a49788fb-0cb3-4201-bdcd-7bee9e2f767bExploring the threaded history of textiled in Mai Chau What About Vietnam - Series 2 - 5 Explore Mau Chau and its threaded history in textiles Kerry Newsome: Welcome to what about Vietnam today I am talking to the lovely Cynthia Mann, and I'm going to be talking to her about a recent trip that she did to a place called Mai Chau. Now Mai Chau is one of those places a little off the grid about three hours out of Hanoi, but it is absolutely wonderful experience if you are looking for a place in Vietnam that can take you back in time in some ways as its features the minority groups; the Hmong people and the Thai people. Cynthia has a lot to do with these ethnic communities as she operates a business called Future Traditions and has a showroom in Hanoi which I strongly recommend that you pop into. Using the traditional weaving and textiles of all the Hmong people and the Thai people she's been able to create the most amazing contemporary designs in homewares and fashion She is definitely a person in the know and with lots of years of experience in the area. She was able to join us today from Hanoi and tell us a little about her trip. Please welcome her to the show …...welcome Cynthia to the program. Cynthia Mann: Thank you, nice to be here. Kerry Newsome: Great to have you on the show. Look today I am going to be picking your brains about a trip that you did recently to one of my favorite places call Mai Chau. Tell us a little more about where Mai Chau is, where it's actually located and how you get there just so we can appreciate where it is on the map. Cynthia Mann: One of the nice things about Mai Chau is that it's actually like a drive from Hanoi, so it doesn't require flights itself, it’s maybe three hours. Its also quite a good road to get there, so you can leave in the morning and be there for lunch. It's in the mountains with beautiful valleys, it's home to some minority villages in the area. The Mai Chau town itself is quite small it's got a really nice kind of “old world” feeling and community there: there are some beautiful waterfalls and scenery. It's just a really fantastic place to get away from it all, and I don't really know one person there. I mean you can jump on a bicycle and ride around the villages very easily, and it's a lot less physically demanding than Sapa, but yes absolutely not as touristy, which is part of its appeal. Kerry Newsome: Exactly and I think you made a good point about referring it to Sapa. I mean Sapa kind of sits very high on the tourist map but Mai Chau traditionally hasn't, and I'm not sure why. Because like you, I found it fascinating. I went there about three years ago, and I had to ask my travel agent to create this tour for me because you know they said not many people know about Mai Chau . I went well, I'm going, I want to experience it. So where did you stay, and why did you choose the place you stayed? Cynthia Mann: Traditionally I started going to Mai Chau in about 2008 and there really was only one or two Homestays and a hotel called an Echo Lodge. And now there are two Echo Lodges, one on the road, and then there is just a beautiful big one. Yes, and now there's quite a lot of different places to stay but this is where I stay at Mai Chau is a place called “Hide Away”, and it's actually about fifteen to twenty kms outof Mai Chau town, on the edge of this huge hydroelectric reservoir. So very beautiful, one of the biggest in Southeast Asia, so you've got all the options as in kinds of water activities like kayaking and things like that. And we really went after lockdown, as we just wanted to have a bit of a getaway and feel like we were human again. Kerry Newsome: Escape the world. Cynthia Mann: Escape the world. To put it in context, in a sense you know that during the lock down I was locked in the house by myself, so I was really a bit desperate to talk to people and that was partly why it was fantastic. To be there with friends and enjoy their company and wide open spaces. Kerry Newsome: Now you mentioned that the Mai Chau place you stayed at was a Homestay. Cynthia Mann: No, the place we used to stay would be the only option, but now this was kind of a four-star kind of hotel Kerry Newsome: A four-star, okay and what would the average night stay there be just roughly for our guests to understand price-wise. Cynthia Mann: That's a good question can't remember because we got a special deal and I think it was maybe it was about a $100USD for the 2 nights. Kerry Newsome: A hundred U.S. Cynthia Mann: Around that much I think we'll have to check on that one and so. Kerry Newsome: And as a list of things to do around Mai Chau what would be like your top three things to do, if you base yourself at the Hideaway what would you do? Cynthia Mann: If you've never been to Mai Chau town, going to Mai Chau town is essential and spend some time in their kind of tourist villages there, because it's where their ethnic type villages do some weaving. They have a lot of textiles which is my first love as you know. Kerry Newsome: Absolutely. Cynthia Mann: I would go on one of the little boat cruises. Actually sounds a bit glamorous, it's not, its kind of one of those you know, pop ups! Very basic. You know the ones. Kerry Newsome: That’s a good point. Cynthia Mann: It was March and it was very pretty particularly just before sunset. So you go down the reservoir, and then we had dinner at this amazing dinner at this fish farm. So we cruise as the light shadows us which is gorgeous. It's a bit like it is at Ha Long Bay, you know you've got these amazing kinds or rocks coming out of the water. And then on the west side we cruise while heading into the sunset which is absolutely stunning. It was really beautiful and the dinner was incredible. We were the only guests. Their job was cooking all this amazing array of fish dishes , all sorts of different one’s, barbecued with various flavourings, and it was just delicious. Kerry Newsome: Can you explain a little about that fish restaurant because if I got it right it's a fish farm that sits in the middle of the lake. Cynthia Mann: Yeah. Kerry Newsome: And now they built a restaurant around it is that right? Cynthia Mann: In the middle yeah; it's basically a series of farms that supply to the area and I think they also send it up to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. It's very locally driven. You would most probably not hear about it, but you get some table you can sit at, and they just bring out the food Kerry Newsome: So glad that's happened because when I was there, they were building it and I actually walked away with a piece of the bamboo that they were using to build the structure with. I planted things in it back at home when I got home. God knows how I got it through customs. I knew all the plans that they had to create this restaurant so it's great to hear that they've done that. I'm sure tourists coming into the region are going to love it. Now I want to get back to something that I know you're going to be able to speak to everyone a lot about. And that's about the ethnic communities and about those textiles that we talk about that you offer in your boutique- Future Traditions, through your handcrafts; tell us a bit about that. Cynthia Mann: Sure. Sure, when I was down there, I actually also did a bit of business I have some textile producers down there. So because I met with them while I was there it is predominantly ethnic and minority communities down there. Hmong and Thai. They do all the famous embroidery, the Thai weaving is famous and it’s incredibly affordable to buy. Kerry Newsome: Do they still hang the bedspreads on the lawn? Cynthia Mann: Yeah, they do. Kerry Newsome: I bought one. Cynthia Mann: They actually made those from recycled Hmong skirts and not actually Thai at all. I love the beautiful Hmong gathered skirts that are made from a number of different pieces featuring appliqué and embroidery, and they construct those, and then make them into this kind of blankets sheets and bedspreads whatever you want to call them. And that's one of the interests I have. But it is no longer hand made because it's cheaper for them to buy in from China and then just to sew the skirt, because for Hmong traditional woman's clothing can take forever, and they could be doing other things. Like rice harvesting. Roasting food and other things. It can take a year for them to make a new piece of clothing, which they usually do, so everybody in the family will get a new set of clothing for the new year. For TET. They now have a quicker and cheaper way to do it. Which on one hand is great, right? Because it’s cheaper, and it’s quicker and everybody will get more time to do other things and perhaps potentially earn more money? But it also means that those integral cultural traditional skills are being diminished. So one thing I do to bring back to the boutique is to take work to a couple of ladies in one of the villages outside on the Province border, who I know still do the hand stitching, applique & ribbon of which is a traditional form of the skirts. They add the red black and white, then do a bit of a floral through it, and then the black and white little squares are added on, because now you can find a similar layer of it, from China, that's machine-made. But it’s just not quite the same. The traditional way is one of the things that I first fell in love with, the first time I went to the Hmong villages. Over time I've worked with some of the ladies that make it, and I've given them fabric in different color schemes so that they then produce a version for me that fits in with some color scheme that I'm working on for the next collection Kerry Newsome: That's really great to know. Cynthia Mann: During that time I use some of those bedspreads or recycled old skirts and infuse some into my signature jackets with antique fabric which is all right and I try to make it work. As often as I can, I go to Paco village and purchase fabrics in combinations I can incorporate into my designs. Kerry Newsome: So, just too to recap on where that situated the Paco village that that you referred to is actually kind of at the back door of where I was staying last time. So that Eco log that set up on the hills you can actually go down the back and through to the smaller villages. Cynthia Mann: Through the back of little villages that are set up between, that's different. Kerry Newsome: It was pretty basic. Not much is there but good to see. Cynthia Mann: Yeah, Paco village itself is actually on the canal. A village, which has a local market there on a Sunday morning. Kerry Newsome: Yeah, I didn't get to. Cynthia Mann: It's kind of like a triangle between the town, where the Paco village is. Kerry Newsome: How long would you suggest a person should plan a stay there, is that a day trip? Or is it an overnight trip, two or three days, what would you recommend? Cynthia Mann: Definitely an overnight if you want to go to the Paco market which is lovely really lovely it's a very small market. Kerry Newsome: Yes, I have heard. But only open on a Sunday. Cynthia Mann: You need to go there early, be there by seven thirty, eight o'clock as it's over by ten. And I would stay, ideally stay two nights. If you start like at the Eco Lodge in the valleys behind much of a Mai Chau Town. Then you can hire a bicycle and just cycle around and into different villages and you know talk to the locals, and it's a really lovely valley to explore and it's really easy to do Kerry Newsome: Just to clarify on the timing you went in, we think around about June. Cynthia Mann: Yeah. Kerry Newsome: Because you and I just love the heat. I like recommending for people the best time to visit. I went in March and it was actually quite cool. Cynthia Mann: Yes. Kerry Newsome: So, I was wrapped up. It was quite chilly but you went in June. When would you think are the good months to go from a timing perspective? Cynthia Mann: Autumn in the north is probably best. Anywhere in the north is probably the best season - starting September October November. Kerry Newsome: September, October, November. Cynthia Mann: And once you get it in December January it can be quite cold, and for February can be quite cold. Tends not to be as humid there which is nice and especially for tourists who are not used to it. When we were there and were chatting with some friends online and they were saying better you're enjoying the cool weather down there. And I looked away and it was actually the same temperature, and it was thirty-nine degrees. But in Hanoi, it was no different in temp, it's not as high, or as cool as Sapa, but it tends not to be as humid, so for a lot of people that's a big relief. Kerry Newsome: I think any time in the middle of the year anywhere in Vietnam is pretty warm let’s face it. Cynthia Mann: And once you enter towards the end of July, we're just starting the rainy seasons. It will be more overcast, and then you will have rain. On the other hand the rain cools everything down. On Sunday we had this huge downpour and an old friend of mine and I just whistled around on bikes in the cool, it was like…. WOW... I haven't felt this for a long time, it was just fabulous. Kerry Newsome: Delicious especially after lockdown. Cynthia, it was great to chat. Cynthia Mann: Absolutely. Kerry Newsome: I just wanted to say thanks again and we will be chatting soon. Cynthia Mann: Excellent. Be safe everybody and look after yourselves and looking forward to seeing you in Hanoi, Vietnam at some stage in the not too distant future.

S4-19 Vietnam wins the heart of the daring Why Vietnam wins the hearts of the daring Episode 19 S4-19 Vietnam wins the heart of the daring 00:00 / 45:11 Is Vietnam for the daring? The brave hearted. Or is it a country that you can feel confident about challenging yourself in, no matter what is daring for you? If Vietnam feels like a leap of faith to you, then press PLAY. In today’s show we explore some of the things that contribute to making Vietnam a country you can feel safe in, and yet you can push your own personal boundaries. For some people visiting any country in the S E Asia region can feel like a deep dive into uncharted and circumspect waters. If you'd like to experience Vietnam with a sense of curiosity and confidence then my guest today is just the person to allay any of your fears, real or otherwise. Once a tourist to Vietnam from Barcelona Spain, now General Manager of the Fusion Original Saigon, my guest Alvaro Moreno does a wonderful job of identifying those often-unspoken gems that make travel so easy in Vietnam. As a lover of travel Alvaro shares some of the ways in which Vietnam can offer the traveller the chance to challenge themselves in relative safety, and on a range of budgets. He speaks about the high level of connectivity within the country digitally and how easy it is to travel about using various modes of transport, made easy to book on any mobile device through an App. You may be surprised to hear his favourite foodie experience. We touch on the growth of the country and its forward thinking that’s changing its appearance to the tourist and offering them more choices. A competitiveness that adds up to different levels of experiences in the country. He has worked on the pre-opening phase of three hotels and one re-brand in Vietnam over the past 8 years, and he sits with great pride in his staff and hotel as GM of the Fusion Original Saigon Centre. If you would like to check out his hotel - https://saigoncentre.fusionoriginals.com/ You can follow the hotel on their social pages: FB - https://www.facebook.com/FusionOriginalSaigonCentre/ IG - https://www.instagram.com/fusionoriginalsaigoncentre/ YT - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5iXwi8aX-x256XtjDNosxQ Download Transcript PDF Read the transcript here

7a9010db-6536-4892-bc86-bd98867e1185Finding the best nightlife in buzzing Saigon What About Vietnam - Series 2 - 20 The inside "scoop" on the best nightlife in Saigon 2020/21 Kerry Newsome: [00:00:35] Xin Chao, and welcome to what about Vietnam, I'm calling today's episode an insider's view into the best nightlife in Saigon. And the reason I'm doing this is that I'm actually talking to an insider, a lovely girl who at the moment is living in Saigon, Vietnam, and managed to find herself there just prior to covid lockdowns. So we're kind of getting the best and the most up to date information about this city. And the focus of the program is definitely going to be on just all the great things to do after dark. I mean, let's face it, a lot's changed and I've wanted to make this show. All about Saigon and certainly about after dark and the best way I thought to do this was to let Selene showcase her knowledge. So you're not going to hear too much of me and me interjecting in any way. I just really wanted to, I guess, put a proper focus on all of the aspects of going out she was able to share in a way that you could relate to it, and I guess consume it in some ways. The pandemic did have an effect on Vietnam, but certainly not as drastic as in most Western countries. You'll hear from Selene how the Vietnamese and the local expat fraternity decided to make the most of it. You're going to hear about how locals love to get out and about at night in the cool air. What and where are the places to go that make this city get talked about so much as a fabulous nightspot? Is it safe? She put some really good insights for you as a traveler to think about that. Kerry Newsome: [00:02:41] I'm happy to report the answer is yes. So what kind of experiences can a new traveler expect to see in Saigon when they do eventually get to come back to Vietnam? I think Selene's insights into that will be interesting for you as well. She talks about cocktails and venues and experiences that will suit all types of travelers. So whether you're a family, whether you're a solo traveler, in particular, a female or whether you're a backpacker, there's just something for everyone. So as we sit here still in trip planning mode, you're going to be considering the cities that you first enter into the country. They are most likely going to be Hanoi, Saigon or possibly Danang. You may want to consider definitely including a couple of nights, especially after this episode, having a couple of nights in Saigon as part of your trip, because there is a lot to do in this city. But from my personal experience, my best experiences of Saigon have been when I've had the value of people's experience. And, I've done some research because it is a big city. It's got lots of districts and they each offer something unique. So to get about, when you sort of come into the country and like your head's doing a 360, I'm hoping this episode, along with some of the others in my series, maybe you might want to check out the shopping one and maybe the food ones that are coming on. I think if you have those in your backpack of things to do, it's going to make you enjoy the city so much more. Just a little bit about Selene. She's an Australian girl. [00:04:40] She's been traveling back and forth to Vietnam since 2005. She decided, as I said, to make Saigon her home. Just prior to Covid hitting. But,she's never looked back. You will hear how she absolutely loves Vietnam, Saigon and certainly the Vietnamese people. She comes from a very dynamic and diverse career across film and media to product manufacturing and brand development. She's made documentary films, worked as a digital producer and currently manages a small printing and sewing factory in Vietnam. She's the owner of two brands,CushionArt and XXXX Beautiful Homeware products you might like to check out on the links in the show. She's had a career in film and media that spans almost 20 years. She's an excellent speaker, which is another reason why I decided to make this episode really all about her and what she can share for you as the listener. She's an award-winning producer of short stories and documentaries such as The Demon Fault featured on SBS TV, plus Going, Going, Gone. And Every Story Has a Happy Ending, which has received over 300,000 views on YouTube. More recently, Selene has returned to her passion of writing stories for the screen and is developing a TV series. She's proficient in English, French, Vietnamese, and would you believe some Spanish. I know you won't be able to write notes fast enough to capture all the gems that Selene shares on the show. So please relax. I've included lots of the links here. I'll feature some on the episode notes and you'll also be able to find them on my website:- What about Vietnam.com I really want you to enjoy this program, nothing more from me, you're going to just have the voice of Selene as she shares her thoughts, her experiences and her passion for Vietnam. So without further ado, let's say hello to Selene in Saigon. Selene Alcock: [00:07:00] Vietnam is a sort of very bizarre case in the world, there aren't very many countries in the world that managed to avoid the Covid crisis, but Vietnam did that really successfully. Selene Alcock: [00:07:15] Obviously, there has been a flow-on effect of NO tourists, no international flights and the tourists being able to come into the country. One of the most noticeable changes of that is that the Ben Thanh Market, which was the big central tourist market, has now completely closed, which is quite sad to say, because a lot of people have lost their livelihoods from that. And that was also like a night market right next to that market, which is also closed. So definitely no international flights and no tourists has really affected the heart of Saigon and also the morale of the people, because there are a lot of hotels, restaurants, businesses that reliant on tourism and some other places have been lost. However, there has been a rise in the local and also expat international scene. So whilst the tourist nightlife scene has died somewhat, the local ex-pat international and also the local Vietnamese nightlife scene is okay. Actually the reason I have to say that right at the moment, there isn't much nightlife happening because we had another scare here. So we've gone back to people can go to events, but generally, it's limited to 30 people. So there's not a lot of raging nightlife right at the moment, but it was, most of 2020. They love to get out and that they're very proud of their food. And as you know, they have an extremely strong and vibrant street and street food culture. So a lot of Vietnamese nightlife actually centers around that. Selene Alcock: [00:09:05] So basically people will go out, they'll eat something on the street, they'll drink something on the street, or they'll go to kind of like a specialty eatery place. It could even be a coffee shop or a bubble tea place, which is pretty popular here. Generally, Vietnamese youth love to be out and about, hanging out of coffee shops and beauty shops so they're not drinking alcohol. They'll find another kind of venue. But a lot of these places, like a lot of Asia, are open till 10:00, 11:00 at night. So there's a vibrant nightlife that's not necessarily alcohol-related. Selene Alcock: [00:09:39] That's the first thing. And then all of a sudden, you get hungry at 11:00 or 12:00 or one 1:00 a.m. there's usually a place that you can go and eat to the side of the road. Selene Alcock: [00:09:49] So that's also part of the nightlife, I say, because people are generally out and about on the streets doing things, chatting, eating, drinking, etc. So the locals saying there are nightclubs as well for the Vietnamese people. We can go into that in a minute. But the locals say generally over nightlife in Saigon, Vietnam has always just been let's hang out on the streets and let's find something to eat and drink. Selene Alcock: [00:10:17] People love to get out and about at nighttime because it's cooler. So that's one of the reasons that many people in a hot tropical climate, especially when you would love to get out and about at night, and also the masters of napping, so they can have a nap the next day. Selene Alcock: [00:10:32] So it's all good to be out at night. It's not a big deal. Getting to bed, kids as well, at this hour. And it's like, oh, well, the Saturday whenever you have a nap later. So very relaxed. And I think that's what makes it fun to be out at night because nobody's stressing out about we've got to get home to get to bed at night. Selene Alcock: [00:10:55] Well, we'll sleep when we need sleep. It's a different mentality. I find that with a lot of Asian cultures and there's some obviously southern European that it's like, well, we're tied loosely. If that means we have to sleep in the middle of the day, that's fine. Selene Alcock: [00:11:11] Yeah, what's the deal so, Kerry, you know the ex-pat culture. Well, The ex-pat culture is also really as I mentioned, I first came to Vietnam and to Saigon in 2005. So there were very specific ex-pat cultures back then that tended to be, you could say, not so desirable, the older men sometimes. And then also backpackers and travelers, people may be working as English teachers.Now there is a variety of reasons why people are here now Saigon, 20 or so years prior to that and ongoing is a completely different place. For starters, it's an entrepreneur's hub, I think. Richard Branson said Saigon was one of the top five cities in the world. Now, something like that, as a sort of an entrepreneurial hub. So that is definitely changing the face of Saigon. In addition to that, we had covid-19. So you had a lot of people who say in the creative fields, music scenes, even English teachers who dropped into Saigon at the end of 2019 or early 2020, probably expecting only just a couple of weeks or a couple of months. And they now call Saigon their home. So we've had a really big shift. Selene Alcock: [00:12:31] Now the other thing is that when a bunch of foreigners get stuck in a place together, we won't say stop, but end up living. They start saying, oh well, I live here now. What can I do here? Selene Alcock: [00:12:43] I can't travel outside of the country. I'm an international DJ. Well, I can't go to the full moon party or IBiza or do any of those things anymore. Selene Alcock: [00:12:53] So I might as well make the most of the scene here. And that's exactly what happened. So there's the usual for example, if you're a tourist, you come to Vietnam. There's an assortment of nightlife experiences you can have. We can talk about that in a moment. But if you're a local living here, a Vietnamese local or an ex-pat local, there's a more diverse range of things you can do. Selene Alcock: [00:13:18] What's happened is that a lot of stuff has evolved over the past few years, but particularly I found in 2020. So we have a lot of kind of "alternative bars", underground bars, alternative scenes. Selene Alcock: [00:13:32] You have a rise in things like a "drag queen" scene also happening here from Gender Funk; they are very kind of proactive in that area. I've been to a few drag shows myself and they're fantastic. Selene Alcock: [00:13:47] The other thing I might just add in here, I mean, I'm going to do lots of the different scenes. Here is what I find interesting about Vietnam and Saigon. And I think this definitely feeds into the nightlife. Selene Alcock: [00:13:57] Is that because Vietnam went through a lot of conflict in its history, a lot of wars, a lot of foreign invaders, colonization, very overpowering, other countries trying to always overpower them from China, French, even Japanese, having sometimes grueling war with the US, et cetera, et cetera. You would think that they were very averse to foreigners. However, I find Vietnamese people to be. Selene Alcock: [00:14:29] Extremely open to foreign input, but at the same time extremely proud of their culture and who they are and also what they've achieved in terms of their independence and becoming a strong nation. Selene Alcock: [00:14:42] So I have very deep respect and love for the Vietnamese people. And I love them because it takes two to tango. You can't just be a foreigner. Rock up here and say, I want to do this, that and the other. You have to have the Vietnamese people saying, we want to do that with you. Selene Alcock: [00:14:57] And generally, you know, everybody has their obstacles. Generally, the Vietnamese being very open to this experience. And what you've got is this kind of really lovely fusion thing taking place. So when you've got this openness going, you get a lot of like speakeasy bars in alleyways and stuff. Selene Alcock: [00:15:15] Often there's a French owner behind it or whatever, but just the mix of flavors. And then people also kind of saying, all right, well, even in the making of the cocktail there is a fantastic cocktail scene here and fantastically well-made cocktails now and. Ok, let's go into cocktails, so. Selene Alcock: [00:15:37] The thing I like about Saigon is that you've got this labyrinth, labyrinth and kinds of streets and alleyways and stuff. So you've got all these fantastic little bars that would have been either in somebody used to be house or shopfronts or whatever that's been converted to a bar. So you've got a lot of really fantastic alley bars and even mentioned this intersection. You've got like, whole areas which are like alley bars or bars, that are in alleyways and stuff. So you've got this really fantastic on-the-street culture where you can go into a cool cocktail bar. Often there'll be a big, fat, heavy door and you can hear the sounds of music thumping on the inside because, I mean, you want to block out the sound from motorbikes and whatever else is going on in the street. And suddenly you open the door and you go in. There you go. Oh, my God. Selene Alcock: [00:16:27] I've really come into a whole new world that I didn't expect. Well, you've gone sort of down an alleyway and then you found an entrance and then you come down a corridor, and then you've gone up a flight of stairs, and around the corner and everything. And suddenly you end up in this bar and you're like, oh, my God, how does this place exist here? Selene Alcock: [00:16:47] So you think about coming to Vietnam as an expat or even as a tourist to be able to discover these kinds of places. You hear about a place and you discover it often. You get lost trying to find it. So you're like, is this the right number to walk down this dirty alleyway with cats, and dogs and rats and things coming at me? And then I've got to go down here, and up here and around here and then somewhere you end up in this glamorous cocktail bar, groovy music, and stuff, and you're like, oh, wow, this was exciting. [00:17:18] It is because it's also a discovery process of finding the essence of Saigon as a treasure trove of interesting bars and cafes and people and scenes and all sorts of things. So the city lends itself to that. [00:17:43] You've got your kind of tourist strip, you've got your rooftop bars, cocktail bars, you've got five star hotel bars, which are often rooftop bars as well. [00:17:54] We've got like classic Vietnamese nightclubs, which tend to be a bit fast and furious. And then you've got like this whole scene, which is a mix of local Vietnamese and expats, and obviously not really so many tourists these days or no tourists these days. But probably in the past, some troops would turn up, but many expats would go there. And those kinds of scenes, they're just a bit more they're not necessarily all alternative. They're just a bit more underground or not so well known. So there's some really interesting I'll give some examples. So there's a Frenchman here. And I think when we were chatting, I told you I've been on this thing called the Secret Weekend. I've been twice, and I absolutely loved it, which we can talk about in a moment. So the people that organized the secret weekend called Saigon Dub Station. They also run a place called Indika Saigon. And it is a little bit more alternative. As you can turn up in your hippie clothes. You can turn up as a funkster. It just depends on the day and the night. But it's a bit like a little house. And then they've got like it's kind of little house of curios anyway. And then they've got like an outdoor area with a lot of the plants going into the concrete. The trees are going into the concrete. So it's just like a cool. And they've got a vegan restaurant attached to that as well. So it's just like a cool place. And this is got a bit of a hippy alternative vibe to it, I suppose. You know, then there's a really cool place in District two or Tandim, which is where a lot of the foreigners live. A Lot of these places increasingly run by French people or started by French people. [00:19:54] WAM stands for "we are monkeys" and their decor reflects that. It's a very small place. It's very popular. I've been there a lot of times. They get great DJ's, great music as a very small place. Down stairs is like a little counter bar kind of scenario. And everyone hangs out on the street outside drinking so you can get some craft beer on tap. There's this kind of cool lemonade like alcoholic lemonade on tap, which I've had a few times, great cocktails. And then upstairs it's all, it's got this amazing decor and it's all sort of like wallpaper of monkeys and jungles and bananas. Selene Alcock: [00:20:34] And they've got written up there. We are monkeys in a kind of light sign. And it's just a cool, little funky place and just small. And they often have nights there. Selene Alcock: [00:20:48] They're like there's a group called Saigon Pundit's run by an American guy. And so they do talk nights like they did one called " this ex-pat life" and one on "polyamory". [00:21:04] So really interesting topics. So people sort of gather there and talk and drink. So, yeah, I just find Saigon's a real melting pot of people, people from different age groups, different nationalities. As I mentioned, a lot of people who maybe only plan to be here for a short time but ended up living here. Thats only two places I've mentioned. Oh, there's the observatory, which is a really cool late night spot. [00:21:29] It's a bit of an institution that's been going for a while. It's a good place to end up. Vietnam, as in Saigon has become a bit of an entrepreneur's hub. It also has a lot of teachers,and generally, a lot of the people living and working here tend to be in their twenties and thirties. You get like older professional type people who are working in manufacturing because, obviously Saigon is also a big manufacturing hub, particularly in textiles and garment and shoe manufacture. Selene Alcock: [00:21:57] So you get a lot of like families as well. You get a lot of older people in their 40s, 50s who have careers in those areas. They're not necessarily the ones out clubbing. Not to say they don't go out. I'm in my forties, I go out and party. And yet probably the majority of the people I'm partying, partying with are in their twenties and thirties. I don't care, because I'm out there to have a good time. So, yeah, definitely. But I mean, it's just like anywhere you go. If you suddenly were in Sydney and you said I'm going out raving and partying all weekend, you're more likely to find yourself hanging out with a bunch of twenty and thirty-year-olds just because younger people tend to have more energy to party! Selene Alcock: [00:22:38] So they think,....., I think there are no limits. I'm going to keep partying till I'm a 90-year-old granny, at which point I'll become a DJ myself. Selene Alcock: [00:22:54] So the rooftop scene has really expanded as well, so as you mentioned earlier, Kerry, you've been to the Caravelle Hotel, so they have a quite well-known rooftop bar called "Saigon Saigon", and they've had LIVE acts, and they make great cocktails. There is a little outdoor section. You can see the city skyline. Selene Alcock: [00:23:15] Obviously, Saigon has an ever-growing, ever-expanding city skyline because of the nature of it expanding as a city and construction booms. Selene Alcock: [00:23:28] So you also have the Rex Hotel, which is very close to the Carevelle and has a very interesting history. And it's always had a rooftop bar as well. So that's another nice, more relaxed, chilled out place. Selene Alcock: [00:23:42] Often they'll have live acts at some of those five-star hotels. Selene Alcock: [00:23:45] They'll have a rooftop bar and they'll have like a live band and sometimes the ubiquitous Filipino band. But then what's happened in the kind of local Vietnamese scene? More than an expat scene, obviously, if you are an expat or a foreigner, you can go there. Selene Alcock: [00:24:02] We have Chill Sky Bar, which is a bit of an institution. It's probably one of the better rooftop bars in terms of how the bar actually looks. And the view from the bar. Chill Sky Bar is in the AB Tower and it's down towards the sort of traditional tourist area like Bui Vien street, right near the New World Hotel, actually. Selene Alcock: [00:24:28] The view from there is fantastic because you can actually see one of the biggest roundabouts in Saigon, so when you're looking over it, at night, not you can see all the bikes and cars going around, all the lights, you know, especially going around the circle. That's a cool view, plus there's park. From there you can see a bit of greenery and the DJ's Box is a sort of circular box, and it's right in the middle of the bar. So you can be getting your drinks, partying and dancing. And the DJ is sort of there in amongst you. But I think actually it's slightly elevated. Selene Alcock: [00:25:04] So you can sort of walk up the stairs and see down onto the stage and then down onto the street. So there's some really great views from all different angles. A chill sky bar is is is a great place to go, especially as a tourist, because it's got a bit more of a local view. Selene Alcock: [00:25:22] Lots of beautiful Vietnamese girls there as well. A new one that just opened up. Another really great one is Glow Saigon that opened, I think a few years back, I had a birthday there. So actually that's also sort of similar to Chill bar, plus a new one that's opened up is the Epic Sky Lounge. Now, I did pop up there briefly last year and there was some extreme hip hop night going on with extremely loud music. And we went back down the elevator. There are other we were talking about the alternative scene, there are other quieter rooftop bars where there is a bit more of an international DJ vibe. Some of the Vietnamese clubs can be quite commercial and loud to the point of distortion. So there's a mix of people that go to these bars. So there's Broma; Not a Bar which is slightly rooftop. I mean, it's like three stories high. Selene Alcock: [00:26:31] You asked a good question earlier about wining and dining, there's a lot of very up market places. There's one that's been around for a long time. I haven't been there for ages. It's called Shri. It's Shri Restaurant and Lounge or something. It's in the center of town. So you have to go into these office blocks as well and they're at the top of an office block. So Shri is great because it's very useful. It's got loads of water features and stones that you step over and it's very upmarket food. So it's upmarket market wining and dining, but you get a nice view of the city. It's a world away. Selene Alcock: [00:27:08] It's a more quiet, ambient version of a rooftop bar. Selene Alcock: [00:27:13] We also have if you're a tourist in the downtown area, which is in Bui Vien Street there's a place called The View Rooftop, which is in straight. It's at one extreme end of that kind of tourist strip. And so if anyone listening out there, its like the Khao San Road tourist strip in Bangkok, it's kind of the equivalent of that now. Selene Alcock: [00:27:44] So you want a karaoke night out in Saigon, no problem, karaoke everywhere and Vietnamese people love to sing. So I went down there once and I had two friends and they basically went, Yeah, yeah, come on, sing. And then my friend got up and started singing an Elvis Presley song or something to this group of about 40 Vietnamese people in that street. Selene Alcock: [00:28:06] It was pretty hilarious. I think a videod it too, you know, you can have just random experiences like that. You can just join a bunch of people and start singing with them, that's the other area I'm talking about is actually the tourist strip with all the backpacker hotels. Selene Alcock: [00:28:24] So it's more like a boom boom kind of, you know, clubs, bars, but with lots of girlies, dancers in Vietnamese girls in short skirts serving you Heiniken or Tiger beers. So they're kind of more like that. and it didn't used to always be that way, because as I said, I went there in 2005. But that's also been turned into a pedestrian strip. Now, that is quite the circus experience. If you want to go down there, you can sit on the side of the road and eat some local food, and drink some beers and watch people walk by, bicycle by, because I think they allow bicycles and stuff and all sorts of stuff goes on. There is a soap opera taking place on every corner. Selene Alcock: [00:29:12] Thats, the great thing about Vietnamese sort of street life and nightlife is that you can actually just sit on the side of the road and observe. And it's more interesting to watch people. Certainly more interesting than watching television, there's a lot going on. You can say "those people over there having a domestic" and see if it "is a love affair going on over there". Someone's moving their cyclo and bikes and all of this. Some with guinea pigs on a bike and 28 water bottles trying to get down an alleyway. There are all sorts of stuff going on because obviously, people try to load up a lot of stuff. As I say, this is kind of a motorbike-free zone, I think now at night. But people still go down on bicycles. Selene Alcock: [00:30:02] Yes, totally. I mean, if you want to go on the experience I just described, if you want to go and have a beer on the side of the road and some sort of local snack food kind of thing, it's cheap. Selene Alcock: [00:30:15] So the word for a sort of beer on tap places could be a bia hoi So there are a lot of these kind of street places where they have, you know, they'll have an actual shopfront, it's not just purely on the street food. Just to clarify the street food that is purely on the street. They've got all of the bits and bobs that they need to set that up. And cook it on the street. And then there is sort of more like sitting on the street. But there's an actual place or restaurant doing the cooking. Yeah, yeah. And they'll have a toilet and all that sort of stuff. So those kinds of places they normally call a Quan to you, and so it's more like a local place that usually has a certain kind of food. So whether it's bia hoi food, it will typically have food that goes with that, sticks of barbecued things. Usually, you don't get fried rice, it's usually non rice-based. It's barbecued salty things or sort of snack food to go with Beer because essentially you are there to drink beer. Then you have a street food place which will just be eating food and might not have a beer. So if you go to one of these places, you could eat food and drink quite cheaply if you go to a local bar. Again, you can buy inexpensive drinks, but if you suddenly want to go to an upmarket cocktail bar, which there are now many, certainly the prices go up. Selene Alcock: [00:31:44] But as you just mentioned, the comparison to Australia or Sydney, things to keep in mind is that if you want to drink and of course you're not going to drive, your taxi fare is super cheap. If you've got kids and you've got to pay for a babysitter, your babysitter is super cheap. So and then you basically, if you wanted to go for a similar culinary or drinking experience as to somewhere like Australia or Sydney, where I'm from, you can have the same or better quality, in my experience, for definitely a fraction of the price. So you can probably pay a quarter or a third and get the same quality. As I said, the cocktail scene has really gone off. I know somebody who started a bitters company here and he actually makes the best out of a lot of the local products or resources from Vietnam. So, I mean, things like Cinnamon Saigon is famous for cinnamon, lemongrass, ginger, obviously. So there are a number of spices. And obviously, it's become a chocolate country. It's the second-largest exporter of coffee in the world so all of these things are going into his bitters. I love the beaches. It's called Saigon Bittesr Company. And so a lot of the cocktail bars are using these and they just add that extra little touch. So but also, you know, the Vietnamese are really they embrace so much. [00:33:21] So, you know, some of these bars and new ventures, a run or initiate have been initiated by foreigners. But Vietnamese are getting up and making fantastic coffee shops, bars, and they have a strong coffee culture. Nothing to do with foreigners. I mean, obviously, first introduced by the French, but they are fantastic at running their own coffee shops, bars and everything. And they're fantastic cooks have got an amazing cuisine. So they just know how to mix things up, and that applies to drinks and cocktails. So they're just getting really good in the whole cocktail-making department. [00:34:03] A new thing that started last week with Secret Weekend, they've done three secret weekends, it's run by a guy called Morgan. He's French from Saigon Dub Station. And the last one I went to weekend three was just outstanding. I had a fantastic time. So basically what it is, I think the next one is going to be in a different location. But the last two, we're at a mud bath, hot spring resort, about two or three hours north of Saigon. So I'm not sure if it was five stars, but It was very beautiful Resort. You Could stay in a villa or stay in a room depending on your income. So basically, to go on this secret, you pay a certain amount. [00:34:50] And then they had a party in the forest area of the resort and they had a giant carved bear which has a tree coming out its head that had a lot of fantastic lights and a lot of international DJ acts. [00:35:07] So there was a bit of a spontaneous drag show performance and also some live music. Some guys were mixing beats and performing, singing at the same time and playing some instruments, the Vibe Mechanics. They are my new favorite thing, I just saw, they're playing again soon. So it's just what I was saying about the alternative scene. There's just like a lot of people really great creative people about, particularly in the music scene and mixing and creating these exciting kinds of things. [00:35:35] So a lot of people compared it to Burning Man, which I've not been to, so I can't really say. But it was like a weekend outdoor - 48 hours of music. They also have music by the pool, so it is like nonstop DJ's back to back and all international DJ's as well as Vietnamese, just fantastic music and really chilled out people having a good time. They had some TP's set up outside. The lights. I mean, the photos I saw from this weekend, just amazing. And then you can go and hang out in the hot pools. And we were actually sitting in a villa and we had a hot pool. You know, like a 40 degree hot pool. Yes, after a hard day of dancing in the forest, you can get into the hot pool. Selene Alcock: [00:36:30] Thank you for asking me and definitely, I'll provide your listeners with a cool rooftop, cocktail lounges, alternative craft beer, list. We can do a whole kind of wrap-up, with names of the places, and then hopefully when Tourism returns and tourists can come and check out a lot of these places. Thank you for listening. Kerry Newsome: [00:36:55] Check out the episode notes for more information. What about Vietnam? Kerry Newsome: [00:36:59] Don't forget to subscribe, write and review and stay tuned for more fun adventures in Vietnam.

58347fb1-267b-410e-b060-cf56464b1621After months of being closed, the doors are opening What About Vietnam - Series 3 - 14 Travel to Vietnam opening up - The inside story Kerry Newsome: 00:35 Xin Chào, and welcome to What About Vietnam. I'm really excited to invite you to a three part series with my special guest Miquel Angel. Miquel comes to the program as the head of the human resources and quality working group. Now this group works inside the Vietnam tourism advisory board. And this board is a private entity, advising the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam. 01:06 It's a 3 Part series, Part 1 today is actually going to talk about the very subject we're kind of dying to know about and that's around, when can tourists visit Vietnam again. What are the conditions going to be? With Miquel, I get to sort of unwrap some of those conditions. We talk visas, we talk travel insurance, we talk about what's going to be good for Vietnam, and just how things are going to roll in the next three or four months as those doors open and Vietnam gets to put all these new strategies in place. 01:44 He's a great guest. He's been in Vietnam for 22 years. He's been across a wide range of industry sectors. And he has a lot to offer. I know you're going to enjoy it, please stay tuned for part one, and part two and three, as they unfold in the coming weeks. Let's welcome Miquel to the program. 02:12 Miquel, Vietnam kind of fell off the radar a little bit this year because of the COVID pandemic, and how it struck so deeply. So late, Vietnam was doing so well. And then to have this tragedy, it is hard to watch. We are seeing some positives with the vaccination, and the program is definitely picking up. I know I shouldn't ask you to crystal ball or estimate when you think the doors would open. But I'm going to anyway. Miquel Angel: 02:51 Well, you can show up there because, I'm sitting with the decision makers. Before we record the podcast, as I was talking to some of these key persons that they call me, "Well, Miquel, some destinations are starting to open." Now we are in November 2021 recording the podcast here. But maybe we can do an update in a couple of months to see if things are happening there. And more than a crystal ball or to see the future whatever is, what do we really want to see with our feet on the ground. What do we want to see happening in Vietnam, let's say in December, January, that the Lunar New Year and moving forward for, second quarter and rest of the year? 03:36 So, at this point in time, several provinces- and now at this moment we have five that was the recommendation that we gave to the government. There are five provinces they're calling for. Phu Quoc Island, Danang, Khanh Hoa Province the home to Nha Trang city, Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province, and Hoi An in Quang Nam Province. They are already opening their doors to national domestic and international arrivals, without quarantine, important because no one- I think no one from Australia, Europe, US is happy coming to Vietnam in two weeks program and stay one week, closed in any- doesn't matter how beautiful is that hotel, because it's not actually a hotel or a resort, it is your room. It is not that you are at the pool there, in an all-inclusive, dancing in the swimming pool and taking selfie pictures, sending them around the world. No, absolutely, a no go. So, these five provinces are now, today open to national and international arrivals without quarantine today. Kerry Newsome: 04:41 Today, the fourth of November. Miquel Angel: 04:43 Forth of November 2021. Kerry Newsome: 04:46 So, flights are coming in from Europe, US. Miquel Angel: 04:50 We are sitting in our tourism advisory board with the three major airlines here in Vietnam now operating international flights at the moment. Vietnam Airlines, VietJet and Bamboo Airways, Bamboo Airways, the latest to arrive. Now they're flying from the US, direct flight to Vietnam, which is a very good news. So, these companies are already with some agreements signed with other countries, in order to bring people in and bring people back in a safe manner, without quarantine. When I say a safe manner, that means that · We all wear mask. · We all are with our double jabbed or triple- some people do the triple vaccination, depending on where you're coming from. And with a health protocol. · We have a lot of hand-soap on the planes. · We will be keeping the distance. · All the air hostesses and ground staff wear masks and taking good steps towards the pandemic. 05:56 They are requesting this 72 hours prior to your flight, PCR, or test, just to ensure that you are coming from a safe destination. We know Australia, handling quite well. In Europe, other countries handle it also better or worse, but they starting to recover. And this is actual situation of today. Other international flights are also starting to arrive to Vietnam, that since last 2020, they were only allowed to carry Vietnamese repatriated back home around the world. And experts, who were coming here to Vietnam, we bring some tourism experts during that time, some doctors also, from all the countries, to help us pass this pandemic and these bad months that we suffered. Kerry Newsome: 06:50 Correct me if I've got this wrong, there's also a requirement around travel insurance. And travel insurance has to include the coverage for COVID up to the value of 50,000 US dollars. Miquel Angel: 07:08 Well, that's interesting point. What we did, when we present all our documents and proposals to the minister or the vice minister and the team and we sit with them during this pandemic, we also give to them an annex, where we were showing to them what all the Southeast Asian neighbor countries were doing. So, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, all these were fully included in our report. So, as you know, of course, medical insurance, I think, during this 21st century is a must for wherever you travel, invest wisely, and put some dollars there in a travel insurance that can save you a lot of problems and is not only traveling to the US that many people say, "Oh, if I go to the US, yes, I make a travel but rest of the world--" 08:00 I think it is worth it, it is a fantastic investment. And if something happened, saves you a lot. So, we decided to make this 50,000 COVID- I mean, nobody is looking if it is over 40 or over 60 there. But what we would like to see is that if in the past, they were travelers coming from around the world to Vietnam, without any insurance or coverage. So, I think it's now time to improve after COVID, not to do the same mistakes we made in the past, let's suppose, people that come with a travel insurance. So, if you fall down during your treking, or you go to the swimming pool, and unfortunately-- me, I see sometimes people at the pool that just fall down and knock their nose into the floor and keep bleeding there. And you need to go to a hospital. 08:43 Just think that some destinations here in Vietnam will not have an international hospital ready to attend. And you will probably need an airplane, or you will probably need a helicopter to come and bring you to Bangkok, or to Singapore, Vietnam we cannot give to you what you deserve. So, these need to be covered. Just because if something happened to you in Ho Chi Minh City or in Hanoi, you easily go to the pharmacy, and they will give you the medicines there without any problem. They will cut them; they will give you whatever you want. Or you need to go to International Hospital in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, not a problem. You pay, what you get. That's it. But if you are in the middle of a minority, doing the treking, in the middle of the rice paddies, beautiful, nice pictures, and you twist your ankle. What's the problem? I'm a taxpayer in Vietnam. I don't want to pay for you to get an airport back to wherever, that's your responsibility. Kerry Newsome: 09:41 Being in the travel industry for as long as I've been which is a long time. I have stressed to people all along and I don't want to be the devil of doom. But I do think travel insurance is essential for everyone. But I have a caveat with the travel insurance. And people when they take on an insurance policy, they need to read the fine print. Because even when the pandemic first hit, there, we had travelers that were stuck, who literally arrived in Hanoi. And we had to put them on a plane and send them back. They were very angry, they were irate. They said, "Look, I have travel insurance that's going to cover us and everything." And we went back to them and said, "Once they declare it as a pandemic, the travel insurance will not be covered." Pandemic, no cover. So, I just stress to everyone listening to make sure that you get ticks in those boxes, it is not going to be every travel insurance company that does offer it. So be very selective. And you probably will pay more than you have in the past. But peace of mind, there is no dollar value- Miquel Angel: 10:57 It is worth it. Kerry Newsome: 10:59 I've always travelled with travel insurance. And it's always done well, for me. I've got stuck in Prague, and I was really, really sick in Prague. And they were able to get a doctor to my hotel and all the rest of it. And I didn't pay anything for it. And in Vietnam, where the system is already at its kind of peak, and it's still recovering. And I'm hoping that down the track, there's going to be some more improvements in those areas to give people assurances. But you're right, if you needed to get airlifted to Bangkok, or something like that, that cost dollars. 11:37 So, I think that is something that everyone is going to have to consider moving forward into next year. And I'll be really interested to see what your board and what the Immigration Department does with the visas. I was glad to see in the last few years they brought the E-visa because most countries come into Vietnam visa free, except Australia, which I'm still trying to figure out why. And that's probably another cause for another conversation. But with the E-visa, I'm wondering whether they will change, or they will be more discriminating against things. Will they ask more questions and things like that. So, I guess that's a wait and see what is going to be part of that. Miquel Angel: 12:31 That point. I mean, we are sitting with the Department of Immigration there, with the police, Department of Interior, working on that, because the job we do involves several ministries to work together, and all of them are important. So, let's not forget on that. So, the issue here is that more and more, we keep adding more countries to these visa free two weeks. And what we achieved now is that these countries, that they sign agreements, and we put in that place, they will not be doing one month, because some people do not come to travel these two weeks, some people say will go 20 days, because I will do a little bit more, and I will make an extension, we still do not talk about Hạ Long Bay, for example, and this part that you cannot miss if you come to Vietnam. Kerry Newsome: 13:17 Thank you so much for being on the program. I think we've covered a lot of ground, given a lot of things for people to think about. So just want to say, I'm just so grateful for your time and your insights. Miquel Angel: 13:29 Well, thank you very much for having me here in the program. As I said, it’s not the first time that I listen and hear because I think each story that you're sharing with us Kerry, is interesting in a way or another, doesn't matter where you are based, each one has a story. And for me, more than sometimes talking, because I like to explain and I like to transfer my knowledge to the new unknown generation and to everybody who wants to listen, I want to be an active listener and just stop, switch on your podcast there while I'm cycling here in Ho Chi Minh City, in the middle of rice paddies, buffaloes, and cows and listen to you Kerry, talking to people from wherever part of the world not only Australia, talking on how they see Vietnam. I also learn a lot from all these people sharing their experiences. And from there, I can bring them back into the table where we decision makers try to, of course do more good things and less bad things. So, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity. OUTRO 14:35 Thank you for listening. Check out the episode notes for more information. What About Vietnam. Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review and stay tuned for more fun adventures in Vietnam. What about Vietnam!

9314952c-f274-446b-bdc3-e7e3cbc3d886Colourful landscapes of the village of Mu Cang Chai Mu Cang Chai - a landscape of beauty and ingenuity Episode 2 S3-02 Mu Cang Chai 00:00 / 28:54 Deep in the valleys forged by the waters of Asia’s Red River, a series of colorful mountain villages are encircled by fields of towering rice terraces. The fields are agricultural feats of precision — rugged mountains blanketed with emerald stairways that, seemingly, ascend to the heavens above. But this is not Disneyland. This isn’t a destination designed to attract visitors, international attention or the Instagram set. But it did attract one Instagrammer, Jesse Pearlman and he is my guest today. You will love hearing about this region as Jesse tells his tales and his experiences getting there the first time, and later, trips back and forth. You will hear in his voice that his love of the region belongs to the people and comes from a very soulful place in his heart. Download Transcript PDF Read transcript

fd20ff94-5ab4-4701-b150-f5ef0316cce5Must try local dishes with Vietnam Food Safari Find the must try Vietnamese dishes in Danang Episode 4 S3-04 Dishes of Danang 00:00 / 49:48 Danang is our location and my super talented and knowledgeable guest Pedr Finn from Vietnam Food Safari tours, is our pathfinder into the city and our doyen of Vietnamese cuisine If you are curious to try Vietnamese food but never quite sure what to order on the menu, Pedr offers up his favourites across breakfast, lunch, and dinner,…or “second lunch” as the Vietnamese sometimes refer to it. Pedr comes to the program as a qualified chef, writer, and restauranteur, originally from Australia. He settled in Danang about 10 years ago and runs his own foodie tours, which is how I got to meet him and learned so much more about Vietnamese cuisine and Danang city. This is a fun show. A very earnest and down-to-earth sharing of knowledge. If your mouth doesn’t start salivating as Pedr describes what goes into certain Vietnamese dishes your sides will be splitting with laughter as he describes markets and some funny Vietnamese phrases. Download Transcript PDF Read transcript

S5-E10 - Out and about in Saigon - The Uncut Edition Out & About in Saigon – UNCUT with host Kerry Newsome & Kelley McCarthy Kerry Newsome : Xin chào and welcome to What About Vietnam. Look here we are still in Saigon and I'm delighted to still be sharing my Out and About mini-series with Kelley McCarthy. Say hello Kelley. Kelley McCarthy : Good morning or good afternoon listeners. Kerry Newsome: Look, we have had a fabulous time and the reason I wanted to produce this next show, the one we're in now, is because we just kept uncovering more and more things and we said, yeah, we need to do another show, we just need to expand. So, this one is really intentionally going to be quite chock-a-block with some of the experiences that we managed to do during the last few days and hopefully for you when you consider coming to Saigon, which for many of you is really just a leapfrog location, you come in, you go out and you go somewhere else. We're kind of thinking more around that you might want to extend. you stay a little bit longer because there is quite a bit to do. So I thought we'd start at the very, very beginning when you've booked your accommodation or we've got you a hotel that either has a breakfast included or it doesn't. Now to be really true and fair and like keeping it all authentic, Kelley's looking at me with this great cheesy grin because we're talking about breakfast. And I'm not a big breakfast girl, but let me tell you, Kelley is a breakfast lover, so I'm going to ask her to speak to the breakfast scene, the cafe scene for that option. Kelley McCarthy: All right, so for myself, I've been going out and having breakfast each day here in Saigon while Kerry's been catching up on, I think, a little bit more of that beauty sleep. So, I have just done Google searches. I like to try a different cafe each day. You have multiple options. So, basically, if you quickly do a Google search of Western breakfast near me, if that's what you're after, Keep in mind, you've got all of your street food, so if you're wanting to have traditional Vietnamese breakfast. There's a couple of great ones that I go to and frequent regularly. One is called The Running Bean. There is two locations in District 1 for that. There's also another great one I discovered this time. It's called The Godmother. That was fantastic for breakfast. Keep in mind also, you can If you do want to have a buffet breakfast and you're not staying in an international hotel, you can actually go to those and purchase breakfast and sit in the hotel and have breakfast. So that is another option. If you sort of want to stay in a hotel that's just a little bit down in the price rankings and then you want to do an exquisite breakfast, that is an option. So keep that in mind. There's a couple of other places, the Runam cafes, they're scattered everywhere and they have multiple options when you go for breakfast. You'll find one of those in Saigon Centre and also in Vincom Plaza, both in District 1. So, plenty of options out there if you want to go from traditional to fully Western. Kerry Newsome : And, you know, I kind of kick in with Kelley, you know, around the more cafe, coffee kind of time of day. So I'm more that midday. I'm more that brunch is what I'd like to call it, thanks Kel. But certainly I really love my coffee and coffee is definitely on the menu here in Vietnam and certainly in Saigon with the cafe scene. So, every 50 metres you're going to find a coffee or cafe scene option anywhere you go. Kelley McCarthy: And that's a great time for me to then kick into the second morning snack, which is my coffee and cake delight, which, let me tell you, are everywhere. I'm like a bunny looking for the next food place just to try something different. So Kerry gets the giggles each time it's, oh, oh, it must be cake o'clock. So off we go. She has her mid-morning coffee and I have my second bout. Kerry Newsome : Yeah, look, if you need someone to try something or to sniff out something that is delicious, she seems to have antennas that will, oh, look at that over there. We need to cross the road now and we need to, sure enough, we open the door and it's this glorious scene of cakes and smells of coffee and yeah, delicious, delicious. Now Kel, we got to think about planning for the day, girls and guys. Now, I've got a really big guys audience, so to you out there this is kind of how we think things could roll for you. So, depending on your appetite, depending on you know, the weather, like how hot it is, depending on whether or not you're an adventure seeker, maybe you're a historian, you know, there's just so many options apart from your main tourist attractions, so places of interest, You know, adventure-wise, you can definitely go out and do the Coochie Tunnels, you can go and explore the Mekong Delta. There's lots. And you can do that through your hotel or you can do that through a local agent. We have a guy that we deal with, Lee Hogan, who does a fabulous job for us and for some of my clients. So, we would definitely put him forward for that. But if you don't want to miss the game or you've got to watch that match or something like that, you might want to head to a bar called Phatty’s Kelley McCarthy : That's P-H-A-T-T-Y’s Kerry Newsome : Yes. And it's pretty famous for, yeah, you'll find a lot of people seeking the same thing in that bar. A lot of expats tend to go there and you know it's just kind of a famous place for keeping up with sports and things like that for that taste I guess. Now, Grab is easy to get around to find Phatty’s. It's in District 1. So, for that kind of interest for you guys, if you want to let us girls go and do our thing, which might be totally different, yeah, that would be our recommendation. Kelley? Kelley McCarthy: Yep, and for the ladies, if you want to drop your husbands off there, it is literally 30 metres to Saigon Centre for some shopping for you to sit down and either have one of those cakes and coffees I talk about, or you could have a walk around the stores in there. So, it's very, very close. Kerry Newsome : Yes. So, that's a good segue into us talking about shopping. So, we'll start with the mains and the reason I want to talk about the mains is in the sense that there is some aspects of each of the main shopping centres that we've kind of figured out that differentiates them and we'll go into more of that in a minute. So there is Saigon Centre, Vincom Plaza, Diamond Plaza and Vincom Megamall. So Kelley maybe you could talk to us a little bit about some of the key differences between the main ones being Saigon Centre and Vincom Plaza. Kelley McCarthy : So Saigon Centre has a large department store in it called Takashimaya. It's a Japanese department store. It is a high-end Japanese department store, but if you go to the lower levels in there, you can get some great specials. Downstairs as well. There's lots of little boutique stores through that shopping center And that one also so Takashi Maya also looks after all the ladies Fragrances skincare products such as your Estee Lauder's and you know all of those skincare groups It also has a couple of stores that are the store independent such as your Chanel, NARS for skincare. So, and then you've got your rotating levels in that centre for other things like your Calvin Klein, and a lot of other independents. So that's the individual boutiques there as well. Where if you go across to Vincom Plaza, that will then have things like Zara, H&M, and another lot of independents, but they don't seem to double up in the larger stores in the same shopping centers like in other countries do. So, that's where it is. Vincom Mega Mall is out in District 2, very similar to Vincom Centre here, but on a larger scale. And then Diamond Plaza is very, very high end. So, that will have your Burberry's, Prada, all of the fragrant houses and then independent brands going up through the levels is there as well. Kerry Newsome : And like, you know, these major centres, you know, sometimes people think of them and say, you know, who wants to go to Vietnam and go to a shopping mall and that kind of thing. You'd be quite surprised to the experience you can have in those shopping centres. It's not, you know, like coming from Australia, I do see the shopping mall becoming very much same, same. You'll go from one shop to another and everything seems to be the same, where there'll be a really big mix in these shopping malls and even to the extent of food and coffee options, really cute cafes And definitely food-wise, certainly in, you know, the centres that we did, Saigon Centre mainly and Vincom Plaza. Kelley, that really cute Japanese-style one that we had that had a kind of a tapas lunch. Yeah, Miava. Yeah, that was just fabulous. And, you know, we actually discussed the fact around, you know, people would not possibly seek it out because it is in a shopping centre. But wow, we were just, price wise it was great, the quality of the food was excellent, and just the variety plus was just, I was really impressed. Kelley McCarthy: Yeah, they have some great little places in those shopping centres. And they generally have the food set out on certain floors, but there'll be a couple of little ones scattered through the other level. So really seek out these food places in those shopping centres. Kerry Newsome: It might mean you get a bit dizzy going round and round in the elevators and the lifts, etc. But it's worth doing a search. Now, we would be remiss if we don't talk about markets here. And I guess this is another thing I want to kind of demystify. You know, Vietnam is not just about markets. Definitely not. It's just not now the focus being on copy products and all the rest of it. It has come up into some really high quality artisan goods, creative concept stores and things like that. So, the markets are definitely there and it's an experience you do need to do, I think, at least once. Probably Kelley and I have done it quite a few times. So, we're well practiced in the Ben Thanh markets in the Saigon Square. And Saigon Square is kind of a very smaller version just opposite Saigon Centre. So, you can kind of do both those in the same visit and maybe a little bit more expensive. So, I'm going to lead Kel into just talking about the bargaining side of things because I'm a shocking bargainer. I get what I want, but I probably don't get it at the super best price. But there is a skill to it. And as Kelley was reminding me this morning, you've got to go hard in Ben Thanh Talk to us about going hard in Ben Thanh, Kelley. Kelley McCarthy: So , Ben Thanh market is more of a, you get your fabrics, you can get food in there, you can get a huge variety. It's under one large tin roof, so it is hot in there, so I suggest going in the morning to get your best price. Go in the morning, you get a morning price, and go hard in your bartering. So, they will start off at an astronomical price. So keep it in mind what you would realistically pay for it in your own country if you were happy with it. And that's where you roughly want to be. So for example, 50% at least is what you want to get of what their first price is offering. And just remember, haggling over 20 or 30,000 at the end of the day is a couple of dollars. So don't wear yourself out on that. Do it with a smile. It'll be a lot of good for me, good for you pricing. When you win. When you win. good for you, not so good for me, and with a little bit of a not so much of a big smile, and then they seem to come down. And if you do it with a smile, you'll get a lot further, don't be aggressive. If you're after a lot of the high-end copies, I would suggest Saigon Square for that. A, it's air-conditioned as well, ladies, but that's where you will get, because there is definitely a difference between good copy and bad copy. So in Saigon Square, that is where you'll get the more high-end copy. You will pay a bit more for it, but you'll get a great pair of copy runners for around, I would suggest 1 million to 1.5 million is where you would go with those, but they will start off at 2.5, 3 million, sometimes even higher. So just keep in mind what you're happy with as your price, and then if you come out happy, that's where you go. Don't discuss it with anyone else, because they might then shut you down and make you feel a little incompetent by saying oh we got it for this but at the end of the day it'll be a couple of bucks. Kerry Newsome : Yeah and like for some people you know they really want to treat it like sport and really their talking point for the night will be just how they were able to you know bargain down this person and you know get them for this you know astronomically low price and yeah good on you but like you know this is these people's livelihood too so I don't, you know, Kelley mentioned, you know, $20,000, $30,000 in your own currency, you're going to find that's, you know, $0.30, $0.50, $1, $1.50, $2. And you go, well, if it's really that important, yeah, move on. But if you really want that item, And it's just worth walking away with you both smiling, with a win-win situation. Sometimes it can be a lot of fun. They make jokes. It's a real event, so you can really enjoy your time. part of shopping here in Saigon and certainly around the country is becoming more prevalent and I'm seeing more of and I'm delighted to do so. And that's the concept stores, so that's where you know locals are designing their own goods and making their own goods locally, sometimes out of local produce, and they can be really interesting. So, we kind of had a really good look around the Katinat building, and it's opposite H&M, and H&M is in… District 1. District 1, and the… And it's in Vincom Centre. And in the Vincom Centre. So, when I'm out and about, I kind of get myself to the Vincom Centre, walk out the H&M door to outside and then cross the road and you'll see the Playground and you'll see the Katinat building. And that's how I best describe for you to visit these stores. Definitely make a time to visit these. Now, you're probably not always going to find your size and if you are a mixed size group of people like in your family or whatever, unless you're the small, very small. Size 10. And under. Kelley McCarthy: I buy lots of sunglasses, earrings, bracelets, handbags. Kerry Newsome : Yes and look occasionally I can fit into them you know I'm roughly a 10 in Australian standards but yeah I'm not small shouldered. Kelley McCarthy : Don't be precious about looking at the size tag, go with what fits you. Kerry's a size 10 and I know she's looked a couple of times when they've said Oh, you be extra large or extra, extra large. So, don't let that offend you. That's just their sizing system. Kerry Newsome : Go with what fits. Absolutely. And, you know, while we're in this shopping headset or this part of the program, probably worth mentioning that size thing in a very trip planning mode. So, when you're packing and you're thinking about what to bring, If you are a shoe size over 39, bring all the shoes you need. Kelley McCarthy : So, that's in UK, US and Australian. That would be above, basically a size 8.5. If you're a size 9 or 10, you have got no hope in getting shoes here, unless you buy men's shoes. Kerry Newsome: Yes, but I mean I know even I took my grandson here and he was the size 13, we couldn't find anywhere like shoes to fit and you know my husband coming over for the wedding and I'm thinking about you know shoes I'm going you know 11, 12 is that going to fit maybe? But then we're stuck and he's got runners to wear to the wedding, so no, we won't be doing that. But for me, I'm a 36. So I can pick any shoe off any shelf and it's just a delight. And devastating for me. Kelley stands there and growls. But like seriously it is a pleasure for me to buy shoes over here. So I get all the really natty bits and pieces. So I buy a lot of shoes girls. I'm just I'm just putting it out there. So yeah, and the other aspect, a little bit delicate, but in the undergarment. Kelley McCarthy: Underwear and bras. Ladies, I'm a size 18 and a size 18D in bra cups. Please don't forget this in your suitcase, because you are going to be doing a lot of non-underwear moments. If you do, you will never buy them here. At all. I, for example, I even asked a dressmaker if she could insert a bra into my dress so I didn't have to wear one, a false bra. She just looked at me with this horrified look and said, no cup size big enough. Kerry Newsome: So. No, and they don't know like how to wrap their head around women with busts. So, you know, like if you are. Kelley McCarthy: King Kong comes to mind for them. Kerry Newsome: But have you seen them try to get their arms to get around you when they're doing that tailoring? Like they've got these, you know, beautiful like delicate figures and they're kind of stretching themselves to get around you and you feel like… I get a lot of bear hugs when they're trying to measure me. Yeah, I know, it's crazy. But like, yeah, so don't come and then get stuck with, oh, I really should have bought another sports bra, I really should have bought… And think cotton also in definitely in the hot months because you know, 90% humidity is an average day, so when you're out and about and you're doing things, I've got to tell you, you are really churning and burning clothes, just pure saturation point. So, yeah, just we thought that was definitely worth mentioning for you because we want you to feel good. Kelley McCarthy : It kind of goes for you guys too so you are not going to find extra large underwear if you forget them. Most men here would be a 28 inch waist at best so don't forget your underwear gentlemen as well. Kerry Newsome: Okay point noted. Now, I'm leading now down the path of tailoring. Now, we have to kind of… there's a bit of a caveat with this with us as we have done, as you can tell, lots of shopping in the past and in this trip, but also we've done a lot of tailoring in the past, etc. But we wanted to try tailoring in Saigon. Now, I really have to invite Kelley to share her experience, which came with a reference from a local. So, we didn't go in blindsided. We went into this place, you know, as being told that this was a quality tailor. So, over to you Kelley. Kelley McCarthy : So, going into the tailors here, first tip, be very direct with what you want. Don't sugarcoat it. It's very direct. Pictures are a great thing and they're a great thing to keep hold of to reference back to. For example, our tailor here, I showed pictures, told her what we want, I came back and it wasn't how I'd requested it. They tried to say, you not tell me this yesterday. So, I quickly snapped my phone, pull up the pictures, show them that what I requested is not in the imagery. I think in my situation here in Saigon, had I just nodded and said yes, yes, very happy on the first fitting, all would have gone well. But when I wanted them to tweak a few things, change a few things, and tell them basically that their tailoring wasn't up to scratch for what I wanted, things went a little pear-shaped. In the end, I just walked out saying, thank you, I take this one, I hate it. It was much easier just to write off that bit of money. Kerry Newsome: There was actually kind of almost fisticuffs happening between the tailor and the shop owner. So, the shop owner was trying to be the mediator and her English was a lot better than the actual tail, the seamstress herself. But she was really starting to crack it. And yet, so the poor shop owner was going, like, I don't know what to do here. And Kelley's just going, I hate it. This isn't right. This isn't what I asked for. here's the picture, blah, blah, blah. So, we can't kind of say it was the perfect experience and we have been treated very differently with tailoring in Hoi An. But Hoi An, it is its superpower. Kelley McCarthy : It specializes in tailoring. Kerry Newsome: There is a tailor every corner. They're only shop fronts because the tailors are actually working from home and working in other places, but it is the mecca for tailoring. If you do have tailoring you want done, Like, we can't really put hand on heart and say, look, definitely get it done in Saigon. We would, you know, we kind of made this agreement before coming on the show and said, look, you know, it wouldn't be our go-to recommendation for tailoring. So, Saigon, sorry to say, we're not going to put you up there for tailoring. But you've got plenty of other streets to talk about. Kelley McCarthy : I feel the best way to describe it is in Hoi An, they are perfectionist. So, if you're not happy with something, they will tweak it, whether that takes one alteration or 10, till you walk out that store happy, where here in Saigon, it was more of a business transaction. Had I've got it right the first time and just accepted it, it would have been okay, but there was a lot more complexity to what I wanted. and it was more about the tailor herself, the seamstress, didn't want to undo what she had already done because it was in the too hard basket. Kerry Newsome: Yeah definitely and they really didn't care whether we walked out with a smile on our face or not. So it was a totally different experience and a bit disappointing and flavoured by the fact we had had such pleasurable experiences in Hoi An. So, we're a bit tainted, but we want you to have that knowledge when you're making these choices, when you're staying in these places. We just don't want you to come to Saigon and go, oh, well, I can get my tailoring done here, you know, you heard on the What About Vietnam podcast, it's fantastic. Well, we're just saying you might luck it, you might find that one, And it might all go absolutely fantastic, but Saigon to me is not known for tailoring. No. Okay, so moving right on, I'd like to kind of get stuck into food. Kelley McCarthy : Oh, my favourite topic. Kerry Newsome : Yeah, like I was going to put this section and kind of call it the foodie havens that we found, and we found a lot. We found a lot. So, I don't know which way to begin this, but we tried lots of cuisines. So, I'm going to start with just the overall parent subject of different cuisines. Don't think for a minute when you come to Vietnam and Saigon in particular that you're stuck with just Vietnamese. Not that that's a bad thing to be stuck with, but you can get Italian, Korean, Spanish, Kelley McCarthy: Japanese, Chinese, Indian, basically any cuisine you could imagine, you can get it here. Kerry Newsome : It was an interesting journey on the foodie trail for us. because we tried some really high-end restaurants, so we had very high expectations. They'd also been referred to us. So, we then tried probably what you'd classify as more your mid-range, and like, I don't know, Kelley, how do we say this? Kelley McCarthy : I feel as though some of those mid-range, presentation-wise and taste-wise, far exceeded some of the high-end restaurants. And the same as like we talk about in the shopping centres, some of those bistros in those shopping centres, because we have a very strong French influence here in Saigon, so presentation is an utmost thing for them. Kerry Newsome: Yeah, I mean we were walking along a street yesterday looking for a lunch place and Kelley walks into this kind of dodgy kind of alley and I'm going… Get down those alleys. Definitely, but like have you got a place in mind and she said well I think there's a few here I've tried one of them and we stumbled across this really old-worldly kind of French restaurant and just had the most delightful meal and felt like we were in mini France, like even like the furniture and the… It's like a bistro in Paris. It was, it really was and you know we went to places like Zumware and the one that we liked the most was the one at Social Complex. Kelley McCarthy : Social Complex it's called. Kerry Newsome : Yeah, but it's got about eight locations hasn't it? Kelley McCarthy : Yeah, eight locations in the city and this is on the ground floor on the corner. It's open from mid-morning right through to I think one, two o'clock in the morning. Not saying we didn't stop in there for our last coffee and cake at about 1.45 in the morning. Kerry Newsome : Absolutely, but previous to that Kelley had fallen in love with the salmon. Kelley McCarthy: They did an amazing salmon sashimi with a truffle vinaigrette and a small amount of caviar on top of the salmon. I think you get about eight pieces. I probably could have had about four plates, but did stop at one. Did stop at one because I needed to move along to the next food location. So, progressive dinners here are a delight. Just have a nibble at one, move along to the next. Don't commit to just one restaurant. Kerry Newsome: Yeah, I was a big fan of the roast duck with caviar and gold leaf. It was beautifully arranged. You might see it in some of the images I share on our social pages, so keep an eye out for that. But it was just, it was melt in your mouth, but just the flavours of the caviar with it. I would never have put those two together. But the presentation with the gold leaf was just, it just had that wow factor. And I think that's where we got to with trying some of the other high-end restaurants. It just didn't have that wow factor. Kelley McCarthy : It fell short in presentation as well. Kerry Newsome : Yeah, so you know we really love our Runam. Runam is very, very well known in Vietnam and it's a beautiful coffee shop. They're very nicely, the decoration, the whole layout, their food is reliably good and tasty. Best chicken wings you'll try anywhere. Yeah, and you love the salads as well. Yes, and they're great little salads. So definitely your runums. Kelley discovered this one called Miyama. Kelley McCarthy : That's a Japanese restaurant. I think it's level three. Kerry Newsome : Modern Tokyo restaurant. Kelley McCarthy : Yeah, that's in Saigon Center for all those people that are wanting lots of nibbles or even just beautiful. They do, once again, do beautiful salads. There's a great Italian restaurant called Basilica next door to it, which is also in Vincom Center. So, Kerry Newsome: Yeah, I had the clam chowder pie at Basilica and it was just to die for. And sometimes, you know, we talked about the fact that you can be trying so much Vietnamese food, you just want to then have something really hearty or you want to have something that's a bit more typical of home and that might be Italian or that might be a pizza or that might be You know, just something that reminds you of home. And I was really feeling like I wanted something really hearty. And that clam chowder pie, I thought, how are they going to do this? Are they really going to know how to do clam chowder in Vietnam? Oh, yeah. It was just to die for. So, we did explore, you know, some other places and we probably wouldn't be suggesting those for food but probably more for that moody bar, nice experience to have a lovely cocktail, you know, really lovely stuff and things like that, you know, like at Loon, like at Kaya San, beautiful, beautiful restaurants. So, you get the ambience of the restaurant but you might, you know, choose to do what Kelley was saying about the progressive style. You might want to go and have a cocktail at one place then move on and have, you know, a main meal somewhere else and you can really mix it up. Yeah. And I think that was the learning curve for us is don't feel settled to just stay and do everything in the one place because everything is close and everything is easy to access. Kelley McCarthy : And keeping in mind too, if you're in District 1 and you're wanting to go from one side of District 1 to the other, it's going to cost you only about $32,000 in a grab. So, you know, you can duck and weave to any restaurant that you see fit. So, that's like a couple of dollars to get in the cab and go to the next restaurant. And they don't mind serving one plate and then moving on to the next. It's not… Absolutely. Kerry Newsome : And I think, you know, this is where this city becomes a really great place for men and women. And I think, you know, families as well, you really get the opportunity to try such a variety of food. and get it or have it displayed to you or offered to you in the consumable way you want it. Like the restaurants are open for extensive hours, the menus are very extensive, they're very clearly laid out to what's in them. So a dish is going to tell you exactly what's in it. Usually the staff are pretty good with English so they're going to be able to have someone there to explain it to you if you can't see in the menu what it is. So, you know, if you are vegan or if you are gluten intolerant, you know, don't think coming to Vietnam is going to really dull down your experience of food options here. You're going to be able to find some. You might have to look a little bit further than us, but you definitely will find different options. We've seen them on all menus that we've Kelley McCarthy: The only thing I'd be fearful of would be people with such as a peanut allergy or something like that. As much as if they tell you they don't use peanuts or anything, just keep in mind the preparation is not necessarily going to be like home. I don't know that they're going to have that separate chopping board or that separate knife or anything like that for allergies. So just be wary of that. Bring your EpiPen if that's what you require. Just be really open-minded to that. Kerry Newsome : And also for those who have allergies to MSG, I think you're going to find MSG in most dishes. I checked with one of my guests, Tracy Lister , who has written some fabulous Vietnamese cookbooks and worked in some amazing restaurants and has her own restaurant actually back in Australia. She confirmed for me that really if there's a broth or a sauce or that kind of thing, MSG is going to be in it. If you are MSG intolerant, we would suggest you stick with fresh options that you see, you know, like you bought it out of the tub and it's fried or it's whatever so you can see how it's cooked. Kelley McCarthy : But that MSG makes it flavour. Flavour, flavour, flavour. Kerry Newsome : I'm with you, girl. Yeah, I hate to say that. Now, taking you further through Saigon and some different kind of experiences. Now, just another caveat here. We're not going to talk in this show about the main attractions, about, you know, the tourist attractions that everybody would see on a map of the to-do places for first-time visitors. You're going to get that through Vietnam tourism, Ho Chi Minh City tourism. And we do, we think they do that more than adequately. So, we want to take you to the, I don't know, off the beaten track kind of things. Now, we've talked about shopping and let me say I probably might have gone a wee bit overboard and did a bit of swap around, you know, I brought something then I didn't like it because I found something better and blah, blah, blah. So, we tracked down the idea that I would post some items back to Australia and we thought well let's make that a kind of part of our day and a few things to add to that. So, my experience at the post office was absolutely fantastic. So, I arrived with my bag, all kind of neatly packaged up as best I could to the counter and got greeted by this lovely guy who, apart from saying hello, giving us the forms and me filling them out as diligently as I could, was easy to do because they had English as well as Vietnamese. As I'm signing the paperwork, etc., he says, do you like pink? And I look down and I'm wearing a pink shirt and I've got pink fingernails. And I said, yes, I do. He goes, hmm, pink is good. Okay. And then I hand the parcel over and I've got to go to another counter to pay for the parcel to be sent back. And I said, so what happens now? You have the parcel? He said, yeah, I have the parcel now. My parcel. And off you go. And I go, oh, okay. And he goes, no, go over there, pay there, I look after, it's all good. I went, right, you have my parcel, right. Kelley McCarthy : He even provided a great little tip as we were filling in the paperwork for Kerry. Kerry was putting down values on it and he said to us, oh, no, no, must be under $200. If over $200, government want receipts. So keep a note, put in your value on that, keep it under $200 in total so that you can just get that parcel on the post and get it home. Kerry Newsome : Don't think about posting back really valuable items. are either sentimental to you or have a high end value. Like I don't think along those lines, I'm just really swapping out. Getting rid of the bulk. I'm getting rid of bulk and heavyweight things that I've changed up. So very close to the Central Post Office and it's cute. you know, we really, you know, had a quick walk around and did a few things. It's actually on the list of visit places for the city, so if you'd like to check that out, please do so. And you know now, you've got it in your back pocket, if you do do some shopping and go a bit crazy like me, you can, you know, backtrack yourself there on your way to the airport, get in there, ship it back home and it'll be home about two or three weeks. Kelley McCarthy: It was approximately $30 Australian per kilo. Yeah, so it's not super cheap. Yeah, but it would just be weighing it up as what your excess luggage would be, as whatever works best. Exactly. So if we give you that guide, that will be something that you can look at against your excess luggage. Kerry Newsome : Yeah, for sure. Now, so kind of a street and a bit over is what they call Book Street. Kelley McCarthy : Yeah, sort of just keep walking past the post office and it's on your right, sort of next lane way up. Kerry Newsome : Yes and I didn't think it would be as visible or distinctive but it is. It's got kind of a statue of some kind sort at the very beginning of it and then as you look through the statue you'll actually see the street sort of goes on. everywhere books everywhere but like not only just books there was arts and crafts there was books there was like gift cards it was just it was just And what? There was little coffee shops in there? Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, it was just if you wanted to spend just an hour or so just off doing something a little bit different, maybe didn't bring something with you to read. There was English as well as Vietnamese. You had to dig a bit deeper for that. Kelley McCarthy : I think if you just ask, they usually give you the version in English too because they have it in quite a few languages. Kerry Newsome : Yeah, and some of your very old classics were there. So, I just loved it. I thought, you know, I could just meander here and pick little bits and pieces etc. to take back or to read later. So, I loved Book Street. I really thought it was a nice add-on. The other thing that Kelley's got me on to, which I think is a fun thing to do when you're wearing your white runners, shoe cleaning. Kel, talk to us about shoe cleaning. Kelley McCarthy : You will get this wherever you walk around in District 1, but mostly near Saigon Centre markets and Bentang markets. you'll be walking along you'll have some little man carrying a little wooden basket come up to you and he'll just point to your shoes generally what they're wanting to do is clean them and it's okay people take them off you the first time i did it i did watch him walk about 30 meters down the street to clean them thinking he's just taking my brand new sketches But no, he did come back with them. So they will give them a good clean. They generally take them away from you. And I think it's because of the dry cleaning fluid that they use on them, but they come back dry, spotless. The price for that for everybody is 50,000. So just to let you know, they start trying to sting you a little bit more. It is 50,000 dong. They may come back, try and sell you some inner soles for another 30,000 and you might need this and you might need that. Average is $50,000 for a clean and wherever we come back via Saigon, there's some great little local ladies selling beer for the men that want to sit down and have a beer across from the markets whilst the ladies shop. You can be sitting down there and then you will get your shoes clean. Kerry Newsome : How long does it take actually? Kelley McCarthy: Two or three minutes. two or three minutes to do yeah so this time i literally was walking down the street heading back to the hotel and the man grabbed me and said shoes and i said ah yes forgot perfect so i stood on the side of the pavement he did give me a pair of scuffs to put on but they would fit my big toe and so i sort of just stood there on top of them so i wasn't with bare feet on the pavement i was gonna say that pavement would be hot wouldn't it oh no it's not so much the heat it's more the color of the pavement. So I just stood there on top of the little shoes while he cleaned them for me and it was literally a couple of minutes. Paid him my $50,000, we both smiled at each other and off I went with clean white shoes again. Kerry Newsome : Love your work girl, love it. Yeah look these opportunities come up and you do sit there and you go will I, won't I, you know what's the risk factor here and that's why I hope you're loving our show because we're telling you as it is how it happens and look we can't hand on heart say, you know, when they take your sketches, they're not gonna run off into the hills, but you know, on average, that won't happen. So, you know, just use your sense and sensibility headset. Have a bit of a laugh with it. Have a bit of a laugh. What's the worst thing that can happen? They can run off with your sketches, you're gonna go and buy another pair down the street. So that's how we think about it, but like, we don't expect you to, but Kelley McCarthy: And be prepared to be touted if you're sitting down there while you're having a beer. You are going to be offered a bookmark, a magnet, a pair of sunnies, a fan, you know, some twisting, noisy toys, all sorts. So, in the end, my suggestion is make no eye contact. That's my best suggestion. Kerry Newsome : Yeah, and I think after the experience with the tailor, and I hate this, I think you've got that Kelley McCarthy : eye thing going down. You will see what I am thinking from my eyes. Kerry Newsome : Yeah, I'm totally with you. So then the other thing that is on our list of to-do's is to visit our partner Worldwide Hospital, the dental hospital that we have a partnership with. And Kelley's been going back and forth to this hospital for over 10 years. So she always includes a visit there to get her teeth cleaned or whatever. A bit of a check-up. A bit of a check-up. So, that was another visit and it was just great to see those people. The staff there are just so lovely, aren't they? Kelley McCarthy : They're like family. Kerry Newsome: They are. They are so nice to us. I don't get that feeling when I go to my dentist, unfortunately. Kelley McCarthy: Yeah, we do here. Yeah, so like I said, been going there for over 10 years, referred family, friends, even have taken my son there since he was four years old. And it's just like family, we get the hugs when we walk in. They do offer cosmetic surgery there, but I can't put hand on heart and say that I've done that yet. Keep an eye out, I have had a couple of quotes done this trip, so I may venture down that path to be able to refer it. Kerry Newsome: We just watched this space on that. There will be a whole show devoted to that if we go down that track. Kelley McCarthy : That's right, but dentistry I can honestly put my hand on my heart and refer them for any dental procedure. Generally when they give you a dental procedure they will probably give you a couple of options. But just keep in mind, whatever option they're giving you, they are confident in doing it. We referred a client a few years ago, they got two options. One was $40,000, one was something like $18,000. They chose not to go down the path because when they converted that to Australian dollars, it was quite close to what they were being offered in Australia. But the $18,000 option would have been suffice. And especially at the age group they were at. For example, I'll give you my scenario. I have had crowns done over most of my teeth. I have three teeth that are not crowned. I had gaps in my teeth, so I had bridging crowns done. The quote in Australia 10 years ago was $48,000. I came here to worldwide, it cost me $5,500. So, in Australian dollars. So, there's the comparison. 10 years down the track, I have had zero complications. I had one tooth that I cosmetically wasn't happy with. There was nothing wrong with it. But in one of my checkups, there was no problem for them to knock that out, replace it and put it in and they didn't charge me. So where do you get a lifetime guarantee in your home country for your dentistry? Like I said!!! Kerry Newsome : All the way. And, you know, we've formed a partnership with them because we have this confidence with their skills, their staff, their abilities. It's a hospital. It's not a shop front. It's not like a dentist off the street. It's a seven level dental hospital. so you know they choose yeah like they make everything you know on site so we've been through the rigours, and I’m terrified of dentists so this was a real big leap of faith for me uh but with Kelley because of her experience and the positivity that's come from that and you know she's shared this same experience with friends and relatives and we've got clients now going through and really loving the time and the workmanship that they put in, the care factor, everything. We can arrange travel, we're their travel partner and if you come through us we can actually give you a 5% discount off their advertised price. So you get it less by coming through us. Anyway, what have you got to lose? You could get a quote and while you're here, it's a short visit, reach out to us, we'll make the appointment for you or you can do it direct, we don't care. Kelley McCarthy : And make sure you mention us. Kerry Newsome : Yeah, to get that discount, to get that reference or get in touch and we'll send you a voucher. So yeah, just a thing to add to the mix of out and about in Vietnam. Now, once again, we really wanted to delve into the hair and beauty side of things. Oh my God. We have traversed this path before in the hair aspect. Now, we're blondes, both of us, right? So, for a starters, they look at us and their eyes roll because their version of blonde and our version of blonde may not be simpatico. Theirs is orange. Ours is blonde. And then there's the aspect of the moisture aspect of our hair and the volume, texture and product. So, you know, they may have different variations of the products that we may never heard of, but, you know, because they start with the word natural, Kelley McCarthy: Avoid natural ladies. Natural is not the go in Vietnam. Kerry Newsome : Not for us anyway. We have tried to go down that path and I have to say failed abysmally and ended up with tortured hair that took us weeks to repair. So it was a pleasure this time, Kelley had managed to find us a really clever dude who runs a salon and he's called Tommy's and Kelley over to you of that experience. Kelley McCarthy : Yeah so Tommy's is trained in the gentleman there that runs that he is actually trained in hair from Europe and from London and it's in the Grand Hotel Saigon level one you can reach out to him via Facebook We'll put all of those links on it. He knows anyone that's got blonde hair, he knows to take some moisture out, then he blow dries down the hair shaft, not up, so you don't look like you've had an electric shock. Very sweet, gives you cups of tea, water, cashew nuts to die for, and the experience. Not the cheapest, so probably similar to Australian prices for blow-dry, as in $40 to $50 Australian for the blow-dry, but this experience takes an hour and a half. So you lay down and get the shampoo, you get a massage, they even give you ears clean. So don't be offended by that when they shove the cotton buds in your ears. They're just giving your ears a little clean as well. And then you sit down for the blow dry. And like I said, I come out of there every time smiling with my hair done. And it lasts quite a few days. Kerry Newsome : And I might add, we have a wedding to go to in a few weeks, a Vietnamese wedding. And Kelley's going to go back to have a Up style done. So that's kind of the confidence level we've got, the kind of treatment that you can get from this guy and his staff. They're all lovely. It was just fully air-conditioned, extremely clean. I felt really comfortable. So yeah, we paid a little bit less than what we would pay at home. But it wasn't the cheap and cheerful. It wasn't with natural products. It was with good quality products. And I walked out with hair that I could… Because you're proud to walk down the street with? Kelley McCarthy : as opposed to our last experience? Kerry Newsome: I don't think I'm even game enough to share with you some of those photos. And I might add, they used some product which I was allergic to, so I turned into Elephant Man. And my whole face, so I couldn't get enough antihistamine, Panadol, whatever I could get down my throat to calm my system down because it just went berserk. And I ended up with a frizz ball of hair. Kelley McCarthy : to dry frisball that was expanding as it got drier they rinsed their hair and the natural to give you ladies an idea out there in lotus water so yes i'm talking about the cricket lotus the locust water which was black so i was terrified that i had blonde hair and i was getting black water put all over it so needless to say natural is out hit me with any chemical you can Kerry Newsome : And like, we're probably not the best advocates for natural wear. Other people would have no problem. So, don't write it off. Just take it from us. This is what our experience was and we're just sharing that with you. Now, I can't finish Hair and Beauty without the experience right up to last night that we had, where we found this beautiful place called Bliss Beauty . In District 1. In District 1, yeah. So, we're staying at the Silverland May at the moment, so it's very close by, about a block and a half. Kelley McCarthy : Yeah, not even that, sort of. And that's in the Japanese district, for those people that are wondering. Yeah, really sweet hotel. Yeah. Kerry Newsome : Anyway, so we stepped into that doorway because they were offering pedicures and eyelash Perming and they do do extensions and extensions and all the rest of it. The girl was lovely She had very good English So she was kind of your meet-and-greet person where everybody else in there couldn't speak much English but still talented in what they did and So I had the eyelash curling and the tint, yeah. It's a long process that, that was like 45 minutes was the time period, but just wrapped. The pedicure alone was fantastic, but that process to get that done, like this morning I'm looking and I'm going, you know what, I'm not going to need makeup on my eyes for the next few weeks, which is just going to be fantastic as I go further out and about in Vietnam. And yeah, I just thought the whole experience was good, don't you? Kelley McCarthy : It was amazing. I must admit for myself though, I did go to have the eyelash perming done and I did start to feel a reaction. So I did put up with it for five or ten minutes and then it was just starting to get too irritable. They were absolutely gorgeous. They removed the product, got it off, then blow-dried, washed my eyes, and didn't want to charge me for the process. Of course, I insisted on paying because they've opened their product, they've tried it, it's not their fault that that's happened. So, just that little bit of good karma back, I insisted on paying, which they were very taken back with that. Kerry Newsome: And he proceeded to give us a gift as we left the premises, which was a hair clip. And you just go, where would you get that back home? Kelley McCarthy: It's that smile, friendliness that gets you across the line. Kerry Newsome : I'm kind of conscious of time, Kelley, and my listeners, I know there's a lot in this, so I hope you are enjoying it. I just want to wrap up with a very quick overview of Saigon After Dark. I mean, Kelley and I aren't at that stage of our life where we're probably getting the full Monty of After Dark experiences in Saigon. But we definitely did venture out and I think we already covered with you the Ciocan where it's like a cigar cocktail bar. We would definitely suggest that for that experience. We mentioned the Zumwhere which we went for the salmon, we went for a cake, you know, like that was all through the night. We mentioned the acoustic bar. There is one in D3 and D2. D2, we think is a little bit more westernized. Kelley McCarthy : It's one… Yeah, international expat area. Kerry Newsome : Yeah, definitely. And I just think the theme of the music and the whole environment, they have one band on for the whole night. where D3 tends to be every three songs it's a different band on and many more artists. Still all very good and it's an absolute fun night. I mean these places don't charge you a door fee but you'll pay that a little bit more in your drinks so just be aware of that. Kelley can speak a bit more to Bui Vien Street more than me. Kel, do you want to just expand a bit on that? Kelley McCarthy : So, Bui Vien Street is worth a walk through, whether you go out at night, whether you want to hit the bars, whether you want to do anything, I think it's a great place just to go down. The lighting, the system of it all is worth a walk through. They call it the backpacker area and the backpacker drinks. Pricing is not of a backpacker's level. For example, a Tiger Beer in a bar along the main strip there, you can be paying $10 to $12 Australian for it. So, it's somewhere you probably wouldn't go to have lots of drinks and lose a bit of control. You want to have your wits about you a little bit. There could be pickpocketing going on down there, so make sure you hold on to everything. I took my 13-year-old through there and he just thought it was amazing. There's live music. Yes, there's some girls in clothes or lingerie or men in jeans with shirts off dancing on podiums out the front, but it's not offensive. It's just an experience. So, you could probably get into the seedy underside of it if you wanted to, but just for an experience to walk through, just the lighting and everything, it's amazing. Kerry Newsome: Yeah, I mean the only caveat I want to share on that one is just being careful with your drinks getting spiked and things like that for everyone. So just keep your wits about you, but yeah, definitely worth a wander through. I want to wrap up, if we can, just on a couple of travel tips , just some things to help you along the way that we think would be handy. I want to talk to you about getting a SIM card. Obviously having data when you're out and about, you'll definitely be able to get Wi-Fi As soon as you put your bum down pretty much anywhere, hotels, restaurants, cafes, beauty places, bars, everywhere, everyone's got Wi-Fi. It's basically a fairly unsecured option for you. So don't maybe look up your bank accounts in it, but you know you'll definitely be able to get your Google Maps and your grabs and everything. But if you want to get a SIM card, Kelley's got some really great advice for everyone on that. Kelley McCarthy : Yep, so generally one of the main ones here is Mobifone , so you can actually buy that I think at the airport, but if you go into Circle K, which is just like a little 7-Eleven or your little convenience store, you can get the SIM cards in those and they are really helpful. They will even put it in your phone for you and set it up. And then it runs for a month, what you purchase. So generally I would say to everybody, put a 100,000 dong on it. That's going to last you a fair while on it. But then as you need to top up, you can just go back in there, say to them you need to top this up. They will check your credit for you. They will show you how to put it on or they will even put it on for you. The tip for that though, I have had somebody travelling with me previously from America. She bought a burner phone from America, didn't work for her. So I think they need to be ensured that they're unlocked. That's an unlocked network phone that you can then just drop another SIM into. And yeah, like I said, we've got one here that we use and we swap it around if we're here. But for myself coming from Australia on a short stint, I just use the $10 a day option. That works well for me. Kerry Newsome : I think the SIM card comes in for people now that we've got the 90-day visa and we've got the multi-entry. You know, over three months and if you're moving around the country, as you know on the Out and About series for this trip for me, you know, I'm going to be in Vietnam and across a lot of out back, for want of a better word, locations coming up. Please stick with the show as we get around. I think the SIM card is definitely a good idea. Definitely. Because you do want that access so you don't get lost, you want Google Maps to understand. you know, it might say… Google Translate. Google Translate with your driver or, you know, just situations which over an extended stay. If you were going to do, you know, a week or a fortnight, well, you might weigh up the options to see what's easy. But the fact that you can top it up at Circle K, if it's an unlocked phone is the key, a mobile phone is the branch. So, I think just we wanted to make sure you got that. Using ATMs is the second thing I wanted to talk about. Now, I have traditionally used ATMs. I'm not really good on that devil of detail as far as every single transaction fee I get charged. However, I do mostly use credit cards in hotels and major shopping centers, etc. It's where I need cash. I try and limit it to getting as much cash out of the ATM as you can. Traditionally, that's around about 3 million. Some will only do 2, which is a real nuisance, but 3 is about the average. You can sometimes go up to 5. Best places to do that would be, you know, your Saigon centers or your Vincoms if you really want that. safety kind of thing. So, you've got to kind of get your head about you and going through DONG with lots of zeros, you can go through it quite quickly because remembering in Australian standards, a million DONG is about 66 Australian dollars at its worst case. So, like just to keep in mind having cash is really important in a lot of street stalls and very outback areas, where if you are in your major cities like Saigon and Hanoi and Hoi An and Da Nang, big cities, you will be able to use your cards fairly easy. Now the trap in using the ATMs, I'm definitely going to lead Kelley into that because she's been able to identify some things with fees. Kelley McCarthy: So if you're using an ATM, yes I'll give you a great exchange rate as Kerry's always said, however I did mention to her the other day just have a look on my card for my bank fees now go and look at yours. So this will vary from bank to bank but you are going to get charged for example I took out 5 million dong and I had a bank ATM fee, then I had an international transaction fee, and then I had a conversion fee. So to take out that five million dong, I got charged bank fees of about 17 to 18 Australian dollars. So it doesn't make it that great when you're doing that. So that's why we say maximize taking it out. Depends on convenience. In all my years of traveling here, I've always bought cash. But that's how comfortable you feel traveling with cash. You can get a great exchange rate for those in some of the jewelry stores and also all the gold shops. And there is a couple of money changes that are really competitive. In fact, they even give you a higher rate than XE, I've found. Kerry Newsome : You're a pretty good negotiator with those gold traders. Kelley McCarthy : And the other tip too, if you're changing $1,000 or something at a time and they've given you a rate, if you've got clean, crisp $50 or $100 notes from Australia or even from your own country, ask them is that the best rate they can give. They will usually increase it if you're doing a larger transaction too. Keep that in mind. My other tip is changing money cash in Saigon. You are going to get a far better exchange rate than what you will if you're changing money in Hoi An or Nha Trang or any of those other places. You get a far better exchange rate here. And sometimes in those other places, it gets a little hard to change cash too. So, Saigon's your spot when you're doing that. Absolutely. Or Hanoi, probably. Kerry Newsome : And as far as the ATM machines themselves, we suggest to avoid HSBC. They have a higher charge. They do. And be very careful when you're looking at the machine that it has the MasterCard or the Visa symbols. Kelley McCarthy : Or the Cirrus. Kerry Newsome: Yes. So that, you know, you're not trying to access it from a machine that, you know, isn't tied to your card or the network payment channel that is tied to yours. So if you've got a MasterCard, try and find the MasterCard symbols and keep it neat. Be very careful to make sure that you pull the card out of the machine. with a receipt. Sometimes you can get receipts and sometimes you don't. But I've got caught with that only once in Laos and it ate my card. Kelley McCarthy : And on that note, I would always suggest if you are relying on just using your card, make sure you have two forms of withdrawing money, whether it's from a credit card or an ATM card. For example, I got hacked the first day I landed here this trip. This trip. And I'll be honest, it's the first time in the 18 years I've been coming here I've ever had my credit card hacked in Vietnam. And who's to say it was Vietnam? You know, these companies sell numbers these days, so it could have been just a coincidence. So, I had to cancel that card immediately and then start using my ATM card if I needed money, which with that debit option now, it's just like a credit card, so it hasn't really been a problem. But make sure you've got two forms of withdrawing money. Kerry Newsome: Yes, definitely. I always travel with two cards. And you can actually look at different travel money cards. So, it's just for travel and you can put the currency of your own country on it. Very few of the travel money cards would carry Vietnamese dong, but certainly I put Australian dollars and then of course it gives me dong when I get here. So, I use that as a second backup should something like what happened with Kelley when she first arrived. Look, everyone, I hope you've got a lot out of this show. I know we've enjoyed exploring Saigon in the last few days and probably going a little bit deeper than I normally would. But also, I hope that you're going to stick with the show as we get further about. Kelley and I took the opportunity to go to Ho Tram, which is about a two-hour trip from Saigon. And that was really lovely. And we've got some fun to share with you on that coming up. And of course, I've got many other places in this whole series. So, please watch out for our social pages, WhatAboutVietnam, TikTok, social media, platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, all of the ones you normally use. And just thanks for supporting the program. Kelley McCarthy : Before we go Kerry, I just want to mention to everybody that please note we haven't been paid by any of our mentions today. It has all been funded out of our own back pockets and today I return back to Australia to take up my day job for my next return trip here. So, we aren't paid by any sponsors, but you know, feel free to drop some money if you really want us to come back and do some research for you. Just reach out to Kerry, see where that deposit can go, we're open to that too. Kerry Newsome: Yeah, I love your work Kelley, absolutely. We do this because we love this and we love this country and this country's been very good to both of us and we love what we do. Definitely. So, see you next time people and thanks again.

S4-12 Contemporary Art in Vietnam Contemporary art in Vietnam - A window to the future Episode 12 S4-12 Contemporary Art in Vietnam 00:00 / 53:08 How contemporary art is shining fresh eyes on Vietnam. Why are we talking about contemporary art as part of a traveller’s experience of Vietnam? It’s because the art you are seeing today in Vietnam and galleries all round the world, wasn’t always there. The artists coming through now are showing their spirit through their artful skills, and they are painting their version of history. Some with a view to building bridges. Its modernistic, forward thinking and truly powerful with influences from some of our greats Van Gogh, Matisse etc. In some small way I am hoping through the story telling of my guest today visionary of Contemporary Art in Vietnam – world renowned Suzanne Lecht. At the very least you will get a deeper understanding to some of the things you will be seeing and experiencing on your trip. If you are an Art Collector or art enthusiast there are links below to lead you to where you need to go. Today’s story begins in the early 90’s. Not that long ago if you think about it. But years before any reconciliation between the US and Vietnam. Let me introduce you to Suzanne Lecht Time stamps to help guide your listening:- 05:59 - How Suzanne’s interest in art found her in Vietnam. 10:19 - Article: Art from the Heart - Gang of Five Holds Their Third Joint Art Exhibition. 15:41 - “What in God’s name am I doing here in Vietnam?” 21:32 - How the Gang of Five became Suzanne’s window to the outside world. 27:52 - Suzanne’s first gallery was in a house in Hanoi. 34:43 - Vietnam’s culture and art. 40:13 - What should the travelers be looking for, in contemporary art in Vietnam? 47:55 - How can art lovers tell real art from fake art? You can view this YouTube to find out more about Suzanne Lecht - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7O4HOebJyk Art Vietnam Gallery: About the galleryand cultural forum, the Art Directorand specialty services http://www.artvietnamgallery.com/aboutus.html Follow us on facebook here - https://www.facebook.com/whataboutvietnam Follow us on Insta here - https://www.instagram.com/whataboutvietnampodcast/ Follow us on LinkedIN here - https://www.linkedin.com/company/what-about-vietnam/ YOU TUBE - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCavCC1--oE5rUhO_SlENmqw Photo Credit: Suzanne Lecht - Art Vietnam Download Transcript PDF Read the transcript here

2def5fca-e85f-4847-9058-061f2bc4b1b7Experience the quintessential favourite, Pho. Everything you did not know about Vietnamese noodles Episode 13 S3-13 Vietnamese Noodles 00:00 / 53:15 When we think about noodles, we probably don’t pay too much attention to their origin. For most of us, they have usually come out of a box, all cut exactly to the same length and shape. In Vietnam you will experience many dishes including the quintessential favourite, Pho. However in Vietnam not all noodles are the same. They don’t come out of a box. They are made fresh. And this is where the history of noodles and the traditional way of making noodles becomes our feature story. Neal Bermas is my guest and is the founder and Board chairperson of an innovative and sustainable social enterprise that provides hospitality training programs for street kids, orphans and disadvantaged youth in Vietnam, called https://www.streetsinternational.org/ An integral part of the program is a restaurant in Hoi An called “Oodles of Noodles”. Through this restaurant the STREETS international team have trained over 300 students. Over the course of a decade Neal has taken it upon himself to learn as much as he can about the Vietnamese traditions of food making and in particular the nuances of noodle making. Find all about his career highlights and awards from the show notes on the Episode in your favourite APP. Neal will have you laughing all the way to a better appreciation of the craft of noodle making. Your next Vietnamese bowl of noodles is going to be so great after you listen to this show. Download Transcript PDF Read transcript

f869da4e-5155-49cf-a089-fb57696dcfa9How much time to allow for a visit and to where. What About Vietnam - Series 3 -15 - Vietnam travel Part 2 How much time do you need? Kerry Newsome: 00:35 Xin Chào and welcome to What About Vietnam. This is part two of the series with Miquel Angel. And today we unwrap just what you can fit in to a 14 day tour of Vietnam . And statistically, why is it that people who visit Vietnam traditionally, it seems, only visit once. And I think you're going to be very amused to find some of the reasons why. And they're very simple, but they happen often. And I think this is a great chance for you to get some information that may help you make some wiser decisions with tours that you're choosing and things that you're really trying to fit into. That average stay widget seems to be around about the 14 days. 01:29 In this part two episode, we look at the Central and the Mekong areas. And I think that's going to give you some insights to maybe consider chunking down your holiday into regions. With the option to revisit at another time. Please welcome Miquel again to the show as my very, very special guest as he is the Head of the Human Resources and Quality Working Group inside Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board. Let's say hello to Miquel. Miquel Angel: 02:16 Oh, good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening, from wherever you are listening to the podcast. This is Miquel Angel talking to you from Vietnam in Kerry Newsome's program. It's my pleasure just to be here. Hope you enjoyed our talk today. Kerry Newsome: 02:29 Miquel it is absolutely wonderful to have you on the show. And just to have time with you to unpack some of the things that we've been talking about, about Vietnam and tourism to Vietnam. So welcome to the What About Vietnam podcast. Miquel Angel: 02:47 Thank you very much. My real, real pleasure. I'm one of the regular listeners and followers. I'm learning a lot from the people who participate and come to join. So, I'm happy just to be here and share my few bits and bats after these 22 years, working and developing here tourism in Vietnam. Kerry Newsome: 03:08 Okay, Miquel, tell us a little bit more about your role within the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board just so we get context. What keeps you busy? Miquel Angel: 03:22 Absolutely. Yes. Well, that I will say this is something that came naturally to me. I'm originally from near Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain, where we develop the tourism many years ago. So being here in Vietnam, working in tourism and hospitality, after several years, right to appoint that the authorities, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism here in Vietnam, they contact me, and they say that "Miquel, we would like you to be one of our members at the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board", which is an entity that was created just to advise the ministry on everything related to tourism. 03:59 So, inside that board is not me only, now we have a large team of professionals that we are learning from all the different parts of the world. We have different working groups, and some related to marketing, some other related to the visa policies. You may see if you know Vietnam or you've been here, that the visa issue is starting to get better. Some countries are visa exempt. Some other they have less paperwork or less red carpet. So, we have some working on that behind the scenes even you don't see as much. 04:33 We keep working and making good things for Vietnam. And there are other people working on the marketing side. So, if you take a look, for example, at the website, we did develop with a team called Vietnam.Travel.com ". You will see that a lot of new upgrades and with my lovely friends there, but I think you also know Kerry, we've been developing and including their hashtags and content, pictures and it is a very good, nice way of coming virtually to Vietnam where you will see there, the real things that we are doing here. 05:05 Some other chapters they are working more on paperwork, means letters that we sent to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. Also, to the Prime Minister, we have the sent some letters to him, because we want him to be aware what to do. And last but not least, it is the working group, I'm heading, that I'm in charge of the Human Resources, which these days is really, really huge point here, plus quality, Working Group on this quality, we include there environmental, civil, economy and everything back for Vietnam. Kerry Newsome: 05:38 You pack a big punch as far as-- there's a lot involved. And just the little bit that I know about the board, yeah, it has evolved, it has truly evolved, and just saying what you've done with the website, what you've done with visas, and I think we're going to unpack a little bit more about that in this show. So, one thing that came up in our chat, when we were talking about doing the show together, was, we were talking about the traveler that comes to Vietnam, unusually so, only usually comes once. 06:22 We talked about that, in comparison to other travelers who go to, say, Thailand, and they go to Phuket, Bali, maybe even Singapore, Hong Kong, and other major places in the Southeast Asian region. But they tend to be frequent visitors, they go back several times. But you inform me that that is actually not a statistic about the average tourist to Vietnam, that they come once. And they don't tend to come back again. And between you and I, we think that is an injustice to Vietnam. And they're missing out on a lot of things. Am I right? Miquel Angel: 07:10 Yes, you're right. I was thinking a couple of years ago, that we were not treating the arrivals and the visitors so well. That's why the people were not returning back to Vietnam, because, aside from Vietnam, I've been working in Thailand and living there, in Laos, in Cambodia. And that was a question that why people repeat their trips and go to other destinations 1, 2, 3, 4 times, and here, to Vietnam, you come once in a lifetime and never return again, when the people, the scenery, the food, the resources, the attractions are huge. And you cannot finish in one trip unless you are here in Vietnam for two or three months. 07:53 So, to bring these into the scene, I will say the average traveler time that people come to visit Vietnam, either from Australia where you are, either from Europe when I'm coming from or United States, is approximately 14 days, let's say two weeks, they update down. And you have to consider that depending on where you're coming from. You have the first day or two controlling your jetlag, you're coming from Europe, you're 17 hours on a plane, you're coming from the US, either via Japan, San Francisco, either from New York coming to Europe, here you spend more than a day on a plane. So, when you arrive here, the first thing you want to find is you’re not noisy hotel if possible and control a bit your jet lag. From Australia, you have a bit less hours but depending also on which part of Australia, you want to visit Vietnam. 08:50 So that said, let's say that if you're planning to have your two weeks holidays because your job, because your summer break or whatever. The first day is flying and controlling your jetlag. So, we are moving now to 13 days. And let's not make any second or last day jetlag. Let's say that during the first day, you are a good traveler, you drink lots of water you do what you have to do, and you are ready to go on the second day. Day 13 there. 09:19 So, now the tour operators and travel agents are doing and Kerry you know much better than me, is preparing, of course, beautiful programs, for these 13 days or 13 nights that you will be here in Vietnam. And I've been working preparing that programs and following the tour guides doing the programs, because I do want to see the reality of what the tour guides and the tour operator and DMCs are doing. I say, I read I saw a brochure and I never-- no, I go, I'm chauffeured with them at 50 degrees Celsius under the Huế Citadel, and I go and cue to go to the toilet on that destination. That is crowded full of Chinese visitors. And that's my job. That's what I do. I am enjoying. I'm worried when I say, I enjoy, because I really enjoy doing that. With my beautiful little students, or professional tour guide by my side, which I love them very much. We have excellent talks, the tour guides can change the way you see Vietnam forever, a lot of attention to them. Kerry Newsome: 10:26 Absolutely. And I think keeping it real for people is key. And it's something in this program that I want to continue doing. So, you are saying that you actually go along and follow the tour guides, you sit in the buses, [crosstalk] at the toilets, etc., that's to give a really good appreciation of what a tourist is trying to jam pack, into a day by day. So, let's just flush that out a little bit more, because in traditional tours of that type, of 14 days, they're also not seeing just one location, they're usually seeing maybe two or three locations. 11:10 As we both agreed, those hops from second, to third, to fourth place also eat up time. Because people say, "Oh, look, it's only a 100 kilometers in a bus, that can't be too bad." Now you and I both know that some of those roads and some of those busses are terrible and a 100 kilometers on a fantastic freeway, Sure, no problem. But if it's going into maybe some of the northern regions up into Mai Chau or Ha Giang, and they are exquisite destinations, but they probably take eight hours. Miquel Angel: 11:54 Well, these two hours bus trip can ruin the whole of your trip, if you are not prepared, ready, or know what is going to happen. Happens to me on, but because of these bad trips, or the way Vietnamese drivers or myself drive here in Vietnam, that's the way we drive, and risking our life and just hardening and counter crossing on the street, and some market in the middle of the street near a container cargo going back to Australia or wherever. So that's the Vietnam tour. So, the point here, link to the small explanation before, if we need to prepare the 13 days trip. And you are telling me that you have 13 days to visit the whole country? Let me revert that question back to your most Australian listeners. Can I come to Australian visit the whole Australia in 13 days? Kerry Newsome: 12:49 No way. No chance at all? Miquel Angel: 12:52 Then that's what the people are trying to do with Vietnam. Kerry Newsome: 12:54 Exactly. And that was what rang a bell with me. And when we started talking and is to me, the real guts of this story is, people trying to jam pack a whole country, a long skinny dragon of a country where it's just not achievable. So, people leave with an impression of Vietnam, which is like-- it must be like a snapshot. I can remember back- I think the very, very first trip I did was like back in 2007. And I'm married to someone in the army. And I did this traditional, what we're talking about a top to bottom trip. And he said to me, "That sounds like a reconnaissance trip." He said, "You're going to see where you need to go back to, where you want to spend more time, where there are day trips you can do from us." And I said, “Exactly.” 14:01 But we you and me today, I think we really need to unpack that for people and explain that that's kind of logical. But you see on the internet, everywhere, everyone's selling these 14 days, top to bottom or bottom to top tours. And everybody just ends up exhausted. I was talking to a girl the other day, she was managing the sailing club, [sysco 14:30] Monet, and she said, "Some travelers decide, they are just exhausted by the end of it. And they just go to Monet, and they just lie on the beach for five days. And then they make that day lasting memory." And she said, "But they come back every year. But they were smart enough to do this." So, on this basis, today let's unpack a 14 day trip. And let's unpack it into some regions and talk about it from that context so that we can give my listeners some reality to what to expect. So, let's start with 14 days. 15:13 Where should people start? If we are not going to give them the reconnaissance trip, where should they maybe start to get a really good feel for Vietnam? Miquel Angel: 15:27 I will say, if you are coming here to Vietnam, you either rise to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi from international destination. And some flights are now starting to go to Damen but doesn't really matter. It is also a good option. So, you go to Ho Chi Minh City, and visit South and Central part of Vietnam, or you go to Hanoi and visit the north and central part of Vietnam, wherever your choice is. So, let's give a short flashback on South part and another one on the North Park. And from there, we develop more, or we see what's going on there. When you arrive here to Ho Chi Minh City, the airport at the moment is located inside the city. So, it's quite fast. Half an hour, you are in the city center, there are planning in the future to do a new airport, but it is still on the plans to do. 16:18 So here, in the south part of Vietnam, aside of Ho Chi Minh City, that you have, at least I will say two days to visit a bit, some of the museums and some of the things you haven’t, you have the Mekong Delta, which is a place that is not to be missed, because the Mekong Delta, I will say is what they call the greenery of Vietnam, there are 20 million people living there producing rice, fish farms, coconut industry, which is huge, and you have two or three days just do get lost there and do your bicycle, do your boat, do your gorilla, mangrove check. And if you come there only for a day trip, you are missing the essence of that is Mekong's way of living. Either one you just wander one day, do walk in the morning, and try some coconut candy, by the Bhaskar and get into a box or a small tank either and return back to your country that's Mekong. Kerry Newsome: 17:15 Don't forget the photo shoot, [crosstalk] selfie and all the rest of it and get that out quickly. You've got 15 minutes to do that and step on the bus. Miquel Angel: 17:25 And that's the Mekong Delta visit that you did, fantastic, in three hours. So, that's the day that you can get lost there. Now at this point in time, some very nice hotels next to rivers, these may come area, they call it like six tons, where you can stay, cycle, get lost, get some minorities also, the Chàm people who are living in Vietnam, so that is to make on site. More attractions in the south can be Tây Ninh, for example, which is the exactly the spot where the Caodai religion is and where all the monks related to that religion. So, it is spectacular to go there and see the way they pray. The churches, the way of life they have and sit down and have a drink with them. Kerry Newsome: 18:10 Where is this, Miquel? Miquel Angel: 18:12 This is Tây Ninh Province, which is a bordering Cambodia province, two hours from Ho Chi Minh City, new corners. I love when you discover the corners you never been to, maybe your next visit to Vietnam, we should take a ride and go there. Absolutely amazing. I bring people there. Not many, because I cannot fit this in a 13 day problem. That's a problem. So, more things you want to see here in the south part of Vietnam is the famous Củ Chi Tunnels. And what you can observe there, how the Vietnamese guerrilla went underground with the tanks. Even if you want to shoot, they're in a very safe area, do some shots, it is nice to see that and see how the Củ Chi local guides explain to you what happened to them and their families. Kerry Newsome: 18:58 If we stay in Saigon for a moment. I think sometimes the first impression of the city is only district one. And it took me several trips to understand, Saigon has more sides to it, a little bit like Paris has districts. Saigon also has other districts. There's the Chinese, the Tan Binh. I did an episode with a travel writer, Samantha Kumar who came on, and she was able to pick about five districts, that somebody normally just gets off the plane, gets straight to--because as you say, they're exhausted. That first impression of Saigon is just a crazy mess. It's just a haba, haba, haba and, 3 trillion bikes but they haven't actually traversed the city itself to some of the more sedate and some of the more interesting- especially by the river, they've spent so much money on developing some of these areas, it's a shame. 20:02 The other thing I want to mention about Saigon, which also took me a few visits to get right, was to understand the shopping site. Now, I know I'm talking to a male. And there's a shopping-- probably a part of your brain switching off at this point, and probably for any male listening, but there are some unique opportunities to experience some artisans that are creating some really amazing stuff. And there's also some great social enterprises that are selling some really unique stuff. So, if you want something from Vietnam, that doesn't say it's made in China, then definitely you've got to kind of delve in a little bit deeper into that area. 20:49 I want to also draw everyone's attention to, what I call the cafe building. Now, likewise, that is a place that you'll see a lot in your Instagram photos, etc., you wouldn't probably get in the lift to go up into that building. You're nodding. Yeah, I agree. So, you have to walk up the stairs, but it is worth the trip to walk up those stairs, because around every single corner, there was something unique, something different, whether it was a coffee shop, or a boutique. Like that building just has evolved into this treasure trove of all places. There's some- where you walk past and the door is very, very small. And if you walk past it, you've missed it. So, you've got to go up those stairs. 21:49 So if you're going to the Mekong Delta, or you want to go to Cần Thơ, or you want to experience some parts of Vietnam that have been operating for like hundreds of years, then you do need to breathe, you need to slow down and you need to take it in and breathe it in, where if you've got to get back on the bus and you've done five selfies and tick, tick, tick, the operator has done his job. The tour guide is also running at 100 miles an hour. You're not really getting the best of Vietnam. So, I think we're on the same page. 21:49 And you've just got to delve a little bit deeper into the city, rather than just as you said, making sure you hit four temples in 10, markets, tick, tick, tick, tick. And I want to just make sure I get this right for the listeners as well is, because purchase this trip. And it's listed on its itinerary. The onus is on the company to make sure you do see every single one on that trip. So, it's not anyone's fault. It's just that we, you, and me, thankfully, would like you to maybe unpack the trip, so that it doesn't make it slow or boring. But it allows you to breathe, and really get-- and I think you used a great word, the essence of the place. Miquel Angel: 23:25 Yeah, well, what happens that after, if you do this, latest sentence, you were telling, you never return back to Vietnam, because what they are doing to you, is not what you really wish. And you don't really want to be there at that moment, you are not enjoying a trip. So, me I'm bringing some customers, even some residents here in Ho Chi Minh City, to taste the coffee of two sisters, that are doing, because one already passed away. They've been doing for 150 years, doing coffee. And they use a kind of sock that they put the coffee inside. And they have a fireplace there on the floor. And we go there to drink their coffee. So, it was packed by the old Vietnamese people. 24:08 So, I go there and just listen to the tables, talking about the war, about how we won these and won that, it is an amazing process. And I showed this corner to some Vietnamese residents that they never been there. And they say, "Whoa, how do you know these places? I like to walk around all these things that you just mentioned there." And aside of that, there is a very nice colleague here in Ho Chi Minh City that the public already books here on the corners and unknown corners here in Ho Chi Minh City And what that buildings were during the French, the US war era, and the Vietnamese. 24:42 So that's really, really an experience, just to go there walking, that's some walking, you do not need the tour guide, if you don't want, you can do it by yourself. And this will be available everywhere. It's not the secret. So, the point here is that in these programs, of course, the tour operators and the agents they need to fill in and make big problems with many things inside, otherwise, you will not buy a program, where you go to Ho Chi Minh City, two days, they're doing nothing. 25:08 But my question is that sometimes, if you buy one of these programs, because the price is very good, because sometimes they flip the whole plane and the whole program wherever, what you have to do is tell to your tour guide, "Listen, I'm highly paid for this trip. In this pay, in this condition, I'm the owner of the trip. And I want to decide what to do with my money and my trip. So please get lost for three hours. And you tell your company that we visit everything in the program, you don't worry, I will not sue you or your tour operator back in Australia, or back in Europe. And give me that three hours for me to breathe. And just get into that building that you say there and enjoy a cup of tea, or a cup of coffee, and you pick up the ride after three hours." That's the way you see the real Vietnam. Kerry Newsome: 25:59 I sell these tours [crosstalk] to Vietnam. But I sell them under the guise that when I talk to the travel agents and say, "Look, there's a lot packed into this tour, do you really think you want to include all of that? We can do it, sure. But is your customer, your travelers going to want to do it?" And then I have, a bit like you just to be a mystery traveler in a group. I have joined the group. So, say, I catch up with them. And they're halfway through. So, they're in Hậu Giang, and it is 50 degrees in the shade. Miquel Angel: 26:38 And you are still walking. Kerry Newsome: 26:41 They're still-- they're up to, I don't know, the walking tour of Hậu Giang, or something like that. And now exhausted and just gone. We just want to have a day rest. And I actually had to remind some of the travelers and say, "If you do not want to do what the tour guy says, you can say, 'You know what, I will meet you back here at four o'clock. And you know that beautiful coffee shop you were talking about before? Go back and have a coffee there.' Just sit and people watch. Just take it in, you are not obliged to literally go and do everything." 27:17 And they said, "Can we just do that now?" And I said, "Absolutely, you can." The tour companies are trying to give you everything, if you want it, but you don't have to do it. And as you say, you're not going to sue the company and blah, blah, blah. And there were some people who don't, if they don't get everything ticked on those boxes, Miquel, they do get up in arms, and they go, "I bought this tool package and it said, we were going to do for temples and blah, blah, blah." I don't get that, they're unhappy, and they're not satisfied. And all the rest of it. 27:51 But I think it's a nice idea, like you said, for people to be reminded they have choice. And they have the ability, master of their own destiny to say, "Hey, thanks for the offer. But I'm just going to chill out here and I'll come back and pick up that- Oh, yes, I'll do that show in Hậu Giang." The AO show, say for example, that might be included in the tour. And yeah, we'll do that but, in the meantime, we're just going to go off and do our own thing. And you are totally entitled to do that. But these people were aghast, they couldn't believe it that they could make their own choice and I said, "Go, just tell the tour guide, that that's what you're doing, so he's accounted for you, off you go!" Miquel Angel: 28:36 I think, here in Vietnam, sometimes it is kind of strange, that the person who's paying for a trip, call it whatever amount of Australian dollars or euros or US dollars, whatever, you are paying for something, that you arrive to a destination there and looks like you have no right anymore. You're paying- not a cheap tour, we're talking about here $100, you are paying an amount of money here, including your flight, your hotels, wherever, and sometimes you have no time to sit down one hour to have a fresh beer at 50 degrees Celsius. 29:14 So, you have the permission, like- to the tour guide to say, "Can I please sit down here for an hour and sip these beautiful Vietnamese fresh beer, one, two, or three, or five." I know, Australians do not drink one beer, I do. "And come to pick me up not in three hours, in six hours. Go home and forget about my dinner. I already paid for it.” So probably the restaurant is already happy because they already received money. And you see down there to eat some chicken feet, with [inaudible 29:46]. That's lovely experience. 29:48 So, happens rarely. And I know that because I've been on that tour there, and I see the people excruciating, really hot. Don't forget, we're in a tropical country and hot means really, really hot and make your beautiful white skin really, really lobster, red color. Don't play with the sun, even in the morning, you don't go to the beach here in Vietnam, from 9am to 3pm ever. Sometimes some of us will say, "Yes, yes, yes. I'm used to the beach, I go there in Australia, in Europe, I go to the beach." You don't go to the beach in Vietnam, at that time, zero Vietnamese are there. We go to beach 6am-8am or 4pm-6pm, for a reason. Kerry Newsome: 30:38 I can remember, someone asked me once, they said, "Oh you know", it was the middle of the day, and we're at the beach, etc. And they're saying, "I don't see many locals." And I said, "No, they're the smart ones. They're at home under the air conditioning." So, if we talk about the South, I really, really want to put in the episode notes, the name of the place near Cambodia. So, I'll get that off you later. 31:03 But yes, you have got access to the Mekong Delta. I mean, even a river cruise, there are some wonderful river cruises to take in that region as well. But once again, things not that you have to be rushing, rushing, because we've got to fit in the Củ Chi Tunnels, and we've got to do all this kind of stuff, all in this 14 days. Because I think, if we can get the traveler to have something left out, they will come back and they'll say, "Gee, we only saw this part and it was full on. Next time we want to do the north or next time we want to do the central region." OUTRO 31:42 Thank you for listening. Check out the episode notes for more information. What about Vietnam! Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review, and stay tuned for more fun adventures in Vietnam. What about Vietnam!

e3006e0d-2050-43b4-8931-3fe27f6b5457Special retreat focusing on skin wellness A special retreat focusing on skin wellness Episode 13 A special retreat focusing on skin wellness 00:00 / 31:33 It's not often we consider our skin in need of "wellness", but as the largest organ of the body, it possibly should get more attention and nutrition than it does! Are you considering a trip to Vietnam? And would you like to include something as part of that visit, that is strictly addressing something very personal to you in the area of wellness? By discovering Vietnam, you also get to explore new ways to treat yourself and provide yourself wellness and self-healing. You might call it the added value of the trip as you arrive home looking radiant after your stay. Download Transcript PDF Read the transcript here

< Back Hoi An – Vietnam STREETS Oodles Of Noodles The VIP Noodle Tasting Tour Experience Highlights STREETS’ Oodles of Noodles Experience and the VIP Noodles Tasting Tours affords you the opportunity to learn all about Vietnamese noodles in a fun and engaging way. ● For people who are looking to learn how to cook ● For people who want to learn more about Vietnamese culture through their cuisine ● For those looking for a unique culinary experience that gives back to the local community and provides education for disadvantaged youth in Vietnam ● For foodies who love a bowl of tasty noodles that don’t come out of a packet Vietnamese cuisine is famous for its unique and delicious noodle dishes. Vietnamese noodles are made entirely from rice, reflecting the country's abundant rice production. As a staple in Vietnamese street food and restaurants, noodles are an integral part of the local food culture. What sets Vietnamese noodles apart is their freshness, as they are typically used within a few days and are not mass-produced. This freshness is reflected in the dishes made with these noodles, which are loved by travelers and locals alike. What To Expect Multiple Options - All About The Noodles There are multiple tour options that are perfect for anyone looking for a unique foodie experience. The Oodles of Noodles Experience is an hour-and-a-half, a unique experience centered around amazing Vietnamese noodles. Guests will meet and interact with Trainees. They will talk about the rich culture of HoiAn-style noodles. They will also make the noodles themselves, followed by a delicious lunch of the famous local Mi Quang noodles. The VIP Noodles Tastings Tour is a three-hour interactive culinary experience that has something special for each guest. Trainees lead you through a local market to sample delicious street vendor noodles. Returning from the market tour, guests participate in a noodle demo and hands-on noodle making, followed by mouth watering local Mi Quang noodles. As an interesting side note, one of the most fascinating aspects of Vietnamese noodles is their preparation process. You’ll learn all about that on this tour. In the markets, women known as "Noodle Ladies" make and sell a variety of homemade noodles. Hội An is famous for its authentic markets and the noodle ladies who sell fresh noodles there. What an amazing experience! For more information or to book click here The Oodles Of Noodles Experience Includes $25 USD ( Receive 10% discount) ● Interaction with Trainees ● Learning About Vietnamese Culture and Noodles ● Learning To Make Noodles ● Delicious Lunch Provided The VIP Noodle Tasting Tour Includes $60 USD ( Receive 10% discount) ● Local Market Tour ● Noodle Sampling At Market ● Noodle Demo ● Hands-On Noodle Making ● Mi Quang Noodles With the success of Oodles of Noodles, STREETS recently opened a brand new eatery, Noodle House , featuring “A Flight of Noodles.” This amazing dinner sampling features the three most iconic local rice noodle dishes; My Quang, Bun, and Cao Lau. I did a show with founder Neal Bermas, Everything You Didn’t Know About Vietnamese Noodles , where Neal shared about STREETS and Oodles Of Noodles. Neal explains, “The noodles of Vietnam are quite different. They form the fabric of so many of the great Vietnamese foods that travelers love to experience here. Whether it is street food, or in the restaurants, noodles are really key to the fabric.” This offer is good for 10% of the STREETS Noodle Tours. Use the CODE – WAVN when you book and mention this podcast

Enquire here about travel to Vietnam for life changing dental and cosmetic surgery procedures. Dental & Cosmetic Surgery Enquiry Thank you for your interest in trusted dental and cosmetic surgery services in Vietnam. Complete the form below so we can connect you directly with Worldwide Dental & Cosmetic Hospital, our long-term partner in Ho Chi Minh City. There’s no extra charge for using our referral service — you pay the same hospital prices, with the added benefit of our support and optional travel coordination. Personal Information Full Name Age Email Phone/WhatsApp Gender Country of Residence Preferred travel month / dates Are these dates flexible? Y/N Dental Treatment Enquiry Crowns / Bridges Implants Teeth Whitening Full Smile Makeover Veneers Fillings / Restorations Extractions Other (describe below) Dental notes (previous work, goals, etc) Cosmetic Surgery Enquiry Facial Enhancements Eyes (eyelid lift, double eyelid) Face (full facelift, mini-lift, contouring) Neck (lift, tightening, fat removal) Nose (rhinoplasty, reshaping Body Contouring Stomach (tummy tuck, contouring) Liposuction Skin tightening / rejuvenation Arm, thigh and butt lift Preferred time for treatment / travel Prefered time for treatment / travel 1 - 3 months 3-6 months 6 - 12 months Just exploring options Budget range (optional) Travel and Accommodation I would like help arranging flights, accommodation and private tours during my stay I will make my own travel arrangements Consultation Support Kelley McCarthy, our experienced Medical & Beauty Consultant, is available for direct consultations to help you decide on treatment options and timing. Additional notes or questions Consent and Disclaimer (please tick) in agreement REQUIRED I understand that What About Vietnam acts solely as an introduction and customer service agent, referring my enquiry to Worldwide Dental & Cosmetic Hospital for professional consultation and services. I consent to my name, email address, and enquiry details being shared securely with Worldwide Dental & Cosmetic Hospital for the purpose of contacting me directly about my enquiry. I understand that What About Vietnam is not responsible for any medical or surgical outcomes, as all consultations, procedures, and after-care are managed directly by the clinic. What About Vietnam receives a small affiliate referral fee that does not affect the price I pay to the hospital. I consent to being contacted by What About Vietnam or Worldwide Dental & Cosmetic Hospital regarding my enquiry. Privacy: We take your personal details seriously. We only share your name, email and enquiry details with Worldwide Dental & Cosmetic Hospital for the purposes of responding to your request. We do not sell or share your data with other parties. Once submitted, your enquiry will be forwarded to Worldwide Dental & Cosmetic Hospital, who will contact you directly to discuss options and next steps. I have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions Submit Enquiry Thanks for submitting!

Life changing Dental and Cosmetic surgery now affordable in Vietnam. No matter how big, small or complex your surgery requirement is, this hospital has the experts you are looking for in dental and cosmetic surgery. Kerry checking out Worldwide Hospital Kelley explains visually a dental procedure Saigon City (HCMC) Highlights World renowned Dental & Cosmetic Surgery -in Vietnam Life changing Dental and cosmetic surgery now affordable in Vietnam through 'What About Vietnam'. Contact u s for a fully customised consultation and quotation - See seperate form to enquire Enquire Now to receive 5% discount Click Here Why put off Major Dental or Cosmetic Treatments because they are just too expensive in your own country? Worldwide offer superior dental quality - we know and trust from our own experience. What Abou t Vietnam Medical Travel is your Customer Service agent to world class advanced elective dental surgery in Vietnam. Our focus for 2025 onwards will be in the area of Dental and Cosmetic surgery, so make sure you talk to Kelley at What About Vietnam about her experiences and advice. See what's available and get your quotation with our full support at NO extra cost. Why not talk to someone who has direct experience with our partner Worldwide Dental & Cosmetic Surgery Hospital F ind out what is possible! Let us provide you with the wealth of our experience with Worldwide. The dedicated team at Worldwide Dental & Cosmetic Surgery Hospital has restored the smiles of over 100,000 patients from around the world, consistently achieving remarkable success in all dental treatments. Discover a new world of dental excellence at Worldwide Beauty Hospital . Join us on a journey to enhance your beauty and boost your confidence. Explore the vibrant culture of Vietnam in a holiday w hile receiving world-class care. Your radiant smile begins here. Click here to complete enquiry form Packages can include:- Airport pick up and return Complete consultation with our own team and doctors All levels of accommodation Concierge services during entire stay Why not turn your treatment into a holiday? 3* to 5* travel options A diverse range of experiences can be designed around your treatment Pre-surgery and post surgery celebratory dinners Optional pre-surgery sight-seeing tours Optional extended post-surgery stay and sight-seeing tours Why not consider a beauty treatment as a holiday and a chance to come home a new person? Packages can include:- Vietnam Domestic airfares Airport pick up Complete consultation with our own team Luxury accommodation Concierge services during entire stay Why not turn your treatment into a holiday? 3* to 5* travel options A diverse range of experiences can be designed around your treatment Pre-surgery and post surgery celebratory dinners Optional pre-surgery sight-seeing tours Optional extended Post-Surgery stay and sight-seeing tours Get in touch with our Australian Experience Manager- Kelley McCarthy. Ask for a quotation as direct comparison to your current quotation Discuss options Ask for advice on how to travel and possibly extend stay Discuss travel experiences for companions travelling with you Have us arrange a direct consultation with the Doctor Why not get a comparison quotation on your dental treatment - We think you will be pleasantly surprised !! Crowns and Bridges Root Canals Wisdom Teeth Removal Inplants Teeth Whitening

Vietnam travel planning & itinerary design: accommodation advice, budgeted to your specs, transportation, food and dining and cultural activities. What About Vietnam Travel Services Travel Services Travel Services Travel Services Travel Services 1/11 Kerry Newsome Kelley McCarthy Welcome to What About Vietnam's Travel Services Through the success of my What About Vietnam podcast — and with travel thriving across Vietnam — I’m thrilled to offer a full suite of personalised travel planning and booking services, in partnership with my trusted Vietnam-based Destination Management Company (DMC). As someone who has spent over a decade exploring every corner of Vietnam — from bustling Saigon to the quiet rice terraces of the north — I bring genuine insider knowledge to every itinerary I design. My role is to help you experience your Vietnam, your way. Whether you’re travelling solo, as a couple, with friends, or in a private group, I offer end-to-end travel services, including: Domestic flights and local travel modes ie bus, train and private car Luxury and boutique and eco friendly accommodation bookings Private tours and transfers with professional English-speaking guides Special interest travel such as wellness, culinary, adventure, and cultural immersion experiences Tailored extensions to destinations like Cambodia and Laos 24/7 in-country support from my Vietnam-based travel team Working through my licensed DMC ensures your trip runs smoothly from start to finish, with all arrangements handled locally by professionals who understand Vietnam inside and out. Together, we curate travel experiences that are safe, seamless, and deeply memorable — designed exclusively around your interests, timing, and comfort. If you’re ready to explore Vietnam beyond the brochure, I’d love to help you design your perfect journey. Request a quotation HERE.

What About Vietnam helps create a meaningful trip with the help and guidance of TUBUDD local buddies and travel experts. MAKE YOUR TRIP EASY 
WITH A LOCAL BUDDY Discover Vietnam with a buddy at your side. Why not create more meaningful travel with the help and guidance of local buddies and travel experts. For your next trip to Vietnam – Download the TUBUDD App and book a buddy to help you navigate the nuances of Vietnam and enjoy a more meaningful experience in your location. Special Offer: 5% Discount on All Bookings with Code KERRYVN5 at TUBUDD Discover Vietnam like never before with Tubudd! As a supporter of the "What About Vietnam" podcast, you can now enjoy a 5% discount on all bookings using the code KERRYVN5. Tubudd is your go-to platform, connecting you with local experts for personalized and authentic experiences in Vietnam. Whether you're diving into the rich culture, managing healthcare needs, or handling business affairs, Tubudd ensures a seamless and enriching experience. Services Provided by Tubudd Travel Buddy Description: Immerse yourself in Vietnam's vibrant culture with the help of our enthusiastic Local Buddies. They tailor your itinerary, providing deep insights into local life, history, and cuisine, ensuring each journey is unique and unforgettable. Pricing: Starting from $5/hour. Get a 5% discount for bookings made using Code KERRYN5 Health Buddy Description: Overcome language barriers and smoothly navigate medical appointments with our Health Buddies. They connect you with trusted hospitals and clinics, offering the latest information and translation services for a stress-free healthcare journey. Support your visits to our dental and beauty procedures through Worldwide dental and beauty Hospital : Talk to us at What About Vietnam for more supportive services through this arrangement with Worldwide. Business Assistant Description: Streamline your business trips with our Business Assistants. They handle paperwork, translation, and market research, leveraging their industry expertise to ensure efficient business operations in Vietnam. To get your 5% discount on all bookings. Apply the code KERRYVN5 https://www.tubudd.com/

What About Vietnam 's Kerry Newsome specialises in informing first-time travelers to Vietnam through podcasts and transcripts. What About Vietnam is your voice of experience. Phone: AUS +614 416 677 793 slide 1 slide 4 slide 2 slide 1 1/8 Travel Services Request Start the discovery process with a trip plan and design? How to arrange a trip plan, click below What About Vietnam Travel Services can be tailored to your needs. 1. Are you looking for a Trip plan and quotation. Great. You are in the right place. Complete the form here and place your order. 2. Are you looking for Travel Companion Services? We suggest you start the discovery process from day 1- And that begins with an interview with our Director of TCS – Kelley McCarthy – Why not set one up today. If you already know this is the kind of service you have been looking for then complete the form here and place your order and Kelley will be in touch with you. What About Vietnam Travel Services is devoting this kind of service as a key deliverable of its Podcast and Travel business, and as a service to encourage tourism in Vietnam. Inquiry and quote request Trip planning and itinerary design for travel to Vietnam requires careful consideration of several key elements, including research, budgeting, itinerary design, accommodation, transportation, food and dining, and culture and activities. By prioritizing these factors, travellers can ensure that they have a memorable and enjoyable trip to Vietnam. At What About Vietnam we place a high priority on designing the best type of tour to suit your preferences, safety and budget. Please email for more information whataboutvietnam@gmail.com Please complete the form and submit along with the Paypal fee so we can get your plan in motion. What does the Trip plan include: A thoughtfully and carefully curated comprehensive itinerary that encompasses all aspects of your trip, fully quoted and inclusive of all travel services such as airport transfers, accomodation and flights. To prepare a comprehensive Trip Plan we charge a fee of $150 USD . Should the itinerary be accepted and the tour booked with What About Vietnam, the $150 USD is deducted from the whole trip cost. PLEASE NOTE WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY NURSING, WHEELCHAIR TRAVEL, DRESSING, BATHING OR MEDICATI ON AS YOUR COMPANION TRAVELLER. If any of these needs are currently required to maintain your optimum health we are not qualified to provide the travel companion service for you. First Name Last Name Phone Email Gender Date of Birth Intended travel date Describe your preferred level of travel Places of interest and activities Special dietary needs Have you ever travelled to Vietnam or Asia Describe level of fitness What are you looking for from your travel companion? Select an option Request for a comprehensive Trip Plan (see fee below) Request for a Travel Companion (no fee) To prepare a comprehensive Trip Plan we charge a fee of $150 USD . Should the itinerary be accepted and the tour booked with What About Vietnam, the $150 USD is deducted from the whole trip cost. FINAL FACT: The fee is required upfront when requesting the Travel Plan Itinerary and is non-refundable whether you proceed or not with the final plan. We look forward to creating your trip plan. Submit form

What About Vietnam 's Kerry Newsome specialises in informing first-time travelers to Vietnam through podcasts and transcripts. What About Vietnam is your voice of experience. Phone: AUS +614 416 677 793 Trip planning & Design Services What About Vietnam Travel Services _ Home Page share Trip planning Trip planning What About Vietnam Travel Services _ Home Page share 1/15 with Kerry Newsome Request a Quote Request an eMeet Trip planning and itinerary design services provided by What About Vietnam Travel Expert - Kerry Newsome The best travel plans need to be well thought out and NOT one size fits all. If you are starting to feel a bit overwhelmed and confused by so many websites and tours out there, stop here and consider designing your own tour with my help. At What About Vietnam we recognize the importance of trip planning and design. You will have heard from Kerry many times during her shows, talking about managing expectations, planning and being clear about what is most important about your trip to Vietnam. How to arrange a trip plan, click below Request a Trip Plan - Click here To that end, we want to become your specialist in this area. If you are being overwhelmed with the internet flooded with pages and pages of Tour Operators, Tour Companies, Tourism Boards, Facebook post and Travel groups, you may like to hand the job of designing your trip over to us and let us do the work of designing the best trip according to your interests, budget and objective. Your trip planning and itinerary design - isn't one out of the brochure, it's your OWN by design Trip planning and itinerary design for travel to Vietnam requires careful consideration of several factors to ensure an enjoyable and memorable trip. We ask a lot of questions. The process should be tailored and include key elements such as:- Research - Research is crucial when planning a trip to Vietnam. This includes researching the best time to visit, visas and entry requirements, cultural customs and norms, as well as top attractions, cities, and activities. This information will help determine the itinerary and ensure that the trip is planned efficiently and effectively. Budgeting - Budgeting is a key consideration when planning a trip to Vietnam. It is important to determine how much money will be available for travel expenses and allocate it appropriately for accommodation, transportation, food, and activities. This will help ensure that the trip is both affordable and enjoyable. Itinerary Design - Once the research and budgeting have been completed, the itinerary design can begin. This should take into account the traveler's interests, “preferred pace” of travel, travel fitness and budget. The itinerary should include a balance of sightseeing, cultural experiences, and relaxation, and should allow for some flexibility to make adjustments if needed. Accommodation - Accommodation should be a priority in the itinerary design. This includes choosing the right type of accommodation, such as hotels, guesthouses, or homestays, and determining the best location based on the traveler's preferences and budget. Do you prefer budget, boutique or do you want to stick to your favourite brands at every possible point? Transportation - Transportation is another key factor in itinerary design. This includes choosing the right mode of transportation, such as flights, trains, or buses, and determining the best route to take to get from one location to another. A well-planned transportation itinerary will help make the trip more efficient and save time, duress on your body and senses, and money. Sometimes spending a few dollars more for a speedy flight in comfort can make all the difference at the other end. Food and Dining - Food and dining should also be considered in the itinerary design. Vietnam is known for its delicious and diverse cuisine, and the traveler should make an effort to try as many local dishes as possible. We plan to make it our mission through locals and using favourites of our guests on the Podcast to make sure you have plenty of food experiences to excite any interested palate. Culture and Activities - Culture and activities should be a priority in the itinerary design, as they provide an opportunity to immerse oneself in the local culture and experience the local way of life. This can include visiting local markets, temples, and historical sites, as well as participating in local festivals and events. In conclusion , In the end the decision is yours. Ultimately we want you to have a great trip that is value money. If we don't provide that, then you have a design to shop around other vendors.

What About Vietnam. An ongoing series of informative podcasts covering travel tips, culture, handy hints for travellers and lots more. All about Vietnam.

What about Vietnam blog about travel tips and holidays in Vietnam What About Vietnam Policy for use of voicemail recording What About Vietnam – Voice Mail Message system At What About Vietnam, we are committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of our listeners, users and customers. As part of this commitment, we have established the following policy regarding the use of our new voice mail message system on our website – www.whataboutvietnam.com Collection and Use of Information: When users leave a voice mail message on our website, they may be asked to provide certain personal information such as their name, and email address. This information will only be used for the purpose of contacting the user regarding their voice mail message and will not be shared with any third parties. Recording and Storage of Messages: All voice mail messages left on our website will be recorded and stored securely. Access to these recordings will be limited to authorized personnel for the purpose of responding to the message and improving our services. Appropriate Content: Users are expected to leave voice mail messages that are appropriate and respectful. Messages that contain offensive or inappropriate language, or that violate our terms of service, will not be tolerated and may result in deletion without any prior notice to the User. Security Measures: What About Vietnam has implemented appropriate security measures to protect against unauthorized access to, or alteration, disclosure or destruction of, voice mail messages. These measures include secure storage and encryption of recordings, as well as regular backups to ensure data integrity. By using the voice mail feature on our website, users agree to be bound by the terms of this Privacy and Appropriateness Policy. If you have any questions or concerns about this policy, please contact us at whataboutvietnam@gmail.com How to make best use of this voice mail message service. Ask a question: - You may be surprised to know that your question may be a hot topic for many travellers. In this case your question may be featured in a future episode. If you do not wish to be named if we do use the recording in an episode, please use “Anonymous” in the name field. Feedback: - This is an opportunity for you to provide some feedback as your interest in Vietnam grows. You may wish to know more about a certain topic? Please let us know and we will do our best to feature a show about the topic, using your recording as the reason to do so. Review: - Please leave a review. It’s always great to “hear” how we are doing and what we can do to improve. How does it work? Access the Voice Mail Feature: To leave a voice mail message on the website, navigate to the designated voice mail icon on the home website page. You may need to scroll to the bottom to see the link. Follow instructions to record Your Message: Once you have accessed the voice mail feature, you will be prompted to record your message. Follow the on-screen instructions to record your message using your computer's microphone or another device. Provide Contact Information:. This information is important and will be helpful in allowing us to respond appropriately. Review and Submit: Before submitting your voice mail message, listen to the recording to make sure you are satisfied with the content and quality. If everything is correct, click the submit button to send your message to the website. Wait for a Response: The website will review your voice mail message and respond to you as soon as possible. Depending on the volume of messages received, this may take several days. Keep Your Message Appropriate and Respectful: Please be mindful of the content of your voice mail message. Messages that contain offensive or inappropriate language, or that violate the website's terms of service, may not be answered or may result in immediate deletion without further notice. By following these instructions, you can effectively use the voice mail message option on the website to provide questions or feedback. If you have any questions or issues using the voice mail feature, please contact us whataboutvietnam@gmail.com NOTE: This is a trial at this stage to see if this is something that the listeners of What About Vietnam like to use, and for the business of What About Vietnam to assess its usefulness. If it is deemed that this has not attracted users in an appropriate way, then the service will be discontinued. So please use it where you can, so we can help you better understand your travel needs and interests in Vietnam.

Vietnam travel podcasts featuring stories and interviews about trip planning for Vietnam travel Trip Planning S1-E11 Go to Episode S1-07 8 Tips for travel during Tet Go to Episode S1-E10 Getting your Visa right Go to Episode S1-06 Culture and Visas Go to Episode S1-E09 Vietnam Travel First Impressions Go to Episode S1-08 Join a packaged group tour or DIY Go to Episode S2-23 Vietnam Cooking Classes Go to Episode S2-03 Family Friendly Vietnam Go to Episode S2-18 Masterminding your trip Go to Episode S2-02 Shopping Vietnam Go to Episode S2-14 Social Enterprise Travel Go to Episode S2-06 Top 5 Photography locations Go to Episode S3-25 One teenagers holiday views Go to Episode S3-20 Learn "special dietary needs" Go to Episode S3-16 Things NOT always in a tour Go to Episode S3-24 Phu Quoc A scenic island paradise Go to Episode S3-19 Learn "Greetings" Go to Episode S3-15 Travel time in Vietnam P2 Go to Episode S3-22 Phong Nha Caves in depth Go to Episode S3-18 Emerging comedy in Saigon Go to Episode S3-14 Travel Opening up P1 Go to Episode S3-21 Learn "shopping words" Go to Episode S3-17 Mui Ne Beach bliss experiences Go to Episode S3-11 Saigons Covid Recovery Outlook Go to Episode S4-22 Trekking in Sapa A wide lens view Go to Episode S4-16 Mystical Ninh Binh Go to Episode S4-11 Revisiting Vietnam Go to Episode S4-21 Beyond the Phong Nha caves Go to Episode S4-15 Travelling as a solo woman Go to Episode S4-09 Hanoi A Foodies Paradise P1 Go to Episode S4-18 Luxury Brand Travel Experiences Go to Episode S4-14 Con Dao Islands Go to Episode S4-08 Travel Addict podswap Go to Episode S4-17 Vietnam Traveller Insights 2022 Go to Episode S4-13 Citizen 44 podswap Go to Episode S4-05 Nha Trang 10 best things Go to Episode S5-E27 Discovering Catholic Treasures of Vietnam Go to Episode S5-E18 - Hanoi below the surface Go to Episode S5-13 - Out and About in Nha Trang - The city of 300 days of sunshine Go to Episode S5-E24 - Ha Giang: Insider Tips for Adventure Go to Episode S5-E17 - Motorbike riding tips in Vietnam Go to Episode S5-E12 - Out and About in Mui Ne – Laying bare to the winds of change Go to Episode S5-E22 - 10 things travellers may not know Go to Episode S5-E16-Smart phone Apps and tech tips for travellers to Vietnam Go to Episode S5- E11 - Out and About in Hồ Tràm Vietnam Go to Episode S5-21 - Vietnam's TET holiday Go to Episode S5-E14 - Phong Nha. Family fun for everyone Go to Episode S5-E10 - Out and about in Saigon - The Uncut Edition Go to Episode Question 14 Go to Episode Question 10 Go to Episode Question 6 Go to Episode Question 2 Go to Episode Question 13 Go to Episode Question 9 Go to Episode Question 5 Go to Episode Question 1 Go to Episode Question 12 Go to Episode Question 8 Go to Episode Question 4 Go to Episode Question 11 Go to Episode Question 7 Go to Episode Question 3 Go to Episode

Become a featured guest on WhatAboutVietnam.com. What about Vietnam specialises in first-time travelers to Vietnam through podcasts and transcripts. What About Vietnam is your voice of experience. Phone: AUS +614 416 677 793 Become a guest How to become a guest on a What About Vietnam podcast. Do you have a story to tell about a travel experience in Vietnam? Are you involved in travel-related experiences people would be interested in joining? Do you operate a special service for travelers? Are there any special tips or things you know that are trending in Vietnam? If you do, Kerry would love to hear from you.. Contact us today