Sure, traveling as a vegetarian in Southeast Asia can be challenging, but every country in the region has plenty of vegetarian options. Except maybe the Philippines… the Philippines is tough. But trust me when I say traveling as a vegetarian in Vietnam is relatively simple and an absolute joy. So if you’re a strict vegetarian (like…
As I wrote in a previous post, Nha Trang tends to get a bad rap for being too touristy and too inauthentic. I’ve talked to so many people who have skipped Nha Trang altogether based on other travelers’ reviews. I did the same thing during my first backpacking trip to Vietnam in 2006. But what I’ve…
Since I arrived in Nha Trang, Vietnam, a month ago I’ve been getting quite a few questions from curious readers and Instagram followers about why exactly I chose to spend two months in Nha Trang, whether or not it’s a good place for digital nomads and if travelers should include it on their Vietnam itinerary….
When I think back on my summer spent in Da Nang and Hoi An, I pretty much think all about food. I did a lot of eating last summer. I just couldn’t help myself. Now that I’ve lived in Ho Chi Minh City for two years, one would think I’d be sick of Vietnamese food….
Oh, Da Nang. I just love that city. I was lucky enough to spend two months there over the summer and when it came time to leave I just didn’t want to. Da Nang tends to get passed over by tourists in favor of the ultra-popular town of Hoi An, which is a short 30-minute…
I have a thing for quirky travel destinations so when I found out that Hue was home to a creepy abandoned water park, I just had to go. The water park opened in 2004 and was operational for a few years before mysteriously shutting down, despite the fact that it cost millions to develop. It’s…
Being a vegetarian in Southeast Asia isn’t always easy, but luckily Vietnam is a super vegetarian and vegan-friendly country. Because of the large Buddhist influence here, most big cities in Vietnam have an abundance of “chay” restaurants, which are pure vegetarian (and mostly vegan) eateries. (Chay means vegetarian in Vietnamese.) Coming from Saigon, I wasn’t…
To be perfectly honest, I was hesitant to go back to Hoi An. I last visited 12 long years ago. My memory of what is now one of Vietnam’s most touristy destinations is a sleepy riverside village complete with picture-perfect French colonial buildings, cute little cafes and tons of fishing boats bobbing in the river….
After moving abroad in July 2014, I started compiling monthly roundup posts about life as an expat in Southeast Asia and all the nitty gritty that goes on behind the scenes here at Travel Lush. Check out my most recent monthly roundup posts Sept/Oct/Nov, Dec/Jan and February. If you read my last monthly roundup post, you’ll remember that…
I’ve officially lived in Ho Chi Minh City for a full year. Man, how time flies. I actually moved to HCMC (aka Saigon) on Christmas Day last year. I remember the moment so clearly it’s hard to believe it was over a year ago. Aaron and I had just hopped off a red-eye from Beijing,…