Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [236]
In theory, you can obtain a fifteen-day Lao visa at the border at Cau Treo and Nam Can ($30; two passport photos required), but check with the embassy before for current information. Otherwise you can obtain Lao visas at either the Lao consulate in Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang, or at their Hanoi embassy.
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The central provinces - Part 2 | Dong Hoi to Ninh Binh |
Vinh and around
VINH is a sprawling grey city with a sad past, sitting astride Highway 1 – which throws up dust and a steady trickle of tourists breaking their journey between Hué and Hanoi or heading to or from Laos. Soviet-style apartment blocks and socialist town planning on a grand scale may hold a certain historical interest, but there’s nothing attractive about the town and for most people its saving grace is a selection of reasonable-standard hotels. Nevertheless, the province of Nghe An savours its proud history, having spawned a wealth of revolutionary figures, many of them enshrined in street names: Le Hong Phong, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Phan Boi Chau and, top of the list, Ho Chi Minh. Ho’s birthplace and childhood home are found in Kim Lien Village, 14km from Vinh, a place of pilgrimage for Vietnamese, though rather sterile for most foreign visitors. Cua Lo beach resort lies 19km north of the city, comprising a straggle of overpriced hotels beside a long, unspoilt beach with good white sand but too much rubbish to make you want to linger.
The central provinces - Part 2 | Dong Hoi to Ninh Binh | Vinh and around |
Arrival and information
Vinh’s main axis is Highway 1, called Quang Trung and then Le Loi in the centre. Heading up Quang Trung, after about 500m you’ll find the Saigon Kim Lien Hotel, good for information, followed by the long-distance bus station (Ben Xe Vinh) a kilometre further on; public buses from Trung Tam (and the border with Laos; (See "Cau Treo and Nam Can border crossings into Laos")) terminate at the provincial bus station (Ben Xe Cho Vinh) at the south end of Quang Trung behind Vinh market. Open-tour buses can set down passengers in Vinh en route, but confirm onward travel with the relevant company beforehand. Two kilometres north of the market the nine-storey Huu Nghi Hotel dominates a major crossroads: turn left here to find an internet café at 32 Phan Boi Chao and the train station, at the end of the street (ticket office hours 6.30am–11pm); right brings you to the Vietcombank at 9 Nguyen Si Sach, with a 24-hour ATM. There’s another 24-hour ATM at 33 Quang Trung. Vinh airport, with flights to Ho Chi Minh City only, lies a short taxi ride (30,000–45,000đ) north of the city. The main post office is nearly a kilometre east of the Saigon Kim Lien beside the unmissable radio tower, but there are more convenient sub-branches outside the train station and at 73 Le Loi. Car and motorbike rental are available through most hotels, and you can pick up xe om anywhere in town.
For details of heading to Laos via Cau Treo (105km southwest of Vinh) or Nam Can (240km northwest of Vinh) see "Cau Treo and Nam Can border crossings into Laos".
The central provinces - Part 2 | Dong Hoi to Ninh Binh | Vinh and around |
Accommodation
Because it’s such a transport hub, Vinh has a large number of hotels, which means places are willing to bargain. Many hotels, however, sit right on the highway, so wherever possible go for a room at the back.
Green Hotel 2 Mai Hac De 038/384 4788, 038/384 8873. If you’re after a few creature comforts near the train station, this place has old-fashioned but decent-size rooms. Other plus points are the small pool and friendly welcome. US$21–30
Kim Thai San 107 Nguyen Thai Hoc 038/384 4409, 038/327 5156. Very friendly