Dalat Vietnam

                                                                                               Photo by Thuy Nguyen

In Vietnam, Dalat ranks first among honeymoon destinations inside the country yet for foreign travelers the picturesque landscapes added by botanical garden, cascading waterfall, fascinating hill tribe villages has formed Dalat a wonderful hill station.

Whoever has come to Da Lat could never forget Xuan Huong Lake (Hồ Xuân Hương), which is located in center of town. Xuan Huong lake is now one of the main draws of Da Lat, and also where we can see honeymooners and locals strolling its banks. Side by side Xuan Huong Lake is Top-peg Hill (Đồi Cù), where has grown up a vast golf ground. If you are fond of fresh flowers, Da lat Flower Park is your accurate choice. The park, around 7,000 sq.m2, is situated on top of the Top-peg Hill, northern bank of Xuan Huong lake, and full of species of beautiful colored flowers to be extremely well-fed by planters. Tourists are all interested in the Da Lat’s flower festival, bringing them to a flowerfully fresh heaven!

For couples, Valley of Love (Thung Lũng Tình Yêu) is the premium place to go. Its special name derived from its romantic view of silence, grace and green. The other choice is Lake of Sorrow or Lake of Sighs (Hồ Than thở), whose name came from a tale of two lovers, one of whom committed suicide after the other was called up to serve in the army. The romantic and beautiful Tuyen Lam Lake (Hồ Tuyền Lâm) (the lake where rivers, springs and forests meet), Prenn Falls, or Pongour are also worth visiting for their beauty and fun.

On the other hand, Da Lat is popular for French-style architecture. Examples are King Bao Dai’s Palace, Ngo Dinh Diem and Nguyen Cao Ky’s villas, Hang Nga villas, and so forth. All of those should really be visited since they demonstrate the deeply special beauty and somehow culture of the old French.

References:
Vietnam Adventure Tours
Vietnam Adventures

Phu Quoc Vietnam

Known as the pearl of southern Vietnam, Phu Quoc makes your beach escape perfect thanks to its white-power beaches, fascinating fishing villages, colorful ocean excursion.

Phu Quoc is a very mountainous and densely forested Island of approx. 600 sq kms situated in the Gulf of Thailand, shaped like a “tear” its approx. 48 km in length south to north at its longest point and 19 km at its widest point in the far north.

                                                                                                           Photo from Flickr.com
It has a population of approx. 90,000 people approx. is 45 km’s west of Ha Tien on the Vietnamese mainland and approx 5 km off the south east coast of Cambodia.
This supernatural Island (surrounded by a number of smaller islands mainly to the south) arguably has some of most beautiful beaches in Vietnam and some of the best seafood, also abundant with local culture and some of the friendliest people in Vietnam!

Another point of interest is the Phu Quoc Dog which was reputedly a wild animal before and later trained as a hunting dog by the local people.
These animals have unusually sharp teeth (as they tear their food when they eat it rather than bite) and have claws that over the years have been conditioned for catching their prey and are razor sharp, in saying this generally “their bark is worse than their bite!”

References:
Vietnam Tours
Vietnam Practical information

Mui Ne Vietnam

Just few hours driving from southern hub of Vietnam, Mui Ne beach offers the one of the finest beaches in Vietnam with chances for diving, kitesurf and many other outdoor activities.
Besides the beach, Mui Ne also feature an easy access to many fascinating attractions in the area.

                                                                                                      Photo by Tom Hoang

The name ‘Mui Ne’ interestingly has many origins. The first meaning comes from the fishing people in the past. They usually faced sea storms, so they used to hide in a cape, which was called ‘Mui’ in Vietnamese, and ‘hide’ meant ‘Ne’. The second one originated as the name of the youngest daughter of Cham King – who was known as the owner of this land. Her alias was Ne, therefore, the cape where her temple was built, was called ‘Mui Ne’.

Mui Ne is a tropical beach with wonderfully warm weather, which is ideal for swimming. However, since the area from the central stretch to the northern end is dominated by fishing industry, the southern part is more suitable for swimming.
With strong sea breezes, Mui Ne is most famous for kite and wind surfing. Days from November to March have clear skies with perfectly strong winds from 11 am until late evening. The rock-free water makes it relatively safe for the kite surfers. There are also some Kite Surfing Schools, in which kite surfing starters are helped to launch the kite by beach boys. For starters who want more self-practice, you can try the western part front around Kite Surfing School Windchimes, where there are not many surfers, so that you can avoid unwanted accidents.

Obviously, lots of beautiful spots in Mui Ne attract domestic as well as international tourists, such as Ca Na Beach, which takes a 2-hour drive from Mui Ne and provides probably the best coral reefs and diving opportunity in Vietnam, Fairy Springs (Suoi Tien) – a stream where people can sightsee the local wildlife (birds, crabs, fish, frogs, many exotic flowers, etc.), Fish Sauce Plants, where famous Phan Thiet fish sauce (nuoc mam) is produced and sold all over Vietnam, Phan Thiet Water Tower, designed by Prince Suphanouvong of Laos – also the symbol of Binh Thuan province, Takou Mountain – 1-hour drive from Mui Ne Beach, which has not only beautiful tropical rainforest, but also an old pagoda on top of the mountain, PoShaNu Cham Tower – a relic of Cham culture built in the 8th century, which should not be missed, etc. The most must-see one is the Sand Dunes (Doi Cat), where the dunes turn from white to gold (red dunes can be found further south in Mui Ne Village).

Tourists arriving in Mui Ne can also enjoy the atmosphere in Mui Ne Village Market, which sells lots of fresh fruits and inexpensive clothing. Best time to visit is early in the morning.

Recommended Readings:
Vietnam Travel Tips
Vietnam Eco Tours

Con Dao Vietnam

While local Vietnamese mentioned more about history of Con Dao, this amazing island is truly a treasure for discerning travelers who seek for ultimate romance and relaxation.
Since the archipelago is off beaten track, visitors will find themselves lost in nature with numerous chance to dive, trek and enjoy the sea excursion in Con Dao.

The largest of the islands is Con Son, also known by its colonised name of Iles Poulo Condore. Settled as early as the 16th century by Europeans and then the British East India Company two centuries later, the island has gone on to have a culturally rich and politically intense history.

Under French rule Con Son was a penal colony for opponents of French colonialism and saw the imprisonment of many Vietnamese revolutionary heroes. Right up until the American War when US troops joined the South Vietnamese government who had captured the island from the French, Con Son had become infamous for its mistreatment and torture of its detainee's. The many prisons, now desolate shells, scatter the island along with manicured gardens and photogenic French villas.

Today Con Son has a sleepy and tranquil atmosphere with several lovely beaches and a beautiful untouched interior.  The island can be reached by a regular 45 minute flight from Saigon.

Reference:
Con Dao Travel Guide

Top Things to do in Con Dao