ANCIENT TOWN The UNESCO World Hertigate site of Hoi An’s Ancient Town sits on the Thu Bon River. It was a vibrant trading port between from the 15th to 19th century. During the day explore the labyrinth of canary yellow buildings and beautiful temples. When the sunsets, the town is lit up with hundreds of…
Tag: Vietnam
Hanoi, Northern Vietnam
FINDING YOUR WAY The old Hanoi is contained within four districts: Hoàn Kiếm, Ba Đình, Hai Bà Trưng and Đống Đa. Hoàn Kiếm is the most explored as this includes The Old Quarter, whose 36 narrow streets are loosely categorised by what they sell – such as paper, shoes, clothes, tin goods. There is no…
Welcome to Vietnam
TOP THINGS TO DO IN VIETNAM Explore the stunning streets of Hoi An Sail around Halong Bay Hike in the highlands of Tavan Get lost in the Old Quarter of Hanoi Learn more about Vietnamese cuisine at a cooking class EXPLORE BY AREA Vietnam is a long thin country which you can split into Northern,…
Ho Chi Minh City, Southern Vietnam
HISTORICAL SITES Central Post Office A large yellow building with green shutters this French Colonial building still runs as the city’s main post office Notre Dame Cathedral One of the most famous buildings in the city, the cathedral was built in the 1880’s made entirely of French materials. One of a few Catholic churches in…
Halong Bay, Northern Vietnam
FINDING YOUR WAY Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage area of natural beauty in the north east corner of Vietnam. Made up of around 2000 limestone formations on the emerald waters of the China Sea, this area was once full of fishing villages. Many families have moved to the land and into Hanoi, their…
Dalat, Southern Vietnam
ACTIVITIES The Crazy House It really is completely bonkers! It’s like walking into something from Alice in Wonderland. There are lots of narrow walkways, weird carvings and it’s so easy to get lost. And it’s still growing! You’ll find yourself wondering into construction sites at random points. That coupled with some alarmingly low barriers mean…
Tavan & Northern Highlands, Northern Vietnam
FINDING YOUR WAY The northern highlands are roughly six hours drive north of Hanoi. The scenery quickly opens up as you leave the city and becomes more wild and beautiful. Sapa is a town in the Hoàng Liên Son Mountains and is the main gateway to the highlands. Overlooking the terraced rice fields of the…
Trang An & Ninh Binh, Northern Vietnam
HEAD TO THE WATER IN TRANG AN The highlight of the area is Trang An, which like Halong Bay is best explored by water. At the boat dock there are literally hundreds of little wooden row boats. On a two hour trip you’ll glide past beautiful limestone mountains and squeeze through caves. The rowers have…