First published January 2022 | Words and photos by Vietnam Coracle
Happy New Year! Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! Exit the Buffalo; Enter the Tiger.
In another year dominated by the pandemic, the Buffalo was a particularly difficult 12 months for Vietnam, during which the nation suffered a long, hard lock-down amidst its worse wave of Covid-19 infections. Domestic travel was only possible for half the year, and no international travellers were inbound. I was fortunate to spend seven months of the year sheltering from the pandemic on Phu Quoc Island. While there, I remained productive in writing new articles and guides for this website each week, and launching the brand new Vietnam Coracle site design. Considering the circumstances, I thought it would be interesting to find out what the most popular new posts were in the Year of the Buffalo. Here’s hoping next year – the Year of the Tiger – will be better and brighter, at least with regards to the pandemic and travel.
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6 MOST POPULAR NEW POSTS IN THE YEAR OF THE BUFFALO
Below are the 6 most-read new posts on my website in the Year of the Buffalo, arranged in order of popularity. For each of the 6 posts, I’ve written a brief description, a cover image, and a direct link to the full article. I’ve also plotted each post on my map. I hope that, despite the pandemic and lock-downs and restrictions on travel, people have still found my content interesting, engaging and informative – even if only to travel vicariously via the images and words.
1. Anthony Bourdain in Vietnam
2. Fourth Wave: The Pandemic in Vietnam
3. Motocamping South-Central Vietnam
5. Trekking to Đỉnh Tiên Sơn Peak
*Please Support My Site: I never receive payment for anything I write: all my content is free to read and independently financed. There’s no sponsored content whatsoever. If you like my guides, please consider making a donation or becoming a patron. Thank you, Tom
6 Most Popular New Posts in the Year of the Buffalo
[Click a map icon, then click the link to go to the guide]
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1. Anthony Bourdain in Vietnam
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To coincide with the third anniversary of his death and the release the documentary film ‘Roadrunner’ about his life, I wrote a retrospective of Anthony Bourdain’s TV episodes set in Vietnam – a country for which he felt a special attachment – and a personal reflection on his life and work. Bourdain returned to Vietnam time and again over the course of his TV career, filming eight separate episodes for three different shows between 2002 and 2016. Like many people, I was very fond of Bourdain and his work: when he took his own life in 2018, I was shocked and saddened……read more
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2. Fourth Wave: The Pandemic in Vietnam
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Beginning in late April, 2021, Vietnam’s fourth wave of Covid-19 infections would become by far the worst of the pandemic. I left Saigon in late May, before the city became the epicentre of the wave, and travelled to Phu Quoc Island, where I spent a surreal, beautiful and emotional seven months. When it was over, I wrote a long-form narrative and travelogue describing my experiences……read more
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3. Motocamping South-Central Vietnam
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One of the most rewarding & deeply satisfying travel experiences I’ve had in over a decade of travelling in Vietnam, motocamping (‘motorbike-camping’) is thrilling, challenging, fulfilling and rapidly gaining popularity among Vietnamese travellers. The potential for motocamping in the south-central provinces during the dry season is limitless: all you need is some careful preparation and a sense of adventure. From the pine forests of the Central Highlands to the river valleys of the midlands, there’s a lot to explore……read more
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4. Mango Bay Phu Quoc
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Offering both comfort and a connection to nature – but not one at the expense of the other – Mango Bay has long been a favourite beach retreat on Phu Quoc Island. During the fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, myself and several other guests were ‘stranded’ at Mango Bay for four months of lock-down and travel restrictions. Over the course of this long stay, my admiration for the resort only grew……read more
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5. Trekking to Đỉnh Tiên Sơn Peak
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Ascending steeply through thick rainforest, a pathway leads to a nest of giant boulders atop Đỉnh Tiên Sơn (‘Fairy Mountain Peak’), from where there are stunning 180-degree views of Phu Quoc. Having spent seven months on the island in the Year of the Buffalo, I was able to explore its interior: I now know that Phu Quoc is much more that just a beach destination……read more
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6. Khmer Temple-Hopping Motorbike Loop
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Connecting over 50 fascinating Khmer Buddhist temples via quiet back-roads through lush scenery in the seldom visited Mekong Delta province of Trà Vinh, this motorbike loop is rich in culture and way off the beaten path. As you ride this loop – visiting dozens of Buddhist compounds and walled enclosures under big tropical trees with large, decorative, brightly adorned and architecturally fascinating temples, wats, shrines, stupas and monasteries – you get a real sense of history and you can’t help but fall under the spell of Trà Vinh Province and its Khmer cultural heritage……read more
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*Disclosure: I never receive payment for anything I write: my content is always free and independent. For more details, see my Disclosure & Disclaimer statements and my About Page
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