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Visiting HCMC (Ho Chi Minh City) or Saigon as some of the old timers call it.

Dana on his "return" trip.    Dana, Shaun, Tim and I on the roof of the Rex for a sundowner    The rooftop of the Rex from a little bar across the street. Don't know the name.        You want shoes Dana? We got shoes.        Poor pix of the view from the rooftop of the Majestic. A must each trip.                        Daughter Ray excited about her trip to VN ... I guess?    daughter Ray and I getting a bite at Al Frescos Restaurant            Large beautiful church on the edge of the downtown area        A visit to the "war remnances museum" is a must. Very well done. Visitors must remember .... we lost!                                    Our faverate Internet Cafe in HCMC    Brother Mike and I having an afternoon pick me up.    I love the old Citroens                The Pomodoro. One of my favorite restaurants in HCMC    You still looking at shoes?   

Dana and Shaun and a bunch of us visit Nha Trang

                                                                                                                                                                These guys journeyed into Nha Trang on their motor bike to visit their friend who worked at the cafe we were eating in. They asked if we would take their picture.                 A statue of ..... Damned if I know?             

Vung Tau 

                                                                   

Dana, Shaun, Tim and I Going Up Country.  Went to find, and found, ...  where Dana had lived in the '60s.  It sure has changed.
                        Some say that Dana is "outstanding in his field"   

Pau Hana:  A Hawaiian Cafe in Saigon.  Brian the owner hails from Kaneohe, Hawaii.  (pau hana means finished work in Hawaiian)    Aloha Brian!

                           

HCMC                                                                                    Updated 25 Feb 07

 Aviation transportation company.  Website:  www.saigonairport.com   May be able to offer good discount on hotels.  Or book online.  They are the transportation desk at the airport where you get your taxi into town.  Get the official map of the city.  Very good.  Or beg for one at the Sheraton.   

Great places to stay.  Going to try and find a few more next trip. 

  1. Palace Hotel    (ooops, they started a disco in the hotel.  Very loud.  Won't do it again until it goes away.  Great location, but they just started (Feb) a disco which is very noisy.  Very adequate and inexpensive buffet b’fast even if you don’t stay there.
  2. Spring Hotel     Location not bad, nice little very clean hotel.

Going to have to find some more locations.

 Great Places to Eat

  1. Wild Horse Saloon.   Out of Spring hotel to left, next right, half way down street on left.   8 A1/O1 Thai Van Lung St.  It’s a must.
  2. Al Fresco’s.   Across left diagonally from the Sheraton.
  3. Pomodoro.    Past Sheraton, then left.  Block or two down on left.   79 Hai Ba Trung St.
  4. Good Morning Vietnam.   At 197 De Tham Street, Dist 1. 
  5. The food and view from the roof top of the Rex Hotel can be good but the service is generally iffy. 
  6. Seventeen Saloon, 103A Pham Ngu Lao St.  Dist 1.  (Somewhat near the New World Hotel)  Unique in that the roof opens up in late afternoon when  the air cools down.  Makes it quite nice. 
  7. And many other places.  Lots of good food in HCMC.

No end of fine little restaurants and coffee shops. 

 Sundowners: 

  1. Majestic roof top bar.  Right on the river, it’s a must just before sundown 
  2. Rex roof top.  Good view of the city. 
  3. Bar across from the Rex.  Name unk.

 Contacts:    Trang ….  A nice lady guide.  Can provide boat tours.  848 740 3723, trangcao_4@yahoo.com

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VUNG TAU: 

  1. Grand Hotel.  Looks very nice.  Fairly near Boat landing.  Good food.  There is a good morning Vietnam Restaurant here as well.  On 06 Hoang Hoa Tham St.  I’m sure it’s good. 

If using the cyclos but SURE to establish the price both ways.  The cyclo drivers are becoming a real problem. 

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HOI AN

One of my favorite little cities.   This info is a bit dated.   

  1.  Hoi An Hotel.  Good food etc.  Don’t get confused with the Hoi An beach hotel.  Same group but out of town a bit. 
  2. An Huy Hotel
  3. Many small boutique hotels.  Can’t imagine having a problem finding a place to stay. 

Great Places to Eat:

  1. The Hoi An hotel has great food.  Outside dining for b’fast in a garden like atmosphere.  Awesome. 
  2. Lighthouse café.  It was new and not quite up to speed in 2004 but should be fine now.  Lovely setting.  Go to river and take their boat across to their fine little place.  Really nice at night.
  3. Good Morning Vietnam.  7 locations around the country and really good Italian food. 
  4. Many other little places that will no doubt serve some fine food.  I was last there in 2004 and it’s fast growing. 

A great and unique market area that must be seen.  More than once.  And right near that the clothing area, which is supposed to be the clothing capital of Vietnam. 

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NHA TRANG: 

Places to stay. 

1.      Asia Paradise  Really nice new hotel,.  Block from the beach.  We paid $40.00.    

2.      SeaView Hotel.  A very nice, very adequate older hotel 2  doors down from the Asia Paradise.  Much cheaper.  $`17 – 19.    058.524333 or 058.524334   fax; 058.524335    Email;   Seaviewhotel@dng.vnn.vn

There are dozens of empty hotels.  Never a problem finding a room, and you can generally bargain down the price on the smaller places.    While some are becoming more expensive there are still some very inexpensive ones.  We saw one in Feb of 07, that was still only $5.00 per night.   The rooms were large, with A/C.  Cable TV.  And very clean.  Next to the Tin Duc on / or just off Hung Vuong St.  Look for the Tin Duc sign just off in the little side street.

 Great Places to Eat:

1.      Sailing Club.   Great Shrimp cocktail and other food.  Getting pricier.  Hottest evening night life.      $$ - $$$

2.      Selene.   Our first stop of the eve.  Just up from the Sailing Club.  Run by a French Canadian.  Great guy.  Good everything.  Outstanding French toast, squid, and later home made apple pie and ice cream. 1 – 4  Tran Quang Khai St.  $

3.      Mai Anh, French Grand Cuisine.  Next up the road from the Selene.  Oliver makes some great food.  Among my favorites is his clam soup, fabulous.  And then his steak smothered in (French) Roquefort dressing.  Awesome.   $ - $$

4.      Tin Duc.   Just moved.  Look for their sign in a small street off Hung Vuong St. Great everything.  We always like his very large very good shrimp / avocado salads.  A meal in itself.  Worth the look Owned by brothers Tin and Duc.     $

5.      Tex Mex “Coyote” bar and restaurant.   Good food but the service is very slow.  76 Hung vuong Street.  $$

6.      Shorty’s Café and bar.  Brit pub food run by Paul.  Great guy and my favorite is his pancake.  Biet Thu Street half block up from the beach on left.  $ 

7.      Good morning Vietnam.  Further up, next block of Biet Thu St.  Great Italian.  Outstanding Pizza. 

8.    A few doors down from "Good Morning Vietnam" restaurant is the "Bamboo".  High quality clothing and other tourist items.  Say hi to     Miss Thu from us.  

9.     Selene Cafe-Restaurant     

 The sailing club in Nha Trang is the center of it all.  Spreading out from there are the various restaurants and hotels.     A seriously friendly little city, and very inexpensive.  The main event in the day in Nha Trang is the beach.  Enjoy. 

 

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