WHERE: Singapore, Vietnam, and Hong Kong (with a stop over in San Francisco)

WHEN: September 2018

PHOTOS: Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong

TRAVEL PROFILE: My wife and I got married in 2018 and immediately after we kicked off a bucket list trip for both of us, a visit to Southeast Asia. Long influenced by Bourdain and other advocates for adventurous travel rooted in culture and food, Vietnam would make up the core of our trip, spending more than a week in the country in various locations. Bookending the trip were two cities that I had longed to visit, Singapore and Hong Kong, their infamous skylines etched into my brain from movies and other media for decades.

We flew Singapore Airlines Business Class (layflat and wonderful), with a stopover in San Francisco for two nights. We added a few days in Singapore to the start of the trip, a way to ease into the region and explore its delicious hawker stalls. Flights within the area are cheap and better than anything state-side, so Vietnam Airlines did the heavy lifting for us from location to location. We entered Vietnam (with our pre-arranged visas) through Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City. A few days later we flew to the rugged and isolated east coast, into Cam Rahn and took a 90 minute hotel car to the highlight hotel of our stay, the Amanoi. We spent four nights in the area, visiting the local fishing village and otherwise entirely disconnecting from our normal lives back home. Then we were off to Hanoi, with a couple of overnights planned on Ha Long Bay in the middle of our time there. Lastly, we left Vietnam and ended our time in Southeast Asia in Hong Kong. We flew Cathay Pacific Business Class (almost as good as Singapore Airlines) for our return trip to the States via Chicago.

SINGAPORE

View from the rooftop pool of the Marina Bay Sands

NOTES

Sitting about 1-degree (~90 miles) north of the equator, Singapore is a city-state that has become an economic and tourist hub for the region, offering a towering modern skyline that supports its stature as a worldwide leader in human development indexes and education. The list of platitudes is nearly endless; high home ownership rate, one of the longest life expectancies, lowest infant mortality, lowest corruption levels, and fastest internet speeds. None of this existed more than a century ago.

Today, Singapore offers an excellent jumping off point for travel for the region. It is a major international airline hub and has direct access to countries around the world. Its downtown contains a mix of high luxury shopping and hotels, alongside the infamous hawker centers which are food courts sampling the cosmopolitan cuisine of the region (Malay, Indian, Sri Lankan, Chinese, Pilipino, and Indonesian), with some stalls even receiving Michelin interest. The locals are friendly and orderly, and the city runs as well as any found in Switzerland.

Fun anecdote: I accidently left my wallet in a taxi on our way to dive the Singapore Oceanarium. After some panic, I resigned to it being gone forever. This city has over 6 million people. After my dive, I let me hotel front desk know about the situation. Astonishingly, the taxi driver looked in my wallet, found my room key, and then tried to return my wallet to me at the hotel. Not wanting to take any risks, the driver held onto my wallet since I wasn’t at the hotel to verify its receipt. The front desk staff paid for a cab for me, and provided local directions, to a new taxi driver to take me to and return me back from picking up my wallet from the original driver, who refused any payment for his troubles and honesty. I don’t think this would happen in NYC, Paris, or Cape Town!

LODGING

Marina Bay Sands (stayed) - instagram - Marina Bay - this iconic hotel, towering across the harbor from the rest of the skyline, has been on my list of places to travel to since I was in high school. I think a picture of the view from their infamous rooftop pool overlooking the city was a background on my computer for my entire college years. The hotels is sprawling, three large towers with spacious atrium lobbies makes Las Vegas seem quaint. Connected to the resort complex is Marina Bay Gardens, with their sky trees of lights, as well as numerous malls and galleries loaded with shopping and restaurant options at all price points. Note: pool access is limited to guests only, but it can still get busy. The rooftop also has restaurants and a bar, and access for non-guests requires paid access
Raffles Hotel - instagram - harbor-side - 3 Michelin Keys - Raffles has been the most desirable stay in Singapore for decades. It is a beautiful, colonial-style building first established in 1887. Pricey, but what you get for your money is refined, well-connected experience with beautifully appointed rooms within steps of the infamous hawker centers
PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay - instagram - Marina Bay - 1 Michelin Key - this hotel is one of several new eco-architectural concepts popping up around the city, offering a hotel set within a towering urban garden landscape, or sky-gardens. Rooms provide stunning views over the city with floor to ceiling windows. Lime restaurant is on-site and serves local and broader Southeast Asian dishes
Artyzen Singapore - instagram - Orchard/Central - 1 Michelin Key - another of the sky-garden style hotels, offering a pool with beautiful views of the skyline and calming rooms offering a respite from the chaos of the city
Mandarin Oriental Singapore - instagram - Marina Bay - 1 Michelin Key - another mainstay of the Singapore luxury hotel circuit, the MO Singapore offers a ground level pool with an unobstructed view across the harbor to both Marina Bay Sands to the South and the rest of the financial district skyline to the west and north. Recently renovated. Restaurants are world-class, as is the traditionally great level of service the brand is known for

FOOD

Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle (dined) - wikipedia - Outram - this is one of two hawker stalls in Singapore famous for gaining a Michelin star (although Hong Kong Soya has since lost their star, but is Michelin Bib Gourmand.) Offers their signature soy sauce chicken served with rice
Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle - wikipedia - Kallang - 1 Michelin Star - this hawker stall is famous for its minced meat noodles

COFFEE, COCKTAILS + THINGS TO DO

Sentosa / Resorts World Sentosa (visited) - wikipedia - Sentosa - this island on the outskirts of the city hosts many of the theme park and casino experiences in Singapore. Universal Studios Singapore, Adventure Cove Waterpark, and the Singapore Oceanarium (world’s second largest aquarium) are located here. We went so that I could SCUBA dive the main tank of the aquarium. Many restaurants and shopping available without entering any of the parks
Gardens by the Bay (visited) - wikipedia - Marina Bay - one of the iconic landmarks in Singapore, showcasing its Supertrees that light up for laser and light shows most nights set to music. This was also the place where the after-wedding party was set in Crazy Rich Asians
Marina Bay Sands Mall (visited) - wikipedia - Marina Bay - connected to the Marina Bay Sands resort is an extensive mall with lots of food and shopping options, from routine to high-end luxury goods
Hawker Centres (visited) - wikipedia - outdoor spaces where a variety of cuisine is represented, but is also a good place to grab some cold beer and people watch

SAIGON (HO CHI MINH CITY)

Classic street view near a major market in the heart of Saigon

NOTES

Our entry into Vietnam was through Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City as it is now officially named. The city has more than 14 million inhabitants and stepping out of your hotel into the fray is an immediate, but pleasurable, assault on the senses. Throngs of people are about on motorbikes in what appears at first to be a dangerous way, but watching it you realize the city operates in a chaotically fluid state of energy and the bikers move through the crowds with polite honks that become white noise after a couple of hours. Stay centrally, do your research on where you want to eat, drink, shop, and grab your coffees, and then otherwise allow yourself to get lost in the madness, like we did.

LODGING

Park Hyatt Saigon (stayed) - instagram - Lam Son Square - 1 Michelin Key - this hotel is modeled after the historic landmarks of the city, and yet it’s new construction. We had a beautifully colonially-appointed room that served as comfortable and quite respite from the chaos outside in the city streets
Hotel Indigo Saigon the City by IHG - instagram - Ba Son - a wonderfully located new construction in Ba Son, a neighborhood dripping with French colonial architecture (although this building is not, it is decidedly modern.) It is a great jumping off point for visits to Ben Thanh Market and the Opera House. The vibe here is one of visitors who want some luxury while being connected to the energy of the food, art, and culture outside on the streets of the city

FOOD

Ben Nghe Street Food Market (dined) - instagram - Ben Nghe Ward - a street food market that offers a variety of excellent food stalls, as well as cocktail and beer vendors
Heart of Darkness Brewery (dined) - instagram - Sai Gon Ward - one of the most successful craft breweries out of Vietnam that offers great food within its main taproom. Vietnamese take on American bar food in a fun, street-side location with street seating available

AMANOI + VINH HY

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NOTES

Vinh Hy Bay is now slowly starting to become an adventure and off-the-grid travel hub for backpackers working their way through Vietnam. When we were there only 8 years ago, it was a quiet fishing village that was nestled along the quiet harbor in picturesque landscape. A large motivator for our trip to Vietnam was my desire to not only to see the country, but to visit a particular Aman hotel, a brand that is known for its serene properties located in remote areas around the world offering not only world-class luxury and hospitality, which it has in spades, but also unparalleled access to local culture and wellness centered living. The Amanoi was on my list for years, and it did not disappoint.

We flew into Cam Ranh and the drive from that airport to the hotel was about 90 minutes along beautiful, but windy, costal roads that took us into Nui Chua National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, where the Amanoi is the only property operating within. Our focus in our notes will be on our stay at the property, which spanned four nights, and our excursions from it.

LODGING

Amanoi (stayed) - instagram - Vinh Hy - 3 Michelin Keys - What can I say about the Amanoi that hasn’t been said elsewhere. Aman is a brand known for putting well-heeled travelers in close proximity to extremely beautiful and often remote locations, where not only is one paying for the high level of service and amenities, but for access, whether it is to landscapes difficult to get to, or cultural locations where the property has invested heavily in supporting and showcasing. The Amanoi is one such property, nestled in the craggy coast of Nui Chua National Park on Vietnam’s southeast coast (think the bulge of the country into the Pacific.)

The hotel is essentially a series of disconnected pavilions, that either serve as communal spaces such as restaurants or bars, or as the rooms themselves. Our villa faced inland, towards the jewel-toned mountains of the park, and featured well-appointed amenities and our own large pool. There are two other pools on-site, one hugging a cliffside overlooking the coast and the other down by a remote beach, with a lunch restaurant located nearby. The main pavilion hosted the restaurant, concierge, library, and bar. Nearly the entire time there, we saw almost no other guests (of which there are only a couple dozen villas.) Food on-site was incredible (we actually reached back out years later to get a recipe for their blueberry smoothies which we became addicted to.

We spent most of our time here relaxing, disconnecting with the real world, which felt — and literally was — thousands of miles away from us. We ate, drank, swam, bathed, and slept in incomparable comfort. We snorkeled in the bay, kayaked and jetskied out to the end of the harbor before the water of the ocean became too rough. One night, they set up a personal dinner for the two of us, with customized menus highlighting our multi-course dinner cooked for just us on the beach with our own chef and server there with us. My wife did yoga and wellness classes that were hosted throughout the expansive property. We visited the local fishing village of Vinh Hy with a guide who worked at the Amanoi, but who grew up in the town. We watched and drank lukewarm beer with the crowd that had gathered to watch a soccer game in town, played on a dirt field with exuberance as it was Friday night after all! We enjoyed every moment of our time here and we became, what is well-known in the travel world, Aman-junkies.

There were only two pains during our entire four nights staying there. The bill. And leaving.

HANOI

NOTES

Hanoi is the cultural, and actual, capital of Vietnam and so much of the country’s storied history, marred by near constant war until only a few decades ago, is etched into the city. It is also a vibrant, colorful, and chaotic scene of energy. We spent the majority of our time in the Old Quarter and neighborhoods surrounding Hoàn Kiếm Lake. The area is rife with Franco-Chinese architecture, street food vendors, motorbikes, and shopping of all kinds. Our recommendation is to get to your lodging, get your general bearings and initial research, and then immediately lose yourself in the madness of it all.

LODGING

La Sinfonía Majesty Hotel & Spa (stayed) - tripadvisor - Old Quarter - when we stayed, it was called La Siesta Central, and that is likely a better name for it because I don’t think I stumbled into a better located hotel in all our endless walking around the city. Literally in just steps from the front door, you are thrown into the energy of classic Hanoi. The hotel offers comfortable bedding in a French-colonial style and our room had a well-appointed bathroom and small balcony. Breakfast was delicious in the rooftop bar and restaurant. Do yourself a favor, even if you are not staying here: visit during the sunset haze and grab a beer. There was something special about sitting there taking in the panoramic sights, sounds, and smells of the city with a light, ice-cold beer several stories above the madness. Service was excellent
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi - instagram - Hoàn Kiếm - 1 Michelin Key - this is likely the most famous hotel in the city (barring the tongue-in-cheek Hanoi Hilton, nickname for the prison that kept and tortured American aviator POWs, such as John McCain and James Stockdale.) The Metropole has been around since 1901 and is constructed in the classic French-colonial style, with ornate wrought-iron throughout. It was a frequent stay for many writers and journalists, such as Graham Greene (and reading his The Quiet American while staying in Hanoi is recommended.)
Capella Hanoi - instagram - Opera District - 3 Michelin Keys - a love-letter to the nearby Opera House, this hotel is peak luxury for 47 rooms with on-site restaurant (Backstage) and bar (Diva’s Lounge)

FOOD

Banh Mi 25 (dined) - instagram - Old Quarter - a famous Banh Mi location serving delicious traditional Vietnamese sandwiches, with a cute streetside patio
Pasteur Street Brewing Co (dined) - tripadvisor - Hoàn Kiếm - a brewery that offers excellent wings and burgers, with an open air concept on the first floor and a charming balcony off of a quiet street near Hang Trang Garden

COFFEE, COCKTAILS + THINGS TO DO

Drink little beers on little stools (enjoyed) - Old Quarter - all around the Old Quarter you will find tiny, colorful stools set out from any number of beer vendors operating literally on the streets. Beers are so cheap they may as well be free, but the real win is that you get to people watch from within. Note: a police truck drove through at some point and the vendor owners grabbed all the chairs and told us to hold on. Once the police truck moved on, the stools were back out and everyone was back to normal. Funny to witness, nothing to worry about
The Note Coffee (enjoyed) - instagram - Old Quarter - a cute coffee shop where the defining feature, beyond adorable smiling hosts and great coffee, are walls plastered with post-it notes where people leave funny anecdotes, love letters, and memorial messages for loved ones. Absolutely charming
Peachy Craft Beer (enjoyed) - tripadvisor - Old Quarter - not sure if this is still in the same location, but I know it still exists. We walked through a non-descript hallway between two shoe vendors and took the stairs up to a cute beer hall with a balcony overlooking the buzz of the city

Hạ LONG BAY

NOTES

Hạ Long Bay is a world famous UNESCO World Heritage Site comprised of nearly 2000 islets, or karsts, that dot the calm waters like jade gemstones. The best way to experience the region is undoubtedly by boat. Do some research for what ship meets your needs, budget, and desired experience and just enjoy and unwind. It is about a two hour drive from Hanoi, and we organized a ride to and from through our hotel in Hanoi. The area surrounding the Bay seems to be undergoing massive development, no doubt wanting to bring the vibe of the Bay inland, but there is no question that the magic of this place is out on the water.

LODGING

Azalea/Orchid Cruise (stayed) - booking.com - Hạ Long Bay - a beautiful experience that takes you out onto Hạ Long Bay for 1 to 3 nights, cruising around the jade mountains of the region. The cruise had excellent food, fun drinks on deck in the evening, excursions to explore caves and fishing outposts, a night where we dove off the back of the boat to swim with bioluminescent squid, and beautifully appointed rooms including a soaking tub with floor to ceiling windows
Paradise Suites Hotel (stayed) - tripadvisor - Hạ Long Bay shoreline - this was a bit of an oddball. We booked this for one night to give us a chance to stop and rest before boarding our boat on the shore first thing the next day. It is actually located about 45-60 minutes drive away from boarding facilities for the cruises on the Bay. What was also strange was just how empty this area was. It was clear this was originally planned for extensive development, but we had to take golf carts to and from nearby restaurants and the beach, which was mostly deserted. Simply lodging, but friendly staff, rounded out the experience. All in all, I would have rather had another night on the boat or back in Hanoi, but live and learn!

HONG KONG

NOTES

There is something undeniably romantic about the view of the Hong Kong skyline at night from across the harbor in Kowloon. Victoria Peak rises like a gentle giant behind the glittering lights, the red sails of dragon boats slowly drifting across the water. It feels like both the future and an infinite past have collided here, and in many ways, that is true. Hong Kong is an intoxicating mix of ultra modern, high-end luxury and centuries old tradition, in everything from food, to style, to architecture. The city has been something that has fascinated me from afar for as long as I can remember, and to finally visit and spend some time in its streets was a highlight of our incredible honeymoon to Southeast Asia.

LODGING

InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong (stayed) - instagram - Tsim Sha Tsui - one thing above anything else drew us to stay here for our visit; the view. Located at ground level across the harbor from the main skyline of the Central Business District (CBD), the InterContinental offers panoramic, multi-story glass atrium views that are both intimate and epic. It’s one thing to see Hong Kong’s skyline from high atop Victoria Peak or at the dizzying heights of the Ritz Carlton, but to be at eye-level with the electricity of the view is something that felt unique to this location. Rooms were spacious and well-appointed, and even if you decide to stay elsewhere, the lobby bar is worth a visit to people watch (think: meetings and pre-dinner cocktails while the world’s most famous skyline burns to life at sunset.)
Ritz Carlton Hong Kong (visited for drinks) - instagram - Kowloon - 1 Michelin Key - another iconic destination across the harbor from the Central Business District of Hong Kong is the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong, which sits atop the 108 story towers’ levels. Rooms look exquisite, and we did visit the lounge for a few drinks as Ritz Carlton members and it was expensive, but worth it for a once-in-a-lifetime view
Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong - instagram - CBD - 1 Michelin Key - the ORIGINAL Mandarin Oriental has undergone a remodel and is apparently back to modern standards while maintaining its original charm of non-stuff, serious luxury. Man Wah on-site offers Michelin star cuisine, and there are many other options on-site for those looking for seriously good food
Upper House Hong Kong - instagram - CBD - 2 Michelin Keys - the Upper House has long been a darling of the luxury travel crowd for years. It offers the high-rise views of skyscraper hotels like the Ritz while maintaining a thoroughly boutique-ish feel, despite its 100+ rooms. Sleek, modern, clean Asian luxury is the name of the game here
Rosewood Hong Kong - instagram - Tsim Sha Tsui - 3 Michelin Keys - the Rosewood appears to be everything positive that the InterContinental is and elevated to a world-class degree. It is quite close by and thus offers similar breathtaking views across the harbor. What the Rosewood has, though, is understated and beguiling luxury in its every detail. Often considered the very best hotel in Hong Kong

FOOD

Little Bao (dined) - instagram - Soho - a concept by Worlds Best 50 Chef May Chow (instagram), Little Bao has two locations but the Soho one proved to be a popular spot for locals and tourists alike. Infamous for its Bao burgers, Little Bao specializes in Chinese cuisine with a modern twist, in bite-size and mobile-friendly form
Mott 32 (dined) - instagram - CBD - located in the old vault of the Standard Charter Bank, Mott 32 has become a bit of an iconic spot to get infamous Peking duck. There are probably other Peking duck locations that are more authentic, or offer better preparation for the price, but the location, service, and food all combined to make for a quite memorable meal for us
Hoi King Heen (dined) - cntraveler - Tsim Sha Tsui - located in the InterContinental, we visited this restaurant for dim sum and it did not disappoint. Beautiful dishes served creatively with the same stunning view of the city as available elsewhere in the hotel. Lean on the staff to help you identify more exciting fare on the menu, as the chef has expertise in both Cantonese and Hakka cuisine, which the deep menu reflects

COFFEE, COCKTAILS + THINGS TO DO

Peak Tram/The Peak (visited) - wikipedia - Mid-Levels - this funicular is a great way to head from the Mid-Levels up to the top of Victoria Peak for panoramic views from “behind” the Hong Kong skyline, over Victoria Harbour, and out into Kowloon across. It has been in operation since 1888, making it the first funicular railway in Asia
Mid-Levels Escalators and Walkway System (visited) - wikipedia - Mid-Levels - as weird as it may be to see what is essentially a system of walking paths and mild-pitched and covered escalators as a “must-do” on any list, here we are! The Mid-Levels system is infamous, has been in several movies (The Dark Knight (2008) and Chunking Express (1994)), and traverses over a half-mile of terrain offering restaurants, shops, bars, and other attractions along its path and is a great way to navigate a chunk of the hillier part of the city, with a vertical gain of almost 500 feet
Temple Street (and Night Market) (visited) - website - Kowloon - just walking around Kowloon at night is a magical experience, but if you need to put a pin in a map, head to Temple Street and see the night market spring to life
Nathan Road (and other disappearing Kowloon neon) (visited) - wikipedia - Kowloon - Hong Kong used to be infamous for its neon, which is sadly being replaced by more energy-efficient and easier to maintain LED signage. Nathan Road (and much of Kowloon) still has some of the original neon around, but sooner is better to catch as much of the original gritty vibe before it is all turned over
Architecture and Harbor Walks / Photo-walks - Hong Kong is a magical combination of modernity and tradition, and walking its streets will treat observant travelers with an abundance of beautiful and memorable views and architectural delights. Photographers will be entranced, as I was, walking the steps of such icons of photography such as Fan Ho, a personal hero of mine