issue 52 - AsiaLIFE Magazine

AsiaLIFE volume 52 

www.asialifehcmc.com 

20 

front 

on the cover 

storyboard 

08 News & Events 

10 Dispatches 

11 Street Smart: Hai Thuong 

Lan Ong 

14 Q&A with Prince Alfred of 

Liechtenstein 

16 Photo Essay: Flowers of 

the North 

20 The Adoption Dilemma 

26 Watching the Detectives 

28 Copy Culture 

30 Bringing the Noise 

32 Portrait of an Artist 

food 

style & design 

back 

38 Sterling's Saigon 

39 The Rusty Bucket 

40 Pizza 4P's 

41 Cham Charm 

42 High Performance 

44 A Midsummer Night's Dream 

48 Connoisseur: Jamon Iberico 

50 The List 

74 Spotlight 

76 Street Guide 

84 Odd One Out 

85 This Country Life 

86 Pub Quiz 

getaways 

34 The Best Laid Plans 

36 Laos Waterways 

40 42 

Cover 

Art Direction 

Johnny Murphy 

Photography 

Fred Wissink 

4 asialife HCMC

note from the editor 

contributors 

Walter Pearson 

Brett Davis 

Losing and gaining, separation and reuniting, endings and 

beginnings; such is the stuff of our forward march in life. “Life 

is a leaving behind,” Linda Loman tells her husband Willy in 

Arthur Miller’s classic play Death of a Salesman. I never quite 

understood the odd syntax of the line until I saw the play for 

the first time and caught the little pause before the last two 

words. The effect is of spoken quotation marks around ‘leaving 

behind’. 

Thoughts of this nature have been much on my mind in 

recent weeks for a number of reasons. Firstly because of our 

cover story this month on adoption, particularly inter-country 

adoptions and the legal framework designed to regulate it. 

Vietnam has long been a country from which many children, 

separated from their parents for one reason or another, have 

been delivered to others offering a loving home. Losing and 

gaining. 

However, as is so often the case, not everything is simple 

and even the best-intentioned (but still likely best) rules can 

have unintended and unfortunate consequences. The debate 

continues as to the best way forward on the issue, but it 

seems most parties have the best interests of children at 

heart. 

The other reason my mind has lately drifted in this direction 

is my own separation of sorts. This will be my last issue at 

the helm of AsiaLIFE, and while excited at the challenges that 

await along a different path, it is with genuine sadness that I’ll 

relinquish daily involvement with the magazine. 

In the last 18 months that I have been managing editor I 

have had the privilege to work with some great people, and 

I believe we have done some genuinely good work. It is not 

easy producing a publication like AsiaLIFE each month, and 

I think most people would be surprised to learn by just how 

small a staff and on what tight a budget it is achieved. 

Any organisation is only as good as its people. I would 

advise all organisations to remember that. 

Thank you to all my team, past and present, and most 

especially to all the supporters of this magazine. I am gratified 

to be continuing my association with AsiaLIFE, from a slight 

distance, as editor at large, so you have probably not heard 

the last of me yet. 

Endings and beginnings. 

www.asialifeguide.com 

Walter Pearson is a journalist, documentary 

maker and tour guide. His 

connection with Vietnam goes back 

to his time in the Australian Army. 

He has worked as a broadcaster 

and current affairs journalist covering 

general news, politics and economics. 

He first returned to Vietnam in 

1989 to cover the dedication of the 

Long Tan Cross, and has led various 

types of tours throughout the country 

since 2000 through his company 

Monkey Bridge Tours. This Country 

Life, pg 85. 

Jade Bilowol 

After working as a journalist and PR 

practitioner for a decade in Australia, 

Jade Bilowol jettisoned corporate 

life Down Under for HCM City's 

cheap street-side eats and scooters. 

Despite her intentions to work less 

and take pleasure from the simple 

things, she soon found herself 

again working full-time and then 

some. She now lectures with RMIT 

University Vietnam's Professional 

Communication Program. A stint in 

hospital suspended her relationship 

with street food but she's slowly getting 

back on that wagon. Portrait of 

an Artist, pg 32. 

072012 

ISSUE67 

Next time you're across the 

border, check out the latest 

issue of AsiaLIFE Cambodia 

or download it from 

www.asialifeguide.com. 

Find AsiaLIFE articles on 

6 asialife HCMC

NEWS 

EVENTS 

Nam Hai Adds Dash of 

Familiarity to Kitchen 

Richard Wilson, a 20-year 

veteran of the hospitality 

industry, is now the executive 

chef at The Nam Hai, one of 

Vietnam’s premier seaside 

resort. Wilson joins The Nam 

Hai after spending three years 

in Oman overseeing the kitchen 

at The Chedi Muscat, another 

GHM-managed property. The 

New Zealand native follows in 

the footsteps of celebrity chefs 

Anthony Bourdain and Gordon 

Ramsay, both of whom have 

been lured to the area in recent 

years by its gastronomic appeal. 

As with all chefs who have come 

before him, Wilson has designs 

on changing The Nam Hai’s 

menu. But not overnight. His 

first priority is to get to know his 

new team. Then he wants to find 

out what products are available 

locally and through importers. 

For more information about The 

Nam Hai, visit www.ghmhotels. 

com. 

Organic Vietnamese 

Tea Now at Operation: 

Tearoom 

In addition to it's line of high 

quality Japanese and Chinese 

teas, Operation: Tearoom has 

added an Organic Vietnamese 

Green Tea to the mix. The tea is 

grown in the high mountains of 

Lao Cai where some tea trees 

are over 100 years old. It is produced 

by Dao minority farmers 

in A Mu Sung Commune. A pot 

of tea is VND 55,000 while 100g 

of dry tea costs VND 190,000. 

The Tearoom is located on the 

ground floor of YMC at 335/31 

Dien Bien Phu, Dist. 3 and is 

open Monday to Friday 8am 

to 8pm and on Saturday and 

Sunday from 8am to 5pm. 

Emirates Launches 

Ho Chi Minh City 

Daily Service 

Emirates, one of the world’s 

fastest growing airlines, has 

started a non-stop, daily service 

between Dubai and Ho Chi Minh 

City. With the start of flights 

to Vietnam, the airline’s eighth 

route launch of 2012, Emirates 

now operates to 13 cities in 10 

countries in the Far East; opening 

up one of the most popular 

tourist destinations to the airline’s 

six continent wide network. 

Visit theemiratesgroup.com for 

more details. 

Skin Care Deals 

Marianna skin care centre is 

offering a summer packages 

with up to 50 percent off certain 

treatments until 31 August. The 

Marianna medical laser skin 

care centre is located at 149A 

Truong Dinh Street, Dist. 3, HCM 

City. Visit en.marianna.com for 

details. 

Internationa Management 

Programmes 

The International Management 

Initiative for Vietnam (IMIV) has 

launched its first management 

programs in partnership with the 

Australian Institute of Manage- 

8 asialife HCMC

Meet ARC’s Pet of the Month, Hugo 

ment (AIM), bringing some of 

AIM’s 70 years of experience 

to Vietnam for the benefit of 

Vietnamese managers. The first 

programs, to be delivered in 

July, are Front Line Management 

(9-11 July), Project Management 

Fundamentals (9-10 July), 

and Introduction to Human 

Resources (12-13 July), all key 

skills and competency development 

programs that can be 

built upon within organisations 

on a long-term ongoing basis. 

Highly experienced Australian 

practitioners who will apply 

interactive and experiential learning 

methodology for maximum 

practical benefit will deliver the 

programs in English. In addition, 

from 23 July, the IMIV is offering 

workshops in Action Centred 

Leadership (ACL) from Adair 

International Ltd. For more information 

visit imiv.org. 

VietJetAir Signs with 

CyberSource’s 

VietJetAir announced last month 

that it signed with CyberSource 

for payment services and 

fraud-management solutions 

to support its online ticketing 

services as the carrier looks to 

expand overseas. CyberSource, 

a Visa’s company, is one of 

the world’s largest providers of 

secure eCommerce payment 

management services. The installation 

of its payment services 

and fraud-management solution 

cements formal cooperation 

with VietJetAir, Vietnam’s only 

privately-held budget airline. 

July’s pet of the month is Hugo, a two-year-old cat who has 

been neutered, vaccinated, de-flead and de-wormed. Hugo is 

very friendly, affectionate, talkative, cuddly and loves to spend 

time with people even though he used to be a stray. When he 

was rescued he was found with a big wound, most likely from 

a fight, and was in a lot of pain. However, since being rescued 

he has recovered fully and is ready for a home. His new family 

should preferably have a garden where Hugo could be an outside/inside 

cat. Hugo is the kind of cat that everyone falls in love 

and he has his own fan club already. He also gets along well 

with other cats. If you are interested in adopting him, contact 

arcfostadopt@gmail.com. 

Ho Chi Minh City: 

161 Dong Khoi street, District 1 

( Unit 1C, 1st Floor) 

Tel: 3.822 5034 

Fax: 3.832 6941 

email: 

hotline@rimowavietnam.com 

www.rimowa.com 

asialife HCMC 9

dispatches 

Travel news from around the region and beyond 

Reaching for the Sky 

Like many of Tokyo’s best luxury hotels, newly opened The Okura 

Prestige Bangkok is located in a skyscraper. It occupies the top 

floors of Park Ventures Ecoplex, a landmark building which draws 

its inspiration from the Thai traditional greeting (‘wai’) and the 

lotus flower. Not to be missed is the gravity-defying 25-metre 

infinity pool, anchored to the outside of the 25th floor and adjacent 

to the gym and spa, creating a dramatic oasis high above the city. 

Guest accommodations are located above the 26th floor, offering 

spectacular views of Bangkok’s skyline. The Okura Prestige 

Bangkok is situated at the intersection of Wireless Road, known as 

‘embassy row’, and Ploenchit Road, the city’s leading commercial 

district. For more information, visit okurabangkok.com or call 662 

687 9000. – Ellen Boonstra 

Golfing in Myanmar 

More than a century after the British colonized Myanmar–and brought 

with them the game of golf–the country’s premier hotel and course 

are teaming up on a deal they hope will help put Burma back on the 

world golf map. Until 30 Septemper, guests staying at The Strand 

Yangon can opt for the 'Tee Off in Style' package, which includes two 

nights' accommodation with daily breakfast, butler service, a dinner 

at the hotel's restaurant and a round of golf at Pun Hlaing Golf Club, 

a Gary Player design widely considered the top layout in the country. 

Prices start at US $533 per person and include round-trip airport and 

golf course transfers in a private car. Opened in 1901 and managed 

by luxury hotel group GHM, The Strand remains one of the finest 

examples of Edwardian architecture in Southeast Asia. For more information 

visit ghmhotels.com. 

Megadeth and Smashing Pumpkins 

in southeast Asia 

American thrash metal band Megadeth will rock Bangkok on 1 August 

at BITEC Banga. Tickets start at US $50 and can be bought at thaiticketmajor.com. 

Although Megadeth has had over 20 lineup changes since 

its founding in 1983, the band maintains its status as one of the most 

commercially successful metal bands of all time. 

The Smashing Pumpkins began in Chicago in 1988 and has since 

won multiple Grammy awards and has been described as the definitive 

band of the alternative music era. Next month, they will be playing 

at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila, Phillipines on 7 August. Tickets 

start at US $15 for general admission and US $25 for box seats. Visit 

etix.com for more details. 

10 asialife HCMC

Alex McMillan gets a feel for one of Saigon’s Chinese-influenced 

areas on Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street in District 5. 

Tea Shop 

109 Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street 

Anyone trekking across this 

street definitely needs to stop 

and get some Chinese tea. 

With six different varieties, 

this small unnamed streetside 

teashop has many locals 

crowding around for some 

herbal respite. Drink it there 

or take it to go in a bottle for 

VND 10,000. Seaweed and 

Artichoke flavours are popular. 

If you are feeling adventurous, 

the owner will drop some 

acrid remedy for any and all 

ailments into your glass. The 

sample is free of charge just 

because she wants to watch 

your face when you taste how 

pungent it is. 

Anh Linh Lanterns 


A friendly shop with innumerable 

lanterns inspired by the 

ones found in Hoi An. There 

are so many different shapes 

and colours that you will be 

marveling over them for hours. 

Prices are around VND 60,000 

for a medium-sized lantern. 

Thuan Ky Noodles 


Get ready to go to heaven. 

The noodles at this shop were 

nothing short of perfection. 

All hyperbole aside, they 

serve a fantastic Chinese style 

of wheat noodles with fried 

wontons for 30,000 a bowl. 

The shop is shrouded by trees, 

so look closely, as it is well 

worth a try. 

asialife HCMC 11

Hem Tong Duy Tan 

Enter by 234 Hai Thuong Lan 

Ong Street 

Have you been wanting to 

work on your costume for 

next Halloween? Are you 

a drag queen with a tired 

wardrobe? Then check out 

this interesting alleyway. Each 

shop sells one thing true to 

the Vietnamese style; however, 

they have crazy things: 

googly eyes, shirt buttons, 

shoe laces, feathers, and much 

more. It’s so entertaining that 

even if you are not interested 

in becoming Liberace, you can 

still grab some banana che and 

window shop. 

Pagoda Ong Bon 


There are many temples in this 

area which makes this neighborhood 

quite interesting. This 

particular temple was under 

renovation when we visited; 

people were on scaffolding 

painting and polishing. Check 

back in early July to see the 

place spruced up. 

Banh Xep Hong 

In front of 264 Hai Thuong 

Lan Ong Street 

In front of the aforementioned 

temple, there are several carts 

which sell banh xep. It looks 

like a fried wonton pillow of 

meat, vegetables, with a quail 

egg stuffed inside. They are 

fantastic and cost VND 8-10,000 

depending on how adept you 

are at haggling. 

Hoang Van 


Need something gold and 

decorative for your house? 

There is clearly one place you 

must go: District 5. Lord Jesus. 

Urns, wind chimes, pots, pans, 

everything you didn’t know 

that you had to have. 

Quyen Trang 


Like Hoang Van, but instead 

of metal decorations, this shop 

has every single kind of piping, 

tubing, and hosing you could 

ever dream of. It is nestled 

amongst several similar shops 

that are unmistakable: tall, 

colourful piping sticking out 

of buckets on the street, which 

act as these shops’ waving 

banners. 

12 asialife HCMC

Meat Grinder & Scale Emporeums 

+ Market 

283 & 259 Hai Thuong Lan Ong 

Street and around 

In this general neighbourhood 

there are a lot of interesting 

shops that specialise in one 

thing and one thing only. 

You’ll find places that sell 

countless different meat grinders, 

or perhaps you fancy an 

industrial scale? There are even 

shops that sell chemicals in bulk 

from large plastic containers. 

Definitely an interesting stroll. 

Keep walking in the area and 

you can find alleyways with 

nothing but power tools and 

bags full of nails. 

Trieu Quang Phuc Street 

It’s a bit unusual to list another 

street in Street Smart, but it is a 

definite visit for people who are 

wandering around in the area. 

Trieu Quang Phuc Street intersects 

with Hai Thuong Lan Ong 

Street and has shop after shop of 

dried Chinese herbs. The aroma 

is amazing and a little overpowering. 

If you are not there to buy 

something to cure your health 

problems, you can see the oversized 

bags of curiosities.

14 asialife HCMC

Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein 

Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein, the chairman of the International Peace Foundation advisory board, sits down 

with Chris Mueller to discuss the upcoming event series ‘Bridges – Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace’, 

which will be held in Vietnam. The series will include up to 50 lectures, seminars, workshops and dialogues 

with Nobel Laureates, artists and celebrities from many fields with the aim of promoting and developing peace 

throughout the region. Photo by Fred Wissink. 

What do you hope to 

accomplish with the ‘Bridges’ 

program? 

We are looking to promote 

peace. We feel that dialogue 

between cultures, dialogue 

between nations, dialogue between 

human beings is the key 

to coming to a better mutual 

understanding and to build up 

relationships. Then from there 

peace can happen. We are here 

to assist different institutions 

and organisations in Vietnam 

and also individuals to get into 

a dialogue with well-known 

speakers, mainly Nobel laureates 

of different fields, but also 

politicians and artists. 

Why is southeast Asia the 

focus of the discussions? 

Southeast Asia is a very important 

part of the world from 

different points of view. If you 

study the World Wealth Report 

you see that the number one 

region of people with the most 

millionaires in the world has 

now become Asia and also the 

economies in Asia are becoming 

more and more important. 

There is of course a major focus 

on China and we feel that it’s 

important to foster dialogue 

here because it’s quite clear for 

many people who observe the 

global situation that potential 

conflict between the United 

States and China might occur 

in the near future. China is predicted 

to surpass the economic 

power of the United States 

and also later on probably the 

military power and therefore 

we feel the countries here in 

southeast Asia, like Vietnam 

for instance, have an interesting 

role to play to be bridges 

in the dialogue between the 

western world and China. 

Why has Vietnam been 

selected to host the series? 

This has been an ongoing 

series for a number of years. 

We started in Thailand then we 

went to the Phillipines, then 

to Malaysia, then Cambodia, 

now Vietnam. The next ones 

will be in Singapore, Indonesia, 

Laos and Brunei. We are doing 

all the ASEAN countries in 

the order that we are invited 

by the governments of these 

countries. 

How will this program affect 

the lives of Vietnamese and 

the country as a whole? 

Since the speakers are of high 

profile, there will be a lot of 

reports in different media and 

most of the events are public 

so they are open to whoever 

is interested in listening. The 

more private conversations between 

the guest speakers and 

the politicians and the different 

institutions in the country will 

also assist in bringing forward 

all the features you like to 

have in a country, like assisting 

young people to get a better 

education. 

How has ‘Bridges’ helped 

other countries in the past? 

Other countries and people 

who attend universities in 

these countries were able to use 

the option that these high-profile 

speakers offer to establish a 

mutual exchange program, like 

student exchange programs 

for instance, and establish joint 

research projects. Some of the 

speakers were invited back 

as visiting professors at these 

universities. 

Do you think the discussions 

will bring any significant 

change to the region? 

It’s very difficult to measure 

the impact because we don’t 

have a research program going 

on, but a number of institutions, 

organisations and countries 

in general have profited 

from the program. Some of the 

results range from more academic 

cooperation to scientific 

research to humanitarian aide 

and protecting the environment 

to cultural exchange programs. 

We hope we will do even more 

in the future. 

‘Bridges’ will take place from 

November to April in Hanoi 

and Ho Chi Minh City. For 

more information visit peacefoundation.net. 

asialife HCMC 15

- PHOTO ESSAY -

The north is a different place. Wild and chaotic. Within 

this rustic place its people and its flora take on the 

attitude of their surroundings. 

The beauty of the place lies both in the grand landscapes 

and the smallest bud on a tree. 

Subtle colours and shapes compete and contrast with 

towering mountains, and yet, the little northern flowers 

hold their own. 

asialife HCMC 17

18 asialife HCMC

Photos by Fred Wissink. 

asialife HCMC 19

20 asialife HCMC

There is no human bond stronger than that between a parent and their child. As any 

adoptive parent will tell you, the lack of a biological connection in no way diminishes 

this bond. In the last four decades many thousands of children from Vietnam have been 

adopted by people in other countries. Children who may otherwise have faced a life of 

deprivation and uncertainty instead found loving homes, and parents were able to nurture 

a child they might never have been able to have. However, there has been an everincreasing 

demand for adoptions in western countries, and places like Vietnam have been 

a popular source of children to meet that demand. This has at times lead to questionable 

practices by some involved in both sides of the adoption process. It is an emotionally 

charged issue, and the international rules meant to regulate the adoption process and 

protect both children and parents, which Vietnam recently signed-on to, have also meant 

that fewer Vietnamese children are finding new homes in other countries. 

By Brett Davis. Photos by Fred Wissink. 

asialife HCMC 21

“The goals of the Hague Convention 

are to establish safeguards ensuring 

international adoptions take place in the 

best interests of the child” 

The Vietnamese Diaspora has spread 

to almost every country on the globe. 

This has been the product of many 

factors, a significant one of which has been 

the adoption of Vietnamese children internationally. 

Particularly since the American War, 

many thousands of Vietnamese children have 

been adopted overseas. A large proportion 

of these children have gone to the United 

States, but also to countries such as France, 

Italy, Canada, Sweden, Ireland and Denmark 

among many others. On average, over a 

thousand children have been adopted from 

Vietnam each year in the last decade, rising 

to a peak of more than 1,600 a year in 2007 

and 2008. Since the late 90s, as demand from 

prospective parents in developed countries 

has steadily risen, Vietnam has consistently 

been one of the most popular ‘source’ countries 

in the world. 

There have been peaks and troughs over 

the years and the processes for adoption within 

Vietnam have not been without troubles. In 

order to centrally regulate inter-country adoptions 

the government set up the Department 

of International Adoptions, part of the Ministry 

of Justice, in 2003. Bilateral agreements on 

adoption were subsequently entered into 

with a number of countries. These ‘receiving’ 

countries were then able to authorise agencies 

to undertake adoption activities in Vietnam. 

However, this system was still problematic 

and several countries, notably the United 

States, Ireland and Sweden did not renew 

their bilateral agreements. Indeed, the US 

has had a moratorium on all adoptions from 

Vietnam since 2008, after investigations by its 

embassy alleged cases of bribery, fraud and 

coercion in the procurement of children for 

adoption. 

An example cited in a Unicef report in 2010 

was that of 16 people convicted in Nam Dinh 

province for receiving bribes and forging documents 

in relation to 266 Vietnamese children 

between 2005 and 2008 to meet the demand 

of the foreign adoption market. Despite this 

kind of action by local authorities there were 

enough reports of similar cases for the flow 

of adoptions from Vietnam to be tightened 

considerably. 

The New Ground Rules 

The Hague Convention on Protection of 

Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry 

Adoption is the rather long-winded 

name for the international agreement generally 

known as the Hague Adoption Convention. 

Drawn up in 1993, the goals of the document 

are to establish safeguards ensuring 

international adoptions take place in the best 

interests of the child and with respect for their 

fundamental human rights. 

In effect this means establishing central 

bureaucracies to manage the adoption process, 

undertake adequate investigations into 

a child’s eligibility for adoption and to ensure 

22 asialife HCMC

“In any human undertaking of a certain 

scale there will always be irregularities, 

but that should not be cause to 

discontinue adoptions” 

unethical practices such as paying parents to 

relinquish their children have not occurred. 

Unicef has worked closely with Vietnamese 

authorities over the last several years to assist 

in the country’s ascension to full member 

status of the convention. As mentioned, a 

central adoption authority was established and 

Vietnam’s national assembly passed a new 

adoption law in June 2010, the same year it 

signed the Hague Convention. A year later 

the government ratified the convention and it 

became a full member in February this year. 

At the time of the ratification in December 

2011 Unicef’s Vietnam representative Lotta 

Sylwander said it was, “a formidable step 

forward in ensuring that inter-country adoption 

is pursued in conformity with the standards 

and principles of international legislation requiring 

any placement decisions to be in the best 

interests of the child”. 

Yet there has been a difference in views 

as to what is in the best interests of children 

eligible for adoption in Vietnam. There is also a 

degree of separation on how various countries 

have applied the convention both within their 

own borders and to other states their citizens 

adopt children from. 

There were hopes that once Vietnam 

became a full member of the Hague Convention 

that adoptions to the US might resume. 

This proved a false dawn, with a statement 

released only days later, on 6 February, stating 

the US State Department had determined 

Vietnam had, “not proven capable of meeting 

its obligations” under the convention. The 

government of Ireland on the other hand, 

which also placed a moratorium on adoptions 

from the country, has indicated it will look at 

re-opening adoption links with Vietnam. 

Whose Best Interest? 

It is the use of the Hague Adoption Convention 

as a reason for shutting down international 

adoptions from some countries 

that has some questioning if the rules do 

in fact serve the best interests of children 

who might otherwise find loving homes. The 

argument being that holding a country’s 

system to an unrealistic standard condemns 

many more children to an institutionalised 

life where they are exposed to greater risk of 

things like health problems or falling victim to 

sex trafficking. 

One such critic is Harvard Law professor 

Elizabeth Bartholet who, along with being an 

adoptive mother herself, has been working 

in the field of adoption advocacy for over 30 

years. She says while people who engage 

in illegal practices should be punished, the 

Hague Convention rules have been used as 

an opportunity by those ideologically opposed 

to inter-country adoption to curtail the 

practice. As an example she singles out Unicef 

for what she believes is their relegation of 

inter-country adoption behind other solutions 

in the child’s country of origin. 

asialife HCMC 23

“They will talk about things like familybased 

care, in-country foster care, adoption 

in-country, and they never mention international 

adoption, and if they do, well, it’s to be 

considered a last resort,” she says. 

Bartholet says she believes that in any human 

undertaking of a certain scale there will 

always be irregularities, but that should not 

be cause to discontinue adoptions because 

all corruption cannot be weeded out of the 

system. She says policy makers are not really 

paying attention to the rights of children 

because they are not adequately considering 

the harm that can be done when international 

adoptions are shut down. 

“Everyone in this debate says they are 

interested in the children, but I think if that 

were the case they would come up with different 

policies,” she says. 

Another argument often raised in support 

of freeing up international adoptions 

is that more children will otherwise spend 

longer periods in institutional care. Absolute 

numbers are difficult to pin down, but in 

2007 the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and 

Social Affairs estimated there were 168,000 

orphans or children deprived of parental care 

in Vietnam, with some 20,000 living in public 

or private care facilities. 

Even at the height of international adoptions 

from Vietnam, only a small percentage 

of children would have the opportunity to 

escape that existence to a life with a new 

family in a new country. 

The Facilitators 

One sector suffering under the stricter 

regime is adoption agencies in receiving 

countries. With fewer children available for 

adoption many are going out of business, 

particularly in North America. However, 

among long-established operators there is 

support for the Hague Adoption Convention. 

Pearl S. Buck International (PSBI) has 

been working with disadvantaged children in 

Vietnam since the late 1960s, and continues 

24 asialife HCMC

to support health, nutrition and education 

programs in many care facilities in the 

country. They have also facilitated more than 

150 adoptions of Vietnamese children in that 

time. 

The organisation’s CEO Janet Mintzer 

says she is a supporter of the Hague 

Convention. “We are very happy about the 

convention and happy the US is a part of it 

so providers have to meet certain standards 

so only ethical agencies will facilitate adoptions 

in the US.” 

Mintzer recalled how another agency, also 

in their home state of Pennsylvania, was 

a few years ago arranging the adoption of 

several hundred Vietnamese children a year. 

“It was very surprising to me,” she says of 

the years before the bilateral agreement 

between the two countries lapsed. 

This is the other side of the coin that 

needs to be remembered in the adoption 

discussion. International adoptions are as 

much driven by demand as other factors, 

and some agencies in developed countries 

have not always acquitted themselves well. 

“When we met with adoption officials in 

Vietnam, we strongly encouraged them to 

limit the number of agencies,” Mintzer says. 

She adds that should Vietnam again open 

up to adoptions to the US they would like to 

be involved, although she believes the US 

government will continue to take a ‘watch 

and see’ approach on the issue to gauge the 

level of enforcement of the Hague Adoption 

Convention in Vietnam. 

“We would like to continue to help children 

who are eligible for adoption rather than 

have them live for a very long time in orphanages,” 

she says. 

Adoption is such a personal, emotionallycharged 

thing, yet when it crosses borders 

it also becomes an issue of national interest 

and broader legal entanglement. Hopefully 

amongst all the geo-political debate over the 

issue, everyone involved will find the right 

balance between safeguarding the process 

while helping as many needy children as 

possible live the life they deserve. 

A Mother’s Story 

There were echoes of history repeating for Lorie Carnie when 

she adopted her daughter from Vietnam. As an infant Carnie had 

been aboard the infamous ‘Operation Babylift’ flight in 1975 that 

crashed soon after takeoff from Saigon’s Tan Son Nhat airport. 

She was one of the lucky ones to survive and was ultimately 

adopted by a family in the United States. 

Twenty-five years later, after having three boys of her own, she 

decided to adopt a little girl from Vietnam. She never expected the 

daughter she christened Mia, would have her own dramatic false 

start on her journey to a new life. 

“I always knew I wanted to adopt myself. It was a dream for me 

even when I was young,” Carney says. So in September of 2000 

she started the process, and by the end of October the following 

year she was taking part in the official ceremony at the orphanage 

in Ha Nam province where little Mia officially became her daughter. 

Things started to go awry a few days later when they went to 

the US consulate in Ho Chi Minh City to process the necessary 

paperwork for Mia’s visa. “They were asking me a lot of questions, 

and it probably didn’t help that I’m Vietnamese,” Carnie says. “I 

think they thought I traded her for money.” 

Mia was denied a visa to the United States and Carnie’s world 

went into a tailspin. After making no headway in Vietnam she 

decided her only option was to seek legal assistance back in 

the US. This meant making the agonising decision to leave Mia 

behind. After organising care for her daughter, Carnie departed on 

28 November. “I was heartbroken, but I was also driven,” she says 

of her feelings at the time. 

Once back in the States she was on the go almost around the 

clock, working on Mia’s case through the night and being available 

to her three young boys during the day. “I slept when they were 

napping, but no, there wasn’t much sleep for me at the time.” 

A decision to make a personal appeal to the immigration official 

handling the case instead of sending in the lawyers proved 

pivotal. “I said to him that if Mia really doesn’t belong to me and 

there is another woman out there that does want her then that is 

what I want.” She continued pleading her case saying, “I want to 

do what is best, if you know there is a family out there that wants 

her back, then I am going to bring her back. But, if you know that 

there is not a family out there who wants her, then let her stay 

with me.” 

On Christmas Eve, Carnie received the call that her appeal had 

been successful. Her immediate response was one of tremendous 

relief, but also overwhelming exhaustion. “Before, I think adrenaline 

and the drive was keeping me going, and then when I got the 

notice the exhaustion really took over.” 

On 7 January 2002, after one of the most trying experiences 

imaginable, Lorie was waiting at the airport in Los Angeles when 

Mia arrived at her new home. 

asialife HCMC 25

Chris Mueller discovers that maybe we should all be a little more paranoid of 

people with cameras in the street. They could be tourists or they could be part 

of Vietnam’s huge network of private detectives waiting for you to slip up. 

Photo by Fred Wissink. 

The discreet white sign hanging 

off a first floor balcony on a 

building down a small but busy 

street in HCM City’s District 1 

gives little clue to what business 

it’s advertising. The printed 

red letters on the sign only 

say “T&T”, which I assumed 

had something to do with the 

Vietnamese words Tham Tu Tu, 

or private detective. The only 

other thing on the sign was a 

phone number, the last six digits 

of which were 007 007. 

When Mr Huy unlocked the 

gate to the building he gave me 

a quick look and immediately 

asked for some sort of ID, so 

I gave him my business card 

which seemed to satisfy him 

enough. He motioned for me to 

enter and we walked through 

a nearly pitch-black, narrow 

corridor, brushing against filthy 

walls as we made our way to 

the stairs. 

Once in his office, Huy 

seemed to relax a little bit as he 

settled down into his oversized, 

plush leather chair and looked 

at me across his massive desk 

waiting for me to begin the 

conversation. I asked him what 

his job was and in the painfully 

awkward 30 seconds of silence 

before he answered I glanced 

around at the room. Lining 

nearly every wall, and piled 

on every surface, were glass 

bottles of rice wine stuffed with 

either large lizards, maggotlooking 

bugs I assumed were 

silk worms, and coiled snakes. 

The bottles were everywhere, 

dozens of them, from tiny flasksized 

ones to huge containers 

half as big as an oil drum. 

The only wall that was void 

of bottles was instead lined 

with hundreds of books, most 

in Vietnamese and many leather 

bound. The whole scene gave 

me a feeling of being trapped 

inside some sort of mad 

scientist’s workshop where he 

preserved his experiments. Huy 

must have noticed me looking 

at all the bottles and explained, 

“They make me strong.” 

I laughed and the conversation 

began. Huy is one of a 

seemingly endless number of 

private investigators in HCM 

City. If you google, “private 

detective”, “tham tu tu” or a 

combination of the two you get 

hundreds of companies advertising 

their detective services; 

everything from the typical 

cheating partners to missing 

persons and even genetic assessments. 

Huy tells me that 

these companies operate both 

legally and illegally but I was 

never able to get a clear answer 

as to whether private investigators 

were legal in Vietnam, full 

stop. 

There are also several highly 

professional foreign-run investigation 

services that work more 

on the corporate side of things. 

These companies tend to take 

on cases like background checks 

of potential business partners, 

customers and competitors 

as well as insurance claim investigations 

and record verification. 

Although some of these 

companies I tried to get a foot 

in the door with have swanky 

offices in downtown District 

1, they seem to operate with a 

high degree of secrecy. Security 

nearly threw me out of one office 

when I asked the secretary 

if I could interview a detective. I 

even asked nicely. 

Huy, however, seemed to be a 

PI straight out of central casting, 

the kind we read about in books 

and see in movies. He began 

his business 10 years ago when 

he retired from the police force, 

which he said he couldn’t give 

more details about since he was 

part of a highly secretive unit. 

While I had my doubts about 

his prior service, it was clear 

from Huy’s size that he would 

have no problem handling 

himself if things got rough. At 

37, he has the round protruding 

stomach of man doing well 

for hiimself, but his gorilla-like 

arms remind you it is probably 

best to stay on his good side. 

Though I wondered how people 

don’t notice him while he lurks 

around with a camera. 

Huy says that on a general 

day he and his employees 

handle about 30 customers, 

which are charged about VND 

1.5 million a day. He says he 

mainly handles infidelity cases 

but also does things like background 

checks and insurance 

investigations. 

He told me one story about 

a man who by all appearances 

had the perfect life. However 

the man had a nagging suspicion 

his newborn son wasn’t his 

own, so he hired Huy to follow 

his wife who was found to be 

having an affair. In despair, he 

askd Huy to perform a DNA 

test, which he makes sure to 

mention cost five times the normal 

price so it could be done in 

one day. The child turned out to 

be illegitimate, but the husband 

decided to raise it as his own 

anyway. 

From there the stories became 

pretty typical, cheating spouses, 

gold-digging partners and the 

like. Huy says that in a typical 

investigation they do things 

straight out of a 1950s detective 

novel; they follow their target 

with cameras, sneak into businesses 

and lurk around homes. 

He says they even use female 

detectives to ‘befriend’ their 

targets. 

After a few more stories, 

Huy offered me some shots of 

his rice wine, pouring it out of 

a bottle that thankfully didn’t 

have any animals in it. We had 

drunk a few shots before he 

lead me half-stumbling down 

the stairs. As I stepped squinting 

out into the street and shook 

Huy’s hand I couldn’t help but 

think I had found my new job. 

Drinking at 11am and following 

people with cameras, I couldn’t 

see that going wrong.

Copy Culture 

..................................................................... 

Counterfeiting and software piracy has become so commonplace in Vietnam that many here 

look at it as a legitimate business practice, but fail to see how it is impacting the economic 

growth of the country. By Chris Mueller. Illustration by Mai Anh Nguyen. 

It’s difficult to walk through 

any market or shop in Vietnam 

without seeing copied products. 

From Nike sneakers to 

CDs and DVDs, the scale of 

counterfeiting and pirating here 

is enormous and only seems to 

be growing. 

The problem isn’t only limited 

to clothes and software. An 

increasingly more sophisticated 

network of counterfeiters and 

distributors have planted roots 

throughout Vietnam and neighbouring 

countries and are copying 

everything from medicine, 

motor oil and liquor to electrical 

components and concrete. 

Over the past 17 years, trade 

between the United States and 

Vietnam has soared from US 

$17.5 million in 1994 to over 

US $20 billion in 2011, at the 

same time counterfeiting and 

software piracy has also taken 

off in Vietnam, according to the 

American Chamber of Commerce 

in Vietnam. AmCham 

also estimates that Vietnam has 

one of the highest piracy rates in 

the world, at 83 percent. 

Although foreign investment 

and trade is on the rise, many 

companies are reluctant to do 

business or invest in Vietnam 

unless they can ensure the intellectual 

property rights of their 

technology or brand is safe. 

This raises the question, why 

is the practice here so rampant 

and how will Vietnam be able 

change so they can better compete 

with the rest of the world? 

Counterfeiting and piracy 

is trademark and copyright 

infringement under intellectual 

property (IP) rights law, which 

generally refers to laws that 

protect creations of the mind, 

including inventions, artistic 

works as well as symbols, 

names, images and designs used 

in commerce. 

When Vietnam joined the 

World Trade Organization in 

2007 it immediately became part 

of an agreement that requires all 

members to adhere to a certain 

standards that protect IP rights 

and Vietnam does fully comply, 

if only minimally. 

On paper Vietnam’s IP laws 

are similar to any western country, 

says Nguyen Van Vien, an 

intellectual property lawyer for 

the Frasers Law Company in Ho 

Chi Minh City. He also adds that 

getting a copyright or trademark 

here is a straightforward and 

fairly inexpensive process. 

The problem doesn’t so much 

lie with what’s on paper, but 

rather with enforcement. 

For the authorities there is little 

incentive to enforce the laws 

since in many instances of IP 

rights violations administrative 

fines are given, but they tend 

to be very low, says Thomas J. 

Treutler, partner and managing 

director of Tilleke & Gibbins 

Vietnam. Because the fines are 

not much of a deterrent, he 

adds, IP infringers are usually 

repeat offenders and it becomes 

uneconomical for the authorities 

to act against them. 

Another argument is that 

many Vietnamese in general 

simply have not been educated 

about IP rights infringement. 

Counterfeiting and piracy is 

so commonplace, even among 

some state-owned companies, 

that many think it is a legitimate 

business practice. Counterfeiting 

also tends to be an inexpensive 

process with little overhead. 

“Copying is the easiest way to 

have short-term success,” says 

Vien. “The majority of people 

don’t have financial or human 

sources for creation, so they 

have to copy to have profit.” 

Gregory Buhyoff, an intellectual 

property lawyer who 

has worked in Vietnam for nine 

years and is on the European 

Chamber of Commerce in 

Vietnam's intellectual property 

rights committee, says changing 

the Vietnamese mindset to 

one that respects IP rights and 

products of the mind will not 

only inspire young Vietnamese 

to spend the time to create and 

innovate, but also encourage 

foreign companies to invest in 

the country. 

While counterfeiting things 

like clothing and pirating software 

really only does immediate 

harm to the company that holds 

the trademark, many argue Vietnam’s 

copy culture will damage 

the country economically in the 

long run. However, counterfeiting 

certain products does put 

the public at risk. 

There have been many cases 

where counterfeit products like 

pharmaceuticals and medical 

equipment, often coming 

from China, have endangered 

lives and livelihoods. Buhyoff 

recalls one instance where a 

well-known marine motor oil 

was being counterfeited and 

widely sold. Vietnamese fishermen 

would buy the low-quality 

counterfeit for their boats only 

to have it destroy their engines 

leaving them stranded out at sea 

or without a way to financially 

support themselves. 

Counterfeiting also has a 

global impact, most notably in 

the connection it has with organised 

crime. While the link is 

difficult to quantify, the United 

Nations and the Organisation 

for Economic Cooperation and 

Development estimated in 

2009 that over US $250 billion 

of counterfeit goods are traded 

internationally each year. Much 

of this profit is used to finance 

other crimes like human and 

drug trafficking. 

Buyhoff argues that while 

the harm IP infringement can 

do to consumers is important to 

address, the long-term economic 

damage it does is often overlooked. 

He says that in order to 

compete many in the Vietnamese 

government are trying to 

promote an economy based on 

higher quality products rather 

than cheap labour, which is 

what attracted many foreign 

investors to Vietnam in the first 

place. 

But in order for this to happen 

the Vietnamese workforce needs 

proper training and equipment 

from foreign companies, 

many of which say they will 

not license their best technology 

to Vietnam without being sure 

their IP rights will be protected. 

“This isn’t just about protecting 

the rights of foreigners,” 

Buhyoff says. “It’s about 

inspiring the creativity of the 

Vietnamese themselves and a 

culture of innovation and economic 

growth.” 

asialife HCMC 29

30 asialife HCMC

Saigon-based expat band Brett Newski and the Corruption talk to 

Michael Tatarski about what brought the band together and the 

recording of their first album. Photo by Fred Wissink. 

Brett Newski and the Corruption 

are a breath of fresh air 

to Saigon, adding some much 

needed originality to the city’s 

live music scene. The threeman 

act consisting of American 

lead singer and guitarist Brett 

Newski, Canadian bassist Jeff 

Gantner, and British drummer 

Matt Green formed late last 

year and since then they have 

played live, recorded an album 

in Saigon and are now on a US 

tour. 

Newski, the de facto band 

leader, came to Vietnam last October 

after wandering around 

Asia for six months with his 

guitar. He would play at house 

gigs in exchange for a room and 

used his experiences as inspiration 

for lyrics. 

After arriving in Saigon he 

met Green while playing solo, 

and they decided to start jamming 

together. The third piece 

of the puzzle became involved 

thanks to Green, who has lived 

here for about a year and knew 

Gantner since their wives 

happen to work for the same 

company. 

After playing some covers 

together they realised they 

had chemistry and decided to 

formalise what they were doing 

by giving themselves a name. 

Newski jokes that he chose 

‘corruption’ because Green and 

Gantner are older and act as a 

bad influence on him. 

At first the group worked 

with material that Newski had 

written during his travels. “I 

had compiled about 100 songs 

in three to four years, so we saw 

what worked and what didn’t,” 

Newski says. 

They then began writing their 

own material as a band, and 

soon realised they were in the 

perfect place to take their time 

and create good music. 

“You never have time in 

America, you’re always working 

a full time job so you take 

the first 10 songs you write and 

you record them,” says Newski. 

Here there are fewer financial 

concerns, allowing them to 

pursue a slower pace and craft 

songs they are happy with. 

Gantner adds that life as an 

expat in Vietnam is full of inspiration 

and those experiences 

are easy to carry over into their 

music. 

After a few months of playing 

together they had several 

songs ready to go and began 

recording their first album, 

Saigon at Night. The recording 

process took a matter of 

hours, extremely quick by any 

standard. Green recorded his 

drums in an actual studio, 

while Newski and Gantner 

tracked the vocals, guitar, and 

bass at a house using equipment 

brought back from the US. 

Newski in particular says he 

enjoyed making the album. “It’s 

so much more fun to do it at 

someone’s house where there’s 

space and you can order some 

banh cuon or whatever and take 

your sweet time.” 

All three musicians are 

proponents of no frills, guitaroriented 

rock, and they had 

no interest in using any of the 

electronic tweaks that so many 

singers and bands utilise in 

modern music. As a result the 

album is, “a pretty raw recording 

of what we sound like playing 

in a room,” says Gantner. 

Though the band was quick to 

add that the songs were professionally 

mastered in the UK, so 

they do sound good. 

Before completing Saigon at 

Night, the Corruption made 

their live debut at Yoko. 

“People came up and said they 

had never seen an original band 

in Saigon,” says Newski. “It 

was a big relief, very inspiring, 

and put some fuel in the tank. It 

was a good start.” 

Last month they put on a 

lively performance at the Hard 

Rock Cafe to celebrate the 

release of their album, and this 

month they will be touring in 

the US, but all three plan to 

make Saigon their base camp 

as they work to increase their 

exposure. 

They say Saigon is a good 

place to be since more regional 

music festivals are starting to 

appear and there seems to be a 

burgeoning art scene while still 

being somewhat of a blank canvas, 

especially in terms of original 

music. The group hopes 

to be able to work with other 

members of the local scene at 

some point. “It would be nice 

to see more bands here creating 

their own music, because there 

are a lot of brilliant musicians,” 

says Gantner. 

The band will be releasing 

more songs through their 

website in the next few weeks, 

and once they finish touring in 

support of Saigon at Night they 

plan on returning to the city 

towards the end of September 

and have no plans of leaving 

anytime soon. Many Saigon 

residents, both foreign and 

local, are hungry for original 

music, and Brett Newski and 

the Corruption seem eager to 

help fill that void. 

asialife HCMC 31

......................................................................................... 

Portrait of an Artist 

Artist Helene Kling does what she loves, juggling painting 

professionally with teaching and motherhood. She talks to Jade Bilowol 

about her departure from the typical work-life balance and notching up 

16 years in Vietnam. Photos by Fred Wissink. 

......................................................................................... 

32 asialife HCMC

....................................................................................... 

At 5.30am, Helene Kling rises 

with the rest of HCM City. As 

the sprawling metropolis’s 

streets and sidewalks increasingly 

brim with activity, Helene’s 

daily routine also unfolds 

at a solid pace. 

After breakfast with her 

husband Krister, whom she first 

met in Vietnam 14 years ago, 

she gets their son Norman, 11, 

ready and takes him to school. 

Helene zips back to her District 

2 home by 7.45am for a 30- 

minute jog through Thao Dien. 

“During this jogging time I get 

new ideas and realise inspirations,” 

the 48-year-old says. “I 

build paintings and projects in 

my mind.” 

Helene then gets down to 

business. She paints throughout 

the day, until it’s time to collect 

Norman from school, and 

sometimes continues painting 

into the evening. Helene also 

conducts art workshops for 

adults and children several days 

a week at her art studio on the 

top floor of her home. “As my 

job is my passion my daily life 

is an interesting balancing act 

between painting and the rest of 

my life,” she says. 

Helene moved from her native 

France to Vietnam in 1996 

to help international skincare giant 

Thalgo Cosmetics kick-start 

a distribution and training hub. 

“I jumped at the opportunity,” 

she admits. “I didn’t know how 

to change my life in France anymore. 

I wanted to be on the rails 

and leave a point and see where 

I would end up.” 

Cosmetics gave way to her 

professional painting career that 

began in 1999. Her vibrantlycoloured 

works–depicting 

quintessential Vietnamese 

settings in bold, daring brush 

strokes–have since featured in a 

long list of exhibitions. 

Vietnam’s smorgasboard of 

subjects feature prominently 

in Helene’s work. A sea of 

motorbikes; shacks lining the 

Saigon River’s banks set before 

a couple of towering highrises; 

blazing green rice fields; lotus 

flowers floating atop an idle 

lake’s surface. 

“Asia is an inspirational 

region for me because of the 

lights, shadows and colours you 

find in the different shades of 

green, the sun and the sunsets 

but also in the smiling faces 

with eyes reflecting life,” she 

says. “Through my paintings 

people can sense the soul of 

Vietnam and my love for this 

country. Vietnam has an ever 

changing beauty that makes it 

so special.” 

Vietnamese women are a 

constant in her paintings. “My 

paintings are figuratives, following 

the evolution of Vietnam 

and its women.” 

In addition to her commissioned 

works Helene also paints 

for charity, donating auction 

items. She has thrown her support 

behind Operation Smile, 

a not-for-profit organisation 

providing reconstructive facial 

surgery. “Operation Smile heals 

the faces of children and young 

adults and gives them back the 

gift of a smile, which I consider 

one of the most beautiful and 

meaningful ways in which a 

surgeon can practice his art – 

the art of healing,” she says. 

Art has always coursed 

through Helene’s blood. One 

of her earliest memories is 

drawing on the table at her 

grandparents’ small Brittany 

house during summer while her 

parents were away working. 

“My brother and I would 

draw ‘everything’ on the table 

to send to my mum and dad in 

Paris,” she says, recalling life at 

the tender age of five. 

While art was always an 

obvious path to Helene, her 

mother pressed her into piano 

lessons as her great-grandfather 

was a pianist. “I wasn’t very 

good at it, I have no sense of 

hearing ... I was often drawing 

while he was playing the 

piano.” 

As a teenager she also 

excelled at chemistry, prompting 

her father to stonewall 

her dream of attending the 

prestigious Beaux Arts school 

in Paris. “At this time, art had a 

bad reputation,” Helene remembers. 

“My father had the idea 

I would be with students who 

were not very good at anything 

or smoking pot.” 

However her father promised 

her evening painting and 

drawing lessons if she studied 

chemistry by day. She obliged, 

gaining a science degree. 

Helene later studied at the University 

of Paris’ School of Arts 

and Cosmetics in the early 80s 

before working in cosmetology 

for 13 years – the industry that 

brought her to Vietnam. 

There are days when creativity 

on demand can be challenging 

but she’s found perseverance, 

discipline and doing what 

you love pay off. 

“There are some days when 

the inspiration is here, some 

others where there is nothing 

but I know I must try everyday. 

I am never out of ideas and 

never tired of painting,” Helene 

insists. 

She loves teaching art in her 

adult and children’s workshops 

– something she has been doing 

for a decade. 

“I love to be with people, give 

them my passion, and share a 

good time with them … I have 

to speak but not tell, I have to 

inspire art not only teach art.” 

Helene likens learning how to 

paint to learning how to read. 

“Syllable by syllable, small 

sentences and bigger ones, 

enrich your vocabulary, and 

then after six years, you read 

without reading. Your mind 

by experience reads or guesses 

half of the words – it’s the same 

with painting. You need experience 

to put everything on the 

canvas,” she says. 

“Helene is a fabulous artist 

and her painting lessons allow 

us to relax and open our mind 

to the outside world,” student 

Felicie Andriot Bergerot has 

written in Kling’s recent book 

Art Beat for Vietnam, which 

showcases her paintings and 

includes insights about her 

workshops, her friends and her 

personal life. 

Helene describes herself as 

sensitive, moody, tempered and 

a perfectionist, yet also a lover 

of life with a positive attitude. 

She says she is overprotective 

and authoritarian with her children. 

She and her husband have 

a total of five children as they 

each already had two children 

when they met. 

“I never learn how to say no, 

even if I am trying hard,” she 

also admits. 

Helene packs as much into 

her day as possible, heeding her 

motto: “Achieve what you can 

today because you never know 

if you can achieve it tomorrow.” 

asialife HCMC 33

Photos by Chris Mueller 

The Best Laid Plans 

Chris Mueller finds out that sometimes a failed road trip can 

be more memorable than a successful one. 

My clothes are soaked 

with sweat as I 

push my motorbike 

through the nearly deserted 

highway that cuts through a 

steamy mangrove forest south 

of Ho Chi Minh City. Reggae 

blasts out of my headphones as 

the sun beats down on my reddening 

skin. I continue walking 

down a long stretch of road, the 

kilometres ticking away on my 

odometer, and try to remember 

how far the nearest motorbike 

repairman is. How did this 

seemingly simple road trip go 

so wrong? 

My goal was to go from Ho 

Chi Minh City to Vung Tau, 

taking Huynh Tan Phat Street 

in District 7 south through Nha 

Be and to the mangrove forest 

of Can Gio. I had heard that 

from the Can Gio peninsula 

you could hop on a small fishing 

boat that takes people and 

motorbikes across the bay to 

Vung Tau. I would spend the 

night in Vung Tau then loop 

back around to Saigon taking 

the scenic route through farm 

land and rubber plantations 

along route 25b. 

In theory it should have been 

an easy drive with some decent 

scenery and a relaxing afternoon 

and night in Vung Tau. 

But it didn’t quite go to plan. 

The first sign of trouble 

began as soon as I got out of 

Nha Be and onto the ferry to 

Can Gio. As I sat on my bike 

packed into a tin can of a ferry 

I could see the dark clouds of 

the monsoon behind me. 

Soon after I got off the ferry 

and jostled with other bikes up 

the shaky ramp with no guardrails, 

the road opened up and 

traffic became virtually nonexistent. 

The dusty congestion 

of Huynh Tan Phat turned into 

a brand-new six-lane highway 

flanked by salt and fish farms. 

With the clouds darkening 

behind, I threw my bike into 

fifth gear and opened up the 

throttle. After 10 kilometres I 

crossed over a bridge and into 

the Can Gio Biosphere Reserve, 

a 76,000 hectare protected mangrove 

forest. About halfway 

through the mangroves the rain 

started and within minutes the 

road was flooded, forcing me to 

zigzag between deep puddles 

while avoiding cars that refused 

to slow down. 

When I reached Can Thanh, 

the town at the southern most 

point of Can Gio, I could see 

the cranes of the Vung Tau 

34 asialife HCMC

harbor and the hotels and restaurants 

doting the coastline. It 

was still fairly early and I was 

looking forward to drinking 

a cold beer on the Vung Tau 

beach, so I started looking for 

the pier where the boats depart 

from. I found it on the eastern 

edge of town next to a market. 

When I approached the docks, I 

noticed a blue sign with departure 

times indicating the last 

boat had left 15 minutes earlier. 

As it turned out there are only 

three boats a day, the first one 

at 6am and two more at 8am 

and 10am. 

Despite my disappointment, 

I decided it was still early 

enough to drive the two hours 

back to the city and take the 

highway to Vung Tau. I headed 

out of town and after about 20 

minutes of high-speed driving 

through light rain, I felt the 

distinctive wobble of a rear 

flat tyre. I pulled over and sure 

enough it was completely flat. 

I had just passed a restaurant 

a couple kilometres back so I 

figured I would have a better 

chance finding a repairman 

along this empty highway if I 

backtracked. 

Two kilometres and litres of 

sweat later I arrived at the restaurant 

only to be turned away. 

The girl at the front told me the 

nearest place to fix a flat was 

another two kilometres down 

the road. Since I had no choice 

I continued walking while 

the sun, which hadn’t been 

out all day until then, became 

stronger by the minute causing 

my sweating to become more 

profuse and my anger to grow 

at all the people slowing down 

to point and laugh at the wet, 

red foreigner. 

As I walked, I couldn’t help 

but notice colourful birds flying 

in and out of the eerie swamps 

and the different species of 

odd plants and flowers lining 

the forest. I even spotted some 

snakes and lizards wading in 

the shallow brackish swamp 

water beneath the trees. It 

made the remaining 10 kilometres 

much more enjoyable. 

After over an hour of walking 

I eventually found a repairman 

taking a nap as his wife husked 

coconuts. After some not-sogentle 

prodding, I was able 

to wake him and he quickly 

patched the puncture, which 

was caused by a tiny, rusty office 

staple. 

With my tube fixed I got back 

on my bike and moments later 

the rain started again, this time 

much harder. The new highway 

I had been so impressed with 

turned into an ankle-deep river 

the entire distance to the ferry. 

To add insult to injury, the rain 

stopped almost immediately as 

I got onto the ferry. Exhausted, 

sunburnt and defeated, I decided 

to head back to the city, 

but not without deciding to 

attempt this trip again. 

I have found this to be a 

pretty typical road trip experience 

in Vietnam; even the 

simplest journey can turn frustrating 

and tiresome. But for 

me this is one of the exciting 

things about going anywhere 

in Vietnam; travelling with an 

uneasy sense that something is 

about to go wrong and when 

it does, it always makes for a 

good memory. 

asialife HCMC 35

In search of well-deserved respite, 

Mark Bibby Jackson escapes to 

the Laotian countryside and gets 

caught up in New Year chaos 

along the way. 

36 asialife HCMC

The boy with the pump-action 

revolver clearly meant business. 

Smiling through his toothless 

grin he let me have it. A huge 

jet of water exploded onto 

my already drenched t-shirt. 

This is how they say ‘Sabaidee 

Pbeemai’ or Happy New Year 

in Laos. 

Fortunately, I had already 

planned my retreat. A threehour 

boat ride along the 

Mekong River from Luang 

Prabang, Kamu Lodge is as 

close to getting back to nature 

as you can find in this world of 

globalised travel. 

Consisting of a series of 

canvas tents strewn around 

a terraced paddy field, solar 

panels above each one provide 

sufficient electricity to power 

small fans and a light, but nothing 

else. 

Unable to recharge an iPad 

or contact the outside world 

via internet, you are left to the 

company of your fellow guests 

and the solitary white buffalo 

that chews its way through the 

rice paddy. Stressed out by the 

modern life? Escape to Kamu. 

TASTE OF THE COUNTRY 

During our stay, a guide called 

Lee escorts us through a series 

of activities aimed at providing 

an insight into the life of local 

villagers. 

Judging by our attempts at 

crossbow shooting, rice planting 

and net fishing, we would 

starve to death if left to our own 

devices. Fortunately accommodation 

comes with breakfast, 

lunch and dinner already 

prepared. 

The lodge borders on the tiny 

village of Yoi Hai. Small wooden 

and thatched houses clamber 

their way up the side of the 

hill. The newer buildings have 

concrete walls and tin roofs. 

We climb to the top to meet 

the farmer who has just shown 

us how to plant rice. He is now 

constructing his new home 

and judging by the number of 

concrete blocks involved, he 

benefits from his employ at the 

lodge. He is one of 30 villagers 

who work there. 

A MODEL VILLAGE 

An official-looking notice 

board informs us that Yoi Hai 

is a model village. Lee says this 

means that all residents, apart 

from the elderly, can read and 

write. 

The area was initially inhabited 

by the Buddhist Lau Lum 

tribe, who moved on as the 

government resettled animist 

Kamu people here from the 

neighbouring hills. This was in 

order to bring them closer to 

formal education, explains Lee. 

Now Lau Lum have started 

to return to their former land, 

although the Kamu are still in 

the majority. A shaman lives 

alongside a Buddhist monk and 

two novices. 

We stop at the house of 

an old woman who offers us 

some black scorpion lao lao, 

the notorious drink of choice 

in Laos. Supposed to improve 

men’s virility, the chances of 

us putting this to the test seem 

remote, although an intrepid, 

retired Australian couple might 

fancy their chances. They have 

travelled by boat here from 

Chiang Rai across the border in 

Thailand and only have words 

of praise for their journey. 

I am the first to try the lao lao. 

It tastes warm like a shot of tequila, 

but without any pungent 

aftertaste. Fortunately the scorpion 

stays safe within his bottle. 

Our afternoon excursion over, 

we retire to our tents to freshen 

up. The sound of the cicadas 

intensifies as the night draws 

in and we are left to entertain 

ourselves in a world devoid of 

electricity. 

UNDER CANVAS 

It is many a year since I last 

slept under canvas, but this is 

not camping as I knew it on cold 

summer night’s in England. 

The floor is tiled, the bed is real 

rather than a rolled out matt 

that somehow always seemed 

to exaggerate all the natural 

undulations in the ground, and 

the outhouse is made of brick. I 

decide it’s time to call it a night 

and am lullabied to sleep by the 

music of the neighbouring village 

as they karaoke their way 

into the new year. 

The following morning we 

head back to Luang Prabang. 

Few experiences compare with 

a boat ride in southeast Asia. 

Early in the morning we see two 

large barges chugging their way 

loaded up with what appears to 

be sand. Later on we pass fishermen 

as they hang their lines out 

to dry. 

After 45 minutes we approach 

Pak Ou Cave, a popular day 

excursion from Luang Prabang. 

My fellow passengers climb the 

long steps up to the cave, while 

I stay on board with the crew 

watching the day-trippers with 

parasols making a pilgrimage to 

wash the many statues of Buddha 

inside. 

SITTING DUCKS 

We have hardly disembarked 

in Luang Prabang before 

the first water canon hits us. 

Trapped in our tuk tuk, we 

are sitting ducks to every man 

woman and child. By the time 

we reach the sanctuary of our 

resort, the Villa Maly, all are 

drenched to the skin. I have 

now experienced New Year 

in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand 

and Myanmar. While Luang 

Prabang lacks the rock concert 

feel of Yangon, what it lacks 

in amplification it certainly 

makes up for in energy. 

From midday to sunset 

a cavalcade of cars, trucks 

and tuk tuks parades its way 

around the ancient streets 

and along the riverfront. 

Restaurant, shop and massage 

parlour owners fight pitched 

battles with the invading 

troops. Some show the signs 

of camouflage with either 

black paint rubbed onto their 

skin or flour daubed on their 

cheeks. Backpackers join in 

the fray, yielding their pump 

action water guns like Vietnam 

veterans. 

As night draws in the 

traditional traders of the 

night market resume their 

rightful positions. Judging by 

the fresh coiffeur of most of 

my fellow travellers, a lot of 

shampooing has taken place 

during the evening ceasefire. 

The fighting will resume for 

a third and final day on the 

following afternoon, by which 

time I shall be in neighbouring 

Chiang Mai to discover how 

toothless Thai children usher 

in new year with visitors from 

a foreign land. 

asialife HCMC 37

Saigon Variety 

Everybody in Vietnam eats 

barbecued fish, seafood and 

fresh uncooked vegetables. 

But regional variations are 

easy to observe. Some of 

these are due to differences in 

the climate and soil, altitude 

and geography. Vietnam has 

several climatic zones, from the 

steamy tropical to downright 

cold; from high mountains to 

seashores; from river deltas 

to places where cacti grow. So 

there is a great variety both in 

ingredients and their availability. 

While some dishes are 

good for the heat, and some are 

good for the cold, others are a 

constant throughout the land. 

Southerners eat spicy curries 

that originated in India, people 

in the centre nibble on delicacies 

of the Imperial table that 

look astonishingly like Spanish 

tapas, Hanoi is synonymous 

with pho bo which is a result 

of the Mongol invasion, and 

the whole country eats French 

bread and pork pâté. But none 

of these, or dozens of other 

dishes, taste quite like their 

cultures of origin. 

You might be detecting a 

theme here. So let me share 

with you a saying that Vietnamese 

like to tell foreigners 

as well as each other. It goes 

that Vietnamese culture is like 

a single-room house with four 

walls, each wall having a large 

window. The room is full of 

furniture arranged in what 

seems to the outsider to be 

inartful. Well the winds blow, 

from north, south, east and 

west, and when they blow they 

rearrange the furniture. But 

rearrange it how they will, it 

always remains Vietnamese. 

The southern region focuses 

here on Saigon, which began 

as an Indianised Khmer town 

in the 14th century called Prey 

Nokor. The Vietnamese took it 

in the 18th century, the French 

in the 19th century, and the 

Vietnamese took it back in 

the 20th century. The Indian 

and Chinese merchants have 

been here all along. The south 

bears their imprint. And since 

“If ever a 

Vietnamese 

nouvelle cuisine 

should develop, 

it will begin in 

Saigon.” 

Saigon is the country’s centre 

of commerce and trade, with 

more foreigners both resident 

and transient, there is a greater 

awareness of and openness to 

outside influences. If ever a 

Vietnamese nouvelle cuisine 

should develop, it will begin in 

Saigon. 

The south grows a greater 

variety of tropical and temperate 

fruits and vegetables, and 

more varieties of spice. Hence, 

the south favours spicy dishes. 

Curries have been around since 

earliest times, although, unlike 

the Indian originals, they are 

not hot but aromatic. They 

may be taken with noodles 

or rice as a family meal, or 

with French bread as a snack. 

Another Indian influence, and 

peraps the general favorite, is 

banh xeo, which is a descendant 

of the Indian dhosa, or you 

could call it a large crepe filled 

with goodies. It can be so big 

that giant pans are required to 

cook it. The pans are too big 

for conventional stoves so they 

are taken outside and cooked 

over open fires by those whose 

skill is born of thousands of 

banh xeo. And it's a great show 

to watch. So if you're in a 

traditional banh xeo shop, sit 

outside. 

The Vietnamese make it 

with rice flour and coconut 

milk, and fill it with meat and 

shellfish, as well as vegetables. 

Banh xeo is often referred to 

in English as a Vietnamese 

‘pancake’. I think this is an 

unsatisfactory translation, but 

there seems to be nothing I can 

do about it. In keeping with 

southern exuberance, dishes 

are often served in a more festive 

way. You will be presented 

with a plate of fresh lettuce 

and herbs as well as unripe 

fruits such as mango, green 

banana or papaya, starfruit 

or pineapple. Take a little of 

the cooked food and place it 

in the centre of a lettuce leaf, 

add some of the herbs, and 

wrap the lettuce around the 

food and dip it into whatever 

sauce is close at hand. Dining 

in Saigon can be very much 

a hands-on experience. So go 

ahead, play with your food. 

38 asialife HCMC

The Rusty Bucket 

A new bar serving up huge portions of pub food in 

Phu My Hung. Photos by Fred Wissink. 

Going out to swish restaurants 

is nice, but sometimes there is 

nothing better than a massive 

plate of food and an ice-cold 

beer at an unpretentious place. 

The Rusty Bucket, a recent addition 

to the area in front of Sky 

Garden 3, delivers just that. 

The décor is pure sports bar, 

with jerseys and flat-screen TVs 

on the walls and a deck of cards 

at every table. In two months 

time the restaurant has attracted 

a loyal following thanks to its 

daily 3pm to 7pm happy hour 

and relaxed atmosphere. 

Owner and head chef Pete 

Neufeld is quick to express his 

love for big portions, and the 

dishes are positively American 

in size. The menu is classic pub 

grub; including burgers, the 

popular pulled pork sandwich, 

fish and chips and, for our 

Canadian friends, poutine. All 

of the dishes range from VND 

70,000 to VND 120,000 and 

although the menu is still being 

tweaked, Neufeld is adamant 

there will never be any salad 

offered. 

We start off with the Rusty 

Bucket Burger (VND 125,000), 

stacked with mushrooms, lettuce, 

tomato and an egg, as well 

as a side of excellent fries. The 

burger was tasty, if a bit messy, 

and good value. 

Next up is the pulled pork 

sandwich with chilli fries, the 

restaurant’s best seller. The 

pork, which is cooked for seven 

hours, was tender and deeply 

flavourful. The chilli fries were 

a definite highlight, and the fact 

that they are made from potatoes 

imported from California 

makes a big difference. Black 

beans, cheese, and diced tomatoes 

were piled onto a hearty 

bed of fries, and the only real 

option was to eat with a fork. 

By this point we were getting 

quite full, but the fish and chips 

(VND 115,000) caught our eye, 

and out came an enormous filet 

of fish along with more fries. 

The fish was deliciously tender 

and the batter was excellent, 

and by the time the plate was 

cleared we were utterly stuffed. 

The Rusty Bucket offers up 

no-nonsense, quality pub food 

that will satisfy even the most 

voracious eater. It is also a nice 

break from the flashiness of 

other parts of Phu My Hung, 

and it has one of the better 

names in town. If you miss your 

local pub from back home, give 

this one a try. 

S76-1 Sky Garden 3, Pham Van 

Nghi, D7 

012 6969 1700 

Noon till late, seven days 

asialife HCMC 39

Pizza 4P's 

A Japanese-Vietnamese-Italian fusion restaurant that serves 

some of the best pizza in town. Photos by Fred Wissink. 

Tucked away at the end of a 

quiet alley off Le Thanh Ton sits 

Pizza 4P’s, where a communal 

table set in front of a wood-fired 

oven dominates the centre of the 

restaurant, although there are 

conventional tables as well for 

those who don’t like dining with 

strangers. 

The 4P’s stand for ‘Platform 

of Personal Pizza for Peace’, 

a message I find a bit cryptic, 

but there is nothing mysterious 

about the food: it is phenomenal. 

The menu successfully fuses 

Vietnamese, Japanese, and Italian 

cuisine, something that could 

have easily gone wrong in less 

capable hands. 

The list of appetizers features 

a few local standards as well as 

a nice selection of salads, while 

entrees include options like 

lasagna and a German potato 

dish, all of which cost between 

VND 50,000 and VND 150,000. A 

variety of pastas sit in the same 

price range. 

This is all well and good, but 

it is the pizza that really makes 

4P’s stand out. All of the cheese 

used in the pies is made from 

scratch in Dalat by the restaurant’s 

supplier, giving the pizza 

a taste distinct from any other in 

the city. Quality cheese is often 

hard to come by in Saigon, and 

when you eat something other 

than Laughing Cow the difference 

is immediately apparent. 

The wide selection of pizzas 

range from VND 150,000 to 

VND 350,000, and they are big 

enough to be shared between 

two people. There are varieties 

that you will recognize from 

any Italian restaurant, but the 

Japanese-inspired pizzas are 

what really shine. The tuna 

curry, calamari seaweed, and 

mayonnaise shrimp options are 

certainly intriguing, and there 

is even one pizza that features 

octopus as an ingredient. 

We start off with two appetizers: 

the petite mozzarella sushi 

(VND 64,000) and the mozzarella 

with organic tomato caprese 

(VND 95,000). Both were light 

and refreshing, and the cheese 

was simply fantastic, some of the 

best I’ve had here. The tomatoes 

in the caprese are imported from 

Italy. 

Then it was on to the pizza. 

We opted for a prosciutto margherita 

(VND 330,000), which 

featured home-made mozzarella 

and parmesan and delicate slices 

of incredibly flavourful parma 

ham. The thin, fluffy crust was a 

delight as well. 

We concluded the meal with 

a half-and-half pizza: salmon 

sashimi with ricotta and parmesan 

(VND 250,000); and flower 

(VND 140,000), which included 

pumpkin, leek, daylily, and a 

few other things I’ve never heard 

of that made this one of the most 

colourful pies I’ve ever seen. The 

salmon was fresh as can be, and 

the flowers made for a unique 

flavour that worked very well. 

4P’s has arguably the best 

pizza around, and their cheese 

plays a large role in making that 

possible. As a cheese fan I can’t 

wait to try some of the other 

varieties in the future. This restaurant 

deserves to have a long 

life here in Saigon. 

8/15 Le Thanh Ton, D1 

0120 789 4444 

11am-11pm, seven days 

40 asialife HCMC

Cham Charm 

This lavish seafood restaurant in The Crescent makes for 

a unique dining experience. Photos by AsiaLIFE. 

Khai Silk properties are known 

for being fairly over the 

top, and Cham Charm is no 

exception. The entrance looks 

something like a modern-day 

version of Angkor Wat, and 

the sprawling interior must be 

one of the most lavish in all of 

Saigon. 

Sculptures, artwork and 

other decorations abound, and 

carvings depicting scenes of 

ancient life adorn several walls. 

Fortunately, unlike at many 

other high-end businesses here, 

the opulence actually works visually, 

and the result is simply 

stunning. 

Cham Charm advertises 

itself as a ‘gallery cuisine’ 

restaurant. I’m not really sure 

what that means, but the main 

draw is the buffet, which costs 

VND 945,000 plus taxes. This 

is a steep price, but the food on 

offer makes it worth it. 

Six counters sit in different 

areas of the first floor, where the 

buffet takes place. One displays 

Japanese specialties like sushi 

and tempura, while nearby 

sit pots of Thai and Indian 

food. There is an international 

counter, where western and 

Vietnamese dishes are served, 

and another where piles of 

lobster, prawn, and squid sit on 

ice waiting for their turn to be 

grilled. Oh, and don’t forget the 

dessert area as well. The buffet 

also includes all-you-can-drink 

wine, a special Chilean vintage 

custom-made for Cham Charm, 

and Asahi or Sapporo beer. 

After wandering around the 

palatial interior we decided it 

was time to start trying some 

of this food. I started off with 

tempura, sushi, and sashimi, 

all of which was fresh and very 

high quality. 

Then it was on to the seafood, 

of course. The grilled scallops 

were succulent and perfectly 

cooked, and the lobster, which 

was lathered in a cheese sauce 

and served with teriyaki, was 

awesome. Last but not least was 

grilled langoustine, tender and 

delicious. 

We wanted to try some of the 

available international cuisine, 

but the seafood was filling us 

up so we decided to move on to 

dessert. Cham Charm’s pastry 

chef crafts all of the dishes, and 

two favourites were mango 

cake and a dragonfruit tart. 

The staff also recommended 

the green tea ice cream served 

on a bed of red bean sauce, a 

Japanese delicacy. 

It would be nearly impossible 

to leave this buffet hungry 

with the amount of high-quality 

food on offer. There is a set 

dinner available on the second 

floor from Monday to Wednesday, 

but the all-you-can-eat 

extravaganza is without a doubt 

the main draw here. The cost 

will prevent most people from 

dining at Cham Charm with 

any regularity, but for special 

occasions it’s hard to think of a 

better place to enjoy an evening 

in the lap of luxury. Just don’t 

forget to make a reservation, 

because this place is popular. 

02 Phan Van Chuong St., D7 

08 5410 9999 

Buffet served 6pm – 9:30pm 

Thursday-Sunday 

Set dinner served 6pm – 9:30pm 

Monday-Wednesday 

asialife HCMC 41

HIGH 

PERFORMANCE 

Whether you want to get a little bit more out of your standard 

motorbike or let your imagination run free on a custom job, Brett Davis 

finds a downtown workshop where two-wheel dreams become reality. 

Photos by Fred Wissink. 

Along Ky Con in District 1, 

which runs from Tran Hung 

Dao down past the back of the 

Dan Sinh market, the streets are 

awash with sound. You can hear 

the whir of machinery, banging 

of metal on metal and the roar 

of engines being revved. In fact, 

this whole neighbourhood is 

sort of a giant hardware store 

cum workshop. 

One place that stands out 

from the crowd, and not just 

because of the name, is KTL 

Tecnic. The large sign facing 

the streets declares the shop to 

be the authorized dealer for a 

host of high-performance parts 

manufacturers from the United 

States, Europe and Japan. 

Inside, the tidy white tile floor, 

hydraulic lifts, glass display 

cases and a seemingly endless 

array of tools and machinery 

announce that this is a serious 

operation. It didn’t actually start 

out that way, because when Josh 

Epstein opened the workshop 

five years ago it was more about 

indulging a hobby and looking 

after his own bikes. 

If Epstein’s business is a little 

out of the ordinary, his personal 

story is cut from the same cloth. 

Born in Vietnam in 1975, he left 

the country on a boat about two 

years later with some family 

friends. After bouncing around 

several countries, he was eventually 

adopted by a Vietnamese 

woman and her Jewish husband 

living in LA. Due to his adopted 

father’s work he finished his 

schooling in Australia and 

carries an Australian passport, 

although he still speaks with a 

noticeable American twang. 

Growing up in the US, Epstein 

says his real passion was not for 

motorbikes. “My passion has 

always been for cars, and in the 

US you know, big bikes and big 

SUVs don’t really mix,” he says. 

Things changed when he 

moved back to Vietnam and 

Saigon’s general unsuitability 

for four-wheel transport. He 

says it was difficult at first 

because the local market was 

not used to the concept of 

performance upgrades. “It was 

all about original parts and 

there was definitely a culture of 

‘Honda is best’.” 

So KTL Tecnic began with the 

basics, Epstein explains, doing 

exhaust and clutch upgrades, 

bolt-on cylinder kits and the 

like. Today he is well positioned 

in the market with increasing 

incomes meaning people have 

more money to indulge their 

passion for bikes. 

Hey says much of what the 

shop does now is work for 

people looking to get a bit more 

power out of their standard 

bikes, particularly automat- 

42 asialife HCMC

ics like the Honda SH or the 

Yamaha Nouvo. “It’s just the 

nature of the transmission that 

you are going to lose some 

power,” he says. 

This work can involve something 

called variation tuning, 

which helps the clutch reach a 

higher RPM more quickly, and 

adding some more customised 

parts. “We are working within 

the bounds of original parts, 

but are just using performance 

parts,” he says. 

Also on the floor of his shop 

when we visit are two custom 

jobs: one is a complete overhaul 

of an old Honda Cub, while the 

other is a barely recognisable 

Chali that has been turned into 

a mini chopper. Epstein says 

he thinks there is a market out 

there amongst young expats and 

Vietnamese who may not know 

all the technical details, but want 

a cool bike they know is reliable 

and has good after-sale service. 

“Probably the number one 

thing people say to me is that 

they can communicate their 

thoughts to me and they get 

what they ask for,” he says. 

And good communication, on 

both sides of the linguistic divide, 

with those doing the work 

is the first step in making your 

ride stand out from the crowd. 

TL Tecnic 

138 Ky Con, D1 

Josheppi@hotmail.com 

asialife HCMC 43

44 asialife HCMC

Left: The Excluzif Toga by Nura J 

Right: Cotton On 

asialife HCMC 45

46 asialife HCMC 

The Excluzif Toga by Nura J

Photographer: Thai Pham 

Models: Erika Tan & Alize Martinez 

Make up artist: Shane Tong 

Stylist and Art Direction: Adrian Jiun 

Tranquility SS2009 by Dezmond Lin Shaowei 

asialife HCMC 47

Connoisseur 

IT'S OK TO LIKE NICE THINGS 

Jamon Iberico 

Known as a delicacy since Roman 

times, the cured hams, or 

jamon, originating in Spain and 

Portugal are these days prized 

the world over. Served very 

thinly sliced as an appetizer, 

they are somewhat similar to 

Italian prosciutto. 

There are different types 

and grades of jamon, such as 

the jamon Serrano (meaning 

‘from the mountains’), which 

is made from the Landrace 

breed of white pigs. However, 

the undisputed king of Spanish 

cured hams is the jamon 

iberico, made from the Black 

Iberian pig. This is why they 

are also sometimes called pata 

negra, or ‘black hoof’. 

The difference in quality, and 

therefore price, comes not only 

down to the breed of pig but 

also diet and method of production. 

For the highest quality 

jamon iberico, the Black Iberian 

pigs are allowed to roam in 

the oak groves of southern and 

southwestern Spain, grazing on 

acorns, herbs and roots. Once 

they reach the necessary age 

and size, their diet is restricted 

to only acorns and olives to give 

the best final result. This is why 

the top-grade hams are designated 

Jamon Iberico de Bellota, 

or ‘acorn fed’. 

The pigs can put away up to 

10 kilograms of acorns a day 

which allows them to double 

their weight in three to four 

months. It is this deep marbling 

of fat and the rich antioxidants 

from their diet that is integral 

to the long curing process and 

what gives the jamon iberico its 

unparalleled taste. 

Once slaughtered, the legs are 

packed in salt for several weeks 

then hung to begin drying in the 

cool mountain air. The curing 

process for jamon iberico can 

take two years or longer. Over 

this period of time they can lose 

nearly half their weight as the 

fat drips away. Gradually, the 

changing of the seasons and the 

slow warming and cooling of 

the meat is what finally gives 

it such a powerful, complex 

flavour. 

There is an art to slicing that 

jamon that is not simple to 

master. The leg is fixed to what 

is called a jamonera, which is 

essentially a sturdy wooden 

base with a metal spike rising 

out of it and a clamp at the top. 

The hoof end is attached to 

the clamp to keep the leg in a 

raised position. A long, flexible 

knife known as a jamanero is 

used to make the cuts. The skill 

required of the person wielding 

the jamanero is to keep the slices 

very thin yet even all the way 

through. 

This is particularly important 

when you consider how much 

top-grade jamon iberico can 

cost. While it is less expensive 

in Europe, once various duties 

and taxes are imposed the cost 

can increase significantly when 

they reach other countries. For 

instance, through an importer of 

Spanish food in the US you can 

pick up a 6.8 kilogram bone-in 

jamon iberico de bellota for US 

$1,225, or a little over US $180 

per kilogram. 

That is a serious investment, 

although given they can keep 

for up to a year with relatively 

little fuss the price starts to look 

a bit less extreme. It is after all, 

Spain’s greatest culinary gift to 

the world, and sits comfortably 

in the company of the likes of 

Kobe beef or Beluga caviar. 

48 asialife HCMC

listings 

hotel & 

travel 

AIRLINES 

Air Asia 

254 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3838 9810 

www.airasia.com 

Asia’s largest low-cost airline operates 

one daily flight between HCM City-Hanoi, 

as well as international flights to Bangkok, 

Phuket, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. 

Air France 

130 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3829 0981 

ext. 82 

Fax: 3822 0537 

www.airfrance.com.vn 

An airline with a vast and effective global 

network. Now flies direct to Paris. 

Cathay Pacific 

72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3 

Tel: 3822 3203 

www.cathaypacific.com 

Hong Kong-based airline makes three 

flights daily to HCM City and two flights 

daily to Hong Kong’s international airport. 

Malaysia Airlines 

Unit G8 Ground floor, SG Trade Center 

37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3824 6663 

www.malaysiaairlines.com 

Offers daily flights from Hanoi and HCM 

City to Kuala Lumpur, with four economy 

class fare levels: low, basic, smart and flex. 

Turkish Airlines 

8th floor, AB Tower 76A Le Lai, D1 

Tel: 3936 0360 

www.turkishairlines.com 

Awarded as the Best Airline in Europe 

offers the brand new Comfort Class to E 

conomy class: 46inch leg room, personalised 

entertainment screen and globally 

awarded cuisine on-board. 

Vietnam Airlines 

Hanoi: 25 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem 

Tel: 6270 0200 

HCM City: 16th Floor, Sun Wah, 115 

Nguyen Hue, D1 

Tel: 3832 0320 

www.vietnamairlines.com.vn 

The domestic route map is extensive, 

with several flights daily between major 

and less touristed cities throughout 

Vietnam. Flies internationally throughout 

Asia and to Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow, 

Sydney, Melboure, Los Angeles and San 

Francisco. 

CON DAO 

Six Senses Con Dao 

Dat Doc Beach, Con Dao Dist, Ba Ria 

Tel: 064 3831 222 

www.sixsenses.com/SixSensesConDao 

The first 5 star resort with 50 villas stretch 

across a mile-long beach, each villas 

has its own infinity-edge pool facing the 

ocean and a stunning restaurant. 

DALAT 

Ana Mandara Villas Resort & Spa 

Le Lai, Ward 5, Dalat Tel: 063 3555 888 

www.anamandara-resort.com 

Luxury 35-acre resort encompasses 17 

restored early 20th-century villas and 

65 rooms set in the rural highlands. La 

Cochinchine Spa offers wide range of 

treatments. Le Petite Dalat Restaurant 

serves Vietnamese and fusion cuisine. 

Heated swimming pool, art gallery and 

cooking classes in organic garden. 

activities 

Dalat Easy Rider Tours 

70 Phan Dinh Phung 

dalateasyriders@yahoo.com 

www.dalat-easyrider.com 

Ride pillion with English-, French- or German-speaking 

tour guides on motorbike 

adventures that start in Dalat and snake 

through mountains, jungles and deltas, 

lasting anywhere from three to 21 days. 

HANOI 

Intercontinental Westlake Hanoi 

1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: 04 6270 8888 

www.intercontinental.com 

Located on the waterfront with contemporary 

Vietnamese design, restaurants, 

business services, fitness centre including 

exercise classes and pool. 

Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi 

83A Ly Thuong Kiet 

Tel: 3822 2800 

www.moevenpick-hotels.com 

Conveniently located in the heart of 

Hanoi’s business district, a 40-minute 

drive from Noi Bai International Airport 

and only 5 minutes from the city centre, 

Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi is the latest fivestar 

hotel in town, tailored to meet the 

needs of discerning guests and especially 

corporate travellers. 

Sheraton Hotel Hanoi 

K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho 

Tel: 04 3719 9000 

www.starwoodhotels.com 

“Resort within a city” boasts 299 spacious 

guest rooms with panoramic views, 

fitness centre, international restaurant and 

Hemisphere Vietnamese restaurant. 

Sofitel Metropole 

15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem 

Tel: 04 3826 6919 

www.sofitel.com 

Located downtown. Colonial-style hotel 

with well-regarded restaurants/bars serving 

French & Vietnamese cuisine, plus 

Italian steak house. 

HO CHI MINH CITY 

Caravelle Hotel 

19 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 

3823 4999 

www.caravellehotel.com 

One of the city’s most prestigious 

venues. Features a casino, Reflections 

Restaurant and al fresco 9th-floor 

Saigon Saigon Bar. 

Equatorial 

242 Tran Binh Trong D5 Tel: 3839 7777 

www.equatorial.com/hcm 

On the intersect of 4 districts, with 333 

rooms, Orientica Seafood restaurant 

and bar, Chit Chat cafe, pool (swim-up 

bar), gym. 

InterContinental Asiana Saigon 

Corner of Hai Ba Trung & Le Duan, D1 

Tel: 3520 9999 

saigon@interconti.com 

www.intercontinental.com/saigon 

305 rooms/suites with floor-to-ceiling 

windows, five restaurants/bars, meeting/ 

banquet facilities, spa/health club and 

lounge with panoramic view. 

Mövenpick Hotel Saigon 

253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan 

Tel: 3844 9222 

www.moevenpick-saigon.com 

Has 278 well-appointed rooms/suites, 

five restaurants/bars, meeting/banquet 

facilities and a shopping arcade as well 

as a popular e-gaming centre. 

escape take flight with travel promotions around the region 

Blue Ocean in Mui Ne Pays 

Guests to Visit This Summer 

Until the end of August, Life Resorts-managed 

Blue Ocean will reimburse guests on 

the School Holiday Special promotion for the 

cost of a one-way ticket by bus or train from 

Ho Chi Minh City. Stay two nights and the 

resort pays one fare both ways. Stay three 

nights and three one-way fares are reimbursed. 

Blue Ocean has also lowered its rate 

to VND 1,365,000 net through 1 August. For 

more information, contact the sales office in 

Mui Ne at 62.3847.444 or sales@blueocean. 

com.vn. 

Summer Sailing on the Mekong 

From now until September, Heritage Line 

cruises is offering 30 percent off on trips on 

their Jayavarman and Jahan vessels. Guest 

can choose from the 8 day/7 night Lost Civilisation 

cruise or the 5 day/4 night Serenity 

Cruise. The offer is valid for the Jayavarman 

departing Siem Reap for Saigon on 4 and 

11 August and Saigon to Siem Reap on 11 

August and 8 September. Departure dates 

for this offer on the Jahan are 11 August and 

15 September for the Siem Reap to Saigon 

trip. Visit heritage-line.com for more details. 

Caravelle Summer Room Promotion 

Until 30 Spetember the Caravelle is offering 

a summer room promotion where a Deluxe 

Single room starts at VND 4,065,000++per 

night and includes buffet breakfast, airport 

transfers and unlimited use of internet 

in room. A minimum of 2-nights stay is 

required. For bookings email: rsvn@caravellehotel.com. 

Urban Retreat 

Package at Park Hyatt 

Carve some time out of the day to revitalise 

the body, moisturise the skin, and please 

the taste buds with the Urban Retreat 

package at Xuan Spa. This restorative offer 

features a deep relaxing massage, a choice 

of manicure or pedicure, and a meal in the 

signature restaurant, Square One. Guests 

may utilise these three components in any 

order that best fits their schedule to bring 

back the body’s natural vitality by rejuvenating 

tired muscles and beautifying the skin. 

Choice of one 60-minute spa treatment, or 

one 30-minute manicure or pedicure. The 

Urban Retreat Package is priced at VND 

1,575,000. Visit Saigon.park.hyatt.com for 

more information. 

Discover Luang Prabang Package 

In Laos this month, a boutique Luang 

Prabang hotel and an eco-lodge on the 

Mekong River is offering a summer special 

that represents a 65 percent discount off 

usual rates. Through 30 September, the 

one-time residence of Lao royalty is home 

base for a three-night, four-day exploration 

of this UNESCO World Heritage site. In addition 

to two nights at Villa Maly, the package 

includes another night at Kamu Lodge, 

an eco-resort perched on the banks of 

the Mekong 35 kilometres upstream from 

Luang Prabang. For more information 

email julien@appletree-asia.com. 

50 asialife HCMC

Park Hyatt 

2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234 

www.saigon.park.hyatt.com 

Luxury colonial-style hotel includes 21 

suites, lobby lounge with live music, 

Xuan Spa, pool, gym, international dining 

at Square One. 

Windsor Plaza 

18 An Duong Vuong, 

D5 

Tel: 3833 6688 

services@windsorplazahotel.com 

www.windsorplazahotel.com 

Located in a main shopping hub. Three 

restaurants, modern discotheque, 

conference centre, shopping centre, 

supermarket. 

activities 

Vietnam Vespa Adventures 

169 De Tham, D1, Pham Ngu Lao 

Tel: 3920 3897 

www.vietnamvespaadventures.com 

Offers 3-day trips to Mui Ne, 8-days to 

Nha Trang or half-day tours of HCMC 

on classic Vespas. 

HOI AN & DANANG 

Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa 

Cua Dai Beach Tel: 0510 3927 040 

www.victoriahotels-asia.com 

Set on its own stretch of beach with 

105 rooms spread through a traditional 

fishing village design of small “streets” 

and ponds. 

HUE 

Pilgrimage Village 

Resort & Spa 

130 Minh Mang 

Tel: 054 3885 461 

www.pilgrimagevillage.com 

Boutique resort with hut, bungalow 

and villa accommodation draws on 

natural environment and local culture. 

Features Vedana spa, two restaurants 

serving Vietnamese & Western food and 

imported wines and three bar/lounges. 

Vedana Lagoon 

Resort & Spa 

112 Minh Mang Tel: 054 

3830 240 

www.vedanaresorts.com 

Nestled on the shore of a peaceful 

and serene lagoon, vedana lagoon 

resort & spa is ideally situated between 

the two cities well-known as world 

heritage sites: hue and hoi an. The 

resort designed with a stylist harmony 

between the local traditional culture and 

a modern art concept with 27 villas, 

bungalows and 2 houseboats. 

NHA TRANG 

Evason Hideaway at Ana Mandara 

Ninh Van Bay, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa 

Tel: 058 3728 222 

www.sixsenses.com/hideawayanamandara 

An island hideaway accessible only by 

boat, 58 private pool villas, international 

and local restaurants, wedding services, 

water sports and scuba diving. 

Evason Ana Mandara Nha Trang 

Beachside, Tran Phu, Nha Trang 

Tel: 058 3522 222 

www.sixsenses.com/evasonanamandara 

Beachside resort set in 26,000 square 

metres of tropical garden, with 74 guest 

villas, three restaurants, Six Senses 

Spa. 

Mia Resort Nha Trang 

Bai Dong, Cam Hai Dong, 

Cam Lam, Khanh Hoa 

Tel: 58 398 9666 

www.mianhatrang.com 

Ultimate luxury resort with 50 rooms 

divided into villas and condos, catering 

by wel-known restaurant Sandals and 

Mojito's bar. 

PHAN THIET 

Anatara Beach Resort 

Mui Ne Beach, KM10, Ham Tien Ward 

Tel: 062 3741 888 

www.anatara.com 

Beachfront resort with 90 fully equipped 

rooms, business centre, spa, fitness 

centre and outdoor pool. 

Princess D’Annam 

Resort and Spa 

Khu Hon Lan, Tan 

Thanh, Ham Thuan 

Nam, Binh Thuan 

Tel: 062 3682 222 

www.princessannam.com 

Located on Ke Ga Bay with 57 exclusive 

villas, eight swimming pools, two 

restaurants and 1,800 square metres 

spa complex. 

The Sailing Club 

24 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, 

Phan Thiet Tel: 062 3847 440 

www.sailingclubvietnam.com 

Open bar overlooking the sea, spacious 

rooms, restaurant, swimming pool and 

day spa. 

Victoria Phan Thiet Resort and Spa 

Mui Ne Beach Tel: 84 62 3813 000 


Located on a private beach, 60 cosy 

bungalows, natural spa experiences 

among other great activities on offer at 

the resort 

SAPA 

Victoria Sapa Resort 

Sapa District, Lao Cai Province 

Tel: 020 0871 522 


Mountain chalet perched over the village 

wth cosy but modern guestrooms 

overlooking the lawn and garden. Ta 

Van restaurant overlooks Mount Fansipan 

and Ta Fin bar has a stone hearth 

fireplace. Connection from Hanoi by 

private train. 

SCUBA DIVING 

Note: AsiaLIFE only lists dive centres 

recognized by international dive training 

programs, such as the Professional 

Association of Dive Instructors 

(PADI) and Scuba Schools International 

(SSI). We strongly advise against 

diving with unaccredited dive centres 

in Vietnam. 

Rainbow Divers 

55 Nguyen Dang Giai, An Phu, D2 

Tel: 3744 6825 

www.divevietnam.com 

Diving tours and career/instructor 

development offered by Vietnam’s first 

PADI centre. established in the mid-90s. 

Operates dive centres in Nha Trang, 

Whale Island, Hoi An and Phu Quoc. 

VUNG TAU 

Ho Tram Beach Resort & Spa 

Ho Tram Village, Xuyen Moc 

Tel: 06 4378 1525 

www.hotramresort.com 

Located about 45km from Vung Tau 

in the Phuoc Buu Reserve Forest, 

Ho Tram Beach Resort & Spa boasts 

uniquely designed bungalows and villas. 

TRAVEL AGENTS 

Buffalo Tours Agency 

HCMC: Tel: 3827 9170 

Hanoi: Tel: 04 3828 0702 

www.buffalotours.com.vn 

Exotissimo 

HCMCinfosgn@exotissimo.com 

pmh@exotissimo.com 

HANOI: infohanoi@exotissimo.com 

www.exotissimo.com 

asialife HCMC 51

listings 

food & 

drink 

BAR RESTAURANTS 

Alibi 

11 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3822 3240 

Hip without being showy, this versatile 

venue has a pleasant front porch, stand 

up bar and comfortable lounge seating 

with bright, warm décor and great 

tunes. Drinks list is extensive and the 

food menu boasts French-style mains. 

Buddha Bar 

7 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2080 

An Phu institution serves up tasty meals 

and good drinks in a friendly, chilled environment. 

Plenty of room to relax inside 

or out, plus a pool table on premise. 

Corso Steakhouse & Bar 

Norfolk Hotel, 117 Le Thanh Ton, D1 

Located in the chic Norfolk Hotel Corso 

Steakhouse & Bar is well known for 

its steak imported from the US and 

Australia. Good destination for both lunch 

and dinner. 

La Habana 

6 Cao Ba Quat, D1 Tel: 3829 5180 

www.lahabana-saigon.com 

This charming little place has seating indoors 

and outdoors, upstairs and downstairs 

to fit your dining pleasure.Relaxed 

environment with frequent live music. 

Offers Spanish and Cuban fare including 

paella and a tapas fiesta comprising three 

plates. Open late daily. 

Le Pub 

175/ 22 Pham Ngu Lao, D1 

www.lepub.org 

One of Pham Ngu Lao’s favourite 

watering holes, Le Pub also has a good 

menu of well-executed pub grub and 

international favourites. Hearty breakfast 

is available all day and specials are offered 

daily. 

Mogambos 

50 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3825 1311 

This restaurant has been around since the 

mid-1990s, which offers an insight into its 

enduring quality. Specializes in American 

grain-fed steaks, hamburgers and salads 

served in a pleasant atmosphere. 

Pasha Bar & Restaurant 

25 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 08 629 136 77 

www.pasha.com.vn 

Turkish–Mediterranean restaurant located 

in heart of HCMC serves halal and high 

quality food with ingredients imported 

from Turkey, Spain, Singapore, Egypt, 

New Zealand, Japan and France. Long 

happy hour half price by glass. Various 

shisha flavours. 

Phatty’s 

46-48 Ton That Thiep, D1 

Tel: 3821 0705 

www.phattysbar.com 

Jaspa’s Steve Hardy and Ben Winspear’s 

sports bar has five widescreen TVs, a 

large drop-down screen and lots of pub 

grub and beer for fans looking to take in a 

game or two. 

Qing 

110 Pasteur, D1 

www.qing.com.vn 

Sophisticated downtown bar just off Le 

Loi specializes in Asian tapas, Asian/ 

South American fusion dishes and a few 

delectable deserts. Variety of good wines 

by the glass or bottle. 

Sheridan's Irish House 


Tel: 3823 0793 

www.sheridansbarvn.com 

Cosy Irish pub with authentic Irish decor, 

a pleasant atmosphere and regular live 

music. Wide range of classic pub grub, 

East Asian dishes and a fantastic breakfast 

fry-up available from 8 am. 

The Tavern 

R2/24 Hung Gia 3, Bui Bang Doan, D7 

Tel: 5410 3900 

Boasts good international food, a pool 

table, dartboards and sports coverage 

on large screens. Outdoor seating on 

mutiple levels. Second floor sports 

lounge hosts DJs at the weekends. 

Vasco’s Bar 

74/7D Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 2888 

Chic bar decked in deep reds that gets 

packed to capacity on weekends. Open 

Monday to Saturday with live music on 

Fridays. Food menu by chef with over 

10 years experience at La Camargue. 

Also does excellent pizza. 

ZanZBar 

41 Dong Du, D1 

Funky, modern interiors and varied 

international breakfast, lunch and dinner 

cuisine. Imported beers, cocktails, 

gourmet espresso coffee, and happy 

hours make ZanZBar a great after-work 

spot. Open late. 

CAFES 

Cay Da Cafe 

Ground floor, Moevenpick Hotel Saigon 


Tel: 3844 9222 ext. 118 


Stocks the Moevenpick’s chef’s most 

delicious cakes, pastries, ice cream and 

sandwiches. 

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 

12-14 Thai Van Lung, D1 

94 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3 

Nowzone, 235 Nguyen Van Cu, D5 

Metropolitan Bldng, 235 Dong Khoi, 

D1 

International café chain with a wide 

variety of coffees and teas, as well as 

light snacks and food. Also sells freshroasted 

coffee beans and tins of whole 

leaf tea. 

Mojo 

88 Dong Khoi, D1 

www.sheratonsaigon.com 

A top-end cafe with an attractive 

interior, outdoor terrace at street level 

and comfortable lounges upstairs. Good 

business coffee or lunch venue. 

That’s Café 

Rivergarden, 170 Nguyen Van Huong, 

D2 

The Crescent, 103 Ton Dat Tien, Phu 

My Hung, D7 

Hailing from the U.S., That’s Café is 

a new Khai Silk initiative. Claiming to 

provide the best coffee in town in a 

comfortable and friendly atmosphere, 

it’s a great place to hold a business 

meeting or catch up with friends. 

X Cafe 

58 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3914 2142 

Bright, spacious foreign-run cafe decorated 

in the style of an Alpine chalet. 

Popular with local makers and shakers, 

has a great open-plan upstairs area and 

two outdoor terraces. Regular live music 

and homemade ice cream. 

CHINESE 

Li Bai 

Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong Khoi, D1 

Tel: 3827 2828 

Imperial-styled restaurant named after 

a famous Chinese poet. Excellent lunch 

time dim sum buffet for USD $17.00. 

Nightly à la carte menu with dishes going 

from 100,000 VND. 

Lotus Court 

1st floor, Moevenpick Hotel Saigon 


Tel: 3844 9222 ext. 168 


Dim Sum and exciting Cantonese cuisine 

in a unique and elegant setting. 

feast broaden your palate with promotions around town 

Beef Short Ribs at Square One 

During the month of July, Square One is 

offering beef short ribs special. As the most 

popular cut of beef, the short ribs tender is 

highlighted by four different preparations. 

Options include: grilled short rib burger, 

tomato relish, pickled onion, chipotle mayonnaise, 

French fries for VND 550,000; hot 

and sour crispy beef short ribs and steamed 

Asian greens for VND 580,000; slow braised 

Vietnamese spiced beef short rib, peppercorn 

with papaya salad for VND 650,000; 

and slow roasted beef short ribs smoked 

with BBQ sauce with grilled corn for VND 

690,000. Visit restaurants.parkhyattsaigon. 

com for more details. 

Opera’s Veal Dedication 

This month, veal hits centre stage in Opera 

at the Park Hyatt. Options include: spiced 

veal tartare, parmesan aioli, pickled beetroot, 

bread salad for VND 290,000; veal arancini, 

spicy tomato sauce, crispy rice ball for VND 

290,000; homemade veal agnolotti, burnt 

butter sauce, sage, pecorino, pine nuts 

for VND 340,000; slow cooked veal osso 

bucco, saffron risotto, gremolata for VND 

420,000; veal saltimbocca, ham, porcini 

mushroom, asparagus, black truffle gnocchi 

for VND 550,000; veal chop Milanese, 

lemon, pear, parmesan, arugula salad for 

VND 810,000. Visit restaurants.parkhyattsaigon.com 

for more details. 

Long Carvery Buffet 

Every Wednesday of July, expect the carvery 

station at Nineteen’s dinner buffet 

to be loaded with hefty cuts and meaty 

mains. Look for home-cooked favourites 

such as beef ribs with roast apples and 

onion gravy, turkey with chestnut stuffing 

and pumpkin wedges, and honey-glazed 

ham with sweet corn gravy. 

VND 1,013,000++ per person including free 

flow of house wines Restaurant Nineteen on 

the ground floor at the Caravelle Hotel. Visit 

caravellehotel.com for details. 

Oysters & Champagne 

From 14 to 20 July Fin de Claire oysters 

– considered the world’s finest – will be 

served alongside oysters fresh from Vung 

Tau and Halong Bay, and accompanied by 

traditional 

condiments and Tabasco sauces. Seafood 

fans can have the molluscs by the dozen 

or a half dozen with a flute of champagne 

at Lobby Lounge, or with their favourite 

cocktails and spirits at Martini Bar. Visit 

caravellehotel.com for details. 

All You Can Eat Dim Sum 

Li Bai Chinese restaurant at the Sheraton 

Saigon Hotel & Towers is well recognized 

for its appealing Dim Sum selection of over 

50 Dim Sum favourites served during lunch. 

Li Bai offers daily an exceptional All-You- 

Can-Eat Dim Sum lunch, or a la carte. On 

Saturdays and Sundays, Li Bai further enhances 

the All-You-Can-Eat dim sum lunch 

by adding suckling pig and roasted duck to 

give more choices to experience Chinese 

cuisine.For more details or reservations, call 

(08) 3827 2828 or email sheratonsaigon@ 

sheraton.com. 

52 asialife HCMC

street gourmet 

Iced Tamarind 

Craving a drink to cool off 

on a hot summer day but 

bored of coconut and pineapple 

juice? Iced tamarind 

is what you’re looking for. 

The drink is made from 

sugar, tamarind juice (da 

me), and water. First, sugar 

is dissolved in the tamarind 

Ming Dynasty 

23 Nguyen Khac Vien, Phu My Hung 

Tel: 5411 5555 

Decorated in Ming Dynasty-style; offers 

100 dim sum varieties and 300 dishes 

prepared by a chef from Hong Kong. 

The restaurant’s Imperial Buffet includes 

free flow of wine. 

Ngan Dinh Chinese 

Restaurant 

Windsor Plaza Hotel, 18 

An Duong Vuong, D5 

water to make tamarind 

syrup. The mixture is then 

simmered for several 

minutes, then cooled and 

stored in the refrigerator. 

Finally, ice and sugar are 

added and you’re ready for 

a cool and refreshing drink. 

Hieu Vu 

Tel: 3833 6688 

Beautiful wood paneling, colourful 

hanging lanterns and a sparkling mineral 

gallery make for a relaxing dining 

experience at the Windsor. Feast on 

roasted Pi Pa duck, giant grouper and 

steamed king prawns. Be sure to check 

out monthly specials. 

Shang Palace Restaurant 

Norfolk Mansion, 17-19-21 

Ly Tu Trong, D1 

Tel: 3823 2221 

www.shangpalace.com.vn 

An upscale Chinese restaurant with a 

spacious and welcoming atmosphere. 

The menu boasts a wide range of Hong 

Kong Cantonese cuisine, including both 

dim sum, a la carte and set menus, 

regularly changed by the creative chefs. 

Yu Chu 

InterContinental Asiana Saigon, 

corner of Hai Ba Trung 

and Le Duan, D1 


dine@icasianasaigon.com 

Specializing in authentic Cantonese 

and Peking cuisine. Award-winning chef 

prepares dishes including handmade 

noodles, dim sum and wok-fried items. 

Wide selection of live seafood. Five 

interactive kitchens. 

FRENCH 

Au Manoir de Khai 

251 Dien Bien Phu, Q3 Tel: 3930 

3394 

This top-end contemporary French 

restaurant is set in a picturesque 

colonial villa with a lush courtyard and 

a lavish interior. Full of private rooms 

and opulent lounge areas, this unique 

eatery is the brainchild of Vietnamese 

fashion guru Hoang Khai of Khai 

Silk fame. Offers up dishes such as 

lobster consomme, pan-fried duck 

liver, salmon medallions with Moet and 

escalope de foie gras. 

Le Bouchon de 

Saigon 

40 Thai Van Lung, D1 

This French diner-style restaurant has 

an emphasis on hearty home cooking, 

courteous service and a relaxed 

atmosphere Chefs David Thai an Alexis 

Melgrani are well known industry figures 

and this venue can hold its own among 

the city`s many French restaurants 

INDIAN 

Saigon Indian 

73 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3824 5671 

Popular venue with an enormous menu. 

Serves both southern and northern 

Indian dishes like tandoori, biryani, dosa 

and idly snacks, plus a wide range of 

vegetarian dishes. Offers a set lunch 

menu. Cater service is available. 

Tandoor 

74/6 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3930 4839 

www.tandoorvietnam.com 

Part of a chain of restaurants covering 

Hanoi and Saigon, Tandoor features a 

large selection of standard northern Indian 

dishes, including a good vegetarian 

selection. Excellent cheap set lunches 

and reasonable prices all around. Will 

organize catering for events. 

INTERNATIONAL 

Al Fresco’s 

21 Mac Dinh Chi D1 Tel: 3823 8427 

27 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3822 7317 

D1-23 My Toan 3, D7 Tel: 5410 1093 

400 Nguyen Trai, D5 Tel: 3838 3840 

www.alfrescosgroup.com 

Theme restaurant boasting a range of 

Tex-Mex, Italian and Australian-style BBQ 

dishes. Huge portions and tasty Australian 

ribs coupled with a good atmosphere 

and helpful staff. Good lunch menu. 

Amigo Grill 

55 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3824 1248 

Outstanding steaks made with Australian, 

U.S. and Argentine beef, served 

in a cosy, family-friendly environment 

with large tables and banquette seating. 

Dishes like leg of lamb and seafood 

are also on the menu. Open 11 am to 

11 pm. 

Au Parc 

23 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 2772 

Lavishly decorated brasserie borrowing 

from Moroccan and French styles and 

popular during lunchtime with expats. 

Specializes in Middle Eastern and North 

African food. The salad menu is a favourite, 

and a great range of lush smoothies 

and juices are on offer. 

Blanchy's Tash 

93 - 95 Hai Ba Trung, D1 

www.blanchystash.com 

A high-end bar and restaurant with 

outdoor terrace. With ex-Nobu London 

Chef at the helm, Blanchy’s offers tapaslike 

snacks that fuse Japanese and 

South American influences. Expect great 

things here from international DJs and 

renowned mixologists 

Black Cat 

13 Phan Van Dat, D1 Tel: 3829 2055 

Tiny but popular District 1 restaurant 

serving up an excellent selection of 

Western and Vietnamese fare and an 

extensive range of sandwiches and 

burgers. 

BoatHouse 

40 Lily Road, APSC Compound, 

36 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6790 

Riverside restaurant with umbrellashaded 

tables spread across outdoor 

asialife HCMC 53

imbibe 

street gourmet 

The Forgotten Noble Grape 

By Darryl Bethea 

OK, so you are tired of always 

having a glass of red wine. 

It is too hot and you want 

something delicious, cool and 

refreshing. Are you thinking 

of a bottle of Chardonnay or 

Sauvignon Blanc? How about 

a bottle of Riesling? Riesling? 

Yes, I want you to discover the 

versatility of Riesling wine. 

In the world of wine, 

Riesling is considered a noble 

white grape (the others are 

Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. 

The red nobles are Pinot 

Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, 

and Merlot). Noble grapes are 

associated with producing the 

highest quality wines. Many 

experts believe that Riesling 

is the most noble and unique 

white grape in the world. 

Regardless of where it 

is grown, harvested and 

produced, there are some 

common traits. Great Riesling 

has a high amount of acidity, 

the ability to make your mouth 

water with anticipation, getting 

your juices flowing. Second, 

there is a good concentration 

of flavours, giving your nose 

fruity, floral aromas and palate 

flavours. Third, it is traditionally 

a low alcohol wine compared 

with most; 10 percent 

or less is common, compared 

with other wines containing 

an average of 12.5 percent or 

more. 

The mouth-watering acidity 

of Riesling creates a great 

wine to pair with food. There 

are so many food pairings with 

this wine; the most satisfying 

and surprising is an off-dry 

(slightly sweet) Riesling with 

spicy Asian foods. It will beat 

the heat, calm it down, balance 

it, then leave your mouth 

ready to enjoy more. The 

flavours are pleasing to the 

palate, with many varying levels 

of dryness and sweetness. 

German, Alsace France, Australian, 

and American wines all 

offer diverse characteristics. 

Here is a guide, ascending 

order of driest to sweetest. 

German wines like Kabinett, 

Spatlese, Auslese and 

Spatlese are a good starting 

point if you are trying Riesling 

for the first time. French Rieslings 

from Alsace differ from 

their German counterparts in 

that they are usually drier, less 

sweet, with little to no oak flavour, 

and have high minerality. 

Just keep in mind the 

terroir tells us everything we 

need to know about the wine. 

Generally speaking, Riesling 

grows best in cool to cold 

climates, producing the most 

award winning wines. Germany, 

Austria, Alsace France, 

New Zealand, Australia, South 

Africa, and North America all 

produce Riesling. Even though 

Germany is the most famous, 

Washington state in the US 

is the birthplace of the best 

selling Riesling in the world, 

Chateau Ste. Michelle. 

So don’t automatically 

choose a Chardonnay or Sauvignon 

Blanc when desiring a 

refreshing, cool, glass of white 

wine. The climate and cuisine 

of southeast Asia is perfect for 

the noble Riesling. 

Cheers! 

Darryl Bethea is Group Sales 

Manager for Fine Wines of the 

World (09 3378 5005) and is 

a Certified Sommelier from the 

Court of the Master Sommeliers. 

Contact Darryl at 09 

3378 5005 or email Darryl@ 

finewinesasia.com. 

Mount Fuji Cake 

If you hear the name Mount 

Fuji Cake (banh Phu Si) for 

the first time, you will think 

that its origin is Japan. It is 

actually a Vietnamese cake. 

It has this special name 

because the green pandan 

pastry cream and grated 

coconut make it look like 

Mount Fuji covered with 

snow. It has two main elements: 

a sponge-like cake 

deck and small indoor dining room. Serves 

remarkably fresh and inspired dishes 

made with choice local and imported 

ingredients—favourites include the sirloin 

burger and pan-fried fish and chips. 

Boomarang 

Cresent Residence 2-3-4, No. 107 Ton 

Dat Tien, PMH, D7 Tel: 3744 6790 

Riverside restaurant with umbrella-shaded 

tables spread across outdoor deck and 

small indoor dining room. Serves remarkably 

fresh and inspired dishes made with 

choice local and imported ingredients— 

favourites include the sirloin burger and 

pan-fried fish and chips. 

Cafe Saigon 



Tel: 3844 9222 ext. 234 


An international buffet with unique food 

concepts that is perfect for gathering family 

and friends. 

Cham Charm 

3 Phan Van Chuong, Phu My Hung 

Tel: 5410 9999 

The highlight of this upscale, beautifully 

decorated Asian restaurant is a special seafood 

buffet that includes Portuguese oysters, 

Alaskan crab, lobsters, sushi, sashimi, 

Japanese-style seafood, Langoustine 

prawns, American Angus beef and much 

more. Errazuriz wines are also included in 

the buffet. Part of the Khai Silk chain. 

El Gaucho 

5D Nguyen Sieu, D1 Tel: 3825 1879 

Cresent Residence 1_12, No. 103 Ton Dat 

Tien, PMH, D7 

A classic Argentine steakhouse where beef 

is the main attraction. There is still plenty of 

other options on the menu, in addition to 

an extensive wine list. Open from 4pm until 

late every day. 

and a mixture of coconut 

milk, sugar, rice flour, butter, 

and pandan juice. After the 

cake is made, it is cut into 

layers. Finally, the green 

cream is spread between 

the layers and on the entire 

cake, and grated coconut 

is sprinkled on top. You 

can find Mount Fuji Cake in 

supermarkets and bakeries 

in the city. Hieu Vu 

The Deck 

38 Nguyen U Di, D2 Tel: 3744 6632 

Serves upmarket takes on regional 

specialties made with fresh local and 

imported products. Well-designed, 

minimalist dining space and bar on the 

river are a serious draw. 

The Elbow Room 

52 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3821 4327 

elbowroom52@yahoo.com 

American-style bistro offering a wide 

range of appetisers, soups, salads, 

sandwiches, mains and desserts, plus 

an extensive wine menu. Open daily 

7.30 am to 11 pm. Breakfast served 

all day. 

Gartenstadt 

34 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3822 3623 

Opened in 1992, it’s the first venue in 

town to offer German food with specialities 

such as pork knuckle and authentic 

German sausages prepared fresh each 

day. Also offers imported German 

draught beer. 

Good Eats 

NTFQ2, 34 Nguyen Dang Giai 

Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6672 

Easteran and Western dishes are low in 

saturated fat and made from all-natural 

ingredients. Organic vegetables, herbs 

and spices accompany meals. Even the 

French fries are healthy. 

Halal@Saigon 

31 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3824 5823 

www.halalsaigon.com 

Serving up a range of Vietnamese and 

Malaysian dishes prepared according to 

halal guidelines including ban xeo, pho 

and roti chennai and seafood favourites 

such as shrimp, squid and mussels. 

Hog's Breath 

02 Hai Trieu, D1 Tel: 3915 6006 

The popular Australian eatery's first 

54 asialife HCMC

foray into Vietnam. Centrally located on 

the ground floor of the Bitexc Financial 

tower. The legendary Prime Rib steaks 

are the centrpiece of the menu which 

also includes burgers, seafood and bar 

snacks. 

Jaspa’s 

33 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3822 9926 

www.alfrescosgroup.com 

Unpretentious brasserie-style restaurant 

specializes in Australian-influenced 

international fusion cuisine. Full range of 

drinks including Australian and French 

wines and good cocktails. Hosts monthly 

Spam Cham networking event. 

Kita Coffee House 

39 Nguyen Hue, D1, Tel: 3821 5300 

Four-level restaurant serving a wide 

menu of mains, pastas, salads, sandwiches, 

soups and appetizers for lunch 

and dinner, as well as a variety of coffee 

and fresh fruit juices. Includes a bright 

ground floor cafe, sophisticated Old 

World second floor bar and rooftop dining. 

Set dinner everyday from 5pm. 

Koto 

151A Hai Ba Trung, D3, Tel: 3934 9151 

This is the Saigon arm of the renowned 

organisation that began in Hanoi 

a decade ago. Vietnamese food is 

prepared with innovative twist by young 

people Koto are helping get a start in the 

hospitality industry and on a path for a 

better life. 

Market 39 

InterContinental Asiana Saigon 

Ground Floor, Corner Hai Ba Trung and 

Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3520 9099 


Seven interactive live kitchens offering 

French, Vietnamese and Southeast 

Asian cuisines, including a bakery, 

French patisseries, pancakes, tossed 

salads, grilled steak, seafood, wok-fried 

items, noodles and pasta dishes. 

Mekong Merchant 

23 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 4713 

Set in a courtyard, this rustic Australianstyle 

brasserie has brought modern 

international cuisine to suburban An 

Phu. Popular for weekend brunches. 

Weekly specials and seafood flown in 

from Phu Quoc. 

New York Steakhouse & Winery 

25-27 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1 

Tel: 3823 7373 

New-york@steakhouse.com.vn 

www.steakhouse.com.vn 

Chic dining venue designed in a classic 

New York City Art Deco. Open every day 

until late. Specializes in certified U.S. 

Black Angus steak, and features a fully 

stocked wine cellar. Guests are invited to 

bring their own wine on BYOB Mondays. 

Orientica 

Hotel Equatorial, 242 Tran Binh Trong, 

D5 Tel: 3839 7777 

www.equatorial.com/hcm 

Top-end seafood and grill restaurant 

boasting modern decor. Good service 

and excellent food presentation make 

this a pleasant alternative to the downtown 

scene. 

Pacharan Tapas and Bodega 

97 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3825 6024 

This tapas restaurant and bar serves 

up superb Spanish fare crafted from 

authentic imported ingredients. The 

exclusively Spanish wine list is extensive 

and Sangria is half price during happy 

hour from 5 pm to 7 pm and all day 

Wednesday. 

The Refinery 

74/7C Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3823 0509 

Authentic bistro with cane furniture outside, 

informal indoor restaurant section 

and a bar area. Cuisine is light, modern 

European. The menu spans a price range 

to suit most budgets. 

Reflections 

Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, 

D1 Tel: 3823 4999 

Contemporary fine dining that combines 

Asian flavors with classic Mediterranean 

cuisine in an ambiance of understated 

elegance and European style. Special 

culinary events include guest chefs from 

Michelin-star establishments around the 

world. Private rooms are available. 

Riverside Cafe 

Renaissance Riverside, 8-15 Ton Duc 

Thang, D1 Tel: 3822 0033 

International venue opening onto the 

bustling river sidewalk, open for breakfast, 

lunch and dinner, and particularly 

noted for its sumptuous buffet selection 

which combines Asian, Western and 

Vietnamese cuisine. 

Signature Restaurant 

Level 23, Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong 

Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828 

Fine dining with panoramic views over 

central HCM City. Food is stunningly 

presented, top-end European cuisine 

with Asian influences cooked by German 

chef Andreas Schimanski. A la carte or 

five-course set menu available. 

Skewers 

9A Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3822 4798 

www.skewers-restaurant.com 

Rustic Mediterranean restaurant where 

subtle colours and exposed brickwork 

combine with jazzy tunes. Serves tabouleh, 

falafel, couscous and kebab. Highly 

rated for its grilled meats, bread and dip 

combos, soups and pastas. 

Square One 

Park Hyatt Saigon, 2 Lam Son Square, 

D1 Tel: 3520 2359 

Specializing in high-end Western and 

Vietnamese cuisine, Square One serves 

charcoal-grilled meats and seafood, 

as well as steamed and wok-cooked 

Vietnamese fare. 

Warda 

71/7 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 3822 

Chic, middle-eastern themed eatery 

swathed in oranges and reds serving 

Lebanese cuisine prepared by Damascan 

chef, Nouman. Mezze and tapas are 

the main draw, but you can also puff on 

hookas post-meal. 

Xu Saigon 

71-75 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 8468 

www.xusaigon.com 

Inspired restaurant with an F&B director 

with a passion for mixing Vietnamese 

cooking with flavours and styles from 

around the world. Sleek but sparsely 

designed, the restaurant serves nouveau 

takes on Vietnamese cuisine. 

ITALIAN 

Basilico 

InterContinental Asiana 

Saigon, Ground Floor, 

Corner Nguyen Du and Hai Ba Trung, 



Contemporary and casual trattoria-style 

restaurant specializing in authentic Italian 

dishes and homemade desserts. Woodfired 

pizza oven and a wide selection of 

Italian wines. 

Casa Italia 

86 Le Loi, D1 

Tel: 3824 4286 

www.casaitalia.com.vn 

Serves home-style Italian cooking including 

pasta and pizza as well as a selection 

of steak and seafoodd dishes. Open 

daily 10 am until late. 

Good Morning Vietnam 

197 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3837 1894 

Popular authentic Italian restaurant with 

additional outlets around the country. 

Specializes in thin-crust pizza, pasta and 

a range of Italian dishes. Good selection 

of Italian wines. 

La Braceria 

11 Le Thanh Ton, D1 

Tel: 3824 7446 

www.labraceria.com.vn 

A Mediterranean-style grill house that 

serves imported prime steaks, lamb, 

duck and fresh seafood as well as pasta 

and pizza. Great selection of old and 

new world wines 

La Hostaria 

17B Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 1080 

Rustic eatery specializing in top-end 

traditional cuisine from various regions 

in Italy. Main courses from 130,000 VND 

with daily specials on offer. Serves excellent 

pizza. 

Opera 

Ground floor Park Hyatt Hotel, 2 Lam 

Son Square, D1 

Tel: 3824 1234 

Slick, contemporary eatery with exposed 

brick and glass. The space revolves 

around an island kitchen from which 

chefs produce gourmet Italian fare. 

Internationally trained chefs work with the 

freshest and finest ingredients around to 

produce some superb dishes. 

JAPANESE 

Chiisana Hashi 

River Garden, 170 Nguyen Van Huong, 

Thao Dien, D2 

Tel: 6683 5308 0903 669 252 

Serves authentic Japanese cuisuine including 

sashimi, sushi, tempura, sukiyaki 

and shabu shabu. 

Kissho 

14 Nguyen Hue, D1 

Tel: 3823 2223 

Fax: 3823 3343 

kissho.wmcvietnam.com 

Saigon’s newest Japanese restaurant 

boasts a multi-concept cuisine set in a 

cutting edge interior. Specialties include 

teppanyaki, yakiniku, sushi and sashimi 

crafted by expert chefs. The freshest 

imported meats and seafood round out 

the menu, accompanied by an extensive 

selection of fine wines and Japanese 

spirits. Open 11.30 am to 2 pm and 5.30 

pm to 10 pm. 

Iki 



Tel: 3844 9222 ext. 127 


A Japanese restaurant that turns the 

notion of the common hotel sushi eatery 

on its head thanks to an affordable menu 

and a fun atmosphere. 

Nishimura 

Mövenpick Hotel Saigon, 253 Nguyen 

Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222 

Exquisitely prepared sushi and sashimi 

from a globetrotting chef with three 

decades’ experience. A wide range of 

cooked dishes and monthly meal promotions 

are also available. 

The Sushi Bar 

2 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8042 

3A Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3911 8618 

This brightly lit Japanese-style restaurant 

serves over 40 varieties of sushi at reasonable 

prices. Sit at the sushi bar or in 

private rooms upstairs. Open until 11.30 

pm, delivery available on request. 

Zen 

20 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3825 0782 

Located amid the sea of Japanese 

restaurants on Le Thanh Ton Street, Zen 

offers a wide range of Japanese dishes. 

The yakitori station grills up fantastic 

steak and quail’s eggs, and the chilled 

udon noodles are also a standout. 

LOUISIANE 

BREWHOUSE 

Beachside Nha Trang 

Asian & Western Cuisine 

Swimming Pool & Private Beach 

www.louisianebrewhouse.com.vn 

asialife HCMC 55

KOREAN 

25 Si 

8A/6D Thai Van Lung, D1 

Tel: 3824 6921 

Traditional Yasik-style drinking restaurant. 

Winter and summer scene murals fill the 

walls of this dual level eatery. Large menu 

with favs like budae jjigae, a mix of chilli 

paste, Spam, hot dog and tofu, as well 

as super spicy duruchigi. 

Hana 

8 Cao Ba Quat, D1 Tel: 3829 5588 

Japanese-Korean fusion in the heart 

of District 1. Contemporary decor with 

a private, yet open feel. Broad menu 

including cooked and raw fish and 

traditional hot pot with fish eggs, rice and 

vegetables. 

Kim Bab Chun Gook 

R4 42 Hung Phuoc 2, Phu My Hung 

Tel: 6296 9057 

Korean boonshik/snack food eatery 

serving up a wide variety of light but 

substantial foods including dumplings, 

rameyon and fish cakes. 

SOUTHEAST ASIAN 

Baan Thai 

55 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 5453 

If you have been missing the delights of 

Bangkok nightlife then this restaurant 

and bar should be for you. The Thai 

chefs whip up all the traditional dishes 

you know and love, while in the bar there 

are a host of drinks and activities to help 

while away an evening. 

Lac Thai 

71/2 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 7506 

An elegant restaurant tucked in an 

alleyway and decorated with art-deco 

furniture. Authentic Thai cuisine prepared 

by two Thai chefs. Food is tasty but less 

spicy than you’d find in Thailand. 

Little Manila 

S2-1 Hung Vuong 2, Phu My Hung, D7 

Tel: 5410 0812 

Small, no -frills eatery with outdoor 

and indoor seating located on a quiet 

street. Serves a range of dishes from the 

Philippines (pictured on menu for those 

unfamiliar) and draught San Miguel. 

Thai Express 

8A Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 6299 1338 

www.thaiexpress.vn 

Modern restaurant with a massive menu 

of Thai specialties served in moderate 

proportions. The menu inludes chef’s 

recommendations and background on 

Thai cuisine. Warning: some dishes will 

test your tongue’s threshold. 

VEGETARIAN 

Hoa Dang 

38 Huynh Khuong Ninh, D1 

Swish vegetarian restaurant on a quiet 

street that serves up nutritious dishes, 

including meatless versions of bun bo, 

pho and steamboat. Cosy bar serving 

non-alcoholic drinks, fruits and other 

sweets. 

Saigon Vegan 

378/3 Vo Van Tan, D3 Tel: 3834 4473 

Rustic vegan restaurant with extensive 

menu of healthy food at moderate prices. 

Lots of tofu dishes and soya chicken/ 

beef, soups, banh bao and more. Also 

has a kids menu. 

Viet Chay 

339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 


Upscale vegetarian restaurant specializes 

in fake meat dishes. The attractive 

dining room is suffused with natural light. 

Located within the walls of Vinh Nghiem 

Pagoda. 

VIETNAMESE 

Banian Tree 


Thao Dien, D2 

Tel: 6683 5308 – 0903 669 252 

A fine dining Vietnamese restaurant that 

serves authentic cuisine. 

Offers a set lunch, set dinner, International 

breakfast is served from 6.30 am 

- 10.30 am. 

Cha Ca Viet Nam 


Thao Dien, D2 

Tel: 6683 5308 0903 669 252 

Serves Hanoi specialty Cha Ca—turmeric 

grilled fish with noodles and dill. 

Com Nieu 

19 Tu Xuong, D3 Tel: 3932 6288 

The house specialty, com nieu (smashed 

rice), comes with a shattered-crockery 

and flying-rice show at this well-known 

restaurant, prominently featured in 

Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour. 

An extensive and tasty selection of 

southern Vietnamese cuisine rounds out 

the menu. 

Hoa Tuc 


This comfortable high-end restaurant 

serves traditional Vietnamese fare with 

a contemporary, classy twist. Expect to 

find your local favourites as you’ve never 

experienced them before. Beautifully 

plated, this is Vietnamese cuisine at 

its best. 

Lang Nuong Nam Bo 

285/C145 Cach Mang Thang Tam, D10 

Tel: 3862 2569 

Warehouse-sized quan well-regarded 

among locals serves everything from 

beef, chicken and fish to porcupine, 

weasel and field mouse. Great destination 

for intrepid gastronomes. Has 

standard hot pot, rice and noodle 

dishes too. 

Mandarine Restaurant 

11A Ngo Van Nam, D1 Tel: 3822 9783 

Fine dining Vietnamese-style courtesy 

of two sumptuously decorated colonial 

villas, an antique wooden stair and a 

menu spanning all regions of Vietnam. 

Traditional music performances are available 

for dinner. 

Nam Phan 

34 Vo Van Tan, Q3 Tel: 3933 3636 

Well known at its previous corner 

location on Le Thanh Ton, Nam Phan 

continues to serve modern Asian cuisine 

including asparagus and crab meat 

soup, stewed bellyfish in pineapple and 

grilled duck breast in orange sauce. Set 

in a restored colonial villa, the interior is 

alive with reproductions of Cham-era 

bas-reliefs and is inspired by Euro-Zen. 

Quan Bui 

8 Nguyen Van Nguyen, D1 Tel: 3602 

2241 

Well executed and delicious Vietnamese 

food at almost criminally affordable 

prices. Tucked away at the top end of 

District one, this place is worth seeking 

out for five-star food in a casual setting 

that will certainly not strain the budget. 

Temple Club 

29 – 31 Ton That Thiep, D1 

Tel: 3829 9244 

This high-end restaurant attached to an 

elegant lounge bar is a must-try for its 

art deco atmosphere as much as for its 

food. Mains go from around VND80,000 

to VND150,000. 

Wrap & Roll 


SA1–1, My Khanh 1, 

Nguyen Van Linh, D7 

Attractive downtown venue that brings 

street-style food into air-conditioned 

and uncluttered comfort. Choose prewrapped 

appetisers such as the cha gio 

Ground Floor - NORFOLK HOTEL 

117 Le Thanh Ton St, Dist. 1, HCMC, Vietnam 

Tel: (84-8) 3829 5368 Ext. 6614 - Fax: (84-8) 3829 3415 

Email: corso@norfolkhotel.com.vn 

Website: www.norfolkhotel.com.vn 

Managed by Norfolk Group 

56 asialife HCMC

(spring rolls) or roll-it-yourself mains 

with ingredients like pickled shrimps, 

beef on sugar cane, fish, grilled eel 

and pork. 

nightlife 

BARS & LOUNGES 

See bar restaurant listings for more 

popular watering holes. 

Bar's bar 

47 Phan Chu Trinh, D1 

Tel: 3822 3352 

Small luxurious upstairs bar adjacent 

to Ben Thanh Market, offers a welcome 

retreat from the bustle of the 

city centre. Customers are served with 

relaxing music and a wide selection 

of cocktails, whiskies and Japanese 

Sake. Open nightly 6-late. 

Cloud 9 

2bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, D3, 

HCMC 

(Corner of Turtle Lake Roundabout & 

Tran Cao Van), Tel: 0948 445544 

Recently opened with beautiful déco, 

this rooftop lounge bar has its stunning 

views at night. Live DJ, great 

cocktails and desserts. Open 6pm till 

late. 

The Library 

InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner 

of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1 



Unwind with a glass of wine or a cup 

of tea. The Library provides a welcoming 

atmosphere for those in search 

of calm, comfort and personalized 

service. 

M52 Bar 

52 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3821 6726 

Sparsely-appointed venue with reasonably 

priced drinks noted for packing 

a punch. Owners Annie and Ms. Van 

are never too busy to check on their 

patrons, and the busy bartenders are 

quick with a smile. 

Park Lounge 

Park Hyatt Hotel 

2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234 

Elegant lounge bar, with classic songs 

played every night by international musicians. 

The salubrious surroundings are 

matched by the range of the drinks, with 

vintage wines from USD $6 to $10 per 

glass. Tiger is $4.50 a bottle. 

Purple Jade 

InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner 

of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1 


Chic lounge blends the stylistic influences 

of contemporary design and opium 

dens. Hosts live music and serves 

special drinks, including Shaoxing and 

Maotai rice wines and an exclusive 

selection of luxury spirits. 

Saigon Saigon Bar 

9th floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son 

Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999 

Popular bar usually packed out with 

tourists and business travellers searching 

for some delicious cocktails and a 

great view of the city skyline. Cuban 

band Warapo plays every night except 

Monday from 8.30 pm until late. 

Voodoo Lounge 

92 Ho Tung Mau, D1 

Voodoo paintings adorn the white walls 

at this small, attractive bar south of Sunwah 

Tower. A daily happy hour, plenty 

of stool space and a pair of dartboards 

make it a good place to grab a drink. 

BREWHOUSES 

Alderbrau 

98 Nguyen Du, D1 

Small brewhouse decorated with antique 

brewing miscellanea, with an enclosed 

garden for outdoor swilling the small 

range of house brews and bottled imports. 

The kitchen dishes up sausages, 

German fare, and Vietnamese dishes. 

Gammer Czech Beer 

107 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 8619 

www.biatuoitiepvn.com 

Attractive, multi-story Czech beer hall 

furnished with heavy wood and outfitted 

with a few flat screen TVs tuned in to 

sports. Dark and blonde beers are available, 

as well as a full menu of Vietnamese 

food from mussels to rabbit. 

Hoa Vien 

28bis Mac Dinh Chi, D1 

Tel: 3829 0585 

www.hoavien.vn 

Expansive beer hall serves up pilsner 

beer crafted from malt, hops and yeast 

from the Czech Republic. There’s also 

a large food menu and imported Pilsner 

Urquell. 

Lion Brewery 

11C Lam Son Square, D1 

Tel: 3823 8514 

Microbrewery featuring traditional German 

brew technology and German fare 

like pork knuckle and wurst. Good spot 

to meet friends and enjoy a hearty meal 

and a whole lot of beer. 

NIGHTCLUBS 

Fuse Bar 

3A Ton Duc Thang, D1 

A popular bar that plays primarily hiphop 

music. Every Tuesday Fuse hosts a 

ladies night where women drink for free. 

Lush 

2 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3824 2496 

A large and lavishly decorated bar and 

club popular on weekends. Good DJs 

playing the latest in beat-based music 

and the city’s beautiful people add to 

the sights and sounds. It’s on-par with 

Western clubs in both ambience and 

drinks prices. 

at home 

BAKERIES 

Crumbs 

54 Truong Dinh, D1 Tel: 3825 7199 

www.crumbs.com.vn 

info@crumbs.com.vn 

Eat-in bakery offering a wide range 

of muffins, whole-grain breads and 

pastries. Many of the breads are dairyfree, 

baked fresh daily with unbleached 

white flower, no added sugar. 

Harvest Baking 

30 Lam Son, Tan Binh Tel: 3547 

0577 

harvestbaking@yahoo.com 

This authentic bakery offers a range 

of specialty baked goods for delivery. 

Offering bagels, scones, breads, 

desserts,cakes, tarts and more. 

Chocolate fudge cake and cinnamon 

rolls with cream cheese icing highly 

recommended. 

Pat A Chou 

65 Hai Ba Trung, D1 

25 Thao Dien, D2 

The home of the long and crusty 

baguette. Supplies many restaurants 

but also sells wholesale. The miniature 

patisseries such as crème brulée and 

cheesecake are worth a taste. Opens 

at 6.30 am. 

LONDON CALLING 

Olympic Cocktails 

Refresh yourself while the world’s 

top athletes work up a thirst 

Happy Hour 

4 pm to 7 pm daily 

38 Nguyen U Di, Thao Dien, An Phu, D2, HCMC 

T +84 (0) 8 3 744 6632 

E info@thedecksaigon.com 

W thedecksaigon.com 

Please call for reservations or book through our website 

asialife HCMC 57

Schneider’s Finest 

27 Han Thuyen, D1 

Tel: 3829 1998 

www.schneiders-finest.com 

Traditional German bakery bakes 45 

different kinds of breads, rolls and baguettes 

and a wide range of danishes, 

pastries and cakes. Catering available. 

Tous Les Jours 


Part of the Korean bakery chain, Tous 

Le Jours stocks a superb range of 

freshly baked good from sugary treats 

like pain au chocolat to superior quality 

baguettes and loafs. 

Voelker 

17 A7 Le Thanh Ton, D1 

Tel: 7303 8799 

39 Thao Dien, An Phu, D2 

Tel: 6296 0066 

Small bakery turns out sweet and 

salted pies and mousses in addition 

to baguettes and a range of Western 

sweets. 

CATERING 

Saigon Catering 

41A Vo Truong Toan, D2 

Tel: 3898 9286 

Provide services of catering, banquets, 

event planning, BBQ’s. For a custommade 

quotation e-mail SaigonGG@ 

gmail.com or call Huong on 0913 

981128. 

Xu Catering 

71-75 Hai Ba Trung, D1 

Tel: 3824 8468 

www.xusaigon.com 

From the brains behind Xu Restaurant 

and Lounge comes this new catering 

service, promising the highest standards 

in service. Everything from the 

menu to the comprehensive bar service 

and the staff is tailor-made to your 

specifications. 

COOKERY CLASSES 

Caravelle Hotel Cooking Classes 

Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, 

D1 Tel: 3823 4999 

Full-day Vietnamese cooking classes 

for groups of up to 20 people. The 

classes include a visit to the market 

with the sous chef. 

Saigon Cooking Class by Hoa Tuc 

The Courtyard, 74/7 Hai Ba Trung, D1 

Tel: 3825 8485 

contact@saigoncookingclass.com 

Cooking classes available from Tuesday 

to Sunday 10 am-1 pm/2 pm-5 pm. 

Students make an entire meal that 

includes traditional dishes like pho and 

cha gio, as well as more creative fare. 

Conducted by Vietnamese chef in English, 

Japanese or French on request. 

DELIVERY 

KITCHEN 

Tel: 0974 444 001 

kitchen.net.vn 

Visit the website and start an account 

to begin ordering fresh, homemade 

meals to your home. Options include 

beef lasagne, big chicken and mushroom 

pies and pork dijon as well as 

a variety of sausages and vegetarian 

dishes. Must order a minimum of three 

dishes at a time. 

Pizza Hut Delivery (PHD) 

Tel: 3838 8388 

www.pizzahut.vn 

Serving up pizza, pasta, chicken wings 

and much more. PHD guarantees 30- 

minute delivery or a free pizza at your 

next order (you must live within 2 km 

from a PHD store). 

Willy Woo’s 

www.vietnammm.com 

Southern American fare including skillet 

fried chicken, Belgium waffles and BBQ 

foods, red beans and rice, Jalapeno 

corn bread, and other classic southern 

sides. Delivery only via vietnammm.com 

GROCERIES 

Annam Gourmet Market 

16-18 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3822 

9332 

41A Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2630 

SB2-1 My Khanh 4, Nguyen Duc 

Canh, D7 Tel: 5412 3263 / 64 

www.annam-gourmet.com 

Boutique grocer with wide selection of 

foreign foods; Annam-brand coffee, tea 

and spices; and household products. 

Wine and premium beer, full deli counter, 

produce, dairy-frozen and baked 

goods on second floor. 

Classic Fine Foods 

17 Street 12, D2, Tel: 3740 7105 

www.classicfinefoods.com 

Luxury food primarily imports for wholesale, 

but also takes orders for its range 

of dry goods, cheese, meat, poultry 

and seafood from private clients. 

Gastro Home Delicatessen 

100 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien, D2 

Tel: 6281 9830 

Deli filled with fresh French-inspired 

delights ranging from salads to fish and 

vegetarian, meat and poultry dishes. 

Open 7 days from 9.30 am to 9 pm. 

Kim Hai Butchery 

73 Le Thi Hong Gam, D1 

Tel: 3821 6057 or 3914 4376 

Excellent chilled imported beef, lamb, 

veal and other meats sold at reasonable 

prices. 

Metro 

An Phu, D2 Tel: 3740 6677 

www.metro.com.vn 

Warehouse wholesaler located just off 

the Hanoi Highway in D2 between the 

Saigon Bridge and the tollbooths. Sells 

bulk food, fresh fruit and vegetables 

and meat, as well as paper products, 

cleaning supplies, housewares--basically 

everything. 

Organik 

11A Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 090 273 3841 

www.organikvn.com 

Online grocer based out of Dalat selling 

a range of organic vegetables and groceries, 

as well as imported all-natural 

products such as cereal, soymilk and 

tea. Operates a retail shop in An Phu. 

Phuong Ha 

58 Ham Nghi, D1 Tel: 3914 1318 

A mini-supermarket that sells an 

extensive assortment of imported 

packaged food, cheese, meat, fresh 

fruit, vegetables and fine wines. 

Veggy’s 

29A Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8526 

Sky Garden 

Pham Van Nghi, Bac Khu Pho, D7 

Riverside Apartments 

53 Vo Truong Toan, Thao Dien, D2 

Popular expat market with a huge 

walk-in fridge area stocked with fresh 

fruit and vegetables, dairy products and 

a range of meats. Imported canned and 

dried foods, wines, beers, soft drinks, 

spirits and snacks also available. 

LIQUOR & WINE 

The Warehouse 

178 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3825 8826 

924 Tran Hung Dao, D5 Tel: 6261 

1525 

www.warehouse-asia.com 

One of the city’s premier wine distributors, 

The Warehouse is an aptly 

named, stylish wine store that stocks a 

full range of both New and Old World 

wines, sparkling wines, Champagne, 

spirits, imported beers and accessories. 

recipes 

Cioppino, Shaved Fennel Salad, 

Grilled toast, Roasted Garlic Aioli 

For the stock 

1 fish head 

Shrimp/crab shells 

2 carrots, roughly chopped 

2 celery stalks, roughly chopped 

2 large onions, roughly chopped 

For the Cioppino 

Olive oil 

1 onion, chopped 

3 large shallots, chopped 

2 teaspoons of salt 

4 large garlic cloves, finely 

chopped 

3/4 teaspoon dried crushed 

red pepper flakes, plus more 

to taste 

1/4 cup tomato paste 

28-ounce can diced tomatoes 

in juice 

1 1/2 cups dry white wine 

5 cups fish stock 

1 bay leaf 

1 kg clams, scrubbed 

1 kg mussels, scrubbed, debearded 

1 kg uncooked large shrimp, 

peeled and deveined 

1 1/2 kg assorted firm-fleshed 

fish fillets cut into 2 inch chunks 

For the fennel 

2 fennel bulbs, shaved 

1 bunch of parsley 

Lemon juice 

Olive oil 

Salt 

For the garlic aioli 

10 garlic cloves 

Water for boiling 

Salt 

1 tablespoon mustard 

Olive oil 

Serves 6 

Recipes provided by Ana Esteves 

Preparation for stock 

1. Put all ingredients in a stockpot. 

2. Add cold water, simmer for 30 

minutes, strain. 

For the soup 

1. Heat the oil in a very large pot over 

medium heat, add onion and shallots. 

2. Sauté until the onion is translucent, 

about 10 minutes. 

3. Add the garlic and 3/4 teaspoon 

of red pepper flakes, and sauté 2 

minutes. 

4. Stir in the tomato paste. 

5. Add tomatoes with their juices, 

wine, fish stock and bay leaf. 

6. Cover and bring to a simmer. 

7. Reduce the heat to medium-low. 

8. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. 

9. Add the clams and mussels to 

the cooking liquid. Cover and cook 

until the clams and mussels begin 

to open. 

10. Add the shrimp and fish. Simmer 

gently until the fish and shrimp are 

cooked through, and the clams are 

completely open. 

11. Season the soup to taste. 

For the fennel 

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. 

For the garlic aioli 

Boil garlic cloves in water until 

tender, then blend with the mustard 

and salt, slowly add the olive oil until 

emulsified. 

To serve 

In soup bowls serve a ladleful of 

cioppino, making sure to add fish 

and seafood, top with the fennel 

salad. Grill a piece of toast and add 

the aioli, and serve on top. 

58 asialife HCMC

listings 

culture 

CLASSES 

AngelsBrush by Vin 

Tel: 0983377710 

Shyevin@mac.com 

Oil painting course gives learners the 

opportunity to work from the different 

objects; explore different mediums, 

materials and techniques; and interpret 

line, tone and colour. Instructor works 

with students on individual basis. 

Helen Kling Oil Painting 

189/C1 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, 

D2 Tel: 0903 955 780 

hk.painter@gmail.com/helenkling@ 

yahoo.com 

www.helenkling.com 

Helene is a French painter who teaches 

beginners (children and adults) various 

techniques and the art of working with 

different mediums. She is also a fantastic 

tool for advanced artists who are looking 

to increase their creativity. Both day and 

night courses are available. Helene has a 

permanent exhibition at FLOW, located 

88 Ho Tung Mau, D1. 

Printmaking 

alphagallery@bluemail.ch 

Classes are held at Alpha Gallery taught 

by the gallery owner Bernadette Gruber, 

who offers the chance to learn monotype, 

intaglio and etching techniques. 

CINEMAS 

Bobby Brewer’s Movie Lounge 

45 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3610 2220 

86 Pham Ngoc Thach 

info@bobbybrewers.com 

Popular top-floor home cinema showing 

movies five times a day on a large 

screen. Email for the latest schedule. 

Cinebox 

212 Ly Chinh Thang, D3 Tel: 3935 

0610 

240 3 Thang 2, D10 Tel: 3862 2425 

Cinebox cinemas show both original 

language films with Vietnamese subtitles 

and the dubbed versions. 

Future Shorts 

futureshortsvietnam@gmail.com 

www.futureshorts.com/vn 

Vietnam branch of the international 

network screens foreign and local short 

films around town. Events often incorporate 

other media and elements, including 

live music, performances, installations 

and discussion. Submissions accepted. 

Galaxy Cinema 

116 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3822 8533 


www.galaxycine.vn 

Large, modern cinema that shows the 

latest foreign releases in English (with 

Vietnamese subtitles). 

IDECAF 


French cultural centre and cinema 

theatre. Showcases French movies with 

English and Vietnamese subtitles. Also 

hosts movies and documentaries from a 

number of overseas film festivals. 

Lotte Cinema 

Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1 

Tel: 3822 7897 

LotteMart, 469 Nguyen Huu Tho, D7 

Tel: 3775 2520 

www.lottecinemavn.com 

Modern cinema with four-way sound system. 

D7 location houses luxury theatre 

Charlotte with 32 seats and eight sofas. 

me phim 

HCM City-based film initiative that 

provides support to local filmmakers and 

hosts regular film screenings/discussions. 

Email dduukk@gmail.com for information 

or join the Facebook group. 

Megastar 

Hung Vuong Plaza, 126 Hung Vuong, 

D5 Tel: 08 2222 0388 

CT Plaza, 60A Truong Son, Tan Binh 

Tel: 6297 1981 

www.megastarmedia.net 

State-of-the-art cinema complex screening 

the lastest blockbusters with plush, 

reclining seats. All movies shown in original 

language with Vietnamese subtitles. 

GALLERIES 

a little blah blah 

OUT-2 STUDIO, L6 FAFILM Annex 

6 Thai Van Lung, D1 

albbsaigon-2010.blogspot.com 

Operates as an engine for contemporary 

art by organizing projects, exhibitions, 

screenings and talks. Runs one major 

art project each year and a reading room 

with more than 1,000 texts on art, design 

and creative culture. Free for everyone 

and open Tue to Sat 10 am to 6 pm. 

Blue Space Contemporary 

Arts Center 

97A Pho Duc Chinh, D1 

Tel: 3821 3695 

bluespaceart@hcm.jpt.vn 

www.bluespacegallery.com 

Busy, working gallery with easels 

propped up outside situated in the 

grounds of the beautiful Fine Arts 

Museum. Holds regular exhibitions by 

local artists. 

Duc Minh Gallery 

31C Le Quy Don, D3 Tel: 3933 0498 

Housed in an opulent colonial mansion, 

private museum and art gallery showcases 

the private art collection of Vietnamese 

business tycoon Bui Quoc Chi. 

Containing more than 1,000 pieces that 

range from traditional to contemporary. 

Galerie Quynh 

65 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3836 8019 

www.galeriequynh.com 

The city’s only international standard 

gallery, housed in a modern, two-floor 

space. Organizes regular exhibitions 

featuring established, emerging local/ 

international contemporary artists, publishes 

original catalogs in both English 

and Vietnamese. 

Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum 

97A Pho Duc Chinh, D1 Tel: 3829 4441 

btmthcm@hotmail.com 

Institution housing contemporary/traditional 

works by Vietnamese and foreign 

artists. Pieces date from as early as 

the 7th century. Includes Vietnamese 

antiques, art crafted by the Cham and 

Funan peoples. 

San Art Independent Artist Space 

3 Me Linh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3840 0898 

hoa@san-art.org 

www.san-art.org 

Artist-run, non-profit exhibition space 

featuring contemporary work by young 

Vietnamese artists. San Art hosts guest 

lecturers and curators. A reading room 

of art books and magazines is open to 

the public. 

TuDo Gallery 

53 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 3821 0966 

www.tudogallery.com 

Hosting permanent exhibitions of works 

by the city’s artists, Tu Do deals in oils, 

silk paintings and lacquerware. More 

than 1,000 pieces on show. 

asialife HCMC 59

listings 

sports & 

leisure 

Sport Street 

Huyen Tran Cong Chua, D1 between 

Nguyen Du and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai 

Services include mending and restringing 

broken tennis rackets. Products range from 

badminton birdies and rackets to basketball 

hoops, free weights, roller blades, scooters, 

soccer jerseys and all manner of balls. 

Trophies & Custom Signage Street 

Le Lai, D1 between Truong Dinh and 

Nguyen Thai Hoc 

Offers custom engraving on trophies and 

plaques made of plastic, wood, metal 

and glass. 

CRICKET 

Saigon Cricket Assocation 

Social cricket league plays 25 overs a 

side matches Sunday mornings at RMIT’s 

District 7 pitch. Season runs November 

through May, with friendly games throughout 

the pre-season. Practice on Saturdays 

and Sunday afternoons. 

Australian Cricket Club 

Terry Gordon 

terrygordoninasia@yahoo.com.au 

saigonaustraliancricketclub@yahoo.com 

www.saigoncricket.com 

English Cricket Club 

Richard Carrington 

Richard.carrington@pivotalvietnam.com 

info@eccsaigon.com 

www.eccsaigon.com 

Indian Cricket Club 

Manish Sogani, manish@ambrij.com 

United Cricket Club 

Mr. Asif Ali, asif@promo-tex.net 

keshav.dayalani@rmit.edu.vn 

DANCING 

DanCenter 

53 Nguyen Dang 

Giai, Thao Dien, 

District 2 

Tel: 3840 6974 

www.dancentervn.com 

Purpose built studio with foreign trained 

dance instructors. Classes in jazz, ballet, 

tap, hip hop, yoga, zumba, belly, hula, 

capoiera and more. Kids can start from 

4+ and adults of all ages and levels are 

welcome. Schedule and news on events 

available on-line. 

Salsa Dancing at La Habana 

6 Cao Ba Quat, D1 

www.salsaigon.com 

salsaigon@gmail.com 

Six-week salsa package at 350,000 

VND for single persons and 550,000 for 

a couple, run by Urko. Lessons every 

Tuesday (beginners L.A. style at 7.30 

pm; intermediate L.A style at 8.30 pm). 

Registration required. 

FITNESS & YOGA 

AIS Sports Centre 

36 Thao Dien, An Phu, D2 

Tel: 3744 6960, ext 126 

sportscentre@aisvietnam.com 

www.aissportscentre.com 

Features six-lane, 25-metre pool, 

basketball and netball courts, astroturf 

hockey/football area and outdoor gym 

equipment. Available for party hire, with 

BBQ included on request. Membership 

packages available. Kids swim club and 

adult masters programmes. Rainbow 

Divers offers scuba diving courses for 

children and adults. Free morning yoga. 

California WOW Xperience 

Parkson Plaza, 126 Hung Vuong, D5 

28/30-32 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 6291 5999 

The world’s biggest fitness centre chain 

is one of Saigon’s most modern places 

to get your sweat on. Located in Hung 

Vuong Plaza, CWX offers a huge workout 

area and all kinds of classes including 

spinning, KickFit, yoga and more. 

Caravelle Club Spa 

19 Lam Son Square, D1 

Tel: 3823 4999 

Modern and stylish gym with lots of cardiovascular 

machines and free weights. 

The swimming pool is a great place for 

a dip, and the massage parlour, sauna, 

steam room and jacuzzi are there for 

winding down. 

Equinox Fitness & Leisure Centre 

Equatorial Hotel, 242 Tran Binh Trong, 

D5 Tel: 3839 7777 

Decent-sized 3rd-floor gym with modern 

cardio and weights machines, sauna, 

steambath, jacuzzi, and large 4th floor 

pool great for swimming laps. 

Suzanne & Saigon Yoga 

Tel: 090 835 2265 

suzanne@saigonyoga.com 

Suzanne is an ERYT- 200 (Experienced) 

Yoga Alliance Instructor. She boasts two 

decades of experience, offering various 

yoga styles in District 2 and yoga retreats 

in Vietnam. 

FOOTBALL & RUGBY 

Australian Rules Football 

Tel: 093 768 3230 

www.vietnamswans.com 

vietnamswans@gmail.com 

The Vietnam Swans play regular 

international footy matches around 

Asia. Training sessions are held weekly 

in HCM City (2.30 pm Saturday, RMIT 

D7) and Hanoi (midday, Saturday, UN 

International School, Ciputra). All skill 

levels and codes welcome. 

Les Gaulois de Saigon 

www.gauloisdesaigon.com 

info@gauloisdesaigon.com 

A new team of French footballers, the 

side invites players and their families to 

come and join in their friendly training 

sessions, where everyone can get 

together and enjoy the sport while 

making new friends. Contact Sebastien 

on 0919 691785 or Romain on 0908 

060139. 

RMIT Vietnam 

sports.recreation@rmit.edu.vn 

A new player on the SIFL scene with 

a team made up of students from the 

University. They have their own football 

ground on-site consisting of two brand 

new pitches. Contact Landon Carnie. 

Saigon Raiders 

jon.hoff@saigonraiders.com 

Sociable football side who are always 

on the lookout for new talent for their 

weekly matches and training sessions. 

The team participates in the Saigon 

International Football League and also 

has regular fixtures against local teams 

in the outlying provinces and also participates 

in international tournaments. 

Saigon Rugby Club 

Tel: 0903 735 799 

www.saigonrfc.org 

saigonrugbyfootballclub@yahoo.com 

Social, mixed touch rugby played 

every Saturday afternoon for adults at 

RMIT from 4 pm until 6 pm. Regularly 

welcomes visiting teams and tours the 

region for men’s contact and women’s 

touch rugby tournaments. Beginners 

welcome. 

Saigon Saints 

chris@saigonsaints.com 

www.saigonsaints.com 

Expat football club of all ages, which 

has been running since 1995 and plays 

in the SIFL. Regularly venture on international 

tours especially to Bangkok 

and Manila and play in other local and 

international tournaments. The players 

train weekly, and new players are 

encouraged to join. 

GOLF 

Dalat Palace Golf Club 

Phu Dong Thien Vuong, Dalat 

Tel: 063 3821 101 

dpgc@vietnamgolfresorts.com 

The most beautiful course in Vietnam, 

combining the crisp mountain air with 

an environment of stately pine trees. 

Overlooking Xuan Huong lake, the 

7,009-yard course is an enjoyable challenge 

for golfers of all levels. 

Dong Nai Golf Resort 

Trang Bom Town, Trang Bom 

Tel: 061 3866 288 / 3677 590 

www.dongnaigolf.com.vn 

Large golf resort with 27 holes, plus 

a villa complex, bar, sauna. jacuzzi 

and billiards. The resort sits on 160 

hectares of land in Dong Nai Province, 

about 50 kilometres from the city. 

Membership starts at USD $2,000 a 

year. 

Ocean Dunes Golf Club 

1 Ton Duc Thang, Phan Thiet 

Tel: 062 3821 995 

odgc@vietnamgolfresorts.com 

Designed by Nick Faldo, the 6,746-yard 

par-72 course winds through seaside 

dunes, with the variable coastal breezes 

changing its character each day. 

An enjoyable and eminently playable 

course and has become a favourite 

venue for expatriate tournaments. 

Saigon South Golf 

Nguyen Van Linh, Tan Phu, D7 

Tel: 5411 2001 

sgs.golf@yahoo.com.vn 

Nine-hole mini golf course and driving 

range set amongst attractive gardens 

just behind FV Hospital. Membership 

starts from USD $700 for 6 months. 

Visitors’ greens fees for a round of golf 

are around USD $16 before 5 pm and 

$19 after. Club, shoe and umbrella hire 

is also available. 

SaigonSports Academy League 

Tel: 093 215 3502 

greg@saigonsportsacademy.com 

www.saigonsportsacademy.com 

12-week, 5 a side community football 

league with Adult, U18, U14, U10 and 

U7 divisions. Matches held at Thao Dan 

Stadium in District 1. Corporate, local 

and expat teams compete in adult division 

with cash prize for champions. 

Song Be Golf Resort 

77 Binh Duong Blvd, Thuan An 

Tel: 0650 3756 660 

info@songbegolf.com 

www.songbegolf.com 

Located 22 kilometres from the city 

centre, the premier golf course in the 

area features an 18-hole, 6,384-metre 

course. Also has tennis courts, a swimming 

pool, and a gymnasium. 

Vietnam Golf and Country Club 

Long Thanh My Village, D9 

www.vietnamgolfcc.com 

This facility consists of two courses 

of 18 holes each, one of which is designed 

in a more traditional Asian style, 

and the other in international style. Has 

other attractions such as boating, tennis 

and a restaurant area. 

60 asialife HCMC

counsel corner 

Going Home 

By Briar Jacques 

Families are systems. Each 

member has certain roles 

to play to keep everything 

functioning. Sometimes we 

are happy with our roles, 

sometimes not. Often we feel 

forced to play them or are 

afraid of what might happen 

if we don’t. We can become 

unconscious of our motivations 

for our behaviours and 

can find ourselves falling into 

patterns year after year. 

For those of us heading 

back to our home countries for 

the summer holidays, family issues 

can become paramount. 

The phrase, “If you think you 

are enlightened go spend time 

with your family” captures 

some of the essence of what it 

is like to spend time with your 

family of origin as an adult. For 

many of us nothing pushes our 

buttons more than being with 

our parents and siblings for an 

extended period of time. We 

can find ourselves regressing 

and experiencing an inner 

conflict between desires to be 

with them and desire to get 

away from them as quickly 

as possible. Obviously I am 

generalising but for many 

people being with their family 

of origin produces at least 

some mixed feelings. So, how 

can we spend an enjoyable 

family holiday focusing on the 

good and avoid old patterns, 

rivalries and hurts? 

One thing that can help is 

a little pre-planning. Before 

reuniting with family it can be 

helpful to spend some time 

thinking about past interactions 

and trying to understand 

your part in them. Are there 

any arguments you find 

yourself getting into again 

and again? Are you the black 

sheep? The golden girl or 

boy? The family scapegoat? 

The saviour? The baby? Do 

you avoid confrontation (and 

intimacy) with them or do you 

find yourself becoming overly 

involved, combative or hurt? 

Are there certain issues that 

trigger you? Do you feel your 

life choices are respected and 

understood? Do you become 

a teen again? How do you 

manage integrating your 

spouse or partner into your 

family of origin? How do you 

feel about how your kids act or 

are treated? 

Asking yourself questions 

such as these might help to 

take some of the unconscious 

elements out of your behaviour. 

Try not to judge yourself as you 

reflect. The aim of such introspection 

is to see dysfunctional 

patterns for what they are and 

to consciously try to disengage. 

It gives you a good chance to 

step out of familiar dances and 

start to create better relationships 

- on purpose. 

Briar Jacques is a trained Australian 

counsellor who deals 

with issues like expat adjustment, 

depression, anxiety and 

drug abuse. Call 0121 480 

8792. 

LEISURE 

Hash House Harriers 

www.saigonh3.com 

Running club that meets every Sunday 

at 2 pm at the Caravelle Hotel to go on 

a run in different locations out of town 

with their traditional balance of exercise 

and beer. 

Phun Runner 

info@phun-run.com 

Social running group that meets Saturdays 

at 7 am for a scenic run around 

Saigon before breakfast. Great way to 

explore the city, meet fellow runners and 

get fit for future events. Check website 

for rendezvous points. 

Rangers Baseball Club 

Isao Shimokawaji 

isao.shimokawaji@sapporobeer.co.jp 

A baseball club always looking for 

additional players of any age, race or 

experience level. Plays Saturdays or 

Sundays, often against Korean or Vietnamese 

teams. 

Saigon International Dart League 

www.thesidl.com 

A highly popular group in town, the darts 

club runs a competitive year-long league 

for 16 pub-based teams. There are 

some excellent players in this sociable 

and international group. See website 

for details of how to join and latest 180 

scores. 

Saigon International Softball League 

sisl@saigonsoftball.info 

www.saigonsoftball.info 

The league plays slo-pitch softball every 

Sunday (usually at the Taiwanese School 

in Phu My Hung) and always welcomes 

newcomers. 

Saigon Pony Club 

Lane 42, Le Van Thinh, D2 

Tel: 0913 733 360 

A standout facility offering pony rides, 

riding lessons, horse clinics and pony 

rentals. Also hosts events and birthdays. 

Squash 

The Landmark, 5B Ton Duc Thang, D1 

Tel: 3822 2098 ext 176 

www.thelandmarkvietnam.com 

One of three squash courts in town. 

Membership is open to non-Landmark 

residents and drop-in players. Lessons 

and racquets are available for additional 

fees. Balls are provided. Book in advance 

or phone for further information. 

Ultimate Frisbee 

RMIT, 702 Nguyen Van Linh, D7 

www.saigon-ultimate.com 

Join in this exciting popular sport every 

Sunday afternoon from 3pm to 5pm in 

Saigon South. Pan-Asian competitions 

also organised for the more experienced. 

Contact David Jensen at 0909458890 

Vietnam Hobby Brewers 

hobbybrewer.vietnam@gmail.com 

www.hobbybrewer-vietnam.de.tl 

Small group of beer enthusiasts gather 

bi-monthly at microbrewery to talk beer, 

share brewing tips and sample homemade 

suds. The group is keen on taking 

on new members with an interest in 

learning how to brew. 

X-Rock Climbing 

Phan Dinh Phung Sport Centre 

75 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3 

Tel: 6278 5794 

503A Nguyen Duy Trinh, D2 

Tel: 2210 9192 

www.xrockclimbing.com 

Offering safe and professional climbing 

for anyone aged 4 and up. Featuring 

mountain climbing routes rated from 

beginner to advanced, climbing and 

belay-safety courses and training, birthday 

parties, corporate team building. 

Excellent facilities for children and annual 

membership for kids. 

listings 

health & 

beauty 

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 

American Chiropractic Clinic 

8 Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3930 6667 

www.vietnamchiropractic.com 

A chiropractic, physiotherapy, foot 

care clinic staffed by American-trained 

chiropractors speaking French, English, 

Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. Treats 

back pain, neck pain, knee pain, also 

specializing in sports injuries, manufacture 

of medical grade foot orthotics. 

Theta Healing 

– Jodie Eastwood 

Tel: 091 859 1933 

www.thetahealing.com 

A unique energy healing technique for 

mind, body and spirit. Jodie is a UK 

qualified practitioner based in HCM City. 

DENTAL 

European Dental Clinic 

17 - 17A Le Van Mien, 

Thao Dien, D2 

Tel: 0918 749 204/08 3744 9744 

Expat English and French-speaking 

dentist. Performs full range of dental 

treatment including whitening, aesthetic 

fillings, porcelain crowns, full ceramics, 

veneer and orthodontic treatment. 24- 

hour emergency line: 0909 551 916 or 

0916 352940. 

Starlight Dental Clinic 

Dr. Philippe Guettier & International 

Team of Dentists 

2Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, D1 

Tel: 3822 6222 

doe.linh@gmail.com 

With 14 years’ experience providing 

dental treatment to expat and Vietnamese 

patients, this well-known dental 

surgery is staffed by both foreign & 

local practitioners. Au fait with the latest 

treatments and techniques, the surgery 

prides themselves on their high standard 

of equipment & sterilization. 

Tu Xuong Dental Clinic 

51A Tu Xuong, D3 

Tel: 3932 2049/050 

drhung01@yahoo.com 

www.nhakhoatuxuong.com 

Provides general and cosmetic dental 

services at reasonable prices. Specialises 

in implants, orthodontic treatments and 

making crowns and bridges. Staff are 

professional and speak English. 

Westcoast International Dental Clinic 

27 Nguyen Trung Truc, D1 

Tel: 3825 6999 

71-79 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3825 6777 

info@westcoastinternational.com 

www.westcoastinternational.com 

Canadian-run dental clinic staffed by 

French, Japanese, English and Vietnamese 

speaking dental professionals. 

HAIR & SALON 

Lloyd Morgan International Hair 

Studio 

234 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, D2 

Tel: 090 8422 007 

International stylist Lloyd Morgan is one 

of the best in town. He’s been in the 

business for over 30 years and brings his 

expertise to this established, top-notch 

salon. 

Qi Spa 


Tel: 3844 1719 

asialife HCMC 61

questions for the coiffeur 

In the heart of the city medical center for the Hearts in 

Vietnam 

Since 1992, the CMI has been delivering high quality medical service in the heart of 

Ho Chi Minh City. All the doctors are French or Vietnamese and studied in France. All 

of the CMI’s profits are dedicated to the Fondation Alain Carpentier. 

Heart of the City - Large specialities - Good reputation 

Humanitarian - Competitive Price - French and Vietnamese Doctors 

Heart Institute - Alain Carpentier Fondation 

General and tropical medicine - Cardiology - Gynaecology - Osteopathic medicine 

- Paediatrics - Psychiatry - Psychotherapy - Psychology - Psychomotor therapy - 

Speech and language therapy - Dietetician 

More information on www.cmi-vietnam.com 

Centre Medical International - Fondation Alain Carpentier 

1 Han Thuyen, Quartier 1, Ho Chi Minh Ville 

Tél : (08) 38 27 23 67 - (08) 38 24 58 74 - Fax : (08) 38 27 23 65 

info@cmi-vietnam.com - www.cmi-vietnam.com 

By Lloyd Morgan 

Q. How can I make my 

hair grow? 

A. How long your hair grows 

depends on genetics and 

some people’s hair just 

doesn’t grow past a certain 

length. 

Q. I’m a woman and my hair 

seems to be falling out, is 

this normal? 

A. In my experience, hair loss 

among women is common 

and most women experience 

it to some degree. This 

is commonly seen when a 

woman is pregnant, usually in 

the process of milk production. 

Due to the fact that we 

really don’t need hair, the 

body naturally shuts down the 

energy that is used to grow it 

and transfers it to the energy 

needed in milk production. 

This is normal and some get 

it worse than others. There 

are three growing and resting 

stages the hair goes through. 

When the hair rests, which 

means it isn’t growing, you 

can expect to have an average 

loss of about 100 hairs on 

a daily basis. If you experience 

excessive hair loss, which is 

sometimes caused by a nutrient 

deficiency, you should see 

a doctor. 

Q. My son wants a faux 

hawk but my husband says 

it’s too punky? 

A. I’m sure every parent goes 

through something similar 

to this and I’m sure my son 

will be no different. However, 

a faux hawk can be easily 

worn in different ways. It can 

be flattened to look just like 

a short hair cut most of the 

time. Gel or wax has to be 

used to enable the hair to 

stand up, so let him wear it 

around the house and if he 

goes out make him flatten it. 

In time your husband will get 

used to seeing him with it and 

will probably accept it, after 

all its quite harmless and is 

the fashion today for men and 

boys. 

Last month I offered a 15 

percent discount for all 

new clients. Since it was so 

successful, I’m offering it 

again. Bring in this month’s 

AsiaLIFE column to get the 

discount. 

Lloyd Morgan runs the Lloyd 

Morgan International Hair 

Studio at 234 Nguyen Van 

Huong, Thao Dien, D2. Contact 

him at 0908 422 007 or 

lloydart@yahoo.com. 

62 asialife HCMC

Caravelle Hotel Tel: 3824 7150 

Mövenpick Hotel Saigon, 

Tel: 3997 5437 

High-end salon and spa offers the 

standard range of services in a calming 

atmosphere with good service. Waxing, 

nail services, hair dressing as well as 

luxurious facial and massage treatments 

on offer. 

MEDICAL 

CARE1 Executive Health Care Center 

The Manor, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, 

Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0757 

care1_reception@vietnammedicalpractice.com 

www.care1.com.vn 

Sister clinic of Family Medical Practice, 

CARE1 is an executive health care centre 

offering comprehensive preventative-care 

checkups in a modern and professional 

setting. State-of-the-art technology provides 

fast and accurate diagnoses. 

Centre Medical 

International (CMI) 


Tel: 3827 2366 

www.cmi-vietnam.com 

Located downtown next to the cathedral, 

the centre provides a high standard 

of medical care from qualified French 

and Vietnamese physicians. Its range 

of services include general and tropical 

medicine, cardiology, gynaecology, osteopathy, 

pediatrics, psychiatry, speech 

therapy and traditional Eastern medicine. 

Family Medical 

Practice HCMC 

Diamond Plaza, 

34 Le Duan, D1 

Tel: 3822 7848 

www.vietnammedicalpractice.com 

Leading international primary healthcare 

provider, with a 24-hour state-of-the-art 

medical centre and highly-qualified multilingual 

foreign doctors. Extensive experience 

in worldwide medical evacuations 

with car and air ambulance on standby. 

Also in Hanoi and Danang. 

HANH PHUC International 

Hospital 

Binh Duong boulevard, 

Thuan An, Binh Duong. 

Tel: 0650 3636068 

www.hanhphuchospital.com 

The 1st Singapore Standard Hospital in 

Vietnam. 260 –bedder, provide a comprehensive 

range of quality healthcare 

services: Obstertrics, Gynaecology, 

Paediatrics, Immunization, IVF, Health 

checkup, Parentcraft, Woman Cancer, 

Cosmetic Surgery… Just 20- minute 

driving from HCMC. 

HANH PHUC International 

Hospital Clinic 

2nd fl., Saigon Trade 

Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang, 

D1. Tel: 3911 1860 

www.hanhphuchospital. 

com 

The 1st Singapore Standard Hospital 

in Vietnam. The clinic is located at the 

center of Dist. 1, provides a comprehensive 

range of services specializing in 

Obstertrics, Gynaecology, Peadiatrics, 

Immunization, General Practice and 

Emergency. Open hours: Weekdays: 

8am to 5pm; Saturday: 8am to 12pm. 

International SOS 

167A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, 

D3 Tel: 3829 8424 

www.internationalsos.com 

Globally-renowned provider of medical 

assistance and international healthcare. 

Specializes in offering medical transport 

and evacuation both within and outside 

of Vietnam for urgent medical cases. 

Foreign and Vietnamese dentists. Has 

multilingual staff. 

Victoria Healthcare 

135A Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan 

Tel: 3997 4545 

79 Dien Bien Phu, D1 Tel: 39104545 

Well-regarded clinic offering general 

examinations and specializing in pediatrics, 

digestive diseases, cardiology and 

women's health. Offers a membership 

program and cooperates with most 

insurance companies in Vietnam and 

abroad. Open with doctors on call 24/7. 

NAILS 

OPI 

253 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3 

International brand of nail care offering 

a variety of treatments from standard 

manicures at 50,000 VND to the whole 

host nail services such as acrylics, powder 

gell, cuticle treatments and French 

polishing. 

SKINCARE 

The Body Shop 

87 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 

Tel: 3823 3683 

31 Nguyen Trai, D1 

Tel: 3926 0336 

www.thebodyshop.com 

International cosmetics retailer with 

strong commitment to environment 

sources natural ingredients from small 

communities for its line of more than 

600 products. 

L’Apothiquaire 


Parkson Saigon Tourist Plaza 

Parkson Hung Vuong Plaza 

The Crescent, 103 Ton Dat Tien, D7 

64A Truong Dinh, D3 


Tel: 3932 5181/3932 5082 

www.lapothiquaire.com 

info@lapothiquaire.com 

French-made natural products for all 

types of skin. Also offers exclusive 

natural Italian skin, body and hair care 

from Erbario Toscano. 

Marianna Medical Laser 

Skincare 

149A Truong Dinh, D3 

Tel:3526 4635 

www.en.marianna.com.vn 

Professional Laser Clinic in Ho Chi 

Minh City, Marianna owns the excellent 

experts in Aesthetic Medicine and the 

modern technologies such as Laser, 

Botox, Filler and all solutions can help 

you more beautiful and younger day 

by day 

Sian Skincare Laser Clinic 

71–77 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel:3827 6999 

info@sianclinic.com 

www.sianclinic.com 

Skincare laser clinic offering the latest 

in non-surgical esthetic treatments 

including Botox, laser, acne treatments, 

hair loss regrowth, hair removal, skin 

rejuvenation and anti-aging treatments. 

Led by Dr. Tran Ngoc Si, a leading 

esthetic dermatologist from the hospital 

of Dermatology of HCMC. 

SPAS 

Aqua Day Spa 

Sheraton Saigon, 88 Dong Khoi, D1 

Tel: 3827 2828 

Recently revamped luxury eight-room 

spa with a holistic approach to treatment, 

using natural Harnn products 

plus hot stone therapy and seaweed 

treatments. 

Renaissance Riverside Spa 

8-15 Ton Duc Thang, D1 

Tel: 3822 0033 

No-frills Vietnamese, shiatsu and 

aromatherapy massages plus a room 

dedicated to foot massages at the 

atrium level. Also has sizable steam and 

sauna rooms at the club 

Xuan Spa 

Park Hyatt, 2 Lam Son Square, D1 

Tel: 3824 1234 

Beautiful spa with highly rated Swedish 

massage and water therapy including 

the unique 60 minutes Vichy shower 

to soften and smooth skin or the 

Indian Shirodhara with special oil for 

45 minutes. Spa packages aimed at 

rejuvenation, calming, and hydrating are 

also available. 

asialife HCMC 63

listings 

The Australian International 

School Saigon 

Xi Early Childhood Centre 

190 Nguyen Van Huong Thao 

Dien, D2 

Early Childhood & Primary School 

Cherry Blossom 1 & Lotus 1, APSC 

Compound, 36 Thao Dien, D2 

Tel: 3744 6960 

Middle & Senior School 

East-West Highway,An Phu, D2 

Tel: 3742 4040 ext 7119 

enrolments@aisvietnam.com 

www.aisvietnam.com 

An international curricula and PYP/MYP 

candidate school. Senior students follow 

IGCSE and Cambridge A levels. Only 

school in Vietnam authorized to deliver 

University of New South Wales Foundafamily 

ACTIVITIES 

DanCenter 

53 Nguyen Dang 

Giai, Thao Dien, 

District 2 

Tel: 3840 6974 

www.dancentervn.com 

Children and teenagers from age 4+ 

can enjoy jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, acro 

dance and break dance classes at this 

professionally run, newly built dance 

studio. Schedule and news on events 

available on-line. 

Helene Kling Painting 

helene_kling@yahoo.com 

Offers classes in oil painting to both 

children and adults for 150,000 VND 

and 300,000 VND respectively. Classes 

are paced to suit each student. 

Briar Jacques 

bjacques123@gmail.com 

Cel: 0122 480 8792 

Helping families, individuals, couples, 

children and teens. Caring and confidential 

counselling to address issues 

such as expat adjustment, depression, 

anxiety and substance abuse. We take 

a holistic approach to enhance wellbeing 

on mental, emotional and physical 

levels. 

Saigon Pony Club 

Lane 42, Le Van Thinh, D2 

Tel: 0913 733 360 

Close to X-rock climbing centre, kids 

from three and upwards can ride one 

of the stable’s 16 ponies. Lessons with 

foriegn teachers last 45 minutes and cost 

350,000 VND for kids from age six. 

Tae Kwondo 

BP Compound, 720 Thao Dien, D2 and 

Riverside Villa Compound, Vo Truong 

Toan, D2 

phucteacherkd@yahoo.com 

Private and group classes are run after 

school three times a week by the friendly 

Mr. Phuc. Anyone over the age of five 

is welcome to join in the course, which 

costs USD $50 for 12 classes/month with 

a $25 fee for non-members. Contact Mr. 

Phuc directly on 0903 918 149. 

BABY EQUIPMENT 

Belli Blossom 

4F-04 (4th Floor) Crescent Mall, Nguyen 

Van Linh Parkway, Phu My Hung, D7 

Tel: 5413 7574 

12 Mac Dinh Chi, D1 

Tel: 3822 6615 

www.belliblossom.com.vn 

contactus@belliblossom.com.vn 

Belli Blossom catering to moms and 

babies with imported brands of maternity 

and nursing wear and accessories, infant 

clothes, baby bottles and feeding products, 

strollers, high chairs, slings, baby 

carriers, diaper bags, and many others. 

Brands available include: Mam, Mamaway, 

Quinny, Maclaren, Debon, Luvable 

Friends, Gingersnaps. 

Maman Bebe 

Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, D1 

Tel: 3825 8724 

www.mamanbebe.com.vn 

Stocks an assortment of modern strollers 

and car seats. Also sells various utensils 

and practical baby products. Small 

selection of clothing for ages newborn to 

14 years. 

Me & Be 

230 Vo Thi Sau, D3 

40 Ton That Tung, D1 

141D Phan Dang Luu, Phu Nhuan 

246 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3 

101-103 Khanh Hoi, D4 

287A Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan 

The closest thing to Mothercare the city 

has to offer. Stocks a substantial range 

of apparel for babies including bottles 

and sterilizers, cots (including travel cots), 

clothing, toys, safety equipment and 

more, all at reasonable prices. 

Me Oi 

1B Ton That Tung, D1 

A small shop adjacent to the maternity 

hospital bursting at the seams with everything 

you need for your baby. Clothing, 

footwear, bottles, nappies, nappy bags 

and toys all at reasonable prices. 

CLOTHES 

Debenhams 

Vincom Center, 70 - 72 Le Thanh Ton, 

District 1 

A superb range of unique and beautiful 

clothing for young children (from newborns 

to 12 years old) imported brand 

from UK. High to mid-range prices. 

DLS Paris 



Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1 

Vincom Center, 70/72 Le Thanh Ton, 

D1 

A superb range of unique and beautiful 

clothing for young children (from newborns 

to pre-school age) at high to midrange 

prices. The quality compensates 

for the price. Bedding, baby equipment 

and furniture and organic and natural 

supplies also kept in stock. 

Ninh Khuong 

44 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3824 7456 

www.ninhkhuong.vn 

Well-known hand-embroidered children’s 

clothing brand using 100% cotton. Newborn 

to 10 years old (girl) and fourteen 

years old (boy). Also stocking home 

linens. Prices are reasonable. 

EDUCATION 

ABC International School 

2,1E Street, KDC Trung Son, Binh Hung, 

Binh Chanh Tel: 5431 1833 

abcintschoolss@vnn.vn 

www.theabcis.com 

UK standards-based curriculum awards 

diploma with IGCSE’s & A Levels certified 

by Cambridge Universit examinations 

board. From playgroup to pre-university 

matriculation. Served by 80+ British 

teachers. Good facilities and extra-curricular 

activities. 

ACG International School 

East West Highway, An 

Phu, D2 

Tel: 3747 1234 

www.acgedu.com 

Part of the Academic Colleges Group’s 

international network of schools, ACG 

offers comprehensive education from 

kindergarten to senior high school and a 

range of extracurricular activities. International 

curricula (IB PYP and Cambridge 

International Examinations). 

64 asialife HCMC

tion Studies grade 12 curriculum. Wellresourced 

classrooms, highly trained 

and experienced expatriate teachers, 

outfitted for academic, sport, creative 

activities. 

British International 

School 

Primary Campus 

43 - 45 Tu Xuong, D3 

225 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 

Secondary Campus 

246 Nguyen Van Huong, D2 

Tel: 3744 2335 

www.bisvietnam.com 

With campuses all over the city and 

expansion underway, BIS offers a 

mixture of both English and International 

curricula-based education alongside 

excellent facilities and extra-curricular 

activities. Senior students follow the 

IGCSE and IB programmes. 

ERC 

86-88-92 Huynh Van Banh, 

Phu Nhuan 

Tel: 6292 9288 

www.erci.edu.vn 

ERC Vietnam is a member of ERCI Singapore. 

Founded by a group of successful 

business leaders around Asia Pacific. 

Our primary objective is to groom and 

mentor a new generation of business 

leaders in Vietnam equipped with skills 

to analyze and solve real-world business 

challenges of today. 

German International 

School 

257 Hoang Van Thu, Tan 

Binh 

Tel: 7300 7247 

www.gis.vn 

A bilingual English and German school, 

supported by the Federal Republic of 

Germany, where children can learn 

subjects in both languages. The curriculum 

follows the National Curriculum 

of Germany, which provides students the 

assurance they can enter or re-enter the 

German Education System at any time. 

Horizon International Bilingual 

School HCMC 

6 Street 44, D2 

Te: 5402 2482 

www.hibsvietnam.com 

The only bilingual international school 

offering dormitories for their students. 

Located in the most prestigious area 

in HCMC offering from kindergarten up 

to grade 12. The school apply 100% 

Vietnamese curriculum, MOET as well as 

an intensive English program. HIBS also 

has 2 campuses in centre Hanoi. 

International School 

HCMC 

28 Vo Truong Toan, D2 

Tel: 3898 9100 

www.ishcmc.com 

One of 136 schools around the world to 

be accredited as an IB World School. 

Offers all three of the IB programmes from 

primary through to grade 12. The school 

is fully accredited by CIS and NEASC 

and has a strong focus on community 

spirit and fosters an awareness of other 

languages and cultures. 

KinderStar Kindergarten 

08 Dang Dai Do, Phu My Hung, D7 

Tel: 5411 8118/9 

Offering bilingual preschool program with 

capacity up to 900 students with the 

most updated international standard. 

The Little Genius International 

Kindergarten 

102 My Kim, Phu My Hung, D7 


Kindergarten with U.S.-accredited curriculum, 

modern facilities and 

attractive school grounds. 

Montessori International School 

International Program 

42/1 Ngo Quang Huy, D2 

Tel: 3744 2639 

Bilingual Program 

28 Street 19, KP 5, An Phu, D2 

Tel: 6281 7675 

www.montessori.edu.vn 

Montessori utilizes an internationally recognized 

educational method which focuses on 

fostering the child’s natural desire to learn. 

The aim is to create an encouraging environment 

conducive to learning by developing a 

sense of self and individuality. A wide array 

of curriculum/extra-curricular activities are 

on offer including Bilingual programs. 

Renaissance International School 

74 Nguyen Thi Thap, D7 

Tel: 3773 3171 

www.rissaigon.edu.vn 

IB World school, one of Vietnam’s international 

schools operating within the framework 

of the British system. RISS provide a 

high quality English medium education in 

a stimulating, challenging and supportive 

environment. The purpose built, modern 

campus has excellent facilities. 

RMIT 

702 Nguyen Van Linh, D7 

Tel: 3776 1369 

Australian university located in District 7, 

offers a highly regarded MBA and undergraduate 

courses in various fields. 

Saigon South International School 

Nguyen Van Linh Parkway, D7 

Tel: 5413 0901 

www.ssis.edu.vn 

An International school environment offering 

an American/international program 

in a large, spacious campus, to children 

from age 3 to grade 12. Great facilities, 

extra-curricular activities and internationally 

trained teachers giving unique opportunities 

to learn. 

Singapore International School (SIS) 

No.29, Road No.3, Trung Son Residential 

Area, Hamlet 4, Binh Hung Ward, Binh 

Chanh District 

Tel: 5431 7477 

44 Truong Dinh, D3 

Tel: 3932 2807 

Ground floor, Somerset Chancellor Court, 

21 - 23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1. Tel: 

3827 2464 

The Manor, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh 

Thanh. Tel: 3514 3036 

www.kinderworld.net 

Students play and learn in an environment 

where the best of Western and Eastern 

cultures amalgamate to prepare Kinder- 

World’s students for today’s challenging 

world drawn from both the Singapore and 

Australian curriculum. The school offers International 

Certifications such as the iPSLE, 

IGCSE and GAC. 

ENTERTAINMENT 

Gymboree Play & Music 

Somerset Chancellor Court 


Tel: 3827 7008 

www.gymboreeclasses.com.vn 

The Gymboree Play & Music offers children 

from newborn to 5 years old the opportunity 

to explore, learn and play in an innovative 

parent-child programmes. 

PARTIES 

Beatrice’s Party Shop 


A lovely little shop selling everything you 

need to throw your little ones a good party. 

A catalogue of entertainers showcases a 

number of party favourites such as magicians, 

circuses and more. 

Nguyen Ngoc Diem Phuong 

131C Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 

A curious shop stocking a range of handmade 

fancy dress costumes such as 

masks, superman outfits and much more. 

The stock changes seasonally, so this is 

a good place to stock up on Halloween, 

Christmas and other holiday-specific party 

costumes. 

The Balloon Man 

Tel: 3990 3560 

Does exactly as his name suggests – balloons. 

Great service has earned this chap 

a reputation around town for turning up 

almost instantly with a superb selection of 

balloons. Also provides helium balloons. 

almost instantly with a superb selection of 

balloons. Also provides helium balloons. 

SUMMER MUSIC CONCERT 

asialife HCMC 65

listings 

living 

BUSINESS GROUPS 

AmCham 

New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1 

Business Centre, Room 323 

Tel: 3824 3562 

www.amchamvietnam.com 

AusCham 

TV Building, Suite 1A, 31A Nguyen 

Dinh Chieu, D1 Tel: 3911 0272 / 73 

/ 74 

www.auschamvn.org 

British Business Group of Vietnam 

25 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3829 8430 

execmgr@bbgv.org 

www.bbgv.org 

CanCham 



Tel: 3824 3754 

www.canchamvietnam.org 

Citi Bank 

115 Nguyen Hue 

St, D1 Tel: 3824 

2118 

Citibank Vietnam offers a wide range of 

banking services to both consumer and 

corpo-rate. Services include Corporate 

and Investment Banking, Global Transaction 

Services, and Consumer Banking. 

In Vietnam for 15 years, Citibank has a 

presence in both HCMC and Hanoi. 

Eurocham 

257 Hoang Van Thu, Tan Binh 

Tel: 3845 5528 

www.eurochamvn.org 

German Business Group 


www.gba-vietnam.org 

Singapore Business Group 

Unit 1B2, 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, 

D1 Tel: 3823 3046 

www.sbghcmc.org 

Swiss Business Association 

42 Giang Van Minh, Anh Phu, D2 

Tel: 3744 6996 

Fax: 3744 6990 

Email: sba@hcm.vnn.vn 

www.swissvietnam.com 

Hong Kong Business Association 



Tel: 3824 3757 / 3822 8888 

www.hkbav.com 

NordCham 

Bitexco Building, 19-25 Nguyen Hue, 

D1 Tel: 3821 5423 

www.nordcham.com 

CAMERAS 

Hung Hai 

75 Huynh Thuc Khang, D1 

A good place to purchase hard-to-find 

gear and some rare equipment, mainly 

auto focus lenses. 

Le Duc 

5B Huynh Tinh Cua, D3 

A shop for all your professional accessory 

needs. From lighting equipment to 

tripods and reflectors, the shop offers 

the best equipment and service in HCM 

City. 

Pham The 

11 Le Cong Kieu, D1 

An authorized service centre for Nikon 

camera that also specializes in repairing 

all camera makes. Measurement equipment 

and spare parts also available. 

Shop 46 

46 Nguyen Hue, D1 

Small shop run by photographer and 

collector. The owner’s more collectible 

pieces are pricey, but entry-level manual 

focus SLRs from the 70s and 80s are 

affordable. 

COMPUTERS 

Computer Street 

Luong Huu Khanh, D1 between Nguyen 

Thi Minh Khai and Nguyen Trai 

This stretch of District 1 is literally wall to 

wall with small shops selling computers, 

printers, monitors and everything computer 

related, more so toward the NTMK 

end of the drag. 

iCenter 

142A Vo Thi Sau, D3 

Tel: 3820 3918 

Professional, polished Apple retailer and 

repair centre with an attractive showroom 

featuring some of the latest in accessories 

and audio. English-speakers on staff. 

Honours Apple service plans. 

Future World 


Authorized reseller of Apple computers 

and products, as well as some off-brand 

items like headphones. Excellent service 

and English-speaking staff. Accepts 

credit cards. 

Phong Vu Computer 

264C Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 

Tel: 3933 0762 

www.vitinhphongvu.com 

The biggest and busiest of the PC 

stores in town. Known for good, efficient 

service, in-house maintenance and aftersales 

repair on the second floor. 

SYS Vi Tinh Saigon 

96C Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D1 

www.vtsaigon.com 

A superb place with an excellent 

reputation for after-sales service with 

competent English speaking staff and 

a wide range of products and services. 

Freeware and shareware also available 

on the store website. 

CONSULTING 

Concetti 

33 Dinh Tien Hoang, D1 Tel: 3911 1480 

www.concetti-vn.com 

Consulting and research company for 

technology transfer and investment. 

Embers-Asia Ltd. 

Level 9, Nam Giao Building, 80-8 Phan 

Xich Long, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3995 9163 

www.embers-asia.com 

With a focus on experiential learning, 

Embers-Asia has been creating and 

delivering high-performance training and 

development solutions for 

corporations, embassies, international 

schools and NGOs throughout Southeast 

Asia since 2002. 

Ernst & Young 

Saigon Riverside Office Center, 2A-4A 

Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3824 5252 

www.ey.com 

Professional service firm specializing in 

advisory, assurance, tax, transactions 

and strategic growth markets. 

Flamingo Corporate Services 

Tel: 2217 1662 

Email: info@flamingovn.com 

www.flamingovn.com 

Specializes in business immigration, 

providing services like visas, work and 

resident permits, police clearance, APEC 

cards, authentication and legalization of 

work experience certificates and degrees 

in Vietnam and abroad. 

finance 

Unusual Economic Indicators 

By Shane Dillon 

Can short skirts and the beauty 

of your waitress give you the 

inside scoop on the direction of 

the economy? Some economists 

think so. Maybe all you 

need to do is ask your male 

friends the last time they bought 

underwear to give you the 

advantage on the future of the 

economy. Making sense of the 

latest economic indicators has 

become less science and more 

gut. Some savvy investors are 

turning to metrics they can’t find 

on their Bloomberg terminals to 

judge the nation’s health. 

Men’s Underwear Index 

The Concept: Men will forgo 

purchasing new underwear to 

save money during hard times. 

The Proof: Even Alan Greenspan 

is on the bandwagon. 

Research firm Mintel estimated 

men’s underwear sales fell 2.3% 

in 2009, the first time since 

2003. 

Latvian Hooker Index 

The Concept: Simple supply 

and demand: during boom 

times when women can find 

better jobs, there are fewer 

hookers and hourly prices rise. 

The Proof: Latvian sex workers 

have been stuck in a rut. As 

the economy soured, rates fell 

as low as US $60 for a night’s 

work in 2009. This Baltic index 

is way more intuitive than that 

other Baltic index. 

Attractive Waitress Index 

The Concept: The more attractive 

the waitress, the closer the 

economy is to the brink. During 

boom times, physically attractive 

people can leverage their 

looks to get better paying jobs. 

The Proof: New York magazine 

thinks there’s substance to this 

concept writing extensively on it 

in 2009 in the wake of the GFC. 

Beer Consumption Index 

The Concept: Won’t be able 

to make it out to that bar after 

work? Apparently you aren’t 

alone. Consumers often try 

to save money by drinking at 

home, sending pub sales and 

jobs into a tizzy. 

The Proof: In Europe, 73% of 

jobs tied to the beer industry 

are outside breweries. These 

include jobs at bars and restaurants. 

From 2008 through 2010, 

employment in the beer industry 

fell 12% versus 2% for Europe 

as a whole. Surely austerity 

measures feel much harder 

without that drink. 

Popcorn Index 

The Concept: To escape the 

doldrums of reality, consumers 

flock to cinemas to see Jason 

Bourne and Harry Potter, regardless 

of the movie’s quality. 

The Proof: The box office 

posted one of its biggest years 

during the 2009 recession, 

before plateauing as markets 

eased. If there’s a double-dip, 

expect popcorn sales to be up 

again. 

Shane Dillon is a partner at 

Total Wealth Management. He 

welcomes your questions or 

comments at shane.dillon@twm.com. 

66 asialife HCMC

Grant Thornton 

Saigon Trade Centre, 37 Ton Duc 

Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 9100 

www.gt.com.vn 

International business advisors specializing 

in auditing, management consulting, 

corporate finance, risk management and 

information technology. 

IF Consulting 

IBC Building, 3rd Floor 

1A Me Linh Square, D1 

4th Floor, 5 Ba Trieu 

Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi 

Tel: 3827 7362 Fax: 3827 7361 

Email: pascal@insuranceinvietnam.com 

Private insurance and finance. 

Indochine Councel 

Han Nam Building, 65 Nguyen Du, D1 

Tel: 3823 9640 

www.indochinecounsel.com 

Business law firm specializing in legal 

services to corporate clients in relation 

to their business and investment in 

Vietnam. 

Inspired Image 

42/2A Ho Hao Hon, D1 

Tel: 091 635 2573 

www.inspiredimage.co.uk 

Image consultant and personal stylist. 

Previous clients include business leaders, 

TV presenters and busy professionals. 

International Management Initiative 

for Vietnam (IMIV) 

info@imiv.org 

www.imiv.org 

The International Management Initiative 

for Vietnam (IMIV), a non-profit initiative 

within VinaCapital Foundation that 

promotes excellence in business leadership 

and management by bringing to 

Vietnam proven international executive 

education and professional development 

programmes. 

Phuong Nguyen Consulting 

TPC Business Center, 92-96 Nguyen 

Hue, D1 Tel: 3829 2391 

www.pnp-consulting.com 

Specializing in business facilitation, 

conferences, education counselling, 

market-entry research and IT/business 

consulting. 

Prism Information Technology 

Services 

Level 4, YOCO Building, 41 Nguyen Thi 

Minh Khai, D1 Tel: 3829 6416 

info@prism.com.vn 

A foreign-owned information and communications 

technology company that 

offers value-added IT solutions. Enables 

local businesses to attain and maintain 

international IT standards to be more 

competitive in the marketplace. 

Rouse & Co. International 

Abacus Tower, 58 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, 

D1 Tel: 3823 6770 

www.iprights.com 

Global intellectual property firm providing 

a full range of IP services including patent 

and trade mark agency services. 

Star Management Limited 

92-96 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3897 2765 

www.starlimited.com 

Business advisory services for companies 

investing in Vietnam, business project 

advancement and a range of business 

development services. 

TMF Vietnam Company Limited 

Unit 501, 5th Floor, Saigon Trade Center 

37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 

Tel: 3910 2262 ext. 113 

Fax: 3910 0590 

www.tmf-group.com 

With headquarters in Amsterdam and 

Rotterdam, TMF Vietnam specializes in 

accounting outsourcing and consulting. 

PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNING 

Total Wealth Management 

66/11 Pham Ngoc Thach, D3 

Tel: 3820 0623 

www.t-wm.com 

Specialists in selecting and arranging 

tax-efficient savings and pension plans 

for expatriates. Offers councel on private 

banking services, wealth protection in 

offshore jurisdictions, currency risks and 

hedging strategies. 

Towers Watson Vietnam (formerly 

Watson Wyatt and SMART HR) 

Sun Wah Tower, 115 Nguyen Hue, Suite 

808, D1 

Tel: 3821 9488 

Global HR consulting firm specializing in 

executive compensation, talent management, 

employee rewards and surveys, 

HR effectiveness and technology, data 

services and total rewards surveys. 

Chieu 

Stock up on shower heads, kitchen 

supplies (juicer, spatula, grater, etc.), 

coat racks, clothes hangers, pots, 

pans, champagne flutes, bowls, 

coolers, trash bins, ironing boards, 

magazine racks and the like. 

Chau Loan 

213 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3825 7991 

Gallery based in a colonial shophouse 

stocking mainly Vietnamese-themed oil 

paintings and images of Buddha. Also 

deals in better-known reproductions. 

Decosy 

112 Xuan Thuy, D2 

Tel: 6281 9917 

Producer of a large selection of 

European styled furniture and interior 

fittings, specializing in wrought iron 

and patine (distressed) wood finishes. 

Also stocks a wide-range of decorative 

accessories, crockery and fixtures. 

Custom design services available upon 

request. 

Dogma 

175 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3836 0488 

www.dogmavietnam.com 

Located upstairs from Saigon Kitsch, this 

art gallery deals in Vietnamese propaganda 

posters, apparel, accessories and 

random paraphernalia. Large prints are 

sold at USD $60 each and small prints 

cost $25. 

Mekong-Quilts 

64 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 

Tel: 3914 2119 

www.mekong-quilts.org 

NGO enterprise specializes in quilts and 

sells a range of appealing handmade 

products created by underprivileged 

women in Binh Thuan Province. 

Mekong Creations 

64 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 

DECOR 

Antique Street 

Le Cong Kieu Street, D1 between Nguyen 

Thai Binh and Pho Duc Chinh 

A variety of antiques and faux antiques 

from Thailand, China and Vietnam 

including silverware, compasses, lighters, 

brass knockers, urns, vases, abacuses, 

religious and pagan statues, candlestick 

holders, furniture and watches. 

Asian Fish 


Boutique-style arts and crafts store selling 

locally made gifts and souvenirs, all designed 

by the Japanese owner. Products 

include clothing, bags, crockery, sandals, 

chopsticks and jewellery. 

Aquarium Street 

Nguyen Thong Street, D3 between Vo 

Thi Sau and Ly Chinh Thang 

Dedicated street has everything one 

needs to display fish: tanks, decor, feed, 

filters and the fish themselves. 

Budget Housewares Street 

Corner of Pasteur and Nguyen Dinh 

asialife HCMC 67

people matter 

Educated, or Just Graduated 

By Gary Woollacott 

Are you lucky enough to have 

had the opportunity to be 

educated overseas, and now 

you’re back, showing off your 

shiny new degree, looking 

to get a great job? We see 

a fair amount of people like 

you – and we are usually 

interested to talk with you 

about prospective employers. 

But sometimes our excitement 

can turn to disappointment 

when we realise that 

although you have graduated 

(with a certificate to prove it) 

you haven’t actually become 

educated. 

Let me explain. Many 

people study and go through 

the motions – they turn up, 

listen to the lecturers, do the 

coursework and take the final 

exams. They pass, they get 

their certificate and they think 

that's it. But that's just turning 

up and doing the minimum. 

A real education starts with 

intellectual curiosity about the 

subject being studied and 

then seeking to take on board 

as much as possible on that 

topic. 

It’s so refreshing to meet 

people with a natural curiosity 

about things, whether 

it’s about people and their 

motivations, the natural world, 

the arts, science, or whatever. 

Imagine what it must be like 

to teach people like that, 

how rewarding it must be, 

instead of reciting a textbook 

to drones who simply write it 

down – and I know, my first 

economics teacher did just 

that. Luckily my level of intellectual 

curiosity far exceeded 

his ability to diminish it. I 

outlasted his course and went 

on to study more. 

So, if you are studying 

now, don’t just sit there and 

pretend to be interested. 

Find something you can get 

excited about and focus on 

that. If you have completed 

your studies and think you 

might have fallen into that category, 

perhaps take a course 

(it doesn’t have to be a full 

degree) in something you feel 

passionate about. 

For those who have finished 

studies and are working 

full time, the same principles 

apply – you won’t be progressing 

within your organisation 

unless you’re seen to be 

engaged and contributing. 

As recruiters we want to see 

some passion about something, 

and for sure employers 

do too. To be blunt, we’re the 

gatekeepers, so if you don’t 

get past us you won’t be seeing 

our client. 

As usual, let me know if 

you have any particular topic 

you would like to see covered 

here. 

Gary Woollacott is the CEO of 

Opus executive search in Vietnam 

and Thailand. He can be 

reached at +84 8 3827 8209 

or via gary@opusasia.net. 

Opus is a partner of Horton 

International. 

Tel: 3914 2119 

www.mekong-quilts.org 

NGO enterprise specializes in quilts and 

sells a range of appealing handmade 

products created by underprivileged 

women in Binh Thuan Province. 

Minh Boutique 

15 Nguyen Thiep, D1 

Lacquerware pieces, tea boxes, teapot 

warmers, ice buckets and sake drinking 

sets all handmade in Vietnam. Also sells 

a range of silverware, egg holders and 

ice tongs. 

OUT-2 STUDIO 

L6 Fafilm annex 


STUDIO@OUT-2.com 

www.out-2.com 

Studio space for independent designers 

to showcas their wares, sell their work 

and meet with clients. Open Monday t 

Saturday 10 am to 6 pm. 

Phuong Mai 

213C Dong Khoi 

www.phuongmai-gallery.com 

Gallery specializing in original oils by 

Vietnamese artists. The works here are a 

mish-mash of styles but do contain some 

standouts, particularly well-known local 

artists La Hon, Quy Tam and Pham Trinh. 

Sapa 


Offers a better selection of hill tribe 

handicrafts than most of its rivals. 

Concentrates mainly on the hand-woven 

clothing of the indigenous tribespeople of 

the region. There is also a line in ladies’ 

shoes and the standard range of silk 

wraps and bags. 

Unity 

12 Dang Tran Con, D1 

Tel: 3823 9375 

info@unitycompany.com 

www.facebook.com/unitycompany 

Located opposite Galaxy cinema, Unity 

offers accessories that are designed to 

seamlessly blend in with your life. Familiar 

basics are given a contemporary update 

with the use of modern, alternative materials 

like silicone, rubber, and brushed 

aluminum. From orbital lamps and 

eggshell-white china, to wire-clasped 

water bottles, each individual piece 

complements the others in the collection 

to give your home a sense of Unity. 

ELECTRONICS 

Hi End Audio 


A standout that stocks the very latest 

and greatest in home entertainment. 

Retails in everything from giant plasmascreen 

TVs to audio equipment. Most 

top brands are available. 

iDEAS Shopping Centre 

133-141AB Cach Mang Thang Tam, D3 

The largest of the electonics stores 

along the street, the three-storey iDEAS 

sells every type of electronic and home 

appliance imaginable. Offers proper warranties. 

Staff speaks some English. 

Nguyen Kim Shopping Centre 

63-65 Tran Hung Dao, D1 

Tel: 3821 1211 

www.nguyenkim.com 

Stocks DVD/CD players, cameras, 

TVs, hi-fis and more from Sony, Sanyo, 

Panasonic, Philips and other major 

manufacturers. Also a good place to pick 

up electronic kitchen supplies like coffee 

makers and rice cookers, as well as large 

and small appliances, from hot water 

heaters to regrigerators. 

Phong Vu 

125 Cach Mang Thang Tam, D1 

Tel: 6290 8777 

www.vitinphongvu.com 

Two-storey electronics store retails in 

international products conveniently 

grouped by brand. Carries computers, 

home audio, printers, hard drives and 

more, as well as a variety of mobile 

phones, handheld electronic devices and 

accessories. 

Savico 

117 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 3821 7993 

One-stop electronics and home appliance 

superstore. All products have a one 

to three-year warranty. 

Tech Street 

Huynh Thuc Khang Street between Ton 

That Dam and Nguyen Hue, D1 

Sells compact discs, DVDs, electronic 

money counters, video games and 

systems, Discmans, mp3 players and 

portable DVD players. 

FURNITURE 

Appeal 

41 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3821 5258 

A small, upscale shop that offers modern 

accents for the sleek dining room. The 

colours of the over-sized vases and 

fruit bowls are either glistening red or 

lacquered black. 

AustinHome 

20 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3519 0023 

Outstanding quality and style for your 

home. The shop says its products are 

hand-picked by an American furniture 

expert from the best factories in Vietnam. 

Upholstery, accessories, antiques and 

more. 

Catherine Denoual 

15C Thi Sach, D1 Tel: 3823 9394 

Beautiful showroom with clean lines and 

a sumptuous array of bedroom products 

including bedside lamps, linens, pillowcases 

and duvet covers. 

Decosy 

112 Xuan Thuy, D2 

Tel: 6281 9917 

Producer of a large selection of European 

styled furniture and interior fittings, 

specializing in wrought iron and patine 

(distressed) wood finishes. Also stocks 

a wide-range of decorative accessories, 

crockery and fixtures. Custom design 

services available upon request. 

Esthetic 

11 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh 

Tel: 3514 7371/7372 

Fax: 3514 7370 

esthetic@vnn.vn 

www.estheticfurnishing.com.vn 

Design and manufacture as order with a 

mixture of antique and modern furniture. 

Friendly staff speak excellent English. 

Furniture Outlet 

3A Ton Duc Thang, D1 

Tel: 2243 7955/3911 0104 

Wide selection of well-crafted and carefully 

constructed pine wood pieces at 

good prices, aimed at customers craving 

a taste of Europe. 

Furniture Street 

Ngo Gia Tu, D10 between Ly Thai To 

and Nguyen Chi Thanh 

Very affordable furniture can be found on 

this stretch: couches, mattresses, desks, 

chairs, etc. It often takes some looking to 

find a gem. A connected sidestreet, Ba 

Hat, features woodworkers’ shops. 

Gaya 

1 Nguyen Van Trang, D1 

Tel: 3925 1495 

www.gayavietnam.com 

Four-floor store featuring the work of 

foreign designers: home accessories and 

outdoor furniture by Lawson Johnston, 

linens by Corinne Leveilley-Dadda, 

furniture and lighting by Quasar Khanh, 

laquerware decor by Michele De Albert 

and furniture and decor by vivekkevin. 

LINH‘S WHITE 

37 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 6281 9863 

Furniture shop that focuses on solid 

wood furniture and decorative items 

ranging from pillows and lamps to 

68 asialife HCMC

edding. Also offers kids’ furniture and 

custom pieces. 

Rare Decor 


137/1 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh 

Tel: 3840 6304/5 

Leading home furnishings company in 

Vietnam, supplying high quality, unique 

products. Also offer custom made 

furniture, accessories and lighting for 

commercial projects and home use. 

Remix Deco 


Tel: 3930 4190 

www.remixdeco.com 

Boutique furniture store in sprawling white 

with modern furniture including sofas, 

tables and seating from around the world. 

Featured designers include Le Corbusier, 

Ray & Charles Eames, Philippe Starck 

and Ludwig Mies Van der Rhode. 

The Furniture Warehouse 

3B Ton Duc Thang, D1 

Tel: 6657 0788 

namtran121@yahoo.com, ttpnam@ 

webtnl.com 

Offers a range of reasonably priced Italian, 

European and French colonial sofas, 

indoor/outdoor wooden furniture, lighting 

and interior décor, as well as custom 

designs based on clients’ specifications. 

The Lost Art 

31 Nguyen Cong Tru, D1 

Tel: 3829 0134 

Extensive product range as well as 

comprehensive interior design service, 

from initial conceptualization to design, 

manufacture and installation of unique 

products. 

Tran Duc Homes 

47-49-51 Phung Khac Khoan, D1 

Tel: 7300 0777 

B2-25, Vincom Center, 70-72 Le Thanh 

Ton, D1 Tel: 3993 9700 

Wood solutions partner for high-end residential 

and resort projects. Experienced 

in manufacturing and installing wooden 

modular housing, interior fittings and contemporary 

indoor and outdoor furniture. 

LEGAL 

Allens Arthur Robinson 

Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1 

Tel: 3822 1717 

www.vietnamlaws.com 

Australian law firm for law translation 

services and legal advice on foreign 

investment and business in Vietnam. 

Baker & McKenzie 


Tel: 3829 5585 

www.bakernet.com 

International law firm providing on-theground 

liaison and support services 

to clients interested in investigating, 

negotiating and implementing projects 

in Vietnam. 

Frasers International 


Tel: 3824 2733 

www.frasersvn.com 

Full service commercial law firm providing 

international and Vietnamese legal advice 

to both foreign and local clients specializing 

in transactions in Vietnam. 

Indochine Counsel 

Han Nam Building, 65 Nguyen Du, D1 

Tel: 3823 9640 

www.indochinecounsel.com 

Business law practitioners specializing 

in mergers & acquistions, inward investment, 

and securities & capital markets. 

Limcharoen, Hughes and Glanville 

Havana Tower, 132 Ham Nghi, D1 

Tel: 6291 7000 

www.limcharoen.com 

Full service international law firm with 

head office in Thailand. Main focus on 

real estate in Asia. 

Lucy Wayne & Associates 

www.lwavietnam.com 

Law firm providing legal services across 

the board from entertainment and 

environmental law to health care and real 

estate. 

Phillips Fox 


Tel: 3822 1717 

Full service law firm providing legal 

services in healthcare, education, crime, 

banking and hospitality among others. 

Pricewaterhousecoopers Legal 


Tel: 3823 0796 

www.pwc.com/vn 

Part of a network of international legal 

and financial advisors, PWC gives both 

specialist and general legal advice with a 

focus on mutli-territory projects. 

Rödl & Partner 

Somerset Chancellor Court 


Tel: 3824 4225 

www.roedl.com 

European legal firm assisting foreign 

investors with structuring/establishing 

companies, investment projects, and 

mergers & acquistions. 

LIGHTING 

Luxury Light 

1483 My Toan 1, Nguyen Van Linh, 

Phu My Hung, D7 

For those who really want to bring a 

touch of luxury to their homes, this place 

deals with Italian imported lighting from 

the ultra - modern to the traditional 

Murano style chandeliers. Extremely expensive 

reflecting the quality of the design 

and workmanship. 

Mosaique 


One of the best and most diverse selections 

of lamps in town with everything 

LINH‘S WHITE 

PLEASANT LIVING MINIMALISM 

37 THAO DIEN 

(OPPOSITE AN PHU SUPERMARKET) 

67 XUAN THUY - DISTRICT 2 

PHONE: (84) - 62819863 

- 62818488 

E : linhnguyen@hbdecor.com.vn - www.linhfurniture.com 

asialife HCMC 69

style for gents 

The Hat Pack 

By Brett Davis 

I know, I know, we are all 

probably a bit over talking 

about the TV show Mad Men 

in terms of its fashion sense 

and evocation of a certain 

sophisticated, urban style of 

the time. However, it is a useful 

jumping off point for what I 

want to talk about, so just deal 

with it. 

I’m talking about hats. 

Those sharp, snap brim fedoras 

that Don Draper and his 

colleagues sport in between 

drinking whisky, closing deals 

and bedding secretaries. 

Popularised in the latter part 

of the 19th century, this staple 

of male fashion remained in 

vogue right through the 60s 

and in some cases beyond. 

For certain generations, it 

was unthinkable for a man 

of any standing to be seen 

in public without one. For 

instance, I never saw my 

grandfather leave the house 

without a hat. Ever. During the 

1970s though, the hat quickly 

became obsolete as people 

began to take more liberties 

with hairstyles. I guess it is 

difficult to rock a kick-ass ‘fro 

and a hat at the same time. 

Given the recent warm 

weather here in Saigon, it 

had me thinking as to why 

hats aren’t worn more often. 

These days they seem to be 

something confined to the 

weekend, or when you do 

things like play golf. Most of us 

are out and about during the 

working week, and there is an 

undeniable health benefit. 

I say this coming from the 

state of Queensland in Australia, 

the skin cancer capital of 

the world and a place with a 

climate not dissimilar to here. 

Yet even there, where decades 

of public education campaigns 

have taught us to ‘slap on a 

hat’, headwear for a man on 

his way to work at the office is 

an uncommon sight. 

There have been a few 

instances in the last couple 

of decades where the hat 

has threatened to make a 

comeback, usually because of 

some pop culture instigation. 

The pork pie hat, a version 

of the fedora with a rounded 

crown and flat brim, had a 

short resurgence after Gene 

Hackman wore one in The 

French Connection. UK bands 

like Madness also did their bit 

in the 1980s. 

In the last few years the 

tilby-style hat has become 

popular with the Gen-Y crowd. 

These hats have a very narrow 

brim snapped down at the 

front and slightly raised at the 

back. These days they are often 

made from lighter materials 

such as straw or straw-nylon 

blends. The greater versatility 

in materials and colours 

has meant the trilby is now 

as much an accessory for the 

girls as it is for guys. 

Sadly though, like the 

opening credits of Mad Men, 

it looks like the hat as a gentleman’s 

fundamental has fallen 

off the edge of the fashion 

office block. 

from the ordinary decorative lotus silk 

lamp to more inventive and original 

designs in lacquer and silk. 

MOTORBIKES 

Bike City 

480D Nguyen Thi Thap, D7 

Luxury motorcycle shop carries a range 

of accessories, including apparel. Sells 

Vemar helmets, a brand that passes 

rigorous European Union standards. 

Protec Helmets 

18bis/3A Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1 

248C Phan Dinh Phung, Phu Nhuan 

417B Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3 

American nonprofit manufacturer makes 

helmets with densely compressed polystyrene 

shell with ABS, PVC or fiberglass 

exterior, available with polycarbonate 

shatter-proof shield. Options for kids. 

Zeus Helmets 

Founded in Taiwan to manufacture cool, 

comfortable helmets that meet worldwide 

safety standards. Basic models 

feature thermo-injected shells constructed 

from lightweight ABS composite with 

interiors lined with moisture-absorbant 

brushed nylon. 

REAL ESTATE 

CB Richard Ellis 

Me Linh Point Tower, 2 Ngo Duc Ke, 

D1 

Tel: 3824 6125 

www.cbre.com 

International property consultants and 

developers with both commercial and 

private properties for sale, lease and 

rent. 

Diamond Plaza 

34 Le Duan Street 

Tel: 3822 1922 

lntdung@diamondplaza.com.vn 

Located in the heart of District 1, connected 

to Diamond PLaza. Services 

1- to 4-bedroom apartments with gym, 

swimming pool and panoramic views 

of the city. 

InterContinental Asiana 

Saigon Residences 

Corner of Hai Ba Trung & Nguyen Du, 


saigon@interconti.com 

www.intercontinental.com/saigonres 

Contemporary residential space in the 

heart of the major business and cultural 

area in District 1. There are 260 one, 

two or three-bedroom units plus health 

club and outdoor swimming pool. 

Namhouse 

Corporation 

48A Tran Ngoc 

Dien, Thao Dien, D2 

Tel: 0989 007 700, 0989 115 511 

www.namhouse.com.vn 

Provides rental properties, construction 

services and interior decorating. 

Supports professional services and 

after-sales. 

Riverside Apartments 

53 Vo Truong Toan, D2 

Tel: 3744 4111 

www.riverside-apartments.com 

One of the first luxury serviced apartments 

in town located next to the 

Saigon River set in lush tropical gardens. 

Savills Viet Nam 

Level 18, Fideco Tower, 81-85 Ham 

Nghi, D1 Tel: 823 9205 

www.savills.com.vn 

Savills Viet Nam is a property service 

provider that has been established in 

Vietnam since 1995 offering research, 

advisory services, residential sales, 

commercial leasing, asset management, 

retail advisory, valuation, investment 

advisory and more. 

Sherwood Residence 

127 Pasteur St., D3 

Tel: 3823 2288 

Fax: 3823 9880 

Hotline: 0917470058 

leasing@sherwoodresidence.com 

www.sherwoodresidence.com 

Sherwood Residence is a luxury 

serviced apartment property and the 

first property certified by the Vietnam 

National Administration of Tourism. 

Modern living spaces meet prime 

location, comfort and class with 

5-star facilities and service. 

Snap 

Tel: 0989 816 676 

www.snap.com.vn 

Online Real Estate service providing 

information on rental properties 

exclusively in District 2. Full listings 

online. 

RECRUITMENT 

HR2B / Talent Recruitment JSC 

Thien Son Building, 5 Nguyen Gia 

Thieu, D3 Tel: 3930 8800 

www.hr2b.com 

HR consulting advises businesses on 

how to improve employee productivity. 

The search team specializes in 

matching senior level Vietnamese 

professionals and managers to top 

level opportunities in both major 

cities. 

Opus Vietnam 

2A Rolanno Offices, 128 Nguyen 

Phi Khanh, D1 Tel: 3827 8209 

www.opusasia.net 

Established in HCMC in 2005, Opus 

services local and multinational 

companies seeking to recruit high 

quality personnel. An Associate 

of Horton International, one of the 

world’s leading search groups with 

over 30 offices worldwide. For more 

info contact info@opusasia.net. 

RELOCATION AGENTS 

Allied Pickfords 

Satra Building, Room 202, 58 Dong 

Khoi, D1 Tel: 08 3823 3454 

Kevin.hamilton@alliedpickfords. 

com.vn 

http://vn.alliedpickfords.com 

Moving and relocating services 

company specializing in business 

and office moves. Overseas and 

specialist movers also available. 

Crown Worldwide 

Movers 

48A Huynh Man 

Dat, Binh Thanh 

Tel: 3823 4127 

www.crownrelo.com 

International moving company serving 

diplomats and private customers, 

employees and expats, providing 

domestic and iternational transportation 

of household, office and 

industrial goods. 

Santa Fe Relocation 

Services 

Thien Son Building, 5 

Nguyen Gia Thieu, D3 

Tel: 3933 0065 

www.santaferelo.com 

Provides a range of services including 

home/school search, language/ 

cultural training, tenancy management 

and immigration/visa support. 

STATIONERY 

Fahasa 

40 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3822 5796 

Bookstore chain carries an expansive 

stock of office and home 

stationary; a one-stop shop for basic 

needs. 

Pi-Channel 

45B Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3822 

0253 

www.pi-channel.com 

Boutique shop carries up-market 

collections of pens and notepads, as 

well as desktop organisers, clocks, 

calendars and frames. Corporate 

services offered. 

70 asialife HCMC

listings 

fashion 

ACCESSORIES 

Accessorize 


D1 

www.monsoon.co.uk/icat/accessorize 

Fashion-forward accessories including 

necklaces, handbags, wallets, flip-flops, 

sunglasses, hair accessories, belts and 

more. 

Alfred Dunhill 


A timeless style in male luxury providing 

formal and casual mens accesories 

tailored for the discerning man. Also 

stocking handcrafted leather goods. 

Anupa Boutique 

17/27 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3825 

7307 

anupaboutiquevietnam@anupa.net 

The ever-changing boutique retails in 

the elegant design of anupa accessories 

made from high-quality leather. Collections 

available range from men, women, 

executive, travel, spa, yoga, board 

games, boxes and semi-precious stone 

jewellery. Collection changes on weekly 

basis. Also carries toys, stationery, 

Unitdot Bamboo eye wear, Ella Charlotte 

scarves and ladies' apparel brand 

Things of Substance. 

Bally 

Rex Hotel, 141 Nguyen Hue, D1 


www.experience.bally.com 

Flagship store in the Rex Hotel providing 

luxury Italian-made accessories for men. 

Among these are shoes, belts, wallets 

and a collection of male jewellery. 

Banana 

128 Ly Tu Trong, D1 

Women’s accessories and more, from 

bags, clutches and belts to clothes and 

jewellery, all at reasonable prices. 

Cartier 

Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan 

This well-known designer brand displays 

a wide range of accessories for men. 

Famous for its watches, Cartier also 

stocks pens, key rings, belts and 

sunglasses. 

Cincinati 

177P Dong Khoi, D1 

www.cincinati.vn 

info@cincinati.vn 

Vietnamese brand of genuine leather 

bags, shoes, accessories and personal 

goods for men and women: notebooks 

for a classic vagabond look. Quality 

leather from crocodile, horse, snake and 

fish made by local craftsmanship. 

Cleo-Pearls 

30 Nguyen Dang Giai, An Phu, D2 

Tel: 091 3587 690 

Jewellery designer Birgit Maier operates 

Cleo-Pearls from her home, specializing 

in necklaces, bracelets, earrings, key 

holders and bag accessories. All pieces 

created with gemstones, fresh water 

pearls and beads. 

Coconut 


Bags of all shapes and sizes rule the 

roost in this small shop. Made of silk and 

embroidered to the brim, these unique 

bags start at about USD $30, and many 

are suitable for both day and night. 

Creation 

105 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3829 5429 

A two-storey shop selling scarves, intricate 

handbags (from USD $30), tailormade 

silk dresses and tops. Has a wide 

range of materials on the second floor. 

Gallery vivekkevin 

FAFILM Building, 6 Thai Van Lung, D1 

Tel: 6291 3709 

info@vivekkevin.com 

www.galeryvivekkevin.com 

Handcrafted pendants, necklaces, rings 

and bracelets. The gallery’s focus is on 

design, craftsmanship and finish, as well 

as educating clients on the intricacies of 

each piece. 

Gucci 

88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 6688 

Located on the main shopping street in 

HCMC, this flagship store brings Florentine 

fashion to an array of luxury leather 

goods such as briefcases, luggage and 

a selection of men’s shoes for office or 

more casual occasions. 

Ipa-Nima 

71 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 3652 


Well-known Hanoi-based fashion brand. 

Founder Christina Yu is a former lawyer 

turned designer who produces eclectic 

and eye-catching handbags. Also stocks 

costume jewellery and shoes. 

J. Silver 

803 Nguyen Van Linh Parkway, D7 

Tel: 5411 1188 

Make a statement without being ostentatious 

with handcrafted silver jewellery 

from the boutique store. Expect big, 

interesting pieces that are simple yet 

glamorous. 

Laura V Signature 

11 Dong Du, D1 

Tel: 7304 4126 

www.laurav.net 

Vintage designs aplenty with everything 

from jewellery and hair accessories to 

funky styled sunglasses, umbrellas and 

colourful maxi dresses. 

Louis Vuitton 

Opera View, 161 Dong Khoi, D1 

Tel: 3827 6318 

Designer brand name housing traditional 

craftsmanship of luxury leather goods for 

men and women. An array of bags, wallets, 

cuff links and watches are available. 

Mai O Mai 

4C Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3829 4007 

A superb little place with beautiful jewellery 

and accessories to suit all budgets. 

Silver necklaces, bracelets, rings and 

more in both classic and imaginative 

designs, as well as gorgeous handembroidered 

bags. 

Mont Blanc 

Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan 

Notable for fine writing instruments, Mont 

Blanc also houses cuff links and other 

male accessories 

Rimowa 

Level 2 OperaView Tower, 161 Dong 

Khoi, D1 Tel: 3832 6941 

hotline@rimowavietnam.com 

The German luggage maker is popular 

with a who’s who of the celebrity world. 

Their range of cases come in varying 

sizes and are made from high-tech 

materials to provide exceptional durability 

while remaining very light weight. 

Scorpion 

Vincom Center B1, 70 - 72 Le Thanh 

Ton, D1 Tel: 3993 9889 

www.scorpionbag.com 

Selling high-end leather products for 

both men and women, including shoes,

femme fashion 

handbags, belts and other accessories. 

Features a variety of leather in bright 

colors and styles. 

Tic Tac Watch Shop 

72 Dong Khoi Tel: 0838 293519 

www.tictacwatch.com 

Elegant show room displaying some 

of the world’s most recognized Swiss 

brands such as Rolex, Tag Huer, Baume 

& Marcer, Omega and Hirsch. On-site 

watch repair service and complementary 

watch evaluation available. Also carries a 

small collection of vintage Rolexes. 

women. Carries boots, sandals, pumps 

and sneakers at mid-range prices. 

Runway 


Tel: 3993 9988 

runway.sg@global-fashion.vn 

Massive and minimalist design-led interior 

lets ultra high-end designer garments 

stand out. Carries men's, women's and 

children’s clothing, swimwear, shoes, accessories 

along with home décor. Brands 

include Chloe, Marc Jacobs, Balenciaga, 

Sergio Rossi and Eres. 

The Tassel 

By Claire Jowell 

My good friend and flat mate 

has a slight obsession with 

tassels. From leather tassels 

on bags to shoes and boots 

and even clothes. She has 

a spectacular swish to her 

walk when she is wearing her 

tassels, and somehow she 

manages to pair different tasseled 

items together without 

looking like she is wearing 

your granny’s cushion, or has 

just stepped off a Texas horse 

ranch. I have now begun to 

appreciate her love for tassels, 

and found myself on the 

lookout for my own tassel bag 

to swish around with. 

Now, there are two types of 

tassels that my friend appreciates. 

The first is the tassel you 

would know from mum’s living 

room curtains, which is in fact 

is steeped in history. Tassels 

were a symbol of luxury for 

hundreds of years and were 

used in religious and military 

orders to discern rank. During 

the 16th and 17th centuries, 

tassel making was a 

prosperous business to be in 

as people were clamoring for 

this luxury accessory, which 

embodied wealth and social 

standing in Parisian society. 

‘Passementiers’ (or tassel 

makers) had to complete a 

seven year apprenticeship 

before they were able to 

become a master of one of 

the guild’s subdivisions. The 

tassel has recently made 

a comeback, and modern 

day European and American 

artisans can charge up to 

US $1,000 for a handmade 

tassel. Tassels are extremely 

versatile and can be worn as 

earrings, dangling from your 

handbag or belt, or embellishing 

your shoes. From Chanel 

to Dior to Christian Louboutin, 

tassels are popping up on 

all kinds of shoes and bags. 

And lucky for us cheapskates, 

imitations are available for 

a reasonable price at the 

Ben Thanh market. Even the 

smallest tassel can spruce 

up your outfit more than you 

would expect, and I guarantee 

you will not end up looking 

like a scatter cushion. 

The second type of tassel is 

of course the cowboy version 

(not quite as luxurious, but 

ultra cool). This sort of tassel 

originated for drying purposes 

on a cowboy’s riding getup, 

but is now purely decorative. 

I absolutely love my recently 

purchased bag with long 

flowing tassels that I picked up 

from little bag shop on Nguyen 

Huy Tu. It goes with most of 

my outfits and I am definitely 

considering making another 

cowboy tassel purchase. 

Whether they exude luxury 

or Western tradition, tassels 

are just plain trendy, and I 

recommend them to everyone. 

Add a tassel or two to your 

wardrobe! 

Tombo 


Of all the embroidered and sequined 

bags, shoes and tidbits (or “Zakka” 

shops) that can be found in Dong Khoi, 

this shop’s has products that are prettier 

than most. Shoes can be custom-made 

and the sales staff is friendly. 

Umbrella 

35 Ly Tu Trong, D1 and 4 Le Loi, D1 

Tel: 6276 2730 

www.umbrella-fashion.com 

Sophisticated boutique showcasing 

a diverse range of imported women’s 

accessories. Also houses women’s garments 

from office wear to cocktail and 

party creations. 

ACTIVE WEAR 

Roxy and Quiksilver 

Parkson Plaza, 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1 

The original active living and extreme 

sports brands, Roxy and Quiksilver products 

combine form and function. Choose 

from outdoor gear to cool indoor clothes. 

TBS Sports Centre 


This store stocks a range of good sports 

clothes and equipment from big name 

brands such as Puma, Adidas, Ecco, 

Nike and Converse. 

Volcom 


Chic and funky ladies’ apparel brand 

from America. Lots of tank tops, minis 

and shorts for day tripping with girlfriends 

or lazing on the beach. 

READY TO WEAR 

unisex 

BAM Skate Shop 

174 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 0903 641 826 

In addition to a range of decks, wheels 

and trucks, this small shop is stocked 

with bookbags, skate sneakers, track 

jackets and t-shirts emblazoned with 

your skateboard company of choice. 

FCUK 





Tel: 3914 7740 

www.frenchconnection.com 

Trendy UK brand with a selection of 

fashion-forward dresses for women and 

smart workwear and funky casual wear 

for men, all at middle-market prices. 

L’Usine 

151/1 Dong Khoi, D1 

Lifestyle store and cafe housed in a 

period building restored to evoke the 

aesthetic of an early 20th-century 

garment factory. Carries an exclusive, frequently 

refreshed line of imported men’s 

and women’s fashion, including T-shirts 

and footwear, and a range of unique 

accessories. Entrance via the street-level 

Art Arcade. 

Replay 





Wide variety of shoes, clothing, denim 

for teens and university-age men and 

Versace 

26 Dong Khoi 

Designer brand in men’s formal wear. 

Houses suit jackets and trousers, shirts 

as well as an array of men’s accessories. 

Also stocks womens clothing and shoes. 

men 

Lucas 

69A Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3827 9670 

Fashion store housing contemporary 

designs in casual, office and evening 

wear imported from Hong Kong. 

Massimo Ferrari 

42-A1 Tran Quoc Thao, D3 

Tel: 3930 6212 

Bespoke menswear shop also boasts 

its own brand of contemporary preppy 

attire tailored for the tropics. Carries a 

line of European-quality shoes, bags and 

accessories designed in-house, as well 

as exclusive Orobianco unisex bags, 

designer fragrances and eyewear. 

Mattre 


This local men’s clothes shop has some 

funky tops and jeans for more fashionforward 

males. Apparel in sizes that fit 

the typical Western man’s frame are often 

available. 

Milano 

Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong Khoi 

www.milanogoods.com 

A conjoining shop with D&G offering a 

selection of men’s shoes and accessories 

with a sideline in women’s clothing. D&G 

provides a collection of menswear, from 

casual jeans and T-shirts to uniquely 

designed suit jackets. 

Timberland 

Parkson Plaza, 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1 

Sells everything the brand is known 

for, from heavy-duty boots to tops and 

trousers that are both smart and casual. 

The emphasis is on muted tones and 

unobtrusive logos for men who don’t like 

to show off. 

women 

Axara 

Vincom Center B1, 70 - 72 Le Thanh 

Ton, D1 



Tel: 3993 9399 

www.axara.com 

Carries women’s clothing suitable for 

work, weekends or evening. Luxurious 

fabrics and simple cuts and styles all at 

reasonable prices. Also carries handbags 

and accessories. 

Balenciaga 

Rex Hotel, 155 Nguyen Hue 

Tel: 6291 3572 

Sporting modern shapes and elegant 

items crafted from natural, raw and 

artificial materials. 

BCBGMAXAZRIA 


American brand sells women’s day 

dresses and tops, evening gowns and 

wear-to-work attire in many prints and 

colours. Also carries a small selection of 

accessories, sunglasses and watches. 

Bebe 

Saigon Center, 65 Le Loi, D1 

72 asialife HCMC

Tel: 3914 4011 

www.bebe.com 

An international brand that specializes 

in contemporary, modern tees and sexy, 

elegant dresse, tops and party attire. 

Chloe 


Tel: 6291 3582 

Parisian-influenced fashion house 

specializes in simple, traditional designs 

with a feminine and fashionable twist. 

Jeans, satin dresses and a wide array of 

accessories are on display. 

Gaya 

1 Nguyen Van Trang, D1 

Tel: 3925 1495 

Carries a range of couture and pret-aporter 

garments and silk and organza 

dresses in vibrant colours created by 

Cambodia-based designer Romyda 

Keth. 

Geisha Boutique 

85 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3829 4004 

enquiry@geishaclothing.com 

Facebook: Geisha Boutique 

Australian fashion label offering a contemporary 

range of casual and evening 

wear with an Asian influence. Printed 

tees, singlets, shorts, skirts, jeans, summer 

scarves, dresses, silk camisoles and 

satin maxi dresses. 

Kookai 

Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi 

French brand stocking classic, feminine, 

styles with a twist. Gypsy day dresses 

and classic little black dresses at mid- to 

high-range prices are perfect for twentyand 

thirty-something women. 

La Senza 

47B–47C Nguyen Trai, D1 

Tel: 3925 1700 

65 Le Loi, Saigon Centre, D1 

Tel: 3914 4328 

www.lasenza.com 

Boutique carrying a wide range of bras, 

panties, pyjamas, accessories and 

lounge wear. 

Mango 

96 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3824 6624 



A favourite with fashion-conscious 

women, this mid-range store stocks 

clothes from simple tees and jeans to 

evening wear. 

Marc Jacobs 

Rex Hotel, 155 Nguyen Hue , D1 

Tel: 6291 3580 

This spacious shop with high-ceilings 

carries up-market clothes, shoes and 

accessories from the internationally 

recognized designer brand. 

Song 


76D Le Thanh Ton 

Offers women’s fashion designs by 

Valerie Gregori McKenzie, including 

evening dress, tops and hats. 

Valenciani 


Tel: 3821 2788 

66-68 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 7302 

4688 

valenciani.sg@gmail.com 

www.valenciani.com 

Homegrown luxury boutique carries 

silk dresses, velvet corsets, chiffon 

shawls and a range of accessories, all 

designed in-house. 

SHOES 

Charles & Keith 

10 Mac Thi Buoi, 18-20 Nguyen Trai 

Tel: 3925 1132 


D1 

www.charleskeith.com 

Singapore brand housing youthful and 

trendy shoes of a contemporary, high 

fashion design. 

Converse 



122 Ba Thang Hai, D10 

Tel: 3827 5584 

www.converse.com.vn 

Sells iconic Chuck Taylor, Jack Purcell 

and All-Star sneakers and Converse 

brand clothing and accessories. Also at 

department stores around HCMC. 

Dr. Marten’s 


Air Wair sandals and shoes here 

feature the classic yellow stitching and 

chunky rubber soles. Also stocked with 

clothes and accessories by Replay and 

Kappa tracksuit tops. 

Sergio Rossi 

146AB Pasteur, D1 


World-renowned Italian brand stocks 

a diverse European-style collection of 

up-market shoes and bags made of 

quality materials, from crocodile and 

python skin laterals to garnishings of 

Swarovski crystals and colourful beads. 

TAILORS 

Dieu Thanh 

140 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 5851 

www.dieuthanh.com 

Experienced tailor shop specializes in 

swimwear and cotton clothing, as well 

as business suits, evening dresses, 

luxury fabrics and accessories. 

Massimo Ferrari 

42-A1 Tran Quoc Thao, D3 

Tel: 3930 6212 

Traditional Italian sartorial techniques 

are employed to offer a full wardrobing 

service and custom tailoring for men. 

Stocked with imported fabrics primarily 

from Italy. In-office and workplace fittings 

available. 

production house and studio in Vietnam. Available 

1K Ngo Van So, Ward 13 

District 4, HCMC, Vietnam 

(+84) 08 3941 1179 

info@s3studios.asia 

www.s3studios.asia 

112 Xuan Thuy 

Ward Thao Dien 

District 2 

Ho Chi Minh City 

Tel/Fax. (+84) 8 62.819.917 

shop-hcm@decosy.biz 

asialife HCMC 73

Xu & Bootleg 

Cannes Predictions 

Photos by Alex McMillan and Fred Wissink. 

74 asialife HCMC

Vascos 

Dose 

Pets and the City 

asialife HCMC 75

Street Guide 

3 Thang 2 D1 

Alexandre de Rhodes 

C4 

Ba Huyen Thanh Quan C1, C2, D2, D3 

Ban Co 

D1 

Ben Chuong Duong 

E4 

Ben Van Don 

E4, E5 

Bui Thi Xuan 

D3 

Bui Vien 

E3 

Cach Mang Thang Tam C1, D2, D3 

Calmette 

E4 

Cao Ba Nha 

E3 

Cao Thang 

D1, D2, E2 

Chu Manh Trinh 

C4, C5 

Co Bac 

E3 

Co Giang 

E3 

De Tham 

E3 

Dien Bien Phu B4, C3, C2, D1, D2 

Dinh Cong Trang 

B3 

Dinh Tien Hoang 

B3, B4, C4 

Do Quang Dau 

E3 

Do Thanh 

D1 

Doan Nhu Hai 

E5 

Doan Van Bo 

E4, E5 

Dong Du 

D5 

Dong Khoi 

C4, D4, D5 

Hai Cua 

B5 

Huynh Tinh Cua 

B2 

Huynh Van Banh 

B1 

Khanh Hoi 

E4 

Ky Con 

B3, C3, C4, D5 

Hai Trieu 

C5 

Ham Nghi 

D4, C5 

Han Thuyen 

C4 

Ho Hao Hon 

E3 

Ho Huan Nghiep 

D5 

Ho Tung Mau 

D4, D5 

Ho Xuan Huong 

C3, D2 

Hoa Hung 

B1 

Hoang Dieu 

E4, E5 

Hung Vuong 

E1 

Huyen Tran Cong Chua 

D3 

Huynh Man Dat 

B5 

Huynh Thuc Khang 

D4 

Ky Dong 

C1, C2 

Le Cong Kieu 

D4 

Le Duan 

C4, C5 

Le Hong Phong 

D1 

Le Lai 

C3, C4, D3 

Le Loi 

D4 

Le Quoc Hung 

E4, E5 

Le Quy Don 

C3 

Le Thanh Ton C4, C5, D3, D4 

Le Thi Hong Gam D4, E3, E4 

Le Thi Rieng 

D3 

Le Van Phuc 

B3 

Le Van Sy 

C1, C2 

Luong Huu Khanh 

D2, E2 

Luu Van Lang 

D4 

Ly Chinh Thang 

B2, C2 

Ly Thai To 

E1 

Ly Tu Trong C4, C5, D4, D5 

Mac Dinh Chi 

B3, C4 

Mac Thi Buoi 

D5 

Mai Thi Luu 

B4 

Mai Van Ngoc 

B1 

Me Linh 

B5 

Nam Ky Khoi Nghia B2, C2, C3, D4, E4 

Ngo Duc Ke 

D5 

Ngo Thoi Nhiem 

C2, D2 

Ngo Van Nam 

C5 

Nguyen Binh Khiem B4, B5, C5 

Nguyen Cong Tru 

E4 

Nguyen Cu Trinh 

E2, E3 

Nguyen Dinh Chieu B4, C3, C4, D1, D2, D3 

Nguyen Dinh Chinh 

B1 

76 asialife HCMC 

Nguyen Du 

Nguyen Hai Tu 

Nguyen Hue 

Nguyen Huu Canh 


Nguyen Huu Cau 

Nguyen Khac Nhu 

Nguyen Khoai 

Nguyen Ngoc Phuong 

Nguyen Phi Khanh 

Nguyen Sieu 

Nguyen Son Ha 

Nguyen Tat Thanh 

Nguyen Thai Binh 


Nguyen Thi Dieu 

Nguyen Thien Thuat 

Nguyen Thong 

Nguyen Thuong Hien 

Nguyen Trai 

Nguyen Trung Ngan 

Nguyen Trung Truc 

Nguyen Truong To 

Nguyen Van Cu 

Nguyen Van Hai 

Nguyen Van Lac 

Nguyen Van Thu 

Nguyen Van Troi 

Pasteur 

Pham Hong Thai 

Pham Ngoc Thach 

Pham Ngu Lao 

Pham Viet Chanh 


Phan Dinh Phung 

Phan Ke Binh 

Phan Van Han 

Pho Duc Chinh 

Phung Khac Khoan 

Suong Nguyet Anh 

Tan Vinh 

Thach Thi Thanh 

Thai Van Lung 

Thi Sach 

Thu Khoa Huan 

Ton Duc Thang 

Ton That Dam 

Ton That Thiep 

Ton That Tung 

Tran Binh Trong 

Tran Canh Chan 

Tran Cao Van 

Tran Dinh Xu 

Tran Hung Dao 

Tran Khac Chan 

Tran Khanh Du 

Tran Minh Quyen 


Tran Nhan Ton 

Tran Nhat Duat 

Tran Phu 

Tran Quang Dieu 

Tran Quang Khai 

Tran Quoc Thao 

Tran Quoc Toan 

Tran Van Dang 

Truong Chinh 

Truong Dinh 

Tu Xuong 

Vinh Khanh 

Vo Thi Sau 

Vo Van Tan 

Vuon Chuoi 

Xo Viet Nghe Tinh 

Yersin 

C4, D3, D4 

B4 

D4, D5 

B2 

C5 

B3 

E3 

F3 

B5 

B3 

C5, D5 

D2 

E5 

D4, E4 

D3, E3, E4 

D2, D3 

D1, E1, E2 

C1, C2, D2 

D2 

D3, E2 

C5 

D4 

E4, E5 

E2 

B3 

B5 

B4, C3, C4 

B1 

C2, C3, C4, D4 

D2, D3 

C3 

D3, D4, E3 

B5 

E2 

B2 

B4 

B4, B5 

D4, E4 

C3, C4 

D2, D3 

E4 

B3 

C5 

C5 

D4 

C5, D4, D5, E4 

D4 

D4 

D2, D3 

E1 

E2 

C4 

E2, E3 

D4, E2, E3 

B3 

B2, B3 

D1 

C1 

E1 

B3 

E1 

B1, B2 

B3, B2 

C2, C3 

B2, B3, B2 

C1, C2 

C3 

C2, D3 

C2, C3, D2 

E4, E5 

B3, C2, C3 

C3, D2, D3 

D2 

B4, B5 

E4 

A 

Airport 

3km 

B 

Tran Van Dang 

C 

Tan Binh 

0.5km 

Hoa Hung 

District 11 

2km 


Tran Nhan Ton 

Huynh Van Banh 


Dien Bien Phu 

Le Hong Phong 

Saigon 

Train Station 

Lan Anh 

Sports & 

Leisure Club 

Ly Thai To 



Hung Vuong 

Nguyen Van Troi 

Cach Mang Thang Tam 

3 Thang 2 

Ban Co 

Nguyen Th ong 

Nguyen Thien Thuat 

Tran Binh Trong 

Ng Dinh Chinh 

Tran Phu 

Le Van Sy 


DISTRICT 10 

D 

E 

1 

PHU NHUAN 

An Duong Vuong 

Tran Van Dang 

Cao Thang 

Do Thanh 

DISTRICT 5 

Huyn h Van Banh 

Ky Dong 

University 

of Natural 

Sciences 

V 

Ng. Thuong 

. Chuoi 

Nguyen Van Cu 

Teacher 

Training 

University 

Ly Chinh T hang 

Hien 

Vuon 

Chuoi 

Market 

Nguyen Trai 

2 

Phan Dinh Phung 

Truong Dinh 

Tu Xuong 

Nam Ky Kh 

Vo Thi Sau 

Nguyen Son Ha 

Dien B 

Nguyen Thi Minh K 


Nguyen Tho 

Nguyen Dinh 

V 

DISTR

Ky Khoi Nghia Nam Ky Khoi Nghia 

Tran 

Sau Vo Thi Sau 

Dien Bien Phu 

yen Thong 

en Dinh Chieu 

Minh Khai 

Nguyen Van Nguyen 

Nguyen Trai 

Tran Khanh Du 


N. V. Hai 

Quoc ToanTran Quoc Toan 

Ba Huyen Thanh Quan 

Ngo Thoi Nhiem 

Luong Huu Khanh 

Suong Nguyet Anh 

Ton That Tung 

Thai Binh 

Market 

Cong Quynh 

Tran Dinh Xu 

War 

Remnants 

Museum 

Cultural Park 

Cach Mang Thang Tam 

Cao Ba Nha 

Ng. Huu Cau 

Le Thi Rieng 

Nguyen Trai 

Do Q. Dau 

Le Lai 

Thach Thi Thanh 

D. C. Trang 

Vo Van Tan Vo Van Tan 

Cao Thang 

Ho Xuan Huong 

RICT 1 

4th Floor ONG&ONG Building 

159 Phan Xich Long St 

Ward 7, Phu Nhuan District 

Cu Lao 

Tran Nhat Duat 

Nguyen Thi Dieu 

Hai Ba Trung 

Tran Quoc Thao 

Bui Thi Xuan 

Nguyen Cu Trinh 

Tran Khac Chan 

DISTRICT 3 

Nguyen Gia Thieu 

Le Quy Don 

Pham Ngu Lao 

Ho H. Hon 

3 

Phan Xich Long 

Truong Quyen 

Bui Vien 

Co Bac 

Tran Quang Khai 

Le Van Tam 

Park 

Pham Ngoc Thach 

Pasteur 

Truong Dinh 

Vo Huy Tan 

Re-unification 

Palace 

Huyen Tran Cong Chua 


De Tham 

Ng Kh Nhu 

Ng. Phi Khanh 

L. V. Phuc 

Co Giang 

Thu Kh Huan 

Pham Hong Thai 

De Tham 

Tran Hung Dao Tran Hung Dao 


Ly Tu Trong 

Gia Dinh 

Hospital 

Ng Hai Tu 

Nguyen Van Thu 

Alexandre De Rhodes 

Nguyen Du 

Nguyen An Ninh 

Le Thi Hong Gam 

Mac Dinh Chi 

Nguyen Dinh Chieu 

Tran Cao Van 

Ben 

Thanh 

Market 

Bus 

Station 

Central 

Post Office 

Le Loi 

Nguyen Binh Khiem 

Hoa Lu 

Stadium 


Hai Ba Trung 

Town Hall 

HTV 

television 

Le Duan Le Duan 

Pasteur 

Nguyen Trung Truc 

Ky Con 

Phan Ke Binh 

Nguyen Thai Binh 

Yersin 

Han Thuyen 

L. V. Lang 

Ng. Cong Tru 

4 

Mai Thi Luu 

Dong Khoi 

Le Cong Kieu 

Pho Duc Chinh 

Calmette 

Ben Van Don 

BINH THANH 

Nguyen Du 

Hoang Sa 

Ham Nghi 

Le Loi 

Ton Th at Thiep 

T. T. Dam 

Xo Viet Nghe Tinh 

Chu Manh Trinh 

Ly Tu Trong 

Nguyen Hue 

Ton Duc Thang 

Thi Sach 

Le Quoc Hung 

Mac 

Thai Van Lung 

Dong Du 

Ngo 

Ng Sieu 

Cao Ba Quat 

Pham Van Han 

Le Thanh Ton Le Thanh Ton 

Pasteur 

Truong Sa 

DISTRICT 1 

Huynh Thuc Khang 

Vinh Khanh 

Hoang Dieu 

Ho Tung Mau 

Ng. Cong Tru 

Nguyen 

Trung Ngan 

Ng Truong To 

Hai Trieu 

Zoo & Botanical 

Gardens 

Nguyen Binh Khiem 

Phan Van Dat 

Thi Buoi 

H.H.Nghiep 

Duc Ke 

Doan Nhu Hai 

Doan Van Bo 

Ngo V 

DISTRICT 4 

an Nam 

Nguyen Tat Thanh 

5 

Nguyen Cuu Van 

Nguyen Ngoc Phuong 


Ton Duc 

Thang Museum 

Thu Thiem 

Ferry Port 

(for District 2) 

HCM City 

Boat Quay 

(for Vung Tau) 

asialife HCMC 77 


Huynh Man Dat 

Saigon Bridge 

& Highway 1 

3km 

Cat Lai Ferry 

9km 

District 7 

& Nha Be 

Nguyen Van Lac 

Me Linh 

Vung Tau

adar 

Music to your ears 

Last.fm 

Are you at a loss as to what music to download next? If you have exhausted 

your iTunes playlists and are lacking musical inspiration then you need to 

sign up to Last.fm. The site operates through its downloadable Scrobbler 

which searches through the music libraries on your computer and gives 

recommendations based on the artists and genres which you already listen to. 

The Scrobbler sends scrobbles to Last.fm informing the site what songs you 

are listening to most frequently, which are then compared to the scrobbles of 

the site's millions of users, and your profile and listening recommendations are 

updated. The biographies of the artists are great, and you will find you soon 

have more music than you know what to do with. An excellent way to revamp 

your iPod. 

Stick it up 

Pinterest.com 

Pinterest is an online pinboard that allows you to organise and share all those 

bits and pieces that interest you on the internet. A new user needs to request 

an invite to start a Pinterst account, which is then linked to your Facebook 

or Twitter account. You can then start creating pinboards to organize your 

thoughts and collections of images on a variety of topics. The site is used 

to plan weddings, travel ideas or simply as a place to stick together those 

random cool images one finds while surfing the web. You can easily add the 

pinit button to your browser task bar which allows you to add images to your 

pinboard quickly and easily when you come across them. The image will then 

link back to the original site on your pinboard, making it an efficient and very 

easy space to organize your ideas. 

Get in the mood 

Moodturn.com 

Moodturn.com is another one of those great little sites to save as a bookmark. 

While it may seem like waste of time to some, to others who lead busy lives, this 

site may be your saving grace. It simply plays background noise and displays 

an image on the main page, depending on your choice of theme. It is great to 

have open in the background while on Facebook or doing work. The themes 

to choose from are:Rainforest, Storm, Birds, Beach, Swamp, Night, Bonfire, 

Garden, Rain, Dolphins and Piano-Radio. The sounds are ultra relaxing, and 

can be listened to for ages. Anyone who has lived near the coast will particularly 

appreciate the Beach theme, so that once again you can fall asleep with the 

sound of the waves. It is the perfect site to open on your coffee break at work 

or even after a particularly stressful motorbike journey in the city. Put your 

headphones on and close your eyes. 

78 asialife HCMC

oxoffice 

Rock of Ages 

Ice Age 4 

Continental Drift 

The Dark 

Knight Rises 

The Dictator 

Rock of Ages tells the story of 

small town girl Sherrie and 

city boy Drew, who meet 

on the Sunset Strip while 

pursuing their Hollywood 

dreams. Their rock 'n' roll 

romance is told through the 

heart-pounding hits of Def 

Leppard, Joan Jett, Journey, 

Foreigner, Bon Jovi, Night 

Ranger, REO Speedwagon, Pat 

Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, 

Whitesnake and more. 

Scrat's nutty pursuit of the 

cursed acorn, which he's been 

after since the dawn of time, has 

world-changing consequences – 

a continental cataclysm that triggers 

the greatest adventure of 

all for Manny, Diego and Sid. In 

the wake of these upheavals, Sid 

reunites with his cantankerous 

Granny, and the herd encounters 

a ragtag menagerie of seafaring 

pirates determined to stop them 

from returning home. 

In the third and final installment 

of Christopher Nolan’s 

Batman films, The Dark Knight 

Rises, takes place eight years 

after Batman took the fall 

for Two Face's crimes and is 

hunted as a fugitive. But the 

emergence of a new terrorist 

leader, Bane, overwhelms 

Gotham's finest, and the Dark 

Knight resurfaces to protect a 

city that has branded him an 

enemy. 

Comic Sacha Baron Cohen 

re-teams with director Larry 

Charles (Borat, Bruno) for this 

satirical tale of an oppressive, 

democracy-hating dictator 

(played by Cohen) whose 

misadventures in America lead 

him to risk his life to ensure that 

democracy will never come to 

the country he so lovingly oppresses. 

Anna Faris, Ben Kingsley, 

and Curb Your Enthusiasm's 

J.B. Smoove co-star. 

Opening Dates 

CINEMAS 

M: Megastar Cinema 

www.megastar.vn 

T: Thang Long 

www.saigonmedia.com.vn 

Rock of Ages (13 July) 

3D Ice Age Continental Drift (20 July) 

The Dark Knight Rises (27 July) 

The Dictator (27 July) 

The information on this page was 

correct at the time of printing. Check 

cinema websites for screenings. 

80 asialife HCMC

ookshelf 

A Hologram for the King 

Dave Eggers 

McSweeney’s Books 

Ever since bursting onto the literary scene with A Heartbreaking 

Work of Staggering Genius, Dave Eggers has been a force 

in contemporary writing. Nearly 12 years later, Eggers exerts 

his author’s muscle again with A Hologram for the King. The 

novel demonstrates Eggers’ development, incorporating a 

more straightforward prose than the verbose, post-modern 

form of his first works. The story follows Alan Clay and his 

adventures in Saudi Arabia. With his finances in ruins, Clay 

places his hopes on selling a technology contract to the Saudi 

king, by convincing him with a hologram. The premise may 

sound ludicrous, but Eggers knows how to spin a clever, 

metaphorical yarn about today’s America. 

End This Depression 

Now! 

Paul Krugman 

W. W. Norton & Company 

Recession? Recovery? Depression? Ever since the onset 

of the global economic crisis in 2008, the state of the US 

economy – as well as the European economies – has been 

in question. Economic scientist and The New York Times columnist 

Paul Krugman explains why the economy remains 

in a depression, as well as calls for the government to take 

a change in economic policy in End This Depression Now! 

Although recovery – in part due to government bailout 

packages – can be applied to the experience of the country’s 

richest people and businesses, Krugman looks at the 

ongoing struggles of the population majority. Challenging 

the fiscal austerity approach, he prescribes a hearty dose of 

Keynesian stimulus. 

Lionel Asbo 

Martin Amis 

Cape 

Among Martin Amis’ many technical gifts is a genius for 

creating detestable yet enthralling characters. His 13th title 

is no exception. Like Keith Talent of 1989’s London Fields, 

the British novelist’s latest protagonist Lionel Asbo is not a 

likeable figure. A small time criminal from a fictional east 

London neighbourhood, Lionel’s luck changes when he wins 

millions from the lottery while in prison. Upon his release, 

Lionel takes up the high life of models and bottles, with 

tragicomedic consequences. Rife with razor-edged humour, 

Amis’ prose can be interpreted at best as shrewd and at 

worst as snarky. Still, with his unrivalled powers of pointed 

description, the British author remains an icon in his field for 

good reason. 

Living, Thinking, 

Looking 

Siri Hustvedt 

Sceptre 

Siri Hustvedt’s collection of essays is just what its straightforward 

title, Living, Thinking, Looking, implies. The book is 

divided into three germane sections, with focuses on Hustvedt’s 

own life, ruminations on memory and commentaries 

on art. Hovering between academia and novel writing, the 

author attempts to explore the human experience through a 

variety of scientific and creative disciplines. Her essays appeal 

to intellectual curiosities, while maintaining a plainspoken 

language that feels more personal than detached. Like 

one of the most agile female essayists, Joan Didion, Hustvedt 

finds a balance aimed to leave readers both enlightened and 

entertained. Although often overlooked, the essay remains a 

constructive literary form. 

asialife HCMC 81

soundfix 

album review 

by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen 

The Mynabirds 

Generals 

Singer-songwriter Laura 

Burhenn shows there’s no need 

to be passive about pacifism 

with Generals, her second album 

as The Mynabirds. The album 

takes its ironic inspiration 

from Richard Avedon’s 1963 

photograph Generals of the 

Daughters of the American 

Revolution. In contrast to her 

debut, Burhenn tones down 

her Motown soul in favour of 

a more electric, rock tang. Her 

musical evolution comes poised 

as a revolution, with a sense 

of urgency and protest in her 

rhythms. Think a more soulful 

Lykke Li, a more melodic PJ 

Harvey and a more engaged 

The Kills. However, it’s the lull 

in the storm. ‘Mightier than 

the Sword’, with haunting 

background croons and gentle 

instrumentation, is Burhenn at 

her strongest. Like her labelmate 

and touring partner 

Bright Eyes, Burhenn creates 

metaphorical lyrics worth 

pondering, and references to 

Walt Whitman and Jean-Paul 

Sartre give the album greater 

weight. 

Waka Flocka 

Flame 

Triple F Life: 

Friends, Fans & 

Family 

Waka Flocka Flame is all about 

his relationships. Or, that’s what 

he wants you to think with his 

sophomore album. Success in 

hip hop, perhaps more so than 

in any other genre, depends on 

making friends in high places. 

As the protégé of Gucci Mane, 

Waka got a strong helping 

hand into the Southern gangsta 

rap scene. But rather than be 

overshadowed, Waka broke 

away from his mentor for Triple 

F Life and brought in guest 

stars who are largely on the up 

and up. His friendships seem 

strategic, including current cash 

cows Drake, Flo Rida, B.o.B. and 

Nicki Minaj, but also include 

a number of lesser-known 

talents like Wooh da Kid and 

Tyga. Although transparent 

in its crossover function, the 

album is more enjoyable than 

disappointing. Waka’s in a 

solid position to achieve his 

self-stated goal of becoming the 

“king of clubs”. 

Edward Sharpe 

& The Magnetic 

Zeros 

Here 

In 2009, Edward Sharpe & 

The Magnetic Zeros released 

the debut album, Up from 

Below. At that point, the group 

could very well be seen as 

underdogs. A ragtag alliance 

of musicians, playing songs 

that draw from blues, gospel 

and folk influences, Edward 

Sharpe didn’t seem a credible 

recipe for musical triumph. 

But with the success of catchy 

single ‘Home’, and a role in 

the vanguard of bringing new 

folk music to the mainstream, 

the band have come back with 

a confident follow-up entitled 

Here. The group’s founder 

and leader Alex Ebert has a 

compelling vision – music 

which is anachronistic in sound 

and spirit but ultimately has 

carved out its own quirky 

niche in the modern market. 

Beginning with a rousing ode 

to Johnny Cash in opener 

‘Man of Fire’, Edward Sharpe 

delivers more of what the first 

album promised. 

Fiona Apple 

The Idler Wheel... 

In a music industry 

oversaturated with largerthan-life 

characters and overdone 

albums, Fiona Apple is 

perhaps even more refreshing 

than ever. As a recent Atlantic 

article premised, Apple’s 

intensity has often been 

branded as craziness, but the 

label is an unjust response 

from a public that doesn’t quite 

know what to do with her. 

Apple’s fourth album – which, 

in continuing her tradition of 

longwinded titles, is named 

The Idler Wheel is Wiser Than 

the Driver of the Screw and 

Whipping Cords Will Serve You 

More Than Ropes Will Ever 

Do – is well worth the seven 

year record hiatus. Apple 

has always used music not 

only as a medium to express 

herself but also as a vehicle 

to explore her own emotions, 

struggles and relationships. 

Paired with stripped down 

piano and percussion with 

bluesy textured vocals, her 

lyrics – self-aware, confessional 

and poetic – will resonate with 

listeners who crave meaning. 

82 asialife HCMC

xoneFM top ten 

Official xoneFM Vietnam Top 10 

this last title artist 

week week 

endorsed 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

4 

1 

6 

New 

New 

3 

New 

9 

Re 

2 

Shooting Star 

Call Me Maybe 

Primadonna 

Everything Is Sound 

You Got A Way 

Never Close Our Eyes 

Home 

Safe & Sound 

Die In Your Arms 

Legendary Child 

Owl City 

Carly Rae Jepsen 

Marina & the Diamonds 

Jason Mraz 

Kris Allen 

Adam Lambert 

Phillip Phillip 

Taylor Swift & The Civil 

War 

Justin Bieber 

Aerosmith 

Parks and Recreation 

By Brett Davis 

US Top 10 


week week 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

9 

7 

11 

10 

Call Me Maybe 

Somebody That I 

Used To Know 

Payphone 

What Makes You 

Beautiful 

Starships 

We Are Young 

Where Have You Been 

Wild Ones 

Scream 

Boyfriend 

Australia Top 10 


week week 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

1 

New 

2 

3 

4 

5 

8 

7 

20 

3 

Whistle 

Hallelujah 

Payphone 

Call Me Maybe 

Back In Time 

Wake Me Up 

Fighter 

Lego House 

How We Do 

Pound The Alarm 


Gotye 

Maroon 5 feat Wiz 

Khalifa 

One Direction 

Nicki Minaj 

Fun feat Janelle Monae 

Rihanna 

Flo Rida feat Sia 

Usher 

Justin Bieber 

Flo Rida 

Karise Eden 

Maroon 5 feat Wiz 

Khalifa 


Pitbull 

Chris Brown 

Gym Class Heroes feat 

Ryan Tedder 

Ed Sheeran 

Rita Ora 

Nicki Minaj 

Since Jerry Seinfeld and 

sidekicks George, Kramer 

and Elaine signed off for the 

final time in 1998, you could 

make a fair case that no other 

sitcom has come close to 

reaching that show’s dizzying 

heights or status as a cultural 

touchstone. 

What we have had in the 

handful of best shows since 

then are critical darlings that 

barely register on the audience 

radar (Arrested Development, 

Community) or shows that 

exhibit great comedic chops 

early but seem to run out of 

steam after only a few seasons 

(30 Rock). 

These are great shows, and 

there are still great examples 

of clever writing and perfectly 

timed comedic performances. 

One example that comes to 

mind is Modern Family, the 

mocumentary-style show 

which follows the lives of an 

extended family. 

Another show that uses this 

format is Parks and Recreation. 

Starring Saturday Night 

Live alum Amy Poehler, the 

show follows the adventures 

of the Parks and Recreation 

department in a small town in 

Middle America. 

Poehler’s character Leslie 

Knope is the deputy director of 

the department and she is the 

axis around which the rest of 

the personnel revolve. She is 

hyper-driven but cares, probably 

a little too much, for her 

co-workers and her town. 

The other members of the 

office represent some interesting 

tropes that poke gentle 

fun at government-worker 

stereotypes. There is the lifer 

Gerry just trying to stay under 

the radar to retirement, young 

upstart Tom wanting to break 

out of bureaucratic life, sassy 

secretary Donna and morose 

intern April played with superb 

deadpan delivery by actress 

Aubrey Plaza. 

My hands-down favourite 

character though has to be 

Leslie’s boss, Ron Swanson, 

portrayed by Nick Offerman as 

the epitome of self-sufficient 

manliness. An avowed libertarian, 

Ron likes breakfast foods, 

making things in his woodshop, 

burying gold in his yard 

and hates everything to do 

with government. “In my view, 

government should be a single 

guy alone in a room, deciding 

who to nuke,” he intones in an 

early episode. 

What is nice about this 

show, other than the great 

writing and wonderful performances, 

is that despite 

often taking jabs at government 

inertia and small town 

politics the show does have 

heart. This sets it apart from 

other, admittedly still excellent, 

shows set in the halls of 

bureaucracy such as Armando 

Iannucci’s unapologetically 

cynical The Thick Of It or his 

new US comedy series Veep 

(coincidentally, starring Julia 

Louis-Dreyfus who played 

Elaine on Seinfeld). 

With Parks and Recreation 

there is a warmth to the humour 

that keeps you along for 

the ride, because at the end 

of the day, despite mishaps, 

incompetence or general 

lethargy these people do try to 

make their little corner of the 

world a better place. 

asialife HCMC 83

In her fervent attempts to speak Vietnamese, Dana Filek-Gibson succeeds. Sort of. 

Back when my knowledge of 

this country was little more 

than a name on a map, I had 

visions of my own authentically 

Vietnamese experience: 

living in Saigon, flying around 

on a motorbike, eating pho, and 

befriending the locals. As with 

most visions, it was infinitely 

more glamourous than the reality. 

In none of my pre-Vietnam 

daydreams was I sweating so 

much, and there were far fewer 

hairs in my imaginary soup. 

Nowadays, I would argue 

that it makes my actual experience 

more authentic than the 

vision I invented. Still, there 

are some aspects of the ‘real 

Vietnam experience’ on which 

I'm willing to compromise. For 

instance, who wants to pay the 

extra five dollars for a night bus 

from Nha Trang when you can 

get the ‘real Vietnam experience’ 

and spend 14 hours on a train 

with seats like park benches and 

several children sleeping at your 

feet? The answer is me; I want to 

pay that extra five dollars. 

However, for all my compromises 

– not driving a motorbike, 

refusing to try hot vit lon, paying 

VND 60,000 for a coffee that 

costs VND 8,000 on the street 

– there is one area in which I 

am unwilling to compromise: I 

will speak Vietnamese. Whether 

we're at the Caravelle or the banh 

mi stand outside the Caravelle, 

I am hell-bent on using the 

language I struggled for months 

to learn. Sometimes, this is met 

with enthusiasm, and sometimes 

it is like having a verbal fistfight 

with the other party. 

“Hello,” the waitress chimes 

as I take a seat. It's Sunday and 

I'm between shifts at work. 

Because I'm less concerned 

with the cost of lunch and more 

concerned with the availability 

of an internet connection, I have 

chosen a more expensive Vietnamese 

restaurant. 

“Xin chao,” I reply. Before I 

can sit down, the waitress disappears, 

calling out in Vietnamese 

that she doesn't speak English 

and needs some help. I settle 

down and unpack my laptop, 

some textbooks, my day planner, 

and a notebook. I like to travel 

in a way that ensures that if 

there were a fire in my apartment 

I would still have almost 

everything. 

Seconds later, another waitress 

arrives with a menu. I sift 

through the chicken, beef, and 

pork sections. Just out of view, 

she is waiting for my order. I 

turn and ask for com trang and 

dau hu chien sa ot. In Vietnamese. 

Again, coming from a family 

who brought their own snacks 

to the movie theatre, I didn't pay 

for a year of foreign language 

lessons to speak English. 

As soon as the words come 

out, a smile flashes across her 

face. “So, you want white rice 

and tofu with chili and lemongrass?” 

Not only has it become 

a habit to say certain things in 

Vietnamese – food, for example, 

and directions, which I give 

exclusively to xe om drivers – I 

also believe that translating 

Vietnamese food into English 

makes it sound less appetizing. I 

nod, “Dung roi.” 

“What size would you like? 

Big or small?” 

The menu folds in my hands. 

“Nho,” I reply. 

“So, small.” 

We proceed like this, me 

ordering in Vietnamese, her 

parroting me in English. She 

collects the menu I strangled 

earlier and walks off. Later, 

when I'm asking for the bill, I 

ask the wrong waitress and she 

flees, terrified, in search of the 

other server. I repeat my request 

and, for once, she doesn't 

verbally translate but instead 

gives the international sign for 

“cheque bill” as confirmation. 

On the way out, I make a point 

of saying “cam on.” To my surprise, 

she nods and replies with 

the fusion greeting common 

in Saigon restaurants, “Cam on 

thank you!” 

I've had a lot of unrealistic 

visions of my life in Vietnam, 

but never in my wildest daydreams 

would I have counted 

getting a Vietnamese person to 

speak Vietnamese as a personal 

victory. Nothing, it turns out, is 

as you imagine it to be. Which 

would explain why I still can't 

cook and I'm seven sizes too big 

to buy clothes. Even so, I prefer 

the reality. 

84 asialife HCMC

This Country Life 

Life in rural Vietnam could make an expatriate feel like a 

fish out of water, but Walter Pearson find his countryside 

existence has many blessings. 

In the south, foreigners living 

outside Ho Chi Minh City usually 

end up in the Mekong Delta 

or by the sea at Nha Trang or 

Vung Tau. Either way, there’s 

usually pleanty of other expatriates 

nearby and the occasional 

western restaurant. 

It is unusual for foreigners 

to live where I live. When I tell 

Vietnamese I live in Binh Long 

in Binh Phuoc province, they 

automatically mishear and think 

I live at Vinh Long. I repeat 

myself and most Vietnamese 

just give me a blank look. Then 

I say, “Next to Binh Duong.” 

This provides us both with a 

face-saving device to smile and 

change the subject. If Vietnamese 

do know of Binh Long, they 

just laugh and say, “Ha! Rubber 

and cashews”. 

Binh Long nestles in the foothills 

at the end of the Truong 

Son Range, red soil country useless 

for rice growing but ideal 

for enormous rubber plantations 

and plots of fruit trees including 

the cashews. The plains that 

spread out from the foothills 

make great tank country. That’s 

why older people know Binh 

Long – although sometimes I 

have to use its former name – 

An Loc. 

During the 1972 Spring 

Offensive, for more than three 

months, a battle raged from the 

Cambodian border, about 35 

kilometres to the north, along 

National Route 13 through the 

town of Loc Ninh to An Loc 

and beyond. During that battle, 

tanks were seen for the first 

time in southern Vietnam. The 

Liberation Forces took the area 

and set up their Provisional 

Revolutionary Government at 

Loc Ninh. Locals boast to me 

they were liberated long before 

Saigon; indeed the province, 

then Phuoc Long, was liberated 

in 1973. 

Today, 58,000 people live in 

Binh Long. There are no white 

people here except me. And the 

Germans. But they don’t count. 

They consult at the cement factory, 

allegedly for US $20,000 a 

month and only stay for short 

periods. The few English speakers 

I meet haven’t been able to 

practise much and we soon fall 

back into Vietnamese. 

The occasional foreigner 

will come to town for a couple 

of nights. There’s 'Tall David', 

who’s going out with Brave 

Cloud who works at a hotel in 

District 10, Ho Chi Minh City. 

Brave Cloud’s family lives 

over the hill. Her father gets 

his money driving container 

trucks, her mother gives it away 

playing cards. Then there’s 

'Construction Steve' who rides 

his Airblade the 120 kilometres 

up here to visit his friend the 

widow Proud Water who owns 

a coffee shop. Every so often 

friends come to visit me. 

My Vietnamese wife refuses 

to live in the big smoke of Binh 

Long. Too many temptations for 

the children. The girl could go 

to coffee shops with boys. The 

boy could become addicted to 

on-line games. So we live in a 

hamlet three kilometres out of 

town in a compound the family 

carved out of the wild jungle in 

the 1990s. Brother Three, Sister 

Eight and Brother Nine live in 

the compound. Brother Seven 

has a farm on the top of the hill 

above us. Brother Four is on the 

other side of a large paddock. 

Brother Two is up the road. 

Brother Five lives in Ben Cat 60 

kilometres away towards Ho 

Chi Minh City. 

I attend weddings, funerals 

and death day anniversaries; I 

have conversations about the 

relative economies of planting 

cashews or avocados, the poor 

returns on pigs and how many 

power outages we will have this 

year; I check out the two million 

dong fighting cocks next door; 

I report to the authorities every 

three months, play tennis every 

afternoon at four and most importantly 

listen to all the gossip 

about everyone in the village. 

I also answer a lot of questions 

about whether we have this or 

that “over there” in Australia. 

Riding along the ridge line 

looking across the beautiful 

green hills as they roll down to 

the plains I realise how blessed 

I am. The village coppers, who 

just got as drunk as I did at the 

wedding, are at home sleeping it 

off instead of out here checking 

for riders under the influence. 

asialife HCMC 85

pub quiz 

Planes 

1) If your planes lands in Changi 

airport, what country are you in? 

2) Which country is home to 

Helvetic Airways? 

3) Which company produces 

the A380, the world's largest 

airliner? 

4) Which Cambodian flag carrier 

airline operated from 1994 to 

Oct. 16, 2001? 

5) Which city has the world's 

busiest city airport system by 

passenger count? 

Trains 

6) In which Cambodian province 

can you ride on the bamboo 

train? 

7) The Japanese JR-Maglev is the 

world's fastest train, what is the 

fastest conventional train? 

8) Whose "Rocket" was built for, 

and won, the Rainhill Trials held 

by the Liverpool & Manchester 

Railway in 1829? 

9) Which locomotive is the holder 

of the official world speed 

record for steam locomotives? 

10) Which band's debut single 

was ‘Last Train to Clarkesville’? 

Automobiles 

11) Which car company, popular 

in Cambodia, has a logo 

made up of three ovals? 

12) Which German state is home 

to BMW? 

13) Czech-based Skoda, is 

now a subsidiary of which 

manufacturing group? 

14) Which car does James Bond 

drive most often in films? 

15) Nhean Phaloek has 

hand-made three cars in 

Cambodia. What unsurprising 

name did he give them? 

Summertime 

16) Who co-wrote and recorded 

the song ‘Summertime 

Blues’? 

17) What was the real name of 

The Bionic Woman? 

18) In which year was The 

Summer of Love? 

19) Who composed the music for 

the song ‘Summertime’ from 

the opera Porgy and Bess? 

20) Which English playwright and 

novelist was a famous guest 

at the Hotel Le Royal? 

Blues 

21) Which Blues are the current 

holders of the English 

Premier League title? 

22) Who wrote the music for the 

song ‘I Guess That's Why 

They Call It the Blues’? 

23) Which 1980 film starred 

Brooke Shields and 

Christopher Atkins? 

24) ‘(Don't Fear) The Reaper’ 

is the best known song by 

which American band? 

25) Who found international fame 

after her performance in The 

Blue Angel? 

Streched Celebrities 

26) 

27) 

28) 

29) 

30) 

Thoâng tin du lòch vaø vaên hoaù ôû Vieät Nam ASIALIFE HCMC 

Chòu traùch nhieäm xuaát baûn: Nguyeãn Thò Thanh Höông 

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Nhaø XuaáT baûn toång hôïp 

TP. Hoà Chí MINH 

62 Nguyeãn Thò Minh Khai, Q1 

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Fax: 84.8.38222726 Email: tonghop@nxbhcm.com.vn 

Website:www.nxbhcm.com.vn - www.fiditour.com 

Thöïc hieän lieân keát xuaát baûn: Coâng ty TNHH QC TM DV 

Ba traêm saùu möôi laêm ngaøy 

In laàn thöù nhaát, soá löôïng 4000 cuoán, khoå 20,5cm x 27,0cm 

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Ngaøy 05/04/2012 

In taïi Coâng ty ITAXA, ñòa chæ 126 Nguyeãn Thò Minh Khai, Q.3. 

In xong vaø noäp löu chieåu thaùng 07/ 2012 

365 Days Advertising Trading Services Co.,Ltd 

L4,159 Phan Xich Long, P7, Phu Nhuan District Tel: +84 8 3517 2208 

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Jonny Edbrooke 

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Photo Editor: Fred Wissink 

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Senior Designer: Nguyen Mai Anh 

maianh@threesixfive-days.com 

Photography Interns: 

Alex Belikov, Alex McMillan 

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Deputy Editor: Chris Mueller 

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Contributing Editor: Michael Tatarski 

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Editorial Interns: Claire Jowell, Lieu Anh Vu 

For advertising and marketing enquiries please call: 

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© Ba Sau Nam Co,Ltd Vietnam 

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6 3 4 

5 2 

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2 1 

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Pub Quiz Answers 

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27) Denise Richards 28) Winona Ryder 29) Tom Cruise 30) Robert Pattinson 

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issue 52 - AsiaLIFE Magazine

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