Indochina, Revealed
Indochina is one of our absolute favorite destinations. Expert Journey Advisor offers a few nostalgic tips for your first—or next—visit to Vietnam...
Before Traveling: In the Academy Award-winning movie Indochine, Catherine Deneuve portrays a wealthy plantation owner in colonial Vietnam. While the film purports to tell the story of conflict between a mother and her adopted daughter, it is equally the saga of Vietnam before its last war. Through gorgeous cinematography and dialogue that leaves as much between the lines as in them, this film offers travelers a sensational glimpse into Indochina’s complicated past. Rent it (with subtitles) for home viewing, or take it along to watch on the plane.
In the South: In Saigon, which is what many locals still call Ho Chi Minh City, the Rex Hotel is a proud vestige of a time when American military advisors and international journalists called the hotel home. Today there are more sophisticated hotels in which to stay, but if you have a couple of hours, be sure to visit the rooftop garden of the Rex for drinks or dinner and a bird’s-eye view of the goings-on below. The steaks are particularly good, and it's the ideal venue from which to imagine the city 40 or 50 years ago.
In the North: Take advantage of the opportunity to fly by helicopter over the rice paddies and gum-drop mountains around Hanoi and Halong Bay. The sun spotlights flooded fields, the vast ocean, and quiet villages, and the chopper insures a great perspective on Vietnam’s strikingly beautiful terrain.
Shopping: It is tempting to shop for antiques, and most dealers are willing to bargain, initially quoting a price that is two to four times what they will eventually settle for. However, buying antiques can be risky business. The Vietnamese government discourages trading in antiquities and has severely curtailed the supply. Certain items of ritual or historic importance cannot be exported. Nevertheless, there are dealers offering old Buddhas, statuary, ceramics, and other small items, all of which are subject to official clearance before leaving the country. The widest assortment of antiques in Saigon is found in the Le Cong Kieu area, near the Museum of Fine Arts.
You can find an impressive selection of Western luxury merchandise (clothing, jewelry, perfumes, etc.) on Saigon’s Dong Khoi Street.
In Hanoi, scores of shops are grouped together on byways known by their wares—Suitcase Street, Jewelry Street, Ancestor Street (for funeral flags and picture frames). The best neighborhood for antiques in Hanoi? Kim Lien Street.
In addition to antiques, Hanoi’s street merchants and shops offer classic souvenirs, and there is no problem (apart from excess luggage fees) buying water puppets, contemporary ceramics, replicas of ancient books, or art.
Although you'll find tailor-made garments for sale, call us old-fashioned, but for custom suits, we still prefer the high quality workmanship of a good Hong Kong tailor.