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It was still dark at 5 a.m. as some 30 young people gathered at Tan Son Nhat’s Helicopter Airport preparing to make a parachute jump; anticipating the thrilling feeling for which they had trained and practiced and even waited for months to experience. Although they had all been taught basic techniques of safely jumping for [...]
With fully loaded shelves and a variety of different shops, the Saigon Square Center at the corner of Le Loi Street and Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street in downtown HCMC is always packed with Vietnamese and foreign shoppers. Also known as the Russian market, the center is located at 77-89 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street [...]
Cathay Pacific’s North America network serves New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver and Toronto. And in the U.S., we offer smooth connections to 24 other major cities with our oneworld partner. Cathay Pacific Airways – Your best choice to North America From 15 November 2007, Cathay Pacific adds a third daily flight to New [...]
La Maison de L’Apothiquaire is emerging as a popular oasis for locals and international vistors seeking a sound mind and body. The luxury spa chain offers a variety of treatment services in the quiet ambience of its villa facility in HCMC’s District 3. A path lined with evergreens leads to a French-architecture villa, nestled in [...]
With multilingual skills and an intimate knowledge of Vietnam, Daniel Hung is the ultimate resource for foreign tourists. Daniel Hung was born in 1950 in Cambodia and became a French citizen in 1978. However his mother is Vietnamese and taught him much about Vietnam, a place he has spent much of his adult life. His [...]
Enjoying feelings of discovery or adventure with a companion is always pleasing to tourists, but sometimes, there can be hardship and even trouble In the Lonely Planet guidebook “Saigon – Ho Chi Minh City,” it reads: “Honda om (xe om) is an interesting means of transportation for you to explore as you wish.” For “xe [...]
Vietnam is a relatively safe country to visit. That said, there are increasing instances of theft, especially in HCMC where pickpokets and snatch thieves on motobikes are worst menace. The best tip is to be vigilant at all times. Often cute kids or old grannies have deft fingers. Leave all valuables (expensive watches, jewelry, glasses, [...]
In developed countries, tourist information centers offer free maps and information about where to go and what to eat and drink. Such facilities were not available in Vietnam until 2005 when Viet Nguon Tourism opened its doors in Ho Chi Minh City. Viet Nguon Tourism, at 4G-4H Le Loi Street in District 1, now helps [...]
Foreign visitors to Vietnam soon tire of paying over the mark-up for everything, be it a bunch of bananas or a motorbike ride. As any visitor to Vietnam soon discovers, there is currently a two-tier pricing system differentiated for foreigners and locals which resides inside the minds of many Vietnamese vendors. Of course, this two-tier [...]
Unlicensed taxis continue to fleece passengers despite government action to shut them down a year ago. “Unreasonable,” Son of District Tan Binh grumbled after taking a VND30,000 (US$1.9) taxi ride from Nguyen Hue Street to the city zoo in District 1, claiming he had been ripped off by a taxi displaying the name HTX 27-7. [...]