Hanoi
West Lake- West Lake (Vietnamese: Hồ Tây) is the biggest freshwater lake of northwest center of Hanoi, Vietnam. With a shore length of 17 km (about 10.6 miles) and 500 hectare (about 5 km2) in area, this is the largest lake of the capital and a popular place for recreation with many surrounding gardens, hotels and villas. A small part of West Lake is divided by Thanh Nien road to form Trúc Bạch Lake. One district of Hanoi is named after the lake, Tây Hồ District.
Temple of Jade Mountain-One place to truly appreciate the mist is at the "Lake of the Restored Sword," a pleasant place in the center of the city whose island contains the Temple of the Jade Mountain, one of the most photographed temples in Vietnam and home to a legend that’s like an Asian version of the King Arthur story.
The legend states that a fisherman named Le Loi dragged from the lake a magical sword which turned him into a brave warrior. His courage led him to be proclaimed king (King Lê Thái Tổ) and lead his people to victory in a 10-year war. One day, he was walking through the garden and saw a giant turtle emerging from the water and coming towards the royal boat. Feeling threatened, the King threw his sword into the water and the turtle grabbed it in its mouth and carried it back to the depths. The king felt the gods must have been angry and had sent the turtle to reclaim the sword. Since then, the turtles in the lake have been things of reverence and they roam free in the temple on the island.The parks surrounding the lakes are full of elderly Vietnamese men playing cards or checkers (and curious onlookers enjoying the games).
Water Puppet Theater -The world-famous Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre in Hanoi has its roots in an art form that dates back to the 11th century. The tradition of water puppet theatre stems from a time when rice paddy fields were flooded and villagers would make entertainment by standing in the waist-deep water with the puppets performing over the water.
Dong Xuan Market- Established in 1889, Dong Xuan Market is housed within a four-storey Soviet-style building on the northern edge of Hanoi Old Quarter. It’s also known as Hanoi’s largest indoor market, offering a wide range of goods such as fresh produce, souvenirs, accessories and clothing, as well as electronic and household appliances.
Similar to most markets in Southeast Asia, Dong Xuan Market has a bustling wet market section on the ground floor, where locals shop for seafood, meat, and vegetables while the back section sells an array of pets (cats, dogs, and fish) and fresh flowers from all across Vietnam. If you’re looking to shop for souvenirs, head to the upper levels, where you can find numerous stalls selling tee shirts, fabrics, school uniforms, handbags, handicrafts, all of which are sold at wholesale prices.
There’s also a massive dining area within Dong Xuan Market, with food vendors selling Vietnamese coffee and exotic local dishes for as low as VND 15,000. Highly recommended dishes include
tiet canh (duck blood soup), fried frog, bun cha (marinated grilled pork served with noodles), and banh cuon (rolled cake). Surrounding Dong Xuan Market are many more shops where you can purchase traditional Dong Ho drawings, Bat Trang ceramics, Binh Da embroideries and laces, and sand paintings. Within walking distance of Hoan Kiem Lake, Dong Xuan Market is a must-visit if you’re looking to experience the local lifestyle (you might even end up leaving with a pair of cheap sunglasses and a Vietnamese conical hat).
Hanoi Opera House- This historic building is the centrepiece of Hanoi’s French Quarter and host to shows by many of Vietnam’s premier singers, dancers and musicians.
Admire the architecture of the Hanoi Opera House from the outside or buy a ticket to one of the shows to really appreciate this grand venue.
To see the inside, you'll need to book a seat for a performance. While the architecture is interesting, the true highlight is seeing a show in this grand setting. The Hanoi Opera House hosts both classic French and Italian opera and also traditional Vietnamese performances. You can also attend ballet, a symphony or a folk concert at the 600-seat venue. Be sure to plan your visit to the opera house well in advance as tickets sell out quickly.
Da Nang
Special package for couple will include :photo shooting during vacation,free dinner package and hotel will also provide couple shirt for gift
Dragon bridge - Dragon Bridge in Da Nang is the longest bridge in Vietnam, offering a dazzling display of lights, fire, and water that no first-time visitor to Da Nang should miss out on. Measuring at 666 metres in length, it is located in Da Nang City and constructed in the shape of a golden dragon. The six-lane bridge crosses the Han River, serving as direct routes to My Khe Beach and Non Nuoc Beach as well as a popular spot amongst travelling photographers. Dragon Bridge was officially opened in 2013 after a two-year-long construction, commemorating the 38th anniversary of Da Nang City’s liberation. According to local beliefs, which date back to the Ly Dynasty, the dragon is a significant symbol of power, nobility and good fortune.
While it’s a magnificent sight at any time of the day, Dragon Bridge Da Nang is particularly cool (and packed with sightseers) in the evening as it is illuminated with colourful LED lights. On weekends and annual festivities, the state-of-the-art bridge is also scheduled to spit water or breathe fire from its mouth from 21:00 onwards. There are also plenty of riverfront bars, restaurants, and cafes offering terrace seats that overlook Vietnam’s longest bridge. Alternatively, you can opt to sit at the waterfront (where marble carvings of animals and deities are set along the Han River) to enjoy the view.
Asia Park - Encompassing a site of 868,694 square meters on the West bank of the Han River, Asia Park contains several unique features and combines world re-known entertainment with a distinctively East Asian flair. Asia Park consists of three main areas: an amusement park with modern rides, attraction and shows; a cultural park that will consist of ten countries and will focus on traditional architecture and horticulture; and central zone, the interface between modern and traditional features. Anchoring the area between the two parks is the 115 meters tall Sun Wheel which is surrounded by lavish gardens and modern and traditional features.
My Khe Beach -Considered to be Vietnam's most picturesque beach, the white sandy 20-mile stretch of My Khe Beach was named by the American troops who visited during the Vietnam War for R&R. It offers excellent surfing from September just off the shores of Danang. There are also a number of high-end resorts within the vicinity should you be in need of pampering with most offering a rich choice of treatments at their spas and a range of dining options. Sunbathing and surfing aside, there are a host of historical sites situated close by including the port of Hoi An which is only 10 minutes away by bus and offers wonderfully preserved merchant houses and small alleyways to explore. Hoi An is also a superb place to get anything you desire tailor made usually within 12 hours, and while you wait it’s definitely recommended that you try some local delights including very fresh shrimp pancakes.
East Sea Park - Eastern Sea Park is the ideal spot for tourists coming to Danang city. It is located on Danang beach, one of the six most attractive beaches in the world, at the end of Pham Van Dong street and next to Au Co statue and pigeons garden on Vo Nguyen Giap, Son Tra district. Because of its geographical position towards Eastern and Paracel Islands, it is named Eastern Sea Park to affirm country’s sovereignty.The striking feature of Eastern Sea Park is Au Co statue with bottle breeding one hundred children. The Au Co statue is work made by the sculptor – Le Cong Thanh. From Eastern Sea Park, tourists can enjoy the view of fishing boats, ships and vast sea. Towards Northeast, Goddess statue of Mercy, the highest statue in Vietnam, is located on Son Tra Peninsula. According to legendary, Goddess of Mercy helped fisher - men overcome difficulties in their lives. This is exciting destination with annual activities of sports program and tourism... Eastern Sea Park is also named “Peaceful Park”, “Love Park” or “Festive Park”.
Bali
Pura Besakih Temple - Besakih Temple, known as Bali’s ‘Mother Temple’ for over 1,000 years, sits 1,000 metres high on the southwestern slopes of Mount Agung. Besakih is an artistic and unique complex that comprises at least 86 temples which include the main Pura Penataran Agung (the Great Temple of State) and 18 others. Besakih is the biggest and holiest of the island's temples and is surrounded by breathtaking and scenic rice paddies, hills, mountains, streams, and more.
Tana Loh - Tanah Lot Temple is one of Bali’s most important landmarks, famed for its unique offshore setting and sunset backdrops. An ancient Hindu shrine perched on top of an outcrop amidst constantly crashing waves; Tanah Lot Temple is simply among Bali’s not-to-be-missed icons. The onshore site is dotted with smaller shrines alongside visitors’ leisure facilities that comprise restaurants, shops and a cultural park presenting regular dance performances. The temple is located in the Beraban village of the Tabanan regency, an approximate 20km northwest of Kuta, and is included on most tours to Bali’s western and central regions.
Mount Batur - Bali is known for it beautiful beaches, but the interior has its own appeal. Here you’ll find one of the region’s most active volcanoes, Mt. Batur (Gunung Batur), rising 5,633 feet (1,717 meters) above sea level In the highlands of Kintamani.To best appreciate the Mount Batur experience, sign up for an early-morning trek to the summit. Such excursions typically depart from Ubud at 2am or 3am and arrive at the base of the volcano while it’s still dark. Trekkers then make the 2-hour journey to the top of the volcano using headlamps and the light of the moon, an effort rewarded with amazing sunrise views of Mt. Agung and the surrounding mountains. Since Mt. Batur is an active volcano, you’ll likely also get to experience a very unique breakfast of eggs boiled on the lava-heated rocks. After you’ve made the trip, nearby Lake Batur offers hot springs perfect for relaxing tired muscles. It’s also possible to combine your Mt. Batur sunrise trek with whitewater rafting on the Ayung River or a coffee plantation tour.
:Bali Safari - Bali Safari & Marine Park offers a fun day out, and serves as one of the island’s largest and most visited animal theme parks which opened its gates in 2007. The Bali Safari & Marine Park was established by Taman Safari Indonesia; covering 40 hectares of land in the Gianyar regency. It is home to over 60 species, all of which roam free in large enclosures that mimic their natural habitats. Enjoy riding on a safari bus to visit the animals, watching fascinating elephant talent shows, get cuddly with baby orangutans, and view baby sharks at the aquarium. Families travelling with children will have a blast together at the adjacent water and amusement parks.A visit to the Bali Safari and Marine Park will take up a full day to enjoy all that the park has to offer. It is best to get there at opening time as there is so muchBali Safari and Marine Park to see and do. Best have your own transport instead of taxi, or at least a return transfer back to your hotel. The climate here can be rather hot so keep hydrated throughout the day. Make good use of the free attractions and photo opportunities found throughout the park and have a free map of the park handy to explore all corners of site. The location is quite far-flung, so it’s a good idea to plan some stopovers on the way to, or from the park. Bring a change of clothes, towel and swimwear if you want to take a dip and have fun with the kids at the nearby water park.
Komodo Islands - the biggest deals - milky way at night and seaside sunset on boat
Pink Beach - Pink Beach, or Pantai Merah, as it is aptly named, is one of seven pink beaches on the planet, and is just one of the many amazing features of Komodo Island that make it truly a Natural Wonder of Nature. This exceptional beach gets its striking color from microscopic animals called Foraminifera, which produce a red pigment on the coral reefs. For this reason, it is called Red Beach in the local tongue. When the tiny fragments of red coral combine with the white sands, this produces the soft pink color that is visible along the shoreline. Aside from Pink Beach itself, a few small segments along Komodo’s eastern bay also have a pinkish tint.The corals of the Pink Beach’s underwater gardens are in excellent condition, with hundreds of species of both soft and hard corals, and thousands of species of fish. Pink Beach is a terrific choice for snorkelers and beginner divers as even the shallow waters are home to an abundance of species to keep you more than entertained.
Padar Island Hike - Padar is a small island smack in the middle of Komodo National Park. As far as I know, the only reason to visit it is to hike to the top of the hill for that epic view. Most tour boats stop here early in the morning when the heat is bearable and the sun not-so-scorching, but we didn’t arrive til late morning as we’d had to wait for our speedboat to be delivered to us.I may be in the minority here, but I'm so glad we did the Padar hike around midday! We started it while all the other groups were making their way back down, and by the time we wrapped up we basically had it all to ourselves. Yes, it was stupid-scorching-hot and I’m still in disbelief that my skin didn’t get torched from the two hours I spent frolicking around in a sports bra with minimal sunscreen on (note to self and all: DON’T DO THIS). If you are sensitive to heat and sunlight, you definitely want to make this a sunrise or sunset hike.
Manta Point - Manta Point is actually not a point at all. The original name is Kurang Makassar and it is a small island off of the east side of Komodo with a series of long current swept reefs running north to south, creating both a highway and a feeding ground for these giant and graceful rays.This is one of the must do activities while diving. One of the most famous dive sites in Komodo National Park, this is the place where it is almost grunted mantas. These majestic creatures come to this spot mostly to feed during heavy current. Because of this, Kurang Makassar is usually a drift dive where there is moderate to heavy current.If mantas are not present, which is sometimes but rarely the case, there is still plenty to see. The long sections of coral reef are perfect places for sweetlips, emperors, white tip sharks, and more. Mantis shrimp are abundant here, so look in rocks and crevices if you can to spot their wild eyes sticking out. They are curious creatures, manic in nature, but be careful as their appendages can shoot faster than a .22 bullet! Many a goggle glass has been cracked by these brightly colored underwater killers.Along the long coral patches you will find morays, clown trigger fish, filefish, unicorn fish and fusiliers schooling above.True enough, this site has plenty to see for everyone and is usually one of the most memorable dives in the park.
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Java
Borobudur & Prambanan Temples - Borobudur is a vast structure. It consists of two million blocks of lava rock, reaches 115ft at its highest point and features nearly 1,500 carved story panels and 504 statues of the Buddha. But after being abandoned, possibly in the 14th century, it quickly became invisible beneath layers of tropical foliage and volcanic ash. Sir Stamford Raffles, the British Governor General of Java, re-discovered the temple in 1814 and after extensive restoration by Unesco in the late 20th century it was designated a World Heritage Site. The landscape around Yogyakarta, dominated by the Gunung Merapi volcano, is a sacred one, for Borobudur is merely the most renowned among many ancient temples. The next most significant is another Unesco World Heritage Site, the 9th and 10th century Hindu complex of Prambanan, with its principal temples dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma and hundreds of surrounding shrines. A tourist “train” takes you to outlying temple complexes and all in all there are more than 500 monuments on the site. Some have been restored but many remain as rubble, giving an idea of the size of the archaeological task still to complete.
Malang - Malang is really a tranquil city, and is the second largest city in East Java after Surabaya. But compared to Surabaya, Malang is cool and clean. The water is really cold in the morning that makes you lazy to take a shower and the weather makes you would like to continue your sleep. The sunshine feels so shiny but the wind blows feels so mild. I still like Malang although it is not as cold as in earlier times due to global warming. You don't need any air conditioner on your room (maybe only need a fan) since it's already cold.The road is not as big as in the big city, and you will find no traffic congestion happened in the city, except in the inter-city road from Lawang to Malang which is the gateway to Malang from Surabaya. Ahh, there is some traffic jam but not as severe as in Surabaya/Jakarta (and Surabaya's traffic jam is not as severe as Jakarta of course).The living cost in Malang is cheap but worth every penny! With only Rp 10k (equal to US$ 0.75), you will get food with its drink, while in Surabaya or Jakarta, it will be around Rp 20k (note that it's not a Restaurant/Cafe).
Mount Bromo - To be awe in nature’s best combination of beauty and danger, an active volcano that can be so foreboding and desolate yet so beautiful. The view itself is almost out of this world and be the reason enough to go there!
When is the best time to goJune – August where there is less rain but more tourists. August is also the month for the Kesada / Kesodo festival for the Tengger people if you are interested.
But that being said, Indonesia being a fairly mild weather of just rain and shine, anytime is a good time to go Mount Bromo, only check out for local weather when you are there for the best clear sky for your sunrise experience. If you do not have many days then hope for the best when you are there.Also try to avoid weekends if you do not want the crowd. Dun forget to catch breathless sunset view from mount bromo!!!!
Halong Bay
LaBai Tu Long Bay / La Han Bay - Although the whole area is mostly known as Halong Bay, there are in fact 3 different bays: Ha Long, Bai Tu Long and La Han Bay. They all have a similar (beautiful) landscape of limestone cliffs, idilic bays, caves and small beaches. However due to massive tourism and a stupidly high number of boats, navigating Halong Bay can be disappointing.
Vung Veing Fishing Village - Out of the four fishing villages in Ha Long Bay, Vung Vieng is the least touristy, a perfect fit for travelers seeking to experience local life. After disembarking the mother boat, you will be transferred by rowing boats or kayaks to enter Vung Vieng. The village offers a chance for travelers to experience the villager’s daily life as well as observe the traditional culture and customs of the fishermen.These families have lived in this village for generations. They go about their daily lives, oblivious to the buzz surrounding the Heritage site of Ha Long Bay. Living far away from the bustling tourist attractions, the people at Vung Vieng are friendly and all smiley to curious visitors. It is interesting to take part in the making of fishing nets and processing fishes. The rambunctious children make up one third of the local population and their presence livens up the quitet fishing life.Once you’ve set foot on the peaceful village of Vung Vieng, be sure to stay overnight for the exciting communal activities which only unfold in the evening. Under the majestic moonlight, tourists sit on woven bamboo boats beside the crackling fire, breathe fresh air, listen to folk song duets, drop flower garlands and colored lanterns for luck and watchthe fishermen catching marine products. If you’re lucky to arrive at Vung Vieng during the annual Ha Long Tourism Week, you’re welcomed to participate inthe fishing village festival. Exciting activities vary fromfolk song singing contest, culinary competition, swimming competition and boat handling competition etc.
Ban Chan Beach - Ban Chan Beach (in English it would be ‘Foot Beach’) is definitely of the “off the beaten track” variety. Untouched by human intervention and unchanged by the passage of time, the powdery white sand and jewel-colored waters of Ban Chan Beach are nothing short of heavenly. The beach stretches for several kilometers, making it an ideal location for a water side stroll as you take in the surrounding landscape.
The beach is surrounded by the famous towering limestone outcroppings as if they are acting as sentinels watching over the area. The impossibly steep cliff faces are bestrewn with casuarina pines, whose evergreen foliage is but another thread in the rich fabric of Bai Tu Long Bay’s natural ecosystem.When to VisitVisitors could find a reason to visit not only in summer but throughout the autumn and winter seasons too. Summer in the Bay tends to be humid and very hot, so a cooling swim in the azure waters of Ban Chan Beach would be just the ticket. Then comes the cooler Autumnal months, which are much milder in comparison but still warm enough to enjoy a beach visit. The winter months will see temperatures drop to around 18 degrees Celcius, accompanied by dry weather and calm waters- consider this as possibly the best time to visit Ban Chan Beach.Described as “unspoiled” and “primitive” in its beauty, it’s near impossible not to be captivated by this place. Ban Chan Beach is one of those rare places where you should go to do nothing, nothing but contemplate your surroundings- perhaps by taking a walk along the coastline or cooling off with a swim in the crystalline waters. There are limited kayak rentals available on the beach, so if solo-exploration is more your speed take the time to cruise around the island and check out the rest of the nearby coast. However you choose to enjoy it, you better do it fast before everybody else is let in on the secret.
Sung Sot Cave - What You’ll See at Sung Sot CaveThere’s a small dock at the bottom of Bo Hon Island, where you’ll dismount your boat and begin the climb up 100 or so steps to the mouth of Sung Sot Cave. The cave covers a staggering 10,000 square meters (that’s twice the size of the White House if that’s anything to go by). The cave is about 30 meters high and sports a 500-meter long passage (good news for the claustrophobics among us).
The interior is separated into 2 caverns, the first of which is a small amphitheater type of space connected by a small passageway to the larger cavern next door, which is big enough to hold 1,000 people or more. The entire cave is bestrewn with stalactites and stalagmites, which serve as endless material for the legend and ‘lore of the area.