Thanks for the great report Barnesybris. We are leaving for our first trip to Vietnam 4 weeks today, & also staying at the Orchid in Hue, so great to hear it's a good hotel. We also have 5 nights in Hoi Ann so thanks for the recommendations regarding restaurants etc. Cheers - Wayvan

Hi Barnesy

Sounds like you had a wonderful time. We are off in 2 weeks, can barely wait, hardly sleeping i'm so excited!

Just wanted to ask about the glasses you had made in Hoian, did you need your script or did they test your eyes there? Can you possibly give me an address for them?

Thanks again

Red

I bought script glasses, also Gucci labelled, in Hanoi. There is a street devoted to glasses.It is Luong Van Can St.

I paid $40 USD also for a pair of reading glasses and $40 USD for a pair of sunglasses.

I had an old script for my sunglasses but the woman used my sunglasses I had with me to check their strength on a machine. There was a difference with one eye. My script said a stronger lens was needed in one eye. As the glasses I had with me were okay I decided to use them as the strength to go with. The new ones are great.

I didn't take a script for my reading glasses as I had no intentions of buying a pair. The gentleman who serve me used a machine to test the reaction of my eyes to images and then put on a testing pair of glasses with removable lens that he swapped until I indicated that I could read a book that I had brought with me easily.

The sunglasses were made on the premises and took less than the time it took my husband to try on sunglasses and choose a pair.

The reading glasses took 2 hours and were taken elsewhere to be made, I think to one of the other stall holders.

When I got my sunglasses back to our room I noticed that there was a slight variation in the colour of the 2 lens. I took them back and no problems they were corrected in 2 hours again.

I bought the reading glasses from Kinh Mat Tho Kim Optical Shop - Number 64 and the sunglasses from Binh Minh at number 58.

Ausberg

Hi Aus

Thanks for that, we were looking at getting some made whilst we were there.

Spose if they arent much chop i can use the frames here anyway

Red

My plan exactly.

I have been wearing my reading glasses frequently since returning home and no problems so far. Got back on the 10 July.

Ausberg

I need to get a new eye test but i'm not sure they'll give the script if i ask for it? & can they read it in Vietnam? Or just take my chances? As long as i look fabulous in the frames who cares i spose!!

Hi barnesybris,

great to hear your comments on mum ma. We stayed just up the road and went to her restaurant on our first day. Every time we passed the restaurant after that (and it was at least twice a day) she was out the front waving madly at us. We went back on our last day for lunch and she came up behind my wife and I and gave us a big hug. Then the next morning we were driving out in a taxi at 6am and she ran along the street beside us shouting goodbye. A lovely lady and one of the real treasures of our trip.

By the way I was intrigued by the signage at the restaurant. Most said Light Candle but the main one says Candlelight which I think it should be. Typical of the great "vietnamese" English you get to read.

Redgum, as optical tests are on Medicare you have a right to a copy of your script. I have done this on several occasions to buy glasses in Bali. I told my optometrist I was going o/s and wanted a script copy in case I lost my glasses (I lied)! I hope to get new glasses in Vietnam.