vietnam

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DIY Cu Chi Tunnels, Local Style

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Cu Chi Tunnels were the underground network created by the Viet Congs during the Vietnam War. These tunnels were dug by locals and soldiers and used as a place to live, train and fight the enemies (Southern Vietnam and American soldiers).

There are two different tunnel displays: Ben Dinh and Ben Douc. Ben Dinh is geared towards tourists whereas Ben Douc is geared towards locals. We heard how the Ben Dinh tunnels were crowded and not as authentic (enlarged to fit tourists), so we opted to visit Ben Duoc. The biggest different between the two are that Ben Duoc has a temple and is less crowded. 

How to bus to Ben Duoc Tunnels 

If you want to visit these tunnels without a tour, get ready for a long and less comfortable ride. It takes about 2.5 hours to get there using two local buses. 

Step 1: Get to 23/9 Park Bus Station. It's the bus station near the backpacker's area off Pham Ngu Lao street. From here, you need to catch bus 13 to Cu Chi. It will cost 7,000 dong. It's about an hour and a half ride. You'll need to get off at the bus station at Cu Chi. 

Step 2: From Cu Chi bus station, catch the 79 bus to Ben Duoc. It will cost 6,000 dong. It takes around 45 minutes - 1 hour. Make sure to let them know that you want to see the Cu Chi Tunnels at Ben Duoc. They'll let you know when to get off, but if not, keep a lookout for the signs. 

Head over to the booth for information on where to catch the bus. 

Cu chi Tunnels

Once you get to Cu Chi Tunnels, you'll need to make your way down the street. It's confusing because there's no signs or markers explaining where to go. There should be a ticket booth on the left side selling entrance tickets for 90,000 dong. It's a little pricy, but you're paying for two different entrance fees as well as an english guide for the tunnels. Keep walking down the road and you'll eventually see temples. 

Go through the area by the temples, keep walking down the road. Eventually, you should hit another ticket checking area. From here, a guide will help you since you're not allowed to see the tunnels on your own. 

You'll start with a black and white movie explaining the history of the tunnels before the guide takes you down. He'll start by showing you the original tunnels with a trap door that you can try to fit into. Then he'll show you the ones enlarged for tourists that take you underground. 

Booby trap with bamboo spears.

Happy Adventuring!

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Transit Guide: Da Lat to Mui Ne

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Mui Ne is a beach resort town known for its sand dunes, beaches and hot weather. It's a great place to chill out and relax in the sun. 

How to get there

The best way to get there is with a bus. It takes about 4 hours total to get to Mui Ne from Da Lat. It was a scenic ride, with views of the countryside and mountains. There's one rest stop along the way to use the washroom and grab food and snacks.

There's a few tourist companies you can purchase from, including your place of accommodation. We booked with our hotel for 130,000 dong for a bus ticket with An Phu. We regretted this decision because it was such an uncomfortable ride. The buses were run-down, old and lacked suspension. The whole ride was quite bumpy because of it, since the roads are in good condition throughout Vietnam. We got dropped off at the tourist office in Mui Ne, which is in the city centre. 

If you can, it's best to book with the Sinh Tourist. Their buses are much better and more comfortable. 

Happy Travelling!

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Transit Guide: Nha Trang to Da Lat

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Da Lat is a colourful city located in Southern Vietnam. It's known for its cooler weather, pine trees, lakes and waterfalls. 

We ended up taking the easy route and booked a bus from our hotel. It ended up being 135,000 dong which we had to negotiate down from 158,000 dong. When we researched it, most places say it should cost between 100,000 - 135,000 dong. So make you they don't take advantage of you! 

The bus picks you up from the hotel, which is very convenient. The ride takes around 4 hours total, once everyone has been picked up. There's one stop along the way to grab food, drinks or use the washroom (with a fee). 

The ride there was actually quite scenic. You'll go through the countryside with lush green fields, which eventually turns into a mountain range before it turns into a winding road through pine trees. 

When we got to Da Lat, we got dropped off in the middle of no where as a marketing scheme. The moment we got off, there were many people asking if we needed a place to stay. We had to walk down the street until we reach the main road and tried to hail a taxi from there. 

Happy Travelling! 

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Travel Guide and Tips: Nha Trang

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If you're looking for a beach getaway, while still being in a city with great night life, Nha Trang is the place to be. Just a few minutes walk away from most hotels, is a white sandy beach. 

Things to do

Nha Trang Beach

If you're looking for a quiet and isolated beach, you're going to be disappointed. This beach is located beside a busy street in the city. But if you're just looking to relax a bit, catch some sun and swim in the waves, then it should do the trick. The beach has chairs and umbrellas that are priced at 35,000 dong for the day. 

Since this is an urban beach, it's usually filled with tourists and can get pretty crowded. If you walk down the path beside the beach, you'll come across exercise equipment and a beautiful French-inspired garden. 

Vinpearl Land

If you sit on the beach, you'll notice a sign across the water that says "Vinpearl." It's actually an amusement park and resort island that's quite popular. To access the park, you'll need to take the cable car, that owns the Guinness world record for longest sea-crossing cable car system at 3,320 metres. 

The park costs 600,000 dong to access, which includes the cabe car ride. It has rides, a water park, aquarium and shows. It's perfect for the family or if you're a kid at heart. Note that the water park closes at 5:30 p.m., so head there first.  

Po Nagar Cham Towers

Located within Nha Trang, and potentially walkable (depending where you're staying), are these four brick towers built by the Cham civilization. You can enter the towers, but make sure to dress appropriately - shoulders and knees covered. There's an entrance fee of 22,000 dong. 

Where to Eat 

Hai San (Seafood) Restaurants

If you walked down the street by the beach, you'll notice a bunch of restaurants selling live sea creatures from eel and shrimp to oysters and clams. It's priced by weight, so you can pick and choose a variety of options. Just be careful as we've heard of people upping the price when you pay. We heard the best restaurants are on the other side of the bridge, close to the fishing villages. 

Since it's fresh seafood, it's priced a little high for someone on a budget. But it's definitely cheaper than what you'd pay back home. 

Nem Nuong Ninh Hoa

Nem nuong is grilled pork sausage which is eaten by wrapping it in fresh greens and rice paper. Essentially, you're making your own fresh spring roll. Start by order one "phan" or portion (40,000 dong/portion) and go from there. It comes with fresh vegetables, rice paper, nem nuong, fried rice paper for the crunch and an orange sauce.

If you walk down Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street for about 5 - 10 minutes, you'll find a big restaurant on your left side. 

This was one portion. 

Banh Can

This street food is a mini savoury fried pancake made from grilled rice flour. Usually there's a quail egg in it and it's eaten with nuoc mam (sweet and salty dipping sauce). 

If you walk down Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street you'll find vendors selling this little treat. 

Nuoc Mia

Sugar cane juice! This is a delicious drink made with pressed sugar cane and lime. It's usually sold for 5,000 dong if you walk down Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street. 

Com (Rice)

For a tasty rice dish, look for a restaurant that has BBQ meats on display. You can choose your meats and they'll make a dish for you. There's a local restaurant on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street that offers this. I got com suon, op-la (rice with pork chop and fried egg) which comes with a small soup for 30,000 dong. 

Where to Stay

Mojzo Inn 

We originally wanted to stay here because it had good reviews. It's a backpacker-friendly place with also offers free breakfast, just minutes away from the beach. Unfortunately, it was fully booked. 

Saint Paul Hotel

Instead, we stayed at Saint Paul Hotel. It was $15 USD for a private room, which ended being the nicest place we stayed at so far. It came with two double beds in a spacious room and a very clean washroom. Although, the Wi-fi was a little spotty. It was in a good location just a few minutes from the beach. 

Happy Travelling!

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Train Ride from Da Nang to Nha Trang

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With the train station being so close to where we stayed, it's made the most sense to take a train to Nha Trang. It's also the safer, but more expensive option compared to a bus. 

Where to buy a ticket

We heard it's actually cheaper to buy the ticket from the station compared to online. The online prices are inflated. So, head to the station, take a number and wait your turn. There's four options for the ticket: hard seat, soft seat, hard berth, soft berth. The prices will range depending on the comfort of the seat. To save money, we opted for a soft seat at 320,000 dong per person. Remember to bring your passport when you purchase your ticket! 

Window on the left to purchase tickets.

Take a number and join the queue!

Getting on the Train

When your train comes, they'll call out the track number for it. If you don't speak Vietnamese, ask the attendants to see if your train is there. Your ticket will show the cabin and seat number. So, just find the correct cabin number to board. 

Your train should come around 15 minutes before it departs, so head there early! The station has Wi-fi to keep you entertained as you wait. 

The Train Ride

The train ride isn't too bad, but it takes around 10 hours to get to Nha Trang with a few stops along the way. Our cabin wasn't full, so many people ended up switching seats. There's a railing above you to put your luggage. 

The train will sell snacks, drinks and food, but it does come at an inflated price. You can also purchase snacks at the station before you board. 

Otherwise, it wasn't too bad, but we're getting pretty used to the long commutes now. 

Our soft seat cabin.

Happy Travelling


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Travel Guide and Tips: Hoi An

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Located in Central Vietnam, Hoi An is just 40 minutes south of Da Nang. It's a small town, filled with lot of personality. The moment you step into the Old Town, you'll be surrounded by small stores selling trinkets, tailor shops that sell leather and silk goods as well as a small river coursing through the town. The lanterns strung along the streets make it such a lovely place to walk around at night. 

Things to do

Shop til you drop

Honestly, there's so many shops to wander through it's a little overwhelming. Many of them are souvenir shops selling elephant pants and silk scarves, but there are also many tailor shops ready to design you a new suit or dress. Window shop a bit and make sure you're getting the best price and quality before you purchase. 

Visit the Old Town

If you want to see the Old Town, you'll need to pay 120,000 dong for a ticket that's valid for 10 days. But it's worth every dong. It gives you access to the museums, old houses, assembly halls and handicraft workshops. It's a beautiful place with a Japanese style bridge, a small river, old rustic buildings and endless shops. 

Boat ride along Thu Bon river

For all you romantics or just lonely people who want to experience this, it's best to see it at sunset. There are several tour companies that offer this experience. Head to the dock and negotiate wisely! 

How to get here

We got here from Da Nang by taking the local bus. It takes about an hour since there's a few stops along the way. It costs around 20,000 - 30,000 dong for a ticket. 

As a foreigner, make sure to ask for the price before you give them money. They're pretty sneaky and neglect to give you change unless you ask for it. 

Where to Eat

We never actually ate here. But there are many restaurants that line the street. Try Mi Quang if you can! 

Where to Stay

There are tons of guesthouses here that should be fairly affordable. We didn't stay the night because we realized we would spend too much shopping if we actually spent more than a day here. If you get something tailored, you should plan to spend a few days here to get the fit right. 

Happy Travels!

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Travel Guide and Tips: Da Nang

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Located in Central Vietnam, Da Nang is known as a commuter city among travellers. Most people don't usually plan to stay here long. They only stay long enough to figure out their next destination. 

Things to do

Dragon Bridge

The dragon bridge is an iconic part of Da Nang. To put it simply, it's a bridge with a dragon on it. I hear on weekends, it breathes fire and water at night. 

Marble Mountain

Marble Mountain is their biggest attraction. It's a series of limestone mountains in the city. Head up the steps to the top for a view or visit Huyen Khong Cave to see the big Buddha and temple. 

You can get there by taking the local bus to Hoi An for 20,000 - 30,000 dong. Although, when we passed by it, it was so underwhelming we didn't get off the bus. As as foreigner, always confirm the price and make sure you ask for change. We noticed that oftentimes the bus workers would neglect to give back change to non-Vietnamese speakers unless they asked. 

A day trip to Hoi An

About an hour away from Da Nang, is the quaint little town of Hoi An. It's best known for its tailors who make suits and dresses at a low price. Some people also go to find a good shoe cobbler for some leather made goods. It's generally known as the place to go for shopping and has a relaxed atmosphere. Visit at night and walk around the streets with the plentiful lanterns lighting the way. 

However, with the amount of tour groups that come in every day, it gets pretty busy walking the streets. Also, if you want to see the Ancient Town, it costs 120,000 dong for the ticket which is valid for 10 days. 

My Son

If you're interested in seeing Hindu temple ruins from the ancient Cham Empire, My Son might be worth the visit. The temples are dedicated to the god Shiva. It's actually best to get there from Hoi An, where you use a tour or motorbike to get there. 

Monkey Mountain (Son Tra Mountain)

If you're motorbiking junkie or interested in an easy rider tour, take a spin around Monkey Mountain. It's known for its viewpoints of the Da Nang and Hai Van Pass, but it's a little out of the town. Unfortunately, there's no monkeys on the mountains.   

What to eat

Mi Quang

This part soup, part salad dish originated in Central Vietnam and has yellow noodles, vegetables and peanuts. In Central Vietnam, the bowl is only half filled with broth because historically, the people couldn't afford beef bones to create a hearty broth. You can find local restaurants and stands selling it all over Da Nang. 

Dong Tien Bakery (Hai Phong Road)

Our favourite bakery that sells a variety of affordable baked good from banh mi thit cha and banh bao thit to sweet desserts. Pick up a tray and try the assorted baked goods!

  • Banh Mi Thit Cha (sandwich with meat) - 12,000 - 15,000 dong
  • Banh Bao Thit (Steam bun with meat and egg) -  10,000 dong

Where to Stay

Funtastic Hostel (City)

We stayed at Funtastic Hostel at their central Da Nang location, which was decent. They also have a beach location. The common room has a PS4 and bean bag chairs, where you can lounge and watch movies at night. They also offer free breakfast as well as tea throughout the day. It's not a party hostel, so the dorms were pretty quiet at night. I just wish they had more washrooms. 

Happy Travelling!

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Flying from Hanoi to Da Nang

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Okay, so we spoiled ourselves a little by booking a one hour flight instead of taking a 12 hour bus. It turns out, it costs roughly the same price to bus as it is to fly. So, why not? However, we soon realized that the cost of getting to the airport makes it pricier to fly. 

Where did we book from?

We used Vietnam Airlines to find and buy the flight tickets. It ended up costing us around $25 USD after taxes. There's no extra fee for checked-in baggage, but there's a weight allowance of 30 kilograms. For your carry-on, there's a weight allowance of seven kilograms. 

Not too shabby eh?

How to get to the airport?

So this is what messed us up. Due to limited options, we booked the flight leaving at 6 a.m. The only transportation leaving that early is taxi, which makes sense. We ended up booking through our hotel, and they charged us 500,000 dong claiming that taxis double their prices in the middle of the night. Given that we didn't have too many options left, we forked over the money. 

Were we ripped off? Most likely. So, try to be careful of that. 

Other Options:

1) Public Transit

You can take the number 17 bus which connects from the city centre to Noi Bai Airport. It only runs from 7 a.m - 7 p.m. Ask your hostel/hotel to make sure, so you don't get ripped off with pricing. 

2) Mini Bus

There's a shuttle bus that runs from 5 a.m. - 6:30 p.m that costs around 20,000 - 30,000 dong. It departs from the Vietnam Airlines office southwest of the lake.

Good Luck! 

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Two Day Trek Through Sapa

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Located in northern Vietnam, Sapa is becoming a popular destination among travellers. Known for its terrace rice fields, mountain views and villages, it's a beautiful place to visit. 

Tours are advertised all over Hanoi start at around $45 USD which includes transport, accommodation, food and trekking. If you don't feel like being constricted on a tour, you can easily make your own way there. You can take a sleeper train (around 9 hours) to Lao Cai and then a bus to Sapa (around an hour). However, it might end up costing more than a tour. 

We opted for the two day one night easy trekking tour since it was more convenient which cost us $45 USD. You're given the option of staying at a homestay or hotel. We would've chosen homestay, but it gets pretty cold in Sapa at night (4 degrees) in the winter time. They also don't have heating there, so it didn't seem worth it. You should ask which hotel they book you at, so you know what to expect. 

Day 1

We had a different schedule than the original one, since we needed to be back to catch a flight. So, we were picked up in the morning and dropped off at the bus station. We took a sleeper bus there which takes around five-six hours to get there, depending on road conditions. The sleeper bus itself was quite nice, unlike the one we took to get to Hanoi. 

Once you get to Sapa, we were bombarded by people asking if you needed to a place to stay, a taxi ride or if we wanted to buy handmade crafts. We noticed that the village people are quite persistent with trying sell you things. They'll also follow you around and ask you questions about yourself. 

A taxi picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel. We stayed at Grand View Hotel, which was not very great. Once you get there, you'll have lunch which is a mix of Vietnamese and Western food, similar to what we ate on our Ha Long Bay tour. You can check in after lunch and get ready for a short trek. 

You'll get pick up by a local guide who will take you down to Cat Cat Village. Just keep in mind that a few village people will tag along on your trek, which can be helpful since they point out things along they way. Just note that when you reach your destination, they'll leave and try to sell you their crafts. Just be persistent with saying no if you're not interested. 

Cat Cat village is really easy to get to. It's just down the winding paved road and it's well-marked. You'll pass by many different shops and a waterfall along with some scenic views. Afterwards, your guide will take you back to your hotel using a different path where you came down. It's mostly uphill on the way back, so remember to pack enough water. 

Once you reach your hotel, you'll have dinner and free time for the rest of the night. 

Day 2

We had an early start since the trek started at 8:30 a.m. We had breakfast and then checked out of our room. Our guide picked up us from the hotel and once again, we had a number of village people follow us on our trek. This trek was much more difficult than the first one but well worth the effort. It takes around three hours to reach Lao Chai Village where you'll stop for lunch, and then another hour to reach the Ta Van Village where a bus will pick you up to take you back to Sapa. 

The trek takes you uphill and downhill, through the rice paddies and valleys. Some parts can get muddy, so waterproof shoes are ideal. Keep in mind that the path can get pretty narrow with steep drops, so be careful at these parts. The village people are quite helpful and will help support you if you don't feel confident at any parts. Otherwise, if you have an average fitness, you should be fine. 

The first two hours of the trek are more difficult, but the last hour isn't too bad since it's mostly level or downhill to Lao Chai Village. Once you reach the village, you'll be bombarded with people trying to sell you things. Lunch will be served at a restaurant, which is mostly vegetarian due to the resources they have at the village. 

After lunch, you'll make you way to Ta Van Village. It's an easy walk and only 2.5 kilometres away. Here, you'll wait for your bus to take you back to the hotel. From the hotel, a bus will take you to the bus station. And then you'll take the sleeper bus back to Hanoi. 

Once you reach Hanoi, you're on your own. You'll need to find your own transportation to your hotel or hostel. 

Notes

  • The sleeper bus drivers are not very considerate of Westerners. We kept overhearing how they wanted to push the Westerners to the back of the bus. Remember that you paid the same price as the locals, if not more. So, you can sit wherever you want. 
  • You'll need a sturdy pair of shoes for the hike. 
  • They sell trekking gear in Sapa, which offers more variety than Hanoi. Although, it can get pricy because they supposedly offer the "real deal."
  • Buy water in Sapa because the villages can charge almost twice the amount. 
  • Grand View Hotel is advertised as a four star hotel, but we didn't really see it as that. There was a crack in our window, so it got cold at night. Luckily, they were able to give us extra blankets. There's no heating in the hotel, so the lobby gets chilly as well. They also offer a heater for $5 usd.
  • Although, it wasn't explicitly noted we decided to tip our young guide $1 usd each.

Happy Trekking! 

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Three Day Cruise Through Ha Long Bay

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When you think about Vietnam, you probably picture a bowl of pho and the picturesque Ha Long Bay right? Yeah, so do I. Ha Long Bay is an iconic place for Vietnam, known for its emerald green water and limestone karsts. 

After realizing it would be more difficult to do it on our own, we opted for a three day, two night tour on a junk ship because we wanted to see Cat Ba Island and Monkey Island. There are tour agencies all over Hanoi offering you the "best" deal. Shop around and see what you can get. We ended up paying $90 USD with Aloha Cruise. All meals, transportation, accommodation, activities (kayaking, fishing, cooking class, swimming and hiking) and entrance fees (Dong Thien Cung Cave and Cat Ba National Park) were included. 

Prices will range depending on the quality of the ship, activities and service that you get. So, keep in mind that you get what you pay for. 

Day 1: Ha Long Bay

We got picked up from our hostel in the morning. The drive to Ha Long Bay takes about 3.5 hours with one stop for a washroom break and snacks. Once you get there, you'll be transported to your boat. 

We checked into our ship and had lunch with our small group. The meals you get are advertised as Vietnamese, but it has more of a Western take on it since most of it is deep fried. 

Shortly after lunch, we arrived at Dong Thien Cung Cave. As you walk through the cave, our guide explained more about the history, folk tales and fun facts. The cave itself is very developed to accommodate tourists. There's a paved pathway through the cave with artificial coloured lights illuminating the cave to show how big it is. 

After the cave, we ended up back on the ship to get to the area for swimming. It was cold and raining on our first day, so no one opted for it. Instead, we kept moving forward and docked near Cat Ba Island. Here, you can go kayaking around the different isles or try fishing off the boat.  

You'll have dinner afterwards and can hang out with the group on the ship. We actually really liked our room because it was the first one we've been in that had heat. We also had a great view and clean washroom.

Day 2: Cat Ba Island and Monkey Island

We had breakfast in the morning and checked out of our room. After making it on Cat Ba Island, we ended up on a bus to take us about half an hour to Cat Ba National Park. Once you get into the park, you'll have a local guide take you up to the viewpoint. You're allotted two hours round trip with rest stops and time for pictures. At the beginning of the trail, there's a sanctuary for deer and monkeys in cages. 

We loved our guide, he was so quirky. He carried a fan and would fan our group as we passed him. There was also one part where he swung from the tree and made monkey noises. Once you reach the top he'll pose with you in the pictures! 

It's actually really easy to get lost on the trail since there's so many turns you can take. If you're on your own, always go straight. 

After the hike, we were transported to our hotel where we had lunch and checked in. Afterwards, we were on our way to Monkey Island. Our bus dropped us off at the dock where we took a boat to the small island. Along the way, you'll see the colourful fishing village. 

At Monkey Island, you'll see monkeys around the restaurant. They can get really aggressive if you get too close to them. If you have food, keep it secure in your bags since they'll probably steal it from you. The island itself is quite nice. You can hike to the top to get a better view of the bay on the other side.

Once you get back to your hotel, you'll have dinner and can spend the rest of the evening roaming the island. 

Day 3: Cooking Class and Hanoi

This was a travel day. After you check out of your hotel, you take a bus to the main dock. You'll board your ship, where you'll have a cooking class. In our case, they teach you how to prep egg rolls. It wasn't the most sanitary because they offered one towel for the whole group to clean their hands. You're also dealing with raw pork. 

After lunch, you'll get on your bus back to Hanoi. Luckily, we were dropped off directly to our places of accommodation.  

Happy Adventuring!