Located on the south-central coast of Vietnam, Nha Trang is a short 1 hour flight from Ho Chi Minh City. The city is famed for its stunning beaches, thriving coral reefs, teeming water activities and usually high concentration of Russian tourist. Though it is not as renowned as other Vietnamese tourist destinations like Ha Long Bay, Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Nha Trang is nevertheless extremely popular with domestic tourist whom flock to it for its natural wonders. In fact, Nha Trang is considered by some quarters as amongst the world’s most beautiful bays. To learn more about what are the top things to do in this enticing city, see our Top Things to do in Nha Trang VLOG below!

Things to do in Nha Trang VLOG

List of tourist attractions mentioned in the above Nha Trang VLOG:

• Long Son Pagoda
• Po Nagar Tower (Ponagar Tower)
• Hon Chong Promontory
• Ba Ho Waterfall
• Nha Trang Beach
• Skylight Nha Trang (360 Skydeck, Havana Hotel)

For more details on the Top Things to do in Nha Trang, refer to our blog post:

• Things to do in Nha Trang

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• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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The post Nha Trang VLOG appeared first on Balukoo Travel Blog.

Other than being a springboard for travellers heading to other destinations within Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is itself a worthy destination. The largest city and economic/financial centre of Vietnam has plenty to offer those whom want to learn more about the culture and history of this charming country. To learn more about what are the top things to do in this charming city, see our Ho Chi Minh City VLOG below!

Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City VLOG

List of tourist attractions mentioned in the above Ho Chi Minh City VLOG:

• Ben Thanh Market
• Ho Chi Minh City Hall (Saigon City Hall)
• Saigon Opera House
• Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon
• Saigon Central Post Office
• Independence Palace (Reunification Palace)
• War Remnants Museum

For those with limited time to explore Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll be pleased to know that all of the attractions mentioned in the above VLOG are within short walking distance of one another. As such, it is possible to visit all in the list within a single day.

For more details on the Top Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City, refer to our blog post:

• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

Related posts:

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• Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Guide to Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island, Vietnam
• Best of Central Vietnam: 4-Days Itinerary
• 6 Must-See Places in Da Nang (Central Vietnam)
• 6 Must-See Places in Hue (Central Vietnam)
• Airport Bus to Ho Chi Minh City
• Things to do in Nha Trang, Vietnam
• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Related VLOG:

• Central Vietnam VLOG (Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue)
• Nha Trang VLOG (Things to do in Nha Trang)

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The post Ho Chi Minh City VLOG appeared first on Balukoo Travel Blog.

Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city and economic/financial centre of Vietnam. For many international travellers, Ho Chi Minh City is their springboard en route to other destinations within Vietnam. Having said, Ho Chi Minh City itself is a fascinating destination. With interesting sites and activities that warrant further explorations. Here, we bring you the Top Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City!

Saigon

Ho Chi Minh City was formerly known as Saigon. And can be traced back to at least 1859, when the French colonized southern parts of Vietnam. The French colony was called Cochinchina, and Saigon was made the capital of this colony in 1862.

The French colonial period lasted till 1954, when the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) was established with Saigon as its capital. This was to last till 1975, at the conclusion of the Vietnam War, with victory for North Vietnam. As a result of the war, Vietnam was reunified and Saigon was officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City, in reference to the North’s inspirational leader Ho Chi Minh. The capital of reunified Vietnam would follow that of North Vietnam and remain at Hanoi.

Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

Being an important city since the French colonial days, Ho Chi Minh City is rich in history. Unsurprisingly, a number of its older building/structure takes on French architectural influences.

For those with limited time to explore the city, you will be pleased to know that all of the top things to do in Ho Chi Minh City are within short walking distance of each other. You could easily cover most, if not all, within a day.

*To see all photos in high resolution, click here to our Facebook Page album

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#1: Ben Thanh Market

Located right in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, Ben Thanh Market is one of its oldest structures. The single level building is a large marketplace and one of the most prominent icons of Ho Chi Minh City.

Ben Thanh Market can be traced to the early 17th century, when it started off as an impromptu marketplace by vendors bringing wares into the city via Saigon River. Over time, the market developed into a major trading place. As the French gain control of Saigon in 1859, they consolidated the trading into a sheltered marketplace. Giving rise to Ben Thanh Market in its earliest form.

Over the decades that followed, the market underwent a few developments. And the present-day Ben Thanh Market was formally opened in 1914, with its centennial celebration in 2014.

Tourist hotspot

Nowadays, Ben Thanh Market is extremely popular with both foreigners and locals. It deals with a wide range of merchandises including bags, clothing/accessories, footwear, local produce, cooked food, arts/crafts and souvenirs. Most foreign tourist to Ho Chi Minh City will choose to shop here (and the surrounding alleys) for local made goods.

The market has a myriad of tiny lanes, which can be difficult to navigate during crowded periods. And the sardine packed stalls make the market stuffy and warm, especially in the heat of the day.

Having said, we hugely enjoy shopping here due to the huge variety of goods. Even if you’re not into retail therapy, Ben Thanh Market offers you the unique chance to learn more about the Vietnamese culture and their local produces.

Shopping tip

As with most markets in Vietnam, the merchandises in Ben Thanh Market are not tagged and massive bargaining is customary. However, this does not mean that you should be rude. Bargain only if you’re sincere in buying the item. And show basic courtesy at all times.

*To see all photos in high resolution, click here to our Facebook Page album

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#2: Ho Chi Minh City Hall (Saigon City Hall)

A short walk (700m) from Ben Thanh Market is the imposing Ho Chi Minh City Hall (or Saigon City Hall). Though closed to public (it is a functioning government office), Ho Chi Minh City Hall remains a firm tourist hotspot.

Built between 1902-1908 during the French occupation, the structure unsurprisingly takes on French colonial architecture styles. The building was subsequently renamed People’s Committee Building in 1975 after the war. And a statue of the late leader Ho Chi Minh was later added to the square in front of the building.

Though Ho Chi Minh City Hall looks grand in the day, it is much more impressive at night. During the evenings, the building and grounds are lit up, giving it a magnificent look.

If at all possible, do not miss the sight of Ho Chi Minh City Hall at night.

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#3: Saigon Opera House

The magnificent Saigon Opera House is a stone throw (<300m) from Ho Chi Minh City Hall. It was built a few years before Ho Chi Minh City Hall by the French colonial administration. Construction started in 1898 and completing in 1900, under French architect Ferret Eugene.

The building predominantly served as the city’s main opera house until 1956, when it was used as the Lower House Assembly of South Vietnam. This was to last till 1975, at the conclusion of the war. Since then, Saigon Opera House was reverted back to its original function as a theater.

After witnessing decades of use, Saigon Opera House was restored in 1998 for the 300th Anniversary of Saigon celebrations.

If you’re in the area and have some time on your hands, we’ll recommend dropping by for a brief photo shoot.

#4: Notre Dame Cathedral

The Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, or Notre Dame Cathedral in short, is one of the most famous religious structure in Ho Chi Minh City. It is located 600m up the street from Saigon Opera House.

Construction was undertaken by the French colonists and went on from 1877 to 1880. Materials used during the construction were imported from France. For example, the façade of the cathedral was built using red bricks from Toulouse. And these bricks retained their bright colors till date.

The two distinctive bell towers were added in 1895, and reaches a height of 58m. A granite statue of the Virgin Mary stands in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral. It was ordered from Rome and installed in 1959.

Notre Dame Cathedral is located next to the Saigon Central Post Office (see next section), thus it is worth checking out both at the same time.

*To see all photos in high resolution, click here to our Facebook Page album

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#5: Saigon Central Post Office

Saigon Central Post Office is adjacent to the Notre Dame Cathedral. It was built between 1886 and 1891, just a few years after the completion of Notre Dame Cathedral.

A firm favourite for visitors to Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon Central Post Office is a functioning post office which managed to preserve much of its past grandiose. In fact, it is widely accepted to be the most majestic functioning post office in Southeast Asia.

The imposing architecture of both the facade and interior bring visitors back to days when snail mail still ruled. And making a telephone call meant a trip to the city post office. In fact, the Saigon Central Post Office still preserves and utilizes its antiquated telephone boxes, albeit ironically as ATM cubicles.

Historical maps

For history buffs, do take note of the two painted maps high on the walls just after the entrance. These magnificent maps were painted in 1892, just after the completion of the post office. One shows the telegraph lines of Southern Vietnam and Cambodia at the time, while the other shows Saigon and its surroundings.

Nowadays, tourist visits Saigon Central Post Office to relive its past glory. And having a hand at sending mails from this historic building. Photography enthusiast will have a field day capturing scenes of the timeworn structure from different perspectives.

Tip: Similar to Ho Chi Minh City Hall, the post office’s facade is tastefully lit up during evenings. It is worth hanging around the area to revisit Saigon Central Post Office in its evening splendour.

Saigon Central Post Office Opening hours:

• Mon-Fri 7AM–7PM
• Saturday 7AM–6PM
• Sunday 8AM–6PM

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#6: Independence Palace (Reunification Palace)

The Independence Palace is a leisure 500m walk from Saigon Central Post Office. Also known as the Reunification Palace, the palace was completed in 1966 and designed by the prominent Vietnamese architect Ngô Viết Thụ.

Norodom Palace

The Independence Palace’s history could be traced back to its predecessor, the Norodom Palace. Works on Norodom Palace started on the same ground in 1868 by the French colonist, with completion in 1873. Since then, the palace served as the French Indochina Governors-General residence and workplace till March-1945.

In March-1945, the Japanese would forcibly take over the French as colonist of the region and consequently occupy the Norodom Palace. However, the Japanese occupation would be short-lived. Japan surrendered to Allied forces at the conclusion of World War II in September-1945. And Norodom Palace was subsequently handed back to the French colonist.

First Indochina War

Sadly, Vietnam would slide into the First Indochina War shortly after. Pitting the French colonial forces against Viet Minh, the group founded by Ho Chi Minh and seeking independence for Vietnam.

At the conclusion of the First Indochina War in 1954, Viet Minh emerged victors while France departed from Indochina. Thereupon, Norodom Palace was handed to the newly appointed Prime Minister of the State of Vietnam, Ngô Đình Diệm.

The next year (1955), Ngô Đình Diệm would went on to declare himself the President of the newly proclaimed South Vietnam. And subsequently renamed the Norodom Palace as Independence Palace.

Second Indochina War (Vietnam War)

In the few years that followed, South Vietnam and North Vietnam would went on to fight the Second Indochina War (also commonly known as Vietnam War).

In 1962, two rebel pilots from South Vietnam’s air force attempted an assassination on Ngô Đình Diệm and bombed the Independence Palace. Ngô Đình Diệm managed to escape the assassination, but the Independence Palace was partially destroyed. Ngô Đình Diệm then proceed to order a new building to be built on the same ground. Work on the new palace was completed in 1966. Resulting in the Independence Palace as we see today.

The horrific Second Indochina War was to drag on till 1975. When a defining moment on the morning of 30-April-1975 saw two North Vietnamese Army tanks crashing through the gates of the Independence Palace. The war had ended with North Vietnam victorious.

Towards the end of 1975, Independence Palace would be renamed as Reunification Palace.

Reunification Palace

Since the events in 1975, the Independence Palace has largely stayed in its original setting. And it was designated as a national relic shortly after.

The palace was subsequently opened up for public viewing. Allowing visitors to view the original layout, furnishing and facilities of this historically important building. Occasionally, it is still used by the government to host important receptions or meetings.

For more information, refer to the Independence Palace official website.

For the opening hours and ticket prices, click here.

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#7: War Remnants Museum

A further 600m walk from the Independence Palace is the War Remnants Museum.

The museum was established in 1975 by the Vietnamese government, and focus on exhibits concerning the First and Second Indochina War. In particular, it explores the war crime that were attributed to the French and American forces. Visitors can witness the harmful effects of war and gain a different perspective about the events during the Indochina wars.

Additionally, a small number of captured military equipment (e.g. tanks, aircrafts, helicopters, artilleries) is on display within the museum grounds.

The War Remnants Museum is extremely popular with tourist, both local and foreign. In fact, it is one of the most popular museums in Vietnam, receiving half a million visitors yearly.

Having visited the museum, we must say that the exhibits are extremely informative and thought-provoking. And we strongly recommend all visitors to Ho Chi Minh City to visit. It is absolutely worth taking the time to explore the exhibits and understanding that peace is truly precious. Definitely the highlight of our list of things to do in Ho Chi Minh City.

Note: The exhibits in the War Remnants Museum can be visually disturbing, even for adults. As such, we recommend discretion when visiting with children.

**For more information, refer to the War Remnants Museum official website.

**Click here for the opening hours and ticket prices.

*To see all photos in high resolution, click here to our Facebook Page album

Getting from Tan Son Nhat International Airport to Ho Chi Minh City

Travelling on public transport in Vietnam can be stressful. For those flying into Tan Son Nhat International Airport, refer to our blog on how to travel from the airport to Ho Chi Minh City centre.

PS: If you find this List of Top Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City useful, please help to share it! We’re sure your travel buddies will benefit from it. Thanks!

Related posts:

• Best of Hanoi and Ha Long Bay: 6 Days Itinerary
• Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Guide to Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island, Vietnam
• Best of Central Vietnam: 4-Days Itinerary
• 6 Must-See Places in Da Nang (Central Vietnam)
• 6 Must-See Places in Hue (Central Vietnam)
• Airport Bus to Ho Chi Minh City
• Things to do in Nha Trang, Vietnam

Related VLOGs:

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The post Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City appeared first on Balukoo Travel Blog.

For first-time visitors to Vietnam, Nha Trang typically isn’t the first Vietnamese city one would consider visiting. However, in spite of its limited international fanfare, Nha Trang is actually very popular amongst locals and Russians (huh?).

Located on the south-central coast of Vietnam, Nha Trang is famed for its gorgeous beaches, thriving coral reefs and plentiful water sports. Nha Trang Bay is also considered by some as amongst the world’s most beautiful bays.

Based upon our Feb-2018 visit to this coastal playground, let us share with you the top things to do in Nha Trang! Plus, we’ll even throw in the Nha Trang specific travel tips we’ve picked up along the way. Go ahead and share this with your travel BFFs!

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Why are there so many Russians in Nha Trang?

Before we get into the list of things to do in Nha Trang, we must talk about a very interesting topic; why are there so many Russians in Nha Trang?

For those whom are not in the know, Nha Trang is well-known for having an unusually high number of Russian tourist. The number of Russian tourist here easily outnumbers all other nationalities combined. And this phenomenon is only seen in Nha Trang, not in other Vietnamese cities.

The reason can be traced to the cold war days when Nha Trang was the site of Russia’s biggest naval base outside its own territory. But things have changed since with the closure of the naval base. However, Russians continue to have numerous commercial interests in Nha Trang via a shipyard and other facilities. Which explains the number of Russian tourist.

Interestingly but unsurprisingly, Nha Trang has also seen an influx of Chinese (PRC) tourist in recent years. As with many popular tourist destinations worldwide, Chinese tourists are growing into a formidable force. It’s just a matter of time before Chinese tourist numbers overtake those of the Russians in Nha Trang.

Things to do in Nha Trang

Below is the list of things to do in Nha Trang. Listed in random order.

Getting around Nha Trang: As with other Vietnamese cities, the easiest and cheapest way of getting around Nha Trang is via renting motorbikes. Typical cost of renting from hotels is around 120,000 Dong/day. However, do note that foreign motorbike licenses are not recognized in Vietnam. Having said, enforcement is lax and most tourist just flout the rules. But you will be at the losing end if accident occurs.

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#1: Nha Trang Beach

Nha Trang’s trump card is surely its 6km-long beach. Most visitors are drawn to it for the long and wide shoreline with golden sands. However, note that seasons/weather systems are significant factors in determining the condition of the beach.

When we visited Nha Trang in early Feb (2018), the wave was huge and it was impossible to swim. The surf kept pushing us back towards shore and tripped us on a number of occasions. Having said, it was fun trying to walk head-on into the smashing waves.

Even in that state, the beach was still relatively crowded with tourist. Most of whom were more happy to bask in the sun than to challenge the overpowering waves. If you’re not into braving the waves or sun tanning, Nha Trang’s beach still offers a nice stroll, especially in the evenings.

We later learnt from the locals that the sea does become calmer during the summer months. Thus, it’s probably our fault for not choosing the right time to visit. Nevertheless, having visited Da Nang’s My Khe Beach (Vietnam’s other famous beach) in recent years, we must profess that My Khe Beach is more enjoyable and equally (if not more) scenic.

Important Tip: Learn from our mistake. Do not get rip-off by beach chair vendors. Most travellers report that they were able to get a beach chair for 35,000-40,000 Dong. However, we didn’t do our homework and instead paid 80,000 Dong for it. Sigh.

*To see all photos in high resolution, click here to our Facebook Page

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#2: Ba Ho Waterfall

In our opinion, Ba Ho Waterfall is without doubt the most worthwhile land-based activity in Nha Trang. It is located 24km north of Nha Trang city centre. Ba Ho Waterfall is a collective trio of waterfalls and natural rock pools nested amongst lush rainforest. Visitors are drawn to it for the opportunity to swim and do cliff jumping in its rock pools. Definitely one of the mainstay for the things to do in Nha Trang!

Motorbike ride to Ba Ho Waterfall

To reach it, most visitors rent a motorbike in downtown Nha Trang and make the 40 minutes’ ride north (same route as to Hanoi). The ride is straightforward and on well-paved roads, even when outside the city limits.

The road north is a dual 2-lane highway, passing by charming stretches of coastline and paddy field. Traffic was relatively light during our journey on a weekday morning. Petrol stations are aplenty along the way.

To guide visitors, there is a big blue-coloured signpost proclaiming “Ba Ho. Tourist” along the highway at the junction whereby visitors are supposed to make a turn. Once off the highway, you will be riding thru a village (paved road). From here, there are strategically placed signage pointing you all the way to Ba Ho Waterfall’s entrance.

Below: Image of the turn (to Ba Ho Waterfall) along the highway leading north

Arriving at Ba Ho Waterfall

The entrance to the waterfall is a simple ticket booth with a spacious parking area beside the river. Parking is free. A short walk past the ticket booth, there is a small restaurant (reasonable pricing) and some locker facilities.

The waterfall ticket used to cost 20,000 Dong. However, during our Feb-2018 visit, we discovered it had been raised to 50,000 Dong.

Tip: Do bring along your own food and water.

Below: Entrance to Ba Ho Waterfall. The parking area and ticket booth can be seen here.

Hike to Ba Ho Waterfall (Ticket booth to waterfall #1)

From the ticket booth, it is a 1.2km (20 minutes) hike to waterfall #1.

The initial section of this 1.2km is easy hiking on relatively flat forest trail. Towards the end, you will come to a stream with a small wooden bridge over it. Once over the bridge, you will be doing some simple climbing over huge rocks by the riverside.

Waterfall #1 and its rock pool is just a short distance after the bridge. You can identify waterfall #1 (and similarly waterfall #2/#3) via the huge red number painted on the rocks.

The rock pool at waterfall #1 doesn’t seem as wide as those in #2/#3. But we did saw some visitors doing cliff jumping here. We didn’t stop to rest, as we were eager to get on with the climb to waterfall #3.

We will later realize that the rock pool at waterfall #1 is the most crowded, probably due to its accessibility.

Hike from Ba Ho Waterfall #1 to #2

From waterfall #1, follow the red arrows painted on rocks to reach #2. This climb is more challenging than the previous, though we’ll still consider it only slight in difficulty. The climb is short and you will reach waterfall #2 in 5-10 minutes.

The rock pool at waterfall #2 appears less interesting than #1/#3. This probably explain why we see the least visitors here out of the three rock pools.

If you managed to reach waterfall #2, you’re better off making the final climb to waterfall #3, which is just another 10 minutes away.

Hike from Ba Ho Waterfall #2 to #3

From waterfall #2, it is a much more difficult climb to #3.

Again, following the arrows painted on rocks, you’ll now need to do some steep climbing. The climb here is near vertical and involves making use of a few steel steps which were driven into the steep rock face. Luckily, this section is short and you should overcome the near vertical rock face in under 10 minutes.

After scaling the near-vertical rock face, you will come to a rock pool with waterfall #3 feeding into it at the far end.

If you want to get to the top of waterfall #3, you’ll need to waddle into the rock pool and make it across to the opposite side of the river. This particular section of the rock pool is less than waist deep. Thus, only your legs will be wet. This is the only part of the entire hike that requires you to get into water.

Once across the river, make a quick climb over the rocks and you should reach the top of waterfall #3 within a minute.

Tip: Wear covered shoes with flexible rubber soles. Shoes with thick soles (e.g. hiking boots) isn’t suitable for climbing rocks. Sandals or flip-flops unsurprisingly doesn’t make the cut here.

Where to swim

Most hikers choose to swim in the rock pools at waterfall #3 or #1. Both pools offer opportunities for cliff jumping. However, do be cautious and verify that the pool is indeed deep enough. If in doubt, do not attempt jumping.

Tip: There are no amenities at the waterfalls/rock pools. Bring along everything that you’ll need.

*To see all photos in high resolution, click here to our Facebook Page

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#3: Skylight Nha Trang (360˚ Skydeck)

If you want to take the aerial photograph of Nha Trang’s beautiful stretch of esplanade, you could do so via a drone. Or you could visit Skylight, the restaurant cum bar on the rooftop (43rd floor) of Havana Hotel, which is strategically located along Nha Trang’s esplanade.

Of all the rooftop bars/restaurants in Nha Trang, Skylight offers the best bird’s-eye view of the city’s esplanade. Period. On a clear day, you could see the skyline of the entire city and even as far as Vinpearl Resort, which is located on an island just off Nha Trang’s coast.

Skylight: 360˚ Skydeck, Beach Club and Restaurant

Skylight consists of a restaurant, a rooftop bar (Beach Club) and a 360-degree viewing platform (360˚ Skydeck). The restaurant and rooftop bar is located on the same level, and both comprises of indoor and open-air sections. Whereas the 360-degree Skydeck viewing platform is located one level above them, and is unsheltered.

Tickets to Skylight can be purchased from the ticket office on the ground floor (lobby) of Havana Hotel. Visitors will be ushered to the dedicated Skylight lifts after purchasing the tickets.

Tickets to Skylight (daytime)

The restaurant and rooftop bar is closed during the day. However, you can still access the Skydeck viewing platform between 9am and 2pm (daily) for a fee of 50,000 Dong*.

Tickets to Skylight (late afternoon/evening)

During late afternoons/evenings, visitors can access Skylight (including Skydeck) via patronizing the restaurant or the rooftop bar.

For those dining at the restaurant, a deposit for the reservation is required at the ticket office. The deposit will be deducted from the final bill.

For those going to the rooftop bar, they will need to purchase a ticket, which includes one complimentary drink. The ticket prices vary depending on the time/day of visit.

Price:

• 4.30pm to 8pm (daily): 150,000 Dong*
• 8pm to midnight (Monday to Thursday): 200,000 Dong*
• 8pm to midnight (Friday to Sunday): 250,000 Dong*

*Note: Prices are accurate as of Feb-2018.

Tips for visiting Skylight

If you’re visiting Skylight solely for the view and taking photographs, we recommend visiting at around 5pm and staying till after dark. This is so that you’ll be able to capture day time, golden hour and night-time photographs of Nha Trang’s city and esplanade.

In addition, arriving this early means that you could temporarily occupy “strategic” seats at the rooftop bar until the reservation customers show up for the night.

Finally, bring along a jacket. It can get rather chilly on the rooftop.

Note: As a security measure, backpacks and tripods (camera) are not allowed into Skylight. You can leave the prohibited items with the ticket counter before taking the lift to Skylight. For those planning for night photography or long exposure shots, you have to think of alternative ways to stabilize your camera.

*To see all photos in high resolution, click here to our Facebook Page

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#4: Long Son Pagoda

Long Son Pagoda is situated in Nha Trang city centre and approximately 2km away from the beach.

Originally built in 1886 at another location, Long Son Pagoda was moved to the current hill in 1900 after being destroyed by a cyclone. The Buddhist temple is most famous for its 24 metres tall white Buddha statue, which was built in 1964 and sits at the top of the hill.

From the main temple hall, there is a stairway on the right (of the hall) which leads up to the Buddha statue. The easy climb is 32 metres in elevation and involves 152 steps. From the base of the Buddha statue, visitors have a view overlooking Nha Trang city.

Entry to Long Son Pagoda is free.

Opening hours (main temple hall): 7am to 11am. 2pm to 5pm**

**The temple grounds and Buddha statue is open throughout.

Tip for visiting Long Son Pagoda

Although temple entry is free, the security guards do charge a high of 10,000 Dong for motorbike parking in the temple grounds. Avoid paying for this by simply parking your motorbike outside the temple and make the short walk in. You could always make a voluntary donation at the donation boxes within the temple if you want to contribute.

Below: Our Google Street View photo of the main temple hall at Long Son Pagoda

Below: Our Google Street View photo of the Buddha Statue at Long Son Pagoda

*To see all photos in high resolution, click here to our Facebook Page

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#5: Po Nagar Tower (Ponagar Tower)

Po Nagar Tower is an ancient religious site that is important to Vietnamese and Chinese Buddhist. Till date, locals still actively use it for worshipping.

First built around the 7th century, these towers were constructed by the Champa Kingdom, whom ruled parts of present-day Vietnam for 10 centuries. The original complex used to house up to eight towers, however, only four currently remains.

The small complex is located on a hill along the banks of Cai River. And is a short distance from the river’s mouth into South China Sea. The top of the complex offers good view of the surrounding river and the two bridges across it.

Nowadays, Po Nagar Tower is flooded with Chinese tourist throughout the day. It might be worth visiting the complex nearer to either the opening or closing time to avoid the horde of selfie-obsessed tour groups whom arrives by busloads.

Opening hours: 6am to 6pm

Entry fee: 22,000 Dong

Note: This is a religious site for locals. Do dress/behave appropriately and show respect for others’ religion.

Tip for visiting Po Nagar Tower

The main parking area (for buses and motorbikes) is across the road from Po Nagar’s entrance. However, the parking warden would typically demand an overkill parking fee of 10,000 Dong. Avoid paying this unreasonable rate by simply parking your motorbike further away from the main parking area.

*To see all photos in high resolution, click here to our Facebook Page

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#6: Hon Chong Promontory (optional)

Hon Chong Promontory is a small and narrow granite outcrop jutting off Nha Trang’s coastline. It is situated approximately 2-3km north of Nha Trang beach.

Though a few websites gave it good reviews, we were left less than impressed after our visit in Feb-2018.

What appears to be an ordinary coastline, complete with a small and average looking promontory is surely nothing worth shouting out for. To make matters worse, the tiny area is fenced up into a paying attraction and overcrowded with over-zealous Chinese tourist. This is an attraction that is surely over-rated.

Coastal features way more fascinating than those at Hon Chong Promontory are commonplace in many locations. And most, if not all, of those that we’ve visited are open to public for free. Had Hon Chong Promontory be left open for free visits, we would consider classifying it as “good-to-visit”. However, with the imposed fee (though small) and over-crowding, we recommend visiting it only if you’ve plenty of time on your hands.

Opening hours: 6.30am to 6pm

Entry fee: 22,000 Dong

Tip: As with other tourist locations within Nha Trang, motorbike parking here seems to attract unreasonable fees. Avoid it via parking your motorbike further down the road (from the ticket booth) and making the short walk back to the promontory.

*To see all photos in high resolution, click here to our Facebook Page

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Getting from Nha Trang city to Cam Ranh International Airport

The main airport serving Nha Trang is Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR). It is 36km away and the journey typically takes 40 minutes (by car).

Due to the distance and relatively cheap cost of taxi, most travellers find it more convenient and cost-effective to take a taxi for the incoming trip from Cam Ranh Airport to Nha Trang city. However, it is advisable to do some online research for the expected cost before your trip. We couldn’t advise on this particular trip as we had arranged for a free airport transfer using our frequent flyer program.

For the return trip from Nha Trang city to airport, one could either get a regular taxi or get your hotel to arrange for an airport transfer. If you’re flagging a taxi off the road, note that you should be able to negotiate for a lower fixed price, as the expected metered fare will be around 400,000 Dong. In contrast, most hotels can do a private airport transfer for just 300,000 Dong. Which is what we choose for the return trip.

Related posts:

• Best of Hanoi and Ha Long Bay: 6 Days Itinerary
• Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Guide to Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island, Vietnam
• Best of Central Vietnam: 4-Days Itinerary
• 6 Must-See Places in Da Nang (Central Vietnam)
• 6 Must-See Places in Hue (Central Vietnam)
• Airport Bus to Ho Chi Minh City
• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

Related VLOGs:

• Ho Chi Minh City VLOG
• Central Vietnam VLOG (Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue)

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Disclosure: We do receive a small royalty fee whenever someone upgrades our travel article. This fee goes a long way in helping us to maintain this travel blog. So that we can continue to do what we do best; inspiring the traveler in YOU!

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The post Things to do in Nha Trang (Vietnam) appeared first on Balukoo Travel Blog.

Note: The information herein is accurate as of Feb-2018.

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Airport Bus from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City

Tan Son Nhat International Airport is approximately 6km north of Ho Chi Minh City centre. It has two terminals (international and domestic), both within short walking distance of each other (via sheltered walkway).

Other than the typically pricey private airport transfer services, the main way of getting to Ho Chi Minh City centre is via taxi (regular/Uber/Grab) or local/airport bus.

Taxis or local buses

For those opting to take regular taxis, there is an official taxi queue on your left once you exit the international terminal main building. We shall not be touching on the taxi option, as there are many potential pitfalls. Not to mention that taxis are obviously costlier than buses. If you’re fixated on taking taxis, just remember to do online research prior to your trip.

There are local public buses to the city. These local buses are cheaper (5,000 Dong). But they tend to be more crowded, slower (more stops), older (condition) and might require extra charges for additional luggage.

Airport Bus to Ho Chi Minh City

By far, the most cost-effective and convenient way of getting from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh city is via the airport bus. These distinctively yellow-coloured airport buses are privately operated by the company Satsco.

For passengers travelling to Ho Chi Minh city centre (i.e. District 1), the relevant airport bus services are No.49 and No.109. The routes for No.49 and 109 are slightly similar. The main difference being No.49 travels to more suburbs within the city centre such that passengers are more likely to have a stop closer to their accommodations.

*Route map for No.49
*Route map for No.109

Airport Bus No.49 and No.109

Both No.49 and 109 have ticket booths (boarding points) at the bus bay of the international and domestic terminals. For the international terminal, the booth is location at column 12 (of the bus bay) outside the terminal building. For the domestic terminal, the booth can be found at column B-04 outside the terminal building. Simply look for the red/white coloured booths once you exit from the respective terminal building. Unsurprising, the staffs at the booth are versed in English.

The two services operate 5.30am to 1am daily. Cost for both services are same at 20,000 Dong*, with no extra charges for additional/bulky luggage. Frequency for both is between 15-30 minutes. Journey from airport to city centre is around 30-40 minutes during off-peak hours.

*Note: Service No.49 used to cost 40,000 Dong during its inception. However, we confirmed with the bus company that the charges have since been reduced to 20,000 Dong (as of Feb-2018).

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Our journey on Bus No.109

During our Feb-2018 trip, we flew into Tan Son Nhat Airport’s domestic terminal. After exiting the terminal building, we immediately came to a zebra crossing, which leads to the bus bay. Column B-04 happens to be right beside the crossing, with the red/white booth of the airport bus company easily identifiable.

As we approached the booth, a zealous staff of the bus company walked up to us to tout their airport bus service (in English). After a quick verification of the bus service/price, we paid her in cash and were passed the bus ticket in return. The bus ticket has a 20,000 Dong stamp on it. The staff then asked for our hotel address and promptly informed us that our stop is #8, before scribbling the same info onto our tickets.

A bus No.109 arrived after just 5 minutes. Fearing we didn’t notice the bus, the staff even swiftly ushered us onto it. Once on the bus, a bus conductor went around checking the tickets of all newly boarded passengers and verified everyone’s destination stop number.

The bus we took was new, clean and air-conditioned. With spacious interior that is able to accommodate big luggage. We even spotted a sign stating there is free Wi-Fi onboard! The journey was quick. We reached our stop (in the heart of Ho Chi Minh city) after 30 minutes and hastily got off after verifying with the bus conductor that it is indeed our stop.

Overall, the bus service is as what we’ve expected, cheap, convenient and quick. Definitely beats the expensive and potentially stressful taxi rides into town.

Tips

• There are many touts outside the airport terminals, ignore them all and proceed to the bus counter directly to buy tickets.
• Check the bus operating hours (via website) prior to arrival. At the airport, ignore anyone whom tells you that the bus service has ended for the day.
• Pay only the stated price (20,000Dong/pax, no extra charges for luggage/toll, no other fees whatsoever). Do not buy ticket from anyone whom charges you more. Ensure you get the physical bus ticket when you pay; the price of 20,000 Dong is stamped on the ticket.

Airport bus contact details:

• Facebook Page
• Website
• Whatsapp: +84 120 447 0448

Using Uber/Grab in Ho Chi Minh

At the time of writing, Uber/Grab is popular in Vietnam. We heard from locals that Grab tends to be slightly cheaper than Uber. A typical trip from Ho Chi Minh City centre to Tan Son Nhat Airport cost around 100,000 Dong (per car), which is cheaper than a local taxi running on meter. However, note that an additional of 10,000 Dong is payable for the airport surcharge (per car). Payment can be made in cash.

During our Feb-2018 trip, we opted for using Grab for our journey from Ho Chi Minh City centre to Tan Son Nhat Airport. True enough, the trip was hassle-free (even though the driver doesn’t speak English) and the cost comes up to be 105,000 Dong (95,000 Dong for Grab + 10,000 Dong for airport surcharge). Definitely something worth considering if there’s 3-4 pax in your group or when you have many/heavy luggage.

Related posts:

• Best of Hanoi and Ha Long Bay: 6 Days Itinerary
• Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Guide to Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island, Vietnam
• Best of Central Vietnam: 4-Days Itinerary
• 6 Must-See Places in Da Nang (Central Vietnam)
• 6 Must-See Places in Hue (Central Vietnam)
• Things to do in Nha Trang, Vietnam
• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

Related VLOGs:

• Ho Chi Minh City VLOG
• Central Vietnam VLOG (Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue)
• Nha Trang VLOG (Things to do in Nha Trang)

Find this article (free) in GPSmyCity app

Download this article to your mobile device for FREE. This article is available within the GPSmyCity travel app. Once the app is installed, search for the article name and save it for your offline usage! You could also upgrade (small fee) the article to get a map with GPS navigation to the sights. The map + GPS navigation can be used offline. Thus saving you money from mobile data!

Disclosure: We do receive a small royalty fee whenever someone upgrades our travel article. This fee goes a long way in helping us to maintain this travel blog. So that we can continue to do what we do best; inspiring the traveler in YOU!

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The post Airport Bus to Ho Chi Minh City appeared first on Balukoo Travel Blog.

In this travel blog, we’ll provide you with the perfect Hanoi and Ha Long Bay Itinerary – 6 Days. We’ll also provide links to our detailed write-up on the places to see in Hanoi, how to plan your Ha Long Bay trip and why an accompanying trip to Cat Ba Island is highly recommended. How do we know all these? Because we’ve personally undertook this trip in Mar-2017!

Finally, we’ve even thrown in the approximate trip expenses for this trip. Enjoy!

Why Vietnam

Vietnam is a South East Asian country on the eastern coast of the Indochina Peninsula. It is famous for its scenic landscapes, bustling cities, exotic religious structures and colorful culture. Its most prominent cities are Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Hanoi in the north is the political (capital) and cultural centre of Vietnam, while Ho Chi Minh City in the south is its economic hub.

Many foreign tourists are drawn to Hanoi for its rich centuries-old architecture styles/cultures, and its antiquated narrow streets filled with archaic shop-houses. In addition to exploring the city, most Hanoi visitors will throw in a visit to nearby Ha Long Bay, a picturesque UNESCO World Heritage Site and Vietnam’s top tourist draw.

Related posts:

• Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Guide to Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island, Vietnam
• 6 Must-See Places in Da Nang (Central Vietnam)
• 6 Must-See Places in Hue (Central Vietnam)
• Things to do in Nha Trang
• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

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Best of Hanoi and Ha Long Bay Itinerary: 6 Days Itinerary

Day#1 (Hanoi):

• Arrive in Hanoi
• Transfer to Hanoi city (via Bus 86; 1hr)
• Check-in accommodation
• Hoan Kiem Lake (Hoàn Kiếm Lake):
  • Small lake in the middle of Hanoi city.
• Old Quarter:
  • Hanoi’s core business district filled with antiquated narrow streets and old-school shop-houses.
• Hanoi Night Market:
  • Makeshift open-air shopping street (within Old Quarter) that springs up every Friday/Saturday/Sunday after 7pm (open till late).

Our pictures in Hanoi

(link to Hanoi images)

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Day#2 (Hanoi to Cat Ba Island):

• Transfer to Cat Ba Island (4hrs)
• Check-in accommodation and rent motorbike
• Hospital Cave:
  • Vietnam War era military hospital built in a limestone cave.
• Cannon Fort:
  • Small coastal gun emplacement built during Second World War. Offers panoramic views of Lan Ha Bay and excellent sunset spot.

(link to Cat Ba Island images)

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Day#3 (Ha Long Bay; day cruise):

• Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay day cruise (from Cat Ba Island, 8am to 5pm)
  • Bay area filled with stunning limestone karsts and islands. UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Includes: Monkey Island, kayaking in the bay, swimming on natural sand beach and cruising in the fishing villages.

(link to Ha Long Bay/Lan Ha Bay images)

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Day#4 (Cat Ba Island):

• Cat Ba National Park (hike to Ngu Lam Peak):
  • Hour-long hike to Ngu Lam Peak for magnificent 360-degree views of the limestone karsts on Cat Ba Island.
• Cat Co Beach (1/2/3)
  • Main swimming beaches on Cat Ba Island. Offers great views of Lan Ha Bay.

(link to Cat Ba Island images)

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Day#5 (Cat Ba island to Hanoi):

• Transfer to Hanoi (4hrs)
• Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (Lăng Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh):
  • The embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh is kept in the mausoleum’s central hall.
• Ho Chi Minh Museum (Bảo tàng Hồ Chí Minh):
  • Dedicated to recording and presenting Ho Chi Minh’s life and his efforts in leading Vietnam.
• One Pillar Pagoda (Chùa Một Cột):
  • One of Vietnam’s most iconic temple.
• Presidential Palace (Văn phòng Chủ tịch nước)
• Dong Xuan Market (Chợ Đồng Xuân):
  • The largest indoor wholesale market in Hanoi.

Our pictures in Hanoi

(link to Hanoi images)

Day#6 (Hanoi):

• Free and Easy
• Transfer to airport (via Bus 86; 1hr)
• Return flight

Below is our Hanoi, Cat Ba Island and Ha Long Bay VLOG 

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Trip expenses

Total: Approximately USD264 for 2 persons.

• Excluding airfare and food
• Based on 6 days, 5 nights
• Based on our trip in Mar-2017
• USD1 = 22,700VND (May-2017)

Expenses breakdown:

Day#1 (Hanoi):

• Data SIM card. Unlimited data (Viettel): 200,000VND (USD8.80)
• Bus 86 from airport to Hanoi City: 30,000VND/pax (60kVND; USD2.60 for 2)
• Accommodation: USD24 per room/night (Hanoi Tomodachi House)

Day#2 (Hanoi to Cat Ba Island):

• Transfer from Hanoi to Cat Ba island: USD18. Per pax. Per way. (USD36 for 2)
• Accommodation: USD25 per room/night (Le Pont Bungalow Hostel)*
• Motorbike rental: 100,000VND/day (USD4.40)
• Petrol: 35,000VND (USD1.50)
• Hospital Cave entrance fee: 40,000VND/pax (USD3.50 for 2)
• Cannon Fort entrance fee: 40,000VND/pax (USD3.50 for 2)

Day#3 (Ha Long Bay; day cruise):

• Ha Long Bay day and Lan Ha Bay day cruise 8am to 5pm (lunch inclusive): USD16/pax (USD32 for 2)
• Accommodation: USD25 per room/night (Le Pont Bungalow Hostel)*

Day#4 (Cat Ba Island):

• Motorbike rental: 100,000VND/day (USD4.40)
• Petrol: 35,000VND (USD1.50)
• Cat Ba national park entrance fee (Ngu Lam peak): 40,000VND/pax (USD3.50 for 2)
• Accommodation: USD25 per room/night (Le Pont Bungalow Hostel)*

Day#5 (Cat Ba island to Hanoi):

• Transfer from Cat Ba Island to Hanoi: USD18. Per pax. Per way. (USD36 for 2)
• Accommodation: USD24 per room/night (Hanoi Tomodachi House)

Day#6 (Hanoi):

• Bus 86 from Hanoi City to airport: 30,000VND/pax (60kVND; USD2.60 for 2)

*Disclosure: The links to Le Pont Bungalow Hostel are affiliated links. It will cost nothing to you, but we do receive a small fee if you book through these links. This small fee will go a long way to help us maintain this blog.

Related posts:

• Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Guide to Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island, Vietnam
• Best of Central Vietnam: 4-Days Itinerary
• 6 Must-See Places in Da Nang (Central Vietnam)
• 6 Must-See Places in Hue (Central Vietnam)
• Airport Bus from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City
• Things to do in Nha Trang, Vietnam
• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

Related VLOGs:

• Ho Chi Minh City VLOG
• Central Vietnam VLOG (Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue)
• Nha Trang VLOG (Things to do in Nha Trang)

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The post Hanoi and Ha Long Bay Itinerary: 6 Days appeared first on Balukoo Travel Blog.

Vietnam is an incredibly charming country with picturesque landscapes. Within this fascinating South East Asian country, Ha Long Bay is undoubtedly the crown jewel of its natural wonders. Such is Ha Long Bay’s beauty and prominence that most visitors to northern Vietnam (Hanoi in particular) would not consider their trip complete without a visit to this nature’s marvel. In this travel blog, we’ll give you practical guides and tips on how to best explore Ha Long Bay, and why a trip to the encompassing Cat Ba Island is highly recommended. Go ahead and share this Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island Travel Guide with your travel buddies!

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Ha Long Bay Travel Guide

Crown jewel of Vietnam: Ha Long Bay

Located in the Gulf of Tonkin in northern Vietnam, Ha Long Bay is a large coastal area comprising of more than 1,600 limestone karsts and islands of various sizes. Of the islands, Cat Ba is the largest and is set on the south-western edge of the bay.

The limestone structures in Ha Long Bay has undergone a few hundred million years of formation and evolution, resulting in the striking and mesmerizing scenery of today. Due to its huge geological values, Ha Long Bay was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, thereafter cementing its title as the leading tourist attraction in Vietnam.

Administratively, Ha Long Bay actually refers to the bay area immediately south of Ha Long City. In reality, when most people mention Ha Long Bay, they are referring to the entire bay area bordered by Ha Long City (in the north) and Cat Ba Island (in the south-west).

This enormous bay area includes Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay. Unsurprisingly, the bays share similar geological features and are essentially aesthetically indistinguishable from one another.

Note: See Ha Long Bay’s boundary as reflected in UNESCO’s map.

Our photos in Ha Long Bay

Guide to planning your Ha Long Bay trip. Why Cat Ba Island?

Hanoi is the nearest major city to Ha Long Bay. As such, many visitors to Ha Long Bay kickoff their trip from Hanoi. The drive from downtown Hanoi to Ha Long City, which is the main gateway to Ha Long Bay, is approximately 4 hours. Once at Ha Long City, visitors typically transfer to one of the numerous cruise boats to Ha Long Bay.

For most visitors, the way to explore Ha Long Bay either involves doing a stay-on-board cruise (usually 2-3 days and all-inclusive), or a single day cruise. Both of which are usually booked thru a travel agent in Hanoi so that the land transfers between Hanoi and Ha Long City is covered.

However, both ways of exploring Ha Long Bay has inherent disadvantages.

Disadvantages of stay-on-board cruise

For stay-on-board cruises, many travelers find it difficult to ascertain the condition and quality of the cruise from the local travel agents or websites. In addition, there are frequent stories of travelers that are booked on cruises which turned out to be booze parties, thus getting stuck with loud music and alcohol fueled mobs. Finally, such stay-on-board cruises are usually pricey, especially those that one deemed decent enough.

Disadvantages of single day cruise

For single day cruises, the problem lies with the lengthy bus transfer between Hanoi and Ha Long City. Given that the bus journey is approximately 4 hours each way, one can easily come to the conclusion that the actual time spent on the cruise is limited. This is definitely not a time efficient way of exploring Ha Long Bay. Lastly, the fatigue (from the long return bus journey) also has to be considered.

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Solution: Visiting Ha Long Bay via Cat Ba Island

From our experience and those of other travel bloggers, the best way to explore Ha Long Bay is via Cat Ba Island. This method of accessing Ha Long Bay has been gaining popularity in recent years as it is more cost effective, and allows for more quality time in exploring the bay. Furthermore, Cat Ba Island itself has a number of attractions worth exploring.

 The Plan

The plan is to travel to Cat Ba Island (land + sea transfer is approximately 4 hours per way) and spend 2-3 days there. From Cat Ba Island, there are numerous cheap single day cruises to Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, which is just off the island. Such proximity to the bays meant that negligible time is wasted on travelling. In fact, the views of the magnificent limestone isles start even before your cruise leaves the jetty!

Other than allocating a full day to the bay cruise, the rest of the time could be well spent exploring the caves, hiking trails and beaches on Cat Ba Island.

Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay Day Cruise (from Cat Ba Island)

The most commonly promoted (and most popular) Ha Long Bay/Lan Ha Bay cruise at Cat Ba Island’s hotels and travel agents is the Single Day Cruise. Price is USD16 per pax (as of Mar-2017). This is inclusive of lunch and kayaking equipment (see itinerary below).

A simple comparison of the itineraries between the single day cruises which originate out of Cat Ba Island versus those out of Hanoi, will show that the cruises from Cat Ba Island affords more cruising time, activities and sights. This is hardly surprising, for the reasons mentioned earlier.

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Single Day Cruise Itinerary (8am to 5pm) (from Cat Ba Island)

#1: Monkey Island

Small limestone islet with wild monkeys located in Lan Ha Bay, a short distance off Cat Ba Island.

Cruise boats typically drop off their passengers here to allow them to climb to the top of a small hill for a panoramic view of the bay. Though the climb is short (approximately 15 minutes each way), the trail doesn’t have proper steps and involves overcoming sharp limestones. Definitely not recommended for young kids and elders.

#2: Kayaking in the Bay

Typically, the highlight of most visitors’ trip to Ha Long Bay/Lan Ha Bay.

The cruise boats will sail to a certain part of the bay where a kayak vendor is situated. From there, passengers will transfer to the kayaks. The same guide on the day cruise will lead the group on a fix route thru the bay and a few limestone caves, with the end of the route culminating in a beautiful enclosed lagoon. The entire journey is approximately 1 hour with easy paddling (assuming calm weather/water conditions).

Safety Caution:

As observed during our Mar-2017 trip, there appears to be no emphasis on safety during the kayak trip.

Prior to kayaking, the guide didn’t attempt to find out if anyone knew how to kayak or swim. More alarmingly, no life jackets were provided for the kayaking. In fact, our guide didn’t even ensure everyone in the group was around before leaving the starting point. Being the last to board the kayaks, we had to ask around for directions before being able to locate our group. Given that the sole guide is leading at the front, there was no attempt to ensure that the kayaks at the back of the group was safe or accounted for.

On hindsight, this was probably not the safest activity to be engaged in. The only reason we felt safe enough (during the kayaking) was that the water was very calm.

For anyone planning to go on the kayaking, we strongly recommend putting more thoughts to safety (e.g. requesting for life jackets, kayaking only if water/weather is calm). This is especially so for those whom have not tried kayaking or are non-swimmers.

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#3: Lunch on board

After kayaking, lunch will be served onboard.

#4: Swimming on natural sand beach.

After lunch, the cruise will sail to a specific area in the bay where there are tiny limestone islets with their own small sandy beaches. Here, passengers could swim in tranquil waters and explore the empty beaches.

#5: Cruise in the fishing villages

In wrapping up the tour, the cruise will sail thru a number of floating fishing villages while on its way back to the jetty on Cat Ba Island.

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Cat Ba Island Travel Guide

Places to visit on Cat Ba Island

Cat Ba is a relatively small island, with its only major town located at the south-eastern tip. Most tourism related establishments on Cat Ba (e.g. accommodations, restaurants, travel agents) are located in this tiny town. From here, all main attractions on the island are no more than a slow 30 minutes’ motorbike ride away.

#1: Hospital Cave

Constructed between 1963-1965 during the Vietnam War by the North Vietnamese army, Hospital Cave is a military hospital built into the caves of one of the large limestone karsts on Cat Ba Island. The cave has a three-storey structure (with more than a dozen rooms) built into it and is hidden from the air. Located 8km from Cat Ba town (20 minutes motorbike ride), Hospital Cave remained operational till 1975 when war ended.

Touring Hospital Cave

Nowadays, the cave is staffed by local English-speaking guides at its entrance. These guides are known to offer brief guided tours of the cave, with the guest/s free to offer any amount of tips deemed reasonable at the end.

Hospital Cave isn’t a large complex, and only the first 2 storeys are open to public. In its present state, the cave is little more than a few empty rooms and a rock cavern. Expect to spend no more than 30 minutes here.

Admission fee: 40,000VND/pax, payable to the lady managing the motorbike parking area along the road.

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#2: Cannon Fort

Situated on a steep hill behind Cat Ba Town, Cannon Fort is a small coastal gun emplacement built in 1942 during the Second World War. In the decades that followed, Cannon Fort played a role during the conflicts against the French and American. Nowadays, the few cannon/artillery pieces, bunkers and tunnels are linked in a well-defined looping trail for visitors to explore.

Though historically interesting, most visitors to Cannon Fort are instead more captivated by its panoramic views of the island and the surrounding bay. In particular, the fort’s café offers sweeping views of Lan Ha Bay and the neighbouring fishing villages. Such is the breathtaking view that the café is a prime spot on Cat Ba Island for catching sunset.

More pictures taken at Cannon Fort

Cannon Fort can be reach via a short 7-minute motorbike ride from Cat Ba town. It is possible to hike up to the fort from town (2km), provided one doesn’t mind the steep road.

Admission fee: 40,000VND/pax

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#3: Cat Ba National Park

Centrally located on the island, Cat Ba National Park is an easy 30-minutes motorbike ride from Cat Ba town. Most tourist visit the national park for the hike up to Ngu Lam Peak, which offers magnificent 360-degree views of the limestone karsts on the island.

The 1.5km (each way) hike begins at the entrance of the national park. After an initial short and easy walk to the base of a limestone karst, the trail quickly escalates into a frantic non-stop climb on proper steps. The hike up would typically take 1 hour, with the return journey at 40 minutes.

More pictures taken at Cat Ba National Park

Near to the summit of the karst, one would first reach a viewing point which has a 2-level viewing tower. Past the tower, Ngu Lam Peak could be reach in another 10 minutes with some hard climbing. This is surely a hike that requires a fair amount of exertion, thus, do bring enough water.

Admission fee: 40,000VND/pax with another 5,000VND for motorbike parking at the park entrance

#4: Cat Co Beach (1/2/3)

Within walking distance from Cat Ba town, the beaches of Cat Co 1/2/3 are the main swimming beaches on Cat Ba Island. Located next to each other, Cat Co 1/2/3 are physically three separate bays, each with its own beachfront. Cat Co 1 is located in the middle of the three bays, and is linked to Cat Co 2 via a road, while linking to Cat Co 3 via a coastal elevated walkway around limestone cliffs.

The three beaches are not particularly large, as such, do expect a squeeze during the summer months when visitor volumes are high. Having said, Cat Co 1’s parking area (elevated behind the beach) and the coastal elevated walkway (between Cat Co 1 & 3) offers some fantastic view of Lan Ha Bay.

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Riding motorbike on Cat Ba Island

There are limited (if any) public transportation on the island. Like most tourist to Cat Ba, we got around the island via motorbikes (renting at 100,000VND/day).

As with other parts of Vietnam, tourist can easily rent motorbikes without having to produce a license. However, unlike the chaotic and often hazardous traffic conditions on mainland Vietnam, the distinct lack of traffic on Cat Ba makes it relatively safer to ride a motorbike. Indeed, there are hardly any cars/buses on the road, as vindicated by the fact that there’s only 2 petrol stations on Cat Ba. The rental motorbikes typically have automatic transmission, thus, posing a lesser problem for those whom are not familiar with riding.

Getting to Cat Ba Island

From Hanoi, getting to Cat Ba Island typically involves taking a bus from downtown Hanoi to Hai Phong Jetty, then transferring to a small ferry to Cat Ba Island. Once on Cat Ba island, transfer to another bus for the ride into Cat Ba town. The entire journey easily take 4 hours.

The simplest and most convenient way of making this journey is to engage the services of Good Morning Cat Ba (facebook), whom will handle the entire journey point-to-point (e.g. from your Hanoi hotel to your Cat Ba Island hotel).

At USD18 per pax/way (as of Mar-2017), their services are not exactly the cheapest. However, based on our personal experience and that of other travel bloggers, they offer good services. Most importantly, they eliminate the need for one to negotiate the journey’s multiple transfers with multiple vendors.

Note: When using their services for the return journey back to Hanoi, if your trip involves reaching Hanoi during the evenings of Friday/Saturday/Sunday, the bus will drop off all passengers at a centralised location in downtown Hanoi. This is due to the road closure for the Old Quarter Night Market on these days.

Related posts:

• Best of Hanoi and Ha Long Bay: 6 Days Itinerary
• Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Best of Central Vietnam: 4-Days Itinerary
• 6 Must-See Places in Da Nang (Central Vietnam)
• 6 Must-See Places in Hue (Central Vietnam)
• Airport Bus from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City
• Things to do in Nha Trang, Vietnam
• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

Related VLOGs:

• Ho Chi Minh City VLOG
• Central Vietnam VLOG (Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue)
• Nha Trang VLOG (Things to do in Nha Trang)

Below is our Hanoi, Cat Ba Island and Ha Long Bay VLOG

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The post Cat Ba Island and Ha Long Bay Travel Guide appeared first on Balukoo Travel Blog.

In this blog, we’ll help you to understand more about the Vietnamese capital and what are the places to see in Hanoi for your next visit!

The charming city of Hanoi

From as early as the 11th century, Hanoi has been the political center stage of Vietnam. The city, located on the western bank of the Red River, was only briefly overtaken by the imperial capital at Hue (central Vietnam) during the Nguyễn Dynasty (1802–1945). Consequently, Hanoi is home to a diverse populace with rich centuries-old cultures and architecture styles.

With Vietnam’s adoption of the “open-door” policy in the mid-1980s, Hanoi has undergone much transformation in both culture and ambiance. It is in this transformative backdrop, that foreign visitors start to cast their sights on this exotic and bustling city.

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Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam

Below are the top places to see in Hanoi, listed in random order.

#1: Old Quarter

Ask any tourist visiting Hanoi what is the city’s most interesting area, and the likely reply would be the Old Quarter. With a history stretching as far back as the 13th century, Hanoi’s Old Quarter commonly refers to the central district sandwiched by Hoan Kiem Lake in the south and Long Bien Bridge (Cầu Long Biên) in the north.

Hanoi’s biggest attraction

The Old Quarter is Hanoi’s core business district and its biggest tourist attraction. Here, you will not find brightly lit wide avenues flanked with towering modern skyscrapers. Instead, it is filled with antiquated narrow streets lined with old-school shop-houses, which often have their merchandises/activities spilling onto the constricted pavements. Roads in the Old Quarter are often packed with a frenzied mix of cars, motorcycles, bicycles and the ever-present camera-toting tourist.

Unsurprisingly, most of the shop-houses host tourism-related establishments, e.g. hotels, hostels, restaurants, bars, retail shops, art galleries, spa/massages parlors and travel agents. Increasingly, with the influx of western tourist, one could find chic coffee joints/cafes, stylish indie stores and quaint boutique hotels. It is no coincidence that most visitors to Hanoi choose to stay in/near the Old Quarter.

If you’re trying to sense the pulse of this rustic yet energetic city, the Old Quarter is without doubt the best place to be.

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A subset within the Old Quarter, Hanoi’s popular Night Market refers to a makeshift open-air shopping street that springs up every Friday/Saturday/Sunday after 7pm (open till late). The main Night Market street stretches from the front of Dong Xuan Market down to the northern edge of Hoan Kiem Lake.

During its operation, authorities will cordon off the roads involved to create a vehicle-free
pedestrian shopping street with a row of makeshift stalls running down the middle. Commodities on sale are predictably geared towards the interest of tourists, e.g. arts/crafts, food items, souvenir, clothes, footwear, bags etc.

Get ready to soak in the festive atmosphere, shop to your heart’s content and be lost in the lively crowds!

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#3: Dong Xuan Market (Chợ Đồng Xuân)

Also located within the Old Quarter, Dong Xuan Market is an easy 10-15 minutes’ walk north of Hoan Kiem Lake. Completed in 1889, the low-rise Dong Xuan Market is famous for being the largest indoor wholesale market in Hanoi and surely one of the larger ones in the country.

Shopping in the heart of Hanoi

The energetic market deals with a wide range of goods, including clothing/accessories, footwear, local produce, foodstuff, household item, arts/crafts, souvenir and electronics. Despite the insane myriad of goods, Dong Xuan Market is well organized into different sections, each dealing with a specific commodity. Other than wholesale, the shops do engage in individual retailing.

Given its variety and pricing, many tourists come here for their retail therapy. Even if one is not into shopping, Dong Xuan Market is a good place to learn about the local culture and engage in street and architecture photography.

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#4: Hoan Kiem Lake (Hoàn Kiếm Lake)

On the southern edge of the Old Quarter is Hoan Kiem Lake, which means “Lake of the Returned Sword” in Vietnamese. Together with the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake as long been the focal point of the city. This is especially so for the numerous locals whom enjoy strolling along the shore. Hoan Kiem Lake is also famous for being home to a number of large soft-shell turtles.

In the southern part of the lake, a tiny islet houses The Turtle Tower (Thap Rùa). While on the northern end, a larger island houses Ngoc Son Temple (Đền Ngọc Sơn or Temple of the Jade Mountain). A striking red bridge, The Huc Bridge (Cầu Thê Húc or Morning Sunlight Bridge), links the temple to the shore.

For the interesting story of how the lake and the Turtle Tower came to be named as such, click here.

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#5: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (Lăng Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh)

The late Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969) was the most popular and iconic leader of Vietnam during his time, and arguably still is even till today. Work on his mausoleum, which was influenced by Lenin’s Mausoleum in Moscow, started in 1973 and was officially completed on 1975. Since then, Ho Chi Minh’s embalmed body has been kept in the mausoleum’s central hall. The mausoleum is situated in the middle of Ba Dinh Square, where the momentous Declaration of Independence was read by Ho Chi Minh himself in 1945.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is open on most mornings (except Mondays and Fridays) for the public to pay respect. However, his body will be sent to Russia for maintenance every year between September and November. As such, do check with your hotel on the opening hours/dates before visiting. Note that strict rules regarding dress code and behavior are enforced for all visitors to the mausoleum.

Tip: An interesting sight at the mausoleum is the guard changing ceremony, which lasted only 5-10 minutes. During our visit in Mar-2017, we observed the ceremony twice, at 12pm and 1pm. However, online searches for the schedule of the ceremony didn’t turn up any results. Thus, the best bet would be to check with your hotel when in town.

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#6: Ho Chi Minh Museum (Bảo tàng Hồ Chí Minh)

Adjacent to the mausoleum is Ho Chi Minh Museum, which predictably by its name, is dedicated to recording and presenting Ho Chi Minh’s life and his gallant efforts in leading Vietnam in her path to independence.

Ho Chi Minh Museum was officially opened on 19-May-1990, as part of a wider ceremony marking the 100th birthday of the late leader.

Website and opening hours

#7: One Pillar Pagoda (Chùa Một Cột)

Nested between Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum, is the famous One Pillar Pagoda. It was built in 1049 by Emperor Lý Thái Tông and is considered one of Vietnam’s most iconic temple.

The One Pillar Pagoda is a small Buddhist temple built of wood, standing on a single stone pillar (hence its name) which is raised in the middle of a pond. It was designed to resemble a lotus blossom in a pond, which represents purity in Buddhism.

The pagoda was destroyed (and subsequently rebuilt) a few times over the centuries, the last being in 1954 by withdrawing French forces.

#8: Presidential Palace (Văn phòng Chủ tịch nước)

The Presidential Palace in Hanoi was completed in 1906 to house the then French Governor-General of Indochina. The palace architecture is based upon European styles as it was designed by a French architect.

Interestingly, Ho Chi Minh refused to live in the palace when Vietnam gained its independence in 1954. Instead, he stayed in a traditional stilt house (present till date) on the grounds and used the palace to host foreign dignitaries.

Nowadays, the Vietnamese government still utilizes the palace for important events and visits. As such, the palace building is permanently closed to public while the grounds are open.

Operating hours and price

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Transport from Noi Bai Airport to Hanoi City (Bus 86)

(accurate as of Mar-2017)

For those whom are worried about being ripped off by errant taxi drivers or other transport providers, Bus 86 is a simple, safe and cheap way of getting to downtown Hanoi.

The bus stop can be found along the bus boarding area between the international and domestic terminals of Noi Bai Airport. Simply look for an orange colored signpost (the bus itself is painted orange).

Being a relatively new service (as at time of writing), the buses are new and clean. Frequency is good (~20-30 minutes). The journey is approximately 1 hour and cost 30,000VND/pax. Payment (cash) is via a bus conductor onboard. Change are given if one does not have the exact amount. There are no additional charges for luggage.

• BUS 86 Route Map (with stops): Click here
• BUS 86 Facebook page (with bus pictures, timetable etc): Click here
• For a more detailed write-up on Bus 86, refer to this blog

Getting around within Hanoi city

For tourist, Hanoi is a compact city that is easy to explore on foot. Many of the notable tourist attractions are close to one another within the city centre. Alternatively, there are plenty of cyclo on the streets for hire.

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Map view of the Hanoi attractions

[mapsmarker layer=”4″]

Related posts:

• Best of Hanoi and Ha Long Bay: 6 Days Itinerary
• Guide to Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island, Vietnam
• Best of Central Vietnam: 4-Days Itinerary
• 6 Must-See Places in Da Nang (Central Vietnam)
• 6 Must-See Places in Hue (Central Vietnam)
• Airport Bus from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City
• Things to do in Nha Trang, Vietnam
• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

Related VLOGs:

• Ho Chi Minh City VLOG
• Central Vietnam VLOG (Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue)
• Nha Trang VLOG (Things to do in Nha Trang)
  

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The post Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam appeared first on Balukoo Travel Blog.

For those planning on a visit, we’ve designed a Central Vietnam itinerary (4-days) that will enable you to explore the best that this region has to offer. How do we know this is the perfect itinerary? Simply because this is the actual schedule of our Apr-2016 Central Vietnam trip!

Trust us. We wouldn’t have written this blog if we haven’t explored the area ourselves.

Mesmerising Central Vietnam

Though the narrowest stretch of the country, Central Vietnam is packed with plenty of historical, cultural and natural wonders. Traditionally overshadowed by the more well-known northern and southern regions of the beautiful country, Central Vietnam has grown into a firm tourist favourite in recent years.

From the mesmerising former imperial capital of Hue, to the historical old shipping town of Hoi An, and the scenic coastal city of Da Nang, Central Vietnam offers much for the adventurous visitor looking for an all-rounded experience. Visiting this region of the country has never been easier, with daily high frequency low cost flights (see VietJet) serving multiple airports in this region.

Related posts:

• • 6 Must-See Places in Da Nang
  • 6 Must-See Places in Hue
  • Places to see in Hanoi
  • Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

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Best of Central Vietnam Itinerary (4-Days)

Below is our suggestion for a Central Vietnam Itinerary for 4-days.

Day#0: Arrival at Hue

• Most international flights into Vietnam lands at Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) or Hanoi, both of which has multiple daily flights to Hue.
• Bookings for tomorrow: Once at Hue, proceed to any of the numerous local tour agents and book a next day tour package to Hue Citadel (Imperial City), Thiên Mụ Pagoda and the 3 imperial tombs (Minh Mang, Khai Dinh & Tu Duc).
  • Reference: For our Apr-2016 trip, we paid VND600,000 for a 3-pax (VND200,000 x3) full day tour. Includes 5 attractions (Citadel + Pagoda + 3x tombs), driver only (not guide), in a good condition Toyota Vios. Entry fees to the attractions are NOT included.
  • Entry fees Top Tip: The Citadel and the 3 imperial tombs require entry fees. Combo tickets (with saving of ~10%) of these 4 sites can be purchased at any of these sites. Be sure to purchase the combo tickets at the FIRST site that you visit.

Day#1: Hue (day tour; 8am to 5pm)

• Hue Citadel: The former Imperial City of the Nguyễn Dynasties. [Images]
• Thiên Mụ Pagoda: The tallest religious building in Vietnam. [Images]
• Imperial Tomb of Emperor Minh Mang: Tomb of the second emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty. [Images]
• Imperial Tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh (12th emperor of the Nguyễn Dynasty) [Images]
• Imperial Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc (4th emperor of the Nguyễn Dynasty) [Images]

Day#1: Hue (evening)

• Hue Walking Street [Images]:
  • Spend the evening at Hue’s popular night market along the Perfume River (opposite Hue Citadel).
• Bookings for tomorrow: Make arrangements for tomorrow’s transportation from Hue to Hoi An. Depending on the number of pax in your entourage, it might be worthwhile to book a private transport (e.g. car/van) with a travel agent. Most travel agents will bundle the trip with stopovers at several attractions along the route (e.g. Lang Co Beach, Hai Van Pass, Marble Mountains, My Khe Beach). This is a good way to save on some time/expenses in visiting these attractions as compared to on your own.

Hue details: Click here for our detailed travel blog and visitor tips on Hue (including where to stay and the most convenient way to visit the attractions)

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Day#2: Journey from Hue to Hoi An (using private transport)

• Lang Co Beach [Images]
• Hai Van Pass [Images]:
  • Scenic mountain pass separating north/south Vietnam. Shot to fame after being featured in BBC’s motoring show, Top Gear.
• Marble Mountains [Images]:
  • A cluster of five marble and limestone hills in Da Nang with numerous grottoes housing Buddhist and Hindu sanctuaries. Most tourist will only visit the largest of the five hills; Water Mountain.
• Hoi An Ancient Town [Images]:
  • Well-preserved ancient shipping town and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Reach Hoi An by mid afternoon and spend the rest of the day/evening exploring this gem.
  • Stay over at one of the numerous hotels/B&B in the town.

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Day#3: Journey from Hoi An to Da Nang

• Hoi An Ancient Town: Start the day visiting yesterday’s unexplored parts of the town.
• Journey from Hoi An to Da Nang by noon (30 minutes by car).
• Da Nang: Check-in to one of the numerous hotels along Da Nang’s coastline. Then spend the rest of the afternoon by the sea at My Khe Beach.
• My Khe Beach (China Beach) [Images]: Widely considered Vietnam’s most famous and picturesque beach.

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Day#4: Da Nang

• Lady Buddha [Images]:
  • The highest Lady Buddha statue in Vietnam, overlooking the South China Sea.
  • The easiest way to reach Lady Buddha is via taxi. Get your hotel reception to make a booking and provide an estimate quote. Normally, the taxi driver will fetch you to Lady Buddha and wait while you tour the grounds; sending you back once you’re done. The rates are reasonable as you’ll only pay for the metered fare of the to/fro journey. (Do have a confirmation of this fare arrangement before the trip.)
• Han Market:
  • Ones of the largest and cheapest market in Da Nang.
• Da Nang Cathedral:
  • The only church in Da Nang.
  • Han Market and Da Nang Cathedral are both located on the banks of the River Han and within walking distance to the Dragon Bridge.
• Dragon Bridge (River Han) [Images]:
  • Dragon shaped bridge that will spit out fire! Undisputed icon of Da Nang.
  • The “fire breathing” only occurs on Saturdays and Sundays at 9pm, with the dragon head on the eastern end of the bridge.
• End of Itinerary

Hoi An/Da Nang details

Click here for our detailed travel blog and visitor tips on Da Nang (including where to stay and the most convenient way of getting around city)

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2016 Vietnam VLOG (Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang)

Below is the VLOG on our Apr-2016 Central Vietnam adventure.

Related posts:

• 6 Must-See Places in Da Nang (Central Vietnam)
• 6 Must-See Places in Hue (Central Vietnam)
• Best of Hanoi and Ha Long Bay: 6 Days Itinerary
• Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Guide to Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island, Vietnam
• Airport Bus from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City
• Things to do in Nha Trang, Vietnam
• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

Related VLOGs:

• Ho Chi Minh City VLOG
• Central Vietnam VLOG (Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue)
• Nha Trang VLOG (Things to do in Nha Trang)
  

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The post Central Vietnam Itinerary (Best of Central Vietnam in 4-Days) appeared first on Balukoo Travel Blog.

Anyone whom had the experience of planning for a trip would surely agree that it is both time-consuming and backbreaking. How great it would have been if someone else (whom had actually visited the place) shared his/her travel itinerary and tips with us? Here at Balukoo Travel Blog, we share your passion in travelling. That is why we only blog on places that we have actually visited; sharing with you our tested itineraries and tips. Based upon our Apr-2016 visit to central Vietnam, below is the list of 6 Must See Places in Da Nang that all visitors should explore! (Plus useful tips!)

See also:

• Getting Around Da Nang
• 6 Must-See Places in Hue (Central Vietnam)
• Best of Central Vietnam: 4-Days Itinerary
• Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

6 Must See Places in Da Nang and Hoi An

Da Nang is a beautiful coastal city in central Vietnam; located midway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. It is the third largest city in the country and is within 100km of several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Imperial City of Hue to its north and Hoi An Ancient Town to the south. Da Nang itself is best known for its sandy beaches and marble mountains, and is a popular base for tourist looking to explore the central regions of Vietnam.

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#1: Hai Van Pass

Surely the most scenic site in Da Nang, Hai Van Pass [map] is an impressively picturesque 21km long mountain pass in Central Vietnam, approximately 25km north of the city. The pass crosses over a spur, which juts into the South China Sea. The strategically located pass was historically the frontier between two ancient kingdoms in the region. Given its difficult terrain, Hai Van Pass represented a major obstacle for ancient armies trying to passage between northern and central Vietnam.

Though long known to be panoramic, Hai Van Pass’s shot to worldwide fame came after being featured in BBC’s motoring show, Top Gear. In its “2008 Vietnam Special” episode, Jeremy Clarkson (presenter) hailed Hai Van Pass as “a deserted ribbon of perfection – one of the best coast roads in the world”. The pass has not seen a lack in tourist ever since.

Tips:

Tip#1: Visit for FREE

Hai Van Pass is located between Hue (~80km) and Da Nang (~25km). As such, many tourist buses (and catered taxis) ferrying travelers between Hue and Da Nang/Hoi An will throw in a short stop-over at Hai Van Pass for free.

Tip#2: Best photo spot at the top of Hai Van Pass

Hai Van Pass’s main point of interest is the abandoned fort at the top of the pass [map]. Most tourist buses/taxis will have their pit stop here. From the parking area, climb up the hill (with abandoned structures) as far as you can. Once high enough, you could capture a panoramic photo of Hai Van Pass with both the northern/southern coastline clearly in view. (See below)

Tip#3: Top Gear photo spot

On the northern end of the pass is a scenic spot where the Top Gear presenters famously stopped to admire its beauty [map]. There is no proper viewing point or parking area, but the short stretch of road offers picturesque view of Lang Co Beach, the neighbouring fishing village and an elevated highway across the sea (see below). If taking a catered taxi, be sure to inform your driver to have a brief stop at this rare beauty!

(see Hai Van Pass images in higher resolution) 

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#2: Hoi An Ancient Town

Hoi An Ancient Town [map] is an UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Central Vietnam, approximately 30km south of Da Nang city. The coastal city is a thriving South-East Asian trading port during the 15th-19th centuries, resulting in a diverse range of architecture flavors from both local and foreign inspirations.

Well-preserved Hoi An

The well-preserved ancient town of Hoi An is extremely popular with visitors and has been developed into a tourist hub complete with numerous museums, chapels, temples, assembly halls, café/restaurants and shops. During the evenings, Hoi An comes alive with colorfully lit buildings/streets, lantern-filled river, cultural performances, street activities and a fascinating night market.

More images of Hoi An

Tips:

• It is a MUST to experience the evening festive atmosphere in Hoi An; no visit is ever complete without it!
• [Accommodation] Numerous B&Bs (various budgets) can be found within or very near to the ancient town. Definitely worth spending a night here!

Note: 

• Officially, tickets are required for entry into the core areas of the ancient town. Tickets (as of Apr-2016) are priced at 120,000 VND (~5 USD). Each ticket comes with 5 coupons, which the visitor can use to visit 5 of the 22 sightseeing places in the ancient town.

(see Hoi An Ancient Town images in higher resolution)

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#3: Marble Mountains  

A short drive from Da Nang’s city centre is the famous Marble Mountains [map]. It is a cluster of five marble and limestone hills set distinctively against the backdrop of the surrounding plains, just slightly off the coastline. The five hills are named after the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth.

Numerous grottoes housing Buddhist and Hindu sanctuaries can be found on the top of the Marble Mountains, making them popular tourist destinations. There are also various pagodas and panoramic viewing points dotting the hilltops. Of the five, Water Mountain is the largest and clearly the most interesting, as evidenced by its number of visitors.

Sights on Water Mountain

Note:

• An entry fee of 15,000 VND applies.
• To get to the Water Mountain hilltop, visitors need to climb a long flight of stairs.
• Alternatively, there is a glass elevator service (to the top of Water Mountain), which also offers a panoramic view of the surrounding plains. Fees are payable, a single trip (one way) on the elevator cost 15,000 VND.
• For a visit to Water Mountain, set aside 2-4 hours.

(see Marble Mountains images in higher resolution)

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#4: My Khe Beach (China Beach) 

My Khe Beach (aka China Beach) [map] is widely considered Vietnam’s most famous and picturesque beach. It obtained its worldwide fame and popularity during the Vietnam War years when American troops visit it during their time offs. Such is its prominence, My Khe Beach has amongst its accolades, listed in Forbes (2005) “World’s Most Luxurious Beaches” and Australia Herald Sun’s (2007) “Asia’s Top 10 Best Beaches”.

Popular city beach – My Khe

Stretching approximately 10km from the base of Son Tra Peninsula to the Marble Mountains, My Khe Beach is a short distance from Da Nang city centre. Reasons for My Khe Beach’s intense popularity with locals/tourists includes its pristine white sand, wide beachfront, gentle slope and its calm, clear and warm waters during most seasons.

Tips:

• [Accommodation] Many hotels and resorts (serving various budgets) can be found along My Khe’s entire beachfront. Imagine waking up to the sights and sounds of the South China Sea, simply incredible!
• [Safety] Lifeguards are regularly on duty. Be sure to swim in the areas close to them and follow their instructions!

(see My Khe Beach images in higher resolution)

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#5: Lady Buddha

The most prominent man-made structure in Da Nang city is without doubt the statue of the Bodhisattva of Mercy (commonly known as Lady Buddha) [map] located at Linh Ung Pagoda, on Monkey Mountain in the Son Tra Peninsula. From Da Nang city, one could easily see the 67m statue against the backdrop of Monkey Mountain, gazing into the expanse of the South China Sea.

This Lady Buddha statue is the highest in Vietnam, and is made of a single slab of marble. From the temple grounds beside Lady Buddha, one could have a sweeping view of My Khe Beach and Da Nang city in the distance.

Tip:

• [How to get there] Other than self-drive, the best way to reach Lady Buddha is via taxi. Get your hotel reception to make a booking and provide an estimate quote. Normally, the taxi driver will fetch you to Lady Buddha and wait while you tour the grounds; sending you back once you’re done. The rates are reasonable as you’ll only pay for the metered fare of the to/fro journey. (Do have a confirmation of this fare arrangement before the trip.)
• Set aside approx. 1 to 1.5 hours to tour the grounds.

(see Lady Buddha images in higher resolution)

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#6: Dragon Bridge (River Han)

Since its completion in 2013, the Dragon Bridge [map] in Da Nang city has grown into becoming the undisputed icon of the rapidly developing city. Built at a cost of US$88 million, the 666m long Dragon Bridge crosses over River Han, which separates Da Nang city from the coastal areas (e.g. My Khe Beach) to the east.

As its name suggest, Dragon Bridge is modelled after the shape of a dragon, visually resembling a dragon flying over River Han. The fascinating aspect of the bridge is that the dragon mouth will spit out fire! Little wonder why the Dragon Bridge has been a tourist magnet since its inception.

Important Tips:

• Plan ahead for the visit! The “fire breathing” only occurs on Saturdays and Sundays at 9pm. If your travel schedule allows, make plans to be in Da Nang city during the weekends to catch this spectacular scene. Do not repeat the mistake made by this author.
• The “dragon head” of the bridge is on its eastern end, while the “tail end” of the bridge is on the western end. Make a good guess which end of the bridge you have to be to see the fire breathing? LOL!

(see Dragon Bridge images in higher resolution)

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Getting around Da Nang

On foot

Da Nang city is relatively large and most tourist sites are not within walking distance of each other. One exception is the area next to the Dragon Bridge (Han River), where the riverside promenade, Han Market and Da Nang Cathedral are in close proximity to each other.

By Motorbike

Motorbikes are a cheap and convenient way to get around in Vietnam. The plus point of riding one in Da Nang is that traffic is not as congested as larger cities like Ho Chi Minh, while its streets are spacious. Numerous motorbike-renting establishments can be found throughout the city.

However, it is important to know that in legal terms, a local motorbike license is required. In reality, a fair number of foreign tourists flout this rule, fueled by the fact that it is seldom enforced. Having said, caution is recommended. Problems can arise when accidents occur, as the rider is without license and insurance cover.

By Taxi

Taxis are aplenty in major Vietnamese cities and Da Nang is no exception. All taxis are equipped with meters, and the rates are reasonable.

However, it is common to hear about tourist complaining of rogue taxi drivers that does not charge according to the meter. To be safe, take only taxis from reputable companies (Vinasun being one of them; Google for more) and stay alert during the journey (e.g. track the route using GPS). You could also talk to your hotel receptionist to enquire about the approximate fare between locations that you plan to visit.

2016 Vietnam VLOG (Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang)

Below is the VLOG on our Apr-2016 Central Vietnam adventure.

Related posts:

• Best of Central Vietnam: 4-Days Itinerary
• 6 Must-See Places in Hue (Central Vietnam)
• Best of Hanoi and Ha Long Bay: 6 Days Itinerary
• Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Guide to Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island, Vietnam
• Airport Bus from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City
• Things to do in Nha Trang, Vietnam
• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

Related VLOGs:

• Ho Chi Minh City VLOG
• Central Vietnam VLOG (Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue)
• Nha Trang VLOG (Things to do in Nha Trang)

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Download this article to your mobile device for FREE. This article is available within the GPSmyCity travel app. Once the app is installed, search for the article name and save it for your offline usage! You could also upgrade (small fee) the article to get a map with GPS navigation to the sights. The map + GPS navigation can be used offline. Thus saving you money from mobile data!

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The post Must See Places in Da Nang and Hoi An (Central Vietnam) appeared first on Balukoo Travel Blog.

Related posts:

• Best of Hanoi and Ha Long Bay: 6 Days Itinerary
• Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Guide to Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island, Vietnam
• Best of Central Vietnam: 4-Days Itinerary
• 6 Must-See Places in Da Nang (Central Vietnam)
• 6 Must-See Places in Hue (Central Vietnam)
• Airport Bus to Ho Chi Minh City
• Things to do in Nha Trang
• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

Related VLOGs:

• Ho Chi Minh City VLOG
• Nha Trang VLOG (Things to do in Nha Trang)

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The post Central Vietnam VLOG (Apr-2016) appeared first on Balukoo Travel Blog.

Situated at the geographic mid-point of Vietnam is the historical and mesmerizing city of Hue. Established as the imperial capital of Vietnam in 1802 under the Nguyễn Dynasty, it remained the country’s political, cultural and religious hub for nine dynasties until 1945. Such is its historical importance; Hue’s imperial citadel, royal tombs and temples are collectively inscribed into UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. For the potential visitor, we’ve taken the guesswork out of your planning by visiting Hue in Apr-2016 and coming up with the following list of Top 6 Must See Places in Hue! Enjoy!

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See also:

• Travel Tips for Hue
• 6 Must-See Places in Da Nang (Central Vietnam)
• Best of Central Vietnam: 4-Days Itinerary
• Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

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6 Must See Places in Hue (Central Vietnam)

Below are our list of the 6 Must See Places in Hue, listed in random order.

#1: Hue Citadel (Imperial City)

The most historically significant attraction in Hue is undoubtedly the Citadel, which bound the Imperial City of the Nguyễn Dynasties. Within the Imperial City is the Purple Forbidden City, which houses the residence and administrative court of the Nguyễn Emperors.

The construction of the Citadel started in 1804, after Emperor Gia Long (first Emperor of the Nguyễn Dynasty) took control of unified Vietnam. It is protected by fortified embankments and ringed by a moat.

Sadly, much of the original construction in the Citadel had been destroyed during the Vietnam War; only a handful survived. Restoration projects had been started. Nevertheless, there is still enough architecture in its current form to give visitors a taste of Vietnam during its feudal era.

(Tourist Map of Hue Imperial City)

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#2: Thiên Mụ Pagoda

Built in 1601, the seven stories Thien Mu Pagoda is the tallest religious building in Vietnam. It is located a short drive away from the Citadel. Perched on top of a small hill beside the Perfume River, the historic temple offers a good view of the river and the surrounding rural landscape.

Legend has it that a Nguyễn Lord was touring the area when he heard about the story of an old lady, known as Thiên Mụ (literally “celestial lady”). The old lady prophesied that a lord would one day build a pagoda on the hill to pray for the nation’s prosperity. Strangely, the old lady disappeared soon after. After hearing the story, the Nguyễn Lord ordered the construction of the pagoda.

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#3: Imperial Tomb of Emperor Minh Mang

Minh Mang (1791–1841) was the second emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty and the son of Emperor Gia Long. He reigned from 1820 until his death in 1841, and was widely held in high-regard for his devotion to running the country.

Minh Mang’s tomb is located on the west bank of Perfume River, approximately 13km from Hue Citadel. He started planning for the tomb in 1840, but passed on shortly after. His son and successor, Thieu Tri, continued the construction and completed it in 1843.

Widely recognised as the most grandiose of all Nguyễn era royal tombs, it consists of 40 monuments. Most interestingly, all monuments in the tomb are symmetric about an axis running the length of the tomb.

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#4: Imperial Tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh

Khai Dinh (1885-1925) was the 12th emperor of the Nguyễn Dynasty, reigning from 1916 till his passing on in 1925. Approximately 10km from Hue Citadel, the tomb is located on the slopes of the steep Chau Chu Mountain.

Taking 11 years to complete (1920-1931), the lavish tomb was funded via a tax increase on the population. This fueled further resentment against Khai Dinh, whom was already suffering from widespread disapproval.

Though small, Khai Dinh’s tomb is more sophisticated than other Nguyễn era royal tombs. It employs a good mix of Eastern and Western architecture styles. The largest dragon stone sculpture in Vietnam can be found here.

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#5: Imperial Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc

Tu Duc (1829–1883) was the 4th emperor of the Nguyễn Dynasty, reigning from 1847–1883. Widely regarded as the last emperor of Vietnam, he was the last to rule Vietnam independently before parts of it became a French colony.

Renowned for its scale and splendor, Tu Duc planned and constructed the tomb complex from 1864-1867, long before his passing. The exorbitant cost of the tomb was funded via increasing tax, which subsequently led to an unsuccessful rebellion in 1866. The complex remains one of the most scenic of Nguyễn Dynasty’s palaces and tombs.

For a tomb complex, Tu Duc’s tomb contains an unusual myriad of living amenities. In fact, Tu Duc used the tomb palace as his residence and stayed there (with his many wives/concubines) for a significant period.

Oddly, despite its magnificence and scale, Tu Duc was eventually buried in a different and secret location in Hue, probably to deter grave robbers. The 200 servants whom buried him were subsequently beheaded to prevent any leak, and the real tomb remained unknown till date.

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#6: Hue Walking Street (Night Market)

Started in Jan-2012, the 400m long Hue Walking Street is located on the southern banks of the Perfume River (opposite Hue Citadel and along Nguyen Dinh Chieu street). Open daily from 5-11pm; the pedestrian-only street has more than 100 stalls dealing in traditional crafts products and consumer goods. There is also a 120m long dining area by the river that serves traditional Hue cuisines. Definitely one of the better places to hang out during the evenings.

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Travel tips for Hue

Where to stay:

• Hue is a relatively small city, with the Hue Citadel located on the northern banks of the city’s main river (Perfume River). Two bridges link the Citadel to the southern bank where the modern Hue city is.
• The immediate area (on the southern bank) surrounding the two bridges has a high density of affordable and good accommodation options, complete with numerous restaurants, pubs and travel agencies. Clearly a good location to be based while in Hue. The biggest supermarket in Hue (Big-C) is a mere 15 minutes walk away.

Most convenient way to visit the attractions:

• As with many smaller cities in Vietnam, public transport option in Hue is limited. The easiest way to access the major attractions within the city is via motorbike (self-ride) or thru a tour (via travel agent).

• Motorbike (self-ride):

  • Numerous motorbike-renting establishments can be found in the city; most travel agents and hotels have link to such services.
  • By law, a local license is required when riding in Vietnam. In reality, a fair number of foreign tourists flout this rule. Fueled by the fact that the rule is seldom enforced, especially in smaller cities.
  • However, caution is recommend. Problems can arise when accidents occur as the rider is without license and insurance cover.

• Travel agents:

  • A safer and more convenient (albeit higher cost) way is to book a tour package with one of the many travel agents in the city. Nature of tour varies greatly; driver only or with English-speaking tour guide, vehicle type, and number of attractions included in tour etc.
  • Note that tours typically DO NOT include the cost of entry fees, as these can be substantial. (See below for more info)
  • Example: For our Apr-2016 trip, we paid a total of 600,000D for 3 pax (200,000D x3) full day tour. Includes 5 attractions, driver only (no guide) in a good condition Toyota Vios. Entrance fees not included.

• Entry fee discounts:

  • Entry fee is required for the Imperial City and all of the imperial tombs. Combo tickets (which offer good discounts) can be purchased at any of these sites. Approach the ticket counter at any of the sites for more info.

2016 Vietnam VLOG (Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang)

Below is the VLOG on our Apr-2016 Central Vietnam adventure.

Related posts:

• Best of Central Vietnam: 4-Days Itinerary
• 6 Must-See Places in Da Nang (Central Vietnam)
• Best of Hanoi and Ha Long Bay: 6 Days Itinerary
• Places to see in Hanoi, Vietnam
• Guide to Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island, Vietnam
• Airport Bus from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City
• Things to do in Nha Trang, Vietnam
• Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

Related VLOGs:

• Ho Chi Minh City VLOG
• Central Vietnam VLOG (Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue)
• Nha Trang VLOG (Things to do in Nha Trang)

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