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:

• Review: Blah Blah, Hanoi

  First published: 12 Oct 2012
  

  Narrow Blah Blah, on Hanoi‘s Hang Be Street, may be difficult to spot, but you’ll be glad you did: it’s intimate, friendly and well-priced. My first experience of Blah Blah bar was on Lunar New Years’ Eve (Tet) earlier this year and afterwards I had two memories of the bar: one, it was small and … read the full post

• Drinks with a view at Ho Guom Plaza

  First published: 09 Oct 2012
  

  Almost as iconic a Hanoi landmark as Hoan Kiem Lake, though not as picturesque, Ho Guom Plaza, also known as Shark Jaws, looms over the southern edge of Old Quarter and provides no fewer than six different eating and drinking options. The best place to view its majesty, and get an idea of what’s inside, … read the full post

• Review: First Choice Hotel, Hanoi

  First published: 05 Oct 2012
  

  First Choice Hotel, on Au Trieu street and near St Josephs Cathedral, is run by the same management as nearby Impressive Hotel, but offers a slightly lower priced alternative to its Hanoi neighbour and is worth considering if you want to save a few bucks and don’t mind a room without a window. At first … read the full post

• Pronouncing Vietnamese — a starting guide

  First published: 29 Sep 2012
  

  Vietnamese is a notoriously difficult language to master, and in particular to pronounce. Here are some tips of a few of the sounds to help you get at least somewhere close. Almost a year ago I wrote about learning Vietnamese in Hanoi and shared a few key phrases: hello, thank you and the like. But … read the full post

• Review: DC Bistro, Hanoi

  First published: 24 Sep 2012
  

  Fine dining restaurant La Verticale has been dishing up French and Vietnamese fusion cuisine from its 1930s villa since 2007. But for those whose wallets don’t stretch that far, founder and award-winning chef, Didieu Corlou, has opened a new venture a few doors away: DC Bistro. DC Bistro, as you’d expect from the name, is … read the full post

• Cinemateque in Hanoi

  First published: 21 Sep 2012
  

  If you want to catch a film while in Hanoi, be it as a break from roaming the streets or drinking coffee and bia hoi, or because a must-see blockbuster has just been launched, a few large cinema complexes are located around the city, such as Megastar at Vincom Tower. While these places offer comfortable … read the full post

• Review: Impressive Hotel, Hanoi

  First published: 14 Sep 2012
  

  Although it doesn’t quite live up to the name, Impressive Hotel, near Hanoi’s St Joseph’s Cathedral, is still a very good option for the midrange traveller. Located on Au Trieu Street, a quiet narrow road that runs between Ly Quoc Su and Phu Doan, Impressive Hotel is in the more chic area of Old Quarter, with a number of midrange … read the full post

• Exploring Bac Kan province

  First published: 09 Sep 2012
  

  You don’t always have to stick to the tourist trail in Vietnam; simply striking out somewhere for the hell of it can be richly rewarding. Bac Kan province is little visited by tourists, although its main point of interest, Ba Be Lake, attracts those looking for natural beauty outside of Ha Long Bay. We took … read the full post

• Review: Golden Lotus Hotels, Hanoi

  First published: 03 Sep 2012
  

  From the outside, the Golden Lotus Hotels look much like any other mid to upper-range place in Hanoi: narrow frontage, gold signs, big-glass doors and a uniformed doorman, but these would be our affordable luxury choice in Hanoi and would suit a couple with a mid-range budget or looking for a treat while in town. … read the full post

• Buying Western-sized clothes in Hanoi

  First published: 30 Aug 2012
  

  Your favourite T-shirt turned pink at the laundrette in Hue, you lost your shorts somewhere between Ko Samui and Bangkok – now, where did they go? – or you’re simply bored of wearing the same tatty clothes day in day out. Sound familiar? With a little knowledge you’ll find some Western-sized clothes in Hanoi, though … read the full post