It was 4:45 p.m., and I was alone in Dong Ha. For the first time in a few days I felt alone. I was traveling with people for the last week, and now I was by myself without a tourist…
Vietnam – DMZ Tour – Part 2: Highway 1 & Vinh Moc Tunnels
After the morning portion of the tour and a lackluster lunch our tour guide made sure that everyone was back on the van so that we could promptly leave at 2:15 p.m. for the afternoon portion of the tour. We…
Vietnam – DMZ Tour – Part 1: Ho Chi Minh Trail, Highway 9 & Khe Sanh Combat Base
A Brief History of the DMZ In 1954, the French military was defeated by the Vietnamese at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, resulting in their withdrawal from the region. Following the French War, the Geneva Accords temporarily divided Vietnam…
Vietnam – My Son Sanctuary – UNESCO Site
The first UNESCO site that I was able to visit in Vietnam in 2014 was the My Son Sanctuary. At approximately 5:00 a.m. I got picked up outside my hotel by a tour van that was already filled with people.…
Southeast Asia Travel Itinerary – Summer 2014
Southeast Asia Travel Itinerary – Summer 2014 Day 0 – July 3 & 4 – Flights from NYC,NY to Osaka, Japan; and the connecting flight to Taipei, Taiwan & Overnight Layover Day 1 – July 5 – Ho Chi Minh City…
Vietnam – Cao Dai Temple
The second destination of the Cu Chi Tunnels tour brought our group to the Cao Dai Temple in the Tay Ninh province. We spent over an hour walking around the property and also had the opportunity to observe the 12:00…
Dalat, Vietnam – Part 1: Transportation, Lodging & Tour Booking
Getting to Dalat, Vietnam When I arranged my transportation to Dalat I was told by the travel agent to wait outside my hotel in Mui Ne and be ready to be picked up by the bus at approximately 12 p.m.…
Mui Ne, Vietnam – Sand Dunes & Sightseeing
Mui Ne is a coastal beach town approximately four hours from Ho Chi Minh City in the southeastern region of Vietnam. I found the town to be like most other beach towns I’ve traveled to around the world. There were…
Sweating on a Sleeper Bus to Mui Ne, Vietnam
When traveling north from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), people have a number of options when deciding where to venture next. Many people choose to take a faster route, skipping a few smaller cities along the way to end up…
Flying to Taipei, Taiwan
Flying to Taipei, Taiwan was much easier than the first leg. I said flying was not getting into the country. This connecting flight was only approximately 3 hours, but it felt more like 4. Maybe I did my math wrong while…