Over the past couple of months temperatures have been rising in Saigon; this usually isn’t much of an issue because there are so many ice cream shops… but now that I’m planning to run a half marathon I need to start eating a little healthier. So I’ve switched from ice cream to frozen yogurt, meaning … read the full post

In London, Brick Lane is famous for its Indian food; in Hanoi, it used to sell bricks. Ngo (lane) Gach (brick) is a small road that runs between Hang Giay and Hang Duong and is one of those streets very easy to miss, but a shame not to visit. While there’s nothing unmissable along its … read the full post

If you’re a food lover, then Saigon is a great spot to spend some time, with restaurants down every alley and on every street. You may, however, struggle to find in HCMC any variety in Southeast Asian cuisine. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of Vietnamese restaurants around town, but if you are looking … read the full post

I’m a runner; I try to run whenever I can. I run anywhere I can, mostly in the gym because I live in the city of Saigon, but I particularly love running on the beach. Luckily for me, Vietnam has some awesome beaches for running. Since Saigon can be a bit of a grind, I’m … read the full post

I wrote about the Vietnam Women’s Museum around a year ago, just after it re-opened following extensive refurbishments. I was impressed then and remain so, particularly having visited their three current temporary exhibitions: Worshiping Mother Goddess, Women and Flowers, and Shining Night. Shining Night is an exhibition set up by the Institute for Development & … read the full post

Saigon is a city where you can shop till you drop; plenty of markets, stores and boutiques are eager to help you part with your cash. Many of these places however have become a little too focused on tourists and visiting them may give you little in the way of a cultural experience. Add that … read the full post

A couple of years ago, vehicles reminiscent of golf buggies started appearing on the streets of Hanoi. As if the motorbikes, bicycles, cyclos, cars, buses and trucks weren’t enough. But I mustn’t complain, the carts are there in the name of green tourism: Hanoi’s attempt to cut down on the pollution caused by the other … read the full post

The past few weeks I have written a few posts about some of the city’s more popular pagodas and temples; these focused mostly on Buddhist temples, but HCMC happens to be home to a large Catholic community and it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t talk about another popular religious destination in Saigon, the Notre … read the full post

Hàng Giầy is right in the centre of Old Quarter: running from Luong Ngoc Quyen to Hang Chieu. Giầy means shoes — if it were giay it would be paper, which is why I’ve added the tones — but nowadays there are very few shoes on sale along its stretch. There may not be shoes, … read the full post

Everyone knows that travelling to Saigon during Tet can be a bit of a headache, with many restaurants and shops closed and transportation is limited. Tet, however, isn’t Vietnam’s only celebrated holiday that can throw you for a loop: Reunification Day on April 30 (followed a day later by May Day on May 1) marks … read the full post