Halong Bay, Vietnam travel tips

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Where we ate: Holiday View Hotel, Cat Ba Island – See hotel review below. Dinner gets a “yeh” and breakfast a “nah,” which averages out to a: MEH Hoang Y Restaurant, Ca Ba Island – The grilled local fish was…

Taking our chances

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Sunset in Halong Bay, Vietnam | Photo by Lauren Girardin (Don’t get confused later when I talk about going to China in February. Remember, we’re behind in our storytelling!) There are more horror stories about Halong Bay tours than positive…

Sapa, Vietnam travel tips

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Sapa, Vietnam is a town that exists almost entirely for tourism. The town was a surprising and dismaying experience after 6 weeks traveling through the rest of Vietnam, but the views are killer.

Commerce in the clouds

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Sunset behind Sapa’s mountain range | Photo by Lauren Girardin As fast as a hawk snatches a field mouse, a woman comes around to the front of her market booth, where I’ve stopped to look at an earring. It was…

Nimh Binh and Tam Coc, Vietnam travel tips

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Tourism is just picking up speed in Tam Coc and Nimh Binh, Vietnam. Older guidebooks list hotels in the main town, Nimh Binh, and most are small, geared towards the independent backpacker and Vietnamese. A lot of newer, schnazzier hotels…

From dawn to dusk

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The Karsts of Tam Coc | Art by Todd Berman The sleeper bus pulls away, its driver honking repeatedly to warn the empty highway that it’s about to barrel through, leaving Todd and I standing on the dark sidewalk at…

Hue, Vietnam travel tips

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We are indebted to Vietnamese God and Travelfish.org for leading us to excellent restaurants after we discovered that Lonely Planet’s Hue restaurant recommendations served inedible food. Read on for travel tips. Where we ate: Quan Ba Hoa, 7 Truong Dinh…

A royal-sized attitude problem

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Imperial Citadel’s giant phoenix-chicken, Hue | Photo by Lauren Girardin Todd and I explore Hue through the kind of precipitation that never attains full rain status, an annoying mist that is more like god is gleeking on you. Clouds hang…

Hoi An, Vietnam travel tips

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A tour group mecca, Hoi An, Vietnam has a glut of tourist offerings. It’s a great place to wander the streets, gawk at tacky shops, and pick up some custom made clothes. Read on for travel tips.

Nha Trang, Vietnam travel tips

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We didn’t get to spend the kind of time we wanted to spend in Nha Trang, Vietnam because relentless rain drove us out. Still, we have a few finds worth your visit. Read on for the travel tips.