Crossing the Lao-Vietnamese Border - Savannakhet to Hanoi

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 The only ways to get from Savannakhet are to fly (£160+) or take a very long bus ride for 200,000kip. We'll be taking the bus.

 Above is the bus timetable for the route. The bus runs on even days and leaves at 10am, but there's no harm in being early. Although it only runs on certain days, there may be private buses that run if we need a particular date, though these will likely be pricier. The journey should take about 20-24 hours, so stock up on munchies and make sure your iPod is properly charged.

 Visa

 You should sort out your Vietnamese visa in advance. This can be done at the embassy in Vientiane (make sure you have at least a week) or before you even set off. We have applied for our visas from the Vietnamese embassy in London. The visa fee is £54, plus a return postage fee - £8 for one passport, £6 per passport for 2-3 passports. Post you passports using recorded delivery (ours came to £7.40 for 3 passports) along with your visa forms (which can be printed from the Vietnamese embassy website) and cheque, and within 10 working days you should have your visa. As a total cost, our visas came to £62.50 each.





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Ko Jum - pre-travel post

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Ko Jum is halfway between Krabi and Ko Lanta Yai, and is set to be our little island getaway. There's plenty of accommodation on the island, numerous beaches, a few bars and not much else. The temperatures are in the high 20s in late February, but island breezes offer some respite. The beaches aren't all perfect, but they are generally quiet. The nights are also low key, with parrafin lighting after dark, and most people choosing to spend their evenings in private. The main village is in Ban Ko Jum, where you can find a few small general stores. Rooms start at 600THB, so it's a little pricier here. Most of the North of the island is made inaccessible by large forested hills. The North of the island is usually referred to as Ko Pu.

If you really want to do something, a group could rent a long tail boat and driver and go snorkelling on Bamboo Island or around Phi Phi Leh. You could also rent a kayak and explore the mangrove lined waters of the Krabi River on the east coast, or you could go on a fishing trip guides by one of the local fishermen.

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Ko Phi Phi - pre-travel post

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Ko Phi Phi is the island home to Maya Bay, one of the most desirable beaches to visit in the world since the release of The Beach in 2001, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, This is the main (only) reason we are coming here. Sadly, due to its' fame, the beach has apparently become overpopulated by tourists, and has been a little bit ruined. For this reason we are only coming for a day trip, and having our island getaway on Ko Jum instead. Temperatures are around the high 20s here in late February.

 As for things to do, we will obviously be visiting the beach, and if that gets boring on us maybe rent a kayak, do some snorkelling, or head into town for a few drinks.

 If you want more information on Ko Phi Phi, NomadicMatt writes excellent articles.

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Khao Sok National Park - pre-travel post

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Khao Sok National park is a huge nature reserve mostly covered by rainforest, with lakes, limestone mountains and valleys, caves and more. These national parks are the places to enjoy Asias' wilderness and natural wonders. The climate here is, naturally, that of a rainforest. It is actually the wettest area in Thailand due to it's location, but don't let that put you off, what are you going to a rainforest for? Temperatures at the end of February reach the low 30s.

If you've got money to burn, stay in a private tree house on the edge of Khao Sak. Prices start at 800THB, information can be found here. Otherwise, guesthouses with cold showers are about 300THB and up.

The best way to experience. national park is with a guide, as you are only allowed to go so far on your own. The guides can take you caving, trekking, tubing, camping or on a long boat. There is no shortage of choice to the activities available.
Tours start at 300THB and can go up to even 20,00THB through the official visitors centre. This site gives you some idea of how much it will cost for what you want to do. We will simply do a bit of shopping around on arrival to find a tour that suits us and our budget.

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Getting Around Vietnam

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Hanoi to Ha Long Bay

You can catch a bus from Hanoi's My Dinh Bus station to Ha Long Bay (Bai Chay) for 100,000VD. It takes about 4 hours.

Ha Long Bay to Hue

It would seem there is no direct route here, and we must go back to Hanoi in order to make and overnight journey to Hue. From Hanoi you can take the sleeper train (850,000VD) or a sleeper bus (560,000VD). The train takes about 13 hours and times can be found here. The bus takes 12 hours, departing at 6pm and arriving 6am. The train looks as though (via reading blogs) it is considerably more comfortable and clean, but is it worth an extra £8.40? 

 *Also, prices for the bus vary, it may be even cheaper!

Hue to Da Nang

Take the local bus from the bus station, no need to book, just turn up. The journey takes 2-3 hours, and costs 40-70,000VD depending on class.

Da Nang to Hoi An

This is a short hour long bus journey from the local bus station in Da Nang and costs 40,000VD.

Hoi An to NHA Trang

Information is a bit scarce here, as it seems most people go back to Da Nang and get a train from there. You can however catch an overnight bus (departs 19.00 arrives 07.00) via Sinh costing 300,000VD.

NHA Trang to Da Lat

It is about a 3-4 hour bus ride from NHA Trang to Da Lat and it costs 145,000VD. This usually includes hotel pick up.

Da Lat to Ho Chi Minh City

This is quite a long bus ride, taking 7-8 hours, but it's quite cheap at 80,000 VD.

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Krabi - pre-travel post

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Krabi (or Ao Nang) is only a stop over for us, we may stop here a night, we may not. This is probably the right idea as there doesn't really seem to be much to do here. There are a lot of guesthouses and touristy shops in this quirky little town. The town is situated between two giant limstone formations jutting out of the mangroves, one of which you can climb. The temperatures are in the high 20s in late February, and the days are long. Hostel rooms are around 130-240THB, We will take a wander and explore a bit of the town by ourselves.

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Kuala Lumpur - pre-travel post

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Kuala Lumpur is a huge city compiled of several districts. It is Malaysia's largest city and is also the Capital. In Malay, the city's name literally means "muddy river confluence", as it was originally when it was a small Chinese tin mining village.
In March the temperatures are in the high 20s, and we are still just within the dry season.Hostel rooms are around 20-30RM.

The city centre can be divided into five main districts;

Old Town - The traditional core of Kuala Lumpur, also houses Chinatown and Merdeka Square.
Golden Triangle - The business district, there are many shopping malls and 5-star hotels here. The Petronas Towers are here also.
Tuanku Abdul Rahman  - An extension of Old Town, 500m West of the Petronas Towers. This area is fast regaining fame as a traditional colourful shopping district, there are many popular budget rooms here.
Brickfields - This is KL's Little India.
Bangsar and Midvalley - In the south of the city, Bangsar is a popular restaurant and clubbing district whilst Midvalley is the citys best shopping destination.

There is plenty to do in this city, including a huge aquarium, Aquaria KLCC is located on the Concourse Level and can be accessed by walking downwards from the main entrance located along Jalan Pinang. There are over 5000 exhibits across 60,00 square foot and it costs 64RM per person.

As for food, some of the best culinary delights that Malaysia has to offer are not at the swanky overpriced restaurants but right at the sidewalks, in the rows and rows of hawker stalls. On Jalan Alor, these stalls will take up both sides of the road selling food that best represents Malaysia. This is not just a place for the locals but foreigners also frequently visit here to taste the unique dishes that they would most probably not be able to back home.

Afterwards get stupidly drunk and attempt to sing at the Club San Japanese Karaoke Lounge (203 Jalan Bukit Bintang).

You can also visit the iconic Petronas Towers and view KL from 452m above street level. It costs 30RM to walk the skybridge, or 80RM to view the observation deck aswell. It advisable to get here early as there are only 1000 tickets available per day. Open every day except Monday.



Offering excellent jungles tours, is the Primal Wilderness Experience. Tours cost 3-700RM, and can be half or full day tours to waterfalls, white water tubing, jungle treks, abseiling and more. More information here.
Alternatively you could take a 3 day tour of the nearby rainforest of Taman Negara National Park for around 300RM. Taman Negara is located at the central part of Peninsular Malaysia, 240km (4 hours) from KL. Taman Negara is a huge and ancient rainforest, tours can be arranged in KL.

Also near to KL is Sunway Lagoon Theme Park. It features and amusement park, water park and scream park - an immersive experience with actors dressed as zombies. Tickets cost 150RM




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Crossing the Thai-Lao Border - Chiang Mai to Huoay Xai

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 Information on this border crossing is all fairly new, as the situation changed in 2013. Before then one would journey to Chiang Khong and catch a slow boat over the river. However in 2013 the new friendship bridge opened over the Mekong, and now you must catch a bus over the bridge for 25THB.

 First, it seems we must catch a bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai. This is as most of the information talks of buses from Chiang Rai, though we will check if we can get a direct bus in Chiang Mai. Tickets range from 130THB to 230THB depending on the level of comfort/speed, the journey takes around three hours.

 Then catch a bus from Chiang Rai to Huoay Xai (Bokeo Province) for 225THB. These buses take about 3-4 hours and include the 25THB bridge crossing. 

 This post provides excellent information on the journey.

 During the journey, after the bridge you will have to go through immigration. Visas for UK citizens are $35 and, as with a lot of borders, it's just cheaper to pay in dollars. You will need a passport sized photo (though they can take a copy for 40THB) and a completed arrival form, which you can get at the border. If you are travelling on a weekend, there is an extra $1 fee, or during the week after 16.00 there is also an extra $1 overtime fee.

 Job Done :)

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Getting Around Laos

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Huoay Xai to Luang Prabang

There is the option here to take the slow boat to Luang Prabang along the Mekong which takes 2 days. It is a highly recommended trip, but we simply don't have time. More information on the slow boat can be found here. 
As for getting a bus you can get one at Champa bus terminal in Huoay Xai. Buses for Luang Prabang leave at 10am and 4pm, and the journey takes 12 hours. 130,000kip.

Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng

Get a mini bus. You can book this through a travel agent or at the Bus station (45min walk). The journey takes anywhere from 5 to 7 hours, depending on conditions and costs 130,000kip. You could pay more for a VIP bus, which includes a meal and a toilet that works sometimes. It's a 30 minute walk from the bus station to Vang Vieng, or a tuk tuk ride for 10,000kip.

Vang Vieng to Vientiane

So, there a three options here, a local bus, a private company bus, or a songthaew. Details of all three are discussed below.
The local bus leaves from the Northern Bus Station, you can either catch the bus from there or by the side of the road next to the old air field. They leave at 5.30am, 6am, 6.30am, 7am, 12.30 pm and 2pm. It takes about 4 to 5 hours for the journey and costs 40, 000 kip. There are also Songthaews available from the bus station or the airfield which leave for Vientiane every 20 mins or so, the cost is 40, 000 kip. 
The Thavonsouk Bus Company and Malany Bus Company leave at 10am and 1.30pm. They have a free pick up service from the guesthouse. The journey for both these companies takes about 3 and a half hours. Tickets can be booked through many of the guesthouses or tour operators in Vang Vieng and cost 60,000 kip.

*paragraph emulated from Vangvieng

Vientiane to Savannakhet

 The buses are fairly frequent in the morning, though I can find actual times. You may need to catch a bus to Pakse that stops in Savannakhet. There are two bus options, the cheapest is the local bus which takes 9 hours and costs 75,000kip. Alternatively, for a more comfortable ride, catch a VIP bus. These are less frequent, but only take 8 hours and travel overnight. Travel in pairs or buy the soace next to you as you'll be sharing your bed. For a night bus with a bed its 120,000kip or for a seated bus it is 110,000kip.

Savannakhet to Thakek & Back

The local bus to Thakhek costs 30,000kip and takes 3 hours. Of course, you can catch a VIP bus for more if you wish. Same for the return journey.

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Ko Pha-Ngan - pre-travel post

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Ko Pha-Ngan is Koh Tao's neighbouring island. And can be reached using the same route. Temperatures on Ko Pha-Ngan in February are in the high 20s, with low rainfall. The parties here are legendary and last all night and day. If you choose to get accommodation, it may seem easiest to get somewhere close to the party, but be warned as if you stay here, you might not get much sleep (depends on what your plan is I suppose). But you can stay a short 10 minutes away on the other side of the island if you'd like some peace and quiet. The average hostel room here is 1-200THB.

There is one reason we're coming here, the famous Full Moon Parties. We should hit Ko Pha-Ngan for Feb 23rd 2016, right on time for full moon. For a full list of party dates, see here. . 

But it's not just parties on Ko Pha-Ngan, you can also trip your balls on shroom shakes! Though maybe not whilst at the party.

There are also activities like archery, diving and other watersports available, or for something different, learn to free-dive. Apnea Koh Phangan offers free-diving courses near the pier in Chaloklum Village.

But if you still want to party, in the days leading up to a full moon party, there is the Jungle Experience in Ban Tai. It's open all night and seems to be built for people on drugs, drum and bass/techno music plays from some world class djs, and the site has UV lights and a "magical flower garden" with a river. God knows what it is, but I'll give it a crack.

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Chiang Mai - pre-travel post

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Chiang Mai is the hub of the North, and Thailands' 5th largest city. We will be spending the best part of two weeks here, to stay for Christmas and New Years. It will be a warm Christmas with temperatures around the high 20s in December. Until the 1920's it was very remote and could only be reached by a long river journey or elephant trek. In the remnants of Chiang Mai's City walls are over 30 temples of many styles and eras all of which are beatifully decorated. The most famous being Wat Phrathat Doi, located on a mountainside 13km away. The city's night life centres around Loi Kroh Road, near the Ping river where there also plenty of hostels. Hostel prices range from 125 to 340THB, most of the cheaper places can be found in the old city.On a Sunday night Ratchadamneon Road hosts a walking street market from Tha Phae Gate to Wat Phra Singh.On a clear day, from the city you can see a large gold plated Chedi. This is the Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, sitting at an elevation of 1073m. The site was selected by an elephant whom, once reaching the site, trumpeted, circled 3 times, knelt down and died. So it only seemed logical to the people in 1383 to put a temple here, naturally. It is a hard climb up the 300 stairs to the statue, but you can opt to take the tram for 20THB. Admission is 30THB. You can reach the stairs via local bus or songthaew for 50THB though you may have to wait to make it full. There are also pools and waterfalls at the foot of Doi Suthep on Huay Kaew Road.

Further along the road there is a hill tribe that is quite touristy but you can buy a few crafted items.We may also pay a visit to the Chiang Mai City Arts and Cultural centre, which tells you all about Thai culture and history. It is very modernised and tours are presented in English. Entry is 90THB. It is open from 8.30 to 17.00 but is closed on Mondays, and located in the centre of the old city on Prapokklao Road.

The Unversity of Chiang Mai also has an art museum on the corner of Suthep and Nimmanhaemin Road. The exhibitions are by undergraduate artists, but are to a very high standard. The artwork can be viewed for free from 9.00-17.00. (Closed Mondays).

If you're more into bugs though, visit the Museum of World Insects and Natural Wonders on Srimankalajarn Road. It features Asias most unusual collection of butterflies Beatles and more and costs 200THB to enter. It is open every day 9.00-17.00. 

Another item we'd like to tick off in Chiang Mai is seeing elephants. we have found two recommended ones that are supposedly truly caring towards the elephants. The cheapest of these is Baanchang Elephant Park on Rachadamnern Road. The other is Eddy Elephant Care Chiang Mai, located on Sripoom Road where the owner, Eddy, takes cares of his 7 orphaned elephants through the generations. They will also take you for rides in the jungle, but with a 2300THB price tag for the day including lunch and transportation.

There are many hilltribes surrounding Chiang Mai, and treks can be organised to visit them. Usually the harder the trek, the more authentic the tribe will be. There will be plenty of tourist guides available in the city to plan a 2 or 3 day hike.

 The national sport of Thailand is Mai Thai Boxing, and there are three stadiums and Chaing Mai where you can watch a match;

 Kalare Boxing Stadium - behind the night bazzaar, 4-600THB
Loi Kroh Boxing Stadium - on the Loi Kroh Road, flyers usually up around the city, 4-600THB
Tha Phae Boxing Stadium - Moon Muang Road, near Tha Phae Gate - here you can gamble on the fights.

 Chiang also offers tonnes of fun outdoor activites at many places in town, There is;

 Mountain Biking
Rafting
Zorbing
Ziplining
Minigolf

We are going to spending Christmas in Chiang Mai, so I've googled a bit about that. What I've found is they dont really celebrate Christmas, as expected, but there are Christmas decorations out. Also a lot of hotels charge for and evening meal whether you want to attend or not, and its pricey at 3000THB, so best stick with a hostel for Christmas. If you're really dying for a bit of western food, head to The Dukes on Loi Kroh Road.

We are also spending New Years here, where thousands of lanterns are sent off into the sky (pictured above).

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Hoi An - pre-travel post

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 Hoi An is well renowned as the place to get tailor made clothing, and I Weill get to that later, but while you're waiting for your suit, the city has plenty to offer. 
The city has a tropical climate, and temperatures are around the mid 20s in January. 
There aren't many hostels in Hoi An, though there are plenty hotels. One hostel is House Backpackers on Ba Trieu Street where a dorm room costs 145,000VD. Prices only go up from here.

A popular activity in Hoi An is to explore Old Town. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and is especially beautiful at night when all the walkways are lit with lanterns.

Another wee thing to check out are these swan boats that are on the river near the footbridge. Their eyes light up and they play Santa Claus is coming to town at double speed, so definitely checking that out.

Another highly recommended Hoi An activity is to get absolutely shit faced. Almost every blog recommends it, and we would hate to miss out on this past time.

For a calming afternoon visit the Cantonese Assembly Hall (Quan Dong) on Tran Phu Street. Built in 1885, the hall has a hidden back garden with ornate statues.

Get in a bit of diving on Cham Island. The ferry leaves Hoi An pier at 7.30am for 100,000VD each way. 

Or, for a relaxing evening, watch the sunset on an evening river cruise on Thu Bon River. Start at around 17.00 to watch the sunset, prices around 130,000VD.

And last but not least, cooking lessons. They're recommended in almost every city on the agenda. So we've painstakingly researched the best city to do a cooking lesson in South East Asia. Not, we just crammed it in here. Courses start at 350,000VD. Of course, you could always just watch some of the chefs in their restaurants and try to pick it up.

Getting a suit in Hoi An

The blogs on this are all absolute hell, and it seems as soon as a good place is found and recommended, it gets ruined because the vendor knows they have good reviews and can rip people off. The going price is $50 for a mediocre suit, up to $100 for a better one. The best advice I can give you is to feel the materials, haggle the prices, and find the shop by yourself - not by someone who tipped you off, or you can end up paying commission fees.

Despite saying that, I will test my theory and see if these two reccommended shops have been ruined;

Thanh Na Cloth shop - Ba Trieu Street
Aobaba - Tran Phu Street

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Ipoh - pre-travel post

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Ipoh is probably nothing like Hollywood, but they've got the sign, They've also got a tropical rainforest climate all year round, with temperatures generally in the high 20s and plentiful rainfall.

 For somewhere to stay we will check out a place called a Bed & Bike, where we can use the hostels bikes to get around Ipoh. Rooms are 33RM, and it located at 2A-1 Jalan Sultan Yussuf, 30000 Ipoh. If we don't like it though. there are plenty hostels around at similar prices.

 The Lost world of Tambun is a large waterpark and theme park with several sections including a petting zoo, hot springs and tiger valley. It costs 50RM for entry to all sections, or around 6-7RM per site if you only want to visit a few select sections. It is open from 11am to 11pm every day (some sections may close earlier though, around 6pm. It seems the best way to get there is to take 20-30 minute taxi from Ipoh to the Lost World, which should cost around 30RM. I can't find a price for the bus, but it takes about an hour and a half.


Take a wander around Old Town and look at the street art and architecture. Also in Ipoh there are escape games, something we want to do back home but it costs about £50 per person, whereas here it is only 36RM, or £5.50. Escape games can be booked here.


There are a few "limestone wonders" dotted around the city, the largest of which is Gua Tempurung at 3km long. It is 24km south of the city, in Gopeng. Part of it has been developed with lighting and walkways, and there are a few tours available (around 36RM) with ranging difficulties. One of the caves features a river. 

If you're feeling a bit morbid, take a look round Han Chin Pet Soo Museum. The name makes 
it almost sound cute, but its actually museum describing in detail the pitfalls of opium, 
gambling, prostitution and the triads. Entry is free to this attraction.


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Da Lat - pre-travel post

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Da Lat is a city in the mountains further inland than most other destinations in Vietnam. Being built by the French colonists, it has a very French vibe to it, a feeling concreted by a large radio mast resembling the Eiffel Tower. Temperatures are in the low 20s in January. Hostel rooms range from 100,000 to 170,000VD.

There is plenty to do outdoors in the beautiful countryside. Some normal activities like mountain biking and rafting, and some less normal, like riding an ostrich. Something I will definitely be doing.
In the centre of town is the pituresque Ho Xuan Huonh Lake, where you wander along the banks one relaxing afternoon. 5km South of town on highway 20 is Tuyen Lam Lake, a huge lake with beautifully clear green waters.

If you fancy something a little more challenging, take a 3 hour hike up the steep paved path of Lang Biang Mountain and experience breathtaking views... Or hire a jeep to take you for 50,000VD.




There also some amazing waterfalls nearby. Hire a motorbike and visit;

- Prenn Falls at the foot of Prenn Pass about 10km out of town. 30,000VD entry fee.

- Pongour Falls is an impressive waterfall 30km South of town along highway 20, Ho Xuan Huonh Lake could be visited en route.

- Last but by no means least, are the Elephant Falls, 30km west of town on the way to DakLak. 10,000VD entry fee. Detour North of town along Hung Vurong road and stop at Lak Lake for excellent views.

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Ho Chi Minh City - pre-travel post

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Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam. Its population is 9m and rising. Prices here may be a little higher than the rest of Vietnam, but the night life is excellent.

 Because history buff is still with us, we will be visiting the War Remnants Museum (open 7.30-12, 13.30-17.00). The museum holds many artefacts from the war including tanks, jets, helicopters and howitzers, and tells (sometimes graphically) of the gruesome cruelties committed here. Enrty is 15,000VD. The museum is a short walk from Reunification Palace, and there is a map in the museum pamphlet.

 Why not check out a pagoda or two? There is the Thien Hau Pagoda, dedicated to the sea goddess who left two giant turtles to keep an eye on things in her absence, Solid life choices. And there is the Quan Am pagoda, the oldest pagoda in town home to incense and a cheerful puppy? worth a wee look I suppose, and with both being free to enter, we cant argue really.


 Top of the list for things to do here is visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, an immense underground networks, connected to a network that covers most of the country, these were used constantly during the Vietnam war as hiding spots, supply routes, storage, living quarters etc. Also get the standard photo of yourself coming out of the mini tunnels in the ground.. I hope I fit
There is also a shooting range near here where you can fire some machine guns for a laugh.


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NHA Trang - pre-travel post

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The top recommended thing to do here is visit Vinpearl island, a large water park with an aquarium and amusement park just a cable car ride away. There is also a laser show at night time (around 7pm) all of which is included in the 500,000VD entrance fee.

You can also visit an aquarium in NHA Trang, the National Oceanographic Aquarium.

There is also another monkey place here if you missed monkey mountain in Da Nang. You can catch a bus (no1 or no1 local) 20km north of NHA Trang and a ferry (120,000VD return trip) to get there, and it closes at 5pm.



Also, if we have time, we will visit one or two waterfalls 

- Yang Bay waterfalls - 40km west 
- Ba Ho waterfalls - 20km north, near Ba Ho village, a guide can show you the way for a small fee
- Fairy Spring waterfalls - 20km southwest, swimming opportunity, 10,000Vd admission charge plus 3000VD per motorbike. To get there, go 10km west of Nha Trang to Diên Khánh, go through the old citadel (Thành Cổ Diên Khánh) to Diên Phước village (5km), turn left 4km to Suoi Tien village, then right 1km to the stream

There is also the Thap Ba hot springs and mud baths just 4km northwest of NHA Trang, it is 50,000VD for the hot pools and waterfall, and another 100,000 for a mud bath.

There a small nightlife scene in NHA Trang with many of the cafes hosting live music, though a small entrance fee (around 30,000VD) is added to your bill at some clubs.

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Da Nang - pre-travel post

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Theres not too much to do here aside from monkeys, but there is a pretty awesome bridge, with a massive dragon on it. At night it lights up and changes colour and on Sundays at around 8.30 pm it blows fire and water. Sounds pretty cool.
Spend a day on a motorbike, visit the Lady Buddha and the surrounding pagodas. On the way here ride along the length Da Nangs beach via the Han bridge. After this carry on up the spit of land to monkey mountain, which is as the name suggests, a mountain with a shit tonne of monkeys. There are also a few nice beaches around here, like Non Nuoc Beach. On the way back take the Hai Van pass and Thuan Phuoc bridge and experience breathtaking views and colourful fishing boats.





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Hue - pre-travel post

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The blogs that's I've read about this place aren't too positive, saying there isn't much to do, but we've managed to find a few things.Visit the hot springs. These are 7km from Hue en route to Thuan An beach. The water here has a high subdue content, which supposedly has health benefits. It costs $3 to use the swimming pool and hot spring pools.A bit out of town (30km) at the Alba Thanh Hot springs you can go ziplining above the tree canopy for between $6-$10.Back in town, you can visit the Imperial Citadel which, thanks to its size, is quite peaceful. This is a half-day trip looking at the buildings, many of which are in disrepair after being knocked about in several wars and finally bombed by the Americans. Some building do remain intact and restoration is an ongoing task. It costs 150,000VD to enter, and inside you can put on Kings/Queens clothing and sit on the throne for a fun photo opportunity at 30,000VD.



Along the perfume river just south of the city are the tombs of the emperors. All 6 can be viewed on a boat cruise (450,000VD). Of course, you could walk alongside the river or take a bike. Five of the tombs can be visited for a total of 340,000VD in entrance fees. One tomb is rumoured to now be closed to visitors as it is in some disrepair as the emperor buried there was a tyrannical ruler.

Tomb of Gia Long - closed to visitorsTomb of Minh Mang - 100,000VDTomb of Thieu Tri - 40,000VDTomb of Tu Duc - 100,000VDTomb of Dong Khanh - free (still under construction)Tomb of Khai Dinh - 100,000VD

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Ha Long Bay - pre-travel post

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Ha Long Bay is a gorgeous, pituresque bay with huge limestone cliffs jagging out the sea. There is plenty to do here in the bay. We plan to:

- take a 1 night cruise on a traditional dragon boat

- do a bit of kayaking around the bay and into the caves (some of which are lit, others you may need a torch) and even find some hidden beaches.

- put our diving skills to use and so a bit of scuba diving

- see the big bridge... It's a bridge, that's big..

- spend some time relaxing on the beautiful beach with a beer for 30p

- plenty of water sport activities, including renting speedboats 

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Hanoi - pre-travel post

14:49 , 0 Comments

Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam and consequently, very busy. The night life is apparently quite good, though as for things to do, its mostly museums, parks and lakes. Since we have our nerdy friend joining us here, we will actually be doing the museums...

First up, the Ho Chi Minh Museum. A museum detailing the life of Ho Chi Minh, a communist leader in the 20th century. Entrance fee 10,000VD. Set aside a couple of hours for this.

Then, another museum, the Vietnam Military History Museum, Pretty self explanatory really. Entrance fee is 30,000 VD (plus 20,000 for cameras).




In the city centre there a nice looking lake, which might be a good place to have lunch, There is a legend of a sword from the gods which was taken back by a big turtle, so that's normal... This place is southeast of the museums.
 There is also a French-built prison here called Hoa Lo prison (open 8.30-11.30, 13.30-16.30). This is where the French imprisoned and executed Vietnamese rebels and is now a museum to the brutal French colonial regime and the struggle of the Vietnamese people. Entrance fee 20,000VD.

One stop I've been dragged into is the B-52 lake or Huu Tiep Lake, at the bottom of which lies the huge plane which was shot down by Vietnamese anti aircraft guns in 1972. Shouldn't take long to view this.

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Thakhek - pre-travel post

08:09 , 0 Comments


Everyone raves about "the loop" in Thakhek, a 4 day trip on a motorbike, around southern Laos, which sounds amazing... but we had 2 days. So we are just visiting the few mentioned caves and pools.
Day 1: First up the Konglor Cave (pictured above). This is a 7.5km cave which you can journey through on a boat for 110,000 kip, and rent a torch for 5000k (or bring your own). There is also an entrance fee to the park of 2000kip (+3000 for a motorbike). The ride to the park entrance takes 3 to 4 hours from Thakhek, depending on how you ride. It is a 180km journey along route 13.


Day 2 we ride along route 12 and check a few caves and pools along the way. The first stop is Tha Falang, 15km from Thakhek. This is a river swimming spot and many blogs mention the friendly children willing to be your guide. Wikitravel tells of two caves that can be visited, one with an impressive staircase (pictured above);
It is not signed in English so you will need to have clear instructions when to turn off to the north down a sandy track second after the bridge before the road bends around to the right between two cliffs. Immediately south after the bridge there is a shady spot to park and you can follow the river to Tham Xiengliab, a small cave with the river flowing through it. Again a guide or pack of children will probably appear to guide you. Bring a torch if you want to go inside. Its about another 4-5 km to the commercialised Aen Cave which is lit with a rainbow of neon strip lamps and has an amazing network of staircases. It has a river running out of the mouth and a big pool at the back: it is worth a look for the stair cases alone.
And finally, the Buddha cave, or Tham Nong Pa Fa which is also along route 12. SpotOnLaos tells us how to get there;
Buddha Cave or Tham Pa Fa in Thakhek, Laos is located on National Route 12, near Ban Nakhang Xang. The Buddha Cave is about 14 km away from Thakhek in Khammuan Province. The cave with its many Buddha images was discovered on June 2004 by a local villager by the name of Mr. Boun Nong. Mr. Nong found the cave by following a group of bats entering the cave. With his curiosity and the intention of collecting bats, he decided to climb up the 15 meters to the cave’s entrance. Unexpectedly, he discovered the cave and the 229 Buddha Statues therein. Subsequently, the cave became a sacred place for local and neighboring peoples.
The entrance fee is 2,000 Kip ($0.25) and 2,000 ($0.25) kip for renting a Lao skirt for women before going inside.


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Savannakhet - pre-travel post

05:51 , 0 Comments

Savannakhet  is the capital of Savannakhet Province in Southern Laos. Located on the Mekong river, it is the second largest city in Laos and an excellent display of French-colonial architecture, 


Plenty of the guesthouses offer eco-trekking to tourists, taking them to see dinosaur footprints on the Ho Chi Minh trail, visit local schools or explore Dong Natad Forest, centred around the sacred Nong Nom Lake (above)..

 The city is described as a friendly place, and there are plenty of cheap cafes  around, so taking a walking history tour may not be such a bad idea, Pick up a pamphlet at Lins' cafe and spend a few hours roaming the city and learning about the buildings.


There is also another temple, aparrantly the most revered in Laos. That Ing Hang Stupa can be reached by tuk tuk (70,000 kip round trip) or by bike/motorbike through rural outskirts and past the Beung Va Lake.

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Two 23 year olds going off backpacking and documenting both the research and (hopefully) traval stages. Maybe it will be helpful to some people? I don't know,