Blogs from Vietnam, Asia

For a long time, the enjoyment of sipping a hot cup of coffee while watching the hustle and bustle of life on the busy streets has been popular for Vietnamese people. This habit has gradually become a part of culture, and is today a lifestyle which is known as “the coffee culture”. This kind of drink originated from the Western World, brought by the French to Vietnam during colonial times. At first, this drink was only made for aristocrats, French officials, or the intellectual class in the cities. It then gradually became a popular drink among ordinary people. Today, Vietnamese coffee is not only known for being one of the most produced in the world, but it has also created its own particular character through the way it is enjoyed by drinkers. Vietnamese people don’t consider ... read more

5 May to 7 May 2019 - I travelled to Sapa on a 3-day trip for the purpose of visiting the Fansipan summit. At an altitude of 3,143m, Fansipan is the highest peak of Indochina (the old name given by the French for Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia during its colonial time). This is the first time that I went to Sapa alone. On my previous trips I travelled with my friends and parents, and that was many years ago (1998, 2008 and 2012). I have had a dream of seeing the summit of Fansipan for a long time, and at last I made it. In the past, I had to travel at least 12 hours by bus or train between Hanoi and Sapa but now, thanks to the new expressway, the travel time has been shortened ... read more

The Vietnamese traditional dress, "Áo Dài", is one of the most elegant and beautiful dresses for women. It’s very simple, consisting of a close-fitting blouse, with long panels in the front and back, that is worn over loose white trousers. As a Vietnamese girl who loves to travel abroad, sometimes I bring an Áo Dài to travel with me. Whenever I wear it, my Áo Dài always attracts friendly looks from both locals and travelers. I once got a message from an Irish poster in the Thorn Tree travel forum. He wrote to me "You must get a wonderful reaction from the local people when you wear your Áo Dài. I think you would stop the traffic, if you were to wear it walking down a street in Ireland." An Áo Dài can be worn with ... read more

Today I woke up in a beautiful hotel. I was only able to enjoy it for a few sleeping hours, but I felt classy staying there! Made me feel better after the plane ride - let's just say that a-holes exist in every part of the planet. I think that's an understated hard part of travel - you are constantly putting yourself out there for public inspection. Rising above can be difficult. Ah well, I'm on an adventure! Today we went to My Son Sanctuary, a UNESCO site outside of Da Nong. The site was created by the Champa people over a thousand years ago. The French looted the place, Americans bombed it, and yet much if it still exists in its original form. In fact, in places where rehab is present are crumbling much more ... read more

Just outside of Saigon are tunnels used by the Vietnamese people to fight the French and then later the Americans and Allies during the Vietnam war. The tunnels were used extensively, and have been widened to allow for the passage of tourists (even local Vietnamese, with more nutrition and different lifestyles, need wider tunnels than those used in previous time periods). We saw several of the traps used and learned some more about guerrilla warfare. It's quite strange to look at war through the eyes of the other side.... read more