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Orchids blossom in spring time in Sa Pa.

For a special spring time holiday destination, head to Tay Bac Highland, and especially Sa Pa. Visitors will be amazed by the orchids, which blossom at this time, the beauty of nature and the many festivals held in the area welcoming the Lunar New Year.

Even in the cold weather, the young tribal people of Sa Pa make visitors feel unforgettably warm with their radiant smiles. During spring time, the fragrance of flowers, the colours of ethnic fabric of H’mong, Dao or Thai women, and the sounds of flutes and the leaf-horn of the village’s young men and women leave a strong impression of Sa Pa on every visitor.

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1. War Remnants Museum – 28 Vo Van Tan. One of the best museum’s in Vietnam. There is an outdoor display with aircraft, tanks, bombs and other military hardware, as well as an indoor photographic display. Photos were taken by war correspondents during the French and Vietnam Wars. Very moving and extremely powerful images, a must for all.

1. Reunification Palace – 106 Nguyen Du. Along with the War Remnants Museum, this is on of the best places to visit in HCMC. The former HQ of the South Vietnamese Government, the Palace was taken by the North in April 1975. Now you visit the site, have a free guided tour and check out a great video at the end. Worth the effort!

1. Ben Thanh Markets – Even if your not into shopping, Ben Thanh Markets are something else. Small isles, huge variety and tough sellers make for an action packed visit! If you are into shopping and bargaining this is heaven! In the evening the markets close and the night Food Market opens. Cheap and tasty food is a great way to end the day!

1. Giac Vien Pagoda – 247 Lac Long Quan. Founded some 200 years ago, this is one of my favorite pagoda’s to visit. Set in District 11, it’s a bit of an effort to get out there, but as they say “it’s not just about the destination; it’s also about the journey!” The easiest way there is to get a Motor Bike Taxi (Xe Om). The pagoda is open from 7am – 7pm.

1. Cafe Hopping – HCMC has grown in size and in population. Business is booming and the younger generation is making some good money. With that, there are now many trendy and funky cafes all around the District 1 area. A great way to spend an hour or two is simply by having a coffee and watching the passing people. You could seriously be in Sydney or Melbourne!

1. Cyclo Ride – A must for all visitors to HCMC! Jump in and go for an hour around the city. Best time for me is at 5pm’ish to enjoy the peak and finish at one of the riverside Hotels for a rooftop cocktail!

Tags: destination, food, Ho Chi Minh, hotel, Hotels, shopping, tour, vietnam

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Tags: Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh, restaurant, top, top 100, vietnam, vietnam restaurant

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A real trans-Vietnam tour usually takes two or three weeks, with many landscapes from the North to the South. In the North you can visit Sapa and Mai Chau, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon and Hoi An are essential stops in the Central region and Saigon and Vinh Long are some in the South.

To meet higher demands of tourists for this kind of tour, Ho Chi Minh City-based tour operator Ben Thanh Tourist offers its own Trans-Vietnam-tour option.

The starting destination will be the Mekong Delta. There, tourists have the opportunity to walk along villages full of many kinds of fruit trees, including mango, plum and lemon.

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In the King Tu Duc dynasty (the 19th century), Can Gio had deep and wide bays where trading boats used to travel in and out busily. In the Nguyen dynasty and French colonial time, Can Gio was a military post, controlling the sea surface of the former Gia Dinh citadel.

Since 1978, Can Gio has belonged to Ho Chi Minh City with the name Duyen Hai district which was renamed into Can Gio district in 1991.
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Tags: festival, food, tour, tourism, tourist, tourists, travel

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