Saturday, December 22, 2012

Getting a Taste for Vietnam: Surfing in Ho Chi Minh City


Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, was the capital of South Vietnam before the country’s reunification in 1976. As the site of so much history, and as one of Vietnam’s biggest cities, there is a lot to see, learn, and taste in the city that is now beloved Uncle Ho’s namesake.

One word for HCM City's streets: Motorbikes!
After our three weeks in Cambodia, we traveled from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City ($10, 6 hours), the former capital of the Southern republic of Vietnam. The three things that soon came to embody my experience in Vietnam—food, history, and new friends—were overwhelmingly present in this busy, bustling motorbike city!

Our five days in Ho Chi Minh City are basically a testament to the wonders of Couchsurfing. We surfed with a host family in Thu Duc District, a 30 minute bus ride from District 2 (in the city center). Our hosts, a 22-year-old university student and her family, gave us an introduction to Vietnam we will never forget! They went above and beyond, showering us with Asia’s famous hospitality, especially in the form of food—tons and tons of wonderful Vietnamese food! We met our host’s university friends and were even invited to big family dinners with extended relatives, where we sat in a large circle on the floor and ate, drank, and laughed for hours on end. Much of our time was spent with our new friends, buzzing around on the backs of motorbikes to out-of-the-way pagodas, street food stands, and local coffee shops. One of my favorite nights was spent on the roof of a cafe near the airport, where the planes flew right over our heads as they came in for landing! We truly had an unforgettable experience, and looking back on our five days in HCM City, it seems like two weeks. Because of Couchsurfing we were able to experience much more in a short amount of time than if we were on our own, and we left feeling as if we were leaving family. Because of our new friends, I learned that Ho Chi Minh City can be an engaging and dazzling place with the right people guiding you. The lesson here? Make local friends whenever possible! Couchsurfing.org is the perfect place to do this. I will never forget the amazing hospitality of our Vietnamese family in Ho Chi Minh City! Here’s a little of what they taught us:
Kim and our host sister Queeny eating street food in University Village

Vietnamese street food:

Street food is a normal part of most Vietnamese people’s daily lives, and local eateries with their own specialties can be found almost everywhere. Some of my favorite meals in Vietnam were on plastic chairs and concrete, and our hosts in HCM City took a lot of time in teaching us about local foods. Here are a few of my favorite street foods we tried in Ho Chi Minh City:
  • Phở (pronounced “fuh”): This classic Vietnamese rice noodle soup is a staple throughout Vietnam, but you’ll find it tastes different in the North and the South (it’s a bit sweeter in the South). It is customarily served with fresh herbs, like basil and mint, halved limes, and fish and chili sauces that you can add to taste, and can include chicken (phở ga) or beef (phở bo). Many people eat it for breakfast, but it can be eaten at any time of the day. This is a must-try anywhere in Vietnam!
  • Bánh tráng nướng: This is made with a round, thick piece of rice paper filled with various ingredients, rolled, and cooked on a small grill. We ate this delicious snack in University Village, and it contained a simple medley of veggies, chili sauce, and a healthy dose of the staple Vietnamese fish sauce.
  • Ram bắp: Delicious Vietnamese hand rolls, usually with meat inside. Our host mom made these often for dinner and I could never get enough of them!
  • Tàu hũ đá: This is an iced soy drink our host introduced us to that can include various candied fruits and flavored gelatins. A unique desert!
  • Cà phê: Vietnamese coffee is some of the best in the world, and is uniquely prepared in Vietnam with a phin, a drip filter similar to a french press that filters the coffee straight into the cup. It can be served over ice (cà phê đá) and is normally prepared with sweetened condensed milk. This sweet milk coffee can be hot (cà phê sữa nóng) or iced (cà phê sữa đá) and is another must-try anywhere in Vietnam!

What to do in Ho Chi Minh City:

Reunification Palace
We split our time in Ho Chi Minh City between the city center (mainly districts 1 and 2) and Thu Duc district. While most travelers don’t find a reason to head to Thu Duc, I loved our time in this part of the city. Thanks to our wonderful new friends, we had the opportunity to experience Ho Chi Minh City in a very different light. During our five days, I didn’t see a single other tourist in Thu Duc. It’s a great place to try traditional Vietnamese food and chat with the super friendly locals! Local bus fare from Thu Duc to the city center is around 25 cents.

This isn’t to say we didn’t get our tourist on in HCM. We started at the Reunification Palace (or Independence Palace), which used to be the administration center for South Vietnam’s government. The palace has been kept exactly as it was when North Vietnamese troops breached the main gate on April 30, 1975, down to a replica of the tank on display toward the front of the palace. Admission to the palace is 30,000 dong per person and includes a free guide. Our tour took around half an hour and we got to see all the most important parts of the palace, including some very vintage and important-looking underground control rooms! It definitely feels like stepping back in time!

Beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral
Just a few blocks away from the Reunification Palace is the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral, constructed in the late 1800s by French colonists. The beautiful brick red building was made with materials imported from France, and the statue of Mary at the front of the cathedral is stunning. This cathedral will definitely be a welcome taste of home for Catholic or European travelers, and it’s a great place for photos! There is an English mass every Sunday at 9:30 am and the church is surrounded by some very classy restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries.

A protest poster on display at the
War Remnants Museum
About ten minutes’ walk from the Reunification Palace and Notre Dame Cathedral is my favorite tourist site in Ho Chi Minh City, the War Remnants Museum (admission 15,000 dong). If there is one must-see attraction in HCM, I’d say this is it. The museum was created as an anti-war museum and aims to raise awareness about the atrocities of war, specifically the atrocities and war crimes committed during the American-Vietnamese war in the 1970s. The museum includes exhibits on worldwide protest of the Vietnam war and war propaganda, American war crimes, and a heartbreaking and informative exhibit on the use of chemical weapons by the U.S. Army. Those expecting an objective and detached approach from museums won’t get this at the War Remnants Museum; the pain, destruction, and insanity of war experienced by both the Vietnamese people and U.S. soldiers in Vietnam is boldly on display in this museum with a very specific agenda: to encourage peace in Vietnam and around the world. I would especially recommend this museum to American travelers to get a Vietnamese perspective on the war.

A short walk in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City is enough to discover the importance of a single man in the history of divided and unified Vietnam. The image of the city’s namesake, Ho Chi Minh (or Uncle Ho as he is affectionately called by locals) can be seen on red banners throughout the city, especially around the Reunification Palace. Our friends recommended we learn more about Uncle Ho by visiting Dragon House/Ho Chi Minh Museum. This isn’t a very popular tourist stop, and we saw almost no tourists there when we visited. While it’s not the most exciting place, from what I gathered from our friends, it’s an important building to locals because of it’s relation to Ho Chi Minh. This building, which Uncle Ho himself passed through on his way to his famous sojourn to Europe and America, is named the dragon house for its architecture. The museum includes personal items of Ho Chi Minh and a detailed history of his life and political path organized chronologically into several rooms on the second floor. My favorite part was the top floor, where many poems Ho Chi Minh wrote while in prison are on display—a very beautiful exhibit! Admission to Dragon Palace is 10,000 dong.

Shopping in Saigon:

The main shopping hub in Ho Chi Minh City is Ben Thanh Market, a sprawling shopping center with clothes, handicrafts, textiles, and local food. The market is in downtown HCM City across from the main public bus terminal in an impressive pale yellow building. You’ll be able to find just about any souvenir you need here, but expect to haggle. Our friends suggested we go to the old post office, just across the street from Notre Dame Cathedral, to buy souvenirs at fair prices. There are just a few small shops inside, near the entrance of the post office, but for those uncomfortable with haggling, the prices are fixed and fair.

Happy traveling!

Sunday, December 9, 2012

General Travel Tips: Cambodia


Here’s your one-stop-shopping, bullet point style rundown on Cambodia travel!
  • Watch out for mystery fees at the Poipet border crossing. Walk in with exact change for the visa fee ($20), preferably in US dollars, and 2 passport sized photos for your visa application. Have extra USD on you for a bus ticket at the Poipet bus station, as there are no ATMs and a poor exchange rate.
  • US dollars are widely accepted in Cambodia as well as Cambodian riel, and ATMs dispense USD. It’s a good idea to have some riel on you at all times, but you won’t lose money if you pay with US currency.
  • Exchange money at local exchange stands instead of banks for a better rate.
  • Bike rental is often the cheapest and most rewarding form of transportation in Cambodia. Most bikes cost only one dollar a day and it’s a great way to see the country’s beautiful scenery.
  • Don’t leave Cambodia without visiting some of the historical sites related to the infamous Khmer Rouge Regime, an important part of Cambodia’s history that happened very recently. Phnom Penh is a great place to do this.
  • At some historical sites (i.e. the Killing Caves outside Battambang), cute little kids will offer to show you around, or naturally assume the position of tour guide. If you accept their services, be prepared to give each of them (even their friends tagging along) one dollar. They may be cute, but keep in mind the impact encouraging extortion in little kids might have on their future.
  • LGBTQ Travelers: Cambodians are generally accepting of homosexuality, but keep in mind that public displays of affection (heterosexual or homosexual) are a cultural no-no!
  • Before you consider signing up for a tour of an orphanage, please read this article on why orphanages are not tourist attractions.
  • You may encounter street children in some of Cambodia’s cities. Please do not give them money, as this does not help kids get off the street, and often the money goes directly to a handler or a pimp instead of necessities for the child.
  • Always bargain, but make sure you do it with a smile! You’ll do much better that way.
  • If you are traveling to Vietnam from Cambodia, get your visa at a travel agent in Phnom Penh instead of the embassy—it’s cheaper!
  • Most of the water is brackish, so unless you have your own filter, expect to buy bottled water. Another eco-friendly option is to bring your own reusable water bottle and have it filled at restaurants or convenience stores that offer to fill water bottles.
  • As always, keep your valuables on you at all times while traveling! Don’t leave cameras/laptops/cash/passports in luggage that is stowed underneath the bus or in an overhead compartment. Keep it right on your person to prevent it from being stolen.
  • Watch that handbag! In Phnom Penh there are occasionally “drive-by muggings,” men on motorbikes who ride by and snatch shoulder bags from people. One incident tragically ended in a woman being pulled into traffic and killed. Keep your bags secure, or at least away from traffic!
  • What to buy in Cambodia: Paintings of Angkor or watercolors of floating villages and scenes from rural life; fair trade handicrafts; kramas (multi-purpose scarves worn throughout Cambodia); Angkor t-shirts.

Monday, December 3, 2012

The Many Flavors of Phnom Penh: What to do in Cambodia's Capital


Phnom Penh, while not a particularly large city, holds enough sights and activities to keep any traveler busy for a few days or a week. Cambodia’s capital is a good place for shopping and chilling out eating happy pizzas by the riverside, but most importantly it is the best place to learn about the Khmer Rouge Regime and the tragic events that took place in Cambodia from 1975-1979. For this reason alone it is an essential stop on your tour of Cambodia!

We arrived in Phnom Penh on a bus from Siem Reap, a 5 hour ride costing $6. We couchsurfed during our stay at a home just Southwest of the tourist center, around the corner from Tuol Sleng Prison Museum, but most travelers to Phnom Penh stay by the riverside. A tuk-tuk to Riverside from the main bus station should be no more than $2. Riverside is charming and filled with cafes and restaurants, but be sure to move a bit inland to find cheap food. Street food vendors also turn up during the evenings to save you a few bucks.

What to do in Phnom Penh:

Shopping: There are two large markets in Phnom Penh, Psar Thmei (central market) and the Russian Market. Psar Thmei is well-known by locals for being overpriced, so any deals to be had are at the Russian Market. Don’t let this stop you from bargaining, however. As a tourist you’ll still be overcharged, but you’ll get a better deal than at the central market. Psar Thmei carries more clothing, knock off designer items, and jewelry, and the Russian Market is more plentiful in local art. Both markets carry essentially the same handicrafts you’ll find anywhere in Cambodia: wood products, handmade puppets, and ceramics to name a few. Both markets also carry electronics, most notably some knock-off Beats By Dre headphones for under $40. We met an expat at the Russian Market who’s been buying them for his grandkids for years and swears by their reliability, but we’ve also heard of people only getting a few weeks of use from them before they fell apart. Be sure to open the box and try the headphones out on your iPod before you buy them. Make sure the cord is thick and sturdy looking-- some knock-offs are visibly better quality than others. It also doesn’t hurt to ask if you can get your money back if the headphones stop working in a few days. You can also get local food and yummy smoothies at both markets (seriously, try the smoothies!), including fried crickets and tarantulas at Psar Thmei! Kim and I tried a bit of both and decided they taste similar to barbecue shrimp. If markets aren’t your scene there are some decent fair trade shops and thrift stores just south of Riverside on Street 240, near a candy store called Chocolate.

Kim chowing down on a fried tarantula we bought outside Psar Thmei
Cultural/Historical Sites: Three easy attractions of historical/political importance are the Royal Palace, Independence Monument, and the National Museum. Independence Monument is ten minutes walk from Riverside, and though it won’t take up much time it’s an impressive sight on the way to or from Tuol Sleng Museum (more on that later). The Royal Palace and the National Museum are both very close to riverside, and both have entry fees. Kim and I decided the $6.50 entrance fee at the Royal Palace wasn’t worth it, as visitors are only allowed to see certain parts of the grounds (and not even the most impressive parts). However, most reviews of the palace are positive. If you have the time and money it will be worth it. But if you’re on a tight budget and have already toured some of the main temple attractions in Thailand, don’t feel bad skipping it. The National Museum (admission $3) is a worthy visit for those interested in Cambodian sculpture, religious history, or ancient customs. The museum mainly displays sculptures, many of them recovered from the temples at Angkor, along with artifacts from archaeological excavations and burial sites.

Outside the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh
Learning About the Khmer Rouge Regime: Phnom Penh is one of the best places in Cambodia to learn about the infamous Khmer Rouge Regime, which was responsible for the deaths of around 1/4 of Cambodia’s population from 1975-1979. While traveling in Cambodia, encounters with survivors of this brutal regime are guaranteed, as anyone in their late 30s or above was around when Cambodia’s cities (including PP) were emptied and thousands of citizens were sent to forced labor camps or secret prisons. Today, Cambodia and its people seem to be rising from the ashes of this recent tragedy, and many Cambodians have dedicated themselves to educating locals and foreigners alike of the genocide they endured in order to prevent similar atrocities in the future. For travelers to Cambodia, it’s incredibly important to understand this period of time, not only to understand Cambodia’s history but also to appreciate the astounding gentleness and optimism of the local people. The most infamous of the Khmer Rouge secret prisons was called S-21, and is now the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh. Choeung Ek, the most infamous Cambodian killing field is also just outside of Phnom Penh, and all but a few of the 20,000 prisoners of S-21 were executed there.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is a high-school-turned-secret-prison
Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek can be visited in one day, but we split it into two days because each site is an overload of both information and heartbreak. At Tuol Sleng we roamed through the hallways of what used to be a high school, it’s rooms and corridors now converted into rows of individual cells, and saw pictures of the thousands of prisoners once held there. At Choeung Ek we roamed through the quiet, grass covered area where thousands of bones were found buried after the Khmer Rouge fell out of power. Many of those bones are on display in a beautiful memorial building in the middle of the field. Admission for Tuol Sleng is $2, and is extra for a tour guide. Choeung Ek has lately been privatized, which troubles many as it seems profit is being made on the back of a tragedy. This may be so, but the grounds are very well kept by the staff, and the $5 admission fee includes an excellent and informative audio tour. I learned more at Choeung Ek about the Khmer Rouge regime than anywhere else. We hired a tuk-tuk to take us the 20 minute drive to Cheong Ek for $11. I wouldn’t advise paying any more than $12.

Cheong Ek Memorial
Suggested Itinerary for Phnom Penh

How much time you spend in Phnom Penh is up to how busy you want to stay. Here’s a suggested itinerary if you only have two full days at your disposal:

Day 1: Have a city map handy, which you’ll be able to get from most hotels. Start off by taking a tuk-tuk to the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum. Budget at least two hours here to take everything in (including a short video shown twice a day, once at 10 am). The walk from Tuol Sleng back to Riverside is fairly straightforward and you can take in some sights on the way. First, stop off for lunch at the excellent Chinese Noodle Restaurant on Monivong Blvd, not far from the museum. Kim and I ate lunch here several times and it was our favorite meal in Phnom Penh! The noodles are excellent, as are the dumplings, and you get to watch them make the noodles right outside! Continue walking toward Riverside and pause at Independence Monument for some photo ops. Finally, hit up the Royal Palace or the National Museum for an hour or so to end your day.

Noodles from the Chinese Noodle House- yum!!
Day 2: Start your day by getting a tuk-tuk to Cheong Ek Killing Field, a 20-minute drive. Budget several hours for this, as you’ll want to take your time. After finishing up here, get back to Riverside for the happy hour at Tutti Frutti (1-3pm). Kim and I got big bowls of frozen yogurt after our tour of Cheong Ek to cheer us up, because ice cream fixes everything! For something to do at night, catch a movie at one of the Flicks Community Movie Houses, a great place to relax, eat, and enjoy Western quality cinema at Cambodian prices-- adults pay a $3.50 cover charge per day (kids $2). 

For another dose of Western entertainment, be on the lookout for a monthly comedy act at Club Pontoon, put on by the Phnom Penh Comedy Club. Admission is $7 or get discounted pre-sale tickets at Flicks 1 Movie House.

For those traveling to Vietnam after Cambodia, be sure to get your Vietnam visa through a travel agent rather than the embassy! It ends up costing less because they send it to Sihanookville to be done. We did ours at Lucky Lucky Moto on Monivong Blvd.