 | Travel Tricks for Asia... What to see, where to stay and eat in China, Tibet, Nepal, India, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam! |
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CHINA [HONG KONG] - [GUANGZHOU] - [YANGSHUO] - [CHENGDU] - [SONGPAN] TIBET [TIBET] NEPAL [KATHMANDU] INDIA [VARANASI] - [DELHI] - [AGRA] - [RISHIKESH] - [DOLANJI] - [MCLEOD GANJ] THAILAND [BANGKOK] - [HAT THIAN BAY, KOH PHAGNAN] CAMBODIA [SIEM REAP] - [BATTAMBANG] - [PHNOM PENH] VIETNAM [MEKONG DELTA] - [HO CHI MINH CITY] - [HOI AN] - [HUE] - [HANOI] HONG KONG (CHINA) [TOP]
What to see: Take the Star Ferry (as many times as you can... in the morning, in the afternoon, at night!) and go to Central. Go up to Victoria's Hill and walk around (this is good on your second on third day, when you want to escape city noises). Walk around Kowloon and go to the public markets (birds' market, flowers' market, ladies' market, fish market...). You can come back with the subway. We were told that Causeway Bay was great for its beach and public market. We have not had the time to go, but you may just try it (bus from the Star Ferry terminal in Central). Where to stay: Mirador Mansion, next to Chungking Mansion, is clean and cheap (at least, for HK standards). We were at Man Hing Lung Hotel on the 14th floor. The staff was relatively friendly. You can reserve a room in advance and Steeve, the manager, will wait for you in the Holiday Inn's parking station (which is easier to find than their hotel!). We paid 150 HK dollars for a double room with private bath (the room is not very big, but hey, you are in downtown HK!). There were also rooms without windows for 100 and 120 HK $. What to eat: The best meal we have had in HK was in Good Luck Thai, a Thai restaurant in Central (Lan Kwai Fong, 13 Wing Wah Lane). It is not cheap, but it is perfect for a treat (especially after having eaten instant noodle soups for days). Go to the Tourist Information Center and get a free museum weekly pass. The HK Museum of Art has interesting exhibitions. GUANGZHOU (ALSO CALLED CANTON, CHINA) [TOP] Getting there: We went by train from Hong Kong to Guangzhou. The ride was short and comfortable. When you arrive at the train station in Guangzhou, be careful. A man saying that he works for the Tourist Information office may propose you a taxi for 100 yuans. That is way too much. Continue to walk and spot the taxis downstairs (they have a meter and will charge you much less). If you wish to have a little bit more of challenge, take the subway (everything is in Chinese). Cheap, fun, and incredibly modern. What to see: Early in the morning, go to Shamian Island's park. You will see people doing tai-chi, learning salsa, rumba, and cha cha cha... From Shamian Island, cross the bridge and wander around. You will see small shops, restaurants... No one seems to speak English in Guangzhou, so bring a Chinese phrasebook with you. It does not matter if it is a mandarin, rather than cantonese phrasebook. Just show the characters and they will understand you. Ordering a meal this way is quite amusing. You are never quite sure of what you will getting... Where to stay: We were at the Youth Hostel (which seems to have been recently renovated) in Shamian Island. For 180 HK$, we had a very nice and comfortable room with a brand-new bathroom. The last day, before leaving, however, we saw a dead cockroach under the bed... Where to eat: On our last night, we discovered a restaurant in front of the tennis court (on the opposite side of the street). The food there was delicious and cheap. Don't order too much... the portions are enormous (the soup alone could feed 5-6 people). YANGSHUO (CHINA) [TOP] Getting there: We went to Yangshuo by bus (finding the bus station in Guangzhou was quite something... the right one is the one on the same side as the metro exit station). The ride is 13 hours.
What to see: Biking to the Moonhill is great. If you have a local guide, s/he will show you the little countryside paths. We recommend Tao Yu Ping (mobile number: 13978377872), the guide we hired for a day (we paid 100 yuans, but maybe you can bargain more than we did!) and who will bring you to her home for lunch and show you the surroundings. Where to stay: West Street Lianlian-House Hotel is fine. It is next to West Street, the main touristic artery. We paid 70 yuans for a very large double room with bathroom. Where to eat: The Blue Bird restaurant on West Street was very good. Try the local beer fish. It is just excellent! For breakfast (and if you are longing for a good coffee), go to Le Votre restaurant. A bit expensive for travellers on budget, however... CHENGDU (CHINA) [TOP] Getting there: The bus from Yangshuo to Chengdu involves a very long ride. It should take around 19 hours. It took us 23 hours (there was a truck blocking the road, villagers had to move stones and construct a passage). In the bus, there is not much leg, but it is relatively comfortable (with leather seats and Chinese movies playing). But you have to try to forget about the fact that people spit all around you. What to see: From Chengdu, you can go visit the pandas, see Leshan's Buddha. For our part, we decided to go for a horsetrek to Songpan (9 hours of very bad bus driving)... Where to stay:We stayed both at Sam's Guesthouse and Holly's Hostel (they are brother and sister). Sam's Guesthouse has a nice garden, while Holly's neighborhood is more interesting to walk around... It's up to you! We paid the same price (100 yuans for a double room with private bathroom) at both places and the rooms are very similar. Another popular choice is the Traffic Hotel, especially for dorms. If you go to the Youth Hostel, be careful with their American breakfasts (which are included)... We have met travellers who have been quite sick after eating them (and when they visited the kitchen in the evening, they saw loads of cockroaches). Where to eat: If you crave for a good pizza (and have some money to put on it), you can go to HighFly Cafe, close to the Traffic Hotel. For a cheap eat, go to a noodle place next to Holly's (3 yuans for a bowl). We haven't tried the hotpots but apparently, some of them are quite good. SONGPAN (CHINA) [TOP] Getting there: The bus or taxi between Chengdu and Songpan is probably the worst one you could get. The ride is 9 hours and the drivers are all mad! Accidents are common. Better to close your eyes, if you can!
Where to stay: We haven't really found the perfect place to stay in Songpan. We were in Shun Jian Guesthouse, which was ok (15 yuans/person, shared bathroom, good public shower accross the street). Where to eat: For a nice view on the river and surrounding area, go to a teahouse. Food is basic (a bowl of noodle, momos, vegetables with rice), but the setting is enchanting. Our favourite restaurant was Yu Lan, where everything was very good. Emma's Kitchen is ok for a drink and the nice atmosphere, but the food still needs some improvement. Also try the Muslim restaurant on the main artery of Songpan. The chicken & cashews meal was just amazing. TIBET [TOP]
What to see: In Tibet, you certainly have to visit the Everest region, which is quite something. When arriving in Tibet, don't expect too much from Lhasa. The Potala and the Jokhang monastery are interesting (but a bit expensive / 100 yuans to visit the Potala and 70 Y for the Jokhang - with a 50% discount for students for the latter). The city of Lhasa may be disappointing. Because of massive Chinese immigration, the city now looks practically like any other Chinese city. You have to get to the Tibetan neighborhood (where most hotels are) to get a grasp at the Tibetan way of life. The Drepung monastery is worth a visit (take bus #201 or 203 to get there for 2 yuans). Where to stay: Kirey Hotel on Beijing Donglu (tel.: 86-891-6323462) - A double room with bath is 120 yuans. It's clean, comfortable and laundry is free. Where to eat: Tashi 2 was one of our favorites (cheap bobbies, tchang, and cheese cake). Pantoc was great for breakfast, good coffee, ice cream, and relaxing. And Mandala restaurant, close to the Jokhang, has very good Indian food. Getting away (Lhasa to Nepalese border): The 6 day tour to Mount Everest and the Nepalese border was arranged through Tashi Gatso (eveyone seems to be called Tashi in Lhasa... the name means "lucky"!) from the agency on the 1st floor of Kirey Hotel. It cost us 4700 yuans for the trip + 420 Y for Everest car entry fee + 60 per person for Everest entry fee. The car and the driver were good. Our driver's name was Norbu (he does not speak English). We did not have a guide (most people we encountered who did hire a guide said it was useless). We were 5 in the jeep. According to the CITS (China International Tour Service) official rate, the tour should cost 6500 Y (with guide). We also went to see a sky burial with this agency, and it is worth it, if you have a good stomach... Note: You can change your old yuans in Zangmu at the border village on the Chinese side (when we were there, in mid-October, we got 9 Nepalese roupies for 1 yuan). The rate is better than in Kathmandu (where it was 8.4). KATHMANDU (NEPAL) [TOP]
Where to stay (in Thamel): Two years ago, we stayed in Buddha Hotel (approx. 6 US$/night). This time, we tried both Red Planet Hotel (350 roupies for a double room with bathroom... central, but noisy) and Downtown Hotel (same price as Red Planet but with a nice terrasse on the roof, balcony on each floor, larger rooms, and more tranquility). Where to eat (in Thamel): We had breakfast in Delima Garden Cafe almost every morning. For 60 roupies, you can have a set breakfast with 2 eggs, toasts, some vegetables, and coffee or tea. Pumpernickel Bakery is another very popular venue for breakfast and sandwiches. For dinner, one of our best bet was Nirmala, a vegetarian restaurant in front of the Yeti Hotel (good and cheap moussakas, lasagnas, canellonis... less than 100 roupies for one person). We also tried Mickey Pizza Hut (very good pizza, around 160 roupies/pizza), La Dolce Vita (excellent pasta, nice terrasse, but expect to pay at least 200 roupies/person), KC (good chocolate cakes), and Nepalese Kitchen (for traditional Nepalese dishes like dal bhat). What to see: Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu is definitively worth seeing. Most travellers in Nepal go for trekking, of course. Be aware that trekkers going to the Annapurna have to pay 1000 roupies to the Maoists. For trekking, rafting, or mountain bike, go to High Mountain Wave (in the same building as Nana Hotel and Tom & Jerry's Pub). The staff is very friendly and helpful. VARANASI (INDIA) [TOP]
From Varanasi's airport, we took a pre-paid taxi (350 R). This does not bring you very far in the city. From the place where the taxi drops you off, take a cyclo-rickshaw and ask for Manikarnika ghat. The rickshaw or any other touts that will certainly come to you will want to bring you to their hotel (where they get a commission, which amounts to you paying more for your room). Be firm and tell them that you want to go to the ghat. From there, you will see the signs of the hotel and will be able to find your way. The way to Alka Hotel, for instance, is well indicated. What to see: A walk to the Ganga River and along the "ghats" (the buildings bording the river) is THE main activity to do in Varanasi. But there is also so much else to do... like attending classical music concerts (thanks Barbara for the suggestion!), sipping a good cup of chai, getting lost in the alleyways, attending yoga and meditation, learning sitar and tabla with excellent local musicians... Where to stay: Alka Hotel is definitively the place to stay (we discovered the place and its great balcony with view on the Ganges) on the last day of our stay and said we had to return there one day. The rooms start at 200 roupies and can go up to 850. But book in advance as it is often full. Otherwise, for a very backpacker feeling, you can go to Yogi Lodge which has basic rooms with common bathrooms (approx. 50 roupies/person). What to eat: We have been very lucky. Most places where we have been were good. Ganga Fugi is excellent, but a bit expensive (count 100 roupies/person for dinner). Apart from the food, the good thing about this restaurant is that it has classical music concerts every night starting at 7 PM. We also went to Baba Restaurant which was nice. DELHI (INDIA) [TOP] The Lonely Planet says that very few tourists actually enjoy Delhi. That was true for us. The constant hastling can really get on your nerves and the air pollution and weather changes have the effect of making most people sick. Getting there: From Varanasi, we took an overnight train (3rd sleeper class). It was quite enjoyable, and relatively clean. Just watch over your luggages as there are people who got their things stolen at night. What to see: Nevertheless, Delhi is very interesting, architecturally-speaking. The Jama Masjid mosque is stunning. When we arrived to the mosque, a so-called official guide made us do a very quick tour of the place. Then, he brought us to a dark corner and asked for 25 US$! Of course, we refused to pay and joined another group of tourists who were visiting with a real guide. So... be careful. Then, we paid 10 roupies to go to the upper tower. From there, we see the entire city. However, we did not stay for a long time since two men had been following us... If you are alone, we do not recommend you to go to the tower. There is no light in the staircase, which is steep and narrow. We also visited the Red Fort at night. The sound and light show is not really worth it, but a visit during the day must be very nice, especially if you want to escape from the city. We were told that the Crafts Museum was nice. Probably the best way to see everything without having to deal with numerous taxi drivers and autorickshaws who try to charge you too much money or bring you to shops on the way (in order to get a commission) is to take a one-day tour of the city. Where to stay: In Paharganj, the neighborhood next to the New Delhi train station, there are many budget hotels. Hare Rama, Star Palace, and Shivam International are decent. A room should go somewhere between 250 and 400 roupies. We paid 250 for a double-room with private bathroom (and cable tv!) at Shivam International, but be aware that this is not a 3-star hotel! Our friends had a bad experience with Vivek Hotel (there was no hot water and the bathroom was not very inviting). We visited Major's Den (between 350 and 450 rps), which seemed ok and Metropolis Hotel (which is more expensive at approx. 800 rps, but cleaner than the other places). What to eat: The Thai restaurant on the rooftop of Anoop Hotel is very good. For breakfast, try Sam's Cafe, on the rooftop of Vivek Hotel. On the street, there are numerous stalls where you can get cheap thalis (set meals with dhal, rice, potato...) for 20-40 roupies. AGRA (INDIA) [TOP]
*The bus took us in Paharganj at 7 AM and returned at 2 AM. We were not entirely satisfied by the tour, which was organized by AA Bee Travel, an agency recommended by the Lonely Planet. There was a 1-hour stop at a marble shop (so that the guide could get a commission), we did not have enough time to visit each sites (45 minutes for the Red Fort is definitively not enough), and we were brought to a temple at night where the guru asked us for money (another hour wasted). At the end, we did not have enough time to visit the Tomb of Akba, which I would have liked to see. What to see: The Taj Mahal, of course, is a must-see. The Red Fort is also very interesting. We were supposed to visit Fathepur Sikkri also, but we finally were not able to go because the guides preferred to bring us to a temple where the guru asked us for money... But our friend Jean-Luc (him again!) says that the ghost city of Fathepur Sikkri is one of the marvels of India. RISHIKESH [LAKSHMAN JHULA] (INDIA) [TOP]
What to do: Rishikesh is the world capital of yoga so... guess what there is to do there?! There are plenty of yoga and meditation courses that are being offered. When we were there, there was a meditation and yoga open retreat at Phoolchatty ashram (7 km from Lakshman Jhula). We were there ten days and really enjoyed it. To have information on similar retreats also offered in Bodhgaya and Sarnath, check out the Open Dharma website. Where to stay: In Lakshman Jhula, we tried Ishan Hotel (on the west side of the Ganga) and Aggarwal House (east side, phone no: 0135-433435). Both very nice. The rooms at Ishan Hotel are between 200-450 roupies (the cheapest ones being on the lower floors and the expensive ones on the top floor). The view from the balcony was absolutely amazing. At Aggarwal House, we also had a very nice view on the Ganga. Rooms go from 180 to 250 rps depending on whether you want a private bathroom or not. What to eat: The restaurant on top of Jaipur Inn Hotel was good, but a bit expensive (and the portions were not very generous). The spaghetti with pesto was however very satisfying (especially after having eaten the same thing for 10 days...). Other popular places are the German Bakery (good breakfasts), Eden Garden (not so great), and Ganga View (very few choices, but nice view) restaurants. DOLANJI (INDIA) [TOP] Getting there: Getting to Dolanji involved quite some work. Early in the morning, we took a taxi in Lakshman Jhula (Rishikesh) that dropped us to the bus station. We then embarked in the bus going to Shimla and got off at Solan. From Solan, we hired a taxi that brought us to Dolanji. What to see: Sunrise and sunset from the guesthouse's balcony! Where to stay: At the monastery's guesthouse (175 rps per person, including meals) What to eat: Apart from the guesthouse's cafeteria, there are four restaurants in Dolanji, that are not open on regular hours. The menu is not very extensive: you can choose between a thukpa (Tibetan soup), chow meins and, on some special occasions, momos (Tibetan dumplings). MCLEOD GANJ (ALSO CALLED UPPER DHARAMSALA, INDIA) [TOP] Getting there: From Dolanji, we hired a taxi that took us to McLeod Ganj. You can have four people in the taxi. It cost us 1700 R for the whole taxi. What to do: Walk around the main temple (nice chortens on the way and prayer wheels, approx. 30 minutes), go up to Daramkot, hike to Triund (5-hour walk to go and come back), or attend one of the many yoga, cooking, thangka painting and reiki classes. If you have some movie catch-up to do, this is the place with a few movie dens showing American, Hindi movies, as well as films on Tibet. Where to stay: We stayed uphill on Tipa Road (from the bus station, you take Tipa Road (towards Lhasa restaurant). On the road, on your left-hand side, you will see 7 Hills Guesthouse. Right after the guesthouse, there are steep stairs going up. You take these stairs until the end and up there, you continue into a small garden. That is where our guesthouse was. We paid 135 rps/night for a double-room with private bathroom and shared veranda. Some of our friends also recommended Dev Cottages (in Daramkot) and East Home Apartments (down on Jogibara street, passed the Japanese restaurant and right before Hunted Hill Guesthouse, approx. 20 minutes from the bus station). These are flats with kitchenette and are great for longer stays. For a very centrally-located guesthouse, check for Ashoka guesthouse (on Jogibara, you turn on your left-hand side into an alley situated before Ashoka restaurant, 5 minutes from the bus station). Where to eat: There are many good restaurants in McLeod Ganj. For vegetarian food, go to Gakyi on Jogibara. For italian, Kokonur is good (Tipa road). For Japanese, there is Lung-ta down on Jogibara road (passed the post office, Chocolate Log and Ladies Venture). And for tofu burger, banana cakes and the warmest welcome, visit Dolma & Dorjee on Bagsu Road (approx. 50 meters passed Green Hotel, on the left-hand side if you come from the bus station). Our favorite Internet spot: Definitively the Nyimon Educational Computer Centre, next to the post office on Jogi Wara Road (tel: 01892 221882 or 220142). They have high speed Internet, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Flash, they can burn CDs, translate texts in Tibetan... And, they offer you chai and make a fire in the middle of the office when it is too cold. What else can one ask for?! BANGKOK (THAILAND) [TOP] Getting there: From Delhi, we took a plane to Bangkok and flew with India Airlines (around 200 US$, 5 hours). Apparently, Biman Bangladesh Airlines also provide the connection between Delhi and Bangkok for around 120 US$. However, you have to stay overnight in Bangladesh and we heard the service was lousy (but hey, what wouldn't one do to save money?). What to do: There are plenty of things to do in Bangkok... But it just turned out that each time we were there, we just did as if we were home (doing some Internet, going to the movies, shopping). If you also get that homey feeling from Bangkok, you will be content just managing the small alleys in Chinatown (and ending up on front of the Golden Buddha!), perusing through the trendy boutiques of Siam Center, watching a good movie in a Honeymoon or even better, Emperor Class seat at the World Trade Center, find good eats in Banglamphu, etc. Next time (because there will definitively be a next time), we will probably want to visit the Grand Palace, go to the night market, try one of these river cruises, go to a meditation class, and try out the massage and cooking courses! Where to stay: We first tried Central Guesthouse on Thanao Road (a small alley off Khao San Road). It was ok, but not especially great (180 bahts a night for a dusty double room with shared bathroom). On our second time, we went to Wally House, right on Khao San (189, 189/1-2 Khaosan Road). The place is clean, and surprisingly quiet despite of its proximity to Khao San. We paid 160 bahts for a small, but decent double room. Where to eat: Our favourite was definitively May Kaidee's Vegetarian Restaurant on Thanao Road. We could not help it but to go back, and back again (where we would see again the same people who were probably as addicted as we were!). The restaurant is right on the street, a little bit expensive for street standards (45 bahts for a pad thai) but May is very friendly and the fried tofu, black rice with banana and coconut, fruits and muesli, vegetarian fish red curry are sooooooo good! HAT THIAN BAY (also spelled Haad Tien), KOH PHAGNAN (THAILAND) [TOP]
Instead of the long-tail boat, you can also walk from Had Rin. It took us 2 hours and a half. We do not recommend it, especially if you have a heavy backpack. The way is not very well indicated. If you still want to opt for the "trek option", read the indications on the Sanctuary's website. What to do: There is almost nothing to do in Hat Thian! So just relax, and enjoy the beach. If you really feel like you are losing your time (come on, you are not!), go for a yoga course (200 bahts) or try the herbal steam (250 bahts an hour) at the Sanctuary, have a look at their library, visit the surrounding bays (Whynam, an even smaller place where there is even less things to do or Hat Yuan, which is more of a scene). You can also walk in the jungle to Hat Rin, where the famous Full Moon party takes place (it took us 2 hours and a half... bring some insect repellent!). Where to stay: We were happy in our small bungalow on the beach, part of Haad Tien "Resort" (can a place with a couple of huts be called a resort?!). It cost us 300 bahts a night (2 beds and private bathroom). The place was actually cute and colourful with a red floor, yellow walls and blue ceiling. We have spent hours in front of the bungalow, just watching the waves crushing on the beach. If you want a quieter spot (because it gets noisy on Friday nights in Hat Thian, thanks to Guy's Bar), you can stay in Whynam (200-250 B for nice bungalows and you get to stay close to a good restaurant). Where to eat: The Whynam Beach restaurant is a good place to eat. The Sanctuary has good food also, but is expensive. We also loved Bamboo Huts Restaurant, which is in Hat Yuan. The Lovelip and Haad Tien Resort restaurants were ok. For really good organic coffee, chai, and much more, it is worth going up the mountain (it is a 5-minute walk from Lovelip in Hat Thian) to Dokbua Baan (read Jules' text about it - in French). SIEM REAP (CAMBODIA) [TOP] Getting there: To get to Siem Reap from Bangkok, we avoided the tourist Khao San Bus. It is very easy to go to Siem Reap by yourself and in so doing, you save time. People who took the Khao San Bus told us they arrived at the travel agency at 6:30 AM and only reached Siem Reap at 10 PM. And the bus company pressured them to pay extra fees to get the Cambodian visa and to stay at a specific guesthouse (the bus compagny gets 6$ from the guesthouse for each client being referred). Doing it by yourself means to (1) leave Khao San by taxi at 6:15 AM to go to the Northeast Bus Station (about 80 bahts), (2) take the 7 AM bus (180 bahts) going to Aranyaprathet (buses depart every hour), (3) ride a motobike or tuk-tuk from the bus station to the border (about 50 bahts), (4) buy your Cambodian visa (20 US$ or 1000 bahts) - the process takes about 15 minutes (bring a passport photo), (5) hire a taxi going from Poipet to Siem Reap (between 800-1200 bahts for an air-conditioned Toyota Camry, you can be 4 in the taxi). This last ride takes about 3 hours (we stopped for lunch at Sisophon). We arrived in Siem Reap, in front of the guesthouse of our choice, at 4 PM. What to do: If you go to Siem Reap, you certainly won't miss Angkor Wat. We took a 3-day pass which, according to us, is what you need to not only visit the main temples, but also smaller and quite interesting ones. You can buy your pass the day before at 5 PM and hence get a free sunset! It used to be at 4 PM, but it changed last year (the Lonely Planet is outdated on this point). To make your visit easy and enjoyable, hire a tuk-tuk. We paid 8$ a day and booked the same driver for 3 days. Expect to pay a little bit more if you go to remote sites such as Kbal Spean). Leave your bed before sunrise and enjoy the early morning light (great for pictures), fewer people, and peacefulness. More details on the visit are available in French (if you don't read French, you can have a look at the pictures!): Day 1 - Day 2 - Day 3 Where to stay: We stayed at Arun Guesthouse (located next to La Noria) and were very satisfied. We had a nice double room with bathroom for 4 US$. The restaurant there is also very good (5-7 US$ for dinner for 2... the tamarind sauce crab was especially delicious). From Arun, you can walk along the river. Where to eat: The Blue Pumpkin Restaurant, in the old market area, is good for breakfast and coffee (3-4 US$ per person). We also tried the Dead Fish Restaurant (ok but not our favourite, 4 US$ and +) and Home Cocktail (good pastas, 3-4 US$). In general, we found the food in Siem Reap relatively expensive. But it was also really tasty. We can see that the French have been around for a while. It is easy to get a good coffee and even wine. Internet facilities: There are plenty of Internet cafes in Siem Reap. But 5 star on Sivatha Bld, in the old market, was particularly fast and well-equiped (they even had Photoshop and a digital camera card reader). It is a good place to do a backup of your pictures and burn them on CD. As in most places in Siem Reap, it costs 1 US$ for one hour. BATTAMBANG (CAMBODIA) [TOP] Getting there: From Siem Reap, we took a boat to Battambang. We bought our ticket at Neak Krorhorm Travel & Tours (opposite the old market in Siem Reap). It cost us 12 US$ per person, including the taxi that picked us up from the hotel early in the morning. We departed from the pier around 7 AM. Depending on the boat, it takes somewhere between 3 to 7 hours. This ride is very scenic and you see a lot more than the 1-hour tour costing 10 US$ on the Tonle Sap river in Siem Reap (the latter looking more like a scam than anything else to us). What to do: Visiting the countryside is very enjoyable. We saw temples (Ek Phnom and Phnom Banan), stopped at small shops where people do rice paper, cook coconut rice in bamboo sticks, and more. In two days, you can see most of it. To know more about places to visit, consult Ray Zepp's Around Battambang, a very good source of information on the region. You will find it at White Rose Restaurant, Sunrise Coffee Shop, and some bookstores. The visitors' guide to Siem Reap has a section on Battambang which is also helpful. Where to stay: We first stayed at Chhaya Hotel, which was ok (5 US$ for a double room with bathroom + satellite TV). We then moved to the nearby Royal Hotel, which we preferred (similar facilities to Chhaya, but maybe a bit cleaner and more quiet). Where to eat: White Rose restaurant was our favourite. Good food at good prices, what more can you ask for? They sometimes mix up the orders, but it is part of its charm! It is popular with Cambodians as well. Sunrise Coffee beside Royal Hotel offers good coffee and pastries. Royal Hotel's restaurant is also a good value. We went to Cold Night restaurant. It is a bit further away from the center of town, but the food was good and a little more expensive. Internet facilities: KCT Internet on the riverside has the fastest connection (as well as Photoshop and a USB plug for your digital camera on at least one of the computers). It was 1.50 US$/hour. We tried other, cheaper places, but the connection was usually slow or not reliable. PHNOM PENH (CAMBODIA) [TOP] Getting there: From Battambang, we bought a Capitol ticket to Phnom Penh. Most hotels sell these tickets. A shuttle comes to your home and brings you to the larger bus that will go all the way to Phnom Penh. What to do: Visit the Royal Palace and the National Museum. If you feel like it, there is a nice walk to do in the vicinity of the National Museum. You will find some art galleries and nice cafes. Where to stay: We stayed at Narin 2 (Ph 111, phone: 986131) in the Psar O Russei Area and were quite satisfied. They also serve meals and have Internet access. For 5 US$, you are way better off at Narin than at Capitol Guesthouse. We can tell... we tried both! Where to eat: If you feel like dining for a cause in a warm and friendly atmosphere, go to Friends (215 Ph 13, phone: 426748). The food is good and you will be served by street children who are being trained to work in restaurants and hotels. MEKONG DELTA (VIETNAM) [TOP] Getting there: From Phnom Penh, we booked a ticket with the Capitol travel agency to get to Chau Doc by boat. The ride is painless and everything, including passing the border, is very well organized. We highly recommend this option. What to do: Friends who have taken the 2-day tour on the Mekong with Sinh Cafe were enthuastic about it. My Tho and Ben Tre are worth a visit. Where to stay: In Chau Doc, we stayed at Thuan Loi Hotel (18, Tran Hung Dao) with a view on the riverside. It was ok. Where to eat: There are food stalls on the street. Just walk around and you will find! And exotic fruits from the market make a good desert. HO CHI MINH CITY/SAIGON (VIETNAM) [TOP] [TOP] Getting there: On our way to Ho Chi Minh City (that most local people still call Saigon), we took a local bus. It was not our best experience... We departed 3-hour late. The ticket controller was agressive. We were forced to keep our luggage on us even though there were many empty seats. The bus stopped everywhere. Locals were complaining about the vendors coming in and out, overpricing items and not giving back change. From that point, we decided to take a tourist bus. Where to eat: Hard to say since we always mostly ate at relatives' places! But one place we would definitively recommend is Nam Giao, where you can find traditional food from central Vietnam (at 26/B13 + 14 Su Van Hanh nd, Quan 10, phone: 8621203 or at 136/15 Le Thanh Ton, Quan 1, phone: 8250261). HOI AN (VIETNAM) [TOP] Getting there: We had a Sinh Cafe "open tour ticket". For 23 US$, you can get from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi and stop at different places on the way. The buses (all A/C) are on time, there are stops at points of interest along the way, the service is professional, and the driving safe. What to do: Visit the typical old houses of Hoi An, walk along the river, go to the Japanese bridge, walk in the market and get yourself new clothes! We went to My Dieu's shop (#14 in the Hoi An cloth market, tel.: 0510. 863252) and were very satisfied. The first day, we only ordered few things. But the following days, seeing the result, we bought a lot more. We also had shoes made at Hung Vi (tel.: 0510. 910658), the shop next door. Don't forget to mention that you wear socks! Otherwise, they may make your shoes too tight. The final result really suits your foot, and it feels great! Where to stay: We stayed at Vinh Huy Hotel, which we do not recommend. It is where the Sinh Cafe agency took us. The service is not professional, intrusive, and we had three different rooms during our stay. The first night, they wanted to charge us 10$ while we agreed that we would not pay more than 6$. So they moved us the second day in another room with a "suicidal shower" (electrical shocks when you shower). On the third night, we had a small room with no windows. It was humid, and noisy. However, we have to say that the place is spotless, cheap (when they agree on charging 6 US$!), and... they have satellite TV! Where to eat: Bobo Cafe (on Le Loi St.) was ok for breakfast. The well-known Cafe des amis (on the riverside) is now relatively expensive (approx. 30 000 VND) for what you get. For the same price, we preferred Nhu Y restaurant, in front of the cloth market. Along the riverside, we recommend Rose restaurant, where we had a good cao lau. HUE (VIETNAM) [TOP] What to do: A visit to the royal tombs is a must, particularly Minh Mang's and Tu Duc's tombs (entrance fees: 55 000 VND for each). We hired a driver with motorbike for the whole day (5 US$) who also drove us to the famous Thien Mu pagoda. Where to stay: We were at Mimosa Hotel (46/6 Le Loi), which we do not highly recommend. The family is very friendly, but the rooms are so-so (8-12 US$). Where to eat: For breakfast, try Minh and Coco Mini Restaurant's pancake (1 Hung Vuong). For dinner, we recommend La Carambole (19 Pham Ngu Lao). If you like photography, you can have a coffee at Mandarin Cafe on Hung Vuong where the owner, a photographer, exposes his work. HANOI (VIETNAM) [TOP] What to do: The most interesting things to do are not in Hanoi itself, but depart from Hanoi. Visiting Ha Long Bay is a must, as well as going on a trip to Sapa (which we regret not having done, but heard amazing things about). For any of these activities, we highly recommend ODC travel agency, with which we had a great service. It may not be the cheapest agency (compared to Sinh cafe's rates, for example), but what you get is way superior to what other agencies offer. ODC travel's office can be found in several locations: 43 Hang Bo and 142 Hang Bac streets (phone: (84.4) 828 8729 or 824 3024). A note on shopping: if you ever want to buy a traditional Vietnamese instrument, have a look at Thanh Tuan shop at 1C Hang Manh (phone: (84.4) 824 7166). Where to stay: We stayed at Anh Dao Hotel (37 Ma May street) in the Old Hanoi Quarter. It was fine. At the time, we paid 10 US$ for a two-bed room with bathroom. The price included the breakfast and free Internet access. It was not our cheapest room, but it was the end of the trip so we decided to splash it all out! Where to eat: There are many little places to eat. We liked Little Hanoi (there are two on Pho Ta Hien, we liked the one upstairs, if my memory is good, the address was 18). The food is good, but you may see a lot of backpackers since the restaurant is listed in the Lonely Planet... For excellent and more expensive food, there is the Tamarind Cafe (80 Pho Ma May, phone: 926 0580). It is stylish, and the background music would be something like the soundtrack of "In the mood for love"... For culinary experiences, try all these shops on the street that sell "banh cuon" (a kind of pancake made with rice flour) or "pho" (the traditional Vietnamese soup), for example. If they don't have a menu in English, then, you are likely to be in a good spot! posted by Diep on 7/15/2004 11:05:00 AM ©2003-2004 Diep Truong and Jules Massé |
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