Best Vietnam Films
There’s more to Vietnam films than just war films. When we decided to travel to Vietnam, I realised that the only “Vietnamese” films I had seen were American war films, like Apocalypse Now
Vietnam
Our favourite country for backpacking is hands down Vietnam. This perfectly shaped nation has a natural vertical backpacker route from north to south, Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh. For first time travellers in Asia, Vietnam is a great place to start. Steaming bowls of pho, coffee sweetened with condensed milk, hectic cities crammed with scooters, rolling rice terraces and colonial towns await you in Vietnam.
Living in Vietnam Costs & Expat Life
Thinking of moving to Vietnam? Andrew Miles from meman mevegan travelled Vietnam extensively and has lived in Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi for a year and a half working as a teacher.
Is Vietnam Cheap? Vietnam Travel Costs
Is Vietnam cheap and just how much Dong do you need? Vietnam is a top backpacker destination because — you’ll be pleased to hear — backpacking in Vietnam is cheap. We travelled from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, the whole length of the country, on just $24 a day. We’re going to share our insider Vietnam travel budget tips with you!
Hoa Binh and Northern Vietnam’s Must See Hidden Gems
A Northern Vietnam travel guide revealing the breathtaking province of Hoa Binh. This is a guest post written by Liezl Bruwer, a South African expat living and teaching in Northern Vietnam. She lives, travels and eats vegan with her partner Andy.
Hoa Binh is becoming the next Halong Bay. It’s nestled away in an incredible display of mountains and rice paddies. It’s home to the largest manmade lake in Vietnam. Hoa Binh is directly translated to peace, and this province provides nothing else.
Southeast Asia Travel Guide
Our Southeast Asia Travel Guide explains how you can make the most of your trip, including routes, maps, highlights, countries to visits and pitfalls to avoid.
Dreaming of backpacking around Southeast Asia? The “banana pancake” trail is an exciting, budget-friendly, and not too challenging travel route. It’s an excellent place to be a first-time backpacker, and veteran adventurers will also find plenty to keep them occupied!
Why You Should NOT Ride Elephants
A few years ago, a friend told she rode an elephant in Thailand. Until she said it, it hadn’t really occurred to me that riding an elephant was something anyone would want to do, but it turned out this was a popular ‘bucket list’ activity for many travellers. I asked her whether that was humane, she said she didn’t know. Then she said that it was a once in a lifetime experience, so she had to do it.
What Street Food is there for a Vegetarian in Vietnam?
Ask around about Vietnamese street foods and you’ll be told about phở bò (beef noodle soup), bánh mì (French baguettes) filled with slices of ham, liver pate and salad, and gỏi cuốn (fresh spring rolls) usually filled with pork and prawns. I love street food, but as a vegetarian I always end up heaving a big sigh when I’m excitedly told about only meaty foods.
After hearing about these foods again and again, and after only a quick glance around the streets, I didn’t have much hope for veggie-friendly Vietnamese street food. However, as I started exploring the small side streets, heading out earlier in the morning and later at night, and looking at what all the street vendors had in their carts and baskets, I found that there is plenty of vegetarian street food in Vietnam!
The Dangerous Allure of Tailoring in Hoi An
Hoi An was the siren of Vietnam. On the surface, it’s a gem. The streets are lined with yellow-painted French buildings, the cafés have luscious coffee, fresh fruits are everywhere, then you hear the melodious singing voices of the tailors offering exquisite clothing. Hoi An captivates you, puts you at ease, and then suddenly you find yourself unwittingly captured by a tailor, money flooding out of the palms of your hands as you see chiffon dresses, smart suits and suave brogues all around.
A Vietnamese Vegan Cooking Class in Hoi An
There are signs everywhere advertising cooking classes in Vietnam. All claim “authentic Vietnamese food,” “the best pho in town,” and “delicious, fresh spring roll masterclasses.” I love cooking, and so does Luke. We often quarrel because we both want to do the cooking, even more often we bicker during the cooking, and we even prefer eating in to eating out. So naturally we wanted to take our bickering out of our own kitchen and into someone else’s.
How to Survive Overnight Buses in Vietnam
Vietnam’s north-to-south, or vice versa, backpacking route spans the whole length of the country. During that time, you will no doubt end up on a less than ideal overnight bus or sleeper train. These can take anywhere from 8 to 15 hours.
5 Unexpectedly Romantic Moments from Travelling as a Couple
The idea of travelling as a couple always conjures up romantic notions; thoughts of being
Hanoi’s Café Culture: How to Make the Most of Coffee in Vietnam
Whilst sipping coffee all around Vietnam, I heard Westerners sniff at Vietnamese coffee because 1) you can’t get a good latte like in the UK (not that I’ve ever had a good latte in the UK) or because 2) the condensed milk used on the streets can be overwhelming, or because 3) it’s just too strong.
