Indochina adventures from mountain to coast on motobike

Southeast Asia is home to some of the greatest adventures on earth. Throw a motorbike into the mix and you’ll have the time of your life. Here’s our guide to a two-wheeled adventure in the Mekong region:

Vietnam and Laos – sublime scenery from mountain to coast
To kick off, the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail has been upgraded into a major highway running along the spine of the country and offers some sublime scenery. The stretch from the old US airbase of Khe Sanh north to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is a beauty, including a wide section that was apparently a secret jungle landing strip for MIG fighters during the war.

Elsewhere in Nam, Ha Giang is the final frontier for motorbiking aficionados in Indochina. Like Halong Bay on high, karst peaks protrude from the top of rolling mountains and secluded villages are home to a colourful mosaic of ethnic minorities. The gorge road from Dong Van to Meo Vac is the stuff of biker yore, its towering cliffs looming high above and plummeting to the Nho Que River in the distance below. Just remember to keep an eye on the road, despite the breathtaking scenery.

A word of caution, however, Ha Giang still requires an official permit to visit more remote areas. Choose to travel without one and accidentally stumble upon military exercises in the mountains and you may find yourself a guest of the local Vietnamese police, as we did for one unforgettable night in Meo Vac.

If the coast is more your cup of tea, then try the Top Gear thing and ride notorious Highway 1 between Saigon and Hanoi. The traffic can be daunting around major cities, but there are some remote and desolate stretches with empty beaches. Aim high over the Hai Van Pass, ignoring the tedious tunnel that has been conveniently burrowed through the mountain.

Take the Top Gear theme further and team up with some friends to ride a Minsk, a Vespa and a Honda Cub. Buy each other ridiculous presents along the way, but try not to have a major accident on the road to Halong Bay like Jeremy Clarkson. Converting the bikes to amphibious vehicles to explore Halong Bay might be a step too far for a holiday.

Back to the Ho Chi Minh theme, for experienced dirt bikers, it is possible to explore remnants of the old Ho Chi Minh Trail across the border in Laos. Rusting tanks and forgotten field guns litter the jungle of Southern Laos. Combine a ride through the region’s recent history with some of the most remote and wild regions of the country in Salavan and Attapeu.

Cambodia – the other Route 66 (and more)
Cambodia has long been the holy grail for dirt bike enthusiasts thanks to its network of crumbling roads. Many of these have been upgraded in the past decade, but there remain many parts of the country where pot holes are the size of golf bunkers and tarmac is an endangered species.

Get your kicks on Route 66, an ancient Angkorian highway that runs due east from Angkor via Beng Mealea to the vast temple complex of Preah Khan. Ancient stone bridges from the time of Jayavarman VII acts as historical waymarkers along the route, including the dramatic Spean Ta Ong with more than 20 arches.

Or follow in the tyre treads of Charley Boorman who biked across Cambodia in 2008. Meander along the Mekong River through traditional villages in Kompong Cham and Kratie before making a diversion east to the elevated provinces of Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri. Still linked together by the infamous ‘Death Highway’, many an experienced biker has come unstuck on the sandy, muddy trails ‘linking’ Koh Nhek in Mondulkiri with Lumphat in Ratanakiri.

And let us not forget the Cardamom Mountains in southwest Cambodia for remote jungle; the dramatic northeast of Laos, home to the Plain of Jars and the Vieng Xai Caves, a sort of Cu Chi Tunnels cast in stone; and the rural Mekong Delta, a gentle two-wheeled adventure set against a patchwork of emerald green.

By Nick Ray - Lonely Planet author - has authored multiple guidebooks. He also worked as line producer on the Top Gear Vietnam special and fixer for Charley Boorman’s trip across Cambodia for By Any Means.

Tags: Motor biking Indochina, Indochina adventures, trekking Indochina, Hochiminh trails, adventures Vietnam, motor biking holiday Vietnam, Indochina grand trek, Vietnam adventure, adventure Cambodia, places to motor biking in Vietnam, vietnam holiday, indochina holiday

Tips for best Vietnam Cooking holiday

Have you ever seen Master Chef US or Australian? I see this program regularly and admire the passion and talent of all candidates. However when I saw 2 judges introducing the cooking method of Pho - Vietnamese traditional noddle - I hardly recognized our country's specialty. I don't try to decry the judges (in fact I loved them and their humor), but the cooking's changed much after being introduced to a non-original culture then that'll always be best to learn a traditional cooking in its homeland country. Luckily, I found an writer of Lonely Planet also sharing the same idea with me through one of her post.

Here is her experience while enjoying and tasting Vietnamese cuisines in a Cooking Class at Hoi an Ancient town - one of Vietnam Cultural world Heritage. Hope you can find good information here:

"One of the best travel souvenirs you can bring home is the ability to cook some of the local dishes you sampled on your journey. Cooking courses are becoming more and more popular as a travel activity, so we asked Lonely Planet staffer Ellie some questions about her culinary experience in Hoi An, Vietnam.

What made you decide to do a cooking course?

I’ve always been a bit intimidated by cooking Asian food, so wanted to learn more about it – and where better than in the birthplace of the cuisine itself? I also didn’t want to spend my whole Vietnam trip just travelling from place to place – it was important to me to stop in places and get involved in local culture and activities.

How did you find your course and why did you choose that particular one?

I did a bit of online research before I went, but I ended up asking travellers when I got to Hoi An. I ended up finding the Red Bridge school purely by through word of mouth. I wanted to do a course with some depth to it, so went for the full day course.

What was the general framework of the course?

The course ran from 8am to 3pm and involved a range of different activities. We went to a market first thing in the morning to buy our produce for the day, and we were then were taken to see an organic herb farm run by a local family. The cooking itself took about four hours, and we got to participate in pretty much everything – from making rice noodles for the pho to barbecuing to pickling vegetables and even making decorations out of food. We made four Vietnamese dishes from scratch during the day, including grilled chicken and banana flower salad, and claypot fish with dill, all of which we got to eat at the end. The ‘kitchen’ was set up outside next to a swimming pool which we could use during the day, and the course ended with us being taken back to Ho Chi Minh City by boat.

What sort of people did it attract?

There were only three of us on the course – the other two being a young Australian couple – which meant that we got to have a go at pretty much everything, which was fantastic. There was a half-day course running alongside which was much busier.

What was the tastiest thing you made?

It was all amazingly tasty, but the dish I was proudest of making was the pho – Hanoi beef and rice noodle soup. We made both the stock and the rice noodles from scratch, which was something I never thought I would do!

Have you put those cooking skills to use at home?

Errrrm… I had every intention of doing so and kept the recipe booklet they provided us with, but to be honest haven’t made anything. I guess with so many Vietnamese restaurants near where I live there hasn’t been much need!

Has it inspired you to do more courses?

Spending the day out of busy HCMC and learning new skills was definitely a highlight of my trip to Vietnam and something I will always remember. I’ll definitely do another cooking course on my next trip, wherever that might be.

What advice would you give someone looking to do a cooking course in Hoi An?

If you’re going to do it, do it properly. There’s not much point in signing up for a two-hour or half-day course, you won’t get to do or see much. I’d commit to at least a day and find a course that not only shows you how to cook but other aspects of local life too. " - By Ellie Cobb/ Lonely Planet Author

Enjoy your Cooking ^^!

Tags: Vietnam cuisine and food, Pho Vietnam, Vietnam gourmet adventure, Vietnam culinary, Cooking class Vietnam trips, Vietnam holiday to reveal cuisine, cooking and homestay Vietnam holidays, Vietnam cruise and cooking, Vietnam homestay holiday, food & culture viet nam holiday, Vietnam tasty holiday, Vietnam holidays;

More programs - More fun at Holiday Indochina's website

We are updating new programs and rearranging the currents ones. All to make it easiest for Internet users access to our website and make sure that whoever you are, when coming to our site, you can find the best program perfectly fit your dreaming holiday

Take a look on some new and significant updates here:

1. Vietnam Gourmet Adventures: [View here]

This program, of course, is for food lover. Vietnam is a rich cultural country with over 4000 years and cuisine is one way reflecting her culture. The way people treating to ingredients and manners in eating, enjoying meals with others are interesting aspect of culture. Instead of solid, boring cultural classes and guidance, we bring you a fun, different approach to Vietnam tradition through authentic homestay and interesting cooking classes to taste different food along the length of our country

2. Vietnam escape for honeymooners [View here]

Vietnam with its beautiful nature is ideal place for honeymooners. We design a program packed all best places and activities for honeymooners based on the criteria: romance, high privacy and impression. Nothing can be more romantic than a lazy walk along sandy beach under sunset or sparkling dinner under candle light or simply watching how lovely your women in kitchen look and many others created just for one purpose: giving most memorable moments for you two

3. Vietnam homestay [View here]

This is very new product first appearing on Holiday Indochina website. Based on the view of offering authentic homestay experience, we choose real local house with true hosts living there who welcome foreigners and eager to introduce their daily lives. You don’t only have a chance to see but join in their normal life. All local houses are in basic conditions excellently reflecting the locals’ lives so don’t expect something with perfect comfort or convenience. Homestay is not normal experience of popular travel but require travelers to have good preparation and deep willing to explore real normal daily life of a thoroughly different culture. With well preparing, your homestay will be even better than any stay at world class luxury accommodations before for sure.

4. Vietnam best photo hunt: [View here]

Travel and photography is stick together naturally. For regular travelers, taking photos is to mark and memorize interesting moments during their holiday. But for photographers or travelers with photography love, each holiday to a new land is a new challenge their passion and cameras to create amazing lifetime photos. Vietnam with its natural beauty is confident to offer the highest challenge to any professional photographer. Then that is a base for us to offer this program. Featuring the best places of Vietnam for breath-taking photo shoot, this is the best chance for photographers to open their eyes and lens

5. Vietnam Scenic Golf and Spa: [View here]

This is themed holiday and specially focusing on Golfers and golf lovers. Vietnam is emerging as one of most favourite destination for golfers. More and more modern, professional golf courses built, and golf tournaments are opened more often. We create this holiday to satisfy golf passion while indulge and refresh yourself with themed spa

There will be more changes being updated at Holiday Indochina’s website in next coming day. Like travel industry is always moving. We do hope these changes showing you the easiest way to find out your ideal holiday. However, please keep in your mind that, all shown programs on the website are typical and can easily adjust just by your only click to send us a request. We still spare many other interesting things to offer. …And we won’t let you wait any more. Now is the time to explore our selected holiday!!!

Mekong Delta homestay experience

We all know Mekong River is a heaven for cruising. Several cruise companies don’t miss their business opportunities on this market. However, Mekong River does not offer an amazing water way for cruises but fertilizes a unique water life. While cruising is the wonderful trip to explore the river, a homestay experience is an amazing way to see an authentic water lifestyle of locals. I posted quite many about cruise Mekong River before, I suppose that’s quite enough for cruising. Then today is for some off-shore to-do things, Mekong Delta trip – biking, boat riding, homestay ect.. all are here!

Let’s check what this South Vietnam holiday looks like? The expedition starts with a pick-up at hotel and departs for Co co where you start your biking tour from Coco to Hoa Loc to observe the rural local daily life covered orchards and have chance to meet local people who rarely see any foreigners in this area (really they are). Then take a boat to cross the river delta and weave through the small canals of Binh Hoa Phuoc island to discover the lush scenery and people working on the farm. Visit CaiBe Floating market then enjoy your lunch with local delicacy with fresh water fish of "elephant ear-fish". Boat ride to Vinh Long. Visit Vinh Long local market where you have chance to see all kind of farm-products of Mekong Delta such as: many kind of fresh vegetables, Abundant tropical fruits, Pigs, ducks and chickens market, especially snakes, rats, frogs, snails.... be back to island for homestay.
Highlight activities: sampan ride, biking for about 2 hours, see orchards and farms

Second day, taking breakfast in authentic local peaceful atmosphere, then boat ride to Vinh long dock. Car transfer to Sadec with the stop to visit the Huynh Thuy Le ancient house where is famous for the best novel of Margaret Duras “the Lover” will be followed with a drive to Chaudoc. In the afternoon is another boat ride and enjoy spectacular view from a local summit, see Vietnam-Camboida border gate.
Highlights Activities: See the an ancient house, visit floating market with floating house

Next day is another homestay. Start with a drive to visit Bang Lang Storks Garden and Binh Thuy Shrine. Drive to Truong Long Village (15km) for your homestay. (Important note: Homestay at basic condition – You do not try to experience a homestay with 4 star hotel standard, don’t you? You will see the locals’ real daily lives not the ones well arranged to show off. Be prepared that you stay in someone’ real home not someone’s business)
Highlight activities: See the remote villages of Mekong Delta, homestay

The forth day, wake up at 6:00am - an interesting, pleasant day awaiting today! After a healthy breakfast at your local house, jump straight into an arrow-boat and enjoy an early boat cruise (4 hours) to visit the stunning floating markets of Phong Dien and Cai Rang. Phong Dien is smaller in scale and is more of a retailed one while Cai Rang is bigger and is more of a wholesaled one. And what you need to do is to sit back and relax on the boat, have some sips of local coffee and watch the world of trading activities going on and on from boats to boats. If you are fruit lovers, go for the freshest ones here at these markets. In between the two markets, we will get off our boat for some short bike-rides along the remote villages’ paths. Hop back on our car after cruising through Cai Rang floating market and head to Cantho. Today we stay in a hotel
Activities: See floating market and garden houses, biking ride

The last day, drive back to MyTho. Take on a bigger wooden boat and cruise crossing the mighty Upper Mekong River before boarding a wooden sampan and cruise through a green, lush, picturesque and Amazon-like creeks of Tan Thach. Heading to Gocong by road.with some more breaks en route to visit an incense workshop, a local village where the people have produced some of the finest pieces of furniture in the South, and a legumes nursery which surely is an eye-opener for any one! Short bike ride crossing paddy fields and through remote villages dotted with coconut palm trees then continue the trip back Saigon with the backroad via My Loi ferry on Vam Co river. We finish in Hochiminh city around late afternoon

Please note that the homestay program like this is a typical one, well combined between comfortable stay in a hotel and an authentic stay at local’s house. If you want to deeply dive in Mekong delta, a complete homestay holiday is a recommendation, I mean all nights at local house! As I mentioned (somewhere above), don’t expect something thoroughly comfortable with all-supplied services, you are living in a local’s house, stay focus on what you’re seeing, not on what you’re staying! That will make your homestay experience amazing, a true highlight of your trip even though you once experience best 5 star accommodations before

Tags: Mekong homestay, Mekong Delta homestay trips, holidays in Mekong, holidays in Vietnam, Vietnam holidays, hometay holiday Vietnam, Mekong River, Cruise Mekong River, Vietnam river cruise, Mekong boat and homestay, biking Mekong

Mekong Delta homestay experience

We all know Mekong River is a heaven for cruising. Several cruise companies don’t miss their business opportunities on this market. However, Mekong River does not offer an amazing water way for cruises but fertilizes a unique water life. While cruising is the wonderful trip to explore the river, a homestay experience is an amazing way to see an authentic water lifestyle of locals. I posted quite many about cruise Mekong River before, I suppose that’s quite enough for cruising. Then today is for some off-shore to-do things, Mekong Delta trip – biking, boat riding, homestay ect.. all are here!

Let’s check what this South Vietnam holiday looks like? The expedition starts with a pick-up at hotel and departs for Co co where you start your biking tour from Coco to Hoa Loc to observe the rural local daily life covered orchards and have chance to meet local people who rarely see any foreigners in this area (really they are). Then take a boat to cross the river delta and weave through the small canals of Binh Hoa Phuoc island to discover the lush scenery and people working on the farm. Visit CaiBe Floating market then enjoy your lunch with local delicacy with fresh water fish of "elephant ear-fish". Boat ride to Vinh Long. Visit Vinh Long local market where you have chance to see all kind of farm-products of Mekong Delta such as: many kind of fresh vegetables, Abundant tropical fruits, Pigs, ducks and chickens market, especially snakes, rats, frogs, snails.... be back to island for homestay.
Highlight activities: sampan ride, biking for about 2 hours, see orchards and farms

Second day, taking breakfast in authentic local peaceful atmosphere, then boat ride to Vinh long dock. Car transfer to Sadec with the stop to visit the Huynh Thuy Le ancient house where is famous for the best novel of Margaret Duras “the Lover” will be followed with a drive to Chaudoc. In the afternoon is another boat ride and enjoy spectacular view from a local summit, see Vietnam-Camboida border gate.
Highlights Activities: See the an ancient house, visit floating market with floating house

Next day is another homestay. Start with a drive to visit Bang Lang Storks Garden and Binh Thuy Shrine. Drive to Truong Long Village (15km) for your homestay. (Important note: Homestay at basic condition – You do not try to experience a homestay with 4 star hotel standard, don’t you? You will see the locals’ real daily lives not the ones well arranged to show off. Be prepared that you stay in someone’ real home not someone’s business)
Highlight activities: See the remote villages of Mekong Delta, homestay

The forth day, wake up at 6:00am - an interesting, pleasant day awaiting today! After a healthy breakfast at your local house, jump straight into an arrow-boat and enjoy an early boat cruise (4 hours) to visit the stunning floating markets of Phong Dien and Cai Rang. Phong Dien is smaller in scale and is more of a retailed one while Cai Rang is bigger and is more of a wholesaled one. And what you need to do is to sit back and relax on the boat, have some sips of local coffee and watch the world of trading activities going on and on from boats to boats. If you are fruit lovers, go for the freshest ones here at these markets. In between the two markets, we will get off our boat for some short bike-rides along the remote villages’ paths. Hop back on our car after cruising through Cai Rang floating market and head to Cantho. Today we stay in a hotel
Activities: See floating market and garden houses, biking ride

The last day, drive back to MyTho. Take on a bigger wooden boat and cruise crossing the mighty Upper Mekong River before boarding a wooden sampan and cruise through a green, lush, picturesque and Amazon-like creeks of Tan Thach. Heading to Gocong by road.with some more breaks en route to visit an incense workshop, a local village where the people have produced some of the finest pieces of furniture in the South, and a legumes nursery which surely is an eye-opener for any one! Short bike ride crossing paddy fields and through remote villages dotted with coconut palm trees then continue the trip back Saigon with the backroad via My Loi ferry on Vam Co river. We finish in Hochiminh city around late afternoon

Please note that the homestay program like this is a typical one, well combined between comfortable stay in a hotel and an authentic stay at local’s house. If you want to deeply dive in Mekong delta, a complete homestay holiday is a recommendation, I mean all nights at local house! As I mentioned (somewhere above), don’t expect something thoroughly comfortable with all-supplied services, you are living in a local’s house, stay focus on what you’re seeing, not on what you’re staying! That will make your homestay experience amazing, a true highlight of your trip even though you once experience best 5 star accommodations before

Tags: Mekong homestay, Mekong Delta homestay trips, holidays in Mekong, holidays in Vietnam, Vietnam holidays, hometay holiday Vietnam, Mekong River, Cruise Mekong River, Vietnam river cruise, Mekong boat and homestay, biking Mekong