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 […]
Notes on Long Xuyen – a provincial capital in the Mekong Delta
Long Xuyen is the capital city of An Giang Province, in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. I had been through Long Xuyen before but I had never stopped there, so continuing my quest to visit the provincial capitals of Vietnam I scheduled a visit. As a tourist it’s not somewhere you would specifically travel […]
Notes on Sa Dec – An overlooked city in the Mekong Delta
Sa Dec doesn’t rate highly on Mekong Delta itineraries, which is understandable if you’re pressed for time. But I think that Sa Dec is one of the underrated destinations of the Delta region. The city has old colonial buildings, lots of temples, and pleasant tree-lined streets. Part of Sa Dec’s problem is that it’s not […]
Notes on Phan Rang–Thap Cham
Phan Rang–Thap Cham is the capital of Ninh Thuan Province in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam. It’s between Mui Ne and Nha Trang, though it doesn’t get anywhere near the number of visitors compared to those places. In fact, travelling during these covid times I was wondering if there were any tourists (domestic […]
Notes on Da Lat – The cool mountain city in the Central Highlands of Vietnam
Da Lat is the capital of Lam Dong Province in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam. The city is a popular tourist destination in Vietnam, famous for its cool climate and mountain scenery. It’s literally and figuratively a cool mountain city. I last visited Da Lat in 2012, so I was well overdue for a […]
Notes on Nha Trang – pandemic edition
In the plague year that was 2020, I was fortunate to have spent most of the year in Vietnam, where the virus has so far been contained. I’ve been making the most of my time here by travelling around the country. During my travels, I’ve seen how hard the pandemic has hit tourism destinations that […]
Notes on Lao Cai – The provincial capital on the Vietnam-China border
Lao Cai is the capital city of the province of the same name, in the Northwest region of Vietnam. Most visitors only pass through here on the way to Sapa. Train enthusiasts know it as the place to disembark and then walk across the border to China to get the train to Kunming. This year […]
Notes on Sapa – Visiting a tourist town without tourists (2020 pandemic edition)
Sapa is a market town in the Northwest region of Vietnam, near the border of China. Its proximity to Mount Fansipan (the highest mountain in Vietnam) makes it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam. It’s become so popular in recent years that the town has also become famous for over-tourism. There is […]
Sky 22 – A rooftop cafe on the most famous roof in Saigon
Every time I see the rooftop of 22 Ly Tu Trong I can’t help but think about that famous photograph by Hubert van Es that came to symbolize the U.S. evacuation of Saigon. Even if you don’t know the name you would know the photo, as it’s one of the most iconic images of the […]
Notes on Ha Long – the city by its namesake bay
Ha Long is the capital of Quang Ninh province in Northeast Vietnam, and as the name would suggest it’s also the main city of Ha Long Bay. Ha Long Bay is one of the most popular destinations in Vietnam, yet most people visit straight from Hanoi. I visited Ha Long Bay on my first visit […]
