Author: Ellen Erickson

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Kampot, Kep, and Rabbit Island, Cambodia: Top 7 Things to Do and More

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If you plan to venture outside of the quintessential tourist spots and capital city, bravo for you.  It’s a shame that some tourists just come to Cambodia for Angkor Wat and then promptly leave.  There’s so much more of Cambodia to discover, and if you too like adventure and have the time to spare, then you must journey south of Phnom Penh. 

Kampot is a popular backpacker spot that offers riverside views and outdoorsy activities.  We didn’t have the best time here, primarily because we didn’t account for the Chinese New Year festivities, which meant that all of the decent places were already booked well in advance and it didn’t help that the one place we booked was the Airbnb from hell, so we had to find another place to stay.  We felt like Mary and Joseph going from hostel to hotel to homestay asking for a room, but there was no room at the Inn.   Eventually, we found a suitable, bare-boned hotel for a couple of days until Chinese New Year blew over. Come to find out, many expats, young and old, who teach English in China and elsewhere come to this area during the Chinese New Year holiday.  Pro Tip: Know when Chinese New Year occurs and book a place well in advance.  Word of warning, there was a disproportionate amount of washed-up 60+ year-old expats, mostly men, who seemed to be on self-imposed exile in Kampot.  It was a bit creepy TBH, unless you’re into uncomfortable staring and unwanted sexist comments (I’ll spare you the story).  I should also mention that the Chinese have built a casino close by, so I recommend visiting this area soonest before the landscape changes dramatically.  They’re starting to take over this area of the world, especially smaller, poorer countries like Cambodia and Laos.  We stayed here for 4 nights, 5 days, but I would recommend staying here for only 2 or 3 nights. 

Kep is a sleepy little beach-side town only 30 minutes away from Kampot.  It boasts of fresh seafood, particularly crab.  There isn’t too much to do here and the beach is just okay.  The restaurants are also relatively pricey for being such a small town and there aren’t tons of options.  We stayed here for 3 days, 2 nights, but many people opt to stay in Kampot and take a day trip to Kep, which I recommend.  When in Kep, you have to eat the fresh crab, which is what they are known for.  You can either eat it in a restaurant on the water or go for the cheaper option at the Kep Crab Market where you can buy your crabs from a fisherman and have them steamed right there.  The crab is an astonishingly blue color and they are delicious.

Rabbit Island is a little gem of beach paradise.  Not many people come to this island, and if they do, they make it a quick day trip, but you really should spend AT LEAST 1 night on the island.  We spent 4 days, 3 nights here.  It’s easily accessible from Kep, where there is a pier with boats that leave 2 times a day to and from Rabbit Island.  It was a fantastic time to reboot, read a good book, and catch up on some blogging. 

Also, who isn’t into unspoiled views of the sunset while sitting in a hammock on the beach, fresh coconut in hand!?  You can also take a little trek around the island, which is only about an hour.  You’ll spot locals along the way, secluded beaches (you’ll have to try to ignore the washed-up trash from the mainland. Sigh.), and a bit of wildlife.  Fortunately, the main strip of beach where the bungalows and restaurants are situated are kept pretty clean. 

Que soliloquy: Over the course of our travels, we’ve come to the sad realization that there aren’t many untouched places left that aren’t crawling with tourists snapping selfies for the best Instagram moment or peddlers selling you the same-same, manufactured tourist crap.  So, finding the hidden gems is a feat unto itself, and I feel that I have the responsibility to try to steer you clear of the wooden phallus bottle openers and Bubba Gump Shrimps (yes, they have them in this part of the world).  That said, Rabbit Island is one of those places where you will truly feel as if you are taking part in an authentic experience.  The more you know. 

Getting There

From Phnom Penh, we took the Sorya bus for 3 hours to get to Kampot.  It was an easy ride and process.  We simply booked our ticket at the main bus station same day.  The bus cost $7.50 USD per person.

To get to Kep from Kampot, we took a quick, 30-minute bus ride on an express bus.  All we had to do was go to Anny’s travel agency, to book the bus tickets and they arranged for a tuk tuk to take us to the bus stop.  The bus cost $3 USD per person.

All you have to do to get to Rabbit Island is take a boat from the Kep pier.  You can buy a round-trip ticket at the pier, same-day.  The boat tickets cost $10 USD per person.

Accommodations

As I mentioned before, our time in Cambodia coincided with Chinese New Year, so make sure that you book accommodations around this time well in advance so you can avoid some of our issues finding a good place to stay. 

In Kampot, we bounced around to three different properties.  The first was the Airbnb from hell, that I will only mention so that you can avoid it.  It was called Kampot Café.  If you want to know the details of our stay, feel free to check out our review of the place on Airbnb.  We then escaped to the only available place in town called Home Stay Guest House.  I wouldn’t recommend it if you have better options available.  On the last night, we stayed at BARACA for $18.50 USD, which I would definitely recommend.  It reminded me of an artsy, Spanish villa.  The staff were super friendly and helpful, especially Ras.  The dinner at their restaurant had delicious tapas that the staff spent all day preparing.  They also specialize in gin cocktails that were divine.  The only downside to the place was that it didn’t have air conditioning, so the room was stifling hot at times.

In Kep, we stayed at Kep A1 Guesthouse for $14 USD per night.  It was a bit far from the beach and market, and it is situated in a remote spot surrounded mostly by farm land.  I wouldn’t recommend it on that basis alone, although the place was very clean and newer.

In Rabbit Island, we stayed at Khim Vouch Lay Bungalow for $22 USD per night.  The property had a handful of bungalows each equipped with two hammocks and arranged in a semi-circle so that it was very intimate, and you got to know your neighbors (for better or worse). 


The best part was that it was right on the beach, so we ate our breakfast in a lounge chair with the sand beneath our toes and sipped on an ice-cold beer while watching the sunsets.  It also had a restaurant that served generous portions of yummy Cambodian food to include fresh fish and prawns.  Khim Vouch Lay Bungalow is family-owned, and they are all very lovely.  The owner even discounted our stay at the end, which was very kind.  Hands down, I recommend that you come to Rabbit Island and stay here.  You won’t be disappointed!

We used Booking.com for our accommodations – use our referral link so that you can get a $25 reward!  https://www.booking.com/s/43_8/roxyba87

Top 7 Things to Do in Kampot, Kep, and Rabbit Island

Kampot

1. Sunset Cruise on the Praek Tuek Chhu River. There are multiple boats that you can choose from that also offer happy hour specials

2. Bokor National Park for hiking and wildlife. You can take a scooter to the national park or hire a Grab

3. Phnom Chhngok Cave Temple is Cambodia’s only cave temple and is over 1,000 years old

4. Day Trip to Kep for a day at the beach and a crab lunch or dinner

Kep

1. Crab Market where you can go up to the dock and ask the women for their freshly caught seafood by the kilo. All you have to do is turn around to find someone to cook it for you.

2. Sailing Club for sailing, windsurfing, or kayaking. They also have a beautiful restaurant on the water, but it’s very pricey for the area

Rabbit Island

1. Relax, go swimming in the ocean, chill in a hammock, and read a book. That’s it!  If you want some exercise, take a walk or run around the island.

Where to Eat

Kampot

1. Lemongrass for authentic Cambodian food

2. The Loving Spoon for superb Thai food from a Thai family

3. BARACA for delicious tapas and refreshing gin cocktails

4. Happy Smile Pizza for $.50 drafts – so cheap!

5. Simple Things and Sun Bird for their delicious western food. We ate here several times for the healthy smoothies and vegetarian breakfasts

6. Couch Potatoes if you want a pub atmosphere with sports entertainment and craft beers. The place is owned by a bloke named Jem who is a gem.  We came here for a stand-up comedy night, featuring our new friend, Andy Curtain.  He’s hilarious.  Check him out!

Kep

1. Magic Crab for great food and a sunset viewing spot. I got crabs here and Mike got a chicken dish.  The whole meal was $17.50, which is pricey for the area.

2. Arts Café for fantastic coffee, artisanal goods, and great brekkie. It’s also a good spot to sit and work since the WiFi is strong.  The best part about this place is it’s on the water.  Literally.

Rabbit Island

1. We ate most of our meals at our bungalow because the food was just delicious and the portions sizes were generous.

Our Key Tips and Takeaways

1. While in the south of Cambodia, spend less time in Kampot and Kep and more time in Rabbit Island, especially if you want something a bit off the beaten path.

2. Don’t skip the crab in Kep!

Skybar

Phnom Penh, Cambodia: Top 5 Things to Do and More

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After a few days in Siem Reap, we ventured to the capital city of Phnom Penh with its vibrant expat community, congested streets, and decent food.  This place also served as a poignant reminder of the evils of mankind.  If you’re familiar with the Khmer Rouge and its reign of terror that it enacted on its own people in the 70s, then you know that this was indeed a tragic part of Cambodia’s history.  We were somewhat familiar with the Khmer Rouge after seeing movies like First They Killed My Father and reading about it in history books, but seeing the Killings Fields and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (formerly the Security Prison-21) was an unparalleled experience that truly portrays the horrors of this time period. 

The Khmer Rouge was a communist guerrilla group that took power after a military coup deposed the leader at the time, Prince Norodom Sihanouk.  With Pol Pot now at the helm, the Khmer Rouge sought to impose an agrarian society.  In so doing, brutal tactics became the norm – intellectuals, Buddhists, foreigners, and non-conformists were all exterminated – anyone who threatened the communist agenda and ideology.

Despite this not so long ago tragedy, the Cambodian people were always smiling and friendly.  It’s almost as if they are determined to expel their dark past by living positively and being happy.  I can’t blame them.

A part of us fell in love with Phnon Penh and we could picture ourselves living in this city as expats.  We got a taste of how foreign nationals live by going to Nerd Night, an event where young adults, mostly expats come together and impart knowledge of a skill or hobby – everything from flame throwing, artificial intelligence, and how to be more green.  Pro Tip: check out Facebook events when you’re in a city.  That’s how we discovered Nerd Night.  

We also watched the Patriots win yet another Superbowl (yawn) from a sports bar that was crowded with tons of expats. 

The reason that Phonm Penh has such a large community of do-gooders is because Cambodia has the second largest number of non-governmental organizations (NGO) per capita, behind Rwanda.  Another reason why this city is so attractive to us given our line of work in international development and social impact.   

We stayed in Phnom Penh on two different occasions since we had to fly out of Phnom Penh to get to the next leg of our trip – Malaysia.  The first trip, we were there for 3 nights and the second trip we spent 2 nights in the city.  You really only need 3 nights in Phnom Penh.

Getting There

We traveled to Phnom Penh from Siem Reap by bus.  There are different bus companies of varying comfort.  The best is Grand Ibis, but it is a bit more expensive at $15 per person.  If you’re on a budget like us, we opted for Crystal Express bus for $10 per person.  You can book a bus directly at the bus station or through a travel agency.  We were able to book through a place across the street from our hotel called Warm Bed Hostel that included pick-up from our hotel to the bus.  The 6-hour bus ride from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh is rather easy since the roads are pretty decent.

We then hopped into a tuk tuk for a few dollars to take us to our hotel.  The tuk tuk is a popular mode of transportation and it is cheap.  You can even request a tuk tuk using your Grab app (make sure to download this app when traveling in Southeast Asia!)

Accommodations

It was rather difficult to find budget accommodations that had a decent review because of Chinese New Year.  Pro Tip: Be aware of Chinese New Year and make sure that you book accommodations around this time in advance.  Places book up fast and many people take time off for this holiday.  We stayed at Relax Hotel.  It was decent hotel that included breakfast and a balcony in the room which had a great view of the city.  The only con was that it was a bit far from the riverfront where you can find many of the bars and better food options.

We used Booking.com for our accommodations – use our referral link so that you can get a $25 reward!  https://www.booking.com/s/43_8/roxyba87

Top 5 Things to Do in Phnom Penh

1. Choeung Ek Killing Fields – when visiting Phnom Penh, you must see the Choeung Ek Killing Fields. It’s a very sad place, as it is a mass gravesite where 17,000 men, women, and children were mercilessly executed.  Make sure to get an audio guide.  Choeung Ek is a 30-45 minute tuk tuk ride from the city center.  Make sure to strike a round trip deal with your driver – they’re willing to wait until you’re done visiting Choeung Ek.  We paid around $15 for four people, round trip.  

2. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum – otherwise known as the S-21 prison. This is another heartbreaking place where 1-2 million Cambodians and thousands of foreigners were imprisoned.  All were tortured and many died here.  The prison is located in the city center so it’s easy to get to.  I recommend going to the Tuol Sleng museum before visiting Choeung Ek so that you have more historical context.  Make sure to get the audio guide.   

                         This picture shows one of the survivors-he’s in the front entering the prison. 

3. Traditional Cambodian Dance at the National Museum of Cambodia – I strongly recommend buying tickets to see a show. We saw Earth & Sky performed, which featured Cambodian mythology, ancestral traditions, and village life through music and classical dance.  It was an enchanting experience that not only featured traditional dance, but vibrant costumes and masks.  You can book in advance or walk up and purchase tickets just before the show, which is what we did.  Tickets range from $15-$25.

4. Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda – the Royal Palace is currently the residence of King Sihamoni so parts of the palace are blocked off from the public. You can; however, see the Silver Pagoda ands its floor covered in five tons of silver.  Unfortunately, most of the tiles are covered to protect them, but some are visible near the entrance.  The entrance fee is $3, but you need to pay a couple dollars more for a camera, which is annoying.

5. Have a Drink at the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC) – this is a famous spot where journalists and foreign aid workers would grab a drink and mingle. The FCC has great views of the Tonle Sap river, especially at sunset.

Where to Eat

1. Alchemy Gastropub – good place for pub food and nice cocktails.

2. Cocina Cartel – for an amazing burrito bowl and marg.

3. ARTillery – for vegetarian food and yummy juices.

4. Babylon – right across the street from the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. It’s a good place to have lunch or dinner for some amazing falafel, hummus, and coffee.

5. Lumiere Rooftop – for drinks. It is quite expensive for drinks, but you’re paying for the view. They only have Tiger beer on happy hour (blah).

6. Namaste India Restaurant – has some of the best Indian food I’ve had.

7. Botanico Wine & Beer Garden – for drinks and live music. It’s a cool setting that is surrounded by greenery. 

Our Key Tips and Takeaways

1. You must visit the Choeung Ek Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Visit the Genocide Museum before going to the Killings Fields so that you have a historical understanding of the civil war and the Khmer Rouge regime.

2. If you’re in this area of the world for Chinese New Year, book your accommodations well in advance.

angkor wat complex 4

Siem Reap, Cambodia: Top 5 Things to Do and More

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Siem Reap was our point of entry into Cambodia from Hanoi, Vietnam.  The weather was a welcome break from the cold, dreary weather of Hanoi – 80 and 90 degree temps with sunshine.  Siem Reap is where the famous Angkor Temple Complex resides.  It is massive, spanning 400 square kilometers.  Many take a bus or tuk tuk to cover the long distances from temple to temple.  The temples were constructed in the 9th-15th centuries during the Khmer Empire, and are mostly well preserved.  The most famous temple is Angkor Wat.

Many tourists come to Siem Reap just for this attraction and then leave the country, which is a shame because there is so much more of Cambodia to discover than this touristy town. 

Siem Reap is pretty developed given all the money that tourism brings in.  There’s a downtown area called Pub Street with a nice walking street, night market, bars, and excellent restaurants for every budget. 

I was surprised with how relatively clean everything was too.  Garbage didn’t litter the streets as I had just seen in many places in Vietnam.  The town had a great vibe-lively with a lot of expats.  Side note, we learned that Cambodia has the second largest number of non-governmental organizations (NGO) per capita, behind Rwanda, which could explain why there are so many expats that choose to live in Cambodia. 

We stayed in Siem Reap for 4 nights, but you could get away with 3 nights or even stay a whole week.  As many people come to Siem Reap to see the Angkor Temple Complex, the number of nights they stay here is dictated by this primary activity.  More on this below.

Getting Here

We took Air Asia, a budget airline, from Hanoi, Vietnam.  It was an easy 2-hour flight for $160 USD.  We also took advantage of the lounge at Hanoi’s airport and got a full meal with drinks for free.  Stay tuned for Mike’s travel hacks on how you too can score lounge access.

You do need a visa for Cambodia.  It’s easy to obtain-you can get one upon entry into Cambodia.  It cost $30 dollars for Americans.  You’ll need a photo of yourself for the visa, if you don’t have one, then you can get it there a just pay little more.

Accommodations

We stayed at Cheng Lay Guesthouse, which was in the center Siem Reap’s downtown area.  It was a stone’s throw away from the Pub Street, but far enough away that we could sleep at night.  We stayed in a private room with its own bathroom, air conditioning, TV with cable.  The room was clean and the bed was comfortable (we’re starting to realize the importance of a great bed, especially when you’re on the move all the time).  We paid $13.65 USD a night, which was a good value for the location and condition of the room.  Breakfast, lunch and dinner is available at their restaurant.  We only ate the breakfast, which was simple, decent, and cheap.  I highly recommend staying here if you come to Siem Reap and are in search of budget accommodations.  Look out for our sticker!

Pro Tip:  I recommend staying close to Pub Street if you’re interested in exploring the downtown area and want some good food.  You can easily take a tuk tuk or bus to go the 20 minutes from the Pub Street area to the Angkor Temple Complex.  I’ll tell you more about the tour we arranged for Angkor Wat in just second.  There are accommodations that are located closer to the Angkor Temple Complex, but they are about a 10-15 minutes tuk tuk ride from Pub Street.

We used Booking.com for our accommodations – use our referral link so that you can get a $25 reward!  https://www.booking.com/s/43_8/roxyba87

Top 5 Things to Do in Siem Reap

If you’re staying more than a couple days in Siem Reap, then there are some things that you can do outside of the Angkor Temple Complex to keep you busy.

1. Angkor Temple Complex – There are different ticket packages that are available – 1 day, 3 days, and 7 days. We chose the three-day pass so that we could do the smaller loop on day 1, which includes Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples and then the larger loop on day 2.  The 3-day pass allowed us the flexibility to break up our temple touring, because you really can only see so many temples at one time, especially in the heat and with throngs of tourists.  We took a day in between the temple touring to sit by the pool and relax (our friends were staying at the Le Meridien so we were able to take advantage of their lush pool-thanks Jacob and Jessie!). 

I strongly recommend setting-up transportation (a tuk tuk or a van) to see the Angkor Temple Complex.  As for the guide, it’s a toss-up as to whether you get one that speaks your language well.  This really makes a difference.  On the first day, our guide spoke English well enough, but on the second day, we were given a different guide whose English was not great, so it was hard to understand him throughout the tour.  This was a bummer because there is so much history to understand.  In hindsight, we would have just hired the driver and bought a book on the history of the Angkor Temple Complex, which you can buy at the complex. There are many different companies that you can book the driver and/or guide through.  We used Siem Reap Shuttle.  To the extent that you can, make sure that your guide speaks your language well. 

The Siem Reap Shuttle provided an air-conditioned bus to pick us up from our hotel and take us directly to the Angkor Temple Complex.  The bus also picked us up from each temple and shuttled us to the next one.  This tour also takes you to a lunch spot on the complex.  The price of the food was on the higher side for the budget backpacker, but the Khmer food was excellent.

Pro Tip: Make sure that you wear appropriate clothing.  This means that shoulders and knees must be covered.  It will most likely be hot so consider wearing light, breathable material.

2. Explore Pub Street – this area is very lively with many things to do and see. If you’re into artisanal goods or just want to get the typical touristy t-shirt (because who wouldn’t!?) then you can shop around the night market.  You can also get a cheap foot massage after a long day of walking around and looking at temples.

3. Cambodia Landmine Museum – this museum educates the public on the dangers of landmines and the importance of removing them, especially in Cambodia, where landmines once littered the country during the rule of the Khmer Rouge. There are still landmines that remain in the country, and the government in collaboration with NGOs are working to remove the ordnance.

4. Angkor National History Museum – this is another museum that you can visit if you want to escape the heat and learn a little more about the history of the Khmer Empire.

5. Chill Pool Side – we were fortunate enough to escape the heat at the Le Meridien pool where our friends were staying. Because we stayed more than a couple of days in Siem Reap, we were able to break up our Angkor temple touring with a day by the pool.

Where to Eat

1. Cambodian Traditional Chef has good Khmer food and great happy hour prices.

2. Il Forno has excellent Italian food. The place is run by an Italian, which is a nice touch as he makes the rounds to the tables to check-in.

Our Key Tips and Takeaways

1. Book transport and a guide for the Angkor Temple Complex. Try to find a guide who speaks your language well.  If you can’t find one, get a book that explains the history of each temple you visit.

2. Get the 3-day pass that way you can do the smaller circuit on one day and the larger circuit on another day. You can also choose to take a break in between like we did.

3. Spend the time to explore Cambodia outside of Siem Reap.

Mike and Ellen White Sand Dunes

Mui Ne, Vietnam & Dalat, Vietnam: Top 9 Things to Do and More

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Mui Ne and Dalat are must-sees when you’re in southern Vietnam.  They are appealing for different reasons.  Mui Ne is a beach town that has diverse landscapes.  You can go from the ocean to the sand dunes that resemble a desert within 15 minutes. 

The one thing that surprised me about Mui Ne was that almost every sign was in Vietnamese and Russian.  It appeared that Mui Ne is a popular destination for the Russians. 

Dalat is a town that sits atop a mountain so it’s a bit cooler.  It is also a relatively cleaner city with little touches that made it a cute destination, like a beautiful lake in its city center and flowers planted in the roundabouts.  They’re also known as Vietnam’s wine country.  You’ve probably seen Dalat wine if you’ve traveled in Vietnam.  A major reason we came here is because Dalat has an airport, where we took a flight to Hanoi in the north of Vietnam.

I fell in love with Mui Ne because of its range of activities to include parasailing and ATV riding on the sand dunes.  I wish we stayed longer than the 2 days, 3 nights we had here.  I had a similar experience with Dalat and wished we stayed longer than 1 night.  Bottom line, you can’t go wrong with spending more time in these two cities. 

Accommodations in Mui Ne

What also made us feel connected to Mui Ne was our stay at Mui Ne Hills Hotel, a complex of hotels and a hostel where many fellow backpackers stayed.  The restaurant on the complex catered to the younger crowd and they had social events every night.  The hotel also books the popular Mui Ne excursions that include the red and white sand dunes, the fish market, and fairy stream.  I definitely recommend a stay here, especially if you want a social atmosphere.

Accommodations in Dalat

We booked a cheap hotel called Nguyen Minh Guesthouse for the one night we had here.  It exceeded our expectations.  The hotel was a family-run business.  It was clean and the breakfast was decent; the eggs were prepared well, hot baguettes were served, and homemade banana bread was the highlight.  The host even prepared breakfast for us when we showed up past the hours breakfast was served, fully expecting her not to.  The host also helped us book a shuttle to the airport.  I highly recommend staying here as a budget accommodation.

We used Booking.com for our accommodations – use our referral link so that you can get a $25 reward!  https://www.booking.com/s/43_8/roxyba87

Top 5 Things to Do in Mui Ne

You can book a package through your hotel or any travel agency that includes the first four things listed below.  Pro-Tip: you might be stopped at a police checkpoint on the road to any one of these destinations if you plan to go by scooter, so it’s best to go with an organized tour.  Check out our video that captures the first four activities.  If you plan on staying for more than one day, you can spend the rest of your time at the beach since the package tour takes one day.

1. Visit the White Sand Dunes

2. Visit the Fish Market

3. Visit the Fairy Stream


4. Visit the Red Sand Dunes

5. Chill at the beach and go parasailing, kite surfing, etc.

Top 4 Things to Do in Dalat

1. See the Crazy House – the Crazy House is just as it sounds. It’s a labyrinth of whimsical rooms, narrow corridors, bridges and balconies, ascending to a rooftop 5 or so stories up.  It looks like something from The Hobbit and Harry Potter.  You have to pay an entrance fee to get in.  I recommend going at sunset so that you can see the setting sun and Dalat skyline from Crazy House’s highest rooftop.


2. Have a drink at the Maze Bar – this place is a must-see for those who like to drink and even those who abstain from it. It’s an unassuming bar at first that demands the purchase of a cocktail as entrance fee.  At the back of the bar, you’ll encounter the bar’s hidden gem and what it is known for.  There is a massive maze that extends back and up.  I still don’t know if we actually reached the end of the maze. 

3. Go to the Night Market – the night market is situated in the city center adjacent to the lake. It’s more like a flea market where I assume more locals than tourists buy their clothes.  Nonetheless, you’ll find street vendors haggling you for the best price for their fresh strawberries (a Dalat specialty) among other things.

4. Tour the Vineyards and Vietnam’s Wine Country – we didn’t get to do this because we had limited time in Dalat; however, we wish we had visited the vineyards. The vineyards are situated in a bucolic, idyllic setting.

Our Key Takeaways and Tips

I’ll keep our key takeaways and tips sweet and short.  If you’re in southern Vietnam, you must visit Mui Ne and Dalat.  Also, make sure that you spend the right amount of time in these places, as they each have something special and unique to offer.

Ninh Binh Swing

Hanoi, Vietnam and Ninh Binh, Vietnam: Top 5 Things to Do and More

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My feelings about Hanoi are complicated.  It surpassed my expectations in terms of the friendliness of the people (we heard stories).  However, Hanoi was very polluted (we invested in some stylish face masks) and much colder than we would have liked. 

The latter part is our own fault – we should have visited the north of Vietnam at a different time of the year (we were there in January).  Keep in mind that the country of Vietnam is very long and spans different climates at one time.  While at one point during the year the north is cold and wet, the south is dry and hot.  It’s best to visit the north in the months of September to November and the south from December to April.  Don’t worry though-if you need a puffer, Hanoi is the place to find a great North Face knock-off. 

Hanoi is a massive city, housing roughly 8 million people and some multiplier of scooters on top of that.  It can be a bit overwhelming at times, but there is beauty in the chaos.  

I was prepared for a different vibe in Hanoi because we had heard from tourists, fellow travel bloggers, and southern Vietnamese alike, that the northern Vietnamese are not friendly.  If you’re familiar with Vietnam’s history, then you’re aware that the north of Vietnam was divided from the south of Vietnam until the late 1970s when the communist government of the north took over the entire country and unseated the democratic republic, “puppet” government of the south that was supported by the French at one time and then the United States.  We had a positive experience.  Everyone we encountered was nice and didn’t seem to want to take advantage of us being foreigners with each transaction we made.  Every exchange was fair, and in many cases friendly.  I could maybe attribute the difference in experiences to luck or our own awareness and preparedness.  

Hanoi has much to offer in the way of good food, coffee (their pride and joy), and tourist attractions within the city and surrounding attractions like Ninh Binh (pictured below), Soppong, and Halong Bay.  We visited Ninh Binh and Halong Bay and decided to skip Soppong because of its distance from Hanoi and we heard that it has become overcrowded with tourists, diminishing the authenticity of the experience.  Soppong is where you can observe hill tribes taking part in their own traditions and culture.  

Getting There

We got to Hanoi from Dalat by plane.  We took VietJet Air for $122.  It’s an easy plane ride that takes about 2 hours and is the best way to go from one end of the country to the othFer.

Accommodations in Hanoi

We stayed at two different hotels in Hanoi.  One was called the Hanoi Street View Hotel.  It was conveniently situated in the Old Quarter and was very much a budget hotel option.  For the most part, it was clean, aside from some odor, and the free breakfast was decent.  If you’re bothered by city noise, then don’t pick this hotel.  Otherwise, it was a great option for $15. The second place we stayed in was called Central Amazing for $18.  It was more conveniently located near the tourist attractions like the Hanoi Hilton and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.  Unfortunately, I can’t recommend this place because I thought it was too expensive for what we got – breakfast was not included, the host was absent (you had to contact her by phone in case you needed anything like toilet paper), and you could feel every spring in the bed.

Top 5 Things to Do in Hanoi

1. Visit the Hoa Lo Prison (also known as the Hanoi Hilton) – here you can see where the Vietnamese kept Prisoner’s of War (POW), like John McCain, during the Vietnam War.

Prior to the war, it was used to house political dissidents during Vietnam’s struggle for independence from the French.  In one of the rooms ominously stands a massive guillotine – it was a pretty chilling sight.  The exhibits that documented the treatment of the American POWs were often odd and distasteful portrayals. 

One caption in the museum read “From 1964-1973, a part of Hoa Lo Prison was used to detain American pilots, the majority of the engaged in ‘Dien Bien Phu in the air’ battle. Inside the stone walls of ‘Hanoi-Hilton’ was the daily life of American pilots.  No more flights on B-52s and carpet bombings, only a serene time for these American pilots to think about what happened and feel the beauty of peaceful life and warm humanity in Hoa Lo Prison.”

Nonetheless, it’s a place that one must see when visiting Hanoi.

2. Visit the Vietnam Military History Museum – this is a great place to go if you’re a military history buff.  Here you can find war artifacts from the Vietnam War and from Vietnam’s fight against the French.  

3. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum – this is Ho Chi Minh’s resting place and a place of pilgrimage for some Vietnamese.

4. Take a Day Trip to Ninh Binh – Ninh Binh is the closer day-trip alternative to Soppong. It’s breathtaking, tranquil, and a welcomed break from the smog and chaos of Hanoi.  Its main feature is the Hang Mua Peak and Mau Caves that you can ascend by trekking a steep and windy path.  Once you reach the top, you overlook rice paddies and a river that cuts through the valley. 


In case you’re curious about how we got to Ninh Binh, we rented a motorbike in Hanoi and made the 3-hour drive south with friends of ours.  

Pro Trip 1: When you arrive, do not fall for the parking scam!  Locals will flag you down on the road leading up to the Hang Mua Peak and Mua Caves demanding you to stop, park, and pay them for parking your bike.  Just ignore them and continue to the end of the road.  Your entrance ticket includes parking in the price.  

Pro Tip 2: I wouldn’t recommend motorbiking from Hanoi to Ninh Binh unless you’re a confident motorcyclist and if you plan on staying at least one night in Ninh Binh so as not to risk leaving Ninh Binh too late and driving in the dark.  We made the unfortunate mistake of leaving Ninh Binh too late, so the last half of our ride was in the dark.  Ugh.  Unfortunately, our friends, who had been following us, were aggressively driven off the rode by a truck and fell off their bike.  Luckily, they were alright except for a few cuts and bruises.

5. Escape Hanoi’s Chaos and Get a Massage – If you want a FANTASTIC massage, go to Mido Spa.  We had the best massage of our lives for a reasonable price.

There are also many other places that you can visit including the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, which showcases Vietnam’s ethnic groups and the Fine Arts Museum.

Our Key Takeaways and Tips

  1. Visit Hanoi in the dry season and when it’s warmer
  2. Consider watching Ken Burns’ documentary on the Vietnam War to give you helpful context and history about the war
  3. Consider taking a trip to Ninh Binh instead of Soppong
  4. Pay attention when walking around because there are many scooters and crazy drivers
Mike and View

Halong Bay, Vietnam: Choosing The Right Cruise and Top 3 Things to Do

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Halong Bay was beautiful, despite the chilly temps and fog of its cold, rainy season in January.  I would recommend visiting Halong Bay in the Fall (September to November).  In any event, you can’t miss this place if you’re in northern Vietnam.  It boasts beautiful rock formations surrounded by water for miles.  If you’ve seen Skull Island, this is where the movie was filmed. 

Accommodations in Halong Bay 

We decided to stay in Halong Bay for two nights, three days, which is an option that you can book through one of the many cruise companies that operate here.  Some opt for one night, two days on a cruise or just a day trip.  Our friends, who we met in Phu Quoc and whom we had traveled with throughout much of Vietnam, recommended one cruise called, Mon Cheri.  Their research indicated that it was the best value for the money (all activities are included in the price) and the ratings were excellent, so we booked a 3-day, 2-night excursion as well.  

Initially, I was conflicted about whether I could recommend Mon Cheri without having experienced any other cruise option in Halong Bay and given our own experience on their boat.  It’s my understanding that many of the cruises are “same-same” with some differences.  Bear with me as I break down our experience for you. 

Mon Cheri is one of the luxury cruises (it has a price tag to match it).  The boat is very nice and the rooms are on par with rooms you’d find in a nicer hotel chain, which is great, but you don’t get much time to enjoy the luxury of your room.  On the first day, we had no complaints, and everything went smoothly – the staff were all smiles, the lunch and dinner were excellent, and we had a spring roll cooking demonstration in the evening.  They also decorated our room for our honeymoon.

On the second day, you’re given a full day itinerary that has you off the boat from 7:30am-4:00pm (with all CAPS on the itinerary that the boat will leave you if you aren’t ready at 7:30am sharp) with a strict breakfast time of 7:00am-7:25am and a 6:45am wake-up call!  FML.  The third day included another 6:45am wake-up for the half-day excursion.  In order to actually enjoy the room and the boat’s amenities, which include a spa and gym, you have to go rouge and request to stay on the boat.  We skipped the third day’s excursion and our friends skipped the second day’s.  But if you miss the 7:00am breakfast, because you prefer to sleep-in on your vacation, then you weren’t going to eat until lunch, unless you catch a local row by on their floating 7-11 (the Pringles saved the day). 

We realized the reason we were off the boat for the entire day on the second day (
7:30am-4:00pm), was because we had to be – the staff wouldn’t let us go back early even at our request.  This is because the boat operation is a well-oiled machine – the boat went back to the harbor to pick up a fresh batch of tourists.  This would be fine if weren’t held hostage on a small boat until 4pm.  The whole experience was low-key intense.  You’re on vacation, but not really.

There are two other experiences worth mentioning – one being very bizarre.  Even though we paid a pretty penny for the cruise, we were not allowed access to free coffee or tea during our stay. There was free coffee and tea during breakfast, but once breakfast was over, you’d have to pay the equivalent of $2 for coffee or tea.  In my opinion, if you’re paying a J.W. Marriott price, then you should be given complimentary coffee and tea. 

The second experience that we had was bizarre and awkward.  At our last meal, which was lunch on the third day, the staff gave everyone free scarves, which I soon realized were only to butter us up before the survey that the staff handed out minutes later (even before we had the chance to finish our meal). 

The survey was your standard survey that asked you to rate different aspects of the experience including the food, beverages, and excursions and a place to leave comments on the back.  We decided to take the time to fill out the survey because we felt pressure to complete it, and because we wanted to communicate some of the things we had observed over the course of our stay.  The staff did not take kindly to our honest feedback, which was overwhelmingly positive by the way, and bombarded our table in the middle of our meal, asking us to change our review so that they wouldn’t get in trouble.  For example, they wanted us to change our 1/5 beverage rating to 4/5.  If you recall our chief complaint was that we couldn’t get complimentary coffee or tea.  Never have I been confronted to change my feedback on a survey especially when trying to finish my meal.  Not only did they accost us once, but four different times while we were at our table!  I was very close to throwing myself overboard.  When it was time to disembark, we couldn’t get off fast enough.  Word of advice: don’t take the survey. 

Bottom line, I wouldn’t spend the money for Mon Cheri.  I would go for a cheaper option for 1 night, 2 days because many are same-same, and you’re not on the boat for much of the time anyway so what does the boat matter?

We used Booking.com for our accommodations – use our referral link so that you can get a $25 reward!  https://www.booking.com/s/43_8/roxyba87

Top 3 Things to Do in Halong Bay

The activities listed below were included as part of our Mon Cheri booking.

1. Visit the Dark and Bright Cave – you’ll have an option to do this by kayak or bamboo boat.

2. Day-trip to Viet Hai Village – you’ll board a small boat to Viet Hai village for an hour or so. Once you arrive, you’ll bike to Viet Hai Village, which was cute and bucolic.  There wasn’t much to do there aside from biking around and seeing the beautiful scenery, which was a nice change of pace if we were to get off the boat.


3. Visit the Trung Trang Cave – the cave is 300 meters long and located on Cat Ba island.

Our Key Takeaways and Tips

  1. Do your research on the different cruise options
  2. Go for the 2-day, 1-night option instead of a 3-day, 2-night option
  3. Paying a boatload (pun intended) does not equate to a better experience
Marriott

Phu Quoc, Vietnam: Stay at a Marriott Resort for Free

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Phu Quoc is an island off the coast of Vietnam.  If you look at it on a map, you might think, “wait a minute, shouldn’t this be in Cambodia?”  In fact, you can see Phu Quoc from Cambodia’s coast.  Phu Quoc has a bit of a sad past.  For years, it was home to Coconut Tree Prison to house political dissidents and prisoners of war.  It reminded me a lot of Guantanamo Bay.  The prison is now a museum and Phu Quoc is now a burgeoning beach resort destination. 

We cashed in our Marriott points for a 5-night stay at J.W. Marriott’s Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort.  We’ll be writing a post on how you can stay at a J.W. Marriott resort for free!  Stay tuned for those travel tips.  Suffice it to say, we didn’t do much touring around – it was more of a relaxation trip and honeymoon celebration. 

The J.W. Marriott Phu Quoc Resort was located on the south of the island and it was absolutely beautiful and unique.  The resort is designed like a university – each of the housing complexes and restaurants is named after some academic department and there are interesting touches like a soccer field.  It’s new and was built only two years ago; however, they have a mold problem that they acknowledge is an issue.  Mike had a reaction the whole time we were there, which put a bit of a damper on the experience.  Otherwise, we had a great stay. 

Pro Tip: you may want to buy snacks and alcohol either before arriving in Phu Quoc or just outside of the resort gates (there are small convenient stores with reasonably priced alcohol and food).  Food and alcohol are expensive at the resort, and since we were on a budget, we had to economize.  We stocked up prior to landing on the island while we were in Rach Gia (the port town on the main land), but we didn’t let that stop us from getting a meal at a local restaurant on the main road. 

One of the cool things about this resort is that they have multiple free and paid activities for children and adults throughout the week.  The activities that we participated in were all free (being on a backpacker budget and all) and included mindfulness, a sleeping better tutorial, a bike trip to the nearby Coconut Tree Prison and Phung Hung Fish Sauce Factory, paddle board yoga, and beer yoga.  That’s right, we performed warrior poses with a beer in hand.  My kind of yoga. 


There were only a couple of times when we ventured off the resort.  One trip was to see the Coconut Tree Prison (a bit of a misnomer, if you ask me) and Phung Hung Fish Sauce Factory.  The Coconut Tree Prison was a dark place in Phu Quoc’s history.  It was a prison built by the French during their colonization of Vietnam, where they imprisoned political dissidents.  It was then used during the Vietnam War by the South Vietnamese Government and Americans to house prisoners of war as well as political dissidents.  Inhumane treatment and torture were commonplace while the prison was active. 

We then made an abrupt transition to see the Phung Hung Fish Sauce Factory next door.  You knew you were close because the fish smell that emanated from the building was unmistakable.  The fish sauce is a popular accompaniment with many Vietnamese dishes; however, it is an acquired taste.  It has a pungent flavor and smell – not my favorite. 

Our Phu Quoc experience was a bit different since we stayed at a resort, but a popular spot to check-out is the north of the island where you can do some outdoorsy activities and find cheaper accommodations.

Getting Here

We took a ferry from the port town of Rach Gia in order to get to Phu Quoc.  But first, to get to Rach Gia, we took the FUTA Bus Line for 240,000 VND ($10.32) from Can Tho.  It was an easy 4-hour bus ride.  

Rach Gia was a nice surprise for a port town.  We didn’t expect it to be as cute, clean, and lively as it was.  In case you’re curious, we stayed at the Kiet Hong Hotel for one night, which was perfect.  We highly recommend this hotel because of its proximity to the pier – you can walk there from the hotel.  They also went above and beyond to give you the best customer service to include free tea, water, taxi service to and from the bus station, board games in the room, and a booklet highlighting places to eat.

Now, back to the ferry.  We took the Superdong Ferry from Rach Gia to Phu Quoc cost 350,000 VND ($15) (one-way) and the ride was about 2 hours.  It was a clean ferry, but the seats are crammed together, four to a row, like on an airplane.

Boat Woman

Can Tho, Vietnam: Top 3 Things to Do and More

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Can Tho is a small city just south of Ho Chi Minh (about 4 hours by bus).  It’s a small town with very friendly people – a nice break from the chaos of Ho Chi Minh City.  The reason we decided to come here was because we heard that this was the place to go if you want to see the famous floating market, Cai Rang, on the Mekong.  For the past 30 years, the floating market has been a primary means of local food commerce, where everything from potatoes to fish are sold from small, simple boats.  Boats indicate what they sell by casting a long pole up into the air, from which they hang a piece of produce, like a carrot. 

In recent years, the number of boats has become fewer and fewer due to the pace of modernization and development in the country, namely advancements in transportation and infrastructure-people now buy their goods from markets and stores on land.  I fear that in a matter of a few years, the floating market will be something that you can only read about in the history books, which is really a shame because it was something unique to witness.  

We had the opportunity to check-out Sau Hoai S Rice Noodle Factory while on our tour of the Mekong and Cai Rang Floating Market.  This part of Vietnam is known as the “Rice Bowl”.  80% of the people in this area cultivate rice, and Vietnam is the second largest exporter of this staple, behind Thailand.  So of course, you’re going to find noodles made from rice.  The coolest part was that the staff let you try your hand at making the rice noodle yourself.  It’s a delicate and involved process that made you appreciate the work behind it. 

The lady who steered our little boat took us down a stretch of the Mekong that was surrounding by greenery.  It was a serene spot that served as a perfect romantic photo opp (@travelcouples_ featured our photo on Instagram).  The woman who owned the boat also made us bracelets and rings made out of banana leaves to commemorate our recent marriage.  One resembled a grasshopper and the other a rose.  It was such a sweet gesture. 

We’ve heard mixed reviews about longer boat rides down the Mekong.  Many say that the Mekong is mostly littered with trash so it’s not worth the trip.  Honestly, the half day boat trip did the trick for us, and I could see what people meant about the trash issues.  It was sad sight to see the blanket of garbage that littered the edges of the Mekong.

You only need 2 nights here.  You could even get away with only 1 night. 

Getting Here

We took the FUTA Bus Line, which we highly recommend for its professionalism and condition of the buses.  They also give you a bottle of water and a wet wipe.  The booking process was easy – we booked a bus in Ho Chi Minh City at their store near Bui Vien Walking Street.  The bus cost 250,000 VND ($10.75).

Accommodations

We stayed at Amazon 1 hostel, which I would recommend.  We booked a private room; however there are also dorm room options.  A cool feature of the hostel was that it had a little rooftop with lounge chairs where you could socialize.  We paid 671,500 VND ($28.87).

The hostel conveniently books tours of the Cai Rang Floating Market and Sau Hoai S Rice Noodle Factory for you. 

We used Booking.com for our accommodation – use our referral link so that you can get a $25 reward!  https://www.booking.com/s/43_8/roxyba87

Top 3 Things to Do in Can Tho

1. Visit the Cai Rang Floating Market, Sau Hoai S Rice Noodle Factory, and Take a Little Boat Trip Down the Mekong – We paid about $40 for a package that included transportation to the boat, the boat to the floating market and rice noodle factory, an English-speaking guide, and breakfast.  Most hotels will book the tour for you, and we were able to do so at Amazon 1.  Pro Tip: make sure that you insist on a guide that speaks English well and that you don’t have a boat with a noisy motor.  Unfortunately, our guide didn’t speak much, even though she knew English, so we had to probe her for information that she would quickly look up on her phone. 

2. Visit the Night Market and Town Square – every night there is a night market near the Mekong River.  It resembles more of a flea market where locals can purchase everything from socks to t-shirts.  There is also a very lively town square that borders the river.  It’s a nice spot to sit on a park bench and people watch.  There’s also a towering statue of Ho Chi Minh at one end.  Try a hot pot for dinner at any one of the restaurants in the area.

3. Go to the Iris Hotel Sky Bar – this place is only worth it for the views of the Mekong and town.  Otherwise, the drinks are just okay and the prices are a bit higher.  You’re paying for the view, but it’s worth it.

Our Key Takeaways and Tips

You don’t need to spend much time here to see what Can Tho has to offer.  I wouldn’t spend more than 2 nights here to see the highlights.

  1. Book a tour package for:
  2. Cai Rang Floating Market
  3. Sau Hoai S Rice Noodle Factory
  4. Boat Trip Down the Mekong
Vietnam Mural

Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam: Top 8 Things to Do and More

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After about two weeks in the rainy north of Vietnam, we were desperate for some Vitamin D so we escaped to the south.  When visiting Vietnam, it’s best to visit the south from January to August when it is the dry season.  The rainy season in the north runs from March to November and it can be pretty chilly in December and January so we plan to go up to Hanoi and the surrounding area in February with the hope that temps will rise just a bit.  

Our first stop was Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), otherwise known as Saigon.  Saigon became Ho Chi Minh City with the victory of North Vietnam’s Communist government on July 2, 1976.  This date heralded the end of the revolution and the official division between the communist north and the commonly termed “puppet” government of the south, which was theoretically a democratic republic, and in practice a corrupt and unpopular government.

The only way I can readily describe Ho Chi Minh City is it is like New York City on steroids, but much dirtier and crowded with scooters (or a Bangkok on steroids if you have been there).  There were more scooters on the road than I had ever seen in my life and yet they moved so effortlessly through traffic and around one another.  It was my impression that pedestrian traffic is the exception and not the rule because there really was nowhere to walk.  The sidewalks either served as a parking lot for scooters or an additional lane.  We made a joke out of guessing whether any path of concrete next to the road was actually a sidewalk.  Also, good luck trying to cross the street.  Mike and I realized that you just have to walk out into the street with conspicuous confidence and they’ll navigate around you.  I had one eye open each time we did this.  Despite the chaos we did not witness one accident, although Mike was literally “flat tired” on the back of his sandals twice when walking down Bui Vien – scooters would trail you that closely.

We stayed in HCMC for 3 nights, which was the right amount of time because the pollution and dirt were oppressive along with the chaotic pace.  Side note – during the Vietnam War, 80% of the people living in surrounding rural areas moved to HCMC because of the sudden economic prosperity brought by the Americans during the Vietnam War.  It is still the case that the Vietnamese people go to HCMC in search of good jobs and pay – we heard this from a local in Can Tho, a city in the Mekong Delta.  The city has 8.6 million people, just a little more than Bangkok!

Getting There

We took a flight from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City.  Because we booked a flight only two days in advance (again, we were desperate to leave the rain and cold), so we paid a bit more.  We flew one of Vietnam’s budget airlines, VietJet Air, for $168 total. 

Once we arrived in HCMC, we took a Grab for only 92,000 VND ($3.76) from the airport to District 1 where our hostel was.  Grab is the Uber for Thailand and Vietnam and is usually cheaper than a metered taxi.  By the way, HCMC is broken into 19 districts and District 1 is the central business district and main party area.

Accommodations

We stayed at WillHome Hostel for 3 nights at a rate of $19.68 a night with breakfast.  We used Booking.com to make the reservation.  The staff were very transactional – the hostel didn’t have the welcoming, social vibe we were hoping for, unfortunately.  Otherwise, the room was clean (aside from a small ant infestation) with a 180-degree view of the city.  It was also very close to the main party street known as Bui Vien, but far enough away so that you could get a good night’s sleep.  

We used Booking.com for our accommodation – use our referral link so that you can get a $25 reward!  https://www.booking.com/s/43_8/roxyba87

Top 8 Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City

Many of the points of interest are located in District 1, which is where I advise you stay when you visit HCMC.  Here are the top spots to go:

1. The War Remnants Museum – was the most interesting thing to see on this trip.  Mike and I have learned about the Vietnam War and were eager to see how it was portrayed from the other side.  I had mixed feelings about the museum, some of the exhibits were obviously biased in favor of the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese government at the time; however, the portrayal of this part of history was not overly imbalanced.  There were exhibits that were tastefully done and did depict the truthful horrors of the war.  The Agent Orange exhibit was especially hard to witness, which showed the effects of napalm gas on its unfortunate victims.  There were also a few military tanks and aircraft parked on the lawn.  Entrance fee was 40,000 VND per person ($1.70). 

2. Vietnam History Museum – for all of you history buffs, this is where you can get a great snapshot of Vietnam’s rich history.  The museum had wonderful pieces that included prehistoric artifacts, Champa statues (this was really the highlight for me), and many other interesting relics.  The entrance fee was 30,000 VND per person ($1.30). 

3. The Central Post Office – definitely worth a visit.  It was built in the late 1800s and is based on the design of Gustave Eiffel (yep, the guy who designed the Eiffel Tower).  It reminded me of a 20th century railway station in Europe.  On the wall, there are paintings of two maps: one shows the telegraph lines that crisscross Vietnam and Cambodia and the other displays a map of the Saigon region in 1892.  There is, of course, a large painting of Ho Chi Minh as well.  It is still an active post office.

4. Notre Dame Cathedral – no, not the same one that is in Paris, and it pales in comparison.  It was built between 1877 and 1883 by the French (remember, they colonized Vietnam) and was considered the most beautiful cathedral in the former French colonies.  It is an active church and provides mass in both Vietnamese and English. 

5. Bui Vien Walking Street – mosey down this street especially at night when you can check out the crazy side shows (like flame swallowers) and people watch while sipping on a drink at one of the many bars.  I consider it the Khao San Road of Vietnam, and this is where many backpackers go to party. 

6. Duc Vong Hotel, The View Rooftop Bar – catch some rooftop views at their bar called The View.  It is on Bui Vien and has great happy hour deals with a decent view of HCMC’s skyline.  There are many other sky bars in HCMC, but they range in price.  You can check out others like Chill SkyBar, Saigon Saigon Rooftop Bar, and Level 23 at the Sheraton, but they are more expensive.

7. Ben Thanh Market – was nothing special, honestly, particularly since we had already been to many indoor markets of its kind during our travels.  The market sold everything from fake flowers to knock-off designer clothing.  If you’re in search of a $20 Gucci bag or a tube of Colgate, this is your spot.

8. Saigon Center – if you need to do some shopping, there are many different shopping places in HCMC offering everything from real Versace to knock-off Versace.  I needed to get some make-up replenished so I stopped by Saigon Center, which had everything I needed.

You can also see Independence Palace or take a day trip to see the Cu Chi Tunnels, which is a network of tunnels used during the Vietnam War.  We decided to skip the Cu Chi Tunnels because we heard it was overrated.  As for Independence Palace, you only need to walk past it. 

Food and Beer

I feel as if I must talk about the craft beer in addition to the food this time because the city had a lot of great options.  For some great reason, HCMC has a burgeoning craft beer culture.

Food

1. Pho Hung was recommended to us by the hostel, and it was a fantastic quick and cheap option for pho.  There were about 30 different options of pho to choose from and the pho was delicious and the best I’ve had during my month in Vietnam. 

2. If you’re staying around Bui Vien and want some good breakfast, go to Góc Hà Nội-Little HaNoi Egg Coffee where you can get great avo toast (what can I say, I’m a millennial) and try egg coffee.  Evidently during the war, condensed milk, which is often used in Vietnamese coffee, was very expensive so they used egg as a substitute.  Not my favorite thing in the world, but worth a try.

3. We tried out L’Usine Café since it was near a lot of the main attractions and rated well.  It was on the pricer side, but it had decent breakfast and coffee.  It also had a trendy vibe with a cute store on the main floor.

4. Nonla Guys is one street over from Bui Vien.  It is an Asian-Mexican restaurant that offered a nice twist to the usual Mexican food I’ve had.  The restaurant was also filled with young backpackers, so the vibe was very social.

Beer

1. Heart of Darkness Craft Brewery for excellent beer and a great vibe.  We didn’t get any food here because we were on a backpacker budget, but it looked good!  In case you’re wondering, the beers are based off of the Heart of Darkness book by Joseph Conrad.

2. Rooster Beers near Bui Vien also had fantastic beers.  We went there twice, and it was intimate enough that you could chat up your neighbors.

3. Ong Cao Craft Beer is on the main Bui Vien street.  Had super friendly staff and of course, great beer.

4. East West Brewery was a very scene spot.  We just had one beer there, but the food looked great and they offered discounted prices for lunch if you took a voucher on the way out.   

5. BiaCraft was a nice pitstop on our walk to the Vietnam History museum.  It had a huge selection of beer and ciders to choose from.

Our Key Takeaways and Tips

HCMC is Vietnam’s biggest city in the south.  The city has a lot to offer, but it can be sensory overload.  Spend only 2-3 days here before you get overwhelmed.

  1. Stay in District 1 since this is where all the touristy things are as well as the nightlife, shopping, and restaurants
  2. If you’re into craft beer, get your mug full here
  3. Grab a drink or two on one of HCMC’s many rooftop bars
  4. Go to Pho Hung for tasty, inexpensive pho.  It’s the best I’ve ever had  
Nonla Pic 2

Hoi An, Vietnam: Top 4 Things to Do and More

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Before the crack of dawn we boarded the sleeper bus in Pakse, Laos that had a direct route to Da Nang, Vietnam.  It was the first sleeper bus of its kind that we took with narrow bunk beds that Mike barely fit into.  His feet were practically on top of the head of the person in front of him. 

I couldn’t help but gloat in that moment because finally my 5”2’ height was to my advantage.  The bus was not the cleanest – there were bags of chicken feed in the aisle and some sticky substance on the floor that we had to walk on barefoot (you’re made to talk of your shoes upon entering the bus).  The guy on the top bunk who dangled his dirty feet in my face was also a nice touch. 

BUT the bus got us from point A to B and it was cheap (it cost 500,000 LAK, which equates to about $60 for two people).  We were the only foreigners on the bus, aside from one lovely English girl who was nice company on the long ride.  We also commiserated during the more stressful parts of the journey that included an intense border crossing into Vietnam and continually being shouted at by the bus operators and driver as they shuttled us on and off the bus.  After a 14-hour bus ride that seemed like eternity, we finally arrived in Da Nang, Vietnam-smelly, tired, and hungry. 

Pro-Tip: Make sure to get your visa for Vietnam in advance.  We got ours at the Vietnam Embassy in Vientiane (Laos’ capital) in 2 days.

We recommend staying in Hoi An for 2-3 nights.  Since we were celebrating Christmas here and because we needed to stay in a spot to set up our website, we hunkered down in Hoi An for 7 nights.

Getting There

We arrived around 4:00pm on December 23 at the Da Nang bus station.  While I waited with the bags, Mike hustled around the bus station in search of a local bus that could take us from Da Nang to Hoi An (20 miles south of Da Nang), which was our final destination and where we were planning on celebrating Christmas.  We finally found one: Bus #1 which is a yellow bus that runs from Da Nang to Hoi An and back for roughly 30,000 VND ($1.30) per person.  It is a longer option and can take 45-60 minutes to get to the Hoi An bus station.  Be forewarned, you’re at the mercy of the local bus operator.  They are blatant and unforgiving in their collection of bus fares, so we got the gringo tax and paid twice as much as the locals.  It was obviously frustrating, but what can you do?

Accommodations

We booked 7 nights at the Sun Boat Hotel in Hoi An.  The hotel borders the Thu Bon river, which was an excellent setting for watching the sunrise from our balcony and capturing some drone footage (check it out on our Brown Flip Flops YouTube channel).  We booked a nicer spot for Christmas given the occasion, but it was still relatively cheap by western standards, costing us $26.71 a night.  The breakfast was delicious and included everything from baguettes, eggs, smoothies, and muesli.  The room included all the necessities – TV, toiletries, room service, a stocked fridge, and even a balcony and pool.  Unfortunately, we didn’t get to use the pool because it was either overcast or raining the whole time we were in Hoi An.  

We used Booking.com for our accommodation – use our referral link so that you can get a $25 reward!  https://www.booking.com/s/43_8/roxyba87

Side note-we missed the memo that the rainy season is not sequenced with Thailand’s and Laos’s, and that this part of Vietnam does not start to get dry until January so we had rain everyday for most of the day.  Oh well.  We took it as a “meant to be” moment since we needed the down time to develop and launch our travel website. 

Second side note-building our website came with a bit of a learning curve.  Neither of us had experience building a website, but we were determined.  With much sweat and hard work and with the help of Hogan Chua’s YouTube video, an expert when it comes to website development, we were finally in a place to launch our website, which we did on January 2, 2019 (yay!).  We can now say we are website developers. *Pats self on back*.

Top 4 Things to Do in Hoi An

I call Hoi An a “boutique” town given its charming vibe.  It’s a clean place with a quaint ancient town that has a mix of old Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, and French style architecture.  It reminded me a lot of Luang Prabang, Laos and has been one of my favorite places.  Here is a list of the top 4 things to do when in Hoi An:

1. Visit the Ancient Town – walk around the Ancient Town to do some shopping and see some of the beautiful architecture, including the Chinese Assembly Halls, and trot over the Japanese Bridge.  The Ancient Town is very picturesque and unique with a mix of Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, and French architecture.  The area was especially cute this time of year because of Christmas.  Many of the shops had Christmas decorations and played Christmas music, which I loved since it’s my favorite holiday.

The Ancient Town is known for its leather goods and there are many shops around the area where you can get anything from custom-made leather bags to shoes.  I actually got a pair of leather sandals made for 18 bucks.  The Ancient Town also has a bustling market where you can get any kind of food you want.  As you walk around, make sure you are alert because the streets are teeming with scooters and cyclists jostling for space on the streets and sidewalks.  You can also buy a nonla and a fashionable poncho-they’re great rain accessories.  

We spent most of our time here when we weren’t working on our blog, and ate most of our meals here as well.   My food recommendations are below.

2. Marble Mountains – this is a day trip from Hoi An and you’ll want to wear your sneakers.  You can explore 5 mountains that offer panoramic views, caves, and Buddhist sanctuaries.

3. Bay Mau Coconut Forest – take a coracle boat and take in the surrounding coconut forest.

4. Ba Na Hills – this is a day trip from Hoi An as it is technically located in Da Nang.  You’ll have to put your fear of heights aside as you’ll need to jump on a cable car to get 3,280 feet in the air.  There you’ll see the famous golden bridge held by a set of stone hands.  It’s a sight to see, but be aware that it’s a tourist trap.

Food

As far as food, many of the better places to eat are in the Ancient Town.  Here is what I recommend:

1. For Christmas dinner, we went to Hoi An Steak House Restaurant, which had a set menu that we took advantage of.  It included a smorgasbord of meats – pork chops, steak, sausage, chicken breasts – and fries, a salad, sautéed veggies, and two glasses of red wine.  It was absolutely delish, and I’m realizing as I write this, we sound fat.  Oh well, ‘tis the season!

2. If you want Japanese food, go to Tadioto.  It was our favorite place because of the ambience, service, and quality of food – we went twice.  It had a trendy vibe, and there happened to be expats and non-obnoxious tourists each time we went, which was a nice comfort. 

3. For a mix of Vietnamese and American food, you can get decent grub at Little Flower Restaurant and Firefly Restaurant & Bar.  The owners were very friendly,  and it was a perfect atmosphere after long days of website development.  These places were also conveniently located 5 minutes from our hotel.

4. For phenomenal burgers, go to Burgers Plus.  The quality of the burgers and wedge fries were superb.  They even had a combo option for 140,000 VND (roughly $7) that included a burger, fries, and a beer.  Can’t argue with that. 

5. For a nice breakfast, you can check out Avos and Mango.  If the resident puppy alone doesn’t sell you on this place, then you have no heart.  They had an interesting take on their coffee, which is blended with avocado – not my favorite, but I’ll given them credit for the ingenuity.  Their avo toast is bomb though.

Our Key Takeaways and Tips

Hoi An is a must when in Vietnam.  It has a unique charm, especially around Christmas with a festive backdrop to celebrate the holiday.

  1. Grab a bicycle and cycle around Hoi An’s Ancient Town
  2. Tour around the Ancient Town and do some shopping.  Consider getting a custom-made leather bag or shoes
  3. If you want a break from Vietnamese food, this is the place to do it.  You’ll find lots of diverse options
  4. Take day trips out of Hoi An 

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