GAY FRIENDLY VIETNAM
Travel solutions with itineraries to discover all the wonders of this destination, places not to be missed, tips about where to sleep and what to eat, and above all many small special tips to enjoy your journey !
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SUGGESTED ITINERARIES
Visiting this destination at its best depends essentially on how long you have to fully enjoy it. Here is a solution based on the number of days available to you:
® Tested by World Mappers
Day 1: (Arrival Airport of) HANOI
Day 2: HANOI - HALONG BAY
Day 3: HALONG BAY - HANOI
Day 4: HANOI - TAM COC - HOA LU - MUA CAVE - HANOI
Day 5: HANOI / (domestic flight for) DA NANG - HOI AN
Day 6: HOI AN - HUE
Day 7: HUE / (domestic flight for) HO CHI MINH
Day 9: HO CHI MINH
(Departure from the Airport with Destination CAMBODIA)
ALTERNATIVE ITINERARY
Day 1: (Arrival Airport of) HANOI
Day 2: HANOI
Day 3: HANOI - NINH BINH - HOA LU - TAM COC - HANOI / (night train to) LAO CAI
Day 4: LAO CAI - SAPA
Day 5: SAPA - LAO CHAI - TA VAN - SAPA / (night train to) HANOI
Day 6: HANOI - HALONG BAY
Day 7: HALONG BAY - HANOI / (domestic flight for) HUE
Day 8: HUE
Day 9: HUE - DA NANG - HOI AN
Day 10: HOI AN
Day 11: HOI AN - DA NANG / (domestic flight for) HO CHI MINH
Day 13: HO CHI MINH - BEN TRE - CAN THO
Day 14: CAN THO - CAI RANG - HO CHI MINH
Day 15: HO CHI MINH (Departure from the Airport)
or you can add a few days on the fantastic island of Phu Quoc
TRAVEL TIPS about VIETNAM by World Mappers
The first word that comes to mind when thinking about Vietnam is: Street Food! So the advice we give is to taste as much as possible the dishes offered by this country. We spent ten days eating at any time and photographing the beauty of the dishes that were served to us. Each area of Vietnam has its own distinctive dishes. In our opinion, you cannot go to Vietnam without tasting, for example, the famous Pho bo, Bun Cha, Banh Vac, the typical blonde beer (Bia Hoi), Vietnamese coffee in its countless variations or simply one of the delicacies sold in street markets.
Tai Chi Chuan lesson aboard a Halong Bay cruise. Wake up at dawn to start the day in the best possible way with this discipline of ancient origins. What's better than an hour of relaxing exercises while the sun begins to illuminate the stacks of the bay?
One of the things we liked the most about Vietnam is being able to cycle freely through the countryside and rural villages, stopping along the way to greet the children and taste some local delicacies. There are several agencies and hotels that rent a bicycle at very low daily prices.
In Vietnam you will certainly have the opportunity of a boat ride whether it is on the brown waters of the Mekong Delta with the long and noisy motor boats, or on the quieter Dong Ngo River where the local people row with their feet or simply row. yourself a kayak, perhaps in the wonderful setting of Halong Bay.
Sapa is the northernmost Vietnam, characterized by mountains, rice fields and plateaus where nature reigns supreme. We have decided to dedicate another trip (hopefully soon) to this area of the country in order to fully enjoy the wonders it has to offer.
WHAT TO SEE in VIETNAM?
BEST THINGS and PLACES TO SEE in VIETNAM
Hanoi / Dong Xuan Market
Located in the heart of the Old Quarter (old quarter) of the city, the market comes alive from the first light of dawn. Even if you are not interested in shopping, we recommend a visit because you can find really strange products for sale. In addition to soft-shelled turtles, jellyfish served as dessert and worms as snacks, there is a huge part dedicated to electronics, clothing and fruit and vegetables.
Hanoi / Train Street
Do not miss the train that passes in the old quarter of Hanoi literally attached to the houses (between Ngo Le Duam and Kham Tien streets, better known as Train Street). For the locals this is normal but for us it is unbelievable. Twice a day the shopkeepers move their wares, the children stop playing and the ladies withdraw the clothes hanging from the balconies. The iron giant should pass at 15 and 19 but they explained to us that the times are never precise due to the inevitable delays, so you have to arm yourself with patience and a bit of luck, perhaps waiting in one of the nice little bars sipping a good Caphe Trung da (Vietnamese coffee with egg) like we did. In recent years, local authorities have decided to limit the presence of people along the tracks due to the high number of tourists who go to the site and the dangers that this can entail. When we were there (October 2019) some entrances to Train Street were already closed and guarded by the police.
Halong Bay / Crociera
Absolutely unmissable. We recommend at least one overnight stay on board to fully enjoy this wonder, but various solutions are available from a day trip to two or more nights. The offers for this type of tour abound and unfortunately even dishonest operators, we have relied on Glory Legend Cruises ( www.glorylegendcruises.net ) and we had a great time.
Hoi An
The city of lanterns. You will realize this from the moment you arrive. The lanterns are hung outside houses and shops, they are used for public lighting and you will find numerous artisans who produce and sell them (we even bought three to hang at home). As evening falls, the city transforms: arriving at Thu Bon River, you are overwhelmed by thousands of colored lights that create a magical and romantic atmosphere, a wonderful image that we will not easily forget.
Ninh Binh / Mua Cave
One of the Vietnamese viewpoints we love the most. Near the cave there are two different paths that lead to two promontories from which the view is equally beautiful. We, however, prefer the path that after about 500 steps (bring water and get ready to sweat) arrives at a dragon statue from where the view of the Ngo Dong river and the surrounding landscape, which reminds us a little of that of Halong Bay , is breathtaking.
Do you want to find out more about the main cities of VIETNAM?
Take a look at ours:
WHERE TO STAY in VIETNAM?
BEST LGBT FRIENDLY HOTELS & APARTMENTS in VIETNAM
Hanoi - Golden Art Hotel *** ® Tested by World Mappers
Hanoi - Hanoi Old Quarter Guest House ® Tested by World Mappers
Hanoi - Artisan Lakeview Hotel ***
Ho Chi Minh City - Huong Sen Annex Hotel *** ® Tested by World Mappers
Ho Chi Minh City - Le Méridien Saigon *****
Ho Chi Minh City - Beautiful Saigon Hotel ***
Hoi An - Almanity Hoi An Wellness Resort ****
Hue - A-Maze House ® Tested by World Mappers
WHERE TO EAT in VIETNAM?
BEST TYPICAL RESTAURANTS of VIETNAM Quality / Price
The Vietnamese culinary offer is decidedly wide and varied, starting from street food offered practically on every street corner to restaurants of various kinds and levels. We also didn't miss a Cooking Class to learn how to cook Vietnamese rolls (Nem Ram) and a delicious savory crepe (Banh xeo). We are mostly dedicated to Street Food (cheap and very good) which in our opinion is not to be missed, but below we point out some restaurants that we have tried and that have particularly impressed us and some Gay Friendly places.
Here are some of the restaurants tried by the World Mappers:
Ho Chi Minh City - Rice Field Restaurant
Hoi An - Morning Glory Restaurant
Discover the Local Cuisine and its Typical Food
GAY TRAVEL TIPS
Vietnam is a quiet country for gay travelers and most of the LGBT community is concentrated in big cities like Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi where Hanoi Pride is held annually. in Vietnam relations between people of the same are not prohibited, there is a large LGBT community but in most cases being gay is not flaunted. Although strictly gay clubs are very rare (the only one in Hanoi is the GC Bar), many are Gay Friendly.
Here is a list of some LGBT Friendly places where we spent pleasant evenings:
Hanoi - GC Bar
Ho Chi Minh City - 42 Nguyen Hue Coffee Apartment
Ho Chi Minh City - Papa Cafe
Ho Chi Minh City - Republic Lounge
WHAT TO BUY in VIETNAM?
The MOST BEAUTIFUL SOUVENIRS from VIETNAM
Lanterns
Hoi An is the city of lanterns. You will find artisans who produce them or more simple souvenir shops that sell these magnificent creations, for us it was impossible to resist and we bought three. A little delicate to carry but with the right attention they arrived safe and sound and now they are hanging on display in our living room.
Tailored Suits
We never expected to find so many fabric shops and tailors in a Vietnamese town and until we saw it with our own eyes we didn't believe it. Hoi An, in addition to its lanterns, is also famous for its tailoring market. We would have loved to have had a dress made for our wedding but unfortunately we didn't have the time to choose the fabric, try it on, modify it, etc.
Incense
You can't return from Vietnam without a handful of scented sticks. Quang Phu Cau, a short distance from Hanoi, is the most famous village for the production of incense but you can buy it almost everywhere.
Canvas Paintings
In Hanoi's Old Quarter, there are many art galleries displaying and selling canvas paintings by local painters, some of them at very affordable prices. Here too the temptation was great, but we resisted.
Local Crafts
In Vietnam there are many handicraft shops that work bamboo, ceramic, stone and many other materials. Many of these are part of non-profit organizations supporting rural communities, one more reason to buy something as a souvenir of this magnificent country.
Watch here the Official Video • Vietnam
Check also Practical Information for the Trip
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