Once in the north of Vietnam, we had to decide whether going to Sapa or to Halong Bay because our one month tourist visa was running out soon. Two factors determined our choice: on one hand, the bad weather conditions in the northwest region of Vietnam, on the other hand, a tropical storm which had flooded and incomunicated the northern region of Sapa, leaving hundreds of deads and homeless people behind. We could only go then for a boat trip in Halong Bay. As it is usual on our trip, we asked for advice in many different travel agencies and checked the internet to make our move independently with all the info available. This is how we found Indochina Sails(www.indochinasails.com), a tour operator based in Halong Bay, who offers tailor made boat trips for independent travellers.

We booked a 3 days/2 nights trip and paid about 175 USD each. We arranged more or less the plan for everyday: sail in the morning to a nice spot, go on the kayak for a while to hidden lagoons and caves and have a swim, then eat and do the same in the afternoon in another spot. Overall we wanted to avoid tourist places and crowds. We wanted to go further away than the normal tours go. We wanted to be alone most of the time and sleep in a different secluded place every night. We wanted many things and almost all of them were accomplished. You can contact Mr Tony, the operator, through his website or under info@activetravelshop.com.

Halong Bay is spectacular and the weather conditions were great (sunny, cloudy and few big storms during the nights, which gave a feeling of adventure to the whole experience), as well as the arrangements of the organizer. Basically we had a wooden and bamboo sail boat for four people –we were travelling with two other spanish guys together- entirely at our service. We could decide where to go and where not to go, if we wanted to stay longer or not. We could stop the boat and take the kayaks or just jump off the boat for a refreshing swim in the middle of nowhere –with some restrictions, of course. The crew, Tim and Hum -at least this is how their names sounded to us- were great although we had kind of communication problems sometimes, when we had the feeling they had not understood what we were asking for. They cooked so well and so much that we are missing their food a lot now –we have to say that we ate the same lunch and dinner during the 3 days with slightly variations, but still great food!

If we sumarize the trip, it was awesom! Just some tips if you are planning to do a similar tour: fix the route and what you are interested in seeing –it is enough to have an approximate idea, you can change plans once in the boat-. Insist on it once onboard. Ask for a map to be able to locate yourself at anytime –we didn’t do it and missed it- and corroborate you are doing what you were promised to. Ask in advance any question you may have and above all, enjoy the experience!!!

Halong Bay guide

If you’re intersted in the wonderful cruise trip like this, you can visit Halong Bay cruises, Halong Bay junks; vietnam travel for more information

Every night in September is a Full Moon Night on Indochina Sails as we celebrate the Full Moon Festival with decorated lanterns, traditional Chinese mooncakes and “September Double Happy Hour”

( VALID FROM 30 AUGUST – 31ST SEPTEMBER 08)

Full moon on halong bay cruises by you.

1. Superior cabin: 180 USD/ Person (Twin shared) – 320 USD/ single Cabin - 02 days/01 night
Deluxe cabin: 200 USD/ Person (Twin shared) – 360 USD/ single Cabin - 02 days/01 night

2. Superior cabin: 295 USD/ Person (Twin shared) – 540 USD/ single Cabin - 03 days/02 nights
Deluxe cabin: 315 USD/ Person (Twin shared) – 580 USD/ single Cabin - 02 days/01 night

INCLUDED

• Welcome Drink
• Shuttle bus return Hanoi - Halong Bay – Hanoi
• Big choice of fresh local seafoods and others dishes
• Candlelight Dinner (Buffet dinner) (Special)
• Kayaking on Halong Bay. (Special Offer)
• Cruise Itinerary and Program
• Entrance and Sightseeing Fees
• In-house English-speaking Tour Guide
• Luxurious Cabins and Suites with A/C and en-suite Bathrooms
• Deluxe Vietnamese and International Lunch and Dinner
• Vietnamese and International Breakfast
• Conference Equipment (Charter only)
• Insurance, Taxes and Service Charges

EXCLUDED

• Airfares, Car Transfers and Hotels
• Visa Arrangements
• Massage Services (please see massage menu in cabin)
• Kayaking (Ten dollars U.S. per person, when not pre-booked)
• Beverages, Tips and Personal Expenses
• All other services not clearly mentioned above

- Full moon tinerary for 02 days/01 nights
- Full moon tinerary for 03 days/02 nights

Contact us at info@indochinasails.com

Alternative site name(s)
Phu Luong
Province(s)
Thanh Hoa
Area
17,662 ha
Coordinates
20o21′ – 20o34′N, 105o02′ – 105o20′E
Distance(s)
From Hanoi: 180 km
Eco-tours
Trekking, Mountain Biking … more information

Topography and hydrology

Pu Luong proposed nature reserve is located in Quan Hoa and Ba Thuoc districts, in north-western Thanh Hoa province. To the north-east, the nature reserve is bordered by Mai Chau, Tan Lac and Lac Son districts, Hoa Binh province. The proposed nature reserve lies along two parallel mountain ridges, that run from north-west to south-east, and are bisected by a central valley. This valley contains several human settlements and a large area of agricultural land, and, hence, is not included within the proposed nature reserve.

The two mountain ridges in the proposed nature reserve have starkly contrasting landforms, based on their different substrates. The smaller, south-western ridge is made up of mostly igneous and metamorphic rocks, and consists of rounded forested hills and wide, shallow valleys. The larger, north-eastern ridge is composed of heavily dissected limestone karst, and is a continuation of the limestone range that runs from Cuc Phuong National Park to Son La province. Elevations in the proposed nature reserve range from 60 to 1,667 m.

The hydrology of the limestone ridge is complex, and there is little or no permanent surface water. On the south-western ridge, surface water is more common and streams are much less seasonal. However, the main drainage features of the proposed nature reserve are located in the central valley. This valley is not continuous but has a saddle at its mid-point, which forms the watershed between two small rivers. One of these rivers flows north-west along the valley, and joins the Ma river, which runs to the west and south of the proposed nature reserve. The other river flows south-east along the valley, and joins the Ma river further downstream.

Biodiversity values

The primary forest at Pu Luong nature reserve is classified as closed evergreen tropical seasonal forest. Five major subtypes occur as a result of local variations in underlying substrate and elevation: lowland broadleaved forest on limestone (60 to 700 m); lowland broadleaved forest on schist/shale and clayey sandstone (60 to 1,000 m); broadleaved submontane forest on limestone (700 to 950 m); coniferous submontane forest on limestone (700 to 850 m); and broadleaved submontane forest on basalt (1,000 to 1,650 m). The nature reserve also supports a range of secondary vegetation types, including secondary forests, bamboo, scrub and agricultural land.
The results of recent botanical work at Pu Luong indicate that the nature reserve supports a diverse flora, with at least 1,109 vascular plant species documented at the site. From a conservation perspective, three primary forest subtypes found at the site may be considered particularly significant. The first, primary lowland forest on limestone and schist/shale, occurs near the eastern border of the site, in the Co Lung area. Primary forest in the area extends from 60 to 1,000 m, and, at the lowest elevations, supports very high plant species diversity.

The second significant primary forest subtype, primary coniferous submontane forest on limestone, is restricted to a few peaks within the uplands of the Co Luong area and supports outstanding plant diversity, particularly with respect to lithophytes and epiphytes. The globally threatened conifer Pinus kwangtungensis forms a conspicuous element of the flora within this forest subtype.

The third significant primary forest subtype is primary submontane forest on basalt, which occurs on the upper slopes of the south-western mountain ridge within the proposed nature reserve. The primary forest on these upper slopes is characterised by very high plant species diversity, including several nationally threatened conifers.
With regard to the vertebrate fauna of Pu Luong, a total of 84 mammal species (including 24 bat species), 162 bird species, 55 fish species, 28 reptile species and 13 amphibian species have been recorded at the nature reserve to date. Pu Luong nature reserve is an important site for the conservation of the globally critically endangered, endemic primate, Delacour’s Leaf Monkey. The population at Pu Luong has been estimated to number 40 to 45 individuals, making it one of the largest known populations in Vietnam.

Knowledge of the invertebrate fauna of the proposed nature reserve remains rudimentary. However, recent surveys conducted at the site indicate that its insect fauna includes at least 158 species of butterfly and 96 species of land snail, including 12 snail species possibly endemic to the site. Most promising perhaps, the botanical uniqueness and natural isolation of certain forest formations at the site suggests that the proposed nature reserve has strong potential to support high levels of invertebrate endemism and, quite possibly, new taxa to science.

It is likely that Pu Luong has strong faunal and floral affinities with Cuc Phuong National Park, which is situated to 25 km to the south-east, along the same limestone range. However, the higher elevations at Pu Luong and the presence of more extensive areas of evergreen forest means that Pu Luong can be expected to support a number of species that do not occur at Cuc Phuong. Indeed, the results of recent survey work conducted at Pu Luong nature reserve indicate that this is in fact the case.

Other documented values

Forest in the proposed nature reserve has a role in protecting the watershed of the Ma river, the largest river in Thanh Hoa province. Just as importantly, the forest has an important role in protecting the water resources of local communities. Already, water is scarce during the dry season, because of the limestone geology of much of the area. Therefore, forest loss would be expected to increase periods of drought, leading to reduced agricultural productivity.

XIN CHAO Vietnam…

Vietnam is a country most people have heard of but until recently few have had the opportunity to visit. It was not until the early 1990s that the first intrepid travelers started arriving. Things have come a long way in the past decade and visitors from all over the world are now discovering what a hidden gem of a country Vietnam is. Brilliant green rice fields, exotic temples and pagodas, grand colonial buildings, bustling city streets, thatched bamboo huts, grand colonial buildings, exotic temples and pagodas, deserted sandy beaches, breathtaking mountain scenery, conical straw hats, colorful ethnic minorities, graceful women in ao dai tunics, delicious cuisine, great out door activities luxurious hotels, stunning resorts and more, much more, it’s all here in Vietnam.

The two great metropolises of the country are the elegant capital city Hanoi and the dynamic, economic powerhouse Ho Chi Minh City. Since 1993 UNESCO has declared five World Heritage Sites in Vietnam, four in central Vietnam and one in the north. The four sites in central Vietnam are the former imperial capital Hue, the historic trading port of Hoi An, the centre of the former Cham Kingdom, My Son, and Phong Nha Caves. The fifth World Heritage Site is the spectacular natural wonder that is Halong Bay in northern Vietnam, breathtakingly featured in James Bond and other films. More information

Active Travel ShopAn online travel shop offering both online and call center bookings for hotels, tours, flights, visa, travel packages, holidays, city breaks, car rental in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

Adventure tours on Vietnam - Active Travel Vietnam, 303, Building 30 Nguyen Du, Hanoi, 04 944 6230

Vote for Halong Bay - new Natural Wonders in Vietnam

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TRAVELERS’ TIPS

1. GENERAL NOTE

1.1. Weather

Expected temperature and weather in locations in your itinerary
Hanoi – Halong: Sunny and hot: 22 -30oC
Hue – Hoian: Sunny and hot: 24 -35oC
Saigon -Mekong: Sunny and hot: 23- 34oC
Seam Reap – Phnom Penh: Sunny and hot: 23- 34oC

1.2. Local flight schedule could be changed at short notice. This is beyond our control. However, we undertake to do our best to minimize any inconvenience caused

1.3. What need to be brought in Vietnam
- International Airline ticket
- Passport and photocopies of your passport
- Visa or Visa approval letter and some color passport photos (size4×6cm) (at least 2)
- Insurance document (if had)
- Cash in US$ or Euros 20’s and 100’s
- Other equipment (please refer to our suggested equipments list below)
• Suggested Equipment List
Below is a suggested equipment list. Dress in Southeast Asia tends to be quite casual because of the warm, humid, tropical climate. For women, casual cotton pants and skirts are most acceptable for daytime wear, but bare sundresses and short shorts are frowned upon, especially in pagodas & temples.
A sweater, sweatshirt, light jacket, or fleece pullover is a good idea when visiting the northern areas in the winter ( from November to March); and, because the climate is tropical, it is useful to have a windbreaker or rain poncho as protection against the unexpected rain showers that tend to occur.
General
• Duffel bag - waterproof and with a lock, or easily wheeled suitcase
• 5-6 zip lock bags (They come in handy for all kinds of uses.)
• Sun glasses or reading glasses
• Good walking shoes and sandal
• Good trekking shoes ( for trekking tour) or slippers ( for beach relaxing tour)
Optional
• Camera and film
• Mobil phone
• Head phone and your favorite music compact dis (CD).
• Favorite Books/ Vietnam Guide book ( highly recommended Lonely Planet)/ Dairy
• Biro pens, pencils/note book
• Pictures of your family

1.4 Basic Clothes
• Good walking shoes or cloth sneakers (They are light and dry easily. Good for driving.)
• 3-4 pairs of socks
• Polar fleece pullover or jacket or sweater ( if travel in the north from November to March)
• 4-5 T-shirts or blouses
• Wide-brimmed sun hat
• Underwear (3-5 sets, depending on your desire to wash)
• Mid-calf lightweight walking skirts or dresses or loose pants (women)
• 1-2 bandannas
• Bathing suit
• Long-sleeved shirts
• Raincoat or poncho

1.5 Health equipment and Medical Items
No actual vaccinations are officially required. Malaria prophylaxis is no longer recommended but visitors are advised to check with their doctors or travel immunization clinics regarding the advisability of inoculation against typhoid, tetanus, hepatitis A & B.
Although we do not expect you to get sick, it is better to be prepared. We do carry a medical kit with bandages, splints and the like. However, our leaders (tour guides) are not permitted to dispense personal medicines to clients. It is important if you bring a complete, personal medical and first aid kit along with a few other essential items. We suggest the following (Note: You will need to pack sharp objects in checked baggage due to tightened airline security):
• Aspirin or Tylenol Band-Aids and betadine ointment
• Throat lozenges and cough medicine
• Cold medicine and antihistamines
• Cipro - an antibiotic for indigestion
• Chaps tick
• Suntan lotion 100% UV effective (25 SPF or higher)
• Biodegradable soap (The blue bottles of Mountain Suds are excellent)
• Pack towel/washcloth
• OB tampons (women)
• Hand/body lotion
• Brush/comb
• Toothbrush/toothpaste
• Eye drops
• Facial breathing filters (optional for Kathmandu)
• Antiseptic toilettes
• Insect/ mosquito repellent
• Sewing kit with scissors, tweezers, and needle. (Note: You will need to pack sharp objects in checked baggage due to tightened airline security.)

1.6 Customs regulations
Arriving in Vietnam, all visitors must fill in Declaration Forms and show their luggage to Customs Officials upon request. There are no limited amounts of foreign currency, objects made of gold, silver, precious metals and gemstones or plated with silver or gold but visitors must declare these in detail on the customs forms.
ENTRY: Tourists are authorized to bring in the following items duty-free: Cigarettes: 400 pieces; Cigars: 50-100; Tobacco: 100 gram; Liquor: 1.5l.
Personal effects of a reasonable quantity. Small gift items valued at not more than US$ 500.
Note: There is no limit to the amounts of cash, precious metals and gems people can bring in, but amounts of over US$ 7,000 must be declared.
It is prohibited for any visitor to bring into Vietnam the followings:
* Weapons, explosives and inflammable objects.
* Opium and other narcotics.
* Cultural materials unsuitable to Vietnamese society.
EXIT: Goods of commercial nature and articles of high value require export permits issued by the Customs Office. Antiques, some precious stones and animals listed in Vietnam’s red-book may not be brought out of the country.

1.7 Security
In big cities, do not bring along anything valuable as you go shopping or sightseeing on the street.
It is dispensable to give aims to beggars and to buy souvenirs from street vendors.
Foreign currencies should be exchanged at banks, or authorized exchange bureaus. Never exchange money on street.

1.8 Drinking
Bottled water and mineral water are obtainable at any shops in most cities. It is advisable to drink boiled water and not to drink ice and tap water. The most reliable local brand is LA VIE (Don’t confuse them with the imitations such as La Ville or La Vierge). Aquafina of Pepsi and real Evian also available at many shops.

1.9 Tips for guides and drivers
The amount of tip money is totally based on your trip satisfaction with service of guide and driver and it does not compel (according to your culture). However, US$ 2-3/ per day/ per tourist is acceptable for both guide and driver.

1.10 Others

Taxi: Taxis with meters are available in big cities. The current price is about US$ 0.5 per kilometer. Most metered taxi drivers can speak a little English.

Business hours: (GMT + 7)
* Offices: 08:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. and 01:30 p.m. to 05:00 p.m., closed on Saturday afternoon and Sundays
* Banks: 08:00 a.m to 03:00 p.m, closed on Friday afternoons, Saturday and Sunday.

Electrical current: 220 volts A.C.
Telephone: Long distance calls should be made at post offices, hotels or telephone booths (phone cards are available at post offices). Normailly, hotels will get 15-20% service charge of the bill.

2. CURRENCY and BANK

The currency of Vietnam is “Dong” (abbreviated “d” or VND). Bank notes are 500d; 1,000d; 2,000d; 5,000d; 10,000d; 20,000d; 50,000d; 100,000d and 500,00d. Unlike most of Vietnam’s neighboring countries, the US Dollar and Euros is widely accepted.

Credit Cards and Travellers’ Cheques are accepted at most of hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops but in major cities only, subject 3-5% bank fee. Visitors are recommended to carry US Dollar or Euros in small notes. Travelers can change their money for Vietnamese Dong (VND) at banks, hotels and jewelry shops throughout the country

2.1 Exchange rate (exactly exchange rate depends on date you make transaction)

• 1 USD = 15.800 VND (fifteen thousand eight hundred Dong)
• 1 EURO = 19.100 VND
• 1 AUD = 11.900 VND
• 1 CAD = 12.200 VND
• 1 GBP = 28.000 VND

2.2 Exchange money places and ATM machines

• In Hanoi
- ANZ bank @ 14 Le Thai To St.,
- Vietcom bank @ 198 Tran Quang Khai St,,
- City bank @ 17 Ngo Quyen St.,
- Bank of American @ 27 Ly Thuong Kiet St.,
- Gold shops in Hang Gai, Hang Ngang, Hang Dao St…, and in your hotel.
ATM:
- Trang Tien Plaza @ Trang Tien St.,
- 110 Cau Go St.,
- Intimex supermarket @ 30-32 Le Thai To
- Lake side post office @ 75 Dinh Tien Hoang St.,
- Hanoi tower @ 49 Hai Ba Trung St., and so on.

• In Hue & Hoian
- Vietcom bank –Hue branch @ 78 Hung Vuong St., Hue
- Industrial & Commercial bank @ 2A Le Quy Don St., Hue
- Vietcombank Hoian @37B Tran Hung Dao St., Hoian

ATM:
- 78 Hung Vuong St.,
- Saigon Morin hotel @ 30 Le Loi St.,
- Huong Giang hotel @ 51 Le Loi St.,
- Century hotel @ 49 Le Loi St.,
- 37 B Tran Hung Dao St., Hoian

• In Nha Trang
- Vietcom bank – Nha Trang branch @ 17 Quang Trung St.,

ATM:
- Yasaka hotel @ 18 Tran Phu St.,
- Nha Trang Lodge hotel @ 42 Tran Phu St.,
- Nha Trang post office @ 4 Le Loi St.,
- Tran Phu night market @ Tran Phu seashore

• In Saigon
- ANZ bank @ 11 Me Linh Square, Dist.1
- Vietcom bank @ 29 Chuong Duong St, Dist.1
- City bank @ 15th floor, 115 Nguyen Hue St, Dist.1
- Bank of American @ 1 Phung Khac Khoan St., Dist.1
- Deutsche Bank @ 65 Le Loi St., Dist.1
- Gold shops in Dong Khoi St…, and in your hotel.

ATM:
- Saigon Trade Center @ 37 Ton Duc Thang St., Dist.1
- Diamond Plaza @ 34 Le Duan St., Dist.1
- Caravel hotel @ 19 Lam Son square, Dist.1
- Majestic hotel @ 1 Dong Khoi St., Dist.1
- Saigon tourist center @ 45 Le Thanh Ton St., and so on.

3. RESTAURANT , BARS AND CAFE
• In Hanoi

BOBBY CHIN
1 Ba Trieu St.,
? 943 8578 Serves Fusion cuisine and offers a nice ambience for the late evening with drinks and shisha.

KOTO
61 Van Mieu St.,
? 747 0338 Project for street kids. Very friendly and dedicated staff and real good food. Located in opposite to the Temple of Literature. Breakfast and lunch, dinner in from Fri to Sun.
Don’t miss it!

AU LAC
57 Ly Thai To St.,
? 825 7807 Courtyard setting, snack and dishes from all over, reasonable prices. Located just in opposite to the Metropole hotel.

HANOI GARDEN
36 Hang Manh St.,
? 824 2402 Nice courtyard setting with water cascading down one wall. Delicious Vietnamese fare and good prices

LITTLE HANOI –The Original
9 Ta Hien St.,
? 926 0639 Located in the Old Quarter. Serving authentic Vietnamese cuisine at very reasonable prices. Good service.
Don’t confuse with another place also called little Hanoi. Ask for the original!

HIGHWAY 4
5 Hang Tre St.,
? 926 0639 Vietnamese authentic and Rice wines. Sometime really unique are the house made liquors.
A must!

THE DELI/ PRESS CLUB
59A Ly Thai To St.,
? 934 0888 Fine dining
Deli also offers from Mon to Fri set lunches at very reasonable prices.
A highlight!

PAN E VINO
3 Nguyen Khach Can St.,
? 826 9080 Italian Restaurant and Enoteca.
Located near the Opera House.
Italian Chef Marco offers excellent food and a good choice of wines at reasonable price.

FINNEGAN’S
16A Duong Thanh St.,
? 828 9065 Irish Pub
Cold beer and snacks. Very recommendable

MINH’S JAZZ CLUB
31 Luong Van Can St.,
? 828 7890 Hanoi’s first Jazz club.
Located in the Old Quarter. Daily Live Jazz.

MOCA CAFÉ.
14 Nha Tho St.,
? 825 6334 Very popular Bistro in a picturesque street closed to the Cathedral.

VINE
3 Xuan Dieu St., Tay Ho Dis
? 719 8000 Wine & Food
Among the best international spots in town; excellent service.

• In Hue & Hoian

HOA MAI
51 Le Loi St., Hue Located on the top of Huong Giang Hotel.
Good Vietnamese and Western food in a superb view.

TROPICAL GARDEN
5 Chu Van An St., Hue
? 847 143 Classic Vietnam restaurant. Good price.

SONG HUONG
Le Loi St., Hue Good food at reasonable price. Friendly staff.
Located at the north of Trang Tien Bridge.

VIEN DONG
28 Vo Thi Sau St., Hue
? 830 995 With the restaurant set in a sublime lush tropical garden, dinners can enjoy quite romantic corners as well as seating with fine view overlooking pool and the garden.

DMZ BARS AND CLUBS
44 Le Loi St., Hue Popular spot for travelers in the evening for eating, playing pool and dancing

MANDARIN CAFÉ.
12 Hung Vuong St., Hue Geared to the small budget travelers, vegetarian dishes and famous banana pancakes.

AN NAM
1 Cua Dai road, Hoian
? 927 040 Located at Victoria Hoian resort. Excellent food and good value fro money. Vietnamese delicacies and good service.

BROTHER CAFÉ.
27 Phan Boi Chau, Hoian
? 914150 Daily buffet lunch and dinner in the courtyard of an old house.
Very recommendable.

SONG DO
Hoian Riverside resort, Cua Dai road Very nice restaurant offers the superb view of Hoian river and green field. Good Vietnamese and International cuisine. Price is a bit expensive but worth.

LY CAFETERIA 22
22 Nguyen Hue St., Hoian
? 861603 A true Hoian institution. Good local food at reasonable price. Close very late.

CAFÉ DES AMIS
52 Bach Dang St.,
? 861616 Offer both seafood and vegetarian menus at good price.

HAI’S SCOUT CAFÉ
98 Nguyen Thai Hoc St.,
? 863210 Located in a pleasant courtyard. Its serves sandwiches, light meals, real cappuccinos and lattes, and cocktails.

• In Nha Trang

CASA ITALIA
72 Tran Phu St.,
? 826528 An authentic Italian ristorante, serves excellent pasta and fine wine. Fresh seafood menus can be found there.

RED STAR
14 Biet Thu St.,
? 812790 Excellent seafood in a pleasant atmosphere

CAFÉ DES AMIS
2D Biet Thu St.,
? 813009 Is a popular spot with excellent vegetarian fare. The restaurant is decorated with many Vietnamese paintings.

JACK’S BAR
96A Tran Phu St., The bar boats a roof terrace overlooking Nha Trang bay, two pool tables, good music and cheap cold beer.

NHA TRANG SAILING CLUB
72 Tran Phu St.,
? 826528 This is an open- air beach bar. It’s best known for thumping music, wild dancing, flowing shots, pool and general mayhem. It also offers Vietnamese food.

• In Saigon
MANDARINE
11A Ngo Van Nam St.,
? 822 9783 Fine selection of traditional dishes drawing from southern, central and northern cooking style. The food is superb and the pleasant decor and traditional music performances make it an all–round good bet.

LEMON GRASS
4 Nguyen Thiep St.,
? 822 0496 This is one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in the city center.

TU DO ( Liberty)
80 Dong Khoi St.,
Excellent and affordable Vietnamese food, expensive Chinese and Western food.

RESTAURANT 13
13 Ngo Duc Ke St., This is highly popular with locals and expats alike. Fresh and good food.

AUGUSTIN
10 Nguyen Thiep St.,
? 829 2941 Popular French food and many consider it the city’s best cheap French restaurant.

MISS SAIGON
86 Le Thanh Ton St.,
? 823 8174 Famous for seafood and Vietnamese dishes.

GIAO CAFÉ
11 Mac Dinh Chi St.,
? 822 9796 Good Pizza and Sandwiches at good price in nice atmosphere.

GLOBO CAFÉ
6 Nguyen Thiep St.,
? 822 8855 One of the trendier bar –restaurants in the Dong Khoi area, does good French and Italian dishes, including praiseworthy pizza.

BODHI TREE ( vegetarian)
174/6 Pham Ngu Lao
? 837 1910 Located in a narrow alley, two streets east of De Tham St., The food is excellent and very cheap.
Don’t confuse with a neighbor restaurant has same name.

KEM BACH DANG ( Ice -cream)
28 Le Loi St.,
? 829 2707 Famous since a long time, you can find some of the best ice cream in Vietnam. A specialty is ice cream served in a baby coconut with candied fruit on top ( Kem Trai Dua)

BLUE GECKO BAR
31 Ly Tu Trong St.,
? 824 3483 Is a major Aussie hang-out with the coldest beer in town. The music is good- if you like Australian music – and you can shoot pool or watch sport on the haft-dozen or so TVs.

APOCALYPSE NOW
2B Thi Sach St.,
? 825 6124 Is one exception to the rule. It’s been around forever and leads the pack for those seeking a naughtier aged. The music is loud and the patrons are from all walks of life and apocalyptically rowdy.

4. IMPORTANT CONTACT DURING YOUR TRIP IN VIETNAM
Normally, our guide will give you the guidance and take necessary actions in all cases. However, there are some contacts that you should have during your trip.

Tony Tran– Travel consultant
Hand phone: 0979800588
Hotline: (+84-4) 9446230
Email: info@activetravelvietnam.com
Website: http://www.activetravelvietnam.com

5. OTHER NECESSARY PHONE NUMBERS (In Vietnam)
113 Police
114 Fire Brigade
115 Ambulance
00 International Direct Dialing Access Code
0 National Domestic Direct Dialing Access Code
101 Long Distance Domestic telephone service
102 Directory assistance for long distance domestic telephone service
103 Operator-assisted long distance domestic telephone service
110 International telephone service
112 International telephone service rate
113 International telephone service inquiries
116 Phone number inquiries
117 Time inquiries
118 Ring back test
119 Advice on telephone repairs
1080 Information about society, economy, culture.
1088 Consultation in areas of employment, health, law, informatics, psychology, living skills…
171 Discount international phone charges, at US$ 0.85 per minute
178 Discount international phone charges, at US$ 0.75 per minute

We wish you a pleasure trip in Vietnam

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Overview

Fansipan is Vietnam’s highest peak located in the far north just outside of Sapa. Fansipan a very steep mountain that gets a lot of moisture. Those looking to climb it should be in good shape and prepared to to have muddy wet feet The scenery is incredible remember to bring a camera. For most of Vietnam having a rain coat is a little excessive because it is so warm. On the mountain having a rain coat is not a bad idea especially at night. The trails around Sapa are a lot of fun. You will get the chance to go through some minority vilages if you have the time to explore. The people in Sapa are extremely nice. Be aware of the children on the street, before you know it you will have hats and bracelets and rugs all over you. Explore the restraunts that are not on the main strip, you will get great food at a fraction of the cost. Hanoi beer is available in local restraunts for around 30 cents a liter. Down from Hotel in Sapa there is a little old man that serves plum wine and plays board games, I suggest paying him a visit. The food there is great!

Getting There

To get to the mountain you need to take a train from Hanoi to Lao Cai. From there you will take a mini bus up in to the town of Sapa. Transportation from Hanoi to Sappa can be arrange for a reasonable price. I think you might also be able to take a bus but I know it takes much longer. When you get into town, to make reservations for transprotation go to the Hotel in Sapa - 2-way transportation can be hired, but I recomend you hire a guide. By hiriing a guide (english speaking?) you will get meals, a porter, 2-way transprotation, accomodations in a hut, and waived permit and entrance fees.

The Trail:

Day1: You start going through several different valleys with a lot of lush jungle. The first day entails 2-4 hours of hiking. There is typically a lot of mud so come prepared. You might have the option of moving up to a high camp but the camp right by the river is beautiful. Enjoy the river to clean off( it is a btit nippy)

Day2: From the camp you pretty much go straight up the mountain side. It is a mixture of light 3rd class rock, root and tree climbing. The trail can be very slick and there are a lot of spots where the trail drops off. If you have trouble with heights you might not want to consider this hike.From the camp it takes 2-5 hours to reach the summit. Going up is not to bad but if it rained recently the trial can be very slick. Coming down is whre you want to be careful.

Day3: From the camp it takes about 3 hours to get down, bec areful about grabbing on to the grass if the trail is slick it will tear up you hands. When you reach the bottom you will end up in a beautiful hill tribe village.

Red Tape

There are permit and entrance fees. Not sure what the cost is. Part of the package deal if you hire a guide. Dont be suprised to find trash on the trail, Guides have not heard of the Leave No Trace Program I guess.

When To Climb

The prime time to climb the mountain is between October and April. During the summer it is very rainy but is still climbable if the weather holds. ( I went during the summer)

Camping