Having been based in Vietnam off and on for a number of years, I have been to most of the main tourist hot spots in that time. When the world went crazy in March 2020, I came back to Vietnam knowing that travel international travel was not going to get back to normal anytime soon. […]
Notes on Phu Quoc 2021- The tourism developments that have transformed this tropical island paradise
It had been six years since I was last in Phu Quoc, and things have changed fast there, even by Vietnam’s standards. The last time I visited I called it Southeast Asia’s next big thing. I was thinking in the context of it becoming a more known destination. The megaprojects that now dominate the island […]
Notes on Vung Tau – A weekend at the beach of Saigon
Vung Tau is a coastal city in the Southeast region of Vietnam, in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. While Vung Tau is technically not the closest beach to Saigon, it’s the most accessible nicest beach to Saigon. Thus it is regarded as “the beach of Saigon”. [A Saigonesque skyline is growing on the Back Beach road […]
Where I’m At: May 2021 – Saigon edition
Greetings from Saigon and welcome to another edition of Where I’m At – rounding up my travels from the last month, and other news. If you are new here, subscribe to my travel newsletter to get the weekly email that rounds up the best travel reads from around the web. Where I’ve been A brief […]
Notes on Con Dao – From prison island to pilgrimage paradise
Con Dao is a group of islands off the coast of Vietnam, about 230 km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City. There are 16 islands, with the largest (Con Son) being home to the main town, port, and airport. [Hon Troc – one of the islands of the Con Dao island group.] Con Dao is […]
Notes on Soc Trang – Big Buddhas and superb soups deep in the Delta
Soc Trang is the capital of Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. It’s not a big tourist destination, but it has some wonderful Khmer temples in and around the city. Soc Trang is the closest mainland port to Con Dao, so this is a faster trip than the boat from Vung […]
Notes on Bac Lieu – Most people don’t go here
Bac Lieu is the capital of Bac Lieu Province in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. Judging by the lack of travel information online and the small choice of hotels on the booking sites, it’s fair to say that it doesn’t receive many visitors. I was in Bac Lieu partly because it was on the […]
Notes on Ca Mau – the most southerly provincial capital in Vietnam
Ca Mau is the capital of Ca Mau Province in the Mekong Delta Region of Vietnam. Ca Mau is the southernmost city of mainland Vietnam, and this geographical fact was enough to make me curious about the place. I’ve often looked at it on the map and I wanted to see this place that’s not […]
Where I’m At: April 2021 – Phu Quoc edition
Greetings from Phu Quoc and welcome to another edition of Where I’m At – rounding up my travels from the last month, and other news. Where I’ve been I’m still in Vietnam where the pandemic is under control. We have been living a relatively normal life here while waiting for the world to reopen. Until […]
Notes on Ha Tien – An unexpectedly agreeable port and border town
Ha Tien is a coastal city in the far Southwestern corner of Vietnam, next to the Cambodian border. Located in Kien Giang Province in the Mekong Delta Region, Ha Tien is one of the two ferry ports that serve the island of Phu Quoc (the other port being Rach Gia). Port cities are not usually […]
