Vietnam

Vietnam is situated on the eastern part of Indochinese peninsula. The country uses Dong, which is difficult to find or exchange outside Vietnam, with USD being a widely accepted currencies too. Honing your bargaining skills is especially useful here where one can practically bargain on almost everything. Tipping is not a usual scene in Vietnam except in high-end hotels. This is however, unnecessary as by government law, foreigners usually pays a higher price for their hotels compared to locals.

For those who hearts Vietnamese food, Nem ran (Spring roll) and Gio lua (Silky lean meat paste) should not sounds unfamiliar to you. Nem ran, though easy to prepare, is different from the traditional Chinese spring roll and is wrapped in clear skin that enables one to see the fillings inside.

Gio lua is another popular Vietnamese food made with lean pork pounded into sticky paste. This delight can be found everywhere in Vietnam, however the best gio lua comes from Uoc Le Village, where the secret recipe is only kept and used within Uoc Le Village.

For foreigners, travelling around Vietnam is made easy with the easily available taxis and cyclos. Cyclos, synonyms to Pedicabs, are a cheaper way to make short trips whereas taxis are the best way to travel longer distances. It is recommended to request for metered fare whenever you hopped on to the taxis as with many other cities.

The more popular regions among Singaporeans have to be Ho Chi Minh City, and the country’s capital, Hanoi, which cater to the different types of Vietnam-goers. Ho Chi Minh City, also commonly known as Saigon, is a bustling city with Vietnam’s biggest Saigon River situated in Ho Chi Minh itself that makes good a unique inland river port. Hanoi, on the other hand, offers awe-inspiring nature landscape with minimal effects of modern architectures. With popular attractions such as the Cu Chi Tunnel (in Ho Chi Minh) and River Cruise (Hanoi is characterized by 18 splendid lakes), it is definitely a must-see when you visit these two cities.