Shoptalk: Hanoi

Here are a few little things I picked up on a recent trip to Hanoi (shopping capital of Vietnam, in A Girl in Asia's humble opinion!). The Old Quarter, particularly Nha Tho, Nha Chung, Ly Quoc Su, Hang Trong and Hang Gai Streets are jam-packed with small shops crammed with clothing, lacquerware, bags, scarves, lanterns and more. Nha Tho and Nha Chung Streets are particularly good for unique boutiques.

Favourite finds:

- 3 reproduction propaganda art posters (US$7 each, Hanoi Gallery, 17 Nha Chung Street)

- Set of 6 silver lacquer coasters, in bonus lacquer box (US$6, Thuong Gia 1, 7 Hang Trong Street)

- 3 rolls of colourful, Asian kitsch wrapping paper (US$1 each, Toi, 8 Nha Chung Street)

Shopping tip: Even some of the marked price shops in Hanoi are partial to a little bargaining. The posters retail for US$8 each so a little discount was granted there, and the coaster set was meant to be $7. Not massive discounts, but it means the wrapping paper was virtually 'free' (don't you love justifying shopping?!).

Top 5: Parts of Asian culture that are really growing on me

The longer I stay in Asia, the more things that were initially strange now seem quite normal. Dogs and cats running around my local general store? Normal! A family of five on one motorbike? Normal! Ice in beer? Totally normal! Here are the main things that I've become particularly partial to while travelling and living in Asia:

1. Shoes off!

All over Asia it’s considered rude (and dirty) to leave your shoes on when entering a home. I’m so used to doing this now that I find it almost offensive when people don’t automatically lose their shoes upon entering our place! And on trips home, I find it really strange when people keep their ‘outside’ shoes on inside their own houses, especially ones with carpet. I used to do this myself but if and when I’m living back in Australia I’ll definitely be ditching mine at the door.

2. Avoiding the sun

This is another aspect of Asian culture which really gels with me. As someone with fair skin that burns and freckles quite easily, I’ve never been able to saunter around in the sun uncovered without some stinging, peeling consequences. People in Asia (particularly females) whip out wide-brimmed hats, umbrellas and even long gloves to preserve their skin from pigmentation and premature ageing the second the sun’s out. While some of this sunsmart behaviour is more about vanity than health (as they believe the whiter the skin the better) I’m following suit. Nothing to do with skin colour (I mean, a tan would be great!), but for health and preservation reasons. Now, I cringe when other westerners walk around hatless and in singlet tops in the middle of a blazing hot day, particularly if they already look sunburnt and don’t seem to care. And when at the beach, I TOTALLY get why the locals only swim in the very early morning and as the sun’s going down, leaving midday’s scorching sand to the lobster-red westerners! 

3. Keeping up appearances

In Asia, people are often taken at face value – how they present themselves relates to their wealth and social status and the amount of respect they are due. While in some ways I don’t totally agree with this (in Australia, billionaires will lounge around Bondi in their shorts and thongs and that’s kind of cool!), I do see that better grooming and presenting yourself well will open more doors for you, so to speak – more noticeably so here than in the west. 

4. Not losing face

Keeping your cool means not losing face, and this can pertain to any aspect of life, from altercations to bargaining in the market. Angry words don’t usually get you anywhere if a situation is a little tense, but it’s amazing what a smile can do. I need to practice this one more often.

5. An apple a day...

With the exception of dishes that are deep fried, contain animal fat or over-zealously doused in MSG, Asian cuisine is generally quite healthy. People often eat certain things because of their health properties and this is something I’m becoming more and more interested in. When an elderly local touts the benefits of a certain fruit, herb or vegetable as being “good for the heart” (or any other organ or ailment) I take note. It could be an old wives tale...or a pearl of ancient wisdom!

Chic Stays: Maison d'Hanoi

Maison d'Hanoi is a newly-opened hotel in the middle of Hanoi's Old Quarter action, only a few blocks away from the great boutiques on Nha Tho Street (also home to the cathedral). The hotel bills itself as 'boutique' but with 55 rooms it doesn't exactly feel small and intimate! The mod-Asian decor is a refreshing change from old-world/colonial or stock standard hotel blah, as often found in Hanoi - I particularly loved the painted red Chinese-style chests (very A.G.I.A!). We just stayed here for a few nights and found it highly convenient, albeit a little over-popular.

Stay for: the central location, the fresh, contemporary Asian decor

Not for: peace and quiet (the hotel is still undergoing some construction and there's a lot of staff coming and going - my trusty Hanoi LUXE city guide was right!), fresh air (some rooms have no windows)

Cafe crush: Puku, Hanoi

Peeling paint adds to Puku's vibe

Satisfying stuff - a BLT, plus chicken and fried egg

A breakfast fave - eggs benedict

Puku brings a little touch of bohemia to one of the Old Quarter's popular shopping strips. A bit of a hideaway (it's accessed down a skinny, dingy alley and up a steep staircase) Puku has a faded charm and an arty/studenty/expat-y vibe. With its high ceiling, peeling paint, comfortable but scruffy furniture and a blackboard menu behind the counter, it's a (much) grungier version of Saigon's La Fenetre Soleil. The food is western cafe fare - mostly melts, sandwiches and breakfast standards.

Go for: the faded charm, a dose of comfort food when you're all pho-ed out, a birds eye view of the charming street below, free wi-fi, delicious melts, a laidback atmosphere and the casual, breezy rooftop area

Not for: the coffee, which isn't so great (inexcusible really when there's such good coffee to be had in Vietnam!), the sometimes surly service

Puku, 60 Hang Trong Street, Old Quarter, Hanoi

On the road!

All's been a little quiet on the Girl in Asia front of late as I've been travelling and entertaining visitors...which means there's a lot of non-Saigon but nonetheless interesting blog posts on their way! Specifically - bits and pieces on Hanoi, Halong Bay and Hoi An, where we're heading tomorrow - yes, that means more trips to the tailor, it just has to be done!

Saigon Eats: The Deck

The Deck's deck - perfect for waterfront lounging

This is one of those 'is this really Saigon?!' kind of places. Situated in the expat enclave of An Phu - a world of gated compounds, huge villas, international schools and (gasp!) quiet streets - glass-walled, contemporary restaurant The Deck takes advantage of Saigon's river setting. As you drink and dine, sand barges, small boats and clumps of plant matter drift by, and across to the other bank the view is nothing but tropical foliage. It's as though you're a million miles away from the city. From inside the restaurant you have a view out to the river from any of the tables courtesy of the glass frontage, or you can choose to sit on the namesake 'deck' for a more casual experience. The rattan seats (pictured) are very conducive to a sunset cocktail or two. 

Clockwise from L to R: prawn canneloni, lamb ravioli, chocolate tart,

chilli salt squid, lemongrass & vanilla creme brulee

The Deck uses alot of local produce (including delectable seafood) and flavour influences from Asia to Europe, creating a menu of fresh, modern cuisine. We had chilli salt squid to start, with tempura light batter and a perfect texture. For mains - prawn canneloni with a tomato and lobster sauce (which had a strong dill taste that oddly worked!) and lamb ravioli (French spring vegetable flavours and succulent meat). For dessert - a luscious chocolate tart and a lemongrass/vanilla creme brulee that I highly recommend to any lover of lemongrass. While The Deck is obviously not a 'local' experience it's a worthwhile one for those looking to escape the city for a while and indulge.

The Deck, 38 Nguyen U Di, An Phu (D2)

Fresh air and even fresher produce in Dalat

Dalat is one of my favourite places in Vietnam. Its higher altitude, lakes and abundance of vegetation and plantations make it a favourite for honeymooning locals, which has spawned a slew of ridiculously kitsch attractions, like swan boats you can pedal around the lake and costumes (hilltribe, cowboy, emporer etc.) for hire at some of the waterfalls outside town. We stopped by Bao Dai's Summer Palace, an art deco 'nautical style' home of Vietnam's last emporer and who should be lurking in the gardens but a ladyboy in a monkey suit ready to take you around the grounds in a horse-drawn cart!!

The best things about Dalat are the cool climate (you can check out everyone's winter garb while the western tourists walk around in shorts!) and the locally grown fresh produce. Most of the things to see and do in Dalat are located a bit outside town (waterfalls, farms, pagodas) so if you're just wandering around the centre, the market is undoubtedly the highlight.

Dalat's central market is one of the best food markets I've seen - it's so colourful, with the streets surrounding it bursting with colourful displays of strawberries, avocadoes, coconuts, bananas, blackberries and more. Dalat's climate means berries and other fruits not typically found in tropical countries can flourish.

Inside the market, the stalls sell dried and candied versions of all the local fruits, plus tea and coffee. Unusually, the items have marked prices (and they're cheap - 4,000 to 25,000 dong per bag of dried fruit) so you don't really need to bother bargaining, plus the stallholders ply you with cups of oolong tea and samples of their fruity wares. And they're not even that pushy, which compelled me to buy more - a clever sales tactic?!

A beach break in Nha Trang: Part 2

We left Nha Trang town behind for a stay at the Evason Hideway, Ninh Van Bay - a picturesque, isolated bay accessible only by speedboat.



This was the scene that awaited...



With its rocky landscape, the resort offers some villas with private swimming pools carved into huge boulders! We stayed in a beachfront pool villa - a two-storey hut with our own plunge pool between our bedroom and the beach.


The eco-friendly resort has a Robinson Crusoe luxe feel - it uses natural materials wherever possible and blends into the surrounds - everything's bamboo and wood, including the gorgous stand-alone tub in the open-air bathroom.


This was my favourite part of the villa - a loungey daybed on the second floor with views out to sea. Not a bad place to spend my birthday!

A beach break in Nha Trang: Part 1

Our beachfront hotel (the Sunrise) had breathtaking views of the ocean and a decadent swimming pool

We recently spent a few days in sunny Nha Trang, Vietnam's premier seaside resort town. It's home to a long stretch of white sandy beach, crystal blue water, an increasing number of 5-star hotels and of course, great seafood. We spent a night at the Sunrise (see pool pic above), and I could not get enough of the view from our room's balcony - stunning!

One night we checked out the Sailing Club, a well-known beach bar and restaurant. My expectations weren't that high - I was expecting a dingy, backpacker beach bar but it was surprisingly sophisticated, with decor that could be described as Morocco meets Bali.


We had a fresh and tasty green mango salad and Nha Trang's famous 'roll your own' spring rolls with prawns and bbq pork - a more sanitised version than a really local place, but delicious all the same!