Sapa is a beautiful, mountainous town in northern Vietnam
sapa
Located in Vietnam’s remote northwest mountains, Sapa is famous for both its fine, rugged scenery and also its rich cultural diversity. Sapa is an incredibly picturesque town that lies in the Hoang Lien Son mountain range near the Chinese border in northwestern Vietnam, known as “the Tonkinese Alps”. Sapa and its surrounding region is host to many hill tribes, as well as rice terraces, lush vegetation, and Fansipan, the highest peak in Vietnam. However, as a result of a recent surge in popularity Sapa has rapidly become a tourist hotspot where money is the new drug of choice. Don’t be put off by the rush, your explorations of the surrounding countryside will be worth the trouble.
Ethnic Minorities
Many ethnic minorities live in and around Sapa. Excluding the Kinh people or ethnic Vietnamese, eight different ethnic minority groups are found in Sapa; H’mong (pronounced Mong), Dao (pronounced Yao), Tay, Giay (pronounced Zai), Muong, Thai, Hoa (ethnic Chinese) and Xa Pho (a denomination of the Phu La minority group). However, the last four groups comprise less than 500 people in total. The population of the district is estimated at 31,652 (1993) of which 52% are H’mong, 25% are Dao, 15% are Kinh, 5% are Tay and 2% are Giay. Around 3,300 people live in Sapa town, the remainder are peasant farmers distributed unevenly throughout the district.
Many older women in particular make items such as ethnic-style clothes and blankets, to sell to tourists. Striking up a conversation with them can be very rewarding and their spoken English is impressive. Sadly, however, doing this in Sapa town itself will sometimes lead to a scrum as a multitude of vendors taste a potential sale.
Children from these ethnic minorities often begin to support their families financially through selling trinkets to tourists. Do not encourage this by buying from children – Buy from adults. They peddle small metal or silver trinkets, embroidered pillow cases and friendship bands in the main town, and often walk for several hours from their surrounding villages to reach the town. At the end of the day, some take a motorbike ride back to their village, some walk home and some sleep in the market.
Girls and boys get married young (around 15-18) and often have two children by the time they are 20 years old. Poverty has led to a great number of girls leaving their villages each day to go selling in Sapa town, and depending on their luck, may only have one meal per day.
Tours
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- Hanoi, Halong & Sapa Free & easy 6 days 5 nights - Promotions
- Sapa – Trekking through the Valley 4 days
Weather
In winter (the 4 months November to February), the weather in Sapa is invariably cold, wet and foggy (temperatures can drop to freezing and there was snow in 2011). Travellers have rolled into town on a glorious clear day and proceed to spend a week trapped in impenetrable fog. When it is like this there really isn’t very much to do. Also the rice paddys are brown & empty (they are planted in spring), the paths very muddy & slippery & the glorious vistas of summer are completely hidden in the mist. If you chose to visit in winter, bring along warm clothes or prepare to be cold and miserable, as many hotels do not have efficient heating in their rooms. During that time, more upmarket hotels that do have heating fill up quickly, so make advance reservations if you can afford not to freeze. (Or don’t go there in winter time). It rains very often during the month of August, especially in the mornings.
Travel Tips
sapa of vietnam
Bear in mind that some of the minorities do not wish to have photos taken of them. Ask permission beforehand.
Bring along a poncho. You can also buy a cheap one in the many shops around.
Rubber boots and trekking shoes can be rented from some shops or perhaps at the hotel you are staying in. However, do bear in mind that they have limited sizes.
Do buy some hand made items direct from the ethnic minorities, especially if you have enjoyed a good conversation or received help from them. Though they do charge slightly more than the shops, bear in mind that the majority of them are very poor and depend on tourist money to survive.
Come to Sapa and leave more than just footprints – Get involved with Sapa O’Chau - A grassroots project to provide opportunities to minority youths.
From Hanoi it is a 9-hour train journey to Sapa.
Vietnam Rail operates some of the cars, but other cars in the train are operated by private companies (Tulico, Ratraco, Fansipan, Friendly and Victoria Hotels, and many others). Some of these cars are significantly nicer than the standard cars. You may need to arrange with a travel agency to get tickets on these tourist cars, but any traveller can purchase tickets for the VNR cars at the Hanoi train station. Warning: several of these cars are not significantly better than standard Vietnamese sleeping cars though, and still substantially more expensive. Pumpkin second class is actually a VNR car booked via this company. Even Pumpkin first class only has a squat toilet (although a sign above the toilet door says: “western style toilet”!).
Cheaper tickets, especially in hard sleeper class, can be hard to come by at times, as tour companies and travel agents will snap up these to first on their own customers (too frequently a promised soft sleeper berth will turn into a hard sleeper when it comes time to board). To avoid rip offs better go to the train station by yourself and get the ticket from the ticket office. This is the only way to make sure that you will get what you have paid for. Travel Agencies in Vietnam are known for their bad business practice. Although one cannot be assured of finding a place, it is often possible to arrive at the station a short while before boarding time, as there are usually young men hanging around trying to hawk unfilled berths at the last minute. The price of these tickets will fall dramatically as departure time draws near.
Prices vary according to both the type of seat purchased and the season during which you are travelling. The times around Vietnamese holidays are particularly expensive and tickets cannot be assumed available for same day travel, so book ahead if possible. Travellers are highly recommended to purchase a berth in a soft or hard sleeper car, though the trip in soft seat class is not intolerable. For a bed, expect to pay in the area of 150,000-250,000 dong (one-way). There is usually a dining car serving good, surprisingly affordable noodles (8000 dong) and rice porridge (6000 dong), but it’s always wise to bring your own snacks and drinks as well.
The train ends at Lao Cai. From there, dozens of shuttle buses will be waiting outside the station to take you the remaining distance to Sapa, usually at a ‘fixed’ rate of 50,000 dong (February 2012). It’s often possible to bargain down to 30,000 dong (May 2011) or lower, depending on demand. The ride is about an hour of beautiful views (if the weather is good, it may be an hour of fog at other times) more than 1000 meters up into the mountains.
You may want to book a return ticket when you buy your outward journey, as picking up tickets in Lao Cai is harder than in Hanoi. The staff do not speak as much English, and they possibly only sell tickets for travel on the same day so sleepers may already be sold out unless you go first thing in the morning. Pay attention to the time of your return train. Trains leaving Lao Cai around 20h00 will arrive in Hanoi at around 5h00 early in the morning. If you don’t make prior arrangements to return at an early hour, you may find yourself sitting outside of your hotel, waiting for the desk to open.
Sapa can also be reached by motorcycle from Hanoi by a variety of routes. The most direct route takes at least ten hours for first time riders, though local expats often brag about making it in less. Bikes can be rented in Hanoi for unguided passage, or local guides can lead the way. Along the way be sure to top up with fuel regularly, as petrol stations sometimes prove few and far between. It’s also useful to note that fuel vendors in small towns often mix the petrol with other liquids such as alcohol or bio-fuels, and such fuel should be bought and used only when there are no alternatives.
Anywhere in the main village of Sapa can be reached on foot, and the town is small enough that you’re not likely to get lost. A basic map will be good enough for most travellers.
The way to CatCat, Ban Ho, Lao Chai village are taxed 5,000, 10,000 and 15,000 dong respectively. The way to Ta Phin village is also taxed as well.
Tourists intending to trek to the various villages through the paddy fields should be prepared with good trekking shoes or rubber boots, a walking stick and extra clothing kept in a waterproof bag. Depending on the season, the rice fields, which are build in terraces, can be very muddy and slippery. If one does not wear shoes which enables a good grip in mud, one is likely to keep slipping and falling or even sliding down the slopes! As the paths are also taken by water buffalos, excrement can be found everywhere. Walking sticks can be bought from children from the ethnic minority groups at about 5,000 dong. These enterprising children cut sturdy bamboo and sharpen one end to turn them into sturdy sticks.
For the less adventurous, some of the villages, such as Lao Chai Village, is accessible via jeep, motorcycle and van.
Sapa is a charming mountain town, surrounded by picturesque mountains and rice terraces. Great views of the area can be had (weather permitting) from the nearby hills. One of these has been built up into a tourist attraction (“Ham Rong Resort”) with various gardens (orchid, European), ethnic minority dance performance areas, viewpoints, and restaurants. It’s a short walk south from the central square and then up some stairs. Entrance is 30,000 dong.
While walking in the mountains you will encounter many hill tribes such as the Red Zao tribe.
There are more restaurants than one could stomach along the main strip, Pho Cau May; they all have nearly the same menu, with many of them offering, oddly enough, Italian as well as Vietnamese fare. Tread with caution.
Hmong Sisters Bar - Close to the Sapa Bamboo Hotel. Has a pool table, darts and a computer with free Internet.
Keep in mind that in Sapa, as in many other provinces of Vietnam, it is the law that you must turn over your passport to your hotel/guesthouse/hostel. However, a photocopy of the main page and your visa should suffice, and if they refuse, simply tell them your real copy is in Hanoi getting a visa extension.
A near-endless supply of cheap rooms are available in the touristy area down the hill from the town centre, and generally a flock of young men and women will leap on you the moment you arrive with offers from US$3 on up (price quoted for a double).
Nha Trang is Vietnam’s most famous seaside resort-town. It’s more lively and urban in character than other beach destinations like Mui Ne and Phu Quoc. It’s also the scuba diving center of Vietnam. Vietnam holidays
Nha trang beach
Traces of human settlement in Nha Trang date back to the Cham Empire, though in times of Vietnamese rule, there wasn’t much more than small fishing villages. The French recognized that this beautiful bay, with its islands and white sand beaches, made for a perfect bathing spot, and began the transformation into a resort town. American soldiers agreed, and Nha Trang became a favorite vacation stop during the war.
The monsoon season is from October to mid December. Sea winds can be heavy, and sometimes the weather can get pretty chilly. Summer, naturally, brings many vacation goers into town and hotel rooms get somewhat more difficult to find.
Cam Ranh Airport (CXR), built on the grounds of an old American airbase in 2004, is located 30km from the city and serves only domestic destinations. Taxi fare from the airport to downtown locations is a fixed rate of 380,000 VND, though many hotels have their own buses. Do not offer to go by the meter here as it is about 100,000 VND more expensive than the fixed rate.
A cheaper option is to take the airport bus at 40,000 VND to the old Nha Trang Airport. They sell the tickets for this mini bus at a desk near the exit of the airport. The old airport terminal is in the city not far from most hotels and taxi’s can be found there. Most city hotels should be reached by taxi for 30,000 dong or less. Mini hotel alley at 64 Tran Phu costs just 15,000 dong.
Mai Linh taxis also offer fixed price fares to and from the airport, starting at 180,000 VND for a small, 4-seat taxi. For the adventurous traveller, take a short taxi ride to a Phuong Trang bus stop in Cam Ranh, then catch the Phuong Trang bus, 40,000 VND to Nha Trang (about an hour). The bus stops and the buses are orange coloured.
After a major upgrade, the airport has since 2010 been renamed “Cam Ranh International Airport” and is looking to attract direct package tour flights from overseas.
Nha Trang is a stop on the main railway-line connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC or Saigon). The railway station is close to the cathedral in the northern part of town. If you want a soft-sleeper (the highest class available on Vietnamese trains), book your train ticket directly at the train station as far in advance as you are able. Having a private travel agent book this ticket will quite often result in you paying the agent for a soft-sleeper — the agent will book a hard-sleeper and you will not know until you board the train and it is too late to make changes. This is one of the most common scams in Vietnam! Soft sleeper rooms are 4 berth, hard sleepers are 6 berth. You can sit comfortably on a lower bed in a 4 berth room but in a 6 berth you will have to be very short in order to sit up straight. SNT trains (meaning Saigon to Nha Trang) have similar quality cars but are slower than the SE trains. The TN trains have the oldest and dirtiest cars and are the slowest so therefore are not recommended. Each of the SE, TN and SNT coded trains end with a number. If the number is odd it travels from North to South. If it is even, it travels from South to North.
The journey to Nha Trang from Ho Chi Minh City takes between 6-8 hours on the SE trains (but are often delayed), so a sleeper is not really necessary, a cushioned seat in the AirCon car costs 190,000 dong. The SNT trains take over 9 hours and travels overnight only.
For 445,000 dong (lower bed T1 or 400,000 dong for upper bed T2), you can book a soft sleeper on the SNT1 or SE1, SE3, SE5 or SE7 trains from Nha Trang to Ho Chi Minh City. These are the prices if you buy directly from Nha Trang train station. You will obviously pay more from an agent. Prices and times correct July 2011. Hotels will typically be able to buy the ticket for you for an additional 30,000 dong. The scenery on this journey is not that great compared to further north, so you are not missing out too much by travelling overnight.
The SE1 train departs Nha Trang at 8.26PM and arrives in Ho Chi Minh City at 4.10AM. The SE3 train departs Nha Trang at 9.42PM and arrives in Ho Chi Minh City at 4.30AM. The SE5 train departs Nha Trang at 12.39PM and arrives in Ho Chi Minh City at 8.00PM. The SE7 train departs Nha Trang at 8.41AM and arrives in Ho Chi Minh City at 4.48PM. The SNT1 train departs Nha Trang at 6.40PM and arrives in Ho Chi Minh City at 5.20AM.
The SNT2 departs Ho Chi Min City at 7.40PM and arrives in Nha Trang at 6AM.
The train station is about 1 km away from the city centre, so you can easily walk.
Most open tour buses arrive from Ho Chi Minh City in the south (10-12 hours) and Hoi An to the north (16 hours). They drop their passengers in the main tourist area around Biet Thu, while the public bus station is at 58, 23 Thang 10, about a 10 minute walk west of the center. North to Qui Nhon 4-5 hours.
If you’re booking the open tour bus tickets via an agent, try to find out the bus company behind and avoid TM brothers bus. They have a bad reputation. Some of the seats are broken and you can find cockroach in the bus. However, their bus is usually a few dollar cheaper then other company.
Private car rental with a driver are usually modern air-con cars and can be rented for ~1,000,000 VND per day.
Car rental prices (as mostly anything in Vietnam) usually increase during holiday seasons especially around Tet (Vietnamese’s New Year). Make sure to avoid high prices by booking it beforehand with the car rental services.
Today, most of the tourist infrastructure is in the southern part of town around Biet Thu, whereas most of the locals live around the Cho Dam in the northern quarters. Cho Dam Market is a popular destination for visitors as well, though.
Tran Phu is the backbone of the city, accompanied by a pleasant waterfront promenade, palm trees and the nearly 6km of beach.
Nha Trang has a reliable and easy to navigate public bus system, where the ticket fare does not exceed 3000 dong for a ride on a modern, air-conditioned bus with Vietnamese music. You will find buses nr. 3 and 2 the most useful, since they pass through the southern quarters. Alternatively, you’ll find the usual selection of taxis, cyclos and motorbikes.
There is no destination in Downtown Nha Trang that justifies a fare higher than 20,000 dong/person. Taxis are a good option, but be sure they turn on the meter to get the cheapest price.
A wonderful option for seeing the sites is to hire a cyclo-driver for the day. I agreed upon a price for the entire day (Jan. 2009-USD$10 plus tip) and my driver took me to all the in-town highlights, the post office, and my choice of restaurants from 8AM-7PM. While English skills were basic, we were able to communicate. He also kept many of the touts away–a real bonus!
Its also easy to get around by bicycle. Nha Trang is quite flat and bicycles are easily found for hire, typically 20,000 dong for one day for a basic no gears bike. Locals on bicycles are more commonly seen at night when its cooler and no sun to burn their skin.
The beach is the main draw here. While not up to the standard of Thailand’s white-sand finest, it’s certainly pleasant. You will likely see many women vendors walking along the beach selling fruit and hot, steamed seafood.
Make sure that you visit in the right season, though. The beach can be disappointing when the weather is grey and the waves choppy. The experience is then one of murky sandy waters, a strip of standard brown sand with a multitude of empty beach chairs and no one to be seen.
The sites below can be toured in one day.
nha-trang-beach
Further afield from Nha Trang’s expansive sandy bay are some excellent beaches without the backdrop of hotel towers.
Close off-shore from Nha Trang sit a series of islands that offer decent diving and snorkeling, easily accessible by day trip. The city has about two dozen dive shops, making for fierce competition and great value. For certification training, Nha Trang offers perhaps the best value in the world, with PADI open water courses available with full equipment rental for as little as US$250. A two-dive boat trip with equipment rental and modest lunch can be had for as little as US$45, also a phenomenal value.
Coastal and undersea construction has stirred up a lot of sediment in the area, so under-water visibility is sometimes not great. The area is heavily fished, so fish life is also limited. You wouldn’t cross the world just to dive at Nha Trang. But if you always dreamed of getting a scuba certification, Nha Trang is a great place to do it, and any diver passing through would enjoy a couple of dips. The shops generally offer good-quality equipment and experienced, certified dive-masters. Diving goes on year-around, but in the October-December windy season, the boat ride can be a bit rough and diving is limited to a few sites in the lee of the islands.
Organization of the Nha Trang dive industry is sometimes complex. If you sign up for a trip with shop A, you might find yourself joined with a group and dive-master from shop B, which shares a boat with another group and dive-master from shop C, the boat itself being independently owned. Consolidation is especially active in the off-season, when few if any shops can fill a boat on their own. It’s a good illustration of Vietnamese culture, which does not stand on ceremony, and loves a bargain, and is very skilled at making maximum use of resources. The local dive-masters are mostly great, friendly guys with lots of stories to tell.
As mentioned above, make sure you bargain with these vendors.
Surfing lessons can be had at The Shack on Long Beach (bai dai).
As expected from a large resort town, Nha Trang has no shortage of eating options to suit all budgets, from Vietnamese-style informal pavement cafes on plastic chairs to high end restaurants. Nha Trang is famous throughout Vietnam for its seafood but also offers a broad range of Western cuisine.
There are no shortage of pavement cafes for a cheap, satisfying and authentically Vietnamese experience. Offerings range from simple baguettes to banquets, with most of them seeming to have a seafood theme.
Nha Trang at night offers plenty of bars, clubs, music, and merry people. Though its wise to leave your valuables in your room, just take enough cash for the night, especially if walking home alone. See “Stay Safe” section below.
HAPPY HOUR: After 6PM: 30% off cakes/pies….Buy 1 get 1 free cookies/croissants/rolls This family-owned gourmet bakery is right next to “Crazy Kim Bar & Restaurant.” It offers a marvelous selection of home-made cakes, brownies, pies, croissants, cookies, cinnamon rolls, ice-cream, and chocolates. Try the “Passion Fruit-Banana Crumble Tart” or the “Mango Mousse Cake” for a taste of the tropics. Sinful chocoholics mustn’t miss the “Hard Chocolate Brownie” or the “Chocolate Mousse Cake.” Hit the beach and cool off with a scoop of Pistachio ice-cream (perhaps combine with a slice of “Western Banana Cake” for an interesting fusion). Le Timo Bakery is sure to satiate every taste bud. Don’t miss it!
These 4 places are an alcohol-free zone. If you are not into the bar atmosphere, head here for some relaxation and a cup of coffee.
There are a number of cafés in Nha Trang, and you should check them out by seeing them directly. A few are listed below.
Staying in Nha Trang can range from luxury suites in five-star hotels and spa resorts to motels. There are quiet numerous options offered for everyone depending on the size of their pockets.
There are plenty of budget hotels in Nha Trang costing less than $20 per night and nearly all are en-suite and have the usual air-con, cable TV, fridge, bedside table, wardrobe and night light. Most also have Wi-Fi, if not in rooms, at least in the reception area. “Mini-hotel alley” at 64 Tran Phu is a good place to head for as it has a dozen or so budget hotels located in a relatively quiet alley near the beach and the main tourist area. Don’t be surprised if you are followed by a motorbike rider, sometimes they can be helpful showing you where your hotel is but often they are just annoying but either way if you arrive at a hotel with one they will demand commission from the hotel, even if you have a booking!
Nha Trang generally has a low crime-rate, though the risk of petty crime especially late at night is high compared to most other places in Asia. The most common crime is pickpocketing after midnight near the Sailing Club. During the day, it is relatively safe though bag snatching on the beach is common, so don’t take any valuables to the beach. Staying cautious at all times is best. Do not wear too much jewelry, and keep an eye on your belongings. It would be smart to travel in groups when you are out roaming the streets at night. Also, people coming home from the clubs should take a taxi and not a motorbike taxi. Single males walking back to their hotels in the early hours from clubs and bars such as the Sailing Club and Why Not Bar, especially if a little drunk, beware of “ladies of the night” approaching, typically in twos sometimes threes but often with a couple of guys on motorbikes watching closely from a distance ready to be get away drivers or to get involved if things get nasty. They come over all friendly and being all touchy feelly, first checking to see what valuables you have and where, then relief them from you. Often the guy doesn’t even know hes been robbed until he gets back to his room or after he wakes up. This is almost becoming a tourist attraction in the sense you can watch this spectacle almost nightly, perhaps helping out a fellow drunken tourist being robbed and unbelievably no police are ever seen and no hotel or bar security ever gets involved either. Something needs to be done to put a stop to this or Nha Trang’s tourism will suffer, which it already is.
Do not keep money in your passport. If you want your hotel to look after your money for you, they will usually be happy to do so in their hotel safe and have procedures on how that is done. Passports are kept separate to other valuables as they need access to these for reporting each day your stay to the government. Therefore never store money in your passport. Keep some money in a different pocket to your wallet/money belt. No point displaying them when paying for small purchases.
Motorcycle robbery is fairly common in Nha Trang – banknotes and wallets have been snatched from tourists’ hands. Be very wary when leaving bars and nightclubs – male tourists receiving a lot of attention from young Vietnamese women have later discovered that their valuables have been taken from their pockets. If hiring a motorbike, check to see what coverage your insurance company give, often none, for riding motorbikes in Asia.
Internet access can be found in many hotels and through cheap internet cafes all over town. There are not that many internet cafes around now as most hotels typically have about 3 internet computers available for free use for their guests. Most hotels and many restaurants and bars also provide free Wi-Fi.
When using the telephone at a hotel be sure to check what service provider they use. A Skype phone will cost a few dollars US for a lengthy phone call whereas a land line charges US$1 per minute, be wary. Mobile SIM cards are readily available, mobifone seems the best option for tourists. Their sim cards cost 50,000 dong or a little more depending where you buy it and come with about 100,000 dong credit for use in the first month. They also provide 3G internet data packages, e.g. 1.5Gb for one month costs 120,000 dong. Cellular Data info: APN: m-wap Username: mms Password: mms
Contact the NhaTrangLive [55], tourist information center at (84) 90.714.3404. It is a privately own business that provide free information to tourist and travels. They give away free city maps and allow people to use their wireless internet connect. There are many travel agents dotted around the main tourists area, more and more appearing all the time in an already saturated market. A good option is Jungle Travel [56] who can also book tours and hotels prior to your arrival via email. They also write an informative monthly newsletter about what’s new and happening in both Nha Trang and Saigon [57]. Most hotels offer some level of booking services for onward travel and local tours.
There are several other beaches in the vicinity of Nha Trang. About 30 km north of Nha Trang, just when past the village of Ninh Hoa, a peninsula juts out into the South Chinese Sea, and on its northern coast rides its tinier brother, Hon Khoi. Several resorts are located on the eastern beach of Hon Khoi, where you find palm-trees, white sand and turquoise waters. To get there, follow the highway north past the turnoff to Dac Lac Province/Buon Ma Thuot. Then look out for a sign reading “Doc Let-Resort”, close to a filling station. A taxi will take 2 persons for about 200,000 dong, while a Xe Om should not be more expensive than 100,000 dong. Or catch a through-bus plying highway Nr.1 and jump off at the turn off. There will always be some motorbike-drivers waiting to take you. Whatever place you choose to go, be sure to reserve a bungalow in advance.
=== Resorts === (north of Nha Trang resorts)
About 60km north of Nha Trang is a stretch of coastline about 20km long that contains some of the best beaches in Vietnam. Soft power like white sand beaches with clear blue sea and gentle gradients, these beaches are more beautiful and easier for swimming than in Nha Trang. This is an ideal area to explore by motorbike, perhaps taking a night or two side trip from Nha Trang city. The turn off for Jungle Beach gets you off the busy highway for a more relaxing 20km stretch of road to Jungle Beach resort. Just after this turn off for Jungle Beach is the turn off for Doc Let Beach, which is another 13km away and a similarly more relaxing and scenic road. There is an interconnecting road between Jungle and Doc Let so no need to go all the way back to the highway to get from one to the other.
Angkor Archaeological Park, located in northernCambodia, is one of the most important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia.
Angkor Wat Temple
Stretching over some 400 square kilometers, including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of several capitals of the Khmer Empire of the 9th to the 15th centuries, including the largest pre-industrial city in the world. The most famous are the Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, theBayon Temple with its countless sculptural decorations.
Angkor Archaeological Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992. At the same time, it was also placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to looting, a declining water table, and unsustainable tourism. UNESCO has now set up a wide-ranging programme to safeguard this symbolic site and its surroundings.
Angkor itself has no accommodations and few facilities; the nearby town of Siem Reapis the tourist hub for the area.
The temples of Angkor are highly symbolic structures. The foremost Hindu concept is the temple-mountain, where the temple is built as a representation of the mythical Mount Meru: this is why so many temples, including Angkor Wat itself, are surrounded by moats, built in a mountain-like pyramidal shape and topped by precisely five towers, representing the five peaks of Mount Meru. The linga (phallus), representing the god Shiva, was also critical and while the lingas themselves have largely gone, linga stands (carved, table-like blocks of stone) can be found in many if not most rooms in the temples. There was also a political element to it all: most kings wanted to build their own state temples to symbolize their kingdom and their rule.
While early Angkor temples were built as Hindu temples, Jayavarman VII converted to Mahayana Buddhism c. 1200 and embarked on a prodigious building spree, building the new capital city of Angkor Thom including Bayon, Ta Prohm, Preah Khan and many more as Buddhist structures. However, his successor Jayavarman VIII returned to Hinduism and embarked on an equally massive spree of destruction, systematically defacing Buddhist images and even crudely altering some to be Hindu again. Hinduism eventually lost out to Buddhism again, but the (few) Buddha images in the temples today are later Theraveda additions.
One element that continues to mystify archaeologists is the baray, or water reservoir, built in a grand scale around Angkor: for example, the West Baray is a mind-boggling 8 km by 2.3 km in size. While it has long been assumed that they were used for irrigation, some historians argue that their primary function was political or religious. Today, the moat around Angkor and the West Baray still contains water, but the rest have dried up.
As you tour the temples, you will see certain mythical figures and other motifs cropping up repeatedly.
Angkor is hot and sticky throughout the year, but the peak season is November to February, when the weather is dry and temperatures are coolest (25-30°C). The flip side is that the temples are packed, especially around Christmas/New Year’s, and hotel rates are at their highest. March to May is brutally hot, with temperatures reaching 40°C. June to October is the rainy season, and outlying temples and the roads leading to them can turn into quagmires of mud. However, this is also when the temples are at their quietest, and it’s still often possible to do a good half-day round of sightseeing before the rains start in the afternoon.
Angkor is located about 20 minutes to the north, by car or motorbike, from central Siem Reap. See the Siem Reap article for details on getting there.
Tour buses feature guided, air-conditioned comfort but also are subject to large crowds and lack of options. Be sure you know which temples are being visited as some of the larger buses only go to the 2 or 3 main tourist attractions, and leave out important “secondary” sights. The cost is ~US$25-$70/day including driver and guide.
Cars with drivers can be hired for single or multiple days. While all drivers are familiar with the area and happy to suggest good routes, most speak little English and are not actual tour guides. For an actual licensed tour guide, the charge varies from US$45 per day to US$50 for a driver and English speaking guide. It is customary for the drivers to ask for US$5-US$10 extra for trips to further temples such as the those of the Big Circuit, Banteay Srey and more for remote sites like Beng Mealea.
Circa January 2011, the taxi rides purchased from the airport booth to downtown Siem Reap ($7 fixed price) include fliers advertising cars & drivers for Angkor Wat at $30/day. In one experience: The youngish driver from the airport offered to do the same for $25 + free water, and followed through admirably.
Motorbikes (with drivers) can be arranged through any guesthouse for about US$6-$8/day. Again, drivers might ask for more to visit remote ruins. Some drivers can speak a bit of English, and can give you information about Angkor and Cambodian life. Drivers are required to be licensed and must wear their gray numbered vest while traveling within the confines of the Angkor park. The rental of motorbikes without a driver to foreigners in Siem Reap is prohibited; however foreigners can ride motorbikes they’ve rented elsewhere (e.g., Phnom Penh).
Tuk tuks can be arranged through guesthouses, offering space for one or two travelers. Figure on US$12 for the main Angkor temples, and more for outlying temples. Like the motorbike drivers, they must be licensed, may speak some English, and must wear gray numbered vests while traveling within the park.
Bicycles are another option, though you will spend more time getting from place to place and will have a limited range. They are probably best for visitors planning on returning for several days. Bring sun screen, a good hat, lot of water and a scarf to keep the sun off your neck. The rental is around US$1 per day for a decent bicycle, and quality does vary so check around. As of 2006, there is also an electrical bicycle renting agency near the road to the Angkor. The battery can be exchanged free of charge at several places inside the Angkor. [2008-11-08 update: the electrical bike rental service doesn't seem to be operating anymore]
Horse carriages and even elephants are also available within the park, but only from specific points. For example, elephants travel the route between Bayon and the nearest gate of Angkor Thom.
Electric cars will take you to certain areas for a round-trip price of only $2. They can be found in front of Angkor Wat and the Terrace of the Elephants.
Helicopter flights are another way of seeing Angkor Archaeological Park. You can also visit outlying temples like Banteay Chhmar, Boeng Mealea, Koh Ker, Rolous Group, Phnom Bok & Tonle Sap floating village. Sokha Helicopters [1] have prices starting from US$110 per person for the basic Angkor Wat, Prasart Kravan, Bat Chum, Sras Srang, Pre Rup, Eastern Mebon & Ta Som 12 minutes tour. Flights depart daily next to the Sokha Yellow Balloon on the road from Siem Reap International Airport to Angkor Wat main entrance. Bookings essential and can be made through hotels or travel/tour agents or direct on
Passes are required to enter the Angkor area. They are on sale at the front gate for 1-day ($20), 3-day ($40), or 7-day ($60) intervals. The 3-day pass is valid for any 3 days within a week, while the 7-day pass is valid for any 7 days within a month. If you plan on using your 3 or 7 day pass on non consecutive days, make sure to get the newer version, otherwise you may be given an old one that must be used immediately. Cambodians can enter for free — you shouldn’t need to buy a pass for your guide or your driver. If you buy a pass in the evening, you can enter the park after 5PM to view the sunset without it counting as use of a day on your pass. The passes are non-transferable. You will have a photograph taken and printed on your pass to make sure they are non-transferable. Regular checks for the pass are performed at almost all sites within the park, so carry your pass with you at all times, and be certain to buy the passes only from the official Apsara Authority counters, not from other vendors, and definitely not second-hand.
Guides can be hired for about US$20 a day and are available for most major languages. Hiring a guide for at least the first day can help you get orientated to the temples and are particularly useful for finding and explaining the bas-reliefs, which can otherwise be rather overwhelming and/or difficult to understand.
“Ancient Angkor”, the guidebook that is hawked at every temple, is surprisingly good. Particularly if you are interested in the carvings on the walls and towers, the book will keep you occupied for hours. If you don’t want to pay money to hear a local tell you about the temples in broken English this is a good option.
Be sure and get to the temples early. You can enter the park beginning at 5AM; the temples open at sunrise. There are fewer visitors early in the morning, and the sun isn’t at full force. Arriving at the temples at 8AM instead of 9AM can make all the difference in staying one step ahead of the crowds.
The temples can broadly be categorized into four groups:
You can, of course, mix and match freely, but as distances are fairly long, it makes sense to plan ahead and pick sites connected by road. Most car, tuk-tuk or moto drivers will have an itinerary ready if you don’t have one in mind, and their expertise may come in handy for arriving at sites a step ahead of the big tour groups.
Located six kilometers north of Siem Reap, Angkor Wat is one of the largest of Khmer monuments. Built around the first half of 12th century by King Suryavarman II, the temple’s balance, composition and beauty make it one of the finest monuments in the world.
Though ‘Wat’ is the Khmer (Cambodian) word for temple, the westward orientation of the structure is atypical of temples. Scholars believe that the architecture and sculptures are that of a temple where Lord Vishnu was worshipped but it was also built as a mausoleum for the king after his death.
The size of the monuments makes it look overwhelming when one encounters it for the first time. The following is one of the suggested plan to explore Angkor Wat. Enter through the west entrance. When you reach the entry tower, walk to the right to get a glimpse of all the five towering gopuras.
Passing the tower and the libraries on both sides of the walkway, climb down the steps towards the left side and get to the water basin. You can catch a glimpse of the temple and its reflection in the water. Go past the basin and reach the left end of the temple.
You would by now have reached the starting point of the famous bas reliefs depicting scenes from various mythological stories and historic events. Walking from left to right you will come across scenes from battle of Ramayana, battle of Mahabharata, army of Suryavarman II, scenes from judgement by Yama (the supreme judge), churning of ocean by demons and gods to get Amrita — the nectar of immortality, Vishnu’s victory over demons, victory of Krishna over Bana and other scenes of battle between gods and demons.
Climb the steps to reach the second tier. One can reach the third tier and the central courtyard within by climbing the steps oriented towards any of the four cardinal points. However, it is suggested that the steps on the south (right) be taken, as these have now been fitted with a handrail — particularly useful when descending.
The sight of the grand monument towering over the landscape is breath-taking at any time of day. However, to maximise the effect it is suggested that the first trip to Angkor Wat be made in optimal lighting conditions, usually around 1~2PM. Sunrise at Angkor Wat is a also great sight to witness. Hence most of the tourists tend to see the sunrise at Angkor Wat, then explore other ruins in the morning and then return to Angkor Wat later in the afternoon. The sun rises behind Angkor Wat and the best colors are seen just before the sun climbs into view. As the position of the sun as it rises varies according to the time of year, do position yourself accordingly. For example, in November-December time when you are facing Angkor Wat, the sun rises on your right hand side. Hence grab a place to the extreme left of the entry tower to see the sunrise. Sunset at Angkor Wat is best viewed either on the top tier or outside the main temple structure.
Built in the latter part of the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, Bayon is one of the most widely recognised temples in Siem Reap because of the giant stone faces that adorn the towers of Bayon. There are 54 towers of four faces each, totaling 216 faces. There is still a debate as to who is being depicted in the faces. It could be Avalokiteshvara, Mahayana Buddhism’s compassionate Bodhisattva, or perhaps a combination of King Jayavarman VII and Buddha.
Bayon’s plan can be divided into three levels — the first two are bas-reliefs and the uppermost consists of the central sanctuary. The outer gallery depicts scenes from everyday life and historical events, while the second inner gallery depicts mythical figures and stories. In total, there are more than 1km of bas-reliefs to be viewed in the Bayon.
Enter Bayon from the east. The outer gallery comes into view first. The second gallery is on the next higher level. The third level is where you will encounter many of the famous faces (and tourists). The fact that these stones are exposed to direct light makes it easy to shoot pictures throughout the day, though mid-day sun eliminates shadows. You will find fewer tourists too during this time of day. Elephants are also available to take you from the gate into Bayon for $10 per person (seats are limited and often already pre-booked by the tour groups, but still worth checking out!)
The surrounding and the tall towers makes Bayon a bit dark and flat for study and photography near sunrise and sunset. Hence, it is best to visit Bayon when there is plenty of light. 10AM in the morning to around 4 PM in the evening is the stretch most people prefer.
Located to the northwest of the Bayon, the Baphuon is supposed to represent Mount Meru (sacred to Hinduism), and was one of the largest and grandest structures in Angkor. Built into the western face of the Baphuon is a giant reclining Buddha, added in the 16th century after the region converted from Hinduism to Buddhism.
Archaeologists had dismantled the Baphuon to perform renovation when they were interrupted by the civil war; the records for piecing the temple back together were subsequently lost or destroyed. Today it is undergoing painstaking reconstruction work, so visitors can only walk across the long terrace leading up to the main structure and around the outside base. Completion is estimated for 2010.
The Bayon and Baphuon temples form only part of what was formerly the giant city of Angkor Thom, once thought to hold a population of one million.
In addition to the Bayon and Baphuon temples, the ancient city of Angkor Thom holds a number of other sites of interest:
The Elephant Terrace
In clockwise order, exiting Angkor Thom by the Victory Gate:
Banteay Kdei Temple Complex.
Crushed by the weight of history, Preah Khan
In clockwise order, exiting Angkor Thom by the North Gate:
The ruins here are from the ancient capital of Hariharalaya, dating from the late 9th century and thus predating Angkor itself.
Souvenirs are also sold in front of all temples. Bargain, but not too hard: many souvenir sellers live within the park and, being banned from farming on their own land, have to resort to this to make a living. Please do not encourage children who pester tourists in the temples themselves to give money or buy postcards. Spread your tourism dollars around–most temples have the same offerings, so buy your souvenirs and gifts for friends back home from several shops, from several temples if possible, especially the less-visited ones.
There are several decent souvenir shops around the old market.The one of the shops called ‘Black Garuda’ has some original key holders and mobile straps and they donate some of your purchase to land mine victims.
Despite a ban on development or commercial zoning, dozens of small noodle and snack shops have sprung up near the major attractions of Angkor Wat andAngkor Thom. If you’re in the mood, some shopkeepers may be willing to bargain – during summer low season, you can bring the price of a good lunch down to as low as $1 for a dish and $0.50 for a drink. (Their flocks of five year old emissaries aren’t likely to hold price-cutting authority, though.) You’ll also find some local people selling fresh pineapples and mangoes (beautifully cut) for about $1 a piece.
Soft drinks are hawked by stalls in front of practically every temple. As you might expect, prices are inflated: $1 for a can of soft drink or a cold 1L plastic bottle of water is more or less standard, although this can easily be bargained down to half or less.
The area has seen a large increase of hotels and guest houses in 2003, with many new 3 to 4 star places opening up on the road between the airport and Siem Reap. See Siem Reap for hotels and hostels. Camping is not allowed.
By local regulation, motorcycle and tuk-tuk drivers must at all times wear a numbered vest when on the job, which goes a long way towards preventing hassles and scams. However, a disturbing number of rapes continue to happen, especially after dark and in the more secluded temples, so it’s unadvised for women to travel alone.
Whilst visiting the temples, beware of off-duty police officers, who are in uniform, that start walking beside you and start showing you around the temples. At this point either say that you would like to see the temples yourself, or agree on a price at the start. Several people have been requested for a fee of over $10 at the end of the temple tour and you are not going to argue with a member of the police force! The official wage for a police officer is very low, so they can easily double their salary by being tourist guides.
Whilst at the temple beware of anyone offering you incense. They will hand you the incense and then “teach” you a blessing. They will then ask for a donation (generally about $10) for the monks and the upkeep of the temple. None of the funds will make it to either of these causes, so it’s best just to say a quick “No thank you” when they try to give you the incense in the first place.
Be prepared for vast numbers of peddlers who linger around temples. It may feel difficult or rude to ignore the constant come-ons to buy souvenirs, photocopied guidebooks, t-shirts, and assorted junk, but it can be necessary in order to enjoy your visit in semi-peace.
Touring the temples is a hot and sweaty job, so bring sunblock and keep yourself well hydrated. Some of the temples, notably the uppermost level of Angkor Wat, require climbs up very steep staircases and are best avoided if you suffer from vertigo or are not fully confident of being able to keep your footing.
Malaria is not endemic around the temple complex; however, it is recommended to seek medical advice before you travel as conditions may change.
Don’t feed or approach the monkeys who lurk around some sites: many are ill-tempered and will bite at the slightest provocation.
Some of Angkor’s sites were originally built as Hindu temples, while some were built as Buddhist temples, and yet others were converted over the years. Today, most of Angkor’s major temples house at least a few Buddha statues (nearly all added later) and draw a steady stream of monks and worshippers. You may be approached for donations, but you are under no obligation to pay unless you actually choose to accept incense sticks or other offerings.
Because these are still holy spaces for the Khmers (Cambodian people), it is best to follow the dress code of “long pants/skirt and covered shoulders.” This is the dress code that the Khmers follow when visiting any temple or holy space. Most Khmers are non-confrontational so this rule is not strictly enforced, but wearing inappropriate clothing sends a message of disrespect. A good rule of thumb is “Would I wear this to my own house of worship?” If not, it may be poor etiquette to wear it to someone else’s holy site. As an added benefit, long pants and covered shoulders provide better protection from the sun, insects, and brambles when walking around and between the sites.
resource : wikitravel.org
Cat Ba is an island in the Cat Ba Archipelago of Vietnam, near Ha Long Bay. view Ha long cruise
cat ba island
Cat Ba is the largest island in the Bay and approximately half of its area is covered by a National Park, which is home to the highly endangered Cat Ba langur. This golden-headed langur is rarely seen, as fewer than 100 specimens are thought to survive in the wild, although it is the subject of a well-organised conservation programme. The Park covers both land and marine areas and has a high biodiversity, although it is at risk from too rapid an increase in tourism. Other mammals in the Park include civet cats and oriental giant squirrels.
Although there is much beauty to explore on the island, cat ba town itself is rather crumby. Lots of massage parlours offering happy ending and drunk chinese businessmen.
Book Tour : Travel agents: Vietnam holidays (+84-4) 3715 3977 , 88 Yen phu st.,Tay Ho Dis.,Hanoi,
Cat Ba island can be easily reached by catching one of the many tourist boats down at the water front in Halong-City or in Haiphong. There is also a ferry from Dao Tuan Chau, just outside of Halong city, running 3 times daily: 9:30,11:30 and 15:30 costing 50,000VND per person and takes just over an hour, nice scenic route but then all routes to Cat Ba are. Cars and bikes etc also takes this route. Be warned though, especially during off-peak season, that the ferry will only leave if there are more than 20 people using it. It also arrives into a lesser used port on the Northern edge of the island, about 25km from Cat Ba town. A local bus can be taken to town, costing about 10,000VND per person, or an array of motorbike taxis await. Be wary as enterprising local businessman may try to convince you the local bus is his personal taxi, and charge you extortionate rate to use it. There is another government-run ferry leaving the tourist wharf at 12:00 daily costing 100,000 VND per person and takes 5 hours. This arrives into Cat Ba town. From Hanoi, Hoang Long operates a bus and boat service that departs from Luong Yen Bus Station in Hanoi at 5:20, 7:20, 11:20 and 13:20. A single trip from Hanoi to Cat Ba town takes 4,5 hours and costs 190,000 – 220,000 VND (US$9-$11) depending on season. The staff from Hoang Long will guide you onto each bus and boat connection you need (bus-bus-boat-bus).
There are also a number of tourist operators offering overnight package trips from Hanoi for roughly US$50 (offpeak) per person, including the following:
You can easily rent a motorbike from any hotel for $5 (standard) per day, but a quick walk along the main high street will offer perfectly serviceable automatic bikes for $3. There is tons to explore including Cat Ba National Park with gorgeous hikes that lead to isolated communities. Stunning, towering, green mountains surround.
Foot massage. Enjoy a half hour foot massage. There are several places that offer this service along Cat Ba town waterfront. US$3.
There is a great little fruit and veg market toward the North-West edge of town, bartering is a must, but you can get some great value there.
The Noble House offers 2 for 1 cocktails every night. With ocean views, free pool and good music it’s hard to pass up.
Dalat, also Da Lat (Đà Lạt), located in the South Central Highlands of Vietnam, was originally the playground of the French who built villas in the clear mountain air to escape the heat and humidity of the coast and of Saigon, now known as Ho Chi Minh City.
The Valley of Love
Dalat looks like a cross between Vietnam and the French Alps. Many of its hotels and houses are built in a European/ French style. The city spreads across a series of pine-covered hills, with a small lake in the center and surrounded by a man made lake and higher peaks, making for some lovely scenery quite different from the rest of Vietnam. Temperatures are pleasantly warm by day, and quite cool at night, down to perhaps 10 degrees Celcius.
Dalat is very much a niche tourism town, open to some of the more adventurous travelers, or the Indo chic romantics, seeking world class golf. There is a steady flow during some parts of the year of tourist from all walks of life and places, small hotels, cafe’s lining its streets and plenty of small shops offering anything from orchids to knitwear. The vast majority of visitors are Vietnamese, although plenty of Americans and Europeans find their way, in their search for this utopian Dalat, a Life style resort destination, either on short package tours, or research and soul searching, drawn by the scenery, vivid blue skies, fresh air, flower-filled parks, and local culinary treats. Dalat is a favorite destination for company weekend outings, family get-aways, and honeymooners. Most guidebooks for overseas visitors describe Dalat as a tourist town with a colorful approach to tourism. Dalat is a very pleasant stop, on a north-south tour, or viceversa. or a pleasant outing from the heat of Saigon. For overseas visitors, it offers mostly a chance to cool down, observe the Vietnamese at play, view a bit of the French legacy, the Indochine legend and its momentous glories and the architecture untouched by the Vietnam conflict left behind,a unique place to enjoy the atmosphere of a unique country and its people.
Dalat is also surrounded by some of the best mountain biking, hiking and canyoning opportunities in Vietnam, with hills of coffee and tea plantations, which evoke images of the colonial hill stations of the north of India.
Dalat’s high altitude (1500-2000 m) and fertile landscape make it one of Vietnam’s premier agricultural areas, producing varieties of fruits, vegetables, tea, coffee and flowers that don’t grow in the lowlands. In markets as far north as Hanoi and Hai Phong, vegetable and flower vendors will tout their “made in Dalat” produce.
Most local and foreign travellers arrive in Dalat by bus, including those travelling on the famous Sinh Cafe Hanoi-HCMC open-tour bus. Mai Linh Express and Phuong Trang run several daily services to Dalat from Nha Trang and HCMC. From Nha Trang, the bus ride is about 5 hours, with the obligatory stop at a dilapidated Cham temple/tourist site. From Ho Chi Minh City, the bus ride is about 7 hours (9 hours if there is bad traffic leaving Saigon).
It may be best to book a ticket on a bus without a television. The entertainment offered could be loud and unappealing to western passengers, who might rather prefer sleeping before arriving at their next destination.
There are various travel agencies in the town that can book buses to all parts of the country.
Alternatively, catch a local bus at HCMC, Bien Hoa, Phan Rang, Nha Trang or Buon Ma Thuot.
The airport, is a mere 30 km south of the city linked by a modern and yet scenic two lane highway and offers daily Vietnam Airlines/Air Mekong flights to and from HCMC, Danang and Hanoi. Dalat is being serviced by two airlines at this present time, being Vietnam Airlines and Air Mekong, a new private carrier with additional flights from and to Hanoi, Saigon and other destinations. Checking the timetables and prices being offered is well worth while since competition offers better rates with advanced bookings, Air Mekong like Vietnam Airlines is linked into overseas reservation and ticket issuing through the GDS and airline systems.
Some hotels offer special arrangements with taxi companies to ferry hotel-stayers to and fro the airport at around 200,000 VND.
Depending on where you stay, you can walk to most parts around town. You can catch a Xe Om (motorbike taxi) from most corners, so if you’re going somewhere farther out of town, you have a fast way to get there. Taxis are also abundant and reasonable in price, yet watch the meter, as meter fixing is a common practice from north to the south. Please consider carefully before you move to rent a motorbike, as according to the Vietnamese law you must be in the possession of a valid Vietnamese drivers license, to be able to operate and drive a motor vehicle in the country, failure to have one, cancels any insurance that the bike might come with and makes you liable according to the law for any damages and remember in South East Asia, you are always liable, as you are always guilty, as you are presumed to have more money then the other party. Hence you will have to pay for damages to the bike and its full value, damages to other people and their property, as well you might have just ruined your own vacation time, due to injury and of course hefty payments to third parties.
Packaged day tours are easily purchased round town, which will take you to a variety of sites, it is recommended to use one of the three licensed operator, as they are registered with the tourism department, offer insurance coverage and in the event of any disputes, or grievances have to respond to the claims against them. Fair pricing policies apply to them, which might not be the case with some of more shady characters in the business, hence ask for the government registered license and receipt with a red invoice when contracting any services. (An indignity not uncommon in the developing world — visitors from outside Vietnam are often required to pay double what Vietnamese pay for admission to many places when visiting individually, hence going through licensed operators will avoid some of those challenges.
The tourist agency, “Trung Tam Dich Vu Lu Hanh Da Lat,” located on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, is not recommended due to their unethnical practice of duping tourists by reserving tickets for Sinh Cafe Open Tour bus for $12 (240,000 dong), then contacting the tourist’s hotel to change the ticket for a later Phuong Trang bus, for 120,000 dong. The tickets will have extra zeros whited-out to make it look like $12.
Tours typically include a handful of stops like the following:
Other sites of interest:
Xuan Huong Lake
Ho Xuan Huong (Hồ Xuân Hương) aka Xuan Huong lake, center of town. Open daily, all hours. No admission fee but rental fees vary if you want to boat. Approximately 5km in diameter, this lake was made after two dams on the Camly river were destroyed during a storm in the 1930s. Now, Xuan Huong lake is one of the main draws of Da Lat, and you can see honeymooners and locals strolling its banks. Many nice hotels have a view of the lake. The lake was drained in 2010, but is now filled again.
Lak Lake is a nice stop on a bike-tour in the central Highlights. Staying 1 Night in Dalat i got told, that i will miss the most scenic part of the trip when I go from Dalat to the (anyway so overdevelopped) NHA TRANG and then Take the busy Road 26 to BUON MA THUOT. And he was right, its a beautiful ride down to the Elefant-Waterfall throug Cafeplantations ect. and then up to Lak Lake over a mountain and then through sunny highlands with Rice-Fields. The Road is partly very bad though, but doable.
Most visitors to Dalat are Vietnamese, and most of them leave loaded with stuff. What they like to take home is dried and candied fruits, strawberry preserves, coffee, green and artichoke tea, local wine, dried venison, orchids, strawberries, avocados, and other fresh produce. If you take any sort of organized tour, chances are you will be off-loaded for a half hour at a shop selling these items. Local treats are also for sale in abundance in the large central market located in the area around Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Le Dai Hanh. Part covered and part outdoor, the market has dozens of small stalls selling also fruits and vegetables, clothing, and a wide variety of other goods. There is a supermarket on the top floor selling neccessities for travellers. Strolling around the market is a favorite evening activity, and every night it buzzes with thousands of sweater-clad visitors.
Dalat does not offer lot of high-end handicrafts of the sort favored by overseas tourists. Dalat is famous, however, for its beautifully crafted silk embroidered pictures, which can be purchased at a massive mark up from the many galleries around Dalat or at a fraction of the price from the central Dalat market.
Dalat also has an abundance of fruit, vegetables and flowers available for purchase if you plan to stay for a few days and want to liven up your hotel room or cook your own meals.
Dalat has countless restaurants to serve the diverse visitors, from all walks of life and origins, with offerings ranging from Local Lamdong province, Dalat food, to central and southern Vietnamese dishes and a fair number of Western and French inspired eateries, bars and restaurants, serving every budget and aspirations.
1/1 Bui Thi Xuan, Dalat, Tel (84) (63) 352 0215 Open daily from 7:00 to 22:30. V Cafe is the home of great food and live music in Da Lat. Boasting a unique and fun east meets west atmosphere, excellent service, a large and diverse menu of international dishes, and regularly hosting the best live music in town. There is something for everybody at V Cafe.
No.1 Phu Dong Thien Vuong Street, Dalat Tel: (+84 63) 3821 201 - Cafe, Pro Shop and Clubhouse, open daily from 6 a.m. until about 8PM. If you are craving Quesadillas, Tacos and haven’t had Mexican, Western Food in the months, you will find what you’re looking for at the Pro Shop. It’s little bit out of the way, but in Dalat everything is round the corner anyways, but the food, the chips with salsa and guacamole, sandwiches and burgers, are excellent. And, the beer is always cold.
No. 12 Tran Phu Street, Tel. (063)825 777, part of the Dalat Du Parc and Dalat Palace compound, French and Western Country Style cuisine, at affordable prices, outstanding service and open from 6 a.m. till 11 p.m., wide selection of traditional dishes and fast food favorites, cold beer and a pretty impressive wine list, besides their famous fresh Dalat fruit juices. Service is great,served by English speaking friendly staff.
12, Tran Phu Street, one of the best fine dining experiences, besides fancy eateries in Hanoi or Saigon, receiving each year visitors just to experience a unique French ~ Vietnamese influenced fine dining experience, second to none. Recipient of numerous international prizes and accolades. Great service, elegant and distinctly old fashioned with class and style, if its unique 1920′s atmosphere and cusine and refined service, this is the place in town for that fancy birthday, anniversary, or special moment in life.
No.12 Tran Phu Street, Dalat Palace Hotel, based in the belly of the colonial style hotel, its a bar established by the late American billionaire, philanthropist and controversial bon vivant Larry Hillblom, with a unique colonial – outback bar atmosphere, great music, ( live Friday and Saturday evening performances) and the best pizza to be found east of the Mekong river and beyond, reasonable prices and outstanding service by friendly staff, who have been there for years and know their punters by name and preferred drinks. One of the few waterholes in town to close past the midnight hours, kitchen service until closing moments.
No. 4C Chu Van An street, tel: 0633822875, 15′ walking from Xuan Huong Lake, 10′ walking from “Dinh Bao Dai” (Bao Dai’s Summer Palace #2)), well known for “Bún Bò” and “Mì Quảng”, the traditional noodle that Vietnamese often have for breakfast. Price: 12,000-45,000 VND. 7AM-10PM.
No.49 Truong Cong Dinh) offers very high-quality French & Vietnamese cuisine at reasonable prices by Western standards.
No. 9A Le Dai Hanh) offering both local and western food along with an excellent selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Small and neat atmosphere, overlooking the city gardens. Either eat alfresco, watching the hustle and bustle of DaLat’s streets moving by, with some nice indoor dining. Owner speaks English.
English speaking staff and most knowledgeable since they have been there since Larry’s days, open from 4 p.m. till past midnight with food order until the last moment. Favorite with locals and expats, living history and counting,
Accommodation in Dalat is very reasonable in the ‘off-season’, for as little as US$4 per night for a perfectly presentable hotel room with double bed and ensuite. In high season prices rise and advance booking is a good idea – particularly during weekends most hotels in the centre are fully booked. Beware of the Pink House as many guests have reported theft by staff from their rooms.
12, Tran Phu Street the only 5-star hotel in Dalat, with 43 luxury rooms and suites, one presidential suite, built in the Art Deco style of the 1920′s French architecture and refurbished during later stages in a Victorian Art Deco style, with imperial dining rooms and facilities. It has beautiful gardens, it was conceived as the very center of the city and dominates with great views onto the Xuan Huong lake. It also has an 18-hole championship golf course,tennis courts, spa, a unique site and among the most beautiful in Vietnam. It has been home away from home to the famous and scandalous from all over the globe for the past many decades, with historical figures and moments in time, so special and unique that it has inspired many books and novels. www.dalatpalace.vn
Safe bus (45 seats with A/C) always be ready each 30′ to go to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city), it takes about 180.000 VND/ticket, ~7hrs/trip (~5-6 hrs at night). Contact dalat.thesinhtourist office, 4Bui thi Xuan St.
To Nha Trang, it costs also 120.000 VND/ticket, ca. 5 hrs/trip.
book tour to Da lat : Travel agents: vietnam holidays tel: (+84-4) 3715 3977 , 88 Yen phu st.,Tay Ho Dis.,Hanoi,
Resource : wikitravel.org
Hanoi (Vietnamese: Hà Nội), the capital of Vietnam, and also its second largest city, is a fascinating blend of East and West, with Chinese influence from centuries of dominance, and French design from its colonial past. It is largely unspoiled by modern architecture of the 1970s and 80s, and is now going through a modernization that is making it a rising star in Southeast Asia.
Hanoi - hoan kiem lake
Invading forces from every direction agree: Hanoi makes a fine capital. It has held that title for more than a thousand years, through several invasions, occupations, restorations, and name changes. The Chinese conquered the imperial city of of Đại La in 1408 and renamed it Tống Bình. Le Loi repelled the invaders in 1428 and applied the name of Lê Thái Tổ (黎太祖); for his efforts, he received the crown and a slew of legends about his heroic exploits, many centered around the Hoan Kiem Lake in the Old Quarter. The Nguyen Dynasty gave the city its modern name of Ha Noi in 1831, but they had transferred power to Hue by then; it remained there until 1887, when the French made Hanoi the capital of all Indochina. It changed hands again in 1954, when it was ceded to Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh after almost a decade of fighting, and it became the capital of North Vietnam; upon reunification in 1975, it assumed that title for the entire country.
The first western-style universities in Vietnam were founded in Hanoi, and today, it is the leading center of scientific study and research in the country. Hanoi retains much of its older colonial charm, despite the battles that have raged over it; conflict had the side effect of making it largely oblivious to modern architecture, and as a result, few buildings in the city center area are higher than five stories. The Old Quarter is second only to Hoi An for uninterrupted stretches of colonial and pre-colonial architecture, well-preserved on dense warrens of narrow, wonderfully atmospheric streets. It trades the commercial boom and sprawl of Ho Chi Minh City in the South for a more understated charm, worth enjoying for an extra day or two, and with countless transport options and travel agents: Travel sense asia, it makes a perfect base for exploration of the North.
As you walk along the street, you may find that people start talking to you. It is a cultural norm there to make conversation with strangers. They might ask you where you are from and other general questions.
It takes awhile to get used to that. However, there are times when you find this friendliness extremely helpful, such as when you are lost or need help.
The Tourist Information Centre,travel agents: vietnam holidays (+84-4) 3715 3977 , 88 Yen phu st.,Tay Ho Dis.,Hanoi, can provide a fairly useful map (bewilderingly, the blow-up of the old town is missing making it useless in that part of town) and other English-language advice, as well as limited free Internet. They aren’t completely without bias.
The Tet holiday (Lunar New Year’s Eve) is in the Spring. Flowers are the most beautiful during this time of the year. The weather starts to warm up with light rain here and there during the week. Hanoians believe that these light rains bring prosperity and luck for the New Year.
The Summer, on the other hand, is quite intolerable. The heat alone would be alright but there is the humidity which would start to manifest in the air since Spring. Visitors also have to be very careful with mosquitoes because there are a lot in Hanoi due to the level of moisture in the air and the temperature. Hanoi has a good climate for many insects to proliferate, not just mosquitoes.
There is something unique about Hanoi’s Autumn. The weather is perfect with less humidity in the air. The temperature would drop by now, offering people a chance to take out their fleece and jackets. Moreover, there is this type of tree – “cay hoa sua” which only has flowers in Autumn. The flower has a very distinct smell. If you have the chance to visit Hanoi during Autumn, make sure you ask the local people about this type of trees and where you can experience their distinct aroma.
Winter can be quite brutal because it is not only cold, but also very humid. The winter in Hanoi feels even colder due to the fact that Vietnamese houses typically don’t have a central heating system. Many houses don’t have any types of heating at all.
| Departure taxAs of November 2006, international departure taxes should be included in the price of your ticket, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will be – check with the airline to be absolutely sure. If not, the tax (sometimes called “passenger service charge”) is payable in US dollars (US$14) or in dong. |
Most people arrive at the Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), 35 km (45-60 minutes) north of the city. Several airlines run flights from Noi Bai, including:
Trains to Nanning, China depart from Gia Lam Station (GPS 21.05213,105.87939), about 5km north-east of Hanoi Station, although tickets can be purchased from Hanoi Station. A ticket for a soft sleeper compartment (4-berth compartment) costs 568,000 dong per person. Be cautious buying these tickets from hotels or travel agents in the Old Quarter, as they may quote prices substatially higher.
All other trains use the main Hanoi train station (Ga Hang Co, 120 Le Duan, ☎ +84 4 825 3949), for daily services from cities in the south including Hue and Nha Trang. The Reunification Express goes all the way to Ho Chi Minh City, although there is very little ‘express’ about it.
There are also train services to the north-west (including Lao Cai, from which you reach Sapa. To board trains bound for these destinations, you have to enter the railway station compound through the “backdoor” at Tran Quy Cap station. Just tell your driver which destination your train is heading to. Be mindful of any “helpful” stranger who offers to carry your luggage – he probably has a sum more than the cost of the ticket in mind for the help.
Tickets for all destinations are sold in the main station, though there are two counter halls, north and south, serving the respective destinations.
Technically, there is a queuing system in place to buy tickets at Hanoi Station which involves obtaining a numbered docket and waiting to be called up to one of the ticket counters. In practice, the process is chaotic and many locals disregard the system altogether, often pushing their way to the counters to be served. If travelling to Nanning, China, it is advisable to ask a staff member where to go, as not all counters can sell these tickets.
Buy your tickets as early as possible, especially since sleeper-tickets can be sold out several days in advance. If you can’t get a ticket anymore, try a travel-agent who still might have stocks. You may also try your luck in the station just before boarding time, agents still holding tickets will be eager to sell as the departure draws near. Nevertheless, travel agencies in Hanoi are known for their bad business practices. Some of them will try to overcharge you up to 300%, so it is better go to the train station by yourself and find out about the prices before you agree on any deal.
Most of the “open-tour” bus itineraries either begin or end in Hanoi, with Hue the next (or previous) stop (12-14 hr, US$8-9), and from there to Hoi An, Nha Trang, Dalat,Mui Ne, Ho Chi Minh City, and other cities in Vietnam, depending on the bus company.
Many of the same companies also sell tickets to Vientiane and Savannakhet in Laos (US$16-18). Do some research before you buy a ticket as rattle-trap scam buses abound on this route.
See Ho Chi Minh City to Shanghai overland if you’re interested in crossing over to China by bus or train.
Taxis are the best way to travel long distances, but the cyclos, or pedicabs, are a cheap way to make shorter trips. Taxi fares are not always consistent, and the rates for each taxi company have not been standardized. For lone travellers, rides on the back of motorbikes (actually low-powered scooters) are popular too (known as xe om, literally meaning motorbike-hug).
Some meter taxi owners in Hanoi will attempt to negotiate a flat fee in advance rather than use the meter. If you have a fair idea of how far you’re going or how much you’re willing to pay, this is probably a good idea. If the driver refuses, turning around and walking away will almost certainly change his mind. Don’t sweat it, it’s all part of the expected negotiation protocol. It has also become common for the drivers of some of the less reputable taxi companies to “fix” their meters to run faster hence running up a high bill very fast! The recommendation is to only use the reputable and reliable taxi companies. These are Hanoi Taxi, ☎ +84 4 3853 5353 ), Taxi CP, ☎ +84 4 3826 2626), Mai Linh Taxi , ☎ +84 4 3861 6161 ). Another common scam by taxis is that the driver takes you for a “sightseeing” – and extends the tour to make more money. This is very hard to discover unless you know the city well, but if you catch your driver doing this (e.g. going around Hoan Kiem Lake twice), demand that he stop the taxi and leave the taxi without paying.
Be very careful with meter taxis in Hanoi. Some have central locking, and are known to lock passengers in, and demand large amounts of US dollars before letting them go. The driver may threaten to have you beaten up or arrested should you not give in to his demands, but if you kick up enough of a fuss, they will let you go.
Most taxi drivers speak limited English, so it’s a good practice to get your hotel to write the name and address of you destination in Vietnamese to show the taxi driver, and get your hotel’s business card in case you get lost.
Be vigilant when taking a taxi – driver jumps out at destination and dumps most of your bags out of the trunk. While you’re busy putting rucksack on he has taken off with your other bags.
Be vigilant also the meter which can run as far or even faster than a digital clock. Do keep an eye on the meter during the journey.
Motorbike drivers can be found on virtually every corner, especially in the Old Quarter. Expect to be offered a ride every half-block (or more). You should absolutely negotiate a fare in advance, and again, turn around and walk away if you don’t like their offer. There are far more drivers than tourists, and they know it – your fare could be the only one they get all day. You should also write down the negotiated fare (with all zeros) to avoid confusion. Even if you do speak Vietnamese, a driver might pretend that you said 50,000 dong instead of 15,000, In case of argument over fares after the ride, keep calm and repeat the original agreement (remember, you have the leverage). A typical 10 min fare should cost no more than 15,000-20,000 dong. Many drivers will accept US dollars as well. At the end of a ride, some will offer to hang around to drive you to your next destination – either be clear that you don’t want a return ride (and don’t go near him when you leave), or get a price in advance. Otherwise, you might be surprised when the driver tacks on several million dong for having waited.
Keep your wallet out of arms reach of the drivers when you pay, less honest motorbike drivers are not adverse to grabbing your wallet and helping themselves to any notes they like the look of before jumping on their bike and speeding off.
Negotiate first or avoid using the cyclos services, they can demand 200,000 dong (US$12) for a short ride of less than 100 m (330 ft). At the end of the journey, a few men will come over to translate, and they will pretend to help and later insist that you pay the demanded amount.
Motorcycles can be rented for around US$5-6 a day, and can be arranged by most hotels. This is good for making lots of trips around the city for individuals or duos, but be careful: Hanoi traffic is very difficult place to sharpen motorbike skills. Park on the sidewalk with other bikes, and be sure to lock the front wheel. Locals will help arrange the bikes near their stores. Many shops that have bike attendants will give you a ticket in exchange for parking your bike. This may or may not come with a fee (typically ranging from 2,000-5,000 dong). The ticket will either have your license plate number written on it, or the ticket itself will be numbered, with that number subsequently chalked somewhere on your bike. In such cases (where you’ve been given a ticket), the attendants may ask that you NOT lock the steering column or front wheel of your bike so that they can rearrange the bikes as customers come and go.
Scam free, cheap but a bit difficult to comprehend at first, the buses in Hanoi are relatively fast and surprisingly comfortable. Pick up a map with printed bus lines at the Trang Tien street (the book street by the Opera house) and spend a few minutes to identify the over 60 bus lines, find your bus stop, wait for the bus, pay 3,000 dong and off you go. If you are unfamiliar with the city, make sure to inform the conductor where you want to get off.
Hanoi’s traffic is chaotic, with seemingly perpetual traffic jams, and a large number of almost suicidal motorcyclists and pedestrians. As such, driving yourself around is not recommended, and you should leave your transportation needs in the hands of professionals.
Temple of Literature – Văn Miếu, Quoc Tu Giam St (south of the Mausoleum). The Temple of Literature was founded in 1070 and established as the country’s first university six years later. The courtyard features numerous stone tablets, each mounted on the back of a tortoise, with the names of graduates. 10,000 dong.
Ngoc Son Temple. Extends out into the lake, with small but attractive grounds, displays on Vietnamese history and, more memorably, displays on the giant turtles, including a mummified specimen. 10,000 dong.
Bach Ma Temple, 76 Hang Buom St, Hoan Kiem district. Time: the 12th to the 13th day of the second lunar month. Objects of worship: Bach Ma God (the symbol of God of sun), Long Do God (the god defends the east), confer a title of “Thang Long Capital of Nation royal tutelary god”. Xuan Nguu presenting rite.
— is on Hang Bai street, 5 min away from Trang Tien Plaza and the commercial area, such as Pho Hue, Hai Ba Trung and Trang Tien streets. 15,000-30,000 dong.
If you want to do some mild weight training on a budget, head to 88 Hang Buom st, a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake. The cost is 20,000 dong per session as of November 2009. Locals apparently pay 130,000 dong/month. Be aware, however, that the gym is in very poor condition. The floor is hazardous and no one will spot you whilst benching so ensure your last rep you are able to place the bar back or go with a friend. The front of the gym is full of scooters and the rear wall has pictures of Uncle Ho exercising back in the day! Drinks are 10,000 dong.
VietClimb - ☎ +84 914 548 903 . Hanoi has a climbing gym that opened on April 5, 2011. It is located at So 40 Ngo 76 An Duong in Hanoi. Opening hours: 2PM-10PM from Tue-Sun. VietClimb has a 200 m² climbing surface, a 50 m² café & terrace to chill out, and a climbing pro-shop. VietClimb is also a great source for finding out where to climb immediately outside of Hanoi.
Hanoifreetourguides ,a social non-profit organization founded and run by a group of students and ex-students since January 2010.
Hidden Hanoi, 137 Nghi Tam Road (aka Duong An Duong Vuong), Tay Ho, (sales@travelsense.asia),. Located on the bund road in the Tay Ho district, Hidden Hanoi runs walking tours and cooking classes. There are many options, but the 1 hour walking tour of the local market, followed by the 3 hour cooking class, was a foody’s delight (approximately US$50 per person). Cooking Class menus change daily, and there are other walking tours available. They also run language classes, and there is a dance school in the same building.
Vietnam Culinary School, Located right in the heart of Hanoi Administration Departments, (sales@travelsense.asia). A food center place where you will discover and experience the culinary wonders of Vietnam Cuisine. The Culinary Class has fully equipped facilities offering you the chance to put your hand to practicing Vietnamese Cuisine. A typical day will commence with a visit to the morning market. Accompanied by an instructor, you will learn to select and buy Vietnamese ingredients for your personal cooking lesson. The class will be followed by a meal in a delightful restaurant sampling your own cooking as well as traditional Vietnamese dishes.
EZcooking Class, 49 Lane, 49 Huynh Thuc Khang St.
Hanoi Cooking Centre, 44 Chau Long Street (close to Truc Bac lake), ☎ +84437150088 , [33]. Hanoi Cooking Centre is a cooking school, retail outlet and beautiful court yard cafe with an excellent menu of asian and western favourites. It offers hands-on cooking classes and short courses in a relaxed atmosphere, designed by chef Tracey Lister
ATMs are everywhere and cash is king here. There is a transaction limit (2,000,000 dong). For a higher transaction limit (4,000,000 dong) try the ANZ and Techcombank. Many places will accept USD as well.
Check exchange rates daily. Jewellery shops will consistently offer a better rate than banks or hotels.
Since the mid 90s, Vietnamese cuisine has grown in quality and variation, and is now very diverse and most delicious. Most famous remains ‘Pho Ga’ (chicken noodle soup) or ‘Pho Bo’(Beef noodle soup). There are various dishes including chicken, beef, fish and seafood, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of restaurants nowadays in Hanoi catering to everyone’s taste.
The suburb of Le Mat (aka the Snake Village) has numerous restaurants specializing in cobra foodstuffs. Live cobras are stored on the premises much the same way one would find live lobsters at a Western seafood restaurant. If one orders cobra blood wine from the menu, the waiter will take a live cobra, kill it on the spot, drain the blood into a shot glass of rice wine, and top it off with the cobra’s still beating heart for you to gulp down! Not for the faint hearted (excuse the pun). Le Mat is about ten minutes across the river from downtown, take bus 10, 15 or 17 and the driver will drop you off. Cobras are not cheap at around 1,000,000 dong (USD$50-) but it gets turned into a dozen unique dishes, enough to share between three or four people.
A local delicacy in the Hanoi area is dog meat (thịt chó), which is especially popular in the winter. There are a number of restaurants along the Red River that specialize in it. Another exotic regional taste is ca cuong, an extract from the belostomatid, or giant water bug. Just a few drops are added to noodles for the unique aroma.
In Hanoi, there are hundreds of street restaurants in small kiosks on the sidewalk, with plastic tables and chairs on the pavement. Eating at these restaurants is a great way to experience the local food and culture. It is worth mentioning that food quality, freshness, and hygiene can vary greatly. A bowl of noodle soup goes for 20,000 dong (Jan 2011) and market food stalls offer fruit portions, sausages, donuts, and other eats for 10,000 to 20,000 dong (Jan 2011). Be sure to get your change as a few vendors seem to ‘forget’ to return it to you, and learn a little Vietnamese because vendors often will not speak any or much English.
Look to the Old Quarter for atmospheric street stalls and reasonably priced Western and local fare.
Bia Hơi is abundant in the streets of the Old Quarter. At the crossing of Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen five separate venues fill up with travellers in the evenings, but you can get more local atmosphere on some of the side streets.
Hanoi is a lively city on the weekends, but the Old Quarter closes relatively early (at midnight) on weekdays, so you might want to start your night early. Other places outside the Old Quarter stay open later and vary in closing times.
Local young people gather around the cathedral located in Ly Quoc Su to have lemon ice tea (Tra Chanh) and sunflower seeds in street bars. After dark it gets quite crowded. Tra Chanh: 8,000 to 10,000 dong.
Sit on a plastic chair in front of one of the Bia Hoi (fresh beer) establishments which are invariably situated on the corners of many of Hanoi’s ‘Old Quarter’ streets. This preservative-free light beer is the perfect drink to sip as you watch the city’s frenetic life bustle by. The beer costs less than twenty cents and gives you an excuse to relax and take photos of the passing local characters. Should not be missed. Moreover, once you reach the Old Quarter, you will find that almost every corner is filled with stalls selling Pho (Vietnamese noodle) and cafe (the name is not limited only to coffee, but also tea, sweets and grocery items, and yes, even to Pho!).
On Tô Tich, a small street connecting Hang Quat and Hang Gai, you can help yourself to a refreshing fruit milkshake (sinh tố) at one of the stalls (~7000 dong).
| Hanoi hotel scamsAlthough many hotels in Hanoi are helpful and trustworthy, there are still some scam artists around. Touts will try to lure you into a hotel. If you decide to go, be sure to have them pay the transport, and don’t hesitate to leave if you do not like the place. Also, do not believe anybody other than the front desk clerk if they tell you that a certain hotel is “full”. They’d rather take you to a place that pays them a commission. Any hotel will be keen to have you book a Ha Long Bay trip through them, but wait a day to judge the quality of service you’re receiving there – that’ll give you some idea of what kind of travel agency they intend to refer you to.Be aware that unscrupulous hotels will promise deals that are poorly explained until check-out – for example, “daily free water and fruit” that is only free on the first day. In the Old Quarter, Thien Tan Hotel, Omega Hotel, Old Street Hotel and Ocean Star Hotel indulge in this scam, so avoid them. (Update December 2010 – The Ocean Star has been renamed the Hanoi Phoenix and now seems to have stopped operating this scam!) If you’ve booked into a rotten hotel and you’re planning to leave, don’t be shy about taking photos of the minibar right before you leave, lest a few bottles go missing while the staff are “checking” your room. Also, ask explicitly whether tax is included in your room rate. Better hotels will include the tax, but scam-havens like the Old Street Hotel see it as an opportunity to squeeze an extra dollar or two out of you.You might return late at night to your hotel room to find that all your belongings have been cleared out and you will be accused for not having called during the day. They will then make you believe that there was something wrong with the plumbing in your room, that they were fully booked and you have to change to another hotel which is, of course, much more expensive. There are some hotels that will tell you their room is facing an electricity or water leaking problem and arrange you to stay at a much cheaper, maybe lousy hotel on the 1st day.
With the overwhelming amount of motorbike traffic and the common rule to honk a few times before even considering the brakes, it is wise to check your hotel room’s location before taking it. Having a room on the street side means being exposed to the honking which doesn’t end till 1AM and starts again around 5AM. If you go more upmarket, chances are there will be sound-proof glass, but it is still wise to check first. |
The Old Quarter is littered with guesthouses and hostels catering for budget travellers. A venue down an alley will not have the constant traffic noise, but check for construction work happening next door, it can wake you up just as early. If you leave food in your room keep it covered/sealed, poor hygiene in the neighbourhood can bring rodents through the smallest of holes in search of sustenance.
Like everywhere else in Vietnam, traffic in Hanoi is dominated by an incredible amount of motorbikes, all of which seem to be making a mad, desperate dash for something just out of reach — all of the time. All the while blowing their horns incessantly. In other words, pedestrian traffic can be overwhelming for visitors, especially in the narrow streets around the Old Quarter. When you leave the curb, look both ways, and take each step slowly and patiently while trying to make eye contact with any oncoming drivers. The key word here is slowly — don’t rush. This way the drivers are aware of you, and can take you into account (along with all of the other motorbikes). It may look, and indeed is somewhat chaotic, but be patient and pay attention when you’re crossing any street, large or small, and you should be fine.
You should look directly into the vehicles coming to you and keep your pace. Holding out your arm toward the stream of vehicles as a “slow down, I am crossing” sign may be a good idea. Don’t stop suddenly when you see one coming a little fast or rush your steps when you are crossing. Just even your pace and walk slowly. The motorbikes will find their way to avoid you themselves.
Be vigilant when taking a taxi – driver jumps out at destination and dumps most of your bags out of the trunk. While you’re busy putting rucksack on he has taken off with your other bags. Ask your hotel which taxi companies are reliable – stories abound of meters that run at an adjusted (much faster) rate.
There are plenty of internet cafés all over the city. Most are used by Vietnamese teens playing online dance or battle games. Rates vary, but can be as low as 3,000 dong/hr. Some of the better cafés, particularly in the Old Quarter, have computers that are Skype-capable for international phone calls. Close to Hanoi Youth Hostel there is a cybercafe that charge tourist ten times the actual cost. It is next door, and has no name. If you are in a hurry use another one.
The cafes that charge you for using the Internet usually provide desktop computers. There are also cafes where they have free wireless. All you have to do is order something from their menus and use their wifi for as long as you want. The wifi cafes are usually concentrated around Hoan Kiem lake area.
Monks crossing the street
Argentina, 4F, Sentinel Place, 41A Ly Thai To St, ☎ +84 4 3831-5262 , [91].
Australia, 8 Dao Tan St, ☎ +84 4 3774-0100 , [92].
Canada, [93].
China, 46 Hoang Dieu Rd, ☎ +84 4 38453736 ,
Czech Republic, 13 Chu Van An St, ☎ +84 4 3845-4131 (-2),
Denmark, 19 Dien Bien Phu St, ☎ +84 4 3823-1888 ,
France, 57 Tran Hung Dao St, ☎ +84 4 3944-5700 ,
Germany,
Greece, 28 Thanh Nien Road, Tay Ho District, ☎ +84 4 3715 2254 , +84 4 3715 2263 .
India, 58-60, Tran Hung Dao, ☎ +84 4 253409 (+84 4 252310).
Indonesia, 50 Ngo Quyen St, ☎ +84 4 825 3353 (+84 4 8257969),
Italy, 9 Le Phung Hieu, ☎ +84 4 3825-6256 ,
Japan, 27 Lieu Giai, Ba Dinh District, ☎ +84 4 3846 3000
Malaysia, 43-45 Dien Bien Phu, ☎ +84 4 3734 3849
Netherlands, 6F, Daeha Office Tower, 360 Kim Ma St, ☎ +84 4 3831-5650
Norway, 10F, Vincom City Towers, 191 Ba Trieu St, ☎ +84 4 3974-8900
Pakistan, 8th Daeha Tower, 360 Kim Ma St, ☎ 771 6420/ 21 (parep-hanoi@hn.vnn.vn, fax: 771 6418). M-F 0900-1700.
Poland
Russia, 191 La Thanh St, ☎ +84 4 833 6991/2 (consular department +84 4 833-6575),
Singapore, 41-43 Tran Phu St, ☎ +84 4 3848-9168
Sweden
Switzerland, 15F Hanoi Central Office Bldg, 44B Ly Thuong Kiet St, ☎ +84 4 3934-6589
Taiwan,
United Kingdom, Central Bldg, 31 Hai Ba Trung, ☎ +84 4 936 0550.
United States, 170 Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh,If you are the adventurous type or simply bored temporarily of the city atmosphere, then consider a cruise in the northern countryside. A round trip will bring you to a lot of charming villages and through hills and valleys with stunning nature. Main roads are generally in good condition and you can easily do a couple of hundred kilometers a day. The villages and provinces are generally safe at night, and you get to see a lot of Vietnamese culture such as various tribe folks. While bus services are in fact available (albeit not always reliable), a recommended alternative is to rent a bike or car and make the trip on your own. Motorbikes in decent quality can be rented for as little as US$5 a day, and many places have suggestions for routes.
Interior of the Perfume Pagoda cave
Ha Long Bay (also “Halong Bay”) is in northern Vietnam, 170 km east of Hanoi. The bay is famous for its scenic rock formations.
Ha Long Bay in vietnam
“Ha Long” is literally translated as “Bay of Descending Dragons.” Prior to the 19th century, this name was not recorded in any document or archive. When mentioning the present-day Quang Ninh Sea or Ha Long Bay, old historical books often referred to them by the names of An Bang, Luc Thuy or Van Don. Not until the late 19th century did the name of Ha Long Bay appear on a French Marine Map. The Hai Phong News, a French newspaper of the time, had an article,Dragon appears on Ha Long Bay, reporting the following story: In 1898 a sub-lieutenant named Lagredin, captaining the Avalanse reported seeing a huge sea snake on Ha Long Bay. This was also witnessed by many of the crews. Thus emerged the European image of the Asian dragon. Whether this appearance of a strange animal looking like a dragon resulted the name of Ha Long Bay is not known.
Most people come to Ha Long Bay on a tour. This is covered in the Do section.
The best, most expensive, way to get to Ha Long Bay is to rent a car from Hanoi. It costs approximately US$100 return. From Hanoi airport the fare is about US$85 for a car. Travel agents: Travel sense asia (+84-4) 3715 3977 , 88 Yen phu st.,Tay Ho Dis.,Hanoi
The best, most expensive, way to get to Ha Long Bay is to rent a car from Hanoi. It costs approximately US$100 return. From Hanoi airport the fare is about US$85 for a car.
There is a tourist open bus service offered by travel agencies around the Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi. Cost: US$8 net/person/way.
Some hotels & cruise operators also offer the transfer service for passengers even not staying in their hotels.
Public buses leave from Long Bien or Gia Lam Station (other side of Red River, 2km from Hoan Kiem Lake) or from Luong Yen station to Bai Chay (Halong City) every 30 minutes from 6AM to 6PM and cost 50,000 dong/person each way.
From Nanning International Tourist Distribution Center, No. 10 Youai Nanlu (on the corner of Zhonghua Lu) you can take a bus going to Ha Long. It costs 170 yuan, takes about 8 hours and the departure time is 7:30 every day.
There are various motorbike / taxi options around the island once in Cat Ba City. The problem is that if arrive at other parts of the island, getting a ride to Cat Ba City (where the hotels are) can be very expensive! (150,000 dong per person on a motorbike.) It’s not very clear why it’s so expensive, but it seems like there is a monopoly on transportation, and once you negotiate with one person, others will refrain from offering you reasonable rates, thus you are stuck with whomever you’re talking with. To say the least this is not a comfortable experience. It’s recommended that you book your travels in advance, and make sure that you end up in Cat Ba City.
Rent a junk to visit the bay for either several hours or overnight on the bay.
Ha Long Bay is a beautiful area with 1969 limestone islands jutting imposingly upon the skyline. Unfortunately the place is a tourist trap and the unique panorama is spoilt by a tremendous amount of “junks” which are in fact slimly disguised tourist boats that bear no resemblance to the authentic Chinese sailing vessels of the same name.
Visitors to Ha Long Bay must purchase a ticket (30,000 dong) from the Ha Long Bay management department, which gives the option of following one of two routes:
The vast majority of tourists visit Ha Long Bay on a pre-purchased tour from Hanoi. Prices are extremely variable depending on the quality of the boat, crew, food and additional activities. The cheaper the tour, the more basic the amenities. Virtually all hostels and hotels in Hanoi offer tours to Ha Long Bay. You can usually judge the level of professionalism of the tour based on that of the hotel itself. As most hotels do not run their own tours, but serve as a proxy for tour companies, it will usually be cheaper to go to an actual tourist company location and deal with them directly.
As a rough guide, a two night three day tour for around US$100 should get you at a minimum:
Some operators charge for the kayaking or the boat to see the caves so check if they are included for free when buying tickets. Tours are usually non-refundable due to weather conditions.
A few tour companies include a helicopter trip as part of their package, with departures from Gia Lam Airport in Hanoi.
Kayaking is great fun – find a secluded bay and soak in the amazing surroundings. The water is lovely and refreshing when the sun is out, but extremely salty.
For about $50 you will get good backpacker standard of activities and accommodation. However the amount of food you are served may not be enough and snacks are highly advised. You can buy beer on board but at an inflated price, typically $2 or 40,000 dong for a large bottle of Tiger and if you bring your own beer or buy it off a floating “shop”, you will be charged to open it on the boat, typically 10,000 dong per bottle. If you are discreet though you might get away with drinking your own beer. Large bottles of water and drink cans typically cost 30,000 dong on board. Bottles of water are also subject to a 10,000 dong bring on board charge. So keep and drink your own soft drinks in your room and you will avoid this charge (which you can refuse to pay if you weren’t told about before boarding). Some operators give you a drink with your meal and then ask you to pay after you drink it. Check first.
Beware of upper rooms at the rear end of a boat. They might be directly above the generator, so the noise might keep you awake at night and you may even get a slight smell of diesel. It seems that things often don’t go exactly to plan on the cheaper tours. You might wish to get the mobile phone number of the agent you book with and ask if its OK to phone them if certain things don’t go to plan. Mobile reception is surprisingly good in Ha Long Bay.
Often the guides will take your receipt to check your schedule and then don’t return it so you don’t have a record of where you need to be when.
n the evening, small boats with snacks, drinks, and knick-knacks are usually working the areas where the passenger junks moor. Feel free to negotiate, bearing in mind that they have a captive market. There are also many shops selling similar goods on the hill behind the beach.
There are many restaurants in Halong City (Bai Chay Town), opposite to the Bai Chay Beach, which offer mostly Vietnamese rice dishes and seafood. Local specialities include su fish, found only around Halong Bay, shrimp and mussels.
Drinks can be found for the cheap price at the local drinks shops or restaurant around the city (cold drinks can also be bought from the boat on the cruise trip) while on the bay.
There are several new hotels on Cat Ba Island, most catering to overnight boat trip packages.
You can also sleep aboard a junk as part of an overnight cruise. The price will include dinner and breakfast aboard the boat, along with the extras described above.
There are countless travel agencies who sell these cruises in Hanoi and other cities in the region, and every hotel will be thrilled to book one for you as well. Since most agencies contract with third-party companies to handle the actual cruise, experiences can vary — the seas of Ha Long Bay are plied by smooth, classy junks and old, loud rattletraps. You might run across someone who had a great time on a US$10 cruise with one agency, and upon booking the same, spend a whole night choking on carbon exhaust fumes. The sad fact (for budget travelers) is: the more you pay, the better your odds will be. You should be safe with cruises in the US$35 range, but really nice ones can run as high as US$200 per person.
Mong Cai border City – there is a hydrofoil service from Bai Chay to the border city with China. However your Visa for China MUST have been sourced from Hanoi if you wish to use this crossing, also if it is your first time visiting China you must have sourced your visa in your home country.
Cat Ba Island – rent or book a seat on a junk to Cat Ba Island.
Haiphong City – buses leave from Bai Chay Station to Hai Phong City.
Tuan Chau Island - a tourist resort
Visit the old stone houses in the mining town of Cam Pha.
Ha Long cruise from Wikitravel
Singapore (新加坡) [1] is a city-state in Southeast Asia. Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, since independence it has become one of the world’s most prosperous countries and boasts the world’s busiest port. Combining the skyscrapers and subways of a modern, affluent city with a medley of Chinese, Malay and Indian influences and a tropical climate, with tasty food, good shopping and a vibrant nightlife scene, this Garden City makes a great stopover or springboard into the region.
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| Capital | Singapore |
| Government | Parliamentary republic |
| Currency | Singapore dollar (SGD) |
| Area | 712.4 sq km |
| Population | 5,076,600 (2010 mid-year est.) |
| Language | English (official), Mandarin Chinese (official), Malay(official and national), Tamil (official) |
| Religion | Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism,Jainism, Sikhism, Taoism, Confucianism |
| Electricity | 230V/50Hz (British plug) |
| Calling Code | +65 |
| Internet TLD | .sg |
| Time Zone | UTC/GMT +8 |
Map of Singapore, with MRT lines and key attractions
Singapore is a small country on a small island, but with just over five million people it is a fairly crowded city and in fact second only to Monacoas the world’s most densely populated country. However, unlike many other densely populated countries, Singapore has over 50% of its area covered by greenery and with over 50 major parks and 4 nature reserves, it is an enchanting garden city. Large self-contained residential towns mushroomed all over the island, around the clean and modern city center. The center of the city located in the south — consisting roughly of the Orchard road shopping area, the Riverside, the new downtown Marina Bay area and also the skyscrapers-filled Shenton way financial district known in acronym-loving Singapore as the CBD (Central Business District).
In the centre, Singapore’s addressing system is fairly similar to Western countries (such as 17 Orchard Road), but the new housing developments on the outskirts may appear more intimidating: a typical address might be “Blk 505 Jurong West St 51 #01-186″. Here, “Blk 505″ is the housing block number, “Jurong West St 51″ is the street name, and “#01-186″ means floor 1, unit, stall or shop 186. The first digit of both housing block and street number is the neighborhood’s number (in this case 5), making it easier to narrow down the right location. There are also 6-digit postal codes, which, considering the small size of the island, generally correspond to exactly one building. For example, “Blk 9 Bedok South Ave 2″ is “Singapore 460009″. Finally, you will also encounter Malay terms in addresses: the most common are Jalan (Jln) for “Road”, Lorong (Lor) for “Lane”, Bukit (Bt) for “Hill” and Kampong (Kg) for “Village”.
Useful tools for hunting down addresses include StreetDirectory.com [2],GoThere.sg [3] and OneMap.sg[4].
Bored proboscis monkey, Singapore Zoo
Singapore is a microcosm of Asia, populated by Chinese, Malays, Indians, and a large group of workers and expatriates from all across the globe. Singapore has a partly deserved reputation for sterile predictability that has earned it descriptions like William Gibson’s “Disneyland with the death penalty” or the “world’s only shopping mall with a seat in the United Nations”. Nevertheless, the Switzerland of Asia is for many a welcome respite from the poverty, chaos, and crime of much of the Asian mainland, and if you scratch below the squeaky clean surface and get away from the tourist trail you’ll soon find more than meets the eye.
Singaporean food is legendary, with bustling hawker centres and 24-hour coffee shops offering cheap food from all parts of Asia, and shoppers can bust their baggage allowances in shopping meccas like Orchard Road and Suntec City. In recent years some societal restrictions have also loosened up, and now you can bungee jump and dance on bartops all night long, although alcohol is still very pricey and chewing gum can only be bought from a pharmacy. Two casino complexes — or “Integrated Resorts”, to use the Singaporean euphemism — opened in 2010 in Sentosa and Marina Bay as part of Singapore’s new Fun and Entertainment drive, the aim being to double the number of tourists visiting and increasing the length of time they stay within the country. Watch out for more loosening up in the future.
The first records of Singapore date back to the 2nd-3rd centuries where a vague reference to its location was found in Greek and Chinese texts, under the names of Sabana and Pu Luo Chung respectively. According to legend, Srivijayan prince Sang Nila Utama landed on the island in the 13th century and, catching sight of a strange creature that he thought was a lion, decided to found a new city he called Singapura, Sanskrit for Lion City. Alas, there have never been any lions anywhere near Singapore or elsewhere on Malaya, so the mysterious beast was more probably a tiger or wild boar.
More historical records indicate that the island was settled at least two centuries earlier and was known asTemasek, Javanese for “Sea Town”, and an important port for the Sumatran Srivijaya kingdom. However, Srivijaya fell around 1400 and Temasek, battered by the feuding kingdoms of Siam and the Javanese Majapahit, fell into obscurity. As Singapura, it then briefly regained importance as a trading centre for the Melaka Sultanate and later, the Johor Sultanate. However, Portuguese raiders then destroyed the settlement and Singapura faded into obscurity once more.
The story of Singapore as we know it today thus began in 1819, when Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles made a deal with a claimant to the throne of the Sultanate ofJohor: the British would support his claim in exchange for the right to set up a trading post on the island. Though the Dutch initially protested, the signing of the Anglo-Dutch treaty in 1824, which separated the Malay world into British and Dutch spheres of influence (resulting in the current Malaysia-Indonesia and Singapore-Indonesia borders), ended the conflict with the Dutch renouncing their claim to Singapore and ceding their colony in Malacca to the British, in exchange for the British ceding their colonies on Sumatra to the Dutch. Well-placed at the entrance to the Straits of Malacca, straddling the trade routes between China, India, Europe, and Australia, Raffles’ masterstroke was to declare Singapore a free port, with no duties charged on trade. As traders flocked to escape onerous Dutch taxes, the trading post soon grew into one of Asia’s busiest, drawing people from far and wide. Along with Penang and Malacca, Singapore became one of the Straits Settlements and a jewel in the British colonial crown. Its economic fortunes received a further boost when palm oil and rubber from neighbouring Malaya were processed and shipped out via Singapore. In 1867, Singapore was formally split off from British India and made into a directly ruled Crown Colony.
When World War II broke out, Fortress Singapore was seen as a formidable British base, with massive naval fortifications guarding against assault by sea. However, not only did the fortress lack a fleet as all ships were tied up defending Britain from the Germans, but the Japanese wisely chose to cross Malaya by bicycle instead. Despite hastily turning the guns around, this was something the British had not prepared for at all, and on February 15, 1942, with supplies critically low after less than a week of fighting, Singapore ignominiously surrendered and the colony’s erstwhile rulers were packed off to Changi Prison. Tens of thousands perished in the subsequent brutal occupation, and the return of the British in 1945 was less than triumphal — it was clear that their time was up.
Granted self-rule in 1955, Singapore briefly joined Malaysia in 1963 when the British left, but was expelled because the Chinese-majority city was seen as a threat to Malay dominance, and the island became independent on 9 August 1965, thus becoming the only country to gain independence against its own will in the history of the modern world. The subsequent forty years of iron-fisted rule by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew saw Singapore’s economy boom, with the country rapidly becoming one of the wealthiest and most developed in Asia despite its lack of natural resources, earning it a place as one of the four East Asian Tigers. Now led by Lee’s son Lee Hsien Loong, the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) continues to dominate the political scene, with 81 out of 87 seats in Parliament and opposition politicians regularly bankrupted by defamation suits. Societal restrictions have been loosened up in recent years though, with the government trying to shake off its staid image, and it remains to be seen how the delicate balancing act between political control and social freedom will play out.
Singapore prides itself on being a multi-racial country, and has a diverse culture despite its small size. The largest group are the Chinese, who form about 75% of the population. Amongst the Chinese, Hokkien speakers form the majority, while Teochew and Cantonese speakers round out the top three. Other notable “dialect” groups among the Chinese include the Hakkas, Hainanese and Foochows. The Malays, who are comprised of Singapore’s original inhabitants as well as migrants from present day Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, form about 14% of the population, while Indians form about 9% of the population. Among the Indians, Tamils form the largest group by far, though there are also a significant numbers of speakers of other Indian languages such as Hindi, Malayalam and Punjabi. The remainder are a mix of many other cultures, most notably the Eurasians who are of mixed European and Asian descent, and also a handful of Filipinos, Burmese, Japanese, Thais and many others. Slighty over one-third of Singapore’s residents are not citizens.
Singapore is also religiously diverse, with no religious group forming a majority. Religious freedom is guaranteed by the constitution of Singapore. Buddhism is the largest religion with about 33% of the population declaring themselves Buddhist. Other religions which exist in significant numbers include Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Taoism. In addition to the “big five”, there are also much smaller numbers of Sikhs, Zoroastrians, Jews, Baha’is and Jains. Some 17% of Singaporeans profess to have no religious affiliation.
Located a mere 1.5 degrees north of the Equator, the weather is usually sunny with no distinct seasons. Rain falls almost daily throughout the year, usually in sudden, heavy showers that rarely last longer than an hour. However, most rainfall occurs during the northeast monsoon (November to January), occasionally featuring lengthy spells of continuous rain. Spectacular thunderstorms can occur throughout the year, normally in the afternoons, so it’s wise to carry an umbrella at all times, both as a shade from the sun or cover from the rain.
Between May and October, forest fires in neighboring Sumatra can also cause dense haze, although this is unpredictable and comes and goes rapidly: check the National Environment Agency’s site [5] for current data.
The temperature averages around:
The high temperature and humidity, combined with the lack of wind and the fact that temperatures stay high during the night, can take its toll on visitors from colder parts of the world. Bear in mind that spending more than about one hour outdoors can be very exhausting, especially if combined with moderate exercise. Singaporeans themselves shun the heat, and for a good reason. Many live in air-conditioned flats, work in air-conditioned offices, take the air-conditioned metro to air-conditioned shopping malls connected to each other by underground tunnels where they shop, eat, and exercise in air-conditioned fitness clubs. Follow their example if you want to avoid discomfort in the searing heat and humidity of Singapore.
| Gong xi fa cai Singapore styleThere are a few twists to the Singapore way of celebrating Chinese New Year, particularly the food, which bears little resemblance to the steamy hotpots of frigid northern China. The top dish is bak kwa (肉干), sweet barbecued pork, followed closely by yu sheng (魚生), a salad of shredded vegetables and raw fish enthusiastically tossed into the air by all present. Favorite desserts are crumbly sweet pineapple tarts and gooey steamed nian gao (年糕) cakes. Red packets of money (红包ang pow) are still handed out generously, but unlike in China, in Singapore you only need to start paying up once married. |
New Year decorations, Chinatown
Singapore is a secular city state but thanks to its multicultural population, Singapore celebrates Chinese, Muslim, Indian, and Christian holidays.
The year kicks off with a bang on January 1st and New Year, celebrated in Singapore just as in the West with a fireworks show and parties at every nightspot in town. Particularly famous are the wet and wild foam parties on the beaches of resort island Sentosa — at least those years when the authorities deign to permit such relative debauchery.
Due to the influence of the Chinese majority, the largest event by far is Chinese New Year (农历新年) or, more politically correctly, Lunar New Year, usually held in February. While this might seem to be an ideal time to visit, many smaller shops and eateries close for 2-3 days during the period, though supermarkets, department stores and high end restaurants remain open. The whole festival stretches out for no less than 42 days, but the frenzied buildup to the peak occurs just before the night of the new moon, with exhortations of gong xi fa cai (恭喜发财 “congratulations and prosper”), red tinsel, mandarin oranges and the year’s zodiac animal emblazoned everywhere and crowds of shoppers queuing in Chinatown, where there are also extensive street decorations to add spice to the festive mood. The two following days are spent with family and most of the island comes to a standstill, and then life returns to normal… except for the final burst of Chingay, a colorful parade down Orchard Road held ten days later.
On the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, the Dragon Boat Festival (端午节) is celebrated to commemorate a Chinese folk hero. As part of the celebrations, rice dumplings, which in Singapore are sometimes wrapped in pandan leaves instead of the original bamboo leaves, are usually eaten. In addition, dragon boat races are often held at the Singapore River on this day. The seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar — usually August — starts off with a puff of smoke, as “hell money” is burned and food offerings are made to please the spirits of ancestors who are said to return to earth at this time. The climax on the 15th day of the lunar calendar is the Hungry Ghost Festival(中元节), when the living get together to stuff themselves and watch plays and Chinese opera performances. Following soon afterwards, the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节) on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month (Sep/Oct) is also a major event, with elaborate lantern decorations — particularly in Jurong’s Chinese Garden — and moon cakes filled with red bean paste, nuts, and more consumed merrily.
The Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, known locally as Deepavali, is celebrated around October or November and Little India is brightly decorated for the occasion. At around January-February, one may witness the celebration of Thaipusam, a Tamil Hindu festival in which male devotees would carry a kavadi, an elaborate structure which pierces through various parts of his body, and join a procession from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Little India to the Sri Thandayuthapani Temple in Tank Road. Female devotees usually join the procession carrying pots of milk instead. About one week before Deepavali is Thimithi, the fire-walking festival where one can see male devotees walking on burning coals at the Sri Mariamman Temple in Chinatown.
The Islamic month of Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr or Hari Raya Puasa as it is called here, is a major occasion in Malay parts of town, particularly Geylang Serai on theEast Coast, which is lighted up with extensive decorations during the period. Another festival celebrated by the Malays is Eid-ul-Adha, known locally as Hari Raya Haji, which is the period when Muslims make the trip to Mecca to perform in Hajj. In local mosques, lambs contributed by the faithful are sacrificed and their meat is used to feed the poor.
The Buddhist Vesak Day, celebrating the birthday of the Buddha Sakyamuni, plus the Christian holidays of Christmas Day, for which Orchard road is extensively decorated, and Good Friday round out the list of holidays.
A more secular celebration occurs on August 9th, National Day, when fluttering flags fill Singapore and spectacular National Day parades are held to celebrate independence.
Singapore holds numerous events each year. Some of its famous festivals and events include the Singapore Food Festival, the Singapore Grand Prix, theSingapore Arts Festival, the Chingay Parade, the World Gourmet Summit and ZoukOut.
The Singapore Sun Festival is another popular festival in Singapore, with 2010′s line-up featuring renowned stars such as David Foster, Natalie Cole, Jose Carreras and Sharon Stone. Christmas is also widely celebrated in Singapore, a season where the city streets and shopping malls along its famous shopping belt Orchard Road are lit up and decorated in vibrant colours. In addition, the Singapore Jewel Festival attracts numerous tourists every year, and is a display of precious gems, famous jewels and masterpieces from international jewellers and designers.
| Banned in SingaporeThere’s more to the list than just porn and drugs: - Overhead wires - Satellite dishes - Freestanding billboards - Handcuffs, even if pink and fuzzy - Feeding pigeons or monkeys - Malaysian newspapers - Male Homosexual activity |
Most nationalities can enter Singapore without a visa. Refer to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority [6] for current guidelines, including a list of the 30+ nationalities that are required to obtain a visa in advance. Entry permit duration depends on nationality and entry point: most people get 14 or 30 days, although EU, Norwegian, Swiss and US passport holders get 90 days. Citizens of some CIS countries (Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan) can transit 4 days without visa, if having tickets to a third country.
Singapore has very strict drug laws, and drug trafficking carries a mandatory death penalty— which is also applied to foreigners. Even if you technically haven’t entered Singapore and are merely transiting (i.e. changing flights without the need to clear passport control and customs) while in possession of drugs, you would still be subject to capital punishment. The paranoid might also like to note that in Singapore, it is an offence even to have any drug metabolites in your system, even if they were consumed outside Singapore, and Customs occasionally does spot urine tests at the airport! In addition, bringing in explosives or firearms without a permit is also a capital offence in Singapore.
Bring prescriptions for any medicines you may have with you, and obtain prior permission from the Health Sciences Authority [7] before bringing in any sedatives (eg. Valium/diazepam) or strong painkillers (eg. codeine). Hippie types may expect a little extra attention from Customs, but getting a shave and a haircut is no longer a condition for entry.
Duty free allowances for alcohol are 1 L of spirits and up to 2 L of wine or beer per person. Alcohol may not be brought in by persons under the age of 18. There is noduty free allowance for cigarettes: all cigarettes legally sold in Singapore are stamped “SDPC”, and smokers caught with unmarked cigarettes may be fined $500 per pack. (In practice, though, bringing in one opened pack is usually tolerated.) If you declare your cigarettes or excess booze at customs, you can opt to pay the tax or let the customs officers keep the cigarettes until your departure. The import of chewing gum/tobacco is illegal, but a few sticks for personal consumption are permitted.
Pornography, pirated goods and publications by the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Unification Church may not be imported to Singapore, and baggage is scanned at land and sea entry points. In theory, all entertainment media including movies and video games must be sent to the Board of Censors for approval before they can be brought into Singapore, but that is rarely if ever enforced for original (non-pirated) goods. Pirated CDs or DVDs, on the other hand, can land you fines of up to $1000 per disc.
Singapore is one of Southeast Asia’s largest aviation hubs, so unless you’re coming from Peninsular Malaysia or Batam/Bintan in Indonesia, the easiest way to enter Singapore is by air. In addition to flag-carrier Singapore Airlines [8] and its regional subsidiary SilkAir [9], Singapore is also home to low-cost carriers Tiger Airways [10], Jetstar Asia [11] and Scoot [12].
In addition to the locals, every carrier of any size in Asia offers flights to Singapore, with pan-Asian discount carrier AirAsia [13] and Malaysian regional operatorFirefly [14] operating dense networks from Singapore. There are also direct services to Europe, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, North America, and even South Africa. Singapore is particularly popular on the “Kangaroo Route” between Australia and Europe, with airlines like Qantas [15] and British Airways [16] using Singapore as the main stopover point.
| The price of cheap flightsNo transfer facilities are available at the Budget Terminal, so if one or more of your connecting flights arrives or departs here, you have to go through arrival immigration and customs, check in your luggage again and go through departure immigration. If required for your nationality, you will need a valid Singapore visa for this, and it’s best to allow at least 2-3 hr to complete the process. Transfers between the main terminals do not require this rigmarole. |
As befits the country’s main airport and major regional hub status, Changi Airport (IATA: SIN;ICAO: WSSS) [17] is big, pleasant, and well organized, and immigration and baggage distribution is remarkably fast. The airport is split into three main terminals (T1, T2 and T3) plus a dedicated Budget Terminal for low-cost airlines (currently only Tiger Airways, Cebu Pacific, Firefly and Berjaya Air).
Figuring out which terminal your flight arrives in or departs from can be complicated: for example, Singapore Airlines uses both T2 and T3, and only announces the arrival terminal two hours before landing. Fortunately transfers are quite easy, as the three main terminals are connected with the free Skytrain service, which can be used without passing through immigration. Terminal 1 is physically connected to Terminals 2 and 3 by walking that you will notice you’re in a different terminal except by reading the signs. The Budget Terminal, on the other hand, can only be reached by passing through immigration and taking a shuttle bus from the basement of T2. Your departing terminal is more straightforward as Singapore Airlines designates T2 as departures for destinations in South East Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East (including Turkey) and Africa while all other destinations will use T3. When you return to the airport and are leaving Singapore via Singapore Airlines, be sure to at least tell the driver your destination so he knows which terminal to take you to.
Unlike most other airports, there are no separate zones for departing and arriving passengers in the main terminals prior to passport control hence arriving passengers are free to shop and eat at the airside establishments if they are not in a hurry to meet someone or catch prearranged transportation. In addition, if they have no luggage checked-in from their point of origin, they can clear passport control at any other terminal.
If you have over 5 hr to spare there are free city tours six times a day, check in at the Singapore Visitor Centre in any terminal. Even if stuck in the airport, there are plenty of ways to kill time, as each terminal has a unique design and the airside areas of T1, T2, and T3 are attractions in themselves. T2, arguably the most interesting, has an indoor garden, a music listening area with couches and mood lighting, a computer gaming room, a small movie theater, paid massage services, and of course plenty of duty-free shops. T3, the newest, has a butterfly garden and plenty of natural light, but fewer entertainment options. T1 has a swimming pool for $13.91 and jacuzzi, both open until 11PM. You can travel between the main terminals without passing through immigration and, if you have no checked-in luggage to collect, you can clear passport control and customs at any terminal. The Budget Terminal, on the other hand, is strictly functional.
In all terminals, internet access is provided free of charge, both wirelessly and via some 200 terminals and kiosks, there are some Xbox systems set up to keep gamers entertained, and there’s live lounge music at times. There are also SingTel and Starhub payphones that offer unlimited free local calls. ATMs abound and money changers offer reasonable rates as well, although you pay a small premium compared to the city. Food options are varied and generally reasonably priced, with some choice picks including the Peranakan-themed Soup Restaurant (T2 landside), which serves much more than just soup, and Sakae Sushi (T2 airside). If you’re up for a little adventure, seek out the staff canteen at level 3M of the carpark next to T2, it’s open to the public (with discounts for airport staff) and serves local food. It is relatively cheap compared to other food options in the airport but not exactly cheap compared to elsewhere in Singapore. There are also staff canteens in Terminals 1 and 3.
Terminals T1, T2 and T3 all have airside (i.e., accessible without passing through immigration) transit hotels. ☎ +65 65419106 or book online via theAmbassador Transit Hotel [18] website. A 6 hr “block” for a single/double/triple costs $73.56/82.39/110.35, budget singles (shared bathroom) $51.50, extensions $17.65 per hr. You can rent a shower (without a room) to freshen up for $8.40. The Plaza Premier Lounges [19] also offer a basic but functional gym with shower for $8.40 with a Singapore Airlines boarding pass.
From the airport there are a number of ways to get into the city:
Seletar Airport (IATA: XSP; ICAO: WSSL), completed in 1928 and first used for civil aviation in 1930, is Singapore’s first airport. While later airports like Kallang and Paya Lebar have been closed and turned into a military airbase respectively, Seletar is still in use to this day.
Currently, Seletar Airport is only used for general aviation, so if you’re flying your own aircraft to Singapore, you’ll most probably land here. The only practical means of access to Seletar is taxi, and trips from the airport incur a $3 surcharge.
The Causeway, with Johor Bahru on the other side
Singapore is linked by two land crossings to Peninsular Malaysia:
The Causeway is a very popular and thus terminally congested entry point connecting Woodlands in the north of Singapore directly into the heart of Johor Bahru. While congestion isn’t as bad as it once was, the Causeway is still jam-packed on Friday evenings (towards Malaysia) and Sunday evenings(towards Singapore). The Causeway can be crossed by bus, train, taxi or car, but it is no longer feasible to cross on foot after Malaysia shifted their customs and immigration complex 2 km inland.
A second crossing between Malaysia and Singapore, known as the Second Link, has been built between Tuas in western Singapore and Tanjung Kupang in the western part of Johor state. Much faster and less congested than the Causeway, it is used by some of the luxury bus services to Kuala Lumpurand is strongly recommended if you have your own car. There is only one infrequent bus across the Second Link, and only Malaysian “limousine” taxis are allowed to cross it (and charge RM150 and up for the privilege). Walking across is also not allowed, not that there would be any practical means to continue the journey from either end if you did.
Driving into Singapore with a foreign-registered car is rather complicated and expensive; see the Land Transport Authority’s Driving Into & Out of Singapore [20] guide for the administrative details.Peninsular Malaysia-registered cars need to show that they have valid road tax and Malaysian insurance coverage. Other foreign cars need a Vehicle Registration Certificate, Customs Document (Carnet), Vehicle Insurance purchased from a Singapore-based insurance company and an International Circulation Permit. All foreign registered cars and motorcycles can be driven in Singapore for a maximum of 10 days in each calendar year without paying Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) fees, but after the 10 free days have been utilised, you will need to pay a VEP fee of up to $20/day.
Go through immigration first and get your passport stamped. Then follow the Red Lane to buy the AutoPass ($10) from the LTA office. At the parking area, an LTA officer will verify your car, road tax and insurance cover note and issue you a small chit of paper which you take to the LTA counter to buy your AutoPass and rent an In-vehicle Unit (IU) for road pricing charges (or opt to pay a flat $5/day fee instead). Once that is done, proceed to customs where you will have to open the boot for inspection. After that, you are free to go anywhere in Singapore. Any VEP fees, road pricing charges and tolls will be deducted from your AutoPass when you exit Singapore. This is done by slotting the AutoPass into the reader at the immigration counter while you get your passport stamped.
Driving into Malaysia from Singapore is relatively uncomplicated, although small tolls are charged for both crossing and (for the Second Link) the adjoining expressway. In addition, Singapore-registered vehicles are required to have their fuel tanks at least 3/4 full before leaving Singapore. Do be sure to change some ringgit before crossing, as Singapore dollars are accepted only at the unfavorable rate of 1:1. Moreover, be prepared for longer queues as Malaysia introduced a biometric system for foreigners wishing to enter that country (see Malaysia article).
In both directions, note that rental cars will frequently ban or charge extra for crossing the border.
Direct to/from Malaysian destinations There are buses to/from Kuala Lumpur (KL) and many other destinations in Malaysia through the Woodlands Checkpoint and the Second Link at Tuas. Unfortunately, there is no central bus terminal and different companies leave from all over the city. Major operators include:
Most other operators have banded together in two shared booking portals. Many, but by no means all, use the Golden Mile Complex shopping mall near Bugis as their Singapore terminal.
In general, the more you pay, the faster and more comfortable your trip. More expensive buses leave on time, use the Second Link, and don’t stop along the way; while the cheapest buses leave late if at all, use the perpetually jammed Causeway and make more stops. Book early for popular departure times like Friday and Sunday evening, Chinese New Year, etc, and factor in some extra time for congestion at the border.
An alternative to taking a direct “international bus” is to make the short hop to Johor Bahru to catch domestic Malaysian long-distance express buses to various Malaysian destinations from the Larkin Bus Terminal. Besides having more options, fares may also be lower because you will be paying in Malaysian ringgit rather than Singaporean dollars. The downside is the time-consuming hassle of first getting to Johor Bahru and then getting to Larkin terminal on the outskirts of town.
To/from Johor Bahru
| Line | Stops in Singapore | Stops in JB | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Causeway Link CW-1 | Kranji MRT only | Larkin via Kotaraya | $1.30, RM1.30 |
| Causeway Link CW-2 | Queen St only | Larkin only | $3.20 |
| Causeway Link CW-3 | Jurong East MRT | Bukit Indah via 2nd Link | $4.00 |
| SBS 170 (red plate) | Queen St via Kranji | Larkin only | $1.70 |
| SBS 170 (blue plate) | Kranji MRT | Kotaraya only | $1.10 |
| SBS 160 | Jurong East MRT via Kranji | Kotaraya only | $1.60 |
| SMRT 950 | Woodlands MRT via Marsiling | Kotaraya only | $1.30 |
| Singapore-Johor Express | Queen St only | Larkin only | $2.40 |
The most popular options to get to/from Johor Bahru are the buses listed in the table. There’s a pattern to the madness: Singaporean-operated buses (SBS, SMRT, SJE) can only stop at one destination in Malaysia, while the Malaysian-operated Causeway Link [28] buses can only stop at one destination in Singapore. Terminals aside, all buses make two stops at Singapore immigration and at Malaysian immigration. At both immigration points, you must disembark with all your luggage and pass through passport control and customs, then board the next bus by showing your ticket. Figure on one hour for the whole rigmarole from end to end, more during rush hour.
Singapore is the southern terminus of Malaysia’s Keretapi Tanah Melayu (Malayan Railway or KTMB) [29] network. There are two day trains (the Ekspres Sinaran Pagi and Ekspres Rakyat) and a sleeper service (Ekspres Senandung Malam) daily from Kuala Lumpur, and also a day train (the Lambaian Timur departing Singapore at 4:45AM) and sleeper (Ekspres Timuran departing at 6PM) daily along the “Jungle Railway” between Singapore and Gua Musang (Lambian Timur) or Tumpat (Ekspres Timuran), near Kota Bharu in the East Coast of Malaysia. Trains are clean and fairly efficient, but slower than buses. See Malaysia#By train for details about fares and travel classes.
KTMB tickets in Singapore will be charged in dollars, while those bought in Malaysia will be charged in ringgit at a 1:1 rate. A ticket which costs RM10 (2.32 Euros) in Malaysia will thus cost $10 (5.75 Euros) if bought in Singapore. There are three ways to avoid paying double:
The small colonial-era railway station in Tanjong Pagar at the southern edge of the CBD has closed down on 30 June 2011, and all KTMB trains now depart from the Woodlands Train Checkpoint near the Malaysian border. This means that immigration formalities go back to normal international practice – Singapore stamps you out, then Malaysia stamps you in at Woodlands. In the reverse direction, Malaysian immigration checks are carried out on board the trains at Johor Bahru, and the train then heads for Woodlands where Singapore stamps you in.
Singapore is one of the few countries that you can enter or leave by taxi. While normal Singaporean taxis are not allowed to cross into Malaysia and vice versa, specially licensed Singaporean taxis permitted to go to the Kotaraya shopping mall (only) can be booked from Johor Taxi Service ☎ +65 62967054 , $45 one way), while Malaysian taxis, which can go anywhere in Malaysia, can be taken from Rochor Rd ($32 to charter, or $8/person if you share with others). In the reverse direction, towards Singapore, you can take taxis from Kotaraya to any point in central Singapore ($30) or Changi Airport ($40). The main advantage here is that you do not need to lug your stuff (or yourself) through Customs at both ends; you can just sit in the car.
A combination ride from anywhere in Singapore to anywhere in Malaysia can also be arranged, but you’ll need to swap cabs halfway through: this will cost S$50 and up, paid to the Singaporean driver. The most expensive option is to take a limousine taxi specially licensed to take passengers from any point to any destination, but only a few are available and they charge a steep RM150 per trip. Advance booking is highly recommended, ☎ +60 7 5991622 .
Ferries link Singapore with neighbouring Indonesian province of Riau Islands, and the Malaysian state of Johor. Singapore has four ferry terminals which handle international ferries: HarbourFront (formerly World Trade Centre) near the southern part of the Central Business District, Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal on the East Coast, as well as Changi Ferry Terminal and Changi Point Ferry Terminal, at the eastern extremity of the island.
Getting to/away from the ferry terminals:
To/from Batam: Ferries to/from Batam Centre, Batu Ampar (Harbour Bay), Sekupang and Waterfront City (Teluk Senimba) use HarbourFront FT, while ferries to/fromNongsapura use Tanah Merah FT. Operators at Harbourfront include:
At Tanah Merah:
To/from Bintan: All ferries for Bintan use Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. For Tanjung Pinang, there are total of 6 ferries a day, increasing to 9 during weekends. $25/35 one-way/return before taxes and surcharges. Operators include:
For Bintan Resorts (Bandar Bentan Telani), Bintan Resort Ferries, ☎ +65 65424369 , [37] operates five ferries from Tanah Merah FT on weekdays, increasing to 7 during weekends. $34.60/50.20 one-way/return peak period, $26.60/39.20 one-way/return off-peak including taxes and fuel surcharge.
To/from Karimun: Tanjung Balai is served by Penguin and IndoFalcon from Harbourfront, with six ferries total on weekdays, increasing to 8 during weekends. $24/33 one-way/return including taxes and fuel surcharge.
Ferries shuttle from Singapore to southeastern Johor and are handy for access to the beach resort of Desaru. Scheduled ferry service to Tioman was discontinued in 2003.
Star Cruises [39] offers multi-day cruises from Singapore to points throughout Southeast Asia, departing from HarbourFront FT. Itineraries vary widely and change from year to year, but common destinations include Malacca, Klang (Kuala Lumpur), Penang, Langkawi, Redang and Tioman in Malaysia, as well as Phuket, Krabi, Ko Samui and Bangkok in Thailand. There are also several cruises every year to Borneo (Malaysia), Sihanoukville (Cambodia), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) and even some 10 night long hauls to Hong Kong. An all-inclusive 2 night cruise may cost as little as $400 per person in the cheapest cabin class if you book early, but beware the numerous surcharges and note that non-residents may be charged significantly higher rates.
Singapore is also a popular stop for round-the-world and major regional cruises including those originating from as far as Japan, China, Australia, Europe and North America. Many of those cruises embark/disembark passengers here, while others pay port visits. Check with cruise companies and sellers for details.
MRT system map
Getting around Singapore is fairly easy: the public transportation system is relatively easy to use and taxis are reasonably priced when you can get one. Very few visitors rent cars.Gothere.sg [40] does a pretty good job of figuring out the fastest route by MRT and bus and even estimating taxi fares between any two points.
If you are staying in Singapore for some time, the EZ-link[41] contactless RFID farecard or aNets Flash Pay card might be a worthwhile purchase. Those who are familiar with Hong Kong’s Octopus card, London Underground’s Oyster card or Japan Railway’s IC cards will quickly understand the concept of the EZ-link and Nets Flash Pay card. You can store value on it and use it on the MRT trains as well as all city buses at a 15% discount. The card costs $12, including $7 stored value, and the card can be “topped up” in increments of at least $10 at the farecard vending machines or 7-Eleven stores. You can use the same card for 5 years. The card technology was changed in 2009, but if you have any old cards lying around, they can be exchanged for free with value intact at TransitLink offices in all MRT stations.
Alternatively, the Singapore Tourist Pass [42] available at selected major MRT stations (including Changi Airport and Orchard) also includes ez-link card functionality and a variety of discounts for attractions. Prices start at $8 a day for unlimited travel on MRT and buses, but you need to a travel a lot to make this alone pay off.
Single tickets can be purchased for both MRT and buses, but it’s a hassle, and in the case of buses it delays everyone else because the driver has to count fare stages to tell you how much you need to pay.
Distance based fares[43] have been introduced since July 2010 to further integrate Singapore’s public transport fare structure. All commuters will be charged a fare according to the total distance traveled, on the bus, LRT and MRT, and make transfers without incurring additional cost. Fares are now computed on a journey basis, without a boarding charge being imposed for every transfer trip that makes up the journey.
Distance based faresPlease remember these points to enjoy full benefits of distance based fares:
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The MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) and LRT (Light Rail Transit) are trains that are the main trunk of Singapore’s transit system. They are a cheap and very reliable mode of transportation, and the network covers most points of interest for the visitor. All train lines use contactless RFID tickets. Just tap to scan your train ticket at the gantry when entering and exiting the train service area. Single-trip tickets cost from $0.80 to $2 plus a $1 refundable deposit, just insert your used ticket into the ticketing machine to get your dollar back. EZ-link or Nets FlashPay farecards (described above) are the easiest and most popular ways to use the MRT. All lines are seamlessly integrated, even if the lines are operated by different transport companies, so you do not need to buy a new ticket to transfer.
The MRT stations are clean and usually equipped with free toilets. Underground stations have platform doors between the train and the platform so there is no risk of falling onto the tracks. The North-East line is fully automated, as is the new Circle Line and all upcoming lines, so it’s worth walking up to the front of the train to look out a tiny window and realize that there is no driver!
Buses connect various corners of Singapore, but are slower and harder to use than the MRT. The advantage though of this is you get to see the sights rather than a dark underground tunnel at a low price. You can pay cash (coins) in buses, but the fare stage system is quite complex (it’s easiest to ask the driver for the price to your destination), you are charged marginally more and there is no provision for getting change. Payment with ez-link or Nets Flashpay card is thus the easiest method: tap your card against the reader at the front entrance of the bus when boarding, and a maximum fare is deducted from the card. When you alight, tap your card again at the exit, and the difference is refunded. Make sure you tap out, or you’ll end up paying the maximum fare! Inspectors occasionally prowl buses to check that everybody has paid or tapped, so those who are on tourist day passes should tap before sitting down. Dishonest bus commuters risk getting fine $20 for not paying or underpaying fares (by premature tapping-out) and $50 for improper use of concession cards. Another advantage of ez-link or Nets Flashpay cards is that you will be able to enjoy distance-based fares and avoid the boarding fee.
After midnight on Fri, Sat and before public holidays only, the NightRider [44] services are a fairly convenient way of getting around, with seven lines running every 20 min. All services drive past the major nightlife districts of Boat Quay, Clarke Quay, Mohamed Sultan and Orchard before splintering off. Flat fare $4.00, EZ-link accepted.
As mentioned earlier, Gothere.sg will give you options as to which busses will take you from your origin or destination.
Taxicabs use meters and are reasonably priced and honest, however, a shortage of taxis in Singapore means that they are often unavailable for hours at a time. Outside weekday peak hours, trips within the city center should not cost you more than $10 and even a trip right across the island from Changi to Jurong will not break the $35 mark. If you are in a group of 3 or 4, it’s sometimes cheaper and faster to take a taxi than the MRT. Be aware, however, that taxis are often remarkably difficult to secure, especially during peak commute or shopping hours, or when there is inclement weather. During these times it can be impossible to get through to a booking agent via telephone, and you can expect extended waits in taxi queues. There is a puzzling lack of action to address this persistent and frustrating taxi shortage.
Taxi pricing is largely identical across all companies at $2.80-3.00 as a flag down rate (depending on the type of vehicle used), which lasts you 1 km before increments of $0.20 per 385 m (for the first 10 km) or $0.20 per 330 m (after the first 10 km). (The sole exception is SMRT’s giant black Chryslers, which charge $5 and then $0.30 per 385 m.) Watch out for surprises though: there are a myriad of peak hour (35%), late night (50%), central business district ($3), trips from airport or the IRs ($3-$5 during peak hours), phone booking ($2.50 and up), public holiday ($1) and Electronic Road Pricing surcharges, which may add a substantial amount to your taxi fare. All such charges are shown on the bottom right-hard corner of the meter, recorded in the printed receipt and explained in tedious detail in a sticker on the window; if you suspect the cabbie is trying to pull a fast one, call the company and ask for an explanation. Note that there is no surcharge for trips to the airport. While all taxis are equipped to handle (and are required to accept) credit cards, in practice many cabbies do not accept electronic payment. Always ask before getting in. Paying by credit card will incur an additional surcharge of 17%. During rush hour in the city center, or late at night on the weekends, it’s wise to call for a taxi from the unified booking system at ☎ +65 6342 5222 (6-DIAL-CAB).
Despite the costs involved, taxis may sometimes take you to distant locations outside the CBD faster than mass transport. An airport trip from downtown may take less than 20 mins on a cab but more than 30 mins on an MRT.
In the Central Business District, taxis may pick up passengers only at taxi stands (found outside any shopping mall) or buildings with their own driveways (including virtually all hotels). Outside the centre, you’re free to hail taxis on the street or call one to your doorstep. At night spots featuring long queues, such as Clarke Quay, you may on occasion be approached by touts offering a quick flat fare to your destination. This is illegal and very expensive but reasonably safe for you. (Drivers, on the other hand, will probably lose their job if caught.)
Some Singapore taxi drivers have very poor geographical knowledge and may expect you to know where they should go, so it may be helpful to bring a map of your destination area or directions on finding where you wish to go. Some cabbies may also ask you which route you want to take; most are satisfied with “whichever way is faster”.
Trishaws, three-wheeled bicycle taxis, haunt the area around the Singapore River and Chinatown. Geared purely for tourists, they should be avoided for serious travel as locals do not use them. There is little room for bargaining: short rides will cost $10-20 and an hour’s sightseeing charter about $50 per person.
Bumboat sailing on the Singapore River past the Esplanade Theatres
Tourist-oriented bumboats cruise the Singapore River, offering point-to-point rides starting from $3 and cruises with nice views of the CBD skyscraper skyline starting from $13.
Bumboats also shuttle passengers from Changi Village to Pulau Ubin ($2.50 one-way), a small island off Singapore’s northeast coast which is about as close as Singapore gets to unhurried rural living.
Car rental is not a popular option in Singapore. You will usually be looking at upwards for $100 per day for the smallest vehicle from the major rental companies, although local ones can be cheaper and there are sometimes good weekend prices available. This does not include gas at around $1.80/litre or electronic road pricing (ERP) fees, and you’ll usually need to pay extra to drive to Malaysia. If planning on touring Malaysia by car, it makes much more sense to head across the border to Johor Bahru, where both rentals and petrol are half price, and you have the option of dropping your car off elsewhere in the country. This also avoids the unwelcome extra attention that Singapore plates tend to get from thieves and greedy cops.
Roads in Singapore are in excellent condition and driving habits are generally good with most people following the traffic rules due to stringent enforcement, though road courtesy tends to be sorely lacking. Compared to other major cities around the world like Sydney,Tokyo or Hong Kong, parking spaces are comparatively easier to find in the city centre of Singapore, although peak hour congestion can be quite severe. Foreign licenses in English are valid in Singapore for up to a year from your date of entry, after which you will have to convert your foreign license to a Singapore one. Foreign licenses not in English must be accompanied by an International Driving Permit (IDP) or an official English translation (usually available from your embassy) for them to be valid.
Singaporeans drive on the left (UK style) and the driving age is 18. The speed limit is only 90 km/h on expressways and 60 km/h on other roads. ERP payments require a stored-value CashCard, which is usually arranged by the rental agency, but it’s your responsibility to ensure it has enough value. Passing through an ERP gantry with insufficient value will mean that alert is sent to your registered address. You will need to pay an administrative fee in addition to the difference between the remaining amount and the actual charge. You have a limited time to settle this otherwise your penalty becomes heavier.
All passengers must wear seatbelts and using a phone while driving is banned. Drink-driving is not tolerated: the maximum blood alcohol content is 0.08%, with roadblocks set up at night to catch offenders, who are heavily fined and possibly jailed. Even if your blood alcohol level does not exceed the legal limit, you can still be charged with drink driving if the police are convinced that your ability to control the vehicle has been compromised by the presence of alcohol (i.e. if you get involved in an accident). The police do conduct periodic roadblocks and speed cameras are omnipresent. Fines will be sent by mail to you or your rental agency, who will then pass on the cost with a surcharge. If stopped for a traffic offense, don’t even think about trying to bribe your way out.
Hitchhiking is virtually unheard of in Singapore, and given the size of the country and its cheap, ubiquitous public transport, it’s hardly necessary.
Using bicycles as a substitute for public transportation is possible, although there’s little bicycling culture and amenities like bike lanes or bike racks are a rarity. While the city is small and its landscape is flat, it can be difficult to predict how rideable a route will be without scoping it out first. Buses, taxis, and motorists stopping to drop off or pick up passengers rarely check for cyclists before merging back onto the roadway, which makes certain routes especially treacherous. The ubiquitous road works around Singapore can also make cycling more hazardous when temporary road surfaces are not kept safe for biking, portable traffic barriers make it hard for vehicles to see cyclists, and construction crews directing traffic are unsure of how to deal with cyclists on the roadway.
Air quality can also be a problem. According to Singapore’s LTA, Singapore has more than 178,000 diesel diesel powered cars, taxis, buses, and trucks, which can make biking on Singapore’s crowded roads very unpleasant. When the thick smoke from Indonesian fires descends on Singapore, air quality plummets even further.
There are few bike lanes in Singapore, and none in the city center. The 2010 campaign, “1.5M Matters” seems to have little effect on the driving habits of Singaporians, who often pass uncomfortably close to cyclists. In 2008 22 cyclists were killed on Singapore roadways, and in 2009, 19. According to the Singapore “Ride of Silence” two cyclists are hit by motor vehicles every day in Singapore.
Small folding bicycles may be taken on the MRT during certain times of the day, but large bicycles are a no-no. Bicycles may cross the Causeway to Malaysia (on motorbike lanes), but are not allowed on expressways.
Singapore is generally fairly ‘pedestrian-friendly’. In the main business district and on main roadways, sidewalks and pedestrian crossings are in good shape and plentiful. Drivers are mindful of marked crossing zones, but are less likely be aware or respectful of pedestrians crossing at streetcorners on less busy streets where crosswalks are not marked, even though by law any accident between a pedestrian and a vehicle is presumed to be the driver’s fault. In residential areas of Singapore, pedestrians can be frustrated by narrow and poorly-maintained sidewalks that often jump from one side of the street to the other or just disappear, and frequently are obstructed by trash cans and plantings. Jaywalking is illegal and punished with fines of $25 and up to three months in jail.
Classic walks in Singapore include walking down the river from the Merlion through the Quays, trekking along the Southern Ridges Walk or just strolling aroundChinatown, Little India or Bugis.
An unavoidable downside, though, is the tropical heat and humidity, which leaves many visitors sweaty and exhausted, so bring along a handkerchief and a bottle of water. It’s best to get an early start, pop into air-conditioned shops, cafes, and museums to cool off, and plan on heading back to the shopping mall or hotel pool before noon. Alternatively, after sundown, evenings can also be comparatively cool.
| Who are the people in your neighborhood?The Big 3 — Chinese, Malays and Indians — get all the press, but there are plenty of other communities with their own little neighborhoods (or shopping malls) in Singapore:Arabs: Arab Street, of course Burmese: Peninsula Plaza, on North Bridge Rd Filipinos: Lucky Plaza, on Orchard Rd Indonesians: City Plaza, near Paya Lebar MRT Japanese: Robertson Quay and Clarke Quay, especially the Liang Court shopping mall, plus Cuppage Plaza, opposite the Somerset MRT and Takashimaya along Orchard Road Koreans: Tanjong Pagar Rd Thais: Golden Mile Complex, on Beach Rd |
Malay may be enshrined in the Constitution as the ‘national’ language, but in practice the most common language is English, spoken by almost every Singaporean under the age of 50 with varying degrees of fluency. English is spoken much better here than in most Asian neighbours. English is also the medium of instruction in schools, except for mother tongue subjects (e.g. Malay, Mandarin and Tamil), which are also required to be learned in school by Singaporeans. In addition, all official signs and documents are written in English, usually using British spelling.
However, the distinctive local patois Singlish may be hard to understand at times, as it incorporates slang words and phrases from other languages, including various Chinese dialects, Malay and Tamil as well as English words whose pronunciation or meaning have been corrupted. Additionally ,it has an odd way of structuring sentences, due to the original speakers being mostly Chinese. Complex consonant clusters are simplified, articles and plurals disappear, verb tenses are replaced by adverbs, questions are altered to fit the Chinese syntax and semirandom particles (especially the infamous “lah”) appear:
Singlish: You wan beer or not? — Dunwan lah, dring five bottle oreddi.
English: Do you want a beer? — No, thanks; I’ve already had five bottles.
It is also inclusive of multilingual references, to events past or current. These can be of the innocuous variety, or they can be satirical or political in nature. An example of the former would be ‘mee siam mai hum” – otherwise the name of a hawker dish, but given another layer of subtext by popular local blogger mrbrown. Practise caution when ordering this particular dish – it will be sure to draw sniggers from the younger crowd.
Thanks to nationwide language education campaigns, most younger Singaporeans are, however, capable of speaking what the government calls “good English” when necessary. To avoid unintentional offense, it’s best to start off with standard English and shift to simplified pidgin only if it becomes evident that the other person cannot follow you. Try to resist the temptation to sprinkle your speech with unnecessary Singlishisms: you’ll get a laugh if you do it right, but it sounds patronizing if you do it wrong. Wikipedia’s Singlish [45] article goes into obsessive and occasionally impenetrable grammatical detail, but the sections on vocabulary [46] and abbreviations[47] are handy.
Singapore’s other official languages are Mandarin Chinese and Tamil. Mandarin is spoken by most younger Singaporean Chinese while Tamil is spoken by most Indians. Like English, the Mandarin spoken in Singapore has also evolved into a distinctive creole and often incorporates words from other Chinese dialects, Malay and English, though all Singaporean Chinese are taught standard Mandarin in school. Various Chinese dialects (mostly Hokkien, though significant numbers also speak Teochew andCantonese) are also spoken between ethnic Chinese of the same dialect group, though their use has been declining in the younger generation since the 1980s due to government policies discouraging the use of dialects in favour of Mandarin. Other Indian languages, such as Punjabi among the Sikhs, are also spoken.
The official Chinese script used in Singapore is the simplified script used in mainland China. As such, all official publications (including local newspapers) and signs are in simplified Chinese and all ethnic Chinese are taught to write the simplified script in school. However, the older generations still prefer the traditional style, and the popularity of Hong Kong and Taiwanese pop culture means that even the youth can usually read traditional Chinese.
Map of central Singapore, with outlines of detailed region maps
Sights in Singapore are covered in more detail under the various districts. Broadly speaking:
Henderson Waves
If you are traveling to Singapore, be sure to carry the following:
While you can find a place to practice nearly any sport in Singapore — golfing, surfing, scuba diving, even ice skating and snow skiing — due to the country’s small size your options are rather limited and prices are relatively high. For watersports in particular, the busy shipping lanes and sheer population pressure mean that the sea around Singapore is murky, and most locals head up to Tioman (Malaysia) or Bintan (Indonesia) instead. On the upside, there is an abundance of dive shops in Singapore, and they often arrange weekend trips to good dive sites off the East Coast of Malaysia, so they are a good option for accessing some of Malaysia’s not-so touristy dive sites.
Esplanade Theatres by the Bay
On the cultural side of things, Singapore has been trying to shake off its boring, buttoned-down reputation and attract more artists and performances, with mixed success. The star in Singapore’s cultural sky is the Esplanade theatre in Marina Bay, a world-class facility for performing arts and a frequent stage for the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Pop culture options are more limited and Singapore’s home-grown arts scene remains rather moribund, although local starlets Stefanie Sun and JJ Lin have had some success in the Chinese pop scene. On the upside, any bands and DJs touring Asia are pretty much guaranteed to perform in Singapore.
Going to the movies is a popular Singaporean pastime, but look for “R21″ ratings (21 and up only) if you like your movies with fewer cuts. The big three theatre chains are Cathay [48], Golden Village[49] and Shaw Brothers [50]. Censorship continues to throttle the local film scene, but Jack Neo’s popular comedies showcase the foibles of Singaporean life.
In summer, don’t miss the yearly Singapore Arts Festival [51]. Advance tickets for almost any cultural event can be purchased from SISTIC [52], either online or from any of their numerous ticketing outlets, including the Singapore Visitor Centre on Orchard Rd.
Singapore has two integrated resorts with casinos. Marina Bay Sands at Marina Bay is the larger and swankier of the two, while Resorts World Sentosa at Sentosaaims for a more family-friendly experience. While locals (citizens and permanent residents) have to pay $100/day to get in, foreign visitors can enter for free.
Besides the casino, there are other forms of legalised betting which are more accessible to the locals. This includes horse racing, which is run by the Singapore Turf Club[53] on weekends, as well as football (soccer) betting and several lotteries run by the Singapore Pools[54].
Mahjong is also a popular pastime in Singapore. The version played in Singapore is similar to the Cantonese version, but it also has extra “animal tiles” not present in the original Cantonese version. However, this remains pretty much a family and friends affair, and there are no mahjong parlours.
Despite its small size, Singapore has a surprisingly large number of golf courses, but most of the best ones are run by private clubs and open to members and their guests only. The main exceptions are the Sentosa Golf Club [55], the famously challenging home of the Barclays Singapore Open, and the Marina Bay Golf Course[56], the only 18-hole public course. See the Singapore Golf Association [57] for the full list; alternatively, head to the nearby Indonesian islands of Batam or Bintanor up north to the Malaysian town of Malacca for cheaper rounds.
F1 Singapore Grand Prix
The inaugural F1 Singapore Grand Prix [58] was held at night in September 2008, and will be a fixture on the local calendar until at least 2012. Held on a street circuit in the heart of Singapore and raced at night, all but race fans will probably wish to avoid this time, as hotel prices especially room with view of the F1 tracks are through the roof. Tickets start from $150 but the thrilling experience of night race is definitely unforgettable for all F1 fans and photo buffs. Besides being a uniquely night race, the carnival atmosphere and pop concert held around the race ground as well as the convenience of hotels and restaurants round the corner, distinguish the race from other F1 races held remotely away from urban centers.
The Singapore Turf Club[59] in Kranji hosts horse races most Fridays, including a number of international cups, and is popular with local gamblers. The Singapore Polo Club[60] near Balestier is also open to the public on competition days.
Singapore has recently been experiencing a spa boom, and there is now plenty of choice for everything from holistic Ayurveda to green tea hydrotherapy. However, prices aren’t as rock-bottom as in neighbors Indonesia and Thailand, and you’ll generally be looking at upwards of $70 even for a plain one-hour massage. Good spas can be found in most 5 star hotels and on Orchard, and Sentosa’s Spa Botanica also has a good reputation. There are also numerous shops offering traditional Chinese massage, which are mostly legitimate, and “health centres”, which are mostly not.
When looking for beauty salons on Orchard Road, try out the ones on the fourth floor of Lucky Plaza. They offer most salon services like manicures, pedicures, facials, waxing and hair services. A favorite of flight crew and repeat tourists due to the lower costs as compared to the sky high prices of other salons along the shopping belt. Shop around for prices, some of the better looking ones actually charge less.
Forget your tiny hotel pool if you are into competitive or recreational swimming: Singapore is paradise for swimmers with arguably the highest density of public pools in the world. They are all open-air 50 m pools (some facilities even feature up to three 50 m pools), accessible for an entrance fee of $1-1.50. Some of the visitors don’t swim at all. They just come from nearby housing complexes for a few hours to chill out, read and relax in the sun. Most are open daily from 8AM-9PM, and all feature a small cafe. Just imagine swimming your lanes in the tropical night with lit up palm trees surrounding the pool.
The Singapore Sports Council maintains a list of pools [61], most of which are part of a larger sports complex with gym, tennis courts etc, and are located near the MRT station they’re named after. Perhaps the best is in Katong (111 Wilkinson Road, on the East Coast): after the swim, stroll through the villa neighbourhood directly in front of the pool entrance and have at look at the luxurious, original architecture of the houses that really rich Singaporeans live in. If you get bored with regular swimming pools, head to the Jurong East Swimming Complex where you get the wave pool, water slides and Jacuzzi at an insanely affordable entrance fee of $1.50 on weekdays and $2 on weekends. For those who feel richer, visit the Wild Wild Wet[62] water theme park with $16 and get yourself wet with various exciting water slides and powerful tidal wave pool.
For those who don’t like pools, head out to the beaches. The East Coast Park has a scenic coastline that stretches over 15 km. It is a popular getaways for Singaporeans to swim, cycle, barbecue and do many other sports activities. The Sentosa island also has three white sandy beaches, each with its own distinct characteristics – Siloso Beach, Palawan Beach and Tanjong Beach.
Besides the more regular water sports such as waterskiing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, canoeing and etc., Singapore also offers water sports fans trendy activities such as cable-Skiing and wave surfing in specially created environments.
While obviously not the best place on Earth for skiing, sunny Singapore still has a permanent indoor snow centre — Snow City offers visitors to the region a chance to experience winter. Visitors can escape from the hot and humid tropical weather to play with snow or even learn to ski and snowboard with internationally certified professional instructors.
All coins and a $2 note.
The Singaporean currency is the Singapore dollar, abbreviated SGD, S$ or just $ (as used throughout this guide), divided into 100 cents. There are coins of $0.05 (gold), $0.10 (silver), $0.20 (silver), $0.50 (silver) and $1 (gold), plus bills of $2 (purple), $5 (green), $10 (red), $50 (blue), $100 (orange), $1000 (purple) and $10000 (gold). The Brunei dollar is pegged at par with the Singapore dollar and the two currencies can be used interchangeably in both countries, so don’t be too surprised if you get a Brunei note as change. You can safely assume that the ‘$’ sign used in the island-nation refers to SGD unless it includes other initials (e.g. US$ to stand for US Dollar).
Restaurants often display prices like $19.99++, which means that service charge (10%) and sales tax (7%) are not included and will be added to your bill. When you see NETT, it means it includes all taxes and service charges. Tipping is generally not practised in Singapore, and is officially frowned upon by the government, although bellhops still expect $2 or so per bag. Taxis will usually return your change to the last cent, or round in your favor if they can’t be bothered to dig for change.
ATMs are ubiquitous in Singapore and credit cards are widely accepted (although some shops may levy a 3% surcharge, and taxis a whopping 15%). Travelers checks are generally not accepted by retailers, but can be cashed at most exchange booths. eZ-Link and Nets Flash Pay cards are accepted in some convenience stores and fast food chains.
Currency exchange booths can be found in every shopping mall and usually offer better rates, better opening hours and much faster service than banks. The huge 24 hr operation at Mustafa in Little India accepts almost any currency at very good rates, as do the fiercely competitive small shops at the aptly named Change Alley next to Raffles Place MRT. For large amounts, ask for a quote, as it will often get you a better rate than displayed on the board. Rates at the airport are not as good as in the city, and while many department stores accept major foreign currencies, their rates are often terrible.
Singapore is expensive by Asian standards but cheap for visitors from most industrialised countries: $50 is a perfectly serviceable daily backpacker budget if you are willing to cut some corners, though you would probably wish to double that for comfort. Food in particular is a steal, with excellent hawker food available for under $5 for a generous serving. Accommodation is a little pricier, but a bed in a hostel can cost less than $20, an average 3-4 star hotel in the city centre would typically cost anywhere from $100-$300 per night for a basic room, and the most luxurious hotels on the island (except maybe the Raffles) can be yours for $300 with the right discounts during the off-peak season.
Budget travellers should note that Singapore is much more expensive than the rest of Southeast Asia and should budget accordingly if planning to spend time in Singapore. In general, prices in Singapore are about twice as high as in Malaysia and Thailand and 3-5 times as high as in Indonesia and the Philippines.
| Cheated?Ripped off by a shop? Give the Singapore Tourism Board’s free hotline at 1800 736-2000 . The Small Claims Tribunal at 1 Havelock Sq also has a special expedited process for tourists that can solve simple cases within 24 hours. |
Sim Lim Square, Singapore’s computing and electronics mecca
Shopping is second only to eating as a national pastime, which means that Singapore has anabundance of shopping malls, and low taxes and tariffs on imports coupled with huge volume mean that prices are usually very competitive. While you won’t find any bazaars with dirt-cheap local handicrafts (in fact, virtually everything sold in Singapore is made elsewhere), goods are generally of reasonably good quality and shopkeepers are generally quite honest due to strong consumer protection laws. Most stores are open 7 days a week from 10AM-10PM, although smaller operations (particularly those outside shopping malls) close earlier — 7PM is common — and perhaps on Sundays as well. Mustafa in Little India is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Keep an eye out for the Great Singapore Sale [63], usually held in June-July, when shopping centres pull out all stops to attract punters. Many stores along the shopping belt of Orchard Road and Scotts Road now offer late night shopping on the last Friday of every month with over 250 retailers staying open till midnight.
Pretty in pink: Peranakan tea set with dragon-phoenix motif
For purchases of over $100 per day per participating shop, you may be able to get a 6% refund of your 7% GST at Changi Airport or Seletar Airport, but the process is a bit of a bureaucratic hassle. At the shop you need to ask for a tax refund cheque. Before checking in at the airport, present this cheque together with the items purchased and your passport at the GST customs counter. Get the receipt stamped there. Then proceed with check-in and go through security. On the air side, bring the stamped cheque to the refund counter to cash it in or get the GST back on your credit card. See Singapore Customs [66] for the full scoop.
| This guide uses the following price ranges for a typical meal for one, including soft drink: | |
| Budget | Under $10 |
| Mid-range | $10-30 |
| Splurge | Over $30 |
Singapore is a melting pot of cuisines from around the world, and many Singaporeans are obsessive gourmands who love to makan (“eat” in Malay). You will find quality Chinese, Malay, Indian, Japanese, Thai, Italian, French, American and other food in this city-state.
Eating habits run the gamut, but most foods are eaten by fork and spoon: push and cut with the fork in the left hand, and eat with the spoon in the right. Noodles and Chinese dishes typically come with chopsticks, while Malay and Indian food can be eaten by hand, but nobody will blink an eye if you ask for a fork and spoon instead. If eating by hand, always use your right hand to pick your food, as Malays and Indians traditionally use their left hand to handle dirty things. Take note of the usual traditional Chinese etiquette when using chopsticks, and most importantly, do not stick your chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice. If eating in a group, serving dishes are always shared, but you’ll get your own bowl of rice and soup. It’s common to use your own chopsticks to pick up food from communal plates, but serving spoons can be provided on request.
Keep an eye out for the Singapore Food Festival [67], held every year in July. During the last three festivals, all visitors to Singapore smart enough to ask for them at any tourist information desk received coupons for free chilli crab, no strings attached!
Singapore is justly famous for its food, a unique mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Western elements. The following is only a brief sampler of the most popular dishes.
 A plate of chilli crab |
 Katong laksa, with chilli paste and chopped laksa leaf in a spoon |
 Satay with peanut sauce, onions and cucumber |
Culinary borrowingsMany regional terms and the odd euphemism tend to crop up in notionally English menus. A few of the more common ones:
|
The most identifiable cuisine in the region is Peranakan or Nonya cuisine, born from the mixed Malay and Chinese communities of what were once the British colonies of the Straits Settlements (modern-day Singapore, Penang and Malacca).
Besides these dishes, the Peranakans are also known or their kueh or snacks which are somewhat different from the Malay versions due to stronger Chinese influences.
Nasi lemak with sambal ikan bilis (curried dry anchovies), cucumber, chicken curry and an egg
The Malays were Singapore’s original inhabitants and despite now being outnumbered by the Chinese, their distinctive cuisine is popular to this day. Characterized by heavy use of spices, most Malay dishes are curries, stews or dips of one kind or another andnasi padang restaurants, offering a wide variety of these to ladle onto your rice, are very popular.
Malay desserts, especially the sweet pastries and jellies (kuih or kueh) made largely from coconut and palm sugar (gula melaka), bear a distinct resemblance to those of Thailand. But in the sweltering tropical heat, try one of many concoctions made with ice instead:
 Bak kut teh with rice and you tiao fritters |
 Hainanese chicken rice |
 Fried hokkien mee |
 Prawn mee and pork rib soup |
Chinese food as eaten in Singapore commonly originates from southern China, particularly Fujian and Guangdong. While “authentic” fare is certainly available, especially in fancier restaurants, the daily fare served in hawker centres has absorbed a number of tropical touches, most notably the fairly heavy use of chilli and the Malay fermented shrimp paste belacan as condiments. Noodles can also be served not just in soup (湯 tang), but also “dry” (干 kan), meaning that your noodles will be served tossed with chilli and spices in one bowl, and the soup will come in a separate bowl.
Roti prata (left) and roti telur(center) with a side order of chicken curry
The smallest of the area’s minorities, the Indians have had proportionally the smallest impact on the local culinary scene, but there is no shortage of Indian food even at many hawker centres. Delicious and authentic Indian food can be had at Little India, including south Indian typical meals such as dosa (thosai) crepes, idli lentil-rice cakes and sambar soup, as well as north Indian meals including various curries, naan bread, tandoori chicken and more. In addition, however, a number of Indian dishes have been “Singaporeanized” and adopted by the entire population, including:
| Social welfare Singapore styleOne thing notably absent from Singaporean cheap eateries is any form of napkins or tissues. The solution to the mystery is in Singapore’s lack of government welfare: instead, every hawker centre has a resident invalid or two, who make a living by selling tissues ($1 for a few packets). |
Typical hawker centre, Bugis
The cheapest and most popular places to eat in Singapore are hawker centres, essentially former pushcart vendors directed into giant complexes by government fiat. Prices are low ($2-5 for most dishes), hygiene standards are high (every stall is required to prominently display a health certificate grading it from A to D) and the food can be excellent — if you see a queue, join it! Ambience tends to be a little lacking though and there is no air-conditioning either, but a visit to a hawker centre is a must when in Singapore. However, be leery of overzealous pushers-cum-salesmen, especially at the Satay Club in Lau Pa Sat and Newton Food Centre at Newton Circus: the tastiest stalls don’t need high-pressure tactics to find customers. Touting for business is illegal, and occasionally a reminder of this can result in people backing off a bit.
To order, first chope (reserve) a table by parking a friend by the table, note the table’s number, then place your order at your stall of choice. Employees deliver to your table, and you pay when you get the food. Note that some stalls (particularly very popular ones) have signs stating “self-service”, meaning that you’re expected to get your food yourself, but if it is quiet or you are sitting nearby, they will usually deliver anyway. At almost every stall you can also opt to take away (called “packet” or ta pao(打包) in Cantonese), in which case employees pack up your order in a plastic box/bag and even throw in disposable utensils. Once you are finished, just get up and go, as tables are cleared by hired cleaners.
Every district in Singapore has its own hawker centres and prices decrease as you move out into the boonies. For tourists, centrally located Newton Circus (Newton MRT), Gluttons Bay and Lau Pa Sat(near the River), are the most popular options — but this does not make them the cheapest or the tastiest, and the demanding gourmand would do well to head to Chinatown or the heartlands instead. Many of the best food stalls are located in residential districts away from the tourist trail and do not advertise in the media, so the best way to find them is to ask locals for their recommendations. And if you miss western food, Botak Jones [68] in several hawker centers offer reasonably authentic and generously sized American-restaurant style meals at hawker prices.
| Coffee, see, and tea, oh!Coffee and tea in hawker centres and kopitiam goes for under a dollar a cup, a steep discount on Starbucks prices, but you’ll need to learn the lingo to get what you want. If you order justkopi (the Malay word for “coffee”) or teh (Hokkien for “tea”) in Singapore, it will definitely be served with a heaped spoonful of sugar, and more often than not with a squirt of sweet condensed milk. Kopi-C or teh-C substitutes unsweetened evaporated milk, while kopi-O or teh-O makes sure it’s served with no milk. To get rid of the sugar, you need to ask for it kosong (“plain”), but if you want a plain black cup of joe, you need to ask for kopi-O kosong! If you want your drink cold, just add a peng to the end of the drink name, eg. kopi-O-peng, teh-peng, teh-C-peng, Milo-peng etc. and it will be served with ice. |
Despite the name, coffee shops or kopitiam sell much more than coffee — they are effectively mini-hawker centres with perhaps only half a dozen stalls (one of which will, however, sell coffee and other drinks). The Singaporean equivalent of pubs, this is where folks come for the canonical Singaporean breakfast of kopi (strong, sugary coffee), some kaya (egg-coconut jam) toast and runny eggs, and this is also where they come to down a beer or two and chat away in the evenings. English proficiency can somtimes be limited, but most stall owners know enough to communicate the basics, and even if they don’t, nearby locals will usually help you out if you ask. Many coffee shops offer zi char/cze cha (煮炒) for dinner, meaning a menu of local dishes, mostly Chinese-style seafood, served at your table at mid-range prices.
The usual Starbucks and other local cafe chains such as Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf can be found in any shopping mall but an iced coffee or tea can put you back $5 and up, whereas a teh tarik(“pulled” milky tea) or kopi coffee runs closer to $1 at any hawker centre.
Retro style at the Food Republic food court, Orchard
Found in the basement or top floor of nearly every shopping mall, food courts are the gentrified, air-conditioned version of hawker centres. The variety of food on offer is almost identical, but prices are on average $1-3 higher than prices in hawker centres and coffee shops (depending on the area, it is slightly more expensive in tourist intensive areas) and the quality of food is good but not necessary value for money.
International fast food chains like McDonald’s, Carl’s Jr., Burger King, KFC, MOS Burger, Dairy Queen, Orange Julius, Subway etc are commonly found in various shopping malls. Prices range from $2 for a basic burger and $5 upwards for a set meal. All restaurants are self-service and clearing your table after your meal is optional. In addition to the usual suspects, look out for these uniquely Singaporean brands:
| Kee-ping up with the LimsEver wonder why every other Chinese hawker stall and restaurant in Singapore has a name that ends in Kee? The answer is simple: the character kee (记) is Chinese for “brand” or “mark”, and is used much like the trademark symbol in the West. A name like Yan Kee thus means “run by the Yan family”, and should not be taken as a political statement! |
Singapore offers a wide variety of full-service restaurants as well, catering to every taste and budget.
As the majority of Singapore’s population is ethnic Chinese, there is an abundance of Chinese restaurants in Singapore, mainly serving southern Chinese (mostly Hokkien, Teochew or Cantonese) cuisines, though with the large number of expatriates and foreign workers from China these days, cuisine originating from Shanghai and further north is also not hard to find. As with Chinese restaurants anywhere, food is eaten with chopsticks and served with Chinese tea. While Chinese restaurant food is certainly closer to authentic Chinese fare than hawker food is, it too has not managed to escape local influences and you can find many dishes little seen in China. Depending on where you go and what you order, prices can vary greatly. In ordinary restaurants, prices usually start from $20-30 per person, while in top end restaurants in five-star hotels, prices can go as high as more than $300 per person if you order delicacies such as abalone, suckling pig and lobster.
Being a maritime city, one common specialty is seafood restaurants, offering Chinese-influenced Singaporean classics like chilli crabs. These are much more fun to go to in a group, but be careful what you order: gourmet items like Sri Lankan giant crab or shark’s fin can easily push your bill up to hundreds of dollars. Menus typically say “Market price”, and if you ask they’ll quote you the price per 100 g, but a big crab can easily top 2 kilos. The best-known seafood spots are clustered on the East Coast, but for ambience the riverside restaurants at Boat Quay and Clarke Quay can’t be beat.
Singapore also has its share of good Western restaurants, with British and American influenced food being a clear favourite among locals. Most of the more affordable chains are concentrated around Orchard Road and prices start from around $10-20 per person for the main course. French, Italian, Japanese and Korean food is also readily available, though prices tend to be on the expensive side, while Thai and Indonesian restaurants tend to be more affordable.
One British import much beloved by Singaporeans is high tea. In the classical form, as served up by finer hotels across the island, this is a light afternoon meal consisting of tea and a wide array of British-style savoury snacks and sweet pastries like finger sandwiches and scones. However, the term is increasingly used for afternoon buffets of any kind, and Chinese dim sum and various Singaporean dishes are common additions. Prices vary, but you’ll usually be looking at $20-30 per head. Note that many restaurants only serve high tea on weekends, and hours may be very limited: the famous spread at the Raffles Hotel’s Tiffin Room, for example, is only available between 3:30PM-5PM.
Singaporeans are big on buffets, especially international buffets offering a wide variety of dishes including Western, Chinese and Japanese as well as some local dishes at a fixed price. Popular chains include Sakura [76], Pariss [77], Vienna [78] and Todai [79].
Most hotels also offer lunch and dinner buffets. Champagne brunches on Sundays are particularly popular, but you can expect to pay over $100 per head and popular spots, like Mezza9 at the Hyatt on Orchard, will require reservations.
While Singapore has previously described as a place with excellent casual dining but a lack of fine dining options, the opening of the two casinos have led to several of the world’s top chefs opening branches of their restaurant at the integrated resorts. Prices are generally what you would expect for eating at a fine dining restaurant in the West.
Singapore is an easy place to eat for almost everybody. Many Indians and not a few Chinese Buddhists are strictly vegetarian, so Indian stalls may have a number of veggie options and some hawker centres will have a Chinese vegetarian stall or two, often serving up amazing meat imitations made from gluten. Chinese vegetarian food traditionally does not use eggs or dairy products and is thus almost always vegan; Indian vegetarian food, however, often employs cheese and other milk products. Be on your guard in ordinary Chinese restaurants though, as even dishes that appear vegetarian on the menu may contain seafood products like oyster sauce or salted fish — check with the waiter if in doubt.
Muslims should look out for halal certificates issued by MUIS, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore. This is found at practically every Malay stall and many Indian Muslim operations too, but more rarely on outlets run by the Chinese, few of whom are Muslims. That said, the popular Banquet [80] chain of food courts is entirely halal and an excellent choice for safely sampling halal Chinese food. Many, if not all, of the Western fast-food chains in Singapore use halal meat: look for a certificate around the ordering area, or ask a manager if in doubt. A few restaurants skimp on the formal certification and simply put up “no pork, no lard” signs; it’s your call if this is good enough for you.
Jews, on the other hand, will have a harder time as kosher food is nearly unknown in Singapore. Nevertheless, kosher food is still available near Singapore’s two synagogues at Oxley Rise and Waterloo Street in the Central Business District; check with the Jewish Welfare Board [81] for details.
Celiac disease is relatively unheard of in Singapore, so don’t expect to find information on menus about whether dishes contain gluten or not. A few exceptions to this include Cedele [82] and Barracks @ House [83].
Clarke Quay by night
Singapore’s nightlife isn’t quite a match for Patpong, but it’s no slouch either. Some clubs have 24 hr licenses and few places close before 3AM. Any artist touring Asia are pretty much guaranteed to stop in Singapore, with superclub Zoukin particular regularly clocking high on lists of the world’s best nightclubs. Singapore’s nightlife is largely concentrated along the three Quays — Boat, Clarke and Robertson — of the Riverside, with the clubs of Sentosa and nearby St James Power Station giving party animals even more reason to dance the night away. Gay bars are mostly found around Chinatown. Drinking age is 18, and while this is surprisingly loosely enforced, some clubs have higher age limits.
Friday is generally the biggest night of the week for going out, with Saturday a close second. Sunday is gay night in many bars and clubs, while Wednesday or Thursday is ladies’ night, often meaning not just free entrance but free drinks for women. Most clubs are closed on Monday and Tuesday, while bars generally stay open but tend to be very quiet.
For a night out Singapore style, gather a group of friends and head for the nearest karaoke box — major chains include K-Box [84] and Party World. Room rental ranges from $30/hour and up. Beware that the non-chain, glitzy (or dodgy) looking, neon-covered KTV lounges may charge much higher rates and the short-skirted hostesses may offer more services than just pouring your drinks. In Singapore, the pronunciation of karaoke follows the Japanese “karah-oh-kay” instead of the Western “carry-oh-key“.
The original Singapore Sling at the Raffles
Alcohol is widely available but very expensive due to Singapore’s heavy sin taxes. On the other hand, tax-free at Changi Airport has some of the best prices in the world. You can bring in up to one litre each of liquor, wine and beer if you arrive from countries other than Malaysia. Careful shopping at major supermarkets will also throw up common basic Australian wine labels for under $20.
Alcohol is haram (forbidden) to Muslims, and most Muslim Singaporeans duly avoid it. While most non-Muslim Singaporeans are not puritanical and enjoy a drink every now and then, do not expect to find the binge-drinking culture that you will find in most Western countries. Unlike in most Western countries, public drunkenness in socially frowned upon in Singapore, and misbehaving yourself under the influence of alcohol will certainly not gain you any respect from Singaporean friends. Do not allow any confrontations to escalate into fights, as the police will be called in, and you will face jail time and possibly caning.
Prices when eating out vary. You can enjoy a large bottle of beer of your choice at a coffee shop or hawker center for less than $6 (and the local colour comes thrown in for free). On the other hand, drinks in any bar, club or fancy restaurant remain extortionate, with a basic drink clocking in at $10-15 while fancy cocktails would usually be in the $15-25 range. On the upside, happy hours and two-for-one promotions are common, and the entry price for clubs usually includes several drink tickets. Almost all restaurants in Singapore allow bringing your own (BYO) wine and cheaper restaurants without a wine menu usually don’t even charge corkage, although in these places you’ll need to bring your own bottle opener and glasses. Fancier places charge $20-50, although many offer free corkage days on Monday or Tuesday.
Tourists flock to the Long Bar in the Raffles Hotel to sample the original Singapore Sling, a sickly sweet pink mix of pineapple juice, gin and more, but locals (almost) never touch the stuff. The tipple of choice in Singapore is the local beer, Tiger, a rather ordinary lager, but there’s been a recent microbrewery boom with Archipelago (Boat Quay), Brewerkz (Riverside Point), Paulaner Brauhaus (Millenia Walk) and Pump Room (Clarke Quay) all offering interesting alternatives.
Tobacco is heavily taxed, and you are not allowed to bring more than one opened pack (not carton, but a single pack!) of cigarettes into the country. This is particularly strictly enforced on the land borders with Malaysia. Many public places including hawker centres have restrictions on smoking, and it is prohibited in public transport as well. There is a total ban on smoking in all air-conditioned places (including pubs and discos), and strict limitations on where you can smoke outside as well (eg. bus stops and all except the designated sections of hawker centres are off limits). The designated zone should be marked with a yellow outline, and may have a sign reading “smoking zone”.
Prostitution is tolerated in six designated districts, most notably Geylang, which — not coincidentally — also offers some of the cheapest lodging and best food in the city. The industry maintains a low profile (no go-go bars here) and is not a tourist attraction by any stretch of the word. Legally practising commercial sex workers are required to register with the authorities and attend special clinics for regular sexually transmitted disease screening. However, please be prudent and practice safe sex–although most sex workers will insist on it anyway.
Orchard Towers, on Orchard Road, has been famously summarized as “four floors of whores” and, despite occasional crackdowns by the authorities, continues to live up to its name. Beware that the prostitutes working here are usually not registered, so the risk of theft and STDs is significantly higher, and not a few of the “women” are actually transsexuals.
| This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room: | |
| Budget | Under $100 |
| Mid-range | $100-300 |
| Splurge | Over $300 |
Accommodation in Singapore is expensive by South-East Asian standards. Particularly in the higher price brackets, demand has been outstripping supply recently and during big events like the F1 race or some of the larger conventions it’s not uncommon for pretty much everything to sell out. Lower-end hotels and hostels, though, remain affordable and available throughout the year.
Do note that Singapore’s laws that ban late night/early morning construction only apply to residential areas and not the city centre. You can expect to hear loud piling from sites such as the new Shanghai tunnel late into the night or early morning. Keep this in mind and check for any construction work near any hotel you choose as the work will be unlikely to stop when you want to sleep!
Unless you’re a shopping maven intent on maximizing time in Orchard Road’s shopping malls, the Riverside is probably the best place to stay in Singapore.
Backpackers’ hostels can be found primarily in Little India, Bugis,Clarke Quay and the East Coast. Around $25-40 for a dorm bed. Some examples are:
Cheap hotels are clustered in the Geylang, Balestier and Little India districts, where they service mostly the type of customer who rents rooms by the hour. Rooms are generally small and not fancy, but are still clean and provide basic facilities like a bathroom and television. Prices start as low as $15 for a “transit” of a few hours and $40 for a full night’s stay. The two major local chains, with hotels throughout the island, are:
Much of Singapore’s mid-range accommodation is in rather featureless but functional older hotels, with a notable cluster near the western end of the Singapore River. There has, however, been a recent surge of “boutique” hotels in renovated shophouses here and in Chinatown and these can be pretty good value, with rates starting from $100/night.
Raffles Hotel
Singapore has a wide selection of luxury accommodation, including the famed Raffles Hotel. You will generally be looking at upwards of $300 per night for a room in a five-star hotel, which is still a pretty good deal by most standards. Hotel rates fluctuate quite a bit: a large conference can double prices, while on weekends in the off-peak season heavy discounts are often available. The largest hotel clusters can be found at Marina Bay (good for sightseeing) and around Orchard Road (good for shopping).
Housing in Singapore is expensive, as the high population density and sheer scarcity of land drives real estate prices through the roof. As a result, you would generally be looking at rentals on par with the likes of New York and London.
Apartment hotels in Singapore include Ascott [88], which also operates under the Somerset andCitadines brands. Prices are competitive with hotels but quite expensive compared to apartments.
Renting an apartment in Singapore will generally require a working visa. While over 80% of Singaporeans live in government-subsidized Housing Development Board (HDB) flats, their availability to visitors is limited, although JTC’s SHiFT [89] scheme makes some available with monthly rents in the $1700-2,800 range.
Most expats, however, turn to private housing blocks known as condos, where an average three-bedroom apartment will cost you anything from $3,200 per month for an older apartment in the suburbs to $20,000 for a top-of-the-line deluxe one on Orchard Road. Most condos have facilities like pools, gyms, tennis court, carpark and 24 hr security. As the supply of studio and one-bedroom apartments is very limited, most people on a budget share an apartment with friends or colleagues, or just sublet a single room. Landed houses, known as bungalows, are incredibly expensive in the centre (rents are regularly measured in tens of thousands) but can drop if you’re willing to head out into the woods — and remember that you can drive across the country in 30 minutes.
One or two-month security deposits are standard practice and for monthly rents of under $3,000 you need to pay the agent a commission of 2 weeks per year of lease. Leases are usually for two years, with a “diplomatic clause” that allows you to terminate after 1 year. Singapore Expats [90] is the largest real estate agency geared for expats and their free classifieds are a popular choice for hunting for rooms or apartment-mates. You might also want to check the classified ads in the local newspapers.
Singapore’s universities are generally well-regarded and draw exchange students from near and far.
A number of foreign universities, business schools and specialized institutes have also setup their Asian campuses in Singapore.
Casual work is nearly impossible to come by, as you must have a work permit (WP) or employment pass (EP) to work in Singapore. In practice, receiving either requires that you have a firm job offer and the sponsoring company applies on your behalf; however, highly skilled people can apply for an Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate (EPEC), which allows you to stay in Singapore for a maximum of one year while you look for a job. There is also a Working Holiday Programme [104]for recent university grads who want to live in Singapore for up to 6 months.
Work permits are mostly intended for menial, low-skilled laborers. To be eligible for an employment pass, you would generally need to have a minimum salary of more than $2,500 per month and hold at least a bachelor degree from a reasonably reputable university. There is also an intermediate known as the S pass, which is usually granted to mid-skilled workers who have been promoted to positions of junior leadership such as worksite supervisor, and would require you to have a minimum salary of more than $1,800 per month as well as your employer’s recommendation. Employment pass holders as well as S pass holders with a monthly salary of more than $2,500 are allowed to bring in their family members on a dependent pass.
If your employment is terminated, you will get a social visit pass (a visitors visa with no employment rights) which allows you to stay for no longer than 14 days. You can look for another job during this time, but don’t overstay your visa, and do not think about working without the right papers, this will result in a short stay in the local prison, with added fines, possibly caning and certain deportation. For more information, contact the Ministry of Manpower [105].
Once you have been working in Singapore for a year or so with an employment pass or S pass, applying for permanent residence (PR) is fairly straightforward. If granted — and the rule of thumb is, the higher your salary, the more likely you are to get it — you can stay in Singapore indefinitely (as long as you can show some income every 5 years) and can change jobs freely.
As one of the most vibrant economies in South-east Asia, and supported by a highly-educated population of locals and foreign talents, Singapore is a natural choice for multi-nationals who wish to have a presence in the region. The government is also highly supportive of entrepreneurship in the country, offering a full 3-year tax exemption on profit for new companies (for the first S$100,000) and having one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the world at 17% a year. Even the company incorporation process [106] is done entirely online these days and can be completed as quickly as within a day.
Fine-tuning the MRT
Singapore is one of the safest major cities in the world by virtually any measure. Most people, including single female travelers, will not face any problems walking along the streets alone at night. But as the local police say, “low crime does not mean no crime” — beware of pickpockets in crowded areas and don’t forget your common sense entirely.
Singapore’s squeaky cleanliness is achieved in part by strict rules against activities that are tolerated in other countries. For example, jay-walking, spitting, littering, and drinking and eating on public transport are prohibited. Locals joke about Singapore being a fine city because heavy fines are levied if one is caught committing an offense. Look around for sign boards detailing the Don’ts and the fines associated with these offenses, and heed them. Avoid littering, as offenders are not only subject to fines, but also to a “Corrective Work Order”, in which offenders are made to wear a bright yellow jacket and pick up rubbish in public places. Enforcement is however sporadic at best, and it is not uncommon to see people openly litter, spit, smoke in non-smoking zones, etc. Chewing gum, famously long banned, is now available at pharmacies for medical purposes (e.g. nicotine gum) if you ask for it directly, show your ID and sign the register. While importing gum is still technically an offense, one can usually bring in a few packs for personal consumption without any problem.
 WARNING: Singapore treats drug offenses extremely severely. The death penalty is mandatory for those convicted of trafficking, manufacturing, importing or exporting more than 15 g of heroin, 30 g of morphine, 30 g of cocaine, 500 g of cannabis, 200 g of cannabis resin and 1.2 kg of opium, and possession of these quantities is all that is needed for you to be convicted. For unauthorised consumption, there is a maximum of 10 years’ jail or fine of $20,000, or both. You can be charged for unauthorised consumption as long as traces of illicit drugs are found in your system, even if you can prove that they were consumed outside the country, and you can be charged for trafficking as long as drugs are found in bags that are in your possession or in your room, even if they aren’t yours and regardless of whether you’re aware of them – therefore be vigilant of your possessions. |
For some crimes, most notably illegal entry and overstaying your visa for over 90 days, Singapore imposes caning as a punishment. Other offenses which have caning as a punishment include vandalism (just ask Michael P. Fay), robbery, molestation and rape. Do note that having sex with a girl under the age of 16 is considered to be rape under Singapore law, regardless of whether the girl consents to it and would land you a few strokes of the cane. This is no slap on the wrist: strokes from the thick rattan cane are excruciatingly painful, take weeks to heal and scar for life. Corruption is also punishable by caning so under no circumstances should you try to offer a bribe or gratuity to a police officer. Crimes such as murder, kidnapping, unauthorized possession of firearms and drug trafficking are punished with death.
Oral and anal sex, long banned under colonial-era sodomy statutes, was legalised for heterosexuals in October 2007. Homosexual contact, however, remains illegal, with a theoretical punishment two years in prison and/or caning. Though this law is rarely enforced and there is a fairly vibrant gay community, gays should still expect legalized discrimination and unaccepting attitudes from locals and government officials.
Begging is illegal in Singapore, but you’ll occasionally see beggars on the streets. Most are not Singaporean — even the “monks” dressed in robes, who occasionally pester tourists for donations, are usually bogus.
Tourists should be vigilant of taxi scams while in Singapore. Some taxi drivers receive commission for delivering foreigners to certain tourist traps and will employ high-pressure techniques to take you there. If reasonably possible, make sure the place you’re going to is open before going there, confirm the place you’re going to with the driver before embarking on your journey, and that you wish to go straight there. Do not confuse genuine helpfulness with an attempted scam, though.
Singapore is virtually immune to natural disasters: there are no fault lines nearby, although Indonesia’s earthquakes can sometimes be barely felt, and other landmasses shield it from typhoons, tornadoes and tsunamis. Flooding in the November-January monsoon season is an occasional hazard, especially in low-lying parts of the East Coast, but any water usually drains off within a day and life continues as normal.
Tap water is safe for drinking, and sanitation standards are very high. As a tropical country, Singapore is hot and humid so drink a lot of water. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Singapore was way back in 1934, when it hit a low of 19.4°C (66.9°F).
Malaria is not an issue, but dengue fever is endemic to the region. Singapore maintains strict mosquito control (leaving standing water around will get you fined), but the government’s reach does not extend into the island’s nature reserves, so if you’re planning on hiking bring along mosquito repellent.
The standard of medical care in Singapore is uniformly excellent and Singapore is a popular destination for medical tourism (and medical evacuations) in the region. Despite the lower prices, standards are often as good as those in the West at both public and private clinics, making this a good place to get your jabs and tabs if heading off into the jungle elsewhere. You’ll still want to make sure your insurance is in order before a prolonged hospitalization and/or major surgery.
For minor ailments, head down to the nearest suburban shopping mall or HDB shopping district and look for a general practitioner (GP). They usually receive patients without appointment and can prescribe drugs on the spot, and the total cost of a consultation, medicine included, rarely exceeds $30. For larger problems, head to a hospital.
Alternatively, practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are widespread in Singapore. Eu Yan Sang [111] runs a chain of over 20 clinics, while theSingapore Chinese Physicians’ Association [112] offers a directory of TCM physicians.
Nearly all shopping centers, hotels, MRT stations, bus interchanges, and hawker centers are likely to have public restrooms/toilet facilities available. Being clean, McDonald’s restrooms are popular too, and the staff do not make a fuss. Public facilities may charge 10 to 20 cents per entry, and a packet of tissue may come in handy if the toilet paper has run out. Most toilets have bowls, but there is usually one squatting cubicle in every public toilet.
| What’s in a name?- Chinese place their family name first, so Phua Chu Kang is Mr. Phua for business and Chu Kang (or just CK) to his friends. Many have Western names, so he may also be known as Terry Phua. - Malay names are given name + bin or binti (son/daughter) + father’s name. Mohammed bin Abdullah would usually be called Mr. Mohammed. Sometimes, the person’s given name appears after the Mohammed (example: Mohammed Faizal bin Mohammed Nasser) so, in such a case, he would usually be addressed as Mr. Faizal. - Indian names are complex, but the south Indian (Tamil) names usually found in Singapore have two patterns: either given name + s/o or d/o (son of/daughter of) + father’s name, or father’s initial + given name. Given names are often long and may be abbreviated, so Ramanathan s/o Sellapan uses the name S.R. Nathan and would addressed as Mr. Nathan. The foolproof method is to ask how the person wants to be addressed. |
Singaporeans care little about formal politeness. What would be decent behavior at home, wherever home might be, is unlikely to offend anyone in Singapore. In Singapore, unlike much of southeast Asia, women wearing revealing clothing or men wearing shorts and slippers are perfectly acceptable. That said, upmarket bars and restaurants may enforce dress codes and Singaporeans tend to be more socially conservative than Westerners, meaning that public display of affection is still frowned upon and toplessness for women is not acceptable anywhere, even on the beach.
People are generally friendlier in the heartlands, and it is not uncommon to see shopkeepers and customers of multiple races bantering. However, Singaporeans, while not hostile towards, are generally not overly receptive to any overbearing friendliness from Americans. Furthermore, the local dialect with its heavy Chinese influences may appear brusque or even rude, but saying “You want beer or not?” is in fact more polite in Chinese than asking if you want beer, after all, the person asking you the question is offering you a choice, not making a demand.
If invited to somebody’s house, always remove your shoes before you enter as most Singaporeans do not wear their shoes at home. Socks are perfectly acceptable though, as long as they are not excessively soiled. Many places of worship also require you to remove your shoes before you enter.
At rush hour, be prepared for a lot of pushing on the MRT (even just to get off) and everyone racing for the empty seat, though in a somewhat orderly manner. This is normal, despite signs asking people to be a little more courteous. Just go with the flow.
Beware of taboos if bringing gifts. Any products (food or otherwise) involving animals may cause offence and are best avoided, as are white flowers (usually reserved for funerals). Knives and clocks are also symbols of cutting ties and death, respectively, and some Chinese are superstitious about the number four. Also note that in Singapore, it is considered rude to open a gift in front of the person who gave it to you. Instead, wait till the person has left and open it in private. Many Singaporean Muslims and some Hindus abstain from alcohol.
Swastikas are commonly seen in Buddhist and Hindu temples, as well as among the possessions of Buddhists and Hindus. It is regarded as a religious symbol and does not represent Nazism or anti-Semitism. As such, Western visitors should not feel offended on seeing a swastika in the homes of their hosts, and many locals will wonder what the fuss is all about.
Take dietary restrictions into account when inviting Singaporean friends for a meal. Many Indians (and a few Chinese) are vegetarian. Most Malays eat only halal food, while most Indians, being Hindu, abstain from beef.
Singaporeans are punctual, so show up on time. The standard greeting is a firm handshake. However, conservative Muslims avoid touching the opposite sex, so a man meeting a Malay woman should let her offer her hand first and a woman meeting a Malay man should wait for him to offer his hand. If they opt to place their hand on the heart and bow slightly instead, just follow suit. Singaporeans generally do not hug, especially if it is someone they have just met, and doing so would probably make your host feel awkward, though the other person will probably be too polite to say anything as saving face is a major Asian value.
For men, standard business attire is a long-sleeved shirt and a tie, although the tie is often omitted, the shirt’s collar button opened instead. Jackets are rarely worn because it is too hot most of the time. Women usually wear Western business attire, but a few prefer Malay-style kebaya and sarong.
Business cards are always exchanged when people meet for business for the first time: hold yours with both hands by the top corners, so the text faces the recipient, while simultaneously receiving theirs. (This sounds more complicated than it is.) Study the cards you receive and feel free to ask questions; when you are finished, place them on the table in front of you, not in a shirt pocket or wallet, and do not write on them or otherwise show disrespect.
Business gifts are generally frowned on as they smell of bribery. Small talk and bringing up the subject indirectly are neither necessary nor expected. Most meetings get straight down to business.
The international telephone country code for Singapore is 65. There are three main telecommunication providers in Singapore: SingTel [113], StarHub [114] andMobileOne (M1) [115].
Mobile phones are carried by almost everyone in Singapore, including many young children, and coverage is generally excellent throughout the country. All 3 service providers have both GSM 900/1800 and 3G (W-CDMA) networks, and international roaming onto them may be possible; check with your operator before you leave to be sure. Prepaid SIM cards are sold in 7-Eleven convenience stores, phone shops and currency exchange counters, just bring your own GSM/3G phone or buy a cheap used handset in Singapore. You will need to show an international passport or Singapore ID to sign up.
A local phone call costs between $0.05-$0.25 per min, whereas each local text message (SMS) costs about $0.05, with international SMS about $0.15-$0.25 (but a few dozen local SMS are usually thrown in for free when you top up). You may also be charged for incoming calls. Most prepaid cards expire within 6 mth unless you top-up (which can be done outside Singapore). The carriers also offer special top up cards that will give a higher number of minutes for the price at the downside of expiring more quickly. As in many places, mobile data with on prepaid voice SIM cards can be ridiculously expensive. StarHub offers a 1GB package (valid for 30 days). It costs $25 and is aimed at BlackBerries but works with any phone. Using the StarHub SIM, call *122# and follow the menu to activate. Data-only SIMs can be more affordable. For short stays, StarHub has 2Mbps unlimited service at S$15 per week. For longer stays, bring a MicroSIM adapter and you can get StarHub’s 2GB package (good for 60 days) for $37.
Public phones are an increasingly endangered species, but you can find them in most MRT stations. They are either coin-operated pay phones (10 cents for a three-minute local call), card phones operated by phone cards in denominations of $3, $5, $10, $20 and $50, or credit card phones. Phone cards are available at all post offices and from phonecard agents. Most coin-operated pay phones are for local calls only, there are some which accept coins of larger denominations and can be used for overseas calls. Credit card phones are usually found at the airport or in some major hotels.
To make an international call from Singapore, dial the access code 001 (for SingTel), 002 (for M1), and 008 (for StarHub), followed by the country code, area code and party’s number. Recently the providers have started offering cheaper rates for calls using Internet telephony routes. The access codes for this cheaper service are 019 and 013 for SingTel and 018 for StarHub, make sure you input these codes instead of the “+” sign at the beginning of the number if you wish to use these services.
Calling cards are also available for specific international destinations and are usually cheaper. Hello Card from Singtel offers a very cheap rate to 8 countries (Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand).
Internet cafes charging around $2/hr are scattered about the island, but are not particularly common since almost all locals have Internet access at home, work, and/or school. Head to Chinatown or Little India if you need get online, or check out the top floors of many suburban malls, which feature Internet cafes doubling as online gaming parlors. Alternatively, all public libraries [116] offer cheap Internet access ($0.03/min or $1.80/hr), but you need to jump through registration hoops to get access.
The first phase of the nationwide free Wireless@SG system is now operating and visitors are free to use the system, although you must register and receive a password via e-mail or a mobile phone first. See the Infocomm Development Authority website [117] for a current list of hotspots. Commercial alternatives include McDonalds, which offers free wifi at most outlets; StarHub, a member of the Wireless Broadband Alliance with hotspots at Coffee Bean cafes; and SingTel, which has hotspots at most Starbucks cafes. Roaming or prepaid rates are on the order of $0.10/min.
There are several options for prepaid 3G/HSPA internet. Starhub MaxMobile [118] has different plans from S$2/hour to S$25 for 5 days unlimited 7.2mbps internet. SIM costs S$12. M1 Prepaid Broadband offers unlimited Internet access for three days/five days at S$18/S$30 [119].
Mobile internet access is also available from the different telecoms which offer hundreds of megabytes good for several days. However do try using the free WiFi access if possible; not only will it save you money but also precious battery life.
SingPost [120] has offices throughout the island, generally open 8:30AM-5PM weekdays, 8:30AM-1PM Saturdays, closed Sundays. The Changi Airport T2 (transit side) office is open 6 AM-midnight daily, while the 1 Killeney Rd branch is open until 9 PM weekdays and 10AM-4PM Sundays. Service is fast and reliable. A postcard to anywhere in the world costs 50 cents, and postage labels can also be purchased from the self-service SAM machines found in many MRT stations.
Small packets up to 2 kg cost $3.50/100g for airmail, or $1/100g for surface mail. For larger packages, DHL [121] may offer competitive rates.
Singapore uses the British BS1363 three-pin rectangular socket (230V/50Hz). Plug adaptors are available at any hardware store.
Singapore is a good place to collect visas for the region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs [122] maintains a complete searchable database of diplomatic institutions.
Angola Embassy, 9 Temasek Boulevard, #44-03, Suntec Tower 2, ☎ +65 63419360 . Australia High Commission, 25 Napier Road, ☎ +65 67379311 ,.
Austria Embassy, 600 North Bridge Road #24-04 / 05 Parkview Square, ☎ +65 63966350 ,.
Barbados Consulate, 1 Fullerton Road, #02-01 One Fullerton, ☎ +65 64083876 .
Bangladesh High Commission, 91, Bencoolen Street, #06-01, Sunshine Plaza, ☎ +65 62550075 , [125].
Belarus Consulate, 50 Raffles Place, #44-04 Singapore Land Tower, ☎ +65 63239345 .
Belgium Embassy, 8 Shenton Way, #14-01, Temasek Tower, ☎ +65 62207677 , .
Belize Consulate, 101 Cecil Street, #22-01 Tong Eng Building, ☎ +65 62244312 .
Benin Consulate, 38B Mosque Street, ☎ +65 62205080 .
Brazil Embassy, 101 Thomson Road, #09-05 & 10-05 United Square, ☎ +65 62569365 , .
Brunei Darussalam High Comission, 325 Tanglin Road, ☎ +65 67339055 , +65 67330664 , +65 67332457 .
Cambodia Embassy, 400 Orchard Road, #10-03/04 Orchard Towers, ☎ +65 63419785 ,
Cameroon Consulate, 63 Robinson Road, Afro Asia Building #02-00, ☎ +65 62225555 . Canada High Commission, One George Street, #11-01, ☎ +65 68545900 , .
Chile Embassy, 105 Cecil Street, #25-00 The Octagon, ☎ +65 62238577 . People’s Republic of China Embassy, 150 Tanglin Road, ☎ +65 64180328 , . Also handles Hong Kong/Macau visas.
Colombia Consulate, 9 Raffles Place, #58-00 Republic Plaza, ☎ +65 68231367 .
Comoros Consulate, 55 Cairnhill Road, #06-05 Cairnhill Plaza, ☎ +65 62201815 .
the Democratic Republic of Congo Consulate, 1 North Bridge Road, High Street Centre #B1-01, ☎ +65 63395449 .
Costa Rica Embassy, 271 Bukit Timah Road, #04-08 Balmoral Plaza, ☎ +65 67380566 ,
Cote D’ivoire Consulate, 1 Maritime Square, #09-43 World Trade Centre, ☎ +65 62788666 .
Cyprus Consulate, One Raffles Quay, #19-01 North Tower, ☎ +65 65078125 . Denmark Embassy, 101 Thomson Road, #13-01 United Square, ☎ +65 62503383 ,
Djibouti Consulate, 30 Gul Crescent Jurong, ☎ +65 68623574 .
Egypt Embassy, 75 Grange Road, ☎ +65 67371881 , [133].
Estonia Consulate, 5 Shenton Way, #24-01 UIC Building, ☎ +65 63877777 .
Ethiopia Consulate, 23 Chin Bee Avenue, ☎ +65 62621233 . edit
Finland Embassy, 101 Thomson Road, #21-03 United Square, ☎ +65 62544042 France Embassy, 101-103 Cluny Park Road, ☎ +65 68807800
Ghana Consulate, Lum Chang Holdings Limited, 1 Selegie Road, #06-02, Paradiz Centre, ☎ +65 62738888 Germany Embassy, 50 Raffles Place, #12-00 Singapore Land Tower, ☎ +65 98170414 Greece Embassy, 61B Duxton Road, ☎ +65 62212364
Hungary Embassy, 250 North Bridge Road, #29-01 Raffles City Tower, ☎ +65 68830882
Iceland Consulate, 4 Battery Road, #26-01 Bank of China Building, ☎ +65 65353600 India High Commission, 31 Grange Road, ☎ +65 67376777 . Warning: Only issues visas to residents of Singapore, and all visa applications are handled by Serangoon Travel in Tekka Mall, Little India. edit Indonesia Embassy, 7 Chatsworth Road, ☎ +65 67377422
Ireland Embassy, 541 Orchard Road, #08-00 Liat Towers, ☎ +65 67323430
Israel Embassy, 24 Stevens Close, ☎ +65 68349200 , +65 68349212 (24 hr) Italy Embassy, 101 Thomson Road, #27-02/03 United Square, ☎ +65 62506022 ,+65 6253-8429/4340 (consular)
Jamaica Consulate, Resource Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd, #28-00 Shenton Way, ☎ +65 62277855 . Japan Embassy, 16 Nassim Road, ☎ +65 62358855
Kazakhstan Diplomatic Mission, 10 Collyer Quay, #13-10/10A Ocean Building, ☎ +65 65366100
DPR Korea (North Korea) Embassy, 7500 Beach Road, #09-320 The Plaza, ☎ +65 64403498 .
Republic of Korea (South Korea) Embassy, 47 Scotts Road, #08-00 Goldbell Towers (chancery), #05-01 Goldbell Towers (consular), ☎ +65 62561188 (chancery), +65 62561188 (consular)
Kuwait Embassy, The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Suite 3108, 7 Raffles Avenue, ☎ +65 68847401
Laos Embassy, 101 Thomson Road, #10-01 United Square, ☎ +65 62506044 , +65 62506741
Lebanon Consulate, 3 Temasek Avenue, #31-02, Centennial Tower, ☎ +65 63331614
Lithuania Consulate, 151 Chin Swee Road, #04-02 Manhattan House, ☎ +65 62352153
Luxembourg Consulate, 1 Pickering Street, #16-01 Great Eastern Centre, ☎ +65 62482218
Madagascar Consulate, 1003 Technopreneur Centre, #04-01 Bukit Merah Central, ☎ +65 62231316 Malaysia High Commission, 301 Jervois Road, ☎ +65 62350111
Maldives High Commission, 101 Thomson Road, #30-01A United Square, ☎ +65 67209012
Mali Consulate, 101 Cecil Street, #22-08/09 Tong Eng Building, ☎ +65 62207779
Malta Consulate, c/o Sinoda Shipping Agency Pte Ltd, 10 Anson Road, #15-01/02 International Plaza, ☎ +65 63242060
Mauritius Consulate, 400 Orchard Road, #09-01 Orchard Road, ☎ +65 67342412
Mexico Embassy, 152 Beach Road, #06-07/08, Gateway East, ☎ +65 62982678
Monaco Consulate, 720 Mountbatten Road, ☎ +65 68874686 .
Mongolia Embassy, 600 North Bridge Road, #24-08 Parkview Square, ☎ +65 63480745 .
Morocco Consulate, 300 Beach Road, #02-01 The Concourse, ☎ +65 63929881
Myanmar Embassy, 15 St Martin’s Drive, ☎ +65 67350209
Nepalese Consulate, 1 North Bridge Road, #18-5 High Street Road, ☎ +65 63399967 . Netherlands Embassy, 541 Orchard Road, #13-01 Liat Towers, ☎ +65 67371155
New Zealand High Commission, 391A Orchard Road, Ngee Ann City Tower A, #15-06/10, ☎ +65 62359966
Nigeria High commission, 350 Orchard Road, #16-09/10 Shaw House, ☎ +65 67321723 Norway Embassy, 16 Raffles Quay, #44-01 Hong Leong Building, ☎ +65 62207122 Pakistan High Commission, 1 Scotts Road, #24-02/04 Shaw Centre, ☎ +65 67376988
Palau Visitors Authority Representative Office, 321 Orchard Road, Orchard Shopping Centre, ☎ +65 67323239
Panama Embassy, 16 Raffles Quay, #41-06 Hong Leong Building, ☎ +65 62218677
Papua New Guinea High Commission, 146 Robinson Road, #04-01, ☎ +65 62212609
Peru Embassy, 390 Orchard Road, #12-03 Palais Renaissance, ☎ +65 67388595
Philippines Embassy, 20 Nassim Road, ☎ +65 67373977 Poland Embassy, 435 Orchard Road #17-02/03, Wisma Atria, ☎ +65 6235 9478
Portugal Embassy, 143 Cecil Street, #06-02 GB Building, ☎ +65 62242256 .
Qatar Embassy, 8 Temasek Boulevard, #41-02 Suntec Tower 3, ☎ +65 65939900
Romania Embassy, 1 Calymore Drive, #08-10 Orchard Towers, ☎ +65 64683424 Russia Embassy, 51 Nassim Road, ☎ +65 2351832
Samoa Consulate, Asiaciti management Pte Ltd, 3 Raffles Place, #09-01, Bharat Building, ☎ +65 65332611
Saudi Arabia Embassy, 10 Nassim Road, ☎ +65 67345878
Seychelles Consulate, 22 Cavenagh Road, #01-17, ☎ +65 67322202
Slovakia Consulate, 200 Cantonment Road, #09-01 Southpoint, ☎ +65 62366111
Slovenia Consulate, 50 Raffles Place, #32-00 Singapore Land Tower, ☎ +65 62397522
South Africa High Commission, 15th Floor Odeon Towers, 331 North Bridge Road, ☎ +65 65401177
Spain Embassy, 7 Temasek Boulevard, #39-01A Suntec Tower 1, ☎ +65 63333035
Sri Lanka High Commission, #13-07/12 Goldhill Plaza, 51 Newton Road, ☎ +65 62544595-7 Sweden Embassy, 111 Somerset Road, #05-01 Singapore Power Building, ☎ +65 6415 9720 Switzerland Embassy, 1 Swiss Club Link, ☎ +65 64685788
Royal Thai Embassy, 370 Orchard Road, ☎ +65 6737-2475/6 (main), +65 67372158 , +65 6732644 (consular) Taipei Representative Office, 460 Alexandra Road, #23-00 PSA Building, ☎ +65 62786511
Tonga Consulate, 19 Bilai Lane, ☎ +65 64486882
Tunisia Consulate, 15 Scotts Road, #07-00 Thong Teck Building, ☎ +65 67377544
Turkey Embassy, Shenton Way 10-03, SGX Centre Tower 1, ☎ +65-65333390 , +65 65333391
Tuvalu Consulate, c/o Tuvalu Ship Registry Pte Ltd, 10 Anson Road, #25-16 International Plaza, ☎ +65 62242345
Uganda Consulate, Crocodile House, #07-00 No.3, Ubi Avenue 3, ☎ +65 67492782
Ukraine Embassy, 50 Raffles Place, #16-05 Singapore Land Tower, ☎ +65 65356550
United Arab Emirates Embassy, 600 North Bridge Road, #09-01 Parkview Square, ☎ +65 62388206 United Kingdom High Commission, 100 Tanglin Road, ☎ +65 64739333 United States of America Embassy, 27 Napier Road, ☎ +65 63380251
Uzbekistan Embassy, 20 Kramat Lane, #04-01 United House, ☎ +65 67343942
Vanuatu Consulate, 6001 Beach Road, #21-08 Golden Mile Tower, ☎ +65 62356858
Venezuela Embassy, 3 Killiney Road, #07-03 Winsland House 1, ☎ +65 64911172
Vietnam Embassy, 10 Leedon Park, ☎ +65 64625938 , +65 64625994 (consular)
Zambia Consulate, 627A Aljunied Road, #01-02 BizTech Centre, ☎ +65 67442689
Singaporeans are particular about their hair and there is no shortage of fancy hair salons charging from $20 up for the latest Chinese popstar look. If you are willing to splurge, there is Passion Hair Salon at Palais Renaissance with celebrity hairstylist David Gan (hairstylist of Zhang Ziyi and other famous celebrities) doing the haircut. Le Salon at Ngee Ann City offers haircuts up to $2000. The middle range hair salons located in town or in the heartlands, offer haircuts with hair wash as well as other frills. Chains include Reds Hairdressing, Supercuts and Toni and Guy salons that are located all over Singapore. For a more backpacker-friendly price, almost every shopping mall in Singapore has a branch of EC House [170] or one of its many imitators, offering fuss-free 10 min haircuts for $10, although the hairdressers are mostly happy to spend as long as necessary on your hair, within reasonable limits. Most HDB estates have barbershops which charge $5 to $10 for adults and less for students and children.
Laundromats are few and far between in Singapore, but full-service laundry and dry cleaning shops can be found in every shopping mall. Unfortunately turnaround times are usually upwards of three days unless you opt for express service. Hotels can provide one-day laundry (at a price), whereas hostels often have communal self-service washing machines.
Practically every shopping mall has a photo shop that will process film, print digital pictures and take passport photos. Many pharmacies and supermarkets also have self-service kiosks which print digital photos from CD, SD-card, USB drive, etc.
The Singapore Sports Council [173] runs a chain of affordable sports facilities, often featuring fantastic outdoor 50 m pools (see Swimming for a list). Facilities are somewhat sparse but the prices are unbeatable, with eg. swimming pools charging $1 for entry and access to ClubFITT gyms only $2.50. The main downside is the inconvenient location of most facilities out in the suburbs, although most are located close to an MRT station and can be reached within 10-20 min from downtown. The gyms also have a total ban on bringing in any reading material (aimed at students but enforced blindly), although MP3 players are OK.
Major private gym chains include California Fitness [174], Fitness First [175] and True Fitness [176]. Facilities are better and locations more central, but the prices are also much higher as non-members have to fork out steep day pass fees (around $40).
Some of the parks [177] offer rental of bicycles and inline skates ($3-6/hr, open till 8PM). You can either rent skates, attend a skate class or send the children off to a skate camp at major parks like West Coast and East Coast Park. You can even get skating lessons from popular skate schools like inline fitness [178] or skate with us, a skate school for children [179] Especially rewarding for skaters and cyclists is the 10 km long stretch along East Coast Park with a paved track and lots of rental shops, bars and cafes around the McDonalds. There are toilets and showers along the track. Furthermore every park has a couple of fitness stations.
Singapore makes a good base for exploring South-East Asia, with nearly all of the region’s countries and their main tourist destinations — Bangkok, Phuket, Angkor Wat, Ho Chi Minh City and Bali, just to name a few — under 2 hr away by plane. The advent of budget carriers in recent times means that Singapore is an excellent place for catching cheap flights to China and India, as well as around Southeast Asia. In addition, Singapore has direct flights to many of the smaller cities in Malaysia,Indonesia and Thailand.
For day or weekend trips from Singapore, the following are popular:
For those who can afford more time to travel, here are several destinations popular among Singaporeans:
Resource : wikitravel.org
Lanterns in Tokyo, Japan
Asia is too massive and diverse to conceptualize as a single digestible travel “destination”. Even defining the borders of this continent is difficult – from the mountains around the Black Sea in the west, to the snow fields of Siberia in the east, there are more people and cities in Asia than outside of it. Asia’s and the world’s highest point is Mount Everest, along the border of Tibet (China) and Nepal, which rises to 8,848 m (29,028 feet) above sea level. Its lowest point is the Dead Sea, located at the meeting points of Israel, the Palestinian Territories, and Jordan, whose surface is 400 m (1,312 feet) below sea level. Asia’s longest river is the Yangtze, which runs 6,300 km (3,915 miles) through China from all the way from the high Tibetan Plateau to Shanghai. Its largest lake is the 386,400 sq km (149,200 square mile) Caspian Sea, which is surrounded by several Central Asian nations. Asia is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the east, by Australia to the southeast, and by the Indian Ocean to the south. It is bordered by the Red Sea to the southwest, by Europe and Urals to the west, and by the Arctic Ocean to the north.
Band-e Haibat Lake in Afghanistan
Travel options range widely, from the desert ruins and modern mega-malls of theMiddle East to the magnificent ancient monuments in South Asia, and from the beach bungalows and jungle treks of South-East Asia to the mega-cities and technology capitals of East Asia. Find out more about regions, destinations, and itineraries below.
In any case, Asia offers the very diverse travel options available to the most avid travelers. On one end, there are the ultramodern largely democratic modern countries/territories like Japan and the East Asian Tigers ofSingapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea which are very prosperous and in which people enjoy very high standards of living. On the other hand, Afghanistan, Laos and East Timor are extremely poor countries where people struggle even to get a few grains of rice each day. Of course, there are also many countries lying somewhere in the middle, such as the emerging powerhouses of China and India which make wonderful travel destinations in themselves due to their long history, size and diversity. Thailand is a magnet for travelers too, with great food, a tropical climate, fascinating culture and great beaches. To add to a list of possible travel destinations, Asia is also home to North Korea, which is under one of, if not the most, oppressive regimes in the world.
Map of Asia's regions and countries
Central Asia (Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
East Asia (China (including Hong Kong & Macau), Japan, Mongolia,North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan)
Middle East (Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey,United Arab Emirates, Yemen)
Russia and the Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Russia)
Russia comprises much of Asia, a huge country of vast, empty expanses, while the Caucasus is a dense, warm, friendly, but extremely dangerous travel region.
South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan,Sri Lanka
Southeast Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos,Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Philippines, Singapore, Thailand,Vietnam)
The Taj Mahal in Agra, India
These are some of the largest and most famous destinations outside of major cities.
Mud Skyscrapers in Shibam, Yemen
Asia’s largest airports by number of intercontinental connections include Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Mumbai and Singapore. For the Middle East, Dubai is by far the largest hub, with Doha and Abu Dhabi also having reasonably good connections.
If you are coming to Asia by train, you’ll be likely coming in through Russia or Turkey, although other options may exist. For an interesting experience, try the Trans-Siberian Railway.
Due to the vast distances and expanses of water separating Asia’s different regions, air travel is likely to be the preferred mode of transport between the regions many travel destinations. Fares are lower on average than in Europe or America, and low cost airlines in Asia are rapidly expanding their networks particularly in Southeast Asia.
Many languages are spoken throughout Asia, comprising a number of families and some unrelated isolates. While the local languages are always best, some blanket languages can be useful in multiple countries. In theMiddle East, Arabic is widely understood, while knowledge of Russian will help you in Central Asia and theCaucasus. Hindi/Urdu is useful in South Asia and Malay/Indonesian will help you in Southeast Asia. Mandarin Chinese is spoken by most in China, and understood in Taiwan, and to a lesser degree, in Singapore.
Ho Chi Minh-Mausoleum Ha Noi, Viet Nam
Asia is renowned as having some of the best cuisines in the world.
Usually the largest city or capital has the best clubs.
Safety in Asia can vary wildly, but it is a safe place in general. Nearly all tourist attractions on the continent are far from conflict, but there are a few regions in which conflict and/or general lawlessness exists.
The most obvious examples are Afghanistan and Iraq, two countries wholly under foreign occupation and in a state of war against insurgent groups, Taliban, Al Qaeda and numerous other armed forces. These countries are considered no-go areas and should be completely avoided by travellers (if one absolutely must go, consult War zone safety and the authorities of your country before you go). Yemen could also be added to the list of no-go countries, due to a very high threat of terrorist attacks, kidnappings, tribal violence and general lawlessness.
Other countries in Asia generally can be visited, though some countries have regions and areas that should be avoided. The Middle East is generally known for its political tensions, and while true for some part, most of the region can be visited without any major risks. The Gaza Strip is effectively a war zone between Palestinian factions and the Israeli army, where kidnappings of foreigners have occurred. Israel has coped with missile attacks as well as suicide bombings by Islamic militant groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah. Lebanon and the West Bank (Palestinian National Authority) generally cope with an unstable political situation and internal conflict. and Some regions of the Caucasus are considered dangerous due to active insurgent groups, particularly the North Caucasus (Chechnya), Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Iran and Pakistan cope with a low-level conflict in the Balochistan region against Baloch insurgents. More dangerously, Pakistan is active in a full-scale war in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, both of which should not be visited. Kashmir, claimed by both Pakistan and India, is also a region with tens of thousands of casualties since 1989 due to political strife and insurgency. In 2009, the Naxalite-Maoist insurgency in India has resurfaced, particularly in Chattishgarhand other parts of Eastern India. North-Eastern India also copes with dozens of insurgent groups, some of which have armed factions.
Southeast Asia is a major travel region and most of it is perfectly safe to visit. A notable exception is East Timor, which continues to face sporadic internal ethnic and political tension and related violence may occur. But even in some popular countries, there are some areas that should be avoided. The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in the south of the Philippines is an area of conflict with several Muslim and communist rebel groups fighting with the Philippine army. It was declared the world’s most hazardous area for journalists in 2009 by the Committee to Protect Journalists. 18 reporters died in a massacre in Maguindanao that claimed the lives of almost 60 people. The rest of the country specifically Luzon and Visayas islands are generally safe while the rest of Mindanao most specifically Davao and Cagayan de Oro areas are safe to travelers. Thailand, the most visited country in Southeast Asia, is perfectly safe, with the notable exception of three deep southern provinces, where fighting between the Thai military and Islamic insurgent groups still continues to this day.
Indonesia is also a very diverse country, which has led to armed groups fighting for independence in Papua. Maluku is relatively safe now, but has seen periodic eruptions of violence occur in 1999-2003. Indonesia also copes with Islamic extremist groups throughout the country. Bali, the most popular tourist destination of the country, dealt with Islamic terrorist attacks in Kuta in 2002 and 2005. The island can be visited, but avoiding large gatherings and crowded night clubs could be advised.
East Asia is probably the safest area in the continent, but political tensions also exist in this region. You might want to avoid the border between North Korea and South Korea as these two countries are technically still at war with each other. China, a vast and diverse country, is surprisingly safe for its size, yet the restive provinces ofTibet (and its accompanying counties and prefectures in neighboring provinces) and Xinjiang are often restricted to foreign travelers at any hint of trouble.
Non-violent crime can be a problem in many areas in Asia. Refer to the specific country pages and the authorities of your country for more information.
Many areas of Asia, especially Southeast Asia and South Asia, are humid tropical, thus have certain risks attached to it — such as dengue fever and risk of malaria. Consult the country articles for specific information.
Vietnam (Việt Nam), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Cộng hòa xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam) is a country in Southeast Asia. Its neighboring countries are China to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west.
Vietnam’s history is one of war, colonisation and rebellion. Occupied by China no fewer than four times, the Vietnamese managed to fight off the invaders just as often. Even during the periods in history when Vietnam was independent, it was mostly a tributary state to China until the French colonisation. Vietnam’s last emperors were the Nguyễn Dynasty, who ruled from their capital at Hue from 1802 to 1945, although France exploited the succession crisis after the fall of Tự Đức to de facto colonise Vietnam after 1884. Both the Chinese occupation and French colonisation have left a lasting impact on Vietnamese culture, with Confucianism forming the basis of Vietnamese social etiquette, and the French leaving a lasting imprint on Vietnamese cuisine.
After a brief Japanese occupation in World War II, the Communist Viet Minh under the leadership of Hồ Chí Minh continued the insurgency against the French, with the last Emperor Bao Dai abdicating in 1945 and a proclamation of independence following soon after. The majority of French had left by 1945, but in 1946 they returned to continue the fight until their decisive defeat atDien Bien Phu in 1954. The Geneva Conference partitioned the country into two at 17th parallel, with a Communist-led North and Ngo Dinh Diem declaring himself President of the Republic of Vietnam in the South.
US economic and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the Southern Vietnam government, escalating into the dispatch of 500,000 American troops in 1966 and what became known as the Vietnam War - although the Vietnamese refer to it as the American War. What was supposed to be a quick and decisive action soon degenerated into a quagmire, and U.S. armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, on April 30, 1975, a North Vietnamese tank drove into the South’s Presidential Palace in Ho Chi Minh City and the war ended. Over 55,000 Americans and an estimated 3 million Vietnamese were killed.
The American Vietnamese war was only one of many that the Vietnamese have fought, but it was the most brutal in its history. Over two thirds of the current population was born after 1975. American tourists will receive a particularly friendly welcome in Vietnam, as many young Vietnamese aspire to American culture.
Bustling central Hanoi
Economic reconstruction of the reunited country has proven difficult. After the failures of the state-run economy started to become apparent, the country launched a program of đổi mới (renovation), introducing elements of capitalism. The policy has proved highly successful, with Vietnam recording near 10% growth yearly (except for a brief interruption during the Asian economic crisis of 1997). The economy is much stronger than those of Cambodia, Laos, and other neighboring developing countries. Like most Communist countries around the world, there is a fine balance between allowing foreign investors and opening up the market.
There are extreme restrictions on foreigners owning property or attempting to sell. It is very difficult for them to trade without negotiating ‘fees’. Business can be done via local partnerships with all the attendant risks.
Power and services is another issue. There are often ‘rolling blackouts’ when there is not enough electricity at times. For this reason, many shops have portable generators.
According to government estimates Vietnam sees 3.3m tourist arrivals each year. Vietnam has a return rate of just 5% compared to Thailand’s whopping 50%.
Most people in Vietnam are ethnic Vietnamese (Kinh), though there is a sizable ethnic Chinese community in Ho Chi Minh City, most who are descended from migrants from Guangdong province and are hence bilingual in Cantonese or other Chinese dialects and Vietnamese. There are also numerous other ethnic groups who occupy the mountainous parts of the country, such as the Hmong, Muong and Dao people. Theres also a minority ethnic group in the lowlands near the border with Cambodia known as the Khmer Krom.
Buddhism is the single largest religion in Vietnam, with over 85% of Vietnamese people identifying themselves as Buddhist. Catholicism is the second largest religion, followed by the local Cao Dai religion. Christianity, Islam, and other local religions also share small followings throughout the southern and central areas.
Due to its long history as a tributary state of China, as well as several periods of Chinese occupations, Vietnamese culture is heavily influenced by that of Southern China, with Confucianism forming the basis of Vietnamese society. The Vietnamese language also contains many loan words from Chinese, though the two languages are unrelated. Buddhism remains the single largest religion in Vietnam, though like in China but unlike in the rest of northern Southeast Asia, the dominant school of Buddhism in Vietnam is the Mahayana School.
Nevertheless, Vietnamese culture remains distinct from Chinese culture as it has also absorbed cultural elements from neighboring Hindu civilizations such as the Champa and the Khmer empires. The French colonization has also left a lasting impact on Vietnamese society, with baguettes and coffee remaining popular among locals.
Vietnam is large enough to have several distinct climate zones.
By far the largest holiday of the year is Tết, celebration of the New Year (as marked by the lunar calendar), which takes place between late January and March on the Western calendar. In the period leading up to Tết, the country is abuzz with preparations. Guys on motorbikes rush around delivering potted tangerine trees and flowering bushes, the traditional household decorations. People get a little bit stressed out and the elbows get sharper, especially in big cities, where the usual hectic level of traffic becomes almost homicidal. Then a few days before Tết the pace begins to slow down, as thousands of city residents depart for their ancestral home towns in the provinces. Finally on the first day of the new year an abrupt transformation occurs: the streets become quiet, almost deserted. Nearly all shops and restaurants close for three days, (the exception being a few that cater especially to foreign visitors; and hotels operate as usual.)
In the major cities, streets are decorated with lights and public festivities are organized which attract many thousands of residents. But for Vietnamese, Tết is mostly a private, family celebration. On the eve of the new year, families gather together and exchange good wishes (from more junior to more senior) and gifts of “lucky money” (from more senior to more junior). In the first three days of the year, the daytime hours are devoted to visiting — houses of relatives on the first day, closest friends and important colleagues on the second day, and everyone else on the third day. Many people also visit pagodas. The evening hours are spent drinking and gambling (men) or chatting, playing, singing karaoke, and enjoying traditional snacks and candy (women and children.)
Visiting Vietnam during Tết has good points and bad points. On the minus side: modes of transport are jammed just before the holiday as many Vietnamese travel to their home towns; hotels fill up, especially in smaller towns; and your choice of shopping and dining is severely limited in the first days of the new year (with a few places closed up to two weeks). On the plus side, you can observe the preparations and enjoy the public festivities; pagodas are especially active; no admission is charged to those museums and historical sites that stay open; and the foreigner-oriented travel industry of backpacker buses and resort hotels chugs along as usual. Visitors also stand a chance of being invited to join the festivities, especially if you have some local connections or manage to make some Vietnamese friends during your stay. When visiting during Tết, it’s wise to get settled somewhere at least two days before the new year, and don’t try to move again until a couple of days after.
Lesser holidays include May 1, the traditional socialist labor day, September 2, Vietnam’s national day, King Hung celebration on April 12th, commemorating past kings, and Liberation Day on April 30th, marking the fall of Saigon in 1975. Around those times, trains and planes tend to be sold out, and accommodations at the beach or in Dalat are hard to find. Best to book far in advance.
Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Bac Ha, Cao Bang, Cat Ba, Cuc Phuong National Park,Dien Bien Phu, Dong Dang, Dong Hoi, Ha Long Bay, Haiphong, Lao Cai, Ninh Binh,Sapa)
Harbours some of the most magnificent views of Vietnam as well as the capital city and the chance to visit indigenous hill tribes.
Central Coast (Cham Islands, Da Nang, DMZ, Dong Ha, Hoi An, Lang Co, Hue, My Son, Na Meo, Nha Trang, Qui Nhon, Thanh Hoa, Vinh)
The ancient city of Hue is the home of the still recent Vietnamese kings and in Hoi An features one of the nicest old seacoast towns in Vietnam.
Central Highlands (Buon Ma Thuot, Dalat, Kontum, Ngoc Hoi, Pleiku)
Lush forest-covered hills featuring indigenous tribes and the occasional elephant.
Southern Vietnam (Cat Tien National Park, Con Dao, Can Tho, Chau Doc , Cu Chi,Ho Chi Minh City, Long Xuyen, Mui Ne, My Tho, Phan Thiet, Phu Quoc, Vung Tau, Tay Ninh, Vinh Long)
The economic engine of Vietnam, built around Ho Chi Minh City but also covering the lush and little-visited Mekong Delta, the rice basket of Vietnam.
Visitors from the following countries do not require a visa and can stay for the following number of days.
All other nationalities will require a visa in advance to visit Vietnam.
A single-entry tourist visa valid for 30 days costs US$70 (although exact fees vary depending on issuing country) and takes around 4-7 days to process; express visas take 2-3 days at twice the price. If purchasing your visa from the Vietnamese embassy in London [2], a 30-day single entry visa will cost you £44 (£59 for fast-track), while a 30 days multiple entry visa costs £70 (plus £8 postage if you need it posted back to you). A 30-day visa can also be obtained from the Vietnamese consulate in Battambang, Cambodia, at a cost of US$35, with visas taking 2-3 days to process, although exact entry and exit points have to be specified. A 30-day visa can also be picked up from the Vietnamese embassy in Phnom Penh for US$45 and will be ready in 24 hours or less. In general, visas are now valid for all entry and exit points. The Vietnamese consulate in Sihanoukville offers one month visas for US$45 with delivered same day or in 10 minutes. The consulate in Vientiane, Laos, offers them for US$50 with delivery the day after (paying in local currency is more expensive).
Jan 2011 – Vietnam Embassy in Bangkok charges 2,100 baht for a 30-day single-entry visa. They only take baht. Same day processing or 4,700 baht for a 3 month multiple entry (next day pick up). Jun 2011 – Vietnam Embassy in Bangkok charges 1800 baht for a 30-day single-entry visa, 4 working days.
November 2010 – the Vietnamese Mission to the UN in New York City charges US$80 for a 30-day single-entry visa. Cash or money order is accepted. Processing takes 6 business days. Expedited service (4 business days) is available for US$110.
November 2010 – Vietnam Embassy in Canberra Australia charges AUD$75 for a 30 day single entry visa. Approx 3 days to process. Other consular services at this embassy have been reported as slow and costly (4 weeks for Ex-Vietnamese seeking 5 year Visa exceptions – and the passport must have 5 years of life left).
July 2010 – the Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore charges SGD$100 for a 30-day, single-entry visa. 7 days to process.
June 2011 – the Vietnamese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur charges RM200 for a 30 day single entry visa, takes 5 working days; RM260 2 working days.
October 2011 – the Vietnamese Consulate in Hong Kong charges HK$300 for a 30 day single entry visa, takes 2 days to process. You can also get a visa in 15 minutes, but it is only valid for 14 days, costing an extra HK$500.
Some Vietnamese Embassies offer a “While you wait service” (May 2008), where a single entry visa can be gained in 15 minutes. This service costs US$92, but is approved instantly. You are required to bring a valid passport, passport photo and cash payment (cards not accepted).
Embassies are recalcitrant in publishing a schedule of fees, as the relativity high visa cost is a source embarrassment, revenue, and a tourism deterrent (EU and U.S.). A slowdown in tourist number arrivals has been disguised by the removal of visa fees for certain nationalities (but not former Vietnamese) resulting in neighboring countries numbers filling the vacuum.
Foreign citizens of Vietnamese origin can apply for visa exemption that allows multiple entry for 3 months at a time which is valid for the duration of the passport.
An increasingly popular alternative is to arrange a visa on arrival, which is not only considerably cheaper but also alleviates the need for passports to be posted to the Vietnamese Embassy in the country of origin.
The term visa on arrival is a bit of a misnomer in the case of Vietnam as a letter of approval has to be obtained before arrival. This is handled by a growing number of on-line agencies for a charge of US$14-20 (in 2010), depending on the agency. Most agencies accept payment by credit card.
The agent – located in Vietnam – obtains from the Department of Immigration a letter of approval bearing the traveller’s name, date of birth, nationality and passport number, and then forwards that letter to the traveller by email or fax, usually within three working days. After landing at one of the three international airports (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Danang) the traveller goes to the visa on arrival counter, presents the letter, fills in an additional form and receives an official stamp in his or her passport. A stamping fee of US$25 (US$50 for a multiple entry visa) is payable at the time – only U.S. dollars are accepted (no other currency or credit card) and the notes must be in as-new condition or they will be refused. Two passport photos are also required.
Note that visas on arrival are not valid for border crossings and the official stamp can only be obtained at the three international airports. Therefore travellers arriving by land from Cambodia, Laos or China must be in possession of a full visa when they arrive at the border.
A third alternative, ‘Visa by Code’ appears to be another option [More references needed] where online approval is first obtained – with a code, then you take the passport to the Embassy for the visa to be ‘stamped’. However it is reported local stamping fees makes it about the same cost of a regular visa.
Air Asia passengers travelling to Vietnam from Bangkok/Malaysia must present the letter of approval letter at check-in, otherwise no check-in!
Vietnam has moved away from the arrival/departure cards.
Depending on the present level of SARS, avian flu you may be subjected to a so-called health-check. There is no examination, though, but yet another form to fill in and, of course, another fee. If you can get hold of a handful of dong it is only 2000 dong per person, but they charge US$2 for the same “service” if you only have greenbacks!
Vietnam has international airports at Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang. Non-stop Direct flights are available from Australia, Cambodia, China, France, Germany,Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Brunei, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Macau,Qatar, Turkey and the U.S. However, most direct flights are served by flag carrier Vietnam Airlines while plenty of other long-haul fights are available with transits viaBangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taipei.
There are direct international train services from Nanning and Beijing in China to Hanoi. Most require a change of trains at the border at Pingxiang/Dong Dang, but the Chinese-operated daily Nanning express (T871/MR2) runs through, although it still spends about four hours at the border for immigration.
The Kunming-Hanoi line was shut down by landslides in 2002 and, as of 2011, remains closed. There are no train links to Cambodia.
There are at least four border crossings between Cambodia and Vietnam that can be used by foreigners. These include:
The Vietnamese consulate in Sihanoukville issues 30-day tourist visas on a same-day basis.
There are three border crossings between China and Vietnam that can be used by foreigners:
There are at least six border crossings between Laos and Vietnam that can be used by foreigners.
Be wary of catching local buses from Laos to Vietnam. Not only are they often crammed with cargo (coal and live chickens, often underfoot) but many buses run in the middle of the night, stopping for several hours in order to wait for the border to open at 7AM. Whilst waiting, you will be herded off the bus (for several hours) where you will be approached by pushy locals offering assistance in getting a Laos exit stamp in exchange for money (usually US$5+). If you bargain hard (tiring, at 4AM) you can get the figure down to about US$2. The men will take your passports, which can be incredibly disconcerting, but will actually provide the service they promise. It is unclear whether you can just wait for the border officials to do this. There is also a VIP bus from Savannakhet.
These include:
Flights are the fastest way to travel the distance of this long country; the trip from Hanoi to HCMC will take about 2 hours by plane.
There are quite many flights connecting the two largest cities, Hanoi and HCMC, to major towns such as Da Nang, Hai Phong, Can Tho, Hue, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Phu Quoc. In the past most of these flights are cheap compared to North American or European standards. However, unfortunately, it isn’t as good as before, for example, a return connecting Hanoi to Da Nang will probably run around US$120-150 (including all taxes).
Domestic carriers are Vietnam Airlines[3], Jetstar Pacific[4] and Air Mekong[5]. Indochina Airlines ceased operations as of November 2009. Air Mekong, a newly launched airline, has short flights between small cities.
Although more expensive than buses, trains are undoubtedly the most comfortable way to travel overland in Vietnam. There is one major train line in Vietnam, the 1723-kilometre trunk between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, on which the Reunification Express runs. HCMC to Hanoi is more than 30 hours, and overnight hops between major destinations are usually possible, if not entirely convenient. It’s a good way to see the countryside and meet upper-middle class locals, but unless you are travelling in a sleeper car it is no more comfortable than buses.
AIr-conditioned soft or hard sleeper is recommended, and purchasing as early as possible is a good idea as popular berths and routes are often bought out by tour companies and travel agents well before the departure time (hence being told the train is sold out at a station ticket window or popular tour company office does not mean there are no tickets available–they’ve simply been bought by another reseller). Booking at the train station itself is generally the safest way, just prepare on a piece of paper the destination, date, time, no. of pax and class. However, unsold tickets can often be bought last minute from people hanging around at the station–a train is rarely sold out for real, as the railway company will add cars when demand is high. Commissions on these tickets will drop away as the departure time draws nearer.
Be cautious when using a travel agent to purchase your train tickets, since there is nothing printed on the ticket saying the class you are booked in. This results in a common scam with private travel agents where you will pay them to book a soft-sleeper ticket, they then book you a cheaper hard-sleeper ticket, and you don’t know you’ve been scammed until you board the train and your berths are in the lower class. By then with the train on the verge of departing it is too late to go back to the scamming agent to demand compensation.
In addition, there are shorter routes from Hanoi leading northwest and northeast, with international crossings into China. One of the most popular of the shorter routes is the overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai (with bus service from Lao Cai to the tourist destination of Sapa).
Always try to buy your tickets at least 3 days in advance, to avoid disappointment, especially during peak holiday season, during which you should try to book at least a week in advance.
Long-distance bus services connect most cities in Vietnam. Most depart early in the morning to accommodate traffic and late afternoon rains, or run overnight. It is important to note that average road speeds are typically quite slow, even when travelling between cities. For example a 276 km (172 mi) journey from the Mekong Delta to Ho Chi Minh City by bus will likely take about 8 hours.
Public Buses travel between the cities’ bus stations. In bigger places, you often have to use local transport to get into the city center from there. Buses are generally in reasonable shape, and you have the chance to interact with locals.
Open Tour buses are run by a multitude of tour companies. They cater especially to tourists, offering ridiculous low rates (Hanoi to HCMC: US$20-25) and door-to-door service to your desired hostel. You can break the journey at any point and continue on a bus of the same company any time later, or simply buy tickets just for the stage you’re willing to cover next. Note that if you’re not planning to make more than 3-4 stops, it might be cheaper to buy separate tickets as you go (ie Hanoi to Hue can be as low as US$5). Most hotels and guesthouses can book seats for any connection, although you’re better to shop around at travel agents, as prices will vary on any given ticket/bus company. Going to the bus company office may net you a commission-free fare, but most major bus operators have fixed pricing policies, which can only be circumvented through a travel agent.
Since tour companies charge very little, they do make commission on their stop-offs which are often at souvenir shops, where you do not have to buy; they always have toilets and drinks and water available for purchase. The estimated time for a bus trip will not be accurate and may be an additional couple of hours sometimes, due to the number of stop offs. Collecting the passengers at the start of the journey can also take quite a while too. Always be at least half an hour early to catch the bus. Try not to drink too much water, as rest stops, especially for overnight buses, may be just somewhere where there are a lot of bushes.
Vietnamese buses are made for Vietnamese people – bigger Westerners will be very uncomfortable, especially on overnight buses. Also, many Vietnamese are not used to riding on long-haul buses, and will sometimes get sick – not very pleasant if you are stuck on an overnight bus with several Vietnamese throwing up behind you.
Even if you are sometimes bus-sick, it is advisable to book a sit at the middle rather than at the front of the bus. First, you will avoid viewing directly the short-sighted risks the driver is taking on the way. Second, you will somewhat escape the loud noise of unceasing honkings (each time the bus passes another vehicle, that is about every 10 seconds).
Although the bus company will usually be happy to collect you at your hotel or guest house, boarding at the company office will guarantee a choice of seats and you’ll avoid getting stuck at the back or unable to sit next to your travelling companions. The offices are generally located in or near the tourist area of town, and a short walk might make your trip that much more pleasant.
The long haul bus lines run from North to South and back on the only main road (QL1). Be aware that if you take a bus going further than your destination, the bus will drop you off at the most convenient crossroad for it and not as you could have expected at the bus terminal of your destination. For Hué, this crossroad is 13 kilometers from city center, Nha Trang 10 kilometers. At these crossroads, you’ll find taxis or mototaxis to get you to your hotel.
If you travel with bicycle, negotiate the extra fee with the driver rather than the ticket counter before buying your ticket. The bicycle fee should be no more than 10% of the ticket price.
A scam that you may encounter is that after arriving at your location, the guides will ask you whether you have booked a hotel. Even though you haven’t, say that you have and prepare the name of a hotel. If you say you have not booked one, they will charter a taxi for you and probably drop you at a hotel which they can collect commission. If you decide not to stay, things may get a little ugly, as they will demand that you pay the taxi fare, which they may quote as several times the actual fare for a ten minute ride.
WARNING – Be very careful of your possessions on the overnight bus, people (including bus employees) have been known to look through passengers bag’s and take expensive items such as iPods and phones and sell them on for profit. If you are travelling with an iPod DO NOT FALL ASLEEP WITH IT IN YOUR EAR, as the chances are it will be nowhere to be found in the morning. Simply get a padlock for your hand luggage and lock everything up in there before you go to sleep.
International driving licences are not accepted in Vietnam. The concept of renting a car to drive yourself is almost non-existent, and when Vietnamese speak of renting a car they always mean hiring a car with a driver. (After a short time on local roads with their crazy traffic, you will be glad you left the driving to a professional.) Since few Vietnamese own cars, they have frequent occasion to hire vehicles for family outings, special occasions, etc., and a thriving industry exists to serve that need. Vietnamese can easily hire anything from a small car to a 32-seat bus, for one day or several. Tourists can tap into that market indirectly by way of hotels and tour agents found in every tourist area. Additionally, international car brands have started to surface. Budget Car Rental, one of the largest car rental companies in the world, now offers chauffeur driven services in Vietnam. Hiring a small car for a day trip returning to the point of origin costs around US$60 for 8 hours (though the price changes with the cost of fuel.) (If you shop around and bargain hard for the lowest possible price, you will probably get an older, more beat-up car. If you are paying more than bare minimum, it’s worth asking what sort of car it will be, and holding out for something comfortable.) Few drivers speak any English, so make sure you tell the hotel/agent exactly where you want to go, and have that communicated to the driver.
It’s also possible to hire a car and driver for inter-city travel, at somewhat higher cost. A small car from Saigon to the beach resort of Mui Ne, a 4- or 5-hour trip depending on traffic, costs about US$70, and Dalat to Mui Ne about US$90. Long distance travel by car may be a good choice for several people traveling together, as it provides a flexible schedule and flexible access to remote sites. Keep in mind that long-distance road travel in Vietnam by whatever means (bus or car) is slow, with average speed less than 50 km/hour. Highway 1, the north-south backbone of the country, is a two-lane road with very heavy truck and bus traffic.
Generally speaking, describing Vietnamese driving habits as atrocious would be an understatement. Road courtesy is non-existent and drivers generally do not check their blind spot or wing mirrors. Vietnamese drivers also tend to use their horn very often to get motorcyclists out of their way. In addition, most roads do not have lane markings and even on those that do, drivers generally ignore the lane markings. As such, driving yourself in Vietnam is not recommended and you should leave your transportation needs in the hands of professionals.
Adventurous travelers may wish to see Vietnam by bicycle. Several adventure travel tours provide package tours with equipment. Most of the population gets around on two wheels, so it’s an excellent way to get closer to the people, as well as off the beaten path.
Bicycles can be rented cheaply in many cities, and are often a great way of covering larger distances. Good spots for cycling are Dalat, Hoi An, Hue and Ninh Binh. On the other hand, attempting to cycle in Hanoi or HCMC is virtually suicide without proper experience of traffic rules (or lack thereof, ‘proper experience’ in this case means understanding that everyone around you could potentially change direction at any moment.)
In cities like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, parking bicycles on the sidewalks is not allowed, and you’ll have to go to a pay parking lot. 2000 dong per bike.
The xe ôm (literally ‘hugging vehicle’) is a common mode of transport for Vietnamese as well as tourists. They are widely available and reasonably cheap — about 10,000 dong for a 10 minute trip, which should get you anywhere within the city center. Walk the city streets, and every couple of minutes a guy will flag your attention and say “You !! MotoBike?” Longer trips to outlying areas can be negotiated for 20,000-25,000 dong. Always agree on the fare before starting your trip. As with most things, a tourist will often be quoted an above-market price initially, and you need to be firm. If quoted anything over 10,000 dong for a short trip, remind the driver that you could take an air-con taxi for 15,000 dong so forget it. Occasionally drivers will demand more than the negotiated price at the end, so it’s best to have exact change handy. Then you can pay the agreed amount and walk away, end of discussion.
Taxi-motorbikes, known as xe ôm are available everywhere and they will constantly harass you offering you a ride (no matter if the drivers speak English or not). It’s advisable not to pick them since they will always make you pay much more than to locals and they will surely take you around for hours before getting you to the point you requested. In some cases they will take you wherever they want (tourist attractions or shops you didn’t request to go) and sometimes they will wait for you to come back (even if you don’t want them to wait) and will ask you for more money for having been waiting. Even if you speak some Vietnamese, this is not useful, since they will cheat you anyway or they will act as if they don’t understand even if they do.
The 110-cc motorbike is the preferred mode of transport for the Vietnamese masses, and the large cities swarm with them. It’s common to see whole families of four cruising along on a single motorbike. In most places where tourists go, you can easily rent your own, with prices ranging from 100,000 to 160,000 dong per day. Before reading on, however, you should be aware that it is illegal for foreigners to ride a motorbike in Vietnam unless they are in possession of a temporary Vietnamese motorcycle licence, which in turn requires you to have a current licence issued by your home country/country of residence or an International Driving Permit.
To convert your licence or International Driving Permit into a temporary Vietnamese licence you must hold a Vietnamese residence permit of at least three months’ validity or a three-month tourist visa. In Hanoi you should apply to the Centre for Automotive Training and Mechanism, 83a Ly Thuong Kiet Street; in HCMC to the Office of Transportation, 63 Ly Tu Trong Street, District 1.
You should also be aware that if you ride unlicensed and have an accident in which a third party is injured or killed you could be subject to a term of imprisonment of 10-20 years, as well as paying a large sum in compensation to the victim or the victim’s family. Moreover, even if your travel insurance policy covers you for motorcycling (check the small print as many don’t), if you are injured when riding illegally the insurance company will not recompense you for medical attention, hospitalisation, evacuation to another country for hospitalisation or repatriation, the cost of which can run into tens of thousands of dollars.
With all that firmly in mind, please read on.
Desk clerks at small hotels often run a side business renting motorbikes to guests, or have a friend or relative who does. Tour booths can usually do the same. In small towns and beach resorts where traffic is light, e.g Pho Quoc, it’s a delightful way to get around and see the sights, and much cheaper than taxis if you make several stops or travel any distance. Roads are usually decent, though it’s advisable not to ride too fast and always keep an eye on the road for the occasional pothole.
Riding in the big cities, especially Ho Chi Minh City, is a very different matter, and not advisable unless you are an experienced rider with a very cool head. Traffic is intense and chaotic, with a long list of unwritten rules that don’t resemble traffic laws anywhere else. “Right of way” is a nearly unknown concept. Riding in HCMC is like finding yourself in the middle of a 3-D video game where anything can come at you from any direction, and you only have one life. Expats who brave the traffic at all typically have an apprenticeship of a few weeks or months riding on the back of others’ motorbikes to learn the ways of the traffic, before attempting to ride themselves. Extreme caution is advised for short-term visitors.
Riding long distance in the countryside can also be harrowing depending on the route you take. Major roads between cities tend to be narrow despite being major, and full of tour buses hell-bent on speed, passing slow trucks where maybe they shouldn’t have tried, and leaving not much room at the edge for motorbikes.
Two main categories of motorbike are available to rent: scooters (automatic transmission); and four-speed motorbikes, the gears of which you shift with your left foot. The ubiquitous Honda Super Cub is a common 4-speed bike that has a semi-automatic gearbox i.e. no clutch so is relatively easy to ride. Other models may be fully manual and therefore you must also operate the clutch using your left hand – this takes a lot of skill and it’s all too easy to over-rev and pull a wheelie or stall the engine – if you end up with such a bike then practice releasing the clutch gently before hitting the roads! Dirt bikes are becoming popular for rent in Hanoi, other cities are not yet ready for these beasts. Rental agents tend to steer foreigners toward scooters if available, on the (plausible) assumption that they don’t know how to ride motorbikes that require shifting gears. Motorcycles of 175cc and above are only legal to ride if you make a connection with a Vietnamese motorcycle club.
Most places you would want to stop have parking attendants who will issue you a numbered tag and watch over your bike. Sometimes these parking operations are overseen by the establishment you are visiting, and sometimes they are free-lance operations set up in places where a lot of people go. You will usually see rows of bikes lined up parked. Depending on circumstance, you might park the bike yourself, or just put it in neutral and let the staff position it. In all but rare cases you keep the key. Parking is sometimes free at restaurants and cafes (look for “giu xe mien phi”). Elsewhere, fees range from 2,000 to 5,000 dong.
Traffic police in the cities pull over lots of locals (often for reasons that are hard to discern), but conventional wisdom has it that they rarely bother foreigners due to the language barrier. Obeying the traffic laws is nevertheless advisable, especially if you have failed to obtain a Vietnamese licence. Helmets have also been required by law since December 2007, so if you don’t have one already ask your rental agent to provide you with one.
Cyclo in Hue
While slowly being supplanted by motorbikes, cyclo pedicabs still roam the streets of Vietnam’s cities and towns. They are especially common in scenic smaller, less busy cities like Hue, where it’s pleasant to cruise slowly along taking in the sights. Though the ride will be slow, hot and sometimes dangerous, you’ll generally need to pay more than for a motorbike for the equivalent distance. On the plus side, some drivers (particularly in the South) are very friendly and happy to give you a running commentary on the sights. Cyclo drivers are notoriously mercenary and will always ask for a high price to start with. Sometimes they will also demand more than the agreed price at the end. (Japanese tourists, especially women, are most often targeted with this scam since they are more responsive to the threat that the driver will call the police and make trouble for them if they don’t pay as demanded.) A reasonable price is about 20,000 dong for up to 2 km (1.2 mi), and if the driver disagrees, simply walk away. (You won’t get far before that driver or another takes your offer.) Prices for a sight-seeing circuit with intermediate stops are more complex to negotiate and more subject to conflict at the end. If you plan to stop somewhere for any length of time, it’s best to settle up with the driver, make no promises, and start fresh later. Some drivers start with a very low rate to get you into their cycle and then if required to wait for you or otherwise vary the agreed price, bring out a typed up price list of their “standard rates” which are inflated beyond belief. If even slightly unsure ask the driver show you his list of charges. Then negotiate from that point or walk away. To avoid trouble, it’s also best to have exact change for the amount you agreed to pay, so if the driver tries to revise the deal, you can just lay your cash on the seat and leave.
You will be missing a big part of Vietnamese life if you do not spend some time on a boat. Do be careful though because many boats, although seaworthy, are not designed to first world standards. An example is the ferry from Phu Quoc to the mainland. This ferry has one tiny entrance for all passengers to board. When full, which it usually is there are approximatly 200 people on board. In the event of an accident, the chance of everyone getting out of the boat fast enough would be very small. The idea of an emergency exit also does not exist there.
Tour boats can be chartered for around US$20 for a day’s tour; but beware of safety issues if you charter a boat, make sure the boat is registered for carrying Tourists and has enough lifejackets and other safety equipment on board. Or you can book a tour through a tour company; but be aware that in Vietnam most Tour Agents charge whatever markup they want and therefore the tourist is often paying margins of 30-40%! and the boat owner and operator (of anything from a van to a boat etc.) are paid very little of the total amount!
Ha Long Bay is a famous destination for one- to three-day boat trips among its scenic limestone islands. Problem is that all the boats seem to visit the same places – and with high prices and poor quality boats and service real value is hard to come by! Many boats have a US$10 corkage fee, and forbid BYO alcohol, with on board alcohol and seafood is about the same price as Europe in some places! If there is rain, mist or low cloud, you may not see much. Try to pick a clear day.
Dozens of small family-operated boats ply the river in Hue taking visitors to the imperial tombs southwest of the city. This journey is long because the boats are slow taking about 4 hours or so to make the journey in one direction.
Snorkel – fishing – lunch trips are available from Nha Trang, Hoi An, and Phu Quoc to nearby islands. In Central Vietnam North East monsoon season limits many sea boat tours during the months September – February; other parts of Vietnam seem less affected.
A 90-minute hydrofoil boat operates from Saigon to the seaside resort of Vung Tau for about 120,000 dong each way — the fastest way to reach the beach from the city.
Rivers tours are perhaps the most interesting. A day-long boat trip forms the core of almost any tour of the Mekong region
Tomb of Khai Dinh, Hue
The official language of Vietnam is Vietnamese. Like Thai and Mandarin, Vietnamese is a tonal language that uses a change in pitch to inflect different meanings, and this can make it difficult for Westerners to master. While it is very different from Western languages, a traveler may be surprised to learn that the basic grammar is pretty simple. Verbs are static regardless of the past or future and parts of speech are pretty straightforward. The major difficulties lay on tones and certain sounds.
Vietnamese consists of 4 main dialects: the northern dialect spoken around Hanoi, the north-central dialect spoken around Vinh, the central dialect spoken around Hue, and the southern dialect spoken around Ho Chi Minh City.
While the Hanoi dialect is taken as the ‘standard’ and widely used in broadcasting, there is no de facto standard in the education system. Northerners naturally think that southern accent is for ‘hai lua’ (countrymen) and will always recommend you to be stick to the northern accent, but the choice of accents should depend on where you plan to live. If you are working in Saigon, the main economic centre of Vietnam, the southern accent is what you will hear every day.
For learners, the written latin alphabet is a relief. Unlike English, Vietnamese phonetics are accurate at reflecting true pronunciations, although their sounds on certain alphabets are different or even don’t exist in English.
Vietnamese lexicons are heavily influenced by the Chinese languages. Some words are loanwords from China like hotel (khach San), children (nhi dồng), communist party (dang cong san), some are formed based on Chinese characters (roots), like representative (dai dien) or bird flu (cum ga). The knowledge on the Chinese language will make it much easier to learn Vietnamese. Vietnamese is also full of loanwords from French and English from more recent times.
Although the Vietnamese people do appreciate any effort to learn their language, most seldom experience foreign accents. Learners may find it frustrating that no one can understand what they try to say. Staff in hotel and kids tend to have a more tolerant ear to foreign accents and it is not unheard of for a kid to effectively help translate your ‘Vietnamese’ into authentic Vietnamese for adults.
Besides Vietnamese, Ho Chi Minh City is home to a sizeable ethnic Chinese community, many of whom speak Cantonese. The more remote parts of the country are also home to many ethnic minorities who speak various languages belonging to the Mon-Khmer, Tai-Kadai and Austronesian language families.
Most Vietnamese youths learn English in school, so many young people have a basic grasp of English, but proficiency is generally poor. However, most hotel and airline staff will know enough English to communicate. Directional signs are generally bilingual in both Vietnamese and English.
Despite Indochina’s colonial history in which French was the medium of education, French is basically a nonfunctional language in Vietnam and aside from a few educated elite among the elderly, is much less useful than English when trying to communicate with locals. However in recent years, there has been a revival of the language in both the government and educated elite. In the big cities, some of the big international luxury hotel chains will have staff who are able to speak other foreign languages such as Mandarin, Japanese, Korean or French.
Simply walking to the nearest intersection and merely watching the driving antics is amazing. Keep watching and you may see TV’s and Fridges and other unlikely objects impossibly balanced and secured with string on the back of a motorcycle. Watch how other people and local cross the road.
You will need to observe the traffic etiquette, if you want to cross the road. Some suggest avoid crossing when trucks and lorry’s are close by, as they are less agile than motorbikes.
If your timing coincides with the to/from school hours, this is the best time to observe a glimpse of pushbikes, traditional clothing and ao dai mixing it with ‘normal’ traffic, even in the heaviest of torrential downpours. Such motivated schoolchildren!
As you travel about, you will find there are clusters of shops all selling like goods – like 20 sewing machine shops together, then 30 hardware shops all together, 200 motorcycle repair shops in the same block. Prices are competitive!
Be wary of watch shops selling original authentic fakes. Other fake watches are available but not as cheap as other surrounding countries. Pirated software is oddly, very hard to find and not sold openly. However Movie DVD’s of indifferent quality are widely available from US$1, although not all may have English on them. The local post office will strictly not allow them to be posted abroad.
Vietnam claims Health tourism is on the rise. Hygiene, infection control and proper sterilization is very important, as drug resistant ‘bugs’ are always a concern, anywhere.
Motorbike adventure tours: there are many tour operators who provide motorbike tours around the remote regions of Vietnam. Given that motorbikes are the main mode of transport in Vietnam, this can be a particularly authentic means of traveling through the country and visiting those off-the-beaten-track places. Most tours include accommodation, petrol, helmets, drivers and entry tickets to local places of interest. They usually speak good English or French and offer customised tours if desired.
The national currency is the dong (đồng, VND), which is difficult to find or exchange outside Vietnam; change money on arrival and try to get rid of any leftovers before leaving the country. Continuing inflation and a series of devaluations continues to steadily push down the value of the dong, with 1 dollar fetching over 20,000 dong in February 2011. Bills are available in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, 20000, 50000, 100000, 200000 and 500000 dong. In 2003, coins were also introduced in denominations of 200, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 dong, although these are rarely seen.
| Dongs-> exchangeAccording to Vietnamese laws foreign currency can be easily changed into dongs but not vice versa. Dongs-> exchange is quite a complicated procedure requiring some time and tranquility. In order to change dongs into another currency one should show one’s ticket as a confirmation of leaving Vietnam and one’s ID. These papers will be photocopied by the bank employees. Then one fills out a special form stating the sum. the purpose of the exchange and the destination country. Not all Vietnamese banks perform dongs-> exchange. Among the banks which can change dongs into another currency e.g. Vietcombank can be named |
Prices are widely advertised in U.S. dollars, if only to avoid huge numbers (US$20 for a hotel room sounds cheaper than 400,000 dong), but – unlike e.g. Cambodia – payment is often expected indong only, especially outside major tourist destinations. It is also easier to bargain with dong, especially since dollar prices are already rounded. Dollar bills in less than perfect condition may be rejected. US$2 bills (especially those printed in the 1970′s) are considered lucky in Vietnam and are worth more than US$2. They make a good tip/gift, and many Vietnamese will keep them in their wallet for luck. US$50 and US$100 notes get a higher exchange rate than notes of lower denominations.
Most visitors opt to keep the bulk of their cash in US dollars and exchange or withdraw dong as needed. There is often a considerable spread in dong buy/sell rates, and sometimes the same hotel has different rates for different services! In addition to banks and official exchange counters, you can exchange most hard currencies (Sterling, Yen, Swiss Francs, Euro etc.) at gold shops, often at slightly better than official rates. This is technically illegal, but enforcement is minimal. Hotels and travel agencies can also exchange money, but rates are often very low.
For credit card payments, there is usually a 3% surcharge, so it may be cheaper to go to a nearby ATM (and incur a charge of only 1%) to pay your hotel bill with a huge pile of banknotes.
Traveller cheques of well known companies are widely accepted, but usually a small fee is charged. Fees might also be the only thing that would keep you from getting cash advances on Visa- or Mastercard at most banks. Through both ways you can also get hold of U.S. dollars, though there will be even higher fees. There are mentions in some popular travel books about Vietcombank not charging any commission fees to cash AMEX travelers cheques. However, this is not true anymore.
ATMs are getting more and more common and can be found in most bigger cities and every tourist destination. They will accept a selection of credit and bank-cards, including Visa, Mastercard, Maestro or Cirrus and several other systems. Not every machine will like your particular card, but “Vietcombank-ATMs” are known for the broadest variety. The amount of your withdrawal may not exceed 2,000,000 dong in one transaction with typically an additional 20,000 dong charge. ANZ bank allows withdrawals of 15,000,000 dong per day. Vietcombank ATM’s allow up to 2,000,000 dong per transaction with 20,000 dong charge. ANZ bank ATM’s allow up to 4,000,000 dong per transaction with 40,000 dong charge. The ANZ bank ATM with the office near the lake in Hanoi allows al least 10,000,000 per transaction. The Techcombank ATM is also a good option it allows withdraws as high as 15,000,000 with only 20,000 dong charge. BIDV bank ATM’s allow up to 3,000,000 dong per transaction with 20,000 dong charge. BIDV bank ATM’s are generally the best value ATM’s to use for foreigners if taking out the maximum 3,000,000 dong each time. BIDV banks are found all over Vietnam whereas ANZ banks are found only in Hanoi and Saigon. Agribank lets you withdraw up to 5,000,000 dong (25,000,000 dong/day) at a cost of 20,000 dong/withdrawal (as of Dec 2010). Your own bank may add another charge per withdrawal, like Dutch ING if you have their basic service only, so it may be advisable to upgrade your service (perhaps temporarily), because with the relatively low maximum (4,700,000 dong is €160) a per-withdrawal charge can become pretty expensive. Also it may be advisable to have cards from different banks. If found that sometimes only one of my cards worked (and occasionally none of them …)
There are branches of money transfer companies like Western Union, but this is always one of the more expensive ways to get money.
On most land borders connecting to Cambodia, China, and Laos there are freelance moneychangers to take care of your financial leftovers, but be assured they’ll get the better of you if you don’t know the going rate. Note for travellers departing from Hanoi airport: There are no money exchange establishments once you finish your immigration, so exchange your dongs before you enter the departure hall.
Overcharging has long been an issue in Vietnam tourism. It can happen anywhere on anything from an hotel room, a ride on taxi, coffee, meal, clothing, basic grocery stuff. Your coffee suddenly becomes 100% more expensive and a restaurant may present you an English menu with inflated prices. A friendly local who spent 30 minutes talking with you may also feel like overcharging you on anything.
Vietnamese hold a diverse view on this issue but in general it is more common in Vietnam than other neighbouring countries to see it socially acceptable to overcharge foreigners. They may argue inflated prices are still cheap and they may blame on the cheap cost of living which attracts a lot of backpackers with barebone budgets. According to this school of thought, if tourists complain about it, it’s because they’re stingy. Rich tourists from developed countries should not have a problem being overcharged.
The good news is that standard price is much more common than early 90s. You will absolutely spoil your travel if you assume that everyone is cheating you, just try to be smart. In a restaurant, learn some common dish names in Vietnamese, insist that you need to read Vietnamese menu, and compare it. If owners argue that the portion of dishes in the English menu is different, it’s definitely a scam and move to other places. Learn some Vietnamese numbers and try to see how much a local pays a vendor. Also try basic bargaining tactics: Think how much it is back home, ask for big discount and walk away, pretending that the price isn’t right. Many products tend to be standardized and compare more.
Try to be as clear as possible on the agreed price. You may agree 20,000 dong with a “Xe Om” driver for a specific trip, but at the end he may claim you are due 40,000 dong. Then you pay 20,000 dong, smile and say goodbye, because you have a good memory.
Vietnam is still cheap by most standards: a month’s stay can start from US$250 using basic rooms, local food and open bus transportation.
Tipping is not expected in Vietnam, with the exception of bellhops in high end hotels. In any case, the price quoted to you is often many times what locals will pay, so tipping can be considered unnecessary in most circumstances.
Gỏi cuốn fresh spring rolls, cao lầu noodles (a specialty of Hoi An), nước mắm dipping sauce and local beer
Food sits at the very centre of Vietnamese culture: every significant holiday on the Vietnamese cultural calendar, all the important milestones in a Vietnamese person’s life, and indeed, most of the important day-to-day social events and interactions – food plays a central role in each. Special dishes are prepared and served with great care for every birth, marriage and death, and the anniversaries of ancestors’ deaths. More business deals are struck over dinner tables than over boardroom tables, and when friends get together, they eat together. Preparing food and eating together remains the focus of family life.
Vietnamese cuisine varies slightly from region to region, with many regions having their own specialities. Generally, northern Vietnamese cuisine is known for being bland while southern Vietnamese cuisine is known for being spicy.
At the same time, the Vietnamese are surprisingly modest about their cuisine. (And old proverb/joke says that a fortunate man has a Western (French) house, Japanese wife, and Chinese chef.) High-end restaurants tend to serve “Asian-fusion” cuisine, with elements of Thai, Japanese, and Chinese mixed in. The most authentic Vietnamese food is found at street side “restaurants” (A collection of plastic outdoor furniture placed on the footpath), with most walk-in restaurants being mainly for tourists. Definite regional styles exist — northern, central, and southern, each with unique dishes. Central style is perhaps the most celebrated, with dishes such as mi quang (wheat noodles with herbs, pork, and shrimp), banh canh cua (crab soup with thick rice noodles) and bun bo Hue (beef soup with herbs and noodles).
Many Vietnamese dishes are flavored with fish sauce (nước mắm), which smells and tastes like anchovies (quite salty and fishy) straight from the bottle, but blends into food very well. (Try taking home a bottle of fish sauce, and using it instead of salt in almost any savory dish — you will be pleasantly surprised with the results.) Fish sauce is also mixed with lime juice, sugar, water, and spices to form a tasty dip/condiment called nước chấm, served on the table with most meals. Vegetables, herbs and spices, notably Vietnamese coriander or cilantro (rau mùi or rau mgò), mint (rau răm) and basil (rau húng), accompany almost every dish and help make Vietnamese food much lighter and more aromatic than the cuisine of its neighboring countries, especially China.
Vietnam’s national dish is phở, a broth soup with beef or chicken and rice noodles (a form of rice linguini or fettuccini). Phở is normally served with plates of fresh herbs(usually including Asian basil), cut limes, hot chilis and and scalded bean sprouts which you can add in according to your taste, along with chili paste, chili sauce, and sweet soybean sauce. Phở bò, the classic form of phở, is made with beef broth that is often simmered for many hours and may include one or more kinds of beef (skirt, flank, tripe, etc.). Phở gà is the same idea, but with chicken broth and chicken meat. Phở is the original Vietnamese fast food, which locals grab for a quick meal. Most phở places specialize in phở and can serve you a bowls as fast as you could get a Big Mac. It’s available at any time of the day, but locals eat it most often for breakfast. Famous phở restaurants can be found in Hanoi. Generally speaking, the phở served at roadside stalls tends to be cheaper and taste better than those served in fancier restaurants.
Streetside eateries in Vietnam typically advertise phở and cơm. Though cơm literally means rice, the sign means the restaurant serves a plate of rice accompanied with fish or meat and vegetables. Cơm is used to indicate eating in general…even when rice is not served (ie: An cơm chua?- Have you eaten yet) Though they may look filthy, streetside eateries are generally safe so long as you avoid undercooked food.
In rural and regional areas it is usually safest to eat the locally grown types of food as these are usually bought each day from the market. It is not uncommon, that after you have ordered your meal a young child of the family will be seen running out the back towards the nearest market to purchase the items.
Most restaurants/cafes in Vietnam will have a bewildering variety of food available. It is very common for menus to be up to 10-15 pages. These will inlcude all types of vietnamese food, plus some token western food, possibly some chinese and maybe a pad thai as well. It is generally best to stick with the specialty of the area as this food will be the freshest and also the best prepared.
Be advised that when dining in a restaurant, it is common practise for the wait staff to place a plastic packet (stamped with the restaurant’s name) containing a moist towelette on your table. They are not free; they cost between 2,000 – 4,000 VND. If you open it, you will be charged for it. Also, peanuts or other nuts will be offered to you while you are browsing the menu. Those are not free, either. If you eat any, you will be charged.
Vegetarian food is quite easy to find anywhere in Vietnam due in large part to the Buddhist influence. These restaurants will run from upscale to street stall. Basically any Vietnamese dish with meat can be made vegetarian with the abundance of fake meats. Besides the Buddhist influence of 2 vegetarian days a month, Cao Dai people eat vegetarian 16 days, and followers of the bizarre Quan Yin method eat vegan daily. Look for any sign that says Com Chay or simply remember the phrase An Chay.
Bánh mì: French baguettestuffed with pâté, herbs and pickles
Coffee, baguettes, and pastries were originally introduced by the French colonials, but all three have been localized and remain popular contemporary aspects of Vietnamese cuisine. More on cà phê below, but coffee shops that also serve light fare can be found in almost every village and on multiple street corners in the bigger cities. Bánh mì Hanoi are French bread sandwiches: freshly baked white bread baguettes filled with grilled meats or liver or pork pâté, plus fresh herbs and vegetables. Most pastry shops serve a variety of sweets and quick foods, and are now owned by Vietnamese.
If you like seafood, you may find heaven in Vietnam. The ultimate seafood experience is traveling to a seaside village or beach resort area in the south to try the local seafood restaurants that often serve shrimp, crab, and locally-caught fish. Follow the locals to a good restaurant: the food will still be swimming when you order it, it will be well-prepared, very affordable by Western standards, and often served in friendly surroundings with spectacular views.
Watch out for ice in drinks. Factory-made ice is generally safe, but anything else can be suspect.
Drinking in a vietnamese bar is a great experience. One of the interesting things is that during the day, it is almost impossible to see a bar anywhere. Once the sun goes down though, dozens seem to appear out of nowhere on the streets.
Wikitravel founder Evan quaffing bia hoi in Hoi An
Don’t miss out on bia hơi, (literally “air beer”), or draught beer made daily. It’s available throughout Vietnam, mostly from small bars on street corners. Bia hoi bars will give you the opportunity to relax drinking in a typical Vietnamese bar surrounded by the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Every traveler can easily find these bars to experience what the locals are enjoying.
The beer is brewed daily and each bar gets a fresh batch delivered every day in plastic jugs. It’s a very light (3% alcohol) refreshing lager at a fraction of the cost of draft or bottled beer in the Western-style bars. Bia hoi is not always made in sanitary conditions and its making is not monitored by any health agency. Though fun for the novelty factor, this beer produces awful hangovers. Sticking with bia chai (bottled beer) is much more advisable.
The most popular beer (draft, bottle or can) among the Vietnamese is Saigon Do (Red Saigon). 333, pronounced “ba-ba-ba” is a local brand, but it’s somewhat bland; for a bit more flavor, look for Bia Saigon in the green bottle and a bigger bottle than Bia Saigon Special. Bia Saigon is also available as little stronger export version. Bière Larue is also good, and you can find local brands in every larger city.
It’s regular practise for beer in Vietnam to be drunk over ice. This means that the cans or bottles need not be chilled. If you are drinking with Vietnamese people it is considered polite to top up their beer/ice before re-filling your own drink. It is also considered necessary to drink when a toast is proposed…mot, hai, ba, do (one, two, three, cheers). Mot tram, mot tram implies you will drink 100%.
Vietnamese “ruou de” or rice alcohol (ruou means alcohol) is served in tiny porcelain cups often with candied fruit or pickles. It’s commonly served to male guests and visitors. Vietnamese women don’t drink much alcohol, well at least in public. It’s not recommended for tourists.
Dating back to French colonial times, Vietnam adopted a tradition of viticulture. Dalat is the center of the winelands, and you can get extremely good red and white wine for about US$2-3, however this is very hard to find. Most wine is Australian that is served in restaurants and you will be charged Australian prices as well making wine comparatively quite expensive compared to drinking beer or spirits.
Coconut wine – Rượu dừa – ruou dua : This is special VietNam wine. This wine is made by traditional material and coconut form natural. Copra of coconut can purify Aldhyt in rice wine which cause your headache and tied. You feel free to drink a health to somebody.
Rice spirt and local Vodka is incredibly cheap in Vietnam by western standards. Russian Champagne is also quite available. When at Nha Trang, look for the ‘all you can drink’ boat trips for around US$10-15 for an all day trip and party with on board band.
Coconut water is a favorite in the hot southern part of the country. nước mía, or sugar cane juice, is served from distinctive metal carts with a crank-powered sugar cane stalk crushers that release the juice. Another thirst-quencher is the fabulous sinh tố, a selection of sliced fresh fruit in a big glass, combined with crushed ice, sweetened condensed milk and coconut milk. You can also have it blended in a mixer.
Another popular drink among locals and tourists alike is the coffee (cà phê). Do be careful when drinking locally prepared coffee as the locals tend to drink it incredibly strong with about 4 teaspoons of sugar per cup. It is usually served black or with sweetened condensed milk. Definitely an acquired taste.
Vietnamese coffee beans are fried, not roasted. If you are picky, bring your own coffee.
Lodging is not an issue in Vietnam, even if you’re traveling on a pretty tight budget. Accommodation in Vietnam ranges from scruffy US$6-a-night dorm accommodation in backpacking hostels to world-class resorts, both in large cities and in popular coastal and rural destinations. Even backpacking hostels and budget hotels are far cleaner and nicer than in neighbouring countries (Cambodia, Thailand, Laos), and cheap hotels that charge US$8-10 for a double room are often very clean and equipped with towels, clean white sheets, soap, disposable toothbrushes and so on. Service in a lot of the very inexpensive hotels is actually quite good (since the rate that a person pays per night could equal a Vietnamese national’s weekly pay), although daily cleaning and modern amenities like television may not be provided. In hotels costing a few dollars more (US$12 per room upwards, more in Hanoi) you can expect an en suite bathroom, telephone, air conditioning and television. As with hotels elsewhere in the world, mini-refrigerators in Vietnamese hotels are often stocked with drinks and snacks, but these can be horribly overpriced and you would be much better off buying such items on the street. Adequate plumbing can be a problem in some hotels but the standard is constantly improving.
It is a legal requirement for all hotels to register the details of foreign guests with the local police. For this reason they will always ask for your passport when you check in. The process usually only takes a few minutes, after which they will return your passport. However, because non-payment by guests is by no means unknown, some hotels retain passports until check-out. If a place looks dodgy then ask that they register you while you wait and take your passport with you afterwards. However very few people have had a problem with this as it is routine across the country.
Most hotels throughout Vietnam now have very good high-speed Internet access and the use of computers is generally free, although some hotels levy a small charge.
The more high-end hotels offer a multitude of amenities; such as elaborate buffets with local cuisine, spa treatments, local sightseeing packages, etc.
Hanoi now have some hostels for family called Hanoi Family Hostel. Rooms here are large and with more beds for children. Room rate are good price.
Homestay accommodation is easily booked through travel agents. However, some tourists are disappointed to learn that the “homestay” they booked is really a commercial hotel or the accommodation is situated in a separate building from the family home.
With the recent surge in property prices and inflation, basic room prices in District 1 HCMC are now $USD 12 and up, similar for Hanoi. Upmarket hotels in these areas are considerably more expensive than neighboring countries, ie Thailand. However many equivalent sub $8 rooms can still be found in one of the many coastal resorts.
If you want to meet local people, stop by a school. In Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon), visit the American Language School, where you’ll be welcomed enthusiastically and invited to go into a class and say hi. You’ll feel like a rock star.
The Vietnamese love to meet new people, and teachers welcome the opportunity for their students to meet foreigners.
An excellent novel set in modern-day Vietnam is “Dragon House” by John Shors. Dragon House is the story of two Americans who travel to Vietnam to open a center to house and educate Vietnamese street children.
Former BBC reporter in Hanoi, Bill Hayton, has written a good introduction to most aspects of life in Vietnam – the economy, politics, social life etc. It’s called Vietnam: rising dragon and was published in May 2010.
You can volunteer as an English teacher through Travel to Teach(for now, they aren’t offering any in Vietnam) or other volunteering organizations. If you have a TEFL/TESOL qualification then it’s also possible to find paid teaching work. There are also many paid volunteering organisations which allow you to help local communities, such as: Love Volunteers[6], i-to-i[7] and Global Volunteers[8].
While many safety warnings in travel guide book are no more than scaremongering, touristy areas in Vietnam are really a place worth more precaution. Violent crime towards foreigners remains low, pickpockets and motorbike snatching has found their home especially in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Nha Trang. Thieves on motorbikes are ready to snatch bags, mobile phones, cameras, and jewelery off pedestrians and other motorbike drivers. Avoid dangling your bags along traffic roads. Talking to your mobile phone next to car road and putting your bag on the front basket of a motorbike will tempt a robber. Pham Ngu Lao is the buffet place for all first witness accounts and all veterans seem to have certain experience on it. It could happen days and night, in a crowded road with hundreds of drivers. Locals suggest that they won’t kill you but will take all your money. It is true as long as you don’t hold your belongings too tight. Reports that a foreign tourist got crashed to death when she tried to drag back what was robbed has been heard.
Also infamously common are thefts on popular beaches. Never leave your bag unattended on beaches.
In hotel rooms, including five star ones, reports that belongings are stolen have been heard occasionally. There is no need to be overly paranoid because most tourists do not get hurt, though basic precautions are definitely needed.
Avoid arguments with regular people. Vietnamese are in general aggressive people compared to locals in surrounding countries. It is not uncommon for small disagreements to escalate into violence. This does not generally happen with staff, but is more reserved for other Vietnamese patrons or passersby. Though they may not do the same in your country, as a foreigner, Vietnamese expect you to act a certain way in theirs. This being said, it is not your country, and you should respect the general law of the land. Most of these arguments can be avoided easily by showing general courtesy, and tolerating cultural differences that may seem rude to you. Show special caution when drinking with Vietnamese men.
Corruption is a big problem in Vietnam and locals are convinced that the police are not to be trusted. For motorcycle driver, police officer may stop you for any reasons including missing insurance papers or driving license, fine you around US$20 for each offense (the average traffic fine should only be about US$1-5). Remember to stand your ground and all officers are required to write all traffic violations in their notebook and give your a receipt and pay to the station (not the officer). If you have a cell phone, threaten to call your embassy and he may back down. You might though just find it easier to pay the fine and get on your way.
Immigration officers are known to take bribes. During the early Doi Moi (the reform in 90s), bribes could be a few U.S. dollars, a few packs of 555 cigarettes. Today although officers still seem to feel okay at taking it, it is absolutely risk-free and acceptable if you don’t bribe.
The international monitoring group Transparency International has rated Vietnam as one of the most corrupt nations in Asia.
Prostitution is illegal in Vietnam and the age of consent is 18. Vietnam has laws on the books with penalties up to 20-40 years in prison for sexually exploiting women and children, and several other countries have laws that allow them to prosecute their own citizens who travel abroad to engage in sex with children.
Most scams in Vietnam are in transportation, hotel prices and two-menus system practiced by some restaurants.
Hotel owners may tell you that the room price is 200,000 dong. However, when checking out, they may insist that the price is US$20, charging you almost a double. Another trick is to tell customers that a “room” is a few dollars, but following day they’ll say that price was for a fan room only and it’s another price for an air-con room. These days, legitimate hotel owners seem to be aware of these scams and are usually willing to help by writing down how much the room is per persons per day (in U.S. dollars or dong), if it has air con or not. Staff of legitimate hotels also never ask for payment from a guest when they check in. Watch out if they insist that you should pay when you check out but refuse to write down the price on paper.
Some restaurants are known to have two menus, one for local people and another one for foreigners. The only way to deal with it is to learn a few Vietnamese phrases and insist that you should be shown only the Vietnamese menu. If they hesitate to show you the local menu, you better walk away.
Many taxi drivers in Saigon and Hanoi install rigged meters, charging up to 2 to 5 times more. The best way to reduce your chances is by taking a taxi from reputable companies such as Mai Linh, Vinasun, and Saigon Tourist in Saigon and Mai Linh and Hanoi Tourist for Hanoi (but note that taking these companies is not a guarantee). Having a clear agreement on price with the driver before getting into his taxi is also recommended.
Many Taxi drivers in Sai Gon and Ha Noi try to overcharge thin-faced, just-arrived, and gullible travelers. You should consult some guidebooks and travel forums to prepare yourself for those petty scams and to learn more about how to avoid them.
Taxi and cyclo drivers may claim that they don’t have change when accepting payment for an agreed-upon fare. The best way to handle this is to either carry smaller bills or be ready to stand your ground. Generally the driver is only trying to get an extra dollar or so by rounding the fare up, but to prevent this scam from becoming more popular it is advised to stay calm and firm about the price.
When you meet an over-friendly cyclo driver who says, “never mind how much you would pay” or “you can pay whatever you like at the end of the trip”. He even tries to show you his book of comments from international tourists. This kind of driver has to be a scammer. If you still want to use his service you should make it clear about the agreed price and don’t pay more than that. – just be clear what you are willing to pay, the cyclo drivers are just trying to make a living so be fair.
The first discovery for many tourists who just arrive in Vietnam is that they need to learn how to cross a road all over again. You may see a tourist standing on the road for 5 minutes without knowing how to cross it. Traffic in Vietnam is a nightmare. Back home, you may never witness the moment of crash, seeing injured victims lying on the road, or hearing the BANG sound. Staying in Vietnam for more than a month, you will have fair chance of experiencing all these.
Roads are packed. Some intersections in main cities (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City) have traffic lights patrolled by police, most are either non-functional or ignored.
To cross the road, don’t try to avoid the cars, let them avoid you. Step a little forward, a little more, and you will see motorcycle drivers to slow down a bit, or go to another way. Make your pace and path predictable to other drivers. Don’t turn your speed or direction suddenly. Then move forward until you hit your destination.
The simplest way, if available, is to follow a local, stand next to them in the opposite side of the traffic (if you get hit, he will get it first) and he will give you the best chance of crossing a road.
If you are injured, don’t expect that local people are willing to help for even calling an ambulance because it is not free. Make sure you tell local clearly that you will pay the ambulance fee. Hospitals will also not accept your admission unless you prove that you can pay the bill.
Highways are also risky with an average of 30 deaths a day and some locals will not even venture on them if not in a big vehicle (car or bus). Taking a bicycle or motocycle on highways is an adventure for risk takers, definitely not for a family with children.
Petty crime in night clubs can happen. Avoid quarreling with local people because drunken Vietnamese can be violent to foreigners, especially when there are girls around him. Don’t leave your belongings unattended. Clubs are full of prostitutes looking for their admirers but be aware that they may also take your wallet and mobile phones away. Walking very late by yourself on the streets in the tourist area is safe, but you shouldn’t let any local girls getting into conversation with you. Otherwise, they will touch you, sweet talk you, and then steal something from you without you knowing it at that moment.
Avoid asking the cab drivers for recommended nightspot. Most cab drivers are paid by KTVs and lounges to bring in foreign tourist. Usually when you walked in they will tell you a set of pricing which seems reasonable. But when you check out on the bill, they will includes a number of extravagant charges. Do you homework beforehand and tell the cab drivers where you want to go. Insist on going to where you want to go despite their persuasion. There are a number of reputable pubs and disco around. Try going to those which have more foreigners.
Much of Vietnam’s ecology has been severely damaged and very little wildlife remains, let alone anything dangerous to humans. Venomous snakes (such as Cobras) may still be common in rural areas but virtually everything else has either gone extinct or exist in such small numbers that the chances of even seeing them are remote. Tigers may exist in very small numbers in remote areas, but this is yet to be proven. Saltwater crocodiles once thrived in southern Vietnam but have been locally extinct for at least 20 years.
Tropical diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and Japanese encephalitis are endemic in rural Vietnam. Malaria isn’t as much a concern in the bigger cities such as Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, but always remember to take mosquito liquid repellent with you. It may be very useful, especially in the countryside and crowded neighborhoods.
Thanks to much improved hygiene conditions in recent years, cooked food sold by street vendors and in restaurants, including blended ice drinks, are mostly safe. Just use your common sense and follow the tips under the Traveller’s diarrhea article and you’ll most likely be fine.
Souvenir shops in Vietnam sell lots of T-shirts with the red flag and portraits of “Uncle Ho.” Many overseas Vietnamese are highly critical of the government of Vietnam you may want to consider this before wearing communist paraphernalia in their communities back home! A less controversial purchase would be a nón lá (straw hat) instead.
It’s common to be stared at by locals in some regions, especially in the central and northern side of the country, and in rural areas. Southerners are usually more open.
Asian women traveling with non-Asian men could attract attention, being considered lovers, escorts or prostitutes by some people and may even be harassed or insulted. These attitudes and behaviors have lessened but have not yet disappeared.
The most surprising thing about the topic of the Vietnam War (the American or reunification war, as it is called in Vietnam) is that the Vietnamese do not bear any animosity against visitors from the countries that participated, and in the South many Vietnamese (especially older Vietnamese involved in the conflict or with relatives in the war) appreciate or at least respect the previous Western military efforts against the North. Two-thirds of the population were born after the war and are quite fond of the west. That said, there are some attractions which present a very anti-American viewpoint on the war’s legacy, which may make some feel uncomfortable.
Be sensitive if you must discuss past conflicts. Well over 3 million Vietnamese died, and it is best to avoid any conversations that could be taken as an insult to the sacrifices made by both sides during the wars. Do not assume that all Vietnamese think alike as many Vietnamese in the South are still bitter about having lost against the North.
Police 113, Fire Brigade 114, Hospital 115, Time 117, General Information 1080
Landline numbers in Hanoi and HCMC have a sequence of eight numbers, others have seven.
VoIP calls
Telephone bills are 30% to 40% cheaper if dialed with 171 or 178 services.
Since hotels and guesthouses often charge higher for telephone calls, try to find a post office or any reliable public service.
There are many mobile networks with different codes:
You can buy a SIM card in every shop selling mobile phones, or showing their network’s brands. The standard price is no higher than 75,000 dong, but foreigners are often charged 100,000 dong.
Prepaid account charges vary from 1,700-2,500 dong per minute. Recharge cards are available in denominations of 50,000, 100,000, 200,000 and 500,000 dong.
Roaming onto Vietnam’s GSM networks are possible with foreign mobile phones, subject to agreements between operators.
Internet access is available in all but the most remote towns. Internet cafes are available in most tourist spots and rates are fairly cheap, ranging from 2,000-10,000 dong per hour. Connection speeds are high, especially in the big cities.
Many hotels and restaurants provide free Wi-Fi or terminals for their guests. If you bring your own phone and/or laptop, several providers offer mobile internet services (EDGE/3G) services as well.
Internet censorship is applied to small number of internet services. As of August 2010, Facebook has still been blocked but Facebook Mobile is still accessible. By September 2010 it is accessible to Facebook as normal internet connection. A quick Google search for the relevant programs should help you bypass the ban quite easily. There was also a report that telecom companies block the use of Skype, although the ban has apparently been lifted. Other sites such as Gmail, YouTube, and Wikipedia seem to be unaffected.
Resource : wikitravel.org