Travelfish correspondent Sarah Turner

Sarah's South East Asia expedition started in 2009, when she packed up her company, home and beloved car and left South West London with her boyfriend and a vague plan to travel and then live in the region. Whilst travelling they both fell in love with Hanoi, and seven months, seven countries, a few scars and more than a few memorable experiences after leaving England they found themselves on a 44 hour journey from Don Dhet back to Vietnam's capital. As well as writing for Travelfish, Sarah runs a design and branding company called Crunchy Frog with her partner and does a bit of English teaching for pocket (massage) money. She also sits on the Community Aid Committee of Hanoi's International Women's Club, helping to distribute funds to local charitable organisations, and spends her free time either indulging her love of food and drink or frenetically exercising to compensate.
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Posts by Sarah Turner:

• Asia food tours: Hanoi Street Food Tours

  First published: 24 Mar 2013
  

  Continuing my exploration of street food tours in Hanoi, I booked onto an afternoon tour with Hanoi Street Food Tours, run by Mark Lowerson, of Sticky Rice fame, and Van Cong Tu, the “Vietnamese God“. Bring on three hours of snacking heaven. Mark has been in Hanoi since 2002 and writing his food blog, Sticky … read the full post

• Asia food tours: Urban Adventures, Hanoi

  First published: 20 Mar 2013
  

  Having enjoyed breakfast, brunch and lunch on the Street Eats and Market Tour I took with Hanoi Cooking Centre earlier in the week, it was time for dinner. So off I went to Old Quarter to join the Hanoi Street Food by Night tour, offered by Urban Adventures. Urban Adventures, part of global tour operator … read the full post

• Asia food tours: Hanoi Cooking Centre

  First published: 09 Mar 2013
  

  With street food being such a defining feature of Hanoi, it’s no surprise that a variety of tours here explore the world of the 10-inch plastic stool. We’ve checked out a few of the options, starting with Hanoi Cooking Centre (HCC). HCC was opened in 2009 by chef Tracey Lister, co-author of KOTO: A Culinary … read the full post

• Long Bien market photography tour

  First published: 03 Mar 2013
  

  What’s worth getting up for at 04:00 on a chilly Sunday morning in Hanoi? A sunrise photography tour of Long Bien market with Vietnam In Focus, that’s what. A combined desire to improve my photography skills, visit Long Bien market at the crack of dawn and write about it gave me the motivation to hold … read the full post

• Long Bien Market, Hanoi

  First published: 01 Mar 2013
  

  It’s not top of any must-do list in travel guides, but a visit to Hanoi’s chaotic Long Bien market is a fascinating exposure to the life of a large proportion of Hanoi residents. But you’ll need to get up early — very early. Long Bien market, located next to Long Bien bridge, alongside the dyke … read the full post

• Noodle dishes in Hanoi

  First published: 23 Feb 2013
  

  You could easily eat noodle dishes in Hanoi for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a week and still not have the same meal twice. Here’s our quick guide to what’s what when it comes to noodles in the Vietnamese capital. Let’s start with the most well-known: pho. As we highlighted some time ago, pho is … read the full post

• Review: Thang Long Royal Citadel, Hanoi

  First published: 17 Feb 2013
  

  Thang Long Royal Citadel in Hanoi was opened to the public quite recently, but once you’ve been you’ll wonder why it was kept under wraps for so long. With attractive, shady gardens, imposing buildings, underground bunkers and numerous historic artifacts, it’s got something for everyone. And it’s free. The Thang Long Imperial Citadel was built … read the full post

• Review: Lau Rieu Cua at 66 Pho Duc Chinh

  First published: 15 Feb 2013
  

  By day a centre for disabled children, by night a buzzing lau restaurant: 66 Pho Duc Chinh, near Truc Bach lake, serves up delicious lau rieu cua: a tasty broth with loads of Vietnamese goodies to throw in. And with the weather a bit chilly in Hanoi, now is the perfect time to enjoy it. … read the full post

• Review: The Artisan Boutique Hotel, Hanoi

  First published: 10 Feb 2013
  

  Does The Artisan Boutique Hotel in Hanoi live up to its name and art deco-style business card? First impressions don’t disappoint: the reception area is spacious and stylishly decorated — Tiffany-style lamps always go down well – and the rooms follow through. The hotel was refurbished in 2012, rather than being a new build, and … read the full post

• X-Factory laser tag and entertainment zone, Hanoi

  First published: 03 Feb 2013
  

  “Are you bored? We have the cure.” So shouts Hanoi’s newest entertainment venue: X-Factory.  X-Factory is primarily a laser tag venue, but also offers X-Box Kinect, flight/racing simulators and a very cool cafe. From the moment you enter, you can see this place wasn’t thrown together overnight. A lot of thought has gone into the … read the full post