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TOP THINGS TO DO IN HOI AN, VIETNAM Hoi An recently got voted best city in the world by Travel & Leisure magazine readers. With that type of hype and amazing reviews from other travelers we’d met along the way, we were a bit skeptical to say the least. That being said, Hoi An, eneded up being one of the most relaxing cities we visited throughout our travels in Europe and Asia. I’m not quite sure if it’s the best city in the world, but it’s a wonderful place to escape the real world for a few days...or weeks...or months… We stayed in Hoi An a total of 11 days over the course of two different visits. First, we visited along our trek from south to north, then again at the tail end of our trip after we tacked on a few more days to take a break from planning and celebrate our anniversary. We spent days trying to figure out where to go in Asia that had a mix of beaches, local feel, higher end restaurants, good hotels, and great weather. We got close to picking one of the Gili Islands or...

TOP THINGS TO DO IN DA NANG, VIETNAM Da Nang is a Miami or Vegas-esque beach town. At night, the city lights up extravagantly! Many of the buildings have lights all up and down them and they’re constantly changing colors. The bridges are lit up, night cruise boats are covered in lights, and walkways along the river also lit up. Lights, lights, and more lights!  During the day, the biggest attractions are the beaches - some of the best in the world. Long strips of fine sand, clean, and deep beaches. They’re the perfect place to laze around for the day and cool off in the ocean.  It’s situated about 1.5 hours from Hue (on the other side of the Huy Van Pass) and about 45 minutes away from Hoi An (on the other side of the Marble Mountains). Hence, many people will use it as a break point between their Hue to Hoi An travels.  Here are some of our top things to do in Da Nang:  > Khe Beach - We specifically allotted two days in Da Nang so we could get a beach day in. It ...

TOP THINGS TO DO IN HO CHI MINH CITY (SAIGON), VIETNAM The big city of southern Vietnam! There isn’t a ton here by way of historic tourist sites, but there’s still a lot to do. With arguably the best food scene in Vietnam, it’s a foody paradise. We spent about three days here, but could’ve probably spent at least a couple more just taking in the city and getting to all the restaurants on our wish list!  We primarily used Grab and our two feet to get around the city. The traffic here is insane and we wouldn’t recommend using a rented motorbike unless you’re a really experienced driver. Lane discipline isn’t a thing and traffic signals are suggestions. That, plus potentially corrupt police mean you could be pulled over simply to help pay for someone’s lunch.  We skipped a lot of the most common tourist attractions in Saigon because they just weren’t very appealing to us. Many of them have to do with Vietnam’s violent struggle towards independence and unification. We understand t...

  TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO VIETNAM Area Overview - Vietnam is one long, s-shaped country, capped at either end by its two biggest cities - Hanoi (north) and Ho Chi Minh City (south). Ho Chi Minh is also known by its former name, Saigon. In the middle of the country, you’ll only be an hour away from Laos on side and have beautiful beaches on the other. Most people do a trip starting in the north and then make their way south. Others, like us, go the other way, but we’re definitely the minority. You’ll find the most transportation options going in the southern direction and you’ll end up in or near Ho Chi Minh City, which as a ton of options for travel to other neighboring countries (like Malaysia, Cambodia, or Laos).   Brief History - Vietnam was originally heavily influenced by Chinese culture, then the Japanese used central Vietnam as a trading port for its ships. Historic Vietnam was different kingdoms. North / south. American war, then united in 1974.  Getting Arou...