Perfectly positioned at the furthest end of An Bang beach’s stretch of seaside eateries, The Banyan Bar deservedly pulls in the crowds with alfresco beachside dining, cosy cabanas and a traditional Vietnamese house for chilly winter evenings. Huge beanbags and loungers line the beach for guests to stretch out on, which are very welcome after … read the full post

Street food in Vietnam is not just about breakfast, lunch and dinner; it’s also very much about snacking. And the Vietnamese like to snack. Pho mai que (cheese sticks) is a new craze to hit the streets of Hanoi and while maybe not contributing to a balanced — or gourmet — diet, it’s a cheap … read the full post

Finding a bowl of pho in Saigon is by no means a hard task but sooner or later all the restaurants, stalls and bowls start to blend together. Pho Nho is a unique spot that stands out among the rest and is the place to go in Ho Chi Minh City for Hanoi-style pho. From … read the full post

You don’t have to walk far in Hanoi to find a coffee shop, and you don’t have to walk much further to find one with character, such as longstanding, narrow Cafe Duy. Align 3D Graphics Cafe has character in a modern, designed way and also has a wider menu than you’ll find at a streetside … read the full post

In the middle of Saigon’s backpacker area of Pham Ngu Lao, on the busy street of Bui Vien, Seventy Hotel — sometimes referred to as Phan Lan Hotel — has a much desired location for travellers looking to move about the city. Although it doesn’t have the biggest rooms on the block, the hotel is … read the full post

Sapa is a one of Vietnam’s most popular destinations, but with no nearby airport the only option for getting there is to travel by road or rail and, despite being only 380 kilometres from Hanoi, it’s a time-consuming exercise whichever route you take, so choose carefully. Most visitors choose to get from Hanoi to Sapa … read the full post

The standard exterior of Hoi An’s Thien Thanh Boutique Hotel among the backpacker joints on popular Ba Tieu Road belies the charm inside. The 16-room hotel has a new boutique feel, great service and lovely extras such as a pool and great paddy views. This is the perfect spot if you want to mix town … read the full post

Joseph’s Hang Da is a no-frills hotel but has all the right ingredients to make it an excellent Hanoi flashpacker to midrange choice: convenient location, professional staff, comfortable rooms and a tasty breakfast, all at a reasonable price. Less than a year old, the bright and cheerful hotel is on un-touristy Duong Thanh Street, and … read the full post

Hoi An’s reputation for being one of the most touristy towns in Vietnam might put some people off a visit; and yes, the 460 tailors all squabbling for your business as you stroll through the old town can be a little relentless, and yes, $5 a night accommodation doesn’t exist. Some of the best dining, … read the full post