Tag Archives: Asia

Asia, Trips

A Guide to Thimphu – Dzongs, Archers, Food and much more

Image 2 Comments

Thimphu is the capital and the largest city in Bhutan. It is home to the Royal family and is the commercial centre of the country – it is a place where you can experience a blend of Bhutanese culture, tradition and modern lifestyle.

We arrived at Thimphu on Day 2 of our trip (check out the complete itinerary here). Our first stop was the Simtokha Dzong – the oldest dzong in Bhutan built in 1629.

  • Simtokha Dzong – the oldest in Bhutan

We had arrived in time for a prayer session and got to experience it in one of the halls. The hall was decorated with beautiful multi-coloured victory flags hanging from the ceiling. Butter lamps were burning on one side of the hall in front of the 3 statues – Buddha Shakyamuni, Guru Padmasambhava and Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel (the founder of Bhutan). The chanting of the monks reverberated inside the hall and it was a truly mesmerizing experience. I had witnessed one such prayer session in a monastery in Ladakh and it was equally amazing. Karma, our guide, took us around explaining the legends and stories.

We then went to the gigantic Buddha Dordenma – the golden statue of Buddha stood on top of a hill overlooking the city.

  • Buddha Dordenma overlooking the Thimphu city

It is likened to the image of Buddha Shakyamuni. The statue is over 50 metres tall and was opened in 2015. In 2018 when we visited, work was still happening in the complex surrounding it. You can visit the halls inside which has over 100,000 statues of Buddha!

Next up, we were off to visit the national animal of Bhutan – the Takin. Legend goes that the Takin was created by Lama Drukpa Kunley, aka the Divine Madman (more about him in the Punakha post) by placing the head of a goat on a cow’s skeleton. That is pretty much what it looks like as well.

  • Takins chilling inside the park
  • This is what they look like up close

We stopped at the National Textile Museum and the Changlimithang Archery Ground. Archery is the national sport of the country. If you see an archery match going on, do take out some time to watch – it is a spectacle! The targets are so far away that they are hardly visible to an average person. Teams celebrate bullseyes with dances and songs!

  • This is zoomed in picture – can you spot the target?
This guy hit the target by the way! It was followed with a fair bit of dance and song!

The grounds also have an important history – it stands at the site of the decisive battle from 1885 which led to the unification of Bhutan and ended years of wars.

In the evening, Karma informed us that the founder of Bhutan Travel Guru, Mr Tsheten, would be taking us out to dinner to a traditional Bhutanese place. We were super excited to try out the local delicacies! We were even more amazed at the amount of personal touch being added to our trip – a testament to the Bhutanese hospitality.

FOOOOOD!

Wow, where do I begin? Let’s start with the butter tea. As the night gets colder, this warm cup of happiness comes to your rescue. Enjoyed with crunchy rice either as a topping or a side, it is the perfect way to start. We also had some dumplings, pork and ara (locally brewed rice wine) as starters.

  • L-R: Pickled cucumbers, dumplings, pork, risk crisps
    Bottom row: Butter tea with risk crisps, Ara (rice wine)

For the mains, we had a huge spread – almost all of them containing good amounts of chillies and cheese – both staples in Bhutan. Here are the dishes we had:

  • Mushroom soup
  • Ema Datshi – chilli with cheese
  • Phakshe Paa – Pork Bacon
  • Jasha Maru – Chicken curry
  • Shamu Datshi – Mushroom with cheese
  • Steamed broccoli
  • Khaktem – fried bitter gourd
  • Azey – chilli paste with a mixture of green chilli, onion, tomatoes, salt and cheese
  • Khuli – buckwheat pancakes
  • Red Rice
  • Druna Ghu – nine different grains found in Bhutan mixed together

Let’s see if you can identify them in the pics below!

As we found with other foods we ate in Bhutan, it was simple and delicious! My mouth waters as I attach these pics.

Dochu La

Early next morning, we started on our way to Punakha. On the way, we had to cross the mountain pass of Dochu La. On a clear day, you can see the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas from here. But we were greeted by a thick sheet of fog. This gave the place a mystical other-worldly look!

  • The mountain pass was covered in fog

Right in the middle of the road are 108 chortens (or stupas). These stupas were built as a memorial to Bhutanese soldiers who were killed in a battle with rebels.

  • The chortens at Dochu La

Near the chortens, a short walk up will take you to the Druk Wangyal Lhakhang – a beautiful temple with flowers on both sides of the steps leading up.

  • The Druk Wangyal temple on the pass

On the other side of the road, we saw signs pointing towards hidden meditation caves. The mist added to the experience as we climbed up the slope looking for the caves.

  • Meditation caves – Nam chose to pose instead of meditate
  • More such caves revealed themselves as the fog lifted

We really enjoyed the experience here! After spending a little over an hour here, we proceeded to Punakha for the next leg of our Bhutan adventure.  

Tip: If you happen to be in Thimphu during the weekend, do check out the weekend market!

  • The weekend market in Thimphu

Read all our blogs on Bhutan here. Do leave us a comment if you enjoy reading our blogs. Check out all our latest travels and stories on our Instagram page @fridgemagnet.tales. Don’t miss out our Bhutan Highlights.

Asia, Trips

The Perfect Trip to Bhutan – The Land of the Thunder Dragon

Image 3 Comments

The country where Gross National Happiness ranks higher than GDP. The only country in the world that is carbon negative and has 70% of its area covered by forests. The mystical kingdom nestled high up in the Himalayas. Bhutan is these things and much more.

Bhutan had been on our travel list for some time. After our usual rounds of research, we figured out that planning a trip to Bhutan was very different from any other place we’d visited so far. Hiring a local tourist guide was mandatory and tourists had to pay a cover charge per day for visiting the country. While this makes it an expensive country to visit, it stays true to Bhutan tourism’s policy of “High Value, Low Impact”. It is a very good way to ensure that tourists come in manageable numbers – the tourism agencies can ensure that you have a great time experiencing the local culture and traditions while reducing the impact on the environment. More on this policy ahead.

Best Time to Visit

October to December is considered the best part of the year to visit Bhutan. The skies are clear, rain is less, and this is an important ingredient to a beautiful trip. March to May (the Spring season) is the best time to witness the valleys full of flowers in bloom. Avoid Jun-Aug which is the rainy season. December to February brings snowfall in many parts which can cause roads to be closed. We went in November and had beautiful weather throughout the trip.

Getting To Bhutan

There are two ways you can get to Bhutan – by road or by air.

Road – you can cross into Bhutan at Phuntsholing from India. The closest airport in India is Bagdogra which is a 4-hour drive from the border. There is usually a long wait time at the border town where you need to get your permits in place before proceeding. It takes another 6 hours to get from the border to the capital, Thimphu. This is the cheaper option, but you will need to add 2-3 days into your itinerary just for the travel.

Air – you can fly into the Paro airport from India, Thailand, Nepal, Bangladesh and Singapore. There are only two airlines available – Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines. While this is an expensive option, flying into Paro is one of the most spectacular flights you’ll take in your life! We took the Bhutan Airlines flight from Kolkata (we booked it on their website directly).

Our flight from Kolkata – Bhutan Airlines

A few minutes after reaching the cruising altitude, we could clearly see Mt. Everest gleaming to our left.

Mount Everest gleaming in the sun

The height of the mountain was astounding as it always remained in sight high above the clouds. The best part of the flight is the landing. The plane spirals into the valleys with no flat land in sight – it is almost like a video game! Finally, seconds before the actual landing, with the plane still tilted, we catch a glimpse of the runway. Before we know it, we touch down at the Paro airport. After we got down the plane, we could see tall mountains on both sides of the runway – no wonder it was considered to be one of the most dangerous airports in the world. In fact, only a handful of pilots in the world are certified to fly to this airport! Truly an adrenaline pumping start to the trip.

Bhutan’s Unique Travel Policy

As mentioned before, Bhutan has a levy of USD 250 per day per person in the peak season (USD 200 in the low season). If you are travelling solo, you will be charged USD 40 extra. At the time of our travel, only 3 countries were exempted from this – India, Bangladesh and Maldives. However, with increasing number of tourists from these countries, a levy of INR 1200 per day has been put into effect in 2020 – this is to continue tourism in a sustainable way. While this does increase the costs for a budget traveller, it is a good method to preserve the ecosystem and culture that Bhutan is famous for. Now comes the best part – this levy of $250 is not just an entry fee – it actually covers the costs of your accommodation, food, local transportation and a private guide!

There are a lot of travel agencies that you can pick from. Make sure you read sufficient online reviews before making the final decision. After our research, we booked our trip with Bhutan Travel Guru and we totally recommend them! The best part was that it didn’t feel like a trip organized by big tour companies (where they mechanically stick to the itinerary and take us from point A to B). We were made to feel right at home and there was a lot of care taken in the entire planning. They took the personal connect to another level – the owner of the company (Mr Tsheten) actually made time to meet us for dinner. He and his company ensured that we had an amazing time in Bhutan. (No, this is not sponsored. We genuinely recommend them! 😊)

Visa, Currency

You will need to apply for the tourist visa when you book your trip. The travel agency generally takes care of it as part of the package. Indians (and Bangladeshis and Maldivians) do not need a visa to visit Bhutan.

The Bhutanese currency is called the Ngultrum. Its value is almost the same as the Indian Rupee (1 USD = 72 BTN at the time of writing this). As mentioned earlier, you won’t need to take out cash too much during the trip as most of the travel expenses are covered in the charges you pay the agency.

How many days to spend in Bhutan

A minimum of 5-6 days (excluding travel) to really soak in the peace, enjoy nature and the local culture. This duration will ensure you have enough time to visit atleast 3 parts of the country – typically Paro, Thimphu and Punakha. If you have time to spare, you can visit Bumthang as well.

Our Itinerary

Day 1: Fly into Paro. Visit Kyichu Lhakhang, Rinpung Dzong. Read more about our time at Paro here.

Paro’s Rinpung Dzong

Day 2: Drive to Thimphu. Visit textile museum, Buddha Dordenma, Takin reserve and Simtokha Dzong. More details about Thimphu here.

Buddha Dordenma in Thimphu

Day 3: Drive to Dochu La Pass. Hike through rice paddies and visit the Chimi Lhakhang temple. Visit the spectacular Punakha Dzong. The beauty of Punakha is captured in detail here.

The iconic Punakha Dzong

Day 4: Hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten. Drive to Thimphu and visit the weekend market. Drive back to Paro.

Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten

Day 5: Hike to Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) monastery. Visit the Paro museum. Enjoy a traditional hot stone bath and dinner with a local family at a farmhouse. More on the Tiger’s Nest here.

The legendary Tiger’s Nest Monastery

Day 6: Flight back to Kolkata

Bhutan was a very unique travel experience and far exceeded our expectations. Things that really stood out and left a lasting impact on us? The hospitality and warmth of the people, simplicity, living in harmony with nature, tasty food, beautiful sights. It is one of the few nations which hasn’t been swallowed by capitalism (and its inevitable impact on environment and culture). We hope this beautiful nation continues to grow and be a flagbearer of sustainable living and happiness.

If you enjoy reading our blog, do leave us a comment below – your support keeps us going! You can subscribe to our blog for all the updates and travel tips. For a lot more pics and stories about our latest travels, follow us on Instagram @fridgemagnet.tales. Do check out our Insta story highlights to re-live the trip through our eyes!

Asia, Trips

Magnificent Angkor

Image 1 Comment

The Angkor Wat temple is synonymous with the country of Cambodia itself. The largest religious monument in the world, Angkor Wat was constructed in the 12th century by Khmer King Suryavarman II. It is so iconic that the national flag of Cambodia has the temple depicted in its centre! Our primary objective of this trip to Cambodia was this.

Angkor was the capital city of the Khmer Empire, and Angkor Wat is just one among many sites in the Angkor Archaeological Park. The park is spread across 400 square kilometres (including the forests)! You can easily spend an entire day exploring the park – if you are really into ancient temples and architecture, even 3 days can get by before you know it.

Entrance Fees and Ticket System

The ticket to the park – the Angkor Pass needs to be purchased at the official ticket counter. It is located about 4km away from the Siem Reap town. The counter opens at 4:30 am and you can buy tickets till 5:30 pm. You have the option of buying a 1-day, 3-day or 5-day pass. They accept USD, Riel and credit cards. If you buy a 1-day pass at 5:00 pm on a particular day, it remains valid for the next day as well – you can use this option if you want to avoid buying a ticket at 4:30 am!

We booked a tuk-tuk from our hotel and the driver, Nup, picked us up at 4:00 am.

  • That’s our tuk-tuk with our pilot, Nup

The ticket counter was crowded even at that time – luckily, the lines moved fast, and we were quickly on our way to catch the sunrise! Also, we picked the 1-day pass and had made our plan for the day such that we covered all the main spots.

Angkor Wat

Our first stop was the main attraction – Angkor Wat. Our tuk-tuk rushed as fast as it could to one side of the moat (which outlines the temple) and we waited for the sunrise. It was very peaceful – even though we were accompanied by another 20-odd people who were also waiting for the sunrise, there was no sound as everyone was savouring the moment. A cool breeze was flowing – the temperature was at least a few degrees lower inside the park thanks to the dense forest cover. As the sky turned from dark purple to dark blue with shades of red and orange, we got our first glimpse of the silhouette of the temple. There were a lot of lotuses on the water. Oh yes, and the birds – with every minute, more birds of various kinds joined the morning chorus. It was a beautiful experience – worth waking up at 3:30 in the morning! We got some decent shots of the temple and once the sun was up, we proceeded to the temple.

  • The Angkor Wat temple at sunrise

Khmer King Suryavarman II dedicated this Hindu temple to Lord Vishnu and it depicts the mythical Mount Meru – the abode of the gods. There are 4 towers surrounding the central tower which are said to depict the peaks of the mountain.

  • Inside Angkor Wat
  • The peaks of the temple-mountain up close

You can find stories on bas reliefs throughout the temple – the battle of Kurukshetra and the churning of the Ocean of Milk (this one is truly epic!) are a few of them.

  • The churning of the Ocean of Milk

There are devatas and apsara motifs which still endure in their original splendor to this day.

  • Apsaras greet you in all the temples

We can only imagine the sense of wonder experienced by the French explorer, Henri Mouhot, who popularized this temple in the west. Think about it for a second – there you are, walking through dense forests, occasionally hacking through vines when – lo and behold – you come across this architectural wonder! Mind = Blown!

Pro Tip: there is a sunrise viewpoint inside the complex where you can see the temple in a reflecting pond. This place is insanely crowded, and you literally need to fight for space. Unless you are a professional photographer, we would recommend the view on the moat-side (where we went) instead so that you can enjoy the tranquil as well as the view.

  • This is the view in front of the pond inside the temple complex
  • This is the other side of it

What else to visit in Angkor / Planning your 1-day itinerary

There are many more spots which you can visit on the same day or split into multiple days. Some people prefer to leave once the sun gets too hot, chill at their hotel and get back for the evening. This totally depends on the amount of time you have. In our case, we had only 1 and we were on a 1-day pass. Here are some must-visits in the order that you should visit them:

Bayon Temple: As you leave the Angkor Wat area towards the Angkor Thom area, you will be greeted by a beautiful gate with enormous smiling faces and statues lining up the bridge over the moat. First stop – the Bayon temple. Located at the centre of this ancient city, the capital of King Jayavarman VII, this temple has 216 smiling faces of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (the king was Buddhist). Some people say that it is likened in an image of the king himself. Though it doesn’t look like much from afar, it is a splendid monument.

  • Smiles all around – Bayon Temple, Angkor Thom
  • Exploring Angkor Thom

Baphuon: This temple is a three-tiered temple-mountain dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. It was almost entirely dismantled in the many years of religious upheavals (switching between Hinduism and Buddhism) and more recently the purge of the Khmer Rouge. Through the efforts and donations of multiple countries, sites like these are being restored to their original glory.

  • The restoration of Baphuon

Terrace of the Elephants: This is a long terrace decorated with statues of elephants, lions and garudas.

  • On the way to the Terrace of the Elephants

Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda: Right outside the east gate, these temples are situated on opposite sides of the road. Worth taking a short stop to explore and take a few pics.

Ta Keo: Another temple-mountain depicting Mount Meru, it makes for a particularly steep climb up to the top tier.

  • Doesn’t look very steep, does it?
  • That’s the view from the halfway mark!

Ta Prohm: This one is probably the most popular temple after Angkor Wat – the temple is completely overrun with trees. It made an appearance in the movie, Tomb Raider. The temple itself is in bad shape and is still in early stages of restoration.

  • The tree actually grew around the wall!
  • Ta Prohm – Not even the temple was spared

Srah Srang: After a quick peek into Banteay Kdei, you can rest your tired feet at the Srah Srang lake. It is the prefect end to a long day of temple hopping and temple-mountain climbing.

Make sure you fix your itinerary with your tuk-tuk driver before you start the tour. Our driver skipped a few of these (we assumed we would cover it on the way back) but on reaching Srah Srang, he mentioned it was time to head back. But we insisted that it was part of the agreed tour plan and went back to cover the rest. And thanks to this, we got to redo our most favourite part of the trip – driving through the gates of Angkor Thom!

  • The gateways give you the sense of being transported to another world!

Time to head back to your hotel, have a nice hot shower and enjoy the nightlife at Siem Reap. For us, it was time to head back home to India after two amazing weeks spent in Vietnam and Cambodia.

If you enjoy reading our blogs, don’t forget to drop a comment below – it’s what keeps us going! You can subscribe to our blog for all the updates and travel tips. For a lot more pics and stories about our latest travels, follow us on Instagram @fridgemagnet.tales

Asia, Trips

Cambodia – A Day in Siem Reap

Image 1 Comment

The Kingdom of Cambodia is situated west of Vietnam in the Indochina peninsula of South-east Asia.

Our trip was a short and sweet one – we spent two days in the historical area of Siem Reap, home to the biggest temple complex in the world – Angkor Wat.

Getting There

You can fly into Siem Reap or come in by road from Phnom Penh. We took the Cambodia Angkor Air flight from HCMC, Vietnam (check out our Vietnam blogs here) – the airport was one-part resort, one-part temple and zero-parts airport.

  • Cambodia Angkor Air
    Cambodia Angkor Air
  • Siem Reap International Airport
    Siem Reap International Airport

Our tuk-tuk was waiting outside (the hotel had arranged a complimentary transfer for us as part of the stay).

Our plan was to spend the first day exploring the town and head out to the ancient city early morning on day 2.

Where to Stay

Cambodia is quite inexpensive, and you can easily find very good hotels for reasonable prices. With some bit of checking out websites and using coupon codes, you can get 5-star hotels for as low as US$ 85 per night. What this also means is that for US$ 35-50, you can get really good hotels as well. We stayed at Chheng Residence – it had nice rooms and was quite close to the Old French Quarter. Make sure you stay close enough to the Old Quarter so that it is easy to walk around and explore.

Weather

There are 2 broad seasons in Cambodia – dry (Oct-Apr) and wet (May-Sep). Oct-Dec is considered the best time to visit as the temperatures are moderate as compared to other times in the year. The moderate was not what we expected. After checking into our hotel, we stepped out to get some brunch. It was hot! After pleasant weather in Vietnam throughout, it felt like we had been dropped into a hot oven.

Most places were closed as it was past breakfast time and before lunch started. We found a cozy little place called Fresh Fruit Factory where we had smoothies and pancakes (a bit on the expensive side but very fresh and tasty stuff!). We also didn’t see many people around – this was the time of the day to enjoy the hotel and the pools and bathtubs. That’s exactly what we did – we headed back to the room and waited for the sun to go down.

Currency

Cambodian Riel is the local currency, but you can easily get by with USD. You will see price tags in supermarkets and menus in restaurants have USD mentioned and that’s what they prefer.

What to do in Siem Reap

The number one thing to do here is visit Angkor. But we’ll take that up in another post as it deserves one of its own. After sunset, we walked and explored the town. Here are some recommendations:

Walk/Jog along the bank of the Siem Reap river

  • Decorations on a bridge across the Siem Reap river near the palace
    Decorations on a bridge across the Siem Reap river near the palace

Visit the night market (on the other side of the river – close to the Hard Rock Café) – really good place to pick up some souvenirs

  • Bridge towards the Night Market
    Bridge towards the Night Market

Visit Pub Street – the place has a crazy party vibe

  • Pub Street Siem Reap
    Pub Street Siem Reap
  • Pub Street Siem Reap
    Pub Street Siem Reap

Get a massage – you could probably get one at your hotel too

Sample some Khmer cuisine – we ate at the Khmer Grill – the food was really good!

The insect eating frenzy is quite overhyped – try it out if you really want to, but not recommended.

Siem Reap is in many ways a signature “touristy” place and one day is enough to explore the city. You can make this a base location for a few day trips – the Angkor complex, Tonle Sap Lake and the Phnom Kulen National Park.

Check out our Angkor itinerary here.

If you have any questions on how to plan your trip, feel free to leave a comment! You can subscribe to our blog for all the updates and travel tips. For a lot more pics and stories about our latest travels, follow us on Instagram @fridgemagnet.tales

Asia, Trips

Vietnam Voyage

Image 8 Comments

If you have the option to visit only 1 country in South-East Asia, it must be Vietnam! A diverse country with landscapes ranging from tea plantations to dense forests to lush mountains to bustling cities and amazing beaches, Vietnam has something for everyone.

Vietnam is quite large in terms of area (4th biggest in South-east Asia) and forms a significant part of the historical region of Indochina (consisting of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia). The erstwhile French colony was named Indochina because of the strong influence of Indian and Chinese cultures in the region – Vietnam takes more from the Chinese culture while the Indian cultural heritage can be seen at large in Cambodia (which is a story for another blog). Modern culture is also shaped by political ideology which varies as you move from north Vietnam to the south. What does all this mean? Well, for one, it makes Vietnam an amazing place to visit with a lot of history. And don’t even get us started on the food! Vietnam is cheap, safe and great to visit at any time of the year – you can plan your itinerary based on which month you are planning to visit.

Best Time to Visit

Vietnam can be divided into 3 regions – North, Central and South and the weather in each region varies largely in different times of the year.

North Vietnam (Hanoi, Sapa): This part of Vietnam has 4 distinct seasons and the winters can get cold. October-November is a very good time to visit as the weather is cool and dry. You get clear blue skies and you can really enjoy your cruise on the Ha Long Bay. Another period which is good is March-May (Spring). The mid months of May-September have scorching summers as well as monsoon rains which can dampen your plans – most of the Vietnam experience is outdoors.

Central Vietnam (Hoi An, Da Nang, Hue): This is a narrow region squeezed between the sea on one side and mountains on the other. January-June is the best time to visit. June-August has hot summers with plenty of humidity while November-December typically sees a lot of rain and typhoons.

South Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta): This region experiences a tropical climate which means the best time visit is November-April. There are options for a lot of day tours from Ho Chi Minh City and having pleasant weather really helps!

Given these windows, the best option to cover Vietnam from North to South would be in the Spring window of March-May. As it was impossible for us to get long leaves from work in those months, we decided to go in November (keeping fingers crossed that we wouldn’t get bad weather in Central Vietnam).

Getting around Vietnam, Visa and Currency

To plan your travel in detail, check out our blog on Travelling in Vietnam made easy. Here is a snapshot to get you started.

You can enter the country from one of the international airports – usually the points of entry are Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. All the major cities are very well connected by flights, train and bus. The flights are quite cheap and make it a viable option even if you are travelling on a budget! We managed to get a flight from Hanoi to Da Nang for $30 (more on that here).

To get the Visa, you can go for one of these three methods:

  1. The old-fashioned way of getting it done through the embassy – this is also the most expensive option.
  2. Get a Visa Approval Letter – this is the cheapest option. There are many websites which offer you an approval letter for as low as $6. Do check online reviews to verify the legitimacy of these portals to avoid getting into a scam! We used Vietnam E-Visa which charged us $12 per person for a single-entry visa. Just make sure your name matches exactly on the approval letter as your passport so that you are not denied entry. On arrival at Vietnam, you need to pay the stamping fees of $25 (cash) per person.
  3. E-Visa – This option is available for a selected list of countries where you can apply online and get your e-visa for $25.

Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND) is the currency here and 1 USD can get you ~23,000 VND. So, make sure you convert in parts or risk carrying around huge bundles of currency! Currency exchanges are available everywhere and you won’t face any problems in getting a good rate. As always, convert a small amount at the airport where you are entering which can get you to the city centre (you will get better exchange rates here).

How many days to spend in Vietnam?

This depends on which parts of the country you would like to explore. You can easily budget 5-6 days for each of North, Central and South Vietnam. We spent 10 days in Vietnam and feel this is a good enough time to explore the highlights of the country. You can easily extend this by another 5-6 days without feeling too stretched.

Our Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive at Hanoi by flight. Check-in and relax for the day.

Day 2: Morning bus to Ha Long Bay. 2D/1N cruise package – enjoy kayaking, swimming in the bay and enjoy the beautiful karst landscape.

  • The surreal Halong Bay

Day 3: Morning Tai Chi class at sunrise on the boat. Transfer back to Hanoi and explore the city around Hoan Kiem lake.

Day 4: Local sightseeing at Hanoi. Hanoi is one of the best cities we’ve been to in terms of the culture, food and overall vibe – here is how we spent our weekend at Hanoi and our guide on how to make the most of it.

  • Temple of Literature, Hanoi
  • Ngoc Son Temple, Hanoi

Day 5: Spend the morning exploring more of Hanoi and its foods. Bus to airport for our flight to Da Nang. Cab from Da Nang airport to Hoi An – explore Hoi An at night.

Day 6: Spend the day exploring the UNESCO Heritage Town of Hoi An experiencing the culture and amazing food! Read more about the magical town of Hoi An here.

  • Hoi An

Day 7: Early morning cab to Da Nang and flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Spend the day relaxing and exploring the Ben Thanh Market.

Day 8: Day trip to the Cu Chi tunnels and Cao Dai temple. In the evening, explore the area near the Skydeck in Ho Chi Minh City. The city itself does not have too much to see but is a great base location for many day trips – here’s our guide on day trips from Ho Chi Minh City.

  • Exploring the Cu Chi Tunnels
  • Cao Dai Temple

Day 9: Day trip to the Mekong Delta – exploring the delta and some snake wine! Explore more of Ho Chi Minh City in the evening.

  • Rowing down the canals in the Mekong Delta
  • Mekong River

Day 10: Flight to Cambodia.

The “Time-is-not-a-constraint” adventurer: as mentioned before, you can spend up to 5-6 days in each region. While in Hanoi, you can add a couple of days to visit the plantations in Sapa valley in the north. You can visit Tam Coc, which is also called the “Ha Long Bay on land”. You can also add a couple of days in Da Nang exploring the city and go on an excursion to the Ba Na hills where you can spot the Golden Bridge.

History Buffs: You can add Hue to your itinerary – this town used to be the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty empire.

Foodies: Vietnam is a heaven for foodies and is the main reason why we would go back in the blink of an eye. Here is our Vietnam food guide.

  • Bun Cha
  • Pho
  • Banh Mi

Hope this post helped you kick-start your plan to visit Vietnam. We have detailed our experience at each of the places in our blogs which you can find here.

If you have any questions on how to plan your trip, please leave a comment below and we’d love to help! You can subscribe to our blog for all the updates and travel tips. For a lot more pics and stories about our latest travels, follow us on Instagram @fridgemagnet.tales