My final stop in Vietnam was Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon). Compared to the beaches of the last couple of places, this city was more for remembering the past and understanding the impact of the Vietnam war. Therefore, first on my list was to go to the War Remnants Museum. This musuem has been designed to pay respects and inform people about the war. At the entrance were American tanks and planes. Inside pictures told the story. It is easy to forget how much the w...

Surviving the bus journey down, my final stop before Ho Chi Minh City was Mui Ne. A definite beach resort area, it is unusually spread over 10km making it hard to wander around. I found that the hotel I booked into became my living area. After spending so much time being able to explore a place it was a strange experience. Nearby to Mui Ne there are several dune formations- a red one and a white one! I first went to visit the red dunes. Impressive for Vietnam, i...

Further down the coast, my next destination was Nha Trang. This was definitely a place to enjoy the beach and party. However, given our gluttony in Hoi An, it seemed important to cover some cultural aspects of this town and redeem ourselves a little. It was definitely worth it. Hiring two motorcycles (plus drivers) Elaine and I headed out to see the sights. First stop was the Po Nagar Cham Towers. The Cham towers of Po Nagar were built between the 7th and 12th c...

Arriving in Hoi An, one of the most noticeable things is the amount of tailors- and this is what the town is famous for. You can get anything made, however you want it. I clearly had to partake in this! After checking into our hotel, Elaine and I headed down the streets to find a tailor that would deliver what we wanted, for a high standard and low price. We got sidetracked and ended up having some boots made first! Catalogue after catalogue was brought out for ...

One of the main ways to travel round Vietnam for backpackers is to buy an open bus ticket. You choose when you want to go and how long you want to be there for. I bought one that would take me to 5 places around Vietnam. First stop was Hue, the first major town south of Hanoi. I had already decided due to my short time in Vietnam that I would spend a day here and get the bus straight on to the next place. I therefore had to see all the sights of city very quickl...