High on a hill overlooking the small seaside resort town of Nha Trang in south-central Vietnam, sits the ruins of Po Nagar, a temple and fortress of the Cham Kingdom that once ruled over much of southern Vietnam.
The ruin is located in the northern part of the city, near the coast. It’s walkable from the central area where most of the hotels are, but it can be very hot in Nha Trang, so it’s probably best to hire a taxi for the 5km trip to the ruins. Po Nagar is one of the most popular sites for tourists in Nha Trang, so it can get very crowded. It’s advised to go in the morning before the big tour buses arrive.
The origins of Po Nagar as a holy site dates back to the 2nd century. A small wooden temple stood on the hill in one form or another for the next few hundred years, until it was razed by invading Javanese in the 8th century. After that, Po Nagar was rebuilt in its current form.
Like other Khmer-style temples, Po Nagar was at times both Hindu and Buddhist. It was built late enough that Buddhist culture had already come to this part of Asia, and the Khmer Empire – which heavily influenced the Cham Kingdom – was already in its decline, but there are shrines to Shiva and Ganesh alongside those dedicated to Buddha.
The temple was called Po Nagar, named for the patron goddess of a local Cham clan that lived in the area. If you’ve already visited Da Nang, up the central coast from Nha Trang, you might have already visited the excellent Cham Museum. This is highly recommended! Unfortunately, there isn’t much informational available at the Po Nagar site. Although guides are available at the ticket office, it might not fit a tight budget to book a private tour. There is a tiny one-room museum at the rear of the historical site, but it doesn’t explain so much. Still, it’s an interesting site to visit, even without a lot of knowledge about the history of the ruins.
If you are lucky, you just might catch a special Cham cultural performance. Although Champa was absorbed into Vietnam in the 19th century, the culture is still very much alive. The Cham people are still found throughout southern Vietnam, and many of the country’s ethnic minorities work hard to preserve their unique culture.
The ruins are an interesting place to spend an hour or so, but unfortunately they tend to be too crowded with large groups of people more interested in taking selfies than in respecting the history. When we visited, we were disappointed to see many people ignoring the signs requesting visitors to remove their shoes and to dress appropriately inside the temples and shrines.
Po Nagar Ruins
Admission
22,000d
Hours
6:00am – 6:00pm
Location
2 Tháng 4, Vĩnh Phước, Thành phố Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa 650000, Vietnam
Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage city just half an hour outside of Da Nang is home to a monthly lantern festival. Be sure to visit this beautiful, charming, and atmospheric city on the night of the full moon so that you can launch a lantern in the river and make a wish.
The Hoi An Lantern Festival is held every month on the night of the full moon. It’s the most popular time to visit this colorful little city, so plan ahead and book your hotel in advance, otherwise you may end up staying in Da Nang.
Getting to Hoi An:
You can reach Hoi An from Da Nang by local #1 Yellow Bus (supposedly only 25,000d, but foreigners are often charged at least double that) or by taxi. We recommend using the Grab app to book a metered car or taxi. This usually costs around 200,000d (about $10) for the 30-minute trip.
Explore the historical UNESCO World Heritage walking down during the day. As the sun goes down, head across the river to the night market where you can find cheap and funky souvenirs, and lots and lots of delicious local food.
Hungry? How about barbecued frog on a stick? Not your thing? Try a whole grilled octopus. Yum!
If frog or octopus doesn’t quite make you hungry, order a banh trang trung, a “Vietnamese pizza”. A grilled rice paper is topped with tons of yummy and savory ingredients, and cooked with a fried egg. Banh trang trung is a central Vietnamese delicacy.
Have some ice cream or beer, or pick up a local dessert. Browse through the fascinating and colorful night market as you wait for the sun to go down. Once it starts to get dark, that’s when the festival begins!
You’ll need to barter at the riverside to hire a boat. You can take a boat out for a 10-30 minute ride up and down the river. A 30-minute ride cost us about 200,000d for three people, including lanterns.
A boatman will row you up and down the river, past the beautiful and historical shops of the old town. When you are ready, light a candle, place it inside a paper lantern, make a wish, and send your lantern off down the river.
Hanoi is a charming city, and the Vietnamese people are generally friendly, welcoming, and kind. However, Hanoi has its fair share of scammers willing to take advantage of naive tourists. Beware of any stranger who acts too friendly or too helpful. Stay alert, stay safe, and use common sense, but don’t expect much help from the local police.
Doughnut Scam
You’ll see ladies carrying baskets of donuts all over the Old Quarter of Hanoi. It’s strange, because you will never, ever see anyone (especially a local) actually eating them! The donuts themselves aren’t that good, but they are used as a part of a scam. A friendly lady will approach you, offering you a doughnut. When you decline, she will give you one to try “for free”. After you accept it, she will demand that you pay her a large amount of money for the doughnut you just “bought”, and will continue to follow you and pressure you (sometimes recruiting her friends to help) until she gets her money. Avoid this by simply avoiding the donuts. There is a reason that nobody is eating them!
Shoe Repair Scam
While walking, a “concerned” man sitting on a stool by the side of the road will point to your shoe, indicating that it’s falling apart. As soon as you stop to look, he will squat down and begin applying glue to the shoe’s non-existent defect, afterwards demanding that you pay him some exorbitant amount (sometimes up to hundreds of thousands of dong) for his service. If you refuse to pay, these men might try to hold your shoe hostage, and can sometimes become aggressive. To make matters worse, the “glue” that they apply is actually a chemical solvent which will dissolve the stitching in your shoe for real, perpetuating this scam.
Fake Tour Agency Scam
There are so many tour agencies in Hanoi. The most famous and reputable of these is the Sinh Tourist (formerly the Sinh Cafe). Unfortunately, many less-reputable companies have tried to take advantage of Sinh’s good name by creating fake Sinh Cafe and Sinh Tourist offices, even down to the logo on the sign! These are not the real agency, and will overcharge you and rip you off. Be sure to visit the Sinh Tourist’s official website: https://www.thesinhtourist.vn/fraudwarning to make sure that you go to the correct office when you are booking your train or bus tickets, or when booking a tour.
Free Photo Scam
You’ll see hawkers all over Hanoi wearing typical Vietnamese conical hats and carrying hawker baskets across their shoulders. Sometimes they will smile and wave, offering to let you wear their hat or to take a picture with their baskets. After that they will demand that you pay them. There is no such thing as a free photo!
Hue, in central Vietnam, was the capital and seat of the final imperial dynasty until 1945. The Nguyen Dynasty ruled Vietnam from Hue’s Imperial City. Although Hue took some of the worst damage during the Vietnam War, the Imperial City has been partially restored, and is open to visitors. If you want to learn about Vietnam’s history, don’t miss a visit to Hue! Here is everything that you need to know.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site Imperial City is the main attraction in Hue. A citadel within a citadel, the Imperial City was the home of the last emperors of Vietnam.
Admission:
150,000d – tickets can be bought in cash at the ticket booths near the front gates to the citadel.
Hours:
8:00am – 5:30pm daily
8:00am – 10:00pm Thursday (limited access at night)
Changing of the guard:
Don’t miss the changing of the guard ceremony, which takes place at the imperial citadel’s front Ngo Mon Gate every morning at 8:00am. You don’t even need to have a ticket to see this interesting historical reenactment, as the changing of the guard ceremony takes place outside of the imperial city’s walls.
If you have some extra time, take an hour or so to enjoy a relaxing walk around the walls of the Imperial City. There are wide sidewalks surrounding the city beautiful and atmospheric moat, and you’ll be able to see the citadel’s four impressive gates up close.
What not to miss:
The most impressive sites inside of the Imperial City include:
The Forbidden Purple City – the residence of the emperor and his household
The Nine Dynastic Urns – each forged with symbols representing each emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty
Hue Museum of Antiquities – the museum is located just at the exit to the Imperial Citadel, and includes numerous beautiful treasures from the Nguyen Dynasty
The last emperors of Vietnam:
The reign of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) was plagued by political tension with the French colonial government. Although granted limited autonomy, the emperors were placed in the difficult position of trying to appease both their own people and their colonial overseers. Eventually, the dynasty collapsed with the rise of the nationalistic Communist movement of Ho Chi Minh. Vietnam became independent from French Indochina, and reorganized from a monarchy into a Communist state.
Emperor Bao Dai, the final emperor, died in exile in France in 1997. He spent the rest of his life calling for unity and peace in Vietnam, even after his exile.
Getting to and from Hue:
Hue has a very small airport, but the best ways to get to and from the city are by train or by bus. Hue is located just three hours by bus from Da Nang, and 12 hours (via overnight bus) from Hanoi.
Going out on a Hoi An basket boat is a fun experiences and amazing activity that you can manage by yourself without a tour company. There’s no need to book a package tour – save time and money!
Hoi An Coconut Basket Boat on Thu Bon River, along with water coconut forest
Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage site that is famous for its charming ancient city. There are so many things to do and see. Since arriving in Vietnam, I’ve been looking forward to trying out a basket boat tour, an activity where you can explore the jungle, learn about local fishing and crabbing, and about the history of the Vietnam War, called the “American War” here in Vietnam.
I asked many people and did a lot of research about how to do this activity on your own. Some people, even the staff at my hotel, only wanted to sell me a package tour, and wouldn’t even help me by giving me the information on how to get to the coconut village on my own. I hope my plan can help those traveler on a budget like me who would rather skip the package tour and have an independent adventure 🙂
My guide who showed me the village and water coconut jungle
We started our day early and used Grab Taxi (taxi booking app with reliable service and fair prices) to to to Cam Thanh Village, which is about 4 km from Hoi An Ancient Town. The taxi cost about 40k VND or $1.7 one way (depends on where you stay). I just showed the picture of the boat to the driver so he knew where to drop me off. About 10 minutes later, we arrived. The driver dropped us off at a local restaurant, where the owner also runs a basket tour business.
We were a group of 3 people, and at first she wanted to charge us 300.000VND/person. After we hesitated, she dropped the price down to 700.000/3 people. Eventually after some bargaining, she agreed to charge 300.000/boat, which is 200.000/person. The boat ride is about 1 hour long in a loop, and one boat can fit maximum 3 passengers (including the guide). I’m happy with the price, while tour companies charge over 600.000VND/person.
Cute rings gift made out of coconut leaves from our guide
After we were seated, we were ready to sail! Our guide was a middle-age women who paddled us along the whole way (she is so strong!). This type of boat needs special skills to paddle. The water is very clear and I could see many fish in the water below me.
After we set sail, the first station we visited was a local fishing spot. It’s amazing how they throw the net to make their catch. We are not only got to watch how they do it, but we even got to do it ourselves! Our guide paddled us up close to the fishing boat so we could climb on to the fishing boat and learning by doing!
local shows a traditional way of fishing
After we finished learning how to cast a fishing net, we continue sailing deeper in the water coconut forest. The guide showed us where the local people hid from American bombs during the war. The people of Hoi An would hide under the coconut trees while trying to ambush the US Army. Now, the area that used to be bombed is now just an empty area without any coconut trees but full with memories from the villagers.
An empty area that used to be bombed by the US army during Vietnam war
Our guide could not speak English, but she was able to use body languages and some keywords. She had such a great sense of humor, and was constantly laughing and giving us high fives! I’m so impressed by how she paddled us down the river, all the while weaving many cute handmade gifts for us out of the coconut leaves such as grasshopper toys, flower rings, and a flower crown (I didn’t even realize when she did it). She told us that the basket boats are all made out of bamboo.
After that, there was another extraordinary fun experience when the villagers showed us how to spin in the basket. It’s FUN and INSANE! I can feel dizzy just by watching others, so I didn’t try it, but my sister did! I could only laugh and enjoy her screaming while the man in the boat spun the basked around and around so fast!
Basket Boat swing, extremely fun experiences in Hoi An
We moved on along the river, enjoying the beautiful nature. There was a spot where we could get out of the boat and stand on an old coconut trunk, while our guide took a picture.
This forest in the river is a water coconut forest. I had never heard of water coconuts before! They are very different from the coconuts that I’m used to.
Coconut that was is floating on the river
Then we came to the last activity: crab fishing! I watched my guide pick up a fresh clam from the water and hang it on a hook. Then she paddled us close to a coconut tree and tried to catch a big purple crab! It’s unbelievable! A huge, fat fresh water crab came out by instinct to grab the clam. She lifted the crab up into the boat, while he was holding onto the clam by his claw. After they got the crab to show us, they released it back in the river where they belong. I’m happy about that. At first I thought they were going to eat them!
Fresh water crab in coconut village before being released
Finally we got back to the pier. The boat runs from early morning until sunset. I really really enjoyed this activity, especially since our guide was so friendly and cheerful. There is so much to learn and see. After this we will join the Lantern Festival in Hoi An.
Coconut Basket boat on Thu Bon river. Fun experiences of Hoi An
If you want to try out a basket boat ride, you should try to go on your own! The tours can make things convenient, but can cost you a lot more money. In the end, we felt like we had the whole river to ourselves. What an amazing experience! It was a lot more fun than going with a big group. The lady who helped us to book the trip also told us that when the tour groups arrive, the local people don’t receive as much money. It can also be beneficial for the local people who work so hard to give these fun and amazing tours to go independently.
Don’t leave central Vietnam without stopping in Hue to visit the Imperial City, sample the colorful and vibrant royal cuisine, and of course enjoying a cup of famous Hue salt coffee!
Vietnam is famous for its incredible coffee. Coffee-lovers like to say that Vietnam has some of the best coffee in the world! But if you are getting tired of your daily milk coffee, why not try something a little more unusual? Hanoi may be famous for Egg Coffee, the city’s specialty, but Hue has a special coffee drink of its own: Salt Coffee!
Salt coffee is brewed in a traditional Vietnamese stainless-steel coffee filter called a “phin”. When you order a salt coffee, you will be brought a fphin dripping filtered coffee into a cup of salty cream. After a few minutes, all of the coffee will be in the cup. Stir the coffee and cream together, and add a few ice cubes to cool it off. Central Vietnam is hot!
Even though the idea of salt coffee may sound strange, it actually works really well. The rich Vietnamese coffee combined with the salty cream gives the coffee a sweet distinctly caramel flavor.
You can find salt coffee at most cafes in Hue, but one of our favorite places is at Ca Phe Muoi. Some people in Hue even told us that this cafe is home to the original salt coffee (we couldn’t verify, but it’s still very cool)! The cafe is located just outside of the Hue Imperial City. The best part is, one salt coffee costs only 15,000d – that’s less than $1!
Ca Phe Muoi: 142 Đặng Thái Thân
Have you tried salt coffee? What do you think? How does it compare to Hanoi egg coffee? Do you agree that Vietnamese coffee is among the best in the world? Let us know your thoughts!
Hue, Vietnam was once the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnamese emperors. It’s a small town in central Vietnam, and nowadays its big draws are the old imperial city and ancient imperial tombs. Most visitors only spend a day or two in Hue, visiting the top sites. If you have a little more time, take a walk through the town to visit these four beautiful and historic Roman Catholic churches for a different and lesser-seen side of the city.
St. Francis Xavier Church
St. Francis Xavier Church is located in the heart of Hue’s popular tourist area, surrounded by cafes, bars, hostels, and restaurants. It’s very easy to find, and the tall steeple rises above the city, visible even from across the river.
18 Nguyen Tri Phuong St, Huế, Việt Nam
Giáo Xứ Gia Hội
This small local church, on the same side of the Perfume River as the Imperial City, was completely destroyed during the Vietnam War. After bombing by North Vietnamese forces, the church was destroyed, but a statue of St. Mary stood alone in the rubble, completely undamaged. It was rebuilt with the help of the US after they took the city. The church used to be Gothic-style, looking something like Notre Dame in Paris, but now looks simpler, although still very beautiful. If you are lucky, the caretaker, who speaks English, will show you around for free and tell you the history of the beautiful building.
10 Tô Hiến Thành, Phú Cát, Thành phố Huế, Huế
Redemptorist Church (Notre Dame)
This big and impressive Catholic church is surrounded by beautiful, calming gardens. Inside, incense burners are placed near family shrines, a reminder that while the church is definitely Roman Catholic, it is still Vietnamese. The church has a huge open sanctuary with beautiful stained glass and feels cool, light, and breezy.
142 Nguyen Hue Street | Phu Nhuan Ward, Hue, Vietnam
Phu Cam Cathedral
This big, modern-style cathedral is the seat of the Archdiocese of Hue, which oversees five Roman Catholic diocese in central Vietnam. The cathedral is a big, beautiful building, but it’s the gardens that are even more impressive. Walking past the statues, you’ll find a very peaceful and quiet Marian grotto.
1 Đoàn Hữu Trưng, Phước Vĩnh, Thành phố Huế, Thừa Thiên Huế
Looking for something to read on your travels? There are plenty of bookstores around Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi.
Just past Trang Tien Plaza, a shopping mall at the corner of the lake, you’ll find a street with many different bookstores. This branch of Highland Coffee (where you can find amazing Vietnamese coffee for decent prices) is attached to a bookstore. Most of the books are in Vietnamese, but climb to the second floor for a selection of international books, many of which are in English. The store has a good collection of books about Vietnamese history and culture.
Just across the street, Kimmay is a really interesting store. Part clothing store and part bookshop, the store has a selection of art and fashion books in English.
If you are looking for some cheap used books, check out the booksellers along the road just around the corner. Although most of these books are in Vietnamese, you’ll be able to find (photocopied) Lonely Planet guides and books about Vietnam (such as “The Quiet American”).
Head to the other side of the lake for the best selection of English books all about travel, Vietnamese history and culture, and art. The store is also part souvenir shop.
How long should you spend in Hue, Vietnam? Well, you really only need a day or two to visit the Imperial City and the Forbidden Purple City. You need another day or two to visit the old Imperial tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty. For many visitors, that’s all that Hue has to offer. However, the small city in central Vietnam has so much more to see! Don’t rush out of town after only visiting the big tourist sites. Instead, spend a few days longer in Vietnam’s old imperial capital to learn a lot more about the country’s history and culture. One (FREE) way to learn a bit about Vietnamese traditional handicraft is by visiting the XQ Historical Village, on the banks of the Perfume River in Hue.
This organization seeks to preserve traditional Vietnamese art and culture through traditional Hue-style embroidery. The organization runs a free museum, and it’s very much worth your visit.
This is definitely one of the best museums in Hue, and the best part is, it’s free! The museum has a big collection with tons of amazing embroidery, from traditional Vietnamese designs to photoreaslistic portraits.
1 Phạm Hồng Thái, Vĩnh Ninh, Thành phố Huế, Thừa Thiên Huế
This coffee shop will always be one of the top in my mind. The Note is very easy to spot as you walk around Hoan Kiem Lake. You will see a bright, cheerful, and colorful shop with friendly face waving at you from across the street. My all time favorite is “Egg Coffee”. The whipped yolk gives the coffee a full, creamy taste and a chocolaty-vanilla scent. You would not be able to imagine how it tastes until you try it! I promise you won’t be able to tell that there is an egg in your mug. I guarantee you will have a smile painted on your face after one sip 🙂 The shop has 3 floors to sit and chill, and is fully decorated with post-it notes from customers from floor to ceiling..How COOL!
One of the most outstanding aspects of The Note is their friendly staff. They will come and talk to you with a big smile. I keep coming back here again and again when I’m in Hanoi.
This is one of my favorite coffee shop around Hoan Kiem Lake. Haka Coffee is a place for coffee lovers. This coffee shop is located next to the Martyrs’ Monument opposite Hoàn Kiếm Lake. I love the coffee here. The strength of the coffee is just right and it’s not too sweet. I personally love the shop’s atmosphere. The employees are friendly and can speak English well. We ordered 2 drinks. First, a traditional Vietnamese coffee with condense milk which was served in 3 layers: from the bottom to the top, condensed milk, coffee, and foam. Second, the famous Vietnamese Egg coffee! The mellow egg foam comes in such a thick layer that it can give you a fake beard! 😀 Again, you won’t be able to tell there is an egg in your cup! The aroma of their coffee tells you that they use a very good quality coffee bean. The atmosphere in this coffee shop is what I like the most. It’s peaceful and quiet, with plants and interior decorations that give it a cozy and comfortable feeling. They provide free wifi and outlets as well, so it’s a great spot to work on your laptop and chill. We were lucky enough to come to this shop on Monday, when they offer 1 FREE homemade cookie for every coffee you order!
3 layers served of Vietnamese coffee with condense milk and cookies
Location Haka Coffee
3. Kalina Cafe
Kalina Cafe is located at the southwest corner of Hoan Kiem Lake. This cafe has a very cozy atmosphere. You can choose to sit inside or outside (and enjoy people-watching). They have various types of coffee, including traditional egg coffee. Besides coffee, they also serve tea, dessert, breakfast, and more. They can speak English well and they have free wifi here. The shop can be very busy during weekends as Hanoians like to come out and chillax.
If you are tired of coffee, try their flavored oolong iced teas! These come in flavors ranging from vanilla to apple pie!
We had walked past this shop many times, but the the first time we visited, we decided to get a cold coffee after being grilled from the heat. The shop is very close to the Tượng Đài Quyết Tử (Martyr’s Monument). It is easy to notice; to me it looks a bit like a glass greenhouse. The shop has 2 floor, and you can choose in the a/c or outdoors on the second floor. We ordered iced Americano, and went chill on the second floor. I’m very impressed with the atmosphere there. It’s like I was sitting in the garden under the tree’s shade. You can see the hustle and bustle of the street of Hanoi, but surprisingly it was very peaceful up there. I enjoyed watching people crossing the road, the bikes and cars that will not give way to each other, and street vendor wearing traditional Vietnamese hats. Now let’s talk about coffee. Their Americano is good; neither too strong nor too weak. I think the atmosphere helps improve the coffee’s taste! I can’t imagine a better spot to sit and cool off after a busy day walking around the Old Quarter.
Tiny Cafe is a tiny cafe with a big quality. I tried their Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk. They provide free wifi here so you can work and relax. Although there is no a/c, it’s not hot at all.
FYI. They have 2 floors with a toilet on the top floor and balcony seats looking out over the city.
Tiny Cafe is located just next to the Military History Museum and the Imperial Citadel. It’s really convenient to visit, rest your feet, and have a little caffeine after a long day walking around some of the city’s most impressive sites.
LB convert 