The Phu Quoc Sandbox is a new scheme that aims to attract fully vaccinated international tourists to the resort island in the south of Vietnam. If successful, it will kickstart a much-needed revival of tourism in the country.
As the world’s second-largest coffee producer, Vietnam is a country that knows a bit about coffee. The drip coffee method has become famous world over and is directly responsible for some of Asia’s best caffeinated drinks, including egg coffee! This article covers everything you need to know about the history of coffee culture in Vietnam.
When is the best time to visit Vietnam? Luckily, there is no bad time! However, to get the most out of your trip, you’re still going to need to know about the different climate zones.
Vietnam captures the popular imagination but most of us don’t know much about the country! Check out these astounding facts about Vietnam…
Bia Hoi is a popular Vietnamese beer for locals and backpackers alike. More than just a drink, Bia Hoi junctions represent a cultural institution.
Banh Mi is one of Vietnam’s best loved street foods. This iconic sandwich is packed with fresh ingredients and has a fascinating history.
Ban Gioc Waterfall is surely one of the best natural sights in the whole of Vietnam. However, hardly anyone actually goes there! To make sure you don’t miss out on this wondrous waterfall, plan your visit with our comprehensive guide.
Canyoning in Dalat is a must-do activity for adrenaline seeking backpackers! For those of you planning to embark on your own canyoning adventure, this is what you need to know!
While travellers flock in hoards to Halong Bay, neighbouring Lan Ha Bay remains blissfully peaceful! Fewer crowds, less pollution and even more beautiful!
Writers Ellie & Will took their parents on one of the leading Mekong Delta Bike Tours. It’s a tale of spiders, ferries, wooden bridges & watermelon
Thinking of going on a Hanoi bike tour? Scared to get involved in the traffic chaos of Vietnam’s throbbing capital? So were we! Luckily, with the right guidance, it can be surprisingly stress-free!
Confused about which Halong Bay Tour is for you? Amongst the hundreds of options, we look at five of the best! We compare price, activities & what’s included.
Discover which hostels were voted the top 25 hostels in Hanoi, Vietnam by our community! Our list includes party hostels, boutique guesthouses, rooftop bars & free beer! There is something for every kind of backpacker!
23 Must-Try Vietnamese Street Food Dishes to look out for during your adventures in the country! From the famous Bahn Mi and Pho Bo, to the not-so-famous “Bánh Tráng Nuog” AKA Vietnamese pizza!
When travelling in Vietnam you get used to stumbling in at 4.15am after overindulging on cheap local beer and the …
Sunrise SUP Tour, Hoi An, Vietnam – Worth a 4am Wake Up? Read More »
Halong Hideaway is the cheapest Halong Bay Tour, at almost half the price of others! As stingy backpackers, would we regret booking the cheap option? Or…
Ninhvana is a backpacker’s oasis located just north of Nha Trang in an unknown place called Ninh Van Bay. Ninh …
Review: Ninhvana Backpackers Resort, Vietnam – The Perfect Escape! Read More »
A Hanoi street food tour is a must-do experience in Vietnam’s crazy capital, especially if you’re only in the city for a few days! A food tour is a fantastic way to sample a variety of Vietnamese street food delights, meet new travel buddies and discover more about Vietnamese culture and traditions along the way.
Ho Thuy Tien Abandoned Waterpark, Hue, is a crumbling playground. Locals say it’s cursed. Will you bribe the Security Guard to enter the Dragon’s Lair?
With four different types of accommodation, Mui Ne Hills has it all. Luxury rooms or budget dorms, an epic social scene and pillow fights! (Wait, what?!)
What’s the best way to do the Hai Van Pass? Motorbike or Jeep? We look at the options & tell our experience riding pillion on a Hai Van Pass Motorbike Tour!
Sapa, Vietnam has grown notoriously touristy. However, we discovered it’s still possible to go trekking in Sapa & barely see another foreigner!
Planning a Vietnam Backpacking Route? This jam-packed Vietnam Itinerary takes in the highlights (and some secret spots!) and suggests how much time to spend…
A ghost town is always an appealing prospect, at least, it is if you’ve got a thing for Urban Exploration. …
Have you ever travelled to a place and felt a certain way, only to return a few years later and find that your feelings towards that place have completely changed? Places, like people, click with your personality at a certain moment in time. Just like falling in love, travel is about the present moment…
If you’re planning a trip to Vietnam, chances are that the UNESCO World Heritage site of Halong Bay is on your …
DIY Guide to Halong Bay: Dodge the Crowds & Get More Bang For Your Dong! Read More »
Layer upon layer of blue-green mountains reaching out as far as the eye can see; jagged black rocks jutting out of the hazy green landscape and sheer cliffs descending dramatically from the edge of narrow mountain roads — these are just some of the views you will encounter during the 320-kilometer Hà Giang motorbike loop, located in the extreme north of Vietnam.
Do you travel to eat and drink? For me, one of the most exciting things about travelling to a new country is to sample a brand new cuisine! Hanoi’s street food scene is famous worldwide, but did you know about the city’s craft beer scene? These two tours are a great way to explore the capital through your stomach!
Way off the usual tourist trail lies the biggest Cemetery in Vietnam, An Bang Cemetery (Nghĩa Trang An Bắng in Vietnamese), known locally as “City of Ghosts.” When traveller India-Jayne Trainor was asked if she wanted to explore it by her EasyRider driver whilst on a tour of the Hai Van Pass, she was intrigued and a little nervous…
Looking for some down time in North Vietnam? Just three hours from the crazy capital of Hanoi, you’ll find the serene Tam Coc village in Ninh Binh Province. Tam Coc is often referred to as “Halong Bay on Land” due to its incredibly scenic landscape and the rice paddies…
What a privilege – cycling in North Vietnam while tourism is still in its infancy! Spectacular countryside and endless variety of landscape – from the rice fields to the towering mountains, steady ascents and awe-inspiring descents. Eddie Brocklesby describes his thoughts after a 15-day cycle tour in this unique and little-visited region of Vietnam…
Just when you think you have already explored all the possible corners of this fascinating country, a Vietnamese minivan drops you off at the gate of Cat Tien National Park. Brimming with diverse and fascinating wildlife, this massive, 720 square km seasonal tropical forest is located around half way between Dalat and Ho Chi Minh City.
Ex English teacher, Amy Blyth describes her life as an English teacher living in Vietnam’s hectic capital of Hanoi, and how she kept sane during the weekends. Whether you’re living in Hanoi as an expat or are a backpacker using it as a base to explore Northern Vietnam, here are some beautiful countryside Hanoi getaways where you can escape those beeping horns….
Traveller Amelia Long spends a day with the Morning Glory Cooking School in Hoi An, Vietnam. Buying fresh produce from the Central Market and taking unusual ingredients back to the kitchen to cook up some tongue-tantalising dishes, she unravels the secrets of Vietnam’s unique cuisine…
Recently, we discovered the amazing Long Son Mui Ne Resort and we can’t believe the value for money and quality of this place! The luxury resort does what not many other fancy resorts do – open their doors to lovely backpackers like you and me! With our flip flops and messy hair most resorts wouldn’t want to see us within a mile of their property – but not this place! The resort give backpackers the chance to share in the all of the amazing facilities by offering them a unique budget accommodation option… Camping!
The majority of backpackers who arrive in Hanoi spend no more than a couple of days here; they visit the war museum; check out Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and get trailed around on one of the notorious hostel bar-crawls.What is often missed, however, are the many, lesser-known day trips available to amazing locations, such as the incredible Ninh Binh Provnce which lies just two hours from Hanoi by motorbike…
A backpacker tells all about Hanoi Backpacker’s newest trip throughout Vietnam, traversing from Hanoi all the way to Hoi An. Along the way he experiences incredible national parks, such as Cuc Phuong and Phong Na, the world’s biggest cave, exquisite hidden beaches, the history of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, waterfalls, and historic tunnels from the Vietnam-American War.
Vietnam’s bustling, atmospheric capital Hanoi is crammed with interesting pursuits for the curious backpacker, from dodging motorbikes in the Old Quarter to sampling unique street food cuisine and even visiting the embalmed body of one of the world’s most famous Communist leaders – there’s a lot to write in your travel diary! With so much to delight your senses we helped you boil it down to the top 10 things not to miss while in this undeniably electric city!
Backpacker and travel writer Nathan Edgerton spent four months travelling on a cheap bicycle the entire length of Vietnam from the biggest city in the South to the capital in the North. In this article, Nathan gives you many reasons why travelling on two wheels is way cooler than four…
There are many incredible opportunities for trekking in South East Asia, from Malaysia’s mighty Kinabalu to Indonesia’s steaming volcanoes. English backpacker, Selena Black climbs to the wild peak of Vietnam’s highest mountain, the rugged Mount Fansipan, and lives to tell the tale…
London, Paris, New York, Milan… Hoi An! There’s quaint little town on the central coast of Vietnam, home to a unique and extremely addictive shopping experience… Here you can have any item of clothing or footwear tailor made for a tiny fraction of what you’d pay in the West – is it even possible to resist at least a couple of small purchases (even if it means lugging them around the whole of South East Asia in your already overstuffed backpack)? S.E.A Backpacker Magazine Editor, Nikki Scott was up for the challenge!
The Hanoi Backpackers’ Halong Bay Trip has become legendary amongst backpackers in Southeast Asia. Through the traveller grapevine we’d heard reports of a deserted castaway island right in the heart of Cat Ba National Park. A slice of untouched paradise it was told – that could only be reached via the Hanoi Backpackers’ sail boat, the ‘Jolly Roger’. We decided to take the ‘Rock Hard Rock Long Halong Bay Tour’ to find out what all the fuss was about!