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: Cha Ca La Vong

  First published: 24 Jun 2012
  

  Restaurant Cha Ca La Vong recently featured in the New York Times in an article that talked about how variants of the same-named dish — a mixture of fish, turmeric, dill, shrimp paste, fish sauce, chillies, noodles and other herbs — are appearing on menus in the United States. Author Florence Fabricant notes that, despite … read the full post

• Lotus flowers in Hanoi

  First published: 22 Jun 2012
  

  It’s lotus flower season in Hanoi and the West Lake area is awash with the beautiful blooms. Lotus flowers hold particular significance in Vietnam, as they are considered one of four graceful flowers and plants, along with pine, bamboo and chrysanthemum. They are a symbol of purity, commitment, optimism for the future, beauty, majesty, grace, … read the full post

• Review: Delicious Wines in Hanoi

  First published: 20 Jun 2012
  

  Delicious Wines opened a few months ago on Tong Duy Tan, alternatively known as food street, and is run by the same people who own Matchbox by the Fine Arts Museum. As a brand consultant, when someone names their new wine shop/wine bar something like “Delicious Wines”, I immediately doubt their promise; after all, if … read the full post

• Review: Essence Hanoi Hotel

  First published: 17 Jun 2012
  

  Centrally located in Old Quarter, Essence Hanoi stands out along Ta Hien with its white frontage, stylish signage and uniformed doorman, which all hint at the quality within. Essence is within easy reach of the delights of the 36 streets as well as Hoan Kiem lake and the French Quarter. It’s also easy to pick … read the full post

• Review: Pots n Pans

  First published: 15 Jun 2012
  

  About two kilometres south of Hoan Kiem Lake on Bui Thi Xuan – one of the small streets that runs parallel to Pho Hue and Ba Trieu – sits Hanoi’s latest must-go restaurant, Pots n Pans. Somewhat tucked away among the bright lights of karaoke bars, its subtle and stylish exterior is easy to miss, but … read the full post

• Dau pagoda and Horn village

  First published: 12 Jun 2012
  

  Dau pagoda, considered Vietnam’s oldest, is located 24 kilometres south of the centre of Hanoi, in Bac Ninh province, and takes about one hour to reach by road. In the third century, the area in which it is located was the capital of Giai Chi, at the time Vietnam’s political, economic and cultural centre. Khau … read the full post

• Review: InterContinental Hotel Hanoi

  First published: 11 Jun 2012
  

  Scorning the trend to build tall, the sprawling low-rise InterContinental Hotel in Hanoi stands quietly proud alongside its high-rise neighbour the Sheraton. Jutting out into the northern edge of West Lake, the Intercontinental makes up for its distance from the atmosphere of the Old Quarter with its lake views and its proximity to the restaurants … read the full post

• A bike excursion to Bridegroom Field

  First published: 08 Jun 2012
  

  Although the sprawl of Hanoi makes it time-consuming to reach the countryside proper, a short jaunt to the banks of the Red River will have you feeling like you’ve left the city behind. The best way to explore is by bicycle, so ask at your hotel about hiring a bike for the day, pack your … read the full post

• Review: Hanoi Backpackers’ Hostel, Ma May

  First published: 06 Jun 2012
  

  It’s impossible to miss the most recent addition to the Hanoi Backpackers’ Hostel stable, with its seven-storey, eight-metre wide frontage slap-bang in the middle of the most tourist-orientated area of Old Quarter. The original Hanoi Backpackers’, on Ngo Huyen near St Joseph’s Cathedral, is still going strong, but the new venue combines more modern styling … read the full post

• Hanoi’s 36 streets: Hang Be and Gia Ngu

  First published: 03 Jun 2012
  

  While I often make a case for Hanoi’s Old Quarter having retained its charms and local life despite the influx of tourists, I am willing to admit that some streets have completely given themselves over to tourism. Hang Be is one such example, and despite my best efforts I have struggled to come up with … read the full post