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.

read more >> vietnam things to do 

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.

welcome in Sapa !

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.

Son Tay Ancient Citadel

If you have the opportunity to visit Hanoi the famous historical site in the suburb of Hanoi – Son Tay ancient Citadel.

Located in Son Tay town, more than 40 kilometers from the center of Hanoi, Son Tay citadel is an ancient and unique military architecture in Vietnam, which was built in 1822 under the reign of King Minh Mang.

Nowadays, the most famous and beautiful citadel in the North attracts numerous of tourists both in Vietnam the citadel is surrounded by a lot of old green trees
Most likely, when visiting Son Tay ancient citadel, the first impression of tourists is the image of ancient trees of hundreds of years. The rough roots get stretched and embrace the moss walls of the ruined ancient gate, which creates the ancient beauty of the citadel. Moreover, there is a moat surrounding the citadel as an addition for its tranquil beauty.

The rough roots of ancient trees of hundreds of years old embrace the moss walls of the ruined ancient gate.
Come back to the past, the citadel was solidly built for protecting the western gateway of Thang Long City (Hanoi now). Its walls, about 4.5 m high, were built of laterite – the typical building material of Son Tay. It currently remains three gates in the South, the North, and the West. All are made of old bricks. Especially, the citadel is surrounded by a moat over 25 meters wide, 4 meters deep and 1,792 meters long, connecting to the Tich River.

Another gate of the citadel.

The walls were built of laterite in Son Tay citadel.

A little romantic in the ancient citadel in autumn.
Today, some works inside the citadels are still preserved such as a flag tower of 18 meters high, Kinh Thien palace, and two lotus ponds in front of Kinh Thien Palace.

The works inside the citadel
The peaceful and ancient scenery of Son Tay Citadel has made it an ideal destination for young couples to take nice wedding photos.

The couple is happy in the wedding photo in Son Tay citadel.
Moreover, due to a lot of green and old trees covering the citadel, it is also an interesting place for walking and relaxing after a long day of hard work.
read more: old quarter Hanoi

The citadel is also an ideal place for walking.
Son Tay Citadel has belonged to the National Heritage of Vietnam since 1994. Along with Co Loa ancient citadel, Hanoi citadel, and Hue Imperial palace, Son Tay Citadel is one of the great symbols of Vietnam’s cultural heritage.

Wanderlust cited Vietnam among best Christmas trips for solo travelers

A journey to discover Vietnam in 15 days at a cost of only GBP595 (about US$902.75) will bring you invaluable experience of the life in Southeast Asia. That’s also one among 8 of best Christmas trips for solo travelers in 2015 recommended by Wanderlust.

dalat Vietnam

For the upcoming Christmas season this year, the famous British travel magazine of Wanderlust has drawn up a list of 8 best Christmas trips across the world for solo travelers, who want to run away from the festive madness and have a big adventure on this Christmas Eve.

mausoleum ho chi minh

According to the site, the best time to start this 15-day trip is on Dec 17. From hectic Sai gon to historic Hanoi, you will have the chance to see how the local residents live by an overnight homestay in the Mekong Delta region, then get on the queen beaches in Nha Trang, and immerse yourself in the culture and history of Hoi An and Hue. After that, let’s cruise Halong Bay’s emerald waters by boat, snorkel off picture-perfect beaches and finally, go for a snoop through any of famous markets in Hanoi. Pagodas, gorgeous beaches, fishing villages, and superb street foods are awaiting you to explore.

That’s a full-trip along the coast of Vietnam taking the travelers to all top spots of the country with a bunch of adventurous experiences – one of the 8 best trips for solo travelers on the eve of Christmas this year suggested by Wanderlust.

Here is the list of 8 best Christmas trips for solo travelers in 2015 from Wanderlust:

visit Hanoi

-Vietnam in a banana leaf, homestay on the Mekong – Vietnam
-A whistle-stop tour of Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala
-Encounter Pandas in China
-Lima to Rio de Janeiro – A BIG adventure in South America
-Sailing experience – Sail Burma’s untouched coast
-Marrakech Express – Immense yourself in Morocco
-Walk around Cuba
-Kigali to Arusha Safari – Animal encounters in East Africa

“Danh du” or Bamboo Swing

Đánh đu (Bamboo swing) is one of the popular traditional games in Vietnam’s Northern Delta in spring. It involves two people standing on the wooden platform and swinging as high as possible.

Bamboo swing came into existence in Vietnam long time ago in the Ly Dynasty. It’s often held during spring festivals.

Preparation

Swing is often built on a dry and large space so that spectators can stand around four sides.
more >> old quarter hanoi

It consists of frames, handles, and platforms. The frame is made of solid bamboo. The handles which are also made of bamboo need to be straight, wide enough for a person’s palm, and no knot. The platforms need to be close enough to the ground so that players can easily jump on.

They also need to pick the right bamboo to ensure safety. While young bamboo is weak, old bamboo tends to break.

Rules

Two kinds of bamboo swing are single and couple swing. In couple swing, two people will stand on the swing platform, face to face. They will press their feet against platform then bend their knees. Then the swing will gradually move like a pendulum.
read more :temple of literature hanoi

The two players need to swing as high as possible. When they reach the highest point, one needs to stretch a hand to snatch the prize. This requires both players to be clever, and calm. They will lose if they drop the prize.oy of Vietnamese children
vietnam things to do

Traditional toy of Vietnamese children - Tò he

Tò he or Toy figurine, a traditional toy for Vietnamese children, is made from glutinous rice powder in shape of edible figurine such as heroes, flowers, animals, etc, 

HistoryThe origin of this traditional toy dated back to the 17th century. When there were not comics or illustrated books, tò he came out to depict characters in folk stories, heroes, animals, flowers, etc. Children were really interested in this tò he. They gathered around stall of to he, watched the heroes in elaborate costumes made by skillful hands of craftsmen and imagined the whole vivid world of fairies and heroes.

temple of literature hanoi

traditional toy

It was first made and sold on some typical occasions such as Tet and Mid-Autumn Festival. You can catch sights of to he in many public places and festivals now.

Xuan La Village in Phu Xuyen District,  visit Hanoi city is famous for its skill in making tò he. One interesting fact is that Tò he craftsman doesn’t pass his secret of making to he to his daughter but to his son.

mausoleum ho chi minh

MakingTo he craftsmen have a set of tools so that they can move to several common places in one day. They are a tray of glutinous rice powder in different colors, a bunch of sticks, a small comb, and a spongy box to display their products.

The preparation of the dough is the recipe for success in to he making. Rice after being grinded into fine powder will be mixed with water until it becomes a sticky lump. That lump will be put in a pot of water and boil for an hour until it is removed from the pot. The craftsman then dyes with seven different colors including green, red, yellow, white, black, red, and purple. These colors are made from edible and natural ingredients.

traditional toy

Nowadays, they no longer imbue the dough with natural colors but food colorings since they are more fresh and bolder.

The artisans have such an amazing ability to mould these lumps become a beautiful work of art. They use exactly the amount of paste to form separate parts of a toy.

Just place your own orders, watch the craftsman make the toy and get beautiful tò he in minutes.

Famous Western Street in Hanoi Ta Hien

Ta Hien Street is a part of Hanoi Old Quarter, so frequented by foreign backpackers that it is now called Pho Tay (Foreigner Street). This is where people gather together, enjoy a glass of draught beer, and chit chat.

Street foods in Hanoi Old QuarterTa Hien Street, called Géraud in the French colonial time, is a 200-meter long street in the heart of Hanoi Old Quarter. This place is considered the international crossroads since it is flooded with hundreds of foreign visitors.

see more >> temple of literature hanoi

Ta Hien Street has been a preferred spot to enjoy the nightlife in Hanoi.
It is at its most boisterous at night when hundreds of foreign visitors and Vietnamese gather in this street, sit elbow-to-elbow on small-sized plastic chairs, enjoy a glass of draught beer, and chat with friends. It even becomes busier during hot nights of summer. There is sometimes no empty seat.

There are various kinds of beer such as draught beer, bottled beer, black beer, or cask ale. They are pretty slight and sweet.

Pubs are close to each other along the street. Ta Hien  visit hanoi is a paradise of street foods. You can easily find diverse tasty street foods served with draught beer such as nem phung, fries, olive-roasted peanuts, fried nem chua, etc.  You can call a glass of beer and sit for hours without being interrupted. Or if you are lucky, you may have a chance to enjoy street music.

Can not forget experience to have in Vietnam

Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, Vietnam

1. Ride a classic cycle, Vietnam’s three-wheel bicycle taxis.

2. Enjoy a bowl of Pho (a special kind of rice noodles), a famous specialty in Hanoi.

3. Light incense at Perfume Pagoda (Huong Pagoda), one of Vietnam’s most famous Buddhist shrines.

4. Take a bike tour around Hoi An Ancient Town, Quang Nam.

Ride on Vietnam’s three-wheel bicycle taxis to explore Hanoi5. Hire a motorbike and ride around the city street

6. Attend one of Vietnam’s unique festivals like Huong Pagoda Festival, Elephant Racing Festival in Tay Nguyen or Le Mat Snake Village Festival.

7. Take a hiking and explore Sa Pa valley, Lao Cai.

8. Get a special suit or dress made in Hoi An.

Hoi An is sparkling at night9. Pay a visit to War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City to learn about Vietnam war.

10. Watch a traditional water puppet show in Hanoi.

11. Take a tour to discover Hanoi street food.

12. Ride a dug-out canoe around Lak lake, Dak Lak.

13. Try scuba diving in Nha Trang.

Try scuba diving in Nha Trang beach
14. Visit Cai Be floating market on a cruise alongside the Mekong Delta.

15. Explore Cu Chi Tunnels on a trip from Ho Chi Minh City.

16. Check out seven-story Thien Mu Pagoda in Hue

17. Take a rest on the white sand seashore of Phu Quoc island.

Take a rest on the white sand seashore of Phu Quoc Island.
18. Ride on a sandboard down Mui Ne sand dunes.

19. Experience Vietnam’s rich cultural heritage with a show at Saigon Opera House in Ho Chi Minh.

20. Bargain at a market in Ho Chi Minh.

21. Enjoy wildlife in Can Gio Biosphere Reserve.

22. Savor the unique flavors of Vietnamese cuisine with a cooking class.

23. Attend a traditional Vietnamese wedding.

Gifts prepared for the traditional Vietnamese wedding24. Visit the UNESCO-listed ruins of My Son, Quang Nam.

25. Ride an express train all the way from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City and vice verse.

26. Hike through Cuc Phuong National Park, Ninh Binh.

27. Explore the purely natural grottoes of Tam Coc, Ninh Binh.

28. Take a cruise around Ha Long Bay on a boat.

29. Buy some typical Vietnamese souvenirs, like a conical hat, a silk blouse or local handicrafts.

30. Discover Hue Imperial city.

Discover Hue Imperial city31. Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex in Hanoi.

32. Take nice photos of the extensive terraced fields in Sa Pa, Lao Cai

33. Ride a sea-plane over Ha Long bay.

34. Admire the whole view of Ho Chi Minh City from Sai Gon Skydeck on Bitexco building.

35. Take part in traditional festivals on the occasion of Tet, the Vietnamese New Year.

36. Scale Vietnam’s highest peak – Fan Si Pan, Lao Cai.

Scale Fan Si Pan peak, Lao Cai37. Try Vietnam’s scariest beverage, Snake Wine.

38. Stroll through the spectacular Paradise Cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.

39. Take a steamy bath in Thanh Tan Hot Springs, Hue.

40. Enjoy a traditional foot massage while lounging on the beach.

The 40 unforgettable experiences to have in Vietnam above have been recommended by the HuffingtonPost (US).  See how many you can check off on your trip.

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).

see more: old quarter hanoi

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

see more : visit hanoi

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