Truc Bach Lake lies about three kilometres to the northwest of Hoan Kiem Lake and is easily reachable on foot or by cyclo. It has plenty going on around its banks and no shortage of places to stop for a coffee, beer or lunch, so is worth a wander if you’ve time. Starting at Quan … read the full post

Shoes are among the most difficult thing I have managed to find during the fair amount of shopping I have done during my time in HCMC — those of us from the Western world have big feet, much bigger than your average local’s. If you’re on the lookout for a pair of shoes in Saigon, … read the full post

For some, a holiday on the beach is meant to be a relaxing, low-energy affair. Wake up late, shuffle to your beach chair, and never break a sweat. For others, a trip to the beach is a time for adventure and extreme sports — like kite surfing. If you’re a kite surfer, or a wannabe … read the full post

One of my favourite street foods is the Vietnamese appetiser or snack, goi cuon. Whenever I find myself on the street, looking for a quick bite to eat, I seek out what I think is one of Vietnam’s must-try foods. Like its name suggests, goi cuon, also known as summer rolls, is from the same … read the full post

Just a short trip from the backpacker area of Pham Ngu Lao, extremely large Lang Nuong Nam Bo sits off the main road down a long, wide alley. Set in an area that is rarely visited by tourists, you may feel like you’re in a different city when you find the restaurant even though you’re … read the full post

Everyone needs to get away from the city from time to time and a beach weekend is a great way to escape. The only problem is that once you’ve stayed a couple days at the beach you might get a little bored; if, however, you head to Mui Ne for a beach retreat you’re in … read the full post

While Saigon is an easy place to enjoy a good walking tour, it may by no means be an easy walk; things can get hot and you may end up frantically searching for something to drink. If you happen to be in one of the tourist areas of the city you’ll find no shortage of … read the full post

Coffee often seems to be the lifeblood of Vietnam — well, along with beer, tea, rice and pho. You really can’t walk far without the tempting aroma of coffee greeting your nostrils, and a hit of the particularly strong brew is enough to keep you going for hours. Yes, Vietnamese coffee is certainly known for … read the full post

Back when I used to live in the Western world I grew used to the fact that if I visited a restaurant I would be able to get a free glass of water with my meal. In fact, I grew so accustomed to it that you could probably say I took it for granted. But … read the full post

On the streets of Saigon you won’t have to look far to find someone selling food from a cart. From noodle dishes to sandwiches, you can find almost anything but you may find that soups dominate the landscape of HCMC’s street food. This might not be much of a surprise since pho is the most … read the full post