Vietnam
Fuzzy’s guide to Vietnam
Swapping rock’n’roll for R&R,
Video Hits’ Faustina ‘Fuzzy’ Agolley took time out at this exotic Asian wonderland
For me, Vietnam was all about great food and soaking up the culture for two solid weeks,’ says TV presenter Fuzzy. ‘I went with my boyfriend Tim and we had a ball!
Ho Chi Minh City ‘After acclimatising to the crazy, chaotic traffic, we got a history lesson on the Vietnam War at the Cu Chi Tunnels (built by North Vietnamese soldiers to fight the US invasion) and War Memorial. Aside from an abundance of history, Ho Chi Minh City also offers stacks of great food. There’s fantastic pho bo (beef noodle soup) at a restaurant called Pho 24 (see top picks), fresh seafood and broken rice at every street stall and beer is almost free! Seriously, it only costs about 30 cents for Saigon Beer! The French influence also means baguettes, croissants, crepes – and the best ice-cream! Check out Fanny’s Ice Cream Parlour in Ton That Thiep Street.
‘Shopping was next on the agenda, with Ben Thanh Market an absolute must-see. It’s one of the largest markets and they’ve got everything from clothing to shoes, material for custom-made garments, bags, ornaments and plenty of fresh fruit, seafood and vegies. ‘With culture, dining and shopping all covered, we then visited Spa Tropic (see right) for the best massages we’ve ever had!
Phu Quoc Island‘Tim and I flew to Phu Quoc Island, where our favourite place was the eco-resort, Mango Bay. We loved our Fisherman’s Bungalow and woke up to the picture-perfect view of the beach, palm trees and resident cows grazing at our doorstep. Mango Bay also has incredible meals, including hot pot, spring rolls and seafood salads. Tim and I hired our own motorbike to explore the island, visiting fishing ports and secluded beaches.
Mui Ne and Nha Trang ‘Back on the mainland, we headed north to Mui Ne and went sandsledding on the white dunes, visited the red sand canyons and watched women trading fish. A bus then took us to Nha Trang, where we stayed at the Bao Dai Villas. We hired a boat and went linefishing – Tim caught the biggest one of the day and the locals cooked fish congee (a type of rice porridge) and barbecued the rest.
‘We also saw the white Buddha that overlooks the city of Nha Trang on the way to the mud baths. Apart from the great fishing, the mud baths (that claim to take 10 years off your age!) were a definite highlight.’
FUZZY’S TOP PICKSBudget-friendly ways to eat, sleep and play like an A-lister
MANGO BAY, PHU QUOC ISLAND‘There are four things that make Mango Bay so special – great service, the private beach, spacious bungalows and it’s eco-friendly!’
www.mangobayphuquoc.com PHO 24, HO CHI MINH CITY‘I had the best pho (noodle soup) here! Wash it down with a passionfruit or coconut juice.’
www.pho24.com.vn SPA TROPIC, HO CHI MINH CITY‘This is the real deal when it comes to massages. I had three and I was so relaxed that I fell asleep! They also do a nice pedicure.’
www.spatropic.com Ready for take-off?Getting there: Thai Airways has return economy-class flights from Sydney to Hanoi (via Bangkok). Return economy-class flights from Perth to Hanoi (via Bangkok). For more information, call Travel Associates on 1800 755 211.
This article appeared in issue 79 of
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