Vientiane, Laos
Jumbo driver waits for passengers in the capital of Laos.



Hanoi, Vietnam
Taking a cyclo is a popular and convenient way of exploring Hanoi Old Quarter.



Melaka, Malaysia
Excessively decorated trishaws blasting loud music are impossible to miss in Melaka.

Tags: Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam, Transportation

Motorbikes rule the streets in Vietnam and this is especially true in big cities such as Hanoi and Saigon. Busy streets are filled with relentless flow of honking motorbikes and cars. Street crossing can be daunting at places where zebra crossings and traffic lights are scarce. It is almost impossible to wait till a halt in traffic before crossing. The common advice is to start crossing when there is a reasonable gap in the traffic and walk predictably across the streets so that the vehicles can avoid you. It works!


Traffic in the Old Quarter of Hanoi (11/2009)



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Related link:

• Wikitravel: Crossing the Road in Vietnam

Tags: Vietnam, Video

The tranquil Ho Hoan Kiem or Lake of the Returned Sword is just a stone throw away from the hustle and bustle of Hanoi Old Quarters. The lake gets its name from the legend that tells the returning of a magic sword by Emperor Le Loi back to the Golden Turtle God in the lake. Some have also suggested that the lake is the home of a rare distinct species of turtle. The scenic spot in Hanoi is popular among the locals and visitors (irrespective of interest in reptiles) and a welcoming retreat from the sea of motorbikes that fills the city streets.


Hoan Kiem Lake: day and night, Hanoi (11/2009)

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Tags: Vietnam

You sometimes lose the sense of time without the seasonal change in the tropics but the festive season is not easy to miss, thanks to the faithful reminders by commercial decorations and displays :-P

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!


Saigon Centre, Ho Chi Minh City (11/2009)


Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur (12/2009)

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Tags: Christmas, Vietnam, Malaysia

From timelessly popular street food, high-quality Phở noodle soup chain to classy restaurants, the good food and culinary experience that Saigon has to offer are appealing even to the least food-inclined travelers. Here are some suggestions to delight your palate in the biggest city in Vietnam.


Start your day with phở noodle soup, aptly known as the national dish of Vietnam, at one of the Pho24 outlets or Pho2000 near the Binh Tay Market.


Wrap and roll your own gỏi cuốn, yet another famous Vietnamese dish, at the recommendable Wrap & Roll.


Head to the streets for local delicacies and pick and choose your favourite dessert drink from a lineup in Binh Tay Market.

PS: You can still carry on after the dessert!

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Related link:

• Kiat's Eye View: Saigon Street Vendors
  
• Wikipedia: Vietnamese cuisine
  
• ThanhnienNews: Wraps and rolls: fast food Vietnamese style
  
• NPR: Vietnamese pho chain takes on U.S. competition
  
• ~Izzie~: Saigon (for food enthusiasts)

Tags: Food, Vietnam

Like many other Asian countries, street vendors are a common and unmissable part of street life in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam. The vendors here usually carry their goods on a shoulder pole and many are seen wearing nón lá (the traditional conical straw hat). The mobile stalls sell a variety of stuffs and are the best places to sample local foods! Pictures (from top to bottom) show street vendors near the Binh Tay Market, Ben Thanh Market and Notre Dame Cathedral.





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Tags: Food, People, Vietnam

Saigon is wired by a perplexing network of cables hanging above the city streets. They are interesting elements of the city and amazing to watch although walking under the masses of cables can be quite daunting at first. The task of maintaining the network must be a horrendous one.




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Related link:

• Kiat's Eye View: Saigon Street Vendors
  
• ThanhnienNews: Cable conundrum

Tags: Vietnam