Top 7 Tips When Traveling to Vietnam

You're just a few days away from your Vietnam adventure travel holiday and scrambling to find out as much as possible before you go. With the tips below, the only thing you'll feel before you go on your family adventure vacation is excitement!

When to Go: Know the Climate

Vietnam's climate is complex and seasons vary depending on your destination. The north is warm, dry and sunny between September and December, though you'll need warm clothes for chilly evenings in the mountains. December to February can be surprisingly cold with temperatures as low as 10*C (50F). The rainy season starts in June with heavy downpours.

The Central region has a wet climate, though the dry season lasts from February to May, after which is humid and rainy, with temperatures around 30*C (86F). Between November and January, the rains subside. The dry season in the lower east coast and South lasts from December to May and is followed by a rainy season. Daily temperatures here rarely fall below 20*C (68F) and mostly rain falls in short downpours.

Money and Valuables

• Store Cash, credit cards and valuables in a safe place. Most 4-star hotels have in-room safes; otherwise ask the reception to store valuables in their safe deposit. 
• Never carry more money than you need nor wear large amounts of jewelry when walking along the street. In Vietnam, it's considered impolite to flaunt wealth and you're more likely to be a pickpocket's victim. 
• Monetary transactions are best made in cash in the local currency, the Dong. Vietnamese merchants will also gladly accept USD, but bring along small bills. ATM's dispense only large bills which can be difficult to break. 
• Credit cards are used in the large cities, but may be difficult to use in smaller towns.

What to Wear

In Vietnam, the dress code is casual but conservative. Unless you plan on dinners at ultra-upscale restaurants, there is no need for formal clothes. When packing, the main thing to consider is the weather, as it can be cold in the northern mountains and at the same time, hot and humid on the central coast.

• For winter months in the mountains, long jeans and a warm coat are necessary. For the more tropical areas, lightweight, quick-drying clothes are appropriate. 
• Rain can catch you anywhere in Vietnam, so lightweight raingear is essential. 
• Good hiking shoes for treks are a must, and sandals and flip-flops are good for coastal destinations. 
• Dress appropriately so as not to offend local people. Clothing should be kept simple and discreet. Avoid wearing shorts, tank tops or low neck-lines.

Additional Useful Accessories

• Bring along a good sun-protectant as local products are unreliable. 
• A wide-brimmed hat to shade your face and neck, and sunglasses with high UV protection are necessary. 
• Though there aren't really mosquitoes in the towns and cities, a bug repellent based on natural ingredients is recommended for itineraries including treks and forested areas. 'Deet' based repellents can cause rashes in humid climates. 
• To be safe, bring an extra pair of reading glasses or orthopedic shoes, if you wear them. 
• For conventional cameras, plenty of film and extra batteries are necessary, as these have virtually disappeared in Vietnam. For digital cameras, equipment is readily available.

Follow Local Customs

• Remove shoes when entering temples, pagodas or Vietnamese homes. 
• It is considered extremely rude to wear shorts or dresses and tops with low neck-lines and bare shoulders to temples and pagodas. 
• Handshaking is the normal way of greeting in Vietnam. But Vietnamese people should not be touched on the head.

Shopping in Vietnam

Vietnam is a bargain hunter's haven with Hanoi, Saigon and Hoi An top shopping destinations.

• Hanoi's Old quarter is excellent for visitors, its streets filled with small shops selling clothes, fabrics, gold and all manner of articles. 
• Hanoi's Dong Xuan Market and Saigon's Ben Thanh Market are both worth visiting. 
• For "designer-styled" clothing, Hoi An is the place to go. 
• Hill tribes in the north and Central Highlands sell colorful hand-crafted goods and silk paintings. 
• Bargaining is a cultural 'must' and should be good-natured as "saving face" is very important in Vietnam.

Tipping in Vietnam

Tipping is not expected but very much appreciated. A good guide may receive $10 per day and a driver $5 per day.

It is considered proper to make a small donation when visiting a pagoda, especially when accompanied by a priest. Most pagodas have contribution boxes for this purpose.

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Vietnam Cycling Tours - The Best Cycling Tour Collection in Vietnam

It is great to know that Vietnam is one of the beautiful countries situated in the Indochina Peninsula in the Southeast Asia. Also, the country is bordered by china in the north, Cambodia to the South, Laos in the North West and so on. Vietnam is the 13th populated country in the world and the population is more than 85.5 millions.

Wide Range of Vietnam Tour Packages

Vietnam Tour Packages are much popular among the people and you can select any package suiting to your requirement. Some of the famous tour packages include Tour from Ho Chin Minh city to Hanoi, Central Vietnam, Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City and much more. Subsequently, people can visit the different parts of Vietnam by selecting any mode of transport such as Air, Road, Rail or Water.

Select the Right Mode of Transport

Further, the developed country operates 17 major civil airports including 3 international airports. By 2015, this country is planning to construct 10 more international airports at their side. Most of the people prefer Road transport to travel to Vietnam as they can watch the eye catching natural scenery, beaches, rivers all through the road. There are number of travel agencies ready to offer different travel packages to the people and the price varies according to the package selected.

Cycling Tours

If you are bored with traditional tour programs, then Vietnam offers great cycling tours for the people interested to explore great fun. The cycling tours would be really fun with unique itineraries and some of the popular cycling trips include Ba Khan Rustic-Mai Chau Valley, Thanh Chuong Palace and much more. Now let us have a quick look at some of the best cycling tour collections in Vietnam in which you can experience an unforgettable cycling trip.

1. Half -Day Course: 2 Programs

Generally, cycling is considered to be the best way to enjoy the small streets and few other places in Hanoi. The half-day cycling course includes the areas of Hanoi Cycling City & Westlake, Hanoi Cycling City & Red River Village and so on.

2. Full -day Course: 5 Programs

The full-day course will enable the people to jump into a kind of off-road cycling route and also cycle through a rural area near Hanoi. It is sure that this full-day cycling program will refresh and make you to experience the hidden beauty of Hanoi-Capital of Vietnam.

Conclusion

There are many great places in Vietnam ensuring to attract thousands of visitors from all over the world every year.

Therefore, cycling Vietnam Holiday would be the best holiday gift for your loved ones and kids. So, don't miss to cycle in Vietnam and explore beautiful places that you have not seen before!

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Vietnam Honeymoon Tours Offer The Best Combination Of Luxury And Comfort

All good things come in small packages. New places are generally accompanied with lots of surprises, adventure and fun. Learning also becomes fun when one is visiting such exciting places. Places like Vietnam, Cambodia, etc are loaded with enchanting historic backgrounds and enriching tales about past. Vietnam honeymoon tours would allow you the much needed privacy and luxury to enjoy. The spectacular beaches and ambience of the city has everything to make it special and memorable.

Cambodia tours have to offer glorious historic past of the city along with its soothing pristine beaches.
The organisations and professional organising the Cambodia tours ensure that the visitors get to explore the maximum parts of the place within their given schedule. They plan out the tour in such a manner that the visitor gets to enjoy every destination to the fullest, i.e., specific time intervals is provided for relaxing and enjoyment. Vietnam honeymoon tours offer special arrangements for accommodation and touring plans for the newly married couples. Moreover, the hotels also have certain services arranged specially for them.

Honeymoon cannot be made better than investing in Halong Bay Cruise Tours. Special packages are designed depending upon the cruise selected. Once on the cruise, the customers are treated with utmost elegance and luxury. Special massage sessions, squid fishing from the boat, exquisite stretch of Vietnamese cuisine and a lot more services are provided. Although all such options come with a price tag, you can select the one which suits your budget from the wide range of options.

While selecting an appropriate Halong Bay Cruise tour one must be assured of all the terms and conditions. Payment methods, the amount to be paid, complete detail about the lodging and travelling and such other details should be carefully analysed to avoid any confusion and misunderstanding on the either part. Booking a tour has now become easier. Online booking of hotels, tours and cruise can be finalised. However, while booking online the visitor is required to pay a certain amount of deposit following the final payment in advance; online.

The basic advantage of approaching a travel guide for organising the tour is that the visitors need not worry about any allied services. For instance, the travel guide would provide the visitors with services such as visa, renting a car, booking train and flight tickets and alike. Moreover, they also allow the visitors to customise the tour as per their convenience. In addition, the visitors can also state their budget which is greatly worked upon by them; so as to enable maximum benefits. Vietnam Paradise Travel assures the best holiday packages giving the best offers and deals. When it comes to holidays, trust none but the best!

Ralph Travin is USA Author. He Provides wide range of tour packages to Vietnam, Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries. He has applied his knowledge and understanding to a wide variety of Vietnam travel and Vietnam tours travel business.

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Enjoy These Ten Places in Vietnam

Vietnam is a country that is situated in the Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China and Laos and Cambodia. Where it was once a country ravaged by war, now, Vietnam has opened its doors to tourists that it is now fast becoming a go-to place in Asia, and here are ten places that one should visit and see in Vietnam.

1.) Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

This mausoleum is located in Hanoi, and this is where the great Ho Chi Minh is entombed. It is very strict here, so one should follow the rules of no talking or loud noises and no photo taking once inside the mausoleum. If you want to visit the mausoleum, do not go there in short pants as you will not be allowed to enter.

2.) Ho Chi Minh Museum

If you found the solemnity in the mausoleum too stifling, then the museum can take some of that feeling away. Here, you will get to see photos and old letters during the time of Ho Chi Minh. Just do not mind some of the gruesome pictures of the war though.

3.) Ho Chi Minh's Vestige

After the museum, you can visit Ho Chi Minh's vestige. This is where the great man lived and worked. You will also get to see here the houses where he lived in, which are always kept clean as the day he died.

4.) One-Pillar Pagoda

This is a short walk from the mausoleum and the museum of Ho Chi Minh. It is also one of the must-see destinations in Vietnam. Watch out though as the grounds can be crowded with a lot of tourists at one time.

5.) Hoan Kiem Lake

This is a relaxing place to be if you want a quiet time alone. In this park, you can have a leisurely stroll with your loved one. You can also visit the Ngoc Son Temple in this park, which is a good source for Vietnamese history and culture, among which is the story of the giant turtle that is said to inhabit the lake.

6.) Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

This is a nice way to spend the day with your family. The theatre tells of Vietnamese history and legends through the use of wooden figures representing men and women and the ever-present dragons. The story is told through music and the puppets dancing.

7.) Floating Markets of Can Tho

For a completely unique experience, you should visit the floating markets of Can Tho. You can also take a tour of the area by renting a boat. Some of the floating markets are Cai Rang (sells wholesales mainly), Phong Dien (for retails), Phung Hiep and Tra On.

8.) Ho Xuan Huong

If you want to go boat riding, then you should visit Ho Xuan Huong, which is also called Xuan Huong Lake. This is located in Dalat and is a favorite among tourists who want to get some peace and quite. This is also a favorite spot of honeymooners as they stroll hand in hand along the banks of the lake.

9.) Thung Lung Tinh Yeu

This place is called the Valley of Love and is also popular among honeymooners. This is a wonderful place if you enjoy canyoning. If you have canyoning in mind, then this is the place for you as they have canyoning operators as well who will guide you on your trip.

10.) Ho Chi Minh City

This was popularly known as Saigon. Here, you will get to see a lot of fascinating places such as the Reunification Palace of the Independence Palace. There is also the War Remnants Museum as well as the Museum of Vietnamese History if you want to know more about the history and culture of Vietnam.

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Hoi An, Vietnam - Top Ten

Hoi An

If you fancy upgrading your wardrobe with shiny new threads, Hoi An is the place. Every other shop in this small, perfectly formed central Vietnamese town belongs to a tailor who will happily whip up a pair of slinky pyjamas or a silk kimono ('made-to-measure, Visa or Mastercard'). It will be made from the fruit of locally bred silkworms and, with luck, will fit perfectly and carry no size tag.

This fashion hub and Unesco World Heritage Site has long been a class act. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was an international port called Faifo swarming with Chinese and Japanese merchants. Today, the exotic trader influence shines through in the shrines, silk shops, bridges and quaint tile-roofed wooden houses.

Because many of the downtown streets are closed to cars and even motorcycles on some days, they are great for a wander. Although most shops target tourists, unusually for Vietnam, much of the town has been conserved. A heritage time capsule, this living museum of Vietnamese culture offers visitors the tranquility many need as an antidote to the mania of the country's cities, and from their lives back home.

The limited development that has been allowed has unfolded sympathetically, resulting in a minimum of tower blocks and karaoke parlours and a general lack of tat and tack. It feels "boutiquey" rather than "souveniry", to echo one observer.

When you tire of the lanterns, kites and looms, there is no need to pack up and leave. Just beyond the fringes of this most picturesque of towns, you will find plenty of momentous attractions, if little in the way of golf, although the area has five world-class courses in the pipeline.

Tempted? Hoi An is just down the road and is far quieter than Hanoi. Instead of honking horns and revving motorbikes, the prevalent sounds are whirring sewing machines, clinking chisels and softly shuffling flip-flops topped by sibilantly humming voices.

Give in to the temptation to fall into a trance, but try to snap out of it when you take a taxi, as you are still in the most commercial of countries. Confirm the cost and destination. Otherwise, expect to arrive at the wrong hotel, to be charged way too much and then to be stung for extras, such as for having too many shopping bags or for any other reason your driver can concoct, such as being a large person, or your belt causing wear-and-tear on the upholstery.

Finally, ensure you have plenty of traveller's cheques or stacks of cash. The reason: as in much of Vietnam, the ATMs have the distressingly capricious habit of, like casino one arm bandits, dispensing cash at random intervals or not at all.

For wireless internet access on what some Vietnamese call your 'toplap', try the Hai Scout cafe at 111 Tran Phu Street. Alternatively, try another old quarter stalwart, the chic and bare-bones Art Cafe at 30 Thai Hoc Street, which is a good place to relax and soak up Hoi An's ample atmosphere. "It nice," as the sign says.

Simon Ramsden lists the top ten attractions in or near a town with four UNESCO World Heritage sites within easy reach:

1. Japanese Covered Bridge 
Surprisingly short and stocky, Hoi An's most famous landmark has a tall story behind it. The story begins with a monster called Cu, which was so big it had its head in India and its tail in Japan. The products of its nether regions, which are situated over Vietnam, have been credited with most of what is good, and bad, in the country's history.

In the 1590s a covered bridge was built in Hoi An to link the Japanese side of town with the Chinese quarter. According to the story, because the bridge spanned the weakest part of the monster, the pressure killed it. Hence the shrine of atonement halfway across.

As if that legend were not odd enough, one entrance is guarded by a pair of monkeys and the other by a pair of dogs.

2. Hoi An Harbour 
To see the harbour at its most magical, rise at daybreak and go to the bridge. A guide will take you out on a wood-boards-and-peeling-paint ferry for a fresh, laid-back take on the town. Bobbing and lolling around, you may feel that you have stepped back in time to the age of Marco Polo.

3. Tran Family Worship House 
Ringed by a garden and high fences, the Old Town house could more accurately be described by a bourgeois word you are still not meant to use. Infused by Chinese and Japanese influences, the temple, sorry house, was constructed by a mandarin named Tran Tu Nhac.

Intriguingly designed, it splits into the main worship part and an annex for family and guests. The worship hall has three doors, each for a different type of visitor.

The left door is for men, the right for women. The middle door, for the grandparents, is opened during the Tet new year festival and on other celebratory days. If the place feels too rigid for your taste, try Phuc Kien Pagoda - the assembly hall-cum-temple for Chinese from the Fujian province who worship the Fujian god Tien Hau.

4. Cargo Club Restaurant and Patisserie 
One of the joys of Hoi An is the eccentric English displayed on menus. Think "grilled tofu with grass" and "banana pancake with bile honey".

Set in an ancient, two-storey shophouse on one of Hoi An's liveliest streets, the Cargo Club at 107-109 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street serves up a few linguistic oddities of its own, including 'alsatian baguette'.

Nonetheless, the food is reliably delicious and diverse. The repertoire includes everything from spicy seafood noodle soup to roasted fennel and goat cheese salad. Adding to the attraction, the club has chic dark wood decor and a balcony that commands sweeping views of the harbour.

To get so close to the water that you could drink it, try Citronella Cafe at 5 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. But stick to the bottled water. For the purest water you can find, visit any of the stalls and cafes that sell green coconuts, where the vendor will hack one open for you with a machete. The coconut is free, but expect to pay for the straw to suck the juice out with.

5. Zen Spa 
Founded to promote traditional Vietnamese therapy, Zen Spa (zenspa.com.vn) has two local branches. One, at the Hoi An Hotel, is right in the heart of town. The other, at the Hoi An Beach Resort is further out, by the seaside. Pampering services that come under the Zen Spa brand include facials, foot treatments, body scrubs, Pearl of Asia (incorporating exotic Thanh Long or 'dragon fruit'), Heaven and Earth (gentle body scrub with a great coconut aroma), The Five Elements ('fresh herbals and silver coins with ginger wine') and Forever Together ('fresh leaves and herbs'). Different.

6. Cua Dai Beach 
So much appears in print about Hoi An's old quarter that the visitor may forget that the town lies beside the South China Sea. Fringed with palm trees, Hoi An's beach, Cua Dai, boasts clean white sand that stretches all the way to Danang and is short on hawkers: a blessing in a country where you are far too often assailed with the demand "You, buy my things."

7. Marble Mountains 
These mountains are named after the crystalline metamorphic limestone from which they formed. Blessed with soaring, incense-filled caves and pagodas, the Marble Mountains have seen it all, fulfilling roles at various times in its history as a temple complex, battleground and hospital. In the latter of these roles injured Vietcong would convalesce whilst watching the ant-link figures of GI's playing on the beach below, oblivious of the enemy's presence.

The king of the Nguyen Dynasty, Vietnam's last ruling family, named the mountains after the five elements that make up the universe: (metal, wood, water, fire and earth). If you want to become at one with the universe, in characteristically business-like Vietnamese fashion you will be charged a small entry fee for each of the five elements with which you wish to harmonise.

8. My Son Sanctuary 
The Unesco-listed My Son Sanctuary, often described as a Hindu holy land, rests in a remote jungle valley ringed by two mountain ranges. My Son once hosted the religious ceremonies of kings of the Champa dynasty, which ruled southern and central Vietnam from around the 7th century to the 19th. Unfortunately most of it was obliterated by the US Air Force in the war, but what remains is interesting, if only because the Hindu relics seem so out of place this deep inside Indochina.

The sanctuary consists of a string of semi-ruined but imposing tower-temples built by means that modern architecture does not understand. Often likened to the Cambodian temple complex Angkor, which the Champa sacked, My Son is a spooky place as awash with butterflies as with the spirits of the dead.

One of the strangest sight you will see in its grounds is the two American bomb casings dating back to a 1963 raid. The casings' shape echoes the deliberately phallic stone columns scattered around the sanctuary.

9. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park 
The karst (limestone crag) configurations at Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park stem from 400 million years of geological upheaval and growth. To get a sense of how slowly Phong Nha-Ke Bang evolved, consider that it takes a century for any of the stalactites or stalagmites to grow a single millimetre.

This Unesco site ranks as the oldest major karst area in Asia. It is big, too. Radiating from the border with Lao, Phong Nha-Ke Bang comprises 65 kilometres of caves and underground rivers. An adventure sports playground with a promising future.

10. Cham Museum, Danang. 
This museum houses the world's finest collection of Cham sculpture and is a glorious testament to the artistic achievements of the Kingdom of Champa. The sandstone carvings of gods, beasts and celestial dancing girls possess exquisite beauty and grace and are so liberally displayed as to make it a challenge to fully appreciate this enchanting museum in a single visit.

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Halong Bay - Vietnam's Top Tourist Attraction

Halong Bay is located in Quang Ninh province in northern Vietnam, approximately 170 kilometers east of Hanoi in the Gulf of Tonkin. The bay is renowned for its picturesque ocean karst landscape and is regarded as one of Vietnam's most spectacular natural wonders. It's also one of the country's top tourist attractions, drawing a huge chunk out of the millions of tourists that flock to the country each year.

What Makes The Bay Unique?

I've been there and believe me when I say everything about the place is unique...almost magical. It boasts of more than 2,000 limestone karsts and is literally dotted with thousands of limestone monolithic isles along the 120-kilometer shoreline of Bai Chay Beach. The climate is tropical with two seasons: dry and cold winter, and hot and moist summer. The average temperature ranges from 15° to 25°C.

The geo-diversity of the Bay's topography has created diverse ecosystems, including oceanic, sea shore and tropical evergreen biosystems. There are coral reefs, freshwater swamp forests, dense mangrove forests, freshwater lakes and powdery-white sandy beaches. The bay is also home to 60 endemic faunal species and 14 endemic floral species. With such universal aesthetic value and a varied conglomeration of wildlife, it's not surprising to note that Halong Bay has been designated by the Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism as a 'Renowned National Landscape Monument and later listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

Etymology and Legend of Halong Bay

The literal meaning of Halong is "Bay of Descending Dragons". Legend has it that locals had to fend off invaders when Vietnam was just starting to develop into a country. In order to help the Vietnamese, a family of dragons descended from the heavens as protectors. The dragons then started spitting out jewels and jade which turned into islands and islets that link together to form a natural fortress against the invaders. After the battle was won, the dragons decided to settle in the bay. The name Halong was given to the spot where the mother dragon descended. Today, visitors will find caves and grottos which create unified chambers with hidden ponds and magnificent stone formations.

Enjoy Halong - the Sights and Sounds

The best way to enjoy the natural wonders of Halong Bay Vietnam is to embark in one of several Halong Bay tours that visit the area on almost a daily basis. Patterned after traditional junk boats, Halong bay cruises are once-in-a-lifetime experience that conveys a sense of the old world. Most of the boats have been designed in time-honored conventional style but with luxurious cabins and ultra-modern facilities. These boats are floating works of art themselves as they often feature intricate craftsmanship and brightly colored sails.

Taking Halong Bay tours and Halong cruises are great ways to immerse yourself in Vietnamese culture and allow you to truly enjoy the exotic feel and the natural wonders of Vietnam. So, whether you want an exciting way to explore the lush environment and diverse ecosystem, or you're looking for a romantic weekend amid some of the world's most captivating scenery, Halong Bay Vietnam has it all... you'll certainly have a trip that you won't soon forget! And without any doubt is an absolute highlight of any visit to Vietnam and certainly a must on every traveler's itinerary.

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Hanoi, Vietnam - Places to Eat At When You're Feeling Homesick!

I know the time gap between my posts seems to be getting longer and longer and they aren't any pictures but things can be a bit crazy sometime.

This article is especially for the expats or tourists visiting Hanoi, Vietnam and are craving food other than Vietnamese.

Food seems to bring about a great festivity to the people in Hanoi. Everywhere you look you see families eating breakfast, lunch or dinner together chattering away while sitting on their colorful plastic stools oblivious to the tourists or other people around them. To eat the true Vietnamese food you can stop at any of the million places on the road where families are eating noodles or rice out of their bowls (different variety of noodles are also sold in stalls on the road). Accompaniments to this can be a variety of fish, pork, beef, veggies. A staple of the Vietnamese cuisine also is the Pho bo (beef noodle soup) served with lots of fresh red chillies and lime and Congee again served with meat and an assortment of sauces - traditionally made with beef but you can get yours with chicken too.

Breakfast every morning at the hotel seems more like lunch with either congee, miso soup or Pho ga (Chicken noodle soup) and is so filling that there is hardly any place for a full blown lunch. The more exotic and contemporary Vietnamese dishes - snails, clams, pork intestines with blood and all (yes, you did read it right),spring rolls filled with a variety of vegetables / pork / chicken or tofu cooked and then served with a matured duck egg sauce can be found at all the good fine dining places here. A common site here is that everywhere you go you can see women with balancing baskets of food on her shoulder slung over a bamboo pole. This can be as exotic as rice cakes or boiled sweet potato but after a while an average person staying here for more than 10 days does start to get a bit homesick.

I am not a fan of experimenting with my meat and stick to chicken and vegetables. Also, with a small baby around me my excitement to experiment is a bit diminished... so I am always looking for places which serve basic sandwiches and fries and bottled water and have an air-con so that I can feed my baby in a cool place.

The options for expats and tourists who are home-sick are quite a bit. You find a number of restaurants around Hoan Kiem Lake that cater to the palette of tourists and Vietnamese alike. The Little Hanoi (Every thing from Vietnamese food to Tandoori chicken baguettes can be got here and the food is really tasty. This is just at the entrance of the old quarter and you can watch the hustle bustle of the old quarter from the confines of a nice air-conditioned sit down place which makes you feel right in the middle of it but still gives you yours pace) ), Thai Express (over looking the lake for good thai fast food), KFC (for your burger and fries craving), Opera House Cafe (great place to lounge and enjoy that evening beer or Vietnamese cold coffee with condensed milk). There is a coffee shop at the Hotel Zephyr that looked very chic and modern and have been meaning to try it out but haven't had the chance to step in. The good old Indian food craving can be satisfied with a visit to Tandoor (at the old quarter) or Asia House (Indian and Indian Chinese near Hai Ba Trung ). And there is always the good old Highland's Cafe, Hanoi's answer to Starbucks that has multiple branches all over the city and is always full of families and people sipping on their cuppa, chatting or expats / tourists surfing the net (you can get everything from breakfast to a decent meal here with an assortment of cold and hot coffees and tea to accompany it).

Since I am currently living in a service apartment I have been cooking a lot and L's Place at Hai Ba Trung (near the Cuban Embassy) is a great place to stock up especially is you are looking for food for kids (all ages). They have kiddie food.

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Discovering Saigon: 5 Places In Vietnam You Ought To Visit

Asia offers different tourist spots in the world which is why a lot of people flock the continent every year. One of the countries that most people consider for a visit is Vietnam. To know more about this country, here 5 places that you should consider when you get to this beautiful country:

Hanoi - is the capital of such country and is also known as the second largest city. Hanoi is known to provide its tourist with excellent accommodation and provides world class amenities to people who would like to visit such beautiful city. If you are in Hanoi, make sure to check out the famous Ha Long Bay.

Ho Chi Minh - offers its wonderful history. It also offers great architecture that has a mix of the French culture. The city offers great Vietnamese characteristics which make this city one of the most visited in this beautiful country.

Danang - it is also an old city which is found in the central area. If you are looking for beaches, then this is the best place to go to. You would love their world class beaches with the backdrop of mountains which are definitely breathtaking. If you love art specifically sculptures, then you could find a lot of these things in Danang and you could also get these items at very affordable prices.

The Mekong - is home to the famous Mekong River. This is home to amazing riverboats which are considered one of the best tourist attractions in this city. The Mekong River is known to be a famous river because of the fact that this river runs through six countries based on history.

Hoi An - is found in the south of Danang. It boasts Chinese culture and if you would go here, you might think that it is part of China. This city also boasts great beaches for tourists who love to swim. You would surely love the city's state of the art facilities and if you are looking for some traditional environment, then this place also offers it.

These are 5 of the best places that you need to consider if you want to check out the beautiful country of Vietnam. This country is one of the best countries in Asia that provided great tourist destinations which is why this country is a great place to go for a vacation. Check out these beautiful cities and you will certainly have fun and enjoy your vacation in this great country.

B H Yao invites new and seasoned travelers from the online community to read original articles on travel tips, vacations for couples and families, world travel at World Travel Guide.

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Where To Go In Vietnam?

Vietnam can be roughly divided into four regions along its length, each with its own distinct climate, geography and significant sights. Many tours focus on the two most largest cities, Hanoi in the North, and Ho Chi Minh City in the South. But the Central Coast and Central Highlands are well-worth the visit and will offer plenty to the traveler who steps off the beaten path.

North Vietnam: The Northern part of Vietnam is the natural choice for the first time visitor to Vietnam as it is where the bustling capital city of Hanoi is situated. Guests basing their stay in Hanoi will appreciate the beautiful blend of architectural styles dating back to its Chinese and French past. These buildings have very much been left intact, although Hanoi is now rapidly modernizing as a city.

In addition, North Vietnam offers some of the most beautiful landscapes in Vietnam such as the stunning Halong Bay with its thousands of limestone islands rising out of the sea, and the magnificent Cuc Phuong National Park on the base of the imposing Annamite Mountains.

Central Coast: The Central Coast is Vietnam's thinnest part of the country, a long thin strip going from the Gulf of Tonkin to the South China Sea. Here travelers will find the ancient ruins of Hue, once the seat of the Nguyen empire. They can also explore overgrown Hindu temples in My Son, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Further along is another World Heritage Site, a perfectly preserved seaside trading port called Hoi An, which is full of old-world style shophouses and narrow cobbled paths.

Central Highlands: The Highlands make up the mountainous region of Vietnam, and here you'll be able to interact with the tribal minority groups who live in the hills, visit coffee and tea plantations, and go on treks through leafy forests with elephants. The French enjoyed the Highlands, and created their own version of an Alpine resort here, Dalat. Dalat remains a very quaint European-style town and is a hot spot for honeymoons and family getaways.

Southern Vietnam: Lastly, Southern Vietnam is a place of explosive growth today, with much of the action taking place in and outside of Ho Chi Minh City. Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is the business city of Vietnam and is even more chaotic than active Hanoi. But outside of the city, there are many beautiful sights like the Mekong Delta with its many floating markets and its endless rice fields.

If you want to go to the beach, you've also come to the right place as South Vietnam boasts of many beautiful beaches in Vung Tau, Mui Ne or Phu Quoc Island. These are unspoiled beaches that have not yet been very much developed by tourism, and so still have clear blue waters, clean sand, and all the amenities you need.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7409429

Your Vietnam Travel Plans Won't Be Complete Without These 3 Spots

If you are reading this article, you have probably decided to go to Vietnam. If this is the case, you have made a great decision. When it comes to exploring a relatively pristine, unspoiled, and uncongested part of Southeast Asian, you can't go wrong with Vietnam. It has an amazing and rare mix of relatively pristine attractions and decent infrastructure with less congestion. While many people often think of Thailand whenever the phrase 'Southeast Asia' is mentioned, many veteran travelers to that part of the world are in for a treat if they check out Vietnam. Here are the three travel spots that will complete any Vietnam travel plans you may have.

Halong Bay

The legend about this beautiful coastline is that the gods sent dragons to help humanity in its fight against an enemy. Once the war concluded, the family of dragons set out to sleep in the area where Halong Bay is located. It appears that there might be some truth to this fantastic story. If anything, there is definitely something magical about the beauty of Halong Bay. Its many limestone islands topped by a rich green canopy seem to float above the water. There is a definite otherworldly quality to Halong Bay that won't be lost on any traveler to this part of the world. One of the biggest eye-popping elements of Halong Bay is the sheer number of islands and 'floating' rocks. There is a lot of, them and they all add to the mysterious beauty of the Halong Bay coastline.

Hanoi

Stepping through the narrow streets and exploring the riverside mansions of Hanoi are like stepping into a time machine. Checking out its pagodas and other ancient buildings, you are quickly transported to Chinese Empire-era Vietnam. Vietnam used to be under heavy Chinese influence and Hanoi stores the physical proof of this. There are quite a number of Chinese-style buildings and structures in Hanoi that harken back to an Imperial past. Checking out French era riverside mansions convey Vietnam's more recent history as a French colony. Explore the history of Vietnam by visiting Hanoi and complete Vietnam travel plans.

The Mekong River

Snaking through Cambodia and emptying past Vietnam, the Mekong is the lifeline of Southern Vietnam. This mighty river offers many great vistas and the sunset views along its banks are something else. Make sure to include a stop by the Mekong River in your Vietnam travel plans. In fact, you should make it a whole day affair. It is well-worth it since there are just so many things you can do by the river. Naturally, you can swim, boat, and engage in all sorts of riverside water sports. You can also try fishing and see if you get lucky and land some famous Mekong River catfish. Another fun thing you can try on the Mekong is to rent a boat and check out the nearby fishing towns along the river. Talk about cultural immersion and going the extra mile to get an appreciation for local flavor and culture.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7544917