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Chủ Nhật, 1 tháng 11, 2015
How to Pack a Backpack Efficiently
Packing a backpack is tolerably easy, but vietnam travel guide have some tips to help you do it easier and have better results.
A well-loaded bag will feel balanced when leaning on your hips and nothing should be shifting or swinging inside. When you walk, the backpack should feel steady.
You should first pack your bag at home. You can place all your items on the floor, make sure that you have got everything available and feel less hurried as you load up.
You’d better have a checklist to assure everything you need is on the floor.
Packing the Backpack’s Bottom
You should put the items you won’t need until you make camp at night in the bottom of the bag. Most backpackers often place their sleeping bag into the bottom of the backpack. This is also where you may keep long underwear that will be used as sleepwear, a pillow cover and a sleeping pad (if you can roll it up into a small shape).
Any other items that you only use at night can go down low except for a headlamp or flashlight.
A well-loaded bag will feel balanced when leaning on your hips and nothing should be shifting or swinging inside. When you walk, the backpack should feel steady.
You should first pack your bag at home. You can place all your items on the floor, make sure that you have got everything available and feel less hurried as you load up.
You’d better have a checklist to assure everything you need is on the floor.
Walk around the old quarter Hanoi
Packing the Backpack’s Bottom
You should put the items you won’t need until you make camp at night in the bottom of the bag. Most backpackers often place their sleeping bag into the bottom of the backpack. This is also where you may keep long underwear that will be used as sleepwear, a pillow cover and a sleeping pad (if you can roll it up into a small shape).
Any other items that you only use at night can go down low except for a headlamp or flashlight.
Packing the Center of Your Backpack
Heavier items should be kept in the center of your pack. This aim to create a soft center of gravity. Bulky pieces too low can make your pack sag down. Too high position can cause the pack feel unsteady.
In fact, your heaviest items should be put on top of your sleeping bag and close to your backbone. Normally, these items will be your food stash, water supply and cook kit and stove. If carrying liquid fuel, make sure your fuel bottle cap is on tightly. Pack the bottle upright and place it on your food in the event of a spill.
Wrap softer, lower-weight parts around the heavier pieces to prevent them from shifting. Your tent body,rainfly, and a rain jacket can support uphold the core and fill the empty room.
Hydration tank: Most new packs add a hydration reservoir sleeve. This is a slot that keeps a reservoir near to your back and equal to your spine. It is simpler to insert the reservoir while the bag is still empty, so that leaves you two options:
If you fancy efficiency, add the tank at home. You will have a loaded pack ready to go when you reach the trailhead.
If you like cold water, carry the reservoir in a cooler and load it and your other middle-upper pack contents at the trailhead.
Other Tips for Packing a Backpack
Fulfill all empty area. You can put utensils, a cup or a small piece of clothing within your cooking pots.
Stuff sacks: Some people may prefer the low-chaos/easy organization of stuff sacks, whereas others simply favor packings soft things easy-fitting in the bag to use up all available space. Test with your own items and decide which method most interests you.
Share the weight of large common elements like tent with others in your team. You can carry the main body, for example, and your friend can bring the rainfly and poles.
Squeezing straps: Tighten all the compression straps to restrict load-shifting.
Rain cover: Bring a rain cover for your pack and keep it accessible. Although some backpacks are made with waterproof fabric, their seams and zippers are unsafe to drainage during a downpour. A pack cover is deserving its weight in persistent rain.
Repair items: Cover strips of duct tape round your water bottles or trekking poles; if a strap pops or some other trouble occurs, a quick duct tape fix could keep you going. Take along a few safety pins in case a zipper fails.
Read more: things to do in ho chi minh Vietnam
Heavier items should be kept in the center of your pack. This aim to create a soft center of gravity. Bulky pieces too low can make your pack sag down. Too high position can cause the pack feel unsteady.
In fact, your heaviest items should be put on top of your sleeping bag and close to your backbone. Normally, these items will be your food stash, water supply and cook kit and stove. If carrying liquid fuel, make sure your fuel bottle cap is on tightly. Pack the bottle upright and place it on your food in the event of a spill.
Wrap softer, lower-weight parts around the heavier pieces to prevent them from shifting. Your tent body,rainfly, and a rain jacket can support uphold the core and fill the empty room.
Hydration tank: Most new packs add a hydration reservoir sleeve. This is a slot that keeps a reservoir near to your back and equal to your spine. It is simpler to insert the reservoir while the bag is still empty, so that leaves you two options:
If you fancy efficiency, add the tank at home. You will have a loaded pack ready to go when you reach the trailhead.
If you like cold water, carry the reservoir in a cooler and load it and your other middle-upper pack contents at the trailhead.
Other Tips for Packing a Backpack
Fulfill all empty area. You can put utensils, a cup or a small piece of clothing within your cooking pots.
Stuff sacks: Some people may prefer the low-chaos/easy organization of stuff sacks, whereas others simply favor packings soft things easy-fitting in the bag to use up all available space. Test with your own items and decide which method most interests you.
Share the weight of large common elements like tent with others in your team. You can carry the main body, for example, and your friend can bring the rainfly and poles.
Squeezing straps: Tighten all the compression straps to restrict load-shifting.
Rain cover: Bring a rain cover for your pack and keep it accessible. Although some backpacks are made with waterproof fabric, their seams and zippers are unsafe to drainage during a downpour. A pack cover is deserving its weight in persistent rain.
Repair items: Cover strips of duct tape round your water bottles or trekking poles; if a strap pops or some other trouble occurs, a quick duct tape fix could keep you going. Take along a few safety pins in case a zipper fails.
Thứ Ba, 27 tháng 10, 2015
How to Find Cheap Flights
You want to travel now? Don’t go with a hasty preparation. Let’s check all cheap booking sites and the airline websites to pick the tickets with good price.
Some people want to have a saving-time way for booking cheap flights but truth is no way. Sometimes, you can feel tired of shopping around to get the best price by surfing dozens of booking sites, change your dates and wait until the right time – gold hour to purchase. However, if you take pains to spend time and effort, you could save hundreds on flight.
1. Buy Early
Particularly during peak time of traveling, booking late can be very expensive. Airline ticket prices often increase in the last two weeks prior to departures. Therefore, if you intend to go on vacation, try to make reservations before this deadline. And if you are going to travel abroad, you should book in advance even earlier (from 3 to 6 months earlier) to get the best deals.
2. Buy Late
If you cannot book very early, you still have a chance to get great price. Sometimes, you can purchase at the last minute with cheap price in case the airlines have been unable to fill the flight. You could fine such deal at website LastMinuteTravel.com or on the airline websites and online booking websites like Expedia. If you can arrange your work or your personal plan, and if you are flexible with your journey and dates, you can save a lot of money and visit attractive destinations.
3. Shop Around
Even when you find a deal which looks as if you get the best deal, you shouldn’t be hurried. Never book the first ticket you find. Keep searching in some other big online booking site like Kayak, TripAdvisor Flights, Travelocity or Airfarewatchdog. Checking these sites will help you get initial idea of which airlines is suitable for your journey, which limitation you can occur. Then, you check directly to the airline website to see whether the same flights are cheaper or not and check if the airline are running sales to your travel destination.
If you can not find any fare in your expected price range, you should ready to wait for a good opportunity. You can see that most major booking sites get alert function that will send you information through email when your fare goes down to your preferred price.
Some people want to have a saving-time way for booking cheap flights but truth is no way. Sometimes, you can feel tired of shopping around to get the best price by surfing dozens of booking sites, change your dates and wait until the right time – gold hour to purchase. However, if you take pains to spend time and effort, you could save hundreds on flight.
1. Buy Early
Particularly during peak time of traveling, booking late can be very expensive. Airline ticket prices often increase in the last two weeks prior to departures. Therefore, if you intend to go on vacation, try to make reservations before this deadline. And if you are going to travel abroad, you should book in advance even earlier (from 3 to 6 months earlier) to get the best deals.
2. Buy Late
If you cannot book very early, you still have a chance to get great price. Sometimes, you can purchase at the last minute with cheap price in case the airlines have been unable to fill the flight. You could fine such deal at website LastMinuteTravel.com or on the airline websites and online booking websites like Expedia. If you can arrange your work or your personal plan, and if you are flexible with your journey and dates, you can save a lot of money and visit attractive destinations.
Patryk Kosmider/what to do in vietnam
3. Shop Around
Even when you find a deal which looks as if you get the best deal, you shouldn’t be hurried. Never book the first ticket you find. Keep searching in some other big online booking site like Kayak, TripAdvisor Flights, Travelocity or Airfarewatchdog. Checking these sites will help you get initial idea of which airlines is suitable for your journey, which limitation you can occur. Then, you check directly to the airline website to see whether the same flights are cheaper or not and check if the airline are running sales to your travel destination.
If you can not find any fare in your expected price range, you should ready to wait for a good opportunity. You can see that most major booking sites get alert function that will send you information through email when your fare goes down to your preferred price.
>>> Read more: things to do in dalat
4. Know When to Click-to-Buy button
The challenging part of booking a plane is make decision to stop finding fare and purchase. Kayak.com which offer ticket prediction for most attractive destinations. Just fill in your planned route and the website will give you advice should you book now or wait by showing a ticket price history graph, let you predict whether your fare will go up or go down.
Remember that airlines run sales on Tuesday, so if you intend to buy on Monday, you may feel regret when you flight goes on sales on the next day.
5. Be Flexible
If you live near some airport, check out the price of all the airports close to you. Many online fare searching tool will recommend you to take off and arrive in more than 1 city if you are willing. You should also try with different travel dates. Alter your travel plan for a month, a week or a few days can help you save a significant amount of money. The lowest fares are usually available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
You know that each destination has a bottom travel period and if you can go any time of the year except for these days, you can save a bundle.
6. Don’t Forget the low cost airlines
Some discount airlines can save you a lot but it’s not always easy to find them. However, lucky you, the discounters appear more regular on booking sites and aggregators. For example, Kayak now provides airfares of JetBlue and Spirit. Some holdouts such as Southwest and Allegiant Air, whose fares are sold only on their websites. If you are going on vacation outside America, remember to check these international low cost airlines
7. Use Your Frequent Flier Miles
You can use your frequent flier miles in stead of paying airfare at all. Even though redeeming miles hasn’t been easy as before, it’s still a good choice especially when you make reservation early. Some airlines decide on a limited number of seats on each plane for award travel. Consider it and pick soon because these seat go rapidly.
8. Get a Refund When Fares lower
If the airline cut the prices after you have bought your ticket, ask them for a refund. You may not always succeed but the airlines have different policies and many don’t make public the fact that they will refund you the discount when the prices go down. But you’d better ask.
Yapta.com is an useful website to help you track flights after you buy and alert if the price go down. Besides, Orbitz.com offer a Best Price Guarantee which make eligible to money back if you get better price for your itinerary on other website.
9. Consider an Air Pass
Many national airlines offer air passes at lower rates for tourists so as to promote local tourism. If you are planning to travel in other country, air pass could be your best option.
10. Don’t forget freelancer agent
If you don’t have much time to check from sites to sites, just let a freelancer agent to help you. They always find the best deal of different airlines. If you are planning ahead, tell them your expectation, requirement (the origin, the destinations, return or one-way ticket, date of departing and coming back, number of people in your team, etc.) or you can follow their website or Facebook profile, fan pages to get the most effective-cost fare. It will cost you an amount of money extra but it’s not much. It’s worth spending comparing with the time and effort you put in by doing yourself. Sometimes, they offer cheaper price than you yourself purchase.
11. Being a secret man on the Internet
Clearing your browser’s cookies and cache or incognito browsing on Chrome or private browsing on Firefox, Safari, etc, you will find much cheaper prices.
4. Know When to Click-to-Buy button
The challenging part of booking a plane is make decision to stop finding fare and purchase. Kayak.com which offer ticket prediction for most attractive destinations. Just fill in your planned route and the website will give you advice should you book now or wait by showing a ticket price history graph, let you predict whether your fare will go up or go down.
Remember that airlines run sales on Tuesday, so if you intend to buy on Monday, you may feel regret when you flight goes on sales on the next day.
5. Be Flexible
If you live near some airport, check out the price of all the airports close to you. Many online fare searching tool will recommend you to take off and arrive in more than 1 city if you are willing. You should also try with different travel dates. Alter your travel plan for a month, a week or a few days can help you save a significant amount of money. The lowest fares are usually available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
You know that each destination has a bottom travel period and if you can go any time of the year except for these days, you can save a bundle.
6. Don’t Forget the low cost airlines
Some discount airlines can save you a lot but it’s not always easy to find them. However, lucky you, the discounters appear more regular on booking sites and aggregators. For example, Kayak now provides airfares of JetBlue and Spirit. Some holdouts such as Southwest and Allegiant Air, whose fares are sold only on their websites. If you are going on vacation outside America, remember to check these international low cost airlines
7. Use Your Frequent Flier Miles
You can use your frequent flier miles in stead of paying airfare at all. Even though redeeming miles hasn’t been easy as before, it’s still a good choice especially when you make reservation early. Some airlines decide on a limited number of seats on each plane for award travel. Consider it and pick soon because these seat go rapidly.
8. Get a Refund When Fares lower
If the airline cut the prices after you have bought your ticket, ask them for a refund. You may not always succeed but the airlines have different policies and many don’t make public the fact that they will refund you the discount when the prices go down. But you’d better ask.
Yapta.com is an useful website to help you track flights after you buy and alert if the price go down. Besides, Orbitz.com offer a Best Price Guarantee which make eligible to money back if you get better price for your itinerary on other website.
9. Consider an Air Pass
Many national airlines offer air passes at lower rates for tourists so as to promote local tourism. If you are planning to travel in other country, air pass could be your best option.
10. Don’t forget freelancer agent
If you don’t have much time to check from sites to sites, just let a freelancer agent to help you. They always find the best deal of different airlines. If you are planning ahead, tell them your expectation, requirement (the origin, the destinations, return or one-way ticket, date of departing and coming back, number of people in your team, etc.) or you can follow their website or Facebook profile, fan pages to get the most effective-cost fare. It will cost you an amount of money extra but it’s not much. It’s worth spending comparing with the time and effort you put in by doing yourself. Sometimes, they offer cheaper price than you yourself purchase.
11. Being a secret man on the Internet
Clearing your browser’s cookies and cache or incognito browsing on Chrome or private browsing on Firefox, Safari, etc, you will find much cheaper prices.
Thứ Ba, 13 tháng 10, 2015
The Top 10 Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City
Welcome to the city that has 2 names and will confuse the hell out of you if you really had no idea. ‘Ho Chi Minh City’ is how it is known to you, every map, every advertisement, every photo it’s labelled as ‘Ho Chi Minh City places to visit in vietnam’. But little do you know that Ho Chi Minh is a person, a former president and prime minister of North Vietnam (yes there use to be a North and South, AHHHH it’s all too confusing) and the city use to be known as Saigon.
None of this will be new to you if you were prepared and read any sort of guidebook before arriving, but there are some of you, like us, who didn’t check, or occasionally thought Saigon must be a town near by.
It is completely the same thing.
Ho Chi Minh City is definitely one of the biggest culture shocks we have experienced. You can read more about that all on our previous blog but if your looking to keep yourself busy, learning about the war is a popular outfit here. Though, there are plenty of other things you can get up to before your next adventure.
Average prices in Ho Chi Minh City:
Beer: 25,000 VND (£0.80/$1.20)
Hostel: 120,000 VND (£4/$6)
Food: 70,000 VND (£2.20/$3.30)
Backpacker Area: Pham Ngu Lao
Taxi from Airport to Backpacker Area: 200,000 VND (£7/$10)
Recommended time to stay: 2/3 days
Exchange Rate: £1 = 32,000 VND || $1 = 21,000 VND (as of March 2015)
1. War Remnants Museum – 15,000 VND (£0.50/$0.75)
One of the most interesting things to do in ho chi minh! You will walk in a potato and walk out a historian, but prepare to see one side, and one side only, of the war. You only get told the North Vietnamese view of the war, which at times can be quite disturbing, some truths are slightly morphed or missed out completely and the Americans are portrayed as complete villains. It’s all very interesting and sad at the same time, it’s also a good introduction to Vietnam as you can see how much they have moved on and developed since the war ended in 1975. A must-see for a beautiful£0.50/$0.75 and a 20/30 minute walk from the backpacker area.
2. Cu Chi Tunnels – 230,000 VND (£7.50/$11)
By this time you will have found out that the majority of attractions in Ho Chi Minh are war based. The Cu Chi Tunnels are something that has to be visited if you’re interested in war and history. However, as expected, it’s packed with tourists! We booked a tour and were part of a group of nearly 40 people. It was very hard to hear the guide sometimes and difficult to get any pictures without a whole family lurking in the background. It may be worth looking into going there by yourself or with a private tour of you have the money. Altogether, it was an interesting thing to learn about and really put life in the war into perspective.
3. Mekong Delta Tour – 360,000 VND (£11/$17)
This is possibly the best bit about Ho Chi Minh City, which is actually outside of Ho Chi Minh City. There are plenty of Mekong Delta Tours, from 1 day to 4 days, all ranging at different prices depending on the quality of the tour provider and other aspects. We toyed with the idea of a 2 day tour but eventually went for the 1 day – instant regret! The 1 day tour was fantastic, there was live music, lovely food, a coconut sweet factory and a brilliant traditional rowing boat journey. By lunch time we were annoyed that we hadn’t opted for the over night stay, so it’s something to strongly consider. We purchased this tour from our hostel for £11/$17 and a two day tour would have costed £15/$23. The only slight let down was being part of a 30+ tour again, by this time we had learnt to linger at the back which allows you more time to take everything in!
4. Reunification Palace – 30,000 VND (£1/$1.50)
If you hadn’t guest already, this is another war related attraction. The Reunification Palace was where the war ended in 1975 with North Vietnam hauling a tank through the gates and marking the fall of Saigon. We only walked past this so we can’t give an in-depth opinion on it but a lot of people recommended it as part of the history trip around HCMC. Something you should note as well is that lots of places in Vietnam, including museums and such, tend to close for lunch. This is usually from 12-1:30pm and then they reopen, sporran ahead!
>>> Read more: Hanoi opera house - a well-known landmark in Hanoi
5. Ben Thant Market
A nice little market within 10 minutes walking distance of the backpacker area. This market will sell you clothing and souvenirs at very low prices, once you have conquered haggling of course. Though prepared to be hassled, most shopkeepers have decided that travellers love to be attacked at every waking moment to by the items they are selling. (Don’t worry, Hanoi sellers generally have learnt the no hassle technique.)
6. Bitexco Financial Tower – 200,000 VND (£7/$10)
Want a fancy panoramic view of Ho Chi Minh City? Bitexco Financial Tower can offer you this service for a mere 200,000 VND and you do get a pretty damn good view. Just don’t be a rookie like us and make it up all 49 flights (don’t worry, there’s a lift) to find your camera is out of battery. It happens to the best of us! Admittedly this is a little touristy but a brilliant way to see how Ho Chi Minh has developed in the last 40 years, you can even spoil yourself to a fancy piece of cake, though meals were out of our budget!
7. Dam Sen Water Park – 120,000 VND (£4/$6)
Initially we thought this was a bit of a joke, I mean, you’ve gone to the otherside of the world, and your going to a water park… Surely Tenerife is a cheaper flight. However, this is when you have to sacrifice that snobby traveller mentality and spend a 30 degrees plus afternoon at a water park in the south of Vietnam. It does save you from sweating your armpits off at the Cu Chi Tunnels, sometimes being a typical western tourist seeking a cheap European amusement is the best afternoon you can have in the scorching sunshine.
8. Motorbike Saigon – 700,000 VND – 1,000,000 VND (£21-£30 / $32-$45)
There are two ways to do this. Numero uno: On the back of a locals bike. Numero dos: With your own bike. Most will be immediently put off by the latter when they see the roads, we don’t blame you. However, a motorbike driver will happily take you around in a group, show you the authenticity, treat you to amazing food and give you the real culture you want without you having to brace the roads by yourself. It’s a little costly for a day out we must admit, ranging from £21-£30 / $32-$45.
Additionally, if you are considering motorbiking Vietnam, firstly decide who’s going to be Jeremy Clarkson and then purchase your bike from a hostel, craigslist, expat website, etc. This actually seemed easier than being repeatedly scammed by taxis half the time. Motorbike’s are around £130-£170 / $200-250 but obviously you can sell them on at the other end and generally make your money back. We met loads of people doing this and we were completely jealous of them! So if you’ve got the bike, go get lost in Saigon, or make friends with a local and they’ll take you around instead.
9. People Watch
No one seems to mention this about Vietnam but it’s quite possibly the best place to people watch. It’s such a different lifestyle they live and the way everything works and runs is entertaining in itself. We spent a lot of time sitting in a cafe or bar a few floors up watching the locals fly on by on their motorbikes with a dining room stacked on the back and cycle rickshaws struggling to peddle a whole Chinese family around the block – it’s just brilliant! There’s a lot of roof top level bars in the backpacker area where you can sit and look over the street. Even better, next to Ben Thant Market there are some lovely cafes perched up a few levels so you can watch the chaos unravel on the roundabout. Despite the craziness of Saigon, it is actually possible to relax!
10. Conquer “Crossing The Road”
Now you may think this is a simple activity but you would be incredibly wrong. Crossing the road becomes a mission, you will only understand once you have attempted it. We’ve all seen the photos and videos of chaotic Vietnamese motorbikes and cars driving around, that may seem bad enough but little did you know that traffic lights are not very plentiful, and the ones that do exist don’t normally mean anything. Zebra crossings are merely irritating squiggles on the ground to drivers, do not expect any of the rules of the road at home to mean anything here. It is a huge achievement when you are able to walk across the road in Vietnam without twitching, but be warned, this might not happen in Ho Chi Minh City.
Overall, Saigon is chaos, the only word to describe it. We were’ the biggest fans of it but we heard plenty of mixed opinions about it on our travels. Most people we met who had travelled from North to South said the North was a tad nicer, whereas we met loads of people heading North who loved it and were already planning their trip back. So, I guess it’s similar to Bangkok, a love hate thing, each to their own!
Source: https://travellingonpeanuts.wordpress.com
None of this will be new to you if you were prepared and read any sort of guidebook before arriving, but there are some of you, like us, who didn’t check, or occasionally thought Saigon must be a town near by.
It is completely the same thing.
Ho Chi Minh City is definitely one of the biggest culture shocks we have experienced. You can read more about that all on our previous blog but if your looking to keep yourself busy, learning about the war is a popular outfit here. Though, there are plenty of other things you can get up to before your next adventure.
Average prices in Ho Chi Minh City:
Beer: 25,000 VND (£0.80/$1.20)
Hostel: 120,000 VND (£4/$6)
Food: 70,000 VND (£2.20/$3.30)
Backpacker Area: Pham Ngu Lao
Taxi from Airport to Backpacker Area: 200,000 VND (£7/$10)
Recommended time to stay: 2/3 days
Exchange Rate: £1 = 32,000 VND || $1 = 21,000 VND (as of March 2015)
1. War Remnants Museum – 15,000 VND (£0.50/$0.75)
One of the most interesting things to do in ho chi minh! You will walk in a potato and walk out a historian, but prepare to see one side, and one side only, of the war. You only get told the North Vietnamese view of the war, which at times can be quite disturbing, some truths are slightly morphed or missed out completely and the Americans are portrayed as complete villains. It’s all very interesting and sad at the same time, it’s also a good introduction to Vietnam as you can see how much they have moved on and developed since the war ended in 1975. A must-see for a beautiful£0.50/$0.75 and a 20/30 minute walk from the backpacker area.
2. Cu Chi Tunnels – 230,000 VND (£7.50/$11)
By this time you will have found out that the majority of attractions in Ho Chi Minh are war based. The Cu Chi Tunnels are something that has to be visited if you’re interested in war and history. However, as expected, it’s packed with tourists! We booked a tour and were part of a group of nearly 40 people. It was very hard to hear the guide sometimes and difficult to get any pictures without a whole family lurking in the background. It may be worth looking into going there by yourself or with a private tour of you have the money. Altogether, it was an interesting thing to learn about and really put life in the war into perspective.
3. Mekong Delta Tour – 360,000 VND (£11/$17)
This is possibly the best bit about Ho Chi Minh City, which is actually outside of Ho Chi Minh City. There are plenty of Mekong Delta Tours, from 1 day to 4 days, all ranging at different prices depending on the quality of the tour provider and other aspects. We toyed with the idea of a 2 day tour but eventually went for the 1 day – instant regret! The 1 day tour was fantastic, there was live music, lovely food, a coconut sweet factory and a brilliant traditional rowing boat journey. By lunch time we were annoyed that we hadn’t opted for the over night stay, so it’s something to strongly consider. We purchased this tour from our hostel for £11/$17 and a two day tour would have costed £15/$23. The only slight let down was being part of a 30+ tour again, by this time we had learnt to linger at the back which allows you more time to take everything in!
4. Reunification Palace – 30,000 VND (£1/$1.50)
If you hadn’t guest already, this is another war related attraction. The Reunification Palace was where the war ended in 1975 with North Vietnam hauling a tank through the gates and marking the fall of Saigon. We only walked past this so we can’t give an in-depth opinion on it but a lot of people recommended it as part of the history trip around HCMC. Something you should note as well is that lots of places in Vietnam, including museums and such, tend to close for lunch. This is usually from 12-1:30pm and then they reopen, sporran ahead!
>>> Read more: Hanoi opera house - a well-known landmark in Hanoi
5. Ben Thant Market
A nice little market within 10 minutes walking distance of the backpacker area. This market will sell you clothing and souvenirs at very low prices, once you have conquered haggling of course. Though prepared to be hassled, most shopkeepers have decided that travellers love to be attacked at every waking moment to by the items they are selling. (Don’t worry, Hanoi sellers generally have learnt the no hassle technique.)
6. Bitexco Financial Tower – 200,000 VND (£7/$10)
Want a fancy panoramic view of Ho Chi Minh City? Bitexco Financial Tower can offer you this service for a mere 200,000 VND and you do get a pretty damn good view. Just don’t be a rookie like us and make it up all 49 flights (don’t worry, there’s a lift) to find your camera is out of battery. It happens to the best of us! Admittedly this is a little touristy but a brilliant way to see how Ho Chi Minh has developed in the last 40 years, you can even spoil yourself to a fancy piece of cake, though meals were out of our budget!
7. Dam Sen Water Park – 120,000 VND (£4/$6)
Initially we thought this was a bit of a joke, I mean, you’ve gone to the otherside of the world, and your going to a water park… Surely Tenerife is a cheaper flight. However, this is when you have to sacrifice that snobby traveller mentality and spend a 30 degrees plus afternoon at a water park in the south of Vietnam. It does save you from sweating your armpits off at the Cu Chi Tunnels, sometimes being a typical western tourist seeking a cheap European amusement is the best afternoon you can have in the scorching sunshine.
8. Motorbike Saigon – 700,000 VND – 1,000,000 VND (£21-£30 / $32-$45)
There are two ways to do this. Numero uno: On the back of a locals bike. Numero dos: With your own bike. Most will be immediently put off by the latter when they see the roads, we don’t blame you. However, a motorbike driver will happily take you around in a group, show you the authenticity, treat you to amazing food and give you the real culture you want without you having to brace the roads by yourself. It’s a little costly for a day out we must admit, ranging from £21-£30 / $32-$45.
Additionally, if you are considering motorbiking Vietnam, firstly decide who’s going to be Jeremy Clarkson and then purchase your bike from a hostel, craigslist, expat website, etc. This actually seemed easier than being repeatedly scammed by taxis half the time. Motorbike’s are around £130-£170 / $200-250 but obviously you can sell them on at the other end and generally make your money back. We met loads of people doing this and we were completely jealous of them! So if you’ve got the bike, go get lost in Saigon, or make friends with a local and they’ll take you around instead.
9. People Watch
No one seems to mention this about Vietnam but it’s quite possibly the best place to people watch. It’s such a different lifestyle they live and the way everything works and runs is entertaining in itself. We spent a lot of time sitting in a cafe or bar a few floors up watching the locals fly on by on their motorbikes with a dining room stacked on the back and cycle rickshaws struggling to peddle a whole Chinese family around the block – it’s just brilliant! There’s a lot of roof top level bars in the backpacker area where you can sit and look over the street. Even better, next to Ben Thant Market there are some lovely cafes perched up a few levels so you can watch the chaos unravel on the roundabout. Despite the craziness of Saigon, it is actually possible to relax!
10. Conquer “Crossing The Road”
Now you may think this is a simple activity but you would be incredibly wrong. Crossing the road becomes a mission, you will only understand once you have attempted it. We’ve all seen the photos and videos of chaotic Vietnamese motorbikes and cars driving around, that may seem bad enough but little did you know that traffic lights are not very plentiful, and the ones that do exist don’t normally mean anything. Zebra crossings are merely irritating squiggles on the ground to drivers, do not expect any of the rules of the road at home to mean anything here. It is a huge achievement when you are able to walk across the road in Vietnam without twitching, but be warned, this might not happen in Ho Chi Minh City.
Overall, Saigon is chaos, the only word to describe it. We were’ the biggest fans of it but we heard plenty of mixed opinions about it on our travels. Most people we met who had travelled from North to South said the North was a tad nicer, whereas we met loads of people heading North who loved it and were already planning their trip back. So, I guess it’s similar to Bangkok, a love hate thing, each to their own!
Source: https://travellingonpeanuts.wordpress.com
Things to do in Dalat
Imagine a ski resort in the summer, some Canadian landscapes, a hint of Beverly Hills and sole French architecture, and you’ll create Dalat. Despite all the pictures you see, you can’t quite imagine dalat, it never quite feels like you’re in Vietnam, but all of this is a good thing because it’s incredible! The people are friendly, fantastic sights at every corner and it’s home to two of the best days you will experience on your travels; EasyRider and Canyoning.
Dalat is one of those places that you only book two days and end up staying five. Stick to your lousy two days, you’ll see! “Canyoning is the only thing to do in Dalat” is the age-old line you’ll hear from most passing travellers and they are completely wrong! There’s so much more…
Average prices in Dalat:
Beer: 20,000 VND (£0.65/$1)
Hostel: 60,000 VND (£1.90/$2.80)
Food: 80,000 VND (£2.50/$3.76)
Taxi from Bus Station to Town Centre: 50,000 VND (£1.55/$2.35)
Recommended time to stay: 4 days
Exchange Rate: £1 = 32,000 VND || $1 = 21,000 VND (as of March 2015)
1. EasyRider – 530,000-850,00 VND (£16-£26/$25-$40)
If you want to see Vietnam’s culture and experience their every day lifestyle, without question, do an EasyRider tour. You basically jump on the back of a Vietnamese guys motorbike and they drive you around the countryside of Dalat. You go to a coffee farm, mushroom farm, rice wine farm, cricket farm – plenty of farms! There’s so many more places they take you, Elephant waterfall, Tuyen Lam lake, there’s too much! It’s amazing, honestly.
One day will cost you £16-£26/$25-$40 depending on the length of the day, the guides are very honest and actually recommended we didn’t do the full price one because the extra waterfall didn’t have much water running in it, so it wouldn’t be worth it. Riding on the back of a Vietnamese man’s bike doesn’t sound that appealing to most but it’s worth it! They have great English, especially the two we went with; Jan and Loi (here), they leave you to enjoy the views and share their knowledge when you ask questions and at each stop. It’s an absolute steal for £23/$35, easily the best day out we’ve had so far. If you have extra time and money they will actually drive you up the country to Hoi An, Nha Trang ha long or even vietnam hanoi, and give you a tour the whole way up. If you want to motorbike Vietnam but are too scared to conquer the roads, this is the way without a doubt
2. Canyoning – 530,000 VND (£16/$25)
Abseiling 4 waterfalls, sliding down 2 rapids and jumping 12 metres off a cliff is pretty much what Canyoning consists of. This is a hell of a day out for the adrenaline junkies. Again, an absolute steal at £16/$25 for the whole day, you can’t go wrong with this, it sounds as good as it is. Of course, with being in Vietnam, health and safety is at a bare minimum and you should most definitely have some sort of abseiling background to do this, but even if you don’t, any old soul can rock up and have a go. We do advise that if you have a real fear of heights then don’t waste your money though. We saw one girl sit out of every waterfall, it’s not for everyone admittedly, but if you’re feeling brave then bloody do it. Neither of us are experts at abseiling and we’re both slightly afraid of heights but we managed to do it all (Issie skipped one waterfall, but we don’t mention that). It’s amazing and these are definitely are top two recommendations for things you should do in Dalat.
3. Crazy House – 30,000 VND (£1/$1.50)
At first you will think this some sort of cheesy gimmick, some fancy architecture has morphed a building into a crazy house and made it into a cheap attraction. If that is the case, this will be a pleasant surprise. You have pretty much entered Disneyland on a far smaller scale but with way more imagination. This was possibly one of our favourite things to explore, you feel like a hobbit trapped in Alice in Wonderland, it’s great! You climb small staircases into cave like hallways and find yourself three floors up and walking on a one-person pathway over the roof of the building. Then somehow you’re within a tree and your friend is next to you but you’re walking in different directions and on different paths… It’s a maze and a labyrinth in one. A ticket is 30,000 VND but you can also stay the night here as it doubles up as a hotel. Prices are a little steep but you’ll understand why when you see it.
4. Weasel Poo Coffee – 20,000 VND (£0.65/$1)
As names of coffee go, this is possibly the least appealing, yet it’s one of the best coffees we’ve tried. You will definitely experience this delight if you do the EasyRider tour, but if you don’t do that, go on the hunt for it! It’s basically coffee beans that have been eaten by weasels, pooped out, clean (we hope) and then used for your cup of coffee. It honestly tastes really good, and that’s coming from people who don’t drink coffee. So sit back, enjoy the view and drink your poo.
5. Cable Car – 40,000 VND (£1.25/$2)
If you want some stunning views of Dalat, the Cable Car is easily the best option, you can go all the way around in about 20 minutes and it costs £1.25/$2 for the whole journey. Capture some incredible views of Dalat town and villages one way and the see the stunning lake and mountains just south of Dalat on your way back. If you’re lucky enough you will also catch a couple having sex in a passing cable car… although I don’t think this experience happens too often. So, just make sure you are capturing a time-lapse of the views and you might just get a photo of the couple enjoying their not so intimate moment. If you’re even luckier you’ll bump into them again at the Crazy House an hour later – good luck!
6. Lakes
– Xuan Huong Lake
The stunning lake you hopefully passed on the way to you hostel. In the middle of town is a picturesque lake with a mountainous backdrop, it’s quite incredible and a lovely place to walk or cycle around. We motorbiked around the lake a few times just for the hell of it, it was possibly one of our favourite bits of the centre of Dalat.
– Tuyen Lam lake
A short journey south of Dalat is another incredible lake, a lot bigger than Xuan Huong. You will most likely need a motorbike to ride around this one, the views are breathtaking, it’s really hard to describe how amazing it is. It’s also a stop on the EasyRider day tour.
7. Waterfalls
– Datanla Falls
This waterfall is pretty far away and we actually got recommended not to go to it as there wasn’t much water due to the season. So before you make the 40km journey, make sure it’s worth it, especially as pictures on the internet look pretty incredible. We were pretty gutted it wasn’t the right season for us.
– Prenn Falls
The most local of waterfalls to Dalat, we got lost looking for this so you may have to get a decent map and a good translator to put you in the right direction. It’s in walking distance from town, if you’re happy to go for a brisk up-hill trot of course.
– Elephant Falls
We got taken here on our EasyRider tour again, it’s a bit of a climb down and expect to get wet as you go behind the waterfall after clambering over some rocks. It’s a great place for a picture or to relax for a little while. They told us it got it’s name because the rocks made it look like an elephant, personally we couldn’t see it but then again, a few shots of rice wines later and that may be a different story.
8. Home-stay Meal/Rice Wine – 20,000 VND (£0.65/$1)
A lot of the hostels in Dalat offer a home-stay meal, it’s a little intimidating at first as there can be up to 20/30 travellers all scattered around a feast in the middle of the floor and you’re usually not to sure what half the food is in front of you. To be honest, I still wasn’t too sure when I ate it but it was bloody brilliant! We were at Tiny Tigers Hostel, they cooked up a feast every night and each night it got better! A brilliant experience and if your lucky the rice wine will be about and the Vietnamese will show you how to drink their way. Small warning; it’s not easy.
Dalat is awesome, thats’s pretty much all that needs to be said.
Dalat is one of those places that you only book two days and end up staying five. Stick to your lousy two days, you’ll see! “Canyoning is the only thing to do in Dalat” is the age-old line you’ll hear from most passing travellers and they are completely wrong! There’s so much more…
Average prices in Dalat:
Beer: 20,000 VND (£0.65/$1)
Hostel: 60,000 VND (£1.90/$2.80)
Food: 80,000 VND (£2.50/$3.76)
Taxi from Bus Station to Town Centre: 50,000 VND (£1.55/$2.35)
Recommended time to stay: 4 days
Exchange Rate: £1 = 32,000 VND || $1 = 21,000 VND (as of March 2015)
1. EasyRider – 530,000-850,00 VND (£16-£26/$25-$40)
If you want to see Vietnam’s culture and experience their every day lifestyle, without question, do an EasyRider tour. You basically jump on the back of a Vietnamese guys motorbike and they drive you around the countryside of Dalat. You go to a coffee farm, mushroom farm, rice wine farm, cricket farm – plenty of farms! There’s so many more places they take you, Elephant waterfall, Tuyen Lam lake, there’s too much! It’s amazing, honestly.
One day will cost you £16-£26/$25-$40 depending on the length of the day, the guides are very honest and actually recommended we didn’t do the full price one because the extra waterfall didn’t have much water running in it, so it wouldn’t be worth it. Riding on the back of a Vietnamese man’s bike doesn’t sound that appealing to most but it’s worth it! They have great English, especially the two we went with; Jan and Loi (here), they leave you to enjoy the views and share their knowledge when you ask questions and at each stop. It’s an absolute steal for £23/$35, easily the best day out we’ve had so far. If you have extra time and money they will actually drive you up the country to Hoi An, Nha Trang ha long or even vietnam hanoi, and give you a tour the whole way up. If you want to motorbike Vietnam but are too scared to conquer the roads, this is the way without a doubt
2. Canyoning – 530,000 VND (£16/$25)
Abseiling 4 waterfalls, sliding down 2 rapids and jumping 12 metres off a cliff is pretty much what Canyoning consists of. This is a hell of a day out for the adrenaline junkies. Again, an absolute steal at £16/$25 for the whole day, you can’t go wrong with this, it sounds as good as it is. Of course, with being in Vietnam, health and safety is at a bare minimum and you should most definitely have some sort of abseiling background to do this, but even if you don’t, any old soul can rock up and have a go. We do advise that if you have a real fear of heights then don’t waste your money though. We saw one girl sit out of every waterfall, it’s not for everyone admittedly, but if you’re feeling brave then bloody do it. Neither of us are experts at abseiling and we’re both slightly afraid of heights but we managed to do it all (Issie skipped one waterfall, but we don’t mention that). It’s amazing and these are definitely are top two recommendations for things you should do in Dalat.
3. Crazy House – 30,000 VND (£1/$1.50)
At first you will think this some sort of cheesy gimmick, some fancy architecture has morphed a building into a crazy house and made it into a cheap attraction. If that is the case, this will be a pleasant surprise. You have pretty much entered Disneyland on a far smaller scale but with way more imagination. This was possibly one of our favourite things to explore, you feel like a hobbit trapped in Alice in Wonderland, it’s great! You climb small staircases into cave like hallways and find yourself three floors up and walking on a one-person pathway over the roof of the building. Then somehow you’re within a tree and your friend is next to you but you’re walking in different directions and on different paths… It’s a maze and a labyrinth in one. A ticket is 30,000 VND but you can also stay the night here as it doubles up as a hotel. Prices are a little steep but you’ll understand why when you see it.
4. Weasel Poo Coffee – 20,000 VND (£0.65/$1)
As names of coffee go, this is possibly the least appealing, yet it’s one of the best coffees we’ve tried. You will definitely experience this delight if you do the EasyRider tour, but if you don’t do that, go on the hunt for it! It’s basically coffee beans that have been eaten by weasels, pooped out, clean (we hope) and then used for your cup of coffee. It honestly tastes really good, and that’s coming from people who don’t drink coffee. So sit back, enjoy the view and drink your poo.
5. Cable Car – 40,000 VND (£1.25/$2)
If you want some stunning views of Dalat, the Cable Car is easily the best option, you can go all the way around in about 20 minutes and it costs £1.25/$2 for the whole journey. Capture some incredible views of Dalat town and villages one way and the see the stunning lake and mountains just south of Dalat on your way back. If you’re lucky enough you will also catch a couple having sex in a passing cable car… although I don’t think this experience happens too often. So, just make sure you are capturing a time-lapse of the views and you might just get a photo of the couple enjoying their not so intimate moment. If you’re even luckier you’ll bump into them again at the Crazy House an hour later – good luck!
6. Lakes
– Xuan Huong Lake
The stunning lake you hopefully passed on the way to you hostel. In the middle of town is a picturesque lake with a mountainous backdrop, it’s quite incredible and a lovely place to walk or cycle around. We motorbiked around the lake a few times just for the hell of it, it was possibly one of our favourite bits of the centre of Dalat.
– Tuyen Lam lake
A short journey south of Dalat is another incredible lake, a lot bigger than Xuan Huong. You will most likely need a motorbike to ride around this one, the views are breathtaking, it’s really hard to describe how amazing it is. It’s also a stop on the EasyRider day tour.
7. Waterfalls
– Datanla Falls
This waterfall is pretty far away and we actually got recommended not to go to it as there wasn’t much water due to the season. So before you make the 40km journey, make sure it’s worth it, especially as pictures on the internet look pretty incredible. We were pretty gutted it wasn’t the right season for us.
– Prenn Falls
The most local of waterfalls to Dalat, we got lost looking for this so you may have to get a decent map and a good translator to put you in the right direction. It’s in walking distance from town, if you’re happy to go for a brisk up-hill trot of course.
– Elephant Falls
We got taken here on our EasyRider tour again, it’s a bit of a climb down and expect to get wet as you go behind the waterfall after clambering over some rocks. It’s a great place for a picture or to relax for a little while. They told us it got it’s name because the rocks made it look like an elephant, personally we couldn’t see it but then again, a few shots of rice wines later and that may be a different story.
8. Home-stay Meal/Rice Wine – 20,000 VND (£0.65/$1)
A lot of the hostels in Dalat offer a home-stay meal, it’s a little intimidating at first as there can be up to 20/30 travellers all scattered around a feast in the middle of the floor and you’re usually not to sure what half the food is in front of you. To be honest, I still wasn’t too sure when I ate it but it was bloody brilliant! We were at Tiny Tigers Hostel, they cooked up a feast every night and each night it got better! A brilliant experience and if your lucky the rice wine will be about and the Vietnamese will show you how to drink their way. Small warning; it’s not easy.
Dalat is awesome, thats’s pretty much all that needs to be said.
Source: https://travellingonpeanuts.wordpress.com
Thứ Hai, 5 tháng 10, 2015
Things to do in Hoian Vietnam
Our time in Hoi An was wonderful! I’ve struggled for the past 10 days, since we left, to put it succinctly into words. Hoi An is undoubtedly a touristy place — but for good reason: it’s gorgeous, charming, and has plenty to offer everyone. There are beautiful beaches, amazing restaurants, lovely architecture, history, culture, and more. We had such a fun five weeks exploring the town, and the surrounding areas! Most people told us we’d run out of places to visit in vietnam after a few days… we didn’t. I’ll go through a bit of what we did, but I’m sure I won’t get to everything — and we didn’t even get to see everything there is to see!
RICE PADDY VIEW FROM A RUN
First things first: the food. Check out my five places you MUST eat in Hoi An — that list was hard to make, since there are SO many great options for food in Hoi An. We often ate at the market, which you should avoid if you have a weak stomach, but mostly found ourselves eating banh mi and cao lau at our two favorite spots. Cao Lau is such a great dish, and a departure from the other noodle dishes we’ve had in vietnam hanoi, I can’t recommend it enough! In addition to eating, Hoi An is great for cooking schools. If you want more info on the one we did, which was beyond amazing, check out my post about it here.
If you follow me on Instagram, you know we spent an inordinate amount of time at the beach. Mostly practicing handstands and getting sand in every crevice of our bodies. There is Cua Dai beach, which most of the tourists frequent, and An Bang Beach, which is up-and-coming. Both of those will be semi-crowded, full of people trying to sell you sunglasses (despite the fact you’re already wearing them), and insist you buy an expensive lunch to sit in their lounge-chairs. We opted to go 500m from An Bang beach, where we could park in the shade (for free), walk a little trail to the beach, and enjoy a nearly-private beach most of the time! If you don’t need a chair or drink service, this is definitely the way to go.
OUR “PRIVATE” BEACH!
AN BANG BEACH
When we weren’t lounging at the beach, or working at the Dingo Deli, we were exploring town. The old colonial architecture is amazing, and reminded me so much of Cartagena (perhaps my favorite city in the world!). The yellow walls and bright flowers made walking downtown a beautiful experience every time — and they play classical music over the speakers throughout the old town at night! So romantic! Within the old town there are a number of sites to see — old Chinese meeting houses, pagodas, temples, etc. We spent a day popping around between them to check them out, and were pretty impressed. Hoi An has a rich history with both Chinese and Japanese influences, and you can really see it in the temples and meeting houses. Of course, you have to see the Japanese covered bridge! At night they bathe it in multi-colored lights!
Hoi An is also known for it’s tailors. You can get clothes tailored pretty much anywhere in Vietnam, but Hoi An is the epicenter and has the reputation for making the best quality clothing: but you have to be careful! I’ve considered writing an entire post on this (and still might), because we had two very different experiences with tailors. Ten years ago, there were only a few tailors in Hoi An. Now, there are over one thousand. Many of them are “market tailors” who don’t have their own factory, and make pretty much the same stuff as everyone else. Three shops, though, have their own factories and offer significantly superior quality clothing. We found this out the hard way! We started by going to Nhat Vy, which seemed okay at first, but immediately upon seeing the clothing I was disappointed. There was only so much “improving” they could do, the seams were just single stitched seams, and the fabric selection was dismal. They made me two swimsuit tops that broke upon wearing, and I later found out (from our second tailor) that nobody in Hoi An has the appropriate machine to make swimsuits.
Our second tailor, Kimmy Tailor, is one of the biggest tailors in town. I’m always dubious of the top-dog, but they’re the most popular for a reason: they have excellent customer service, high quality fabrics and seams, and can sew some truly incredible things. Their ability to re-create a dress from a picture is impressive! I’m thrilled with the experience we had at Kimmy. They are very honest about the fact that they cost a bit more, but you truly get what you pay for. They’ll re-do anything you aren’t totally satisfied with, and won’t give you attitude (like we experienced at Nhat Vy). I asked them about making me a swimsuit, and they were totally honest about the fact that you should NEVER buy a swimsuit in Hoi An. They could have just taken my money and made me a cruddy swimsuit (as Nhat Vy did), but they didn’t! Big points for Kimmy!
Around Hoi An there are so many things to see! We drove up to Danang on two separate occasions: once to surf, since a storm rolled in and brought some uncharacteristic waves, and once to see the marble mountains. I was wary of Danang, since it’s a big city that doesn’t appear to offer very much, but we were pretty impressed. There is a sizable expat community in both Hoi An and Danang, which means there are plenty of great dining options and comfortable places to hang out. The marble mountains were a great trip, too. I thought they’d be super kitschy and unimpressive, but they were really quite impressive! There are many caves, temples, Buddha’s, etc. all throughout the big karsts — which stand out from otherwise totally flat land. We spent a few hours hiking up and around the main “mountain” and exploring all of the caves. It might be a little bit kitschy, and there are people trying to sell you all sorts of marble sculptures, but the it’s still beautiful and well worth the trip.
CHAM ISLANDS DIVING
CHAM ISLANDS
Another day trip is out to the Cham Islands. We went with Cham Island Diving, and went diving! They also offer snorkeling, if you aren’t into diving. The diving is alright — certainly not the best in the world, but we still saw some pretty cool stuff! It was fun to get underwater, and then spend some time on the Cham Islands afterwards. They’re beautiful! You can’t get out to the islands in the rough season, but if you’re there when the water is calm it’s a pretty easy trip out {this coming from a very sea-sick person}. Bring a lot of sunscreen!
My Son was another fun excursion from Hoi An. It’s about a one hour motorbike ride out to the temples, which are like a mini Angkor. Many travelers we spoke to said that if you haven’t been to Angkor {in Cambodia} yet, My Son is worth it. If you HAVE been to Angkor, you might be disappointed. The ruins at My Son are pretty cool, but there really isn’t that much to see. A lot of the ruins were destroyed {by the Americans} during the war. Some have been rebuilt, some are still piles of rubble, and some weren’t harmed. It’s worth a quick trip out, but be ready for a HOT day! Since the temples are inland, and in a protected valley, you don’t get the ocean breeze cooling you down — it’s noticeably hotter than the coastline!
VIEW NEAR OUR HOUSE, TAKEN DURING A RUN.
When we first got to Hoi An, we stayed at Jackfruit Homestay — AMAZING. Such a beautiful place, with the nicest room we’d stayed in at that point, and great hosts. We loved our room there, and the breakfasts were delicious. Once we decided we were going to stay in Hoi An for an extended amount of time, we rented a house. If you want to rent a house in Hoi An, I’d recommend going through Alex at Nha Toi Real Estate Hoi An. We were glad to have our own space, a kitchen, and a bit more freedom than you get at a hotel/homestay. Our house happened to be just down the street from the yoga studio (which has since moved), which was amazing! If you want to practice yoga in Hoi An, definitely take a class (or 10!) from Stephanie at Hoi An Yoga. She teaches a lot of (hard) Hatha classes, some yin and some restorative. It was so nice to get back on my mat in a class that pushed me more than I usually do in my home practice.
Hoi An was the perfect place for us to slow down and take a little travel break. We’ve definitely established that we enjoy moving at a slower pace, and getting to know a single location more in-depth. We were amazed at how quickly we settled into our little neighborhood, making hilarious charade-like “small talk” with our Vietnamese neighbors, and becoming regulars at our favorite local restaurants. The community in Hoi An is wonderful, and we barely scratched the surface of the expat community (which is very strong!). I could honestly see myself living in Hoi An for a much longer time {like, years}. We could get everything we wanted at the market, although we mostly ate out because it’s so cheap, and never ran out of fun things to do. If you’re want to know what to do in vietnam, I’d put Hoi An on the “must see” list!
RICE PADDY VIEW FROM A RUN
First things first: the food. Check out my five places you MUST eat in Hoi An — that list was hard to make, since there are SO many great options for food in Hoi An. We often ate at the market, which you should avoid if you have a weak stomach, but mostly found ourselves eating banh mi and cao lau at our two favorite spots. Cao Lau is such a great dish, and a departure from the other noodle dishes we’ve had in vietnam hanoi, I can’t recommend it enough! In addition to eating, Hoi An is great for cooking schools. If you want more info on the one we did, which was beyond amazing, check out my post about it here.
If you follow me on Instagram, you know we spent an inordinate amount of time at the beach. Mostly practicing handstands and getting sand in every crevice of our bodies. There is Cua Dai beach, which most of the tourists frequent, and An Bang Beach, which is up-and-coming. Both of those will be semi-crowded, full of people trying to sell you sunglasses (despite the fact you’re already wearing them), and insist you buy an expensive lunch to sit in their lounge-chairs. We opted to go 500m from An Bang beach, where we could park in the shade (for free), walk a little trail to the beach, and enjoy a nearly-private beach most of the time! If you don’t need a chair or drink service, this is definitely the way to go.
OUR “PRIVATE” BEACH!
AN BANG BEACH
When we weren’t lounging at the beach, or working at the Dingo Deli, we were exploring town. The old colonial architecture is amazing, and reminded me so much of Cartagena (perhaps my favorite city in the world!). The yellow walls and bright flowers made walking downtown a beautiful experience every time — and they play classical music over the speakers throughout the old town at night! So romantic! Within the old town there are a number of sites to see — old Chinese meeting houses, pagodas, temples, etc. We spent a day popping around between them to check them out, and were pretty impressed. Hoi An has a rich history with both Chinese and Japanese influences, and you can really see it in the temples and meeting houses. Of course, you have to see the Japanese covered bridge! At night they bathe it in multi-colored lights!
Hoi An is also known for it’s tailors. You can get clothes tailored pretty much anywhere in Vietnam, but Hoi An is the epicenter and has the reputation for making the best quality clothing: but you have to be careful! I’ve considered writing an entire post on this (and still might), because we had two very different experiences with tailors. Ten years ago, there were only a few tailors in Hoi An. Now, there are over one thousand. Many of them are “market tailors” who don’t have their own factory, and make pretty much the same stuff as everyone else. Three shops, though, have their own factories and offer significantly superior quality clothing. We found this out the hard way! We started by going to Nhat Vy, which seemed okay at first, but immediately upon seeing the clothing I was disappointed. There was only so much “improving” they could do, the seams were just single stitched seams, and the fabric selection was dismal. They made me two swimsuit tops that broke upon wearing, and I later found out (from our second tailor) that nobody in Hoi An has the appropriate machine to make swimsuits.
Our second tailor, Kimmy Tailor, is one of the biggest tailors in town. I’m always dubious of the top-dog, but they’re the most popular for a reason: they have excellent customer service, high quality fabrics and seams, and can sew some truly incredible things. Their ability to re-create a dress from a picture is impressive! I’m thrilled with the experience we had at Kimmy. They are very honest about the fact that they cost a bit more, but you truly get what you pay for. They’ll re-do anything you aren’t totally satisfied with, and won’t give you attitude (like we experienced at Nhat Vy). I asked them about making me a swimsuit, and they were totally honest about the fact that you should NEVER buy a swimsuit in Hoi An. They could have just taken my money and made me a cruddy swimsuit (as Nhat Vy did), but they didn’t! Big points for Kimmy!
Around Hoi An there are so many things to see! We drove up to Danang on two separate occasions: once to surf, since a storm rolled in and brought some uncharacteristic waves, and once to see the marble mountains. I was wary of Danang, since it’s a big city that doesn’t appear to offer very much, but we were pretty impressed. There is a sizable expat community in both Hoi An and Danang, which means there are plenty of great dining options and comfortable places to hang out. The marble mountains were a great trip, too. I thought they’d be super kitschy and unimpressive, but they were really quite impressive! There are many caves, temples, Buddha’s, etc. all throughout the big karsts — which stand out from otherwise totally flat land. We spent a few hours hiking up and around the main “mountain” and exploring all of the caves. It might be a little bit kitschy, and there are people trying to sell you all sorts of marble sculptures, but the it’s still beautiful and well worth the trip.
CHAM ISLANDS DIVING
CHAM ISLANDS
Another day trip is out to the Cham Islands. We went with Cham Island Diving, and went diving! They also offer snorkeling, if you aren’t into diving. The diving is alright — certainly not the best in the world, but we still saw some pretty cool stuff! It was fun to get underwater, and then spend some time on the Cham Islands afterwards. They’re beautiful! You can’t get out to the islands in the rough season, but if you’re there when the water is calm it’s a pretty easy trip out {this coming from a very sea-sick person}. Bring a lot of sunscreen!
My Son was another fun excursion from Hoi An. It’s about a one hour motorbike ride out to the temples, which are like a mini Angkor. Many travelers we spoke to said that if you haven’t been to Angkor {in Cambodia} yet, My Son is worth it. If you HAVE been to Angkor, you might be disappointed. The ruins at My Son are pretty cool, but there really isn’t that much to see. A lot of the ruins were destroyed {by the Americans} during the war. Some have been rebuilt, some are still piles of rubble, and some weren’t harmed. It’s worth a quick trip out, but be ready for a HOT day! Since the temples are inland, and in a protected valley, you don’t get the ocean breeze cooling you down — it’s noticeably hotter than the coastline!
VIEW NEAR OUR HOUSE, TAKEN DURING A RUN.
When we first got to Hoi An, we stayed at Jackfruit Homestay — AMAZING. Such a beautiful place, with the nicest room we’d stayed in at that point, and great hosts. We loved our room there, and the breakfasts were delicious. Once we decided we were going to stay in Hoi An for an extended amount of time, we rented a house. If you want to rent a house in Hoi An, I’d recommend going through Alex at Nha Toi Real Estate Hoi An. We were glad to have our own space, a kitchen, and a bit more freedom than you get at a hotel/homestay. Our house happened to be just down the street from the yoga studio (which has since moved), which was amazing! If you want to practice yoga in Hoi An, definitely take a class (or 10!) from Stephanie at Hoi An Yoga. She teaches a lot of (hard) Hatha classes, some yin and some restorative. It was so nice to get back on my mat in a class that pushed me more than I usually do in my home practice.
Hoi An was the perfect place for us to slow down and take a little travel break. We’ve definitely established that we enjoy moving at a slower pace, and getting to know a single location more in-depth. We were amazed at how quickly we settled into our little neighborhood, making hilarious charade-like “small talk” with our Vietnamese neighbors, and becoming regulars at our favorite local restaurants. The community in Hoi An is wonderful, and we barely scratched the surface of the expat community (which is very strong!). I could honestly see myself living in Hoi An for a much longer time {like, years}. We could get everything we wanted at the market, although we mostly ate out because it’s so cheap, and never ran out of fun things to do. If you’re want to know what to do in vietnam, I’d put Hoi An on the “must see” list!
Source: http://www.thekitchenpaper.com/
Thứ Hai, 27 tháng 7, 2015
Tips: On how to catch XE OM in Vietnam
Taxi is regarded as a safe option for transportation for foreign visitors on their trips in Vietnam with high-quality services and English-speaking driver. However, the price for a catch is not cheap at all. So if one travels alone, why not try xe om – the local transportation service (or so-called as motor taxi).
Xe om is cheaper and more interesting way for tourists to get around every corner of the city. Catching a xe om, especially during rush hour, will save you a substantial amount of time and money compared to a taxi, as well as allowing you to experience the city’s traffic first hand.
In most of streets in Vietnam, one can easily find a driver hanging a sign reads “XE OM” in front of his motorbike. Normally the same driver will wait at the same street concern every day and he is willing to carry anyone that offers a very reasonable price.
In Vietnamese, xe om means “hug the driver” but surely you don’t have to commit the act if you don’t want. All xe om are fully equipped for passengers so there is no need to bring your personal helmet. One simply put the helmet on and sit behind the back of the driver.
How to make a deal with Xe Om?
First, always remember to agree upon a price to your destination BEFORE you get on the motorbike. Since most xe oms speak little English, haggling may be, at times, difficult. Hand signals work great or actually showing them the amount you are willing to pay.
A motorbike ride should generally be half the price of a taxi ride, so if you are familiar with your destination this is a good starting point. If not, I generally take whatever price the xe om initially offers and cut it by 50%, usually settling at about half. If you’re trying to drive a hard bargain, don’t be afraid to walk away as he will likely call you back. But, remember how much you’re walking away for. Read more thing to do in dalat
Fun facts about Xe Om
Xe om drivers are regarded as live maps in Vietnam because they do know almost every single corner of the city where they live. Therefore you will not fear being get lost when riding with them. Even when you have no idea where you are, you completely can ask for a way direction from a xe om driver nearby.
The better Vietnamese you can speak the better price you can get. Often xe om drivers find it interesting to listen to foreigners speaking their mother tongue, and possibly you can receive some discount for this effort.
Read more the temple of literatureIf you wish to travel to many amazing local places with this kind of service, you should contact to a travel agent to book a full day tour with a trust-worth xe om driver.
Xe om is cheaper and more interesting way for tourists to get around every corner of the city. Catching a xe om, especially during rush hour, will save you a substantial amount of time and money compared to a taxi, as well as allowing you to experience the city’s traffic first hand.
In most of streets in Vietnam, one can easily find a driver hanging a sign reads “XE OM” in front of his motorbike. Normally the same driver will wait at the same street concern every day and he is willing to carry anyone that offers a very reasonable price.
In Vietnamese, xe om means “hug the driver” but surely you don’t have to commit the act if you don’t want. All xe om are fully equipped for passengers so there is no need to bring your personal helmet. One simply put the helmet on and sit behind the back of the driver.
How to make a deal with Xe Om?
First, always remember to agree upon a price to your destination BEFORE you get on the motorbike. Since most xe oms speak little English, haggling may be, at times, difficult. Hand signals work great or actually showing them the amount you are willing to pay.
A motorbike ride should generally be half the price of a taxi ride, so if you are familiar with your destination this is a good starting point. If not, I generally take whatever price the xe om initially offers and cut it by 50%, usually settling at about half. If you’re trying to drive a hard bargain, don’t be afraid to walk away as he will likely call you back. But, remember how much you’re walking away for. Read more thing to do in dalat
Fun facts about Xe Om
Xe om drivers are regarded as live maps in Vietnam because they do know almost every single corner of the city where they live. Therefore you will not fear being get lost when riding with them. Even when you have no idea where you are, you completely can ask for a way direction from a xe om driver nearby.
The better Vietnamese you can speak the better price you can get. Often xe om drivers find it interesting to listen to foreigners speaking their mother tongue, and possibly you can receive some discount for this effort.
Read more the temple of literatureIf you wish to travel to many amazing local places with this kind of service, you should contact to a travel agent to book a full day tour with a trust-worth xe om driver.
Thứ Tư, 15 tháng 7, 2015
5 Ideas For A Romantic Trip To Ho Chi Minh City
1. Ice-skating at the Youth Cultural House:
Newly established in September 2010, “ice-skating” at the Youth Cultural House, 04 Pham Ngoc Thach Street, District 1, HCMC. has been not only an interesting place for people to hang out with their friends but also a great time for couples who want to add romance into their date. From theNotre Dame Cathedral, walk straightly on Pham Ngoc Thach Street .
The Youth Cultural House is at the corner of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai – Pham Ngoc Thach street. Once you reach the Youth Cultural House, use the main staircase to get on the 3rd floor for ice-skating. The entrance ticket is very affordable, about $2.5/person. Put on the skating shoes provided, you are all set for challenging yourself on the skating-rink. The rink, made of special materials and covered with a kind of lubrication oil on top, enables the players to experience the sport in a tropical country like Vietnam.
In the cool atmosphere (17o C ~ 62.6 o F), you can hold each other’s hands and move back and forth on the rink. You can add more excitement or gain admiration by performing some dances also. If you want a new flavor for a date out with exhilaration at a reasonable price, ice-skating at the Youth Cultural House should be added to your to-do list!
2. Water Puppets Show
Water Puppetry is a unique art of Vietnamese culture. Water Puppet was developed based on Vietnam’s background as an agricultural country whose rice paddy fields are so popular. The art of controlling the puppets and use them to perform human activities underneath water attracts lots of foreigners when they visit Vietnam. The Water Puppets Show is often conducted in the evening at the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater, inside the Labour Culture Palace HCMC.(55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) It costs about $4/adult for a ticket.
The show lasts for 45 minutes or an hour. In the show, you can have a thorough view on Vietnamese people’s daily life in the past such as: paddling and fishing, farming or even dancing. Language might be a barrier to your understanding. Don’t worry about it. The puppets’ movements by skilful puppeteers can deliver non-verbal communication and fade the language gap. If you are curious about how puppets show their love affections, you should not miss a Water Puppet Show at the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater.
3. A Dinner Buffet at Binh Quoi Tourist Resort:
Binh Quoi Tourist Resort is a recommended place for a buffet with a countryside background. Binh Quoi, 8 kilometers from the city center, has attracted foreigners for both greenery and the shades from rows of water coconut trees along the riverside and authentic Vietnamese food. A dinner buffet at Binh Quoi Resort brings you a chance to taste most of the Vietnamese famous dishes throughout Vietnam from the North to the South.
The crispy spring rolls, the fresh rolls with peanut butter sauce, the shells and oysters as well as hundreds of che (sweet soups – dessert dishes) may fool your stomach. Besides, you may not resist taking photos of beautiful landscape: the artificial paddy fields, the hay dung, etc… A peaceful atmosphere is suitable for couples to share the simple and plain but delicious Vietnamese food. The dinner buffet often starts serving at 5 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m. It costs each adult $7-$8. It is advised you come to the buffet as soon as it starts to make sure there are still plenty of food left.
4. Dinner at Shri:
Shri (72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 3, HCMC.) is no more than an up-scale restaurant located in Centec Tower, right opposite from the Youth Cultural House. On the 23rd floor of Centec Tower, it offers a rooftop dinner place where people can both have dinner and look down HCMC. from a high position. The restaurant is decorated mostly with candlelight. The VIP room (the room outside the lounge in an open atmosphere) is available only for dine-in guests with booking in advance.
Because of its high quality service and wonderful opportunities to look down the sparkling city night life, the price is much higher than other restaurants. Depending upon your orders, price starts averagely at $25-$50/person . Shri is also famous for its fresh Sushi and Western style food. They also offer set menus to make it easier for customers to choose a good combination for their dinner. Shri is so charming and unique that it is an ideal place for either an anniversary , a proposal or even a first date.
5. A romantic coffee shop:
Vietnam is also famous for its coffee. While Starbucks is somehow the same in different places, any Vietnamese coffee shop always has unique characteristic. It would be hard to find two coffee shops have the same designs. You can either go to a coffee shop in the morning or in the evening. However, in the evening, live music shows are available at some coffee shop such as: Yen Café (7 Ngo Thoi Nhiem, District 3), Vung Oi MO Ra Cafe (17 Ngo Thoi Nhiem, District 3),… In the sparkling candlelight, couples can talk quietly and relaxing with lots of romantic love songs performed live by singers. Not only Vietnamese songs but French and English songs are also performed. Don’t be surprised at the different prices in the same coffee shop in the morning and at night. A drink costs you averagely $2-$3 in the morning but costs $2-$3 extra at night because of the live music show.
A show often starts at 9 p.m. and lasts for 1.5 hours. Some offering longer shows and famous singers charge higher price (up to $15, drinks included). If you are out of ideas where to go for a romantic night, there is no need to think much! The various coffee shops in HCMC. with its unique beauty each gives you a totally different coffee shop per night. No matter how long you will stay here, there will be no coffee shop repeated till you leave!
Newly established in September 2010, “ice-skating” at the Youth Cultural House, 04 Pham Ngoc Thach Street, District 1, HCMC. has been not only an interesting place for people to hang out with their friends but also a great time for couples who want to add romance into their date. From theNotre Dame Cathedral, walk straightly on Pham Ngoc Thach Street .
The Youth Cultural House is at the corner of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai – Pham Ngoc Thach street. Once you reach the Youth Cultural House, use the main staircase to get on the 3rd floor for ice-skating. The entrance ticket is very affordable, about $2.5/person. Put on the skating shoes provided, you are all set for challenging yourself on the skating-rink. The rink, made of special materials and covered with a kind of lubrication oil on top, enables the players to experience the sport in a tropical country like Vietnam.
In the cool atmosphere (17o C ~ 62.6 o F), you can hold each other’s hands and move back and forth on the rink. You can add more excitement or gain admiration by performing some dances also. If you want a new flavor for a date out with exhilaration at a reasonable price, ice-skating at the Youth Cultural House should be added to your to-do list!
2. Water Puppets Show
Water Puppetry is a unique art of Vietnamese culture. Water Puppet was developed based on Vietnam’s background as an agricultural country whose rice paddy fields are so popular. The art of controlling the puppets and use them to perform human activities underneath water attracts lots of foreigners when they visit Vietnam. The Water Puppets Show is often conducted in the evening at the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater, inside the Labour Culture Palace HCMC.(55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) It costs about $4/adult for a ticket.
The show lasts for 45 minutes or an hour. In the show, you can have a thorough view on Vietnamese people’s daily life in the past such as: paddling and fishing, farming or even dancing. Language might be a barrier to your understanding. Don’t worry about it. The puppets’ movements by skilful puppeteers can deliver non-verbal communication and fade the language gap. If you are curious about how puppets show their love affections, you should not miss a Water Puppet Show at the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater.
3. A Dinner Buffet at Binh Quoi Tourist Resort:
Binh Quoi Tourist Resort is a recommended place for a buffet with a countryside background. Binh Quoi, 8 kilometers from the city center, has attracted foreigners for both greenery and the shades from rows of water coconut trees along the riverside and authentic Vietnamese food. A dinner buffet at Binh Quoi Resort brings you a chance to taste most of the Vietnamese famous dishes throughout Vietnam from the North to the South.
The crispy spring rolls, the fresh rolls with peanut butter sauce, the shells and oysters as well as hundreds of che (sweet soups – dessert dishes) may fool your stomach. Besides, you may not resist taking photos of beautiful landscape: the artificial paddy fields, the hay dung, etc… A peaceful atmosphere is suitable for couples to share the simple and plain but delicious Vietnamese food. The dinner buffet often starts serving at 5 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m. It costs each adult $7-$8. It is advised you come to the buffet as soon as it starts to make sure there are still plenty of food left.
4. Dinner at Shri:
Shri (72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 3, HCMC.) is no more than an up-scale restaurant located in Centec Tower, right opposite from the Youth Cultural House. On the 23rd floor of Centec Tower, it offers a rooftop dinner place where people can both have dinner and look down HCMC. from a high position. The restaurant is decorated mostly with candlelight. The VIP room (the room outside the lounge in an open atmosphere) is available only for dine-in guests with booking in advance.
Because of its high quality service and wonderful opportunities to look down the sparkling city night life, the price is much higher than other restaurants. Depending upon your orders, price starts averagely at $25-$50/person . Shri is also famous for its fresh Sushi and Western style food. They also offer set menus to make it easier for customers to choose a good combination for their dinner. Shri is so charming and unique that it is an ideal place for either an anniversary , a proposal or even a first date.
5. A romantic coffee shop:
Vietnam is also famous for its coffee. While Starbucks is somehow the same in different places, any Vietnamese coffee shop always has unique characteristic. It would be hard to find two coffee shops have the same designs. You can either go to a coffee shop in the morning or in the evening. However, in the evening, live music shows are available at some coffee shop such as: Yen Café (7 Ngo Thoi Nhiem, District 3), Vung Oi MO Ra Cafe (17 Ngo Thoi Nhiem, District 3),… In the sparkling candlelight, couples can talk quietly and relaxing with lots of romantic love songs performed live by singers. Not only Vietnamese songs but French and English songs are also performed. Don’t be surprised at the different prices in the same coffee shop in the morning and at night. A drink costs you averagely $2-$3 in the morning but costs $2-$3 extra at night because of the live music show.
A show often starts at 9 p.m. and lasts for 1.5 hours. Some offering longer shows and famous singers charge higher price (up to $15, drinks included). If you are out of ideas where to go for a romantic night, there is no need to think much! The various coffee shops in HCMC. with its unique beauty each gives you a totally different coffee shop per night. No matter how long you will stay here, there will be no coffee shop repeated till you leave!
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