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...
Insights, Polished History Lessons Await in Hanoi's Massive, Brutalist Military Museum
When I pitched a review of Hanoi’s massive new Vietnam Military History Museum to the Saigoneer editorial staff, I expected to find the museum somewhat boring. After all, although I am a historian, I am not really that interested in military stuff, and I’d been to the original location on Điện Biên Phủ Street several times — how could this new museum improve on the old one? What could this new museum say that the old one didn’t? What could I learn here that I haven’t already learned at Saigon’s War Remnants Museum and Hồ Chí Minh Campaign Museum, at Điện Biên Phủ’s war museum, at Hải Phòng’s naval museum, and at the countless other shrines to Vietnamese martial prowess across the country? Quite a lot, it turns out.
Tourists Generate Up to 3 Times More Plastic Waste Than Locals, UNDP Finds
A recent report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) warns that plastic waste pollution poses increasing pro...
Paul Christiansen in Travel
'Chuyện Của Pao' Turned a Historic H'Mông Home in Hà Giang Into a Tourist Attraction
The photos don’t do it justice. That’s what you’ll often hear from people who visit Hà Giang to cruise its famed highway loop.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
From Dark to Dawn, an Early Morning at Hội An's Duy Hải Fish Market
At 3am, Hội An’s streets resemble dog-gnawed pork bones, licked clean of all scent and viscera. No light, no noise, no movement. But that’s the time you must venture out to witness the Duy Hải Fish Market in action.
Phu Yen’s Stunning Cliffs Of Stone Plates
While they may pale in comparison to Ireland’s beautiful natural basalt formations, their Vietnamese cousins, just north of Nha Trang are just a bus or a bike ride away.
6 Great Pit Stops For Your Saigon - Nha Trang Road Trip
Driving along the coastal roads from Saigon to Nha Trang on motorbike is a beautiful journey, but also a bit of a grind. Here are 6 great places to stop between the 2 cities that will help break up th...
A Guide to Dalat’s Waterfalls
Dalat, the former French resort town, is quickly developing and will soon boast the same land area as Hanoi. Though the city has been undergoing rapid urban and agricultural development, hundreds of t...
5 Of Vietnam’s Most Beautiful (And Terrifying) Mountain Roads
With both potentially deadly turns and stunning natural beauty, these 5 mountain passes can simultaneously strike awe and fear into the hearts of drivers.
Soon You’ll Be Able to Catch A $300 Seaplane Flight To Phan Thiet
So who’s down to spring for a $300, 45-minute seaplane ride instead a $10, 5-hour ride on a Phuong Trang bus?
Vietnam Considers Visa Exemptions For Tourists From EU, US, Others
While Vietnam may be shooting itself in the foot with work permit regulations, the country may take an important step forward when it comes to tourist visas.
Brian Letwin in Travel
World Famous LEGO Couple Takes A Trip To Vietnam
You’re traveling the world but don’t want to make the pictures from your trip stand out. What better way to do so than travel with another couple, one that’s photogenic and…made of plastic?
[Video] A Surfer’s Quest to Find Vietnam’s Legendary Waves
To show that Mui Ne isn’t the only place to catch a decent wave in Vietnam, a group of surfers recently explored Vietnam’s 3,444 km long coast and found nirvana in Phan Rang, a relative backwater comp...
Amid Criticism, Hoi An To Issue Visitor “Passports”
Hoi An authorities and UNESCO representatives announced a plan to implement a tourist “passport” program to replace the current ticketing system which has created controversy since April.
Brian Letwin in Travel
Bobby Chinn Nominated for Vietnam Tourism Ambassador
Bobby Chinn may not be Vietnamese but he’s been identified as one of the “most promising candidates” to replace Ly Nha Ky as the country’s tourism ambassador.
Brian Letwin in Travel
Phu Quoc Ranked as One of the World’s 10 “Lost Paradises”
Phu Quoc has undergone drastic changes over the last few years but compared to many of Vietnam’s tourist destinations, it’s remained relatively undeveloped. Singaporean newswire, AsiaOne, recently fea...
Brian Letwin in Travel
[Photos] Hanoi's Ancient Wells
Illegal wells may be one of the main reasons Saigon is sinking, but up North, their ancient cousins still provide life-sustaining, clean water to many communities.
Brian Letwin in Travel
[Photos] VietJet Brings Back In-Flight Bikini Shows
VietJet Air is the honey badger of airlines; it just doesn’t give a sh*t. After getting fined for in-flight bikini shows in 2012, the budget airline has brought back the performances to celebrate its ...
Brian Letwin in Travel
[Video] Yet Another Reminder of How Beautiful Vietnam Really is
Marco Santi and a friend spent 6 days in Vietnam, stopping in Saigon, Can Tho and Chau Doc before heading off to Cambodia. Even though it was short trip, the smiles of the Vietnamese and the country’s...
The Mekong Delta: Home to 3 of Vietnam's Most Spectacular Mansions
While Hanoi, Hai Phong and Saigon are known for their beautiful colonial architecture, some of Vietnam’s best specimens can be found in the Mekong Delta. Here are 3 ornate buildings known for their mi...
Brian Letwin in Travel
This Video Reminds Us Just How Beautiful Vietnam Really is
It’s time to take a break from Saigon time lapse videos set to electronic music and enjoy this slow-paced short film, Somewhere in Vietnam which reminds us just how beautiful this country is.
Brian Letwin in Travel
Russian Tourists are Abandoning Mui Ne
Mui Ne, long considered a haven for Russian tourists has been experiencing a drop in visitors from the Motherland as they seek out “easier accesses” destinations, reports Thanh Nien.
Escape From the Tourists: 5 of Vietnam’s Underrated Islands
You want to have a lazy holiday on a tranquil beach, but Nha Trang and Mui Ne is a bit too touristy for your taste. We’ve come up with a list islands that should offer some relief from the throngs of ...
NY Times: Here’s What You Should Do with 36 Hours in HCMC
The New York Times recently visited HCMC for one of their popular “36 Hours” columns where they present a list of recommendations for things to do and places to go if you're short on time.
Brian Letwin in Travel
Thailand Amends Controversial Border Procedures for Vietnamese Tourists
After public outcry from Vietnamese tourists and tourism officials, Thai customs authorities have announced that they will amend “offensive” signage and procedures requiring proof of funds at the...
