From the last trip to Ho Chi Minh City, always like to collect a list of conveniences and places to get things. It’s amazing what a few queries can produce.
Anyway first some random facts on connections from Seattle. Best flight in terms of time is for an afternoon flight BTW if you are concerned about what are the more comfortable seats, Seatexperts.com is an amazing site. Tells you what the best seats are etc.
NWA. Leaves 1415 SEA via NRT and arrives 2310 SGN. Seats on first leg at 150 degrees on a A330. Main issue is that the seat power doesn’t work on either leg, so you are warned.
KE 20/681. Leaves 1440 SEA via ICN and arrives 2220 SGN which is faster. The seats are flat but incline 150 degrees in business class and they do have a first class. Haven’t tried it yet and more expensive than Northwest. But they don’t fly everyday. They skip Weds and Sunday. 777-200 on SEA ICN leg and then a -300 on ICN SGN leg. Some of the -200 have Kosmo Sleepers which are true lay flat seats.
If you have to work the whole day, there are some interesting choices:
Eva Air 25. Leave 0210 SEA and arrives 1130 SGN via TPE which is as efficient as NWA flight, but really good if you have work to do in Seattle and give you half a day in SGN. In business class on their A777-300, they are 2-2-2, slanted lay-flat seats and you want the center aisle so people aren’t climbing over you. They have 120VAC too and a panasonic AVOD.
And if you are stuck on United, the connections are works, but at least the flights have lay-flat seats. You can check on Suite Dreams. This site shows all the upgraded planes. Right now all the 767s and most of the 747s. But the routes include SFO-SYD and SFO-HKG. So you can take SEA-SFO-HKG-SGN, this takes a long time 9AM-10PM, but at least you get there on UA 869
For instance there is normally an online expat community like alloexpat.com
Places to eat, drink and be merry
Veggies. Best place to buy produce
Cafe Mojo. Good cool coffee next to the Sheraton
Xu. Good ex-pat drink bar.
Anham Gourmet Market. All those treats from home
Vino’s. Wine, yes its 2x the price, but you can get it
The Temple Club. Near Sunwa Tower, Hey Branjolina can’t be wrong when the eat
Cepace. Wine and drinks for the late night next to Lancaster
Q Bar. In the Opera house
