Whether you are the hard-core adventure traveler or just someone who loves scenery that is breathtakingly beautiful, you will love hearing about this region from my guest on today’s show.
“The Ha Giang Loop”, as it is referred to on many a travel website and Instagram page is a region of approximately 350Kms and is claimed to be a bike riders paradise.  If you love hiking, trekking, caving, exploring mountainous peaks and travel photography that lets you feel like you are on top of the world, you cannot go past Ha Giang. And NO, it's not exclusive to backpackers as you will soon find out.

Long skinny roads wind their way to up peaks and summits which offer staggering views. One of the most photographed scenes of the whole loop is the Ma Pi Leng Pass which links the towns of Dong Van and Meo Vac, and is carved into the side of the mountains. Just type "Ha Giang" into Google and see for yourself the switchbacks and epic scenery.

My guest Tom Stone, who now lives in the main town says “If you are prepared to make the journey”, you won’t be disappointed.” 

Tom, originally a New Zealander, now married to a Vietnamese, has been running tours in the Ha Giang region for nearly 12 years. Tom says “if you come to Ha Giang, I guarantee you will be blown away by the scenery.” 

In this episode, you will hear about what to expect on “The loop”; forms of transport other than bikes; best times of year to travel; what to consider when you are booking a tour; accommodation misconceptions, and how much time to allow. ...This is the “biggy”!

Hà Giang, sits on the Lô river. North of the capital, the Quản Bạ Valley has green hills and caves, and is the location of the Quản Bạ pass, also known as Heaven's Gate for its panoramic views and terraced rice fields below.

Tom has been running the Flipside Hostels up till now and offers True North Adventures. Here is the link to those accounts. The best way to contact him is through here  https://www.instagram.com/flipsidevietnam/ and  https://www.facebook.com/flipsidevietnam

He is in the process of building a boutique hotel in the region and we will keep you posted on that. Due to open October 2021. Links are here
FB and Instagram accounts.https://www.instagram.com/villa.xiav/ https://www.facebook.com/villa.xia

If you are liking what I am doing with the show, I’d love it if you would please consider giving me a short review on Apple Podcasts/ITunes.

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Danang is our location and my super talented and knowledgeable guest Pedr Finn from Vietnam Food Safari tours, is our pathfinder into the city and our doyen of Vietnamese cuisine

If you are curious to try Vietnamese food but never quite sure what to order on the menu, Pedr offers up his favourites across breakfast, lunch, and dinner,…or “second lunch” as the Vietnamese sometimes refer to it.

Pedr comes to the program as a qualified chef, writer, and restauranteur, originally from Australia. He settled in Danang about 10 years ago and runs his own foodie tours, which is how I got to meet him and learned so much more about Vietnamese cuisine and Danang city.

This is a fun show. A very earnest and down-to-earth sharing of knowledge.

If your mouth doesn’t start salivating as Pedr describes what goes into certain Vietnamese dishes your sides will be splitting with laughter as he describes markets and some funny Vietnamese phrases.
 
Adopted by Vietnam, Pedr has made Danang his second home by marrying a local and doing all he can to advocate for the country of Vietnam and its food.

Connect with Pedr and check out his pages here:www.vietnamfoodsafari.net (website) https://www.facebook.com/vietnamfoodsafari (facebook)
https://www.instagram.com/vietnamfoodsafari (instagram)

https://www.viator.com/en-SG/tours/Da-Nang/Da-Nang-Night-Food-Tour/d4680-117984P1 (Viator)
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298085-d15759620-Reviews-Vietnam_Food_Safari-Da_Nang.html (Tripadvisor)

This Episode’s transcript - to download in printable format - go to https://www.whataboutvietnam.com/podcast-transcripts

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FEAR NOT... there is a love for Saigon or HCMC as it is known that will transcend any and all of the challenges it has had to endure due to the Pandemic. It is and will remain a vibrant city with districts offering up a plethora of things to do, and places to explore. We see it as a city embracing change while at the same time keeping its rich culture.

This is the ultimate guide to the best districts to explore.  We go way beyond your basic guidebook list of places to see, and experiences to have; like a visit to the War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace, Cu Chi tunnels.

Together with my guest Samantha Coomber we explore the new, old, and developing districts of the city. We made sure that everything we covered would be there when you get to visit, so there is NO Expiry date on the information we share.

In passionate detail, Samantha offers up those districts and close neighborhoods that are rich in culture, street food, markets, cafes and pagodas. And for those looking for something very diverse, she tells us about gondolas, sunset cruises and speedboats that buzz you down the river and make you feel like you are in a James Bond movie.

Samantha Coomber comes to the program with a library of knowledge as a British-Australian who has lived in Vietnam on and off for 12 years.
She is well known in the industry for the countless publications she has written for and contributed to as a Guide Book writer, eg the first edition Insight Guides Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City smart guide (2009) – covering the  HCMC / southern Vietnam sections.

In addition, she has written for many global publications such as  Wall Street Journal Asia, National Geographic Traveler, Conde Nast Traveller UK & India, and many more.

Samantha has literally watched Vietnam / HCMC grow-up and develop over two decades. You will hear in her voice that she “walks the talk”  with insider knowledge and personal experiences that few can match. 
Here is a recently published Vietnamese newspaper article about her enduring 23-year-love affair with HCMC  https://e.vnexpress.net/news/perspectives/what-makes-ho-chi-minh-city-enduringly-endearing-4197484.html

Check out Samantha’s blog, The Jaded Empress Chronicles, about life in HCMC then and now! https://thejadedempress.blogspot.com/ 

In addition, you can find out more about her career highlights and contact her directly at - https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthacoomber/

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CNBC published in their Global Traveler Magazine an article entitled "Why This Remote Gem Should Top Your 2020 Travel List."

Here's just a couple of excerpts from the article, "Deep in the valleys forged by the waters of Asia’s Red River, a series of colorful mountain villages are encircled by fields of towering rice terraces. The fields are agricultural feats of precision — rugged mountains blanketed with emerald stairways that, seemingly, ascend to the heavens above.

But this is not Disneyland. This isn’t a destination designed to attract visitors, international attention or the Instagram set.

But it did attract one Instagrammer, Jesse Pearlman and he is my guest today.

You will love hearing about this region as Jesse tells his tales and his experiences getting there the first time, and later, trips back and forth.
You will hear in his voice that his love of the region belongs to the people and comes from a very soulful place in his heart.

While Mu Cang Chai is a place way off the beaten track, if you are looking to immerse yourself in an old-world community surrounded by gorgeous mountains and peacefulness, it's worth the effort to get there.

Please welcome Jesse Pearlman to the show.
You can follow Jesse and his great photos on his Instagram page -  https://www.instagram.com/pearlmanj1/

If you are liking what I am doing with the show, I’d love it if you would please consider giving me a short review on Apple Podcasts/ITunes.

Sign up for the WAV newsletter - 5 gold nuggets about Vietnam in a 5 minute read - https://www.whataboutvietnam.com/newsletter

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I am stepping out of the norm in this episode to share with you some travel industry knowledge from people I consider in the know, and who you may not normally have direct access to. 

This is the episode for those people who don't know what to believe is really happening with travel developments in this region and what source to trust.

In this episode, you are going to hear a very frank “no holes barred “ conversation where we take a deep dive into how the impact of Covid is driving travel forecasting, travel bubbles, trends becoming evident in the region, consumer confidence or lack thereof, vaccination roll-out, Visa’s and much more.

It’s a rare interview with people who are experts in their field and who have their ears to the ground. What's more important is they are connected to those who will shape travel for us in the future.  

Please welcome the hosts of The South East Asia Travel Show podcast, Gary Bowerman and Hannah Pearson.

Gary is Director of Check-in Asia, a travel intelligence and strategic marketing firm with bases in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur  

As a member of the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group, Gary works with leading hotel groups, tourism boards, OTAs, and travel organisations. He has produced White Papers on the travel economies of South East Asia, Australia, China, India, Japan, Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos and Macau.

Hannah is the Director of Pear Anderson, a research and sales representation tourism consultancy specialising in the Southeast Asian and Muslim tourism industry. She is well respected in the industry for providing a very influential weekly report tracking the impact of COVID-19 on the SE Asian tourism industry.  Like Gary, she is based in Malaysia.

Stay tuned for more from my guests Hannah Pearson and Gary Bowerman.

Note: This is not a Covid 19 based official update responding to the latest upsurge in Covid case numbers in Vietnam as of 1st June 2021.

Interested in Vietnam? Contact me through my website - What About Vietnam

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Have you ever been curious to see how people lived hundreds of years ago along the mighty Mekong river? River cruising is the only way to do it in luxury, and still feel the essence of it as a water highway relied upon by a diverse range of local communities.

Immerse yourself in the mighty Mekong river with a river cruise through the most remote parts of Vietnam and beyond.  Connect with locals who enjoy sharing their everyday life with visitors. Explore markets that are only accessible by boat to enjoy local food delicacies and one-of-a-kind handmade textiles. 

In this episode, I talk with a big river cruising fan; Charlotte Pinder. Charlotte has been on 7 different river cruises with 7 different itineraries. She has explored the most remote parts of the Mekong, toured ancient ruins in Cambodia, met local villagers, tasted unique regional foods, and the most interesting part of her experience is that she has mostly traveled alone. In fact, Charlotte can attest to the friendly and safe atmosphere for solo travelers. She almost recommends it because it gives you the opportunity to really spend time talking with locals that you probably wouldn’t do if you were with a group. 

Charlotte says "Touring Vietnam via a river cruise is like staying in a boutique hotel on the water".  Charlotte absolutely raves about the Pandaw Cruise brand as all trips have been on their ships. The number of travelers is smaller, the rooms are more quaint, and the dinners are more intimate. The ports are not large tourist areas but rural fishing markets with locals going about their days. You will pass by fish farming villages - a village with homes built entirely over water. Children will run up to you eager to recite the one or two words of English they know. 

Every river cruise offers something special. You can get lost in the world of knowledge through a history class or discover incredible new food through a cooking class.
If you would like to know more about the Pandaw Cruise ships and all their tours, please check out their website here; - Pandaw Cruises

Interested in Vietnam? Contact me through my website - What About Vietnam

Iphone Podcasters _ If you are liking what I am doing with the show, I’d love it if you would please consider giving me a short review on Apple Podcasts/ITunes.  It does make a difference and I truly value the feedback.  Link is here_  

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For Transcripts to download or printable format - go to https://www.whataboutvietnam.com/podcast-transcripts

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Be ready to discover a world that time has forgotten. 
Enter the colourful world of the Bac Ha markets in Vietnam. Where century-old traditions create one of the most unique travel experiences of your life.

Are you a budding photographer? Have you seen images of brightly coloured traditionally dressed Hmong women with their babies on their back tendering to their families as they sell their wares?
What about those photos of women in their Sunday best traditional costumes gathering with others and selling all kinds of things from farming equipment to trinkets to textiles.
Have you ‘even’ heard about Bac Ha Markets in Vietnam? 

Be ready to discover a world that time has forgotten. Enter the colourful location of the Bac Ha markets in Vietnam.  Immerse yourself into the world of the Flower Hmong people; friendly, welcoming, and rich in traditions that have held them strong to their tribal ways of subsistence farming for centuries.

My guest, Mike Pollock, stumbled upon Bac Ha a few years ago while photographing the region. As a photographer, he can tell you that every day in Bac Ha you will discover something new.  

He openly reveals how the region captured his heart and his camera eye. He describes his experience and the locality of the markets and what one can expect on any given market day. Sunday being the big day. His time there has been best recorded on his website as it is full of his photos from his travels all over Asia: https://www.traveltoasiaandback.com/bac-ha.html

He talks about accommodations ranging from homestay options (where you sleep with the free range chickens) to in-town motels that have basic western accommodations like toilets and simple roll out beds. By 10:00 am on Sunday, the market will be filled with locals coming from near and far to share news, sell their wares and socialise.

He will tell you about the stalls selling handmade trinkets, potions, and farm equipment. How craftsman make a knife from steel right next to the lady selling “Happy water”. Bac Ha has so many amazing things waiting for you to discover. 

These markets are not put on for tourists. They are the real deal.
Join me as I talk about the Bac Ha markets with Mike Pollock.

If you are liking what I am doing with the show, I’d love it if you would please consider giving me a short review on Apple Podcasts/ITunes. Believe it or not, it does make a difference and I truly value the feedback.  It should only take a few minutes if you use this link. https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-about-vietnam-traveller-insights/id1513095454

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Do you love to try new food?  Do you like to experiment with new cuisines? What about learning a new culture and having some fun along the way? Then a cooking class is a must to include in your tour of Vietnam.

Not every country offers up Cooking Classes like they do in Vietnam. Cooking classes in Vietnam have a wide range of offerings including seafood, vegan and vegetarian, and will take you on a journey from farm to market, to table. Even, if you don't like to cook, you will find out WHY food tastes so good in Vietnam and what impact the region has on what you are eating. 
Why do just one class, when each area offers up something different in their cuisine?

Vietnamese have a love affair with food and you will too after you do a cooking class. This is why I am excited about my guest today.

On the show today, we have Chef Tracey Lister. As a chef, author, trainer, and cultural expert in Vietnamese cuisine she has some important insights to share with us about the real value of doing a cooking class in every region you visit to better understand the nuances of the locality you are in.  She also has a restaurant, The Brunswick Kitchen & Cooking School, in Melbourne, Australia where you can learn some of these skills ONLINE.

Through Tracey, we also learn more about the establishment of KOTO ( Based in Hanoi).  This establishment has for many years been a charity cooking school and life skills institute for many impoverished Vietnamese students. Tracey was part of the start-up of this well-known and revered institute, alongside the Founder Jimmy Pham. Through their work, hundreds of students have broken the cycle of poverty and gone on to achieve gainful employment.

In today’s episode, we will explore:

• The incredible cultural experience you get through cooking classes in Vietnam. 
• The ancient way that meals are still prepared today in Vietnam
• How the cuisine is influenced by its proximity to the border countries and why we recommend you do more than one class

Chef Tracey Lister’s Books:

Vietnamese Street Food

Real Vietnamese Cooking: Homestyle Recipes From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh

Chef Tracey Lister’s Restaurant & Cooking School The Brunswick Kitchen
KOTO Training Restaurant - https://www.koto.com.au/koto-training-restaurants
KOTO’s philosophy Know One, Teach One is well ingrained among  Staff, Trainees and Graduates.

Please check out for more information -  www.whataboutvietnam.com
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Are you heading to Danang and looking for an activity that takes you outdoors exploring nature? Do you like fresh air and lush rainforests full of endangered species like the  Red-shanked douc langurs? They are those cute monkeys with red bib necks and cute faces.
Then the Son Tra Nature Reserve won't disappoint you! 10 Mins from Danang centre.
 
Oh, btw, those monkeys have a very mischievous personality as you will soon find out.

I am always delighted to have someone on the show that can educate us on a new experience of Vietnam. Especially, if that experience helps us …..as a visitor to better understand some of the local projects focusing on biodiversity and the development of important ecosystems.

Today we are going to learn about the Son Tra Nature Reserve and Education Centre.
Please Welcome, Thanh to the program.
Thanh is one of the educators of Son Tra Nature education center, which is a division of GreenViet an NGO. 
GreenViet is the first local Organisation in Danang to focus on nature conservation. Being established in 2018, Son Tra Nature education center has been offering free admission to help people gain a better understanding of the unique treasures found in the Son Tra Nature Reserve which is located just 10 km from Da Nang city center. 

In this episode, let Thanh guide you to a visit to this most magical place to :-

• See and count members of macaques and douc langurs family and the many other wildlife.
• Learn about langurs’ feeding behavior through observing them in the wild, and Oh watch out for your handbag??
• See and experience the natural habitat of Son Tra’s wild animals.
• Learn why the primates chose to live in the Son Tra mountain.

Find out more about the work being done to save this area and the monkeys here
https://vcbt-n.com/products/exploring-wildlife-in-son-tra-nature-reserv

If you would like to  contact GreenViet directly to learn more before you visit - https://greenviet.org/lien-he/

Please check out the transcript at www.whataboutvietnam.com
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If you love competitive running and enjoy the spirit of a trail series, then this episode will cover what you need to know and much more.
However, if you see this title and immediately think this is NOT for you. You may do a 360.  Like I did.
I am assured you don’t have to be a super athlete to have fun and enjoy the spectacular scenery you will experience by joining any one of the Topas Trail Series marathons.

David Lloyd,  Sport and Race Director for the Vietnam Trail Series and my guest on today’s show, tells me you can go as slow or as fast as you like;  and you only have to be of average fitness and enjoy walking and being outdoors.
Yes, "that's me", I hear you say!  Okay, so training starts now!
I am warning you, David will woo you with the idea as he talks about the stunning views and the fun sharing with other competitors. 

David says “ joining one of these events is a great leveler. When you are walking or running with someone that may be by day a shopkeeper, a banker, or a tech genius. It doesn’t make any difference when you are on that trail and climbing those mountains. You are all competing for the same trophy, and possibly feeling the same fears, exhaustion, and muscle pain.”.

He will make you laugh about some of the experiences of the most ardent competitors; You’ll hear about how much planning and work goes into managing groups sometimes 3-4,000:  From accommodation to tasty food to medical support. 

David offers up some of those special "stand-out moments" that you just HAD to be there to capture.
Plus, you will hear how these marathons contribute substantially to the work of Operation Smile, Newborns Vietnam, Blue Dragon, Hue Help and Sapa o Chau.  These charities are obviously close to David's heart as he says they also carry out local projects in villages along the route. 

A little bit about David Lloyd:- 

David Lloyd is originally from the UK, but has lived in Hoi An since 2011. 

His background includes journalism and photojournalism. He has had work published in The New York Times, and he has also written guidebooks on Vietnam and Laos. He is an active participant and competitive runner and cyclist.
David is full-time Sport and Race director of all events for Topas Travel ……...and has been since 2016 when he was involved in the original race. By race…..I mean the Vietnam Trail series.
Marathon Dates coming up:
VMM -  12/6  (NEW)
Mountain - 27/8
Jungle - 16/10

You can find all about this trail series here - 

www.vietnamtrailseries.com

 www.topasecolodge.com 

www.topastravel.vn

www.topasriversidelodge.com  

Please check out the transcript at www.whataboutvietnam.com
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