World's Best Places to Visit

It takes a lot for me to lose my cool. I’ve managed 34-hour bus rides with locals lying in the aisles and smoking cigarettes.  I’ve managed beds full of ants and squat toilets covered with cockroaches.  I’ve managed scams, strep throat, and sleep deprivation. So when I finally lost my cool and freaked out, what was it about? Durian. Durian is a popular fruit in Southeast Asia.  The fruit itself is sweet, but the skin smells horrible – like rotting flesh mixed with Windex .  It’s an unmistakable odor that you will recognize anywhere. But most importantly, durian is banned from hotels and public transportation in several Asian countries .  That’s how you know I’m not freaking out over something inconsequential! My hate affair with this fruit started on my first day of the trip. I was visiting Bangkok’s Wat Phra Kaew, and in a moment of insanity – probably due to the fact that I hadn’t slept a wink the night before – I decided to try a durian popsicle. I took a lick and nearly ...

Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon as some locals still call it has a number of historical and popular sites fairly close to the city center. I often travel to Vietnam for work , and spend the weekends touring the city. On my recent visit, I had a free day in Saigon and wanted to visit a tourist attraction. Since it was still early in the morning, I decided to beat the crowds to see what the hype was about for Bitexco Financial Tower’s Saigon Skydeck . Surrounded by an ever changing landscape, Saigon’s tallest skyscraper gives you a panoramic view of the city. According to a CNN article , it is considered one of the top 25 iconic skyscrapers in the world at 262 meters (859.6 feet). How to Get There Getting there is easy. Located in District 1, just a few streets over from Nguyen Hue, the popular walking street, and also next to the Saigon River. The official address is: No. 36, Ho Tung Mau Street, District 1. Being the tallest building around, it’s not too difficult to spot. You can also co...

Depending on your nationality and your current location, you can have different options in terms of visa and transportation.  If you are wondering how to apply for your Vietnam visa, you will find all the information here.   Read more about Vietnam: Sleeper train from Hanoi to Sapa   Arriving in Vietnam by flight   If you’re heading to Vietnam by flight, you’ll have to get a visa (unless you are allowed to be there for 15 days visa-free).  You’ll have two options: Apply for a visa on arrival online; Apply for a visa at the Embassy. The easiest option according to me is option 1.  It’s much easier to handle a visa online than having to get out and sort out a visa via an embassy.  So, unless, it’s necessary, I’d rather do it online. Vietnam-visa.com is probably the website #1 to get your Vietnam visa sorted.  Their system is simple (I love it that way!) and efficient.  You can get your visa sorted in 4 hours if you need to or...