All Aboard the Languorous 35-Hour Train From Hanoi to Saigon
The train connecting Vietnam’s largest cities takes 35 hours. Yet even after the first time I finished the trip, I was already coming up with excuses for why I needed to do it again. For me, the journey is much more than a chance for great views and time to reflect. It’s an exploration of life itself.
Kit Humphrey in Travel
In Thổ Hà Village, Rice Paper Spills Onto the Streets and Wraps Around Daily Life
A few hours after sunrise in the small village of Thổ Hà, Bắc Giang Province, alleyways morph into picturesque tunnels of drying rice paper, while ladies toast crackers over fire in the streets.
Pete Walls in Travel
Watching the Sunset From Lai Châu's Fansipan, the Roof of Indochina
Conquering Mount Fansipan’s 3,147 meters was once a feat reserved for those willing to take on the potential multi-day hike from Sapa to the summit and back.
Family-Friendly Summer Vacations Made Easy at Crowne Plaza Phu Quoc Starbay
The ripening of sweet jackfruit, mangosteen and mangos; hammocks swinging gently in patches of cool shade; and evenings that stretch on with the comfort of knowing there is no alarm clock waiting the next morning: summer arrives as opportunity. When school holidays begin, families scramble to adjust schedules and secure care and activities, creating the potential to carve out some time for a vacation to savor fresh air, explore thrills, and simply bond as a family in a beautiful destination.
Pete Walls in Travel
For the Freshest Fish of the Day, Head to Hội An's Coast Before Sunrise
The alarm goes off at 3am. By 3:30am, scooters laden with empty crates and baskets are already moving through the dark lanes and sandy passages towards Hội An's coast. Long before the old town wakes, the beaches along the shore are coming alive with engines, head torches, waves, and fishermen preparing to return to land. Thankfully, coffee is readily available almost anywhere.
In Saigon's Bửu Long Pagoda, a Meditative Escape and Pan-Southeast Asian Architecture
It all started with a sparkle on the horizon, a beam of solar brilliance bouncing off a garish metallic surface.
A Special 'Doraemon' Episode Taking Place in Vietnam Will Be Released in May
After decades of watching Doraemon and his close friend groups adventure to all sorts of strange lands from the deepest trenches on Earth to fantastical planets, fans of the beloved cat robot in Vietnam will finally see our country in the cartoon series.
ACV Proposes Moving 90% of Saigon's Overseas Flights to Long Thành
The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) has proposed plans to transfer flight operations in Hồ Chí Minh City from Tân Sơ...
Anatomy of a Teen Magnet: Da Nang's Golden Bridge and the Giant Hands
In the midst of the forest high above Ba Na Hills outside of Da Nang, the Golden Bridge has grabbed visitors’ attention thanks to its striking appearance.
[Photos] A Visit to Binh Thuan's 'Forgotten Land' Where Sand Comes to Life
Forgotten Land, a new sculptured sand park in Binh Thuan Province, may be perfect for tourists who like sand, but aren't a fan of the ocean.
[Photos] The Japanese Village That Replaces the Departed With Creepy Dolls
More than 10,000 towns are facing depopulation in Japan, but in Nagora — a village hidden away in Shikoku Valley — locals are returning in bizarre fashion: as dolls that replace the dead.
Urbanist Travel Getaways: Discovering Serenity in Bhutan – The Other Hermit Kingdom
Only a handful of pilots can manage the treacherous flight into Bhutan’s tiny international airport. As the plane tilts for the final descent, passengers gather by the windows — smartphones recor...
Hoi An Puts Immediate Stop to Proposed Cable Car Project Near Ancient Town
Vietnam’s unhealthy obsession with cable cars needs to stop.
Lee Starnes in Travel
Urbanist Travel Getaways: Exploring the Izakayas of Japan
“I always liked side-paths, little dark back-alleys behind the main road,” Dostoyevsky writes in his 1879 novel, The Brothers Karamazov. “There one finds adventures and surprises, and precious metal i...
Total Wellness as Explained by a Reiki Expert from Amanoi Resort and Spa
When Shyam Goyal was in his thirties working as a mechanical engineer, he developed ulcers, arthritis, chest pain and rapidly deteriorating eyesight.
Kit Humphrey in Travel
[Photos] Exploring Dala Township on the River Yangon's South Shore
Only a 10-minute ferry ride from central Yangon, Dala is a blur of motorbike horns, trishaw drivers peddling scams and old ships rusting on the riverbank.
[Photos] The Infinite Greenness of Ca Mau Cape Biosphere Reserve From Above
Ca Mau Cape was recognized as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 2009.
[Video] An Aerial Tour of Vietnam Through the Ultra-Definition of 4K
With the rise in popularity and drop in price of drones, gorgeous aerial footage is not hard to come by in recent months.
[Photos] Naypyidaw's Ghostly Central Train Station
Naypyidaw central train station, 11am. A heavy cloud hangs over the entire place. The moment you set foot in the city, it gives you the chills.
Alberto Prieto in Travel
[Photos] Saigoneer Getaways: Ha Giang's Mighty Loop
I’ve spent seven years in Vietnam and traveled from south to north on many occasions, but I have never seen a place as charming as Ha Giang Province.
Kit Humphrey in Travel
Soviet Accommodation, Forest Cabins and a Hobbit House: The Eccentricity of Nha Ben Rung
“It is a rocket center. The Soviets, they stayed there to control the rockets…” These are not exactly the kind of words you expect to hear from a homestay owner in northern Vietnam, especially not whe...
Cham Villas Boutique Luxury Resort – An Oasis of Serenity by the Beach
Lounging on a shady veranda surrounded by birdsong, or reclining on an expanse of pristine sand that stretches into the cool ocean without another soul in sight – few daydreams are more enticing than ...
Michael Tatarski in Travel
Saigoneer Getaways: Vietnam's Best 'Secret' Beach Destination
When it comes to tourism in Vietnam, it's hard not to be depressed by the frequent news of ruinous cable cars and mega-resorts, often accompanied by bulldozed natural areas.
Nepal’s Annapurna Circuit: A Beautiful Trek Amidst Change
In through your nose, out through your mouth. You can do this. In through your nose, aaaaand out through your mouth. I keep reminding myself how to breathe.
Lee Starnes in Travel
[Photos] The Rugged Beauty of Indonesia's Komodo National Park
Most people think of dragons when they hear about Komodo. While the world's largest lizards are one reason to journey to this remote corner of the world, the rugged vistas and incredible biodiver...
Vietnam Is Getting a New Budget Airline, Bamboo Airways, This Year
The new FLC Group-owned airline will begin operations in Vietnam by the end of the year.
Vietnam Should Extend Visa Exemptions to Australia, Canada, Among Others: Tourism Association
To increase tourism, the HCMC Tourism Association has proposed visitors from more nations be allowed to enter the country without a visa.
Hanoi Makes TripAdvisor's List of Top 15 Global Destinations
On a new list of the world's top 15 destinations created by TripAdvisor, Hanoi ranks number 12.
