Our Top Picks...
#5
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SHANE: Ho Chi Minh
You realize quickly that your in a unique city as soon as you walk out of the airport. One of the busiest traffic cities that you will see with plenty of heart stuttering moments both in and while watching traffic. Culture galore with a real sense of history. Crossing the street becomes a sport and with my natural agility I was rarely run over. |
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BECKY: Hoi An city & crab fishing
Hoi An is a wonderful city to explore on foot. Designed around the water, every corner you turn offers an new, beautifully crafted and ornamented temple, museum, bridge or laneway. We also got to experience crab fishing with the locals in a small, round bamboo boat. It's harder than it looks to get a tiny crab to take the bait! |
#4
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BECKY: Pho, Food & Cooking Classes
Pho is one of my favourite foods and I was in heaven with the local cuisine (I had pho for breakfast on several occasions!). Cooking classes are available in most cities and it was a treat making noodles from scratch and learning to make other amazing dishes...and eating them afterwards. |
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SHANE: Ho Chi Minh War Remnants Museum
Incredibly detailed and informative museum. Highlighting the heart ache and suffering of innocent people and the unspoken atrocities commited by the allies. Put aside a good few hours to see this. A real eye opener. |
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#3
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SHANE: Hoi An
Real chilled out city. Plenty of bars along the river for a night out. Take a bike ride out of the city and into the surrounding rice fields and villages. Got so sick they tried to boil rice on my forehead and still really enjoyed the city. |
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BECKY: Halong Bay Boat Trip
A boat trip through Halong Bay is a must do while in Vietnam. There are several different companies to choose from, but a junk boat is the way to go. Make sure to visit the Sung Sot Caves and climb to the lookout on Ti Top Island for an amazing view. |
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#2
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BECKY: Cu Chi Tunnels
Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels is another must do. Hearing stories of the war, seeing the different tools and tactics, and climbing on your hands and knees through part of the tunnel yourself provides an incredible look back into the history of Vietnam. There is also a tiny, hidden hole you can climb into to see where hidden attacks were carried out. |
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SHANE: Cu Chi Tunnels
Was really looking forward to the tunnels before our wheels even hit the ground and they didn't disappoint. Really interesting to get an insight into the warfare, especially some of the outrageous booby traps that I'm sure were created by Lucifer himself. You get a chance to go through a tourist friendly tunnel for about 60m. Fun at the time but for the next few days my legs could barely bend. Not ideal in a country with squat toilets. |
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#1- Our Favourites
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SHANE: Halong Bay
Absolutely stunning views as you weave your way through the waterways and in between islands that make up Halong Bay. Although there are plenty of tourists and other boats you never feel as though you are in a crowd. These places get a reputation for a reason. |
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BECKY: Fishing Village and bamboo boat ride, Nha Trang
A walk through this little fishing village is a wonderful way to see and experience the local way of life. The highlight was taking a ride in a small, round bamboo boat (the locals were happy for us to do all the paddling while they sat back and enjoyed the ride!). The surrounding scenery and water was picture perfect. |
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And our least favourites...
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BECKY: The first attempt crossing the road
Crossing any busy Vietnamese street seems impossible the first time you attempt it. With so many cars and scooters going in so many different directions, there is never a clear moment to cross. The advice we were given was to walk slowly and consistently out into traffic and the vehicles will move to avoid you. Don't get scared and speed up or the vehicles won't be able to predict your movements and might hit you. The first few times are still a bit daunting, but with some practice it seems almost like magic as you walk into a street buzzing with traffic and come out unscathed on the other side. |
SHANE: Theft
Although not personally affected the stories are endless. There is barely a person you meet that hasn't been or know of someone that has been robbed,scammed or mugged. Whether it's a crafty scooter thief that snatches your belongings on the fly or night scooter taxis that decide to take your wallet instead of you back to your accommodation. Being aware of your surroundings is your best bet but can be hard to do when you're out exploring.
Although not personally affected the stories are endless. There is barely a person you meet that hasn't been or know of someone that has been robbed,scammed or mugged. Whether it's a crafty scooter thief that snatches your belongings on the fly or night scooter taxis that decide to take your wallet instead of you back to your accommodation. Being aware of your surroundings is your best bet but can be hard to do when you're out exploring.