Vietnamese “cultural” shows, whether a traditional water puppet show or a song and dance performance, can sometimes be disappointing. However, the A O Show Saigon offers something new and completely different — it’s worth checking out. The A O Show Saigon is an interesting mix of the new and the old, combining elements of Vietnamese … read the full post

Continuing my exploration of street food tours in Hanoi, I booked onto an afternoon tour with Hanoi Street Food Tours, run by Mark Lowerson, of Sticky Rice fame, and Van Cong Tu, the “Vietnamese God“. Bring on three hours of snacking heaven. Mark has been in Hanoi since 2002 and writing his food blog, Sticky … read the full post

On nearly every corner in Saigon you’ll find a street cart selling banh mi, or Vietnamese sandwiches. While these are delicious and cheap, sometimes you might hanker after something similar but of a higher quality. While you’ll find a big jump in prices when visiting most sandwich shops in the city, Le Banh Mi offers … read the full post

Negotiating the potholes on a bike with no suspension or brakes down the six-kilometre-long Cua Dai Road between Hoi An’s old town and beach and you’ll probably be looking out for a stop to get the blood circulating back to your buttocks at around kilometre three — which is where you’ll find the three-storey mirage … read the full post

Having enjoyed breakfast, brunch and lunch on the Street Eats and Market Tour I took with Hanoi Cooking Centre earlier in the week, it was time for dinner. So off I went to Old Quarter to join the Hanoi Street Food by Night tour, offered by Urban Adventures. Urban Adventures, part of global tour operator … read the full post

To outsiders, Saigon is a sprawling, concrete metropolis, but the city does have its share of green spaces scattered about that are very popular with locals. If you happen to be in the mood for a shaded sit, or a quiet stroll, here are a few parks to enjoy free of charge in Ho Chi … read the full post

With street food being such a defining feature of Hanoi, it’s no surprise that a variety of tours here explore the world of the 10-inch plastic stool. We’ve checked out a few of the options, starting with Hanoi Cooking Centre (HCC). HCC was opened in 2009 by chef Tracey Lister, co-author of KOTO: A Culinary … read the full post

In an ideal world, breaking a Hoi An stay in two, with a few days at the beach and a few in town, seems like the perfect solution. But what most travellers don’t realise is that Hoi An’s Cua Dai and An Bang beach are just five minutes’ from the old town. Every resort outside … read the full post

Saigon is no stranger to coffee, you can find someone selling Vietnamese coffee on nearly every street, but that hasn’t stopped the encroachment of a certain international coffee chain, which just recently opened their first shop in District 1. Strangely, people in HCMC were able to find quality coffee before any major chain houses arrived … read the full post

What’s worth getting up for at 04:00 on a chilly Sunday morning in Hanoi? A sunrise photography tour of Long Bien market with Vietnam In Focus, that’s what. A combined desire to improve my photography skills, visit Long Bien market at the crack of dawn and write about it gave me the motivation to hold … read the full post