Food in Vietnam
The Vietnamese Food is a little different to the Thai food, but similar to the food in Cambodia. They have a great variety of delicious food as well.
Probably the most known Vietnamese dish is the Pho Soup. Locals eat soup in the morning as well. It is very delicious and we always felt good after eating this soup.
Soup for breakfast
They serve the Pho Soup with your choise of meat and noodles. I prefer beef Pho. In some places you can pick your favourite noodles as well.
I love the beef salad, which is served with water spinach, carrots and onions. But I always order without the onions. Unfortunate I forgot to take a photo of this delicious appetizer.
My absolute favorite dish of the Vietnamese Cuisine is the beef Lok Lak, which is often served with French fries. I guess most of the time for tourists, not for the locals ;-) The beef comes with a very delicious gravy and if the restaurant makes a good beek Lok Lak, the beef is very soft and sooo yummy!!!
I hope I will find the Lok Lak seasonings here, so that I can cook this delicious meal at home too.
Beef Lok Lak with French Fries on Phu Quoc
A very good snack is a sandwich called Banh Mi. Because Vietnam was a French colony once, they have really good bread! The Banh Mi is filled with salat, carrots, meat, mint and good sauces. When you are going to Hoi An, visit my friend Phi, who makes the best Banh Mi in Vietnam! It tasts so good!
Banh Mi made by Phi in Hoi An!
Phi from Hoi An showed us and a nice couple from London a hidden restaurant with great food. It was a fantastic experience to eat with the locals: Phi ordered his favourite things and we shared everything. We tried Jelly Fish Salad, snailes, water spinach salad, crispy rice wraps, fish cakes and much more. It was such a delicious meal and one of my favourite nights on our whole trip.
Dinner with local Vietnamese people
There is one special dish, which you can only eat in Hoi An. It is called Cao Lao and it is noodles with pork and some crisps on top. It is very tasty and so cheap. We went to a small restaurant, where we saw only locals and the Cao Lao was 20.000 Dong, which is about 0,85 Euro.
traditional Cao Lao in Hoi An
Another southern style dish is Banh Xeo. That is a fried pancake made of rice flour filled with shrimps, onions and bean sprouts.
Try the green orange Juice, this is unbelievable delicious. The green oranges are calles Cam Sanh or King Oranges and grow in Vietnam. We got the Juice in the amazing Hoa Sung Spa in Ho Chi Minh City and haven't heard about these delicious oranged before. This juice is sweet and refreshing. Don't miss out on that. You can find fruit stands, where you can get that as well.
Green Orange Juice at Hoa Sung Spa in Ho Chi Minh City
That is probaby not typical of Vietnam, but we loved the Japanese BBQ in Saigon and the Korean BBQ in Hanoi as well. We just love meat :D
They have good lunch specials and it is fun to grill your favourite meat on your own little BBQ on your table.
Delicious Food in Thailand
Dear Travelers,
we are still on our 100 Day Tour through South East Asia till the 24th of December. Time is going by so fast, today is day 87, but we are happy to be home for Christmas.
In the following days I want to take you to a food journey through South East Asia and show you our favorite dishes in the countries we have visited.
Today I will start with Thai Food
Delicious Food in Thailand
The Food in Thailand is amazing! The Thai Cuisine offers a lot of different dishes, most of them in combination with rice or nudels. We stayed in Thailand for 1 month and we didn't get bored there.
Rice Dishes
They have a huge variety of (fried) rice dishes. I really like rice with garlic chicken and chicken with cashew nuts and rice.
This was my breakfast in Koh Tao: Chicken with Cashew Nuts and Rice.
Fried Rice with Seafood
Thailand is as well known for it good Currys, which you can eat like a soup or with rice.
The red, yellow and green Currys are a little spicy. But how spicy it is depends from the region or city you are visiting.
My favorite Currys are Massaman Curry and green curry with chicken.
This is the delicious Massaman Curry with Rice in a little Restaurant in Pai.
Massaman curry is a medium spicy dish with chicken, potatoes and peanuts in it.
Green Curry with Jasmin Rice
What I love about the green curry is the special seasons and the delicious Thai aubergines.
Streetfood in Thailand
What you can get on the street food stands, for example on night markets, are chicken, pork or beef skewers. These are incredible cheap and a easy little snack for your way.
Don't miss out on the amazing fruit shakes, which are fresh made and refreshing. Pick your favourite fruits and enjoy your vitamin drink! My favourite mix is Mango with Passion Fruit, that is soooo delicious. In Pai it was only 0,75 Euro, what is less than one single passion fruit costs in a Supermarket in Germany.
Mango-Shake: I could drink that every day!
On the streets in Thailand you can find Pancake stands as well. These pancakes are so delicious, but very different from the pancakes we know or make. They are made in front of you in their little food stand out of a not fluent Doug.
I love the Thai Pancakes with banana and Nutella.
Western Food
Of course in the touristy places you get a lot of western food as well. Pasta, pizza, Burger, Schnitzel, tacos and burritos and everything what you can wish for.
And some places make fantastic western food. One of the best pizzas I have ever eaten is made in a little trattoria on the Island Koh Tao or Pita Bread filled with meat and vegetables in Pai.
Delicious Pita bread with chicken and salad.
Castaways Resort, Phu Quoc
The Castaways Resort in the beautiful Island of Phu Quoc is an amazing and calm place to spend a vacation.
There are a lot of options to make this holiday unforgettable. Located in the middle of the Island, in Duong Dong town, you can walk to the best beach or to good restaurants bars or the night market.
Everything else on the island can be reached by taxi or scooter within less than 1 hour: the beautiful waterfalls, the national park, green pepper farms, the famous fish sauce factorys, the water park or the Coconut Tree Prison.
This Resort has several comfortable Bungalows in a nice garden with lovely flowers and butterflys. It is a great atmosphere to spend your vacation.
The Bungalows are very nice, the rooms have a good size, a comfortable beds and a new bathroom with a great shower. Every bungalow has air condition. The whole resort is very clean and the staff incredible friendly. Our Bungalow had nice relax chairs on our terrace.
We loved relaxing at the pool and enjoying the good weather in December. The pool is open till 10pm and it was great to go swimming again after the sun was down.
The Castaways Resort is close to the famous Long Beach, where you can relax, take a sunbath and enjoy swimming in the Ocean. The Sunsets there are amazing!
The staff serves breaktfast in the Restaurant with a good view of the Pool and the Garden.
For breakfast you can choose beween a delicious soup or eggs in any styles. We loved the scrambled eggs with Ketchup, served with a very delicious bread and Butter. The bread in the Castaways Resort was the best bread we have had in 4 weeks traveling through Vietnam. It was very very good.
They cut fresh fruits for you for every breakfast as well, which was really nice. I loved the fresh watermelon.
It is easy to get to the Castaways Resort. No matter if you come to the Island by Ferry or by plane, it is just a few minutes way by taxi and about 5$.
Phu Quoc is ranked in the top destinations by several news and Travel companys and Websites.
So enjoy your next holidays at the Castaways Resort in Phu Quoc.
Find more information on the Website of the Castaways Resort and book your next vacation in this paradise!
Spa Day in Ho Chi Minh - Temple Leaf Spa
In the busy City Ho Chi Minh you should treat yourself to a good massage and relax for a few hours to renew your energy. One of the best and famous spas in Saigon is the Temple Leaf Spa & Sauna. It is located in the City Center in Ho Chi Minh / Saigon, about 1 km from Ben Thanh Market.
Best massage & best spa in Saigon: Temple Leaf Spa & Sauna
We went there to enjoy a great spa package for 2 hours. Our spa package included an amazing aroma oil massage with hot stones for 60 minutes, and a steam bath, sauna and pools with different temperatures as well.
When we arrived we got a Lotus tea with ginger in a very good and calm atmosphere. After walking 30 minutes through the busy city this was the perfect start of our spa treatment.
Before the massage the staff asked us to fill out a piece of paper with a few questions and we could pick two parts of our body, which they would focus on. I think that was a great idea and i picked my neck and back for special treatment.
The massage was one of the best I ever got, not to strong, not to soft, just perfect. I enjoyed the hot stones sliding over my body a lot. The heat calmed me down and the massage let my forgot everything else, which was in my mind before. They played very relaxing music in the background, which made it even better.
The lady, who gave me the massage brought me after to the sauna, steam bath and the pools.
I was completely alone, men and ladies are divided. I enjoyed the sauna and the steam bath, a really cold shower after and the pools, which had different water temperatures.
After the relaxing 2 hours at the Temple Leaf Spa & Sauna I took a great shower. They provided good shower gels, shampoos and conditioner for me. Furthermore they organised the fitting room with special attention for detail. There was everything you could wish for:
Makeup Remover, a comb, hair dryer, hair styling mouse, toothbrushes and toothpaste, q-tips and a lot more.
Temple Leaf Spa & Sauna - good for body & soul
After the unbelievable 2 hours full of recreation, we got another beauty tea. The delicious Lotus Tea grows here in Vietnam and it is very good for your skin and body. Finally one day after the Spa Day we bought 30 Lotus flowers to take it home :)
As a result we want to say thank you so much Temple Leaf Spa & Sauna for the great time, we enjoyed it a lot and we can't wait to come back one day!
5 Things To Do In Palawan, Philippines
One destination of our South East Asia Trip was Palawan in the Philippines. We spend 3 weeks there and we want to share our Top Things to do in Palawan, Philippines.
Not every experience in the Philippines was a good experience. People tried to trick us as well, but we had really good times, met really good people and spent time in the most amazing places of the world.
Here are our Highlights of Things to do in Palawan:
Nacpan Beach
The Nacpan Beach is one of the best beaches I have ever seen. The water is crystal-clear and warm, but also refreshing. The beach is so beautiful and clean.
The roads to get there are a little rough, so i would recommend to take a tricycle if you are not used to ride a scooter. We got a tricycle driver for one day, which was about 15 euro and he drove us to every places we wanted to see.
We arrived early in the morning at Nacpan Beach and we were really impressed. The white sand, the little islands around and of course the crystal clear and blue water was like in a dream.
There were a few locals, who played beach volleyball together and we joined them. It was so much fun to play with locals and they were so good.
After the game we had lunch and it was the best Chicken Adobo we have ever eaten!
We walked along the beach, got a kayak for an hour and peddled to the little neighbour island. When we arrived there, one of the locals said “ Welcome to secret island. It is not secret anymore” 🙂
It was an unforgettable day in Paradise.
Cacnipa Island
The beautiful small Island called Cacnipa is located on the east coast of Palawan, about 30-45 minutes boat ride from Port Barton.
There is only one Resort on the Island, the Coconut Garden Resort, which is amazing. We planed to stay there for 3 days, ended up staying a whole week, because we didn’t want to leave this magical island.
We loved the lonely beach with the crystal clear water. It is one of the most relaxing places I have ever been to.
Snorkeling in the mornings around the riff of the beach was the best: there are so many different species of fishes and we found 3 turtles on Cacnipa Island. The underwater world is incredible there.
I will never forget how i felt when I was chilling in the hammock in this beautiful scenery on Coconut Island!
Small Lagoon
In El Nido the locals offer you several tours to explore the islands around. We booked a the Tour A. One of the stops was at the small lagoon. The boot drops us in front of the entrance of the lagoon and we rent a kayak. We had so much fun kayaking and exploring the small lagoon. The water is so nice and the atmosphere unbelievable.
You will see the world with different eyes surrendered by high rock formations in your little kayak
The Small Lagoon in El Nido, Palawan should definitely be on your Bucket List 🙂
Underground River, Sabang
The Underground River in Sabang is on of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. It is a huge river cave, which you can explore by boat.
It is about 80 km north of the main city Puerto Princesa. From Sabang you can hike there or take a boat to the entrance of the Underground River.
The cave is complete dark, so you sit together with up to 7 people in a boat and you have a flashlight.
There are so many bats in the Underground River, so the helmed is helpful to save your head from bat shit as well 🙂
It is really fun to see this amazing Underground River with all these rock formations.
Nagkalit kalit Waterfalls
The Nagkalit kalit Waterfalls are located deep in the forest about one hour away from El Nido in the north of Palawan. We had our personal tricycle driver for one day (for 15 euro) and one of our stops of the day was the Nagkalit kalit Waterfall.
I did not expect much when we hiked for about 45 minutes through a lush jungle and crossed small rivers.
When we arrived there I was speechless. It is a really beautiful waterfall, we climbed down and got in the refreshing cold water. It was such a great feeling and a perfect day in Palawan, Philippines.
You want more informations about the Philippines?
Go to our Destination Guide for the Philippines!
Best Massage In Saigon - Hoa Sung Spa
You are looking for a place to escape the busy City Ho Chi Minh? A place to find your inner peace and pure relaxation?
Treat yourself to a spa package at Hoa Sung Spa in Saigon and you will feel like in another world.
After a few busy days of sightseeing and shopping in Saigon we got the Spa Package “Oriental Care” in the amazing Hoa Sung Spa.
When we walked in to their wellness oasis, we were offered a delicious ginger tea in a great atmosphere. That made us feel very welcome.
It is a really beautiful Spa place with nice decoration, a lot of flowers and the owner is so friendly and nice.
Our Spa Package started with a steam bath, which we really enjoyed. After that the friendly ladies scrubbed our body with coffee powder. They wrapped our with coffee powder covered bodys in foil and we could relax for 15 minutes with nice wellness music before we washed the coffee powder away in the shower. It smelled so good, felt good and made our skin very soft.
The third part of our treatment was a 60 minute massage with warm bamboo, which was amazing. We forgot everything around us and just enjoyed every second of the bamboo massage.
120 minutes in the Hoa Sung Spa made our day. We felt relaxed and got new energy for our further travels.
At the end of our treatment we got a fresh pressed orange juice and another ginger tea in the Lobby. They have green oranges in Vietnam and it was the best orange juice we have ever had. It was so sweet, refreshing and delicious.
The staff of Hoa Sung Spa in Saigon knows how to make people feel good and how to make their customers happy. We can highly recommend to get a Spa Package there and we will definitely come back, when we are in Saigon next time!
THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT TIME, THE AMAZING SPA AND WELLNESS TREATMENT!
Find more information on Hoa Sung Spas Website: http://hoasungspa.com/
Our First Couch Surfing Experience
We were always thinking about trying couch surfing and actually we wanted to do that long time ago during our Europe Road Trip, but it didn't work out.
Kuala Lumpur
Things to do in Kuala Lumpur
Batu Caves
Skybar
Shopping in the city center
Electronics Malls
Chinatown
I LOVE KL Sign
Accommodation in Kuala Lumpur
Hostels
Transportation in Kuala Lumpur
- Kuala Lumpur’s Rapid Transit Network:
It is not the easiest way, but very cheap to get around in this big city. We did almost everything by trains. - Bus:
From the Airport to the Main Train station (called Bandar Tasik station) is only 10RM per person and it takes about 60 minutes. - Taxi:
Taxis are cheap compared to Germany. But before 6 am and after midnight the taxi drivers charge you 25 % on top.
Sabang
Things to do in Sabang
- Take a boat to the Underground River
The Underground River is amazing and definitely worth to see.
Boats are leaving every couple of minutes on the Port of Sabang. It is necessary to buy a permission for it, but this can be bought in a little house there. The cheapest way to do the Underground River is to share a boat with other people. 7 people fit in a boat and the price for the whole boat is 700 Pesos (14 Euro). The boat ride to the entrance of the Underground river is about 20-30 minutes and ends on a nice beach, where monkeys are welcoming you :-)
A 5 minute walk through the jungle leds to the river, where boats and guides are waiting for their passengers. 6 or 7 people fit in the boat, which enters the underground river. Sitting in the front is cool, because this is the seat where somebody gets to hold the light for the dark cave, which is pretty much fun.
The guide tells funny storys about the cave, the bats, the rocks, etc. Fortunately everybody is wearing a helmet, because there is so much bat shit everywhere :) - Relaxing at the beach:
The beach in Sabang is very beautiful, the water is crystal-clear.
Accommodations in Sabang
Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa is a nice little town and a good starting point to travel to other destinations on Palawan, like Port Barton, Sabang (Underground River), El Nido or different islands.
Things to do in Puerto Princesa
- Go shopping:
The Robinson’s Mall is a great place to go shopping, you can find almost everything there and have a good lunch in on of the fast food restaurants. - Get a haircut:
A haircut for men is only 40 Pesos, which is about 0,80 Euro. This is the cheapest haircut I have ever seen and the barber takes his time to make it look very nice.
It is really funny, they have photos of celebritys on the wall modelling the different hair cuts. - Get cash:
Don’t forget that Puerto Princesa is the only place with an ATM in whole Palawan, so it is important to get cash there. - Take a MiniVan to one of the destinations around: Port Barton, Sabang, El Nido or the Islands
Accommodation in Puerto Princesa
- Bamboo Nest:
The bamboo nest is an adventurous place to stay. The owner Jonathan has a few bamboo tree huts and also a shared room, which he rents out. The Bamboo Nest has everything a traveler needs: a nice kitchen, where the guests can cook their own meals, hammocks in the garden, a little market to buy food and drinks around the corner and a option to book tours or go diving/snorkelling with Jonathan.
It is only a short Tricycle ride from the airport, which is about 20 Pesos (0,40 Euro) per person. To go to the center is also cheap and easy by tricycle. - Palawan Village Hotel:
This Hotel is a 2 minute walk from the Airport and close to good restaurants and shopping options.
Delicious Food in Puert Princesa
- Ka Inato Restaurant
This is our favourite Restaurant in Puerto. The food is great, the Babyrips was the best! Before your dish, you get a little cup of soup and after your meal a little desert for free. Sometimes it is hard to get a table without reservation. There are a few Ka Inatos in this City. We went to the one, which is about a one minute walk from the airport. - Greenwich
I loved the Lasagne and the Pizza there. It is a cheap and easy place to go for a quick lunch, lurching a shopping day in Robinsons.
Transportation in Puerto Princesa: