Here are a few idea's that will help keep the kids happy and active when you're traveling in Ho Chi Minh City!
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Located at the bottom end of Le Duan Street in District 1, the HCMC Zoo is definately worth a look. There are plenty of animals to check out, loads of cafes scattered around and tons of big massive shady trees to keep the sun of you! 

The Zoo also doubles as the botanical gardens, so except well maintained gardens, bonsai displays and flowers galore! You could easily spend several hours here wondering around.
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Entrance 

For the exact location, view the following map at Google Maps

Tao Dan Park 

Bordered by Truong Dinh St, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St and Cach Mang Thang Tam Street this park is fairly easily to find. 

Inside the grounds you will find a play ground area, plenty of walking paths around the park and a cafe on the western border if you feel like a coffee or a cold drink! 

The park is popular with locals day long, but really busy early morning with loads of people exercising and chatting with friends. The gardens are well maintianed and the area is really clean. This is by far one of the parks with in HCMC.

Entrance - Free

For the exact location, view the following map at Google Maps

Saigon River

The River area along Ton Duc Thang Street is a pleasent place to hang out and wonder. The Saigon River is busy all day long and the kids will love watching the ferries, ships and barges navigating the water way. 

At the northern end of Ton Duc Thang St (see map via link below) there is an area that has plenty of big trees for shade, a number of old cannons and views in to the dry docks. Serval cafes are located along the river front as well. This is public space, you don't need a ticket! 

For the exact location, view the following map at Google Maps

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Last weekend a friend and I took of on our bikes and headed in to the unknown. The final destination was Vung Tau, the busy coastal town south of HCMC. The ride is about 110km in length, flat and good fun. All the juicy details are below, along with a map outlining our route.

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Start Point - The ferry crossing on Ton Duc Thang, near the bottom of Dong Khoi Street. 

(Note - You could also go along HWY 1 to Bien Hoa and then turn right on to Hwy 51. However it's longer and much much busier!)

Going/Landscape

The entire ride is flat. The area around District 2 is residential and busy. Roads 769/19 are light in traffic and heavy on scenery, while highway 51 is flat easy going. We only got a head wind with 24km to go!

Roads

The roads were all surprisingly good! The only real exception to this is a short distance of road works in District 2 and just after the second ferry crossing at Cat Lai. Immediately after the ferry, there's several km's of really crappy road, but not really worth worrying about it. 

Roads 769 and 19 are both in really good shape, very smooth and easy to negotiate. Highway 51, which you spend 64km on, is a large 4 lane highway that is smooth, busy and noisy! There's a large shoulder designed for bicycles and carts! 

Traffic

Traffic for the first half of the ride was light. On Roads 769/19 you ride through rubber tree plantions and an industrial zone before hitting the highway. Highway 51 is another story! The main road for all traffic heading south, the road is busy, noisy and at best crazy. But like anything, common sense will go a long way to keeping you safe. The highway has a large shoulder which is good for cyclist. 

Food/Drink/Repairs
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Repairmen line the roads of Vietnam regardless of your location! At most you will have a couple of k's to walk before finding someone that can fix your problem. On the highway, repair shops are located every 500m. We had one puntcure and a guy on the side of the hwy fixed in 5 minutes for 5,000vnd (USD$0.25).
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Drink/food - Along road 19 you go through rubber plantations which have small local cafe's set up amougst the trees. This is a great spot for a cold drink and rest. Hammocks are lined up in the plantations and the cool shady areas makes it an ideal place to relax. Along the highway there are cafes and restaurants everywhere where you can get a feed or a drink. 

Vung Tau

Vung Tau is a large coastal city, chocker block with hotels and places eat. We arrived on a Saturday, during school holidays in perfect beach weather and still got a room (after some searching). We stayed in a small hotel near the ferry terminal, which suited us to a tee at only 400,000VND/room. Around this area are some really cool to places to eat, all dishing western and local fav's.
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We hit Ned Kelly's for a really tastey feed and ice cold beers. The next morning we found a another expat style hang out which dished up a mighty fine "Big" Breakfast for only 90k - look for the sign with a kangaroo and kiwi on it!

Return To HCMC

Our return to HCMC was by ferry. We caught the Greenfields Hydro Foil (160,000VND p/p one way) which got us back to HCMC in 1 1/2 hours. Ferry's depart Vung Tau every half hour from 6am and tickets can be purchased at company booths near the terminal. 

Other options include riding back or catching the local bus. Mai Linh Bus Company does not allow bikes on the bus.

The Good Oil

Nice ride, flat and easy to navigate around. Traffic isn't really an issue, so long as you use common sense and stick to the right! 

Leave HCMC early and avoid the heat, it gets bloody hot after 10am! 

Midweek is the best time to visit Vung Tau and you miss local travelers from HCMC.

If you are fussy with accomodation, book in HCMC through an agent or read about the Palace Hotel here. If you don't mind what you get, do what we did and worry about it when you arrive!

View HCMC to Vung Tau Bicycle Ride in a larger map

By Gail Gillespie

Hue airport is perfect for many travellers taking internal flights Alternatively, if you are travelling south and are coming from Hoi An, it is a three hour car trip either over the Hai Van Pass, or through the new Hai Van Tunnel to Hue.

The road trip from Hoi An, will take you via Danang where famous China beach is popular with tourists. If you are visiting outside the rainy season you may want to spend time here.

Our driver was arranged by our Hotel in Hue. It was a pleasant trip with great views from the top of the Pass, which is a dividing line between North and South Vietnam. You arrive to a small settlement, and the locals ( read touts) greet you, right at the car door accompanying you wherever you go!

We arrived in Hue, the original capital of Vietnam until 1945, early afternoon. Orchid Hotel, home for the next three nights, was just off the main road which borders the Song Huan river = better known as the Perfume River, and a sacred stretch of water for the Vietnamese.

We were delighted to find our hotel was only two doors away from The Japanese restaurant - set up by a Japanese man, Mr Michio Koyama, to educate and train street children and now disabled children. The traditional Japanese meal was delicious, and cheap. Served by a delightful young girl, this restaurant is to be recommended.

Settled into our rooms, (we had a computer IN our room), it was time for lunch. Being in the central area, where most hotels and restaurants are located, we were able to walk most places.

We walked across the impressive bridge spanning the Perfume River looking for Lac Thien restaurant. Famous for being run by a family of deaf mutes, this is another eating experience not to be missed. The food is cheap and tasty! From here you are only a block from the Citadel .

The Citadel - a UNESCO Heritage site.

Built in 1687 this city with a rich and chequered history, was heavily bombed by the Americans. Currently, the Vietnamese are in the throes of a major reconstruction. It is an amazing place - a whole city within 10 kilometres of brick walls, surrounded by moats.

Entered through the Ngo Mon Gate -one of ten gates-you find yourself in a huge courtyard lined with fascinating stone figures. Climbing the stairs you will want to turn around to look at the Flag Tower, which is directly opposite. You can then wander at your leisure. Look out for

- Nine Holy Cannons
- Imperial Enclosure
- Forbidden Purple City
- Thai To Mieu Temple ruins complex
- University of Arts
- Thai Hoa Palace
- Halls of the Mandarins
- Phung Tien Temple
- Dien Tho Residence
- Truong San Residence

There is so much to see and enjoy inside the walls of the Citadel, you need to allow at least half a day, but could easily spend more.

Royal Tombs and Dragon Boats

We were unanimous in our decision to save our feet and take a Dragon Boat down the Perfume River for a day trip. Again this was organised at reception in our hotel. We were only ten minutes from the Boat dock, which was located at the back of the Arts Centre.

Seated on plastic garden chairs one behind the other, we chugged down the river. A husband and wife, with baby happily playing on the floor, worked the boat together.

This is a wonderful way to see the locals at work and play. Many are living on their boats, while others had all the machinations for work. The riverbanks were an ever changing slideshow of pagodas, houses, schools, countryside and all kinds of interesting activity which kept us intrigued. The camera at the ready!

- You can choose where you want to stop and what you want to see. We opted for Thien Mu Pagoda - a must see right on the edge of the river.

- Hon Chen Temple - a working temple - small but picturesque

- Tomb of Minh Mang - another must see. This was a real surprise. It is very beautiful with gardens, fascinating buildings, a small lake and all situated just up a path from the river

Some of the Royal Tombs are some distance from the river's edge and you would need to hire a motorbike to see them. If the Tombs you want to see are too far, it is probably better to hire a motorbike or car from Hue to tour them.

We found our boat trip, which was a full day, gave us three very different, but all really worth while experiences. We just stepped off the boat and were right there.

You could spend more time in Hue, but two days gave us a good view of the city and surrounding areas.

Driving back to Danang airport, we had a stop at Lang Co Beach.The weather was not great that day, but this long, white sand beach would have been a lovely place to stay a few nights had we had time.
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I am a New Zealander who loves to travel.I visited Vietnam in October 2008 and share here my experiences, tips, and recommendations on how to enjoy the best of Hue, a fascinating Central Vietnamese city on most people's list of places to see, when planning their Vietnam itinerary.

For more detailed information on Hue and Central and Northern Vietnam, visit http://www.fascinating-travel-destinations.com/travel-to-vietnam.html and http://www.fascinating-travel-destinations.com/Hue.html
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By Debra Corbeil

 

The night is cool and crisp and we are boarding our train from Hanoi, Vietnam to the northern mountain town of Sapa. Our train is a modern overnight sleeper; clean, comfortable, and sparkling white. The rest of the station is like stepping back in time. Ancient boxcars darkened by time, are parked in the yard, and steam is rising in the air. People donning conical hats are huddled around open fires. Some squat on small plastic stools eating noodle soup with chopsticks. As I look out the window I feel as though it is 1969.

We are led to our bunks by a petite and quiet women from ODC Travel. The company based in Hanoi where we booked our four-day, three-night excursion. For $75 each, all meals accommodation and transportation are included in our trip to see the magnificent rice terraces and to experience the traditional lives of the hill tribes of Sapa.

It is not long until I am peacefully sleeping. Rocking with the rhythm of the train I dream of the adventure ahead. 4:30 am arrives quickly however and I awake famished and thankful for the complimentary sweet bread and bottled water.

We have arrived in Lao Cao, a small town on the Chinese border. As I step onto the platform a brisk, cold wind awakens my senses. Luckily, a van is waiting to take us the rest of the way, so we don't have to wait in the morning chill for long. It is a harrowing journey up the winding mountain road. We put our lives in the hands of our speeding driver who dodges herds of water buffalo, oncoming traffic and local villagers herding their oxen. Whizzing around each corner, we are thankful to not have plunged off of a vertical cliff into the deep valley below.

We arrive a little shaken but all in one piece to our hotel where we meet our guide, Xin. He is a friendly young man who grew up in the area and as we will soon learn, enjoys singing and playing the guitar. We will be spending the next two days with him as he takes us through the mountains to visit the Hmong and Dzai People who live among the rice terraces.

The scenery is magnificent and as we venture farther from the town, my breath is taken away by the incredible view unfolding. Thousands of rice terraces filled with water glisten in the sun for as far as the eye can see. Every turn becomes more overwhelming and I am struck with awe by the giant terraced mountains surrounding me.

Barking dogs guard their territory as we pass and gaggles of ducks waddle by following their leader with frenzied dedication. Villagers from the Hmong Tribe speed past us carrying heavy loads in their woven baskets. They walk with ease as I gasp for air climbing the steep path. As we continue to hike, Xin tell us about the people and the history of the land and how it has changed.

The Hmong village we are visiting has come to depend on tourism and he tells us not to feel pressured to give money or to buy jewelry to the people who will be approaching us. Not wanting to contribute to a begging society, I chose not to give children the "bonbons" that they have come to expect or to give money for nothing. Instead, I gladly buy some silver bracelets from a lady who invites us into her home for a glimpse of tribal life.

We make our way to the top of a mountain, where Xin puts out a picnic lunch and we dine among a herd of water buffalo. As we look into the deep valley, children stop by for a visit and we share some cookies and fruit. It is a place of overwhelming beauty.

The contentment is short lived however, because we have a lot of ground to cover to make it to the village of the Dzai people where we will be spending the night. Being farther away from Sapa and not a part of the usual one-day tours, this tribe is less corrupted by the tourism industry. They are completely self-sufficient at harnessing water from mountain runoff for irrigation. They grow their own rice, sugar cane peanuts and vegetables. Every child attends school, they raise their own livestock, and weave and dye their own fabric for clothing. This is truly a people who are at one with the land.

We stay with a family that has four generations living under one roof. Their house, built by the hands of villagers using traditional methods is gigantic and surprisingly cozy in the brisk mountain air. It takes one year to build a home and everybody pitches in. We are treated to a feast after we settle in and enjoy their friendly hospitality. The 94-year-old grandfather keeps my plate full, urging me to eat more and we stuff ourselves until we cannot move.

Later that evening we walk to visit other houses and the celebrations continue. Rice wine is flowing as we sit around the fire in their kitchens singing songs. The local people are eager to hear songs from our country and there is no getting out of belting out a tune. They applaud with enthusiasm and then Xin treats us to a traditional Vietnamese folk song before heading back to bed.

It is a cool night, but we sleep well under a thick warm blanket and awake a little groggy from the abundance of alcohol the night before. Saying goodbye to our hosts after a breakfast of fried eggs and a warm baguette, we slowly walk to the mountains feeling the burn in our legs from the day before. We trek to the high waterfall overlooking the valley, walk through a bamboo forest, and once again witness the beauty of gigantic rice terraces.

A jeep picks us up at the end of our trek to take us back to Sapa where we sleep comfortably that evening in our small hotel. Our last day is spent exploring this beautiful town. We hike up Ham Rong Mountain to see its many gardens and stone forest, shop for fresh fruit in the market and relax on a terrace overlooking the mountains. The people are friendly and as usual, the scenery is magnificent.

Northern Vietnam is a fascinating experience. It is rich in culture and history and diverse in landscape. If you do it right and stay in a Home Stay far away from the village, it will be an experience that you will remember forever.
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Debra Corbeil is one half of Canada's Adventure Couple. Together with her husband Dave, she has traveled to over 35 countries on 5 continents. They have taken on extreme adventures from Cycling from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa and Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Every new adventure takes them to remote corners of the world where they paddle, hike, scuba dive and trek their way around the globe. http://www.theplanetd.com; http://www.picturetheplanet.com

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Food menu's can often get lost in lost translation.

However I am still trying work out what Number 4 means? Any idea's? 

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Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is a funky city with tons to offer. That said, it can also be a crazy, in your face type of place as well.
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The small narrow roads, mean the 4 million people that call this city home, often push and fight for their piece of road. So if it all gets a bit much and you what somewhere "normal" to hang out, head over to Hanoi Towers in Ha Ba Trung Street. 

So whats here I hear you ask? Look below! 

Hanoi Towers - 49 Hai Ba Trung Street, Hanoi - Be there or be square!
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Don't Just Read About, See Vietnam and Cambodia For Yourself!

By Sebastian Harley

When considering a trip to Vietnam, it's important to understand that its history is one full of war, colonization, and rebellion. While many of us are familiar with only the Vietnam War, it is only one of many that have taken place in this country, but was by far one of the most brutal. Over two thirds of the population in Vietnam today was born after 1975 but Americans will receive a warm welcome if they decide to vacation here. Many Vietnamese citizens aspire to American culture.

When visiting Vietnam, English is not widely known. Much of the youth have a basic handle on it but Vietnamese is still widely used throughout the country. As for money, the common currency is known as the Dong. It has stabilized over the years but can be hard to use and exchange outside of its borders. The US dollar is still widely accepted, though, making payment easy for many. The exchange rate is 18,000dong to $1US so it's actually better to pay in Dong if possible.

When you are visiting, make sure you take in all there is for food. Food is one of the main staples of Vietnam and plays a major part in their culture. It can be found at the center of their daily rituals to their most major holidays.

You should also make sure you don't miss out on bia ho'i which is draft beer that is brewed daily. It can be found throughout the country and can be found easily. Use it as an opportunity to sit back, relax, and take in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Also, don't think that lodging is an issue, either. You can find some scruffy hotels for as little as $4US per couple to some extravagant, high end resorts all throughout the country.

The crime rate in Vietnam is low, especially since the country is extremely keen on building up the industry. Punishments for crimes against tourists are severe, resulting in it being a safe place to visit. Purse snatching and things of that nature can happen in larger cities so just be sure your smaller valuables are secure. Vietnam hosts a great nightlife, though, so get out there and enjoy the scene! Also, before purchasing souvenirs that portray communistic symbolism, make sure you think about where you wear it. You may offend people back home in places like the USA. Vietnam is on its way from recovering from civil war and is very keen on increasing the tourism industry.
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Sebastian has been traveling around South East Asia for some time and has put together a number of articles on the subject. If your interested in Vietnam then visit http://www.vietnamcares.com

See Vietnam for yourself! 

• Saigon Unseen Motor Bikes - Half Day
• Hanoi to Saigon Bike Tour - Vietnam - 13 Days

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