I’ve always wanted to visit Asia, and Vietnam was on our travel bucket list. We began planning the trip months ago, and with some help from my friends, we were able to plan much of it ourselves, with the assistance of a local travel agent based near Ho Chi Minh City, who handled our ground activities. Our initial flight had a stopover in Hong Kong with a short layover until our final flight to Hanoi, in the northern part of the country. Many younger people are visiting Vietnam just as I did to Europe in the 1980s because of its affordability. For those who have never heard the story, I graduated from chiropractic college and then traveled around Europe for a month before I began my first post-school job. The day we landed, our first activity was a street food tour in the evening. Our guide took us to a restaurant, Bun Cha Ta in the old city that makes only one dish, a local soup. That was amazing. We then had someone show us how to make egg coffee and another local dish. Egg coffee came from the Vietnam War when milk was scarce. Some of the GIs made their coffee with a whipped egg yolk and also with condensed milk, which is now another popular coffee drink in the country. The following day, we visited an incense village. While this was kind of touristy, we did learn how they made incense, and it is used to honor their ancestors when they visit a particular temple. That is my friend Bonnie in the midst of all those colored sticks used to make incense. The traffic in Hanoi is a combination of cars, with some being electric, mostly from a company called VinFast, a Vietnamese company. Most people own motorbikes, which are slowly being replaced by electric ones. The traffic flows are interesting as everyone cooperates with each other, vs. our American way of competing to get in first. We also visited the famous train street in Hanoi. Train Street is strange because the train passes right in front of the cafes and is a tourist attraction made popular on TikTok. The next day, we visited Ninh Binh for sightseeing. We walked up a huge flight of stairs in Hang Mua to find the dragon on top. It was close to 900 stairs to reach the top. Notice the dragon at the top. Hang Mua is a scenic, man-made, Zen-like area famous for its panoramic views of Tam Coc’s rice paddies and limestone karsts. We climbed 500 steps up and 500 steps back down to take in the breathtaking scenery. Part of the UNESCO-listed Trang An Complex, the site features dragon statues, pagodas, and lush landscapes. We also then took a boat trip in the mountains that was unbelievably beautiful, and went through different caves. The following day, we went on a one-night cruise to Halong Bay. This ship was first class, and although we only spent one night, Halong Bay is a World Heritage site which borders China and has about 2000 islands. We then flew to Hue and relaxed at our hotel. The following morning, we visited a local market in Thanh Toan Village, where villagers shopped for meat, fish, and produce. We then took a lagoon boat ride to observe shrimp and fish harvesting, and stopped by a wedding venue under preparation. In the back of the venue, the women prepared the food for the affair, and they loved taking photos with us. We later visited the Khai Dinh Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage site built between 1920 and 1931 for Emperor Khai Dinh. The tomb blends Vietnamese, Hindu, Buddhist, Gothic, and Roman architectural styles and is the most opulent of the Nguyen tombs. We then explored the Hue Citadel, constructed between 1805 and 1945. Located along the Perfume River, the massive complex includes the Capital Citadel, Royal Citadel, and Forbidden Citadel. During the Vietnam War, much of the Citadel was bombed because Viet Cong generals sheltered there due to its strong construction. On December 27, 2025, after breakfast, we visited Thien Mu Pagoda and later explored the “Lost City,” a cemetery with elaborate pagoda-like tombs, many built for future burials. This place was so over the top and many were built before the people passed away. Crazy, no? We continued toward Hoi An, stopping at a lagoon and driving the scenic Hai Van Pass toward Da Nang. During the war, Da Nang was a popular place for the military personnel to get R and R, and it has beautiful beaches and shoreline. Once in Hoi An, we checked into our hotel and went for some Ban Mi sandwiches, which did not disappoint. The next morning, we explored the countryside by scooters, visiting Thanh Ha Market and a pottery village, where we made pottery ourselves. We also visited families producing rice wine, rice snacks, straw mats, and rode basket boats through water coconut forests on a motorbike tour. What fun. The scenery was stunning, and interacting with locals was the highlight. We ended the tour with a cooking class and lunch, followed by a foot massage. As you can see, I have little talent or flexibility for making straw mats. We visited Marble Mountains near Da Nang—five limestone peaks named after the five elements (metal, water, wood, fire, and earth). Revered by the ancient Cham and later Vietnamese rulers, the site contains caves, tunnels, and pagodas. During the Vietnam War, Viet Cong fighters hid there during bombing campaigns. We then flew to Cambodia, where we met our transport from our hotel, Jaya House. Wow, what a hotel. We were headed to Siem Reap, and the following morning, we headed with our guide at 4:30 a.m. and via tuk-tuk to watch the sunrise at Angkor Wat. Built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat is the world’s largest religious monument and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our guide, a former monk who grew up nearby, shared deeply personal stories. He also took us to the monastery he grew up in next to the complex. Later in the day, we toured Bayon Temple in Angkor Thom. When you think of Indiana Jones, you think of this. The temple is in the forest surrounded by stone walls. Wow. The next day, we visited Kampong Khleang fishing village, which is a large, authentic, and less-visited fishing village near Siem Reap, known for its high stilted houses and flooded forests, exploring by boat and on foot. We visited a school where students practiced English with us. We then took a flight to Ho Chi Min City to check in overnight for New Year’s Eve, which we spent at a rooftop restaurant. The following morning, we headed out for a Mekong Delta tour, staying overnight. We visited Cai Be, a rural district and town in Tien Giang Province. It is known as a “river-land” area and is famous for its former floating market, lush fruit orchards, and traditional craft villages. Here we sampled rice paper, coconut candy, and enjoyed lunch at Mr. Six’s home featuring a Mekong Delta specialty of elephant ear fish (fried Gourami), spring rolls, and jackfruit. We continued to Long Xuyen, where we spent the night. The following morning, we visited the Long Xuyen Floating Market, an authentic, less touristy, and traditional wholesale market on the Hau River in An Giang Province. It operates daily from 5 am to 8 am and is known for selling local farm produce, vegetables, and fruits, while offering a glimpse into the local, everyday riverbank lifestyle. The lady in the boat prepared a delicious soup for us, along with BBQ chicken and noodles, at 6 am. Behind her was a boat filled with college students from Hanoi. We also visited Tiger Island and Tiger Pagoda, riding scooters through villages. We were driven by a scooter around the village and witnessed how the locals eat and live off the land. It seems that the locals don’t see many American tourists, and again seemed very curious and intrigued by our presence. We returned to Saigon and stayed at the historic Hotel Majestic, a famous landmark that opened in 1925 with French style architecture and design. The rooms were spacious, and the hotel was luxurious and located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. That evening, we enjoyed a scooter food tour, sampling pancakes, seafood, and ice cream, and had great conversations with the young tour guides. We finished off the evening at a well-known Tea restaurant with everyone acknowledging the great time we had together. The following morning we had our final tour of Ho Chi Min City. We explored major landmarks including Notre Dame Cathedral, the Post Office, City Hall, the Opera House, and the Independence Palace, followed by the War Remnants Museum. Independence Palace was originally built by the French in 1868 as the Norodom Palace and became the home and workplace for the president of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) in 1955. After a failed assassination attempt by bombing in 1962, the original structure was demolished, and a new, modernist palace was completed in 1966, designed by Vietnamese architect Ngo Viet Thu. The palace played a pivotal role in Vietnamese history, witnessing the end of the war when the North Vietnamese Army tanks breached its gates on April 30, 1975, symbolizing the fall of Saigon and the reunification of the country. It is now preserved as a national monument, convention hall, and museum. We then went to the War Remnants Museum, which featured many relics from the Vietnam War. Key exhibits included weapons, Agent Orange, photography, and outdoor US Military planes and tanks. The museum offers an in-depth look at the war’s consequences from the Vietnamese perspective. We also visited a shop where the Viet Cong hid out under the floor with their weapons cache during the Vietnam War. After lunch and shopping in Thao Dien in District 2, which is a high-end, western-style expat enclave in Ho Chi Minh City known for its international schools, cafes, and luxury villas, we headed to the airport. This was a wonderful trip with many great memories. It was also a vigorous trip as we saw, experienced, and traveled so much during a two-week period of time. Vietnam is a wonderful country. The simple people are comfortable with simple lives. Those who want more are living in a country that is evolving toward the future and live near or in the larger cities. This is a country looking toward the future and experiencing economic growth. The Vietnamese appear to be a happy people, and they enjoyed having us in their country. The food is great and is exceptionally fresh. I can understand why so many younger people are visiting this country. For Americans, things in Vietnam are very affordable. I highly recommend visiting Vietnam as well as Cambodia.