Travel off the beaten track and experience

I LOVE Saigon. Are you surprised?  Everyone keeps saying to me, “Jeez, Kate, is there any place you don’t like?” (Well, yes.  Luang Prabang.) I do love Bangkok.  I love Hanoi.  I love Phnom Penh.   But Saigon is more than just another Southeast Asian city I love — it’s the city that would make the best place for me to live. Yes, the metropolis officially known as Ho Chi Minh City is tailor-made for Adventurous Kate.  Here’s why: Saigon has style. Women and men are far more fashion-conscious in Vietnam than any of the other countries I’ve visited in Southeast Asia, and they go all out in Saigon! Fashion makes for entertaining people-watching.  The last thing you want is a boring city! Saigon has greenery. When I was living in the centro of Florence, Italy, I realized how important it was to be surrounded by parks, grass and trees.  Florence’s centro is devoid of any greenery, and it drove me crazy. But Saigon is filled with par...

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...

HANOI HOSTELS:  Best Overall  |  Best for Solo Travelers  |  Best Cheap Hostel  |  Best Party Hostel Interested? PIN NOW, read later! Vietnam’s second largest city, Hanoi is known for being a more scenic, delicious and accessible Vietnamese city than it’s larger brother to the south. But with almost 150 hostels registered, it can be really overwhelming to know where to stay, which is exactly why I made this list of the 20 best hostels in Hanoi. Known for it’s world class street food, and being the gateway to one of the most gorgeous landscapes in Asia (Hanoi Bay), this is a city that must be on the itinerary for anyone in Vietnam or Asia in general. And with the help of this guide, you’ll know how to save money while traveling to Hanoi. I’ve taken the time to organize this list by YOUR travel needs, so whatever you are looking to do in Vietnam (party, chill, sleep, save money) you can quickly find the hostel you need. With the help of this list, yo...