Last updated May 2022 | Words and photos by Vietnam Coracle | 255 comments
This post was last updated 3 years ago. Please check the comments section for possible updates, or read more on my Updates & Accuracy page.
Welcome to my About Page. On this page I introduce myself and my website in detail: who I am, what I do, why I do it, what Vietnam Coracle is and how this website works. Please read this page to better understand the motivation and ethos behind Vietnam Coracle and how to get the most out of using it:
ABOUT: ME & THE TEAM
About Me: I’m Tom. I’ve lived, travelled and worked in Vietnam since 2005 and I love it here. Born in London, I was lucky enough to travel abroad from an early age – my first visit to Vietnam was in 1999, age 17. But now, whenever I have the opportunity to make a trip somewhere, I rarely look beyond Vietnam’s borders. For me, everything I want from a travel destination – landscape, food, people, history, culture, adventure, romance – I can find here.
I left London when I was 22 years old and moved to Vietnam to live, work and travel. In 2012, I started Vietnam Coracle as a way to express my experiences in Vietnam and communicate my feelings about the country through words, images and film. For 10 years, between 2012 and 2022, I was the sole author and content creator for Vietnam Coracle, researching and producing hundreds of guides, articles and reviews, taking and editing thousands of photographs and dozens of short films. In May, 2022, I launched Contributing Writers for Vietnam Coracle: a team of people with years of experience living, travelling and working in Vietnam, who contribute written content to the site, as well as me.
Over the years, I’ve travelled to every province in Vietnam and covered over 225,000km on my motorbike, Stavros. However, I don’t claim to be an ‘expert’ on Vietnam or to know more about its food, history, roads, landscape, accommodation and culture than anyone else. But I do have a genuine passion for all of the above: I pursue them all with purpose and I’m highly motivated to present them to the best of my ability on this website. This has been my primary occupation for almost a decade, and I intend to continue.
Relatively camera-shy, I prefer to point my lens at Vietnam rather than at myself. For this reason, there aren’t many photos of me on Vietnam Coracle, and even those there are, I usually have my back to the camera or am hidden by a hat or sunglasses, as below. Although Vietnam Coracle is deeply personal – my opinions, character and personality run through all the content – the main focus of this website is Vietnam, not me.
*If you’d like to learn more about me & my website, please read this article or this interview or listen to this podcast
Introducing Ben: I met Ben in 2019 and he’s been doing excellent work on Vietnam Coracle ever since. Ben initially contacted me through the site and we met for coffee. Ben is a web developer; I, on the other hand, am not particularly tech-savvy. As Vietnam Coracle has grown, I’ve become increasingly aware of how my lack of ability in this field limits what I’m able to do and, in some cases, has a detrimental impact on the site and readers’ experience of it. Moreover, there have always been things I wanted to do with the site, but couldn’t due to my lack of computer skills. Thankfully, Ben has a distinguished career in tech and knows all the mysteries and alchemy involved in web developing: everything that’s incomprehensible to me is terra firma for Ben.
We began working together on various tech issues on the site. Gradually, the projects became bigger, more challenging and complex. Much of Ben’s significant input may go unnoticed by readers of this site, because it’s in the background. But, Ben’s biggest project to date is very visible indeed. Almost a year in the making, Ben has completely redesigned the layout of Vietnam Coracle. From July, 2021, the way this website looks, feels and is organized is largely down to Ben’s tech wizardry. For my part, I’m hugely grateful for all the work, time and effort Ben has put into Vietnam Coracle. But, more than that, I’m happy to have Ben as a friend: he’s good company and we’ve been on several memorable trips together. Here’s Ben in his own words:
“I’m a web developer and designer from the great state of Maine in the USA. After a few years of honing my IT talent working in the Bay Area tech industry, I decided to finally chase my dream of living abroad, so I left most of my belongings in my aunt’s attic and then hopped on a one-way flight to Seoul in January of 2017. A year later, I found myself in Saigon where everything just clicked. Being a digital nomad gives me the superpower to choose where I live, and I chose Vietnam. I love it here! Independent travel has always been my favorite way to discover new places, so it was inevitable that I would find Vietnam Coracle. The first guide I ever followed was the Tet Classic, and I have been addicted to seeing this country on two wheels ever since.”
Introducing Contributing Writers: In May, 2022, I introduced a new team of writers on Vietnam Coracle. These are people I know, respect and admire: they’re travellers, writers and photographers with years of experience living, working and exploring Vietnam. They share my love of the country and passion for communicating it via words, photos and film. Specializing in different regions and aspects of Vietnam, together we’ll contribute to Vietnam Coracle so that others can experience (and love) the country as we all do. Find out more about who the contributing writers are and how it works on this page.
ABOUT: VIETNAM CORACLE
Since I have a lot to say about my website, please click an item below to read more about it:
- What is a Coracle?
- What is Vietnam Coracle?
- This is Personal
- I am Independent
- I’m not an Influencer
- Readers can Support Vietnam Coracle
- Ratings & Reviews
- Accuracy & Updates
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What is a Coracle? The coracle is an icon of Vietnam. These little woven ‘basket boats’ are seen all along the nation’s coastline, used by fishermen to transport their catch from the boats to the beaches. As an object, coracles are symmetrical and serene, beautiful and recognizable. Coracles float and move wherever they like: they have no bow or stern. I like to think of the coracle as a metaphor for freedom of movement and independent travel. In addition to these attributes, I like the sound of the word – coracle – it’s graceful, fluid, and a play on ‘oracle’: a dispenser of advice. However, like many aspects of traditional Vietnamese culture, woven coracles are an increasingly rare sight in Vietnam today; most fishing communities now preferring the much more durable, watertight, easier and cheaper to produce plastic coracles.
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What is Vietnam Coracle? Vietnam Coracle is a free, independent, online travel resource for Vietnam. Frustrated by meeting people who had come to Vietnam – either to travel or to live – and left disappointed, I created Vietnam Coracle in 2012 as a way to communicate and share the experiences I’ve had in this country and what I love about it. This website is my way of making sure that, for anyone with a sense of adventure and an open mind, Vietnam doesn’t pass you by.
Vietnam Coracle is aimed specifically at independent travellers: people who want to explore Vietnam for themselves and avoid package tours. This website features extensive guides to destinations, food and drink, transportation, motorbike routes, and accommodation throughout the country, as well as long-form articles, descriptive writing pieces and interviews about cultural, historical and environmental topics, and short films. My guides include annotated maps, directions, contact details, travel information, hotel reviews, dining recommendations – everything you need to experience the places I write about for yourselves, without having to join a tour.
All the content on this website is 100% independent: written, researched, illustrated, and experienced by me or the contributing writers. If it’s on Vietnam Coracle then, by definition, we’ve been there and done it. Every guide and article is personally researched and based on decades of travelling, exploring, living, working and studying in Vietnam. Over the years, I’ve covered over 225,000km on my motorbike and visited all 63 provinces in Vietnam. The Vietnam Coracle archives currently hold over 300 free-to-access guides, articles, reviews and more. I hope this resource will help visitors explore Vietnam and enjoy the country as much as I and the rest of the Vietnam Coracle team do.
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This is Personal: Vietnam Coracle is a deeply personal view of Vietnam: I write about the things that I love and the topics that interest me. I don’t let Google rankings or social media shares dictate what I choose to cover in my guides and articles. Rather, I choose to write about whatever fascinates me, excites me, inspires me, or concerns me; whatever parts of the country I think deserve more attention from visitors; whatever dining experiences I think people should try: whatever I consider worthy of my time and effort to research and write, and worthy of travellers’ time and effort to pursue. (The same goes for the contributing writers.) In general, I tend to prefer off-the-beaten-path destinations and activities to well-trodden or touristy ones. This is partly because the latter are well-covered by other resources, and partly because, in my experience, the further you get from popular destinations in Vietnam, the better and more memorable your experience will be. If and when I write about a popular place, I usually focus on a specific aspect of it which appeals to me.
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I am Independent: Vietnam Coracle is free-to-read and totally independent. I am the founder and primary content creator for this website, and I finance all my own projects. The same is true of the contributing writers. There’s absolutely no sponsored content, no paid reviews, no paywalls, no algorithm-based advertising, and I’ve never paid to promote this site in any way. Vietnam Coracle has occupied the majority of my time for a decade. I produce all content for Vietnam Coracle to the best of my ability and as far as my time and finances allow. No one tells me what to write about or how to write about it. This is something that’s increasingly rare in the world of online travel content, and that’s why it’s precious. I want to keep it that way: 100% independent and free.
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I’m not an Influencer: These days, so many travel blogs, vlogs, online travel guides and review sites are poorly researched and algorithm-based, or just regurgitated content aimed solely at generating traffic, ranking high in Google search results, and accumulating advertising revenue. So-called online travel advice is littered with influencers whose content often amounts to nothing more than paid posts and online marketing. I consider Vietnam Coracle the antithesis of this and I define myself and my website in opposition to this: I am not an influencer. I never receive payment for anything I write. All my guides and reviews are independently researched and financed. I never receive freebies of any sort in exchange for positive reviews or listings. I only write about places I’ve personally visited. There’s no sponsored content. No paid marketing. No random Google Ads. I’ve never paid to promote my website – any momentum, popularity, or readership it’s gained has been entirely through word of mouth, whether in person or online. Again, no one tells me what to write about or how to write about it.
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Readers can Support Vietnam Coracle: If you enjoy this website and the work I do, please support Vietnam Coracle. There are 7 ways to do this:
- Make a Donation [Read more]
- Become a Patron [Read more]
- Book your Accommodation [Read more]
- Book your Transportation [Read more]
- Spread the Word [Read more]
- Write Updates & Comments [Read more]
- Advertise [Read more]
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Ratings & Reviews: As you read and use this website, you’ll begin to get a sense of what my general tastes and standards are for accommodation, dining, and destinations. I have no fixed criteria for ratings and reviews: my assessments are entirely subjective. I review all standards of accommodation, dining, and transportation on this website – budget, mid-range and luxury are all covered. In many cases, I enjoy staying at cheap, local guesthouses as much as I do fancy, 5-star resorts; and I enjoy one-dollar rice lunches on the streetside as much as I do expensive cocktails at a rooftop bar. However, I always judge a place based on my own expectations of value for money. If, for example, a $200-a-night resort offers good but not excellent accommodation and service, then I will rate the $10-a-night, friendly, family-run guesthouse next door more highly.
Likewise, when it comes to dining in Vietnam, a good meal is about more than just the quality of the food: a confluence of physical surroundings, ambience and food is what constitutes a good meal for me. Since street food is so good and so ubiquitous in Vietnam, the kind of place that’s most likely to meet the above criteria is not an indoor, quiet, sterile, restaurant environment, but an outdoor, busy, messy, noisy and delicious place on the sidewalk.
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Accuracy & Updates: I do my best to make sure that all the information in my guides and reviews is accurate at the time of writing and publication. But, such is the pace of change in Vietnam, some details are bound to be out of date by the time you read them. Always check the date of publication/latest update at the top of the guide you’re reading to gauge the accuracy of the information, and adjust your expectations accordingly. In addition, check the comments section at the bottom of the page to find any updates that readers have contributed.
Please bear in mind that my travel guides cover hundreds of destinations, and my motorbike routes cover tens of thousands of kilometres of road, across the entire nation. The more content I produce, the more difficult it is to keep information up to date. I encourage readers to let me know of any new developments or changes they encounter while travelling, so I can keep my content as current as possible. Readers can either comment at the bottom of my posts or email me with information. Your input is a great help to me and other travellers who use this website. However, before commenting or emailing, please read my Updates & Accuracy Page.
Finally, this website is a very personal view of Vietnam. I, like everyone else, am a work in progress; in a constant state of becoming. I change. My values, ideas and opinions change. Thus, some views I’ve expressed in past articles, guides or reviews may not necessarily be representative of my opinions in the present.
ABOUT: MY CATEGORIES
All content on Vietnam Coracle is organized into 4 main categories, each of which has multiple sub-categories. Below I’ve written a brief overview of the 4 main categories:
Category: Destinations
My Destinations Category features extensive, long-form travel guides to some of my favourite places to visit throughout Vietnam: beaches, mountains, islands, cities, cultural and historical sites, and much more. My guides cover the entire nation: north, south, east, and west. As mentioned earlier on this page, I tend to prefer new, emerging or neglected destinations rather than highly popular (and crowded) ones. This is reflected in the destinations I choose to write about, many of which are relatively off-the-beaten-path. However, I do also cover some destinations that are very much on the established tourist trail. Also included in my Destinations Category are in-depth guides to transportation: train routes, ferry routes, useful bus services and urban transport, as well as hiking routes and do-it-yourself walking tours.
In addition to these, my Destinations Category features articles on aspects of Vietnamese life and culture, reading lists, interviews, descriptive writing pieces, nature and the environment, travellers’ resources, short films and more. The scope and variety of content in my Destinations Category is broadening all the time: I have a wide range of interests and many more ideas for new content than I can possibly keep up with. In order to get the most out of my Destinations Category, browse the content using the subcategories or explore using my Destinations Map. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, type the key words into the search box in the top right corner of any Vietnam Coracle page.
Category: Motorbike Guides
I believe that a motorbike road trip through Vietnam is one of the most rewarding travel experiences you can have anywhere in the world. Few things compare to the feeling of freedom and excitement you get when starting out early in the morning on the open road. The motorbike is the most popular mode of transportation in Vietnam, and there’s no better way to see the country. Over the years, my motorbike, Stavros, has taken me to all of Vietnam’s 63 provinces, covering over 225,000km. Having your own two wheels gives you unparalleled access to Vietnam’s landscapes and cities. You won’t be restricted by bus, plane or train routes: the whole country is open to adventure. My Motorbike Guides Category outlines great rides and exciting routes throughout the country: from mountainous northern routes to coastal southern routes, from short back-road jaunts to epic south-to-north adventures. All my Motorbike Guides include detailed route maps, information about things to see, places to stay and eat along the way. With my Motorbike Guides you can do it all independently, without joining a tour: a real adventure.
Don’t be put off by the chaotic traffic in Hanoi and Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City): once you’re out of these cities the traffic is much lighter. In general, my motorbike routes try to stay on smaller, quieter, paved roads as much as possible. Nevertheless, sometimes busy highways or muddy tracks can’t be avoided. These roads can be dangerous, but, with common sense and careful driving, you’ll be fine. My Motorbike Guides Category also includes multiple resources for riders, such as expenses, riding equipment, and how to transport your motorbike on trains, buses and boats within Vietnam. To find the route you’re looking for use the subcategories or browse using my Motorbike Guides Map.
Category: Hotel Reviews
One of the things that has always excited me about travelling is the prospect of stumbling upon, and staying in, great-value accommodation. Whether it’s a dorm bed for a couple of dollars in a cool hostel in a city centre, an immaculately clean, family-run guesthouse in an off-the-beaten-track location, a mid-range hotel in a fabulous position, or a 5-star resort with exquisite attention to detail, I love them all and I review them all on Vietnam Coracle. All my accommodation reviews are detailed, long-form, independently researched and financed – I never receive freebies or payment of any sort in exchange for positive reviews or listings. My Hotel Reviews Category features dozens of illustrated reviews of places to stay, so you can find the perfect hotel, resort, homestay, guesthouse or campsite to suit your tastes, needs and budget. From wild camping in the Central Highlands to luxurious, modern, minimalist-chic beach resorts on the south-central coast, from homestays on lakes, rivers and in the mountains to boutique hotels above the rice paddies, my Hotel Reviews Category covers the whole country and all price ranges. Use the subcategories to explore my Hotel Reviews archive or browse using my Hotel Reviews Map.
Category: Food & Drink
Food and drink should be a highlight of any visit to Vietnam. Yet many travellers return home underwhelmed by their culinary experience of the country. This is partly due to Vietnamese restaurants catering to foreign tourists – these places are more likely to offer the idea of Vietnamese food than the real thing. But it’s also partly due to a lack of adventurousness on the part of travellers. Come to Vietnam with an open mind and an open palate, avoid tourist restaurants and English-language menus, and you’re sure to fall for Vietnam’s marvellous cuisine and culinary culture. My Food & Drink Category features guides that will help to give you the confidence to go out and eat like a local. Vietnamese cuisine is complex and eclectic. Some dishes can be a shock to foreign palates, but others are much easier to get to grips with. It took me a long time to become familiar and comfortable with the Vietnamese flavour spectrum. But, once I learned to trust the local palate, a whole new and delicious world opened up to me.
In the big cities, the food and drink scene is changing and evolving all the time: there are smarter, more sophisticated restaurants and bars, many offering Asian-Western fusion cuisine. But I prefer old-school, local, family-run, informal, street-level dining experiences. In Vietnam, it’s often the most casual, run-down looking establishments that serve the best food: follow the crowds, not the décor. Vietnam is a nation of cafes and bars. The coffee culture and bar scene is burgeoning and exciting, as a new, young, creative generation turns its attention to nights out and having fun. Explore my culinary guides using the subcategories or my Food & Drink Map.
ABOUT: VIETNAM
Vietnam is an exciting place to be at this point in time. The country is undergoing huge transformations in almost all aspects of its society and culture: from economics to eating habits, from religion to relationships, from family to foreign policy. For the traveller, tourism is in the perfect phase of transition: infrastructure is developed enough to allow access to practically all regions of the country, but undeveloped enough to make off-the-beaten-track experiences a daily occurrence, should you seek them out. But, with the current pace of change, some things – unspoiled islands, historic buildings, local eating houses – are bound to disappear forever. Don’t wait; visit now, before those annoying people start saying, “You should have seen what this place was like five years ago.”
Vietnam is moving, changing, shifting – you get a real sense of this as you travel around the nation. The population is young, dynamic, creative, optimistic and excited by the prospects of the future. It feels like this is Vietnam’s time. Vietnamese people are often intensely proud of their culture, history and achievements, while also being extremely curious, open-minded and willing to learn about the rest of the world. Vietnam’s economy is booming, consumerism is surging, foreign travel is increasingly common, and Vietnam is becoming a bigger, more influential power in the region and the world. But, with some of these changes come new and difficult problems: pollution and air-quality, especially in the big cities, is becoming a serious health risk to citizens; the natural environment has taken a pounding with the liftoff of the economy and the advent of tourism and development; and Vietnam’s relationship with China is more complex and fragile than ever. Taken all together, Vietnam is a fascinating place to be right now: explore, enjoy, eat, ride, learn and love it.
ABOUT: ADVERTISING
Vietnam Coracle is, and always will be, free and independent. As the website has grown, Vietnam Coracle has become a full-time occupation for me: I spend the majority of my time and money researching and producing new content, and maintaining the site. Therefore, it’s necessary for me to generate some revenue from Vietnam Coracle. Rather than charging for access to my content, putting up paywalls for certain posts, writing sponsored content, or using Google Ads, I have chosen to make personally selected advertising available on my pages. This advertising is aimed at complementing my content, rather than distracting from it. The advertising banners you see on Vietnam Coracle are not random, algorithm-based ads served-up by Google. I only advertise products, companies and services that are relevant to my content and that I think will be useful to my readers, and, preferably, ones that I have personal experience of. I personally select and oversee the advertising that’s allowed on my website. If you’re interested in advertising your business, services, or products on Vietnam Coracle, please take a look at my Media Kit or email me: vietnamcoracle@gmail.com
Note: For details about other aspects of my website that may affect you, please read my Disclosure & Disclaimer statements and my Privacy Policy.
Thanks for reading!
Good Day Tom, excellent site!
I dream traveling around Vietnam by train, starting either from Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, visiting main touristics sites (i.e. Nha Trang, Cam Rahn, Danang, Hue and some other places north of Hanoi. As a Hop On-Hop Off train. Is that possible? I mean, take the train in HCMC, get off at Nha Trang, retake it and get off in Danang and so on. I’d be traveling alone (I’m 71 yo) Think that best season would be February or March (not during Tet). What about your kind suggestions? I’m thinking 2/3 days stay in each place for a total of 15 days maximum. Accept yopu recommendations concerning places and itineary. Thanks a lot Tom
Hi Agustin,
Yes, that sounds like a fine itinerary. For weather conditions, please see my Weather Guide. (And, yes, you are right to avoid travelling by train during Tet New Year holiday.)
Unfortunately, you will need to buy separate tickets for each leg of your train journey. You can’t just buy one ticket and hop on and off whenever and wherever you like. But as long as you’re not travelling during a public holiday, you should be fine to just book your next train ticket 2-4 days in advance.
Also, if you haven’t already, please read my Train Travel Guide.
Best,
Tom
Great site. Great name. Great ethos. Admire and appreciate your efforts, and offerings. I’ll be referring to, and using the wealth of information in your site to assist my upcoming adventures in Vietnam starting later this month. Your article and advice on train travel has already influenced my itinerary – and opened my (already open) mind to possibilities I’d overlooked. So to you, Tom, and your team, thank you 🙏🏽 Bear
Hi Bear,
Thank you for the kind words, I appreciate it. I’m happy to hear you’ve found my website useful and I hope your trip is a good one!
Best,
Tom
Hey Tom,
Love all the work you have put into your website.
I have been once to Vietnam a couple of years back and rode from HCM to Hanoi.
At that time, me and my brother did a lot of research of all the towns and places we would visit and made a route using this into account with google maps as our tool.
This was very handy, because we could easily open this on our phone and follow our markers.
I have a question regarding the loops you make in the Google My Map page.
How can i open this in google maps on my phone (using Iphone) and follow the routes you marked?
As for now, it opens the “My Map” page, but no way to “get directions” when looking at a loop.
Best,
Reinout
Hi Reinout,
There are ways to get the route maps on your phone and follow them in real time, even without an internet connection. But you can’t get turn-by-turn navigation unless you manually input the route yourself. We have created a How-To Guide for Using Maps – please click this link to read more about it and decide whether or not you want to get it. (Note that you can apply the same method for any route map on Vietnam Coracle). In addition, we have created special Guide & Map packages, which include the How-To Guide for Using Maps: you can browse all available Guide & Map packages on this page.
Best,
Tom
Tom,
Great depth of information – I bought the whole enchilada guides – heading to Hanoi in 2 weeks initially with a moto tour north to get used to it all as its my first time in vietnam flying solo – then perhaps solo or a guide if necessary for a run south on the ho chi minh to Hoi an.
Am a senior citizen so the language etc is easier with some assistance.
D.
Hi David,
That’s great to hear, thanks! I’m sure you will enjoy your trip – this should be a good time of year to be travelling in those regions.
Best,
Tom
Found this amazing resource. Wife 73 I am 75. We travelled Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand on our own last year. We are thinking of doing Vietnam in May this year doing north to south in a month. Suggestions. We are budget travellers.
Hi Jonathan & Madeline,
That is a very broad question. I suggest you browse through the guides on this site to get an idea of what there is and where you want to go. Then email me if you have any specific questions.
Best,
Tom
Thank you
Hi Tom,
I have enjoyed reading your guides and they have been very helpful. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
I will be doing a 6 week Saigon to Hanoi journey later this month, with a break halfway through as I have plans to meet a buddy in Thailand. I plan on purchasing a bike and reselling a few months later. Do you have any recommendations for where to look to purchase a bike in Saigon?
Thank you so much,
Ryan
Hi Ryan,
For more information about buying vs renting a motorbike, plus some recommendations, please see this page.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom. We know Vietnam reasonably well and my partner lived in Ho Chi Minh city for three years. Your blog on Con dao convinced us to take some time there while we are based in HCMC in March. I am having some difficulty however in finding a photographic tour ( rather than touristic ) of the Mekong Delta for 2 or 3 days to include the women mending fishing nets, which make fantastic photos!
Any Info would be great, thanks
James
Hi James,
I don’t know of a specific photographic tour for the Mekong Delta. Maybe you could try contacting Susan Bui Farmstay – perhaps she knows or can arrange something.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom! Congratulations for your great work. We want to come to Vietnam on November 15th and stay in the north for two months. How is the weather between November and January in the north of Vietnam for us who go around with a small scooter? Thanks
Hi Has & Sel,
Please take a look at my Weather Guide.
Best,
Tom
Hallo Tom,
Just found your blog, have no chance to read in detail yet.), a little overwhelmed and excited:) , it seems lots of useful informaiton and beautiful places to explore in Vietnam.
I found your blog because we are planing for motorbike trip in Vietnam, but we have no experience at all with motorbiking in Vietnam.
Given information from a foreign friend who has business in Vietnam that foreigner cannot get local driving liscence in Vietnam and International liscance is not recognized. The only with is to pay police when get stop by them. is this the fact?
And is there a more reliable rental company that you can recommend?
thank you very much in advance
Hi Angeline,
For information about licenses and legality, it’s best to contact and ask the reliable rental companies: for example, I recommend some of them on this page.
Best,
Tom
Dear Tom, thank you so much for your blog, it’s so full of amazing information and it’s beautifully written, to boot! We are going on a family holiday to Vietnam this Christmas for a holiday of a lifetime (we hope), and I have been looking for off-the-beaten track information, which your blog is perfect for. So thank you again. I do have a question, which I hope you’ll be able to answer: we want to do the Hai Van Pass by motorbike (ie with us riding pillion) and were looking at doing this with Easy Riders, but there are so many Easy Riders companies we are not sure which one is best, safest and most authentic. As a motorbike rider yourself, do you have any recommendations? Many thanks.
Hi Katy,
Yes, it is difficult to know which to choose. Personally, I would recommend contacting a reputable company, such as Style Motorbikes and asking for their Hai Van Pass motorbike tours (you can mention Vietnam Coracle if you like, they know me). If not, then you can try to discern which of the Easy Rider tours are best by going through the reviews in forums, such as TripAdvisor.
In addition, my Hai Van Pass Guide has lots of information about the route and history
Best,
Tom
Thank-you for sharing.
can you tell me what flower from Vietnam is on the book cover of Absolution by Alice McDermott
Hi Christy,
I’m not sure, but it looks like bougainvillea.
Best,
Tom
Thanks
My wife (Uschi, 72 years old) and I (Wolfgang, 74 years old) would like to travel to Vietnam from June 22nd, 2024 to July 16th, 2024. I am an enthusiastic hobby photographer (not a professional). We will be at Ban Gioc and Phong Nam on June 30th and July 1st, 2024. We definitely needed someone to show us good photo opportunities. He doesn’t have to be a tour guide and doesn’t need to know any English. A moped would be advantageous. Of course, we will pay for the services.
Can you help us?
Dietrich family
Weißenfels/ Germany
Hi Wolfgang,
Sorry, I don’t have any contacts for tour guides.
Best,
Tom
Hi tom, love your posts! Been so helpful for us planning our trip in june, just wondering do you think driving from south to north of Vietnam in June is a bad idea due to rainy season? I know it can be an hour of rain and then sun for the rest of the day but I’ve been informed by others to be wary of heavy flooding in the mountains!
Thank you would really appreciate any advice or tips!
Hi Jane,
I think it’s fine to do a south-north road trip in June – I have done it many times. The weather is fairly similar nationwide at that time of year: hot, humid, with frequent heavy tropical downpours. But as long as you are prepared – rain suits, waterproof covers for your luggage, willing to sit some of the heavy showers out – then you should be fine. Landslides can occur after very heavy rains in the mountains, but June is not generally when this happens – that would be a little later in the monsoon season. Of course, there’s always the chance you might get unlucky and be travelling during a storm, but if so, you will just have to stop for a couple of days for it to pass. Use Windy.com and the rain/thunder option for accurate forecasts. I’ve written more about conditions in my Weather Guide.
Best,
Tom
Hello Tom,
Your website is beautiful, thoughtful, and very helpful- thank you! We are traveling for 2 weeks or so with our 6 and 7 year old. Could you suggest anyone to connect with about putting together a family tour for us? Or point us in any directions?
Thank you so much!
Hi Jessica,
You could try to contact Chom Chom Travel – they specialize in tailored trips for families.
Best,
Tom
Hey Tom,
How are you? I love what you created here but wanted to ask something off topic. Do you have any content about your experience as a TEFL teacher in Vietnam? It appears you have been doing it for years so I’m curious to know more about this work and what’s really like. If not, is there a resource you recommend I look into? Some things I’m wondering about are below:
1) Is it easier to find a job at a public school or a language center? Is the pay the same?
2) What’s the best strategy in finding work (where/when/how for example)?
3) How do you go about finding an apartment whether it’s in Saigon or Da Nang for example?
4) Is TEFL everything you expected it to be? or did the job turn out to be something completely different from what you expected?
FYI I’m an American and Ive very familiar with the SE Asian region.
Best,
Neal
Hi Neal,
I haven’t written any practical content about TEFL in Vietnam. And my experience of aspects of it, such as strategies for finding jobs and resources, belongs to a different era of TEFL in Vietnam. There are lots of online groups and websites if you search around.
1) It’s much easier to find teaching positions in language centres than public schools
2) Research online for groups and centres and apply through them
3) There are loads of Facebook groups catering to foreigners finding apartments
4) If you can get a TEFL job that gives you the time and space to experience Vietnam (not just teaching 8 hours a day), then it’s a fantastic experience.
Best,
Tom
Dear Tom,
Once again thank you for a wonderful route and explanation!
Last year i followed your maps and advice throughout by trip from Hanoi to HCM via the central highlands… What an adventure! So much so i am planning to come back soon.
However i seek your advice, as my plan would be:
– Fly to Hanoi, and rent bikes (150cc)
– Hanoi to Sapa (ha giang)
– Cross into Laos at Pang Hok (LA) – Tay Trang (VN)
– Spend a week(ish traveling around north Laos (luang prabang)
– Cross back into Vietnam at Nam Soy (LA) – Na Meo (VN)
– Travel back up to Hanoi via Ho Chi Minh trail
Do you think it is possible? i realise the difficulties these days to say for sure if they’ll have some issues with me at the crossing, so thats always a big “???”
But anyway, assuming that i get all my paperwork done in advance, my question is more about:
– Can i cross with a rented bike (prob a 150cc)
– Can i enter from the Tay Trang and exit from Nam Xoi?
Thank you So much!
Hi Arturo,
I can’t give you any advice about crossing borders with a motorbike because I don’t cross international borders from Vietnam with my motorbike. Try searching the Vietnam Back Roads Facebook group for information about this.
Best,
Tom
Tom – i am grateful to have come across your site – as i have been looking to make this bucket list ride within the next year – i am combing thru it now to select my preferred route – most likely i will only have 2 weeks so a shorter ride or longer days. My question is the ability to rent and drop off a bike ? – best from south to north or north to south ?- or does it matter, best bike you think is available for the ride ( i am getting up there in age ). Should this become reality i shall definitely book as much as possible thru your site.
I often do Self Guided routes thru a tour company who books the bike rental and hotels for a fee usually upscale accommodations – I am sure you have thought of that $ – lots of us older guys around looking for adventure still.
thanks
D.
Hi David,
The rental and drop-out services in Vietnam are pretty good and sophisticated these days. I recommend some companies on this page and I carry advertising for specific companies on this website too. So contact them and ask for your specifics.
Many different types of bike are available and which you choose depends on your personal preference and the kind of riding you’re planning to do.
Hotel booking is pretty easy now, especially for higher end accommodations. For example, you can easily search and book through this page and I have reviewed dozens of places to stay around the country. Alternatively, I’m sure some of the rental companies can also offer you some sort of package.
Weather is a defining factor when choosing where to ride, so check out my Weather Guide too.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom, I stumbled across your website and what a fortunate stumble that was. Thank you for a very informative, interesting, no nonsense, ad free website. Even if I wasn’t planning my second trip to Vietnam I think I would definitely be tempted to go there.
I am planning a trip to the south with my friend for 6 weeks from 3rd week of January 2024 to end of March. We normally travel in a laid back manner, booking our accommodation a couple of days in advance and extending our stays if we like where we are. We are both Irish free spirited pensioners who like to meet and stay with locals and experience local culture rather than racing around. As we will be in Vietnam for Tet I have been reading that its necessary to book travel and accommodation well in advance. Is this actually the case and can you recommend a relaxed place we can stay and experience Tet? Any advice you can offer will be much appreciated and keep up the good work.
Hi Anne,
Thank you for your kind words.
I know this seems strange, but actually one of the best places to spend Tet is Ho Chi Minh City – this is because a large percentage of the population leave the city during Tet which means that it’s the only time of year when the city is relatively calm, quiet, pleasant and even good to explore on foot; also hotel availability should be much easier in Ho Chi Minh City during Tet than at any travel destination in Vietnam.
Best,
Tom
For the budget traveler ,we found the Hoa Lu hotel in Song LA a tremendous value at 300000 walk in (360000 on booking sites)it was inviting and bordering on luxurious after a day on the motorbike…the hosts made up for a lack in English with hospitality.
Hi Steve,
Thanks for the suggestion.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom,
One of the best (maybe the best) sites of it’s kind, thank you!
I have a Thailand registered fully owned adventure bike that I would like to take on a trip to Vietnam with my wife. From my research it seems the only way to do that is with an established tour company and requires we ride with a guide. For us that is a non-starter.
First, to your knowledge is that true? If not can you please point me in the right direction for more information?
Thank you,
Bob
Hi Bob,
Thank you for your kind words about my site.
Unfortunately, I don’t know much about Thai registered bikes in Vietnam. However, I would suggest either contacting one of the reputable bike rental/tours companies that I mention on this page to ask about it, and/or posting your question in the Vietnam Back Roads facebook group – they will be able to advise you better than I on this matter.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom,
I’ve been using this website for years since I moved here in 2019. It is still my bible for traveling Vietnam. I recommend it to all my coworkers who are interested in travelling the country.
I’m just writing to express my thanks.
Hi John,
Thank you for your kind words – that means a lot to me. And thank you for spreading the word! I’ve never paid to market the site, so word of mouth accounts for any traction the site has gained.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom and Vietnam Coracle team. I’ve just returned from Vietnam using many of your tips and routes along the way. I’m looking to return in November and am looking for a more off road route with water crossings and mud. Is this something that you could help with? Looking to depart Hanoi and end in Sapa, taking the night train back to Hanoi with the bikes.
Thanks for all your help.
Richard
Hi Richard,
I don’t write specific guides to off-road routes in Vietnam. However, finding off-road tracks in the northern Vietnamese mountains shouldn’t be difficult. If you take a look at some of my northern routes – such as Sin Ho Loop or Borders & Back Roads – there’s plenty of opportunities to find off-road trails on those.
Best,
Tom
Hello Tom! I am planning a trip and would love suggestions of an itinerary. We would like to do a mix of beach and land. My husband and our twin daughters (ages 13) will also be going. We are flying in and out of Ho Chi Minh and want to avoid super long travel days. We have 20 days. We like the off-the-beaten track towns and we are all well traveled. Of all the islands, I’m leaning toward Can Dao but would again, would love some suggestions. Thanks in advance 🙂
Hi Janae,
Yes, Con Dao is a good choice for an island. There’s lots of information about Con Dao on this website.
When planning where to go, bear in mind that weather conditions at different times of year will be a deciding factor. Take a look at my Weather Guide for more details.
If you’re flying in and out of Ho Chi Minh City, then I would guess you’d want to spend most of your time in the south of Vietnam. Take a look at my Southern Destinations Archive for some ideas about where to go.
I hope this helps get you started. Once you have more of an idea about your itinerary, let me know if you have any more specific questions.
Best,
Tom