Vietnam Travel & Tourism

1. We’re already out of date.

After more than a week in $5-a-night hostels in Peru, Caitlin Childs was looking forward to a hot shower and a comfortable bed. But when she got to the Hotel Paracas, there was no hot shower, no bed – and no hotel. “It had been leveled in an earthquake the year before,” says Childs, a graphic designer and frequent traveler. It turned out her Footprint Peru Handbook – the latest edition – had been published a year and a half before her July 2008 trip.

Even without earthquakes, much of the information covered by guidebooks changes too fast for book publishers to keep up. Restaurants close, quaint markets lose their cachet, and trains change their schedules. If it’s essential to your trip, make a phone call before you go, says Peggy Goldman, the president of Friendly Planet Travel, a tour operator. Never rely on a guidebook for key information like whether you’ll need a visa to enter a country and how much it will cost, or what vaccinations you might need, Goldman says, because those facts can change rapidly. Although the guidebook’s web site may have more up-to-date information, travelers should still check with the consulate and look for CDC alerts for the latest information.

2. No news is bad news.

There’s simply not space in most guidebooks to include negative reviews – so a hotel or restaurant that isn’t in the book might not have made the cut for a reason, says Thomas Kohnstamm, a former Lonely Planet guidebook writer and the author of the memoir, “Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?” Guidebooks are also trying not just to inform but to sell potential travelers on the idea of a particular destination, he says. The end result: Every beach is beautiful, and the people of every country are “some of the nicest people in the world.” “It’s supposed to be an unvarnished take on places but you have to be pretty PC about everything,” Kohnstamm says. [...Read more]

By JARED GETTLER

Since my second backpacking trip through Europe, I wanted to journey to Southeast Asia.

I chose to visit Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, and developed a loose itinerary, starting in Bangkok, Thailand.

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Bangkok was everything I expected. The number of people everywhere was staggering, but before long I got used to the crowds, the heat and the food.

I visited many temples and shops, including the Grand Palace and the famed Khao San Road. The Grand Palace was amazing. Inside there were countless statues of Buddha. To my disappointment, Khao San was the typical tourist trap, with vendors selling T-shirts and bootlegged CDs. [...Read more]

In colonial days, the mountains surrounding Sapa were known as the Tonkinese Alp for the quasi-European climate, with the town functioning as a former hill station, built by the French as a retreat from the heat for vacationing military officers. It is also home to Vietnam’s highest peak, Mount Fansipan, which towers above the town at a height of 3,143 metres.

Terraced fields, Sapa, Vietnam

Planning a cycling trip in these remote areas of Vietnam as a solo traveller might not be the wisest decision, primarily due to the need for special permits in the less well-discovered areas, but I knew I could do without, having lived for nearly 8 years in Vietnam. [...Read more]

Falling in love with Hoi An in the central province of Quang Nam is to fall in love with its wonderful alleyways, which for locals are the soul of their home town.

According to the town’s documents, major roads in Hoi An, such as Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc and Bach Dang were formed in the 17th century along the Hoai River. A system of alleyways then gradually evolved to link those roads.

Many alley names remind locals and visitors of historic and folk legends. Sica Alley once had the French Sica alcohol stores, and Ba Le Alley had the Ba Le well with water that was sweetest and coolest in Hoi An. [...Read more]

There’s no Southeast Asian road more iconic than Vietnam’s National Highway 1. Running the length of the narrow, coastal country, it connects the major cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. After decades of conflict that threatened to tear them apart, the Vietnamese now see the highway as a symbol of national unity.

Cycling Highway 1 unlocks experiences most travelers miss. You’ll discover rural hamlets far removed from the modern world, and famous guidebook sights will seem all the sweeter when earned through your own pedal power.

Cycling in Vietnam

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

No cycling test required—this adventure is open to people of all abilities.

Supported

For those seeking a structured, less-demanding trip, many agencies conduct vehicle-supported group rides. These typically involve a mix of cycling and van transport.

Be sure to research your tour company thoroughly, paying particular attention to itineraries and testimonials. Prices, distances, and accommodation all vary, and no traveler wants to get locked into a situation that fails to live up to expectations. [...Read more]

The mountainous town offers a glimpse into a world of mysterious minority cultures and luscious landscapes. The Red Dao, named for their colorful headdresses, take a break during the long trek to the market.

The Queen of the Mountains in Vietnam, Sapa, overlooks a beautiful valley with lofty mountains towering over the town on all sides. The spectacular scenery surrounding Sapa includes cascading rice terraces which spill down the mountains like a patchwork quilt. The mountains are often shrouded in mist that rolls back and forth along the peaks, offering tantalizing glimpses of what lies in wait on a clear day. The valleys and villages around Sapa are home to a host of hill-tribe people who wander around town buying, selling and trading.

It is quite easy to undertake day hikes through the valleys around Sapa without the assistance of a guide. However, for overnight stays in villages and longer treks into the mountains, it is advisable to hook up with a minority guide. There are endless beautiful places for trekking. The villages and the surrounding landscape are now part of Hoang Lien Reserve Park. [...Read more]

According to some pundits, the balance of wealth and power is going to shift to the east in the next few decades. Spend a couple of weeks in the dynamic nexus of activity which is Vietnam and most people would start thinking the same way in double quick time.

Central post office in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam

We started a three week tour of the country in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), the largest city in Vietnam and one which many Vietnamese still refer to as Saigon, the title it held before the country’s reunification in 1975. The Saigon river it was founded on is still a major transport artery and, over breakfast from the rooftop balcony of our hotel, we watched the waterway come alive each morning with hundreds of boats bearing consumer goods, building materials and people into the city’s frantic heart. [...Read more]

Mango plantations, sandy beaches – perfect after 10 days of cycling

Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam — my outdated Vietnam guidebook devoted a scant two columns on its last page to obscure Phu Quoc Island, but it was enough to assure me that it was the perfect place to put up my feet and do nothing after 10 days of cycling around the country.

Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam

Phu Quoc, less than an hour’s flight from Ho Chi Minh City – formerly Saigon – is just 15 miles off the coast of Cambodia. A teardrop-shaped island roughly the size of Singapore, it was a surprisingly untrammeled gem that reminded me of Thailand’s Phuket and Koh Samui in the 1970s, before they were besieged by development. [...Read more]

For enthusiasts of ecological exploration, bird watchers , forest trekkers and river adventurers, Cat Tien National Park is a rewarding destination.

Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam

About three hours from Ho Chi Minh City on National Highway 20, Cat Tien is in a winding section of the Dong Nai River in Dong Nai, Lam Dong and Binh Phuoc provinces.

The park is not only an attractive eco-tourist site but also an archaeological project associated with culture, history and religion. [...Read more]

ATA promotes two motorcycling tours in Vietnam and another one in Cambodia. These blazing hot promotions guarantee more activities and bigger adventure for the same price. Travelers will get incredible driving and deep in the countryside and historical trails.

Motorcycling on Ho Chi Minh trail, Vietnam

In Vietnam, travelers will ride through the historical trail named Ho Chi Minh Trail. The legendary trail was the supply line used by North Vietnam to link North and South Vietnam during the American War. Soldiers, ammunition, weapons and supplies were carried by hand, bicycle and truck for hundreds of kilometers through the otherwise impenetrable jungle that covered Vietnam’s mountainous border with Laos. A testimony to the ingenuity, fortitude and commitment of the northern Vietnamese, the trail slipped from use at the end of the war and was taken back by the jungle. Recent road work follow original sections of the trail have changed this.

The first one, “Taste of Ho Chi Minh Trail” is organized for first time rider and easy adventure, offers a stunning motorcycling route with great exploration of nature and culture of northern Vietnam. Travelers will spend 3-day motorcycling with homestays in villages.

Joining in this tour, the special offer is a free of charge add on boat trip on Ma river in the afternoon of the first day. If rider group up to 6 persons, a free traditional Thai musical show will also be offers.

The second tour called “Motorcycling the Ho Chi Minh Trail – Half Challenge”. This 11-day trip with 7-day motorcycling takes in the charming ancient trading town of Hoian, Khe Sanh battle site and DMZ. Travelers also take time to stay overnight in a traditional Thai hill tribe and visit to some tribal villages on the way.

Taking this tour, after a long trip, in the tenth day, riders will get a free body massage in Hoian. Moreover, for any pre or post trip in Vietnam, travelers will receive a 10% discount for the trip.

Besides, in both tours, if riders upgrade their motorbikes to dirtbike 175CC or 250CC, they will get the 40% discount for bike rental fee. Especially, to make the trip more comfortable, a free silk sleeping bag will be provided for each traveler.

In Cambodia, riders spend 14 days with 11 days motorcycling through the country. This is the best way to get to the remote and hidden corners of Cambodia. The adventure starts in the capital city and we will travel on 250cc dirtbike northward through scenic villages, mysterious temples. Highlight of the tour is the amazing Angkor Wat Temples. From Angkor Wat we head east to the hidden land of Mondulkiri, the land of exotic ethnic minorities and great nature scenery.

Booking this tour, tourists will get free Visa-on-arrival to Cambodia and a body massage in Phnom Penh. Moreover, a welcome diner in Phnom Penh will be offered for the group from 6 persons. Traveler will be provide 5% discount on any pre or post trip to Vietnam or Laos.

This Hot Summer Promotion validity is from 1 May, 2010 to 30September, 2010.

For more information and details of this promotion, please visit: Summer Promotion with ATA

Or contact:
ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA
#31, Alley 4, Dang Van Ngu street, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: +84-4-35738569 | Fax: +84-4-35738570
Email: info@activetravel.asia | Website: http://www.activetravel.asia