Showing posts with label vietnam. Show all posts

Exploring Vietnam's Border Town: A Day Trip to China

Marky Ramone Go January 02, 2024

Introduction: Nestled in the northern reaches of Vietnam lies a fascinating border town that serves as a gateway between two distinct cultures – Vietnam and China. This town, with its rich history, vibrant markets, and unique blend of traditions, offers travelers an unforgettable experience. In this article, we will delve into the charm of Vietnam's border town and explore the possibilities of a day trip to China, immersing ourselves in the cultural tapestry woven by these two neighboring nations.

A shop located in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hoi An

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Ancient Cham Ruins at My Son Sanctuary | Vietnam

Marky Ramone Go November 08, 2020

Waking up to a rainy and foggy morning had me entertaining the idea of staying in until lunch curled up on my bed. Appealing the thought may be, the chance to see another UNESCO World Heritage Site reigned over and proved to be enough of a motivation to make me stand up, stretch my hands and face the window announcing to myself “Good Morning Vietnam”

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The Chiseled Wall and Gushing Curtain of Pongour Waterfall | Da Lat, Vietnam

Marky Ramone Go September 21, 2020

As I was walking around downtown Da Lat, I picked up a flyer about an Easy Rider tour taking travelers on a motorcycle exploration of the countryside. I’m not one to easily shell money on tour packages, but I figured I can easily sightsee the outskirts of Da Lat as a passenger on the back of a Vietnamese Dennis Hopper. I couldn’t text the number as I don’t have any local sim card. Fortunately, my hostel—Da Lat Homestay—offers the same tour. Along with the other guests, who all turned out to be Israelis, I signed up for the Easy Rider the next day.

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Things to do in the UNESCO World Heritage Town of Hoi An, Vietnam

Marky Ramone Go May 26, 2020

The heritage town of Hoi-An in Vietnam possess an olden vibe dating back to the 15th century. Highlighted by its well-preserved structures that have shaped a storied past of a former Southeast Asian trading hub, it has become a major tourism draw in Central Vietnam. Going back in time doesn’t need to come in the form of a capsule machine, a walk through the old streets of Hoi An might just do the trick. As I boarded my bus from Ho Chi Minh to Hoi An, I already pictured a lovely age-old town awaiting for me.

To make your journey back in time more worthwhile, here are other things to do in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An.

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Things to do in Da Lat, Vietnam

Marky Ramone Go September 01, 2019

At almost 5,000 feet above sea level, Da Lat dishes a chill vibe—both literally and figuratively—that appeals to travelers. The cool weather coupled with an array of nature and man-made attractions—make this city in Central Vietnam—an ideal place for wanderers crisscrossing the land of Pho, to make a pit stop for several days. To give you an idea on what to do in Da Lat, follow some of the things I did.

Marky Ramone Go sits atop a rock near Pongour in Da Lat, Vietnam

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Postcards and Vignettes from Hanoi | Vietnam

Marky Ramone Go August 09, 2015

Like a cake covered with layers of sugary-coated tastiness, Hanoi’s cultural charms and character are enriched with a diverse set of colonial influences, mainly from the French, which brought a certain European flavor to the city’s architecture, food, and culture. Before the turmoil of a violent war would besiege the whole of Vietnam in the middle of the 20th century, Hanoi represented the “grand statement of French urbanity and civilization in the tropics of Asia.” The vibe of the streets, dotted with charming French-inspired cafes serving freshly brewed Vietnamese coffee, pho soup, and baguette breads, mirrored the Parisian city.

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Hiking with the Hill People in the Scenic Sapa Region | Vietnam

Unknown December 29, 2014

Tired and cold from the previous night's hike from the city center to our homestay located in a village deep in the hillside of Sapa, I exulted at the sight of sunlight creeping in our spacious second floor room. Because this means the temperature is hovering near 10 degrees compared to the almost 2 or negative 2 degrees that chilled us the night before when I lay shaking even under a thick blanket.

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A Cyclo Ride Around Hanoi | Vietnam

Unknown December 19, 2014

During my first visit to Hanoi last year I was able to ride its famous rickshaw or "cyclo" as they call it there, on a brief pedal from the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum back to the old quarters. Other than that, I wasn't able to hop on it and pass through the busier parts of the city, as I opted to spend most of my time moving and dodging motorcycles on foot.

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My First Sense of Snow at Sapa, Vietnam

Unknown October 23, 2014

I know its 'winter' in the northern part of Vietnam at the time I arrived there middle of December last year. I remember sleeping at the airport upon arrival with two layers of jacket until I was woken up by a freezing burst of wind I thought was emanating from the air-conditioning system. I looked around and saw the source of the cold - the automatic door that remained open. When I arrived at the old french quarters of Hanoi that morning I welcomed the 12 degree Celsius cold with delight, it was my first time to experience that kind of cold - in a city setting outside of my trips to Sagada and Mount Pulag - which are both in the highlands, before.

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Hanoi Spring Roll and a Conversation through Google Translation

Unknown August 20, 2014

One of the many amazing things about traveling is the opportunity to meet new people on the road. During my trip to Hanoi I met Hoang, a cheerful woman who works at one of the many Sihn Tourist offices in the city. Recommended by another traveler friend Jerik, I sought her out after I arrived to avail of a Halong Bay and Sapa tours. We met and conducted business but by the end of our transaction she unexpectedly extended an invitation for me to join her and some friends for a dinner at her place. Shy and feeling a bit paranoid brought on by a number of Asian gore movies, a series of images involving hack saw, chains and giant hammers flashed before me. "Hello Mark, you want to come yes?" as Hoang tapped me on my arm with a glistening smile and I was back to real world. "Sure, what time? I would love to go" I told her.

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Ha Long Bay: from the Pages of NatGeo to Real Life

Unknown July 22, 2014

Instinctively or intentionally, the giant creature known as the 'creator of all things' strew countless poppy and sunflower seeds over a bowl of water. With a puzzled look on their faces, his guests wondered if these were meant for the hot bread served on the table. Before someone could raise a question, dozens of graceful belly dancers entered the room bringing free flowing wine and soon the purpose of the poppy and sunflower seeds were forgotten. Over time—like thousands of years later—the scattered seeds evolved into thousands of limestone karsts spread over more than 1,500 square kilometers of Ha Long Bay.

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Halong Bay Side Step to Dau Go Cave

Unknown June 13, 2014

Apart from the thousands of limestone karst and small isles dotting the whole of Halong Bay, there are small islands that also provides additional attraction like the Dau Go Cave (Wooden Stakes Cave). According to a local story, while planning a counter attack against their Mongolian enemies in 1288, the men of General Tran Hung Dao hid an enormous number of wooden stakes inside this cave. The wooden stakes were then streamed into the Bach Dang River to serve as obstacles against the attacking Mongols. It was a risky plan that tricked the enemy, as the men of Kublai Khan got entangled with the wooden stakes while crossing through the treacherous river bed, drowning a number of Mongolian warriors.

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A Walk in the Cold Around Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake | Vietnam

Marky Ramone Go February 25, 2014

During the four mornings I spent in the city of Hanoi in-between my jaunts to Halong Bay and Sapa, my favorite part was walking around the Hoan Kiem Lake. Being under sunny skies, feeling the winter wind and being embraced by the 12 degree Celsius cold is the perfect condition to romp and stomp and get to know a new city. The occasional showers which show up at an interlude of a couple of hours had me sheltering under the tall trees that surround the lake. Otherwise, I would have gone round and round and round the lake. Sometimes I would walk towards a random street ending up another side of the Old French Quarters, but each time I would always follow a path back to Hoan Kiem Lake.

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8:30 Sleeper Train to Sapa | Vietnam

Marky Ramone Go February 19, 2014

The weather in Hanoi hovered down to 12 degrees according to the app on my phone, whether it is accurate or not my pulsating fingers are telling me there's no need to question its veracity. So while waiting for the van to pick me up at the office of SinhTourist I walked across a small noodle joint and ordered a bowl of hot Pho Ga. My new found friend in the city Hoang told me about the snow that fell in Sapa a few days before, she advised me to add extra layers of clothing. I told Hoang the cold never bothered me anyway. It was a lie, as I sat quivering waiting to sip on some hot Vietnamese chicken noodles I imagined how much coldness awaits me in Sapa.

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Phnom Pehn de Sarapen: Border Crossing | Cambodia

Unknown November 10, 2011

Since I arrived a day earlier than my brother in Ho Chi Minh, I spent the whole day walking around the city. I had a blast getting myself immersed in a new place which hurriedly became familiar to me. From crossing the street with a sea of motorcycles whose drivers never slow down, I've become an expert in not getting ran over after a few attempts. I've also politely rejected motorcycle drivers and rickshaw operators' offer of ride, as I just told them "I'm just walking around". Which I did before retiring to the guest house and waited for my brother who arrived early morning the next day. After a short nap, we went out to the then awakening city of Saigon and had a quick breakfast in order to catch the 6:30 AM bus going to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. A day earlier, I already purchased two one way tickets to Phnom Penh which costs $10.00 per person at the Sihn Tourist located at De Tham street - which is just beside both Buy Vien and Pham Ngu Lao.

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War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City | Vietnam

Unknown November 10, 2011

The "Vietnam War" is one of the most infamous events of recent times. Told to us by a telling number of movies made in Hollywood which heightened only the conflict through the eyes of the Americans. I grew up watching the films by Oliver Stone ("Platoon"), Francis Ford Coppolla ("Apocalypse Now") and Stanley Kubrick ("Full Metal Jacket") of how the war besieged the innocence of young Americans drafted into the battlefields of Vietnam. Truth to be told, the war is more terrifying and harrowing if looked from the eyes and the experiences of the Vietnamese people, 3 million of whom (2 million civilians) died in the senseless conflict brought upon from former US President Dwight Eisenhower's unfounded "domino theory" paranoia in Asia.

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Reunification Palace: Last Bastion of South Vietnam

Unknown November 06, 2011

I grew up watching a battalion of Vietnam War movies and TV shows. From "Platoon", "Born on the 4th of July", "Full Metal Jacket", "Hamburger Hill" and even Chuck Norris' "Missing in Action" series. I've forever associated Vietnam with that brutal part of its history. Fast forward to today, I see the city of Ho Chi Minh as a country miles away from that bloody image of Saigon during the war. The peace-time version has disengaged my mind from its former image. Better be, because the end of Vietnam War happened almost 37 years ago. It was on the day of April 30, 1975 when a tank belonging to the North Vietnamese Army came crashing through the gates of what is then known as the Independence Palace. The ensuing short battle paved the way for the Fall of Saigon, thereby putting the control of all of Vietnam into the hands of the communist North Vietnamese forces.

The view from the 2nd flr window of the Palace

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Dispatch From Saigon

Unknown November 05, 2011

I'm writing this inside our $12 room in Saigon. My brother is already snoring and sleeping soundly, while I just had the urge to write something. This is our last night on a journey that has taken us from Saigon - Phnom Penh and Siem Reap in Cambodia and back again in Ho Chi Minh. It was a trip that finally morphed my childhood fascination of seeing Angkor Wat - into a reality. By tomorrow, this epic on the road experience will total 8 days, one of my longest so far, in terms of traveling in between my day job.

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November South East Asian Backpacking Trip

Unknown October 07, 2011

I've been planning a long arduous, but a necessary and a madness staving off trip in Asia for the last couple of years. I've penciled out the later part of 2012 or early 2013 for it. However, I could not wait not to make a trip right now. With my work in between and rolling on a dire budget, I consider this upcoming November trips of mine to the cities of Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (Cambodia), Bangkok and Chiang Mai (Thailand) as only a precursor to the big bang that is bound to happen either in 2012 or 2013.

Since I cannot afford to be on the road for a long time (YET), I've divided these incursions into two legs. The first part will consist of Saigon - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap and the other half will be Bangkok - Chiang Mai.

Saigon - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap