Southeast Asia

Huế

Huế is centrally located on the coast of Vietnam and was the capital during the Nguyen Dynasty. Where to Sleep It is now a popular tourist destination and very Westernized city, boasting a college of tourism and very impressive hotels, including Imperial Hue, a 5-star hotel across the street from where we stayed…

Phong Nha

The valley of Phong Nha is home to the cavernous and adventuresome Ke Bang National Park. We spent 4 nights, 3 days in Phong Nha exploring the park and surrounding villages. Fortunately, we narrowly missed the 36 hours of non-stop flooding that had hit the town 3 days before our arrival. Most buildings were…

Ninh Binh

After our narrow escape of a major rainstorm in Mai Chau, we rolled into Ninh Binh ready to check out a new city! There is not much to do or see in the city of Ninh Binh, but the region is home to numerous World Heritage sites and National Parks, all within a thirty-minute…

Ha Long Bay

After spending our time thus far in big cities and the mountains of Vietnam, we were ready for some sunshine and salty breeze in our life!! A New Zealand friend we met in Sa Pa, Tristan, recommended we check out Oasis Party Bay Cruises – a perfect combination of outdoor activities and partying with other backpackers…

Sa Pa

Sa Pa, Vietnam – the land of Hmong people in colorful garb, rice paddy terraces for miles, and Vietnam’s tallest mountain known as the roof of Indochina, Fansipan. While Southeast Asia is known for it’s heat and humidity, Sa Pa is easily the coldest place we visited aside from one 14er…

Hanoi

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, and at 7.7 million people, Hanoi is Vietnam’s second-largest city by population. It’s not the easiest city to navigate so I’ve broken it down for you. Enjoy! Airport Transportation After landing in Hanoi, we exited the airport and were immediately approached…

Hong Kong

Activities & Sights Tian Tan (Big Buddha) Our first stop after landing in Hong Kong was at the epic Big Buddha on Ngong Ping Lantau island – a short distance from the airport. An incredible, cultural welcome to the city. Big Buddha definitely lived up to his name. The 268 step climb to get up close…