Ha Long Bay has been recognized many times as a natural heritage of the world with thousands of brilliant natural islands. This place is a very attractive tourist destination with inner and outer tourists because of its beautiful scenery.

Ha Long Bay is known for its beautiful rock formations and caves. There are two types of islands in Ha Long including limestone islands and shale islands, which are concentrated in the southeastern area of Bai Tu Long Bay and the south west of Ha Long Bay. This is the oldest image of the place whose geologic age is of 250 – 280 million years, they are the results of the process of the raising up and down several times of the geology from the continent to the sea. Carxto erosion and weathering process were the reasons behind the creation of the unique Ha Long.

In 2000, Ha Long Bay was voted by the National Geographic Magazine as one of the top 25 beautiful destinations in the world. In February 2014, National Geographic (USA) voted Ha Long Bay as one of the 10 attractive destinations for the 2014 season.

For domestic tourists, Ha Long Bay is a destination ideal for holidays or weekends with family and friends. However, there are some difficulties for foreign visitors to come and visit the beautiful Bay. That is, at the moment, they must first fly to Noi Bai International Airport in Ha Noi, before travelling to Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh. However, the good news is that Van Don Airport has been approved of becoming an international airport recently, which makes it easier for international tourists to travel to Ha Long. By that, it partly helps improve the tourism development in Quang Ninh in general and Ha Long Bay in particular.

Quang Ninh International Airport, also known as Van Don International airport is a project on Van Don Island, Quang Ninh Province. Acknowledged as having the potential for further development on tourism in this place, there has been tremendous proposals to make Van Don Island district a new attractive destination for tourist worldwide. With the purpose of bringing Van Don into a special economic zone, international airports are being rushed to be built with total investment up to 3,900 billion VND.

In the first stage, the airport has the longest runway in Vietnam, with 3.6 km in length and 45m in width. The runway is constructed in accordance to international standard with 2 layers of reinforced concrete. The runway allows wide body aircraft such as the Boeing 787, Airbus A350 to land normally. Particularly for the aircraft apron, it is possible to land at least four of the most modern Boeings as well as conventional models such as the Airbus A321.

Along with the runway, airport apron and passenger terminal are also under construction. Passenger terminal at the first stage is estimated to be 25.000 m2, its capacity is of 2.5 million passengers per year. In the second phase (2020-2025) and the third phase (2025-2030), the capacity will increase to 5-10 million passengers per year. Works such as cargo terminals, aircraft parking lots, new runways … Will also be built in the next stages.

With the serious investment to the construction of Van Don international airport, Quang Ninh tourism is expected to continue to develop in the near future. Especially, with the world natural heritage of Ha Long Bay, the number of foreign tourists coming to Quang Ninh through Van Don International Airport will continue to increase, bringing significant economic benefits to the people.

There are a few rules you should apply while taking an Vietnam adventure. For example, Being extremely reactive and able to anticipate changes are advisable in case of either a pothole on the road or a driver suddenly switching lanes without warning. However, one of the most tips that cannot be ignored is buying or renting a right motorbike (instead of ending up buying a medical insurance.)

Rent or Buy?

It will not cost you a lot to rent a basic scooter, just less than 50$ per month. Hiring might help you to save much hassle because there is no need for you to register your purchase and it is not your responsibility to make repairs in need.

However, if you are in the ownership of a resident card, buying your own motorcycle is a good idea to experience adventure activities in Vietnam. Moreover, it will be easier to register a used one because you can save a ton of time and paperwork.

Motorbike Driving Licenses in Vietnam

When it comes to the driving licenses and permits to take a Vietnam adventure, you are allowed to drive a bike up to 175cc if you have the A1 license. As foreigners living in Vietnam, you can have a national driving license by translating it into Vietnamese and then you will be granted a Vietnamese license without having to pass any exam. However, you are required to take a test which is quite easy if your country’s driving license does not include two-wheelers. All you have to pay for the A1 license is not more than USD 50.

Moreover, a genuine A2 is required to ride a “real” bike and it charges you over USD 1,000. If you want a lower charge, then you must get an invitation from a bike club. Obviously, the number of people owning a more powerful ride than the police have is put under the control of the authorities (police bikes in Vietnam have 400cc engines).

Finding out the right motorbike for you

You can give people a hint about who you are through what you drive. Here are some options for your cycling Vietnam tours:

Honda SH or Vespa scooter for look and style-conscious people

As a look and style-conscious one, you can drive along in an SH or a Vespa made in Vietnam (with a maximum price of USD 7,000), or spend at least USD 8,500 to import your own ride from Italy. SH scooters are higher than others, which helps its driver and his partner can enjoy looking down on others, inflating their ego yet slimming their wallet. However, you should remember that you might have to pay a bit extra to park SH bike where it can be seen during your Vietnam adventure activities.

Especially in Ho Chi Minh City, Vespas motorbikes are most alluring. An old-school Vespa is not too expensive; restoring and maintaining it will cost a pretty penny. However, you can find it sometimes hard to start and the backseat might cause you discomfort during your adventure in Vietnam.

Both types have the same stylish manner and similar accessories. For example, you can wear wide sunglasses, trendy clothes and most distinctively 1.10-meters tall leggy girl riding pillion like a praying mantis ready to devour her prey.

Price-sensitive tourists ride Honda Wave or Honda Dream

If you fancy a motorbike that is strong, economical and a friendly-fixer ride for your Vietnam adventure holidays, then the Dream, which has been the mainstay of Vietnamese daily life for generations, is the best option. However, your style will not be highly thought of because of the basket up front. Although you can have much space in order to store your raincoat and other goods, you will end up looking like you borrowed a ride of the old.

A Honda Nouvo, a Honda Air-blade or an SYM Attila for your young style

If you choose the Nouvo or Air-blade scooters to get an active travel Vietnam, you can have a well-matched pair and become outstanding among two- wheeled landscape across HCMC. This type is suitable to the new bourgeoisie and it has the same size of a Wave or a Future. The difference does away with the basket up front and has a nifty container underneath the seat. Its cost is reasonable and it is a convenient automatic ride in case you can get stuck in Saigon traffic jam at any time.

Now that you desire to take a memorable Vietnam adventure by scooter, you should research carefully and choose a right one.

01. Why should I travel to Vietnam?!

• Vietnam is safe for travelers. We have hardly recorded any severe crime targeting to travelers.
• The price for a tour to Vietnam is relatively cheap in comparison to other countries of the region such as Laos, Myanmar or Singapore.
• Booking tours are easy and convenient: the internet is quick enough, online payment secured at international standards, local operators are professional to deal with all types of requests, and infrastructure is relatively well responded to travel industry requirements eg. Hotels, restaurant, airlines, and transportation etc.
• Food and drink are delicious, healthy and amazingly cheap, especially street food.
• Locals are friendly, warm-hearted and willing to help.

02. Is it easy to entry to Vietnam? Do I need a Visa?

Almost yes. Even though most of English speaking visitors to Vietnam are requested to get Visa before entering Vietnam, the procedure is very simple and cheap. Most of our travelers obtain Visa on arrival because of its easy procedure. However, Vietnam has not had eVisa portal yet, then you will need a local tour operator issue you an Approval letter ( Hot news: Vietnam is having e-visa since 2017). The steps are providing personal information, paying the service charge (10$ – 20$ depending on different operators), getting the Letter via mail or fax after 3 business working days.
HIT Vietnam tour provides the approval letter for free to all travelers booking package tours with us. Passport holders from ASEAN countries are exempted.
=> Read more: how to obtain Visa to Vietnam

03. How many ways to enter Vietnam?

There are 4 ways via airports, seaports, waterways and road border gates. We order the most to less popular ways to enter Vietnam as follows:

• Airports – this is the most loved option for travelers entering Vietnam. There are 3 international airports in Vietnam consisting of Noi Bai (in Hanoi), Danang (in Danang) and Tan Son Nhat (in Ho Chi Minh city).
• Seaports – Often used by passengers from big cruise liners visiting Vietnam and often staying for 1 or 2 nights. The notable ports are Cai Lan, Bai Chay (in Halong bay), Hai Phong (in Hai Phong), Chan May (in Hue), Danang (in Danang), Cam Ranh (in Nha Trang), Phu My (in Vung tau) and Sai gon (in Ho Chi Minh city).
• Road border gates – this way is often for travelers connecting from Laos, Cambodia, and China by road transfer. The border gates are located in remote districts then the distance to main cities or tourist center is not very convenient and results in many costs in transportation fees.
• Waterways – the sole waterways for tourists is between Vietnam and Cambodia via Mekong River by luxurious river cruises or speed boats. Important note: You are requested to bring with the original letter of Visa approval when border crossing. Printed or faxed ones are not accepted

04. When is the best time to visit Vietnam?

You can enjoy Vietnam all year round, especially in Central and South Vietnam. In the north, this is from October to April next year. From May to Sep, North Vietnam is in summer – the temperature is around 33 – 37C with heavy rain intervals. If you love to get tanned and enjoy tropical rains in your own way, traveling to Vietnam during this times may be the best. Furthermore, you will possibly enjoy remarkable and lovely discounts.
=> See all suggested: Best time to visit Vietnam

05. What are the most recommended things to do in Vietnam?

• Here are our suggestions of some most loved activities from our experiences of serving customers after years:
• Cruising in Halong bay
• A tour to Sapa with homestay and trekking/hiking – the hardship of activities is optional depending on your physical health.
• Cultural discoveries in Hue
• Cooking class or farming tour in Hoi an.
• Beach holidays in Hoi an, Nha Trang or Mui Ne
• A trip or easy cycling tour in Mekong delta.
• Interval city tours in Hanoi and Sai gon to discover the cities, street food, scooter tours, water puppet show and cyclo tours.

=> See more: Activities in Vietnam

06. Where are must-see places I should take into account?

Considering from North to South: Halong bay, Sapa, Hue, Hoi an, a beach and Mekong Delta. Hanoi and Sai gon are the musts and play their roles as the starting and fishing ends, too. Those places offer you the bests in both terms of culture and nature top highlights.
All those places can be done in about 12 – 14 days package for the utmost comfort that means you will have enough time at each stop to enjoy their sounds and senses.
=> For more: Vietnam top destinations

07. Why should I book with HIT Vietnam tour?

1. HIT Vietnam is a local tour operator in Vietnam. Our staffs are all Vietnamese. We talk and work with all suppliers in Vietnam including hotels, transportation, tour guide, and restaurants to book your tours. We try our best to cut off the “middle man”.
2. HIT Vietnam is a full licensed tour company under Vietnamese Law. Our number 01-091/2009/ TCDL – GPLHQT
3. HIT Vietnam responds directly to you – quick and effective to customize all kind of travel services.
4. HIT Vietnam has experienced since 2008 dealing with tailor-made tours as well as big groups with hundreds of customers traveling together.
5. Our guides will speak your language. The languages are English, French, Germany, Spanish, Thai and Chinese (mandarin and Cantonese).
6. HIT Vietnam provides a secure online payment gateway with SSL Technology to deal with all popular cards VISA, Master, Amex, JCB, and Union Pay.

08. What standard of accommodation is provided on tours?

All our quotes are based on well-located 3-star hotels. In more remote regions, where international standard hotels are infrequent, we endeavor to accommodate our clients in the best available hotels.
Your room is well equipped while in the remote area, your rooms at the guest houses or homestay are limited to comfortable beds, en-suite bathroom, air-conditioning and hot water running from shower/bath.
=> See all suggested for accommodations in Vietnam

09. What about transport while I’m in each city?

If you are taking a tour package, an air-conditioned private vehicle (depending on the group size) is provided. The public transport in Vietnam such us buses and subway are not available and convenient for tourists as in Western countries. Taxis are fairly inexpensive but make sure you take your hotel details with you.
The guide of cars used fitting group size is 1pers – 4 seaters, 2 pers – 7 seaters, 3 to 6 person – 16 seaters, 7 to 10 pers – 25 seaters, 11 to 15 pers – 35 seaters, from 15 pers up – 45 seaters.
=> See more transportation information in Vietnam​

10. What meals are included?

We often include a welcome dinner in our quotations. Your meal is Vietnamese cuisine in a fine restaurant. Daily breakfast is included on all tours and is buffet style, served at your hotel or is simple but fresh if you are in a homestay or guesthouse.
For tour including cruise itineraries, the meal inclusions do vary therefore we suggest that once you have selected your preferred tour you may like to refer to the (B/L/D) notations on the itinerary.
=> See more Vietnam cuisine

11. How long should I book a Vietnam tour in advance?

We must say “the sooner the better”. We often see our customers booking their tours about 2 – 3 months in advance, some even a year. Especially in peak season or national holidays when all services are wiped out in an eyeblink, it’s strongly recommended. The minimum length to book your Vietnam tour should not be later than a week prior your arrival date.
The early booking will help you avoid the lack of service availability. You are able to be picky to select the best ones within your pocket and even more enjoy the sweet “early bird deals” from our suppliers.

12. What do I do if I have a food allergy or intolerance?

We can manage for all special request of food if we are informed in advance. Vietnam ingredients are extremely various, we can deal with all kinds of dietary due to your health or religious reasons in main cities.
In more remote areas, the preparation is often more complicated and takes times. We kindly request you to advise us as soon as you can about your eating routines.

13. If I am traveling by myself, do I need to pay a single supplement?

Yes, we have to confirm so. Until the time of this post (2016), we do not offer joined group tours so as far as we control, there is no another solo tourist possibly available to share a room with you. We guarantee to make every effort to negotiate with the suppliers to keep the single charges as low as possible.

14. How to book a tour or service with HIT Vietnam?

• Step 1: Contact us. We offer various ways of contact us of which the most favorite and clearest way is via email info@vietnamtour.com. You can also chat with us online via Facebook, Skype or drop us a message at 0902243637.
• Step 2: receive a customized tour quotations within 24 hours and feel free to change it until you feel happy.
• Step 3: make a deposit (often about 30% of total value) by cards via our Online Card payment gateway or bank transfer. They are our most favorite ways of receiving money. We, however, are very open to your way.
• Step 4: Pay the balance on arrival and enjoy your dream holiday.

15. How can I pay you as the quickest and safest way?

We assign Onepay (onepay.vn) to process Online card payments on our behalf. Onepay gateway maintains the appropriate Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption technology to make sure that all your cards information encrypted securely at international card organization storages – not at our Website, the bank or Onepay itself.
Refer more: Safe online payment with HIT Vietnam

16. How many guides will accompany a tour?

In each city, a professional local guide will provide you with their personal insight of the attractions and history of their city. Their wealth of intimate knowledge and unequaled understanding of the local culture and customs are to be appreciated when providing an invaluable high standard of service to our clients. English speaking guides are included by default, other languages are available upon your request.
All our tour guides are licensed by Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.

17. Can I book for a big group or other special occasions like wedding or anniversary etc?

Without a doubt. We can accommodate groups, weddings, and other special-occasion travel. You may wish to work with an expert to coordinate complicated arrangements.
Tailor-made tours can offer an atmosphere that’s just right for special moments such as romance for honeymooners…cozy dinners for two, strolling on cruise deck or the beach at sunset, dancing the night away (even under the stars) and so much more to remember forever.
HIT Vietnam is capable of supplying up to 50 tour guides and/or vehicles per day. We have experienced to deal with hundred customers traveling in one group with various arrivals/departures, complicated services, and different services.
=> Contact with us for your special requests

18. Any special notes on clothes or etiquettes?

Vietnam is a welcoming country and we are open-minded to differences in culture, religions. You can wear whatever make you feel the utmost comfort. Just some notes you should have to pay attention as follows:

• A pair of long sleeves shirt and long trousers – Some solemn and most of the pagodas in Vietnam request this for visitors or you will be kindly asked to stay outside.
• A light jacket – it is very useful for the “girly” weather in Vietnam.
• A hat, sunglasses, and sun blocked are extremely helpful.

19. Do I need to take out travel insurance?

It is highly recommended that all clients purchase travel insurance at the time of making their reservation. You should buy the travel insurance from your home country where is very much easier to claim when you are in need. In case that anything happens that concern about the travel insurance, we will help you best to obtain paper works as well as authorized claims in Vietnam.
Buying procreated travel insurance before departing is the travelers’ responsibility.

20. Do I need to tip?

While tipping has now become an accepted practice in Asian countries, it should always be considered a gesture of appreciation for good service and not an obligation. We do not include in the tour price a fixed amount. You feel free to tip to the guide and drives as much as you feel the satisfaction.

21. What should I do if I am in an emergency?

We strongly insist you should contact us immediately in any case of an emergency regardless of your health and/or safety matters via phone calls +84-90-224-3637. We do understand the feelings of needing help when being in an exotic environment.
In more severe cases, we will have to work and collaborate with related authorities in charges such as medical care services, police stations or customs offices etc. Under any circumstances, we will do our utmost efforts to get you out of from the situation as soon as possible. All you need are remembering our number, providing information as much and precise as possible, keeping in touch, and trusting in our responsibility and ethic codes of business.

Still questions? We would love to receive your email and message to email at info@vietnamtour.com or phone at 84-90-224-3637 or live chat on Facebook here.

If you are going to Sapa never forget trekking Fansipan mountain. I’m sure that it could be the most unforgettable memory of your tours with the mighty mountains poking through the clouds and the feeling like you are on the top of the world.

But now, I will give you some experience of me who have been trekking Fansipan mountain more than once. Also this is available on my Vietnam travel guide.

1. Preparation

The preparation is really important for your Fansipan trekking tour. There are something you should take a note below.

Weather: it is a gamble. You cannot previous how the weather could be before you go on Fansipan tour. So don’t get your hope up of a fantastic view from the top.

The track: You must read some comment mention the danger of the track to Fansipan mountain. But don’t need to worry. I’m sure that the track is not dangerous as you think. Their track has been well trodden and you can place your feet and hands on the secure part while you are climbing. If you don’t rush or do anything stupid, you will hardly injure yourself in your mt Fansipan trek.

Hotel: I recommend you to book Sapa tours with your hotel to get the best deal. As my research, you have to pay about $50-$80 per person for one night. The more member in your group, the more money you can save.

You also can book your hotel with a charity called “Sapa Chau”. The price is $150 per person. The money you pay will send a large amount to charity. Think carefully if you love the charity and want to make the poor get a better life.

Clothing/equipment: Don’t forget to bring walking boots or the good quality trainer on your hiking Fansipan Vietnam. Moreover, you should bring waterproofs and a spare set. If you go on tour, the tour guide will give you sleeping bag and foods but it is more comfortable if you can bring your own sleeping bag and foods in your trekking Fansipan.

2. Trekking plan

I know there are many people really love trekking but they have tried once because they think they are not fit to complete the climb. Forget it. If you don’t get any trouble with your health and your doctor don’t prohibit you from participating in strong sports, it is ok for you to join trekking Fansipan mountain Vietnam. I do not get a strong health because I used to smoke and drink heavily and don’t do any exercise but I still can climb to the top of Fansipan more than once.

The trekking should be two days to not only have more time to enjoy the weather and view but also help you to have a chance to camp overnight in the jungle. That must be very awesome when you can join other travelers and talk about trips, mountains, roads,…

Day 1: It takes a few hours to walking and then settles down at base your camp for the overnight sleep in the jungle. I recommend you should make a fire and enjoy the night with other travelers when hiking Fansipan mountain.

Maybe you had known but I have to tell you again. There are no showers or any other home comforts there. There is just a larger shed for you to sleep on wooden floor boards. That sounds not too good but when you are half asleep and tired after trekking, it is enough for you to sleep. Don’t stay too late, you have to save your energy for the next day.

Day 2: You just need to trek for about two hours to reach the top of Fansipan mountain Sapa. It is the most awesome landscape I’ve explored. Where the mountain is rounded by the cloud in front of you eyes, the fresh air flow right into your lungs. You not only take in the views but also have the sense of achievement after a long road.

Take a short time enough for enjoying the views and relax. Then come back home, you will be back home by 4 pm.

I hope my plan and experience must be useful for your trekking Fansipan mountain.

Enjoy your trip!

After getting compulsory Visa to Vietnam, you will consider the way you get to enter to Vietnam. Your travel plan will very much depend on the way you choose. Moreover, each way of entering will have some slightly different requirements of Visa. Here is the brief guide while HIT strongly recommends you should look up by yourself to ensure the entry requirements; otherwise, you might find your Vietnam tour become so harsh from the very start.
There are 4 ways to get entered Vietnam:

Airports

This is the most popular way to enter Vietnam. Vietnam has 3 international airports with customs officers who can deal with visa related issues: Danang (in Danang), Noi Bai (in Hanoi), and Tan Son Nhat (in Sai gon – Ho Chi Minh city). Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat are the top choices for most of the international flight schedule.

They are able to deal with migration issues professionally with full functional custom offices. The Visa from Embassies and Letter of Approval for On arrival visa are all accepted. The international terminals are clean, covered with free Wi-fi. The one in Noi Bai airport was newly built in 2014 but in Tan Son Nhat airport, the terminals are quite old, notice boards hard to figure out.

There are some duty-free shops, cafeteria, and restaurants but their menus are not various. Those airports are not enjoyable places to do shopping or entertaining for a few hours transit even though they are making remarkable efforts to change. Please be noticed that the prices of food and drinks at these airports are noticeably higher than usual.

Read more: Vietnam Flights and airlines​

Sea ports

With over 3000km coastline, Vietnam often welcomes a huge amount of visitors coming from big cruise liners via our seaports. The procedure of entry to Vietnam via sea ports is quite different from airports. You are about to need a letter of approval from a local Vietnam tour operator with details of your programs and personal information. This letter must be approved by an authorized main contractor with the cruise. Your local operator in Vietnam must deal with this paper to get you entered Vietnam.

Waterways

The sole international waterway for tourists is between Vietnam and Cambodia via Mekong River. There are two ways to cross-border gate Vietnam Cambodia including:

• Taking a cruise trip along Mekong River. They are often luxurious, outstanding cruises with overnight accommodation, fine restaurants, and extra services.
• Using speed boat from border gate to Phnompenh and vice versa. You will transfer by road to Phnom Penh where you check in a speed boat. The ride takes about 4 hours to get border gate Vietnam – Cambodia. You will be served with the snack, fresh fruit, and bottled water.

You will need to obtain Visa from Embassies or the ORIGINAL letter of approval for visa on arrival at the border gate. Please note that the printed or faxed Visa letter is not accepted. We suggest you should arrange Letter of approval minimum a week prior embarking date so that we can send the original letter to your address via postal express services.

Read more: Mekong and Halong cruises​

Border gates in mainland

Vietnam shares border with China to the North, Cambodia, and Laos to the west. The most popular border crossing in the mainland is in Southwest of Vietnam – between Vietnam and Cambodia. The reason is mainly from the easy and quick access from the border gate to main visiting sites and cities.

The border gates at North and North West are mostly in the very remote areas and very much far away from main tourist attractions. They are often used for commodity trading rather than tourists. That leads to the customs officers here not familiar to deal with visa issues for travelers and very limited usage of English.

Caravan groups, that often wish to bring their own vehicles into Vietnam via those border gates, are strongly recommended to contact us in advance several months to complete the paper works and the best preparation for a smooth operation.

Get to know where is Vietnam? What is the best time to travel? Best things to do or what should do while you are in emergency cases? This is a quite long post including almost general aspects of a country. However, this is the best point to start when the idea of taking a tour to Vietnam has just popped in your mind.

GEOGRAPHIC FACTS OF VIETNAM

Climate and weather:

Because of differences in latitude and the marked variety in topographical relief, the climate tends to vary considerably from place to place. During the winter or dry season, extending roughly from November to April, the monsoon winds usually blow from the northeast along the Chinese coast and across the Gulf of Tonkin, picking up considerable moisture. Consequently, the winter season in most parts of the country is dry only by comparison with the rainy or summer season. The average annual temperature is generally higher in the plains than in the mountains, and higher in the south than in the north.

Temperatures vary less in the southern plains around Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, ranging between 21 and 28 °C (69.8 and 82.4 °F) over the course of the year.

Seasonal variations in the mountains and plateaus and in the north are much more dramatic, with temperatures varying from 5 °C (41.0 °F) in December and January to 37 °C (98.6 °F) in July and August. (Read more: best time to travel to Vietnam)

FIGURES ABOUT VIETNAM – THE COUNTRY

Some highlights to remember:

• The biggest city is Ho Chi Minh city (formerly Sai gon) – located in the South of Vietnam and also the most commercial hub.
• Top mode of transportation: motorbikes and private cars. Public transport services include buses only and available in main cities. Subway and sky train are all at the very first phase of development. (Read more: Vietnam roads and rail)
• Taxi is available at almost of main cities. The price is very much various. 4 Seater car rates are often 5500 – 8000/km, 7 seater car rates are around 8000 – 12000d/km.
• The international airports are Noi Bai (in Hanoi), Tan Son Nhat (in Sai gon) and Danang (in Danang). Danang International airport is just opened for flights mostly from Hongkong and Singapore.
• Notable seaports – from North to South: Cai Lan in Halong, Hai Phong in Hai Phong, Chan May in Hue, Cam Ranh in Nha Trang, Phu My in Vung tau and Sai gon in Ho Chi Minh city. (Read more: Entry Ports to Vietnam)
• The mobile phone providers are Vinaphone, MobileFone, and Viettel. They have pretty similar services quality and price. The SIM card is as cheap as few dollars and easy to buy everywhere.
• 3G service is good enough for web surfing and the coverage is almost the country. The price is quite high if don’t register for a 3G package service.
• Wi-Fi is popular in a household in main cities. Wi-Fi at restaurants, coffee shops, and shopping centers is often free; at hotels, some are free and some are chargeable.
• Airline carriers are Vietnam Airlines – the national flagged carrier, Vietjet Air – the cheap airline and Jetstar – the cheap airline. The cheapest is Vietjet Air. (Read more: Vietnam Airlines and flights)

VIETNAMESE MONEY AND CARD USAGES:

The National currency is Vietnamese Dong. The exchange rates to popular currencies are around 22,400d to 1 USD, 22,800d to 1 EUR, 16,800d to AUD and 29,300d to 1GBP.

Vietnamese bank notes are 500d – 1,000d – 2,000d – 5,000d – 10,000d – 20,000d – 50,000d – 100,000d – 200,000d – 500,000d. The notes of 500d, 1000d, 2000d, 5000d are made from paper; the others are made from polymer marterials. The total of the notes 20,000d and 5,000d, relatively equals to 1 USD. These notes are both in blue color.

Caution: the notes of 20,000d and 500,000d look very much alike: both in polymer materials, blue color, and slightly different in sizes. Please carefully notice when making payments in Vietnamese dongs.

Banks are very accessible in main cities. Some international banks with branches in Vietnam are ANZ bank, HSBC bank, Standard and Chartered, and Citi Banks. Vietnamese banks are Vietcombank – the biggest one, Sacombank, Viettinbank etc.

ATMs in Vietnam are installed nationwide. The AMTs allow withdrawing Vietnamese Dongs only. Most of credit/debit cards are usable at AMTs.

The cards are accepted in almost transactions within main cities. There are several online card payment gateways, too, eg: Onepay, Vnpay etc. Paypal in Vietnam is not as popular as in Western countries. The processing charges are often 1.3 – 3.8% depending on merchant policies.

VIETNAM MEDICAL EMERGENCY:

The medical and emergency treatment has been rather good. There are several national hospitals being able to deal with urgent and complicated treatment and surgeries however the language barrier can be a problem. For mild, common illness and injuries, international hospital or private clinics are much more effective. They can issue medical reports in English for your insurance claim, too. The national emergency number is 115 – Vietnamese speaking only.

CRIME AND POLICE HELP:

Severe crime in Vietnam, especial targeting to tourists, is not typical. The most common issues are pocket lifting and taxi scam. The reason is mostly from taking advantages of the situation when you don’t pay enough attention to personal items. Kidnapping, hi-jack, sexual harassment or brutal attack etc. Are hardly seen or recorded. Prostitution is forbidden by law and sex tourism is illegal in Vietnam. The national police number is 113 – Vietnamese speaking only.

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN VISITING VIETNAM:

Vietnam is a country opening for decades and very familiar with the travel industry. You can arrange the most luxurious services to the hardest adventure tours in Vietnam. The diversity of the country from North to South with various, beautiful nature can convince any traveler.

You may be stunning with magnificent terrace fields in Sapa, then immerse yourself in a beautiful trip on a cruise in Halong bay. Vietnam is also famous for her beaches that stretch from north to south and the world class beaches are in from Central to South. Vietnam beaches can compete to any other beaches over the world. Some famed names listed in a well-known magazine are My Khe beach, Nha Trang beach, and Phu Quoc beach.

Vietnam culture is unique in comparison to other countries in Indochina. For instance, while most of Indochina countries is practicing Theravada, Vietnam Buddhism is Mahayana. However, this is not the sole Mahayana but blended with ancient worshipping tradition (find out more here). Vietnamese food and cuisine are not spicy as in Thailand or not oily as in China. Our gastronomy is healthy, fresh and tasty with plenty of spicy and vegetable.

You may expect all things of your dream holiday when you decide to travel to Vietnam. Vietnamese people are generally warm, kind-hearted and welcoming you to their homes. Despite the language issue, you can feel their kindness and hospitality with the patience of body language or learn some Vietnamese phrase in advance.

Nowadays, Jeeps which once were used in the war since 1950s-1960s, are used as the vehicle of many tours in Vietnam. That unique vehicle can take travelers to enjoy adventures and visit the former battlefields. Ho Chi Minh trail on Jeep – our newest tour is one of tours like those and we are using Jeep-model M151 A2 in this tour. It’s our exclusive adventure tours because various highlight of nature, history and riding experience are included in this neat tour. Here are some information of our vehicle – the Jeep M151 A2.

Overview history of the Jeep

Since World War II the US military has relied on the “Jeep” to get it through the mud and to the front line. There were many incarnations of it, the last being the trusty MUTT (Military Unit Tactical Truck) that was first used in Vietnam and only recently retired in the 1990s. The U.S. Air Force used it as a mode of transport for its important forward air controllers, who helped call in pinpoint air strikes on enemy positions.

The M151A2 was born and was raised in the militia, and it is always ready for the action. Form part of the series of military vehicles 4X4 more versatile of the fact that is had. And must be it, since it manufactures it AM General with their more than 40 military experience years. The M151 series has, as norm equipment, an electrical system of 24 volts that it is waterproof, hermetical to the powder and suppression has of interferences of radio waves. Permit to ford until a depth of 1.5 meters.

Technical Specifications of the M151A2

The M151 family of vehicles includes M151, M151A1, M151A1C, M151A2, and M825 utility trucks and M718 and M718A1 ambulances.

The M151A2, ¼ ton, 4×4, utility truck is a general purpose personnel or cargo carrier. Including the driver, it provides space for four men with equipment and has a cruising range of 482 Km or 300 miles.

Vehicle Dimensions

Maximum Operating Speeds

Capacities for Normal Operating Conditions

Note: This information is for your reference, the real vehicle specs may have some differences. Most of our vehicle are 1950s – 1980s, originally used by US army.

Here are some photos of the real vehicles Jeep we use in our Jeep tour. Photos of this post credits to our JEEP partner – VJT

This so called “The rooftop of Indochina” has attracted many worldwide tourists to participate in this Fansipan trek and conquer it. Because of the majestic height, the mountain range is like a large wall separating the land into two different sides, thus creating totally different climate on each side. We will equip you with knowledgeable information on this journey to the great Fansipan if you decide that this is the destination for your vacation.

Fansipan is the highest peak of all mountains in the area of three countries including Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia with the height of 3,143 meters from the sea level. It belongs to Hoang Lien Son mountain range, which is also well-known for Hoang Lien National Park, suitable for a Fansipan tour.

Fansipan is under the significant influence of the Northern climate of Vietnam, the tropical climate with four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. The Northern spring starts from February until late April and is considered the most beautiful season of the year. Summer lasts from April to September, in which the temperature is often high and it is also called the raining season. The hottest month is June, while during the period from May to August, the amount of rain is the highest. Autumn only lasts from September to October. However, the weather is very nice in autumn. In this time of the year, the temperature reaches a perfect level creating a sense of fresh and coolness. Suitable for conquering Fansipan. Winter often lasts from November to the February of the following year when weather is often cold and dry.

Due to the featured characteristics of the Northern Vietnam climate, it is ideal for a Fansipan trek if you travel from late September to late April of the year after, especially in October and November. This is the most suitable time because it does not usually rain and the temperature is cool, which make conquering the Fansipan peak easier and safer. Nonetheless, even in the summer, it is very cold on the top of Fansipan at night. The higher you get, the colder it is and the temperature at night is often about 6 to 100C lower than at the foot of the mountain. Not only that, it is difficult to predict the situation at the top in a Fansipan hike as the weather changes every hour here. If you are lucky enough to be able to get to the top in agreeable condition, you will have a chance to take the most breath-taking photos that nowhere else can offer you.

Currently, the cable system of Fansipan has been running to meet the demand of tourists to conquer mount Fansipan. This cable system is considered to be the most complicated in the world that runs the distance of 7 kilometers from Sapa and is suspended at the highest altitude of 3,000 meters in the air.

Twilight is always the best moment of the day, and at the mountain top, the sight is even more impressive. Be it sunrise or sunset, it is truly great to witness a poetic and vivid picture full of sunshine, passing almost lazily clouds and shadowed trees made by Mother Nature. Watch the captivating sceneries of dawn or dusk from the mountain top of a Fansipan trek is a memorable experience for those who love nature with a passion.

However, it is more exciting to experience this journey by climbing Fansipan through the forest rout than riding on the cable. During the trek, you can also catch stunning sights and take photos of it, which a fast and easy trip by cable cannot offer. This experience is highly recommended for tourists who like exploration. From the altitude of 2,800 meters, we can also take a look toward O Quy Ho Pass surrounding slides of the mountain, which is one of the most beautiful but dangerous passes in the Northwest.

Though mountain climbing at night is not very safe, the sight is worthy of all the hardships for those daring. Millions of stars shown in front of your eyes like twinkle jades in a seemingly near distance that you can easily raise your hands and pick some of them down, the prize for your mount Fansipan trek.

Fansipan is not only a high mountain peak which is named “The Indochina rooftop”, but it is also considered the conquering symbol of youth and bravery. All year round, there are tremendous amount of tourists and backpackers coming to this place to try conquering Fansipan. They are all excited to touch by their own hands the flag pole on the top of the mountain and take pictures of the surrounding sceneries from such high altitude.

Although there are many other places in Vietnam which are beautiful and meet the demand of tourism, Fansipan always has its own attraction that no one can deny. This is one of the most impressive tourist destinations in the country to both international and domestic tourists. Having a Fansipan trek, you will also have the chance to experience wonderful time of your life.

Because of its incredible natural beauty, Phu Quoc Island has been called the Pearl Island. Besides natural advantages, Phu Quoc Island has also been known for its improvement in terms of investments and facilities to meet the demand of visitors in a Vietnam adventure travel.

Especially, in 2006, Kien Giang coastal and sea island’s biosphere reserve, including Phu Quoc District was recognized as a World Biosphere Reserve. This event has made Phu Quoc Island gradually become a popular name in the Asia adventure tours.

Thanks to the favorable factors above, Phu Quoc has been turned into the number one choice for tourists who love to enjoy an ecological exploration tour but still ensure the service quality and high-end facilities for relaxation in an active travel Asiatour.

In the near future, with proper care and investment of the local authorities and government, the tourism development in Phu Quoc District will still be improved and attract even more number of visitors. Coming to visit this country in a Vietnam adventure travel, why not also consider this beautiful island? The services on your trip will not be disappointing and there will also be tremendous valuable and interesting experiences that you can never forget after visiting here.

Pu Luong’s location is in Ba Thuoc and Quan Hoa District, in the Northwest of Thanh Hoa Province. It is 130 kilometers from Thanh Hoa City and roughly 25 kilometers from Cuc Phuong National Park, not a long distance for a Pu Luong trek. The North and Northeast of Pu Luong are bordered by three districts including Mai Chau, Tan Lac and Lac Son of Hoa Binh Province, and from the West to the South is bordered by Ma River. Pu Luong, in Thai Language, means “the highest Mount of the region”. It is considered a very valuable natural reserve in terms of science, socio-economy and biological tourism. There are tremendous interesting experiences waiting for you in a trekking in Pu Luong.

The best time to visit Pu Luong

There are two most suitable time we recommend to visit Pu Luong during the year. The best time is from May to June because this is the time for people to start a new crop season. Visiting here at this time, you will catch sight of everything in green from the color of paddy fields on terraces to the surrounding forests. The green color has a cooling effect, therefore, to meet the demand of tourists to find a place to relax and avoid the harsh weather is not hard to accomplish in this town.

Or tourists can enjoy a trek to Pu Luong from September to October. Contrary to the time mentioned above, this time Pu Luong inhabitants begins harvesting their crops. The fields now turn golden like a gorgeous carpet made by nature. You can witness for yourself the sight of people here harvesting on the fields. The scent of ripen rice spreads everywhere, bringing to you a great comfortable and peaceful feeling.

Ways to get to Pu Luong

From Hanoi and other northern provinces, you can go to Lac Village of Mai Chau by motorbikes. After that, you just have to continue going in the direction of the 15C highway along Ma River to get to Pu Luong Natural Reserve and start your trekking in Pu Luong. Although it is about 40 kilometers from Mai Chau to Pu Luong as is shown in maps, the time it takes to get there will be longer due to the road’s conditions.

Recreation destinations in Pu Luong

• Conquer Pu Luong Mount Peak

​If you love to adventure, it would be great for you to try Pu Luong Trekking to the peak of the mountain with the height of over 1,700 meters. From the top of Pu Luong, you can take a glimpse of the entire poetic scenery of mountains, forests, fields and valleys at the mountain foot. Above all, the best reward is the feeling of conquest and victory.

• The climbing journey to Son – Ba – Muoi

Climbing up to Son – Ba – Muoi, the remote area that not many people know, you have to pass Nua, Trinh, Hin, Bo villages and dangerous mountain’s paths. However, the sceneries here are very worthy when reaching the destination.

• Kho Muong Village

With many foreign tourists, Kho Muong is an ideal stay for trekking journeys through Pu Luong. Coming to Kho Muong village, apart from beautiful sights and majestic nature, tourists will also have the chances to explore the mysterious cave system in a Vietnam adventure tour. From Kho Muong village, tourists can go to other related villages to learn more about the daily life and custom of the local inhabitants as well as the cultural habit of the place.

• Waterfall in Hieu village

When coming to Pu Luong, you should not miss a place named Hieu waterfall village. On the way from Pho Doan town to the village, tourists can catch the familiar sight of water wheels, which is featured by Thai characteristics. Passing a bridge and a small hill, you will be surprised to get to the waterfall of Hieu village as the next great stopping point for your trekking in Pu Luong.

• Pho Don Fair Market

​Starting your journey on Thursday or Sunday, Pho Don Fair Market is a good choice. This is the place to exchange interesting stuff which can only be sold in mountainous fairs. You can easily purchase special products of the people here like brocade cloth, wine, forest vegetable, insect or fresh fruits.

• Experience the high land life

Tourists will experience the life of Thai and Muong ethnic groups while blending in the daily life of the mountainous people. Besides, there are many interesting outdoor Vietnam adventure activities here for you to join in such as bamboo dancing, singing and trying a special dance of the Thai people.

Pu Luong retreat

Pu Luong retreat is an ideal place to relax and let out some stress. This is where you can stay away from the hustle and bustle of the normal life. In this Pu Luong retreat, to help tourists totally and completely enjoy the natural life, they do not install modern electronic facilities such as televisions, fridges, air conditioners… That will be a great and strange experience for a Vietnam adventure travel. However, there is equipped free and stable wifi all over the retreat.

Pu Luong retreat is a separate resort, which works like a hotel. With small space including only two tilt houses and five bungalows over an acreage of roughly 3,000 square meters, this retreat cannot have enough space for independent tourists or those who do not book the service beforehand.

Pu Luong specialties

Eating service for a trekking in Pu Luong is often booked in tilt houses which are opened for tours. The host will make special dishes which can only be found in mountainous areas such as hill chicken, sour bamboo shoots, bitter bamboo shoots, bamboo sticky rice, grilled spring duck or boar.

Pu Luong hotels

Because Pu Luong is a natural reserve of important tropical forest of Vietnam, tourism activities are often spontaneous. Therefore, there is no hotel in this place. If you come for trekking in Pu Luong nature retreat, you can choose a homestay or spend the nights in some popular guesthouses.

When trekking in Pu Luong, you can also stay in large and airy tilt houses of the Thai or Muong in Lac, Com Poong, Hoa Binh and some other villages in the core area of Pu Luong. The average cost for a night is about 40,000 to 50,000 Vietnamese Dongs per person.

If you have a chance to come to Thanh Hoa, trekking in Pu Luong is a great suggestion. The beauty of this place is widely known and it is also written about tremendously in many tourist blogs. Many stunning sceneries are available for you to take photos of. This will be an interesting and memorable trip of your life.

Asia is very well known for its historical values and rich culture. Since the development of the economy and people life standard, governments in Asian countries have tried to preserve the heritage and relics for their long time history. In this article, we will guide you through an Asia adventure tour to explore the beauty of top well-known Asian heritages.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

The bay is located in Quang Ninh Province, and includes the sea limestone and many cave systems. It is said that once upon a time a dragon was flying down this bay from the sky and releasing jades to form a defending wall to prevent the invaders. That is the reason why the Vietnamese people named this bay “Ha Long”, meaning the descending “Ha” of a dragon “Long”. After thousands of years, the wall collapsed and what was left of it were these majestic limestone in various shapes and sizes floating on the ocean. In a Vietnam adventure, tourists will have chance to learn about it.

Kamchatka Volcano

On Kamchatka peninsula in the East of Russia, there is a high density of volcanoes. Because of the location in the Pacific Ocean and the fertile land, this area has an abundant system of wild fauna and flora along with scenic natural sights. The most outstanding species in here to explore in an active travel Asia can be named such as white-tail eagles, falcons, sea otters, brown bears…

Bukhara historical center, Uzbekistan

Existed since ancient time, Uzbek city of Bukhara is located on the famous Silk Road. Being one of the biggest cities in Mid Asia, Uzbek has become a center for businessmen and tourists. This is also a well-known cultural center for an Asia adventure tour about Islam, especially shown in the unique architecture of Ismail Samanid Mausoleum.

Kyoto historical relic, Japan

Kyoto is the ancient capital and cultural center of Japan during the period from 794 to the 19th century, especially prosperous in the 8th and 17th century. This city is famous to tourists in their adventure tour in Asia for its traditional wood architecture, pretty gardens, impressive pagodas, large palace and beautiful museums.

Great Wall, China

With the length of over 20,000 kilometers, the Great Wall was built from the 3rd century B.C to the 17th century to protect the territory of China. It includes its endless wall, fortresses and watchtowers, all of which were totally built of mud, wood, brick and stones. This is also the cultural and traditional heritage of China which needs careful preservation. In an Asia adventure tour, you should not skip this place.

Mountain railway system, India

Built from the middle of 1881 to 1908, under the domination of British colonialists, the railway system on the mountain of India presents the outstanding techniques then. This railway system has helped change the economy and social and cultural situation of the areas it passes. Nowadays, it is still under operation, passing Darjeeling, Nilgiri Tamil Nadu and Shimla Hill. Enjoying an active travel in Asia, you can consider this place as your destination.

Dambulla Golden Temple, Sri Lanka

Located in the very center of Sri Lanka, it is the largest and best preserved cave monastery of the country. You can find many interesting features about it in an adventure tour Asia to Sri Lanka. The conservation area is under a soaring high rock, which was carved into Buddhist statue. This is a famous destination for pilgrims from the first century A.D.

Rainforest heritage on Sumatra Island, Indonesia

Including 2 national parks over the total area of more than 2 million hectares, this place has a very diverse fauna and flora system. Tourists can be shockingly surprised by the experiences they may have during their Southeast Asia adventure tours to Indonesia. There are 10,000 kinds of plants, 201 types of mammal and over 550 bird species. The sceneries are wonderful with caves, waterfalls, ice lakes, volcanoes and thousands of wild animal species such as tiger, elephants…

Obviously, this list is just a small part of outstanding sceneries and heritages in Asia. Only in an Asia adventure tour to this cultural and amazing region can you understand and explore the uniqueness of the tradition, custom and history here. Besides, there are more to learn about mysterious Asian country other than beautiful places. With the increasing development of tourism, Asia will attract tremendous visitors worldwide to come and visit its wonderful sceneries.

Famous for its delicious food, its breath taking sceneries and its unique culture, Vietnam is rising to be a popular destination for tourists worldwide. Why don’t you take a visit to Sapa, home of “The roof of Indochina” Fansipan, in this Vietnam adventure tour to know more about our country?

1. Geopraphy:

Sapa is a highland town in Sapa district, Lao Cai province, which is located in the north of Vietnam. Even though with just 24 square kilometers and the humidity is up to 99 percent, every year, thousands of people come here to this small city to get amazing experiences and enjoy their holidays.

In Vietnam, Sapa is known as the “heaven” for travelling because of its special beauty. Because of the tropical monsoonal weather, snow is almost nonexistence except for in Sapa. It is the only place in Vietnam that the temperature can get so low as to appear snow. Though this may seem normal to international tourists, the snow so rarely happens that local people find it very fascinating.

In Sapa, rainy season starts from May to August, tourists should avoid climbing Fansipan in this season for it may get very dangerous.

The weather is best from April to May, it is the greatest time for visiting and taking photos because it is also the time for flowers to blossom. You can take many amazing photos with flowers and even with many farmers together their terraces. How fantastic it is to be in Sapa and immerse yourself in nature.

From September to October, it is time for rice to be harvested. All of Sapa will be covered in the yellow of the rice plant and you will never see this kind of scenery anywhere but in a country of rice exporting like Vietnam.

2. Travel to Sapa:

To travel to Sapa, you must first get to Hanoi, where there are many stations and bus to choose from.

If you choose to go by bus or train, it takes about 8 to 9 hours to get to Sapa from the capital of Vietnam. You can take the bus at My Dinh, Yen Nghia, Gia Lam bus station or get a seat on the train from Hanoi, Dong Anh, Gia Lam station. The fee is not expensive. It will not cost much for a Fansipan tour. In Vietnam, travelling is quite cheap. But there won’t be any flight to fly to Sapa from Hanoi.

One thing you have to be careful is that it is easy to buy a ticket to Lao Cai from Hanoi, but not so much to get one for the way back. It is not easy but not unattainable so you wouldn’t have to worry too much.

Once you get to Sapa, you can hire a motorbike to travel, or use “Xe om”, a type of service almost similar to taxi but instead of a car, the driver will carry you with a motorbike. Taxis are also available for you. Some trustworthy brands are Hai Yen, Mai Linh, Thanh Cong, Hung Vuong,…

3. Places to visit.

You can spend all days travelling Sapa thoroughly. This city is really great and amazing, it has many beautiful highlights. In this Vietnam adventure tour, you can take many photos with friends and families, and when returning to your country, you will have had one more collection of best adventure’s photos.

Now we will together discover the highlights of Sapa.

Ta Phin village

If you come to visit this village, please remember some things below:
Do not sit in the nave of the house, it is not polite.
Do not use the first chairs, which are only used for parents.
Do not use clothes made of white linen, it is the color for funeral.
Do not whistle, the Red Dao thinks that it is a way to call ghost.

What to do in Ta Phin village

Take a dip in the hot spring as it is a way to reduce stress and is very good for your health.
Visit Ta Phin cave, which is 5 meters in height and 3 meters in width. This cave is very beautiful with many naturally made cliff.
If you like discovering this more, you can book a Sapa hiking tour for you and your family to spend your holiday together.

Muong Hoa valley

Muong Hoa valley is about 8 kilometers to the South east of Sapa.

The most attractive feature of this valley is that it includes hundreds of big rocks with different patterns. With its beauty and mystery, it is considered one of Vietnam national heritage.

Muong Hoa valley is about 2 kilometers wide and stretches more than 4 kilometers, it has at least 159 rocks. This is also the place for anyone who wants to do research about Vietnam’s life and history. Many scientists from Russia, Australia, French,… come here because of this.

Professor Le Trong Khanh, a specialist in the language of ancient Vietnamese, believes that this huge reef is a big book written in the past. Until now, none can answer the mysteries that revolve around them.

Besides this, Muong Hoa is popular to visitors because of its stream of flowers, many kinds of flower ranging from a variety of color. This is a romantic destination for many people to come and take photos, to relax and hide away with their lover. If you really want to have an adventure tours in Viet Nam, stop by Sapa and never miss this!

Fansipan peak – ”the roof of Indochina”

No need to say more because we all know how famous Fansipan is. It is approximated that 10 thousands of people come here every year to try themselves the fansipan’s cable ride and put their bravery to the test. More and more pictures of Fansipan are uploaded through internet and on facebook day by day.

Fansipan is 9 kilometers to the south west of Sapa. You should try this at least once while you are still young and still have the strength to. Hiking Sapa up to Fansipan has been on the to do list of many young Vietnamese. But once you get the opportunity to realize it, remember to bring warm clothes and equip yourself with hiking gears because not only is it cold but also very dangerous.

Fansipan is a part of Hoang Lien Son mountain. You can immerse yourself in nature with many kinds of plant and animal. There are also many great places to adventure. Sailing and trekking are most recommended.

Sapa now more and more appeals to foreigners, and even local too. This is commonly considered one of the best places to visit in an adventure tours to Vietnam. Many companies also sell tours to Sapa and get many tourists. So why not choose us and adventure with us!

An uncompleted temple yet still resisting through time, the great and mysterious Dhammayangyi attracts tourists from all over the world to come and discover its unfinished business. Read this article to provide yourself with most useful Myanmar travel tips if you plan on visiting this famous temple.

Up until now, Burmese archaeologists have listed over 2,000 temple and pagoda relics which need to be well-preserved. But this temple is a very special one. This religious structure is not only a valuable and attractive destination for worldwide tourists coming to visit Myanmar, but also a place to research about the history of the developing process of Buddhism-related culture, politics and society in this country. Although it has been left unfinished after three years of implementation, Dhammayangyi is still one of the biggest temples in Bagan and ideal for Myanmar guides.

Burmese people often make an interesting comparison between their most famous proud religious structures. Thatbyinniu Temple is most famous for its sacredness, Ananda Temple is the most graceful and Dhammayangyi Temple has been known for its gorgeousness. The Myanmar tour guide will lead you through all of these destinations.

The temple was in the collection of ancient Bagan architectural structures in the shape of a huge pyramid which dominates over other surrounding structures. This pyramid has a totally different shape compared to other traditional Buddhism temples in Myanmar. You can get some Myanmar travel tips from the local people, but until now, even they still have not got the answer to the question of why King Narathu had chose this type of architecture.

Built in 1170, Dhammayangyi Temple resembles a huge pyramid with six steps to each floors. However, this temple, like all of the popular architectural design in Burma information about Burmese temples and pagodas, has four big doors turning to four different directions. This temple also has the double corridor system in parallel with the temple cylinder in the central. Many systems of small windows were built to let the sunlight come through in the corridors surrounding.

The temple is 78 meters in width, while the core central part of the temple is also up to 25 meters wide, connected with each other through a large corridor system including domes and door systems. The technique to arrange bricks and make up the dome system above the corridor surrounding the temple goes to show that Burmese people in the ancient time had the skills and were very intelligent. A good Myanmar travel tips for you is that you should go around and explore these features. Each main door of the temple was set with Buddha statues with different shapes and sizes. All of the statues were gilded gloriously. There are also many niches and stands to arrange smaller Buddha statues.

Perhaps King Narathu could not imagine that this gorgeous structure would never be completed. After holding the rein for three years, he was assassinated and from then, this construction were ceased from working. However, this temple is still a unique symbol among the collection of ancient Bagan, an outstanding recommendation for travel advice in Myanmar as well as a contribution to the history of development of temples and pagoda system in this region.

According to Burmese legends, after taking the throne by eliminating his father and brother, King Narathu started to construct this temple to worship the Buddha and repent for all of his sins. In the work, there was a door whereas two statues were set on either side, one of the King’s father and the other was of his brother. Burmese people said that this King had been very strict during the time of constructing. He was about to cut the hands of any workers if they did not perform well. All the bricks needed to be tightly arranged against each other so that not even a needle can fit through. Joining in a Myanmar adventure tour, you will get the chance to learn more about the legend from the local people.

While exploring this construction, there was a myth which told tales about unfortunate workers who couldn’t stand the king’s strict rules any longer and therefore were buried inside the walls of brick somewhere in the temple. With Myanmar travel guides, you can even find out more interesting information about this place.

If you have a chance to travel with some Myanmar travel tips and set your feet on cool corridors and discover the interior of the temple, you will understand why this temple has been so attractive to both international and domestic tourists despite the fact that it has remained unfinished. The gorgeousness and mysteriousness of Dhammayangyi temple will be the most profound impression to hold you captivated.

How much do you know of Vietnam, a beautiful and interesting Asian country? In case you don’t, this small S shape country now is becoming more and more popular worldwide. Take part in this Vietnam adventure tour so that you will not miss these great destinations!

We have many great places to mention and introduce to you because Vietnam is a nation full of natural beauty. Now are some, both in the north and the south of this country that we may recommend.

1.Vietnam in general

Name: socialist republic of Vietnam, was named Van Lang, Dai Nam, Dai Viet, Au Lac, Giao Chi in the past.
Bordered with Cambodia, Thailand, China, Laos… and is a South East Asian country.
Capital: Ha Noi
Biggest city: Ho Chi Minh
Population: more than 90 million
Minority: 54 includes Kinh, H’mong, Muong,…
Language: Vietnamese
Climate: tropical monsoon

2. Greatest destinations

Fansipan cable car

This is one of the best places, not only to foreigners but also to locals. Every year, thousands of people come here to visit the great fanipan high peek.

Coming to Fansipan, you will have the chance to test your bravery with Fansipan cable car, an amazing way to relax. Not only men but many women also want to try this because this is the chance of a lifetime. This is a great way to adventure the beauty of Vietnam.

But how to get to Fansipan?

It is not easy to just come and go in a short time, it takes you some time to get to Sapa first. Many also take a Sapa hiking tour before getting to Fansipan. You can travel by mortobike but it is not the safest way, the road is dangerous. It is suitable for the youngsters, who want to experience themselves because they have the strength to.

You can use cars instead, or go in tour with a great tour guide who can help you much during your holidays.

Trains are also used to get to this city. They are not expensive depending on which kind you choose. Just from 500.000 to 1 million from Ha Noi if you want to have your seat in an air conditioned room. You can take an early visit to Sapa because the trains have schedules that start at night and get there in the early morning.

There are many cheap and safe brands of buses to choose from such as Sapa Express, Camel Travel, Queen Cafe, Sao Việt, Hưng Thành, Inter Bus Line… which are around 200.000vnd per ticket to adventure Vietnam greatest place: Fansipan.

Expenses for food are not too expensive in this Fansipan tour. This time of the year is also the greatest time to go, it is a bit cold and you can even see snow, which is very rare in Vietnam.

Top notes to follow

Bring light clothes with you, it will be easier and faster to move when you haven’t reach the top.

Warm clothes, it can be 8 degree Celsius at the top, but the clothings have to be easy to take off, because you have to move a lot.

Rest during your Vietnam adventure tour, you should not go straight to Fansipan in one go.

Bring snack or something to eat along the way, because you may be hungry and thirsty. Take slow and careful steps when you are travelling up to the peek.

Say no to cigarette because it can cause a fire.

Cuc Phuong National park

This is also one great place to choose to visit. You can see how wild it is with its diversity of plants and animals. There are many big and tall trees which have last for hundreds of years. Taking photos here is a good way to remind you in the future that not in many countries can you experience life like this.

In Vietnam, there are many national parks but Cuc Phuong parks are the most prominent. These parks are located in Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa, 3 North West provinces of Vietnam. They are famous because they are the first national parks of Vietnam.

There are about 2000 kinds of plants and animals including birds, tiggers, amphibians, fish, insect,…. You can take a Cuc Phuong tour to experience all of this.

You can use motorbikes for your travelling. The roads are safe and easy to drive on. There are 3 main ways to choose from, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa or Hoa Binh.

You can choose one of these homestay to stay in during your Cuc Phuong trekking tour:
Hoa Lu shack homestay
Ninh Binh family homestay
Lang Khanh hotel
Tam Coc homestay

There are some great places to visit in Cuc Phuong national park. They are the 3 main area to visit. The first area is the main gate, there are hotels there to check in. The second area is Mac lake Bungalow, it is 2 kilometers from the park’s gate. The last area in Cuc Phuong national park is the park’s center.

Customers can choose these following famous destinations during their Vietnam adventure tour to Cuc Phuong :
Old people cave
Thousand year old Tree
Son Cung Cave
Muong village
Silver peak
Yen Quang Lake
…
There are also many activities during your time in Cuc Phuong. You can spend time trekking the park for example.

Staying up late is also interesting to see the animals’ life at this late time because they are not easy to be seen during daytime.

Biking is also a good idea. In fact, there are many biking Ninh Binh cycling tours which not only help visitors save money, but they can also get much more experience and it is good for your health, too.

Joining with minorities in their life: singing, dancing,…

Sailing kayak boat
…
These 2 top great places appeals thousands of people to come every year. Even now, many local people want to visit them more than 1 time. They are wild, natural, amazing and huge. They make our souls peaceful. We hope your Vietnam adventure tour would be fulfilled with these beautiful destinations and welcome to Vietnam.

Savannakhet is a favorite destination for both international and domestic tourists because it is the second biggest city only after Vientiane. The reason behind its popularity is a very famous stupa named That Ing Hang, which is known for the sacredness and mysterious beauty. Do not miss this place in your Laos adventure tour. There are many amazing things await you here.

About 15 kilometers to the Northeast of Savannakhet, right near the ninth highway, That Ing Hang stupa looks like a majestic and firm wall of the city. This place attracts tremendous amount of pilgrims, tourists and photographers from everywhere in a southeast Asia adventure tour.

There is a tale about this famous stupa of Savannakhet. You can hear the local people talk about it when you come here for a Laos adventure tour. Once upon a time, right in this beautiful stupa, there existed an ancient Hang tree which was up to hundreds years old. Everyday, a mysterious old monk would come to meditate under the shade of that tree. One day, suddenly, he ascended when he was still in the sitting position. According to this legend, there were proofs for the belief of people here that this place was the Buddha sacred land. Therefore, they built a stupa here to mark the sacred place. After that, this became a stupa which is increasingly famous for the trend of active travel Asia and was named “Ing Hang”, which means “relying on the Hang tree”.

Looking down from the higher situation, this stupa appears with a square shape. Four sides of it are surrounded by brick walls. Along these four corridors, there laid Buddha statues in line. In the center of the stupa campus, there is the tower which keeps the coniform relic. You may want to explore it more when coming for a Laos adventure tour. This relic is roughly 10 meters high.

Especially, in the area of chanting houses for monks, there attracts many tourists and pilgrims because of a legend. They say that after praying, tourists can lift up the Buddha statue which is only 40 centimeters high but quite heavy, they will be blessed, have more lucks and will receive a lot of helps from others during their journey. You will be guided carefully in a tour held by any active travel company to enjoy your trip to the fullest.

Nowadays, although being ruined massively under the influence of time and weather, this stupa is still preserved and restored with proper care by the government. Indeed, this stupa is not only a historical relic which need to be protected and preserved, not only a tourist attraction of Savanakhat and Laos for any adventure tour of Asia to brings about more benefits from tourism for the city and the country, but also an essential part of the local citizen daily mental life.

Despite not being so famous as Myanmar or Thailand in terms of religious architectural structures, Laos is another country of the Southeast Asia region which has tremendous singular features related to Buddhism that attracts tourists worldwide to come and experience themselves. Coming to visit this country in a Laos adventure tour, besides spending time on seeing beautiful sights, visitors can also feel the difference in culture and custom to know more about this country, the people and their daily life.

The Southeast Asia is on the side of world that has high average temperature. But that doesn’t mean that people have to put up with the blazing sun everywhere all year long. Below, there are five most favorite places for Southeast Asia adventure tours that can be suggested to visitors who love cool weather.

1. Kundasang, Sabah (Malaysia)

Among verdurous hills, there located a pretty town, 6 km from Kinabalu Park in Sabah state of Malaysia. On the height of over 2,000 meters from the sea level, at night, the temperature estimated in Kundasang can lower down to 13 degrees Celsius, especially in July and August. With stunning natural landscape and comfortable atmosphere for an active travel Asia tour, there is no doubt that this town is called New Zealand of Malaysia.

2. Cameron Highland, Pahang (Malaysia)

Cameron highland is one of the most favorite tourist attractions in Malaysia. Aside from the all-year-round cool weather, Cameron highland has tremendous farms and shady green tea hills. This place is a wonderful destination for you to freely enjoy a walk and watch the natural sceneries around. On Southeast Asia adventure tours to this highland of Malaysia, you are allowed to pick strawberries and enjoy some cups of tea while sight-seeing. The fresh air, cool weather and beautiful nature will help you completely relax and enjoy your trip.

3. Cipanas (Indonesia)

Panas means “hot” in Indonesian, despite the name, the average temperature of this place is not high at all. In fact, the actual number is calculated to be about 25 degrees Celsius. Being known by the name Kota Bunga (the town of flowers), Cinapas is a popular destinations for flower lovers. Furthermore, it is also known for hot springs. Used to be a colonial city, Cinapas has its own many Western features, from the lifestyle to the manners of the local people to the architectures. In this Asia adventure, you will feel like you are visiting a country in the Europe in the warm spring.

4. Tagaytay City (Philippines)

Tagaytay city is located not far from the Manila capital of the Philippines, but the temperature in this place is really ideal. The annual average temperature is often from 22 to 25 degrees Celsius. This place is not only attractive to tourists but also is considered a favorite destination of the domestic travelers. Tagaytay has impressive natural sceneries such as Taal Lake or Taal volcano… and interesting entertaining activities like zip-line sliding cables across forests. If you like cool fresh air then Tagaytay is the suitable place to visit on your Southeast Asia adventure tours.

5. Chiang Rai (Thailand)

Usually when mentioning Thailand, the most famous place that comes to mind must be Phuket because it attracts the most visitors annually. However, if you want a change for your Asia adventure tour, we recommend Chiang Rai. Although being lesser known, Chiang Rai is very pleasant with the temperature always being around 24 degrees Celsius during the period of winter, from December to February. In this peaceful town, the most interesting place to come must be Phu Chi Fah, from which you can watch the captivating scene of sunrise. In cloudless days, it is also ideal for you to have a Mekong delta discovery trip around Mekong River and walk in Singha Park in the Northeast Laos. Tourists are always welcomed here by many beautiful sceneries and interesting activities.

Indeed, it is unnecessary to go such far distance to enjoy the cool weather in other countries, if that is the reason for your Southeast Asia adventure tours. Right in some countries in Asian region, you can still have an interesting tour to some beautiful and amazing places. Which place do you like most? Just plan your trip right now and prepare yourself for the most wonderful experiences of a lifetime.

1. Full Moon of Tabaung

Full Moon of Tabaumg Festival is the traditional merit-making day for Buddhists. It takes place in the full moon day of the 3rd lunar month in Burmese calendar (often in Feb of May as in western calendar.)

• 2017 date: 11 February
• 2018 date: 01 March
• The spiritual purposes of this day comprise: not to involve any kind of sins, do only good deeds, purify one’s mind.

On this occasion, Buddhists go to pagoda and carried out merit-making activities. The meaning of this festival is to show veneration to Buddha and his teaching.
According to the legend, Full Moon of Tabaung festival marks the 4 fabulous events happening at the Veḷuvana bamboo grove, near Rājagaha in northern India ten months after the enlightenment of the Buddha. As recorded, four auspicious facts are:

• 1,250 disciples came to see the Buddha on this evening without being summoned.
• All of them were Arhantas or Enlightened Ones. They were ordained by the Buddha himself.
• The Buddha gave Arhantas the principles of Buddhism, which are: to cease from all evils; to do what is good; to cleanse one’s mind.
• It was a full-moon day.

The Myanmar’s greatest pagoda festival, namely the Yangon’s Shwedagon Pagoda festival is taken place on this time. It begins with the nakyake shitsu ceremony that supply offerings for 28 Buddhas, followed by a 10-day nonstop recounting by the Pathana (Buddhist scriptures) about 24 causes of worldly phenomena.
Other pagoda festivals are held on this day, including the Shwe Settaw Pagoda Festival in Minbu Township and the Alaungdaw Kathapa Pagoda Festival in Sagaing Region (Mandalay).

2. Thingyan New Year Festival

Organized from 13rd to 16th April coinciding with Easter, this is the Water Festival – the biggest festival – to welcome New Year in Myanmar. Water symbolizes for purity that can clear away all sins, diseases and bad lucks. So people splash water to each other to begin a new year with a cleansed soul.
In Myanmar, the festival is commonly known as Thingyan, which means “change”.
It lasts over 4 days:

• Akyo-nei (Thingyan Eve)
• A-kya nei, A-kyat nei and A-tet nei (the final)
• The fifth day is Hnit hsan ta yet nei (New Year’s Day).

On Thingyan occasion, Thaya Min God from the heaven come down to the earth on his annual visit. At the exact time of Thaya Min God’s arrival, booming of cannon sounds. After that, traditional rites are carried out to welcome the God.
Good humor prevails during the festival time. People with buckets, pots and cans of water splash to anybody passing over. Powerful water pipes are everywhere to douse people. Decorated cars or carts are driven around to throw water to everybody and get wet in return. Children use water pistols to drench their friends and relatives. In big cities like Yangon, hoses and hydrants in gardens, water balloons and even fire hoses are also used for the festival.
No passer-by will escape from drenching, no matter whether they are Buddhist or non-Buddhist, Burmese or non-Burmese, except monks, elders, sick ones and of course pregnant women.

Read more: Our top 7 tips to enjoy your Water festival in Myanmar. Enjoyable, getting more fun and forgetable experience in Myanmar.

Soaked to skin, even with water in nostrils, ears and eyes then being laughed, as the spirit of Thingyan, is called as cheer and friendship.
All corners of the country become absolutely jubilant and vibrant. Burmese damsels apply thanaka on face, pin sweet scented yellow padauk flowers on hair and dance on street.
On the final day, some people still sprinkle water onto others and say an apology, something like “Thagya Min God left his water tube and he will come back to get it.”
In the traditional way, young people will wash hair for their adults by beans and barks of acacia rugata tree. Fish and even bigger animals are released back to lakes and rivers with the wish: “I release you once, you release me ten times.”

3. Kason Watering Festival – Buddha Day

As the most important day in Buddhist world, this day is taken place in the time that all ponds, lakes and creeks decrease to its lowest level. Kason, the second month of Burmese calendar (usually in May), is deemed as the hottest month in the hot season.
Kason full-moon day signify 4 most significant days in Gotama Buddha life time:

• The day he had been prophesied to become the next Buddha. Dipankara Budha predicted that the hermit Sumedha would become Gotama Buddha, the latest one in this Buddha world.
• The day he was born
• The day he achieved ENLIGHTENMENT (became a Buddha)
• And the day he entered PARINIRVANA (passed away)

The Burmese celebrate this day by watering the Maha-Bodhi tree at various Myanmar pagodas. Maha-Bodhi is the sacred banyan tree which Gotama Buddha sat under when he attained enlightenment.

As Kason is the hottest month, the earth is really dry. To show respect to Gotama Buddha, people pour water on the foot of Maha-Bodhi tree to make sure it does not die of drought during hot summer. This ceremony has become an important part of burmese culture on every full-moon day of Kason. Buddhists will march in a grand procession to Maha-Bodhi tree or to pagodas to pour scented water.

4. Full-moon of Tazaungmon (Tazaungdaing or Festival of Lights)

Also known as Festival of Lights, it is held on Tazaungmon – the eighth month of Burmese calendar (usually in November). This day marks the end of the rainy season.
Tazaungdaing Festival is to honor the introduction of Buddhism in Myanmar. On this day, robe-weaving competitions to create special yellow monk robes named matho thingyan are held over the country during two consecutive nights (the preceding night and the full-moon night), most outstanding in Yangon’s Shwedagon pagoda. Contestants will work continuously from night to sunrise. These robes will be offered to monks in the Kahtain ceremony.

More reading: Festival of Lights (or Lighting Festival in Myanmar) in November annually: the activities, the best places to enjoy and suggested tour program to get there.

This tradition commemorates the well-known story about the Gautama Buddha’s life. Understanding that the Buddha would soon pass away, the Gautama Buddha’s mother, Maya, spent the whole night weaving yellow robes for him. Her sister Gotami (Buddha’s aunt) then kept on this tradition and offered new robes annually.
Nevertheless, the main significance of this festival is light, as many suppose this festival has existed even before the introduction of Buddhism in Myanmar, to honor the God of Light and the awakening of Lord Vishnu. Sparkle fireworks, fire balloons are sent to the sky and multicolored lanterns are lighted. It is also said that the Gautama Buddha would return to Tawadeintha on this day to visit his mother’s reincarnated spirit so people illuminate the path for him by lighting candles and lanterns.
In Shan state, long queues of people holding traditional lit lotus flower lanterns march on roads. Especially in Taunggyi, hot air balloons made from bamboo and mulberry paper are released on air as offerings to Tavatimsa, the heaven in Buddhist cosmology, or as a way to drive away evil spirits. This tradition is also held in Naypyidaw and Pyin Oo Lwin.
Also on this occasion, many people come back home to pay homage to elders. Almsgiving and charity consisting of sautuditha feasts are also common during this festival, regarded as merit-making activities.

SEA Wanders offers a wide variety of transportation for our customers, from car transportation to flight airway, from boat and ferry to train transfer. With our sense of selection, our customers will not only have the most comfortable feeling but also the best condition to enjoy your Myanmar (Burma) travel

For regular road transfer

Driver Skills picked by HIT myanmar tours

For domestic flights and airlines

Departure Gate of Yangon International Airport

Air Bagan aircraft at an airport

Boat and Ferry Service

Shwe Keinnery River Cruise

Malikha River Cruise

The Port in Bagan of Road to Mandalay cruise by Belmond

For Train Travel

The area around Mandalay city is very rich in ancient capitals, which leave countless valued historic and religious relics. Thanks to this, it is considered as the most important cultural hub of Myanmar.

1. MANDALAY CAPITAL

Mandalay is now Myanmar’s second largest city, but if pull out the history in 19th century, it can see that its role was not less important than it is today. Mandalay imperial capital was founded at the foot of Mandalay Hill by King Midon in 1857, ostensibly to fulfill a prophecy of the foundation of a Buddhism metropolis in an exact place on the 2,400th Buddhism jubilee. To construct this new capital, the former royal palace of Amarapura was dismantled, and materials were moved by elephants to the new location.
The capital is surrounded by four rivers. For the next 26 years, Mandalay was the last royal capital of Konbaung Dynasty, the last independent Burmese kingdom before its final annexation by British Empire. It ceased to be the capital in 1885.

Relics till current days

 

* Mahamuni Paya (Mahamuni: the Great Sage; Paya: Buddhist temple)

This pagoda is one of Myanmar’s most important pilgrimage sites, founded in 1785 and located southwest of Mandalay. Mahamuni image, which was taken from Mrauk U after Konbaung Dynasty conquered the Kingdom of Mrauk U, is very much deified in here. It is highly venerated such an extent that Burmese devotees have pasted thick layers of gold leaves on it, morning ritual of face cleansing of Mahamuni takes place daily, and women are forbidden to approach it.

 

* Kuthodaw pagoda (Kuthodaw: royal merit)
Settled on the foot of Mandalay Hill and constructed by King Midon in 1868, Kuthodaw pagoda contains the world’s largest book, which stands upright, sets in stone, and spreads on the pagoda’s ground with 729 stone tablets carved Burmese Buddhist scripture.

* Mandalay Palace

It is the last imperial palace of the last Burmese monarchy, the main royal residence of King Mindon and King Thibaw, the two final kings of the country. It was built between 1857 and 1859 after King Midon’s decision to relocate capital.

 

* Shwenandaw Monastery (or Golden Palace Monastery)

Built in 1880 by King Thibaw Min, son of King Mindon Min, it is very well-known thanks to its teak carvings of Buddhist myths on the walls and roofs. It is a typical construction of traditional Burmese architectural style.

 

* Sandamuni Pagoda
Situated southwest of Mandalay Hill, this pagoda was erected by King Mindon in 1874, with aim to be memorial to Mindon's younger brother, Kanaung Mintha, who was assassinated along with other three princes, Malun, Sagu Minthu, and Maingpyin during the 1866 Myingun Prince rebellion. It covers the graves of these four murdered Princes and an iron image cast in 1802.

2. AMARAPURA CAPITAL

Amarapura was founded by King Bodawpaya of Konbaung Dynasty in 1783 as his new capital and also a center of Buddhist reforms and learning. It was the capital of Myanmar twice during Konbaung period (1783–1821 and 1842–1859) before eventually being supplanted by Mandalay in 1859.

Due to the royal treasury depleted by the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852, Mindon decided to reuse as many materials from Amarapura as possible in the construction of Mandalay. Its palace buildings were disassembled and caried by elephants to the new location, and the city walls were pulled down for use as building materials for roads and railways.
Until now, part of the moat is still recognizable near the Bagaya Monastery.

Relics till current days
* U Bein bridge: It spans over Taungthaman lake and is just the world’s oldest and longest teak wood bridge.
When the capital shifted to Mandalay, the residents in Amarapura made use of teak wood from the imperial palace to erect this bridge. It is 1.2km long and consists of 1086 main pillars and thousands of boards. It was curved in the middle to resist assaults of wind and water.

3. INWA CAPITAL

It is an ancient imperial capital of successive Burmese kingdoms for nearly 360 year, on five separate periods, from 1365 to 1842.
Inwa became the capital of Ava Kingdom, the main polity of Upper Burma from the 14th to 16th centuries. After undergoing repeated attacks and sieges in the last time of Ava Dynasty, it was chosen as a royal capital again on four periods of Toungoo and Konbaung Dynasties (16th to 19th centuries).
Throughout history, it was sacked and rebuilt numerous times. The capital was finally abandoned after it was completely destroyed by a series of significant earthquakes in March 1839, and King Tharrawaddy decided to rebuild a new palace in Amarapura in 1842. However, few traces of its former grandeur remain until now.

Relics till current days

* Nanmyin Leaning Tower: a watchtower
* Yadana Hsimi Pagodas – A small group of stupa ruins left after the earthquake.
* Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery: A brick monastery built in 1818 different from traditional Burmese monasteries, which are constructed with wood, not masonry.
* Bagaya Monastery: This teak wood monastery was first built in 1593. After burnt in the fire in the reign of King Bagyidaw, it was reconstructed in 1992. It’s known as “Monastic college" where the royals were educated.

4. SAGAING CAPITAL

With numerous Buddhist monasteries, Sagaing is a meaningful religious and monastic center of Myanmar. See again the past, it used to be the imperial capital of Sagaing Kingdom (1315–1364), one of the minor kingdoms that rose up after the fall of Pagan Dynasty.
During the Ava period (1364–1555), this city was the common fief of the crown prince and senior princes. It also had a brief time to be the royal capital between 1760 and 1763 under the reign of King Naungdawgyi (Konbaung Dynasty).

Relics till current days

* U Min Thonze cave

This pagoda comprises of 45 beautiful gilded Buddha images in a crescent-shaped colonnade, partly built on the side of Sagaing Hill. Each Buddha statue is unique in different sizes and facial expression.

* Soon U Ponya Shin pagoda

It is based on Nga-pha Hill, one of the southern hilltops of Sagaing Hill. According to a legend, it was built overnight in early 1300s.
This pagoda features a central 97ft-high gilded stupa, some delightful paintings and statues, and fantastic views over the scenery below. It is originally decorated with glass tiles for an unusual shimmering effect.

5. SHWEBO CAPITAL

The city was the origin of the Konbaung Dynasty, established by King Alaungpaya in 1752, which was the i political force in Burma after the mid-18th century. It served as Alaungpaya's capital from 1752 to 1760.
Up to 1752, Shwebo was a village, called Moksobo. In 1752, the chief of the village – Aung Zeya – founded the Konbaung Dynasty to resist the upcoming invasion of Lower Burma and renamed his village as Shwebo. Over the next eight years, Alaungpaya led the reunification of Burma with Shwebo as his capital. Shwebo lost its capital status after Alaungpaya's death in 1760. The successor Naungdawgyi moved the capital to Sagaing closer to Irrawaddy river. The region then was usually held as an appanage by the most senior princes.

Relics till current days
* Shwebo palace (Shwebonyadana Mingala Nandaw)
* Myodaung Pagoda
* Shwe Chattho Pagoda: built in the place where King Alaungpaya was born.
* Mahananda Lake
* Tomb of Alaungpaya
* Shwetaza Buddha Image
* The auspicious ground (Maha Aung Myay)

6. OTHER RELICS OF DYNASTIES AND REIGNS

* From 1790, King Bodawpaya (6th king of the Konbaung Dynasty) ordered to construct a gigantic pagoda, a gigantic bell and a gigantic couple of lions during his reign until he was died in 1819.

Relics till current days:

* Mingun Pahtodawgyi (or Mantalagyi – Great Royal Stupa)

This incomplete monument stupa is a massive construction project started from 1790. However, when the king was died, it was intentionally left unfinished and halted. Mantalagyi had attained a height of 50 meters, one third of the intended height. A huge earthquake in 1839 caused huge cracks on it.

* Mingun bell:

It was cast to go with Mantalagyi in 1808. Until now, Mingun bell has been in great ringing condition with no cracks. It does not make clangs but is rung by striking the outer edge. In history, it had been the world’s heaviest functioning bell at several times. The original weight of the bell is 55,555 viss. This number is conveniently remembered by many burmese people as a mnemonic, and carved on the surface of the bell.

* Kaunghmudaw Pagoda (in Monywa)

This pagoda was constructed from 1636 to 1648 during the reign of King Thalun (8th king of Toungoo dynasty), very well-known for its unusual egg-shaped design, which stands out more the traditional pyramid-shaped style of Burmese pagodas. The yellow domed house is 46m tall, featuring a large white marble Buddha image in its core and a relic chamber. Over 800 stone pillars along with image-filled niches circle it.

* Hsinbyume Pagoda

It was constructed in 1816 by King Bagyidaw (7th king of the Konbaung Dynasty) in north of Mingun to commemorate his first consort and also cousin, Princess Hsinbyume, who was died in childbirth in a site nearby. This pagoda was painted in white and modeled the physical description of the Buddhist legendary mountain, Mount Meru. Seven concentric terraces symbolizes for the seven mountain ranges going up to the Mount.

 

In Myanmar, boys all have to experience one or several times of “monk-hood”. They will leave their home and be sent to a monastery or pagoda to practice before deciding whether to become a lifelong monk or give up the robe after that.

Novitiation ceremony (or Shinbyu Pwe) is the most important ceremony in a whole life of a Burmese men. To them, since they were born, if they have not ever gone into a pagoda or monastery once, they have not been a good Buddhist yet. Also according to the belief of Buddhists here, the fact that their son become monks can create a big career for family.

 

Shinbyu Pwe – Unique ceremony

In early morning, new novices are applied makeup, wearing Burmese traditional costumes, and are taken to a special place to begin the ceremony. This is an occasion that parents can be proud of their children.

Organizers will announce the Shinbyu Pwe ceremony and open music to call upon people to donate alms bows and robes for new novices. After the announcement, the children ride horse decorated splendidly, shielded from the sun by a parasol, and marching around their neighborhood to the monastery or pagoda. The horse is led by an orchestral band headed by a clown with a moustache called U Shwe Yoe holding a parasol and dancing merrily.

The children have to wear the costumes like a royal prince or king and usually ride horse. They symbolize the image of prince Siddhartha when he renounced the world, as he left his palace (also his family, wife, newborn son, his title and the world he used to be) to go into the forest and commence the intense meditation until becoming the enlightened person (Buddha hood).

However, some novices may be taken on the shoulder of their close relatives if they cannot afford to ride horse, while it can be exaggerated by letting the children ride on elephant back or more luxurious on Toyota Land Cruiser Cygnus depending on budget of every family. In fact, the form of riding horse around neighborhood before going into a pagoda now just takes place in rural areas or small cities. In big cities like Yangon, families usually use cars to take their children into pagoda.

In a procession of Shinbyu Pwe, parents of the novice stand at top, carrying all necessary items that he will need at the monastery (robe, alms bow, hand fan, water filters and razor, all that 5 requisites) and some add-ons (not a must) like grass mat, pillows, blanket, etc. Behind, sisters or the most beautiful belles will bring on their hand a betel box and flowers. The father of the novice usually holds a triangular bell, striking at a certain pace in accordance with his walking time. He will say “Amyah” (means I share my merit by making this deed) while people who hear the bell ring may say Sadu for three times (means well done…well done… well done).

A boy on horse back shielded from the sun by a parasol

 

And a boy on elephant back

U Shwe Yoe – clown dance (Photo: Moe Swe via flick)

A Shinbyu procession, the father holds a triangular bell and strike,
beautiful belles bring on hand a betel box or flowers. (Photo: Moe Swe via flick)

 

Shinbyu Pwe ceremony in details

In monastery, Buddhist monks will explain the benefit of novitiation to parents and children. Subsequently, boys will be shaved their head, wearing a Buddhist robe. As from that moment, the child will not possess any property. With bare-head and bare-foot bringing along a bowl, he will go to beg for alms every morning. In the remaining time, novices will learn Burmese scripts, Buddhist scriptures by Pali language and everything concerning to Buddhism. burmese people have the notion that “when a child can drive birds away in fields, it means that he or she can go into a monastery or pagoda”. But in fact, children can become a Buddhist novice as they are able to recite Buddhist scriptures by Burmese and Pali language. Boys normally have to go into a monastery or pagoda by the age of 20.

Time length of monk-hood of a child is various, can be few days, few weeks or few years. A child also can become a novice in many times. Many children after going into a monastery or a pagoda, if this life is not suited to them or they want to return the secular life for further study or to be married, they will return home. Every month, monasteries and pagodas all have novices secularizing to come back to the normal life. Of course, children getting diseases of cancer, scabies or asthma will not be permitted to become a Buddhist monk.

Formerly, novitiation ceremony was held lavishly in each family, so it is known as a costly festival. Burmese parents consider holding this ceremony as making merit. If parents do not have enough money to hold this ceremony, their relatives and friends will support a part of budget for them. Thingyan festival is the favorite occasion to carry out this Shinbyu Pwe. But today, it is held all year-round, depending on selection of the suitable day and month of each area.