Trekking Fansipan Mount

Preparing for conquering the Fansipan Mount

Fansipan is the highest mountain peak in Vietnam as well as in Indochina (including Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia). Situated in the Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range, Lao Cai province, about 9 km southwest of Sa Pa Township, Fansipan is called “The roof of Indochina” with the the height of 3,143 meters. Fansipan is more and more attractive to tourists who like jungle trek and active adventure travel. The fascinating beauty of azalea flowers forest, bamboo forest, pine-trees forest and the gigantic landscape here make the tourists feel like they are lost in legendary world.

However, it is not easy to conquer the Fansipan Peak. The Fansipan trekking tours are not designed for everyone. Trekkers are required to have a good health. Here are some tips and advices for you if you really want to trek to this peak:

NOTE: People who have had a history of hypertension, heart disease, blood vessel catastrophe should not take part in the tour.

Hanoi Attractions - What to See in Hanoi Vietnam

What to see in Hanoi

With over 1,000-year history and diverse cultural traditions, Hanoi is one of the most popular destinations for all those who travel to Vietnam. Hanoi is also the second largest city in Vietnam as well as the biggest center of culture and education with many historical monuments, famous landscapes, theaters, museums, craft villages… of the country. One of the loveliest features to this city is its many lakes and parks. These provide many beautiful locations to rest in between venturing out in the capital's streets.

Taxis are the best way to travel long distances in Hanoi. But it is quite easy to get around the city on foot or on cyclo. If you are wondering where to see in Hanoi, here are some suggestions for you:

The Con Dao Islands

The Con Dao Islands – One of Top 20 Mysterious Islands in the World

Renowned travel magazine Travel And Leisure has named Vietnam Con Dao on the list of Top 20 islands contain many mysteries in the world. Con Dao Island was also voted as one of best ten islands of the world for a romantic holiday in 2011 by another famous travel magazine - Lonely Planet.

The Con Dao Islands (also known as Poulo Condore) is in southeastern Vietnam (Ba Ria Vung Tau Province) and around 250 kilometers, or a 45-minute flight, from Ho Chi Minh City. It is well-known for its nice beaches shaded with green trees, fresh air, deep-blue waters, and primitive forests. Con Dao comprises 16 beautiful islands and islets with a total area of ​​76 square kilometers.

Da Lat in the South of Vietnam

Da Lat Romantic City

Located on Lam Vien (Langbiang Plateau) high lands, part of the greater Central high lands of Vietnam, Da Lat is 1475m above sea level and is 305 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City. Da Lat attracts all visitors by its amazing French architecture, green pine trees, beautiful sceneries and historical monuments as well as cool climate most of the year. Therefore, Da Lat is considered as“little Paris in tropical zone” (Le Petit Paris).  For a long time, Da Lat has been one of the most famous tourist cities of Vietnam and a romantic city for honeymoon holiday in the country.

Mekong Delta in the South of Vietnam

Vietnam's Mekong Delta - One of top 10 best value destinations

Lonely Planet, one of the most famous tourism magazines, has rated Mekong Delta of Vietnam as one of the ten best value destinations for 2012. In this list, Vietnam’s Mekong Delta ranks the ninth.

This magazine affirmed that: “Vietnam is always good value”. However, Lonely Planet advised tourists to skip the package trips arranged in Ho Chi Minh City and discover the Mekong Delta region themselves as it’s more rewarding and cheaper. It also listed some destinations in a trip to the Mekong Delta such as Chau Doc, Ben Tre, Vinh Long, Ha Tien, Tra Vinh, etc… Tourists can easily travel many interesting places in Mekong Delta by bus, taxi or hire motorbike.

Ha Giang in the North of Vietnam

Located in the North-Eastern Vietnam, Ha Giang is one of the highest provinces of Vietnam and contains the Vietnam’s northernmost point. It shares the border with China in the north and is surrounded by Cao Bang, Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, and Yen Bai The topography of Ha Giang is rather complicated and can be divided into 3 areas: The area on the south has rocky mountain, separated valleys and rivers. The west area has sloping mountain side, high pass, valleys, and narrow springs. The low land area includes hills, valley of Lo River, and Ha Giang Town.

Vietnam Mid-autumn Festival (Tet Trung Thu)

Mid-Autumn (Full moon) Festival in Vietnam

Vietnam Mid-autumn Festival takes place on the 15^th of the lunar August, when the Moon is bigger and brighter than at any time of a year (therefore, it is also called Full Moon Festival). Mid-autumn Festival is the most exciting annual festival for children, because at this time, they are often given toys and foods, such as masks, paper lanterns, star lanterns, the dragon and lion heads, fruits and moon cakes… People also buy moon cakes, fruits, tea, and wine for offerings to worship the ancestor as well as for gifts to present their relatives. 

All about visa to Vietnam

Visa to Vietnam - Information on Vietnamese visa formalities 

Before applying for a Vietnam visa, it is important to determine when and how long you will travel to Vietnam. The maximum valid duration of standard tourist visa is 30 days. You should ask for the maximum period of Vietnam visa to give you more flexibility and make sure that your visa is stamped with the correct dates, correct entry and exit points. Processing normally takes between a week and ten days (some embassies offer an express service for an extra fee), but longer for overseas Vietnamese. To be on the safe side, allow several weeks as mistakes are common and inexplicable delays often occur.