Day 1 Arriving Hanoi and joining trip
October 27, 2024 in England ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Good start to the trip with my own little cubicle on the plane with some juice and a glass of fizz before dinner!
Arrived at the hotel about 5pm. Had an hour or so to relax before heading out toRead more
Day 2 - Visit to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
October 28, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
We arrived just in time to see the changing of the guard at the Mausoleum. The House of Parliament is also on the site together with the Presidential Palace. Ho Chi Minh chose not to live here,Read more
Hanoi Old Town
October 28, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
Tried 'egg coffee' which has egg whisked into the foam. It's a bit like tiramisu or zabaglione with strong coffee underneath. We had Bahn Mi for lunch, a hot baguette stuffed with different meats orRead more
Day 3, Hanoi and Ha Long
October 29, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Today we had a leisurely morning walking around ending up at Train Street for early lunch before heading off to Ha Long. Sadly we missed the train coming through as it was severely delayed due toRead more
Day 4, Ha Long Bay
October 30, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO Heritage site with thousands of limestone islands topped with rainforest. We cruised round for a while, visited some caves on one island and climbed to the top of another forRead more
Day 5, Hue
October 31, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
We arrived at Hue station, dumped our bags and went for brunch. After checking into the hotel we set off for a boat trip up the Perfume River. The river, normally known for its emerald green colour,Read more
Day 6, Hue Imperial Citadel
November 1, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
The Citadel contains the Imperial City, within which is the Purple Forbidden City based on the Forbidden City in Beijing. Only the Emperor and his family and servants were permitted inside theRead more
Day 6, Afternoon
November 1, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C
This afternoon we visited the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc. We then drove into the hills to walk up and get views of the Perfume River. On the way back we stopped to see how incense sticks are made, and weRead more
Day 7, Drive Hue to Hoi An via Denang
November 2, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
This morning we left Hue and set off for Hoi An. We stopped for coffee on one of the largest lagoons in Vietnam. I tried the salted coffee which is coffee but with a salted caramel taste. They useRead more
Arrive Hoi An
November 2, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
We finally arrived at our destination. The hotel rooms are lovely. In the evening we set off to explore Hoi An. It is a very pretty city, with lanterns everywhere. It has a great atmosphere. We had aRead more
Day 8, Island cycle tour and Coracles
November 3, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 25 °C
This morning we took a boat across the river to an island where our bikes were waiting for us. It was pouring with rain, but no problem, they gave us plastic coverings that come down to the knee,Read more
Vietnamese cookery class
November 3, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
This evening we went to a restaurant where, under supervision of the very lovely chef, we cooked our own dinner. They use so many herbs and he passed them all round for us to smell and taste. Using aRead more
Day 9, My Son Temples
November 4, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
We visited the Cham temples at My Son. There was a cultural show first before we wandered around the site. The site is impressive but was bombed in the 1960s so some temples were destroyed.
Free afternoon in Hoi An
November 4, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C
Spent the afternoon wandering round the old town of Hoi An. Visited some Chinese temples, meeting houses and traditional wooden merchant houses, many of which have now been converted to restaurantsRead more
Day 10, Mekong Delta
November 5, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
Early start this morning to head to Danang airport for flight to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). We then drove to Ben Tre in the Mekong Delta. Here we boarded a boat to take us to our home stay for theRead more
Sampan trip
November 5, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C
We then boarded sampans and boated through narrow waterways in the jungle. On our return to the homestay we were treated to a short concert by some local folk musicians using traditional instruments.Read more
Day 11, Mekong Delta
November 6, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
This morning we said goodbye to our Homestay and boarded our boat to head out for some more exploring. First we went to a charcoal factory. They use coconut shells to make charcoal. They scrape theRead more
Day 12, Ho Chi Minh City
November 7, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
Today we started with a tour of District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City, Old Saigon. It is surprisingly western, with expensive designer shops, large French colonial style buildings and modern office blocks.Read more
Ho Chi Minh City
November 7, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
We explored the side streets for a while in the afternoon. We then returned to the hotel for a swim before heading out for dinner.
Day 13, Cu Chi Tunnels
November 8, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
This morning we left Saigon and set off for the Cu Chi Tunnels. The tunnels were an incredible underground command base for 10,000 Viet Cong troops and were a major part of the Tet Offensive. IRead more
Day 14, Cambodian Genocide
November 9, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C
This morning we visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, the memorial site of the S-21 interrogation and detention center of the Khmer Rouge regime. From 1976 to 1979, an estimated 20,000 people wereRead more
Afternoon in Phnom Penh
November 9, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
This afternoon we visited the king's Palace and the National Museum.
Phnom Penh
November 9, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
Our final stop was the temple of Wat Phnom a historical site dedicated to Lady Penh, who founded Phnom Penh. It is part of the Khmer national identity. We then went to a sky bar to watch the sunsetRead more
Day 15, Morning at Oudong
November 10, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C
Oudong was once the royal capital of Cambodia. We climbed 500 steps to reach the top of Oudong Mountain where we found a beautifully ornately carved white temple and three stupas all in differentRead more
Phnom Penh
November 10, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
This afternoon was free so I wandered up to look round the Central Market. The market sells everything. The food section was the most interesting, including deep fried tarantula! I then walked over toRead more



















































































































































































































































































































































































































