#Centre Point Hanoi Hotel

[roundtheworldrambles]

Hanoi, Vietnam

Day 165 – Luang Prabang to Hanoi, Vietnam

I spent my final morning in Luang Prabang at Joma Café, a delicious bakery/café that my uncle Alan had recommended, run by a Canadian expat! I was surprised (and very excited) that the café served Canada’s famous Nanaimo Bar, and picked up one to have a ‘taste of home’ along with my coffee. I tucked into a cozy booth for several hours, doing research and bookings for the final 5 weeks of my trip, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangkok and Japan.

In the late afternoon, I packed up my bag and headed to the town centre to hire a Tuk Tuk to take me to the airport. At this point in Southeast Asia, I had become pretty used to negotiating a price when taking a Tuk Tuk, and agreed upon a price with the driver. However, he ended up demanding a higher price at the airport, after we had arrived. Even after months of travel, I was still never quite sure what to do in these situations, which occasionally arose. Given the increased charge that the driver demanded was little more than 50c Canadian, it felt petty to argue over such a small amount. At the same time, the whole practice also felt dishonest, and I struggled with it in principle – particularly wondering in the back of my mind whether I was a target of arbitrary price increases because I was a woman travelling alone. Irritated but not wanting to argue, I grudgingly paid the full amount and headed into the airport to catch my flight to Hanoi.

After a short flight to the east, I touched down in Vietnam just as the sun was setting. Having secured my e-visa to the country in advance, I sailed through customs and into the arrivals hall, where I had pre-arranged an airport transfer to take me into the old town of the city. While I generally preferred to take public transit or hail a tuk-tuk when backpacking, I had become cautious with my transportation when arriving at airports after dark. From my research on Hanoi, I had heard that taxi scams are unfortunately common, where certain drivers are paid by hotels and hostels to drive unwitting passengers to the wrong location, or charge excessive fares, to the point where a passenger would need to go to an ATM, or pay in foreign currency. In the communication I had received in advance from my hostel in Hanoi, I had also been fully briefed on possible scams in transit, and chose to pre-pay for a transfer to avoid the worry. I had also purchased a new Vietnamese SIM card in the airport, so that I could ensure I could follow my route to the old town city.

As my ride pulled away from the airport, we were almost immediately surrounded by scooters – hundreds of them! Weaving in and out of traffic, the drivers leaned heavily on their horns as they navigated their scooters along the road - carrying everything from tall plants, flowers and produce, and sometimes up to 3-4 people! After the quiet atmosphere of Luang Prabang, where honking was rare in the old city centre, the streets of Hanoi were quite the opposite, bursting with sounds from every direction. Heading South, we crossed the Red River and approached the Old Quarter of the city.

As it happened, even with my pre-arranged airport transfer, my driver still tried to drop me off at the wrong hostel. Fortunately I had already located my correct destination in Hanoi on Google Maps, and after much back-and-forth, and insistence on my part, I was finally taken to the correct destination. The streets of the old quarter are so narrow that cars cannot go down them, and I walked the final few minutes to my hostel on foot. I passed other hostels with live music, and food vendors with plastic stools arranged near their stalls for people to sit and eat. My friends from Vancouver, Kevin and Liane, had previously stayed at this hostel, Original Backpackers, a few years earlier, and recommended it highly – and rightly so! I felt immediately welcomed by the friendly staff, and began to relax again after many hours in transit. After several weeks of communal living, I had decided to pay a small premium for a private room, where I had a long, hot shower, before crashing immediately for the night.

Typical Food Stalls in the Old Quarter

Narrow Streets in the Old Quarter, with a perfectly placed photobomber!

Day 166 – Hanoi

I only had one full day in Hanoi – and woke up early, determined to pack in as much as possible! Through the front desk of my hostel, I arranged a motorbike “Backstreet Tour” for that afternoon, where a local Vietnamese guide would take me around the city on a motorbike to show me both popular sites, and what day-to-day life looked like in Hanoi.

In the morning, I began to wander the Old Quarter of Hanoi nearby to my hostel. This historic city has been inhabited for over a thousand years, and has been shaped by a complex history – from ancient kingdoms, dynasties and wars, French colonialism, Japanese occupation during the second world war, to more recently, with the influences of communism and the Vietnam War. After the war ended in the 1970s, it wasn’t until 1990s that the country began to open up to the outside world again, bringing in new opportunities for tourism and economic development. Modern day Hanoi is home to a multi-cultural community with strong French, Chinese and Russian influences. French colonial architecture continues to be visible throughout the city, with some streets resembling historic neighbourhoods in Paris. Near the Old Quarter, a large gothic cathedral constructed by French still stands; St. Josephs is one of the first structures built by the colonialists as they expanded their reach into Southeast Asia. Remarkably, the cathedral is still in good condition despite  the wars of the last century.

The Old Quarter, part of a former citadel wall, is made up of a narrow series of alleys, tightly packed together. The historic area is known for its clusters of workshops, skilled craftsman, artisans and guilds, with the 40 streets of the area each named for the primary good and service provided on each street. It was a lively place to wander through in the morning; locals sat down on low, colourful plastic stools set up by street vendors, eating a breakfast of noodles. Honking scooters whizzed up and down the alleys, narrowing dodging each other. I spotted a few people playing chess in a doorway, right next to a vendor selling produce off the back of a scooter. I passed through one street mostly selling flowers, before turning the corner to find another street with almost all bamboo products. 

I wandered further east to Hoan Kiem Lake, finally making an attempt to cross a major street – with scooters, cars and pedestrians going in every which way! One good piece of advice I had been given by friends who had visited Hanoi was to simply walk out into traffic at a slow, steady pace (without any sudden moves or stops!) and the scooters would simply weave around you. I walked beside locals crossing on my first few attempts, but it wasn’t long before I got the hang of it!

I stopped at Note Coffee to try my first Vietnamese-style egg coffee. This drink is traditionally prepared by beating egg yolks with sugar and milk, and bringing this mixture to a boil, before pouring in coffee. The result is a foamy, dessert-like coffee – and was delicious! The café itself was also unusual – with its walls decorated with thousands upon thousands of colourful post-it notes, with messages from previous visitors. The result made the entire café look like a giant art installation, and reminded me of Yayoi Kusama’s dotted “obliteration room”. Sufficiently loaded up on sugar and caffeine, I continued onwards towards the lake, popping into a few art galleries and stalls on my way. Along the streets, I was constantly amazed by the number of vendors selling fruit, art, and countless other items off the back of their scooters. Pushing or driving their laden motorbike through the crowds, these vendors would make sales right, left and centre – all while keeping moving!

Arriving at the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake, I crossed a traditional, red wooden bridge to Ngoc Son Temple, located on a small island in the middle of the lake. Aside from the crowds of other tourists, it was a quiet respite from the buzz of the surrounding Old City of Hanoi.

As it was approaching noon, I returned to my hostel to meet Kien, my local guide for the afternoon motorbike tour. Slightly younger than me, Kien had grown up in Hanoi, and was excellent company for the afternoon. His motorbike was a vintage, army-green, “Minsk”, a heavy duty motorbike that was brought back from the Soviet Union in the 80s. As luck would have it – I was the only person on the tour that day, which allowed Kien to take me out and around the city for almost 7 hours! I could scarcely believe that I was able to see and experience so much of Hanoi in a day.

Kien first took me to Train Street, where twice a day a speeding train passes through the Old Quarter, mere feet from the front stoops of people’s homes. We continued onwards to Hanoi’s notorious black market, where vendors sell everything from car and mechanical parts to appliances, DVDs and electronics. Kien pointed out things as we cycled; the dense scramble of black electric wires overhead called “black noodles” by the locals; the French colonial architecture throughout the city; and the “tube houses” of the Old Quarter – narrow homes that exchanged their width for height and depth – as a way of lowering property tax, since the wider your house, the more you pay! Many of these tall, skinny homes had large water cannisters mounted on the top of the buildings, used to maintain water pressure. We also visited a few wet markets – where every imaginable item was for sale, from a rainbow of produce to live turtles, eels, and frogs.  

Train Street

Between our ventures into different areas of the city, Kien took me to many local restaurants and wet markets along the way, to try a wide range of different Vietnamese food, including more Ca Phe Trung (egg coffee), Banh Mi Chao (a hearty breakfast skillet), Banh Cuon (rice rolls, stuffed with pork), Pho Cuon (fresh beef rolls), Pho, and Banana Flower Salad. We also stopped at a tiny Bia Hoi right stand next to the road – “Bia Hoi” literally translating to “fresh beer”, and is draught beer that is sold on street corners and tiny bars throughout the city. It is delivered daily and is tapped straight out of a large steel barrel. Kien and I sat on tiny red plastic stools on the pavement, sipping the light beer and snacking on roasted peanuts from a nearby vendor.  

Fruit Markets

A typical neighbourhood Bia Hoi Stand

A particularly interesting part of the day is when Kien took me East of the city center to the banks of the Red River. I was able to walk along Cau Long Bien, a colonial-era cantilever bridge that was heavily bombarded during the Vietnam war, as it was a key point of connection between Hanoi and the nearby port. Spanning a mile and a half in length, it is still one of the longest cantilever truss bridges in the world. While only part of the original bridge still stands, the bridge continues to be a symbol of pride for the Vietnamese people. Underneath the Cau Long Bien, impoverished families live in a cluster of floating homes, make-shift shelters that have been built on rafts of plastic barrels.

Cau Long Bien 

Floating Homes on the Delta

We continued onwards to Bai Giua, or “Banana Island”, an island located in the middle of the Red River next to Hanoi. Since this island is on a flood plain, no apartments or concrete buildings are allowed, and the island is mostly used for farming, including fields of bananas and papayas. Kien maneouvered his motorcycle down a maze of dirt paths between the fields as we explored the island. Barking dogs sometimes came up to our motorcycle, and ran along next to us for a while, before dropping off the trail again. We passed by many farmers working in the fields, typically wearing a conical, straw hat, (called “Non La”) tied around the wearer’s chin with a piece of cloth. These multi-purpose hats not only protect farmers from the fierce tropical sun, but can be used as a fan and also as a basin for water.

As the sun began to set over the Red River, we headed back into Hanoi, and drove along the large, tree lined boulevards around the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Presidential Palace. Our day ended with a bit of a surprise - as Kien’s motorcycle broke down in the middle of an intersection! Fortunately, this seemed to be a common-enough occurrence in Hanoi, and all the other bikes moved around us seamlessly as we tried to get off the road. All in a day’s adventure! Arriving back in the Old Quarter after a terrific day of exploring Hanoi, I quickly crashed for the night, as I would be waking up early the following morning to catch a bus into the Sapa Mountains, a day’s journey northwest of Hanoi.

[wherecanworldtravelnow]

The Best Time to Visit Main Highlands

Central Highlands, the capital city of Vietnam's Central Highlands is located near a mountain plus on the coast, surrounded by pine forests, rice paddies, lakes and bodies of water. Known as typically the "City of Limitless Summer, " typically the capital city has been originally built simply by the French because a hotel plus resort, and right now there are many historical reminders of its French colonial heritage. The Da Lat, which often means 'The Gulf, ' is located close to the city. That is praised for it can crystal clear water and sandy shorelines. The city will be also a popular tourist spot regarding nature lovers. Here there are many unique points of interest, for example: The City of Eternal Spring: Located on a new hill above the city, this older city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The museum inside the city features beautiful art, and a playground is a fantastic place to have fun with kids and the whole family. Typically the Da Lat Museum: The Da Lat Museum is a unique example of a history of Vietnam. It showcases artifacts and artifacts that may date back to the times of the Nguyen Dynasty. It is usually also home to be able to an ancient Buddhist temple. The art gallery is open every day, from Monday to be able to Saturday. The Ryan Dong River: This river flows with the centre of the particular city and prospects to a large river. You can proceed kayaking or move horseback riding. An individual can also look at the Lao Cai Funeral Hall, which is usually a Buddhist brow built in storage of Lao Cai. Lao Cai's Funeral Hall: The Lao Cai Memorial Corridor is dedicated in order to Lao Cai, a great important figure during the 17th hundred years who was a new political leader plus a prominent Buddhist monk. Having been given birth to in Hanoi in addition to became one associated with the most powerfulk figures in Vietnam. His tomb is situated here and will be a favorite tourist attraction. This hall also has a historical Buddhist temple, which is available to visitors to tourists every day time. The Da Lat Golf Club: You will find a private golf membership in the Da Bekv?m that is also identified as Lao Cai Club. Here you may play tennis, golfing, bowling, squash, go horseback riding, or like a day from the beach. Additionally there is a small spa where you could relax with a new massage. The membership is open to members and non-members. Enjoy the gorgeous natural beaches and mountainside beauty. You'll certainly be in heaven while you're in Central Highlands. The Hanoi Peninsula: The Hanoi Peninsula is home to some of the best surfing shorelines in Vietnam. Here you can have the very best of the two worlds. Hanoi Gulf: You can enjoy the day boating together with a scuba snorkeling tour. The Hanoi Bay is portion of the UNESCO World Heritage web site and is regarded as among the top ten natural wonders regarding the world. You will find a variety of beautiful fish, turtles, coral reefs and other exotic sea existence along the coast. You may also go fishing on one of the many lagoons along the coastline. Lake Hoi An: If a person love the water plus swimming, you may not would like to miss a visit to the Pond Hoi An. The particular waters of typically the lake are incredibly clear and feature many lagoons and sandbars. The most well-known part of typically the lake is typically the Wuyuan Dao, which often is a famous stretch of white-colored sand.

The Hanoi bay is one of the major sources for doing some fishing in Central Highlands. There is a good abundance of species of fish plus the lake is usually popular for its excellent catches. Presently there is also plenty of diving in addition to snorkeling opportunities.

[topofhotel]

11 โรงแรมที่พักย่านเมืองเก่า Old Quater เมืองฮานอย (Hanoi) ประเทศเวียดนาม (Vietnam)

11 โรงแรมที่พักย่านเมืองเก่า Old Quater เมืองฮานอย (Hanoi) ประเทศเวียดนาม (Vietnam)

        ย่านเมืองเก่า Old Quater เมืองฮานอย ถือว่าเป็นแหล่งท่องเที่ยวที่สำคัญของเมืองที่นักท่องเที่ยวไม่ควรพลาด ใครจะมาเที่ยว Hanoi ห้ามพลาดที่นี่ไม่ได้โดยเด็ดขาด ไม่งั้นเค้าจะหาว่ามาไม่ถึงเวียดนาม ซึ่งย่านเมืองเก่า Old Quater นี้ได้รวบรวมไว้ทั้งสิ่งก่อสร้าง วัฒนธรรมและวิถีชีวิตของคนฮานอยไว้อย่า��ครบถ้วน แถมยังมีแหล่งช็อปปิ้งมากมาย ว่าแล้วแพคกระเป๋าแล้วเรามาจองที่พักกัน ซึ่งวันนี้เราก็มี 11 ที่…

[bdscuatui]

Lần đầu tiên tham dự giải thưởng Vietnam Property Awards, Masterise Homes đã đạt chiến thắng lớn khi đem về tám giải thưởng cho công ty và các dự án đẳng cấp. Theo đó, dự án Masteri Centre Point nhận hai giải: Dự án Căn hộ Cao cấp Xuất sắc nhất tại TP Hồ Chí Minh (Best High End Condo Development (HCMC) và Giải Thiết kế Cảnh quan cho dự án Căn hộ Cao cấp (Best High End Condo Landscape Architectural Design, highly commended). Dự án Masteri Waterfront nhận hai giải: Giải Dự án Căn hộ Cao cấp Xuất sắc nhất tại Hà Nội (Best High End Condo Development (Hanoi) và Giải Thiết kế Nội thất dự án Căn hộ Cao cấp Xuất sắc nhất (Best High End Condo Interior Design). Dự án LUMIÈRE nhận ba giải: Giải Thiết kế Căn hộ Xuất sắc nhất (Best Condo Architectural Design), Giải Thiết kế Nội thất Căn hộ hạng sang Xuất sắc nhất (Best Luxury Condo Interior Design) và Giải Căn hộ hạng sang xuất sắc tại TP Hồ Chí Minh (Best Luxury Condo Development (HCMC) – Highly commended). Ngoài ra, Masterise Homes nhận giải Trách nghiệm Xã hội của Doanh nghiệp (Special Recognition for CSR) với những đóng góp cho cộng đồng.

Ông Jason Turnbull, Phó Tổng Giám đốc điều hành kiêm Giám đốc tài chính Masterise Homes, chia sẻ: "Không chỉ cam kết mang đến những dự án chất lượng cao, Masterise Homes luôn đề cao các hoạt động cộng đồng và phát triển xã hội. Đóng góp nhỏ tạo tác động lớn, đồng thời nâng cao những giá trị nhân văn cao quý, đó là điều mà Masterise Homes luôn duy trì và phát huy trong các hoạt động vì lợi ích cộng đồng và xã hội."

Ông Youssef Akila, Giám đốc khối thiết kế, đại diện Masterise Homes nhận giải thưởng về thiết kế cho các dự án Masteri Centre Point, Masteri Waterfront và Lumiere Riverside

Đội ngũ Masterise Homes tham gia giải thưởng Vietnam Property Awards 2020

Trong thời gian tới, Masterise Homes sẽ ra mắt một số dự án tại TP Hồ Chí Minh và Hà Nội. Dự án đầu tiên là Masteri Centre Point, khu căn hộ compound (khép kín) cao cấp tại trung tâm Đại đô thị Vinhomes Grand Park, Quận 9, với những giải danh giá: Dự án Căn hộ Cao cấp Xuất sắc nhất tại TP.Hồ Chí Minh (Best High End Condo Development (HCMC) và Giải Thiết kế Cảnh quan cho dự án Căn hộ Cao cấp (Best High End Condo Landscape Architectural Design, highly commended). Dự án Masteri Centre Point đem đến những sản phẩm bất động sản hoàn hảo, kết hợp giữa vị trí chiến lược cùng tổ hợp tiện ích hiện đại, giúp thỏa mãn tối đa về một không gian sống có đầy đủ những tính năng và các tiện ích riêng tư đặc quyền.

Ông Gibran Bukhari, Giám đốc khối Kinh Doanh của Masterise Homes, với hơn 20 năm kinh nghiệm tại các thị trường quốc tế hàng đầu như Anh Quốc, Dubai, cho biết: "Người mua nhà đến với chúng tôi vì ba lý do: Niềm tin, Tính minh bạch và Uy tín thương hiệu Masterise Homes. Dù mua để ở hay đầu tư, ai cũng muốn căn hộ sẽ tăng giá trị. Vì thế họ chọn mua căn hộ đáp ứng những yêu cầu cao nhất. Masteri Centre Point hiện được mọi người quan tâm cho cả hai mục đích."

Dự án Masteri Centre Point tại Quận 9, TP HCM

Dự án đầu tiên của Masterise Homes ở Hà Nội - Masteri Waterfront - tọa lạc tại trung tâm Đại đô thị Vinhomes Ocean Park: Giải Dự án Căn hộ Cao cấp Xuất sắc nhất tại Hà Nội (Best High End Condo Development (Hanoi) và Giải Thiết kế Nội thất dự án Căn hộ Cao cấp Xuất sắc nhất (Best High End Condo Interior Design). Góp phần hoàn thiện trải nghiệm sống quốc tế cho cư dân, Masteri Waterfront cam kết đem đến trải nghiệm toàn diện, từ giai đoạn tư vấn bán hàng đến khi nhận nhà và quản lý dịch vụ, điều mà khách hàng Hà Nội đang mong chờ từ nhà phát triển đến từ TP Hồ Chí Minh.

Dự án Masteri Waterfront tại Hà Nội

Dự án LUMIÈRE nhận nhiều giải thưởng nhất, gồm Giải Thiết kế Căn hộ Xuất sắc nhất (Best Condo Architectural Design), Giải Thiết kế Nội thất Căn hộ hạng sang Xuất sắc nhất (Best Luxury Condo Interior Design) và Giải Căn hộ hạng sang xuất sắc tại tp. Hồ Chí Minh (Best Luxury Condo Development (HCMC) – Highly commened). LUMIÈRE tọa lạc tại khu trung tâm Quận 2, hứa hẹn mang đến thị trường một dự án hạng sang theo chuẩn sống tinh tế.

Ông Youssef Akila, Giám đốc khối Thiết kế tại Masterise Homes, với 20 năm kinh nghiệm tại thị trường bất động sản hạng sang Dubai và thành công với các thương hiệu bất động sản quốc tế nổi tiếng như Trump, Paramount, Versace, Fendi, tháp Entisar 120 tầng..., chia sẻ: "Masterise Homes áp dụng những quy trình, quy chuẩn và cách thức xây dựng tương đồng với các sản phẩm bất động sản cao cấp trên thế giới. Công ty có đủ tiềm lực để mang tiêu chuẩn quốc tế đến các dự án tại Việt Nam. Khi thiết kế dự án, chúng tôi luôn đặt mình vào vị trí của người mua nhà để thấu hiểu họ một cách tốt nhất. Chúng tôi thổi hồn vào dự án một cách hài hòa, vừa đáp ứng tính tiện ích, vừa tạo ra cảm giác thoải mái bình yên. Vì thế, dự án nâng tầm phong cách sống cho các cư dân - không chỉ sở hữu một căn nhà, mà là một tổ ấm, nơi họ chứng minh giá trị sống của riêng mình."

Dự án LUMIÈRE tại Quận 2, TPHCM

Năm 2020 đánh dấu năm thứ sáu của Giải PropertyGuru Vietnam Property Awards. Công ty kiểm toán Jeffrey Ong Peng là đơn vị kiểm toán độc lập tham gia làm chứng và kiểm soát toàn bộ quá trình chấm giải, đảm bảo tính công bằng và minh bạch. Ban giám khảo uy tín năm nay gồm Chủ tịch Giải thưởng - ông Thiên Dương, Tổng Giám đốc Transform Architecture và các Tổng Giám đốc của các công ty uy tín như Cushman & Wakefield Vietnam, Legal Transactions WT Partnership (Vietnam) LLC, OJS Investment & Consulting Ltd, HAYSOM Architects Vietnam, CBRE (Vietnam) Co, Ltd, Archetype Group, Savills Hotels APAC…

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[mom-maeum-seoul]

Hanoi and Halong Bay

Vietnam was a really cool country. I spent two weeks there (and Ville 1 month!) and especially loved Hanoi.

Hanoi feels kind of magical - a perfect fusion of old and new, buzzing with traffic that is the embodiment of organised chaos. There’s a permanent mist hanging in the air (which may just be pollution - a little less magical haha!) that creates a surreal and ethereal feel to the city, particularly at night as it’s illuminated by the thousands of fairy lights strung up around the city. Nature also invades every corner, refusing to be beaten back by the concrete, with trees bursting through the pavement and walls, their leaves hanging low. 

There are often wide pavements, but they are filled with scooters and people cooking and eating at small tables, so most of the time you have no choice but to walk in the road. Crossing the road is a daunting prospect when you first arrive - no one stops for anything, so there’s no other option but to simply walk into the traffic. The first few times it’s terrifying and like nothing you’d have experienced in the West, but once you get the hang of it, it’s surprisingly easy and the scooters casually drive around you as you cross. You can always spot the tourists who’ve just arrived as they linger at the roadside waiting for a gap that never comes. You’ll see many strange sights in the traffic in Vietnam - some people will simply drive their scooters the wrong way down the side of the road. Others have their dogs on leads as they weave through traffic. In Ho Chi Minh City, rather than wait in traffic jams, scooters mount the pavements and drive around them.

Hanoi made a wonderful first impression on me. Everything is crowded and chaotic but there was a vibrant atmosphere in the streets that Friday night (and seemingly most evenings!). Hundreds of people walked the streets and sat eating outside amongst the drooping leaves and dots of light. Tiny, curious dogs ran wild and I was back amongst crowds of European tourists for the first time since Bali.

We had soup and spring rolls for dinner, accompanied by 50c beers. The whole meal must have been about €2-3, which was a welcome change from Japan, Hong Kong and Korea! I’d also been staying in dorm rooms for the past couple of weeks, so was extremely happy to be in a fancy(ish) hotel for about $12 each per night (see video below)! We then went for a few drinks and saw some lives bands in the street and a few half-hearted Halloween parties.

On Saturday, we went to see one of the lakes (West Lake - not the nicest as it’s very dirty and smells pretty bad) and then onto another couchsurfing meet-up in the evening. It wasn’t the most engaging one as there was a really random mix of people there but we ended up staying out late dancing anyway and getting locked out of the hotel. Luckily, there’s always a member of staff sleeping in the lobby so we got in - but we had a moment of panic when we saw the padlock on the door!

West Lake

One of West Lake’s pagodas

Couchsurfing meet-up in Hanoi’s old town

On Sunday, we did almost nothing and ordered room service, which was the first peaceful rest day either of us had had for ages after two weeks in dorm rooms! 

That evening, we went to see one of the other lakes (Hoàn Kiếm Lake), which was much nicer! There was a festival atmosphere along its banks as the roads had been closed off - Ville thought this might be something they did every Sunday but we don’t know for sure. I’m not sure what the lake is like during the day but it certainly didn’t smell as bad as the other one and at night the lights of the buildings surrounding the lake create beautiful reflections on the surface. Around the edges we witnessed all sorts of activities going on - a band playing with a lead violinist instead of a singer, caricature and calligraphy artists, life-size cartoons roaming around (people in suits), giant jenga, dance shows put on by kids and silk dragon displays. There was also a nearby night market worth browsing if you’re looking for a bargain.

On Monday, we went on a free tour with a local student through http://hanoifreelocaltours.com, a really good initiative that pairs up students who want to meet people from around the world and work on their English skills with tourists looking for a local perspective. We went to see the Temple of Literature and La Maison Centrale prison - a relic of the French colonial days where the French kept, tortured and executed communist rebels. It was quite a harrowing experience (although not compared to what we were to see at S21 in Phnom Penh) but interesting to get an insight into Vietnam’s past. Our tour guide explained that Vietnam had had to fight for its freedom and independence for a very long time.

A recreation of prisoner conditions

The guillotine

On Tuesday, we spent most of the day travelling down to Halong Bay, where we stayed overnight before our tour the next day. There was nothing of note in the town really - just masses and masses of construction going on. It’s quite incredible to see the rapid development going on in Vietnam with your own eyes when you visit!

The Halong Bay tour was unfortunately an absolute shambles! We were picked up as agreed at 11am, but then proceeded to drive around in circles for the next hour picking other people up in a seemingly completely random order. I am not exaggerating when I say we must have driven past our pick-up point about 4 or 5 times before finally embarking on the 15-minute drive to the harbour. It wasn’t until 3 hours after pick-up that our boat actually left as we kept getting moved around and told to wait at various spots in the harbour. We’d been promised an “English-speaking guide” but what we actually got was a rude salesman who spent the day trying to sell everyone extras. All the staff on the boat were really rude actually and kept inventing new and contradictory rules about where we were and weren’t allowed to sit - although, surprisingly, the food provided was actually really good! Half the people on the boat had paid to go kayaking, so the rest of us just had to sit and wait on the boat for an hour while that took place, which we obviously hadn’t been informed of in advance. We probably only had about 1-2 hours on the water in total. The bay was beautiful though and we saw a cool cave, so I’m glad we went - it just could have been a more pleasant experience in general. 

One lesson we learnt in Vietnam is that you should avoid booking things through the hotels without checking the reviews yourself online first, and as soon as someone tells you “don’t worry”, it’s time to start worrying! The trip back to Hanoi was also a farce. They clearly didn’t know who was supposed to be going or not and the bus was extremely crowded. We left late and made a few unnecessary stops as well, meaning that some people missed their onward travel. The “tour guide” was obviously extremely rude about it, taking no responsibility whatsoever or even apologising. Really despised that guy…!

Thursday was our last day in Hanoi before moving on for what we thought would be some “beach time” at Nha Trang (hahaha - little did we know that a typhoon was approaching). We went to see Ho Chi Mihn’s mausoleum, which is very impressive, and the war museum (Vietnam Military History Museum), which was pretty shambolic as well. The information is chaotic, the English translations are poor, and nothing seems to be in the correct order. I left none the wiser about why the Vietnam war had actually happened, or even what had really happened... I’d definitely advise people to give this one a miss and go to the one in Ho Chi Minh City instead if possible, as it’s much more coherent.

Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum on the right

One final point about my first impressions of Vietnam is that it was intriguing to visit my first communist country! The hammer and sickle are omnipresent around Hanoi, although Vietnam clearly has capitalist elements as well.

Hammer and sickle on a government building (right in the centre of the photo) - I got in trouble with a soldier for taking this picture!

Statue of Lenin

That evening, we flew to Nha Trang and towards the storm...

-Maddy

[bigyack-com]

Hahn Air Enters 2020 with 40 New Partner Airlines

Hahn Air added 39 new carriers to its network of over 350 partner airlines during 2019. Seventeen of the new partner airlines are using the product HR-169 and have entered into an interline agreement with Hahn Air.

The remaining 23 carriers are taking advantage of the H1-Air or X1-Air products which are designed specifically for airlines that are looking to expand their GDS presence, extending their reach through ten major GDSs to 100,000 travel agencies in 190 markets. “2019 was an incredible year for Hahn Air,” said Jörg Troester, Head of Corporate Strategy, Industry and Government Affairs at Hahn Air. “In the 20th year of our ticketing business, we have introduced our NDC platform, Hahn Air Technologies and our new solution for corporate shuttle flights, HR-Corporate. In addition, we received IATA Level 3 NDC certification, issued the world’s first blockchain-generated air ticket and added 40 new airlines to our partner network. We are ready for 2020 with a focus on our products H1-Air and X1-Air, new technologies and sustainability. We’ll be able to share more news soon.” See latest Travel News, Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: Hahn Air, Distribution, NDC. 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[southeastasianists]

It is a hot late afternoon in the Vietnamese highlands, and the sun is beginning to set over the mountains. I have just paid a few dollars to enter Cat Cat Village, one of tourist attractions around Sapa which targets Vietnamese as much as international visitors. The main attraction is apparently a waterfall (‘Cat Cat’ being a corruption of the French ‘cascade’), but the trail leads through a local village which has also become part of the tour. The residents who were here long before the tourists are Hmong, one of Vietnam’s 53 officially recognised minority groups who make up about 14% of the country’s population. While almost all minorities are poorer than the ethnic Kinh majority and politically marginalised, the Hmong are at the very bottom of the ethnic hierarchy with the highest poverty levels and lowest education rates (Nieke and Luong 2013).

Near the waterfall is a ‘cultural performance centre’, where the same six actors dress up in different costumes and perform the dances and songs from all the different minority groups. I’ve seen these dances before; they’re almost identical to another cultural centre in a different tourist attraction. Instead, what grabs my attention is something hanging on the wall: a qeej, a free-reed mouth organ. Not dissimilar to the Scottish bagpipe, the qeej is not just an instrument but also an important symbol of Hmong cultural heritage, imbued with historical and ritual significance. The qeej can even ‘speak’ a secret language which is traditionally believed to be able communicate with the spirit world, with various words and tones achieved by playing different notes (Morrison 1998). However, when I ask the performers, no-one knows how to play the qeej: it is just a decoration on the wall.

A bit disappointed, I walk back through the village towards the exit. On the way out was a sign pointing towards the house of a ‘traditional Hmong shaman’; well, having never met a shaman before was long-overdue.

The house is very normal, as is the man – wearing plain clothes – so I ask him to double check that he is the shaman. “Can you play the qeej?” I ask. He replies: “Yes of course. But I don’t have one here with me, if I had one then I would show you.” This gives me an idea; the cultural centre is now closed but I hurry to the top trail entrance to find a souvenir shop selling, among other things, a few qeej. I manage to borrow the qeej from an ethnic Kinh lady after explaining the situation, before rushing back down to the shaman’s house, by now in a bit of a sweat and with some curious onlookers. Mildly intrigued, the shaman picks up the qeej to play it – but something’s wrong. It’s not working properly. He starts deconstructing the instrument before laughing: “It’s a fake!” There are no holes or reeds on the pipes, rendering it useless. I apologise to the amused shaman, before trumping back up to the shop to return the piece of junk. My wait to hear an ‘authentic’ qeej performance continues.

As in China, when the Vietnam’s ethnic classification project in the 1950s attempted to categorise ethnic groups, official used “observable cultural traditions”, including music and ritual activities, as ‘objective’ criteria to officially define and fix ethnic diversity (Keyes 1996:1187). Over time, ethnic minorities have become “folklorized and aestheticized in museum exhibits, festivals, and cultural performances” in order to satisfy stereotypes held by the Kinh majority and other tourists (Taylor 2008:16). This is especially evident in tourist traps like Cat Cat village where a whole village has literally been fenced off, and two entrance fee booths placed on either side (presumably the locals don’t have to pay). Unlike in China, it is still very easy to hire a local tour guide or motorbike, escape the town of Sapa and find more remote ethnic minority villages which are less directly affected by tourism. This is very popular with Western backpackers, eager for an ‘authentic’ cultural experience, while most ethnic Kinh visitors see no appeal in trekking for hours and are content to stay well on the beaten track, sticking to more accessible, commercialised sites.

Nevertheless, the beaten track is expanding as the state penetrates further upland in search of profits. With a newly completed highway dramatically cutting the driving time from Hanoi to Sapa, tourism is booming in this highland town and dozens of new hotels have been built over the past two years. Word on the street is that the grand plan is to turn the whole district into a colossal ‘ethnic theme park’ and turn many more ethnic minority villages into ‘sights’, based on the Chinese ethnic tourism model. Ironically, this mass-tourism industry has resulted in the Hmong of Southern China abandoning their traditional customs, clothing and language more readily than their counterparts on the Vietnamese side of the border (Turner, Michaud, and Bonnin 2015). Highlands groups in South East Asia have always been changing, negotiating with and adapting to external forces, but the next few decades look set to be particularly unsettling.

Back in Cat Cat Village, I return the counterfeit qeej to the Kinh shop owner. She is a bit surprised, but not that concerned, to find that she is selling fakes; as long as it looks authentic, tourists won’t know the difference. On the way back to my hotel, I reflect on how my little escapade epitomises the way culture in Vietnam is being commodified and sold for a cheap buck – at the expense of something much more valuable.

Seb Rumsby Seb Rumsby is a PhD candidate at Warwick University’s department for Politics and International Studies.

YAV: Kyoto Review of Southeast Asia, Issue 21, June 2017

REFERENCES

Keyes, Charles F. 1996. “Being Protestant Christians in Southeast Asian Worlds.” Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 27(2): 280–92. Morrison, Gayle. 1998. “The Hmong Qeej: Speaking to the Spirit World.” Hmong Studies Journal: 1–17. Nieke, Wolfgang, and Minh Phuong Luong. 2013. “Minority Status and Schooling of the Hmong in Vietnam.” Hmong Studies Journal 14: 1–37. Taylor, Philip. 2008. “Minorities at Large: New Approaches to Minority Ethnicity in Vietnam.” Journal of Vietnamese Studies 3(3): 3–43. Turner, Sarah, Jean Michaud, and Christine Bonnin. 2015. Frontier Livelihoods: Hmong in the Sino-Vietnamese Borderlands. Seattle: University of Washington Press.

[veganvagabond88]

Good Morning Vietnam

Hanoi

As we drove to Hanoi from the airport we instantly knew we would love it. A main highway takes you to the city aligned with stunning green rice paddy fields. As you enter the city the carnage begins. It had a very similar feel to Nepal, without the dust, but still the constant beeping and horrendous driving. It was fun if not a bit terrifying at times, we arrived quite late so we found some dinner and had a wander around the busy streets before going back to our hotel.

As nice as the staff was the room was damp and had mould so we couldn't stay here another night, id developed another chest infection so I’ve had to find a better place to stay. Since Nepal I haven't been 100% and keep getting sick. I think the constant travelling from place to place definitely takes its till on the immune system. People seem to think that travelling is easy and its all fun and sitting on a beach all day relaxing, but the hard reality is that its difficult and exhausting at times, spending hours on a crappy bus/train, turning up somewhere with no where to stay etc, isn't exactly my idea of fun but I am grateful that I have the opportunity to travel, sometimes taking a bad cheap bus/train is necessary to reach a location of beauty, which in the end is worth the sleepless night and cockroach infested train cabin, haha.

There is so much to do in Hanoi, I could easily spend a week or two here. If you don't like a busy city though id suggest just spending a couple of nights. After a while you get used to the beeping and crossing the death trap roads.

Crazy roads

Definitely see some sights here!

Random barber shop!

I visited the women's museum which was great. If you are interested in History then this is the place to go. The museum is split into 3 floors, women in family, women in history, and women in fashion. It is located on one of the most ancient streets of the city amongst French style buildings, big hotels and embassies. The place itself is quite contemporary and houses some of the most important and cultural information artefacts from Vietnam women's history. My favourite part was probably women in history, this documents the struggle, but also important role that the Vietnamese woman had on the country during the war especially.

Beautiful photos of Vietnamese women

The centre of the museum was pretty cool

One of the most interesting stories is that of Dang Thuay Tram, she was a north Vietnamese army doctor who fought the Americans during the Vietnam war and died defending her hospital from US attack. She is known as the Anne Frank of Vietnam, after documenting her life as an army doctor through a diary which has since sold thousands of copies and become a phenomenon. I am going to read the full book now after learning about her.

The rest of this section is full of stories documenting other brave Vietnamese women, its a little hard to digest at times as you get a real sense of what these women went through and realise that when you've had a shitty day you really had nothing to complain about, compared to the women who fought and sacrificed their lives.

Really cool propaganda art 

Its not all doom and gloom though, the museum is also a celebration of women throughout the country displaying beautiful jewellery, clothing's, including the many different dresses/outfits from the many provinces of Vietnam, which shows the different culture and heritage.

So many different dresses, all hand made and beautiful 

The cost of this was 30,000 dong as well as another 30,000 for an audio guide which I thought was a must, it was very insightful and clear. I spent a good 2 hours in the museum before making my way to a nearby cafe where I sat and digested all of the information I had just learnt, of course some of it made me sad but I also felt great admiration for the countries women and walked away feeling like Id gained a lot and learned the truth and realised how lucky I am.

Another must to do is the Hanoi Prison, now this is quite a deep and moving place. The Hoa Lo prison was used by French colonists for political prisoners then later on by the North Vietnamese for the POWs, during this time it was rather aptly known as the “Hanoi Hilton” by the POWs.

The prison was demolished in the 1990s however the original gatehouse remains as the museum

Hoa Lo can be translated to “fiery furnace” or even “hells hole” it really was a place of hell.

weird feeling being behind these bars :-/

Around the grounds of the prison parts of the tunnels which were used as an escape route are on display, can only imagine how claustrophobic this must of been!

The prison was built by the French when Vietnam was still part of the French Indochina. The prison was called “Maison Centrale” meaning Central House.

From the late 1800’s to 1954 it held up to 8000 people with the inmates held in terrible sub human conditions, where the prisoners were subjected to torture and eventually execution. Some were even kept in one cell chained down for up to a year, eating and going to the toilet on the same spot before finally being executed.

This was so eerie and surreal, the wax work models show how the inmates were held down in these awful conditions, it started to make me feel a bit sick thinking about it, i was keen to leave by then.

The prison documents the history from the French era right to when it was used to have US troops during the Vietnam war. Some were captured and held for up to 7 years, before the war ended they were released between the late 70’s early 80’s.

The museum still displays the original guillotine room with all original equipment as well as the different quarters men and women Vietnamese political prisoners.

Displays in the interrogation room show the propaganda used showing that the Americans were treated well and not harmed and even cite the nickname “Hanoi Hilton” to “prove” that inmates found the prison to be like a hotel.

Propaganda includes photos of the US POWs playing chess, pool, gardening, raising chickens and receiving large amounts of fresh food. However the claims of the prison are contested by the US prisoners published memoirs which identify the rooms as the site of acts of torture.

I have mixed feelings about it, no one will ever know the real truth except for the prisoners themselves. It serves as a good reminder of the past and an appreciation lesson of how privileged we are now.

How to get there:

We walked, its only a 10 minute walk from the old quarter. I recommend downloading the app “mapsme” its been brilliant and works offline (that being said its sometimes got confused and we've ended up somewhere completely different)

Cost:

As of February 2017 it cost only 20,000 dong which is less than a dollar! Well worth it, apparently the museum is closed on Mondays but check before you go.

We spent a few days in Hanoi, exploring the local markets and enjoying walks around the lovely Hoan Kiem Lake, the lake is a main focal point of Hanoi aligned with cafes and street vendors. It is the best at the weekends when the roads around the lake are restricted so that families can play around the lake. So much is going on here, street performers, markets, games, people exercising. Brides have their professional photographs done here which was lovely to see. Also note its a selfie stick haven so id recommend going at less busy times to avoid the masses of selfie hungry tourists. It gets a bit annoying at times but also quite entertaining.

I sat on a bench with a coffee one day and was approached by a local Vietnamese young man who wanted to practice his English, he was a doctor and spent his weekends down at the lake to speak to tourists so he could improve his English. I thought this was great, he was really nice and taught me some Vietnamese and even walked me to the women's museum and told me some facts about the city which I otherwise wouldn't of known. After this I actually noticed quite a lot of local youngsters speaking to westerners, I think practising like the man I met was. In fact one evening we were sat by the lake when a small boy came up to us and started asking lots of questions and wanted his photo taken with us, he was with his mother and little brother. He was super cute and a very smart inquisitive boy, its awesome that they do this to improve their English.

We found some amazing places to eat which did vegan food, in particular Minh Chay vegan restaurant which is located near the Catholic Church.

The gothic style church was stunning at night, was nice to see a church actually after being in Asia for so long now.

We ate there a few times, I really recommend the salads, burgers and vegan cheese pizza. It was AMAZING!. We also tried the pumpkin flan which was so tasty. Our hotel “The Ritz Boutique” was only a few doors down to here. We loved staying here and the host Thuy was so helpful and kind to us. We stayed in a dorm which was one of the most comfortable clean dorms I’ve ever stayed in, plus for the first night we had it to ourselves, i slept like a baby that night :)

Vegan Pizza, Tempura and Salad!

Amazing Flan!

Thuy was great and helped us organise a trip to Cat Ba Halong Bay. We got a VIP bus and boat then a coach on the other side, this took around 3-4 hours. It was a pretty good journey I really recommend paying a bit extra, I think it cost us $18 each for a better bus, it was definitely worth it, we spoke to some people who got the cheaper option and said it was pretty bad. The tour operator for this was “Good morning Cat Ba”

Unfortunately we missed the good weather in Cat Ba, we were met by overcast skies and a kind of eerie feel about it, it was pretty lifeless really however we were told by a local that we were in the low season, so maybe that's why.

It was a bit like going back in time, the views out to sea were pretty amazing though but the island itself felt a bit tired and lacking modernisation, in a way I kind of liked it, it had a retro Southend feel about it haha.

We booked a one day boat tour to visit Halong Bay. This was beautiful, it is known for its emerald green waters and thousands of tall limestone island topped with rain forests. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and is a very popular destination for tourists.

First stop was to a stunning spot where you could jump off the boat and swim to a little island. It was way too cold plus I had a cough and cold so I decided to stay on the boat and had a coffee while Ben jumped in and explored the little island.

We took the boat out to the islands where we stopped to do kayaking around the coves and caves, it was like something out of Jurassic Park, a picture just couldn't capture its beauty. I can only imagine how nice it would have been if we had good weather. Nether the less it was lovely to kayak around for an hour or so. Unfortunately the destruction of man is evident here where non recyclable plastic, cans and polystyrene litters the waters. It really is sad to see. Hopefully some sort of clean up will happen and fines imposed for littering as it really is destroying the planet.

Other than that I tried to look past the bad parts and enjoy the day. After kayaking we got back on the boat and enjoyed a freshly cooked meal of tofu, greens, spring rolls and rice, it was so good.

We then made our way to monkey island, my friend had “warned” me about this. The monkeys are very naughty here and are known to steal peoples food/beer and even attacking tourists so I was a bit apprehensive as we stepped onto the island.

Beautiful monkeys but also cheeky, after all they are wild so you never know how they are going to react, these two seemed ok and are used to tourists but they did get a bit fiesty at times! i kept my distance :p

I was a bit disappointed we only saw 2 monkeys which were hanging around the (overpriced) bar/shop that you get dropped off at. We took some photos and witnessed one of them stealing a bag of nuts from an unsuspecting tourist, this made me laugh.

We then made our way up to the well known viewpoint (stepping over rubbish along the way). We actually stopped as we neared the top and came back down as it was packed with people so it was too crowded going up the narrow path. We could still see the amazing panoramic views from many points up the hill though.

Quite upsetting to see this :(

We hung around on the island for an hour or so taking photos, before getting back onto the boat and making our way back to Cat Ba.

Muay Thai pose :p

There is lots to do in Cat Ba, trekking, caving, kayaking, boat tours etc. we explored some of the beaches which were stunning and surprisingly empty as well. For our last day we rented a scooter and visited the Cat Ba National Park.

I even had a go riding the scooter! 

This was a bit weird, the place looked deserted, you can tell it must have been a busy tourist place at some point, I’m not sure if we were there in an off peak season maybe but it just seemed so run down which was sad. We trekked up to the top view point which has fantastic views so that made it worthwhile. On the way back down we bypassed the busy restaurant and had a coffee at a little shack run by a local couple. It was nice to give back and help them out a bit, even if it was just a coffee.

Dilapidated french buildings in the grounds of the National Park.

We did get back to the main town and had a yummy late lunch of vegetable spring rolls and a Vietnamese Pho before catching the bus, ferry and another bus back to Hanoi.

We visited the vegan restaurant one last time, amazing salad and vegan cheese lasagne. I was sad to be leaving Hanoi as I really love it, but it was time to move on. Our hotel host Thuay booked us a sleeper train to Danang where we then took a taxi to the city Hoi An.

The sleeper train cost $45 but it does take 16 hours so I guess its worth it. The train wasn't exactly clean and we shared our 4 bed cabin with a French couple plus a few cockroaches and god knows what else, haha. Oh well it got us from A to B so that's the main thing.

Its nice to wake up on the train which passes through the gorgeous Vietnam countryside, it was raining a bit but it was beautiful still.

Danang

We arrived in Danang around lunch time and walked around for an hour or so trying to find some food or at least a good coffee. However this didn't happen, quickly we learnt that Danang didn't have much to offer for tourists, so deflated and tired we walked back to the station, picked up some crisps and a water and got a taxi to Hoi An. This ended up costing around $5 each, but I’m pretty sure you can get a shared mini bus when you get off the train (although as no trains were arriving when we went back this wasn't possible)

Hoi An

We arrived in Hoi An later that afternoon and found somewhere to stay, the “Hoi An Villa” (it wasn't a villa haha) but it was nice and came with free breakfast – the usual bread and eggs! Bore! I ended up buying some peanut butter and jam though so that's been useful for me as I don't eat eggs. Got to love p&j on toast (well a warm baguette) loving the Vietnamese coffee though!.

We spent a few days here, its pretty expensive though, the best way to see Hoi An is by bicycle, we rented these for the day and took a ride to An Bang Beach which takes you through rice paddy fields which was gorgeous. The beach was lovely but it was a bit overcast and cold. We had a paddle then went for a delicious ice coffee and coconut treat before riding back just before the sunset. The light is awesome here, its perfect for taking photos.

This is the part of Vietnam that I love, the countryside and simple life that the Vietnamese people lead is so lovely.

Hard at work!

An Bang Beach

We met up with Molly, Jon and Mario again which was nice, they are travelling a little ahead of us but we keep catching up to them which has been fun.

Night time around the streets of Hoi An, really pretty!

Hoi An is pretty touristy just walking around and exploring things such as the Japanese Bridge which is in the ancient town is awesome. They try and charge you to walk over but we managed to by pass this and found another way through the back streets. (backpacking 101 ha-ha)

met some cute pooches taking the back roads :)

The town is also famous for its tailor shops, you cant walk down a street without finding one, or better yet being hassled to come in and buy something. We found a lovely shop though and I picked out a navy maxi dress and playsuit which the lady altered to fit me perfect. This only cost around £22 for both items. Ben also got a couple of lairy shirts very cheap. Lots of people actually come here to purposely get suits and dresses made for weddings, combining it with stag and hen do’s which I think is a great idea. Id definitely recommend this as its so cheap and the clothes/fabric are lovely.

Food

We found an awesome vegan restaurant called Minh Hien we ate here a couple of nights running before discovering the restaurant across the road called “number 43” which also had a great veggie friendly menu. The Cao Lau was amazing and we also had the veggie set menu which only cost a few quid/person. It really is worth it and both restaurants were always busy which is a good sign.

Cao Lau , super tasty!

After a few days here we moved on and booked a sleeper bus to Nha Trang, this was pretty awful but I’ve come to realise that nothing is easy and straight forward in Asia.

Cosy! :-/

Everyone got on the bus but was made to go to the back as all of the seats near the front were “reserved”… They wasn't it was just the bus driver being awkward as usual. The ride wasn't too bad and was better than the last sleeper bus, we had a loo break and then a dinner break at around 11pm! Had some veggie noodles which were pretty much plain noodles with a few greens on top but it was OK, we got back on the bus and managed to sleep a little bit.

Nha Trang

We arrived in Nha Trang around 5:30am and got scammed, the driver said a guy from our hotel was here to pick us up on bikes, the guy even had a card with the name of the hotel on so we said how much and they said it was free and that they were from the hotel. After a 5 minute journey we got off and they demanded money from us (a lot more than what a bike taxi should be so we argued with them and they turned a bit violent. Eventually we just gave them 50,000dong and walked away with them shouting abuse at us. Arriving at a hostel so early is a bit annoying as you cant check in but the staff were friendly and let us catch some sleep in a free dorm for a few hours until our double room was ready.

The next few days we walked around a lot and explored the city, we quickly came to realise that it was pretty much run by Russians, it was quite weird even all the menus were in Russian and we had to ask for English. The beach part is pretty nice and the weather was starting to warm up a bit, however we were pretty run down so didn't really do much here. Its expensive to so we decided to save the money until we went somewhere else. 

Fresh coconut on the beach ;)

A few friends have actually visited Vinpearl and said its awesome, its like Vietnam's version of Disneyland however we decided not to do this as it was quite pricey. Apart from that Nha Trang is a resort town so for backpackers I wouldn't recommend staying here no more than a few days. There are trips out to diving sites but I wanted to save diving for when I get to Thailand. Tip if you want a real healthy smoothie head to “Core” its a juice bar similar “Boost” that you get in England/Oz. They also do amazing dark rye veggie wraps!.

Green smoothie at “core”

Dalat

Next stop was to Dalat this is a city in Southern Vietnam's central highlands and is centred around a huge lake, surrounded by pine forests, lakes and waterfalls. It was developed by the French in the early 1900’s which is evident from the colonial heritage that remains.

There are plenty of trips you can take but we decided to rent a scooter and explore for ourselves. We rode out to the Pongour waterfalls which are the best and biggest ones there. Its around 50km from Dalat city but its well worth it as they are not as touristy which was nice, we stopped on the way for a sugar cane juice which was super cheap, fresh and delicious.

I cant remember how much we paid for entry but it was cheap however they do charge a bit for parking which I thought was a bit cheeky. After a little bit of a walk you are met by the huge waterfalls which are pretty stunning, the views from the top are beautiful to. Many people pick to do this rather than the Elephant waterfalls which are closer to the city centre.

The other attraction we did was the cable car, this takes you 2.5km across the pine forests of Dalat which is pretty impressive, you can see for miles around, farmland, greenhouses, lakes and distant mountains. The cable car runs from Robin Hill to Truc Lam Pagoda and Tuyen Lake. The Pagoda was amazing and is surrounded by beautiful gardens of flowers and temples. Its definitely worth a visit.

Top Tip: The Truc Lam Monastery is open daily from 06:00-18:00 but the cable car station closes at 17:00.

Take something suitable to wear (cover your arms and legs) if you want to go inside the temples.

Apart from that there is plenty to do, Dalat is full of the usual tourist stuff, markets, a lot of coffee shops and clothes shops. As well as this you can do many hikes and it is also famed for its golf courses.

We did go to do the Datanla waterfall with the roller coaster however we fell out with the people there as they didn't mention you had to pay two entrance fees, so bare that in mind if you are on a budget, we didn't want to see the Datanla waterfall we only wanted to experience the toboggan style roller-coaster that they have. We ended up leaving it and riding around the city instead, then went for a nice coffee and treat :) 

There are lots of nice cafes, but one of my favourites was “An Cafe” they do real smoothies and also give you crayons and paper to doodle on which I thought was very cute. 

Also if you are a coffee lover then visit “Lens coffee restaurant” this is located above the market so its perfect for people watching, they do an awesome Americano. 

We managed to find quite a lot of veggie friendly restaurants but one of the best was “V Cafe” I recommend the Tofu curry and salads, they also serve Dalat red wine which was amazing, I haven't had red wine since I left the UK so I was very excited about this and had a few glasses (30,000 dong a glass so cant complain) every night they have live music to which was great really enjoyed the vibe here.

Red wine and veggie/tofu curry! perfect

After exploring as much as we could of Dalat by scooter and foot we made our way to Mui Ne, this is a beach resort town along the South China Sea in South-east Vietnam. Its a popular spot for things like windsurfing, kitesurfing sailing etc, so if you have time id recommend going there, and also visit the sand dunes, I didn't get a chance but it looked really cool. I only spent a night here as I wanted to move on to Ho Chi Minh as I was flying to Koh Samui to meet my sister and her boyfriend who were holidaying there.

Going solo...

I took the bus from Mui Ne down to Ho Chi Minh, this was probably the best bus I’ve been on, it was a sleeper bus even though I left around 1:30pm but it was nice to lay down a bit and catch up on some sleep, I think I arrived in Ho Chi Minh around 5:30pm so it wasn't a bad journey. 

The traffic was insane as i arrived!

I met Molly, Jon and Mario again and we had dinner and some drinks so that was nice. 

Mariooooo! love this guy, hes currently in New Zealand extending his travels :) 

The next morning I then took a taxi to the airport to fly to Bangkok (under £10 i think). The flight didn't cost much, I think it was just under £50 and the flight time was around 1.5 hours. Ho Chi Minh is a pretty crazy city, it was a shame I couldn't explore more, I would of liked to of visited some of the museums and the tunnels, but I didn't have time, im sure I will go back at some point though.

Everything was going smoothly, then I tried to check in…. They said I couldn't fly because I didn't have an outbound ticket out of Thailand! My heart sank as I thought Im not going to make it and see my sister, at this point id become so home sick I needed to see her. Eventually though after speaking to the manager of the airline he let me through! I was happy again.

I was finally on my way to Thailand my favourite place

To be continued…..

P.S

Ive had alot going on over the past few months, so sorry for not keeping up to date, ive been in the South of Thailand for around two months, exploring islands, lots of diving (I got my SSI qualification, open water and advanced diver), snorkelling, hiking and of course partying :p. Im now in Malaysia!

I will keep on exploring, writing and taking photos while keeping you all updated when I can :) lots of love <3 VB xx 

Some recent photos on my Insta: vegan_bunny_girl

[wikitopx]

Attractions in Vietnam are abundant, from stunning natural landscapes, historic villages to war museums, and ancient cinctures.

The Cu Chi tunnels, tucked outside Ho Chi Minh City, represent the sheer grit and the ‘can-do’ attitude of the Vietnamese while a visit to the War Remnants Museum brings home the horrible reality of war. On the positive side, the fabulous Hue Monuments and the My Son Sanctuary will create your psychic side. Attract millions of visitors all year, its colonial inheritance. It also means that many hotels create a unique blend of French and Asian influences while its cuisine is highly recognized as one of the best in the world.

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1. Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay, in northern Vietnam, is infatuated with 1,600 limestone islands and islets and covers an area of over 1,500sqkm. Public a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, for many visitors, this surrealistic place is like something right out of a movie. About a four-hour drive from downtown Hanoi, the area is also fabric to different kinds of limestone caves such as phreatic caves, karstic foot caves, and marine notch caves. Many activities include exploring the many cave formations, kayaking around rocky outcrops and watching the wildlife. Location: Gulf of Tonkin, Quang Ninh Province.

2. Imperial Citadel of Thang Long

  The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long is an interesting sanctity of Vietnam’s history and, indicates its historical and cultural importance is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stand 40 meters high, the central flag tower is the most recognizable feature of the Imperial Citadel and is often used as a symbol of Hanoi.

This was the heart of ancient Hanoi and served as the political center for eight centuries. Tucked in Ba Dinh, the Imperial Citadel houses foundations of old palaces, relics, ancient roads, ponds, and wells.

Opening: Daily 8:00 – 12:30 & 13:30 – 19:30 Location: Quan Thanh, Ba Dinh, Hanoi

3. Hoi An Ancient Town

Hoi An Ancient Town provides a breathtaking mix of florid Chinese temples, a Japanese-designed bridge, wooden shop-houses, French-colonial houses, and old canals.

Recognized a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, almost the old shops have been circumspect changed to modern businesses aimed at tourists like countless tailors, souvenir shops, art galleries, restaurants, and cafés.

An entrance fee of VND 120,000 is required for foreign tourists and VND 80,000 for locals - each ticket is valid for 10 days and covers entrance to entrance to Hoi An Ancient Town, six points of exciting, and street entertainment (folk dancing, singing, and traditional games). Location: Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province.

4. Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum

Ho Chi Minh is arguably the most popular political figure in Vietnam, and is known to his people as ‘Uncle Ho’. His body is protected here in a glass case at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in central Hanoi (albeit against his wishes).

Starting in 1973, the construction of the mausoleum was modeled on Lenin's mausoleum in Russia. The entrance is free of charge, and visitors are required to dress appropriately out of respect for Vietnam's departed leader.

Opening: Tuesday - Thursday 07:30 - 10:30, Saturday & Sunday 07:30 - 11:00. Address: 8 Hung Vuong, Dien Bien, Ba Dinh, Hanoi.

5. Cu Chi Tunnels

The Cu Chi Tunnels are a huge war museum offering visitors a sneak peek at the underground life of Viet Cong-era soldiers. Comprise more than 120km of tunnels, they were first started around 1948 when the Viet Cong were fighting the French.

The work never stopped and resulted in a massive collection of tunnels. Now, it is one of Ho Chi Minh’s most iconic appeals where visitors can join many activities such as feeling the claustrophobia-inducing routes of the underground army, firing an M16 assault rifle, as well sampling meals that the underground soldiers had to live with years ago.

Opening Hours: Daily 07:00 - 17:00. Location: 70km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City.

6. My Son Sanctuary

My Son Hindu Sanctuary, recognized a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an interesting sample of the ancient Champa civilization tucked in the southern part of Vietnam. It was a self-sufficient state from around the 2nd to the 17th century, at which time it was occupied by Vietnam.

The compound houses around 70 structures devoted to Hindu gods and goddesses and the most noticeable one, Shiva, was considered the protector of the Champa’s kings.

Opening Hours: Daily 06:30 - 16:30. Location: Duy Tan Commune, Duy Xuyen District, Quang Nam Province. Price Range: VND 150,000.

7. The complex of Hue Monuments

Hue Imperial City, tucked along the northern bank of the Perfume River, create hundreds of monuments dating back to the early 19th century, such as the Forbidden Purple City, royal tombs, pagodas, temples, royal quarters, a library, museum.

Also named the Complex of Hue Monuments, this UNESCO World Heritage Site also hosts daily cultural performances at 09:00, 10:00, 14:30 and 15:30. The entrance fee is priced at VND 150,000, which combines visits to both Hue Imperial City and Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities.

Take you 30-minute drive from Phu Bai International Airport, Hue Imperial City is a must-visit for any visitor to Central Vietnam.

Opening Hours: Daily 07:00 – 17:00. Location: Hue City Centre, Hue. Price Range: VND 150,000.

8. War Remnants Museum

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The War Remnants Museum once called the ‘Museum of American War Crimes’ first opened to the collective in 1975. It’s a shocking reminder of the long and ferocious Vietnam War with many graphic photographs and American warrior equipment on display.

All these arms were used by America against the Vietnamese. The War Remnants Museum is in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City and is invested by the government. It is opened all year round from 07:30 to17:00.

A visit to this war museum is a harassing experience for most people and may not be suitable for children (though they are allowed to enter).

Opening: Daily 07.30 - 12.00 & 13:30 – 17:00. Location: 28 Vo Van Tan, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City. Price Range: VND 15,000.

9. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is a popular option for adventurous travelers looking to explore its many limestone caves and grottoes.

Tucked within the Quang Binh Province, it contains the world’s largest cave, Son Doong, with sections reaching up to 200m in height, as well as Paradise Cave, which boasts spectacular shapes of limestone stalactites and stalagmites.

The entrance to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park costs VND 40,000, plus additional fees (between VND 80,000 and (VND 150,000) to enter the caves. Hiking, mountain biking, and cave expeditions are regularly organized by tour operators in Vietnam.

Location: Quang Binh Province. Price Range: VND 40,000.

10. The Sand Dunes of Mui Ne

The Sand Dunes of Mui Ne are two geological wonders no visitor should ever miss out on their travel itinerary.

There are a lot of tour operators in Mui Ne that organize day-trips to these Saharan-like red and white dunes, but you can easily make your way to both locales if you prefer to explore according to your own pace.

Visitors can rent plastic sleds and it is a great idea to check the price and agree on it beforehand. Another interesting activity is kite flying, catching the beautiful sunset. These dunes are a popular picnic place for locals too.

Location: Mui Ne, Phan Thiet.

More ideals for you: Top 10 things to do in England

From : https://wikitopx.com/travel/top-10-things-to-do-in-my-area-vietnam-701986.html

[originalhoalutamcoc]

10+ Best Vietnam travel agency and Vietnam tour operator [No bias]

Vietnam travel agency is a puzzle you have to solve before actually touring in this amazing country. The common question is always “What is the best Vietnam travel agency?” For people with little to no experience in Vietnam trips, choosing a decent one would be hard when there are a large number of tourist agents out there – reliable ones and scam ones.

1. Vietnam travel agency list by local experts

Therefore, we are here to help you making the right choice.. In this list, we will introduce you the best Vietnam travel agencies and Vietnam tour operators throughout the country. These travel agents surely won’t let you down!

Best Travel agency in Vietnam specialized in the North

First, let’s start with the North of Vietnam. There are already tons of amazing destinations such as Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Halong, Sapa and so on. Usually, Vietnam travel agency for the North offers tours to all of this spots. And if you are planning a holiday in Hanoi, also check out Hanoi travel agency!

AZ Local Trip – Vietnam local tour agency

AZ Local Trip is a Vietnam inbound tour operator with the main purpose of assisting tourists in planning itinerary and offering services for tourists all around the world. The claimed ultimate aim of this agency is to introduce a better Vietnam to all foreign travelers.

Being one of the best local Vietnam tour companies, AZ Local Trip’s guides are regarded to be well-educated, professional and passionate about Vietnam and their jobs.

A tour to Bat Trang with AZ Local Trip to experience the pottery making

They offer excellent service at a reasonable price – you can customize your itinerary for FREE, and they also provide 24/7 online and offline help. AZ Local Trip is specialized in Northern Vietnam trips, but in general, their tours are all high quality. Their Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Halong tour are definitely worth a try out!

Vega Travel

Vega Travel has made great trips to travelers since its foundation in the 2000s.They offer Fansipan tour with experienced staff and a suitable schedule for any tourist interested in mountain climbing in Vietnam. Also, they are known for Halong Bay private boats.

As one of the most well-known Vietnam travel agency, Vega Travel shows their social responsible by financially supports kindergartens and schools in remote areas such as Sapa and Bac Ha, Northen Vietnam

Hanoi Free Local Tours

Hanoi Free Local Tours is a non-profit organization in Hanoi. They offer travelers with various FREE tours around Hanoi such as Old Quarter Tours, City Tours, Scooter Tours, French Quarter Tour and Bat Trang Village Tour. All tours are guide by local students who wish to show foreign friends the beauty of Vietnam as well as improve their language skills.

A motorbike tour with Hanoi Free Local Tours. Let local students introduce you Hanoi in their own view!

Also, they provide the FREE Itinerary planning for your days in Hanoi with the help of local experts living in Hanoi for years

Hanoi Free Local Tours has been on CNN and Channel 8 of Singapore so their services are well guaranteed for sure!

Ethnic Travel

Ethnic Travel is a Vietnamese-owned and Hanoi-based company. They provide the service of designing and customizing the trips according to the tourists’ wish and catering for all ages.

They also have an office in Sapa. Their trips are mostly across Northern Vietnam in small groups, making the experience more private and special.

Handspan Adventure Travel

Handspan Adventure Travel is a travel agency specialized in Indochina tours, but of course, they offer great Vietnam trips. This travel agent aims to serve high-quality service, small-group tours, new tourist destinations and responsible tourism.

Apart from their Indochina tours, Handspan Adventure Travel also provides Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island tours, as well as mountain biking and trekking tours in remote areas like Moc Chau, Sapa and Ba Be National Park.

Handspan experts in mountain biking and trekking tours in remote areas

Buffalo Tours

Buffalo Tours is one of the most long-established travel agents in Vietnam, it was originally founded in 1994. Nowadays, they have been providing tours and trips for many tourists annually.

This Vietnam travel agency also offers airport and hotel transfers, as well as tour guides in all their Vietnam tours, which can add more value for customers.

Vietnam travel agent specialized in the Central

Sinh Tourist

Sinh Tourist is one of the most popular Vietnam tour operators in the Centre of Vietnam with their Hue and Hoian tours. They has been recieving good reviews from thousands of their customers, making them a well-known tour providers for the Central Vietnam.

SInh Tourist is well-known with their tours in the Centre of Vietnam

Stop & Go Café

Stop and Go Café is a Central Vietnam tour operator established around ten years ago. Since then, they have become a stop and tour organiser for travelers visiting Central Vietnam.

Also, their good point is the excellent private car transfer services in Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Phong Nha and other places in Central of Vietnam.

Travel agent in Vietnam specialized in the South

Innoviet Travel

Innoviet Travel is a Vietnam tour operator specialised in Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnel trips. The good point of their tours are the small-group sizes, letting travelers soaking in the experience of every tourist destination. In general, their staff are friendly and energetic, they will accompany tourists to see the real-life beautiful Mekong Delta.

See real-life beautiful Mekong Delta with Innoviet Travel

Go Go Vietnam

GoGo Vietnam is a Vietnamese-owned tour operator with their headquater located in Ho Chi Minh City. Their strong point is visa extension and renewal services. Also, their day trips are of good quality.

Vietnam tour operators specialized in Ninh Binh day trip

Ninh Binh, just 100 kilometers from Hanoi, is a fascinating destination for anyone who seek for a short escape from the hustle and busle or just want to get close to the nature and create more memories while in Vietnam. For details, you can check out Ninh Binh travel agency!

Original Hoa Lu Tam Coc

Original Hoa Lu Tam Coc is an online travel agency in Vietnam that experts in Hoa Lu Tam Coc day trip and other Ninh Binh tours. Proud to be the first ever Hoa Lu Tam Coc tour operator, we offer you not an ordinary tour but a new way of seeing things – an amazing adventure for every traveler. For local experience and support at local price, it has to be us!

Original Hoa Lu Tam Coc makes sure that you can have the best experience in Ninh Binh

In 10 years of providing tours to customers, Original Hoa Lu Tam Coc has delivered 5-star service to more than 10000 travelers anually and has received positive reviews on Tripadvisor.

We are now providing Ninh Binh tours including Tam Coc, Hoa Lu, Trang An, Mua cave, Phat Diem Cathedral, Cuc Phuong National Park. Or wherever you want to go, our local experts will make it customize and special for you!

>>> With every book, you can get a FREE Hanoi City Tour with local students! What are you waiting for, find your tour now?

Hanoi Explore Travel

Hanoi Explore Travel is a Vietnam travel agency for short trips includings Ninh Binh trips. They has a wide range of tours with with favorably priced and realiable services

With young, dynamic and experienced staffs, they promise that you will always get the help, travel consultant with all the heart and enthusiasm.

Original Ninh Binh Tours

Original Ninh Binh Tours offers unique original trips that bring you the most authentic experience with the understanding of Ninh Binh’s beauty.

Their mission is focusing on customers and aiming to provide the best local tours to Ninh Binh with the best local prices. Also, Original Ninh Binh Tours offers customers more value with the FREE tours in Hanoi for each order.

Original Ninh Binh Tours aims to helivering the most unique original trips in Ninh Binh

Reputable tour operators in Vietnam specialized in adventure trip

Mr. Linh’s Adventure Tours

Mr. Linh’s Adventure Tours have been one of the best Vietnam local tour operators with customized itinerary in the region since 2008.

Their staffs are well-trained, professional and specialized in off-the-beaten-track and adventurous traveling in Vietnam’s Northern remote areas. The Ba Be Lakes homestay tour is the most highly recommended.

Cuong’s Motorbike Adventure

Cuong’s Motorbike Adventure is proud of having the largest fleet of motorbikes comparing to any other travel agency in Vietnam. Their motorbikes are well-maintained and their staff is energetic for touring with travelers throughout Vietnam.

Their guides are experienced in traveling around Vietnam and know the routes that will lead you to exciting tourist destinations. Also, they tailor itineraries to your riding styles and road conditions and are flexible on the road, making them the best for adventurous tourists.

An off-the-beaten-track route to Cao Bang with Cuong’s Motorbike Adventure

4. Tips for choosing a Vietnam travel company

Beside, below are some tips for you to choose the most suitable and reliable travel agency, as well as having the best travel experience in Vietnam:

Direct booking with the Vietnam travel agency

When coming to the hotel in Vietnam, there will be tons of people trying to sell you tours. However, please refrain from choosing tours with the middleman, because the price will be especially high. They will find ways to charge you more than when working directly with the travel agency. Therefore, you should booking tours with a reliable agency, not through a medium.

Check it out if the travel agency is authentic

There are a lot of travel agencies pop up when you search online, but, there is high chance that scam agencies are included, so you should check out everything first: the website, the office location, the tour package and the information to make sure you choose the authentic Vietnam travel agency, not a fake one.

There are bunch of travel agency in Vietnam street, check thoroughly to avoid “copy-cat” ones!

Discuss the itinerary and the cost carefully

When you are done with choosing a tour, you should start sitting down and discussing about the itinerary and the cost. Asking about the inclusions and exclusions in the total fee and also the activities in the tour package. You should read through the term of payment to see if the cost is up to your expectation, or else it may leave a hole in your wallet.

Reading Vietnam travel agency reviews

This is also a good way to find out a reliable Vietnam travel agency. Review of the previous tourists will give you a hint of how the tour and service of that agency are like and also help you to avoid scam.  Honest reviews can also help you to pick out the best tour of the agency and remind you of some tips to enhance your experience. A few minutes of reading won’t do any harm, but it would give you a lot of precious information.

Keeping contact information of the agency

It is important that you keep contact information of your Vietnam travel agency in Vietnam. Bad things can come up at any time. And if you have a question or any requirement, you’d better contact the headquarter to get immediate help.

So, have you choose any reliable Vietnam travel agency from the list above? If you still confused and need more advice, feel free to contact Original Hoa Lu Tam Coc local experts. We are always here for you!

The post 10+ Best Vietnam travel agency and Vietnam tour operator [No bias] appeared first on Original Hoa Lu Tam Coc.

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10 of the worlds best city views: readers travel tips

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10 of the worlds best city views: readers travel tips

These stunning viewpoints put the fun into funiculars and the drama into panorama and many have art, bars and cafes to enjoy, too

Winning tip: Jaipur, India

Nahargarh Fort sprawls around a rocky outcrop above the Pink City of Jaipur in Rajasthan province. Take a rickshaw up the hairpin road or go in the evening and tackle the stiff 20-minute hike up the path from the citys northern edge. Wander the extensive battlements and find an empty rampart or dome-covered lookout for incredible views over the constant tumult of Jaipur. Grab a late beer at the forts Padao Cafe and watch the famous pink render of the citys buildings glow in the evening sun. SPD

Havana, Cuba

Photograph: Kate Hockenhull/Alamy

The best views of the colourful houses and sparkling blue bay of Havana can be found hiding in plain sight on the corner of the Plaza Vieja in Old Havana, at its tallest building: Edificio Gmez Vila. It was surprisingly bereft of visitors when I visited: after ascending in the lift and paying the two pesos ($2) to enter the terrace, I had the large terrace with its amaing views to myself. The panorama is worth the entry fee alone, but the show inside guiding you through live views from the only Cmara Obscura in the Caribbean, which offers 360-degree views of the city at 30x magnification, are worth a look too. lahabana.com Anna

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Readers’ tips competition: send a tip for a chance to win a 200 voucher

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Every week we ask our readers for recommendations from their travels. A selection of tips will be featured online and may appear in print, and the best entry each week (as chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet) wins a 200 voucher from hotels.com. To enter the latest competition visit the readers’ tips homepage

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Verona, Italy

Photograph: Don White/Alamy

We discovered an extraordinary view over the rooftops of Veronas historic heart when we visited a wine festival there, with tasting stations throughout the city. The final tasting involved crossing Ponte Pietra and taking the funicular up to Castel San Pietro. Terraces extend in front of the castle, from where the view over medieval Verona, its towers and palaces all tucked inside a loop of the Adige river, is a stunner. Romantics should aim for sunset. The Reteodorico restaurant at the top of the funicular has garden terraces perfect for enjoying the panorama over a meal. Funicular 1 each way, funicolarediverona.it, reteodorico.com Martha

Bergen, Norway

Photograph: Yvette Cardozo/Alamy

Bergen after dark, viewed from near the top station of the Flibanen funicular railway, is a magical sight. The daytime view is impressive, but its as evening draws in that the lights of the city and ships around the harbour sparkle, especially if its cold and clear. If my partner and I hadnt had already had the talk about not getting married, that view might well have brought on a bended-knee moment You dont have to take the train to see it: you can walk up to the viewpoint from the city centre and head back down for a coffee, or another expensive beer, afterwards. 125kr return (11), 65kr single, visitbergen.com Keith Rickaby

Valparaso, Chile

This city is full of fantastic viewpoints, and you get a different sense of the place from each of them. A favourite was the terrace of Fauna, a hotel/restaurant that did excellent pisco sours in Cerro Alegre; depending on which direction you look, you either enjoy the sight of hundreds of colourful houses perched haphazardly on the citys 42 hills or, if you time it right, watch the moon rise over the mountains across the bay. The poet Pablo Neruda so loved looking over Valparaso that he built an amazingly surreal house (open for tours) high above it. Mains at Fauna from $9, faunahotel.cl Carly

Bilbao, Spain

Photograph: Paul Adams/Alamy

Whenever we take friends to Bilbao, our starting point is the Mount Artxanda funicular, providing them with a glorious perspective of the entire city and the way it sits perfectly between the encircling peaks. The funicular journey takes less than three minutes and costs 3.60 return, a far cry from rather more expensive counterparts in other cities. The view from the top is truly spectacular, taking in the whole city including the Casco Viejo, the Guggenheim museum, San Mams Stadium and countless bridges across the River Nervin. As an added bonus, the park at the summit is a perfect picnic spot. bilbaoturismo.net Stuart La-Ffin

Hanoi, Vietnam

Photograph: David Harding/Alamy

Check out the excellent observation deck at the top of the Lotte Center. An 8 ticket (adult) and a 50-second elevator ride will whisk you up to the 65th floor, where you can gawp at panoramic views across the city. The most spectacular elements are the two vertigo-inducing glass sky decks. You can spend as little or long as you want up top theres a bar, fast food stall, and cafe to keep your energy up for all those photo calls. Deck open until midnight. lottecenter.com.vn Jo Ditcham

New York City

Photograph: Yooran Park/Alamy

After paying $25 to shuffle around the Museum of Modern Art (Moma) with the hordes in the afternoon, we went in the evening to a free session at the Whitney Gallery of American Art in the Meatpacking district. On a Friday evening from 7-10pm it is pay-what-you-like in the stunning Renzo Piano-designed building. The views from the rooftop terraces over the lights of the Hudson, New Jersey and downtown were amazing. Better yet we had the place and exhibitions virtually to ourselves. And for a different city view, the High Line walkway just around the block allows a glimpse into the apartments of the rich and probably famous as you stroll by their windows. whitney.org Joanne Welding

Kyiv, Ukraine

Photograph: Grant Rooney Premium/Alamy

Pastel-hued St Andrews Church, at the top of a steep hill in the historic Podil district of Kyiv, has wonderful baroque architecture. But what really sets this church apart from the many others is the viewing platform, accessed for a mere 60p, which affords magnificent 360-degree views of the city. You can gaze down upon the colourful old houses, domed churches and the cobbled street known as the Andriyivskyy Descent before turning around to discover the river and modern city. Charlotte

Cape Town, South Africa

Photograph: National Geographic Image Collection/Alamy

This must be one of the most beautiful cities on Earth and the view from the top of Table Mountain is an obvious one. But not many people know its even more beautiful from neighbouring Lions Head. At almost 700 metres, Lions Head has the most breathtaking vistas of Cape Town below and the mountain above. The two-hour hike entails some steep ascents and, on one route, holding on to chains close to precipices (the main route signposted to the left is much easier) but its all very rewarding and lots of fun. The trail twists around the peak so you get views of the whole area. For the brave, theres also a vertigo-inducing rocky outcrop at the very top, perfect for posing on the Insta! Erika Lelovicova

Looking for a holiday with a difference? Browse Guardian Holidays to see a range of fantastic trips

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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us

[gyrlversion]

How the worlds most unlikely assassins killed Kim Jong Uns brother

The CCTV footage is grainy but unmistakable – the chronicle of a state assassination. It’s still only 9am when the cameras at Kuala Lumpur International Airport pick up a portly man dressed in faded jeans, a blue T-shirt and grey jacket. He cuts an unobtrusive figure as he waddles through the busy terminal, a black rucksack hanging from his shoulder.

Then, appearing suddenly from behind him, two young women seem to ambush the man, smearing something on his face before retreating out of shot. One wears a sweatshirt with the logo LOL in large letters, or Laugh Out Loud.

Their balding victim is not laughing, though. Clearly troubled, he complains to security guards who escort him to the airport medical centre, where he lies sprawled in a plastic armchair, his life ebbing away. Within 20 minutes, he is dead.

This is the moment Kim Jong Nam, half brother of Kim Jong-un is attacked at Kuala Lumpar International Airport in Malaysia by unsuspecting assassins 

The political killing of Kim Jong Nam, the elder half-brother of North Korean despot Kim Jong Un, could have been lifted from the pages of a Cold War thriller. Meticulously planned and devious in its conception, this brazen assassination on February 13, 2017, not only showed contempt for world opinion, but it sent a message that the many enemies of North Korea will find hard to forget.

Kim Jong Nam, 45, the only credible rival to the North Korean leader, had been murdered with a deadly nerve agent in broad daylight – and on foreign soil. Yet for all the outrage and revulsion, few details beyond the barest outline have ever been disclosed. In the past few weeks, the two women who carried out the murder plot have been quietly released by the Malaysian authorities, who now accept that Siti Aisyah, from Indonesia, and Duong Thi Huong, from Vietnam, were nothing more than naive dupes. Neither woman has given evidence in court, neither has spoken in public and it will be a long time before they do, if ever.

The true perpetrators, the casually dressed North Korean agents who patrolled the departure terminal of KL airport as the gruesome killing took place, are now safely back in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, well beyond the reach of the Malaysian courts.

As for the governments involved – Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia – despite open provocation from a rogue state on their doorstep, they are saying nothing.

The elder brother of the North Korean dictator, pictured pointing towards his attackers, was only minutes from an agonising death, having been poisoned 

Today, The Mail on Sunday has pieced together the full story of an assassination as bizarre as it was effective. Speaking to official sources, police investigators, friends of the two women and their legal representatives, we have established that:

The killing was conducted by two prostitutes who were first befriended, then controlled by North Korean ‘boyfriends’; 

Dreaming of internet stardom, the women truly believed they were taking part in a televised prank when they smeared Jong Nam with nerve agent VX and condemned him to an agonising death; 

A North Korean hit squad had trailed the playboy and his glamorous mistress across South East Asia before the killing; 

The CIA handed Jong Nam tens of thousands of dollars shortly before his death; 

The Malaysians tracked down and identified the true killers, only to release them as part of a grubby deal. No one has been prosecuted for this horrific murder – and it is unlikely that will ever change.

In truth, Jong Nam had been a dead man walking for years. Once seen as the heir to the North Korean dictatorship, he had fallen out of favour thanks to a fondness for casinos, women and Western entertainment.

Kim Jong Nam is seen above in an airport terminal in Kuala Lampur shortly after a hit squad exposed him to VX nerve agent in February 2017. He died shortly afterward

While still a young man, Jong Nam had been caught attempting to enter Japan on a false passport, apparently determined to visit Disneyland in Tokyo. The humiliation was said to have been the final straw for his tyrannical father, Kim Jong Il. By 2017, he was living in self-imposed exile, gambling, drinking, and womanising in resorts around Asia, the prospect of power now a distant memory.

And when his half-brother, Kim Jong Un, entered the presidential palace in 2011, Jong Nam – the only plausible rival – knew he was living on borrowed time.

There had already been an attempt on his life by the time he reached Kuala Lumpur. A North Korean defector had told the South Koreans how, in 2012, the despotic regime had hired a taxi driver to carry out a hit-and-run killing. It only failed because Jong Nam changed his travel plans.

Doan Thi Huong, pictured, smeared the VX liquid on Jong-nam’s face, while wearing this LOL t-shirt

That same year, Jong Nam wrote a pitiful letter to his half-brother pleading with him to spare his life, but it was to no avail.

The younger Kim was apparently convinced the US wanted to topple him and might seek to install his feckless half-brother as a puppet. Jong Un had already cemented his grip on power by having his uncle, his defence minister and other rivals murdered – reportedly blown apart with anti-aircraft guns – and was in no mood for relenting.

His resolve can only have been strengthened when his agents established that Jong Nam had indeed made contact with the CIA.

Investigators have confirmed to The Mail on Sunday that four days before his death, Jong Nam met a Korean-American in a five-star resort and spa on the Malaysian holiday island of Langkawi. There, he handed over a laptop full of files, which were downloaded by the agent and then deleted from the computer altogether.

It is believed that the CIA handed over a thick wad of $100 bills in return – which would no doubt be converted into gambling chips within days. But the North Koreans had been watching. And when Jong Nam flew out of Langkawi for Kuala Lumpur, his fate was sealed.

The preparations for the hit began a few months earlier and in the strangest of circumstances. It seems that the North Korean regime tried out a number of women for the role, all of them pretty, all of them working as prostitutes, before settling on Siti, then 25, and Huong, 27.

Divorced and with a young son, Siti was the daughter of an Indonesian farmer, but by Christmas 2016 she had been drawn into the sex industry in Malaysia.

Siti Aisyah, pictured, was involved in the sex industry when she was approached by a Malaysian driver known only as ‘John’ who had been recruited by North Korean agents. Both Siti and Huong were told they were being paid to take part in a YouTube prank

By day she offered sexual services as a masseuse at the Flamingo Hotel spa in Kuala Lumpur, and in her spare time she was a call girl called Kelly, picking up foreign clients at the Beach Club bar (a seedy venue also, coincidentally, patronised by the doomed Jong Nam).

It was outside the bar that, in the small hours of January 5, 2017, she was approached by a Malaysian driver called ‘John’, apparently recruited by North Korean agents to find the right kind of girl to take part in what were described as pranks. These would be filmed and broadcast on YouTube. Siti agreed to meet another man called ‘James’ in the upmarket Pavilion shopping mall the following morning, where she encountered an attractive individual with a chiselled appearance.

‘James’ was a North Korean agent. He claimed to be Japanese when they met and spoke such poor English that Siti would later resort to Google Translate simply to communicate. Even so, he managed to persuade her that she had just the right looks for internet stardom – and Siti believed him.

According to Vietnamese intelligence sources, Huong had been recruited a few weeks before.

She, too, was hungry for fame and it was only six months since she had appeared – all too briefly – on a talent show called Vietnam Idol. She lasted only 20 seconds – a humiliating experience, but not enough to put her off.

Doan Thi Huong, 28, was told all they had to do was approach their targets and smear baby oil in their faces while the incident was filmed

By December 2016, Huong was working as a call girl in Hanoi, posting doll-face pictures of herself on escort sites as she sought to lure South Korean sex tourists.

Siti and Huong knew nothing of each other, but each was told the same alluring story.

Their handlers explained that the job was simple: all they had to do was carry out a series of harmless stunts in malls and airports.

They had to sneak up behind their targets and smear baby oil on their faces while the cameras watched. For this they would be paid £75 a time. Internet fame was just around the corner. A third woman enlisted in Kuala Lumpur had a lucky escape. She had insisted on a pay rise, it seems, and so was dropped.

As for the supposed ‘victims’, it is not known how much they received for their efforts, but they, too, were part of the elaborate plot, ensuring the practice runs could take place with no recriminations. With easy money in their purses and stars in their eyes, neither Siti nor Huong seemed to notice how very strange the whole thing was.

Jong nam, meanwhile, was meandering around South East Asia in a haze of alcohol, accompanied for much of the time by his mistress. Formerly an air hostess with North Korean airlines, the beautiful So Yong Ra, 41, now lived with Jong Nam in Macau, the vast complex of casinos a short boat trip from Hong Kong. Did Yong Ra betray him? Many suspect so. There has been no sign of her since the assassination and she, without any obvious explanation, failed to accompany Jong Nam on his final trip.

What is certain, however, is that, by now, the North Korean spies were running their quarry to ground. In a month of cat-and-mouse manoeuvres before the assassination, Siti was flown to Phnom Penh in Cambodia, where she carried out three practice pranks under James’s supervision.

Then she was told to buy a ticket to Macau before being called back to Kuala Lumpur by her handlers. Jong Nam’s plans were never completely certain, but he was moving within range.

Kim Jong-un, pictured, is believed to have wanted his brother assassinated to remove him as a possible threat against his regime

On the night before the assassination, Siti celebrated her 25th birthday at the Hard Rock Cafe in Kuala Lumpur, where, in scenes captured on a mobile phone, she boasted about her YouTube work. One of her girlfriends is seen declaring with unintentional prescience that Siti is about to become a celebrity.

Just a few hours later, she was picked up by a driver and taken to the KL International Airport for another routine job, although her handlers explained that this victim would be a little different.

He was their boss, they said, and they wanted to play a trick.

In separate conversations, Siti and Huong were each told that ‘the boss’ liked pretty girls, but they were also warned that he had a bad temper and might take the joke badly. They were to carry out the prank swiftly, apologise, and then make a hasty retreat.

It is notable that the women were kept apart until the very moment of the attack and there has been speculation, so far unconfirmed, that they carried separate components of VX, which only produced lethal effects when combined. Then, their task performed, Siti and Huong casually washed their hands and walked out of the airport.

They had no idea that the man they had smeared was already desperately ill and pleading for help – or that within minutes he had collapsed in a nearby medical clinic as the nerve agent shut down his heart and organs. CCTV images caught one of the four North Korean agents watching silently outside the doorway of the medical centre as Jong Nam’s life slipped away. Then, confident that the job was done, he is seen stepping quietly away.

Jong Nam must have been well briefed on the likely threats to his life as he was found to have been carrying a dozen vials of nerve agent antidote in a sling bag. But so sudden and effective was the attack that, in his confusion, he failed to take the dose that might have spared him.

He was also found to be carrying $124,000 in cash and a laptop from which the files had been wiped clean.

Siti was arrested the following night as she provided sexual services to a client in a hotel spa. At first she was incredulous, believing the arrest was another TV joke. Investigators say she expected to be freed at any moment, and it was only when she was shown news reports proving the man from the airport terminal was dead that she finally broke down in tears, genuinely shocked.

Huong, in perhaps the most compelling proof of her innocence, was arrested when she returned to the airport the following day. She was looking for her handlers. They had disappeared from sight after the prank and still owed her the £75.

What followed was a diplomatic fiasco. While some of the North Korean agents flew out of Malaysia before the murder was discovered, four, including James – real name Ri Ji U – took refuge in the North Korean embassy. After a month-long stand-off, which saw a number of Malaysian citizens detained in North Korea, the four prime suspects were released in a shabby tit-for-tat deal and allowed to fly home, doubtless to an embrace from their great leader in Pyongyang.

Meanwhile, the shambolic handling of the case and the decision to charge and then release two simple-minded women duped into committing murder has provoked outrage, as has the inability of three Asian powerhouses – Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam – to stand up to a murderous regime.

‘Somebody brought VX, a weapon of mass destruction, to our country and the government hasn’t even investigated the people responsible,’ said one of the lawyers representing Siti.

‘To me, that is like a declaration of war. Instead, our government tried to brush it under the carpet by prosecuting two innocent women.’

Leading Malaysian criminal lawyer Wee Choo Keong described the use of VX in Malaysia as ‘a serious violation of national security’ and said: ‘The North Korean suspects appear to have been let off because of diplomatic considerations. The women should not have been charged without overwhelming evidence.’

For Kim Jong Un – fresh from a triumphant summit with Vladimir Putin, not to mention an earlier meeting with Donald Trump lavishly hosted by Vietnam – the message seems clear. He can get away with cold-blooded murder inside and outside his country’s borders. That knowledge should send a shiver of fear through Siti and Huong as they while away their days in government safehouses, separated from their families and – in Siti’s case – her 11-year-old son.

Both are in the protective custody of their own governments, who are keen to avoid not just embarrassment but two more murders at the hands of North Korea. Experts believe their lives may be in grave danger.

In fact, it is something of a mystery that they were not killed at the same time as Jong Nam through exposure to the VX they smeared on him.

While some have suggested that the poison was split into two harmless components, it is far from clear that this was even possible.

Some believe that Siti and Huong are still alive only because they washed their hands so quickly.

Criminologist Pathmanathan Sundramoorthy, an associate professor at a university in Penang, Malaysia, said: ‘Those two women will have to be careful with every move they make. North Korea will do anything to silence them. I cannot imagine how long they will be in hiding or if they will ever be safe.’

Lee Hun-joo, a South Korean academic based in the US, said: ‘I feel sorry for the two women who were used as pawns in the assassination which South Korean intelligence believe had been in the planning for five years. They will for ever fear being targeted by Kim Jong Un’s brutal regime.’

Such a bleak reality may not yet have dawned on the two women.

As Huong was led from court when the charges against her were dropped, she seemed almost pathetically thrilled to finally get a taste of the fame she desired. In what may prove to be her last words in public, Huong spoke to the media throng that fleetingly engulfed her: ‘I’m very happy,’ she said. ‘I want to sing and act.’

Many believe she would be better advised to melt into anonymity.

  The post How the worlds most unlikely assassins killed Kim Jong Uns brother appeared first on Gyrlversion.

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[vietnamtour-blog]

List of casinos and gaming clubs in Hanoi and Saigon

List of casinos and gaming clubs in Hanoi and Saigon

Casinos and gaming clubs in Hanoi

Stardust E – Gaming Club (Melia Hanoi)

The Stardust E-Gaming Club at Melia Hanoi is the biggest gaming club in the city. Open from 10am until 6am weekdays and 24 hours on Saturdays and Sundays you can play slot machines, electronic roulette, blackjack, and baccarat. Some of the slots are identical to machines you will find in Las Vegas and Macau. Guests are treated to good luck gifts and complimentary food and beverages. Address: Melia Hanoi Hotel, 2nd floor – 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam Telephone: + 84 4 39 34 64 88 Business hours: weekday night 22 o’clock till next morning 6 o’clock / weekday 24 hours

Win’s Club (Movenpick Hotel Hanoi)

As of middle 2014 the newest electronic gaming club in Hanoi is Win’s Club at Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi,  in Hà Nội, Vietnam. Visitors and guests have 35 slot machines to choose from along with 2 sparkling new electronic roulette tables with seats for six each, and an electronic blackjack table. Slots seating is comfortable with plenty of elbow room. Address: Moevenpick Hotel, 83A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam

Phone: + 84 24 3822 2800 Business hours: 24 hours

Winner’s Club (Hanoi Hotel)

Winner’s Club Slot Centre is located within the Hanoi Hotel which overlooks the lake in Hà Nội, Vietnam.  There are 58 gaming machines available in the opulent casino including 52 slots, and 2 tables each for electronic roulette, blackjack, and baccarat. Drinks flow freely and the gaming center is open 24 hours a day.

Creating Members’ Cards is not necessary, but filling in names and presenting passports are required. The inside is wide. There is also a large and beautiful lounge where you can eat and drink. Address: Hanoi Hotel, D8 Giang Vo, Ba Dinh, Hanoi, Vietnam Phone: + 84 4 3845 2270 Opening hours: Open 24 hours

The Millionaire Club (Fortuna Hotel Hanoi)

The Millionaire Club at Fortuna Hotel offers nearly round the clock excitement where foreign passport holders 21 and over can try their luck at slot machines, and all of the popular electronic gaming club table games. Many of the slots are the same machines you may see in Las Vegas or even Macau, and some of them offer Mystery Jackpots – so no matter what symbol combinations you may come up with, you could win a jackpot at random! The electronic table games like roulette and blackjack offer a chance to beat the house with disciplined and skillful betting.

Address: 6B Lang Ha, Hanoi, Vietnam Telephone: +84 4 3831 3333 Business hours: 22 o’clock in the evening – 7 o’clock in the morning

Casinos and gaming clubs in Saigon

Grand Club

The Grand Club is open 24-hours/day so enjoy a coffee with your favourite dealer over a game of cards or bring your colleagues after a long day at work to play and unwind with complimentary cocktails. Members can earn points every time they play and redeem them for a number of prime prizes.

The Grand Hotel is the perfect get-away in the city. Start your day with a massage at Le Grand Spa, lunch at Chez Nous restaurant and then gamble into the night at the Grand Club.

Address: Grand Hotel | 8 Dong Khoi Street, D1 Opening Hours: 24-hours | Phone: 028 3823 7378

M Club

In line with Majestic Hotels longevity and history since the mid-1920s, MClub’s classic marble & wooden walls along with it’s spacious, warm and bright interior feels almost like a set from an American retro film. Beyond the latest and greatest state-of-the-art LED touch-screen slots, MClub also offers club favourites such as Blackjack, Roulette & Baccarat. All bets run on a gaming voucher system where visitors play and cash-out conveniently using electronic cards provided by MClub. Various promotions available at MClub include a weekly Saturday Night Frenzy Lucky Draw and Happy Slot Lucky Draws on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays where guests are awarded with additional chances to win tickets and cash beyond the usual electronic machines.

Address: 1 Dong Khoi, Ben Nghe ward, D1 Opening Hours: 24-hours | Phone: 028 3829 5517

Chat Slots Gaming Center

Also known as the International Tourist Club, this is a great spot for social gamers – the roulette tables have a minimum bet of 50 cents and there are free drinks (although the floor staff will skirt around you unless you purposefully flag one down to make an order). Another bonus is that with a full minute between spins of the roulette wheel you won’t find yourself deep in a hole before your first Johnny Walker appears.

This is one of the more spacious casinos in Ho Chi Minh City, with ample room dedicated to slots. What’s nice about the way things are arranged is that the constant chirruping of slot machines is far enough away to act as background noise, rather than the main soundtrack to your evening.

The attendants at the blackjack tables are friendly and professional, and at US$10 this is as cheap as you’ll find in a downtown casino in Ho Chi Minh City. You can also try your luck at baccarat.

Address: New World Hotel | 76 Le Lai, D1 Opening hours: 24/7 | Phone: 028 3824 3760

Palazzo Club

Seasoned gamblers know that these memberships rarely pay off, with players losing far more than they ever gain back, but the Palazzo Club (inside the Sheraton Saigon) is a refreshing exception, with rewards for players who accrue as few as 50 points (the equivalent of placing US$750 in bets). Slots players can get to 50 points simply by betting US$250 over the course of an evening.

The downside of this is that there are no free alcoholic drinks and you’ll also have to pay for meals.

Address: 80 Dong Du, D1 Opening hours: 24/7 | Phone: 028 3824 7576

Source: http://blog.evivatour.com/list-of-casinos-and-gaming-clubs-in-hanoi-and-saigon/

[cleancutpage]

CoWorking Wars – Will Spaces By Regus Provide a “Wee” Bit of Competiton?

An Exclusive Pre-Opening Preview of Spaces Las Olas Ken’s Konfessions of a Coworking Convert – Episode 3

[See image gallery at www.kenstrends.com]

Okay – I am going to start my article with it’s surprise ending. A couple of days after I started writing this post,  I was asked to find a location for a tech startup looking to open a Miami satellite office in early March. Spaces at Two Miami Central was perfect. The ultra-modern center at Miami’s new transportation hub was set to open in late February. Employees could live along the Metrorail and Metromover lines  and take mass transit to work. They could also hop on the Brightline Train and service accounts in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. I sent info to my client who was very excited. I called my Regus Rep only to find out that all 500 seats have been leased to a major local company. So it appears that Corporate America will be very receptive to the Spaces concept. Thankfully, I was still able to identify some great alternatives for my client on the Truss platform. 

As we head into 2019 Truss is beginning to generate a lot of traction with businesses seeking South Florida office space. As I sit in my coworking space at Pipeline in Downtown Fort Lauderdale, I am wrapping up a lease on Miami’s Brickell Avenue, invoicing a deal in Kendall south of Miami, getting pricing on a Brickell coworking space, setting up one tour in Miami’s red-hot Airport/Doral submarket and another in West Palm Beach.

WeWork at Brickell City Centre

One thing is certain – as I pointed out in Ken’s Konfessions episode 1 and 2, coworking is exploding. I now have well over 100 South Florida coworking centers listed for lease on the Truss Platform. Miami leads the nation with 3 percent of its total office inventory dedicated to coworking, occupancy is remarkably strong and lease rates continue to climb. WeWork is constantly in the news based on their explosive growth and their $20 billion valuation. Their facility in Miami’s $1 Billion Brickell City Centre is spectacular and remains the standard by which all other local centers will be judged.

Pipeline’s trendy nautical decor, open spaces and ample glass create a community feel. BONUS! Click for a super-cool 3D Virtual Tour From Truss

I lease a great space at Pipeline in Downtown Fort Lauderdale with lots of interior glass, nautical decor and friendly open public spaces. (as shown in our virtual tour) Quest, Buro, Anex, Office Edge and most recently Venture-X also compete in the coworking market with multiple locations in South Florida. But WeWork may finally be seeing formidable competition and it comes from a familiar but unexpected source.

Proof of their international coverage, I was able to snap a photo of this Regus location in Hanoi.

Regus is the world leader in executive coworking space with over 3,000 locations. Regus centers are generally in top Class-A buildings in major cities. They are elegant, but they exemplify the previous generation of executive suites with long corridors lit by fluorescent tubes. Coffee is billed as an add-on. It is not surprising that Regus has been losing market share to WeWork, which caters to millennials with hip open spaces, ample glass and free artisan coffees, cold brew and even cold brews.

Brightline at Two Miami Central

But Regus is fighting back with its new Spaces division. Spaces by Regus is a new concept aimed at capturing WeWork’s market. The first two South Florida Spaces locations are opening this month at Las Olas Square in Fort Lauderdale and Two Miami Central at Downtown Miami’s Brightline Station. I was honored to get a preview of Spaces’ Fort Lauderdale location and wanted to pass along my first impressions and pictures of the new concept. My thanks to Arash Jamali, Area Manager for Regus.

Spaces will occupy the second and third floor of Las Olas Square’s Annex building at 515 Las Olas Boulevard. Las Olas is Fort Lauderdale’s premier address for shopping, dining and business. The area is known for its great restaurants, galleries, boutiques and premier Class-A office towers. Downtown Fort Lauderdale is a hotbed of activity with over $2 billion of new development underway including upscale residential condos and rentals, hotels, retail and offices.

An example of the past generation Executive Suite. The long corridors of Regus at 801 Brickell will be updated with natural light when it is converted into a Spaces location

Spaces features two floors of offices with floor to ceiling impact glass. While it lacks the ocean views of some of the Las Olas towers, it offers great views of the palm-tree lined Las Olas Corridor; and the ample interior glass lets in plenty of Florida sunshine. It is a huge step forward from traditional Regus offerings. There are open coworking areas and large lounges to encourage collaboration among members. While I didn’t get the chance to preview Spaces at Miami Central, it will have the additional advantage of being a free Metromover ride from Bayside, Brickell City Centre and the American Airlines Arena. It will also have immediate access to Brightline (soon to be Virgin Trains) which transports you in style to Fort Lauderdale in half an hour and West Palm Beach in an hour. Spaces will be worthy competition for WeWork’s Brickell City Center location and it doesn’t hurt that the WeWork location has little if any space available. (Update – I guess someone else figured this out and leased the entire facility) 

Love water views? Check out Anex Office, 27 stories above Biscayne Bay at Miami’s Brickell Bay Office Tower

As a coworking consumer myself, I will be facing the decision of renewing my lease at Pipeline vs. moving over to Spaces. My decision will be based on views, price, quality, networking opportunities and overall vibe. For views, I never get tired of looking at the ocean. I can see the expanding Fort Lauderdale Skyline and an occasional spec of blue from my 10th floor Pipeline office, but nothing like I would get at the neighboring Carr Workspaces and Office Edge or Miami’s Anex Offices. I love the natural light from the floor to ceiling interior and exterior glass at Spaces.  The second and third floor views are pleasant and there is always lots of activity to observe along the Las Olas corridor. A key for me and for Truss is the ability to network and meet people who will eventually need office space and become customers. Pipeline does a great job due to the interior glass which encourages collaboration and its promotion of tenant events. WeWork’s first Fort Lauderdale location will not open until 2020.

Regarding price, Spaces is going to be expensive. Interior offices will start at around $1,100 – $1,200 per month and exterior will start around $1,700. That is close to $300 per square foot. Sure, you get internet, a phone and the use of the lounges, kitchen and meeting rooms. But that is more than five times the $55 per square foot that you would pay for Class-A traditional office space on Las Olas. A $1,700 rent bill isn’t outrageous for a business owner looking for a windowed office in a premier building. And every office has ample natural light with the floor to ceiling glass on the interior.

Microsoft – an enterprise tenant within WeWork’s Brickell City Centre location.

Quest has successfully competed in the local coworking market for 30 years by focusing on service and continuing to modernize their facilities.

But here is where I have concerns. Spaces, like WeWork, is targeting major corporations, or enterprise users, who are increasingly turning to coworking to accommodate overflow, satellite offices and special projects. Nearly a quarter of WeWork customers are Enterprise users. Spaces will be asking around $30,000 per month for a 1,300 sf Enterprise space – roughly $276 per square foot. The question is whether this flexibility is worth the price. I can lease 1,300 square feet with ocean views for five years on Las Olas for less than the annual cost of the 1,300 sf enterprise space. Can Spaces do it? I wish them luck and hope that I can be the broker that finds the tenant to take that deal.

Office Edge at 701 Brickell focuses on providing services to their many legal clients. Translucent panels provide privacy while still filtering natural light creating a more modern feel.

The ultimate decision on which coworking space to lease comes down to numbers as well as overall quality and vibe. Some people like the quiet, elegance and feel of the traditional executive center. It may be your father’s executive suite, but your father still needs an office and that market segment remains strong. Carr Workspaces is renovating and Regus will be converting a lot of their facilities worldwide to the modern Spaces concept. I can’t yet speak for the vibe at Spaces. Pipeline is cool while at the same time feeling warm. Buro, who has a number of centers in Miami also exudes cool and WeWork wrote the book. There is a fine line between cool and cold – the question is whether Spaces will be cool – I think it will. My decision on a space for 2019 will be based on whether the networking potential of being in a larger center like Spaces will be worth the extra expense.

For Spaces, I am fairly certain that the small offices will be a big hit. Whether the enterprise tenants will be willing to pay those rents remains to be seen. (Update – I assume the tenant for Two Miami Central will paying more than the $55 market rent but less than the $300 enterprise rental rate) And if they are, how long will it be before property owners accelerate the process of bringing their coworking operations in-house? And will Ken renew at Pipeline or go to Spaces, or go for the ocean views at Carr? For the answers to these questions and more, stay tuned to Ken’s Trends and Ken’s Konfessions of a Coworking Convert.

  unsplash-logoDan Gold

RSS Feed provided by theBrokerList Blog - Are you on theBrokerList for commercial real estate (cre)? and CoWorking Wars – Will Spaces By Regus Provide a “Wee” Bit of Competiton? was written by Ken Silberling.

CoWorking Wars – Will Spaces By Regus Provide a “Wee” Bit of Competiton? published first on https://greatlivinghomespage.tumblr.com/

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Yvette Thomas-Henry Appointed GM of Four Seasons Resort Nevis

Yvette Thomas-Henry, a Regional Vice President at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, has been appointed as General Manager of the Four Seasons Resort Nevis in the Caribbean.

Born in St. Thomas, USVI and raised in St. Croix, Yvette is returning home to the region, becoming the first Caribbean native to serve in the top position in Nevis, or any other Four Seasons property in the Caribbean. In addition to her role in Nevis overseeing a property that recently completed a multi-year, multi-million dollar enhancement project, Yvette is also responsible for the operational oversight of several properties, including two Caribbean resorts. Prior to joining Four Seasons Resort Nevis, Yvette most recently served as General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta since 2015, during which time she received a promotion to Regional Vice President of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in 2018. As a part of the Four Seasons family since 2007, Yvette has also held leadership positions at Four Seasons Hotel New York and Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC, as well as hospitality experience with Loews Hotels, The Plaza Hotel, The Waldorf-Astoria NYC and The Ritz Carlton Boston. “Coming back to the region after many years working and living in the United States, I can personally identify with the resort’s positioning as a modern embodiment of the spirit and soul of the Caribbean,” said Yvette. “I am excited and honoured to have the opportunity to lead such an incredible team in such a great moment in its history.” Yvette has a Bachelor of Arts from Pace University and a Master of Science from Audrey Cohen College in New York. See latest Travel News, Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: Four Seasons, GM, General Manager. Headlines: Pictures from Ascot United vs Colliers Wood United on 11 January  What Does TAT Have Planned for Thailand Travel Mart (TTM+) 2020? 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