Darius' Travel Blog: January 2007

Monday, January 29, 2007

Halong Bay is a World Heritage site and probably the most beautiful area in Vietnam. There are more than 3000 limestone islands rising out of the water in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Hue is home to the ancient Citadel and only 50 kilometers away from the former Demilitarized Zone where (ironically) some of the heaviest fighting occured during the Vietnam war.

Thai Hoa Palace in the Citadel

To Mieu Temple in the Citadel

Entrance to Vinh Moc Tunnels

Debris from the Vietnam War at Khe Sanh Combat Base

Ancient ruins at My Son

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

The riverside town of Hoi An used to be a major international trading center from the 17th to the 19th century. Relatively untouched by the Vietnam War, many of its historical structures are still intact today.

Example of local architecture

An old Chinese Assembly Hall

Japanese Covered Bridge

A lot of activity at the local market

Rice Paddy

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Moving up the coast as I work my way to the north of Vietnam, I stopped over in Mui Ne Beach. It is known for its sand dunes and its consistent wind makes it very popular with wind- and kite-surfers.

Kite-surfing capital of Vietnam

Fishing vessels

Red Canyon

Lotus Lake

White Sand dunes

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon) is a dynamic metropolis in the south of Vietnam. Old meets new here because timeless traditions are as much part of the city as soaring skyscrapers which are home to many multinational companies.

City Center

Hotel de Ville

Jade Emperor Pagoda

Fish stand on the side of the road

Rush Hour

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Crossing over the border to Vietnam, I spent a couple of days in the Mekong Delta in South Vietnam. The Mekong is a massive river that starts in Tibet and ends in the South China Sea. It is home to the country's largest agricultural area which is mostly used to grow rice.

Hazy sunset over the rice fields in Chau Doc

Family traveling down the river

Children living in a village by the river

Rice noodles drying

Floating market in Can Tho

Eyes on the bow of a boat for good luck

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Happy new year everyone! I am back on the road and my first stop is Cambodia for a few days. The capital Phnom Phen is close to the infamous Killing Fields where about 17,000 were executed in the mid 70s. My second stop is Siem Reap, home of the temples of Angkor including Angkor Wat which is the largest religious building in the world.