Money Matters -ATM @ Noi Bai Airport
by arni_ph075
Once you exit the customs at NoiBai Intl, there is an ATM machine areas from 6 different banks and there is no long queue either.
Atms accept cash advance withdrawals from visa or mastercard credit cards. Some of the banks are also affiliated with PLUS and CIRRUS.
One international bank available is CITIBANK, you can withdraw from your Citibank ATM account, few thousand dongs to use for transportation.. Surprisingly no surcharge.
It is best to withdraw from the ATM at the airport, as I have not seen many ATM machines in the Old Quarters.
bring only essentials
by elmasri
Bring only essentials, you can buy everything cheaper here. good confortable shoes / sandals, you are going to walk a lot. only if you need something specific, then bring it with you, there are shops like 7/11 that sell everything.
Enjoying the beach at Cat Ba Island
by King_Golo
Cat Ba Island is not only good for trekking, it's also the major beach spot in Halong Bay. The best place to go to if you want to enjoy beach life it Cat Ba Town. There are two beautiful sandy beaches with tub-warm water close to central Cat Ba. Both of them are rather small, but not overcrowded. During the day, mostly foreigners inhabit the beaches, but in the late afternoon when the sun is not burning as fiercely anymore the Vietnamese will invade the beach.
We had a good time comparing the Western and Eastern way of beach life. Westerners will lay down their towels in the sun, frying the rest of the day to get a good suntan while Easterners will come when the sun is already setting, having fun in the water. Westerners will come alone or in pairs, Easterners will take their whole family. Westerners will enjoy the sun quietly, while Easterners will scream and laugh loudly.
Perhaps this will change in the coming years. Cat Ba Town wants to become the major tourism point in Halong Bay and is thus building numerous new hotels and even a completely new beach. Right now, it is still relatively calm.
Vietnamese Cowboys
by kphstar about Bar Sixteen (or was it Seventeen?)
The thing is that I can't remember too much about this place. It's funny, you go there sit down and take in the cowboy/western saloon theme of the place. The walls are log cladded; the waiteress (looking sixteen and all, probably the reason for the name) are cladded in their cowgirl outfits, billy bottoms mandatory; and the Phillippino band banging away in the fore ground.
Now you order a beer, instead a bottle of cognac comes out (courtesy of one's cousin). Every waiteress is offering to pour you the drink and before long you....(sorry, I meam I), I find myself on stage trying to play silly drinking games, dancing with stranger (who are trying to buy me more drinks) and talking plenty of ***.
So how did i get home again? Still can't seem remember.
As much fun as i think I'd had, the hangover the next morning was not one that any sane individual should have liked to live through. However, in saying that, the night must have being a sucess.
The most exciting traffic in the world (II)...
by King_Golo
3. bike - a good way to get around, but also one of the more stressful ones... Imagine being the only biker among thousands of motorbikes! Bikes can be rented in many places in the Old Quarter (try Hang Bac street), as well as in some of the hotels. By the way: Don't expect anyone show consideration for you. You'll be the weakest part of the food chain...
4. by foot - definitely one of the best ways to get around in Hanoi. It makes it possible for you to truly discover the city - and its more hidden parts. When walking around, be curious: Check out the narrow lanes and hidden entries. You'll be surprised what can be found there.
5. by taxi - taxis are rather expensive, but this will quickly pay out when you go by more than two persons. Expect to pay about 30000-100000 VND for a ride in Hanoi. The prices are fixed, bargaining is not necessary.
6. by cyclo - cyclos (i.e. rickshaw) are only for tourists. In the Old Quarter, you'll here the ringing of their bells everywhere, but I would recommend not to go with them. Prices are too high (most drivers can easily recognize a naive tourist who is overwhelmed by all the exotic views of his first day in Hanoi). Cyclos are too slow for going to some place quickly, but too fast for taking pictures of the exciting street life around them. Furthermore, you'll sit on the height of all the exhaust fumes...
7. drive your own motorbike - this is certainly the best way to get around, if...
...you know the city.
...you're not afraid of millions of other motorbikes coming towards you from every direction without any traffic rules
...you like adventures!
Motorbikes can be rented at almost every hotel and in some shops in the Old Quarter, especially in Hang Bac street. Compare the prices and you'll be able to save some bucks. Most people choose a 110ccm Honda or Yamaha, but if you want to do longer trips, try to get a Minsk. This is a Belorussian motorbike that is nearly impossible to break down. It's good for tours in the countryside. Motorbikes can also be bought in Hanoi
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Halong Bay
Koto staff, serious about doing their best
The Metropole
Sunbeam Bridge leading to the temple
