When I Was in Nam

Fisherman village - a never ending pier - Phu Quoc




The constant buzz in Siagon



Floating past a typical house in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam - near Ben Tre



Mekong river



Sao Beach - Phu Quoc



Relaxing in Siagon



War Remnants Museum - Siagon



Ben Tre - Mekong Delta



Some tips for Southern Vietnam:

Getting There: Shanghai Airlines - night flight to Siagon (Vinah Sun Taxi is very reliable - should cost about 100k - 130k dong into the city)

Must See:
- Phu Quoc Island (Vietnam Airlines - very cheap RMB 500RT - can book online)

We stayed at Beach Club (http://www.beachclubvietnam.com/) - Has mouth watering food (try their coconut shrimp curry and coconut milkshakes) and great staff. You can rent moto-bikes ($7 a day) and explore the island. Be careful on the paved roads on the east side which are quite narrow, I almost got hit by a car. But most roads (such as the dirt road south of Beach Club) are fine! There is a night fish market where you can enjoy delicious bbq seafood. Phu Quoc is a very relaxed and chill place, the people of the island go out of their way to help you. Check out Sao Beach - my favorite on the island. And the waterfalls. The fishing village near the Phu Quoc airport is nice too. The other fishing villages are smelly and not too interesting. And don't forget to take home some Phu Quoc pepper/salt/garlic mix. The beautiful island dog you will see them everywhere.

We spent 2 days in Siagon at Hotel Elois which has a very nice buffet breakfast - it is located in the back packer area - try and haggle for the room price - I am sure we overpaid - but it was very clean and safe. From Siagnon you can do a Mekong Tour (with Sinh Cafe $7). I opted for the 1 day tour of Ben Tre and it was an overall pleasant experience, with visits to coconut plantations and a plethora of boat rides. The longer tours sounded a bit boring and I heard from a friend that the hotels are very very basic and not that clean.

In Siagon definatly go to the Rex Hotel in the evening for a very overpriced coctail. The atmosphere is right out of an old film and there is a great band. And spend the day at the Botanical Gardens.

Eating in Siagon: Pho 24. Ngo Restaurant - Its very famous... i forget the full name of it, and my favorite "Wrap and Roll" it was amazing!