Things to do in Vietnam

Shopping: For anyone who likes handicrafts, Vietnam is Nirvana. Wooden water puppets, with ingenious mechanisms, silk, lacquerware, trinkets, clothes, including superb tailors, can be found even in the most remote areas, and for bargain prices.

Nightlife: Vietnam definitely isn't Thailand when it comes to the nightlife, but Ho Chi Minh City has a vast range of bars, clubs, live music venues and restaurants from gloomy little establishments to some rather upmarket venues. Hanoi's nightlife is on the up, and there is an increasingly good selection of bars and restaurants, although the city can still seem a little quiet after 2200 when a government curfew comes into effect. It is rarely enforced, and some after-hours bars can be found on the sly. Elsewhere there are bars and restaurants but the choice is limited. The bia hois (pavement pubs) offer the best social experience and the friendly locals will often talk to visitors. Food and snacks such as boiled quail's eggs are also usually available.

Food and Drink

 Vietnamese cooking is varied and usually superb, as the profusion of Vietnamese restaurants in New York, London and Berlin contest. It is a mixture of Vietnamese, Chinese and French traditions, with a plethora of regional variations. As in all countries of the region, rice or noodles usually provide the basis of a meal. Not surprisingly, fish is plentiful.

• Breakfast is often congee (rice porridge) or a meaty noodle soup locally known as pho.
• Nem (spring rolls: pork mixed with noodles, eggs and mushrooms wrapped in rice paper, fried and served hot).
• Banh chung (glutinous rice, pork and onions wrapped in large leaves and cooked for up to 48 hours, to be eaten cold at any time).
• nuoc mam (Vietnamese dishes are not complete without this fermented fish sauce).
• Bun cha , (grilled pork, cold rice noodles, deep fried rolls and a big bowl of salad leaves).

Hotels in Vietnam

Tourist facilities have vastly improved and most towns have small hotels and guest houses. In the major towns, there is a full range of accommodation to suit all budgets. Both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have excellent standard hotels and international chains such as Hilton Hotel, Sofitel Plaza, Sofitel Metropole and Movenpick Hotel with the facilities expected in 4- to 5-star hotels such as air conditioning, room service, swimming pool, health club and good restaurants. Even in budget accommodations, for less than US$20 a night you can expect a TV and air conditioning and a very clean room.

There are also a number of beach resorts with deluxe hotels in excellent locations - the most well known is The Nam Hai near Hoi An. Most towns frequented by tourists have at least one good standard hotel, although it may not always have facilities such as swimming pool or room service.

Get more accommodation you can view at: Vietnam Hotels