The Zen of Zoom

by Sissy Mallard Vietnam has been introduced to Halloween and as with most things, the Vietnamese have put their own unique spin on this unofficial holiday. The celebrations sometimes start the night before October 31st but Halloween is quickly becoming a fun, spirited people-watching event with every year. As East meets West, you will see witches, ghosts, the walking dead and goblins riding their motorbikes all over the cities of Saigon and Hanoi. You may even find a haunted house filled with devils and scary things and many businesses are decorated with pumpkins and skeletons. More family friendly events are…

by Sissy Mallard For the UNESCO Heritage Town of Hoi An, it’s all about the lanterns, from the cute floating ones to the impressive hanging ones, there isn’t a night when you can’t experience the colorful beauty of these little gifts to the gods that hopefully bring us fortune and love. While the biggest and best lantern festival of the year happens in February on the first full moon of the year after Tet, on the 14th day of each lunar month Hoi An comes alive as locals and tourists celebrate by lighting candles and floating lanterns down the Thu…

by Sissy Mallard I had only been in Saigon for 5 days when my mom called to tell me my Daddy had been taken to the Emergency Room and then admitted to the hospital. Talk about a wake up call, that news hit me like a ton of bricks but what could I do from halfway around the world?! While I wanted to go straight to the airport and catch the next flight home, and after crying for about 30 minutes, I caught my breath, said some prayers both for my Daddy and me to be strong, then I went…

by Sissy Mallard After riding through quiet villages that seem surreal and transport you back in time, walking through the fresh market that lights all of your senses on fire and zooming over the red clay trails out to boats that will take us to Lake Tonle Sap, you are keenly aware of how amazingly different this part of Cambodia will be. Our group is large but we move along with ease as our drivers expertly navigate the way, dropping us off then picking us up at just the right spots. After a stroll through the always-exciting booths of the…

by Sissy Mallard When you sign up for a 6-hour tour, your expectations are high because you have obviously put some thought into where you want to go and have considered which tour will be right for you and your family. As with all Vespa Adventures tours, being picked up from your hotel is one of the best parts. I am not a fan of waking up early on the weekend but this morning I am downstairs ahead of schedule because I am excited about going on this all day adventure into a mysterious world that is far away from…

by Sissy Mallard I would like to tell you about the history of craft beer in Vietnam but there isn’t any to speak of. The industry is very new, only a couple of years old and that’s the best part, we are on a drinking adventure in unchartered territory! The drive and commitment that these passionate pioneers have is unmatched as they are constantly experimenting and developing new flavors and brews. There are IPA’s, stouts, pale ales, ciders and porters - it’s difficult to choose a favorite and you probably shouldn’t because next month there will be a new batch…

by Sissy Mallard Healthy, fresh food is the key to a satisfying, productive life and what I found at Mr. Anh’s farm certainly fills the bill with colorful fields that are overflowing with many different varieties of vegetable and fruit crops. Along with lush green and golden tan rice paddies as far as the eye can see, vegetables and fruits such as eggplant, corn, okra, morning glory, beans, water spinach, winter melon, bitter melon and red amaranth are thriving in the bright hot Hoi An sun. After tasting this bounty and experiencing this place for myself, I understand why the…

by Sally Writes One of the most thrilling places to eat in Vietnam is at the traditional open markets, where single-dish stalls are in abundance. Women chefs are predominant here, cooking up old family recipes. While Vietnam does not offer a classic barbecue to which the Western palate has grown accustomed, the country does offer safe, smoked foods. However, as in most places around the world, it’s hard to know which of these markets is safe. Know how to determine a safe place to eat and learn what foods to order to satisfy your cravings for smoked meat. Scanning for safety Many…

by Sissy Mallard I’m willing to admit it – I knew nothing about the history of Earth Day which started in my home country. It began in the US on April 22, 1970, organized by Sen. Gaylord Nelson to protest the industrial revolution and his actions resulted in a cleaner America-what a great legacy! The international Mother Earth Day, as it was dubbed by the UN in 1990, has over 1 billion participants today and the focus this year is on single-use plastic reduction. I hope everyone plans to participate in some way, big or small, not only on Sunday,…

by Gerard Claramunt It’s important to know that TET or the Lunar New Year is the most important holiday of the year in Vietnam. All people return to their hometowns for big celebrations with their families. One of the oldest traditions surrounding TET is a live Kumquat tree and every family must have one. In the northern part of the country, there is a new trend that allows more families to join in with this rich tradition-it’s a bonsai kumquat tree that is perfect for people who live in small apartments. I met a master gardener named Mr. Manh, he…

by Neil Fraser Rice plays such an essential part of Vietnamese cuisine, that we often hear this phrase: “ăn cơm chưa”. This literally means “have you had rice yet?”  however this is used to ask if you are hungry such is the importance of rice in the locals diet. Vietnam is consistently in the top 5 producers & exporters of rice in the world & this resilient crop is grown across Vietnam. In the south & the Mekong Delta, with the favourable weather conditions the growers can expect 3 crops annually. The number of annual crops decreases as we head…

by Sally Writes Consumers in Vietnam have become ever more savvy in recent years, wanting to know more about the food they eat in restaurants and the foods they buy from street sellers and markets. The same goes for vacationers, too. The number of farmer groups in Vietnam that grow safe and organic vegetables is growing steadily, as are the appetites of travelers who are hungry to explore the possibilities of Vietnamese cuisines as safely as possible.  Vietnamese urban consumers and travelers are becoming more monied, health savvy and internet aware. Their busier lives mean that they don't always have time…

by holydayfactors.com Have you already started preparing for your next holiday? If you have not decided the place till now, find it right here, in this article. Plan for your next trip to enchanting Cambodia and ensure you can enjoy every bit of it nothing but with sheer pleasure. It will be quite fascinating for you to know that planning for a trip to Cambodia is not that difficult as it seems to be. It is a small country and therefore, it is not that difficult to make a proper plan around it. The best part is despite being small…

By John Watson It's a small and simple story.  But it is something that happens almost everyday, and shows the true wonder of Cambodia, I think. Now, normally, we take our time and space here to share interesting historical facts, adventures, and some of the many other highlights of enjoying the Ride of Your Life on a Vespa. But this month I would like to tell you a small personal story. Don't worry! The second part of last month’s story will follow, but this one reminded me of why I love Cambodia, the Khmer people and living here for over…

By Gerard Claramunt Big statement, I know, but this delicious local dish has definitely the potential to be a signature dish in Hanoi in a near future. I’m backing my opinion for our food knowledge in Hanoi and the trendy that we are seeing here and, apparently, some media like CNN agrees on that as they featured Pho Cuon as one of the top dishes in Vietnam. In our Ha Noi After Dark tour, we bring our guests to a full of local people area. In there the whole street have restaurants that are selling the same thing: Pho Cuon.…

in collaboration with Dagiac Famed for its karst towers, sunken mountains, viridian hills and flowing rice terraces, Northern Vietnam is a place like no other. With many areas vastly unchanged by modern tourism, the northern country is a welcome escape from the bedlam of the more populous southern cities. Whether you are looking to escape to the countryside or explore the urban jungle, Northern Vietnam has plenty to offer. HANOI - SAPA - HA LONG - NINH BINH Beautiful pagodas are just one of the many things to appreciate in Hanoi The capital city of Vietnam is a fascinating place…

By Craig Bowman "What is this? What is that used for? Do people eat that? Why is it that color?" These are the many questions asked at the market stop during the Insider’s Phnom Penh adventure. If you are like me, from a western country, you’d probably asked those very same questions. Maybe some of them you asked yourself as you are trying to pretend you know some knowledge of this foreign city. After all, we all are human and eat generally the same types of food, right? Okay so maybe an American might eat more pork ribs than a…

By Summer & Kayli www.getbusyexploring.com June 29th, 2017  What a day exploring the world’s largest temple. Alas, our long awaited adventure around The Magical Angkor Wat had come. And what better way to transport us to each temple than on the back of Vespas. We started our day by meeting our group at the Independence Royal Gardens outside the same Spirit House we were at the night before. After our brief meet and greet and a quick banana snack to start our day off, we then jumped on the Vespas and made a pit stop at the ticket office to get our temple tickets and have…

Written by Gerard Claramunt Hanoi and surroundings have been developing in Red River Delta – the biggest river in the north of Vietnam plays an important role in the history of inhabiting and developing of the country. Most of the rivers connect with the Red River before going to the sea, it makes the Red River becomes the main waterway to bring products from mountain provinces to the plains areas and return. Vietnam used to be a poor agricultural country, and the Red River is the main water source for the cultivating. If you would like to experience the daily life…

By Sally Writes Two things that Vietnam has in great supply are Vespas and great coffee. In fact, there are now around 35 million Vespas on the streets of Vietnam. And when it comes to coffee, the country is the second largest coffee producer in the world. Both have become a huge part of the culture and economy here. There's nothing much better than taking a break during a ride and finding a local friendly café to enjoy a delicious coffee while watching the world go by. But have you thought about switching your coffee to cold brew? It’s become…