Category: Vietnam
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Hoi An
We had a great time in Hoi An. A particular highlight was the wonderful Airbnb we stayed at; it was located on the river, and we were living in a very traditional community. The owner, Mrs. Theung, and her multigenerational family live next-door. On the river, directly across the street, they ran a wonderful restaurant…
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Hue to Hoi An
We were lucky to go on a day trip tour that transported us from Hue to Hoi An. The first stop on the tour was an ancient Champa tower that had been buried under the sand for many years, before its discovery. It was interesting to see the efforts going into preservation (a plastic shed…
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Hue
Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam was a fantastic place to visit. The Emperors of the 13 Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), built their impressive Citadel with its Imperial Palace and Forbidden Purple City. Although it underwent some destruction during the Vietnam war it is gradually being restored. It was interesting to see local young couples…
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Halong City
We enjoyed a few quiet days in Halong City, giving kids an opportunity to catch up on schoolwork and Alastair and I a chance to work on our own projects. Halong City was hit by Typhoon Yagie on September 7th, 2024. We had no idea how much damage had been done by the typhoon until…
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Halong Bay
The following morning, we transferred to Ha Long Bay for an overnight cruise and exploration of the bay. We enjoyed an afternoon kayak where the kids got to take out their own Kayak. We stuck close together, not wanting anyone to get lost, and explored a few bays. Following the kayak, the kids went swimming…
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Ninh Binh National Park
We began to explore Vietnam by taking a trip to Ninh Binh national Park with a tour group. The first stop was the ancient capital of Vietnam, Hoa Lu, with its beautiful Shinto shrine. We learned a little bit about the difference between a pagoda to worship the female Buddha and Shinto temples, used for…
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Hanoi
On our first day in Hanoi, Alastair and I left the kids to catch up on their schoolwork while we took a three-hour history of Vietnam and the Vietnam war tour. As it was low season, our tour ended up being private tour, we had an excellent young and informative tour guide, Kein. He had…