Anissa Ledure, a tourist from Belgium laps up some rays at the boat’s stern

Beautiful islets and fishing, breathing the fresh sea air, eating seafood and snorkeling under the warm shallow water to see colorful fish and coral is what awaits you on a boat trip to An Thoi Archipelago located south of Phu Quoc Island.

Tour companies based on Phu Quoc Island offer everything from tours to the north, scuba diving, catching squid at night, stream and waterfall tours – but a snorkeling trip from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to the south of the island is a must for your first trip.

The price is normally US$17 but some agents knock off two dollars for a group of four people or more. The fee includes transportation from your hotel and lunch on board, a Sao Beach visit, an English-speaking tour guide, snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel and flipper), a bottle of mineral water and fishing tackle.

A tourist uses only a plastic coil of fishing line attached with fresh squid to lure fish

The boat will leave from An Thoi Port and it has a seating area on the roof if you fancy catching some rays, while the cabin space is equipped with long benches and tables for those who love to read, listen to music or enjoy some snacks.

After an hour, the boat will stop for the first time to allow travelers to experience a unique way of fishing. Tourists will receive some colorful plastic coils of fishing line attached with fresh squid to lure fish. Then you throw the fishing line as far as you can and wait for some hungry fish.

The next destination is Dam Trong Islet where tourists can snorkel at a shallow sea depth from four to five meters to see colorful fish and coral reefs located near the islet. If you don’t have sea legs it is recommended you take anti-motion sickness medication as the boat rocks a lot during the trip.

Tourists enjoy lunch on board

At the third and final snorkel stop before the boat heads back to the port tourists will enjoy a tasty lunch of seafood sauté noodles, sour fish soup, fried fish, fried egg and sauté water morning glory prepared by the crew.

Tourists can also try cau gai nuong mo hanh or grilled sea urchin with onion for a dollar. Soft drinks and beers are also available from VND20,000.

Nearby the anchor point is a beautiful coconut islet that tourists can visit for just VND10,000 each on a junk boat.

Cau gai nuong mo hanh or grilled sea urchin with onion priced at just VND20,000 will be served to tourists during the boat trip - Photos: Kieu Giang

The last stop is the seven-kilometerSaoBeach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the south of Phu Quoc Island. The sickle-shaped beach has such soft sand and pure green water that tourists might think that God poured tons of white powder instead of sand on the beach. Water sports activities like jet-ski are priced at VND450,000, VND850,000 and VND1.3 million for 10 minutes, 20 minutes and 30 minutes respectively and a jetboat (canoe).

The perfect time to visit Phu Quoc in general and have a scenic and snorkeling trip at An Thoi Archipelago in particular is between October and March to enjoy the pure green and sparkling water and sunlight and avoid rain, strong winds and high waves.

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If you would like to go there, please contact us to customize a holiday tour and explore the beauty of An Thoi Archipelago with us.

Trekking routes across the karst plateau of Dong Van Town, situated in northeast Ha Giang Province, have become increasingly popular since being recognised as part of the Global Network of National Geoparks (GGN) in 2010.

Popular peak: Trekking across the karst plateau of Dong Van Town, situated in the northeast province of Ha Giang, have become increasingly popular since being recognised as part of the Global Network of National Geoparks in 2010. (Photos: VNS)

Dong Van-based Karst Plateau Travel offers amazing trekking routes between the rocky town, ethnic Mong villages in Ma Le and Thien Huong as well as up to the Ma Pi Leng mountain pass.

The 18km route from Ma Le to Thien Huong has become known as the valley of rocks due to its spectacular natural appearance.

As per schedule, tourists are taken to Ma Le Village, 5km from central Dong Van, via van before embarking on a full-day tour.

“The trip is amazing. The landscape and natural conditions across the 1,600m above sea level area has lured many travellers,” said Karst Plateau travel agent Hoang Anh Tuan.

“The wild routes offer the perfect conditions for memorable experiences such as barbecues,” he said.

Tuan added that tour groups are always accompanied by local Mong guides to avoid people getting lost.

Tourists are additionally provided with sticks and jungle-knives to help them make their way through dense undergrowth.

Ta Lang Village, home to the hospitable Giay andTayethnic groups, is the first stop.

Rocky wonderland: The landscape and natural conditions across the 1,600m plateau lures many travellers.

“Because tourists often can’t speak their language, the hosts may refuse to welcome them into their homes. That’s where we as guides come in handy,” said local guide Li Thanh Hong.

“We always prepare lunch near the Nho Que river-bank while often buying either goat or chicken meat for barbeque parties in the jungle,” Hong added.

Tourists are also allowed to catch fish and cook for themselves.

“It’s like a wild life lunch. Local guides often teach tourists how to catch fish by hand,” said tour guide Luc Thi Thuy.

She added that fish is mostly grilled alongside moss while chicken is coated with clay before being placed on the fire.

Ban MoVillage is another favourite stop over for lunch with visitors seated on stone slabs in the middle of theNhoQueRiverin the dry season.

The last and final trek of the day, running 7km uphill from the river-bank to the top of the

Ma Pi Leng mountain pass, takes a challenging two hours.

“The route is very tough, but also very interesting. The mountain pathways are almost vertical,” said Anh Tuan, who designed the route two years ago.

Vertical limit: The route is very tough and challenging, and the mountain pathways are almost vertical in places.

“When you reach the top, the river looks like a silk thread cutting through the deep valley.”

The tour reaches its end on top of the Ma Pi Leng mountain pass from where tourists are taken back to Dong Van Town to while away the afternoon in exploration.

Tour operators offer packages from US$100 for groups of four, which includes transportation from Hanoi to Dong Van Town.

Karst Plateau also provides trekking tours viaTamSonTownin Quan Ba District as well as in the districts of Yen Minh and Meo Vac.

Tourists always benefit from exploring the UNESCO recognised town as a member of the Global Network of National Geoparks.

The town’s main market day falls on Sundays while it lights up with lanterns on Saturday nights.

Dong Van Town is a definite must on the tourist radar due to its spectacular natural surroundings and its well preserved cultural and ethnic heritage.

Discover the Karst Plateau by contact us and customize an adventure tour. You will have many great experiences when you travel in Dong Van.

People will wonder why you should choose the north of Phu Quoc Island instead of the more popular south.

Colorful fi shing boats at Ganh Dau Cape

Here’s why. The north is a vast area which has great potential for future tourism but for now it keeps its tranquil traits with primeval forest and wild river areas. A motorbike trip instead of the bus or taxi trip is a must for first-timers and those who love adventure.

From Duong Dong Town, the main location of Phu Quoc Island, tourists can rent a motorbike at any hotel or resort for US$5-US$6 and US$7 for scooters for eight hours accompanied with a map.

And on top of that it costs tourists VND50,000 to VND80,000 for petrol for a day trip. If female tourists are worried about security or getting lost, they can hire a local tour guide for VND250,000.

A tourist admires a stone dog at Hon Que Viet ancient house. The dog is a typical feature of ancient houses in the north of the country

Sunglasses, mask, mosquito repellent, water and swimsuits are necessary items for your 36 kilometer trip to discover numerous cracking spots including Hon Que Viet (Vietnam’s village spirit) ancient house, pepper farm,Phu Quoc National Park, Ganh Dau Cape, Nguyen Trung Truc Temple, Dai Beach and Ong Lang Beach.

At Hon Que Viet, run by Robinson Tourist Company, you can discover a typical ancient house of north people through the architecture, decoration, interiors and numerous statues of Buddha, women in ao tu than (four panels traditional dress) and stone dogs in front of the eaves. It is free entrance and there’s a big souvenir shop featuring items such as traditional hats, wooden statues of buffalos, rush fans and brocade handbags for visitors to choose from.

One of the two 300-year-old trees in Phu Quoc National Park - Photos: Kieu Giang

On the way to Phu Quoc National Park(Ganh Dau Ecological Preserve Area) travelers can find verdant pepper farms. After driving 15km, you will notice a street on the left side across the primeval forest with a street sign stating 17km to Ganh Dau. The road has a rugged surface so tourists should be careful.

Phu Quoc national park is located in the northeast of the island and belongs to Kien Giang Province’s three communes of Bai Thom, Cua Duong and Ham Ninh. It covers an area of 31,422 hectares and is home to hundreds of flora and fauna and a forest, river, streams, waterfalls, mountains and hills and is divided into three areas. One is strictly protected, another is ecologically restored and the administration-service-scientific research area.

Tourists have to park their bikes and walk to discover the site in an atmosphere of birds singing. Sometimes you can make an ‘ah’ when you see some moi snakes crawling out of the forest path. And do not miss the two 300-year-old trees with huge knots on their trunks. It’s a shame that some morons have defaced these beautiful pieces of history with sharp objects.

After leaving the park, you can head to Nguyen Trung Truc Templein Ganh Dau Commune where you can worshipVietnam’s national hero who was caught and killed by French colonialists after a battle in 1861. The temple opens daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. with free entrance. Two kilometers from the temple is Ganh Dau Cape where you can experience the simple life of fishermen and admire the curved beach or enjoy some fresh and cheap seafood. If you stand on the beach you can see Cambodiain the distance or you can rent a boat to Mong Tay Islet which lies next to the sea border with Cambodia and dive in the water and explore the depths for just VND400,000.

Next to Ganh Dau Cape is Dai Beach which stretches 15 kilometers along the northwestern coast line of Phu Quoc. It was named world’s top wild beach by Australian travel website www.concierge.com in 2008. I can assure you no-one will disturb you while you are lying in the shade or swimming in the pure water.

As our voyage was now complete it was time to head back 36km. As tourists pack their bags they will also be packing away some great memories of the dusty roads, great locations and visitor areas and the sandy beaches of the north island.

If you would like to go there, please contact us to customize a tour package and discover the north of Phu Quoc Island with us.

After a two hour drive from Hanoi you will arrive at Giang Mo village in Cao Phong district of Hoa Binh province, where Muong people live in a wonderfully idyllic setting.

It remains relatively tourist free to promote itself as a ‘tourism village.’ The village is populated by Muong people, the third largest ethnic group in Vietnam with an estimated population of 1.2 million, the bulk of which dwell in the mountainous regions of Hoa Binh or Thanh Hoa provinces.

A hundred stilt-houses built on the mountain slope look down onto the terraced fields of the villagers. Outside each house, there is a small shrine dedicated to the Muong people’s gods and ancestors. The bucolic landscape is inspiring. The autumnal air is fresh and fragrant. You can smell young sticky-rice and wild flowers in the air.

The locals born and bred in this bewitching, near hypnotic spot, are friendly and full of smiles – even as they work. Women weave fabric and embroider brocades or shell corn. The men busy themselves by sharpening knives or making bows and arrows.

By and large, the traditional lifestyle is untainted here. Bamboo water wheels and half-pipes irrigate the fields. Houses use wooden rice mortars and handmade reaping-hooks. Furniture is made out of rattan. The village lives off of farming rice and breeding poultry and/or cattle, not tourism.

Tourists are shown around the village. At one of the biggest stilt-houses they are offered tea made from a peach tree’s roots. While his wife is busy preparing lunch, Ha Van Can, the owner of the house, talks about the Muong people’s ancient customs, lifestyle and habits. He is clearly house-proud.

The stilt-house is quite long and high. It is made with large wooden pillars, bamboo walls and floorboards, and a thatched roof of palm leaves. There is no private room in the house. The cooking fire is placed in the middle of house. Here, a pot is always on the boil. Dried corn hangs from the smoking-shelf above the fire.

Can displays his hunting trophies – a large wild ox skull complete with horns, a fanged wild boar, and the teeth of a bear he says he hunted for over 40 years! “Now there are very few wild animals here,” he says, perhaps not sensing the bitter irony that he played a part in their demise. He attributes the loss of wild animals to the forests being destroyed. “The government banned the hunting of wild animals, so I make hunting knives, bows and arrows for tourists, mainly,” saysCan.

“Most of the households in our village still preserve the typical culture and lifestyle of ancient Muong people because the authorities want to turn our village into a tourist spot,” he says. “We want to earn more money from tourism, but you can see that not many tourists visit our village. If you stay overnight, you can enjoy traditional dances, folksongs and performances with drums, gongs, clarinets and the monochord. Our village has a special team of girls and boys performing traditional music for guests.”

Can’s wife says, “For generations, Muong women have had to learn to weave and dye cloth, make brocades and sew clothes for their families. Muong women are very good at cooking also.”

“Our daily diet is very simple, but for festivals our feasts are more sophisticated.” The proof is in the pudding. In front of me there’s a feast with sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves, boiled wild vegetables, river fish cooked with wild herbs and wrapped in lotus leaves, steamed chicken and stir-fried buffalo.

It’s worth driving to Giang Mofor the food alone! Giang Mo village is in Binh Thanh commune, Cao Phong district, Hoa Binh province, 90km west ofHanoi. To get there fromHanoi, you can drive through Ha Dong city on National Road 6 towards Hoa Binh city. Keep going straight, don’t turn left toward Mai Chau, and after 10kmGiangMowill be on your left hand side – you can’t miss it!

If you would like to go there, please contact us to customize a holiday tour and learn about customs of Muong Peopel in Hoa Binh province.

You have to be brave enough to drift along from east to west then north to south to really appreciate the beauty of the Gam River.

Gam River running through Cao Bang Province.

Departing from Cao Bang Province’s Bao Lam District, where the Gam River starts on its way down from China, flowing to Bao Lac Mountain then merging with the Nho Que River flowing from Dong Van Plateau, tourists will see that the river is the living pulse, origin and love of ethnic people of Mong, Tay, Nung and Dong who have lived in this area and lived off the river for many generations.

Wise fishermen sit along the number of waterfalls on GamRiver, the section between Cao Bang and Ha Giang provinces which is home to fish typical of the north: anh vu, dam anh, lang, bong and chien. Flowing through 217 kilometers in the north of the country, the Gam River provides locals not only with fish, but with shrimp and other fresh water species.

Drifting along the river, tourists should not forget to stop at Na Hang, a small town by the river where is endowed with some magnificent mountains, mysterious primeval forests and splendid streams.

The town is also famous for the Tac Ke-Ban Nung  natural reserve, covering over 42 square kilometers and running over the communes of Con Lon, Khau Tinh, Son Phu, Vinh Yen and Thanh Tuong. The area is home to thousands of rare fauna and flora species.

Tourists will also meet Nui Do canyon with its two mountain walls standing imposingly as if from the heavens as the clouds swoop down over the limestone cliffs.

On the way to Tuyen Quang Province, tourists will meet Pac Ta Mountain which looks like an elephant beside a wine bottle. At the mountain is an old temple where many pilgrims come to pray for a lucky life. The magnificence of the mountain has attracted nature lovers, photographers as well as poets and writers.

You will also come across Bac Me District in Ha Giang Province. The District’s Ban Lan Hamlet of Yen Phu Commune is a must for tourists. There you can discover many riddles of the forests with its abundant ecosystem and learn more about colorful customs and culture of Tay ethnic group.

Apart from the craft villages and intangible cultural features, tourists will also be amazed by the weird shapes and stalactites of Dan Cum Cave which were formed millions of years ago and are considered home to ancient Vietnamese prehistoric man.

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If you would like to go there, please contact us to customize a tour package and discover the natural beauty of Cao Bang.