Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [25]
Accommodation | Types of accommodation |
Village accommodation and camping
As Vietnam’s minority communities have become more exposed to tourism, staying in stilthouses or other village accommodation has become more feasible.
In the north of the country, notably around Sa Pa, He Ho and in the Mai Chau Valley, you can either take one of the tours out of Hanoi which includes a home-stay in one of the minority villages, or make your own arrangements when you get there ((see "Visiting minority villages") for details). In the central highlands, the Plei Ku and Kon Tum tourist offices can also arrange a stilthouse home-stay for you.
Accommodation usually consists of a mattress on the floor in a communal room. Those villages more used to tourists normally provide a blanket and mosquito net, but it’s advisable to take your own net and sleeping bag to be on the safe side, particularly as nights get pretty cold in the mountains. Prices in the villages vary from US$5–15 per person per night, depending on the area and whether meals are included.
Where boat trips operate in the Mekong Delta, notably around Vinh Long, tour operators in Ho Chi Minh City or the local tourist board can arrange for visitors to stay with owners of fruit orchards, allowing a close-up view of rural life (see "Tour agents").
Virtually no provisions exist in Vietnam for camping at the present time. The exceptions are at Nha Trang and Mui Ne, where some guesthouses offer tents for a few dollars a night when all rooms are full. Some tour companies also offer camping as an option when visiting Ha Long Bay (see "Organized tours of Ha Long Bay").
Eating and drinking
At its best, Vietnamese food is light, subtle in flavour and astonishing in its variety. Though its cuisine is related to that of China, Vietnam has its own distinct culinary tradition, using herbs and seasoning rather than sauces, and favouring boiled or steamed dishes over stir–fries.
In the south, Indian and Thai influences add curries and spices to the menu, while other regions have evolved their own array of specialities, most notably the foods of Hué and Hoi An. Buddhism introduced a vegetarian tradition to Vietnam, while much later the French brought with them bread, dairy products, pastries and the whole café culture. Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the major tourist centres are now well provided, with everything from street hawkers to hotel and Western-style restaurants, and even ice-cream parlours.
The quality and variety of food is generally better in the main towns than off the beaten track, where restaurants of any sort are few and far between. That said, you’ll never go hungry; even in the back of beyond, there’s always some stall selling a noodle soup or rice platter and plenty of fruit to fill up on.
Vietnam’s national drink is green tea, which is the accompaniment to every social gathering or business meeting and is frequently drunk after meals. At the harder end of the spectrum, there’s also rice wine, though some local beer is also excellent, and an increasingly wide range of imported wines and spirits.
For a glossary of food and drink terms, see "Eating and drinking".
Eating and drinking |
Where to eat
Broadly speaking, there are two types of eating establishment to choose from. One step up from hawkers peddling their dish of the day from shoulder poles or handcarts are street kitchens, inexpensive joints aimed at locals. More formal, Western-style restaurants come in many shapes and sizes, from simple places serving unpretentious