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Vietnam

Temple of Literature in Hanoi – Where You Pray for Good Grades

October 8, 2020 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

At the Temple of Literature in Hanoi (Vietnam), you can pray for good school grades. After all, this temple honors the greatest Vietnamese scholars of ancient times. Obviously, many students would visit the temple during examination days, praying they’d get the exam results they’re hoping for. Perhaps, the most-visited temple

Vietnam

Ba Vi National Park – A Day Trip from Hanoi

September 15, 2020 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Ba Vi National Park is a protected park just outside Hanoi. In what supposed to be an hour drive, it took us almost two and a half hours because of the unpredictable weather. It was a fight between the sun, clouds, and fog. On our way up to the mountain,

Vietnam

This Lady Buddha at Chua Linh Ung Pagoda in Da Nang is the World’s Largest

August 19, 2020 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

The Lady Buddha at Chua Linh Ung Pagoda / Temple in Da Nang is the world’s largest (and perhaps, tallest, too!) Female Buddha. If you are sunbathing or just strolling along the beaches of this coastal city, you won’t miss it from afar. Dan Nang’s Lady Buddha is standing on

Vietnam

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi

August 15, 2020 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi is no different from Chairman Mao’s at the Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Both bodies of these political leaders are enshrined in a building for everyone to see. Ok, not everyone – only for those who are willing to queue

Vietnam

The Imperial Citadel of Than Long in Hanoi

August 5, 2020 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

The Imperial Citadel of Than Long in Hanoi is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its cultural, political, and architectural significance. Unlike other UNESCO World Heritage Sites I’ve been to, the citadel was kind of a disappointment to me. I thought I was gonna see much more than just

Vietnam

Hoi An at Night is a Scene in a Period Movie

July 17, 2020 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Hoi An at night is just like a scene in a period movie. It’s a feast of colours shimmering in all directions. The lanterns hanging on many household doors are a sight to behold. The floating candle offerings on the river are mesmerizing. If you are traveling with the love

Vietnam

20 Things to do and see in Hanoi

June 17, 2020 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Here are 20 things to do and see in Hanoi (Vietnam). If you are into Vietnamese food, this list won’t help you much. I’m not including the names of restaurants because when you are in Hanoi, you can eat everywhere, especially in the Old Quarter. The locals love their food

Inside Huyen Khong Cave Danang Things to do

Vietnam

Exploring the Caves at the Marble Mountains in Da Nang

May 25, 2020 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Exploring the caves at the Marble Mountains in Da Nang can be really confusing. There are just so many of them and you don’t even know where to start – even if you follow the map. Going to one direction would mean either you will miss a cave or you

Vietnam

This Dragon Bridge in Danang Breathes Fire and Water

May 10, 2020 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

This Dragon Bridge in Danang breathes fire and water – in the evening. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen it in action. I walked the bridge a couple of times in my two-week stay there but I didn’t know about the evening show – until my last night there. Yep, I missed

Vietnam

Hanoi Skyline from Lotte Tower

April 27, 2020 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Hanoi skyline from Lotte Tower was not I expected. From up there, the city seems so calm and organized. There are no traces of the chaotic life on the streets of Hanoi. If there’s one thing that’s consistent with the city’s skyline, it’s the pollution. A friend of mine said

Vietnam

Visiting Old Town Hoi An – Was it Really Worth the Hype?

March 28, 2020 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Visiting Old Town Hoi An in Vietnam was a disappointing experience for me. And I’d say this early in this post – it’s not worth the hype. My Lonely Planet Guidebook placed this ancient town on the top of the list of places to visit in Vietnam. Pardon me if

Vietnam

Hanoi Train Street is Open for Business – and the Tourists are Back!

March 22, 2020 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Hanoi Train Street is back on business – after it was shut down in October 2019. Police authorities said it was dangerous so they decided to close the cafes along the rail tracks. Why such a decision? Because a bad tourist nearly died that the train captain had to push

Vietnam

Cruising the Mekong River in Vietnam

August 18, 2014 KeepCalmAndWander 2 Comments

Cruising the Mekong River in Vietnam gave me view of what life looked like to people living on boats and on stilt houses. There’s so much activities there and people didn’t seem to mind the deep and strong current of the yellow river that passes through six countries: China, Laos,