Southeast Asia is the land of ancient temples, tropical beaches, metropolitan cities, mountain villages, and an endless supply of cultural experiences. This 3 month Southeast Asia itinerary allows you not only to see the highlights of this part of the world, but to also to fully immerse yourself in the local culture. On this Southeast Asia itinerary, explore the temples …
12 Must-Have Experiences in Vietnam
Vietnam is the perfect mix of the past, present, and future. Explore the ancient Imperial Palace in Hue, tour rapidly growing Ho Chi Minh City, and watch as the Dragon Bridge in Da Nang puts on a pyrotechnic show. The cuisine in Vietnam is phenomenal. I would travel back to Vietnam just for the food…it’s that good. But there are …
Hue, Vietnam in Photos
Hue, located in central Vietnam, was home to the Nguyen dynasty and it was the capital of Vietnam until 1945. The Imperial City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is what attracts visitors to the city of Hue. Scattered along the Perfume River sits the tombs of past emperors. We spent several days in Hue. We toured the Imperial City, watched …
Traveling from Hoi An to Hue in Vietnam
The best way to get from Hoi An to Hue is by hiring a private driver for the day. By having a driver, we were able to visit My Son Sanctuary, Da Nang, Marble Mountain, travel over Hai Van Pass, walk on Lang Co Beach, and have pit stops for lunch and photos. Traveling From Hoi An to Hue …
Taking the Bus from Hanoi to Nanning
To enter China from Vietnam, we chose to travel overland by taking the bus from Hanoi to Nanning. By traveling overland we saved the huge expense of airplane travel and we got to see parts of Vietnam and China that many travelers miss. Taking the Bus from Hanoi to Nanning Hanoi to the Border There are two buses that take …
Three Days on Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
The grand finale of our tour of Vietnam was a three day cruise on Ha Long Bay with Galaxy Cruise Lines. Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s most famous sights…thousands of small limestone mountains filling the bay, not far from the South China Sea. This is a popular tourist sight and another UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting thousands of …
Should I Travel to Vietnam During Tet?
Our family spent almost one month in Vietnam, giving us plenty of time to watch as the Vietnamese people celebrated their most important holiday, Tet. Tet is the Lunar New Year for Vietnam and falls on the same day as the Chinese New Year. For the Vietnamese, Tet is like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve all rolled up in one. …
A Photojourney Through the Old Quarter of Hanoi
We spent a week in Hanoi during the middle of February, giving us plenty of time to get to know this city. Everyday we took a walk through the area, exploring the backstreets, watching people prepare and then celebrate Tet, the Lunar New Year. We walked on the train tracks, went shopping in the markets, and loved walking around Hoan …
What Traveling Through Asia Has Taught Us
We have now been traveling through Asia for over five months and still have several more to go. It has been quite the learning experience for our family…new foods, new cultures, lots of history to learn about. Most of it has been a wonderful experience although we have had a few difficulties along the way, just to keep things interesting. …
Wishing We Had More Time in Hoi An
I had read that Hoi An is one of Vietnam’s best destinations, but I had no idea how much we all would love it here. There is something in Hoi An for everyone…a quaint, old town perfect for strolling, shopping, and dining, awesome beaches for the kids, and a perfect mix of countryside and villages to be explored by motorbike. …
Da Nang, Vietnam. This Place Took us By Surprise
Da Nang, this small city in Vietnam, is located at the midpoint of the country, right on the ocean. Tour books don’t highlight this city as a worthwhile place to visit so I was planning on skipping right over it while in Vietnam. During our time in Hoi An, we visited Da Nang more than once, and we quickly learned …
Two Days in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam’s largest city. It is located in the southern portion of the country, not far from the Mekong Delta. This city was called Saigon until 1976, when the name was changed to Ho Chi Minh City after the conclusion of the Vietnam War. Many local people here prefer the name Saigon over Ho Chi Minh …
A Day on the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
A trip to Vietnam would not be complete without a trip to the Mekong Delta. This is iconic Vietnam…flat fields of rice fields as far as the eye can see, wooden houses on stilts located along the river’s edge, men and women in small boats, selling their produce. I was so excited to get a glimpse of this Vietnamese way …
Our Experience on Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam
Our introduction to Vietnam was a quick visit to the tropical island of Phu Quoc. The four of us spent two days, three nights here, which would have been just enough time to enjoy the beaches and do a little sightseeing. Unfortunately, we hardly did anything here. I was just recovering from a nice case of food poisoning, a Cambodian …