wanderlust-tips-a-paradise-amidst-a-paradise-a-masterpiece-on-a-masterpiece

Paradise Elegance: A paradise amidst a paradise

Sometimes a journey is more fascinating than the destination itself. And a cruise with Paradise Elegance is a journey to explore the spectacular Halong Bay during which every little detail is cared for.
[rpi]

A JOURNEY OF DISTINCTION

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Paradise Elegance: A paradise amidst a paradise

Luxury is a state of mind – so how different is a journey on which all your needs and emotions are cared for like you are an emperor? Your feelings will be fulfilled and your experiences will be more memorable thanks to the thoughtful care of the butler service in each cabin. The butler service is a personalised service at the highest level of the hospitality industry and rarely can they find such kind of services in the large cruise ship in Halong Bay. You can consult the customer reviews after the trip to find that sometimes Paradise Elegance’s visitors have said that they feel like royalty, and many tourists wish that they had booked a longer vacation.

It’s not hard to understand why a butler has such an important position that all 5-star international yachts have butler services. A butler, generally speaking, is a reliable person who always listens to you, takes care of you, and simply makes you happy. They are the person who unloads or arranges your luggage, books a restaurant, or arranges a spa appointment for you, or they may become your tour guide when you visit the mainland during the itinerary, and they may also be the one who serves you the in-room meals as to your order.

FIRST-CLASS AMENITIES

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Paradise Elegance: A paradise amidst a paradise

Luxury must be comfortable – this is not only true for fashion but also applicable to all other service industry areas, especially the accommodation services. Being on the large end of the scale in Halong Bay, Paradise Elegance has 31 cabins, so whether you want to enjoy a cocktail at the bar on the sundeck or rest in your spacious cabin with its sumptuous furniture and enjoy the view of the bay with its thousands of spectacular limestone islands, you will always have a comfortable space to experience your time amidst the wonder that is Halong Bay.

You do not have to sacrifice your personal needs or go out of your comfort zone to enjoy this natural masterpiece, on the ocean, sailing past cliffs eroded by waves and wind over the years and the magnificent caves of the bay, you can enjoy a peaceful sleep on a luxurious bed and pamper your body with a special treat at the cosy and fragrant spa or enjoy your favourite meal picked from an optional menu or listen to the music and melodious lyrics from well-known artists that harmonise with the melody of the sea to grant you the full inspiration of life.

FOOD ADVENTURES

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Paradise Elegance: A paradise amidst a paradise

There’s no end to imagination in the kitchen – so why should we limit our dining experiences at the table? Paradise Elegance lets visitors choose their meals. Without your decision, the cruise will not pre-order for you, instead, there is a rich European and Asian food menu waiting to take you on an amazing flavour adventure and you are the person to choose your favourite dishes.

Guests will have the chance to wake up all their senses with deep-fried crab springrolls, grilled shrimp lemongrass skewers served with fermented vegetable or salad of tropical vegetables with bitter, spicy, salty and sweet flavours. Paradise Elegance is the perfect culinary journey with some soft, smoky salmon ready to melt in diners’ mouths, or fine black fish eggs, or sweet Australian beef tenderloin in a sauce of famous wine. You can sip a glass of the best wine to fulfil your taste experience.

Visitors can finish their meal with the sweet aroma of sticky rice soup with coconut milk, or the unforgettable taste of banana flambé.Create your own gastronomic adventure filled with pleasant surprises, which is the privilege that Paradise Elegance offers to every visitor.

INTERESTING EXPERIENCES

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Paradise Elegance: A paradise amidst a paradise

Although you may be interested in feeling like an emperor or being treated like a queen on Paradise Elegance, above all, the foremost reason that brings you to this tropical country are the legendary beauty of Halong Bay and the joy of having a relaxing break after the hard work.Nature has spent millions of years building this landscape, and tourists come here only need to enjoy these natural art works. There are sun-drenched beaches, amazing hidden caves and limestone rocks stretching over the water surface like a huge natural installation. Kayaking, attending squid fishing with the cruise team in the evening, or exploring the stunning caves or simply just relaxing in your spacious cabin to admire the beauty through the panoramic windows, are what you can find on the itinerary aboard Paradise Elegance cruise.

Just the few moments when the sun rises on the sea, or when it sets on the red horizon, the magnificent view will leave you speechless. So it doesn’t come to a surprise that most of the visitors are feeling blue at the end of the trip on board Paradise Elegance, then it comes to the memories they made and story about paradise amidst a paradise, about an unforgettable journeys that they wish would continue endlessly.

Wanderlust Tips | Cinet

wanderlust-tips-8-must-see-places-in-phu-yen-in-the-morning00

8 must-see places in Phu Yen in the morning

You have a morning to explore Phu Yen, where you should go and what to do to have enjoyable experiences? Here are the detailed suggestions from Wanderlust Tips for you to have a perfect journey in Phu Yen.
[rpi]

1. THE CLIFF OF STONE PLATES

Located in An Ninh Dong Commune, Tuy An District, the Cliff of Stone Plates look like a huge honeycomb from a distance. It is a sparkling mysterious black light amidst a clear blue sky. Tens of thousands of hexagonal, square, or circular rock pillars are layered on top of each other, seamlessly aligned, and look as though they have been arranged by the human hand. Along with the time and waves from the sea, the rock pillars here are not separated or broken, but cling to each other, one layer after another, stretched to the sea.

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 8 must-see places in Phu Yen in the morning

♦ Top tips: From Tuy Hoa City, head along National Highway 1A to the North about 30 kilometres, then enter Chi Thanh Town (Tuy An District). Turn right (heading East) about 12 kilometres, until you see the Cliff of Stone Plates.

♦ Must see: Ganh Den Lighthouse is about 1 kilometre from the Cliff of Stone Plates; Mang Lang Church and Tam Giang Lagoon are located on the road from National Highway 1A to the Cliff of Stone Plates.

♦ Cuisine: The Cliff of Stone Plates Restaurant is located next to the entrance gate. Luc Thach Restaurant (Phu Hanh village) or food stalls at Dam Market are located about 4 kilometres away from the Cliff of Stone Plates.

2. XUAN DAI BAY

Located at the foot of Gang Slope in Xuan Tho Commune, Xuan Thinh and Song Cau Town, Xuan Dai Bay is formed by the Co Ngua mountain range that stretches to the sea about 15km form Xuan Thinh Peninsula. Xuan Dai Bay is impressive, with endless blue and green colours. The Bay is surrounded by peaceful villages, coconut trees, and white smooth sand intermixing with exotic rock formations. The Bay is about 50 kilometres long, stretching through many different terrains such as: the Lighthouse, Ong Cape, Ganh Den (Cliff of Black Rock), Ganh Do (Red Cliff), Vung Dong Bay, Om Beach, Tu Nham Beach, Ganh Tuong Cape, Hon Mom Island, Ganh Ba (Ba Cliff), Ong Xa Isle, and especially Nhat Tu Son Island with a miraculous underwater road connecting the coast and the island.

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 8 must-see places in Phu Yen in the morning

♦Top tips: The unique features of Xuan Dai Bay are white sandy beaches, smooth waves, ideal for vacation, swimming. If tourists want to explore the life of local people, they can go to the fishing village in the Bay.

♦Cuisine: Restaurants are located on the Xuan Dai Bay, overlooking Nhat Son Island. A few include: Nui Que Restaurant (Cau Cau town) and Vong Canh Coffee Shop (National Highway 1A, Xuan Thanh, Xuan Dai).

3. O LOAN LAGOON

O Loan Lagoon is located at the foot of Quan Cau Pass, in Tuy An District, Phu Yen Province, about 22 kilometres to the North of Tuy Hoa City. With an area of more than 1,500 hectares, O Loan Lagoon offers tranquil natural beauty with airy space, and fresh, cool climate. From the top of Quan Cau Pass, visitors will see Tu Bi Mountain (the mountain of compassion), where Tu Bi Stream flows through the canyons and pours into the lagoon, creating a romantic scene. Surrounding the Lagoon is Dong Chay Mountain, Cam Mountain and An Hai Dune, with rocky reefs protruding out of the Lagoon forming cliffs of various shapes. Lying along the water edge are casuarina forests and shelters of birds such as mallards, pelicans, storks, and ducks.

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 8 must-see places in Phu Yen in the morning

♦ Top tips: Visitors to O Loan Lagoon can enjoy the beautiful natural scenery and countless fresh seafood dishes, which are prepared according to the typical flavour of Central Vietnam.

♦ Cuisine: Enjoy the famous seafood such as blood cockle, fish apricot, tuna eye, shrimp, squid, jellyfish, and crab at restaurants located near the lagoon

4. DAI LANH CAPE

Dai Lanh Cape is located in Dong Be Hamlet, Hoa Tam Commune, Dong Hoa District, Phu Yen Province, about 35 kilometres to the Southeast of Tuy Hoa City. This is site combines many beautiful scenes, with forests, sea, streams and mountains. Local people also call it Dien Cape, because the top has a lighthouse that shines nightly to help boats pass from the sea into Vung Ro Bay. At the foot of Dai Lanh Cape is the pristine moon-shaped beach of Bai Mon, with a coastline of about 400 metres, smooth slope, fine white sand, crystal clear water.

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 8 must-see places in Phu Yen in the morning

♦ Top tips: This is a beautiful sunrise viewpoint. In addition, visitors coming here will have the opportunity to participate in a game on the sea with fishermen, or to hunt eel – the fish known as “Jiaolong of the ocean”.

♦ Must see: Bai Goc Beach and Bai Tien Beach on the way from Tuy Hoa City to Dai Lanh Cape.

♦ Cuisine: Going to Vung Ro Bay about 6 kilometres away, is where there are many restaurants with fresh and attractive seafood.

5. VUNG RO BAY

Located 25 kilometres from Tuy Hoa City, Vung Ro Bay is in Xuan Hoa Nam Commune, Dong Hoa District, Phu Yen Province (popularly called Nau Land), and stretches about 16.4 square kilometres. It is surrounded by three majestic mountains: Ca Pass (in the North), Da Bia (in the East) Hon Ba Island (in the West), and Hon Nua Island in the South. Looking from above, Vung Ro Bay looks like a giant mirror reflecting all the majestic natural scenery.

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 8 must-see places in Phu Yen in the morning

♦ Top tips: Whether it is dawn, sunset or noon, Vung Ro always fascinates visitors with the beauty of nature. Coming here, visitors can relax on peaceful beaches such as Lach Beach, Mu U Beach, Chua Beach, Chan Trau Beach, Lau Beach, Lab Beach and Bang Beach…

♦ Must see: You can rent a boat to visit the famous sites of the Bay or to explore Hon Nua Island.
Cuisine: Rent a boat to go to floating rafts in the bay, where there is a variety of fresh seafood such as oysters, ark clam, sea urchin, shrimp, crab, squid …

6. PHUN ABYSS

Phun Abyss lies in Da Den Mountain Range in Hoa My Tay Commune, Tay Hoa District, surrounded by lush trees and rolling hills, creating a truly romantic landscape. The streams from Ca Pass have formed the confluence of Banh Lai River. From the upstream of Banh Lai River at an altitude of 50 metres above the sea level, these streams flow through the granite layer then erode into the valleys, creating a deep abyss called Phun Abyss. This name comes from the geological structure where the above abyss consists of layers of solid rock and the bottom consists of soft rock eroded gradually along with time and forming holes. The water from the upstream flows down to the abyss of white foam, as if under the water there is a huge fountain sprouting the water up high.

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 8 must-see places in Phu Yen in the morning

♦ Top Tips: Visitin Phun Abyss, visitors will enjoy a beautiful natural landscape with many exciting activities such as ecological tourism, mountain climbing, swimming, and camping.

♦ Cuisine: Got to Tuy Hoa City for lunch, as you will find a wide selection of dishes.

7. KRONG TRAI NATURAL RESERVE

Located 80 kilometres from Tuy Hoa City along National Highway 25, Krong Trai Nature Reserve is located in Krong Trai and Krong Pa Communes, Son Hoa District. This is where the ecosystems transform from the West to the East of Truong Son Range, so the fauna and flora are extremely diverse. The reserve covers 22,290 hectares, with about 236 species of plants, 50 species of mammals, 182 species of birds and 22 species of reptiles. Among them, there are many rare animal and plant species for scientific research. In addition, Krong Trai is also a place that preserves the traditional culture of ethnic minority people such as E De and Ba Na with festivals including Buffalo Sacrifice, Seasonal Festival, Khan Singing and Tomb Art.

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 8 must-see places in Phu Yen in the morning

♦ Must see: Along National Highway 25 to Krong Trai Nature Reserve, you can visit Dong Cam Dam – the largest irrigation works in Phu Yen Province.

♦ Cuisine: Along National Highway 25 to the National Reserve, there are many restaurants such as: Ben Song Restaurant, Mon Coffee and Thach Thao Coffee.

8. TU QUANG PAGODA

Located at an altitude of 100 metres above sea level, with an area of about 5,000 square metres, Tu Quang Pagoda is located on Xuan Dai Mountain in An Dan Commune, Tuy An District, about 35 kilometres to the North of Tuy Hoa City. The temple is located amidst an area full of white stones, so it is also called the White Stone Pagoda (Bach Thach Pagoda). The back of the temple leans against the Xuan Dai Mountain Range, while the front faces the South, overlooking Cai River (Ngan Son River) and Nhan My River. In a large area to the West of the temple, there are eight stupas to worship monks and the abbot of the temple, and it is considered one of the top unique architectural treasures in Central coastal provinces.

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 8 must-see places in Phu Yen in the morning

♦ Top tips: Standing in the courtyard, you can see the entire view of the river and the wonderful blue mountain. Surrounding the temple is a mango garden that appeared in Phu Yen poems as a typical product of this land: “White Rock Mango, Silk Ward Cassava”.

♦ Cuisine: On the way from Tuy Hoa City centre to Tu Quang Pagoda, you can visit O Loan Lagoon to enjoy a variety of delicious seafood.

Wanderlust Tips | Cinet

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | An endless paradise with À La Carte Danang Beach

An endless paradise with À La Carte Danang Beach

At À La Carte Danang Beach, the sky, sea, and mountain seem to blend together, creating an endless paradise of the infinite beach.
[rpi] Designed in a modern style with unique new ideas, À La Carte Da Nang Beach offers its guests spacious sea view apartments as well as an array of amenities at attractive prices.

INFINITE SWIMMING POOL

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | An endless paradise with À La Carte Danang Beach

For the first time in Vietnam, visitors will have a chance to take in the beauty of Danang city with bridges, clear sea, and majestic mountains from an infinite swimming pool on the hotel’s rooftop. The pool is paved with blue mosaic tiles, making the space more fascinating. Indulge in the turquoise water, sip a glass of premium cocktail while admiring the blue sea from above.

At that time, you will realize everything blend together, leaving no boundaries of time or space. Serving as a lounge area, a multifunctional floating wooden stage at the center of the pool is an ideal place to sunbathe and relax. The stage can also be turned into a lively dancing stage for effervescent parties. In addition, The Top Bar near the pool is recommended for those who love exciting contemporary experiences.

MODERN AND EXQUISITE ARCHITECTURE

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | An endless paradise with À La Carte Danang Beach

Inspired by the beauty of the area as well as the local culture, À La Carte is decorated in slight and bright colors with the simplest details, giving guests a gentle feeling. The reception hall is designed as an intimate large living room while guest rooms with wooden floor, low ceiling, special lamps and mirrors make guests feel like at home.

You can choose among numerous accommodation choices from one-bed to two-bed suites (Light, Light+, Delight, Delight+, Highlight, Highlight+). Every room and suite are elegant with kitchen, a great view of the ocean, and a separate living space.

VARIOUS CHOICE OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | An endless paradise with À La Carte Danang Beach

À La Carte offers guests with a lavish menu of Vietnamese specialties and Asia-European cuisine served at The Top Bar, FishCa, and Delicious Restaurants.

Designed in a contemporary style with an open space, the Delicious Restaurant introduces guests with different types of bread. Croissants are prepared right in front of diners, giving an interesting interaction between guests and the restaurant’s staff.

Located on the second floor is FishCa Restaurant. As the restaurant is connected with its kitchen, diners can enjoy watching professional chefs preparing their delicious dishes.

Boasting a beautiful romantic space with modern architecture, The Top Bar is an ideal place to contemplate the city at night. In front of you are the swimming pool and the sea while the sparkling city is behind you. It is enjoyable to chill out with friends at this special bar.

ATTRACTIVE SPA

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | An endless paradise with À La Carte Danang Beach

Spice Spa is designed with the idea of combining the colors of common spices to create vitality and bring new energy to wall decorations and interiors. Each therapy room features its own theme, offering guests unique experiences. Here, you can also prepare herbs for yourself.

Come to Spice Spa, you will immerse in the space filled with herbal smell. It will be the amazing time to relax, renewal energy, dispel any anxiety, tense everyday.

KIDS CLUB

À La Carte satisfies their little guests with a fun and comfortable space. At the Kids Club, your children can partake in numerous educational activities with the support of friendly and humorous staff. The club’s staff are always willing to take care your lovely children and share with them memorable moments with interesting activities. Services are free for all children at the hotel.

À La Carte Hotel Danang Beach

  • Address: 200 Vo Nguyen Giap street, Phuoc My ward, Son Tra district, Da Nang city.
  • Email: reservation@alacartedanangbeach.com
  • Phone: (+84236) 3959 555 | Fax: +84 (0) 511 3959 556
  • Website: www.alacartedanangbeach.com

Wanderlust Tips | Cinet

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Buddhist Sites/Heritage Exhibition at Indian Cultural Centre

Buddhist Sites/Heritage Exhibition at Indian Cultural Centre

From 17th to 28th July 2017, at Indian Cultural Centre, Buddhist Heritage Exhibition presents photographer Benoy K Behl’s photos of significant heritages and sites in the world of Buddhism.
[rpi]

This photographic exhibition provides a wide perspective of the monuments and art heritage of Buddhism, from earliest times. It also takes us on a visual pilgrimage through the life of the Buddha: to the places of his birth, enlightenment, first sermon and final renunciation. It presents photographs taken in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Buryatia (Siberia) and Kalmykia in Russia, China, Mongolia, Japan, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia and Indonesia.

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Buddhist Sites/Heritage Exhibition at Indian Cultural Centre

The photographer Benoy K Behl is a film-maker and art-historian. He has taken over 35,000 photographs of Asian monuments and art heritage, made a hundred documentaries on art history and his exhibitions have been warmly received in 28 countries around the world. He is known for his extremely sensitive photography of Buddhist art which provides a deep insight into the gentle and compassionate message of the art.

The exhibition is free of charge and open to all age groups.

  • Address: The Indian Cultural Centre, 63 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.
  • Open times: 10am – 12am, 2pm – 4pm (Monday to Friday)
  • Tel: (+8424) 3633 2083 (Ms. Hoang Dieu Huan)
  • Email: culture@indembassy.com.vn

Wanderlust Tips | Cinet

Wanderlust Tips Magazine |Pullman Hanoi Hotel appointed its new Food and Beverage Manager

Pullman Hanoi Hotel appointed its new Food and Beverage Manager

From July 2017, Mr. Karel Volders will join Pullman Hanoi team as Food and Beverage Manager and in charge of developing food and beverage offerings as well as quality of service at La Cheminée restaurant and Mint Bar.
[rpi]

Nearly 12 years working in international hotel chains such as InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and AccorHotels. Over 4 years in a number of restaurants in Europe. With totaling 16 years experience in Food & Beverage industry, Mr. Karel Volders has a wide knowledge of wine, Western cuisine, and especially the international standard of service quality.

Wanderlust Tips Magazine |Pullman Hanoi Hotel appointed its new Food and Beverage Manager

I am always eager to teach motivated people and learn new things in order to grow with our team. Being multilingual and having a lot of interest in other cultures, people and languages, I easily adapt to the country I live in. As Food and Beverage Manager in Pullman Hanoi and together with my team, we hope to bring the service’s quality to a higher level so our guests could experience a 5-star services.’, he stated.

Keeping up with Food and Beverage trends and not hesitating to face new challenges, Mr. Volders is believed to bring a new spirit to Pullman Hanoi and inspire the restaurant and bar team to offer the best services.

Remember, no matter how hard you struggle, don’t give up and stay positive, because nothing is impossible!’, he emphasises.

Pullman Hanoi Hotel

  • Address: 40 Cat Linh, Dong Da, Ha Noi
  • Tel: (+84 24) 3733 0688

Wanderlust Tips | Cinet

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Vacheron Constantin opens a brand new space in Hanoi

Vacheron Constantin opens a brand new space in Hanoi

Vacheron Constantin, the world’s oldest watch manufacture with more than 260 years of uninterrupted history, opens a brand new space in Hanoi, Vietnam, in partnership with Tam Son International.
[rpi]

With an intimate setting and beautiful facade, the new Vacheron Konstantin space features an elegant design, highlighted by noble materials from Italy; with black veneer, lavish carpets and leather showcases creating a luxurious atmosphere according to the design codes of the Maison. This exclusive space will allow watch collectors and enthusiasts to view exceptional timepieces within a dedicated and private environment.

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Vacheron Constantin opens a brand new space in Hanoi

Here you will discover the full collection from the Geneva—based manufacture, which includes timepieces from the iconic Patrimony and Traditionnelle collections for both ladies and men. Clients can also discover complication watches like the Overseas World Eline, featuring a record of 37 time zones, with Hallmark of Geneva certification and patented interchangeable bracelets/straps and clasps in rubber and leather, ensuring unique comfort and offering three different styles.

The opening of this new space adds to another episode in the long—standing relationship that has developed between Vacheron Konstantin and Vietnam since the end of the 21th century, marked by orders since 1888 from private collectors in search of precise and qualitative timekeepers.

We are pleased to announce our new partnership with Tam Son International and the opening of a Vacheron Konstantin space in Hanoi, situated within the Hoan Kiem District. This partnership signifies an important milestone in strengthening our retail network and presence in South East Asia. Vacheron Konstantin is dedicated to providing its clients around the world fine timepieces with the highest level of service. Now, we are able to offer this to our clients in Hanoi,” said Yassin Tag, Managing Director of Vacheron Constantin South East Asia and Australia.

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Vacheron Constantin opens a brand new space in Hanoi

Initially set up to bring the true meaning of luxury to Vietnam, Tam Son International is proud to collaborate with Vacheron Constantin, the world’s oldest watchmaker still in operation. Inspired by its history, its craftsmanship and its exclusiveness, we hope the Vacheron Konstantin space in Hanoi will open a window to nurture deeper interest among Vietnamese people to learn about the Swiss spirit represented by these delicate watches. Do better if possible, and that is always possible — we will continue following this famous motto by Francois Konstantin since 1819 in Vietnam,” said Christian de Ruty, Managing Partner of Tam Son International.

Vacheron Constantin

  • Address: 61 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi.
  • Tell: (+8424) 3934 7666.

Wanderlust Tips | Cinet

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Polestar ramps up Volvo XC60 to 421 hp

Polestar ramps up Volvo XC60 to 421 hp

Polestar has optimized the Volvo XC60 plug-in hybrid to deliver 421 hp, making it the most powerful Volvo ever along with the Polestar version of the XC90 plug-in.
[rpi]

Despite the extra 21 hp, Polestar says its XC60 plug-in hybrid maintains the same pure electric range as the standard model. To improve performance, Polestar adjusted the engine for more power and torque in the mid-range. It also made the XC60’s transmission shifts faster and optimized the shift points to enhance mid-range engine performance.

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Polestar ramps up Volvo XC60 to 421 hp
Volvo’s performance partner since 1996 offers a number of optimized Volvos, including the XC60’s stablemates, the S60 and V60. Two years after Volvo bought Polestar Performance, the tuning company announced it would become its own separately branded high-performance company dedicated to electrified vehicles. This announcement came just before Volvo vowed to stop producing vehicles that run only on gasoline, moving toward an electrified future.
The Polestar XC60 plug-in retains the Volvo warranty. Other than the T8 plug-in hybrid model, Polestar offers other high-performance versions of the XC60 around the globe, including the T5 and T6 gas models and D4 and D5 diesel models.
The 2018 Volvo XC60 plug-in hybrid for the U.S. combines a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine to an electric motor for a total system output of 400 hp. It goes on sale here this fall.

Motortrend | Wanderlust Tips | Cinet

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 5 Reasons to Visit Ho Chi Minh City

5 Reasons to Visit Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam at its most dizzying: a high-octane city of commerce and culture that has driven the country forward with its pulsating energy. A chaotic whirl, the city breathes life and vitality into all who settle here, and visitors cannot help but be hauled along for the ride.

[rpi]

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 5 Reasons to Visit Ho Chi Minh City

Despite its formal name change, the sprawling southern Vietnamese metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City, is still widely known as Saigon—its name prior to being taken by North Vietnamese troops in April 1975 at the conclusion of the Vietnam War. In the four decades since Vietnam’s reunification—and particularly over the past decade—rapid economic development and a construction boom have drastically altered the city’s physical complexion, if not its character.
The contrast between old and new comes into stark focus even as the city whips past in a blur from the back of a Yamaha motorbike. Vendors slowly push bicycles laden with flowers, fruit, and baked goods past storefronts like Salvatore Ferragamo and Starbucks. Men loll on the back of parked motorbikes swiping lazily at smartphones, shaded by the growing cast of office towers crowding the city’s skyline. Rooftop bars, swimming pools, restaurants, and nightclubs now dot the skies—though in a former time some, like the U.S. embassy, served as evacuation centers for U.S. military helicopters during the final hours of the war.

GET A CAFFEINE FIX

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 5 Reasons to Visit Ho Chi Minh City

The Old Compass Cafe just off Pasteur offers serene surroundings in the otherwise chaotic city center alongside quality European and Vietnamese coffee drinks and a small menu of excellent Vietnamese bites, beer, and wine.
A regular hangout for expats and travelers, Au Parc is a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurant, but its enviable position alongside the park at Independence Palace makes it an attractive vantage point for enjoying a morning coffee as the city awakens.

Outside the city center in District 3, the family-operated, 79-year-old Cheo Leo Cafe still serves cà phê vợt, or “stocking coffee,” brewed by an antique method of straining coffee through a long, sock-like filter into traditional clay pots before serving.
Hatvala on Lê Thánh Tôn offers an expertly curated range of locally sourced teas and coffees that can be enjoyed in a well-appointed tasting room as well as beans and tea leaves to take home. Staff can also prepare a tea tasting of several varieties—call ahead for availability.

HIT THE MARKETS

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 5 Reasons to Visit Ho Chi Minh City

Centrally located in District 1, Bến Thành Market is one of Ho Chi Minh City’s most popular, offering goods like Vietnamese silk, handicrafts, T-shirts, souvenirs, and street-style cuisine. Haggling is encouraged and expected, and good Vietnamese silk can be bought on the cheap for those who can spot quality and are willing to stand tall in the face of a highball offer.

Opposite Bến Thành Market, Lê Công Kiều Street—also known as Antique Street—is lined with narrow storefronts selling porcelain, art, old coins, furniture, religious statuary, colonial-era artifacts, and U.S. military relics. Recognizing the difference between genuine and counterfeit items can be tough, and haggling rules remain in effect. Those with a specific interest in military memorabilia may have better luck at Dân Sinh Market a few blocks to the south, a clearing house for military kit left behind by the French, U.S., and various Vietnamese forces that have occupied Ho Chi Minh City throughout the past century.
Bình Tây Market in Ho Chi Minh City’s largest Chinatown district mainly serves locals, and while less interesting to souvenir shoppers, much of what’s sold there comes in bulk. Bình Tây Market includes both a sprawling food market packed with local and unique Vietnamese and Chinese ingredients as well as a food court serving regional favorites. Come for breakfast—that’s what the locals do.

STROLL THROUGH HISTORY

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 5 Reasons to Visit Ho Chi Minh City

Located on the northern edge of District 1, the Jade Emperor Pagoda—built in 1909—is a tranquil Taoist homage to the ‘God of the Heavens’ (Ngoc Hoang). A functioning place of worship, the temple complex teems with Taoist and Buddhist divinities and symbols, including an incense-shrouded statue of the Emperor himself.
Now home to the city’s ballet and symphony, the Saigon Opera House was built in 1897 and briefly served as the Lower House assembly of South Vietnam after its establishment in 1955. Nearby, the Saigon Central Post Office, designed by French architect Marie-Alfred Foulhoux (though often erroneously credited to Gustave Eiffel) and completed in 1891, provides what is perhaps the city’s best example of French Colonial period style, boasting high, barrel-vaulted ceilings, liberal wrought iron accents, and a beautifully tiled floor.
The Notre Dame Cathedral, completed in 1880, holds Sunday morning mass and is open for tours every other morning of the week. Many visitors, however, find the statue of the Virgin Mary standing in front of the Romanesque cathedral holds more mystique. In a so-called miracle, a tear reportedly streaked down the statue’s face in 2005, though this has not been recognized by the Vatican.

EAT LOCAL

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 5 Reasons to Visit Ho Chi Minh City

Travelers burned out on Vietnamese staples like pho can find just about anything, from seriously good Mediterranean mezze (try Beirut near the old opium refinery building) to Carolina-style barbecue pork ribs (seriously—inquire at Jake’s American BBQ on Pasteur).

Cuisine originating closer to home includes hủ tiếu, a southern Vietnamese dish of rice noodles and pork in a pork-based broth that originated with the region’s long-ago Chinese settlers (try it at Quán Hủ Tiếu Mỹ Tho Thanh Xuân, a 40-year-old joint tucked into an alleyway in central Ho Chi Minh City). Though not exactly local, Bun Cha is a northern Vietnamese favorite, comprised of grilled pork served over rice noodles and served alongside various herbs and a sweet dipping sauce.

Pho lovers will have no problem tracking down a warm bowl of that ubiquitous, expertly seasoned beef noodle soup (Phở Quỳnh and Phở Cao Vân are popular local places), as well as other lesser known savory dishes like bò kho, a French-influenced, but very Vietnamese, braised beef stew.

OLD-FASHIONED SIPS

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | 5 Reasons to Visit Ho Chi Minh City

For three years in the early 1950s, English novelist Graham Greene holed up in the Hotel Continental Saigon writing The Quiet American, an alternately harrowing and romantic picture of wartime Saigon. Lovers of both history and literature still flock to the Continental’s historic bar overlooking the hotel’s charming courtyard.
The nearby Caravelle Hotel housed various embassies and news bureaus throughout the Vietnam War, making it a hub of international communication and an attractive watering hole for thirsty reporters. Bombed in 1964 and nationalized after the city fell in 1975, the Caravelle has undergone many changes since opening its doors in 1959, but the tenth-floor Saigon Saigon rooftop bar remains where it’s always been.
Arguably the best vantage point from which to take in Ho Chi Minh City—old and new—is the rooftop bar at the Rex Hotel, a historic French-colonial verandah now surrounded on all sides by the city’s vertical building boom. During the war, the U.S. military held its daily press briefings in the Rex Hotel bar, affairs that grew increasingly raucous as the gap between the war’s grim reality and official military accounts widened. Reporters nicknamed the briefings “The Five O’Clock Follies,” an afternoon ritual after which journalists, military officers, diplomats, and spies could all enjoy a few cocktails, take in the sunset, and watch the returning bombers. These days the bombers are gone but the stunning sunsets remain, and the only Five O’Clock Follies come in Collins glasses, over rocks, with plenty of vodka, rum, and Midori.

Nationalgeographic | Wanderlust Tips | Cinet

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Ho Chi Minh City ranks among best cities for solo travellers

Ho Chi Minh City ranks among best cities for solo travellers

Taking a solo trip to explore exotic parts of the world is becoming more popular among globetrotters, and Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City is a rising star on the list of places to visit. Airbnb has listed Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City among the top 10 best cities for solo travellers.

[rpi]

Ho Chi Minh City ranks in second position in the list, after Mexico’s Cancun City. The list is based on data provided by the popular home rental site for 2016. Airbnb shows that HCMC is one of the friendliest destinations for solo travellers, solo bookings for HCMC surged 146 percent in 2016.

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Ho Chi Minh City ranks among best cities for solo travellers

Airbnb is a website that connects travelers with empty rooms to rent during their travels. In addition, the website also supports travelers in selecting tourist attractions, restaurants and cafes.

10 hottest cities for solo travel, according to Airbnb:

1. Cancún, Mexico

2. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

3. Cologne, Germany

4. Playa del Carmen, Mexico

5. Johannesburg, South Africa

6. São Paulo, Brazil

7. Auckland, New Zealand

8. Mexico City, Mexico

9. Charlotte, North Carolina

10. Busan, South Korea

Airbnb | Wanderlust Tips | Cinet

wanderlust-tips-well-known-destinations-in-can-tho00

Well-known destinations in Can Tho

Also known among Vietnamese as ‘Tay Do’, meaning the Capital of the West, Can Tho is a truly happening city in the Mekong Delta Region. While famous for its pastoral beauty of complex waterway network and lush fruit orchards, Can Tho is also a buzzy city with sufficient facilities to accommodate and entertain visitors both domestic and abroad. 
[rpi]

1. TAY DO NIGHT MARKET

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Well-known destinations in Can Tho

Tay Do Night Market is approximately 1km far from the central of Can Tho City. This market is not only well-known as the trading centre of Can Tho City, but also attractive tourism destination.
In the past, Tay Do night market was a wholesale market, mainly exchanging goods in and out of Vietnam. However, in the recent year, besides the task of exchanging products, Tay Do night market is also used for cuisine and entertainment services. Basing on its large scale and importance, Tay Do night market is recognized as a large trading centre in Mekong Delta.
Tay Do night market is designed in accordance with the landscape around and expresses the Southern style. The market is divided into many stalls of clothes, handicrafts, jewelry, foods… which can meet all the demand of local and tourisms. In addition, there are many interesting activities like games and traditional music shows.

2. CAI RANG FLOATING MARKET

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Well-known destinations in Can Tho

The Cai Rang Floating Market, the largest wholesale floating market in the Mekong Delta, starts around 05:00 and runs until around midday, meaning that you’ll have to get an early start to the day if you want to visit. Most tour boats along the riverfront leave between 05:00 and 07:00, so if don’t make it to the water by then you’ll have a hard time finding a tour.
The market is about six kilometres from Can Tho, or about a 30-minute boat ride. While floating down the river, you will glimpse life along its shores. You’ll pass vibrantly painted boats anchored along the shore, merchant vessels carrying loads down the river and houses built on stilts over the water.
Once you finally reach the market, it’s an impressive site. A stretch of boats selling all variety of goods lines the river. Not really a place for souvenirs, people come here instead to buy large quantities of goods, mostly foodstuffs, and you will get an idea of what water commerce in the Delta looks like.

3. BUU TRI PAGODA

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Well-known destinations in Can Tho

This pagoda is located about five kilometres from the city centre and is housed in a square four-storey structure. The entrance is dominated by ornate tiling and a wooden sitting Buddha. While this part emanates spirituality, throwing off the ambiance a bit is the rather gaudy chandelier hanging just before the Buddha.
The pagoda also houses an orphanage so don’t be surprised if you have an entourage of children following you. While each floor has an almost identical floor plan, there are different buddhas on each level.

4. PHAT HOC PAGODA

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Well-known destinations in Can Tho

This immense building dominates the corner of Hoa Binh and Nguyen Thai Hoc — one of the busiest intersections of Can Tho. Set on five floors, ornate stone staircases crisscross at the brown and tan building.
The ground floor courtyard holds a tree festooned with red pieces of paper that wellwishers can purchase at the gift shop next door and place on the tree for good luck. Smiling monks congregate throughout the complex and like Buu Tri Pagoda, each floor has a different Buddha statue as a centrepiece. The top floor has commanding views of the city but none overlook the river.

5. BANG LANG STORK GARDEN

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Well-known destinations in Can Tho

Located in Binh Thoi Hamlet, Thoi Thuan Commune, Thot Not District, 52 kilometers from the center of Can Tho City, Bang Lang Stork Garden is a popular stop for tourists. The garden covers about two hectares and is home to thousands of storks as well as many other kinds of birds. There are various species of storks living at Bang Lang Stork Garden including cattle egret, ibis, striated heron and painted stork.
There are also other species making it their home such as black-crowned night heron, little cormorant and greater coucal heron. Eighty percent of birds in the garden are the white cattle egret. This species of stork often builds their nests in the garden from March to August of the lunar year. The best time to admire the garden is 5 p.m. when flocks of storks fly back to their nests. They hover on the sky then perch on tree peaks, twitter together and pose in the wind. There is a three-meter watching tower for tourists to see birds.

6. BINH THUY ANCIENT HOUSE

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Well-known destinations in Can Tho

Binh Thuy ancient house is an ideal place to explore the region’s history. Located at 26/1A Bui Huu Nghia Street in Binh Thuy ward, about five kilometers from downtown Can Tho, the house is filled with features that represent rural areas in the Mekong Delta region during the 20th century.
The French-style house was built in 1870 by the Duong family on an area of nearly 6,000 sq m. Its base is about one meter higher than the land surface. In order to keep warm and avoid termites, the house owner laid a 10 cm layer of salt under the floorboards. With front and back gardens, the five-room house offers a comfortable environment full of fresh air and brilliant sunshine.

Wanderlust Tips | Cinet