Tra Vinh is the provincial capital of Tra Ving Province, deep in the Mekong Delta region about 140 km south of Ho Chi Minh City. It’s not on the way to anywhere unless you are going to another place even more out of the way. It’s worth a visit though if you have more time […]
Notes on Ben Tre – Coconuts and the bad-ass women of Vietnamese history
Spend time in Southern Vietnam and you’ll soon notice the prevalence of Ben Tre coconuts. This provincial variety is so well known that vendors advertise coconuts as being from Ben Tre to let you know that you are getting a premium coconut. Maybe the Ben Tre Coconut Marketing Authority has got to me, but I […]
Ben Tre Farm Stay – An easy escape from Saigon life in the Mekong Delta
Hotel Name: Ben Tre Farm Stay Address: Cai Suc Bridge, Hamlet 3, Xa Phu Nhuan, Ben Tre, Vietnam. When exploring the Mekong Delta region I suggest staying for at least some of your time at a home or farmstay. Part of the appeal of the Mekong is exploring the rural roads and the many waterways […]
Jalan Jaksa – The slow demise of Jakarta’s backpacker street
On my first trip to Indonesia in 2009 I travelled from Medan to Bali by ferry, bus, train, and plane. Midway through that trip I arrived in Jakarta with a copy of Lonely Planet Indonesia in hand. The Book directed me to Jalan Jaksa – the backpacker street of Jakarta. I don’t remember where I […]
Notes on Jakarta – Metros, moto apps, an airport train, and a giant seawall
Jakarta has been making headlines in 2019, and not always in a good way. In August the Indonesian government announced that it was planning to move the capital of Indonesia to a location in the jungles of Borneo. This news, coupled with high-profile reports that the city is sinking, has led news agencies around the […]
Palembang to Bandar Lampung by train – riding the coal-subsidised railway of South Sumatra
Sumatra is the sixth-largest island in the world with a population of over 50 million people, yet there are only a few railway lines on the island. There are plans to unite the current lines to form a trans-Sumatran railway that would travel from Medan to Bandar Lampung. This is a distance of over 1750 […]
Laos Railways: a guide to train travel in Laos
A guide for the railways of Laos, including domestic and international railway, and planned railways in the future. Laos Railways Laos railways maps Domestic railways Vientiane-Boten International railways Vientiane-Kunming Vientiane-Bangkok Vientiane-Nong Khai Discontinued railways Thanaleng-Nong Khai Future railways Bangkok-Vientiane High-Speed Railway Vientiane-Vung Ang Laos railways maps Map of Laos Railway Map of Lao-China Railway – […]
Notes on Palembang – The port city of South Sumatra
Looking out of my window to the barely visible palm oil plantations below I was wondering what the hell I was doing voluntarily flying to Palembang in the midst of the great hazepocalypse of 2019. Apparently, I was arriving on a good day. It got so bad later on that flights were being delayed due […]
Notes on Dong Hoi: like Da Nang, 10 years ago
Dong Hoi is the gateway city for travel to the UNESCO World Heritage Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park. Most visitors to Phong Nha go straight through Dong Hoi, and I nearly did as well. After spending a day looking around though, I think Dong Hoi might be a place you’ll hear more about […]
Could Hue be the next Chiang Mai?
The more I travel around Vietnam the more I see how much of a tourism giant this country could become. There are so many places that have yet to realise their potential, and Hue is one of those underachievers. While Danang and Nha Trang are now booming as beach destinations, Hue could easily position itself […]
