Vietnam Whirlwind

     I'm not sure why I'm so surprised at this, but Vietnam blew me away.

     It is warm and welcoming, offers delicious, fresh food and sight-seeing, exciting cities, sumptuous resorts and great value for your tourist dollar. This spring I spent only a week in Vietnam, under the wing of Abercrombie & Kent. It was barely enough time to scratch the surface. Our itinerary was limited to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Hoi An, and Hanoi to finish, and I know I missed a lot of great touring opps. But here are some quick tips and biased opinions to encourage and guide the newbie:

     SAIGON. We were very concerned at first about using the right name for the former capital of South Vietnam, but it turns out that people there just choose the name they relate to best. The older folks seem to favor Saigon, although younger hipsters use this name also. Ho Chi Minh City is obviously politically correct, but not popular with most people we met in the tourist world.

     Saigon is electric, feels young and full of commerce. It is built on a numbered "district" plan that borrows from the Parisian idea of arrondissement. There are pockets of fancy stores and swanky hotels in District 1. We stayed in the Hotel Des Arts on 76-78 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St in District 3, but very close to attractions. This is an Mgallery property that has a great rooftop bar, a boutique feel, and a deluxe breakfast.

     Temple Club (www.templeclub.com.vn) is an old restaurant in District 1, with an informal, colonial vibe, friendly waiters and solid food. Stick to local specialties.

     GRAIN Cooking Studio (www.grainbyluke.com) Level 3 71-75 Hai Ba Trung, District 1, provides a wonderful hands-on four course cooking class and is a great introduction to the flavors of Vietnamese food. We rocked Pumpkin Flowers Stuffed with Prawn & Dill, Chicken & Cabbage Salad with Jellyfish, and Marinated Sea Bass with Green Mango Salad, cooked in banana leaf and super-tasty, if I don't say so myself! A great experience and so nurturing.

my sea bass dish, steamed in banana leaf

     We had a guided tour of the Reunification Hall, originally the presidential palace before the Fall of Saigon in 1975, and saw Notre Dame Cathedral briefly.

     A high point in Saigon was the Vespa Bike Tour, night-time version courtesy of Vietnam Vespa Adventures (www.vespaadventures.com) . It starts with a cocktail and appeteaser at Cafe Zoom and a meeting with your experienced Vespa guide. Then, you are given a tour through five stops in the city, each with a food or beverage experience, from China Town to an island district for seafood, then the best Banh Xeo (Vietnamese "pizza") in town, then an intimate coffee house with romantic music, and finally a club with a local rock band and drinks. It lasts 4.5 hours and costs $93. The Vespas are extra cool because they are vintage mid-1960s and gorgeous machines. The experience can be hair-raising, but it is safe and so much fun. It really gives you a sense of the city. The team gives you a souvenir photo. Highly recommended.

A Vespa food stop at the venerable Banh Xeo

     HOI AN. Located about 15 miles southeast of the airport at Danang, Hoi An is an ancient town that sits on the banks of Thu Bon River about 3 miles inland from the coast. That coast has a gorgeous and clean white sand beach where GIs used to come for R&R during the Vietnam War. Back then it was called China Beach. Hoi An was a port and melting pot for eastern and western cultures. Nowadays, there is still a thriving silk industry, farming and tourism. The town itself is incredibly romantic and sweet. Lots of silk lanterns, a 400-year-old Japanese bridge, old French architecture, shops and restaurants near the water.

many silk lanterns in Hoi An

   Organic Vegetable Farming / Fishing Tour. This experience was a wonderful and very "hands on" full day of activities provided by Jack Tran's EcoTours (www.jacktranecotourshoian.com). It included working in the fields, riding a water buffalo, fishing by two local methods, and acting silly in the "coconut boat." There was also some wonderful swimming off the boat before lunch, prepared with considerable expertise by "Captain Cook" on board. I must add here that lunch on this fairly small boat --- with no galley to speak of --- was first rate: stuffed calamari, giant prawns with salt, pepper and lime, and other treats. Yes, I was hungry because of all my "labors" doing chores with the locals, but no doubt "Captain Cook" was awesome.

     Ganesh Fine Indian Cuisine (www.ganesh.vn) is in old town, Hoi An. If you like Indian food, and want a break from Vietnamese, this is first rate and fairly inexpensive. The reviews on the internet do not lie. Maybe the best Indian food I've had outside of India.

     Vietnam Vespa Adventures (see above), part 2. The Hoi An branch of this fine company takes you to a typical ancestral temple, two home industries (mat weaving and bahn dap rice crackers), over "an adrenaline pumping" 300 meter bamboo bridge, to a coffee roaster, and a seafood lunch on the shores of Ha My beach. It is great fun, educational, and supports the locals. Everyone was welcoming and we had a particularly sweet experience with the Rice Cracker Maiden, who posed for a pic with Cheryl.

Across on the back of a Vespa? Ok, sure..

     Nam Hai Resort, Hoi An. http://www.ghmhotels.com/en/nam-hai/ At the risk of being snooty, let me say this is the ONLY place to stay in Hoi An. It is bliss. TA Certificate of Excellent, Hall of Fame  and 94% excellent rating. Expensive? Oh yes. But fantastic villas, a gorgeous two-tiered infinity pool, bikes for free, delicious food, badminton, free activities, gym, library, shuttle service in and out of the old town AND a perfect beach with virtually no one on it. People seem to love their jobs and are very helpful. There are planned activities and special pools for kids. 

Beach or pool? The choice is yours.

      Breakfast was included in our package and it was epic is size and scope. There was a Vietnamese noodle dish with pork that was incredible, and Indian roti. Any kind of fruit or juice you can imagine. And that terrific Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk, over ice. Perfect.

     The Nam Hai is one of the top five properties I've stayed at. You should, too.

     HANOI is a very pretty capital city of about 7 million and boasts city center with lots of trees, green space and lovely French architecture. Walking around downtown may belie the fact that Hanoi is growing rapidly. According to PriceWaterhouseCooper, it is the largest growing city in the world in terms of GDP, based on industry booming in the suburbs. 

      The Old Quarter near Hoan Kiem lake (also known as Sword Lake), is very interesting, with streets named for the craft or service its inhabitants deal in. Merchants, local food shops and stalls are everywhere. A visit by pedi-cab is fun. We also visited Ho Chi Minh's Museum and home, and the Hanoi Hilton, where John McCain was in residence at one time.

     One of the best parts of our trip to Hanoi was walking through the back streets with our new friend Thao. She works with Abercrombie & Kent as a guide when she is not touring with her own company,  Vietnam by Vespa (www.vietnambyvespa.com). Thao has a great insider's perspective on Hanoi, especially eating and drinking there. She took us to several small food shops and stalls for banh my, pho, bun thang and other tasty treats. Then we visited the Hang Be Market with all of its exotic fruits and vegetables, and tried a few treats from merchant carts.  I had to sample betel nut, as it reminded me of fresh paan that I love so well. There was much amusement among local ladies, to be sure.

     One of the most interesting stops for me was at the venerable coffee house Cafe Ciang, which back in 1946 gave birth to one of Hanoi's specialties --- egg cappuccino. Creamy and satisfying, this invention came from post-war scarcity of milk. It is delicious and not to be missed. 

the lovely Ms. Thao with egg cappuccino

    We really enjoyed Thao's company. She is knowledgeable and informative, and what she told us about her life growing up in Hanoi was very interesting. As icing on the cake, she will e-mail you a list of the places you visited with her and what you ate or saw. Please look her up and use her services. Highly recommended.

    The water puppet show (Roi Nuoc) is fun entertainment featuring artists standing waist-deep in water making puppets move, laugh, dance and talk. Traditional music is played live and there is some singing as well. Great for all ages.

     The Sofitel Legend Metropole in Hanoi should be its own destination. Built in 1901, this grand dame of French architecture is a wonderful home away from home. There are new and old wings (we lived in the new), a great pool and lobby, excellent food, and a unique bomb shelter which can be toured. It was here in 1972 that Joan Baez wrote  and recorded Where Are You Now My Son? while the bombs were falling. This place is full of history, extraordinary service and comfort. We were delighted to stay here.

     Oh, Vietnam. You are a charmer for sure. With all of the guilt and bad memories we Americans bring to a visit here, I found that the Vietnam I saw was ready to turn the page. The prevailing attitude is that Vietnam wants to explore its full potential, grow in positive ways, and sees the US as a potential partner, a good influence, a big brother. With so much beauty and charm and vitality, Vietnam offers a great visiting experience. And one that left me hoping to return.