Top Places visit Vietnam and Laos

St Joseph's Hang Da

St Joseph's Hang Da

Opposite to its minimal size, St Joseph's Hang Da which includes nine rooms is an ideal spot for fellow traveler meeting. Looking out on to dynamic, non-touristy Duong Thanh, the huge front window painted in the black-and-white of the breakfast room is an arrow-straight street on the edge of the labyrinthine Old Quarter. Best sites to visit in Ninh Binh

Laap

Once mixed, Laap dishes will served as lettuce fish salad, lettuce, string beans ... All blended together create extremely attractive aroma. The sourness of lime juice, spicy chili, aroma of spices ... Gives visitors an unforgettable experience. You can easily enjoy this dish at the restaurant throughout, food from luxury to affordable in every country of Laos. TOP 10 FOODS IN LAOS YOU MUST TRY ONCE

Reu nuong

Not only famous for Thang co, beetroot or porridge dock, Ha Giang has another unique cuisine, strange right from the name moss baking dish. For tasty grilled dishes and aromatic moss Tay people often choose small mosses in streams of cleaning viscous mix with spices wrapped and then baking.

Vientiane, Laos

The fourth day, in the morning: After breakfast, you will visit Wat Sisaket antique built in 1818 with more than 6840 different statues, Ho Phra Keo - bold temple Khmer architecture dating from the 4th century Wat Si famous sacred ditch, forcing the wrist just need luck. Shopping for souvenirs metal Chintana Silver largest store in Vientiane. Take a short rest. Visit the Buddha Park with hundreds of Buddha statues situated on the banks of the Mekong River, shopping at the International Business Center Digging Huong. Dinner with Lao specialties and enjoy traditional dances famous echo of the peoples of Laos.

Where is Luang Prabang, Laos

Luang Prabang is considered one of the attractive destinations for foreign tourists in Laos. Situated in the mountain of smoking pork, it is known by the tranquility and natural beauty has just magnificent. Luang Prabang is located in the north central Laos, which was the capital of a kingdom called Lan Xang (Million Elephants) in existence since 1346. Prior to 1975, Luang Prabang was the capital of the Kingdom of Laos, but now the province the new seat of the capital, 425km north of Vientiane. Each house here has kept modern architecture, tinged with moss. If you want to live in the slow life but charismatic, the former capital is the ideal choice for your vacation.

Places visit to Vietnam

Island - hopping

If you want to visit some islets in Nha Trang, you should take a tour of Island – hopping. It just takes about 250,000VND for all day tour of live entertainment, sightseeing  and fun-filled activities with other tourists. The price is inclusive of hotel transfers, lunch, visiting Mot Island, Mun Island ,Tam Island, and Mieu Island for 1 hour of each. Things to know before traveling to Vietnam

Island – hopping tour

After that, you can snorke, sunbath or swim… do whatever you like at the island. Live entertainment by local guides is also provided on the boat. You will be served  seasonal fruits and complimentary drinks. You will have a chance to see a Nha Trang’s colourful coral reefs and various marine life through the boat’s glass flooring during the entire island-hopping tour. Wonderful places to stay in Mui Ne

Nam Du archipelago

This archipelago is located in the southeast of the island of Phu Quoc, Kien Giang province, It is far about 60 km from the main island, including 22 islands, making a great scene between the gulf of Thailand country.

On the tourist map, the name Nam Du is quite new. Because that Nam Du is still retained the most honest beauty of the archipelago. That is the beauty like the daughter of coastal, rustic, charming, shy but also was solid, salty.

Ba Vi

Ba Vi is another choice for your trip in the winter in Vietnam. Ba Vi is one of the big National Park in Vietnam. It is rather quiet in the winter but it is ok if you just want to discover by yourself.

Ba Vi

There are many new things to explore in the forest. Foturnately, it also has some resorts for you to stay after visiting places.

Quy Nhon city

Then you can move to Quy Nhon City, there are many things to do here. You can spend all day long on the beachs with the long white sand, waves, and take a short rest in the beach Bars. Top places to go are Trai Cui, Han Mac Tu, Nhon Hoi… Once you have a chance to taste the food here, you will have an unforgettable experience. It’s very delicious and cheap.

Quy Nhon city

If you want to discover Binh Dinh martial art, you can go to Tay Son town and visit Quang Trung museum. You also can join in some martial art central or clubs to see the beauty of the famous martial art in the world.

Banh mi cha ca nha ga

Banh mi is not a new food in Vietnam but it has a unique tasty in different places. Banh mi cha ca in the railway station in Nha Trang is one of the best Banh mi in Vietnam.

Banh mi cha ca

It is also mixed of cha ca, fish sauce, pork, green onion but you can feel the different if you taste it. It is easy to find in front of the railway station. After leaving the station, come and buy 1 bread, then you will have an amazing breakfast, cheap and delicious.

Best scoffee shop in Vietnam

Phu Quoc

Standing to the west of the Mekong Delta, the quiet island Phu Quoc offers incredible white beaches and a luxuriant inside of forests and plantations. Things to know before traveling to Cambodia

The Old Space Coffee in Da Nang

The coffee has ancient space with the old houses building made from valuable old aged woods. The coffee shop has bar, restaurant as well as coffee section ideal for you to pay a visit to after hard working. If you want to hold parties with your relatives and colleagues, the coffee is also a suitable spot. In spite of the much higher price menu than the other coffees in the city, the Old Space Coffee still attracts tourists thanks to the differences in its beautiful architecture, unique style and long year history. Ly Quoc Su – A Hanoi’s street for stunning food

Align 3D Graphic Café in Hanoi

Situated on a quiet residential street, at number 10A Khuc Hao Street, Ba Dinh, Hanoi, Align 3D Graphic café is one of the most exciting coffee shops in Hanoi. This hip coffee shop, this multi-story, excellent and sometimes gloomy café is a very popular place to these laptop-using students in Hanoi. What attract they to come to this shop are strong cocktails boozing more options than caffeine, burnished surfaces and strange blend of nature with modern decoration.

Bep Truong (Chef) coffee shop in Hoi An

Situated at 166 Tran Phu Street, Bep Truong coffee shop is one of the most popular coffee shops to both local people and foreign tourists in Hoi An. Bep Truong is not only a coffee shop, a restaurant but also one of the largest bookstores in Hoi An. Being space for coffee with comfortable seats, the second floor of the shop is an ideal place for both reading books and enjoying coffee. You can buy a variety of headings of book from the ground floor.

L’USINE in Saigon

Located at 70B Le Loi, District 1, l’usine is an interesting coffee shop to explore. A smart clothing store is situated on the first floor while upstairs is the cafe. It’s a bit of a Saigon organization and appeals a mix of up-to-the-minute locals, tourists and expats. Although being stylish and modern, lofty and sleek, L’usine is almost to the point where it expresses a bit cold and creation. What makes L’usine unique is a back area with an impressive chess board as well as various great old maps and furniture for sale.

Things to do in Cambodia

Top 5 most magnificent hotels in Siem Reap
According to TripAdvisor, there are top 5 most luxury hotels in Siem Reap, Cambodia that travellers should try at least once to relax in a perfect way.
Shinta Mani Club Siem Reap
Shinta Mani Club Siem Reap is a modernly innovated hotel centrally located between The Royal Gardens and the Old Market Area, which takes only 15 minutes from Angkor Wat. Visit Siem Reap with Indochina holidays Vietnam

Swimming pool view from Shinta Mani Club Siem Reap

The resort contains various kinds of rooms to choose with beautiful balcony views to experience swimming pool and flourishing tropical gardens. More than that, the facilities in Shinta Mani Club Siem Reap include sightseeing tours, exclusive community based excursions, private or group cooking classes, in-room dining, laundry service, babysitting, airport transfers, foreign currency exchange and 24 hours medical professional on call. Those remarkable points bring customers high standard services to feel more relaxing.
In addition, customers appreciate highly the Shinta Mani Spa in the hotel to refresh and retreat their body and mind after jetlag and temple touring. Full Day Angkor Wat – Siem Reap Private Tour
Address: SHINTA MANI
Junction of Oum Khun and 14th Street, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Nom Banh Chok noodle

Nom Banh Chok noodle is considered as “national Cambodian food”. Every morning, Cambodian people taste the dish that made from delicious rice with fish curry sauce along with lemongrass flavor, lemon slide and yellow turmeric.


Nom Banh Chok noodle is experienced as “national food” for Cambodian people (Source: http://www.groupon.sg/)

If you have chance to travel to Phnom Penh, do not miss a hot bowl of Nom Banh Chok noodle with fresh vegetables, beansprouts, cucumbers and spicy peppers.

Num Plae Ai

Num Plae Ai is a beautiful dessert in Phnom Penh
Num Plae Ai is a lovely dessert, which is similar to floating cake of Vietnam. This dish made of bits of white sugar wrapped in glutinous rice flour and cooked by scalding in boiling water. It will be “bathed” in a caramel bowl with palm flavor. Above the surface, there are also some fresh delicious coconuts to taste yummier. Otherwise, you should eat slowly to taste every flavor of Num Plae Ai.Catching a tuk tuk
Probably, tuk tuks in Cambodia have been experienced as the world’s best and it should try once when travelling to Cambodia.

You can see tuk tuk in every road of Cambodia
(Source: https://simongipson.files.wordpress.com )

They are essential little cushioned chariots pulled around the male on a motorbike, which makes the driver separate with the passengers. Tuk tuks give travellers a chance to sit back, relax and sightsee the view of busy streets and beautiful landscapes around Cambodia. More than that, sitting on tuk tuk will be cooler than walking because of the speed.
2. Visiting Rabbit Island
Rabbit Island (or Koh Tunsay) is the largest wild island in Kep – a beach city has been famous in the 1960s in Cambodia. Rabbit Island is a tiny island on the coast of Cambodia, covered with green and thick jungle, peaceful pure sandy beaches along with coconut trees and hammocks. Although here is not many corals, various kinds of fish can bring you hundreds of colorful theme near the beaches in island.

Wat Ounalom
Situated right on the Sisowath Quay in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, near the Royal Palace of Cambodia, the Wat Ounalom is one of the most ancient temples in Cambodia. Thanks to the order of the seat of Cambodia's Mohanikay, the Wat Ounalom is believed to be the most important wat of Phnom Penh as well as the center of Cambodian Buddhism.
 
Wat Ounalom
www.visitcambodiatravel.com
The origin of the Ounalom Pagoda is considered to date back from the 15th Century when the King Ponyea Yat, the last king of the Khmer empire built this temple in 1422.
Constructed in 1442 and includes 44 structures, this temple is one of the five original monasteries in Phnom Penh that were built by the King Ponhea Yat. Although having been damaged during the Khmer Rouge, the Wat Ounalom still proves to be one of the most historical attractions in Cambodia after being restored. The stupa containing what is thought to be an eyebrow hair of Buddha and an inscription in Pali is housed in the main complex making it different from the other temples in the area.

Top Things to do in Vietnam

Walk around Ho Guom in the early morning
You should get up early in the morning and walk around Ho Guom (Hoan Kiem Lake) to see the fantastic things at here. The first thing you can see is many people practice exercise. The old people practice with yoga, Latin dance or just walk on foot while the young people practice with hiphop dance, aerobic. They look energetic and comfortable as well. You can join with them to start a better day. Tours in Indochina
Visit Hoa Lo prison
You can find the Hoa Lo prison easy because it is located at Hoa Lo Street, Hoan Kiem District, central of Hanoi. It is certainly a beautiful with the French architecultutral. Like Con Dao prison, it is very creepy because of the guillotine room inside which still maintains its original equipment for beheading the prisoners. With the cheap price for ticket, it is an interesting and worthwhile place to have a short visit.

Ginger Junk Cruise
Operating the first time in mid 2006, Ginger Junk Cruise that measures 38 meters (125 feet) in length is wooden junk that features both classic beauty and modern comfort. This newly built custom-designed junk contains three decks housing many convenience such as an elegant restaurant, lounge, two bars, a small luxury boutique, an informative library and a massage room-plus ten luxurious sleeping cabins. The space is large enough for the passengers truly unwind and enjoy the bay’s spectacular scenery. Vietnam travel tours

Explore the fantastic coffee shops in Saigon, Vietnam

A cup of coffee is a local habit and you can find quality coffee all over Vietnam. This is the reason why there are many coffee shops to meet the Vietnamese’s demand, especially in Saigon, the biggest city of Vietnam. Here is some fantastic coffee shops in Saigon where you can drink coffee and relax with the beautiful place.

Tram coffee shop
Tram is not only a coffee shop but also a place where you can find the tropical world in the middle of Saigon. The coffee shop offers an oasis of calm in the busiest city and serves coffee, cake, drinks and food.

You make your way outside seating then put yourself into this old colonial house walking on stones, above fish peacefully swimming and under the canopy of trees. Now, you can feel free to choose from the different ambiance to relax: terrace or living room. If you go to with your friend group, you can even have a room for yourself. Especially, you can swap the roar of motorbikes for the trickle of water and rustle of leaves.
This place is a little gem just for you that will instantly reconcile anyone with Saigon and bring just the perfect amount of peace needed.

Bassac Cruise
Entirely made of wood, from the hull of an 80-foot-long rice barge, the Bassac can accommodate up to 12 passengers in six nicely decorated cabins, each of which contains an air-condition and a private bathroom together with a 100 square feet restaurant opening all around, a large gallery, a small office room and 700 square feet of sundeck.

With the ability of taking her passengers on cruises up to seven days without stopping, the Bassac offers a great flexibility in programming your journey. She is also so powerful and has such a shallow draft as to be able to cruise in the opposite direction of the stream of the Mekong or bring you to your destination no matter what the season is, the tide or the current.

The best coffee in Hanoi

When traveling in Vietnam I am more than happy to leave my computer at home, switch off my mobile and delve into the local culture without so much as a second thought about what might or might not be going on back home! I’m even happy to trade in my beloved cheese and pasta and wine for some home made spring rolls and a bowl of hot noodle soup. But if there’s one thing I crave even when I’m in the furthest flung corners of the globe, it’s a good cup of coffee. With this in mind, I put together a little list of some of my favourite spots to grab a ‘cup of joe’ in Hanoi. If you interest please follow Indochina tours Vietnam
 Because Vietnam has more than 150 years of experience of growing and brewing coffee, it’s hardly surprising that the locals have learned to make a great cup of coffee. Although many are eager to write off coffee culture in Vietnam as little more than a legacy of the French occupation, it doesn’t take a traveller long to realise that in modern Vietnam the passion for whiling away afternoons in a cafe with a group of friends is nothing short of a national past time. Nowadays, no matter where you are in the country you can be sure that you are never far away from a freshly roasted cup of caffeine-loaded goodness.
Ca Phe Xom This stylish little camera/photography-themed cafe on the edge of the Old Quarter has all the creativity and design that the more well known upscale cafes dotting the city have become known for but without any of the attitude. The majority of the folks in this shop are regulars but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t friendly and welcoming to the odd traveller who works up the courage to pop in. Luckily, despite having regular events and an active Facebook page, Cafe Xom remains relatively unknown and too small to turn in to one of those “seen and be seen” type places that the more affluent generation of Hanoians seem to be craving after so uncontrollably. For one of those, check out Cafe Align below! (8b Hang Tre. Tel: +84 (0)9 7896 0135) Hanoi Cycling Tour

DINH
13 ĐINH TIÊN HOÀNG, HÀNG BẠC, HOÀN KIẾM, HÀ NỘI, VIETNAM
7:30am – 9pm Dinh is easily our favorite spot in Hanoi. You’ll pretty much only see locals in there, the coffee is great, and the ambiance is just about as local as it gets. An approach that begins in a bootleg bag shop, down a hallway to a stairway that looks like you’re heading into someone’s apartment and then opens onto a smokey room filled with local kids sipping coffee in tiny seats on rusty diamond plate metal floors.
GIANG
39 NGUYỄN HỮU HUÂN, LÝ THÁI TỔ, HOÀN KIẾM, HÀ NỘI, VIETNAM
 When you ask anyone about Hanoi’s famous egg coffee aka ca phe trung, Giang comes up every time as one of the best places to try it. We agree, the ca phe trung at Giang is great as is the minimal decor that creates the full experience of a true local Hanoi cafe.
HANOI SOCIAL CLUB 6 NGÕ HỘI VŨ, HÀNG BÔNG, HOÀN KIẾM, HÀ NỘI, VIETNAM
8:00am – 11:00pm website Hanoi Social Club is a great spot with multiple floors of different spaces and plenty of room to relax and hang out for a while. Good place to get some work done or just enjoy a coffee in a hipster hangout. It’s no secret that we have an affinity for rooftops so, naturally, we like to head to the third floor terrace and have an egg coffee in the plant-filled oasis overlooking street life below.

Hoi an - full moon lantern festival experience

Hoi an - full moon lantern festival experience
Exploring Vietnam is part of my vacation series recap. If you're just tuning in, you can catch up here: Vietnam Trip Recap.

The moment we stepped into Hoi An, it almost felt like a book of ancient fairy tales came to life. I've never been to a city with such a great level of preserved history (over 2,000 years), beauty and grace. Hoi An isn't just a food destination, there's plenty of things to see, explore and learn. As you stroll through the magical cobblestone streets, you'll be greeted with illuminating beautiful silk lanterns everywhere, ancient buildings and temples, and friendly faces (some locals will smile for a photo and demand $1 from you afterwards). Centre Vietnam travel tours

In my third and final Hoi An post, I'm sharing my favorite non-food related moments and photos from our trip, including my memorable experience from the Full Moon Lantern Festival.

If you missed my last two Vietnam posts, you can catch up here: [#1] 13 of my favorite specialty dishes of Hoi An and [#2] fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables at Hoi An's street market.

Hey, it's us! It took a while for us to take this selfie and this was one of the few photos we have of ourselves where we're not stuffing our faces with food. Hoi An was definitely my favorite place on our trip, but I can't say the same for Patrick. Unfortunately, he was sick for 2.5 days likely due to eating vegetables and herbs that were washed with contaminated water. I was completely fine and ended up exploring most of Hoi An solo. Go figure!

THE RIVER

Hoi An's river system used to be the ancient transport network of Cham Kingdom for importing and exporting goods. The river stretches hundreds of kilometers inland. You'll see a variety of boats used by locals mostly for fishing and transport, but most of the boats you'll come across are touristy like the ones below. There are tons of ship owners waiting to get your business. BASSAC CRUISE

THE BUILDINGS

The buildings are full of history and damage-free from war activity. You'll find that the town is made up of timber frame buildings, with brick or wooden walls. According to UNESCO, "The surviving wooden structures and street plan are original and intact and together present a traditional townscape of the 17th and 18th centuries, the survival of which is unique in the region. The town continues to this day to be occupied and function as a trading port and centre of commerce."

PHUOC LAM PAGODA

This enchanting Buddhist temple was built towards the end of the 17th century. The architecture and wood carvings of the temple are extremely detailed. I loved strolling through the garden and checking out the large marble hand-carved statues of the different Buddhas. The temple was a nice place to find peace away from the main attractions.

This temple is the home to many Buddhist monks (if you look closely above you'll see them in the photo - click to enlarge). I arrived while they were sitting on the floor chanting their midday prayers and paying their respects to Buddha.

SHOPPING & FASHION

If you're into fashion, you're in luck because Hoi An is a mecca for silk threads and tailoring. You can get customized quality clothing created at very reasonable prices. There are many people who come here to get a custom suit or dress made. A lot of the locals have the skills to make their own clothing, so the tailor shops really cater to those who can afford it.

You can clearly differentiate between the locals and tourists based on the outfits worn. The locals enjoy wearing daytime-like pajamas with unique patterns.

One of my biggest pet peeves walking into a store in Vietnam (not only in Hoi An) was getting followed and monitored closely, like we were crooks. I don't think they have an understanding of what personal space means.

We picked up some of these beautiful coconut bowls, all hand designed with acrylic.

HOW THE LOCALS LIVE

Here's one of the neighborhood streets we stumbled upon. In this photo is a lady selling banh cuon, a rolled rice sheet with filling) from her food cart. We walked through these homes and learned about how the locals lived through observation. The locals live minimally in small one or two-story homes and trust the neighborhood enough to leave their doors wide open for all eyes to see. We were told that Hoi An is such a small place that almost everyone knows one another.

There wasn't much inside these homes other than a television and maybe a few chairs. Inside of these homes are families laying on the floor to watch television. Outside we spotted the elderly sitting outside to watch the day go by, while the small neighborhood dogs run around playing tag with each other.

Even when the city gets rained on, it's picturesque. As you would expect, there are plenty of bikes everywhere, unlocked and parked on random streets and alleys. The cobblestone roads were really charming.

HOI AN'S FULL MOON LANTERN FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE

It was truly incredible to experience Hoi An's Full Moon Lantern Festival. The old town is beautifully transformed by flickering candlelight and multi-colored lanterns. The locals sell floating cardboard lotus flower-shaped lanterns with tiny candles to release on to the river to symbolize happiness, luck and love.

I purchased a floating candle lantern from a sweet little girl (pictured above) and she left her station to gently hold onto my shoulder to ensure that I don't fall into the river while releasing it into the water. I will never forget this night because it restored my faith in human kindness. These are the magical moments that I yearn for.

When I was doing research for our trip, I stumbled upon a photo of these twin brothers. They have become internet sensations and I can see why - they were dressed cute enough to sweet talk anyone into buying a candle. They weren't so happy in this photo though because their mom came back and scolded them for having too much fun.

In this photo, the younger sister lights up lanterns to sell while the older sister looks out towards the waterfront, holding a stick used to release the candles. If you look closely, you'll notice that they are standing on a section surrounded by water, a prime spot to quickly release the candles into the river.

I have great memories of Hoi An and do hope to make it back for a quick visit if we decide to go back to Vietnam again in the future.