How to celebrate Christmas in Saigon

Saigon lights up at Christmas time with thousands of string lights and Christmas decorations, and the city fills with hundreds of people who are coming to celebrate this holiday. And how it is different from the Western countries?

Escape from the hustle and bustle city

Is Saigon too busy for you at Christmas time? Do you crave the beach, the sea, and nice cool glass of something that screams ‘I-am-classy-and-very-relaxed!’? Why not get away to beautiful Nha Trang for a long weekend on the soft sand of Nha Trang Beach or the poetic beaches in Vung Tau.

Some hotels in Nha Trang hold a range of special offers this December from their delicious Christmas buffet and drinks to a range of discount packages.

Embrace your inner touris

Saigon is beautiful at this time of year, bedecked with strings of lights and dazzling banners, and dotted with the occasional gaudy santa or glaring Christmas tree. It can be hard to tell which decorations are for Christmas and which are for Tet, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter!

Christmas Day, like Halloween and all other Western celebrations, tends to bring masses of congestion to the already-bustling Saigon, so walking is the best option. Get outside with your camera, or just your eyes, and join the city in being happy.

Sit in the sky bar and view whole city

Another way to get into Saigon’s Christmas festivities without getting lost under the feet of revellers is to sit at one of the city’s many rooftop bars and watch the ants. From the famous Chill Skybar and its incredible panoramic views to the homely rooftop at The View on Bui Vien, rooftop bars in general provide a great angle for watching people with a cool drink in hand. Check out for our piece on Saigon’s 11 best rooftop bars for a great selection this December.

Enjoy the glorious cake

As a previous French colony, Vietnam is known for its delicious French-influenced baked goods, of which the Buche de Noël is a Christmas favourite. Why not buy yourself something sweet to enjoy with family and friends while you marvel at how two such different cultures could have been brought so very close?

Get local

Finally, why not make some friends this Christmas? Park 23/9 in District 1 is known for its gaggles of students looking to practise their english with native speakers. They roam the park, pouncing on unsuspecting foreigners, and often end up making friends with their victims and taking them for a beer. If you are a native speaker, go to the park this Christmas and wait for a group of students to befriend, before wandering off to the backpacker strip for a ridiculous amount of laughter, beers and dried squid.

See more: Fun things to do in Singapore at Christmas

Source Vietnam Insider

All about Loy Krathong Festival in Thailand

Loy Krathong is one of the most anticipated festivals in Thailand. Every year tourists from all over the world rush to Thailand to join this festival. So what exactly is Loy Krathong and why do people appreciate this festival so much?

1. What is Loy Krathong?

Loy Krathong is Thailand’s very own ‘festival of lights’. It is celebrated in Thailand, Laos and some other places in Southeast Asia that have a Thai or Tai heritage. During the festival, people gather around lakes, rivers and canals to pay respects to the goddess of water by releasing beautiful lotus shaped rafts, decorated with candles, incense and flowers onto the water.

2. When is Loy Krathong celebrated?

Loy Krathong is usually celebrated on the evening of the full moon on the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar.

Subsequent festival dates (these dates may change):

2017: 3rd November

2018: 23rd November

2019: 13th November

2020: 1st November

3. How long does Loy Krathong last?

It lasts three days. The first day is the lantern festival, the second day is the full moon day and the third day is now the day of the Loy Krathong parade. 

4. What does Loy Krathong mean?

The verb Loy means to float. Krathong has various meanings. In this case it is small container or basket made of banana leaves, adorned with flowers, incense and candles. Loy Krathong means “to float a basket” which is what many people do during the festival on one of the three days. 

5. Why is Loy Krathong celebrated?

It is believed that the light festival originated with paying homage to the spirits of the rivers and thanking the water god for the rains.

According to King Mongkut (1804-1869), it used to be a Brahmanic festival later adopted by Buddhists to celebrate the Buddha. The candles pay homage to Buddha with the beauty and purity of light. In the still of the night, there are lights everywhere. Before the celebration, there’s silence: monks are meditating, surrounded by flickering candles.

6. Where and how to celebrate Loy Krathong?

Celebrated all over Thailand, the most exciting festivities take place in Bangkok and Old Sukhothai, as people gather at rivers to float krathongs, and to watch folk dancing or sound-and-light performances.

For the full flying-lantern experience, head up to Chiang Mai for the Yi Peng Festival, where lanterns are sent floating gracefully into the sky, creating an exotic atmosphere.

See more: Songkran Festival, wet or very wet!

Source: Internet

Explore the beauty of Tam Giang Lagoon

If Hue looks ancient and bashful like a charming and graceful girl, Tam Giang Lagoon, about 15 kilometers from Hue City, is endowed with pristine and handsome features like a would-be suitor. From there, travelers can depart on a fishing boat with locals to explore the mystery of the lagoon.

Tam Giang lagoon – an interesting tourist destination in Hue

At the beginning, you may meet a local market where local people come here every day for their daily shopping. What are purchased in this market? Mostly fresh seafood which is just caught minutes ago by fishing men because this lagoon is home to a variety of water creatures.

Like other Vietnamese markets, Tam Giang market is quite crowded, a little bit smelly and busy. If you want to get inside a local life, this market is truly a revelation. It is such a shame if you miss out all the best foods in Lagoon. From squid, prawns to crab, all of them are amazing in texture, rich in flavor and well-cooked by the handful chefs.

For Hue tourism, Tam Giang Lagoon is a priceless resource unique in Vietnam. The lagoon is so beautiful that when standing in front of it, the hearts of every tourist beat as standing in front of a beautiful girl.

Watch sunset on Tam Giang lagoon

The most beautiful moments on the lagoon are at sunset when it turns purple. A few fishing boats return home late with lines of casuarinas running with the skyline separating the water from the sky, with the whole lagoon’s surface shaking in the breeze. These are images that visitors have to capture. Under the final rays of sunshine, some kids in old costumes frolic in the shallow water as others tie their father’s boat and go for a swim.

Experience the life in fishing villages with locals

Local people mostly live on their traditional job as fishing. In the early morning, men start a journey to sea for catching seafood while women stick their feet into waters to search for shellfish then bring to the market for sale. These people hardly find another better occupation to raise their living standards because Tam Giang is still a poor district in Hue. Even though most of the local can't earn enough money to spend for their lives, they still keep great friendly mind and treat others well as their friends.

Tam Giang lagoon is truly a nice tough to brighten the way of exploring rural areas in Vietnam. Travelers can find excellent seafood and view outstanding natural setting in Tam Giang. A trip here definitely provides a peaceful feeling for those who love nature.

Enjoy seafood in Tam Giang lagoon

There are many local restaurants on the way to boat stop where you can enjoy fresh seafood here. These little treats will be remarkable memory for all tourists coming to Tam Giang. Also, there are many special houses called "Nhà chố" in this small lagoon. These houses are used to be relaxing places for fishermen after a hard day away land. You can ask them to take a closer look on these houses to see how their structures are.

Source Internet