- Vietnam is the second biggest producer of coffee in the world, just behind Brazil.
- Tet officially goes for three days but it is up to the family to decide how long they want off. It's not uncommon for most people to have up to 10 days off.
- Vietnam is home to the world's cheapest beer "Beer Hoi"
- The name "Vietnam" means "Ascending Dragon"
- When a family member dies, the remaining family will put up a blue tent 49 days later. Family and friends will then come to mourn him & celebrate his life.
- Ho Chi Minh was one of the most famous freedom fighters for Vietnam. He is referred to by the Vietnamese as "Uncle Ho".
- Vietnam's official name is "The Socialist Republic of Vietnam".
- Even though they are a Socialist country. Vietnam has a communist government.
Useless info
Teaching English in Vietnam
There are many schools and teaching positions available in Vietnam. One of the best places to start looking for job opportunities is on the Internet. The easiest way to apply for jobs is by sending out emails to various schools and they will email you back generally with in two or three days.
While you will read on a lot of websites and job vacancies that they require a Uni Degree. This is not true when it comes to gaining employment. There is such a shortage of teachers here that they'll still interview you with no degree and you'll more than likely be offered a test class or a few hours.
The easiest place to get yourself a job is in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi. The hours that you work will be up to you once you have proved yourself with a few classes. You can work as little as 5 hours a week or up to 30 hours a week if you choose. This of course is all plus your prep time for each class.
All schools will pay their teachers cash in hand & most schools will pay you every month and in Vietnamese Dong. The average hourly rate of pay for Teaching English in Vietnam is $15-$20 USD per hour.
While you will read on a lot of websites and job vacancies that they require a Uni Degree. This is not true when it comes to gaining employment. There is such a shortage of teachers here that they'll still interview you with no degree and you'll more than likely be offered a test class or a few hours.
The easiest place to get yourself a job is in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi. The hours that you work will be up to you once you have proved yourself with a few classes. You can work as little as 5 hours a week or up to 30 hours a week if you choose. This of course is all plus your prep time for each class.
All schools will pay their teachers cash in hand & most schools will pay you every month and in Vietnamese Dong. The average hourly rate of pay for Teaching English in Vietnam is $15-$20 USD per hour.
What It Costs
Pretty much every thing in Vietnam is cheaper than in the western world (even if they have inflated the price for westerners) This is a rough guide at what daily life costs in Vietnam.
Exchange Rate:
$1 USD = 16,000 dong
$1 AUD = 12,000 dong
Even though the exchange rates vary every day most people here don't take notice of the fluctuations and stick to this rate. Which makes life a whole lot easier for us.
Shopping:
Can of Coke = 6,000 dong
Loaf of bread = 16,000 dong
Small bottle of water = 3,000 dong
Large bottle of water = 7,000 dong
Carton on Halida Beer(24) = 150,000 dong
Night Life:
Beer on the street (Beer Hoi) = 2,000 dong a glass
Beer in a pub= 20,000 dong
Cigarettes = 16,000 dong
Beer price's and size can vary a lot fro pub to pub and restaurant to restaurant.
Tourist Life:
Post Cards = 7,000 dong
DVD's & CD's = 15,000 dong
Push Bike rental = 20,000 dong per day
Motorbike rental = $5 USD per day / $45 USD per month
Motorbike Taxi = 15,000 dong
Transfers from Hanoi Airport:
The easiest way to get to the old quarter from Hanoi International is to take one of themany $10 USD taxi's. Across from the terminal exit where you can find the signed rank. These are much cheaper than the metered taxi's, so well worth taking advantage of.
Exchange Rate:
$1 USD = 16,000 dong
$1 AUD = 12,000 dong
Even though the exchange rates vary every day most people here don't take notice of the fluctuations and stick to this rate. Which makes life a whole lot easier for us.
Shopping:
Can of Coke = 6,000 dong
Loaf of bread = 16,000 dong
Small bottle of water = 3,000 dong
Large bottle of water = 7,000 dong
Carton on Halida Beer(24) = 150,000 dong
Night Life:
Beer on the street (Beer Hoi) = 2,000 dong a glass
Beer in a pub= 20,000 dong
Cigarettes = 16,000 dong
Beer price's and size can vary a lot fro pub to pub and restaurant to restaurant.
Tourist Life:
Post Cards = 7,000 dong
DVD's & CD's = 15,000 dong
Push Bike rental = 20,000 dong per day
Motorbike rental = $5 USD per day / $45 USD per month
Motorbike Taxi = 15,000 dong
Transfers from Hanoi Airport:
The easiest way to get to the old quarter from Hanoi International is to take one of themany $10 USD taxi's. Across from the terminal exit where you can find the signed rank. These are much cheaper than the metered taxi's, so well worth taking advantage of.
Top 5 Hanoi Restaurants
There are hundreds of restaurants to choose from in Hanoi both Vietnamese and western. These are just a handful of our favourites.
1) Quan An Ngon (Restaurant Eat Delicious - when translated)
Located near Hanoi Towers outside the of the "Old Quarter" this is a local favourite hidden from tourists. They specialise in nothing but traditional Vietnamese and I don't mean tourist Vietnamese like "Pho Ga". You get to enjoy all these mouth watering feast in the out door garden. If your not sure what to eat though you can walk around to the many stalls to see what it is & watch it being made. The best thing about this restaurant is that nearly every thing on the menu is around the 15-20,000 dong.
Some tasty treats from their menu include:
Mango Seafood Salad, Eel & Noodles, Vietnamese Pancake, Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls & a delicious dessert mad of lollies in a kind of baileys mix with crushed ice.
2) Beer Minh
Located in the heart of the "Old Quarter" on Pho Dinh Liet. The place has Vietnamese & western food on its extensive menu. Fantastic value for money with tallies of Halida starting from around 10,000 dong. If you would like to try some delicious "Pho Ga" then this is the place. The chicken is skinless and best of all boneless cooked in very little oil which is hard to find in Vietnam. Main meals start at around 23,000 dong. A meal here with an icy cold beverage will cost you around 40,000 dong
3) Cafe Moca
This has been one of our long standing favourites in Hanoi. Located 2 blocks from Hoan Kiem Lake across from St Joseph's Cathedral, Cafe Moca serves up some tasty meals of the western kind. Highly recommended is any of the pasta dishes especially the Carbonara. We did try their Vietnamese dishes once, but alas they were not of the same calibre. A meal here will cost you about 60-80,000 dong.
4) Papa Joe's
There are actually three of these located in Hanoi but you can find the same goodness on any of their menus. If you would like a view while you eat, try the Papa Joes located at the north end of Hoan Kiem Lake (A great place on a busy night like Xmas or New Years Eve) . There is also another one located in Hanoi Towers and this place possibly serves the best toasted chicken sandwich & strawberry milk shake on earth. You can order all kinds of western food here, ranging from pizza's to toasted sandwiches, wraps, salads, hamburgers and hot dogs. A meal & drink here will lighten you pocket by about 65,000 dong.
5) Kahazzana
While not a western or Vietnamese cuisine this little restaurant is home to our favourite person in Vietnam. Gopi an Indian Restaurateur living in Vietnam. We order stuff from the menu here and if he thinks we have had it to many times he just says "no (wobbling his head) , I'm wont give you that, you will have this" & he has been right on the money every time. This place is our little splurge as meals in this fancy little Indian restaurant cost about 130,000 with a drink.
1) Quan An Ngon (Restaurant Eat Delicious - when translated)
Located near Hanoi Towers outside the of the "Old Quarter" this is a local favourite hidden from tourists. They specialise in nothing but traditional Vietnamese and I don't mean tourist Vietnamese like "Pho Ga". You get to enjoy all these mouth watering feast in the out door garden. If your not sure what to eat though you can walk around to the many stalls to see what it is & watch it being made. The best thing about this restaurant is that nearly every thing on the menu is around the 15-20,000 dong.
Some tasty treats from their menu include:
Mango Seafood Salad, Eel & Noodles, Vietnamese Pancake, Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls & a delicious dessert mad of lollies in a kind of baileys mix with crushed ice.
2) Beer Minh
Located in the heart of the "Old Quarter" on Pho Dinh Liet. The place has Vietnamese & western food on its extensive menu. Fantastic value for money with tallies of Halida starting from around 10,000 dong. If you would like to try some delicious "Pho Ga" then this is the place. The chicken is skinless and best of all boneless cooked in very little oil which is hard to find in Vietnam. Main meals start at around 23,000 dong. A meal here with an icy cold beverage will cost you around 40,000 dong
3) Cafe Moca
This has been one of our long standing favourites in Hanoi. Located 2 blocks from Hoan Kiem Lake across from St Joseph's Cathedral, Cafe Moca serves up some tasty meals of the western kind. Highly recommended is any of the pasta dishes especially the Carbonara. We did try their Vietnamese dishes once, but alas they were not of the same calibre. A meal here will cost you about 60-80,000 dong.
4) Papa Joe's
There are actually three of these located in Hanoi but you can find the same goodness on any of their menus. If you would like a view while you eat, try the Papa Joes located at the north end of Hoan Kiem Lake (A great place on a busy night like Xmas or New Years Eve) . There is also another one located in Hanoi Towers and this place possibly serves the best toasted chicken sandwich & strawberry milk shake on earth. You can order all kinds of western food here, ranging from pizza's to toasted sandwiches, wraps, salads, hamburgers and hot dogs. A meal & drink here will lighten you pocket by about 65,000 dong.
5) Kahazzana
While not a western or Vietnamese cuisine this little restaurant is home to our favourite person in Vietnam. Gopi an Indian Restaurateur living in Vietnam. We order stuff from the menu here and if he thinks we have had it to many times he just says "no (wobbling his head) , I'm wont give you that, you will have this" & he has been right on the money every time. This place is our little splurge as meals in this fancy little Indian restaurant cost about 130,000 with a drink.
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