“Imagine if you found a place so beautiful it wouldn’t matter if you couldn’t leave your room for a day or two” Be careful what you wish for. Because that’s exactly what happened to us on the last leg of our Vietnamese trip. After Phong Nha we bused it to Hue, enjoyed a one night … More Our Last Stop: Phu Quoc: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Have you heard of Phong Nha in Vietnam? It’s the adventure capital of Asia, with epic cave systems that stretch for hundreds of kilometres, including the world’s biggest cave Hang Son Doong. You can go caving, zip line through jungle, adventure deep underground and access the deepest parts of the National Park. UNESCO World Heritage-listed … More Phong Nha Paradise
The bus transfer back to Hanoi from Sapa is smoother than the night train. I’m still not feeling well but manage a small doze on the bus and we make it back to Hanoi in under six hours. The next morning we’re up early, and I think Doug may kill me! He’s caught my cold, … More Cruising to Ninh Binh
It’s 10 o’clock at night and we’re hurtling along the tracks on Train Street, and through Hanoi city. This time we’re on the inside of a Vietnam Sleeper Train, northward bound to the hills of Sapa. ETA 6am the next day. Fast forward eight hours and it’s been a noisy night of relentless rocking, bouncing, … More Slowing Down in Sapa
It’s not the best start. Our flight is delayed due to fog in Hue and when we arrive in Hanoi at midday, we can’t check in, even though our room is ready. Tired from the heat and early start we find two outdoor stools at a nearby cafe intersection, order some banh Mi, two cold … More Hidden Hanoi
It’s the former ancient capital of Vietnam. A place where dynasties were forged and imperial palaces built on the banks of the Perfume (Song Huong) River. And it’s so much more. People come here to visit the UNESCO listed Hue Citadel but, as we discovered, there’s much more to Hue than just tombs and temples. … More Highlights of Hue
Danang is considered the greenest and cleanest city in Vietnam. It combines mountains and coast, lots of parkland, well paved streets and the traffic seems less congested and the air cleaner than in other Vietnamese cities. The Han River divides the beach from the city center, offering a natural boundary that’s bordered by bars, parks, … More Clean and Green Danang
“The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.” — Gilbert K. Chesterto We are travelling through Vietnam the same way we travel through Australia, slowly, mindfully and with awareness and appreciation for every day. Okay, it’s not quite the same. We don’t have our own wheels and van … More Slow Travel in Hoi An
Dear Universe, Nearly three weeks ago we flew out of Australia and into another world of captivating sights, sounds, smells and colours. The reality was more intense than I anticipated. “Hello, Xin chào and Good Morning Vietnam.” Welcome to Vietnam, a colourful country with a sombre, political past, yet one that embraces its future with … More A Love Letter from Vietnam
With Australia Day being celebrated this week I thought I’d look back to some of our favourite spots around the country. In this vast, expansive land you’ll find pristine beaches and jewelled sea, breathtaking gorges and a serene, big skied outback with big hearted hospitality. Dorothea Mackellar was right, it is indeed “a land of … More Australian Favourites
Out an' About 