Sapa is famous for its wonderful mountainous sceneries and its traditional culture of ethnic minorites. Coming to Sapa, you will have chances to see how local minorities live in Vietnam. One of the largest ethnic minorities in Vietnam is the Hmong Tribe. Hmong originally means “free people”. The Hmong minority is divided in several subgroups. […]
Archives for June 2011
SAPA: Mountain town in Northwest Vietnam
The easiest way to get to Sapa is to take the train from Hanoi. Most people opt to take the night trains because it's a long trip and sleeping on the train maximizes your time. To get to Sapa from Hanoi you must book the train from Hanoi to Lao Cai. Lao Cai serves as […]
Life in Hoan Kiem Lake: The heart of Hanoi, Vietnam
Hoan Kiem lake means “lake of the returned sword”. The story behind the name is a legend. In 1418, the Vietnamese emperor Le Loi fought a war against the Chinese. It wasn’t going too well for him so when he walked by the lake one day, he saw a giant tutrtle coming out of the […]
Street Foods in Hanoi, Vietnam
A trip to Vietnam is not complete without tasting the street food. As a country in Asia which more often visited by many tourists, many Vietnamese street food dishes have become popular favorites around the world. Street food isn't quite what I visualized here. I imagined a sort of food district, where there would be […]
Motorcycles in Hanoi, Vietnam: Simply Outrageous
The main mode of transportation in Vietnam is the motorcycle and bicycle, these are also popular and are used for transport to and from work for most Vietnamese.?? Others use it for carrying groceries and other items as well and have managed to make packing the bicycle almost an art with the tremendous loads that […]
Street Vendors in Hanoi, Vietnam
In Hanoi, life seems so convenient. No matter where you are, you can easily get anything you need from the street vendors. They can make money by carrying a 'quang ganh' (two baskets slung from each end of a wooden or bamboo pole), riding a bicycle or staying at a street's corner. The street vendors […]
Out on a junk in Halong Bay
One of my friends told me that I can't visit Vietnam without seeing Halong Bay. Halong Bay is one of those must see natural wonder places that should be on everyone's list when in Vietnam. It’s become a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its geological uniqueness as well as cultural and historical importance. […]
Photo of the Week: Life in Beijing Railway Station
I took this shot inside West Beijing Railway Station while waiting for the train bound to Nanning on my way to Vietnam. The primary means of long distance travel in China is the train. If you are going to Beijing from another Chinese city or leaving Beijing to go to another Chinese city, the […]
Hanoi Old Quarter: A journey to the soul of Hanoi, Vietnam
My time in Beijing, China is wrapping up fast. I can’t believe that I have been in this city for 5 days already! After 5 days of roaming around Beijing, I have to say goodbye to this wonderful city and move to Hanoi, Vietnam to feel and learn a piece of Vietnam for three weeks. […]
12 Photos (reasons) why you should visit Beijing, China
Beijing is a vibrant mix of history and modernity. It takes time to enjoy everything that Beijing City has to offer. If you only have a few days to spare, you can highlight your Beijing trip by visiting the top 10 attractions or doing the top 10 things in Beijing. In that way and in […]