Most travelers to Vietnam

Most travelers to Vietnam are attracted by the wonderful natural beauty of the stunning S-shaped country, from extensive rice terraced fields in the north to the fascinating bustle of the Mekong Delta in the south. Furthermore, clear natural beaches are also the amazing tourist attractions in Vietnam.

Recently, Lonely Planet, the world’s famous tourist site, has chosen top 7 beaches you should visit at least once in life in Vietnam.

Phu Quoc Island

Located in front of the Cambodia coast, Phu Quoc is the largest island in Vietnam. The island features pristine tropical forests, colorful coral reefs, and great beaches, which is the favorite destination of tourists to enjoy the peaceful and tranquil atmosphere as well as admire the wild beauty of long beaches, natural forests, and pure streams.

Come to Phu Quoc, besides swimming, walking in the night markets, and discovering famous pearl farms, you can also visit scenic spots such as Dinh Cau, Bai Dai, Bai Sao, Phu Quoc prison, myrtle forests, and pepper gardens.  In addition, Phu Quoc is famous for producing the best fermented fish sauce in the world. Therefore, paying a short visit to some fish sauce manufacturing places is also a good idea for your trip.

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Con Dao Island

80 kilometers from the Mekong Delta and 230 km from Ho Chi Minh, Con Dao Island used to serve as a prison for political prisoners during the French colonial period. However, due to immense natural beauty, Con Dao today turns into the heaven of nice resorts, which attracts numerous domestic and international tourists.

Visit Con Dao, you can explore historical relics and experience the special activities like swimming in the clear sea, walking on white sand beaches, diving into pure beaches, or driving along deserted coasts. Moreover, don’t forget to enjoy typical seafood here.

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Mui Ne

Mui Ne is located on the east coast of Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan province, about 250 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City. It’s famous for the beautiful beaches with strong waves, huge red sandy dunes as desert, and delicious dishes made from seafood. Moreover, Mui Ne is the kingdom of resorts and one of the most favorite places for those who are fans of beaches to relax and enjoy interesting vacations.

In addition, Mui Ne also possesses a lot of unique destinations like Rom Island, Lao Cao Island, Rang Beach with pristine beaches, majestic landscapes, and fresh air. Especially, in early 2013, Mui Ne was listed in Top most beautiful beaches in Southeast Asia by Skyscanner.

Art in the heart

Among a plethora of shops selling trinkets, footwear, clothes, and all things you can find around Hanoi of the Old Quarter is a humble shop doing a brisk trade in selling off original and reprinted propaganda posters dated back to the Vietnam War.

This is a good source for tourists to turn to for both history lessons and art. You can get your family great souvenirs after finishing your backpacking trip.

 mausoleum ho chi minh

The American War is a substitute name for the same war taking place here in the previous century. It’s quite some time since the war ended, but the art works inspired by this phase continue to be created, preserved and be up for selling in many art shops around Hanoi. The shop on Hang Bac street chooses to be low-key, operating without a glitzy name, yet draws a fair share of attention of art-lovers.

Stepping into the shop may have the feeling of entering a time capsule of exhortations to patriotism and  sky-high enemy defeating spirits. All of that are under the watching eye of Uncle Ho.

At first, there’s an initial kitsch value and impatience to browsing amongst the posters which are placed one by one , 50 pieces in one line, separated by cover sheets. But if you take your time, flicking through deeper, more sobering pictures of the Vietnamese struggle for survival and independence, emerge.

The old lady who is the owners of the shop might well have lived through both the American and French wars in Vietnam. It can be interesting to think of the thoughts running through her mind when seeing all these backpackers stepping into her shop to buy these posters that used to be taken deadly seriously.

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A variety of artistic styles are up for buyers’ options, from impressionistic efforts to blocky Soviet graphical influence. Prices are reasonable, only a few dollars each, for you to grab couples of them. High chances are you will quickly fall in love with those images as they are genuinely artistic regardless of their historical impact.

Nixon’s face superimposed on a falling bomb

It’s no surprise that you will see images of Ho Chi Minh, Father of the Nation, who led Vietnam through the war but did not live to see its independence, frequently crop up.

things to do in ho chi minh

The most impressive Uncle Ho image is the portrait of him entirely made with Vietnamese stamps.

Literally hundreds of posters are on display in the Old Propaganda Poster Shop. A great idea is to make a book or historical document about them after interviews and talks with the artists who are still living about the creating process of these images and the influences on their work.

Do you think you will pay the shop a visit? Share with us your thoughts about artworks you find interesting there.

Hai Van Pass among the world’s top 10 greatest scenic drives

The very famous UK magazine of The Guardian has listed Vietnam’s Hai Van Pass  in Vietnam (Sea Cloud Pass) in their top 10 greatest scenic drives all around the world.

Having the ninth place in the list, Hai Van Pass is a 13-mile road running alongside Truong Son (or Annameses) mountain range on the edge of South China Sea. Standing 500 meters above sea level, “the Sea Cloud Pass” is not only the longest but also the highest and most beautiful mountain pass road in Vietnam. Since 2008, the pass has become well-known worldwide thanks to its appearance on a very popular BBC’s motoring show of Top Gear. Jeremy Clarkson – the former host of the show supposed that the pass road is somewhat like “a deserted ribbon of perfection”, which makes it among the best coast roads in the world.

mausoleum ho chi minh

According to the suggestions of The Guardian, travelers can hire cars or motorbikes to ride through the “see cloud pass” as a very interesting part of a one-day loop. Then, at the top of about 496 meters, you are rewarded with amazingly stunning views.

Here is the complete list of “Top 10 Great Scenic Drives around the World” complied by The Guardian:

Carretera de Sa Calobra – Mallorca
Irohazaka Roads – Japan
The Old Strynefjell Mountain Road – Norway
Grimsel Pass – Switzerland
Serra do Rio do Rastro Road – Brazil
Rim Rock Drive, Colorado – US
The Loneliest Road, Nevada – US
Skeleton coast – Namibia
Hai Van Pass – Vietnam
Road to the Isles – Scotland

read more : old quarter Hanoi

Salt flat in Vietnam

It’s not too much to say best time to travel to Vietnam has an endless beauty. If you used to admire the scenes of yellow rice fields or deep blue seas, you would be inspired with the specialty of coastal regions in Vietnam. The landscape of Vietnamese salt flats is such a wonder.

From December this year to May next year, most fishing villages in Vietnam are busy of making salt for extra income. Along the coastline from the North to the South, you can see numerous salt flats in many places of Vietnam.

It is Phuong Cuu salt field with incredible beauty in Ninh Thuan.
It is Sa Huynh salt flat in Quang Ngai – the place of many ancient culture traces.

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Each salt flat is an insert of beautiful Vietnamese picture. Maybe only people who used to come to these flats can feel their rustic, artless but attractive beauty completely.
From these pictures, you might feel the tough life of salt farmers in Vietnam. A day of them starts from very early morning.
Many parties of farmer with conical hats and rakes head to the seashore.  When the sun comes down, they go back to the gathering place with heavy burdens of salt on their shoulders.

If you have never witnessed the progress of making sea salt, you could not understand how strenuous it is.
They have to work tirelessly under blazing sun through hottest months of the year.
Looking at them, I can truly feel their intense vitality and rising spirit.
Thanks to Vietnamese salt farmers, the sea salt is created and becomes an indispensable thing of human life. If you have a chance to come to Vietnam, take time to enjoy the beauty of these salt flats.

Travel Vietnam with Souvenirs

Travelers always want to bring home some souvenirs that remind them of their journey. However, they often get into trouble of deciding what to buy. Here is a special list of products that you should buy as souvenirs when you travel to Vietnam.

Silk
Silk used to be a luxurious and notable material. It signified social status since it was only worn by Vietnamese royalty. It is now an affordable product.

The silkworms after feeding on mulberry leaves will attach themselves to the mulberry tree then spin cocoons. Silk is woven from that cocoons. Silk products of Vietnam are famous for its brilliance, skilful technique, and its color.

vietnam things to do

Van Phuc Silk Village is the best place to buy silk products. It’s the cradle of Vietnam’s silk


Conical hats

Non la or conical hat is circular cone made of bamboo and young palm leaves, notable for its romantic adornment. It is an indispensable tool for Vietnamese people of all age. It is rain and sun protector.

Non la is a typical cultural symbol in Vietnam.

Depending on the quality, the price may range from 30,000 – 100,000 VND at souvenir shops.

dalat Vietnam

Ao Dai
Ao Dai is the traditional dress of Vietnamese women. It’s a great work of art signifying women’s elegant beauty. Ao dai has changed with many innovations through the impacts of time. It current form is a tight-fitted long silk tunic worn over long pants.

If you want to get an ao dai, you will need to pick the fabric first then bring it to a tailor. It may take about a week until you can get the product.

An ao dai may cost about 700,000 – 1,500,000 VND

Reasons to visit Vietnam
“Ao dai” – Vietnam’s traditional costume
Ceramic products
You can easily find various kinds of ceramic products in Vietnam such as vases, plates, cups, bows, etc. They are hand-crafted by experienced Vietnamese people.

Bamboo and wooden products
These products are hand woven and available in Vietnam with a large variety of colors.  They are eco-friendly in nature.

mausoleum ho chi minh

vietnam souvenirs
Bamboo dragonfly
wooden clogs
“Guoc moc” – Wooden clogs – typical kind of footwear in Vietnam
Embroidered paintings
Hand embroidery is a 700-year-old tradition in Vietnam. It’s made from the patience and skill of the artisans sewing, tinting tiny threads then create a graceful work. Theme can be varied. It can be picturesque natural scenes or it can be life scenes or portraits.

A small hand embroidered product may cost about 500,000 VND. The bigger ones may cost 2,000,000 VND.

Spring – Summer – Autumn – Winter
Silk paintings
Silk paintings are a unique art of Vietnam. Silk paintings have elegant beauty due to its rustic and poetic themes including the countryside, pagodas, and scenes of daily life.

You can easily find them in many gift shops or find art galleries in Hanoi and Saigon city. Price may range from $5 – $50/piece.

The Chapel

Unique design

Unique design

Spreading over 140 square meters, the rainbow Vietnamese Chapel, designed by a21studio on the outskirt of Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, was completed to fulfill the demand of the lack of a community center as a result of an estate crisis.

The exterior view of The ChapelThe Chapel makes use of steel frames and metal sheets that were recycled from the materials of the owner’s previous project. Take a look at the interior; you will be overwhelmed by the maximum light effect which easily generates an astonishing modification involving its urban context.

Perfect design of The ChapelThe walls made from corrugated steel and the ceiling surfaces are entirely covered with white color while the front and back parts of the building are decorated by diverse colorful curtains that shield the building from the direct and harmful glow of sunlight, thereby providing the cool shade for the entire space. The highlight is that there is a system of incandescent bulbs reflecting the light over the wooden tables and floor. At that time, the whole space seems to shine gorgeously.

There’s a tree-like column inside the opening space helps support the wooden floor area and the ceiling surface.

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A tree-line column at the interiorThanks to these outstanding features, the Chapel was awarded as the ‘World Building of the Year’ at the annual World Architecture Festival (WAF) organized in Singapore in 2014 by a jury of architecture experts.

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What to do in the Chapel?The Chapel was planned and designed as a youth center as well as an open space center for people of the whole community to celebrate ceremonies, hold wedding parties, exhibitions and participate in conferences.

The remarkable features of this building encompass the environmental-friendly natural components. Surrounded by refreshingly green trees, the Chapel creates a peaceful and relaxing feeling for everyone to stay and enjoy all wonderful things here. Visitors to this site will have their senses thrilled by all the sights, sounds as well as tastes of a building of contact between history and modernity. When coming here, there’s nothing quite like sipping a small cup of Vietnamese hot coffee while enjoying the music. Moreover, there is a wide selection of Italian food like pizza or pasta, cakes and drinks.

Dalat travel phần 2

Where to visit? 

Summer Palace of King Bao Dai (Palace III)

Palace III is one of three imperial palaces of King Bao Dai, the last emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty. Built in 1933, Summer Palace of King Bao Dai offers visitors an insight into life of the royal resident.

Opening hour: 7:00 am – 11:00 am and 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm.

Location: 01 Trieu Viet Vuong Street

Tel: +84 (0) 63 549168

dalat vietnam

Truc Lam Temple (Thien Vien Truc Lam)

Truc Lam Temple was built to restore the spirit of Zen Buddhism in the Tran Dynasty. It features many Buddha images, a pagoda, and a cast bronze bell. Reaching this place by cable car offers visitors majestic view of pine forests.

Cable car prices:

Adult one-way/return: 50,000/70,000 VND

Child 30,000/40,000 VND

Opening hours: Cable car: 7:30 – 11:30 am, 1:30 – 5:00 pm

Crazy House (Hang Nga Guest House and Art Gallery)

This unique architecture is recognized as one of the world’s ten most “bizarre” buildings by the Chinese People’s Daily. It is designed by Dang Viet Nga, a Vietnamese architect and impressionist. Described as a “fairy tale house”, the building resembles a giant tree with exciting elements such as uneven windows, spider webs, mushrooms, caves, tunnel-shaped stairways, etc. There are also ten-themed guest rooms inside the house such as the eagle room, the tiger room, the kangaroo room, etc with furniture and decoration matching the theme. It is an exhilarating experience visiting this place.

Opening hours: 7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Location: 03 Huynh Thuc Khang Street

Tel: +84 (0)63-822070

Dalat Market

Dalat Market is made up of up to 1,000 shops selling various kinds of goods. This busy market offers visitors a chance to feel the vibe of the real Vietnam and to find some interesting and typical goods in Dalat such as wine, flowers, strawberries, avocados, artichokes, etc.

Location: Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street

Prenn Falls
Dalat

Location: 10 kilometers in the south of Dalat city

Opening hours: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm

Entrance fee: 30,000 VND

Pongour Falls

This is one of the largest and widest waterfalls in Vietnam in rainy season with a height of 20 meters and width of 100 meters.

Location: Tan Hoi Commune, Duc Trong District

Elephant Falls
Dalat Travel Guide

Location: 30 kilometers in the west of the city center.

Entrance ticket: 10,000 VND

Xuan Huong Lake

This manmade lake is one of the major landmarks in Dalat. Beautiful flowers and trees planted along the banks create a stunning landscape. There are many café, restaurants, and accommodation nearby. You can take a swan boat and ride along the lake or rent a tandem bike  (about 20,000 VND/hour) to fully appreciate its beauty.

Lang Biang Mountain

This is the roof of Dalat city with 2.167 meters in height. This is your chance to try some adventurous activities such as trekking, paragliding, and mountain climbing. Lang Biang Mountain features pristine and poetic beauty and legendary of love. It is reachable by a steep paved path (about 3 hours hike).

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Valley of Love

Valley of Love is an ideal place for couples. There are rolling green hills, beautiful gardens, lakes, amusement parks. It is also a great sport for canoeing.

Opening hours: 6:00 am – 5:00 pm

Location: Phu Dong Thien Vuong Street (5 kilometers to the north of the city center)

Entrance fee: 40,000 VND

What to eat?
Grilled rice paper with egg (Banh trang nuong)

It’s a kind of Dalat pizza. It’s a rice paper that is barbecued over little charcoal braziers with a mixture of dried small shrimps, one quail egg, and spring onions.

Recommended place: 112 Nguyen Van Troi or dark alleyway between numbers 32 and 34 on 3/2 Street

Price: 12,000 VND/each

Banh can

It is a mini-pancake topped with a quailed egg, sprinkled with spring onions and served with pork meatballs, a sweet fish-sauce.

Try it at: 22 Tang Bat Ho Street or 118 Bui Thi Xuan

Barbecued fermented pork (nem nuong)

This is a roll-your-own spring roll. A thin sheet of rice paper will be filled with a various kind of herbs (including sweet basil, mint, chive, perilla leaf), grilled pork patty (nem nuong), chả ram bắp (fried, crispy sweet corn and rice paper rolls), slices of carrot and then rolled up before dipping in a peanut sauce.

Try it at: B14 Hoang Van Thu Street, 254 Phan Dinh Phung

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Mi Quang

This noodle is special for its rich broth, gigantic pig’s trotter and thick white noodles

Try it at:

A29, Mac Dinh Chi Street. Opening hours: 2:00 – 5:00 pm

Or 58C Phan Dinh Phung Street. Opening hours: from 4:00 pm

Price: 30,000 VND