In Feb 2015, my wife and I planned to fly Siem Reap - Saigon. The night before our flight, enjoying a few beers, I noticed that you had to have an approval letter to get the visa on arrival. Somehow this requirement had completely escaped me. At 10PM I found a travel agent in Hanoi who spoke perfect English, who took my credit card and passport info, and emailed me the approval letter, which seemed a rather unofficial looking thing that listed us, along with a dozed strangers, and everyone's passport information. (I think you can get a private letter if you pay more.) And the hostal er were at had a printer! At any rate, this thing worked fine, and we began a very enjoyable visit.
Bob -- 2015! Unofficial means official in that part of the world. People know how to negotiate things, even across borders. There are people who have the knowledge and power to smooth things over. I always pray/hope that any weird situation I run into is an "average" one, something that someone has dealt with and can resolve efficiently. Thanks for sharing!
Actually, I didn't view this person (the "travel agent") as someone with the power to smooth things over, but rather as a government crony who had been awarded an easy way to collect tourist dollars.
Thanks Andrea, your email arrived in my inbox just after my e-visa!!! A kind of cosmic email coincidence. As an Australian visiting Vietnam we can get a visa on arrival but who wants to risk delays at that end? So I looked at various online portals and found a variety of costs. Settled on the official Vietnam immigration website https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn and paid $25USD for a 3 day turnaround. Looking forward to Pho in Hanoi. I hope you get to visit our little Saigon in Sydney (Cabramatta) one day.
So happy to know that the Vietnam goverment's site worked for your e-visa! Yippeee!
Thanks for the link. I've added it to the post.
My only trip to Australia was in 2009 to present at an international food conference in Sydney. Luke Nguyen showed me around and took me to Cabramatta. We drove through the woop woop (sp?) and had a grand time. I took extra time to visit Melbourne too. Such a vibrant scene and the ingredients you have are divine.
I love and respect when people know that food has gotta be eaten fresh and ASAP, so you resign yourself to eating in unglamorous locales on the trunk of the car! It's why you're the G.O.A.T. Andrea!
FIFTY banh beo for that price is unreal though. Do I need to visit San Jose?!
The bánh béo place is my favorite- my husband and I can finish a tray in a day 🙈
We just went to VN in June. I used the evisa site others used. Don’t be like me and assume that the kids can go on your visa (the wording on the form was confusing to me!). 🤦🏻♀️ I ended up using a service (https://www.myvietnamvisa.com/vietnam-emergency-visa.html) to get it expedite since it was the weekend.
Thank you so much for sharing the video! So important to learn how to properly eat me the delicious food. BTW I have been making your creamy Nuoc Cham for our daily salad. Delicious! You are the Julia Child of Vietnamese Food!
Marion -- Thank you for the kind words. It can be such a mystery to eat unfamiliar and even familiar dishes. There are few rules in Viet foodways, just lots of parameters and most of them are practical.
Of the last three places I ate lunch at by myself one place served Shaanxi noodles and the other served asado chicken. I was the only Caucasian person eating there
Oh goodness, thanks for asking. I don't know how to set something like that up. And, I'd be horrible at keeping people happy 24/7. Greatly appreciate your suggestion.
Hi Andrea! We went to Vietnam in February 2023. We got our visas on line through the Vietnamese website (https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/). Worked like a charm and only cost $25. I'm sending you our "procedures" in a separate email. Hope it's useful. No need to pay big bucks to visa sharks.
Hello Andrea. Loved the piece on food shopping in Little Saigon. I will try it. Also wondering if you plan to resume teaching in-person classes? That would be great.
Jackie, thanks for the nudge. On my to-do list this week was to look into the in-person teaching kitchen at New Leaf Market. I just called them and turns out, they are planning to tear down the kitchen to make way for more retail space. Arrgggh. It's hard to find a comparable teaching space. Plan B is virtual classes. More as things develop...
In Feb 2015, my wife and I planned to fly Siem Reap - Saigon. The night before our flight, enjoying a few beers, I noticed that you had to have an approval letter to get the visa on arrival. Somehow this requirement had completely escaped me. At 10PM I found a travel agent in Hanoi who spoke perfect English, who took my credit card and passport info, and emailed me the approval letter, which seemed a rather unofficial looking thing that listed us, along with a dozed strangers, and everyone's passport information. (I think you can get a private letter if you pay more.) And the hostal er were at had a printer! At any rate, this thing worked fine, and we began a very enjoyable visit.
Bob -- 2015! Unofficial means official in that part of the world. People know how to negotiate things, even across borders. There are people who have the knowledge and power to smooth things over. I always pray/hope that any weird situation I run into is an "average" one, something that someone has dealt with and can resolve efficiently. Thanks for sharing!
Actually, I didn't view this person (the "travel agent") as someone with the power to smooth things over, but rather as a government crony who had been awarded an easy way to collect tourist dollars.
A wonderful commentary that taught me a lot and made me wish I was in San Jose!
Thank you! You can use similar tactics elsewhere. That's what I do when I'm traveling to different parts of the country to check out Viet enclaves.
Thanks Andrea, your email arrived in my inbox just after my e-visa!!! A kind of cosmic email coincidence. As an Australian visiting Vietnam we can get a visa on arrival but who wants to risk delays at that end? So I looked at various online portals and found a variety of costs. Settled on the official Vietnam immigration website https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn and paid $25USD for a 3 day turnaround. Looking forward to Pho in Hanoi. I hope you get to visit our little Saigon in Sydney (Cabramatta) one day.
So happy to know that the Vietnam goverment's site worked for your e-visa! Yippeee!
Thanks for the link. I've added it to the post.
My only trip to Australia was in 2009 to present at an international food conference in Sydney. Luke Nguyen showed me around and took me to Cabramatta. We drove through the woop woop (sp?) and had a grand time. I took extra time to visit Melbourne too. Such a vibrant scene and the ingredients you have are divine.
Pho in Hanoi is special.
I love and respect when people know that food has gotta be eaten fresh and ASAP, so you resign yourself to eating in unglamorous locales on the trunk of the car! It's why you're the G.O.A.T. Andrea!
FIFTY banh beo for that price is unreal though. Do I need to visit San Jose?!
Ha! I like to eat.
The price is unreal and I would have paid more. There are similar prices in other Little Saigons. But you have to live near one, that's the key.
The bánh béo place is my favorite- my husband and I can finish a tray in a day 🙈
We just went to VN in June. I used the evisa site others used. Don’t be like me and assume that the kids can go on your visa (the wording on the form was confusing to me!). 🤦🏻♀️ I ended up using a service (https://www.myvietnamvisa.com/vietnam-emergency-visa.html) to get it expedite since it was the weekend.
Oh, that must have been very scary!!! I'm sorry. The wording on these visas is very precise. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Yay for the banh beo love!
Thank you so much for sharing the video! So important to learn how to properly eat me the delicious food. BTW I have been making your creamy Nuoc Cham for our daily salad. Delicious! You are the Julia Child of Vietnamese Food!
Marion -- Thank you for the kind words. It can be such a mystery to eat unfamiliar and even familiar dishes. There are few rules in Viet foodways, just lots of parameters and most of them are practical.
so true! I am so grateful to you
Of the last three places I ate lunch at by myself one place served Shaanxi noodles and the other served asado chicken. I was the only Caucasian person eating there
Good for you! You had some delicious food, and I'm sure the restaurant owners appreciated your being there!
Hi Andrea, would you consider leading a group on a trip to VN? For those of us who’ve never been, it would be invaluable and fun!
Oh goodness, thanks for asking. I don't know how to set something like that up. And, I'd be horrible at keeping people happy 24/7. Greatly appreciate your suggestion.
Hi Andrea! We went to Vietnam in February 2023. We got our visas on line through the Vietnamese website (https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/). Worked like a charm and only cost $25. I'm sending you our "procedures" in a separate email. Hope it's useful. No need to pay big bucks to visa sharks.
Thanks, Mike! I paid extra for 5 years of being exempt from getting visas! The visa I got is for Vietnamese expats.
Just do it on line... so easy!!!!!
Unfortunately, that's not an option for the 5-year exemption visa.
Hello Andrea. Loved the piece on food shopping in Little Saigon. I will try it. Also wondering if you plan to resume teaching in-person classes? That would be great.
Jackie, thanks for the nudge. On my to-do list this week was to look into the in-person teaching kitchen at New Leaf Market. I just called them and turns out, they are planning to tear down the kitchen to make way for more retail space. Arrgggh. It's hard to find a comparable teaching space. Plan B is virtual classes. More as things develop...