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Do-It-Yourself Walking Tour of Dalat, Vietnam – A Perfect Day in Dalat

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The mountain road that runs between Dalat and Phan Rang
The road to Dalat

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The first time I took Chopper Suey (my Chinese-made American cruiser bike) on a road trip, was to the sexy hills of Dalat. As we pulled into town, surrounded by pines and fresh cool air, I knew I was going to love the place.

Formerly a retreat town for the French, today Dalat is filled with a lot of very touristy attractions — some of them too touristy to stomach. However, this self-guided walking tour will show you exactly what’s worth seeing. You’ll get a bit of history, some culture, a glimpse into the fertility of the area, and some of that Dalat tackiness that’s worthy of a selfie or two.
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Do-it-yourself Eating and Walking Tour – Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Tourist Day in Saigon

Saigon Market Banana Lady
A mobile banana vendor on the streets of Saigon.

This self-guided walking tour covers the main tourist attractions in Saigon. The actual walking time is only about 90 minutes, but it should take you the better part of a day with the all the stops. There are 4 meals on the tour, as well as plenty of opportunities for coffee breaks.

Saigon is hot and the sidewalks are broken, cluttered, or non-existent. Be careful and take breaks regularly, especially if you are doing this in the hotter times of the year (March-June).
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Mount Emei: How to Get the Most out of your Visit

Emei Mountain: Why is it so Sacred?

Emei Mountain - China's Largest Sacred Mountain Explained

As far as sacred mountains go in China, Emei is one of the most important. In fact, it’s the largest of the 4 Sacred Mountains of Buddhism in China. Emei means high and lofty. At 3099 meters, it’s an appropriate name. You’ll sometimes see the name Emeishan or Emei Shan (峨眉山) – shan simply means mountain. The proper pronunciation of Emei is something like uh-may, as in uh-mazing! The mountain combines nature and culture with its many temples and monasteries that dot the mountain-side. Even if you aren’t a Buddhist, you’ll enjoy their mystical beauty.
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Xinnanmen Bus Station // This is Chengdu, China

Buying Bus Tickets in Chengdu: Xinnanman Bus Station

Buying Bus Tickets at Xinnanmen Bus Station, Chengdu, China

Officially, the Xinnanmen Bus Station is the Chengdu Tourist Bus Center, but most locals will know it by its Chinese name Xīnnánmén qì chē zhàn. The majority of their buses go to tourist sites. If you’re looking to hike (Mount Qingcheng), ski (Xiling Snow Mountain), or take in some culture (Leshan Giant Buddha) you’re likely to leave from Xinnanmen.
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6 Tips on Traveling as a Couple and How to Avoid Fights

Couple at Machu Picchu, Peru
“Does this view make me look fat?”
There are many advantages to traveling with your spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend. Saving money is a major one. Having two brains also helps significantly. But don’t think that everything will be peachy all the time. You are going to fight — hopefully not fist fight. One of you may go a little crazy for a short period of time, and may want to throw the other one down the steps of Angkor Wat. This is not a good idea and should be avoided at all costs. Killing your partner will only make the vacation more difficult (what with the funeral arrangements and the awkward phone call to their parents). Here are my tips to avoid a relationship meltdown while travelling abroad.
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Getting a Vietnamese Visa in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The best advice I have about getting your Vietnam visa in Kuala Lumpur is: don’t do it if you don’t have to. Vietnam now permits visas on arrival if you are flying into Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, or Danang via an international flight. You simply find an agent to get you a letter of approval (Google ‘Vietnam visa on arrival’ and you’ll find a bunch of companies to choose from), print out the letter, and bring it (along with the visa fee in USD cash, your passport, a completed copy of the Entry and Exit form, and one passport size photo) to the “Landing Visa” counter when you arrive in Vietnam.
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Where to go in Slovakia: A Visitor’s Guide by Someone Who Lived There

If you are planning a trip through central Europe, you might be tempted to put a quick stopover in Bratislava, Slovakia’s capital. This seems like the logical place to visit, since there isn’t much information out there about the hidden gems that the country has to offer. We lived in Slovakia for a year, so we’ve explored the country in depth, and we’ve discovered a lot of great places. Here are some of Itchy Feet’s suggestions for where to go in Slovakia.
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