Day trip to Perfume Pagoda
A three hour journey from Ha Noi (by bus, boat, gondola and foot) will bring you to Perfume Pagoda. This ancient temple attracts thousands of visitors in its peak season (February 15th- March) when many Vietnamese take a pilgrimage up the steep...
Lovely Lanterns All Aglow in Hoi An
Hoi An's mustard-colored old town is plentiful with relaxing activities. One afternoon, we hired a private little boat for two hours. The ride took us past hard-working fisherman, and we even had the chance to ride in a basket boat that we'd...
Lifestart Foundation Workshop in Hoi An, Vietnam
Disadvantaged locals support themselves by selling their handicrafts here. Sustainable souvenirs include vases made of chopsticks, and coasters fashioned from recycled magazine pages.
Lifestart Foundation Workshop.77 Phan Chau Trinh, 84/(0) 167-...
One-Stop Shopping in Ho Chi Minh City
In Vietnam’s bustling metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City, glittering high-rises and global brands are on the rise—but at L’Usine, a café-boutique hidden along shopping strip Dong Khoi, it’s the old, the handmade, and the local that are revered. Housed...
Eating Like a King in Hue, Vietnam
Once the imperial capital of Vietnam, the small, genteel city of Hue (pronounced “Hway”) is renowned for its elaborate cuisine—a legacy of the 19th-century emperors who lived here and reportedly feasted on 50 different dishes at every meal. Hue’s...
Where to Buy Chinese Silk Lanterns in Hoi An, Vietnam
An important destination for East Asian traders in the 16th and 17th centuries, Hoi An is famous for its traditional Chinese silk lanterns. This shop’s family has produced its own lotus-shaped versions for generations.
Du Kien Thanh. 49 Le Loi St....
1.5 Day Ha Noi whirlwind
This past May I stopped in Ha Noi on my way to Laos and Cambodia. In barely 1.5 days I felt like I got to see a ton. This is NOT my preferred way to take in any town or city, but it was all I could fit into my schedule. Obviously I missed a ton,...
Bún chả in Hanoi
I come from a city with a decent reputation for Vietnamese food, and though I knew the food would be better still in Vietnam, I couldn't fully understand how much better it would be. This is cross-an-ocean-just-to-eat-it good. This is...
Open-air lunch feast in Ha Noi
Quan An Ngon: It's an open air restaurant surrounded by food stalls and served by waiters. The various stalls represent different regional fare from around the country. Sitting at communal tables surrounded by the stalls you really feel part of...
