First Choice Hotel, on Au Trieu street and near St Josephs Cathedral, is run by the same management as nearby Impressive Hotel, but offers a slightly lower priced alternative to its Hanoi neighbour and is worth considering if you want to save a few bucks and don’t mind a room without a window. At first … read the full post

A mainstay tucked away down a rough, dirt road on Phu Quoc Island’s isolated Ong Lang Beach, Mango Bay Resort wants to put you in harmony with nature. Mango Bay has 40 rooms, the majority of which are thatched-roof bungalows scattered throughout its expansive grounds and beachfront. Bungalows come in a handful of varieties, with … read the full post

Vietnamese is a notoriously difficult language to master, and in particular to pronounce. Here are some tips of a few of the sounds to help you get at least somewhere close. Almost a year ago I wrote about learning Vietnamese in Hanoi and shared a few key phrases: hello, thank you and the like. But … read the full post

If you have a proper look around Hoi An you can’t fail to notice that the tailor shops win hands down in terms of numbers, with restaurants coming in a close second, shoes third and sneaking in at number four a whole new wave of spas. It would seem that this is a town for … read the full post

Fine dining restaurant La Verticale has been dishing up French and Vietnamese fusion cuisine from its 1930s villa since 2007. But for those whose wallets don’t stretch that far, founder and award-winning chef, Didieu Corlou, has opened a new venture a few doors away: DC Bistro. DC Bistro, as you’d expect from the name, is … read the full post

I always feel a bit embarrassed saying this, but that bloody Top Gear Vietnam special a few years back was the final nail in the coffin for a comfortable life back in good ol’ Blighty. Seeing the cast struggle with the Hai Van Pass also put achieving it on the top of my must-do list … read the full post

If you want to catch a film while in Hanoi, be it as a break from roaming the streets or drinking coffee and bia hoi, or because a must-see blockbuster has just been launched, a few large cinema complexes are located around the city, such as Megastar at Vincom Tower. While these places offer comfortable … read the full post

The Temple Beach House is luxurious self-catering at its best. Tucked away behind impressive wooden gates nestled between towering white walls abundant with vivid pink bougainvillea and surrounded by gardens, right on its own slice of the delicious An Bang Beach in Hoi An, the place is a real find. The beachfront garden hugs the … read the full post

Ben Thanh Market is one of Saigon’s icons and forms the heart of downtown District 1, bustling with activity from early morning until late at night. The market has existed for quite some time in one fashion or another. The current location, renovated in 1985, was the site of another relocated market, called Les Halles … read the full post

After an evening stroll through the old town its fairly likely that you’ll fall in love with the iconic Hoi An silk lanterns that set an ambient glow outside every restaurant, tailor shop and hotel; if that doesn’t get you, then a quick glimpse in the direction of the night market will. And just like … read the full post