Travel off the beaten track and experience

Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon as some locals still call it has a number of historical and popular sites fairly close to the city center. I often travel to Vietnam for work , and spend the weekends touring the city. On my recent visit, I had a free day in Saigon and wanted to visit a tourist attraction. Since it was still early in the morning, I decided to beat the crowds to see what the hype was about for Bitexco Financial Tower’s Saigon Skydeck . Surrounded by an ever changing landscape, Saigon’s tallest skyscraper gives you a panoramic view of the city. According to a CNN article , it is considered one of the top 25 iconic skyscrapers in the world at 262 meters (859.6 feet). How to Get There Getting there is easy. Located in District 1, just a few streets over from Nguyen Hue, the popular walking street, and also next to the Saigon River. The official address is: No. 36, Ho Tung Mau Street, District 1. Being the tallest building around, it’s not too difficult to spot. You can also co...

We’re not ready to say goodbye to summer just yet – we’re still squeezing in every beach bar getaway possible – but with fall on the horizon, it’s not a bad idea to start thinking about what’s on deck for a little end-of-year adventure. Virtuoso tapped into its data warehouse of $49.5 billion in travel transactions to analyze this fall’s best vacation spots for American travelers, based on future bookings. The overwhelming find: Travelers want to discover somewhere new, favoring under-the-radar spots in Europe, adventurous locales in less-visited South American countries, and more. We divided fall’s trending vacation destinations into two lists: a Hot 10 ranking of emerging places with the largest year-over-year percentage increase in fall travel bookings, and one showcasing the most popular destinations based on booking data – aka the classics. Check out the full lists below – and happy travel planning! The Hottest Fall Vacation Destinations for 2019 Plaza Independencia in Uruguay...

Chandra Taal, the Himalayas, India. Also known as the Lake of the Moon, the gorgeous natural wonder is found in the Spiti Valley, which sprawls across India and neighbors Tibet. It is situated high in the mountains – however even at an altitude of 4 300 m (14 100 ft) it is quite often visited by the hikers and campers. It is said that traders from Tibet have discovered the lake – they would set a camp here and rest before continuing their trip. As for the name, it stems from the lake’s crescent shape and blue color, which however shifts depending on the sky. Just like the Moon, which changes its shape! Chandra Bhaga mountain range surrounds the lake, thus creating a breathtaking backdrop. Why to go there? The valley is a popular tourist destination – it offers numerous amazing views and hiking trails. Meanwhile the lake is an indeed beautiful feature of Spiti. When to go there? From late May to early October. For the rest of the year the lake is frozen and the path becomes i...

Malé, Maldives. The island nation is famous for its pristine beaches, crystal clear water and luxurious resorts. But little is known about the vibrant and hip capital. Its history reaches the 16th century, when a modern city was established and served as a trading center with the Portuguese. Malé is very busy and the fifth most densely populated island in the whole world. Malé has all the attributes of a busy city, except that it is located in a heavenly location. The city’s skyline is defined by the soaring colorful skyscrapers and the blue sea. The Friday Mosque, built in the 17th century, is one of the oldest buildings here. Visitors go shopping in the numerous boutiques and markets. Various international and local cuisines provide delicacies up until late at night. Why to go there? You can find cheaper hotel deals in Malé compared to the luxurious resorts and still enjoy the amazing nature. When to go there? All year round – Maldives is a vacation paradise. How to get t...

I’d been in Ubud just a few days when I was viciously attacked by monkeys. It was an incident that had me in tears, lost me a bottle of Sprite and reluctant to ever return to Monkey Forest.  It just wasn’t safe. Monkey Forest is, as you would expect, a large forest filled with monkeys. There are over 300 of them and after spending five minutes there I had deduced that all 300 are evil. Tamed by the presence of humans over the last 20 years, these monkeys will do anything to get their hands on any food you may be carrying. It’s not uncommon to see them jumping and climbing over tourists, and they’ve been known to get very aggressive – stealing earrings, food and cameras. Despite the aggression, if you manage to keep your distance, make sure not to carry anything valuable, and definitely don’t bring any food (don’t try and hide it either – they WILL find it!) into the forest then you’ll be able to somewhat safely hang out with the ...

I haven’t ridden a bike in more than ten years. I made a promise to myself that I would never allow myself to get on one ever again. I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t do it. Not after The Incident. It was 4pm on 10th April 2002. I was cycling home from school. It was an unexpectedly warm day for this time of year in England and I quickly worked up a sweat, stopping by the side of the road to remove my jacket. Carefully resting it over my handlebars, I set off home. Smiling as the sun beat down on my back, I allowed my mind to wander, thinking of all the homework I had to do, daydreaming of the three hundred ice creams that would be waiting for me… And then it happened. Somehow, my jacket managed to slip from my handlebars, falling onto my front wheel, forcing it backwards towards the brakes and causing the wheel to stop instantly. I was thrown over the handlebars into the road and from that moment forward, I decided I would never ride again. It was just too da...