Vietnam travel guide and tips at Vietnamvisa.sg

Step by step to rent an apartment in Vietnam

Vietnam has been chosen as a popular traveling and living place recently by a lot of foreigners.  More than 100,000 foreigners are living here and many of them have called Vietnam their next home. Finding a new apartment to rent in a brand new country might be challenging at first sight, but you will see it not difficult at all with proper planning and careful consideration. Let’s go through the standard process below before taking actions.

1. Figure out your budget and your needs

You need to calculate your total monthly income to see how much you can afford for a rental. Advisors suggest that you should spend from 25 to 35 percent of your net income on monthly rent. Additionally, some landlords or building owners leave utility fees (like water, electricity, Internet, cleaning, etc.) for tenants to pay; thus, you may add extra 500,000VND – 1,000,000VND to your budget. Once you determine the maximum amount, let it lead your hunt so that you can ensure no overspending happens.

It is important that you sketch out the ideal apartment that you want to rent. Do list down all requirements: from location, surrounding convenience, number of rooms, furnished appliances to included services like laundry or cleaning. In case not all items in your wish-list can be met, it’s better to divide them into “must-have” and “optional” so that you can narrow down prospect scope and also have a back-up plan in different situations.

2. Find a housing agent

It is the best way to find an available apartment since you don’t have to worry about language barrier which may lead to miscommunication. There are many agents supporting expats which can be found on the Internet and you can actually work with some agents at the same time. Because the landlord has to pay commission fee when the deal is signed, contacting several ones will give you more chances. Once your requirements are ready, just give them to the agents and they will revert to you with the potentials. One of the good agents is Alpha Housing, you can contact them for advice. Check apartment for rent in Hanoi here: https://alphahousing.vn/apartments/

3. Take a tour of proposed units

Landlords are always willing to show you their apartment to tenants in person. So, don’t hesitate to ask the agents to set an appointment for site check. Meanwhile, if there is any points need to be clarified, raise your voice with the presence of 2 other parties. And you should pay attention to the surrounding area as well since your neighbors or security status can have a big impact on your living condition.

4. Ink the deal

Once you agree to rent an apartment, you need to sign a lease contract with the landlord. The standard leasing period is at least 3 months and you are often required to make a deposit (equivalent to rent amount of 1 or 2 months) right after the contract is signed. Even when deposit is made, it can’t be taken back in case you change your mind. Make sure that you read all the terms carefully and all agreed points in verbal discussion are reflected on the paper. You may ask a Vietnamese friend help you cross-check Vietnamese part in dual language contract before you sign on the dotted line, too.

5. Arrange your settlement

Do notify the landlord 1-2 weeks before you move in so that they can clean the house and get everything ready. Besides, it’s good to check again with them about parking and elevator in the building to move things up since some have quite strict regulations on this. Last but not least, ask the owner to walk through the house with you just right before putting your stuffs. And if you notice any spoilages or damages, remember to take pictures and show the landlord, too. This later will protect you from being responsible for any damages caused by others.

The process can be demanding for first-time tenants, especially foreigners. Be smart to plan as early as possible before you arrive in Vietnam to make a better decision about where to live. Hope that those instructions will help you succeed in searching a dream home in the country no matter how long you will live here.

Top 7 Vietnamese dishes that Singaporeans should try

7 most iconic Vietnamese food that a Singaporean must try

Vietnam has been famous to foreigners recently for not only beautiful natural landscapes but also unique specialties. For Singaporeans who are planning to travel to Vietnam, these are the top iconic Vietnamese food that you must try at the time you are in this country.

1. Banh Xeo – Vietnam food

Bánh xèo Việt nam - Vietnamese food - Vietnam visa in Singapore

Bánh xèo Việt nam

Banh Xeo is an iconic Southern dish. This is a favorite dish of many people, locals as well as foreigners. Banh Xeo is the Vietnamese savory fried pancake made with the mixture of rice flour, water, turmeric powder. After that, they will stuff it with slivers of fatty pork, shrimp, diced green onion, and bean sprouts. When enjoying this dish, people often wrap a piece of Banh Xeo with the rice paper with lettuce and fresh herbs and then dip them in the sweet fish sauce.

2. Banh Khot among the most iconic Vietnamese dishes

Banh Khot among the most iconic Vietnamese dishes - Vietnam visa for Singaporeans

Banh Khot among the most iconic Vietnamese dishes

Banh Khot is one of the most popular dishes in Southern Vietnam. Its traditional version is in Vung Tau. To make Banh Khot, people often mix coconut milk and rice flour together and fry in a mini-pancake pan. Then, seafood such as medium-size shrimp or squid will be topped on it. This dish is served with fresh vegetables and sweet fish sauce.

3. Bun Bo Hue

Bún bò Huế - a must-try Vietnamese food - Vietnam visa in Singapore

Bún bò Huế – a must-try Vietnamese food

Bun Bo Hue is a popular Vietnamese noodle soup, and one of the most typical foods of Hue. Its broth is prepared by stewing beef and bones for a long period of time. After that, a large range of different spices containing a little shrimp paste, lemongrass and chili are added in. Apart from beef, you can eat this specialty with cubes of brown congealed pig blood, which are good for those suffering from high blood pressure. Bun Bo Hue is usually served with a variety of herbs such as bean sprouts, lime, onions, and sliced banana blossom.

4. Mi Quang

Mỳ Quảng _ a great Vietnamese dish in central Vietnam - Vietnam visa online for Singapore

Mỳ Quảng _ a great Vietnamese dish in central Vietnam

Mi Quang can be found at most restaurants in Vietnam. It comes from Quang Nam province. The kind of noodles used in this dish is flat rice noodles dyed yellow from turmeric powder. The broth is made simply with various bones, fish sauce, black pepper, shallot, and garlic. The dish can be served with pork, chicken, shrimp, and Quail eggs. Banh Trang – sesame-flecked rice crackers – is an extra never missed in any Mi Quang bowl.

5. Che

Chè Việt Nam - Vietnam visa for Singaporeans

Chè Việt Nam

Don’t leave Vietnam without trying any of the most typical Vietnamese desserts – Che. Che is a Vietnamese traditional dessert. There are diverse of Che in Vietnam such as Che ba mau, Che khuc bach, Che chuoi, and Che sam bo luong. Depending on the types of Che, ingredients are different. They are often made with mung beans, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, tapioca, jelly, tropical fruit, and coconut milk. Some kinds of Che are served cold, some are better if you eat it warm.

6. Banh Beo

Bánh bèo Việt Nam - a must-try-food - Vietnam visa in Singapore

Bánh bèo Việt Nam

Banh Beo is a heritage dish of central Vietnam. It is a kind of small steamed rice cake in Vietnamese cuisine. Banh Beo is white in color and typically features a dimple in the center. People often fill in it with savory ingredients such as chopped green onions, dried or fresh shrimps, mung bean paste and fried shallots. At some food stall, they add small pieces of fried bread on top as an extra. Banh Beo is served with fish sauce.

7. Banh Trang Nuong

Bánh tráng nướng Việt Nam - Vietnam visa online

Bánh tráng nướng Việt Nam

Know as Vietnamese pizza, Banh Tran Nuong is one of street food in Vietnam that you shouldn’t miss. It originates from Da Lat. This crispy snack is made from grilled rice paper, egg, cheese, and top with dried beef, green onions, and spicy chicken. Banh Trang Nuong is preferred by most of the people in Vietnam, especially children and the youth.

Trying specialties is one of the most top things to do in Vietnam. These are typical food in Vietnam that you should taste when coming to this country. Hope your journey in Vietnam will be more interesting with our suggestions.

Just-in: Vietnam visa for Singaporeans

At the moment, all Singaporeans are exempted from Vietnam visa for 30 days staying in Vietnam. This is according to the bilateral visa exemption agreement between governments of the two countries.

You holding a Singapore passport only need to apply for Vietnam visa in case you wish to stay in Vietnam for over 30 consecutive days. If it is the case, you may have two options which are clearly described here: Get Vietnam visa for Singaporeans.

Top 5 Hanoi festivals for travelers to Vietnam - Vietnam visa in Singapore

Top 3 traditional festivals in Hanoi that you shouldn’t miss

Hanoi is a traditional and cultural capital of Vietnam in which there are lots of festivals taking place throughout the year. In this article, we will introduce the 3 most famous festivals in this destination that visitors shouldn’t miss.

1. Co Loa festival

Co Loa Festival takes place annually from the 6th to the 16th day of the first lunar month – just after Lunar New Year Festival. It is held at Upper Temple in Hanoi. This temple is the place to worship the Au Lac’s king – King An Duong Vuong. Co Loa festival is to tell the legendary story about King An Duong and his daughter My Chau.

Co Loa Festival in Hanoi - Vietnam visa online

Co Loa Festival in Hanoi

The festival is usually started with a possession of 12 hamlets and 7 villages and it lasts until the 16th day. Moreover, there are fireworks displays in the evening as well as a lot of attractive traditional games such as wrestling, crossbow shooting, rope climbing, martial arts, flag dancing and archery and performances of ca trù, chèo and tuồng organized and performed during the time of this festival.

2. Le Mat festival

Le Mat festival is organized in Le Mat village from the 20th day to the 24th day of the third lunar month every year. The aim of this festival is to honor the tradition of catching snakes of this village.

Le Mat Festival - an unique festival in Hanoi - Vietnam visa in Singapore

Le Mat Festival – an unique festival in Hanoi

The festival includes offerings, water processions, snake-related competitions such as snake catching, snake breeding, and snake venom curing. Especially, tourists joining in the festival can watch a performance represented among the vibrant sounds of drums. The performance tells a folk story about a young man killed a huge snake to save a princess.

3. Chem temple festival

Chem Temple festival is one of the biggest festivals in Hanoi. It is held in the temple of Chem village – located about 12km from the center of Hanoi- on 14th to the 16th day of the fourth lunar month. Chem Temple festival worships aliases Ly Ong Trong, who helped the Chinese Emperor Tan Thuy Hoang against the Mongolian invaders during the Hung kings Dynasty.

Chem Temple Festival in Hanoi - Vietnam visa

Chem Temple Festival in Hanoi

Participating in this festival, you can have a chance to see water procession consisting of 3 dragon boats in the Hong River, enjoy votive paper procession, Moc Duc ceremony, and royal order procession. Also, you can take part in a lot of interesting traditional folk games such as kite flying, traditional wrestling, and tug-of-war.

Vietnam visa for Belgium citizens in Singapore

Every Belgium passport holders who want to travel to Vietnam, despite their place, must have a Vietnam visa to enter the country. To obtain a Vietnam visa in Singapore for Belgium citizens, there are 2 possible ways for you to consider.

Getting Vietnam visa for Belgium citizens in Singapore

Getting Vietnam visa for Belgium citizens in Singapore

1. Obtain Vietnam visa at Vietnam Embassy

If you wish to have a Vietnam Visa by applying for it at Vietnam Embassy, you need to go directly to there and wait for 4 to 5 days to receive your passport with a visa stamped on it by post. Also, you are required to submit lots of documents. For further information, please contact Vietnam Embassy in Singapore before you go to there.

VIETNAM EMBASSY IN SINGAPORE

  • Address: 10 Leedon Park St., SINGAPORE 267887
  • Phone: (65) 64625994
  • Fax: (65) 6462 5936
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Website: vnembassy-leedonpark.mofa.gov.vn

2. Obtain Vietnam visa on Arrival

Obtaining Vietnam visa on Arrival can be considered as the best way to have a Vietnam Visa if you don’t want to go to Vietnam Embassy or don’t have much time to wait. It takes only 1 to 2 days to receive an Approval Letter. Then, you will use it to get your visa when you arrive at Vietnam airport. To know more about this kind of visa and how to apply for it, you can freely access Vietnam-visa.com.

And in case you wish to know whether Singaporeans need a visa to visit Vietnam and how to get Vietnam visa for Singaporeans, you can access to https://www.vietnam-visa.com/guide/singapore/.

Taking part in festivals in Hanoi is one of the best ways to learn about the culture and tradition of this city. Additionally, you can have a lot of fun when joining festivals. Hope our information above can help you create a better plan if you intent to visit Hanoi.

4 unique statues in Hanoi interested by Argentina tourists

There is no need for a medicinal mummification, but the remains of the two masters are not decayed or the statue of the Monsignor with bare feet is the unique statue in Hanoi.

Buddha statue on the king’s back

Hoe Nhai Pagoda (Ba Dinh District) is located on a large campus with the green space of ancient bodhi trees. The pagoda having two three-storey towers next to the two large stones consists of two roadblocks, each of which has 5 compartments.

In the temple, travelers will see a statue “King of penance”. According to the abbot, this statue was the result of a Buddhist monk’s practice in Vietnam in 1678. At that time, Buddhism was no longer in the position of the state religion, instead, it was Confucianism.

King Le Hy Tong had an ordinance to expel the monks into the forest, if not obeyed, the monks would be punished. At this time, the monk Chan Dun, the second monk of Hoe Nhai Pagoda, wrote the poem, put into the casket to bring the king and said that there was a pearl in the box.

When the king opened the box, he did not see the jade, but only the statement about the Buddha’s maintenance has helped the dynasty in a durable position. Later, King Le promulgated the penitent repression and changed his attitude towards Buddhism. Derived from this, the statue of the Buddha on the back of the king has been placed in Hoe Nhai Pagoda.

The statue like the real person

Quan Su Pagoda (Hoan Kiem District) is displaying the statue of monk Thich Thanh Tu, former vice president of the Buddhist Association of Vietnam, with the size of real people. The statue was taken to the pagoda on the occasion of the ceremony. Many people come to the temple because they do not know that this is a real person or statue.

The statue is made of wax but look like a real person with each detailed facial feature such as eyebrows, nose, mouth, wrinkles on the cheek, lines or wrinkles on the neck which are very lively. The left hand of the statue with blue veins and the feet is made with very real lines.

This is the result of the Buddhist monks and nuns in Thailand after one year and finally had this wish since 2008 on the occasion of the United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations in Hanoi.

The statue of Monsignor with a unique barefoot

Chua Boc in Khuong Thuong village (Dong Da district) is one of the famous temples in Hanoi which is classified as a national historical monument. The ancient temple is located quietly in the street which is always busy. In the three-storey shrine of the temple, in addition to worshipping the Buddha, on the right temple, there is a church worshipping the Monsignor from ancient times bringing many secrets.

At this altar, there are 3 monsignors with the highest statue has one foot in the shoe and the other one is bare foot, looking very comfortable. He wears a coat embroidered dragon hidden in the clouds and his belt is very majestic. This is rare in statues of the monks at other temples. To this day, no one knows exactly when the temple was built.

Two statues of Dau Pagoda

More than 20 km from Hanoi, Dau pagoda is sacred by the two statues of Zen Master Vu Khac Minh and Vu Khac Truong whose bodies are still intact. The bodies of two monks sit in meditation posture, wrapped in Vietnamese paint.

Many Vietnamese scientists have not yet deciphered the mystery of not having a mummified medicine that the two Buddhist monks have not decomposed.

In addition to architectural values, Dau Pagoda also preserves many precious relics such as two stone minks on the threshold of Tam Quan, dating to the Tran Dynasty, two stone dragons on the threshold of the Tang Dynasty (now more than 500 years old), Terracotta tiles in the Mac dynasty and Le dynasty. With two rare statues and precious relics, Dau Pagoda is always a mystery and unique to visitors everywhere.

*** How to get Vietnam visa for Argentina citizens

Argentina is not included in the list of countries with Vietnam visa exemption, so to visit Vietnam Argentina citizens have to apply for the visa to Vietnam. There are 3 methods to get Vietnam visa for Argentina as follows:

  • Visa to Vietnam from Argentina at the embassy
  • Vietnam e-visa for Argentina
  • Visa on arrival

Among 3 methods, it is highly recommended for Argentina citizens to choose the last one as it is really a wonderful service by saving a lot of time and energy, the simple and fast process, especially the high rate of applying successfully.  Check out more about Vietnam visa for Argentina for a good start of your trip then!

All you should know when applying Vietnam visa for Chinese in Singapore

Normally, the paperwork for Vietnam visa for Chinese people will be troublesome and time-consuming. Please refer to the easiest ways to apply for Vietnam visa for the Chinese in Singapore as below.

Apply at the Vietnamese embassy in a third country

This is the most common, traditional way, especially, for the Chinese living and working in Singapore, they can directly go to Vietnam embassy in Singapore to apply for Vietnam visa.

1. Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore

  • Address: 10 Leedon Park St., SINGAPORE 267887
  • Phone: (65) 64625994
  • Fax: (65) 6462 5936
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Website: https://www.vietnamembassy-singapore.org/

Working time

  • Monday to Friday: 8:30 am – 12:00 a.m and 2:30 p.m – 5:30 p.m
  • Visa procedure: Monday to Friday (9 a.m – 12 a.m)
  • Other consular procedures (grant, renewal, change of passport, notarization, legalization, making birth and death certificates, etc.): Monday, Wednesday, Friday (3 pm – 5 pm)

Advantage

You will be stamped visa immediately after your application is approved.

Disadvantages

The procedure is quite complex and the cost is very high, especially for the Chinese labors with long-term work and multiple entries so the ability to refuse of approving visa is very high. With the 7-day review period, if you have an urgent need during the day, it will be difficult to arrange.

2. Apply for e-visa

This is a new visa policy applied by the Vietnamese government in more than 40 countries since February 1st, 2017 including China (Not apply to Chinese e-passport holders). Therefore, you can refer this way to get Vietnam visa for Chinese in Singapore.
Advantages

Vietnam E-visa is a convenient method by just visiting the website to enter information and waiting for visa approval. The fee of e-visa is 25 dollars which is pretty cheap and simple compared with visa at the Embassy.

Disadvantages

The website interface is not user-friendly, difficult to operate because it only allows one entry and staying up to 30 days. In order to be granted an electronic visa, you must complete the information in accordance with each process, especially for long-term approval. Please give a try to apply for an electronic visa at https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/web/guest/trang-chu-ttdt

3. Apply for Vietnam Visa on arrival

This is a policy for the reputable international travel companies and organizations in Vietnam which are able to guarantee customers, partners to Vietnam for various purposes. It is a good choice to get Vietnam visa for Chinese in Singapore.

Advantages

It is fast, meet urgent needs even within 1 working hour. The implementation is really simple with a cheap cost and many options for entry (time, purpose and number). Depending on the type of service you require, the length of time you have an official entry issued by the Vietnam Immigration Department through our guarantee is fast or slow but the normal processing time is 2 working days for regular service. Upon arrival at the airport and customs clearances, present this entry to the airport customs staff to stick the visa stamp to original passport. It is absolutely valid and legal for a normal visa and is accepted throughout the territory of Vietnam.

Disadvantages

Another step is to stamp your visa at Vietnam airport. If you want to entry Vietnam by road, visa on arrival will not be able to apply this way.

Hope the article can be helpful somehow to get Vietnam visa for Chinese in Singapore. Just refer to the visa provider so they can support you timely as best as they can.  

Visiting Vietnam from Singapore

Taking just more than 1.6 hours flying from Singapore to Vietnam, it’s undoubtedly Vietnam is a more and more popular place to visit. How do Singaporeans come to Vietnam? What to take note before the trip? Then have a look at tips below for reference to make sure your coming Vietnam trip will be hassle free.

Travel from Singapore to Vietnam

The most convenient way to come to Vietnam from Singapore is by airplanes. Taxes, fees and charges are involved in the ticket fare but they may change at the different time booking and seats with great view, comfortable space should also be booked in advanced. There are some direct flights leading tourist to Vietnam including Vietnam Airlines, Scoot flights, Silk Air, VietJet Air, Jetstar and Singapore Airlines to the main cities such as Ho Chi Minh City or capital Hanoi.

Where to visit in Vietnam

First place you must visit is Hanoi, a Vietnam’s capital with tons of tasty food you will regret not trying it once such as Pho and Bun Cha. Pho can be seen to be served in most of the restaurants in Vietnam but Pho Hanoi is quite different in flavor that we can’t describe how good it is by words.

Places to visit in Hanoi: Ho Chi Minh Museum, Hoan Kiem Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Hanoi Saint Joseph Cathedral, etc.

Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City is also a must-visit place which is famous for numerous kinds of food stalls or vendors that offer local specialties such as banh xeo, banh cuon,cha gio, hu tieu. Moreover, Ben Thanh market also has some souvenirs or handmade products. (Tip: In any market, the price of goods in the morning will be much cheaper than in the evening as you can ask for a discount easily.)

Places to visit in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City): Cu chi Tunnels, Thien Hau Pagoda, Museum of Ho Chi Minh City, Bitexco Financial Tower, Independence Palace, Saigon Cathedral of Notre Dame, Central Post Office, and so on.

Foreigners normally are suggested to visit big cities like Hanoi, Danang, Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City; however, it still has its own beauty in the suburbs. For instance, Buon Me Thuot is not as big and moderns as others, but if you look for qualified coffee then find nowhere else as this land will do.

 

halong-bay

Halong Bay – “where mountains meet ocean, land meets sky

 

Entry and Exit documents

Singaporean passport holders won’t be required to have a Vietnam visa if their stay in this country is less than 30 days. Or else, foreigners who are not in Vietnam visa exemption list and Singaporeans staying more than 30 days will need to get a valid Vietnam visa.

There are two common ways to get visa which are getting Visa on Arrival and Embassy of Vietnam in Singapore.

Please be noted that Vietnam Embassy in Singapore opening hours will be on Monday, Wednesday from 3pm to 5pm and on Friday from 3pm to 4.30pm which might troublesome to some of Singapore citizens as they are not valuable during its working time. Remember to prepare these documents (Passport with at least 06-month validity, 1 filled out application form, 1 passport size photo of 4×6 cm), submit to the embassy and wait for at least 5 working days to get visa processed. On the other hand, visa on arrival is a better choice for those who are going to Vietnam by air and living far from the Embassy. For more details, please check out Visa to Vietnam from Singapore.

Finally, when everything is well prepared, Singaporeans are now ready for the interesting trip ahead. Welcome to Vietnam and have a great time here.

5 best romantic places in Vietnam

For those who plan to travel with your beloved partner, here are the top list of romantic places in Vietnam which you should visit. 

  1. Sapa

The natural beauty and attractions sites is the main reason why Sapa is always on top of the most favorite destinations of visitors. You will experience 4 seasons in a day when being here. In the morning, the mist rolls across the peaks that makes a fantastic scenery. After morning foggy, it turns to be hot in noon and then the temperature will decrease slowly.

Sapa has a beauty that is the combination of modern and ancient style. You will feel like being back in time when visitng the Church and the old coffees Enjoying a hot cup of tea or coffee, watching the local life, you will feel that the time is frozen.

Especially, “Love Market” in Sapa is one of the unique feature of the culture of minority ethnic here. You will see boys and girls go dating and taking part in many fantastic games, singing and dancing together with music all night.

You and your partner can be suprised by magnificent landscapes of Sapa with beautiful sunsets and sunrises, with the simple nature.

If you plan to come in the winter, you can see a different Sapa with snow covered everywhere.

romantic-places-in-vietnam-sapa

Pristine green field

  1. Halong Bay

There are about 2000 small islands in Ha Long Bay, which create an extrodinary beauty natural landscape. With its beautiful bay and the different shaped karst limestone, Ha Long Bay has been recognized as a World Heritagesite by UNESCO since 1994.

What makes Ha Long is one of the most romantics places in Vietnam is the time of sunsets and sunrises. The sunlight reflecting the waterways creates a yellow-red color that makes the scence more mystical. Standing in the boat and watching plate the charming Halong together with your lover, your love will be smelt together with the changing in the color of sun light.

romantic-places-in-vietnam-halong

Beautiful Halong Bay

  1. Hoi An

The ancient town Hoi An is an well-preserved historic town from 16th century. In the past, Hoi An used to be a famous trading port. Over the time, Hoi An turns to become s beautiful and peaceful destination with many galleries and classic stores that draw you for its ancient beauty.

The traditional dishes is the things you have to make sure to not be missed. There are plenty of tasty street foods with unexpected cheap price. It will be more interesting if you have time to figure out the way to cook and the story behind each dish.

Additionally, when the sun down, the town is very stunning with the many colorful lights definitely draws your attention. The highlight is the tranquil waterscape of colorful wooden boats along to the old town when.

Moving 5km from the center, you can find Cua Dai beach with full of activities such as surfing, jet skiing and kayaking, etc. Discover both the old historic and charming beach make this destination often placed on the top list of many travelers.

romantic-places-in-vietnam-hoi-an

Hoi An – The city of lanterns & love

  1. Ba Na Hill

Ba Na hills is known as the Disneyland in Vietnam. It is equipped with the cable system with the height of 1300 meter above the sea level. From the cable cabinet, you can look until the endless tree line of the forests and many breath-taking views along the way that will take you far away from the busy life. The average temperature is around 18 C that is perfect weather to hang out. Besides, various games will make you and your partner be busy all day.

omantic-places-in-vietnam-bana-hills

Ba Na Hills – Beauty in the clouds

  1. Da Lat – the City of Eternal Spring

Da Lat is in the central highlands of Vietnam in Lam Dong province. This elegant city will make you feel like getting lost in the charm Western city. It will create a total different picture of Vietnam in your eyes.

Da Lat is covered by dense mist almost year-round with cool temperature that makes it become the eternal spring city.

The nature with a lot of fields of blooming flowers is the most attractive feature of Da Lat. You can be soaked into the colorful fields of flowers. There is an annual Flower Festival often organized in the end of year. You can plan to visit Da Lat on this festival to see a fabulous city with thousands types of flowers.

You also can experience hiking and mountain biking through hills, tremendous Prenn waterfalls, organic farms and tea as well as coffee plantations.

romantic-places-in-vietnam-dalat

Da Lat – Extremely an ideal places for all these travel fancies, especially for couples looking for the romantic places in Vietnam

Remember to check your Vietnam Visa Requirements basing on your nationality. For any dedicated support for Vietnam Visa and Vietnam tours, feel free to contact us through Hotline +84.946.583.583 and website https://www.vietnam-visa.com/

Best of Saigon Street Food and where you can find it

If you re in Singapore and looking for a nice trip to Vietnam, let’s check the simple steps to get Vietnam Visa in Singapore & draw out the plan to visit Hochiminh – the most hustle city in the South of Vietnam.  Besides, there are thousands of street-side stall offer delicious and tasty food. Following is the suggestion of the best street food you should try in Ho Chi Minh City/ Saigon.

  1. Com suon

Com suon is one of the most popular dishes in lunch or dinner in Saigon. This dish is combination of rice and chopped grilled pork which will make you feel full quickly and cheaply. Additionally, There are a spoonful of fried onions in pork fat atop of this dish together with some crispy pieces of rind of pork. It is often served with a small bowl of vegetable broth or pickle. Besides, you can choose many other similar dishes, for example “Com suon op la” which is added a fried egg compared to normal com suon is highly recommended for those are hungrier.

Location: You can find it between Truong Dinh Street and Huyen Trang Cong Chua Street. On the opposite side of the park, you will see right away the pork grilled stall on the road side.

 

saigon-food-com-suon

“Com suon” – popular & delicious Saigon food

  1. Banh beo

As the specialist from the central of Vietnam, it is said that Banh beo is the most typical dishes of the cuisine of Hue city, the ancient royal capital of Vietnam. You will be served small round discs of white rice cake steamed with typically savory ingredients in the center, such as shrimp, mung bean paste, scallions, fried shallots and so on. When eating together with sauce made from fish sauce, rice vinegar, chili, etc, it is such a perfect combination and you will feel the mysterious light fragrance. Because they usually come in multiples of 8 or 10, they are suitable to be enjoyed with your friends.

Location: Nam Giao, 136 Le Thanh Ton Street, in an alleyway behind Ben Thanh market. District 1

 

banh-beo-saigon-food

“Banh beo”

  1. Banh Da Xuc Hen

Banh da xuc hen is tasty snack combined of “banh da” and “hen”. “Banh da” a kind of cake which use main material as starch is thinly thinned into circles, then dried and can be grilled to eat. “Hen” is baby basket clams, it will be fried with Vietnamese coriander, chili, onion, garlic to make a simple part of this dish. It will be totally different from what you have tried. Another option is com hen, including rice topped with the same type of clams and small bowl of clam broth.

Location: Hong Hanh, 17A Nguyen Thi Minh Khao Street, District 1

saigon-food-hen-xuc

“Hen xuc banh da”

 

  1. Banh canh cua

It is a kind of Vietnamese noodles with a thicker noodle made from both tapioca and rice flour (similar to Japanese udon noodles,). The noodles which are sticky and soft, and just slightly chewy. The thick crab soup includes a handful of de-shelled crab meat, thin slices of pork, a quail egg, a shrimp, and finally a crab meatball. The dishes is completed with a garnish of green onions and black pepper to a beauty dish. The taste of soup is warm and soothing, thicker than a normal bowl of soup noodle and not overly powerful in flavor.

Location: Kim Long, 80/68 Tran Quang Dieu Street, District 3

 

banh-canh-saigon-street-food

Tasty “Banh canh cua” with “Quay” 

  1. Banh cuon

It is the roll cake, originated from the North of Vietnam, which is made from steamed rice filled with wood ear mushrooms and ground pork seasoned with white pepper from inside. This dish is a popular breakfast in Saigon to full you with full ingredients from carbs, meat, vegetables, basil, fried curls of shallots. Each bite can be dipped into a sweet fish sauce with chili.

Location: Banh Cuon Tay Ho 1, 127 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, District 1

banh-cuon-sai-gon-food

Banh cuon

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Beautiful Night Flower Market in Hanoi

2am, when night is lowering the blind and sleep is still covering all the streets of Hanoi, loads of flowers from everywhere pour to Quang Ba night flower market, Tay Ho.

Noisy and crowded, the florists gather in this central point flower market. Looking from the dyke down to the market, there busy flower stalls in the street lights which is a time dim and bright at other time at the weak light from the flash-lamp by the buyers. Enjoying flower is a habit, and also the culture of Hanoians. Coming to Hanoi that never visit night flower market means that you have missed a very distinctive culture of the land and the people of Trang An (the original Hanoian’s name).

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At night

The market is divided into two single market sessions. From 2am to 4am is the time for wholesale florists. The flowers are of mature size and blossom enough are cut, wrapped carefully before being brought to the market for wholesale. After 4am, the market is for wholesale florist peddlers, the visitors or the shop owners. Flowers in the next session has higher price than the previous one. The flowerist peddlers always select very meticulously. The stall holders choose a variety of flowers. Those who come to play at the market normally for enjoying a sense of fun to watch the petals which are still trembling in the morning dew, and till then choose for them the most beautiful bouquet. In the market, flowers are everywhere, in the simple buckets, on the old motorcycle seat or on bamboo stalls. Rose with soft and fragrant petals, shaking in the morning dew, forget-me-not petals fluttering, countless flowers flying scent all over the market area.

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Fresh, fragrant and colorful flowers in the early morning

Each season, the market is brightened with different flower colors. New Year’s night-time is the busiest occasion of the flower market, where is filled with peach branches, gladiolus, Dahlia and violet. Summer is deep in scent of lotus or white color of lilies. Autumn is bright with yellow daisy, heather-bell, forget-me-not and winter are rose or carnation. In all four those flower seasons, roses never lack, Night flower market has the presence of the most famous flower planting locations such as Tay Tuu, Tu Liem, Me Linh and distant places like Da lat and or even China, the Netherlands … In addition to the flowers have long been in the market such as daisies, roses, heath, gerbera, the market now has more flower kinds such as lilies, iris, delphiniums flower, tulip … In the market, people do not just sell flowers, but also accessories such as flower baskets, porous plug, ribbon, floral wrap, wire comes with a variety of leaf help flower arrangement easy.

At dawn, selection of flowers is completed; the florists carry them to all over the streets. The bike loaded with flowers pouring into the morning road, past the old men doing morning exercise by the windy West Lake, passing the breakfast mini stall to prepare their business … The city wakes up in the surprise at the beauty of flowers.

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Good morning Hanoi!

Come to Hanoi and immerse yourself into such beautiful night markets! Don’t forget to prepare for a Vietnam visa before you reach here. For example, if you look for a visa to Vietnam from Singapore, kindly read more on: https://vietnamvisa.sg/.

Also, Vietnam-visa.com has full guide to help you apply Vietnam visa & experience Vietnam as a local in the most convenient way. Feel free to contact us via Hotline +84. 946.583.583.

vietnam events and festivals

Events and festivals in Vietnam in December 2016

It’s nearly the end of the year (both solar and lunar calendar) when various events and festivals to take place along the country. You all are welcome to join.

Festivals and events schedule in Vietnam - Vietnam visa from Sg

Before going further with the list of events and festivals to be held in Vietnam in this December, we highly recommend you apply for Vietnam visa if required before you go to avoid you forget it, resulting in high cost at last minutes.

Here are brief information of such events and festivals, covering their name, location and time.

Time

Event

Location

6-7 DecemberFinal of Golden Spoon Contest 2015Ho Chi Minh City
24 DecemberClosing ceremony of Visit Viet Nam Year 2016 – Kien Giang; the flag handover to Lao Cai Province for Visit Viet Nam Year 2017Phu Quoc District, Kien Giang Province

Time

Event

Location

4 December (the 6th day of the eleventh lunar month)Phung Cau FestivalPhung Cau Hamlet, Thieu Thanh Commune, Thieu Hoa District, Thanh Hoa Province
5 December (the 7th day of the eleventh lunar month)Minh Hai Ancestor Worshipping FestivalChuc Thanh Pagoda, Cam Pho Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
6 December (the 8th day of the eleventh lunar month)Canh Bau Pagoda FestivalCanh Bau Pagoda, Dai Lam Commune, Lang Giang District, Bac Giang Province
9 December (the 11th day of the eleventh lunar month)An Lu Temple FestivalAn Lu Commune, Thuy Nguyen District, Hai Phong City
13 December (the 15th day of the eleventh lunar month)Phuong Bong Communal House FestivalNam Dinh City, Nam Dinh Province
14 December (the 16th day of the eleventh lunar month)Duong Phuc FestivalKim Dong District, Hung Yen Province
15 December (the 17th day of the eleventh lunar month)Kim Dang Temple FestivalKim Dang Hamlet, Lam Son Ward, Hung Yen City, Hung Yen Province
16 December (the 18th day of the eleventh lunar month)Trung Do Worshiping FestivalNgoc Phan Village, Thanh Oai District, Ha Noi
18 December (the 20th day of the eleventh lunar month)Giai Temple FestivalTien Lang District, Hai Phong City
23 December (the 25th day of the eleventh lunar month)Van Le FestivalTho Xuan District, Thanh Hoa Province
26 December (the 28th day of the eleventh lunar month)Trang Temple – Nguyen Binh Khiem FestivalTrung Am Hamlet, Ly Hoc Commune, Vinh Bao District, Hai Phong City
29 December (the 1st day of the twelfth lunar month)An Xa Village FestivalAn Xa Village, Toan Thang Commune, Kim Dong District, Hung Yen Province

Should you need any further information, please feel free to let us know.