Vietnam and Siem Reap

Two years ago my partner and I travelled to Vietnam on a thrifty expedia.br booking. It was amazing but one day shy of a month was not enough time to enjoy ourselves. Subsequently we decided to return again. However two years on the .br method was a tumbleweed through the internet archive. This trip would cost a tad more.


The check in experience at Brisbane International Airport was excellent. On hearing Siem Reap was on our itinerary, the agent raved about a restaurant called the blue pumpkin. We might just pay it a visit. The Qantas lounge was at capacity with flights to Papua New Guinea, America, Japan and Hong Kong. Nothing new there.


Flight QF 51 out of Brisbane to Singapore was roughly an hour late getting away and had been scheduled for an 18:30 arrival. It meant a little extra lounge time which is always good. However it caused us some excitement as our QF codeshare on Jetstar 3K was due to board at 19:20. Singapore - Tân Sơn Nhất Airport, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. It was the last flight to SGN that night. We didn’t mind because we thought a free night in SIN wouldn’t be so bad. We were put at ease by a cabin announcement advising us that we would arrive on time in to Singapore. In the end we were roughly ten minutes late (19:40) on an otherwise uneventful flight. Our Jetstar flight was also uneventful. As was our 9pm clearance through customs at SGN.


I booked a deluxe room at the Pullman Saigon in district 1 and a limousine transfer. At 80AUD it is expensive however I prefer no fuss and certainty at that time of night. On arrival I handed over my Accor card to the friendly reception staff. The manager appeared again and apologised as ‘our system shows you as a classic member’. We were escorted to the executive lounge and it was explained along the way that platinum members are upgraded to the next available room type. That moment was like hearing the boarding scanner beep and being asked to step to the side for a J boarding pass. We were offered drinks on arrival and we wearily requested champagne which did not last long. While a next room upgrade is the norm we were triple upgraded to the Signature suite! Pay for a deluxe room and receive a suite, I see how that works…From my previous research on FT I knew what this meant but Ms Sparkes did not! The list of platinum benefits were explained and handed to me in paper form. I was ecstatic on the inside and held it in as we headed to the 28th floor with champagne in hand. Our bags arrived soon after and we were given a tour of the suite and told to dial zero if we needed anything. At the time, I was channeling Mr Burns from the Simpsons mumbling ‘excellent’ as I walked around the suite. The room phone rang, it was the manager enquiring if the room was suitable. To date this has been the best upgrade experience I have had in my time with Accor. All I can say is the struggle is real…

As you’d expect it is kitted out with everything. There are ample power points, high speed internet access, sound dock, espresso machine, Co Bigelow toiletries, robes, slippers, ironing board, wine glasses, safe and a phone in the toilet just incase you like being interrupted or you’re a brilliant multi-tasker, I don’t judge.

No worries re the pics ... that's what laptops are for (ie rotating) . What a great start (with the upgrade)!

Not sure if you have already been, or on your way, but if its still ahead, look at The Touich Restaurant Bar in Siem Reap. When I went there a few years ago, it was #1 on Trip Advisor, now slipped down, but from reviews it sounds much the same. Its tucked away in the backstreets - a real family experience. Make SURE any driver knows where they are going before you start. When we went there, the restaurant would send an ancient jeep to pick you up. That was a hoot! Reviews suggest that they will send tuk-tuk on request.

The bathroom

Our itinerary is HCMC, Hanoi, Nha Trang, Siem Reap, Phu Quoc then back to HCMC for one night before heading home. Cheers for the tip, Touich is now on the to do list.

Subscribing. (Jealously)!

Yesterday we did a self guided walking tour which took in all the major sights around the city. It’s the only way to get amongst it. Ben Than market, fine arts museum, Opera house, Notre Dame cathedral and central post office fall in to that category. To escape the heat we took a short break at Saigon’s tallest building, the bitexco financial tower. We sampled a brew called Saigon beer in the cafe on level 51. It was remarkably similar to Heineken and a quick google confirmed they are part owners of Sabeco brewery. For 12AUD you get the view and a beer, much cheaper than paying for the observation deck itself. It’s hard to get lost in the tower as you are escorted all the way. http://www.bitexcofinancialtower.com/?page_id=1420


We finished the day with coughtails and canapés in the executive lounge before heading up to the night markets for dinner. Ms Sparkes ordered the chilli salt prawns. The combination of chilli salt and fresh lime juice to dip your prawns in is something I haven’t tried before. I’ll be attempting it on the bbq at home.

Today was not as hot as yesterday and there was a breeze which was perfect for walking. We took the hotel shuttle bus down to reunification place to view the rooms used for major political meetings. Entry was 7AUD. It felt as everything was frozen in time.


On our way to the war museum a fellow (coconut guy) offered us some helpful directions. Before I knew it he handed me a coconut. Suddenly we heard yelling and a man appeared on a motor bike. Coconut guy hotfooted it across the busy street with his bundle while the man on the motor bike continued to yell at him. I finished the coconut drink and we continued on to the war museum. Coconut guy reappeared and told me motorbike guy was a police officer. I handed him 10000 dong, he told me the coconut was 50000 dong. I had the feeling that if I had’ve handed him 50000 to begin with he would have asked for 100000, hence the police officer.


Walking around has been risk free so far and people are more than willing to help if you look lost. There is the odd tout who offers to help then says he will take you there on a motor bike for a fee.

Coconut guy

Reunification palace

The war museum is open from 7:30-12:00pm 1:30-5:00pm. There were quite a few disappointed tourists who arrived just on 12:30. The agent orange display is confronting.

Thanks for a great start - reading with great interest and this is on the (ever-growing) list. Retirement in 2 weeks can't come quick enough!
Just love that bath, very 'out there'.

I spotted this at the breakfast buffet this morning. I haven't seen this in an Australian hotel before. It might be culturally disrespectful not to partake. I had the pepper absolute of course.

Sounds like a great trip - subscribed!

puppysparkes said:

The war museum is open from 7:30-12:00pm 1:30-5:00pm. There were quite a few disappointed tourists who arrived just on 1:30. The agent orange display is confronting.

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It's a full on museum - confronting is a good description. Worth making the time to visit.

Looking forward to your Vietnam and Siem Reap trip. Might do a SYD > SGN > REP > HAN > SGN > SYD in early December.

Last night I serenaded Ms Sparkes with an original number from my album titled snoring for two. It plays on high rotation in our household and really brings us together on holidays. Consequently we returned to Ben Thanh markets for shopping. It rained which brought the heat down while Ms Sparkes browsed. The thing with a tourist market is that everyone has your size or colour. ‘What you looking for madam, I help you’ ‘Sir Sir your shirt, I have for you'. In the end it was two nil to me. Nike dry fit mens tops cost roughly 8AUD in Siagon. The recommended retail price in Australia is 80AUD (minimum). The probability of being legit is high given the listing on Nikes website Nike Sustainability - Interactive Map


All their sporting apparel is available at significantly reduced prices. It pays to wander a couple of streets away from the markets. That is where you do not need to haggle and the prices on the rack are as is.


I also picked up some antibiotics (Augmentin) on the cheap. 115,000 dong (7.50AUD) 125mg, to manage a sinus and chest infection that I imported. No script required of course. I was quoted 650,000 (41AUD) at another pharmac_ for an insignificant dosage of 1mg. For any GP’s reading this I have access to MIMS and I’ve had this condition many times before.


While shopping the NRL grand final was always in the back of my mind. Thankfully we stumbled upon the universal bar at 90 Bùi Viện, Phạm Ngũ Lão, 1, Hồ Chí Minh in the backpackers lane Universal Pub Saigon. At less than 5 minutes walk to our hotel it was literally game on. Tiger draught beer was 1AUD on tap. That game hey, someone had to win… If you haven’t sampled a vietnamese pancake you should. This is the most authentic recipe on line Crispy Vietnamese pancakes (banh xeo) recipe : SBS Food Add seafood of course.

The executive lounge is a serine place. During the day it occupies most of the Cobalt restaurant. All versions of coffee and tea are available. The snacks change daily.

Tomorrow we fly to HaNoi. Uber sent me a promo for a 10%, I love a discount. Back in 2013 we stayed at both the Sofitel and the Pullman. We rebooked at the Pullman because of a restaurant that was close by which serves Cha Ca Vlong. It is a local dish which is poorly replicated in Brisbane: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/30/dining/cha-ca-la-vong-a-dish-inspired-by-a-dive-in-hanoi.html?_r=0

Uber works well in Hanoi, as does the buses using Google Maps (and they are very cheap)...

Assume you did Halong Bay last time?

For breakfast in Hanoi I recommend some good pho here
http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g293924-d1124697-Reviews-Pho_Thin-Hanoi.html
A few blocks South of Opera Theatre.

For western food (if u need a break) or even a cool outdoor bar experience, Moose & Roo is interesting

But the street food in Hanoi is awesome