tel: 3223 3246 9am to 10pm This hangout spot is styled for locals in their teeny-bop years and early twenties.

The décor is kitschy and cozy, there is even a piano, used occasionally in live music shows. They serve sweet drinks at a reasonable price along with lots of treats like brownies in a variety of newwave flavors.

DJ DJ

November 2012 Word | 81

CIAO CAFÉ

JOMA

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RESTO LOUNGE 2 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3934 1494 7am to 11pm A stone’s throw from the shores of Hoan Kiem Lake, this Saigonese franchise tries it’s 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.

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INTERNATIONAL COFFEE HOUSE 28 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho Tel: 3715 4240 www.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 café overlooking Westlake. With its LA coffee and office feel, when you walk in you might just forget that you’re in Westlake.

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CONTEMPORARY / COFFEE CHAIN 6 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 0444 www.highlandscoffee.com.vn 7am to 11pm As with any chain that attempts selfreplication, there is a tried and tested formula. At Highlands it is comfortable seating, good Wi-Fi, unobtrusive music and a mid-range, generic atmosphere.

It works, too. The Starbucks of Vietnam, a French-influenced, international and pan-Asian food menu sits alongside the teas, coffee and cakes. Has other locations at 49 Hai Ba Trung, The Opera House, The Syrena Centre, Pacific Place and more.

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CAFE / INTERNATIONAL 14-16 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 6334 moca@netnam.vn 8am to 10pm Set in a deliciously attractive slightly run down colonial villa, the tourist friendly location gives Moca a large amount of guidebook-driven clientele. But don't let this put you off. The faded but charmingly run down French-styled retro interior, good WiFi and some of the best coffee in town makes this a great spot to while away a couple of hours. The food menu mixes Vietnamese fare with sandwiches, western and pan-Asian mains.

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ROOFTOP CAFE 4 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 1949 www.marilyncoffee.com Considering the amount of flat rooftops in

STOP CAFÉ

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

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CAFÉ / BOULANGERIE 6 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 5269 7.30am to 11pm Time has been good to this airy, bistro-style café and patisserie opposite the Opera House. One of the original international-style establishments to hit the capital, despite its prime location prices remain reasonable — espresso-style coffees cost around VND40,000 — and the cakes and croissants are moreish.

Also does filled baguettes and a larger café-cum-restaurant menu. Has a second establishment at 13 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem.

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CAFE / BOULANGERIE 5 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3933 2355 st.honorehn@gmail.com 7am to 10pm Decked out in maroon, dark browns and cream, this cafe and French-style boulangerie is best visited in the morning when that Gallic, fresh-cooked aroma of bread, croissants and patisseries hits you as you walk through the door. Serving all day long, the downstairs space is split into the bakery on one side with a small non-smoking dining space on the other.

The homely upstairs lounge area has standard tables as well as sofa seating.

Simple but tasty French and international fare is served at meal times.

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

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

ITALIAN CAFE 36 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 1476 www.segafredo.com.vn 7am to 11pm Names of some of the world's greatest cities cover the front wall of Segafredo, an Italian cafe and eatery serving up some of the best espresso-based coffee in town.

Red and white decor, lifestyle black and white coffee drinking images and an open plan space make up the mix. Besides the caffeine-based drinks, also does granita, teas, shakes and modern Italian fare ranging from panini and focaccia through to pizza, pasta, salads and desserts.

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SANDWICH SHOP/CAFÉ 18 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem (entrance on street behind Au Trieu) 8B, Lane 1, Au Co, Nghi Tam Village, Tay Ho Tel: 3928 7715 www.thecartfood.com 7:30am – 5pm Small a cozy café hidden on the quietest of Hanoian streets, with a new outlet on Nghi Tam, which is more like the big-windowed coffee shops you expect to see in Europe. The Cart serves and delivers tasty baguettes, homemade juices, quiches, pies, muffins and cakes. The delivery service is quick and reliable, which makes this lunchtime favourite ideal for when you need to eat at the desk.

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Picomall, 229 Tay Son, Dong Da Tel: 6276 1004 www.coffeebean.com 8.30am to 9.30pm Known for the quality of its coffee and tea, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has landed in Hanoi — in the form of an air-con, western-style drinking space in Hanoi’s newest shopping mall. The five first coffee shops in Vietnam started in Ho Chi Minh City, and this the first one in the capital. Hanoians are finally able to taste the beverages already quenching the thirst in 20 countries across the planet.

New stores to open on West Lake soon.

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

THE HANOI SOCIAL CLUB

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6 Hoi Vu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 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 café/restaurant where you can forget the heat and bustle of Hanoi. The atmosphere is relaxed and you can imagine, for a second, that you’re sitting in a European café. The food is fresh and internationally inspired, and the design is complimented by the work of Tadioto’s Nguyen Qui Duc. To top it off, the coffee here is said to be up there with the best in the country.

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

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

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

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

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CONTEMPORARY / VIETNAMESE 6 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 5859 7.30am to 10pm This tall, narrow lounge café with rooftop seating is a quintessential Hanoi spot.

The decoration is bright and casual and the all-day menu has food from both the east and the west. Draw with crayons on brown paper covering the tables as you while away the hours over coffee or cocktails, and take in the view of St. Joseph’s Cathedral. Has some interesting food options including spinach fried rice along with old standbys like tuna salad sandwiches and coconut chicken curry. No MSG is used here.

ITALIAN COFFEE 75 Cau Go, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3935 2065 8am to 11pm International standard, Italian-style espresso drinks are the name of the game at this undeniably chic chain coffee shop.

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

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

LEFTIST ARTSY CAFE 152D Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung 8am to 10pm With a kitsch, communist-driven 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.

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COFFEE/BAKERY 22 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3747 33 88 54 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 6071 www.joma.biz 7am to 9pm With two branches, Joma has brought a little slice of “home” to Hanoi for expatriates with a contemporary western feel to the counter-style service and atmosphere.

The food is all there too: breakfasts, salads, soups, ice cream, muffins, cakes, cereals and bagels. Starting in Laos in 1996, Joma moved to Hanoi in 2010 and is looking to ++ + in Ho Chi Minh City in 2011. Has a open play area for kids up in the West Lake café and bakery.

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EVEN THE MOST CYNICAL MUSIC connoisseurs in the city would have to say that ATK’s billing of Voodoo Funk did not disappoint.

Quite the opposite of one of the capital's late-night, last-stop destinations (those venues which need not be named), where people seem to dance out of desperation, the event in the middle of October was sophisticated, funky and fun.

Once getting past the slightly heavy-handed door staff — yes, you know who you are — anyone who entered was treated to two things very rarely seen in Vietnam's capital city. The first was a very well-chosen African set list. Maybe for some people ‘African music’ still conjures up bongos, Paul Simon’s Graceland, or Ladysmith Black Mambazo-style world music.

But that's not what was in store.

The set shifted relatively smoothly from Afrobeat to funk and even to disco. Some tracks were in genres that would be difficult to even identify. And, although the German DJ, Voodoo Funk, known to his parents as Frank Gossner, might not have focused on transitions and matching beats, he showed himself to be an astute selector.

DANCE BABY, DANCE The second surprise of the night was that the whole place was moving. And it was not the kind of forced dancing you can see every Friday and Saturday at places where club owners do not care so much about music.

Now that's no joke in Hanoi. It was the kind of night where you might bump into somebody and smile instead of getting into an eye-fight.

The crowd might be described as consisting of mostly foreigners along with a sprinkling of young Vietnamese hipsters: a difficult crowd to please. But somehow Gossner managed to seduce even the most straight-laced into at least

bobbing their heads. In fact, it came to the point where there was no clear distinction between the dance floor and the rest of the bar.

Afterwards the German DJ happened to show up at a local pub. He changed his sweat-soaked shirt right in the bar, and started to tell a bit about his impressions of Vietnam, and of the places where he gathered his record collection. He said that it was a love of the music that brought him to live in West Africa, in search of old vinyl.

Ironically, he described his time living in that region in a complicated way. In his search for music, he said that he also saw a large amount of human suffering. It seemed as if it made him question the value of something like digging through crates in a place where there was so much misery. He mentioned visiting record libraries that had been virtually destroyed, the records burned and seeing “flowing rivers of melted vinyl”.

What human being wouldn't have similar thoughts under those circumstances?

Still, he compiled his stack of little black disks. And when they were brought to life on a Saturday in October, colouring

the night in one small building in Hanoi with the vibrant colours amassed from the ‘Dark Continent’, the result was a few hours of celebration: a slice of time when everyone just forgot the troubles of the world for a little while, as well as their own. For better or worse, everyone just danced. — By Brian Webb To see and hear more of Frank Gossner go to http://voodoofunk. blogspot.com. To see more of ATK, go to ATK

November 2012 Word | 83

out & about

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RESTAURANTS — FRENCH

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

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

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

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

84 | Word November 2012

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

SPICE

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OLD TOWN CHIP JOINT 24 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem A quality food stop with a clean, smart, modern feel in the heart of Old Quarter that specializes in serving their signature Belgian fries to accompany their tasty, slider-sized burgers. Choose from an array of preparations ranging from beerbattered to garlic-fried with a variety of 12 different dipping sauces. If you’re craving a savoury lunch place, stop by FRY to get your fix.

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CONTEMPORARY INDIAN RESTAURANT First Floor, 80 Ma May, Hoan Kiem Tel : 3926 0580 Located in the upstairs portion of its sister restaurant, Tamarind, Spice is an impressive extension to the Indian food choices in the city, providing quality non-vegetarian dishes and a comfortable seating area. Includes lounge seating and a colourful dining area with thoughtful artwork and photographs along its walls.

Spice is a tropical, artistic, cultural, and attractive addition to the Old Quarter’s dining options. Specializes in seafood and classic Indian dishes.

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24 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem.

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

RESTAURANTS – INTERNATIONAL

BUDGET CAFÉ 129

MEXICAN/COMFORT FOOD 129 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung. Tel: 3821 5342 7.30am to 9.30pm Service at this “slow food café” is seriously snail paced, but that is part of the charm of this modest eatery with only a few tables and small stools. Popular as a week-

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CUPCAKE SERVICE Tel: 01219 499523 mia@westlakecupcake.net The cupcake obsession has caught on.

A new baking project by Westlake’s infamous Anna and Mia brings custom cupcakes cooked to order to your front door.

Offering a variety of cupcakes and butter cream frostings, check out their speciality flavours like New York cheesecake, brown eyed girl and creative monthly specials.

Are you drooling yet? Although a delivery only outlet, the cupcakes are available for purchase at Daluva and Oasis.

MID-RANGE AL FRESCO’S

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AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL 19A Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3938 1155 98 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 5322 www.alfrescogroup.com 8.30am to 11pm With a real ‘diner’ kind of feel, Al Fresco’s serves up munchies-busting Aussie inspired food from a number of locations across the city including their original restaurant at 23L Hai Ba Trung. Topping the menu are the jumbo ribs at VND395,000, with generous helpings of pizzas, pastas, burgers, Tex-Mex, soups and salads going for less.

The set business lunch is three courses for VND155,000. See the website for delivery numbers and don’t forget to ask for delivery deals. Have an efficient delivery service, but make sure you ask for knives and forks.

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

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

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INTERNATIONAL / VIETNAMESE 40 Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh Tel: 3734 3098 tmbhanoi@gmail.com 11am to 11pm Located in the grounds of the Fine Arts Museum, this classy restaurant and wine bar mixes attractive décor with western cuisine, all cooked up by a New Zealand-trained Vietnamese chef. Famed for its salads, good cuts of steak, lamb shank and its various pasta fare, the menu here also incorporates a number of well-known Vietnamese dishes.

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RESTAURANT / CAFÉ / BAR 59 Van Mieu, Dong Da. Tel: 3747 0337 www.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. It’s cushioned, comfortable and has a rooftop terrace, too. Wrap it yourself nem, bun bo Nam bo, Koto burgers, pastas, fish and chips, chicken Kievs and sandwiches all under one homely roof.

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VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 21 – 23 Hang Gai Street, Hoan Kiem Dist Tel: 38285 333 littlehanoi@orientalstars.com.vn 7:30am — 11:00pm A tourist hotspot and one for locals, too, Little Hanoi near Hoan Kiem Lake has been going sturdy since 1994 — mainly for its central location, range of sandwiches, pastas and Vietnamese cuisine. Baguettes go from VND95,000 and mango salads VND99,000, not to mention the coffee at around VND50,000, wines and fresh fruit juices. With Indochina-inspired art on the walls and jazz in the background, Little Hanoi is a little escape from the chaos of the central lake.

INTERNATIONAL CAFE FARE Ngo 40, Nha 7A Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 2679 hungskitchen@gmail.com 7am to 9pm Despite a two-storey indoor dining space, Kitchen is all about its leafy, terracottatiled terrace out front, 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, smoothiestyle drinks. Has amiable know-your-name staff and a good delivery service.

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MOROCCAN 88 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 3710 0389 10am to 11pm. Closed Monday Family-run Moroccan restaurant in a charming terrace-fronted house close to the start of Xuan Dieu. Focus of cuisine is on authentic couscous, tagines and kebab dishes made with a mixture of local and imported ingredients, all cooked up by a Moroccan chef. Uses Halal meat.

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VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 34 Chau Long, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3942 4448 www.hoasuaschool.com Open from 7am to 10pm This restaurant, which schools and employs disadvantaged youths, has been popular for 11 years — as a grand villa and courtyard setting tucked away in the corner of Ha Hoi. Popular with business types, tourists and expats alike, who enjoy good food while supporting a good cause, mains like cha ca and steaks go for VND99,000 + VND289,000 respectively, and there and are six set menus available which take in Vietnamese, French and Italian cuisine.

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MEXICAN / TEX-MEX 48 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem Tel: 7300 0206 www.arribavietnam.com 11am to 12am Smack in the middle of the Old Quarter and close to Ta Hien, this is probably Hanoi’s the best place to get your fix of chilli, lime,

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IBERIAN / MEDITERANEAN 25 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3828 9052 lasalsa@fpt.vn 8am to 11pm A small but eternally popular Spanishthemed café and bar with an extensive list of reliable cuisine. Tapas are available, as well as full courses such as veal, and duck with currant sauce. Known for its good, European-style coffee and fantastic first-floor terrace area with views over the cathedral. Western staff speak English and French.

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

HOA SUA TRAINING RESTAURANT – SONG THU

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

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STREETSIDE FOOD STOP AND RESTAURANT 12 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6659 8598 Tasty Turkish Vietnamese dining with Nha Tho’s chiming bells accompanying your meal. Its outdoor blackboard menu advertises Kebab possibilities such as lamb, chicken, pork, and even ostrich.

Choose from eating in the street or take a few steps inside, through the bustling kitchen, and into the comfortable upstairs lounge seating area. Scrumptious and affordable food, with Kebab’s starting at VND 30,000.

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coriander, refried beans, tacos and tomato.

Sit in the upstairs loft for Asian-style seating, or out on the sidewalk for people watching. The open-style kitchen ensures your food is cooked to order and fast, and doubles as a bar. Their margaritas are strong and the salsa is spicy.

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

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10 Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3942 4509 labadiane.hanoi@yahoo.fr 11.30am to 2pm and 6pm to 10pm. Closed Sunday night.

A white-washed, colonial era villa replete with period wooden shutters greets you as you enter this contemporary French restaurant. Guests can either dine indoors in aircon comfort or take to the leafy covered terrace out back with its walls lined with art and photography from 21st century Hanoi. The menu here mixes modern Gallic cuisine with a touch of Mediterranean and Vietnam thrown in, all creating an innovative and evocative selection of fare. Has an extensive wine list and an excellent, well-priced three-course lunch menu.

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INTERNATIONAL INDIAN 59 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3716 2959 foodshop45@yahoo.com 10am to 10.30pm Lakeside location, low bamboo seating and a history that screams empathy make this eatery one of the most popular Indians in town. Selling an international version of the mighty curry — they even sell pork and beef here — the menu keeps to the northern part of the subcontinent with masala, dopiaza, korma and the more Goan vindaloo taking centre stage.

Also has a good range of breads and tandoor-cooked kebabs.

end hangover mainstay for the greasy eggs with cheese, the café is best known for its not-quite Mexican food. But hey, when there’s guacamole, salsa fresca, beans and cheese, what can go wrong? Be sure to try the fresh juices, like the super-booster with beetroot, and the coffee with whipped egg.

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

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CONTEMPORARY VEGETARIAN 80 Ma May, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3926 0580 tamarind_cafe@yahoo.com 5.30am to 10.30pm Perhaps the only restaurant in Hanoi to cater

to vegetarians that doesn’t focus on faux meat, Tamarind features a wide range of juices and shakes in a crunchy granola backpacker atmosphere. Breakfast is served all day and with Asian favourites, like vegetarian pho, Ma-Po tofu and Thai glass noodle salad, along with some falafel and western influences, vegetarians and carnivores alike will find something to try on this menu.

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FRENCH FLAIR 2/2c Van Phuc, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3726 4782 www.thebistro.com.vn 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.

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

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

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INTERNATIONAL / AUSTRALIAN Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung (4th Floor), Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3934 8325 www.alfrescosgroup.com 6.30am to midnight With attentive service, tasty food and large portions, this place has something for everyone and has proved itself to be popular with both the western and Asian expat communities who come back again and again. The comprehensive menu is a fusion of western and Asian cooking. Also has a large and spacious bar and lounge area that stays open late for all the live sport.

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INTERNATIONAL / CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE 61 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 9897 www.lacantine.vn 6am to 11.30pm Converted from a wing of an old church, this upscale restaurant with extensive Vietnamese and international offerings is just a stone’s throw from the Opera House. Sophisticated but cozy, the salon is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea.

Expect about VND1 million for a set topend six-course meal and VND600,000 for the more downscale five-course offering.

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BELGIAN / EUROPEAN 1 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1769 10 Alley 27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 5853 www.le-petit-bruxelles.com 10am to 10pm An airy and spacious long-running

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November 2012 Word | 85

out & about Belgian-themed eatery with a location by the cathedral and a second out in West Lake. Although this is not the place to wash down your Chimay, Leffe or Duval with moules frites on a daily basis — the mussels are only available seasonally — a number of other traditional Belgian dishes fill the menu including carbonade, jambonneau and boulettes sauce tomate as well as the more Swiss-sounding beef and cheese fondue. Hearty fare in a nice environment.

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Rice Cooked in Coconut Milk — 2 cups of rice — 400ml to 500ml of Coconut Milk — 1 piece of pandan leaf cut into small 2cm strips Rinse the rice and drain. Add the coconut milk and the pandan leaf strips to the rice cooker and cook as normal.

86 | Word November 2012

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HALIA HANOI

Sambal Chilli — 100g big onions — 20g small chillies, seedless — 50g big chillies, seedless — 20g dried small chillies — 20g dried big chillies — 3 tablespoons tamarind juice — 80ml vegetable oil — 100ml water — Salt and sugar to taste Cut the big onions into small pieces and place them into a grinder. Add water and all the chillies. Grind and blend until very fine. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the spice paste until fragrant. Stir well. Add salt, sugar and tamarind juice to taste.

Sambal Belachan (for the morning glory) — 100g dried prawns — 100g shallots — 20g small chillies, seedless.

— 50g big chillies, seedless — 20g dried small chillies — 20g dried big chillies — 10g belacan (dried prawn paste) — 3 tablespoons tamarind juice — 80ml vegetable oil — 100ml water — Sugar to taste Heat up the slice of dried prawn paste. Place the paste in a grinder with water, all the chillies, the dried prawns and shallots, and

grind until very fine. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the spice paste until fragrant. Stir well. Add sugar and tamarind juice to taste.

Morning Glory Sautéed with Sambal Belachan — 400g morning glory, cut into 5cm long pieces — Sambal belachan (see above) Blanche the morning glory. Heat up the wok, add 3 table spoons of the sambal belachan (see above) and stir for 1 minute. Then add the morning glory. Fried until soft for about 5 to 7 minutes.

Dried Anchovies — 200g dried anchovies (halved and cleaned) — 100g vegetable oil Rinse the dried anchovies and drain the water. Fry the anchovies until they turn light brown.

Omelet — 4 eggs — 20g spring onions cut into 1cm strips — 1 teaspoon of salt — 2 tablespoon vegetable oil Beat the eggs and add the spring onion and salt. Heat up the oil in a pan and pan-fry the eggs for 2 minutes and flip over both sides. Cut into 4 portions.

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6A Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh Tel: 3845 5224 www.aulacdobrazil.com 11am to 2pm, 5pm to midnight A nicely themed Brazilian churrascaria steakhouse offering all you can eat grilled meat and seafood on the skewer, Au Lac do Brazil is not for the feint of stomach.

In typical Brazilian rodízio fashion, waiters bring cuts of meat to the table for patrons to pick and choose, all for a set price. They also offer wine pairings, a salad bar and an a la carte menu, with a creative selection of fruit caipirinhas on hand to wash it all down. The prices aren’t for anyone on a budget, but the amount and quality of meat is more than worth cost.

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PAN-CHINESE Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3823 8888 11am to 2pm, 5.30pm to 10pm A fine dining destination at the Sofitel

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PAN-ITALIAN 23 Nha To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 6288 leo@mediterraneo-hanoi.com 10am to 11pm This long-running, cozy restaurant near the cathedral serves all the traditional Italian fare you could need — homemade mozzarella and fresh pasta, spinach and ricotta ravioli, cold cut boards, soups, salads and fish. Throw in an extensive wine list, a traditional wood fire oven and a balcony spot looking over Hanoi’s trendy café scene and you’re onto a winner.

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CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL 3rd Floor, 59A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 0888 www.hanoi-pressclub.com 11.30am to 2pm and 6pm to 10.30pm.

Closed Sunday lunch Wooden flooring, paneling and bold but subtle colours pervade this traditional but contemporary, fine-dining 70-seater venue close to the Opera House. Serving up quality cuisine for over a decade, Press Club boasts a bar area, two private dining rooms, including a wine room, a library and a vast selection of cigars, all in an elegant atmosphere. Does four excellent wine pairing menus, put together through the aid of the Press Club’s extensive new and old world wine list. Also hosts a popular first-Friday-ofthe-month party.

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PAN-ITALIAN 3 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan Kiem Tel: 38269 080 www.panevino.com 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.

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

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

Does a great three-course set lunch for VND520,000++.

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BONG-CHU JJIM-DAK

KOREAN CHICKEN B40 Nguyen Thi Dinh, Thanh Xuan Tel: 6680 1423 Visit www.bongchu.co.kr 11am – 10pm

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

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CLASSIC ITALIAN 18 Lane 50/59/17 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho Tel: 8585 1443 11am to 11pm This airy, contemporary looking Italian restaurant next to the famed lawn chair and coconut café on West Lake has all the right ingredients to become a classic.

Run by the long time former manager of Luna D’Autunno, it features scrumptious wood-fired oven pizzas from VND120,000 and other Italian delicacies. Open every day for lunch and dinner, delivery is also available.

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traditional wood ovens to prepare some of the city’s finest pizzas, which range from VND60,000 to build-your-own-skiesthe-limit. Set inside a large, thoughtful space with over 35 covers and an outside courtyard, seasoned chefs also make fresh pastas, soups and cheeses — the latter often bought by other restaurants.

Monthly photo exhibitions and opera nights make it well worth a visit, as does the large wine list and choice of desserts.

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

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PAN-FRENCH / INTERNATIONAL 11B Ngo Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 7207 10.30am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10pm Clean and fresh with a fine-dining vibe, the Millennium restaurant is the minimal and chic result of a Café Des Arts makeover. The street’s new go-to for a high standard of eating and drinking goes over two floors and has a welcome and inviting three-level outdoor terrace high up amid the concrete and cables of the Old Quarter.

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99 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6991 www.elgaucho.com.vn 4pm to late This welcomed eatery combines traditional

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

CONTEMPORARY NORTH AMERICAN 16/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 3719 www.donviet.vn Monday to Friday, 10am to late. Weekends 8am to late A bakery, bistro, restaurant, wine retailer, oyster bar and top floor lounge bar all in one, this lake-facing venue is the work of charismatic Canadian restaurateur and wine connoisseur Donald Berger.

Focusing on comfort food done well, the main restaurant menu includes anything from wood-grilled rare tuna steak with fragrant Chinese black bean beurre noir to gourmet pizza and pasta dishes such as the likes of Iberian pata negra ham egg pasta served with crushed roasted garlic and manchego. Does an excellent range of imported oysters and has an extensive wine list.

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Sheraton Hotel, K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 9000 restaurant.hanoi@sheraton.com www.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 “Wines of the World” selection.

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

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SINGAPOREAN / CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3946 0121, www.halia.com.sg Monday – Saturday 11am to 11pm Closed on Sundays A secluded courtyard in the heart of Pacific Place plays host to one of the capital’s best restaurants. A two-floored venue split into a downstairs tapas and bar area,with a refined dining space located on the level above, the menu includes Singaporean specialities such as the shrimp satay salad and the chilli crab spaghetti. A pan-European classical menu mixed in with light Asian flavours is also on offer, with dishes such as pan-braised Alaskan cod with sea winkle crust and the braised pork belly in shoyu and sweet mirin making an appearance. Has an extensive wine list.

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

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The latest restaurant to open on Truc Bach Lake, Rasa Singapura is the work of Singaporean Victor Seow and his partner, Nguyen Kim Huong. Specialising in Peranakan cuisine, the hybrid Malay-Chinese food eaten by the Straits Chinese from Penang, Malacca and Singapore, for this column Huong has chosen to give us the recipe for nasi lemak, probably Singapore’s best-known dish (besides chilli crab and chicken rice, of course).

A sum of many oft-spicy parts, the majority of the ingredients are available in Hanoi. Served with chicken wings, grilled or pan-fried sardines, and peanuts, if you wish to eat true Peranakan cuisine, this is a great starting point. Enjoy!

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Plaza serving Cantonese and pan-Chinese cuisine in a sleek modern setting with private dining rooms. With more than 80 dim sum selections available along with Chinese entrees, Ming’s is an ideal eatery for those hungry for higher end Chinese fare.

Argentinian recipes and preparation with great service in a contemporary and thoughtfully designed space over three floors. Already with two venues in Saigon — one near the Opera House and the other in Saigon South — the essence of this popular chain is quality top grade meats off the grill. Steak is the mainstay, but everything from chicken, pork and seafood is also up for grabs. Add to this a backdrop of low Latin music, low, subtle lighting and an extensive wine list and that’s another reason to head to El Gaucho.

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CLASSIC ITALIAN 78 Tho Nhuom, Hoan Kiem., Tel: 3823 73338 lunadautunno@gmail.com 11am to 11pm This old-favourite Italian restaurant has been going for 10 years. It uses

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out & about walk past without noticing, but venture inside and you will find a small but neat interior. The food ranges from traditional Japanese to dishes that lean towards fusion. Very reasonable prices, compared with other Japanese establishments.

In typical Vietnamese fashion, Bong-Chu Jjim Dak restaurant only serves one dish it knows best: chicken. A light kimchi soup is served alongside the steamed bird mixed with cellophane noodles packed in a mildly peppery but sweet combination.

It’s simple — ordering options include half chicken, whole chicken, chicken and a half, or all of the above. Select the answer that best fits your appetite and escape from the ubiquitous boiled chicken on streets.

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

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JAPANESE BBQ 121 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3974 8437 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 11pm Just a stone’s throw from Ky Y, this Osakabased chain does the same cuisine, but entirely differently. The small plates on the large menu are best shared among a group and with bottles of beer or sake.

The tofu in amber sauce will leave you licking the plate and the chicken with udon and vegetables is off-the-charts delicious. The tidbit barbeque sticks of okra or bacon are also great, but more as a snack than anything else.

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with red plastic tables on the street and foot-high stools. The soup comes with an accompanying basket of slightly stale but buttery banh quay.

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

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BANH CUON 39 Dao Duy Tu, Hoan Kiem 6am to 3pm Put the warm fish sauce in the small bowl with squeezed lime, chilli and fresh herbs and then dip. This is the Ha Nam version of banh cuon (rolled wet rice paper) with

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

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

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

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PHO CUON / PAN-VIETNAMESE 71-77 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh 9am to midnight For a dish purported to be invented by French chef Didier Corlou, it is phenomenal how this wet rice paper filled with beef and herbs affair has so quickly been absorbed into the street food fold.

Dipped into sweet fish sauce with a touch of chilli, it tastes good, too. The biggest proponents of this dish are on Truc Bach — a row of five street-side eateries that also sell standard, quan nhau meat and seafood fare. There is also another strip of joints just round the corner on Ngu Xa.

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VEGAN 79A Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3942 4140 9am to 9pm The set meals for one person or a group of six people make this a popular lunchtime eatery. Signs clearly demarcate the way through the alley on Tran Hung Dao to this casual restaurant with indoor and outdoor

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PHO GA / BUN BO NAM BO 49 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho 6am to 4pm A stilt-hutted street food eatery and cafe in the shadow of Elite Fitness doing a tasty version of the sweet and sour bun bo Nam Bo (southern-style beef noodles).

Ladle in the chilli and mix up with the beansprouts, fresh herbs, peanuts and sauteed beef, and you have a spiced-up, filling meal. Also does decent pho ga (chicken noodle soup) and pho xao (fried noodles). Has a semi-mezannine cafestyle space out back.

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

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

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

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

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CAFÉ / RESTAURANT 37 Nam Tran, Truc Bach, Ba Dinh Mau Dich is a blast from Vietnam’s subsidy era past with diners ordering from a blackboard and paying in vouchers.

Traditional dishes like thit kho tau are written up daily and washed down with cool bia hoi. Hanoi’s most interesting themed restaurant.

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

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

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

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

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seating. Everything on the menu is vegetarian, from standard tofu with tomato sauce to more obscure fake meat dishes.

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

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TRADITIONAL JAPANESE 34 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 7565 10am to 2pm, 5pm to 10pm This Japanese eatery might be easy to

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JAPANESE RICE EATERY 166 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3978 1386 11.30am to 1.30pm, 5pm to 10.30pm, closed Sunday Sushi, soba, sake. Buy a big bottle of sake and the staff will put your name on it and keep it until next time. Dine at the downstairs bar or in one of the private rooms with sliding doors for an authentic Japanese experience. Although Ky Y specialises in rice-style working man’s fare, it’s hard to go wrong with anything on the menu, but the Japanese omelets, tempura and saucy eggplant dishes are perennial crowd pleasers.

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SINGAPOREAN RESTAURANT 92 Le Duan, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3941 1208 www.lioncity.com.vn AC WIFI Probably Hanoi’s best Singaporean dining is located steps away from the Hanoi train station, so close that a clear view of the tracks can be seen through a window from your table. As part of the lavish Cosiana Hotel, excellent hospitality comes hand in hand with tasty cuisine. Choose from a variety of typical Lion City dishes and speciality drinks.

the gio lua (pork cake) substituted for barbecued pork and bacon. The street side, flaking paint wall location may be off putting for some, but the fare tastes great.

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PHO GA / PHO BO / PHO XAO 32 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiem 5.30am to 11pm A hearty, slightly salty broth accompanies the pho ga at this well-known, 40-year-old street corner eatery also lauded for its tasty pho xao and pho bo. It's a simple, typically Hanoian streetside affair here

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

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

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

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TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE 65 Ngo Hue, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3976 0633 www.chimsao.com 10am to 2pm, 5pm to 11pm Situated in a turn-of-the-century French townhouse in a tucked away alley, the ‘whistling bird’ continues to offer some of the best ‘traditional’ Vietnamese food in the capital. Sit on the floor upstairs or enjoy seating downstairs, regardless this eatery serves up simple Vietnamese staples that are well executed and presented in a setting that makes one feel like a regal Hanoian.

CHOI

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LOUNGE CAFE 15A Au Co, Tay Ho, Tel: 0913 221971 Step downstairs through Choi’s imposing wooden doors, and into their cellar-like lair. Intricate jazz tunes float through the

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

It’s best for groups so you can order an array of dishes ranging from the more exotic frog legs, buffalo and ostrich, to the trusted standbys; catfish spring rolls, papaya salad and fried tofu. But it’s the exclusive Highway 4 flavoured rice wines that can be taken as shots or mixed into cocktails that keep this place crowded.

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

Of the 14 dining spaces, one room holds 30 guests. Open for breakfast lunch and dinner.

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GOURMET VIETNAMESE 4 Ton That Thiep, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 1355 9096 10am-2pm, 5pm-10pm Gordon Ramsay once filmed a show at this restaurant in a renovated French villa and now the ribs carry his namesake.

But it’s the twist on old world favourites, think fried snail spring rolls and miniature vegetarian banh xeo, in a casually elegant setting that make this spot near the train tracks standout. Be sure to try the rollyour-own cha ca spring rolls and check the schedule for live traditional music.

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

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

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restaurant. The cuisine and drinks don’t come cheap, but then establishments such as Softwater are a rarity. Has both an international and a Vietnamese menu and is located by the river in An Duong at the end of Road 9, close to the Sofitel Plaza.

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

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courtyard. Menu is huge, made up of street-food options and higher end dishes from Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City.

Quick service makes it ideal for lunch and the array of options makes it perfect for newcomers to Vietnamese cuisine. Order loads and share, of course.

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

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spacious interior, adorned with artwork that pays tribute to greats like D. Ellington and Bo Diddley. Enjoy a smart, cozy setting with selections of wines, soups, salads and other Vietnamese comfort foods to enjoy.

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CONTEMPORARY STREET FOOD 18 Phan Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3942 8162 sales@ngonhanoi.com 7am to 9.30pm Long-time favourite serving up Vietnamese classics in a large French villa and

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57 Bui Thi Xuan Street, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3944 0204, www.potsnpans.vn 11.30am to late Brought to you by a group of former disadvantaged youth from Hanoi’s own KOTO, this unique fine dining restaurant, bar and lounge blends the old with the new. Vietnamese fusion cuisine, like profiteroles with green tea and café fillings, a private chef’s table with a kitchen view, and an extensive wine list combined with modern formal styling bring a unique experience to Hanoi.

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29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6282 5555 ext. 6414 satine@hoteldelopera.com Situated in the heart of Hotel de l’Opera’s 8 storey central atrium, Satine offers a high class dining experience. Signature Vietnamese dishes from around the country will be presented to guests including some of the country’s best kept culinary secrets passed down by generations.

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

Quite an experience.

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IMPERIAL / CONTEMPORARY 63 Pham Hong Thai, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3927 5920 11am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm After shutting the doors at its former location, Com Viet is nestled in the tranquil neighbourhood near Truc Bach Lake.

The ‘imperial’ staple, with its pristine décor and antiques, traditional bites and regal atmosphere, specialises in serving up traditional treats with contemporary fusion — think cheese wrapped in beef with a side of pickled cucumbers and a glass of red. Go on the right night and catch live traditional music in the courtyard and feel like a king.

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

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VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 42 Duong 9, F361, An Duong, Yen Phu, Tay Ho, Tel: 2260 8968 10am-10pm Imperial-era architecture, a rock garden with trees almost 300 years old, a beautiful lawn area and contemporary Asian-influenced international fare make up the mix at this quite unique top-end

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CLASSY FUSION 33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 5831 www.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 twist, as well as wine, tapas, events and attractive décor.

Additional services include catering, BBQ rentals, playroom, kids menu, takeaway and local delivery.

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FRENCH LOUNGE 95 Giang Van Minh, Ba Dinh, Tel: 0976 751331 www.etehanoi.com 10am to midnight A favourite among those who roam further west of the city centre, this multi-storey restobar has been going strong for more than two years. It has balconies, mezzanine seating and a long bar guarding exactly 50 different cocktails.

For many the Ete burger is right on the mark as are the sandwiches, tartines and salads. It’s always crowded — especially during the weekends. Amiable staff, pleasant vibes.

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LOUNGE CAFÉ 9 Au Co, Tay Ho, Tel: 3710 1566 Nestled along bustling Au Co, seconds away from West Lake, Grain and Grape provides a comfortable, elegant setting to enjoy a glass of wine alongside an appetizing meal. Outdoor seating, dining room, and an upstairs seating area adorned with stacks of wine bottles along the walls only give testament to its extensive, diverse menu.

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INTERNATIONAL The Clubhouse, Ciputra, Tel: 3758 2400 7am to 11pm One of the larger and more comfortable bars in Hanoi, J.A.F.A. is a great place for drinking cocktails by the pool. The beverages are not the cheapest, but this is made up for by service and ambiance.

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out & about They also have a full menu featuring familiar western dishes such as pizza and cheeseburgers and cater for large parties or dinner functions. Periodic buffets and drink specials are also offered.

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23J Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 8388 www.Jackson_steakhouse.com 9.30am to midnight This new addition to the city from the Alfresco’s Group is definitely the meatiest yet. In the shape of a four floor, chic restobar — which has a bar lounge on the ground, a restaurant vibe on the second and third, and a “boardroom” on the fourth — Jacksons Steakhouse serves of well presented plates of imported Oz and New Zealand steaks as well as seafood.

Of course, the large restaurant wouldn’t be complete without a large wine list to match.

LA PETIT TONKINOISE

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INTERNATIONAL / CAFE 16-18 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1745 Open 24 hours This spacious spot on food street is open around the clock, offering Aussie-inspired comfort food along with more eclectic Irish nachos, cottage pies and pan-Asian fare.

Upstairs is fit for social gatherings and live music while the no-smoking downstairs space is filled with people working and socialising. Serves as community centre, catering both to ravenous backpackers who’ve just arrived off the night train from Sapa and locals looking to meet up.

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BAR, CAFÉ AND MUSIC VENUE 256 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho www.rockandrolltavern-hanoi.com Come grab a drink at the newly revamped R &R to enjoy a taste of American style brew and their comforting Western dishes.

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SKYLINE LOUNGE 19th Floor, Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3946 1901 therooftop@vnn.vn 8am to midnight If location counts for anything, then here it is spectacular. With a 270-degree view over the whole of the city, the up-on-high theme of the Rooftop is used to its full.

The bar is pretty cool, too, with bare brick, sofa-style seating, glass fronted wine displays and a private room out back for more intimate drinking. Also does day-time office lunches, coffee and decent bar food.

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BRITISH / INTERNATIONAL 25 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 2104 www.lepub.org 7am to midnight Dark red walls and even darker brown seating run through the homely and casual Le Pub, one of the few bars in

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

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

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CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL 28 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3398 1979 www.southgatehanoi.com Sunday to Wednesday 11.30am to

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OTHER BUSINESSES

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The Cart

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L’s Place

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St. Honore; Vine

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Oasis; Red Apron

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Segafredo; Tracy’s; Kitchen

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Vine Cellar Door

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Mandarin; India Palace

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Yuki’s

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Al Fresco’s; Tay Tap

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Kitchen Art

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House of Son Tinh

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Santal Spa; Bamboo Village

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Don’s Tay Ho

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City Zoo; Better Day

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Da Paolo; Coconut Cafes

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Collective Concepts

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La Salsa

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Binh’s Salon

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White Cloud

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L’Atelier

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Cielo

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Pure Heaven

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Bobby Chinn

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International SOS

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Le Marrakech

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Ham Long Mini Market

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Daluva

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Module 17

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Joma

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George’s Fashion

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Hanoi Rock City

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Veggie’s

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Love Chocolate Cafe

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Zenith Yoga

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AMUSEMENT 093 ANTIQUES 093 BOOKS SHOPS 093 CINEMAS 093 CLUBS & SOCIETIES 093 COOKING CLASSES 093 DANCING 093 FITNESS 093 FOOTBALL, SOCCER & RUGBY 094 GALLERIES 094 GOLF COURSES 095 MASSAGE 095 HAIDRESSERS & SALONS 095

AMUSEMENT

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

KIDS 095 LEISURE GENERAL 095 NAILS 095 PERFORMING ARTS 095 SPAS 096 SPORTS CLASSES 096 TENNIS 097 VIETNAMESE CLASSES 097 ARTS CLASSES 097 COLUMN CINEMA BUFF 094 BOOK BUFF 096 Their biggest section is composed of ESL materials, but you will also find fiction.

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OLD SKOOL 1 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3939 2888 9am to 11.30pm This ‘Chill Lounge’ is not too far from the Opera House and is ideal for drinks against a bright backdrop. Its large bar serves up test tube shooters and the Party Animal Bucket offers a range of shots. Of course, it’s a café/restaurant, too and be sure to check out the owner’s collection of boom boxes next to the DJ Booth. Live music on Wednesdays and a DJ at the weekend.

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12 Truong Han Sieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 6680 9124 www.tadioto.com 8.30am to Midnight Alternative and nostalgic restaurant bar with a dim lit conversational ambience.

This French-style villa is adorned with old-world architectural styles and hints of engaging contemporary artwork along its walls. Enjoy a glass of wine to complement a variety of succulent light dishes in this combination café, bar, and gallery.

Includes lounge seating, two bars, an outdoor patio, and two multi-purpose rooms for small gatherings. Tadioto is an exciting, intimate venue for live music, literary readings, and art showcases.

RESTAURANTS & BARS

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LEISURE & ARTS

midnight. Thursday to Saturday 11.30am to 2am An American-run casual yet sophisticated restobar on Food Street with a great outdoor terrace area, a shared indoor bar space, a chef’s table and upstairs seating.

Matched by contemporary décor, the creative food menu focuses on doing comfort food well, while a decent new and old world wine list and innovative cocktails make up the mix. Popular with the media and artsy set.

WEST LAKE OUT & ABOUT

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HAPPY HOUR

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

The pub 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.

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. Has a second Le Pub at Third Floor, 9 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho.

LIVE LIVE LIVE MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC DJ

LIVE LIVE LIVE MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC

DJDJ DJ

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

HANOI STAR BOWL

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

QUAN TOM

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

ANTIQUES 54 TRADITIONS GALLERY

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

BOOK SHOPS BOOKWORM

44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3715 3711 Bookworm has been the cornerstone of Hanoi’s literary scene since 2001. It has been around the block quite a bit and now shares a space with Hanoi Cooking Centre. With over 15,000 new and secondhand fiction and nonfiction titles in stock, the shop also buys used books and offers free travel advice.

HIEU SACH THANG LONG

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

XUNHASABA

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

CINEMAS CINEMATHEQUE

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

MEGASTAR

Vincom Towers, 191 Ba Trieu, 6th floor, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3974 3333 www.megastarmedia.net Inside Vincom towers, this big, westernstyle multiplex shows some of the latest English language and Asian foreign films.

The experience includes fairly wellstocked concession stands, comfortable seats, air conditioning and a booming sound system.

MEGASTAR PICO MALL

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

NATIONAL CINEMA CENTRE

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

CLUBS & SOCIETIES DEMOCRATS ABROAD – VIETNAM

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

AMERICAN CLUB

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

leisure & arts HANOI CLUB

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

L’ESPACE

24 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem www.ambafrance-vn.org The cultural arm of the French Embassy is very active in the cultural life of the city.

They both organise and host many functions – music, performing arts, film. Large French language library as well as classes and workshops.

COOKING CLASSES HANOI COOKING CENTRE

44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3715 0088. www.hanoicookingcentre.com Hanoi Cooking Centre is a school, retail outlet and café, where you can find classes on not just Vietnamese cooking, but international cuisine, held in a beautiful setting. They also offer culinary tours.

HIDDEN HANOI

137 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho. Tel: 0912 254045 www.hiddenhanoi.com.vn A wide range of Vietnamese culinary classes are offered in these well-appointed and clean facilities. The knowledgeable staff will guide you through the secrets of Vietnamese cooking in an open air courtyard.

HIGHWAY4 COOKING CLASS

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

KITCHEN ART STORE AND STUDIO

Lane 38/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 6680 2770 www.kitchenart.vn Well stocked and modern cooking store offering cooking classes with one of Vietnam's popular food personalities.

Kitchen Art Basic Baking Classes also open to non-Vietnamese speaking students.

The friendly staff ensures that everyone is able to follow the instructor.

KOTO

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

DANCING ASPARA DANCE STUDIO

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

FITNESS ELITE FITNESS

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 6281 www.elitefitness.com.vn The luxury gym features top-of-the-line

fitness equipment, separate cardio and spinning areas and an indoor swimming pool with a retractable roof. The spacious studios and natural light make it a welcoming place to squeeze in a work out, but be prepared to pay. This place is top of the range.

FOUR SEASONS SWIMMING POOL

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

HANOI BOOTCAMP BEEACTIVE

To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho beeactivetoday@gmail.com The successor to the weekly bootcamp famously run by fitness professional Helen Kindness, BeeActive continues the community spirit by bringing together both the fit and unfit to work out on the streets. To take part, drop them an email.

Sessions are all held around the To Ngoc Van area, unless stated otherwise: Mon — 6am to 7am (Ciputra) Mon, Tues, Fri — 9.15am to 10.15am Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs — 6.30pm to 7.30pm Sat — 7am to 8am

NSHAPE FITNESS

71 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Dong Da Tel: 6266 0495 www.nshapefitness.vn This gym with American Life Fitness cardio and weight machines, provides a clean, uncrowded environment and expertly staffed facilities with a selection of fitness classes for its members. Classes include boxing, yoga and groupX with both Vietnamese and foreign fitness trainers on hand to give exercisers advice.

Membership starts from VND1.5 million per month with no joining fee.

STAR FITNESS

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

SUNWAY HEALTH CLUB

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

VIETCLIMB

So 40 Ngo 76 An Duong, Tay Ho Tel: 5321 9235 www.vietclimb.vn Although a little hard to find, VietClimb is a French-owned, 200-meter climbing gym with state-of-the-art courses. There are 100 different climbing routes within the gym that are changed every few months.

They offer clinics, classes and children’s events. Membership and group rates are available, but be sure to check out the three-month pass.

VINCHARM SPA AND GYM

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

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leisure & arts

cinema buff

Hoa Le takes a look at what’s on in the cinemas this month

and have a post workout drink at the juice bar. There is even a separate swimming pool for tots, and a full service spa.

Top-end equipment and services come with top-end monthly fees — not for the feint-hearted.

FOOTBALL, SOCCER & RUGBY HANOI CAPITALS FOOTBALL CLUB

SKYFALL

bootlegging operation, make a go of the American Dream in Prohibition-era.

Threatened by a new deputy and other authorities who want a cut of their profits, the loyalty of the three brothers is put to the test against a backdrop of the nation's most notorious crime wave.

Watch it at MegaStar from Nov. 16

Director: Sam Mendes Stars: Daniel Craig, Helen McCrory and Javier Bardem Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller

LITTLE NICOLAS (2009) Director: Laurent Tirard Stars: Maxime Godart, Valérie Lemercier and Kad Merad Genre: Comedy, Family

In this the 23rd filmed adventure of James Bond 007, Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her.

As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

Hits the big screen on Nov. 2 at MegaStar cinema complexes in Vincom Tower (191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung) and in Pico Mall (229 Tay Son, Dong Da), Platinum Cineplex (The Garden Shopping Mall, My Dinh), and Lotte Landmark Cinema (The Keangnam Towers, My Dinh)

as witnesses in their defence.

Pushing themselves to the limits of their abilities, armies gather on each side in preparation for a final showdown.

Debuts on Nov.16 at MegaStar cinema complexes and the Platinum Cineplex

Director: Bill Condon Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner Genre: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy The epic love story of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen concludes in this final installment of Stephenie Meyer's best-selling series. Bella starts her new life as a vampire as she and Edward raise their daughter, Renesmee. When a false allegation makes Renesmee the target of the Volturi, the Cullens journey around the globe to gather allies to act

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www.hanoiyouthfootball.com/english/home/ The biggest youth football league in the capital. Youths aged 8 to 16 years old come together to play regular tournaments.

VIET CELTS

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

Call Gareth for more information: 0904 228629.

VIETNAM SWANS

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

GALLERIES

Director: John Hillcoat Stars: Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf and Guy Pearce Genre: Crime, Drama

Set in Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, the three Bondurant brothers, who run a

HANOI YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE

APRICOT GALLERY

LAWLESS

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN — PART 2

www.hanoi-capitals.blogspot.com Hanoi Capitals don’t play. This football club is serious about their sport. The uniforms and attitudes alone tell you they’re no Bad News Bears. If you want to let your skills shine get in contact with Ricky at 0903 413339.

In a suburb in France, Nicolas is living a peaceful life. He has parents who love him, a group of nice friends with whom he has great fun, and all he wants is for nothing to change. But one day he overhears a conversation that leads him to believe that his life might change forever — his mother is pregnant. He panics and envisions the worst: soon a little brother will be there, who will take up so much space that his parents will struggle, eventually abandoning him in the forest.

This movie will be shown in French with Vietnamese subtitles at the French Cultural Centre (L’Espace) at 8pm on Nov. 30.

feature both Vietnamese and international artists. Mlle. Nga, who runs the space, also involves herself in several other cultural projects around Hanoi.

RED RIVER GALLERY

SUFFUSIVE GALLERY

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

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

VIET FINE ARTS GALLERY

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

GOLF COURSES HANOI CLUB DRIVING RANGE

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

TAM DAO GOLF AND RESORT

www.tamdaogolf.com Relatively new golf club near the base of the mountains at Tam Dao. It is about

ART VIETNAM

FOUR SEASONS 14 Dang Tien Dong, Dong Da Tel: 3537 6250

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

MAI GALLERY

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

MAISON DES ARTS

31 Van Mieu, Dong Da. Tel: 3747 8096 www.maisondesartshanoi.com A gallery near the Temple of Literature with several floors bills itself not only as an art gallery, but a multi-purpose social and cultural space. Frequent exhibitions

HAIRDRESSERS & SALONS

BINH’S SALON

SWIMMING POOLS

HANOI ART CONTEMPORARY GALLERY

hills.

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

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

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

two hours from the city, but does provide an 18-hole course with a clubhouse and a spectacular view, surrounded by green

ARMY HOTEL 33C Pham Ngu Lao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 2896

HANOI CLUB 76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3823 8115 www.hanoi-club.com HORISON FITNESS CENTER 40 Cat Linh, Ba Dinh Tel: 3733 0808 MELIA HOTEL 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 3343 OLYMPIA 4 Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 1049 SAO MAI 10 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 3161 SOFITEL PLAZA FITNESS CENTER 1 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho Tel: 3823 8888 THAN NHAN Vo Thi Sau, Hai Ba Trung, (Inside the park) THANG LOI HOTEL 200 Yen Phu, Tay Ho

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

DINH HAIR SALON

FRANGIPANI SPA

405 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh. Tel: 6329 2915 www.frangipani.com.vn New garden-themed day spa named after the frangipani flower, known in Vietnam for its healing properties. Services include hair salon, nail care and massages.

Details to amenities like bathrobes, slippers and towels provide a comfortable atmosphere.

TA SALON

Hanoi Club, 76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3716 1754 / 3758 2940 (Ciputra).

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

THE HAIR WORKSHOP

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

HAIR SPACE

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

TRAN HUNG HAIR CREATION

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

KIDS HANOI ZOO

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

KINDERPARK

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

THANG LONG WATER PUPPET THEATRE

Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem Daily shows of traditional rustic Vietnamese carved puppets, animate folkloric tales accompanied by music.

This can be fun for adults as well as children.

THE LITTLE GYM OF HANOI

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

TINIWORLD

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

VINCOM TOWERS

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

LEISURE GENERAL FRIENDS OF VIETNAMESE HERITAGE www.fvheritage.org A non-profit organization devoted to the culture of Vietnam. People from all over the world join together to educate themselves and others on Vietnam and preserve its heritage. The organization holds events such as lectures, city walks and excursions available to the public.

HANOI HASH HOUSE HARRIERS

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

HANOI LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL

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

Practice every Saturday at Xuan Dinh Field from 6.15 to 8.30 am

MASSAGE JUST MASSAGE

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

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

HANOI AESTHETIC INSTITUTE

14 Yen Phu, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3945 4548 www.vienthammyhanoi.com.vn Trained at the Tue Tinh Traditional Hospital, the therapists at this no frills, traditional Vietnamese massage centre use a variety of techniques including tuina, aromatherapy, ayurvedic and shiatsu.

Also offer a range of healing treatments as well as not-so-traditional laser and plastic surgery.

THANH GIA

18 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung 38 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem One of a number of foot massage parlours in town that has treatments focusing as much on the pressure points of your feet at they do on the rest of your body.

Strong hands, unbranded oils and, if you ask, tiger balm oil.

NAILS FANCY SPA

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

LINKQ

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

THU CUC EXOTICAL SPA

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

TOP SPOT

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

PERFORMING ARTS HANOI CIRCUS

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

HANOI INTERNATIONAL THEATRE SOCIETY (HITS)

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

HANOI OPERA HOUSE

1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3933 0113 www.ticketvn.com This French colonial building hosts a packed schedule of cultural events throughout the year, everything from the New York Philharmonic to cutting edge Vietnamese performance art has graced its stage.

THANG LONG CA TRU THEATRE

25 Tong dan, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3665 54608 Head to this theatre, lodged on the cam-

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book

buff

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

BOOKS OF THE MONTH

YOUTH THEATRE

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

SPAS KIM DUNG

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

LANCY SPA

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

This month Bookworm’s Truong looks at novels woven around same sex themes Many western countries are presently having debates (sometimes furious, often spurious) about legalising same sex marriage.

A female friend with a longterm female partner said that although she’s in favour of the concept, it all seems to be about stirring the public drama pot and taking the focus off far, far more important issues that are less emotive With all the same sex hype that’s going around and with lots of more conservative people having hissy fits about the inevitable prospect, I thought I should look at a few really good novels that are woven around same sex themes.

Some of the novels on our shelves written from a female perspective include the really very good Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Janet Winterson, Orlando

by Virginia Wolf, The Price of Salt

by Patricia Highsmith, The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall, The Color Purple by Alice Walker and Tipping the Velvet by Sara Waters.

Written from a male perspective I came across the Annie Proux short story Brokeback Mountain (which some male readers may dispute as properly belonging to the genre because it’s written by a female) and two recent prize winners, both of which I’ll also focus on. One is written with

94 | Word November 2012

finesse and a love of grand and loquacious English. The other is taut and racy.

THE STRANGER’S CHILD English author Alan Hollinghurst has written five highly acclaimed novels that in the days of Oscar Wilde, and much more recently, would have been banned.

Nowadays they end up on Man Booker Prize long lists. The Line of Duty, set in the Thatcher era in 1980s UK, was a controversial winner in 2004. In contrast, 2011’s The Stranger’s Child was controversially omitted.

If you like your literature to have a Brideshead Revisited feel to it, or if you like the poetry of the gay British poets from the First World War such as Rupert Brooks chances are you’ll be a fan. Or, likewise, if you like McEwen’s Atonement, Faulks’ Birdsong, or E.M. Forster’s work about the aristocracy, or perhaps the long-winded novels by the Bloomsbury Set, then you’ll eat up The Stranger’s Child with relish.

The novel covers a family’s history from the early 20th century through to 2008, following Daphne from a 16-year-old rose bud into withered old age. We start with Daphne’s infatuation with her brother’ s male lover, Cecil Valance, who writes a poem for her which eventually becomes famous after Valance is killed in the war and he becomes

a gay icon. His poems are seen by closeted gay men to contain truths that have to be unlocked, but only Daphne has the key.

In the Proux vein comes Madeline Miller who, also female, writes a brilliant male coming of age, coming out of the closet novel Song of Achilles. Even though it’s her first, it won last year’s Orange Prize.

TROY WITHOUT HELEN The best thing you can do before you read Song of Achilles, lifted with poetic license from the best story in The Iliad, is to dismiss any similarities with Brad Pitt’s Achilles character and homoerotic muscle-bound body in that fairly awful movie. This story of Achilles, the Greek hero in the 10-year siege of Troy, is told through the eyes of Patroclus, a weedy character who is taken on by Achilles as confidante, best friend and lover.

The two get together as teens and are educated by the centaur Chiron in a remote Aegean island.

Their idyll comes to an end when Achilles is called to lead his father’s army to the Trojan War and they are there for ten years until Achilles’ death in battle, as foretold by the gods.

It’s been described as a breastplate ripping romp and a great adventure tale, and it’s hard to put down. The end of it all is poetically sad with Achilles’s

teenage son, Neoptolemus, turning up to throw muck all over the tragedy. Mind you, who could blame the kid as Achilles hadn’t had anything to do with him or the mother after he impregnated her while he was in drag impersonating a girl. The coupling put Achilles off females forever.

One of the most interesting features is the way Miller portrays the myriad Greek kings as chiefs of tin pot fiefdoms and the gods as works in the process of being invented. The gods are so immediate that important Greeks were able to claim immortal siring or damning. Achilles’s mother was Thetis, a sea goddess who had it off with his father, one of the more important rulers of the era. She comes across as wanting her son to have an Oedipus complex.

Let’s hope Miller continues the saga of Troy with a sequel about Odysseus’s long journey back to Ithaca and his long suffering wife Penelope. Lots of sexual deviations in that tale!

For more information on Bookworm go to www. bookwormhanoi.com. Besides their original store in Chau Long in the Truc Bach area, Bookworm have a second, smaller shop in Nghi Tam Village in the West Lake area. Located behind The Sheraton and in the same alley as VilaTom Coffee, it can be found at Lane 1/28 Au Co, Lang Nghi Tam, Tay Ho.

LE SPA DU METROPOLE

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

It comes at price, but when you’ve just got to treat yourself…

ORCHIDS SPA

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

SANTAL SPA

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

THU CUC EXOTICAL SPA

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

ZEN SPA

100 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 9889 www.zenspa.com.vn Brushing up against the banks of the Red River, this Indochine-styled day spa hideaway comes replete with an oasis-like bonsai garden and peace and quiet, a perfect tonic to the chaos of the city. Has a range of five-element spa packages as well as just one-off facials and waxings and other treatments. Has a second outlet at 100 Xuan Dieu as well as spas in Hoi An.

SPORTS CLASSES HOANG CAU SPORTS CENTRE

59 Hoang Cau, Dong Da. Tel: 3511 8030 The distinction of this fitness centre is that they have a large space, filled with a “number of different fields of different sizes”. Includes areas for aerobics, football and rugby. Classes depend, according to the season.

RED RIVER RUNNERS

www.redriverrunners.wordpress.com The Red River Runners meet every

Saturday to run through the fields and suburbs skirting the Red River in Hanoi.

The group organises races, such as the annual Hanoi Triathlon and the Song Hong Half Marathon, which are community events that help to add a different, more social dimension to fitness and sport in the capital.

UNIS COMMUNITY EDUCATION

UN International School, Tay Ho. Tel: 3758 1551 www.unishanoi.org The UN International School is located between West Lake and the highway heading to Noi Bai Airport. They have great facilities and offer a number of different classes throughout the year.

TENNIS THUY LOI SPORTS COMPLEX

95 Chua Boc, Dong Da A wide sports pitch that also offers a swimming pool and a football field – if you get tired of tennis. Football fields are almost always crowded, but even for tennis it might be good to go during the off hours.

VAN TUE THANG LONG

136 Ho Tung Mau, Tu Liem A little bit hard to find, but Van Tue Thang Long offers quite a bit of room, with a sit-down restaurant and a few tennis courts. Facilities are a bit run down, but a place to go if you want to play tennis on concrete courts.

VIETNAMESE CLASSES VIETNAMESE TEACHING GROUP

164 Le Thanh Nghi, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 7236 9842 www.vietnameseteaching.net Offers not only Vietnamese classes, but also a variety of excursions and events that will help foreigners and expats to better understand Vietnamese culture.

Organised and professional, classes are usually sold in blocks, which you pay for in advance.

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

B7 Bis, Bach Khoa, Dong Da, Tel: 3869 4323 www.vnu.edu.vn/en This national university also offers some language and culture classes to foreigners. Teaching standards are high, and prices are not unreasonable, at around VND150,000 for a one-on-one lesson.

YOGA & MEDITATION ZENITH YOGA

A western-style yoga studio with three practice rooms offering different types of yoga, pilates, tai chi, meditation and dance. Certified professional teachers provide up to seven classes a day, with private classes also available. Workshops and retreats are also held, both at the studio and further afield.

UNESCO YOGA CENTER

3B Dang Thai Than, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3913 5497 www.yoga.com.vn One of the only yoga studios in town exclusively devoted to the practice.

Professional instruction with well-trained teachers, and a very low monthly fee.

ZENITH YOGA

3rd floor, 111 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 0904 356561 www.zenithyogavietnam.com A premier studio offering some of the best yoga, pilates and tai chi in town. Kids’ yoga, prenatal yoga and meditation are also available. Professional instruction along with a peaceful atmosphere creates one of the most zen places in Hanoi. Drop in classes are available for VND200,000 and a month unlimited class pass costs VND1.8 million.

fashion

FASHION

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

LISTINGS

ACCESSORIES & FOOTWEAR 097 CLOTHING 097 LINGERIE 098 SHOPPING MALLS 098

ACCESSORIES & FOOTWEAR BOO SKATESHOP

84 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3923 1147 This skateshop offers a variety of clothes, shoes and skateboarding equipment. Most of the T-shirts are made and designed in Vietnam, while the shoes and other equipment are made for export, often rejected due to minor defects. Staff is knowledgeable about Hanoi’s best skateboarding spots.

EURO FASHION SHOES

26, 84/16 Ngoc Khanh Tel: 0904153041 While you may have to dig through piles of mismatched or orthopaedic-looking shoes, this shop is full of hidden gems in larger sizes, a rare find in Hanoi.

EURO SHOES

320 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem If you’re looking for a diamond in the rough, head for Euro shoes, which has a wide selection of options, many of which you’ll want to give a pass. Often carries larger sizes than most Vietnamese retailers.

HANDMADE SHOES

18 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 5357 This cobbler’s shop repairs shoes and makes shoes to order. The staff speaks limited English, so it’s best to bring along your favourite pair to get copied.

HUONG’S JEWELLERY SHOP

62 Hang Ngan, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3828 1046 A small store specialising in silver necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings and pendants. While Huong’s merchandise is mostly silver or pearl, the staff will also make jewellery to order.

IPA-NIMA

73 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 4000 Started by Hong Kong born designer Christina Yu, Ipa-Nima’s stores are filled with their one-of-a-kind purses and accessories.

Their use of colour, a unique design philosophy and hand done embellishments appeals to jetsetters and fashionistas from Los Angeles to Paris. Always eye-catching and trendy, Ipa-Nima accessories are tangibly timeless and sophisticated.

SPORTSWEAR 098 TAILORS 098 OPTICIANS & GLASSES 099

LOUIS VUITTON

Sofitel Metropole, 15 Ngo Quyen. Tel: 3824 4977 This boutique offers an exclusive collection of the French designer handbags and accessories.

THREE TREES

15 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 8725 The jewellery on offer, designed by a Belgian expat, often features chunkier gold shapes with small, well-placed diamonds. Hidden in the back of the store there is also a display case featuring less-expensive costume jewelry.

TINA SPARKLE

17 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 7616 An eclectic assortment of costume jewelry and Chula dresses are scattered among a wide collection of bags by one of Vietnam’s most popular designers, Ipa-Nima. Check out the seasonal sales for heavy discounts.

VIETNAM OPTICAL

138B Giang Vo, Ba Dinh Tel: 3736 5505 This all-purpose eyewear shop offers free eye exams and a wide selection of frames. Usually there is at least one English-speaking staff present. The quick and easy service means you will be out of the store, lenses in hand, in an hour.

CLOTHING BEO BOUTIQUE

54 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 8997 www.beo.vn The answer for women who struggle with the Hanoi heat. A locally owned boutique selling simple, unfussy clothing in light and easy to wear styles, perfect for when the humidity rises. Most clothing is made from cotton or silk, but they also have felted jackets for the colder weather. As well as off the rack, do custom orders.

CALVIN KLEIN

19-21 Dinh Tien Hoang ; 61-63 Cau Go, Hoan Kiem If it’s all in a name then Calvin Klein’s lakeside store has got it pretty much sewn up. Underwear sits next to jeans going for around VND2.5 million and a range of quality CK shirts, belts and more. By Hanoi standards, prices are high, but think relative. VND5 million for an original, welltailored pigskin jacket is pretty good going.

KINH MAT HA THANH

COCO SILK

LONDON DIAMOND GALLERY

CONTRABAND

2 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh Tel: 3928 6556 Large selection of lenses as well as biomedic contact lenses imported from the US. But buyer beware, lenses in Vietnam usually aren’t scratch-resistant.

21 Nguyen Huy Tu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 4972 6327 www.londondiamondgallery.com Home to the world’s finest gemstones, master craftsmen and jewellery experts, London Diamond Gallery is among the most established jewellery houses in the world, with an international presence that spans across England, Japan, Hong Kong and South-East Asia.

37A Van Mieu, Dong Da Tel: 3747 1535 High-end silk clothing retailer located near the Temple of Literature carries contemporary looks based on traditional Vietnamese styles.

23 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 9891 Launched in Hanoi in 2007, Contraband targets young hip working women. Garments are made from versatile fabrics that are comfortable to wear and easy to look after – making them ideal for work and travel. New styles are introduced each month with limited production runs, offering a sense of exclusivity.

November 2012 Word | 95

fashion EOS FASHION AND DÉCOR

45 Phan Dinh Phuong, Ba Dinh Tel: 3629 78574 The limited stock in this clothing store is made up for by the unique design of the pieces, which are refreshed by the designer every month.

GEORGE’S FASHION BOUTIQUE

36 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, el: 3718 6233 With new styles arriving in store every second day, this shop offers a huge range of dresses, shirts, pants, skirts and accessories in local and imported fabrics.

Clothes fit all sizes, from petite to average to the generous figure. Alterations and a made-to-measure service are available at no extra cost.

GINKGO T-SHIRTS

44 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem; 79 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem www.ginkgo-vietnam.com An environmentally conscious and fairtrade company that offers unique designs and a quality product, Ginkgo t-shirts sport ethnic and modern graphics in a rainbow of colors. The company began in Ho Chi Minh City and now has five outlets around Vietnam. These shirts make great gifts or souvenirs, perfect for proving to disbelievers overseas that you’ve visited the home of the conical hat.

HANOI SILK

Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho Tel: 3716 3062 www.hanoisilkvn.com Located on the ground floor of the Sofitel Plaza Hotel, this silk shop offers a highquality selection of ready-made items. The

SUPERMARKETS BIG C SUPERMARKET 222 Tran Duy Hung, Cau Giay CITIMART HANOI TOWERS 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem CITIMART VINCOM TOWERS 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung FIVIMART 210 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem 10 Tran Vu, Ba Dinh 671 Hoàng Hoa Tham, Ba Dinh 71 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Dong Da 51 Xuân Dieu, Tay Ho 93 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung Online shopping: www.fivimart.com.vn HANOI STAR SUPERMARKET 36 Cat Linh, Dong Da INTIMEX 22 & 23 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem 131-135 Hao Nam, Dong Da 17 Lac Trung, Hai Ba Trung 27 Huynh Thuc Khang, Dong Da METRO 126 Tam Trinh, Yen So, Hoang Mai Pham Van Dong, Co Nhue, Tu Liem

96 | Word November 2012

most popular sellers include robes, linensilk blend shirts, ties and jackets.

ISALYNA

1 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3762 4405 www.isalyna.com The retail outlet for local designer Teddie Tran, who believes that fashion is all about “attitude”. Accordingly, the store’s pieces are mostly basics that can be combined with a range of high-quality leather accessories and jewellery for a unique fashion statement.

KANA

41 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 6208 Reasonably priced handmade silk clothing and accessories in a wide range of patterns sized to fit western bodies.

KEN SHOP

108 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6270 0256 A popular stop for silk lovers, this store is all about soft and light fabrics. Silk, cotton and silk cotton mixes in creamy summer colours or eclectic prints. Ken has a wide range on offer, from casual summer skirts to fancy dresses. A cute collection of toys made of cotton and imported jewellry and accessories are also for sale.

KENLY SILK

108 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 7236 www.kenlysilk.com Instantly recognizable with its two-pillared shop front, Kenly prides itself on professional guidance and high-quality materials from a design’s conception to finish. The shop caters to everything from fashion shows to personal designs.

KHAI SILK

133 Hang Ga, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 4237 One of the better established silk shops in Hanoi, this store also has a satellite shop in the Sofitel Metropole. With outlets throughout the country, this household name is a great place to go for ready-made silk items. You may find better deals at other shops, but with the highest quality silk, at Khai you pay for what you get.

L’ATELIER

No 33 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3668 5509 www.ateliervietnam.com Designer store where Le Duyen Huong features her creations and matching accessories and shoes. The trendy shop exudes a pleasant and warm atmosphere and collections change often. Offers tailoring for local and export markets.

LUALA BOUTIQUE

61 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 9899 www.luala.vn Close to the Opera House, this “concept store” dressed up as a spacious boutique and café is aimed at the luxury, lifestylefocused end of the local market. Has clothing and accessories for men and women and stocks the likes of Vera Wang, Nina Ricci, Elie Saab, Paul & Joe and much more. Also slated to show contemporary Vietnamese art. Check out their website for latest arrivals and their full range of brands.

MAGOON

19 Ma May, Hoan Kiem; 9 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem A small fashion house with many outlets around the city, Magoon offers one-of-akind lady like fashions. They have a bit of everything from jackets and dresses to knitwear. The prices are affordable and the merchandise changes often. The main studio is on Au Trieu.

MARIE-LINH COUTURE

11 Nha To, Hoan Kiem 74 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Parisian-style clothing combined with

quality Vietnamese dressmaking skills.

The beautiful clothes are available in silk, organza and linen. Also available for online orders. With the accompanying home décor and accessories shop on 38 Hang Trong, it is possible to live an entire life of couture.

Vietnamese prices”, says it all. While mostly retailing women’s separates in soft cotton jersey and linen, the store also carries a range of accessories like embroidered canvas totes and printed tees. Has a good selection of unique men’s shirts.

METISEKO

RUNWAY

40-42 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem www.metiseko.com A lifestyle brand that started out life in Hoi An, Metiseko’s move to the capital will see them bring us their creative, poetic prints designed for an eco-chic lifestyle.

The products — clothing, accessories and furniture — are made from natural silk and organic cotton certified to global organic standards. Metiseko is also certified by the fair-trade, Textile Exchange.

MOON

111 Ma May, Hoan Kiem This small shop carries handmade embroidered linen and silk clothes that are usually less expensive than those found at the larger stores. The shop owners make most of the clothes themselves, so they will adjust designs to fit personal tastes.

NAGU

20 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem www.zantoc.com Walk past the rows of teddy bears and head for the small rack of clothing, which offers unique Japanese-designed dresses and shirts. The second floor has a selection of home goods. There is a loyalty program for frequent customers.

NUNA NUNONG

100 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Racks of flowery frocks line the walls, and handmade fabric garlands hang from the ceiling. You will also find a wide selection of handmade goods, such as hand-painted mugs, totes and baskets of increasingly popular animal pillows.

PURE HEAVEN

55 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6290 If the classic storefront doesn’t draw you in, the clothing will. The Scandinavian showroom is clean and streamlined, emulating the modern but simple clothing contained within. Cottons and knitwear are the main focus in the European designed clothing for women and children.

Prices are affordable and the quality is great.

SONG

5 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 6965 This boutique, whose name comes from the Vietnamese word for “life”, stocks high-end linen and silk clothes in a serene store awash with the fresh scent of mint. Located just across the street from the cathedral, prices are on par with its higher-end neighbours.

TAN MY

66 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 1579 www.tanmyembroidery.com.vn Located in the heart of the old quarter, on “silk street”, Tan My claims to be Hanoi’s oldest silk and embroidery shop and boasts customers like Hillary Clinton.

The three-storey shop offers everything from clothes and hand-embroidered baby pillows to sumptuous silk bedding.

TAN MY DESIGN

61 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1154 800sqm of elegant, modern space that offers one-of-a-kind pieces to add to your home furnishings or wardrobe. Located across the street from the other Tan My, one of the oldest silk and embroidery stores in Hanoi.

THINGS OF SUBSTANCE

5 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 6965 This shop’s motto “Western sizes,

13 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 6260 www.runway.vn The second branch of the flagship store located in Ho Chi Minh City, Runway sells only authentic designer collections from all over the world. The large store located in the Sun City Building mimics what a designer boutique should look like, with an all white interior. If you are in need of a designer fix, Runway is your answer, but be warned, the prices match the labels.

SOLE 21

21 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 1968 A distinctly designed boutique around the corner from the cathedral, bringing the latest from European and American Designers. Think Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade and Top Shop. Mark-up seems high on some pieces, but all designers are authentic. No fakes here.

VINATEX

25 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem In-town factory outlet for the Vinatex clothing corp. Carries items for men, women and children at low prices.

LINGERIE ANA MAI

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho This small boutique stocks lingerie similar to Parisian designers Agent Provocateur and Cosabella.

AUBADE

52 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 3822 9051 Pretty, lacy underwear imported from France. Carries mostly small sizes, up to a western sized medium.

MINOSHE

59 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem This popular store carries a wide range of bras and underwear. Additional locations in Hanoi Towers and Vincom Towers.

SHOPPING MALLS HANG DA GALLERIA

Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 2220 9999 This small shopping mall is conveniently located in the centre of the Old Quarter, with all the standard small stores as well as a range of boutiques selling the wares of Vietnamese designers. The Highlands outdoor café is a perfect place to sit and watch the Old Quarter ebb and flow.

HANOI TOWERS

49 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem The retail space on the first floor of this complex includes everything from a golf shop to a hair salon. After shopping you can enjoy a cup of coffee at the Highlands Café or a sandwich at Papa Joe’s.

OCEAN PARK LUXURY MALL

36 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3936 0737 Shopping mall includes international designers such as Versace collection, Dolce and Gabbana, and Roberto Botticelli.

PARKSON

Cnr. Thai Ha & Tay Son, Dong Da www.parkson.com This Malaysian-owned department store prides itself on making the shopping experience one that is “more exciting and

fun”. Unlike many of Hanoi’s retailers, this megastore is also appealing to those who just want to browse. Departments include men’s, women’s and children’s clothing as well as home furnishings.

from Italy and England. The go-to place for top-of-the-range suits and shirts for all occasions. The shop is new and the service spot on.

PICO MALL

18 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 9925 Though this tailor offers both men’s and women’s clothing, the well made dresses displayed in the window and the range of bright colours and patterns caters mostly to female tastes. Located in the shadow of the cathedral, it’s a little pricier, but you pay for the view.

299 Tay Son, Dong Da Newly renovated mall housing international stores like French Connection, Nike, and Adidas. A touch far from the centre, but distance brings lower levels of noise and customers, making it a nice option for shopping spree. Also has a movie theatre, a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and a food court.

TRANG TIEN PLAZA

24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem This large shopping centre located at the southern tip of Hoan Kiem Lake includes shopping options for every price range.

Bargain bins full of locally-produced clothing stand beside a Nike retail outlet. Offerings also include a cosmetics department and multiple electronics retailers.

VINCOM TOWERS

191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3974 9999 A shopping plaza offering a range of international brands such as Levi’s, United Colours of Benetton, Nike, Adidas and Geox.

SPORTSWEAR ADIDAS

83 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel:3828 7190 www.adidas.com The capital city’s flagship store of the international retailer of sport clothing and equipment.

B.BALL

65A Quoc Tu Giam, Dong Da Tel:3224 10780 bball.com.vn This hoops-themed store sells balls, basketball shoes and jerseys of the madein-China variety.

HANOI CLUB GOLF SHOP

76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3823 8115 www.hanoi-club.com A small shop on the first floor of the Hanoi Club sells a range of equipment to fulfill your golfing needs, including clubs, balls and clothes.

CO

64 Tran Xuan Soan, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3943 4747 This English-speaking tailor located near the fabric market off Pho Hue offers a seasonal collection of ready-made designs.

The owner will also copy clothing or sew from your own designs. Fabric can be picked out in the shop or you can bring your own.

MS TAM

Tel: 0989 098903 With a long list of foreign clientele, Ms Tam works from her home not too far outside of central Hanoi. She will pay a visit to where you live to take measurements and then bring the final clothes back a few days later. She also carries a book of fabric swatches for those who truly want to skip the shopping experience.

PHUONG LINH TAILOR

99 Son Tay, Ba Dinh Tel: 0904 083674 Exceptional quality at very reasonable prices, Phuong Linh may not speak English but her and her team make every effort to understand the task at hand.

From copying your favourite garments to creating something new or from a magazine, Phuong and her girls succeed in getting it right time and time again.

THANH HA

114 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Located in the heart of the old quarter, this tailor caters mostly to tourists, but a large collection of Vogue pattern books makes communication very easy.

OPTICIANS & GLASSES SUNGLASSES STREET

Luong Van Can, Hoan Kiem If it’s all in a name, well here its all in a number — two of them in fact, 51 & 58. Not exactly conventional opticians — the rows of shops here do sell frames with lenses and have basic eye-testing services — but if its sunglasses with brand names super-glued on top, here is the place.

TOLIA

THU HA KINH THUOC

Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Also known as the “Russian shop”, Tolia retails overstock outdoor wear made for export. Brands include Jack Wolfskin, The North Face and Patagonia.

ZONE GOLF

Hanoi Towers, 49 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3936 3233 This centrally-located shop carries all the equipment and gear you need for a day at the course.

TAILORS CAO MINH TAILORS

250 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3939 3594 www.caominh.com Located near Cua Nam street at the western-most end of Hang Bong, this established tailor with over 50 years of experience specialises in quality materials

LISTINGS BAKERIES 099 CRAFTS 099 FURNITURE 099 GROCERIES 100 KITCHEN PRODUCTS 100

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings LIQUOR & WINE 100 MARKETS 101 PETS 101 COLUMN MEDICAL BUFF 101

NGOC SHOP

Trang Tien Plaza, 24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem; Vincom Towers, 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung www.nike.com With multiple locations open, and more to come, Nike retails high-end sports clothing and accessories, including yoga mats and water bottles.

NIKE

HOME

home

134 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3943 4570 Free eye testing in this well-known, German-trained opticians that also doubles up as a medical clinic and pharmacy specialising in eye problems. Sells a range of branded and no n-branded spectacles and sunglasses. Located opposite the National Hospital of Ophthalmology.

VIETNAMOPTICAL

48 Hai Ba Trung, Hai Ba Trung & 231 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan Tel: 3736 5505 www.kinhmatvietnam.com.vn Chain of opticians, glasses and sunglasses stores selling a range of branded and Chinese-imported frames starting at VND100,000 a go and rising to over VND2 million. The in-store optometrist gives free eye tests. Helpful, English-speaking staff.

BAKERIES DONKEY BAKERY

tion, which helps disabled and underprivileged children in Hanoi and northern provinces.

8 Nguyen Hoang Ton, Tay Ho www.donkey-donuts.com Founded as a donut shop, it now also offers a wide range of German-inspired breads for those who favour nutrition over sugar. A loaf of rye bread rings in at VND40,000. Donuts, breads, cookies and sandwiches can be ordered online and delivered to your home or office. The bakery employs mostly disabled persons and is dedicated to providing them with high-quality training and care.

MARIE LINH HOME DECOR

KINH DO

58 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem; 9 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 0473063682 Community development non-profit quilt shop featuring handmade quilts and accessories. Styles vary from traditional to patterned and Asian-inspired. Founded in 2001 and with outposts in several locations around the region, the shop employs women in rural areas, enabling them to make an income and care for their families.

252 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem One of the oldest and most wellestablished bakeries in the city, maybe best known as Catherine Deneuve’s former haunt, Kinh Do has been around much longer than any expat. But their breads, pastries and quiches keep foreigners and Vietnamese coming back.

Extensive Western and Vietnamese menu as well.

38 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 0436 www.marie-linh-design.com This newly-opened shop sells specially designed decorative objects in traditional Vietnamese lacquer and pottery in unique styles. It also retails small accessories that are easy to pack in your suitcase. Items are sold in the shop and online.

MEKONG QUILTS

FURNITURE

LE CROISSANT

21 Ha Hoi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3943 6707 www.hoasuaschool.com A well established and well respected Hanoi institution. Le Croissant not only makes excellent baked goods of all kinds, but is also part of the NGO Hoa Sua, a school for disadvantaged children that teaches them life changing skills.

PARIS DELI

6 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 6697 With two locations, one by the Opera House and the other by St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the Paris Deli makes a good job of their breads, tarts and pastries. Both are sit-down restaurants, but are happy to sell you their baked goods over the counter, to go.

THU HUONG BAKERY

35C Phan Dinh Phung, Ba Dinh Tel: 3734 3868 A small but popular Vietnamese-style bakery selling all types of sweets and cakes, luxuriously decorated. They also sell baguettes and sliced breads. They also deliver.

CRAFTS CRAFTLINK

43 Van Mieu, Dong Da Tel: 3843 7710 www.craftlink.com.vn This non-profit organisation helps traditional artisans seek new markets. for sale in the retail space include handmade textiles from the northern provinces.

INDIGENOUS

36 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0977 799911 A crafts and home furnishings shop stocked by the Hold The Future organisa-

BAMBOO FURNITURE CORNER

Cnr. Quang Trung & Tran Nhan Trong, Hai Ba Trung This cluster of furniture shops offer lowpriced bamboo products from baskets and desks to drawers.

BELLIZENO

130D Thuy Khue, Ba Dinh Tel: 3825 1343 The factory location of the Bellizeno bedding company includes a retail space for their high thread count sheets and bedding.

CARPET STREET

There are a number of made-to-order carpet and rug stores along Kim Ma from roughly number 239 to 299.

CHI VANG

63 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 0601 Located near the lake, this store offers a wide range of embroidered bedding and tablecloths. Items can be purchased in the store or hand-embroidered to order.

COTYLEDON

1A Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 7887 This shop stocks high-end duvet and cushion covers, quilts and tableware like runners and placemats.

DARLING HANOI

Tel: 01282 273717 info@darlinghanoi.com www.darlinghanoi.com Photowalls and Wallpaper of the highest quality. Create a photowall from your own image or choose an image from their large online catalogue. Inspiring and unique wall décor for private homes, offices and reception areas, hotel rooms and foyers, restaurants and bars. PVC-free,

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home

ELECTRONICS CAMERAS A DONG PHOTO CO 128 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 0732 This camera shop retails a wide range of cameras, including both analogue and DSLR models, as well as film and accessories like flashes and lenses.

ALPHA LAPTOP 95D Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3747 4418 This laptop retail and repair shop also carries camera accessories and cases.

FUONG MAY ANH 5 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3213 1568 This small store has a wide selection of Viet Nam-produced Pentax cameras. Also has a selection of imported lenses.

NGUYEN CAU 1 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem This camera shop overlooking the lake develops both digital and film prints. Services include photo mounting and passport photos.

COMPUTERS AND ELECTRONICS DK COMPUTER 29 Ngoc Kha, Ba Dinh Tel: 3772 4772 This large electronics retailer deals in computers, printers, as well as external storage devices.

HI-TECH USA 23 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 6261 A small, but good all-around electronics store, selling all kinds of electronics. Speakers, I-Pods, headphones, cables and phone accessories. Many name-brands.

PICO PLAZA 35 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem This is a super-sized electronics shop with each floor devoted to a specific kind of electronics.

You’ll be able to find pretty much anything you’re looking for here, from a phone to a computer to a washing machine.

PROFESSIONAL COMPUTER CARE AND IT SERVICES No 3, Alley 8, Hoa Lu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 0983 011081 This service company can help with a just about any computerrelated task. Computer repairs, set up, Wi-Fi, design, networking and development. On-site and off-site service, and free quotes.

VIETSAD 34B Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3747 8771 Located on bustling “computer street”, this shop offers a range of computer accessories including keyboards and USB drives. They also do computer and laptop repair.

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UV-resistant and moisture-resistant, all the paper is made in Sweden and shipped free within Hanoi.

DOME

10 Yen The, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3843 6036 www.dome.com.vn Internationally run furniture store with three large outlets in Hanoi. They offer ‘affordable luxury’ goods such as pillows, bed linens and other home wears, in addition to making custom furniture.

EUROPEAN IKEA SHOP

35 Ngo Thanh Mie, Dong Da This tiny shop carries a small collection of IKEA brand furniture, but can order more from the catalogue.

GRAND BOIS

Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem This high-end wooden furniture store located on the first floor of Hanoi Towers has offered best-selling designs for a decade. The classic pieces are mostly constructed out of dark wood and are complemented with cream-coloured linen lampshades and cushions.

HANOI MOMENT

101 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 7170 This shop makes sifting through lacquer kitchenware and accessories easy.

While its stock may not differ from the stores next door, the display is less overwhelming.

LA CASA

Syrena Tower, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 4084 www.lacasavietnam.com.vn A shop whose speciality is designing furniture and other household objects, this spot has everything from beds and bookshelves, to tableware and silverware.

The items are all locally made by skilled artisans from Hanoi and the surrounding regions.

MAI LONG

71 Tran Xuan Soan, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3822 5393 This shop sells material for curtains and window blinds. They make house calls to measure and install.

MAROON

156 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 7264 Nestled in the heart of the old quarter, Maroon sells accent pieces to brighten up any household: lacquer picture frames, lamps, and silk bedding.

METISEKO

40-42 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem www.metiseko.com A lifestyle brand that started out life in Hoi An, Metiseko’s move to the capital will see them bring us their creative, poetic prints designed for an eco-chic lifestyle. The products — clothing, accessories and furniture — are made from natural silk and organic cotton certified to global organic standards.

Metiseko is also certified by the fairtrade, Textile Exchange.

MODULE 7

83 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 7247 www.module7design.com Open since 2002, this interior design firm and home store creates modern and simple collections. They use local materials and traditional craftsmanship for a cool mix of contemporary Vietnamese living spaces. Their showroom showcases floor to ceiling windows, which allows for a bright open

design centre.

MOSAIQUE BOUTIQUE

22 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 6181 www.mosaiquedecoration.com Hard to miss, this bright green boutique blends Vietnamese traditionalism with modern flair. The result is a shop selling intricate lamps, lacquers and fun home wears. Handmade jewellery and crafts are also scattered around the store.

Hoan Kiem Cramped and crammed to the bursting point with imported food products, making your way around the maze that is L’s Place can often be a tight affair, but it’s worth it. The canned and packaged goods together with fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products and more can provide the dietary solution for anyone craving for a change from pho ga or bun cha.

PUNTO ITALIA

CT 6 My Dinh, Tu Liem; 147 Doi Can, Ba Dinh; 210 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3972 7412 www.uma.vn Designers and retailers within the interior industry, each branch sells trendy furniture for modern living as well as interior design for all types Vietnamese houses.

62 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 6258 3510 www.puntoitalia.asia Punto Italia is an authentic Italian supplier importing the finest espresso coffee as well as Italian coffee machines for professional, home and office use. Real Italian granita, ice-cream and much more is now available in Vietnam with the support of a professional and friendly service.

VAN LOI

ROCK CANDY

UMA

87 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 6758 www.vanloi.com This store is an impressive mix of fusionwestern furniture and home accessories.

All furniture is hand crafted by artisans meaning top-end quality, but with price tags to match.

VELVET UNDERGROUND

Tel: 3716 0400 www.velvetunderground.biz This shop offers a range of ready made items, from bedding to hot water bottle covers as well as the option of designing your own item from a choice of fabrics.

The friendly and helpful English-speaking staff make shopping a pleasure instead of a chore.

GROCERIES AU DELICE

3 The Giao, Ha Ba Trung Tel: 3972 0584 www.au-delice-online.com A European style deli and grocery store with all sorts of imported products for your dinner parties or a homesick night in. Their claim is to have the best selection of cheeses in Hanoi.

BETTERDAY

100 A Xuan Dieu Tel: 4258 3511 www.betterday.com.vn Hanoi’s speciality organic shop has a small stock of locally grown products including coffee, tea, cashews, a range of spices and beauty products produced in Sapa. Better Day Organics products are also available at the following stores: L’s Place, Oasis and Donkey Donuts

CLASSIC FINE FOODS

19/298 Ngoc Lam, Gia Lam Tel: 3873 6079 www.classicfinefoods.com The place to go for imported foods such as foie gras, high-quality meats, pastas and dairy products. Although they specialise in the wholesale market, they occasionally do retail sales.

HUNG LONG MINIMART

71B Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 6220 This little store around Westlake has the feeling of one of those small ethnic markets you find in London or New York, but the ethnicity is Western. Reasonably priced canned foods, potato chips, cookies and other snacks that may be difficult to find elsewhere in the city.

L’S PLACE

3 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho; 34 A Phan Boi Chau,

28 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6492 9597 Rockcandy.com.vn If you have a sweet tooth this store was made for you. Near the corner of Ly Quoc Su, Rock Candy specializes in the obvious, traditional rock candy. You can sample before you buy, and Rock Candy is available for weddings, private and corporate functions.

VEGGIE’S

99 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 4719 4630 International grocer at the end of Xuan Dieu, Veggie’s remains one of the best suppliers of western foods in the city.

Stock includes organic granola bars, frozen corn dogs and shelves full of cereal. When searching for baking supplies, this store is your best bet. Also, due to having their own farm in Dalat, sell some of the best locally grown non-standard vegetables in town.

VINE CELLAR DOOR

7 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 2922 With a huge wine cellar, a tasting bar, a new array of gourmet foods and a deli case with imported meats, cheeses and olives, Vine Cellar Door Wine & Gourmet Market is a good spot to find the perfect bottle and the foods that go well with it. Also offers glassware, wine & cigar accessories, espresso, gourmet tea and a small café menu from the kitchen of Vine Restaurant.

THE OASIS

24 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 1196 A great place to get all kinds of imported groceries and home-made foods. All of the breads and pastas are made in the in-house kitchen. A great variety of fresh sauces, a limited, but well-chosen selection of wines and a fantastic deli and cheese case. Free delivery.

YUKI’S

54 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6192 New on the scene, this grocer on Xuan Dieu has a large selection of fruits and seafood downstairs. Upstairs is reserved for a grocery store carrying western goods.

KITCHEN PRODUCTS KITCHEN ART

38/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 6680 2770 www.kitchenart.vn Kitchen Art is a little haven for all foodies, cooks and bakers to grow their love and

passion for cooking and baking. Come to Kitchen Art Store to buy restaurant-grade tools and ingredients to cook like a chef, take part in regular demonstrations and workshops at the Studio, or simply read and relax at the cookbook cafe corner while enjoying the peaceful West Lake view.

PUNTO ITALIA

62 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 6258 3510 info@puntoitalia.asia www.puntoitalia.asia Trendy, reliable and stylish coffee machines for the workplace or home, specialising in authentic Italian coffee. Also sells their own brand coffee in capsules, ready ground or as the original roasted mix of beans.

LIQUOR & WINE BACCHUS CORNER

1C Tong Dan, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3935 1393 Part of the Tan Khoa chain, the largest liquor and wine distributor in the country, the walls here are lined with a decent selection of wines, pleasantly arrayed and back lit. Besides their selection of new and old world wines Helpful staff and free delivery.

DA LOC

96 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem; 94 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 1325 This wine importer and distributor has over 250 different types of wine in its portfolio and is doing its part to bring a culture of fine wine to Hanoi. The main office and showroom is on Hai Ba Trung and an upscale outlet is located within the grounds of the Mercure Hanoi hotel on Ly Thoung Kiet.

HANOI GOURMET

1B Ham Long, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3943 1009 Not just a wine shop, the long-running Hanoi Gourmet specialises in imported cheeses, meats and artisan breads.

After browsing the mainly French selection of wines, you can take a look at the deli and sit down for a light snack.

PANE E VINO WINE SHOP

3 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 9080 This Italian favourite with a huge food menu also has a huge for-retail wine list that is 100 percent focused on fine wines and liquors from Italy. Owner Hoang has great knowledge of Italian wine and a passion to match, which is sure to land you with the best wine for any occasion.

RED APRON

18 Yen The Tel: 3747 4889 15a Ngo Van So Tel: 3943 7226 28 Xuan Dieu Tel: 3719 8337 #6, Lane 1, Au Co Tel: 3718 6271 Hanoi Club, 76 Yen Phu Tel: 3823 8749 The retail face of wine distributor Celliers d’Asia, this small wine shop is in the French Quarter, adjacent to the Metropole. The focus here is on quality and the portfolio ranges from French to Chilean to the barrage of wines coming from Down Under. Delivery service available.

THE WAREHOUSE

59 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0439 287666 www.warehouse-asia.com The Warehouse is Vietnam's ultimate premium wine importer, distributor, and retailer, representing many of the greatest wines from the best wine-growing regions on the planet. The portfolio mixes the best of both old and new world wines.

VINE CELLAR DOOR

7 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 2922 With a huge wine cellar, a tasting bar, a new array of gourmet foods and a deli case with imported meats, cheeses and olives, Vine Cellar Door Wine & Gourmet Market is a good spot to find the perfect bottle and the foods that go well with it. Also offers glassware, wine & cigar accessories, espresso, gourmet tea and a small café menu from the kitchen of Vine Restaurant.

MARKETS CHO HOM

Corner of Pho Hue and Tran Xuan Soan, Hai Ba Trung One of the best places in the city to buy fabrics. Found a tailor, want to make clothes? Here you’ll find everything you need, stuff imported and domestic, silk, cotton, linen. Also any sewing materials you might need can be found here.

CHO SINH VIEN

Xuan Thuy and Pham Hung, Cau Giay The Student Market, across from Hanoi National University, caters to students.

Mostly durable goods, clothing and accessories here. As far as style and size of clothes, selection is a bit limited, but if you take your time you may find something worth the trouble.

The market, as well as the food stalls surrounding it, are open quite late.

Prices are also tailored for the student budget.

DONG XUAN

Dong Xuan, Hoan Kiem The biggest market of it’s kind in Hanoi, Dong Xuan is filled with pretty much any durable good you can think of: from jeans to jewelry, from leaf tea to livestock. The indoor market spills out onto the streets, which can also serve a good place to get a meal pretty much any time.

FLOWER MARKET

Au Co, East Side of Street The name can be a little deceptive, since it’s more of a distribution point, where flowers come in to vendors all over the city. Of course you can buy directly from sellers here at a good price, provided you’re up late enoug`h. The other reason to come is for the pho stands. The market begins late at night and continues well past dawn.

PETS CITY ZOO

114A Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 6660 7749 www.cityzoo.vn Hanoi pet lovers take notice. A real pet store selling all your pet needs exists. City Zoo caters to dogs, cats, birds and fish.

Dog beds line the walls at this small shop which also offers a range of imported pet food, accessories like collars and pet toys. You can even pick up a hamster while you’re here. Delivery is available on pet food.

medical

MEDICAL

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

LISTINGS ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 102 COSMETICS 102 COUNSELLING 102 COSMETIC SURGERY 102 DENTAL 102

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE DR. TRAN HUONG

80 Ngo Nui Truc, Ba Dinh, Tel: 0913 540907 www.drhuong.tk Dr. Tran Huong is well-known in Hanoi thanks to his long experience as both a practitioner of traditional Chinese and Western medicine. The clinic treats severe and chronic pain with a variety of drugfree methods, including acupuncture, acupressure, cupping and moxibustion.

YAKUSHI CENTER

Lane 28, No 6, Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 1971 The centre offers such services as acupuncture, massage and traditional Chinese medicine. One of their specialties is the hot rock massage. Run by Dr. Thuy, a qualified practitioner, the Yakushi Center has a clean and relaxing environment and takes a holistic approach to health, designed to take care of both body and mind.

COSMETICS PARKSON

Cnr. Thai Ha & Tay Son, Dong Da One of the newer malls in the city, Malaysian-owned Parkson offers international name brand cosmetics. For those days when you feel like treating yourself, do your shopping in a real mall atmosphere.

TRANG TIEN PLAZA

24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Stop here for everything from moisturizer to lipstick before heading upstairs to continue the shopping trip. Keep in mind, imported cosmetics don’t come cheap.

COUNSELLING INTERNATIONAL SOS VIETNAM, LTD. 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3934 0666 www.internationalsos.com In addition to emergency healthcare, the clinic also offers consultations by in-house specialists, full counselling and psychotherapy services. Call to make an appointment.

FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE

Van Phuc Compound, 298 I Kim Ma Road, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3843 0748 (24 hours) www.vietnammedicalpractice.com Family Medical Practice provides psychotherapy and nutrition counselling services by in-house specialists. For more information or to book an appointment, please call the clinic.

COSMETIC SURGERY NEW LIFE CLINIC

6 Nguyen Thi Thap, Khu do thi moi Trung Hoa, Nhan Chinh, Tel: 6261 6166 www.newlifevietnam.comA small clinic that offers cosmetic dental work, skin treatments and minor cosmetic surgery.

The on site doctor, Ms. Ha, was trained at the University of Southern California.

DENTAL AUSTRALIAN DENTAL CLINIC

3 Nguyen Du, Dong Da, Tel: 3944 5216 www.nhahoaucchau.com A clinic with modern facilities and

MEDICAL 102 PHARMACIES 102 SUPPLEMENTS 102 VETS 102

internationally trained dentists. The prices here are more than competitive than the other international dental clinics in town.

HONG NGOC HOSPITAL

95 Nguyen Truong To, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3716 3972 The dental practice is located on the first floor of this well-organised health clinic. The waiting time is short and the doctors competent.

ONE DENTAL

No 8, Lane 27, Xuan Dieu,Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 6168 Providing quality dentistry in calm, relaxing environment it has an attentive and experienced mixed foreign and Vietnamese dental team who are there at all times to assist with any concerns.

PEACE DENTAL CLINIC

51a Nguyen Khac Hieu, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3715 2286 www.peaceclinic.biz Established in 2001, it is run by an American dentist named Frederick. The clinic has a number of dentists trained in such places as Japan, Denmark and the Czech Republic – so the doctors are also fluent in many languages.

INTERNATIONAL SOS

1 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho, Tel: 3934 0666 24-hour emergency service with pricey, but international quality emergency and routine dental services. If your wisdom tooth needs pulling in the middle of the night, or you break a tooth, there are competent doctors and fast service.

ONE DENTAL CLINIC

No 8, Alley 27, Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 6168 www.onedentalvietnam.com Providing clients with the best in dentistry, the international standard One Dental also creates a calm environment where customers can enjoy their dental experience.

Using the latest technology, the One Dental team is there all the time to assist customers with any questions they may have.

WESTCOAST INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC

2nd Fl, Syrena Center, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho District, Hanoi Tel: 3710 0555, www.westcoastinternational The Westcoast International Dental Clinic is composed of dental professionals who deliver modern, high-level dental services throughout Vietnam. The clinic provides the highest quality technology, comfort and after-service care to patients.

MEDICAL FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE

298 I Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3843 0748 www.vietnammedicalpractice.com On the little street directly below Kim Ma, with all sorts of specialists including OB/GYN, Pediatricians and ENT. A Medium-sized practice with both Vietnamese and international doctors, but they are used to treating expats.

Also a 24-hour emergency service.

FMP PEDIATRIC UNIT

Van Phuc Compound, 298 D Kim Ma Road, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3726 5222 fmpkidshanoi@vietnammedicalpractice.com The Pediatric Unit of the Family Medical Practice Hanoi provides routine newborn and well-child check-ups, updated immunizations and vaccinations, out-

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medical patient treatment and follow-up. FMP’s pediatric specialists provide professional consultancy from infancy to adolescence.

medical buff

FRENCH HOSPITAL

1 Phuong Mai, Dong Da, Tel: 3577 1100 The first international hospital created in Hanoi, and still viewed by some as the gold standard for medical treatment.

Offering everything from standard medical and preventative care to surgical procedures. Full-service hospital that has both doctors and staff speaking good French and English.

INTERNATIONAL SOS 24-HOUR CLINIC 1 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho, Tel: 3934 0666 Well-known medical clinic also known for its quality emergency services. Doctors and consultants also provide a range of services from standard GP-style check-ups through to vaccinations, paediatrics and specialist care.

PHARMACIES

With Mental Health Day coming up on Oct. 10, this month we look at some of the stresses and strains faced by people living in Hanoi

câu trả lời cho những trách móc / vua burger tới việt nam

H CLINIC

24T 1 Hoang Dao Thuy, Cau Giay, Tel: 6251 2835 A clinic with a very large pharmacy that can fill pretty much any prescription you get in Hanoi. They also offer minor medical consultations.

NHA THUA VINH PHUC

625 Hoang Hoa Tham, Ba Dinh While it appears to be your basic street pharmacy, this small shop front stocks some hard-to-find medicine.

SUPPLEMENTS AMEVITA SUPPLEMENTS

Tel: 3759 2515, www.amevita.com.vn Sells high quality vitamins and supplements imported from the USA including multivitamins, probiotics, joint care, herbals, fitness and anti-aging products.

Free delivery in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Available online and at select retailers.

ULTIMATE NUTRITION

Hotline: 0917 295091, www.allsportvietnam.com Protein supplements, high quality vitamins, testosterone, muscle gain and fat loss supplements for those looking for professional sports nutrition to help their exercise or training regime. Call the hotline for free delivery to your home or office.

VETS ANIMAL CARE

16 ngo 424 Thuy Khue, Tay Ho Tel: 2246 1946 / 0978 776099 www.phongkhamthuy.com Locally-run clinic specialising in treating cats and dogs as well as providing a range of pet-care accessories, from animal food to clothing, toys and much more.

ASIAN VETERINARY & LIVESTOCK SERVICES (ASVELIS)

98 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3178 2779 www.asvelis.com English, French and Vietnamese-speaking veterinarian providing a range of medical services as well as grooming, boarding and certification for pet import and export. Also sells a range of pets toys as well as other products.

DR. BAO, MOBILE VETERINARIAN

Tel: 0903 223217, vetdoctorvn@yahoo.com On-call, English-speaking veterinarian who does the rounds in Hanoi. Well-respected, knowledgeable and, according to the feedback, very funny.

INTERNATIONAL LABORATORY & VETERINARY SERVICES

31 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho District, Tel: 3719 9994 www.vetsinvietnam.com A Vietnamese-owned small-animal veterinary clinic with English-speaking vets.

Offers a range of healthcare and laboratory services as well as products for all animal needs. Products can be ordered online.

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MIGRAINES Migraines are chronic headaches that can cause significant pain for hours or even days. Symptoms can be so severe that all you can think about is finding a dark, quiet place to lie down.

Some migraines are preceded or accompanied by sensory warning symptoms or signs (auras), such as flashes of light, blind spots or tingling in your arm or leg. A migraine is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.

CHARACTERISTICS — Moderate to severe pain, which may be confined to one side of the head or may affect both sides — Head pain with a pulsating or throbbing quality — Pain that worsens with physical activity — Pain that interferes with your regular activities — Nausea with or without vomiting — Sensitivity to light and sound When untreated, a migraine typically lasts from four to 72 hours, but the frequency with which headaches occur varies from person to person. You may have migraines several times a month or much less frequently.

Not all migraines are the same.

Most people experience migraines without auras — auras can include changes to your vision, such as seeing flashes of light, and feeling pins and needles in an arm or leg.

Whether or not you have auras, you may have one or more sensations of premonition several hours or a day or so before your headache actually strikes, including: — Feelings of elation — Intense energy cravings for sweets — Thirst — Drowsiness — Irritability or even depression

MIGRAINE TRIGGERS Whatever the exact mechanism of the headaches, a number of things may trigger them. Common migraine triggers include: Hormonal changes in women.

Fluctuations in estrogen seem to trigger headaches in many women with known migraines. Women with a history of migraines often report headaches immediately before or during their periods. Others have an increased tendency to develop migraines during pregnancy or menopause.

Foods. Some migraines appear to be triggered by certain foods.

Common offenders include alcohol, especially beer and red wine; aged cheeses; chocolate; aspartame; overuse of caffeine; monosodium glutamate Stress. Stress at work or home can instigate migraines.

Sensory stimuli. Bright lights and sun glare can produce migraines, as can loud sounds. Unusual smells — including pleasant scents, such as perfume, and unpleasant odors, such as paint thinner and secondhand smoke, can also trigger migraines.

PAIN-RELIEVING MEDICATIONS For best results, take pain-relieving drugs as soon as you experience signs or symptoms of a migraine. It may help if you rest or sleep in a dark room after taking them: Triptans. For many people with severe migraine attacks, triptans are the drug of choice. They are effective in relieving the pain, nausea and sensitivity to light and sound that are associated with migraines.

Medications include sumatriptan (Imitrex), rizatriptan (Maxalt) Ergot. Ergotamine (Migergot, Cafergot) is much less expensive, but also less effective, than triptans. It seems most effective in those whose

pain lasts for more than 48 hours.

Anti-nausea medications.

Frequently prescribed medications are metoclopramide (oral) Opiates. Medications containing narcotics, particularly codeine, are sometimes used to treat migraine pain when people can't take triptans or ergot. Narcotics are habit-forming and are usually used only as a last resort.

PREVENTIVE MEDICATIONS Nearly half of those who get migraines could benefit from preventative medication, yet only about one in 10 people take it. You may be a candidate for preventive therapy if you have two or more debilitating attacks a month.

Cardiovascular drugs. Beta blockers — commonly used to treat high blood pressure and coronary artery disease — can reduce the frequency and severity of migraines.

Also calcium channel blockers, another class of cardiovascular drugs, especially verapamil (Calan, Isoptin), also may be helpful. Side effects can include dizziness, drowsiness or lightheadedness.

Antidepressants. Certain antidepressants are good at helping to prevent some types of headaches, including migraines. Most effective are tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline. These medications are considered among first-line treatment agents and may reduce migraines by affecting the level of serotonin and other brain chemicals.

Anti-seizure drugs. Some antiseizure drugs, such as divalproex (Depakote) and topiramate (Topamax), and gabapentin (Neurontin), seem to reduce the frequency of migraines.

Dr WB McNaull MB ChB MPhil (Cambridge) DTM&H FRSTM (London) is the medical director of FMP, 298 I Kim Ma, Ba Dinh.

CÂU TRẢ LỜI CHO NHỮNG TRÁCH MÓC Sau khi cuốn sách gây tranh cãi Xách Ba Lô Lên Và Đi được xuất bản, Douglas Pyper gặp Huyên Chip, tác giả còn rất trẻ của cuốn sách đó, và tùy theo nhận định của người mà bạn hỏi, đó là một cô gái vô trách nhiệm, ích kỷ, một kẻ nói dối, hoặc là một tấm gương sáng của tuổi trẻ Việt Nam

C

hỉ mới ở tuổi 22, Chip đã làm được nhiều việc hơn rất nhiều người ở lứa tuổi gấp đôi tuổi cô. Cô đã xuất bản một cuốn sách, khởi động một tổ chức phi chính phủ, tham gia vô số các hội thảo tại nước ngoài và đang thực hiện một dự án Hướng dẫn du lịch online. Nhưng những gì mọi người muốn nói về cô hơn cả là về những chuyến du lịch của cô. Bắt đầu từ khi 20 tuổi, Huyền đã một mình đặt chân tới 20 nước đang phát triển và thú vị nhất trên thế giới trong vòng hai năm với số tiền ban đầu chỉ có US$700.

Khi cô trở về nước vào đầu năm nay, cô đã được đón nhận với những sự ngưỡng mộ và cả những lời chỉ trích. Những người có tư duy bảo thủ hơn thì cho rằng Chip là hình ảnh của một con người ích kỷ. Việc cô dành hai năm để chu du và hưởng thụ cuộc sống mà không chăm sóc bố mẹ hay lo lắng việc học hành của mình vượt qua giới hạn cho phép của nhiều người ở đây.

Nhưng đối với Chip, du lịch đã làm thay đổi cách nhìn của cô về cuộc sống. “Khi bạn nhìn thấy nhiều điều hơn, bạn hiểu nhiều thứ hơn, và bạn sẽ ít phán xét người khác hơn,” Chip nói, như một sự đáp trả những người đã có những lời nhận xét thiếu thiện chí về cô.

Không còn mới lạ nữa việc người Việt Nam hiếm có cơ hội đi du lịch ngoài mục đích công việc. Việc bị biệt lập với cộng đồng quốc tế và nghèo đói đã bó buộc con người ở đây trong nhiều năm. Ngày nay, tuy nhiên, một số rào cản lớn nhất lại thuộc về những ‘truyền thống’ và quan niệm của xã hội. Những người chỉ trích Chip, về một khía cạnh nào đó, đang nói rằng phụ nữ Việt Nam không nên đi du lịch,

102 | Word November 2012

vì như vậy họ phải bỏ qua những nhiệm vụ và điều đó là không thể chấp nhận được ở nhà: đó là những trách nhiệm đối với bố mẹ, đất nước, và cả chuyện học hành nữa.

Lắng Nghe Cả Hai Phía

Bị chỉ trích không phải là điều gì mới mẻ với Chip. Khi còn là học sinh chuyên toán tại trường năng khiếu cấp 3, cô đã từng bị dọa sẽ bị đình chỉ học tập vì tham gia tổ chức Những Cái Ôm Việt Nam (Free Hugs Vietnam), phong trào thanh niên lớn nhất trong năm đó. Rõ ràng người ta cho rằng cô nên tập trung vào việc học của mình hơn là ra đường và trao những cái ôm cho người lạ. Có lẽ vì thế sau đó, Chip đã chọn con đường đi riêng cho mình, khác biệt với các bạn đồng lứa và đã không đi thi đại học. “Đối với tôi, đại học chỉ là một sự lựa chọn, cũng như bao nhiêu sự lựa chọn khác,” cô nói. “Vào thời điểm đó, đại học không phải là lựa chọn tốt nhất cho tôi. Tôi cảm thấy tôi có thể học nhiều hơn bằng việc làm thử các việc khác.”

Nếu như hành động của Chip nhận được nhiều sự chê trách ở nhà, thì ở nước ngoài cô lại để lại ấn tượng lớn.Với việc tham gia năng nổ vào rất nhiều phong trào thanh niên và tham dự nhiều hội thảo trong và ngoài nước, cô đã để lại nhiều ấn tượng cho nhiều người nước ngoài với những câu hỏi mạnh dạn của mình. Thái độ không e ngại nói lên suy nghĩ của mình đã từng làm cô rơi vào tình huống bị chỉ trích ở Việt Nam, lại là lí do để cô nhận được việc làm tại Malaysia, và chính từ

công việc đó, cô đã có cơ hội để đi chu du thế giới trong hai năm.

Qua những chuyến du lịch của mình, Chip thường đi tới những nước đang phát triển. Cô đi qua Myanmar, India, Nepal, Palestine, Kenya và một vài quốc gia khác tại Châu Phi. Chính tại Châu Phi, cô đã trải qua những trải nghiệm đáng nhớ nhất. Cô kể lại một trong những cuộc tranh cãi của mình với những người theo chủ nghĩa nhiều vợ. Ban đầu do bàng hoàng trước việc một xã hội cho phép đàn ông lấy nhiều hơn một vợ, cô đã có thái độ phán xét họ, nhưng nó đã nhanh chóng thay đổi khi những người đàn ông đó thể hiện sự ghê sợ đối với một xã hội chấp nhận nạo phá thai. Tại một bộ tộc khác có tục lệ đánh vợ, người đàn ông dùng gậy đánh cho tới khi để lại những vết xẹo trên lưng vợ mình.

“Nhưng phụ nữ ở đó lại thích như vậy,” Chip giải thích. “Họ tự hào về điều đó, vì nó có nghĩa rằng họ đã hy sinh vì người đàn ông của mình. Trong những lúc khó khăn, người phụ nữ đó có thể tới bên người đàn ông và nói rằng ‘hãy xem này, anh vẫn còn nợ em đó’. Trên người càng có nhiều vết sẹo do bị đánh, vị trí của người phụ nữ đó càng được tôn cao. Có thể bạn nghĩ điều này là xấu, là kinh khủng, là gây tổn thương cho phụ nữ. Nhưng bản thân họ lại nghĩ đó là điều đáng tự hào. Vậy bạn có muốn thay đổi tục lệ đó không?”

Thay Đổi Thế Giới

Có một thứ Chip muốn thay đổi trên thế giới là hệ thống visa. “Tôi cảm thấy du lịch là một công cụ rất quan trọng cho giáo dục,” cô nói.

“Nó [giúp] chúng ta hiểu thế giới, hiểu bản thân mình và hiểu người khác.”

Vì lý do này, cô đã mạnh mẽ chống lại những điều cô cho là không công bằng khi cấp visa cho người dân nước này, mà không cấp cho người dân nước khác. Đối với Chip, thực tế rằng việc được vào hay không được vào một nước được quyết định bởi những yếu tố ngoài tầm kiểm soát của họ như là quốc gia nơi họ sinh ra là một điều về cơ bản là không công bằng.

“Mọi vấn đề đều có giải pháp,” Chip tin như thế, vì vậy cô đang trong quá trình gây dựng một tổ chức phi chính phủ, gọi tên là Tổ Chức Vì Một Thế Giới Du Lịch Công Bằng. Bản thân Chip miêu tả kế hoạch này là “điên rồ”, nhưng không e ngại để khởi động nó. “Chúng tôi có một lí do đúng đắn để bắt đầu,” Chip nói. “Đó là điều tôi tin và muốn tranh đấu vì nó. Nếu tôi không làm, một ai đó sẽ phải làm. Vậy thì tại sao tôi lại phải đợi họ?”

Dự án này thể hiện một phần tuyệt vời về tính cách của Chip; đó là cô hầu như không có một chút nghi ngờ nào về bản thân mình. Cô không bối rối trước bất cứ trở ngại nào trong các mối quan hệ hợp tác quốc tế và hoàn toàn không sợ thất bại.

“Tôi rất ít khi nghi ngờ bản thân mình,” Chip nói. “Không phải là vì tôi quá tự tin, chỉ là vì tôi có một triết lý riêng, đó là không có quyết định nào là đúng hay sai. Tôi nỗ lực hết mình, và nếu nó thành công thì đó là điều tuyệt vời. Còn nếu thất bại, tôi sẽ học được nhiều bài học.”

Vua Burger Tới Việt Nam Sau nhiều năm nghiên cứu và khoảng 12 tháng để giới thiệu thương hiệu của mình tại sân bay Đà Nẵng và Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Burger King đã vượt qua được hải quan và sẽ chính thức mở các cửa hàng ở các thành phố lớn. Word nói chuyện với người cầm lái, Tony Cricenti, Giám đốc điều hành của Công ty Thực Phẩm và Đồ Uống Việt Nam. Phỏng vấn bởi Nick Ross. Ảnh bởi Charles Barnes Tại sao Burger King mở cửa hàng đầu tiên của mình tại sân bay Tân Sơn Nhất và Đà Nẵng thay vì tại trung tâm của thành phố?

Hai mươi triệu hành khách đi qua hai sân bay này một năm, vì thế về mặt thâm nhập thị trường, điều này là rất quan trọng, quan trọng để mọi người biết tới chúng tôi. Không phải chỉ khách địa phương mà cả quốc tế nữa. Chúng tôi cũng mang tới một lựa chọn về đồ ăn tốt hơn cho hành khách tại sân bay.

Còn về giá thành thì sao? Liệu giá tại các cửa hàng mới sẽ rẻ hơn hay bằng giá tại quầy hàng ở sân bay?

Giá thành đi song hành với vị trí cạnh tranh của cửa hàng. Điều này rất quan trọng ở Việt Nam vì đây là thị trường rất nhạy cảm với giá thành. Vì vậy, chúng tôi sẽ đảm bảo mình thích nghi được với nền kinh tế địa phương. Mặc dù giá thành để gia nhập thị trường này là cao và các hàng hóa chúng tôi nhập khẩu có chất lượng tốt, giá của sản phẩm chúng tôi sẽ là cạnh tranh.

Nguyên liệu của hãng được nhập từ đâu, bao gồm cả vỏ bánh và thịt bò để làm nhân?

Vì chúng tôi mới vào thị trường này nên phần lớn những sản phẩm của chúng tôi được nhập khẩu từ nước ngoài, thông qua những nhà nhập khẩu mà Burger King (BK) đã chấp nhận. Ví dụ như thịt bò được mua tại Úc và Mỹ – mua ở đâu thì chúng tôi sẽ phải cân nhắc về tỉ giá đô-la thay đổi. Tuy nhiên những loại nguyên liệu khác như rau diếp, cà chua, hành tây được mua tại đây.

104 | Word November 2012

Cả vỏ bánh cũng vậy. Có một cửa hàng bánh [ở Việt Nam] cung cấp bánh cho tất cả các thương hiệu đồ ăn nhanh ở đây. Nhưng nó sẽ phải vượt qua được sự đánh giá của BK. Hiện tại đại diện của chúng tôi ở trụ sở chính của Burger King từ Singapore sẽ tới đây để kiểm tra liệu cửa hàng đó có giữ vững được việc sản xuất có chất lượng hay không.

Sau này, chúng tôi hi vọng sẽ sử dụng được nhiều sản phẩm và nguyên liệu địa phương hơn.

Làm thế nào để nhãn hiệu của ông cạnh tranh với các nhãn hiệu burger khác hiện đã có tại Việt Nam?

Burger King hiện là thương hiệu lớn nhất về thể loại sản phẩm này tại Việt Nam ở thời điểm hiện tại. Vì vậy, hiện nay chúng tôi không có đối thủ cạnh tranh và chúng tôi không so sánh mình với bất cứ nhãn hiệu nào khác trên thị trường.

Điều gì làm cho sản phẩm của ông nổi bật hơn hẳn so với các sản phẩm khác trên thị trường?

Burger King nổi tiếng với những chiếc burger có thịt nướng trực tiếp trên lửa – đối với chúng tôi quá trình nấu nướng là quan trọng. Ngoài ra là những nguyên liệu có chất lượng cao và khả năng làm ra sản phẩm đáp ứng yêu cầu. Các bạn có thể đã thấy chiến dịch Có Theo Cách Của Bạn. Chúng tôi cố gắng nhấn mạnh điều đó. Nhưng thực sự thì việc nướng trực tiếp trên lửa làm cho sản phẩm của chúng tôi khác với những sản phẩm khác trên thị trường.

Kế hoạch trung và dài hạn của ông trong việc mở rộng kinh doanh là gì?

Rất mạnh mẽ. Điều này rất quan trọng vì trong lĩnh vực kinh doanh đồ ăn nhanh, bạn phải đáp ứng được số lượng khách hàng lớn. Điều này ảnh hưởng tới việc quảng bá thương hiệu và các chi phí vận hành.

Tôi không thể tiết lộ quá nhiều thông tin, nhưng chúng tôi sẽ mở thêm hơn 10 cửa hàng nữa trong năm tới. Chúng tôi cũng sẽ có mặt ở khắp Việt Nam. Chúng tôi đã có những địa điểm chiến lược sẽ đặt trên cả nước.

Một vấn đề đối với việc mở cửa hàng tại thành phố lớn là việc chọn địa điểm. Khi giá thuê tại những vị trí đắc địa cao như trên mây, ông sẽ làm thế nào?

Chúng tôi sẽ phải rất có chiến lược. Địa điểm quan trọng và đúng, giá thuê ở đây rất cạnh tranh. Khi bạn đang xây dựng các thương hiệu đồ ăn nhanh, bạn nhận ra rằng bạn có thể hy sinh giá thành để thuê một cửa hàng trọng điểm miễn là bạn có một số các cửa hàng khác không ở những địa điểm quá đắt đỏ. Vì thế, nếu như bạn chỉ có hai cửa hàng nằm trong địa điểm then chốt thì sẽ trở nên rất tốn kém. Nhưng nếu bạn có hai cửa hàng đó, và có thêm 100 cửa hàng ở những địa điểm khác thì mô hình đó có thể thực hiện tốt. Thực sự mấu chốt vấn đề là ở mức độ kinh doanh của bạn.

McDonald's được cho rằng đã cố gắng tìm đường vào Việt Nam trong nhiều năm. Burger King

đã làm được điều này như thế nào trong khi McDonald’s đã thất bại?

Tôi không biết anh lấy thông tin đó từ đâu.

Không thể nói rằng McDonald’s đã thất bại. Chúng tôi chỉ là những người đầu tiên thâm nhập thị trường này. Có rất nhiều lợi thế trong việc trở thành người đầu tiên này. Đối với chúng tôi đây là một thành công, một thành công lớn cho việc kinh doanh của chúng tôi.

Tôi có nghe nói rằng họ cũng có kế hoạch vào Việt Nam, nhưng tôi không biết khi nào.

Thực sự là chúng tôi cũng không quan tâm.

Chúng tôi đang xây dựng việc kinh doanh của mình. Và chúng tôi đã sẵn sàng để phát triển và mở rộng.

Có rất nhiều người sống ở đây rất vui mừng khi biết tin Burger King sẽ mở cửa tại Hà Nội và thành phố Hồ Chí Minh. Nhiều người khác lại không có cùng cảm giác đấy. Ông nghĩ thế nào về điều này?

Những quan điểm khác nhau đóng vai trò rất quan trọng. Và chúng tôi chấp nhận điều đó. Chúng tôi thấy hạnh phúc vì mình có thể mang tới cho những con người đang rất vui vì có chúng tôi. Nếu điều đó làm cho mọi người thấy hạnh phúc thì đó là điều tuyệt vời.

Bằng việc mang những thương hiệu như Burger King tới Việt Nam, có phải chúng ta đang trực tiếp truyền tải văn hóa Mỹ trên khắp thế giối, hay đó chỉ đơn giản là một phần của quá trình toàn cầu hóa khởi nguồn từ những năm 1980 và vẫn tiếp tục cho tới ngày nay?

Tôi nghĩ dùng cụm từ Văn hóa Mỹ là không chính xác. Thế giới đang trở nên toàn cầu hóa và Việt Nam cũng đang tiếp nhận những thương hiệu quốc tế, không phải chỉ từ Mỹ. Hiện nay với internet và con người trở nên am hiểu hơn, họ biết những thứ họ muốn, và việc chúng tôi gia nhập thị trường này là rất quan trọng.

Là một công ty, chúng tôi đang thực hiện tất cả các bước để phát triển tại đây. Chúng tôi cũng nghiên cứu những thương hiệu quốc tế khác đang tham gia vào thị trường này. Tất cả những điều đó mang đến những tiêu chuẩn, tạo ra những cơ hội và như một mô hình chuẩn về kinh tế, giúp cho đất nước vận hành một cách có hiệu quả hơn. Đó là một phần trong sự phát triển tổng thể của Việt Nam.

November 2012 Word | 105

Ho Chi Minh City THE APPLE OF MY EYE / MONEY TALKS

THE APPLE OF MY EYE For those seeking status and the allimportant ‘face’ in Vietnam, acquiring the latest iPhone 5 is sometimes worth their life.

Words by Derek Milroy. Photo by Nam Quan

W

e’ve all seen it, that little message at the bottom of an email or text message: “sent from my iPhone.” Apparently this is the new status symbol in Vietnam and according to Dong Ngo of www.cnet. com, since the first generation of the device, the iPhone has been a much sought-after gadget.

In the beginning, the phone wasn't officially available in the country (local providers, including Viettel and VinaPhone, started carrying the iPhone 3GS just early 2010) and most were smuggled in from the States and had to be unlocked before they could be used, courtesy of Apple's tight controls and exclusive deal with AT&T. And because of its somewhat unattainable and limited availability, it has become part of a list of luxury accessory must-haves along with the Hermes Birkin bag, Jimmy Choo shoes and Prada sunglasses.

Bragging Rights Brand conscious fashionista Thuy really enjoys the fact she is one of the few in Vietnam who currently owns the new iPhone 5: she was willing to pay six months’ salary for it, forgoing paying her bills and rent. For the Vietnamese, forget bragging about how much of a bargain you’re saving on a luxury item, lauding that you’ve paid more than the other person is a sign of achievement and success.

When the iPhone5 was first launched in late September it cost a whopping VND25 million with some city outlets even claiming they had pre-orders at VND35 million. In nearby Hong Kong the phone is going for around VND14 million and in Singapore it’s estimated at VND21 million.

Property developer Jasmine Le, 25, admits the first day it was out she rushed to buy it in Singapore.

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“It has everything and I cannot leave home without it. It is hard to explain why I had to have it, but I knew if I didn’t I would feel so jealous and sick of anyone who had one before me. It is maybe an obsession. I would feel naked without it.”

Ironically, iPhones brought from overseas or sneaked into Vietnam are harder to use, with some apps not compatible with the networks here. If a user accidentally upgrades the phone's operating system (some people upgrade the phone's firmware without knowing what they are doing), it will be locked again and become useless until a new unlock method is available.

Whereas some like Le can afford to splash the cash without losing much sleep, others don’t have that luxury but still manage to get their hands on the latest model by hook or by crook.

Dial F for Fraud 25-year-old Thi works for a Saigon-based network marketing company and when his team leader got the latest iPhone a few weeks ago, he had to do the same. But why is this so important to him?

“It cost me a month’s wages but I am so happy to have the iPhone 5. I think in my business environment it enhances my profile and makes me feel more important,” he explains. “If a potential customer sees the phone, their eyes light up and I think it helps me gain more business. It is maybe psychological, but I think it helps me reach my goals.”

Phuong, 30, is a mother of one, jobless and lives alone on the outskirts of the city, but has a foreign boyfriend to take care of her. He sends her installments of VND42 milliion a month to ensure she and her son are looked after, but last month she spent most of that allowance on, you guess it, the iPhone 5.

However, after a quick call overseas a

little extra cash was forthcoming when Phuong’s mother was “sick and had to go to hospital”.

She admitted: “He would have probably sent me money anyway if I said I had none left, but if I say my mother is ill how can he say no? I don’t feel too bad because my mother is very strong and will live a long time. My boyfriend is very rich, so it is only a little money to him but a lot to me. I’ll just have to remember to hide my phone next time he comes to visit.

“He will probably buy me an iPhone 5 when he comes next month. I can always sell it to a friend and buy some clothes for my son. I need to have the latest iPhone for face.

Face is very important to Vietnamese, we can never look poor in front of our friends.”

Time for Payback Then there is Hung, 20, who admitted she borrowed VND30 million from a money lender who offered her a ‘deal’ of 15 percent per month. She was so desperate she accepted it for the latest iPhone model. But after the first few days of happiness, reality sunk in.

Hung only earns VND5 million a month working in a local store and she is far from her home in Danang. She also fears if she doesn’t pay back the money she may be harmed.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do. My first payment is due but how can I afford to pay VND4.5 million? A neighbour would have offered me a better rate, but as my friends were all getting the iPhone I had to get one or I wouldn’t be able to face them,” she laments. “My boyfriend asked me where I got the money and thought I was cheating on him. When I told him the truth he was so angry at me. But he doesn’t have the money to help me. He wants to ask his family, but I am so embarrassed, and if he does they will hate me. I feel like running away but I love living in Saigon and don’t want to go back home as I will feel like a failure.”

Barring a miracle, she is stuck in a vicious circle all for that must-have item and ‘face’, but her circle may be expanding based on predictions that smart phone penetration is rising fast, especially in large cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hai Phong and now Danang. As many as 21 percent of mobile phone users in Vietnam will use smart phones by the end of this year, according to Qualcomm, the US's leading phone chip maker.

In addition, Ericsson ConsumerLab, a subsidiary of Swedish telecom giant Ericsson, reports that the download rate of mobile applications from Vietnam's smart phone users could also see a boost of 35 to 40 percent in the next six months.

With the inevitable launch of newer models, the obsession looks like it will stick around for some time to come.

November 2012 Word | 107

BUSINESS FEATURE

MONEY TALKS Recently tasked with the job of revamping a fledging Vietnamese financial TV station, Lolita Guevarra finds out if Eric Olander can break the language barrier when it comes to discussing money. Photo by Kyle Phanroy

T

he average resident of this country may not know the difference between a mutual fund and a hedge fund or have a retirement plan for that matter, but there is one thing that they do care about: money. And vice president of Finance and Business News Channel (FBNC) Eric Olander knows this.

“While stocks, bonds and high finance appeals to a relatively small slice of the Vietnamese population, everyone is interested in money,” remarks Olander in between bites of his burger. “Money and relationships, money and career, money and education and so on.”

Since he’s begun the wheels of change at FBNC, Olander is a busy man. He’s been charged with altering the static network to an “Oprah+MTV+CNBC” hybrid.

Investment group IDG along with BHD, a media group responsible for MTV Vietnam and Vietnam Idol, and Astro, a large Malaysian firm transmitting digital satellite TV and radio, are the financial backers of FBNC. This holy trinity accepted that their 1999 original vision of a finance channel needed a remodel. Enter Olander.

A Show for Women When he’s not speaking fluent Mandarin or French, the Californian native is doing his best to learn Vietnamese while creating daily original programming for three to four hours.

This is no easy feat having just landed in Vietnam just two months ago, but incentives are high with a market where most of the news is cut and pasted from elsewhere. In lieu with BHD and Astro, he plans to create a channel with broader public appeal and with an emphasis towards the female audience.

“Research says that Vietnamese women are responsible for 60 to 70 percent of all financial decisions in the average household, and almost nobody is talking to them about how to best manage their family’s finances,” says Olander. “We want to be an information source that provides women with practical information to make better financial decisions.”

In his short time in Vietnam he has met

108 | Word November 2012

with many Vietnamese women and is keenly aware of the emerging predicament they face — they now earn more money than men, causing an uncharted shift in the power play between the sexes. Olander points out that none of the 170 cable channels available address this concern.

In addition to this development, Vietnam for the first time has access to consumer choices. The average Vietnamese watches two to three hours of TV a day, demonstrating that it is the more dominant media format than digital, according to Olander. The Vietnamese make their decisions on what to buy and invest based on what they view on television. And what advertiser is going to waste its time on a financial network only reaching one percent of the population? Few. Follow the money and you’ll find the masses at the end of the road.

For a win-win situation, he aims to mesh the wonderful world of numbers and personality, giving the Vietnamese a platform of information providing more freedom to make their own choices.

A TV Personality If you’re thinking that Olander is yet another foreigner pulling in the reigns and showing the Vietnamese how the rest of the world does it, think again. Between 1991 and 1993, he freelanced for the BBC in China in between his semesters at University of California Berkeley and packaged a 10-part series radio broadcast of what was happening in rural China all before turning 23. After wrapping up five years as vice president at channel KSCI LA 18, the largest Asian network in the US, Olander worked for two years at France24 before heading back to the Far East. Wrap that up and tie a bow around it with his three year stint at E*Trade Financial, and you’ve got a guy that knows what he’s talking about.

However, having a solid thirty years in journalism does not make him immune to obstacles. The majority of the Vietnamese population is so young that it’s difficult to find TV personalities that can bring mature and well-established advice. If you’re going

to go broad, you’re going to have to look beyond your stereotypical old men talking in jargon targeted to traders and advisors.

Other than just having talking heads spew information regarding finance, Olander wants someone who has years of experience and is able to bring neutral yet solid information.

Not only do you have to find the right person who’s experienced and not just regurgitating what banks promote, you also have to train them in a way that caters to the Vietnamese culture regarding money and decision making.

“I’m training [broadcasters]. I don’t necessarily need them to have a formal background in journalism, but they do need to have knowledge and credibility in their respective field… 20 plus years working in Asian environments has taught me the importance of humility and why it’s so important to step back and take a few deep breaths from time to time when things don’t always go as planned… [We] must build on Vietnam’s rich narrative traditions and tell stories from a distinctly Vietnamese perspective. In this business authenticity matters.”

Olander must also face Vietnam’s rapid development where its dynamics can frustrate your common pedantic individual.

Yet, he notes that although it’s difficult to stick to a plan that may change in six months causing you to restructure your goals, it can also be a blessing. Olander remembers the rigidness found in large western firms preventing progress.

“It’s easier in Vietnam because big networks can’t move fast enough to build infrastructure,” he explains. “Small companies give you enormous flexibility. Big networks are struggling to be relevant.”

It’s a quarter way through the interview, and somehow he manages to finish his burger while discussing FBNC goals, advertisers and Asian culture a mile a minute. But his plate is far from empty. His project is an ambitious one, but the odds are definitely in his favour in creating his hybrid without all the red tape.

For info on the channel’s airing schedule, visit fbnc.com.vn

November 2012 Word | 109

The Final Say PHOTO OF THE MONTH / TRIVIA BUFF / THE LAST CALL

BACK SCRATCHING From theatre and live music through to exhibitions and urban sports competitions, putting on events that benefit the community are not just the responsibility of the organisers. Words by Douglas Pyper

I

n 2010, a local group of music promoters organised the NoiZee Alternative Music Festival. The group had put on a number of successful live shows around the capital and felt that the CAMA Festival was a model they could follow and build upon. The day was a big success for all those who came along with live music, international artists, beat boxers, hip-hop dance, freestyle football and a skate ramp.

Unfortunately, there was no round two.

NoiZee has disbanded and is no more.

The organisers remain indebted to one of the international musicians to the tune of a couple of thousand dollars. They also have bills around town that will never be paid.

What it adds up to is a bad business model — the one-off show, despite its unmitigated success, was unable to create something permanent and truly valuable for the community. Worse, a badly run event can erode trust, making artists less willing to perform in Vietnam. Sponsors or potential sponsors lose interest and venue owners become less willing to rent

110 | Word November 2012

out their space for such occasions.

To have a lasting impact, community activities need to be sustainable. And to do that, promoters have to be able to support themselves, otherwise they can’t successfully support the community. In the modern world, that means they have to cover costs.

From Red to Black Covering costs can be achieved in a number of ways.

The community group can earn revenue from their events. One group occasionally doing this is The Onion Cellar. Their forward thinking film screenings are often done officially, with a copy of the film sent by the film maker. Often these film makers will choose to give it for free in order to support a community activity in a developing country. Other times, the film makers require payment and when this happens, The Onion Cellar pay the cost out of their own pocket, assume all the risk, and charge entrance on the door.

Alternatively, the community activity can seek financial support from cultural

institutions or brand sponsors. This is something Tri Minh’s Hanoi Soundstuff Festival does with great success, obtaining backing from agencies like the Danish Cultural Foundation and the Japan Foundation year after year. This support allows an event, which is way ahead of its time, to continue building on past successes, with the aim of reaching a point where it can support itself. Critical mass, so to speak.

Thirdly, they can collaborate with and receive support from other community groups. The Hanoi Grapevine is one very visible actor in Hanoi’s arts community which regularly provides such backing.

In the case of the Grapevine, this is often done by forging media partnerships, whereby the Grapevine will offer advertising for free in exchange for brand exposure at the event or on the group’s marketing materials. Without blowing horns and beating drums, Word also provides such assistance. It’s a win–win situation for both sides.

Lastly, the most fundamental way that a group or event can receive support is

from enthusiasts within the community.

The organiser of the Hanoi Gravity Games, Jean Verly, did this with much aplomb. He organised Hanoi’s first ever mixed urban culture festival and managed to bring together formerly divided youth groups to collaborate on a completely free community event. His festival attracted over 2,000 people to Dong Da Park to watch performances and support competitions in 10 forms of urban sports.

There are many motivations for people to help out with organising such events.

In the case of Gravity Games, Jean was able to convince people to perform and give time to organising the event for free by dangling dual carrots of prizes for competition winners and the opportunity to promote their activities. Despite personally losing money on the games, Jean believes that it was still worthwhile for helping the entire urban sports community to move forward.

“I think it was good for the sports to show them that it was possible to do an event based on urban culture,” he

explains. “It was a good event to inspire people who are more able than me — because it’s not really my job.” As if to illustrate Jean’s point, Converse have since organised the PRO HANOI — STREET FESTIVAL which attracted over 10,000 people to Dong Da Park in 2012.

The Community or the Performers?

Sustainability difficulties arise when support is not available. Gravity Games was a free event; when asked whether it would still have attracted such large numbers had entrance been charged, it doesn’t take Jean long to answer.

“I don’t think so,” he says. “Most people came just to see some performers.

If I’d [charged an entrance free], a lot of participants would have complained in order to have their [piece] of the cake.”

Of course there was no cake. Unable to find enough sponsorship to cover the cost of the event, and unable to charge an entrance fee because the crowd was unwilling to pay it, the promoter had to assume the risk and make a loss.

And yet, it is possible to make money.

If it’s a hair show, a fashion show or a brand sponsored live music show, then there is money for everyone. But in underground, independently organised events, especially within developing or niche genres, then that just isn’t the case.

The community needs to ask itself if it wants to be a place where only corporate entities and government supported cultural foundations can put on largescale, well-produced events, or if it wants to be a more democratic place, where cultural enthusiasts can organise the kind of events which they believe have value for the community as opposed to value for the brand.

In order to build these kinds of shows, community support is necessary.

Promoters have to support artists, artists have to support promoters. And as for the wider community, the audience, the people who complain even about paying VND100,000 to see an internationally acclaimed artist, they have to support both. Because at the end of the day, they’re the ones that benefit.

November 2012 Word | 111

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Hang Giay - C6 Hang Giay - B5 Hang Hanh - D5, D6 Hang Hom - D5 Hang Khay - E6 Hang Khoai - B5, B6 Hang Luoc - B5, C5 Hang Ma - C5 Hang Mam - C6, C7 Hang Manh - D5 Hang Ngang - C5, C6 Hang Non - D5 Hang Quat - D5 Hang Ruoi - B5, C5 Hang Than - A5, B5 Hang Thiec - C5, D5 Hang Thung - D7 Hang Tre - C7, D7 Hang Trong - D5, D6, E6 Hang Vai - C5 Hang Voi - D6 Ha Trung - D4, D5 Hoa Lo - E5 Hoang Dieu - B3, C3, D3 Hoang Hoa Tham - A1, A2, B1 Hoang Van Thu - B2, B3 Hoe Nhai - A5, B4, B5 Hoi Vu - D5, E4 Ho Van Chuong - F2 Hung Vuong - A2, B2, C2, D2 Khuc Hao - C3, D2, D3 Lan Ong - C5 Le Dao Thanh - E7 Le Duan - D3, E3, F3 Le Hong Phong - C2, C3 Le Lai - E6, E7 N ui Le Phung Hieu - E7 Le Thach - E6, E7 Le Thai To - E6, D6 Le Thanh Tong - F7 Lo Ren - C5 Lo Su - D6, D7 Luong Ngoc Quyen - C6 Luong Van Can - C5, D6 Ly Nam De - B4, C4, D4 Ly Quoc Su - D5 Ly Thai To - D7, E7 Ly Thuong Kiet - E4, F4, F5, F6, F7 Ly Van Phuc - D1 Ma May - C6 Nam Ngu - E4 Ngoc Ha - B1, C1 Ngo Huyen - D5 Ngo Quan Tho 1 - E1, F1 Ngo Quyen - E7, F6, F7 Ngo Si Lien - E3 Ngo Tat To - E2, E3 Ngo Tram - D4, D5 Ngo Van Chuong - F1, F2, F3 Ngo Van Huong - F1 Nguyen Bieu - A3 Nguyen Canh Chan - B3

A

4 Ph

T

We sWe t Lsake t L ake

CENTRAL HANOI 19/2 - E4 Au Trieu - D4, E4 Bach Dang - E7 Bao Khanh - D5, D6 Bat Dan - C4 Ba Trieu - E6, F5, F6 Bat Su - C5 Bich Cau - E1 Cao Ba Quat - D2, D3 Cao Thang - B6 Cat Linh - D1, E1, E2 Cau Chuong Duong - C7 Cau Dong - B5 Cau Go - D6 Cau Long Bien - A6, A7, B6 Cha Ca - C5 Chan Cam - D5 Chau Long - A4 Cho Gao - C6 Chu Van An - C2, D2 Cua Bac - A4, B4 Cua Dong - C4, C5 Cua Nam - E4 Dang Dung - A3, B3 Dang Tat - A3 Dang Thai Than - F7 Dao Duy Tu - C6 Da Tuong - F5 Dien Bien Phu - C3, D3, D4, E4 Dinh Le - E6 Dinh Liet - C6, D6 Dinh Tien Hoang - D6, E6 Doc Lap - B2, C2 Dong Thai - C6 Dong Xuan - B5, C5 Duong Thanh - C5, D5 Gam Cau - B5 Gia Ngu - D6 Giang Vo - D1 Ha Hoi - F5 Hai Ba Trung - E4, E5, F6, F7 Hang Bac - C6 Hang Bai - E6, F6 Hang Be - D6, C6 Hang Bo - C5 Hang Bong - D4, D5, E4 Hang Bot - D2 Hang Bun - A4, B4 Hang Buom - C6 Hang Ca - C5, C6 Hang Can - C5 Hang Chao - D2 Hang Chieu - C5, C6 Hang Chinh - C6 Hang Cot - B5, C5 Hang Da - D5 Hang Dao - C6, D6 Hang Day - D1, D2 Hang Dieu - C5, D5 Hang Dong - C5 Hang Ga - C5 Hang Gai - D5, D6

3 T

Street Index

2 N H NIEN

1

{crossword}

Photo of the Month

Answers on page 4

BASIC ECONOMICS 1

2

3

4

5

by Nick Ross 6

7

10

11

29

28

37

42

43

46

49

50

52

53

57

58

48 51 54

55

59

60

62

63

64

65

66

67

114 | Word November 2012

56

44

47

ACROSS 1. See 24 Across 6. Green buildup in an aquarium 11. Tattered cloth 14. Urge forward 15. Young male horses 16. Letter between kay and em 17. Like a period of economic prosperity followed by a depression Hyph 19. 151, in Roman numerals 20. Twelfth graders: Abbr.

21. Per capita ____ (statistic used to measure the wealth of a nation's population) 22. Exterminator's target 23. Chemical ending with propor hex24. With 1-Across, policy of the government interventing as little as possible in the direction of economic affairs 26 Schoolroom glue

40

31 34

36 41

39

25

30

33

35

38

22 24

32

13

19

23 27

12

16

21

20

45

9

18

17

26

8

15

14

Do you ow na photograp h that would look good here? Ema il it to editor@wo rdhanoi. com

61

29. Singer Winehouse 31. Flavorful 32. "E pluribus ____ " 33. Do something with 34. Beginning class in drawing: 2 wds.

35. Stat. that's a measure of a country's economy 36. Capacity of a commodity or a service to satisfy a human want 38. Acorn-dropping tree 41. Old sitcom title character Gomer 43. ____ la la (singing syllables) 44. Opposed to 45. "Home Improvement" star Tim 47. "This ____ stickup!": 2 words 48. Map within a map 49. John ____ Keynes (economist who theorized from 11-Down are best achieved by a policy of full employment)

51. Disseneter's vote 52. “ ____ in Boots” (classic fairy tale) 53. Did a wiggly Hawaiian dance 56. Head covering 59. Mentalist Geller 60. Lowest legal amount an employee can be paid: 2 wds.

62. Boy 63. French for "year" 64. Consumer price ____ (indicator of cost of living and inflation) 65. Suffix with Vietnam of Japan 66. ____ and services (dual components of economic output) 67. Contort DOWN 1. Little lies 2. Roman god of love 3. Events in which companies first allow the general population

to buy their stock: Abbr.

4. Grammy-winning "Losing My Religion" band 5. One of Seinfeld's friends 6. "Back in Black" rock band 7. Timberwolf 8. In a sullen manner 9. On the ocean: 2 wds.

10. Suffix of superlatives 11. Periods during which there are declines in economic trade and prosperity 12. Totally ready: 2 wds.

13. Pretentiously showy 18. Direction opposite SSW 22. Pre-college exam taken by high-school jrs.

23. 24hr. cash dispenser 25. Macy Gray's first hit: 2 wds.

26. Dog with a wrinkly face 27. ____ Arbor. Michigan 28. Like the theory that economic growth can be achieved by stimulating investment via tax reductions: Hyph.

29. "Just ____ suspected!": 2 wds.

30. Becomes liquid 33. Sport ____ (off-road vehicle) 34. ____ loss for words: 2 wds.

36. Forearm bone 37. Roth ____ (tax-sheltered savings plan) 39. Had some food 40. Model-building set 42. Cravings 44. "Don't get ____ ideas" 45. Medicinal vial 46. Actress Linney and first lady Bush 47. "Beats me!"

48. Words beginning a confession: 2 wds.

50. Massive land mammal, for short 51. Opposite of old, in German 54. Didn't tell the truth 55. University city in central Iowa 56. " ____ but known!": 2 wds.

57. Gets older 58. Send a typed message to by cell phone 60. Periodical, for short 61. Dir, from N.Y.C. to Seattle

Say What?

{trivia buff} Answers on page 2

1) Your suffering from circadian dysrhythmia what have you got?

2) Larry Page and Sergey Brin were cofounders of which internet tool?

3) Which country first used the fountain pen?

he wrote in the 1940s?

sweet vermouth and gin?

8) What is the name of the archipelago situated off the west coast of Scotland?

15) In which religion is the Tibetan Book of the Dead a revered text?

9) In English they are called turkeys, what do the Turks call them?

16) Who directed Citizen Kane?

10) Who painted 'The Last Supper'?

4) In what country is the northernmost point of Africa?

11) Schmuck in German literally means what?

5) From the Arabic for ‘path’, what is the name given to Islamic law?

12) Roman men had to swear on what to testify?

6) Dushanbe is the capital city of which former Soviet republic?

13) What is the name of Raymond Chandler's cult detective who appeared in The Big Sleep and The Lady in the Lake?

7) Which writer is believed to have been the first to coin the term ‘Cold War’ in articles

14) What cocktail is equal parts Campari,

17) The dropping of the first atomic bomb was ordered by which US president?

18) Who is the first Scotsman to appear on the reverse of a Bank of England banknote?

19) In which Southeast Asian country where the biggest stockpile of original World War II Spitfires discovered in 2012?

20) Which country declared itself the first atheist state when all religion was banned in 1967?

November 2012 Word | 115

the LAST CALL WHEN I WAS YOUNG I DREAMT OF… seas and ships

and sealing wax and other fancy things. I did not, of course, dream that I would end up spending a significant portion of my life in Hanoi.

PRIOR TO FOCUSING ON ART… I was a pretty

unfocused hippy for a few pleasant years.

MY EXHIBITIONS… have charted my obsessions and fascinations and personal reinventions. (By the way, my first Hanoi show was in Trang An Gallery — now better known as Dragonfly).

MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF VIETNAM… were too

numerous to recount everything. But one very striking moment within the first couple of days here was walking by a group of expressionless labourers squatting by the road waiting for day jobs, and seeing every single face break into a big grin in response to my uncertain effort to offer a friendly smile. In that moment I knew I would like it here.

I MOVED TO VIETNAM BECAUSE… after spending a

couple of years in Korea, my wife and I were looking for an opportunity to return to Asia.

The opportunity came in the form of a one-year position in Hanoi in 1996. We managed to extend it.

CONTEMPORARY ART IN HANOI… was in its early

116 | Word November 2012

As the man who came up with a big idea and had the passion to see it through, Brian Ring talks about Hanoi Grapevine turning five.

days back then, just getting rolling, and I enjoyed the excitement of those times, the joy in experimentation, the thrill of exploring new territory that was such a part of the scene then. It’s always fascinating watching the scene develop and change. These days the major private galleries in Hanoi are closed and only the cultural centers and one or two independent spaces remain active, while Ho Chi Minh City galleries seem to be mounting a growing number of exhibitions.

WORKING WITH VIETNAMESE ARTISTS… has been challenging and rewarding, and has offered me opportunities to learn and grow. I feel lucky to have spent these years here, to count many artists as friends.

BEING CANADIAN RATHER THAN AMERICAN…

consume me.

self-sustaining.

reportedly has certain advantages, but I never did sew a Canadian flag onto my backpack…

DOING THIS WEBSITE HAS BEEN… exciting, lots

I AM PROUD OF… the site,

I HAD THE IDEA FOR HANOI GRAPEVINE… after hearing

once too often about an art opening the day after the event. At that time, there was really no good source of information about what was happening in the art scene here. So I decided to share online what I happened to hear — through the grapevine, so to speak — from my artist friends. Little did I know that it would

of work, fun, exhausting, satisfying, frustrating, full of surprises, a learning process, a labour of love, a project that took over my life, an ongoing challenge — and I love all of it.

THE MOST DIFFICULT PART… was at first trying

to actually collect the information. Then it was finding the time to deal with it all. After that it was building the right team. And now it's trying to figure out how to make the whole thing

the Grapevine team, the fact that Grapevine has grown into something that is making a contribution to the art scene in Vietnam.

CELEBRATING OUR FIFTH ANNIVERSARY… feels like a

milestone, feels like we are an established part of the scene.

And it’s going to be a great party. Don't miss it — Nov. 9 at Hanoi Rock City.

I HOPE TO… get featured on this page again in another five years. For Grapevine’s 10th!