Experience a day in MandaLao - sweet home for elephant in Laos

Elephants in Laos and throughout Asia are in an alarming state. Many organizations and individuals are working hard every day to bring this animal life they deserve.

MandaLao Camp offers visitors a different experience than the typical elephant camps in Laos and Thailand.

Full information about: MandaLao – a sweet home for elephant village in Laos

Do not ride elephants. No circus performance. Not a dancing elephant. Visitors to MandaLao simply see huge animals splashing water on the river, grasping the lawn, and snacking on the forest canopy.

"Tourists often ask us about the 'sanctuaries' in Asia," said Jason Baker, vice president for international campaigns at the Animal Welfare Foundation. "I told them that the best elephant sanctuaries would be pretty boring to humans, because they would just walk around and live the life of an elephant."

The "Elephant Trunk" now has only 800 elephants. The number of elephants in Laos has plummeted by more than 75% in the past 30 years.

"Elephants are very important to the Lao people, but they are getting smaller, there are children who have not even seen elephants," said Michael Vogler, co-founder of the MandaLao elephant camp in 2016, told CNN. . "A lot of people do not realize the level of despair of the situation."

Safe housing

Situated on the banks of the Nam Khan River in northern Laos, the 80-hectare MandaLao Camp, with shady spaces, forests, creeks and veterinary facilities.

"People focus on training elephants to entertain people, we do not," Vogler said.

Visitors to MandaLao can walk around the forest with elephants - not elephants - and bring food to encourage them to go all the way.

USEFUL TIPS FOR 2 DAY SLOW BOAT FROM HUAY XAI TO LUANG PRABANG

MandaLao is home to six mature elephants and an 18-month-old elephant. They are all rescued from the logging industry.

"They have individuality and character." As with Kitty, sometimes we have to try two or three different things to see what he wants to eat, "Vogler said. "It will not eat sugar cane unless it has been peeled, it is too spoiled."

Vogler said that if everything went according to plan, the kit would not live at MandaLao. The camp management is working with a national park to bring back the wildlife.

Tips to have a perfect trip in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Are you eager to find out about Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh? So you know a lot about Phnom Penh tourist attractions to plan your visit? See more: Angkor Wat full day tour

Visit Royal Palace of Cambodia

This architecture was built by the Royal Family of Cambodia more than a century ago to serve the needs of ordinary life as well as welcoming international guests and perform some royal ceremonies. 

Together with the Silver Pagoda, this royal architectural style has been combined with many different structures, with old gardens that have been carefully tidied and trimmed and created a symbolic representation of the country. 

Visit National Museum of Cambodia

The National Museum was designed and built by architects George Groslier and Ecole des Arts Cambodgiens in 1917. Although designed by two French architects, the museum's overall architecture features the specific tradition of the Khmer people.

This is the most famous Phnom Penh tourist destination and preserves tons of the artifacts demonstrating a Cambodian’s cultural uniqueness. 

Seeing local market in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. The city still retains many unique French architectural buildings combined with new large avenues, picturesque coastal scenery and friendly locals. And it seems that no better place to help visitors immersed in the culture - local activities of the Cambodians than the traditional markets. Indochina Travel Cambodia

Night Market is the most comfortable place to stay in Phnom Penh.This is where local people as well as tourists come to buy some traditional clothing, enjoy street food’s attractions. In the evening, you can choose a cool place to organize the picnics and outdoor parties with friends. Another highlight of the night market is the beautiful traditional dance performances. 

Related: Enjoy your Hoi An food tour

The beauty of Phu Yen, centre Vietnam

Situated in South-Central Coast, Phu Yen shares border with Binh Dinh Province on the north, Khanh Hoa Province on the south, Dak Lak and Gia Lai provinces on the west and East Sea on the east. With nearly 20km of coastline, Phu Yen is naturally endowed with gulfs, lagoons, beaches and islets.

See more: Sim card in Vietnam 

I spent 3 days there and got lucky with the weather during my stay. Upon arrival in Tuy Hoa city in Phu Yen after a 10-hour train from Ho Chi Minh city at 5 early in the morning, I was a little surprised: The town is so lovely and quiet! Then, I decided to rent a motorbike with the price of only 100,000vnd per day (which was around US$5).

As a matter of fact, most of local people still depend on agriculture rather than tourism. I let myself and my motorbike get into every villages on the way, probing the local life before heading to the beach.

Ghenh Da Dia (Da Dia Reef) 

This is considered as a strange geological phenomenon of nature, locates in An Ninh Dong Commune , Tuy An District. Ghenh Da Dia looks like a giant jigsaw at a far distance. The rock structure includes large upright stone equally arranged in a star pattern. Reason for this natural masterpiece is when the mineral flows melting was frozen when they encounter water, making the solid breaks into pieces million years ago. 

See more: Travel to Vietnam in 2018, what to do

Mui Dien (Dien Cape) 

Mui Dien is known for other names such as Dai Lanh cape, Ke Ga Cape or Cap Varella and is a part of Truong Son mountain range. Coming here, you will have an opportunity to see the sunrise first, which is the most enchanting part according to most of the tourists.

Green rocks in Ro Village 

This is the place where rock shores are covered with green moss under the sun, locating in Ro Village, Phu Dong Commune, Tuy Hoa City. When I saw a picture of the rocks on the Internet, I did not think of how splendid it is until I came there.

Instead, Phu Yen residents would flock to the beach in the afternoon, they just simply wear their short clothing and jump to the water. In one fine afternoon, I came across with a small local beach where only a few people usually come to relax.

Explore Chiang Rai by your way - Thailand travel guide

We were trying to travel to other places apart from the too famous Bangkok or Pattaya which is more than familiar to Vietnamese tourists. Thailand’s most northerly province, Chiang Rai is located nearly 800 kilometers from Bangkok. The north of Chiang Rai borders Myanmar, the south borders Phayao Province, the east borders Laos, and the west borders Chiang Mai Province. There are numerous domestic airlines that operate this route such as Nok Air, Bangkok Airway, Thai Lion Air or other than that there are still Vietjet Air, Air Asia, etc. To get more information, you can click: Travel Indochina

Our first spot is Wat Rong Khun (White Temple) - a famous Buddhist temple designed by artist Chaloemchai Kositpipat since 1997.

All around the complex are caved with sculptures of skulls, hands and arms, skulls, severed heads handing from trees and other bizarre objects.

Just around 20 minutes from the White temple is the Black House (Baan Dam Museum) – the unique legacy of the late and renowned artist Thawan Duchanee, a son of Chiang Rai. The very first impression of this mansion was a completely huge and tall black traditional house knowing as the main building which is a large wooden structure. The black tiered roof has curvy metal points jutting from the sides.

However, Dr. Thawan Duchanee was not the creator, he just simply collected those expensive objects over the world.   

After lunch, we headed to the most interesting place – the golden triangle. This is the famous location where the borders of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar meet in the middle of Mekong River. From the viewpoint of the Golden Triangle Park you will see the two other neighboring countries, the Mekong River and the hilly landscape with its small villages and hillside temples. Bangkok Chiang Mai tour

We had dinner not in a luxury or deluxe restaurant but chose to walk around the night bazaar. It looks really like the night market in the Hanoi Old Quarter in the weekend but apparently, with smaller scale and different local unique products; beaded jewelry, hill tribe handicrafts, t-shirts, dresses and silk scarves and do not forget to bargain.

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Explore Ba Be lake in 3D2N

Explore Ba Be lake in 3D2N Travel to Vietnam in 2018, what to do

 

Explore Ba Be lake in 3D2N

Having been known as the largest natural lake in Vietnam, Ba Be Lake is located inside the Ba Be National park in Bac Kan Province, 240 km Northwest of Hanoi city. You will find a huge number of things to explore here, from a vast variety of flora and fauna to interesting natural geology and scenic landscapes.

You can see more: Sapa tour packages

The name Ba Be literally means the “Three Lakes” in Vietnamese and it is so amazing to know it actually includes the small three lakes joined together namely as Pe Lam, Pe Lu and Pe Leng. 

After the Ba Be area was established as a national park in 1992, the site was soon recognized by UNESCO as the third Ramsar site in Vietnam - an important wetland of the world.

Apart from its beautiful natural values, the region is a home to 13 tribal villages, mostly Tay minority people and smaller groups of Hmong & Dzao people making the destination a rich culture area to discover.

1) Transportation

To save the time and to extend your comfort while traveling, you can hire a private van if you travel in a big group from 3-4 people. Otherwise, for a small group of 1 or 2 people, choosing shuttle bus with great quality that picks up and drops off inside the Old Quarter of Hanoi is the best option. 

The transfer may take you at least 5 hours excluding stop to stretch your leg on the way so you will reach Ba Be homestay at noon. The ticket per way costs you around 15 – 20 USD/person. Indochina travel blog

2) Accommodation

Since the Bac Kan province and Ba Be Lake area is not developed yet, there are not many high quality accommodation to choose as hotels in big cities but you can try staying at the local homestay of ethnic people which is a very popular way for overnight originating from the tourists’ interest to interact with the people in their own traditional houses.

The cost for staying overnight is from 8 – 10 USD/person sharing the dorm area or in a private small room at the same house. You can find better quality homestay with more ensuite equipment but the cost may range from 20 - 25 USD/person/night.

3) Meal

The dishes chosen are a combination of a healthy diet: soup, boiled rice, one or two main dishes of meat and the dessert to end the meal happily. The biggest happiness that I experience was to see the way they cook, to talk about the recipe of each dish and the origin of all food I ate.

4) Activities 

Here is the brief itinerary that I did for my own trip since end of April. 

Day 1: Hanoi - Transfer to Ba Be 

Day 2: Ba Be Lake Kayaking - Cycling to Hua Ma cave 

Day 3: Ba Be - Back to Hanoi

Related post: Travel to Vietnam in 2018, what to do

Travel to Vietnam in 2018, what to do

From the seaside to the mountains, each region of Vietnam has its own unique character making this lovely country in Southeast Asia one of the hottest travel destinations in the world.
Located along the Red River Delta, the Vietnamese capital is considered the international reference for original and distinctive rich history, heritage, attractiveness, and gastronomy. 
Related: Explore the beauty of Tam Coc Ninh Ninh
But to fully appreciate Vietnamese culture, you need to visit a score of regional Vietnamese cities such as Halong Bay, Sapa, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, and the Mekong Delta. 
14 days with Vietnam Cultural Highlights will definitely provide a unique and interesting course in the wonderful Vietnamese feast.

Discover the vestiges of an ancient miniature coffin-making village and rice paper producing town in the scenic rural village of Tho Ha; see the impressive beaches in Halong Bay. 
Mekong Delta. Expect to be happily occupied with fun during your Vietnam itinerary in 14 days!

Hanoi is the most obvious must-see destination on any Vietnam vacation packages in 2018, and Mai Chau, Son La, Dien Bien Phu, and Sapa are obligatory day trips from our capital. 

Each destination in the North West Vietnam has its own unique character making it arguably one of the most beautiful sites in Indochina: the awe-inspiring surrounding hills of Sapa – a microcosm of the whole region - with picture-perfect hamlets scattered throughout stunning valleys and dizzying mountains. 

Home to some of the most extreme geography in the country – if not all of Southeast Asia, this important sub-region of Vietnam is also an ideal destination for outdoor activities and adventures like hiking, trekking, biking, etc.

Our classic Northwest Vietnam tours itineraries include a visit to Vietnam’s dynamic capital of history and culture; the magnificent Halong Bay; and the stunning landscapes Sapa with its picturesque villages.

Explore the beauty of Tam Coc Ninh Ninh

After a few days getting around Halong Bay, it’s time to keep our North-to-South journey going through the S-shaped country. If you wish to see Tam Coc in September, let’s head to Giap Bat bus station and then get on the public bus to Ninh Binh province – this ride would take you less than 3 hours and cost about $5. And Tam Coc lies about 90 km South of Hanoi and 7 km to the West of the city. You can see more: 

travel indochina vietnam

Do you want to visit Tam Coc in September? Buy the ticket at the place’s ticket office nearby the parking lot and then sail in little rowing boats at the Pier Van Lam by Ngo Dong River. You get to share the boat with 2 other Vietnamese people who will be in charge of rowing the ship to Tam Coc after 2 hours. 

When the summer comes, the sky in Tam Coc looks so high and cloudless, which is such an incredible scene to savor. Go down to Ngo Dong River, you’ll encounter the elegant autumn lake, then ride a boat to get yourself lost in this paradise among the majestic but timeless limestone mountains. Don’t look away when standing in front of the deep blue water surface where you can feel the wind pass through the rocks, that can bring us an amazingly new flavor of the rice.

The natural beauty of here won’t stop there, but we can see it clearly through the breathtaking landscape of the rice fields which covers up to 350 hectares in total. This opens up a newly pretty picture extending endlessly that allows any visitor to come across the vivid colors yet a serene life. See more: Sapa tour packages

Here is unbelievably favored by nature, not just with fantastic landscapes but unforgettable people. You just can’t help but only want to stay here for more than two days to fully discover it. Come to Tam Coc in September when you’re impressed by the beautiful smiles of boat drivers who have to row with their legs day by day just to show you this place’s historical and cultural values.
See more:
Top best place for holiday deals to Vietnam 2018
The beauty of Hanoi in November
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Things to know before traveling Hoi An in 2018

Highlighted in the central tourist line, Hoi An old town as a rustic, simple and poetic painting. Whether it's a day or a night, Hoi An tourism still has its own charms. 

You can see more: Indochina tours

In addition to cultural values ​​through diverse architecture, Hoi An still preserves a rather large intangible cultural background. The daily life of the residents with the customs, belief activities, folk art, cultural festivals together with the romantic natural scenery, special dishes ... make Hoi An increasingly attractive. leading travelers cross.

The best time to visit Hoi An is from February to April every year, with little rain, pleasant climate. Avoid going in summer because of rising temperatures, very sultry. The rainy season from October to November also has the disadvantage is wet space due to heavy rain and heavy rains.

Come to Hoi An on the 14th, lunar month monthly to attend the night of the old town. On this occasion you will have a chance to see the red lanterns flashing across the street, a unique scene of Hoi An on the occasion. Hoi An holiday packages

Hoi An Ancient Town is small, but the culinary culture is extremely rich. Here are some delicious dishes and addresses to enjoy when visiting this special place:

Chicken rice in Hoi An

With all the meticulous scissors in the processing, the Hoi An created a chicken rice enough to make a mark to give it a name: Chicken Hoi Hoi. Chicken Rice Street with the onion, papaya, Tra Que aromatic vegetables, also a cup of soup mixed heart, liver, chicken add to eat more attractive.

Cao Lau in Hoi An

Many people living in the old town say high floor appeared in Hoi An from the 17th century. Perhaps so, this dish is influenced quite a lot from the cuisine of the United States as well as Udon cold noodles of the Japanese. However, high floor Hoi An still boldly own and only Hoi An has the right Cao Lau.

Dumplings 

Dumplings - cauldrons are two kinds of cake with similar ingredients, usually eaten on a plate. Another is the cakes of cauldron made from shrimp paste mixed with a little pepper, garlic, onions, lemongrass and esoteric spices. The dumplings are made from pork, mushrooms, thinly sliced ​​green onions and also fried with the esoteric spice. Perhaps this seasoning is also a reason why dumplings - cauldrons can only eat well when in Hoi An.
You can see more: Enjoy your Hoi An food tour

Enjoy your Hoi An food tour

I’m an early bird so for me, the night is for sleeping not for eating. But that changes every time I come to Hoi An. It just gets absolutely beautiful here after a dark with lanterns lighting the sky and with candles creating special moody atmosphere. You can see: travel to Vietnam

Enjoy Cao Lau in Hoi An

There are hundreds of Cao Lau spots in this city so you don’t know which one would be the best. If you’re reading this essay, congratulation! The only thing you have to do is follow it.

Walking along the ancient town, it is easy to see the name of “cao lau” on some high eye-catching restaurant sides. Cao Lau has long been regarded as an exemplary dish of Hoi An cuisine. According to cultural researchers, Cao Lau appeared in Hoi An during the 17^th century when the first Hoi An trading port was established and the foreign merchant ships came to exchange goods. 

Chicken rice

After strolling around Hoi An, your appetite is likely to be stimulated. How about we try chicken rice? Apparently, rice with chicken does not seem very appealing to you in the first though, especially among the different variety kinds of food has to offer but let’s try it in Hoi An. it resembles the salad, it is very light with the special herbs. A plate of chicken rice is characterized by the moderate stickiness and fragrant rice. The succulence of chickens, the crunchiness and sour taste papaya, the bitterness and spiciness of Vietnamese chilies combined in a pretty plate what makes you fall in love immediately. One of the interesting things in chicken rice is you will see the skins of the animals like chicken and other parts that you’re not used to using in your country. But trust me, you will be satisfied. See more Best deals to Vietnam

 Vietnamese crepe- Banh Xeo

It is a small town and just takes you a half day to visit, but for Hoi An cuisine, if you find out deeply, let’s spend more time. Not only having the local food, Hoi An is an ideal spot for other region’s cuisines. As above, you know about Ba Le well- where the locals come to bring water to cook some delicious food, and in Hoi An, a restaurant with that name is also very attractive thanks to its special menu. When first hearing about nem lui, nem nuong, banh xeo or ram cuon, many people will think of South influence dishes. Banh xeo (Vietnamese crepe) is a rustic pancake of Vietnam however each region has own taste and technique to make it. Banh xeo in Hoi An requires a lot of meticulousness and practice. The pure rice flours create the original and distinctive fragrance of the dish. Fresh bean sprouts and shrimps will be added inside the cake layer. Some people say that the sizzle of the batter mixing hot oils is the inspirations behind this pretty name of the cake.

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5 activities you must experience during travel to VietnamTop best place for holiday deals to Vietnam 2018

5 activities you must experience during travel to Vietnam

Dreaming of a wonderful holiday to some parts of Asia? Travelers often think of check in quaint cafes, encounter busy traffic, see more motorbikes, visit temples, eat noodles or rice or all that kind of Asian stuffs etc during your travel to Vietnam 2018

1. Sitting on the low plastic chair at the street sidewalk to enjoy the yummy street foods 

Believe or not but it is true for me, to enjoy it right after the foods left the frying pan or the charcoal and hand to you. Let’s act like a local whether you are traveling in Hanoi, Saigon, Cantho, Haiphong or Hoian, find the recommended places and just sit down the low plastic chair of the street food vendors. The crowded it is, the better as that’s how we rate a good street restaurant. Watching the locals the way they order the foods then get the mouth-watering food for you. 

2. Watching the hustle morning of a wholesale floating market in Mekong river

Different from some orderly organized floating markets in Thailand that operate daily during the day time, The Cai Rang or Phong Dien market in the Mekong delta of Vietnam show its uniqueness and nowhere in the world you can get the same experience. Those wholesale markets are trading points for Mekong farmers, traders who come and deal with big volume of products.

3. Dining the traditional meal in a local hosted family 

There is no better way to understand a culture if you are not interacting with it. When you travel to Vietnam, apart from what you have read from home, there are always questions in mind for what you have seen on the streets, on your way of travel. Question like; I don’t see many elderly people in streets, where are they now? Why there are a lot of men sitting in the street, what are they looking for?

4. Practicing Tai Chi by the sunrise in magnificent Halong Bay 

To name a few famed cruise operators, you might do a search for Indochina Junk, Paradise Cruise or Orchid cruise. Only with overnight cruise option, you can have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of practicing the Tai Chi by the sunrise in the middle of this legendary bay. Imagine a peaceful early morning, you wake up with the singing of the birds from the nearby rock islands, open the window of your cabin, look out and question yourself - “am I in paradise, it it real?” as the natural setting is so impressive with emerald water and splendid rock formation.  

See more: tours Hanoi to Halong

5. Being on the back of a bike and get lost in the crazily weaved traffic

If you want to get that experience in style, search for some Vespa tour agents or contact a local tour operator to arrange for it. A Vespa guy will come up, takes you around his home town like a city tour. All you need to do is relax but hold his waist firm and watching the magically chaos of traffic. It’s pretty sure that you will have a lot of fun to keep for your memory and to telling your friends home.

This is not a popular service in Vietnam but some travel company to have their own network of hosted families, can be in Mekong, Dalat, Saigon, Hoian or Hanoi and let check up with the travel operator if they can arrange for you. It is advisable to bring a bottle of wine or some postcards, T- shirts of your hometown as gift if you are able to make this opportunity possible. It’s worth planning and it will fill your memory of a true Vietnam forever.

Top best place for holiday deals to Vietnam 2018

It is not just a country, but a vast land where the people are as diverse as the landscape. Where to go on your Vietnam holidays completely depends on what you really want to do. Let’s check out my pick of top 3 best holiday deals in Vietnam and get ready for an unforgettable time in this lovely country!

#1. Halong Bay

If you are hoping to soak up some sunshine in Northern Vietnam, then there is no better place to kick back and relax than Halong Bay – a UNESCO World Natural Heritage. From the breathtaking natural beauty of its unforgettable geography, beaches, and caves to its unique culture in the fishing villages, Halong Bay is a Vietnam’s perfect island paradise if you are looking to really get away from it all. 

#2. Hanoi

A 4- or 5-hour tour in the Old Quarter offers you a chance to stroll along Hoan Kiem Lake; cover the main themed streets with a stop at several old houses, pagodas, and temples; sample Pho, banh mi, bun cha, cha ca, etc; and particularly see Vietnamese people in their daily activities. And a Red River Delta Hanoi day tour offers a chance to take part in hands-on activities at traditional handicraft villages where the traditional value of old Vietnam has long been well-preserved.

Please view: TOP 5 BEST DESTINATIONS FOR HOLIDAY DEALS IN VIETNAM 

#3. Mekong delta

If you are in the mood for sunny weather and warm, hospitable Vietnamese people, why not head south for some lush tropical orchards and memorable cruise trips. Removed from the hustle and bustle of Southern Vietnam cities, the Mekong Delta offers an easygoing spirit and plenty of floating markets to choose from. For sheer glamour, glitz and gorgeous scenery, there is no place like the Mekong Delta region. On touring the huge orchards, rice paddy fields and swamplands of the Mekong Delta, you will feel like stepping into another world.