Event: New Year`s Eve Beach Sound Party
"Fancy Dress Party"
What: Club Party
Host: WAX BEACH CLUB - Mui Ne, Vietnam
Start Time: Tomorrow, December 30 at 8:00pm End Time: Thursday, January 1 at 12:00am
Where: Wax, Mui Ne
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
New Years in Mui Ne
New Year's Eve is tomorrow night, and lots of resorts, bars, and a few restaurants are planning some nice festivities. Pogo has a 3-day event (29,30,31) with DJ's round-the-clock from Saigon. At the same time, Wax has a 3-day kiteboarding competition. Most parties and holiday activities in Mui Ne come with a very hefty ticket pricetag however ($20-$60), leaving few options for budget travelers. If you are a backpacker with limited funds, you may want to grab some friends and head to one of the restaurants not hosting an official party, and make your own.
Bear's Blog: Antarctica...
OK, I know it's not about Vietnam, but I think Bear Grylls is really cool--and I hope one day soon he might consider doing an adventure out here in the Binh Thuan Desert between Phan Thiet and Phan Rang. His latest injury sounds quite awful. Lets pray he heals quickly.
Bear's Blog: Antarctica...
Bear's Blog: Antarctica...
Monday, December 29, 2008
Forest Star Fruit
Trai Khe Rung or Forest Star Fruit (in contrast to the yellow or green star fruit cultivated, and usually eaten sour with banh cuon) is an edible fruit that grows wild in Vietnam, especially along shady roadsides. The red petals are the only edible parts (and very sour), which surround a seed pod. Kids love them, and sometimes moms make che (a sweet soup or porridge) with them at home.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
More Christmas in Phan Thiet
Below are more Christmas photos from the Catholic neighborhood of Thanh Hai in Phan Thiet.
Is Law Enforcement, or the Lack Thereof, Hurting Mui Ne Tourism?
As we move into a somewhat disappointing high season and the controversy regarding the police initiative against foreign drivers continues, a number of disturbing rumors have surfaced. Allegedly when no translator is present, some police are not requesting to see driver’s licenses—and may be arbitrarily confiscating motorbikes from foreigners, even when the driver is in possession of legal documentation. Furthermore, stories have circulated about police stunning tourists who fail to dismount their motorbike, whether by belligerence or an inability to understand the instruction of an officer who cannot speak English. Police commonly use tasers on Vietnamese people without provocation (I’ve seen it myself numerous times) to move crowds at festivals and special events, but to use them on foreigners is a big leap, especially when police have been timid, until now, to even approach tourists. Today we received a report that two foreigners were detained, their motorbikes confiscated for driving without a Vietnam-issued license, and each were fined $1000US. They were told that if they did not produce the money in less than 24hrs, that the motorbikes would be sold. Perhaps the tourists angered the police, but even so, the fine (which is equal to the value of an average motorbike anyway) is excessive if it is true.
This stands in contrast to other disturbing events of the last week. A bloody brawl ensued at a popular bar in Mui Ne last week when a group of drunk Russians allegedly sexually assaulted several expat women at the bar. Police were called but an hour later when the police finally arrived, they refused to pursue the matter. Since then, there have been several other related fights, also absent of police intervention.
Additionally, we have received increasing complaints from both tourists and locals who go to the police station to report thefts, only to be told by police that they will neither investigate the matter, nor acknowledge the incident by filing a report (something which is required by insurance agencies to file claims made by victims).
Compounding this, many resorts and smaller venues complain that the regular burden of police extortion is hampering their day-to-day activities.
There seems to be no accountability in the local legal system, with no end to these problems in sight for the near future. If things are not managed better soon, local tourism may suffer the consequences.
This stands in contrast to other disturbing events of the last week. A bloody brawl ensued at a popular bar in Mui Ne last week when a group of drunk Russians allegedly sexually assaulted several expat women at the bar. Police were called but an hour later when the police finally arrived, they refused to pursue the matter. Since then, there have been several other related fights, also absent of police intervention.
Additionally, we have received increasing complaints from both tourists and locals who go to the police station to report thefts, only to be told by police that they will neither investigate the matter, nor acknowledge the incident by filing a report (something which is required by insurance agencies to file claims made by victims).
Compounding this, many resorts and smaller venues complain that the regular burden of police extortion is hampering their day-to-day activities.
There seems to be no accountability in the local legal system, with no end to these problems in sight for the near future. If things are not managed better soon, local tourism may suffer the consequences.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Christmas Displays in Phan Thiet
Thanh Hai is a Catholic neighborhood just east of Phan Thiet City center, and west of the 2 bridges in the neighborhood of Phu Hai. Thanh Hai is a strong community--one I'm told the authorities are not fond of, due to the association of Catholics with the former American presence. At Christmas the entire neighborhood is lit up with lights, giant Christmas stars, banners and life-size animatronic manger scenes. It is an amazing sight, and rivals anything back home in the USA. If you are in town, be sure to come see it before Christmas day, when the decorations begin to be removed.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Christmas Party at the Forest Restaurant
Kingfisher at the Sailing Club Mui Ne
A Few Christmas Photos from Mui Ne
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
More of Saigon Christmas Spirit.
I wish these had more aesthetic than narrative value but I was in a hurry while in Saigon so there wasn't much time to refine my photo-taking opportunities.
Diamond Plaza Photo Ops
More Diamond Plaza Photo Ops
More Diamond Plaza Photo Ops
2 Viet Santas and 1 Viet Con
Le Loi St Decorations
Notre Dame Cathedral
Looks like a set-up for an upcoming show at Le Loi and Pham Ngu Lao
Jingle Bell Rock at Nha Hac Trong Dong on Chach Mang Tang Tam St.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Happy Birthday to Jibes
Congratulations to Pascal and Jibes for seven fabulous years. Jibes celebrated it's birthday on Tuesday with yet another sumptuous BBQ Feast. Come every Saturday night for great seafood, chicken, beef, pork and lots of delicious side items and desert.
Is Vietnam trying to get rid of Foreign Drivers?
Click here for the Thanh Nien Story on Roadblocks in HCMC
It's finally moved beyond Mui ne--the police now have their sights on Foreign drivers in HCMC and elsewhere. It's good they are finally being a little more consistent. Perhaps there will be less confusion and nasty surprises for tourists. But now we need a clear and transparent way spelled out for tourists to actually get the required licenses. Ideally they should be able to have information so they can prepare their licenses before they arrive.
From my own observations in other parts of Vietnam, police don't generally wait to spot traffic violations (except for helmets), instead they set up roadblocks and pull over everyone in the given category they are targeting. So, this has much broader impact than the article suggests. This gives police the initiative to pull over all foreigners at will (although they tend to only do this when the policeman speaks English or has an interpreter).
We'll have to wait on tomorrows article to see if it clears up a few questions, but there are a few points of concern I have over it though:
The article suggests foreigners may have to produce passports and/or resident cards... How many of us carry these around all day? And why do you need to produce one if you already have a legal license? And what do they do if you don't have one with you? And they might keep our passports when they pull us over? So what happens when I produce a license but some policeman with a chip on his shoulder decides to hold onto my passport for "safe keeping" just to show me how important he thinks he is? This sounds to me more like on-the-spot legislation by the police, and a loophole for the police to illegally confiscate motorbikes from all foreigners even when they own all the legal paperwork--as they recently have been known to do in Mui Ne. Ultimately, my question is, is this really a way to crack down on traffic violations, or a way to get all foreigners off the road?
Of course the timing of this isn't particularly great either, when the GM's at the major hotels in HCMC are complaining that the bottom may have just dropped out of tourism in HCMC, and restrictions like this don't help the situation, but that's beside the point.
Perhaps I can suggest an analogy of why something like this has significance to tourism, even if we can assume the police are consistent and uphold the law as its written.
Suppose a hypothetical situation--tourism is down significantly in Australia, Canada or the USA and there are signs it may be a trend for the upcoming year. The government(s) announce a new initiative for customs to crack down hard, allow no exceptions, and overall to give severe rather than moderate fines. All those little things that people forget or don't bother to declare coming in and out of the country become major issues. However--this initiative is only aimed at foreign tourists. Rules still apply to citizens but they get the normal ammount of attention (or perhaps less since authorities are devoting more time to foreigners) and the same moderate fines as before.
Now the customs authorities are only doing their jobs. They are within their right to do these things. And people following the rules are not required to pay fines. But it is still a big PR problem for the foreign tourists who feel insulted and an annoyance to foreign tourists who are constantly getting pulled aside and searched and questioned at length. It's just a bad idea to make it a major issue during a tourism downturn.
Tomorrows article should be very enlightening. The police are detailing how they intend to deal directly with foreigners.
And here it is: Thanh Nien Article 2
It's finally moved beyond Mui ne--the police now have their sights on Foreign drivers in HCMC and elsewhere. It's good they are finally being a little more consistent. Perhaps there will be less confusion and nasty surprises for tourists. But now we need a clear and transparent way spelled out for tourists to actually get the required licenses. Ideally they should be able to have information so they can prepare their licenses before they arrive.
From my own observations in other parts of Vietnam, police don't generally wait to spot traffic violations (except for helmets), instead they set up roadblocks and pull over everyone in the given category they are targeting. So, this has much broader impact than the article suggests. This gives police the initiative to pull over all foreigners at will (although they tend to only do this when the policeman speaks English or has an interpreter).
We'll have to wait on tomorrows article to see if it clears up a few questions, but there are a few points of concern I have over it though:
The article suggests foreigners may have to produce passports and/or resident cards... How many of us carry these around all day? And why do you need to produce one if you already have a legal license? And what do they do if you don't have one with you? And they might keep our passports when they pull us over? So what happens when I produce a license but some policeman with a chip on his shoulder decides to hold onto my passport for "safe keeping" just to show me how important he thinks he is? This sounds to me more like on-the-spot legislation by the police, and a loophole for the police to illegally confiscate motorbikes from all foreigners even when they own all the legal paperwork--as they recently have been known to do in Mui Ne. Ultimately, my question is, is this really a way to crack down on traffic violations, or a way to get all foreigners off the road?
Of course the timing of this isn't particularly great either, when the GM's at the major hotels in HCMC are complaining that the bottom may have just dropped out of tourism in HCMC, and restrictions like this don't help the situation, but that's beside the point.
Perhaps I can suggest an analogy of why something like this has significance to tourism, even if we can assume the police are consistent and uphold the law as its written.
Suppose a hypothetical situation--tourism is down significantly in Australia, Canada or the USA and there are signs it may be a trend for the upcoming year. The government(s) announce a new initiative for customs to crack down hard, allow no exceptions, and overall to give severe rather than moderate fines. All those little things that people forget or don't bother to declare coming in and out of the country become major issues. However--this initiative is only aimed at foreign tourists. Rules still apply to citizens but they get the normal ammount of attention (or perhaps less since authorities are devoting more time to foreigners) and the same moderate fines as before.
Now the customs authorities are only doing their jobs. They are within their right to do these things. And people following the rules are not required to pay fines. But it is still a big PR problem for the foreign tourists who feel insulted and an annoyance to foreign tourists who are constantly getting pulled aside and searched and questioned at length. It's just a bad idea to make it a major issue during a tourism downturn.
Tomorrows article should be very enlightening. The police are detailing how they intend to deal directly with foreigners.
And here it is: Thanh Nien Article 2
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Pandanus Christmas Promotion
Pandanus is offering a special Christmas promotion for accommodations and holiday dinner and breakfast. Click below for more information.
If you are already staying in the area and would just like to come for dinner, the cost is USD $40.00.
If you are already staying in the area and would just like to come for dinner, the cost is USD $40.00.
Job Wanted: Restaurant or Hotel
Note to Mui Ne Hotels and Restaurants
Please, please, please... train your receptionist, when they answer the phone, to say "Hello, this is Hotel/Restaurant X, My name is Y, How may I help you?" or something similar that at least announces where or what you are.
There is nothing more frustrating to me as a guidebook writer (or customer) who often calls businesses, to spend several minutes on the phone just trying to figure out whether I have called the right number or not, while your receptionist grunts, groans and mumbles inaudibly.
Please, don't let your staff get away with just saying "hello" or grunt like most do when they answer your phone. And further, put your BEST english speaker on your phones. But if you don't employ someone who can speak English, at least find someone who can speak Vietnamese clearly. Lets put our best foot forward and show some professionalism for our international guests.
This is not an isolated problem--most hotels and restaurants in Vietnam suffer this problem, and Mui Ne is no different.
There is nothing more frustrating to me as a guidebook writer (or customer) who often calls businesses, to spend several minutes on the phone just trying to figure out whether I have called the right number or not, while your receptionist grunts, groans and mumbles inaudibly.
Please, don't let your staff get away with just saying "hello" or grunt like most do when they answer your phone. And further, put your BEST english speaker on your phones. But if you don't employ someone who can speak English, at least find someone who can speak Vietnamese clearly. Lets put our best foot forward and show some professionalism for our international guests.
This is not an isolated problem--most hotels and restaurants in Vietnam suffer this problem, and Mui Ne is no different.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
US Elections from Vietnam
It's been rather enlightening to see how the Vietnamese perceive the American election results. I've gathered comments from a number of friends, including people in the Vietnamese media.
The Vietnamese media, and so the Vietnamese people, generally don't like McCain. They say it's because he lied about his treatment here in Vietnam as a prisoner of war... No comment.
Obama on the other hand, is very popular despite his complexion. Vietnamese culture has a bias against black skin. Partly its arbitrary aesthetics, partly its because they remember the many black american soldiers who fought fiercely here, and partly its a social/class status issue--black skinned people are usually of a lower peasant-class or lowly minorities. Anyway, the reason why they like him, they sincerely say, is because he borrowed many of his ideas from their heros, Marx, Lenin and even Uncle Ho... No comment.
The Vietnamese media, and so the Vietnamese people, generally don't like McCain. They say it's because he lied about his treatment here in Vietnam as a prisoner of war... No comment.
Obama on the other hand, is very popular despite his complexion. Vietnamese culture has a bias against black skin. Partly its arbitrary aesthetics, partly its because they remember the many black american soldiers who fought fiercely here, and partly its a social/class status issue--black skinned people are usually of a lower peasant-class or lowly minorities. Anyway, the reason why they like him, they sincerely say, is because he borrowed many of his ideas from their heros, Marx, Lenin and even Uncle Ho... No comment.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Supermarket Beggars
Phan Thiet has always had its share of beggars. Usually they hang around in the central market from early AM to noon when it is busiest, and a few hit up morning and evening pho stands or the fruit salad stands at the train station. Kids always hung out hoping to get spare change off of drivers at the gas station on the corner of Nguyen Tat Thanh and Nguyen Dinh Chieu as well.
The new supermarket, on the corner opposite of the gas station, has created a tremendous money-making opportunity for pseudo-beggars. Now that tourist season is in full swing, the wonderful convenience of the supermarket draws tourists (mostly Russian) to Phan Thiet in droves--like never before.
And with the bumbling tourists come scores of would-be-beggars, most newcomers to the lucrative profession. For the first time Phan Thiet has the good old "mothers"-with-borrowed-babies-going-hungry and dozens of "homeless" street children. Its amazing how a supermarket full of tourists can suddenly create so many homeless and starving people desperate for tourist cash.
PLEASE... if you are a tourist, please don't give to these beggars. You are only encouraging the development of a very fake problem. If they need money, let them go back to the old haunts and beg Vietnamese people for change. Perhaps then we'll go back down to the numbers where there's a 50% chance that they aren't fake. There's no reason most of these people can;t get a job. Phan Thiet has a thriving economy.
The new supermarket, on the corner opposite of the gas station, has created a tremendous money-making opportunity for pseudo-beggars. Now that tourist season is in full swing, the wonderful convenience of the supermarket draws tourists (mostly Russian) to Phan Thiet in droves--like never before.
And with the bumbling tourists come scores of would-be-beggars, most newcomers to the lucrative profession. For the first time Phan Thiet has the good old "mothers"-with-borrowed-babies-going-hungry and dozens of "homeless" street children. Its amazing how a supermarket full of tourists can suddenly create so many homeless and starving people desperate for tourist cash.
PLEASE... if you are a tourist, please don't give to these beggars. You are only encouraging the development of a very fake problem. If they need money, let them go back to the old haunts and beg Vietnamese people for change. Perhaps then we'll go back down to the numbers where there's a 50% chance that they aren't fake. There's no reason most of these people can;t get a job. Phan Thiet has a thriving economy.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Another Great BBQ at Jibes
I wish the photos of Jibes' great weekly BBQ (usually starting between 7 and 8pm) did it proper justice. As usual, the food was excellent. I love all the skewers--shrimp, beef, chicken--all perfectly marinated. The chocolate mousse and tropical fruit is a great way to top the meal.
Sea Links Develops
Sea Links has an open house for its members and the press from Saigon on December 12. Would be nice to be invited so I can cover it in this blog... hint... hint...
To prepare for the event, they have repaired and upgraded the roads around the corner of their property. The road hugs the rocky coastline and dunes (and incidentally is the site of numerous fatal accidents due to the treacherousness of the curves in the road). The alterations look nice, and it's great because since it is a public stretch of road, the public benefits from the upgrade (Thank You Sea Links and Rang Dong!) It looks like a nice promenade is being shaped along the beach. My only hope there is that the beachside will remain open to the public, as it always has been, once the changes are completed.
My only other request, if I may be so bold... Sea Links, (or Mr. Rang Dong), while you are in the midst of the road upgrade, could you donate a few speed bumps to help fight the traffic and speeding problems in Mui Ne?
To prepare for the event, they have repaired and upgraded the roads around the corner of their property. The road hugs the rocky coastline and dunes (and incidentally is the site of numerous fatal accidents due to the treacherousness of the curves in the road). The alterations look nice, and it's great because since it is a public stretch of road, the public benefits from the upgrade (Thank You Sea Links and Rang Dong!) It looks like a nice promenade is being shaped along the beach. My only hope there is that the beachside will remain open to the public, as it always has been, once the changes are completed.
My only other request, if I may be so bold... Sea Links, (or Mr. Rang Dong), while you are in the midst of the road upgrade, could you donate a few speed bumps to help fight the traffic and speeding problems in Mui Ne?
As Unfriendly As We Can Be
I watched yet another policeman chase down a tourist driving home from dinner, back to their guesthouse and confiscate their motorbike, basically, just for being a foreigner. A vietnamese drivers license is technically required to drive a moto, but the rule is only enforced--occasionally--in Mui Ne. This license is also virtually impossible for a tourist to acquire. Not the best way to help visitors enjoy their evening at the beach.
Recently I followed a tour group as the guide stopped at one of the piles of black sand along the side of the road at one of our local titanium mines. The mining is highly controversial, as the local government has signed a number of permits for large-scale luxury resorts to build, and then turned around and infuriated the resorts by permitting noisy, destructive mining operations next to their properties. Anyway, the guide pinched a few grains of sand and began to tell the tourists about the local mines, when a security guard came running out to the highway, where they were standing, yelling, screaming and swearing at the guide and the tourists, telling them to get lost. I'm sure this happens a lot, as the guards were on edge as soon as they saw the tourists approaching on motorbike.
We've got a real hospitality issue that needs dealing with here before we develop some problems.
Recently I followed a tour group as the guide stopped at one of the piles of black sand along the side of the road at one of our local titanium mines. The mining is highly controversial, as the local government has signed a number of permits for large-scale luxury resorts to build, and then turned around and infuriated the resorts by permitting noisy, destructive mining operations next to their properties. Anyway, the guide pinched a few grains of sand and began to tell the tourists about the local mines, when a security guard came running out to the highway, where they were standing, yelling, screaming and swearing at the guide and the tourists, telling them to get lost. I'm sure this happens a lot, as the guards were on edge as soon as they saw the tourists approaching on motorbike.
We've got a real hospitality issue that needs dealing with here before we develop some problems.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Sky Publishing
Below are photos of the new Vietnam guide by Sky Publishing (based in Hong Kong). I contributed photos for Mui Ne and Phan Thiet.
This is my second Vietnam guide to be published this year (I am a contributing author to ThingsAsian Press' "To Vietnam With Love," which was published this summer).
In 2009 watch for my other books, including Insight Guides Vietnam, Berlitz Pocket Guide to Vietnam, Thomas Cook's Travellers Vietnam, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides Vietnam, and ThingsAsian Press' To Cambodia With Love. My involvements range from co-author and co-photographer to updater/researcher.
This is my second Vietnam guide to be published this year (I am a contributing author to ThingsAsian Press' "To Vietnam With Love," which was published this summer).
In 2009 watch for my other books, including Insight Guides Vietnam, Berlitz Pocket Guide to Vietnam, Thomas Cook's Travellers Vietnam, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides Vietnam, and ThingsAsian Press' To Cambodia With Love. My involvements range from co-author and co-photographer to updater/researcher.
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