B777-200ER
Number of Seats: 307
Business: 25
Deluxe: 54
Economy: 228
B777-200ER
Number of Seats: 338
Business: 32
Economy: 306
B777-200ER
Number of Seats: 325
Business: 35
Economy: 290
Thứ Ba, 7 tháng 12, 2010
Boeing 777
Viet Nam target ASIAD golds
HA NOI – Vietnamese track and field athletes can seriously consider winning gold medals at the next Asian Games, according to coach Nguyen Dinh Minh.
"After ASIAD silvers and bronzes, I think that Viet Nam's track and field athletes can now target golds. Before (the ASIAD) it was a crazy thought but now we are close and in other words we could have 'touched' it," said Minh, who coached Southeast Asian sprint queen Vu Thi Huong to 100m bronze and 200m silver medals last month.
Viet Nam also pocketed silvers in the women's 800m and 1,500m and a bronze in the men's decathlon.
These achievements were not thought of when the team departed for the Guangzhou games. All the athletes wanted was to try their best to win Viet Nam's first ever track and field medal at the games.
"My athletes went to ASIAD having not had the best preparations so both coaches and athletes were under pressure, hoping to win an elusive medal. The runners had to try harder every round for their best result," Minh said.
"Viet Nam is starting to become competitive at the Asian level where we have had some success, but it is still along way from being able to make an impact at world competitions. If we receive good support and make plans, some of our athletes will have a chance to not only win an ASIAD gold but also compete on the world stage," he confirmed. – VNS
Thứ Năm, 25 tháng 11, 2010
Overland to or from Vietnam Airliners to Travel ( VNA all crossings)
From Stung Treng to Kon Tum (December 2008):
We took a very comfortable share-minibus from Stung Treng to Ban Lung (35,000 R per seat if I remember correctly). Left 8 am – took 3 hrs including time to drop everyone off at their houses. Amazed how BL has grown in the 3 years since we were last there. To get from there to the border the choice was whole taxi at $50 or motodops. We chose the latter at $15 each. Took 2 hours on good remade road – mostly dirt but occasionally surfaced. Only the last 2 km to the border was still being upgraded. If we had been earlier in the day I am sure we could have shared the taxi to save cost.
At the border passed through tiny Cambodian immigration hut (more of a garden shed than a building!) then taken by the motodops the 1 km or so across no-man’s land to the Vietnam entry point. Had our visas checked (quite pointlessly) by 2 officers in a hut (presumably the old entry point and they were given a job for the sake of it) then walked to the monster new immigration building. More windows to present ourselves at then we were in. Very overcrowded minibus was waiting “for us” (bush telegraph?) and took us into Pleiku (2 hrs) for a rather overpriced 100,000 VND each. Drove us up in front of one of the nice little yellow buses which left immediately for Kon Tum (1½ hrs – 15,000 VND each).
Really a good smooth trip – all the way from Stung Treng to Kon Tum from 8 am to 5pm same day.
Pleiku - Banlung overland (March 2008):
Left Pleiku at 8am, arrived Banlung just before 2pm, so this trip is just under six hours door to door. Border crossing on the Vietnamese side is called Le Thanh. The crossing on the Cambodian side is called O Yadao. In the Vietnam to Cambodia direction, the Cambodian immigration officials insist that a visa for Cambodia is available upon arrival at O Yadao. I did not need to get a visa for Cambodia at their Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. In the Cambodia to Vietnam direction, as usual, a visa for Vietnam must be in your passport before heading for the border crossing.
At the bus station in Pleiku, two of the moto drivers who hang around out front speak English and are aware that this crossing is now open to foreigners. However, they want about 300,000 dong for a ride to Le Thanh from Pleiku. Alternatively, take a yellow local bus to Duc Co from the central market in Pleiku for about 15,000 dong and then a moto from Duc Co to Le Thanh. It is about 60 KM from Pleiku to Duc Co and then about 20 KM from Duc Co to Le Thanh. The road is paved and smooth all the way. On the Vietnamese side. There is a huge new immigration building under construction at Le Thanh but for now, the old shack is still in use. It is just behind the new building. Vietnamese moto drivers hang around in the market just in front of the border station for a ride to Duc Co or Pleiku respectively.
Once past the Vietnamese Immigration officials, walk about 100 meters to the Cambodian Immigration station, where you will need to wait until someone offers a ride to Banlung. The front seat in a share taxi all to yourself is 15 dollars one way, which is the luxury way to go. A ride on the back of a moto is 10 dollars, but be advised that the road on the Cambodian side is under reconstruction and is really dusty and bumpy all the way to Banlung. It is about 70 KM on this road so a ride in a share taxi really is the only way to go. In my case, one of the friendly Cambodian Immigration guys just happened to be going to Banlung in his car so he drove after stamping my passport. Four wheel drive trucks also do this run from time to time and a ride in the back would be cheaper but very miserable given the state of the road on the Cambodian side.
In Banlung, for the trip to Pleiku, there are a number of options. Firstly, simply visit the bus station / share taxi stand just in front of the main market to ask if anyone is going to O Yadao. A visa for Vietnam must be in your passport beforehand. Alternatively, stay at Nordic Guest House, just up the road from Yeak Laom Lake, where the management is up to date about how to get to O Yadao. Or contact Mr. Lim, a tour guide in Banlung who takes people to the border crossing after showing them the countryside around Banlung. Contact him via e- mail on limtravel@yahoo.com or call him from inside Cambodia on either 012-237-462 or 011-578-458. When calling from overseas, drop the first 0 and add 855, the country code for Cambodia.
For a bit of fun at the Cambodian Immigration Station, ask to speak with Sokun. He is an Immigration official who used to work as a tour guide in Cambodia. His English is excellent, and his sense of humor even better. He knows all about the O Yadao area, including the jungle woman. Enjoy your visit.
Some pictures from the roads used on this trip are on:
http://picasaweb.google.com/sfogm9/PleikuBanlungOverland
Chau Doc bus station scam again (March 2008):
I just re-read your tale of the scam warning at the Chau Doc border. In late December ('07) we HAD THE EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE. We were staying at the Orchid Guest House in Kampot and had a great time for 2 nights. The manager arranged a taxi for my wife and I for $25.00 to the border. We had debated getting a taxi to Phnom Penh then taking the boat down and would have done this but since we had just driven down from P.P. we didn't feel like going back!
Anyway, we went through similar events with the border officials, waiting a few minutes, filling out forms, then being told we were through. Not a bad deal, the whole thing took about 15 minutes, tops. Lots of people staring at us since we were the only Western-looking people around.
Then, we spotted the evil brigade of moto drivers, all obviously led by one sinister-looking Fagin type in charge. They wanted $15.00 each! We cited reports of $7.00 each and they laughed. So we started walking. A few yards later the leader caught up with us and we started the bargaining process again. We settled for $19.00 total -- I only had that plus a $50 dollar bill and there was no way I was even going to let him know I had that.
Anyway, we got to the bogus "bus station" and tried communicating with these as*holes that this wasn't the PUBLIC bus station but they insisted that it was. We tried telling the drivers (who we hadn't paid yet), the woman behind the desk at the bogus bus station, even a customer who looked really embarrassed (one of the scam artists must have told her to split because she disappeared real fast) Then the drivers demanded $10.00 each for a total of $20.00. I guess $1.00 means a lot to them. I told them that the deal we made with their boss was for $19.00 and they started yelling. They looked pretty shocked when I yelled back. I was ready to hit one of them I was so pis*ed off. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I did...
Anyway, we backed down. I didn't want to wander around a foreign city without a map trying to find the public bus station, and with such unfriendly people lurking about so we paid for the stupid minibus (I think it was $12 each) and then we (surprise!) drove to the real bus station. From there we road an increasingly crammed minibus to Saigon. What a pain. At least we got there by 7:00 pm.
We had more terrible adventures in Saigon with moto and taxi drivers trying to rip us off (we were successful -- this time -- in preventing this) but overall, we were having such a bad time we ended up staying 2 days instead of 3 (and flew to Hoi An where we had a great time!)
One thing is for sure, I don't ever want to travel to South Vietnam again.
Ha Tien success (July 2007):
You can now cross at the newly opened international border between Kampot province (Cambodia) and Ha Tien (Viet Nam). It opened approx 3 month ago (maybe May 2007?) with another few borders crossings added north of the one in Moc Bai (to be confirmed by other travelers...). UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE ARRANGED VIETNAM VISA OR CAMBODIAN ONE PRIOR TO CROSSING AT HA TIEN.
For the Ha Tien crossing: we paid a taxi 15USD from Kampot town to the border (did not negotiate so you can probably get for maybe less). We passed Kep on our right and after approx an hour we turned right off the tarmac road onto 5-10 km of potholed and muddy track (avoid being driven there by mortorbike after a rainy day). Two eager motorbikes had been following the taxi for the last km and charged us 3USD each to take us and our bags from the Cambodian side to our hotel in Ha Tien approx 10km (again did not negotiate so...).
At the Cambodian side a nice smilling and English speaking border guy let us out of the country with no hassle. On the Vietnam side it's a 30-minute 3-step affair, first step was to pay the guy 3000 dong for a piece of paper. We did not have dong so we paid 0.5 USD each. Two hotel touts were waiting for us on the Vietnam side, we ignored them and off we went with our Cambodia drivers. Et voila - we were in Ha Tien ...
Tinh Bien (May 2007):
We attempted the perhaps less travelled border crossing from Phnom Den to Tinh Bien in Vietnam. Both the Cambodia and Vietnam Lonely Planet guides tell you not to attempt this and apparently the border has opened and closed intermittedly for foreigners (problems are on the Cambodian not the Vietnamese side), but we had no trouble.
From Kampot we organised a taxi through Monkey tours the night before which cost US$30 for a private air-conditioned car or US$22 for a private non-air-conditioned car. The road was pretty dusty and being April it was bloody hot so we were glad we took the air-con option. This was the only taxi we arranged in Cambodia where they asked us to pay when we booked, which we refused. Apparently tourists arrange these taxis and then pull out, so all they wanted was a commitment from us, which we gave them verbally. (As a general comment, we found taxis a little more expensive than we expected because of Khmer New Year, but they were still extremely cheap, even by South East Asian standards).
The taxi picked us up and took about 2 hours to get to the border. We had no idea where he was going and there were no signs in English after Kampong Trach, but we got there. At the border there is a row of small buildings along the side of the road leading up to the gate and someone in a uniform guided us to the right building whilst we were wandering with confused looks on our faces. We filled out our departure card and had to produce a second copy of our Cambodian e-visas (the first was when we entered the country). My husband only had a black and white copy which was a bit of a problem for the official but we showed him other ID and stamped our passports.
We then walked a little further along the road to the Vietnamese side and completed arrival cards outside a building with an x-ray machine. Someone took our passports (we arranged our Vietnam visas in Sihanoukville for US$35 each which took only 5 minutes!!) and then returned with them. You cannot purchase Vietnam visas on arrival to the border. We were then pointed towards a "health service" building next door where the guy gave us a pointless slip of paper and told us to pay about 1000 riel each (can't remember exactly). Our bags were never checked.
After entering Vietnam we were approached by moto drivers offering to take us to Chau Doc. We said no we want a car because we had big bags, they said there are no cars, they were right. We paid $15 for two motos (the driver of each moto had our bag between his legs) to Chau Doc which took about 30-40 minutes. The bargaining started at US$26 ($13 each moto).
On the way we tried to tell them we wanted to go to the Victoria Hotel. For some reason this sounded like Ho Chi Minh City, so they took us to a tour operator where they would get a kick-back. So we said no we are staying at Victoria Hotel. They only heard the "hotel" part and took us to some guest house where they would also get a kick-back. They finally understood us and then said that Victoria Hotel cost more because it is 2 km further. It was another 500m but we paid them an extra dollar because we felt pathetic quibbling when we were staying at the most expensive hotel in town.
Saigon to Phnom Penh (November 2006):
We arranged the bus through our hotel (the Spring Hotel). It cost us $20 per person, including transportation from the hotel to the bus. (We probably could have gotten a lower price if we didn't book it through the hotel, but we didn't know where to go to do so.) We were offered our choice of 8am, 9am, or 11am departures. The bus was operated by Sapaco Tourist, and was a very nice, new, comfortable, full-size bus, with AC, a bathroom, a TV, and a DVD player. The journey took about 7 hours, including about 1 hour at the Moc Bai border crossing, a lunch stop just past the border, and a short wait for the ferry. At the border, our bus attendant collected the passports from everyone on the bus. We then went inside and stood around until our names were called by the border officials. The road was in good condition. When we got off the bus in Phnom Penh, we were mobbed by tuk tuk drivers who were fighting each other to try to get our business, and who refused to let go of our suitcases. After I arbitrarily selected one of tuk tuks and made it clear that we would be taking that one, the other drivers backed off.
Kampot to Saigon via Phnom Den/Tinh Bien Border Crossing (November 2006):
I can confirm that after the mission my partner and I had today, that it is definitely possible to do this border crossing. Details for our trip today are as follows:
We left Kampot via share taxi at 10:30am. We arranged the taxi through Monkey Tours who really tried to help us find other passengers to share the taxi to make it cheaper for us. We also visited some of the Kampot guest houses to find some fellow travelers but they were all going to Phnom Penh or to Thailand, so we ended up paying $20 for the taxi ($10 each).
The ride was about 2 hours and took us to the border at Phnom Den. Here we said goodbye to our driver and walked to the first check point. The Cambodian immigration official was very friendly, we filled in our departures form stapled in our passport, the official stamped our passports with a smile and we walked about another 20 metres to the Vietnam check-point. Here, we completed an arrivals card (we arranged our Vietnam visa in Sihanoukville, which was cheap and took just ten minutes!) and were then led by an official to another waiting area. Some other travelers were there who said they had been waiting about ten minutes for their luggage to be x-rayed, so we prepared ourselves to do the same, but waited about just five minutes before being led again by another official to an air-conditioned room with a sign “health service”. Here, an official stamped our visas and we had to pay 2000 Dong each which we got an official receipt for (I paid in US$1 and was given change).
From here, we were clear and just walked out the checkpoint into Vietnam. Too easy! The whole process took just 20 minutes from leaving our taxi to entering Vietnam. Once clearing immigration, some xe om (moto) drivers approached us and we told them we wanted a ride to Chao Doc. We bartered hard - their first offer was $10, we got them down to $5 each, and that was because we had big backpacks (supposedly!) so it might be possible to get this even cheaper if you have just a little luggage.
It took about half an hour to do the 35km journey and this is where things got a bit more difficult.
SCAM WARNING!!!!!
The moto driver dropped us off at a place that’s sign clearly indicated it had mini vans to Saigon. However, when we asked about the price, they wanted $15 per person, and wouldn’t leave for another two hours. This rang alarm bells. Firstly, because that sounded like a horrendously large amount of money, and secondly, because it was clearly not a bus station. We made many, many attempts to communicate with the staff at this place and our moto drivers - we had a phrase book and maps from our guide book, but these people refused to try and understand what we wanted. When we asked to be taken to the bus station we’d get either blank stares, laughter, or be told using numbers written on pieces of paper that it was 70km or 260km away. We knew this was just not right, as I quickly figured out our address on the map in our book and could see from reading it that the station was no more than 1km or so away. So after 45 minutes, we just got our bags and started walking. Then, funnily enough, the same moto drivers came after us and could suddenly speak English, and told us they would take us to the Chau Doc bus station for $1 each. By this stage it was 3pm and we had a 6 hour journey ahead, so we went with them, although they had proven themselves to be unscrupulous and obviously after some sort of commission from that particular mini van company. $1 was probably also too much to pay, but we were hot and slightly flustered by this stage!
So we eventually got to the actual bus station where there were many companies and many buses with regular services leaving for Saigon . We paid 85 000 Dong each for an air-conditioned small bus that was leaving in ten minutes ( 3:30pm ).
We thought we were on our way, but after about 45 minutes (we were the only people on the bus), we stopped at another station-type place, were told to get out, and then the bus took-off. We freaked out a bit as all our luggage was still on the mini bus, but we found someone who spoke a little English and she reassured us the bus would be back with our luggage in 5 minutes. It did come back in about ten minutes, with some more passengers, and this time when we got back on we were given bottles of water and wet wipes (nice!) and really were on our way.
The next two hours of the journey was over terrible roads, but coming from Cambodia, we thought not too much of it. We stopped for half an hour for dinner at about 7pm at a roadside place that has some nice cheap food and then the road after that was smooth bitumen. We got to Saigon at about 9:30pm . It was easy to get a moto to the district we wanted, and decided we needed to share this info about this border crossing, as all our research into this crossing had been fruitless- no info at this stage shared by others that we could find.
My recommendations to anyone doing this crossing: leave Kampot early so you don’t arrive in HCM so late, be very clear at the start when talking to the moto drivers, telling them you want the PUBLIC bus station, take some snacks to eat along the way, be prepared for terribly loud Asian pop music to blare from the bus speakers the whole trip, have some small US dollars on-hand for the motos and to buy snacks and water with, and be patient, as nobody we dealt with until Saigon had any English (we had a Vietnamese phrase book which helped us a lot!)
Hopefully this info helps others who want to avoid going back up to Phnom Penh to cross into Vietnam when already so close to the border in the Kampot/Kep/Sihanoukville region.
Phnom Penh to Saigon and back by bus via Moc Bai (May 2006):
I did this journey by bus in March, 2006. I travelled by Mekong Express Bus, having purchased the ticket at their office on Sisowath Quay. Any of the riverside moto drivers will know where this is. Cost $12, and they sent a van to my hotel to take me to the bus station at the O Russei Market in good time to catch the bus. Scheduled runs are at 6:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Bus is large and comfortable and air conditioned.
Total trip took 6 hours, including the hour border formalities. We got off the bus at the border, Vietnamese insisted on running our luggage through the x-ray even though there was no one there to monitor, but oh well! Of course you must have your Vietnamese visa in hand. It is about one hour to the border and we were in HCMC by 1 p.m. Same bus for the entire trip, complete with host to chat and give a talk on Cambodian culture. Great! Bus lets you off on Pha Nga Lu Street, lots of travel agents and hotels nearby.
Easy as pie, I enjoyed it immensely.
When I arrived in HCMC on the return journey, having taken an early flight from Hanoi, I was just in time to catch the 11:00 a.m. bus back to Phnom Penh; it left Pha Nga Lu Street bus stop smartly on time and we were in Phnom Penh by about 5:00 p.m. Cost $13. Border formalities again were easy, strictly supervised by the host on the bus and the border guards, no hassles. Cambodian visas are available at the border, quick and easy.
The road is paved the entire way, except for a couple of short, rough dusty patches where new bridges are under construction in Cambodia, and of course the Neak Luong ferry crossing. Luckily we did not have to wait at all to cross, although sometimes this happens. We stayed on the bus for the ferry ride, unless you want to get off to purchase snacks from the kids; or you can do this from your window! Easy ride, recommended.
I was traveling Phnom Penh to Hanoi and back, and doing the PP - HCMC leg by bus each way saved me a bundle. Same day flights to Hanoi from HCMC seemed to be readily available on Pacific Air.
Saigon to Phnom Penh via Chau Doc and a Sinh Cafe tour (December 2005):
I travelled from Sai Gon to Phnom Penh in November 2005. I bought a tour a the Sinh Cafe in Sai Gon. I didn’t quite get what I asked for, but the tour still gave extremely high value for money. First it was 110 kms by bus, then some boat travelling on the Mekong, including visiting some manufactory and having lunch (included) and finally 140 kms of bus travelling to Chau Doc. There we got our hotel rooms; I had a single room with A/C, private bath/toilet and balcony. The next morning we were taken in rudderboats to some fish farm and then by boat to the border. On that boat we got our visas. We had to walk from the Vietnamese border post to the Cambodian one and then we went by a fast boat for a couple of hours in Cambodia. The last one and a half hour to Phnom Penh we spent on a bus and arrived at 6 p.m. Total cost (including lunch the first day and the hotel but excluding dinner and visa) USD 30.-!
Phnom Penh to Saigon by bus (October 2004):
We took the bus from the Central Market (can't remember the name, but it's the main bus service in that area with buses that go to loads of different places). It left 10 mins late at 6:40am and was about 1/3 full. It was a decent 50-60 seater with a/c. It took us 1 1/2 hours along a very bumpy and potholed road to the ferry crossing of the Mekong, arriving about 8:15 am. We waited for about 20 minutes before crossing. The road to after the ferry to the border was good quality and fairly fast (I'd say we averaged about 50 mph). We got to the border just after 10am. It took us 1 1/2 hours to get through the border, but it was pretty relaxed. They stop at a little restaurant/cafe on the border. No touts. No hassle. Most of the passengers were Cambodian or Vietnamese so no b.s. The border was painless and we were on the road again by 11:30. The road from the border to HCMC is very good - almost freeway-quality at times - 4 lanes and fast. Averaged about 60-65mph here and pulled into central HCMC (right on the Pha Nga Lu street) at 12:50, about 50 mins later than scheduled. Again, no touts or hassle when we got off the bus, just a simple taxi ride to our hotel. A great experience and I'd recommend anyone to do it. It was only $9.
Saigon to Phnom Penh advice - tourist bus or taxi (July 2004):
All the backpackers’ cafes around Pham Ngu Lao can arrange bus trips to PP. Unfortunately there has been a price war in the last year or two, which means that prices are incredibly cheap – down to 5 USD – but that the service gets worse and worse. To make ends meet the “tour guides” (they don’t actually do any guiding) have to stop as many times as possible to get commission from shops/cafes etc. The last time I did this trip, we stopped about 5 miles short of the border for half an hour, despite the protests of everyone on board. After the border there is a restaurant, where we were dumped for TWO HOURS waiting for our bus driver. In the end I found that he was parked there asleep, and went and shouted at him. He claimed that we were waiting for two more passengers, which was blatantly untrue. In the end we persuaded him to leave, but an hour or so down the road the bus broke down, and we lost another hour or so.
We had to dismount at the Neak Luong ferry and pay for our own crossing, then board a third bus, which dragged very slowly into PP. In total the trip took nearly 12 hours – ridiculous for 200 km on reasonable roads.
Subsequent to this I have travelled by taxi. Guesthouses can arrange one to the border for 220,000 VN dong – about 14.50 USD. The border was open and busy when I arrived at 7.30 am. From there, I ignored all the touts, walked across the border, completed customs and immigration, and walked to the taxi stand. I was immediately offered a taxi to PP for 10 USD. My reaction was to recoil, and ask what’s the catch? The only catch was that there were already two Japanese guys in the car who were already paying 10 dollars each.
At the ferry we were stuck for an hour as it was the first day of a holiday and there was a lot of traffic. All the same I was in my hotel in PP 5 hours after leaving my front door in Saigon. I don’t think you could do it much quicker by flying. Without the 2 Japanese guys it would have been a total of 45USD – I think that’s pretty good shared between 3 or four.
Phnom Penh to Saigon by taxi (February 2004):
After seeing the minibus from the guesthouse depart the previous morning totally packed we decided that Camry would again be the way forward, so got up and were at Central Market by 10am to charter two taxis to Bavet. However the taxi drivers didn't understand a word of English and were determined to take us back to Siem Reap! In a last ditch attempt I tried "Nous voulons aller a la frontiere avec Viet Nam" and it worked. The touts tried for US$80 PER CAR!!! We laughed and walked off and after about 20 minutes of negotiation got it down to US$60 for both. This still seemed pretty steep to us, but we wanted to leave Phnom Penh that day and so accepted. We got the cars to take us back to our guesthouse to pick up our stuff and our companions and I decided to get one of the English speaking staff to confirm with the drivers what we had agreed. It was lucky I did as the bastard touts had told the drivers US$40 each, not US$30! With that ironed out we set off and made good time on decent roads as far as the Neak Luong ferry, albeit with a minor detour as our guy decided to get lost in some random town.
After the ferry it became clear exactly why the ride was so expensive. The roads were barely passable, with a good foot of thick mud everywhere. There were teams of locals out by the "roads" digging cars out of the mud and pushing them. We felt like idiots sitting inside the air-conditioned taxi while this went on so we got out and joined in, getting totally plastered in mud in the meantime. Literally. It started to look like making the border by five pm was unlikely. We had bargained on this journey of about 100kms taking three hours at most but my advice would be to set our as early as possible. As we neared the border there was a huge line of traffic, some of it stuck, some of it sliding, and our driver managed to drive through the mud right past it, albeit at about 2mph! We then passed the minibus from the guesthouse that had left some three hours before us. Man did they look pissed off and uncomfy!
We eventually arrived at the border and paid the driver at about ten to five pm. God knows what he was planning on doing but he certainly wouldn't make it back to Phnom Penh that day. The border was a massive contrast to Poipet, we weren't hassled at all and there was a water buffalo wandering about the 50m patch of no-man's land separating the two posts!
The border guards were pretty friendly with us on the Cambodian side and enjoyed watching us try to wash the thick mud off our legs in a puddle! We wandered across and completed Vietnamese formalities but it took a good hour and we were busting for the toilet. One of the girls asked if there was one in the building and the stern looking guard pointed to the street outside. She decided to hold on! As it turns out we were asked at both borders if we were on the minibus from Phnom Penh and presumably the border guards are paid a little extra to stay open until this bus arrives. In Vietnam the paved highway was a beautiful sight and we easily chartered a minibus for US$30 to Saigon between the five of us. Again it could have been cheaper but was not a lot each.
The ride to Saigon was a huge contrast to the previous seven hours and evidently the Vietnamese government has done a lot to make a good impression on foreign arrivals. We got to our guesthouse in Saigon (TNK, highly recommended, but watch out for the mad granny) around 7pm, a 180km journey taking 9 hours!!!
Crossing at Moc Bai/Bavet (December 2002):
Everyone that travels to PP goes via bus. Having seen these giant, overstuffed, rumbling caskets overtaking traffic in any method imaginable on the ruthless roads, I thought it didn't look like a good time. Besides, the journey could take 12 hours, and leaves at 5 in the morning, which I surely wasn't prepared to do. So I haggled the first cabbie I saw and figured I could make the trip to the border in 1.5 hours, for $15, and at that rate I could afford to sleep in.
So, in a cab, 1PM, tearing northwest to the border at Moc Bai. I'm feeling so much smarter than every other traveler at this point: This is cheap, roomy, safer, and fast. 3:30, I'm droppped at Moc Bai. I am the only traveler there. The buses came through hours ago, having left at dawn. I am immediately hailed by the scam artists & touts I was warned of; all wanting to take $20 to look at my passport, and to drive me somewhere. Head down, I walk with determination. A few move up beside me and ask "Hey friend! Hey foreigner! New York! Taxi?! Passport?! 20 dollar?!" I kept them at bay by speaking in tongues. They eventually got frustrated and left me alone. So I got to the building, literally shacks in mud and dirt, and get a stamp. That was easy, now I am on my way. No, I need to go to the next desk so some one can look at the stamp they just gave me. OK, I am done, I go outside, but another man looks at my passport. OK, I am done, so I go to the border at Cambodia, and another man checks my passport. Now that I am done and through, I ask where a taxi is and he says 100 meters. There was actually a bit of decent concrete here, and being that it was easily 100 degrees, I put down my skateboard and started rolling. I got the expected wows and chuckles from the locals, as well as tons of shouts to stop, wanting my money, no doubt. Being through the border, having kept all my money, and having certainly put the score in my favor I flash them a grin and keep moving.
But I took one look back when someone yelled "police". I saw a man in uniform. I turn back and approach him and he asks where I am going. Cambodia. "Stamps?" I say yes, show him. He is pissed. Points me to a little wood stand by the side of the road. It says "Exit" but I am entering... "really?" YES!!! As I approach, I see another booth, marked "enter". Doh. So they laugh. They laugh at whitey with his nifty little toy, who is drenched in sweat, got yelled at by the cop, and has obviously no idea what the hell is going on. One point for the locals. You win some, you lose some.
It was another debacle, but I got through, and at everyone's request, got back on the board and headed to the taxis I saw down the road. I am told that if you go through a tout, you pay more for the cab, and as I am the only person here, this should be a buyer's market. I pull up to the farthest cab and turn around to see the cabbies & touts all running my direction shouting and holding up their hands. The first one to me writes $25 on his hand. I look up as a dozen others shout the same. One grabs my board, and tries to drag me to his car. I shout NO as loud as I can, and they back off for a sec. "Twenty?!" I shout to the crowd. More yelling yes yes twenty, another board grab and a loud NO. "Fifteen?!" More shouting. "Ten?!" Laughter. I hit the low threshold. OK, 15? One dives at me, yelling 15, and I get into his car. Whew.
We hit the road. The road? It was what the arial photos of the Afghani airstrips looked like a few months ago: cement with giant holes everywhere. Often it was smoother when the cabbie took off into the mud or dirt on the side of the road. We are thundering down the road, dodging holes, bouncing off ruts, and as we pass small towns, we are dodging oxen, pigs, children, motos.
I always wondered what the wild west looked like in real life. I think this was damn close. The little huts were dirty boards strung together. Many were only palm fronds weaved to make walls. People are really living like this! Some were stilted huts over water, others were lean-tos behind a moat of filth and garbage. Incredibly beautiful, I absolutely loved it.
We take a stop for some petrol. I lock the doors and wait. Having not eaten or drank all day, I think better and hop out for a coke. As I return, the cabbie wants to take my bags out & put them in the trunk, signaling that I could sleep for the trip. Right. I close them back in the back seat, and he starts babbling about petrol. He writes 20 in the dirt on the hood with his finger. I laugh! I shake my head. He runs on about the gas being 15 dollars. I write 15 on the hood, punctuate it with a firm rap on each number, get in the car, shut the door, & lock it. End of conversation.
If I had let my bags into the trunk, he would have held them until I gave the $5. Scambodia.
It's 5:00, and dusk is approaching. This is the reason the trip is recommended early in the day: there are no lights out here. Moving at breakneck speeds through rutted and cratered cement and earth, in a car with a man who speaks no English save the numbers between 15-20 and yes/no, Khmer music pumping, mud splattering, car flying off ruts, is not for the faint of heart. As if the actual forward motion weren't intense enough, who knows when a child, ox, pig or chicken will crop up wanting to play chicken. This is trip is ruthless, but for some reason, my pulse never quickened. The need for speed, however, was real: this will only get worse once the sun fully sets.
6:00: 65 MPH has never felt so fast. It's pitch black. Once in a while, we pass through a settlement, and I see that in these straw huts, the only light is often the blue glow of a TV. How they get electricity, let alone a signal out here is beyond comprehension. Then, we stop. The cabbie gets out, says "one" and closes the door. There is no love lost between us, after I wouldn't allow myself to get swindled, so I don't ask questions. I figure he is waiting for another rider. I refuse to pay him any more, so I will wait it out. Really, I will. That bastard, I'm pouring sweat. Only one of the power windows is down. I am hungry. All I can see from the back seat is a few fluorescent lights. It is some kind of settlement, but I can't tell a damn thing about it. No idea where I am. I've got nerves of steel, I can wait this out. Really.
OK, I will get out and find a hotel! There has to be one nearby. So I pull out the language guide and ask the children where a hotel is. One is near. OK, I'll give that bastard cabbie 10 more minutes. Using the guide, I inquire what this place is called. Most of the kids have no idea where they are on the map, but one does. I then look up the town in the book – we're getting somewhere!
"Neak Luong is the point at which travelers speeding between Phnom Penh & the Vietnamese border have to slow to a stop to cross the mighty Mekong River." We were waiting for a god-damned car ferry. I'm angry and elated. I won't ditch the cabbie after all.
7:00, the ferry arrives and we cross the river. 2 more people hop into the cab. Back at 60 MPH, lightning is flickering in the hot sky as the Khmer music pulses on. More dim lights at settlements and the occasional fire. Swerving left & right. I pull out my notebook to jot something down and the kid sitting next to me turns on the dome light, asks if this is what I wanted. He speaks English! In fact, he's in year 2 of an English degree in Phnom Penh!! The drive got a lot easier, as we swapped impressions of our respective countries, told stories, and got along very well. He told the driver exactly where to take me, and I was off.
Confirmation of visas on arrival when coming from Vietnam (December 2002):
As I know there was some confusion as to whether visa's were available at the Chau Doc and Moc Bai crossings from Vietnam, I can confirm that when I came up via boat, some British guys on the boat obtained theirs at Chau Doc for $20US. There is also a simple sign up confirming this. The border authorities didn't seem to have any photo capabilities and as the guys didn't have any colour photos with them, they had to cut out the black and white photocopies of their passports they had with them and use them instead. As an aside, we waited around the immigration office for about half and hour before the officials decided that they were ready (they were not actually doing anything). I have since come to the conclusion that they were waiting for a bribe from us to actually do something, but since our boat driver did not speak English and was back on the boat - nothing eventuated. One, more classy, boat arrived and the driver/guide just collected all the passports handed them to the officials, who promptly stamped them and handed them back. Without any passengers getting off the boat, which was 60m away. I will assume some 'arrangement' had been sorted out with this particular boat.
Scam alert Phnom Penh to Chau Doc (December 2002):
Firstly, thanks for the in-depth info on the overland journey from Bangkok to Siem Reap. My friend and I used it and had a largely trouble free journey with no money going into the pockets of the touts
I don't know whether you are interested or not, but by being aware of this scam system, we encountered another one leaving Phnom Penh to Chau Doc in Vietnam by boat. We decided to take the boat as it only takes 2.5 hours to the border and is undercrowded and leaves at 2pm - plenty of time to sort out any loose ends and say goodbye to Cambodia. The scam goes as follows......
The boat is loaded up with around 12 people - all tourists as this boat costs $15. It arrives late and goes late. The 2pm sailing is closer to 3 for no apparent reason. We sail effortlessly to the in and out immigration points in the 2.5 hours suggested without a hitch. It's now around 5.30ish and as we leave the Vietnamese passport control for Chau Doc a few leaflets are handed out about a lovely looking guesthouse in Chau Doc. The inside of the boat is also adorned with various photos of the rooms available etc. It is as we approach the middle of the Mekong river that the pilot decided we can't go any further as he is having a problem with the fuel line. The engine is switched off and he frantically runs backwards and forwards between the engine and the control panel as we drift out of control on the river. Enter player number 2. One of the tourists on the boat is a very respectable looking Vietnamese chap who offers to help out. Between them the pair decides that we have some real problems on the boat and our new friend who is quite fluent in English lets the rest of the boat know. Occasionally, much to everyone's relief, the boat gets going again, but only for a few hundred metres. After this it is deemed that the problem is persisting and the pair once again try to fix the problem. Throughout all this we are reassured that everything will be fine and we will get to Chau Doc. This whole drama goes on for about an hour or so - making sure that it is well and truly dark when we arrive at Chau Doc, and far too late for us to continue to Saigon. Where could we possibly spend the night??
A lovely lady welcomes us to Vietnam at the dock, and offers the services of the guest house. A very cheeky scam, very similar to the Poipet scam. The difference with this one is that you are pretty much held prisoner on the boat - you can't get up and walk in the middle of the Mekong!!!
I'm not going to mention the guest house. I'm sure its a lovely guesthouse, and with the pull of Saigon, struggles to get by in Chau Doc, but I'm afraid that their tactics to get business are totally wrong!
The strange thing is that only myself and my friend knew it was a scam. The rest of the boat were totally taken in by the act - until we told them. When challenged, our friend on the boat suddenly forgot how to speak English and just laughed nervously shrugging his shoulders. The look on his face after docking was priceless when he knew there would be no commission that night.
Thanks. Keep 'em coming.
---------------------------------------
Ceremony to appoint leaders of two units under the Vietnam Environment Administration
VEA - On 1 November 2010, the Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) held a ceremony to award two decisions for leaders of two units under the Vietnam Environment Administration.
At the ceremony, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Cach Tuyen, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment cum Deputy Director General of VEA awarded two decisions to appoint Dr. Pham Anh Cuong, Deputy Director of Department of Environmental Appraisal and Impact Assessment, to hold the position of Deputy Director in charge of Department of Biodiversity Conservation, and Mr. Do Thanh Thuy, Deputy Chief Editor of Environment Magazine to hold the position of Chief Editor of Environmental Magazine.
Author: Q.Bao; Translator: Khanh Phuong
Dịch vụ pháp luật Việt Nam – Hãy chờ
Văn phòng luật sư với các dịch vụ pháp lý về Thương mại sẽ phát triển mạnh ở Việt Nam trong thời gian tới.
Xã hội phát triển nào cũng cần có sự minh bạch cửa pháp lý. Trong đó, luật kinh doanh là một phần quan trọng, không thể thiếu.
Chưa bao giờ ngành nghề luật sư thương mại ở Việt Nam được nhắc đến nhiều như thời điểm này. Cũng dễ hiểu khi nhu cầu cung cấp dịch vụ pháp lý đang ngày càng tăng. Đó là kết quả tổng hợp của nhiều tác động tích cực từ nhiều phía.
Miền đất hứa cho ngành nghề luật sư việt Nam
Nền kinh tế nước ta đang phát triển từng ngày. Hệ thống các văn bản luật ngày càng hoàn thiện, chặt chẽ. Đặc biệt là “dấu son” Việt Nam gia nhập Tổ chức Thương mại thế giới (WTO).
Việt Nam – WTO đồng nghĩa với việc các doanh nghiệp Việt Nam cũng đặt chân vào sân chơi “không biên giới”, ẩn chứa cả cơ lẫn nguy. Luật sư Lưu Văn Tám (Hội đồng Luật sư Quốc gia) cho biết, nhiều luật sư trẻ bây giờ là đồng nghiệp, cũng là “đối thủ của ông ngay từ giai đoạn Việt Nam đang đàm phán vào WTO. Họ đã có kế hoạch thành lập Văn phòng Luật sư riêng.
Chúng ta từng phải liên tục đối mặt với các vụ kiện bán phá giá, liên quan đến con cá, con tôm, các mặt hàng công nghiệp như dệt may, da giày… Hay vụ thua kiện pháp lý của Tổng Công ty Hàng không Việt Nam (Vietnam Airlines), cũng là lời cảnh tỉnh đối với các doanh nghiệp, vừa thiếu thông tin và cả hiểu biết về Luật thương mại quốc tế.
Chẳng đâu xa, ngay cả Luật thương mại trong nước vẫn còn là điều gì đó “uyên bác” đối với nhiều doanh nghiệp, nhất là khi đại đa số đều có quy mô vừa và nhỏ. Trong đó, vô số doanh nghiệp ra đời và phát triển một cách tự nhiên, thiếu thông tin và hiểu biết và pháp lý…
Ai cũng mong muốn kinh doanh thành công và bền vững. Do vậy, tìm đến chuyên gia tư vấn để giảm thiểu rủi ro liên quan đến pháp lý là việc cần thiết. Đó cũng là tiền đề để người ta nhận diện một “miền đất hứa” của nghề Luật sư Việt Nam.
Mở cửa cho nghề “thầy cãi”
Pháp lệnh Luật sư ra đời đầu tiên vào năm 1987, công nhận chính thức nghề luật sư tại Việt Nam. Thời điểm đó, nghề này chưa phát triển. Các văn phòng luật sư chỉ xuất hiện lưa thưa.
Luật Doanh nghiệp ra đời năm 2000, đi đôi với nhiều nguồn đầu tư nước ngoài đổ vào Việt Nam, tạo nhiều “đất” hơn cho các luật sư. Pháp lệnh Luật sư năm 2001 ra đời, góp phần chuyên nghiệp hóa dần các hoạt động và dịch vụ pháp lý.
Nền kinh tế phát triển nhanh chóng. Số lượng doanh nghiệp tăng nhanh. Nhu cầu dịch vụ pháp lý cho doanh nghiệp cũng tăng theo.
Chính từ những thuận lợi trên, nhiều văn phòng luật sư đã ra đời, trong đó có nhiêu vân phòng chuyên về Luật Kinh doanh. Tính chung từ sau Pháp lệnh Luật sư có hiệu lực, các tổ chức hành nghề luật sư ra đời trải dài khắp cả nước, lên đến con số hàng ngàn, trong đó bao gồm cả các đại diện của nước ngoài.
Đặc biệt, Luật Luật sư năm 2006 ra đời, góp phần nâng tầm nhận thức và chuyên nghiệp hóa hơn nứa vai trò của nghề luật sư.
Trong nội dung của Luật Luật sư mới ban hành này, các tổ chức hành nghề luật sư, văn phòng luật sư đã được xem là những doanh nghiệp. Luật sư trong những tổ chức này cong được thừa nhận là “người kinh doanh”. Sản phẩm chính là các dịch vụ pháp lý mà nghề này cung cấp.
Ngoài ra, còn có hình thức luật sư hành nghè tự do. Nghĩa là họ không còn đăng ký văn phòng, không phải đóng thuế thu nhập doanh nghiệp, mà chỉ cần có chứng chỉ hành nghề. Điều này cho thấy hoạt động tư vấn pháp lý sẽ thuận lợi hơn nhiều, giảm bớt thủ tục rườm rà.
Chỉ còn nhìn số liệu thống kê cũng đủ thấy ngành nghề luật sư phát triển mạnh mẽ đến mức nào trong thời gian qua. Năm 2005, cả nước chỉ có khoảng 700 văn phòng luật sư. Hơn một năm sau, tổng số văn phòng luật sư đã nâng lên gần 1.200, tức tăng khoảng 500. Đó là chưa kể đến các luật sư hành nghề tự do, với con số cũng không nhỏ.
Cầu kích cung
Theo luật sư Đinh Văn Thảo (Đoàn Luật sư TP. HCM), nguyên nhân khiến số lượng văn phờng luật sư tăng nhanh, một phàn do người dân đã am hiểu pháp luật hơn.
Trước đây, mỗi lần nói đến kiện tụng, ra tòa, ai cũng “dị ứng”. Bây giờ, họ không còn e ngại. Một minh chứng là gần đây, có người đã gửi đơn kiện một đơn vị thi công, thực hiện công trình công cộng, gây ảnh hưởng đến thu nhập của họ.
Song song với dân trí vè pháp lý ngày càng tăng, nhu cầu về pháp lý của các doanh nghiệp cũng rất lớn.
Do vậy, sự có mật của luật sư trong giao dịch làm ăn đã chiếm một vi trí quan trọng.
Thực tế cho thấy, nhu cầu vè dịch vụ pháp lý đang rất lởn. Chẳng hạn như Công ty Luật Gia Phạm, ra đời từ năm 2001, đến nay, số khách hàng của họ đã đạt đến 12.000 doanh nghiệp.
Cần nhiều yếu tố mới có thể thành công
Dự báo các văn phòng luật sẽ tăng mạnh trong thời gian tới là có cơ sở. Một luật sư ở TP. HCM từng đề cập đến cái đích 10.000 luật sư trong năm 2010. Như thế cũng có nghĩa là khoảng bao nhiêu người đó có khả năng mở văn phòng luật sư. Tuy nhiên, nói như luật sư Lê Đức Bình, thuộc Đoàn Luật sư TP. HCM, mở văn phòng luật không khó. Nhưng để hoạt động và phát triển mạnh mẽ, không phải chuyện dễ.
Đây là ngành nghê khá đặc thù, đòi hỏi các luật sư phải có nhiều kinh nghiệm và có tiếng trong nghề. Không nên mở văn phòng luật ồ ạt khi không hội đủ các yếu tố về kinh nghiệm cũng như quản lý.
Nhiều luật sư vừa mới ra trườnp được cấp bằng hành nghề là mở văn phòng ngay, để rồi cũng chỉ tiếp… bạn là chính. Do đó, ngay từ đầu, các luật sư phải trải qua một quá trình khẳng định tên tuổi trước khi thành lập văn phòng tư vấn riêng.
Cái khó về tên tuổi, trình độ, sau một thời gian có thể được khắc phục và bổ sung. Còn ở đây, yếu tố quyết định đến sự phát triển của các văn phòng luật chính là trình độ dân trí đối với pháp lý.
Theo luật sư Lưu Văn Tâm (Hội đồng Luật sư Quốc gia), các văn phòng dù có luật sư giỏi đến mấy mà không được doanh nghiệp tin tưởng, cũng không thể hoạt động lâu dài.
Một yếu tố, cùng là khó khăn của các luật sư Việt Nam, là vốn ngoại ngữ. Phải thừa nhận rằng hiện tại, luật sư Việt Nam nói chung mới chỉ dừng lại ở việc tư vấn về pháp lý cho các doanh nghiệp trong nước. Họ chưa thể giúp doanh nghiệp được yên tâm trên sân chơi lớn của quốc tế.
Một lãnh đạo trong Ban chủ nhiệm Đoàn Luật sư TP. HCM đã nói về vấn đề này: “Tư vấn về những tranh chấp nước ngoài rất hiếm. Hiện nay, các luật sư Việt Nam mới chỉ thực hiện tư vấn ở trong nước hoặc cho doanh nghiệp nước ngoài tại Việt Nam, chưa có ai ra nước ngoài”.
Ai thắng, ai thua trong việc tìm chỗ đứng trên thị trường pháp lý, chưa thể nói trước! Nhưng có thể khẳng định “thị trường” luật tại Việt Nam thời gian tới sẽ còn sôi động hơn nhiều.
Hãy chờ xem!
Nguồn: Tạp chí Thành đạt
Bộ luật Dân sự: Bộ luật Dân sự và văn bản liên quan
Bộ luật Hình sự: Bộ luật Hình sự và văn bản liên quan
Bộ luật Lao động: Bộ luật Lao động và văn bản liên quan
Luật Thương mại: Luật Thương mại và văn bản liên quan
Luật Phá sản: Luật Phá sản và văn bản liên quan
Luật Cạnh tranh: Luật Cạnh tranh và văn bản liên quan
Luật Quảng cáo: Luật Quảng cáo và văn bản liên quan
Luật Hải quan: Luật Hải quan và văn bản liên quan
Luật Thuế thu nhập cá nhân: Luật Thuế thu nhập cá nhân và văn bản liên quan
Luật Hôn nhân Gia đình: Luật Hôn nhân Gia đình và văn bản liên quan
Luật Thừa kế: Luật Luật Thừa kế và văn bản liên quan
Luật Thủ đô: Luật Luật Thủ đô và văn bản liên quan
Luật Xuất bản: Luật Xuất bản và văn bản liên quan
Luật Báo chí: Luật Báo chí và văn bản liên quan
Luật Công chứng: Luật Công chứng và văn bản liên quan
Luật Bảo hiểm xã hội: Luật Bảo hiểm xã hội và văn bản liên quan
Luật Bảo hiểm y tế: Luật Bảo hiểm y tế và văn bản liên quan
Luật Giao thông đường bộ: Luật Giao thông đường bộ và văn bản liên quan
Văn phòng luật sư: Địa chỉ liên hệ các văn phòng luật sư ở Việt Nam
Bài này được đăng lúc 4:43 sáng ngày Tháng Mười 25, 2010 trong mục Luật pháp. Bạn có thể theo dõi phản hồi của bài này với dòng phản hồi RSS 2.0. Bạn có thể gửi phản hồi, hoặc trackback từ trang web của bạn.
Thứ Ba, 23 tháng 11, 2010
The Single Girl's Guide to Solo Travel.
Your Writing and Blogs
You are in: Jersey > In Your Words > Your Writing and Blogs > The Single Girl's Guide to Solo Travel.
Lindsay Blampied
The Single Girl's Guide to Solo Travel.
By Lindsay BlampiedAfter a nine month jaunt around South-East Asia, Lindsay Blampied has a thing or two to say to anyone considering packing up their backpack and heading off alone...
I’ve always been a rather “impulsive” person, so I couldn’t understand why people were surprised that I’d quit my tedious finance-related job and booked a jaunt to Asia, leaving two weeks later.
Koh Phi Phi (Where the beach is filmed)
The general reaction when I shared my exciting news was either an alarmed shriek, or alternatively a somewhat TOO enthusiastic description of the variety of ways in which I would suffer. Bites, stings, tropical diseases, muggings… the list goes on. It would all plague me before I would inevitably jump aboard the first flight back to Blighty after one week.
People just couldn’t understand what compels a single twenty-something female to travel four thousand miles east, towards a lifestyle which is seemingly composed of sunbathing, a bit of swimming if you’re feeling energetic, and drinking obscene amounts of rum.
I think I’ve answered the question there already, but having said that I must admit I was a little nervous in the days preceding my trip, if only because I couldn’t fit my entire collection of CD’s and all my shoes into my seemingly tiny rucksack.
I contented myself with a small selection of 50 albums and 2 pair of shoes, but by the time I was packed and ready to go my rucksack was stuffed to the brim and back-breakingly heavy. I decided to take out a couple of nail varnishes.
Colourful traditional lanterns
From a western perspective, there still seems to be some degree of stigma attached to women travelling alone, despite worldwide advances in communication such as email and mobile phones. Once my family found out that they had email in Asia it eased some of their fears, until I broke it to my mum that I wouldn’t be mailing her every day.
An inherent stubbornness made me determined to prove to everyone at home, and in fact myself, that I could go it alone and have an utterly fabulous time. I must admit, however, that I took the easier option and flew straight to the idyllic Koh Samui in Thailand, instead of flying to Bangkok and making the 8 hour journey by overnight train.
Koh Chang at Sunset
When I arrived on the Island I got a local taxi (like an open topped minibus) to a bungalow complex I had pre-booked for a week. What can I say, it does pay to be organised occasionally and when you’ve been travelling for over 24 hours by plane it really is heaven to be whisked off to a comfortable bed and your own shower (albeit a cold one).
It took me at least a week to get used to the extreme heat, and I spent the first few days either soaking in the sea or under the cold shower, which by now was my best friend.
My other friends, I had discovered, were the small green lizards which ran in and out of the bungalows and ate most of the biting, scuttling, flying critters which generally plagued the existence of all sweet-blooded westerners like myself.
At one point I was sad enough to count the mosquito bites on my legs – with no exaggeration there were over 200, despite the skin scalding 50% DEET that I was practically bathing in every night. Attractive.
I didn’t feel self conscious about travelling alone as there were always people around to chat to.
The Grand Palace in Bangkok
I met three Irish lads from Dublin in my first week and a fellow Brit called Gareth, and we spent the next three weeks exploring the Island by scooter, obtaining several excellent examples of the famed ‘Koh Samui kiss’ which is effectively a nasty burn on the inside of your right calve caused by accidentally leaning against the exhaust.
When I first got to the Island I thought it was some kind of bizarre travellers fashion to have a large bandage wrapped around your leg, only discovering when it was too late that it was a trend I didn’t want to follow.
All the Thai people that I’d met so far were extremely friendly and accommodating, and immediately made me feel at ease, despite making fun of my horrendous sunburn and mosquito bites (yes I did wear sunblock, but the sun just didn’t care).
Locally, tourists are known as ‘farang,’ which is affectionately derogatory, and from chatting to a young waitress at a nearby restaurant I learnt a couple of other words of Thai.
These proved to be useful whilst undertaking the daunting task of bartering with stallholders for the obligatory Thai fishermen pants. These are effectively enormous cotton trousers that you wrap around yourself and fold over – it’s like pant origami! The good news is that one size fits all, they’re comfortable and cool, and look equally awful on everyone!
The bartering itself if quite simple as long as you have a bit of nerve. In come guidebooks they suggest that you offer half of the initial price, but you can often get it down to a third or even a quarter if you are in commercial areas such as Bangkok, or Koh Samui’s Chaweng beach where they hike the prices up to obscene levels.
Sairee Beach, Koh Tao
The locals I met tended to be impressed if ‘farang’ could speak a little Thai, as most Westerners expect to speak English all the time.
There’s a large ex-pat community in Samui, and this tends to be refected in the type of entertainment and services available, for example there is an enormous Tesco, and hundreds of tacky karaoke bars.
My first three weeks in Thailand were unforgettable, but by that point I’d become fed up with the slightly seedy nature of much of Koh Samui, and it was then that myself and my fellow travellers decided to move on together.
It really is testament to how easy it is to travel alone in Asia, and how quickly you become accustomed to living in a more basic way.
It was perfectly normal, for example, that during my last couple of months (I was in Thailand and Malaysia for 9 months) I stayed in a wonderful 100 Baht a night bungalow (about £1.30 at the time).
Thai fishing boats at sunset.
It had no fan, certainly no aircon, shared squat toilets, one cold outside shower and typically ‘relaxed’ staff who would or wouldn’t make you breakfast, depending on whether they felt like it or not. It might sound like hell to you, but to me it was perfect – they restaurant and surrounding bungalows were set on the top of an enormous cliff, right on the edge which probably wasn’t very safe, but gave the most amazing views at sunrise.
There, I met four fantastic girls and a guy who were all travelling alone, from Japan, Australia and America. Mellissa the Aussie, who was fiercely independent, had been travelling for nine months in to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, and Hazuki from Chicago had been teaching English in Korea for a year.
Will, from somewhere in deepest darkest Wales, had been in Thailand for a couple of months. Now, one year later he's trotting around Indonesia, according to his regular but uninformative emails.
Talking to all the group and sharing experiences, we all felt really positive about travelling alone. It gives you more freedom to do what you want to do when you want to do it, plus you meet people in a similar situation wherever you go, and often end up travelling on with them if you’re going in the same direction.
Doi Suthep Temple
Mellissa and I ended up travelling to the other side of the country together and doing a live-aboard SCUBA diving trip around the gorgeous Similian Islands where we saw Whale Sharks, Manta Rays and Tiger Sharks amongst other colourful equatic life.
Anyone who is considering travelling but is nervous about going alone, should bear in mind that there are thousands of people in a similar situation, plus everyone tends to be more relaxed and accommodating.
In my experience, a bit of common sense and general awareness is all you will need to ensure your safety in Asia.
From a strictly female perspective, I can also assure you that CHIVALRY IS NOT DEAD and I found there were always friendly, trustworthy lads to help you with your rucksack if you’re struggling!
Oh, and I didn’t miss the nail varnish.
last updated: 07/10/04
Hanoi & the North
Hanoi
The capital, Hanoi, sprawls on the banks of the Red River. It is a beautiful city that retains an air of French colonial elegance with pretty yellow stucco buildings lining leafy streets. Hanoi is also a city of lakes, which adds to its air of sleepy grace. At present there are relatively few cars – many people travel by bicycle or moped. It is a city that appears lodged in a bygone age. In the middle of the city lies the peaceful Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword) with the 18th-century Ngoc Son Temple (Jade Mountain Temple) sitting
on an island in its center. The temple can be reached by The Huc Bridge (Rising Sun Bridge). To the north of Hoan Kiem Lake is the Old Quarter, a fascinating maze of small antiquated streets lined with markets and pavement restaurants and cafes. West of the Old Quarter and south of the West Lake is the former Ville Française. This is the old French administrative center and is characterized by enormous colonial-era châteaux and wide spacious boulevards. It also houses Hanoi’s most popular attraction, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. When visiting the Mausoleum, it is important to be respectful both in dress and attitude. Ho Chi Minh was the father of the modern state and is still held in reverential regard. His house, built in 1958, is also on public view. Other museums in Hanoi include the Bao Tang Lich Su (History Museum), the Bao Tang Quan Doi (Army Museum), Ho Chi Minh Museum, Bao Tang My Thuat (Fine Arts Museum), Bao Tang Cach Manh (Revolutionary Museum) and Independence Museum. There are a number of interesting pagodas in Hanoi. The One Pillar Pagoda, first constructed in 1049 (subsequently destroyed by the French just before they were ejected from the city and then rebuilt by the new government), was built to resemble a lotus flower – the symbol of purity rising out of a sea of sorrow. The Temple of Literature built in 1076 was the first university in Vietnam. It is a graceful complex of small intricate buildings and peaceful courtyards. To the northwest of the Citadel is the West Lake, which is about 13km (9 miles) in circumference. The shores of the lake are popular amongst the Hanoians for picnics and there are a number of cafes. The lake also contains the wreckage of a crashed American B52 bomber.
Elsewhere
About 160km (100 miles) from Hanoi, near the port of Haiphong, is Ha Long Bay. This is an amazing complex of 3000 chalk islands rising out of the South China Sea. The area is strange, eerie and very beautiful. Many of the islands contain bizarre cave formations and grottoes. Near Ha Long Bay is Catba Island, a designated National Park and a rich repository of plants and wildlife.
About 250km (155 miles) north of Hanoi, high in the Hoang Lien Mountains, is the old hill station of Sapa. This area is inhabited by the Hmong and Zhao hill tribes. Every weekend there is a market when the local tribespeople come into town to trade. In the evening, they celebrate with huge amounts of potent rice alcohol. It is absolutely vital that when visiting this area tourists are sensitive to local culture and traditions. If one follows the road from Sapa 200km (125 miles) further into the mountains (this can only realistically be attempted by jeep), one reaches Dien Bien Phu, scene of the humiliating defeat of the French by the Viet Minh that finally put paid to French colonial occupation in Indochina. This is a wild, beautiful and remote region.
Central Vietnam
Hue
Midway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City lies the city of Hue. The former capital of the emperors of Vietnam, it is known for its beautiful imperial architecture, although a great deal of this was destroyed during the Tet offensive in 1968. The Perfume River forms the border between the city itself and the former ‘Forbidden Purple City’, the mighty Citadel. This ‘city within a city’ with its tombs, pagodas and lakes covered in lotus flowers was largely destroyed during the Vietnam War, but one can still see evidence of its former magnificence. Within easy reach of the city are the tombs of several of Vietnam’s emperors. Most interesting, perhaps, are the Tomb of Minh Mang and the Tomb of Tu Duc. The city also houses fine examples of Buddhist pagodas and other temples, such as the Thien Mu Pagoda.
Elsewhere
Near Hue is Da Nang, city of China Beach, the Marble Mountains and the Cham Museum, which houses magnificent examples of the art of the Indianised Cham civilization. Approximately 20km (12 miles) from Da Nang is Hoi An. This is a delightful small riverine town replete with temple and pagodas.
A day’s drive from Hoi An, through some of Vietnam’s most breathtaking scenery, is Nha Trang. This is a pleasant resort with a good beach. From here it is easy to reach the town of Da Lat in the Central Highlands, evocative of a typical French town, which is popular among domestic tourists for its cool climate and alpine scenery.
Ho Chi Minh & the South
Ho Chi Minh City
Set back from the delta formed by the Mekong River, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) is the main commercial center of the southern part of Vietnam, receiving its name in honor of the leader who successfully led the nation against both France and the USA. Locals still like to refer to it as Saigon. More modern than other Vietnamese cities, Ho Chi Minh City has also retained its French colonial influences. Its vibrancy is maintained by the ever-entrepreneurial Saigonese who have taken the Government reforms to heart and re-embraced the capitalist ethic with unrestrained enthusiasm. The streets are jam-packed with mopeds and scooters, often carrying whole families. The markets are chaotically busy. There is a lot to see in Ho Chi Minh City. The colorful Emperor of Jade Pagoda is an excellent example of a Chinese temple. Inside, there are elaborate woodcarvings decorated with gilded characters and sculptures depicting local deities. The hustle and bustle of trading is best observed in the markets of Cholon, the ancient Chinese quarter. The Hôtel de Ville is a wonderful example of French colonial architecture. The twin towers of Notre Dame Cathedral have been a familiar landmark in Ho Chi Minh City since the 1880s. The War Remnants Museum bears witness to the suffering inflicted on the Vietnamese people during the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 1970s. Other sites relevant to that era are Re-Unification Hall and the former US Embassy. An interesting excursion from Saigon is a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels in which the South Vietnamese Communists concealed themselves and from which they launched attacks on US soldiers.
Elsewhere
Northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, Tay Ninh is an interesting destination as it is the home of the Caodai religion. This is a purely Vietnamese sect formed this century which takes teachings and precepts from most of the world’s major religions. Tay Ninh is the site of the largest Caodaist temple in Vietnam. This structure is colorful and unique.
South of Ho Chi Minh city are the flat, verdant planes of the Mekong Delta where much of Vietnam’s rice crop is grown. There are several towns in this region from which the visitor can take boat trips on the many tributaries of the Mekong.
Thứ Hai, 22 tháng 11, 2010
Nha Trang Monkey Island & Doc Lech Beach
Next to Nha Trang bay, Nha Phu bay creates another attraction to tourists. Monkey islands with wild animals, Orchid spring, Hang Tien beach, coral reef are the places we will go sightseeing. Do not hesitate to make friends with hundreds of lovely monkeys on Hon Lao island, and do not miss the funny animal show, play with elephants and ostriches. You really have precious time of relaxation. Come and join us.
You can go on ahead to Doc Lech Beach after your visit to Monkey islands on tour. Doc Lech Beach with really white sand is 55 Km away from Nhatrang city on the North national road, where you can deep yourselves full day on the most of beautiful beach of Vietnam and enjoy wide range of choice of seafood there with cheap price. You will find a lot of domestic visitors there during Summer time in Nhatrang, properly at peak time in June & July within the year.
Top Vietnam Travel, Vietnam Tours, Vietnam Vacations
| |||
| |||
|
Đăng ký:
Bài đăng (Atom)