Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnamese: Cộng hòa Xã hội Chủ nghĩa Việt Nam), is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east. With a population of over 86 millions, Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world. Vietnam was under Chinese control for a thousand years before becoming a nation-state in the 10th century. Successive dynasties flourished along with geographic and political expansion deeper into Southeast Asia, until it was colonized by the French in the mid-19th century. Efforts to resist the French eventually led to their expulsion from the country in the mid-20th century, leaving a nation divided politically into two countries. Bitter fighting between the two sides continued during the Vietnam War, ending with a communist victory in 1975. Emerging from a long and bitter war, the war [ ... ]
Tucked away just 2km from the center of Nha Trang City, Thap Ba, a Po Nagar Cham Tower, is one of the significant destinations for enthusiasts of culture, old architecture and ethnic Vietnamese peoples.
The Cham towers complex is the only relic of the Cham culture. The towers have a long history of establishment, existence, preservation and development from the eighth century to now. The towers were built when Hinduism prevailed in the land.
The tower is about 23m high and holds statues of goddesses and animals. Striking inside the tower is a giant statue of a goddess sitting on a lotus flower and leaning her back on a large rock in the shape of a bodhi tree leaf.
The outside stone wall of the tower is covered with images of dancers in traditional costumes, sailors, farmers husking rice and hunters with bows and arrows. There is an altar with a statue of Po Nagar with 12 hands, two hands on her knees and five embracing weapons on the right side and five more holding bells, plates, bows and horns on the left side. Scattered around the temple are statues of humans and animals that augment the ancient Cham architecture and décor.
The complex also puts on traditional dance performances by Cham ladies.
Highlights: we board our boat to cross the Upper Mekong River and do some explorations of this important water way. Life there really depends on the river. We have a chance to try the locally grown tropical fruits before continuing on to visit the cottage industries
Highlights: an overview of the South including Cu CHi tunnels and Mekong Delta, the charming old Hoi An, dinner and releasing lanterns on Perfume river, discovering the French spirit in architecture of Hanoi, romantic overnight stay on the boat in Ha Long bay.
Highlights: we take a day trip to My Tho where we board our private boat for a cruise to the four beautiful Islets (Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise and Phoenix) on the Mekong River. We continue our journey from here by rowboat and stop in on a local family of beekeepers wh
Highlights: Experience the busy streets in Ho Chi Minh City, get an overview of Vietnam war in Cu Chi tunnels, joining the water life in Mekong Delta, romantic Da Lat, snorkel in beautiful coral riffs of Nha Trang bay, Old charming Hoi An, local dinner on the boat in
Highlights: we take a short boat trip to see fish farms and cross the river to Cham village and one of the few Muslim temple in Vietnam. After lunch in a local restaurant, we take bus ride to a Khmer pagoda and then on to Ba Chuc. This is a site of Khmer Rouge killin
Highlights: Adopting the name from Cham language (Ya Trang), Nha Trang has beautiful beaches with fine and lean sand and clear ocean water with mild temperature all year round. The afternoon is free for you to laze on the beach or why don’t you try the mud bath which
Highlights: we cruise through the spectacular scenery of thousands of limestone karsts and isles of various sizes and shapes. There are opportunities to visit one of its beautiful limestone caves and swim in this World Heritage site’s emerald water. We’ll spend the n
Highlights: Hoi An has a mix of architecture and great combination of Asian and Western cultures. Make sure that you visit one of hundreds of tailors, shoemakers and souvenir shops. There is lots to do when you are in town. All the sightseeing is easy to access on fo
Highlights: Our morning activities include a boat cruise along the water of Phong Nha cave. Recognised twice as the World Heritage, the cave holds 7 Vietnamese records for its natural beauty. In the afternoon, we’ll explore the Vinh Moc tunnel, Hien Luong bridge, the
Highlights: you’ll go to the Museum of Ethnology and then the Ha Noi Hilton (Hoa Lo prison museum). The tour will finish at your hotel after a cyclo ride in the Old Quarter
Highlights: Perfume Pagoda, the most visited pagoda in Vietnam. Normally, after Tet holiday (between February and April), thousands of Vietnamese people go to Perfume Pagoda. It’s famous not only for its religious aspect but beauty as well.
Highlights: Lots of swimming in the late afternoon or you can laze yourselves on deck to watch the sun go down behind the mountains. Dinner in twinkling light will finish our lovely day.
Highlights: You’ll visit one of the many beautiful caves in Ha Long and then you can just relax and take in the spectacular scenery, as we do some more sailing around the bay. Lunch would be served after the cave and, make sure you have an empty stomach, to enjoy the
Highlights: After breakfast, we’ll cruise further into untouched areas of this World Heritage site. Swim in the quite beach and kayaking to water tunnel and fishing villages. Today is the day you can relax and enjoy the best things that nature has to offer Ha Long ba
Highlights: Becoming a popular holiday destination for tourists, Cat Ba is famous for white sandy beaches and rich seafood supplies. On the way to town, we'll visit Cat Ba national park. Here, we will do some exercise as we go up Ngu Lam peak for a great view of Cat
Highlights: . The village at the other side of the river is still untouched with tourists which give you a great opportunity to see and to understand their culture. We usually had a great fun time with them as, to some of them, it was their fist time to see a “huge”
Highlights: your guide will take you down to Muong Hoa valley to visit home of H’Mong and Dzay people with breath-taking view of Ta Van stream. Make sure that you visit the local house in Ta Van and Lao Chai village. Talk and play with the kids and learn some of the
Highlights: Early arrival in Lao Cai train station. Our bus driver will pick you up and take you up hill to Sa Pa which would be a little over an hour, giving you a glimpse of the stunning vistas and impressive rice terraces. Our guide will meet you at the hotel to b
Highlights: you will visit the Hoa Sua Training Center, a Vietnamese not for profit organization, providing training and employment placement for young people from poor and disadvantaged families
Highlights: Located 1,500 meters above the sea level, Sa Pa is a quiet mountain town and home to a great diversity of ethnic minority people. Make sure that you visit the local market to have some interaction with the locals.
Highlights: A good breakfast by the balcony looking down the valley will start our day. Your guide will take you down to Muong Hoa valley to visit home of H’Mong and Dzay people with breath-taking views of Ta Van stream.
Highlights: You can join the farmers helping them with their work before returning to our home stay in the late afternoon to help the owner to prepare our dinner or just to relax. It is like a cooking class as we learn about some of the delicious Vietnamese tradition
Highlights: This is the birth place of many well-known people such as King Ngo Quyen, King Phung Hung, former Vice Prime Minister Mr. Phan Ke Toai, former Southern Government Vice President Nguyen Cao Ky. That’s the reason why Duong Lam is called the land of two king
Highlights: Starting at 8.30 am from your hotel, our guide will take your first to Ho Chi Minh mausoleum (closed on Monday & Friday and from October to December) then to the Presidential complex including Uncle Ho’s stilt house, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Ho Chi Minh
Highlights: Established in 1926 by Mr. Ngo Van Chieu, the term Cao Dai literally means “high place” and the full name is Dai Dao Tam Ky Pho Do (Great Religion of The Third Period of Revelation and Salvation). It is a mix of Christian, Buddhism, Hindu etc. Strangely,
Highlights: Very famous in the past, Con Dao Island was used by French and American as a place to keep “enemies” in brutal conditions. Apart from that war fact, the island offers an escape into a great outdoors, taking you the noise, pollution and people of the city
Highlights: Walking through a former forest, you still can hear the sounds of gun fire from the firing range nearby where, if you want to try, the cost is 1.5 US dollar per bullet.
Highlights: The activities include enjoying tropical fruit, listening to local traditional music, tasting honey tea, experiencing how coconut candy is grown and made. A short horse and cart ride or “xe loi” (a Vietnamese version of “Tuk tuk” without roof) will bring
Highlights: The overnight stay allows you to understand life and work of local people there. It is a house on water, camping canvas and cold water shower is our deal for the night. Noisy, however, it is a real life experience.
Highlights: Cruising along the small and picturesque tributaries by rowing boat, we will see the Cai Rang floating market (the nicest one with heaps of rowing boats). Take in the beautiful scenery and the daily activities ....
Highlights: Almost the farthest island in the South of Vietnam, Phu Quoc is famous for its mix isolated and deserted beaches, and a few thriving yet unadulterated Vietnamese towns which make it a rare find indeed.
Highlights: Being called the “Demilitarized Zone”, however, the area was heavily bombed. Unlike Cu Chi tunnels, this system of tunnels worked as shelters for the local people.
Highlights: ppointed as the capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945 by the Nguyen Dynasty, the Imperial Citadel is the last Royal complex in Vietnam with strong Orient architecture style. 2 hours of walking will take you through Ngo Mon gate, Palace of Harmony, Holy Urn
Highlights: You will arrive at the pagoda where you stay overnight in the late afternoon. You will have time to wander around before vegetarian dinner. After dinner, one of the monk will be very happy to talk with you about Buddhism and give you some meditation pract
Tucked away just 2km from the center of Nha Trang City, Thap Ba, a Po Nagar Cham Tower, is one of the significant destinations for enthusiasts of culture, old architecture and ethnic Vietnamese peoples.
