Vietnam & Indochina trips

Hanoi (Hà Nội, Thang Long) is the Capital of Vietnam. For thousand years ago, it has been the political center and cultural heart as well. Hanoi is also known the second largest city in both of economics and square; therefore it is called the blending Capital of heritages and modern skyscrapers. You certainly admire an ancient Hanoi with the colonial French architecture houses through our trips to Vietnam, or Vietnam and Cambodia tours. In another side, you can look at a modern capital with an animated and crowded life’s beat. 

Hanoi’s traffic remains one of the most remarkable elements. It is perhaps that only in Hanoi you can see thousands of motorbikes driving in the same street. It seems to be quite strange and complicated, but it is too original that it will surprise you and give you more excited.

People love Hanoi for its traditional values and deep connection to Vietnamese culture. If you feel evidently with the interminable high-speed highways, the far away mini-marts or super-markets in your country, Hanoi seems really different. Small shops, local restaurants, hawkers, and general stores appear ins and outs.

Another traditional culture of Hanoiers is about their families. Here, the other generations in a family often live together in the same house. In each family, they have an altar to worship their ancestor. Vietnamese as a whole, and Hanoi people in particular, often trend to the traditional values, customs and habits. Although the rapid development threatens the balance between the traditional and the modern, Hanoi has still kept its soul.

A special culture of Hanoi is about its long-standing cuisine. It is not magnifying when saying that Hanoi is a food paradise with the most famous noodle of “Phở”, one of the best coffee, and one of the best bread in the World. Being verified by the gourmets such as Gordan Ramsay (British famous chef), Anthony Bourdain (American cuisine writer), Hanoi’s food is a resistless thing. 

Don’t forget to spend several hours to experience Hanoi’s street foods as the dishes of rice noodles, bread, steamed sticky rice, stuffed pancake, … in your trips to Vietnam.  

With a Vietnamese custom of going to pagoda for praying healthy and peacefulness, the Capital owns more than one hundred holy temples and pagoda in the center. Standing through thousand years, those temples still keep the ancient and primary forms, contrast with the noise around. Coming to the age-old pagodas in Hanoi, you not only enjoy a completely tranquil atmosphere, but also experience Vietnamese unique designs.

The most worthy pagodas to visit in Hanoi: Tran Quoc Pagoda (in the West Lake), The Temple of Literature and University (in Ton Duc Thang street), Quan Su temple (in Quan Su street), Ngoc Son temple (in Hoan Kiem Lake), Tay Ho temple (in the West Lake), Kim Lien temple (Nghi Tam ward), Phuc Khanh Pagoda (in Tay Son street), etc.

Located in the center, The Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake is the boutique heart of Vietnam’s Capital. Not yet visiting this place means that you have not gone to Hanoi. Almost of cultural and historical beauty focuses on here. You can walk around Hanoi’s 36 old streets all your day to explore the most traditional things of Vietnamese. There are a large number of local shops and hundreds of vendors that you can meet everywhere. Beside of a boiling rhythm of daily life, the ancient French architecture has still remained unchanged. It brings to Hanoi an exotic vitality to satisfy any visitors.

To connect Hanoi’s 36 old streets with the other of new projects, Hoan Kiem Lake is likely the important blood line. It is not only a historical witness being thousand years old, but also the place that is every hearts belongs to. Hoan Kiem often begins her new day from very early when Hanoi people come here to take some exercise. After that, the lake continues greeting millions of visiting traffics up to mid-night. It is the most romantic place in the autumn with changed color leaves, brightest in the spring when flowers blossom, coolest in the summer with the big century-old trees, and warmest in the winter with happy couples on dating.

Halong Bay is located in the northernmost part of Vietnam. It belongs to Quang Ninh Province, and need to take about 4 hours transferring from Hanoi by bus (or car). Its name means “descending Dragons into the sea”. Halong Bay was recognized as a UNESCO heritage site in 1994 and won as a New 7 Wonders in 2007. 

To be pride of one of the most marvelous destinations of Vietnam particularly, and South East Asia generally, Halong Bay greets thousands of visitors each single day. The Bay brings an exotic beauty with more than 1960 limestone Islands and Islets which have been taken shape into the sea from 500 million years ago. Thanks to the Mother Nature, Halong Bay also owns an extreme biodiversity with full of karst caves, tranquil beaches, and unspoiled jungles. For this reason, when exploring Halong, you have a dozen of beguiling activities such as swimming, kayaking, sunbathing in private places, biking through the forest, climbing to the mountain, fishing among emerald ocean, visiting the unique caves, etc.
 
However, hunting the breathtaking scenes of the dawn or the sunset is the most expecting thing of which. Don’t forget to spend your time for discovering Halong Bay when the sun prepares for its up and down. Those are the time for limestone dragons put on a color of fairy-tale among endless water sea of Tonkin. Make the most of your memorable moment, sip a slight cocktail in a sundeck, or lie lazily in a private beach, or take some photos in the trips to Vietnam.

Mekong River – the largest fresh river in Vietnam with 9 main branches which uniformly stream into the Pacific. Seeing in the map, Mekong River Vietnam looks like 9 dragons; therefore Vietnamese calls it “Cuu Long Delta” (Nine Dragons Delta). It is also the richest delta with a great amount of alluvium converging every year. In common with an entangled rivers, branches and canals system, Mekong Delta is needed as breath for the life in Southwestern Vietnam .

Thanks to Mother Nature, Cuu Long region is abundant in agricultural productivity all year round. It provides up to 60% in annual rice production, and pride of the granary of Vietnam. Moreover, Mekong region owns profuse in the number of tropical orchards with variety of fruits as mango, longan, coconut, pitaya, pomelo, orange, etc. 

To completely experience Mekong culture in the trips to Vietnam, people often take a boat excursion to go deeper to the real life of local. Sitting on a motor-boat, you will be enjoyed the original scenes of the palm creeks living on narrow canals. It is spattered the houses on stilts which have a half on land, and a half lying on the stilts built solidly under the water. After feeling a part of Mekong culture with floating houses and floating fishing farm, the boat leads you to orchard gardens – the other specific. Trying some tropical picking fruit on the garden and listening to “Đờn ca Tài Tử” (a folk music of the Southwestern) seem to be the integral activities in Cuu Long Delta.

Coming to a waterway area in the trips to Vietnam, visiting floating markets is properly the most interesting time. The most lively and colorful market in Mekong is Cai Rang floating market. Take a local boat and join in these bustling places with hundreds of rowing boats and canoes around. Beginning from the natural trading demand, the floating markets appears as an indispensable elements. Almost of goods is agricultural products and foods such as fruits, flowers, rice, noodle, bread, fruit juice, coffee, the types of bulb, etc. 

It is likely other river regions, Cuu Long Delta have many fishing farms and famous handicraft manufacturers. While exploring Mekong, don’t forget coming over these special villages and buy for yourself some specific of Vietnam Southwestern. The Delta is exotic all year round. It is divided to the two distinguished seasons. From December to next April, Mekong Delta is drier with blue water stream; from May to November, it is rainy more usual and Mekong is in the flooding season with brown waterways because of alluvium.  

Hoian (Hội An, Faifo, Sea Town) is located with 7 kilometer sea-line in Vietnam Central Coast. Being recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, Hoian’s Old Quarter is expected a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port from the 15th to 19th centuries. In accompanied with the small boutique downtown and blending culture, Hoian is visited more and more by International friends.  

Hoian, its name, means that “peaceful meeting place”, and you can feel this impression in the ancient port through its development from the 15th century up to now. Following the history, Hoian lied in the bank of Thu Bon River, was a very important Vietnamese trading center in the 16th and the 17th centuries. It was a lively and crowded commercial landmark thanks to the holding of Chinese, Japanese, Span, Holland and Portuguese traders. For this reason, in both of architecture and culture, Hoian has been influenced by two nations: Japanese and Chinese. Now a day, there are many meeting halls and pagodas, which were contributed and built by Japanese and Chinese in the old town. You can find out the most unique blending at two outstanding projects the Japanese Covered Bridge and Fujian Assembly Hall (Phuoc Kien Assembly Hall).

The most amazing thing in Hoian is The Old Quarter that is small enough to cover easily on foot. However, this region always brings visitors a big traveling inspiration with lots of local shops, bars, lounges, coffee shops, and gastronomic delights. Talking about Hoian’s cuisine, the gourmets certainly have a long list to discover such as “Cao lầu”, “Quảng noodle”, “Bánh đập hến” (very tiny cyrenidae eaten with dry pancake), “hoành thánh”, miscellaneous bread, etc.

It is one of the most romantic and peaceful place to visit in the trips to Vietnam, you will be fallen in love with the wandering among the picturesque streets of Hoian. Many thing to see and experience. The ancient houses were formed and reserved by their owners with the more than 200 years old architecture and designs, the most remarkable of which is Tan Ky and Quan Thang ancient house. Otherwise, during the full moon and the 14th day of every month (by Vietnamese Calendar), Hoian wears the splendid rainbow-colors of lantern and candle lights. The old town and along the riverfront, with a lot of rowing boats, antique houses, look likely a fairy-tale world. You can stop on the bank of Hoai River, buy a flower candle light, then dropping it off to the river to pray for the luck.

In the outskirts of Hoian’s Old Quarter, the traditional handicraft villages still alive silently, but full of vitality such as Kim Bong village, Thanh Ha Pottery Village, Tra Que Vegetable Village, Cam Thanh Coconut Village, and Ban Thach Mat Village. Each of them has a special development story. The nearest place is Kim Bong village with a very famous woodwork from the 15th century. Only need to take a boat from Hoian’s old town, you can touch to the best traditional handcraft of Hoian with impressing carpentry products. If you really desire the original houses in the reserved streets of Hoian, Kim Bong gives a chance to know more about the craftsmen who contributed amount of their talent to the hundreds years beauty of Faifo.

Now a day, Hoian is one of the most important tourism center in the trips to Vietnam; therefore the town is once again a cosmopolitan meeting landscape. You can see the number of foreigners here, even thought, rising more and more. Following this, the number of services, restaurants, hotels, and shops magnificently increases. Exploring Hoian becomes more and more exciting and beguiling with more activities and service experiences. If you want to feel Hoian by the simplest way, you can take a bicycle to ride around small town, and relax on its pretty beaches.

Siem Reap is located in the northwestern Cambodia. It is the most famous and amazing city in the Kingdom of Cambodia. It is also the gateway to an ancient Angkor Complex. Thanks to the biggest and most marvelous Khmer’s project, Angkor brings travelers all over the World come to Cambodia.

Angkor Complex is the most important archaeological sites of Khmer civilization in particular and Cambodia in general. Spreading to over 1150 square miles, combining a forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park includes the majestic monuments of the different Khmer Empire’s Capital which developed brilliantly between the 9th and the 15th century. In 2007, after using many satellite pictures, the International researchers confirmed that the Angkor was the largest city of the whole World in the pre-industrial period. This remained symbol now owns more than 1000 big and small temples with the unique constructions and countlessly original designs. The most remarkable of which is the famous temple of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, and mysterious women citadel of Banteay Srei. 

The best route to explore Angkor in one day is Angkor Wat – Angkor Thom (including Bayon Temple) – Ta Keo – Ta Prohm – Banteay Srei. The sun rising in Angkor Wat could be such impressing moment that everyone all want to experience it once time. For this reason, if you were in Siem Reap, didn’t waste this breathtaking imagine. Wake you up early to catch the rising sun in the incredible temple of Angkor Wat. 

Belonging to the suburban region, Kulen Mountain and Tonle Sap Lake are must-go places. Especially, Tonle Sap (other name is Great Lake) is the largest fresh water lake in Southeast Asia. It is not really authentic, but is a rural river-life of Cambodia with the floating villages, flooded forest and rare-birds. The Lake is very important for Cambodia, it was recognized as a Ramsar of the World in 1997. To adventure Great Lake, you can take a boat trip to visit Chong Kneas Village and Kompong Phluk forest with gnarled trees.

Being the deep cultural city, Siem Reap is the best place to savor APSARA dance performances and Shadow puppet shows in Cambodia. Another modern art, Cambodian circus, is amazing vibration, energy, passion and dedication. Phrase transforms the lives of Cambodian Young from some of the most difficult economic and social backgrounds imagination. Don’t miss this peculiar cultures and arts in your Vietnam and Cambodia tours.

Wandering into Siem Reap city, you can find out the beguiling night-life of Pub Street with variety of bars, hostels, restaurants, and lively colorful market. In other side, Cambodian skillful is also shown via their souvenir such as rice wine in the painting bottle, and Cambodian concept style. Don’t forget to come over several local stores to buy some sophisticated products of Cambodian.

It is the city of Cambodian culture and Khmer's historical witness. It is one of the worthiest city to explore in South East Asia. Siem Reap, where you can stay up to 1 week to experience its highlight entirely, is an incredible landscape.