Vietnam Travel Blog
Travel guides, itineraries, abandoned places, street art and off-the-beaten-path places in VietnamHello and welcome to our Vietnam travel blog. You will find all our Vietnam blog posts in this section of our website.
Maybe you found our Vietnam travel blog because you are thinking about visiting Vietnam, or perhaps you are partway through planning a trip to South East Asia. Whatever the reason, we hope we can provide some useful resources and travel tips for Vietnam.
We have visited Vietnam many, many times over a period spanning thirty years! Mark first back-packed through Vietnam during the time when you had to nominate a maximum of six places that you would visit as part of the terms of the visa, and our most recent visit was in February 2020. In addition to our personal travels around Vietnam, we’ve also spent a lot of time working within the Vietnam travel industry, including a three-month stay in Ho Chi Minh City. As a result, we both know Vietnam very and can always find a reason to return (aside from the phở and bánh mì).
Although our work has allowed us to stay in a lot of ‘posh places’ in Vietnam, our blog posts are generally aimed at independent travellers and backpackers like us and have a strong focus on travelling around using public transport, staying in budget accommodation and exploring off-the-beaten-path and lesser-visited places.
Browse all of our Vietnam blog posts
25 locations that could be part of a Wes Anderson movie set
Accidentally Wes Anderson – a selection of our photographs which we think belong on a Wes Anderson movie set #AccidentallyWesAnderson
2020, the year in travel that wasn’t!
It’s that time of year when many travel bloggers round-up the past year in travel. 2020 was different, so here are some reflections.
World Smile Day 2020: Twenty smiles to brighten your day
In celebration of World Smile Day, a photo essay featuring some of the smiling faces we have encountered during our travels around Asia.
Mekong Delta off-the-beaten-track: Places to visit in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta
A Mekong Delta off the beaten track itinerary for Vietnam. A guide to planning a multi-day Mekong Delta trip from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).
Reflecting on past travels to Vietnam and why we want to return ASAP
An offbeat post featuring Mark’s reflections on our travels to Vietnam and why we are keen to return as soon as we can. Hint: Vietnam’s war memorials.
Birdsong at Saigon Bird Cafe in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Saigon Bird Cafe is found at Cong Doan Cafe, opposite Tao Dan Park – a place where locals show off their prized birds, socialise and drink coffee.
In photos: Abandoned swimming pools
Of all the derelict places we find, abandoned swimming pools are some of the most alluring. Urban exploration at some of the world’s forsaken swimming pools
Abandoned Vietnam: Ho Thuy Tien Water Park in Hue, Vietnam
Featuring a fierce-looking concrete dragon, a visit to Ho Thuy Tien abandoned water park near Hue in Central Vietnam is a must for urban explorers.
Brutalist and Modernist architecture in Southeast Asia
Explore Brutalist and Modernist architecture in Southeast Asia, a style predominantly associated with the former USSR and Eastern Bloc.
Southern Vietnam Itinerary: Ho Chi Minh City back to Ho Chi Minh City via the Central Highlands
A suggested Southern Vietnam itinerary for independent travellers, following a route from Ho Chi Minh City and back again via the Central Highlands.
Vietnam War sites in Saigon: Exploring places related to the US-Vietnam War
Discovering Vietnam war sites in Ho Chi Minh. A self-guided walking tour of the buildings and locations in Saigon associated with the US-Vietnam war.
2015: A Review of our Travelling Year in Photographs
2015 Travel Review: Our Year in Photographs. When it comes to travel, 2015 was another fantastic year for us, once more packed full of superlatives.