HCMC has jumped three places from last year to 6th while Hanoi has slipped one place to 8th in the Cost of Living Index 2019 formulated by Numbeo, the world’s largest database of user contributed data about cities and countries worldwide. The company says that its survey has taken into account several factors including house rents, cost of eating out, and purchasing power needed to live a comfortable life to come with a cost of living index for 20 major cities in Southeast Asia. In this year’s index, HCMC scored 38.39 points, slightly lower than Hanoi (38.93), meaning that the cost of living in Saigon is a little less than in the capital city. Davao in the Philippines was the lowest-cost city in the region, followed by Indonesia’s Bandung. The top five most expensive cities in Southeast Asia are Singapore, Bangkok (Thailand), Yangon (Myanmar), Phuket (Thailand) and Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Price of Travel, a travel cost database, in 2017 ranked Saigon the world’s … [Read more...] about Saigon, Hanoi among top 10 affordable cities in Southeast Asia
Southeast asia backpacker
Hanoi – ideal place for backpacking adventure
Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake - one of the most attractive destinations in Hanoi (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Hello, a UK weekly magazine, has named Hanoi among seven best backpacking destinations in Asia. Ideal for travellers on a tight budget, Vietnam's capital city is one of the cheapest destinations for backpackers. “Not only is accommodation and food remarkably affordable, but you’ll be spoiled for choice of things to see and do in the city, which has a mix of Southeast Asian, Chinese and French influences,” the magazine wrote. Apart from the many popular places like Sword Lake, Hai Ba Trung Temple and Hoa Lo Prison Museum, the magazine highlights a special attraction – bia hoi. It notes that “backpackers often spend their evenings gathered at bia hoi bars across Hanoi, where you’ll find the cheapest beer in the world at around 25p a glass.” In the first half of this year, Hanoi welcomed 13.19 million tourists, up 10 percent … [Read more...] about Hanoi – ideal place for backpacking adventure
Hanoi high up on Asian backpacking list
As a city that celebrated its millennial anniversary in 2010, the capital of Vietnam has attractions aplenty to meet varied interests of travelers, be it history, culture or cuisine. When all this can be accessed with a great degree of affordability, Hanoi’s attractions are further magnified. In choosing Hanoi as one of seven best backpacking destinations in Asia, the Hello! magazine says: “Not only is accommodation and food remarkably affordable, but you’ll be spoiled for choice of things to see and do in the city, which has a mix of Southeast Asian, Chinese and French influences.” Apart from the many popular places like the Sword Lake and the Hoa Lo Prison Museum, the magazine highlights a special attraction – bia hoi. It notes that “backpackers often spend their evenings gathered at bia hoi bars across Hanoi, where you’ll find the cheapest beer in the world at around 25p a glass.” Six other Asian cities on the list are Singapore, Luang … [Read more...] about Hanoi high up on Asian backpacking list
Hanoi tops Hello Magazine’s 7 best destinations in Asia for backpackers
Hello, a UK weekly magazine has announced its annual list of Asia’s best destinations for backpackers. Tran Quoc Pagoda, Thanh Nien road, Tay Ho district, Hanoi. Photo: Hello Magazine. Hello Magazine has just named Hanoi the number one city on its seven best destinations in Asia for backpackers. Ideal for travelers on a tight budget, Vietnam's capital city is one of the cheapest destinations for backpackers. “Not only is accommodation and food reamarkably affordable, but you’ll be spoiled for choice of things to see and do in the city, which has a mix of Southeast Asian, Chinese and French influences,” Hello magazine wrote. Hoan Kiem Lake, Hai Ba Trung Temple and Hoa Lo Prison Museum are just three of the popular attractions, while backpackers often spend their evenings gathered at Bia Hoi (draft beer) bars across Hanoi, where you’ll find the cheapest beer in the world, the magazine added. On the list, Hanoi is followed by Luang Prabang (Laos), … [Read more...] about Hanoi tops Hello Magazine’s 7 best destinations in Asia for backpackers
Vietnam’s Hoi An a top draw for solo travel
The popularity of Hoi An, which has been a top tourist destination in Vietnam for decades now, continues go grow. It’s latest accolade and landmark achievement is making it to second place on the list of 10 safest and most exciting places on this earth for solo travelers compiled by travel editors at Momondo, a U.K. based travel site. The travel search site finds and compares the best offers on flights, hotels, car hire and package holidays for travelers. Unlike Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, the two biggest cities in Vietnam that are flooded with waves of noisy vehicles and modern skyscrapers, Hoi An casts a spell over backpackers for its tranquility and slow pace of life, the site said. “Motorbikes are banned in the town center, so take a stroll past the yellow houses with their old red-tiled roofs and admire the street-side cafes and picturesque historical homes lining canals and winding alleyways,” the site gushes. It’s best to cycle to the pristine beach An Bang, … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s Hoi An a top draw for solo travel
Saigon has one of the best nightlife in Southeast Asia: Rough Guides
Respected travel site Rough Guides just released a list of eight best night experiences in Southeast Asia, and Ho Chi Minh City is named THE place to delve into bars and clubs. “When the sun goes down, the bustling energy of southern Vietnam's megalopolis transfers to its many clubs and bars,” Rough Guides says. If you’re thirsty for a chic experience of Saigon’s nightlife, put on your best dress or suit and head to the rooftop Chill Sky Bar in District 1, one of the city’s most popular and fancy spots. It stays open from 5:30 p.m. till small hours the next morning, offering a dusk till dawn-ish view of the city, fabulous cocktails and a small but exciting music scene to check out. The U.K travel site also named Saigon Acoustic Bar in District 3 as a great rendezvous for a night out with pop-rock cover bands, while Carmen Bar in District 1 offers an odd selection of Spanish flamenco played by skilled Vietnamese musicians. For a casual good time, the … [Read more...] about Saigon has one of the best nightlife in Southeast Asia: Rough Guides
Roof solar power solution deal inked
Representatives of SolarGATES joint-stock trading company and SCG Roof Viet Nam, a member of Siam Cement Group (CGS) Thailand, ink an agreement on distributing family solar power solutions in Viet Nam. — VNS Photo Ngo Thao Huong SolarGATES Joint Stock Trading Company and SCG Roof Viet Nam (a member of Siam Cement Group Thailand), have agreed to distribute solar power equipment, including concrete roof tiles and solar power panels, to families in Viet Nam and around Southeast Asia. SolarGATES, a member of HCM City-based SolarBK Holdings Group, said the deal will help provide combined solar power panels and concrete roofs for households in Thailand market, as well as elsewhere in Asia via SCG’s agents and showrooms. SolarGATES will provide made-in-Viet Nam solar power panels for renewable power from 2kWp (Kilowatt photovoltaic) to 10kWp, solar-powered water heaters and solar cells for solar power-generated backpacks, suitcases and umbrellas. A roof solar power system is … [Read more...] about Roof solar power solution deal inked
Xiaomi opens region’s largest store in HCM City
Xiaomi opened its largest store in the Southeast Asian region in HCM City on Sunday. — VNS Photo Chinese electronics company Xiaomi opened its largest store in Southeast Asia in HCM City’s District 2 on Sunday. The 300sq.m outlet in Parkson Cantavil is its second store in Việt Nam. Developed in conjunction with new partner MIHOUSE Vietnam, it showcases a full range of smartphones as well as the vast eco-system that has made the company famous including powerbanks, fitness accessories, projectors and TV boxes, headphones and speakers, backpacks, laptops and PC peripherals, air purifiers, home appliances, and scooters. All the products are imported. “We have focused heavily in the first quarter of this year on making our products more available in Việt Nam,” the company’s Việt Nam country manager, Jack Yung, said. Founded in 2010, the company has a presence in over 70 countries and regions and is expanding its footprint across the world to … [Read more...] about Xiaomi opens region’s largest store in HCM City
Hanoi, HCM City among 10 cheapest cities in SE Asia
International tourists in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam’s two main cities have made the list of top 10 cities for budget-conscious backpackers in Southeast Asia for 2018 drawn up by Numbeo, the world’s largest database of user-contributed data providing information on the cost of living world-wide. The 2018 Cost of Living Index released by www.numbeo.com ranks Ho Chi Minh City ninth in the region and the capital eighth. The survey has taken into account several factors like the cost of restaurants, house renting, groceries and others to come up with the average index for the cost of living in 27 major cities in Southeast Asia. - VNA … [Read more...] about Hanoi, HCM City among 10 cheapest cities in SE Asia
Lack of orders shuts down many garment, textile firms in HCM City
Lot of garment and textile companies have been forced to close down recently because of lacking of contracts. That has badly affected the life of workers who have lost their job in advance of the Tet holidays. Workers at a footwear company in HCMC (Photo: SGGP)Since mid 2017, K Garment Company in Linh Trung 1 Export Processing Zone, Thu Duc district has dismissed 800 workers, most of them are old and working in simple phases in the production line with low productivity. Their opportunity to seek new jobs is very little.Similarly, Shing Viet Company is negotiating to stop labor contracts with 400 workers at Factory No.2 in Truong Tho ward, Thu Duc district because it has met with difficulties in orders and been unable to remain operation.Fenix Knitting Vietnam has announced to close their plant to do procedures to go bankruptcy, putting 220 workers in the verge of jobless. Adding to the woes, the company has still got into arrears of workers’ wages, social insurances and … [Read more...] about Lack of orders shuts down many garment, textile firms in HCM City