Next stop: Southeast Asia for some highlights of the public domain images available on the country pages in the CIA World Factbook.

The temple Wat Xieng Thong, Louangphrabang, Laos

The staircase of Phou Si is guarded by nagas (serpent deities), Louangphrabang, Laos.

That Dam stupa (“the black stupa”), Vientiane, Laos

The Burma Railway bridge spanning Khwae Yai River, Kanchanaburi, Thailand, the subject of “The Bridge Over the River Kwai”

Standing Buddha, Wat (Temple) Ubtgarawugan, Bangkok, Thailand                      at the Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand

Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand

Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok boats

Angkor Wat temple complex, Cambodia

Tree roots, Angkor Wat temple, Cambodia

Fishing the freshwater lake of  Tonle Sap, Cambodia

Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi, Vietnam

South China Sea coastline, Vinh Moc, Vietnam

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Sea Temple of Pura Luhur, Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia

…So much has happened, and we have seen and experienced so many things in the last few weeks, that I am having trouble figuring out what to share!

This time around I have decided that a picture is worth a thousand words…

A highlight of the Island of Phu Quoc in the far south of Vietnam included renting bikes to explore the island!

We spent some time snorkeling too!

Monkey & Me - The company was amazing!?!

….What else?  Oh yeah – we saw Hoi An, on the central coast. The beautiful architecture did not go unnoticed as we roamed the narrow lanes.  We spent a lot of time along the  Thu Bon River.

The Thu Bon River, Hoi An

From there we went north to the capital: Hanoi.

Our next direction was back to the coast – Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island.  We spent the night on a boat and a night on an island and it was beautiful and fun and we met some good folk along the way. Hiking and Kayaking  and relaxing on the boat took up most of our time.  The backdrop was breath-taking.

Halong Bay, Northern Vietnam

The Top of Tower on Top of a Hill on Cat Ba Island

This is just a small taste of some of the places we’ve had the opportunity to explore.  Vietnam is one of the most diverse and devastatingly beautiful countries I have ever seen.  Before my visa expires we will cross the border to Cambodia.

Another adventure awaits…
but then, doesn’t it always?

Halong Bay

Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Covering an area of over 1500 sq km it is one of Vietnams treasures. Over 3000 islands rise up from the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Tonkin, many of which are home to beautiful coral laden beaches and grottoes. There are several options for you to choose from in the exploration of Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island National Park. Depending on your interest in the activities that are available and your time frame and budget you will always find Halong Bay excursion to suit you.

Dalat, the city of flowers, is not strange to tourists with its famous sightseeing spots such as Lang Biang Mountain, Xuan Huong Lake and Than Tho Lake. If this is your first time to this romantic land, you are advised to visit the places just mentioned which have become legends of Dalat. But for those who have been to Dalat many times, you are advised to visit places that will bring you a different Dalat.

Seasoned tourists can augment their itineraries with completely new destinations. Dalat flowers are well-known for their beauty. The local flower farm is one of the ideal destinations for those who prefer a trip towards nature.

A greenhouse growing colorful flowers in Dalat city, Vietnam

Visiting the greenhouse is an opportunity to admire at close range Dalat roses and gerberas. Standing in front of the glass with a furrow of flowers stretching on and on is an amazing feeling. The weather is cool, even under the noon day sun, while the flowers are full of colors that compliment each other.

Veteran tourists should visit the coffee farm to learn how coffee beans, such as Robusta and Abrabica, are grown in Vietnam. Those interested in new kinds of business should visit the cricket farm to learn how crickets are raised and what they taste like.

Those who prefer to learn about ethnic minorities should not miss Lat Village where the indigenous K`ho Lat live in Dalat. Guests will have a chance to know about the customs and habits of the people here.

The silk weaving factory is also an interesting place to visit. Coming here, tourists can capture the process of releasing silk, making follicles from silkworms, spinning and weaving. Before coming back to Dalat, tourists should visit Elephant Waterfall. This is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Central Highlands at a height of 25 meters. With a powerful flow, the bouncing white foam is a spectacular sight.

The highlight of the tour to Dalat is that instead of moving by car, tourists ride motorcycles. You will find it hard to drive yourself on the winding slopes of Dalat at first, but then an interesting feeling of exploring the land overwhelms each tourist. There are few tour operators organizing motorcycle tours to Dalat.

Source: SGP

Recommendation in Dalat, Vietnam:
- Dalat tours and short excursions
- Bike Dalat

Friday morning we had to leave our hotel quite early in the morning to start our 3.5 hour drive to Halong Bay. We arrived on the boat around 12pm then checked into our small but luxury room. Shortly after check in we were served a six course lunch in the dining cabin while starting our cruise in Halong Bay. The weather was overcast and very cold!! The down jacket came in quite handy again! After lunch we stopped at Titop island and hiked up a few hundred stairs to a postcard perfect view of the bay. The view was quite nice, but I’m sure it would have been spectacular on a clear, sunny day. We stayed only 45 minutes on the island then headed back to our boat for some down time.

Our next stop was to the largest floating village in Halong Bay with a population of 600, 80 of which are children. As soon as our smaller boat arrived to the floating village several row boasts of young children made their way to our boat trying to sell us an odd combination of items such as: shells, vodka, cigarettes and

View from Titop Island

Oreos. They were quick to fasten their boat to our boat and float along side of us with relentlous tactics in selling us items. We drifted around the floating village amazed by how they can actually live on the water year round in their tiny one room shacks with few amenities. There are two schools in the floating village. Apparently a teacher from Hanoi arrives on Mondays and departs on Fridays to conduct school for all the village children.

Upon return from the village we boarded our boat to another fantastic Vietnamese dinner followed by happy hour and a movie viewing. We sipped on our red wine while watching an older movie filmed in Saigon called “The Quiet American.” The boat we were on was clearly not a party boat. They encouraged everyone to head back to their cabins for bed by 11pm. We decided to stick with the program suggestion since Thai Chi was offered on the sundeck at 7am.

We were happy to wake up the next morning to sunshine on the bay. That was enough motivation to get us out of bed and up to the sundeck for our 30 minute Thai Chi lesson. It was quite magical on the upper deck early in the morning with the sun beating down and the limestone formations surrounding you as we attempted to follow the flow of the Thai Chi. After Thai Chi we went to Sung Sot to view the 10,000 square foot cave. We learned that the cave was discovered in 1901 and was the home to 5,000 people prior to 1963 when the government took over the property and kicked out the people. The floating villages were started in 1963 as an alternative place of residence. The cave was opened to the public for viewing in 1989.

Once back on the boat we ate brunch, lounged on the sun deck then started our journey back to the shore. The trip seemed to go by so quickly that we were both wishing we had booked the 2 night tour instead. There is always next time J Now we are headed back to Hanoi for one more night then off to Siem Rep tomorrow.

Camera: Canon Ixus 70

Date taken: 21 July 2008

Time taken: 10.28 am

Place taken: Halong Bay, Hanoi, Vietnam

Vietnam, with its verdant countryside and bustling cities, has a lot to offer adventurous travelers and those wanting to put a face on the Vietnam War.

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, is a metropolis that moves like the rapids in a river. Motorbikes putt-putt-putter down the avenues. Artisans sell their wares from street-side stalls. Teenagers line up to get their nightly dose of pho noodles and dancing at the local discotheque. Devotees walk to their churches, their pagodas and their shrines to light candles and incense for someone who came before.

Vietnam – Photo by John Soltes

It’s a city that seems endless. But there is an end to the throngs of humanity — a semi-quieter place where a few lessons can be learned.

On the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City is a network of underground tunnels that was used by the Viet Cong during the war, particularly during the Tet Offensive.

Four decades ago, the tunnels were a harried place of strategizing for guerilla fighters.

Today, Coca-Cola is available in the gift shop.

A visit to the Cu Chi tunnels is chiseled into most tourists’ itineraries. Located roughly a one-hour drive (depending on traffic) outside of Ho Chi Minh City’s center, the underground ravines should be visited as a means to engage with the history of the tumultuous war. It is sacred ground that cost many a soldier’s life — and it should be visited with a respect for the casualties of conflict.

As tour buses pull up to the complex, the first stop is a meeting hall where cool drinks are served as plentiful as the propaganda. Before entering the tour, visitors sit through a video presentation that pushes the Viet Cong’s righteousness and the strategic mastery of the tunnel system.

You’ll probably get more satisfaction out of the cool drink.

Next is the actual tour of the tunnels, which stretch for miles or kilometers, depending on who’s talking.

In this particular area — in between Saigon and the border of Cambodia — where the tour buses corral like vultures, there are several holes that have been maintained for passersby to take a look and even take a descent.

Most groups visit the tunnels with an official tour guide, which can be booked back in Saigon.

Along the tour, you’ll have the chance to see grisly contraptions of torture, the place where the Viet Cong and their families ate and slept and a few demonstrations of what life was like in the tunnels (from eating fresh tapioca to an artillery range where visitors can pay money to shoot firearms such as an AK-47).

A group of tourists in front of me were clamoring at the chance to shoot a gun. I kept walking, slightly disgusted, to where visitors can crawl through one section of the tunnel (widened, rumor says, to accommodate larger Western tourists). The experience of crawling through the tunnel starts off easy enough — it’s kind of like ducking under a blanket to play in the dark.

But when you realize how far the tunnel goes, that the walls and ceiling are made of unsteady dirt and that the light from which you entered quickly becomes a pinhole, fear does sidle up next to you.

When you emerge, sweaty and panting, you’ll be thankful for the light in the sky.

Anyone who visits a sight like this probably has a curiosity for war stories and what exactly happened in this country in Southeast Asia. Visiting the Cu Chi tunnels may not provide any answers, but it may set you in the right direction.

It’s a preserved testament to days of sorrow. And for that, it can boast an importance beyond the ubiquitous gift shop selling war propaganda.

Source: leadernewspapers.net

Recommendation in Vietnam:
- Travel Guide in Vietnam
- Adventure tour in Vietnam
- Short Excursion in Vietnam

Ginger and the Happy Warrior

Halong Bay 

 I have traveled all night from Sapa by train arriving at 5am in Hanoi.  After a very early breakfast I waited until 8:30 for my 4 hour van ride to cruise for 3 days on Halong Bay, the magical land of mist and karst mountains.  We boarded a big wooden Junk that was surprisingly luxurious.  I will be cruising with 24 other tourists, none of them Americans.  Karst mountains are formations formed millions of years ago of limestone.  You can find them in other places in the world, in fact, I will be seeing them again in China.  These karst mountains, however, are located in the sea which makes them seem even more mysterious.   Many of these mountains contain caves inside and today we will explore the biggest one, the Surprising Cave, after which we will hop on a 2 man (or woman) kayak for a paddle through a tunnel to the inner core of another mountain.  I was sure my arms would fall off before I got back, but the young Australia woman who was paddling with me agreed that we had started and that we would finish. I am sending  you some photos of this remarkable scenery, but it is so very hard to capture the width and breadth of 3,000 of these craggy tree covered outcroppings floating on the green sea.  Have a look anyway or google Halong Bay and I am sure you will get some great video. Photos of Halong Bay

Hue and beyond

Arriving back in Hanoi, it was time to board the train again.  This time it was not the Victoria Express, but one of the oldest, hospital green, tiny, sleeping compartments I have traveled in.  I shared these deplorable conditions with a couple from Holland and a guy from New York.  Close, very close.  You didn’t want to drink much water, because that meant a trip to the bathroom…not a pretty thought.  I would be sending you photos of this narrow gauge wobbler, but I am without camera after an irreversible malfunction on Cat Ba Island.

Both the train and I have arrived in Hue and not a bad nights sleep.  First stop….the camera store.  New camera in hand I am off with my guide to explore the old French capital of Vietnam.  The citadel is the old quarters for the royal family which abdicated around 1945, or was that 1954.  I get so many dates in my head they sometimes get turned around.  Anyway…Uncle Ho took over from the monarchy.   

After a luxurious lunch I am off again for a drive over the steepest pass in Vietnam through Da Nang and on to Hoi An.  Let me give you some photos of my day.   Clikc here for more photos

Among the tourist sites surrounding Hanoi, the Bat Trang pottery village with 500 or more years of history, is an ideal place to visit, attracting a large number of people from the city – and foreign tourists. Slow and steady: Japanese visitors enjoy a buffalo cart tour around the pottery village.

Buffalo tours in Vietnam

Just 14km from central Hanoi, the village is easily reached by motorbike – the most popular transport means in Vietnam.

If you’re too lazy to drive yourself or are not game to sit on the back of a xe om or hired motorbike, you can catch a bus at Long Bien Bus Station.

This way takes three times as long, but it’s so cheap! Tickets only cost VND3,000 – about US$0.10. The bus will take you to the village pottery market, where more than 100 stalls present tens of thousands of ceramic and pottery products.

The items include fine celadon from an ancient tradition and other great examples of ceramic arts and crafts. The high quality porcelain is decorated with dragons and phoenix, flowers and images of people and landscapes, all reflecting daily and spiritual activities in Vietnam.

Visitors can spend several hours just browsing among the endless little shops, each with different wares produced in a different family kiln.

According to the head of the market management board, Tran Quoc Viet, the market welcomes a large number of visitors every weekend.

A group of middle-age women look happy with heavy sedge bags containing pottery products they bought in the market.

“Although my family has every household product, sometimes I and other neighbours call each other and go to the village. It’s the way we unwind,” a woman cheerfully said.

For these women, beautiful ceramic objects, mostly at surprisingly affordable prices, are the main attraction. “I’ve bought a charming vase with the lotus motifs for just VND20,000,” another woman said.

Thuy Linh, a grade-10 student, said she sometimes went to Bat Trang with a group of her friends. “Unlike other people who usually buy ceramic household products, we only pick up cute stationary or ceramic jewellery,” she said.

“I’ve just bought a black-and-white Japanese Monokuro Boo pig, plus a keyholder with the ceramic initial ‘L’, the first character of my name, carved on it. My friend bought a wind chime and a cute piggy bank,” she said.

There’s more than just searching among the stalls, tourists can also experience pottery artists a work – on the spinning wheel, painting objects when they dry or loading up the kilns.

Visitors can also make their own cups, dish, bowl, vase or animal – and they will receive the finished, fired product within a few days. Many villagers offer this service for VND10,000 to 30,000, depending on the size of product. “I relived my childhood when fiddling with a piece of clay,” said Tuan Nam, a first-year student.

Recently, a new and relaxing way to see Bat Trang has been offered. A buffalo cart takes tourists around the village.

According to Nguyen Minh Hai, director of the Minh Hai Ceramic Company, who offers this first-ever service in the village, most who tour the village this way felt relaxed and interested because they could view the scenery at their leisure.

“The idea of using a buffalo cart to carry tourists was initiated when I went to Japan looking for business opportunities for our products. I realised the buffalo was easily recognised as a symbol of Vietnam – a rice producing country. So why not use farm animals to transport tourists around the village?” he said.

Before starting their cart journey, tourists are shown the way ceramic products are made in a workshop. Teams of young men and women work on production lines, baking, sanding and painting.

A journey around the village, a distance of about 2km, takes an hour. The price ranges from VND50,000 to 100,000 depending on the duration of the tour and how many stops are made. There are two buffalo carts working in the village, providing tours for about 100 visitors a day.

Like other villages in the north, the village hold its main festival in the second lunar month. This year, this fell in March. During the three-day festival, many traditional activities were held in and around the village temple, situated close to the steep banks of the majestic Hong (Red) River.

Among the various ritual activities held during the festival, the most important is a boat procession by village elders and monks to the centre of the river to collect the purest flowing water.

Before they set out, the boats made offerings to ask the Water Genie for permission to take the water.

The water was then scooped from the river by two prestigious elders, brought to shore and then paraded around the village before being taken to the communal temple.

Source: Viet Nam News

Related sites:
City Guides in Vietnam
Hanoi tours

By far, the best way to experience Vietnam is by motorbike. As with elsewhere in southeast Asia, here, the motorbike is king. They are cheap to buy, easy to repair, and they can take you places the tour bus would never dare to go. What’s more, there are no restrictions on foreigners buying motorbikes. All you need is a passport and valid visa, and you’ll receive a title of ownership and a deed of transfer. Rentals will suffice for most, but if you plan on serious bike time, buying is more economical — you can even sell the bike before you leave and recoup most of the expense.

We know the traffic seems crazy. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll learn there is a method to the madness. Travel by motorbike has its dangers, to be sure, and should be undertaken conscientiously. But the vast majority of foreigners come away from their motorbike trek with nothing but great experiences to talk about back home (and maybe a few tail-pipe burns to remember them by).

Vietnam Motorcycling Travel Guide

You can buy a bike almost anywhere, but bigger cities will have a better selection and be more comfortable selling to foreigners. Naturally, it’s best to shop around. When you settle on a bike, insist on taking it for a spin — and to a mechanic for a once over.

Your two main considerations are whether to buy new or used, and how powerful a bike you need. New Japanese and Chinese models can be purchased for as little as US$400. They should be more reliable, but then again, you may be the one stuck working out all the kinks. And you’ll take a bath on the resale value.

We recommend a used bike. This may seem a bit daunting, and it’s a good idea to make friends with a trustworthy mechanic if you can swing it. When you buy a bike, all you’re really looking at is the engine, the shocks, the wheels, and the frame. If nothing’s leaking or broken, and it kicks up a throaty hum when it runs, you’re off to a good start. Everything else on a bike can be fixed cheaply and easily — though be sure to factor such repairs into the price you plan to pay.

In terms of power, a 100 cc bike is fine throughout most of the country, depending on the weight you intend to carry. By the time you stack two people and two full packs on it, you’ll struggle up the hills even in Da Lat. Northern Vietnam is notoriously hilly and requires at least a 115 cc bike. Check out the bikes used by the guys who do the Easy Rider tours, and look for something similar. If you’ve never driven a clutch, consider learning — it quickly becomes second nature.

Even if you buy a bike that’s been restored, be sure to take it to a mechanic anyway and put some more money into it. New tires, break drums, batteries, starters and the like are all cheap and will give you that much more peace of mind. Finally, think about where you’re going to put your stuff. We got a custom-made back-rack for US$6.25.

When it comes to plotting a route, we suggest planning to see more of the country by seeing less of it. You can’t see everything from Sapa to Vung Tau by motorbike in a month. Pick a region -— north, central, or south, and focus on that. Alternately, many buses and trains will take on a motorbike as freight for the price of an extra ticket, so you can split a trip between two regions. Don’t plan an overly-aggressive route. The whole point is to take in the scenery, to stop and explore along the way. We find more than 120 kilometres in any given day starts to feel rushed. Fortunately, in thin, compact Vietnam, there is always a good option for your next stop within that distance.

It’s also worth mention that, while the ‘open road’ in Vietnam can be breathtakingly beautiful and provide an utterly authentic experience of the country, this is Vietnam, and not all roads are open. Ask around if you plan to go into remote regions of the country, especially near the borders, but there’s really no harm in just trying your luck. The worst that can happen is that the police will ask you to turn around.

Final note: wear a helmet, bring rain gear, and memorize the lyrics to Born to be Wild before you leave. You’ll be needing them.

Source: Travelfish.org

Related sites:
Motorcycle Vietnam
Ride Hochiminh Trail
Motorcycling Tours

Some 70 per cent of Vietnam’s population is engaged in agriculture, which uses over 20 per cent of the country’s area and produces 15 per cent of its GDP.

Vietnamese Cultivates Wet Rice

Vietnam has two huge deltas: the Mekong in the south and the Red River in the north. From time immemorial the Vietnamese have known how to build dykes and avoid flooding, creating more land for wet –rice cultivation. Thousands of kilometres of dykes have been built along the Red River to protect this vast fertile delta and its population.

Recently my friend Huong Do and I visited her uncle, who is a farmer in Hai Duong province in the very heart of the Red River delta. The host, Mr. Hien, was very enthusiastic about showing us rural life.

Generally they cultivate two types, sticky rice and ordinary rice. The first is used for special events and ceremonies such as Tet ( lunar New Year) and weddings.

Talking about wet-rice-cultivation, Mr. Hien recites a Vietnamese proverb:’Nhat nuoc, nhi phan, tam can, tu giong’. This translates as ‘First one needs water,then manure,then diligence, and finally high quality seed’. ‘In the north we have two rice crops and one subsidiary one, according to the weather’, he said.

The winter –spring crop begins in the 12th lunar month and finishes in the fourth. The summer –autumn one lasts from the sixth to the 10th lunar month. After these crops there is time for the land to heal and we plant maize,taro, potato and sweet potato’.

To Start a crop we have to prepare the land. We empty the water from each field. Then we plough deep and rake it carefully with the help of the buffalo. The buffalo is well cared for and respected in the same way that many foreigners care about dogs’.

There are three things that are critical to every Vietnamese farmer’s life: purchasing a buffalo, getting married and building a house.

‘In order to prepare the land we put down fertiliser, either natural or chemical.water is constantly needed too’.’Different varieties of rice are very important.

Normally we select the best species from previous crops, using techniques passed down through generations. “In order to germinate it we put the paddy in a jute sack and soack it in water for 24 hours. We then take it out of the water and arrange it in a dark, damp place to facilitate germination. After 12 hours we repeat the process.

In cool winter weather straw ash is mixed with the paddy in order to keep it warm. When the roots reach two to three centimetres you can sow rice in a small prepared area.

During this period the young rice plants need water, but not too much. After one month you pick the young shoots and transplant the rice seedling to another field. ‘Working the fields requires diligence, During the three- and-a- half months of rice development you have to constandy watch your field! You need to pull out any weeds growing with the rice. This work is normally reserved for women.

There has to be water in time for each period of development of the rice’.

The ethnic minorities in mountainous areas practice wte- rice-cultivation on terraces.

It is not until you actually take off your shoes, roll up your trousers and muck in that you really appreciate the skill and energy required to harvest rice.

As Mr Hien says,’when the rice is mature the whole family has to work. We cut the rice with sickles and bring it home by ox cart.

Fortunately, machines are now used for separating the paddy and straw. Last year we had a big harvest. This year we have had to work very hard due to floods’.

With a trace of sadness Hien adds that the farmer’s life is till difficult. ‘We depend on rice but if the price is too low there is no profit. The government should pay more attention to our life, to build processing zones for agricultural products and find markets for us’.

Famers in the south harvest three crops a year and the wet-rice-cultivation technique is also different.

Source: thingsasian

Recommendation in Vietnam:
- Travel Guide in Vietnam
- Trekking tour in Vietnam
- Adventure travel in Vietnam

The Bhaya is a new boat with an ancient history. A true traveler of his time, the Vietnamese Emperor Khai Dinh (1885-1925) defied the custom of taking thousands of courtiers on a royal trip, and took just twelve of his most trusted followers on a very exceptional trip to Halong Bay. His ship was one of the best of the wonderful wooden junks that sailed the waters of Halong. Inspired by the romantic landscape of the limestone karst islands rising in the middle of the waters, Khai Dinh commissioned a poem in praised of the bay’s beauty to be carved on the cliff of Dau Go Cave.

The tale of the king’s trip and the hardy ship he had chosen as his water home circulated among the ship builders of Halong. Each succeeding generation of shipbuilders dreamed of duplicating Khai Dinh’s wonderful boat, but nearly 100 years passed before an 80-year-old master shipbuilder, Nguyen Van Hoa, turned the dream into reality.

Master Hoa was born into a highly respected family of ship builders in Quang Ninh Province. From early childhood, his father had filled his mind with stories of this magical kingly junk that no one could replicate. At the same time, under the expert tutelage of his father, Hoa developed into one of the most gifted ship designers of his generation. Night after sleepless night, he studied ancient drawings and scripts describing Vietnamese wooden junks. During the day he devised blueprints for all types of junks that could sail across all sorts of ocean waters.

Still, Hoa’s life seemed incomplete. He was always searching for a dream junk – the boat that would set his work apart from those of the other shipbuilders of his time. One day, among the thousands of ancient sketches and drawings, he discovered a fragment of the lost drawing of Khai Dinh’s matchless junk. Working slowly and carefully, he managed to restore the drawing to its original state. At last, the incomparable boat that had transported Khai Dinh and his courtiers lived again on paper. Now, all that was left was to find the support to build the vessel and, once again, bring the ship to life in reality.

In January of 2005, a chance meeting took place in Halong among Antoine Bertrand, a gifted young French architect from Montpellier, his colleague, Anne Drousie, who wanted to build a luxury boat in the style of the ancient Vietnamese junks, and Master Hoa. At last, more than 125 years after Khai Dinh had set sail, all of the ingredients were in place to finally recreate this magnificent boat.

Fiercely determined, French architects and Vietnamese master shipbuilders toiled for two long years in the heat of the shipyard. Finally, in July of 2007, the Bhaya was launched – a perfect blend of the experience and talent of the ancient master and the youthful creativity of the Frenchman and his friend.

The embodiment of an ancient Halong dream, the Bhaya is a flawless combination of traditional eastern delicacy and western luxury and comfort. Sailing in the midst of the wonder and natural beauty that distinguishes Halong Bay, the Bhaya will play a considerable role in the embellishment and protection of this glorious World Heritage Site!

8 AM departure from Hanoi to Halong Bay (and 3 hr mini bus ride)

Our overnight stay in a junkboat in Halong Bay was surprisingly delightful. I was looking forward to the Halong Bay part but had low expectations about sleeping on the boat and was pleasantly surprised to see we had a very nice stateroom with clean duvet and silk pillows and toilet that worked! There was a shower to boot!

We had three outstanding fresh seafood meals prepared by our Vietnamese chef. Explored a famous cave and went sea kayaking. The limestone islands jutting out of the water were reminiscent of those we had seen in Krabi, Thailand with the locals likening them to every animal under the sun- lots of big and small islands likened to chickens, turtles, monkeys.

Mass tourism creeps into Halong Bay, Vietnam

Established by UNESCO as a world heritage sight in 1994, Halong Bay is indeed a natural wonder but there is no  doubt commercial tourism is taking over. Go now. We even saw a jetski and the hotels are sprouting like mushrooms.

Following a 3 hour return bus ride to Hanoi, we had a couple hours to take in more of this bustling metropolis. We decided to head over to the notorious “Maison Centrale”, ‘Hanoi Hilton‘ or today as it is known, Hoa Lo Prison – the huge prison constructed by the French that would notoriously house Senator John McCain after he was captured by Vietnamese forces when his plane went down in the war. It was interesting to see some of the pics they had of him, including his flight suit, helmut and parachute. It is very unclear if he was tortured like he said he was, or well-treated as the Vietnamese portray the American prisoners as being able to celebrate Christmas, plant trees and raise chickens for decent food. It was an interesting visit though and I am quite certain the truth lies somewhere in between the lines. I’m glad we made the visit.

Where is a Marriott when u need it?! I am closing day 3 onboard an overnight train from Hanoi to Hue. Thank god I have my sarong for a ’sheet’. We are sharing a four person bunk room that looks like a prison cell with two of our really nice new travel mates, Spring from San Jose and Mack from the UK. We passed a couple hours playing rummy and go fish which helped. Having since accepted the toilet is a hole in the ground but so far clean, with paper! And getting rid of only one cockroach so far, I have found peace with my iPhone and Coldplay. Will I sleep? I doubt it. But the door is locked and I have my sarong and Chris Martin, and my husband as guardian. All will be well. There is still much to see in this friendly country.

THE BOAT

Designed in the 1910’s Indochina style, the Halong Emotion offers the perfect mix in traditional elegance and modern comfort. Special attention has been paid to the decoration and interior of the junk.

It features 28 comfortable rooms, a dining room with sea view, a bar and a superb sundeck.

Year in operation: 2008
Length: 50m
Width: 10m

Floors: 3

Cabin: 28 luxury cabins

Spaces: dining room, bar, sundeck

Engine:  300 HP

Generator: 120 KW

Cruising speed: 18 km/h.

CABINS

In line with our commitment to offer guests both charm and comfort, our cabins offer a range of facilities and an elegant ambiance

RESTAURANT & BAR

It is a warm and romantic atmosphere, will be the feeling you have when sitting by overlooking sea view window and being served in our restaurant. All the dishes are made of fresh materials in the coast.

Any taste of wine will be satisfied in the bar, which is located in the sundeck. And it is where you will have chance to watch the profession of our cook in barbecue

SUNDECK

Located on the top floor is the 500m sundeck, excellent for sunbathing, panoramic views and – if the weather permits – barbeques. Grab a drink in the bar, lay back and enjoy a magnificent sunset.

Take advantage of the cooler air in the mornings to practice Tai Chi. Different workshops will be organised by our instructors on deck.

ACTIVITIES

Halong Emotion offer you the various services on board :

• Massage – spa beauty service

• Traditional music: enjoying the Vietnamese culture by folk music

• Kayaking: exploring the bays islands by yourself

• Diving: Exploring the beauty under the water surface

• Swimming: one of the most joyous moment when you are in Halong

• Cooking classes: a chance to learn more about Vietnamese cooking style

• Taichi classes: A great way to greet a new day ( if weather permitted)

• Kite – flying

Some of the most amazing adventure destinations center around the great rivers of the world. Whether it’s rafting the Rio Grande, kayaking the Congo, or simply taking a leisurely cruise down the Nile, we seem to have a fascination with these waterways that have played an important role in human development. One of those rivers is the Mekong, which stretches for more than 2700 miles as it meanders through Laos, Thailand, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar.

Mekong River – Vietnam

In Laos, the Mekong is known as the “Mother River” and it plays an important role in that country’s culture and lore. Travel writer Kate Quill discovered this for herself recently when she made her own Mekong journey, sharing the details with us in this article from the London Times. Kate spent a week on the river back in October, and describes a tropical landscape filled with dense jungles and rocky peaks.

On her journey up the Mekong, Quill stopped at a remote village that gave her a sense of what life is like for those that depend on the river for their daily needs. Villages like the one she visited remain largely untouched by the outside world, lacking nearly all modern conveniences. She also notes that the Laos’ lack of public health care is also evident when interacting with the villagers.

I’ve been fortunate enough to visit the four longest rivers in the world, spending time on the Nile, Amazon, Yangtze, and Mississippi. Each offered their own unique experiences and glimpses into the cultures of the countries that they flow through. The Mekong seems like it continues this tradition, and offers adventure travelers another destination to add to their list of must see places.

By Kraig Becker

Recommended itineraries
- Explore Mekong Delta & river tour
- Mekong biking tours
- Family tours in Vietnam

Rising from the rice fields of Ha Giang Province, Tha Hamlet offers a glimpse of rural northern life.

In the remote mountains of Vietnam’s far northwest, Tha Hamlet still has one paved road

About ten kilometers outside the provincial capital of Ha Giang, the jagged mountains give way to just enough space for the small village of Tha Hamlet.

Parting the hills are brown stilt houses standing over rice paddies, ponds and pig pens. Smoke rises from the palm-leaf roves. Irrigation divides different sections of the village.

The village paths are mostly hardened mud.

Inhabited by a Tay ethnic minority community, the village became an official Tourism Village in 2007, thanks to its traditional homes, unique agriculture and famous terraced rice paddies, which rise up into the hills surrounding the hamlet.

Since then, the village has received government support to maintain tourist infrastructure, such as a concrete road and accommodation.

Living off the land

Some 113 Tay ethnic minority families with more than 500 people live together on the 40 hectares of agricultural land.

Their brown homes seem to grow right out of the village’s fields and ponds. Underneath the stilts, residents keep their tools, vehicles and kindling. On the side of each house is an open area for drying rice.

The paths in the hamlet take pedestrians up along the edge of ponds and rice paddies. The raised mud lanes look soft but they are sturdy and can support anyone, even in the rain. Fish breed in many of the ponds.

The terraced rice fields and ponds are shallow and always filled with water thanks to a stream flowing from the mountains into the village.

The fields are mostly khau mang rice, a new cross-breed variety particular to Ha Giang farmers. The glutinous rice can keep for a long time without loosing its fragrance. Tha’s rice is highly sought after both inside and outside Ha Giang. And its price is still half as much as normal rice.

The ponds are filled mostly with bong fish, which used to be reserved only for kings during the feudal era. But now bong is so popular among every day people that its numbers are dwindling throughout northern Vietnam.

A large bong can weigh up 15- 20 kilograms and its meat is rich and flavorful. Tha Hamlet residents traditionally serve local bong to visitors in the traditional Tay style.

They often make goi, a dish with the raw fish and vegetables. The fish is marinated in tai chua juice before serving. Tai chua is a chayote-like fruit native to the northwestern mountainous provinces of Hoa Binh and Bac Giang. It is both sour and sweet. Other than goi, the fish is also eaten like Japanese sashimi, sometimes accompanied by dill.

On location

Tha Hamlet is 10 km from Ha Giang Province’s eponymous capital, which is 320 km north of Hanoi along the National Highway 2.

To get to Ha Giang Province from Hanoi, take a motorbike along the Thang Long Bridge toward Phu Tho Province’s Viet Tri Town. From Viet Tri head to Tuyen Quang Province, where roads to Ha Giang are easily accessible.

By bus, start from the My Dinh Bus Station in Hanoi.

You can combine a visit to Tha Hamlet with a tour to Dong Van and Meo Vac, the northernmost districts in Vietnam. A trip through Tha, Dong Van and Meo Vac will take you four days along a rugged 300-km road.

Tourists can sleep at one of four households in Tha Hamlet that offer beds at inexpensive prices.

Source: Thanhniennews/Luu Quang Pho

Related sites:
- Mai Chau travel guide & tips
- West to East biking exploration

Kayaking, originally uploaded by kerstinpless.

This is Halong Bay, in Vietnam, a part of the beautiful Pacific Ocean. I highly recommend vacationing there.

We went kayaking every day of our stay there, but I hadn’t risked bringing the camera out.  But our last morning there, I decided photos were necessary.  It was just too beautiful not too.  Using a plastic bag to reduce the risk to the camera, I paddled out, and got some photos that hopefully will help me never forget my amazing time in Halong Bay! And, thankfully, my paranoia about the camera was unfounded.

Fortunately last night I got completely hammered. Fortunate because late in the evening I

a) Was given a shot of ’snake wine’ to drink (read: ‘rotting dead serpent carcass in a jar of alcohol’) – tasted just like a rotting dead serpent in a jar of alcohol. Kinda rusty. You could see the scales floating.

b) Had my ankle lacerated by flying broken glass – bled profusely for about an hour, had some bar woman stick Marlboro Red tobacco on the cut to stem the flow (???!!) and;

c) Danced like a monkey.

Mmmmm... rotting snake wine anyone? Yum yum.

Luckily the obscene quantities of alcohol I had consumed earlier on in the evening did its work and numbed any pain (until this morning that is when my stinging ankle woke me up – thank goodness for Spanish mega mg ibuprofen). Luckily as well that one of our new friends, Jo was a nurse. She got very keen with her bandages and all was well. Have had to have a visit from the black doctor three times already today. Rice wine, beer, long island ice tea and snake wine do not mix well.

View from Monkey Island, Halong Bay

Spent the last few days at Halong Bay, a beautiful area of amazing limestone stacks which we sailed around. Our cabin was absolute luxury – wonderful big power shower, gorgeous white linen, air con, and demi-private balcony out the back of the boat for sunbathing. The seafood was delicious – yummy squid, octopus and fish. Painful karaoke. Even more painful rice wine. Potent as slibovitz.

We previously had a great time in Sapa, especially because we successfully managed to hijack another honeymoon – lovely Katrine and Arnaut the Belgians. All went wonderfully wrong when we got mixed up with Mimi the card shark tour guide who dared us to drink loads of rice wine and then somehow got the Belgians to strip naked and run round the homestay. The best Belgians ever.

Obligatory Cheesy Mountain Views / Us Shot

Onwards now down south on sleeper bus tonight. Edging our way slowly slowly towards Saigon down the coast. Apparently there was a tornado down there on Monday so still trying to get info on all that.

SO hard to write this post. SO a big hangover. SO going to go and have a snoozzzzzzzzze.

Dad, hope you had a really lovely bday. Glad you got the email. So sorry we were unable to call you. No reception in the middle of the sea!! Will try and call you as soon as we can. xxxxx

Lost in Halong Bay, watercolor and ink. Erin Lau © 2009

Aboard a Chinese Junk, the four of us plied the emerald waters of Halong Bay, skirting the Karst outcroppings, stopping to kayak, swim to secluded beaches, feast on fresh seafood, and sleep under the stars on the deck (by our request). In the middle of the night I crept downstairs to splash and oar through the magical phosphorescent water, and though tempted to swim, decided to let my half-asleep body go back to star gazing.

View from Hotel on Cat Ba Island Erin Lau © 2009

Cat Ba Island was our launching point into Halong Bay, as I watched the sunset from the balcony of my hotel room (an $8 room) fishing boats were returning for the night, and fishermen began their nightly consumption of “happy water”.

We asked the experts to reveal the trips they are most excited about – from Vietnam’s Fansipan Mountain to Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake.

1. MOUNTAIN TREKKING, SAPA, VIETNAM

Mount Fansipan is Vietnam’s highest peak located in the far north just outside of Sapa. Mt. Fansipan a very steep mountain that gets a lot of moisture. Those looking to climb it should be in good shape and prepared to to have muddy wet feet. The scenery is incredible remember to bring a camera. For most of Vietnam having a rain coat is a little excessive because it is so warm. On the mountain having a rain coat is not a bad idea especially at night. The trails around Sapa are a lot of fun. You will get the chance to go through some minority villages if you have the time to explore. There are well-marked trails, both long and short, for all skill levels.

Conquer Fansipan Mountain, the highest mountain in Indochina- Vietnam.

Photograph: Active Travel Vietnam

When? October to May are the best months

Book it: Trek Fansipan (00 84 4 3573 8569; trekfansipan.com) offers a year-round, four-day guided mountain-trekking tour of Vietnam from $ 219 including hotel accommodation, some meals and travel gear rent. Flights extra

2. MOTORCYCLING HO CHI MINH TRAIL, VIETNAM

The legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail was the supply line used by North Vietnam to link North and South Vietnam during the American War. Soldiers, ammunition, weapons and supplies were carried by hand, bicycle and truck for hundreds of kilometers through the otherwise impenetrable jungle that covered Vietnam’s mountainous border with Laos. A testimony to the ingenuity, fortitude and commitment of the northern Vietnamese, the trail slipped from use at the end of the war and was taken back by the jungle.

Ho Chi Minh Trail Motorcycling tour – Photo by ATA

When? October to April

Book it: Active Travel Vietnam (info@activetravelvietnam.com; activetravelvietnam.com) offers a 18-days trip with 11-days motorcycling guided trip from $1,951, including accommodation, all meals and transfers. Flights extra.

3. KAYAKING HALONG BAY, VIETNAM

Ha Long Bay (also “Halong Bay”) is in northern Vietnam, 170 km east of Hanoi. The bay is famous for its scenic rock formations.If you thought the hideout in the James Bond film “The Man with the Golden Gun” was spectacular, imagine a place where there are 3,000 such limestone islands clustered together in the East Sea of Halong Bay. Paddle through caves into secret lagoons, drift down channels surrounded by cliffs and forest and sail out into the open sea.

Kayaking on Halong bay, Vietnam

When? October and early January

Book it: Kayak Halong Bay (info@activetravel.asia; kayakhalongbay.com) offers a 3-day trip from $ 299, including meals, accommodation and transfers

4. EXPLORE MEKONG DELTA

A holiday in Vietnam would be incomplete without a trip to the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Popularly known as one of the ‘Rice Baskets’ of Vietnam, the Mekong Delta is located in the South Eastern region of Vietnam, where the Mekong River meets the sea. A pride of the Vietnamese and the one of the most popular of the Vietnam tourist attractions, the Mekong Delta is exceptionally rich in scenic beauty. It is a place unique in itself.

Float market in Mekong Delta, Vietnam

When? October to June

Book it: Active Travel Asia (info@activetravel.asia; activetravel.asia) has a 4-day tour with over 3-day biking from $ 312 including full-board accommodation and transfers. Flights extra

5. CYCLING ANGKOR WAT, CAMBODIA

Let’s discover the world’s remarkable awesome historical site through this adventure trip and grasp the reasons why the Tomb Raider’s film maker team chose the Angkor Complex in Siem Reap for its screen backdrops. Also experience the biodiversity of Tonle Sap listed as the World Ecological Wonder.

Monks and Angkor Wat, Cambodia

When? October to June

Book it: Active Travel Cambodia (info@activetravelcambodia.com; activetravelcambodia.com) has a 7-day tour with 5-day cycling from $ 685 including full-board accommodation and transfers. Flights extra

6. CYCLING LAOS

Cycling is a great way to get off the beaten track in this increasingly popular country. Start in Luang Prabang, in north central Laos, and head to Hanoi, in North Vietnam, travelling along the banks of the Mekong River and past the intriguing Viengxay caves.

On the way bike Luang Prabang, Laos – Photo by ATA

When? October to March

Book it: Active Travel Laos (info@activetravellaos.com; activetravellaos.com) has a 17-day tour with kayaking, trekking, biking and elephant riding Luang Prabang to Hanoi cycling trip from $ 1,553, including most meals, bike hire and sightseeing. Flights extra.

Modern Vietnam has many attractions, says Tim Jepson, but one event from its recent past still looms above all others.

Don’t mention the war. This, more or less, is the gist of my Rough Guide to Vietnam. Or, more accurately – and I’m paraphrasing here – don’t become obsessed by the war. But it’s hard when visiting a country where the association, for me at least, is immediate and inescapable: Vietnam – war.

Countryside in Dalat, Vietnam – Photo by Getty

The closeness of the real world must have been the strangest thing, I think, as I sit reading the guide and looking down on miles of jungle during my flight from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City, better known by its former name, Saigon. It’s just an hour from the Thai capital to a city synonymous with war: just an hour for all those GIs between fighting and the various pleasures afforded by a few days’ leave in Bangkok.

Returning to who knows what, doubtless in far less comfort, they would have looked down on the same landscape: the jungle-covered hills, the numerous tiny villages, the sudden, sprawling urban scar of Phnom Penh, and then the majestic, churning waters of the Saigon and Mekong rivers, sweeping in vast brown meanders through emerald paddy fields.

As we come in to land, it’s impossible not to note that Saigon’s airport was obviously once much larger – the outlines of buildings long gone are still clear from the air. Nor to ignore the rows and rows of bunkers once used to shelter assault helicopters, their ageing concrete, for now, resistant to the effects of time and tropical weather. In this part of Vietnam, the war is right there, right from the start.

Impossible, too, not to notice the victors’ symbol, the red flag and hammer and sickle – not an image one often sees these days – adorning the airport and most of the streets and larger public buildings as we drive through Saigon.

And so to hot, humid Saigon itself, a place that manages to be modern and moribund at the same time. I know you shouldn’t judge a place solely on its sights, but the city, as far as I can make out, has just two things to see: the swarms of motorcycles, weaving and jostling on every street as if in some exhaust-filled ballet; and Vietnam’s most popular tourist “attraction” – the War Remnants Museum.

The latter is a nasty, graceless old-fashioned sort of museum, housed in a bleak, crumbling Eastern Bloc-style building and a few ramshackle Fifties huts around a courtyard full of hawkers, beggars, tanks, bombs, howitzers, a US helicopter and other twisted-metal memorials to the events of 35 years ago.

Nasty and graceless, but utterly compelling. Especially the helicopter, of a sort you’ve seen in all those war movies. Its interior is virtually bare, utterly stripped down to basics, its battered, dirty, spartan appearance strangely, eerily redolent of combat. For some reason, I’ve assumed the equipment of war would somehow be polished, pristine, hi-tech. It very much isn’t, at least once it’s seen combat. The helicopter interior powerfully evokes the utilitarian grime of war in a way I’ve never encountered. The battered, scratched and dented rifles and other guns elsewhere in the museum have the same effect. Written down, these are platitudes, but the effect on the spot is revelatory.

There’s more, of course, all worse, if anything (the guillotine used by the French, the instruments of torture used by the South Vietnamese, the deformed foetuses almost certainly caused by Agent Orange), and somehow it’s all the more harrowing because of the ramshackle setting.

It’s also the victors’ museum, of course, and skewed in their favour, but the Americans looking around with me – and there are many of them – are talkative and engaged. The equally large number of elderly Vietnamese men, by contrast, are silent and inscrutable. You can’t help but wonder: where were they and what they were doing 40 years ago?

Give Saigon a day or so. Stay in the wonderful Grand Hyatt, maybe visit the famous Cu Chi tunnels (where the Viet Cong – incredible this – hid for years just 15 miles from the centre of the city); see the markets (Ben Thanh especially); climb the Jade Emperor Pagoda; take on the mopeds at road junctions. And eat the fantastic food – the French, who contributed so much to the mess of the Fifties and Sixties, at least left a gastronomic legacy.

Then do as we do, and as the Rough Guide implores – forget the war and head out, being sure to avoid the usual dash from Saigon to Hanoi, or vice versa, preferred by most visitors.

The Vietnamese government, belatedly, and still half-heartedly, awakening to the possibilities of moneyed tourism, is keen for you to visit Da Lat, a 40-minute hop by plane from Saigon. We obliged, helped by the presence of the
Ana Mandara Villas, among the first of only a handful of upmarket resorts in Vietnam (but surely, if – as everyone tells you – Vietnam is like Thailand was 15 or 20 years ago, not the last).

A hill station pioneered by the French in the early 20th century, Da Lat largely escaped the war; a town so pretty the US and North Vietnamese tacitly agreed not to bomb it. But that was then. Even in the Fifties, travel writer Norman Lewis found parts turning into a “drab little resort”, and Lewis is the kind of writer who was invariably right. Today, the town’s popularity with Vietnamese visitors, honeymooners in particular, has rendered it largely a mixture of kitsch and concrete.

But there are compensations. The Ana Mandara resort, for one, built around a series of French colonial villas saved from the Communists’ progress-is-all wrecking ball. Perfect in every period detail, it makes a cosseted and tucked-away base for forays into the surrounding mountains, which are superb, and where you can hike or make fascinating visits to the villages of the area’s minority peoples.

Vietnam has 52 ethnic minority groups, many of them splintered into hundreds of much smaller groups – 11 million people in all out of a population of 82 million. Many are mysterious of origin, semi-nomadic and highly resistant to the attempts of successive rulers to tame them – even the current Communist government. Many mountain areas have been off-limits to visitors in the past two or three years as the Vietnamese army – in an ironic echo of the war it fought and won against the Americans – struggles, unsuccessfully it appears, to quell the guerrilla uprisings of disgruntled and intransigent mountain “rebels”.

Trips to these villages alone, however, would probably not have made the detour to Da Lat worthwhile. What did was the spectacular new road (built for those hoped-for new visitors) from Da Lat through the mountains to the coast. It’s a glorious drive, offering a window onto some of the country’s most dramatic scenery, from soaring crags and mist-shrouded jungle, still home to tigers, to the gentler hills and fertile lowlands close to the coastal town of Nha Trang.

Nha Trang is another place for which the government has high hopes, and here they’re on to a far better thing – as is Six Senses, former owners of Ana Mandara, which has opened a second and, for me, more enticing resort, the Six Senses Hideaway at Ninh Van Bay, sequestered on a pristine cove well away from the town.

This really is a hideaway, built on a crescent of white sand framed by steep, jungle-covered mountains, its combination of stylish beach, hill and water villas reached only by boat. Six Senses’ mantra is “intelligent luxury”, exemplified here by the clever use of wood, stone bamboo and the exemplary rendering my “four-S” requirement of a resort: Sea, Sand, Setting and Service.

The last is wonderful: the Vietnamese really are an exquisite people, exemplified by the young women who take us around the resort on bicycles. Charming and friendly, they are proud and happy as they tell us how they have just passed their English exams.

For much of my stay, I am prone, but lever myself up to visit Nha Trang, a spotless, trim resort town with an extraordinary four-mile beach and a wonderful palm-lined promenade that (seriously) puts Nice to shame. The sand and waterfront are immaculate and busy – but not too busy – with locals and Vietnamese visitors. If this is the new Vietnam, and the one the regime wants us to see, then I’m all for it.

Even so, it is still nice to return to the sanctuary of our resort, and the soft beauty of sand and jungle. The war seems a long way away here, the smiling young staff the bright embodiment of a new generation; the baby boomers of their particular war. And it should seem distant, of course, for it was 35 years ago.

But as I walk from the restaurant one evening along the sandy trails cut through the jungle, I can’t help but imagine a US soldier walking this same, silent path. Here, the jungle has been thinned, the paths cleared. Yet in the gloom, even in this manicured enclave, I can barely see a few feet into the undergrowth. Suddenly everything seems eerie, ominous: 35 years ago, anything, or anyone, could have been concealed, watching, waiting, tracking, trailing.

As in the war museum, the moment is revelatory. It makes me realise with sudden clarity the futility of the whole US venture in Vietnam. An American soldier would have had little chance here; at the mercy of an opponent completely at home in this environment. A child could have walked down this path and told the US generals their project was doomed.

An odd thought, I admit, after a sumptuous dinner, with the creamy comforts of a luxury villa waiting farther down the beach. But Vietnam does that. Vietnam – war. It’s a tough link to break.

Source: Tim Jepson/telegraph.co.uk

Related sites
- Vietnam Travel Guide
- Short Excursions in Vietnam
- Adventure tours in Vietnam

When the conversation is about the Mekong Delta, people immediately think of tropical rivers, interlacing canals, immense rice fields and the floating homes.

A view of floating Market in Mekong river, An Giang province.

Lazing on a small sampan, tourists can feel they are so tiny on the boundless river and under the shade of countless trees. Witnessing the trade on the floating markets surely makes an impression on those in the delta for the first time.

Upon reaching the raft village, tourists are introduced to the structure of the rafts which are designed as homes and as floating fish farms. Tourists can catch a view of farmers feeding fish and can be served indigenous dishes made from local fish.

Tourists should not miss a visit to a weaving village of the Cham people. Here, tourists can witness the dexterity and talents of Cham ladies who painstakingly weave on looms by the riverside.

On the way back, tourists should not miss the floating restaurants to enjoy specialties of the Mekong Delta in tide-water season. Floating on the immense rivers and taking a look at the lifestyle in the delta are unforgettable experiences.

Chau Doc town is about 300 kilometers from HCMC.

VietNamNet/SGT

Related to Mekong delta, Vietnam
- The Mighty Mekong delta Vietnam

We are a group of Malayan, We often take adventure tours and this time to Vietnam is Fansipan.

Get pick up at Laocai train station and transfer to Sa pa, we stopped at Hotel, got a room for shower, breakfast, prepared our gears for the coming trek.

On the way trekking Fansipan Mt, Vietnam

Driving by Jeep along a up-down, zig-zag road to get the mountain pass to start our hike. The first sight to us is the large mountain, the trek at the beginning is quiet easy. we are all eager to conquer.

Lunch was good, much better than I had expected. We had baguettes, tomato, cucumber and cheese followed by pear. I had read someone else’s blog about their trip up Fansipan and they had eaten rice, noodles and an increasingly rancid piece of pork for 4 days.

After lunch we actually had to loose high to get to the camp to where we were going to sleep. There was another big river to cross but this time there was a bridge so we got across with dry feet. Camp 2 was just on the other side and consisted of a couple of wooden buildings.

After getting cleaned up and changing into dry clothes we were served up a massive banquet of really tasty food. We had stir fried chicken and mushroom, beef and onion, tofu, potatoes, cabbage, rice and more.
There was twice as much as we needed.

After that it was straight to bed. We slept in the camp that our guide and porter had made, it is really fun, the camp is bigger enough for our group. Our place to sleep was well prepared, we had thick mattress and sleeping bag. It was fairly comfortable and it didn’t get cold during the night.

In the morning we were served up a really massive bowl of vegan noodle soup with a fried egg on top. It was tasty but way too heavy for 6:30 in the morning. None of us managed to eat more than half of it.

Another hard day to conquer the roof of Indochina, this day We had to head up to the top from 2200m, then down to the camp at 2800 for the night. The hike was really true for mountain climb, the higher we climb, the better landscape we enjoy.

We were at the top at about 1pm, had a lunch on a big rock in windy and sunny noon, Life is fantastic!
Back to the camp at 2800m at about 5pm, we spend this night in a cottage make by the national park. To congratulate the winners of Indochina roof, our guide killed a pig that they had carried all the way up from Sa pa to make barbecue, we had some wine too.

The last day seemed to be easier to us, we went all the same way down to Tram ton Pass then took a Jeep to Sa pa. Got a room with hot shower.

This was the best trip I had done in Vietnam.

Source: Petercampel’s traveler from TravelPod Blog

Recommendation for Trekking Fansipan , Vietnam:
Sapa Travel Guide
Trekking Travel Guide
Trek Fansipan Tours