#durian and coconut filling are the best

[mafiatsunafish]

When ever I forget to switch my keyboard from Vietnamese to English to type Oscar’s name, his last name would become Píatri

And Mid autumn festival is coming up and I’m craving for some pía cake, which also quite popular to replace the moon cake in Vietnamese base on where you are

So this is what wiki has about it 😂

Bánh bía, sometimes spelled bánh pía, is a type of Vietnamese cuisine bánh (translates loosely as "cake" or "bread"). A Suzhou style mooncake adapted from Teochew cuisine. The Vietnamese name comes from the Teochew word for pastry, "pia". In Saigon, the pastry is called “bánh bía” while in Sóc Trăng and Vũng Thơm it is known by "bánh Pía". Some Vietnamese call it bánh lột da, which translates to "peeling flakes pastry", and those from the Bến Tre region call it bánh bao chi, which is the name for Mochi elsewhere in Vietnam.[1] Popular fillings include durian, shredded pork fat, salted egg yolk, mung bean paste, taro and coconut.

(I was drawing this during the start of the race, and damn, poor Oscar 😂)

[asiapioneertravel]

Mekong Delta Tours: A Journey through Vietnam’s Rice Bowl

The Mekong Delta, often called Vietnam’s “Rice Bowl,” is a stunning region brimming with life, culture, and natural beauty. This enchanting destination offers travelers unique experiences, such as exploring lush greenery, winding rivers, and vibrant markets. If you’re looking for an adventure steeped in local flavor, the Mekong Delta tours promise unforgettable journeys.

1. What You Can Expect In The Mekong Delta

1.1 A Glimpse of the Landscape

A traveler will be mesmerized by the Mekong Delta’s scenery, a beautiful tapestry of green rice paddies, meandering waterways, and dense foliage. The region’s iconic floating markets and traditional villages, where life moves gently, contrast uniquely with Vietnam’s bustling cities. From the coconut groves of Ben Tre to the scenic riverbanks of My Tho, every corner of the Delta tells a story of the connection between nature and people.

1.2 Must-Visit Destinations in the Mekong Delta

Can Tho and its Floating Markets

As the largest city in the Mekong Delta, Can Tho is a vibrant hub of activity and home to the famous Cai Rang and Phong Dien floating markets. These bustling, colorful markets start early morning, with vendors selling fresh produce from their boats. It’s a lively scene of bartering, laughter, and the rich aroma of tropical fruits filling the air—a quintessential Mekong experience.

Ben Tre for Coconut Products

Ben Tre is well known as the "Coconut Capital of Vietnam".

Ben Tre is the land of coconuts, and the town’s verdant landscapes are dotted with coconut plantations. Visitors can sample delicious coconut-based products, from candy to refreshing coconut milk, and even watch local artisans craft beautiful items from this versatile fruit. A peaceful boat ride through Ben Tre’s narrow canals provides a tranquil escape.

My Tho and its Scenic River Views

Located near Ho Chi Minh City, My Tho is a charming town known for its beautiful riverside views. Cruising along the Tien River, you’ll pass by floating fish farms, fruit orchards, and quaint local homes. The fresh air and scenic landscapes make it an ideal destination for relaxation and sightseeing. 

2. Top Things to Do in the Mekong Delta

2.1. Visit Floating Markets

Cai Rang Floating Market - a national intangible cultural heritage.

There’s no better way to experience the vibrant life of the Mekong Delta than by visiting its famous floating markets, where local culture thrives on the water. Whether you explore the bustling Cai Rang market in Can Tho or the smaller, quieter Phong Dien market, you’ll be greeted by the colorful sight of traders selling goods from traditional wooden boats. At the morning peak, boats overflow with fresh tropical fruits, vegetables, and local delicacies like banh tet and noodle soups.

More than just a place for trade, these markets provide a window into daily life in the Delta. You’ll hear friendly bargaining, see goods exchanged with bamboo poles, and smell the sweet aroma of ripe mangoes and durians. It’s an authentic taste of Delta life, where you can sample fresh produce and witness timeless local traditions firsthand.

2.2. Take a Boat Tour

Gliding through calm rivers, you'll see coconut palms, rice paddies, and tranquil fishing villages.

To discover the Best of the Mekong Delta, exploring its winding waterways by boat is essential for any traveler seeking to connect with the region. The slow pace lets you absorb every detail—the gentle lap of water, locals working their farms, and the vibrant greenery.

These boat tours offer more than scenic views; they provide a serene and immersive experience. You’ll stop at local farms to see how rice, fruits, and vegetables are grown and visit small villages where life revolves around the water. It’s an enriching way to witness the everyday activities—fishing, farming, craftsmanship—that sustain the Delta’s communities while enjoying the region’s natural beauty up close.

2.3. Bike Through Villages

For those with a sense of adventure, renting a bicycle is a fantastic way to explore the Mekong Delta's charming villages and expansive rice fields. As you pedal along narrow, winding paths surrounded by tropical plants and lush greenery, you'll cross quaint wooden bridges and meander beside tranquil canals, immersing yourself in the region's serene beauty.

Cycling lets you stop at your leisure, take in the scenery, and chat with friendly locals, often tending to their farms or selling handmade goods. This slower pace lets you fully absorb the Delta’s rhythm—the gentle breeze rustling through the rice paddies or children's laughter nearby. It's a beautiful opportunity to experience the Mekong Delta's natural beauty and rural charm in an intimate and enriching way.

2.4. Experience Local Culture

Famous for its long pottery tradition, a tour of the pottery village is a unique experience in the Mekong Delta.

Participating in local festivals or workshops immerses you in the Mekong Delta’s rich cultural traditions and deepens your connection with the community. These activities provide valuable insights into the customs that shape this vibrant region.

You can learn to make traditional pottery from skilled artisans or watch artisans create intricate handicrafts, showcasing local talent and dedication. In pottery workshops, visitors can mold clay under the guidance of experienced artisans who share techniques passed down through generations.

Local festivals highlight the Delta’s cultural richness, featuring colorful performances, traditional music, and dances celebrating its heritage. Joining these events enhances your understanding of the culture and helps forge connections with locals eager to share their stories. These experiences capture the essence of the Mekong Delta’s vibrant culture, leaving you with cherished memories and a newfound appreciation for its artistic expressions.

> Read more: A Day of Discovery with Cu Chi Tunnels & Mekong Delta Tour

Wrapping Up

The Mekong Delta is where time slows down, offering travelers a chance to reconnect with nature and experience Vietnam’s rural charm. From its picturesque landscapes to its lively floating markets, a tour through this beautiful region is a journey into the heart of Vietnam with tranquility and peace.

Begin planning your ideal getaway to the Mekong Delta with Asia Pioneer Travel for an unforgettable experience. Our expert travel designers will create personalized itineraries tailored just for you. Let us elevate your holiday and help you explore the enchanting beauty of this stunning region.

[tripcabinet]

Exploring the Culinary Delights of Singapore: A Perfect Match for Your Singapore Tour Package

Introduction

Often referred to as the “Lion City”, Singapore is a vibrant and diverse destination that has captured the hearts of travelers from all over the world. Besides the amazing weather, impeccable cleanliness and modern amenities, Singapore is also known for its delicious variety of food. In this blog, we’ll take you on a culinary journey into the tempting world of Singapore food, a perfect complement to your Singapore itinerary.

Hawker Centers: The Heart of Singaporean Food Culture

Your Singapore tour package would not be complete without experiencing the delicious taste of Singapore’s hawker centers. These bustling restaurants specialize in traditional and potluck dishes, offering a variety of mouth-watering dishes at competitive prices. Don’t miss the exotic dishes like Hainanese chicken rice, char kway teow (fried flat rice), and laksa (spicy noodle soup). A visit to Maxwell Food Center or Lau Pa Sat is a must for an authentic shopping experience.

Peranakan Cuisine: A Unique Fusion of Flavors

Also known as Nyonya or Strait Chinese cuisine, Peranakan cuisine is an interesting blend of Chinese, Malay and Indonesian influences. Peranakan food is known for its rich aromatic flavors. Try classic dishes like Ayam Buah Keluak (chicken in black walnut gravy) and Nyonya Laksa (sweet and spicy noodle soup). Your taste buds will thank you for this unique culinary experience.

Seafood Paradise: Chili Crab and Black Pepper Crab

If you are a seafood lover, Singapore is your paradise. The island city-state is known for its delicious crab dishes, especially chile crab and black pepper crab. The sweet and spicy chili crab sauce is a real burst of flavor that you won’t want to miss. Jumbo Seafood and Long Beach Seafood are popular places to try these delicious crab dishes.

Exotic Fruits and Desserts

Singapore’s tropical climate makes for an abundance of exotic fruits to try during your visit. Enjoy a taste of the juicy and fragrant durian, often called the “King of Fruits,” or indulge in refreshing tropical fruits like mango, rambutan and jackfruit for dessert indulge in chendol, a dessert of coconut, palm sugar, green jelly noodles and red beans.

Michelin-Star Dining: A Gourmet Experience

Singapore is more than just cheap street food; It is also home to some of the best restaurants in the world. For a luxurious experience, book a table at Michelin-starred restaurants such as Odette, Les Amis and Restaurant André. These culinary gems create fresh and beautiful dishes that will leave a lasting impression in your mouth.

Conclusion

While planning your Singapore tour package, be sure to include a food itinerary that explores the culinary diversity of this fascinating city. From exciting street food in the malls to delectable experiences in Michelin-starred restaurants, Singapore offers a culinary adventure that is sure to tickle anyone’s palate so, grab a craving fill in, ready to sample the flavors while exploring Singapore’s many attractions Let them do so. Your taste buds will thank you for an unforgettable trip.

For more information on planning your Singapore tour package, visit TripCabinet’s Singapore Tour Packages. They can help you create the perfect itinerary to make the most of your visit to this culinary paradise.

[formeryelpers]

Coconut Jelly King, 29 E Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801

Coconut Jelly King has the best coconut jelly in the Los Angeles area. I didn’t think I liked coconut but I find myself craving coconut jelly. Their coconut jelly is delicate, silky, fresh, and naturally sweet.

The texture is similar to soft, silken tofu, but a little softer.

Coconut Jelly King uses the best organic coconuts to make their jelly. The coconut jelly comes in glass jars, with flavors like plain, double coconut, blueberry, strawberry, matcha, red bean, taro, durian, mango, pineapple, kiwi, etc. No sugar is added to the coconut jelly. They also have egg waffles, pancakes, mille crepe cake slices, and milk tea and coconut milk drinks.

Single coconut jelly ($6.99): I’ve tried several flavors and the single coconut jelly is still my favorite. It's the perfect breakfast or dessert because it fills you up without weighing you down. The natural sweetness of coconut and soft, silky texture are so good. I like to add fresh fruit and a crunchy granola.

Coconut jelly is supposed to improve beauty and skin health and it’s full of antioxidants. The coconut jelly is good for 3-5 days if kept in the fridge or one day if topped with fresh fruit. You’ll want to eat it or put it in the fridge within 15 – 30 minutes.

Coconut Jelly King Alhambra recently opened, in the same plaza where Yogurtland used to be. This is a nicer looking location with a Tiffany blue and white color scheme. It has a fancy look.

They didn’t have prices posted (the flatscreen monitor was blank) but they seem to be the same as the other locations. The menu is also the same. They do not take their glass jars back. Easy strip mall parking.

4.5 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[weabbynormalblog]

The 10 must have healthful things for a beautiful you; inside and out.

(2-3minute read) I'll list pertinent *recipes below.

1) Omega 369-If you don't eat fish, you should definitely take this supplement. Your missing out on vital antioxidants and protein building fatty chains of omega goodness. This is a supplement. It can thin your blood so check with your meds and your doctor first. I suggest eat fish at least once a week. It's all the healthy fats, amino acids and proteins that your body needs to support healing as well as maintain healthy muscles, joints, skin and brain. Sea food is brain food. Salmon and sardines have the most benefits. Often very low in calories and high in good fats and proteins. These unsaturated fats have been known to help calm the auto immune response. Did you know the brain is primarily made of fat? About 60%. So ya I'm a fat head, we all are.

2) Olive Oil-Very Vegan friendly. Also contains these healthy fats and acids and is a better alternative for cooking than with Cannola oil, which is made from GMO crops and then heavily processed(look out triggers). Not only can you cook with Olive oil it's also low in saturated fat. It makes an amazing moisturizer, *Hair Mask Treatment and daily supplement. Look into the story of Lorenzos Oil. Great health benefits for those with brain issues and has antibacterial properties.

3) Walnuts-If you don't consume nuts on a regular basis and you don't have allergies, at least have a handful of walnuts a day. It contains vitamin E, high in antioxidants, fiber, protein and it's considered a whole food. You can also use it directly on wood furniture to fill in light surface scratches too.

4) Almonds-Also high in good fats, fiber, antioxidant rich and full of protein. Trail mix is a great healthy on the go snack. Avoid the salted and sweet variety. Nuts are really good for your vascular system. Reduces bloodpressure and aids good cholesterol and overall circulation. Nuts also include vitamins and minerals that helps maintain healthy skin, nails and hair. It helps produce collagen and destroys free radicals. Almond flour is a great alternative for baking opposed to wheat flour(major trigger). Naturally gluten free and never bleached.

5) Lemon juice-You say why? Lots of reasons. It's handy when baking and cooking. *Lemon water is great for flushing out your system. Being high in vitamin C it's a great natural energy booster and helps maintain your immune system. It cleans your liver and kidneys. It's a natural antibacterial(acid). Ideal for washing out your water bottle and cleaning your cutting board-pour lemon juice all over your cutting board and leave for 10-15 minutes then wash. You'll never want to use bleach again. It's a very good household cleaner; especially when combined with baking soda or other natural ingredients. It also makes a wonderful *facial clarifier to lighten brown patches and reduce acne. Use it as a rinse for your hair, it will add shine and strength. I could go on and on. A must have on hand.

6) Coco nut oil- Caution low smoking point, do not use for frying. Oh what a wonderful vegan fat! You can use it as a moisturizer (I use it everyday-absorbs into your skin quickly). Use it in baking instead of butter and in sauces. No saturated fat. Only the good stuff. It's also a natural antibacterial. Cures foot fungus and helps heal skin irritations like razor burn and as an antibacterial for scrapes, cuts and burns. It's loaded with vitamins and minerals. It's even used as a mouth rinse for its antibacterial properties. It's also a natural sun screen. Many good uses! And very tasty in a *Banana smoothie meal replacement.

7) Aloevera-Growing this succulent offers a wide variety of uses. Do not over water. It's like a cactus, usually 3-5 weeks in between watering in a sunny spot. Use topically for cuts and sunburns. Cut pieces as you need them off the end of the leaves. 3 per household is adequate. This plant packs a powerful punch. Use on your hair as a mask, it promotes strength, shine and removes excess oil. In *smoothies it aids digestion and offers some relief for IBS and autoimmune sufferers. It is somewhat pungent, but can be masked easily with other natural ingredients such as *Honey, ginger and lemon for example.

8) Long Oats-Makes a wonderful gluten free flour. It's a whole grain. Delicious in muffins, granola bars and cookies. It also will reduce skin inflammation when used topically and aid digestion when ingested. Great for insect stings, Chicken Pox, Eczema to sunburns and tasty too. High in dietary fiber, we can all use a bit more of that. It's wonderful as a *Body scrub in the tub or shower. My favorite in an Apple Brown Betty.

9) Pineapple-The highest amount of vitamin C per cup, better than oranges but not as high as a Durian and certainly more tasty. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. The best bang for your am nutritional needs.

10) Honey is a wonderful cure all for cuts, burns, acne, sore throats and boasts high dietary benefits. I eat a 1TSB -1TBS of unpasteurized honey a day. It's great as a low sugar sweetener, in sauces and baking.

Hair Mask Treatment: Combined 3-4 TBS of Olive oil with 2-4TBS honey. I have really long hair. For short to medium length hair 2TBS of each, mix at room temperature and apply to hair from the ends up. I use a clean flat end 1" paint brush. Pile your hair up on top and wait 15-20 minuts. Yes, it's really sticky. And the Aloevera is gooey. A 4"-6" piece should suffice. What they don't tell you about this treatment online(5 minutes girly crafts) is that you must wash your hair thoroughly after because of the Olive oil. You may want to spritz a detangeler or do a cream rinse. No more split ends and the shine is awesome. Huge b4 and after for me; long coloured treated hair. I thought the results were certainly worth it.

Lemon water- Start your day with 8 ounces of water and 1TBS lemon juice and finish your day with another glass after dinner or before bed for the best bealth benefits.

Facial Clarifier-2-3TBS of lemon juice, 2-3 TSP Aolevera. Leave for 5 to 10 minutes as a mask Or use as daily as a wipe prior to washing and applying make up. Evens skin tones. Prevents acne. Use as a scrub, mix with 1TBS of kosher salt or large granulated sugarcane or maple sugar.

Oats Body Scrub

1 cup of long oats, 2 TBS of honey, 2-3TBS Aloe Vera. It will form into a ball. You can coat your hands in Olive oil and store in some plastic wrap. CAUTION straight Aloe Vera on open cuts will sting. Place scrub in a clean sick or use directly on skin. Maybe shave your legs after.

Banana Smoothie Meal Replacement-Mix 1 TBS of Honey(ti taste) with, 1TSP minced fresh Ginger, 1-2TBS room temperature coconut oil, 1-2TBS of Aloevera(optional), mix into 1 cup of Milk or Rice milk or thin style Yoghurt. Add 1TBS of Oat flour(Pea or Protein powder) and a frozen Banana(a perfect use for that over ripe banana). Peals easily with a knife when frozen. Hold it in at dish cloth. Break up the frozen banana and blend in the blender and enjoy. For added protein punch add your favorite nut butter or protein powder. This is a meal replacement design to aid nausea, promotes intestinal and gut flora health and helps calm the reactive immune response. I love it!

I hope you enjoyed my list of good stuff!

[uncle-cool]

Voice In the Jungle 2/?

Title: Voice In the Jungle

Chapter: 2/?

Rating: T

Ship: Bumbleby

Summary: The wilds of Menagerie are unexplored, untamed. Legends and myths make their home here, in the jungles and the desert. With talks of expansion and perhaps one day even opening their own huntsman academy, Ghira Belladonna sends his daughter and daughter-in-law on a simple mission: Explore, and document. But soon the girls find themselves stalked by…something. An echo that lingers too long after every word, something mimicking the sound of human speech. A voice in the jungle.

Previous chapter

They’d been at it for near two weeks, and Blake was starting to think Yang was really onto something by treating it like a second honeymoon. They’d camped under the stars, hiked, explored as ordered, and kept document of any new grimm encountered, including Yang’s much sought after George.

George, as it turned out, was a grimm that had more in common with a capybara. While large, they were so weak that Yang almost felt bad slaying them. As an enemy, they were so pathetic that Yang actually begged her to never bring it up with Ruby and Weiss the next time they saw them.

It wasn’t all run and gun and making fun of each other though.Yang’s adventurous nature had always given her wife’s tendency to roam a healthy outlet. Home was each other, so they were always home, and they made their home wherever the other was. Yang had held our hands out, presenting Blake with a few, huge feathers. They faded in and out of a black so deep it was almost purple, to grey, to a color somewhere between blue and green, and each was the length of her forearm.

“The eagle that these come from,” Blake had whispered to her, though there was no reason to whisper. “They have wingspans as wide as you and I, if we laid down head to foot.”

“Wow,” Yang breathed, lilac eyes twinkling as she marvelled at the knowledge, marvelled at Blake, and marvelled at Blake’s knowledge. “If we see one, I’d love to try and get a picture of one on my scroll. Ruby would love that.”

“They’re very rare,” she nodded. “Occasionally we’ll see one fly over the town every few years or so. They’re beautiful, though we don’t know much about them. I know they eat monkeys, though.”

“Too bad we didn’t invite Sun along, then.”

“I’ll be sure to let him know you intend to use him as eagle bait, babe.” Blake laughed, and clasped Yang’s hands in her own, feathers held tenderly between them. She kissed her wife as she smiled, tasting the wonder and happiness on her lips. She pulled away, amber eyes half lidded in a gaze that she reserved for Yang and Yang alone.

Yang smirked. “Well, that’s the other reason we didn’t invite him along, yeah?” Blake huffed and shoved her wife back, the blonde falling to her rump laughing loudly. It had been a very short lived, teenaged crush that had faded the more she got to know him, but almost a decade later and Yang never let her forget it.

“You can be such a butt, you know that?”

That was the tone for the first two weeks of their journey. Loving each other, teasing each other. They hunted together, and shared meals together. Yang was more than willing to reach her prosthetic arm into whatever holes or burrows they came across to drag out what would either be their next meal or a small but very angry grimm.

Blake would, in turn, feed her what fruits she recognized, kissing the juice from her lips. Truth be told, both of them were ass at botany, that’d been more Weiss’ forte. While they were confident enough to tell the difference between say, a jungle death turnip and a potato, it was best to stick with what was familiar. A banana was a banana, a coconut was a coconut, and a lychee was a lychee except for when it was a rambutan. They’d found and recognized durian, but both of them hated it, and what was preferable was also fairly plentiful if one was willing to put in the time and effort to gather them.

Other than that, Blake could only tell what plants would get you high, get you unconscious, or stop your bleeding. Useful enough information, but not when your goal was to fill an empty stomach.

It was almost liberating. Yes, every day was a long hike, and yes, every day they had to work and fight for their meals. But at the same time? Out here in the wild with her wife? No one to answer to but each other? Peaceful. Perhaps other people would’ve lost their minds, stuck in the wilderness for weeks on end with only one other person. Perhaps other people would’ve grown tired of each other, snapping and rude words, followed by long, sullen silences. Not them, though. It’d always been Blake and Yang, and it would always be Blake and Yang.

It wasn’t until the end of their two weeks that it finally clicked for Blake. They’d found a waterfall at the base of the unnamed mountain they’d been hiking towards, and after a thorough investigation to make sure there was nothing dangerous lurking in the water, they’d stripped down and jumped right in. Perhaps they’d been a bit gung-ho about it, but the opportunity to bathe under running water was a rare one, instead of trekking to the nearest stream or pond and taking turns cleaning themselves as quickly as possible, the other one standing watch with their weapon drawn.

The cold water was welcome in the jungle heat and humidity. In the pale, pre-dawn light, with wet, tanned skin and long hair clinging to her breasts, Yang looked like a goddess. A goddess only Blake could worship. Standing waist deep in the water, Blake’s mouth was as dry as the desert on the other side of the island.

“I want you.” The words hadn’t even fully left her mouth when her wife swallowed them with a kiss. Yang made love to her under that waterfall, a fantasy neither of them knew they had until they lived it. The jungle their own private garden, the rare birds and butterflies the only witnesses to the secrets they whispered to each other.

This was it. Increased agility, night vision, and hearing were not the only thing her faunus blood provided her with. Animal instincts, though she loathed hearing those words from some humans, were something she carried with her always. Sometimes it was a near precognitive ability to tell when something was wrong, other times it was simply being more amorous when Yang was ovulating. It was weird, and occasionally embarrassing, but it was a part of her. And perhaps that instinct was part of why she was so happy.

She and her mother were feline faunus of no particular species, yes. But her father was a panther. Perhaps this is how her wild counterparts lived, prowling the jungle with their mate. That was exactly what Blake had been doing for a fortnight.

The sun rose, kissing Yang’s skin like Blake herself had only minutes before. They shared a breakfast of dried fruit, shoulder to shoulder. They were always close, always affectionate, but even more so post-love making, bodies unwilling to part even after the act was done.

“Wrong,” Yang had told her once. “I’m always making love to you. When you smile at me, when you hold me, when I make you laugh. We’ve made love from the moment your eyes met mine.”

Filling their canteens, Blake’s gaze lingered on her face. The panther in her heart purred, content. Yang smiled indulgently, as if reliving the same memory with her, nudged her with hip, and they began their trek up the mountain.

Empty eyes observed them from a distance. “You.” It snorted. “You you you. Want.”

[victorl0]

It’s Singapore’s 57th National Day and there’s a surprise for all! 🥳 Come visit Jack’s Place where you get to enjoy a special loco-licious menu specially for the month of August. Serving a wide range of sizzling beef steaks, hearty food, and desserts and cakes since 1966. Enjoy a memorable meal experience of a new range of local delights to complement its perennial menu, with a combination of its Western best-sellers with highly flavorsome local sauces such as sambal, black pepper, brown sauce, or truffle butter. Featured main dishes, appetisers, dessert and drink: 🦞Nasi Lemak Lobster - Grilled Garlic Butter Lobster (± 500g), fragrant coconut rice, ikan bilis, peanuts, fried egg, cucumber, seasonal vegetables and homemade sambal. My favourite, love the fragrance of the rice! 👍🏻😋😋 🍝 Chilli Crab Pasta - Spaghetti tossed in Singapore iconic Chilli Crab sauce, topped with prawns, squids and fish fillet. Spicy and flavourful! 👍🏻😋😋 🎣 Laksa Barramundi - Grilled Barramundi Fillet with creamy laksa sauce, mashed potato and seasonal vegetables. 👍🏻😋 🥩 Orh-Luak on Ribeye - Juicy N.Z. Ribeye Steak with Oyster Omelette, served with signature baked potato and seasonal vegetables. 👍🏻😋 🐓 Chik Kut Teh Chicken - Grilled Chicken Chop topped with crispy enoki and Chik Kut Teh Sauce. Served with signature baked potato and seasonal vegetables. 👍🏻😋 🥢 Chicken Satay Kueh Pie Tee (4pcs) - Crunchy Kueh Pie Tee cups filled with Grilled chicken with Satay sauce, diced cucumber and cilantro. Love the fillings inside! 👍🏻😋😋 🥗 Fruity White Rojak - Medley of bite-sized cucumber, dragon fruit, mango & pineapple with crushed peanuts, sesame seeds & crispy tau pok. Fruity! 👍🏻😋😋 🍮 Mao Shan Wang Durian Pudding - Luscious pudding filled with rich & creamy Mao Shan Wang Durian pure - between moist vanilla sponge and topped with biscuit crumbs for a crunchy texture which is simply divine! So shiok! 😍😍😍 🍹Tropical Sling - Rejuvenate yourself with the refreshing mix of Mango, Orange & Pineapple juice, with a shot of Grenadine syrup, topped with a pair of juicy lychees. So refreshing! 😍😍😍 [Promotions] Visit https://www.jacksplace.com.sg/ for details! (at Jack's Place) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg5vTQABjun/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[foodgemsg]

https://ift.tt/2oQqDtW Read on our visit to Mooncakes 2018 | Baked, Snowskin, Fruity, Low-Sugar, Pastry, Golden Mooncakes We Got You Covered by FoodGem

Mooncake Media Drop

Bakerzin Mooncakes

This snowskin mooncake brilliance fruit collection (Cenpedak, Honeydew, Orange and Strawberry) is fruity, tangy and definitely tropical treat. Enjoy these little bits of chia seed in each bite. Each packet of mooncakes is packed in twos to maintain freshness. They’re packed in a classic gold-glided square tin box.

8 pcs per box at S$58.

Where to buy Bakerzin Mooncakes? 1. Bakerzin Outlets 2. Online: www.bakerzin.com Last day of online and retail order: 22 Sept 2018,2pm

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Mooncakes

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport’s new Champagne Truffle Snow Skin collection in four flavours including Black Sesame, Chestnut, Pandan and Red Date. A treat that meshes the best of aromatic Pandan Snow Skin Mooncake, rich flavours of Black Sesame Snow Skin Mooncake, sweet and nutty Chestnut Snow Skin Mooncake and nourishing Red Date Snow Skin Mooncake.

Get a limited edition reversible shopper tote when you purchase a box of mooncakes. The reversible tote bag comes in bold orange and classic tanned brown as shown in my igstory! I’m glad that it’s versatile so I can reuse this lightweight PU leather tote bag for daily uses or travels.

Snow skin mooncakes (in a box of 4) at S$78 nett. Purchase online at S$54.60 per box.

Where to buy Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Mooncakes ? Online store (preorder, collection from 11-24 Sept 2018) at https://ift.tt/2CwU6D5 To order, please call Lobby Lounge at 65) 6823 5367 between 9am to 7pm or email LobbyLounge.cpca@ihg.com.

Fu Chong Mooncakes

The Big Dipper Collection comes with Mao Shan Wang Durian Mooncake and accompanied by 7 mini mooncakes including D24 Durian, Cempedak, Soursop, Coconut Lychee, Mango, Orh-Nee, Earl Grey and Tangerine Red Bean. It was noted that all mooncakes are made using fresh ingredients and there is no preservatives added.

The Big Dipper Collection starts from S$58. Early bird before 7 Sept: S$38 per set.

Promo code: FCInsta18 (Enjoy 20% off mooncakes set purchase, except for the $38 promo set)

Where to buy Fu Chong mooncakes? Online: https://ift.tt/2oOoEq5

Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium – Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant Mooncakes

Salted egg lovers will be delighted with Xin’s Signature Mini Egg Custard with Yolk Mooncake! The custard is velvety smooth with savoury salted egg yolk and topped with edible gold leaf for a luxurious touch. . For those who prefer something less sweet, Low Sugar White Lotus Seed Paste with Four Yolks is recommended. The mooncakes are lighter and tasted less sweet than conventional mooncakes, but still tasted pleasant.

Traditional baked mooncakes are presented in a luxury premium red box with textured gold and red prints. The red colour symbolizes good luck and prosperity in Chinese which makes it an exquisite gift for your family or friends.

Getting excited to see these mooncakes in lots of happy colours. Welcomes two brand new snowskin mooncake flavours in refreshing Low Sugar White Lotus Paste with Orange Praline Mooncake and Low Sugar White Lotus Paste with Hazelnut Crunch Mooncake which features a chocolate centre packed with crunchy morsels of hazelnut. Alongside with other low sugar snowskin mooncakes and also popular Xin’s Peranakan Durian Snowskin Mooncake generously filled with durian and encased in blue pea purplish blue soft skin.

: Low Sugar White Lotus Seed Paste with Hazelnut Crunch (NEW) 🧡: Low Sugar White Lotus Seed Paste with Orange Praline (NEW)

: Passion Fruit Paste with Plum

: Green Tea Paste with Baileys Irish Cream Praline

: Pandan White Lotus Seed Paste with Champagne Praline

: Peranakan Durian

Mini Snowskin Favourites at S$60 per box (6 pcs)

Where to buy Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium -Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant Mooncakes? Level 4, Holiday Inn® Singapore Atrium 317 Outram Road Singapore 169075 1. Pre-order, the early bird gets to enjoy up to 30% discount from now to 20 Aug. 2. Online: https://ift.tt/2CwU7H9 3. Call: (65) 6731 7173

Peach Garden x UnionPay Limited Edition Golden Mooncakes

In conjunction with the upcoming Singapore Golden Week (SGW) and joy of the Mid-Autumn Festival, UnionPay and Peach Garden has launched Limited Edition Golden Mooncakes dusted in gold. It is available in four unique flavours in traditional baked shells including Premium White Lotus Paste with Two Yolks (Reduced Sugar), Golden Lotus Paste with One Yolk (Reduced Sugar), Premium Sun-Dried Longan with Red Tea Paste and Premium Black Dates with Melon Seed Paste.

Be enchanted with the exquisite treasure chest wrapped in fabric, adorned with pink orchid motifs and sealed with a gorgeous golden butterfly lock

. Gift idea for your loved ones or business partner.

Anticipate a surprise to win over $16,000 in prizes, including one UnionPay Prepaid Card with S$8,888 in cash value, seven UnionPay Prepaid Cards with S$888 in cash value and 80 Peach Garden Dining Vouchers worth S$20 each.

Golden Mooncakes available from now till 21 September 2018.

UnionPay customers can purchase the limited edition Golden Mooncakes at a special price of S$48.26 nett (UP: S$67.03 nett).

Where to buy Peach Garden x UnionPay Limited Edition Golden Mooncakes? Peach Garden E-Shop with a UnionPay card

Peony Jade Mooncakes

Mini baked mooncake filled with molten lava Varlhona dark chocolate, released a burst of crunchy chocolate pearls, salted peanut caramel crumble, vanilla marshmallow and feuiletine. These baked chocolate mooncakes are simply too addictive!! Expect a delicate balance of bitter-sweet and salty as your teeth bite past the chocolate baked mooncakes. I can easily pop two at a time, can’t wait to share some with my nephew and niece.

‘Choc-A-Rock’ at S$74 nett (8 pieces per box).

These dessert-like mini snowskin mooncakes comes in three unique flavours including La Vie En Rose, Berrylicious and Banoffee. Who would have guessed that my favourite Watermelon Lychee Creme Diplomat with Dehydrated Rose, Strawberries and Almond Sable would go so well in a mooncake? Spotted healthy black berries bits, black chia seeds and coconut mousse in Berrylicious mooncake. Enjoy a nice balance of sweet and savoury Banoffee with dark Valrhorna chocolate, salted peanut caramel crumble, vanilla marshmallow and banana. Ladies are in for a delicate, dainty treat!

These eight mini mooncakes are well-fitted in the mooncake box with a pretty velvet bow to finish the look.

Mini snowskin mooncakes at S$72 (8 pieces per box).

Where to buy Peony Jade Mooncakes? 1. Online at pjmooncakes.com.sg (Last pre-order date on 16 Sept 2018, 5pm) 2. Make a call at +65 6276 8327 3. Email at festive@peonyjade.com 4. Alternatively, at the other 9 locations islandwide: Peony Jade at Keppel Club, Peony Jade at Clarke Quay ; Takashimaya B2 square ; Chevron Raffles Place ; TANGS VivoCity Level 1 Central Court A/B ; Suntec City East Atrium ; Jurong Point Main Atrium ; Junction 8 Main Atrium ; Century Square

PUTIEN Pastry Mooncakes

Teochew dialect is famous for its sweet desserts eg. yam paste (orh nee). Now, you can have it in Teochew-style pastry mooncakes at PUTIEN. Comes in two flavours including yam and purple sweet potato using Thailand’s premium taro and Japan’s first-grade purple sweet potato respectively. Both have the option with or without a single egg yolk to satisfy your savoury addiction. These pastry mooncakes are crafted from Madam Leng’s homemade recipe. Madam Leng has been the Motherly figure with her Teochew style of mooncakes for almost two decades at PUTIEN. .

The flaky swirl pastry mooncakes come in either yam or purple sweet potato filling are low in sugar, so they are not so sweet.  But rest assured, it has a smooth texture. The yam filling is really addictive. I feel that one piece is not enough for me. As each piece of pastry mooncakes is freshly made in-house daily upon order, with no preservatives and no additives. It is recommended to order at least three days in advance and consume within three days.

Assorted Mix at S$53 (Box of 4 – Yam, Yam w/ Single Yolk, Purple Sweet Potato, Purple Sweet Potato w/ Single Yolk)

Madam Leng Mooncakes are available from now to 24 September 2018.

Where to buy PUTIEN pastry mooncakes?

PUTIEN Islandwide: Kitchener Road, ION Orchard, Jurong Point, Marina Square, NEX, Northpoint, Parkway Parade, Raffles City, Resorts World Sentosa, Tampines Mall, Vivocity, SingPost Centre.

The post Mooncakes 2018 | Baked, Snowskin, Fruity, Low-Sugar, Pastry, Golden Mooncakes We Got You Covered appeared first on foodgem: Food & Travel.

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42 Nguyen Hue Coffee Apartment

Where is Nguyen Hue Coffee Apartment? – The one-of-a-kind building in downtown Saigon.

If you are searching for the best photogenic spots in Ho Chi Minh City, never skip the 60-year-old building on No.42 Nguyen Hue Walking Street. The newly redesigned street in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, is right in the center of District 1. The coffee apartment at 42 Nguyen Hue is right in the middle of the street inbetween the Saigon River and the City Hall that sits on either end of Nguyen Hue.

What turns such an antiquated building into the trendiest place in all of Saigon? It’s the perfect combination of a youthful Saigon vibe with the timeless, nostalgic beauty that makes Building No. 42 stands out among other places. Come here to capture the best scenes of Saigon onto your Instagram, to shop until you drop and to fill your taste buds with endless food and coffee. Let this article guide you on your exploration into this spot, and take away plentiful recommendations for fun activities to do while you are here. 

Nguyen Hue Cafe Apartment History

From a 60-year-old building to the coolest address on Nguyen Hue Walking Street

Building No. 42 charms visitors at the first look with its glorious history. Back in the Vietnam War when Saigon was the capital of Southern Vietnam, the nine-storey building at no. 42 Nguyen Hue Street housed many top-ranking government officers, including Truong Buu Khanh – the first secretary of the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington, as well as countless American military advisors, thanks to the central location.

When the Fall of Saigon in 1975 came, the building’s honored days slowly faded away. As Vietnam thrives in the world’s economy, skyscrapers rise higher and higher to take over the sky of Ho Chi Minh City, which turns the old apartment building into a dwarf among giants. After decades, time stained every corner of Building No. 42, from the dimly lit entrance with interlacing electrical wires to yellow brick walls with peeling paint and the twisting French-style staircase. Every breath inside the building gives you such a strong nostalgic feeling from a chaotic era. 

The building revived its fame in an unexpected event in 2015. Due to the high rental fee in the city centre, small coffee shops and fashion boutiques turned their eyes to the old building No. 42. A wave of renovation hit the building quickly, and when Nguyen Hue Walking Street was open to the public, Building No. 42 also went viral on social media for its brand new appearance: a hip complex filled with nearly 30 coffee stores, fashion boutiques and other independent stores, each with a unique concept and Instagram-worthy atmosphere. The building engages hundreds of local people and tourists every day from morning ‘till dawn, and is now considered as the coolest address on Nguyen Hue walking street. 

Once you start your journey here, prepare to be confused since the 1st floor is occupied entirely by Fahasa – a renowned chain of bookstores in Vietnam. The diminutive entrance is on the left of the book store. Now squeeze yourself to make your way through vehicles and the flow of people in and out of the building. Visitors can either wander floor by floor on the stone staircase or pay 3.000 VND to use the elevator, which will be reimbursed by some shops. The exciting area starts on the 2nd floor.

Among 3 sections of the building, section A is where most stores locate, thanks to the good view looking down to Nguyen Hue walking street and the Saigon river. Section B is a little more hidden than section A, but it still attracts a good amount of businesses due to spacious apartments. Residents remain in section C as apartments are not favorable for renovation. 

While most stores open every day from 8 A.M to 10 P.M, the building is busiest in the evening. It’s the best time to see the building glows in the beautiful light from balconies and decorative billboards. If you want to explore every corner of the building, it may take most of the day. To save your time, here’s a list of what visitors usually do when visiting the building, from the most frequent activity to the unexpected ones. 

The Best Instagram Cafes at 42 Nguyen Hue Apartment

Whether you’re a fan of photography, or you just want to share some beautiful holiday moments on social media, Building No. 42 is a must-go place for you. It’s not exaggerating to say that the building is filled with Instagram-worthy backgrounds. The most photo-taken spot is not anywhere inside, but the outer view of the whole building when looking up from Nguyen Hue walking street, especially at night when the building sparkles in the light of lanterns, hanging naked light bulbs, neon lights, billboards and decorating signs. The building’s cubic-like frame with evenly square balconies makes it look like a chocolate box full of tastes and styles. 

Inside the building, artistic layouts can be spotted anywhere, from the fuzzy tiled corridors, tarnished window frames to rusty apartment doors. Before settling inside any shop, do take some photos in the hallway.  The most recommended background is the corridor of the 4th floor where a little tropical garden flourishes in the middle of the building. Or opt to the 6th floor to be surrounded in a Hoi An atmosphere with bright yellow walls and hanging lanterns all along the aisle. Even the elevator lobbies can become a hip background with different signs, billboards and maps of floors.

Now you have to make a hard decision of which store to step inside because all stores in Building No. 42 deserve the praise for their aesthetic interior. Most well-known cafés to Instagrammers include Partea, The Maker Concept, and The Letter Cafe. Partea is a classic English teahouse that actualizes every girl’s dream of living in a castle with royal-like decoration, while The Maker Concept’s industrial décor focuses on the chic, modern and somewhat minimalist style. Otherwise, come to The Letter Café to stay on a tranquil oasis in the middle of the chaotic Saigon, thanks to the elegant Hoi An influenced decoration. 

After visiting beautiful stores recommended above, let’s step out to the balconies and take a look. From there you’ll get an overview of the busy walking street, Saigon River in a far sight and some iconic skyscrapers of Ho Chi Minh city. Buihaus Coffee & Workshop on the 7th floor or Boo Café on the 9th floor are most frequently visited for their spacious and wide-angled balconies, which is suitable to set up a good photo.

If you are an active Instagrammer, check out our recommendations for more Instagram-worthy places around Ho Chi Minh city. 

Best Coffee Shops in Cafe Apartment

Building No. 42 is called “the Coffee Apartment” for a reason. What makes people so excited about No. 42 is that the complex offers customers various drinks with different tastes in one place. Here you’ll find people filling all seats in these cafés every day, mostly youngsters who not only want to have a good drink but also look for a cool place to hang out, socialize and date. Here in Building No. 42, all of their needs are fulfilled. 

For coffee addicts, you’ll have a hard time choosing a café in the building, because each store has their signature drinks that you don’t want to miss. To have a taste of Saigon style coffee, try Sai Gon Oi on the 5th floor. This shop has some different versions of the iconic ca phe sua da (Saigon iced milk coffee). A small detail that many customers like in this store is cute little name tags stuck onto your cup. The store also serves light desserts but we believe the true reason to visit is the drinks. 

On the same floor, you can find Nau Saigon Café, a cool place to try some unique Vietnamese coffee such as egg coffee, foam milk coffee, or coconut coffee. Egg Coffee is quite famous in Vietnam and worth trying for any newcomers to unique Vietnam’s coffee universe. Don’t hesitate of the bizarre combination of whisked egg yolk layered on top of black coffee, because it’s likely that you’ll crave for the creamy, tasty flavour of the drink.

A tip for Instagram enthusiasts: Check out Thinker & Dreamer on the 4th floor. The drinks in this shop are famous for being Instagram-worthy. If you see a small camera icon on the menu, it means the drinks are “good for taking photos”. Their drinks range from classic coffee like espresso or cappuccino to other popular drinks such as juices and tea. The combination of their tastes and looks is worth the price.

For tea lovers, there are two addresses that you shouldn’t miss in this building: Partea on the 4th floor and Orientea on the 7th floor. Partea is considered as a fairy house in the middle of this tropical city. Customers are deeply in love with the royal-like ambience of the store, besides the extensive choice for tea flavours. You can even choose your own teacup from the store’s huge display of vintage utensils.  

Orientea, as suggested in the name, is a place to taste oriental tea, mostly from Japan and China. The store receives positive reviews on the tranquil atmosphere and unique, delicate tea flavours. This is an ideal place to find a peaceful moment or to enjoy a Japanese tea ceremony. 

To cool down the heat of Saigon, don’t forget to check out Mango Tree on the 3rd floor and taste the store’s most recommended beverage: Mango Snowflake – a Korean famous drink/ dessert called bingsu, made from shaved ice topped with fruits, syrup and condensed milk. The dessert is famous for melting down in your mouth at the first bite. Eating a full bowl of bingsu guarantees to give you a shiver even on a blistering hot day. Other places of Saigon may also have bingsu, but  is notable for special flavours from coffee, bubble milk tea to durian. 

Cafe Apartment Food Recommendations

There are fewer restaurants in Building No. 42 than cafés, but almost all of them receive positive feedbacks for their quality and service. One thing for sure is whether you are into Eastern or Western cuisine, Building No. 42 has it all to offer. 

Start from the 2nd floor at Poke Saigon where you’ll find tasty Hawaiian seafood. This is the first restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City that serves Poke – a popular appetizer in Hawaiian cuisine, composed of raw fish, salad, toppings and sauces, which tastes fresh and healthy. This restaurant is suitable for any meal in a day thanks to its diverse menu. Those who have a vegetarian or gluten-free diet can easily choose a dish from many options.  A great thing in Poke Saigon that many customers love is that you can create your own poke flavour from unlimited toppings and sauces.  

On the 3rd floor is the right place for people who look for a European taste, with Dosh and Downtown Steakhouse. Dosh is a perfect bakery for your sweet tooth. Doughnuts are must-try when you are here because of their unbelievable soft and tender taste. Besides doughnuts, freak shakes are highly recommended, both for the taste and the Instagrammable look. Since its opening, Dosh has been one of the top-ranking bakeries in Saigon and received much attention.  Downtown Steakhouse is lesser-known, but all reviews about this restaurant are compliments for their tasty food. As suggested in the name, the restaurant’s main dish is American steaks and grills that satisfies your taste and vision. With delicious food, great outdoor setting, helpful service and affordable price, Downtown Steakhouse is worth visiting, especially suitable for dating and couples’ night-outs. 

For fans of Italian cuisine, head to 8IELTS Café on the 4th floor. The good view and arty décor with beautiful wall drawings is the most significant feature of 8IELTS. The menu composes of general Italian food such as pizza and pasta. The price and customer service in this café receive mixed reviews but are still acceptable on the average. A good thing to note down is 8IELTS offers a generous weekly discount program every Wednesday and the cafe frequently throws live music nights.   

If you have had enough of Western food, look for Michi Sushi on the 7th floor. Their menu covers a broad range in Japanese cuisine, including sushi, sashimi (a delicacy made from raw sliced meat or fish and served with soy sauce), teriyaki (broiled or grilled meat with a glaze of mirin, soy sauce and sugar), udon (Japanese noodles) and some Western – Japanese combined dishes. The food in Michi Sushi is praised for its freshness and delicate preparation. The price is reasonable with frequent discount programs, making Michi Sushi one of the busiest stores in Building No. 42. 

Lastly, for those who want to try Vietnamese food, Saigon Vieux on the 2nd floor and Sai Gon Oi on the 5th floor are the places to go. Both cafes offer some traditional Vietnamese and Saigon dishes. While Saigon Vieux has a more diverse menu which is suitable for any meal in the day, Sai Gon Oi is better to grab a quick brunch.   

Best Shopping Spots in 42 Nguyen Hue

When it comes to shopping, Building No. 42 confidently beats down other luxurious shopping malls for its dynamic atmosphere. Fashionaholics dash down here to search for trendiest, one-of-a-kind items. Young local designers find No. 42 a heavenly place to start up and promote their styles. Both result in No. 42 becomes a fashion treasure where new boutiques pop up frequently and customers can dive into various choices on a budget. What’s more, shopaholics crave for the aesthetic atmosphere not any less than clothes. Since social media is the main marketing platform of all start-ups here, shop owners strive to make every corner in their stores picturesque. All in combination makes a shopping spree in Building No. 42 definitely worth your time. 

A small thing to keep in mind: clothing stores in Building No. 42 are mainly for female customers with standard Asian sizes, so don’t be surprised if you struggle to find a fit item. In that case, look for accessories, such as cool bags or jewels because you won’t be disappointed. Below are some recommendations for stores you should swing by. 

For those who favour a minimalist style, Hayho Concept on the 2nd floor definitely wins your heart. Hayho Concept claims to serve customers “classic basics clothing with a twist”. The store sells men and women’s fashion clothes with uniquely designed embroidery and high-quality material. Customers usually look for cool T-shirts and polo shirts when they come here. For couples: don’t forget to dig into their T-shirt section and find some cool matching outfits as the store provides plentiful unisex items at all sizes. 

To complete your minimalism - inspired look, head to a Scandinavian style store named The E.Y.E Saigon on the 4th floor. The artistic decor and display charm your eyes at first sight. Even though all products are plain black and white tote bags, they can add flavour to your outfit with creative designs, printings and unique slogans. The brand’s mission is to proudly promote sustainable buying habit and showcase Vietnamese culture through modern fashion. The store also offers good quality, stylish white tees and chic wall prints that are worth considering. 

For girls who look for a feminine outfit, try Cosette or Chanchan. Cosette is a Vietnamese designer brand that emphasizes the classy beauty of vintage clothing. Their target customers are young office ladies who love to be trendy, yet maintain their formal and professional look.  If you adore the ao dai of Vietnam, do put this store onto your bucket list when you come to No. 42 as they offer a good selection of traditional, elegant ao dai styles. 

Come to Chanchan to find some funky pieces with gorgeous designs and nice materials. The store aims to customers who are into a somewhat casual and colourful style. Their most sold items are lovely dresses with nice cut-outs and tropical designs that brighten up your look. If you happen to come here around the Vietnamese New Year, you should also look for their very cool section of modern and chic ao dai designs.

Now let’s spice your outfit up with some cool accessories from Buom Boutique or The Maker Showroom. At Buom Boutique, take a look of their wide selection of various Japanese clothes and handmade accessories, from kimono, silk tank tops to wooden sandals and seagrass handbags. At The Maker Showroom, try out plentiful hip products from backpacks to jewellery and even designed phone cases. It’s pretty hard to step out of the building without one or two items from these cool fashion stores. 

Co-working Spaces in Saigon

Now, just when you think that you have known everything about this building, it still has more to offer. Besides eating and drinking, many cafes define themselves as co-working space and provide a great environment for freelancers or anyone who simply needs to make something done. Famous cafés that are dedicated to working or study space include The Maker Concept, Buihaus Coffee & Workshop and Thinker & Dreamer. Other cafés are also fine for working, except for busy hours in the evening. 

For beauties, don’t forget to wander around some beauty stores in the building, such as Naunau DIY Studio on the 5th floor. This cosmetics brand allows you to make your own beauty products, from handmade beauty soaps to your personally designed perfume, all with natural, eco-friendly ingredients. 

One thing for sure is that the business in Building No. 42 is competitive and frequently changing with more and more creative, unique stores pop up to the display, so the next time you visit it, prepare to discover some new and cool places.

The undefined future of Building No. 42 

Despite many compliments, the building has some drawbacks. Since apartment owners renovated it individually, the building lacks systematic management and organization, which makes common services, such as parking and using the elevator, quite low quality. The common areas are not taken care of, which leads to complaints as “dirty and messy”. The run-down construction of this 60-year-old building brought a huge concern to both residents and customers about its safety. Moreover, turning apartments into business is actually illegal and a notice of eviction has been made to shut down the business here, though the government hasn’t taken any strong action yet.

While the future of Building No. 42 Nguyen Hue Walking Street is unclear, business still prospers with new stores opening every month or so. Rumour has it that the building will soon be demolished, but until that day, No. 42 stays as the coolest address on Nguyen Hue Street and one of the best places to visit in Ho Chi Minh City. Check it out as soon as you can, before this unique place becomes the past. 

  Shopping in Ho Chi Minh

Read Full Article Here: 42 Nguyen Hue Coffee Apartment

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When you talk about the best cuisine in the world, Thai food is right up there. Along with Italian, Chinese, Indian, Japanese and Mexican, Thai food makes it to the top 10 list of popular cuisines in the world. However, most of the popular dishes include meat, often pork, chicken, beef or seafood, as an ingredient. Because of this, if you’re vegan or looking for vegetarian Thai food you need to know and plan about it during your trip to Thailand. I have got some good news for you. You can still take a foodie trip to the ‘Land of Smiles’ and feast on some delicious vegetarian dishes.

The Thai combination of herbs and spices create ‘to die for meals’ that are spicy, sour, sweet, crunchy and chewy. That’s why a lot of people love Thai dishes because of all the flavors it presents in one meal.

Read to know more about the vegetarian Thai food dishes you must try during your trip, the best places to get them and how to order the food.

Remember to travel to Thailand from India you’ll need a Thailand eVoa from India.

Irresistible Vegetarian Thai Food Dishes To Try

1. Som Tam (Spicy Green Thai Papaya Salad)

Som Tam Green Papaya salad spicy and delicious. Image Shutterstock

This is one of the popular Thai vegetarian dishes you can try in Thailand. The mouthwatering meal is prepared using, galangal, juicy tomatoes, carrots, shredded green (unripe) papaya, lime and tamarind juice, long beans, palm sugar, and peanuts. The ingredients give the meal a sweet, spicy, salty, sour and savory flavor. The salad usually has fish sauce and prawns included, so when ordering you make sure to say you’re vegetarian/vegan for these ingredients not to be included in your dish.

2. Pad Thai (Stir-Fried Rice Noodles)

Pad Thai the stir-fried rice noodles with tofu and mixed vegetables. Image Shutterstock

A vegetarian Thai food cuisine menu cannot miss this dish. It is one of the national dishes in Thailand and is also very popular among tourists. Mostly it is cooked with eggs, bean sprouts, tasty tofu cubes, onions, lime juice, groundnuts, and shrimp or chicken. However, you can ask the chef to omit the meat products. The famous Thai dish is just as tasty without them. Pad Thai is sold everywhere in Thailand from five-star restaurants to the street food stalls.

3. Pad Phuk Tong (Stir-Fried Pumpkin)

Pad Phuk Tong – the stir-fried Pumpkin. Image Shutterstock

You’re probably used to seeing pumpkins begin carved out during Halloween. In Thailand they have a much better use for pumpkins, they use them to create this vegetarian dish. Other ingredients used to prepare Pad Phuk tong are spring onions, coriander leaves, sugar, garlic, water, white pepper, celery, and soy sauce. This is one of the best vegetarian dishes in Thailand and you should try it with Thai fragrant rice.

4. Pak Boong (Morning Glory)

Pak Boong the stir-fried Chinese Morning Glory or Water Spinach. Image Shutterstock

This is one of the healthiest foods you can take while you’re on vacation in Thailand. The delicious salad which is salty, crunchy, spicy and sour has soy sauce, chilies, soybean paste, and garlic. Oyster sauce is often added when preparing morning glory, so again tell the cook making it not to include the sauce to keep it vegetarian.

5. Pad Pak (Fried Vegetables)

As the name suggests this is an all-vegetable Thai dish. Some of the vegetables used to make it are mushrooms, cauliflower, and broccoli. When you go to a food stall you’ll see the different vegetables used to prepare it displayed and you can choose what you want or don’t want in your Pad Pak.

6. Vegetable Noodle Soup with Lemongrass

Should you visit Thailand during the cold season this noodle soup is what you should have to keep you warm on a chilly day. It is known to be a good remedy for a cold or flu and is also said to help boost your mood. To make it lemongrass, several vegetables, thin rice noodles or noodles of your choice, coconut milk is needed. The soup is quite filling and can be had as a meal on its own at any time of the day.

7. Vegetarian Thai Green Curry

Thai cuisine has a wide variety of curries with Panang and Massaman curry being some of the most popular ones. A lot of curries are made with meat but this can be removed in your order. The Thai green vegetable curry, for example, has meat in it but you can substitute this with tofu or wheat gluten. Whichever you choose will be mixed with kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, coriander seeds, green chilies, and coconut milk.

8. Pad Phak (Stir-Fried Vegetables)

This is another all vegetable meal that will ensure you stick to your vegetarian diet. It will also leave you full but wanting for more. Ingredients required to make this meal are vegetable oil, coarsely chopped garlic, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, shallots, carrots, bell pepper, snow peas, mushrooms, soy sauce, spinach leaves, Thai pepper powder, and lime juice. These are all mixed together to give your food several different flavors. You can enjoy this meal with Thai jasmine rice.

9. Tao Hoo Song Kreung (Mixed Tofu)

If you don’t know tofu, it is soya milk coagulated to create curd. It is an excellent source of protein, iron, and calcium for vegans and vegetarians. To make this Thai meal different types of tofu are fried with the basil to make a tasty stir fry. Like most of the other dishes, we have talked about mixed tofu is usually served with some steaming rice.

10. Laab Jay (Vegan Laab)

In Thailand, most Laab salads have chicken, beef or pork but you can have a vegetarian version. Simply replace the meat with tofu and you have an amazing meal. The tofu is mixed with lime juice, Thai roasted chili paste, green onions, coriander leaves, roast rice powder, lemongrass, etc. The spices used to make this meal make it very hot and spicy, so if you don’t like spicy food ask for it to be prepared moderate or mild.

11. Thai fruit

Fruits in the streets of Thailand

If you have had enough of Thai vegetable meals on your trip switch to some fruits. Fruits are very healthy and in Thailand, you can try some of their rare fruits. You can but a bag of fruits from street vendors for 40 Baht (Baht is the official currency of Thailand), which is about $1. Mangosteen, rambutans, banana, durian, pomelos, rose apples, dragon fruit, lychee, coconut, and guava are some of the fruits you’ll find available at the fruit stand on the street corners of Bangkok.

Read More – Parallels in Indian and Thai Cuisine

There are so many more vegetarian Thai food dishes you can try while in Thailand. I’ll just list other options you can taste without going into details about them.

Heavenly pineapple fried rice. This is rice fried with cashews, peas, curry-flavored sauce and chunks of pineapple.

Thai Vegetable Spring Rolls. These make for a good snack as you travel around Thailand sightseeing. Stuffed with vegetables try them with sweet and sour or hot sauce.

Thai Mushroom Fried Rice

Khao Niew Ma Muang (mango sticky rice)

Thai Peanut Noodles

Chao Kuai. This is a Thai dessert prepared using sun-dried stems and leaves of the Chinese Mesona plant which are boiled to make a jelly.

Top Vegetarian Thai food Restaurants in Thailand

Roasted Bananas from streets of Bangkok

You can get Thai vegetarian dishes in most cities in Thailand you go visit. However, to make it easier for you here are some of my favorite vegetarian restaurants you can visit around Thailand:

1. Broccoli Revolution, Bangkok

This vegetarian Thai food restaurant located in downtown Sukhumvit was first opened in Bangkok in 2015. It now has two locations. It not only serves vegetarian dishes from around the world but also has a juice bar, which makes some of the best organic juices you’ll ever drink.

The Restaurant is open daily from 7 am to 10 pm so you can head on there for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I recommend you try the pad thai, mushrooms and basil on rice and green curry. This will cost you about 150-200 baht.

2. Greenlight Cafe & Bar, Koh Samui

This is not an exclusively vegetarian restaurant but their menu includes a wide range of Thai vegetable meals you will enjoy. Most of the ingredients used to make their dishes are organic and come from their kitchen garden.

It is open throughout the week 8 am to 10 pm. You can find the Greenlight Cafe & Bar at 3/28 Moo 1, Fisherman’s Village, Bophut, Koh Samui.

3. Atsumi Raw Cafe

This restaurant located in Rawai, Phuket is well known for its raw vegan and raw vegetarian menu. It also serves an amazing selection of smoothies, desserts, and juices made from organic ingredients. Going through its menu you may be overwhelmed by the large number of vegetarian dishes to choose from. However, the tom ka soup and zucchini pepper wrap will blow you away.  Atsumi Raw Cafe is open from 9 am to 8:30 pm daily. The last order taken is at 8 pm.

4. Tien Sien

At this simple Thai restaurant, you get to choose what you want to eat as the food is served buffet style. You simply get in line and point out what you want on your plate. The restaurant has very friendly staff who will explain to you what the different Thai meals displayed on the counter are.

Meals are affordable and for about 70 Baht you can enjoy a large plate of vegan food. Situated at 439 Khwaeng Silom, Khet Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, this restaurant is closed on Sundays but from Monday to Saturday it is open from 7:30 am to 3 pm.

5. May Veggie Home, Bangkok

Their motto is ‘Tasty vegetables amazing dishes. When you’re here, you’re family!’

The all-vegetarian restaurant food has got many tourists taking and it has been dubbed by some as the best vegetarian restaurant in Bangkok. Looking at the reviews made by those who have been there that assertion could be true.

If you visit May Veggie Home try the Tom Kha mushroom soup, yellow curry with tofu, pad thai tofu or Penang curry with tofu, I guarantee you will love these meals. For dessert, there are several vegan cakes and ice creams you can order.

The restaurant is at 8/3 (Asoke-Sukhumvit Intersection) Ratchadaphisek Road, Khlong Toei, Bangkok. It is open from 11 am–10 pm daily.

6. Ethos Vegetarian

If you’re looking for a relaxing place to grab a late supper after a long day of touring in Bangkok this is the place to go to. Located near Khaosan Night Market, the market that never sleeps, Ethos Vegetarian is open until a few minutes to midnight every day. So you can pass by here for a meal before heading back to your hotel to call it a day.

Try the yellow curry with potatoes, spicy glass noodle soup, vegetarian Thai spring rolls and don’t forget to ask for some of their fresh fruit juices.

7. May Kaidee

This restaurant has two locations, one in Bangkok and another in Chiang Mai. Both serve mouthwatering vegan and vegetarian meals, such as tofu green curry, banana flower salad, Pad Tai, and som tom.

If you would like to learn how to make Thai food, to cook for yourself or family once you get back home, May Kaidee offers cooking classes you can attend throughout the year. There are open every day from 9 am to 10 pm.

Read more – Street Food in rural Thailand

Conclusion

As you can see there are many Thai vegetarian dishes and places that sell these meals in Thailand. So you don’t have to worry that you won’t stick to your vegan or vegetarian diet when you travel to the country.

However to be on the safe side always tell the chef or waiter serving you that you are vegetarian or vegan. You can do that in Thai by saying “gin jay.”  Because most restaurants prepare your food after you make an order. The chef or waiter will take extra precaution not to add meat to your meal.

For a vegan to ensure no fish sauce or oyster sauce is added to your meal say “mai ow nam bplaa” or “mai ow nam man hoy” This way you get no meat or animal products in your meal.

Let us know which of these meals you have tasted/tried during your trip. How was it? We would also like to taste them if we haven’t already done so on our next trip to Thailand.

The post Vegetarian Thai Food Guide For Thailand Tourists appeared first on Inditales.

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If you’re looking to narrow down the best places to visit in Vietnam, it’s going to be a very tough decision. Vietnam has so much to offer any traveler that ventures to it, and is a mix of chaos and calm from the contrasts of Ho Chi Minh City to the mountainous regions of the Northern Highlands.

At one moment you could find yourself cruising through the endless creeks and rivers of The Mekong Delta and the next, sitting beachside at Hue or Nha Trang.

Vietnam on a map is somewhat squeezed to the edge of the South China Sea to the east with China hugging the northernmost border of the country. While to the west Laos and Cambodia both share a large border with Vietnam.

Despite its rough history, Vietnam’s popularity to travellers far and wide has soared in recent years making it one of the most visited countries in South East Asia.

At first glance, Vietnam might seem to be a place of constant activity but if you go to the right places, you will find the most magnificent vistas, people, food, and a peaceful way of life.

Whether you have one week or one month in Vietnam, this article is bound to give sensational ideas on the best places to visit in Vietnam!

Gondola’s in the Huong Tich Mountains

The Best Places to Visit in Vietnam

1. The Mekong Delta

Boats on the Mekong River

First up on the list of Vietnam places to visit is the mighty Mekong. The Mekong Delta is a biodiversity hotspot and a place of calm. With an almost endless system of rivers and creeks to follow, the Mekong Delta is truly special.

Getting to the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh is rather easy and is worth weaving your way out of the chaotic morning traffic to do so. The Mekong is a very big place so there are many things to do and see.

My Tho

To start off your adventure in the Mekong, I would recommend seeking out My Tho which is the closest town to Ho Chi Minh. My Tho is the gateway to the Mekong meaning that a lot of fresh produce passes through its doors. Rice, coconuts, and durian a few food items you will see a lot of here.

From My Tho, I highly recommend an early morning adventure by the aid of a boat through Vinh Long’s Cai Be Floating Markets where everything fresh sells by the kilogram or tonne, depending on what you buy!

Tra Vinh

If you are looking to truly experience the Mekong Delta, Tra Vinh is the perfect place to do so as it is located some distance from the main roads meandering throughout the delta.

Tra Vinh might not be well known to foreign visitors but it is secretly a spot dotted with hundreds of pagodas (a type of temple or shrine). Sunrise in Tra Vinh is a must see as a layer of morning mist covers the land making the shrines appear like they are on another planet.

Ben Tre

Some of my most memorable moments came from a little place called Ben Tre. It was here that I was invited into a family home to watch a game of football on a tiny television.

I could not speak Vietnamese and the family could not speak English leaving a communication barrier, however we could communicate through the game of football as we all knew exactly what was going on!

Another incredible moment happened during an early morning bike ride over the Ham Luong River. In the distance, a monstrous but beautiful storm cloud rumbled away as the morning sun turned the cloud into a bright orange as boats would chug away underneath the bridge I sat upon.   

I would recommend spending at least 2 to 3 days at a minimum in the Mekong Delta as there are plenty of places to see and things to do. It’s definitely one of the best places to visit in Vietnam!

2. Ho Chi Minh City

Late afternoon relaxing

My first impression of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) was chaotic and humid with a hint of charm, but after visiting I definitely think it is one of the best places to visit in Vietnam. I was dropped off at my hotel in the central part of the city and the only thing stopping me from getting to the hotel reception was a myriad of zooming scooters, motorbikes, trucks and cars.

Eventually, I learned how to cross roads when they are busy, which you’ll have to do too as a visitor. Once you graduate to crossing a street in a Vietnamese city the world is your oyster.

Ho Chi Minh’s population is 8.6 million spread over places known as ‘districts.’ These districts number up to 19 which is quite beneficial especially if Vietnamese isn’t your strongest language.

District 1 is the central most part of the city and will most likely be the area where you are staying. A few highlights of Ho Chi Minh City are…

Vietnam’s Notre-Dame Cathedral

Ho Chi Minh has many attractions which are relatively close to one another, the first being French/ Vietnamese version of The Notre-Dame Cathedral. Be warned this one is somewhat smaller, yet still intact to the one in Paris. Expect to see married couples posing outside of the cathedral on a daily basis.

Across from the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the pinkish building with a large clock in the middle is the General Post Office where most travel to even from foreign countries in order to post a letter or postcard.

During the Vietnam/ American War, the Reunification Palace is another landmark in Hoi Chi Minh. This palace, at the time of the conflict held South Vietnam’s President only to have armored tanks storm and crash the front gates. These images at the time made news coverage globally.

Ben Thanh Markets

Ho Chi Minh City is known for its seriously enormous markets and the one that is bigger than them all goes to Ben Thanh Markets. These markets to be exact are 119,000 square feet, or a couple of football fields.

The Ben Thanh Markets sell almost everything – and I mean everything. If you like to shop you will definitely come out with more than you need. I went looking for street food and ended up buying a bag full of t-shirts.

Vietnam’s fresh vegetable markets

War Remnants Museum

Before leaving Ho Chi Minh City, I highly recommend visiting the War Remnants Museum to get a perspective on just how terrible to war was to those living in Vietnam.

The War Remnants Museum houses photos from the war, planes, tanks and three levels within the building showcasing the terrors of the war.

Aside from the many tourist attractions in Ho Chi Minh City, simply walking around the streets during sunrise was an amazing thing especially at some of the local parks where locals would be stretching, playing football, chess or getting in a morning workout.

Ho Chi Minh City isn’t always busy so make the most of the mornings when everyone is still sleeping and if you want to get somewhere such as the Mekong Delta or out of the city to Dalat, leave early to avoid heavy traffic and lengthy delays.

3. Dalat

Scooters are allowed everywhere!

Spending too much time basking in intense humidity can’t be too good for you, so for some relief, Dalat is the perfect mountain getaway. Dalat is perched 1,500 metres above the South China Sea and only a few hours’ drive from Ho Chi Minh making it a seriously idyllic city escape.

Vietnam is home to a variety of environments including mountainous areas and these are Vietnam’s best-kept secrets. Dalat is surrounded by forests of pines, agriculture farms and many waterfalls which are 100% swimmable!

Dalat’s Central Market is the perfect place to go for a bowl of Pho;a vegetable or meat broth infused with noodles, meat or vegetables topped with chilies, basil and spring onions. Dalat’s produce will be immensely better than what you would taste in Ho Chi Minh, so eat your heart out!

Dalat is located on the shores of Xuan Huong Lake which is a fantastic morning stroll around the rather brown looking lake. Hiring a bicycle is a good option if you plan on exploring Dalat but be prepared for hill climbs!

Relaxing by waterfalls is a must while in the Southern Highlands. One, in particular, that is my favorite is Tiger Falls, some 14 kilometers east of Dalat.

Tiger Falls is a solid half-day adventure which requires some gnarly navigation skills enroute to the waterfall making it so much more fun.

Having gone from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh to the natural wonders of Dalat, exploring Vietnam’s coast is a must do!

4. Nha Trang

Nha Trang from above!

From the mountains of Dalat, heading north, Nha Trang is a serious must do. Nha Trang is a hidden gem located on Vietnam’s south-central coast where coral reefs flourish, beaches are relatively free of rubbish and the views are stunning!

A must do while in Nha Trang is a day adventure and cruise out to the neighboring islands to go snorkeling or diving amongst the corals and tropical fish.o Or if you prefer to lay on the beach and do nothing I won’t blame you for doing so!

On land, Nha Trang has a place where you can go immerse your body in warm mud that is said to be beneficial to your skin at Thap Ba Hot Springs. Being covered in mud not your thing? No worries!

Nha Trang has some top quality bars by the sea which are great for sunset drinks but if you prefer to tuck into Vietnam’s salivating street food, I would recommend Dam Market, a place generally void of tourists where prices are a lot cheaper than beach side restaurants.

5. Hoi An

Hoi An during a misty morning

Hoi An might be my favorite city in Vietnam with its gorgeous French charm, peaceful riverside influence and exceptional fresh produce. It���s definitely one of the top places to see in Vietnam.

The best way to start off an adventure in Hoi An is at the Central Market Cho Hoi An for exceptional Vietnamese food. As Hoi An is heavily influenced by France, Bahn Mi never fails to deliver with a baguette filled with fresh herbs, cucumber and meat topped with a hot sauce.

A lot of tourism in Hoi An revolves around custom clothing especially suits and pants. Some of Hoi An’s streets are dedicated to tailors and the end product is generally very good, cheap, and the waiting time is usually less than a day for a custom piece to be made. A few top sites in Hoi An are:

The Japanese Bridge

While most of Hoi An is influenced by France, there is an exception with The Japanese Bridge, built during the 16th century. The Japanese Bridge isn’t for traffic; instead it serves as a shrine on the inside to commemorate the Japanese Emperors of the time (that being the year of the dog and year of the monkey).

For a few Vietnamese dong, an incense stick can be purchased in order to pay respects.

Hoi An’s Japanese Bridge

Coastal Hoi An

Central Hoi An is very close to the East Vietnam Sea where spectacular coastlines spread from north to south. Most beaches in Hoi An have a bar or restaurant prime for cracking open a fresh, chilled coconut and watching the last rays of light disappear.

If you are keen on checking out Hoi An’s coastal areas, I suggest hiring a bicycle as the ride weaves through rice paddy fields as water buffalo frolic in mud. By bike, it takes about 30 minutes each way.

6. My Son Temple

The remains of a temple at My Son

One hour west of Hoi An, My Son Temple is a complex series of Hindu temples, pagodas and dense rainforest said to date back to the 2nd century. Guided tours operate on a daily basis and provide a look into the life of the Champa, an ancient kingdom.

My Son Temple has survived a lot of hardships including the recent war were the temple was targeted by bomber planes where craters the size of swimming pools are still seen around this historic complex.

My Son Temple is so important to the people of Vietnam and its culture that it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural values and being part of an Ancient Civilization in Asia.

7. Da Nang

One of Vietnam’s most famous views

Getting to Da Nang is an adventure in itself and if you were to ask a local where the most scenic views are in Vietnam is they’d probably say the Hai Van Pass. The first time I saw the Hai Van Pass and The Lang Co Peninsula was on an episode of Top Gear.

Da Nang is located in central Vietnam and very nearly is equal in distance to both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Da Nang is a less traveled destination and is generally bypassed due to it serving as a place of industrial and economic purposes however, don’t write it off just yet as there are a few things to do in Da Nang! My two favorites were to see Dragon Bridge and explore Cao Dai Temple.

Da Nang probably has the most awesome bridge anywhere in Asia, or the world with the so-called Dragon Bridge tailing over the Han River. The Dragon Bridge isn’t just something that is driven over, it sprays fire and water while changing color which would be very distracting when crossing on a scooter.

One of the more strange temples that can be visited is the Cao Dai Temple which is seemingly confusing especially the architecture. The temple doesn’t host just one religion, but I honestly cannot even tell you how many it does. The purpose of the temple states ‘all religions have the same purpose’.

8. Hue

Continuing north, Hue is known to most as the Imperial City or Citadel where a fortress was built during 1804. The Imperial Citadel at the time was impenetrable with a moat, the Perfume River while being protected by eight meter high walls.

Within the Imperial Citadel, there are a multitude of buildings, pagodas, temples and courtyards of gigantic scale. Unfortunately during the war, a lot of damage was inflicted upon the citadel and to this day, repairs are still being made.

Exploring the citadel can be as short or as long as you want it to be. Guided tours in the citadel are also a good option as there are so many things going on with history, types of buildings, and war knowledge so having someone with local information join your day is truly worth it.

9. Halong Bay

Halong Bay tops the list as the most beautiful place to visit in Vietnam. It is certainly a Vietnam tourist spot, but a worthwhile and unique one! I remember the first time I saw Halong Bay as I watched the hosts of Top Gear navigate the limestone islands on their boats/ scooters and the scenery they were in was incredible! A few years later, I got to experience Halong Bay for myself.

There’s no doubt, Halong Bay is the most visited place in Vietnam by foreigners putting increasing pressure on the environment and resources however things seem to be improving.

So what do you do in Halong Bay? Halong Bay and its hundreds of limestone islands can only be accessed by boat or kayak. So the first step is to find a company to go with and decide if you just want to visit for a day or do an overnight experience.

Kayaking in Halong Bay

Once you have decided on your trip, there are so many places to check out and the best way to do so is via a kayak. Cat Ba Island is one of the largest islands with a multitude of beaches, waterfalls and hiking trails while precious reefs surround the shores of the island.

Kayaking by far is the best thing you can do in Halong Bay as there are endless places to explore with caves, waterfalls and monkey’s jumping from tree to tree trying to get a glimpse of you in the kayak.

Halong Bay is one of the most unique places in Vietnam and that is due to the people that live in floating houses, sometimes never setting foot on land. Most of the floating houses have markets where fresh vegetables, fruits and sometimes even poultry are sold so why not check them out!

Overnight junk boat cruise

If you have time, I highly suggest an overnight cruise! Overnight cruises are seriously the most chilled out thing you can do in Halong Bay as there’s more relaxing on the sundeck and eating delicious Vietnamese food to be had.

A general cruise leaves from the town of Ha Long and set sail towards the islands usually around midday. Most of the boats have fairly good rooms, a bar, dining area and a sun deck along with kayaks making it the perfect way to get out and explore Vietnam’s natural wonders. We went on the Au Co by Bhaya Cruises and had a fantastic time – see the full review here.

For the best weather in Halong Bay, make sure to visit in the warmer months from April to October.

10. Hanoi

Vietnam’s flag

Hanoi is one of those Vietnam points of interests you can’t miss. The capital of Vietnam is a step back from the chaos of Ho Chi Minh with a charming vibe of old buildings, lakes, pagodas and intricate system of streets dedicated to selling a particular item. If I had to choose a city to spend more time in, Hanoi would be it.

I spent six days exploring Hanoi and surrounds doing a whole complexity of different things, but before leaving Hanoi to explore its wonders there are just so many places to see in the city first.

Getting around Hanoi is so much easier than that of Ho Chi Minh and that is partly due to a milder and cooler climate. The chances of breaking out into a sweat by 8 am are unlikely. A few of the best things to do in Hanoi are:

Lake Hoan Kiem

My perfect day in Hanoi would start by Lake Hoan Kiem which once was home to a rare tortoise said to be sacred and if you spotted it, it would bring a lifetime of good luck! At one end of the lake, the Rising Sun Bridge leads to Ngoc Son Temple where a taxidermy tortoise remains the centerpiece to the temple.

The Old Quarter

Some of Hanoi’s Old Quarter dates back to the 13th century. Today, the Old Quarter has some of the best street food, beer and historic buildings in all of the city.

Hanoi’s Old Quarter might take the award for the most unique place to visit with 36 streets dedicated to selling specific items. For instance, Hang Chieu Street is solely dedicated to selling mats for houses or Hang Bo Street sells mainly bamboo baskets. If you are after something very specific, you are sure to find it in Hanoi.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum structure is unlike anything else in Hanoi, a building made from marble and granite to house the body of Uncle Ho. Uncle Ho is received by many Vietnamese as a hero showing courageous leadership throughout the American/ Vietnam War.

Uncle Ho is known to most as Ho Chi Minh and on certain occasions, his body can be visited at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

Bia Hoi Corner

Time for a beer at Bia Corner

After a long days exploration, there’s no better way than to soak up the atmosphere than by taking a seat recommended for a child, delving into a bowl of pho and washing it down with Hanoi’s famous Bia Hoi, a preservative-free beer.

Bia Hoi Corner is quite chaotic and finding a seat is a challenge in itself as everyone rushes to get the first glass of freshly brewed beer as once the keg is empty, there won’t be any for another 24 hours.

A glass of Bia Hoi costs roughly 3200 dong and the best thing about the bia is that it will not give you a headache!

Whilst sipping away, Bia Hoi Corner becomes a haven for street vendors where Bahn Mi, household items and basically anything you can think of are sold. So sit back and watch Hanoi go by!

11. Perfume Pagoda

The Perfume Pagoda

At first, I was unsure of what else to do other than to stick to Hanoi. However after going on an array of adventures within three hours of the city, it opened up a whole new world of places to visit in Vietnam.

Vietnam’s Perfume Pagoda and Buddhist Temple; Huong Tich Grotto require an epic adventure into the depths of the Hoang Son Mountains to find a Buddhist Temple that almost seems hidden and getting there is by far the most extraordinary part of the day.

Starting off in a wooden canoe or kayak, you are rowed down the Perfume River in a unique technique as the rowers use their feet to steer and row instead of their hands, you really need to see it to believe it.

90 minutes later and depending on the flow of the river, you disembark the boat and stroll into a seemingly abandoned town where lots of restaurants line the cobbled street.

Ideally, you’ll want to fuel up on food before continuing on and there’s no better way to do so than eating fresh cuisine like rice-paper rolls filled with vegetables; banh trang cuon nuong or Vietnam’s famous jackfruit, a spikey fruit the size of a bowling ball!

Vietnam’s Perfume Pagoda including that of Thien Tru Pagoda is a collection of ancient Buddhism statues, pagoda’s, and shrines immersed into the lush forests surrounds. The Perfume Pagoda, named so due to the fragrant smells that are said to flow through the Hoang Son Mountains.

After visiting the temples of the Perfume Pagoda, Huong Tich Grotto is close by, so get back back in the boat and head up stream!

12. Buddhist Temple; Huong Tich Grotto

Vietnam’s remote cave systems

After the Perfume Pagoda, you may as well head to Huong Tich Grotto. The last part of the journey can be done according to preference; taking the scenic route on a gondola over the Hoang Son Mountains or the stairs…I definitely chose the stairs.

Once at the top of the mountains, the views are jaw-dropping! At the top of the mountain, a steep staircase takes you into the heart of Hoang Son Mountain to where the Buddhist Temple lay.

This particular Buddhist Temple is like no other in Vietnam or the world with stalagmites and stalactites are everywhere in sight. At the end of the temple, the Buddha can be seen as pilgrims pray under a dimly lit cave.

13. Ninh Binh

Ninh Binh is simply the best of Vietnam. In Cameron and Natasha’s opinion, Ninh Binh is the best place to visit in Vietnam. Just a short train journey away from Hanoi, Ninh Binh is ideal for anyone who only has a few spare days around the capital.

Ninh Binh was described by a fellow traveler as being like Ha Long Bay, just less popular and with less water, and that’s exactly what it is!

Once you arrive you’ll be surrounded by hundreds of limestone monoliths, topped with beautiful dense greenery that elegantly emerge right from the earth.

There are plenty of things to do in Ninh Binh like explore Bai Dinh and Bich Dong Pagodas. Another option is to climb Hang Mua Peak, or just venture around on a motorbike. Ninh Binh i picking up in popularity on the Vietnam backpacker trail too, meaning there are plenty of delicious places to eat. Make sure to get to Chookies for healthy vegan food and an iced coconut coffee!

14. Tam Coc

Just near Ninh Binh Town, another fine day trip from Hanoi is Tam Coc. This is a truly stunning area of Vietnam that is best seen by the river. Much like the Perfume Pagoda trip, Tam Coc requires hiring a wooden boat and a rower to take you through Halong Bay like landscapes, rice paddy fields and a series of caves which are quite spooky.

Picking the right time of year to go Tam Coc is crucial as the scenes are much more beautiful when the rice paddies haven’t been harvested. Once everything gets pulled up, there’s a lot of muddy water and no lush green crops to see. However choosing travel times can be difficult as the harvest season is so broad so you may just have to be lucky!

Getting to Tam Coc is the hard part and although it might not seem far from Hanoi, the roads have seen better days so expect the journey to Tam Coc to take 2.5 hours. Or you can just stay in Ninh Binh!

15. Sa Pa

Still wondering where to go in Vietnam? From the Mekong Delta to the far reaches of Vietnam, Sa Pa is about as far as you can go before you cross into China. Once you escape the city of Hanoi, Vietnam’s natural wonders shine and it’s truly one of the most spectacular off the track destinations you can go in Vietnam

Getting to Sa Pa is no easy feat taking 12 hours by train from Hanoi. I highly recommend purchasing a sleeper cabin because of this.

Sa Pa is known for its hillside rice paddy fields extending as far as the eye can see while Vietnam’s tallest mountain shows drastic contrast to the rest of Vietnam.

Mount Fansipan soars to 3.143 meters and is known as the ‘roof of Indochina’. Hiking to the top is an option, but a grueling one, otherwise opt for a gondola.

If you are traveling from south to north, make Sa Pa your last stop as it truly reflects what Vietnam is all about, enriched in traditional culture, unattached from civilization and completely immersed in nature. Sa Pa is incredible.

When is the Best Time of Year to Travel to Vietnam?

Ho Chi Minh City

To avoid the monsoon season, October to April is recommended however temperatures will be higher.

Da Nang

September and October by far has the highest rainfall while temperatures peak from May to August.

Hanoi

Hanoi has the best climate in Vietnam making the best months to visit from December through to April.

How to Travel Around Vietnam?

Fresh fruit is always available

Getting around Vietnam is easier than you think with trains, buses and bikes readily available. If you are planning on hiring a scooter or motorbike for a length of the country adventure, I highly recommend being an experienced rider as road conditions throughout the country can be terrible and scary at time. Always wear a helmet – it’s actually a law in Vietnam (although many don’t obey it).

If you are constrained by time, planes are a perfectly safe option in Vietnam. Opt for Vietnam Airlines over low-cost VietJet Air, which almost always runs with delays and cancellations.

Major airports are located in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi while smaller regional airports are found in all of the mentioned places apart from the Mekong Delta and Sa Pa.

Plan Your Trip to Vietnam

Book your Halong Bay Cruise! Planning on visiting the beautiful Ha Long Bay? Read our full review of our trip and use the code THEWORLDPURSUIT20 for 20% your three-day cruise!

Need Transportation? See the best ways to get around Asia here. 

Travel Insurance: We never travel without travel insurance with World Nomads. Natasha is a bit of a worry wart and would rather stay safe than sorry. World Nomads offers incredible flexible and great plans!

Water: The water in Vietnam is not drinkable. Check out some of our favorite purified travel water bottles here. 

Guide Book: Sometimes it’s nice just to have a real book in your hands when traveling. We recommend Lonely Planet.

Adapter: Make sure you find a good universal adapter like the one I have to keep you charged. Otherwise, you may struggle to find one once you land.

Read More:

15 Best Places to Visit in Vietnam

16 Reasons Why You Need to Travel to Taiwan

16 Best Things to do in Ubud, Bali • The Spiritual Capital of Indonesia

30 Reasons Why Japan is My Favorite Country to Travel

15 Amazing Things to do in Hanoi, Vietnam • A Must Visit City

Niseko Ski Resort • 25 Things to Know For Your Ski Vacation

15 Best Things to do in Osaka, Japan

The 20 Best Honeymoon Destinations in the World

Furano Ski Resort • The Best Spot For JAPOW

13 Halong Bay Cruise Tips To Know Before Your Trip to Vietnam

30 Unique Things To Do In Japan • Ultimate Japan Bucket List

15 Worthwhile Things to do in Colombo, Sri Lanka

About the Author

Calumn Hockey

G’day! My name is Calumn Hockey and I am a keen adventurer, traveler, and photographer from Bowraville, Australia. I have a huge passion for the mountains of the Himalaya in Nepal to the Southern Alps of New Zealand while being one who loves to become immersed in local culture. Over the past few years, I have been fortunate enough to travel to some pretty epic locations such as Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Nepal, and South East Asia. I might not have a high tally of countries under my belt but there is nothing better than exploring somewhere you love in depth and becoming connected with the sights and sounds. Keen to follow my adventures? Follow me on @CalumnHockey

THANKS FOR READING!

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The post 15 Best Places to Visit in Vietnam appeared first on The World Pursuit.

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Singapore is not only known for its world-class airport facilities, heart-pumping theme parks and awe-inspiring city skyline but also for its finger-licking dishes — after all, much like what the famous show of ‘Crazy Rich Asians‘ had shown us, Singapore food is a wonder of its own!

As time has it, Singapore’s seaport history surely gave way to a diverse culture with various Asian and Western influences, and this has been perfected for years. No matter where you go, you can enjoy a myriad of options: from cheap hawker centre fare to heritage restaurants serving fresh seafood and hearty rice and noodle meals.

Traveling in Singapore is definitely a delight and in order to help foodies like you, I’ve put together a list of some of the most flavorful Singaporean dishes that you must try as you eat your way through this mega city!

RELATED READ: – Things to Do During a Singapore Layover – Singapore Tours – Best Hotels in Singapore

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Top Singapore Food

#1 – Chili Crab

Photo from bonchan/Shutterstock Ask any local about Singapore’s national dish and chili crab is bound to be a clear favorite! Truth be told, it was even voted as one of the world’s 50 most delicious foods in a survey by CNN.

So while in Singapore, make sure to enjoy these juicy crabs soaked in a sweet & spicy tomato and chili sauce and then pair it off with steamed or fried mantous (buns).

Where best to eat it? Try out the spicy chili crabs at Long Beach Seafood Restaurant found in East Coast Seafood Centre, 1202 East Coast Parkway. This place actually serves a variation of the chili crab: the black pepper crab. Instead of the chili sauce, this signature dish is created with black pepper seasoning.

#2 – Chicken Rice

Photo from showcake/Shutterstock Another contender for the nation’s most popular dish is chicken rice — also called as Hainanese Chicken. In this Singapore dish, the chicken is cooked in a blend of pork and chicken bone stock for a flavorful bite. After cooking, it is sometimes immersed in ice water to create a glazed look. The rice is then cooked in chicken stock, ginger, and garlic. Now of course, don’t forget the garlic and chili sauce before digging in!

Where best to eat it? Brave the long queues at Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice found in 1 Kadayanallur St, Maxwell Food Centre.

#3 – Char Kway Teow

Photo from wong yu liang/Shutterstock Savor these wide flavorful rice noodles that are stir-fried with crispy bean sprouts, Chinese sausage, clams, dark soy sauce, and shrimp paste.

Relish in the filling meal with a distinct smoky or wok hei (‘breath of a wok’) flavor.

Where best to eat it? Hill Street Char Kway Teow found in 16 Bedok South Road,  Bedok South Market & Food Centre.

#4 – Nasi Lemak

Photo from Ariyani Tedjo/Shutterstock Delight in the different textures and flavors of the Malay dish: nasi lemak. The term translates to “rich rice”, perfectly describing the rice steamed in creamy coconut milk.

This national dish of Malaysia comes with fried chicken, ikan bilis (dried anchovies), roasted peanuts, egg, otah (grilled fish cake), and of course, sambal (chili paste). Switch up your meal with add-ons like ikan kuning (fried yellowstripe scad) and paru (beef lung).

Where best to eat it? Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak found in Boon Lay Place Market and Food Centre, 221 Boon Lay Place.

#5 – Kaya Toast

Photo from bonchan/Shutterstock Start your day at a kopitiam (traditional coffee shop) and order a delicious kaya toast. This dish might seem simple at first but it’s a well-loved Singapore food. It basically consists of sweet kaya (pandan-flavored coconut jam) and a slice of butter that are sandwiched between toasted slices of bread. Typically, this is dipped in a mixture of soft-boiled eggs, pepper, and dark or light soy sauce.

To complete the authentic experience, sip on full-bodied kopi (coffee) with condensed milk!

There are also variations on this breakfast staple such as round buns, a baguette, or even crackers instead of the usual sliced bread. Other coffee shops, like Good Morning Nanyang Cafe, puts their own unique spin with the addition of caramelized orange peel.

Where best to eat it? Ah Seng (Hai Nam) Coffee found in 7 Maxwell Road Amoy Street Food Centre for traditional, char-grilled bread. Otherwise, Good Morning Nanyang Cafe found in 14 Scotts Road, Far East Plaza and 32 Maxwell Rd.

#6 – Satay

Photo from szefei/Shutterstock Any trip to a hawker centre will not be complete without your fix of satay. Relish in this delectable skewered, grilled meat, that’s typically served with ketupat (steamed rice cake), peanut dip, and sometimes cucumbers and onions too.

The meat can vary: pork, chicken, lamb, beef and so on. Personally? I like pork satay best!

Where best to eat it? Haron Satay found in 1220 East Coast Parkway, East Coast Lagoon Food Village.

#7 – Bak Kut Teh

Photo from Sirisak Chantorn/Shutterstock Bak kut teh, which translates to “meat bone tea”, gets its name from the Chinese tea that’s typically paired with this pork rib soup dish. Basically, pork bones and meat are boiled together with a delicate amount of herbs and spices.

Afterwards, it is served with tofu puffs, mushroom, rice, and you tiao (dough fritters).

Where best to eat it? Song Fa Bak Kut Teh found in 11 New Bridge Rd. (Upp Circular Rd,

#8 – Sambal Stingray

Photo from Fariq Amin/Shutterstock Another well-loved hawker centre or Singapore street food fare is sambal stingray, also known as ikan bakar (barbecued fish) in Malay.

This Singapore invention is quite a treat as it is originally grilled in banana leaf in order to retain its natural flavor. To complete it, top it with some spicy sambal paste made from chili peppers, belacan (shrimp paste), shallots and spices. Balance your meal with the salty chinchalok or cincalok, a dipping sauce made of fermented krill/shrimp, lime, and chili.

Where best to eat it? Chomp Chomp Food Centre found in 20 Kensington Park Road.

#9 – Laksa

Photo from richardernestyap/Shutterstock A highlight of Peranakan cuisine, combining Malay and Chinese influences, laksa is a creamy coconut curry sauce that is often served with cut-up noodles and fried bean curd.

As a delicacy, laksa is offered in many variants and much like the other famous Singaporean dish, fish head curry, the Assam-style has hints of sourness from mixing tamarind.

Where best to eat it? Katong Laksa, a street food stall found at 328 Katong Laksa, 53 East Coast Road, Singapore.

#10 – Bak Chor Mee

Photo from Hatchery Design Studio/Shutterstock Chow down on the hearty bak chor mee, which translates to “minced meat and noodles”. This is a delicious bowl of noodles topped with sliced pork, dumplings, pork liver, and salted fish or fish cake slices coated in a spicy vinegar sauce.

You can also choose from different noodle types such as the mee pok (flat noodle), mee kia (thin noodle), bee hoon (rice vermicelli), mee sua (wheat vermicelli), and mee tai mak (rice pin noodle).

Where best to eat it? Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle found in Blk 466 Crawford Lane.

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OTHER TOP SINGAPORE TOURS & ACTIVITIES

Singapore Food Tour Sample the best dishes at famed hawker centers.

Universal Studios Singapore Friends and family fun!

Gardens by the Bay Singapore’s iconic attraction!

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Overall

There are obviously a lot of other amazing Singapore food such as fish head curry, hokkien mee, oyster omelette, chwee kueh, durian, roti prata, popiah, and so many others!

But hopefully, this list is already a start to treating yourself to these delectable eats.

How about you?

What do you think of these Singaporean food?

Would you like to try them out? Why or why not?

Or have you tried any of these before? How was it?

Did you like this article? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my newest posts and updates!

The post Singapore Food: Top 10 Must-Eat Local Dishes appeared first on I am Aileen.

[itsnaisah-blog]

Meranao Snacks Are As Delicious As You Can Imagine

Meranao snacks are as delicious as with the rest of the Philippines but they’ve never really gone into wide appreciation especially from the Meranao community. Nibbling snacks is a daily and filling affair among Filipinos. And the Meranaos are no exceptions to this. In fact, their appetite for it is as huge as their kitchen full of sweet goodies. Locally called “mamis”, this bunch of sweet snacks is characterized by wicked use of cassava, banana, and coconut in an overload of sugary variations. 

(Photos are from traveltrilogy.com) 

One of these delicious snacks from Meranao brothers are the Tiateg, Dodol, and Broa. Eating Tiateg feels like eating fried wire mesh because of how it looks like but Tiateg is actually a medley of rice flour, egg and coco milk. It is perforated to create all those tiny holes. It is deep-fried and once cooled, it is dowsed in syrup and rolled. Of course! I know this snack Dodol is something familiar with you, Dodol is the icon of all Maranao confections. It is made from sticky rice flour, coconut milk, and jaggery or traditional raw sugar from sugarcane. Dodol takes about 8 hours of nonstop stirring to keep it from burning and to maintain its thick and no-stick consistency. While it’s everywhere in Lanao del Sur, the best that I’ve tasted are the ones with durian from Masiu, I suggested you should try it too! Lastly, the Broa, if you were to give a present from Lanao del Sur, I suggest you should buy boxes of broa! This delicious snack is no stranger to any foodie, coming in with different names like broa, ladyfinger cookie or sponge biscuit. In Lanao del Sur, especially the Saguiaran version comes in spongy but compact bite-size cakes and not the crunchy cookie type. It is best paired with tea or coffee. 

The Meranao brothers truly love sweet snacks! Forget about the other sweet snacks because theirs are more delicious and just perfect on their own. It is just sad to say that there are only a few non-Merano knew about this, but I just wished that everyone could taste it too! 

[formeryelpers]

Coconut Jelly King, 368 N Lemon Ave, Unit B, Walnut, CA 91789

I’ve had coconut jelly from a few different places and Coconut Jelly King is still my favorite because it isn’t as sweet and it has the best texture. Their coconut jelly is soft, silky and almost melts in your mouth, leaving a trace of natural sweetness. The texture is similar to soft, silken tofu.

Coconut Jelly King uses the best organic coconuts to make their jelly. The coconut jelly comes in glass jars, with flavors like blueberry, strawberry, matcha, red bean, taro, durian, pineapple, kiwi, etc. No sugar is added to the coconut jelly. They also have egg waffles, pancakes, mille crepe cake slices, and drinks.

Single coconut jelly ($6.99): The perfect breakfast or dessert because it fills you up without weighing you down. The natural sweetness of coconut and soft, silky texture are so good (and I didn’t think I liked coconut).

Blueberry coconut jelly ($8.99): Whole blueberries in a puree on the bottom of the coconut jelly. The blueberry skins add some texture. The coconut jelly part is the same as the single coconut jelly.

Coconut jelly is supposed to improve beauty and skin health and it’s full of antioxidants. The coconut jelly is good for 3-5 days if kept in the fridge or one day if topped with fresh fruit.

The Walnut space is larger with seating and cute décor (a mural on the wall shows cartoon astronauts holding coconut jelly jars). This location has a rewards program. However, they do not take their glass jars back.

4.5 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[theexploringegg]

Day 8 HCM: The Mekong Life.

After a mere 4.5 hours sleep (or in Mel’s case, 2.5), we pulled on clothes, topped up with SPF (50 for me, less for Mel), and munched through delicious banana pancakes for breakfast. Washed down with refreshing iced coffee (no Mel, there’s no cuppa tea babe), we chatted to some other guests before being collected for our tour of the Mekong Delta. The group was made up of guests from Malaysia, China, USA, UK and Norn Iron (us). Safa was our cheeky Vietnamese guide who spoke with charisma and a glint in his eye. Even though the journey was 100km, it took about 3 hours due to the ridiculous traffic. Safa explained that cars are too expensive, and so each family will own a bike each. He has two, one for everyday and a “nice one for girlfriend.”

After a squat stop (relaaax Mel), we arrived at our stop and boarded a boat on the Mekong. The water was a murky brown, not due to dirt but the fine silt that the river brings as it makes it’s way from Tibet, through China, Burma, Laos, Cambodia and finally into Vietnam. It was interesting to see the floating market- not anything like the tourist version in Bangkok, but where wholesale fruit and vegetable dealing occurs. Each selling boat ties a couple of items of produce to their mast to show the product on offer, e.g. a few cassava or sweet potatoes. Deals are done in hundreds of kg, taken to the street markets and sold for a profit. Our boat trip took us to a rice and coconut workshop where we learned and watched coconut rice crackers being made, coconut candies and puffed rice snacks. Think making rice krispie buns on a giant scale! I tried a candy with a yellow wrapper, thinking it banana flavour. It was durian.

After another boat trip, we docked and each took a rusted bike, riding about 5 minutes along the narrow roadways to our lunch stop. The food was simple: chicken or tofu with rice and veggies. Maybe this bland offering was to cater towards the Westernised tourists, but some authentic cuisine would have been appreciated! I also got to sample some fried fish from the Mekong thanks to some friends in the group, and drank from a coconut before asking the man to whack it open and scoop the soft flesh.

We walked to some very small boats where only 4 of us could board, donned our sloped hats and were paddled by a strong elderly lady. I was surprised to see this was a woman’s job here. In fact, the whole experience got me thinking how tourism has brought a lot of jobs for these people, even though I did feel like we were trespassing in their humble everyday lives.

After our peaceful ride, we were treated to platters of tropical fruits (jackfruit, guava and watermelon), Jasmine tea and traditional music and singing. The performers really put their heart and soul into it, and it was beautiful to see.

Our boat tour ended with another look at a market: this time catfish. We then hopped off on land and walked through a busy market town before making the long journey back to HCM. The time was used wisely: some much needed sleep was had!

Kicking off our shoes at the entrance of Long Hostel (a family-run hostel I’d really recommend), we had much-needed showers and enjoyed happy hour (well, I did). The best moment was the arrival of one of my Nottingham friends who lives in HCM, who brought me some lychees which we muched on while catching up at the hostel. We then set off in search of street food which I was so excited to try.

In District 11, I had my first banh mi (a baguette with many fillings: meats, fresh herbs, patê, mayo) which was only 50p and amazing. Next we sat in a busy stall to try a bowl of ban : a fish-based stock noodle soup with meatballs, tofu, tomatoes & pigs blood. Topped with shredded morning glory, beansprouts, shredded lettuce & herbs, a squeeze of and a dollop of shrimp paste, tamarind juice & chilli; it was a real flavour explosion. Hot, sour, spicy and sweet all at once. I loved it. Dessert was sugar tea- an iced drink with crunchy lotus root, barley, longan and other additions. There are so many variations in these iced desserts in Asia and I just love them. Especially in this kind of weather! Poor Mel not doing so well with the local foods, so she laid visit to Family Mart and made a vendor’s night she when she pounced on him to buy a corn on the cob. Reaching our hostel, we parted ways with my friend and decided to spend the night planning and get to bed a bit earlier. Well, about 1am.

[meeedeee]

http://ift.tt/2rqlXx8

Ice cream has come a long way since the Good Humor truck. There’s nothing wrong with a simple cup or cone, but these days, you’re just as likely to find the ultimate creamy-cold treat rolled, sandwiched, flash-frozen or cloaked inches-thick in toppings right before before your eyes.

Bay Area scoop shops are leading some high-concept trends these days, and the variety of bold, Instagram-worthy creations is enough to give you brain-freeze — in a good way. As it turns out, the history of American ice cream has always been tied to a sense of innovation, says Amy Ettinger, ice cream historian and author of the new book, “Sweet Spot: An Ice Cream Binge Across America (Dutton, $26).

Smitten Ice Cream’s Brrr machine churns creamy ice cream before your eyes. (Photo: Audrey Ma) 

In the book, the Santa Cruz-based author delves into the legacy of extreme ice cream, starting with our Founding Fathers, who fancied oyster ice cream (yes, really), to the post-Prohibition novelty boom that gave birth to Eskimo Pies and Polar Cream Wafers, and on to Ben & Jerry’s, with its signature swirls and mix-ins.

“There’s always been this element of showmanship when it comes to ice cream,” Ettinger says. “It’s not just something you eat, it’s something you experience.”

Perhaps no Bay Area scoop shop is more synonymous with invention than San Francisco-based Smitten Ice Cream. To churn the ultimate from-scratch, made-to-order ice cream, founder Robyn Sue Fisher teamed up with a retired aerospace engineer to build a machine that flash-freezes ice cream at the time of sale using liquid nitrogen.

Today, Fisher’s Brrr machines and their signature fog fill seven shops in the Bay Area, including outposts in Lafayette, Oakland and San Jose, and yield ice cream with an ultra-rich, creamy texture — every time. Because Fisher believes that ice cream should be pure and made only from high-quality ingredients, she works with local and organic farms and purveyors to source everything.

“Ice cream should embody the definition of taste and wholesomeness,” she says. “That’s why we hand-churn every batch, so it’s fresh and we know exactly what’s in it.”

The Thai rolled ice cream craze has swept the Bay Area. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

But even discerning foodies can’t deny the joy that comes with a smattering of rainbow sprinkles or the Benihana-like show that goes on at Icicles’ five Bay Area locations. Icicles specializes in Thai-style rolled ice cream that is mixed by hand on large ice pans, then flattened into strips and rolled into cylinders in front of you. Toppings — everything from sugary cereal to gummies — are free and limitless, a perk that contributes to the shop’s mega popularity.

Like Icicles, the soft-serve giant Milkcow is also a cultural export — this time, from South Korea, where the popular franchise originated. At the busy Fremont and Castro Valley shops, co-owners and brothers Alex and Gordon Lai top the signature soft, milk-flavored ice cream with fantastical sweets, including raw honeycomb, cotton candy and the giant, wafflelike egg puffs that they remember as a popular street food item during their childhood years in Hong Kong.

“The quality and taste of our products are of the utmost importance, but our mission is also to create fond memories and bring smiles to people’s faces,” Gordon Lai says.

Especially when it reminds you of being a kid.

“At the end of the day, people can say whatever they want about purity and ingredients, but ice cream is about being transported to childhood,” Ettinger says. “Sometimes that means having something unexpected like a celery sorbet or being able to put whatever you want on your scoop of ice cream, because that’s what you did with your family —  or it’s what you longed to do.”

Whether you fancy savory organic ice cream or wacky soft-serve, here are 12 ice cream shops where you can find sweet and innovative treats this summer.

Churned-to-order

1. Smitten Ice Cream

These small, brightly-lit scoop shops specialize in ultra-premium ice cream that is made to order using founder Robyn Sue Fisher’s liquid nitrogen Brrr machine. Due to the smaller-sized crystals achieved with liquid nitrogen, Smitten’s ice cream has a super-creamy, smooth texture. Flavors have a culinary focus, change seasonally and are often gourmet updates on classics, including Brown Sugar with Cinnamon Shortbread, Blueberry Lavender and Strawberry White Balsmatic.

Must-order: Chocolate ($5-$6) may sound simple, but it’s actually a decadently rich ganache made with TCHO’s 60 percent cacao chocolate.

Details: Seven Bay Area locations, including 3545 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette, and 3055 Olin Ave., San Jose; http://ift.tt/1eMhsfb

2. Crafts Creamery

This brightly lit shop opened two years ago and offers a variety of made-to-order (via liquid nitrogen) options: organic ice cream made with the good stuff from Straus Family Creamery, coconut-based nondairy frozen dessert and granitas. Choose your flavor — there are over 20, including matcha green tea, caramel latte and mint chocolate chip — and any mix-ins and watch as they pop it into a blender-meets-metal-bowl device, squirt it with liquid nitrogen and freeze it in minutes. Complain about the high-ish prices ($5.36-$9.69 plus toppings) all you want, but this place has lots of seating and accommodates birthday groups at no extra charge. Just give them a few days’ notice, so they can round up extra chairs.

Details: 100 Railroad Ave., Suite D, Danville; http://ift.tt/2qLXdwL

Must-order: Burnt sugar tastes like the top of creme brulee — but thick and cold.

Rolled

3. Icicles

At Icicles, ice cream is rolled into tight cylinders, then topped with cream. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Thailand’s rolled ice cream has hit the Bay Area, beginning at Icicles’ flagship shop in San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood. Choose from 11 flavors, including PB&J or Bravocado, or ask the staff to create your favorite combo by mixing the original custard base (made from farm-fresh eggs, milk, sugar and cream) with your favorite toppings. They’ll chop and flatten everything before your eyes on large ice pans, then scrape it off into pretty, finished 3-inch rolls. Unlimited toppings add to the fun. Also available: dairy-free “fruit roll ups.”

Must-order: Try Nutella and Chill ($6.50), custard base blended with bananas, graham cracker and hazelnut-chocolate spread.

Details: Five Bay Area locations including 222 E. Third Ave., San Mateo, and 600 Main St., Suite F, Pleasanton; http://ift.tt/2rejoPJ

4. Freezing Point Creamery

An unassuming shop tucked inside Chinatown, Freezing Point Creamery is a tiny, cash-only joint where you can choose from five rolled ice cream flavors: strawberry, mango, purple yam, red bean, cookies and cream, or matcha. They also offer housemade ice cream in several nontraditional flavors, including wasabi, durian and ginger. Toppings also available.

Must-order: Try the purple yam ($7), made with real bits of yam. Enjoy it with a cup of the warming — and popular — ginger milk tea ($4.95), made with organic whole milk and ginger juice.

Details: 349 Seventh St., Oakland

Soft-serve, with a twist

5. Milkcow

This South Korean export boasts creamy, not-too-sweet milk-flavored soft ice cream. Its facility in Southern California sources milk from free-range cows that are fed Italian ryegrass. Drizzles include various syrups, such as pistachio and honey — sourced from Marshall’s Farm in American Canyon — and fanciful toppings, like locally made macarons, waffle-sized egg puffs, and housemade cotton candy.

Must-order: Raw honeycomb with honey drizzle ($4-$6) offers the sweetness and slight crumble of real honey, the perfect complement to this ultra-creamy, milky soft ice cream.

Details: 5657 Auto Mall Parkway, Fremont, and 3223 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley; coming soon to Pleasanton; www.milkcowusa.com

6. Curbside Creamery

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5 marvelous meatballs

Now in its third year, Tori Wentworth’s Temescal Alley scoop shop is an all-inclusive ice cream lover’s paradise. It specializes in gourmet versions of classic flavors (hello, Creamsicle) available in both traditional dairy and cashew-based vegan options. But it’s the soft-serve that we melted over — especially the smooth Thai iced tea and a slightly nutty vanilla that was thick and delicious, without even one icy crystal to bum us out. Soft-serve flavors change on Thursdays.

Must-order: Both the Salted Caramel and Bicycle Coffee Co. ($3.25-$5.75) make us swoon. Dairy-free folks: Get your hands on the vegan chocolate or vegan earl grey tea.

Details: 482 49th St., Oakland; http://ift.tt/VispTl

Extreme pops

7. Gelati Creation

This two-year-old Alameda ice-cream-on-a-stick shop specializes in housemade gelato and sorbetto pops ($3.65-$3.80 plus toppings). The sorbetto is made in-house from fresh or pureed fruit (everything from guava and passion fruit to mango and peach), water and sugar while the gelato base comes from a supplier and includes whole milk and sugar. The pops are not too sweet, which allows for layering drizzles — milk, white or dark chocolate — and toppings, such as ground nuts, chocolate chips, coconut flakes or rainbow sprinkles.

Must-order: These creations are very personal, but we’re partial to the coffee gelato pop with milk chocolate drizzle and crushed almonds.

Details: 222 B South Shore Center, Alameda; http://ift.tt/2dZ4aEN

8. Milk and Wood

The concept at this kiosk inside downtown San Jose’s hip SoFA Market is similar: Choose your flavor, your drizzle — in addition to the chocolate drizzles, they also offer sweetened condensed milk — and your toppings, and stand back as the artists make your dream a sugar-laden reality. Milk and Wood handcrafts the pops daily in up to 25 flavors, including chocolate hazelnut, mango strawberry, and cookies and cream, and offers crushed pretzels and chocolate shavings among other toppings. Everything’s made in small batches, so they often run out by evening, especially on weekends.

Must-order: Customers swear by the Green Tea Kit Kat or Mint Oreo with drizzles and toppings galore ($4-$5).

Details: 387 S. First St., San Jose; coming soon to Santa Cruz; www.milkandwood.com

Sandwiched

9. Maven’s Creamery

These macaron ice cream sandwiches are as beautiful as they are delicious. Available in cold cases at multiple locations around the Bay Area, Maven’s Creamery macarons are made with almonds, egg whites, milk and other ingredients, and come in six flavors, including bright purple Ube Macapuno, Coffee Hazelnut and speckled Rainbow Crunch. The ice cream’s thick, creamy consistency is the perfect complement to the cake-y macaron.

Details: Available at 12 Bay Area locations, including Poki Bowl in Palo Alto and San Jose, and Hang Ten Broiler in Hayward and Alameda; http://ift.tt/2jXnsN5

Must-order: The best-selling Cookies ‘n’ Cream ($6) packs all the creamy-delicious nostalgia of childhood between pretty blue macarons.

10. Cream

This ice cream sammie shop first opened in Berkeley in 2010 and has since exploded in the Bay Area. You can’t deny the variety. Gluten-free cookies? Check. Dairy-free ice cream? Yup. And the always-premium ingredients are custom-sandwiched to your specifications. Choose from 20-plus ice cream flavors and 10 fresh-baked cookies, including toffee nut, chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin plus brownie ice cream sandwiches, the Cream Taco and Do’sant — ice cream between two glazed donuts.

Must-order: We’re partial to the Caramel Cinnamon Chill ice cream, sandwiched between snickerdoodles, but it’s all good.

Details: 12 Bay Area locations including 2070 Salvio St., Concord and 2399 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley; http://creamnation.com

Eclectic flavors

11. Tara’s Organic Ice Cream

Tara Esperanza focuses on broadening your ice cream horizons. Her ice cream is made in small batches of two to four gallons at a time, using organic cane sugar and organic seasonal fruit, dairy and herbs sourced from local farms. The inventive flavors are like none you’ve likely tasted: Avocado and Baobab, for example, Butternut Curry, Chinese Five Spice, Orange Cardamom, Mocha and Lemon Verbena. For old-school purists, she also makes a killer chocolate chip ice cream.

Must-order: We love the saffron ice cream and, when available, any stone fruit flavor, including nectarine or white peach.

Details: 4731 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, and 3173 College Ave., Berkeley; www.tarasorganic.com

12. Salt and Straw

Sure, there are a lot of creameries in the Bay Area doing unique flavors, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t include this Portland export, which is already drawing 45-minute waits outside its new (and first) San Francisco scoop shop. Salt and Straw partners with local purveyors to create seasonal and unusual flavors that are OMG-good, like Arbequina Olive Oil, Pear and Blue Cheese, Avocado and Strawberry Sherbet, and Green Apple and Wasabi Flowers.

Talk about extreme: This month, Salt and Straw is featuring limited-edition ice creams made from food waste in San Francisco. Flavors include The Roxie Road (made with leftover popcorn from the Mission’s Roxie Theatre) and Roasted Sunchoke Mock Apple Pie (made with organic but misshapen sunchokes from San Francisco’s Imperfect Produce).

Must-order: Tough call. Seriously. We can’t help you. We dream of the Woodblock Chocolate at the SF shop, but the Olive Oil and Lemon Custard is also off-the-charts good.

Details: 2201 Fillmore St., San Francisco; http://saltandstraw.com